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GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.[A. CALL TO ORDER AND CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION 1. The City Council will convene into executive session pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.076(1) to deliberate the deployment, implementation of security personnel and devices 2. The City Council will convene into executive session pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.074(1) Personnel Matters — to deliberate the appointment of associate municipal judge(s) 3. Reconvene into Regular Session 4. Take any necessary action as a result of the Executive Session]
IT'S 5:00 PM IT IS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2ND.I WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, WE WANT TO, I'M GONNA ASK IF OUR ASSISTANT CITY SECRETARY, MS. REYNOLDS, WOULD GIVE US A ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER KIM WATERS HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DEBORAH NORTH HERE.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA HUGHES HERE.
AT THIS TIME, UH, CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA FOR OUR FIRST PART OF OUR MEETING? THE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.0761 TO DELIBERATE THE DEPLOYMENT IMPLEMENTATION OF SECURITY PERSONNEL AND DEVICES AS WELL AS CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.0741 PERSONNEL MATTERS TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT OF ASSOCIATE MUNICIPAL JUDGES.
AFTERWARDS, WE WILL RECONVENE INTO REGULAR SESSION AND TAKE ANY NECESSARY ACTION AS A RESULT OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THANK YOU, MS. RONALDS, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENT CARDS FROM ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS? NO MA'AM.
AT THIS TIME, IT IS 5:01 PM AND WE WILL CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND RETURN, UH, AFTER WE HAVE COMPLETED THAT WITH ANY ACTION AS A RESULT.
UH, WEEK THE COUNCIL HAS RECONVENED OUT OF ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 5:52 PM COUNSEL, LET SEE.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? YES, WE DO.
MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT VICTOR LANDERS AS THE ASSOCIATE MUNICIPAL JUDGE.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES TO APPOINT JUDGE VICTOR LANDERS AS THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT COUNCIL.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION? SO MOVED.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER BYRD TO CONVENE OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION COUNCIL.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
IT'S 5:59 PM AND OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED.
AND WE HAVE ONE MINUTE TILL OUR REGULAR SESSION STARTS GO.
[B. REGULAR SESSION AGENDA - CALL TO ORDER]
COUNSEL, AND WELCOME BACK.I'M MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR AND I WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL TO OUR REGULAR SESSION OF THE, UH, DESOTO CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA ASK MS. REYNOLDS, OUR ASSISTANT CITY SECRETARY, TO PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER KIM WATERS HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DEBORAH NORTH HERE.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA HUGHES HERE.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
FIRST WE HAVE INVOCATION BY REVEREND JEREMIAH AUSTIN FROM COMMUNITY MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
AND JUST A SMALL NOTE, HE DID CALL, UM, THIS EVENING, SAID HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND DUE TO AN EMERGENCY.
AND THEN FOLLOW FROM, UH, INVOCATION.
WE HAVE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY STUDENT AMBASSADOR ANNMARIE NLE FROM THE MEADOWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE STAND? I DO SEE PASTOR DELGADO.
DO YOU MIND COMING AND PRAYING FOR US THIS EVENING? THANK YOU.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU.
WE LOVE YOU GOD, FOR ANOTHER DAY OF LIFE, GOD, THAT IS ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO JUST GLORIFY YOUR NAME FOR THAT MIRACLE.
FATHER LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME THAT WE HAVE TOGETHER TO BUILD FATHER THE LORD TOGETHER.
FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS OUR CITY LEADERS, OUR CITY IN GENERAL, FATHER GOD, ALL THE PLANS THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED BEFORE YOU AND THOSE THAT ARE STILL TO COME.
WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE OUR DOING AND WILL DO.
FOLLOW THE LORD IN AND THROUGH US AND THROUGH OUR CITY.
IN YOUR PRECIOUS NAME WE PRAY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WIDGET STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.FOR ALL HONOR, HONOR THE TEXAS I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE.
I WANNA EXTEND A SINCERE THANK YOU TO PASTOR VICENTE DELGADO FROM THE NOBE VITA CHURCH FOR RENDERING OUR PRAYER THIS EVENING.
AND WE WANNA GIVE IT UP TO OUR STUDENT AMBASSADOR FOR THE EVENING.
MS. AMARI NGEL, LET'S PLEASE PUT OUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR HER.
DIDN'T SHE DO AN AMAZING JOB? I'M GONNA READ JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MS. NGEL TONIGHT.
AND SHE IS A STUDENT AT THE MEADOWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND SHE'S NINE YEARS OLD AND CURRENTLY IN THE FOURTH GRADE.
AMARI WAS BORN ON JULY 17TH, 2016 TO SIMONE JIMERSON AND AUNTIE NGEL.
AMARI ENJOYS OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SWIMMING, COOKING WITH HER FAMILY AND PARTICIPATING IN FAMILY OUTINGS.
SHE ALSO LOVES EXPLORING WILDLIFE AND SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH HER SIBLINGS.
AMARI WAS CRA CROWNED QUEEN AT THE MEADOWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANNUAL SNEAKER BALL.
IT IS ON THE AB HONOR ROLL, THOUGH SHE IS NATURALLY QUIET AND MEEK.
AMARI LOVES TO LAUGH AND TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN REPRESENTING HER SCHOOL THROUGH BOTH HER ACADEMICS AND HER CHARACTER.
AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, SHE LOOKS FORWARD TO ATTENDING COLLEGE TO PURSUE A DEGREE IN PEDIATRIC MEDICINE.
LET'S GIVE IT UP ONE MORE TIME FOR OUR STUDENT AMBASSADOR THIS EVENING.
AMARI, I HAVE A LITTLE SECRET TO SHARE WITH YOU.
I WENT TO THE MEADOWS ELEMENTARY AS WELL.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENT BODY AT THE MEADOWS? YES MA'AM.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MISS G, MY COUNSELOR AND MS. HICKS, MY PRINCIPAL.
I'M REALLY THANKFUL TO GO TO THE MEADOWS 'CAUSE THAT'S MY FAVORITE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE SCHOOLS AND I'M REALLY THANKFUL.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT, YOU MAY DO SO.
HOWEVER, YOU MUST FILL OUT A CARD OR I'M AT OUR AMBASSADOR TABLE AND OUR STUDENT AMBASSADOR WILL ASSIST YOU WITH THAT.
I'M GONNA COME DOWN SO YOU STAY RIGHT THERE.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE SOME PICTURES AND I HAVE SOME GOODIES FOR YOU RIGHT HERE.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, PLEASE.
[C. PRESENTATIONS]
ON TO PRESENTATIONS.UH, FIRST PRESENTATION IS PRESENTATION OF LIGHT UP DESOTO AWARDS 2025.
MAKING A PRESENTATION IS MAYOR PROCTOR WITH, ALONG WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, I AM GONNA IMPROVISE A LITTLE BIT.
I'M GONNA WORK WITH THE PERSON WHO DID THE VIDEO.
THIS IS, UH, A GREAT TIME OF YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT, UH, DECEMBER IS, UM, A GREAT TIME OF YEAR JUST FOR FAMILY, FOR FUN AND LIGHT.
LOOKING AT LIGHT UP DESOTO IS ALWAYS A GREAT, UM, GREAT ITEM FOR US.
AND WE'RE ALWAYS EXCITED AS A COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND REALLY, UH, SEE ALL THE BEAUTIFUL DECOR AND ALL THE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS THAT YOU ALL DO AND PUT OUT EACH AND EVERY YEAR.
AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THERE, LET'S SEE.
WHO'S, WHO'S, THIS IS PLACE TWO.
ALL RIGHT, GO BACK, GO BACK, GO BACK.
I'M GONNA START WITH PLACE TWO AND SHE IS GOING TO GIVE HER LIGHT UP DESOTO WINNER FOR PLACE TWO.
THAT'S COUNCIL MEMBER PERT PARKER.
OH, I DON'T SEE MY GREAT VIDEOS
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WHILE THEY GETTING THAT VIDEO.UM, DECEMBER IS ALSO A REALLY GOOD MONTH BECAUSE THERE'S BIRTHDAYS IN DECEMBER.
WELL, JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S HAPPENING, I ACTUALLY CAN NEVER CHOOSE.
I HAVE SO MANY DISPLAYS AND I'M SURE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS DO AS WELL, BUT I HAVE SO MANY DISPLAYS, SO I LIKE TO CHOOSE WITH A WHEEL.
THAT WAY I DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT CHOICE MYSELF.
SO THE FIRST WINNER, AND I ACTUALLY GIVE OUT THE FIRST THREE.
SO THE FIRST WINNER ACTUALLY IS, UH, FOUR 17 RAINIER.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE, THE WHEEL IS ACTUALLY ABOUT TO SAY.
UH, I'M GONNA POST MY VIDEO AS WELL, THE, THE FULL VIDEO, BUT, UH, I ACTUALLY CHOOSE TWO MORE AFTER THIS.
AND I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND AND PUT THOSE GR THOSE GRAND DISPLAYS OUT.
IT WAS A MIRACULOUS EVENING, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WAS RAINING A LITTLE BIT ON THOSE NIGHTS.
SO MY ACTUAL TOP WINNER WAS FOUR 17 RAINIER AND THAT'S IN DESOTO IN THE SUMMIT PARK AREA.
AND THEN MY OTHER TWO WERE, UH, GOLDENEYE.
ONE IS IN GOLD, ONE LAST CHOICE, LAST BIT WAS ON DUSKY THRUSH, I'M SORRY.
SO, BUT I WILL MAKE CERTAIN THAT THOSE PEOPLE GET, UM, GET SOMETHING.
AND THEN THE WINNER IS FOUR 17 RAINIER.
THEY WILL ACTUALLY GET A SIGN IN THEIR YARD.
BUT I'M GONNA POST MY VIDEO ON FACEBOOK SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE THE ENTIRE VIDEO.
'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA TAKE UP ANYMORE TIME.
CAN WE HAVE STAFF TO SHOW THE SIGN THAT THEY'LL ACTUALLY RECEIVE IN THEIR YARD AS WELL? WE HAVE A SIGN OVER HERE, THE LIGHT UP DESOTO SIGN.
I'M GONNA MOVE TO PLACE THREE.
WELL, UM, I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE COULD DO ALL THIS FANCY STUFF.
THAT WAS MY FIRST RODEO, FIRST CHRISTMAS.
BUT ANYWAY, THIS PICTURE DOES NOT DO IT JUSTICE.
YOU GOTTA GO BY THERE AND SEE.
UH, BUT THEY DID IT BIG, LIKE REAL BIG.
AND, UM, ANYWAY, THE ADDRESS IS 7 24 ROBIN MEADOW DRIVE.
AND ALSO WHEN I WAS DRIVING AROUND THE STORY ABOUT THIS ONE IS THE DAY BEFORE WE PASSED THIS, BUT EVERYTHING WAS DOWN.
BUT IT WAS LIKE, I WAS WITH ME AND MY WIFE, IT WAS LIKE, WELL, LET'S PUT THIS ON THE LIST ON AND COME BACK.
MAYBE THEY'LL HAVE IT TOMORROW.
WE WERE GONNA COME BACK ON SUNDAY.
WELL, WE WAS DRIVING THROUGH ON SUNDAY FOR ANOTHER WINNER THAT WAS GONNA HAVE A WINNER IN THAT SAME NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM THESE PEOPLE.
AND, UH, WHAT DO YOU KNOW, THEY HAD EVERYTHING UP, EVERYTHING LIT UP.
SO IT WAS LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS.
RIGHT? JUST SO HAPPENED ONE OF THESE THINGS WAS DOWN IN THE BACKSIDE AND THE ONE OF, UH, THE RESIDENTS WERE OUTSIDE.
WELL, THE GUY, MR.
I MEAN, THAT WAS ON THE GROUND.
SO I, I GOT OUT THE CAR WHEN MY WIFE STOPPED AND I STOPPED.
SHE, SHE SAID, HEY Y'ALL, HOW Y'ALL DOING? THEY SAID, YEAH, HEY, WE DOING GOOD.
I GOT OUT THE CAR AND SAID, HEY, HEY SIR, I'M ABOUT TO MAKE YOUR DAY
SO ANYWAY, BUT I TOOK IT BY MY, I WAS TALKING TO THEM AND MY WIFE TOOK A VIDEO OF IT, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE THAT VIDEO ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE.
SO GO TO THE COUNCILMAN KEN WATERS PAGE.
WE'LL PUT PU IT UP, UH, TONIGHT.
UH, BUT YES, THOSE ARE MY WINNERS.
I TOLD THEM I ONLY WANNA ROCK WITH THE BEST AND THEY ARE THE BEST.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN WATERS, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB ON YOUR FIRST RODEO
AND, UM, I DID KNOW THAT, UH, PLACE TWO WOULD BE VERY CREATIVE WITH HER TECHNICAL SKILLS.
I'M NEITHER TECHNICAL, UH, NOR IN THE RODEO, SO LET'S JUST GET DOWN TO IT.
UM, OUR NORMAL WINNER IS, UH, IS A WONDERFUL YOUNG LADY ON CLOVERDALE.
UM, AND, UH, HER LAST DIGIT IS EIGHT AND SHE'S ALWAYS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.
BUT THIS YEAR WE WENT TO 2108.
UM, I FORGOT THE NAME OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS IS ACTUALLY, THIS IS ACTUALLY OVER IN
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DANIEL FORMS. AND WE'RE CALLING THIS, UH, DESOTO ELEGANCE IS VERY UNDERSTATED.THERE'S REINDEER IN THE FOREST, IT'S ALL OVER.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE NAME OF THE STREET 'CAUSE I, I'D HAVE FORGOT THE NAME OF THE STREET COUNCIL.
I TOOK A PICTURE OF, THERE WE GO.
HOMESTEAD 2108 HOMESTEAD IS THE WINNER OF THIS YEAR.
ALSO, WE WANT TO GIVE A NOD TO OUR WINNER LAST YEAR, UH, WHICH WAS ON THORNTREE DRIVE.
AND OUR WINNER, SHE'S WORN LIKE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS ON CLOVERDALE.
BUT OUR SELECTION THIS YEAR WAS 2108.
CONGRATULATIONS, AND WE'LL LOOK TO SEE YOU NEXT YEAR.
COUNCILMAN BYRD, COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH.
THIS WAS REALLY A HARD DECISION.
UM, HOWEVER, ON THIS PARTICULAR EVENING, IT WAS STARTING TO RAIN AND I WAS LIKE, I DIDN'T WANNA GET OUT IN THE COLD.
BUT WHEN I DROVE BY THIS PARTICULAR STREET, HERE IT IS 1000 SOUTH LAKE DRIVE IN ELLISON TRACE WEST.
I SELECTED THIS HOME AS THE LIGHT UP THE SOTO PLACE.
FIVE WINTER BECAUSE IT BEAUTIFULLY CAPTURES THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON.
THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ARE THOUGHTFULLY ARRANGED, WARM AND WELCOMING, CREATING A FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE THAT STANDS OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THE NATIVITY SCENE IS THE CENTERPIECE TASTEFULLY DISPLAYED IN RITUAL, MEANING REFLECTING TRADITION, COMMUNITY VALUES, AND THE TRUE HEART OF THE HOLIDAY.
SO TOGETHER THE DECOR SHOWS CARE, CREATIVITY, AND A GENUINE DESIRE TO SPREAD JOY, MAKING THIS HOME A SHINING EXAMPLE OF HOLIDAY CELEBRATION HERE IN DESOTO.
SO AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS, 1000 SOUTH LAKE DRIVE IN ELLISON TRACE WEST.
SO, UM, BEFORE YOU BEGIN, I, I, I, I DIDN'T TRUST MYSELF TO DO THIS.
AND SO I FOUND SOME SANTA HELPERS TO HELP ME.
UH, SOME, SOME LITTLE KIDS THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO DO ONE NIGHT
UM, BECAUSE THEY KEEP COMING BACK EVERY YEAR WITH GREAT DECOR.
AND SO WE, UH, WENT OUT AND WE LEAR SEARCHED FOR HOUSES.
I KNEW THAT THE HOUSE THAT WAS PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE BEST, BUT I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT KIDS, LET'S JUST GO, LET'S JUST DO THIS AND GO UP AND DOWN COCKLE HILL.
UM, BUT NONETHELESS, WHEN THEY SAW THIS HOUSE, THEY SAID ALL THE OTHERS WERE MID, AS THEY SAY IN THEIR TERMS. AND THIS HOUSE WAS THE BEST HOUSE AND IT WAS NUMBER ONE.
THE ADDRESS IS 4 0 1 GOLD POND.
SO I WAS DRIVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I SAW THIS REALLY NICE BIG HOUSE ON LONG MEADOW AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE THEIR LIGHTS ON.
I WAS LIKE, MAN, THEY MISSED IT.
SO THEN I WENT ON OVER TO THIS HOUSE, YOU SEE RIGHT HERE, AND IT'S LOCATED AT FIVE 15 SIERRA IN MANTEL BROOK.
AND I SAID, THIS IS THE ONE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAYOUT, THEY'VE GOT ALMOST EVERY FIGURE YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT, DREAMED ABOUT WHEN WE WERE GROWING UP AS KIDS.
I MEAN, IT JUST GIVE YOU THAT OOH AH, FEELING.
BUT THEN, AND I SAID, THIS IS IT.
BUT THEN AS I DROVE DOWN THE STREET, NOT EVEN A THOUSAND YARDS AWAY, I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOD, THERE'S A TWIN IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
AND I WAS LIKE, THERE IS NO WAY I COULD PICK ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.
I CAN'T GET IN TROUBLE WITH PEOPLE.
I AM NOT GONNA HAVE THAT MONKEY ON MY BACK.
SO GUESS WHAT, THEY BOTH GET TO WIN THESE.
THEY BOTH GET A SIGN IN THEIR YARD IF Y'ALL WILL DISPLAY THE OTHER ONE OR IS THAT THE OTHER ONE? IT'S THE OTHER ONE.
THE OTHER ONE IS FIVE 30 SIERRA, Y'ALL.
THEY'RE LITERALLY RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM EACH OTHER AND THEY ARE AMAZING.
AND SO YEAH, THOSE ARE MY TWO, THE TWINS.
AND I DID OFFER TO, TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OTHER SIDE.
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JOB TO PICK JUST ONE.ALL RIGHT, WELL HAVE LAST BUT NOT LEAST.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE SOUND IS WORKING.
YOU WANNA REPLAY MAYOR PRO TEMS AS WELL IF IT COMES UP MY ROOM.
WE ARE BUILDING UP ALL THE ANTICIPATION
WELL, YOU, YOU DIDN'T LET MINE GO EITHER, BUT, OKAY.
WELL, WE CAN REPLAY YOURS AS WELL, BUT NO, I GOT TWO MINUTES.
IT, IT'S MAYOR PROCTOR AND MY LITTLE SIDEKICK LILY HERE.
THIS IS HER FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR, HONESTLY PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIMES OF YEAR AS WELL.
UM, WE ALWAYS ENJOY GOING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, LOOKING AT HOW YOU ALL HAVE LIT UP M SOTO FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND YOU KNOW, I HAVE THE TOUGH JOB OF GOING THROUGH AND PICKING OUT THE FAVORITE NEIGHBORHOOD ENTRYWAY AND YOU GUYS ALWAYS MAKE THIS SO, SO TOUGH.
UM, BUT I HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION.
AND SO ON BEHALF OF MYSELF WITH LIVING'S APPROVAL, I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE 2025 BY THE B SOTO MAYOR'S CHOICE AWARD GOES TO CENTER ESTATES
IT WAS WELCOMING, IT WAS BEAUTIFULLY DONE.
AGAIN, THERE WERE SO MANY HONORABLE MENTIONS, BUT THANK YOU TO EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT PARTICIPATED, YOUR EFFORTS.
UH, ALWAYS MAKE THE SOLO TURN WRITER EVERY YEAR.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE FAMILIES AND FROM OUR HOME TOURS, I'M WISHING YOU ALL A PEACEFUL AND ENJOYFUL AND BEAUTIFUL LIT HOLIDAY SEASON, DEAR CHRISTMAS OF.
