May 19, 2026 City Council 05192026

[00:00:06]

[CALL TO ORDER]

THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT ON THIS, THIS AFTERNOON, AND LEADING UP TO ABOUT FOUR 30 WAS PRETTY RAINY, UP TO 5, 5 30, BUT IT CLEARED FINALLY, FOR COUNCIL MEETING AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT.

OUR INVOCATION TONIGHT WILL BE LED BY PASTOR CRAIG NER OF FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH.

OUR PLEDGES WILL BE LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HEADON.

PLEASE RISE.

THIS IS THE THERE YOU ARE.

COME ON NOW.

WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

IT'S MY HONOR.

I'M CRAIG SHEER, ACTUALLY A RETIRED PASTOR SERVING FAITH LUTHERAN.

PART-TIME, MY APOLOGIES.

I LIVE IN NORTH FORT WORTH.

OH, THAT'S GOOD.

.

YOU, YOU MAY OUR, OUR PEOPLE ON WEEKENDS AND, UH, UH, I'VE BEEN INVITED FOR A FEW MONTHS AND IT'S, IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.

UM, WE PRAY FOR YOU OUT LOUD ONCE A MONTH IN OUR CHURCH, UH, SOMETIMES BY NAME, HONORABLE MAYOR.

AND, UM, WE ARE A CHURCH THAT BELIEVES GOD'S WORD IS IMPORTANT AND NEEDED IN OUR WORLD, ESPECIALLY HIS GOSPEL, SALVATION AND LIFE IN JESUS CHRIST.

UH, AND SO THEREFORE, I PRAY ALM, MIND TO GOD.

HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK AND PRAISE YOU, YOU ALONE FOR ALL GOOD THINGS, FOR YOUR GIFTS, EARTHLY AND ETERNAL FOR CHRIST'S SAKE.

ACCEPT OUR HUMBLE CONFESSION OF SIN AS WE HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF YOUR GLORY AND OUR INEQUITIES, EVEN AS YOU GROW OUR REPENTANT TRUST IN THE CRUCIFIED AND RISEN CHRIST, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE STEAD OF ALL OF US.

I PRAY THAT ALL GATHERED HERE KNOW YOU'RE SAVING GRACE IN CHRIST FOR IN HIM.

YOU HAVE SHOWN LOVE AND EVERLASTING LOVE.

RECEIVE OUR SUPPLICATION FOR YOUR GUIDANCE OF THE GOVERNANCE OF THIS CITY.

FOR THERE IS NO AUTHORITY AMONG US EXCEPT WHAT IS ESTABLISHED BY YOU.

WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THE SERVANT LEADERS OF GRAND PRAIRIE AND ALL WHOM YOU SET OVER US.

WE PRAY FOR THE LEADERS AND CITIZENS ASSEMBLED HERE AND AND BEYOND TRUE LOVE FOR OTHERS.

WISDOM FROM ON HIGH, PERSEVERANCE IN THE FACE OF ALL CHALLENGES AND OPPOSITION TO YOUR WILL AMONG US.

JOY IN MINISTRIES YOU HAVE GIVEN US AND ALWAYS SAFE REFUGE IN YOU.

WE SEEK TO FOLLOW YOUR GOOD COMMANDS IN ALL THINGS AND PRAY FOR CHRIST'S SPIRIT TO SANCTIFY WHAT IS DONE HERE IN HIS NAME.

WE PRAY FOR THOSE IN ANY NEED AS WE SEEK YOUR PROVISION AND DEED THROUGH US FOR ALL PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR CURBING OF ALL EVIL, WE PRAY YOUR GRACIOUS WILL.

WE KNOW FROM YOUR WORD THAT WE LEAD A PEACEFUL AND QUIET LIFE, GODLY AND DIGNIFIED IN EVERY WAY, GOOD AND PLEASING IN YOUR SIGHT TO YOU IN ALL THINGS.

BE GLORY NOW AND FOREVER.

IN CHRIST'S NAME.

AMEN.

THANK YOU.

PLEASE JOIN US AS WE RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE US AND TEXAS FLAG PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NATION INDIVIDUAL.

JUSTICE.

HONOR, HONOR, TEXAS.

FLAG.

I PLEASURE.

CITY, TEXAS.

ONE, STATE ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.

THANK YOU MADAM.

ALL

[3. Certificate of Election and Oath of Office for Council Member District 1 and Council Member Place 7 at Large]

WHO DO YOU WANNA DO FIRST? UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CLEMSON, PLEASE.

OKAY.

MAYOR, MAY I BRING MY FAMILY? YOU CAN BRING UP ANY, THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BE FAMILY .

YOU CAN BRING UP ANYBODY YOU WANT TO, BUT ONLY IF YOU WANT 'EM UP THERE FOR THE REST OF MY FRIENDS THAT CAME SPECIALIST TONIGHT TO COME UP HERE.

DOROTHY MAYOR, COME ON, Y'ALL.

ANYONE WHO COME HERE TONIGHT AT MY REQUEST OR AT MY INVITATION,

[00:05:01]

SHE DIDN'T INVITE ME, SO I'M GONNA STAY HERE.

MAYOR .

READY? GOT IT.

HERE YOU GO, DAN.

ALL RIGHT, STAY PUT.

COME RIGHT HERE.

YOU CAN STAY OVER THERE AMONGST THE CROWD IF YOU WANT TO.

OKAY.

RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND PLEASE.

AND REPEAT AFTER ME.

I, GEORGIA, CLEMSON, I, GEORGIA, CLEMSON.

DO, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM.

I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES.

I'LL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF, OF THE OFFICE.

CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, GRAND PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER OF GRAND PRAIRIE DISTRICT, ONE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND, PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION.

THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

AND OF THIS STATE.

AND OF THIS STATE.

SO HELP ME GOD.

SO HELP ME GOD.

THANK YOU.

THANK, DID Y'ALL GET ENOUGH PICTURES, ? I HOPE SO.

OKAY.

HEY SPENCER.

I WANT SOME POPCORN.

SPENCER.

HEY, SEE WHAT I DO, GEORGIA, I'LL LET YOU SPEAK AFTER WE GET COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS SWORN IN.

GIVE YOU A TIME.

SO COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, BRING DOWN WHOEVER YOU WANT TO DO.

IS PAT IS GONNA GET UP.

BRING EVERYBODY UP.

NEED ONE PERSON? TAKE YES.

YEAH.

ONE MORE PERSON.

I'M SORRY.

OKAY, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

REPEAT AFTER ME.

AYE.

BESSIE ADAMS. AYE.

BESSIE ADAMS. DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES THAT I'LL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF, OF THE OFFICE OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER GRAND PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER GRAND PRAIRIE AT LARGE PLACE, SEVEN AT LARGE, PLACE SEVEN OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, STATE OF TEXAS, AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND, PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION, THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OF THIS STATE.

AND OF THIS STATE.

SO HELP ME GOD.

SO HELP ME GOD.

OKAY,

[00:10:09]

COUNCIL MEMBER CLEMSON, I'LL TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO YOU FOR SOME COMMENTS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

WHAT AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TONIGHT TO BE SWORN IN.

