[00:00:01]
[ 1. Call to Order]
CITY COUNCIL HAS A QUORUM PRESENT IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.GOOD EVENING AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. NICE TO SEE EVERYONE'S SMILING FACES.
AND I WANT TO PRAY ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES FROM THE BIBLE IN FIRST TIMOTHY CHAPTER TWO, IT SAYS, THEREFORE I EXHORT FIRST OF ALL THAT YOU MAKE SUPPLICATIONS, PRAYERS, INTERCESSIONS, AND THANKSGIVINGS FOR EVERYONE, FOR KINGS, AND FOR ALL WHO ARE IN AUTHORITY, THAT WE MAY LEAD A QUIET AND PEACEABLE LIFE AND PEACEFUL LIFE IN ALL GODLINESS AND HONESTY. FOR THIS IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD OUR SAVIOR, WHO DESIRES ALL MEN TO BE SAVED AND TO COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH.
LET US BOW OUR HEADS, PLEASE. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE WE BOW OUR HEARTS AND OUR HEADS BEFORE YOU.
AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE, FATHER GOD, THAT YOU ARE SOVEREIGN.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU ARE A CREATOR AND FATHER GOD, THAT YOU LOVE US.
WE THANK YOU THAT THAT NEVER CHANGES, FATHER, THAT YOU ARE GOOD AND THAT YOU ARE LOVE, THAT YOU CARE FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HERE TONIGHT. AND YOU CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE AFFAIRS OF THIS CITY, FATHER, AND IN THIS STATE.
AND SO WE AND IN OUR COUNTRY. AND SO WE THANK YOU, LORD, AND WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS AND YOU BE WITH AND YOU PROTECT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS FAMILY AND THE ADMINISTRATION THAT WORKS WITH HIM.
AND YOU YOU ANOINT HIM WITH WISDOM. AND WE THANK YOU FOR OUR MAYOR HERE OF ROWLETT, THAT YOU WOULD TOUCH HIM AND HIS FAMILY AND PROTECT HIM AND ALL THE ALL OF THE, THE STAFF AND AND FATHER GOD, ALL THE COUNCIL, LORD GOD AND AND EVERY LEADER HERE IN ROWLETT, LORD GOD. LORD, WE JUST THANK YOU FOR EVERY LEADER.
WE JUST THANK YOU FOR EVERY PERSON HERE TONIGHT.
LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU HELP US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS NEW YEAR.
WE ASK FATHER FOR YOUR SPIRIT, LORD, EVEN AS MOSES SAID, WE WILL NOT GO WITHOUT YOU, LORD, UNLESS YOUR PRESENCE GOES WITH US, WE WILL NOT MOVE.
ANY, ANY, ANY MORE FORWARD. AND SO, LORD GOD, WE DON'T WANT TO MOVE FORWARD EITHER.
WE DON'T WANT TO MOVE AHEAD, LORD, WITHOUT YOUR PRESENCE.
SO WE ASK FOR YOUR PRESENCE TONIGHT, LORD, WE ASK FOR YOUR PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES EVERY DAY.
LORD, WE ASK FOR THE TOUCH OF YOUR WISDOM UPON OUR LIVES.
LORD, WE ASK FOR YOUR YOUR GUIDANCE OF YOUR HOLY SPIRIT, FATHER GOD, INTO ALL TRUTH.
WE ASK THAT YOU EVEN HELP US LORD, IN OUR IN OUR FAMILIES.
LORD, THAT YOU GUIDE US, FATHER GOD, AS WE LEAD, AS HUSBANDS AND AND AND WIVES, LORD AND, AND, AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS, LORD GOD AND AND PARENTS.
LORD, THAT YOU WOULD LEAD US AND GUIDE US. FATHER GOD, WE COMMIT TO YOU, LORD, THIS NEW YEAR.
AND LORD, WE WOULD SAY THAT WE WANT TO SEE YOUR BEST.
BUT FATHER GOD, WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING. LORD GOD, MORE PERSONAL.
WE WANT TO SAY, LORD GOD, WE WANT TO GIVE YOU OUR BEST.
AND EVEN AS JOHN THE BAPTIST PRAYED THAT THAT HE MAY INCREASE, THAT I MAY DECREASE.
LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU INCREASE IN OUR LIVES WHILE WE DECREASE, LORD.
SO WE HUMBLE OURSELVES, LORD GOD, AS WE BEGIN THIS NEW YEAR.
LORD, BEFORE YOU. AND YOU SAID YOU WOULD EXALT US IN DUE IN DUE SEASON.
AND SO, FATHER, TONIGHT WE HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE YOU AND WE ASK LORD GOD, THAT YOU DO IN US, LORD, THAT YOU WORK IN US BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO OF YOUR GOOD PLEASURE, AND THAT YOU CHANGE OUR HEARTS AND OUR LIVES.
LORD, ANYTHING, ANYTHING THAT IS DISPLEASING TO YOU.
LORD GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU FORGIVE US, AND WE ASK THAT YOU CLEANSE US.
AND WE ASK THAT YOU RENEW US, LORD, AND AND FILL US WITH YOUR SPIRIT, FATHER, AND FILL US WITH YOUR LOVE, LORD GOD, FOR OUR FELLOW MAN, HELP US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS NEW YEAR.
LORD GOD, HELP US, LORD, TO BE FRUITFUL IN EVERYTHING THAT WE SAY AND DO.
LORD. AND WE JUST THANK YOU THAT EVERYTHING ELSE, LORD, WILL, WILL BE, WILL BE ADDED UNTO US.
LORD, YOU WILL BLESS US, AND YOU WILL PROSPER US.
LORD, AS WE WALK IN, IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU AND AS WE WALK IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU.
WE THANK YOU, FATHER GOD, THAT WE WILL WALK IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR NEIGHBOR.
AND SO, LORD, WE THANK YOU TONIGHT FOR YOUR PRESENCE AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUIDANCE.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR HAND UPON OUR LIVES.
AND WE GIVE YOU PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE.
AND, FATHER, WE JUST GIVE YOU PRAISE FOR BEING WITH US, AND YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE US NOR FORSAKE YOU.
FORSAKE US EVEN AS YOU PROMISED IN YOUR WORD.
AND SO WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THESE THINGS. IN CHRIST'S NAME.
AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU PASTOR. NOW I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
AND NEXT, THE TEXAS PLEDGE. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
THANK YOU. PLEASE BE SEATED. WE'LL CONVENE OUR MEETING AT 7:08 P.M..
[2.A. Update from the City Council and Management: Financial Position, Major Projects, Operational Issues, Upcoming Dates of Interest and Items of Community Interest. ]
[00:05:06]
OPERATIONAL ISSUES, UPCOMING DATES OF INTEREST, AND ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST MAKING.THAT PRESENTATION THIS EVENING IS MR. SHOOP. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.
WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THIS COUNCIL MEETING.
IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE A FULL HOUSE. SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
FROM THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, THE CITY OF ROWLETT GENERAL ELECTION WILL BE HELD ON MAY 2ND, 2026. THE FILING PERIOD FOR CANDIDATES FOR COUNCIL MEMBER PLACES ONE, THREE AND FIVE AND FEBRUARY 13TH, 2026. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BEING A CANDIDATE, YOU MAY REQUEST A CITY COUNCIL PACKET ONLINE AT.
VATRE OR IN PERSON AT THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
FROM COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. RALLY ON ICE CONTINUES.
THE HOLIDAYS MAY BE OVER, BUT ROWLETTE ON ICE IS STILL GOING STRONG.
THE RINK IS OPEN FRIDAYS FROM 5 TO 9 P.M., AND SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS FROM 2 TO 9 P.M..
BE SURE TO ENJOY ROWLETT ICE ROWLETT ON ICE BEFORE IT CLOSES FOR THE SEASON.
IT'LL BE COLD THIS WEEKEND. LIBRARY. LIBRARY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CLOSE IT. WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE IT FOR THE WEEKEND.
OKAY, I WAS WONDERING. OKAY, SO I GUESS THAT'S.
FROM 10 A.M. TO 1 P.M., PARTICIPANTS WILL PLAY LABYRINTH RPG OR GARBAGE AND GLORY, AND FROM 2 P.M.
TO 5 P.M., PARTICIPANTS WILL PLAY AVATAR LEGENDS OR LEGENDS TO IMMORTALITY.
THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES COMMISSION IS SEARCHING FOR AUTHORS TO ENTER ITS ANNUAL WRITING CONTEST.
IN ADDITION TO AN ADULT DIVISION, THERE IS ALSO A DIVISION FOR 10 TO 17 YEAR OLD WRITERS.
PARTICIPANTS MAY ENTER ONE WORK IN EACH CATEGORY.
THIS CATEGORY, SHORT FICTION, SHORT NONFICTION OR POETRY ENTRIES ARE DUE FEBRUARY 27TH, AND ENTRY FORMS CAN BE FOUND AT ECOMMENTS. WRITING FROM POLICE. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE HOLDING ITS NEXT CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY STARTING JANUARY 22ND AND CONCLUDING ON MARCH 12TH. THE ROWLETT POLICE DEPARTMENT CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY IS AN EIGHT WEEK COURSE, ONE NIGHT PER WEEK AND ONE SATURDAY THAT IS DESIGNED TO HELP CITIZENS BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT A POLICE OFFICER ENCOUNTERS WHILE ON DUTY.
THE PROGRAM IS INTENDED FOR CITIZENS OVER THE AGE OF 18.
AND HERE'S A VERY RECENT ITEM HERE I WANT TO PASS ALONG.
WE WILL BE POSTPONING THE SEWER ODOR MEETING SCHEDULED FOR NEXT MONDAY THE 26TH BECAUSE OF WEATHER.
THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT DANGEROUS WEATHER AND ALSO WHAT'S LEADING UP TO IT.
IT WILL BE RESCHEDULED VERY SOON. AND I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, SIR. MR. REEVES, THANK YOU.
MAYOR. GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE TONIGHT. TONIGHT, SINCE WE FIGURED WE'D HAVE A FULL HOUSE.
WE HAVE THREE DOGS OF THE MEETING TO INTRODUCE YOU TO, SO LET'S MEET THEM TOGETHER.
MEET KATIE, SHE'S A TWO YEAR OLD HUSKY. SHE'S A MIX.
SHE'S A HUSKY MIX. SHE LOVES PEOPLE, LIVES FOR WALKS AND BELIEVES EVERY HUMAN IS HER BEST FRIEND.
NOW LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE. THE NEXT ONE.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS PICTURE. OH, THIS RIDICULOUSLY HANDSOME BOY IS ALEX.
HE IS A TWO YEAR OLD MIXED BREED. ALEX IS THE KIND OF BOY WHO BELIEVES NAPS ARE A LIFESTYLE.
I KIND OF LIKE THAT STYLE, AND CALM IS A PERSONALITY TRAIT.
HE'S SUPER FRIENDLY, LAID BACK, AND BRINGS COOL ENERGY WHEREVER HE GOES.
A MEET AND GREET IS REQUIRED FOR OTHER PETS. ALEX PREFERS TO VIBE CHECK HIS POTENTIAL ROOMMATES FIRST, SO TO ADOPT OR FOSTER KATIE OR ALEX, PLEASE CONTACT ANIMAL SERVICES AT 972412 6219 OR COME BY THE SHELTER AT 4402 INDUSTRIAL STREET FROM 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M.
TUESDAY TO SATURDAY. AND IF YOU'RE NOT QUITE READY TO COMMIT AN ADOPTION, THAT'S OKAY.
FOSTERING SAVES LIVES, AND SASHA WOULD BE A WONDERFUL DOG TO START WITH.
SHE'S A SIX YEAR OLD HUSKY. LOOK AT THAT SMILE.
WITH A LOT TO SAY. SHE'S A SINGING HUSKY. SHE'S TRULY SWEET.
A LAID BACK COUCH POTATO THAT WOULD LOVE A BREAK FROM THE SHELTER.
[00:10:01]
SO INVITE HER TO HAVE A WEEKEND SLEEPOVER AND ALLOW HER TO RELAX, RECHARGE, AND SHOWCASE HER TRUE PERSONALITY TO FOSTER SASHA OR ANY OF THE OTHER PUPS FOR A WEEKEND. SIGN UP TO BE A WEEKEND FOSTER BY CALLING 97241269 6219, OR BY EMAILING ANIMAL SERVICES AT.COM. YOU'LL THANK US FOR IT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. REEVES. COUNCIL. ANY OTHER UPDATES? ALL RIGHT.
