[Special Called Veteran Affairs Commission on January 13, 2025.]
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WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND DO THE ROLL CALL.
AND THIS IS FOR, UH, JANUARY THE 13TH TO 2025.
WHO LIVE ONLINE? DID YOU SAY A, I THOUGHT I HEARD SOMETHING.
OKAY, THEN THAT'S, UH, THE REST ARE VACANT.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED WITH OUR, UH, AGENDA FOR TODAY.
THAT'S GONNA BE THE FIRST THING.
UM, TODAY OUR GUEST, UM, WELL, WE GO AHEAD AND, UH, APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE LAST MEETING.
NOW WE HAVE OUR GUESTS, UM, WE HAVE, UH, HEARING, UH, IN PERSON, UH, THE PRESENTATION BY THE MERCY DOGS.
AND, UM, I DON'T, UH, WHO'S GONNA START? OR I CAN START.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MERCY DOGS, WHICH IS A, A NEWER FORM NONPROFIT SINCE LAST YEAR.
AND SO WE ARE SERVING THOSE WHO SERVED.
SO, WE SERVE VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS.
SO FROM ALL, ALL ASPECTS, THE ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, COAST GUARD, UH, FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE, EMS, ET CETERA.
SO, OUR MISSION GOES BEYOND TRAINING DOGS.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE PAIR, UM, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS.
UH, THERE'S SERVICE DOGS THAT ARE THE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS.
SO WE FOCUS ON EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS FOR VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS.
SO IF THEY DO NOT HAVE A DOG THAT WOULD MEET OUR CRITERIA FOR TRAINING, WHAT WE DO IS WE WILL GO OUT AND SEEK, UH, A, A DOG AND MATCH AND PAIR FOR THE VETERAN OR FIRST RESPONDER.
UM, AND SO WE, WE GET THAT THREE DIFFERENT WAYS THROUGH, UH, A DONATION, UH, OF A DOG DONATION.
UM, IF SOMEBODY ALREADY HAS A DOG AND THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS, OR WHAT WE DO IS WE GO OUT TO THE ANIMAL SHELTERS AND SEEK OUT A DOG THAT WOULD BE A GOOD FIT.
UM, SO THE PRIMARY GOAL OF WHAT WE START IS SO THAT VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS CAN REGAIN CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES.
UM, THESE ANIMALS ARE GREAT COMPANIONSHIP.
UH, THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF THE VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS TO HELP REGAIN THE CONTROL OF THEIR LIFE, THE COMPANIONSHIP, THE
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LONELINESS THAT THEY FEEL FROM THAT IN ISOLATION THAT THEY FEEL FROM, UH, AFTER THE FACT WITH, UH, LOSS OF BROTHERHOOD, UH, COMFORT DURING PTSD EPISODES.UH, COMFORT DURING PANIC ATTACKS, AND JUST THE RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH OWNERSHIP.
SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, SO HOW CAN YOU HELP? WE'RE LOOKING THROUGH, UH, FOR MONETARY DONATIONS, SHARING OUR MISSION.
SO WORD OF MOUTH, UH, ANY KIND OF, UH, FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, UH, FUNDRAISING OR ANYTHING WITH OUR, OUR MERCH SALES, UH, CONNECTION BUILDING, NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES.
AND, UH, JUST SENDING, UH, ANY VETERANS THAT NEED OUR ASSISTANCE.
WE HAVE A FACILITY, UH, THAT'S OUR PHONE NUMBER, EMAIL ADDRESS.
AND SO, UH, MYSELF, NIKKI MUSCO, WHO'S SITTING TO MY LEFT IS MAURICIO AS VICE PRESIDENT.
ON THE END IS, UH, BOB, BOB GIBBONS, THE SECRETARY, AND THEN BAILEY REYNOLDS.
SHE, UH, HELPS WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO WE ARE REGISTERED, UH, WITH A 5 0 1 C3 WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS AS OF, UH, THIRD QUARTER OF 2024.
AND WE DID A LONG FORM OF THE IRS, SO WE'RE JUST PENDING ON THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND, UH, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT? UH, I DID, BUT YOU CAN GO FIRST.
UH, I'M CURIOUS, HOW DO YOU GET YOUR REFERRALS? HOW DO THEY, HOW DO PEOPLE COME TO YOU? YEAH, SO IT'S JUST BASED, UH, WORD OF MOUTH AT THE MOMENT.
UH, WE HAVE A WEBSITE AND THEN, UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING AT TRYING TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, WHICH I THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT ARE, THAT SUPPORT VETERANS.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, AN ALSO ANOTHER NONPROFIT CALLED VETERANS POINT, WHERE THEY'RE KIND OF THE CONNECTION FOR VETERANS AND THEN ALSO HERE AS WELL TO HELP JUST GET THE WORD OUT.
DO DO YOU DEAL WITH THE VA AT ALL? DO THEY SEND YOU ANY REFERRALS? WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THE VA, SO WE'RE JUST, SINCE WE'RE STILL FAIRLY NEW, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
I'M WORKING ON A PARTNERSHIP EVENT WITH THE VETERANS AFFAIRS IN BONHAM.
AND, UH, WE WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND DO A BIG THING, DOG PRESENTATION, SHOW DOGS DOING TRICKS TO GET THE VETERANS OUT OF THEIR ROOMS AND OUT INTO THE PARK AND FEED THE PUBLIC.
AND I'M TRYING TO DO, UH, PARTNERSHIP WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, K NINES.
I'D LIKE TO GET THE FIVE DEPARTMENT AND ANY EMS TO COME OUT THERE.
