[Call to Order]
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GOOD MORNING. THE TIME IS 922 AM AND THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY HAS COME TO ORDER.
[1. 26-2806A Approval of the minutes of August 10, 2026, meeting of the Committee on Government Efficiency.]
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES ON AUGUST 10TH, 2026. MEETING ON, WE HAVE A MOVE TO APPROVE AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? THE COMMITTEE MAY VOTE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA.[A. 26-2807A Overview of the City Attorney’s Office [City Attorney’s Office]]
TO AGENDA ITEM A, AGENDA A, OVERVIEW OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.THEY'RE ALREADY THERE. INTERIM ATTORNEY, MR. VANDENBERG, GOOD MORNING, IT'S ON YOU.
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR AND COUNCILMEMBERS. FORGIVE ME, I JUST EXITED THE WEBINAR.
COULD I BE ADDED AS A PANELIST AGAIN? OH, I AM, THANKS.
GOOD MORNING. I'M BERT VANDENBERG. I'M THE INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY.
WE'LL BE DISCUSSING AN OVERVIEW OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO PROVIDE SOME PARTICULAR INFORMATION.
WILLOW HAS BEEN PRACTICING TRANSACTIONAL WORK FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS.
SHE'S BEEN WITH THE CITY SIX YEARS. SHE WAS THE HEAD OF THE GOVERNMENT SERVICES SECTION IN THE GENERAL COUNSEL DIVISION.
THEN SHE STARTED SERVING AS THE DEPUTY OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL DIVISION AND NOW IS THE INTERIM HEAD OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL DIVISION.
ON MY RIGHT IS JENNIFER HUGGARD. JENNIFER HUGGARD HAS BUILT THE CITY ABOUT 19 YEARS.
SHE AND I SAT ACROSS FROM EACH OTHER IN A LITTLE HALLWAY WHEN WE BOTH STARTED.
SHE'S BEEN THE HEAD OF THE EMPLOYMENT SECTION, THE TORT SECTION, AND IS CURRENTLY THE HEAD OF THE CHIEF OF THE LITIGATION DIVISION.
AYEH POWERS. OUR MANAGING ATTORNEY IS NOT WITH US TODAY. SHE HAD AN EMERGENCY AND COULD NOT ATTEND.
IT WILL BE A LITTLE BUMPY DURING THE PORTION THAT SHE WAS GOING TO DO, BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRY IT.
SO WE WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE SOME PARTICULAR INFORMATION, INCLUDING OFFICE STRUCTURE, PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS, HOW WE'RE DEALING WITH TECHNOLOGY, EFFICIENCY MEASURES, HOW WE'RE DEALING WITH OUR CLIENTS, AND INSIDE AND OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS MANDATED DUTIES THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO SO THAT A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS IN THE CHARTER, AND THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY ALTERNATIVES FOR IT, AND WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO THESE ITEMS. THAT INCLUDES REPRESENTING THE CITY IN ALL LITIGATION, AND WE FILE A SUIT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CAN DO THAT ON THEIR OWN INITIATIVE OR AT THE DIRECTION OF COUNCIL.
THEY PROSECUTE ALL CASES IN MUNICIPAL COURT, WHICH YOU'LL BE GETTING BRIEFED ON AFTER THIS.
WE APPROVE ALL THE ORDINANCES AND CONTRACTS THAT GO THROUGH.
WE SERVE AS THE LEGAL ADVISOR TO THE CITY COUNCIL, ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, DEPARTMENTS.
WITH ETHICS, WE DEAL WITH ALMOST ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY, SO WE HAVE SOMEWHERE OVER 13,000 CLIENTS ON ANY GIVEN DAY.
WE ALSO ADVISE THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY MANAGER, AND THE CITY DEPARTMENTS ON NEW OR PROPOSED STATE OR FEDERAL LEGISLATION, AND WE REPRESENT THE CITY BEFORE ALL LEGISLATIVE BODIES AND CITY MATTERS, SO EITHER WE'RE THERE IN PERSON OR WE'RE THERE IN SPIRIT HELPING WITH TESTIMONY WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES.
WE ADVISE AND REPRESENT CITY OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES IN LITIGATION ARISING OUT OF THEIR OFFICIAL CONDUCT, AND WE PERFORM ANY OTHER DUTIES THE CITY COUNCIL MAY DIRECT OR REQUEST.
AND WITH THAT, WE WILL GO INTO THE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS.
IT IS A TWO-DIVISION OFFICE, THE GENERAL COUNSEL, WHICH IS TRANSACTIONAL, AND LITIGATION, WHICH IS LITIGATION.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO WILLOW SANCHEZ.
HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. CHAIR.
I'M THE INTERIM CHIEF OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL DIVISION, AND I WILL WALK YOU
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THROUGH OUR STRUCTURE, THE BREADTH OF OUR WORK, AND SOME OF THE EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AND HAVE IMPLEMENTED.SO BRIEFLY, OUR DIVISION ADVISES THE FULL SPECTRUM OF MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSACTIONS, SO THAT MEANS ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS, EVERY KIND OF CONTRACT YOU CAN THINK OF RELATING TO IT, UTILITIES, PROCUREMENT, AVIATION, FRANCHISES, AND WE ADVISE EVERY DEPARTMENT, THE WHOLE CITY OPERATION.
WE ALSO REVIEW IN THIS DIVISION THE CITY'S ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVES, COMMUNICATIONS, AND WE HANDLE ROUGHLY 95% OF YOUR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.
EACH MEETING COMES THROUGH OUR DIVISION.
AND BEYOND THAT, WE ALSO WORK ON AND DO LEGAL OPINIONS, NEW PROGRAM DESIGN, STATE LEGISLATIVE ANALYSIS WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE LITIGATION DIVISION.
WE SERVE AS PARLIAMENTARIAN AND GENERAL COUNSEL TO THE CITY COUNCIL, COUNCIL COMMITTEES, THE VARIOUS TIFS, PIDS, AND GOVERNMENTAL CORPORATIONS OF THE CITY.
SO NOW LET'S WALK THROUGH HOW THIS DIVISION IS STRUCTURED.
WE ORGANIZE OUR WORK INTO SIX SPECIALIZED SECTIONS.
DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT LIAISON, DFW AIRPORT, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, GOVERNMENT SERVICES, MUNICIPAL REGULATORY, AND REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION.
EACH SECTION HANDLES HIGHLY TECHNICAL AND HIGH-VOLUME WORK, AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS, AND THAT'S WHY THEY MATTER.
SO THE DPD LIAISON SECTION, THESE ATTORNEYS PROVIDE DPD WITH ADVICE ON CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE.
THEY TEACH CLASSES AT THE ACADEMY.
THEY HANDLE SUBPOENAS AND DEPOSITIONS FOR POLICE RECORDS.
THEY HANDLE COMPLEX OPEN RECORDS, ISSUES, AND ADVISE ON EXPUNCTION AND NON-DISCLOSURE LAW AND SEARCH AND SEIZURE LAW.
IT'S A CONSTANT FLOW OF URGENT WORK, AND IT'S OFTEN THE SOURCE OF THE GENUINE RUSH REQUESTS THAT WE GET.
THIS TEAM ADVISES THE DFW AIRPORT BOARD ON AVIATION, PROCUREMENT, CONSTRUCTION, OPEN MEETINGS, AND OPEN RECORDS, AND IMPORTANTLY, THE AIRPORT REIMBURSES US FOR THEIR LEGAL SERVICES.
THE ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SECTION FOCUSES HEAVILY ON DEVELOPMENT, FAIR HOUSING, COMPLIANCE, INCENTIVES, DRAFTING AGREEMENTS, TAX ABATEMENTS, GRANTS AND LOAN AGREEMENTS, HOUSING PROGRAM AGREEMENTS, CONTRACTS FOR CULTURAL AFFAIRS, CONVENT AND EVENT SERVICES, INCLUDING LONG-TERM OPERATING AND MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS.
THIS TEAM ALSO PROVIDES THE LEGAL SUPPORT FOR THE CITY'S TIFS, PIDS, ENTERPRISE ZONES, NEIGHBORHOOD ENTERPRISE ZONES, ALL OF THE TOOLS THAT THE CITY USES TO SUPPORT GROWTH.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR BROADEST AREA SECTIONS.
THEY COVER EVERYTHING FROM PROCUREMENT TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UTILITIES, DFR, FRANCHISING, SANITATION, WATER, CYBERSECURITY, BENEFITS, SO EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF.
AND THEY NEGOTIATE SOME OF THE CITY'S MOST COMPLEX SOFTWARE, STAFFING, CONSULTANT, LIBRARY, TECHNOLOGY, AND INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS.
THIS GROUP HANDLES PLANNING, ZONING, LAND USE, ANNEXATION, FLOODPLAIN ISSUES, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENTS, SUBDIVISION AND SIGN REGULATIONS, GAS DRILLING REGULATIONS, AND MANY OTHER AREAS, INCLUDING MATTERS INVOLVING THE ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CODE, BUDGET, ELECTIONS, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, CONFLICTS, AND OPEN MEETINGS MATTERS.
THIS SECTION HANDLES ALL OF THE LEGAL WORK FOR OUR REAL ESTATE ACQUISITIONS, SURPLUS PROPERTY SALES, EXCHANGES, LEASES, RELOCATIONS, CONVEYANCE INSTRUMENTS, EASEMENTS, AND CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS FOR THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH INCLUDES ALL OF ITS STREETS, WATER, WASTEWATER FACILITIES, DRAINAGE, SIDEWALKS, FLOODWAYS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES, AND ALL OF THE CITY'S PARKS AND OTHER ASSETS.
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AND HIGHLY SPECIALIZED WORK.SO WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF WORKLOAD? YEAR TO DATE ON THIS CHART, THE GENERAL COUNSEL DIVISION HAS OPENED 5,024 NEW MATTERS.
THAT INCLUDES 402 RUSHES, AND THESE NUMBERS DON'T INCLUDE THE MATTERS FROM THE DFW AIRPORT BOARD.
AS YOU CAN SEE, SOME SECTIONS ROUTINELY RECEIVE OVER 1,000 MATTERS A YEAR, AND THIS VOLUME IS EXACTLY WHY WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON EFFICIENCY MEASURES.
SO OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE LOOK AT HOW WE WORK AND HOW DEPARTMENTS EXPERIENCE OUR WORK, AND WE'VE IMPLEMENTED SOME PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS.
SO FIRST, USING EXISTING TECHNOLOGY, WE'VE BETTER IMPROVED OUR USE OF IT AND AUTOMATION.
SO THAT MEANS THAT WE'VE IMPROVED THE TRACKING TOOLS, AND SO ATTORNEYS AND CLIENT DEPARTMENTS HAVE CLEARER VISIBILITY INTO WHAT ACTUALLY IS GOING ON WITH THEIR MATTER, WHAT STAGE IT'S IN AND WHERE THE DELAYS MIGHT BE.
CLIENTS NOW GET AUTOMATIC EMAILS THAT HAVE REALISTIC TIME FRAMES BASED ON THE COMPLEXITY OF THE MATTER.
SO THIS REPLACED THE OLD ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL THAT WE HAD OF A 14-DAY TURNAROUND.
SO NOW MATTERS GET A COMPLEXITY RATING FROM ONE TO FIVE, AND THE TURNAROUND TIMES ARE SET OUT IN A CHART THAT IDENTIFIES THE TYPE OF COMPLEXITY AND THE TYPE OF TURNAROUND TIME FRAME THAT APPLIES TO IT.
SO MATTERS THAT ARE NUMBER ONE COMPLEXITY, WHICH IS SIMPLE, WOULD BE FIVE BUSINESS DAYS, AND THOSE THAT ARE VERY COMPLEX, A 40-PLUS BUSINESS DAY TURNAROUND.
SO THESE TURNAROUND TIMES ARE SENT OUT AUTOMATICALLY AND DELIVERED UP FRONT TO THE CLIENT.
WE NO LONGER PROCESS INCOMPLETE SERVICE REQUESTS.
SO THIS ALONE ELIMINATED A LOT OF THE INVISIBLE DELAY THAT FOLKS MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT WAS HAPPENING WITH THEIR MATTER.
I KIND OF MENTIONED HOW WE'VE IMPROVED THE MATTER STAGES.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE'VE MADE THEM MORE ACCURATE TO THE STAGE THAT MATTER GOES THROUGH ONCE IT'S BEEN SUBMITTED AND IS COMPLETE, TO WHEN IS INFORMATION NEEDED, WHEN HAVE WE RECEIVED THAT INFORMATION, WHEN HAVE WE TURNED AROUND THE ACTUAL DRAFT, WHEN ARE WE IN NEGOTIATIONS, WHEN IS IT IN THE VENDOR'S HAND, AND WHEN IS IT BEING ROUTED FOR SIGNATURE.
SO THE FACT THAT WE'VE NOW GOT ALL OF THESE STAGES GIVES BETTER VISIBILITY INTO WHERE SOMEONE'S MATTER IS WITH US.
THE TURNAROUND CLOCK FOR THE TIME FRAMES I MENTIONED, THAT STARTS WHEN THE REQUEST IS COMPLETE AND IT AUTOMATICALLY PAUSES WHEN THE MATTER IS MOVED TO A STAGE WHERE IT'S NOT WITHIN OUR HANDS, WHEN IT'S WITH EITHER THE CLIENT FOR REVIEW OR IT'S WITH A VENDOR OR THE OTHER PARTY FOR NEGOTIATIONS OR WHEN IT'S BEING CIRCULATED.
SO THE TURNAROUND TIME CLOCK REFLECTS THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT'S WITHIN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S HANDS OR WITHIN OUR PURVIEW.
AND THAT HELPS US TO SEPARATE TRUE CAO TIME FROM WHEN A MATTER IS WITH DEPARTMENT AND VENDORS.
SO IT COUNTERS THE PERCEPTION THAT WE ARE THE DELAY.
THEN WE'VE ALSO CREATED A RUSH DASHBOARD FOR THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS.
RUSH REQUESTS WERE OVERWHELMING AND THEY WERE IMPORTANT.
WE WERE GETTING DOZENS EACH MONTH, BUT AS A RESULT, THEY OFTEN PUSHED OTHER IMPORTANT MATTERS TO THE BACK BURNER.
SO THE DASHBOARD HELPS THE ACMS TO DISTINGUISH WHICH ARE TRUE URGENT MATTERS VERSUS FROM ELEVATED MATTERS.
AND THAT'S HELPED US TO PRIORITIZE BETTER.
WE NOW HOLD MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS AND THE GENERAL COUNSEL SECTION HEADS SO THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY BOTTLENECKS AND SOLUTIONS.
WE'VE ROLLED OUT CONTRACT TEMPLATES AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SUBMIT A SERVICE REQUEST AND A SHORT TRAINING VIDEO.
AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE ALSO SUPPORTS PROVIDING US WITH FORECASTING SO WE CAN HELP ALLOCATE RESOURCES MORE EFFICIENTLY.
SO TOGETHER THESE IMPROVEMENTS HAVE UPDATED OUR OPERATIONS, ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE OUR TIMING, IMPROVE OUR ACCURACY, AND HAVE GIVEN CLIENTS MORE TRANSPARENCY INTO THEIR MATTERS.
AND SO I'LL PAUSE HERE AND TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, THE CHIEF OF LITIGATION DIVISION.
GOOD MORNING, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM AND CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE MEMBERS
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OF THE COMMITTEE.I'M JENNIFER HUGGARD. I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN ME BEFORE.
I'M THE CHIEF OF LITIGATION IN THE LITIGATION DIVISION.
WE DEFEND THE CITY IN ALL LITIGATION CLAIMS AND LAWSUITS THAT HAPPEN IN A VARIETY, GREAT VARIETY OF TOPICS.
WE MANAGE ALL PHASES OF LITIGATION.
SOMETIMES WE HANDLE CLAIMS AT THE ONSET WHEN THEY ARE RECEIVED, CERTAIN TYPES OF CLAIMS. WE HANDLE INVESTIGATIONS.
WE GIVE LEGAL FEEDBACK ON THOSE INVESTIGATIONS.
WE HANDLE PRETRIAL, WHICH IS A BIG PART OF WHAT LITIGATORS DO IS ALL THE PRETRIAL PHASES OF A LITIGATION MATTER.
WE WORK WITH THE CITY, WITH THE OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT ON ALMOST A DAILY BASIS, ADVISING THEM AND WORKING TOGETHER ON CLAIMS AND SETTLEMENTS.
WE HANDLE A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES INVOLVING APPEALS, CITY CODE VIOLATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL, EMINENT DOMAIN, CONSTITUTIONAL, PROPERTY DAMAGE, PERSONAL INJURY, EMPLOYMENT.
THEN WE ALSO HANDLE SOME AFFIRMATIVE LITIGATION WHERE WE INITIATE LAWSUITS TO COLLECT MONEY OR TO COMPEL A PROPERTY OWNER TO BRING ITS PROPERTY INTO COMPLIANCE WITH CITY CODE OR STATE LAW.
THIS IS THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS IN THE LITIGATION DIVISION.
THE APPELLATE SECTION, WHICH ADVISES ON ALL APPEALS, COLLECTIONS AND BANKRUPTCY, WHICH I JUST MENTIONED.
OUR COMMUNITY PROSECUTION USED TO BE ONE SECTION.
A FEW YEARS AGO, BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM CITY COUNCIL, WE SEPARATED THE COMMUNITY PROSECUTION SECTION INTO TWO.
ONE THAT WORKS ALONGSIDE EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, AND ENFORCEMENT, AND ANOTHER THAT WORKS ON LITIGATION MATTERS.
WE HAVE EMPLOYMENT SECTION, GENERAL LITIGATION, MUNICIPAL PROSECUTION, AND TORTS.
STARTING WITH APPELLATE, ONE OF THE INITIATIVES OF EFFICIENCY THAT WE RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED IS WE PULLED TOGETHER OUR OPEN RECORDS ATTORNEYS THAT WERE IN THE GENERAL COUNSEL DIVISION AND WE PULLED THEM INTO THE APPELLATE SECTION BECAUSE OUR APPELLATE SECTION HANDLES ALL OPEN RECORDS LAWSUITS.
WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS A GREAT EFFICIENCY TO HAVE THEM ALL WORK TOGETHER.
THIS IS NOT INCLUDING DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT LIAISON.
THEY HANDLE THOSE OPEN RECORDS.
IN TERMS OF LAWSUITS AND ALL OTHER OPEN RECORDS ADVICE, THE APPELLATE SECTION HANDLES THAT NOW.
THEY OVERSEE DRAFTING AND ORAL ARGUMENT ON ALL APPELLATE MATTERS.
THEY SUPERVISE THE DRAFTING OF AMICUS BRIEFS IF WE EVER DECIDE TO DO ONE.
WE REVIEW AND ADVISE ON DISPOSITIVE MOTIONS, SO ONE GREAT INITIATIVE WE'VE IMPLEMENTED, AND THIS HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR PROBABLY SIX OR SEVEN YEARS, IS ANY ATTORNEY WHO'S DRAFTING A DISPOSITIVE MOTION, WHETHER IT BE A PLEA TO THE JURISDICTION OR A MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO FLOW THAT THROUGH THE APPELLATE DIVISION BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE ATTORNEYS WHO HANDLE THE APPEALS.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A RECORD AND A BRIEF THAT'S IN THE BEST POSTURE FOR IF AN APPEAL OCCURS.
THAT'S WHAT THEY DO ON A DAILY BASIS, ALONG WITH ALL OF THEIR APPELLATE BRIEFING WORK.
COLLECTIONS AND BANKRUPTCY, THESE ARE THE ATTORNEYS WHO WORK HARD EVERY DAY.
THEY HAVE VERY ROBUST PARALEGALS WHO SEND OUT DEMAND LETTERS AND WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO OWE MONEY TO THE CITY.
THEY REPRESENT THE CITY IN ALL BANKRUPTCY MATTERS.
THEY HANDLE AD VALOREM TAX MATTERS.
THEY WORK WITH LINEBARGER FIRM ON ROUTINE BASIS AND COLLABORATE WITH THEM ON MATTERS.
THEY REPRESENT THE CITY IN SUBROGATION AND WORKERS COMP MATTERS, SO SOMETIMES THE CITY WILL NEED TO COLLECT ON SOME OUTSTANDING MEDICAL BILLS THAT WERE PAID FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S AN EMPLOYEE WHO WAS INJURED AT THE HANDS OF A THIRD PARTY.
THIS SECTION WILL COLLECT ON THOSE OUTSTANDING BILLS.
AND THE COMMUNITY PROSECUTION SECTIONS, I COMBINED THEM HERE ON ONE SLIDE.
THEY WORK WITH RESIDENTS AND CITY DEPARTMENTS TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS TO QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
THEY WORK ALONGSIDE, PHYSICALLY, ALONGSIDE POLICE DETECTIVES, CODE OFFICERS, AND FIRE PREVENTION OFFICERS FROM EACH OF THE SEVEN POLICE SUBSTATIONS ACROSS THE CITY EVERY DAY, ENSURING THEY ARE ALL ACCESSIBLE AND RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY'S UNIQUE CHALLENGES, WHICH I THINK THAT'S A GREAT INITIATIVE TO HAVE OUR ATTORNEYS OUT THERE IN THE FIELD
[00:20:03]
WITH THE PEOPLE WHO GO OUT AND GO ON INSPECTIONS.THEY GO ON INSPECTIONS ALL THE TIME WITH CODE OFFICERS, AND SO THEY CAN SEE FOR THEMSELVES WHAT IS GOING ON WITH A PROPERTY THAT'S STRUGGLING.
THEY PROVIDE ADVICE TO CITY DEPARTMENTS IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF CITY CODE.
THEY REVIEW AND ADVISE FAIR HOUSING INVESTIGATIONS AND ESCALATE LEGAL ACTION IF NECESSARY.
AND THEY INITIATE LITIGATION WHEN IT'S NEEDED.
AND THAT ACTUALLY IS THE LAST RESORT TO HAVE TO GO TO LITIGATION, BUT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO DO THAT.
AND WHEN WE DO, THE ATTORNEYS ARE THERE AND THEY'RE READY TO FILE THE LAWSUIT AND GET THAT ACTION GOING.