AND, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

FIRST OF ALL, I ALWAYS LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK THE GOOD LORD FOR BLESSING ME WITH THE GOOD HEALTH AND THE SOUND MIND AND THE ENERGY TO SERVE MY FELLOW CITIZENS OF GRAND PRAIRIE.

IT'S SUCH A, A BLESSING.

AND OF COURSE, ALWAYS MY FAMILY, MY HUSBAND BACK THERE.

DAN, WOULD YOU JUST WAVE BIG? DAN, THAT'S DAN.

AND, UM, I JUST AM SO BLESSED TO HAVE HIM TO, UM, LET ME RUN AROUND ALL OVER GRAND PRAIRIE AND DO THE THINGS LIKE HE SAYS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TODAY? AND, UH, I'LL SAY, OH, YOU KNOW, AND HE SAYS, OH, YOU JUST DOING WHAT YOU DO? I SAID, YES, I'M JUST DOING WHAT I DO TODAY.

AND HE UNDERSTANDS, AND HE WILL, AS LONG AS I'LL BRING HIM BACK A CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE, HE'S OKAY WITH IT.

.

SO, UH, AND THANK YOU, SPENCER.

OF COURSE, I HAVE SPENCER AND CHRISTINE SPENCER'S, OUR SON, AND MADISON AND JORDAN HERE, FAMILY MEMBERS AS WELL.

AND THANK YOU TO ALL, UM, ALL OF MY FAMILY IS SO UNDERSTANDING AND SO SUPPORTIVE.

SO I THANK THEM.

I THANK ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND MY SUPPORTERS.

UM, I THANK THE STAFF WHO IS JUST FABULOUS.

THEY, UH, KEEP ME ON TRACK AND HELP ME BE ORGANIZED AS FAR AS ACTIVITIES, AND SO I, WE HAVE THE BEST STAFF EVER.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I SAY I HAVE MY, UH, UM, MY CITY FAMILY.

I HAVE MY REGULAR FAMILY.

I HAVE MY CITY FAMILY, I HAVE MY CHURCH FAMILY, THANK YOU TO MY CHURCH FAMILY AS WELL.

AND I HAVE MY PICKLEBALL FAMILY.

SO THANK YOU TO ALL AND, UM, UM, I HAD THIS SCRIPTURE ON MY MIND, SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE IT WITH YOU TONIGHT.

IT'S, UM, WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU OR OF US? AND IT'S TO ACT JUSTLY, LOVE, MERCY, AND WALK HUMBLY.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU ALL AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOU.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. GOOD AFTERNOON.

FIRST, I DEFINITELY WANNA THANK GOD WHO IS DEFINITELY THE HEAD OF MY LIFE.

UM, THROUGH HIM I COULD, WITHOUT HIM, I COULD DO NOTHING.

AND SO THAT IS MY FIRST THANKS IS UNTO HIM.

THEN SECONDLY, MY FAMILY.

WHERE'S MY HUSBAND? JACKIE ADAMS, CAN YOU PLEASE STAND UP? I ALWAYS CALL HIM THE BEST SIGN MAN IN TEXAS.

HE IS TRULY THE WIND BENEATH MY WINGS, AND I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY, AND HE'S JUST NOTHING BUT SUPPORT.

SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT.

MY FAMILY, I HAVE MY OLDEST DAUGHTER, JAMIS, WAVE YOUR HAND, JEREMIAH, MY SON, WAVE YOUR HAND AS WELL AS BRAXTON, MY YOUNGEST AND MY NORTH STAR IS ZAYA.

SHE'S A LITTLE SLEEPY AND A LITTLE GRUMPY, BUT I LOOK AT HER AS MY NORTH STAR BECAUSE WHEN WE SIT HERE ON THIS DIET, WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS FOR 10, 15, 20 YEARS DOWN THE LINE.

AND I ALWAYS HAVE HER IN MIND WHEN I THINK OF THE DECISIONS THAT I MAKE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT MAKING 'EM JUST FOR OURSELVES CURRENTLY, BUT FOR THE FUTURE THAT WE HAVE IN GRAND PRAIRIE, I WANNA THANK MY FRIENDS, THE REMAINDER OF MY FAMILY, UM, MY CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT, MY VOLUNTEERS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, WE DID THE WORK AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE CITIZENS OF GRAND PRAIRIE.

YOU ALL ANSWERED, YOU ALL VOTED ME AT 62.1, I THINK PERCENT.

AND SO I HOPE THAT SAYS THAT YOU ARE PLEASED IN THE DECISIONS THAT I'VE MADE AND THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE.

I HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD AND MADE SURE THAT THE MAIN THING, AS I SAID IN 2023, REMAINS THE MAIN THING, WHICH IS GRAND PRAIRIE AND WHAT'S BEST FOR GRAND PRAIRIE.

AND I WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH A

[00:15:01]

THIS IS THE POEM.

IF YOU ATTENDED THE CHAMBER MEETING, THE CHAMBER, UH, CANDIDATE FORUM, I SAID, I SAID IT THEN, AND I'D LIKE TO SAY IT NOW, IS I HAVE ONLY A MOMENT, A MINUTE BY DR. BENJAMIN E. MAY, HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF MOREHOUSE COLLEGE.

I HAVE ONLY JUST A MINUTE, ONLY 60 SECONDS IN IT FORCED UPON ME.

CAN'T REFUSE IT, DIDN'T SEEK IT, DIDN'T CHOOSE IT, BUT IT'S UP TO ME TO USE IT.

I'M GONNA SUFFER IF I LOSE IT, GIVE COUNT IF I ABUSE IT JUST A TINY LITTLE MINUTE.

BUT ETERNITY IS IN IT.

AND WE THINK ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE DO FOR THIS CITY.

THREE YEARS WENT BY SO FAST AND WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS LIFE IS, BUT A VAPOR.

IT REALLY IS.

AND SO WE SIT HERE AND I SIT HERE WITH MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.

WE ARE DEFINITELY MAKING MINUTE DECISIONS, BUT ETERNITY IS TRULY IN IT.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ME BEING YOUR CITY COUNCILWOMAN.

THANK YOU.

OKAY,

[4. Recognition of Stephen Sanders for winning National Competition at the 12th Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National in Augusta, Georgia]

BERT, WHY DON'T YOU BRING UP STEVEN, YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING TO READ AND I'LL MEET YOU DOWN THERE.

COME ON.

COUNCIL, UH, IN MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE AN EXTRAORDINARY, UH, YOUNG MAN.

HE JUST, UH, WON THE DRIVE CHIP AND PUTT CHAMPIONSHIP AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL THE WEEK BEFORE THE MASTERS.

LOVE THAT.

THIS IS STEVEN SANDERS, WINNER OF THE 10 11 AGE GROUP WITH DRIVE CHIP AND PUTT.

AND, UH, WE WERE TALKING TO HIM JUST TO MAKE IT TO AUGUSTA IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO WIN.

IT IS INCREDIBLE.

SO WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU.

AND, AND, UH, ON TOP OF THAT, HE'S A REALLY GREAT PLAYER, UH, HERE IN THE LOCAL SECTION.