WE WANT TO TURN IT INTO A COMMUNITY EVENT, SOMETHING WE WANNA PROPEL.
AND OF COURSE, THAT WOULD GIVE US, 'CAUSE I EXPECT IT TO BE VERY WELL ATTENDED BY VETERANS, AND SO I THINK WE WILL GET A LOT OF REFERRALS, PEOPLE SEEKING WHAT WE'RE OFFERING.
THAT'LL PROBABLY BE IN MARCH OR APRIL.
UM, I'M ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT, UH, HOW YOU GET YOUR DOGS.
YOU SAY YOU GO TO THE SHELTERS AND, AND DO THAT AT, UH, SO THESE DOGS, YOU SAID ARE NOT AS TRAINED AS SERVICE DOGS OR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, SO LESS, LESS TRAINING FOR THE DOG? TECHNICALLY, YES.
UH, WE STILL DO THE ADVANCED TRAINING.
UM, SO HOW WE GET THE DOG IS WE HAVE SPOKEN TO SOME SHELTERS AND ASK, WE'RE MENTIONING THE KIND OF TYPE OF CRITERIA, THE TYPE OF PERSONALITY THAT WE'RE SEEKING FOR A DOG.
UM, AND SO, UH, SO WE MAKE, AND THEY'LL TRY TO FLAG THE DOGS FOR US, AND, AND THEY REACH OUT AND LET US KNOW IF THEY HAVE A DOG.
IT'S KIND OF A CATCH 22, RIGHT? WE WANNA MEET THE VETERAN, OR THE FIRST RESPONDER FIRST TO SEE WHAT KIND OF LIFESTYLE IS A GOOD FIT AND WHAT FOR WHAT KIND OF DOG.
WE DON'T WANT A HYPER DOG THAT'S WITH SOMEBODY WHO'S, YOU KNOW, MOSTLY AT HOME AND DOESN'T HAVE SUCH AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE, RIGHT? SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S THE RIGHT FIT.
UM, SO WE'LL GET DONATIONS, UM, UH, OF DOGS AND THAT WE SCREEN, AND THEN ALSO THE SHELTERS.
UM, AND THEN IF, LIKE I SAID, IF SOMEBODY ALREADY HAS A DOG AND THEN WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN SCREEN THAT DOG AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE THE RIGHT FIT.
UH, COMMISSIONER PER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, I JUST HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
SO I KNOW YOU'RE A FAIRLY NEW ORGANIZATION, BUT HOW MANY DOGS AND VETERANS HAVE YOU PAIRED THIS YEAR OR IN THE LAST YEAR? LAST YEAR TWO.
AND THEN, UM, SO I ACTUALLY USED TO WORK FOR DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES, SO I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PARTNERSHIPS.
HAVE YOU GUYS REACHED OUT TO THEM? UM, TALKED TO THE DIRECTOR.
I KNOW THE DIRECTOR AND MYSELF IS A VETERAN, SO I
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KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE REALLY IMPACTFUL, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS, UH, SHELTERS BEING OVER CAPACITY.UM, THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
UH, HAVE YOU GUYS REACHED OUT TO THEM? NOT YET, BUT THEY WERE ON OUR LIST.
BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN ASSIST US WITH, OF COURSE, TO CONNECT, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
UM, YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL SPEAK AFTER THIS AND I'LL GET YOU GUYS CONNECTED.
UH, WHEN YOU SCREEN THE VETERAN, UM, AND I, MAYBE I'M NOT ASKING THIS RIGHT, BUT, UH, FOR, FOR THE, THE, UH, VETERAN HIMSELF IS HE, IS HE REQUIRED TO HAVE A, A AN ADDRESS A HOME? BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF HOMELESS VETERANS, AND I SEE THEM WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, UM, DOGS OR, OR THE SERVICE DOGS AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I WORRY ABOUT THE VETERAN COURSE AND, AND, AND THE ANIMAL.
SO IS THERE A, A SCREENING FOR THAT OR, YES.
HEY, UH, MAURICIO PINTO, UH, VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, SO, UH, THAT, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND, AND HONESTLY, THAT'S, I FEEL, I, I JOKE WITH NIKKI'S, NOT THAT'S MY BIGGEST, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS IN THE ARMY FOR NINE YEARS.
UH, I, UM, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN OUT SEVEN YEARS, EIGHT YEARS, UH, I'VE STRUGGLED WITH PTSD AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND, UH, KIND OF A COOL STORY, AND I WON'T GET TOO, TOO MUCH INTO IT, BUT I WAS ABLE TO BRING A DOG HOME FROM AFGHANISTAN WITH ME.
UM, AND AS I STRUGGLED WITH ADDICTION AND ALCOHOLISM, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, IT WAS HARD.
BUT ANYWAY, SO I, I SHARE ALL THAT AS, AND I, I HAVE MY OWN EXPERIENCE WITH IT, BUT THEN FINDING THAT VETERAN, IT WAS SOMETHING I EXPLAINED TO HER THAT A, IT CAN BE, UM, SORT OF COUNTERPRODUCTIVE IF SOMEBODY ISN'T IN A GOOD STATE FOR THE, FOR THE VETERAN AND FOR THE DOG.
UM, BECAUSE THEN THE VETERAN LOOKS AT IT, WELL, I'VE, I'VE FAILED, RIGHT? I'M, I'M BACK ON THE STREETS, WHEREVER THE CASE MAY BE.
OH, AND I HAVE THIS ANIMAL, THIS LIVING THING.
AND, UM, BUT, SO THAT'S WHERE SORT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IS WHAT I TEND TO, UH, WILL DO THE MOST IS VETTING.
