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[Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee on February 18, 2025.]
QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE. OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY 21ST 2025.MINUTES. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
MR. OGDEN, WILL YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD? AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
YEAH. TURN THE MIC ON. THERE YOU GO. WELL WELL THANK YOU.
GREETINGS MR. CHAIR. THAT'S WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AND PRESENT TO YOU THE THANKSGIVING FOUNDATION'S PLANS FOR THANKSGIVING, A THANKSGIVING DISTRICT. YOU'VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF THIS, BUT WE'LL WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF GO THROUGH SOME OF THE SAME SLIDES AND A FEW OF THE NEW SLIDES HERE TO TRY TO BRIEF YOU ON WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
I DO WANT TO SAY I DO VALUE YOUR TIME, AND I'LL MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH THIS, BUT PLEASE STOP ME AT YOUR IF YOU'D LIKE AND I'M HAPPY TO EXPLAIN AND GO DEEPER INTO ANY OF THESE AREAS YOU'D LIKE TO GO INTO. SO LET'S START WITH SETTING EXPECTATIONS.
WHAT, WE WOULD LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH TODAY. WE'RE HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT THAT'S PLANNED FOR THE MIDDLE OF OUR GREAT CITY AND OUR AIM IS FOR YOU TO KNOW THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THANKS- GIVING SQUARE'S PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.
TO FEEL INSPIRED BY THE ROLE GRATITUDE, KINDNESS, AND CIVILITY CAN PLAY IN OUR CITY AND DO SUPPORT THE THANKSGIVING SQUARE IN OUR FUTURE ASPIRATIONS TO ENSURE DALLAS IS A CONNECTED AND THRIVING CITY.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. YOU KNOW, SINCE I ASSUME WE ALL HAVE VARYING LEVELS OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE SQUARE, I WANT TO START BY BRIEFLY TOUCHING ON HOW WE CAME TO BE.
WE WERE CONSTITUTED IN 1964. J ERIC JOHNSON, ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF T, HAD JUST BECOME THE NEW MAYOR, AND HE BRINGS A BUSINESS AND PLANNING DISCIPLINE TO THE CITY OF DALLAS THAT RESULTS IN GOALS FOR DALLAS STUDY AND OUT OF THAT STUDY COMES THE DFW AIRPORT, THE DALLAS CONVENTION CENTER, THE DALLAS ARTS DISTRICT.
DALLAS CITY HALL AND DOWNTOWN LIBRARY AND A NUMBER OF OTHER IMPORTANT PROGRESSIVE PROJECTS.
BUT THEN ALONGSIDE THIS, THESE MOSTLY BRICK AND MORTAR PROJECTS COMES THANKS-GIVING SQUARE AND OUR ROLE IN ALL OF THIS IS TO ELEVATE THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS, ELEVATE THE CULTURE, AND INSPIRE THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS TO SOMETHING GREATER.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE AND THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY NO SMALL PROJECT.
WE PURCHASED A CITY BLOCK IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
WE HIRED ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST PROMINENT ARCHITECTS AT THE TIME, AND WE RALLIED OVER 400 OF THE DALLAS'S MOST INFLUENTIAL FAMILIES, BUSINESSES AND INSTITUTIONS TO WILL THE SQUARE INTO EXISTENCE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE AND OF COURSE, WHAT WAS BUILT WAS A MAGNIFICENT DOWNTOWN AMENITY.
THE GLORY WINDOW BY GABRIEL LOIRE. ACCORDING TO PLACER LABS, WE HAD OVER 205,000 VISITS BETWEEN OCTOBER 2023 AND SEPTEMBER OF 2024. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND TODAY WE CONTINUE TO EMBRACE THAT ROLE TO ELEVATE AND INSPIRE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO WE SEEK TO ESTABLISH THANKS-GIVING SQUARE AT THE CENTER OF A MOVEMENT TO DEFINE A NEW CULTURAL IDEAL FOR DALLAS AND IT FOCUSED ON FIVE KEY SOCIAL CHALLENGES.
EXPANDING OUR CIRCLE OF CARE. FOSTERING CIVILITY.
EMBRACING DIFFERENCES. CHAMPION SOCIOECONOMIC MOBILITY.
AND CELEBRATING VIRTUE AND GOODWILL. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND WE HAVE A HAVE A FOOTPRINT BEYOND THE SQUARE AS A RESULT OF OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMING.
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WHICH IS BASED ON DOCTOR ROBERT PUTNAM'S SEMINAL BOOK BOWLING ALONE.WE ALSO WERE IN THE COMMUNITY DURING THE VOTING SEASON TRYING TO ADVOCATE FOR CIVILITY AND THEN YOU ALSO SEE OUR PHOTO FROM OUR NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE AND AS IT TURNS OUT, A GREAT CITY NEEDS A PLACE TO GATHER AND HEAL AND OUR LACK OF POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS IDEOLOGY MAKES THANKS-GIVING SQUARE A SAFE AND COMFORTABLE PLACE FOR ALL PEOPLE OF GOODWILL TO COME TOGETHER AND WHAT YOU SEE IS A CONVERSATION BETWEEN A RABBI AND AN IMAM THAT WE HOSTED, POSTED RECENTLY, ALSO A BREAKING BREAD EVENT THAT FOLLOWED THE GEORGE FLOYD DEBACLE AND WAS WHERE WE PUT DALLAS POLICE OFFICERS TOGETHER WITH YOUTH FROM CAFE MOMENTUM OR CITIZENS FROM THE FAIR PARK DISTRICT.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE LOTS OF INTERFAITH PRAYER AND THE WHEN WE CAME TOGETHER AFTER THE MURDER OF THE OFFICERS IN JULY OF 2015.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE AND A GREAT CITY NEEDS A PLACE TO CELEBRATE AS WELL AND YOU SEE HERE ONE OF MANY CULTURAL FESTIVALS THAT WE'VE HOSTED AT THE SQUARE AND ALSO OUR ANNUAL TUBA CHRISTMAS, WHICH IS A GREAT EVENT.
IF THE WEATHER COOPERATES, WE GENERALLY HAVE 2500 OR SO FOLKS SHOW UP FOR OUR TUBA CHRISTMAS.
NEXT SLIDE. THERE YOU GO AND THEN ALSO, A GREAT CITY NEEDS A PLACE TO CELEBRATE TO TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE AND WE HAVE ABOUT, AS I SAID, ABOUT 205,000 ANNUAL VISITORS EACH YEAR AND THEY EACH OF THOSE, NOT EACH OF THOSE, MANY OF THOSE LEAVE BEHIND EXPRESSIONS OF GRATITUDE OR GRATITUDE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO THIS IS WHERE WE COME FROM AND WHO WE ARE AND I'M GOING TO SHIFT GEARS NOW AND INTRODUCE YOU TO WHO WE WILL BE IN THE FUTURE AND AS WE APPROACH 50 YEARS SINCE OUR OPENING IN 1977, OUR BOARD HAS CHALLENGED US TO STEP INTO A ROLE AS THE CULTURAL BACKBONE FOR THE CITY. WE PLAN TO HOME THIS WORK IN A NEWLY EXPANDED THANKS-GIVING DISTRICT THAT WE'VE IMAGINED WITH THE HELP OF GENSLER.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. TO CAST A VISION. IMAGINE IF AMERICA'S CAN DO CITY ALSO BECAME THE CAN DO, CAN BE COMMUNITY DESIGN CHALLENGE.
I'VE GIVEN GENSLER IS TO CREATE A PLACE THEMED ON WELCOMING, BELONGING AND GRATITUDE.
AND I'VE INSISTED THAT IT HAS TO BE DIFFERENT.
AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, WE'LL CREATE THE WORLD'S FIRST HUMANITARIAN, A PLACE, HOUSING, AND AN INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON WELL-BEING AND THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE, A PLACE THAT INSPIRES VISITORS TO FIND PURPOSE AND CONNECTION AND TO BECOME THEIR BEST SELVES.
WE'RE GOING TO ENHANCE WELL-BEING, FOR DALLAS CITIZENS AND VISITORS.
WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE PROPERTY SALES AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES.
WE'RE GOING TO CREATE A MORE WALKABLE DOWNTOWN.
WE'RE GOING TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS.
WE'RE GOING TO ATTRACT NEW VISITORS, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.
AND WE'RE GOING TO UPGRADE DOWNTOWN INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WELCOME TO THE THANKSGIVING DISTRICT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO YOUR HOST, WELCOMING, BELONGING AND GRATEFUL.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS VIEW IS FROM ABOVE AIR AT BRIAN AND LOOKS ACROSS THE SQUARE AT A NEW ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENT ON PACIFIC THAT HELPS DEFINE THE DISTRICT. THIS SHADE STRUCTURE AS OR AS I LIKE TO CALL IT, A [INAUDIBLE], ANCHORS THE AREA OUTSIDE THE CURRENT WALLS OF THE SQUARE.
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NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. NOW WE'RE ABOVE ERVAY AND PACIFIC AND HERE YOU GET A MUCH BETTER LOOK AT THE STOA.AND I WANT TO POINT OUT THE TWO NEW GATHERING SPACES OVERLOOKING THE SQUARE.