ALRIGHT, SO IF YOU HEARD THAT, UH, LILY AND I CHOSE CENTER ESTATES, WHICH THEY ARE LOCATED THERE, SUBDIVISION, UH, OFF OF WINTERGREEN.
I THINK THE CLOSEST CROSS STREET IS GONNA BE RANCH VALLEY AND POLK, RIGHT WHEN YOU EXIT 35.
UM, MAYOR PRO TEM, DID YOU WANNA TRY TO PLAY HERS AGAIN? WE'LL TRY TO DO YOURS ONE MORE TIME.
MAYOR PRO TEM, BUT PLEASE TAKE SOME TIME, DRIVE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
HEY DESOTO, THIS IS MAYOR PRO TEM CRYSTAL CHISHOLM WITH THE PLAY SIX BEST CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, DECORATIONS.
NOW THIS ONE IS A OLDIE BUT GOODIE BECAUSE THEY KEEP COMING BACK EVERY YEAR WITH GREAT DECORATIONS.
THIS YEAR I HAD A LITTLE HELP FROM MY NIECES AND NEPHEWS.
SO THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT WE DECIDED ON THIS YEAR, TAKE A LOOK, MALCHO.
AND THEY EVEN ADDED THE DALLAS COWBOYS THIS YEAR.
UM, IF YOU LOOK OVER HERE, THEY HAVE THE DEERS AND IT'S JUST A REALLY GREAT HOUSE.
WE ARE EXCITED TO CALL IT OUR PLAY SIX WINNER OF THE YEAR.
YOU CAN GIVE YOURSELF A GREAT BIG HAND CLAP FOR THAT.
OUR LIGHT UP DE SOTO AGAIN, EVERY, UH, PLEASE TAKE SOME TIME, DRIVE THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND LET US KNOW YOUR FAVORITES AS WELL.
[D. ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST]
HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE.NEXT WE 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, 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, AS WELL AS LIAISON UPDATES.
COUNCIL THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER.
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IT IS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL THIS EVENING.UH, WE HAVE A ANNUAL TOY DRIVE.
IT'S THE FIFTH ANNUAL TOY DRIVE THE TUNDRA.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, UH, HAD A TOY ENTERED INTO THIS TUNDRA TONIGHT AND TODAY IS THE TIME TO DO IT, GO FIND YOU A BOX, WHICH IS, THERE SHOULD BE ONE RIGHT OUTSIDE IN THE CITY HALL.
AND THIS IS CALLED THE UND TOY DRIVE.
IT NEEDS UNWRAPPED, UH, GIFTS OR TOYS FOR ALL THE STUDENTS.
AND THIS WAS A BENEFIT FOR THE DESOTO ISD STUDENTS.
THE GOAL THIS YEAR IS TO FILL 10.
LAST YEAR THEY FILLED 13, SO THEY, THEY REDUCED IT.
SO THEY STILL WAITING ON YOU TO BRING THE TOYS.
SO 10 FILL TUNDRAS, UH, PHIL, I'M SORRY.
UH, 10 TUNDRA TRUCKS ARE GOING TO BE FILLED WITH TOYS FOR THE ISD STUDENTS OR THE DESOTO ISD STUDENTS.
YOU MAY DROP YOUR UNWRAPPED TOYS OFF AT THE DESOTO ISD SCHOOL BUILDING, OR YOU CAN, UM, DO IT RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY HALL.
THERE SHOULD BE A BOX OUTSIDE OR YOU CAN DO IT AT LEGACY TOYOTA, WHICH IS 39 6 60 LBJ FREEWAY DALLAS, 7 5 2 3 5.
AND THAT IS BY, YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT DONE BY DECEMBER 13TH AT 10:00 AM AND UM, ALSO THE, THE PERSON IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS.
SO YOU MIGHT WANNA REACH OUT TO OUR OWN, UM, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, UH, DR. MARKS AND SHE IS ACTUALLY, UH, TAKING ANY CALLS.
YOU GUYS CAN CALL HER AS WELL.
CATCH HER ONLINE AND THAT WAY YOU CAN GET ALL HER INFORMATION.
REMEMBER, ANY TOY THAT YOU BRING IS A, IS A GOOD TOY FOR A KID.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT AT THE DESOTO AREA CHAMBERS, HAVING THEIR ANNUAL GALA THIS FRIDAY AT THE ARTIST EVENT CENTER.
IF YOU ALL ARE FREE AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, WANNA GET OUT AND DRESS UP IN YOUR NICE, UH, BEAUTIFUL GOWNS AND MAYBE YOUR COWBOY BOOTS BE SHARING, GIVE THE TICKET.
AND THEN ALSO WE WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MIGHTY FIGHTING DESOTO EAGLE FOOTBALL TEAM.
YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT A FORM RIGHT THERE.
THEY HAVE A PLAYOFF GAME THIS SATURDAY IN, UH, WACO AT THE MCLEAN STADIUM AT 3:00 PM THEY WILL BE PLAYING WILLIS AND WE WANNA WISH THEM THE BEST.
COUNCILMAN WATERS OKAY? YES, I HAVE A COUPLE.
THE FIRST ONE IS, DESPITE IN SPITE ART EXHIBIT BY SHERIDAN LOVITZ, IT'S OPEN NOW THROUGH JANUARY 9TH, UM, AT THE DESOTO TOWN CENTER, RIGHT HERE IN THE BACK FOYER AREA HERE ON THE WALL, YOU'LL SEE HIS, UH, PAINTINGS.
IT SAYS, IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE VIBRANT WORLD OF ABSTRACT PAINTING AND LET YOUR IMAGINATION EXPLORE THE DEPTH OF ART WITH INCREDIBLE PAINTINGS MADE BY SHERIDAN LOVITZ.
FOR, FOR MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN ALSO GO TO DESOTO TEXAS.GOV.
BUT EVERYBODY HERE, YOU JUST GO RIGHT HERE.
YOU SEE ALL HIS PAINTINGS, VERY, VERY GOOD.
ALSO CALLING ALL CREATORS, WHETHER YOU ARE A PAINTER, A SCULPTURE, A DANCER, A MUSICIAN, WRITER, FILMMAKER, PHOTOGRAPHER, DIGITAL ARTIST, CULTURAL STORYTELLER, OR INNOVATE IN A GENRE OF YOUR OWN.
UH, WE WANT YOU TO APPLY NOW, THIS IS, UH, IN REGARDS TO, UM, HAVING YOUR ARTWORK OVER HERE OR DISPLAYING YOUR, YOUR TALENTS HERE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
BUT ANYWAY, APPLICATIONS OPEN UP, UH, NOVEMBER 17TH THROUGH JANUARY 9TH.
SO WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW? APPLICATIONS, THIS IS YOUR MOMENT TO STEP INTO A COMMUNITY THAT CELEBRATES CREATIVITY.
NURTURES IM IMAGINATION, AND BELIEVES IN THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF THE ARTS.
THE DESOTO ARTIST LAB RE RESIDENCY PROGRAM IS GEARED UP TO WELCOME A NEW COHORT OF VISIONARY ARTISTS, MAKERS, AND DREAMERS WHO ARE READY TO INSPIRE, UPLIFT, AND REIMAGINE WHAT ART CAN DO IN OUR CITY.
SO YOU CAN GO TO WWW.DESOTOTEXAS.GOV, CLICK ON THE ARTS IN DESOTO AND DESOTO ARTISTS LAB FOR DETAILS.
ALSO, WHAT ARE REMINDER EVERYBODY ABOUT DESOTO VANTAGE DAY? OKAY, IT'S PUT ON BY DENISE VALENTI FOUNDATION.
AND, UM, ALSO, UH, THAT'S ON THURSDAY, UM, DECEMBER 18TH FROM FIVE TO 8:00 PM IT'S GONNA BE LOCATED AT THE NEXT LEVEL GIANTS EVENT CENTER, WHICH AT 900 NORTH POLK STREET, SUITE ONE 70.
UM, HOLIDAY MARKETPLACE IS GONNA HAVE FREE FOOD AND REFRESHMENTS EXPERT PANEL DISCUSSIONS, FREE PHOTO WITH SAN SANTA SKILLED TRADES AND CAREER EXPO, FREE BOUNCE HOUSE AND GAME TRUCK AND MORE.
SO YOU CAN GO TO WWW.DENISEVALENTINEFOUNDATION.COM OR YOU CAN FIND HER INSTAGRAM ABOUT IT.
IT'S, UH, AT DENISE VALENTINE FOUNDATION.
[00:30:01]
FORWARD TO HAVING Y'ALL, UH, GO THERE.THE FIRST ONE IS THE VILLAGE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IS DOING THEIR CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE.
HELP US SPREAD JOY THIS YEAR BY DONATING A TOY FOR CHILDREN, UM, COLLECTING TOYS UNTIL DECEMBER 7TH.
UH, DROP OFF LOCATIONS ARE THE VILLAGE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, DESOTO CITY HALL, DESOTO POLICE DEPARTMENT, DESOTO FIRE DEPARTMENT NUMBER TWO, DESOTO PRIVATE SCHOOL AND MCOWEN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 4 6 9 6 7 7 6 2 7 1 OR EMAIL THEM AT INFO@THEVILLAGEUMC.ORG.
MY SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A HARD JOB BEING THE YOUNGEST ON THIS COUNCIL 'CAUSE I'VE WATCHED THESE PEOPLE AGE AND TODAY, TODAY WE ARE GOING TO CELEBRATE YET ANOTHER AGING PERSON ON THE COUNCIL.
IT'S SOMEBODY THAT WE LOVE DEARLY, BUT UM, I'M JUST KIDDING Y'ALL.
UH, TODAY WE'RE GOING TO DO A TRADITION THAT WE NORMALLY DO, UH, WHEN THERE'S A BIRTHDAY.
UM, TODAY WE'RE GOING, WE'RE CELEBRATING MAYOR PROCTOR'S BIRTHDAY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY DECEMBER THE 14TH.
HOWEVER, BECAUSE THIS IS OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, WE WILL BE CELEBRATING IT TODAY.
SHE'S GONNA DECIDE WHAT VERSION OF THE SONG SHE WANTS, AND THEN WE COLLECTIVELY, MEANING YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL CHOIR, ARE GOING TO HELP US SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MAYOR PROCTOR.
MAYOR, WHAT VERSION OF HAPPY BIRTHDAY WOULD YOU LIKE? UH, I'M GONNA DO, I'M GONNA DO STEVIE STEVIE, THE STEVIE WONDER VERSION.
OKAY, WE DOING THIS IN B FLAT.
WELL, THAT'S OKAY 'CAUSE I PRESIDED OVER THE MEETINGS.
I'LL FIND MY WAY TO GET HER BACK.
I DID HAVE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS ACTUALLY THOUGH, BUT THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
UM, ACTUALLY, MAYOR PROTE, MY BIRTHDAY IS YOU, YOU ARE A DAY EARLY.
UH, JUST JOT THAT DOWN IN YOUR SPARE TIME.
BUT I APPRECIATE ANYTHING THAT YOU ALL DO FOR ME.
AND SO I FEEL SO LOVED AND SO BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO GET TO DO WHAT WE GET TO DO TOGETHER.
AND SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH, UH, FOR THE BEAUTIFUL ARRANGEMENT.
AND I DO HAVE SOME, A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS.
COUNSEL, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS BEFORE WE CONCLUDE THIS PART? OKAY.
I'M GONNA ASK SOMEONE FROM THE PARKS AND REC TEAM TO TALK ABOUT A HUGE EVENT THAT WE HAVE COMING UP THIS WEEKEND.
SO WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM OUR PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR, MR. CHRIS GLOVER.
LET'S GIVE HIM A GREAT BIG HAND CLAP.
URBAN LEGEND HAS IT THAT HE'S THE SHARPEST DRESSED MAN IN THE CITY.
HAPPY, UH, EARLY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.
UH, AND WE WILL BE CELEBRATING THAT AT MY MOM'S BIRTHDAY.
IT'S DECEMBER 4TH, SO WE'RE GONNA BE CELEBRATING THAT ON SUNDAY.
UH, DECEMBER 7TH IS WHEN WE HAVE OUR PARADE.
UH, IT'S GONNA START AT KESTREL, UH, AND COME BACK DOWN HAMPTON ALL THE WAY TO TO TOWN CENTER.
IT'S GONNA START AT FIVE 5:30 PM AND UH, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY AT SEVEN O'CLOCK AFTER PARADE IS OVER.
WE HAVE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, OVER 1500 PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP.
SO PLEASE, UH, DON'T MISS OUT ON THAT OPPORTUNITY AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE AND CELEBRATING THE CHRISTMAS, CHRISTMAS SPIRIT.
I HAVE TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT I WANNA SHARE.
UH, BOTH OF THEM ARE HAPPENING THIS WEEK.
WE HAVE THE INTEREST MEETING THAT IS HAPPENING TOMORROW.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, BUT IT IS ONE THAT IS SPECIFICALLY DEAR TO MY HEART.
AND THAT IS OUR INTEREST MEETING FOR OUR NEW COMMISSION THAT WE ARE FORMING HERE IN DESOTO.
AND IT IS THE DESOTO COMMISSION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, THAT COMMISSION HAS A MISSION TO ENSURE THAT DESOTO IS INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE, UH, WITH TWO PEOPLE WITH WHERE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CAN THRIVE, UH, CONTRIBUTE AND LIVE INDEPENDENTLY.
AND SO WE HAVE AN INTEREST MEETING TOMORROW EVENING IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN NOT ONLY POSSIBLY BECOMING A BOARD MEMBER, BUT MAYBE YOU ARE A STAKEHOLDER IN THE COMMUNITY.
MAYBE YOU HAVE A RESOURCE OR JUST ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN GET INVOLVED.
THAT INTEREST MEETING WILL BE HELD TOMORROW NIGHT, DECEMBER 3RD
[00:35:01]
FROM SIX 30 TO 7:30 PM RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT TWO 11 EAST PLEASANT RUN ROAD.AND 81 BOARD MEMBERS, UH, 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 WILL BE AVAILABLE TOMORROW, UM, STARTING AT THAT MEETING.
AND SO TOGETHER WE CAN BUILD A MORE ACCESSIBLE DESOTO.
IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN CONTACT DR.
ESTHER WILLIAMS AT EWILLIAMS@DESOTOTEXAS.GOV.
UH, THE SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I HAVE IS AN EVENT AND THEY HAVE MULTIPLE NIGHTS, BUT THIS IS THE DESOTO CHOIR BOOSTER CLUB AND THEY ARE HAVING THE DESOTO IN DECEMBER, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, DINNER, AND A CONCERT.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE HELD AT TRINITY CHURCH.
UM, THEY HAVE SEVERAL NIGHTS THAT YOU CAN ATTEND THIS EVENT.
IT IS A TICKETED EVENT, SO YOU WILL NEED TO GO TO EVENTBRITE TO LOOK UP THAT EVENT AND PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS THERE.
BUT THIS EVENT IS A WINTER MUSICAL SHOWCASE HIGHLIGHTING THE PASSION AND DEDICATION OF OUR EXTRAORDINARY DESOTO HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR.
YOU CAN ENJOY A BLEND OF SEASONAL FAVORITES AND CORRAL MASTERPIECES THAT ARE SURE TO BRING JOY TO YOUR HOLIDAY SEASON.
SO JOIN THEM AT TRINITY CHURCH THIS DECEMBER.
AND AGAIN, TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE ON EVENTBRITE.COM OR YOU CAN EMAIL THEM AT DESOTO CHOIR BOOSTER CLUB@GMAIL.COM.
AND THEY ARE ON INSTAGRAM AS WELL AT DESOTO CHOIR BOOSTER CLUB.
SO HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE AS WELL.
[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. ]
WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO THE 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 OR ITEMS MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR SEPARATE VOTE AT THE REQUEST OF A COUNCIL MEMBER, THE MAYOR OR THE CITY MANAGER.
FIRST, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FOR THE SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON NOVEMBER 17TH, 2025, IN THE NOVEMBER 18TH, 2025 REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AS WELL AS CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENT OF ROCHELLE ROSS TO THE DESOTO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVISORY COMMISSION.
PLACED FOUR CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENT OF VICENTE J DELGADO, JR.
TO THE KEEP DESOTO BEAUTIFUL BOARD PLACE.
SEVEN, CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH ENERGY SAVINGS GROUP ESG FOR THE DESIGN PHASE OF THE REMODEL PROJECT FOR THE FIRE TRAINING CENTER AND FIRE STATION 2 63 AND INCREASING THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $158,000 BY AN ADDITIONAL $20,000 FOR A TOTAL OF $178,000 FOR ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN SERVICES.
CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH KIMLEY HORNE AND ASSOCIATES, INC.
FOR A NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF 161 THOU THOUSAND $300 FOR THE DESIGN AND ASSOCIATED OTHER SERVICES FOR THE WEST SPRING GREEN ROAD AND NORTHWEST MORELAND ROAD INTERSECTION, SIGNALIZATION AND PAVING IMPROVEMENT PROJECT ITEM NUMBER FIVE, CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH TEXAS STANDARD CONSTRUCTION LTD IN THE AMOUNT OF 4 480 $7,037 AND 20 CENTS FOR THE EAST PARKVILLE ROAD AND ACADEMY WAY INTERSECTION, SIGNALIZATION PROJECT AND APPROVING A TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET OF $543,000 TO INCLUDE CONSTRUCTION CONTINGENCY AND MATERIAL TESTING.
CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH T KNOLL AND PERKINS INC.
FOR A NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $115,500 FOR UPDATING THE DRAINAGE DESIGN MANUAL OF THE CITY OF DESOTO.
CONSIDER, CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF CENSUS WATER METERS AND REGISTERS OF VARIOUS SIZES AND RADIOS FROM AQUA METRIC SALES COMPANY FOR THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $998,000 CON, UH, CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITIES OF LANCASTER, CEDAR HILL AND DUNCANVILLE FOR THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION.
CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH ENERGY SYSTEMS GROUP ESG TO IMPLEMENT, IMPLEMENT THE S-E-C-O-E-E-C-B-G LIGHTING PROJECTS AND ANY ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE MODERNIZATION PROJECT AS OUTLINED IN THE INVESTMENT GRADE AUDIT, NOT TO EXCEED $690,000.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE MOBILE FOOD POLICY.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF FITNESS EQUIPMENT FOR THE AQUATICS AND RECREATION CENTER AT MCALLEN PARK FROM FITZ SUPPLY IN THE AMOUNT OF $148,962, UTILIZING BY BOARD CONTACT 7 64 DASH 25 IN AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AMENDING
[00:40:01]
THE INVESTMENT POLICY FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO DESOTO HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, DESOTO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, DESOTO HEALTH FACILITIES CORPORATION, AND DESOTO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 2ND, 2025.DO WE HAVE ANY ITEMS? YES, I DO SEE A LIGHT COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER.
THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, I, UH, I'D LIKE TO PULL, AND I KNOW THIS IS GONNA BE EXHAUSTIVE, SO I'M GOING TO, UH, JUST LIST THEM OUT.
UH, F FIVE, F SIX, F SEVEN, F NINE, AND F 10 FOR, UH, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
ARE YOU ASKING FOR A SEPARATE VOTE OR ARE YOU JUST WANTING CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS? WELL, I HAVE CLARIFICATIONS THAT I NEED TO DO, SO IT, IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO JUST GO AHEAD AND DO 'EM AS A SEPARATE VOTE.
COUNSEL, ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE CALL FOR A MOTION? HEARING NONE COUNSEL WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
AND THAT WAS THE ITEMS REQUESTED TO BE PULLED AGAIN AS YOU'RE MAKING YOUR MOTION ITEM, UH, 5, 6, 7, 9, AND 10.
COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, CORRECT.
UM, MADAM MAYOR, UM, I WOULD LIKE, UH, FOR ITEM EIGHT TO BE PULLED, UH, OUT OF THE AGENDA COMPLETELY PULLED OUT OF THE AGENDA FOR NEITHER FOR A VOTE NOR CONSIDERATION TONIGHT.
SO WE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERING ITEM F EIGHT TONIGHT.
COUNSEL, PLEASE STRIKE THAT AND WHOEVER MAKES A MOTION, PLEASE BE, UH, COGNIZANT OF THAT AS WELL.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCEPTION OR THE PULLING OF F FIVE, F SIX, F SEVEN, F NINE, F 10, UH, AND, UH, F EIGHT COMPLETELY.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER.