SO WE START WITH THE DD TWO 14, UH, YOU KNOW, CHECKING OUT RE CODES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, MAKING SURE, UH, THAT THEY WEREN'T, YOU KNOW, DISHONORABLY DISCHARGED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND BECAUSE RED FLAGS, RIGHT? UM, BUT THEN, YES, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE IN A, A STABLE CONDITION, UH, BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WAS, UH, VERY ADAMANT ABOUT, UH, THAT THIS CAN 100%, IT CAN BE A, A DETRIMENT, UH, IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL VETTING IT.
SO, SO PART OF THAT IS CHECKING DOCUMENTATION.
THEN THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS JUST THAT HUMAN SIDE WHERE, HEY, COME LET ME MEET YOU.
GOT A HOME AND, AND TO ACTUALLY TALKING WITH SOMEBODY.
AND I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BASICALLY BE ABLE TO, TO, TO PAINT A PRETTY BIG PICTURE OF, UH, IF IT IS, BECAUSE THAT IS THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO FOR THE, THE, FOR THE VETERAN AND FOR THE ANIMAL AS WELL.
SO I'D LIKE TO CHIME IN ON THAT.
SO THAT'S ON THE, UH, PAPER SIDE OF THE APPLICATION AND, AND TALKING TO THEM.
AND THEN ALSO THE NEXT STEP, WE EVEN GO FURTHER WHERE WE HAVE A COUPLE THERAPISTS, UM, THAT ARE VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME SO THAT THEY HAVE TO, THE VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS HAS TO RES, WE HAVE TO RECEIVE THAT APPROVAL.
UM, IF THEY DON'T, WE HAVE, UM, ANOTHER NONPROFIT.
IF THEY DON'T QUALIFY, WE HAVE ANOTHER NONPROFIT THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO ASSIST THEM FURTHER ON THE MENTAL, UH, STABILITY ASPECT.
SO WE DO HAVE TO GET THAT WRITTEN APPROVAL FROM THE THERAPIST THAT THEY ARE APPROVED FOR THIS AND THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO, UH, TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMAL PROPERLY.
UH, YOU KNOW, BONHAM'S A SUBSET OF, UH, THE DALLAS VA, AND ONCE YOU'VE MADE YOUR PRESENTATION AT BONHAM, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO APPROACH THE DALLAS VA ABOUT BRINGING YOUR AND, UH, THE DALLAS VA, IF YOU CAN GET REGISTERED OR WHATEVER WITH THEM, WOULD WHAT WOULD REACH A VERY BROAD, MUCH BROADER AUDIENCE, MORE GUYS LIKE THIS WITH, UM, NEEDS.
UM, AND, AND I AM ABSOLUTELY FOR THAT, AND I MAY REACH OUT TO YOU GUYS FOR HELP TO DO THAT.
BUT I ACTUALLY AIMED AT FOLLOW, BECAUSE THERE'S AN OLD EXPRESSION.
HAVE YOU EATEN AN ELEPHANT ONE MOUTH AT A TIME? UH, I DIDN'T WANT MY FIRST BITE TO BE THE DALLAS VA, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU.
NO, NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THAT'S, THERE'S A LITTLE INTIMIDATION THERE.
SO, UH, BONNIE IS A SMALL BITE.
BECAUSE THEY COVER ALL OF OLD PEPSIS.
UH, I THINK THE STAFF COULD PROBABLY PROVIDE YOU WITH A LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE UMBRELLA ORGANIZATIONS.
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US IN THE PAST, AND YOU COULD REGISTER WITH THEM, UH, AS WELL TO BROADEN, YOU KNOW, UH, VISIBILITY OF THE, WHAT YOUR ORGANIZATION IS ABOUT.UH, THERE THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEAL WITH VETERANS, RIGHT? BECAUSE AS A I FIVE DOGS, RIGHT? MM-HMM
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET OUR WORD OUT, BUT IT'S A QUALITY WORD.
THE TRUTH IS, IS ULTIMATELY WE WOULD LIKE TO DO 10, 20, 30 DOGS A MONTH.
BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE BABY STEPS.
SMALL MOUTHFULS, GET THE DOGS, GET THEM RIGHT.
MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY WITH THEM.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO THAT IN A CONTROLLED WAY.
WE WANNA, WE WANNA, WE WANT EXCELLENCE BECAUSE WHAT WE DO IS VERY IMPORTANT.
SO IF YOU WOULD CONTACT INE AND THE STAFF HERE, IF THEY COULD PROBABLY GIVE YOU NAMES OF ORGANIZATIONS AND CONTACT INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN THEN FOLLOW UP ON, YOU KNOW, TO HELP.
JUST, I'M DIANE BIRDWELL, UM, ARMY VETERAN.
UH, I LIVE IN EAST DALLAS AT DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND UH, MY ROOMMATE HAS A SERVICE DOG, SO I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES IN THAT.
UM, THE DEAL IS WE ARE AN ADVISORY ORGANIZATION.
ALL WE CAN DO IS RECOMMEND TO THE CITY WHEN THEY HAVE PROPOSALS FOR POLICY OR CODE CHANGES, WHAT CAN HELP US.
SO IF YOU EVER HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS ON CODE OR POLICY, THEN CONTACT US AGAIN.
AND THEN WE CAN PROBABLY ADVOCATE FOR YOU OR HELP YOU WHEN YOU GO SPEAK BEFORE THE COUNCIL OR WHENEVER WE GET A NEW CITY MANAGER, WHENEVER THAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN,
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT NETWORKING, SIR, AND THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
ARE Y'ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE GREATER DALLAS VETERANS FOUNDATION? THEY'RE THE ONES WHO PUT ON THE PARADE EVERY YEAR FOR VETERANS DAY IN NOVEMBER.
