[CC Briefings 10152024]
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THANK Y'ALL FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.WE'LL START OFF WITH STAFF PRESENTATIONS, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT.
OKAY, MR. MAYOR, COUNSEL, UM, IT'S NOT THAT YOU'RE UNDER ANY DANGER AND HAVE A WHOLE ROOM FULL OF COPS AND DETECTIVES.
UH, THIS IS OUR, UH, IT'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MONTH, AS YOU KNOW.
AND SO WE WANT TO SHOWCASE OUR TEAM.
UH, THIS IS ACTUALLY COUNCIL REQUEST.
I'M GONNA ASK, UH, CHIEF MORRIS SHOULD DO THE HEAVY LIFTING HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
UH, BUT A COUPLE THINGS I WANT TO TOUCH ON VERY QUICKLY.
UH, YOU'LL RECALL THAT WE HAVE, UH, A CHALLENGE IN OUR VICTIM SUPPORT UNIT.
WE WERE GONNA ASK FOR AN ADDITIONAL, UH, PERSON BECAUSE OF BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS.
WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT THIS YEAR.
WE WERE GONNA COME TO YOU NEXT YEAR AND ASK FOR THAT.
OUR, OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS, IS REALLY NOT TRENDING DOWN.
SO THESE, UH, DETECTIVES, AS WELL AS THEIR, UH, VICTIM SERVICES PEERS ARE REALLY WORKING DOUBLE TIME.
BUT AS OF LAST NIGHT AT SEVEN O'CLOCK, I GOT A NOTICE THAT OUR GRANT THAT WE PUT IN FOR A POSITION AND OUR VICTIM SUPPORT, UH, UNIT HAS BEEN APPROVED.
SO, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM, UH, CHIEF MORRIS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, UH, OUR EYE ON AN OUTSTANDING CANDIDATE WHO'S BEEN INTERNING WITH US, WHICH YOU'LL MEET IN JUST A MINUTE.
UH, SO, UH, WANTED TO SHARE THAT GOOD NEWS WITH YOU.
ALSO, UH, I, BECAUSE THIS, UH, UNIT FALLS UNDER THE COMMAND OF CHIEF RONNIE MORRIS, I'VE ASKED HIM TO DO THE, THE PRESENTING TONIGHT.
UH, YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT, UH, CHIEF MORRIS IS A, UH, LEADER IN THIS SPACE.
RONNIE WENT DOWN TO AUSTIN DURING THE 87TH LEGISLATIVE CYCLE, GOT THE CHRISTINE BLUE BALL BILL PASSED THROUGH THE, UH, THE LEGISLATURE THAT MADE, UH, TEACHING OUR KIDS ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, PART OF THE LAW.
SO, REAL PROUD OF HIM ON THAT.
AND SO I DIDN'T THINK ANYBODY BETTER THAN TO DO THE HEAVY LIFTING ON THAT.
SO, RONNIE, WOULD YOU BE KIND ENOUGH TO INTRODUCE YOUR TEAM HERE AND, UH, JUST SORT OF WALK THE COUNCIL THROUGH WHAT IT IS THEY DO AND WHAT THE CHALLENGES ARE THAT WE'RE FACING? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
I HATE FOR ANYBODY TO HAVE TO TURN, BUT I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO GO THAT, UH, SOMEBODY WON'T HAVE TO TURN AND, AND, AND LOOK AT ME.
BUT, UH, APPRECIATE Y'ALL, UH, HAVING US HERE TONIGHT TO BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT.
UM, THERE'S, Y'ALL KNOW HOW WE FEEL ABOUT OUR FOLKS OVER AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE THINK WE GOT THE BEST PEOPLE OUT THERE.
UH, THIS GROUP, ACTUALLY, IN MY OPINION, UM, STANDS OUT FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO, UM, AND THE HEARTS THAT THEY HAVE FOR WHAT THEY DO.
SO, BEFORE I GET INTO JUST BARELY SCRATCHING THE SURFACE OF WHAT, WHAT THEY DO, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE TEAM, UH, AND, UH, WHAT THEIR POSITIONS ARE.
SO THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP IS SERGEANT BRIAN SMEAL.
HE IS THE SUPERVISOR OF THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT.
AND THEN DETECTIVES, OF COURSE, THEY DON'T LINE UP IN A ROW FOR ME, SO I GOTTA GO FOR 'EM.
UH, DETECTIVE SHIRLEY HAWES, PLEASE RAISE IT.
AND WE HAVE A CIVILIAN INVESTIGATOR, JEFF ASIN, WHICH IF YOU RECOGNIZE HIM, AND IT'S ODD FOR ME TO SAY, HE'S A CIVILIAN INVESTIGATOR.
HE IS A RETIRED GRAND PRAIRIE DETECTIVE WHO CAME BACK TO WORK FOR US TWO YEARS AGO IN A CIVILIAN, UH, ROLE IN OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT, IS ABSOLUTELY DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB.
UM, AND THEN ON THE VICTIM SERVICE SIDE OF THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT, WE HAVE JENNIFER GSON AND HER FURRY PARTNER, NYLA.
AND THEN WE HAVE WHITNEY MARTIN, AND SHE IS ALSO A VICTIM SERVICES COORDINATOR.
WE HAVE ROZ HENWOOD, WHICH Y'ALL PROBABLY KNOW HER AND HER FURRY PARTNER, UH, RUSTY.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR GRADUATE, UH, INTERN, ISABELLA PORTILLO.
UH, THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING GROUP, UH, THAT ARE COMPASSIONATE AND PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO WITH, UH, WORKING WITH OUR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
I DON'T THINK THAT ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM WOULD BE SURPRISED IF I TELL YOU THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER YOUR INCOME LEVEL, YOUR SOCIAL STATUS, YOUR AGE, RACE, RELIGION, OR ANY OTHER SOCIAL METRIC THAT THERE IS, THAT NO ONE IS IMMUNE FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
EVERYBODY KNOWS SOMEBODY, OR AT LEAST KNOWS OF SOMEBODY THAT HAS BEEN IN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATIONSHIP.
AND IF SO PREVALENT, THAT ONE IN FOUR WOMEN AND ONE IN FOUR MEN, OR ONE IN SEVEN MEN HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
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ABOUT 200 PEOPLE A YEAR IN TEXAS ALONE ARE MURDERED IN AN ACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.AND AS SAD AS THAT IS WITH THOSE ADULT STATISTICS, THERE'S ALSO CHILD STATISTICS, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND THOSE CHILD STATISTICS I JUST GAVE YOU, THE ONE IN FOUR WOMEN HAVING BEEN A, UH, VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ONE IN FOUR GIRLS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL IN HIGH SCHOOL, HAVE ALSO, OR EITHER CURRENTLY OR HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR DATING VIOLENCE THEMSELVES.
AND, AND ABOUT SEVEN TO 10 ON AVERAGE PER YEAR DIE IN AN ACT OF DATING VIOLENCE BY SOMEONE THAT THEY TRUST.
SO THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE UH, PBS JUST HAD A STORY LAST WEEK HIGHLIGHTING THE 100% INCREASE OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CRIMES.
10 YEARS AGO, THIS UNIT DID NOT EXIST FOR GRAND PRAIRIE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THIS SCOURGE DOES.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A GROUP OF GREAT, UH, THAT WE HAVE, UH, A FINE GROUP OF MEN AND WOMEN THAT DO THIS JOB, BUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE 'EM IS A TESTAMENT TO THE SCOURGE THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS.
SO, LEMME TOUCH ON A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THEY DO.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST BARELY GONNA SCRATCH THE SURFACE, UH, OF WHAT THEY DO.
SO OBVIOUSLY, THEY INVESTIGATE EVERY REPORT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THAT COMES THROUGH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHETHER IT HAPPENED YEARS AGO AND THEY'RE JUST NOW RECORDING IT, OR IT HAPPENED THIS MORNING.
UH, THEY WORK EVERYTHING TO ITS FINALITY.
THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH THE VICTIMS. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COURT SYSTEM HERE IN THE CITY.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COURT SYSTEM, WITH THE DALLAS, UH, TART AND ELLIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO ENSURE PROSECUTION TO GET JUSTICE FOR OUR VICTIMS. BUT EVERY ONE OF THESE PEOPLE OVER HERE IS, UH, AN ADVOCATE FOR THEIR FOLKS.
WE SUPPORT THEM IN MULTIPLE DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND THIS IS KIND OF WHERE OUR VICTIM SERVICES FOLKS COME INTO PLAY, AND THEY TAKE THE BRUNT OF THIS AS FAR AS THE, UH, SERVICES THAT WE OFFER.
THEY, THEY WILL WALK WITH OUR VICTIMS, UH, THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF ESCAPING THEIR ABUSER.
AND THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE MAYBE HELPING THEM WITH A PROTECTIVE ORDER OR HELPING THEM NAVIGATE THE PAPERWORK OF CRIME VICTIMS COMPENSATION OR GETTING COUNSELING FOR THE VICTIM AND THE FAMILY MEMBERS, OR MAYBE EVEN HELPING TO RELOCATE THEM, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NECESSARY.
AND THE MYRIAD OF OTHER, UH, RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THAT WE OFFER.
BUT WE ALSO ADVOCATE FOR THESE FOLKS.
AND THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE SOMETHING LIKE, UH, COMMUNITY EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES HIGHLIGHTING AND, AND MAKING PEOPLE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS, UM, WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA THAT HELP US TO SERVE, UH, OUR VICTIMS. THIS IS JUST A VERY SHORT LIST OF SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT WE WORK WITH ON A WEEKLY BASIS, UH, THAT HELP US SERVE OUR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
BUT WE'LL ALSO DO THINGS LIKE THE ANNUAL CANDLELIGHT VIGIL LIKE WE HAD LAST WEEK OUT IN FRONT OF THE POLICE STATION.
BUT WE ALSO PARTNER WITH OUR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OUR STATEWIDE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO TRY TO LEVERAGE THE LEG, UH, THE LEGISLATURE TO PROTECT ADULT AND CHILD VICTIMS, UH, THROUGH STIFFENING PENALTIES FOR ABUSERS, OR DOING THINGS LIKE, UH, CHIEF SES MENTIONED A WHILE AGO IN THE 21 SESSION WHERE WE, UH, WORKED WITH STATE LAWMAKERS.
AND, UH, MAYOR YOU WERE VERY HELPFUL IN THIS AS WELL, GETTING IT OVER THE FINISH LINE TO PASS THE LAW TO ENSURE THAT EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS PROVIDES EDUCATION BLOCK TO EVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ON THE DANGERS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND DATING VIOLENCE.