THE EMPLOYMENT SECTION, I'VE ALWAYS REFERRED TO IT KIND OF AS A HYBRID SECTION BECAUSE THEY DO A LOT OF ADVICE AND COUNSEL ON A DAILY BASIS TO DEPARTMENTS ON DISCIPLINARY MATTERS, ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVES, THEY WORK ON IF THERE'S AN ACCOMMODATION REQUEST IN A PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT AND THE MANAGER OR SUPERVISOR OR HR REP NEEDS ADVICE ON HOW TO HANDLE AN ACCOMMODATION REQUEST, OUR ATTORNEYS IN THE EMPLOYMENT SECTION ADVISE ON THAT, SO IT'S NOT JUST LITIGATION THAT THEY HANDLE.
THEY WORK WITH CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE ON DEVELOPMENT OF AMENDMENTS TO THE PERSONNEL RULES WHEN THOSE ARE NEEDED.
THEY RESPOND TO EMPLOYMENT CLAIMS BROUGHT BEFORE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES.
THE MOST COMMON ONE THAT WE DEAL WITH IS THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION OR THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION AND SOMETIMES THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.
THEY REPRESENT CITY DEPARTMENTS IN ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL HEARINGS THROUGH OUR CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS.
THEY REPRESENT THE DEPARTMENTS ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE STAGES OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL OF A DISCIPLINARY ACTION, A GRIEVANCE, AND ALL THE WAY TO A CIVIL SERVICE HEARING BEFORE EITHER AN ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE OR A CIVIL SERVICE TRIAL BOARD.
AND THEY WORK ON TRAINING WITH SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS ON EMPLOYMENT LAW TOPICS TO HELP THEM GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO MAKE SURE WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS AND EVEN ON THE DAY-TO-DAY THAT YOU'RE PROTECTING THE CITY AND ALSO THE RIGHTS OF THE EMPLOYEES.
THEY DEFEND THE CITY IN LAWSUITS CHALLENGING CITY ORDINANCES, POLICIES, CONSTITUTIONAL CLAIMS, DISPUTES REGARDING CONTRACTS, PUBLIC UTILITY REGULATION, PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS.
THIS IS THE SECTION THAT HANDLES ALL OF THE LITIGATION THAT DOESN'T FALL UNDER A SPECIALTY OF ONE OF THE OTHER SECTIONS.
AND THE MOST NOTABLE, I GUESS, PRACTICE AREA THEY DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS IS REAL ESTATE MATTERS.
THEY'RE EXCELLENT IN KNOWING WHAT THE UNIQUE ISSUES ARE TO MUNICIPALITIES WITH REGARD TO THESE ISSUES AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB.
THEY FILE EMINENT DOMAIN CASES TO OBTAIN PROPERTIES FOR CITY PROJECTS AND THEY DEFEND CITY BOARDS AND OFFICIALS INVOLVING THE ACTIONS OF THE BODIES AT PLAY THERE.
NEXT SLIDE IS MUNICIPAL PROSECUTION.
THEY WORK OVER ON MAIN STREET IN WHAT USED TO BE THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT BUILDING YEARS AND YEARS AGO AND THEY PROSECUTE ALL OF THE CLASS C MISDEMEANORS IN THE CITY.
IT'S NOT JUST TRAFFIC CITATIONS, BUT THAT IS THE BULK OF IT.
THEY WORK ON CIVIL MATTERS ALSO IN THE MUNICIPAL COURTS SUCH AS APPEALS OF PARKING VIOLATIONS AND DANGEROUS DOG DETERMINATIONS.
THEY WORK ALONGSIDE DALLAS COUNTY AND OTHER ENTITIES TO WORK ON EXPUNGEMENT AND WARRANT RESOLUTION PROGRAMS. THEY PROVIDE ALL THE PROSECUTORS FOR THE COMMUNITY COURTS ALSO.
TORTS IS PROBABLY, I WOULD SAY, AMONG ALL OF THE SECTIONS IN THE LITIGATION DIVISION.
THEY WORK WITH THE HIGHEST VOLUME OF MATTERS.
THEY REPRESENT THE CITY AND ITS EMPLOYEES IN PERSONAL, EXCUSE ME, PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE LAWSUITS.
THEY ALSO REPRESENT THE CITY AND POLICE OFFICERS OR OTHER EMPLOYEES IN LAWSUITS ALLEGING CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS SUCH AS EXCESSIVE FORCE, WRONGFUL ARREST.
THEY PROVIDE, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THEY WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT ON COMPLEX CLAIMS. THEY INVESTIGATE ALL CLAIMS INVOLVING IF AN INDIVIDUAL HAS PASSED AWAY AND A FAMILY MEMBER
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IS FILED A CLAIM AGAINST THE CITY, THE ATTORNEYS IN THE TORTS SECTION INVESTIGATE THOSE CLAIMS AND THEY INVESTIGATE ALL CIVIL RIGHTS CLAIMS. THEY ADDRESS REQUESTS FOR PRESERVATION.THEY GET HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PRESERVATION REQUESTS EVERY YEAR WHEN A CLAIM COMES INTO RISK MANAGEMENT.
RISK MANAGEMENT MAY HANDLE THE CLAIM.
THE TORTS SECTION HANDLES THE PRESERVATION REQUEST.
AND THAT MEANS IF AN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS DEMANDING THAT EVIDENCE BE PRESERVED FOR PURPOSES OF THE LAWSUIT, THEY HANDLE THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION AND THOSE INSTRUCTIONS GO OUT TO THE PROPER PARTIES IN THE CITY.
AND THEY ALSO WORK ALONGSIDE THE ATTORNEYS AT THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HELP TRAIN POLICE RECRUITS ON CONSTITUTIONAL LAW ISSUES.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE ATTORNEYS WHO WORK IN THE TORTS SECTION HAVE A UNIQUE SKILL SET IN DEFENDING CONSTITUTIONAL CLAIMS. AND SO THEY HELP AND WORK ALONGSIDE THOSE ATTORNEYS TO TRAIN POLICE RECRUITS.
SO LOOKING AT THIS CHART, WE PUT TOGETHER THE NUMBERS OF THE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN OR THE MATTERS THAT HAVE BEEN OPENED IN THE LITIGATION DIVISION SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
THESE NUMBERS DON'T REPRESENT THE FULL COUNT OF THE MATTERS THAT THE ATTORNEYS ARE WORKING ON AND PARALEGALS.
THIS IS JUST WHAT'S BEEN OPEN SINCE OCTOBER 1 OF 2025.
AND FOR EXAMPLE, THE TORTS SECTION IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON 308 PENDING MATTERS.
AND THEN JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW THE COLLECTIONS AND BANKRUPTCY SECTION HELPS THE CITY'S FISC THROUGH THEIR COLLECTION EFFORTS, IN FISCAL YEAR 24-25, THEY COLLECTED ALMOST $17 MILLION.
AND THROUGH THE END OF JULY OF THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THEY'VE COLLECTED ALMOST $12 MILLION.
AS I MENTIONED, AYEH POWERS IS NOT HERE. SHE IS OUR MANAGING ATTORNEY.
I WILL SAY SHE'S PROBABLY BEEN AT THE CITY AS LONG AS ALL THREE OF US COMBINED.
SO SHE KNOWS IT INSIDE AND OUT.
I HOPE I DON'T FLUB THIS UP TOO MUCH BECAUSE THIS IS SORT OF HER BABY.
SO I'M A LITTLE MORE SCARED OF HER THAN I AM OF Y'ALL.
ALL RIGHT. SO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. LAST YEAR, WE DECIDED TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT OUR OPERATIONS AND HOW TO MODERNIZE IT.
WE WORKED WITH A CONSULTANT TO GET IT IN ORDER.
WE HAD A NUMBER OF MEETINGS WITH SECTION HEADS AND THE DEPUTIES AT THE LIBRARY WHERE WE REALLY FOCUSED ON WHERE SOME OF OUR SHORTFALLS WERE AND WHERE SOME OF OUR STRENGTHS WERE.
AND WE ASKED A LOT OF OUR ATTORNEYS WHAT THEY WANTED OUT OF AN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
WE DID INCORPORATE FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND OUR COURT.
AND WE DECIDED THAT WE REALLY FOCUSED ON WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO GIVE TO THE CITY? AND THAT IS SUMMED UP WITH ETHICAL, INNOVATIVE, AND TRUSTED LEGAL SERVICES.
AND THEN WE MOVED ON TO HOW TO SHAPE OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND THAT INVOLVED THREE PILLARS, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS RAPIDLY EVOLVING EVEN IN THE LEGAL WORLD OR ESPECIALLY IN THE LEGAL WORLD.
WORKFORCE STABILITY AND EXCELLENCE.
WE DID NOTE THAT THERE WAS A PORTION OF OUR STAFF OF OUR ATTORNEYS IN THE FIVE TO TEN YEAR GROUP WHO TENDED TO LEAVE THE CITY AFTER THEY VESTED.
WE'VE TRAINED THEM AND THEY'VE DEVELOPED GREAT SKILLS HERE AND OTHER CITIES LOOK FOR THEM.
AND SO WE WANTED TO SEE HOW WE COULD KEEP THOSE ATTORNEYS.
WE ALSO DECIDED TO FOCUS ON CLIENT OUTREACH.
THAT WILLOW TALKED ABOUT MEETINGS WITH THE ACMS. HOW CAN WE DO SURVEYS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE DEPARTMENTS NEED? AND ALSO, HOW CAN WE KEEP THE DEPARTMENTS INFORMED SO THEY CAN HELP US DO OUR JOBS? OK, SO I'M GOING TO TAKE THE NEXT SLIDE TALKING ABOUT PILLAR ONE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY, WHICH REALLY IS JUST TO FOCUS TO FOCUS ON MAKING OUR TOOLS WORK SMARTER FOR US.
AND OUR INITIATIVES INCLUDE WHAT WILLOW WAS SPEAKING OF EARLIER.
WE'VE CREATED A LEGAL SERVICES DASHBOARD FOR CITY DEPARTMENTS.
WE HAVE A CROSS-SECTIONAL IT COMMITTEE.
WE'RE WORKING ON A WEBSITE REDESIGN.
AND LIKE BIRD MENTIONED, WE'RE DOING STAFF INNOVATION SURVEYS.
WE PLAN TO DO THAT AFTER WE GET GOING FURTHER WITH THIS.
AND THEN WE'RE ALWAYS MONITORING AI LEGAL TOOLS IN THE LEGAL ARENA.
THE AI TOOLS HAVE NOT REALLY ADVANCED TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE COMFORTABLE USING THEM ON A DAILY BASIS.
BUT WE ARE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THOSE EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND WHATEVER CAN BE THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO IMPROVE HOW WE
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DELIVER LEGAL SUPPORT.THE SECOND PILLAR IS WORKFORCE STABILITY AND EXCELLENCE.
AS I MENTIONED, WE WERE LOSING ATTORNEYS IN THE FIVE- TO TEN-YEAR GROUP, FIVE- TO NINE-YEAR GROUP.
AND WE WANTED TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO KEEP THEM AT THE CITY.
AND PART OF THAT WAS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
I'VE HAD YOUNG ATTORNEYS COME TO ME OVER THE COURSE OF MY TIME HERE ASKING, HOW CAN I GET PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT? WHAT CAN I DO? WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF THINGS, INCLUDING MENTORSHIP WITH OLDER ATTORNEYS, MORE EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE SORT OF SHIFTED SOME OF THEIR DUTIES TO REALLY WORK WITH THE YOUNGER ATTORNEYS TO REALLY TEACH THEM MUNICIPAL LAW AND HOW WE WORK AS A CITY.
WE'VE DONE SUCCESSION PLANNING IN EACH SECTION.
THAT MEANS WE NOW HAVE THE CHIEF, BUT WE ALSO HAVE DEPUTY OR DEPUTIES DEPENDING SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE READY TO MOVE INTO THE ROLE WHEN THE CHIEF RETIRES OR MOVES ON.
AND SO THAT THERE'S ALWAYS GUIDANCE IF THE CHIEF'S NOT THERE.
AND ALSO ALLOWS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MANAGEMENT SKILLS.
WE ALSO DO IN-HOUSE CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION ABOUT ONCE A MONTH, SOMETIMES MORE OFTEN ON A FRIDAY.
WE WILL DO A VIRTUAL CLE USUALLY DONE BY SOMEONE IN-HOUSE.
NOT TO RUIN THE SURPRISE, BUT AT SOME POINT I WAS GOING TO ASK SOME OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE ATTORNEYS IF THEY WOULD MAYBE DO A CLE TALKING ABOUT BEING A CLIENT AND BEING A POLITICIAN AND A LAWYER.
THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES I THINK I'VE COVERED, AND THEN WE ARE REALLY, REALLY PUSHING FOR THE ATTORNEYS TO GET RECOGNIZED FOR WHAT THEY DO.
WE DO AN EMAIL TO THE OFFICE, LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT PEOPLE HAVE ACHIEVED RECENTLY.
PILLAR THREE IS CLIENT OUTREACH.
AND DEPARTMENTS DEPEND ON US, AND SO WE WANT TO BE PROACTIVE PARTNERS.
SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON EXPANDING LEGAL BRIEFINGS, BUILDING ACCESSIBLE ON-DEMAND RESOURCES, WHICH ARE ON THE INTRANET, THE CITY'S INTRANET.
IMPROVING THE SERVICE REQUEST PROCESS, WHICH I DESCRIBED EARLIER.
USING SATISFACTION SURVEYS TO MAKE SURE WE RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM DEPARTMENTS ON OUR RESPONSIVENESS AND OUR EFFECTIVENESS.
THAT LAST ONE IS SOMETHING WE ARE GOING TO BE ROLLING OUT.
AND AS THE CITY ATTORNEY MENTIONED, WE ARE INVESTING MORE IN COMMUNICATION, IN LEGAL EDUCATION, AND COLLABORATION WITH DEPARTMENTS.
SO AS PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, WE DEVELOPED SOME KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, SOME KPIS.
AND PART OF THAT GOES TO THE DASHBOARD THAT WILL HAS SPOKE ABOUT AND JENNIFER DID.
WE ARE REALLY KEEPING TRACK OF THE AMOUNT OF WORK WE DO AND WHERE IT IS IN THE OFFICE.
WE ALL KNOW THAT WE'VE ALWAYS HEARD EVERYONE ALWAYS SAYS IT'S IN THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
IT'S IN THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
NOW WE WERE ABLE TO SAY, SURE, IT WAS IN THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, BUT WE SENT IT TO THE OTHER SIDE.
WE CAN NOW, I GUESS AS THEY SAY, BRING RECEIPTS WHEN WE DEAL WITH THOSE THINGS.
WE ARE KEEPING TRACK OF HOW OUR ATTORNEYS ARE USING TECHNOLOGY AND THEIR TECHNOLOGICAL TOOL USAGE.
WHEN WESTLAW WAS GETTING READY TO ROLL OUT THEIR AI, OUR TOP USERS IN OUR OFFICE HAD THE CHANCE TO USE IT EARLY AS A BETA WITH DIFFERENT RESULTS.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE STAFF RETENTION RATES, SUCCESSION PLANS.
AND AS WILL MENTIONED, WE'RE GOING TO START DOING SURVEYS FOR CLIENT SATISFACTION RATINGS.
AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO KEEP TRACK OF THE NUMBER OF LEGAL TRAININGS WE GIVE TO THE DEPARTMENTS.
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, SO THAT WE CAN HELP THE DEPARTMENTS AND THEY CAN HELP US.
FURTHER, THERE'S A LOT OF MONITORING AND OVERSIGHT AS PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
I THINK I FORGOT TO MENTION, BUT I THINK THE STRATEGIC PLAN WAS EMAILED TO YOU GUYS ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO IN APRIL.
SO THE EXECUTIVE TEAM, WE'RE REVIEWING OUR INITIATIVES.
WE'RE IDENTIFYING SUPPORT NEEDS ACROSS THE DIVISIONS.
WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE SECTION HEADS AND WHAT THEY NEED.
ONE OF THE THINGS ALL THIS TECHNOLOGY HAS GIVEN US IS THE ABILITY TO ALLOCATE OUR RESOURCES TO MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS OF THE CITY.
WE CAN JUST LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND SAY THAT A PARTICULAR SECTION IS GETTING OVERWHELMED.
AND MAYBE ONE SECTION HAS A LIGHT MONTH, MAYBE A JULY.
AND WE CAN ASK SOME OF THEM TO STEP INTO ANOTHER SECTION, AT LEAST BRIEFLY, WHICH ADDS TO THEIR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT WE SUBMIT ARE, I COULD GO INTO THEM, BUT I THINK YOU GUYS CAN READ THEM.
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AFFIRMATIVE LITIGATION, ET CETERA, A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS REACTIONARY.SO IT'S HARD FOR US TO REALLY ESTIMATE THE HIGH NUMBERS.
SO WE ESTIMATE A CONSERVATIVE NUMBER OF HOW MANY CASES WE THINK WE'LL HAVE, HOW MANY CONTRACTS WE THINK WE'LL DO, AND HOW MUCH MONEY WE WILL COLLECT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, GENERALLY, WE'RE RIGHT ON POINT OR AT LEAST ON TRACK TO MEET OUR GOALS.
AND LIKE THE AMOUNT COLLECTED BY LITIGATION, OF COURSE, WE EXCEED THAT NUMBER QUITE A BIT.
ALL RIGHT. AND TALKING ABOUT OUTSIDE COUNSEL INFORMATION, SOMETIMES THINGS REQUIRE, A SITUATION REQUIRES THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO ENGAGE OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
AND THESE ARE THE KIND OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY THAT MIGHT OCCUR.
ONE IS IF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, AND THAT HAPPENS MOST OFTEN IN OUR CIVIL RIGHTS CASES, THE POLICE OFFICER IS SUED INDIVIDUALLY FOR A MATTER THAT THE CITY IS ALSO DEFENDING THE DISCIPLINARY, OR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS DEFENDING DPD AND THE DISCIPLINARY ACTION TAKEN AGAINST THE OFFICER.
WE CAN'T THEN REPRESENT THAT OFFICER IN THE CIVIL LAWSUIT.
SO WE HAVE TO ENGAGE OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO REPRESENT THAT INDIVIDUAL.
SOMETIMES THERE'S A SPECIAL EXPERTISE THAT THE ATTORNEYS IN OUR OFFICE DON'T HAVE. THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN, BUT SOMETIMES IT DOES.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE LITIGATION THAT WE HAVE REGARDING HENSLEY FIELD, WE HAVE ATTORNEYS WHO SPECIALIZE BEFORE THE COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS. AND ALSO THAT BRINGS UP THE THIRD BULLET. IF THE CASE IS OUTSIDE OF OUR JURISDICTION AND WE DON'T HAVE AN ATTORNEY WHO'S LICENSED TO PRACTICE IN THAT AREA, SOMETIMES WE GET SUED IN VERY STRANGE LOCATIONS. AND IF WE CAN'T GET THE CASE MOVED BACK HERE, THEN WE HAVE TO HIRE OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO GET IT DONE.
SOMETIMES IT'S PREDICTED BY STAFFING NEEDS. IF WE HAVE SOME TURNOVER IN ONE OF OUR SECTIONS AND WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION BY THE CHARTER TO PROVIDE THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND HIGH QUALITY LEGAL SERVICES AND TO DO SO, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO ENGAGE OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
AND THEN ON ETHICS MATTERS, UNDER CHAPTER 12A OF THE DALLAS CITY CODE, IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS A RESPONDENT TO AN ETHICS CLAIM, THE CODE PROVIDES THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SHALL ENGAGE AN OUTSIDE ATTORNEY TO REPRESENT THAT INDIVIDUAL WHO'S BEEN CHARGED IN THE COMPLAINT.
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE'RE A GREAT BARGAIN FOR Y'ALL. AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, A LOT OF OUTSIDE COUNSEL, EVEN THE PARALEGALS ARE $75 TO $250 AN HOUR.
IN OUR OFFICE, WE RUN ABOUT $79 AN HOUR, INCLUDING OUR BENEFITS. ONE NUMBER THAT'S NOT ON HERE IS WHEN WE REDID THE ETHICS CODE ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, WE ADDED A REQUIREMENT THAT OUTSIDE COUNSEL GETS PAID AT THE, I BELIEVE IT'S THE MEDIAN INCOME FROM NORTH TEXAS THAT THE BAR DETERMINES.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE BAR STILL DETERMINES IT, BUT EVEN FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, THAT WAS RUNNING ABOUT $300 AN HOUR. SO WE PROVIDE VERY ECONOMIC SERVICES FOR THE CITY.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL SAW, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE THAT CAME OUT YESTERDAY, I BELIEVE, IN THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS.
IT MENTIONED THAT FOR TRANSACTIONAL LAW FIRMS IN THE CITY, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT ARE HEADQUARTERED IN TEXAS, THEIR BILLING RATES INCREASED ABOUT 10% RECENTLY, AND THE SIZE OF THEIR FIRMS GREW ABOUT 2%.
SO WE'RE KEEPING OUR COSTS AND OUR NUMBERS, I THINK, IN LINE WITH WHAT THE CITY NEEDS RIGHT NOW.
AND WITH THAT, WE GO TO QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I WANT TO START WITH, I GUESS, MY END, MY LEFT.
THANK YOU. I THOUGHT YOU'D NEVER ASK. I DO WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S WORK. THANK Y'ALL FOR THE BRIEFING.
I WOULD SAY WITH AS MANY YEARS AS I'VE BEEN HERE AT THIS POINT, I DIDN'T NECESSARILY NEED AN OVERVIEW OF YOUR DEPARTMENT.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU ALL'S WORK. I WILL SAY MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, IT IS STUCK IN Y'ALL'S OFFICE.
NO, THAT IS USUALLY WHAT WE HEAR. I DO THINK THAT THERE'S ALWAYS GOOD EXPLANATION. THANK YOU FOR GIVING SOME CLARIFYING INFORMATION ON THAT.
THAT'S OFTENTIMES WHAT I HEAR WHEN I COME TO Y'ALL AND SAY, WHY ARE THEY SAYING IT'S STUCK IN Y'ALL'S OFFICE? AND SO JUST KIND OF LEARNING THE INTRICACIES OF HOW YOUR OFFICE WORKS.
