Sep 09, 2026 Environmental Commission

STEPHANIE, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS THIS EVENING? MS. GELFMAN? OKAY.

LET'S JUST MOVE ON THEN.

WE'RE GONNA MOVE FOR THE...

WE'RE GONNA APPROVE THE MINUTES OF OUR AUGUST 12TH, 2026, UM, MEETING.

BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A MINOR, UH, EDIT.

UM, THE MINUTES...

YEP.

OH, YEAH.

UH, LET'S ACTUALLY CALL ROLL BEFORE WE JUMP INTO THAT.

UM, LET'S START IN DISTRICT ONE.

COMMISSIONERS, WHEN I CALL YOUR DISTRICTS, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME.

DISTRICT TWO? MARK WOOTEN.

DISTRICT THREE IS VACANT.

DISTRICT FOUR?.

DISTRICT FIVE.

TRACY WALLACE.

DISTRICT SIX IS VACANT.

ALL RIGHT, SO OUR TECHNICAL PANEL, MS. BEBBING.

HERE.

MS. STRAUSS.

MS. TUMINIA? MR. HOFFMAN.

[IV. Approval of Minutes]

THANKS, FRIENDS.

LET'S GO BACK TO THE APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 12TH, 2026 COMMISSION MEETING.

UM, KATHY IS THE NAME OF OUR, UH, COMMISSION, UH, OR OUR, OUR CITY COUNCIL, PARKS TRAILS AND ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL COMMITTEE.

I DO NOT GO BY KATHY, SO I'D ASK THAT OUR MINUTES BE AMENDED TO CATHERINE.

UM, AND I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, AMEND THOSE MINUTES, IF I CAN GET A SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

ALL IN FAVOR OF AMENDING THOSE MINUTES? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS AMENDED.

IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED.

IT'S MOVED AND SECONDED ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR.

ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, OUR MINUTES ARE APPROVED AS AMENDED.

LET'S GET RIGHT INTO

[V.b. Microplastic in Texas Report– A Survey of 77 Waterway Sites]

OUR BRIEFINGS.

THIS EVENING, WE HAVE TWO REALLY GREAT PRESENTATIONS.

WE'RE GONNA TAKE THINGS JUST A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER AND GO WITH ITEM B.

TO START, WE'RE GONNA GET A REPORT ON MICROPLASTIC IN TEXAS, UM, FROM IAN SIEMENS, OUR CITY HALL ADVOCATE WITH ENVIRONMENT TEXAS RESEARCH AND POLICY CENTER, UM, THAT TELLS US ABOUT THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF 77 WATERWAY SITES.

THIS IS A REALLY GREAT REPORT.

I'M EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THIS.

AND IAN, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.

GREAT.

[00:05:01]

UH, LIKE THE CHAIR SAID, MY NAME IS IAN SIEMENS.

I AM THE DALLAS CITY HALL ADVOCATE FOR ENVIRONMENT TEXAS RESEARCH AND POLICY CENTER, AND I'M ALSO THE AUTHOR OF THIS REPORT.

UH, WE CAN MOVE TO THIS, YEAH, THE AGENDA.

UH, TODAY WE'RE GOING TO RUN THROUGH OUR TOP LINE FINDINGS.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, PROBLEM OF MICROPLASTIC, AND YOU CAN MOVE TO THE, THE SECOND SLIDE THERE.

UH, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE METHODOLOGY OF THIS REPORT AND THE RESULTS, WHAT THEY MEAN, UM, AS WELL AS TALKING ABOUT POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THESE RESULTS.

UH, WE'LL ALSO END WITH, UH, FIVE TO 10 MINUTES OF QUESTIONS, UH, FROM.

SO, UH, ENVIRONMENT TEXAS RESEARCH AND POLICY CENTER.

UH, WE WORK FOR CLEAN AIR, CLEAN WATER, CLEAN ENERGY, WILDLIFE, AND OPEN SPACES AND A LIVABLE CLIMATE FOR ALL TEXANS.

UH, OUR TEAM OF ADVOCATES, INCLUDING MYSELF, ATTORNEYS, ORGANIZERS, AND RESEARCHERS, UH, WORKED REALLY TO DEFINE THE PROBLEMS THAT AFFECT THE NATURAL WORLD AND PROMOTE SOUND SOLUTIONS.

UH, WE ARE ALSO A STATE GROUP OF ENVIRONMENT AMERICA, UH, WHICH IS LOCATED IN 30 STATES.

NEXT SLIDE.

SO THE TOP LINE FINDINGS, UH, THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FROM THIS REPORT, UH, FIRST OF ALL, THIS WAS THE FIRST STATEWIDE REPORT OF MICROPLASTIC POLLUTION IN TEXAS WATERWAYS.

UH, THERE HAS BEEN QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH PREVIOUSLY OF INDIVIDUAL PLACES, FOR INSTANCE, A SMALL SECTION OF THE GULF COAST, LUBBOCK, TEXAS, EL PASO, BROWNSVILLE.

UM, HOWEVER, THIS IS THE FIRST COMPILATION OF, UH, THAT DATA AS PART OF A LITERATURE REVIEW, UM, AS WELL AS QUITE A BIT OF NEW DATA, INCLUDING FOR NORTH TEXAS, WHICH IS RELEVANT TO THIS COMMISSION, UH, THAT WE CARRIED OUT SPECIFICALLY.

UH, WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IS THAT MICROPLASTIC WAS FOUND AT 76 OF THESE 77 SITES, SO ESSENTIALLY 99%.

UH, THIS IS ALL FROM WATER SAMPLES, SO WE DID NOT DO ANY SEDIMENT SAMPLES.

WE ALSO DID NOT SAMPLE ANY ANIMALS AS PART OF THIS STUDY OR, UH, REPORT.

UM, THIS WAS ALL DONE USING FILTRATION ANALYSIS.

ESSENTIALLY, YOU TAKE ABOUT A LITER OF WATER OR SO, YOU RUN IT THROUGH A FILTER, WHICH I CAN SHOW YOU A PICTURE OF ON A FOLLOWING SLIDE, UM, AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THAT UNDER A MICROSCOPE TO DETERMINE HOW MANY MICROPLASTICS WERE IN THAT LITER OF WATER.

SO THESE ARE ALL OF THE LOCATIONS WHERE MICROPLASTIC WAS FOUND.

UH, I SAY THAT BECAUSE THESE ARE ACTUALLY ALL OF THE LOCATIONS THAT WE, WERE STUDIED.

UM, THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION, UH, WHICH I HAVE HIGHLIGHTED WITH THAT ARROW THERE THAT IS TWIN LAKES PARK IN RICHARDSON, TEXAS.

THAT IS THE ONLY SAMPLE LOCATION WHERE MICROPLASTICS WERE NOT FOUND IN THE WATER SAMPLE.

UM, OTHER THAN THAT, EVERY SINGLE OTHER ONE OF THESE DOTS, UH, REPRESENTS A SAMPLE WHERE MICROPLASTIC WAS FOUND.

SO START OFF WITH WHAT ARE MICROPLASTICS, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR? UH, SO PLASTIC, A PROBLEM WITH PLA- PLASTIC AND MICROPLASTIC IN PARTICULAR IS THAT IT DOES NOT BIODEGRADE.

UH, MICROBES LARGELY DO NOT EAT PLASTIC.

THEY DO NOT BREAK IT DOWN, UM, INTO, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

INSTEAD, THE MICROPLASTIC, UH, FOR THE MOST PART IS CAUSED BY THE, UH, PHYSICAL DEGRADATION OF LARGER PIECES OF PLASTIC INTO SMALLER AND SMALLER PIECES.

UH, THE TECHNICAL DEFINITION OF MICROPLASTIC IS ABOUT FIVE MILLIMETERS IN SIZE, SO YOU CAN THINK OF A PLASTIC PELLET OR A LINTEL.

I HAVE, UH, A NUMBER OF PLASTIC PELLETS HERE COLLECTED FROM MOUNTAIN CREEK LAKE, ACTUALLY, UH, COLLECTED THESE MYSELF.

SO THIS IS ABOUT THE UPPER END OF WHAT IS CLASSIFIED AS A MICROPLASTIC, UM, SO SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT THINK OF AS BEING A LITTLE BIT LARGE FOR MICROPLASTIC, UM, WHILE ON THE SMALLER SCALE, YOU CAN GO DOWN TO THE NANOMETER SCALE.

UM, FOR INSTANCE, ONE NANOMETER IS, UH, ONE MILLION TIMES SMALLER THAN ONE MILLIMETER, SO IF ONE OF THESE IS FIVE MILLIMETERS, ONE MILLION TIMES SMALLER THAN THAT, UM, THAT GOES DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL FINDING MICROPLASTICS AT THAT LEVEL, BASICALLY TO THE SMALLEST LEVEL THAT WE CAN DETECT.

SOME, SOME GOOD HUNCHES, UH, FOR ONE, WE KNOW THAT IT WILL PROBABLY, UH, NEGATIVELY AFFECT YOUR, UH, ENDOCRINE SYSTEM.

SO, UH, WE'RE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT IMPACTS FROM THIS, WHY THIS RESEARCH MATTERS ARE BOTH THE HUMAN HEALTH IMPACTS AS WELL AS THE WILDLIFE IMPACTS.

ON THE HUMAN HEALTH SIDE, UH, WE HAVE FOUND MICROPLASTICS, UH, SCIENCE HAS FOUND MICROPLASTICS IN ESSENTIALLY ALL PARTS OF THE HUMAN BODY.

UH, FOR INSTANCE, THE HUMAN BRAIN, LUNGS, SEXUAL ORGANS, LIVER, PLACENTA, UH, YOUR BLOOD, REALLY JUST THROUGHOUT YOUR ENTIRE BODY, UH, INCLUDING IN THE BREAST MILK OF MOTHERS, UH, IN YOUR URINE, UH, AS WELL AS YOUR BLOOD.

UM, WE DO NOT FULLY KNOW THE EFFECT OF THIS MICROPLASTIC ON HUMAN HEALTH.

UH, WE HAVE SOME INDICATIONS, UH, WE HAVE

[00:10:01]

UH, IT WILL HAVE SOME HORMONAL EFFECTS, UM, THAT CAN LEAD TO REPRODUCTIVE DISORDERS.

IT IS ALSO LINKED TO A MYRIAD OF HEALTH CONDITIONS, INCLUDING CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, UH, THAT INCLUDES HEART ATTACKS, UH, FOR INSTANCE, STROKES, IRRITABLE BOWEL DISEASE, COLORECTAL CANCER, AND DEMENTIA.

UM, A, A VERY LONG LAUNDRY LIST, UM, OF REASONS WHY YOU DO NOT WANT, UH, TO BE HEAVILY CONTAMINATED WITH MICROPLASTICS.

UM, ALSO ON THIS SLIDE IS A LETTER THAT ENVIRONMENT TEXAS RESEARCH AND POLICY CENTER, UH, DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR ABBOTT, UH, URGING ACTION ON MICROPLASTICS.

UH, WE TALKED TO AND GOT MORE THAN 100, UH, AROUND, UH, 100, EXCUSE ME, TEXAS PHYSICIANS AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO SIGN THIS LETTER, UM, URGING, URGENT ACTION BECAUSE OF THESE HEALTH EFFECTS.

AND YOU CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

UM, IN THE PHOTO HERE, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE EFFECTS OF MICROPLASTICS.

THESE ARE PLASTIC PELLETS ON FISH.

UH, PLASTIC PELLETS IN PARTICULAR, ALONG WITH SOME OTHER MICROPLASTICS, CAN LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO FISH OR FROG EGGS.

THEY LOOK VERY EDIBLE TO ANIMALS, UNFORTUNATELY.

UH, THIS HAS A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS.

SO NUMBER ONE, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS PHOTO, UM, IS JUST SUFFOCATION OF, UH, THE INABILITY TO BREATHE AROUND THE PLASTIC.

UH, ANOTHER ONE, UH, THAT CAN BE CAUSED TO CHRONIC EXPOSURE IS THIS PLASTIC FILLING UP THE GUT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ABLE TO BE DIGESTED.

UH, THIS CAN LEAD TO STARVATION IN THE ANIMAL BECAUSE, UH, THEY'RE FEELING FULL, HOWEVER, THEIR STOMACH IS JUST FULL OF PLASTIC.

UH, THERE ARE ALSO OTHER CHRONIC EFFECTS FROM, UH, LOWER LEVELS THAN WOULD CAUSE EITHER SUFFOCATION OR STARVATION.

SO, UH, SCIENCE HAS FOUND, UH, CHANGED BEHAVIOR IN ANIMALS, METABOLISM, UH, MANY OF THOSE SIMILAR EFFECTS TO WHAT WE SEE IN HUMANS, UH, HUMANS AND ANIMALS.

WE, WE ARE ANIMALS, SO YOU WOULD SEE SOME OF THOSE SAME EFFECTS THERE.

UM, THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER ISSUE, UH, WITH ANIMALS IS THE ISSUE OF BIOMAGNIFICATION, UH, WHICH IS WHERE, UH, A SMALL ANIMAL WILL EAT, YOU KNOW, SOME AMOUNT OF THIS MICROPLASTIC, A LARGER ANIMAL, UH, EATS MANY OF THOSE SMALL ANIMALS AND THEREFORE TAKES ON A MUCH LARGER DOSE AS THAT MOVES UP THE FOOD CHAIN.

UH, THESE MICROPLASTICS ARE ALSO NOT JUST BAD THEMSELVES, THEY ARE NOT JUST MADE UP OF, UH, CHEMICALS THAT CAN CAUSE ALL OF THESE THINGS, BUT THEY CAN ALSO ATTRACT OTHER POLLUTANTS THAT ARE IN THE WATER.

UH, SO THESE ARE HYDROCARBONS, PLASTICS, UH, ARE HYDROPHOBIC, UH, AS ARE MANY OF THESE OTHER TOXIC MATERIALS LIKE DBT, PCBS, AND OTHERS.

SO, UH, PLASTIC, ESPECIALLY MICROPLASTIC, CAN END UP ACTING LIKE A TOXIC SPONGE, UM, AND IF IT'S IN POLLUTED WATER, IT CAN DELIVER, UM, AN ESPECIALLY POTENT AMOUNT OF THOSE TOXINS TO AN ANIMAL THAT INGESTS THAT MICROPLASTIC.

MOVING TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM.

I'LL WAIT HERE FOR JUST A SECOND.

THERE WE GO.

OH, DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S ON THE SLIDE.

BUT IN THE MEANWHILE, WHILE YOU'RE, YOU'RE WAITING TO SEE MY PHOTO OF IT, OF THE COWBOY STADIUM, UH, THE UNITED STATES THROWS OUT ENOUGH PLASTIC EVERY 16 HOURS TO FILL THE DALLAS COWBOYS STADIUM.

SO EVERY 16 HOURS, ENTIRE UNITED STATES, YOU CAN THINK OF EACH OF US INDIVIDUALLY GOING UP TO THIS COWBOYS STADIUM, MAYBE UP ON THE ROOF, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE OPEN A LITTLE HOLE UP THERE, AND WE JUST START TOSSING ALL OF OUR PLASTIC IN THERE, AND THAT WOULD FILL UP EVERY 16 HOURS, ALL THE AMERICANS WERE DOING THAT WITH THEIR PLASTIC WASTE.

THAT IS 35 MILLION TONS OF PLASTIC EVERY 16 HOURS, AND IT IS TROUBLESOME THAT THAT AMOUNT IS INCREASING.

UM, WE KNOW THAT THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY, UH, PROJECTS THAT THEY WILL INCREASE, UH, THE AMOUNT OF PLASTIC THAT THEY ARE SELLING GLOBALLY AND IN THE UNITED STATES OVER THE NEXT, UH, S - UH, SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM OF, UH, FIVE TO 10 YEARS OR SO.

UH, A LOT OF THAT GROWTH, HOWEVER, UH, IS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, UM, WHERE THEY ARE SELLING MORE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS, BUT SOME OF THAT GROWTH IS ALSO HERE.

UH, AND YOU CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

UH, THIS IS ONE OF MY PHOTOS THAT YOU'LL SEE TODAY.

UH, I JUST, THIS IS, I, I THINK THIS IS ROWLETT CREEK, UH, IN PARTICULAR, BUT IF YOU GO UP TO LITERALLY ANY CREEK IN NORTH TEXAS, YOU WILL SEE THE SAME THING.

UM, THIS IS LARGELY PLASTIC POLLUTION WITH A LITTLE BIT OF ALUMINUM, UH, TOSSED IN THERE AS WELL.

UH, AND IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE YOU TO LEARN THAT TRASH PILES UP ON THE TEXAS COAST 10 TIMES FASTER THAN ANY OTHER

[00:15:01]

GULF COAST STATE.

SO THAT IS A COMBINATION OF BOTH THE PLASTIC THAT WE ARE THROWING, UH, INTO OUR WATERWAYS AND GETTING WASHED IN THERE, AS WELL AS THE CURRENTS OF THE GULF AS WELL.

UH, THE GULF OF MEXICO ALSO HAS SOME OF THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS OF MICROPLASTIC FOUND IN ANY REGION WORLDWIDE, UH, ACCORDING TO SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE.

UH, MICROPLASTICS HAVE BEEN FOUND BASICALLY EVERYWHERE.

UM, THEY HAVE BEEN FOUND IN DOMESTIC TAP WATER, UH, ACROSS THE UNITED STATES IN STUDIES, BOTTLED WATER, UH, SEA SALT THAT YOU'RE BUYING FROM THE GROCERY STORE, EVEN BEER.

UH, PLASTIC HAS ALSO BEEN FOUND, UH, JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE ACROSS THE GLOBE, INCLUDING, UH, FROM OUR TALLEST PEAKS, LIKE MOUNT EVEREST, TO THE MARIANA'S TRENCH, UH, FROM THE ARCTIC TO THE ANTARCTIC AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN REALLY.

AT A PLASTICS MANUFACTURING PLANT.

SO, UH, FOCUSING IN ON THIS STUDY IN PARTICULAR, UH, SO THIS IS OUR METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS, AND, UH, YOU CAN SEE ONE VOLUNTEER COLLECTING SOME WATER SAMPLE HERE, UH, AND YOU CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO OUR METHODOLOGY HERE, UH, REALLY OUR AIM WITH THIS REPORT IS TO SHOW, UM, THE BREADTH OF SCIENTIFIC DATA THAT IS OUT THERE SO FAR.

SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR A GEO - UH, GEOGRAPHIC BREADTH, UM, IN DATA, AND TO FURTHER THAT, WE ALSO, UM, CONDUCTED OUR OWN RESEARCH, UH, WITH OUR OWN VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF COLLECTING WATER SAMPLES, UM, AND ANALYZING THEM AS WELL.

UM, LET'S SEE HERE.

UH, YES, SO THIS IS VERY DIVERSE, AS YOU SAW IN THAT MAP EARLIER IN GEOGRAPHY, ECOLOGY, URBAN, SUBURBAN, RURAL.

UM, 17 OF THE SITES SAMPLED WERE SAMPLED BY ENVIRONMENT TEXAS, AND 60 OF THOSE SAMPLES ARE FROM A LITERATURE REVIEW.