UH, WE'VE, UH, I'VE SEEN HIM PLAY QUITE A FEW TIMES AT PRAIRIE LAKES, AND I THINK THIS YOUNG MAN'S GONNA HAVE A, A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE.

SO, CONGRATULATIONS, MIKE.

I'VE GIVEN THIS TO Y'ALL THAT FOR HIM TO TAKE HOME.

I TOLD HIM I DON'T WANT TO BE, THIS WILL BE THE LAST.

SO THEY SAID, WELL, MAYBE NEXT TIME THEY'LL BE WEARING THE GREEN JACKET.

NO, YOU'LL HEAR MANY MORE TIMES.

UH, WE'LL WATCH HIS CAREER AND, UH, THIS WAS GREAT, STEVEN, LET'S GET SOME MORE PICTURES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND READ THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, INFORMATION INTO THE RECORD? YES.

GOOD EVENING.

[PUBLIC COMMENTS]

ALL SPEAKERS MUST COMPLETE A COMMENT CARD PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING.

FOR ITEMS LISTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF FIVE MINUTES FOR ALL ITEMS. CITIZENS MAY SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES ON ANY ITEM SCHEDULED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING, INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, OR DURING CITIZEN COMMENTS.

APPLICANTS FOR ZONING MATTERS MAY SPEAK FOR FIVE MINUTES.

ALL SPEAKERS SHALL OBSERVE THE RULES OF DECORUM AND EXHIBIT ORDERLY AND RESPECTFUL CONDUCT DURING THE MEETING.

SPEAKER SHALL DIRECT THEIR REMARKS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND NOT THE AUDIENCE.

UM, WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, APPROACH THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD BEFORE WE CALL ANYBODY UP.

I KNOW MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS, UH, FARMER CLASSMATE OF MINE AND FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER EDDIE HEMPHILL.

ED HEMPHILL PASSED AWAY LAST WEEK.

IT WAS AFTER WHEN WE HAD POSTED OUR AGENDA, BUT I HAVE TOLD STAFF IN THE FUTURE, WE'VE ALWAYS RECOGNIZED COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE PASSED WHILE THEY'RE A COUNCIL MEMBER.

BUT WE HAVE BEEN LAX IN RECOGNIZING COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE PASSED AFTER THEY'RE NOT NO LONGER ON THE COUNCIL.

WE'VE MENTIONED 'EM, BUT WE HAVE NEVER READ ANYTHING INTO THE RECORD.

SO ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING, WE WILL HAVE SOMETHING FROM ME WITH THE HISTORY AND THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF EDDIE'S THAT ARE HERE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE THAT TO THEM SO THEY CAN KEEP FOREVER.

SO THAT WILL BE ON THE COMING AGENDA IN ON JUNE 2ND.

NOW LET'S READ THE FIRST ONE.

UH, THE HAROLD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, THE POLICE, SIR.

ITEM NUMBER NINE ARE ANY OTHERS YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT?

[00:20:01]

THIS ONE WILL ACTUALLY AUTHORIZE US TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT ANY OF THE OPIOIDS, OPIOID SETTLEMENTS THAT COME IN THE FUTURE.

UM, RIGHT NOW THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE WAITING FOR US TO REVIEW AND, UM, DECIDE IF WE WANT TO APPROVE, AND THE LIST OF ALL OF THEM IS INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA AS TO WHO THE CURRENT ONE IS WITH DIFFERENT PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES.

AND HOW MUCH ARE WE GETTING RIGHT NOW? WHAT, FOR THIS ONE, IT'S GONNA BE AN ESTIMATED ABOUT $21,000.

AGAIN, THE AMOUNTS IN THE AGENDA PACKET, 21,000.

I DON'T LOOK AT THE PACKET.

OKAY.

WHAT I WANNA, IF WE'RE GETTING $21,000, OKAY, THERE'LL BE MORE ADDITIONAL SETTLEMENTS FROM, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH WE'LL GET FROM THE ADDITIONAL SETTLEMENTS? WE DON'T KNOW IF THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL ONES OR NOT, BUT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS VERY QUICKLY TO BE ABLE TO CLAIM THE SETTLEMENTS.

AND WE DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TIME TO COME TO COUNSEL FOR APPROVAL.

SO WE'RE ASKING FOR APPROVAL NOW SO THAT WE CAN ACCEPT THOSE IN THE FUTURE, SHOULD WE DETERMINE IT'S APPROPRIATE.

THE SACKLER FAMILY WAS THE ONE PAYING OUT BILLIONS.

HOW COME WE'RE ONLY GETTING 21,000? THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HARMED BY OPIOIDS, AND SO THERE ARE A LOT OF CLAIMANTS AND WE ARE ATTRIBUTED A CERTAIN PORTION OF THIS PARTICULAR SETTLEMENT.

IT'S THE SAME WITH ALL OF THE SETTLEMENTS.

OKAY.

WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMBATING OPIOID ABUSE, MY ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE IS IN ADDICTION STUDIES.

IT ISN'T THE ROLE OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT TO BE IN THE ADDICTION, UM, BUSINESS OR COUNSELING BUSINESS.

UM, RIGHT NOW IN DALLAS COUNTY, IF YOU HAVE A KID WHO HAS A SERIOUS ISSUE, THERE AREN'T ANY BEDS IN DALLAS COUNTY.

WE'RE THE NINTH LARGEST AREA IN THE UNITED STATES.

IF YOU HAVE AN ADULT WHO DOESN'T HAVE QUOTE INSURANCE, THERE ISN'T ANY MONEY AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW.

SO MORE AMERICANS WILL DIE FROM ALCOHOL, CAFFEINE, AND NICOTINE ABUSE.

THIS YEAR, NPR HAD A GOOD PROGRAM TODAY ABOUT THE ALCOHOL ISSUE.

AND I GUESS I'M JUST KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT GETTING INVOLVED IN, UH, COMBATING OPIOID ABUSE.

HOW DO WE DEFINE THAT PLEASE? SO IT, THE, THE SETTLEMENTS ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO BE USED FOR CERTAIN THINGS, AND THAT IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMBATING OPIOID ABUSE THROUGH TREATMENT, EDUCATION, AND PREVENTION.

SO WE DO, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IS WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT WILL GO OUT TO INDIVIDUALS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH RESOURCES TO HELP THEM TO GET TREATMENT.

BUT THERE'S NO TREATMENT BEDS IN DALLAS COUNTY OR REALLY NORTH TEXAS.

THERE'S NO TREATMENT BEDS.

I MEAN, INNER HEALTH FOR RICH WHITE REPUBLICANS AT 10 O'CLOCK ON THE NEWS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, FOR RICH WHITE PEOPLE.

YEAH.

BUT PERSON WHO HAS A KID WHO HAS AN OPIOID PROBLEM, THERE ISN'T ANY BEDS IN DALLAS COUNTY.

SO CHIEF SEVA SLIVA, TELL HIM WHAT THAT MONEY GOES TO HERE IN OUR CITY.

NO PROBLEM.