AND I WILL SAY WHOLEHEARTEDLY THAT I KNOW THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU ALL ARE VERY TALENTED AND
[00:40:01]
SKILLED AND COULD BE MAKING A LOT MORE MONEY OUT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.AND WE DO APPRECIATE Y'ALL SHARING Y'ALL'S TALENT AND EXPERTISE WITH US IN THE CITY OF DALLAS. I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR Y'ALL'S WORK.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OVERVIEW. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BAZALDUA, COUNCILMAN BLACKMON, COUNCILMEMBER ROTH.
THANK YOU. LISTEN, YOU ALL ARE IMPRESSIVE. IT'S THE DEPARTMENT'S IMPRESSIVE.
THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT THAT I'VE ENCOUNTERED SEEM TO BE IMPRESSIVE. AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU ALL ARE DOING.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU ALL WORK.
AND IT'S NOT AS A CRITICISM, IT'S MORE AS A PROCESS.
IS EVERY DEPARTMENT YOUR CLIENT, BASICALLY? AND HOW DO YOU TAKE INSTRUCTION? HOW DO YOU SORT OF MANAGE A CASE THAT COMES IN? SO, YES, EVERY DEPARTMENT IS OUR CLIENT.
THE CITY COUNCIL IS OUR CLIENT.
INDIVIDUAL CITY EMPLOYEES CAN BE OUR CLIENTS. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF CLIENTS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
THE NORMAL WAY FOR THE GENERAL COUNSEL SIDE THAT WE HANDLE MATTERS IS A SERVICE REQUEST IS SUBMITTED.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK A LOT OF THE DEPARTMENTS ARE...
IT WAS A ROUGH START GETTING THE SERVICE REQUEST SUBMITTED.
IT WAS A NEW PROCEDURE THAT I THINK WE INSTITUTED ABOUT SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO.
AND IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET EVERYBODY ON BOARD WITH IT.
BUT ONCE WE GET THAT, WE'VE AUTOMATED OUR SYSTEM.
THE EMAILS ARE SENT AUTOMATICALLY TO THE REQUESTER SAYING, YOU'VE GIVEN US ALL THE INFORMATION.
WE'RE WAITING FOR INFORMATION. IF THE MATTER IS PAUSED, I THINK JENNIFER TALKED ABOUT HOW THERE'S AUTOMATIC PAUSES, LIKE IF IT'S IN NEGOTIATIONS, ET CETERA.
THERE'S AN AUTOMATIC EMAIL THAT GOES OUT THAT SAYS, HEY, IT'S PAUSED RIGHT NOW. THIS DOESN'T COUNT AGAINST OUR TURNAROUND TIME.
SO WE'VE JUST REALLY SORT OF BORED DOWN INTO HOW TO MANAGE OUR CASES COMING IN.
THE LITIGATION CASES, I'LL LET JENNIFER SPEAK TO THAT.
IN THE LITIGATION CASES, THE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS BEEN SUED IS OUR CLIENT UNLESS WE HAVE TO ENGAGE OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
AND THE CITY OF DALLAS IS OUR CLIENT. WHEN AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTS AN ENTITY, THE CITY IS THE CLIENT.
AND EVERY NOW AND THEN, AN INDIVIDUAL CITY EMPLOYEE OR OFFICIAL WILL BE SUED INDIVIDUALLY.
IF THAT OCCURS, THEN WE LOOK AT WHETHER WE CAN REPRESENT THEM WITHOUT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
AND IF WE CAN, THEN WE REPRESENT THEM.
IN YOUR SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE DEPARTMENT, THE LITIGATION IS A DIFFERENT ANIMAL THAN TRANSACTIONAL STUFF.
IS THE NEGOTIATION, IS THE DECISION MAKING, IS THE SORT OF THE PROCESSING OF A TRANSACTION REALLY HANDLED BY A SENIOR PERSON IN THAT DEPARTMENT? DO THEY HAVE AUTHORITY? HOW DOES THIS WORK? WHO MAKES THE DECISIONS TO GET THINGS FINISHED, GET THE DOCUMENT DONE, GET THE THING NEGOTIATED SO THAT YOU END UP WITH? AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THE TRANSACTION IS TIMELY, IS MOVING FORWARD, IS SORT OF KEEPING IT GOING.
IT'S NOT A CRITICISM BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY PROBLEMS THERE, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW IT WORKS.
SO WHEN A CLIENT IN THE DEPARTMENT, IN ANY DEPARTMENT, HAS A CONTRACT OR A LEGAL QUESTION OR NEEDS DOCUMENTS REVIEWED BECAUSE THEY'VE RECEIVED A GRANT, ANY OF THOSE THINGS, THEIR FIRST STEP IS TO FILL OUT A SERVICE REQUEST WHERE THEY TELL US THE BACKGROUND.
THEY TELL US WHAT THEY NEED, WHETHER IT'S JUST A DOCUMENT REVIEW.
DO WE NEED TO DRAFT A CONTRACT? ARE WE REVIEWING ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVES? ARE WE LOOKING AT HOW A PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED? AND WHAT WE DO IS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF IT.
AND THE DEPARTMENT, EITHER THE INDIVIDUAL OR THEIR MANAGER AND ALL THE WAY UP, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BUSINESS TERMS AND THE BUSINESS DECISIONS.
HOW MUCH ARE THEY GOING TO PAY? DO THEY LIKE THESE TERMS? DOES THIS ALLOW THEM TO MEET THEIR DEPARTMENT OBJECTIVES AND GOALS AND METRICS, ET CETERA? AND SO WHEN WE RECEIVE IT, IF IT'S THE DRAFTING OF A CONTRACT, WE DRAFT THE CONTRACT.
WE SEND IT BACK TO THE INDIVIDUAL FOR THEM TO REVIEW IT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING MISSING, TO SEE DOES IT MAKE SENSE, DOES IT HELP YOU GIVE YOU THE OVERSIGHT YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO CHECK A VENDOR'S PERFORMANCE.
AND IF EVERYTHING IS GOOD, THEN THEY SEND IT ON TO THE VENDOR.
AND THEN THE MATTER STAGE MOVES TO ON PAUSE TO BE WITH THE VENDOR WHILE THEY REVIEW IT.
IT COMES BACK PERHAPS WITH RED LINES OR PERHAPS NOT WITH.
AND THEN WE ENGAGE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS.
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NEGOTIATE THE BUSINESS ELEMENTS OR THE BUSINESS TERMS OF THE MATTER.AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE REACH AGREEMENT AND THEN IT GETS ROUTED FOR SIGNATURE AND COMES TO YOU ALL FOR APPROVAL IF IT MEETS THAT THRESHOLD OR IT'S APPROVED BY THE CITY MANAGER AS SHE IS AUTHORIZED UNDER THE CHARTER FOR CERTAIN THRESHOLDS AS WELL.
HOW MANY ATTORNEYS ARE IN THE DEPARTMENT? I BELIEVE CURRENTLY WE HAVE 144, I THINK.
AND HOW MANY PARALEGALS? OH, HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
AND IT'S UP JUST SORT OF ROUGHLY.
I MEAN, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EXACT.
AND HOW ABOUT PARALEGALS? SO I GUESS WE HAVE ABOUT 104 ATTORNEYS AND THEN THE OTHER 50 OR SO ARE THE SUPPORT STAFF.
SUPPORT OR IS THAT? THAT'S PARALEGALS AND WE HAVE SOME DEDICATED IT PROFESSIONALS.
AND THEN AS FAR AS YOUR BUDGET, HOW BIG IS YOUR BUDGET? IT'S AROUND $20 MILLION.
HOW MUCH? AROUND $20 MILLION, $22 MILLION.
AND OF THAT, HOW MUCH IS OUTSIDE COUNSEL? WE DON'T TYPICALLY HAVE COSTS FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL INCLUDED IN OUR OFFICE'S BUDGET.
THAT IS CONTAINED WITHIN, MOST OF IT IS CONTAINED WITHIN THE OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT'S BUDGET.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT NUMBER IS, BUT YEAH.
THAT'S WHERE I WAS TRYING TO SORT OF FIGURE OUT ALSO IS YOUR BUDGET IS ABSOLUTELY, I MEAN, THE AMOUNTS THAT YOU'RE CHARGING PER PERSON FOR YOUR HOURLY FOLKS ARE OBVIOUSLY REAL REASONABLE.
I'M JUST SORT OF CURIOUS AS TO WHAT OUR OTHER COSTS ARE RELATIVE TO SPECIAL SERVICES, YOU KNOW, SPECIAL EXPERTISE, OR PEOPLE THAT ARE, IF YOU'RE UNDERWATER IN TERMS OF PEOPLE AND YOU NEED TO GET PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE.
IF YOU'D LIKE, WE CAN GET THAT NUMBER FOR YOU AND COME TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS REALLY WHAT KIND OF RESOURCES DO YOU ALL NEED? WHAT ARE YOU LACKING? AND I'M SAYING THAT IN A POSITIVE WAY.
I REALLY THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT'S LEGAL IS REALLY A BIG PART OF EVERY BUSINESS.
AND SO DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH STAFF? DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE? DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT EXPERTISE? ARE WE PAYING RIGHT? ARE WE, DO WE HAVE GOOD RETENTION? I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS THERE ANYTHING, AND WE CAN ALWAYS, YOU CAN ALWAYS BE ASPIRATIONAL, BUT I'M SAYING IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THERE'S A REAL DEFICIT RIGHT NOW IN YOUR DEPARTMENT, IN YOUR QUALIFICATIONS OF ATTORNEYS, ANY SPECIAL EXPERTISE ATTORNEYS THAT YOU'RE FINDING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO GET? I MEAN, IT'S A VERY BROAD QUESTION.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A SPECIFIC ANSWER, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS.
WE HAVE ATTORNEYS IN OUR OFFICE WHO ARE EXTREMELY QUALIFIED AND HIGHLY EXPERIENCED TO HANDLE THE SPECIALTIES THAT THEY HANDLE ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST SPEAKING FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN THE OFFICE, I THINK SOMETIMES WE LOSE THE FIVE- TO TEN-YEAR ATTORNEYS BECAUSE OUR SALARIES CAN'T REALLY COMPETE WITH THE OUTSIDE MARKET FOR THOSE ATTORNEYS, EVEN AS AGAINST OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
AND I KNOW THAT'S THE STRUGGLE WE HAVE WITH THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW TO ADDRESS THAT, BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE.
HOW ABOUT YOUR SENIOR ATTORNEYS IN YOUR SORT OF EXPERIENCE, FOLKS? IN A LOT OF BUSINESSES, A LOT OF FIRMS, SORT OF THE, OUR GROUP IS SORT OF LEAVING.
YES, I THINK IT'S THE MORE TENURED SENIOR ATTORNEYS, WE KEEP THOSE LONGER, THOSE INDIVIDUALS LONGER IN TERMS OF TENURE.
IT'S THAT MIDDLE RANGE THAT WE STRUGGLE WITH.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RIDLEY.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WITH REGARD TO THE GENERAL COUNSEL PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS, YOU TALK ABOUT THE IMPROVED CLIENT COLLABORATION AND COUNTERING A PERCEPTION THAT CAO IS THE DELAY.
CAN YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT HOW YOU'RE DOING THAT? YOU TALK LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION ABOUT A DASHBOARD.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT MAKES THE STATUS OF A PARTICULAR LEGAL SERVICES REQUEST VISIBLE TO THE REQUESTING PARTY OR COUNCILMEMBER? SO WE KEEP A NUMBER OF INTERNAL DASHBOARDS THAT ALLOW US TO TRACK MATTERS FROM THE TIME THEY ARE COMPLETE THROUGH THE VARIOUS STAGES, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING
[00:50:02]
INTERNALLY TO BE ABLE TO RELEASE THAT.SO OUR FIRST RELEASE WAS THE RUSH DASHBOARD TO THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS TO HELP THEM GIVE THEM VISIBILITY.
AND SO WE ARE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO RELEASE OUR MATTER DASHBOARD SO THAT SUBMITTERS, REQUESTERS CAN SEE THEIR STAGES.
BUT THEY CURRENTLY DO KNOW THEIR STAGES BECAUSE EVERY TIME A MATTER IS MOVED FROM ONE STAGE TO ANOTHER, THE SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY SENDS THEM AN EMAIL THAT SAYS YOUR MATTER HAS NOW MOVED TO XYZ STAGE.
REALLY? I'VE NEVER GOTTEN SUCH AN EMAIL.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU SEND TO COUNCILMEMBERS? WELL, TYPICALLY COUNCILMEMBERS DON'T SUBMIT SERVICE REQUESTS TO US, AND SO WE WORK FOR YOU ALL ON AN AD HOC AS-IS RUSH BASIS.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU WOULDN'T BE RECEIVING ANY OF THOSE EMAILS.
I SEE. WELL, THAT LED TO MY NEXT QUESTION, WHICH IS HOW DO YOU HANDLE RUSH MATTERS DIFFERENTLY THAN NON-RUSH MATTERS? SO OUR TURNAROUND TIMETABLE SETS FORTH HOW LONG, DEPENDING UPON THE COMPLEXITY, A MATTER IS GOING TO TAKE.
A RUSH MATTER, WHEN IT COMES INTO US, WE REQUIRE AN ACM'S SIGNATURE AND EXPLANATION AS TO THE NATURE OF THE RUSH.
SO IF IT'S BECAUSE IT'S GOT TO GET TO COUNCIL WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK TO HIT THE AGENDA, THEN WE PULL PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GET IT DONE.
IF IT'S A RUSH BECAUSE A CONTRACT UNEXPECTEDLY IS ABOUT TO EXPIRE, THEN WE PULL THE PERSON THAT NEEDS TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'S HOW WE HANDLE RUSHES, TO MEET THE DEADLINE THAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE SUBMITTER.
I NEED TO REFER TO A SPECIFIC CASE TO ILLUSTRATE A SITUATION WHERE THE PARTY, THE PRINCIPAL INVOLVED HAD REQUESTED, SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
THIS HAD TO DO WITH A MIXED INCOME HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN THE WEST END FROM SYCAMORE PROPERTIES.
AND THEY WAITED MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS TO GET THE CITY TO APPROVE THIS AGREEMENT.
AND I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPACT THAT THAT CAN HAVE ON DEVELOPERS, WHOSE PROFITABILITY DEPENDS UPON SWIFTLY MOVING THROUGH THE APPROVAL PROCESS, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT HAS TO DO WITH MUCH NEEDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND SO YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO COMMENT ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR CASE, BUT HOW DO YOU PREVENT CASES LIKE THAT FROM LANGUISHING IN THE DEPARTMENT FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS? SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU DID ASK US ABOUT THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO EXPLAIN, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE PERCEPTION FROM THE OTHER SIDE IS NOT ACTUALLY LINED UP WITH WHERE THINGS ARE.
AND IT IS FREQUENTLY IN THE INTEREST OF OTHERS MAYBE TO SAY, HEY, WE SUBMITTED THIS, WE DID IT, BUT FREQUENTLY YOU'LL FIND THAT CERTAIN DOCUMENTS WERE MISSING OR LEGITIMATELY ANOTHER MATTER CAME IN AND PUSHED IT A LITTLE TO THE SIDE.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE REALIZED AND LEARNED IS THAT WHEN THERE IS AN ECONOMIC IMPACT ON A DEVELOPER DUE TO A DELAY, THAT THAT IS A CATEGORY OF RUSH OR PRIORITY THAT NEEDS TO BE ADHERED TO.
SO MOST USUALLY WE ARE ABLE TO BACKTRACK AND PROVIDE ANY TIME YOU GUYS ASK US WHY HAS THIS SAT SO LONG TO EXPLAIN THE ACTUAL TIMELINE FROM WHEN WE'VE RECEIVED DOCUMENTS, WHEN IT'S SITTING WITH THE DEVELOPER'S ATTORNEYS, ET CETERA.
OKAY. WELL, ENOUGH SAID ABOUT THAT TOPIC, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTOOD THAT ANY DELAY IN YOUR DEPARTMENT CAN HAVE SERIOUS ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO BUILD, FOR EXAMPLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR US.
ABSOLUTELY. WE DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE LIKE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, OUR PARTNERS MEETING THE DEPARTMENT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE GET IT TOGETHER.
VERY GOOD. WITH REGARD TO THE COLLECTIONS AND BANKRUPTCY SECTION, YOU TALKED ABOUT REPRESENTING THE CITY IN SUBROGATION MATTERS.
AND A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE CITY NEVER PURSUED SUBROGATION CLAIMS FOR DAMAGED CITY PROPERTY, TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES, VARIOUS PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THEN THAT SEEMED TO HAVE CHANGED WITH A COMMITMENT TO GOING AFTER PARTIES CAUSING THE DAMAGE IN THEIR INSURANCE COMPANIES.
WHERE DOES THAT STAND TODAY? WELL, OUR OFFICE HAS A THRESHOLD PER ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE ON MATTERS THAT WE TAKE FOR COLLECTION.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED ANY MATTERS REGARDING PROPERTY DAMAGE,
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BUT I COULD VERIFY THAT WITH THE SECTION AND GET BACK WITH YOU.MOST OF MY KNOWLEDGE ON THE SUBROGATION HAS TO DO WITH UNPAID MEDICAL EXPENSES.
I'D BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING THAT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE JUST TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK WHEN SOMEBODY CAUSES SERIOUS DAMAGE TO CITY PROPERTY, AND WE DON'T BOTHER TO GO AFTER THEM, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY'RE INSURED.
WE COULD BE RECOVERING THAT COST PLUS PRESUMABLY OUR ATTORNEY'S FEES.
SO WITH REGARD TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN UNDER PILLAR 1, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY, YOU TALK ABOUT MONITORING AI LEGAL TOOLS.
I WAS HOPEFUL THAT YOU'RE DOING MORE THAN JUST MONITORING THOSE TOOLS, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING AND UTILIZING THEM.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY DOING THERE? FOR LITIGATION MATTERS IN TERMS OF LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING, I'M TOO CONCERNED ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF AI RESULTS TO AUTHORIZE ATTORNEYS IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO USE AI TOOLS FOR LEGAL RESEARCH.
I DON'T MIND IF THEY USE THEM AS KIND OF A STARTING POINT TO FOCUS WHERE THEY GO WITH THEIR RESEARCH, BUT IN TERMS OF RELYING ON CASE LAW OR ANYTHING THAT, EVEN USING OUR CASE LAW RESEARCH TOOLS THAT HAVE AI PLATFORMS ALREADY IN PLACE, THERE HAVE BEEN SITUATIONS WHERE EVEN THOSE PLATFORMS HAVE PRODUCED HALLUCINATED CASE LAW.
AND SO MY ATTORNEYS, AT LEAST IN MY DIVISION, ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO USE AI PLATFORMS FOR THEIR LEGAL RESEARCH AND CERTAINLY NOT FOR LEGAL WRITING.
EVERY NOW AND THEN, THE PLATFORM WILL ALLOW US TO KIND OF DO A TEST PROCESS, AND WE'VE TAKEN PART IN THAT IN THE PAST WHERE WE HAVE LOGGED ON TO THE AI PLATFORMS TO TEST THEM OUT TO SEE HOW THEY WORK.
AND TO DATE, THOSE TESTING PROCESSES HAVE NOT PRODUCED RESULTS THAT WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH.
SO IN THE CASE OF WESTLAW, CERTAINLY THEY'VE DONE...
WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE HAVE TO PAUSE FOR A SECOND.
CERTAINLY, WESTLAW MUST HAVE DONE THEIR DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE ROLLING OUT AN AI CAPABILITY TO ENSURE THEIR CUSTOMERS THAT THEY CAN RELY UPON WESTLAW'S SOFTWARE AND THEY CAN RELY UPON WESTLAW'S AI PROCESSES.
HAVE YOU FOUND THAT THAT'S NOT RELIABLE? IN TERMS OF THE TESTING PROCEDURES THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED WHEN WE HAVE USED THE PLATFORM, NO.
AND I WAS TRYING TO AVOID USING ANY OF THE NAMES OF THESE COMPANIES, AND I KNOW THEY'RE ALWAYS INNOVATING AND IMPROVING.
AND SO WHEN THE TIME COMES, WE WILL TEST OUT THE PLATFORM AGAIN TO HELP US.
BUT REALLY, WESTLAW IS SO EFFICIENT.
AND LEXIS, TOO, WE HAVE SUBSCRIPTIONS WITH BOTH.
AS A RESEARCH TOOL, THEY'RE SO COMPREHENSIVE.
AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, MAYBE I'M A DINOSAUR, BUT IN MY EXPERIENCE, I HAVE FOUND THAT JUST USING THE TRIED AND TRUE METHODS TO DO YOUR LEGAL RESEARCH IS NOT ONLY A WAY TO LEARN THE LAW, BUT IT'S A WAY TO LEARN HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT LAW.
AND IF YOU USE SHORTCUTS TO DO THAT, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE DEVELOPING AS AN ATTORNEY IN A VERY COMPREHENSIVE, THOROUGH WAY.
SO YOU STILL HAVE THE OPTION TO USE WESTLAW AND LEXIS IN THE TRADITIONAL SEARCH FUNCTION WITHOUT THE APPLICATION OF AI? YES, EVERY DAY WE USE IT, EVERY DAY.
SO YOU DID SPEAK ABOUT ONE OF YOUR KPIS BEING STAFF RETENTION RATES, PARTICULARLY FOR 5- TO 10-YEAR ATTORNEYS.
HOW SUCCESSFUL HAVE YOU BEEN IN IMPROVING THE RETENTION RATES FOR THAT COHORT? I THINK OUR RETENTION RATES ARE IMPROVING.
I THINK OUR RETENTION RATES ARE IMPROVING.
I WOULD LET ME ASK MY RESIDENT EXPERT VERY QUICKLY.
HE'S OUR LEGAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR.
SO MY OBSERVATION THAT WE ARE IMPROVING OUR RETENTION, I HAVE SEEN A FEW PEOPLE THAT IT'S ACTUALLY OCCURRED WITH, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I WAS JUST INFORMED THAT WE HAVE NOT COLLECTED A FULL, SOLID YEAR YET, SO WE DON'T HAVE THE ACTUAL NUMBER YET.