UH, WE ALSO GOT A COUPLE OF THOSE, UH, DATA POINTS AS WELL, A, A FEW, I SHOULD SAY, UM, FROM YET UNPUBLISHED, UH, DATA FROM GULF COAST ORGANIZATIONS, AND THAT IS, UM, ALSO MENTIONED IN THE REPORT.

UH, AND YOU CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE COLLECTED, UM, AND MUCH OF THE DATA IN THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE REVIEW, UH, FOLLOWS STANDARDS SET BY NOAA, THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION.

THEY HAVE THE MICROPLASTIC SAMPLING AND PROCESSING GUIDEBOOK PROTOCOL, UM, WHICH IS VERY EASY FOR BOTH SCIENTISTS AND CITIZEN SCIENTISTS TO USE.

UH, WE ALSO USED THE SHAW INSTITUTE'S GUIDE TO MICROPLASTIC IDENTIFICATION, UH, TO AID IN IDENTIFICATION.

UH, AND YOU CAN SEE SOME MICROPLASTICS, UH, FROM OUR RESEARCH THERE ON THE RIGHT.

UM, I BELIEVE THE TOP LEFT IS A FRAGMENT.

UH, THE TOP RIGHT IS A FRAGMENT BEING POINTED OUT AS WELL AS A FIBER.

THE BOTTOM LEFT IS A PLASTIC FILM, SO FROM FLEXIBLE PACKAGING, AND THE BOTTOM RIGHT ARE TWO FIBERS, I BELIEVE.

UM, ALL OF OUR SAMPLES THAT ENVIRONMENT TEXAS COLLECTED WERE TAKEN IN GLASS PORT JARS, SO ABOUT ONE LITER, UH, FROM MARCH THROUGH MAY OF 2026 OF THIS YEAR, UM, AND STEPS WERE TAKEN TO MINIMIZE PLASTIC CONTAMINATION, FOR INSTANCE, ASKING VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT WEARING ANY CLOTHING THAT CONTAINS PLASTIC, WHICH IS A FEAT , UM, AS WELL AS, UH, MAKING SURE THAT YOU WERE STANDING UPRIVER, TAKING SAMPLES IN TWO FEET OF WATER, UH, A FEW OTHER ITEMS AS WELL.

AND THAT'S ALSO, UM, PART OF THOSE NOAA STANDARDS.

UM, AND THEN THE, THE SAMPLE THAT WE USED WAS, UH, 45 MICRONS, SO WE, OF COURSE, PROBABLY COULD NOT DETECT ANYTHING SMALLER THAN THAT WITH OUR MICROSCOPE THAT WE HAD, UM, BUT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DETECT ANYTHING, ANY PLASTIC SMALLER THAN 45 MICRONS WITH THAT FILTER SIZE.

UH, AND YOU CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO, UH, I MENTIONED SOME OF THOSE CATEGORIES OF MICROPLASTIC EARLIER.

WE USED FOUR CATEGORIES, UM, IN THIS REPORT.

UH, WE EITHER CATEGORIZED THE LITERATURE THAT EXISTED, UM, UNDER ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES, IF THEY USED THESE CATEGORIES, UH, FOR LITERATURE THAT DID NOT USE THESE CATEGORIES, WE NOTED THAT AS THAT DATA IS NOT AVAILABLE, UM, IN OUR REPORT, UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT NOTED IN SOME OF OUR RESULTS LATER ON AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE DATA THAT DID CATEGORIZE FOR SOME OF THESE CATEGORIES.

UH, SO THOSE CATEGORIES WERE FIBERS FROM SYNTHETIC FIBERS AND FILAMENTS, SO THINK, UH, SYNTHETIC FIBERS FROM, UM, LIKE A POLYESTER FLEECE, FOR INSTANCE.

UH, ALSO IN THAT CATEGORY WOULD BE THINGS LIKE FISHING LINE AND BALING TWINE AS WELL.

UH, FRAGMENTS INCLUDE RIGID PLASTICS, SO, UH, EVERYTHING BASICALLY EXCEPT FOR PLASTIC PELLETS, UM, INCLUDING POLYSTYRENE, UH, WHICH IS PRETTY PROLIFIC, IT JUST KIND OF EXPLODES EVERYDAY HERE AS IT STARTS TO DEGRADE, UH, AND CLEAR PLASTIC CONTAINERS.

FILM, SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR FLEXIBLE PACKAGING, UH, PELLETS ARE PRE-PRODUCTION PLASTIC PELLETS.

SO, UH, PLASTIC BEFORE IT GETS TURNED INTO A PRODUCT, UH, STARTS OUT AS LITTLE PELLETS LIKE THESE.

I'M HAPPY TO HAND THESE OUT OR SHOW THESE AROUND LATER.

UM, THEY ARE MANUFACTURED

[00:20:01]

THEY ARE THEN TRANSPORTED, UM, IN THESE VERY BIG SHIPPING CONTAINERS, USUALLY VIA RAIL, SOMETIMES, UH, VIA TRUCK OR BOAT, UH, TO A PLASTIC PRODUCT MANUFACTURING FACILITY WHERE THEY ESSENTIALLY MELT THESE DOWN INTO MOLDS.

HOWEVER, ALL ALONG THE WAY, THEY GET LOST IN PRETTY LARGE QUANTITIES, ESPECIALLY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WHERE THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY HAS DECIDED THAT THIS DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE CLEAN WATER ACT.

UH, THESE ARE NOT A SOLID POLLUTANT, UH, WHENEVER DUMPED INTO A WATERWAY, SO THERE IS NO FINE, FEE, OR PENALTY SEEMINGLY, UM, ON THE BOOKS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS CURRENTLY.

UH, THERE IS CURRENTLY A LAWSUIT THAT WAS A CITIZEN LAWSUIT THAT WAS TAKEN UP BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.

WE WILL SEE WHERE THAT GOES.

AND THERE WAS ALSO A PREVIOUS, UH, CITIZENS LAWSUIT UNDER THE CIVIL PROVISION OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL, UM, IN THE BAYTOWN, UH, HOUSTON AREA AGAINST, UH, FORMOSA PLASTICS FOR, UH, SPILLING THESE PLASTIC PELLETS IN LARGE QUANTITIES.

HOWEVER, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE'S NOTHING REALLY, UH, ACROSS THE STATE ON THESE, UNFORTUNATELY.

UH, MOVING TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS ONE OF OUR, OUR FILTERS IN A FLASK HERE.

UM, LET ME SEE HERE.

SO YES, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS ONLY FROM SURFACE WATERS.

UM, THOSE TWO, UM, AGENCIES THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER FROM THAT UNPUBLISHED DATA'S TURTLE ISLAND RESTORATION NETWORK AND GALVESTON BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM, UM, WHICH IS PRE-PUBLICATION, SHOULD BE PUBLISHED SOON.

UM, AND THEN YES, WE CODED EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD BASED OFF OF THE LITERATURE THAT WE USED AS EITHER PRESENT, ABSENT, OR INFORMATION NOT AVAILABLE.

UH, MOVING TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

UH, SO WE ALSO USED, UH, GEOCOORDINATES.

WE USED THE MOST SPECIFIC, UH, GEO DATA, UH, WHENEVER WE HAD THAT AVAILABLE.

UM, THE MOST PRECISE COORDINATES USED.

SOME STUDIES, UH, JUST USED, UH, MAPS WITH THE DOTS ON THEM IN THE REPORT, IN WHICH CASES WE, UH, QUERIED THOSE AUTHORS.

IF WE DID NOT HEAR BACK, WE MADE ESTIMATES BASED OFF OF THOSE MAP IMAGES, UH, WHERE THERE WAS MULTIPLE SAMPLES TAKEN IN A SINGLE BODY OF WATER, UH, WE CONGLOMERATED THOSE SAMPLES INTO ONE SAMPLE, UM, AND USED THAT DATA THERE.

UM, FOR A FEW SAMPLES IN THE DATA THAT CAME TO US IN THE REPORT, IN THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE AS AMALGAMATED DATA, WHERE THEY WOULD REPORT THE DATA FOR SEVERAL, UH, TESTING SITES AS, UH, ONE PIECE OF DATA.

IN THOSE CASES, WE TRIED TO ESTIMATE THE, UH, MIDDLE OF THOSE SAMPLE SITES AND CLOSE TO THAT DATA POINT THERE.

UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS ALL FOR THIS SLIDE.

MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO OF 54 SITES EVALUATED FOR PLASTIC FIBERS, 52 CONTAINED THEM, SO THAT'S 96%.

PLASTIC FIBERS SEEM TO BE, UH, THE MOST COMMON FORM OF MICROPLASTIC.

WE ARE SHEDDING THEM CONSTANTLY, UH, ESPECIALLY WHENEVER YOU RUN YOUR WASHING MACHINE.

UM, THAT IS ONE REASON WHY, UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT, UH, TO HAVE LEGISLATION IN THE FUTURE THAT WOULD REQUIRE MICROPLASTIC FILTERS ON WASHING MACHINES, UH, SINCE YOUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS ARE NOT FILTERING THOSE OUT ON THEIR END.

UM, OF 54 SITES EVALUATED, 37, SO 69% CONTAINED PLASTIC FRAGMENTS.

SO AGAIN, THIS COULD BE FROM NUMEROUS SOURCES.

UM, OF THE 31 SITES WHERE IT WAS EVALUATED FOR EIGHT OF THEM CONTAINED, SO 26% PLASTIC FILM, MOST FLEXIBLE PACKAGING, AND OF 28 SITES EVALUATED, FOUR, SO ABOUT 14% CONTAINED PLASTIC PELLETS LIKE THESE.

MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS JUST SOME, UH, GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF THOSE DATA POINTS, UH, ESPECIALLY RELEVANT, UH, IS THAT BAR GRAPH ON THE RIGHT SIDE THERE, UH, TO JUST GIVE SOME VISUALS TO THAT.

MOVING TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO WE HAVE SOME POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, IF THE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT MICROPLASTICS ARE NOT IN OUR ENVIRONMENT OR TO LESSEN THE AMOUNT OF MICROPLASTICS IN OUR ENVIRONMENT SO THAT THESE ARE FOUND IN FEWER PLACES, UM, WE SHOULD BE PHASING OUT UNNECESSARY SINGLE-USE PLASTICS, UM, AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.

THERE CAN BE ACTION HERE TO BE TAKEN.

UH, WHILE TEXAS DOES HAVE A BAG BAN, UH, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, THE CITY OF DALLAS COULD POTENTIALLY ELIMINATE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS FROM ITS OWN PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

I KNOW THE COMMISSION IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT POLICIES, UM, AND THERE IS SOME OPTIONS THERE TO ENACT THAT.

UH, SEVERAL OTHER TEXAS CITIES HAVE DONE SO, UM, BECAUSE OF, UH, INABILITY TO ACT IN OTHER WAYS.

ALSO, YOU CAN INCENTIVIZE, UM, STILL BUSINESSES AND PROVIDE EDUCATION FOR BUSINESSES TO LESSEN THE AMOUNT OF SINGLE-USE PLASTICS THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING.

UM, TE - THE STATE OF TEXAS SHOULD REALLY ESTABLISH A ZERO DISCHARGE REGULATION FOR PLASTIC PELLETS.

UH, SEVERAL OTHER STATES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES HAVE PASSED STATE LAWS ESSENTIALLY REQUIRING ZERO DISCHARGE LIMITS.

[00:25:01]

IT'S VERY REASONABLE.

IT'S WHAT'S REQUIRED, FOR INSTANCE, OF FOREMOST OF PLASTICS TODAY, UM, ON THE, THE TEXAS COAST.

UM, IN THE MEANTIME, THERE COULD BE SOME AVENUES FOR A CITY TO ACT IN THIS AREA WITH STORM WATER PERMITS POTENTIALLY.

UM, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, THAT'S AN UNTESTED AVENUE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT AN AREA, UM, WHERE A CITY COULD POTENTIALLY ALTER A STORMWATER PERMIT TO HAVE, UM, SOME SPECIFICITY AROUND, UM, PLASTIC PELLET POLLUTION IN PARTICULAR.

UH, WE COULD ALSO, AT THE STATE LEVEL, ESTABLISH A REFUNDABLE BOTTLE DEPOSIT, UM, TO KEEP THINGS OUT OF LANDFILLS.

THIS IS A TYPE OF EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY LAW, IF YOU'VE HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE, UH, ESSENTIALLY WHERE PRODUCERS PAY IN SOME AMOUNT TO, UM, THE, UH, TAKING CARE OF WHATEVER IS LEFT OVER OF THEIR PRODUCT, UM, AFTERWARDS.

SO MAKING SURE THAT THEIR PRODUCT IS ACTUALLY PROPERLY RECYCLED OR OTHERWISE GOES TO, UM, A LANDFILL INSTEAD OF ENDING UP IN OUR ENVIRONMENT.

UH, MOVING TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

UH, AS I MENTIONED, UH, REVERSING THE PLASTIC BAG BAN, UM, DEVELOPING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, ANOTHER THING THAT, UH, THIS COMMISSION HAS TALKED MUCH ABOUT, ESPECIALLY DR.

KATHY JACK, UM, WHO HELPED REALLY WRITE THE REPORT, UH, FOR NORTH TEXAS ON GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

UH, THERE ARE SO MANY BENEFITS TO GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, TOO MANY TO NAME, UH, TODAY.

UM, HOWEVER, ONE OF THOSE IS, OF COURSE, SLOWING DOWN POLLUTANTS IN GENERAL, INCLUDING MICROPLASTICS, AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE ARE IN PLACE, UM, AND CAN ESSENTIALLY FORM SEDIMENT OR OTHERWISE BE PICKED UP RATHER THAN ENTERING THE WATERWAYS AND ULTIMATELY THE GOAL.

UM, AND THEN LASTLY, UH, TO HALT POLICIES THAT PROMOTE THE INCREASED MANUFACTURE, UM, AND USE OF SINGLE USE PLASTICS.

SO THIS COULD, FOR INSTANCE, BE A TAX SUBSIDY FOR A PLASTICS FACILITY, WHETHER THAT IS A PLASTICS MANUFACTURER OR A PLASTIC PRODUCT PRODUCER, UM, PUBLIC MONEY FOR PLASTIC INCINERATION AS WELL, PREVENTING THAT, UM, ALSO CALLED ADVANCED RECYCLING, UH, WHICH HOUSTON HAS, UH, UNFORTUNATELY STARTED TO TAKE UP EXXONMOBIL ON.

UM, SO MAKING SURE THAT THE CITY DOES NOT DEVOTE MORE RESOURCES TO ENCOURAGING, UH, THE PRODUCTION OF PLASTIC.

AND ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS VERY SIMILAR, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A DIFFERENT PHOTO OF A DIFFERENT CREEK IN NORTH TEXAS WITH MORE PLASTIC POLLUTION.

UH, MOVING TO THE LAST SLIDE THERE.

AND SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ THE FULL REPORT, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE, UH, THERE AND CLICK THE RESOURCES BUTTON UP AT THE TOP TO VIEW OUR FULL REPORT, AS WELL AS I PROVIDED, UH, THE IN-PERSON COMMISSIONERS OUR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE REPORT, WHICH CAN BE FOUND ON THE FIRST FEW PAGES THERE.

UM, AND MOVING TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

AND I'M OPEN FOR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, IAN, FOR THIS REPORT.

IT IS BOTH TIMELY, UM, AND REALLY INFORMATIVE.

UM, APPRECIATE THE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTIONABLE ITEMS. ANY QUESTIONS FROM FOLKS? ALL RIGHT, WE'LL START HERE WITH DR.

HOW DID I? UM, OKAY.

UM, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS RELATES TO SOME OF THE HEALTH FACTS THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, AND THEY SPRING FROM MY INTEREST AS A PEDIATRICIAN.

UM, ONE OF THEM IS WHETHER THERE ARE...

I BELIEVE I SAW A STUDY THAT LINKS MICROPLASTICS, THE PRETERM BIRTH, UH, ALSO DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THAT.

AND, UM, THEN, UH, TYPE ONE DIABETES.

CANNOT SAY FOR SURE IF ANY OF THOSE, UH, THAT YOU MENTIONED ARE REFERENCED SPECIFICALLY IN OUR REPORT.

SO THAT'S QUESTION ONE.

QUESTION TWO IS HERE, UM, WATER FILTERS ON THE WATER.

I HAVE TWO OF THEM IN MY HOUSE, ONE ON REFRIGERANT, ONE ON MY SINK, DO THEY REMOVE A MICROPLASTIC? UM, THE THIRD ONE RELATES TO THE TECHNICAL ISSUE, HOW YOU PICKED YOUR SAMPLE SITES, UH, AND THAT KIND OF THING.

OH, AND THEN LASTLY, ONE OF THE THINGS I DIDN'T SEE IN YOUR SUGGESTIONS IS PROMOTING PUBLIC RECYCLING OF PLASTIC.

UH, WHAT I DO, BECAUSE THE CITY OF DALLAS DOES NOT HAVE THAT, DOES NOT HAVE PLASTIC BAGS AS PART OF ITS PLASTIC RECYCLING PROGRAM.

I COLLECT MY BAGS IN A SIMPLE, IN A SEPARATE BIN AND DROP THEM OFF IN RECYCLING SITES, HEB AND SPROUTS HAVE THEM, AND I DROP OFF MY PLASTIC BAGS.

BASICALLY, WHEN THE BAG FILLS UP, IT GOES TO THE RECYCLING.

SO I'M DONE.

YES, A, A VERY GOOD POINT.

YES.

UH, UTILIZING ALL OF THOSE RECYCLING STREAMS FOR THOSE THINGS THAT ARE NOT RECYCLABLE AT YOUR, UH, CURBSIDE BIN, UH, IS GREAT.

UM, AS FOR THOSE HEALTH EFFECTS, UM, THERE IS SO MUCH DATA OUT THERE.

WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO INCLUDE SOME TOP OF THE I

[00:30:01]

I BELIEVE WE REFERENCE, UH, A GOOD LITTLE CHUNK OF PAPERS, UM, WHICH YOU CAN FIND IN OUR, OUR REFERENCES SECTION, UM, WHICH WILL ALSO, YOU CAN FIND THOSE NUMBERS UP IN OUR, OUR HEALTH, HUMAN HEALTH SECTION OF THE REPORT.

UM, BUT YES, I, I'VE HEARD MUCH OF THOSE, UH, SAME REPORTS AS WELL AND HAVE ALSO CONCERNED.

UH, AS FAR AS WATER FILTERS, THAT WILL VARY DRAMATICALLY, UH, BASED OFF OF WHAT THAT WATER FILTER IS.

UM, I DO NOT HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO RECOMMEND YOU A SPECIFIC, UH, HOME WATER FILTER.

HOWEVER, I WOULD SAY THAT YOU WOULD BE SAFEST, UH, WITH REVERSE OSMOSIS, UM, SINCE YOU'RE DEALING WITH, UH, POTENTIALLY VERY TINY PIECES OF PLASTIC.

UM, I WILL ALSO NOT SAY THAT I WOULD FIND, UH, MICROPLASTICS IN TAP WATER.

I AM NOT AWARE OF WHAT YOUR RISK IS, ESPECIALLY IN DALLAS.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE IS DATA ON MICROPLASTICS, UM, IN WATER IN DALLAS.