THE SQUARE WAS BUILT BEFORE ADA AND AS OF TODAY DOES NOT CONFORM AND OBVIOUSLY AS A PLACE OF WELCOMING AND BELONGING AND INCLUSION, WE WANT TO RECTIFY THAT. THIS IS THE NEW PACIFIC AVENUE AND AS YOU SEE THE AUTOMOBILE SHARE SPACE WITH PEDESTRIANS AND WHAT I CALL A NO WAKE ZONE. SINCE THIS IS A LIGHTLY TRAVELED BLOCK, WE CAN CONVERT TO A PEDESTRIAN FIRST SENSIBILITY WITHOUT ANY SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION OF FLOW. WE'LL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD IN THE CITY'S WALKABILITY PRIORITY.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. WE'VE MOVED HERE A COUPLE OF STEPS TO THE RIGHT.
AND YOU'LL JUST NOTICE THE GENEROUS SPACES AND COMFORTABLE PROPORTIONS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. NOW WE'RE DOWN IN THE SQUARE LOOKING UP AT THE POP UP SHOPS UNDER THE STORE AND WE PREFER POP UPS TO AS A MORE ELEGANT EXECUTION THAN A FOOD TRUCK. AND WE COULD WE SEE THAT CONCEIVABLY, THESE COULD ALTERNATE BETWEEN FOOD SERVICE VENDORS AND MARKETS FOR LOCALLY MADE GOODS IF NECESSARY. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. NOW WE'RE UP TOP AGAIN AND GETTING UP.
SO IT HASN'T BEEN REMOVED COMPLETELY. BUT IT'S BEEN EXTENDED OUT AND CUT DOWN FOR THAT USABILITY.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. LOOKING DOWN FROM THE RAMP WE SEE A NEW AMPHITHEATER IN THE FOREGROUND AND A NEW PRE-MEETING SPACE AND ADA COMPLIANT ENTRANCE INTO THE HALL OF THANKSGIVING IN THE REAR. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. LOOKING TO THE WEST, YOU SEE A MUCH MORE OPEN CONNECTION TO THE BELL TOWER AREA AND A NEW STRUCTURE IN THE DISTANCE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THIS IS A NEW RESTAURANT AND EVENT SPACE PLANNED FOR THE WESTERN TIP OF THE PROPERTY.
AND AS CONCEIVED, YOU SEE A BEAUTIFUL GLASS STRUCTURE WITH A WALK UP LIVING ROOF.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. I ADDED THIS SLIDE TO GIVE US CONTEXT AS TO HOW THE THANKSGIVING DISTRICT CAN BECOME THE DOWNTOWN HUB, A LAUNCHING POINT FOR VISITOR EXPLORATION WITH RIBBONS LEADING TO KLYDE, WARREN PARK, AT&T DISCOVERY DISTRICT, THE ARTS DISTRICT, THE WEST END FARMERS MARKET, AND OF COURSE, THE NEW CONVENTION CENTER.
AND AS YOU SEE, WE HAVE WE'RE LOCATED DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM A CENTRAL DALLAS DART STATION, AND WE HAVE AN EIGHT STORY PUBLIC PARKING GARAGE ACROSS THE STREET.
SO IT MAKES US AN IDEAL PLACE TO BEGIN YOUR EXPLORATION OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. EXCUSE ME. AND SPEAKING OF THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, IN FEBRUARY, THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, EXCUSE ME, APPROVED $10 MILLION OF PROJECT FUNDING CONTINGENT ON A TWO FOR ONE MATCH FROM PHILANTHROPY AND OTHER SOURCES.
FURTHERMORE, THEY'VE AGREED. THEY'VE RECENTLY AGREED TO ADVANCE $500,000 TO BEGIN ENGINEERING ON THE PROJECT AND THIS GIVES OUR FUNDRAISING INITIATIVE A SIGNIFICANT BOOST. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE AND FINALLY, TO RECAP THE BENEFITS WE'LL CREATE A CAN BE COMMUNITY, A WALKABLE, DYNAMIC SPACE CENTERED ON WELCOMING, BELONGING AND GRATITUDE, WHICH WILL ENHANCE WELL-BEING FOR DALLAS CITIZENS AND VISITORS.
INCREASE PROPERTY SALES AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUE.
CREATE A MORE WALKABLE DOWNTOWN. IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS.
ATTRACT NEW VISITORS, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.
AND UPGRADE. UPGRADE DOWNTOWN'S INFRASTRUCTURE.
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THANK YOU, MR. OGDEN. WOULD YOU CARE TO INTRODUCE YOUR COLLEAGUE? YES. WITH ME TODAY. I'VE GOT JOANNA SINGLETON, ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS.HI. WELCOME. THANKS FOR HAVING US. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. OGDEN? I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. YES, VICE CHAIR.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY. OTHER THAN A A LOUD, ENTHUSIASTIC AND PUBLIC ENDORSEMENT OF THE PROJECT, WHAT IS ANOTHER ASK OF THE CITY? BECAUSE IT'S EASY TO GET BEHIND SOMETHING LIKE THIS, RIGHT? IT SOUNDS EXCITING BENEFIT FOR THE COMMUNITY, BENEFIT FOR DOWNTOWN.
GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. IT IS INDEED. THANK YOU. IT REALLY WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SOME OF THE CITY STAFF TO TRY TO GET SOME COORDINATION WITH THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS AND HAD SOME GOOD SUCCESS THERE AND THE I GUESS OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THE KIND OF THE ANONYMITY OF THIS PROJECT, THE FACT THAT PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE OF IT.
AND, AS WE TRY TO BUILD MOMENTUM AND EXCITEMENT FOR THE PROJECT, WE JUST NEED MORE INTEREST IN THE PROJECT SHOWN BY THE CITY AND OTHERS THAT GET BEHIND THE PROJECT. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD.
THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD. I APPRECIATE IT, THANK YOU. MR. SCHULTZ. OH, I THINK MISS BLACKMON HAD. IF YOU WANT TO HURT HER.
WELL GO AHEAD, MISS BLACKMON. THANK YOU. I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WERE FINISHING UP.
SORRY. SO I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. KYLE, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
IS. OKAY. SO WHAT IS THE OVERALL PRICE TAG FOR THIS NEW VISION STRATEGY? WELL, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT. OUR WE KNOW WE HAVE HARD COSTS IN THE 20 PLUS MILLION DOLLAR RANGE, 22 TO $25 MILLION RANGE. WE ALSO HAVE SOME PROGRAMMATIC PROGRAMMATIC COSTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WELL, AND OBVIOUSLY FUNDRAISING COSTS. SO WE'VE ENGAGED A FUNDRAISING CONSULTANT TO HELP US WITH THIS PROJECT.
IN FACT, HE'S YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH BILL LIVELY.
BILL'S GOING TO HELP US WITH THIS PROJECT AND WE ARE LOOKING AT SIZING THE RAISE BASED ON WHAT A COMPLETE PACKAGE MIGHT, INDICATE. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE A WORKING NUMBER HAS BEEN IT HAS BEEN AROUND $30 MILLION.
BUT WE'RE COULD BE NORTH OF THAT, DEPENDING ON WHAT ALL WE TRY TO ENDOW.
ARE YOU? BECAUSE WE, CAN'T KEEP BUILDING SOMETHING AND NOT MAINTAINING IT.
UNDERSTOOD AND THAT'S THAT WILL BE PART OF THE ANALYSIS.
I'M I CAN SAY I'M NOT QUITE READY TO SAY WHAT THE MAINTENANCE UPKEEP WILL BE, BUT WE WILL IT IS IN OUR PLAN AND ON OUR RADAR TO CREATE A FULLY VETTED BUDGET FOR MAINTAINING AND OPERATING THIS FACILITY, AND THAT WILL BE PART OF THE ENDOWED ASK AS PART OF THE FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY.
THERE IS NO INTENTION. THERE IS NO INTENTION TO ASK THE CITY TO HELP MAINTAIN THIS PROPERTY, THOUGH. IS THAT GOING TO BE FOR OUR CURRENT? BECAUSE WE HAVE RIGHT NOW A CURRENT CONTRACT.
WE'RE LOOKING TO MOVE AWAY FROM THAT STIPEND AS WELL, OR AND MAKE IT ALL ONE, OR HOW IS THAT GOING TO ROLL INTO THIS? THE THAT'S AN INDEPENDENT ISSUE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE'VE TRIED TO TIE THOSE ISSUES TOGETHER AT ALL.
BUT I GUESS THAT'LL BE DISCUSSED AS WE MOVE ALONG THIS CONVERSATION.
IS THIS IN THE DOWNTOWN PARKS MASTER PLAN? THE IN THE 360 PLAN, THERE IS A PROVISION FOR A THANKS- GIVING DISTRICT. IT IS NOT IT DOESN'T HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME FOOTPRINT AS WHAT WE HAVE ENVISIONED HERE.
WE'RE STARTING SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER THAN WHAT WAS IN THE 360 PLAN.
BUT YES, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE FOLKS AT DDE, AND HAVE SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE ON OUR COMMITTEES AS WELL TO TRY TO INCORPORATE AND MERGE WITH THE SOME OF THE DOWNTOWN OBJECTIVES THAT WOULD BE OPTIMAL THAT WAY.
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AND GETTING, YOU KNOW, PHASES, IF YOU WILL, OR JUST IDENTIFYING WHAT STEPS ARE IN ORDER TO BUILD IT OUT.I MEAN, THIS IS A GREAT WE HAD OUR RETREAT THERE.
IT'S A GREAT BUILDING. IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN.
IT'S EXCITING, BUT THE MONEY COSTS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, ONLY BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO CREATE SOMETHING AND THEN CREATE A PRICE TAG THAT A FUTURE COUNCIL IS GOING TO HAVE TO MAINTAIN AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR MOVING FORWARD OF WHAT THOSE EXPECTATIONS ARE.