[01:00:01]
BUT ANECDOTALLY, I BELIEVE WE'RE IMPROVING.AND THEN FINALLY ON SLIDE 33, THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES TABLE, YOU INDICATE THAT THERE'S QUITE A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE 25-26 BUDGET AND THE FORECAST IN TWO CATEGORIES, A NUMBER OF ACTIVE CLAIMS AND A NUMBER OF CONTRACTS THAT YOU PROCESSED.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CLAIMS OF 900 TO 3,500 THAT WEREN'T ANTICIPATED AT THE TIME OF BUDGET APPROVAL? AND DO YOU SEE THAT AS PART OF A CONTINUING PATTERN? I NOTICE YOU DROPPED BACK FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET TO THE 900 FIGURE.
SO IS THIS REALLY A BLIP IN THE ROAD? I THINK WE TREND LOW ON OUR BUDGET FOR THE PERFORMANCE MEASURE BECAUSE WE DON'T CONTROL THE NUMBER, AND SO IT'S DIFFICULT YEAR TO YEAR TO PREDICT EXACTLY HOW MANY CLAIMS WE'LL RECEIVE.
BUT WE ARE COMMITTED TO LOOKING BACK AT THAT AND CONSIDER ADJUSTING THOSE NUMBERS IN THE FUTURE BASED ON THE RECENT HISTORY OF CLAIMS AND AMOUNTS COLLECTED AND LOOK AT THAT FOR FUTURE BUDGETS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY CHANGE WE CAN MAKE THERE.
WELL, I NOTICED THAT THE AMOUNT OF LIABILITY CLAIM CONTINGENCY FUND INCREASED FROM FISCAL YEAR 25 FROM $1.3 MILLION TO THIS YEAR $2.3 MILLION.
AND I WONDERED IF THERE'S ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN THOSE TWO FIGURES AS TO WHY IT JUMPED 80%.
DID YOU SAY THE LITIGATION RISK FUND? LIABILITY CLAIM FUNDS IN THE NON-DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET.
DO YOU MONITOR THAT AT ALL? I KNOW IT'S NOT IN YOUR BUDGET.
I HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH THE RISK MANAGEMENT OFFICE, AND WE ADVISE THEM ON CLAIMS AND LAWSUITS THAT HAVE COME IN THAT WE NEED TO RESERVE MONEY ON OR THAT WE, I GUESS, WHEN THE POTENTIAL RISK IS GREATER THAN THE THRESHOLD AMOUNT THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR OUR INPUT ON, AND WE MEET WITH THEM MONTHLY AND UPDATE THOSE NUMBERS.
AND I THINK THAT PREDICTS HOW THEY DECIDE LATER WHAT THEY NEED TO PUT IN THE RISK FUND.
JACK MIGHT HAVE A BETTER, MORE MATHY WAY TO EXPLAIN THAT THAN I CAN.
JACK IRELAND, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
MS. HUGGARD EXPLAINED IT CORRECTLY.
THE RISK MANAGEMENT OFFICE, THE BUDGET TEAM MEET WITH MS. HUGGARD AND HER TEAM ON A MONTHLY BASIS, LOOKING AT CASES AND BASED UPON WHEN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE BELIEVES THERE MAY BE A COST, A PAYMENT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE WITHIN THAT PERIOD.
SO WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE SET THE LIABILITY BUDGET FOR EACH YEAR.
AND SO IF THEY HAVE MORE CLAIMS THAT THEY EXPECT TO PAY IN A GIVEN YEAR, THEN WE WOULD SET ASIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THAT.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE'S A SURPLUS IN THAT FUND BECAUSE OF THE FALL-OFF IN CLAIMS? YES, SIR.
SO IF THERE IS A SURPLUS IN THE FUND, THEN THAT AFFECTS HOW MUCH WE MAY NEED TO BUDGET THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
IT IS LOOKED AT OVER MULTIPLE YEARS, AND SO IF THERE'S ANY CARRY FORWARD TO THE NEXT YEAR, THEN WE USE THAT.
BECAUSE THEY FREQUENTLY HAVE CASES THAT THEY THOUGHT WERE GOING TO TRIAL IN ONE YEAR, THEY GET PUSHED BACK.
AT THE SAME TIME, THEY HAVE OTHER CASES THAT THEY DID NOT ANTICIPATE GOING TO TRIAL ON THAT GET SCHEDULED EARLIER.
SO IT'S JUST MOVING THOSE CASES FORWARDS AND BACKWARDS ACCORDING TO THEIR SCHEDULE AND MOVING THE FUNDING WITH THAT.
SO ANY BALANCE IN THAT FUND GETS CARRIED FORWARD YEAR TO YEAR? YES, SIR.
MAY I JUST TELL, SOMETIMES WE WIN CASES THAT WE'VE HAD TO RESERVE MONEY ON, AND WE NO LONGER NEED THOSE RESERVES.
AND WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS IN OUR LITIGATION MATTERS AND DEFENDING CLAIMS. AND I THINK THAT ALSO IS SOMETHING THAT WE REPORT ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
WELL, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
AND I LIKE TO THINK OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS THE GLUE THAT HOLDS THE CITY GOVERNMENT TOGETHER.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, AND THEN I'M GOING TO GO TO, I SEE COUNCILWOMAN BLAIR.
COUNCILMEMBER ROTH HAD A QUESTION, HAD A STATEMENT OR QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW, I CAN'T REMEMBER.
I THINK YOUR ANSWER WAS WE ARE PRETTY MUCH, EVERY DEPARTMENT IS YOUR CLIENT, CORRECT? HOWEVER, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE CLARITY FOR MY PEOPLE THAT'S LISTENING.
[01:05:01]
WE'RE NOT ONLY YOUR CLIENTS, BUT YOU ALSO WILL REPORT TO THE COUNCIL, CORRECT? I DO REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.SO PRETTY MUCH YOU HAVE 15 BOSSES, NOT JUST CLIENTS, CORRECT? IT CAN BE SEEN THAT WAY FOR SURE.
FROM MY EYES, IT'S SEEN THAT WAY.
SECONDLY, I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION.
HOW DO THE ATTORNEYS DETERMINE WHEN OR WHEN NOT TO OUTSOURCE SERVICES? ON THE CRITERIA SLIDE, WE HAVE THOSE.
LET ME SEE WHAT SLIDE THAT IS.
THE MOST COMMON REASON WE HAVE TO ENGAGE OUTSIDE COUNSEL IS WHEN THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
IN THOSE CIVIL RIGHTS CASES, LIKE I MENTIONED, THAT CAN OCCUR.
SOMETIMES THERE'S A SPECIAL EXPERTISE IN A PRACTICE AREA THAT WE NEED.
ONE OF THE EXAMPLES IS TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT.
WE HAD A CASE THAT WE HAD TO HIRE OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS ON, SO THAT'S A VERY HIGHLY SPECIALIZED FIELD TO PURSUE A CLAIM AND A LAWSUIT ON WHICH WE WERE SUCCESSFUL WITH.
IF THE CASE IS OUTSIDE OF OUR JURISDICTION, SOMETIMES WE HAD A CASE PENDING IN FLORIDA, WE HAD A CASE PENDING IN KANSAS.
IF WE'RE NOT LICENSED TO PRACTICE THERE, THEN WE HAVE TO ENGAGE AN ATTORNEY TO DEFEND THE CASE AND TRY TO GET IT MOVED TO DALLAS.
SOMETIMES IF WE HAVE A STAFFING STRUGGLE, THEN WE MIGHT HAVE TO HIRE OUTSIDE COUNCIL TO HELP WITH THE FLOW OF CASES.
THIS MOST OFTEN HAPPENS IN OUR TORT SECTION.
THEN ON ETHICS MATTERS, UNDER CHAPTER 12A OF THE DALLAS CITY CODE, IT'S THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OBLIGATION TO ENGAGE OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO REPRESENT A RESPONDENT TO AN ETHICS CLAIM WHEN NECESSARY.
THOSE FUNDS COME FROM RISK MANAGEMENT? SOMETIMES A SPECIFIC CITY DEPARTMENT WILL FUND ENGAGEMENT OF OUTSIDE COUNSEL, BUT MOST OFTEN IT'S OUT OF THE LITIGATION RISK FUND, YES.
SO IT'S WITHIN YOUR BUDGET? NO, IT'S WITHIN THE OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT'S BUDGET.
WHAT METRICS DO YOU UTILIZE FOR OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS? I'M SORRY.
WHAT METRICS DO YOU UTILIZE FOR OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A SPECIFIC FORMULA OR MATRIX THAT WE'VE ADOPTED.
WE JUST USE THIS CRITERIA, AND WE FOLLOW THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE STATE BAR RULES TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT VIOLATING THEM WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT AN ISSUE.
SO WHEN YOU USE OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS, IS THAT FROM YOUR EXPERTISE OR IS THAT ALSO ADOPTED BY THE STATE? WHEN YOU USE OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS, IS THAT FROM YOUR EXPERTISE OR IS THAT ALSO DIRECTED FROM THE COUNCIL? IT'S THE CITY ATTORNEY'S PREROGATIVE TO DETERMINE WHEN OUTSIDE COUNSEL IS NECESSARY.
DO THE COUNCIL DIRECT THE CITY ATTORNEY AT SOME POINT THAT THEY FEEL IT'S BEST IF THERE'S OUTSIDE COUNSEL THAT NEEDS TO BE HIRED FOR A PARTICULAR SUBJECT MATTER? WE'VE CERTAINLY RECEIVED THAT INFORMATION, AND SOMETIMES WE DO ACT ON IT.
SOMETIMES WE'RE ABLE TO HANDLE IT IN-HOUSE, AND WE RESPOND IN KIND.
WHAT OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS TO MAKE YOUR DEPARTMENT MORE RESPONSIVE? THE RUSH DASHBOARD, THE REFINING OF THE MATTER STAGES, THE SENDING OF THE AUTOMATIC EMAILS TO CLIENTS, TO CLIENT REQUESTERS, THE PEOPLE WHO SUBMIT THE SUBMISSIONS, THE SERVICE REQUESTS SO THEY KNOW THE STATUS, MEETING WITH THE MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS TO GET FEEDBACK AND TO TALK THROUGH BOTTLENECKS.
AND I THINK I MENTIONED ONE MORE.
THE TURNAROUND TIMETABLE, A BETTER TURNAROUND TIMETABLE.
IT USED TO BE THAT EVERY SERVICE REQUEST WAS A 14-DAY, TWO-WEEK TURNAROUND, WHICH WAS REALLY NOT VERY PRECISE AND WASN'T DOABLE BECAUSE THAT MEANT ALL COMPLEX MATTERS AND SIMPLE MATTERS ALL THAT 14 DAYS.
SO WE WORKED THROUGH EACH SECTION.
WE IDENTIFIED THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRANSACTION MATTERS, AND THAT TURNAROUND TIMETABLE IS ON THE CITY'S INTRANET SO THAT FOLKS CAN SEE WHAT IS A REALISTIC TURNAROUND TIME FRAME, AND THEN WHEN THEY SUBMIT THE SERVICE REQUEST, THE EMAIL ALSO TELLS THEM WHAT THE TURNAROUND TIME FRAME IS.
AND WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT CHALLENGES WITH OPERATIONS OF YOUR DEPARTMENT? SO FROM A GENERAL COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE, IT REALLY IS THE VOLUME AND THE COMPLEXITY.
AND SO OUR CHALLENGE IS MAKING
[01:10:02]
SURE THAT OUR SENIOR ATTORNEYS ARE ALSO ABLE TO SHARE WITH OUR MORE JUNIOR ATTORNEYS THE APPROACH, THEIR EFFICIENCIES, THEIR KNOWLEDGE BASE, MAKING SURE THAT WE WORK THROUGH AND MEET OUR TIMETABLES, OUR TURNAROUND TIMETABLE, AND THAT WE IDENTIFY BOTTLENECKS AND THEN FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION IF THERE IS A BOTTLENECK.SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN A COUPLE OF ATTORNEYS HAVE LEFT, THAT LEAVES A WHOLE SWATH OF MATTERS TO NOW BE ABSORBED BY THE REMAINING FOLKS.
AND SO WE HAVE DEVISED A WEEKLY MEETING WITHIN EACH SECTION TO DEDICATE A COCOON TIME TO WORK ON THOSE MATTERS SO THAT WE CAN BRING THEM UP TO SPEED.
I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION IF I WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
I THINK THAT, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO FOR OUR CITY.
THERE'S BEEN SOME CHALLENGES IN MY OPINION AS I OBSERVE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MATTERS THAT WE'VE HAD THAT I FELT THE ATTORNEY OFFICE KIND OF WAS A LITTLE DELAYED IN THEIR DELIVERY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF A PROFESSIONAL, TIMELY MANNER WHEN IT COMES TO HOW WE DELIVER FOR OUR CITY AND MORE FOR OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHEN WE'VE GOT REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUES AT THE FOREFRONT.
AND SO I KNOW IN THE FUTURE WE'LL BE TALKING MORE ABOUT THAT.
IT MIGHT PROBABLY BE MORE VERBAL THAN OTHERS WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.
I SEE COUNCILWOMAN BLAIR'S HAND HAS BEEN RAISED FOR QUITE SOME TIME, SO I WANT TO GO TO HER.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
I SO APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE IT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT I DID NOT KNOW.
BUT I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I DON'T THINK THAT WERE, I THINK THAT I HEARD THE ANSWER TO, SO IF YOU HAVE ALREADY SAID SOMETHING, PLEASE FORGIVE MY REDUNDANCY.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MANY OUTSOURCED CASES DO WE HAVE THAT ARE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE STATUS OF THEM AND HOW COME WE DO NOT HAVE THE EXPERTISE WITHIN THE CITY TO MANAGE SOME OF THESE CASES? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
WE HAVE TO GET YOU THE NUMBER OF THE TOTAL OUTSOURCED CASES THAT WE HAVE.
I DIDN'T BRING THAT FIGURE WITH ME.
BUT IN TERMS OF THE EXPERTISE, WE HAVE TO BALANCE WHETHER IT MAKES SENSE TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY ON BOARD FULL TIME ON A SPECIALTY AREA THAT WE DON'T REGULARLY PRACTICE, AND IF IT IS AN AREA THAT WE DON'T REGULARLY PRACTICE, THAT IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO ENGAGE AN OUTSIDE ATTORNEY WITH THAT SPECIALTY RATHER THAN HAVING A FULL TIME IN-HOUSE ATTORNEY.
WHAT I DID HEAR IS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THIS IS PAID OUT OF RISK MANAGEMENT, CORRECT? THAT IS THE MOST COMMON COST.
SOMETIMES WE WILL HAVE A LITIGATION MATTER THAT A DEPARTMENT ASKS FOR AND THEY AGREE TO PAY THE COST OF THE ATTORNEY, BUT TYPICALLY IT IS THE RISK MANAGEMENT FUND.
SO HOW MUCH IS IN THE RISK MANAGEMENT FUND AND HOW MUCH IS THE NEED THAT WE KNOW OF TODAY? DO WE KNOW IF THERE IS A DEFICIENCY OR IF THERE IS MORE THAN NEEDED IN THE RISK MANAGEMENT FUND TO MANAGE WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR PLATES? I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF MR. IRELAND IS STILL HERE.
HE MIGHT HAVE THE NUMBER, BUT I DON'T TRACK THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT'S IN THE RISK MANAGEMENT FUND.
I JUST TRACK WHAT IS NEEDED FOR EACH PARTICULAR CASE THAT OUR OFFICE IS HANDLING.
DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBER OF WHAT IS NEEDED FOR EACH CASE THAT YOUR OFFICE IS HANDLING? AND CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN WHY THIS IS FRAGMENTED IN SUCH A WAY? YOU DO THE WORK, YOU HAVE THE COST, BUT YOU GO TO RISK MANAGEMENT IN ORDER TO GET RESOLUTION FOR COST.
IS THERE NO WAY TO EITHER LOOK AT IT HOLISTICALLY TO SAY ARE WE BEING EFFICIENT OR WHY IS IT SO FRAGMENTED THAT WE DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANY
[01:15:01]
EFFICIENCIES THAT ARE NEEDED OR NOT NEEDED? I THINK I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.I HAVEN'T VIEWED IT AS BEING FRAGMENTED.
I VIEW IT AS COLLABORATION WITH RISK MANAGEMENT AND THE BUDGET OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WITH THE EXPERTISE IN RISK MANAGEMENT, WE'RE THE EXPERTS IN HANDLING THE LITIGATION AND PREDICTING THE POSSIBLE OUTCOME.
AND WE WORK HAND-IN-HAND ON A WEEKLY, MONTHLY BASIS TO COORDINATE SO THAT THEY HAVE THE BEST INFORMATION THEY CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE PLACED IN THE RISK FUND.
WELL, AS WE DO CASES AND SOMETIMES WE NEED TO APPROVE FUNDING FOR SOME OF THESE CASES, WE DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE MONEY FOR IT OR NOT BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING THIS IS WHAT'S NEEDED, THIS IS THE COST, BUT NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS, WE DON'T ALSO HAVE MR. IRELAND IN THE ROOM THAT SAYS DO WE HAVE THE FUNDING FOR THAT OR ARE WE GOING TO RUN OVER OUR BUDGET? IN THE TIME OF BUDGET CRUNCHING NOW, I WOULD, I BELIEVE IT IS MY, I AM OF THE OPINION COLLABORATION IS REQUIRED, BUT ALSO TRANSPARENCY IS ALSO NEEDED.
SO IN THE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS THAT YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE DOING, THE TRANSPARENCY FOR ME IS NOT THERE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF I'M SPENDING, IT'S LIKE I HAVE A BUDGET AND ONE PARTNER IS JUST SPENDING ALL THE MONEY THEY WANT TO SPEND AND THE OTHER PARTNER IS SITTING THERE AND SAYING WHERE AM I GOING TO GET THE MONEY? WHERE AM I GOING TO GET THE MONEY? I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.
THAT'S THE WAY I FEEL THAT WE'RE TALKING AND I, THAT'S A HARD WAY TO LIVE.
SO DO WE HAVE THE MONEY TO HANDLE ALL OF THE OUTSOURCED CASES? DO WE OR DO WE NOT? THIS IS JACK IRELAND, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
AND AS MS. HUGGARD HAS MENTIONED, IT IS A VERY COLLABORATIVE APPROACH AND WE WILL CONSIDER IT FRAGMENTED IN THAT AS SHE HAS DESCRIBED, THE BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES TEAM, THE RISK MANAGEMENT TEAM AND THE CITY ATTORNEYS TEAM MEET VERY REGULAR AND TALK ABOUT CASES THAT ARE PENDING, CASES THAT ARE BEING FILED THAT MAY REQUIRE SOME TYPE OF FUNDING IN THE FISCAL YEAR, INCLUDING LEGAL FEES AND WHAT CASES WILL BE SETTLED, WHAT CASES MAY BE PUSHED OUT TO A LATER YEAR.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS REGARDING THE FUNDING AND SO WE'RE AWARE OF CASES THAT ARE COMING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL AND WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ON THAT.
AND SO WE BUDGET FOR THE RISK FUND, THE LIABILITY FUND, BASED UPON A CASH NEED.
AND SO IF THERE HAS BEEN A SITUATION WHERE THE NEED FOR CASH, THE NEED FOR BUDGET FOR A PARTICULAR YEAR BEGINS TO EXCEED THE AMOUNT THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR THE YEAR, WE WOULD DO THE SAME AS WE DO WITH ANY OTHER FUND, WHETHER IT'S THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET.
WE WOULD COME BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAKE THE CITY COUNCIL AWARE THAT THAT IS A BUDGETARY PROBLEM.
WE HAVE HISTORICALLY NOT NEEDED TO DO THAT WITH THE LIABILITY FUND BECAUSE WE'VE AGAIN WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE ATTORNEYS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT CASES ARE COMING.
AND ANY FUNDS THAT ARE NOT USED IN A PARTICULAR FISCAL YEAR CARRY FORWARD TO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF NEW MONEY THAT WE ASK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
SO I THINK WE'VE HAD A VERY GOOD HISTORY, A VERY GOOD TRACK RECORD OF WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THE CASES THAT THEY ARE NEEDING FUNDS ON, WHETHER IT IS FOR A SETTLEMENT OR FOR EXTERNAL LEGAL WORK AS WELL.
SO COULD I MAKE A RECOMMENDATION? MOVING FORWARD, I THINK ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, WE NEED TO KNOW AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE TO MANAGE, HELP MANAGE TO OUR SPENDING HABITS, CAN YOU BRING TO US HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN THE RISK MANAGEMENT FOR THESE CASES, HOW MUCH IS NEEDED AND WHAT IS THE PROJECTED COST, WHETHER WE ARE TRACKING OR WE'RE GOING TO BE DEFICIENT? WE DON'T KNOW.
YOU GUYS MAY KNOW IT, BUT I DON'T THINK THE COUNCIL KNOWS IT.
AND LIKE MR. CHAIR SAID, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE AS THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO KNOW HOW AND WHERE WE'RE SPENDING MONEY AND ARE WE DOING IT EFFICIENTLY.
[01:20:01]
OF TRANSPARENCY IN KNOWING WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO HANDLE THESE CASES.AND WHEN WE SAY, OKAY, PAY THIS OUT, WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE PAYING SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS FROM OR IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO A CONTINGENCY BUDGET OR CONTINGENCY POT OF MONEY IN ORDER TO PAY IT.
I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO KNOW UP FRONT WHAT THE COSTS ARE AND WHERE WE STAND.
AND YES, MA'AM, WE CAN, I COULD WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO SEE, I KNOW THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS SOME CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS THAT THEY PROVIDE TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN WORK INTO THAT ON A GOING FORWARD BASIS THAT WOULD HELP THE CITY COUNCIL UNDERSTAND THE FUNDS THAT ARE SET ASIDE.
I'M NOT SURE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANT TO INCLUDE IN OUR ROUTINE PUBLIC BUDGET REPORT, BUT IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD INCLUDE IN THE CONFIDENTIAL ATTORNEY'S REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S JUST TO ME AS COUNCIL MEMBER WHO IS SAYING I GOT TO GIVE UP, I GOT TO GIVE UP THIS AND I GOT TO GIVE UP THAT.