UM, SO I CANNOT SPEAK TO THAT.

UM, HOWEVER, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A WIDE RANGE OF, OF COMMERCIAL FILTERS AVAILABLE OUT THERE.

I, I SERVE AS THE, UM, SENIOR CO-CHAIR OF THE TEXAS PEDIATRIC SOCIETY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE.

AND, UM, MANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE ARE ACADEMICS WHO ARE, UH, INVOLVED IN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

AND ONE OF THE ISSUES OF CONCERN THAT WE RAISED AS PART OF OUR AGENDA FOR THE PEDIATRIC SOCIETY IS THIS WHOLE QUESTION OF MICROPLASTICS AND THE EFFECT ON HEALTH, PARTICULARLY ON THE EFFECT, HEALTH OF CHILDREN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR.

WECKMAN.

UH, CHAIR HERMOTO, DO THE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, CHAIR HERO.

UM, MR. SIEMENS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, YET AGAIN, ANOTHER INFORMATIVE BRIEFING AND VERY THOROUGH WORK THAT'S MUCH NEEDED TO SOCIALIZE.

UM, I WANNA FOCUS ON YOUR, UM, POINT POLICY RECOMMENDATION NUMBER SIX AS WELL.

UM, VERY TIMELY, THE NEW YORK TIMES LAST WEEK JUST HAD A, PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE ABOUT, UH, MI - THE MICROPLASTICS, UH, EPIDEMIC IN INDONESIA.

SO IT IS A CRITICAL ISSUE HERE IN OUR BACKYARD AND ALL THE WAY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD.

UH, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS, THERE'S SOME REALLY GREAT PHOTOS AND VIDEOS AND OTHER THINGS IN THERE, AND IT'S CHOCK-FULL OF STATISTICS THAT ALSO TALK ABOUT HUMAN HEALTH CONCERNS VERY, AND PRETERM BIRTHS WAS LISTED IN THAT ARTICLE.

SO I CAN VERIFY THAT FOR YOU.

UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR REPORT PART POINTS OUT HEART ATTACKS AND DEMENTIA RISKS, WHICH ARE, YOU KNOW, VERY PRESENT FOR ALL OF US.

AND, UM, MICROPLASTICS ARE SO PERVASIVE IN OUR CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY, AND LIKE THAT PICTURE YOU SHOWED OF THE FISH WITH THE PLASTIC PELLETS IN ITS BELLY, THESE TOXINS AND CHEMICALS AND POLLUTANTS ARE BIOACCUMULATIVE.

SO SMALLER ANIMALS EAT IT AND THEN INGEST IT, AND THEN THE LARGER ANIMALS EAT IT AND INGEST IT, AND THEN THEY END UP IN OUR BODY OR IN OUR DRINKING WATER.

UH, AND THERE IS INCREASING EVIDENCE IN THE AMOUNT OF MICROPLASTICS IN THE AIR, IN OUR WATER, AND ALSO IN OUR SOILS.

SO IT, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION, AND I HOPE WE CAN MAKE SOME GOOD PROGRESS ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.

ABSOLUTELY.

SIDE EFFECT OF THE FACT THAT THIS LAW PREEMPTS, UH, LOCAL SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL LAWS IN SOME WAYS, AND IT WAS RULED THAT THAT INCLUDED PLASTIC CONTAINERS AND PACKAGING.

UM, I'LL ALSO MENTION THERE, UM, HIGHLY RECOMMEND TAKING A LOOK AT THAT NEW YORK TIMES REPORT.

UM, JUST ABSOLUTELY A HARROWING VIDEO, UM, FROM THAT REPORT.

ONE OF THE THINGS MENTIONED IN THAT REPORT, UM, WAS THE FINDING OF LARGE NUMBERS OF, LARGE AMOUNTS OF MICROPLASTIC IN, UH, RAINFALL, UH, PARTIALLY DUE TO PLASTIC INCINERATION, UM, AND PLASTIC FIRES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN LANDFILLS IN INDONESIA.

UM, I'LL ALSO MENTION, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE NEW YORK TIMES MENTIONED THIS, THIS, BUT MICROPLASTICS HAVE ALSO BEEN FOUND IN RAINFALL IN THE UNITED STATES, UM, INCLUDING IN PLACES THAT YOU WOULD THINK ARE PRISTINE.

FOR INSTANCE, THE ROCKIES IN COLORADO.

UM, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS STUDIES.

UM, THERE HAS BEEN AT LEAST, EXCUSE ME, ONE STUDY OF, UH, RAINFALL IN COLORADO FINDING, UH, MICROPLASTICS IN NEARLY EVERY SAMPLE, UM, THAT THEY FOUND, UH, WHICH IS JUST STUCK.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MR. HOFFMAN, AND THEN WE'LL COME TO MS. PRESIDENT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

UM, I, I DON'T, I, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT IN THE STATE GOVERNMENT'S, UM, INITIATION AND CREATION OF THE TEXAS SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL ACT, DID THEY CITE ANY STUDIES OR BENEFITS CONNECTED WITH MICROPLASTICS IN OUR ENVIRONMENT? UH, NO.

AND THIS, UM, PREEMPTION OF LOCAL CONTROL IS SOMETHING THAT WAS DETERMINED BY THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT.

IT WAS NOT WRITTEN INTO THE LAW EXPLICITLY, UM, WITH THIS INTENT SEEMINGLY THAT IT WOULD PREEMPT BAG BANS.

UM, IT IS A

[00:35:01]

WHETHER OR NOT THAT ALSO INCLUDES THINGS LIKE, UH, FOR INSTANCE, PLASTIC UTENSILS, I AM NOT A LEGAL EXPERT, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE COURT HAS RULED ON THAT, BUT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN FINDING THAT.

AND MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION WITH REGARD TO WATER, ARE YOU GOING TO DO ANY WATER TESTING, UM, FROM THE MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, DALLAS WATER UTILITIES TO RANDOMLY TEST AND SEE HOW MANY MICROPLASTICS ARE IN OUR TAP WATER? UH, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE, UH, EQUIPMENT AND EXPERTISE NECESSARY FOR TAP WATER TESTING.

UM, SO WE DO NOT PLAN TO GET INTO THAT.

WE DO PLAN ON EXPANDING THIS REPORT IN FUTURE YEARS WITH AS MUCH DATA AS, AS AVAILABLE AND ALSO CONDUCTING ADDITIONAL, UH, TESTING OF WATERWAYS.

UM, WE FIND THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, RELATIVELY EASY TO DO WITH, UH, RELATIVELY CHEAPER EQUIPMENT, UM, AND CONDUCT WITH CITIZEN SCIENTISTS ALONGSIDE US, UM, WHICH ALLOWS THIS DATA TO BE CONDUCTED ACROSS, YOU KNOW, VERY FAR ACROSS THE STATE IN, IN DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIES.

SO IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'VE CHOSEN THIS.

DO YOU KNOW OF ANY, ANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE TESTING TAP WATER? I DO NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD IN TEXAS.

I WILL GET BACK TO YOU WITH THAT INFORMATION.

UM, IAN, GREAT PRESENTATION AND AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB OF PRESENTING IT.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

I HAVE A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS, BUT I'M JUST GONNA ASK TWO.

UM, THE FIRST IS, IF FIBERS ARE THE MOST COMMON MICROPLASTICS FOUND, UM, AND IT SEEMED LIKE IN YOUR SELECTION OF SIX, YOU KNOW, POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, THEY WEREN'T DIRECTLY ADDRESSED, I'M CURIOUS WHAT YOU THINK, WHAT WOULD YOU IDEALLY WANT TO BE A SOLUTION, AND WHAT DO YOU THINK IS FEASIBLE? THAT'S ONE QUESTION.

AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION IS, UM, ONE OFTEN HEARS WHEN YOU HEAR PUSHBACK AGAINST PLASTIC BAG BANS, UM, ONE ARGUMENT THAT'S OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC IS THAT WHEN YOU BAN PLASTIC BAGS, PEOPLE WILL JUST PURCHASE BAGS, YOU KNOW, TO THROW OUT THEIR WASTE.

AND I'VE HEARD ARGUMENTS, WELL, THAT YOU END UP WITH MORE PLASTIC BEING USED.

YOU JUST GIVE THEM THE CHEAP OLD PLASTIC BAGS WHICH SERVE THE SAME PURPOSE.

HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND TO THAT? SO THE MICROPLASTICS AND, YEAH, AND THEN THAT QUESTION.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO ON, AS FAR AS MICROFIBERS GO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THE LITERATURE SEEMS TO SUGGEST THAT THEY ARE THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF MICROPLASTICS, ALSO OUTSIDE OF THIS REPORT.

UM, I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE 36% OF THE MICROPLASTICS IN OUR OCEANS ARE, ARE MICROFIBERS FOUND, UM, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

UM, AND A LOT OF THAT, LIKE I SAID, IS FROM CLOTHING.

WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED IS A STATE OR NATIONAL LAW FOR, UH, PROBABLY THE BEST SOLUTION WOULD BE FILTERS ON WASHING MACHINES.

THIS IS WHAT'S BEEN PUT IN PLACE IN FRANCE.

UH, THEY ARE THE FIRST, UH, COUNTRY TO, UH, PASS A LAW, UH, TO PREVENT MICROFIBERS, UM, FROM ENTERING WATERWAYS, AND THAT WAS THE, THE SOLUTION PUT FORWARD THERE.

UM, THERE'S CURRENTLY STATE LEGISLATION IN CALIFORNIA AND OREGON, UM, THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING DEBATED.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT HAS, UH, DIED IN EITHER OF THOSE YET.

UM, AND THAT WOULD PASS MUCH THE SAME.

UM, I THINK THAT SOMETHING, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE, UH, SOME PRETTY LARGE STATES IN THE UNITED STATES TO GET MANUFACTURERS, UM, TO ADAPT AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FILTERS ARE BUILT IN.

SO TEXAS IS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY THERE.

UM, OTHERWISE, NATIONAL LEGISLATION WOULD REALLY BE PREFERRED.

UM, MOVING IN, YOU KNOW, LARGE SINGLE MARKETS ON APPLIANCE REGULATION REALLY WORKS A LOT BETTER THAN A PIECEMEAL APPROACH.

UM, SO SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD BE AN ANSWER.

UM, I THINK THAT MOST OF THE RESEARCH SUG- SUGGESTS THAT, UH, FILTERS ON INDIVIDUAL WASHING MACHINES SEEM TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN SOME WAYS THAN, UM, FILTRATION OF THE ENTIRE, UH, WASTEWATER STREAM AT THIS TIME.

UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS WITH EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY, MAYBE THAT SOLUTION WILL CHANGE OVER TIME.

UM, OH, AND WHAT WAS YOUR, YOUR...

OH, YES.

AND AS FAR AS BAGS, UM, SO I WILL SAY, UM, TO, TO START OFF THE PREAMBLE, UM, BAGS ARE JUST ONE PART OF, UH, THE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS THAT WE DISPOSE OF ON A DAILY BASIS.

THERE ARE MANY OTHERS.

UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY, YOU WOULD EVEN MAKE UP A MAJORITY.

UM, AND AS FAR AS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BANS, UM, WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT OF, YOU KNOW, MOVING TO ESSENTIALLY THICKER PLASTIC BAGS THAT YOU CAN BUY, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT WAS SEEN IN CALIFORNIA WITH THEIR BAN, UM, BECAUSE IT INITIALLY BANNED, UH, ONLY CERTAIN THICKNESSES OF PLASTIC BAGS, ESSENTIALLY, UM, FROM BEING, YOU KNOW, USED IN A SINGLE USE TYPE OF MANNER AT A GROCERY STORE OR STORE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND SO, UH,

[00:40:01]

THE MARKET ADAPTS AND MOVES TO A THICKER PLASTIC BAG.

UH, THEY ACTUALLY JUST AMENDED THAT LAW WITHIN THE LAST YEAR TO ALSO INCLUDE THOSE THICKER PLASTIC BAGS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE DOES NOT OCCUR.

UM, HOWEVER, IN STATES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT WHENEVER YOU EITHER PUT A FEE OR A BAN ON SOME OF THESE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS, THAT THE BOTH USE AND ESPECIALLY THE DISPOSAL OF THESE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS GOES DOWN DRAMATICALLY.

UM, SO WE KNOW THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE BASED OFF THE DATA FROM MANY STATES, UM, ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, SOME UNINTENDED SIDE EFFECTS THAT WE CAN NOW DEFINITELY AVOID.

ALL RIGHT, VICE CHAIR WALLACE.

THANK YOU, NIA.

SO I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS.

YOU REFERRED TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE, UH, AS A GROUP, RECOMMENDED SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT POLICY FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND REALLY HAVE GOTTEN NOWHERE.

UM, WHERE, WHAT OTHER TEXAS CITIES THAT YOU KNOW OF H - THAT HAVE SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT POLICIES? AND SPECIFICALLY ONE THING THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION SUBCOMMITTEE WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN IS JUST STARTING WITH SOMETHING SIMPLE LIKE NO PLASTIC UTENSILS THAT HELPS INCREASE THE MARKET FOR BAMBOO UTENSILS.

AND WHAT I, WHAT I HEARD BACK FROM THE DEPARTMENT WAS, "WELL, WE DON'T KNOW IF WE CATER WITH SOMEBODY WHAT THEY'RE GONNA USE.

JUST TELL THEM, NO, WE DON'T ACCEPT PLASTIC UTENSILS." SO, UM, IF THAT'S TOO GRANULAR, BUT JUST LET ME KNOW, UH, IF YOU, UH, IF YOU KNOW OF OTHER CITIES, AND THEN I JUST HAVE THREE MORE QUICK THINGS.

YES, I'M, I'M MOST FAMILIAR WITH AUSTIN'S.

UM, UNSURPRISINGLY, AUSTIN HAS A WONDERFUL SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT POLICY AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT INCLUDES ALL OF WHAT I MENTIONED, BOTH ON THE CITY OPERATIONS SIDES, THE CONTRACTOR SIDES, AS WELL AS THE INCENTIVE SIDES FOR BUSINESSES.

UM, SO I'D RECOMMEND S- STARTING THERE.

THEY'RE, I IMAGINE, MORE THAN HAPPY TO, TO REACH OUT AND HELP, BUT, UM - I MEAN, THERE WERE PEOPLE ON MY COMMITTEE THAT FOUND, UH, THAT THERE IS A, AN ORGANIZATION THAT WILL HELP CITIES, I MEAN, GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.

SO ANYWAY.

AND I'LL ALSO MENTION, UM, THERE'S MANY OTHER LARGE INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, VERY ANALOGOUS TO CITIES.

SO WHETHER THAT'S UNIVERSITIES, UM, HOSPITAL DISTRICTS, HOSPITALS, UM, ALL OF THOSE ARE VERY LARGE FOR JURORS AND ALL HAVE, UH, OR MANY HAVE SIMILAR, UH, SUSTAINABILITY, UH, PROCUREMENT POLICIES.

UM, YOU MENTIONED THREE THINGS THAT I'M INTERESTED IN.

NO P - NO PUBLIC MONEY FOR PLASTIC INCINERATION, NO TAX SUBSIDIES FOR PLASTICS FACILITIES.

UM, AND I'M WONDERING IF THOSE ARE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THE CITY OF DALLAS? UH, I'M NOT AWARE OF EITHER OF THOSE OCCURRING IN THE CITY OF DALLAS YET.

HOWEVER, UH, I'M ALSO NOT AWARE OF ANY POLICY THAT WOULD PREVENT THEM FROM OCCURRING, UH, WHICH IS PROBLEMATIC.

UH, THOSE TAX SUBSIDIES, FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY, "HEY, THEY'RE BRINGING IN JOBS.

UH, WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THEM A TAX ABATEMENT ON THEIR PROPERTY TAXES." UM, THAT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR INDUSTRY, UM, ACROSS TEXAS.

UM, THAT IS ALSO VERY COMMON WITH PLASTICS FACILITIES, UH, WHERE THOSE PLASTICS FACILITIES EXIST.

UM, WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE IS THAT WE HAVE A POLICY IN ADVANCE OF THOSE INDUSTRIES, REALLY, COMING INTO DALLAS AND, AND DOING THOSE THINGS.

UM, OTHERWISE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S MUCH, UH, MUCH HARDER TO MAKE UP A POLICY ON THE FLY AS A, A PROBLEM DOES OCCUR.

ARE THERE SAMPLE POLICIES AVAILABLE FOR MUNICIPALITIES? I WILL GET BACK TO YOU ON A GOOD SAMPLE POLICY FROM TEXAS.

UM, MAKE SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY LAW, UH, REGARDING PACKAGING, UM, BOTH OF WHICH, UM, HAVE HAD SOME SUCCESS IN PREVIOUS SESSIONS AND GOTTEN INTO COMMITTEES AND HAD EARRINGS, UH, WHICH IS NOTABLE.

AND THEN THE LAST THING IS, DO YOU THINK THAT, UM, THAT I'M, BECAUSE I'M THINKING IN A STATE LIKE TEXAS, GETTING, UM, FILTERS ON WASHING MACHINES IS GONNA BE, UH...

SO ANYWAY, I'M THINKING THE POWER OF THE PURSE IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE THING THERE.

DO YOU THINK IT'S EFFECTIVE FOR, UH, I'M JUST, LIKE, UH, AN ORGANIZATION LIKE ENVIRONMENT TEXAS TO DO A LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN TARGETING SOME OF THE BIG MANUFACTURERS OF WASHING MACHINES AND JUST SAYING, "LOOK, WE AS CONSUMERS WANT THIS." PERHAPS.

AND, AND I WOULD ALSO NOT RULE OUT TEXAS.

UM, THERE IS A LOT OF BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT THAT MICROPLASTICS ARE TOXIC AND HARMFUL, UM, THAT MANY OF THESE HEALTH EFFECTS ARE ACKNOWLEDGED, UH, ACROSS, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE PARTIES IN TEXAS.

UM, SO I, I WOULD NOT RULE THAT OUT NECESSARILY.

IS, IS ENVIRONMENT TEXAS BRINGING SOMETHING LIKE THAT DURING THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION? SO WE WILL DEFINITELY BE WORKING ON PLASTIC PELLET POLLUTION IN THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE WILL BE ALSO AT LEAST WORKING ON A BOTTLE BILL,

[00:45:01]

UM, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE'RE REALLY - ON FIBERS.

BRINGING ON, UM, FIBERS RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT DEFINITELY BE WILLING TO PARTNER, ESPECIALLY IF NEW LEGISLATORS ARE OUT THERE LISTENING.

RIGHT.

COMMISSIONER MARI, AND THEN.

THANK YOU, IAN, AGAIN, THIS WAS A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.

I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.

FIRST, UH, JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, I'M REALLY CURIOUS ON WHY THERE WAS NO MICROPLASTICS FOUND IN THE RICHARDSON SAMPLE SITE.

WHAT ARE THEY DOING THAT NOTHING WAS FOUND THERE? AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION IS, IN OTHER STATES THAT YOU MENTIONED, SUCH AS CALIFORNIA, THAT HAVE ADOPTED MAYBE SOME OF THE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, WHAT WAS THE LEVEL OF REDUCTION THAT THEY SAW? WAS IT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT BECAUSE OF THESE POLICY RECOMMENDATION OR WAS IT VERY NOMINAL? UM, JUST TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THEIR REDUCTION IS IN, IN THESE OTHER STATES.