TO ARM THEM WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO RECOGNIZE AT A VERY EARLY AGE THAT THEY MAY BE GOING DOWN THE ROAD OF BEING A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR DATING VIOLENCE, OR THEY MAY BE AN ABUSER, POTENTIALLY IN A DATING VIOLENCE SITUATION.
AND TRYING TO GET THAT CYCLE STOPPED BEFORE IT EVEN STARTS AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE.
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE DO IS WHEN YOU COME TO THE GRAND PRAIRIE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS A VICTIM, WE ARE A JUDGMENT FREE ZONE.
THESE VICTIMS THAT COME TO US HAVE ALREADY SUSTAINED JUDGMENT FROM THEIR FAMILY, THEIR FRIENDS, THEIR ABUSER, UH, THEMSELVES WITH A LOT OF SELF BLAME FOR GETTING THEMSELVES IN THE SITUATION.
ALL THE HUMILIATION AND EMBARRASSMENT AND GUILT THAT COMES ALONG WITH BEING A VICTIM, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SENSITIVE TO THOSE THINGS.
AND THESE FOLKS DO A PHENOMENAL JOB IN GIVING THEM THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF DIGNITY AND RESPECT SO THAT THEY DON'T FEEL THAT SHAME WHENEVER THEY COME INTO US.
THAT CAN GET VERY DIFFICULT FOR THESE GUYS.
'CAUSE ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE SEE IS THE VICTIM, UH, COMING BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN
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AND AGAIN, AND THEY SEE IT THE SAME VICTIMS OVER AND OVER.IS IT BECAUSE THEY LIKE THE ABUSE? NO.
IS IT BECAUSE THEY, THEY, THEY JUST WANNA STAY WHERE THEY'RE AT? NO.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A CYCLE, AND IT IS A VICIOUS CYCLE, AND IT DOES NOT RELENT EASILY.
AND WHEN THEY COME TO US, THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A PARTNER THAT WILL STAND WITH THEM AND TRY TO GET THEM OUT.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE AVERAGE FOR A PERSON TO ESCAPE THEIR ABUSER FOR THE FINAL TIME, IT TAKES SEVEN TIMES BEFORE THEY FINALLY LEAVE FOR THE FINAL TIME.
AND THAT CAN TAKE YEARS OR EVEN DECADES TO ACHIEVE.
AND THESE POOR VICTIMS DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT WHENEVER THEY DO LEAVE FOR THE FINAL TIME, THAT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP.
BUT THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THESE FOLKS RIGHT HERE, THE ABSOLUTE BEST IN THE BUSINESS, STANDING ON THAT LINE, FILLING THAT GAP FOR THOSE VICTIMS, TRANSITIONING THEM FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS TO SURVIVORS.
AND WE'RE BLESSED TO HAVE THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS.
UM, HOW ARE YOU ALL HANDLING THE, UH, YOUTH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATIONS? WHEN I SAY YOUTH, I MEAN THE, THE, THE DATING THE TEEN ON TEEN, UH, WITHOUT A ADULT PERPETRATOR.
HOW IS THAT HANDLED? SO WITH THE CHILD BEING THE VICTIM OF PHYSICAL ABUSE WITHIN A DATING RELATIONSHIP? RIGHT.
SO DEPENDING ON THE AGE THAT WILL EITHER GO TO US OR CHILD CRIMES, IF THE PERSON IS OVER THE AGE OF 14, WE DO HANDLE IT.
UH, WE PARTNER WITH THE FAMILY.
THE FAMILY AND THE PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR LIVES ARE GONNA BE THE NUMBER ONE RESOURCE.
SO WE TRY TO PULL THE FAMILY IN AND OPEN THEIR EYES TO ALL THE THINGS THAT Y'ALL JUST SAW HERE, AND LET THE PARENTS KNOW THAT THERE ARE RESOURCES TO GET YOUR KID OUT OF THIS.
UH, IF THE PARENTS, AND IF THE VICTIM CHOOSE TO BITE, GREAT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR.
UH, BUT THE PARENTS ARE, ARE REALLY THE PEOPLE THAT WE GO TO, TO EDUCATE, TO HELP THEIR CHILD, UH, GET REMOVED TO CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN, UH, US INVESTIGATING ON THE CRIMINAL SIDE AND VICTIM SERVICES, JUST REALLY PARTNERING KIDS, FAMILY, SCHOOL, UH, JUST TO KEEP HOPE AND, AND OPTIONS ON THE TABLE.
AND IF I COULD MENTION REAL QUICK, THE, THE SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP IS VERY IMPORTANT AS PART OF THE LAW THAT WAS PASSED, UH, SCHOOLS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE POLICIES ON HOW TO DEAL WITH DATING VIOLENCE.
SO, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING MORE DIFFICULT THAN BEING A VICTIM AND HAVING MATH CLASS EVERY DAY WITH YOUR ABUSERS, RIGHT? SO THERE HAS TO BE POLICIES IN PLACE FOR THINGS LIKE THAT AND HOW THEY CAN REPORT HOW THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO SPEAK TO THE PARENTS.
AND, UH, SOME TOOLS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TOO, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, INTERVENE IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAS HAPPENED.
SO WE WORK VERY CLOSELY, UH, WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THAT LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT I SHOWED YOU UP THERE, A LOT OF THEM, LIKE CRM AND SEVERAL OTHERS, HAVE A, A LOT OF EXPERTISE IN WORKING THAT, THAT CHILD, UH, ARENA WITH DATING VIOLENCE IN PARTICULAR.
I KNOW, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING Y'ALL DO.
UM, THERE, THERE ARE VICTIMS THAT, THERE'S THE VISIBLE VICTIMS IN, IN MY OPINION, THERE'S THE INVISIBLE VICTIMS, WHICH WOULD BE THE, THE CHILDREN INVOLVED.
THEY'D HAVE TO SEE THIS AND HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, OH, I'M GONNA LOSE MY MOM, OR I'M GONNA LOSE MY DAD, OR SOMETHING.
AND I'VE JUST ASSUMED THAT YOU, YOU DO, YOU, YOU HELP THE CHILDREN BESIDES JUST THE, THE VICTIM THAT IN IT.
UH, OUR GOAL IN LIFE, EVERYBODY ON THIS SIDE OF THE ROOM, IS TO BREAK THAT CYCLE.
IT IS SO UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS BECOMES A NORMAL THING FOR EVERY KID THAT THAT SEES IT.
AND IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T BREAK THAT CYCLE, WHETHER IT'S FAMILY, FRIEND OR SOMEBODY OVER HERE, THEN SURE THEY'RE GONNA GROW UP AND DO THE SAME THING TO THEIR SPOUSE.
THEIR KIDS ARE GONNA SEE THE SAME THING.
PARTNERSHIP IS ALMOST ALWAYS THE ANSWER.
KEEP THE FAMILY, KEEP THE FRIENDS, KEEP THE SCHOOL, KEEP THE BABYSITTERS ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
IF YOU SEE THIS, KNOW THAT THERE'S A RESOURCE OUT THERE TO HELP.
THIS IS HOW YOU, AND IF I COULD ADD ONTO THAT COUNSELING, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REQUIRE TO MY EXECUTIVE STAFF IS WE'RE ALL INVOLVED IN NON, UH, PROFIT, AND WE'RE ON THE BOARD.
SO CHILDREN FIRST IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT.
WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WE, UH, GETTING THESE KIDS INTO COUNSELING BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT GETTING THE PERPETRATOR OFF THE STREET.
BUT WHERE WE ALWAYS NEED HELP IS MAKING THESE KIDS WHOLE AGAIN, AFTER THESE TYPE OF ABUSIVE, UH, ENVIRONMENTS.
AND WE DO THAT THROUGH A VARIETY OF G P'S ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE, A LIST GOES ON AND ON.
SO WE TRY TO TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO, UH, GETTING THESE
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FAMILIES BACK ON THEIR FEET COMPLETELY.AND THE OTHER THING I THINK IS WORTH POINTING OUT THAT, UH, RON TOUCHED ON OUR TEAM, REALLY IS THE BEST OF THE BEST.
SO BY BUILDING WITH THESE VICTIMS EARLY ON, WHEN THEY'RE, BY THE TIME THEY'RE COMING THROUGH TIME, NUMBER SEVEN, THEY KNOW WHO WE ARE AND THEY KNOW THEY CAN TRUST US.
AND SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE ABLE TO GET 'EM FUNNELED INTO THE RIGHT SERVICES RULES.
SOMETIMES IT'S THE CHILDREN WHO REPORT.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, CHIEF ESME AND CHIEF MORRIS FOR BRINGING THIS TO US.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH THE VICTIM SERVICES GROUP.
THEY ARE AMAZING GROUP OF WOMEN, AND THEY HAVE A HEART OF COMPASSION.
SO THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THIS TO THE COUNCIL.
I HAVE A, UH, IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO YOUR SLIDE WITH THE CHRISTIE, UM, BLUE LAW ACT AND TALK ABOUT HOW THAT CAME ABOUT.
AND I WANT TO SHARE THAT, UH, HER MOTHER SERVES ON ONE OF OUR COUNCIL, UM, COMMITTEES, AND HER TWIN SISTER IS VERY ACTIVE ON THE BOARD OF THE HISPANIC CHAMBER COMMERCE.
SO THEY ARE STILL LIVING THAT HISTORY, BUT YET MOVING FORWARD IN SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, THE CHRISTINE BLUE BA, CHRISTINE BLUE BALL WAS A 16-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR AT, UH, SOUTH GRAND PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND IN MARCH OF 2000, SHE HAD, SHE HAD AN ABUSIVE BOYFRIEND FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND HE, HE PUNCHED HER, HE S SLAMMED HER HEAD INTO WINDOWS, AND SHE NEVER TOLD ANYBODY, UH, UNTIL TOWARDS THE END, SHE STARTED TELLING SOME FRIENDS.
BUT YOU KNOW, HER FRIENDS ARE 15, 16, 17, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS.
THEY, THEY'VE NEVER BEEN IN THIS SITUATION.
CHRISTINE DIDN'T COME FROM AN ABUSIVE FAMILY, AND SHE WAS STUCK, YOU KNOW, IN A LOT OF WAYS, PROBABLY THOUGHT THAT IT WAS HER FAULT, AND THAT SHE HAD DONE SOMETHING, UH, TO CAUSE THIS, BECAUSE SHE LOVED THIS, THIS YOUNG MAN.
AND THAT, I MEAN, THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL, RIGHT? I MEAN, IS IS ABUSING SOMEONE THAT YOU LOVE? WELL, SHE GOT AWAY FROM HIM.
SHE WENT TO THE PROM, UM, WITHOUT HIM, WITH A GROUP OF FRIENDS.
AND THE VERY NEXT WEEK SHE HAD SOME PLANS TO GO SOMEWHERE.
