[Transportation and Infrastructure on June 15, 2026.]
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OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE MAY 18TH TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING.IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND. SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION OR CORRECTIONS? SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE NEXT ITEM IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE SPECIAL CALLED MAY 19TH, 2026 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING.
IS THERE A MOTION? SECOND. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION OR CORRECTIONS? SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
DIRECTOR. CARINO, WELCOME. GOOD AFTERNOON. PATRICK RIJINO, DIRECTOR OF AVIATION. I'M HERE TODAY TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE LOVE FIELD EXPANSION AIRPORT PROGRAM, OR WE CALL LEAP. I'M JUST GOING TO BRIEFLY GO THROUGH SOME OF THE MATERIAL WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST ON THE PREFERRED DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
I'LL GIVE YOU A PROGRESS UPDATE, SOME UPDATES ON THE COST ESTIMATE, TIMELINE AND STAKEHOLDER COORDINATION, AND ALONG WITH NEXT STEPS. SO THE PREFERRED DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
AS A REMINDER, WE'VE SHOWN THIS TO YOU SEVERAL TIMES.
THOSE ARE THE KEY PROJECTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AT INVOLVE THE LEAP PROGRAM.
THAT REALLY GIVES US THE FOUNDATION TO START MOVING THE PROGRAM FORWARD.
THESE CONSIST OF BE COMMISSIONING ENABLING OUR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
THEY'LL FACILITATE THE GOVERNANCE, THE, THE FULL LIFE CYCLE OF THE PROGRAM WILL ALSO BE LOOKING AT DIGITAL MODELING, DIGITAL TWINS AS FAR AS THE FACILITY GOES. AND WE'LL BE BASELINING SOME OF OUR UTILITIES WITH THESE WITH THESE PROJECT MANAGERS AS WELL. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS IS ADVANCED PLANNING.
AND THAT IS REALLY OUR PROJECT DEFINITION DOCUMENT, WHICH HELPS US BRIDGE THE MASTER PLAN PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH THAT WE FINISHED IN DECEMBER AND LEADS US INTO THE PROGRAM AND INTO DESIGN.
THIS IS WHERE YOU CHECK IN SECURITY BAG CLAIM.
SO THAT BLUE SECTION IN THE MIDDLE THERE IS KIND OF THE ALIGNMENT.
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING TO SHIFT THAT CLOSER INTO THE EXISTING FACILITY.
SO IT ALMOST KIND OF IT GOES ACROSS THE CURRENT ROADWAY.
IT'LL GO ON TOP OF THAT. THIS MAINTAINS THE SHORT WALKING DISTANCES AND IT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO REPURPOSE THE EXISTING TERMINAL ELEMENTS LIKE THE TICKET HALL AND THE SECURITY CHECKPOINT AREA. SO ALONG WITH THIS, THIS IS A DIFFERENT VIEW OF MORE OF THE PASSENGER FLOWS.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE NEW DOUBLE ROADWAY, DOUBLE DECK ROADWAY THAT'S COMING IN.
SO IT ALLOWS US FOR SOME FUTURE FLEXIBILITY. THE BIG THING IS WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE COMING BACK HERE IN TEN, 15, 20 YEARS LOOKING TO REDEVELOP THE FACILITY AGAIN.
IT GIVES US SOME FLEXIBILITY IF WE NEED TO MOVE THINGS OR EXPAND THINGS.
AND IT GIVES US SOME OTHER OPTIONS, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PUBLIC SCREENING THAT WORKS REALLY WELL.
SO OVERALL, THIS IS A MUCH BETTER PASSENGER FLOW FROM WHEN YOU'RE BEING DROPPED OFF OR WHEN YOU'RE PARKING YOUR VEHICLE AND YOU'RE TAKING IT OUT TO THE, TO THE CONCOURSE. SO THIS IS A ROADWAY PLAN YOU CAN SEE ON HERE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IS WHERE WE PUT THE, WHAT WE CALL THE GROUND TRANSPORTATION CENTER.
THOSE MOVE INTO WHERE ESSENTIALLY THE CURRENT ROADWAY IS ON THE UPPER DECK.
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AND THEN YOU HAVE THAT LANDSIDE PROCESSOR BETWEEN THE NEW TWO LEVEL ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES ROADWAY IN ALONG ON THIS PICTURE AS WELL.YOU'LL SEE TERMINAL C'S ARE, EXCUSE ME, GARAGE C IS THE EXISTING GARAGE.
AND WE BASICALLY MIMIC THAT WITH GARAGE D TO GET ADDITIONAL PARKING.
THIS ALSO HELPS WITH INCREASED CURBSIDE CAPACITY SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO THIS WILL HELP ADDRESS THAT AS WELL. SO AS WE LOOK AT THESE TERMINAL REFINEMENTS, WE WANTED TO KIND OF SHOW SOME CONCEPTUAL PLANNING ON HOW THESE LOOK. SO ON THE LOWER LEFT HAND, THIS IS OUT ON ONE OF THE ENDS OF THE CONCOURSES WHERE IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT, NOW, THERE'S A LOT OF SEATING, NOT A LOT OF PLACES TO WALK.
THAT GETS US A LOT BETTER PASSENGER FLOW, MORE HOLD ROOMS, MORE CONCESSIONS, MORE RESTROOMS, WHICH I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES WITH.
ON THE UPPER RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE KIND OF WHAT A CONCEPT OF THE TICKET HALL COULD POSSIBLY LOOK LIKE.
SO YOU WOULD COME DIRECTLY IN FROM THE CURB STRAIGHT INTO THE TICKET HALL.
AND THEN BEHIND THAT WE'LL SHOW ANOTHER SLIDE ON THE, ON THE THE SECURITY CHECKPOINT.
BUT ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THIS IS PAST THE RECOMPOSE AREA.
WHEN YOU COME PAST SECURITY, YOU'RE ON A SINGLE LEVEL.
NO MORE GRADE CHANGES OR TAKING ESCALATOR OR ELEVATOR UP STRAIGHT OUT WIDE PASSAGEWAY WITH MOVING WALKWAYS THAT TAKE YOU STRAIGHT OUT TO THE CONCOURSE. ALSO WITH THIS WE DO ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, UPPER RIGHT.
WE HAVE INCREASED WHAT WE CALL AIRCRAFT. PARKING SPOTS REMAIN OVERNIGHT SPOTS.
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF AIRCRAFT PARKING SINCE WE ARE LIMITED ON GATES THE OPERATIONS VERY EFFICIENT.
THAT IS A VIEW OF WHAT THE SECURITY CHECKPOINT COULD BE.
SO THIS WOULD BE DIRECTLY BEHIND RIGHT NOW THE TICKET HALL.
AND THEN ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHAT THAT MULTI-LEVEL ROAD DECK MIGHT LOOK LIKE, ALONG WITH THE THE BRIDGE COMING OVER FROM GARAGE B.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO REFINE THIS AS PARTICULARLY AS WE GET INTO DESIGN.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO SHARE TODAY WAS THE THEMES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AT DESIGN.
AS WE START TO PUT THESE PACKAGES TOGETHER THIS SUMMER.
WE THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE PRESERVE WHAT IS LOVE FIELD? LOVE FIELD IS VERY EASY TO USE, VERY ACCESSIBLE.
WE WANT TO NOT LOSE THAT DURING THIS PROCESS.
THERE'S 18 MILLION PASSENGERS SOON TO BE 24 MILLION PASSENGERS COMING THROUGH HERE.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING THEY SEE OR THE LAST THING THEY SEE SOMETIMES. SO IT'S VERY, VERY KEY IF WE HAVE A SENSE OF PLACE OR DO PEOPLE KNOW THIS IS DALLAS, THIS IS LOVE FIELD, IT'S A REFLECTION ON THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO START TO LOOK THROUGH THESE STAGES OF THE PASSENGER JOURNEY.
WE'RE GOING TO START TO LOOK THROUGH SOME OF HOW THE DESIGN INTEGRATES INTO THIS FROM ARCHITECTURE TO ART, SENSE OF PLACE, SUSTAINABILITY. ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WE DID IS WE DID A SUSTAINABILITY MASTER PLAN AS PART OF OUR MASTER PLAN.
SO HOW DO WE TAKE THOSE COMPONENTS AND BUILD THOSE INTO DESIGN? WE TALK A LOT ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY, WHICH IS MORE THAN ADA COMPLIANCE.
IT'S ARE WE LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT SECTORS OF OUR PASSENGERS OR WE ARE ACCOMMODATING ALL OF THOSE PASSENGERS? SO THAT'S ANOTHER ELEMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT WHEN WE START TO THINK ABOUT THE THEME OF THIS PROGRAM.
THE START ELEMENTS, WHICH ARE THE GENERAL USE BUILDING TOUCH READER, WHICH IS LAVATORY WASTE FROM AIRCRAFT CDR, WHICH IS CENTRAL RECEIVING DISTRIBUTION CENTER.
THIS IS WHERE ALL THE PRODUCT THAT COMES IN THAT'S SCREENED TO COME INTO THE TERMINAL, ALONG WITH OUR AIRPORT MAINTENANCE FACILITIES, WE ARE ABLE TO REFINE THOSE SINCE THOSE ARE EARLY ENABLING WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
WE NEED TO MOVE THESE FACILITIES AROUND. SO WE WERE ABLE TO REFINE THOSE MORE DURING THE ADVANCE PLANNING, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE REST OF THE PROJECTS AND GET FINER AND FINER TUNED COST ESTIMATES.
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WE'RE AGAIN, AS A REMINDER, THERE'S NO SALES TAX, PROPERTY TAX THAT ARE USED FOR THIS.IT'S PRIMARILY FUNDED BY GENERAL AIRPORT REVENUE BONDS.
AND WE PAY THAT BACK THROUGH THE AIRPORT ENTERPRISE FUND.
SO THAT MEANS THAT WE'VE ALIGNED TO A COST PER ENPLANEMENT BY THESE FIGURES.
SO IT IS A BIG NUMBER, BUT IT KEEPS OUR COSTS PER ENPLANEMENT COMPETITIVE.
AND WHAT WE AGREED TO IN THE AIRLINE USE AND LEASE AGREEMENT.
SO ON THE TIMELINE WE CONTINUE TO REFINE THIS AS WELL.
WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THIS IS VERY CONSERVATIVE.
WE'D LIKE TO TIGHTEN THIS UP A LITTLE BIT GIVEN THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE.
WE'VE ALSO COMMITTED TO HAVING THINGS LIKE THE CONCOURSE AND BAG SYSTEM DONE A LITTLE EARLIER.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT HOW WE REFINE THIS, BUT WE'RE HOPING TO BE BACK IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL BY NO LATER THAN JANUARY WITH THE DESIGN RECOMMENDED DESIGN PACKAGE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO STAKEHOLDER COORDINATION. IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE'VE DONE THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN A COUPLE SLIDES WE'VE HAD A LOT OF COORDINATION WITH SOUTHWEST PARTICULARLY ON THE HEAD HOUSE ADVANCEMENT AND REFINEMENT.
ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE OF THIS, WE HAVE MOST OF THOSE APPROVALS.
WE EXPECT THE FINAL APPROVALS IN FALL OF 2026 THIS YEAR.
AND THEN WE CONTINUE TO WORK AND START ENGAGEMENTS WITH THE CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM PLANNING AND PERMITTING LEGAL PUBLIC ART PROCUREMENT, BOND FINANCING, TRAFFIC MITIGATION. WE'RE WORKING A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT COORDINATION WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
AND AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS, WE DID ESTABLISH OUR PROGRAM MANAGEMENT OFFICE.
WE WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT WAS LAST WEEK. WE STARTED ONBOARDING OUR TEAMS. WE ARE LOOKING TO HAVE A BIG OPEN HOUSE FOR FIRMS INTERESTED IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION THIS SUMMER.
AND WE WILL LET THE COUNCIL KNOW WHEN WE HAVE THAT READY.
WE HOPE TO HAVE THOSE DONE BY THE END OF THE SUMMER.
AND THEN START WORKING THROUGH GETTING THOSE IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL.
JUST LIKE THE MASTER PLAN, THE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY IS IMPORTANT.
DURING THE MASTER PLAN, WE HAD FIVE DIFFERENT PUBLIC OPEN HOUSES.
WE HAD SEVERAL HUNDRED COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC ON THE MASTER PLAN.
SO WE WILL BE CONTINUING THAT. WE'RE DEVELOPING A A LEAP WEBSITE.
SO WE'RE DEVELOPING THAT PLAN OVER THE SUMMER.
AND THEN WE EXPECT TO RETURN TO THIS COMMITTEE AS WELL AS THE FULL CITY COUNCIL WITH THAT THEME DESIGN, DELIVERY RECOMMENDATIONS, NEXT STEPS DURING THE FALL AND WINTER OF 2026.
AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TODAY AND I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
NONE. MISS MENDELSOHN PATRICK, IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD.
AND I KNOW WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES IN THE PAST WHERE WE DIDN'T ALWAYS THINK OF THAT FIRST.
AND THEN WE'VE CHANGED IT BACK. AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU RECOGNIZING, AND I'D SAY EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, IF YOU KEEP THAT IN THE FOREFRONT, THIS IS JUST GOING TO BE SPECTACULAR.
AND I LOVE ALL THE DRAWINGS AND WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
AND SO THANKS FOR YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER.
KATRINA. WELL, I'M SUPER EXCITED THAT THIS IS IN DISTRICT SIX.
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AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS AND THE THOUGHTFULNESS AND THE TIMELINE AND THE INFORMATION YOU PROVIDED.I THINK IT SHOULD BE AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHEN THEY BRING PROJECTS LIKE THIS TO US.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON. THANK YOU. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
SO WE HAVE A BOND RATE. WE HAVE CURRENT AIRPORT, CORRECT? THAT'S THE MECHANISM. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS A USE USE AND SOURCE OF FUNDS CHART.
SO IN OTHER WORDS THIS IS WHAT WE'RE BUYING AND THIS IS HOW WE'RE PAYING FOR.
EXACTLY. SO BECAUSE YOU HAVE IT ALL IN ONE. AND SO I WAS JUST WONDERING, CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME CAN YOU AND YOU CAN EVEN CREATE ONE IF YOU HAVE IT, BUT IT'S, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE A USE AND A SOURCE.
SO ON YOUR TICKET WE BY FEDERAL LAW WE'RE ALLOWED TO CHARGE UP TO $4.50.
OKAY. AND IT'S THREE RIGHT NOW, RIGHT. NO, IT'S, IT'S 450.
I KNOW, BUT HOW MUCH ARE WE CHARGING? ARE WE CHARGING 450? IT IS. IT'S BEEN 450 FOR A WHILE. WHAT THE $3 IS, IS ACTUALLY ON THE THE CUSTOMER FACILITY CHARGE FOR THE RENTAL CARS IS $3.