AND SO IT'S CALLED THE GREATER DALLAS VETERANS FOUNDATION.
THEY'RE ON FACEBOOK, THEY'RE ALL OVER, BUT THEY HAVE EVERYBODY.
UM, THEY'VE GOT THE MOWW, VIETNAM VETERANS, AFGHAN, IRAQ WAR VETERANS, THE ROTC KIDS COME, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I WAS A TEACHER FOR 25 YEARS.
THE RTC COMES FLAGS IN UNIFORMS AND ALL.
SO IT, THEY PUT ON THE PARADE.
SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO JOIN WITH THEM AND GET INVOLVED WITH THEM.
'CAUSE ONE THAT IS THE ULTIMATE IN DALLAS, UH, NETWORKING, BUT ALSO, UH, TO GET Y'ALL MAYBE ATTACHED TO THE PARADE, IF YOU WANT TO COOPERATE WITH THEM, YOU'VE GOT A LOT, NOT A LOT OF TIME, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S JANUARY AND, UM, DON'T Y'ALL THINK THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING FOR THEM TO DO? THE GREATER DALLAS VETERANS FOUNDATION, THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE AN UMBRELLA.
I WAS PART OF IT WHEN IT CAME INTO EXISTENCE.
I REPRESENTED WOMEN VETERANS WHEN IT CAME IN TO BRING THE PARADE BACK.
AND YOU WILL SEE SERVICE ANIMALS AND ESAS, UH, AT THE PARADE.
AND SO NOT SURE HOW THAT DOES.
THE OTHER ONE YOU MENTIONED, DAS YOU'RE THE EXPERT ON DAS 'CAUSE YOU WORKED WITH THEM BEFORE THEM.
BUT YOU ALSO, IF YOU FIND OUT IN DALLAS COMMUNITIES, UM, LIKE I LIVE IN BUTNER TERRACE, UH, IN THE FALL, WHAT IS IT? UM, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AGAINST CRIME, YOU BRING IN A LOT OF FIRST RESPONDERS AND SUCH LIKE THAT IF YOU FIND DIFFERENT ORGAN, YOU KNOW, JUST FIND DIFFERENT COMMUNITY THINGS TO, TO JOIN INTO.
'CAUSE PEOPLE, WHEN THEY'RE ORGANIZING THESE EVENTS, THEY WANT PARTICIPATION.
AND IF YOU FIND OUT WHEN THE DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES IS HAVING AN ADOPT AON KIND OF THING GOING ON, YOU CAN ASK, YOU KNOW, TO KIND OF COME ALONG OR MAKE A BROADCAST AT A HOUSE OF WORSHIP ON A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY, DEPENDING ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE RELIGIOUS, UH, RULES AND SEE, BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO BRING IN, UH, SOME ATTENTION AND FUNDING.
AND THAT'S WHY WE GET IT, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
ALL OF US BELONG AT LEAST TO TWO OR THREE, AND THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MONEY.
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YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET SOME HELP THAT WAY.BUT IT'S THE GREATER DALLAS VETERANS FOUNDATION.
THE MORE CONTACTS, THE BETTER.
SO, SO I, I HAVE ONE OTHER QUICK QUESTION.
UH, ARE Y'ALL FAMILIAR WITH A GROUP CALLED PATRIOT PAWS? OKAY.
ARE THEY DO SERVICE, THEY HAVE SERVICE DOGS, I GUESS, AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THEY DO? CORRECT.
UM, THEY WILL ACTUALLY DO THINGS FOR YOU.
LIKE MY EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG IS HERE WHO'S APPARENTLY MORE ATTACHED TO NIKKI THAN HE IS ME.
BUT I CAN'T BLAME IT FOR THAT.
BUT YEAH,
BUT, UM, HE'S MY EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL.
BUT I TRAIN HIM LITTLE TRICKS THAT ALSO HELP ME PHYSICALLY.
LIKE IF I'M TAKING HIM INTO A RESTAURANT OR WHATEVER, HE'LL HELP ME GET UP RAMPS AND DO DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, HE'S A LITTLE GUY, BUT HE CAN GET IT DONE.
UM, BUT YEAH, IT'S, WE ONLY DO EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE WELL TRAINED AND OBEDIENT AND THEY OBEY COMMANDS, IT'S EASIER THEN IF THE OWNER WANTS TO TAKE IT FURTHER AND WANTS TO DO SOME TRUE SERVICE DOG WORK, THEY'VE GOT A FANTASTIC FOUNDATION TO GET UP, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
THE SERVICE DOG ASPECT OF IT, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE EVER HAD TO HAVE A SERVICE DOG DONE IS PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE.
AND SO IT WOULD VERY LIMIT WHAT WE COULD TRAIN WHO WE COULD TRAIN IT FOR.
SO WE HAVE MORE OF AN ENTRY LEVEL PROGRAM TO PEOPLE LIKE PATRIOTS OR, OR PATRIOT, PATRIOTS.
AND, AND, AND NO, AND JUST TO, TO TOUCH ON THAT, UM, IT IS DIFFERENT AND FOR A LOT OF REASONS.
ONE, 'CAUSE 'CAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE NEWER, UM, RIGHT.
THE BITING OFF WHAT YOU CAN CAN HANDLE, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, CHATTING WITH, WITH NIKKI AND, AND, YOU KNOW, MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I, I WOULD, ONE, I THINK, UH, A SERVICE ANIMAL FOR THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS IS THAT'S INTIMIDATING TO, TO SAY, OKAY, I I'M GONNA DO THAT AND DO IT.