WELL, HE CALLED HER AND, UH, ASKED IF SHE WOULD, HEY, JUST AS FRIENDS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO, UH, YOU KNOW, GET DINNER IN A MOVIE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? AGAIN, 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL, NEVER HAD ANY EDUCATION ON WHAT RED FLAGS ARE.
DOESN'T KNOW THAT WHEN YOU LEAVE FOR THE FINAL TIME, THAT THAT'S THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP.
BUT THIS IS A MAN OR, OR A, A KID THAT SHE LOVED, UH, AND TRUSTED.
SHE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO BE, UH, THAT TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP.
UM, AT SOME POINT IN THE NIGHT, HE DROVE HER TO A VACANT FIELD ON ROBINSON ROAD, AND, UH, HE MURDERED HER WITH A SHOTGUN IN THE BED OF THE TRUCK.
UH, AND THEN HE, HE, UM, SHOT HIMSELF.
UM, AND I RESPONDED TO THAT CALL, UH, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS OBVIOUSLY FOR THE LAST 24 YEARS, UH, STUCK WITH ME AND JUST, YOU KNOW, THINKING BACK THEN, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS FAMILY IS ABOUT TO LEARN THAT THEIR, THEIR 16-YEAR-OLD IS, IS GONE.
UM, AND HOW THAT MUST BE, AND I WAS YOUNG.
I'D BEEN IN OFFICE FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS, BUT THAT WAS PROBABLY THE, THE, THE, THE THING THAT JOLTED ME, UM, MORE THAN ANYTHING UP TO THAT TIME.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FAST FORWARD, I'VE GOT DAUGHTERS, UM, AND THEY LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTINE DID.
UM, AND WHEN THEY TOLD ME WHAT THEY DID IN THEIR HEALTH CLASS AT SCHOOL, I SAID, WELL, I CAN FILL THAT GAP SOME WAY.
UH, AND I CALLED, UM, CHRISTINE'S MOM, WHO I HAD NEVER MET BEFORE, BUT I, I HAD BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR 20 YEARS.
UH, AND I CALLED HER AND I SAID, HEY, I HAVE AN IDEA.
WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT WE DO SOMETHING TO TRY TO STOP, UH, THIS DATING VIOLENCE THAT'S OCCURRING WITH OUR KIDS? AND MAYBE BREAKING THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CYCLE BEFORE IT STARTS AT A YOUNG AGE, AT LEAST GIVE THEM SOME TOOLS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.
WE WOULD NEVER PUT SOMEBODY IN A CAR, A 16-YEAR-OLD WITHOUT DRIVER'S ED FIRST AND TEACHING 'EM HOW TO DRIVE, BUT WE LET 'EM HAVE A BOYFRIEND AND A GIRLFRIEND WITH ZERO TRAINING WHATSOEVER OF WHAT A RELATIONSHIP LOOKS LIKE, AND THEY DEAL WITH VERY ADULT CONSEQUENCES, EVEN AT 13 YEARS OLD.
SO THAT WAS A, A HOMEGROWN FAMILY THAT'S STILL HERE.
AND HER TWIN SISTER, DON, WHO, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW, UH, DEBORAH AND DON SO WELL THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I CONSIDER HIM FAMILY NOW.
SO, UM, IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME TO GET THAT THROUGH FOR THEM, FOR THE KIDS WHO GROW UP HERE, FOR MY KIDS AND KIDS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WE HOPE THAT IT'S GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND ON A LIGHTER NOTE, UM, HOW DO WE GET DECLARED WITH THE PUPPIES? HOW DO, HOW DO THEY, WHAT IS THEIR JOB THAT IS FREE OF CHARGE? MAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE COMFORT ANIMALS.
CAN YOU, I MEAN, HOW, HOW QUICKLY DOES THE, CAN YOU DEESCALATE A SCARED CHILD OR EVEN A SCARED ADULT WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE, THOSE GOD'S CREATURES AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING 'EM IN THE FACE WITH NOTHING BUT LOVE? SO, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE INTEGRAL TO WHAT WE DO, UH, AND WHAT THESE FOLKS DO,
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UH, EVERY DAY, Y'ALL BE SURE TO GIVE THEM AN EXTRA DOGGY TREAT.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
ANY QUESTIONS, CHIEF MOORE? THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
Y'ALL ALLOW TO STAY OR FREE AT LAST.
YOU ALREADY RECEIVED THIS, UH, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, BUT, UH, JUST HANDING IT OUT IN CASE YOU DIDN'T BRING IT WITH YOU.
THIS IS OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
AND I'M JUST GONNA RUN QUICKLY, UH, THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, UH, WITH YOU.
THAT'S GONNA COVER HIGHLIGHTS.
IT'S NOT COVERING EVERY SINGLE ITEM.
THAT WOULD BE TOO, UH, INTENSE FOR THE SLIDES.
BUT FOR PURPOSES OF TONIGHT, I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU.
UM, WE ARE HERE IN OUR LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR.
THIS IS JUST REVIEW OF THIS DRAFT LEGISLATIVE, UH, RESOLUTION.
AND WE WILL ACTUALLY, IF THERE'S NO OTHER CHANGES, I HAD SOME COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SHOTWELL, I DIDN'T HEAR FROM OTHERS, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY DISCUSS THAT TONIGHT IF YOU HAVE ANY EDITS, CHANGES OR SUGGESTIONS.
AND THEN IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE, WE WILL BRING IT AS AN ITEM ON THE NOVEMBER 5TH, UH, AGENDA FOR YOU TO ACTUALLY APPROVED AND WE WILL SUPPORT IT MOVING FORWARD.
UH, THESE ARE YOUR SPECIFIC DRAFT ITEMS THAT WE, THAT WE SHOW AS SUPPORT.
I TRIED TO REDUCE THE WORDING SO IT'S HOPEFULLY READABLE TO YOU.
BUT BASICALLY FROM A SUPPORT STANDPOINT, IT WOULD BE LEGISLATION THAT, UM, INCREASES CONTROL OVER THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATIONS.
THIS IS WHERE, UH, NON-CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE HOUSING CORPORATIONS CAN COME IN AND BUY UP PROPERTIES, TAKE IT OFF OUR TAX ROLL.
UM, AND SO WE ARE STILL PAYING FOR ALL THEIR SERVICES, BUT THEY ARE, UM, GETTING THE TAX CREDITS.
AND SO WE WANT TO TRY TO INCREASE OUR CONTROL FOR THAT.
WE WANNA PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CITY CONTROL OVER THE ETJ.
WE'RE OBVIOUSLY INVOLVED IN THAT CURRENTLY, UH, THROUGH THE CITY'S, UH, UM, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN OUR, IN HELPING US WITH THAT.
PROVIDE MORE DEFINED RULES RELATED TO POWER OUTAGES AND WELFARE CHECKS AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS.
IMPROVE THE REGULATIONS OF THE GROUP HOMES.
THIS IS FROM INSPECTIONS TO, UH, PREVENTING ABUSE AT THOSE FACILITIES AND JUST THEIR GENERAL OPERATIONS, ALLOWING FLEXIBILITY IN DIGITAL DISPLAYS OF PUBLIC NOTICES.
UH, WE ARE TESTING OURS, IF YOU NOTICE THAT OUT IN THE HALLWAY WITH THE TIP, UM, NOTICES.
AND WE'RE, UM, JUST SEEING HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
UM, ALSO INCREASING THE CITY'S QUALITY CONTROL OVER SPECIAL DISTRICTS, WHICH IS INCLUSIVE OF OUR REVIEW AND INVOLVEMENT THERE.
AND FINALLY, PROVIDING, UH, THIS IS THE ONE WE ADDED, UH, FROM COUNCIL MEMBER LOPEZ PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE REGULATIONS FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND THAT INCLUDES CONSIDERING COMMUNITY NEEDS, PROTECTING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND IT'S A VITAL SOURCE OF REVENUE, BUT WE WANT IT, UH, REGULATED SO WE CAN CONTROL THOSE THINGS WHERE POSSIBLE.
THIS, ALL OF THESE ITEMS CAME UP AT OUR T POLICY SUMMIT I ATTENDED IN AUGUST.
THEY ARE HEAVY INVOLVEMENT FROM CITIES ACROSS THE STATE, ESPECIALLY SHORT TERM RENTALS.
WE SPENT A, A GOOD HALF HOUR ON IT, MINIMALLY, IT MIGHT HAVE GONE AN HOUR.
THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATIONS, UH, THERE'S CURRENTLY A BIG PUSH, ACTUAL, UM, FOCUSED ADVOCACY, WHICH IS OUR, UH, LOBBYIST AT THE STATE LEVEL.
THEY ARE ACTUALLY LEADING THE CHARGE ON THAT EFFORT WITH SEVERAL, UM, ENTITIES INCLUDING IRVING AND YOULI LOCALLY.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO, UH, BE HAND IN HAND WITH THEM THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND MAKE SURE WE KEEP YOU ALL UPDATED.
I KNOW MR. SHOT, WHILE YOU WERE INTERESTED IN THAT, UM, ANYTHING ELSE ON SUPPORT BEFORE I MOVE ON TO OPPOSED? I HAVE, YES.
ITEM OF ITEM NUMBER THREE, UHHUH
WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE ASKING? UH, TO PROVIDE MORE RULES AROUND POWER OUTAGES, POWER OUTAGE, WELFARE CHECKS AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS.
MEGAN OR CHIEF, THIS IS ON OUR, LIKE WE HAVE WITH THE WATER ISSUE, CORRECT? YES.
THE LEGISLATION PASSED THAT THE CITIES HAVE TO DO A WELFARE CHECK ON A, A REGISTERED LIST.
PEOPLE REGISTERED THROUGH THE STATE.
THE NUMBERS ARE NEVER UPDATED.
[00:25:01]
AND AS WE FOUND OUT WITH ENCORE, THEY REFUSED TO GIVE US THE ADDRESSES.SO WE'RE WANTING THE, THE LEGISLATION TO ALSO FORCE THE UTILITIES TO COOPERATE WITH THE LAW YOU CREATED.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING IT PROBABLY ON A PRIVACY DEAL.
I JUST WANTED TO, UH, TELL COUNSELOR LOPEZ HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU BROUGHT UP THE LAST ONE.
AND THAT IS A HUGE PROBLEM IN DISTRICT ONE.
AND, UH, SO THAT IS GREAT TO SEE THAT ON THAT LIST.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? YES, MA'AM.
WHAT ARE OUR SPECIAL DISTRICTS? SO MA'AM, THAT'S RELATED TO LIKE A MUD.
YOU'VE HEARD THE WORD MUD, MUNICIPAL, UTILITY DISTRICT, THAT TYPE OF THING.
UM, THE LAW IS PRETTY LIMITED ON WHAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO CONTROL ON THE CREATION AND OPERATION OF MUDS.