WE'LL BE. LOOK, WE'RE NEGOTIATING WITH THE RENTAL CARS RIGHT NOW. THAT WILL GO UP. IT'S PRETTY LOW RIGHT NOW. THAT WILL GO UP PROBABLY SIGNIFICANTLY, BUT WE'LL BRING THAT BACK AS WELL. THE REST OF THE FUNDING THAT PAYS THE DEBT IS THE THE RATES AND CHARGES THE AIRLINES PAY OR THE NON-AIRLINE REVENUES, SUCH AS CONCESSIONS, PARKING. WE HAVE A RESIDUAL AGREEMENT.
SO ESSENTIALLY THOSE FUNDING SOURCES IN OUR, IN OUR ENTERPRISE FUND PAY THE DEBT.
SO 20 TO 30 YEARS TO PAY OFF. AND WILL YOU BE CLOSING THE AIRPORT? WE'RE NOT. SO THIS IS THE UNIQUE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE.
WE'RE GOING TO GROW THE AIRPORT DURING THIS TIME.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE, WE'VE, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE TEAM THAT WE'VE BROUGHT ON.
WE HAVE TO EFFICIENTLY OPERATE THE AIRPORT AND GROW IT AT THE SAME TIME.
WE, THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO THAT. WE COULD DO SOME MODULAR THINGS.
WE CAN DO SOME TEMPORARY GATES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND DO WE HAVE TO GET FAA CLEARANCE ON ALL THAT? OR HOW DO WE DO WE. WE HAVE A GO. SO THE FAA HAS ESSENTIALLY APPROVED AND ACCEPTED OUR FORECAST, OUR MASTER PLAN. WE HAVE CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONS FOR ALL OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL.
SO THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT BASED ON THAT FROM THE FROM THE FEDS.
SO WE WERE FULL SPEED AHEAD AS FAR AS APPROVALS GO.
GREAT. I WAS IN THERE YESTERDAY AND IT LOOKS GREAT.
BECAUSE IT GETS KIND OF BORING SOMETIMES. AND IF YOUR FLIGHT'S LATE. SO I DO APPRECIATE YOU IN THE, YOU KNOW, MAKING IT MORE LOOKING AT THE USER, LIKE HAVING MUSIC PIPED IN AS YOU'RE WAITING TO GET ONTO THE PLANE.
SO THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR BEING REALLY, REALLY FOCUSED.
AS MISS MENDELSOHN SAID ON THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER BLAIR. WELL, I THINK I ONLY HAVE ONE QUESTION.
AND I KNOW IT'S NOT NECESSARILY YOU, BUT WILL YOU BE REQUIRING ANY UPGRADES TO THE TO THE STREET INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW YOU GET IN AND OUT OF THE AIRPORT WITH THIS WITH THESE UPGRADES AND UPDATES.
THANK YOU. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. WE ARE, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WITH COG ON THE MOCKINGBIRD THOROUGHFARE PARTICULARLY FOR OUR ENTRYWAY. SO AS WE REFINE THAT ENTRYWAY THAT HAS TO WORK FOR THE REST OF THE CORRIDOR.
WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED IS, IS TIMING AND COORDINATION.
THE UPGRADES TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE AIRPORT WILL BE SEAMLESS AS WELL.
YES. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS.
THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT OBVIOUSLY HAS A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AS WELL.
THERE'S THINGS IN THE AREA. SO WE'RE MINDFUL OF KIND OF ALL OF OUR CONNECTIONS, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WHEREVER YOU'RE COMING TO THE AIRPORT AND WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO THAT WILL ALL BE BUILT INTO THE PHASING. WHEN WE START TO LOOK AT POTENTIAL OPERATIONAL IMPACTS.
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COUNCIL MEMBER. GRACEY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.PATRICK, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING OUT THERE. AND OBVIOUSLY WITH ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAPPENS, THE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT WILL STAND TO BENEFIT FROM SOME OF THESE CHANGES AS WELL. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND JUST APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
THANK YOU. SO, DIRECTOR CARINO, I JUST WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SLIDE 14.
THE COST BREAKDOWN. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE REALLY SEEN THE TOTAL COST OF 2.5 BILLION.
AND I MUST CONCEDE, I SUFFERED A LITTLE STICKER SHOCK WHEN I SAW THAT NUMBER, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THAT MONEY WILL NOT INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THE AIRPORT BY ADDING GATES. ARE YOU IN POSSESSION OF ANY METRICS OF STANDARD INDUSTRY USAGE OR OTHER AIRPORTS THAT WOULD JUSTIFY THIS LEVEL OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURE WITHOUT ANY INCREASE IN GATES? THANK YOU. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
SO THE REASON WE'RE DOING THIS IS TO GET TO WHAT WE CALL OUR CONSTRAINED FORECAST.
SO BASED ON FAA GUIDELINES, WE THINK WE CAN GET TO 24 MILLION PASSENGERS.
WE'VE BEEN HOVERING AROUND 18 MILLION PASSENGERS.
THIS ALLOWS US TO GET TO THAT EXTRA 6 MILLION.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO IS WHEN THE LOVE FIELD MODERNIZATION PROGRAM CAME IN YOU KNOW, 12 YEARS AGO OR SO WHEN THAT FULLY WAS OPENED UP WE DIDN'T LOOK AT SOME OF THE AREAS.
SO WE DIDN'T LOOK AT THE ROADWAYS, WE DIDN'T LOOK AT SOME OF THE PROCESSING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE HAVE TO KIND OF FUTURE PROOF OURSELVES FOR THE FUTURE.
SO THIS WILL ALLOW US TO GET UP TO THAT 24 MILLION NUMBER OFF OF 20 GATES.
WE ARE BY FAR THE HIGHEST GATE UTILIZATION IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW AT 20 GATES.
MOST OF OUR PEERS ARE OPERATING AT 60 TO 80 GATES AT OUR SIZE.
SO THESE ARE EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS TO CONTINUE TO PUT THE PASSENGERS THROUGH.
I THINK WHAT'S WHAT'S GOOD AND WHY SOUTHWEST IS BEHIND THIS IS WE TALK WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, WE TALK ABOUT COST PER EMPLOYMENT OR CPE. THAT'S KIND OF A METRICS THAT AIRLINES USE WITH AIRPORTS.
WE'VE BEEN IN THE 8 TO $11 $12 RANGE. WHEN THIS IS FULLY BUILT OUT AND WE GET TO THOSE PASSENGER NUMBERS, WE EXPECT THE CPE TO BE NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THAT.
AND WHAT WE'VE COMMITTED TO SOUTHWEST IS BEING IN THE, IN THE TEENS AND RIGHT NOW BASED ON THESE NUMBERS, WE SEE CPE AROUND $13. SO WE THINK WE'RE STILL VERY COMPETITIVE.
SO I THINK WE'RE BEING VERY EFFICIENT IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE RUN A VERY EFFICIENT AIRPORT, PROBABLY THE MOST EFFICIENT IN THE COUNTRY.
AND THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET THOSE PASSENGER NUMBERS.
EVEN THOUGH WE CAN'T. BILL GATES, THE INDUSTRY STANDARD WOULD BE YOU WOULD BUILD EXTRA GATES.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY. SO WE HAVE TO PLAN AROUND THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS. AND I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOUTHWEST GETS BEHIND THIS, I THINK IT SHOWS THE COMMITMENT THAT WE'RE DOING THIS THE RIGHT WAY. AND WE'RE BEING VERY CAUTIOUS ON NOT INCREASING THE COST PER EMPLOYMENT SO THAT YOUR TICKET PRICES AREN'T GOING UP.
SO I THINK I MAY HAVE ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE, BUT HOW DO WE ADD THOSE 6 MILLION PASSENGER NUMBERS TO THE CAPACITY OF THE AIRPORT WITHOUT INCREASING GATES? SO WE WORK THROUGH THIS WITH THE FORECAST.
AND THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION HAD THE SAME QUESTION.
SO ONE OF THE EXERCISES WE GO THROUGH IS WE LOOK AT THE UNCONSTRAINED MARKET.
SO THIS ISN'T A COMPETITION WITH DFW OR ANYTHING.
YOU JUST LOOK AT A VERY CONSERVATIVE PLANNING METRICS AND YOU GO, IF YOU COULD ADD GATES, HOW MANY HOW MANY PASSENGERS COULD YOU GET TO? SO OUR UNCONSTRAINED NUMBER IS 40 MILLION PASSENGERS.
SO THE DEMAND IS THERE. AND HOW YOU DO THIS IS WHAT WE SAY TURNS TURNS PER GATE SO PER DAY.
SO WE HAVE A VOLUNTARY NOISE CURFEW THAT THE AIRLINES ALIGN TO FROM 11 P.M.
TO 6 A.M.. SO BETWEEN THAT 6 A.M. AND 11 P.M.
OUR PROJECTIONS GO UP TO ABOUT 11.5 TURNS PER GATE.
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WHICH WE'VE SHOWN THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO.YOU CONTINUE TO UPGRADE UP GAUGE AIRCRAFT WITH MORE SEATS.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN A WIDE BODY. IT COULD BE A SEVEN, SEVEN, 737 FLEET WITH EXTRA SEATS AND YOU START TO INCREASE THE LOAD FACTORS ON THOSE PLANES. SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT MANY EXTRA PLANES FLYING IN.
IT'S MORE OF FULLY UTILIZING THE AIRCRAFT AND THE GATE TO ITS MAXIMUM.
AND I ASSUME YOU'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH SOUTHWEST AIRLINES AND THEY CONCUR WITH YOUR PREDICTION THAT WITH THESE IMPROVEMENTS, WE CAN ACCOMMODATE 6 MILLION ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS A YEAR.
WE ALSO HAD NUMBERS FROM DELTA AS WELL, BUT THESE SOUTHWEST IS MAKING UP 97% OF THESE NUMBERS.
SO THEY'RE COMMITTED TO FLYING THAT THEY'VE COMMITTED TO THEIR APPROVALS ON THIS PROGRAM, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO FLY THOSE TO KEEP THEIR COST PER ENPLANEMENTS DOWN.
AND SO THE REVENUE BONDS THAT YOU PROPOSE TO SELL TO FINANCE THIS? HAVE YOU DONE ANY STUDIES OF THE ABILITY TO AMORTIZE THAT 2.5 BILLION OVER 20 TO 30 YEARS BY SELLING REVENUE BONDS? SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT CLOSELY NOW.
WE DO HAVE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ON OUR CURRENT DEBT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER THAT FINANCING STRATEGY NOW.
WE'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN, BUT NOW AS WE GET THE, THE ACTUAL NUMBERS START COMING IN, WE CAN START TO REFINE THOSE COSTS AND LOOK AT WHERE SOME OF THE, THE SAVINGS LIKE RIGHT NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO REFI.
THE RATES ARE MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD. WE'RE NOT QUITE READY TO ISSUE THAT DEBT.
WE WON'T BE READY UNTIL ABOUT A YEAR FROM NOW.
SO WE SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS JUST IN SOME REFINANCES THAT WE COULD DO.
AND THEN GETTING THEM MORE COMPETITIVE, MORE FAVORABLE RATE THAN WE DID THE LAST TIME WE DID THIS.
AND WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE REVENUES OF THE AIRPORT THAT WOULD GO TO AMORTIZE? THE BONDS ARE COMING FROM LEASE PAYMENTS FROM SOUTHWEST.
WE COULD, WE COULD GET YOU THOSE NUMBERS. I DON'T HAVE THOSE OFFHAND.
THE AIRLINE RATES AND CHARGES ARE A SIGNIFICANT PART.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELPS DRAW THAT DOWN IS WE HAVE A RESIDUAL AGREEMENT, MEANING THAT WE DO A COST SHARE WITH THE AIRLINES ON OUR CONCESSION AND PARKING REVENUE THAT HELPS DRAW THE RATE DOWN. AND IT ALSO PUTS A LOT OF THE RISK ON THE AIRLINE BECAUSE THEY'RE COMMITTED TO KIND OF FUNDING THIS AND, AND PAYING THOSE RATES.
SO THE, IN A COMPENSATORY COMPENSATORY MODEL, THE AIRPORT WOULD TAKE ON MORE OF THE RISK.
BUT BECAUSE WE DO THAT REVENUE SHARE, WE TAKE LESS RISK IN THIS.
WE LOVE SOUTHWEST. BUT THIS MARKET IS HERE. AND IF SOMETHING WERE TO CHANGE, THERE'D STILL BE A SUBSTANTIAL AIRLINE MARKET PASSENGER MARKET HERE. WHAT'S THE CURRENT DEBT OF THE AIRPORT? IT'S APPROXIMATELY 600, I BELIEVE, BUT WE CAN GET YOU THAT AS WELL.
600 MILLION. YES. OKAY. AND HOW WAS THAT FINANCED THROUGH REVENUE BONDS THE SAME WAY.
THERE WAS INITIALLY A SPECIAL FACILITY BOND, I THINK WITH SOUTHWEST.
BUT THOSE HAVE BEEN CONVERTED TO GENERAL AIRPORT REVENUE BONDS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THE EXISTING DEBT.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT THAT EXISTING DEBT PAID FOR.
AND IF THERE'S AN IMPACT TO THE FACILITY THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AS WELL.
SO WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR TEAM ON THAT.
OKAY. THANK YOU. ARE ANY NON-COMMITTEE MEMBERS INTERESTED IN ASKING ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY. HEARING NONE, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM B, THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA PROPOSED FOR TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE FOR THE UPCOMING TEXAS LEGISLATURE AND THE 1/20 CONGRESS. DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THIS?
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OH, YES. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, DIRECTOR DOMINGUEZ, AND PLEASE GIVE US YOUR REMARKS.YES, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
TODAY'S REALLY SIMPLY STATED IS A GREAT OVERVIEW OF THE POLICIES SET FORTH FOR THE UPCOMING TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION AS WELL AS THE UPCOMING FEDERAL CONGRESSIONAL SESSION. TODAY IS REALLY JUST ANOTHER SMALL STEP IN THE PROCESS OF PROVIDING THE CITY'S OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A FRAMEWORK, IF YOU WILL, THAT WE CAN THEN SHARE WITH NOT ONLY MEMBERS OF OUR DELEGATION, BUT ALSO THROUGHOUT TEXAS AS WELL.
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND OVERVIEW, WE HAVE OUTLINED FOUR CATEGORIES FOR THE ITEMS TO BEFORE THE COMMITTEE AS PURSUE, SUPPORT, MONITOR AND OPPOSE. THE MEMO STATED BEFORE LIST THE RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY THEN GO BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE AD HOC COMMITTEE UNDER CHAIR MENDELSOHN.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR DOMINGUEZ. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? LET ME START ON THE LEFT WITH COUNCILMAN GRACEY COUNCILMAN.