UH, TIM SLIVA, ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE.

SO THAT MONEY IS GOING TO FUND, AS TIFFANY SAID, ONE OF OUR CLINICIAN POSITIONS WITHIN OUR CRISIS SUPPORT UNIT HELP FUND IT.

CORRECT.

SO WHAT SHE FOCUSES ON IS PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED BY OPIOIDS AND BY DOING SO, THEY HAVE RESOURCES THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE COULDN'T JUST PICK UP THE PHONE AND GET DIRECTLY TO THOSE RESOURCES, BUT THEY'RE ABLE TO HELP THOSE PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY AND, AND GIVE THEM THOSE EXTRA HELP.

THERE'S NOT THAT EXTRA HELP THAT THEY NEED.

THERE'S NOT MUCH.

AT LEAST THEY HELP.

YEAH.

RIGHT NOW, TEXAS RANKS 49TH OUTTA THE 50 STATES AND FUNDING FOR THESE PROGRAMS. SO OUR MONEY FROM THE STATE IS NON-EXISTENT.

OUR FEDERAL FUNDING IS CUT BACK.

WE DESPERATELY HAVE PEOPLE WHO NEED THIS AND KINDA LIKE ON SOUTH PARK WITH MR. MACKEY, YOU KNOW, DRUGS ARE BAD, DON'T DO DRUGS.

ON SOUTH PARK, IT'S, AND LIKE ROB REER, THE MEATHEAD WHEN HE HAD ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD, AND YET LOOK WHAT HIS SON DID.

SO IT'S, IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE.

I'M FORTUNATE TO HAVE AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE IN THIS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, AT SEVEN O'CLOCK ON A TUESDAY NIGHT, I MEAN, YOU CAN GIVE A PHONE NUMBER, BUT GETTING SOMEONE IN, SO THAT'S JUST MY CONCERN, THAT WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE'RE GETTING, THAT I, I WANT MORE FROM THE SACKLER FAMILY.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT DESTROYED THE LIVES.

SO THEY SHOULD BE PAYING US 210,000 OR 21 MILLION.

WE NEED MORE MONEY FROM THE SACKLER FAMILY.

THEY CREATED THIS PROBLEM.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S ALL.

THANK YOU, HAROLD.

THANK YOU.

NO PROBLEM.

MS. PATSY WRIGHT, ITEM NUMBER 12

[00:25:09]

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.

ITEM 12, AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT HOUSING ADMINISTRATION FUND 3001.

WHAT IS, WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THAT? IT'S A SPECIFIC FUND.

SHE'LL EXPLAIN IT TO YOU.

AND, AND, AND I'M A BOARD MEMBER AND I DON'T KNOW.

HI, MS. PASSEY.

HI ESTHER COLEMAN, HOUSING DIRECTOR.

THIS IS OUR ANNUAL BUDGET, MS. PASSEY.

AND THE NUMBER, THE 3000 IS JUST THE ACCOUNT NUMBER IN WHICH THOSE FUNDS ARE ADMINISTERED TO.

IT'S PRETTY ROUTINE.

IT'S BASED ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEES THAT WE EARN FOR THE PROGRAM AND OUR EXPENSES THAT COVER SALARIES AND ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE RELATED TO ADMINISTERING THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM.

SO WILL THIS HELP SHORTEN THE WAITING TIME FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SIGNED FOR HOUSING IN GRAND PRAIRIE? NO.

NO MA'AM.

PART OF THE BUDGET IS ADMINISTRATIVE AND THE OTHER BUDGET IS FOR THE PROGRAM HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS.

AND IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY ADDITIONAL VOUCHERS, IT'S JUST TO SUPPORT THE EXISTING VOUCHERS THAT WE HAVE.

SO HOW MANY DO WE HAVE ON THE WAITING LIST FOR? WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 8,000.

JESUS.

AND HOW MANY DO WE PROCESS PER YEAR OR PER MONTH OR PER QUARTER? MS. PA, AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NO TERM LIMITS ON THE HOUSING PROGRAM.

SO IT DEPENDS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE GET OFF THE PROGRAM ON THE ANNUAL BASIS AS TO HOW MANY YOU CAN ISSUE NEW VOUCHERS.

OKAY.

DO WE SUPPLY ANY VOUCHERS FOR NONPROFITS WHEN THEY HAVE PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE SHELTER OR APPLYING? NO, MA'AM.

WE'RE ONLY FUNDED TO, UH, SUPPORT THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM.

UH, WE DID RECEIVE FUNDING AT ONE TIME FOR THE HOMELESS, BUT THOSE FUNDING WILL EXPIRE IN SEPTEMBER OF 26.

MM-HMM .

HOW DO WE LET THE CITIZENS KNOW THAT ARE WAITING? DO WE SEND OUT LETTERS OR PERSONAL INFORMATION? HOW DO WE FIND THESE PEOPLE? OR, I'M, I'M NOT SURE.

COULD YOU REPHRASE YOUR QUESTION? OKAY.

LET'S SAY IT ACTUALLY, THERE'S 8,000 ON THE WAITING LIST.

MM-HMM .

WHEN THEY GET CLOSE TO BEING ABLE TO BEING TAKEN CARE OF, THEY CONTACT THEM.

OH, OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

YES, YES, SIR.

OKAY.

WE, THAT ONE AT THE END OF THE LINE WON'T EVER GET A LETTER FROM US.

, I'M SORRY TO SAY.

SORRY TO SAY.

YEAH.

OKAY.

THANK YOU, PATRICK.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

THAT CONCLUDES DEPUTY MAYOR

[CONSENT AGENDA]

I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR, UM, A MOTION.

OKAY.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

UM, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE REVISIONS TO THE MINUTES PASSED TO COUNSEL DURING BRIEFING.

WE HAVE MOTION SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

I OPPOSED SAY NAY.

MOTION CARRIES EIGHT OH CITIZEN

[CITIZEN COMMENTS]

DOLORES PHILLIPS.

GO TO THREE MINUTES.

MONA, IT'S CAN YOU DO IT ON YOUR OWN? SORRY.

MINE.

THAT'S OKAY.

BLANK.

DOLORES NEXT.

DR.

ANGELA LUCKY.

A GOOD EVENING.

MAYOR JENSEN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS DR.

ANGELA LUCKY VAUGHN, AND I'M HERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE CITY SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN DIRECTLY WITH THE ORGANIZER, DR. KNIGHT, BEFORE DECIDING TO CANCEL HER EVENT.

THE FA IN QUESTION HAD ALREADY BEEN CORRECTED BEFORE GOVERNOR ABBOTT WEIGHED IN.

AT THAT POINT, THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNICATION AND CORPORATION INSTEAD OF CANCELLATION.

DR. KNIGHT HAS HOSTED THIS EVENT IN GRAND PRAIRIE FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.

THIS WOULD'VE BEEN THE THIRD YEAR.

DURING THAT TIME, THERE HAVE BEEN NO POLICE CALL, NO PUBLIC SAFETY INCIDENTS, AND NO PROBLEMS REQUIRING CITY INTERVENTION THAT HISTORY MATTERS WHETHER PEOPLE PERSONALLY AGREE WITH EVENT OR NOT.