[3. Citizens’ Input ]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR CITIZENS INPUT THIS EVENING.ITEM THREE. AT THIS TIME, COMMENTS WILL BE TAKEN FROM THE AUDIENCE ON ANY TOPIC.
NO ACTION CAN BE TAKEN BY THE COUNCIL DURING CITIZENS INPUT.
WE DO ALSO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT UNDER ITEM FIVE A.
SO IF I CALL YOUR NAME DURING CITIZENS INPUT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME UP AND SPEAK.
I CALL ON EVERYONE SO WE MAKE IT THROUGH EVERYBODY TONIGHT.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER FOR CITIZENS INPUT IS DAVE HALL.
LEFT AFTER MY CITIZEN INPUT DURING THE ONE SIX 2026 COUNCIL MEETING, JEFF AND DAVID SAID THEY HAD FOUND DOCUMENTS WHICH MOVED PADDLE POINT PARK FROM THE WEST SIDE OF THE LAKE TO THE EAST SIDE. I SUBMITTED AN OPEN RECORD REQUEST FOR THESE DOCUMENTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THESE DOCUMENTS ONLY RAISE MORE QUESTIONS.
EXHIBIT ONE THAT SHOULD BE PASSED OVER TO YOU.
ON FEBRUARY 20TH, 2002, CITY COUNCIL PASSED RESOLUTION EIGHT 2002 THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HEREBY ADOPTS THE FOLLOWING COUNCIL GOALS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2002 AND THREE.
GOAL NUMBER TWO ENHANCED SHORELINE OPPORTUNITIES.
GOAL NUMBER SEVEN IMPROVE AND EXPAND PARK SYSTEM.
IN THE MARCH 3RD, 2003 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES. EXHIBIT TWO, THREE AND FOUR.
THEY RECORD GOAL TWO, MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARDS TATE KLEIN.
SUBLEASE WITH RESIDENTS TO APPROVE TAKE LINE ZONING ORDINANCES.
THIS RESULTED IN THE CITY ELIMINATING A MUCH LARGER WATERFRONT PARK ON THE WEST SIDE, WITH GREATER ACCESS AND VISIBILITY, AND DESIGNATING A SMALLER PARK ON THE EAST SIDE WITH LESS ACCESS AND LESS VISIBILITY.
LOCATED BY A RAILROAD AND AT THE BOTTOM OF A STEEP HILL.
IF THE CITY HAS FOUND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITHOUT ADDITIONAL CITY WITH WITHOUT THE CITY BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION. IT APPEARS THE DEVELOPERS INFLUENCE THE CITY OFFICIALS TO REMOVE THE PARK DESIGNATION FROM PADDLE POINTE PARK WEST, SO THAT THEY COULD BUILD A DEVELOPMENT OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITH THE AREA RESIDENTIAL SUBLEASES.
THE RESULT WAS THE RESIDENTS OF ROWLETT ALL LOST.
OTHER WATERFRONT LAKE CITIES DID NOT PASS RESIDENTIAL SUBLEASE ZONING WHEN ROWLETT DID.
THOSE CITIES NOW ARE ABLE TO MORE EASILY DEVELOP WATERFRONT PARKS AND TRAILS ALONG THE LAKE.
MOVING PADDLE POINT PARK FROM THE WEST TO THE EAST SIDE OF MILLER.
INSTEAD, THE RESIDENTS LOST A WATERFRONT PARK DURING THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
YOU HAVE FIRST REMOVED THE NATURE PRESERVE STATUS FROM HALF OF THE MUDDY CREEK PRESERVE.
20 YEARS FROM NOW, YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN MAY LOOK BACK AND ASK YOU, WHAT WERE WE THINKING? THANK YOU DAVE. OUR NEXT, NEXT SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS GARY LAVELLE, AND AFTER MR. LAVELLE WILL BE PATRICK BANDEL. MY NAME IS GARY LAVELLE.
THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME TONIGHT. CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER AND STAFF.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORT ON THE SEWER STENCH REMEDIATION.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN QUITE THE CHALLENGE. AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EFFORT PUT INTO IT.
SO THANK YOU. WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR YOU GUYS TO FIND EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL MOVE TOWARDS THAT. I HAD A NOTE ABOUT MONDAY'S WORK SESSION, BUT I GUESS THAT'S BEEN RESCHEDULED.
SO SO IS IT BETTER? I WOULD SAY MAYBE
[00:15:09]
BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET. SOME DAYS IT'S REALLY BAD.AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE.
AND HOPEFULLY ONE DAY WE'LL LOOK BACK AND GO, HEY, IT DOESN'T STINK.
JUST A QUICK NOTE. SECOND TOPIC IF I CAN ON THE PARK ISSUE, I WOULD JUST SUGGEST WHY NOT INDUSTRIAL? AND I'M SURE THERE'LL BE A LOT MORE SPEAKERS ON THAT.
THERE WAS A BUDGET AND DIFFERENT PHASES PLANNED OUT.
NOW I SEE WE ARE AGAIN BACK AT THE DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION STAGE.
I THINK IT IS FINALLY TIME TO TAKE ACTION AND MOVE THIS PROCESS ALONG.
IT'S AMAZING HOW DRAWN OUT THIS PROJECT HAS BECOME.
JEFF, WE LIKE YOUR PLAN, BUT WE ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD.
YET THE ENTIRE TIME, THE CITY WALLS CONTINUE TO CRUMBLE AND BE AN EYESORE.
IT'S A MIRACLE THE CITY HASN'T BEEN SUED YET.
LET'S GET IT REPLACED BEFORE SOMETHING TERRIBLE DOES HAPPEN.
LET'S FINALLY START TO REPLACE THE WALL AND MAKE IT BEAUTIFUL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHERINE KIRK, FOLLOWED BY ALISON FELDERHOF.
KATHERINE KIRK. I LIVE IN ROWLETT. I WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT OF DISAPPOINTMENT.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO EXPRESS DISAPPOINTMENT. NOT ABOUT A SINGLE VOTE OR ONE PROJECT, BUT ABOUT A PATTERN IN HOW DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE AND COMMUNICATED. MANY RESIDENTS MAKE THE EFFORT TO STAY ENGAGED.
WHAT HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTING IS HOW OFTEN RESIDENTS ARE ASKED TO RESPOND TO CONCLUSIONS, RATHER THAN PARTICIPATE IN TRANSPARENT PROCESSES. MAJOR CHANGES ARE FRAMED AS INCREMENTAL OR TECHNICAL WHEN THEY ARE ACTUALLY SIGNIFICANT SHIFTS IN LAND USE AND RISK, AND LONG TERM PRIORITIES.
ALTERNATIVES ARE SAID TO HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED.
YET RESIDENTS ARE NOT SHOWN CLEAR WRITTEN COMPARISONS EXPLAINING WHAT OPTIONS WERE EVALUATED.
OH, HERE WE GO. OKAY. THERE IS ALSO DISAPPOINTMENT AND EXECUTION. ISSUES ARE RAISED, DISCUSSED AND THEN STALL WITHOUT FOLLOW THROUGH.
AT THE SAME TIME, NEW CONCEPTS AND FACILITIES CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WHILE EXISTING COMMITMENTS INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS ARE BASICALLY TRANSPARENCY, OBLIGATIONS REMAIN UNRESOLVED. THIS CREATES THE PERCEPTION, AND I BELIEVE, THE REALITY OF A CITY THAT IS STRETCHED TOO THIN, PRIORITIZING EXPANSION OVER STEWARDSHIP AND SPEED OVER CLARITY
[00:20:05]
THAT ERODES TRUST. DISAPPOINTMENT DOESN'T COME FROM DISAGREEMENT ALONE.IT COMES FROM FEELING UNHEARD, FROM WATCHING DECISIONS ADVANCE BEFORE FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS OR EVEN ANSWERED, AND FROM REPEATEDLY HAVING TO ASK FOR INFORMATION THAT SHOULD ALREADY BE READILY AVAILABLE TO US.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT PERSONALITIES, AND IT'S ABOUT PROCESSES, PRIORITIES, AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND NO MATTER HOW WELL INTENTIONED THOSE DECISIONS MAY BE, IT WON'T MATTER.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALLISON FELDERHOF, FOLLOWED BY SHELBY COLEMAN.
GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL ALLISON FELDERHOF, ROWLETT, TEXAS.
I AM HERE BECAUSE ROWLETT RESIDENTS ARE REALLY TIRED OF THE BAIT AND SWITCH BY OUR OWN CITY.
WE DIDN'T VOTE FOR A REBRAND, A PIVOT, OR A SAPPHIRE BAY 2.0.
WHAT WE DID NOT APPROVE MATTERS JUST AS MUCH.
WE DID NOT VOTE FOR A NEW CITY HALL. WE DID NOT VOTE TO REMOVE MORE THAN NINE ACRES OF PARKLAND DESIGNATION FROM HERFURTH PARK, AND WE DID NOT VOTE FOR CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION TO FUND THOSE CHANGES, BECAUSE THE LAST THING THAT OUR CITY NEEDS IS MORE DEBT TO FALL ON OUR SHOULDERS, THE TAXPAYERS. YET WITHIN MONTHS, HERFURTH PARK WAS PRESENTED AS THE PREFERRED SITE FOR A FULL MUNICIPAL COMPLEX THAT INCLUDES A CITY HALL, POLICE ADMINISTRATION, A JAIL, COURTS AND AN ANIMAL SHELTER.
OVER $9 MILLION WAS COMMITTED TO DESIGN, SURVEYING, CONSTRUCTION, MANAGEMENT AND EVEN A GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY BEFORE THE LEGALLY REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING TO REMOVE THE PARK DESIGNATION EVER OCCURRED.
THAT RAISES A BASIC QUESTION HOW MEANINGFUL CAN PUBLIC INPUT BE ONCE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAS ALREADY BEEN SPENT? WE DO NOT WANT A JAIL IN A PUBLIC PARK, ESPECIALLY NOT NEXT TO SCHOOLS WHERE CHILDREN PLAY.
WHEN PEOPLE ARE RELEASED FROM JAIL, MANY DO NOT HAVE RIDES OR IMMEDIATE WAYS TO LEAVE THE AREA.
PARKS SHOULD REMAIN PARKS AND THIS IS ALSO A PRIORITY ISSUE.
POLICE CARS SPEEDING DOWN MAIN STREET TO RESPOND TO CALLS IS A HORRIBLE IDEA.
AT THE SAME TIME, ROUGHLY $73 MILLION IN PREVIOUSLY APPROVED CAPITAL AND BOND FUNDS REMAIN UNSPENT, BASED ON THE CITY'S LAST UPDATE. RESIDENTS ARE ASKING, WHY ARE WE PURSUING THE LARGEST CAPITAL PROJECT IN CITY HISTORY, WHEN WE CANNOT MAINTAIN WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE BEFORE WE BUILD MORE FACILITIES, WE NEED TO FIX THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR TODAY.
ROWLETT DOES NOT NEED A FANCY NEW OFFICE FOR OUR CITY MANAGER OR A NEW CITY HALL.
WHAT WE DO NEED IS RESTORED TRUST BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND OUR CITY LEADERSHIP.
THIS COUNCIL WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE OF ROWLETT, NOT DEVELOPERS OR OUTSIDE INTERESTS.
HONOR THE 2023 BOND DELIVER HERFURTH PARK AS PROMISED.
STOP SAPPHIRE BAY 2.0 BEFORE IT STARTS OR REFUND THE BOND.
AFTER SHELBY COLEMAN WILL BE DAN HAUPT. GO AHEAD.
THE CITY IS ADVISED TO UPDATE THE WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND PUBLISH SUCCESS METRICS.
TO DATE, THOSE METRICS HAVE BEEN NOT BEEN PUBLISHED, AND THERE ARE MANY INACCURACIES ACROSS THE CITY'S WEBSITE, AND THE MOST RECENT ECONOMIC QUARTERLY REPORT IS FROM 2023.
I'VE HEARD REPEATED CLAIMS THAT THE PLACING THE CITY HALL IN HEREFORD PARK WILL REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN.