BLAIR. BLACKMON. HI. WELCOME. SO I NOTICED THAT A LOT OF THEM ARE JUST MONITOR AND I GUESS IS THAT GOING TO COME THROUGH THE COMMITTEE? IS THAT WILL CHANGE TO MORE LIKE PURSUE? BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE CROSSING GUARD AND I THINK THAT'S A STATE LAW.
AND SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHICH ONES AND HOW THAT PROCESS WOULD GO.
AND MAYBE MISS MENDELSOHN CAN TALK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I SEE THE DART ONES ARE SUPPORTING, OBVIOUSLY, BUT LIKE THE OTHER ONES, I THINK THERE WAS CROSSING GUARDS ON THERE AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT I'M KIND OF WONDERING HOW WILL THEY GO FROM MONITOR TO ACTUALLY OR NOT, YOU KNOW, THAT PROCESS. SO EITHER YOU CAN WAIT AND YOU CAN EXPLAIN LATER OR WHATEVER, BUT JUST TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND HOW THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER.
YES. THAT PROCESS BEFORE YOU TODAY IS CAN SIMPLY.
THE COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE CAN VOTE ON THAT ISSUE OF MOVING FROM MONITOR TO SUPPORT, TO OPPOSE, ETC.. OKAY. SO YES, WE LOOK LITERALLY AS THE FORUM STATES THAT FOR YOU TO PROVIDE THAT INPUT FOR TODAY'S.
SO THAT WILL BE DONE WHEN WE ADOPT THE THE PROGRAM IS THAT THE PLAN? AND YOU CAN SO IT'LL COME BACK TO THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
ASK FOR SPONSORS REALLY PUT A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON IT.
AND THE OTHER TO SORT OF, WE HAVE A POSITION, BUT WE'RE WAITING TO SEE HOW THINGS FORMULATE GIVEN THE EXPECTED APPROXIMATELY TEN 000 BILLS. SO THERE'LL BE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WILL GO FORWARD TO THE COMMITTEE.
THE COMMITTEE WILL THEN LOOK AT IT. THEN THE ENTIRE PACKAGE WILL COME TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION AUGUST, SEPTEMBER. AND THEN IT'LL COME BACK AGAIN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER.
IN CASE THERE'S ANYTHING THAT COMES UP, SOMETHING WE MISS, SOMETHING WE WANT TO REFINE.
OBVIOUSLY BILL FILING IS IN NOVEMBER, BEGINS IN NOVEMBER.
AND SO THERE MAY BE THINGS THAT IMMEDIATELY SPUR ACTION.
MANY OF THESE ARE RECYCLED FROM PRIOR YEARS. THANK YOU.
OKAY. AND THEN ALSO, THAT'S IT FOR NOW. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMAN. MR. ROTH. MISS MENDELSOHN, THANK YOU.
I'M JUST TALKING AS A TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEMBER NOW, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT. THE TWO ITEMS YOU HAVE ON HERE WHERE IT HAS A POSITION OF SUPPORT AS OPPOSED TO MONITOR, ARE BOTH RELATED TO DART AND PUBLIC TRANSIT.
THEY MIGHT WAIT ANOTHER SESSION. SO I WOULD ACTUALLY SUGGEST WE PUT THOSE ON MONITOR SO THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE CITY HAS A POSITION OF WANTING TO SUPPORT IT, BUT WE'RE NOT ACTIVELY DOING SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE NOT PREPARED TO DO AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU. CAN I RESPOND TO THAT? THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK ON THAT.
WE JUST WANTED TO HAVE THIS DOCUMENT REFLECT THAT WE WERE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE OTHER MEMBER CITIES AT DART WITH RESPECT TO THE GOVERNANCE AND FUNDING THAT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THIS BODY LAST YEAR. THANK YOU.
OKAY. BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT OUR PLACE TO BRING FORWARD THIS.
NOT FOR US TO INDEPENDENTLY BRING IT FORWARD.
THANK YOU. WELL, I NOTE THAT THAT ITEM IS IDENTIFIED AS A SUPPORT POSITION.
[00:35:03]
WE WOULD CERTAINLY SUPPORT THAT. IT DOES NOT SAY PURSUE AND PURSUE WOULD BE ITEMS. I ASSUME, MISS RASTOGI, THAT WE INITIATE IN THE LEGISLATURE.YES. THAT IS THE THE DEFINITION WE IDENTIFIED IN THIS MEMORANDUM.
SO ISN'T SUPPORT THE APPROPRIATE POSITION FOR THIS.
SO IF I CAN JUST CLARIFY. NOTICE THAT THE WORDING OF THE ITEM SAYS SUPPORT IN THEIR SUPPORT LEGISLATION RELATED TO SUPPORT PUBLIC TRANSIT FUNDING BLAH BLAH. SO THAT'S THE LEGISLATIVE POSITION.
WE WOULD TAKE THE COLUMN WHERE IT SAYS POSITION.
THIS IS REALLY ABOUT OUR LEVEL OF ADVANCEMENT ON IT, MEANING IF DART BRINGS IT FORWARD, WELL, NOW WE HAVE A POSITION OF SUPPORT, RIGHT AS THAT BILL COMES FORWARD FOR ANALYSIS.
IF WE PUT SUPPORT ON THERE, WE'RE REALLY JUST GOING TO TWO TIERS, RIGHT? THOSE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT COMES IN AND WE'RE GOING TO WEIGH IN TO OPPOSE.
AND THEN ITEMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT THAT WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT.
OF COURSE, IT'S ALWAYS THE DEVIL IN THE DETAIL AND ESPECIALLY ON THESE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO I THINK THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THAT IN THE COLUMN THAT SAYS LEGISLATIVE ITEM, IT SAYS SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS. WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THE COLUMN THAT SAYS POSITION.
AND SO YOU CAN, YOU CAN READ SUPPORT TO SAY PURSUE BECAUSE WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TWO COLUMNS, RIGHT? SO IN THE PAST, WELL, IN THE PAST WE HAD ONE COLUMN, THEN WE WENT TO FOUR COLUMNS.
OKAY. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANYONE FROM THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME OF THESE ITEMS? OH, DOCTOR. KEN. CARLY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
SO I HAVE NUMBERED THE LEGISLATIVE ITEMS FOR EASE OF REFERENCE.
AND ON THE SECOND PAGE, I'VE NUMBERED AS ITEM TEN STRENGTHENED SAFETY REGULATIONS, REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, AND ENFORCEMENT STANDARDS FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AND EMERGING MOBILITY TECHNOLOGIES.
COULD YOU PROVIDE ANY ELABORATION ON WHAT THIS ONE MIGHT ENTAIL AND WHY IT'S NECESSARY? THANK YOU SIR. GOVERNING BODY, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
THIS STARTED, IF YOU RECALL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN WE STARTED HAVING THOSE, WHEN WE STARTED HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE OPERATION OF THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IN THE CITY.
CURRENTLY, THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE ANY PRETTY MUCH FOR THE LACK OF BETTER WORDS.
ANY SAY, IF YOU WILL, ON HOW THEY OPERATE AND SO ON.
AND THERE HAS BEEN INSTANCES WHERE WE'VE HAD SOME SAFETY CONCERNS, IF YOU WILL, WHERE THE VEHICLES LIKE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADWAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO WHAT WE'RE IN THE ABSENCE OF OUR ABILITY TO REGULATE OR DO ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE, WHAT I'M SUGGESTING HERE, AND WHAT WE SUGGESTED IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND SOME OF IT HAS MOVED FORWARD ACTUALLY WHEREBY THE, THE, I THINK THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES NOW IS IN CHARGE OF ADDING ADDITIONAL REPORTING ON THE SAFETY.
SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE IS WE NEED TO STRENGTHEN THAT PART IN SUCH THAT WE HAVE ADDITIONAL REPORTING FOR US TO IDENTIFY AND UNDERSTAND BASICALLY WHAT IS HAPPENING ON SOME OF THE OPERATION.
AGAIN, IN MY OPINION, AGAIN, THIS IS PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
IS IT WEATHER CONTROL OR ADDITIONAL REPORTING? SO WHERE I'M SAYING IS WE'RE MY RECOMMENDATION AT THE MOMENT IS TO TAKE THE POSITION OF SEE HOW THIS THING IS GOING TO PAN OUT THROUGH CONVERSATIONS. BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, IN MY OPINION, IS THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO KNOW AND HAVE SOME CREDIBLE REPORTS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING OUT THERE IN THE OPERATION OF THESE VEHICLES.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE STILL HAVE ALSO TO DEAL WITH THE OTHER ITEM THAT WE HAVE IN HERE, WHICH IS THE PODS. SO THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE FOR THE OWNERS OF THE AVS TO REPORT TO THE STATE, AND HOPEFULLY THAT INFORMATION WOULD TRICKLE DOWN TO THE CITIES.
[00:40:04]
CORRECT? YES. ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IS ACTUALLY OUTLAWED FOR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO MAKE ANY KIND OF SPECIAL ORDINANCES OR OTHER REGULATIONS. THE STATE'S PRETTY FIRM ON THAT.AND SO ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT WAY, I'D CERTAINLY LOVE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT AND ENCOURAGE MEETINGS FOR YOU TO HELP SHARE THAT INFORMATION. AND THE LAST ITEM 18 DOCTOR KEN CARLEY, WHICH IS SUPPORT ON PAGE THREE, SUPPORT PUBLIC TRANSIT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPLEMENTATION OF REGIONAL TRANSIT AGREEMENTS AMONG DART MEMBER CITIES.
WHAT WOULD THIS ENTAIL? I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DEFER TO THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ON THAT ONE.
THANK YOU, CHAIR RIDLEY, FOR THE QUESTION. I THINK THAT THAT WHAT WE'VE SEEN WITH THE CURRENT PLAN WAS THE GMP PROPOSAL. THAT IS A WAY FOR, FOR THE CITY AND MEMBER CITIES TO, TO RECEIVE SOME FUNDING.
BUT THERE HAS BEEN DIALOG AMONGST THE MEMBER CITIES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IS IT A PENNY? IS IT LESS THAN THAT? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THAT MODEL, BUT I THINK THE, THE, WE WOULD YOU KNOW, ASSUMING WE HAD AGREEMENT WITH THE OTHER MEMBER CITIES THAT WE WOULD LOOK TO BRING SOMETHING FORWARD TO THIS BODY FOR CONSIDERATION, BUT THERE'S NOT ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR. WHAT CAME OUT OF OUR PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS WAS THIS GMPILA THE THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED? WELL, WE'VE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED THAT.
AND SO I'M CURIOUS WHY WE NEED TO HAVE THIS ON OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
WHY WOULD WE NEED THAT? AGAIN, THIS WAS IN THE LAST DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD WITH THE MEMBER CITIES THAT PERHAPS THERE WOULD BE SOME OUTREACH TO THE LEGISLATIVE LEGISLATURE RELATED TO TRANSIT FUNDING.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THAT CAME FROM. OKAY. WELL, AND AGAIN, WE, WE COULD CERTAINLY CHANGE THAT.
AS COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN NOTED, TO A MONITOR VERSUS ACTIVELY SUPPORT.
YEAH, IT PROBABLY SHOULD REFLECT A MONITOR POSITION.
MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION OF LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ITEMS IS THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY.
WE'VE GOT 18 SEPARATE ITEMS. AND I SUSPECT THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE WOULD WINNOW THAT DOWN FOR US IF WE DON'T DO IT, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT HOW MANY COMMITTEES SUBMITTING TO THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEES, LEGISLATIVE AGENDAS? EIGHT. SO THAT'S OVER 100 LEGISLATIVE ITEMS. I JUST THINK THAT'S IMPRACTICAL FOR THEM TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT MANY AND PRIORITIZE THEM.
THEY'RE REALLY NOT ANY NEW. WELL, HOW MANY LEGISLATIVE AGENDA PRIORITIES DID WE HAVE LAST YEAR? FAR TOO MANY, IF I MAY SAY SO. THE IDEA WOULD REALLY BE TO GET TO TEN THAT WE'RE GOING TO PURSUE, AND IT MAY END UP BEING TEN FOR ALL THE WHOLE CITY, THE WHOLE THING, SO THAT WE CAN GO AND SEE SOMEBODY AND SAY, HERE'S OUR TOP TEN LIST, RIGHT? AND SO, OKAY, KIND OF A DAVID LETTERMAN REFERENCE THERE.
SO I THINK WHAT TO YOUR POINT IS THAT WHAT MAY HAPPEN AND WHAT'S BEEN CONTEMPLATED IS THAT THERE MIGHT BE SORT OF A WRAP UP ITEM THAT IS PURSUE ITEMS THAT, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER WE CAN DISTILL A LARGER AND THAT WAY WE CAN THEN SHOW OUR SUPPORT ITEMS TO SOMEBODY WHO SAYS, WELL, I'M INTERESTED IN PURSUING, YOU KNOW, FILING A BILL FOR TRANSIT. WHAT ARE YOU GUYS OR FOR TRANSPORTATION RELATED THINGS? AND WE CAN SAY, WELL, LOOK, HERE'S ALL THESE ITEMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT.
IF ANY OF THOSE INTERESTS YOU, WE'LL JOIN YOU AND PURSUING THAT.
SO IT VERY MUCH DEPENDS ON OUR DELEGATION AS WELL AS FRIENDS ACROSS THE STATE.
[00:45:05]
SO I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO PURSUE THAT. IT'S GOOD FOR THE SPECIFICS TO BE TALKED ABOUT, RIGHT? SO THAT FRANKLY, AS WE'RE DOING BILL ANALYSIS, WE CAN ALREADY GO.WE HAVE A POSITION ON THAT. HERE'S WHERE WE'RE AT AND WE CAN GO FROM THERE.
BUT TO YOUR POINT, YEAH, THESE ARE NOT ALL GOING TO BE ON THE TOP TEN LIST.
AND PROBABLY IT'LL BE A BROADER STATEMENT FOCUS MAYBE ON FUNDING AND SAFETY IS MY GUESS.
AND IF I MAY, MR. CHAIR, DURING THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THERE WERE OVER 19 PARDON ME, THERE WERE 18 POLICY ISSUES THAT WERE SUPPORT COLUMN, AND THERE WERE OVER 19 ISSUES IN THE APPENDIX, IF YOU WILL, ISSUES UNDER THE MONITOR COLUMN.
OKAY. WE HAD ONLY ONE ISSUE THAT WAS UNDER THE OPPOSED COLUMN.
