* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] GOOD EVENING [B. REGULAR SESSION AGENDA - CALL TO ORDER] EVERYONE. I'M MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR. IT IS, UH, 6:02 PM AND I WANT TO CALL OUR, UH, REGULAR MEETING OF THE DESOTO CITY COUNCIL ORDER. WE DID HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, AND THERE WAS NO ACTION AS A RESULT, UH, OF THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION. HOWEVER, I THINK WE DID RECEIVE A CARD, BUT IT WAS RECEIVED AFTER THE CUTOFF TIME. WE, WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THE CARD, BUT, UM, IT WAS RECEIVED AFTER THE CUTOFF TIME. MS. UH, LEWIS AUBREY, ARE YOU ACKNOWLEDGING THE CARD, ACKNOWLEDGING THE SUBMITTER OF THE CARD? YES, MA'AM. THE NAME OF THE PERSON WHO SUBMITTED THE CARD WAS TERRENCE GORE. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL GO INTO OUR REGULAR SESSION OF THE DESOTA CITY COUNCIL. I'M GONNA ASK OUR CITY SECRETARY TO GIVE US A ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MAYOR RACHEL L PROCTOR. HERE, MAYOR PRO TEMP CRYSTAL CHISHOLM. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER PERT PARKER. COUNCIL MEMBER KEN WATERS. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDRE BIRD SR. I'M HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER DEBORAH NORTH. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER LETICIA HUGHES. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE THE INVOCATION BY PASTOR CALVIN CAHOON, FULL OF FAITH CHRISTIAN CENTER, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, LED BY STUDENT AMBASSADOR MAYA RAY FROM FRANK DE MOTES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE STAND? IS PASTOR CALHOUN HERE? HE IS NOT HERE. DO WE HAVE A PASTOR IN THE BUILDING THAT CAN PRAY FOR US OR ANY ONE OF THE CLERGY THERE WENT THE BACK? YES, I SAW A HAND GO UP. WOULD YOU MIND COMING TO RENDER PRAYER FOR OUR MEETING? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. PLEASE CUT HER MIC ON. MS. LEWIS. THANK YOU CHAPLAIN. MICHELLE EDWARDS JOHNSON. IF WE'LL BOW PLEASE. OH, GRACIOUS. FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR TODAY AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE TO GET HERE TO THIS PLACE TONIGHT. LET THE EARS BE OPEN AND THE EYES AND THE HEARTS BE FULL AND BE THANKFUL FOR THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO TONIGHT AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GONNA TAKE PLACE TO BE IN THE GLORY AND HONOR OF YOU AND YOUR SON, JESUS CHRIST. AMEN. AMEN. QUESTION. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD. ONE INDIVISIBLE. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR OUR CHAPLAIN AND THE AUDIENCE THAT STEPPED IN FOR US TONIGHT. WE APPRECIATE YOU PRAYING FOR OUR MEETING AS WELL AS WE HAVE OUR STUDENT AMBASSADOR FOR THIS EVENING. MS. MAYA RAY, LET'S GIVE HER A GREAT BIG HAND CLAP. SHE DID AN AMAZING JOB. I'M GOING TO READ JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR STUDENT AMBASSADOR FOR TONIGHT. MAYA RAY. SHE WAS BORN ON JULY 28TH, 2015, AND SHE'S A PROUD 10-YEAR-OLD AND STRAIGHT, A FIFTH GRADE STUDENT AT FRANK D MOTES. I THINK YOU CAN CLAP RIGHT THERE. AND IT SAYS SHE IS HONORED TO SERVE AS OUR STUDENT AMBASSADOR FOR TONIGHT'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING. A NATURAL LEADER MAYA SHINES BOTH IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM. SHE IS A DEDICATED GYMNAST AT NOVA GYMNASTICS, HAS TRAINED IN JUUJITSU FOR FIVE YEARS, SERVES AS THE CHEER CAPTAIN FOR THE FME CHEER TEAM, AND PREVIOUSLY DANCED WITH THE FME DAZZLING DIAMONDS DANCE TEAM. MAYA IS ALSO REPRESENTED BY JOHN CALAB BLANCAS MODELING AND ACTING AGENCY, WHERE SHE CONTINUES TO BUILD HER SKILLS AND HER CONFIDENCE WITH BIG DREAMS AND AN EVEN BIGGER WORK ETHIC. MAYA ASPIRES TO BECOME AN ACTRESS WHEN SHE GROWS UP BEYOND ACADEMICS AND ACTIVITIES, MAYA ENJOYS GIVING BACK TO HER COMMUNITY THROUGH VOLUNTEERING WITH HER CHURCH. TRINITY DISCIPLE OUTREACH. MAYA IS SUPPORTED BY HER PROUD PARENTS, LEONARD AND TIMMY [00:05:01] RAY, AS WELL AS HER BROTHER AUSTIN AND SISTER LENNY WHO ALL CELEBRATE HER DETERMINATION, KINDNESS, AND DRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE. LET'S GIVE IT UP ONE MORE TIME FOR OUR STUDENT AMBASSADOR, MS. MAY RAY. MS. RAY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE ANY WORDS TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENT BODY AT FRANK DEMOTES? UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE AND I AM REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE. GREAT, GREAT. AND I DO SEE, UH, HER PARENTS, SOME OF HER FAMILY MEMBERS, ANY REPRESENTATIVE FROM MOATS IN THE AUDIENCE OR DESOTO, ISD? YES. WE'LL HAVE YOU ALL TO COME UP. I'M GONNA COME DOWN AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE SOME PHOTOS. OKAY. MS. RAY, AGAIN IS OUR STUDENT AMBASSADOR AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT UH, YOU CAN DO SO. HOWEVER, YOU MUST FILL OUT A CARD AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ASSIST YOU AT OUR AMBASSADOR TABLE. AT THIS TIME, MS. LEWIS [C. PRESENTATIONS ] IRE WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING MUNICIPAL COURT CLERK WEEK, MUNICIPAL COURT WEEK, MAKING A PRESENTATION IS COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH RECEIVING ITS DIRECTOR OF COURT SERVICES, KAREN THURMAN AND JUVENILE CASE MANAGER, NANCY SWIFT. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. THIS IS SUCH A HONOR TO BE ABLE TO, UH, PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION FOR THE MUNICIPAL COURT THIS WEEK BECAUSE FIRST, I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO AND HOW YOU REPRESENT OUR CITY. SO WITH THAT SAID, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ THE PROCLAMATION HERE. WHEREAS OUR MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN DELIVERING JUSTICE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, ENSURING FAIRNESS, REINFORCING COMMUNITY STANDARDS, AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE OVERALL SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR CITY. AND WHEREAS THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3RD THROUGH 7 20 25 HAS BEEN DESIGNATED ACROSS TEXAS AS MUNICIPAL COURTS WEEK PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE COMMITMENT AND PROFESSIONALISM OF MUNICIPAL JUDGES, COURT CLERKS, BAILIFFS WARRANT OFFICERS, COURT ADMINISTRATION, EXCUSE ME, COURT ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPPORT STAFF. AND WHEREAS MUNICIPAL COURTS ARE OFTEN THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT BETWEEN CITIZENS AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM SHAPING PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS ON HOW JUSTICE IS ADMINISTERED AND RECEIVED IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS THE STAFF OF THE CITY OF DESOTO MUNICIPAL COURT WORKS DILIGENTLY EACH DAY TO ADMINISTER LAW AND LOCAL ORDINANCE ENFORCEMENT WHERE IMPARTIALITY INTEGRITY AND RESPECT FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS WHILE CONTINUOUSLY SEEKING TO IMPROVE THROUGH TRAINING, TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED. I RACHEL L PROCTOR BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS DALLAS COUNTY, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 3RD THROUGH 7 20 25 AS MUNICIPAL COURT WEEK IN THE CITY OF DESOTO. I INVITE ALL RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, AND CITY EMPLOYEES TO JOIN IN RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANT ROLE OUR MUNICIPAL COURT PERSONNEL PLAY IN UPHOLDING JUSTICE, ADVANCING PUBLIC SAFETY, AND SERVING OUR COMMUNITY WITH EXCELLENCE. IF WITNESS THEREOF, I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CALLED CECILA THE CITY OF DESOTO TO BE AFFIXED THE 18TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025. RACHEL L PROCTOR, MAYOR ATTESTS, SOINE LEWIS AUBREY, CITY SECRETARY, [00:10:01] UM, THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR RECOGNIZING US AS, UH, MUNICIPAL CLERKS AND ALL THE HARD WORK THAT, UH, WE WE DO EVERY DAY. UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT RECEIVING CITATIONS IS NOT A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE, BUT WHEN YOU COME INTO THE COURT, WE, IT IS OUR MISSION AND OUR GOAL TO TURN YOUR NOT SO PLEASANT EXPERIENCE INTO A PLEASANT AND RESPECTFUL ONE. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN NORTH, AND THANK YOU TO OUR COURT STAFF FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING NATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP MONTH, MAKING A PRESENTATION AS COUNCIL MEMBER BYRD RECEIVING IS DR. KELSEY WALKER OF THE GOLD STANDARD HEALTH AND DR. RAVEN COTTON OF IASO CHIROPRACTIC. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I WOULD LIKE, UH, TO THANK THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. ENTREPRENEURS SEE WHAT OTHERS CAN'T THEY DO, WHAT OTHERS WON'T THEY ACCOMPLISH. WHAT OTHERS ONLY DREAM THE ARTHURS UNKNOWN PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS ENTREPRENEURSHIP, GLAD TO MEET YOU. THANK YOU. I THINK WE'RE GONNA DO GREAT. WHEREAS ENTREPRENEURSHIP HAS LONG SERVED AS A DRIVING FORCE IN ECONOMIC PROGRESS, EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS TO TRANSFORM IDEAS INTO BUSINESSES THAT CREATE JOBS, SPARK INNOVATIONS, AND STRENGTHEN LOCAL COMMUNITIES. AND WHEREAS FROM EARLY TRADE AND COMMERCE TO THE RISE OF MODERN, UH, DIGITAL, UH, ENTERPRISES, ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS CONTINU HAS CONTINUALLY INVOLVED EMBRACING NEW TOOLS, TECHNOLOGIES, AND MARKET OPPORTUNITIES THAT SHAPE THE WAY PEOPLE WORK, SHOP, AND CONNECT. WHEREAS TODAY'S ENTREPRENEURS CONTRIBUTE TO ECONOMIC GROWTH NOT ONLY THROUGH TRADITIONAL BUSINESS OWNERSHIP, BUT ALSO THROUGH CUTTING EDGE VENTURES AND TECHNOLOGY CREATIVE IN INDUSTRIES SOCIAL IMPACT INITIATIVES AND SERVICE-BASED ENTERPRISES. AND WHERE A NATIONAL, UH, ENTREPRENEURSHIP MONTH FIRST RECOGNIZED IN 2011 HONORS THE CREATIVE, RESILIENT AND DETERMINATION OF ENTREPRENEURS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND CELEBRATE THE CENTRAL ROLE THEY PLAY IN FUELING INNOVATION AND ADVANCING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. AND WHEREAS ENTREPRENEURS RELY ON STRATEGIC PLANNING, MARKET RESEARCH, AND UNDERSTANDING THE CONSUMER'S NEED TO LAUNCH AND SUSTAIN SUCCESS, SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS AND THEIR EFFORTS HELP CREATE A DYNAMIC AND DIVERSE MARKETPLACE FOR COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE. NOW, THEREFORE, I RACHEL L PROCTOR BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS DALLAS COUNTY DUE HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER, 2025 AS NATCH NATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP MONTH IN THE CITY OF DESOTO AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURS, CELEBRATE THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS, AND RECOGNIZE THEIR VITAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE VIBRANCY AND THE ECONOMIC STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY AND, AND WITNESSED THEREOF. I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF DESOTO TO BE AFFIXED THE 18TH, THE DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025. CONGRATULATIONS DR. WATERS. HI, I AM DR. KELSEY WALKER. I'M A BOARD CERTIFIED FAMILY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN AND PROUD OWNER OF THE GOLD STANDARD HEALTH. AND SO, UM, I CREATED THE GOLD STANDARD HEALTH AS A, UM, SOLUTION TO THE BROKEN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. SO IT IS A DIRECT PRIMARY CARE PRACTICE WHERE YOU CAN, UM, BE DIRECTLY CONTRACTED WITH ME TO TAKE CARE OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. WE ALSO DO AESTHETICS AND WELLNESS. AND SO IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A PLACE THAT YOU WILL FEEL LIKE HOME, INSTEAD OF GOING TO A DOCTOR WHERE IT FEELS COLD AND RUSHED, YOU CAN SIT DOWN, TAKE YOUR TIME AND REALLY UNPACK AND HAVE A HOLISTIC, UM, APPROACH TO YOUR, UM, CARE. PLEASE COME SEE ME. I PURPOSELY PUT MY ROOTS DOWN INTO DESOTO TO ENSURE THAT I AM SERVING THE COMMUNITY, WHICH I WAS AROUND AND RAISED AROUND AND RAISING MY FAMILY IN. THANK [00:15:01] YOU. AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. WE WILL NOW HAVE A PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING NATIONAL HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS WEEK MAKING A PRESENTATION IS MAYOR PRO TEM CHISHOLM RECEIVING ITS CARE TEAM SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDER KIMBERLY BONNER. GOOD EVENING, DESOTO. OH, WAIT, WAIT, HOLD ON. LET ME, LET ME GET MY, MY MAYOR PROCTOR ON RIGHT QUICK. I KNOW I'M IN THE CITY OF DESOTO. I SAID GOOD EVENING DESOTO. GOOD. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. HOLD. I DO MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. OKAY, Y'ALL. I HAVE THE PROCLAMATION FOR, UM, NATIONAL HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS WEEK PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS NATIONAL HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS WEEK FIRST ORGANIZED IN 1975 CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A NATIONWIDE CALL TO ACTION, BRINGING ACTION TO ONGOING CHALLENGES FACED BY INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO STRUGGLE TO SECURE STABLE HOUSING AND CONSISTENT ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF DESOTO RECOGNIZES THAT HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS REMAIN SIGNIFICANT ISSUES AFFECTING COMMUNITIES ACROSS NORTH TEXAS AND AFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING STRATEGIES THAT PROMOTE HOUSING STABILITY, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, AND ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL RESOURCES. AND WHEREAS INCREASING COMMUNITY AWARENESS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS, INCLUDING RISING LIVING COSTS, LIMITED AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS AND ECONOMIC HARDSHIP FACED BY LOW AND MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS. AND WHEREAS NATIONAL HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS WEEK HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANT WORK OF SERVICE PROVIDERS, VOLUNTEERS, PUBLIC AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY ADVOCATES WHO DEDICATE THEIR TIME AND EXPERTISE TO HELP HELPING INDIVIDUALS OBTAIN FOOD, SHELTER, EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE, AND LONG-TERM SUPPORT. AND WHEREAS THIS OBSERVANCE ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REALITIES OF POVERTY, ENGAGE IN SERVICE EFFORTS, SUPPORT DONATION DRIVES, AND CON CONTRIBUTE TO PROGRAMS THAT HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES MOVE TOWARDS STABILITY AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY. AND NOW THEREFORE, I RACHEL L PROCTOR BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS DALLAS COUNTY, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 16TH THROUGH THE 23RD, 2025 AS NATIONAL HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS WEEK IN THE CITY OF DESOTO, AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO TAKE PART IN ACTIVITIES THAT EDUCATE, SUPPORT AND UPLIFT THOSE EXPERIENCING HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS, AND TO JOIN TOGETHER IN FOSTERING A COMPASSIONATE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY FOR ALL. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF DESOTO TO BE A FIXED THE 18TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025. THIS IS SIGNED BY RACHEL L PROCTOR, MAYOR ATES SOFA LEWIS AUBREY CITY SECRETARY, AND WE WILL HAVE NOW, MS. KATRINA WITH OUR CARES TEAM SPEAK ON ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING TO ENSURE THAT, UM, THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF THOSE THAT ARE LESS FORTUNATE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU ALL. ON BEHALF OF THE DESOTO CARE TEAM, I WANNA SAY THAT WE ARE HONORED, PRIVILEGED, AND PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING OFTEN, UM, HIDDEN POPULATIONS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES. I KNOW THERE'S ANYONE, UM, WHO SEES ANYTHING HOMELESSNESS, ANYONE SUFFERING FROM FOOD, UM, SCARCITY, OR ANY OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS, MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS, THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN TO SUPPORT. SO YOU ARE WELCOME TO FIND US ON THE WEBSITE OR YOU CAN REACH US DIRECTLY, BUT WE ARE HONORED AND PRIVILEGED TO SERVE THE CITY OF DESOTO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO. AND THANK YOU MS. BONNER FOR ALL THAT OUR CARE TEAM DOES FOR OUR COMMUNITY. NEXT, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM OF THE AGENDA, PLEASE. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE THE PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING TEXAS ARBOR DAY, MAKING A PRESENTATION AS COUNCIL MEMBER WATERS RECEIVING ITS PARKS AND RECREATION SUPERINTENDENT NATHAN BUSBY. [00:20:11] OKAY. ALRIGHT. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. YES. I WANT TO, UH, DO THIS PROCLAMATION AND THANK YOU. THIS IS GONNA BE A PROCLAMATION FOR THE, UH, TEXAS ARBOR DAY PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS IN 1872, JAY STERLING MORTON SUGGESTED TO THE NEBRASKA BOARD OF AGRICULTURE THAT A DAY BE DEDICATED TO PLANTING TREES FROM TOWERING PINES TO MAJESTIC OAKS TO RESILIENT MESQUITES. THE DIVERSE TREES OF TEXAS ARE VITAL AND CHERISHED ELEMENTS OF OUR LANDSCAPE. AND WHEREAS ARBOR DAY WAS FIRST CELEBRATED IN 1889 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE TEXAS FOREST STREET ASSOCIATION, WHEN MORE THAN A MILLION TREES WERE PLANTED IN IN NEBRASKA. AND TODAY, THIS TRADITION IS RECOGNIZED ACROSS THE NATION AND AROUND THE WORLD. AND WHEREAS TREES HELP PREVENT SOIL EROSION, REDUCE HEATING AND COOLING COSTS, IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, PROVIDE OXYGEN, AND OFFER HABITAT, HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE. AND WHEREAS TREES ARE RENEWABLE RESOURCE THAT SUPPLY WOOD PAPER AND COUNTLESS OTHER MATERIALS ESSENTIAL TO DAILY LIFE. AND WHEREAS TREES BRING JOY, ENCOURAGE, REFLECTION, AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE IN NURTURING AND PRESERVING OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. NOW, THEREFORE, I RACHEL L PROCTOR BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS DALLAS COUNTY DUE, HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 7TH, 2025, AS TEXAS ARBOR A AND THE CITY OF DESOTO ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO PLANT CARE FOR AND PROTECT TREES TO BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT, ENHANCE OUR COMMUNITY, AND INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS. AN OFFICIAL RECOGNITION WHEREOF, I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSE DE SEAL OF DE CITY OF DESOTO TO BE AFFIXED THE SEVENTH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025, SIGNED RACHEL L PROCTOR, MAYOR AND ATTEST BY SOFI LEWIS ARBERY, THE CITY SECRETARY. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO I DID WANT TO THANK, UH, KEITH DESOTO BEAUTIFUL BOARD. THEY DID SPONSOR THIS EVENT. UH, AND I WANNA THANK ALL THE CITIZENS WHO CAME OUT. WE HAD A HUNDRED TREES THIS YEAR. UH, THE TIME THAT WE WERE DOING A DO WAS NINE TO NOON. WE ACTUALLY RAN OUTTA TREES AT 10 30. SO THERE IS A NEED. SO WE WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT SUPPORTING. WE ALSO HAD A REPRESENTATIVE FROM TEXAS A AND M AGRICULTURAL, WHO IS OUT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR US. SO WE WANNA THANK THEM ALSO, AND I COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT MY PARK STAFF. SO THANK YOU GUYS, AND THANK YOU COUNSEL. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. WE WILL NOW HAVE THE PRESENTATION OF THE CIVIC ACADEMY CLASS OF 2025. MAKING AN INTRODUCTION IS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, DR. ESTHER WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO MAYOR MAYOR'S THING, BUT IT'S OKAY. TONIGHT WE'RE EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THE CIVIC ACADEMY COHORT 2025. A GROUP OF RESIDENTS WHO SHOWED UP, STAYED ENGAGED, ASKED GREAT QUESTIONS, A LOT OF 'EM, LOT OF, LOT OF GREAT QUESTIONS, AND TRULY LEANED INTO LEARNING MORE ABOUT THEIR CITY. GRADUATION IS NOT AUTOMATIC. THEY HAD TO BE HERE FOR CONSECUTIVE WEEKS, FOR HOURS AT A TIME, AND TO STAY ENGAGED. SO THEY REALLY SHOWED THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE CITY AND TO LEARNING MORE AND GROWING MORE TOGETHER. SO THEIR DEDICATION REALLY SHOWS WHAT MADE THIS YEAR ESPECIALLY EXCITING FOR US, PRESENTING AND HOSTING. UM, AS STAFF MEMBERS EACH WEEK, WE SAW FOR SOME THAT IT WAS A FAMILY AFFAIR. UM, WE HAD HUSBANDS AND WIVES, AND WE ALSO HAD A FULL FAMILY COME TOGETHER WITH GROWN CHILDREN AND REALLY GOT INVOLVED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THEIR CITY. SO SEEING THAT KIND OF SHARED INTEREST IN OUR COMMUNITY, IT'S EXACTLY WHAT PROVES THAT IN DESOTO, THERE IS SO MUCH TO LOVE. SO AS THEY GRADUATE, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL THE GREAT THINGS THEY'LL CONTINUE TO DO, WHETHER IT'S VOLUNTEERING, JOINING A BOARD OR COMMITTEE, SUPPORTING NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECTS, OR SIMPLY STAYING CONNECTED AND INFORMED. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CIVIC ACADEMY CLASS OF 2025. WE'RE PROUD OF YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU'LL HELP US BUILD IN DESOTO. SO NOW I WILL INVITE MAYOR PROCTOR TO COME DOWN AND SHARE A FEW WORDS, AND WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR HER TO CALL UP OUR GRADUATES, WE ASK THAT YOU WITHHOLD YOUR APPLAUSE UNTIL THE END SO THAT WE CAN GET OUR GRADUATES UP TO THE FRONT, TAKE A PICTURE, AND [00:25:01] THEY ARE GOING TO BE INVITED FOR A RECEPTION OUT IN THE ATRIUM. OKAY? UH, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. GOOD EVENING. WAIT. NOW I DESOTO TONIGHT I'LL JUST WAITING TO SAY THAT Y'ALL KNOW, I CAN'T RESIST ANYTIME I GET ON THE MIC, BUT, UM, I'M JUST SO EXCITED TO, UM, BE ABLE TO DO THIS YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT. AND I THANK OUR STAFF AND OUR TEAM THAT MAKES THIS SUCH A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS. I THINK IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT AS A RESIDENT, YOU GET ENGAGED IN YOUR CITY SO THAT NOT ONLY YOU'LL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT SO THAT YOU CAN BECOME AN AMBASSADOR FOR THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN YOUR COMMUNITY. AND YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO KEEP OUR CITY RUNNING. AND, AND ALSO TO BE ABLE, LIKE SHE MENTIONED, TO SPARK INTEREST IN GETTING INVOLVED AT A DEEPER LEVEL. BECAUSE IT TAKES MORE THAN JUST THE SEVEN OF US THAT SIT ON THIS DAY IS TO MAKE DESOTO WHAT IT IS. AND SO WE NEED THE ENGAGEMENT. WE NEED YOU ALL TO HELP US LIFT OUR CITY UP. AND SO WE JUST APPRECIATE IT. CAN WE GIVE OUR GRADUATES ANOTHER GREAT BIG HAND CLAP? THIS TOOK A LOT OF TIME AND DEDICATION, AND WE KNOW THAT EVERYBODY LEADS VERY BUSY LIVES AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON, SO IT'S NOT LOST ON US THE COMMITMENT AND THE SACRIFICE THAT YOU ALL MADE TO BE A PART OF THAT. SO, WITH THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO, UH, CALL OUT THESE NAMES SO THAT WE CAN GET OUR GRADUATES GRADUATED. AND AS SHE MENTIONED, PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE. WE'RE GONNA PRETEND WE AT THE GRADUATION, AT THE, YOU KNOW, THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION WHERE THEY TELL YOU TO DO THAT. PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE AND THEN WE'LL APPLY EVERYBODY AT THE END. UH, OUR FIRST GRADUATE IS MISS VICKY ALEXIS, WE, UH, I LOOK, I I JUST KNEW SOMEBODY WAS GONNA DO IT. IT'S ALWAYS ONE IN THE CROWD. WE HAVE WARNER BELL, RYAN BROOKS, AMBER CHALMERS. I HOPE I SAID THAT CORRECTLY. DREW DAWSON, KATRINA DAWSON. MICHELLE EDWARDS. JOHNSON. DELPHI. HAMPTON AYANA, HARP. CHRISTIE JOHNSON. ISHA JORDAN. CHARLOTTE. MCGREW, ENA IN WAZO, DANITA POWELL, MALVO, SOLOMON SMITH, ISAIAH SMITH, CAMILLE SMITH, ROBERT SMITH, URIAH WEBSTER, ERICA WILLIAMS. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, S SHALANDA THOMPSON. LET'S GIVE ALL OF OUR GRADUATES ANOTHER GREAT BIG HAND CLAP. ONCE EVERYBODY HAS THEIR CERTIFICATE, WE'RE GONNA ASK THE COUNCIL TO STAND AS WELL. AND WE'RE GONNA GET ONE BIG FAMILY REUNION STYLE PHOTO. THANK BIG CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO ALL OF OUR GRADUATES. AT THIS TIME, [D. ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST] MADAM CITY SECRETARY WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NOW WE WILL HAVE ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.0415. THE CITY COUNCIL MAY REPORT ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS IN EXPRESSION OF THANKS, CONGRATULATIONS OR CONDOLENCES INFORMATION ABOUT HOLIDAY SCHEDULES, RECOGNITION OF INDIVIDUALS, REMINDERS ABOUT UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL EVENTS, INFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS INVOLVING IMMINENT THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, FOLLOWED BY LIAISON UPDATES. THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UM, ONE I WOULD LIKE TO THANK STAFF, UH, ESPECIALLY, UH, DR. ESTHER WILLIAMS AND, UM, HER ENTIRE COMMUNITY TEAM FOR THEIR WORK THIS PAST WEEKEND, UM, THE VETERAN AFFAIRS, UH, COMMITTEE CELEBRATED A VETERANS DAY, UM, WITH A GALA. WE CLOSED OUT THE, UM, THE MEET THE WEEK WITH A GALA AND IT WAS [00:30:01] AMAZING. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO ATTENDED AS WELL. UM, YOUR SUPPORT IS DEFINITELY APPRECIATED. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO, UM, BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THE VILLAGE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, UM, IS HAVING A CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE. UH, HELPED US SPREAD THE JOY THIS YEAR BY DONATING A TOY FOR CHILDREN, COLLECTING NEW TOYS UNTIL DECEMBER 7TH. UM, YOU HAVE DROP OFF LOCATIONS AT VILLAGE U-U-U-M-C, UM, DESOTO CITY HALL, DESOTO POLICE DEPARTMENT, DESOTO FIRE DEPARTMENT NUMBER TWO, DESOTO PRIVATE SCHOOL AND MCOWEN MIDDLE SCHOOL. UM, FOR MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN CALL 4 6 9 6 7 7 6 2 7 1. OR YOU CAN EMAIL AT INFO AT THE VILLAGE U MCT ORG. AND, UM, THAT, THAT'S ALL IN MY THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. COUNCILMAN WATERS. YES. UM, I HAVE A, A COUPLE OF HOLIDAY EVENTS I WANNA TALK ABOUT. UH, FIRST ONE IS A 5K FUN RUN O WALK. IT'S A TURKEY TROTT 2025 REGISTERED. NOW YOU GET A FREE T-SHIRT FOR THE FIRST A HUNDRED TO REGISTER. IT'S HELD ON NOVEMBER 22ND. THE CHECK-IN IS AT 9:00 AM WARM UP AND STRETCH. IT'S 9 45, UH, UNTIL 9 45. UH, RACE BEGINS AT 10. THEY'RE GONNA BE A RAFFLE AT 11:00 AM THEY'LL HAVE HEALTHY SNACKS, A DJ AND TURKEY GIVEAWAYS. IT'S GONNA BE HELD AT ZYGER PARK, WHICH IS AT 4 0 5 EAGLE DRIVE IN DESOTO. IF YOU WANT TO CONTACT, UM, SOMEONE, IT'S 9 7 2 2 3 0 9 6 5 5. IT IS A $25 FEE. AND YOU CAN ALSO REGISTER ONLINE AT DESOTO EVENTS WITH S DESOTO EVENTS DOT EVENT BRIGHT.COM. OKAY, THE NEXT, UM, ITEM. WE DO HAVE A HOLIDAY EVENT HERE. IT'S THE HOMETOWN HOLIDAY CHRISTMAS PARADE AND TREE LIGHTING. IT'S GONNA BE HELD ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7TH. UH, IT'S GONNA BE CHRISTMAS PARADE STARTS AT FIVE 30. IT'S GONNA START AT HAMPTON ROAD DOWN TO THE DESOTO TOWN CENTER GOING SOUTH. ALRIGHT, SOUTHBOUND, JOIN OUR SWEET CELEBRATION THIS HOLIDAY SEASON AND WITNESS THE DAZZLING NIGHT PARADE FILLED WITH GUN GUM DROPS, LOLLIPOPS AND CANDY CANE GALORE, OR CANDY CANES GALORE. THERE'S GONNA BE A TREE LIGHTING AFTERWARDS AT 7:00 PM AT THE DESOTO TOWN CENTER. KICK OFF THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH US AT DESOTO TOWN CENTER FOR AN EVENING FULL OF FESTIVE CHEER. ENJOY LIVE, UH, ENTERTAINMENT, HOLIDAY MUSIC, FAMILY FUN, AND THE MAGICAL MOMENT WHEN WE LIGHT UP THAT, UH, CHRISTMAS TREE DESOTO CHRISTMAS TREE. SO FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THAT, YOU CAN VISIT DESOTO TEXAS.GOV/HOLIDAYS WITH A S SO THAT CONCLUDES MY ANNOUNCEMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN WATERS COUNCILMAN BY THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. AND AS WE ALL KNOW THAT CHRISTMAS IS A SEASON FOR GIVING. SO THE MINGLE, UH, JINGLE AND JOY SENIOR HOLIDAY DRIVE IS A, IS AN INITIATIVE GIVEN BY THE COMMUNITY NEST AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS OF DESOTO. THEY ARE ASKING THAT, UH, THEY WANT TO GIVE BLANKETS, ROBE, SOCKS, SLIPPERS, AND HEATED BLANKETS TO OUR NURSING HOME AND TO OUR SENIORS. UM, UH, THE LOCATION IS COMING, UH, SHORTLY, BUT PLEASE, UH, TELL YOUR YOUTH GROUP, UH, ASK YOUR CHURCH GROUPS TO PLEASE, UM, SPONSOR, UH, THE JINGLE AND JOY. UH, THEY ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, UH, RANGING FROM, UH, $50 TO $250, AND THEY WILL GO GET THE ITEMS FOR YOU. UH, THERE IS ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT FIND A WAY FOUNDATION IS, UM, THE TURKEY DRIVE 2025 WILL BE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER THE 22ND FROM 9:00 AM TO NOON AT 2 0 5. EXECUTIVE WADE DESOTO, TEXAS 7 5 1 1 5. UH, NOT ONLY ARE THEY GIVING AWAY FOOD, UH, THERE WILL BE FOOD AND FUN FOR ALL, BUT THEY'RE ALSO PAYING YOUR GAS BILL. SO IF YOU NEED YOUR GAS BILL PAID ASSOCIATED WITH THIS EVENT, SHOW UP, UH, NO PRE-REGISTRATION IS NECESSARY THIS SATURDAY, UH, UM, THE 22ND OF NOVEMBER FROM NINE TO NOON AT 2 0 5 EXECUTIVE WAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UM, GOOD, GOOD EVENING. UH, DESOTO, WE HAVE AN EVENT THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY FROM ONE OF OUR FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, THE FIFTH ANNUAL TUNDRA TOY DRIVE IS GOING ON, UH, BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND RESIDENTS. YOUR HEALTH IS NEEDED AND IT'S TO FILL 10 TUNDRA TRUCKS. AND IF YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING, THEY, THEY'VE GOTTEN AT LEAST ONE SO FAR. UH, YOU MAY DROP YOUR UNWRAPPED TOYS OFF AT ANY DISD [00:35:01] OR DESOTO ISD SCHOOL BUILDING AND, UH, LEGACY TOYOTA. THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS FOR TOYS FOR THE DESOTO ISD STUDENTS. UM, AND AGAIN, THAT'S ANY DISD DESOTO, ISD SCHOOL BUILDING OR LEGACY TOYOTA. AND IT'S HAPPENING SA SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13TH, 2025 AT 10:00 AM LEGACY TOYOTA OF DALLAS IS THE LOCATION. 39 66, UH, 39 6 60 LBJ FREEWAY IS WHERE ONE OF THE DROPOFFS IS, AS WELL AS ANY OF THE DESOTO ISD UH, BUILDING. SO GRAB A TOY AND DONATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES, COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH. OKAY. UH, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS. I WANT TO ANNOUNCE AN INTEREST MEETING THAT, UH, WE ARE HAVING IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. AND THAT IS A NEW COMMISSION THAT WE ARE FORMING. THIS HAS BEEN, UM, AN INITIATIVE THAT IS A LONG TIME COMING, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT DESOTO IS A MORE ACCESSIBLE, AND WE HAVE OUR COMMISSION FOR THE, FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. WE ARE GOING TO BE FORMING THAT COMMISSION. AND SO WE'RE GETTING READY TO SOLICIT INTEREST FROM THE COMMUNITY AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS FOR THIS TO SHAPE A MORE INCLUSIVE DESOTO. AND THE MISSION OF THAT, UH, THAT COMMISSION IS TO HELP ENSURE DESOTO IS AN INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY CAN THRIVE, CONTRIBUTE, AND LIVE INDEPENDENTLY. SOME OF THE AREAS OF FOCUS WILL BE EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, INDEPENDENT LIVING, AND TRANSPORTATION. AND SO YOU CAN GET INVOLVED BY ATTENDING OUR INTEREST MEETING, WHICH WILL BE HAPPENING ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3RD, 2026 FROM 6:30 PM TO 7:30 PM AND IT WILL BE RIGHT HERE IN THE DESOTO CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. I BELIEVE THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT TO BE LIVE STREAMED AND CAPTIONED AND ALL OF THAT AGAIN, TO AGAIN, UH, INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY TO THE INFORMATION THAT WE WILL BE SHARING, UH, PEOPLE WHO CAN SERVE ON THIS. OUR BOARD MEMBERS WILL SERVE AS ADVISORS TO THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL TO HELP DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS THAT IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS. AND SO, APPLICATIONS FOR BOARD MEMBERS WILL OPEN ON DECEMBER 3RD, 2025. AGAIN, YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION BY EMAILING DR. ESTHER WILLIAMS AT EWILLIAMS@DESOTOTEXAS.GOV, AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE. UM, ALSO, WE HAVE A, DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT OR YOU YEAH, BUT I, I'LL WAIT. OKAY. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND MAKE YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT NOW. OKAY. OKAY. SO, I'M SORRY. I MEANT TO SAY ALSO THAT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BY THE DE DESOTO SENIOR CENTER. THERE ARE SOME GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS TREES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT UP. CHRISTMAS TREES ALL ON BEHALF OF ALICE RU, I BELIEVE IS THE NAME OF THE COMPANY, ALICE RU DECOR. AND THEY DID THAT FREE OF CHARGE. THERE'S LIKE THREE HUGE TREES, AND THEY ARE SO BEAUTIFUL. SO GO BY, GET A CHANCE TO TAKE A SELFIE AND POST IT. POST IT, AND, AND TAG ALICE RU. AND, UM, AND THEN I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WERE GONNA MENTION THE LIGHT UP DESOTO, BUT DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT NOTE? ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. 'CAUSE I DIDN'T SEE IF EVERYBODY IS PUTTING UP THEIR LIGHTS, BUT LIGHT UP DESOTO IS HAPPENING. UH, IT'S COMING SOON. UM, OCTOBER, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, NOVEMBER 28TH. THIS IS THE START OF THAT. ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE IT IN THEIR AREAS AND THEY'RE GONNA BE OUT LOOKING FOR THOSE LIGHTS. SO HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY IS PUTTING UP YOUR LIGHTS NOW, GETTING READY TO BE FESTIVE. AND THEN WE CAN DO SOME JUDGING AND LOOK AT THOSE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS AND THEN KEEP IT MOVING. UH, NOVEMBER 28TH THROUGH THE 30TH. THANK YOU. KEEP YOUR LIGHTS ON SIX TO NINE. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PARK. THANK YOU COUNCIL FOR ALL OF YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS. UH, WE KNOW THAT YESTERDAY ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES, UH, WAS PARTYING SO HARD. THEY DIDN'T EVEN MAKE THE MEETING YESTERDAY, , BUT COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH, UH, HAD A BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY. SO WE WANT TO CELEBRATE HER. CAN WE PUT OUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR THAT? ? THE PARTY'S STILL GOING. , SHE SAID THE PARTY IS STILL GOING. WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO CELEBRATE LIFE. SO COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH, YOU KNOW HOW THIS GOES. LET US KNOW WHICH VERSION YOU'D LIKE AND THE COUNCIL CHAMBER CHOIR WILL SING THAT TO YOU TONIGHT. STEVIE WONDER. STEVIE WONDER ON THE COUNT OF THREE. ONE TWO, THREE. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YA. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YA. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH, WE HOPE YOU HAD AN AMAZING DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [E. CONSENT AGENDA Items are listed on the Consent Agenda by the City Manager and are recommended to the City Council for single vote approval. An item( s) may be removed from the Consent Agenda for separate vote at the request of a Councilmember, the Mayor, or the City Manager. ] AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS LISTED ON THE AGENDA, CONSENT AGENDA BY THE CITY MANAGER, AND ARE RECOMMENDED TO [00:40:01] THE CITY COUNCIL FOR SINGLE VOTE APPROVAL. AN ITEM MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR SEPARATE VOTE AT THE REQUEST OF A COUNCIL MEMBER, THE MAYOR, OR THE CITY MANAGER. THIS TIME WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FOR THE MEETING ON OCTOBER 21ST, 2025, THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER THE FOURTH, 2025 SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING, MINUTES NOVEMBER THE SIXTH, 2025. OTHER CONSENT ITEMS ARE RECOGNITION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING GIVING TUESDAY, RECOGNITION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK, RECOGNITION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH, RECOGNITION OF PROCLAMATION, HONORING NATIONAL AUTHOR'S DAY, RECOGNITION OF PROCLAMATION, HONORING NATIONAL EPILEPSY AWARENESS MONTH RECOGNITION OF A PROCLAMATION HONORING NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH RECOGNITION OF A PROCLAMATION HONORING SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY, RECOGNITION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP DAY, CONSIDERING AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE TO THE OPEN GOV FINANCIALS CONTRACT WITH OPEN GOV INC. FOR THE LEASING OF FINANCIAL SOFTWARE AND FOR SUPPORT SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT OF $56,096 AND 25 CENTS. CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH DARREN WRIGHT, BREEZY DAY LLC IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF $30,000 TO ADVANCE THE VETERANS MEMORIAL TRIBUTE SCULPTURE PROJECT. CONSIDER OF ALLOCATING $345,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND UP TO 21,000 IN CDBG FUNDS FOR THE HELPING HANDS OF DESOTO COMMUNITY RELIEF INITIATIVE, TOTALING $366,000 AUTHORIZING A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE APPROPRIATE, THE GENERAL FUND PORTION APPROVING THE FORMAL ALLOCATION OF $21,000 OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAM WITHIN THE DESOTO CDBG ACTION PLAN 2024. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY AGREEMENTS AND TO TAKE ACTIONS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM, CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 20 26, ADOPTED BUDGET IN THE GENERAL FUND FUND, 1 0 1 BY $1,106,000 106 $953 FOR PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES FOR THE ARC MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS AUTHORIZING CERTAIN BUDGET AMENDMENTS PERTAINING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 20 26, ADOPTED BUDGET AND APPROVING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO MODIFY THE OPERATING HOURS OF THE DESOTO RECREATION CENTER AND THE DESOTO CIVIC CENTER. THANK YOU, MS. UH, THANK YOU MADAM CITY SECRETARY AT THIS TIME. COUNSEL, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR ITEMS REQUESTED TO BE PULLED? I'M REQUESTING THAT ITEM F 11 BE PULLED FOR A SEPARATE VOTE. COUNSEL, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UM, ITEMS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE CONSENT AGENDA BEFORE WE CALL FOR A MOTION? HEARING NONE. I'LL CALL FOR A MOTION. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE AS PRESENTED WITH THE, UM, PULLING OF ITEM, UH, F 11 FOR SEPARATE VOTE. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMAN BYRD, SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM CHISHOLM TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED WITH MOVING ITEM F 11. COUNSEL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU COUNSEL. UM, I ASKED FOR THIS ITEM F 11 TO BE PULLED REGARDING THE HELPING HANDS PROGRAM BECAUSE I WANTED TO, UH, JUST NUMBER ONE UNDERSCORE WHAT THE COUNCIL IS HOPING TO ACHIEVE BY THIS. WE KNOW THAT WE ARE LIVING IN SOME VERY CHALLENGING TIMES, UM, WITH, WITH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS FACE, UH, WITH SNAP BENEFITS. UM, MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES. SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN FURLOUGHED. AND WE KNOW THAT, UM, WITH THOSE CHALLENGES AS A CITY, WE ALWAYS TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE CAN TRY TO CLOSE SOME OF THE GAPS FOR OUR RESIDENTS. AND SO WHAT THE COUNCIL, UH, DECIDED THAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD LOOK AT WHERE WE COULD FIND FUNDS, UH, TO PUT TOGETHER SOME MEANING, HOPEFULLY WHAT WILL BE SOME MEANINGFUL PROGRAMS SHOULD THIS BE APPROVED? AND SO I'M GONNA ASK DR. ESTHER WILLIAMS TO, UH, TO COME AND JUST KIND OF SHARE ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE HAVE, AND [00:45:01] THEN WHAT RESIDENTS COULD EXPECT SHOULD THIS ITEM BE APPROVED. GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. SO FOR THE PROGRAM, THE HELPING HANDS, UM, OF DESOTO PROGRAM, WE ARE ASKING THAT WE, UM, ALLOCATE SOME FUNDING FROM GENERAL FUND AS WELL AS FROM THE CDBG FUNDS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE, SPECIFICALLY FOR A PUBLIC SERVICE TO, UM, PROVIDE FUNDING FOR, UM, THOSE THAT HA ARE BEING AFFECTED BY THE SNAP REDUCTION AS WELL AS THE WORKFORCE. UM, THOSE, THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THOSE, UM, CLOSURES, I GUESS. UM, AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FUNDING IN FORM OF, UH, UH, FOOD CARDS, UM, FOR THOSE THAT NEED IT, AS WELL AS, UM, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID BEFORE, UM, IN A FEW YEARS AGO, OR LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE WITH THE RENTAL AND, UM, UH, UTILITIES ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THROUGH CDBG. AND SO THEY'D BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM. WE'D BE ABLE TO HAVE THEM GO THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND, AND GET THEM, UM, THE CRITERIA AND, AND, UM, VETTED FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO APPLY FOR THESE PROGRAMS, AND THEN THEY'D BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THOSE FUNDS THAT WAY. THANK YOU. YES, MAYOR PRO TE UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THE CITY OF DESOTO HAS A $32 MILLION SURPLUS. I'M GONNA REPEAT THAT AGAIN. A $32 MILLION SURPLUS. WE, WE CARRY MORE MONEY IN OUR RESERVES THAN ANY OTHER CITY IN THIS REGION. AND YOU CAN FACT CHECK ME ON THAT. I'VE ACTUALLY WENT TO SEEK OUT WHAT OTHER CITIES PUT IN THEIR RESERVES. UM, IF WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR OUR COMMUNITY, THE VERY LEAST WE CAN DO IS TAKE CARE OF THOSE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY A, A, A, A NATIONAL SITUATION THAT DON'T HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH US HERE LOCALLY AT HOME, BUT WE ARE IMPACTED HERE LOCALLY AT HOME, EVEN THOUGH THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW OPEN, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL, HAVEN'T BEEN PAID, UM, AS OF THE 15TH AND SNAP PEOPLE WHO WERE ON SNAP, WHICH THANK YOU MAYOR FOR MEETING WITH ALL OF OUR HIGHER ELECTEDS TO FIND OUT THE INFORMATION, BUT SEVEN, ALMOST 7,200 PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF DESOTO RECEIVE SNAP BENEFITS. AND THE GOVERNMENT IS SAYING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REAPPLY. UM, WE ARE AT A CRISIS, AND SO I APPRECIATE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP IN LEADING THIS EFFORT, BUT ALSO, UM, FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO, IF THE COUNCIL APPROVES THIS TO DO SOMETHING AND NOT JUST SIT AND, AND, AND, AND, AND JUST TALK ABOUT IT. SO THOSE ARE, THAT'S MY 2 CENTS. THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE AT THIS TIME. AND THANK YOU DR. WILLIAMS. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO STAFF. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU, UM, TO EVEN WITH OUR, LIKE SHE MENTIONED OUR STATE REPS AND OUR CONGRESS PEOPLE AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED US TO NUMBER ONE, BE ABLE TO QUANTIFY, UM, HELP US TO QUANTIFY THE NEED IN THE CITY OF DESOTO. AND AS SHE MENTIONED, UM, IT'S OUR, IT'S OUR JOB TO BE ABLE TO, UM, SERVE AND HELP OUR RESIDENTS. DESOTO HAS BEEN BLESSED, UM, THROUGH GOOD FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND STEWARDSHIP TO WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO SEE, UM, AND, AND TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS FOR THE RESIDENTS. AND SO, WITH THAT SAID, COUNSEL, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM. MAY I LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE APPROVE AS PRESENTED. SECOND, IT IS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES SECOND BY MAYOR PROTE CHISHOLM TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED COUNSEL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME TIME. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU COUNSEL. AND AGAIN, PLEASE. UH, NOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN APPROVED, PLEASE BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE APPLICATIONS, UM, IN WAYS THAT YOU CAN APPLY OR TO BE ABLE TO HELP US BY AT LEAST SHARING THE INFORMATION. AND I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE ANOTHER, UH, RELIEF SOURCE THAT'S COMING ON OUR REGULAR AGENDA ITEM IN FROM OUR PUBLIC UTILITIES DEPARTMENT. BUT AGAIN, WE ALREADY HAVE THE WEBSITE OR THE WEBPAGE RATHER. ON THE CITY OF DESOTOS WEBSITE, THE HELPING HANDS PAGE, WHERE IT CURRENTLY LISTS MANY OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE TO YOU. AND ONCE, UM, ONCE STAFF HAS A CHANCE TO COLLECT THIS, THIS INFORMATION, UH, THIS INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAM AND HOW THEY CAN APPLY THAT WILL ALSO BE ADDED TO THEIR WEBSITE SO THAT RESIDENTS CAN GO AHEAD AND START IMMEDIATELY APPLYING. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU COUNSEL. AT [1. Consider approving a Resolution by the City Council of the City of DeSoto casting its vote for a member of the Board of Directors to the Dallas Central Appraisal District and authorizing the Mayor to submit the approved ballot nominee(s)] THIS TIME, MS. MADAME CITY SECRETARY WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT, WE WILL HAVE THE FIRST REGULAR AGENDA ITEM. CONSIDER APPROVING A RESOLUTION BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, CASTING ITS VOTE FOR A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO THE DALLAS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SUBMIT THE APPROVED BALLOT NOMINEE. GOOD EVENING, MR. KIM. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO, UH, THIS IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. BACK ON THE 17TH OF OCTOBER, COUNSEL APPROVED NOMINATING MS UH, PAULINE MADANO, MODERNO MADANO, I'M SORRY, AS A CANDIDATE FOR DA BOARD OF, UH, DIRECTORS. AND SO, UH, MS. MADANO IS NOW ON THAT BALLOT THAT YOU HAVE TONIGHT, ALONG WITH 12 OTHER INDIVIDUALS FOR TOTAL OF 13 CANDIDATES. SO IN THIS, UH, ELECTION, DESOTO HAS [00:50:01] 14 VOTES ALLOTTED. SO YOUR TASK TONIGHT IS DETERMINE HOW YOU WANT TO ALLOCATE THOSE 14 VOTES. YOU CAN ALLOCATE ALL 14 OF 'EM FOR MS. MADANO, OR YOU CAN ALLOCATE 'EM FOR ANY COMBINATION OF CANDIDATES AS LONG AS THE TOTAL IS 14. SO NOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL ENTERTAIN THOSE. IF NOT, I'LL AWAIT YOUR DECISION. THANK YOU. YES. UH, COUNCILMAN WATERS. UM, I, I THOUGHT I READ IN HERE THAT WE GET TWO NOMINEES, IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, THERE ARE, THERE ARE TWO, TWO CANDIDATES. 2, 2, 2 POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT, BUT WE GET YOU'RE ONLY CHOOSING ONE THOUGH. IS THAT WHAT YOU YES. OKAY. WELL, YOU CAN, YOU, CAN YOU MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR? YOU CAN, YOU CAN NOMINATE, YOU CAN CASH YOUR VOTES FOR AS MANY CANDIDATES AS YOU WANT, AS LONG AS THE TOTAL IS 14. YOU, CAN YOU, DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? YEP. OKAY, THANK YOU. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER? UH, YES. DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE, UH, A VOTE LIKE INDIVIDUALLY WE COULD HAVE TWO? OR ARE WE COLLECTIVELY HAVING 14? COLLECTIVELY HAVING 14 GROUPS. OKAY. SO THAT MEANS IF WE DO TWO PEOPLE, WE'RE DOING IT COLLECTIVELY FOR THOSE TWO PEOPLE. YES. OKAY. COUNSEL, ARE, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO WHAT WAS DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY WITH MS. MADANO? AS WE SEE THERE ARE OTHER INDIVIDUALS HERE, UH, THAT WE COULD CAST VOTES FOR, UM, SHOULD WE NOT BE IN, IN UNISON WITH SIMPLY CAST THEM FOR HER? WHAT? ONE, ONE THING THAT I WOULD SUGGEST, SINCE THERE ARE SEVEN COUNCIL MEMBERS IN 14 VOTES, UM, EACH PERSON GETS TWO OF THOSE VOTES FOR WHOEVER THEY WANT TO CAST IT. AND WE COULD APPLY IT JUST AS LONG AS YOU MENTIONED. IT DOES NOT EXCEED 14 VOTES IF EVERYBODY'S NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH DOING ONE CANDIDATE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES. COUNCIL, WHAT? SAY, WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO CAST MY VOTES. ONE FOR, UH, MR. TON AND THE OTHER ONE FOR COUNT. CASSANDRA, CASSANDRA, PHILLIPS. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WOULD LIKE TO JUST, EACH COUNCIL PERSON CAN PUT THEIR VOTES AND THEN WE'LL TALLY IT THAT WAY. OKAY. TWO. TWO. SO ONE FOR ONE AND ONE FOR YOU. YEAH. AND THEN OTHERS CAN DO WHATEVER THEY SO CHOOSE. SO COUNSEL, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU ALL A, UM, DO YOU ALL NEED TIME TO EVALUATE THAT OR THINK SINCE IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED? COUNSEL? HELLO? , DO YOU ALL NEED TIME TO, UH, TO GATHER? ARE YOU READY TO, TO, TO DO SO? I, I ARE WE IN AGREEMENT WITH EACH COUNCIL PERSON JUST SUBMITTING THEIR TWO OR THEIR, THEIR VOTES, WHO THEY WANNA VOTE FOR? OKAY. SO GIMME ONE MOMENT AND I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT I DOCUMENT THOSE FOR US, OKAY? OKAY. MAYOR PRO TEM THOUGHT HE WAS GOING IN ORDER, UH, , UM, PAULINE MADANO AND, UH, CASSANDRA PHILLIPS. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, REMIND ME OF YOUR VOTES. ATON AND PHILLIPS. OKAY. AND WE HAVE PLACE THREE. COUNCILMAN WATERS. OKAY, I'M GONNA DO BOTH OF MY VOTES FOR CASSANDRA. PHILLIPS, PHILLIPS, COUNCILMAN BY, UH, HARRISON AND PHILLIPS. OKAY, THAT LEAVES YOU COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH HARRISON PHILLIPS AND COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES PHILLIPS. OKAY, GIMME ONE. I'M GONNA ADD THOSE UP. I DIDN'T ANNOUNCE MINE. I'M SORRY. HAIR AND MADANO ARE MY TWO. [00:55:04] IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A TOTAL, UH, WE HAVE AT THE RECEIVING THE MOST VOTES. WE HAVE SEVEN VOTES FOR, UH, MS. PHILLIPS. WE HAVE FOUR VOTES FOR MAYOR HAIRSTON, AND WE HAVE THREE VOTES FOR MS. MADANO. AND THAT TOTAL IS 14 VOTES. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNSEL. AT [2. Consider approval of a Resolution of Support nominating Solar Turbines Inc. as a Texas State Enterprise Zone Project ] THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. WE WILL NOW HAVE CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT OF NOMINATING SOLAR TURBINES INC. AS A TEXAS STATE ENTERPRISE ZONE PROJECT. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL MAD REMINDED ME I HAVE 30 SECONDS . THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY KIND OF A, A, A SIMPLE THING TONIGHT. I'M HERE, UH, ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER, UH, AN APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR SOLAR TURBINES FOR THEIR NEW HYDROGEN CONVERSION PROJECT IN 2020. YOU HAD A SIMILAR SUPPORT, UM, FROM THIS, FROM THIS COUNCIL, UM, THAT EXPIRED LAST YEAR. UH, SOLAR TURBINES IS PROPOSING A NEW $25 MILLION PROJECT. AND THIS, UH, LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM YOU WOULD ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THE SALES TAX. THE STATE SALES TAX REBATED IS PART OF THE TEXAS EASY ZONE PROJECT. THE LOCAL PRO, THE LOCAL SALES TAX IS UNTOUCHED. AND IN FACT, NOT ONLY DO DO WE GET THAT SALES TAX, BUT IT ALSO ADDS TO THE TAXABLE VALUE GENERATING ABOUT ANOTHER $170,000 A YEAR IN PROPERTY TAX. SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THAT RESOLUTION, WHICH IS PART OF YOUR PACKET. ANY QUESTIONS ON AND ANSWERED? THANK YOU. YES, I DO SEE LIGHTS. I'M NOT SURE WHOSE LIGHT WAS ON FIRST. MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION. UM, MY QUESTION IS, UM, I THINK OF COURSE THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SOLAR TURBINE. UM, BUT MY QUESTION IS ARE IN, IN REGARDS TO DESOTO, PUTTING THEIR NAME AND STAMP ON IT, IS SOLAR TURBINE WILLING TO, UH, ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME JOB CREATIONS FOR HERE LOCAL FOR, FOR LOCAL CITIZENS? OR LIKE, WHAT IS THE TRADE OFF FOR US DOING THIS? SO THIS, THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, THEY DON'T KNOW. THEY DON'T KNOW EXACTLY THAT IT WILL ACTUALLY CREATE NEW JOBS, RIGHT? AS MUCH AS IT WILL PROVIDE, UH, NEW TRAINING FOR EXISTING JOBS. SO RETAINING THOSE JOBS. UM, AND I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT BREAKDOWN OF WHAT PERCENTAGE OF SOLAR TURBINES, UH, CURRENT NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES ARE, ARE DESOTO BASED. OKAY. THAT'S FAIR. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOU KNOW, UH, SHE ACTUALLY ASKED EVERY QUESTION THAT I HAD, SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JOB. UH, I DID WANNA KNOW THOSE NUMBERS, SO IF WE COULD POSSIBLY GET THE NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE ONCE WE GIVE THE STAMP OF APPROVAL, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JOBS FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO, UM, WE'RE GIVING OUR APPROVAL, ARE WE GONNA GET THE JOBS? THAT TYPE OF THING. THAT'S KIND OF WHAT MY QUESTION WAS AS WELL. SO THAT'S ALL I CAN CERTAINLY, UM, LIKE I SAID, THEY, THEY DON'T HAVE AN ANTICIPATION OF JOB GROWTH FROM THIS PARTICULAR, FROM THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT AS MUCH AS IT'S RETENTION. BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY INQUIRE IF, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN WHAT THOSE JOBS LOOK LIKE. AND I CAN CERTAINLY SEND THAT FORWARD TO YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN WATERS? YES, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND, UM, I WAS HOPE HOPING THE SOLAR TURBINE GUY WOULD BE HERE, BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT BECAUSE WE WANT TO THANK SOLAR TURBINES FOR DOING BUSINESS HERE AT DESOTO. SO WE'RE HAPPY TO BRING THAT BACK TO HIM. THAT HAPPY TO THANK YOU WITH US ON OUR NEXT SITE VISIT. OKAY. PLEASE DO THAT. I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO GET A CHANCE TO TALK WITH THEM IN DIRECTLY. YES. SO I, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT THING FOR OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO DO. SO I'M FOR IT. YOU BACK COUNCIL MEMBER BUR UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UM, UM, MR. COL AND COLSON, CAN YOU SPEAK TO, UH, WE KNOW THAT SOLAR TURBINE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE. THEY'VE MADE HUGE INVESTMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY AND EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN'T SPEAK TO THE SPECIFIC NUMBERS THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN, IT IS NOT A NEGATIVE, IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NO NEGATIVE EFFECT ON, ON OUR TAX BASE. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. UH, AND, AND YOU SPOKE OF $107,000 AND ADDITIONAL TAX, UH, PROPERTY TAX. UH, HOW IS THAT? CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? SURE. SO IT'S A $25 MILLION, UH, INVESTMENT IN TERMS OF THE HYDROGEN CONVERSION PROJECT ITSELF. SO THAT IN INCREASES THE BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY THAT'S ON SITE THAT'S TAXED JUST LIKE ANY OTHER PROPERTY, A REAL, REAL PROPERTY. THIS JUST HAPPENS TO BE A BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY. SO AT OUR CURRENT TAX RATE, THAT WOULD GENERATE ABOUT $170,000 PER YEAR [01:00:01] OVER THE 12 YEAR USEFUL LIFE OF THE PROJECT. OKAY. AND, UM, SOLAR TURBINE IS THE, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IS THE, IS THE, UH, INDUSTRY THAT'S RIGHT ON THE PIPELINE, RIGHT ON THE GAS PIPELINE? IT IS. AND THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR HOW LONG? UH, I, I REMEMBER THE FIRST PROJECT THAT I COULD THAT IS, WAS IN 2016, BUT I THINK THEY WERE HERE BEFORE THAT, BEFORE THEY HAD SET UP SHOP BEFORE THAT. AND, AND CORRECT ME WITH MY MEMORY, UH, THEY ARE, THEY'RE NOT ONLY A UNITED STATES COMPANY, BUT THEY'RE, THEY ARE AN INTERNATIONAL COMPANY, IS THAT CORRECT? THEY ARE. IN FACT, THEN THEY'RE A SUBSIDIARY OF, OF CATERPILLAR, UM, WHICH IS HEADQUARTERED IN IRVING. OKAY. UM, THEY'RE ALSO ONE OF OUR LARGEST PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS. THEY EMPLOY ABOUT 450 INDIVIDUALS. WONDERFUL. AND SO I, I, I, UM, CONCUR WITH MY COLLEAGUE. IT IS A BLESSING TO HAVE THEM HERE AND TO BE EXPANDING HERE. AND THIS IS, THIS WOULD BE A VOTE THAT DOES NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECT US. AND A MATTER OF FACT, IT, IT IMPROVES OUR TAX BASE TO A TUNE OF 170, ABOUT $170,000 A YEAR TIMES 12. MM-HMM . OKAY. SO OVER A MILLION DOLLARS. WELL OVER A MILLION. IT WOULD BE OVER THE LIFE OF THE ASSET. YES. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I AM JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW WITH US HAVING THE NEW AQUATIC RECREATION CENTER, I AM JUST, UH, CURIOUS TO KNOW IF THEY HAVE, UH, DONE A TOUR OF THE A AS WELL AS ANY INTEREST IN, IN TERMS OF NAMING RIGHTS. I'M JUST WANNA SEE THAT PART, , IF WE CAN PUT THAT, PRESENT THAT TO THEM. WE CERTAINLY CAN. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH. I, I LOVE THAT IDEA. AND I WILL LEAVE OUR TEAM DISCUSSED LAST NIGHT WHILE YOU ARE DISCUSS THAT WE WOULD HAVE, I'LL LET YOU JOIN ME NEXT TIME. , LOOK, IT SOUNDS LIKE I, LIKE I WANTED TO MAYBE BE RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. UM, BUT THEY DID DISCUSS, UH, LAST NIGHT ABOUT THE ARC AND THE MARKETING PLAN, BUT ALSO LIKE DOING THE STAKEHOLDER TOURS AND TOURS WITH THE BUSINESSES AND JUST DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA, NOT ONLY FOR THEM BUT FOR COMPANIES LIKE THEM. UM, BECAUSE I'M SURE THAT WITH THAT BEING WHAT WOULD BE A CENTER OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS, I'M SURE THAT MAY BE A BENEFIT TO THEIR EMPLOYEES AS WELL. SO I THINK THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE, UH, GOOD TO HAVE THEM THERE. ALRIGHT, COUNSEL. UM, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS BEFORE WE CALL FOR A VOTE? UH, HEARING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE AS PRESENTED. I SECOND. IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER, NOR TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED COUNCIL, PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PADS. OUR THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU COUNSEL. AT THIS [3. Discuss and consider authorizing the City Manager to waive delinquency fees and suspend utility shutoffs on water utility accounts for furloughed Federal Government employees until December 31, 2025] TIME WE WILL HAVE THANK YOU COUNSEL. OH, THANK YOU MR. CARLSON. UH, AT THIS TIME WE WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, PLEASE. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM NUMBER THREE, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO WAIVE DELINQUENCY FEES AND SUSPEND UTILITY SHUTOFFS ON WATER UTILITY ACCOUNTS FOR FURLOUGHED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST, 2025. ALL RIGHT. WELL, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I THINK THIS IS A FIRST FOR ME BEING THE FINAL AGENDA ITEM. SO I'LL JUST ECHO THE WORDS AS A PASTOR GROWING UP, IF YOU JUST SAY, MAN, I PROMISE I WON'T HOLD YOU LONG. AMEN. . AMEN. JESUS, MOST OF US MISS OUR CALLING AS COMEDIANS IN THE CITY. AS WE CAN TELL , IT'S A LOT OF THIS KIND OF CARRYING ON AT OUR MEETING . ALL RIGHT. WELL, THIS ITEM IS ACTUALLY, UH, PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD THAT I, THIS IS A ITEM, UH, THAT THE PUBLIC UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WANTED TO BRING FORWARD TO ESSENTIALLY, UH, AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM OR A PAUSE ON, UH, DELINQUENT FEES AND SUSPEND UTILITY SHUTOFFS FOR, UH, FURLOUGHED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS. UH, PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THAT I WAS GONNA SAY THIS EVENING. I THINK MAYOR PROCTOR AND, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM CHISHOLM SPOKE ABOUT, UH, WE'RE ALL AWARE OF WHAT'S TRANSPIRED OVER THE LAST 50 DAYS WITH THE, UH, GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND HOW THAT'S AFFECTED PEOPLE BOTH NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY. UM, YOU KNOW, DUE TO, UM, AGENDA POSTING REQUIREMENTS, THIS ITEM WAS ACTUALLY PLACED ON THE AGENDA, UH, PRIOR TO THE, UM, PRIOR TO THE SHUTDOWN CONCLUSION, WHICH CONCLUDED ON NOVEMBER 13TH. HOWEVER, THE PUBLIC UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD. AND IT IS GONNA BE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CITY, UH, COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO SUSPEND THESE DE QUENT SHUTOFFS AND, UM, UH, DELINQUENT FEES UNTIL DECEMBER THE 31ST, 2025, TO ALLOW THOSE WHO ARE AFFECTED TO ESSENTIALLY, UH, START RECEIVING PAYCHECKS AGAIN AND GETTING FINANCES BACK IN ORDER. AND I HAVE ANY, UM, I'M AVAILABLE FOR [01:05:01] ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE OF ME. THANK YOU. I DO SEE A FEW LIGHTS. UM, A LIGHT COUNCIL MEMBER BUR OH, THANK YOU, SIR. I, I DO HAVE A QUESTION. YES. HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT, UH, DISTINGUISHING, I, I