I'VE GOT EVAN SHEETS IS ON A COMMITTEE LOOKING AT SOME ASPECTS OF THIS AS WELL.
SO THEY ARE VERY WELL INCLUDED IN THIS AND REGARDING THE MASTER PLAN AND WALKABILITY I HAD A RECENT MEETING WITH MARK LAMSTER AT THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS.
AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FLESHING OUT SOMETHING FOR THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS THAT WILL KIND OF EXPLAIN HOW THIS FITS IN WITH THE WALKABILITY PLANS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS. WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE HALFWAY THERE, BUT LET'S GET IT FORMALIZED AND INSTITUTIONALIZED IN THE PLAN.
SO THAT WAY THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING.
PERFECT. I'M A FAN OF THAT. THANK YOU, MISS SCHULTZ.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THANKS- GIVING FOUNDATION AND VISIT DALLAS? WE HAVE NO FORMAL RELATIONSHIP OTHER THAN CRAIG.
CRAIG DAVIS SITS ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS. SO I'M ASSUMING BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE ANY, YOU KNOW, NOTE OF ANY KIND ABOUT TOURISM ON THIS. EXACTLY AND AGAIN SO CRAIG IS A GOOD FRIEND AND A FRIEND OF THE SQUARES, LIKE I SAY ON OUR BOARD AND WE HE UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE.
I KNOW OF THANKS-GIVING SQUARE AS PART OF THE TOURISM.
WE HAVE AND HE IS AN ADVOCATE FOR US AND THE PLAN TO MAKE THANKS-GIVING SQUARE KIND OF THE CENTER OF OR A HUB OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS. WE HAVEN'T DEVELOPED ANY SPECIFIC VISITOR CENTER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I WOULD ENVISION THAT IN PART AS PART OF THIS WE WOULD TRY TO INCORPORATE A VISITOR CENTER IN THIS PLAN SOMEWHERE SO THAT WE COULD AGAIN, MY IDEA IS THAT WE SHOULD THAT THANKS-GIVING SQUARE OR THE THANKS-GIVING DISTRICT SHOULD, IN EFFECT, OWN AND PRESCRIBE THE DOWNTOWN VISITOR EXPERIENCE SOMEHOW THAT WE SHOULD BRING PEOPLE TO TO THANKS-GIVING SQUARE AND CURATE, IN EFFECT, A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO CONSUME DOWNTOWN DALLAS AS A VISITOR.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF MY ASPIRATIONS. WELL, IT'S A BOLD VISION.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I AM DEFINITELY SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR OF THE FOUNDATION.
MISS SINGLETON, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE BOARD HEAR CLEARLY THE THIS VISION FOR DOWNTOWN.
YOU KNOW, THE HUB COMPARED TO A HUB, YOU KNOW, HUMILITY MAY BE A LITTLE MORE.
BUT THAT SAID, I THINK YOUR BOLD VISION AND BENEFITS ON THE SLIDE OF THE CAN BE IS FANTASTIC IN TERMS OF PLACEMAKING AND PLACE BEING AND YOU'LL GET A LOT. YOU SHOULD BE GETTING A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE AREA REAL ESTATE PROPERTY OWNERS, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO GREATLY ENHANCE THEIR VALUE, AS DID KLYDE, WARREN PARK, ETCETERA. I THINK THAT ONE THING THAT YOUR BOARD MAY CONSIDER IS TAKING A LOOK AT THE SLIDE ON WHAT WE DO, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT AT ALL REFLECTIVE IN THE BOLD VISION HERE.
SO YOU'RE WHAT WE DO MAY WANT TO BE REVISITED AT THE BOARD LEVEL.
BECAUSE IF IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT THE PLACE RATHER THAN SOCIAL ENGINEERING, THEN YOU MIGHT WANT TO RETHINK THAT, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD TO RAISE MONEY WHEN WHAT YOU DO IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WANT TO BE.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU, AS YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, I'M VERY SUCCESSFUL.
I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE. RATHER, YOU USED MY QUOTE ON THIS.
SO AND I WAS HAPPY TO GIVE IT ON THE BOLD VISION PART, ON THE WHAT WE DO PART.
[00:25:03]
BECAUSE IT OUGHT TO BE ABOUT THE PLACE RATHER THAN SOCIOECONOMIC MOBILITY.RIGHT. SO I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO ADDRESS THAT FROM A BOARD PERSPECTIVE.
YES. THANK YOU FOR THAT FEEDBACK. ABSOLUTELY.
HEARD. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE SPECIAL THINGS ABOUT THANKS-GIVING SQUARE IS THAT IT'S BOTH A PLACE AND A MOVEMENT AND SO YOU'RE RIGHT, IT IS A COMPLEX THING TO COMMUNICATE. AND ESPECIALLY AS WE GO INTO FUNDRAISING, IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE REALLY DISCUSSED.
SO I HEAR YOU ON THAT. GOOD. WELL, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT BILL IS ACTIVE AGAIN.
I MEAN, ANYTHING HE TOUCHES WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN DALLAS, I'M CERTAIN OF THAT.
SO I HOPE THIS COMES TRUE. IT WOULD BE A FANTASTIC IMPROVEMENT FOR THE AREA.
AND GREAT. THE LAST THING THAT I JUST WANT TO ADD IS I'M GLAD THAT THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS HAS GIVEN, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY FOR THE ENGINEERING WORK AND THAT ABSOLUTELY WILL ASSIST IN YOUR FUNDRAISING.
BUT I DO THINK TO COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON'S POINT, YOU KNOW, BEFORE BEFORE GOING TOO FAR BEYOND THE PUBLIC THAT YOU'VE JUST GONE. YOU MIGHT WANT TO REALLY HAVE THINGS BUTTONED UP IN YOUR FUNDRAISING AND THE NEEDS FOR THAT SO THAT YOU APPEAR WHAT YOU PROBABLY REALLY ARE, WHICH IS A, YOU KNOW, VERY WELL ORGANIZED. RIGHT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. MISS WILLIS? GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND REALLY LOOKS EXTRAORDINARY.
WOULDN'T WE LOVE IT IF WE HAD A MAGIC WAND AND COULD JUST MAKE THIS HAPPEN TODAY? BUT I DO HAVE QUESTIONS. SO YOU SAID THAT MISTER LIVELY, YOU'VE HIRED HIM TO DO YOUR FUNDRAISING.
DO YOU HAVE A PLAN OR ARE YOU ALL FORMULATING THAT? EXACTLY. WE'RE CONSTITUTING A CAMPAIGN PLANNING COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE GOT THAT ABOUT HALFWAY POPULATED. YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT AN EMAIL BEFORE I WALKED IN ON ANOTHER POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTOR TO THAT AS WELL. SO THAT IS A LIVE AND ACTIVE PROJECT, AS IS THE EVALUATION OF BUDGETS AND SETTING OBJECTIVES AS FAR AS FUNDRAISING. SO WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF OR IN THE EARLY STAGES OF I MAYBE IT'S MORE ACCURATE OF GETTING ALL THOSE THINGS BUTTONED UP.
BUT BUT YES, WE'RE IN THE WE DO HAVE A PLANNING PROCESS OUTLINED AND ARE BEGINNING TO ACT ON THAT.
OKAY AND MISS SINGLETON, YOU'RE ON THE BOARD. SO AND YOU MENTIONED THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS, BUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS, A CAPITAL PROJECT REALLY TAKES BOARD COMMITMENT.
SO TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT I MEAN, IS YOUR BOARD AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED OF THEM? YES. WE HAVE AN EXTREMELY ACTIVE AND SUPPORTIVE BOARD.
SO VERY MUCH HEARD AND NOTED THAT WE'VE GOT WORK TO DO.
BUT GIVEN THE TIMING OF THIS PRESENTATION, WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHERE WE ARE.
SO THANK YOU. SO YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE IMPACT OF THANKS-GIVING SQUARE WILL BE ON TOURISM OR YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT WILL BE SOMETHING NICE FOR PEOPLE TO DISCOVER IN DALLAS.
HOWEVER, I DO THINK THERE'S THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASPECT OF THIS THAT CAN BE VERY BENEFICIAL.
IT'S JUST IRONIC RIGHT NOW THAT FOR BEING WELCOMING AND THANKS-GIVING, IT'S KIND OF WALLED OFF.
SO I THINK YOUR PLAN IS TO TAKE THAT AND DOWN.
BUT I KNOW WE HAVE GRANT MAKING OPPORTUNITIES OR OTHERS DO THAT CAN GO THROUGH A MUNICIPALITY.
SO I WANT TO BE SURE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP IS SEEING YOU ALL IN WHAT THOSE COULD BE AND HONESTLY, WITH OUR LEGISLATORS AND OTHERS, I MEAN, WE NEED EVERYONE THINKING ABOUT WHERE DOLLARS ARE THAT COULD FUND SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT COULD BE SO HELPFUL IN THAT PART OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS. AND THEN FINALLY, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW YOU MIGHT HAVE PHASED THE PROJECT, BUT I KNOW SOMETIMES AROUND HERE THERE'S STICKER SHOCK AND THERE CAN BE WITH DONORS AND WITH OTHERS AND JUST HOW YOU MIGHT PHASE THE PROJECT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT NOW, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S JUST BETTER TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME WHAT'S SOME INCREMENTAL MOVEMENT YOU COULD SHOW AFTER RAISING SOME MONEY THAT THEN OFTEN BRINGS MORE MONEY? EXACTLY AND THAT IS YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BULLET POINT ON OUR PLANNING AGENDA IS TO LOOK AT WHETHER WE WHETHER THERE ARE LARGE LOGICAL PHASES THAT WE SHOULD EMBRACE THESE AS INDIVIDUAL BITES AND SO WE'LL WE'LL BE GETTING AT THAT VERY SOON.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WELL, I'LL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CHIME IN.