WELL COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN WOULD IT NOT BE OF ASSISTANCE TO YOUR COMMITTEE'S WORK IF THIS BODY WENT ON THIS LIST OF 18 DOWN TO, SAY, TEN? I WOULD WELCOME THAT. ALL RIGHT.
WELL, I'VE PREPARED A LIST OF WHAT I PROPOSE TO BE OUR TEN HIGHEST PRIORITY AGENDA ITEMS. THEY ARE NUMBERS 124. EIGHT. ONE.
SO I INVITE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE OR ANY OTHER ITEMS YOU THINK SHOULD BE ON THE LIST, OR EVEN WHETHER YOU THINK WE SHOULD CUT THE LIST DOWN.
ONE. TWO. FOUR. EIGHT. TEN. 12. 13.
SO, CHAIR, I'LL JUST GIVE THIS EXAMPLE. NUMBER TWO IS PRESERVE LOCAL AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH AND REDUCE SPEED LIMITS ON RESIDENTIAL LOCAL STREETS TO IMPROVE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY. WHENEVER YOU SEE A PRESERVE LOCAL AUTHORITY THAT'S GOING TO FALL UNDER OUR GENERAL PRINCIPLE OF PRESERVING LOCAL CONTROL.
SO ANYTHING WE SAW THAT WOULD REDUCE LOCAL CONTROL WERE AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO OPPOSE IT.
SO THAT MIGHT BE ONE WHERE WE MIGHT WANT TO JUST KEEP IT ON THE MONITOR.
AND IT'S REALLY JUST WHEN WE SEE SOMETHING POP UP TO KNOW THAT WE, WE FEEL THIS WAY, BUT WE WOULD ALREADY FEEL THAT WAY BECAUSE WE WANT TO PRESERVE OUR OWN LOCAL CONTROL. WELL, AND OF COURSE, THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF OUR PRINCIPAL LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES OVERALL IS LOCAL CONTROL.
ACTUALLY, THIS ONE I REWORDED TO CHANGE PRESERVE TO SUPPORT BECAUSE WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE AUTHORITY TO REDUCE SPEED LIMITS ON IN RESIDENTIAL AND LOCAL STREETS, DO WE, DIRECTOR? NO, SIR, WE DON'T. WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO IT ADMINISTRATIVELY LIKE WE'RE REQUESTING.
WE CAN ALWAYS RUN A TRAFFIC STUDY. AND IF THAT TRAFFIC STUDY PROVES THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A IT'S JUSTIFIED, THEN WE CAN DO IT. AND THE REASON WE PUT IT IN HERE IS, IN OUR OPINION, IN LOCAL RESIDENTIAL STREETS, THERE IS NO POINT IN FOR US TO SPEND LIKE, SAY, $2 MILLION OR SOMETHING ON SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS GOING TO BE.
YEAH. SO WOULDN'T SUPPORT BE THE PROPER VERB INSTEAD OF PRESERVE? I'M SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION? YES.
GIVEN WHAT YOU'VE JUST SAID, INSTEAD OF USING PRESERVE AS THE VERB USE SUPPORT LOCAL AUTHORITY.
I AGREE WITH THAT. OKAY. BUT YOU MIGHT ALSO NEED TO ADD IN WITHOUT WITHOUT A SPEED STUDY.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE ISSUE IS.
AND WE CERTAINLY DID TALK TO PEOPLE LAST SESSION ABOUT THIS ITEM.
BUT YOU KNOW, THEY ALL SAY, WELL, YOU ALREADY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT.
AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A CITY LIKE DALLAS, THAT'S A LOT.
SO WE ALREADY HAVE CRASH DATA. WE HAVE SPEEDING TICKETS.
[00:50:02]
WE, I MEAN, WE HAVE DATA THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY A SPEED STUDY, BUT INFORMS OUR NEED TO REDUCE THE SPEED.AND JERRY, IF I MAY, JUST TO CLARIFY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO LIMIT IT TO ONLY RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
YES. WHERE WE CAN HAVE THIS ABILITY TO ADMINISTRATIVELY LOWER IT.
SO THIS IS AN ITEM THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT SUBMITTED.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT, SIR. IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH COUNCIL MEMBER? MENDELSOHN SUGGESTED CHANGE TO AUTHORIZE THIS AUTHORITY WITHOUT SPEED STUDIES? NO. I SUPPORT THAT. THAT'S A GOOD, GOOD SUGGESTION.
DOES ANYONE ELSE ON THE COMMITTEE HAVE ANY OPPOSITION TO THOSE CHANGES TO ITEM TWO? OKAY. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GAVINO. I DON'T HAVE OPPOSITION, BUT A COMMENT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE.
NUMBER NINE, BECAUSE OUR SYSTEMS ARE SO OLD, AND TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO MODERNIZE THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THE NEW SYSTEMS ALLOW FOR OTHER THINGS THAT YOU CAN ADD.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S WHERE IT CAN ADJUST FOR TRAFFIC.
AND THERE'S ALSO SOME SAFETY MEASURES THAT CAN BE ADDED AS WELL.
WELL I, I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT NUMBER NINE. IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE MODERNIZE OUR TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEMS. THE REASON I DIDN'T READ THAT OFF AS ONE OF THE TOP TEN WAS THAT THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE STATE ACTION.
DIRECTOR KEN CALI THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO LOCALLY, ISN'T IT? THAT IS, WE ARE DOING LOCALLY. THAT IS CORRECT.
THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'RE WE'RE ADVANCING THAT.
AND THEN I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT, NUMBER NINE, THAT THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL AND COG HAVE AUTHORIZED AN INITIATIVE TO REPLACE TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND SUPPORT THAT FINANCIALLY.
RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND THEN NUMBER SIX EXPAND FUNDING FOR SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS WHO CURRENTLY PAYS FOR THE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS. ISN'T IT THE CITY? YEAH. WE DO. SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT EXPAND FUNDING MEANS, BUT THE WAY THAT'S WORDED THAT IMPLIES TO ME THAT WE SHOULD SPEND MORE FROM OUR LOCAL BUDGET ON SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS.
IS THERE IF I CAN JUST CLARIFY AND WE DEFINITELY TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST SESSION AS WELL.
BUT WHATEVER IT IS, WE QUALIFY, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CHANGE IN THE DEFINITION SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT.
AND WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHAT. SO SMALLER CITIES GET STATE FUNDS FOR THIS PURPOSE.
CORRECT. WELL SO THIS IS PERHAPS NOT ELEGANTLY WORDED.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS HOW IT WAS WORDED LAST TIME.
IT WAS WORDED DIFFERENTLY. BUT THE ISSUE, THE ISSUE IS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE EITHER A SCHOOL DISTRICT ISSUE OR A STATE ISSUE, BUT CERTAINLY NOT A CITY ISSUE.
WELL, IF WE CAN REWORD THAT ONE, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO INCLUDE THAT AS A PRIORITY ITEM.
AND GUS, DO YOU RECALL WHAT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS? I THINK IT'S UP TO ALMOST 3 MILLION.
IS THAT RIGHT? I THINK THAT IS CORRECT. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE SPEND EVERY YEAR.
COUNCIL MEMBER MORENO IS SAYING 8 MILLION. I THINK IT'S CLOSER TO 8 MILLION PER YEAR.
BUT IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF GOT FOISTED UPON US WITHOUT ANY PREPARATION.
OR REMOVE CITY RESPONSIBILITY FOR CROSSING GUARDS.
WELL, I'M FINE WITH THAT. OKAY, SO WE'RE ADDING THAT BACK ON.
YEAH. WITH WITH WORDSMITHING. YEAH.
ALONG THE LINES OF REMOVE STATE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS.
[00:55:06]
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. WE. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GRACEY.THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, WHICH IS WHY JUST MAKING SURE I UNDERSTOOD.
FAIR ENOUGH. ALL RIGHT. THAT WAS MY THINKING ON THOSE.
YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. BLACKMON. I THOUGHT RED LIGHT CAMERAS ARE ILLEGAL.
OKAY. AND WE WOULD SEEK TO CHANGE. OH, SO WE WOULD OKAY.
OKAY. THAT'S JUST. THAT'S A TALL HILL, BUT. OKAY.
I KNOW, BUT IT'S ON THE LIST. I THINK IT'S A WORTHWHILE EFFORT.
WELL, BUT I DO THINK THERE MAY BE ANOTHER WAY TO DO IT WITHOUT CALLING IT RED LIGHT CAMERAS, BUT I THINK I THINK CHIEF GARCIA HAD A CONVERSATION WAS THERE WAS SOMETHING THEY DID IN CALIFORNIA THAT IT WASN'T NECESSARILY WRAPPED AROUND RED LIGHT CAMERAS, BUT IT WAS STILL THAT SAME THOUGHT OF DOING THAT.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD CAUSE WE ARE. BUT ANYWAY WELL DOCTOR KEN CARLY, DO YOU HAVE A SUGGESTED CHANGE TO MITIGATE? SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RED LIGHT CAMERA AND WHAT WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD HERE IS THERE IS NEW TECHNOLOGY NOW THAT WE CAN PUT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY TO FOR SPEEDING, WHICH IS NOT THE SAME AS THIS ONE, EVEN THOUGH THAT MAY SOUND LIKE A SIMILAR CONCEPT.
AND I THINK TO MR. BLACKMAN'S POINT IS THAT WE'VE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH DPD.
AND THEN AT THAT TIME, THEY WERE ALSO CONVERSING WITH OTHER DPD AROUND THE STATE, BECAUSE THAT WOULD HELP WITH THE ENFORCEMENT COMPONENT AND HELP US WITH THE RESOURCE ALLOCATION. SO PART OF THE CONSIDERATION OF THIS ITEM WOULD BE, IS EVEN THOUGH THAT IT MAY BE AN UPHILL BATTLE, BUT THE POINT BEING IS IF WE CAN, CAN KEEP IT CONFINED SPECIFIC TO LIKE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES IN A METRO CITY SO THAT IT'S NOT LIKE STATEWIDE OR, YOU KNOW, AND OPEN SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS OF THOSE WHO ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN SUPPORT OF IT.
OKAY. WELL, HOW ABOUT IF WE GENERALIZE NUMBER FOUR TO SAY, AUTHORIZE THE USE OF AUTOMATED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT TECHNOLOGIES, PERIOD? THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING. AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT SOMEBODY CAN DREAM UP.
ALL RIGHT. YES. SO I KNOW WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ WAS HERE AND WE LOOKED INTO THE, LIKE THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEMS AND IT KIND OF TIES INTO THIS RED LIGHT CAMERA THING.
SOME OF THE NEW TECHNOLOGY ALLOWED FOR MONITOR OF SPEED.
BUT WHEN WE TRY TO GET BOND FUNDING, THE, THE LIGHTS, YOU KNOW, AND THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS QUALIFIED, BUT THE, THE OTHER, I GUESS ENHANCEMENTS DID NOT QUALIFY FOR BOND FUNDING.
AND IT WAS REALLY DIFFICULT. SO I KNOW SOME OF THE NEW TECHNOLOGY HAS SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD ADD INTO THEM. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT BECAUSE I REMEMBER US AND I THINK WE HAD A PILOT PROGRAM CALLED THE RED CLOUD, WHICH WAS OVER IN DISTRICT FIVE, WHICH HAS SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY INTO IT, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY.
GUS, I DON'T KNOW. SO JUST A QUICK ALL OF OUR NEW TRAFFIC SIGNALS ARE WI-FI CAPABLE.
SO WE CAN DO A LOT OF STUFF WITH THEM. WE'RE ON THE AI DEPLOYMENT WE'RE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH INTERNALLY BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE A, A COUNCIL ADOPTED POLICY ABOUT DATA GOVERNANCE BEFORE WE FULLY DEPLOY THIS ITEM INTO OUR TRAFFIC SIGNALS. BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, ALL OF OUR NEW TRAFFIC SIGNALS ARE ALL HAVE THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY ON THEM AND CAN KEEP OUR WI-FI CAPABLE AND AI CAPABLE AND ALL THAT STUFF.
IS THAT RIGHT? CORRECT. SO THAT'S WHAT THE POINT OF THIS ONE IS, IS NOT ABOUT WI-FI.
IT'S NOT ABOUT TRAFFIC SIGNALS. IT'S ABOUT AUTOMATED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT TECHNOLOGY.
CORRECT. OKAY. CORRECT. TO IMPROVE ROADWAY SAFETY, I WOULD INCLUDE THAT IN THIS ITEM.
THAT'S CORRECT. DOES ANYONE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THOSE CHANGES? CHAIR, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY. I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS DRONE TECHNOLOGY THAT'S ALLOWED FOR ENFORCEMENT.
[01:00:06]
SPEED. WE HAVE TO I HAVE TO CHECK WITH DPD. I DON'T KNOW.I MEAN, I'M JUST SAYING WITHIN THE STATE. ASSUMING THAT THAT'S TRUE.
AVAILABILITY OF THAT. THAT THAT'S GREAT. BUT THAT WOULDN'T TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ITEM.
SO YEAH, THAT'S GREAT. WE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE OUT THE SECOND CLAUSE.
AND I'M JUST GOING TO SAY WE POPPED THEM ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE.
SO FOR ONE, IS DPS SERVING AS THE FIRST RESPONDER ON OUR HIGHWAYS.
AND THEN WITH THE RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT OF DPS SAYING THAT THEY AREN'T GOING TO BE THE, THE ENFORCEMENT OR RESPONDERS ON NTA TOLLWAY AS WELL AS PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH TURNPIKE. I THINK THOSE ARE EXTRA IMPORTANT.
AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK OUT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW DPD DOESN'T RESPOND FIRST.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF HIGHWAYS, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH Y'ALL HAVE LOOKED UP AT DISTRICT 12, BUT THE ENTIRE BORDER OF DISTRICT 12 IS THE GEORGE BUSH TURNPIKE.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF ACCIDENTS THAT HAPPEN THERE THAT RIGHT NOW, DPD SOMETIMES WILL GO ASSIST, BUT MOSTLY IT'S DPS AND SAME THING ALONG THE TOLLWAY.
WELL, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT'S AN EXCELLENT ARGUMENT FOR WHY THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD AUTHORIZE THE USE OF AUTOMATED DRIVING ENFORCEMENT, BECAUSE DHS IS WITHDRAWING FROM OUR HIGHWAYS.
THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE. I WILL SAY THAT I AM SOMETIMES COUNTERED WITH THE IMAGE OF A COWBOY ON A IN A PICKUP TRUCK IN A DESERT HIGHWAY THAT MAYBE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 70 AND THEY'RE GOING 80, THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET A TICKET.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT I GET TOLD.