SO THIS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE AT LOT STATEWIDE.
ALL CITIES ARE GONNA BE WANTING MORE CONTROL OVER THOSE TYPES OF SPECIAL DISTRICTS.
AND THE MUDS DON'T WANT CONTROL.
SO BE BATTLE
AND THE ONE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW, THAT MUD DOWN THERE, IT'S AN ISSUE.
IT'S ISSUE IT NOW, NOT ON THE SLIDE, BUT IN HERE, OBVIOUSLY IN YOUR RESOLUTION, IT TALKS ABOUT SUPPORTING LEGISLATION THAT HELPS CREATE ADVANCE OR OTHERWISE FINANCE PROJECTS RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES, WATER WASTEWATER, OUR PARKS, RECREATION AND TRAILS, AS WELL AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SPECIAL EVENTS.
THAT HAS BEEN IN HERE YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
WE'LL CONTINUE, UM, TO FOCUS ON THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS, BUT ALSO BEING AWARE OF ANY OTHER AREAS THAT COULD BE OF CONFLICT OR IN WHICH WE NEED TO SUPPORT.
AND WE'LL KEEP YOU BRIEFED ON THOSE AS TO OPPOSING LEGISLATION THERE.
ON THE LEFT SIDE, THESE ARE ALL OPPOSED, BUT THERE EROS IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
UM, WE OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT THE COURSE REDUCES OUR PROPERTY OR SALES TAX IMPAIRS THE USE OF THREE 80 AGREEMENTS, UH, ERODES OUR ABILITY TO ISSUE DEBT.
IMPOSES UNFUNDED MANDATES REQUIRES THE CITY TO GENERATE REVENUE FOR THE STATE, CAUSES PROPERTY TO BE APPRAISED FOR LESS THAN ITS MARKET VALUE, OR UNFAIRLY SHIFTS THAT TAX BURDEN, UM, OR REQUIRES MANDATORY ELECTIONS TO RATIFY TAX RATES ON THE RIGHT SIDE FOR ALSO OPPOSING LEGISLATIVE, UH, LEGISLATION.
IT'S IN A SEPARATE SECTION ON YOUR RESOLUTION THAT ERODES THE ABILITY TO ATTRACT COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES THAT, UH, ERODES MANAGEMENT CONTROL OF PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS OR THE FAIR MARKET COMPENSATION FOR USE OF THOSE RIGHTS AWAY JURISDICTION IN THE UTILITY RATE CASES OR OUR MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY WITH RESPECT TO THE SHORT TERM RENTALS AND THE ETJ.
SO, AGAIN, SIMILAR, BUT WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING THAT ERODES OUR AUTHORITY ON THOSE.
SOMETHING HAS COME UP RECENTLY THAT I FEEL LIKE IS OUT OF THEIR CURFEW, BUT I GUESS THEY CAN TAKE IT.
I THINK THAT TARRANT COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT IS GETTING INTO MAKING TAX DECISIONS FOR CITIES, COUNTIES, AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS BY MAKING RULES LIMITING HOW OFTEN THEY APPRAISE MM-HMM
AND HOW IT, IN MY OPINION, THAT'S NOT THE APPRAISAL'S DISTRICT'S JOB.
THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT'S JOB IS TO GIVE US A FAIR APPRAISAL, THEN LET THE TAX AGENCIES DO WHAT THEY CHOOSE WITH THOSE.
AND I THINK I I, I, THAT'S JUST RECENT.
UM, WE'VE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE UNTIL THIS, THIS TIME.
SO I THINK THAT'S AN AREA WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
UM, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU DON'T KNOW, THEY HAVE COME OUT WITH SOME, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE REALLY ANGRY ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY REALLY HURT THEIR BONDING CAPACITY.
AND SO, UH, WHAT ARE THEY DOING? THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE LIMITING HOW OFTEN THEY REAPPRAISE AND HOW HIGH THEY CAN, THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT CAN THEN SET AN APPRAISAL.
IT WAS EVERY OTHER YEAR TO WHAT THEY WERE ORIGINALLY.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S CHANGED FROM THAT POSITION DISTRICT.
IN MY OPINION, THAT'S NOT THEIR JOB.
THEIR JOB IS TO APPRAISE, NOT, NOT HAVE A LIMIT ON.
I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT THE STATE TOLD THEY HAD TO DO IT EVERY SO OFTEN.
I ASSUME I DON'T THAT EVERY TWO OR THREE YEARS.
I JUST DON'T LIKE WHAT TAR COUNTY DID.
THEY DONE, THEY'VE DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
[00:30:01]
DISTRICTS, THE ONES THAT CAME OUT AND OPPOSED IT.THAT'S WHEN I FIRST HEARD OF IT.
THE SUPERINTENDENTS COMING OUT SAID, OH MY GOODNESS, THIS IS GONNA REALLY AFFECT US.
I KNOW THEY, THEY'RE GETTING INUNDATED WITH, UH, PEOPLE TRYING TO GO UP TO PROTEST AND MAYBE THAT'S WHY THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IT LESS OFTEN.
SO THEY DON'T GET ANY PROTESTS THAT WAY.
I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO LIMIT TAXES AND REDUCE TAXES.
I MEAN, WE WON'T SAY SAY THAT'S A GOOD GOAL, BUT THAT'S NOT THEIR JOB.
GIVE US THE APPRAISAL DOES LOWER BACK.
UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'VE GLEANED FROM THE SUPERINTENDENTS OF THE INTERVIEW.
UM, WHY HAVE WE NOT NOMINATED SOMEONE TO THAT BOARD? THE TAX, UH, THE TIER APPRAISAL BOARD? UH, WE JUST NEVER HAVE SINCE I'VE BEEN ON HERE.
AND I'VE NEVER, I'VE NEVER DONE IT, NOR HAS ANYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL EVER DONE THE INVESTIGATION TO FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT MY MEETING.
THE ONLY TIME I DID, I KNEW CATHERINE WILDMAN, UM, AND THEN MY GOODNESS, ALL, YOU KNOW WHAT HIT WHILE SHE WAS IN THERE.
AND IT'S LIKE, THEY, SO MY GOOD, UM, I JUST HAVE PERSONALLY, WELL, THEY SERVE AS OUR REPRESENTATIVES.
UM, FOR A WHOLE GROUP, A GROUP ONE, TWO, THEY REPRESENT, THEY, THEY, THEY REPRESENT A BIG GROUP.
UH, BUT THERE, I'VE NEVER DONE THE INVESTIGATION TO EVEN KNOW IF I TWO OR THREE PEOPLE COME SPEAK TO US.
BUT I DON'T DO ANY CHECKING ON WHETHER OR NOT I, I, I REMEMBER ONE YEAR, A LONG TIME AGO, WE DID ONE GUY, WE RECOMMENDED ONE GUY ON THE DALLAS WAS THAT SOMEBODY HAD SL OR SOMEBODY KNEW FROM DUNCANVILLE YEAH.
AND IT JUST NEVER BEEN A BIG DEAL TO US BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SPENT THE EFFORT.
MAYBE WE SHOULD, I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULDN'T, BUT I JUST HAVE NEVER, WE'VE NEVER SPENT THE TIME OR EFFORT TO TRY TO VET SOMEBODY.
AND I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE PUTTING SOMEBODY'S NAME DOWN JUST BECAUSE THEY MEET ME IN THE HALLWAY AND SAY, I LIKE YOU, GIMME A CARD.
THE OTHER ONE THAT YOU'RE RUNNING AGAINST BETTER THAN YOU.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I, I HATE TO SAY I JUST HAVEN'T DONE IT, BUT WE HAVE IT.
THE LAST THING IS MONITORING LEGISLATION.
THIS IS JUST WHERE WE WILL KEEP AN EYE ON IT.
ANY, UH, LEGISLATION THAT IMPACTS THE PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING OR TACTICS THAT, AGAIN, THE SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS STATUS OF LOCAL ELECTIONS, REMAINING NONPARTISAN OR DEVELOPER PARTICIPANT PARTICIPATION AGREEMENTS.
NOW, IN YOUR PACKET, OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS YOUR SPECIFIC, KIND OF RELATED TO SPECIFICALLY GRAND PRAIRIE, THERE ARE GENERAL LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS IN THERE FOR SUPPORTS AND OPPOSED THAT ARE VERY SIMILAR.
THERE JUST DIFFERENT, UH, STATEMENTS TO THE SAME CONCEPTS.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE COMMUNICATE, UH, WE COLLABORATE WITH SEVERAL AGENCIES.
I'M PART OF THE NEXT NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION, UM, AND TML AND THEN OF COURSE, THE CHAMBERS AND GRAND PRAIRIE HIGH C.
IF THEY HAVE ANY ISSUES WHERE THEY NEED OUR SUPPORT OR INTEREST, UM, WE WILL CERTAINLY BE WATCHFUL AND ENGAGED WITH THEM.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION, LISA.
UM, ONLY QUESTION IS THIS LAST SECTION WITH COMMUNITY COLLABORATION.
POSSIBLY WE COULD AMEN THIS AT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT OVERLAP WITH THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
WE HAVE SO MANY THAT TOUCH OUR ORDERS.
I THINK THE FIRST TIME I'VE, I'VE SEEN THIS, UH, SINCE I'VE ON THE COUNCIL, UH, WE CALL, WE'VE GONNA SEND SOMETHING DOWN TO, UH, AUSTIN, ALL OF OUR, AS A GROUP TOGETHER, COMING TOGETHER.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE LIKE TO I THOUGHT WE'VE DONE IT EVERY YEAR.
IT HASN'T BEEN PROBABLY PRESENTED.
I THINK WE HAD FOLKS THAT COME IN AND WE PRESENTED IT, GET INTO THE RESOLUTION DETAILS.
I THINK THEY, IT IS NOT LIKE DI GUESS IT'S MORE DETAILED THAN WHERE WE MAYBE HAVE, UH, WHAT YOU CALL IT, BULLETS.
SO THIS IS, IT'S MORE COMPLIMENTARY ON THIS.
BETTER THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, BUT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, CHANGES OR COMMENTS? OTHERWISE, I WILL PUT IT ON, I WILL
[00:35:01]
GET THE DISTRICTS, UM, ADDED AND RUN THAT BACK THROUGH MEL, MAKE SURE THERE'S NO CONFLICTS THERE.AND, UH, IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, I'M GLAD TO PLACE IT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE FIFTH.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COUNCIL AND EVERYBODY ELSE.
I'M THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR, PROUD TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
TODAY WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU JUST SOME QUICK BRIEF UPDATES ON ALL THE GREAT HAPPENINGS COMING UP WITH YOUR LIBRARIES.
AND THAT'S, HANG ON, I DON'T, THERE WE GO.