MR. OGDEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR VISIONARY PRESENTATION.
[00:30:03]
I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT THE THANKSGIVING FOUNDATION IS INTERESTED IN UPDATING ITS SITE AND ACTIVATING IT TO ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE, BUT I THINK YOU ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER IT IN LIGHT OF YOUR ORIGINAL MISSION AS THE FOUNDATION, AND NOT GET TOO FAR AWAY FROM THAT TO TRANSFORM WHAT HAS BEEN A CONTEMPLATIVE, THOUGHT PROVOKING SPACE INTO A TOURIST ATTRACTION. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DUPLICATE KLYDE WARREN PARK HERE.THAT IS REALLY GENEROUS AND IT'S A HUGE ATTRACTION, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE YOUR MISSION, AND I WOULD JUST HATE TO SEE YOU GET TOO FAR AWAY FROM YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE THIS A BIG TOURIST ATTRACTION THAT ATTRACTS HORDES OF PEOPLE. SO I JUST PROVIDE THAT AS A CAUTIONARY SUGGESTION.
BUT PLEASE DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF YOUR ORIGINAL FUNCTION AND MISSION, BECAUSE THAT'S UNIQUE IN DALLAS, AND WE REALLY NEED THAT KIND OF A MISSION OPERATING EFFECTIVELY IN DALLAS.
SO AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO CALL UPON OUR TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, GUS KHANKARLI, WHO I UNDERSTAND HAS SOMETHING TO ADD TO THE DISCUSSION.
I GUESS PAUL, COULD I, AS HE'S WALKING UP, CAN I COMMENT JUST ON YOUR COMMENT? YOU GET IT? THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. YOU'RE 100% RIGHT THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO BE KLYDE WARREN PARK.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE ANYTHING ELSE. WE WANT TO BE VERY DISTINCTIVE.
WE WANT TO BE A PLACE OF WELCOMING AND BELONGING AND CONTEMPLATION.
WE WANT TO BE A PLACE OF PERSONAL GROWTH. A PLACE THAT CARES FOR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE WILL NOT. YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT. WE WILL NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE WE HAVE A DISTINCTIVE ROLE IN THIS CITY AND IT IS NOT TO BE A PARK. IT IS TO BE A DESTINATION AND A SPECIAL KIND OF A UNIQUE KIND OF DESTINATION THAT DELIVERS A VISITOR EXPERIENCE THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN ANY PLACE ELSE.
GREAT. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT, GUS. GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
THE $10 MILLION IS PRIMARILY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND THAT IS CONTINGENT UPON THE THANKS-GIVING SQUARE, RAISING THE 20 MILLION.
SO THE MONEY. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT THE FUNDS, THE NCT FUNDS ARE GOING TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE ABILITY BASED ON DISCUSSIONS WITH NCT COLLEAGUE. AND I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF MISTER MORRIS AND HIS STAFF TO ALLOW US TO FRONT ABOUT $500,000 TO BEGIN A, SOME SORT OF A HIGH LEVEL PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING TO IDENTIFY THE EXTENT OF THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE WHOLE IDEA IN THAT AREA IS TO IMPROVE THE ROADWAYS IN THAT AREA, PRETTY MUCH PRIMARILY THE ONE THAT IS DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE PROJECT, AS WELL AS ANY IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEM AND OUR PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY LINK THE THANKS-GIVING SQUARE TO KLYDE WARREN PARK AND THE AT&T DISCOVERY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF CLARIFY THAT WE AS A CITY HAS A HAVE AN INTEREST IN THAT IN THE SENSE THAT IT WILL IMPACT THE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE POTENTIAL UPGRADES TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO, MR. CURLEY, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE GRANT GOING TOWARD INFRASTRUCTURE, ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE SURROUNDING STREETS AND CONVERTING THEM FROM PRIMARILY VEHICULAR TO PRIMARILY PEDESTRIAN USE? WELL, BASED ON AGAIN, I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD OF WHAT COULD COME OUT OF THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING. HOWEVER, BASED ON THE CURRENT RENDERINGS THAT THE THANKS-GIVING SQUARE PROVIDED US, IS THE FACT THAT ONE OF THE STREETS, ONE OF THE ADJACENT STREETS TO THE SQUARE IS TO BE CONSIDERED AS A ONE EARTH TYPE OR A COMBO OF PEDESTRIAN AND LIMITED VEHICULAR ACCESS AND AS WELL, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC SIGNAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THAT AREA THAT IS OLD AND ALSO SOME OF THE PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES THAT WILL LEAD TO THE KLYDE WARREN PARK AREA AS WELL AS GOING BACK INTO DOWNTOWN INTO THE AT&T.
[00:35:02]
GREAT. WILL THE CITY BE DOING THAT WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT FORCES OR ARE YOU CONTEMPLATING HIRING AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT? MOST LIKELY, WE WILL HIRE AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT TO HELP US WITH THAT.OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
THANK YOU, MR. OGDEN AND MISS SINGLETON. OUR NEXT ITEM IS AGENDA ITEM B, THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR OUR DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY. WELCOME, HEATHER.
GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. DO WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION? SO I AM INTERIM DIRECTOR HEATHER LOWE AND I'M HERE WITH SEAN MCGREW, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS.
SO TODAY I WANTED TO START WITH A BRIEF RECAP OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
IF I CAN HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE. THANK YOU. IT WAS PASSED BY COUNCIL IN APRIL OF LAST YEAR.
IT ALSO INCLUDED A 20 YEAR FACILITIES PLAN. AND BOTH PLANS SERVE MORE TO DETERMINE PRIORITIES THAT CAN SERVE AS A ROADMAP, RATHER THAN A PARTICULAR PRESCRIPTION FOR HOW THE LIBRARY SHOULD PROVIDE SERVICES AND FACILITIES.
SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. HERE ARE OUR EIGHT GOALS.
THE STRATEGIC PLAN IDENTIFIED THE GOALS. FOCUS ON ENSURING THAT THE LIBRARY IS EFFICIENT AND WISE, AND WHERE WE PLACE OUR EFFORT THAT THE LIBRARY IS A WELCOMING PLACE AND THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE LIBRARY OFFERS.
PROVIDING INSPIRING FACILITIES, WHICH OF COURSE TIES INTO HOW WE WILL IMPLEMENT OUR FACILITIES PLAN, AND DEVELOPING OUR STAFF WHO ARE AT THE HEART OF EVERY PROGRAM AND SERVICE THAT WE OFFER.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO LOOKING AT THE FIRST GOAL FOR THE LIBRARY IS THAT THE PROGRAMING WILL FOCUS ON MEETING SPECIFIC COMMUNITY NEEDS AND FILLING RECOGNIZED GAPS IN CITY SERVICES.
I'LL NOTE AMONG OUR OBJECTIVES FOR YEAR ONE WERE TO IDENTIFY IF THERE WERE REDUNDANCIES AND THROUGH A RECENT AUDIT OF CITY SERVICES, IT WAS FOUND THAT PARKS, LIBRARY AND YMCA DO NOT DUPLICATE YOUTH SERVICES.
WHICH WAS GOOD TO KNOW. I'LL ALSO NOTE THAT WE'VE STRENGTHENED SEVERAL PARTNERSHIPS FOR YOUTH SERVICES LIKE THOSE WITH THE PEROT MUSEUM COMMITTEE AND UTD TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY SERVICES FOR CHILDREN.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND I WILL JUST SAY A NOTE ON THE YOUTH SERVICES AUDIT.
SO FOCUSING A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT. OVER THE SUMMER WE HAD A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WHERE WE HELD SUMMER CAMPS AT EIGHT LOCATIONS. AND I WOULD JUST SAY ANECDOTALLY, THESE CAMPS TAUGHT US SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE COUNTERINTUITIVE.
WHILE MANY OF US THINK THAT IF A RESIDENT USES A LIBRARY OR REC CENTER, THEY PROBABLY USE BOTH, BUT WE'VE LARGELY FOUND THAT NOT TO NECESSARILY BE THE CASE, BECAUSE WE FOUND THAT THESE CAMPS, A LOT OF KIDS THAT USE THE REC CENTERS WERE INTRODUCED TO THE LIBRARY, AND VICE VERSA.
KIDS THAT WERE IN THE LIBRARY SAW THE CAMPS AND WERE INTRODUCED TO REC RECREATION CENTER SERVICES.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO THE FOCUS OF THE NEXT GOAL IS ADOPTING CUSTOMER AND FUTURE FOCUSED TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS THAT ENSURE STABLE SERVICE FOR DALLAS RESIDENTS. HERE, WE'RE FOCUSING ON CREATING MORE ALIGNMENT BETWEEN OUR GOALS AND THE DEPARTMENT GOALS WITH A FIVE YEAR TECHNOLOGY PLAN.
SO WE HAVE DECIDED THAT OUR GOALS ARE IN ALIGNMENT, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MAP OUT A TIMELINE OF MATCHING RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROJECTS MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER ON THE SAME TIMELINE.
ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS IS OUR OTHER OBJECTIVE THIS YEAR, WHICH IS MOVING OUR CATALOG SYSTEM TO A HOSTED INSTANCE AND THIS WILL TAKE SOME BURDEN OFF OUR FRIENDS. AND IT'S AND THAT WILL BE MUCH EASIER TO MAINTAIN.
UPDATE. AND WHEN IT GOES DOWN, IT WILL NOT BE.
IT'S, YES. BURDEN TO START IT BACK UP. IT WILL BE OUR VENDOR'S RESPONSIBILITY.
SO IT WILL PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE FUNCTIONALITY AND SECURITY FOR US.
[00:40:01]
WHILE THE YEAR ONE OBJECTIVES HERE ARE A LITTLE MORE TECHNICAL, THEY ARE REALLY ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT OUR COLLECTION IS UP TO DATE, USABLE, AND RIGHT SIZED. WE ARE RIGHT ON TRACK FOR ALL OF THESE OBJECTIVES FOR THE YEAR.WEEDING OF THE COLLECTION AND THINKING CAREFULLY ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF COLLECTIONS WILL HELP US HELP SET US UP TO MAKE THE MOST AGILE AND INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE TO ALLOCATE OUR BUDGET FOR MATERIALS TO BEST SERVE ALL OF DALLAS.
IT'S ALSO WITH GREAT JOY THAT I HIGHLIGHT THE LAST OBJECTIVE HERE, WHICH WE COMPLETED ON FRIDAY.
THE LIBRARY JUST LAUNCHED RECOLLECT, A DIGITAL REPOSITORY OF PHOTOS, RECORDINGS, MAPS, AND OTHER SPECIAL COLLECTION ITEMS. IF I CAN HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND SO THIS IS A PREVIEW OF RECOLLECT, AND THERE IS A LINK TO THE NEW SITE IN THE PRESENTATION. SO I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK.
IT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY WONDERFUL WAY TO INTRODUCE THE WORLD TO OUR SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, BECAUSE NOW IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, SAY, THE HISTORY OF BLACK LIFE IN DALLAS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW ALREADY THAT THE LIBRARY HAS THE MARION BUTTS COLLECTION. YOU CAN JUST DO A GOOGLE SEARCH AND FIND A BEAUTIFUL IMAGE AND THEN BE INTRODUCED TO OUR COLLECTIONS THAT WAY.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO HERE, THE PURPOSE OF THE GOAL IS TO ENSURE ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THE LIBRARY'S PHYSICAL FACILITIES, DIGITAL PRESENCE, COLLECTIONS, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
WE'VE SECURED FUNDING THROUGH ATMOS ENERGY AND OUR FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND WE WILL WORK TO PURCHASE ITEMS AND TRAIN STAFF FOR THIS PROGRAM THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR. AND WE'RE ALSO, AT LONG LAST, IMPLEMENTING A NEW WEB DESIGN, WHICH WILL HAVE IMPROVED ACCESSIBILITY AND LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES. WE'RE LOOKING TO PROBABLY MID-SUMMER TO LAUNCH THAT AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE WE HAD INCLUDED AN ASPIRATIONAL OBJECTIVE FOR THIS YEAR OF IMPLEMENTING A PROGRAM TO DELIVER LIBRARY MATERIALS TO HOMEBOUND INDIVIDUALS.
WE WERE REALLY HOPING WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SECURE FUNDING FOR THAT. WE HAVEN'T YET.
SO IT IS POSTPONED FOR NOW, BUT IT IS VERY MUCH ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES.
HERE ARE OBJECTIVES INCLUDE IMPLEMENTING ADA BATHROOM UPGRADES.
I'D LIKE TO NOTE HERE THAT THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH FACILITIES AND REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT, WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON PROJECTS BOTH LARGE AND SMALL.
IN ADDITION TO THE ADA BATHROOMS, WE WERE ABLE TO INVEST MONEY ON SOME PROJECTS, AND WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO UPGRADE OUR DOORS FOR ACCESSIBILITY AT TEN LOCATIONS IN THE FALL. AND WE WILL BE WORKING ON SOME MAJOR MAINTENANCE TO OUR HVAC SYSTEMS AT TWO BRANCHES THIS SPRING AND IT'S REALLY BEEN WORKING TO ALIGN RESOURCES THAT WE'D LIKE TO THANK FACILITIES AND REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT FOR MAKING THOSE THINGS HAPPEN.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO MAKING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS HERE.
THE GOAL IS TO LEVERAGE COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
OUR OBJECTIVES FOR THIS YEAR ARE PRIMARILY TO MEET WITH CONSULATES, TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF IMMIGRANTS IN DALLAS, AND TO PROMOTE THE LIBRARY AS A HUB FOR PROVIDING RESOURCES.
USE OF LIBRARY SPACES BY COMMUNITY GROUPS IS UP 22% THIS FISCAL YEAR COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR AND MANY OF THESE RESERVATIONS ARE FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING, JOB FAIRS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES.
ALL OBJECTIVES FOR THIS YEAR ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
WITH THE UPGRADE AND HOSTING OF OUR LIBRARY CATALOG SYSTEM, WE WILL HAVE BETTER TOOLS TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO MARKET OUR SERVICES TO LIBRARY CARDHOLDERS AND WITH THAT, WE WILL IMPLEMENT A PLAN TO ENGAGE AN ACTIVE LIBRARY CARDHOLDERS TO BETTER RETAIN FOLKS WHO ARE USING THE LIBRARY SERVICES AND WE ARE NOW CURRENTLY WORKING ON INFORMATION MATERIALS, BOTH FOR NEW RESIDENTS AND FOR STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS YOURSELF AND POTENTIAL FUNDERS AS WELL. SO LOOK FOR THOSE LATER THIS YEAR.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE AND FINALLY, OUR LAST GOAL IS ONE THAT I THINK WE'VE MADE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS ON,
[00:45:05]
WHICH IS TO DEVELOP FUTURE READY STAFF. WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING POLICY AND SCHEDULE THAT HAS IDENTIFIED TRAINING NEEDS FOR EACH POSITION, AND LAID THOSE OUT OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD. WE'VE ALSO STARTED TWO MENTORSHIP STYLE PROGRAMS. ONE IS A TRADITIONAL MENTORSHIP PROGRAM THAT PAIRS STAFF WITH PEOPLE IN POSITIONS THAT THEY COULD PROMOTE INTO, OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE SKILLS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO LEARN.WE'RE ALSO REALLY WORKING ON OUR INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS AND HOW WE CAN NOT ONLY TEACH AND TRAIN STAFF THROUGH REGULAR COMMUNICATIONS, BUT HOW THEY CAN INFORM US, AND WE CAN LISTEN AND RECEIVE THEIR INPUT AS WELL AND I WANT TO PAUSE HERE WITH A RECENT PICTURE OF OUR STAFF DAY, WHICH IS A TIME FOR STAFF TO COME TOGETHER AND HEAR FROM CITY LEADERSHIP AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT NONE OF THESE OTHER GOALS WOULD HAPPEN WITHOUT STAFF. A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM RIGHTLY SAID THE GREATEST OF THE LIBRARY'S ASSETS GOES HOME AT NIGHT, AND THOSE ARE THE STAFF. AND SO WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON MAKING MINOR CHANGES THAT CAN REALLY IMPROVE SHARED DECISION MAKING, RETENTION AND DEVELOPMENT WITH OUR STAFF. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO OVERALL, TO BRING THIS BACK TO QUALITY OF LIFE AND DALLAS, OUR WORK ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN PUT INTO SUMMARY IS TO CREATE EFFICIENCIES AND ALIGNMENTS ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL, ARTS AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL DALLAS SITES, TO PROVIDE SPACES AND MATERIALS THAT MAKE RESIDENTS PROUD AND TO RAISE AWARENESS OF OUR PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND I MIGHT FINALLY, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER LIZ CEDILLO-PEREIRA ASKED ME TO MAKE A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR POTENTIAL GOALS FOR THE VIBRANT PORTFOLIO. SO I HUMBLY MAKE A COUPLE OF THOSE HERE.
THE FIRST IS TO REALLY UTILIZE THE SPACES THAT WE HAVE.
ON FOCUS. OUR FOCUS COULD BE TO MAXIMIZE CITY PROPERTY THROUGH SMALLER INTERVENTIONS, LIKE USING THE MAYOR'S GREENING INITIATIVE AND SMART SURFACES TO MAXIMIZE LIBRARY GREEN SPACE, FOR EXAMPLE. ONE SUCH EXAMPLE IS OUR HIGH VISTA SITE.
THAT WILL BE THE FUTURE SITE OF THE PARK FOREST BRANCH LIBRARY, WHICH WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE GREENING INITIATIVE TO HAVE A POCKET PARK PLACED THERE IN A PART OF THE PLOT THAT PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN USED FOR THE LIBRARY AND SO THIS IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE IN HOW WE CAN THINK ABOUT USING OUR ASSETS TO MAKE EVERY PART OF THE FOOTPRINT OF CITY PROPERTY USABLE AND ENJOYABLE FOR STAFF.
I MEAN, FOR FOR STAFF AND FOR RESIDENTS. EXCUSE ME.
NEXT, I WOULD SUGGEST A CONTINUED FOCUS ON STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS.