MAYBE SOMETHING WE'LL HEAR AT THE LEGISLATURE.
BUT I DON'T THINK IT JUSTIFIES DELETING THIS ITEM.
GIVEN THAT WE DON'T HAVE TOO MANY LONG DESERT STRETCHES OF HIGHWAY IN DALLAS.
OKAY. UNLESS THERE ARE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ABOUT THE LIMITATION OF OUR LIST OF LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THOSE THAT WE SEND ALONG TO THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. SECOND. SECOND. AND WHAT LIST SPECIFICALLY? THE ONE THAT YOU LAID OUT. I HAVE TO WANT ME TO GIVE YOU THOSE NUMBERS.
OKAY. IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUERY HERE, LET ME DO THIS.
ONE. TWO. FOUR. EIGHT. NINE. TEN.
12. 13. 16. 17 AND 18. OKAY. AND CAN I JUST REMIND YOU THAT SIX WAS THE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD? ONE IS THAT THE SCHOOL COP? RIGHT. OKAY. SORRY I MISSED, I MISSED.
YOU WANT TO ADD THAT ONE IN THERE? OKAY. I'M SORRY. SIX.
AND DID YOU WANT TO AND CHANGE THE WORDING OF SIX TO REMOVE CITY FUNDING FOR SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS, AS SUGGESTED BY MISS MENDELSOHN? YES. OKAY. WITH ALL THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
SO NOT SIX, BUT NINE. SORRY, I GOT MY DYSLEXIC.
YOU MEAN THE OTHER WAY AROUND? CORRECT. OKAY, NOT NINE, BUT SIX.
OH, THAT ONE TOO. YEAH. OKAY. SO 12468 1012 131617 AND 18.
WITH THE LANGUAGE CHANGED IN SIX AS DISCUSSED AT COMMITTEE AND IN ITEM FOUR AS DISCUSSED.
AND ITEM FOUR IS DISCUSSED. OKAY. VERY GOOD. AND WE'VE HEARD A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. DOCTOR KENT, CARLY AND DIRECTOR DOMINGUEZ.
GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. ALEX LAND, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DALLAS WATER UTILITIES.
WANDA MOLATE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR CUSTOMER OPERATIONS.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE HAVE YOUR MEMORANDUM OF JUNE 15TH.
[01:05:06]
THEY WHY THEY HAD TO REREGISTER FOR THEIR NEW UNDER THIS NEW SYSTEM AND WHY THEY'RE HAVING TO PAY A CONVENIENCE FEE AND WHAT THEY'RE GETTING OUT OF THE NEW SYSTEM.SO FIRST OFF, WE WENT LIVE MAY 18TH. SO IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN A FULL MONTH.
WE IS THAT BETTER? I APOLOGIZE. SO WE WENT LIVE MAY 18TH.
IT HAS NOT EVEN BEEN A FULL MONTH SINCE WE'VE GONE LIVE WITH THE NEW BILLING SYSTEM.
SINCE THEN, WE'VE HAD 107,000 CUSTOMERS REGISTER SUCCESSFULLY.
THERE IS A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THOSE WHO REQUIRE ASSISTANCE.
HIGHLIGHTED IN THE MEMO, WE ALSO HAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS IN WHICH WE'RE RESPONDING TO EVERY DAY, ALL DAY TO ASSIST OUR CUSTOMERS. CONVENIENCE FEE.
WE ENACTED THAT THIS MAY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE NEW BILLING SYSTEM TO OFFSET THE RISING COST.
DOES THAT ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS, SIR? THOSE ARE THOSE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
WELL, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN GRACEY. NO. OKAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER. BLAIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR.
I'M GOING TO SPEAK FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. I HAVEN'T BEEN YET TO GET ON IT.
I HAVE TRIED TO CALL AND I GET THE RUN AROUND.
I YOU GOT TO HAVE YOUR OLD. YOU GOT TO HAVE YOUR NEW.
YOU GOT TO DO THIS. YOU GOT TO DO THAT. AND I STILL CAN'T GET ON.
AND IN YOU MAY NOT HEAR THE COMPLAINTS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET TO YOU TO COMPLAIN.
EVEN WHEN YOU CALL YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, THE 641 NUMBER.
I CAN'T GET TO ANYBODY. HELP ME. I'M TALKING PERSONAL.
HELP ME. AND IF YOU HELP ME, I CAN HELP MY RESIDENTS.
DID YOU WANT TO JUST SAY COUNCIL MEMBER? WE'RE HAPPY TO PERSONALLY ASSIST YOU.
WE'RE ALSO ENCOURAGING ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE.
WE, WE HAVE TUTORIALS THAT HELP EXPLAIN HOW TO REGISTER AND FAQS.
DAISY, DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT? YEAH. THANK YOU.
DAISY FAST DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
SO THE, THE WATER CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE IS ACTUALLY MANAGED BY THE 311 TEAM AND WHAT WE EXPERIENCED SINCE GO LIVE ON MAY 18TH IS A VERY LARGE INFLUX OF OF CALLS. AND SO ON AVERAGE, WE TYPICALLY GET ABOUT 3000 CALLS PER DAY.
SINCE MAY 18TH, OUR TEAM IS HANDLING CLOSE TO 5000 6000 CALLS PER DAY.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER BLAIR, WHAT YOU'RE EXPERIENCING IS VERY LARGE HOLD TIMES.
I DO KNOW IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS, I THINK THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE DALLAS WATER UTILITIES IVR TRANSFERRING IT OVER TO THE 311 SIDE IN ORDER FOR US TO HANDLE THAT CALL.
AND SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE EXPERIENCING VERY LARGE HOLD TIMES AND WE DO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TRY AND UTILIZE THE SELF-SERVICE OPTIONS, WHETHER IT'S COMING HERE IN PERSON OR USING THE ONLINE FEATURES.
I'M SORRY. DISTRICT EIGHT IS THE FURTHEST SOUTH THAT YOU CAN GET. MY RESIDENTS DON'T COME DOWN HERE. THEY COME TO MY OFFICE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET HERE.
IF NOT, UNLESS THEY HAVE A CAR. AND ONCE THEY HAVE A CAR, MOST OF THEM ARE MATURE IN AGE AND MOBILITY ISSUES. SO FOR FOR DISTRICT EIGHT, THAT'S AN INSULT TO ASK THEM TO COME DOWN HERE.
I, I'VE THROWN UP MY HANDS TWO MONTHS IN A ROW TRYING TO PAY MY WATER BILL.
I, I AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT TECHNOLOGY. I'M NOT COMPLETELY TECHNOLOGICALLY ILLITERATE.
[01:10:03]
I WORKED FOR A TECHNOLOGY COMPANY FOR 30 YEARS.SO I'M SAYING IS WHATEVER YOU GUYS GOT EITHER.
AND I HATE TO BELIEVE I'M THE ONE PERSON WHO FALLS THROUGH THE CRACKS.
I'VE HAD MY MY RESIDENTS CALLS ME AT 6:00 IN THE MORNING.
I'VE HAD THEM CALL FRIENDS TO CALL ME WHO DON'T LIVE IN MY DISTRICT, BECAUSE THEY ALL SAY THE SAME THING, THAT THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE ROLLING OUT IS MAYBE NEEDED TO BE RE THOUGHT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY BEFORE IT WAS ROLLED OUT. AND, AND THE FRUSTRATION I HAVE BEEN YELLED AT BECAUSE THE, THEY'RE SAYING THAT NOW THEY'RE JUST GOING TO START WRITING CHECKS AGAIN AND, AND WRITING CHECKS AND MAILING THEM BECAUSE THE TECHNOLOGY, BECAUSE NOW THE AUTOMATION PROCESS IS SO TO SO DAUNTING THAT THEY CAN'T DO IT.
I'M JUST ASKING FOR FOR AN APPRECIATION AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS.
I'M JUST. THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. THANK YOU. YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON. COUNCIL MEMBER. CADENA.
YES. SO I SEE ON HERE IT SAYS CUSTOMERS MAY AVOID CONVENIENCE FEES BY USING ONE OF SEVERAL NO FEE PAYMENT OPTIONS, INCLUDING AUTO PAY. I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE GOTTEN BILLS FOR $5,000, $10,000.
AND SO IF THEY USE THE AUTO PAY NOW, THEY'RE EXTREMELY WORRIED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET DRAFTED UP MORE BECAUSE THERE'S THERE'S SOME KIND OF ERROR THAT'S HAPPENING. AND IT'S NOT JUST ONE CONSTITUENT.
IT'S BEEN QUITE A FEW. AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S A WAY TO YOU KNOW, WHILE WE'RE FIXING OUT FIXING THESE ISSUES, MAYBE NOT CHARGE THIS FEE UNTIL IT'S WORKED OUT BECAUSE YOU CAN IMAGINE IF SOMEBODY GETS DRAFTED $10,000, THAT'S, THAT'S A BIG BURDEN FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO BEAR.
SO DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD, WE'RE NOT ASSESSING LATE PAYMENT CHARGES, NOR ARE WE CUTTING OFF.
WHEN YOU REGISTER FOR THE AUTO PAY WITH ECHECK, YOU GET AN EMAIL WHEN THE BILL IS READY.
AT THAT TIME OF THE EMAIL, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO IN AND STOP THE PAYMENT OR CHANGE YOUR PAYMENT.
MEANING IF THERE WAS A DISPUTE OR A HIGH BILL, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
ONCE THE BILL IS READY TO STOP IT BEFORE IT DRAFTS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TELLING PEOPLE AS WE TALK TO THEM. YEAH, AND I WOULD ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY CALLING IN. SO THEY HAVE BEEN EMAILING MY OFFICE SO THAT I CAN THEN DIRECT THEM TO DALLAS WATER TO GET IT RESOLVED.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROTH. THIS HAS BEEN A DISASTER IN MY DISTRICT AND I'M.
AND I REALLY AM SURPRISED AND I'M, I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT, WHY IT'S HAPPENING LIKE THIS, BUT WE'RE GETTING HUNDREDS OF CALLS IN MY OFFICE.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO YOUR OFFICE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET TO YOUR OFFICE.
AND I'M TELLING YOU, THIS IS THIS IS A FAILURE AND IT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.
I'M GETTING CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY TRY TO GET SOMEBODY LIVE.
AND WHILE THEY'RE PUSHING THROUGH THE, THE, ALL THE BUTTONS, WHEN THEY FINALLY GET TO A POINT THAT THEY, WE THEN WHEN I SAY WE, YOU, YOUR OFFICE DROPS THE CALL, IT SAYS IT JUST GOES AWAY AND THEY CAN'T GET THROUGH.
AND THIS IS NOT ONE PERSON. THIS IS A LOT OF PEOPLE, NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO WE'VE GOT I'VE GOT BUSINESS CLIENTS AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THIS BUSINESS WHO SAY THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A, THERE'S A NEW SYSTEM IN ORDER TO HAVE PERSONAL ACCESS TO YOUR ACCOUNT.
NOW YOU HAVE TO ESTABLISH SEPARATE EMAILS FOR EVERY SINGLE ACCOUNT.
I HAVE 50 WATER BILLS THAT I HAVE. I'VE GOT TO PRODUCE 50 DIFFERENT EMAILS.
THAT'S RIDICULOUS. AND THAT'S THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
AND I'M A LITTLE GUY. CAN YOU IMAGINE PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED IT? I'M A YELLOW PAD KIND OF A GUY, NOT AN IPAD KIND OF A GUY.
AND, AND 99% OF MY MY CONSTITUENTS ARE, ARE I'M NOT COHERENT IN GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. SO WHEN YOU SAY GO ONLINE, YOU'VE ALREADY LOST ME.
WHEN YOU SAY GO, GO FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO FIGURE IT OUT.
[01:15:02]
YOU'VE ALREADY LOST ME. I'M STOPPING. I'M NOT GOING TO DRINK WATER ANYMORE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PAY FOR IT.BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT NAVIGATING THIS COMPUTER SITUATION.
AND CERTAINLY IF YOU'RE GETTING 2500 NOW, IT'S 5000 CALLS A DAY.
THAT SHOULD TELL YOU SOMETHING THAT IT AIN'T WORKING.
WE'VE GOT 500,000 HOUSEHOLDS HERE. IF YOU'VE GOT ONLY 100,000 THAT ARE THAT ARE SATISFIED, THAT MEANS THERE'S 400,000 THAT ARE EITHER HIDING OUT.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, OR THEY'RE JUST GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THE TILL THE SHOE FALLS.
I'M SORRY, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE PERSONALLY TO PEOPLE.
YOU'VE GOT TO GET PEOPLE TO ANSWER THE PHONE.
AND AND AGAIN, I'M JUST COMPLETELY SURPRISED THAT HOW DIFFICULT THIS HAS BEEN.
SO I'M SORRY THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH THIS, BUT THIS IS NOT THERE'S NO EXCUSES.
YOU ALL NEED TO JUMP INTO THIS FRAY AND GET OUR PEOPLE AND OUR CITIZENS SQUARED AWAY ON THIS.
PLEASE. I'M ASKING YOU TO HELP. AND IF WE CAN HELP YOU, WE'LL DO IT.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN. WELL SAID.
AND I'LL SAY THAT IT'S BEEN A PRETTY BAD MONTH FOR ALL OF OUR COUNCIL OFFICES IN DEALING WITH THIS.
I JUST GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I WOULD JUST SEND CERTAIN ACCOUNTS TO SARAH DIRECTLY.
I'M NOT WILLING TO GIVE MY BANK ACCOUNT TO THE CITY BECAUSE I DO GET THE CALLS ALL THE TIME.
YOU KNOW, MORE THAN $10,000 FOR A WATER BILL ACCIDENTALLY.
YOU SAY YOU HAVE 107,000 CUSTOMERS SIGNED UP.
HOW MANY DID YOU HAVE BEFORE THE SWITCH? 203,203.
YES, MA'AM. SO YOU HAVE JUST OVER ABOUT HALF THAT HAVE REREGISTERED THEIR ACCOUNT, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. WELL, I MEAN, THAT'S NOT GOOD. THAT'S A FAILURE.
THAT'S A FAILURE OF COMMUNICATION. IT'S A FAILURE.
FAILURE OF THIS ROLLOUT TO SAY TO GO ON THE WEBSITE AND LOOK AT A TUTORIAL.
I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A WATER BILL HERE. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE EASIEST THING IN THE WORLD.
JUST LIKE WHEN YOU GET AN IPHONE, YOU DON'T REALLY NEED A TUTORIAL.