AND THEN, SO ESAI, I THINK IS A LITTLE MORE CASUAL FOR SOMEBODY THAT'S LIKE, WELL, HEY, I STRUGGLE, BUT I DON'T NEED A, A SERVICE DOG.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT I, I WANT THAT COMPANIONSHIP.
BUT THEN, YEAH, THEN IT COMES DOWN TO ALSO TO, TO FUNDING.
UH, YOU KNOW, NICK COULD SPEAK ON THIS BETTER, BUT, AND, AND I'M SURE MOST OF YOU GUYS KNOW THIS AND, BUT, BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR A SERVICE ANIMAL, THEY HAVE TO BE WITH THE HANDLER FOR TWO YEARS TOTAL, I THINK IS WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
AND IN ESA, IT'S, IT'S, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRAINED, UH, SIMILARLY, BUT IT'S, IT'S DOESN'T COST AS MUCH.
UM, AND, AND MY BIGGEST THING IS I FEEL LIKE FOR A VETERAN FIRST RESPONDER, IT'S A LOT MORE, IT'S A LOT EASIER TO ASK FOR THAT HELP THAN SAYING, HEY, I NEED A FULL BLOWN, YOU KNOW, 20, $50,000 DOG, UH, AS OPPOSED TO A FIVE TO $6,000 EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL WHO IS TRAINED.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, TO BOB'S TESTAMENT, IT'S LIKE HIS DOG IS AN ESA, BUT YOU KNOW, IF, IF THE DOG IS TRAINED WELL AND YOU WORK WITH IT, YOU CAN HAVE IT HELP YOU WITH WITH OTHER THINGS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ANY QUESTIONS? UH, ONLINE? COMMISSIONER WALKER, COMMISSIONER FOUR.
IS THERE A COST FOR THESE DOGS? UH, I DON'T THINK, SURE.
SO, UM, IN, IN A, SO FOR THE TRAINING, UH, YOU'RE LOOKING, UH, AROUND $4,000 FOR THE TRAINING.
BUT THEN IF THERE'S ANY COSTS WHERE WE HAVE TO GO ADOPT THE DOG, UM, SUPPLIES, IF THEY NEED VETERINARY CARE, MEDICAL CARE, UM, YOU NEVER KNOW SOMETIMES WHEN THEY COME OUT OF A SHELTER, IF THEY STILL NEED DEWORMER OR SO FORTH, OR THE KENNEL COUGH.
UM, AND THEN ALSO TOO, WHAT WOULD BE REALLY NICE IS IF WE CAN AFFORD TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE SUPPLIES NEEDED TO THE VETERAN OR FIRST RESPONDER.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, LEASHES, COLLARS, UM, ANY KIND OF TRAINING EQUIPMENT THEY NEED, DOG BED, THAT WOULD BE THE IDEAL SITUATION.
SO IN TOTAL, UM, WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING ANYWHERE BETWEEN FIVE, $6,000 IN TOTAL.
AND NIKKI, COULD I ENTER SOMETHING HERE? UM, YOU KNOW THIS BETTER THAN I DO, BUT I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO, UH, UH, EXPLAIN IT.
WE DON'T JUST GIVE THEM A DOG, TURN OUR BACK ON THEM AND WALK
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AWAY.THERE'S CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR LIFETIME TO WHERE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO A TRAINER AT ALL TIMES.
WE HAVE AN APP CREATED, UM, AND SO THEY CAN ASK A TRAINER ANY QUESTIONS, THEY'LL BE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY PAGE.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO OUR ONLINE GROUP, CLASS CALENDAR, SO THAT THEY WANNA CONTINUE THAT EDUCATION.
THEY JUST SIGN UP AND SHOW UP.
UH, THAT WAY THEY CAN BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO IT'S NOT JUST TRAINING AND IT'S DONE, IT'S JUST LIFETIME FOR THEM.
ANYONE ELSE? ONLINE QUESTIONS? JUST TO REMINDER, FOR THE COMMISSIONERS ONLINE TO PLEASE KEEP YOUR CAMERAS ON, PLEASE PLACE YOUR CAMERAS ON COMMISSIONER WALKER.
IS THAT, IS HE ON COMMISSIONER WALKER COMM? I'M HERE.
I, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
AND, UH, I THINK IT'S A, IT'S JUST AN AWESOME PROGRAM BECAUSE I KNOW MY, MY SON MARINE, I HAVE A MARINA AND A ARMY, UH, SON.
SO, UH, THE MARINE, UH, HE REALLY, UH, FIRST THING HE'D DO WENT AND GOT A LITTLE PUPPY, LITTLE ROTTWEILER OF COURSE.
AND, UH, THAT, THAT WAS LIKE HIS OTHER CHILD, YOU KNOW? SO MY, MY GRANDCHILD, SO, WELL, AND, AND TYPICALLY I WILL TELL YOU, UM, MY DOG OVER HERE, I WAS JOKING SAYING HE'S A LITTLE GUY.
BUT, UM, IRONICALLY, THE BIGGER THE DOG, THE BETTER THE COMPANION THEY ARE, BUT THE ALSO, THE MORE BULLHEADED THEY ARE.
SO THEY REALLY DO TAKE A LOT OF TRAINING.
BECAUSE THEY ARE SO BIG, THEY KIND OF THINK THEY'RE IN CHARGE.
UM, IN FACT, I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST BROUGHT HIM HOME, HE GAVE ME A KEY TO THE FRONT DOOR AND SAID, WELCOME YOU TO STAY HERE.