WE ALREADY AND PARTNER INCREDIBLY WELL AND DEEPLY SO IT CAN SOMETIMES BE DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE HOW WE MIGHT PARTNER MORE, BUT I THINK THAT THERE COULD BE SPACE TO BRING DIFFERENT AUDIENCES TOGETHER AND INTRODUCE SERVICES IN CREATIVE WAYS, LIKE THE PARKS CAMPS THAT MIGHT TAKE PLACE AT LIBRARY BRANCHES.
AND NOW I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MISS LOWE, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS AN EYE ON THE FUTURE AND ON CREATING A CONSTITUENT FRIENDLY SERVICE ENVIRONMENT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS LOWE? YES, MISS SCHULTZ. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING CONGRATULATIONS.
I MEAN, YEAR ONE. REALLY? YOU GUYS ARE ROCKING IT.
AND I'M VERY PROUD TO YOU ALL AND OF THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
SO LET ME START WITH THAT. I HAVE A DATA POINT THAT I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THAT YOU.
I DIDN'T ASK YOU IN ADVANCE, SO I APOLOGIZE AND YOU CAN GET BACK WITH US, BUT I'D LOVE TO KNOW HOW MANY ACTIVE AND INACTIVE CARD HOLDERS WE HAVE IN OUR LIBRARY SO WE CAN SEE WHAT OUR GOALS ARE FOR BOTH.
ABSOLUTELY. I BELIEVE WE HAVE 600. IT'S AROUND 600,000 ACTIVE LIBRARY CARD HOLDERS.
BUT I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT AND ALSO THE INACTIVE, LIKE HOW MANY? YOU KNOW, EVEN WITH. AND I KNOW IT'S HARD BECAUSE YOU HAVE SO MANY ENTRY POINTS OF ACTIVITY.
BUT JUST IN GENERAL WOULD YOU SAY AND YOU DON'T AGAIN, DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER NOW, BUT LIKE 50% ARE ACTUALLY USING THEIR CARD IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. YOU KNOW, JUST ROUND NUMBERS. SO THAT'S ONE.
[00:50:05]
YES, WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES AS WELL AS OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS SUCH AS THE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY.THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. HISTORICAL SOCIETY. YEAH.
JAMAL. THAT'S FANTASTIC. BECAUSE REALLY, THIS CAN BE SUCH A RICH TOOL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WAS WONDERING IS ON THE CHALLENGE OF FUNDING FOR THE HOMEBOUND, HAVE YOU REACHED OUT? IS THERE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH THE FOLKS THAT ARE ALREADY DOING MEALS ON WHEELS, LIKE VNA, JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE, OTHERS WHERE THEY'RE ALREADY DELIVERING HOMEBOUND THINGS? I THINK THAT WE'VE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST, BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN RECENT, SO WE COULD REVISIT THOSE, CERTAINLY. IT MAY BE A WAY TO REALLY REDUCE EXPENSES SINCE THEY'RE ALREADY DOING THE HEAVY LIFT ON THAT AND THEN FINALLY, IF I MAY, SIR, IS I REALLY I WANT TO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE SUMMER PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES AND SO IF YOU COULD JUST SEND US SOMETHING OF WHERE THOSE ARE PLANNING TO BE FOR THIS YEAR, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AN ASTERISK RISK WITH WHERE THEY COULD BE IF THERE WAS X, Y, OR Z, BECAUSE IT'S TREMENDOUS. AND I SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ON ALL OF THIS HARD WORK.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS WILLIS. THANK YOU.
SO I THINK IT WAS YOU, MISS LOWE, WHO TALKED ABOUT CHIEF ARTISTS BEING AT THE STAFF MEETING, THIS STAFF RETREAT THAT YOU MENTIONED. AND HE WAS, I GUESS, SPEAKING TO ALL THE STAFF AND TALKED ABOUT OUR LIBRARIES AS A CRITICAL SERVICE AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS AND MEANINGFUL FOR THE STAFF TO HEAR THAT OUR LIBRARIES AND THE STAFF THAT ARE IN THESE BUILDINGS AND WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC EVERY DAY ARE A CRITICAL SERVICE. AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S PUBLIC SAFETY, IT'S ECONOMIC MOBILITY.
IT'S ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOALS AROUND THAT ARE MANIFESTING THEMSELVES EVERY SINGLE DAY WHEN WE ENGAGE OUR PUBLIC AND COMING INTO THE LIBRARY AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL LIKE YOU ALL THIS DEPARTMENT IS DEPARTMENT IS EXEMPLARY WHEN IT COMES TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE IMPLICATIONS THAT IT MEANS, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT WE'VE GOT THE MUNICIPAL LIBRARY BOARD, YOU'VE GOT FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY, YOU'VE GOT YOUR OWN STAFF. EVERYONE KNOWS THE GOALS. EVERYONE KNOWS WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
IT HELPS WITH FUNDRAISING. IT HELPS WITH PROGRAMING.
BECAUSE OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS I'VE BEEN IN HAMPTON, ILLINOIS BRANCH OR THE FOREST GREEN BRANCH, OR MY OWN PARK FOREST OR MLK, AND THE PROGRAMING IS JUST AMAZING.
THE STAFF, I MEAN, IT IS JUST, I THINK WHAT YOU WOULD HOPE CORPORATELY TO HAVE EVERYONE REALLY MARCHING, ROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION. SO KUDOS TO YOU ALL FOR HELPING MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND FOR EXECUTING IT.
THE OTHER THING THAT'S SO HELPFUL IS WHEN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST FINISHED ONE BOND PROGRAM VOTE.
BUT AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, THIS KIND OF PLANNING IS WHAT HELPS POINT US AND MAKE THAT PROCESS A LOT LESS THERE'S A LOT LESS AGONY . WHEN YOU HAVE THE DIRECTION OF WHAT ARE THE BIG ROCKS WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH WITH A BOND PROGRAM, AND WHAT ARE THE THINGS OUR GENERAL FUND NEEDS TO DO? AND THEN WHERE DO WE NEED TO FIND OTHER MONEY? SO I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
DIGGING IN AND BLOWING UP THE ASSUMPTION THAT PEOPLE WHO KNOW ABOUT LIBRARIES ALSO KNOW ABOUT REC CENTERS AND USE THEM INTERCHANGEABLY, AND THAT YOU DISCOVERED THAT JUST WASN'T HAPPENING.
THAT IS I'D SAY THAT'S PRETTY BIG AND I'M REALLY EXCITED.
ON THE LAST GOALS PAGE, IN ADDITION TO THE VISTA LIBRARY OR PARK INITIATIVE THAT YOU CALL OUT USING PARK AND REC SUMMER CAMPS AT LIBRARIES, BECAUSE IN VICKERY MEADOW, WHERE WE HAVE BRONX LEVEL DENSITY, WE DON'T HAVE A REC CENTER.
AND SO I LOVE THE IDEA THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A REALLY ACTIVE INITIATIVE TO BRING LIFE INTO SOME COMMUNITIES THAT JUST DON'T HAVE THAT RESOURCE. ONE OTHER QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS OR TO HAVE A QUESTION IS ON HOW WE USE THAT EXAMPLE OF THAT VICKERY PARK LIBRARY AND HOW THE CRYSTAL CHARITY BALL MADE AN AMAZING GIFT.
I THINK IT WAS 800, $850,000 TO CREATE THIS CHILDREN'S AREA.
WE KNOW WE NEED THESE IN ALL OF OUR LIBRARIES.
SOME HAVE THEM, SOME DON'T, AND HOW WE MIGHT LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE IN PARTNERING WITH THEM OR JUNIOR LEAGUE OR OTHERS ABOUT REALLY DIALING UP THAT PARTICULAR AREA. YEAH, I THINK THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION AND YOUR KIND WORDS ABOUT THE LIBRARY.
I THINK PART OF THAT IS REALLY IN THAT IN THE GOAL OF COMMUNICATING THE LIBRARY'S VALUE, REALLY MAKING SURE THAT SOMETIMES WE'RE DOING THE WORK AND WE FORGET TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK. SO I THINK CREATING A DIGESTIBLE LIKE ONE PAGERS ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY,
[00:55:06]
ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES, THINGS LIKE THAT CAN EASILY BE TAKEN TO STAKEHOLDERS AS ONE WAY THAT WE CAN REALLY ENCOURAGE OR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO INVEST IN THE LIBRARY. WELL, I WOULD SAY IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY IDENTIFIED SOME AREAS THAT, I MEAN, THEY HAVE CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHICS THAT THEY WANT TO DELIVER ON. AND I KNOW THAT OUR LIBRARIES ARE IN LOCATIONS THAT WOULD DELIVER ON THOSE WHERE OUR CHILD, CHILDREN'S AREAS ARE LACKING. AND ADD THAT TO OUR TARGET BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE SOME WORK TO GET.BUT ONCE YOU LAND SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY'RE GENEROUS AND IT JUST MEANS SO MUCH FOR YEARS, IF NOT DECADES TO COME. THANK YOU. CHAIR. MISS BLACKMON.
THANK YOU. YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU WERE GOING TO GET AWAY, RIGHT? SOUTHWEST SKILLMAN LIBRARY. I KNOW THAT AND NO COMMENTS FROM THE GALLERY.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO GIVE VERY VALID REASONS OF WHY IT SHOULD CLOSE.
AND SO CAN YOU GIVE ME YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT YOUR PROCESS WOULD BE IN ELIMINATING A LIBRARY IF IT HAPPENS? I MEAN, I THINK OUR THOUGHT PROCESS. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I THINK OUR THOUGHT PROCESS IS LARGELY THE SAME.