IT'S INTUITIVE. WE'VE SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THIS SYSTEM THAT'S MADE IT HARDER AND MORE PROBLEMATIC FOR PEOPLE, NOT UNLIKE SANITATION. THIS IS SOME WAY THAT THE CITY TOUCHES PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WHETHER YOU'RE TURNING ON YOUR FAUCET OR WATERING YOUR YARD OR YOU'RE PAYING YOUR MONTHLY BILL.
AND HERE WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR RESIDENT SATISFACTION SURVEY ON WEDNESDAY.
I WOULD QUESTION IF THIS WAS TAKEN BEFORE OR AFTER THIS ROLLOUT.
SO WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MAKE IT BETTER? I CAN SPEAK FROM THE STAFFING STANDPOINT, AND THEN I'LL LET WATER SPEAK ON SOME OF THE MORE RECENT IMPROVEMENTS, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WITH ANY NEW TECHNOLOGY, I BELIEVE THAT THEY'VE FOUND SOME YOU KNOW, TWEAKS AND SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO IMPLEMENT SINCE MAY.
WHY WEREN'T THOSE, WHY WASN'T IT TESTED BEFORE IT ROLLED OUT? I'LL, I'LL DEFER TO WATER ON THAT. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE CALL CENTER FUNCTIONALITY OR THE NEW SYSTEM.
EVERYTHING THAT HAS GONE WRONG, OF WHICH IT'S CLEAR THERE'S MULTIPLE FAILURES HERE.
WHY WASN'T THIS TESTED BEFORE? WHY DIDN'T YOU MOVE SECTION BY SECTION INSTEAD OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM? SO THIS CONVERSATION FOCUSES ON THE REGISTRATION OF THE CUSTOMERS, WHICH IS WAS NOT OUR INTENT IN 2024 WHEN WE WENT TO THE NEW PAYMENT VENDOR, IT'S STILL THE SAME PAYMENT VENDOR. THIS WAS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW BILLING SYSTEM.
[01:20:05]
BECAUSE WE WENT FROM AN ENTERPRISE SYSTEM THAT HAD VERY SPECIFIC RULES TO A UTILITY BILLING SYSTEM.THERE WAS A A RISK THAT WAS NOT WORTH IT. IT WAS EASIER.
SO LET ME JUST ASK YOU, COULD YOU NOT HAVE AT LEAST MOVED THE INFORMATION WITH AN ACCOUNT NUMBER, THE NAME, THE ADDRESS AND NOT PUT IN THE PAYMENT INFORMATION AND JUST HAVE THEM REDO THAT INSTEAD OF PUTTING THE ONUS ON RE ESTABLISHING AN ACCOUNT. SO. COUNCIL MEMBER. MENDELSOHN.
LET ME LET ME THAT WAS JUST A YES OR NO QUESTION.
WELL, OBVIOUSLY WE WORKED WITH OUR VENDOR TO DO THIS IN A WAY THAT HAS WORKED IN THE IN THE PAST.
OKAY. AND SO IS THIS THE SAME VENDOR FROM TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE ASKED PEOPLE TO DO THIS TWO YEARS AGO, THAT ALSO DIDN'T WORK OUT WELL. YES, MA'AM. IT IS.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE NAME OF THAT VENDOR.
IT'S PAYMENTUS. I'M SORRY. PAY WHAT? PAYMENTUS PAYMENTS.
Y'ALL REMEMBER THIS NAME? PAYMENTUS. PAYMENTUS.
BECAUSE WE SHOULD NOT BE APPROVING ANOTHER CONTRACT WITH PAYMENTUS.
THANK YOU. ANY NON-COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER. MORENO. THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR THE UPDATE.
CAN Y'ALL ADD SOME CLARITY FOR ME AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS TRANSITION PERIOD? WILL THERE BE ANY LATE FEES OR CUSTOMERS BEING THE WATERS SHUT DOWN.
NO, SIR. WE'RE NOT ASSESSING LATE PAYMENT CHARGES OR WE'RE NOT SHUTTING OFF.
I'M DISCONNECTING FOR NON PAYMENT RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU.
SO I TOO HAVE RECEIVED A NUMBER A NUMBER OF CALLS AND EMAILS THIS WEEKEND.
I WAS AT A COMMUNITY MEETING AND HAD A COUPLE RESIDENTS COME UP TO ME.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT. WE ARE YOU GUYS WILLING TO CONTINUE GOING TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS TO ENGAGE WITH CONSTITUENTS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS? YES, SIR. WE ARE HERE AND AVAILABLE.
OKAY. AND REMIND ME WHY WE DECIDED TO IMPLEMENT THE SERVICE FEE.
THE CONVENIENCE FEE IS DUE TO THE INCREASING COST.
WE HISTORICALLY WERE PAYING ABOUT $750,000. WE ARE UPWARDS OF ABOUT $7 MILLION RIGHT NOW.
I'M SORRY. ABOUT $7 MILLION. AND THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE ENTERPRISE FUND.
YES, SIR. CORRECT. OKAY. I TOO HAD EMAILS FROM CUSTOMERS SAYING THAT CALLS WERE BEING DROPPED.
HAVE WE ADDRESSED THAT? WE ADDRESSED THE TRANSFER ISSUE.
SO WHAT, WHAT WAS OCCURRING IN THE FIRST WEEK AND A HALF, I BELIEVE IS THAT THE WATER IVR WAS DROPPING THE CALL PRIOR TO IT BEING TRANSFERRED TO FOR SIMPLICITY, THE 311 IVR.
THAT'S WHERE THE CALL WOULD BE DROPPED TO TRY AND GET TO MY TEAM ON THE THREE ON ONE SIDE.
SO THAT WAS ADDRESSED ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF.
HAVE IN THAT ISSUE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED. HOWEVER, THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE, THE TELEPHONY SYSTEM, WE STILL HAVE THAT MAX CAPACITY ON THE THREE ON ONE SIDE.
SO IF I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH AGENTS ON THE PHONE, A LOT OF CALL OUTS, LARGE VOLUME, THERE IS STILL THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE CALLS TO MAX OUT AND THOSE CUSTOMERS WOULD EXPERIENCE A BUSY SIGNAL.
THANK YOU. SO WE KNEW THIS WAS COMING. HOW LONG WERE WE PLANNING ON THE ROLLOVER PROCESS FOR THOSE 200 200,000 CUSTOMERS TO GET ONTO THE ONTO THE NEW SYSTEM? HOW MUCH TIME ARE WE PLANNING FOR THAT TO HAPPEN? WELL, IT TOOK US TWO YEARS. SO 2024, WHEN WE FIRST IMPLEMENTED TO GET TO THAT 204,000, WE ARE.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY REALLY PROUD OF 107 AT THE START OF WEEK FIVE.
SO WE'RE HOPING WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, MONTH AND A HALF.
BUT I MEAN, THAT'S MY POINT IS, WE WERE PLANNING ON A COUPLE MONTHS FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS TO UPDATE THEIR ON THEIR END. OKAY. AND LASTLY AGAIN, IF THERE'S STILL RESIDENTS OUT THERE, WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF RESIDENTS STILL THAT NEED ASSISTANCE OR MIGHT JUST NOT HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO UPDATE WHAT IS THE TUTORIALS, THE 311,
[01:25:07]
WHAT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE FOR CUSTOMERS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING ASSISTED TO GET UPDATED? SO JUST TELL ME ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS CUSTOMERS CAN CALL IN EMAIL COME IN PERSON.YES. SO THEY CAN, THEY CAN CALL, THEY CAN COME IN PERSON.
UTILIZE THE DWU IVR SELF-SERVICE FUNCTIONALITY.
IS THERE I MEAN, WELL, WE'VE GOT BOXES WE EXTENDED THE HOURS.
SO EXTENDED HOURS AND THEN EMAIL FUNCTIONALITY AS WELL.
AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A SERVICE REQUEST THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN SUBMIT WITH GENERAL WATER INQUIRIES.
THAT'S HANDLED BY THE 3 IN 1 TEAM AS WELL. AGAIN, APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
UNDERSTAND? STILL, THE THE CUSTOMER, TYPICALLY A SENIOR RESIDENT IS STILL STRUGGLING.
THEY'RE STILL TRYING. IT'S A HUGE INCONVENIENCE.
BUT I DO APPLAUD THE EFFORTS THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR, COMMITTEE MEMBER GRACEY, DO YOU NOW HAVE COMMENTS? YES. THANK YOU. AND I HAD SEVERAL QUESTIONS. AND AGAIN, LIKE, LIKE MANY I'LL SHARE THOSE, BUT I, I WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS UP HERE TO PAY, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY MY BILL LOOKS SHORT, SO I DIDN'T WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THAT. BUT WHAT WHAT I NOTICED AT THE END OF IT WAS IT WAS A CONVENIENCE, THIS CONVENIENCE FEE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WILL YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO ME? BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT COST VARIES.
IS THAT A TRUE STATEMENT? AND IF SO, WHY? WHY THE CONVENIENCE FEE AND DOES IT VARY? AND IF SO, WHY DOES IT VARY? THE CONVENIENCE FEE IS A ACROSS THE BOARD 3.15% PER THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE VENDOR.
YES. YEAH. OKAY. SO AND WHY IS IT A PERCENTAGE THEN WHEN IN I'M REMOVED FROM THE TREASURY SPACE A LONG TIME. BUT I THOUGHT WHY WHY PERCENTAGE AND NOT A FLAT FEE.
LET ME ASK YOU THAT LEGISLATION. WE CAN ONLY.
SO WE COULDN'T DO A FLAT FEE TO BE. AND WHERE DOES THAT FEE GO? IS THAT IS THAT THE CITY IS CHARGING THAT CONVENIENT FEE? THAT'S. NO SIR. SO THAT PAYMENT PROCESSOR FEE GOES DIRECTLY TO THE PAYMENT PROCESSOR.
THAT'S 3.15. AND IT COVERS THEIR INTERCHANGE FEES WITH VISA MASTERCARD.
FAIR ENOUGH. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO GET TO. OKAY. SO IT'S NOT THE CITY DOING THAT.
THAT'S JUST YOUR MERCHANT FEES, MERCHANT SERVICE OR WHATEVER.
CORRECT. PART OF THE TRANSACTIONS. YES, SIR. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND WHY ARE WE DOING THIS NOW? LET'S GET BACK TO THAT PART. WHY? WHY IS THIS? WE'RE SWITCHING SYSTEMS. CORRECT BILLING SYSTEMS. WE'RE STILL AT THE SAME PAYMENT PROCESS. AND WHY DID THAT HAPPEN? WHY DID WE SWITCH BILLING SYSTEMS? WHAT DID THIS.
SO OUR LEGACY BILLING SYSTEM WAS REACHING END OF SUPPORT THIS YEAR, 2026.
THIS TIME WE WENT WITH A UTILITY BILLING SYSTEM.
OKAY. AND WITH THAT, SO AGAIN, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS NEW ONE AND THE OTHER ONE, AGAIN WITH THIS CONVENIENCE FEE, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I WAS PAYING A CONVENIENCE FEE PRIOR.
CORRECT. SO THE BILLING SYSTEM ITSELF HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CONVENIENCE FEE.
THE CONVENIENCE FEE WAS BASED ON THE, THE PROVIDER COST THAT WE WERE D.W.
GOT IT. SO TECHNICALLY, THEN IT IS A DALLAS DECISION.
WE COULD CONTINUE TO ABSORB OR CHARGE THE FEE.
AND AGAIN, WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE TYPE OF DECISIONS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT DID THAT COME THROUGH FINANCE OR ANYBODY, ANY COMMITTEE OR TO EVEN MAKE THAT DECISION? SO WE'VE HAD THE AUTHORITY UNDER CHAPTER 49, CITY CODE FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
IT'S FINE. BUT I JUST JUST TO DISCUSS IT. IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS.
OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I'M GOOD. COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN.
[01:30:03]
CORRECT. I CAN'T DISAGREE WITH THAT. WELL, I'M ACTUALLY ASKING IF YOU AGREE. I MEAN, YOU PAY A CHARGE FOR THE CHECK TO BE KEYED IN OR READ BY A COMPUTER, CORRECT? CORRECT. FROM THE BANK AND IN PERSON WE'RE STAFFING SOMEBODY.SO IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE FOR US TO TAKE A PAPER CHECK OR HAVE SOMEBODY COME IN PERSON.
CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. AND ALSO MORE LIKELY THAT THERE'D BE A MANUAL ERROR.
SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE DISINCENTIVIZING THAT PROCESS.
PREVIOUSLY IT WAS FREE TO PAY ONLINE, BUT OF COURSE, IT'S NOT EVER REALLY FREE.
I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER MORENO SAID $7 MILLION IS WHAT THE CHARGES TOTALED UP TO BE, BUT THAT NUMBER WAS THEN JUST SPREAD ACROSS ALL THE WATER BILLS.
I MEAN, SOMEBODY'S PAYING FOR IT AS AN ENTERPRISE ACCOUNT.
SO THE WHOLE SYSTEM WOULD BEAR THE COST OF OF THAT FEE.
CORRECT. WHICH. YES, MA'AM. PREVIOUSLY EVERY CUSTOMER.
AND NOW YOU'RE JUST CHARGING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY USING THAT SERVICE.
ALTHOUGH WE ACTUALLY WANT MORE PEOPLE TO USE THAT SERVICE.
BUT INSTEAD, WHAT'S HAPPENED IS PEOPLE ARE SAYING, FORGET IT, I'M NOT GOING TO PAY THIS FEE.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH A HASSLE OF WATCHING A TUTORIAL ABOUT HOW TO PAY MY WATER BILL.
AND THAT YOU CAN STILL DO FOR FREE. AND AGAIN, THIS IS MORE COSTLY TO THE SYSTEM.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE COST IS TO GENERATE PAPER BILLS? NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, MA'AM. OKAY, WELL, I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IT IS COSTING THE SYSTEM TO GENERATE PAPER BILLS.
PLEASE. HOW MUCH WE'RE SPENDING ON THAT ANNUALLY.
AND THIS IS WHERE I THINK WE COULD INCENTIVIZE SOMETHING THAT MAKES THINGS MORE EFFICIENT, EVEN IF THAT COST IS SPREAD OUT ACROSS ALL THE USERS.
SO THAT REALLY WAS MY POINT ABOUT ABOUT WHAT ARE WE INCENTIVIZING PEOPLE TO DO? WE'RE ACTUALLY ASKING THEM TO GO BACKWARDS BECAUSE OF WHAT? BECAUSE WE EITHER PICKED A SOFTWARE OR SOMEBODY MADE AN ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION TO MAKE THINGS HARDER FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. WEST. THANK YOU CHAIR.
THOSE ARE GOING TO BE MY COMMENTS ALMOST EXACTLY FROM CHAIR MENDELSOHN.