LOVE THE IDEA, I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT, BUT HOW WILL YOU GO ABOUT DISTINGUISHING WHO HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS, UH, BY THE EVENTS VERSUS THOSE WHO MIGHT HAVE JUST BEEN LATE PAYING THEIR BILLS? SO IT WOULD BE SUBJECTED TO VERIFICATION. USUALLY WHEN THIS DOES HAPPEN, UH, THE FEDERAL WORKERS WILL SEE, WE'LL RECEIVE A NOTE, A NOTICE OF FURLOUGH, AND WE WOULD REQUIRE THAT KIND OF A DOCUMENTATION EITHER BY A SUPERVISOR OR A HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I DO NOT SEE ANY ADDITIONAL LIGHTS. UM, COUNSEL, IS THERE A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE AS PRESENTED. SECOND, IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMAN BYD SECOND, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WAS COUNCILWOMAN NORTH TO APPROVE. AS PRESENTED. COUNCIL, PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PADS. THAT MOTION ALSO PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'RE BADGEING A THOUSAND COUNSEL. AT [I. CITIZEN APPEARANCES] THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. WE WILL NOW HAVE CITIZEN APPEARANCES. THE CITY COUNCIL INVITES CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON ANY TOPIC NOT ALREADY SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING. CITIZENS WISHING TO SPEAK SHOULD COMPLETE A CITIZEN COMMENT CARD AND PRESENT IT TO THE CITY SECRETARY OR RETURN TO THE AMBASSADOR'S TABLE PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE CITY COUNCIL CANNOT TAKE ACTION ON ITEMS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA. HOWEVER, YOUR CONCERNS MAY BE ADDRESSED BY CITY STAFF PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA OR RESPONDED TO BY SOME OTHER COURSE. FOR ATTENDEES WANTING TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM LISTED ON THE AGENDA, THE COMMENT CARDS RELATED TO THE SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS ARE TO BE PRESENTED TO THE CITY SECRETARY PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THAT AGENDA ITEM. THE STANDARD TIME LIMIT IS THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER AND MAY BE MODIFIED AT THE MAYOR'S DISCRETION TO MAINTAIN AN EFFICIENT FLOW OF THE MEETING. PLEASE NOTE COMMENTS ARE TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF. CITIZEN SHALL FRAME FROM MAKING PERSONAL AND PERTINENT PROFANE OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS OR BECOMING BOISTEROUS WHILE ADDRESSING THE CITY COUNCIL. IF SUCH CONDUCT OCCURS AND IS NOT CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY, THE CITIZEN MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE ROOM FOR THE REMAINING SESSION OF THE MEETING AND THE CITIZEN SHALL BE BARRED FROM APPEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THAT SESSION. CITIZENS SHALL OBSERVE THE SAME RULES OF PROPRIETY DECORUM AND GOOD CONDUCT APPLICABLE TO CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE A COMMENT BY MS. EY MURCHISON. GOOD EVENING. MS. MURSON, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE ONLY. FOR THE RECORD, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. GOOD EVENING. MURSON, BETO, IT IS GOING TO TAKE LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES, SO I'M GONNA JUST HIT THE UM, THE TOPICS QUICKLY FOR YOU. I WANT TO REMIND YOU OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND I DO NOT WANT TO BE INTERRUPTED AND SAY A POINT OF ORDER. I WAS SUBJECTED TO INJUSTICE, THEFT, VANDALISM. I WAS TOLD BY A CONSTABLE LONDON THAT HE WAS GOING TO SHOW ME SOMETHING. I WAS TOLD THAT TWICE I WAS SUBJECTED TO AN EVICTION AND A NAME THAT WAS NOT MINE. HE REFUSED TO EVEN LOOK AT THE COURT RECORDS. HE SAID TO ME, I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU [01:10:01] SOMETHING TODAY, MS. MURCHISON. AND HE SAID THAT TWICE. THEY VANDALIZED PRICELESS ANTIQUES. THEY BROKE ITALIAN MARBLE. THEY REFUSED TO LET ME TOUCH ANYTHING IN MY HOME. MY MILITARY PARENTS' PICTURES, MY DECEASED SON'S PICTURES. THEY SIMPLY DESTROYED THINGS. I WAS TOLD, I HAVE NO PROOF, BUT MY ATTORNEY IS CHECKING INTO IT. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THIS, AND I WANNA SAY TO YOU, THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES FOR IT. I WANT TO SAY TO YOU ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH THE CITY COUNCIL, YOU NEVER WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN ANYTHING YET. AND STILL YOU LET CHILDREN BE SUBJECTED TO ABUSE, TO RAPE, TO DRUGS, TO UNBELIEVABLE, TO HAVE VIDEOS TAKEN OF EMPLOYEES HAVING SEX WITH CHILDREN. ALL OF THIS HAS HAPPENED. YOU HAVE MINISTERS HERE IN DESOTO. YOU SEEM TO KNOW NOTHING. NO ONE SEEMS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING. YOU HAVE A PRESIDENT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO PUT HER ON THE HALL OF HONOR AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. AND YET, AND STILL THEY HAVE ALLOWED CHILDREN TO BE VICTIMIZED. YOU ARE GUILTY CITY COUNCIL. YOU ARE GUILTY. YOU ARE GUILTY FOR ALLOWING ADULTS TO VICTIMIZE CHILDREN. THAT CONCLUDES YOUR TIME. I'M SURE IT DOES. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE MR. TERRANCE GORE. MAYOR, I ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT MS. ANNA WILLIAMS SUBMITTED A CARD AFTER THE TIME'S CUT OFF. GOOD EVENING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING, UH, COUNSEL AND OTHERS ON THE DIOCESE. MY NAME IS TERRENCE GORE, THE CITY OF DESOTO SILVER CREEK ESTATES. FIRST, LET ME, UH, ADDRESS, UH, WHAT MI MS. MURCHISON SAYS. UM, THAT IS TO ME, SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS AND THE, THE THET EA IS ACTIVELY INVESTIGATING HER CLAIMS THAT SHE HAS MADE, I KNOW THIS FOR A FACT. SO, UH, LET ME GET ON TO MY BUSINESS. I WANNA ADDRESS TWO MATTERS OF SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC CONCERN. FIRST, WITHOUT A POINT OF ORDER, I WANTED TO PUBLICLY COMMEND COUNSEL ONE PARKER FOR HER STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO ACCOUNTABILITY. MR. GORE. POINT OF ORDER PLEASE. REGARDING THIS COUNCIL WITH REGARDS TO PUBLIC MONEY COUNCILWOMAN. MR. GORE POINT OF OF ORDER, PLEASE, IF YOU DO NOT CORRECT THE BEHAVIOR, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO, TO, TO STEP DOWN FROM THE MIC. I AM WITH MY ORDER CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO SPEAK. POINT OF ORDER. MR. GORE, IF YOU CHOOSE TO FOLLOW THE RULES, YOU CAN CONTINUE YOUR COMMENTS WITHOUT RECLAIMING ANY TIME. PLEASE DO NOT MENTION COUNCIL MEMBERS BY NAME FOR ANY REASON. ALRIGHT. WHETHER THAT'S A POSITIVE COMMENT OR OTHERWISE. THANK YOU. THE COUNCILWOMAN IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW MEMBERS SHOULD CONDUCT THEMSELVES WITH REGARDS TO PUBLIC BUSINESS AND MONEY. I HAVE SOUNDED THE ALARM AND WILL CONTINUE TO SOUND THE ALARM. I AM A WHISTLEBLOWER. TONIGHT, I WANT TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE GROWING PATTERN OF CONDUCT WITHIN SIDE THIS CITY GOVERNMENT THAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS CORRUPTION AND AT MINIMUM GROSS MALFEASANCE AND MISFEASANCE IN THE HANDS OF, IN HANDLING PUBLIC FUNDS, PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY, AND PUBLIC TRUST. WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE WITH TRE GOLF CLUB IS NOT A MISUNDERSTANDING, BUT, AND NOT PAPERWORK MISTAKES AND NOT A COMMUNICATION ISSUE. IT IS A COORDINATED SERIES ON UNAUTHORIZED ACTION CARRIED OUT BY OUTSIDE VIEWS WITHOUT LEGAL AUTHORITY AND A DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE TEXAS OAK MEETINGS ACT. THE CITY CHARTER AND FIDUCIARY DUTIES. EACH OF YOU OWED A PEOPLE OWED TO THE, UH, PEOPLE OF SOTO. THE 2,500, UH, THE $212,500 PAYMENT THAT WAS SECRETLY ISSUED TO RUSSELL GLEN, LLC [01:15:01] AND THORNTREE PROPERTIES GROUP WAS NEVER APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL. NEVER PLACED ON THE AGENDA, NEVER VOTED ON, AND UM, AND OF COURSE IT WAS NEVER DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. THAT ALONE IS A UNLAWFUL GIFT OF PUBLIC FUNDS UNDER ARTICLE THREE, SECTION 52 OF THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION. YET IT WAS EXEC, IT WAS EXECUTED AWAY ANYWAY, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE MANAGER AND THE CITY AND THE MAYOR. THAT CONCLUDES YOUR TIME. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER CARDS FROM INDIVIDUAL WHO WISH TO SPEAK THAT WAS SUBMITTED IN A TIMELY FASHION? WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL CARDS. MAYOR. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF OUR ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES, SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM CHISHOLM TO ADJOURN. COUNCIL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, WE ARE ADJOURNED FOR THE EVENING AT 7:18 PM YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.