I PROPERLY SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER BYRD TO, UH, APPROVE ALL ITEMS AS PRESENTED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ONE STATED COUNSEL.
ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[5. Consider authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a construction contract with Texas Standard Construction, Ltd. in the amount of $487,037.20 for the E. Parkerville Road and Academy Way Intersection Signalization Project, and approving a total project budget of $543,000.00 to include construction, contingency, and material testing]
F FIVE.OKAY, SO FOR F FIVE, UM, THE REASON THAT I ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT THIS ONE WAS IT SAID THERE WAS A BID TABULATION AND IT SAID THAT THE BID TABULATION INSIDE OF THE LETTER, IT SAYS FOR THE PROJECT WAS THE TOTAL OF $509,200, WHEREAS THE ACTUAL ITEM LINE ITEM SAYS THAT IT SHOULD BE 543,000.
SO I COULDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND.
AND THEN THE BID TABULATION, IT WASN'T, IT DIDN'T EVEN SHOW THE 5 0 9.
THE BID TABULATION SAYS 4 83 OR 4 87, SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
AND THEN THE ACTUAL MANAGEMENT REPORT SAYS 5 43.
SO I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT WAS THE, THE MIX UP THERE.
THANKS FOR ASKING THE QUESTION.
SO WHEN YOU ARE A CONSULT, PREPARE THE CONSTRUCTION PLAN.
THEY PROVIDE US A POSSIBLE COST ESTIMATES FOR OUR INTERNAL PLANNING PURPOSE.
THAT COST ESTIMATE WAS $509,200.
THAT HAS NO IMPACT ON ANYTHING THAT IS JUST A COST ESTIMATE.
IN ADDITION TO THE LOWEST BID, WE ALWAYS REQUEST THE CITY COUNCIL TO ALLOCATE IT 10% CONTINGENCY FOR ANY NECESSITY DURING THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND THAT IS BASICALLY ANOTHER 48,000.
MOREOVER, WE WILL REQUIRE SOME CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL TESTING, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 7,000.
SO 487 PLUS 48,000 PLUS 7,000.
SO THE REASON THAT I ASKED THE QUESTION WAS BECAUSE IT USES THE WORD TOTAL AND THE TOTAL, THE WORD TOTAL ITSELF MEANS THAT'S IT.
MEANING THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, IF YOU GET INTO A SITUATION WHERE THERE ISN'T ANYTHING ABOVE THAT 5 43.
'CAUSE LIKE I SAID, THERE WAS SO MANY DIFFERENT NUMBERS I DIDN'T KNOW WHICH ONE I WAS REALLY LOOKING AT.
THE 5 43, IT WILL NOT GO ABOVE THAT FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
SO THERE'S ONLY ONE REASON THAT IT GOES ABOVE THIS.
IF WE DO A CHANGE ORDER ORDER THAT WOULD, AND WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO TO ANSWER HER QUESTION, THIS IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO EXCEED UNLESS WE GO BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR A CHANGE ORDER IN THE FUTURE IN CASE IF WE NEED IT.
THAT'S WHY WE BUILD A CONTINGENCY AND WE USE IT, YOU KNOW, AS WE GO IN THE PROJECT.
SO THE 10% CONTINGENCY IS A PART OF THE 5 43? YES, IT'S, YES.
IT'S PART THE CONSTRUCTION COST IS 4 87.
AND DID YOU ADD INTO THAT THE CONTINGENCY AND YOU ALSO ADD THE MATERIAL TESTING COST.
[00:45:01]
THANK YOU.UH, WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE AS PRESENTED.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY, EXCUSE ME.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM CHISHOLM.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED COUNSEL.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
OKAY, SO FOR F SIX, THE REASON THAT I BROUGHT THIS ONE UP WAS BECAUSE IT SAYS THAT THERE ARE, UH, 90 DAYS, UH, FOR THE INITIAL REVIEW AND COMMENT AND THEN 90 MORE DAYS WHERE THE TOTAL, THE WHOLE TOTAL IS THE 240 DAYS.
UM, AS FAR AS THE PROFESSIONAL AGREEMENT IS CONCERNED, THE CONTRACT, THE REASON THAT I WAS ASKED, I'M SORRY, HANG ON.
WHAT IS THE COMPLETE TIMELINE FOR THIS TO COM BE COMPLETED IN THE CITY? OUR CITY CHAIR WILL GET YOU THE INFORMATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER FOR ITEM EIGHT SIX THAT IS UPDATING OUR TRAINER'S DESIGN MANUAL.
UH, SO THE, THE SCHEDULE THAT IS SHOWN, THIS IS A TENTATIVE SCHEDULE AND IT BASICALLY SAYS, UM, ONCE, UM, THE SUBMIT THE DRAFT REPORT AND THERE WILL BE STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT, WE WILL ACTUALLY INVOLVE DESIGN CONSULTANT OF PRIVATE DEVELOPER AND OTHER CONSULTANT.
SO ONCE WE GIVE THOSE COMMENTS TO OUR CONSULTANT, THEY WILL UPDATE.
AND THAT IS AT THIS TIME A 90 DAY TIMELINE THAT THEY PREDICTED.
AND THEN, UH, UH, ONCE THEY SUBMIT THE FINAL DRAFT, THEY WILL, WE WILL, UM, COMMENT AND THEY WILL TAKE TWO MONTHS TO FINALIZE EVERYTHING AND PRESENT TO YOU FOR ADOPTION.
SO THERE'S A, THERE THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION TO HAVE A COUNCIL MEETING IN BETWEEN EACH OF THESE 90 DAYS.
THE REASON I'M ASKING THAT IS BECAUSE BASED ON THE CALCULATIONS, THAT'S EIGHT MONTHS.
ARE THEY COMPLETELY REWRITING THE DOCUMENTATION? YES.
UH, THOUGH WE ARE CALLING AND SAY UPDATE IT IS ACTUALLY KIND OF A VERY ROBUST UPDATES, A NEW MANUAL.
IT'S NOT LIKE EDITING THE EXISTING MANUAL.
IT'LL HAVE A COMPLETELY NEW MANUAL WITH SOME EXISTING INFORMATION IN THE NEW MANUAL.
AND THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THEY WILL DO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES.
THIS IS GONNA BE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES.
AND YOU ARE GIVE IS GIVING THEM TWO MONTHS TO MAKE THOSE UPDATES AND THEN YOU ALL TWO MONTHS AND THEN THEM TWO MONTHS.
I MEAN, IS THAT HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK? 'CAUSE THAT 90 DAYS JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S A LONG TIME FOR UPDATES TO DOCUMENTATION.
AND MAYBE I'M JUST LOOKING AT IT WRONG.
BUT YEAH, THIS IS, UM, I WOULD SAY A LITTLE BIT CONSERVATIVE TIMELINE.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE AS PRESENTED.
IT'S BEEN MOVED PROPERLY BY COUNCIL MEMBER BUR SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TIM CHISHOLM.
COUNCIL ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.
ALL OPPOSED? SAME TIME THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY
[7. Consider authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract for the purchase of Sensus water meters and registers of various sizes and radios from Aqua-Metric Sales Company for the not-to-exceed amount of $998,000.00]
WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.UM, I'M BRINGING THIS ONE UP BECAUSE ACTUALLY OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, UH, WE HAVE, UM, CHANGED OUT METERS, OR AT LEAST I THINK WE HAVE BASED ON ANY DOCUMENTATION BEFORE WE TOTALED THAT AMOUNT AT ABOUT 772,000, UH, $312 AND 31 CENTS FOR THOSE METERS.
UM, THE 998 IS WHAT KIND OF LIKE, WHAT ARE WE DOING? IS THERE LIKE A TIMELINE FOR US TO PUT ALL OF THOSE IN PLACE? BECAUSE THE CONTRACT HAS SOME, SOME PRETTY STEEP STIPULATIONS AS TO IT'S ONLY WORRYING TO THE WORK FOR A SPECIFIC PERIOD, A SMALL PERIOD OF TIME AND NOT THE DEVICE.
UM, WE ARE GETTING $998,000 WORTH OF DEVICES IN TO JUST SIT.
UH, SO GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
THE 998,000 ACTUALLY INCLUDES THE METERS AND ALSO THE LABOR.
SO TO YOUR FIRST POINT, UH, THAT YOU MADE.
YES, WE HAVE, UH, PURCHASED METERS IN THE PAST.
IT'S A, IT'S A ANNUAL PROCESS THAT WE DO FOR NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING METERS.
THIS, UM, PARTICULAR PROJECT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE ROBUST THAN WHAT Y'ALL HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST IN THAT WE ARE DOING A MASS CHANGE OUT.
SO, UM, AS I MENTIONED IN THE MANAGEMENT REPORT, WHEN WE FIRST INSTALLED THE METERS IN 2011, THEY HAD ABOUT A 15 YEAR LIFE EXPECTANCY.
SO IT'S GETTING, UM, PASSED THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED,
[00:50:01]
UH, SERVICE OR LIFE EXPECTANCY.SO FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, UH, DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, THE PUBLIC UTILITIES DEPARTMENT HAS, UH, UM, TRANSFERRED MONEY FROM FUND 5 0 2, WHICH IS THE MAJOR OPERATING FUND FOR THE PUBLIC UTILITIES DEPARTMENT INTO FUND 5 0 3 IN ANTICIPATION OF, UH, STARTING TO SWAP OUT SOME OF THESE OLDER METERS OUT OF THE GROUND.
YOUR LAST QUESTION WAS REGARDING THE LABOR PIECE OF IT.
WELL, THE REASON I'M ASKING THE QUESTION IS BECAUSE WE DID SOMETHING IN 2022, WE DID SOMETHING, I'M SORRY, 2021.
WE DID SOMETHING IN 20 22, 20 23 AND THEN 2024.
AND NOW IN 2025 WE'VE OVER TRIPLED WHAT WE DID IN THOSE YEARS.
AND SO I'M TRYING, I'M I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE SPECIFICALLY IT SAYS THE WARRANTY IS VALID FOR 30 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF METERED SERVICES AND I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND IF WE'RE GETTING THAT MANY IN THEY'LL BE OUTTA WARRANTY OR, OR I MEAN, HOW DOES THAT WORK TO 998 IS A LOT, CORRECT? NO, NO, THESE METERS THEMSELVES HAVE A 15 YEAR, UH, WARRANTY ON THEM.
SO WE WILL, WE WILL BE ABLE, IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG WITH THEM, WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEND THEM BACK TO THE COMPANY FOR ANY TYPE OF RMA PROCESS.
BUT AS FAR AS WHAT YOU'RE MENTIONING IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS, WE HAVE DONE SMALLER ORDERS THAT WAY WE HAVE METERS ON HANDS, LIKE I SAID, FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION MM-HMM
THIS PROJECT IS A COMBINATION OF ALL, IT'S A COMBINATION FOR TO HAVE INVENTORY ON HAND BUT TO ALSO MOVE TOWARDS, UH, MASS CHANGING OUT THE METERS THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE SINCE WE STARTED OUR A MI PROGRAM BACK IN 2011.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ACTUALLY PURCHASING MORE THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
SO WE'RE DOING OVER TRIPLE WHAT WE DID BEFORE, CORRECT.
SO WE'RE DOING, LIKE I SAID, THE, WE'RE AT THAT TIME WHERE, YOU KNOW, PER THE MANUFACTURER'S LIKE THEY EXPECT TO SEE, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE METERS SHOW THEIR AGE.
THEY'RE 15 YEARS OLD NOW AND WE'VE DONE THIS AS A PART OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS IN ANTICIPATION OF DOING THIS LARGE PROJECT THAT THE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
I YIELD BACK COUNSEL, DO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A MAYOR MOVE THAT WE APPROVE AS PRESENTED? THIS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMAN BY PROPERLY SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH COUNSEL.
ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[9. Consider authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute an Agreement for Professional Services with Energy Systems Group (ESG) to implement the SECO EECBG lighting project and any associated documents required to complete the modernization project as outlined in the Investment Grade Audit not to exceed $690,000]
HAVE ITEM NUMBER NINE.YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND PULL THAT ONE.
COUNSEL, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE AS PRESENTED.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TIM CHISHOLM TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED COUNCIL ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.
ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN THAT MOTION PASSES.
UH, WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 10, I BELIEVE IT IS.
SO THIS ONE ACTUALLY IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
I ACTUALLY, UH, PUT IT ON THE AGENDA WELL BEFORE NOW FOR US TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE, UH, MOBILE FOOD VENDORS AND I TALK TO THEM ALL THE TIME.
UH, I JUST HAD A CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF THE YOUNG LADIES WHO IS, UH, IN THE CITY AND SHE HAD SAID SHE HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING.
SO, UH, TWO OF MY QUESTIONS ARE, UM, I DIDN'T SEE IN THE ACTUAL POLICY ANYTHING ABOUT THE SALES TAX AND THAT WAS THE PRIMARY REASON THAT I WAS ACTUALLY ASKING FOR US TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.
I LOOKED AT THE CITY OF THE, SO I MEAN THE CITY OF CITY HILL.
AND ON THEIR WEBSITE IT ACTUALLY SAYS THAT THE, THAT THE SALES TAX, UH, PERMIT MUST BE DISPLAYED JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER, UH, PERMITS.
BUT THE CITY OF DESOTO DOESN'T DO THAT.
SO I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS, IS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR POLICY, IS THIS BRAND NEW TO DESOTO? IS THIS A BRAND NEW POLICY? I BELIEVE SO, YES MA'AM.
SO WE'VE NEVER HAD AN ACTUAL MOBILE FOOD TRUCK.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SALES TAX, THE REASON I WANTED TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION WAS BECAUSE THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF HAVING FOOD TRUCKS HERE IS FIRST TO MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM TO BE HERE AND SECOND TO ACTUALLY GLEAN SOME SALES TAX BECAUSE THE OTHER PRIMARY WAY THAT WE MAKE MONEY IN THE CITY OF DESOTO, CORRECT? RIGHT.
SO ARE WE NOT GOING TO INCORPORATE ANYTHING TO SAY THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE THAT MOBILE FOOD TRUCK SALES TAX PURPOSE? WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE POLICY.
AND THEN THE SECOND THING WAS THE, AS FAR AS THE OUTREACH IS CONCERNED, BECAUSE THIS YOUNG
[00:55:01]
LADY, SHE'S NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN ON FACEBOOK, 'CAUSE I ASKED HER ABOUT IT.NOW SHE'S ON FACEBOOK ASKING PEOPLE, DOES ANYBODY KNOW THE OWNERS OF THESE PARTICULAR SPOTS? HOW, HOW IS THAT OUTREACH? 'CAUSE IT DOESN'T REALLY SAY, I KNOW THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY PART OF THE POLICY, BUT HOW IS THE OUTREACH TO THE PEOPLE, THE MOBILE FOOD HOME, A MOBILE FOOD, UH, TRUCK COMMUNITY? SO ONCE WE, WE WERE WAITING FOR TONIGHT AND THEN WE WERE GONNA PUSH OUT THE, UM, INFORMATIONAL PIECE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND EVERYWHERE THROUGH ALL OF THE CHANNELS THAT WE HAVE THROUGH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, UM, MANAGER AND ALL THAT.
WHAT IS THE SO WE, WE WERE WAITING THAT FOR TONIGHT'S APPROVAL BEFORE WE ACTUALLY STARTED, UM, COMMUNICATING THE NEW POLICY.
SO THE SALES TAX PERMIT THING WILL BE INCORPORATED.
AND SO WHAT, WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE DESIRED OR THE, THE MOVE FORWARD AS FAR AS THE EFFECTIVE DATE THAT THESE PEOPLE OUT HERE, BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS SOMEBODY'S GONNA BE ON A SPOT.
AND SOMEBODY'S GOING TO COME UP AND TELL THEM, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE UNLESS YOU HAVE THIS.
AND THEY'RE GONNA SAY, I DON'T KNOW.
I HAVE NO IDEA WE CAN GIVE THEM UNTIL JANUARY 1ST SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE FULL MONTH OF DECEMBER TO COMMUNICATE THAT.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS, AS FAR AS THE OUTREACH IS CONCERNED FROM THE FACE, UH, FOR OUR, FOR OUR ACTUAL WEBSITE, OUR WEBSITE DOES NOT LEND ITSELF.
LIKE, AND I'M NOT NECESSARILY SAYING WE HAVE TO COPY CEDAR HILL, BUT CEDAR HILL'S INFORMATION IS ROBUST.
AND IF I WAS A FOOD TRUCK PERSON WITH A FOOD TRUCK AND I SAW THAT LIST OF HERE'S HOW YOU DO IT, HERE'S THIS, HERE'S WHO I WOULD BE LOOKING AT THAT AND SAYING, I WANNA BE IN THAT CITY.
SO I WOULD LOVE FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK AT DESOTO AND BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THEIR WEBSITE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I WANNA BE IN THAT CITY.
SO IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT WE CAN HAVE A OUTREACH FROM THAT WE YES.
WE ALL HAVE ALL OF THE WEBSITE UPDATED AND EVERYTHING AFTER IT GETS FORMALLY APPROVED.
UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION COUNSEL? MADAM MAYOR, I TAKE, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE, UM, MOBILE FOOD POLICY ONCE THESE UPDATES HAVE BEEN MADE AND UM, THAT'S IT.
YOU'RE APPROVING IT WITH THOSE CHANGES INCORPORATED.
APPROVING IT WITH THE INCORPORATED CHANGES.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR WHO'S, WHO MADE THAT? SECOND WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER AND UPDATED WITH THE INCORPORATED STATED CHANGES.
THEN WE HAVE A, A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES COUNCIL.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS THAT WERE APPOINTED TONIGHT.
IS SHE IN THE BUILDING? WE WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE HER.
SHE'S APPOINTED TO THE DESOTO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR PLACE FOUR.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, VICENTE DELGADO JR.
WHO WAS APPOINTED TO THE KEEP DESOTA BEAUTIFUL BOARD FOR PLACE SEVEN.
WE'RE ALWAYS, UH, EXTREMELY APPRECIATIVE OF THOSE RESIDENTS THAT STEP UP TO HELP US TO, UH, SERVE ON THESE BOARDS AND BEING A PART OF THE DECISION MAKING BODY OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
[1. Zoning Case No. Z-1514-24 - Conduct a Public Hearing and consider an Ordinance regarding the rezoning of all properties located within the “reduced/re-envisioned” boundary of the Hampton Road Character Code, excluding Planned Development District PD-170 (324 E.Beltline Rd.) and the four properties located immediately north of PD-170 (2 Bob White St., 301 E. Beltline Rd., 307 E. Beltline Rd., and 321 E. Beltline Rd.). AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS, AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE AND MAP OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS, AS HERETOFORE AMENDED, TO GRANT A CHANGE IN ZONING FOR 89 PARCELS OF LAND, GENERALLY LOCATED ALONG HAMPTON ROAD BETWEEN PLEASANT RUN ROAD AND BELT LINE ROAD, CITY OF DESOTO, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS, FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT - 9,000 (SF9), SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT – 10,000 (SF-10), MULTIPLE FAMILY DISTRICT (MF), GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT (GR), OFFICE DISTRICT - 1 (O-1), OFFICE DISTRICT - 2 (O-2), PLANNED DEVELOPMENT NO. 42 (PD-42), PLANNED DEVELOPMENT NO. 58 (PD-58), AND PLANNED DEVELOPMENT NO. 73 (PD-73).TO URBAN CENTER DISTRICT (UC); FOR 85 PARCELS OF LAND, GENERALLY LOCATED ALONG HAMPTON ROAD BETWEEN PLEASANT RUN ROAD AND BELT LINE ROAD, CITY OF DESOTO, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS, FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT - 8,000 (SF-8), SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT - 9,000 (SF-9), SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT - 10,000 (SF10), TWO FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT (2F), GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT (GR), OFFICE DISTRICT - 1 (O-1), AND OFFICE DISTRICT – 2 (O-2) TO URBAN GENERAL DISTRICT (UG); FOR 31 PARCELS OF LAND, GENERALLY LOCATED ALONG HAMPTON ROAD BETWEEN PLEASANT RUN ROAD AND BELT LINE ROAD, CITY OF DESOTO, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS, FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT – 8,000 (SF-8), SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT - 9,000 (SF-9), SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT - 12,000 (SF12), AND GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT (GR) TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DISTRICT (NS); FOR 6 PARCELS OF LAND, GENERALLY LOCATED ALONG HAMPTON ROAD BETWEEN PLEASANT RUN ROAD AND BELT LINE ROAD, CITY OF DESOTO, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS, FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT – 10,000 (SF-10), GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT (GR), AND OFFICE DISTRICT – 1 (O-1) TO URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICT (UN); AND FOR 4 PARCELS OF LAND, GENERALLY LOCATED ALONG HAMPTON ROAD BETWEEN PLEASANT RUN ROAD AND BELT LINE ROAD, CITY OF DESOTO, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS, FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT – 10,000 (SF-10), SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT – 15,000 (SF-15), AND PLANNED DEVELOPMENT NO. 58 (PD-58) TO NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITION DISTRICT (NT); PROVIDING A CONFLICTS CLAUSE; PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR PENALTY OF FINE NOT TO EXCEED THE SUM OF TWO THOUSAND ($2,000.00) DOLLARS FOR EACH OFFENSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE.ATTENDEES MAY SPEAK ON ANY ITEM LISTED ON THE AGENDA DURING THAT PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
HOWEVER, FOR TOPICS NOT SCHEDULED, ATTENDEES WILL WILL SPEAK DURING CITIZEN APPEARANCES.