I'LL JUST PIGGYBACK ON THAT TO SAY THAT RESIDENTS THESE DAYS ARE EXPECTING US TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND LESS COSTLY, AND NOT MORE CUMBERSOME AND MORE COSTLY. AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE CHARGING RESIDENTS FOR THE CONVENIENCE FEE.
I GET IT THAT WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THE THE $7 MILLION IS IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN THE COST COMPARISON TO THE STAFFING NEEDED FOR THE PAPER CHECKS. IF A CHECK BOUNCES, YOU KNOW, THEN I THINK THERE'S A FOLLOW UP PROCESS BY STAFF TO, TO GET IT PAID. THERE MAY BE SOME TYPE OF CLAIMS SYSTEM WHERE WE THEN GET ATTORNEYS INVOLVED, I'M ASSUMING LIKE IT ESCALATES AS THE PAYMENTS ARE NOT IN.
AND THERE'S MORE LIKELY FOR THAT TO HAPPEN IF YOU IF YOU HAVE THE PAPER CHECK SYSTEM.
AND I THINK WE'VE GOT TO RELOOK AT THAT. THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS. THANK YOU. YES, I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS AS WELL.
SO I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS BASED ON WHAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED. SO YOU SAID THE CALL CENTER HAS LONGER HOURS, 5 TO 7 P.M.. SO THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
SO BEFORE WE JUST STOPPED AT FIVE. 8 TO 5. OH 8 TO 5.
ALSO WE'VE GOT SHIFT WORKERS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO IT JUST MAY NOT BE AS CONVENIENT EVEN WITH THAT ADDITION.
[01:35:08]
NOW THAT WE'VE HAD THIS IN THE MARKETPLACE FOR TWO MONTHS WE KIND OF KNOW WHAT'S RISING TO THE TOP OF THE MOST COMMON CONCERNS AND HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE.AND THEN ALSO, I'VE LEARNED SOME THINGS TODAY THAT I THINK A RESIDENT MIGHT UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY DID YOU CHANGE ME OVER ON THAT? WHY DO I HAVE TO DO THIS? WELL, YOU BROUGHT UP AN IMPORTANT POINT SECURITY, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS AROUND THIS.
AND ON THE E CHECKS AND THAT SORT OF THING. SO IF THAT BECOMES PART OF THE STORY AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT, OH, OKAY. THIS WAS NECESSARY IN TODAY'S WORLD TO HAVE A SECURE TRANSITION.
THEY MIGHT BUY INTO IT MORE. CAN'T GUARANTEE IT.
ON AND THEN ALSO JUST ON THE CONVENIENCE, CONVENIENCE FEE PERCENTAGE WHEN YOU MENTIONED LEGISLATION AND 5%, ETC.. SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A STORY THERE. WE DON'T HAVE TO GO ON AND ON ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S LIKE, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? AND SO WE'RE JUST KIND OF LEAVING THESE EMPTY GLASSES OUT THERE AND WE NEED TO FILL THEM UP WITH THE INFORMATION SO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, A REASON FOR THESE DECISIONS AND WHY THIS IS BEING DONE.
BUT I AM REALLY CONCERNED ON THE ONE FREE OPTION THAT IS OF TODAY'S WORLD, AND THAT IS THE E CHECK THAT YOU CAN DO THE AUTOMATIC, THE AUTOMATIC PAYMENT. AND THEN WITH THE ISSUES OF THESE ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF MONEY COMING THROUGH AND PEOPLE JUST, YOU KNOW, STRIKING TERROR IN THEIR HEARTS THAT IT'S GOING TO WIPE OUT THEIR CHECKING ACCOUNT.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET AROUND THAT? I MEAN, IS THERE A WAY THAT YOU COULD FLAG ANY TIME AND NOT JUST IN THIS TRANSITION PERIOD, BUT IF SOMETHING'S COMING THROUGH AND IT'S 20% ABOVE THEIR TYPICAL AVERAGE BILL, THAT THERE'S SOME KIND OF NOTICE OR ALERT SO THAT IT'S LIKE IT'S NOT GOING TO HIT THEIR BANK ACCOUNT AND THEY HAVE AN ASSURANCE THAT IT'S NOT UNTIL THERE HAS BEEN A VERIFICATION.
SO AT ANY POINT THEY CAN LOG IN TO STOP THAT PAYMENT IF IT'S TOO HIGH OR THEY QUESTION IT.
THERE ALSO ARE RULES IN THE SYSTEM WHERE THEY CAN GET A NOTIFICATION AS WELL.
AND I JUST WANT TO ADD TO YOUR POINT. SO THE, THE CHECKING ACCOUNT FOR AUTOPAY, NONE OF THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE TO ANY DW OR CITY EMPLOYEE. THAT IS ALL HELD BY THE VENDOR AND THEY HAVE THE TOP PCI COMPLIANCE.
OKAY, SO YOU MENTIONED A RULE THAT THEY COULD PUT IN SO THEY COULD HAVE SET THEIR OWN NOTIFICATION OF AN AMOUNT SO THEY CAN MANAGE THEIR OWN HOUSEHOLD EXPENSE AND KNOW WHAT THAT THAT THRESHOLD WOULD BE, THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO BE ALERTED IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE.
YES, MA'AM. OKAY. AND THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER GREAT THING TO INCLUDE ON AN UPDATED FAQ.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART. THANK YOU CHAIR, SO I WON'T GO OVER ALL OF THE THINGS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, BECAUSE YOU'VE HEARD IT AT LEAST 2 OR 3 TIMES, IF NOT MORE.
BUT DISTRICT TEN, IT REALLY MIRRORS ALL OF THIS.
I HAVE A LOT OF EMAILS COMING IN AND STOPPED AT COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
ONE WOMAN IN PARTICULAR WAS VERY UPSET. SO WE DO NEED TO START ADDRESSING THIS.
IF WE COULD DO LIKE A 5 TO 7 I MEAN, I THINK FOR SOME OF US WHO ARE JUST MORE PAPER DRIVEN AND ORIENTED AND TALKING TO A LIVE PERSON OR A PERSON SITTING DOWN WITH US AND THEN HELPING US MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I JUST THINK IF WE COULD DO THAT IN DISTRICT TEN.
A COUPLE OF WEDNESDAY EVENINGS OR THURSDAY EVENINGS, WHATEVER, I CAN GET THAT OUT IN THE NEWSLETTER.
MAYBE DISTRICT EIGHT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE OFFICE HOURS WHERE PEOPLE COULD COME IN AND DO A FACE TO FACE, GET A FACE TO FACE ASSISTANCE, AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE CALLS.
AND WHAT WAS MY OTHER POINT? OH, AND, AND I'VE BEEN MAKING A LOT OF NOTES ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE SAID, BUT I WOULD LOVE JUST LIKE A ONE PARAGRAPH STATEMENT ON WHAT'S HAPPENED AND WHY.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, DALLAS WATER UTILITIES INITIATED X, Y, XYZ ON THIS DATE TO X, Y, Z.
NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS. WE'VE HAD SUCCESS WITH THIS MANY.
HOWEVER, WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF FRUSTRATION AND THIS IS WHY WE'VE DONE IT. AND JUST SOMETHING THAT, AGAIN, WE COULD PUT OUT IN OUR NEWSLETTERS. THAT WAS SOMETHING EVERYBODY IS COMMUNICATING.
WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. WE'RE SAYING THE SAME THING BECAUSE I THINK IT'S THE CONFUSION.
SO ANYWAY, IF Y'ALL COULD HELP US WITH A STATEMENT, HELP US WITH SOME FACE TO FACE TIME IN OUR COMMUNITIES, I THINK THAT COULD BE A GOOD MOVE. THANK YOU.
[01:40:01]
YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. JOHNSON. SORRY, I UNDERSTAND, I LIKE THAT TOO LATE IN THE DAY. I WANT TO THANK CHAIRMAN MENDELSOHN AND FOR TALKING ABOUT THE TUTORIAL.YOU DIDN'T PROBABLY MEAN THAT, BUT THE DELIVERY WAS AND I APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER ROTH LETTING US KNOW THAT HE'S THE IPAD SCENARIO DON'T WORK.
I THINK THAT WAS A GREAT A GREAT YELLOW PAD. AND HE'S A YELLOW PAD GUY, NOT IPAD.
I THINK THAT WAS A GREAT SCENARIO OF WHAT A LOT OF OUR MEMBERS AND OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SAYING.
AND IT SEEMED LIKE WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO YOU GUYS TALK. IT'S LIKE WE'RE WORKING IN SILOS.
AND I UNDERSTAND IT WAS ON BUDGET, I THINK LAST YEAR THAT'S WHEN I GOT HERE, BUT I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IF WE WOULD HAVE AT LEAST BROUGHT IT TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR A DISCUSSION. I THINK THAT'S WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER GRACEY WAS SAYING.
AND SO IT'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE HEARING AND, AND MAKING THINGS DIFFICULT.
I DON'T KNOW THE GENIUS THAT DID THIS, BUT WHAT THIS REMINDED ME OF IS THE, IN MY OPINION, THE WOODALL RODGERS EXIT OFF OF 35, WE JUST CREATED A TRAFFIC JAM FOR NO REASON.
I UNDERSTAND THE SECURITY, BUT I THINK THE WAY IT WAS ROLLED OUT AND THE WAY THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS FEELING, I, I'M GONNA HAVE TO HAVE A, A COMMUNITY MEETING AND INVITE YOU GUYS OUT.
THANK YOU TO CHURCH STEWART HE'S. ONE OF MY IDEAS TO HAVE SOME LAPTOPS OR SOME COMPUTERS AND LET YOU GUYS SIT THERE AND PROBABLY GO THROUGH THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH TO HELP OUR SENIOR CITIZENS, THOSE THAT DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW TO PROCESS THIS.
SO IT HAS CREATED AN UNNECESSARY AND MY, JUST, IN MY OPINION, UNNECESSARY CHALLENGE WHEN I THINK WE COULD HAVE JUST HAD MORE DISCUSSION AND PREPARED OUR COMMUNITY AROUND IT.
I BELIEVE IN DOING THAT, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE VERY THOROUGH, TRANSPARENT, AND SPEAKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY SO THEY KNOW WHAT THE CHANGES IS THAT THAT ARE, THAT ARE UPCOMING SO THEY CAN PREPARE. AND THEN WE CAN ALSO BRING THOSE ASSISTANCE TO IT, TO IT. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT WHAT PAYMENTUS IS, BUT I WOULD LIKE RESPECTFULLY CHAIR, IF CHAIR MENDELSOHN CAN, CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT PAYMENTUS BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DOING SOMETHING, THEN I WANT TO KNOW WHY WE'RE DOING IT. SO I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.
IF WE HAVE TIME TO DO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, SIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, AT THIS TIME, EVERYONE, BOTH COMMITTEE AND NON-COMMITTEE MEMBERS, HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT LEAST ONCE TO THIS ITEM.
WE'RE RUNNING SHORT ON TIME TO CONSIDER OUR LAST AGENDA ITEM, WHICH WILL NOT BE INSIGNIFICANT.
AND SO IF THERE ARE FURTHER COMMENTS, I ENCOURAGE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH ACM RASTOGI OR WITH DWU TO COVER ANY ADDITIONAL ISSUES. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
THIS ITEM WAS PREVIOUSLY BRIEFED ON MAY THE 19TH, AND IN ORDER TO ENTERTAIN FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THIS ITEM, WE MUST FIRST HAVE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER THE ACTION ON MAY THE 19TH, WHICH WAS TO FORWARD THIS ITEM ON TO CITY COUNCIL BEFORE WE CAN DISCUSS THE UNDERLYING ISSUE.
IS THERE SUCH A MOTION? I HAVE A CLARIFICATION, PLEASE.
YES. IT WAS ACTUALLY BRIEFED MULTIPLE TIMES. CORRECT.
NOT JUST THAT ONE DAY. BUT THAT'S THE DATE UPON WHICH WE TOOK ACTION TO REFER IT TO CITY COUNCIL, WHICH TOOK IT OUT OF THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE UNLESS A MOTION TO RECONSIDER IS PASSED TODAY.
I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN VERY MANY HOURS OF DEBATE IN THIS COMMITTEE ABOUT THIS ITEM, AND THEN THE MOTION TO CLARIFY WAS FOR IT TO BE BRIEFED TO THE FULL COUNCIL, WHICH, AS YOU CAN SEE, EVEN FROM THE NUMBERS OF FOLKS HERE TODAY WE'VE HAD UP TO TEN OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE AT THESE MEETINGS AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT
[01:45:02]
THIS ITEM. AND SO THE IDEA, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE AT THE TIME THAT THE MOTION WAS MADE, DISTRICT FOUR AND DISTRICT EIGHT, WHO WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED WERE NOT ABLE TO BE IN ATTENDANCE.IT WAS ASKED TO BE MOVED TO FULL COUNCIL SO THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN, AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE PEOPLE WHO HAPPEN TO BE THERE AND ALSO ALLOW FOR THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN, SINCE WE DON'T TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC IS VERY INTERESTED IN THIS, AND IF IT GOES TO FULL COUNCIL BRIEFING, THE PUBLIC WOULD BE ABLE TO COME AND TALK TO US.
THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION? I DO. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR A MOTION. THANK YOU CHAIR. I MOVE THAT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT SHE VOTED IN FAVOR OF THIS TO BE ABLE TO.
YES, IT HAS TO BE SOMEONE WHO VOTED IN FAVOR WITH THAT.
SO SHE'S NOT ALLOWED TO RECONSIDER IF SHE WAS ABSENT.
YEAH. OKAY. THEN I MOVE TO. IT HAS TO BE SOMEONE WHO VOTED FOR IT.
AND IF YOU DIDN'T VOTE FOR IT, YOU'RE NOT QUALIFIED TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
THAT'S WHAT THE ATTORNEYS HAVE ADVISED. SHE DIDN'T VOTE FOR IT.
DOESN'T MATTER. WELL, IT'S A SIMPLE MOTION WHETHER TO RECONSIDER OR NOT.
I MOVE TO RECONSIDER THE MOTION. SECOND. IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION? ANYBODY? SECOND. CORRECT. YEAH. OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION OF THAT MOTION? NOW, THIS IS NOT A MOTION ON WHAT WE ARE ON ACTION.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ON THE UNDERLYING MERITS OF THIS ISSUE.
IT'S SIMPLY A MOTION TO RECONSIDER OUR MAY 19TH MOTION.
ANY RECOGNIZED. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. MENDELSOHN.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE FULL COUNCIL CONSIDER THIS.
THE FULL COUNCIL VOTED FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER.
THE IMPACT OF THESE VIADUCTS IS BECAUSE OF A CHANGE IN THE CONVENTION CENTER.