FAIRNESS AND DUE PROCESS SHOULD

[00:30:01]

WHEN A LOCAL ORGANIZER HAS DEMONSTRATED RESPONSIBILITY AND WILLINGNESS TO CORRECT CONCERNS, THE CITY SHOULD ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE BEFORE TAKING ACTION THAT IMPACTS COMMUNITY TRUST.

GRAND PRIX SHOULD BE KNOWN AS A CITY THAT COMMUNICATES WITH ITS RESIDENTS, TREAT PEOPLE FAIRLY, AND WORK TOWARDS SOLUTIONS.

INSTEAD OF REACTING TO OUTSIDE POLITICAL PRESSURE, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER HOW SITUATIONS LIKE THIS ARE HANDLED IN THE FUTURE.

AND TO ENSURE ORGANIZERS ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS CONCERNS DIRECTLY BEFORE EVENTS OR COUNCIL.

I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE, UM, MS. GEORGIA CLEMSON ON HER REELECT.

ALSO COUNCILWOMAN BESSIE ADAMS. AND AGAIN, UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO COUNCILMAN UM, RODNEY ANDERSON.

BEFORE I TAKE MY SEAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THIS, FOR MORE THAN 60 DAYS, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET A MEETING WITH THE CITY MANAGER, UH, MR. WILLIAM HILLS.

UM, I'M ALWAYS TOLD HE'S OUT OF THE OFFICE OR HE IS GONE AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED A MEETING.

BUT COUNCILMAN JOHNSON ASKED ME TO GO TO FRISCO, TEXAS TO HAVE A PRIVATE MEETING WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND HIMSELF FOR WHAT? THAT LOOKS SNEAKY.

I AM STILL WAITING ON MY MEETING.

THANK YOU.

MOHAMED ABDULLAH.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS MOHAMED ABDULLAH.

I AM THE HUSBAND OF DR.

AMINA KNIGHT, THE ORGANIZER OF THE EPIC EID WATERS EVENT.

I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A FATHER OF SIX, A NEIGHBOR TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND A VERY DISAPPOINTED CITIZEN, NOT JUST DISAPPOINTED IN GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT AND THE ANTI-MUSLIM RHETORIC THAT CONTINUES TO SPREAD ACROSS THE STATE, BUT DISAPPOINTED IN THE USE OF PROPAGANDA, MISINFORMATION, FEAR MONGERING AND TWISTED NARRATIVES TO TURN MUSLIMS INTO A POLITICAL SCAPEGOAT AND MANUFACTURED BOOGEYMAN IN ORDER TO ENERGIZE A POLITICAL BASE AS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN IN THIS COUNTRY.

I RECOGNIZED THAT STRATEGY IMMEDIATELY.

AMERICA HAS SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT WHAT TRULY SHOCKED ME WAS NOT THE GOVERNOR BECAUSE I EXPECTED THAT FROM HIM.

WHAT SHOCKED ME WAS THAT MY OWN NEIGHBORING CITY FOLDED UNDER THAT PRESSURE BECAUSE GRAND PRAIRIE CALLS ITSELF A CITY OF FRIENDLY NEIGHBORS AND HUMAN DIGNITY.

GRAND PRAIRIE PROUDLY PRESENTS ITSELF AS A DIVERSE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY.

AND THAT IS WHY THIS HURTS SO DEEPLY BECAUSE WE HAVE HELD THIS E EVENT FOR YEARS WITHOUT A SINGLE INCIDENT OR COMPLAINT.

FAMILIES GATHERED PEACEFULLY, CHILDREN CELEBRATED TOGETHER.

OUR NEIGHBORS WERE ALWAYS INVITED.

PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT FAITHS AND BACKGROUNDS ATTENDED.

AND THE CITIZENS OF GRAND PERRY HAVE BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE OF ME AND MY FAMILY.

AND WHEN CONCERNS WERE RAISED ABOUT THE FLYER, WE CHANGED IT BEFORE THE GOVERNOR EVEN BECAME AWARE.

WE TRIED TO MOVE FORWARD IN GOOD FAITH, BUT DESPITE THAT, NOBODY FROM THE CITY TRIED TO RECONCILE WITH US.

NOT ONE OF YOU.

NOBODY REACHED OUT, NOBODY TRIED TO FIND ANOTHER DATE.

NOBODY TRIED TO PRESERVE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MUSLIM FAMILIES OF THE CITY.

INSTEAD, THE CITY FOLDED UNDER POLITICAL PRESSURE.

AND THAT TOLD ME EVERYTHING THAT I NEEDED TO KNOW.

YOU MIGHT PREACH ABOUT INDIVISIBLE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL AS WE JUST STOOD AND PLEDGED TO, BUT YOU DON'T PRACTICE IT.

MY CHILDREN WHO WERE STANDING HERE WITH ME TODAY, THAT'S THE MOST DISHEARTENING PART.

CHILDREN WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE SIMPLY GOING TO CELEBRATE, EAT AT A WATERPARK WITH THEIR FRIENDS, A COMMUNITY LIKE THEY'VE DONE BEFORE, A BEAUTIFUL YEARLY TRADITION FILLED WITH JOY, LAUGHTER, FAMILY, AND CELEBRATION.

INSTEAD, IT WAS MEANT TO BE A FAMILY DAY FOR OUR CHILDREN, BECAME A POLITICAL CONTROVERSY.

AND WHILE ALL OF THIS UNFOLDED, MY WIFE'S INFORMATION WAS SPREAD PUBLICLY.

MY FAMILY RECEIVED HATEFUL MESSAGES, THREATS, PHONE CALLS, TEXTS, AND EMAILS.

YET NOT ONE MEMBER OF THIS CITY GOVERNMENT REACHED OUT TO CHECK ON OUR FAMILY OR EVEN HEAR OUR SIDE OF THE STORY.

NOT ONE.

WE BROUGHT NEARLY $50,000 FOR ONE DAY INTO THE ESTABLISHMENT.

MUSLIM FAMILY SUPPORTED THIS VENUE PROUDLY FOR YEARS.

AND NOW MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY NO LONGER FEEL WELCOMED HERE.

SO THIS WAS NEVER ABOUT A CHOICE BETWEEN MONEY OR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WITH THIS DECISION, YOU RISK LOSING BOTH.

JUST YESTERDAY IN SAN DIEGO, THREE MUSLIMS WERE KILLED AT A MOSQUE.

AND WHAT AUTHORITIES ARE INVESTIGATING AS A HATE CRIME AFTER ANTI-ISLAMIC WRITINGS WERE DISCOVERED.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PROPAGANDA FAIR MONGERING AND DEHUMANIZATION ARE NORMALIZED AGAINST MAR MINORITY COMMUNITIES.

WORDS MATTER.

RHETORIC MATTERS.

FEAR HAS CONSEQUENCES.

THANK YOU.

GRAND PERRY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND WITH ITS MUSLIM NEIGHBORS.

THANK HAVING INSTEAD IT FOLDED.

THANK YOU.

AND WE'RE GONNA REMEMBER THAT.

HAROLD WILLIS, UH OH.

SOMEBODY.

OOPS.

UM, HAROLD WALLACE, 5 3 8 LINLEY.

UH, IN THE MOVIE KOHAN LUKE, THE

[00:35:01]

I WANNA KNOW WHO IN THIS BUILDING SIGNED OFF ON MUSLIMS ONLY.

WAS ANYBODY IN THIS BUILDING RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT? IT SAYS THE CORPORATE OFFICE OF AMERICAN RESORT MANAGEMENT.

IS IT 31 65 CARRIER? AREN'T THEY THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAY DAY OPERATIONS OF THAT WATERPARK? NO ONE IN HERE.

THIS IS TESTIMONY OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY.

DONALD JESUS TRUMP IN HIS DISCIPLES OF REPUBLICAN RACISM.

LITTLE GREG ABBOTT DOWN HERE.

I'LL TAKE YOU $500,000 AWAY IF YOU DON'T DO WHAT I TELL YOU.

'CAUSE I'M LITTLE GREG ABBOTT LYING IN MY POCKETS WITH MILLIONS FROM JEFFREY YS, WHO'S A KNOWN GAMBLER WHO OWNS THE IRS MONEY.

I HAVE ELECTED YOU.

I LIKE YOU PERSONALLY, BUT I HAVE ELECTED YOU TO STAND UP TO RACIST REPUBLICANS.

WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON IN AUSTIN AND WASHINGTON RIGHT NOW, IT JUST SHOWS EXACTLY WHAT IT'S, IT'S SO DISGUSTING RIGHT NOW.

YOU COULD HAVE HELD, AS THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER SAID, YOU COULD HAVE HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE.

WE DIDN'T DO THIS.

IT WAS AMERICAN RESORT MANAGEMENT WHO SNUCK THAT THROUGH.

WAS THAT REALLY LEGITIMATE? WHATEVER, IF IT SAID CHRISTIANS ONLY, BAPTIST ONLY LTV, ONLY LTV WOULD RENT SIX FLAGS FOR THE WHOLE PARK FOR ITSELF.

THIS IS WHY MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT IS SO IMPORTANT.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE A STAND.

AND BY NOT SAYING ANYTHING, LITTLE GREG ABBOTT IS JUST ANOTHER CROOKED PAID OFF LYING REPUBLICAN LAWYER.

HE'S ON THE PAYROLL.

GREG ABBOTT KNOWS AS OF TODAY.

HE'S GOT A BIG, BIG PROBLEM COME NOVEMBER.

'CAUSE WITH LITTLE KEN PAXTON.

KEN PAXTON SAID TODAY HE'S A CHRISTIAN.

YEAH, GREG ABBOTT'S GONNA HAVE TO TALK ABOUT KEN PAXTON.

CHRISTIANITY.

IT'S JUST RIDICULOUS THAT WE'RE BLAMING EVERYTHING.

MUSLIMS. MUSLIMS REAL, ALL REAL, ALL BE AFRAID.

BE AFRAID.

DON'T STEP OUT WHITE PEOPLE.

DON'T STEP OUT WHITE PEOPLE.

YOU PLAYED RIGHT INTO THAT.

I'LL BE VERY BLUNT WITH YOU.

I GOT DEMOCRATS AND I GOT TWO WELL-KNOWN REPUBLICANS IN HERE.

THIS WOULD'VE BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VERY HIGH PROMINENT, LET'S SAY THE FORMER CHAIRMAN OF, OR THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DALLAS COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY TO STAND UP AGAINST REPUBLICAN RACISM.

BUT REPUBLICANS ARE JUST, IT'S AN OLD FAMILY TRADITION.

YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.

IT'S A HANK WILLIAMS SONG.

I GUESS WE CAN WRAP THIS UP AND SAY THAT ALL THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS THERE AT SERGEANT GREG HUNTER AND BARDEN, THE REASON THEY'RE NOT WORKING IS BECAUSE MUSLIMS AND SHARIA LAW CONTROL THAT INTERSECTION.

BLAME IT OFF ON THAT.

THAT'S HOW RIDICULOUS THIS WAS.

THE VOTERS WILL REMEMBER WALLA OMER.

GOOD EVENING AND GREETINGS OF PEACE.

MY NAME IS WALLA OMER.

I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, AND A PROUD MUSLIM AMERICAN.

LAST WEEK I ASKED MY STUDENTS WHAT THEY WERE MOST EXCITED ABOUT THIS SUMMER.

SOME SAID THEY WERE GOING TO MEXICO, SOME SAID THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT SIX FLAGS, BUT ONE LITTLE MUSLIM GIRL TOLD ME SHE COULDN'T WAIT TO GO TO EPIC WATERPARK WITH HER ENTIRE FAMILY TO CELEBRATE REED.

SHE SAID THIS YEAR WOULD BE SPECIAL BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME HER MOM PLANNED TO SWIM WITH HER.

SHE FELT SEEN, SHE FELT INCLUDED.

SHE FELT LIKE SHE FINALLY HAD A PLACE TO CELEBRATE HER FAITH FREELY.

AND AS SHE SPOKE WITH SO MUCH JOY, I REALIZED I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO TELL HER THE TRUTH THAT THE EVENT SHE WAS WAITING FOR HAD BEEN CANCELED.

NOT BECAUSE THE WATERPARK WAS CLOSED OR BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, WEATHER OR BECAUSE OF ANY SAFETY CONCERN, BUT BECAUSE GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT THREATENED TO WITHDRAW STATE FUNDING OVER A PRIVATELY RENTED, LAWFUL, PEACEFUL RELIGIOUS CELEBRATION THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE FOR YEARS.

AND I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING ABOUT OUR CITY, GRAND PRAIRIE.

IT IS HOME TO NEARLY 200,000 RESIDENTS AND THOUSANDS OF MUSLIM AMERICANS.

WE ARE TEACHERS IN THIS DISTRICT.

WE ARE DOCTORS CARING FOR YOUR FAMILIES.

WE ARE ENGINEERS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.

WE ARE YOUR NEIGHBORS.

WE'RE NOT OUTSIDERS.

WE'RE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.

NOW TELL ME, HOW DO I EXPLAIN THAT TO AN 8-YEAR-OLD? HOW DO YOU TELL A CHILD THAT HER HOLIDAY IS SUDDENLY A POLITICAL TARGET? HOW DO YOU TELL HER THAT DISCRIMINATION CAN REACH HER EVEN AT A WATERPARK? , EPIC EVENT HAS BEEN RENTED FOR YEARS.

IT HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM.

SUDDENLY THIS YEAR, AFTER YEARS OF PEACEFUL GATHERINGS,

[00:40:01]

THE ONLY THING THAT CHANGED WAS THAT THE EVENT ITSELF WAS NOT THE EVENT ITSELF, BUT THE RHETORIC AROUND IT.

41 REPRESENTATIVES, MOST OF WHOM ARE NOT EVEN MUSLIM, CONDEMNED THE CANCELLATION AND MADE IT CLEAR THAT THIS DECISION VIOLATES CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS.