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.
COMMENT CARDS RELATED TO SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS ARE DUE PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF AN AGENDA ITEM.
HOWEVER, COMMENT CARDS RELATED TO THE CITIZEN APPEARANCES, UH, PORTION OF THE AGENDA MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE AMBASSADOR'S TABLE PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING.
NEXT WE HAVE ZONING CASE NUMBER Z DASH 1514 DASH 24.
CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE REGARDING THE REZONING OF ALL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE REDUCED SLASH RE-ENVISIONED BOUNDARY OF THE HAMPTON ROAD.
CHARACTER CODE EXCLUDING PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT PD DASH 1 73 24 EAST BELTLINE ROAD.
AND THE FOUR PROPERTIES LOCATED IMMEDIATELY NORTH OF PD DASH 1 72.
BOB WHITE STREET, 3 0 1 EAST BELTLINE ROAD, 3 0 7 EAST BELTLINE ROAD, AND 3 21 EAST BELTLINE ROAD.
AND THE ORDINANCE CAPTION READS, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE.
A MAP OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS AS HERE TO FOR AMENDED TO GRANT A CHANGE IN ZONING.
4 89 PARCELS OF LAND GENERALLY LOCATED ON LONG HAMPTON ROAD.
BETWEEN PLEASANT RUN ROAD AND BELTLINE ROAD.
CITY OF DESOTO, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 9,000 SF NINE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 10,000 SF 10 MULTIPLE FAMILY
[01:00:01]
DISTRICT MF GENERAL RE RETAIL DISTRICT GR OFFICE DISTRICT DASH ONE O DASH ONE OFFICE DISTRICT DASH TWO O DASH TWO PLAN DEVELOPMENT NUMBER 42 PD 42 PLAN, DEVELOPMENT NUMBER 58 PD 58 AND PLAN DEVELOPMENT NUMBER 73 PD DASH 73 TO URBAN CENTER DISTRICT UC FOR 85 PARCELS OF LAND.GENERALLY LOCATED ALONG HAMPTON ROAD.
BETWEEN PLEASANT RUN ROAD AND BELTLINE ROAD.
CITY OF DESOTO, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 8,000 SF EIGHT SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 9,000 SF NINE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 10,000 SF TEN TWO FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT TWO F GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT GR OFFICE DISTRICT 1 0 1 IN OFFICE DISTRICT 2 0 2 TO URBAN GENERAL DISTRICT UG FOR 31 PARCELS OF LAND.
GENERALLY LOCATED ON LONG HAMPTON ROAD BETWEEN PLEASANT RUN ROAD AND BELTLINE ROAD.
CITY OF DESOTO, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 8,000 SF EIGHT SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 9,000 SF NINE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 12,000 SF 12 AND GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT GR TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DISTRICT IN S FOR SIX PARCELS OF LAND.
GENERALLY LOCATED ALONG HAMPTON ROAD, BETWEEN PLEASANT RUN ROAD AND BELTLINE ROAD.
CITY OF DESOTO, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 10,000 SF 10 GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT GR AND OFFICE DISTRICT DASH ONE OH DASH ONE TO URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICT UN AND FOR FOUR PARCELS OF LAND.
GENERALLY LOCATED ON LONG HAMPTON ROAD BETWEEN PLEASANT RUN ROAD AND BELTLINE ROAD.
CITY OF DESOTO, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 10,000 SF 10 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 15,000 SF 15 IN PLAN DEVELOPMENT NUMBER 58 PD 58 TO NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITION DISTRICT NT PROVIDING A CONFLICTS CLAUSE, PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE, PROVIDING FOR PENALTY OF FINE NOT TO EXCEED THE SUM OF $2,000 FOR EACH OFFENSE.
AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND MAKING A PRESENTATION IS DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AHMED, LKC.
BEFORE WE HEAR FROM YOU, I'M GONNA ASK OUR CITY MANAGER TO HAVE COMMENTS.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
UM, THIS IS, UM, THIS IS NOT A NEW ITEM.
THIS THIS ITEM HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS SINCE 2014.
UH, BUT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, THAT OVER THE PAST 18 MONTH AT LEAST, OUR STAFF HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY GUIDED BY THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND THE CITY COUNCIL TO ADVANCE THE HAMPTON ROAD CHARACTER CODE.
TONIGHT'S CONSIDERATION OF REZONING ALL PROPERTIES WITHIN THIS DISTRICT REPRESENTS A PIVOTAL STEP TOWARDS REALIZING THE COMMUNITY'S VISION FOR A MORE VIBRANT, CONNECTED AND ECONOMICALLY RESILIENT HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR AND THE REST OF THE CITY.
APPROVING THIS REZONING IS NOT SIMPLY A REGULATORY ACTION.
UH, IT IS AN INVESTMENT IN DE SOTO'S FUTURE.
IT PROVIDES THE FRAMEWORK NEEDED TO ENSURE COHESIVE, HIGH QUALITY DEVELOPMENT STRENGTHENS OUR ABILITY TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES AND REINVESTMENT AND POSITIONS THE CORRIDOR FOR LONG-TERM GROWTH.
UH, AND THIS EFFORT REFLECTS THOUGHTFUL PLANNING, EXTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT, AND A COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS.
OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AND STAFF HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY ON THIS INITIATIVE FROM THE BEGINNING.
'CAUSE IT ALIGNS WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IT SUPPORTS OUR STRATEGIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCES THE CHARACTER AND APPEAL OF ONE OF THE SODA'S MORE, MOST IMPORTANT CORRIDORS.
YOUR APPROVAL TONIGHT WILL ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE UNIFIED VISION OUR COMMUNITY HAS EXPRESSED AND WILL BEGIN DELIVERING THE IMPROVEMENTS OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES DESERVE.
AND WITH THAT, I TURN IT TO MR. AL CASEY.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
UH, TONIGHT WE COVER THE, UH, HAND THROUGH OUR CHARACTER CODE.
PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING IS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE THE ORDINANCE, AN ORDINANCE FOR REZONING ALL PROPERTIES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF HUNTER ROAD CHARACTER CODE TO ONE OF THE, UH, FIVE OPTIONS THAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
UH, URBAN CENTER, URBAN GENERAL NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD AND NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITION.
UM, HISTORY OF THE CASE, UH, LIKE MR. GANFORD MENTIONED STEP HAS BEEN, UH, DILIGENTLY WORKING ON THIS.
THIS IS A CITY COUNCIL INITIATIVE THAT WAS STARTED BACK IN 2005, 20 YEARS AGO WHEN THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR REDEVELOPMENT PLAN HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
AND THEN IN 2014, VOTERS APPROVED $6 MILLION IN DEBT TO PURCHASE PROPERTIES
[01:05:02]
IN HAMPTON ROAD CHARACTER CODE.AND THEN IN 2019, HAMPTON ROAD REDEVELOPMENT MARKET ANALYSIS HAS BEEN DONE.
THE SET THE STUDY ALLOWED FOR THOROUGH EVALUATION OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE REDEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, AND THAT THE MARKET WILL SUPPORT THOSE COMPONENTS.
IN 2022 HAMPTON ROAD, LAND USE STUDY, AND APPROVAL OF HAMPTON ROAD, CORRECT CODE HAS BEEN COMPLETED, WHICH RESULTED IN APPROVAL OF THE CONCEPTUAL PLANS FOR THE, FOR THE ROADWAY PORTION 2022, THE SAME YEAR AS WELL.
UM, HAMPTON ROAD TAX INCREMENT INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE HAS BEEN CREATED AND, AND BY CITY COUNCIL TO, TO ATTRACT NEW INVESTMENT TO THE HAMPTON ROAD CHARACTER CODE.
AND LASTLY, IN 2024 HAMPTON ROAD CHARACTER CODE REGULATIONS HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
ALL THOSE ARE THE, SOME OF THE PICTURES AND HOW, YOU KNOW, STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL AND, YOU KNOW, ENVISION THE, THE, THE HAMPTON ROAD CAR CODE SHOULD THAT, THAT CASE BE APPROVED TONIGHT.
AND, UH, YOU, YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, ON THE RIGHT TOP SIDE, THAT'S, UH, SOME CONCEPTUAL PLANS, UM, ON SOME OF THE PROPERTIES THAT, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS WORKING ON.
I'M NOT GONNA COVER THEM ALL, UH, BUT THIS IS JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA ABOUT HOW MANY HEARINGS THE STAFF HAS BEEN CONDUCTED WITH, UH, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING AND ZONING, UH, COMMISSION MEETING.
IT STARTED WITH, UH, IN 2024 WITH THE PNZ RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE HAMPTON ROAD CHARACTER CODE ZONING REGULATION, ALL THE WAY YOU SEE IN THE, AT THE END, IN AUGUST, UM, 12, WHICH IS A VERY RECENT, UH, MEETING THAT WE HAD.
THAT'S THE, THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOR THIS CASE.
AND, UH, IT DID NOT APPROVE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
THE VOTES WERE THREE TO FOUR, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, THOSE THREE DIFFERENT PICTURES IN MAY TO JULY, 2024.
THIS IS WHEN THIS MAP ON THE LEFT SIDE HAS BEEN, IT WAS CREATED.
THIS IS THE FIRST MAP THAT WAS CREATED FOR THE, UH, REDUCED OR REENVISIONED, UH, REDUCED BOUNDARIES OF, OF THE HAMPTON ROAD.
UH, THAT WAS IN MAY, UH, MAY TO JULY, 2024.
AND THEN ON IN AUGUST OF THE SAME YEAR AFTER, IN, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE PAST, ONE OF THE HEARINGS THAT YOU SEE IS LIKE THE JOINT MEETING THAT HAD BEEN DONE BETWEEN PLANNING AND ZONING CITY COUNCIL AND DDC.
AND THAT RESULTED IN A REDUCED BOUNDARIES.
SO THAT'S THE PICTURE THAT YOU SEE IN THE MIDDLE.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN JULY, 2024 TO AUGUST, 2024.
AND THAT'S THE RESULTS OF, YOU KNOW, THE JOINT MEETINGS THAT HAPPENED, UH, BACK THEN.
AND THEN, UH, SINCE, UH, AUGUST, 2024 TO AUGUST, 2025.
WHEN YOU LATER, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
PRETTY MUCH THE SAME WITH THE VERY FEW, UH, UH, LESS PROPERTIES.
SO THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, THIS IS THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE FOR TONIGHT.
THIS IS A LONG TERM PROCESS CHANGES.
WE WANNA ENSURE THE COMMUNITY THAT CHANGES WILL OCCUR GRADUALLY AND, UH, SHORT SEGMENTS IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
UH, PROPERTY, PROPERTY OWNERS MAY CONTINUE THEIR CURRENT USE OF THEIR PROPERTY, NOT NO ADVERSE IMPACT TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND REZONING WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY CHANGE PROPERTY TAX VALUES.
PROJECT HAS A MAJORITY SUPPORT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.
REZONING, UH, LARGER SECTIONS WILL ENCOURAGE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, MORE TECHNICAL IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU WANNA, YOU WANNA ENCOURAGE LARGER SECTIONS RATHER THAN DOING THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
AND THE LAST POINT IS REZONING WILL INCREASE AND DIVERSIFY THE CITY'S TAX BASE ON FUTURE USES.
SEPARATE RECOMMENDATION FOR TONIGHT IS FOR CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE SEPARATE RECOMMENDATION PRESENTED TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AND PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT, UH, WHICH IS APPROVING THE BOUNDARIES WITHIN, UM, WITH BASICALLY THE MAP THAT WE SHOWED ON THE, ON THE PREVIOUS, A FEW PREVIOUS LIGHTS.
AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE ALL THE PROPERTIES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES EXCEPT PD 7 1 70 AND THE PROPERTIES TO THE NORTH, WHICH IS A PRIVATE SCHOOL, UM, THAT THE VOTE WILL REQUIRE SUPER MAJORITY TONIGHT.
AND OUR LAST SLIDE IS JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE NOTIFICATION THE TEAM MAILED MORE THAN A THOUSAND NOTIFICATION TO THE PROPERTIES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES.
200 FEET RADIUS AND 400 FEET RADIUS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES, WE MAILED TWO, UH, 16 NOTIFICATION.
WE RECEIVED 15 LETTERS OF OPPOSITION, WHICH IS, UH, 7% OF THE TOTAL MAILS THAT WE SENT.
THAT'S DEPICTED ON, ON THE, ON THE RIGHT.
UH, SIDE PICTURE THAT YOU SEE.
[01:10:01]
GRAY AREA IS BASICALLY THE WITHIN BOUNDARIES.AND THEN, AND THEN THE KIND OF BLUEISH LINE THAT SAYS THE 200, UH, FEET, RADIUS.
AND THE PURPLE LINE IS THE 400 FEET.
UH, THE RED DOTS IT PRESENTS, YOU KNOW, THE LETTERS THAT YOU KNOW, WERE IN A POSITION THAT'S THE RED DOTS AND THE GREEN ONES IS A LETTER IN SUPPORT, UM, AS I CONTINUE DOWN THE TABLE.
THE NEXT ONE IS PROPERTIES WITHIN 200 FEET RADIUS OF HAMPTON ROAD.
WE MAILED FIVE 30, WE RECEIVED 20 LETTERS OF OPPOSITION, AND THAT, UH, EQUATES TO 4% OF THE TOTAL LETTER SENT.
AND THEN WITHIN THE 400, 400 FEET, WE SENT 2 55 AND WE RECEIVED ZERO.
THAT WOULD CONCLUDE MY QUESTION.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
I JUST WANT TO ADD, UH, I WANNA RECOGNIZE OUR PARTNERS WHO WORK REALLY DILIGENTLY WITH US, HALF AN ASSOCIATES, UH, THEY'RE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
WE REALLY APPRECIATED THEIR DILIGENCE IN THAT MATTER AS WELL, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
UM, BEFORE WE GET STARTED AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, I WANT TO MAKE A NOTE THAT THE TIME FOR COMMENTS DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF CARDS WE HAVE, WILL BE REDUCED TO TWO MINUTES PER SPEAKER.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK, PLEASE, OR IF YOU DON'T WISH TO SPEAK, PLEASE LET US KNOW THAT WHEN THEY CALL YOUR NAME, IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK OTHERWISE, THE TIME LIMIT FOR SPEAKERS TONIGHT FOR THIS ITEM WILL BE TWO MINUTES PER SPEAKER.
AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES, SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM CHISHOLM TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COUNSEL, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
COUNSEL, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
UH, AT THIS TIME, DO WE HAVE CARDS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK MS. REYNOLDS? YES.
AND THEN AFTERWARDS WE WILL HAVE, UH, MR. GARY RENELL.
MR. MCDONALD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE ONLY FOR THE RECORD, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I GUESS THIS IS ABOUT THE SEVENTH TIME I'VE BEEN UP HERE OPPOSED TO THIS, THIS PROJECT STARTED SIX YEARS AGO THIS MONTH, UH, WITH MAYOR INE MCALLEN.
AND THIS, THERE'S NOT A SINGLE PROPERTY OWNER WHOSE PROPERTY'S BEING REZONED THAT'S ASKED FOR THIS ZONING.
THIS ZONING IS BEING IMPOSED ON THESE PROPERTIES BY THE CITY ON THE PREMISE THAT THIS IS GONNA CREATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
NOW YOU'RE GONNA NARROW HAMPTON ROAD DOWN TO TWO LANES THAT'S GONNA REDUCE TRAFFIC COUNT FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS.
THE VALUE OF RETAIL PROPERTY IS BASED ON TRAFFIC COUNT, ON INCREASED TRAFFIC COUNT, NOT REDUCED TRAFFIC COUNT.
SECONDLY, SO I'M NOT SURE YOU'RE GONNA SEE MUCH RETAIL.
I DO THINK YOU WILL SEE MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT OUT OF THIS IN EACH OR FOUR OF THE FIVE CATEGORIES.
HIGH DENSITY MULTIFAMILY IS PERMITTED.
THERE'S NO LIMITS ON THE DENSITY, THERE'S NO LIMITS ON THE SIZE OF THE UNITS.
SO YOU ARE GONNA PROBABLY SEE MULTIFAMILY UP AND DOWN HAMPTON ROAD.
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, THEN YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR THIS.
BUT THIS IS GOING TO MASSIVELY IMPACT TRAFFIC ON HAMPTON ROAD.
IT'S GONNA SLOW IT DOWN AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF BELTLINE AND PLEASANT RUN.
AND IT'S GONNA SEND THAT TRAFFIC ELSEWHERE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND IT'S GONNA BE A MESS.
I DON'T THINK THAT THIS PROJECT IS GONNA TURN INTO ANYTHING LIKE WHAT, WHAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED.
AND THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE THERE ON HAMPTON ROAD RIGHT NOW ARE GONNA SUFFER HORRIBLY DURING CONSTRUCTION AND AFTERWARD IN THE REDUCED.
AND OH, BY THE WAY, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A $50 MILLION PROJECT.
THAT MEANS YOU'RE GONNA NEED $5 BILLION IN RETAIL SALES.
THAT CONCLUDES YOUR TIME TO JUSTIFY THIS EXPENSE.
I'M GONNA ASK THAT YOU ALL PLEASE NOT, UH, CLAP BETWEEN SPEAKERS.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CONCLUSION THAT THE DIRECTOR SAID, HE SAID THAT THIS, UH, PROJECT HAS MAJORITY SUPPORT.
I WOULD SAY THAT YOU CANNOT SAY IT HAS MAJORITY SUPPORT UNLESS YOU TAKE IT TO THE CITIZENS TO VOTE.
[01:15:01]
IF THEY TELL YOU THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT, THEN YOU CAN MAKE THAT STATEMENT.I'M HERE TODAY AS AN OPPOSITION TO THAT.
NOT THAT WE DON'T NEED SOMETHING LIKE THE HAMPTON ROAD PROJECT.
I THINK THE LOCATION IS INCORRECT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE BUILDING AND DEVELOPING ON I 35 CEDAR HILL.
BEING IN THE INTERIOR OF OUR CITY, I BELIEVE IS NOT THE BEST POSITION.
I BELIEVE WE DON'T NEED THE EXPANSE OF ONE MILE LONG.
I BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD START WITH AN ECONOMIC NODE AT THE CORNER OF BELTLINE AND, UM, HAMPTON ROAD, SINCE THAT IS WHERE YOU'VE ALREADY MADE A PURCHASE OF A CHURCH AND YOU HAVE YOUR BIGGEST, UH, MOUNT INVESTED THERE.
AND IF THAT NODE DOES WELL, THEN I BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD THEN MOVE FORWARD TO THE NORTH AND DEVELOP THE ENTIRE MILE.