THIS SHOULD GO BACK TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR DELIBERATION AND MORE INFORMATION.
AND I THINK THAT BELONGS TO THE BODY. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I BELIEVE THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO BE ABLE TO COME AND GIVE INPUT SINCE THEY'VE NOT BEEN PART OF THIS. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS? I COUNCIL MEMBER CADENA, WOULD IT BE OKAY IF I ASK COUNCIL MEMBER BLAIR A QUESTION? CERTAINLY. IF SHE AGREES TO ANSWER, THAT'S UP TO HER.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH BY RECONSIDERING? WELL, I WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH IS TO MOVE TO TO GET US WHERE WE CAN BRING BACK THE CONVENTION CENTER, BACK TO A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD WHERE WE CAN MOVE IT FORWARD AND TO GET IT TO COUNCIL WHERE, WELL, THIS IS YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M HERE. THEY COMING? YES. YOU CAN USE MY MOTION. YOU CAN USE MY MIC.
CAN YOU USE IT? OH NO. I'M JUST SAYING THIS IS A COUNCIL MEMBER MOTION.
SO SHE LED THAT PART OF IT. SHE ASKED ME A QUESTION.
WHAT WAS MY. OKAY, OKAY. OH, OKAY. OH, DID I MAKE THE MOTION? BUT SHE ASKED ME A QUESTION. CAN SHE NOT ASK ME A QUESTION? YES. IT'S JUST NOT ON THE. OH, BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T.
I GOT CONFUSED THAT YOU MADE THE MOTION. SO IT WAS AARON.
OKAY. SO, AARON, CAN I ASK YOU IF IT OPENS IT UP TO ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, I GET IT. YES. THANK YOU. I GOT CONFUSED THERE.
THE DISCUSSION SHOULD BE ABOUT WHY WE SHOULD RECONSIDER.
FOR ME, THE BIGGEST CONCERN WAS THE FACT THAT THERE WERE GOING TO BE MULTIPLE MULTIPLE DELAYS, MULTIPLE EXITS GOING INTO DOWNTOWN THAT WERE GOING TO BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
SO IT WASN'T NECESSARILY JUST ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE JEFFERSON AND HOUSTON BRIDGES.
IT WAS ALSO ABOUT THE POINT OF ORDER TO GET INTO A POINT OF ORDER IN THE CONSIDER RECONSIDERATION.
IT'S KIND OF GOING INTO THE MERITS OF, YEAH, I OPPOSED JEFFERSON.
DO YOU HAVE GIVEN THAT RULING? DO YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. OKAY, THEN CAN I FINISH? I HAVE ONE MORE THING TO SAY.
YES. THAT'S RIGHT. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YEAH. SO I'M OKAY.
[01:50:02]
I THINK ONE OF MY CONCERNS WAS, IS THAT IS THAT I'VE ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.BECAUSE I THINK WE WERE ONLY PRESENTED A FEW OF THEM AND I STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED THEM.
TO THIS DAY, I'M STILL WAITING FOR THEM. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M, I FEEL CONFLICTED BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING IN CIRCLES IN THIS COMMITTEE AND I'M NOT GETTING ANY MORE INFORMATION.
I WAS TOLD BY THE CITY MANAGER THAT, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY OPTION WAS TO MOVE THE BUILDING.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE I'M, I'M LIKE, WHAT ARE, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO? SO THAT'S MY COMMENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. MORENO.
THANK YOU CHAIR. NOT ON THE COMMITTEE, BUT I WOULD URGE US TO SUPPORT THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER.
I DON'T BELIEVE THIS ITEM WOULD BE WOULD ALLOW FOR THE FULL COUNCIL TO HEAR IT BEFORE SUMMER RECESS.
AND FOR THOSE REASONS, I THINK IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE HEAR IT TODAY. THANK YOU. YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER BLAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO RECONSIDER BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE.
GOT IT. ANYONE ELSE? AND IT DOES IMPACT ME GREATLY.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO ADDRESS THIS PARTICULAR MOTION? TO RECONSIDER? YES. YES. TO THE TIMELINESS OF IT, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT WE HAVE LEADERSHIP THAT IS WILLING TO CALL SPECIAL CALLED MEETINGS. AND CERTAINLY A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING COULD BE HELD.
THANK YOU. OF THE FULL BODY. OKAY. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER.
I'LL NOW CALL FOR A VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF RECONSIDERING, SAY I.
I. ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY, NAY, NAY. MOTION FAILS.
CHAIR. CAN YOU. CAN YOU STATE THAT IT SOUNDED RIGHT ON THE BORDER TO ME? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN RECORD THE. NO VOTES WERE MENDELSOHN, ROTH, RIDLEY AND CADENA.
THAT'S FOUR VOTES. SO THE MOTION FAILED. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE UPCOMING AGENDA ITEMS FOR THIS COMING WEDNESDAY'S COUNCIL MEETING? WHICH ONE? THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION ON ITEM H. IS THERE SOMEONE WHO CAN ADDRESS THAT FROM STAFF? I ALSO HAVE AN ITEM K QUESTION AND A QUESTION ON ITEMS A, B, AND A C, JUST AS A HEADS UP.
SO MY QUESTION FOR ITEM H, THIS IS ABOUT THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF HIGHLAND PARK.
AND I'M WONDERING WHAT THE BASIS IS FOR THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
AND DO WE CHARGE THEM EXACTLY WHAT OUR COSTS ARE.
DO WE CHARGE A PREMIUM TO CITIES THAT ARE NOT DALLAS, THAT ARE PART OF OUR WATER SYSTEM? HOW DOES THAT WORK? GOOD AFTERNOON, MATT PINK, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DALLAS WATER UTILITIES.
SO BEING THAT HIGHLAND PARK AND DALLAS BORDER EACH OTHER, WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY UTILITIES WITHIN HIGHLAND PARK THAT FALL WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THEIR PROJECT. WE ALSO HAVE SOME WORK THAT WE WERE PLANNING TO DO THAT WE'RE INCORPORATING WITHIN THEIR PROJECT.
OKAY. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CONTINUE ASKING MY OTHER ITEMS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ITEM H BEFORE WE PROCEED? ANYONE ELSE? I DO HAVE A QUESTION. WHAT WILL THE TIMING OF THE DWU PROJECT BE? WILL IT BE CONCURRENT OR WILL IT PRECEDE THE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION? SO THAT TYPICALLY DEPENDS ON THE CONTRACTOR. BUT MOST MOST TIMES THE UTILITIES HAVE TO BE REPLACED OR RELOCATED FIRST TO FACILITATE THE PAVING AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THEY WOULD MOST LIKELY BE DONE AT THE FRONT END OF THE PROJECT.
OKAY. AND WILL THE TOWN OF HIGHLAND PARK BE CONTRIBUTING ANY FUNDS OR THROUGH THEIR OWN CONTRACTOR TO THIS PROJECT, OR IS THIS THE WASTEWATER LANE AND WATER MAINS IS SOLELY A DWU
[01:55:08]
PROJECT. SO THEY ARE CONDUCTING THE PROJECT AND WE ARE PROVIDING FUNDING SO THAT THEY CAN INCLUDE OUR IMPROVEMENTS WITH THE WITH THEIR PROJECT.DOES HIGHLAND PARK USE DWU WATER? THEY USE OUR WASTEWATER SYSTEM.
AND FOR SOME OF THE LINES THAT ARE. THEY CONTRIBUTE FLOW TO.
NOW THERE ARE PORTIONS OF THE LINES THAT ARE DWU ONLY, AND WE'RE PAYING FOR THOSE 100%.
OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON H. OKAY.
OKAY. THIS IS AUTHORIZE THE USE OF THE EXISTING ASBESTOS ABATEMENT AND DEMOLITION SERVICES CONTRACT.
AND THEN IT GOES ON TO SAY NO COST CONSIDERATION TO THE CITY.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN HOW WE'RE GOING TO USE A CONTRACT BUT NOT HAVE A COST CONSIDERATION? YES. THIS ITEM WAS IS FOR USING THE EXISTING MASTER AGREEMENT, WHICH I THINK ON MARCH 25TH OF THIS YEAR THERE WAS AN EXTENSION OR ADDED FUNDS TO THE AGREEMENT. PART OF THE DISCUSSION WAS THAT IN ORDER TO USE IT ON CITY FACILITIES, THAT IT HAD TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD FOR THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
I THINK THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS WITH USAGE OF IT, MAYBE RELATED TO CITY HALL.
SO THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE DALLAS FLOODWAY EXTENSION PROJECT.
AND SO WE'LL USE THE FUNDS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN AUTHORIZED FOR THE AGREEMENT.
AND THAT'S IT. SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PROPERTY WE'VE PURCHASED THAT WE NEED TO REMOVE EXISTING BUILDINGS, OLDER BUILDINGS THAT ARE ON THAT PROPERTY SO WE CAN DO OUR LEVEE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FUTURE.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE AUTHORIZE DOLLARS FOR THE CONTRACT BUT NOT FOR THIS EXACT PROJECT? CORRECT. BUT WHEN WE DO THAT, WHAT WE'RE OFTEN TOLD IS, WELL, YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY ENCUMBERING THE FUNDS, YOU'RE JUST MAKING IT AVAILABLE. AND THOSE ALSO SAY NO COST CONSIDERATION TO THE CITY.
THIS IS NOT SHOWING A CLARITY OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING FINANCIALLY.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE PART OF THAT CONTRACT, YOU HAVEN'T TOLD US IF IT'S $10 OR $10 MILLION.
AND SO I'M NOT OPPOSED TO YOU DOING THE WORK.
I'M OPPOSED TO NOT UNDERSTANDING THE FISCAL IMPACT OF IT.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN NOTICED PROPERLY AND I DON'T THINK IT'S NOTICED PROPERLY FOR THE AGENDA THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, BECAUSE THERE CERTAINLY IS A COST CONSIDERATION TO THIS PROJECT.
I UNDERSTAND THESE ITEMS ARE TYPICALLY SUBJECT TO ANNUAL APPROPRIATION FOR ANY MASTER AGREEMENT, AND THOSE ITEMS TYPICALLY DON'T COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL FOR, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME THAT SOMETHING IS CONSIDERED.
BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. WELL, I WOULD ASK THE ATTORNEYS TO CONSIDER IF ITEM K IS PROPERLY NOTICED WHEN IT SAYS NO COST CONSIDERATION, WHEN CLEARLY THERE IS A COST CONSIDERATION. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OF ITEM K? DID YOU HAVE A FURTHER ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN I DO THE LAST THING WITH ITEM K.
ARE THERE ANY PEOPLE IN THAT BUILDING? NO, MA'AM.
OKAY. ITEM A, B, AND AC. THESE ARE SORT OF THE SAME THING I BELIEVE.
THE, THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS ARE ARE REALLY STRANGE.
SO CAN YOU GO THROUGH THE COST ITEMS WITH THIS? I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A THREE YEAR CONTRACT FOR $4.6 MILLION.
BUT WHY IS THE FIRST YEAR ONLY 349,000 IN THE SECOND AND THIRD YEAR? TOTAL 4.2 MILLION. AND ARE YOU SAYING IT'S COSTING US 1.5 MILLION TO SERVICE THE TUNNELS? CAN YOU GUYS CAN CALL THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION? NO. THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THESE TWO ITEMS. FIRST, ON THE RATIFICATION.
SO THE ITEM WAS DROPPED AND AND THE CONTRACT WAS NOT RENEWED IN TIME.
SO THIS IS THE ITEM THAT CONTROLS THE CARBON MONOXIDE LEVEL INSIDE THE TUNNELS.
SO IT WAS I MEAN, IT'S A LIFE AND SAFETY ISSUE.
SO THE CONTRACT BEING IN THE THREE YEAR DEAL IS BECAUSE WE EXPECT THAT PHASE TWO FOR KLYDE WARREN PARK AND PHASE TWO OF SOUTHERN GATEWAY WILL BE ON BOARD.
CURRENTLY, SOUTHERN GATEWAY OR HALPERIN PARK DOES NOT HAVE THE EVENTS.
HOWEVER, WHEN THEY START PUTTING IN THE EVENTS, THEN THAT'S WHERE WE.
[02:00:05]
THE COST IS GOING TO GO UP. SO WHAT WE DID IS ON THIS CONTRACT WE PREDICTED THAT WE PUT IN THE EXPENDITURE UP TO.BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO SPEND THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY ON THE CONTRACT.
BUT YOU'RE EXPECTING THAT A GO FORWARD BASIS, THEN THAT IT WOULD ACTUALLY COST $2.1 MILLION TO SERVICE BOTH THOSE TUNNELS WHEN THEY BOTH HAVE THEIR PHASE TWO INSTALLED. I'M I WOULD JUST MAKING A GUESS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE KLYDE WARREN IS CURRENTLY COSTING US ABOUT A BETWEEN 1.2 TO 1.5 FOR THE FULL SERVICE. WOW. A YEAR? A YEAR.
OKAY. AND THEN HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK SOUTHERN GATEWAY IS GOING TO COST WHEN THE SECOND PORTION IS ADDED? WE'RE GOING TO GAIN THE BENEFITS OF THE ECONOMIES OF SCALE.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT MUCH. AND THERE ARE SOME OTHER ITEMS IN THIS HERE THAT INCLUDES, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THE GENERATOR, THE STANDBY GENERATOR THAT WE HAVE, SAY AT KLYDE WARREN IN THREE YEARS MAY WE MAY NEED SOME CAPITAL MAINTENANCE ON IT THAT MAY BE INCLUDED IN THESE SERVICES.
SO THERE IS A LOT MORE SERVICES THAT MAY BE NEEDED JUST IN CASE.
ALL WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS HAVE ENOUGH AUTHORIZATION FOR THE SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION, OBVIOUSLY, AND THE NEED FOR IT. OKAY. WELL, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, BUDGET THAT EVEN THOUGH I MEAN, WE'RE TAKING ON WHAT SOUNDS LIKE IT'LL BE $3 MILLION, ALMOST $3 MILLION A YEAR FOR THESE TWO PARKS TO JUST DO THE UNDERGROUND TUNNEL.
FOR, FOR MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE AIR IS APPROPRIATE.
WELL, WE JUST HAVE TO CONTINUE ASKING ABOUT OPERATIONAL COSTS FOR ALL THE THINGS WE DO.
THANK YOU. DIRECTOR KEN CALI, WERE THESE AMOUNTS IN THE 2526 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET? YES, SIR. ALL THE MONEY IS AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE COMING IN CERTAINLY FOR THIS YEAR.
WE'RE UNDER BUDGET. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ANY UPCOMING AGENDA ITEMS? SEEING NONE. AT 308, THE MEETING OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.