WE NEVER WANT TO CLOSE A LIBRARY. ANY THE CLOSURE OF ANY LIBRARY, NO MATTER WHAT.
ANY CITY FACILITY IS USUALLY ANY FACILITY BECAUSE THEY'RE PART OF A COMMUNITY.
BUT WE TRY TO TAKE IN TO CONSIDERATION SEVERAL DIFFERENT VARIABLES, CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FACILITY, HOW CLOSE, HOW GEOGRAPHICALLY CLOSE IS IT TO OTHER FACILITIES? WHAT IS THE DAILY USE OF THAT FACILITY? WHAT ARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS IN THE AREA? COULD PEOPLE IN THAT AREA. POTENTIALLY USE ANOTHER LIBRARY? WE'RE CONTINUING TO THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT WHAT CONSIDERATIONS MIGHT GO INTO THE DECISION TO CLOSE LIBRARIES, EVEN IF IT WOULD BE A REALLY HARD DECISION THAT WE WOULDN'T WANT TO MAKE.
AND I'M JUST GOING TO BE KIND OF BRUTALLY HONEST.
WE'RE NOT REALLY GOOD AT SHUTTERING THINGS. I'LL ASK IF IT DOES HAPPEN THAT WE TAKE PRECAUTION IN IT BECOMING SECURE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN. I DON'T WANT TO HAPPEN WHAT? WE'VE SEEN SOME OTHER CITY BUILDINGS, AND THERE'D BE A VERY THOUGHTFUL PLAN.
I KNOW PATRICK O'BRIEN HAS BEEN DISCUSSING THAT.
MAYBE EVEN LOCATING IT WITHIN THE VILLAGE. RIGHT.
AND SO. AND MAYBE JUST DOING A PART TIME SOMETHING.
RIGHT. AND THREE DAYS A WEEK VERSUS THE 5 OR 6.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE VERY CREATIVE. IF THAT HAPPENS, IS THERE GOING TO BE AN EASY PROCESS IN WHICH TO GET THIS STOOD UP? I MEAN, WE WERE PREPARED TO SHUTTER THE LIBRARY.
I MEAN, WE WERE PREPARING TO SHUTTER THE LIBRARY AS OF THE END OF THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.
BUT THE MONEY WASN'T IN THE BUDGET TO SHUTTER IT.
SURE. IT DOESN'T BECOME A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT, SO THE COPPER IS NOT STRIPPED OUT, SO THINGS DON'T HAPPEN IN THERE? SURE. AND HERE I WOULD HAVE TO GIVE KUDOS TO JOHN JOHNSON AND FACILITIES AND REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT THAT HE WAS PREPARED TO TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY, AND ALREADY MAKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SECURITY AND OTHER MEASURES TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT BUILDING WAS SECURE, SECURE AND EITHER USED FOR A DIFFERENT CITY PURPOSE OR SOLD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND THAT'S ALWAYS AN OPTION, TOO. WE HAVE A FIRE STATION ON TRAMMEL, WHICH COULD BE I MEAN, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY NOT THE EGRESS AND INGRESS IS NOT PROBABLY A, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT OR JUSTIFIABLE. BUT I MEAN, LOOKING AT IT FOR ANOTHER CITY SERVICE COULD BE A, AN OPTION TOO. BUT WE BUT I DO WANT TO KNOW IF IT DOES HAPPEN SOONER THAN LATER, THAT WE JUST DON'T SPRING IT IN THE BUDGET THAT WE NEED TO GO OUT AND COMMUNICATE THIS AND WE NEED TO SHOW A PLAN AND WE NEED TO WORK THOUGHTFULLY.
THAT'S REALLY I MEAN, THEY KNOW THEY'VE GOT A YEAR.
THE COMMUNITY DOES AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S $500,000, AND I GET IT.
[01:00:01]
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE THOUGHTFUL IN THAT, HOW WE ADDRESS IT, BECAUSE IT KIND OF COMES DOWN TO, I MEAN, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE ADA STUFF, I THINK THERE'S SOME BOND MONEY IN FOR THAT ONE.OKAY. THEY WOULDN'T BE. I JUST DON'T WANT TO CREATE.
YEAH. IN THE MIDDLE OF A RENAULT AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE CLOSING.
OKAY. THANK YOU. JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, HEATHER, FROM YOUR PRESENTATION ON SLIDE SIX UNDER THE GOALS COLUMN. THE FIRST ONE TALKS ABOUT E-RATE NETWORK IMPROVEMENTS.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THAT IS? SURE. SO E-RATE IS A FEDERAL PROGRAM THROUGH THE FCC THAT PROVIDES SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED COST. NETWORK SERVICES AND EQUIPMENT.
WE SUBMITTED FOR ONE PROJECT FOR E-RATE WITH THE ITS DEPARTMENT TO BASICALLY TAKE THE WI-FI NET, THE PUBLIC WI-FI AT OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES, AND MOVE THAT OFF OF THE CITY'S NETWORK TO MAKE IT MORE SECURE.
PROTECT THE CITY'S NETWORK. WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND NEW WI-FI ACCESS POINTS AT MOST AT NINE OF OUR LOCATIONS AND THE CENTRAL LIBRARY. WE'RE WORKING ON AN E-RATE PROPOSAL FOR TO REPLACE CABLING AND WI-FI ACCESS POINTS AT THE ADDITIONAL REMAINING LIBRARIES. WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT PROGRESS WILL BE COMPLETED? IT IS GENERALLY A MULTI-YEAR PROGRAM. THE FIRST PROJECT TOOK FIVE YEARS TO COMPLETE.
WE ARE AWAITING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET NETWORK SERVICES THROUGH THE CONTRACTING PROCESS TO APPLY THIS YEAR, BUT MOST LIKELY I THINK THAT IT WILL. WE WILL BE APPLYING FOR E-RATE REBATES IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND ON THE SAME SLIDE, THE NEXT GOAL WAS MOVING THE LIBRARY'S CATALOG TO A WEB HOSTED INSTANCE.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOU'LL BE DISPOSING OF THE TRADITIONAL CARD CATALOGS? WELL, WE HAVEN'T BEEN USING THE CARD CATALOGS FOR THE MAJORITY OF OUR ITEMS, EXCEPT FOR SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, FOR WHICH THAT MIGHT BE THE ONLY RECORD THAT WE HAVE.
SO THIS IS REALLY MORE ABOUT MOVING THE DIGITAL INFORMATION WE HAVE ON SERVERS THAT ARE RESIDING WITH THE CITY TO SERVERS THAT ARE RESIDING WITH THE VENDOR. OKAY. SO YOU WOULD JUST CONTRACT WITH THE VENDOR TO PROVIDE THAT DATABASE AS A SERVICE WITHOUT HAVING TO INCUR THE CAPITAL COST FOR PURCHASING THAT EQUIPMENT FOR THE LIBRARY.
EXACTLY AND THEN ON SLIDE 15, YOU TALK ABOUT CREATING EFFICIENCIES AND ALIGNMENT ACROSS DEPARTMENTS AND PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL, ARTS AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH IS A VERY WORTHWHILE GOAL AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK IF YOU HAD GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE TO PROVIDE SPACE IN LIBRARY BRANCHES FOR ARTWORK OF ARTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEY WORK WITH? A PERFORMANCE VENUE, PERHAPS OUTDOORS OR INDOORS, IF THE SPACE PERMITS FOR DANCE PERFORMANCES FOR MAYBE COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS WHERE ARTISTS TALK TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW THEY BECAME ARTISTS AND WHAT THE PROSPECTS ARE FOR PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY YOUNGER PEOPLE, INTERESTED IN GOING INTO THE ARTS, HOW THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT SPACE.
ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THERE IS ALWAYS MORE WORK THAT WE CAN BE THAT CAN BE DONE.
WE DO HEAVILY USE THE COMMUNITY ARTIST PROGRAM.
WE CAN CERTAINLY DISCUSS HAVING ARTWORK DISPLAYED IN OUR LIBRARIES.
I THINK ONE A WONDERFUL RESOURCE FOR WORKING ARTISTS, PARTICULARLY IN THE CITY, IS OUR FOURTH FLOOR.
WHERE I STARTED MY CAREER WITH DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
[01:05:09]
THAT THEY CAN HAVE FEEDBACK BEFORE THEY HAVE TO GO INTO THOSE OFFICIAL TRYOUTS.WELL, GREAT. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, AND PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, SO THAT WITH THAT SYNERGY OF YOUR EFFORTS, YOU CAN IMPROVE THE SERVICES THAT WE OFFER TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND RESIDENTS. SO THANK YOU FOR THINKING ALONG THOSE LINES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MISS LOWE? ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS THAT I HAVE REQUESTED ON UPDATES OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANS AT THE CITY AND I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A VERY WORTHWHILE PRESENTATION AND OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT THE LIBRARY STRATEGIC PLAN WILL BRING IN THE FUTURE YEARS. AND WE'LL BE SEEING MORE OF THESE KINDS OF PRESENTATIONS AT UPCOMING COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
NEXT IS OUR BRIEFING MEMOS. THE FIRST ONE C, IS OUR FACILITIES PARTNERS UPDATE ON THE DMA AND I WELCOME MISS PHILIPPE, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, AND GLENN AYERS.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR RIDLEY AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
WE DO HAVE A MEMO BEFORE YOU. WE'VE BEEN FURNISHING THESE FACILITIES MEMOS ALMOST MONTHLY TO APPRIZE YOU OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR PARTNER MANAGED FACILITIES.