SO THE FIRST THING WE HAVE COMING UP IS THE LIBRARY REMODEL OF THE ENTRANCE AND THE LOBBY FOR THE MAIN LIBRARY.
THAT'S ITEM THE CONTRACT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION.
TO BEGIN ON THAT IS ITEM 31 ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ONE THING I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WAS, SINCE IT'S ON THERE, IS TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THE DESIGN RENDERINGS WERE.
AS SOON AS THE CONTRACT IS APPROVED, WE'LL BEGIN THE CONSTRUCTION.
OUR MAIN GOAL OVERALL WAS TO MAKE THE ENTRANCE TO THE BUILDING MORE RECOGNIZABLE AND MORE WELCOME.
AND TO UPDATE THE LOBBY, WHICH WAS LAST TOUCHED IN 2008, TO MATCH THE REMODEL OF THE WHOLE BUILDING WE DID IN 2016.
SO THIS WILL BE THE NEW ENTRANCE TO THE MAIN LIBRARY.
THE TWO THINGS WE WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH HERE WAS THIS POP OF COLOR AND ALSO WANTED TO MAKE IT MORE CLEAR FROM THE HIGHWAY AND FROM THE ACCESS ROAD ON 1 61, PEOPLE GET BACKED UP IN TRAFFIC.
WE WANT 'EM TO LOOK OVER AND SAY, HEY, WHAT'S THAT? AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S THE LIBRARY.
CURRENTLY OUR LETTERING IS HIDDEN.
YOU CAN'T READ IT FROM A DISTANCE.
THESE WILL ALSO LIGHT UP AT NIGHT.
WHAT WE LOVINGLY CALL OUR BEACON OF KNOWLEDGE, WHERE BRIGHT LIGHT WILL POUR OUT OF THAT AT NIGHT.
AND YOU'LL BE OBVIOUS FOR PEOPLE, HEY, I WANT TO GO IN THERE.
I WANT TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND THEN WE'VE LEFT PLENTY OF SPACE WITH THESE PAVERS FOR FUTURE ARTWORK TO BE INSTALLED IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING, WHICH WILL ALSO ADD TO THE ENTRYWAY.
NOW, LIKE I SAID, THE LOBBY AND THE VESTIBULE HAVEN'T BEEN TOUCHED.
SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS UPDATE SO THAT THE COLOR SCHEMES AND TO COVER PREVIOUSLY, THIS IS BROWN BRICK.
AND WHAT WE'VE GOT IS LIGHTING.
AND YOU'LL SEE ON OUR SKYLIGHTS HERE, INSTEAD OF THE REGULAR SKYLIGHTS, WE'LL HAVE SCREENS.
WE'VE GOT THE SAME COLOR SCHEMES IN THERE.
AND THIS USED TO BE A WALL BLOCKING OFF THE ROOM THAT HAD OUR NEW MATERIALS THAT WILL NO LONGER BE THERE.
SO ONCE YOU GO THROUGH THESE SECOND SET OF DOORS, NOW YOU'RE INTO ACTIVE LIBRARY SPACE.
SO WE'VE TAKEN UNDERUSED LOBBY SPACE AND MADE IT ACTIVE LIBRARY SPACE.
AND THIS IS ANOTHER ANGLE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE FRONT DESK.
BY TAKING OUT THE FRAME ENTRANCE, WE'RE OPENING UP THAT ROOM SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT THE FRONT DESK IS OBVIOUSLY THE PLACE TO GO.
CURRENTLY, YOU KIND OF HAVE TO WALK THROUGH THE GATES BEFORE YOU SEE THE STAFF AT THE FRONT DESK.
THIS WILL MAKE IT MORE OBVIOUS.
AND THEN WE WILL BE MOVING OUR BUTTERFLY HEART SCULPTURE INSIDE THE VESTIBULE DOORS.
AND THIS IS JUST A VIEW FROM THE OUTSIDE AND A LITTLE BIT CLEARER SHOT OF HOW THAT SKYLINE IS GOING TO LOOK.
WE WANT THE LOBBY TO BE WELCOMING, COLORFUL, AND MORE ACTIVE THAN IT'S BEEN IN THE PAST.
NOW THE OTHER THING WE HAVE COMING UP, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS YOU ARE WONDERFULLY GIFTED US WITH THE TWO MOBILE LIBRARIES.
THOSE ARE ACTUALLY, DON'T BE SHOCKED AHEAD OF SCHEDULE THAN SOME OF THE OTHER VEHICLES.
WE BELIEVE NOW TO BE READY BY SPRING OF 2025.
WE INITIALLY THOUGHT SUMMER, SO I BROUGHT THE WRAP DESIGN THAT THE STAFF HAS COME UP WITH FOR THESE.
AND THIS IS WHAT THEY WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN THEY GO DOWN THE ROAD.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S US, IT'S THE MOBILE LIBRARIES, AND IT'S GONNA BE COLORFUL.
GET PEOPLE'S ATTENTION WHEN WE'RE, WE HAVE A FIRM DELIVERY DATE AND GET READY DATE.
WE WILL WORK WITH EACH ONE OF YOU.
ONE OF THE VEHICLES WILL HAVE SET SCHEDULED STOPS IN ALL THE DISTRICTS.
WE WANT THE CUSTOMERS AND OUR CITIZENS TO KNOW THE LIBRARY'S GOING TO BE AROUND THIS DAY AT THIS TIME.
AND WE WILL COORDINATE THAT WITH EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GOING WHERE YOU FEEL THAT THE MOBILE LIBRARIES WILL BEST SERVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS INTERESTS.
WE WANT TO GO WHERE THE PEOPLE WANT US TO BE.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE'LL UPDATE YOU ON THAT WITH ENOUGH LEAD TIME OUT OF ACTIVE, WE WILL GET THEM DELIVERED.
THERE'LL BE SOME STEPS, BUT REST ASSURED WE'LL GET GETTING IN TOUCH WITH EACH OF YOU.
NOW, PART OF THE MOBILE LIBRARY'S GOAL IS TO BRING LIBRARY SERVICES TO AROUND THE CITY.
CORRECT? NOT JUST YOU HAVE TO COME TO US, BUT WE GET TO COME TO YOU.
[00:40:01]
WONDERFUL FRIENDS AT PARKS AND OUR FRIENDS AT EPIC CENTRAL HAVE PARTNERED WITH US ON SOME UPCOMING PROGRAMS THIS FALL AND THIS SPRING THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT TO YOU.ON NOVEMBER 2ND, WE'RE GONNA HAVE PAGES IN THE PARK AT EPIC CENTRAL.
THIS IS A GREAT IDEA BY VICTORIA, OUR OUTREACH SUPERVISOR WHO HAS COME UP WITH A READING AREA.
YOU JUST COME TO THE EPIC LAWN THAT MORNING, SO WE'LL BE OUT THERE SERVING COFFEE.
WELL, YOU CAN SIT, BRING YOUR CHAIR, BRING YOUR PICNIC BLANKET, AND READ YOUR BOOKS.
AND EACH AREA OF THE LAWN WILL BE SET UP GENERAL READING, MAYBE LIKE ROMANCE, MAYBE LIKE MYSTERY.
IT'S A CHANCE TO MEET OTHER PEOPLE WHO READ THE SAME BOOKS AS YOU.
IT'S JUST A GREAT TIME TO COME AND CHILL OUT DOWN AT THE EPIC.
AND AT THE EPIC READS, THANKS TO OUR FRIENDS IN PARKS, WE'RE SITTING RIGHT HERE,
WE HAVE, UH, A FREE STORY TIME OPEN TO ALL IN THE LOBBY OF THE EPIC, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE EPIC READS.
THIS STARTS ON NOVEMBER 6TH, AND IT'LL BE THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH.
THIS WILL INTRODUCE FOLKS WHO MAY BE FANS, THE LIBRARY, BUT DON'T KNOW THE EPIC, BUT ALSO GET PEOPLE MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE EPIC READS IN THE LOBBY OF THE EPIC.
NOW, OVER THE HOLIDAYS, THE FIRST THING WE HAVE AT EPIC CENTRAL IS ROCKING AROUND THE LIBRARY.
THIS IS A FAMILY FRIENDLY LIVE MUSIC PRESENTATION OF POP SONGS AND CHRISTMAS MATERIAL BY THE GRAND PRAIRIE LIBRARY UKULELE CLUB.
ONE GENTLEMAN EVEN HAS A ACCORDION.
BUT TRUST ME, PLEASE COME OUT TO THIS.
WINTER WONDERLAND IS OUR MAJOR HOLIDAY PROGRAM.
ON DECEMBER 14TH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PETTING ZOO.
WE'LL HAVE OUR BUBBLES OF COURSE.
WINTER CRAFTS STORY TIMES, OH, BY THE WAY, I'M SORRY.
THIS IS ASHLEY WEISS, OUR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR, AND THESE ARE HER BABIES, HER GENIUSES.
AND THEN ON DECEMBER 20TH AND FRIDAY, WE'LL HAVE HOLLY JOLLY STORY TIME WHERE ASHLEY WILL HAVE STORY TIME OUT AT EPIC CENTRAL, JOINED BY A FAMOUS NOT TO BE MENTIONED PERSON FROM THE NORTH POLE.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE WINTER CRAFTS AND TREATS OUT THERE AS WELL.
NOW IN THE SPRING, I HAVE TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, THIS IS MY BIG THING.
ME PERSONALLY, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THIS PROGRAM FOR TWO YEARS AS PART OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH AT THE UPTOWN.
AND WITH OUR FRIENDS AT DOWNTOWN GRAND PRAIRIE, WE'LL BE HAVING A 90 MINUTE CONCERT TO RECOGNIZE THE MUSIC OF DUKE ELLINGTON.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO DUKE ELLINGTON IS, HE IS CONSIDERED AMERICA'S GREATEST COMPOSER.
SO THE CONCERT IS NOT JUST MUSIC, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE EDUCATING YOU ON WHY THE PIECES WERE CHOSEN AND WHAT MAKES HIM SUCH A GENIUS AND MADE HIM SO SPECTACULAR.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I AM TO GET TO FINALLY PULL THIS PROGRAM OFF.
AND THEN NEXT SPRING BREAK AGAIN WITH OUR PARTNERS IN PARKS AND OUR FRIENDS AT EPIC CENTRAL DINO FEST WILL COME ROARING BACK INTO THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, VERY SUCCESSFUL, BIGGER, AND BETTER THAN WE DID BEFORE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM.
JUST HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE, SIR.
UM, REGARDING THE FIRST THING WE TALKED ABOUT THE RENOVATIONS.
UM, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE EXISTING OF BRONZE ARTWORK THAT'S OUT THERE? WILL IT BE ADDED TO THAT? YES.