ESSENTIALLY, ONCE WE'RE TURNING OFF THE TAP, HAVING WHAT'S IN THERE KIND OF SETTLE INTO THE SEDIMENT LAYERS.

SO, UM, I WILL GIVE YOU A KIND OF A COMBINATION AN- ANSWER ON THAT TWIN LAKES PARK, UH, DATA POINT.

ONE OF THEM IS THAT, UH, FOR THE DATA THAT WE ANALYZED SPECIFICALLY AT ENVIRONMENT TEXAS, WE USED, UH, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, ONE LITER SAMPLES.

UH, SOME SCIENTIFIC, UH, LITERATURE THAT WE SURVEYED WAS TAKING LARGER SAMPLES THAN THAT.

UM, SO IT COULD BE WE JUST DIDN'T GET THE RIGHT ONE LITER OUT OF ONE OF THOSE PONDS.

UM, ANOTHER THING COULD BE THAT, UH, THOSE TWO, TWIN LAKES PARK, UM, IS ESSENTIALLY KIND OF A, A RESIDENTIAL POND, UM, WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE IS FED BY A CREEK SYSTEM, SO IT SEEMS TO BE DISCONNECTED FROM A LARGE PORTION OF THE REST OF THE WATERSHED.

SO IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, HEY, YOU'RE USING, YOU KNOW, GARDEN HOSE WATER ESSENTIALLY, UH, TO FILL SOME OF THESE PONDS.

MAYBE THAT'S A REASON.

UM, I NEED TO, I GO OUT THERE AND I, I REALLY WANNA RUN SOME ADDITIONAL TESTS BEFORE OUR NEXT REPORT, SO WE'LL GET MORE DATA FOR YOU.

OH, YES.

AND, UM, THE REDUCTIONS AS WELL.

UM, I DO NOT HAVE THE NUMBERS FOR ME, UM, BUT ONE THAT COMES TO MIND THAT I CAN RECALL, UM, IS, FOR INSTANCE, THE BAG BAN, THE PLASTIC BAG BAN, UM, THAT WAS PASSED IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WHICH YOU CAN ALSO FIND SIMILAR NUMBERS, UH, ACROSS MANY OTHER STATES THAT HAVE PASSED, UH, BAG BANS AND BAG FEES.

IN CALIFORNIA, THAT REDUCTION WAS GREATER THAN 50%.

IF I'M RECALLING CORRECTLY, IT WAS GREATER THAN 70%, UM, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, A HUGE AMOUNT OF PLASTIC BAGS IN A GIVEN YEAR, ESPECIALLY FOR A MARKET AS LARGE AS CALIFORNIA OR AS LARGE AS TEXAS.

UH, THAT IS GETTING UP THERE INTO A LOT OF TONS OF PLASTIC.

UM, I'LL ALSO MENTION, YOU KNOW, IT ISN'T JUST PLASTIC BAGS, UM, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE 2015 BAG BAN, BAN.

UM, THERE'S BEEN A BIG FOCUS ON PLASTIC BAGS, BUT REALLY THIS IS A PROBLEM ACROSS ALL TYPES OF SINGLE-USE PLASTICS, UM, WHICH IS A, UNFORTUNATELY, A VERY BROAD CATEGORY THAT IS IN, UM, A LOT OF PRODUCT PACKAGING ACROSS THE BOARD.

UM, SO REALLY, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, LOOKING ACROSS ALL OF THAT, THAT NUMBER THAT I TALKED ABOUT, THE COWBOYS STADIUM, MUCH OF THAT IS SINGLE-USE PLASTICS, UM, EVERY 16 HOURS.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY A, A SMALLER PORTION OF THAT ARE REUSABLE PLASTICS THAT ARE EVENTUALLY GETTING BURNED OUT.

JUST A QUICK FOLLOW-UP ON THAT.

SO A LOT OF THESE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ALSO, LIKE, FUTURISTIC, LIKE, WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT FUTURE POLLUTION? WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THE EXISTING ONES? UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THOSE? OKAY, YEAH.

SO, LIKE, I, I, I GET THIS QUESTION SO OFTEN , UM, MANY DIFFERENT POINTS TO IT.

SO I, I'LL START WITH A METAPHOR OF, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE BAILING OUT A ROWBOAT, UM, THAT HAS A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM, AND THE WATER KEEPS COMING IN, AND YOU KEEP KIND OF BAILING IT OUT.

THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE WITH TRASH PICKUPS.

IF YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING, WE ARE GETTING PLASTIC OUT OF THE ECOSYSTEM, HOWEVER, YOU'RE JUST BAILING WATER.

WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO PLUG THE HOLE OR TURN OFF THE TAP ON THIS PLASTIC.

WE NEED TO, FIRST OF ALL, MAKE SURE THAT IT STOPS, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO PREVENT SO MUCH MORE ONGOING INTO THE FUTURE.

UM, ONCE, YOU KNOW, UH, ALONGSIDE THAT, OF COURSE, WE CAN WALK AND CHEW BUBBLE GUM AT THE SAME TIME.

UH, WE CAN TAKE MANY OF THESE SAME OTHER POLICIES OF CLEANING UP.

SO AS FAR AS CLEANING UP, LIKE I SAID, UM, THERE IS NOT A LOT OF WAYS TO GET MICROPLASTIC OUT OF WATER.

UM, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, YOU KNOW, WE DO NOT HAVE EVEN EXPECTED IN THE, THE LONG-TERM FUTURE ANY CAPABILITY OF, YOU KNOW, EMPTYING OUT A, A RESERVOIR IN TEXAS AND RUNNING IT ALL THROUGH A REVERSE OSMOSIS FILTER AND FILLING IT BACK UP AGAIN, UM, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED.

SO, UM, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE OF THE SCIENCE, THIS IS ME TREADING OUT ON THE THINNER ICE.

UM, IT, PART OF THAT WOULD BE, UM, HAVING,

[00:50:01]

UM, THINKING ABOUT US AS A PART OF GEOLOGIC HISTORY IN THE TIMESCALE OF EARTH, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THESE DIFFERENT ERAS.

UH, TEXAS USED TO BE UNDERWATER, SO YOU FIND ALL OF THESE FOSSILS OF FISH AND MUSSELS AND EVERYTHING HERE.

EVENTUALLY, THERE WILL BE A BIG LAYER OF ROCK IN THE EARTH THAT HAS A LOT OF PLASTIC IN IT, UM, AND PLASTIC FOSSILS, AND THAT WILL BE FROM US.

UM, AND SO A LOT OF THAT PLASTIC WILL SETTLE OUT INTO THIS SEDIMENT, AND REALLY, SOME OF THE BEST THINGS THAT WE CAN DO THERE IS TO NOT DISTURB SOME OF THAT, OR WHERE THAT'S ESPECIALLY CONTAMINATED, FOR INSTANCE, WHAT WE DO, UM, WITH OTHER TYPES OF, YOU KNOW, HIGHLY CONTAMINATED AREAS, UM, OFF INTO THE FUTURE THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE TACKLE THAT IN REGARDS TO MAKING SURE THAT, THAT, UH, DRAINAGE OFF OF THESE, YOU KNOW, HIGH PLASTIC AREAS, THINKING OF LANDFILLS SPECIFICALLY, FOR INSTANCE, IS NOT OTHERWISE ENTERING OUR WATERSHED AND IS STAYING PUT.

UM, SO A LOT OF STAYING FOOT, YOU KNOW, WAITING FOR THINGS, TURNING OFF THE TAP IS DEFINITELY THE BEST OPTION.

AND THEN ALSO, UH, I'LL RECOMMEND FOR ANYBODY AT HOME, YOU KNOW, I SAID IT'S BAILING OUT WATER, BUT BAILING OUT WATER IS VERY IMPORTANT, SO YEAH, GOING OUT INTO YOUR CREEKS, UH, PICKING UP TRASH WITH FOLKS, UH, BEING A VOLUNTEER AND ENCOURAGING THOSE, UM, AS A POLICY MEASURE, IT'S ALSO VERY HELPFUL.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO TO REST OF YOUR DAY.

DO YOU STILL HAVE A QUESTION? FANTASTIC.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA WRAP THINGS UP WITH MR. MARCUS.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

UH, IAN, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR REPORT, VERY WELL DONE.

THE FUTURE OF WATER IS FILTRATION GLOBALLY, THE FUTURE OF WATER IS FILTRATION, NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

ODDLY ENOUGH, SOME OF THE RESEARCH INTO WATER FILTRATION IN THE LAST DECADE OR MORE HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY THE AMOUNT OF POLLUTION THAT COMES OUT OF FRACKED OIL WELLS.

THERE'S A REAL NEED TO FILTER WATER BECAUSE SO MUCH WATER IS BEING LOST IN THE FRACKING OF OIL WELLS.

IN DOING RESEARCH A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WITH A FRIEND OF MINE WHO'S A PATENTED TRADEMARK ATTORNEY, DISCOVERED THERE WERE 14,000 PATENTS COMING WORLDWIDE IN WATER FILTRATION DEVICES, WHO IS SOMETHING THAT IS GLOBALLY KNOWN TO BE AN ISSUE.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE, AS PART OF THE RESEARCH YOU'RE DOING, TO LOOK AT THOSE DIFFERENT DEVICES AND WHO IS WORKING ON DEVICES THAT HAVE REAL POTENTIAL FOR THAT MANY DEVICES THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET ON THE MARKET, THAT MEANS THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN REALLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE THROUGH WHETHER IT'S IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE FILTRATION DEVICES, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS OR PRIVATELY, BUT THERE'S AN ENORMOUS PUSH GLOBALLY TO CREATE WATER FILTRATION DEVICES THAT ARE EFFECTIVE ACROSS A BROAD SWATH OF WATER FILTRATION ISSUES.

14,000 PEOPLE ARE APPLYING FOR PATENTS FOR GLOBAL WATER DEVICES, WATER FILTRATION DEVICES.

SO WE KNOW IT'S A GLOBAL PROBLEM, WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE ADDRESSING IT, AND YET IT DOES NOT MEAN WE CAN JUST KEEP POLLUTING AND USING PLASTIC, UH, IN THE WATER.

BUT I THINK WHAT WE HAVE TO REALIZE IS WE HAVE TO RETRACT THIS IN ALL FRONTS, BUT ULTIMATELY WE WILL HAVE MORE AND MORE AND MORE EFFECTIVE WATER FILTRATION DEVICES.

NOW, IF WE CAN JUST BE PUTTING LESS PLASTIC INTO THE WATER IN THE FIRST PLACE, WE'LL BE GETTING SOMEWHERE.

BUT I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A GLOBAL ISSUE AND IT'S ATTRACTION TO THE ATTENTION OF EVERYONE FROM GARAGE INVENTORS WORKING ON SOMETHING OUT AT THE END OF THE GARAGE TO MAJOR CORPORATIONS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO FILTER WATER.

SO I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO US.

LET'S ALSO LOOK AT WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING GLOBALLY TO FILTER WATER ON A DAILY BASIS.

ABSOLUTELY.

UM, I'LL ALSO MENTION AGAIN, FRANCE WITH THEIR MICROPLASTIC FILTERS ON THEIR WASHING MACHINES.

UM, THIS IS THE INTERSECTION OF TECHNOLOGY, BUSINESS, AND POLICY HERE, UM, BECAUSE WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF PATENTS FILED, YOU KNOW, THE TECHNOLOGY IS RAPIDLY PROGRESSING AS WE UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT MICROPLASTICS AS IT BECOMES, UM, LESS OF AN EMERGING ISSUE AND MORE OF A CRISIS.

UM, BUT WHAT HAPPENED IN FRANCE WAS THEY BECAME THE FIRST REAL LARGE MARKET, UM, WHERE THESE WATER FILTERS WOULD BE REQUIRED ON WASHING MACHINES, AND THAT HAS SPURRED AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF BUSINESS INNOVATION THERE, UM, BY MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT PUTTING THE ONUS ON INDIVIDUALS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, BUT INSTEAD YOU'RE PUTTING THE ONUS ON APPLIANCE MANUFACTURERS.

YOU'RE MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS UPSTREAM OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND THAT THEY ARE NOT PAYING THE FULL COST TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE EDUCATED AND GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO NOT HAVE THESE TERRIBLE HEALTH EFFECTS, LIKE I MENTIONED.

SO THERE REALLY IS, UM, A ROLE FOR GOVERNMENT HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THOSE PATENTS DO GET INTO, OR SOME OF THOSE PATENTS AT LEAST GET INTO THE MARKETPLACE, UM, AND THAT BUSINESSES ARE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE A MARKET FOR THEM, REALLY.

[00:55:03]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, IAN.

I'LL JUST WRAP, UM, BY, BY SECONDING WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

I THINK GOVERNMENT HAS A ROLE.

AND SO I THINK WE'D BE INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THE CITY CAN SUPPORT POTENTIAL LEGISLATION, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE AND, AND REALLY EVALUATE ITS OWN PRACTICES.

UM, I'VE NEVER BEEN OUT TO A CREEK OR WATER BODY CLEANUP WHERE POLLUTION ON THE, THE SHORE HAD NOT BEEN MOWED OVER AND ONE PIECE OF PLASTIC TURNED INTO 15,000 PIECES OF PLASTIC OR STYROFOAM, RIGHT? AND THAT'S A VERY SIMPLE PRACTICE, BUT I THINK WE NEED FUNDING AND STAFFING FOR THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIR ARMS AROUND, OKAY, BEFORE WE GO AND MOW, NOW WE HAVE TO ALSO CLEAN IT UP, RIGHT? UM, SO THAT THOSE PIECES OF POLLUTION DON'T ENTER THE WATERWAY, UM, MULTIPLIED.

UM, AND SO HAPPY TO COLLABORATE, HAPPY TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION AND HOW, SEE HOW WE CAN SUPPORT, UM, SOMETHING ON, UH, THE LEGISLATIVE SIDE OF NOT PUSHING THE BURDEN, UH, OF REDUCING PLASTIC POLLUTION ONTO CONSUMERS.

UM, I THINK THERE'S BEEN ENOUGH AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS ABOUT, UH, RECYCLING AND, AND NOW IT'S TIME TO HOLD MANUFACTURERS.

UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, JOINING US THIS EVENING AND FOR THIS FANTASTIC REPORT.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

SURE.

LET US MOVE ON AND, UH, UH, STEPHANIE AND JUDY, IF YOU WILL PLEASE NOTE THAT MR. SIEGEL HAS JOINED US.

WELCOME BACK, MR. SIEGEL.

UH, ALSO, UH, I BELIEVE MS. WAS ON VERY BRIEFLY, BUT MAYBE HAS LEFT, SO RIGHT.

DID ANYBODY ELSE SNEAK IN AFTER WE HOPE? I THINK THAT WAS IT.

UH, OUR NEXT PRESENTATION, UM, IS GOING TO RECAP THE REALLY FANTASTIC WORK OF OUR CODE COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT, AND MS. MILES IS HERE.

[V.a. Nuisance Abatement Division Overview]

UM, SHE'S THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF OUR CODE COMPLIANCE NUISANCE ABATEMENT DIVISION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

THANK YOU FOR COMING AND JOINING US THIS EVENING.

WE'RE EXCITED TO HEAR YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOUR WORK.

JUST WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

GOOD EVENING, UM, COMMISSION, AND TO YOU, CHAIR, MS. CATHERINE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.

UM, I HAVE ALONG BESIDE ME TODAY MS. KASHAPA RAKESHA.

SHE IS OUR ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE NUISANCE ABATEMENT TEAM.

OF COURSE, AS YOU STATED, I AM ONE OF THREE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS HERE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS CODE COMPLIANCE SERVICES, WHERE WE CONSIST OF CONSUMER HEALTH, NUISANCE ABATEMENT, AND NEIGHBORHOOD CODE.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH THIS EVENING FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO FOCUS ON OUR NUISANCE ABATEMENT DIVISION.

SO IN NUISANCE ABATEMENT, WE ENFORCE, WE ELIMINATE NUISANCES, AND WE IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE.

THESE ARE JUST SOME OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE DO HERE FOR CODE COMPLIANCE SERVICES.

WE ARE BOTH PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO WE ADDRESS UNRESOLVED CODE VIOLATIONS THROUGH CONSISTENT ENFORCEMENT.

WE ELIMINATE NUISANCES BY COORDINATING EFFORTS FOR ABATEMENTS AND ACTIONS ON PRIVATE PROPERTIES WHEN COMPLIANCE IS NOT VOLUNTARILY ACHIEVED.

SO WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE AS WELL AS SUSTAINING A CERTAIN LEVEL OF LIVING.

AND SO WE DO THAT BY SUPPORTING CLEANER, SAFER, AND MORE VIBRANT DALLAS NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO WE ALSO HAVE AN ILLEGAL DUMPING STRATEGY THAT WE UTILIZE.

WE HAVE AN ILLEGAL DUMPING PRO TEAM.

AND SO PART OF THEIR PRO TEAM IS TO GO OUT AND, AND WORK WITH OUR DALLAS MARSHALS, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, EMCR, HOT TEAMS, AND OTHERS WHERE WE IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE ILLEGAL DUMPING HAS TRANSPIRED.

SO WE EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT IT.

WE ENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR TRASH OFF EVENTS, AS WELL AS USI - UTILIZING OUR TARGETED COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. WE HAVE A TEAM WHERE THEY GO OUT AND ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND BRING TO ATTENTION AREAS OF FOCUS FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING, AND WE EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY AND TELL THEM, "HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE DO.

WE NEED YOUR HELP SO THAT WE CAN CREATE A CLEANER LIVING ENVIRONMENT." OUR RESPONSE TIME, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE VERY EFFICIENT.

WHENEVER WE GET CALLS REGARDING ILLEGAL DUMPING OR CALLS FOR SERVICE, WE ARE VERY RESPONSIVE.

SO WE DO HAVE PLANS IN PLACE TO PREVENT ILLEGAL DUMPING.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE UTILIZE IS OUR PROTEINS.

OUR PROTEINS CONSIST OF MEMBERS WHERE THEY GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEY WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE MARSHALS AND THEY SET UP CAMERAS.

THEY MEET WITH CITIZENS, PROPERTY OWNERS, STAKEHOLDERS, AND THEY EDUCATE THEM AND OFFER IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO CREATE BARRIERS TO DETER, UM, ILLEGAL DUMPING.

SO WE HAVE AN ILLEGAL DUMPING HOTLINE.

IT'S 214671 CODE, WHICH, UM, WE HAVE TEAM MEMBERS THAT RESPOND TO THIS DAILY.

WHEN I SAY RESPOND, THEY'RE ANSWERING THE PHONE DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS, AND THEY ARE RESPONDING TO AREAS WHERE ILLEGAL DUMPING HAS BEEN

[01:00:01]

IDENTIFIED.

WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU USE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CALL 311.

WE ASK YOU TO CALL 311 SO THAT THEY CAN CREATE A SERVICE REQUEST AND YOU CAN TRACK YOUR CALL FOR SERVICE.