BUT TO SUBJECT, UM, THE CITIZENS, THOSE WITH HOMES, THOSE WITH BUSINESSES UNDER AN ORDINANCE, AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT IT'S GOING TO WORK, I THINK IS AN INJUSTICE TO OUR CITIZENS.
YOU ALL VOTED TO BUILD IT WITHOUT BRINGING IT TO THE CITY, UH, FOR A VOTE.
AND MR. FIND, MR. RAVENELL, PLEASE MAKE YOUR COMMENTS GERMANE TO THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
I'M, I'M TRYING TO MAKE A, THE A NOT GERMANE TO THIS ITEM.
I'M, I'M TRYING TO MAKE A POINT THAT YOU REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON THE ARC AND MAKING SURE IT'S SUCCESS SUCCESSFUL FIRST BEFORE YOU GO AND START TRYING TO DO OTHER PROJECTS.
I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO RE, THE TRAFFIC IS GOING TO BE HORRENDOUS.
AND IN, IN PLANNING AND ZONING, WE WERE TAUGHT THAT YOU SHOULD REALLY CONSIDER THE ROADWAYS AND THE TRAFFIC WHEN YOU'RE MAKING THESE CHANGES.
NEXT WE HAVE DON LORD, AND FOLLOWING CINDY BLUEFIELD.
MR. LORD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE.
AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I SPENT MY YOUNG ADULTHOOD RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD HERE, UH, MET MY WIFE HERE, MARRIED.
I'VE LOVED DESOTO SINCE I WAS A LITTLE KID.
ALL THE MEMBERS OF OUR CHURCH LIVING OUT HERE.
UM, I, UM, UNFORTUNATELY FOR THIS, WITH WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, I LOVE TO SEE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
YOUR EXCITEMENT, YOUR, YOUR CIVIC, THE DE SOTO'S FUN.
YOU'RE WORKING YOUR TAILS OFF.
UNFORTUNATELY, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE DESTRUCTION, THE DEMISE OF DESOTO, THAT THIS IS NOT GONNA TURN OUT WELL FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO.
UM, YOU OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE DONE THIS WITH THE HIGH DENSITY HOUSING, IT NEVER TURNS OUT WELL AND ENDS UP LOW INCOME HOUSING.
PEOPLE THAT AREN'T WILLING TO WORK MULTI, MULTI STORIES PEOPLE JAMMED.
YOU'RE GONNA NARROW THE ROAD THAT'S SIX LANES WIDE DOWN TO ONE LANE EACH WAY.
IT'S GONNA BE A COMPLETE DISASTER.
IT'S GONNA BE HORRIFIC FOR YOUR, FOR ALL OF YOUR FIRST OFFENDERS.
IT'S GOING TO BE HORRIFIC FOR YOUR POLICE, FOR YOUR FIRE PEOPLE.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE HORRIBLE FOR YOUR SCHOOLS AS YOU BRING IN ALL THESE PEOPLE INTO THIS IMPACTED AREA.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS VERY MUCH.
AND AFTERWARDS, ANNA WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING, MS. BLOOMFIELD.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
CINDY BLOOMFIELD, DESOTA, TEXAS FOR 73 YEARS, AND WE HAVE BEEN 54 YEARS IN OUR PROPERTY ON LYNETTE.
NOW OUR PROPERTY IS ADJACENT TO THE PARKING LOT, THE OVERFLOW PARKING LOT AT HAMPTON ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH.
AND LOOKING AT THE LITTLE TINY MAP THAT I HAD TO GET MY MAGNIFIERS OUT TO LOOK AT, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT OUR HOME IS THE ONLY SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING TO BE RECLASSIFIED AS URBAN CENTER.
WE'RE ADJACENT TO THAT PARKING LOT.
SO I'M UP HERE, UH, A LITTLE SELFISH.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE MY PROPERTY REMOVED FROM THAT.
MY LITTLE PIECE PROPERTY IS SO IMPORTANT TO THIS WHOLE DEVELOPMENT SITUATION.
THERE IS A MAP FLOATING AROUND ON THE CITY WEBSITE.
ONE OF THEM, IT WAS UP HERE TONIGHT THAT SHOWS BARROWS LANE AND LINDE LYNN AS PROPOSED EXTENSIONS THAT WOULD RUN, RUN DIRECTLY THROUGH MY LIVING ROOM.
AND I CANNOT GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER ABOUT THOSE TWO ROADS AND THAT IT WOULD BE RUNNING DIRECTLY THROUGH MY PROPERTY.
AND I DON'T WANNA BE SERVING COFFEE TO PEOPLE GOING
[01:20:01]
UP AND DOWN THE STREET,SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.
OUR, WE SERVE KIDS AT HALLOWEEN, 600 KIDS THIS YEAR.
500 KIDS THE YEAR BEFORE AND 600 THE YEAR BEFORE THAT.
WE'RE A POPULAR PLACE FOR CHRISTMAS FOR OUR LIGHTS.
WE DIDN'T WIN, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
WE DON'T DO IT FOR THE WIND, WE DO IT FOR THE KIDS AND THE FAMILIES THAT COME BY AND ENJOY IT.
I DON'T WANNA BE AN URBAN CENTER.
I JUST WANT TO BE OUR LITTLE HOUSE WITH OUR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, OUR FAMILY, OUR FRIENDS, OUR GOOD NEIGHBORS THAT COME BY FOR HALLOWEEN CANDY AND ENJOY THE CITY OF DESOTA A LOT LONGER.
THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT MS. BLOOMFIELD, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE, UM, WHAT YOU BRING TO THE COMMUNITY WITH YOUR LIGHTS AND ALL THAT.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AT THIS TIME.
NEXT WE HAVE ANNA WILLIAMS, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THERESA POWELL.
GOOD EVENING, MS. WILLIAMS. YOU HAVE, UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
ANNA WILLIAMS. UM, 36 YEARS IN DESOTA.
UH, AS OF TODAY, UM, I HAVE THE, IT'S CALLED THE RESISTANCE OF DESOTA.
AND THE RESISTANCE IS PART OF WHEN I GREW UP IN SEGREGATION AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN, UH, THE LADY, 73 YEARS OF HER PROPERTY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE WANNA TAKE IT AND THAT'S IT.
$50 MILLION WILL NOT GET US DE SODA HAMPTON ROAD PROJECT.
THAT MEANS US SENIOR CITIZENS ARE GOING TO BE NOT BE ABLE TO BUY ANYTHING, HAVE ANYTHING, TAXES HIGH.
HAMPTON ROAD WAS 25 YEARS AGO.
IT DIDN'T COME OUT LIKE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO.
AND YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO IT NOW? NO.
YOU'LL JUST BE SAYING, I'M GOING TO BE HERE.
I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT A RECALL.
A RECALL IS WHAT'S NEEDED IN DESOTA.
YOU ARE DESTROYING A CITY THAT IS, HAS BEEN GREAT FOR MY FAMILY, FABULOUS FOR MY HUSBAND, MY LATE HUSBAND WHO WAS ON PLANNING AND ZONING.
AND HE KNEW, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE STUFF BEFORE HE DIED, AND THE PEOPLE THAT HE KNEW WOULD BE NOT GOOD FOR DESOTA.
AND THEY'LL RUN OUT OF THIS CITY AND TAKE MONEY.
PLEASE, YOUR COMMENTS NEED TO BE GERMANE TO THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
IF IT IS AGENDA GERMANE TO HAMPTON ROAD, YOU CAN TAKE ME OUT BY THE POLICE.
JERMAINE HAMPTON PROJECT IS NOTHING.
THANK YOU, MS. WILLIAMS. THAT CONCLUDES YOUR TIME.
NEXT WE HAVE THERESA POWELL, AND THEN AFTERWARDS WE HAVE THELMA KENNEDY.
GOOD EVENING, MS. POWELLS, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I WAS A SOPHOMORE BACK IN 71, 72.
I CHOSE DESOTO 11 YEARS AGO BECAUSE IT HIT ALL OF MY LIST THAT I WANTED.
AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ON AT THE TOP OF MY LIST WAS THAT I PICKED A STREET THAT ENDED IN A CUL-DE-SAC.
I LIKE MY PRIVACY, BUT I'M A PROGRESSIVE PERSON.
UM, I HAVE A HEALTH CONDITION.
SO THIS IS, UM, THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND MEETING I'VE BEEN TO AND MY HUSBAND WORKS 12 HOUR DAYS.
SO, UM, OUR TIME'S LIMITED AND WE LIKE TO SPEND IT TOGETHER.
BUT WHAT GOT ME IN HERE AND US CHANGING OUR SCHEDULE IS THAT WHEN I LOOKED ON THE AUGUST, 2025, UH, CODES, I BELIEVE IT WAS, I SAW THAT AT THE END OF MY CUL-DE-SAC, THEY WANTED TO PROPOSE TO BRING A SIDEWALK FROM HILLTOP TO JEFFERSON.
NOW OUR STREET IS A CUL-DE-SAC.
WE KNOW OUR NEIGHBORS, WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS.
IF SOMEBODY COMES DOWN THE ROAD, WE KNOW THAT THEY DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE DEAD END SIGN.
AND THIS IS A SUBURB, NOT A CITY, BUT I BELIEVE IN PROGRESS.
[01:25:01]
I, UM, I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT THAT WOULD BE A THREAT TO US AFTER WE PICKED OUT OUR HOME 11 YEARS AGO AND DECIDED TO BE IN DESOTO.UM, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKS.
SO EVEN IF YOU PUT SIDEWALKS ON OUR STREETS, UH, TO KEEP PEOPLE OFF OF OUR YARDS THAT'S COMING TRANSIENT THROUGH THERE, UM, THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE BUT A LANE, UH, ROOM FOR ONE SIDED LANE FOR THE CARS.
SO I'M, I'M DISTRESSED OVER THIS.
I AM, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, BUT PLEASE RECONSIDER PUTTING A SIDEWALK.
THAT CONCLUDES YOUR TIME, MS. POWELL.
AND THEN FOLLOWING AUGUSTINE GARCIA.
GOOD EVENING, MS. CLARDY, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
AND AS A SIDE REAL QUICK, I'D LIKE TO COMMEND YOU ALL FOR CONTINUE TO LIGHT UP THE SODA AWARDS, WHICH STARTED WHEN I WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
I'M HERE BECAUSE I WANNA EXPRESS MY CONCERNS, UH, ABOUT THIS PLAN.
LOOKING IT OVER ON THE, UH, CITY WEBSITE AND EVERYTHING.
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO REALLY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT WHAT I HAVE HEARD IS THAT, AND THIS IS MY OBJECTION, IF WE'RE GONNA NARROW THE STREETS FOR HAMPTON, I'M TOTALLY OPPOSED TO THAT.
I'VE SEEN THE TRAFFIC, THE GROWTH IN DESOTO.
WE DO NOT NEED TO BE REDUCING OUR STREET TRAVEL.
I, AND I THINK LOOKING THIS OVER AND SEEING SOME OTHER AREAS LIKE THE BISHOP ARTS DISTRICT, EVEN UP IN FRISCO AND PLANO, WE DON'T NEED NARROW STREETS.
AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE WHO DRIVE RIDE BIKES HERE TO HAVE A NARROW LANE.
SO I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO, UH, DECREASE THE LANES.
I THINK IF ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, WITH, UM, WHAT I'VE SEEN ON THE, UH, CITY WEBSITE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, TREES AND THE MIS USE IS ALL WELL AND FIRE.
BUT LET'S LOOK, LET'S LOOK HERE.
WHAT, UH, TOWN CENTER, WE THOUGHT THAT WAS GONNA BE A MIS USE.
WE REALLY HAVEN'T HAD THE BUSINESS GROWTH THAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE.
SO I ASKED Y'ALL TO THINK ABOUT THAT AS YOU, UH, LOOK AT THIS PLAN.
NEXT WE HAVE AUGUSTINE G GARCIA, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE FOLLOW THE FINAL COMMENT CARD FROM MR. RICK ADAMSKI.
HELLO AM MAYOR, COUNSEL AUGUSTINE GARCIA.
YOU KNOW, I WASN'T GONNA COME UP HERE AT FIRST.
UM, AFTER HEARING EVERYBODY SPEAK, I WAS A LITTLE BIT WORRIED THAT IF I CAME UP HERE, I MIGHT GET OPPOSITION OR IT MIGHT HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
BUT THEN I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, YOU KNOW, I, I LIVE HERE TOO.
I MOVED TO THIS REGION BACK IN 1983 AND WENT TO ELEMENTARY AND WENT TO JUNIOR HIGH IN DUNCANVILLE.
AND I ALWAYS CAME OVER TO SOTO.
AND I ALWAYS, I ALWAYS THOUGHT DESOTO WAS A BEAUTIFUL CITY.
THAT'S WHY I CHOSE TO LIVE HERE.
THAT'S WHY I CHOSE TO BUY A HOME HERE.
UM, MY FAMILY, MY COUSINS, NEPHEWS, NIECES, UH, A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO LIVE IN THIS AREA, AND I CAN TELL YOU THEY'RE IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
UM, AND AS HARD AS THAT MAY SOUND HARD, DECISIONS ARE HARD FOR A REASON.
AND IN MY PROFESSION, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 24 YEARS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR 12 AND 12 IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
AND I TYPICALLY DON'T COME UP HERE TO SPEAK, BUT LIKE I SAID, I LIVE HERE.
NO IS EASY BECAUSE WITH NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE WHEN YOU SAY YES, YES, IT'S HARD.
AND WHEN WE ELECTED YOU TO THIS OFFICE, WE WANTED YOU TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS.
AND IT'S OKAY TO DISAGREE WITH PLANNING AND ZONING.
PLANNING AND ZONING IS AN ADVISORY BOARD.
IT'S WHY YOU GUYS ARE IN CHARGE.
IT'S WHY YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE AGAINST THEM.
SO I'M ASKING YOU, UH, TO VOTE YES TODAY TO THIS PROPOSITION OR THIS ITEM BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BRING SALES TAX DOLLARS.
AND WE TALK ABOUT IT SLOWING DOWN TRAFFIC.
THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT IN YOUR DOWNTOWN.
THE DOWNTOWN IS THE HEARTBEAT OF YOUR CITY.
IT'S WHY YOU WANT PEOPLE TO STOP.
IT'S WHY YOU WANT PEOPLE TO SLOW DOWN.
WE HEAR THE TERM, STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES.
IT'S WHY WE MOVED HERE BECAUSE WE WANT A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN.
I WORK HARD IN THE PROFESSION I'M IN TO CREATE A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN.
AND YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS FOR SINCE 2005, 2014, THOSE LETTERS WENT OUT TO 220, 250 PEOPLE.
AND PEOPLE ARE GONNA GET MAD GARCIA, SEE THAT CONCLUSION YOUR TIME.
[01:30:02]
RICK ADAMSKI.PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, YOUR AND YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UH, RICK ADAMSKI FROM DALLAS, TEXAS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR HAVING ME HERE.
UM, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MONTY ANDERSON, UM, WHO, UH, WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT UNFORTUNATELY, BUT HE'S THE OWNER OF PD ONE 70.
UM, AND HE WANTED ME TO COME HERE AND JUST SAY THAT HE REALLY APPRECIATES ALL OF THE WORK AND THOUGHT THAT'S COMING TO THIS OVER 20 YEARS.
UM, AND HE BELIEVES THAT IT'S A REALLY EXCEPTIONAL PLAN THAT THAT IS GOING TO, UM, TO HELP THE FUTURE OF THE CITY AND, AND WANTS ME TO COME IN AND SUPPORT IT, UM, AS IT IS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I HELPED TO WRITE THE, THE PD ONE 70.
UM, AND HE BELIEVES THAT, THAT AS THIS IS, UM, LISTED HERE, AND AS THIS HAS VOTED ON, HE WANTS ME TO, UH, EXPRESS SUPPORT, UM, BUT ALSO TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR, UH, THE DECADES OF HARD WORK THAT'S COME INTO, TO HONING THIS PLAN AND IMPROVING IT FOR THE CITIZENS.
AND HE BELIEVES IT'S, UH, GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT, UM, FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CITY.
AND, AND I THINK IS REALLY GONNA HELP TO, UH, TO HELP THE CITY REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL CARDS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK? NO, MA'AM.
WE DID RECEIVE TWO ADDITIONAL, UH, COMMENT CARDS IN OPPOSITION, UH, TO THE ZONING CASE TONIGHT.
AND THAT'S FROM MR. MS. CANDACE BOWMAN AND MS. DONNA ANDERSON.
UM, AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM CHISHOLM TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COUNCIL.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AT THIS TIME.
COUNCIL, BEFORE WE GO INTO ANY, UH, COUNCIL DISCUSSION, I'M GONNA ASK FOR A MOTION, PLEASE.
MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE, UH, THE HAMPTON ROAD ER CODE.
SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMAN BYRD, SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM CHISHOLM TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED.
UM, COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? YES.
UM, AND YES, UH, MY COMMENTS ARETE STEEPLY AROUND THE FACT THAT, UM, I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, NAMELY MRS. BLOOMFIELD.
UH, AND JUST LISTENING TO MY COMMUNITY, I, I HEAR THEM NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, THERE'S SEVERAL REASONS THEY'RE NOT IN FAVOR.
HERS IS SPECIFIC TO HER, BUT THERE ARE OTHERS THAT MIGHT HAVE THAT SAME FEELING AND HAVE JUST NOT SPOKEN OUT.
I, UH, HAVE SPOKEN WITH, UM, PEOPLE AS LATE AS TODAY ASKING, UM, A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT I DON'T HAVE ANSWERS FOR.
UM, AND SO JUST, YOU KNOW, WHILE IT MAY NOT BE THE SPECIFIC TOPIC, IT'LL ALWAYS BE MY MANTRA.
UH, MY PRIMARY CONCERN FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO RIGHT NOW AS IT STANDS, AND I KNOW WE CAN WALK AND CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME.
MY PRIMARY CONCERN IS THE ARC AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE FOCUSING IN ONE AREA.
WHILE I KNOW THAT WE CAN FOCUS IN BOTH, I DON'T BELIEVE TONIGHT THAT I CAN GIVE THIS MY FULL SUPPORT.
UH, PRIMARILY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE FOUR PDS THAT ARE SITTING, AND I'M GONNA SAY IT AGAIN.
UM, IF ONE HAS TO BE IMPOSED, ALL SHOULD BE IMPOSED.
UM, AND I WILL STAND BY THAT AND THAT'S HOW MY VOTE WILL GO.
SO AS OF TONIGHT, I AM IN OPPOSITION OF THIS.
I, I LOOKED THROUGH EVERY SINGLE THING IN THIS ONE, OKAY? IT WAS A LOT.
AND ACTUALLY, GREAT JOB TO Y'ALL FOR, UH, PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
AND, UH, JUST HAD A COUPLE, SEVERAL QUESTIONS HERE.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S MENTIONED IN THESE DOCUMENTS IS RELATIONSHIP TO, UH, THE PROPOSED ZONING CODE CHANGES, RIGHT? UH, BUT THERE'S NO MENTION ABOUT ANY, LIKE HOW MANY LANES THE ROAD IS, IS GONNA BE WHEN THIS DEVELOPMENT'S FINISHED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO I WANNA BE CLEAR FOR THE RESIDENTS OUT HERE, DOES THIS VOTE TODAY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE ROADS? THAT THAT WOULD BE CORRECT? IT, IT WOULD NOT, IT WOULD NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE ROAD THAT, THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE STREET CROSS SECTION YES.
AND, AND ADOPT SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
WANNA MAKE CLEAR TO THE RESIDENTS THAT WE'RE NOT, NOT VOTING ON HOW THE STREETS TODAY, WE'RE VOTING ON THE CHARACTER CODES,
[01:35:01]
MEANING THE ZONING CODES FOR THIS AREA.AND IT'S A MISNOMER TO CALL, CALL THIS, UH, DOWNTOWN.
OKAY? THIS CITY HAS NEVER HAD A DOWNTOWN THAT SHIP SALE 50 YEARS AGO.
THIS IS A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT THAT WE'RE NEED TO BE, UH, DOING HERE.
OKAY? ANYWAY, THAT'S MY 2 CENTS OF THAT.