WELL, WE IN FACT, UH, INCORPORATED THAT, SHALL WE? GOMEZ FROM PARKS TEAM CAME OUT AND TOOK THE BENCHES AND THE STATUES UP AND WE STORED THEM, AND THEN THEY'LL BE REPLACED AFTER WE'RE COMPLETED WITH THE WORK.
AND HOW ABOUT THE BUBBLE WALL THAT'S IN INSIDE? IT'S STILL THERE.
AND, UH, JUST AMAZING YOUR, NOT ONLY DO YOU DO YOUR FABULOUS EVENTS YOURSELF, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU AND STAFF COME OUT TO OTHER SPECIAL EVENTS, BRING THE BUBBLE MACHINE, YOU'RE CREATIVE, YOU'RE VERY GENEROUS TO THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE AND MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
WELL, IT'S, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP, BECAUSE THE MOBILE LIBRARIES, ASHLEY HAS PURCHASED OUR OWN BUBBLE MACHINES FOR THE MOBILE LIBRARIES.
WE BRING THE WHOLE THING MOBILE MACHINE.
RUTHIE JACKSON CENTER VENUE REVIEW.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR OF CITY COUNCIL.
I'M THE PARKS ARTS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR.
[00:45:01]
BE TALKING ABOUT THE RUTHIE JACKSON CENTER VENUE REVIEW.IN THIS PRESENTATION, YOU WILL SEE THE FUND OVERVIEW AS WELL AS SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE CHERYL ALLGOOD, VENUE MANAGER AND STEVEN BOWLES, OUR FISCAL MANAGER, WHO WILL GO OVER OUR DASHBOARDS AND FUND SUMMARIES.
AS YOU KNOW, THE RUTHIE JACKSON CENTER IS FUNDED THROUGH THE PARK VENUE FUND, BUT AS, AS YOU WILL SEE, WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO BEING FULLY SELF-SUPPORTED THIS YEAR.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK IN THAT DIRECTION.
THIS FACILITY IS NOT ONLY FOR WEDDINGS, BUT IT'S ALSO FOR GRADUATIONS, MEETINGS, NCEES, CORPORATE EVENTS, AND MUCH MORE.
BUT RUTHIE JACKSON CONTINUES TO THRIVE EVEN IN THIS COMPETITIVE DFW VENUE RENTAL MARKET, AS YOU WILL SEE IN THIS SHORT VIDEO.
HEY, CALL YOU GREAT
THE PURPOSE IS A GRAND PRAIRIE'S PREMIER VENUE FOR WEDDINGS, CORPORATE EVENTS, AND OTHER GATHERINGS.
AS YOU JUST SAW IN THE VIDEO, THIS IS 18,500 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY THAT INCLUDES 8,500 SQUARE FOOT BALLROOM, CONFERENCE ROOM, BOARD ROOMS, AND OUTDOOR GARDEN SPACE.
THE RJC SUPPORTS THE FOLLOWING PERSONNEL, FIVE FULL-TIME AND FIVE PART-TIME EMPLOYEES.
THE RJC, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE DID THIS YEAR IS WE HAD 108 TOTAL WEDDINGS AND SOCIAL EVENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 24.
WE HAD OVER 207 TOTAL CORPORATE EVENTS, AND FOR THE 14TH YEAR IN A ROW, WE WERE WINNERS OF THE BEST OF THE NOT AWARD AND COUPLES CHOICE AWARDS.
THE RJC GARDEN RENOVATION INCLUDES TOTAL LANDSCAPE, REDESIGNED AN ARTIFICIAL TUR.
WE INCLUDED A NEW BALLROOM SEATING, WHICH INCLUDED 400 NEW CHAIRS.
AND THEN WE ALSO PURCHASED A NEW STAGE WITH A DA ACCESS ROUND.
AND NOW I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO, UH, STEVEN BOWLES.
HE'S GONNA GIVE THIS, UH, THE, UH, REVENUE AND THE EXPENSES, UH, PROJECTIONS.
AND THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR ACTUALS FOR, UH, FY 24 THAT WE JUST WRAPPED UP.
UH, THE RJC DID TOTAL REVENUES OF 1.56 MILLION.
UM, THAT'S JUST SHY OF THE HIGH WATER MARK THAT WE HIT LAST YEAR, WHICH IS 1.58.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE SPLIT PRETTY EVENLY AT 34% OF THAT REVENUE COMING FROM WEDDINGS AS WELL AS CORPORATE EVENTS, UM, FOLLOWED BY SOCIAL EVENTS, UH, THEN CI CI, CIVIC EVENTS, UM, AND THEN CITY EVENTS COMING IN THERE, ABOUT 2% OF THE REVENUES, UH, ON THE EXPENSE SIDE.
I KNOW YOU SEE A BIG NUMBER THERE ON SERVICES THAT OVER $900,000.
UM, KEEP IN MIND, MOST OF THE EVENTS DONE AT THE RJC ARE DONE AS AN ALL IN TURNKEY TYPE SYSTEM.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT, THAT BASICALLY MEANS IF YOU'RE PLANNING A WEDDING AT THE RJC RATHER THAN HAVING TO GO AND WRITE THEM A CHECK AND THEN A CHECK TO YOUR DJ AND A CHECK TO YOUR CATERER, THE RJC TAKES IN ALL THOSE COSTS UP FRONT AND THEN YOU PROVIDES YOU WITH ONE BILL.
SO YOU ONLY HAVE ONE SETTLEMENT TO MAKE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE SERVICES ARE PASSED THROUGH ON THAT COST.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN, UH, FY 24, THE RJC SPENT $630,000 ON CATERING, UM, BUT TOOK IN $760,000 IN CATERING REVENUE.
UM, SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAKOUT.
YOU'LL SEE OUR TOTAL EXPENSES WERE 1.6 MILLION.
UM, PUTTING US AT A COST RECOVERY OF ABOUT 98%.
UM, MEANING THAT TO RUN THE RJC FOR THE ENTIRE FY 24 YEAR, IT COSTS US ABOUT $39,000.
AND THAT FUNDING DOES COME DIRECTLY FROM THE PARKING MENU, SALES TAX.
IT'S BUDGETED OUT OF THE PORTION WE GET FROM THE SALES TAX RATHER THAN THE PORTION MARKS RECEIPTS FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
YOU HAVE A MORE DETAILED, UH, FINANCIAL REPORT.
THERE'S IN FRONT OF YOU, CHERYL'S HERE AS WELL.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE OPERATION OUT THERE.
I JUST WANT JUST TO REITERATE WITH THAT, UM, CITY EVENTS ONLY REPRESENT 2% OF YOUR REVENUE MARK IN FY 24, 2%
[00:50:01]
OF THE TOTAL REVENUES WERE FROM CITY EVENTS.AND STEVEN, HOW MANY EVENTS WERE THOSE? IT WAS 11 EVENTS.
HAVE YOU SEEN ANY BIG EFFECT SINCE WE'VE OPENED THE HOTEL AND THE CIVIC CENTER? ANY BIG DIFFERENCE IN REVENUE OR EVENTS? WELL, OUR TOTAL REVENUES WERE VERY CLOSE TO WHERE THEY WERE LAST YEAR.
YOU GOT CHERYL, YOU'RE ON THE GROUND.
I THINK WE HAVE, UM, SOME OF THOSE, WE'VE, WE, THE SCHOOL WENT THERE FOR A WHILE.
I MEAN, SOME, WE, THIS IS JUST A CHANGING MARKET AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT NEW PERSON GETS THINGS AND YOU KNOW, THEN YOU GO BACK TO THE NORMAL, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR YEARS.
THEY'RE GONNA GET THEIR FAIR SHARE.
WE'RE GONNA GET OUR FAIR SHARE.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, COMPETITION IS GOOD.
I THINK WE'LL KNOW BETTER A YEAR FROM TODAY.
YOU, WE'VE GOT A SHORT WINDOW RIGHT NOW, A YEAR FROM TODAY, WE'LL HAVE BETTER DATA AND, UM, AND, AND I ALSO FEEL LIKE A HOTEL IS THERE TO BOOK ROOMS. RIGHT.
THAT'S OUR BUSINESS IS A SIDE BUSINESS TO THAT.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA PAY THE ATTENTION TO IT THAT WE ARE GOING TO PAY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE WAY WE LOOK AT IT.
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY ARE LARGER THAN WE ARE.
UM, THEY OFFER THAT THEY, THEY WILL HANDLE EVENTS WE CAN'T POSSIBLY HANDLE, YOU KNOW, SMALL COURT, SMALL, UM, UM, CORPORATE EVENTS THAT NEED OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS.
I MEAN, THEY'RE GONNA GET THAT BUSINESS THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE EVER HAD.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A TRADE OFF.
AND AGAIN, COMPETITION'S GOOD.
AND THEY DON'T HAVE A SHERIFF, SO SHE, SHE'S A HUGE ASSET FOR OBJECTIONS.
WELL, WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS WE WERE LOSING BUSINESS BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE A HOTEL.
UH, CHIEF IKE COULDN'T HAVE HIS HIS PROM EVERY OTHER YEAR IN OUR CITY BECAUSE NOT A PROBLEM.
THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING, THAT'S NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT COULDN'T COME.
BUT IF YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING WHERE YOU WANT YOUR GUESTS TO SPEND THE NIGHT, ABSOLUTELY.
THE, WE HAD NO FACILITY IN THE 17TH LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE HAD NO FACILITY IN OUR TOWN WHERE YOU COULD HAVE AN EVENT, BUT HOTEL NEXT DOOR.
AND I ALSO FEEL LIKE THERE'S A PARTNERSHIP THERE WITH THE EVENTS THAT WE CAN'T HANDLE, THAT WE KNOW WE CAN'T HANDLE.
I MEAN, WELL, YOU BETTER, THEY'RE BOTH OURS.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES.
I WISH EVERYTHING WE GOT INTO PAGES BACK OF MY NEIGHBOR.
IT WAS A, IT WAS A GROCERY STORE.
I'LL QUIT SAYING IT WAS A GROCERY STORE.
YOU ALWAYS HAVE, UH, I'LL TURN IT.
BILL, INTRODUCE OUR NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
PLEASE, SIR TONY, IF YOU WOULD.
UH, HE HASN'T BEEN PUBLICLY PRODUCED TILL TODAY, IF YOU WOULD.
HE'S OUR NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, AND HE COMES TO US WITH VAST EXPERIENCE IN SITE SELECTION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BOTH IN EL PASO AND IN THIS AREA.
UH, EL PASO IS DEAR TO ME AND DEAR TO YOU, SO THAT HELPS TO ME A LITTLE BIT.
YOU KNOW, HE'S FROM EL PASO HERE.
SO TONY, IF YOU WOULD, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, FOR HAVING ME.