AND THAT WAY, IF YOU WANNA GET AN UPDATE AND SAY, "HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS CASE?" WE CAN GIVE YOU INFORMATION.

WE CAN GIVE YOU A STATUS UPDATE.

SO WE ASK TO USE THE HOTLINE FOR QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT POSSIBLE ILLEGAL DUMPINGS.

AND THEN ALSO, WE ASK FOR DIRECT ACCESS FROM YOU WHENEVER YOU CALL TO SAY, "HEY, HELP US HELP YOU." YOU KNOW, WE DO TAKE COMPLAINTS.

THEY CAN BE ANONYMOUS.

IF YOU WANNA NOT BE INVOLVED OR DON'T WANNA BE IDENTIFIED, AS WELL AS YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, AND OUR TEAM MEMBERS WILL DEFINITELY GET IN CONTACT WITH YOU AND FOLLOW UP.

AGAIN, I STATED EARLIER, WE HAVE PRO TEAMS WHERE WE DO PROACTIVE INSPECTIONS AS WELL AS REACTIVE INSPECTIONS.

SO WE HAVE TEAM MEMBERS OUT EACH DAY MONITORING IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS, IDENTIFYING AREAS WHERE THERE ARE REPEAT LOCATIONS FOR, UM, ILLEGAL DUMPING, AS WELL AS IDENTIFYING NEW AREAS OF FOCUS.

SO WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WITH OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR MARSHALS, OUR EMCR, WHICH AGAIN IS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM.

SO OUR FIELD PROTOCOL IS THAT ONCE WE, UM, CONFIRM A VIOLATION, AND IF THERE'S NO TRACE EVIDENCE FOUND, WE CREATE AN ACTIVE CASE IN SALESFORCE.

HEY, WE ARE CONTACTING OUR PROPERTY OWNERS SAYING, HEY, WE'VE IDENTIFIED ILLEGAL DUMPING ON YOUR PROPERTY.

LET'S SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO TO DETER THIS FROM ACTING, FROM HAPPENING.

A LOT OF TIMES, UM, PROPERTY OWNERS ARE ABSENT.

AND SO WE DO ENCOURAGE THEM TO MONITOR THEIR PROPERTIES ON A REGULAR BASIS.

WE ASK THEM, HEY, PUT UP CAMERAS, PUT UP SIGNS TO SAY, HEY, YOU'RE ON CANDY CAMERA.

WE SEE YOU IF YOU COME ACROSS MY PROPERTY.

SO WE DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE THEM AND OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO DETER ILLEGAL DUMPING.

WE HAVE A GRAFFITI ABATEMENT TEAM, AND WE HAVE A TEAM THAT WORKS TO SECURE VACANT STRUCTURES.

SO THIS IS ANOTHER WAY WHERE WE ARE HELPING TO REMOVE BLIGHT IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS SECURE THOSE STRUCTURES THAT ARE VACANT.

SO SECURING STRUCTURES REDUCES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR VANDALISM, FOR HARBORAGE, AND FOR, UM, BEING AN ATTRACTIVE NUISANCE FOR CHILDREN AND OTHER PEOPLE TO GO TO THOSE LOCATIONS.

SO IN ORDER FOR US TO ADDRESS GRAFFITI, NORMALLY WHAT WE DO IS ISSUE A GRAFFITI WAIVER.

SO WE TALK TO THAT PROPERTY OWNER AND SAY, "HEY, THIS SERVICE IS FREE AT NO COST TO YOU.

WOULD YOU LIKE US TO REMOVE THE GRAFFITI ON YOUR BEHALF?" AND SO WE, WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT PROGRAM.

AND ONCE THEY SIGN THAT RELEASE OR THAT WAIVER, WE GO OUT THERE AND GET IT OFF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

NORMALLY WHEN WE DEAL WITH GRAFFITI AND OUR WAIVERS, OUR RESPONSE TIME IS VERY EFFICIENT.

WHEN I SAY EFFICIENT, I'M TALKING, IF YOU CALL ME TODAY AND SAY, "CHRISTULA, I GOT GRAFFITI ON MY PROPERTY AND I GIVE YOU A WAIVER AND YOU SIGN AND MY TEAM WILL BE OUT THERE TOMORROW GETTING IT OFF YOUR PROPERTY." THE ONLY TIME THAT WE DON'T REMOVE GRAFFITI FROM THE PROPERTY IS IF IT'S GONNA PUT OUR STAFF IN A POSITION WHERE IT'S HAZARDOUS.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU SAY IT'S ON THE 14TH FLOOR, WE DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT TO GO 14 STORIES HIGH ON A BUILDING AND WE'RE NOT GONNA PUT OUR STAFF IN DANGER OF FALLING FOR THOSE LOCATIONS.

WE ALSO HAVE TO COORDINATE AT TIMES THE LOCATION OF GRAFFITI AGAIN.

IF IT'S ON THE STATE HIGHWAY, WE GOTTA REACH OUT AND TALK TO TXDOT BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT CITY PROFIT.

UH, WE FOCUS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.

SO IF YOU KNOW OF ANY LOCATIONS THAT HAVE, UH, GRAFFITI, LET US KNOW.

WE WANNA GET OUT THERE AND GET THAT OFFICE.

WE WANNA PRESENT A BEAUTIFUL, VIABLE COMMUNITY HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.

OR, "WHO, WHO DUMPED, UM, BRUSH AND LIMBS OVER HERE WHERE THERE'S NO STRUCTURE AT THIS LOCATION?" OUR TEAMS GO OUT AND WE, WE CLEAN THESE AREAS.

WE HAVE A HEAVY CLEAN TEAM.

OUR HEADED, OUR HEAVY CLEAN TEAM WORKS QUITE A BIT WITH HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAMS. WE WORK QUITE A BIT WITH THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE WE'RE CALLED OUT SO MUCH TO ASSIST WITH THE RELOCATION OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.

I'M PRETTY SURE YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS WITH THE UNSHELTERED.

AND SO PART OF OUR ROLE AT TIME IS TO REMOVE ITEMS FROM THE HOMELESS CAMPS.

OF COURSE, WE FOLLOW CITY PROTOCOL AND WE WORK AGAIN COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY ARE EDUCATING THEM, WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM HOUSED, WE'RE TRYING TO OFFER THEM RESOURCES, BUT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT ACTION AND REMOVE IT BECAUSE THEY MAY BE IN YOUR BACKYARD, THEY MAY BE ON YOUR CORNER, THEY MAY LEAVE, UM, TRASH, DEBRIS, UH, ROAD COURTS, ANYTHING OUT THERE.

AND SO OUR TEAMS WILL WORK WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS INTERNALLY TRYING TO HOUSE THEM AND ALSO CLEANING UP.

SO WE REMOVE BRUSH AND DEBRIS FROM LOCATIONS.

WE REMOVE LARGE ITEMS SUCH AS DISCARDED FURNITURE.

I'M SURE YOU'VE ALL SEEN LOCATIONS IN THE CITY WHERE YOU'LL GO AND YOU'LL SAY, "OH, WHO DUMPED THIS COUCH ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD?"

[01:05:01]

OF COURSE, AGAIN, WE FOLLOW PROTOCOLS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

WE DO OUR BEST TO ACHIEVE VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE THROUGH NOTIFICATION TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS.

"HEY, WE'RE OVER HERE.

WE, WE SEE THIS ON YOUR PROPERTY.

"WE ALLOW THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY, AND IF THEY DON'T, WE USE FORCE COMPLIANCE AND WE ABATE THE PROPERTY ON THEIR BEHALF.

AND OF COURSE, ANYTIME WE ABATE PROPERTIES, WE'RE GONNA SEND THEM THAT BILL IN THE MAIL, SAY," HEY, WE CLEANED IT UP FOR YOU.

HERE YOU GO.

" SO DEFINITELY WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WISE IN, IN WHAT WE DO AND THE ACTIONS THAT WE TAKE.

UH, WE USE HEAVY EQUIPMENT SUCH AS BOBCAST, WE GOT COMBO ROTOR BROOMS. AND SO WE HAVE TO UTILIZE TWO-PERSON CREWS WHEN WE'RE REMOVING LARGE EQUIPMENT OR FURNITURE OR BRUSH AND DEBRIS FROM, UM, LOCATIONS.

WE HAVE A MOW CLEAN AND OPERATIONS, A LITTER TEAM.

SO WE HAVE A TEAM THAT GOES TO LOCATIONS AND CLEAN UP SMALLER AREAS.

SO OUR CITY CREWS, THEY MOW PROPERTIES AND THEY MOVE, UH, SMALL AMOUNTS OF DEBRIS.

WE HAVE HAND CREWS THAT ADDRESS, ADDRESS ITEMS THAT CAN BE PICKED UP OR RAPED OR REMOVED WITH THE TRASH TRUCK.

SO WE SEND A TEAM OUT EVERY DAY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICTS HERE.

THEY ARE, THEY ARE SEPARATED BY DISTRICTS AND THEY GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITIES AND THEY CLEAN UP THESE AREAS.

AN EXAMPLE IS WHEN FIFA CAME.

OUR GUYS WERE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MAJOR THOROUGHFARES WERE CLEAN AND THAT OUR CITY WAS PRESENTABLE SO THAT WHEN WE HAD COMPANY IN OUR HOUSE, WE PUT A GOOD FACE FORWARD.

WE STILL DO IT.

WE DID IT AT THE TIME WHEN SCHOOL STARTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE SAFE ON THE WALKWAYS AND ON THE SIDEWALKS WHEN THEY GET READY TO GO TO SCHOOL.

"HEY, Y'ALL NEED TO GO OUT.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS.

LET'S CLEAN THIS COMMUNITY UP SO THAT OUR CHILDREN HAVE SAFE PASSAGE.

"NEXT, NEXT ITEM, PLEASE.

WE HAVE A TIRE ABATEMENT UNIT.

THIS IS HUGE HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.

OF COURSE, IAN IS GONE.

IAN AND I WERE EXCHANGING INFORMATION ABOUT TIRE ABATEMENT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IAN IS BIG WITH ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION.

SO RIGHT NOW, WE REMOVE ILLEGALLY DUMPED TIRES.

THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM.

WE HAVE A CREW THAT GO OUT EVERY DAY AND PICK UP TIRES.

WE COLLECT TIRES AT OUR TRASH OP EVENTS AT NO COST TO OUR CITIZENS.

THEY COME IF THEY GOT TIRES FROM AN OLD CAR, ANTIQUE VEHICLE, COMMERCIAL TRUCK, WE TAKE THEM AND WE ALSO ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE THEM TO THE LANDFILL.

USE A COPY OF THE WATER BILL.

THEY ARE ALLOWED TO DISPOSE OF SIX TIRES PER YEAR FOR FREE AT MCCOMAS OR AT THE BACHMAN TRANSFER STATION.

SO WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET RID OF THEM VERSUS DUMPING THEM ON SIDE OF OUR ROADS OR LEAVING THEM ON OUR SIDEWALKS OR IN THE STREETS.

WE ALSO HAVE A KEEP IT 100 PROGRAM IN PLACE.

OUR KEEP IT 100 PROGRAM IS IN PLACE IS WHERE WE, UM, MONITOR AND WE CLEAN ALL CITY LOTS, CITY-OWNED PROPERTIES.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE EXPECTING OUR RESIDENTS TO BE IN COMPLIANCE, WE ALSO HAVE TO BE IN COMPLIANCE.

SO WE DO HAVE TO CHECK THOSE PROPERTIES ON A REGULAR BASIS.

WE HAVE THEM ON A CYCLE WHERE WE GO OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR PART AS WELL.

UH, WE HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM HERE IN THIS AREA." SO WHAT WE'LL DO, WE'LL GET WITH OUR TARGETED COMMUNITY PROGRAM MANAGER.

SO AGAIN, WE HAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.

WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH OUR RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATE CLEANER, GREENER, AND MORE VIBRANT COM- COMMUNITIES.

UH, WE DO CLEANUP PROJECTS.

SO WE DO BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS AND WE HAVE A TOOL LENDING LIBRARY.

I CALL IT TOOL LENDING LIBRARY WHERE IF WE HAVE A RESIDENT AND THEY SAY, "I NEED TO CUT MY GRASS, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE MEANS," YOU CAN COME TO US AND WE'LL LOAN YOU A LAWNMOWER.

WE'LL LOAN YOU A, UM, HEDGE TRIMMER.

WE'LL LOAN YOU THE EQUIPMENT TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE.

SO WE, WE TRY TO PUT PEOPLE IN A POSITION WHERE THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR YOU NOT TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN YOUR PROPERTY AND MEET THE MINIMUM STANDARDS THAT ARE REQUIRED.

SO WE HAVE TEAMED UP WITH KEEP DALLAS BEAUTIFUL.

AND SO WITH THE KEEP DALLAS A BEAUTIFUL, UH, PROJECT THAT WE HAVE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, WE'VE AWARDED 25 LOCATIONS, UH, WITH GRANT FUNDS TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE TOOK THE MONEY AND CREATED COMMUNITY GARDENS.

THEY CREATED ENTRANCES INTO THEIR COMMUNITY WHERE IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

THE AESTHETICS HAVE BEEN IMPROVED.

SO WE DEFINITELY DID THAT THIS YEAR.

WE DID IT LAST YEAR.

IT WAS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR MEDIUM INCOME COMMUNITIES TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.

SO WE PARTNER PROACTIVELY WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO IDENTIFY, UH, PROBLEM AREAS.

WE DEVELOP SOLUTIONS.

AGAIN, WE USE THE COMMUNITY CLASS TRASH OUT PROGRAM.

THAT'S WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER WITH SANITATION.

WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL IN THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.

AND THEY'LL SAY, "HEY,

[01:10:01]

SHE'LL GO OUT AND SPEAK WITH THE SCHOOLS.

SHE'LL SPEAK WITH THE CHURCHES AND SAY, "HOW CAN WE SERVICE YOU? HOW CAN WE ASSIST YOU? WE KNOW THIS COMMUNITY CONSISTS OF A LOT OF ELDERLY PEOPLE.

IF WE HOST THE TRASH OUT AT THIS LOCATION AT THIS CHURCH, CAN WE GET THEM TO BRING THOSE ITEMS HERE TO DISCARD?" WE'LL HELP THEM GET IT OUT THEIR CARS.

WE'LL TAKE IT OUT THEIR TRUCKS.

WE JUST WANNA BE ABLE TO HELP CLEAN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO WE DO HAVE VOLUNTEER CLEANUPS.

WE OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND ADOPT THE STREET.

IF YOU HAVE A SORORITY, A FRATERNITY, OR IF YOU HAVE A CHURCH ORGANIZATION, YOUR GIRL SCOUTS, YOUR BOY SCOUTS, AND YOU SAY, "I WANNA ADOPT THE STREET," WE EXPECT YOU TO ADOPT THAT STREET AND CLEAN IT UP.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO QUITE A BIT AND WE'RE VERY ENGAGING AND INVOLVED.

AND SO ENFORCEMENT GOES BEYOND JUST US GOING OUT, ISSUING CITATIONS AND NOTICES.

WE EDUCATE THEM.

WE HAVE A MASCOT THAT GOES INTO THE SCHOOLS AND, AND TEACH CHILDREN AT A YOUNG AGE ON HOW TO BEAUTIFY AND KEEP THEIR COMMUNITIES CLEAN.

WE DO WORKSHOPS.

WE OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS TO COME IN AND SAY, "HEY, LOOK, THIS IS WHAT THE ORDINANCE STATES, THIS IS WHAT WE CAN DO.

LET ME EXPLAIN IT TO YOU FROM GROUND UP SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING AND REMOVE THAT NEGATIVE PERCEPTION THAT CODE IS BAD.

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE." I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE CODE ENFORCEMENT IN THE CITY IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A $10,000 HOUSE AND A $200,000 HOUSE.

WE ARE A REQUIRED AND A POOR SERVICE OF THE CITY.

WE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.

AND I TELL A LOT OF PEOPLE, IF I BUY MY HOME, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT THAT MOST PEOPLE MAKE IN THEIR LIVES.

I DON'T WANT THE PERSON NEXT TO ME TO COME AND MY PROPERTY VALUE DECREASES.

SO WE TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE, ENFORCE, RESTORE, AND REHABILITATE THOSE COMMUNITIES.

SO THIS RIGHT HERE IS JUST A, A, A GRAPH TO SHOW YOU AND GIVE YOU AN IDEA EXACTLY OF THE NUMBER OF, UH, REQUESTS AND COMPLAINTS THAT WE GET.

WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED OVER 22,000 NUISANCE ABATEMENT REQUESTS THIS YEAR, AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN MADE IT TO DECEMBER.

SO WE ARE BUSY.

IT NORMALLY TAKES US ABOUT AN AVERAGE FOUR TO, FOUR AND A HALF TO FIVE DAYS TO, UM, CLOSE A, A, A COMPLAINT THAT WE GET.

WE'VE HAD OVER 3,000 ILLEGAL DUMPING REQUESTS TO DATE.

AND NORMALLY FOR OUR ILLEGAL DUMPING REQUEST, IT TAKES US LESS THAN A DAY TO GET OUT THERE AND ADDRESS IT.

SO THAT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE.

OUR TEAMS TAKE PRIDE IN WHAT THEY DO, AND THEY ARE HAPPY.

WHEN THEY GO OUT, THEY, THEY...

IT'S A SENSE OF PRIDE FOR THEM.

"HEY, MS. MILES, MS. CHRIS, I CLEANED THAT NEIGHBORHOOD UP.

IT LOOKS WONDERFUL.

CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? "AND THEN SOME DAYS THEY'RE LIKE," OH MY GOD, IT'S BACK AGAIN.

WE GOTTA GO BACK.

"AND I'M LIKE," THAT'S OKAY.

WE'RE GONNA GO BACK AND WE'RE GONNA DO IT BECAUSE WE ARE PROUD CITY OF DALLAS EMPLOYEES AND WE ARE PROUD RESIDENTS.

WE HAVE STAKE IN THIS GAME.

SO THE OUTCOMES AND THE BENEFITS.

THE OUTCOMES AND THE BENEFITS OF CODE COMPLIANCE, NUISANCE ABATING IS WHAT? WE HAVE CLEANER NEIGHBORHOODS.

WE ARE ABLE TO REDUCE BLIGHT AND SOME OF THE HAZARDS.

WE HAVE SAFER CL - UH, NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO A CLEAN NEIGHBORHOOD IS A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE HAVE A STRONGER, INCREASED RESIDENT SAFETY AND IMPROVED PROPERTY VALUES.

NOT ONLY THAT, WE HAVE A STRONGER COLLABORATION WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE, BECAUSE WE ARE A SERVICE-ORIENTED DIVISION AND WE BUILD TRUST.

IF WE TELL YOU WE'RE COMING OUT THERE TO CLEAN UP, YOU BETTER BELIEVE WE COMING.

YOU KNOW, AND I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, WHO IS YOUR CLIENT? IS YOUR CLIENT THE PERSON THAT COMPLAINED OR THE PERSON THAT LIVES THERE? BOTH OF OUR CLIENTS.

BOTH ARE OUR CLIENTS.