BUT ONE THING I DO WANNA MENTION IS THE PROPOSED, UM, OFFICIAL ORDINANCE KNOW THAT'S GONNA BE THE DOCUMENT THAT'S GONNA BE FILED ON PUBLIC RECORD.
I JUST WANT TO KIND OF SAY THIS SO Y'ALL WOULD KNOW.
UH, SECTION 10 SAYS THAT ANY PERSON, FIRM, OR CORPORATION VIOLATING ANY OF THE PROVISIONS OR TERMS OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME PENALTY AS PROVIDED FOR IN THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO AS HERETO FOR AMENDED AND UPON CONVICTION SHALL BE PUNISHED BY A FINE NOT TO EXCEED THE, EXCEED THE SUM OF $2,000 FOR EACH OFFENSE.
AND EACH AND EVERY DAY SUCH VIOLATION SHALL CONTINUE, SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE CONS CONSTITUTE A SEPARATE OFFENSE.
THAT MEANS IF SOMEBODY VIOLATES THE OFFENSE, IT'S $2,000 A DAY.
BUT ANYWAY, SECTION 11 ALSO SAYS, THIS ORDINANCE SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY FROM AND AFTER THIS ITS PASSAGE AND THE PUBLICATION OF THE CAPTION AS THE LAW AND CHARTER IN SUCH CASES PROVIDE.
SO THAT TELLS ME THAT IF WE VOTE YES TODAY, HYPOTHETICALLY, UH, THIS CAN GO IN EFFECT WHAT IN THE WEEK AFTER PUBLICATION OF THE CAPTION.
SO WHAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE VALIDATED $2,000 A DAY.
YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SAYING WE, WE PROBABLY NEED TO ADD ANOTHER SECTION IN THE ORDINANCE THAT ALLOWS EXISTING BUSINESS OWNERS AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME TO COMPLY.
OKAY? THE CURRENT, CURRENT CURRENT PROPERTY OWNERS WILL BE GRANDFATHERED IN.
THIS IS, THIS IS GONNA BE FOR, FOR, FOR FOR FUTURE GOING FUTURE, YES.
SO THAT $2,000 A DAY IS STANDARD.
THAT, THAT'S THE MAX FUND THAT THE JUDGE ACTUALLY SETS WHAT WE CALL A WINDOW FUND.
THAT WOULD BE FOR PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, VIOLATE THE ZONING ORDERS BUT NOT, DOES NOT APPLY TO THOSE THAT ARE EXISTING THERE TODAY.
THEY ARE LEGAL NONCONFORMING BY RIGHT.
THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO REMAIN AND AND FUNCTION AS THEY ARE TODAY.
WE'RE NOT CHANGING THEIR, THEIR USE.
I WANT A CLARIFICATION FOR THE RESIDENT OUT THERE.
'CAUSE IF YOU WOULD'VE READ THAT, YOU MAY BE THINKING, OH, I MIGHT GET FINED IF YOU'RE ALREADY IN THAT CODE.
NOW LAST THING HERE IS THE, UH, HAMPTON ROAD CARE TO CODE AREA.
OKAY? WE SHOULD HAVE DID THIS, YOU KNOW, 25 YEARS AGO AT LEAST, PROBABLY LONGER THAN THAT.
SO I LIKE, I LOOKED AT EVERY SINGLE THING IN HERE.
THE ONLY SLIGHT THING THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED, OKAY? BECAUSE THAT'S THE OPTION HERE WE HAVE, IS TO MODIFY IT.
WHY IN THE WORLD ARE WE, UH, YOU MENTIONED FOOTBALL EARLIER, IT'S LIKE WE'RE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, THREE MINUTES LEFT IN THE GAME AND IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE THAT JUST LIKE WENT HOME HERE.
BUT WHY IS THIS CHARACTER CODE STOPPING AT EAGLE DRIVE? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THIS NEEDS TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO PARKVILLE, OKAY? AND OF COURSE YOU'RE GONNA TAKE OUT THE RESIDENTIALS THAT'S ON THERE, BUT THIS LAND, EVERYTHING, IT NEEDS TO GO TO PARKVILLE AND PARKVILLE AND HAMPTON.
IF Y'ALL COULD JUST ADD, GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO PARKVILLE AND HAMPTON WITH ALL THOSE COMMERCIAL LOTS OVER THERE, WE'LL HAVE A DEAL.
YOU KNOW? SO MY THING IS THIS, I LIKE EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW.
JUST ADD, GO DOWN TO PARKVILLE, LET'S DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.
REAPPROVE IT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS PART OF THE GROUND GROWING PAINS.
EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, YOU DRAW DOWN HEMP THE ROAD, IT'S LIKE I'M DRIVING THROUGH WHAT? UH, BACK TO THE FUTURE.
OKAY? THIS IS TIME FOR US TO GET, GO INTO THE FUTURE IN A GOOD WAY.
OKAY? WE JUST, WE CAN'T DO THAT TONIGHT.
BUT I'M SAYING MY THING IS WHAT I'M REQUESTING, OKAY? THIS IS WHAT I'M REQUESTING OUR OPTIONS HERE THAT THEY GIVE Y'ALL GAVE US, OKAY? IS WE CAN EITHER VOTE TO AFFIRM OR WE CAN DO, UH, THE VOTE TO MODIFY THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, PRESENT IT TO PLANS ON, OR WE CAN VOTE NO OR CAN TABLE IT TO A FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OR REMAND THE CASE BACK TO P AND Z FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
AND THEN COME BACK AND SEND IT BACK TO US WITH IT BACK, EVERYTHING TO, UH, PARKVILLE, AND THEN I'M GOOD.
OKAY? SO I YIELD BACK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BUR UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR.
AND I WANT TO LOOK UP AND THANK EVERY CITIZEN, UH, FOR YOUR COMMENT.
UM, I KNOW THAT I SAID HERE SOMETIME EMOTIONAL IS, BUT, UH, WE HEAR EVERY WORD, THOSE WHO ARE IN FAVOR AND THOSE WHO ARE ALSO IN OPPOSITION TO IT.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S TAKEN US SUCH A WHILE TO GET BACK TO THIS POINT, I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SETTING ON ECONOMIC AS THE LIAISON FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE LAST ALMOST SEVEN YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL BECAUSE OF MY BACKGROUND.
AND I WILL ABSOLUTELY ASSURE YOU THAT ZONING
[01:40:01]
HAPPENED BEFORE.INVESTMENT INVESTORS DO NOT COME IN UNTIL AFTER THE ZONING IS READY FOR THEM TO COME.
AND IF WE DON'T PUT THE ZONING IN PLACE, INVESTORS WILL NOT COME BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT WASTE THEIR TIME.
THEY WILL NOT WASTE THEIR ENERGY.
THEY WILL NOT WASTE THEIR DOLLARS.
UH, WHEN THE MAP WAS TOO BROAD, WHEN IT TOOK IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS, WE HEARD THE COMMUNITY AND WE REDUCED IT.
WHEN IT WAS TOO LENGTHY, WE HEARD THE COMMUNITY AND WE CHANGED IT.
BUT NOW I WILL TELL YOU, AFTER HEARING REJECTION FROM THOSE WHO WERE ABSOLUTELY, UH, INTERESTED IN DESOTO ZONE, IT, THEN WE WILL COME TELL US BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THAT FIGHT.
WE WILL NOT FIGHT BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO INVEST TWO, FIVE, $10 MILLION AND ALL OF THE STUFF THAT I NEED TO DO AND CHANCE THAT THE ZONING WILL NOT HAPPEN.
UH, IIII APPLAUD MY COLLEAGUE FOR TALKING ABOUT THE ROADS.
I UNDERSTAND, UH, SOMEONE SPOKE, ALL OF YOU WHO SPOKE, I HAVE HIGH RESPECT FOR YOU.
EVEN THOSE WHO, UH, UH, MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH ME.
BUT WHAT CANNOT BE CHANGED IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED ON THE CORNER.
LOOK AT THE INSURANCE COMPANY THAT'S JUST SOUTH.
I MEAN, JUST NORTH OF THE DUNKIN DONUTS.
THEY CAME IN WITH NO REGARDS FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, AND UN UNLESS WE TAKE CONTROL OF OUR COATING.
UH, SOMEONE TALKED ABOUT, UH, OUR SISTER CITY.
UH, THERE IS NOT A CITY THAT IS ADVANCING RIGHT NOW THAT DOES NOT FIRST HAVE THE ZONING IN PLACE.
CEDAR HILL, UH, CEDAR HILL IS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB ON, ON THE FRONTAGE.
BUT CEDAR HILL IS ALSO REDEVELOPING.
AND SO BABES CHICKEN, UH, THE OLD PHILLIPS LIMBER COMPANY, IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR, MY FATHER USED TO UNLOAD BOX TRUCKS THERE.
UH, THAT AREA IS BEING REZONED.
UH, BUT IT IS ZONING BEFORE DEVELOPMENT IF DESOTO IS TO EVER.
UH, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND LET'S GO DOWN MEMORY LANE.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME A NEW ANYTHING HAVE HAPPENED ON HAMPTON ROAD? YOU KNOW, IN THIS MILD AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
BECAUSE UNTIL WE ZONE IT, THEY WILL NOT COME.
DO WE LOSE CONTROL ONCE WE DO THE CHARACTER CODE? WAS MY QUESTION.
AND THE ANSWER IS ABSOLUTELY NOT.
THAT IS THE FRONT END SAYING WHAT WE WANT TO COME, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO COME.
BUT THERE ARE NEGOTIATIONS THAT WILL HAPPEN FROM THIS POINT FORWARD.
SO PLEASE DON'T BE AFRAID TO STAY UP TO STAYING STAGNANT, BECAUSE IF WE STAY STAGNANT, TAKE AN APPLE, PUT IT ON YOUR COUNTER, AND DON'T DO ANYTHING WITH THE APPLE.
I GUARANTEE YOU, A WEEK FROM NOW, YOU CAN'T EAT THE APPLE.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHY ALL OF US, MY WIFE AND I MADE OUR LARGEST INVESTMENT 25 YEARS AGO.
AND WHAT I CAN'T AFFORD IS FOR DESOTO TO STAY THE SAME WITHOUT THOUGHTFUL, WITHOUT POINTED GROWTH AND DECISIVE DECISION.
I WANNA APPLAUD MY COLLEAGUES FOR DOING THE HARD JOB.
UM, I, I'VE HAD SOMEONE BLOCK ME IN MY GARAGE, BLOCK ME IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY.
'CAUSE I DARE TO SIT ON THIS COUNCIL.
I'VE HAD PEOPLE CUSS OUT MY WIFE BECAUSE I DARE SAT ON THIS COUNCIL.
I WILL NOT RESIGN AND WE WILL DO THE HARD WORK BECAUSE I REFUSE TO LEAVE.
BUT THE CITY I LOVE THE BEST WAY TO GIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AN OPPORTUNITY IS TO CREATE THE ZONING.
AND THEN LET'S SEE WHAT, UH, WHAT THEY'RE WORTH.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SHOOTING OURSELVES IN THE FOOT IF WE DO NOTHING.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UH, YOUR, YOU BEING ENGAGED MATTERS.
UM, I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL NOW, UH, THIS IS YEAR FIVE,
[01:45:01]
I THINK THIS IS YEAR FIVE, STARTING 21.UM, AND SO, UH, UPON ARRIVING ON THE COUNCIL IS WHEN I WAS MADE AWARE OF HAMPTON ROAD.
AND THEN THE PROCESS BEGAN WITH US LOOKING AT THE DESIGN AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WENT ALONG.
THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF TRIGGERED WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY, RIGHT? HOWEVER, THIS DIDN'T START, UH, WHEN I, WHEN IN 2021, UM, AS IT HAS BEEN CLEARLY STATED.
UH, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 20 YEARS.
SO, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, WHAT I WHAT I, I HAVE LEARNED A LOT, UM, IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST LESSONS THAT I'VE LEARNED IS THAT, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTROL THE NARRATIVE, CONTROL THE NARRATIVE, AND IF WE'VE MADE ANY MISSTEPS, I WOULD SAY IT HAS BEEN, UM, COMMUNICATING BEFORE THE, UH, COMMUNICATING THE VISION, THE PLAN, UM, NOT LETTING YOU FIND OUT IN YOUR EMAIL OR ON NEXT DOOR.
UM, BECAUSE WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST OPPOSED TO ANY CHANGE WILL, WILL MAKE YOU OPPOSED TO ANY CHANGE.
AND SO, UM, CITY MANAGER, I HAVE, UH, SOME QUESTIONS THAT I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO ANSWER FOR ME THAT HAS BEEN STATED THAT I THINK YOU CAN ANSWER BEST BASED ON YOUR PROXIMITY TO THIS, UH, TOO, IF YOU JUST ENTERTAIN ME FOR A MOMENT.
UM, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUE COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY ASKED, BUT I JUST WANTED TO AFFIRM, UM, THIS CHARACTER CODE, UH, IS FOR THE ZONING AND THE ZONING ONLY FROM ON HAMPTON ROAD, FROM PLEASANT RUN TO BELTLINE.
UM, THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY CHANGES TO THE STREET.
TAKING IT FROM FOUR LANES TO ONE LANE.
THE, THE STREET AS PART OF THE ZONING, UH, UM, UH, CHARACTER CODE.
UM, THIS, THE STREET IS A CONCEPT, UH, STREET MEANING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WILL HAVE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO MODIFY IT, CHANGE IT, EXPAND IT, UM, MAKE IT NARROWER, CLOSE IT, DO WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO.
I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT 'CAUSE I KNOW I I SLEEP EVERY DAY.
UH, BUT I, I NOTICED, I KNOW THAT ONE OF OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETINGS AND UPDATES THAT THEY WERE ONLY 15% THROUGH THE DESIGN.
'CAUSE I WASN'T EVEN GOING THERE.
BUT THE DESIGN FOR THE STREET IS NOT COMPLETE.
AND THIS ZONING HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STREET, CORRECT? YES OR NO? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
AND THE DESIGN OF THE STREET, IF I MAY CLARIFY, UH, IT HAPPENS IN SEGMENTS IF THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES THAT SPECIFIC SECTION, SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE A $48 MILLION EXPENDED OVER A YEAR OR TWO.
IT COULD TAKE 20, 25 YEARS AS PROPERTIES DEVELOP.
SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY WILL HAVE TO COME UP WITH.
AND TYPICALLY A DEVELOPMENT PAYS FOR THAT.
WELL, SOME, SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE TOO, I'LL GET TO THAT.
BUT, UM, THERE'S A CONCERN ABOUT THIS BRINGING MULTIPLE FAMILY, UM, MULTIFAMILY APARTMENTS IS ANOTHER TERM FOR IT.
UM, IS IT TRUE THAT THIS IS A QUADRANT, UH, BROKE, THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT BROKEN DOWN INTO FOUR QUADRANTS OR FIVE.
AND IN THOSE QUADRANTS, NOT SINGLE FAMILY IS NOT TECHNICALLY ALL THROUGH THAT.
SOME OF THIS CONCLUDES A MEDICAL DISTRICT WHERE WE WILL HOUSE MEDICAL FACILITIES, UH, RETAIL, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S ALSO A GARDEN AREA FOR LEISURE TO WALK AND SMELL THE ROSES.
UH, AND THERE'S ALSO A DIVISION FOR MULTIFAMILY INCLUDED, RIGHT? THAT WOULD BE CORRECT.
SO IT'S NOT JUST DOING THIS ZONING FOR MULTIFAMILY.
SO IF THERE WAS, THIS DIDN'T GO BEFORE THE PUBLIC FOR VOTE, BUT, AND MAYOR, MAYBE YOU WERE SITTING ON THE COUNCIL IN THIS TIME, UM, IN 2014, DID THE CITY NOT GO BEFORE THE COUNCIL, THE, THE COMMUNITY IN A REFERENDUM VOTE IN A NOVEMBER REFERENDUM VOTE TO APPROVE, UM, FOR THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY ALONG HAMPTON FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? YOU'RE CORRECT THAT I WAS SITTING ON THE COUNCIL THAT TIME AND WE DID PUT OUT A BOND.
AND DESPITE MANY FAILED MISERABLE ATTEMPTS TO STOP THAT VOTE, UH, OUR COMMUNITY ACTUALLY APPROVED THAT WITH OVER 70% OF THE VOTE.
SO I WOULD TAKE THAT AS THE COMMUNITY WANTS US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING ALONG HAMPTON ROAD.
I, I WOULD AGREE TOO, UM, SOME THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT WE'VE DONE, UM, IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS IS ALSO IS WE'VE CREATED A TS THANKS TO, UM, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER KAY BROWN PATRICK.
SHE BROUGHT IN SOME OF HER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOLKS FROM A, HER FORMER CITY.
[01:50:01]
AND, UM, THEY CREATED A TS FUNDING FOR US.SO, AND TS IS A FANCY NAME OF WAY OF SAYING THAT WE WILL, WE WILL CREATE AN ACCOUNT WITH TAX USING TAX MONEY AND THAT ACCOUNT WILL START TO BUILD OUR FUNDS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
MEANING THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING IT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, WE'RE NOT CREATING EXTRA DEBT, WE'RE NOT DOING ANY OF THAT.
WE'VE BEEN PLANNING FINANCIALLY FOR INVESTMENT ON HAMPTON ROAD.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE BROUGHT FORTH DEVELOPMENT.
I SEE ONE OF THEM HERE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.
UH, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER DR. MARKS WHO BROUGHT A BUSINESS, UH, ANYBODY HEARD OF, UM, TIFFANY DAIRY CHEF TIFFANY DAIRY.
SHE'S, SHE, SHE JUST OPENED UP HER SECOND LOCATION FOR ROOTS CHICKEN SHACK THAT IS LOCATED IN PLANO.
WELL, MS. DR. MARKS BACK THERE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING HER TO INVEST IN HAMPTON ROAD, UM, HERE IN DESOTO.
AND SHE HAS A PLOT PROPERTY RATING AND READY TO GO.
UM, THAT IS SOMEONE WHO HAS NATIONAL RECOGNITION AND BUSINESS THAT IS FLOURISHING ALL ACROSS TEXAS.
UM, I SAY ALL THAT TO SAY, AND I WANTED TO EDUCATE YOU 'CAUSE EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND I THINK SOMETIMES KNOWING ALL THE PIECES TO THE PUZZLE AS THEY WORK, UM, IS IMPORTANT.
THIS ZONING SAYS THAT NOTHING WILL CHANGE IN YOUR PROPERTY.
THE CITY'S NOT COMING AFTER YOUR PROPERTY.
THE CITY DOESN'T WANT TO PURCHASE YOUR PROPERTY OR BUILD A STREET IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR LIVING ROOM.
THE CITY SIMPLY WANTS TO DEVELOP OUTDATED INLINE SHOPPING CENTERS THAT WERE BUILT THAT SURPASSED EVERYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL YEARS AGO.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE FAILING, ARE WE REFERRING TO THE HARDWARE STORE THAT CLOSED WITH FOUR LANES OPEN? OR ARE WE REFERRING TO THE ANTIQUE SHOP THAT IS ABANDONED, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND IT'S BEEN CLOSED, UM, AND ADDS NO VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITY COMMUNITY? ARE WE REFERRING TO THE COUNTLESS BUSINESSES THAT ARE DOWN HAMPTON ROAD BETWEEN PLEASANT RUN AND BELTLINE THAT ABSOLUTELY ARE NOT ONLY EYESORE, BUT THE OWNERS OF THOSE PROPERTIES DON'T EVEN DO ANYTHING TO FIX THEM UP? I DON'T.
THIS CHARACTER CODE IS TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE ASKED US TO DO IS TO HOLD BUSINESS OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT THEY BRING TO OUR CITY AND HOW WE WANT IT TO LOOK WHEN IT'S IN OUR CITY.
THIS IS TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T GET A YELLOW AND PURPLE BUILDING OUT OF NOWHERE.
THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME CONTINUITY IN DEVELOPMENT.