I NEED TO KNOW IF I HAVE TO GIVE UP MY OFFICE AND MOVE TO SMALLER RESOURCES OR SMALLER SPACE, IF WE HAVE MONEY THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACCOUNT FOR, THIS IS ONE OF THE PLACES THAT IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE COMPLETE TRANSPARENCY AND THAT JUST NEEDS TO BE ALTERED.
MOVING ON, WHEN YOU SAID THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING THINGS IN A MORE TIMELY FASHION, I HAVE A GENTLEMAN AND FOR JUST LIKE CHAIR RIDLEY, I HAVE TO GIVE COMPLETE TRANSPARENCY IN ORDER TO EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHY THERE SEEMS TO BE A LACK OF EFFICIENCY.
MR. DINGMAN HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET LOTS FOR FIVE MILE RELEASE, THE DEEDS RELEASE.
HE SAID THAT AFTER I WORKED WITH THE CAL'S OFFICE, HE GOT SIX OF THE 20.
THAT'S BEEN MONTHS AGO AND I KNOW THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT APPEARED THAT HE NEEDED TO MANAGE TOO.
BUT THIS IS EVERY MONTH THAT HE'S NOT ABLE TO BUILD IN EVERY LOT, HE'S NOT ABLE TO BUILD ON.
THE CITY'S LOSING PROPERTY TAXES AND THAT'S INCOME THAT WE COULD BE GETTING AND HE'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR MONTHS.
HE SENT ME A WHOLE LOT OF EMAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES.
HE'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
HE STILL CAN'T GET 20 LOTS SINCE JUNE.
IN JUNE, HIS EMAILS HE GAVE ME, HE SAID THAT HE'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, THAT HE STILL CAN'T GET THOSE LOTS AND THEY SEEM TO BE SITTING IN THE CAL'S OFFICE.
IS THERE A WAY WHERE WE CAN ALSO RECEIVE, WHETHER IT'S IN CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OR WHAT, WHEN WE GET CALLED AND SAID HOW COME WE GET STUCK IN THE CAL'S OFFICE AND WE GO THERE, I DON'T GET ANY FEEDBACK AND I UNDERSTAND THAT FROM WHAT I HEARD IS THROUGH THE SERVICE REQUEST PROCESS, ARE YOU SAYING THAT EVERY TIME WE CALL YOU WITH AN URGENCY WE SHOULD BE OPENING UP A SERVICE REQUEST, IS THAT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO BE GIVEN FEEDBACK OR TELL US HOW WE CAN BE MORE COLLABORATIVE AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR OFFICES AND HOW WE MANAGE TO OUR DISTRICT OR THE NEEDS OF THE CITY? WHEN THE COUNCIL MEMBERS REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE WITH THE NEW DASHBOARDS WE HAVE AND WITH OUR INNOVATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY, WE'RE ABLE TO PINPOINT WHERE THE PROJECT IS AND WE CAN GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION.
I DON'T, YES, I WOULD LOVE TO GET A SERVICE REQUEST EVERY TIME A COUNCIL MEMBER ASKS ME A QUESTION, BUT WE GET TOO MANY QUESTIONS AND YOU GUYS ARE IN RUSHES AND SOMETIMES WE SUPPLEMENT, WE CREATE OUR OWN SERVICE REQUESTS JUST SO WE CAN TRACK CERTAIN MATTERS.
SO DO YOU HAVE A SERVICE REQUEST FOR FIVE MILES AND THESE LOTS OR DO I NEED TO OPEN UP ONE TO EFFECTIVELY SAY WHERE IT IS IN THE PROCESS AND HOW COME WE CAN'T GET THESE THINGS THROUGH, THESE LOTS THROUGH.
HE WAS PROMISED 100 LOTS, HE'S ONLY DONE 30.
COUNCIL MEMBER BLAIR, THAT IS YOUR TIME.
[01:25:01]
QUESTION AND THEN HE CAN ANSWER.I WILL SAY VERY QUICKLY IN THAT CASE THE DEPARTMENT HAS SUBMITTED A SERVICE REQUEST SO WE'RE COVERED ON THE FIVE MILE.
MAYOR PRO TEM, DO ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING FOR THE SECOND ROUND? COUNCIL MEMBER ROTH.
IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH LINEBARGER, IS THAT A COMMISSION OR A FEE OR IS IT A SHARING OF COST OR IS IT AN HOURLY SITUATION? OR IS IT ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEPENDING ON THE CASES THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON? IT'S KIND OF COMPLEX.
MAYBE I COULD SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH YOU AND GO OVER IT IN MORE DETAIL.
I WASN'T LOOKING, I WAS JUST WANTING TO KNOW HOW GENERALLY OUTSIDE WAS STRUCTURED.
AS FAR AS YOUR LITIGATION BUDGET, IS IT ONLY FUNDED BY OUR BUDGETARY PROCESS OR IS IT REPLENISHED THROUGH RECOVERIES ALSO? THE LITIGATION RISK FUND? THE LITIGATION FUND, YEAH, WHATEVER YOU CALL IT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR STATEMENTS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I WILL BE PROBABLY SPEAKING WITH THE COUNCIL POSSIBLY DOING AN AUDIT ON RISK MANAGEMENT.
SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT DONE FOR TRANSPARENCY.
[B. 26-2808A Overview of Municipal Courts [Department of Municipal Court and Detention Services]]
WE HAVE NOW THE OVERVIEW OF MUNICIPAL COURTS FOR ITEM B MUNICIPAL COURTS AND DETENTION SERVICES.GREG NELSON HERE, DIRECTOR OF COURT AND DETENTION SERVICES.
TO MY RIGHT IS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OSIRIS MARQUEZ AND MARSHAL KNIGHT.
TO MY LEFT IS PRESIDING JUDGE PRESTON ROBINSON AND DOMINIQUE ARTIS THANK YOU.
SO THE MUNICIPAL COURT IS A COURT OF RECORD PLAYS A ROLE IN PROMOTING PUBLIC SAFETY, PROTECTING DALLAS RESIDENTS' QUALITY OF LIFE, AND DETERRING FUTURE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.
SOME OF THE EXAMPLE VIOLATIONS THAT WE SEE AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT IS TRAFFIC, STATE PENAL CODE ORDINANCES, AND CONTESTED PARKING HEARINGS AND APPEALS.
OSIRIS MARQUEZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
PRETTY MUCH I'M GOING TO COVER AND WALK YOU THROUGH THE POSITIONS THAT ARE WITH THE MUNICIPAL COURT AS WELL AS OUR DUTIES AND OUR BUDGET AND OPERATING EXPENSES ALONG WITH THE MARSHALS IN DALLAS SECURITY THAT INCLUDED WITHIN OUR BUDGET.
SO PRETTY MUCH I OUTLINED EACH ONE OF, YOU'LL SEE THE OUTLINE OF EACH ONE OF THE POSITONS THAT WE HAVE THAT WORK ON THE MUNICIPAL COURT SIDE. SO WE DO HAVE THE 23 COURTS SPECIALISTS AND THOSE ARE PRETTY MUCH OUR CLERKS. THOSE ARE DEPUTY CLERKS THAT WORK IN THE COURTROOM. THEY WORK AT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE WINDOWS AND THEY ALSO WORK ON OUR RECORDS DIVISION AS WELL AS IN OUR ACCOUNTING DIVISION. WE HAVE YOUR SENIOR STAFF THAT ARE KIND OF OUR LEADS TO THE RESOURCES TO THE COURT SPECIALISTS. AND THEN WE HAVE BROKEN DOWN OF THE IT INTERNAL DEPARTMENT IT ANALYSTS THAT PULL DATA FOR US AND BE ABLE TO REPORT ON DASHBOARDS. WE HAVE A SENIOR CONTRACT COMPLIANCE ADMINISTRATOR, TWO HEARING OFFICERS THAT HANDLE OUR, I'M SORRY, THREE HEARING OFFICERS WHO HANDLE OUR PARKING CITATIONS OF CONTESTED HEARINGS. WE HAVE A TOTAL OF THREE COMMUNITY SERVICE COORDINATORS AND THEY COORDINATE THE COMMUNITY SERVICE THAT IS ORDERED THROUGH THE COURT AND THEY COORDINATE FOR THE INDIVIDUALS TO PERFORM THE COMMUNITY SERVICE AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS OR WITH SOME
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OF OUR PROVIDERS AND CUSTOMERS.WE HAVE SEVEN SUPERVISORS AND SIX COURT ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT AND THAT INCLUDES OUR MANAGERS THERE AND ALSO OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND DIRECTOR FOR THE COURT. AND SO WE PRETTY MUCH HANDLE THE DATA ENTRY OF THE CITATION WHEN IT GETS FILED FROM THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES ISSUING THE CITATIONS. THEY COME IN THROUGH US, WE FILE IT WITH THE MUNICIPAL COURT AND THEN IT GOES THROUGH OF THE NOTICES TO GIVE OUT TO THE INDIVIDUALS LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY GOT A CITATION AND THEN FROM THERE IT WOULD BE THE WINDOWS TO HANDLE AND TRIAGE WHETHER THEY WANT TO ATTEND OUR DIFFERENT COURT PROGRAMS OR OUR COURT COURTROOM. WE HANDLE THE SEIZURES REPORTING, ONLINE REQUESTS AND ALSO COURT HEARINGS THAT ARE REQUESTED.
WITHIN OUR BUDGET YOU SEE THE KIND OF BREAKDOWN MAKES 3.6 IS OUR SALARIES FOR OUR STAFF THAT WERE OUTLINED HERE PREVIOUSLY AND THEN FROM THERE IT'S 2.1 IN SUPPLIES AND SERVICES.
THAT'S ALL OUR OPERATING EXPENSES AND THEN MAJORITY OF THE NEXT OF OUR BUDGET IS MADE UP BY OUR TECHNOLOGY AND PROGRAMMING.
FOR OUR DEPUTY MARSHAL SIDE YOU WOULD SEE WE HAVE 60 DEPUTY CITY MARSHALS, 21 CITY DETENTION OFFICERS AND THEY'RE THE ONES WHO OVERSEE THE DETENTION OF THE INDIVIDUALS COMING IN BEING BROUGHT IN BY DPD OR DIFFERENT OTHER AGENCIES AS THE MARSHALS ALSO DO ARREST.
YOU SEE 12 WARRANT CONFIRMATION CLERKS AND THEY'RE THE ONES ANSWERING THE PHONES OF INDIVIDUALS ARE CONFIRMING OTHER AGENCIES CALLING IN TO CONFIRM THE WARRANTS. WE HAVE TWO CUSTODIAL STAFF AND THEN 58 SECURITY SERVICES AS FAR AS OFFICERS THAT MANAGE OUR CITY FACILITIES AS WELL AS OTHER LOCATIONS. WE HAVE FIVE SECURITY SUPPORT STAFF IN IT TECH WHO HANDLE AS WELL OUR BADGE ACCESS, OUR SECURITY CAMERAS THAT THEY INSTALL IN THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS PER REQUEST AND WE ALSO HAVE THE SOBERING CENTER WHICH IS NINE INDIVIDUALS THAT IS A PROGRAM THAT IS SLATED FOR THIS COMING BUDGET YEAR TO BE ELIMINATED. THE NEXT IS KIND OF THE DUTIES THAT THEY DO KIND OF COVERED THAT THEY DO THE WARRANT CONFIRMATIONS, THEY DO THE PRISONER TRANSPORTS, SUBPOENA AND WARRANT SERVICES, DETENTION OF THE INDIVIDUALS COMING IN FOR PIS OR DIFFERENT OTHER WARRANTS, ILLEGAL DUMPING INVESTIGATIONS, OUR PARK AND TRAIL PATROL AND IN OUR HEART RESPONSE. THEIR BUDGET IS 31.1 MILLION BUDGET. NONE OF THAT 9.4 IS THEIR SALARIES, 2.6 IS THEIR SUPPLIES AND SERVICES SUCH AS ANY EQUIPMENT OR ANYTHING THAT THEY THEY NEED OPERATING AND THEN 19.1 MAKES UP OF CONTRACTS AND THAT'S THE LEW STERRETT CONTRACT AND THE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD AS WELL AS THE THIRD PARTY PRIVATE SECURITY SERVICES.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. GOOD MORNING MR. CHAIR AND COMMITTEE.
PRESTON ROBINSON, ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE FOR THE COURTS. I'M GONNA GO OVER THE JUDICIARY PORTION OF THIS. JUDICIARY POSITIONS, WE HAVE 10 FULL-TIME JUDGES, WE'RE SLATED FOR 18 FULL-TIME JUDGES BUT LAST WE ONLY APPOINTED 16 SO TWO OF THOSE ARE BEING REDUCED. WE HAVE ONE JUDICIARY HEARING OFFICER THAT OVERHEARS CIVIL MATTER, HEARS CIVIL MATTERS, THREE ASSOCIATE HEARING OFFICERS WHO ARE WHEN THAT HEARING OFFICER IS OUT, TWO SUPPORT STAFF, TWO INTERPRETERS THAT ARE THERE FOR SPANISH INTERPRETING, TWO YOUTH DIVERSION CASE MANAGERS, CASE WORKERS THAT ARE COVERED BY GRANT FUNDING AND THEN IN THE CURRENT BUDGET CYCLE THAT WE'RE IN WE ACTUALLY TOOK OVER COMMUNITY COURT AS WELL.
SO CURRENTLY THERE ARE NINE SOCIAL SERVICE COMMUNITY COURT STAFF, TWO LICENSED SOCIAL WORKERS THAT ARE GRANT FUNDED AND FOR THE COMMUNITY COURT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING FOR GRANT FUNDS TO COVER THE COMMUNITY COURT.
PREVIOUSLY THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY COURT BUDGET WAS COVERED BY GRANT FUNDS AND THEY WERE TAKING OUT AND SO UNTIL I'M ABLE TO GET THOSE BACK WE WERE COVERING THOSE RIGHT NOW. DUTIES OF JUDICIARY CONDUCT HEARINGS, PRESIDE OVER JURY AND NON-JURY TRIALS, REVIEW MOTIONS AND REQUEST PERFORM MAGISTRATE DUTIES FOR THE PERSONS THAT ARE ARRESTED IN THE CDC, REVIEW AND SIGN WARRANTS AND WHEN CODE AND DPD COME IN AND ASK US TO REVIEW THEIR WARRANTS AND CONDUCT THE JAIL ARRAIGNMENTS. OUR OPERATING BUDGET 5.2 MILLION DOLLARS, 4.8 MILLION DOLLARS OF SALARY, $400,000 IN SUPPLIES AND SERVICES FOR PROGRAMMING AND CONTRACTS AND IT POSITIONS FOR THE BAILIFFS. WE HAVE 13 BAILIFFS, TWO OF THEM, TWO MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISORY SO 15 BAILIFFS TOTAL. THE BAILIFFS MAINTAIN ORDER AND SECURITY IN THE COURT IN ADDITION TO OUR ALSO COMMUNITY COURT WHEN THE JUDGES GO OUT AND PRESIDE OVER THOSE DOCKETS. DOCKET ANNOUNCEMENTS ASSISTING THE JUDGES AND STAFF, CONTEMPT OF COURT, DETENTIONS, JURY OVERSIGHT, THE BAILIFFS ARE IN CHARGE OF OUR JURY SERVICES FOR US AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE. THAT BUDGET IS 1.4 MILLION DOLLARS, 1.2 MILLION DOLLARS OF SALARY AND TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR SERVICES AND SUPPLIES.
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IS GOING TO SHOW THE TOTAL CASES AND FILED AND REVENUE SO THIS IS A COMPARISON OF OTHER OTHER PEER CITIES. SO LAST YEAR WE HAD 140,000 CITATIONS FILED. WE COLLECTED 19 MILLION.AFTER BILLS WERE PAID, WE GAVE, I WILL, WE CONTRIBUTED 13.9 TO THE GENERAL FUND. WE CAME IN 700,000 OVER BUDGET AND THIS YEAR WE'RE SLATED TO COME OVER BUDGET AS WELL. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THAT THE DALLAS MUNICIPAL COURT IS VERY LEAN. WE HAVE TRIMMED A LOT OF FAT. WE DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF STAFF COMPARED TO PEER CITIES. WE'RE CURRENTLY AT 61 STAFF MEMBERS COMPARED TO THE OTHER CITIES HERE. WE ARE BEING VERY EFFICIENT WITH WHAT WE HAVE. SINCE 2018 WE HAVE ELIMINATED 90 POSITIONS.
SO THIS IS WHERE WE STAND CURRENTLY. 61 POSITIONS.
LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE TRIMMED ALL THE FAT AND BECAME VERY EFFICIENT WITH WHAT WE HAVE AND WE'RE GETTING THE JOB DONE. NEXT SLIDE. NEXT SLIDE YOU WOULD SEE CASES FILED AND THEN CASES CLOSED. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE FILED, RECEIVED IN OUR RECORDS DIVISION AND IT'S IN OUR SYSTEM. SO YOU'LL SEE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS HOW WE HAVE CASES FILED AND HOW WE ARE ALSO CLOSING THESE CASES.
CLOSED CASES PRETTY MUCH IS FINAL DISPOSITION. IT HAS BEEN CLOSED OUT, ZERO BALANCED OR DISMISSED OR THROUGH, MET THROUGH A DIFFERENT, SATISFIED THROUGH A DIFFERENT MEANS.
NEXT SLIDE. HERE WE GO IN DEPTH OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR ONLINE AND ALSO IN PERSON. SO PRETTY MUCH WE HAVE A ONLINE SYSTEM THAT PORTAL THAT ALLOWS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO GO ONLINE ONCE THEY RECEIVE THEIR CITATION. THEY CAN GO ONLINE, DO A CITATION SEARCH TO LOOK IF THEY HAVE ANY OUTSTANDING CITATIONS OR DO A DOCKET SEARCH AND THAT TELLS THEM IF THEY'RE SCHEDULED FOR A COURT HEARING THE DATE AND TIME. THEY CAN GO ONLINE AND REQUEST FOR A DRIVER SAFETY COURSE OR KNOWN AS DSC. THEY CAN REQUEST A DEFERRED DISPOSITION, A COMPLIANCE DISMISSAL, A COURT DATE, PAY IN FULL OR REQUEST A PAYMENT PLAN. THEY ALSO HAVE THE FEATURE WHERE WE HAVE A LIVE CHAT PERSON. IT'S AN ACTUAL CLERK THAT IS HERE AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT AND THEY THEY CHAT IF THEY NEED ANY ASSISTANCE OR HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING OUR WEBSITE OR PROCESSES. OTHER OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE IS THE INDIVIDUAL CAN PAY PAY BY PHONE.
THEY CAN PAY AT A CASH RETAIL LOCATION BY MAIL OR IN PERSON. NEXT SLIDE. KIND OF THE NEXT SLIDE TELLS YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HOW WE'RE PERFORMING ON A MONTHLY BASIS OF THE REQUEST THAT WE RECEIVE FROM OUR ONLINE PORTAL. YOU SEE THROUGHOUT THE THREE DIFFERENT YEARS BACK YOU'LL SEE HOW THE REQUESTS ARE COMING IN AND WHAT INDIVIDUALS ARE DOING THROUGH OUR ONLINE PORTAL THROUGH ONLINE. NEXT SLIDE. SO ON THIS SLIDE WHAT IS IT SHOWING US THAT OUR SERVICE WAIT TIME IF THIS IS THE TIME WHEN YOU COME THROUGH THE DOOR AND HOW LONG IS IT TAKING TAKEN TO SEE A CLERK AT THE WINDOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BUSINESS AND ALSO THE SERVICE TIME AT THE WINDOW THE WAIT TIME TO SEE A CLERK IS SIX MINUTES THE SERVICE TIME AT THE WINDOW IS FIVE MINUTES. THESE ARE THOSE TEXTS THAT WE PULL FROM THIS YEAR 26.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO THIS IS ONE OF OUR INITIATIVES THAT WE DO THROUGHOUT THE CITY OUR ANNUAL WARRANT RESOLUTION DRIVE. THESE ARE THE CASES THAT WE'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THE LAST THREE YEARS AND THE CASES THAT WILL CLOSE. SO THIS INITIATIVE IS VERY EFFICIENT.
THE DEFENDERS THAT COME IN ARE SEEN BY OUR JUDGES AND GRANTED YOU KNOW PAYMENT PLANS OR COMMUNITY SERVICE AND THESE CASES ARE BEING CLOSED. NEXT SLIDE SHOWS OUR MUNICIPAL COURT SATISFACTION SURVEY.
THESE SURVEYS ARE CONDUCTED BIANNUALLY. WE HAVE CLERKS THAT STAND AT THE EXIT DOOR AND TAKE THESE SURVEYS AND WE'RE SITTING RIGHT NOW WITH A 90.5% ON OUR EXIT SURVEYS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY SORRY.
THIS SLIDE PRETTY MUCH KIND OF WALKS YOU THROUGH THE TIMELINE OF A CITATION SO IT PRETTY MUCH WHEN YOU RECEIVE A CITATION THE INDIVIDUAL HAS 21 DAYS TO ANSWER OR TAKE ACTION ON THEIR CITATION.
FROM THERE THEY CAN OPT INTO ONE OF THE COURT PROGRAMS WHICH IS A DRIVER SAFETY COURSE OR DEFERRED. A DRIVER SAFETY COURSE TAKES ANYWHERE FROM 90 TO 120 DAYS TO FINAL DISPOSITION. THEN YOU HAVE A DEFERRED DISPOSITION THAT CAN BE 90 DAYS TO 180 DAYS. YOU ALSO HAVE PAYMENT PLANS DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNTS THAT THEY OWE.
THE THE INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS OR THE MONTHLY PAYMENTS ARE THEN BROKEN UP AND IT CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM 30 TO 180 DAYS AND THEN WE HAVE COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS THAT ARE I'M SORRY COMMUNITY COURT.
COMMUNITY COURT CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM 30 TO 180 DAYS TO GET A FINAL RESOLUTION DISPOSITION OF THEIR CITATION.