RELATED UPDATES. THIS PARTICULAR MEMO IS IN REGARD TO DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE TWO OF THE MEMBERS OF THE DMA LEADERSHIP TEAM, MISS MICHELLE MORGAN, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AT THE MUSEUM, AND MR. BRAD PRITCHETT, THE CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THE MEMO BEFORE YOU, AS WITH THE OTHER FORMAT OR THE SAME FORMAT AS PREVIOUS MEMOS, THERE'S A BIT OF HISTORICAL CONTEXT NOTED AN OVERVIEW OF RELATED AMENDMENTS TO OUR CURRENT AGREEMENT.
OVERVIEW OF THE WORK THAT WILL BE DONE IN THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM AND UPCOMING NOTES RELATED TO THE CONTRACT EXTENSION. WE DO HAVE AN ITEM THAT WILL BE PUT FORTH BEFORE COUNCIL ON MARCH 26TH.
WE INTEND TO BRING A SHORT TERM EXTENSION BEFORE THE BODY TO GIVE US A BIT OF TIME TO DISCUSS A NEW LONG TERM AGREEMENT WITH THIS PARTICULAR FACILITY. I'LL PAUSE THERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS PHILIPPE? WELL SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE THE MEMO, WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IS APPROVAL BY THE COUNCIL OF A TWO YEAR EXTENSION OF THE CITY DMA AGREEMENT AS SORT OF A PLACEHOLDER WITH THE EXISTING AN EXTENSION OF THE EXISTING TERMS WITH AN EYE TOWARD A LONGER TERM AGREEMENT THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY NEGOTIATING AND HAVE BEEN SINCE AUGUST WITH THE DMA TO GOVERN A TRANSITION OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BUILDING TO THE DMA.
IS THAT ACCURATE? GO AHEAD. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
WE ARE DISCUSSING ALL OPTIONS FOR HOW BEST TO PROCEED OVER THE NEXT.
DURING THIS TWO YEAR PROCESS FOR BOTH PARTIES TO SEE WHAT IS OUR BEST OUTCOME FOR THAT.
I WOULD JUST HATE TO SPEAK TOO SOON AND OUT OF TURN.
OKAY. THAT'S FINE. SO THANK YOU FOR THE BRIEF AND I APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE TODAY.
LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM D. WHICH IS THE UPCOMING AGENDA ITEM AT THE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY ON PUBLIC RESTROOM ACCESSIBILITY RENOVATIONS AT VARIOUS CITY FACILITIES.
MISS NICEWANDER, WELCOME. GOOD MORNING. JENNY NICEWANDER.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.
COMMITTEE. ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS BRIEFING ITEM? MISS WILLIS. THANK YOU. I THINK THAT AT PRESTON ROYAL IN THAT RENOVATION IS THEIR UPDATE TO BATHROOMS JUST INCLUDED IN THE OVERALL RENOVATION NUMBER AND NOT PART OF THIS CARVE OUT?
[01:10:06]
CORRECT. YEAH. THE RENOVATIONS TO THE BATHROOM WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF IN A SEPARATE PROJECT. SO ALL AT ONE TIME. OKAY. THANK YOU.SO, MISS NICEWANDER, DO YOU HAVE A. TIME SCHEDULE FOR EACH OF THESE DIFFERENT FACILITIES AS TO WHICH ONES WILL BE DONE FIRST? SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THE FACILITIES RIGHT NOW JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MANAGE THEIR SCHEDULES.
ALONG WITH THIS SCHEDULE. I THINK WE HAVE AN OVERALL IDEA OF WHAT PROJECTS ARE GOING TO BE STARTED FIRST, BUT I'D REALLY RATHER WAIT TILL WE MEET WITH THE CONTRACTOR UNTIL WE FINALIZE THAT AND I CAN COME BACK AND PROVIDE YOU A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE.
OKAY. THAT'S FINE. AND THE CITY HALL RESTROOMS ARE THOSE TO RENOVATE RESTROOMS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY ADA COMPLIANT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.
SO WE STILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE AT CITY HALL. WE DO.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR MEMO.
AND OUR FINAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE QUALITY OF LIFE, ARTS AND CULTURE.
TWO MONTH FORECAST. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT? I DO. YES, MISS WILLIS. THANK YOU. SO COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT IN MARCH, WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON EXTRAORDINARY NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS AND THEIR IMPACTS ON NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'VE EXPERIENCED A COUPLE OF SITUATIONS OVER THE PAST 3 OR 4 YEARS.
AND SO AS SOCIAL MEDIA REALLY FUELS ATTENDANCE AT CERTAIN EVENTS, IT'S CREATING A REALLY DISPROPORTIONATE EFFECT ON OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT MAYBE WE DIDN'T EXPERIENCE IN YEARS PAST, AND THAT OUR DIFFERENT MECHANISMS TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THIS SORT OF THING NEED TO BE EXAMINED SO WE CAN UPDATE THEM TO PREPARE AND WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT THIS INCLUDE BE A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE BRIEFING BECAUSE WE WOULD NEED TO THINK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE EXCESSIVE TRAFFIC CAN IMPEDE RESIDENT ACCESS TO AND FROM THEIR HOMES. SOMETIMES THE POP UP NATURE OF AN EVENT ISN'T REALLY ADDRESSED BY OUR CURRENT RESIDENT PARKING CODE OR MECHANISMS THAT YOU MIGHT USE IF YOU WERE HAVING A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHEN SOMETHING IS ONLY THERE FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT IT'S CAUSING A LOT OF DISRUPTION, IT KIND OF LEAVES THE NEIGHBORS IN LIMBO ABOUT HOW THEY CAN ADDRESS LOTS OF PARKING.
WALKING THROUGH YARDS, ETC. WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT, WE HAVE A RESIDENTIAL LIGHTING CODE, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY SUFFICIENT FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT. AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE STROBE LIGHTS OR THINGS YOU MIGHT ORDINARILY SEE IN AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, SOMEHOW ARE NOW COMING INTO NEIGHBORHOODS AND CAUSE DISRUPTION.
THERE'S ALSO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. WHAT LEGAL ASPECTS CAN THE CITY DO IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, AND WHAT CAN THE CITY NOT DO? AND IF THERE ARE SOME THINGS THE CITY CAN'T DO, THEN WHAT COULD A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION DO? HOW MIGHT A GROUP STRENGTHEN THEIR BYLAWS TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE THINGS THAT A CITY JUST COULDN'T? OBVIOUSLY THERE'S AN IMPLICATION ON IMPLICATION ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. I HAD A SITUATION THAT COST US OVER $25,000.
AND BY US, I MEAN THE CITY OF DALLAS AND OUR TAXPAYERS, WHICH PULLED RESOURCES FROM OTHER AREAS.
YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHAT A TRIGGERING EVENT WOULD BE AND HOW WE DEPLOY PUBLIC SAFETY RESOURCES? AND THEN FINALLY, OUR SPECIAL EVENTS DEPARTMENT.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES EVENTS IN NEIGHBORHOODS ARE TICKETED AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT TICKETED.
THEY JUST BECOME SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY THAT GETS A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ATTENTION AND BRINGS HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD. AND WHAT IS A PROPERTY OWNER'S OBLIGATION, OR WHOEVER'S PUTTING ON THE EVENT OR PUTTING ON A DISPLAY? I JUST, YOU KNOW, I'VE SUFFERED SOME PAIN POINTS AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE COLLEAGUES AND NEIGHBORS ACROSS EVERY DISTRICT IN THE CITY NOT HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THIS. AND I THINK WE'RE AT A FLASHPOINT WHERE WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT POLICY ACROSS ALL OF THESE CATEGORIES TO STRENGTHEN IT AND HELP GET AHEAD OF IT. SO I WOULD ASK THAT WE ADD THAT TO THE MARCH AGENDA IF POSSIBLE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME EVENTS PLANNED FOR FALL THAT THIS COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON. WELL, THANK YOU, MISS WILLIS. I DID RECEIVE YOUR MEMO ON THIS TOPIC, AND I IMMEDIATELY REFERRED IT TO STAFF FOR THEM TO START RESEARCHING WHAT WE CAN DO IN THESE AREAS. YOU RAISED MANY VALID POINTS THAT I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER.
[01:15:09]
WE CAN I MEAN, IT INVOLVES A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS SO WE CAN TRY TO SHOOT FOR MARCH, BUT IF WE CANNOT MAKE THAT DEADLINE, WE WILL DEFINITELY LET YOU KNOW. AGAIN, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE REQUEST.THANK YOU. AND I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THAT IN THE TIME BETWEEN, I HAD SOME EVENTS HAPPEN IN DECEMBER AND THEN EVEN, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE, AND THE TIME THAT I SENT THE MEMO TO COUNCILMEMBER RIDLEY SOME STAFF AT ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH.
THEY MAY BE FARTHER ALONG THAN YOU. YOU THINK THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY HITTING THEM COLD AND SO JUST INCLUDE THAT BECAUSE THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE JUST OBVIOUSLY THE SOONER WE CAN HEAR ABOUT IT AND BRING IT, THEN TO COUNCIL, WHATEVER WE DECIDE COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON FALL EVENTS.
SO BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. VERY GOOD. SO SEEING NO OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS THE COMMITTEE
OF QUALITY OF LIFE, ARTS AND CULTURE MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED AT 10:17AM.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.