LOOKING FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH THE TEAMS. AND THANKS TO BILL AND, AND ALL THE DIRECTORS, UH, ESPECIALLY RASHAD.
LET, LET'S JUST PAUSE THERE FOR A MINUTE.
RASHAD, STAND UP PLEASE, YOUR HONOR.
YES, THANK YOU TONY RASHAD, YOU DID A GREAT JOB.
NOW GET FULL TIME BACK ON YOUR REAL JOB,
UH, I'M ALSO A UTA GRADUATE, SO IT'S GOOD.
UH, COUNSEL, WE HAVE ITEMS 6 31 AND INFORMED ME THAT ITEM NUMBER
[00:55:02]
32 WILL BE PULLING FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION BECAUSE IT INCLUDES A PUBLIC HEARING.SO IT WOULD BE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE OTHER ITEMS? WE ALL THE WAY THROUGH 38 ACTUALLY.
ANY QUESTIONS? YES, I HAVE A QUESTION ON NUMBER 31.
THIS IS, UH, WELL, PETER, IT'S NOT, IT'S PROBABLY NOT YOU, IT'S ABOUT THE, UH, COST.
THE, UH, THIS IS A CONTRACT AMENDMENT FOR EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE, THE ORIGINAL FIVE GRAND.
SO THE AMENDMENT IS PRETTY LARGE.
UM, I WONDER, I, I DID READ THIS, BUT THE GROUP THAT YOU PICKED LAST YEAR OR WHATEVER YOU PICKED THEM, THE SEVEN 20 DESIGN ARCHITECTS, THAT WAS A SEPARATE CONTRACT.
BECAUSE THIS ONE SAYS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
SO THE DESIGNS ALREADY FINISHED.
WELL, ONE OF THE REASONS POST-SALE CAME ON BOARD AS A-C-M-A-R IS SEVEN 20 WANTED THEIR INPUT ON THE DESIGN.
THERE'S SOME ISSUES WITH RACING THE CEILING IN THE LOBBY, AND WE NEEDED THEIR INPUT AS WELL ON THE DESIGN.
WELL, THIS, THE ORIGINAL, HOW MANY WAS THE ORIGINAL DESIGN CONTRACTS DO WE KNOW? I'LL HAVE TO GET, I, I'M SORRY, SIR.
I'LL GET, I WILL GET THAT TO YOU.
THAT'S PART OF THE TOTAL COST.
UM, SO, AND THEN THE, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT WE PICKED BACK IN MARCH, APRIL, APRIL, MAY, WHENEVER IT WAS THE POST SALE GROUP.
UH, THEN WHEN WE CAME UP WITH WHAT THE FINAL PLAN IS, YOU JUST WENT WITH THEM OR, BECAUSE I, I'M KIND OF WONDERING ABOUT NOT BIDDING THE, THE MILLION FOUR OUT.
WELL, WE HAD A RATHER JUST TAKING THE PEOPLE THAT WE ALREADY HAD.
WELL, WE DIDN'T HAVE THEM ON BOARD YET, SO WE HAD A TIME CRUNCH.
WE WANTED TO START AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND THE ESTIMATIONS, WHICH I WOULD TAKE ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS, AND THIS FALL TO MAY TIME PERIOD IS THE BEST TIME FOR US TO HAVE THE LIBRARY.
THE ENTRANCE CHANGED AND THE PARK CLOSES.
SO WE WANTED TO GET THEM ON BOARD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND WE ENLIST THE HELP OF THE BUSINESS DIVERSITY DEPARTMENT TO HELP US FIND SOMEBODY WHO HAD THE QUALIFICATIONS AND COULD GIVE US THE HELP THAT SEVEN 20, THE DESIGN TEAM REQUESTED.
AND SINCE WE ALREADY HAD THESE PEOPLE ON BOARD FROM, FROM IN MARCH OR MARCH, I GUESS JANUARY OR THIRD MARCH, WE ALREADY HAD THESE PEOPLE ON BOARD IN MARCH TO HELP WITH THE DESIGN FIRST $5,000 CONTRACT.
SO JUST TO, JUST TO CLARIFY, SO, UM, SEVEN 20 IS THE DESIGN GROUP.
SO THEY DID THE, UM, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENT.
THEN WHEN IT WAS TIME TO START EVALUATING WHO TO SELECT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, WE WENT AND WE HAD, WE WORKED WITH KATRINA TO COME UP WITH SOME VARIOUS OPTIONS THAT MIGHT BE, UM, GOOD FOR, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION GROUPS THAT WERE ALREADY ON COOPERATIVE.
SO THEN WE DID KIND OF AN INFORMAL BID PROCESS WHERE WE LOOKED AT VARIOUS COMPANIES AND MADE THE SELECTION AT THAT POINT, BEFORE WE DID THE 5,000, THE 5,000, WE, WE HAD TO ENTER INTO THAT SMALL CONTRACT IN ORDER TO FINALIZE THE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS AND THEN BID OUT THE SUBS AND EVERYTHING.
I JUST IS ANDY AROUND? ANDY'S OUT? SO YOU'RE ANDY'S UP.
I'M, I'M JUST MAKING ANDY, MY, MY QUICK QUESTION THEN, AND I'LL NEVER GET THE RIGHT ANSWER, I GUESS WOULD BE, DO WE THINK WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER HAD WE BID IT OUT? WE, WE DID NOT.
YOU SERIOUSLY? YOU DON'T THINK SO? NO, I'M REAL.
I WAS VERY HAPPY WITH WHAT THEY CAME UP WITH.
VERY HAPPY WITH THE COSTS THAT THEY CAME UP WITH.
OH, YOU GOOD? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON SIX THROUGH, UM, YEAH, ITEM 20 A QUESTION, BUT I KNOW THAT, I BROUGHT THIS UP A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO OF THIS COMPANY HERE.
UM, I'VE SPOKEN TO BILL ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S A REAL CONCERN THAT NOT ONLY ME, BUT A COUPLE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, HOW THEY'VE BEEN PRICE GOUGING THE RESIDENTS.
AND I THINK THAT WE COME TO A RESOLUTION ON THAT OF BEING FAIR.
BUT FOR STAFF, HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, THEY GIVE US THE BEST, BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, THEY PRETTY MUCH COME IN AS, AS, YOU KNOW, AWARDED THESE CONTRACTORS AND A LOT OF THESE OTHER COMPANIES THAT ARE IN GRAND PRAIRIE, THEY JUST DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS OF, I KNOW THAT WE'RE BECOMING, TRYING TO BE MORE DIVERSE AND MORE INCLUSIVE, BUT HOW DO WE EDUCATE THESE OTHER CONTRACTORS, THESE OTHER COMPANIES TO BE COMPETITIVE?
[01:00:01]
I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN WITH A COUPLE OF THEM, UH, LAST YEAR.THEY'RE LIKE, WE JUST DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS.
MIKE, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO, SINCE YOU KNOW, SOME OF 'EM, WE NEED TO HANDPICK THEM AND GET 'EM IN HERE AND TEACH 'EM HOW, YEAH.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A BUSINESS CONSTRUCTION EVENT, BUT THERE'S MORE TO, THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN THAT.
WELL, THEY'RE GONNA TEACH 'EM THE PROCESS OF
THEY NEED TO, AND WE NEED TO BRING 'EM IN AND TEACH 'EM HOW TO DO IT.
IT, IT'S ONCE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BUT IF YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU DON'T KNOW.
WHAT THE, ONE OF THE COMPANIES THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED MIGHT, WE DID BRING IN AND WE WALKED THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS AND SO THEY UNDERSTAND NOW HOW TO BID IT.
THE KEY IS, IS I DON'T, BECAUSE WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS BEING REALISTIC.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE A COMPANY THAT IS MORE CAPABLE OF HANDLING A GREATER VOLUME AND SO THEIR PRICE, SOME DON'T WANT THAT AND SOME CAN'T HANDLE THE AMOUNT OF WORK.
BUT WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE COMPANY THAT YOU HAVE REFERRED TO US TO HELP THEM TO BETTER UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW TO BUSINESS.
I MEAN, I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED IN, AND I THINK IT'S PART OF OUR ACCOUNTABILITY, ACCOUNT MEMBERS SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, OWN BUSINESSES HERE.
SO IT'S JUST TRYING TO SUPPORT THEM.
THAT IS A DILEMMA WHEN A SMALL COMPANY CAN'T BITE OFF MORE THAN THEY WOULD CHOOSE.
WE JUST NEED TO BRING THEM ALONG, MAYBE DO SOME OTHER SMALLER CONTRACTS.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THE AWARENESS AND CONNECTION.
BUT SOME OF THESE COMPANIES ARE WINNING BIDS IN MCKINNEY, THE ISLAND.
SO THEY'RE WINNING BIDS IN OTHER CITIES, WHICH IS IN GRAND PRAIRIE, THERE'S A CAP.
AND, AND SO ARE THEY BIDDING HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE? JUST HIGHER BID.
THEY ARE, BUT AFTER A WHILE THEY DON'T GET THE BID THAN THEY, I WOULD RATHER GO SOME LOVE THESE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY GOT A BIT COMPETITIVE.
AND DEPENDING, JUST LIKE MY BUSINESS, SOMETIMES WE DON'T BID THINGS COMPETITIVELY BECAUSE WE ARE FULL.
I MEAN THAT'S, UH, BUT SOMETIMES WE'RE REAL AGGRESSIVE COUNCIL THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IN OUR PRE PRE-BID CONFERENCE AS WE TRY TO START WALKING FOLKS THROUGH THAT.
AND IF THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW TO GET IT, THAT'S WHEN WE WILL TAKE THEM ASIDE INDIVIDUALLY AND HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO GET IT.
YES, WE, WE, WE'VE PUT THAT PRACTICE IN PLACE AND THAT IS A PRACTICE THAT WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW FROM NOW ON.
WELL, I APPRECIATE MIKE BRINGING UP THE ISSUE AND IT WAS ABOUT DOING DRIVE AWAYS AND THINGS, AND WE ADDRESSED THAT WITH SANTOS.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL, APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE YOUR, YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS WERE LETTING YOU KNOW.
WELL I WAS GONNA ASK, I WAS GONNA ASK THAT, BUT HOW WAS IT ADDRESSED? UH, THEY, UH, SO IN THE YEARS OF, UH, 21 AND 23, I KNEW MINE NEED TO BE REDONE AND I KNEW THAT THEY WERE GONNA COME IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
SO I WENT TO A THIRD PARTY AND JUST HIRED MY OWN BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT ANY, HEY, YOU'RE WITH THE CITY, YOU GOT A SPECIAL DEAL.