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WILL SEE OUR KIND OF OUR RESPONSE RATES OF WHERE WE'RE AT THERE BETWEEN 20 23 DAYS 90 DAYS AND 180 DAYS. NEXT SLIDE. THIS TABLE HERE KIND OF WALKS YOU THROUGH AND SHOWS YOU WHAT OUR WALK-IN NUMBERS ARE FOR OUR WALK-IN COURT IS. SO THIS IS A COURT THAT WE HAVE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THAT WE PROVIDE SESSIONS MORNING AND AFTERNOON SESSIONS WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN ATTEND WHO WANT TO EITHER PLEA OUT THEIR CASE OR SHOW PROOF OF COMPLIANCE FOR THEIR CITATION. THESE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE FOR PRO SE AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE ATTORNEYS THAT ARE ABLE TO COME TO OUR WALK-IN COURT.NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS OUR OVERTIME DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE AND SPENT FOR OVERTIME THROUGHOUT THE THREE DIFFERENT YEARS. AS YOU CAN SEE IT'S BROKEN DOWN THROUGH THE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS THE MUNICIPAL COURT, THE MARSHALS AND DIALED SECURITY, BAILIFFS AND THEN WHAT YOU SEE AS A TOTAL.
NORMALLY OUR IN CRUDE OVERTIME FOR THE MUNICIPAL COURT HAS TO DEAL WITH OUR WARRANT RESOLUTION.
WE'RE ON RESOLVING CITATIONS AND OUR DIALED MARSHALS OFTEN DIALED SECURITY IS FOR DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT THEY DO FOR ENGAGEMENT EVENTS OR ALSO REIMBURSEMENTS THAT THEY GET OF OVERTIME BECAUSE OF REQUESTS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHO REQUEST FOR SECURITY SERVICES. AND THERE ARE BAILIFFS THERE IS THAT IS CONTRIBUTED TO THE WARRANT WOUND UP. THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE FINAL SLIDE WHICH IS THE MUNICIPAL COURT USES A TYLER TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT WHICH IS CALLED MJ9.
WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE FINAL STAGES OF OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS TO PROCURE A NEW COURT CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO ADDRESS ANY EFFICIENCIES THAT WE MAY HAVE.
SO THROUGH OUR COURT CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
WE'RE OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS THE CHAIR ASKED ME TO TAKE OVER THE MEETING SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ASK IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS. MR. RESENDEZ. THANK YOU MR. RESENDEZ AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I KNOW THIS WAS GIVEN ON SOMEWHAT SHORT NOTICE AT MY REQUEST AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE STATISTICS THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION. MY REQUEST FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM WAS PROMPTED BY AN AUGUST 24TH OP-ED BY DAVID PEMA AN ATTORNEY WHO APPARENTLY PRACTICES BEFORE THE MUNICIPAL COURTS AND HE RAISED THREE ISSUES. ONE WAS OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY BEFORE THE USE OF ATTORNEYS IN THAT MICROSOFT EXPLORER WAS NO LONGER SUPPORTED AFTER 2022 AND SO I'M CURIOUS HOW YOU RESPOND TO THAT ISSUE.
ARE YOU REPLACING THAT EXPLORER TECHNOLOGY WITH SOMETHING THAT IS MORE CURRENT? SO YES IN REFERENCE THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION COUNCIL MEMBER. SO IN REFERENCE TO THE OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY WHAT THE REFERENCE HERE IS A PRETTY MUCH THE ABILITY TO GENERATE A SURETY BOND.
ATTORNEYS ARE ANY CASE THAT'S PASSED 21 DAYS ATTORNEYS ARE TO SUBMIT AN ATTORNEY BOND.
IN ORDER TO GENERATE A BARCODE ON THAT DOCUMENT IT REQUIRES TO YOU TO GO THROUGH INTERNET EXPLORER TO GENERATE THAT.
HOWEVER WE'VE CHANGED OUR PROCESSES AND WE HAVE ALLOWED ATTORNEYS TO EITHER FILL IN THE NUMBER THE CASE NUMBER IN THEIR DOCUMENT THAT IS GENERATED WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH THEY HAVE TO FILL OUT THE CLIENT'S INFORMATION THE FACE VALUE OF THE CITATION CHARGE AMOUNT AND THEN DOUBLE AFFINE THE SIGNATURES THAT THEY CAPTURE ON THAT DOCUMENT AND THEN WE FILE IT WHEN THEY BRING IT INTO THE COURTROOM. SO THAT IS NO LONGER A REQUIREMENT THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO GENERATE A BARCODE ON THAT DOCUMENT. SO DO YOU PLAN TO REPLACE THAT TECHNOLOGY AT SOME POINT OR JUST ALLOW THE ATTORNEYS TO USE THIS WORKAROUND? YES SIR WE'RE CURRENTLY PARTNERING WITH ITS TO PROCURE A NEW SYSTEM SHOULD HAVE ALL NEW TECHNOLOGY. YES SIR. WHAT'S YOUR TIME FRAME ON THAT? HOPEFULLY WE ANTICIPATE TO HAVE IT DONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR. VERY GOOD. ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT MR. PEMA RAISED WAS THAT THE MUNICIPAL COURTS ARE BUDGETED FOR HANDLING A HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND CASES BUT THAT YOU ONLY HAD NINETY THREE THOUSAND IN FISCAL YEAR TWENTY FOUR TWENTY FIVE RESULTING IN A FIFTY THREE PERCENT UTILIZATION RATE AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU AGREE WITH THOSE NUMBERS AND IF YOU ARE OVER STAFFED FOR THE ACTUAL CASELOAD THAT YOU HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE'RE OVER STAFFED AT ALL.
IF WE ACTUALLY BUDGET IT FOR NINETY CASES AND THAT WOULD CREATE NINETY THOUSAND THAT WOULD CREATE THE BACKLOG WHAT
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IT REPRESENTS IS DIFFERENT WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CITATIONS THAT THEY MAY NOT USE. SO WE HAVE THE MECHANISM THAT IF SOMEONE WANTS TO ACTUALLY FULLY CONTEST THE CASE THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.HOWEVER THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT GET THE CITATION AND SAY I DON'T WANT TO BOTHER WITH IT I WANT TO PAY IT IMMEDIATELY AND THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT YOU HAVE. YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT UTILIZE THE WALK-IN DOCKET THAT SAY I JUST WANT TO COME IN AND LET SOMEBODY HEAR MY BRIEF GRIEVANCE ABOUT THE OFFICER BUT I WANT TO PAY IT AND I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD. SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE OVER STAFFED. I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY PERFECTLY STAFFED AS THE WAY WE ARE.
WELL IS THERE THIS IMBALANCE BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF CASES FOR WHICH YOU'RE BUDGETED AND THE NUMBER THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCING? I DON'T SEE IT AS AN IMBALANCE. I SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WHILE WE'RE WE ARE ABLE TO GET THE CASES THROUGH IN THE TIME FRAME WE NEED TO GET THEM THROUGH. I THINK ANYTIME THAT WE LOWER THAT THRESHOLD LET'S JUST SAY IF I ONLY HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF BUDGETING FOR 80,000 CASES THERE'S A BACKLOG AND PEOPLE CAN'T EVEN GET THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM. ALSO THERE ARE TIMES THAT PEOPLE PUT THEIR CASES ON THE DOCKET AND THEN RESOLVE THEM PRIOR TO THE DOCKET SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE NOT UTILIZING THAT DOCKET SPACE BUT WE ARE UTILIZING THE SPACE AND RESOLVING THE CASES. WELL IT SOUNDS LIKE THE DOCKET ALLOCATION THAT IS PART OF YOUR BUDGET IS NOT ACCURATELY REFLECTING YOUR ACTUAL WORKLOAD. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THAT WOULD BE CORRECT. THAT WOULD BE CORRECT. YOU MENTIONED A SHORT TIME FRAME TO PUT THE PRESENTATION TOGETHER. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT THE COURTS DO AND THAT THE JUDGES DO THAT IS NOT IN THE PRESENTATION THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO PUT INTO THE PRESENTATION. ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS WE'VE ESSENTIALLY ARE KIND OF MONITORING OR HELPING WITH THE UNHOUSED SITUATION.
ORIGINALLY THERE WAS THIS NOTION THAT WE WERE JUST GOING TO ARREST YOU OR WE WERE GOING TO PENALIZE YOU FOR FOR NOT HAVING THE MEANS SO THEY WERE PUTTING THEM IN THE CDC.
INSTEAD WHAT WAS HAPPENING IS THAT WHEN WE SAW THEM IN THE CDC WE WERE TAKING THEM OUT AND PUTTING THEM IN COMMUNITY COURTS SO THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY HAVE THE WAY TO MONITOR THEM FOR ONE BUT NUMBER TWO GIVE THEM THE ASSISTANCE AND PUT THEM BACK INTO SOCIETY. SO IS THERE A BETTER WAY TO INDICATE WHAT YOUR TRUE WORKLOAD IS FOR BUDGET PURPOSES OTHER THAN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES? I AGREE THERE IS AND I UNDERSTAND FOR THE BUDGET OFFICE THEY NEED TO PUT SOMETHING TO SHOW WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING. I DON'T THINK THAT WE AS A COURT DO A GREAT JOB OF REALLY OUTLAYING EVERYTHING IT IS THAT WE DO AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE TAKE CARE OF BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED WE STARTED OUT AS PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY COURT WHEN COMMUNITY COURT WAS UNDER THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. WELL NOW A LOT OF THOSE CASES I DON'T KNOW IF THEY COUNT IN THE DOCKET COUNT BUT NOW THOSE JUDGES ARE HANDLING THE COMMUNITY COURT DOCKETS ALL TOGETHER AND SO SOME OF THOSE COURTS INSTEAD OF DAYS WE WOULD MAKE SURE NOW THEY'RE OUT AT COMMUNITY COURT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HANDLING EVERYTHING THAT COMES BEFORE US.
SO DO YOU DO YOU REJECT MR. PAMA'S CRITICISM THAT YOU WERE OVER BUDGETED FOR THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF CASES THAT YOU HANDLE? I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION TO BE HONEST WITH YOU I REJECT THIS ENTIRE ARTICLE THAT HE WROTE. THE PORTIONS OF THE ARTICLE THAT I THINK THAT THE THIS PRESENTATION WAS ABLE TO GET INTO IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY AND SAY THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CASES AND THAT WAS FALSE. I BELIEVE THAT WHAT MR. PAMA MAY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SAY I'VE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM ALTHOUGH I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO IS TO SAY AS AN ATTORNEY WHY CAN'T I SIT IN MY OFFICE AND HAVE COURT WHILE SITTING IN MY OFFICE. A LOT OF THOSE THINGS THAT THE SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS ALLOWED US TO DO DURING THE TIME OF COVID HAVE GONE AWAY. WE DON'T HAVE THOSE EXTREME PROTECTIONS WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO DO SOME CREATIVE THINGS WITH TECHNOLOGY AND UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY IN A WAY TO MINIMIZE IT. SO THE ARTICLE WRITTEN I JUST DON'T THINK ACCURATELY REFLECTS THE COURT AS A WHOLE AND SO I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN FRONT OF THIS COMMITTEE AND DISCUSS THE ARTICLE ALL TOGETHER. WELL THERE WAS ONE LAST ISSUE THAT MR. PAMA RAISED IN HIS ARTICLE AND THAT WAS THE DISPOSITION GOAL WHICH HE SAID WAS 90 PERCENT DISPOSITIONS WITHIN 60 DAYS BUT THE ACTUAL FIGURE WAS 38 TO 39 PERCENT DURING THE 23 THROUGH 25 TIME PERIOD. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT? YES SIR THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. SO THAT THAT THAT MATRIX WAS PULLED FROM THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND IT IS SO AND WITH 38 PERCENT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE DEFENDANTS THAT JUST COME IN AND SAY I WANT TO PAY I DON'T WANT ANY COURT PROGRAM OR A COMPLIANCE DISMISSAL. SO THAT'S NOT CAPTURING YOUR DSCS, YOUR DEFERRED, YOUR PAYMENT PLANS OR COMMUNITY COURT. SO THAT MATRIX PROBABLY NEEDS
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TO BE LOWERED OR IN THE BUDGET SO IT CAN REFLECT PROPERLY. SO I'LL TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THAT. WELL I SPOKE TO JUDGE ROBINSON SHORTLY AFTER THIS ARTICLE CAME OUT AND WE DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT THIS GOAL IS PERHAPS NOT REFLECTIVE OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CASES THAT YOU HANDLE SOME OF WHICH CANNOT BE RESOLVED OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE RESOLVED WITHIN THE 60-DAY TIME PERIOD AND SO I ASKED IF THAT GOAL COULD BE ADJUSTED TO BE MORE FINE GRAINED IN TERMS OF IDENTIFYING DIFFERENT TYPES OF CASES LIKE YOU HAVE SPECIFIED IN THIS PRESENTATION AT SLIDE 14 TO REFLECT WHAT A REALISTIC GOAL IS FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF CASES SO THAT IT CAN BE YOUR YOUR PERFORMANCE METRIC CAN BE BETTER TRACKED AGAINST THE GOAL RATHER THAN HAVING A VERY GENERALIZED GOAL THAT MAY NOT TRULY REFLECT THE TYPES OF CASES THAT YOU HANDLE. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT? I APPRECIATE YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. THERE ARE ALSO CASES THAT WE HANDLE THAT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO PAY ONLINE AND CASES THAT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO JUST INTERUPTLY. ONE OF THOSE CASES ARE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES. ANY TYPE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE THAT YOU HAVE REQUIRES THAT YOU ACTUALLY COME INTO COURT AND INTERUPTLY IN OPEN COURT AND I KNOW THAT THE ATTORNEYS ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT BUT THAT'S THE LEGISLATOR. THAT'S WHAT THEY REQUIRE. THE SAME THING FOR JUVENILE CASES. WE DON'T ALLOW AND THE LAW DOESN'T ALLOW THEM TO PAY THEIR CASES ONLINE. IT REQUIRES THAT THEY COME IN COURT IN PERSON WITH A PARENT OR GUARDIAN. SO THERE ARE CERTAIN LIMITATIONS THAT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS GOING TO ACTUALLY CATCH. SO I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THERE WE NEED TO GO BACK AND MAYBE FILTER OUT THE EXCEPTION AND SAVE THE CERTAIN CASES THAT WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE AND DO.ALSO THERE ARE CASES THAT THE LAW ALLOWS US TO DO WHAT'S CALLED A COMPLIANCE DISMISSAL. SO IF YOU'RE DRIVING YOUR AUTOMOBILE AND YOU HAVE INSURANCE AND DON'T HAVE IT ON YOU THE LAW ALLOWS YOU TO COME IN AND JUST SAY HEY HERE'S MY INSURANCE AND IT'S DISMISSED.
SO THOSE CASES OF COURSE WON'T SHOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOCKETED BUT THOSE ARE CASES THAT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN WRITTEN AND THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE SOMETIMES WHO ACTUALLY WANT TO COME IN AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT CONTEST A SEATBELT OR CONTEST A REGISTRATION TICKET EVEN THOUGH THAT THEIR LAW ALLOWS FOR SOME OF THOSE THINGS AS REGULATORY TO BE DISMISSED.
WELL I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU JUDGE ROBINSON AND YOUR ADMINISTRATORS TO LOOK AT DEVELOPING A NEW METRIC FOR YOUR DISPOSITION GOAL SO THAT WE CAN MORE ACCURATELY MEASURE YOUR ACTUAL PERFORMANCE AGAINST YOUR GOALS. RIGHT NOW I THINK THIS ARTICLE IF IT DID ANYTHING REFLECTED THAT WE HAVE A MISMATCH THERE AND WE NEED TO BE MORE PARTICULARIZED IN TERMS OF THE GOAL SO THAT WE CAN TELL WHETHER YOU'RE MEETING THAT OR NOT. SO THANK YOU MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND THANK YOU MR. RIDLEY FOR THE QUESTIONS ALMOST EVERYTHING YOU ASKED IS WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK BECAUSE I READ THE ARTICLE AS WELL AND AFTER I READ THE ARTICLE IT JUST REMINDED ME OF WHEN I WAS ABLE TO PRACTICE AT THE DALLAS MUNICIPAL COURTHOUSE WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE COUNCIL OBVIOUSLY I CAN'T DO IT NOW BUT IF JUDGE ROBINSON IF YOU REMEMBER I SHARED A LOT OF THE FRUSTRATIONS THAT I HAD IN TERMS OF THE INEFFICIENCIES IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW ONE OF THE STATEMENTS THAT I SEE HERE IN THE ARTICLE WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT THE THE GAP IN THE CASES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RESOLVED VERSUS WHAT THE GOAL IS YOU KNOW IT LOOKS LIKE DEFENDANTS WITH OUTSTANDING CLASS C MISDEMEANORS WHO CAN'T GET A COURT DATE FOR MONTHS IT LOOKS LIKE PEOPLE LOSING THEIR LICENSE OVER UNPAID WARRANT ON TICKETS THEY TRY TO RESOLVE AND COULDN'T IT LOOKS LIKE WORKING FAMILIES TAKING UNPAID TIME OFF TO APPEAR IN PERSON FOR MATTERS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED ONLINE BEFORE THEY EVEN RECEIVED THE COURT DATE AND SO LIKE I FEEL THAT AS AN ATTORNEY WHO HAS PRACTICED IN MANY MUNICIPAL COURTHOUSES AND AND AND I STILL DO IN OUTSIDE OF DALLAS AND I DO FEEL A LOT OF TIMES LIKE THE THE THE EFFICIENCY IS NOT THERE A LOT OF TIMES AND JUST ROBINSON LIKE LIKE I SAID WE'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS AND SO I'M WONDERING ARE THERE ANY HEARINGS THAT ARE HAD THAT ARE THAT ARE HELD VIRTUALLY THERE ARE THERE ARE CERTAIN HEARINGS THAT WE DO ALLOW TO BE HAD VIRTUALLY WE WOULD CALL THEM OUR FRIDAY AFTERNOON DOCKET SO IN THE EVENT THAT SOMEONE DID REQUEST DRIVER SAFETY ONLINE AND DID NOT COMPLY DID NOT GET BACK IN TIME THERE PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
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IN THEIR VEHICLE AND CALL THERE PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT ARE THAT ARE TEACHERS OR THAT ARE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS THAT I CAN SEE AT THEIR THAT ARE DESKS THAT ARE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE IN THAT WAY FOR THE COMMUNITY COURTS AND WE ALLOW THEM TO APPEAR VIRTUALLY AS WELL SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE CARVED OUT AS I SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER THE LAW DOESN'T SPECIFICALLY GIVE US A RIGHT TO HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF HEARINGS AND SO WE KIND OF CARVED OUT OUR OWN EXCEPTION I'VE SPOKEN WITH PEOPLE TO SEE IF WE CAN MAYBE LOBBY AND SEE IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET THE LEGISLATOR TO GIVE US SOMETHING DIRECT BECAUSE I'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS WHEN I ATTEND THE TMCC TRAINING AND I'M TALKING TO ALL OF THE JUDGES AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD WAS WHEN ALL OF THE PROTECTIONS WENT AWAY THAT GAVE US THESE THINGS SPECIFICALLY CAN I HAVE A HEARING AND RESOLVE THESE MATTERS AND THE ANSWER RESOUNDING ANSWER FROM TMCC WAS NO AND SO WE PROBABLY NEED TO GET WITH OUR LOBBYISTS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR COURT IS INTERESTED IN AND MAYBE SOME OF THE OTHER COURTS ARE INTERESTED IN AS WELL BUT WHEN I HEAR THEIR CRITICISM THAT PEOPLE CAN'T RESOLVE THEIR MATTERS WE'VE GOT A STAT THAT LETS YOU KNOW THAT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S THE CASE WHERE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO WALK INTO A COURT AT ANY TIME WITHOUT A COURT DATE FIVE DAYS A WEEK NO BOND NO MONEY REQUIRED AND ACTUALLY RESOLVE THE MATTER AT LEAST GET IT ON GET IT ON THE DOCKET THERE'S ALSO WHEN I CAME IN IN 2018 WE STARTED AN EVENING COURT DOCKET THAT'S OPEN WELL IT WAS ORIGINALLY OPEN TO SEVEN O'CLOCK AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT PEOPLE WEREN'T COMING FROM SIX TO SEVEN SO WE REDUCED IT DOWN TO 6 P.M.FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT GET OFF MY REGISTRATION GOES OUT EVERY YEAR OR EVERY AND AND I ALWAYS HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WHEN DALLAS COUNTY WHEN I SAY WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG TO GET HERE AFTER MINE AND THEIR OFFICE HOURS ARE THE SAME AS MINE SO WE PUT IN PLACE THINGS TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CITATIONS AND WE'RE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS OF HOW WE CAN DO IT BETTER BUT THE CRITICISM OF PEOPLE LOSING THEIR JOBS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I TAKE LIGHTLY IT'S SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY MAYBE EVEN UPSETS ME TO A CERTAIN POINT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS MOST OF THE ATTORNEYS THAT I KNOW I STARTED OUT DOING PRIVATE PRACTICES SO THOSE SAME CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE WHAT I'D CALL ACCESS TO THE COURTS THAT WAS A CONCERN OF MINE WHEN I STARTED THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THE ACCESS TO THE COURTS THAT PEOPLE WERE NOT AND DID NOT HAVE THE AVAILABILITY TO COME INTO THE COURT AND JUST RESOLVE A MATTER OR AT LEAST IT BE HEARD ON A MATTER AND SO I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION AND I'M ASSUMING THAT PEOPLE WHO GET CITED CITATIONS ARE AWARE OF THOSE OPTIONS AS WELL AS THEIR ATTORNEYS YES SIR OKAY AWESOME OTHER THAN THAT LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAXIMIZING WHATEVER WE CAN LEGALLY DO OR WHATEVER THE COURT CAN LEGALLY DO IN TERMS OF VIRTUAL HEARINGS BECAUSE I KNOW IT STILL HAPPENS AT THE FRANK CROWLEY AT HENRY WADE YOU KNOW I HANDLE VIRTUAL HEARINGS ALL THE TIME UNLESS THEY'RE PLEASED OR CONTESTED SO JUST I ENCOURAGE YOU TO YOU KNOW MAKE SURE WE'RE MAXIMIZING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THANK YOU MR. CHAIR THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM COUNCILMEMBER ROTH THANK YOU WHEN I SEE WHEN I SEE AN ARTICLE COMING OUT I DON'T TAKE IT LIGHTLY THIS IS TO ME IT MAY THERE'S I APPRECIATE YOUR EXPLANATIONS I APPRECIATE YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY CLARIFY THINGS AND EDUCATE US BUT TO ME WHERE THERE'S SMOKE THERE MIGHT BE FIRE SO I REALLY AM CONCERNED THAT IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS COMING UP AND I'M HEARING ANECDOTALLY I DON'T PRACTICE IN THE MUNICIPAL COURTS I DON'T DO LITIGATION I'M NOT INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL LIKE LEGAL STUFF BUT WHEN I HEAR ANECDOTAL STUFF LIKE THIS IT BOTHERS ME AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET YOUR YEAH TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO PRESENT THE ARGUMENTS TO BE ABLE TO TO ANSWER THESE KIND OF THINGS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN CAN UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A AN EXPLANATION OF THIS AND I'M ASKING YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY WHICH YOU HAVE TO TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES WHICH YOU HAVE WITH REGARD TO THE MARSHALS OFFICES I'D LIKE AN EXPLANATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S INVOLVED IN THE CONTRACT WITH LEW STERRETT THE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS AND THE SECURITY SERVICES THAT COST 19 MILLION DOLLARS TO AS EXPENSES AND HOW IS HOW ARE THOSE CONTRACTS SORT OF STRUCTURED AND AND WHAT ARE OUR OBLIGATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES THERE TO MAYBE LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS MORE CRITICALLY SO IN RETROSPECT OF THE LEW STERRETT JAIL