THAT WE'RE JUST NOT STICKING APARTMENTS RIGHT NEXT TO HOUSES LIKE THEY DO IN DALLAS, OR THAT WE DON'T HAVE AN INSURANCE COMPANY RIGHT NEXT TO A, UM, UH, RIGHT NEXT TO A, UH, A A WHAT IS IT NEXT TO NOW? A A A MASSAGE PARLOR IN A A FISH BUSINESS.
THIS IS TO MAKE US SOPHISTICATED IN HOW WE DEVELOP HAMPTON ROAD.
IT IS NOT TO RAISE YOUR PROPERTY TAX, BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS THAT DA WILL RAISE YOUR PROPERTY CHECKS EVERY YEAR.
AND THAT HAS HEAVILY TO DO WITH THE INCREASE IN POPULATION IN TEXAS AND NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
I THINK THAT WE, I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE AS WELL IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND THEY WANT DEVELOPMENT IN DESOTO.
THEY WANT US TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE ANCIENT ANTIQUE AGE THAT IS IN AND REDEVELOP.
AND, AND, AND I I HATE TO KEEP USING YOU, UH, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER DR. MARKS, BUT YOU MADE SO MANY GREAT NUGGETS WHEN YOU SAT RIGHT HERE IN HER WORDS, IT, MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS WANT DIRT TO MOVE.
AND SO, UM, I JUST, WHILE WE ARE RESISTANT, I WANNA ASK US WHAT ARE WE RESISTANT TO? WHAT WE HEARD THE, HE SHAKES THE, HE SAID
AND MY LAST QUESTION TO YOU, CITY MANAGER, 'CAUSE I THINK THIS WAS THE ONE THAT I OVERLOOKED.
IT WAS STATED, THIS IS GOING TO BE A $50 MILLION PROJECT.
DO YOU, DOES THE CITY HAVE AN ESTIMATE TODAY FOR, DOES THIS ZONING CREATE COSTS FOR US CURRENTLY? WELL, WE, THE, THE, THE CITY HAS INVESTED ALREADY IN THE CHARACTER CODE AND IN THE STUDY WORKING WITH HALF AN ASSOCIATES.
UH, THERE'S NO FUTURE COST, UH, AS A RESULT OF THIS ZONING OTHER THAN ANY PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE DEVELOPMENTS.
FACTS, NOT FICTION BEING ANOTHER ONE.
A NUGGET FROM A FORMER COUNSEL BEING MEMBER BEING FORMED, NOT INFLUENCED.
[01:55:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES.HOW CAN I GO BEHIND THAT? AND COUNCILMAN BYRD? UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO'S COME OUT, WHETHER YOU SUPPORT OR WHETHER YOU DON'T.
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT SHARED TONIGHT THAT WILL, THAT I HOPE HAS HELPED TO TURN THE TRAJECTORY AND HELP PUT SOME THINGS IN LIGHT AS TO WHY THIS IS NEEDED.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS IS IT'S THE ZONING.
SO ANY AND EVERYTHING ELSE YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I NEED TO TALK, TALK ABOUT, I GUESS OUR CITY MANAGER OR OUR ATTORNEY.
MAYBE WE NEED TO FORM A COMMITTEE SO THAT THE HOMEOWNERS AND THE BUSINESS OWNERS ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED.
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE YOUR INPUT RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT.
SO THERE'S NOT ANY MISCOMMUNICATION AND THERE'S NOT ANY, UH, INFORMATION THAT'S GOING OUT THAT YOU'RE NOT PRIVY TO.
YOU NEED TO BE THE FIRST ONES TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO HOW ABOUT WE DO THAT SO YOU CAN CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED? WE HEAR ALL THE TIME AND WE SEE ALL OF OUR SISTER CITIES GETTING ALL THESE NEW FANCY THINGS AND Y'ALL TELL US Y'ALL WANT THAT.
BUT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO BRING THE DEVELOPERS IN TO GIVE US THOSE NICE STEAKHOUSES AND THOSE FAMILY ENTERTAINMENTS.
AND WE WANNA SPROUTS AND WE WANT A HEB, WE WANT ALL THAT STUFF, BUT THEY GOTTA BE ABLE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT.
AND I, I LOOK AT EVERYONE IN HERE AS A TAXPAYER.
WE TAKE PRIDE IN PAYING TAXES FOR OUR HOMES.
AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMETHING IN YOUR HOUSE GOES WRONG? YOU FIX IT UP.
IF THE PLUMBING GOES BAD, YOUR TOILET, YOUR ROOF LEAKS, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING YOU GONNA CALL SOMEBODY IN TO FIX IT, RIGHT? WELL, IT'S TIME TO FIX UP OUR CITY.
SO WE NEED TO TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
THERE'S NO, NO ONE IS GONNA DO THAT FOR US.
IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DRIVE DOWN HAMPTON ROAD AND IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE IT DOES, UNLESS THERE'S SOME OTHER, YOU KNOW, SOLUTIONS OR IDEAS THAT ANYBODY HAS.
WE ARE OPEN TO LISTENING, BUT WE JUST WANT YOU TO BE OBJECTIVE.
WE, WE ALL LOVE AND RESPECT EACH OTHER ENOUGH THAT WE KNOW THAT WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS.
I AND EVERYBODY KNOWS I LOVE HAVING SOME HARD CONVERSATIONS.
LET'S MEET, LET'S TALK, LET'S TALK IT OUT.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES, COUNCIL MEMBER, NOR THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR.
MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID A LOT THIS EVENING, BUT UM, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE RESIDENTS HAVE REALLY MADE THEIR VOICES HEARD.
AND AS I LISTEN TO EACH AND EVERYONE SHARE THE TIME THAT THEY'VE BEEN IN THEIR HOME, THE TIME THAT THEY'VE LIVED HERE, THE YEARS NOT JUST ONE TO FIVE, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DECADES.
AND WHEN I HEAR THAT, I THINK ABOUT LEGACY.
WHEN YOU FIRST MOVED HERE, CAN YOU REMEMBER HOW THE CITY WAS THEN WHEN YOU STARTED YOUR FAMILY, WHEN YOU STARTED YOUR CAREER, WHEN YOU STARTED BUILDING, WHEN YOU START PUTTING IN ROOTS, CHANGE CAME ABOUT BECAUSE CHANGE IS INEVITABLE.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CHANGE, WE ARE NOT SAYING THAT IT'S GONNA BE FAST, IT'S GONNA BE SLOW, BUT CHANGE WILL HAPPEN.
I LOOK AT SOME OF US AND I LOOK AT MYSELF IN THE, THE MIRROR.
SOME OF US GOT GRAY HAIR HERE,
SOMETIMES CHANGE CAN BE SCARED.
AND EVEN IF YOU DON'T TAKE ANY ACTION, THAT'S STILL CHANGE BECAUSE CHANGE IS GONNA BE HAPPENING AROUND YOU.
BUT ONE THING IS FOR SURE WHETHER YOU STILL SETTLE HERE WITH YOUR ROOTS.
SOMETIMES THOSE ROOTS ARE TRANSPLANTED.
SOMETIMES WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT FAMILY, THOSE WHO HAVE GONE ON BEFORE US, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO SAY, WHEN I LEAVE, WHAT DOES DESOTO LOOK LIKE? WHAT LEGACY DID I LEAVE WHEN WE GO FORWARD AND BE PROUD OF THAT LEGACY? SO WE'RE ADMONISHING.
I'M SAYING PERSONALLY, WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS ZONING, IT'S NOT ABOUT US STAYING 30 YEARS OF REMINISCING.
[02:00:01]
I REMEMBER WHEN, YES, THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO, AND WE'RE DOCUMENTING THAT ALONG THE WAY.BUT AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY AND AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE FUTURE, LET'S DO THIS TOGETHER AND WE SAY WE CAN, WE GONNA, WE GOING TO AGREE SOME THINGS.
WE HAVE SAID, NO, I DON'T WANT THIS, BUT WE STILL LISTENING TO EACH OTHER, BUT WE KEEP WHAT THE GOLD AND OBJECTIVE IN MIND.
AND THAT IS LEGACY, GROWTH, VIBRANCY.
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T GROW, WHAT HAPPENS? WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T MOVE? WHAT HAPPENS? SO I JUST WANT TO SAY WHICH EACH AND EVERY ONE, AND I KNOW IT WOULD BE DEAR TO OUR HEARTS LEGACY.
GIVE THE SAME QUESTION, THE SAME QUESTION I HAD.
DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION? YES.
UM, OUR CITY MAN, ARE YOU ASKING THE QUESTION TO OUR CITY MANAGER OR YOU WANT HIM TO SPEAK ON IT? WELL, I WILL.
THAT'S A QUESTION SO HE CAN CERTIFY.
UM, MY, MY QUESTION TO YOU WAS, UM, LIKE I SAID, I LIKE EVERYTHING ON THIS.
SO BASICALLY THE ASSUMPTION HERE IS THAT GOING TO PARKVILLE WOULD HAVE TO BE A TOTALLY, TOTALLY SEPARATE THING.
'CAUSE THAT'S NOT, NEVER NOTHING WAS INCLUDED HERE.
SO IT'S, IT'LL BE A TOTALLY SEPARATE THING TO TRY TO DO TO GO EXTEND IT TO PARKVILLE.
SO THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN ADD THAT ON TO THIS.
THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS NO, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH PUBLIC SETTING.
WE HAVE TO DO THE STUDIES AHEAD OF TIME, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC, WE HAVE TO ENGAGE WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, YES.
UH, THE CITY COUNCIL AND DO THE ROUNDS, THE REITERATION.
SO YES, UH, IT HAS TO BE A COMPLETELY SEPARATE ITEM.
OKAY? THE ONLY THING I WOULD SUGGEST DO THAT I YIELD BACK.
HOWEVER, IF WE DO THAT, IT WILL BE A COUNCIL DECISION.
SO JUST LET ME, FOR THE PUBLIC, WE DON'T MAKE SINGLE DECISIONS AND WE DON'T GIVE SINGLE DIRECTION.
WE, WE MOVE FORWARD AS A COUNCIL.
I JUST, IT WOULD BE OUR LAST COMMENT THAT I HAVE MY YES MA'AM.
SOMETHING FROM OUR CITY MANAGER.
IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER THAT IF WE, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE GOT PAST ALL OF THIS, IF, IF THE VOTE PASSES, COULD WE START? 'CAUSE I KNOW AT ONE TIME AND BEFORE WE TALKED ABOUT STARTING ON THE, UH, SOUTH END, IS THAT STILL A POSSIBILITY? UM, THAT'S THE GOAL.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE AN, UH, A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, UH, WITH INVESTORS, UH, SLASH DEVELOPERS TO LOOK AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER AND THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF HAMPTON ROAD AND BELT LIGHT ROAD.
SO, UH, MR. LL IS RIGHT, WE'RE FOCUSED ON THAT SOUTH, UH, SOUTH CORNER.
AND I WANT TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES AND THANK EACH AND EVERY PERSON FOR ENGAGING WITH US, FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
WE KNOW THAT YOU ALL COULD BE DOING A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, UH, WITH YOUR TIME THAT RATHER THAN BEING HERE, BUT BECAUSE YOU CHOSE TO COME OUT AND MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD, WE ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE THAT.
BEFORE I HAVE MY OFFICIAL COMMENTS, I WANT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE STATED, UH, FROM, SPECIFICALLY FROM MRS. BLOOMFIELD.
AND I THINK THERE WAS ANOTHER, UM, YOUNG LADY THAT HAD SOME COMMENTS ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE ON THE MAP.
AND, AND LET ME SAY THIS, UM, AS IT WAS PLACED IN THE PRESENTATION, UH, WE, OVER TIME WE HAD JOINT MEETINGS, MEETINGS WITH THE PUBLIC TO ACTUALLY REDUCE THE AREA THAT WILL BE IMPACTED FOR THAT REASON.
AND WHAT I, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT IS THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF HAMPTON ROAD.
WE TALK ABOUT, WELL, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 20 YEARS AND NOTHING HAS HAPPENED.
WELL, WHAT THIS COUNCIL DID WAS MAKE THE HARD DECISION AND WE PULLED IT OFF THE SHELF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID WHAT YOU ALL WERE ASKING US TO DO.
BUT WHAT WE DIDN'T WANNA DO WAS CAUSE UH, UH, NOT TAKE A LOOK AT THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF DOING SO.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT, UM, ALTHOUGH IN SOME PEOPLE'S MIND THIS MAY PROPOSE A RISK AND, AND ANY CHANGE HAS SOME LEVEL OF RISK.
BUT WHAT THIS COUNCIL HAS STRIVED TO DO IS TAKE VERY CALCULATED RISKS WITH HOW WE DO IT.
PLEASE BE CLEAR, US SITTING ON THIS DAY IS, AS YOU, AS I SAID EARLIER, I GREW UP IN DESOTO.
MY FAMILY MOVED HERE WHEN I WAS IN THE THIRD GRADE.
I'M A DESOTO HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE.
SO IF IT'S ONE THING, I'M NOT DOING THIS FOR ANY OTHER REASON OTHER THAN I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY AND I WANNA SEE IT BE THE BEST THAT I CAN, THAT IT CAN BE.
AND SO WE DIDN'T WANNA CAUSE ANY UNDUE, UM, BURDEN OR HARDSHIP OR ANGST TO ANYBODY THAT, UH, AS A RESULT OF DOING THIS PROJECT.
AND AFTER LISTENING TO THE RESIDENTS, UM, THAT'S WHY WE REDUCED
[02:05:01]
IT TO ONLY INCLUDE WHAT ARE RETAIL COMPONENTS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE INTENT OF HAMPTON ROAD, IS TO ACTUALLY, UH, IMPACT AND SPUR THE RETAIL IT.AND, AND ACTUALLY TALKING TO OUR, UM, TALKING TO THE FIRM THAT WE WORKED WITH, SOME OF THE REASON WHY THEY INCLUDED THE RESIDENTIAL WAS TO ACTUALLY ALLOW THOSE RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNERS TO HAVE MORE, UH, MORE OPTIONS TOO FOR THEIR PROPERTIES.
SO, UM, ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WERE BROUGHT UP IN THE CONVERSATION TO ALLOW THE RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNERS.
SO IT WAS ACTUALLY A, A POSITIVE INTENT WHEN WE CHOSE TO INCLUDE THE RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNERS.
BUT AFTER HEARING FROM YOU ALL, WE SAW THAT THAT'S PROBABLY NOT THE THING TO DO RIGHT NOW.
SO, MS. BLOOMFIELD, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT, LETTING US KNOW THAT WE MISSED A HOUSE OR TWO
WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT HERE TO SAY HAMPTON ROAD PROJECT AND REDEVELOPMENT IS PERFECT.
NOTHING WE EVER DO WILL BE PERFECT, BUT CAN WE GET IT CLOSE, AS CLOSE TO PERFECT AS WE CAN, WORKING TOGETHER? I GO BACK TO NANCE FARM AND ALL THOSE THINGS WITH THAT HOA AND THAT COMMUNITY.
WE WORKED ON IT UNTIL WE CAME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY CAN LIVE WITH AND AFTER, UM, ALL THE MEETINGS WE'VE HAD, AND JUST EVEN HEARING FROM YOU ALL TONIGHT, WE WANNA WORK WITH YOU.
THIS IS NOT A US IN, IN IN CITY THING, RIGHT? WE GET THE SAME TAX BILL YOU ALL GET.
SO IF SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT IMPACTS TAXES ON HAMPTON ROAD, GUESS WHAT? IT'S GONNA HIT ALL OF US.
WE GET THE SAME WATER BILLS, WE GET THE SAME THING.
WE DRIVE UP AND DOWN HAMPTON ROAD.
SO IF TRAFFIC IS IMPACTED, NOT ONLY WILL YOU BE IN TRAFFIC, WE WILL BE IN TRAFFIC.
SO ANY DECISION WE MAKE, WE ALL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THOSE DECISIONS.
SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND, WE HEAR YOU.
OFTENTIMES, AS MY COLLEAGUE SAID, WE MAY SEEM EMOTIONLESS, BUT WE HAVE TO REMAIN OBJECTIVE, UH, WHEN WE ARE HERE TO MAKE THESE TYPES OF DECISIONS.
SO I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT WE HEAR YOU AND WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT.
BUT I'M GONNA SAY THIS AND I'M, I'M JUST GONNA SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
DOING NOTHING IS NOT AN OPTION.
WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE WE, WE, YOU ALL HAVE ASKED US THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN, AND AS MY COLLEAGUE SAID, AND I WON'T, I WON'T BELABOR, UM, THE POINT, BUT YOU ALL HAVE ASKED US TO DO SOMETHING.
AND SO WHILE SINGLE HANDEDLY, UH, REJECTING THE TOOLS THAT ARE GONNA GET US THERE WITHOUT OFFERING ANOTHER SOLUTION, THAT THAT TROUBLES ME.
AND SO WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO, UM, SAY THAT WE ARE VERY THOUGHTFUL.
BUT AGAIN, IF WE DON'T HAVE, THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE GET CONTROL OVER OUR DESTINY.
AGAIN, AS MY COLLEAGUE MENTIONED IN 2014, THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME WAS THOUGHTFUL ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SAY, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE PROPERTIES ALONG HAMPTON ROAD.
THAT'S WHY THE RESIDENTS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED A BOND OF $6.4 MILLION.
NOW, $6.4 MILLION WENT A LOT, A LOT FURTHER THAN IT DOES NOW, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE SEVERAL KEY PROPERTIES.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE NORTH END AND THE SOUTH END, AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
WE DID OUR WORK AND WE'VE SECURED THOSE PROPERTIES SO THAT WE CAN HAVE WHAT WE CALL THE CATALYST PROJECTS.
I THINK A GENTLEMAN, HE CAME UP AND SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT IT, WHAT WE ARE WAY AHEAD OF HIM.
WE, THIS IS WHERE WE'VE BEEN GOING.
THIS IS THE TRAJECTORY WE'VE BEEN DOING WHEN WE PURCHASE THOSE PROPERTIES ON THE NORTH END AND ON THE SOUTH END, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE CATALYST PROJECTS, UM, ALONG HAMPTON ROAD.
AND SO, TRUST ME, WE WE HEAR YOU, BUT IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING, THEN WE GET WHATEVER WE GET AND, AND WE GET PURPLE AND GOLD BUILDINGS.
AND I DON'T WANNA KNOCK THE PURPLE AND GOLD BUILDING BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S A BUSINESS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS.
BUT WE GOT MORE CALLS ABOUT PEOPLE'S DISDAIN FOR THINGS LIKE THAT THAN WE'VE GOTTEN ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE.
AND SO, UNLESS WE CONTROL IT, UNLESS WE HAVE THE CHARACTER CODE AND THE ZONING, AND HAVE THE TOOLS AND THE MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO WHERE WE CAN CONTROL IT AND CONTROL SOME OF THESE KEY PIECES OF PROPERTY, THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET WHAT WE'VE BEEN ALWAYS GETTING.
AND I PERSONALLY DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN HAMPTON ROAD AND BE HERE ANOTHER YEAR, AND IT LOOKS THE SAME.
AND I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER WAY TO GET THERE OTHER THAN THE WAY THAT WE'RE APPROACHING IT.
IF, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY OTHER WAY WHERE WE CAN WAVE A WAND AND WE GET WHAT WE WANT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
BUT WE'VE GOT TO PUT THE MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO WHERE WE CAN DO THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
AGAIN, I'M, I'M SO GLAD THAT MY COLLEAGUES AND OUR CITY STAFF HAVE CLEARED UP SOME OF THE MISNOMERS THAT WERE STATED, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH FACTS AND FACTS ONLY.
AND MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WERE STATED TONIGHT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TONIGHT.
AND AGAIN, IF THERE ARE AREAS THAT ARE, UM, THAT ARE, THAT ARE NOT CORRECT, WE, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT PERFECT, RIGHT? UM, WE'RE HUMANS AND SO SOMETIMES WE MISS THINGS.
BUT AGAIN, THE INTENT OF THE REDUCTION WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT HOMEOWNERS AND RESIDENTIAL ARE NOT IMPACTED.
SO IF THERE'S STILL SOME CLEANUP WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DO, THEN WE WILL, WE WILL DO THAT.
WE TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR IT AND WE WANNA WORK WITH YOU ALL.