UM, HE, HE MADE IT HIS HOME, BUT THAT'S WHAT I NEED FOR MY DOG, YOU KNOW, I LIVE ALONE.
AND THEY TELL, THEY KNOW IF I'M IN A LITTLE BIT OF A BLACK PLACE, THEY GET UP ON THE SOFA AND THEY GET UP NEXT TO YOU.
AND IT'S, WELL, IT'S BETTER THAN HUMAN CONTACT BECAUSE THE LOVE OF A DOG IS TOTALLY UNCONDITIONAL.
YOU CAN'T TAKE TOO MUCH LOVE FOR THE DOG.
AND THAT'S WHY I GOT EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM WHEN NIKKI AND I FIRST SPOKE ABOUT IT.
UM, AND I AM VERY EXCITED FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HELP.
OH, I, I WISH YOU LUCK AND, AND, UM, ANY, ANY, ANY WAY THAT I CAN HELP PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE MY CARD, SO I DO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING TIME FOR US.
WE'RE GONNA WANNA TAKE A GROUP PICTURE JUST BEFORE YOU GO.
IT'LL BE RIGHT UP HERE AGAINST THE EMBLEM OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
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OKAY.WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE OUR AGENDA WHILE THEY DISCUSS.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO, UH, THE NEXT STEP, OR THE NEXT ITEM IS GONNA BE THE, UH, VETERANS WELLNESS ASSESSMENT.
WE'RE ON UPDATE ON THE, UH, WELLNESS ASSESSMENT.
OKAY, EVERYONE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
UM, SO THE LAST MEETING WE TALKED ABOUT HOW, UH, THE, THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PART OF THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH COMMISSIONER COLE.
UH, AND I SEE HE'S ONLINE NOW.
AND, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW, COMMISSIONER COLE, IF YOU WANTED TO GIVE LIKE A RECAP OF THE CONVERSATION, IF YOU RECALL.
UH, IT WAS, I THINK AT THE END OF NOVEMBER THAT YOU MET WITH ALL OF THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE, AND THAT INCLUDED, UM, COMMISSIONER CIELO, UM, SPENDING AND KEVIN BELCHER.
UH, AND I WILL TRY TO RECALL AT MY AGE, UH, WHAT THE CONVERSATION WAS, BUT SUMMARY WISE WAS, UM, I HAD ASKED THE QUESTIONS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE GOING AFTER THE QUALITY OF THE, OF THE, UM, OF HOWEVER THE AWARD OR THE EVALUATION'S GONNA GO.
UH, EVERYBODY WHO'S IN THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE, UH, WAS ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND SO VERY, UH, VERY PLEASED AS TO, UH, AS TO HOW THE APPROACH WAS GONNA BE TAKEN.
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I WENT BACK TO SLEEP, SO THANK YOU.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE COMMITTEE, THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE HAD TO SUBMIT THEIR SCORES LAST THURSDAY, AND IT WAS, UM, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A PROCESS WHERE EVERYONE UPLOADS THEIR SCORES, UM, TOGETHER, UH, WITH THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT.
SO IT'S KIND OF DONE IN A VERY LIKE, TRANSPARENT WAY.
SO, UM, SINCE THE SCORES HAVE BEEN UPLOADED, UM, HAVE WE GOTTEN OFFICIALLY, UH, A VENDOR THAT HAS BEEN A TOP SCORED YET? HAVE THEY? I, YOU DON'T NEED, YOU DON'T NEED TO TELL THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION YOU, BECAUSE WE, WE STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME, SOME STEPS, BUT WE JUST NEED TO KNOW IF THERE'S BEEN ONE THAT'S BEEN, SO COMMISSIONER PRECIADO WAS, UH, AS YOU KNOW, THE THREE OF US, UH, COMMISSIONER PRESDO, MYSELF AND KEVIN BELCHER, WE MET WITH ALINA, WHO IS THE, UH, THE BUYER FROM PROCUREMENT.
AND SO WE DID SCORE THE SUBMISSIONS AND A PARTICULAR VENDOR DID COME UP ON TOP, UH, A FEW.
THE, THE FIRST, THE TOP TWO WERE ACTUALLY VERY CLOSE WITH REGARDS TO THE SCORING, BUT UH, SHE DID MENTION THAT THERE WAS ABOUT TWO OTHER THINGS THAT WAS A BUYER ENTERPRISE, WAS IT, UH, UH, THE BUYER ENTERPRISE AND THEN, UM, I THINK RACIAL EQUITY OR, SO SOMETHING ABOUT EQUITY,
[00:35:01]
I THINK, YEAH, SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.THERE'S LIKE TWO OTHER CATEGORIES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO COMPLETE ON THEIR PART TO COMPLETE THE ACTUAL TOTAL SCORING.
THERE'S ACTUALLY, I THINK USUALLY THERE'S A REQUIREMENT WHERE YOU HAVE TO REPORT WHETHER YOU'RE A MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS OR NOT.
AND THAT'S JUST STANDARD FOR ALL PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE DO HERE AT THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT WILL NOW COMMUNICATE TO THE VENDORS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THOSE DOCUMENTS.
AND ONCE THEY HAVE THOSE DOCUMENTS, THEN WE CAN, UM, CONFIRM, UH, THAT THEIR BUDGET IS IN LINE WITH WHAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF FUNDS.
AND IF WE NEED TO DO NEGOTIATIONS, THEN WE WORK WITH THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT TO DO THOSE NEGOTIATIONS.