[02:00:01]
CONTRACT THAT IS AN AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE DALLAS COUNTY TO USE THEIR JAIL FACILITY FOR OUR CLASS C PRISONERS SO THAT'S WHAT WE USE WE DON'T HAVE A CITY JAIL WE HAVE A CITY DETENTION CENTER BUT NOT A CITY JAIL SO THE CONTRACT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF DALLAS AND DALLAS COUNTY IS TO USE THEIR JAIL FOR SERVICES SO THAT PRETTY MUCH THE COST IS AN ANNUAL IT'S AN ANNUAL COST THAT WE COME BEFORE COUNCIL FOR AUTHORIZATION TO ALLOW US TO PRETTY MUCH AUTHORIZE US TO DO THAT PAYMENT AND CONTINUED AGREEMENT WITH THE DALLAS COUNTY WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS AND AMENDMENT REVIEW WITH DALLAS COUNTY REGARDING THE COST AND THE SERVICES TO GET MORE TRANSPARENCY AND CLARITY AND ALSO ESTABLISHED METRICS WITH THE CONTRACT WITH THE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD THAT IS PRETTY MUCH SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WE PROVIDE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS AT INTERSECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DEEMED WARRANTED AS FAR AS A CROSSING GUARD IS NEEDED FOR THAT INTERSECTION AND SO THAT IS WE ARE WORKING IN DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER DISD TO KIND OF OPEN AND KIND OF OPEN THAT DIALOGUE OF SERVICES FOR THE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD AND HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER IN COLLABORATION OF THOSE SERVICES THE OTHER ONE IS OUR THIRD PARTY SECURITY OFFICERS SO THAT IS FOR OUR PRIVATE THAT WE HAVE A DIFFERENT FACILITIES BECAUSE OF UNABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF REQUEST SO BECAUSE OF STAFFING AND VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE SECURITY DIVISION WE DO HAVE TO OUTSOURCE AND CONTRACT THIRD-PARTY SECURITY OFFICERS TO MAN SOME OF THE POSTS THAT ARE THEY'RE REQUIRED WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS AND FACILITIES SO WE DO SO WE HIRE OUTSIDE SECURITY WE HAVE WE HIRE OUTSIDE SECURITY GUARD SERVICES TO SUPPLEMENT OUR OUR STAFFING SO YES WE HAVE A CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH A THIRD PARTY VENDOR WHO PROVIDES SECURITY SERVICES FOR US CORRECT DO WE HAVE AN OVERTIME BUDGET ASSOCIATED WITH WITH THIS DEPARTMENT WE DO HAVE AN OVERTIME BUDGET ASSOCIATED WITH SECURITY AND THE DALLAS MARSHALS YES THAT IS CORRECT HOW MUCH IS THAT RIGHT NOW IT IS BUDGETED WE HAVE IT. SO RIGHT NOW AS A DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE WE HAVE A TOTAL OF BUDGETED FOR THIS YEAR IS 595,000 HOWEVER WE ARE PROJECTED TO EXCEED THAT WITHIN THAT NUMBER WE DO HAVE OFFSETS THAT WE GET REIMBURSEMENTS FOR SECURITY SERVICES SO SOME OF THAT AMOUNT ROUGHLY CLOSE TO 600 IS PRETTY MUCH OFFSET WITH REIMBURSEMENTS THAT WE GET FOR SERVICES SO YOU HAVE ABOUT 600,000 IN OVERTIME BASICALLY CORRECT OKAY AND THEN JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE OVERALL BUDGET FOR THE FOR THE FOR THE MUNICIPAL COURT MARSHAL STAFF IS APPROXIMATELY 50 MILLION DOLLARS CORRECT GIVE OR TAKE 49 PLUS AND WHAT ARE SORT OF YOUR GOALS IN IN YOUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE LEW STERRETT WITH THE COUNTY AND WITH WITH THE PARTNERS ON THE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS AGAIN THESE ARE VALUABLE SERVICES BUT I'VE HEARD AND AGAIN IT'S ALL ANECDOTAL THAT THAT THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS DUE TO STAFFING DELAYS OR MEANS STAFFING PROBLEMS OR DELIVERY DELAYS ESPECIALLY IN THE LEW STERRETT TRANSFER SITUATIONS IT'S SORT OF COSTING US ON THE ON THE DALLAS POLICE SIDE COSTING US SOME ADDITIONAL COSTS IS THAT IS THAT ACCURATE IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL ARE ADDRESSING DOMINIC ARTISTS CHIEF OF PUBLIC SAFETY YES WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DALLAS COUNTY FOR OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE CONTRACT AND WE'VE TALKED TO THE COUNCIL ABOUT WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THEM TO RESPOND BACK TO US ON SOME OF THE METRICS THAT WE[02:05:02]
HAVE PROPOSED AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO THIS COUNCIL SOON WITH SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE THINK WILL MAKE US MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE BOTH IN THE CONTRACT AS WELL AS BEING MORE TRANSPARENT WITH HOW THE COSTS ARE OKAY THANK YOU COUNCILMAN BLACKMON THANK YOU REAL QUICK I JUST HAVE A QUESTION HOW DID YOU SET YOUR METRIC OF 175 CASES IN WHICH TO BUDGET FOR THANK YOU THAT METRIC HAS BEEN USED IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF CASES FILED BY DPD AND SO YEAR TO YEAR WE DON'T ESSENTIALLY KNOW HOW MANY CASES ARE GONNA FILE BUT I THINK THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY EVENT THAT THEY FILE UP TO THAT AMOUNT OF CASES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DOCK IT AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO COME IN AND ACTUALLY BE SEEN ON THE CASE BUT DO YOU LOOK AT PREVIOUS YEARS AND LOOK AT IT LONGITUDINALLY NOT JUST PULL IT OUT OF THE AIR WE DO BUT ALSO THERE ARE CASES THAT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU'RE GOING FOR THE ROOF AND MAYBE YOU JUST NEED TO GO FOR THE YOU KNOW MIDPOINT BECAUSE IT IS KIND OF THE DISCREPANCIES PRETTY BIG AND YET WE GIVE YOU THE YOU KNOW BUDGET FOR 175 BUT YOU'RE ONLY REALLY GOING TO 93 AND SO MAYBE YOU SHOULD TRY TO DO 120 YOU KNOW BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE STILL GOT SOME ROOM THERE BUT YOU GOT TO I MEAN MIKE MIKE GUESS MY THING IS TO LOOK AT ALL THE CASES IN PREVIOUS YEARS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IS AN AVERAGE OF THEM ALL INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING 175 AND HOPE YOU KNOW AND IF WE DON'T MAKE IT THEN YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME CUSHION BECAUSE I GUARANTEE YOU JUDGE THIS BUDGET WILL PROBABLY COME DOWN IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MAXIMUM CASELOAD BECAUSE THE CITY CAN'T AFFORD IT SO JUST NOT SO CAN YOU TELL ME HOW YOU GOT TO 175 AND NOT SAY THAT OH WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WE HAVE ENOUGH SPACE IN CASE IN CASE WE GET TO THAT POINT I THINK YOU SHOULD PUT SOME SCIENCE BEHIND IT AND SO HAS THAT BEEN DONE IN THE PAST IT HASN'T BEEN DONE IN THE PAST AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE FACT THAT PEOPLE RESOLVE THEIR CASES NOT IN THAT BUDGET YEAR SO EVEN THOUGH I MAY HAVE GOTTEN A TICKET IN 25 I MAY NOT RESOLVE IT UNTIL 26 BUT WE WILL GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE METRIC AND LOOK AT THE SCIENCE TO SEE TRADITIONALLY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SET THEIR CASES VERSUS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO PAY THEIR CASES SO WHICH WHICH SO THIS NUMBER REFLECTS A SET CASE OR A PAYMENT CASE OF 175 YEAH IT COVERS DOCKETING SO ACTUALLY FOR A COURT DATE YES AN APPOINTMENT OKAY SO IT COULD BE LIKE IF I GOT A TICKET SAY IN AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER IT COULD BE SET FOR OCTOBER WHICH THROWS IT INTO NEXT YEAR YOU DO IT OKAY I MEAN I JUST THINK THAT I MEAN THAT IS A HUGE DELTA AND AND IF YOU JUST SAID WELL IN PREVIOUS YEARS WE TOOK THE AVERAGE OF THE LAST THREE YEARS FOUR YEARS AND THIS IS WHAT WE CAME UP WITH THAT WOULD BE I COULD SWALLOW IT BUT TO SAY WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH SPACE IN CASE WE GET IT I THINK YOU NEED TO PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE SCIENCE BEHIND IT AND MAYBE LOOK AT THE AVERAGE AND ADD 10% AND SAY THAT'S AND IF WE NEED TO SET A POLICY AT THAT I GUESS THAT WE CAN IS THAT YOU NEED TO LOOK AT FIVE YEARS WORTH OF DATA AND THEN ADD 10 OR 20 PERCENT TO IT BUT TO JUST PULL OUT 175 BECAUSE YOU WANT TO HAVE THE SPACE YOU'RE WEARING THE DOLLARS AND CENTS ARE GETTING VERY TIGHT AROUND HERE AND IF THAT USED TO BE THE WAY TO DO IT IS BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING FOR EVERY DIME THAT JUST THAT'S MY THOUGHT IF YOU KNOW SO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET A BETTER NUMBER THAT YOU CAN JUSTIFY SITTING HERE INSTEAD OF SAYING WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE DOCKET ROOM THAT'S MY THOUGHT THANK YOU THANK YOU I SEE COUNCILWOMAN BLAIR THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND I WILL BE MINDFUL OF TIME CAN YOU GUYS EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT I SEE YOU HERE IS THINGS THAT APPEAR AS THOUGH I GET A TICKET I KNOW GOT A TICKET I'M GOING TO EITHER I'M GOING TO PAY THE TICKET I'M NOT GOING TO PAY THE TICKET IF I PAY THE TICKET YOU HAVE A METRIC FOR IT THOSE THAT DON'T PAY IE THOSE THAT HAVE MULTIPLE CITATIONS THAT GET PICKED UP IN THE ONLY WAY THEY PAY US IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF JAIL THOSE THAT ARE HOMELESS OR NEED HELP ARE THOSE THAT HAVE CODE VIOLATIONS AND CAN'T AFFORD DOES THOSE THOSE MET THOSE CASES ARE THOSE CASES REFLECTED IN THESE METRICS YES MA'AM THEY ARE HOW ARE THEY REFLECTED IN THESE METRICS BECAUSE IT'S IN AND ON YOUR ONLINE OTHER[02:10:03]
OPTIONS IT TELLS HOW THEY PAY BUT IT DOESN'T SAY IF THE PEOPLE ARE PAID THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE I'M SORRY GO AHEAD I'M SORRY COUNCILMAN YOU CAN COMPLETE YOUR QUESTION I'M SORRY SO SOME OF THOSE DEFENDANTS ARE GOING THROUGH COMMUNITY COURT SO THOSE ARE REFLECTED IN THOSE NUMBERS SOME OF THOSE DEFENDERS HAVE COME TO OPEN COURT AND A JUDGE CAN TO DECLARE THEM INDIGENT THOSE ARE REFLECTED IN THESE NUMBERS AS WELL SHOW ME HOW AND WHERE I SEE PAYMENT EXTENSIONS ON SLIDE DEFERRED DISPOSITION DRIVING SAFETY COURT PAYMENTS SHOW ME HOW WE'RE IN THIS ON PAGE 10 WHERE IT SAYS OTHER OPTIONS THAT COMMUNITY SERVICE OR YEAH AND ALSO THE THOSE DEFENDERS CAN TAKE THE OPTION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AS WELL SO YOU YOU'RE ASKING FOR THE FOR A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF DEFENDANTS THAT COME THROUGH COURT THAT ARE RECEIVING COMMUNITY SERVICE YEAH BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE THAT WE GET THE COMMUNITY SERVICE THEY ONLY DO IT BECAUSE THEY THEY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO PAY IT AND THEY GET PUT IN POSITION WHERE THEY HAVE TO DISPOSE OF THOSE CASES AND IN DISPOSING OF THOSE CASES AND AND THEY DON'T HAVE THEY MAY HAVE A JOB AND NOT THE ABILITY OR THEY MAY HAVE LIMITED INCOME AND NOT THE ABILITY THAT THERE ARE SERVICES THAT ARE OFFERED FOR THOSE THAT THOSE THOSE DEFENDANTS GET TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICES IN THE END YOUR REPORT I DON'T SEE A DEFINITION OF HOW THAT HOW MANY OF THOSE CASES COME IN HOW MANY OF BECAUSE THOUGH WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT ARTICLE AND IT SAYS THAT THERE'S IT COSTS 33 WITH A 33 MILLION IN ORDER TO RUN IT AND YOU ONLY YOU'RE LACKING 15 MILLION HOW MUCH OF THAT 15 MILLION IS IS THAT THAT YOU'RE LACKING IS BASED ON THE SERVICES THAT YOU PROVIDE FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY COUNCILWOMAN I'LL TAKE IT I APOLOGIZE IT THE IT DOES NOT REFLECT IT IN HERE AND IT SHOULD AS YOU INDICATED THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COME INTO THE COURTS AND THE LAW GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIRES US TO DO THIS THAT BEFORE WE ASSESS A FINAL FEE THAT THE LAW REQUIRES US TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHETHER OR NOT THE PERSON HAS THE ABILITY TO PAY WE DIDN'T PUT IN THE FACT THAT WE DO GIVE COMMUNITY SERVICE TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME IN AND SAY I JUST DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY AND THERE ARE SOME WHO COME IN AND SAY I DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY OR THE ABILITY TO PERFORM COMMUNITY SERVICES SO THE LAW ALSO PROVIDES US A WAY TO WAIVE THE FINES AND FEES WE DIDN'T PUT IT IN THERE AND I TAKE THAT THAT SHOULD HAVE GONE IN THERE BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO AND HAVE BEEN DOING FOR SOME TIME I THINK THE FOCUS WAS TOO TRUE IN TERMS OF THE ARTICLE OF TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF WHAT WAS SAID IN THE ARTICLE INSTEAD OF REFLECTING WHAT IT IS THAT WE ACTUALLY DO IN OUR NORMAL PRACTICES EVERY DAY OF GIVING PEOPLE COMMUNITY SERVICE AND TAKING CARE OF THAT SO YOU MAY NOT SEE IT IN TERMS OF OKAY YOU MAY NOT YOU'VE BEEN MISSED OUT ON LET'S JUST SAY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN TERMS OF REVENUE BUT IN TERMS OF ALLOWING SOMEBODY TO PERFORM COMMUNITY SERVICE AT A RECREATION CENTER OR BACK IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TO BEAUTIFY THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD I DON'T KNOW HOW WE ACCOUNT FOR THAT TO SAY THIS IS INSTEAD THE BENEFIT THAT THE COMMUNITY RECEIVED RATHER THAN THE MONEY THAT WOULD HAVE GONE TO THE GENERAL FILE WELL I THINK I THINK THAT THANK YOU FOR THAT IN FACT THAT INFORMATION JUDGE ROBINSON I BELIEVE THAT IN YOUR REPORTING PROCESS THAT STORY NEEDS TO BE TOLD BECAUSE BY YOU KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFIT IN WHAT YOU DO NOT ONLY FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT PAY BUT ALSO FOR THE COMMUNITY SERVICE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE FOR RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY AND RECREATION CENTERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR SO COLD VIOLATION SO HOW MANY OF YOUR COLD VIOLATIONS COME OUT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO REPORT IN AND WE AND REPORT HOW YOU DISPOSE OF THOSE AS WELL AS THOSE THAT THAT ARE SLEEPING ON THE STREET AND LIVING ON THE STREET THAT HAVE CITATIONS AND TICKETS THAT CANNOT PAY THEM YOU YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THEM TO PAY THEM THAT STORY AND I THINK THIS ARTICLE DID NOT FULLY REPRESENT AND IN THIS REPORT DID NOT REPRESENT IS HOW YOU HELP NOT JUST FACTUAL NUMBERS BECAUSE THE FACTUAL NUMBERS ARE BIGGER THAN WHAT YOU HAVE HERE THANK[02:15:01]
YOU CHAIR PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU TELL YOUR STORY YOU TELL THE FULL STORY SO THAT ALL OF US CAN APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S DONE NOT JUST THE INFORMATION THAT IS DATA-DRIVEN THAT YOU CAN REPORT THANK YOU THANK YOU AND I HAVE A QUESTION DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS TIED IN I THINK IT DOES THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING BUT IF IT DOESN'T THEN YOU GUYS KIND OF HELP ME CHIEF WHEN IT COMES TO THE HOMELESSNESS AND THEN I'M GOING TO COURT HOW WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT WHAT IS THE BUDGET LOOKING LIKE FOR THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A BUDGET ITEM THAT'S TAKING CARE OF IT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT I WAS AT ONE POINT IN TIME WORKING WITH A DIVISION OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS AND THAT WE WERE TRYING TO FIND SOME TYPE OF SYNERGY TO WORK TOGETHER I KNOW THEY WERE GOING OUT AND DOING THE CLEANUPS AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT THEY WERE DOING THE CLEANUPS BUT THEY WEREN'T PUTTING THEM ANY PLACE OR GIVING THEM ANY RESOURCES AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT THEY WERE GOING RIGHT BACK TO THE NEXT AREA THAT WAS BEING CLEANED UP SO WHAT WE STARTED DOING WAS TRYING TO PUT THEM INTO COMMUNITY COURT PROGRAMS TO GIVE THEM SERVICES WE HAVE KIND OF TWO THINGS THAT ARE STILL GRANT FUNDED THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO SO WE HAVE THE SOUTH DALLAS DRUG COURT SO IF THEY NEEDED THEIR RESOURCE WE'RE ABLE TO PUT THEM THERE WE ALSO HAVE THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT THAT WE WERE TRYING TO FUNNEL THEM INTO THAT AND IF THEY DIDN'T FIT INTO THOSE TWO BUCKETS THAT WE PUT THEM IN THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY COURT WHICH TRADITIONALLY WORKS IN THE IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT NOT ONLY FOR THAT BUT ALSO FOR PERSONS THAT COME INTO THE CITY AND HAVE PUBLIC INTOXICATION CITATIONS AS WELL TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION THERE'S REALLY NOT A BUDGET THAT I KNOW OF AND I DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE AND TELL YOU HOW MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME INTO SOME TYPE OF ORBIT OF THE COURT HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE UNHOUSED HOW MANY OF THOSE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES I DON'T I DON'T HAVE THOSE STATISTICS BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT BEEN TRACKING THOSE PEOPLE SO JUST MAKE ME SURE I UNDERSTAND SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SERVICE FOR LIKE COLD AND HOUSE OR HOMELESSNESS WHEN THEY ENTER INTO THE SYSTEM WE DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW MUCH WE ACTUALLY SPENDING WE DON'T ON THE COURT'S DEALINGS WE DON'T HAVE THAT WE DON'T BUT ALSO REMEMBER WITH THOSE CITATIONS THAT ARE WRITTEN TO THOSE PERSONS THEY DON'T HAVE THE MECHANISM TO PAY THEM AND SO SOMETIMES WE'RE ABLE TO ONCE WE ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP OR REPORT ALLOW THEM TO PERFORM COMMUNITY SERVICE BUT IF WE NEVER ARE ABLE TO FULLY GET THEM TO TRUST US AND AND IT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY DEALINGS IN THAT POPULATION BUT THE FIRST THING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN IS TRUST BECAUSE THEY'VE GONE THROUGH SOCIETY WHERE SOCIETY IS ESSENTIALLY THROWN THEM AWAY SO NOW I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEBODY REALLY LEGITIMATELY CARES ABOUT ME BEFORE I'M ABLE TO SAY YES I'LL COME TO YOUR PROGRAM AND NOT THINK IT'S ANOTHER TRAP TO BE REARRESTED OR SHIPPED OUT UNDERSTAND SO THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE ACTUALLY CONTRACT CURRENTLY NO THAT'S THAT'S CHALLENGING AS I OPEN TO WHEN IT COMES TO NUISANCE PROPERTIES THAT ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY I GIVE YOU ONE A MOTEL SIX THAT'S IN MY DISTRICT THERE'S LITERALLY BEEN A NUISANCE PROPERTY FOR OVER MAYBE A DECADE OR TWO THEY DO JUST ENOUGH TO STAY ALIVE IF YOU WILL BUT NOT REALLY FOLLOWED BUT THE SAME PROBLEMS EXIST WHY IS IT TAKING THE COURT SO LONG TO GET THOSE CASES IN FRONT AND DEAL STRATEGICALLY WITH THOSE PROPERTIES AND PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR BECAUSE WHEN I GO TO OTHER PARTS OF THE TOWN I DON'T SEE THE SAME SCENARIOS AND PROBLEMS THAT EXISTING IS MAINLY FOCUSED IN SOUTHERN DALLAS SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO SPEED UP THAT PROCESS BECAUSE IT IS A DELAY I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH SOMETHING FOR ALMOST OVER A YEAR NOW AND IT SHOULDN'T TAKE THAT LONG TO REMOVE THOSE KIND OF PROPERTIES THAT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING BUT PROMOTE PROSTITUTION DRUGS AND MORE CRIME SO HOW DO WE FIX THAT PROBLEM I WISH I HAD THE ANSWER FOR YOU ON THAT BUT THAT IS PROBABLY BETTER DIRECTED THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE I'M FAMILIAR IN THE AREA THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT I WENT TO ROOSEVELT SO I GREW UP IN THAT AREA AND I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO BUT ALL I CAN DO IS BE THERE AND BE READY WHEN THE CASES COME IN FRONT OF US I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S TAKEN SO LONG FOR THE CASES TO GET THERE OR OR BUILD IN TERMS OF WHEN CODE COMES IN FIVE DAYS A WEEK SIX DAYS A[02:20:01]