IT SINGLES OUT A RELIGIOUS MINORITY.

IT IS DISCRIMINATION, NOT SAFETY.

AND THIS IS HAPPENING AT A TIME WHEN MUSLIMS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE FACING INCREASING THREATS, INCLUDING A MASS SHOOTING TARGETED MUSLIMS. JUST YESTERDAY IN SAN DIEGO, OUR CHILDREN ALREADY FAB FROM DAUNT TO SUNSET WHILE ATTENDING SCHOOL.

THEY ALREADY SEE THEIR HOLIDAYS RECEIVE LITTLE RECOGNITION, AND NOW EVEN THEIR ONE JOYFUL GATHERING HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY.

I'M THINKING ABOUT DR.

AMINA, A CLOSE FRIEND AND COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO HELPED ORGANIZE THIS EVENT AND NOW RECEIVING TARGETED HARASSMENT AND HATE MESSAGES.

LET ME BE, BE VERY CLEAR.

A GOVERNOR CANNOT LEGALLY PUNISH A CITY, A BUSINESS, OR A COMMUNITY FOR ALLOWING A MINORITY FAITH GROUP TO GATHER THAT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, THAT IS DISCRIMINATORY, AND THAT IS DANGEROUS.

THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT, JOSHUA EMERY.

GREETINGS AND, UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

UH, MY NAME IS JOSHUA EMERY.

UM, I'M A FILMMAKER AND I'M ALSO A TEXAS RESIDENT, AND I'M ALSO HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE EPIC WATERPARK INCIDENTS.

UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE WORKED ON, UM, THE PROMOTION FOR IT, UH, LAST YEAR.

AND, YOU KNOW, IRONICALLY, CURRENTLY AS A FILMMAKER, A FILM THAT I'M WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IS ABOUT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN AMERICA.

NOW AS SOMEONE WHO IS, UH, RELATED TO THE DESCENDANTS OF THE ENSLAVED LABORERS OF THOMAS JEFFERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY'S, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR PICTURES ARE ON JEFFERSON'S WALLS.

UH, AND JEFFERSON, YOU KNOW, WE GO THERE EVERY YEAR, UH, TO MONTICELLO AND WE TALK ABOUT HIS LEGACY.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE SEES THAT WAS SO POWERFUL TO INCLUDE ON HIS GRAVESTONE WAS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

IT SAYS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACROSS THOMAS JEFFERSON'S GRAVE IN MONTICELLO.

NOW, THE INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED IN, IN, IN, IN THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PAST FEW WEEKS ABOUT THIS WATER PARK WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS SO DISHEARTENING, UH, JUST NOT TO JUST THE, THE PEOPLE INVOLVED, BUT ALSO TO WHAT THE CONSTITUTION HOLDS.

THE CONSTITUTION MENTIONS FREEDOM OF RELIGION, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, AND YES, GRANTED THERE WAS A MISTAKE.

THEY HAD SAID MUSLIMS ONLY AND THEY CHANGED IT.

THE SECOND THAT THEY GOT WIND OF THE FACT THAT THAT WAS WRONG, THEY WENT AND CHANGED IT AND SAID MODEST STRESS ONLY.

IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE FACT THAT, WELL, MAYOR, YOU DECIDED TO, TO, TO PULL BACK ON THE ENTIRE EVENT FOLDING TO TO, TO GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT'S REQUEST.

NOW, I MEAN, AS A LEADER AT, YOU KNOW, WE'D LOVE TO LOOK TO YOU AS A COMPETENT LEADER, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS KIND OF RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD.

WHAT, HOW CAN WE APPROACH THIS SITUATION BETTER, UM, NEXT TIME? BECAUSE GRANTED, I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE BETTER, WE HAVE TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE PRESS CONFERENCES, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ATTACK SITUATIONS LIKE THIS SO THAT NO RESIDENT IN GRAND PRAIRIE OR IN TEXAS FOR THAT MATTER OR IN AMERICA FEELS EXCLUDED.

THAT'S ALL MY TIME.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT.

THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

WE GO ON TO

[14. Public Hearing and Ordinance approving the Program Year 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Budgets (Reviewed by the Finance and Government Committee on 05/04/2026)]

WHO'S PRESENTING ITEM 14? ESTHER? YES.

ALRIGHT, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, I AM PROUD TO PRESENT THIS YEAR'S, UH, PROGRAM 26 CDBG AND HOME BUDGET FOR IN.

OKAY, FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, WE'RE REQUESTING A PUBLIC HEARING AS WELL AS ADOPT A ORDINANCE TO, UM, APPROVE THE COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANT BUDGET.

BUDGET.

OKAY, SO THIS YEAR, UM, WE DID GET A SMALL INCREASE IN OUR CDBG FUNDS, OUR CDBG FUNDS THAT

[00:45:01]

IT IS FUNDED IN FOUR CATEGORIES.

OUR FIRST ONE WOULD BE CDBG ADMINISTRATION.

THAT BUDGET CONSISTS OF THE OVERSIGHT OF MANAGEMENT MONITORING AND COORDINATION OF THE CDBG PROGRAM AND CDBG ADMINISTRATION.

UM, THERE IS A 20% CAP ON THE CDBG FUND.

SO THAT WOULD PUT US AT ABOUT, UM, 313,845, UH, TO CONSIST OF 301,000 PLUS FOR CDBG ADMINISTRATION, AS WELL AS 5,000 FOR OUR FAIR HOUSING ACTIVITIES.

OUR SECOND CATEGORY WOULD BE OUR CDBG REHAB AND HOUSING RELATED FUNDS THAT CONSIST OF OUR DIRECT DELIVERY HOUSING REHABILITATION RECONSTRUCTION, OUR EMERGENCY HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, OUR, UM, HOME OWNERSHIP, OUR FIRST TIME, UH, DOWN PAYMENT, UH, WHAT IS IT? UM, HOMEOWNER FIRST TIME.

YEAH, HOMEOWNERS FIRST TIME, SORRY, Y'ALL, UH, SALARIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS FOR OUR, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIALIST REHAB COORDINATOR AND SENIOR OFFICE ASSISTANCE THAT'S COVERED IN IT.

SO OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THOSE WOULD BE 450,000 FOR, UM, REHAB, RECONSTRUCT AND, UH, DIRECT DELIVERY ON THE CDBG.

OUR HOUSING REHABILITATION 320,000, OUR EMERGENCY HOME REPAIR, 85,000.

OUR BUYING POWER, THAT WAS THE TERM I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER.

OUR BUYING POWER 22,600.

UH, GIVING US A TOTAL BUDGET FOR REHAB AND HOUSING RELATED FUNDS OF 877,000 PLUS OUR SECOND CA OUR THIRD CATEGORY WOULD BE OUR PUBLIC SERVICE ACTIVITIES, WHICH CONSIST OF OUR BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB CHILDREN.

FIRST COUNSELING CENTER, GRAND PRAIRIE PARKS AND RECREATION SUMMER CAMPS, UH, GRAND PRAIRIE, UNITED CHARITY, LIFELINES FOR FAMILY MEALS ON WHEELS, UM, WHICH IS A VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION.