WE ARE USING EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO BE TRANSPARENT, TO EDUCATE, ENGAGE, AND AGAIN, IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.

SO CLEAN NEIGHBORHOODS ARE A SHARED INVESTMENT IN SAFETY, PROPERTY VALUES, AND PUBLIC CONFIDENCE.

JOIN LOCAL CLEANUP INITIATIVES.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? I ALWAYS ASK PEOPLE, HOW CAN YOU HELP? HELP ME, HELP YOU.

HELP ME.

WE CAN REPORT NUISANCE PROPERLY.

WE CAN COOPERATE WITH INSPECTORS AND OUR OFFICERS THAT ARE OUT IN A FIELD.

YOU CAN MAINTAIN YOUR PROPERTY, MOW YOUR GRASS.

UH, ALLOW US TO REMOVE THE GRAFFITI OR REMOVE IT YOURSELF.

WE ASK PEOPLE TO DISPOSE OF WASTE PROPERLY.

DON'T THROW THAT WASTE OUT ON THE STREET WHEN YOU DRIVING DOWN THE STREET.

JUST GOING UP IT PROPERLY.

YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF DALLAS, MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE TRASH BINS.

USE YOUR TRASH BINS.

WE'RE ALWAYS ASKING FOR HELP.

WE'RE ALWAYS OUT THERE WORKING, SAYING, "HEY, CAN YOU HELP US TODAY? WE, WE GOT A TRASH OUT COMING UP THIS

[01:15:01]

WEEKEND, Y'ALL.

IF Y'ALL KNOW ANYBODY THAT WANNA VOLUNTEER, COME ON OUT.

WE GOT A TRASH OUT THIS WEEKEND." AND SO WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE ON THE 28TH OF THIS MONTH AS WELL, WHERE WE ARE GOING INTO THE COMMUNITY AND SAY, "HEY, BRING US ALL YOUR GOODS, MEANING BRING US YOUR TRASH AND WE GONNA TAKE IT FROM YOU FOR FREE AND WE'RE GONNA CLEAN UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD." SO TOGETHER WE CAN KEEP DALLAS CLEAN, SAFE, AND WE CAN KEEP IT REVITALIZED.

SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US AT THIS TIME? UH-OH, I SEE HAND.

WE'RE GONNA BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR TIME BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN HERE SINCE VERY EARLY THIS MORNING.

SO WE'RE GONNA GO AROUND ONE, ONE ROUND OF QUESTIONS.

EVERYBODY ELSE CAN JUST EMAIL THEIR, THEIR QUESTIONS IF THEY DON'T, DON'T GET THEIR FIRST QUESTION ANSWERED, UH, THIS EVENING.

SURE.

THIS WORK THAT YOU DO IS SO VITALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR COMMUNITIES, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, PARTICIPATING IN SOME OF THESE CODE ENFORCEMENT EVENTS, UM, MAKES A TREMENDOUS IMPACT.

THE, THE LOCAL CLEANUPS, CODE ENFORCEMENT WILL COME OUT THERE, THEY'LL BRING ALL OF THE TOOLS.

IT'S, IT'S SO SIMPLE, UM, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERY COMMISSIONER IN EVERY DISTRICT TO REACH OUT TO CODE ENFORCEMENT AND SCHEDULE A CLEANUP OR PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF THE CLEANUPS THAT Y'ALL ALREADY HAVE SCHEDULED BECAUSE YOU MAKE IT VERY, VERY EASY.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA START ON THIS SIDE.

UM, MS. POSTON, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? FIRST OF ALL, UM, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.

I WAS NOT, I THINK, AS FAMILIAR WITH ALL OF YOUR WORK UNTIL YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY, SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

UM, SO A LOT OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS, LIKE, AFTER THINGS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DUMPED AND HOW Y'ALL ARE GONNA CLEAN IT UP, RIGHT? SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IF YOU COULD HAVE, UM, WAVE A MAGIC WAND AND SAY, "THERE'S ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE TO HELP TO PREVENT SOME OF THIS DUMPING," WHAT WOULD YOUR WISH BE? I LOVE YOUR SMILE.

THAT'S NICE.

SO YOU ASKED ME IF THERE WAS - UPSTREAM.

ONE THING, OR TWO, IT DOESN'T MATTER, JUST LIKE A COUPLE THINGS, WHATEVER, TO STOP, TO STOP SOME OF THE MESS THAT YOU ARE ALL CLEANING UP.

WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR GAPS AND AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT.

ONE FOR ME WOULD BE ADVERTISEMENT.

IF WE COULD ADVERTISE MORE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO CLEAN UP, LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW HOW YOU GET THE MESSAGE ON A TV SCREEN OR ONE OF THOSE ALERTS WHEN A CHILD IS MISSING? I'D LOVE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SEND IT ACROSS THE BOARD CITYWIDE AND SAY, "HEY, PLEASE STOP DUMPING.

WE CARE ABOUT WHERE WE LIVE," AND LET THEM KNOW THAT, "HEY, CITYWIDE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE'VE TAKEN THE INITIATIVE, WE'VE TAKEN A STANCE AGAINST PEOPLE THROWING THEIR TRASH OUT HERE.

WE'RE NOT YOUR DUMPING GROUND." SO FOR ME, I WOULD SAY MASS COMMUNICATION, MASS MESSAGES, A WAY TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT SO PEOPLE COULD BE MORE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT WE ACTUALLY DO AND HOW SERIOUS WE ARE ABOUT REMOVING BLIGHT.

I WAS NOT FAMILIAR AS WELL, SO THANK YOU.

THIS WAS SUPER HELPFUL.

I JUST HAVE A REALLY QUICK QUESTION.

YOU MENTIONED YOU GUYS HAVE A PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE METHODS YOU GUYS USE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC? IS IT SOCIALS? ARE Y'ALL DOOR-TO-DOOR KNOCKING IN, UM, IN NEIGHBORHOODS? WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE METHODS? WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING ALL OF THAT.

WE HAVE A, A NEWSLETTER THAT COMES OUT, UH, THAT WE PUT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

YOU CAN REGISTER FOR IT SO YOU CAN GET ON IT.

WE HAVE CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT WE DO, UH, WITH OUR TARGETED COMMUNITY PROGRAM.

WE HAVE POP-UP EVENTS WHERE WE'LL JUST GO TO A LOCATION, WE'LL COORDINATE.

LIKE I THINK WE DID ONE WITH TOM THON ONE DAY WHERE WE SET UP AT TOM THON AND VOLUNTEERS CAME AND WE WENT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY OVER THERE BY SMU AND WE WENT AND CLEANED THAT COMMUNITY UP.

WE DID A POP-UP OVER IN OAK CLIFF, YOU KNOW, WHERE AT THE CERTAIN TIME OF YEAR WHEN PEOPLE ARE GIVING AWAY TURKEYS AND THEY'RE DOING THINGS LIKE THAT, WE DO POP-UP EVENTS WHERE WE SAY, "HEY, WHERE DO YOU NEED US RIGHT NOW IN YOUR COMMUNITY?" WE MET WITH, LIKE, SOME OF THE MAJOR CHURCHES HERE, CONCORD BAPTIST CHURCH, ANTIOCH, SOME OF THESE LARGER COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND WE'LL SAY, "WHERE DO YOU NEED US? HELP US GET THE WORD OUT THAT WE'RE NOT YOUR ENEMY.

WE ARE YOUR PARTNER.

ALLOW US AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME ON YOUR PROPERTY AND SET UP AND LET'S CLEAN UP." OR WE HAVE PEOPLE TO REGISTER AND WE SAY, "WE GONNA WALK THIS WHOLE STREET.

WE'RE GONNA WALK THIS WHOLE DISTRICT AND WE'RE GONNA PICK UP TRASH.

WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO BRING ANYTHING, BUT YOU, YOU'RE WALKING SHOES.

WE'LL SUPPLY THE TRASH BAGS." YOU KNOW, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT A WHILE AGO.

BUT WE GOTTA HAVE SOMETHING TO PUT THE TRASH IN.

WE'LL SUPPLY THE PICKERS.

WE'LL SUPPLY WHATEVER IT IS YOU NEED.

WE JUST NEED THE VOLUNTEERS TO HELP US.

I LOVE THAT.

LIKE, SOCIAL MEDIA THINGS, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THESE EVENTS, SO MORE MAYBE LIKE COLLABORATION WITH KNOWN FIGURES IN THE COMMUNITY OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES WOULD BE REALLY NICE.

AND I THINK ESPECIALLY WITH YOUNG PEOPLE BECOMING HOMEOWNERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A LOT MORE,

[01:20:01]

AND THE NEWSLETTER IS REALLY, REALLY NICE.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO TO MR. HOFFMAN AND DAVID, DID YOU? YEAH, AND THEN DAVID AND, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU CHRIS.

YEAH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

I'M, UH, I'M A HOME BUILDER AND DEVELOPER, AND I'M A FREQUENT FLYER WITH CODE COMPLIANCE.

AND, UH, MUCH TO MY CHAGRIN, I AM THE, ALSO THE CHIEF SANITATION OFFICER FOR MY COMPANY, SO - I GOT MY EYES ON YOU NOW.

LET, LET ME MAKE SURE I CAN SEE YOU REALLY GOOD.

BUT I REALLY WANNA CALL OUT, I, I, I HAVE TO SAY, UH, I DEAL WITH COREY JACKSON AND, AND WHERE I'M BUILDING IN EAST DALLAS, AND HE'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND COURTEOUS AND REALLY RESPONSIVE, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

I HAVE, I'M BUILDING MY HIGH SCHOOL AND, UH, TO MY, UH, CHAGRIN, I DO GET A LOT OF TRASH DUMPED ON MY SIDE.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY PICKING UP TRASH CONSISTENTLY, AND WE HAVE, WHEN YOU HAVE A CONSTRUCTION SITE, SOMETIMES PEOPLE, IT'S A, THINK IT'S AN OPEN INVITATION, "OH, WELL, I CAN DUMP ALL MY CONSTRUCTION WASTE HERE." SO, UH, I APPRECIATE, UH, THE PATIENCE AND THE DISCUSSIONS I'VE HAD WITH COREY, SO I JUST WANNA CALL HIM OUT AND PUT, GIVE YOU A, UH, A SHOUT OUT TO HIM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING A RESPONSIBLE BUILDER, BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WE JUST WENT THROUGH A MAJOR CATASTROPHIC EVENT CLEANING UP A HUGE LOCATION, UH, RECENTLY IN, IN CODE COMPLIANCE.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO ASSIST YOU FURTHER, PLEASE LET US KNOW.

UM, ONE THING I FAILED TO MENTION IS THAT WE DO HAVE AN HABITUAL NUISANCE PROGRAM AVAILABLE WHERE WE ASK PROPERTY OWNERS THAT HAVE MULTIPLE PROPERTIES TO REGISTER FOR THIS PROGRAM.

AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS PROGRAM IS WHEN AN INSPECTOR IS IN THAT COMMUNITY AND THEY IDENTIFY A VIOLATION, AS A COURTESY BEFORE WE TAKE ANY ACT, WE GIVE THAT PROPERTY OWNER A CALL.

SO THAT ALLOWS THAT PROPERTY OWNER A TIME TO CLEAN IT UP, BECAUSE REMEMBER I TOLD Y'ALL, I AM THE CLEANUP WOMAN.

IF I COME AND CLEAN UP YOUR PROPERTY, I'M GONNA SEND YOU A BILL.

SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A FAIR OPPORTUNITY.

WE TRY TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE PEOPLE DUE DILIGENCE AND OPPORTUNITY TO MAINTAIN AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR PROPERTIES.

CHAIR HAMMERDA.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE SO LATE IN THE EVENING.

I LOVE YOUR ENERGY, ENTHUSIASM, AND YOUR POSITIVITY.

Y'ALL ARE SO MUCH FUN.

I WANNA COME JOIN YOUR DEPARTMENT.

COME ON.

UM, I, I LEARNED A LOT TODAY, TODAY, TOO.

I, I LOVE THE CREATIVITY WITH WHICH YOU SOLVE ACCESS PROBLEMS. I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT YOUR EQUIPMENT LOAN PROGRAM.

IT'S A BRILLIANT IDEA.

HOW CAN WE HELP MORE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT? BECAUSE MAYBE THEY WOULDN'T TELL YOU THAT UNTIL THEY HAVE A VIOLATION.

AND IF THEY KNEW ABOUT IT, MAYBE THEY WOULD BE USING EQUIPMENT MORE AND BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT IT.

SO THANK, YEAH, COMMUNICATION AND GETTING WORD OUT OF ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

UM, I THINK THAT, UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE COME ACROSS IN THIS COMMISSION IN THE PAST IS PEOPLE CONFUSING HIGH WEEDS WITH PRAIRIE GRASS OR WILDFLOWERS OR MORE KIND OF RETURN TO NATURE LANDSCAPING.

WHAT ARE WE DOING TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY? AND SO LIKE THE NEIGHBORS, SO THEY DON'T CALL AND WASTE YOUR TEAM'S TIME, OR ALSO, UM, YOUR TEAM PERHAPS.

I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THAT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE TRYING TO RESTORE OUR NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS, PRAIRIE GRASS AND OTHER SYSTEMS LIKE THAT ARE HUGELY BENEFICIAL, UH, BUT SOMETIMES IT LOOKS, YOU KNOW, NOT LIKE A GOLF COURSE.

CITIZEN CODE RESIDENT ACADEMIES THAT TAKE PLACE, AND ANYTIME THAT THERE'S A CERTAIN OR A PARTICULAR VIOLATION THAT YOU SEE OR THE COMMUNITY SEES, THEY CAN ALWAYS ASK FOR THAT, UM, TOPIC TO BE DISCUSSED IN THOSE ACADEMIES.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE? SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU TWO ANSWERS TO THIS.

ONE, THAT'S NOT MY AREA OF EXPERTISE THAT BELONGS TO JEREMY REED.

HE'S THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN THAT AREA.

THE SECOND PART, I'M GONNA ASK KASHAPA, OUR ADMINISTRATOR, WHO IS ALSO A FORMER, UM, CODE OFFICER, AS WELL AS I AM ON THAT, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE INFORMATION.

I KNOW THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, AT LOCATIONS WHERE THEY ZEROSCAPE OR GRASSES THAT ARE NATIVE TO TEXAS SO THAT WE CAN PRESERVE THOSE AREAS.

UH, WHEN I WAS ENFORCING CODE ORDINANCES, WE ALWAYS LOOK AT LOCATIONS WHERE THE GRASS IS UNCULTIVATED.

THAT'S THE KEY TERM.

IF IT'S UNCULTIVATED AND IT'S NOT MAINTAINED IN A CERTAIN OR A PARTICULAR MANNER, THAT DRAWS THE ATTENTION OF CODE ENFORCEMENT.

SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND PASS IT OVER TO MS. KASHAPA WHERE SHE CAN ELABORATE A LITTLE MORE ON THE EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT SIDE.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.

UM, SO WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST IS THERE IS...

MOST OF THE TIME, THE EDUCATION COMES AS THE VIOLATIONS ARE BEING CALLED IN, RIGHT? SO WE'RE EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY AS WE GO OUT AND OBSERVE THESE VIOLATIONS AND WE'RE LETTING THEM KNOW WHETHER IT'S A VIOLATION OR NOT.

BUT WE DO HAVE CODE, UM, UM,

[01:25:02]

AND SO WE DO THOSE ACADEMIES ABOUT THREE TIMES A YEAR, AND IT JUST DEPENDS ON...

USUALLY IT'S REQUESTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, MEMBER IN THAT DISTRICT, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO GO OUT AND EDUCATE IN THAT WAY.

SO WE ALSO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE OUR GUYS ARE NOT HORTICULTURES.

SO OF COURSE, SOMETIME WE HAVE TO SEEK THEIR ADVICE AND GET THEIR INPUT ON, UM, CERTAIN GRASSES TO IDENTIFY THOSE LOCATIONS.

SO IT'S A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT SOMETIMES.

AND OF COURSE, WE USE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HOST SEMINARS AND TRAINING FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC TO EDUCATE THEM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR KEEPING DALLAS CLEAN, SAFE, BEAUTIFUL, AND A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.

MR. HOFFMAN, DID YOU HAVE ONE MORE THING TO ADD? YOU'RE GOOD.

I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR REALLY MANAGING AND TAKING YOUR TASK IN A REALLY...

AND, AND ALSO TO SERVE THE, THE PUBLIC IN A POSITIVE WAY.

WE...

I DON'T FIND IT IN EVERY DEPARTMENT.

UH, MR. MARQUIS, UH, UH, VICE CHAIR WALLACE, AND THEN DR.

LYON.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR WHAT YOU DO.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT JOB, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU DOING IT SO WELL.

WE KNOW THAT IN THE GREAT TRINITY FOREST, THERE ARE MORE DUMP TIRES THAN WE PROBABLY EVER EVEN FIND IN A LIFETIME, AND THAT'S TRAGIC, BUT THAT'S THE CASE.

WE KNOW IT'S MADE SOME PROGRESS A LOT LATELY.

PLACES, WE APPRECIATE YOU HELP WITH THAT.

THE QUESTION IS, WHEN YOU COME UP IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS, THE CITY OF DALLAS COUNTY PROPERTY OR UNINCORPORATED TERRITORY, WE HAVE ALL OF THAT IN DALLAS COUNTY.

WE HAVE 63 SQUARE MILES OF UNINCRIP - UN- UNINCORPORATED TERRITORY IN DALLAS COUNTY.

SO HOW DO YOU COORDINATE WITH THIS COUNTY, THE STATE, THE FEDS TO DETERMINE WHO HAS JURISDICTION AND HOW DO YOU WORK TOGETHER TO SOLVE SOME OF THESE ISSUES? BECAUSE SOMETIMES THERE'S HUGE ISSUES, AND IT'S MUCH MORE THAN JUST CLEANING UP SOMETHING'S LAWN.

BUT CAN YOU TALK SOMETHING ABOUT, ABOUT THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COUNTY AND OTHER AGENCIES TO DEAL WITH ISSUES, ESPECIALLY IN THE GREAT TRINITY FOREST ALONG THE TRINITY RIVER? SO ONE THING I CAN DEFINITELY TELL YOU WHAT WE DO IS WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCOPE OF OUR ABILITIES AND OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.

ANYTIME YOU'RE DEALING WITH UNINCORPORATED AREAS, WE GO BACK AND REVIEW THE ORDINANCE AND SAY, "HOW MANY MILES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS ARE WE ALLOWED TO WORK?" 'CAUSE WE DON'T WANNA STEP ON ANYBODY ELSE'S TOES.

ONCE WE ESTABLISH THAT PARAMETER AND THAT GUIDELINE, THAT'S WHEN WE PICK UP THAT PHONE OR WE MAKE THAT VEHICLE DRIVE OVER TO THE COUNTY AND SAY, "HEY, LOOK, WE, WE GOT A PROBLEM.

IT'S IN THE MIDDLE.

WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND TALK HOW WE CAN WORK THIS OUT TOGETHER AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO, UH, ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE." AGAIN, UM, OUR DEPARTMENT IS TASKED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CLEANING UP THE CITY.

WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.

WE TAKE IT SERIOUSLY ON HOW WE SPEND OUR TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS.

WE'RE NOT GONNA BE FRIVOLOUS AND SPENDING IT JUST BECAUSE, "OH, THE COUNTY SAID ENJOYS," BUT WE WANNA FIGURE OUT A WORKABLE SOLUTION WITH THEM WHERE WE CAN GET IT DONE.

SO WE DEFINITELY WORK WITH THEM.

WE WORK WITH SANITATION, AND THEN, LIKE, I BELIEVE YOU BROUGHT UP SOME STUFF WITH THE TRINITY RIVER.

WE WORK WITH DWU, DALLAS WATER UTILITIES.

WE WORKED WITH PARK AND RECS.

SO WE DEFINITELY GET TOGETHER AND WORK INTERNALLY AS WELL WITH EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

YES, SIR.

VICE CHAIR WALKERS, GO AHEAD.

THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH.

UM, AND MS. MILES, THIS COULD NOT BE MORE TIMELY.

I MET WITH...

SO I SERVE DISTRICT FIVE, WHICH INCLUDES PLEASANT GROVE AND THE GREAT TRINITY FOREST, WHICH I THINK OF AS THE GIANT LUNG OF OUR CITY.

UM, AND ONE THING THAT, UH, THE PARKS COMMISSIONER AND I FOR DISTRICT FIVE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THIS JUST ONGOING PROBLEM WITH, UM, ILLEGAL TIRE DUMPING.

THE PONDS THERE ARE BEAUTIFUL AND, AND THEN, BUT THERE'S TIRES ON THE, ON THE SIDE THERE OF THE, OF THE LITTLE LAKES OR PONDS.

AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S SOMETHING BETWEEN EDUCATION AND DETERRENT WHERE, UM, THERE WOULD BE MAYBE, LIKE, A MONTHLY OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, SOMETHING SIMILAR TO A TRASH OFFER WHERE IT'S JUST A TIRE DROP-OFF, WHERE PEOPLE COULD BRING TIRES, UH, TO DUMP IN THE DUMPSTER, UM, TO, TO GET THEM...

BECAUSE IT'S A, IT IS A BIG PROBLEM IN THE GREAT TRINITY FOREST, AND, UH, EVEN TODAY, DRIVING THROUGH DISTRICT SEVEN, I WAS BY WILLIAM BLAIR PARK AND THE,

[01:30:01]

AND, UM, OR EVEN SOMETHING AS INNOVATIVE AS, UM, AT BULK TRASH PICKUP EVERY MONTH, YOU CAN INCLUDE TWO TIRES.

SOMETHING WHERE THERE'S A, THERE'S A PREEMPTIVE STEP, UH, FOR, FOR PEOPLE.

SO I, I, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME IS, UH, LIKE YOU SAID, MAYBE A MINI TRASH SHOP OR SOME TI - SOME SORT OF RELIEF FOR THAT ACTUAL, UM, TASK THAT'S HAPPENING.

I'M OPEN TO THAT.

UM, I'D LIKE TO MEET WITH YOU OUTSIDE OF THIS AND GET YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN SCHEDULE SOMETHING AND PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER THAT WOULD, WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THAT COMMUNITY OVER THERE.

NOW, WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE LINES OF MAYBE P- PUTTING TWO TIRES OUT WITH, WITH, WITH TRASH COLLECTION, THAT'S GONNA BE ON A SANITATION END.

THAT WOULD CALL FOR A CONVERSATION FOR ME AND THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OVER SANITATION TO SEE IF WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON A PLAN OF ACTION FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO TAKE, TAKE PLACE.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, I DO HAVE THE ABILITY AND OUR TEAMS CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH YOU AND THAT COMMUNITY AND PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE WHERE MAYBE ONCE A MONTH, "HEY, WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THERE AND PICK UP TIRES AT THIS CENTER LOCATION." OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO BE VERY MINDFUL WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE TRINITY RIVER BECAUSE A LOT OF PROPERTY OWNERS, THEIR PROPERTY BACKS ALL THE WAY BACK UP TO THAT, ALMOST TO THE TRINITY RIVER.

SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE GO OVER THERE, WE HAVE TO ASK PERMISSION, "WILL YOU ALLOW US PERMISSION TO GO ONTO YOUR PROPERTY TO VIEW THOSE VIOLATIONS?" BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY ARE NOT IN A LOCATION WHERE IT'S VISIBLE, WHAT WE CALL TO PUBLIC VIEW.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TALKING TO THE CORRECT PEOPLE.

"HEY, GIVE ME PERMISSION TO GO OVER THERE AND CLEAN UP.

GIVE ME PERMISSION TO DRIVE ACROSS YOUR PROPERTY AND PICK UP THESE TIRES.

"BUT I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA WHERE WE CAN TEAM UP WITH YOUR DISTRICT AND MAYBE PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE.

LIKE I SAID, WE'RE DOING MANY TRASH OUTS.

WE HAVE TWO SCHEDULED FOR THIS MONTH.

AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO PUT IN THIS MONTH, HEY, I CAN GIVE A KASHAPA.

YOU SIT RIGHT NEXT TO ME, THE ADMINISTRATOR SAY," KASHAPA, WHAT CAN WE DO REALLY QUICK TO, UM, GET YOU SOME TYPE OF RESOLUTION? "I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH Y'ALL AS WELL AND MAYBE INCLUDING OUR PARKS COMMISSIONER, UM, BECAUSE HE KNOWS VERY SPECIFICALLY WHERE THERE IS DONE.

UM, THIS IS A WONDERFULLY EDUCATIONAL REPORT.

I REALLY THANK YOU.

THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY AND DEDICATION THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF BRING COMES OUT IN WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING.

UM, SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT.

UH, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, TWO AREAS.

ONE IS, I LIVE IN DISTRICT 12 AND, UM, THERE ARE TWO PROBLEMS THAT I SEE, WHICH COMPARED TO THE PROBLEM OF TIRES AND SO ON, SEEM RELATIVELY WIDE IN A BIT.

BUT ONE OF THEM IS THAT, UM, GARDENERS AND ELECTRIC BLOWERS, SOMETIMES AT EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING WITH NOISE AND THAT'S A NUISANCE IS THE NOISE.

AND THEY'RE TERRIBLY PO - AND THEY'RE USED BECAUSE THEY'RE USING GASOLINE POWERED EQUIPMENT.

IT'S TERRIBLE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND TERRIBLE AT, UH, POLLUTION.

AND IT'S THE GARDENERS, IT'S NOT THE PRIVATE CITIZENS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN DOING THAT.

MY OTHER PROBLEM ALSO DEALS WITH THE NEIGHBOR'S GARDENER.

UM, WHAT THEY'LL DO IS, IS THAT YOU WILL HAVE UP TO THREE TO FOUR WEEKS WHEN THE TRASH THAT THEY'VE CLEANED OUT AND TRIMMING THE TREES OR WHATEVER IS ON THE SIDE, IS JUST LEFT ON THE SIDEWALK.

SOMETIMES, UM, BLOCKING THE PATHWAY.

I HAVE ONE NEIGHBOR WHO'S A CHRONIC OFFENDER.

I'VE TALKED TO THEM AND ASKED TO TALK TO THE GARDENER AND I'VE SEEN NO EFFECT.

AND WHAT HAPPENS IS I WALK MY DOG AT THAT.

I'M 82 YEARS OLD.

THAT'S A HEALTH HAZARD FOR ME.

I'M WALKING ACROSS AREAS WHERE I CAN'T SEE IF THERE ARE HOLES IN THE LAWN BECAUSE THEY'RE BLOCKING UP THE SIDEWALK.

SO I'D LIKE A SOLUTION FOR THAT.

IN PLACES LIKE NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES.

SO THAT- THAT MY, MY, UH, MY THIRD ONE - UH-HUH.

IS, UM, A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AREA.

AND THAT IS TO POINT OUT THAT AS MUCH, UM, ENERGY AS WE HAVE SEEN FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT ON THE QUESTION OF DEALING WITH THE SLUMLORDS, WE HAVE A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN POLICY AND BY THE CITY IN ORDER TO ENABLE YOU TO DO YOUR JOB BETTER.

THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT IF YOU LOOK IN THE BACHMAN LAKE AREA, WE LOOK, UH, DALLAS AREA INTERFAITH LOOKED AT 14 DIFFERENT PROJECTS.

12 OF THEM WERE OWNED BY CONGLOMERATES

[01:35:01]

THEY WEREN'T LOCAL PEOPLE.

AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY BUY UP THESE, THEY BUY UP THESE PROPERTIES OF MULTIFAMILY UNITS, 150, 200 UNITS, AND THEY LET THEM GO TO HELL.

AND THEY BUY, THEY GET THE MORTGAGES AT BALLOON RATES WHERE IT'S GONNA BALLOON IN TWO TO THREE YEARS.

AND JUST AT THE TIME IT'S GOING TO BALLOON, THEY TURN AROUND AND THEY SELL IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

SO YOU GUYS ARE STARTING HAVING TO START OVER AGAIN WITH THE ENFORCEMENT.

WE SAW THAT IN THE AREA, UH, AGAIN WITH DALLAS AIR INTERFAITH, AND CODE ENFORCEMENT WAS TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL IN US DEALING WITH THE KENDALL VILLAS, UH, PROJECT, WHICH I BELIEVE IN NOW IN CRIMINAL PROSECUTION, WHICH IT SHOULD BE.

UM, AND, UM, A- AND WE, WE, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING THOUGH TO ENABLE CODE ENFORCEMENT TO DO ITS JOB BETTER.

BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE TRYING LIKE HELL AND WE'RE CHASING OUR TAILS.

AND WHERE WE'RE SEEING THAT IN THE, UM, I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.

WHEN I WORKED AT PARKLAND, WE LOOKED AT OUR ASTHMATIC POPULATION AND WE DISCOVERED THREE ZIP CODES WHERE BETTER THAN 10% OF OUR TOTAL POPULATION HAD SERIOUS OR VERY SERIOUS ASTHMA IN CHILDREN.

WHEN WE DRILLED DOWN TO THE CAUSES, IT WAS THE INDOOR AIR HUMIDITY LEADING TO MOLD AND COCKROACH, AND THE S - THE SLUMLORDS WERE DOING NOTHING TO CLEAN IT UP.

SO, DOCTOR, I WILL TELL YOU, YOU MADE A VERY VALID POINT.

IT IS DIFFICULT, UH, ON OUR MULTIFAMILY SECTION, WHICH FOLLOWS UP UNDER, UH, CEDRIC.

UM, HE'S OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND HE WORKS DILIGENTLY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON LOCATIONS SUCH AS WHAT YOU SAID NEAR THAT BARKMAN LAKE AREA.

AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE YOU ARE CORRECT.

THOSE ARE ABSENTEE PROPERTY OWNERS.

THEY'RE OUTSIDE THE STATE OF TEXAS.

THEY'LL KEEP IT FOR TWO YEARS AND THEN THEY'LL FLIP THEIR PROPERTY.

SO IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR US.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU, WE ARE VERY AGGRESSIVE AND VERY ASSERTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE MULTIFAMILY, UM, LOCATIONS WHERE WE WORK A LOT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND MEMBERS IN THAT DISTRICT TO HELP ALLEVIATE VIOLATIONS AND DO INSPECTIONS.

UM, SLUMLORDS, THAT'S, THAT'S A SERIOUS ISSUE.

SO I KNOW YOU SAID THAT THERE WERE TWO OTHER THINGS.

YOU GAVE ME THREE, EVEN THOUGH YOU SAID TWO, DOCTOR.

YOU GAVE ME THREE.

SO I, I WROTE IT DOWN TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU AND I ARE ON THE SAME PAGE.

ONE, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GARDENERS.

SO YOU SAID YOU'RE 82 YEARS OLD.

SO THAT TELL ME THAT YOU RETIRED AND YOU ARE LIVING A LIFE RIGHT NOW.

YOU DON'T WANNA WAKE UP IN THE MORNING BEFORE A DAY AND LISTEN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR WITH THE BLOWERS AND THE GARDENER.

SO WE DO HAVE ORDINANCES IN PLACE, LIKE FROM DUSK TO DONE.

THERE ARE CERTAIN HOURS WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO START WORK, JUST LIKE THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE BUILDERS.

REMEMBER WE TALKED, YOU, YOU'RE A RESPONSIBLE BUILDER HERE IN OUR CITY.

AND SO IF THAT IS AN ISSUE, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT 311 SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBERS TO GO OUT FOR THAT NOISE VIOLATION.

NOW YOU SAID ANOTHER THING.

NUMBER TWO, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE TRASH AND THE TREE BULK THAT'S BLOCKING, BLOCKING A SIDEWAY FROM YOUR NEIGHBOR THAT'S A GARDENER AS WELL.

OF COURSE, THE CITY HAS DESIGNATED TIMES IN WHICH TRASH AND BULK ITEMS CAN BE PUT OUT.

AGAIN, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IF YOU BRING IT TO OUR ATTENTION, WE CAN GO OUT AND ISSUE NOTICE.

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CODE TEAM MEMBERS CAN GO OUT AND ISSUE NOTICE.

AND THEN OF COURSE, IF THEY'RE NOT IN COMPLIANCE, WE CAN USE THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO PENALIZE THEM.

IF WE NEED TO WRITE CITATIONS, IF WE NEED TO DO FORCE COMPLIANCE AND, AND GET IT CLEANED UP, WE'LL DEFINITELY MAKE SURE WE'LL FOLLOW THE PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, DOCTOR? THANK YOU.

YOU DID A GREAT JOB.

ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER SIEGEL.

OH, ANDREW, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.

ARE YOU UNMUTED? THIS WORK BETTER? YES.

WORK WITH, AND CODE COMPLIANCE WAS FANTASTIC AND VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROJECT.

UM, FIRST QUESTION, DOES EMORY BLACKBURN STILL WORK FOR CODE COMPLIANCE? YOU SAID EMORY BLACKBURN? YES.

N- NO, THAT WAS...

NO, HE DOES NOT.

HE'S WITH ANOTHER CITY.

OH, THAT'S TOO BAD.

I, I WORKED WITH HIM ON A, UH, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT PROJECT, A MASSIVE, UH, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT PROJECT THAT ALSO INCLUDED A LARGE AMOUNT OF ILLEGAL DUMPING A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.

AND HE WAS WONDERFUL TO

[01:40:01]

SO, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT.

UM, THE QUESTION, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS, IN TERMS OF THE ILLEGAL DUMPING SITES THAT ARE RECURRING AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, UM, MY GUESS IS THAT A NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE DUMPING IT ILLEGALLY ARE NOT JUST HOMEOWNERS THROWING TRASH, BUT THEY ARE CONTRACTORS, THEY ARE PROFESSIONALS WHO DON'T WANNA PAY THE LANDFILL FEES, AND SO THEY JUST DUMP IT WHERE THEY SEE FIT.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN PLACE TO KIND OF TRY TO CATCH OR TRACK AND THEN PROSECUTE THE REPEAT OFFENDERS? SO WE DO, AGAIN, WE HAVE AN ILLEGAL DUMPING TEAM.

AND SO OUR ILLEGAL DUMPING TEAM, MIND YOU AGAIN, UH, WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES.

WE HAVE CAMERAS WHERE WE GO AND DISPATCH AND GET THEM PLACED IN AREAS WHERE WE KNOW THEY ARE REPEAT OFFENDERS.

OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO ASK FOR PERMISSION FROM PROPERTY OWNERS, AND ONCE WE OBTAIN PERMISSION TO PUT THOSE CAMERAS THERE, THAT FOOTAGE THAT WE, UM, GET, WE TURN IT OVER TO THE MARSHALLS DEPARTMENT SO THAT THEY CAN SEARCH, FIND, AND PROSECUTE THOSE PEOPLE.

AND SO, OF COURSE, WE STILL WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS.

WE TELL THEM, "HEY, WE NEED YOU TO MONITOR YOUR PROPERTY ON A REGULAR BASIS." WE OFFER SUGGESTIONS TO DETER THEM, PUT UP A CAMERA, PUT UP SIGNS SAYING NO ILLEGAL DUMPING HERE.

WE EVEN ASK THEM, "HEY, DO YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO PUT UP FENCES?" YOU KNOW, SO WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE EVERY MEASURE THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY TO DETER ILLEGAL DUMPING.

BUT OF COURSE, WE DO WORK, AGAIN, CLOSELY WITH THE MARSHALLS DEPARTMENT.

WE TURN OVER EVIDENCE AND WE LEAVE THAT PART OVER TO THEM ON HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PROSECUTE AND FOLLOW UP WITH THAT CASE.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR OUR NUISANCE ABATEMENT TEAM? I'LL JUST MAKE TWO QUICK COMMENTS.

UM, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.

UM, I KNOW THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT WHEN THE CITY GETS CALLED OUT TO REMOVE OR RELOCATE A, UH, AN ENCAMPMENT OF UNHOUSED PEOPLE.

UM, I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE ONLY THINGS THAT THEY POSSESS, AND SOMETIMES THEY ARE FORCED TO PART WITH THEM, UM, IN ORDER TO SORT OF, YOU KNOW, RECEIVE ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY.

UM, AND I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE COLLABORATING WITH SANITATION AND WITH OUR, UH, OFFICE OF HOMELESS SERVICES AND THOSE OTHER DIVISIONS.

UM, BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE...

WELL, I GUESS ARE THERE? ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO, TO MAINTAIN THEIR THINGS, THAT THE CITY DOESN'T JUST COME AND SORT OF SWEEP THE CAMP, TAKE ALL OF THOSE BELONGINGS? JUST HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FROM Y'ALL'S PERSPECTIVE.

OF COURSE, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO CONTINUE AND TAKE THEIR ITEMS WITHIN THE POLICE OFFICERS TELL THEM, "HEY, DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE YOUR ITEMS WITH YOU?" WE ALLOW THEM AN OPPORTUNITY.

OF COURSE, WE'RE NOT IN A BUSINESS OF TAKING THINGS FROM PEOPLE, BUT AT TIMES, WE HAVE TO BE RESPECTFUL OF PROPERTY OWNERS.

AND SO WITH, UM, THEM LEAVING THEIR ITEMS THERE, IT DOES DEPRECIATE THEIR VI - THEIR, SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROPERTY VALUE.

SURE.

AS WELL AS IT PROMOTES A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO, UM, TAKE THEIR ITEMS WITH THEM.

SOMETIME OUR STAFF WILL GET OUT AND THEY'LL SAY, "LET ME HELP YOU MOVE IT.

LET ME HELP YOU GET IT OUT THE WAY SO THAT YOU CAN, UM, TAKE IT WITH YOU." SO YES, WE DO, AND THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR US, AND WE ARE EMPATHETIC TO THOSE, UH, UNSHELTERED PEOPLE.

AND, AND I, YOU KNOW, I ASSUMED THAT THAT WAS THE CASE.

I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE RESPONSE TIMES THAT Y'ALL HAVE SHARED.

WE KNOW OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OTHER SERIOUS, VERY SERIOUS CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING SPECIFIC TO THE ENVIRONMENT, UM, AND THEIR AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME IS TWO WEEKS.

SOMETIMES IT'S 30 DAYS OR MORE.

UM, AND SO TO SEE THAT IT'S A DAY OR LESS THAN A DAY IS, IS, UM, INDI- INDICATIVE OF THE, UM, ABILITY AT WHICH Y'ALL ARE READY TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.

AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT THAT'S, UM, THAT SPEAKS A LOT ABOUT YOUR DIVISION.

UM, THE LAST THING THAT I'LL MENTION, AND I'LL JUST TOUCH ON, BECAUSE I WANNA TALK TO YOU OFFLINE ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE, IS I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY'S SANITATION DIVISION HAS ROLLED OUT CAMERAS.

YES.

UH, AND THAT THEY ARE UTILIZING AI TECHNOLOGY, AND THAT THE IMAGES FROM, FROM, UH, THOSE SANITATION TRUCKS ARE THEN BEING UTILIZED TO, UM, IDENTIFY WHAT WE CALL LIGHT IN THE CITY.

AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION OFFLINE BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY LATE.

WHAT, UH, WHAT IS BEING DONE.

BUT JUST TO UNDERSTAND

[01:45:01]

ARE HUMANS, UH, ACTUALLY TAKING A LOOK AT THAT FOOTAGE TO VERIFY? I'M SURE THAT FOLKS ARE GOING OUT, UM, AND HAVING A CONVERSATION.

I'D LOVE TO KNOW THAT FOLKS ARE NOT BEING CITED BASED ON AI TECHNOLOGY WITHOUT SOME SORT OF, UH, HUMAN VERIFICATION THAT, UH, AN, AN ISSUE ACTUALLY EXISTS.

SO, UM, YOU CAN RESPOND OR YOU CAN, WE CAN SAVE IT AND WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION.

I CAN RESPOND TO YOU.

WE, WE HAVE TEAMED UP IN COLLABORATION WITH SANITATION REGARDING THE AI CAMERAS.

AND YES, IT IDENTIFIES FLIGHT IN THE COMMUNITY.

IT HAS PROVEN TO BE, UM, VERY HELPFUL TO US BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF STAFFING AND AVAILABILITY.

WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, IDENTIFY LOCATIONS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REACH FOR CODE VIOLATIONS.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE REVIEWING THE FOOTAGE.

WE'LL SEND OUT A COURTESY LETTER.

HEY, AS A COURTESY, WE'RE NOT PENALIZING ANYBODY.

OR WE'LL SEND STAFF OUT TO THOSE LOCATIONS AND SAY, "DOES THIS TRASH, DEBRIS, LITTER, TIRES, GRAFFITI, IS THIS ACT STILL PRESENT AT THIS LOCATION?" AND THEN WE'LL HAVE STAFF TO GO AHEAD AND INITIATE CASES.

WE HAVE NOT PENALIZED ANYBODY IN REGARDS TO SUCH, BUT WE'RE USING IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES.

GOT IT.

WE ARE VERY MINDFUL AND RESPECTFUL OF PEOPLE'S PRIVACY BECAUSE I KNOW HOW I AM.

I'M LIKE, "HEY, THIS, THIS IS PRIVATE.

I, I DON'T, WE DON'T WANNA INVADE ANYBODY'S PRIVACY." BUT YES, IT CAN BE USED AS A TOOL TO HELP US CREATE CLEANER, UH, COMMUNITIES, AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE ARE LOOKING AT IT.

SO THERE'S COMMUNICATION WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER AND Y'ALL ARE GOING OUT AND VERIFYING AND THEN INITIATING AND - YES, MA'AM.

THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CLARIFYING THAT.

THOSE ARE THE ONLY QUESTIONS THAT I HAD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPENDING YOUR EVENING WITH US.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

UM, PLEASE COME BACK AND SHARE WITH US THE OTHER, UH, UPDATES, UH, AS Y'ALL CONTINUE THIS WORK.

UM, AND IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COLLABORATE, WHETHER IT'S SHARING YOUR MESSAGING, UH, WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, SOME OF US PUT OUT NEWSLETTERS TO OUR DISTRICTS, UM, OUR, AND ARE IN COMMUNICATION WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS IN OUR DISTRICTS.

WE HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.

HAPPY TO SHARE - THANK YOU.

ALL OF THOSE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES THAT Y'ALL ARE PROVIDING TO OUR EVENTS OUT, UM, SO THAT YOU'LL GET, UH, UH, HOPEFULLY, UM, MORE INTEREST.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

UH, WE HAVE ONE VOTING ITEM AND THEN OUR MONTHLY UPDATES FROM COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU GUYS, FOR HAVING US.

WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH YOU ALL.

[VI.a. Vote to approve Environmental Commission Annual Report]

UH, AND SO LET'S PLAN TO WRAP UP HERE IN ABOUT THE NEXT 25 MINUTES IF WE CAN.

UM, WE'RE GONNA TAKE OUR VOTING ITEM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS, THERE ARE SOME AMENDMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE.

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE TAKEN A LOOK AT THE, UH, REPORT, OUR VOTING ITEM IS A VOTE TO APPROVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT.

UH, THIS IS THE FY2025 THROUGH 2026.

UM, AND I WILL TAKE A MOTION.

I CAN MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE REPORT.

UM, THE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AND IN- INVA - INNOVATION, UH, COMMITTEE IS VICE CHAIRED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER REBECCA POSTON.

AND, UM, SARAH GILL AND DANIELLE IKE RESIGNED IN OCTOBER OF 2025.

AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD THE 2024 BOND PROJECTS, UH, CCAP UPDATES TO THE LIST OF ANTICIPATED POLICY DISCUSSIONS STARTING ON PAGE EIGHT.

WE HAD A GREAT PRESENTATION FROM, UH, THE CONVENTION ON OUR TEAM, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT OTHER BOND PROJECTS ARE DOING WITH THAT, UM, WITH THE MONEY AND THE, THE INTEGRATED BONDS PROJECT.

IT'S BEEN MOVED.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I NOTED IN THE REPORT, UM, THAT I THOUGH WOULD ADD TO IT.

UM, ONE IS, IS THAT WE HAVE HAD VERY ACTIVE DISCUSSION HERE THANKS TO, UH, A GREAT DEAL OF, UH, TAXPAYER, UH, UH, OR, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATE, UH ON WEST NILE VIRUS.

UM, A- AND, UH, I THINK IT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL.

THE SECOND THING IS, IS THAT, UM, OUR ACCOMPLISHMENT IN PROPOSING AND HAVING THE VAPING ORDINANCE IS NOT MENTIONED ANYWHERE IN THE REPORT.

IF IT'S INTERNET, I CAN'T GET THAT.

[01:50:01]

LET ME FIND IT.

LET ME SEE.

WELL, IF IT'S NOT, LET'S SEE.

WELL, IT WAS IN OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY PASSED, BECAUSE IT WAS PROPOSED IN THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY ADOPTED IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.

BUT IT WAS CO - IT WAS COVERED IN THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR.

BUT IT SHOULD BE MENTIONED IN THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT IT ACTUALLY, UH, WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN THIS YEAR.

I'M NOT SEEING IT AND I'M NOT GONNA HOLD US UP HERE, BUT, UH, IT SHOULD BE IN THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

SO LET'S MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND WITH CHAIR HERMODO'S, UH, ITEMS AND ADD ON TO THAT, UM, THE ADDITION OF THE VAPING ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.

THE WEST NOW IS THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHICH WILL RE - BE REPORTED OUT.

RIGHT? OKAY.

SO, UH, WE'LL JUST MAKE THAT AMENDMENT.

NOW, I WILL TAKE, UH, A SECOND FOR THAT.

SECOND.

AND WE'RE GONNA VOTE TO AMEND.

SO ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT.

NOW, VOTE TO, UH, ADOPT AS AMENDMENT OR APPROVE AS AMENDED.

UM, IS THERE A MOTION? WE APPROVE AS AMENDED.

ANY SECOND? ALL RIGHT.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT.

THAT REPORT IS PASSED.

WE DID IT, STEPHANIE.

THAT SOUNDS GREAT.

I'LL GET THOSE TO YOU TOMORROW MORNING.

ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. WE'RE GONNA GO AROUND.

THAT, THAT, THAT REPORT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A LIFT, FRIENDS, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EYES ON IT, UM, AND ALSO FEEDBACK.

SO, UH, LET'S MOVE

[VII.a. Monthly District Updates from Commissioners]

MONTHLY DISTRICT UPDATES FROM OUR, UH, COMMISSIONERS, AND WE ARE GONNA START IN DISTRICT ONE.

NOTHING TO REPORT THIS MONTH.

DISTRICT TWO.

UH, I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT EITHER.

DISTRICT THREE IS VACANT.

UM, AS YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED, WE HAVE A BRAND NEW COMMISSIONER FOR DISTRICT FOUR.

UM, IT IS UM, AND SHE HAD TO, UH, LEAVE JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO.

UM, AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, INTRODUCING HER TO YOU.

SHE COMES TO US WITH AN EXTENSIVE, UH, EXPERTISE.

UM, SHE'S PRESENTLY WORKING FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND, UH, WORKING ON SOME, UH, VERY IMPACTFUL AIR QUALITY ISSUES HERE IN TEXAS, BUT ALSO HAS EXPERIENCE IN THE ENERGY SECTOR, UM, AND REALLY, UH, SOME, SOME DEPTH OF LOCAL ORGANIZING EXPERIENCE.

SO I'M EXCITED FOR Y'ALL TO, TO MEET HER AND ALSO FOR HER TO DIVE IN ON SOME OF THOSE IS- ISSUES IN DISTRICT FOUR.

DISTRICT FIVE, ANY UPDATES? THANK YOU.

UM, JUST ATTENDED SEVERAL BUDGET TOWN HALL MEETINGS, UM, AND, UH, IF ANYBODY ELSE DIDN'T GO, WE ARE GETTING TWO NEW ELECTRIC DUMP TRUCKS AND ONE ELECTRIC TRASH TRUCK, UM, AS PART OF THE NCTCOG PROGRAM.

AND, UM, IT'S, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT BECKLEY SANGER AND MLK ARE SLATED FOR, UM, RECEIVING SOLAR THIS NEXT YEAR.

UM, ALSO, I ATTENDED A, A NCTCOG, UM, WEBINAR ON DATA CENTERS.

AND I KNOW THAT, I'M GUESSING THAT THIS BODY WILL BE TALKING ABOUT, UM, DATA CENTER GUIDELINES, UM, THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND DISTRICT SIX AND SEVEN AND EIGHT ARE VACANT.

DISTRICT 10.

UH, UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY THIS PAST MONTH TO ATTEND TWO DIFFERENT SEMINARS ON DATA CENTERS, UM, AND I'VE PASSED A LOT OF THE INFORMATION ALONG TO OUR CHAIRPERSON.

UM, IF, UM, BUT I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE WAYS TO LEARN ABOUT THE GROWTH OF THAT INDUSTRY AND THIS, THE, THE SCARY PARTS OF IT.

DISTRICT 11? NO UPDATES FOR ME.

IN-DEPTH VIEW SINCE THE, UH, WESTNELL POLICY IS SERIOUSLY OUTDATED.

DISTRICT 12? YES.

UM, NOT NECESSARILY DISTRICT, BUT I WANTED TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE REQUEST THAT I WAS READ FROM, UH, HEALTH COMMITTEE LAST MONTH, UH, TO, UM, DO MORE

[01:55:01]

HAS ANY PROGRESS BEEN MADE THAT YOU KNOW? WITH THE CITY? YES.

I HAVEN'T HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS, AND OUR CHAIR IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REAPPOINTED.

UM, I WOULD WAIT.

I WOULD, I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH RENEE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE SHE IS IN HER REAPPOINTMENT PROCESS.

UM - WELL, RENEE IS, AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT.

UM - THAT'S GREAT.

SO THEN WHAT, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT WE SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH CITY STAFF, AND WE CAN DO THAT THROUGH OUR, UH, OEQS DIRECTOR TO HELP US FACILITATE A DISCUSSION, UM, AND, UH, HAPPY TO START THAT CONVERSATION.

LEND WHATEVER SUPPORT I CAN TO THAT EFFORT, UH, TO GET THE POLICY UP TO DATE.

ALL RIGHT, DISTRICT 13.

UH, NOTHING TO REPORT.

DISTRICT 14? NO REPORT.

DISTRICT 15? NOT THIS MONTH, THANKS.

UM, ANY OF OUR, UM, TECHNICAL ADVISORS HAVE ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE, MR. HASSAN? UM, I WAS ABLE TO DO A PRESENTATION ON RESILIENT HOUSING AND HOW WE'RE NOT BUILDING TO THE MOMENT THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF, UH, UH, WIND, FIRE, WATER, ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AND THEY'RE CAUSING...

LAST 2024, UM, WE HAD 187 BILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF EITHER CLIMATE, WEATHER, WIND EVENTS.

AND, UH, THAT, UH, IS SPREAD OVER 27 INDI - INCIDENCES THAT WERE OVER A BILLION DOLLAR.

AND JUST FOR REFLECTION, UH, 1980, WE HAD THREE EVENTS.

SO THERE IS, UH, S - UH, SERIOUS GROWTH AND THE NUMBER OF CATASTROPHIC WEATHER-RELATED CLIMATE EVENTS THAT ARE IMPACTING STRUCTURES, AND WE'RE NOT BUILDING STRUCTURES TO MEET THAT MOMENT.

THAT'S KINDA WHAT I TALKED ABOUT.

BUT, AND I, UH, UH, I DIDN'T KNOW THIS, BUT RITA GOES TO MY CHURCH, SO I...

BUT SHE GAVE A REPORT TO OUR COMMITTEE.

UH, WE HAVE A CLIMATE ACTION COMMITTEE AT OUR CHURCH, SO THANK YOU.

MS. BEVAN? YEAH.

UM, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR DALLAS IS ALMOST OVER.

UH, I ATTENDED AT LEAST SIX TOWN HALLS, AND THANKFUL TO THOSE THAT DID GO TO THOSE TOWN HALLS AND ASK ABOUT CHARGING STATIONS, EVS, ET CETERA.

THE OTHER THING I WANNA MENTION TO EVERYONE, THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL HEARINGS ABOUT DATA CENTERS AT THE CAPITOL THAT I'VE B - ATTENDED.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN EMAIL ME OR GIVE ME A CALL.

AND LASTLY, UM, I'LL BE SPEAKING ABOUT DATA CENTERS AND PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR VENUES IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS IN DALLAS.

SO THAT'S IT.

VICE CHAIR WILLIS, DID YOU WANNA ADD SOMETHING? SURE, THANK YOU.

UM, SO, UH, SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW THAT I AM THE CHAIR OF THE NORTH TEXAS CLEAN ENERGY GROUP.

WE HAVE BEEN KNOWN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AS THE NORTH TEXAS RENEWABLE ENERGY GROUP, AND WE'VE JUST CHANGED OUR WEBSITE.

IT'S NTXCEG.ORG.

AND IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED, THIS SATURDAY, WE ARE HAVING A PANEL DISCUSSION ON BATTERY OPTIONS FOR YOUR HOME.

UH, SOME OF THOSE WILL INCLUDE, UM, NOT O- OWNING, RENTING, BPPS, SO, UM, UH, THAT INFORMATION IS AT THE NEW WEBSITE.

COULD BE A MAJOR EFFORT TO RESTORE PRAIRIE INTO THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE, UM, IN, IN ESSENCE TO RETURN TO THE WAY IT WAS WHEN INDIGENOUS PEOPLE LIVE HERE.

DR.

JACK WANTED ME TO SHARE...

OH, SORRY, MR. UM, THAT THERE IS A TEXAS HOME ENERGY REBATES, UH, PROGRAM, UH, HOMES AND HERE PROGRAMS, UM, AND THOSE ARE FUNDED THROUGH, UH, THE STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE OR CCO.

THEY ARE HAVING A VIRTUAL, UM, COMMUNITY EVENT AND A COUPLE OF OTHER EVENTS THAT I WILL SHARE OUT TO THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, ABOUT THOSE, UH, REBATES.

ONE ENCOURAGES HOUSEHOLD TO MAKE COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY SAVINGS UPGRADES, AND THE OTHER WILL HELP INCOME QUALIFIED HOUSEHOLDS SAVE MONEY BY PROVIDING REBATES FOR SPECIAL ENERGY EFFICIENT ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, UM, AND UPGRADES.

UM, AND THAT CAN, UH, RANGE UP TO $14,000 PER HOUSEHOLD.

SO THOSE ARE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITIES IN NEED.

UM, MR. MARQUIS, GO AHEAD.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

UM, I'M HONORED TO SAY THAT THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IS ASKING TO BE A CAMPAIGN AMBASSADOR FOR THEM TO HELP THEM RAISE FUNDS FOR CONTRAC

[02:00:01]

A MAJOR RESTORATION PROJECT ON THAT, AND IT'LL ALSO BE THE NATIONAL CONSERVANCY WILL BE THE PRESENTING SPONSOR ON THE EVENT OCTOBER 27TH AT HELPLAND PARK, UH, TO ENSURE YOU'LL BE INVITED.

SO WE APPRECIATE THE, UH, FOLKS FROM NATURE CONSERVANCY, UM, AND THEIR SUPPORT AND, UH, FOR CONSERVATION AND WE'LL BE, UH, HAPPY TO BE REPPING WITH THEM AND, UH, DOING SOME WORK FOR THEM HERE AND NATIONALLY ALSO.

SO WE CONTINUE TO WORK.

ANYBODY ELSE? UM, I'LL JUST SHARE THAT SUBSEQUENT TO OUR LAST MEETING WHERE WE HAD SOME RESIDENTS FROM THE CLEVELAND RILEY NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, ASSOCIATION AND, AND JUST, UM, INTERESTED FOLKS, UM, BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THEM ABOUT SCHEDULING A TOUR.

I THINK MR. MARQUIS AND I MIGHT BE, UH, IN AGREEMENT ON A DATE TO GO OUT AND TOUR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AND ITS ISSUES.

SO IF THERE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN BETTER UNDERSTANDING, UH, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS EXPERIENCING A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT, LEGAL DUMPING, UM, SOME STORMWATER ISSUES, UH, RECURRING ISSUES THAT, UH, THEY JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO, TO RESOLVE.

SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM, UM, AND LIAISE WITH THE CITY TO HELP THEM GET THOSE ISSUES ADDRESSED, HOPEFULLY, UM, SOMETIME SOON, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

SO, UM, YEAH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO REPORT.

THE UPCOMING MEETINGS ON THE AGENDA ARE NOT QUITE CORRECT.

UH,

[VII.b. Upcoming Meetings]

SO THE PARKS TRAILS AND ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL COMMITTEE IS GONNA MEET AGAIN ON MONDAY, OCTOBER THE 5TH.

I DIDN'T CATCH IT EITHER, SO DON'T WORRY.

IT'S FINE.

ALL GOOD.

NO WORRIES.

UH, AND OUR NEXT ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING, UM, AS WE STATED EARLIER, WILL BE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH.

OCTOBER 14TH, I'M JUST READING IT.

UM, OCTOBER 14TH, UH, YEAH, UH, 5:30 PM.

HAVING CONSIDERED ALL BUSINESS THIS EVENING, UM, I WILL TAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.