SO I COMPARED WHAT THEY DID A YEAR BEFORE AND WHAT THEY WERE CHARGING CURRENTLY FROM SANTOS.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS, I WAS, I HAD MINE DONE RESIDENTIAL AT $7 AND THEY WERE CHARGING 12.
AND SO EVERYTHING WAS, WELL, WE'RE GONNA CHARGE NO MATTER WHAT COMMERCIAL, WHETHER YOU'RE A RESIDENT OR NOT.
AND SO WHEN I TRIED TO SPEAK TO THEM, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST KICKED ME TO THE SIDE AND THAT'S WHEN I BROUGHT IT HERE.
AND ALL I ASKED 'EM WAS JUST TO BE FAIR, BECAUSE THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE BLOCKS, THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE WERE OLDER PEOPLE FIXING, DIDN'T KNOW ANY BATTERIES, JUST DIDN'T KNOW.
THEY WERE LIKE, OKAY, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
AND SO I WOULD GO TO THEM AND I'D SAY, WELL, WHAT ARE THEY CHARGE YOU? AND THEN I'D COMPARE AND JUST WALKING AROUND AND, AND FINDING OUT.
I'M LIKE, GUYS, Y'ALL CAN'T DO THIS.
SO HOW DID WE RECTIFY, WE RECTIFIED IT.
IS THAT THE, THE, AND MIKE KNOWS THIS, ME AND MIKE HAD THIS CONVERSATION.
OUR STREET REGULATIONS OR OUR STREET REQUIREMENTS ARE FOR SIX INCHES OF CONCRETE.
WHAT SANTOS WAS DOING WAS HE WAS CHARGING THEM FOR SIX INCHES OF CONCRETE IN THE DRIVEWAY AND PUTTING IN SIX INCHES RATHER THAN, SO WE WEREN'T COMPARING APPLES TO APPLE, PUTTING IN THE FORAGE AND THE REBAR THAT IT REQUIRED AND THE REBAR SMALLER.
IT WASN'T NECESSARILY THAT THEY WERE OVERCHARGING.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE CHARGING FOR WHAT THEY WERE DOING, BUT THEY DIDN'T NEED TO DO THAT.
BUT THEY DIDN'T NEED TO DO THAT.
IT DIDN'T NEED THE DRIVEWAY TO A HELL.
COURSE ALL THESE RIGHT NOW, AND WE HAVE, SINCE ALL THE ROAD WE'RE DRIVING ON, I'M THINKING WE NEEDED TO PUT 12 INCHES INSTEAD OF SIX INCHES.
YEAH, WE HAVE ALREADY, YOU CAN'T DRIVE ANYWHERE IN THE METRO PLACE.
IN MY, BUT I, YOU KNOW, GOOD QUESTION.
UM, ABOUT, UH, THE, THE BIDDING.
ARE WE DOING, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ACCURATE, EXTRA POINTS, IF THAT, UH, BUSINESS HAS DONE A PROJECT WITH
[01:05:01]
THE CITY BEFORE.IS THAT A CATEGORY, ASSUMING? NO, THAT IS A CATEGORY.
WHAT THE WAY WE DO THE BID IS THERE'S A APPOINTMENT STRUCTURE FOR EXPERIENCE, BUT NOT ONE FOR SPECIFICALLY DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY PREVIOUSLY.
SO, SO THIS, UH, SOMEONE HAS WORKED IN MCKINNEY OR ELSEWHERE, BUT NOT WITH US.
BUT THEY HAVE SHOWN EVIDENCE OF THAT THEIR EXPERIENCE AND THEIR EXPERIENCE DOES COUNT.
SO CAN I JUST FOLLOW UP ON THAT QUESTION? YOU, SO THERE'S NO WEIGHTED PERCENTAGE GIVEN? NO, THERE IS NOT A WEIGHTED PERCENTAGE FOR CLUB TWO HAVE BEEN WORKING BUSINESS WITH US BEFORE JANUARY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON CONSENT? ONE MORE.
I HAVE NUMBER, UM, 29 AND 30 TO OUR ERP SYSTEM.
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WHY WE'RE GOING TO THIS SYSTEM? UM, NOT THAT I'M SURE, NOT THAT I'M SAYING YOU SHOULDN'T, BUT JUST, HEY, YOU HAVE TO SEE EMAILS.
WE ALL GOT
UM, ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
LET ME, LET ME JUST REPHRASE THE QUESTION.
I SUPPORT YOU ALL MOVING TO A UPGRADED SYSTEM AND YOUR SELECTION IS TOTALLY AT YOUR DISCRETION.
I JUST WANT US TO GET A LITTLE BIT BACKGROUND AS TO WHY, UH, THIS IS SO EXPENSIVE AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
SO AS YOU KNOW, SOFTWARE IS EXPENSIVE.
AND SO WE ARE MOVING FROM A 20, ALMOST 30-YEAR-OLD SOFTWARE.
HOW OLD? 30 30 OR 20? WE HAD 20 YEARS.
SO SOFTWARE, SOFTWARE, VERY OLD.
UM, ANTIQUATED PIECE OF SOFTWARE.
SO IT TAKES US RIGHT NOW A LOT OF MANPOWER, EQUIPMENT TO RUN THIS SOFTWARE BECAUSE IT'S SO OLD.
UH, AND UM, THE ONLY PATH FOR US TO UPGRADE THE SOFTWARE IS THAT WE HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW SOFTWARE, BUT IT'S WITH THIS CURRENT VENDOR OR WHETHER IT'S WITH A NEW VENDOR.
SO WE DID OUR, OUR SEARCH SEARCH AND WE DECIDED IT WAS BENEFICIAL FOR THE CITY TO GO TO A NEW VENDOR.
EVEN FACT WE TOOK, WOULD'VE COST US MILLIONS OF DOLLARS REGARDLESS.
SO THAT'S WHY WE CHOSE ONE OF THE BEST SOFTWARE OUT THERE, WHICH IS WORKDAY.
SO YOU, I'M PRETTY SURE YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH IT.
IT'S A SOFTWARE USED BY MANY, UH, CITIES AND COMPANIES OUT THERE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE DECIDED TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION.
WHAT'S THE IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD? UH, IT'S GONNA TAKE ABOUT 18 MONTHS TO YES SIR.
WHAT ARE THE TOP FILLS AND WHISTLES YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT IT? WELL, I WOULD SAY THIS MOBILE
OUR CURRENT SYSTEM IS NOT REALLY THAT COMPATIBLE WITH, UM, DUAL ELECTRONIC TIME SHEETS.
SO MANY DEPARTMENTS HAVE TO ACTUALLY TAKE PAPER AND PRINT THEIR TIME SHEETS, HAND IT OUT TO EMPLOYEES TO FILL OUT, IT GOES BACK TO THE PERSONNEL, THE TIMEKEEPER, AND THEY INPUT THAT DATA INTO THE SYSTEM.
I KNOW I'M A TREE HUGGER, SO THAT'S JUST BOTHERING ME ALL TIME.
SO THE NEW SYSTEM IS GONNA CUT OUT ALL OF THAT.
WE ARE GONNA DO ELECTRONIC TIME SHEETS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE MOBILE APP WHERE EMPLOYEES CAN ACTUALLY SUBMIT THEIR LEAVE ONLINE.
AND BY THE WAY, LEAVE IS ALSO BY PAPER ALSO COVERING.
SO IT'S A MORE MODEL SYSTEM SO THAT THAT MONITOR TO IMPLEMENT.
ARE ARE YOU SAYING THERE'S A RISK THAT WE'RE GONNA LOSE EMPLOYEES? UH, NO SIR.
UM, WE'RE NOT GONNA USE LOSE ANY EMPLOYEES, JUST THAT THEIR JOB TO BECOME MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AND EASIER.
WE JUST, AND THERE'S A TRAINING COMPONENT ALSO.
NOW, YOU MENTIONED TO US THAT UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES WE SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THIS ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO.
IS THAT CORRECT? NORMALLY UNDER NORMAL, RIGHT? SHOULD HAVE BEEN, BUT WE HAD DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
I WANT TELL YOU, THERE'S, THERE'S COMPANIES AND CITIES OUT THERE THAT ARE RUNNING OLDER SOFTWARE.
AND THEN THAT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T NEED TO UPGRADE.
AND EVEN IF WE UPGRADED TO THE NEW SOFTWARE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY USING, IT WOULD NOT, IT WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE IF YOU CAUGHT WHAT YOU SAID.
WE'RE GONNA, SO WE'RE TODAY'S STEP, I WILL WARN EVERYBODY.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT HE SAYS.
JUST SEE WHAT HAS DONE TO THE AIRLINE
[01:10:01]
INDUSTRY EVERY TIME THEY DO ONE.FORTUNATELY WE AREN'T FLYING 'CAUSE I I WOULD NOT FLY ON THE DAY THAT YOU FLIPPED THAT OPEN.
THANKS FOR THE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, SIR.
IT'S, IT'S, Y'ALL BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH.
YOU CAN'T EVEN, I JUST BOUGHT A NEW PHONE, TOOK ME THREE DAYS TO GET MY DARN DOUBLE WHATEVER FROM MY EMAIL.
NOT HERE, BUT BY WORK EMAIL THE AUTHENTICATED IT JUST, THEN YOU, THEN YOU'RE DONE.
SO ANYBODY ELSE FOR THE AGENDA? I DO ONE MORE QUESTION.
SO DO YOU HAVE THE BUY-IN FROM THE BACKEND OFFICE, THE ACCOUNTING TEAM? UH, YES MA'AM.
IN FACT, OUR ACCOUNTING TEAM IS THERE.
REEN, WHERE, HOW DID WE COME UP WITH THE $500 MOUNTAIN? UH, THAT'S JUST, UM, JESSE STANDARD JUST FOR, UM,
SO NO MATTER HOW BIG THE, THE YES, IT'S JUST THE PROCESS BEING OKAY.
WE'VE GOTTA DO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE CITY COUNCIL MAY CONDUCT A CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 5 5, 1 SUB CHAPTER HERE AND GOVERNOR COCA TO DISCUSSING ANY PROBLEM.
TONIGHT WE'RE GETTING THREE OF THE FIVE SECTION 5 5, 1 1 0 7, 1 CONSULTATION WITH THE ATTORNEY, CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE VERSUS BABCOCK, 2000 LIMITED ETAL SECTION 5 5 1 DELIBERATION REGARDING REAL PROPERTY ITEM FIVE, SECTION 5 5 1 0.0 F EIGHT SEVEN DELIBERATION REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS.
WHERE'S DINNER? MONA? IN, IN THE BREAK ROOM.
OKAY, SO YOU GOTTA GET IT FROM THE BREAK ROOM, BUT TAKE IT INTO OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION ROOM.
WE CAN'T EAT IN THE BREAK ROOM.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO EAT WHILE WE'RE HAVING EXECUTIVE SESSION.