WEEK SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND WANTS US TO REVIEW A WARRANT I'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M THERE EVEN ON THE DAYS I'M GONNA SAY THE EFFORT THE FURLOUGH DAY THAT I STILL HAVE TO BE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT IF DPD OR CODE WANTS A WANT TO REVIEW TO GO INTO A PROPERTY OR CUT A LAWN OR DO SOMETHING I STILL GOT TO BE THERE THE GOAL OF THE COURT IS TO BE THERE AND BE READY TO RESPOND WHEN IT HAPPENS SO I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU IN TERMS OF WHY IT'S TAKING SO LONG SO WHEN IT GETS OUT OUR ATTORNEYS HANDS AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE COURTS TO GO AHEAD AND DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO WHEN IT GETS TO THE COURT WHY DOES IT STILL TAKE SO LONG THAT'S WHY I'M GETTING THAT IT'S NOT A DELAY AND GETTING THOSE AM I ANSWERING IT THROUGH IT MAYBE I'M NOT TRYING TO I'M TRYING TO CONVEY IT IN A WAY THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND AM I MISSING IT IF I AM HELP ME OUT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT WELL IT STARTS AT THE CITY AT THE PLACES LIKE THE CITY IT TURNS OUT ONCE WE GET THEM WE'RE READY TO TAKE ACTION ON THE CASE SO WITH IT'S NOTHING PENDING MR. CHAIR IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY BACKLOGS SO ANY WORK THAT WE'RE GETTING WE'RE WORKING IT SO YOU'RE THIS ONE SO YOU'RE ANSWERING SO YOU'RE SAYING ONCE HE HITS THE COURTS THE COURSE IS NOT DRAGGING WE PUT WE PUT IT ON THE DOCK AND WE'RE READY TO GO YOU'RE READY TO GO YES SIR OKAY SO I DON'T WANT TO MAKE SURE SO IT'S NOT THAT IT'S NOT THE COURSE THAT'S DRAGGING NO DELAY AT THE COURTS NO BACKLOG GET THE COURSE WE'RE READY OKAY YOU JUST ANSWERED MY QUESTION YES SIR THAT'S WHAT I'LL TRY TO GET TO THANK YOU SO MUCH ANY OTHER QUESTION THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION THANK YOU SIR I'M SORRY I'M SORRY YEAH YOU YOU OPENED A DOOR FOR ME HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS COURT CASE JUDGE ROBINSON YOU SAID THAT THERE IS THERE IS A DEFICIENCY AND A HOLE THAT THAT DOES NOT SERVE THE POPULATION USE THE HOMELESS POPULATION THAT YOU ALSO SEE I'M GONNA FOLLOW UP WITH YOU OFFLINE TO HAVE A VIGOROUS CONVERSATION WITH THAT LOOKS LIKE WHY IS IT THERE AND HOW TO RESOLVE THAT OKAY I LOOK FORWARD TO IT THANK YOU VERY MUCH THANK YOU THANK YOU MR. CHAIR NO PROBLEM I WANT AGAIN I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWER BECAUSE I'M BEING TOLD IT'S THE COURTS AND YOU SAYING IT'S NOT THAT SO IT'S LOOK LIKE THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON WELL I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND ALSO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE I THINK HEARD ME SAY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND GOT SOMEWHAT UPSET AND SO THEY'RE THEY'RE SAYING THEY MAY ALSO BE THE DISTRICT OR THE COUNTY COURTS AS WELL DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS THAT YOU ARE FILING OR THE CITY IS TRYING TO FILE SO WHEN I SAID THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SENT ME A MESSAGE TO REMIND ME THAT SOME OF THESE CASES ALSO NEED TO BE FILED IN THE COUNTY OR DISTRICT COURT AND THAT SOME ARE FILED IN THE MUNICIPAL COURT SO DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS HERE'S MY BOTTOM LINE I KNOW HERE'S MY COMMUNITY BOTTOM LINE GET IT DONE JUST GET IT DONE I DON'T CARE ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING UPSET BECAUSE THEY CAN MY COMMUNITY AND WE'VE BEEN UPSET DEALING WITH THE SAME RHETORIC OF DRUGS AND PROSTITUTION IN MY IN MY AREA FOR A LONG TIME SO THIS CROSS MY FINGERS AND IT'S THIS PERSON AND THAT'S THAT PERSON THAT'S DEAD WE NEED TO GET IT DONE AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS WHO WE'RE SERVING UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE SERVING THEM WITH PROFICIENCY AND PROFESSIONALLY AND WE'RE RESOLVING MATTERS AND NOT LETTING THINGS LINGER ON AND THAT HAS BEEN WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WE'RE GONNA CALL THOSE THINGS OUT BECAUSE THAT NEEDS TO STOP SO I APPRECIATE YOUR ANSWER THANK YOU SO MUCH THANK YOU SIR NOW WE'RE UP TO OUR MEMO GIVE ME ONE SECOND[C. 26-2809A Follow-up from April 13, 2026 Committee on Government Efficiency Meeting: Discussion of City Programs that Support School Districts]
OKAY WE AT I'M SORRY WE YES WE HAD BRIEFING MEMOS SEE FOLLOW UP FROM APRIL 13 2026 COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY DISCUSSING THE CITY PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT SCHOOL DISTRICTS JACKIE SEE A TABLE GO AHEAD AND YOU DON'T I KNOW WE'VE BEEN OVER THERE SO YOU DON'T YOU CAN KIND OF GIVE US THE YES SIR I THINK WE CAN DO THIS FAIRLY QUICKLY FOR THE INTEREST OF TIME AGAIN I'M JACK IRELAND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER JOINED WITH CHIEF ARTIS CHIEF OF PUBLIC SAFETY JUST AS FOLLOW-UP TO APRIL 13TH CONVERSATION ABOUT OVERLAPS WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS WE DID PROVIDE A MEMO THAT PROVIDED SOME FOLLOW-UP AND THERE'S JUST TWO THINGS THAT I REALLY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IN THE BUDGET BRIEFING THAT WE GAVE TO CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 11TH WE TALKED ABOUT THINGS THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT BEFORE THIS NEXT BUDGET COMES UP NEXT SUMMER AND TWO OF THOSE WERE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS AND SCHOOL[02:25:01]
RESOURCE OFFICERS AND SO THAT'S SPECIFICALLY AS A RESULT OF CONVERSATIONS WE HAD WITH THIS COMMITTEE ABOUT ANY OVERLAP THAT WE MAY HAVE WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SO AS WE TALKED ABOUT THE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD PROGRAM IS ADMINISTERED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE REVENUE THAT WE BRING IN FROM DIFFERENT REVENUE SOURCES AND WHAT OUR EXPENSES ARE SO PART OF OUR GENERAL FUND HAS TO PAY FOR THAT PROGRAM THE THE EXPENSE OF THE PROGRAM IS ABOUT EIGHT POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS AND THE REVENUE FROM THE DIFFERENT SOURCES THAT ARE ALLOWED BY THE STATE IS TWO POINT ONE SO WE HAVE ABOUT A SIX POINT THREE MILLION DOLLAR GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTION TO THAT PROGRAM AND SO WITH THIS BEING A PROGRAM THAT IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WE THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY AND WE'VE ASKED FOR THIS TO BE INCLUDED IN ANY CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE BEGINNING IN JANUARY WITH THE 90TH TEXAS STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT'S COMING UP WE NEED ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY TO INCREASE FEES TO TRY TO CLOSE THAT GAP SO THAT THERE'S NOT SO MUCH LOCAL MONEY SO MUCH CITY TAX REVENUE GOING TO SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM IT IS A PROGRAM THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE PER THE STATE LAW BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE CITY BUT WE'RE HAVING TO FUND TOO MUCH OF IT OUT OF OUR OWN GENERAL FUND ONE THING THAT WE WANT TO ALSO LOOK AT IN ADDITION TO SEEKING AUTHORIZATION FOR OTHER REVENUE SOURCES FROM THE STATE CHIEF ARTIST IS IN CONVERSATION WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR POSSIBLE TRANSFER OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE PROGRAM IS VERY VERY PRELIMINARY THIS IS JUST THINGS THAT WE WILL TALK ABOUT OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGES IN THAT OPERATION OF THAT PROGRAM GOING INTO FISCAL YEAR 28 THE SECOND PROGRAM I WANT TO MENTION THAT WE SPECIFICALLY SAID IN OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION WITH SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS THIS IS ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT THE CITY PROVIDES THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS PROVIDE THE DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS A POLICE DEPARTMENT AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT RICHARDSON SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES NOT AND THEY CONTRACT WITH BOTH RICHARDSON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE RICHARDSON ISD HAS SOME CAMPUSES WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS AND SO FOR THOSE CAMPUSES WE PROVIDE SCHOOL OFFICERS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE A SCHOOL POLICE DEPARTMENT THEY DO PAY US FOR THAT SO THERE IS NOT A COST IT'S AROUND TWO MILLION DOLLARS BUT WE HAVE EXPENSE THEY PAY 100% FOR THAT COST BUT THAT TAKES OFFICERS THAT WE COULD HAVE DEPLOYED TO THE STREETS OF DALLAS AS OPPOSED TO WORKING IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SO THAT'S AGAIN ANOTHER THING THAT CHIEF ARTIST HAS AGREED THAT HE'S GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THIS NEXT YEAR AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO POSSIBLY CHANGE OUR OFFERING THERE FOR THE RICHARDSON SCHOOL DISTRICT SO I KNOW THIS COMMITTEE HAS HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT KIND OF OVERLAP AND THESE WERE TWO THINGS THAT MISS TOLBERT SPECIFICALLY COMMITTED TO LOOKING AT IN THIS NEXT YEAR IT WAS TOO LATE TO WORK THEM INTO OUR FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET BUT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME CHANGES FOR THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR AND SO JUST AS A QUICK UPDATE THOSE ARE THINGS WE ARE WORKING ON GOING FORWARD REALLY AS A RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS COMMITTEE RIGHT THANK YOU AND I KNOW OUR SCHOOLS ARE VERY IMPORTANT HOWEVER AND BOTH MYSELF AND MAYOR SERVED ON A MAYOR PRO TEMP SERVED ON THE SCHOOL BOARDS AT SOME POINT IN TIME HOWEVER SOME OF THE COST IS I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S A CITY COST AND THEY NEED TO PRETTY MUCH BE ABLE TO FIND THEIR OWN AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY WE'RE DOUBLE DIPPING IN THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS A CITY CONCERNING THAT THOSE RESOURCES SO I'M STARTING ON MY LEFT AGAIN THAT'S ON THE END AND COME BACK THANK YOU SO MY QUESTION IS IN YOUR YOU'RE LOOKING TO CHANGE AT THIS NEXT SESSION JUST THE FEE AMOUNTS NOT ACTUALLY SAYING MAYBE WE NEED TO CHANGE THE LAW TO PUT IT BACK OVER INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR COULD THIS COMMITTEE MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO DO BOTH AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS THAT MAY BE THE APPROACH THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO TAKE I KNOW IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE IT WENT THROUGH FINANCE I BELIEVE IT WAS DISCUSSED IN THIS COMMITTEE AS WELL THAT WE WANTED THIS ON THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA BUT I DON'T THINK I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A DIRECTION OF HOW TO ADDRESS IT SO MR. CHAIR IF I CAN AS OUR FINAL ONE OF OUR FINAL ACTS YES IS TO RECOMMEND BOTH THAT WE[02:30:02]
SHOULD SEEK TO HAVE IT REMOVED FROM BEING OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND AS A BACKUP THEN IF IT WON'T THEN TO AT LEAST INCREASE THE FEES IN WHICH THE DELTA ISN'T SO BIG AND SO I THINK THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO ATTACK THIS AND MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION UP TO THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE FOR INCORPORATION AND DISCUSSION AT FULL COUNCIL HERE'S WE HAVE A MOTION IN THE SECOND ALL IN FAVOR AYE OPPOSED? AND WE'LL COMMUNICATE[D. 26-2810A Follow-up from the January 12, 2026 Committee on the Government Efficiency Meeting: Overview of the Women, Infant, and Children Program]
THAT ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE THANK YOU TO THE LEGISLATIVE THANK YOU THEN WE ALSO NOW GO TO BE FOLLOWED UP FROM JANUARY 12 COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL EMAIL VIEW OF THE WIC PROGRAM I KNOW WE HAVE THOR AND WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS CONVERSATION FOR QUITE SOME TIME SO THOR YOU KIND OF GIVE US A FAST APPROACH GOOD AFTERNOON I'M THOR ERICKSON DIRECTOR OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT IN THE FIRST COACH COMMITTEE CONVERSATIONS AROUND WIC WERE PRESENTED WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITORS TO ADDRESS THOSE QUESTIONS AND THE MEMO WE LAID OUT THERE ARE A COUPLE KEY QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP COULD WE CANCEL THE CONTRACT EARLY OUR CONTRACT DOES NOT ALLOW US TO CANCEL THE CONTRACT BEFORE 2030 WE HAVE DETERMINED THAT IF WE WERE TO UNDER A POLICY DIRECTION FROM CITY COUNCIL NOT PURSUE RENEWING BEING THE ADMINISTER WITH WIC AT THE STATE WE SHOULD GIVE THEM A COUPLE YEAR NOTICE BECAUSE IT WILL BE THE STATE'S AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO FIND A NEW ADMINISTER OF WIC THAT SERVES RESIDENTS IN DALLAS AND DALLAS COUNTY WE HAVE ENGAGED THE AUDITORS WHO ARE WORKING ON THEIR REPORT AROUND SOME OF THE COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS LOOKING AT OUR CURRENT LEASES IF WE WERE TO TERMINATE EARLY OR TO DO ANY OF THAT WHAT WOULD BE THE FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE CITY BUT ULTIMATELY WIC CONTINUES TO BE A STRONG PROGRAM ADMINISTERED THROUGH OUR STAFF AND WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES THROUGH TODAY SO THANK YOU I KNOW AGAIN WE'VE BEEN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION SO I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT ALSO THAT THE COUNTY IS POSSIBLY WILL TAKE THIS OVER AS WELL I KNOW IT'S SOME LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS ON THIS AS WELL AM I CORRECT SO THE COUNTY COULD BE ONE ENTITY THAT CHOOSES TO APPLY TO THE STATE TO ADMINISTER WIC THERE THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME INTEREST IN THAT AS WELL AS SOME OTHER STATE-LEVEL PROVIDERS SO THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT COULD ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM IT'LL COME DOWN TO YOU IF THEY CHOOSE TO IN THE STATE CERTIFIES THEM AND WHAT'S THE ULTIMATE IMPACT TO THE CLIENTS THAT RECEIVE WIC BENEFITS THANK YOU CHARLIE THANK YOU MR. CHAIR SO I REALLY THINK THAT THIS IS A HEALTH RELATED SERVICE THAT ISN'T WITHIN THE REALM OF THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITIES AND THAT IT NEEDS TO BE THIS CONTRACT NEEDS TO BE TERMINATED NOW YOU SAY IT CAN'T BE VOLUNTARILY TERMINATED BEFORE 2030 BUT IS THERE AN OPENING FOR US TO APPROACH THE STATE AND SAY WE'D LIKE TO GET OUT OF THIS PROGRAM WE'LL GIVE YOU TWO YEARS NOTICE BUT CAN WE BE RELEASED BEFORE 2030 IF YOU FIND A SUCCESSOR AGENCY THAT'S WILLING TO TAKE IT ON SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CAN TALK TO THE STATE ABOUT CITY COUNCIL'S DIRECTION IF A DIRECTION WAS PROVIDED TO LOOK AT ENDING OUR TERM AND WHAT THAT TIMELINE WOULD BE IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THEY DO NEED A COUPLE YEAR LEAD TIME IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND I'M JUST SUGGESTING THAT INSTEAD OF JUST ACCEPTING ANOTHER FOUR YEARS UNDER THIS CONTRACT THAT WE APPROACH THE STATE AND ASK THEM IF WE CAN GET OUT EARLY AND THAT MAY DEPEND UPON THEIR ABILITY TO GET A SUCCESSOR BUT WE DON'T ASK FOR IT WE WON'T GET IT SO THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD WAS ABOUT THE NINE HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IN INDIRECT COST REVENUE FOR THE CITY THIS MEMO WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAD HEARD ABOUT THAT NOW IS THAT FIGURE OFFSET BY OUR ACTUAL INTERNAL COSTS OF ADMINISTERING THIS PROGRAM THAT A NET GAIN TO THE GENERAL FUND IT'S NOT IT'S NOT A NET GAIN IT'S COST RECOVERY OF THE COST TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM OKAY SO IF THE CONTRACT GOES AWAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE A HIT TO THE GENERAL FUND AND LOSS OF REVENUE THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE THE PROGRAM COVERS OUR COSTS. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN ROTH. I WOULD LIKE I'M SORRY I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE TAKE THIS CONVERSATION TO THE FULL COUNCIL TO DISCUSS THIS THE FUTURE OF THIS PROGRAM I AGREE WITH CHAIR RIDLEY WHAT HE SAID SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE DO THAT DO I HAVE A SECOND? SURE[02:35:01]
SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? OKAY THANK YOU. WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION GO TO THE FULL COUNCIL[E. 26-2811A Discussion of City Programs that Support Dallas County, Dallas College, and Parkland Hospital]
FOR DISCUSSION. THANK YOU THOR. FINALLY THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME. E WE WERE DEALING WITH DISCUSSION OF CITY PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT DALLAS COUNTY DALLAS COLLEGE AND PARKLAND HOSPITAL DIRECTOR ERIC DOMINGUEZ, OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.THANK YOU MR. CHAIR COMMITTEE MEMBERS ERIC DOMINGUEZ, OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND SO IN THE SAKE OF TIME CERTAINLY JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF CAPTURE IF YOU WILL OVERSIGHT OF VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND THE COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR SYNERGY AND ALSO HOW THEY IMPACT CITY OF DALLAS. SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMITTEE. ANY CHAIR RIDLEY? YES ON PAGE TWO THE ENTRY FOR THE PARTNERSHIP WITH DALLAS COUNTY AND PARKLAND HOSPITAL FOR THE NEWBORN NURSE HOME PROGRAM COSTING US ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS. WHY ARE WE INVOLVED IN THIS? THIS SEEMS LIKE A HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FUNCTION BETTER SUITED TO THE COUNTY. HI AGAIN THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WAS FUNDED NOT THROUGH GENERAL FUND IT WAS FUNDED THROUGH ARPA. IT WAS PART OF SOME OF OUR COVID RECOVERY WORK THAT WE WERE DOING THROUGH PREVIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
THE CONTRACT IS SET TO END IN SEPTEMBER SO IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO DO. THE PROGRAM THOUGH HAS PROVEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND IN SERVING THE CLIENTS IT WAS SET TO BE SERVED BUT IT IS ONE THAT ENDS HERE IN SEPTEMBER AND WAS FUNDED THROUGH ARPA. ALL RIGHT THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER ROTH? THE I SEE ON THE GENERAL FUND UNDER THE AUDUBON SOCIETY WE JUST WORKED ON THAT IN OUR LAST BUDGET MEETING. IS THAT IS THAT THE SAME A SITUATION WHERE WE JUST DID WE JUST APPROVED TRYING TO FUND A REDUCTION THAT WAS WAS PREVIOUSLY SUGGESTED? IS THAT THAT'S THE SAME BUCKET OF MONEY THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT? YES I UNDERSTAND YES COUNCILMEMBER I WILL GET CLARIFICATION ON THAT YES SIR. SO WE'RE ALREADY GIVING THEM FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY EIGHT THOUSAND BUCKS THROUGH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. CORRECT YES SIR.
OKAY THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER BLACKMON? MAYOR PRO TEM? THANK YOU I WANT TO ALSO THANK MAYOR JOHNSON AND HIS VISION AS WE CONCLUDE THIS PARTICULAR MEETING THIS COUNCIL THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE WAS ASKED TO BE FISCAL RESPONSIBLE ADDRESS A LOT OF THE OVERLAPS THAT WE HAVE AND SO AS THIS WORK CONCLUDES AS THE CHAIR OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY I WANT TO THANK OUR COLLEAGUES THE COUNCIL THAT SERVED ON THIS COMMITTEE AND AGAIN ONCE AGAIN MAYOR JOHNSON FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND HIS TRUST IN THIS COMMITTEE TO GET THE JOB DONE IS ONE OF HIS MAIN PRIORITIES AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST MR. MAYOR IN THIS IN MY LEADERSHIP AND AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL THAT SERVED ON THIS COMMITTEE. THE TIME IS NOW 12 NOON AND THE COMMITTEE OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY IS NOW ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.