WHAT? VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION.

OH YEAH.

VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION THAT PROVIDES MEALS FOR OUR ELDERLY.

AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE CATEGORIES AND SERVICES THEY PROVIDED FOR THIS YEAR'S, UH, RECOMMENDATION OF FUNDING FROM OUR HCIC BOARD.

UM, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT WE FUND THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AT 20,000 CHILDREN FIRST COUNSELING CENTER AT 58,400.

THE PARK SUMMER CAMP PARKS AND REC SUMMER CAMP AT 20,000 GRAND PRAIRIE UNITED CHARITIES AT 58,400 LIFELINE FAMILIES AT 58,000, UH, 400.

OUR MEALS ON WHEELS AT, UH, 20,000, GIVING US OUR 15% CAP AT 2 35 3 83.

OUR NEXT CATEGORY WOULD BE PUBLIC, UH, FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS AND PROJECTS THAT INCLUDES S SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS AND INSTALLATION.

UH, AND, UM, TRADITIONALLY WE FUND OUR STREETS DEPARTMENT AT 150,000.

SO WE'RE ASKING TO CONTINUE TO FUND THAT UNDER OUR HOME PROGRAM, WHICH, UM, WAS FUNDED AT 527,000.

UH, WE'RE ASKING TO FUND OUR RECONSTRUCT, UH, RECONSTRUCTION, UH, PROGRAM AT 372,423 AND OUR CHODOS.

AND WE ARE REQUIRED UNDER FEDERAL REGULATIONS TO RESERVE OR SET ASIDE 15% OF THAT CAP FOR OUR CHODOS AT OUR MINIMUM, WHICH WAS THE 85, BUT WE'RE ASKING TO FUND THEM AT $200,000.

AND THAT WOULD BE OUR, OUR FUNDING PROPOSAL FOR OUR HOME FUNDING.

I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW BOTH PROGRAMS WENT UP A SMALL PORTION.

[00:50:02]

I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

I WAS GONNA MAKE A MOTION.

UH, I'VE GOT SOME SPEAKERS.

OKAY.

YOU DO? OKAY.

WE'RE, WE'RE DONE.

OKAY, GOOD.

THANK YOU.

MS. PATSY RAY? I'M CORRECT.

THANK YOU.

VIVIAN.

I'M SORRY.

LOOKS LIKE MOMS MORRIS.

MORRIS.

I'M SORRY.

CAN'T.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS VIVIAN MORRIS AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR LIFELINE FOR FAMILIES.

FIRST, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LIFELINE AS WE SERVE THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, LIFELINE IS TRULY GRATEFUL TO CONTINUE RECEIVING CDBG FUNDS.

THE SUPPORT HELPS US CONTINUE TO SERVE FAMILIES AND STUDENTS WITHIN THE GRAND PRAIRIE, AND WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE CITY ONGOING PARTNERSHIP.

WE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE MANY NEEDS ACROSS THE CITY AND MANY DESERVING ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE'RE JUST SO GRATEFUL THAT Y'ALL HAVE CHOSEN LIFELINE AS ONE OF THE POTENTIAL RECIPIENTS OF THE CDBG FUNDS.

LIFELINE LOOKS FORWARD TO CONTINUE WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR OUR UPCOMING FUNDRAISER AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT THE CITY OF GRANT PRAIRIE HAS PARTNERED WITH US THROUGH WITH THIS EVENT.

AND I JUST WANNA EXTEND THAT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR PARTNERSHIP, AND YOUR SUPPORT IN ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LIFELINE FOR FAMILIES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

HAROLD WILLIS.

UM, HAROLD WILLIS.

5 3 8 LINLEY.

COULD WE EXPLAIN WHAT DOES BUYING POWER? THE, WE HAVE A YOUNG MEXICAN COUPLE THAT MOVED IN ON LINLEY IN ONE OF THE RENT HOUSES.

THE PREVIOUS RENTERS, GOD, THEY TRASHED EVERYTHING OUT THIS YOUNG COUPLE.

IS THEY, THE HOUSE IS IMMACULATE AND THEY'RE JUST RENTERS.

I WOULD LIKE FOR THAT YOUNG COUPLE.

WHAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE COULD THEY GET FOR A DOWN PAYMENT TO BUY A HOUSE? OH, THAT WOULD BE OUR BUYING POWER PROGRAM AND THAT'S ABOUT $7,500.

OKAY.

HOW MUCH FUNDS DO WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THIS YEAR? UM, FOR THAT PROGRAM? FOR THE PROGRAM? I'M SORRY FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM.

I, I BELIEVE 20.

YEAH, 22 600, WHICH WE JUST PROPOSED.

HOW MUCH? HOW MUCH? 22,000 UHHUH.

IS THAT ALL 600? THAT'S ALL.

OH GOSH.

SEE LYNDON JOHNSON WOULD GIVE US 150 MILLION HELP PEOPLE RIGHT NOW.

SO BASICALLY WHEN COULD THEY APPLY FOR THIS FUNDS? WHEN WILL THIS, UH, ANYTIME THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS.

IF THEY LIVE HERE LOCALLY, WE GRAND PRAIRIE? YES.

AND THEY ARE PURCHASING A HOME THEY CAN APPLY FOR, UH, BUYING POWER FOR THAT DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.

OKAY, BUT WHEN WILL THIS MONEY? THIS IS MAY, DOES THIS MONEY START IN BUDGET YEAR? SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER.

IS IT AVAILABLE NOW? NO, WE STILL HAVE FUNDS, UH, IN THE THEY CAN APPLY RIGHT NOW.

HAROLD? YES.

OKAY, SO THIS, WHAT WE'RE SPEAKING OF NOW WILL BE FOR THE FALL, OCTOBER, OR DOES IT APPLY FOR RIGHT NOW? IT'S TOGO LATER, BUT HAROLD, THERE'S MONEY RIGHT NOW.

THEY NEED TO APPLY.

YEAH.

OKAY.

THAT'S JUST, YEAH.

IS THERE ANY KIND OF A WAITING LIST ON THAT PROGRAM RIGHT NOW? NO, THERE ISN'T.

NO.

I'LL SEND 'EM YOUR WAY.

THANK YOU .

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU.

THEY CAN HELP BUY A HOUSE.

AMBER ALEXANDER.

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR.

COUNCIL STAFF.

MY NAME IS AMBER ALEXANDER AND I'M THE CEO OF CHILDREN FIRST COUNSELING CENTER.

A GRAND PRAIRIE NONPROFIT THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDING COUNSELING AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SINCE 1977.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANNA SINCERELY THANK THE CITY FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN CDBG FUNDING.

HISTORICALLY, UM, WE KNOW THAT THESE DECISIONS ARE NOT EASY AND WE RECOGNIZE THE INCREDIBLE RESPONSIBILITY YOU HAVE IN BALANCING THESE BUDGETS AND ALL, UM, THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE INVOLVED.

WE'RE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR THE CITY'S LONGSTANDING INVESTMENT IN OUR ORGANIZATION AND SERVING GRAND PRAIRIE RESIDENTS.