ONCE WE GET TO, UM, A POINT WHERE, UM, THOSE NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, UM, THERE IS A DOCUMENT THAT THE VENDOR SIGNS THAT'S BASICALLY LIKE A ACCEPTING THE CONDITIONS OF WHAT WE'VE NEGOTIATED, AND THEN WE CAN OFFICIALLY PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE WHO'S WHO WON THE BID.
THAT'S WHY I CAN'T SAY JUST YET, BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATIONS.
UM, AND WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, AS A RESULT OF THE NEGOTIATIONS, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THAT SECOND, UM, SCORED VENDOR MIGHT COME UP ON TOP.
BUT, UM, WE'LL DEFINITELY KEEP YOU POSTED.
IS THERE A TIMELINE ON THIS MORE OR LESS? UM, FOR THE MOST PART, WHEN I'VE DONE, WHEN I'VE GONE THROUGH A PROCESS LIKE THIS, IT TAKES ABOUT TWO TO THREE WEEKS.
UM, AND THEN AFTER THAT, UM, THE, ONCE WE GET THE VE THE VENDOR TO SIGN THE CERTIFICATION, THAT YES, I AGREE TO MOVE FORWARD, THEN THE CONTRACT IS DEVELOPED.
AND, UM, WITH A CONTRACT LIKE THIS, IT'S PRETTY STANDARD BECAUSE WE HAVE ALREADY THE SCOPE DRAFTED OUT SO THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY WILL USE THAT SCOPE, UM, TO DRAFT THE, THE CONTRACT.
SO I AM EXPECTING ABOUT THREE TO FOUR WEEKS BEFORE WE CAN HAVE A SIGNED CONTRACT AND THEN, UM, AND THEN THE REAL WORK WILL BEGIN.
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE REAL WORK, AND I SHOULD KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS, BUT IS THE VENDOR, UH, GONNA TALK TO US INDIVIDUALLY AND OR THIS GROUP COLLECTIVELY? YEAH, SO AS PART OF THE SCOPE, WE ASKED THAT THE, UH, VENDOR REPORT ON A MONTHLY BASIS AT THIS MEETING.
UM, AND I THINK WE'LL ALSO REALLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO, TO MEET WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY SO THAT, UM, YOU ALL CAN GIVE, UH, YOUR FEEDBACK AND INSIGHTS.
AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE, TO, UH, OUR, UH, SUBCOMMITTEE,
ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM ANYONE? I DON'T HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENT THERE.
ONE, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE, UH, AS A COMMISSION RECOMMEND TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL THAT A SCHOLARSHIP FOR A VETERAN BE ESTABLISHED IN THE NAME OF, UH, COMMISSIONER ROBINSON.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT, UH, CITY COUNCIL WOULD ALLOCATE, UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD ANTICIPATE IN THE VETTING OF THAT VETERAN, YOU KNOW, ONCE A YEAR, UH, AS THEY SEE FIT.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD GO FORWARD FROM US TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
YEAH, THIS, UM, THERE'S ACTUALLY A YOUTH COMMISSION AND THEY JUST RECENTLY STARTED A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
SO THANKFULLY THERE IS A PRECEDENT, WHICH HELPS US A LOT.
UM, I THINK WE MAY NEED TO, UH, REACH OUT TO THAT STAFF PERSON TO SEE HOW THEY WENT ABOUT IT, AND THEN WE CAN COMMUNICATE TO YOU ALL THE STEPS THAT IT INCLUDES.
AND, AND WE CAN DO THAT IN THE NEXT MEETING.
AND, UH, AND THEN YOU CAN DECIDE HOW YOU WANNA MOVE FORWARD.
AND MY NEXT, UH, RECOMMENDATION IS WE HAVE A, THE CITY HAS A, UH, DEPARTMENT OF, UH, HOMELESSNESS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
[00:40:01]
YES.CAN WE GET A REPORT ONCE A MONTH ON HOW MANY BEDROOM, IF THEY KEEP THAT NUMBER OR HOMELESS OR UNHOUSED FROM THEM EACH MONTH? I THINK THEY DO IT MONTHLY, LIKE A QUARTER.
I KNOW THEY DO THE, SORRY, I KNOW THEY DO THE ANNUAL COUNT.
THAT'S WHEN IN JANUARY OR IN NOVEMBER.
IT'S ALWAYS COLD WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING FOR 'EM.
I ALSO KNOW THAT THE, WE ALL KNOW THAT THEY ALSO RUN OUT THERE IF THEY HEAR HOMELESS UNDER THE BRIDGES, THEY'RE OUT THERE.
LIKE RIGHT NOW, THIS COLD SPELL, THEY ROUTE IT, BUT I THINK THEY DON'T SURVEY CONSTANTLY.
YEAH, I'LL ADD, I KNOW THAT THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, THEY PROVIDE A, A LOT OF DIFFERENT SERVICES.
THEY HAVE THEIR HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM THAT ACTUALLY GOES TO ENCAMPMENTS.
UM, THEY ALSO DO GRANTS, UM, THAT ARE THE ALL WANT IS NUMBER, BUT JUST YOU WANT JUST IN GENERAL? NO.
WE CAN SEE WHAT, UM, WE ESTIMATE THOSE A HUNDRED, 205, HOW THEY TRACK IT ALMOST VETS MM-HMM
SO THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO HAVE.
YES, WE CAN, WE CAN REACH OUT TO THEM AND SEE UM, WHAT KIND OF REPORTS.
I'M SURE THEY ALREADY HAVE TO DO SOME KIND OF REPORTING.
SO, UM, WE CAN SEE HOW, UM, HOW WE CAN RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
I DO WANNA ADD DOC, UH, COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL SAID THAT, UM, THERE'S A POINT IN TI TIME COUNT AND THAT'S ACTUALLY SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 23RD, 2025.
AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS.
AND THIS IS WHERE BASICALLY IT'S LIKE A CENSUS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS.
AND I THINK THEY DO IT TWICE A YEAR.
CAN YOU SEND THAT INFORMATION ONCE, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE MEETING SO WE CAN HAVE THAT, ADD THAT TO OUR AGENDA? YEAH.
ADD IT TO THE AGENDA TO DO WHAT HAVE THEM COME TALK ABOUT IT OR TELL US HOW MANY DO, IF THEY CAN DO THAT, THEN WE NEED TO HAVE THAT AS A BOARD OF OUR AGENDA, EVERYBODY.
SO COULD I RECOMMEND THAT, AMEND IT A LITTLE BIT? THAT COULD WE ASK THEM TO HAVE THEY SPOKEN BEFORE US? I DON'T KNOW.
THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE THE MORE GENERIC WAY TO GET INFORMATION FROM THEM IS HOW THEY DO THAT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? THAT WE ASK OUR STAFF TO REACH OUT TO THEIR STAFF AND HAVE SOMEONE YEAH, WE CAN INVITE THEM TO SPEAK TO US.
WELL, SINCE THE COUNT IS JANUARY 25TH OR WHATEVER AND UH, OUR NEXT MEETING IS FEBRUARY 13TH.
OR NINTH, 10TH, WHATEVER IT IS.
WHY DON'T WE ASK THEM TO COME TO THE NEXT MEETING AND TELL US THE RESULTS OF THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
AND MY NEXT THING, SINCE WE LOST SOME MEMBER, SINCE WE LOST SOME MEMBERS, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO DRAFT US A LETTER THAT WE HAD SIGNED, UH, TO SEND TO THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO AND THE MAYOR WHO DO NOT HAVE REPRESENTATION SO THAT WE CAN ASK THEM IF THEY WOULD YEAH, WE'D DEFINITELY BE HAPPY TO, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY STATIONARY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO WE CAN, WE'D BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU WITH THAT.
AND YOU CAN SEND IT IF THEY WANT AN EMAIL.
I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY IMPACTFUL COMING FROM YOU ALL.
UH, CAN WE REITERATE WHICH FIVE DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE A SPOT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE LOST SMITH, RIGHT? IN 14.
SOME OF THOSE WE'VE NEVER HAD WE LOST.
SO IT'S D THREE, D NINE, D 10, REPRESENTATIVE D 14 AND D 15.
SO IF WE KNOW PEOPLE IN THOSE AREAS, THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL ARE ASKING FOR.
ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS RECOMMENDED BY THE, IT WOULD HELP POLITICALLY IF THEY ARE FROM THAT AREA.
AND I'M SURE THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD LOVE TO HAVE US RECOMMEND SOMEBODY SINCE THEY DON'T PROBABLY NO.
SO THAT, SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS OUR HOMEWORK IS TO FIND PEOPLE WHO'D BE WILLING TO SERVE ON THIS COMMISSION FROM THOSE FIVE AREAS AND GET WITH THEIR COUNCIL PERSON AND SEE ONCE THEY TALK ABOUT IT, SEE IF THEY CAN AGREE TO DO IT.
[00:45:01]
JUST, JUST SO YOU KNOW, PENDI SPEAKING, JUST SO YOU KNOW, UH, COMMISSIONER PETER SMITH WHEN HE RESIGNED, HE ALSO GAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR SOMEONE TO FILL HIS PLACE.SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IS WITH REGARDS TO THAT OR THE COUNCIL MEMBER HIMSELF, UH, THEMSELF.
YOU'VE GIVEN US A, A FEW, UH, HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS.
WE'RE GONNA WORK ON ALL OF THEM AND FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AS WE GET THEM COMPLETE.
DOCTOR, WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS, ONLINE RECOMMENDATIONS? I GUESS I ONLY HAVE ONE REAL QUICK, JUST AS THE IS IS TO, TO ONCE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, TELL THE FOLKS THAT SUPPORT US THERE AND STAFF THAT, THAT THEY DO A GREAT JOB.
THEY, HE SAID THAT THE STAFF DOES A REALLY GREAT JOB.
SO, UM, GIVE A PAT ON THE BACK OR YEAH, I'M NOT, I'M, I'M NOT THERE.
GIVE HIM THE, THE LONG ONE, YOU KNOW, THE LONG ONE.
WE CAN DO AN AIR HIGH FIVE IF YOU WANT TO.
ALSO, GUYS, UM, I CAN FIND OUT, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF Y'ALL EVER PARTICIPATE WITH R-O-T-J-R-O-T-C AND THE DISD, BUT THEY OFTEN HAVE THEIR SPRING AWARD CEREMONIES IN MARCH, APRIL, MAYBE EVEN IN MAY.
AND SO IF YOU REACH OUT TO THEIR ROTC INSTRUCTORS WITH YOUR NAME, I GUARANTEE YOU THEY'LL HAVE YOU UP ON THAT STAGE HANDING OUT AWARDS TO HELP THEM.
AND THAT'S ONE WAY WE CAN COMMUNI, YOU KNOW, STAY IN COMMUNICATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY ON THAT.
AND, UH, THEY'RE ALWAYS NEEDING VOLUNTEERS THAT WAY.
AND IT'S ONE EVENING OF YOUR TIME AND, UH, IT'S KIND OF FUN TO SEE ALL THESE YOUNG KIDS, UH, TRY TO GIVE, UH, A HANDSHAKE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL HANG IN THERE AND WE'RE GONNA GET THESE, UH, VACANCIES FILLED OR DO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WELL SAY HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.