BUT AGAIN, HAD YOU NOT COME TONIGHT, WE WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THOSE THINGS.
SO WE AGAIN, APPRECIATE YOU ALL AND I'M, I'M GONNA PUT, UM, I'M GONNA PUT
[02:10:01]
A, PUT A PEN IN IT THERE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND WE'VE ALREADY DONE A ROUND UNLESS COUNSEL AGREES TO DO ANOTHER ONE.UM, BUT WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR THIS ITEM.
EXCUSE EXCLUDE THE RESIDENTIAL.
YES, WE WOULD NEED TO AMEND, UH, WE WOULD NEED TO AMEND THE MOTION.
I BELIEVE THAT MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN BYRD, SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TIM CHISHOLM TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED.
HOWEVER, GIVEN THE, UM, THE CIRCUMSTANCES CITY, CITY ATTORNEY GODA, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE EXCLUDE THAT.
IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN DO NOW, OR SHOULD DO NOW? WITH THIS? YOU CAN EXCLUDE IT.
YEAH, IF YOU KNOW THE, KNOW THE NUMBER.
IF WE KNOW THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE KNOW THAT NUMBER TONIGHT, EXCLUDE RESIDENTIAL SPECIFIC.
CAN WE MAKE IT BROAD ENOUGH TO WHERE WE ON THE FLOOR, WE ARE GONNA TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS.
IT'S 8:08 PM TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF TO DISCUSS HOW WE WILL MOVE FORWARD IF WE, UM, IF THEY CHOOSE TO AMEND THE MOTION.
I'M GONNA ASK THAT BEFORE WE TAKE THE RECESS.
ARE YOU ALL WILLING TO AMEND THE MOTION TO EXCLUDE THE RESIDENTIAL? YES.
MR, ARE YOU EXCLUDING ALL OF THE RESIDENTIAL ALL? YES.
THAT WOULD BE ALL I A QUESTION? YES.
SO EARLIER TONIGHT, YOU GUYS, UH, HAVE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE ROADS, AND THAT HAS BEEN IN OPPOSITION AS WELL.
WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED REDUCE REDUCTION OF THE ROADS.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT WITH THE VOTE TONIGHT, WE CAN ACTUALLY GO BACK AND CHANGE THAT VOTE OR CHANGE THAT, UM, THAT ORDINANCE TO REDUCE THE ROADS? COUNCIL MEMBER, PARKER, LET'S, LET'S BE CLEAR AGAIN.
DESIGN WORK IS ONLY 15% COMPLETED.
WE HAVE NOT APPROVED ANY ROADS TO BE REDUCED.
SO LET'S NOT CONTINUE TO PUT INFORMATION THAT IS NOT ACCURATE OUT.
WE HAVE NOT DECREASED THE ROADS.
WE HAVE NOT EVEN GOTTEN NEAR 25% OF THE DESIGN WORK DONE.
SO IF THERE'S AN, IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY OR WE WANNA GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, WE HAVE PLENTY OF RUNWAY AHEAD OF US TO DO SO.
UH, DO YOU ALL NEED A, UH, A RECESS, BUT IT'S YOUR DECISION, YOU'LL NEED A RECESS? SURE.
WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS AND THEN WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET THE RIGHT STUFF EXCLUDED.
UH, IT'S 8 0 9 AND WE WILL COME BACK IN FIVE MINUTES.
IF EVERYBODY COULD PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEAT.
IF EVERYBODY COULD PLEASE QUICKLY TAKE YOUR SEAT SO WE CAN RESUME OUR MEETING.
DO YOU WANNA VENT? IF EVERYBODY COULD PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEAT.
IF I COULD HAVE CHIEF COSTA AND OUR MARSHAL TO ASSIST US WITH GETTING EVERYBODY BACK TO THEIR SEAT, PLEASE, PLEASE HAVE I KNOW
IT IS 8:16 PM AND WE ARE NOW RESUMING BACK INTO OUR MEETING.
UH, AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO ENTERTAIN, UH, A MOTION OR ANY COMMENTS FROM OUR COUNCIL.
I JUST WANNA MAKE CERTAIN THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE VOTE ENDS UP BEING, THAT, UM, I STAND FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND I LISTEN TO WHAT MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS SAY, AND NOTHING I SAY IS TO MAKE IT WORSE FOR YOU BECAUSE I AM ONE OF YOU.
SO WHEN YOU HEAR ME SPEAK, PLEASE, I HOPE PEOPLE WILL, WILL, WILL KNOW THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT ME AS MUCH AS IT IS ABOUT US.
AND SO MY VOTE REFLECTS THAT THOUGHT PROCESS.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION OR AMENDMENT? MADAM MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO AMEND MY PREVIOUS, UH, MOTION TO APPROVE AS IS.
I'D LIKE TO AMEND THAT TO EXCLUDE THE PROPERTY KNOWN AS SEVEN ZERO, UH, 1 0 7 EAST LANETTE DRIVE TO REMAIN A SINGLE FAMILY.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE'D LIKE TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED.
CAN MAYOR PRO 10 WOULD HAVE TO SECOND THAT SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY AMENDED, UM, TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED WITH THE STATED CHANGE.
UM, COUNSEL, CAN WE RE UH, YEAH.
COUNSEL, CAN WE DO A HAND VOTE? OUR TECHNOLOGY IS DOING WHATEVER IT WANTS TO DO TONIGHT.
UH, WE'LL NEED TO DO A HAND VOTE.
IF I COULD GET OUR ASSISTANT CITY SECRETARY TO PLEASE DO A ROLL CALL VOTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERT PARKER? NO.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEN WATERS? YES.
[02:15:01]
MEMBER DEBORAH NORTH.AND COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA HUGHES? YES.
[1. Consider authorizing the City Manager approval to negotiate and execute an agreement with MD Pathways to provide basic telehealth services to all residents in DeSoto through a monthly utility bill charge]
THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, PLEASE.IT WAS, IF YOU ALL COULD PLEASE REMAIN QUIET AS OUR MEETING IS STILL IN, IN, IN ORDER, PLEASE.
UH, MAYOR, IF I MAY, IT WAS REQUESTED THAT, UM, REGULAR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE BE PULLED.
DO WE HAVE ANY CARDS FROM ANYBODY WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THAT ITEM, MS. REYNOLDS? NO, WE DO NOT.
UM, COUNSEL AGAIN, WE ARE PULLING ITEM H ONE.
[2. Consider an Ordinance amending Appendix Z titled Fee Schedule by amending Article 29.000 titled Facility Rental Fees to add Aquatic and Recreation Center (ARC) Fees AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING APPENDIX A TITLED “FEE SCHEDULE” BY AMENDING ARTICLE 29.000 TITLED “FACILITY RENTAL FEES” BY ADDING SUBSECTION (f) TITLED “ARC AT MCCOWAN PARK MEMBERSHIP FEE RATES” PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
HAVE, UM, REGULAR AGENDA ITEM H TWO.CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING APPENDIX Z TITLED FEE SCHEDULE BY AMENDING ARTICLE 29.000 TITLED FACILITY RENTAL FEES TO ADD AQUATIC AND RECREATION CENTER ARC FEES.
AND THE COURT ORDINANCE CAPTURED READS IN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING APPENDIX A TITLED FEE SCHEDULE BY AMENDING ARTICLE 29.000 TITLED FACILITY RENTAL FEES BY ADDING SUBSECTION F TITLE ARC AT MCOWEN PARK MEMBERSHIP FEE RATES, PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
UH, MAKING A PRESENTATION IS PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR CHRIS GLOVER.
UM, BACK IN, I THINK NOVEMBER 17TH, WE HAD A WORK SESSION ON THE FEES.
AND SO WE ARE READY TO GO, UH, WITH THIS.
AND SO I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL OF OUR FEES, UH, BECAUSE WE'VE GONE THROUGH IT AT THE WORK SESSION.
BUT, UH, THIS BASICALLY COVERS OUR ANNUAL, MONTHLY AND OUR DAILY FOR THE DRY SIDE AND FOR THE WET SIDE.
AND SO, UM, UH, SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION IS WITH OUR, UH, UH, PROMOTIONAL DISCOUNTS ONCE WE START OUR ADVERTISEMENT, WE ARE PLANNING, PLANNING ON, UH, HAVING SOME PROMOTIONAL, UH, DISCOUNT OPPORTUNITIES.
AND, UH, OTHER THAN THAT WE HAVE OUR MEMBERSHIP FEES AND MULTIPURPOSE, UH, UH, RENTALS, GYM, POOL, UH, PARTY ROOM IN OUR GOLF SIMULATOR.
SO THAT IS A SUMMARY BASICALLY OF, UH, WHAT THIS IS.
AND I GUESS I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS FOR THOSE THAT MAY HAVE MAYOR PROAM.
UM, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. GLOVER FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION.
I WAS, UH, WHEN YOU PRESENTED THIS, I, I WALKED AWAY AND I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE ADDED A VETERAN DISCOUNT TO THE REC AND I NOTICED THAT SENIORS STILL GET A DISCOUNT, BUT VETERANS WERE LEFT OUT.
WAS THAT INTENTIONAL OR IS THAT JUST A OVERSIGHT? IT IT, IT, IT WAS, IT WAS AN OVERSIGHT.
UM, BUT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY ADD WITH THE SENIOR RATE.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT IS AT OUR CURRENT RECREATION CENTER NOW.
SO WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? GIVE, GIVE US OH, THE SENIOR RATE? YEAH.
GIVE US A CHANCE TO, UH, TO LOOK AT THAT.
WE WILL, WE WILL COMPARE IT TO THE SENIOR RATE, UM, UM, AND, AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO YOU AS A MEMO.
IS THAT AFFIRMATIVE THOUGH, THAT THERE WILL BE A DISCOUNT FOR VETERANS? YOU JUST DON'T KNOW THE AMOUNT? THERE WILL BE A, THERE WILL BE A DISCOUNT FOR THE VETERANS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, WE FIRM IT UP, UH, WHETHER THAT WOULD BE TO THE SENIOR DISCOUNT OR, UH, YOU KNOW, COMPARABLE.
YOU SAID THE CURRENT VETERAN'S DISCOUNT IS EQUATES TO, UH, THE SENIOR DISCOUNT.
COUNCIL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES.
UH, THANK YOU MR. GLOVER FOR YOUR PRESENTATION HERE.
I JUST HAVE, UM, JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MEMBERSHIP TIER HERE, AND WE LOOK AT OUR SISTER CITIES LIKE CEDAR HILL, LANCASTER, DUNCANVILLE.
AND, UH, PARTICULARLY WITH CEDAR HILL, THEY HAVE THE WONDERFUL LIBRARY, WHICH WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE THE FREE LIBRARY CARD, AND THAT'S, UH, DUAL WHEREVER YOU GO.
SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS OR IS THERE ANY THOUGHT IN HOW, UH, WE WOULD LOOK AT MEMBERSHIP FOR OUR SISTER CITIES IN UTILIZING, UH, THE FACILITIES? UH, RIGHT NOW THEY WOULD HAVE THE NON-RESIDENTIAL FEE, BUT WE ARE MEETING WITH, UH, DIRECTORS FROM THE OTHER CITIES.
UM, BUT, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, THEY WOULD HAVE TO, UH, HAVE THE NONE RESIDENTIAL RATE.
DON'T GET OUR LIBRARY CARD POOL
IF, IF I MAY, MAYOR, UH, WE'VE DISCUSSED ACTUALLY, UH, UH, DIRECTOR GLOVER, UH, AND, AND OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, WE'VE DISCUSSED THE BEST SOUTHWEST RATE.
[02:20:01]
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN COME BACK AND, AND DEFINITELY CONSIDER FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.SO WE'LL DO THAT IN, IN ADDITION TO THE VETERANS, UH, UH, RATE THAT WE CAN PUT TOGETHER IN A MEMO.
APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER.
THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, THE ONLY THING I DIDN'T SEE WAS THE USE OF THE ROOMS AND EVERYTHING.
AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION BEFORE ABOUT ROOMS, UH, IN THE CURRENT BUILDING.
THE HOAS GET THEIR ROOMS FOR FREE, UH, TO DO THEIR MEETINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WILL THAT HOLD IN THIS BUILDING AS WELL? UH, YES.
WE WILL DO SOME THERE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO, UH, HOA REYNOLDS HERE DURING OPERATING HOURS AS WELL.
COUNSEL, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS BEFORE WE CALL FOR A MOTION? HEARING NONE.
MAY OH, MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE AS PRESENTED.
SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM CHISHOLM.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED.
UH, COUNCIL, I BELIEVE OUR VOTING MACHINE IS, UM, OUTTA COMMISSION FOR THE REST OF THE EVENING.
SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER HAND VOTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERT PARKER? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER KIM WATERS? YES.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA HUGHES.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU KEEPING US MOVING FORWARD ON THIS.
[I. CITIZEN APPEARANCES]
TIME WE ARE GETTING READY TO HAVE THE FINAL ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.HOWEVER, WE, UH, WE DID UNFORTUNATELY MISS A CARD FROM THAT PREVIOUS ITEM.
I'M GONNA HAVE MS. REYNOLDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CARD.
HOWEVER, BECAUSE THAT ITEM WAS PULLED, UH, WE WILL OBVIOUSLY, UH, LET YOU ALL KNOW WHEN IT WILL BE BACK ON OUR AGENDA TO COME AND SPEAK AT THAT TIME.
WE RECEIVED A COMMENT CARD FROM MR. GARY RNE, CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS IN REGARDS TO MD PATHWAYS.
DOES IT STAY, UH, FOR OR AGAINST OR ANY OPPOSITION OR, UH, SUPPORT? NO MA'AM, IT DOES NOT.
AT THIS TIME WE WILL HAVE THE FINAL ITEM, WHICH IS OUR CITIZENS' APPEARANCES AND, UM, KEEPING IN LINE WITH OUR PUBLIC HEARING COMMENT TIME.
WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND STAY WITH THAT.
AND THESE, UH, COMMENT CARDS WILL BE, UH, CITIZENS' APPEARANCES WILL BE TWO MINUTES AS WELL.
NEXT WE 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.
COMMENTS ARE TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF.
CITIZENS SHALL REFRAIN FROM MAKING PERSONAL IMP 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 CITIZENS SHALL BE BARRED FROM APPEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THAT SESSION.
CITIZENS SHALL OBSERVE THE SAME RULES OF PROPRIETY DECORUM AND GOOD CONDUCT APP APPLICABLE TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND WE ONLY HAVE TWO COMMON CARDS FOR THIS SECTION OF THE MEETING.
DYNA MARKS, AND THEN AFTER MR. RANDY MOTES.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
DYNA MARKS AND I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY.
DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED IN HOW THE REQUEST FOR MY ANNUAL PHYLLIS HUNDRED TOY DRIVE WAS HANDLED.
I KNOW THIS MIGHT BE MENIAL TO THE REST OF THE SUBJECTS THAT HAVE GONE FORTH FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
[02:25:01]
I HAVE FAITHFULLY ORGANIZED THIS TOY DRIVE TO SUPPORT THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF DESOTO, NEVER FOR RECOGNITION, BUT FOR SERVICE.AND EVERY YEAR WITHOUT ISSUE, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PLACE A SIMPLE TOY DONATION BOX IN CITY HALL AND OTHER CITY FACILITIES.
HOWEVER, FOR SOME REASON FOR THIS YEAR, IT WAS DIFFERENT.
THIS YEAR I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A NEW POLICY, A NEW PROCEDURE THAT DR. MARKS HAD TO FOLLOW SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO PUT A BOX FOR DONATION OF TOYS.
BUT WHILE I WAS NAVIGATING THE NEW HURDLES, OTHERS WERE GIVEN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PROCESS, SET OF RULES, RULES THAT WERE NOT ENFORCED WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF SCRUTINY.
WHILE I WAS ASKED TO WAIT, ANOTHER ENTITY MOVED FORWARD WITH THE FLYER WITH THE CITY'S LOGO.
THEY LISTED CITY HALL, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE LIBRARY, AND EVEN THE PARADE AS A DROP OFF LOCATION.
TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SEEMED TO HAVE MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR DRIVE, MORE SO THAN THE OTHERS, MADE A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE COMPETING INITIATIVE.
THAT IN ITSELF WAS CONCERNING THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND THE SELECTIVE COMMUNICATION RAISED QUESTIONS THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE RISEN HERE IN THIS CHAMBER.
BUT MOST OF ALL, COUNSEL, WHAT WAS DISAPPOINTING IS THE OUTCOME, OUTCOME OF ALL OF THIS.
SOME OF MY DONORS ACTUALLY BENEFITED FROM THIS PETTINESS THAT WAS GOING FORTH.
THEY VERIFIED THAT BY CALLING ME DR. MARKS.
I HOPE YOU UNDER UNDERSTAND MY DISAPPOINTMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU HEAR.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
RANDY MOTZ HERE IN THE CITY OF DESOTO, UH, LONGTIME RESIDENT, 49 AND A HALF YEARS.
UH, FIRST I WANNA EXPRESS MY SINCERE GRATITUDE FOR THE LIGHTUP, UH, DESOTO, UM, CHRISTMAS LIGHT DECORATING CONTEST.
UH, AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE THAT AWARD MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS, I TRULY APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION AND EFFORT THE CITY AND THE COUNCIL PUT INTO PROMOTING HOLIDAY SPIRIT IN THE COMMUNITY.
LOVE THE NEW SIGNS BY THE WAY.
HOWEVER, I'D LIKE TO SHARE A CONCERN THAT I BELIEVE THAT MANY RESIDENTS QUIETLY FEEL AS WELL THIS YEAR.
THE RESIDENTIAL CONTEST WAS JUDGED DURING THE LAST TWO DAYS OF NOVEMBER, NOT EVEN THE SAME MONTH AS CHRISTMAS.
AND THE WINTERS ARE BEING ANNOUNCED TONIGHT, WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN.
MEANWHILE, OUR CITY OFFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING DOESN'T EVEN OCCUR TILL THIS FOLLOWING SUNDAY ON THE SEVENTH, ALONG WITH OUR HOLIDAY PARADE.
THIS MAKES EARLY JUDGING FEEL OUTTA SYNC WITH THE REST OF THE CITY'S SEASONAL CELEBRATION.
MANY FAMILIES, INCLUDING MY OWN, PUT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT INTO MAKING OUR HOMES LOOK THE BEST FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
SOME RESIDENTS SIMPLY AREN'T FINISHED DECORATING BY LATE NOVEMBER, WHICH CAN INTENTIONALLY DISCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OR EVEN LEAD TO OPPORTUNITIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, I PERSONALLY RUN A BIG, UH, THANKSGIVING DISPLAY WITH TURKEYS AND AUTUMN LIGHTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE RECOGNITION NOT ONLY TO BE AN AWARD RECIPIENT, BUT IT FEELS NECESSARY THAT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BE MADE DURING THE CITY'S COUNCIL MEETING IN DECEMBER.
TO ME, POSTING THE WINNERS ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, FACEBOOK PAGE, AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS, WHICH IS ALREADY BEING DONE, REACHES FAR MORE RESIDENTS THAN THIS MEETING ALONE AND THE CELEBRATION TO FEEL MORE ACCESSIBLE AND FESTIVE.
BUT TO BE HONEST, HAVING THAT SIGN IN YOUR YARD IS PROBABLY THE BEST THING ABOUT THE WHOLE CONTEST.
UH, I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT MY INTENTION IS NOT TO CRITICIZE, BUT TO COLLABORATE AND TRULY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS EVENT.
I SIMPLY BELIEVE THAT A SMALL ADJUSTMENT TO THE JUDGE, EXCUSE ME, JUDGING SCHEDULE, COULD INCREASE PARTICIPATION, FAIRNESS, ENJOYMENT FOR EVERYONE IN THE CITY.
DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL CARDS, MS. REYNOLDS? NO, MA'AM.
HEARING NONE AT THIS TIME, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WANNA SAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE.
UM, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU ALL HAVE A VERY BLESSED HOLIDAY SEASON WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES.
SO AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES, SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM CHISHOLM TO ADJOURN.
COUNCIL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
COUNCIL, IT IS 8:33 PM AND WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED.