* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:10] WELCOME TO, IT'S HAPPENING IN GRAND PRAIRIE. I'M GEORGIA CLEMSON, AND WE HAVE A GREAT SHOW FOR YOU TODAY, AND WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH TWO VERY SPECIAL GUESTS. WE HAVE PASTOR PRESTON DIXON. WELCOME YOU. THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE DENISE GARE. THANK YOU. AFTERNOON. SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU ALL AFTERNOON. IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU. AND WE KNOW THAT WHEN YOU TWO APPEAR TOGETHER, THERE'S SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL COMING UP IN JUNE. WONDERFUL. GET US STARTED AND TELL US ABOUT IT. AWESOME. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU, LADY CLEMSON, FOR THE AWESOME WORK YOU DO IN THE GREAT CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE. OH, THANK YOU. AND OF COURSE, WE'RE GAINING MOMENTUM AS WE WALK TOWARDS THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY THAT WE CELEBRATE. NOW'S A NATIONAL HOLIDAY. YES. WHICH IS JUNETEENTH. YES. AND I AM PEACOCK PROUD. I'M HYENA HAPPY. AND I'M ELEPHANT LADY TO SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE GRAND PRAIRIE JUNETEENTH COMMITTEE. AND OF COURSE, UM, MY FIRST COUSIN SERVES AS VICE PRESIDENT LADY DENISE. AND WE'RE CELEBRATING THIS YEAR ON JUNE 16TH, WHICH IS THE FRIDAY NIGHT. AND THEN WE'LL MOVE FORWARD THE NEXT DAY, JUNE 17TH, SATURDAY AT TYREE PARK. YES. AND SO, UH, IT'S AN AWESOME TIME. IT IS INDEED. AND DENISE, YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MANY YEARS AS WELL, HAVEN'T YOU? I THINK I STARTED, UM, 1999. 1999. AND I KNOW YOU HELP US GET THE PARADE TOGETHER. AND THAT'S ON THE SATURDAY, CORRECT? THAT'S THE 17TH. THE PARADE USUALLY BEGINS, OUR LINEUP BEGINS AT NINE O'CLOCK AT CITY HALL PLAZA. AND THEN, UM, EVERYBODY GETS TOGETHER AND THEN WE HAVE LIKE A SHORT PROGRAM, ABOUT NINE 40. USUALLY WE PRESENT THE, UM, PROCLAMATION AT THE LIBERTY BELL IN CASE PEOPLE CAN'T COME DOWN TO THE PARK. AND THEN THE PARADE GOES TO THE PARK. AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER SHORT PROGRAM WHERE THE, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY ABOUT TWO MINUTES EACH TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR, UH, RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS. AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR, OUR, OUR ONE THING THAT WE DO IS OUR SCHOLARSHIP. WE HAVE A JUNETEENTH SCHOLARSHIP, AND IT IS, UH, THE THEME IS THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF JUNETEENTH. AND THAT'S A 750 ESSAY OR MORE, UM, UH, ESSAY. YES. AND THE, AND WE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WANT, UH, STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE. THE DEADLINE IS JUNE 12TH. THE INFORMATION IS ON OUR, UH, FACEBOOK PAGE, OR YOU CAN CONTACT, UH, PASTOR DIXON OR, UH, ERICA CRAWFORD. AND ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS OUT. AND SO, BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT IF THOSE STUDENTS, UM, RESEARCH THAT ESSAY, THEY WILL LEARN A LOT ABOUT WHAT JUNETEENTH WE CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH. AND THAT'S A GOOD THING. BUT WE REALLY NEED TO DELVE INTO THE HISTORY OF WHERE JUNETEENTH CAME FROM AND WHAT IT'S ABOUT. AND I, AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT WE DO THAT SCHOLARSHIP. OH YES. THE SCHOLARSHIP IS ALWAYS EXCITING TO SEE THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE AND JUST READING THE PROCLAMATION, WE GET LOTS OF GOOD HISTORY WITH THAT ON ACTUALLY WHY WE'RE CELEBRATING PASTOR DIXON GIVE THE, OUR VIEWERS AN UH, IDEA OF WHY WE ARE CELEBRATING. WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE THINK OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, WHOM THE SON FREE IS FREE INDEED. BUT WE DO, BECAUSE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION IS REALLY THE GIVEN NAME OF WHAT JUNETEENTH THE, IN 1865, WE KNOW THAT GENERAL GRANDE LANDED IN GALVESTON, TEXAS. AND HISTORY BECAME WHAT IT IS TODAY. AND AGAIN, OUR FOREST STATED ABOUT THE NATIONAL HOLIDAY, BUT WE CELEBRATE SLAVERY, UM, BEING ABOLISHED AS WELL AS WE AS A PEOPLE. UH, UM, JUNETEENTH IS A GREAT CULTURAL AWARENESS HERE IN THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE. AND WE HAVE A PLETHORA OF PRECIOUS PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE GONNA BE ON PROGRAM THAT DAY. AND I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF THE GREAT SPONSORS, INCLUDING LONE STAR PARK. GRAND PER HAS JUST BEEN AWESOME IN EVERY WAY, SHAPE, FORM, OR FASHION TO NOT ONLY TO MAKE FREEDOM AWARE OF WHAT WE COME THROUGH AS A PEOPLE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS, BUT IN GENERAL AS GRAND PER AS A WHOLE AND ALL ETHNICITIES. IT'S CELEBRATED ALL OVER THE WORLD NOW, NOT JUST IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WHICH IT GENERALLY ORIGINATED. AND SO WE ARE GRATEFUL, WE ARE THANKFUL, UH, TO EVERYONE. IN FACT, FRIDAY NIGHT IN AND OUT BURGERS, ONE OF OUR GREAT SPONSORS ARE GIVING AWAY OVER 500 CHEESEBURGER CHIPS, SODAS, LIVE MUSIC. YOU COME OUT. I THOUGHT THAT'D BE GOOD FOR SOMEONE WHO'S HUNGRY. OH, YES. SO TO LET THEM KNOW THEY CAN COME OUT AND CELEBRATE WITH US. IT SOUNDS GOOD. AND WHERE WILL THAT BE? IT WILL BE AT THE DW DIRECT RECREATION CENTER, 2012 SPIKE STREET. LEMME SAY IT AGAIN. 2012 [00:05:01] SPIKE STREET AND GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS DWI RECREATION, BEGINNING AT 6:00 PM JUNE 16TH WILL BE THE KICKOFF DATE. SO THAT'S SORT OF, UH, JUNETEENTH EVE. WE'RE GONNA START CELEBRATING THEM AND GET READY FOR THE BIG DAY ON SATURDAY. WONDERFUL. THAT SOUNDS SO EXCITING. AND I KNOW YOU DO HAVE GOOD SPONSORS AND YOUR COMMITTEE, DO YOU HAVE OTHERS ON YOUR COMMITTEE? YOU WANT TO NAME DROP A LITTLE BIT? WELL, I GUESS I BETTER NAME DROP MY WIFE. YES. 'CAUSE SHE WORKS SIDE BY SIDE AS MY SECRETARY. BUT WE HAVE AN AWESOME COMMITTEE, SOME 16 MEMBER COMMITTEE WHO SERVES TIRELESSLY THROUGHOUT, UH, THE TWO MONTH, UM, EXPANSION THAT WE START AND JUST MAKING IT COME TO AND FRUITION. SO I'M SO GRATEFUL AND I WANT TO THANK OUR HONORABLE MAYOR AND ALL THAT HE DOES. AND YOU OF COURSE, FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS. AMEN. AND SO, UM, I'LL GET A CHANCE, UH, TO GIVE GREAT KUDOS PERSONALLY, LIKE I LOVE TO DO, BUT WE ARE JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE TWO DAY EVENT AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL CATCH FIRE AND SPREAD THROUGHOUT THIS GREAT CITY. YES, INDEED. AND I KNOW WE CAN EXPECT TO HAVE THE IN-N-OUT BURGERS AT THE REC CENTER ON FRIDAY, BUT WHAT DO WE EXPECT ON SATURDAY AFTER THE PARADE USUALLY? UM, BURGERS AND CHIPS AND COOKIES AND DRINKS. AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE WATERMELON, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS, IS A GOOD THING. YES. AND THE KIDS LIKE THAT. SO, UM, WE NORMALLY HAVE THAT AND HOT DOGS AND LYN'S. AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE. SO, SO, AND IT'S A GOOD TIME TO YES. COME IN. AND, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE VENDOR BOOTHS THERE AS WELL. UM, AND SO, AND IF THERE INDIVIDUALS CAN COME AND LOOK AROUND IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT THEY MIGHT WANT TO SEE. AND THEN, UM, SO 'CAUSE I BELIEVE WARREN LANDRUM IS GOING TO BE THERE, AND I KNOW THAT HE'S WORKING ON A BOOK FOR THE CITY, SO YES. YOU KNOW, AND, UM, IT'S FOR ALL AGES. IS THAT RIGHT? WILL THERE BE THINGS FOR THE KIDS TO DO AS WELL? YES. WONDERFUL THINGS FOR THE KIDS. I THINK WATER SLIDES AND THE SWIMMING POOL WILL BE OPEN. YES. AND, UH, THEY HAVE A, NOW I'M NOT GOOD WITH ALL OF THIS NEW STUFF, BUT IT'S CALLED THE GAME TRUCK, I BELIEVE. UHHUH. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY LIKE THAT. YES. I MEAN, KIDS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT REALLY HARD TO, TO GET THEM EXCITED ABOUT STUFF, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE OUTSIDE AND THEY CAN RUN. YES. IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXCITING TWO DAY YES. CELEBRATION. AND, UH, WE'RE THANKFUL THAT YOU ALL CARRY THE BALL. I KNOW. MY MOTHER CAME TO JUNETEENTH FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. MANY. AND THEN I GOT TO START COMING TO DALWORTH AND TYREE PARK, AND THAT'S PART OF MY HISTORY NOW. SO I APPRECIATE YOU ALL. THANK YOU. WHAT, WHAT YOU DO. IT'S JUST AMAZING. AND IT'S GREAT TO GET COMMUNITY TOGETHER. YES. BRING US TOGETHER FOR CELEBRATIONS THAT ARE SO POSITIVE LIKE THIS. SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR ALL YOU DO. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. AND BEFORE WE GO, I WANT TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE JUNETEENTH T-SHIRT. OH. IF IT'S OKAY. AND I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND PASS IT. THAT'S IT TO YOU. THAT'S, THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU, MY DEAR. OH, THAT IS BEAUTIFUL. I LOVE BLUE, SO THIS IS GONNA BE FUN. AWESOME. UH, WELL THANK YOU AGAIN. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. GOD BLESS YOU BOTH. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT CITY DOES AND EVERYBODY ALL OVER THAT HELPS PUT THIS TOGETHER. AND WE WANNA ALSO THANK OF OPAL LEE. YES. 'CAUSE OF WHAT SHE DID, BECAUSE NOW IT IS ACTUALLY A NATIONAL HOLIDAY. NATIONAL HOLIDAY. AND I WANNA SAY SHE IS MY SORORITY SISTER TOO. OH, THAT IS FABULOUS. I LOVE THAT. WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU SOON. THANK ALL YOU FOR HAVING US. MM-HMM . AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE OFFERS ALERT GP, A HIGH SPEED COMMUNICATION SERVICE FOR EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS. RECEIVE ALERTS FROM THE GRAND PRAIRIE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM BY GOING TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND FOLLOWING THE SIGNUP INSTRUCTIONS ALERT. GP CAN NOTIFY A LOT OF PEOPLE IN A SHORT TIME. IT TARGETS THE ENTIRE CITY, OR SPECIFIC AREAS WHERE CRITICAL COMMUNITY ALERTS ARE NECESSARY. IF WE CAN'T REACH YOU, WE CAN'T ALERT YOU. VISIT GPTX.ORG/ALERT GP AND SIGN UP TODAY. WELCOME BACK AND WELCOME TO OUR NEXT BEAUTIFUL GUEST, OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER FOR TARRANT COUNTY, ELISA SIMMONS. WELCOME ELISA. THANK YOU, GEORGIA. IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY. GOOD TO BE HERE. YOU KNOW, UM, MANY OF OUR CITIZENS DON'T KNOW THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM THE COUNTY, AND THIS IS A GREAT WAY FOR US TO LET THEM KNOW YOU BECAUSE YOU WERE JUST ELECTED IN JANUARY, ISN'T THAT CORRECT? WELL, ELECTED IN NOVEMBER. NOVEMBER AND THEN, AND TOOK OFFICE IN JANUARY. JANUARY, ABSOLUTELY. YES. AND, UM, YOUR PREDECESSOR WAS DEVIN ALLEN, CORRECT? RIGHT. SO, UH, HERE YOU ARE IN A NEW POSITION AND THAT IS EXCITING. [00:10:01] IT IS, IT IS EXCITING FOR GRAND PRAIRIE BECAUSE GRAND PRAIRIE IS APPROXIMATELY ONE THIRD IN TARRANT COUNTY, CORRECT? CORRECT. THAT IS, SO I REPRESENT TARRANT. I, I REPRESENT GRAND PRAIRIE. GRAND PRAIRIE, A THIRD OF GRAND PRAIRIE. YES. AND THAT IS VERY GOOD. NOW, UM, I KNOW ELISA, YOU HAD OTHER THINGS THAT YOU WERE DOING PRIOR TO GETTING ELECTED. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, ARE PART OF YOUR HISTORY? HUH. SO I'M KIND OF OLD, SO I HAVE A LONG HISTORY , BUT JUST PRIOR TO THIS, I, AND I STILL DO OWN A BUSINESS. SO I'M A BUSINESS OWNER, I HAVE A PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS BUSINESS, AND I DO HEAD AIDS AND T-SHIRTS AND INK PENS AND ALL THAT STUFF FOR MY CLIENTS. OH, GREAT. UM, COMMUNITY WISE, I HAVE BEEN THE NAACP PRESIDENT FOR 10 YEARS IN ARLINGTON. IN ARLINGTON. YES. AND SO THAT KEPT ME EXTREMELY BUSY ON TOP OF BEING THE FIRST VICE PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS N-A-A-C-P. AND I WAS ON THE A CLU OF TEXAS BOARD AND JUST VARIOUS OTHER BUSY BODY THINGS. BUSY, BUSY, BUSY. YES. AND, BUT GOOD THINGS. AND, UH, DO YOU LIVE IN ARLINGTON CURRENTLY? AND WERE YOU RAISED THERE? I DO LIVE IN ARLINGTON. LET'S SEE, MY OLDEST SON IS 35, SO I'M GONNA SAY I'VE BEEN IN ARLINGTON 37 YEARS. YES. I HAVE TWO BOYS, UH, BUT BORN AND RAISED IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND LEFT THERE TO GO TO SCHOOL IN DENTON AT TWU, TEXAS WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY. AND SO I GRADUATED THERE IN 85 AND MOVED TO ARLINGTON. SO I I'VE BEEN IN ARLINGTON FOR A GOOD WHILE. YES. WELL THAT'S GREAT. ARLINGTON IS OUR GOOD NEIGHBOR. YES. WE LOVE ARLINGTON. AND, UM, I KNOW AS TARRANT COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT, SOME PEOPLE GET THAT MIXED UP WITH CITY FUNCTIONS. YES, OF COURSE. THAT'S NORMAL. BUT WHAT IS THE JOB OF THE TARRANT COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT? SO, COMMISSIONER'S COURT, JUST LIKE, UH, CITY COUNCIL, IT RUNS THE COUNTY, SO IT MANAGES THE COUNTY, IT ESTABLISHES THE BUDGET, IT ESTABLISHES THE TAX RATE FOR THE COUNTY. IT, UM, YOU KNOW, HIRES DEPARTMENT HEADS, IT MAINTAINS FACILITIES. AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST ROLES OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS MAINTENANCE OF THE COUNTY'S ROADS AND BRIDGES. AND PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. SO I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO TITLES. I'M A TARRANT COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND I'M THE EX OFFICIO ROAD COMMISSIONER FOR PRECINCT TWO. AND SO WE HAVE ROAD COMMISSIONER FOR PRECINCT 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR. SO THERE ARE UNINCORPORATED ROADS AND BRIDGES AND AREAS IN TARRANT COUNTY. AND, UH, SO I HAVE, IN ADDITION TO MY ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF THAT WORKS AT BOTH OF OUR SUB COURTHOUSES, MANSFIELD AND ARLINGTON, I HAVE A MAINTENANCE CENTER IN KENDALE. IT'S 17 ACRES AND WE'VE GOT A STAFF OF ABOUT 40 OUT THERE. SO WE'VE GOT EQUIPMENT, WE'VE GOT DUMP TRUCKS AND GRADE HALLS AND YOU KNOW, JUST ALL SORTS OF EQUIPMENT THAT BUILDS AND MAINTAINS THE COUNTY'S ROADS AND BRIDGES. AND DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, LIKE ICE, WE PUT DOWN THE BRINE AND SAND AND ALL OF THAT GOOD STUFF. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, A COUNTY COMMISSIONER DOES. WE MANAGE DEPARTMENTS OR OVERSEE, OVERSEE DEPARTMENTS LIKE PUBLIC HEALTH ELECTIONS, HUMAN RESOURCES, UM, VETERANS AFFAIRS, UM, HUMAN SERVICES, ON AND ON AND ON. SO, UH, IT'S A PRETTY BIG OPERATION AND PEOPLE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT HAPPENS WITH THEIR COUNTY GOVERNANCE. ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. THAT IS A HUGE JOB. AND JUST THE PART OF THE ROADS AND BRIDGES AND EVERYTHING WITH THE WEATHER IN TEXAS, UHHUH, , THAT CAN GET PRETTY, UH, DICEY EVERY NOW AND THEN AS WELL. ABSOLUTELY. KEEPS YOU BUSY. WELL, UM, WHAT, AS A COMMISSIONER, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB? YOUR NEW JOB? AND I KNOW IT'S JUST BEEN A FEW MONTHS, BUT AT THIS POINT, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? HMM. SO I THINK MY FAVORITE PART IS COMING [00:15:01] UP WITH SOLUTIONS FOR CONSTITUENTS WHO STOP BY THE OFFICE AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN TO DEAL WITH A PARTICULAR SITUATION. LIKE, UM, EVICTIONS. YES. THEY WILL COME FROM THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE COURT AND THEY PERHAPS JUST GOT EVICTED AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. AND SO FOR ME, HELPING CONSTITUENTS IS MY FAVORITE PART. FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR THEM, GETTING THEM CONNECTED AND GETTING THEIR PROBLEMS TAKEN CARE OF. UM, THAT MOVES ME, THAT IMPACTS ME, THAT, UH, ALLOWS ME TO SLEEP WELL BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I AM DOING SOMETHING THAT IS HELPING THE FOLKS WHO NEED THE HELP. YES. AND I, I AGREE WITH THAT AS WELL. BEING ABLE TO FIND SOLUTIONS, HELP PEOPLE, CONNECTING THEM TO THE RIGHT PLACES IS VERY REWARDING. YES. IN A JOB THAT SOMETIME IS NOT AS REWARDING. CORRECT. , IT IS A LOT OF WORK. THERE IS. IT IS. THERE'S A LOT. AND YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF EVENTS TO GO TO, UM, IN MEETINGS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. AND, UM, SOMETIMES I GO, OH, I JUST WANT TO SIT AT MY DESK. RIGHT. AND RESEARCH ISSUES AND, YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS AND, AND, AND, AND HELP PEOPLE THAT WAY INSTEAD OF GOING TO THE NEXT EVENT. SO, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A OFFICE IN FORT WORTH, AND LIKE YOU SAID, IN UM, KENDALE, YOU HAVE OTHER PEOPLE. WHERE DO YOU ACTUALLY OFFICE? I TRY TO DO TWO DAYS AT THE MANSFIELD SUB COURTHOUSE IN TWO DAYS AT THE ARLINGTON SUB COURTHOUSE. OH, I SEE. EVERY OTHER TUESDAY WE HAVE COMMISSIONER'S COURT MEETING MM-HMM . AND SO THERE IS AN OFFICE DOWNTOWN AND I'M JUST IN DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH JUST FOR THAT MEETING. BUT YEAH, A COUPLE DAYS IN ARLINGTON, COUPLE DAYS IN MANSFIELD AND, UM, KINDA SPREAD MYSELF AROUND. YES. I SEE. I LEARNED SOMETHING NEW. THAT'S VERY INTERESTING. UH, I DIDN'T KNOW, I THOUGHT YOU WOULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN FORT WORTH, BUT NO, NOT AS MUCH TIME. NOPE. SOUTHEAST TARRANT COUNTY IS, UH, WHERE I SERVE. SO THAT'S, UH, GRAND PRAIRIE, OF COURSE. MM-HMM . ARLINGTON, MENVILLE KENDALE, PAN TIGO AND DOW WORTHINGTON. YES. WELL, THAT IS EXCELLENT. AND, UM, WHAT, IS THERE ANYTHING NEW ON THE HORIZON THAT WE SHOULD BE WATCHING OUT FOR AS CITIZENS IN TARRANT COUNTY? I MAYBE OUR APPRAISALS . UH, YES. THAT IS A HUGE ISSUE RIGHT NOW. YES. AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE WILL HELP US OUT, UH, IN THAT AREA. BUT, UH, JUST, I, I IMPLORE PEOPLE TO JUST PAY ATTENTION JUST A LITTLE BIT AND THEY WILL LEARN SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING, WHAT IS NOT HAPPENING, WHAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING, WHAT I'M DOWN THERE RAISING CAIN ABOUT. UM, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE WILL SOON HAVE A NEW ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR IN TARRANT COUNTY BECAUSE OURS HAS RESIGNED. UM, OUR ARPA FUNDS WILL GO AWAY PRETTY SOON. PRETTY SOON. YES. AND SO WE WERE FORTUNATE TO GET A, A GOOD AMOUNT OF ARPA FUNDS AND TO HELP, UM, OUR PARTNERS LIKE GRAND PRAIRIE, UH, THE OTHER CITIES. AND SO THOSE FUNDS WILL GO AWAY SOON. UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT, THE COURT IS LOOKING AT A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR ACCOUNTING, HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR RESIDENTS OR PROPERTY OWNERS MM-HMM . UM, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO. RIGHT. AND, UM, I KNOW WE DON'T, I DON'T KNOW MINE FROM MEMORY, BUT I KNOW THAT, UH, WE CAN PUT ON THE SCREEN IF SOMEBODY NEEDED TO EMAIL YOU OR CONTACT YOUR OFFICE, THAT THEY COULD DO THAT. THE BEST WAY I ALWAYS TELL EVERYBODY THE BEST WAY TO CONTACT ME IS EMAIL. IS THAT THE THE SAME FOR YOU? UH, SURE. UH, BECAUSE I WAS NAACP PRESIDENT, MY CELL NUMBER IS OUT IN THE ATMOSPHERE, BUT THE BEST WAY TO CONTACT US IS EMAIL. MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS AL SIMMONS AT TARRANT COUNTY TEXT NO, TARRANT COUNTY TX.GOV. GREAT. AND SO, WE'LL, YOU CAN PUT THAT ON THE SCREEN. I DO HAVE A STAFF OF, UH, FOLKS THAT HELP ME. I LIKE FOR US TO BE RESPONSIVE. THAT IS A PHILOSOPHY THAT IS A REQUIREMENT. SO YOU WILL DEFINITELY HEAR BACK FROM US. EXCELLENT. WELL, WE'RE SO GLAD HAVING YOU REPRESENT OUR CITY ON THE TARRANT COUNTY SIDE, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE, SEEING YOU AT MANY OF THE EVENTS TO COME. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION. [00:20:01] THIS WAS FUN. OF COURSE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. GRAND PRAIRIE, IT'S TIME TO BAG THE BAG AND GRAB THE BIN. THE CITY IS NO LONGER COLLECTING RECYCLED ITEMS IN PLASTIC BAGS BECAUSE PLASTIC BAGS DAMAGE PROCESSING EQUIPMENT. INSTEAD, USE YOUR RECYCLING BIN TO HOLD ITEMS FOR PICKUP. AND REMEMBER, ONLY GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS, METAL CANS AND PAPER PRODUCTS ARE OKAY. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT GPTX.ORG/RECYCLING. WELCOME BACK AND WELCOME TO OUR NEXT GUEST, MS. ASHLEY WHITE FROM THE FABULOUS FUN GRAND PRAIRIE LIBRARIES. YEP. WELCOME. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME ON HERE AND TALK ABOUT ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS. YES. AND, UH, OUR VIEWERS WANNA HEAR ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON SUMMERTIME AT THE LIBRARY. YES, IT IS OUR BUSIEST SEASON FOR SURE, WHICH WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. UM, THE KIDDOS ARE OUT OF SCHOOL, SO THE LIBRARY IS HOPPING AT ALL THREE OF OUR LOCATIONS, SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. AND WE HAVE OUR BIG SUMMER READING CLUB COMING UP, SUMMER READING CLUB NOW THAT'S FOR CHILDREN AS WELL AS ADULTS, RIGHT? YES. YEAH. A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT IT'S JUST FOR KIDS, BUT IT'S ZERO TO 200 . I MEAN, THERE YOU GO. THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY THERE. UM, YEAH. EVERYONE CAN PARTICIPATE NO MATTER WHAT AGE, AND YOU CAN PARTICIPATE BY READING. AND WHENEVER YOU READ FOR FIVE HOURS, YOU CAN FILL OUT A READING LOG AND TURN IT IN AT ANY OF OUR LOCATIONS. AND THE KIDDOS CAN PICK OUT A PRIZE ON THE SPOT. THEY CAN GET A BOOK, THEY CAN GO THROUGH OUR TREASURE CHEST AND PICK THROUGH THE TOYS AND FUN LITTLE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE IN THERE. OR THEY CAN GET ONE OF, UM, OUR COUPONS THAT WE HAVE FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, LIKE A SWIM PASS, UM, PLAYTIME FOR MAIN EVENT, A COUPON FOR CHICK-FIL-A OR RAISIN CANES. UM, JUST, WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN THINGS TO CHOOSE FROM. YEAH. AND THEN TEENAGERS AND ADULTS, WHENEVER THEY FILL OUT A READING LOG, THEY CAN SUBMIT IT AND THEY CAN GET ENTERED INTO A DRAWING TO WIN BIGGER PRIZES LIKE AN IPAD OR A KINDLE. A MINI FRIDGE I THINK IS ONE OF THE PRIZES THIS YEAR. WOW. GIFT BASKETS. AND THAT KIND OF GOES ON THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. WE HAVE THOSE MULTIPLE DRAWINGS FOR THEM. SO IT'S A FUN TIME. YES. AND YOU CAN ALSO PARTICIPATE BY COMING TO, UM, SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS. SO EVERY PROGRAM THAT YOU COME TO, IT COUNTS AS AN HOUR OF READING ON YOUR READING LOG. AND WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT PROGRAMS. OH YES. ALL SUMMER. I KNOW YOU DO. UH, IF I WANTED TO GET A READING LOG OR MY GRANDCHILD WANTED TO GET A READING LOG, HOW COULD I DO THAT? YOU JUST COME INTO ANY OF OUR LIBRARIES AND WE HAVE THEM. YOU CAN SEE 'EM EVERYWHERE. WE HAVE LITTLE STACKS OF THEM EVERYWHERE. THEY'RE RAINBOW. UH, VERY COLORFUL THIS YEAR BECAUSE OUR THEME IS ALL TOGETHER NOW, KINDNESS, FRIENDSHIP, AND UNITY. UM, AND SO WE'RE JUST VERY COLORFUL THIS YEAR. YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO MISS 'EM. AND YOU'RE ENCOURAGING THE KIDS SINCE THEY'RE OUTTA SCHOOL AND NOT READING AND CONTINUING THEIR, KEEPING THEIR MINDS SO ACTIVE. IT'S A WAY TO DO THAT. IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. SO WE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN THAT KIDS KIND OF HAVE WHAT THEY CALL THE SUMMER SLIDE. SO THEY'RE READING AND MATH SKILLS KIND OF DWINDLES YES. GO DOWN, DWINDLE DOWN DURING THE SUMMER WHENEVER THEY'RE NOT IN SCHOOL. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS BEHIND HAVING SUMMER READING CLUB IS, YOU KNOW, YOUR BRAIN. YOU HAVE TO EXERCISE IT JUST LIKE YOUR MUSCLES TO KEEP IT STRONG. AND SO WE WANT KIDS TO BE READING, BUT WE ALSO WANT THEM TO BE, UM, LEARNING MATH AND SCIENCE AND ART AND JUST HAVING THOSE SOCIAL EVENTS ALSO. SO ALL OF THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. UM, AND THAT'S WHAT THE LIBRARY HAS TO OFFER THROUGH ALL OF OUR GREAT PROGRAMMING THIS SUMMER. YES. AND IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT ALL THOSE GREAT PROGRAMS, THEY CAN GO ONLINE, CAN'T THEY? YES. YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO OUR WEBSITE AT GPTX.ORG/LIBRARY, UM, OR LIKE I SAID, COME INTO ANY OF OUR THREE BRANCHES. WE'RE ALWAYS EXCITED TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT, UM, SRC AND ALL THE COOL THINGS WE HAVE GOING ON. UM, WE HAVE GREAT PROGRAMS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A GREAT COLLECTION. UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF DATABASES AND ONLINE RESOURCES FOR FOLKS TOO, SO WE'RE HAPPY TO TELL EVERYONE ABOUT THAT. AND THEY CAN GET A GUIDE, UM, THAT HAS ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS IN IT AND A READING LOG WHILE THEY'RE THERE. YES. AND ARE YOU AT THE MAIN LIBRARY? ARE YOU AT THE OTHER LIBRARY AT MACK? I, I, UM, OFFICE AT THE MAIN LIBRARY, YES. BUT WE KIND OF, WE KIND OF GO TO ALL OF THEM, BUT MY, I'M USUALLY AT THE MAIN LIBRARY. MAIN LIBRARY. MM-HMM . AND HOW OFTEN DO YOU DO THE SPECIAL CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS? OH, EVERY WEEK. EVERY WEEK. WE'RE HAVING BIG PROGRAMS THIS SUMMER. A COUPLE THINGS THAT I WOULD WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS OUR BIG SUMMER READING CLUB KICKOFF. UM, WE'RE CALLING IT OUR BE KIND SRC KICKOFF CELEBRATION, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE BEEKEEPERS AND IT'S GONNA BE NATURE THEMED. UM, SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA EMPHASIZE IS, UH, BEING KIND TO NATURE FOR THAT BIG KICKOFF PROGRAM FOR THE SUMMER. [00:25:01] AND THAT'S GONNA BE ON SATURDAY, JUNE 3RD FROM 10:00 AM TO NOON AT THE MAIN LIBRARY. OH, WOW. YEAH, IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN. AND THEN THEY CAN PICK UP THEIR READING LOG. YES. THEY CAN GET THE SCHEDULE THAT TELLS WHAT THE PROGRAMS ARE. ABSOLUTELY. YES. WE'RE GONNA, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE GONNA HAVE BEEKEEPERS. UM, WE'LL HAVE ALL KINDS OF CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES MM-HMM . AND, UM, A LITTLE OBSTACLE COURSE THAT THE KIDS CAN GO THROUGH. AND WE JUST, WE HAVE A GREAT TIME AT KICKOFF AND THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND LEARN MORE ABOUT EVERYTHING WE HAVE GOING ON. THAT'S THE SUMMER. OKAY. ASHLEY, IF YOU WERE, UM, IF WE HAD A PARTICIPANT IN THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM MM-HMM . WHAT WOULD YOUR DREAM BE FOR THEM TO ACCOMPLISH? UH, AS FAR AS HOW MANY HOURS OH. THAT THEY SHOULD READ THROUGH THE WEEK? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, BUT, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE ANY, ANYTHING I'M GRATEFUL FOR RIGHT. I'M GRATEFUL FOR ANY AMOUNT OF READING. UM, BASICALLY I DO WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO FILL OUT AT LEAST ONE LOG. AND A LOT OF KIDDOS FILL OUT MULTIPLE LOGS BECAUSE READING ISN'T JUST YOU SITTING THERE READING A BOOK. LIKE IF SOMEBODY IS READING TO YOU, YOU KNOW, IF A PARENT IS READING TO A KID, THAT COUNTS AS READING TIME FOR THE ADULT, IT COUNTS AS READING TIME FOR THE KIDDO. UM, IF YOU ARE A CAREGIVER OF A SMALL CHILD AND YOU'RE SING THEM SONGS, THAT COUNTS AS READING TO US. OH. UH, READING COMIC BOOKS OR MANGA, YOU KNOW, TEENS ARE REALLY INTO MANGA AND COMIC BOOKS, AND THAT COUNTS AS READING. UM, AND LIKE I SAID, COMING TO OUR PROGRAMS AND AUDIO BOOKS, THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, YOU DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT ALL OF THAT COUNTS AS READING. YES. SO THAT'S MY, MY DREAM THAT PEOPLE WILL COME IN, SEE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER, CHECK OUT THE GREAT MATERIALS THAT WE HAVE IN THE BUILDINGS OR ONLINE, AND, UM, JUST COME TOGETHER AND ATTEND SOME OF OUR GREAT PROGRAMS. YES. THAT SOUNDS EXCITING. AND I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE AUDIO BOOKS, BECAUSE THAT'S MY HUSBAND'S FAVORITE WAY TO GET HIS THROUGH HIS BOOKS. YES. IT JUST HAS THAT IN THE CAR AND PLUGS THAT IN. ABSOLUTELY. ME TOO. IT'S SO CONVENIENT, . IT IS. IT IS INDEED. YEAH. AND THEY CAN CHECK THOSE BOOKS OUT, CORRECT? YES. THE AUDIO. YES. AND ALL THAT INFORMATION. WE HAVE EBOOKS, AUDIO BOOKS, UM, AND ALL THAT INFORMATION IS ON OUR WEBSITE. AND THE KICKOFF. LET'S GO BACK AND SAY THE KICKOFF IS JUNE 3RD, AND I CAN REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE THAT'S MY GRANDSON'S BIRTHDAY. OH, YOUNGEST GRANDSONS. OH, GO. THERE YOU GO. AND, UM, AND WHAT IS THE TIME AGAIN? IT'S FROM 10:00 AM TO NOON, SATURDAY, JUNE 3RD AT THE MAIN LIBRARY. MAIN LIBRARY. MM-HMM . NOW JUST FOR, UH, OUR VIEWER'S SAKE, TELL 'EM THE OTHER LIBRARIES WE HAVE WITHIN THE CITY. YES. WE HAVE OUR MAIN LIBRARY, WHICH IS MORE CENTRALIZED, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR TONY SHOTWELL, UM, LIBRARY, WHICH IS IN THE RECREATION CENTER, UM, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT, UH, NORTHEAST OF THE MAIN LIBRARY. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR BETTY MACK LIBRARY, UM, FURTHER SOUTH IN GRAND PRAIRIE. ASHLEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, COMING AND SHARING WITH OUR VIEWERS THE WAY THEY CAN KEEP THEIR BRAINS, UH, ACTIVE AND EXERCISING AND THE CHILDREN'S AS WELL. YES. THIS WHOLE SUMMER. YES. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY WILL COME CHECK IT OUT. YES. AND I'M SURE THEIR TEACHERS WILL APPRECIATE IT TOO. YES. I HOPE SO. , THANK YOU AGAIN. ASHLEY. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN FUN TALKING WITH YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. I'M REMINDING YOU AS ALWAYS, IT'S HAPPENING IN GRAND PRAIRIE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.