[00:25:01]
I UNDERSTAND WHY THAT ASSUMPTION IS BEING MADE, BUT SEVERAL KEY FACTORS ARE BEING OVERLOOKED.FIRST, MOVING CITY HALL WILL LEAVE A VACANCY IN THE EXISTING CITY HALL BUILDING.
AS SOMEONE ACTIVELY SELLING PROPERTY ON MAIN STREET, I CAN TELL YOU THE MOST LIKELY OUTCOME A MULTI-FAMILY BUYER WITH EMPTY GROUND FLOOR COMMERCIAL. WE ARE ALREADY SEEING THIS STRUGGLE AS DEVELOPERS HAVE DIFFICULTY FILLING COMMERCIAL SPACE AND LITTLE INCENTIVE TO DO SO.
THE RISK IS LIKELY WHY THE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX APPEARS IN PHASE THREE OF THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN.
HOW IS THAT CREATING ECONOMIC VITALITY IN THE DOWNTOWN? IT'S NOT. STAFFING HAS ALSO BEEN A HUGE, MAJOR CHALLENGE.
WE'VE EXPERIENCED HIGH TURNOVER IN THE CITY. PREVIOUSLY HIRED AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR WITH NO LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE, WHO HAS ALSO PLACED IN CHARGE OF PARKS WITHOUT RELEVANT EXPERIENCE.
SHE LATER RESIGNED AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN PROVIDING INACCURATE INFORMATION REGARDING THE KIDS KINGDOM REVITALIZATION INFORMATION THAT IF A CITIZEN HAD NOT CAUGHT, WOULD HAVE COST THE CITY $1 MILLION MORE AND RESULTED IN UNNECESSARY DEMOLITION OF THE PARK.
SINCE THAT RESIGNATION, THE CITY HAS NOT HIRED AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, BUT ONLY AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR BEFORE CLAIMING THE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX WILL PROVIDE AN ECONOMIC BENEFIT. THE CITY SHOULD HIRE AN EXPERIENCED LEADER IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS COME FROM A THRIVING DOWNTOWN THAT CAN OBJECTIVELY EVALUATE THAT CLAIM. DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION WILL NOT COME FROM PLACING A MUNICIPAL COMPLEX AT THE END OF A MAIN STREET IN A PARK.
IT WILL COME FROM INTENTIONAL STRATEGY, EXPERIENCED STAFF EVENT, STRONG EVENTS AND COORDINATION WITH BUSINESSES, AND TRACKING REAL METRICS. IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, I SUBMITTED MULTIPLE NO COST IDEAS IN A PRINTED PROPOSAL TO CITY LEADERSHIP.
TO DATE, THERE HAS BEEN NO FOLLOW THROUGH. THANK YOU.
MICHELLE WALLACE, I SEE YOU. YEP. YOU CAN BRING IT UP TO THE CITY SECRETARY, PLEASE.
OH, OKAY. DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK DURING CITIZENS INPUT OR DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING? BOTH.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT, I GOT YOU. MR. HAPP. GO AHEAD.
MA'AM? YES. DAN HAUPT, ROWLETT, TEXAS. HELLO, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
TRUST IS EARNED OVER TIME THROUGH TRANSPARENCY AND INTEGRITY.
AT THIS MOMENT, THERE ARE PRESSING ISSUES IN OUR CITY THAT DESERVE ATTENTION.
KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE SEWER SYSTEM AND DETERIORATING INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH ARE THE SCREENING WALLS ON DALROCK, AND SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT BEEN MENTIONED ARE THE FENCE CODE VIOLATIONS ON PRINCETON ROAD NORTH OF DALROCK.
I BELIEVE IN A QUOTE I HEARD AS A YOUNG MAN THAT HAS STAYED WITH ME.
THE CITIZENS OF ROWLETT APPROVED THREE SEPARATE FACILITY PROPOSITIONS.
PROP A 64 MILLION FOR POLICE, FIRE, JAIL AND A MUNICIPAL COURT.
PROP B, 8.4 MILLION FOR AN ANIMAL SHELTER. AND PROP C, 4 MILLION FOR HERFURTH PARK.
I'VE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING AT THE TIME OF THE BOND ELECTION THAT WAS HELD THAT SAID, THE CITY WAS LOOKING AT BUILDING THESE STRUCTURES ON HERFURTH PARK UNTIL ADDITIONAL DUE DILIGENCE IS COMPLETE AND RESIDENTS ARE BROUGHT ALONG IN THE PROCESS.
CITIZENS IMPLORED THE COUNCIL NOT TO APPROVE THE WAREHOUSES ON PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH TURNPIKE.
EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER VOTED YES, EXCEPT FOR THE MAYOR, WHO VOTED NO.
THE COUNCIL IGNORED THE CITIZENS OF HOMESTEAD AT LIBERTY GROVE AND WATERVIEW.
IF THIS WAS SUCH A GRAND IDEA, WHY ARE ONLY TWO OF THE FIVE LEASE? I REALIZED THIS WAS A PAST COUNCIL. BUT UNDERSTAND YOUR DECISIONS TODAY LAST FOR GENERATIONS.
ANOTHER OPTION SOMEBODY MENTIONED BEFORE ME IS INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH.
IN MY ESTIMATION, YOU SHOULD NEVER PUT A JAIL IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A SCHOOL OR PARK.
THERE ARE SAFETY SAFETY RISK WHICH CANNOT BE IGNORED.
IN CLOSING, LET'S ALL TAKE A BREATH AND REMEMBER THE HERFURTH FAMILY AND WHAT THEY DID FOR THE CITY.
[00:30:02]
AND THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF ROWLETT. WE HAVE TO GET THIS RIGHT.THE CITY OF ROWLETT CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER SAPPHIRE BAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. ALL RIGHT. I DO HAVE A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL CARDS.
SO FIRST WILL BE DENISE LOUIS, FOLLOWED BY HASSAN LOUIS.
AND THEN MICHELLE WALLACE. YOU'LL BE THIRD.
THE STRUCTURE IS ATTACHED. ADDITION TO THEIR HOME AND COVERS A BEDROOM WINDOW.
TWO VARIANCES WITH A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT WERE DENIED.
STANLEY POLLARD CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND SETBACKS WHEN THE STRUCTURE WAS BUILT, AND THIS WENT ON DEAF EARS. IT WAS BUILT WITH NO OVERSIGHT, PERMITS OR SETBACKS, AND MAYBE 2005 AND SIGNIFICANTLY ENLARGED IN 2016, ALONG WITH AN ENCROACHING ROOF. WE HAVE ENDURED NEARLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS WATER INTRUSION FROM THIS STRUCTURE, WHICH HAS CAUSED FOUNDATION PROBLEMS TO OUR HOME.
CRACKED BRICKS GAP AROUND OUR WINDOW FRAME. FENCE DAMAGE.
WATER POOLING AROUND OUR AC UNIT. GROUND ISSUES.
ROULETTE DRAINING POLICY STATES THAT WATER ISN'T ALLOWED TO DRAIN ONTO OUR PROPERTY.
THIS THIS HAS BEEN ALLOWED WITH NO WITH NO INTERVENTION FOR YEARS.
THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE. NOTHING IS ALLOWED OVER OUR PROPERTY LINE.
WE HAVE RIGHTS. THE STRUCTURE CANNOT BE MAINTAINED BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE TRESPASSING.
IT IS NOT MAINTENANCE FREE WHERE ALL THE ELECTRIC WIRING AND OTHER MECHANICAL INSPECTIONS OR THE CONSTRUCTION PLAN SHOWING DRAINAGE, LOAD, DRAIN SHOWING, DRAINAGE, LOAD STRENGTH, FOUNDATION, FRAMING, INSPECTION AND WIND LOAD TEST.
WHERE IS THE SEAL PLAN? FROM A TEXAS LICENSED ENGINEER ATTACHED TO THE APPLICATION? A HUGE HOLE IN THE ACCESSORY BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED ABOUT NOVEMBER 2023, AND WAS LEFT OPEN TILL ABOUT 2025.
IS THIS NORMAL? IS THIS WHY THERE WAS A CONCRETE BRICK ON THE ROOF FROM JUNE UNTIL DECEMBER OF 2025? YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO WORK FOR ALL THE RESIDENTS, INCLUDING US.
SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT HERE. AND THIS GOES AGAINST NORMAL PROTOCOLS.
WHAT AVENUES HAVE YOU CHOSEN? CHOSEN TO PROTECT OUR HARDSHIPS AND OUR RIGHTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HASSAN, FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE WALLACE.
AND AFTER MISS WALLACE WILL BE TAYLOR VAN WINKLE. HASSAN, SIX SIX, ZERO SIX WARWICK DRIVE.
WE HAVEN'T COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SIX SIX, ZERO TWO MR. MARK ABOUT HIS ATTACHED BUILDING. WHAT I WANTED.
JUST WHAT'S RIGHT IS RIGHT, AND WHAT'S WRONG IS WRONG.
YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN AFFECTING US FOR A LONG TIME, YOU KNOW, MENTALLY.
I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN STRESSED TO BE GOING THROUGH A LOT OF STUFF.
WATER ALWAYS PULLING DOWN HIS SHACK MADE OUT OF PLASTIC.
THERE IS A WASP NEST. MY SON, HE GOT AN ALLERGY.
HE CAN PRETEND THAT THAT STRUCTURE PERIOD IS ATTACHED TO HIS HOME.
HE GOT A WINDOW INSIDE FROM THE HOUSE, FROM THE BEDROOM, INSIDE THAT STRUCTURE.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS SOLVED.
WHAT? I MEAN, WHAT I THINK IT HAS TO DO, IT HAS TO GO FIVE FEET BACK LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME, I THINK, IN REAL LIFE TEXAS THAT ALLOW SOMEBODY TO PUT HIS SHOE, YOU KNOW, LIKE IN ZERO SETBACK ZERO. THAT MEANS ZERO. THIS IS MY PROPERTY.
NOBODY CAN SAVE THEM IF HIS BUILDING CATCHING FIRE.
HE SAID THAT BUILDING, YOU KNOW, STANDS FOR HURRICANE CATEGORY.
[00:35:02]
WE CHECKED ONLINE. OUR AREA NEVER BEEN HIT WITH THE FOR YOU KNOW FOR FOR TORNADO WHEN YOU KNOW THAT FOR ANY TIME BEEN THERE. HE SAID HOW WITHSTAND THE WIND.ALL THIS IS JUST MAKE QUESTIONS. THIS BUILDING IS NOT UP TO DATE IN ANY WAY.
THE ROOF DOESN'T MATCH THE STRUCTURE. THE FOUNDATION IS PROBABLY 2 OR 3IN.
I DON'T KNOW HOW HOW MUCH. IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT.
IT'S A LOT OF WOOD INSIDE HIS SHACK. ELECTRIC PLUMBING, THE WATER.
KEEP DAMAGING MY PROPERTY. I MEAN, I'M NOT PAYING TAXES AND DOING EVERYTHING.
YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS CAME AFTER ME FOR FIXING THE THE SEAWALL IN THE TECH AREA AND I COMPLIED.
I BET $30,000 TO FIX THAT SEAWALL. OUT OF MY POCKET.
BECAUSE YOU GUYS SEND ME LETTERS AND LETTERS.
YOU'RE GOING TO CANCEL MY LEASE. AND I PAID IT.
AND YOU KNOW, I PAID IT BECAUSE I GOT IT FIXED.
THIS GUY, HE DOESN'T COMPLY. HE GETS SO MANY VIOLATIONS, AND HE'S JUST KEEP GOING.
I'VE BEEN HARASSED IN MY BACKYARD. HE'S HERE, RIGHT THERE TODAY.
I'VE BEEN HARASSED. I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT YOU GUYS BEFORE.
ALL RIGHT, SIR, YOU'VE RUN. HASSAN, YOU'VE USED ALL YOUR TIME, SO THANK YOU.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHELLE WALLACE, FOLLOWED BY TAYLOR VAN WINKLE AND THEN ROBERT STOCKARD. MICHELLE WALLACE. HELLO.
BUT I SAW THIS THING ABOUT PECAN GROVE, AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT KIND OF OUT OF TOUCH CITY COUNCIL MUST Y'ALL BE? AND ARE YOU READING THE COMMENTS FROM THE PEOPLE, THE CITIZENS? AND BY THE WAY, Y'ALL MIGHT WANT TO REVIEW THE ORG CHART BECAUSE WHAT IT SHOWS IS CITIZENS COUNCIL MANAGEMENT.
YOU WORK FOR US AND MR. HALL WORKS FOR Y'ALL.
I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE, JEFF, I REALLY DON'T.
THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANT TO DO TONIGHT. I WANT Y'ALL TO STAND UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
STOP DOING THESE PET PROJECTS AND JUST GOING OUTSIDE OF PUBLIC OPINION OR THE THOUGHT FOR THE CITIZENS VOTE. WE VOTED FOR Y'ALL TO REPRESENT US.
LISTEN, I WANT AN ANIMAL SHELTER. WE VOTED FOR AN ANIMAL SHELTER.
I VOTED FOR AN ANIMAL SHELTER. AND THEN THE CONSTANT BAIT AND SWITCHES AND THE THINGS.
THE THINGS THAT ARE LEFT UNDONE IN THIS CITY.
SO YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT? NO. WHATEVER.
100 MILLION OR 200 MILLION OR WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND ON THE PET PROJECT FOR MR. HALL. YOU CAN JUST REDO THE WHOLE ENTIRE SEWER SYSTEM IF YOU NEED TO.
THIS IS CRAZY. CRUMBLING WALLS. INFRASTRUCTURE.
MY ROAD. THANK GOODNESS I HAVE A MECHANIC IN THE FAMILY SO I CAN FIX THE SHOCKS ON MY CAR.
AND OBVIOUSLY I DID NOT PREPARE ANYTHING TONIGHT BECAUSE I KNOW I SOUND LIKE I'M RAMBLING A LITTLE, BUT THE SHOCKS ON MY CAR FROM DRIVING DOWN SUZANNE ARE TOTALLY SHOCKED.
IT IS INSANITY THAT WE CANNOT DO BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE WANT TO BUILD A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR COMPLEX ON PARKLAND, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. AND PECAN GROVE.
DIDN'T YOU JUST DEDICATE THAT TO THE BIKE TRAILS, JEFF? YOU STOOD OUT AND YOU CUT A RIBBON OF A MAN'S LIFE'S WORK, AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO TEAR ALL THAT OUT FOR APARTMENTS? SERIOUSLY? I'M SORRY. THIS IS CRAZY. I JUST WANT IT TO END.
I WANT YOU TO MAKE RIGHT DECISIONS. THE DECISIONS THAT REPRESENT THE CITIZENS OF ROWLETT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS WALLACE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TAYLOR VAN WINKLE, FOLLOWED BY ROBERT STOCKARD.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. ALL RIGHT. SO WE WERE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[00:40:05]
WE SPOKE ABOUT A FEW THINGS. MR. HALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME DURING THAT BRIEF ENCOUNTER WE HAD, WE HAD A LOT OF GOOD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY, BUT WHAT WE DIDN'T HAVE WAS AN AGREEMENT ON HOW THINGS SHOULD BE OPERATED HERE.WE SPOKE ABOUT FOLLOWING PROCESS, PROCEDURE, LEGAL DESIGNATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT THE CITY ALSO SUFFERS FROM A PROJECT MANAGEMENT ISSUE, AND I THINK WE ALL CAN AGREE ON THAT.
THERE'S POOR COMMUNICATION AROUND THESE PROJECTS.
THERE'S NO CENTRAL POINT OF CONTACT FOR THESE PROJECTS.
IT LEADS TO CONFUSION, DISTRUST. AND HONESTLY, IT FEELS LIKE DISHONESTY.
WHEN YOU'RE PROMISED A PROJECT, YOU VOTE ON A PROJECT, AND THEN OVER INCREMENTAL TIME PERIODS, IT CHANGES OR GETS DELETED FROM THE THE, THE, THE WEBSITE ENTIRELY.
I GET IT, THE WEBSITE IS OUTDATED, BUT THAT WEBSITE IS NOT THE CENTRAL POINT OF FAILURE.
THE PEOPLE HERE IN THIS ROOM ARE THE CENTRAL POINT OF FAILURE.
WEBSITES DIDN'T EXIST IN THE EARLY TIMES. THIS CITY HAS EXISTED.
FOR HOW LONG? SINCE 1952. DID THEY PUBLISH EVERYTHING ON THEIR WEBSITES? THEY MANAGE PROJECTS WITH FANCY TOOLS AND COMPUTERS IN THEIR POCKETS.
THEY DIDN'T, BUT SOMEHOW THEY WERE ABLE TO GET IT DONE, COMMUNICATE TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND KEEP UP WITH THE CITY. WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF TECHNOLOGY IN FRONT OF US, AND YET WE'RE UNDERUTILIZING IT POORLY, COMMUNICATING AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS. I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW I'M GETTING INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, BECAUSE THERE'S NOW A MILLER ROAD PROJECT THAT NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT.
YEP. THERE'S A PHASE ONE, TWO AND THREE. OKAY, COOL.
WHAT'S MY PLAN TO GET IN WHEN PHASE THREE HITS? WHAT'S WATER VIEWS? OR IS IT WATER VIEWS? WHATEVER GROUP THAT IS RIGHT THERE WITH THE GATED COMMUNITY.
HOW ARE THEY GETTING INTO THEIR HOMES? WHAT ACCOMMODATIONS ARE YOU MAKING FOR DAMAGE TO THEIR VEHICLES FROM DRIVING DOWN UNPAVED AND IN CONSTRUCTION ROADS? I GET IT HAS TO BE DONE, BUT THE COMMUNICATION AROUND IT IS ABYSMAL.
IT'S TERRIBLE. AND THAT'S EVERYTHING IN THIS CITY RIGHT NOW.
I WANT US TO DO BETTER. I WANT US TO USE WHAT WE HAVE AT OUR FINGERTIPS TO BETTER COMMUNICATE, TO BETTER SHARE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PEOPLE SO THAT WE'RE IN THE LOOP OF WHERE OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR.
I AM ONE OF THE ORIGINAL FOUNDERS OF ROWLETT HOCKEY.
26 YEARS AGO, BACK IN 1999. TONIGHT, AGAIN, I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ALL THE PARENTS, COACHES, ADULT PLAYERS AND KIDS WHO FOR OVER 25 YEARS HAVE COME TO THE CITY OF ROWLETT TO LEARN AND PLAY AND LOVE THE GAME OF HOCKEY. FOR US, HERFURTH PARK HAS BEEN OUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME AND WE ARE STARTING TO FEEL LIKE WHAT IT FEELS TO BE EVICTED. IT IS THE ONLY RINK IN LEAGUE IN DALLAS COUNTY THAT HAS SURVIVED DUE TO THE DEDICATION OF ALL THE COUNTLESS VOLUNTEERS, PARENTS AND COACHES WHO MAKE THIS LEAGUE WHAT IT IS TODAY.
ALAN IS THE CLOSEST OUTDOOR RINK IN LEAGUE TO PLAY INLINE HOCKEY.
WE HAVE TREATED THIS GIFT FROM THE CITY OF ROWLETT AS IF IT WERE OUR OWN.
EVERY YEAR FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS, THE PARENTS, KIDS AND ADULT PLAYERS HAVE HAD RINK REPAIR DAY WHERE WE, NOT THE CITY, COME OUT TO REPLACE THE ROTTED WOOD PAINT AND MAKE OVERALL REPAIRS TO GET THE RINK READY FOR THE COMING SEASON. WE ARE EXCELLENT STEWARDS OF THE RINK, ALONG WITH TEACHING THE KIDS HOW TO SKATE BACKWARDS, MAKE A SLAPSHOT AND LEARN HOW TO BACKCHECK. ROWLETT HOCKEY IS THE ONLY SPORTS ORGANIZATION IN THE CITY THAT I AM AWARE OF THAT CONDUCTS A CHRISTMAS FOOD DRIVE OF THE SIZE AND SCALE THAT WE PULL OFF.
FOR OVER 15 YEARS WE HAVE HELD A FOOD DRIVE. WE BROUGHT IN THIS CHRISTMAS OVER 7,000 POUNDS OF FOOD FOR LIFE MESSAGE FOOD BANK HERE IN ROWLETT. DARLA WITH LIFE MESSAGE SAYS THE AMOUNT OF FOOD WE BROUGHT IN WILL HELP SUPPLY THEM UNTIL THE SUMMER.
OUR KIDS ARE TAUGHT AND ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN WHAT IT TRULY MEANS TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
[00:45:06]
IT IS SEVEN FULL PICKUP TRUCKS AND A FEW SUVS.HERFURTH PARK HAS BEEN OUR HOME. BEFORE THE RINK WAS EVEN BUILT, THE CITY STRIPED THE PARKING LOT WHERE WE PLAYED WITH A BALL UNTIL THE POOL CLOSED AND THE RINK WAS FINISHED. SO WHERE ARE WE TODAY? FROM A LEAGUE PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE STILL AFRAID.
GROUND WAS BROKEN FOR THE NEW CITY COMPLEX WITH MUCH FANFARE, BUT THE NEW RINK, WITH FUNDING APPROVED, HAS NOT MOVED FORWARD FOR 25 YEARS. NOW WE HAVE INVITED AND COUNCIL TO COME OUT AND SEE WHAT HOCKEY IS ALL ABOUT. MR. HOME FOR 25 YEARS AND WE ARE WORRIED AS TO WHAT COMES NEXT.
AND THEN BETH CROCKETT, MISS CROCKETT, ARE YOU.
DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK DURING CITIZEN'S INPUT OR THE PUBLIC HEARING OR BOTH? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS SARAH BROWN SOLIS.
I LIVE HERE IN ROWLETT, TEXAS. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE MANY RESIDENTS WERE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT ROWLETT IS MOVING FORWARD WITH PLANS FOR A NEW MUNICIPAL COMPLEX AND CITY HALL WITHOUT THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
LET ME BE CLEAR. THIS IS NOT ABOUT BEING ANTI-PARK, ANTI-DEVELOPMENT OR ANTI-PROGRESS.
IT'S ABOUT PROCESS. AT RIGHT NOW, THE PROCESS FEELS BACKWARDS.
A SHINY NEW CITY HALL IS NOT A ROUTINE EXPENSE.
IT'S A LONG TERM COMMITMENT TIED TO PUBLIC LAND, PUBLIC MONEY, AND PUBLIC TRUST.
YET MANY RESIDENTS ARE ONLY NOW LEARNING THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT.
AFTER KEY DECISIONS ALREADY APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN MADE WHEN PROJECTS ARE ROLLED OUT IN PIECES, PARK UPGRADES HERE, BUILDINGS THERE, IT BECOMES CHALLENGING FOR OUR CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND THE FULL COST.
THE FULL PLAN AND THE FULL IMPACT. AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, PEOPLE NATURALLY FEEL LEFT OUT OF DECISIONS THAT WILL AFFECT THEM FOR DECADES. RESIDENTS ARE SMART, WE'RE ENGAGED AND WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION.
SO IT'S FAIR TO ASK WHY WASN'T A PUBLIC VOTE CONSIDERED? WHY WEREN'T RESIDENTS PRESENTED WITH CLEAR ALTERNATIVES? AND WHY ARE WE BEING ASKED TO ACCEPT THIS AS A DONE DEAL INSTEAD OF BEING INVITED INTO A CONVERSATION BEFORE IT REACHED THIS POINT AND WHY CITY HALL IS SUPPOSED TO SERVE THE PEOPLE, NOT SURPRISE THEM.
TRUST, HOWEVER, IS BUILT THROUGH TRANSPARENCY, NOT PRESS RELEASES.
NOT AFTER THE FACT EXPLANATIONS, AND CERTAINLY NOT BY ASSUMING PUBLIC SUPPORT.
PROGRESS IS STRONGEST WHEN IT HAS A PUBLIC BUY IN.
A PUBLIC BUY IN REQUIRES PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT. I RESPECTFULLY URGE THIS COUNCIL TO SLOW DOWN, FULLY DISCLOSE THE COMPLETE PLAN AND FINANCIAL IMPACT, AND MEANINGFULLY ENGAGE THE CITIZENS OF ROWLETT.
BECAUSE THIS ISN'T JUST A BUILDING. IT'S OUR OUR CITY HALL.
LEADERSHIP ISN'T ABOUT WHAT YOU BUILD FOR THE PEOPLE.
IT'S ABOUT WHAT YOU BUILD WITH THEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE BETH CROCKETT.
AND THEN, FROM MY LIST OF SPEAKER CARDS, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WANTED TO SPEAK DURING CITIZEN'S INPUT? IF YOU CAN JUST RAISE YOUR HAND SO I CAN SEE YOU. MR. GLEASON, CAN I GET YOU TO FILL OUT A COMMENT CARD ALSO THERE IN THE BACK LEFT CORNER OF THE ROOM BACK THERE.
[00:50:09]
IF YOU CAN GRAB A COMMENT CARD, DROP IT OFF WITH OUR CITY SECRETARY. WE'LL BE SURE TO GET YOU ON THE LIST.ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD, MISS CROCKETT. THANK YOU. ROWLETT, TEXAS.
I WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE TONIGHT.
THIS ALL STARTED WITH THE PARK AFTER THE HIRING OF OUR NEW CITY MANAGER ON JUNE 5TH, 2023.
ON JULY 10TH, 2023. DISCUSSION OF SELLING THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS TO START THE PROJECT OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY, THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND HEREFORD PARK WAS HELD AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AT THAT TIME, MAYOR MARGOLIS AND THE CITY MANAGER SUGGESTED TO COUNCIL THAT THEY ONLY FUND THE DESIGN OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY AND THE ANIMAL SHELTER, BUT NOT SPEND THE $400,000 TO DO THE HEREFORD PARK DESIGN.
THIS CAUSED MOST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS OFF GUARD.
IT WAS OBVIOUS IN WATCHING THE REPLAY OF THE COUNCIL MEETING, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT ONLY MAYOR MARGOLIS AND CITY MANAGER HALL WERE AWARE OF THE PLAN TO POSTPONE.
HERTHA PARK, BUT THE COUNCIL WENT ALONG WITH IT ANYWAY.
A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE CITY MANAGER ANNOUNCED TO THE COUNCIL HERTHA PARK.
TO INCLUDE THE PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY, ANIMAL SHELTER AND NOW A NEW CITY HALL.
HE STATED THAT HE HAD MEASURED THE AREA AND IT ALL DEFENDS SPACE.
HE ALSO STATED THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY WAS PROJECTED 20 MILLION ABOVE THE NECESSARY COST, AND INDICATED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAD A NOOSE THAT COULD BUILD A NEW CITY HALL WITHOUT EXCEEDING THE $76 MILLION VOTERS APPROVED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY ANIMAL SHELTER IN HERFORD PARK ON NOVEMBER 27TH, 2023.
THERE WAS A WORK SESSION HELD HERE AT CITY HALL.
THE CITY MANAGER AT THIS TIME PRESENTED HIS FINAL PLAN TO PUT A HUNDRED K SQUARE FOOT CITY HALL, 100 K FOOT SQUARE FOOT PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY AND AN ANIMAL SHELTER IN HARFORD PARK.
MAYOR AT THAT TIME SUPPORTED IT, AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL WAS EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THEY DO NOT REQUIRE VOTER APPROVAL TO FUND CITY HALL.
THIS WAS BARELY A THERE WAS BARELY A QUORUM AT THIS MEETING.
THE COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT WERE SHOOP, BOWERS, WINGET AND BRITTON ALL VOTED FOR IT.
JUST ONE NOT VOTING FOR IT WOULD HAVE STOPPED IT AT THAT POINT.
STILL NO HEARING TO USE THE PARK AS A MUNICIPAL COMPLEX AS REQUIRED BY STATE STATUTE.
SUBSECTION 26.01 OF THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT.
ALMOST A YEAR AFTER THE GROUNDBREAKING, WE FINALLY HAD A HEARING.
MISS CROCKETT, I APOLOGIZE. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THANK YOU. WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SCOTT FELT. MR.. FELT. DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK NOW OR DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING? PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY. VERY GOOD. NEXT WILL BE DAN GLEASON.
THANK YOU. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE NOTICED.
I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE LOOK AT A COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
WE LACK IN COMMUNICATION OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT WE'RE CHANGING, AND WHAT OUR DIRECTION IS.
OFTEN WE'RE TOLD ONE THING AND THEN ANOTHER THING HAPPENS.
I THINK THE COMMUNICATION IS A PROBLEM FOR THIS CITY.
I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT. I WILL HAVE TO AGREE.
[00:55:04]
FUNDS OR, YOU KNOW, GET CLARIFICATION OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THIS CITIZENS TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND OFTEN WE'RE IN THE DARK ON WHAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO COMPLAIN.
I THINK THIS IS AN AREA WE NEED TO GROW IN AS COMMUNICATION.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANKS. ALL RIGHT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHELLE NOUVEL.
HELLO, MICHELLE NOUVEL, ROWLETT, TEXAS I HAD NO IDEA HE WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT I'M GOING TO LIMIT MYSELF TO REITERATING WHAT DAN SAID.
AND THAT IS I THINK A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS CAN BE SOLVED WITH A COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, A ONE STOP PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GO AND ASK QUESTIONS AND GET ANSWERS. KIND OF LIKE A CAROLINE LEAVITT TYPE OF PRESS SECRETARY THAT FUELS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS THEM, AND THEN GOES DIRECTLY TO THE SOURCE TO SAY, HEY, WHAT'S UP WITH SAPPHIRE BAY? I MEAN, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE HAD A SERIOUS RESPONSE TO WHAT'S HAPPENING AT SAPPHIRE BAY? I KNOW THERE ARE LEGAL ISSUES, BUT IT AFFECTS US.
SO I THINK WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO TO SOMEBODY AND SAY IT.
IS THERE AN UPDATE? AM I MISSING SOMETHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA? I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO TO OUR CRAPPY SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES THAT I'M A I'M A MODERATOR ON, AND I DON'T LIKE MYSELF HAVING TO PUBLISH SOME OF THIS CRAP THAT COMES THROUGH THE SOCIAL MEDIA.
INFORMATION OR DISINFORMATION IS OUT OF CONTROL.
WE NEED AN UNBIASED PERSON THAT CAN SPEAK ON BOTH SIDES, THAT ISN'T MANIPULATED BY COUNCIL, BY CITY MANAGER OR THE PEOPLE. JUST SOMEBODY THAT IS FUNDED TO COMMUNICATE BETTER.
AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE COMMUNICATION IN A PLACE OF BUSINESS, YOU'RE DONE.
AND I'M FEELING THAT WAY MORE AND MORE ABOUT ROWLETT.
WE'RE JUST NOT COMMUNICATING PROPERLY. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISH TO SPEAK DURING CITIZEN'S INPUT? ALL RIGHT. WE WILL MOVE ON THEN TO OUR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION ITEM.
ITEM. EXCUSE ME. CONSENT AGENDA. WE'LL START WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[4. Consent Agenda ]
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS MAY BE ACTED UPON IN ONE MOTION. A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER OR CITIZEN MAY REQUEST ITEMS BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. I BELIEVE WE HAVE A COMMENT FROM MISS BOWERS BEFORE WE CONSIDER THIS ITEM.YES, I'M. I WAS LOOKING AT THE WAY OUR ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS WERE NUMBERED, AND IT LOOKS LIKE I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT THE THE NUMBERING HAS CHANGED.
AND SO I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE NUMBERING WAS GOING TO CHANGE.
SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS THAT BEFORE THAT IS DONE.
SO I WILL NOT BE VOTING TO APPROVE THESE MINUTES.
THE THE CURRENT RESOLUTION IS IN ONE OF THEM IS RESOLUTION 2601 DASH 23. IN THE PAST, THEY'VE BEEN RESOLUTION 125 DASH 25.
AND I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO KNOW IF THERE IS SOME KIND OF CHANGE HAPPENING.
BECAUSE JUST LOOKING AT NUMBERS IS THE WAY I PROCESS THINGS.
SO I JUST THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT BEFORE WE CHANGE IT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, COUNCIL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO POSTPONE THAT ITEM UNTIL WE HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE NUMBERING SCHEMA FOR THE AGENDA? I'M SEEING A FEW HEAD NODS. I DO. YES. OKAY. DEBBIE, WE'LL POSTPONE THAT ITEM.
VICTORIA, DO WE NEED A FORMAL MOTION TO POSTPONE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES? YES. COUNCIL. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO POSTPONE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES UNTIL WE HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
I SEE A MOTION BY MR. SHOUP. I MOVE, WE POSTPONE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES UNTIL A LATER DATE.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MR. SHOUP, A SECOND BY MR. BRITTON.
A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? LET'S CALL THE VOTE, PLEASE.
[01:00:06]
ALL RIGHT. THAT ITEM CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY, SO THAT WILL BE POSTPONED TO A FUTURE MEETING. NEXT WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM OUR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION ITEM.[5.A. Conduct a Public Hearing to adopt a resolution in accordance with Sections 26.001 and 26.002 of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code regarding the proposed new Municipal Complex Project, which would include the taking and use of approximately 9.38 acres of an approximately 24.256 acre tract of land previously designated and used as a public park, the same being located at 4500 Main Street, Rowlett, Texas and commonly known as Herfurth Park. ]
ITEM FIVE A CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS 26.001 AND 26.002 OF THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE CODE REGARDING THE PROPOSED NEW MUNICIPAL COMPLEX, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE TAKING AND USE OF APPROXIMATELY 9.38 ACRES OF AN APPROXIMATELY 24.256 ACRE TRACT OF LAND PREVIOUSLY DESIGNATED AND USED AS A PUBLIC PARK, THE SAME BEING LOCATED AT 4500 MAIN STREET, ROWLETT, TEXAS AND COMMONLY KNOWN AS HERFURTH PARK.AND THIS ITEM WILL BE PRESENTED BY. I'M GOING TO PRESENT.
ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE COMMENTS NOW OR AFTER YOUR PRESENTATION? YEAH. SO WE'LL HEAR A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF AND THEN WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOLLOWING THAT PRESENTATION.
AND ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL, AUDIENCE PACKED HOUSE.
SO WE ARE HERE FOR A REQUEST FOR A PUBLIC HEARING IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE.
WILDLIFE SECTIONS 2601 AND OH TWO. THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TWOFOLD.
YOU NEED TO FIND. WE ASK THAT YOU HAVE A FINDING OF TWO THINGS.
I MOVE THIS THIS IN MY WAY. THE FIRST, HAS THERE BEEN A FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO THE USE OF THE LAND? MEANING HAVE WE MADE WHAT YOU CONSIDER TO BE FEASIBLE, PRUDENT? ANALYSIS. IS THERE SOMEPLACE ELSE THAT WE COULD PUT THIS.
SECONDLY, IF WE WERE TO PLACE THIS MUNICIPAL COMPLEX AT HEREFORD PARK, DOES IT CAUSE HARM TO THE LAND AS A PARK? AND SO WE'LL GO INTO BOTH OF THOSE. FINDING NUMBER ONE AGAIN, THAT THERE IS NO FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO THE USE OF THE LAND.
FOLKS, I WOULD ASK THAT WE PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF STAFF WHEN THEY'RE MAKING THEIR PRESENTATION.
THERE WAS NO COMMENT FROM THE DAIS OR STAFF WHEN YOU WERE MAKING YOUR COMMENTS.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU PLEASE RESPECT THAT AS WELL.
THANK YOU. SO BACKGROUND, WE BEGAN LOOKING AT WHERE COULD WE PLACE A MUNICIPAL COMPLEX? AS HAS BEEN ALLUDED TO, THE CURRENT PLANNED CONFIGURATION IS APPROXIMATELY 9.4 ACRES.
NOTWITHSTANDING, WE LOOKED AT WHAT WAS IN THE CITY'S INVENTORY.
THERE ARE 27 PARCELS OF LAND OWNED BY THE CITY THAT ARE OVER ONE ACRE, BUT OF THOSE THREE, ONLY FIVE ONLY STRIKE THAT. OF THE 27, ONLY THREE ARE OVER FIVE ACRES.
THEY INCLUDE HEREFORD PARK AT 24.2 GROSS ACRES.
NOW, OBVIOUSLY WE COULDN'T BUILD ON THE TRAIL, AND SO WE LOOKED AT WHAT WAS IN THE CITY'S ASSETS TO POTENTIALLY DEVELOP A MUNICIPAL COMPLEX. TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT, THE MILLER HEIGHTS SITE.
YOU CAN SEE THERE DIRECTLY SOUTH OF THE ROWLETT HIGH SCHOOL, ADJACENT TO PGB, ALSO SOUTH OF THE WET ZONE KIDS KINGDOM, THE RCC AND ADJACENT TO PECAN GROVE PARK, AS WELL AS ACROSS THE STREET DIRECTLY FROM THE MILLER HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU CAN SEE THE PREVIOUS SITE PLAN DEVELOPED FOR THE CITY, WHICH WOULD HAVE INCLUDED THE JAIL, DETENTION CENTER, POLICE FACILITY, ANIMAL SHELTER, AND IN NUMBER SEVEN, A FUTURE CITY BUILDING.
WHATEVER THAT WAS CONTEMPLATED AS IT WAS IN THE OLD SITE PLAN.
SO AGAIN, GOING BACK AND DISCUSSING FINDING NUMBER ONE A BIT MORE, IS IT FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT? IS THERE A FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO THE LAND? AGAIN, THE PRESUMED LOCATION WAS THAT LAND, MILLER HEIGHTS.
WHEN WE BEGAN EXPLORING DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SITE, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE PRIMARY USER, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AS WAS ALLUDED TO IN NOVEMBER 27TH, 2023.
WE HAD A PUBLIC MEETING, AND I MENTIONED IN THAT MEETING THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD NOT BEEN CONSULTED WITH RESPECT TO THE SELECTION OF THIS SITE, NOR WAS IT THEIR PREFERRED LOCATION AND SOME OF THE REASONS WHY THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC AND ROUTING ISSUES WITH RESPECT TO THE MILLER HEIGHTS LOCATION.
[01:05:02]
SITE WOULD GO THAT ONE DIRECTION. ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE SOME TOPOGRAPHICAL CONCERNS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE.IT ADDS SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE COST. ADDITIONALLY, AS WAS THE CHARGE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS TO INCREASE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IF WE WERE TO REMOVE THAT 71 ACRES FROM PLAY, WHICH IS ON AGAIN FRONTING PGE, CONSIDERED PRIME COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE, THEN YOU TAKE IT AWAY FROM ANY DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN A PERPETUITY.
FURTHER, AS ALSO WAS THE DICTATE OF THE COMMUNITY.
IT APPEARED, AND COUNCIL BRING PEOPLE INTO DOWNTOWN.
MOVEMENT FURTHER OUT OF THE CITY'S CORE ALSO SEEMED TO BE CONTRARY TO THE EXPRESSED DESIRES.
THERE ARE ALSO SOME SITE CONSIDERATIONS FROM THE PREVIOUS PLAN WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER.
SO WE BEGAN TO ASK THE QUESTION COULD THERE BE A MORE FAVORABLE LOCATION LEVERAGING BOTH CITY OWNED LAND, AS WELL AS PERHAPS CREATING A SYNERGY BETWEEN MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES? SO AGAIN, ON NOVEMBER 27TH, 2023, WE PRESENTED IN FULL THE POSSIBILITIES IN A VERY ROUGH FORMAT OF PLACING THESE THREE FACILITIES IN HERFURTH PARK, AS WELL AS CONTINUING TO UTILIZE IT AS A PARK.
AND I WILL STRESS THIS. THIS IS NOT AN ACTION TO DEPART HERFURTH PARK.
IT IS A REQUIREMENT THAT IF YOU PLACE A FACILITY IN A PARK THAT IS NOT DIRECTLY A PARK FACILITY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS HEARING. BUT WE ARE NOT DEPARTING HERFURTH PARK.
THAT ITEM I WAS KIND OF GIVEN, I DON'T WANT TO SAY APPROVED.
WE MADE A PLAY ON SEVERAL ON PARCELS THERE. THOSE PLAYS WERE REJECTED.
IT WOULD POTENTIALLY REMOVE DEVELOPABLE LANDS FROM THE CITY'S TAX ROLL.
IT WOULDN'T SERVE AS A GATEWAY ANCHOR INTO DOWNTOWN.
LASTLY, THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT POTENTIAL LAND ACQUISITION.
NUMBER ONE, THAT THERE IS NO FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO THE USE OF THE LAND.
COUNCIL QUESTIONS. MR. REEVES? YES. THANK YOU. WHEN YOU LOOKED IN THE NORTH SHORE AREA, HOW MANY DIFFERENT OWNER GROUPS WERE THERE FOR THE VARIOUS PARCELS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE IN ORDER TO HAVE ENOUGH LAND TO BE CONTIGUOUS IN ORDER TO BUILD THE WELL.
AND TO THAT POINT WHEN WE STARTED SURVEYING, THERE WERE KIND OF TWO SCENARIOS.
THERE WERE THOSE WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO KIND OF ACCUMULATE THE LAND, AND SO THAT WASN'T FAVORABLE.
AND SO WE SETTLED ON TRYING TO DEAL WITH SINGLE SINGLE PROPERTY OWNERS.
WHAT KIND OF NUMBERS WERE WE TALKING ABOUT? IF WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO TO GO OUT AND ACTUALLY PURCHASE PROPERTY? YES, SIR. AT THE TIME, I MADE A NON-BINDING OFFER BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE A DIRECTLY BINDING OFFER OF APPROXIMATELY $2 A SQUARE FOOT. THAT OFFER, IF YOU WILL, AND I PUT OFFERS IN QUOTE WAS SUMMARILY REJECTED AS BEING SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THE MARKET VALUE THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER COULD RECEIVE, WHICH AT THAT TIME WAS SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF APPROXIMATELY $6 A SQUARE FOOT.
AND MY MEMORY MAY BE FUZZY, BUT I MADE AN OFFER OF APPROXIMATELY $2 A SQUARE FOOT FOR THE LAND.
COUNCIL ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE NEXT SEGMENT? OKAY. CAN YOU DO THE MATH FOR ME? I CAN. THAT OFFER CAME TO ABOUT 3.3.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU BAD INFORMATION. YEAH, JUST $3.38 MILLION.
[01:10:03]
PART OF IT INCLUDED OTHER FEATURES WHERE I REDUCED THE PER SQUARE FOOT OFFER.BUT AGAIN, THE OFFER OF THE LAND WAS $2 A SQUARE FOOT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A3X PREMIUM ON THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR. THANK YOU. MR. REEVES, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO, I HAVE A QUESTION. SPEAKING ON THE TAX ROLL LAND IN THE NORTH SHORE, DO YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE ON IF YOU WERE TO CHOOSE THAT, THE NORTH SHORE OR MILLER HEIGHTS? WHAT WOULD BE WHAT WOULD BE TAKEN AWAY FROM THE CITY AS FAR AS TAX REVENUE? I CANDIDLY, I DON'T REMEMBER. THAT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS.
SORRY. ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON. OKAY. FINDING NUMBER TWO THAT THIS PROJECT INCLUDES REASONABLE PLANNING TO MINIMIZE HARM TO THE LAND AS A PARK RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT, I.E., THE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX PROJECT.
SO THERE WERE SOME CONSIDERATIONS, RIGHT. THE BURDEN HERE IS NOT TO ESTABLISH THAT THE HARM IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO A FUTURE ITERATION OF THE PARK, BUT THAT THERE WOULD BE NO HARM TO THE PARK AS IS SITUATED TODAY.
AND SO AND WE THINK WHEN WE SHOW YOU THIS, YOU MAY AGREE, CONSIDERING THAT THE COUNCIL AND I WILL PAUSE HERE AND GO OVER SOME OF THE RECITATION OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING. WE HAD THE FIRST MEETING WHERE WE ROLLED OUT THE IDEA IN NOVEMBER OF 2023.
WE HAVE SINCE THEN HAD TWO DESIGN CHARRETTES PUBLIC DESIGN CHARRETTES WITH THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECTLY STRIKE THAT THREE DESIGN CHARRETTES A PARK DESIGN CHARRETTE HERE. A FEW MONTHS AGO, TWO MEETINGS WITH THE PARKS AND REC BOARD AND SEVERAL OTHER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS TOPIC. ALL OF THESE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN IN THE PUBLIC, AND I SAY THAT TO SAY THAT THE VERSION THAT WE'RE PRESENTING, I.E. THAT WE'VE DONE ALL PLANNING, ALL REASONABLE PLANNING TO MINIMIZE HARM, HAS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT INPUTS FROM THIS CITY COUNCIL AND THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD.
I THINK YOU'LL SEE, OR WE BELIEVE YOU WILL SEE, THAT THE INTEGRATED LAND USE DO NOT IMPEDE THE ABILITY TO UTILIZE HEREFORD PARK AS A PARK ANY. ASSOCIATED USES. ONE FINAL POINT HERE IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO ACTIVATE PUBLIC SPACES WITH CIVIC USES AND INTEGRATE THEM INTO A CAMPUS SETTING. SO HERE WE HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU THE 2018 HARVARD PARK MASTER PLAN SITE RENDERING. IT'S NOT A CONSTRUCTION PLAN.
IT'S A VISIONARY SITE RENDERING. AND IT'S A VERY NICE PICTURE.
WHAT STRUCK US WAS THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF LAWN.
YOU HAVE AN OPEN LAWN, A GREAT LAWN, A GAME LAWN.
YOU ALSO HAVE A MAIN PLAZA. BY MOST ACCOUNTS, THIS IS NOT AN ACTIVE PARK, BUT A PASSIVE ONE.
YOU DO HAVE ACTIVE NODES PUSHED TO THE PERIMETER OF THE PARK.
THE ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND, A WATER FEATURE. YOU HAVE A DOG PARK.
YOU ALSO HAD A MORE PASSIVE WAY A BANDSTAND AND A FOOD TRUCK AREA, AS WELL AS AN ART PARK.
AND SO MOST OF THE NODES OF THE PARK ARE NOT ACTIVE.
WITH RESPECT TO THE GREAT LAWN, I BELIEVE IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 15 ACRES OF OPEN SPACE.
NOW ORIENTING YOU JUST THAT'S NOT SHOWING. OKAY.
MY POINTER IS NOT SHOWING TO THE RIGHT IS MAIN STREET.
I JUST WANT TO ORIENT EVERYONE ON THIS SITE PLAN.
AND THEN AS YOU COME BACK, YOU MOVE FURTHER INTO THE PARK.
SO MAIN STREET IS NEAR THE MAIN PLAZA, MOVING BACK INTO THE PARK.
THE SITE PLAN WAS DEVELOPED AGAIN WITH COUNCIL INPUT IN SEVERAL PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS, AS WELL AS INPUT IN PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS FROM THE PARKS AND REC BOARD, AGAIN, ORIENTING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE LEFT SIDE IS WHERE MAIN STREET IS.
YOU CAN SEE THE OBVIOUSLY THE FACILITIES THERE, BUT WITH RESPECT TO REDUCTION OF HARM ON THE PARK, WE'VE ADDED MORE ACTIVE FEATURES. WE'VE TAKEN THE TRAIL NETWORK THROUGH THE HEART OF THE PARK.
[01:15:01]
WE'VE ACTIVATED VERSUS 15 ACRES OF OPEN SPACE GRASS.THIS IS A LIST OF HIGH LEVEL LIST OF SOME OF THE AMENITIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE PLANNED FOR THIS.
THIS VERSION OF THE PARK. THREE TENNIS COURTS WITH FENCES, SIX PICKLEBALL COURTS.
AND BY THE WAY, THAT'S MORE TENNIS COURTS THAN WOULD WERE CONTEMPLATED IN THE PREVIOUS ITERATION.
THE INFORMAL SOCCER FIELD, BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAINTAIN FUNCTIONAL GREEN SPACE THERE.
TWO BASKETBALL COURTS, THE POND AS YOU COULD SEE, 11 SHADE STRUCTURES, FIVE PAVILIONS FOR GATHERING.
TWO NATURE SCAPE PLAYSCAPES, WILDFLOWER PLANTING AREAS, AND OF COURSE, THE TRAILS AROUND THE POND TO ENSURE THAT YOU CAN UTILIZE THOSE IN AN ACTIVE FASHION. I SAID THIS WAS NOT ANOMALOUS TO ROWLETT.
WE ARE NOT THE FIRST PERSONS. WE'RE NOT THE VANGUARD OF THIS CONCEPT OF TRYING TO INTEGRATE CIVIC BUILDINGS INTO PUBLIC, FUNCTIONAL RECREATIONAL SPACES. THE FIRST EXAMPLE WE HAVE BEFORE YOU IS THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING.
AND I REALLY I HATE THAT THE POINTER IS NOT WORKING.
THERE WE GO. FINALLY. THIS COMPLEX AND SOME OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH IT WAS DEVELOPED, GOSH, MAYBE 15 YEARS AGO. AND IT WAS DEVELOPED AROUND AND IT'S HARD PRESSED TO SEE IT HERE.
THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE POLICE BUILDING AND PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING.
YOU'LL ALSO NOTE. OH, HERE IT IS. THERE WE GO.
YOU'LL ALSO NOTE THE JAIL. THIS IS A VERY ACTIVE PARK WHICH HAS ADJACENT COMMERCIAL RESTAURANT, RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HERE.
RESIDENTIAL HERE. AND THIS IS THERE. IT'S NOT PG.
OH, GOSH. 161. THANK YOU. THEIR VERSION OF THE TOLLWAY GOING THROUGH GRAND PRAIRIE, IKEA IS LOCATED HERE, AND THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT $1 BILLION WORTH OF DEVELOPMENT THAT CAME FROM HERE.
THE POINT TO THIS BEING THAT THESE ELEMENTS THAT THAT WE CONTEMPLATED, WAS IT UNUSUAL TO PUT A PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING A JAIL IN A VERY ACTIVE PARK? THIS IS THE EPIC WET PARKS.
THIS IS THEIR TRAIL SYSTEM NEAR A SCHOOL, NEAR RESIDENTIAL.
AND WHAT CAME FORTH FROM IT THEREAFTER. YOU CAN SEE HERE TO THE RIGHT A RENDERING OR PHOTO RATHER OF THE GRAND PRAIRIE POLICE BUILDING. BUT AGAIN, MAYBE, PERHAPS WE FELT THAT THE SCALE AND SIZE OF GRAND PRAIRIE AND THEIR OFFERINGS WERE OUTSIDE OF OUR SCALE AND SCOPE. SO WE LOOKED AT OTHERS.
THERE WAS THE CITY OF COLLIERVILLE THAT HAS A CITY HALL LIBRARY, AND THEY'RE NOW BUILDING A PLAZA TO CREATE THIS SYNERGY AND INTEGRATE THE CIVIC USE INTO THE RECREATIONAL USE. THERE'S SOUTHLAKE TOWN SQUARE, WHICH WE'RE KIND OF ONE OF THE PROGENITORS OF THIS IDEA IN THE AREA.
AND THEIR TOWN SQUARE LIBRARY FRONTS, THEY'RE GREAT OPEN SPACE.
THAT'S A RECREATIONAL GATHERING POINT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
CITY OF TEXAS CITY. THEY HAVE THEIR CITY HALL, PUBLIC SERVICES, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND CITIZEN SERVICES WITHIN A 55 ACRE PARK SETTING, WHICH CONTAINS A SKATE PARK, WALKING TRAILS, AQUATIC CENTER, AND A FITNESS CENTER.
OUR NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH, THE CITY OF MURPHEY.
THEY'VE GOT THEIR CITY HALL PUBLIC SAFETY ADMIN.
IT'S PART OF THE LARGER MUNICIPAL COMPLEX THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE MURPHY COMMUNITY CENTER AND CENTRAL PARK, AND IT HAS ADJACENT USES SUCH AS RESIDENCES AND SCHOOLS.
HERE'S THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE PARK. YOU CAN SEE THE CONNECTIVITY IN THE ADJACENT USES.
[01:20:01]
AND UTILITY BUILDING ALL ENCOMPASSED WITHIN A PARK.AND YOU CAN SEE THEIR INTEGRATED BUILDING THERE AGAIN CONTAINED WITHIN THE PARK CAMPUS.
ON FINDING NUMBER TWO WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION THAT I'VE PRESENTED.
COUNCIL QUESTIONS. TAP YOUR BUTTON. THERE YOU GO.
SO YOU DID SAY THAT YOU HAD PRESENTED TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD TWICE.
YES, MA'AM. AND THEY ARE AN ADVISORY BOARD, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. I HAVE NOT GOTTEN ADVICE FROM THEM YET.
WE DISCUSSED THEIR INPUTS WITH THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL AT YOUR LAST PARK DESIGN CHARRETTE.
WE WE ACTUALLY POINTED OUT THE VERY RECOMMENDATIONS.
I GUESS I HAVE FAULTY MEMORY. OKAY. WHAT'S THAT? MAYBE YOU WEREN'T PRESENT AT THAT MEETING. THAT WAS THE ONE AT THE ELC.
YEAH, THAT COULD BE. I'M SORRY. OKAY. COUNCIL.
OTHER QUESTIONS ON FINDING NUMBER TWO OR THE SECOND PART OF THIS? OH, YES, I HAVE ONE MORE. SO I DID A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH.
THERE ARE OVER 20 CITIES IN DALLAS COUNTY. AND SO GREEN PRAIRIE.
AND WHAT WAS THE OTHER? YOU CITED TWO THAT HAD THE PUBLIC SAFETY IN THERE.
WELL, THIS WASN'T MEANT TO BE AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST, JUST KIND OF GETTING A SMATTERING.
SO WE'VE I'LL GO BACK OVER THE LIST HERE FOR YOU.
GRAND PRAIRIE, COLLEYVILLE, SOUTHLAKE, COLLEYVILLE IN DALLAS COUNTY I HONESTLY DON'T BELIEVE IT IS.
SO I'M JUST I JUST SAID IN DALLAS COUNTY, WHICH IS WHERE MOST OF US ARE.
THERE ARE OVER 20 CITIES, AND I DIDN'T. SO YOU HAVE ONE EXAMPLE FROM DALLAS COUNTY.
THAT MAY WELL BE TRUE THAT I'VE GIVEN HERE. YES.
OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL OTHER QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT, MR. HALL, BACK TO YOU. OKAY, SO WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE IT'S TIME FOR THE COUNCIL TO ULTIMATELY, WE'RE GOING TO ASK THAT YOU ACT ON A RESOLUTION WITH THE FINDING OF THE FOLLOWING, THAT THERE IS NO FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO THE USE OF THE LAND AND AT THIS COMPLEX. THIS PROJECT INCLUDED REASONABLE PLANNING TO MINIMIZE HARM TO THE LAND AS A PARK, RESULTING FROM ITS POTENTIAL USE AS A MUNICIPAL COMPLEX PROJECT.
IT'S 8:26 P.M. AND I DO HAVE AGAIN A STACK OF SPEAKER CARDS.
SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE KARA BROWN SOLIS FOLLOWED BY SAM ALLEN.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU'LL JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE, PLEASE. HELLO.
CARA SOLIS ROWLETT, TEXAS MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO EXPRESS SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROPOSED PLACEMENT OF A POLICE FACILITY WITH DETENTION AND COURT FUNCTIONS NEXT TO STEPHENS ELEMENTARY AND COYLE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THIS IS NOT AN EMOTIONAL ARGUMENT. IT'S ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, SOUND PLANNING AND CHILD WELFARE.
SCHOOLS ARE DESIGNED TO BE LOW RISK, CHILD CENTERED ENVIRONMENTS.
A LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITY WITH DETENTION AND COURT ACTIVITY IS A HIGH ACTIVITY.
HIGH RISK USE. PLACING THESE SIDE BY SIDE INTRODUCES RISKS THAT ARE COMPLETELY AVOIDABLE.
THIS FACILITY WILL INVOLVE INDIVIDUALS BEING DETAINED, PROCESSED AND RELEASED.
THAT MEANS POTENTIALLY AGITATED OR UNSTABLE INDIVIDUALS EXITING THE FACILITIES DURING MORNING DROP OFF, AFTERNOON DISMISSAL, AND AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.
TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IS ANOTHER CONCERN.
EMERGENCY VEHICLE MOVEMENT, SOMETIMES WITH LIGHTS AND SIRENS, WILL OVERLAP WITH TIMES WHEN STUDENTS ARE WALKING, BIKING AND BEING DROPPED OFF. CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE NAVIGATING EMERGENCY TRAFFIC PATTERNS ON THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL.
NOISE AND DISRUPTION ARE UNAVOIDABLE. SIRENS, RADIOS, CANINE ACTIVITY AND EMERGENCY RESPONSES DO NOT
[01:25:04]
FOLLOW SCHOOL SCHEDULES. THESE DISRUPTIONS INTERFERE WITH LEARNING, TESTING AND DAILY ROUTINES.THESE IMPACTS FALL HARDEST ON STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES, SENSORY PROCESSING CHALLENGES, AND TRAUMA HISTORIES. UNDER THE ADA AND IDA, SCHOOLS MUST PROVIDE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS THAT ALLOW MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO EDUCATION.
CONSTANT EMERGENCY ACTIVITY NEXT DOOR MAKES THAT OBLIGATION HARDER TO MEET.
THERE IS ALSO PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS AND IMPACTS STUDENTS SHOULD NOT ROUTINELY WITNESS.
ARRESTS AND CRISIS SITUATIONS SCHOOLS SHOULD FEEL CALM, PREDICTABLE AND SAFE.
FROM A PLANNING STANDPOINT, BEST PRACTICES INTENTIONALLY SEPARATE HIGH SECURITY FACILITIES FROM SCHOOLS. LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN FROM A PLANNING STANDPOINT, BEST PRACTICES INTENTIONALLY SEPARATE HIGH SECURITY GOVERNMENT FACILITIES FROM SCHOOLS. THIS LOCATION CONFLICTS WITH THOSE STANDARDS.
AND FINALLY, THE FACILITY WILL SERVE AS A SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION SITE REQUIRING OFFICERS TO REPORT SORRY, REQUIRING OFFENDER. THIS IS NOT ANTI-POLICE. IT'S PRO SAFETY AND PRO SENSE.
COMMON SENSE. OUR STUDENTS SHOULD WALK INTO CLASSROOMS, NOT PASS A LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITY DESIGNED FOR DETENTION AND RELEASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SAM ALLEN, FOLLOWED BY ROBERT STOCKARD.
SAM ALLEN. FRANKLY, I DID NOT WANT TO COME TO THIS MEETING.
MY WIFE IS PUTTING OUR FOUR SONS TO BED RIGHT NOW.
AND I DIDN'T WANT TO BE HERE. AND I ALSO DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK, BUT I WAS PEER PRESSURED INTO DOING IT BECAUSE FRANKLY, I THOUGHT, WHAT'S THE POINT? HAVING LIVED IN ROWLETT FOR A LOT OF MY LIFE IT FEELS LIKE HALF BAKED PROMISES OFTEN HAPPEN.
BUT SPECIFICALLY WITH HARTFORD PARK. JUST A STORY.
WHEN THE BOND ELECTION WAS VOTED ON, MY KIDS PRAYED EVERY SINGLE NIGHT FOR A SPLASH PAD.
THEY WERE LIKE, GOD, PLEASE HELP THE SPLASH PAD COME.
AND I WOULD JUST BE SAYING, FOR ME, AS A PARENT WHO I DON'T THINK I'M HYPER VIGILANT ABOUT KEEPING MY KIDS ULTRA SAFE OR ULTRA WORRIED, BUT I WILL NOT BE GOING TO THAT PARK IF THERE IS A POLICE STATION THERE.
IF THERE'S A JAIL THERE, IT WILL NOT BE THE PLACE TO HANG OUT.
AND APPARENTLY LIKE, YEAH. AND I'VE HEARD THESE MESSAGES OFTEN FROM ROWLETT IN GENERAL THAT LIKE, WE WANT TO REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN, WE WANT THIS AREA TO BE THIS COOL, VIBEY, LIKE, CHILL PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO HANG OUT.
LIKE, THIS IS NOT IT. IT'S JUST NOT IT. AND GRAND PRAIRIE, I SEE THAT EXAMPLE.
IT'S CRAZY OUT THERE. IKEA IS RIGHT THERE. LIKE, I GO THERE TO GO TO IKEA.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANT FOR ROWLETT. PERSONALLY, WHAT I LIKE ABOUT ROLLA IS THERE'S A LITTLE IT'S A LITTLE GLIMPSE. I FEEL LIKE OF, LIKE HOMEY TEXAS AT ITS BEST. AND I THINK THIS IS JUST ANOTHER STEP AWAY FROM THAT WILL JUST BECOME ANOTHER SUBURB THAT'S JUST BUILDING MORE APARTMENTS, MORE LIKE IT'S JUST MORE INDUSTRIAL, LESS OF WHAT I THINK PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT.
AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN MADE CLEAR TONIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT. THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROBERT STOCKARD. AFTER MR. STOCKARD WILL BE DAVE HULL. ROBERT. YOU'RE PASSING.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THEN OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVE HALL.
AFTER MR. HALL WILL BE RHONDA JOHNSON.
DAVE HALL. ROWLETT PARK IS LOCATED IN THE MILLER HITE WATERSHED.
TODAY, THE CREEK NO LONGER FLOWS, BUT ONLY FLOODS.
AFTER A RAIN. THE BEAVERS ARE GONE. THE FISH ARE GONE.
THE LAKE FLOWS BACK INTO THE CREEK. BOTH THE SURROUNDING RESIDENTS AND CITIES PROPERTY ARE NOW BEING FLOODED DURING RAINSTORMS. DURING THE 1990S, ROWLETT HIGH SCHOOL WAS BUILT AND NEGATIVELY AFFECTED THE WATERSHED'S DRAINAGE.
[01:30:01]
GEORGE BUSH AND SEVERAL LARGE APARTMENT PROJECTS WERE BUILT WHICH FURTHER DAMAGED THE WATERSHED'S DRAINAGE.ONE OF THE APARTMENT DEVELOPERS BUILT A LARGE CAPACITY FIVE BOX CULVERT BRIDGE.
EXHIBIT ONE. HAVE THOSE EXHIBITS BEEN PASSED AROUND? THANK YOU. ON THE ROAD TO THE RESIDENTS HOUSES ALONG THE WATERSHED'S WATERFRONT.
THAT'S EXHIBIT TWO AND THREE. DALLAS HAS TRIED TO FIX THE WATERSHED FLOODING BY DIGGING A STRAIGHT, DEEP TRENCH FOR THE DRAINAGE RUNOFF. DALLAS WAS UNABLE TO CONNECT TO THE LAKE, SINCE THE LAKE BOTTOM IS NOW HIGHER THAN THE EXISTING CREEK AND THE NEW DRAINAGE TRENCH.
DALLAS HAS REQUESTED DRAINAGE REPORTS FOR SEVERAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ABOVE THE TAKE LINE.
HISTORICALLY, ROWLETT OLD STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL HAVE NEGLECTED THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE LAKE.
RAY HUBBARD TAKE AREA TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE RESIDENTS QUALITY OF LIFE AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS.
THE HERFURTH MUNICIPAL COMPLEX WILL FURTHER DAMAGE THE MILLER HEIGHTS WATERSHED.
IF YOU APPROVE SECTION 26 AND BUILD THIS PROJECT.
CONCLUSION. IN CONCLUSION, YOU NEED TO STAY ON THIS UNTIL THE FISH AND BEAVER RETURN.
THE CURRENT AND FUTURE DRAINAGE WATERSHED FLOW NEED TO BE NORMALIZED WITH THOSE OF THE EARLY 1990S.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HULL. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RHONDA JOHNSON, FOLLOWED BY KATHERINE KIRK.
RHONDA JOHNSON. SUSAN. FOR 40 YEARS OR SO. I'M PASSING AROUND KIND OF WHAT I'M SAYING.
JUST SO YOU HAVE IT, PART OF THIS ISN'T GOING TO APPLY BECAUSE HE EXPLAINED IT.
BUT BASICALLY, I'M SAYING IN MAY OF 23, WE PASSED THE HEREFORD PROJECT, PHASE TWO AND THREE.
OKAY. AND IT WAS GOING TO I HAVE A LIST THERE THINGS THAT WAS GOING TO HAVE.
SO THOSE THINGS ARE TAKEN AWAY. THEN I HAVE SOME DATA THERE ABOUT PROJECTS IN THE ROWLETT AREA, APARTMENTS, HOUSING. AND THE POINT OF THAT IS JUST WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE RESIDENTS.
WE HAVE MORE RESIDENTS, MORE THAN WE HAD IN 23.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE BECAUSE WE'RE BUILDING LOTS OF APARTMENTS, LOTS OF HOMES.
OKAY. THEN ON THE SECOND PAGE FROM THE CITY WEBSITE HEREFORD PARK PROPOSITION.
SEE, THESE ARE YOUR WORDS. OKAY. THAT ACCESS TO INDOOR AND OUTDOOR RECREATION FACILITIES IS BETTER FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR PEOPLE USE PARKS, OPEN SPACES.
THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE BETTER ACTIVITY, BE HEALTHIER.
THE GREEN SPACE, IT IMPROVES PHYSICAL HEALTH, INCLUDING DECREASES IN STRESS, BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART RATE, CHRONIC DISEASE SUCH AS CANCER. DIABETES.
TIME SPENT IN NATURE AND PARKS IMPACTS MENTAL HEALTH BY INCREASING COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE.
WELL-BEING, ALLEVIATING ILLNESSES SUCH AS DEPRESSION.
ATTENTION DEFICIT ALZHEIMER'S CHILDREN LACKING PARKS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE INACTIVE.
HAVE HIGHER SCREEN TIME AND NOT SLEEP AS WELL.
BE MORE CHANCE OF OBESITY HYPERACTIVITY, ADHD.
OKAY. THESE ARE YOUR WORDS. THESE ARE THE WORDS THAT THE CITY OF RALEIGH GAVE US FOR US TO PASS.
PROPOSITION C, B, AND C, IN ORDER TO FUND THE THE VISION FOR HEREFORD PARK.
WE VOTED SECOND ROUND. IT DIDN'T PASS IN 21. WE VOTED IN 23.
IT DID PASS. BASED ON YOUR WORDS, THOSE WORDS HAVEN'T CHANGED.
THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED ARE WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE.
WE HAVE GREATER NEED OF PARKS. WE DON'T HAVE LESS NEED OF PARKS.
OKAY. THEN IN A PARKS AND REC ADVISORY MEETING OCTOBER 11TH, 23 THESE ARE SOME COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BASICALLY THERE WAS A STUDY DONE AND THE FOUR TOP REASONS THAT PEOPLE VISITED PARKS. THIS IS FROM YOUR ROWLETT PARK AND REC STUDY.
WHERE FOR EXERCISE, RECREATION, SOCIALIZING, AND PLAYGROUND USE.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT CITY HALL JAIL, ANY OF THAT.
[01:35:02]
THE FOUR TOP ACTIVITIES ARE DONE. WALKING EVENTS.LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE THE LAWN, THE BANDSTAND.
OKAY, I'M OUT OF TIME ALREADY. GREAT. BASICALLY, I'M GOING TO END WITH JUST THE END OF THIS, AND YOU GUYS CAN READ IT ON YOUR OWN. WHY? WHY IS THERE A GROUNDBREAKING BEFORE WE'VE EVER HAD AN OPEN MEETING? YOU SHOWED DOCUMENTATION THAT I'D ASK ABOUT OTHER THINGS, BUT WHY DO WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL THREE BUILDINGS IN THE SAME PLACE? YOU HAVE THE LAND. THANK YOU, MA'AM. COOL THING THAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, BUT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BE COOL.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE ROWLETT. THANK YOU, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHERINE KIRK. AND AFTER MISS KIRK WILL BE BETH CROCKETT.
KATHERINE KIRK IN ROWLETT. OKAY. FIRST, I WANTED TO SAY THAT HER FIRST PART DIDN'T STALL BECAUSE IT COULDN'T BE A PARK. IT STALLED BECAUSE THE CITY DIDN'T FINISH WHAT IT PROMISED.
AMEN. SO INSTEAD OF FIXING THAT, WE'RE BEING ASKED TO PERMANENTLY CONVERT PARKLAND TO SOLVE UNRELATED PROBLEMS. AND TODAY, THAT SCOPE EXPANDED AGAIN. WHAT BEGAN AS A DISCUSSION ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES HAS NOW GROWN INTO CITY HALL, FOLDED INTO A SINGLE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX ON PARKLAND.
AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE VOTED FOR. I AM 100% FOR A NEW PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING DETENTION THOSE GUYS AND WOMEN NEED THAT BUILDING DESPERATELY.
I WORKED IN THE COURT. I SAW WHAT THEY WORK IN.
THAT SHOULD BE THE FOCUS, NOT THIS. THE ANIMAL SHELTER IS THE SAME.
THEY NEED SPACE. THEY NEED BETTER WORKING ENVIRONMENT, BUT NOT CITY HALL.
IF YOU DO WANT TO DO CITY HALL, IT CAN BE BUILT RIGHT HERE LATER.
YOU KNOW, JUST TEAR THIS DOWN, BUILD ANOTHER ONE.
BUT DO IT HERE. YOU WANT EVERYBODY DOWNTOWN. GO AHEAD.
THEY CAN DO IT HERE. THE POLICE DETENTION AND ANIMAL SHELTER THAT CAN BE LOCKED DOWN.
LOCATED DOWN ON THE INDUSTRIAL AREA WHERE PUBLIC WORKS IS.
THAT AREA IS, IT ANSWERS THE QUESTION FOR THE POLICE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE ABOUT THE CITY.
THEY'VE GOT 190. THEY'VE GOT ROWLETT ROAD 66 RIGHT THERE.
LET'S SEE. WHAT MATTERS RIGHT NOW TOO, IS THAT THE CITY HAS UNRESOLVED CORE ISSUES LIKE AGING, SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE, THE SCREENING WALLS. THE CITY WEBSITE IS STILL NOT COMPLIANT SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2025 THAT I BROUGHT THIS UP. PROJECTS LIKE THE COILHOUSE COULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY REDONE INSTEAD OF BISTRO LIGHTS. THAT'S OUR HISTORY.
THAT'S OUR HISTORY. THAT IS ACTUALLY A BUILDING ON OUR ON OUR, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY CENTER.
BUT I AM A ADVOCATE FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY AND THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BETH CROCKETT, AND AFTER MISS CROCKETT WILL BE SCOTT FELT.
I UNDERSTAND THIS TO BE LOUD. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO COME UP AND BE READY TO GO.
SORRY. BETH CROCKETT RALLY AT HARVARD PARK, ACCORDING TO CITY RECORDS, IS DEDICATED PARKLAND. FURTHER EVIDENCE OF THIS IS THE CITY'S OWN PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS FOR THE 2021 BOND ELECTION, WHICH STATED, AND I QUOTE FROM THAT BOND PROPOSAL ON APRIL 13TH, 2021.
DID YOU KNOW HERSHEY PARK IS DEDICATED AS PARKLAND, WHICH MEANS WITHOUT A VOTE FROM THE CITIZENS OF RALEIGH, IT CAN NEVER BE ANYTHING BUT A PUBLIC PARK. WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING A MUNICIPAL COMPLEX? WE NEVER SAID WE NEEDED A MUNICIPAL COMPLEX. THIS IS THE IDEA OF OUR NEW CITY MANAGER.
WE NEED A PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY. WE NEED AN ANIMAL SHELTER.
[01:40:04]
THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE SAME LOCATION. THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE AT HARVARD PARK.HARVARD PARK, TO ME, IS NOT A PART OF MAIN STREET.
WHAT WE WANT IS THE PART THAT WE VOTED FOR. YOU MIGHT ASK US THAT WE EXPECT WHAT WE VOTED FOR IN MAY OF 2023 WAS FOR ALL THE FACILITIES TO BE UPGRADED AND HAVE THE LAWN, THE TRUCK, FOOD COURT, THE TENNIS COURTS, THE BASKETBALL COURTS, THE SPLASH PAD SO MANY PARENTS CAN'T AFFORD TO TAKE THEIR KIDS TO THE WET ZONE.
WE NEED THOSE AMENITIES. WE DON'T NEED A MUNICIPAL COMPLEX.
AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T NEED A CITY HALL. IF YOU WANT TO BUILD A CITY HALL, BUILD IT HERE.
YOU HAVE A COURTROOM OVER THERE THAT YOU CAN HAVE YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS IN EVERYTHING.
IT WOULD TAKE VERY LITTLE TO CONVERT THAT BUILDING TO A CITY HALL.
IT'S IT'S TIME TO ASK THE VOTERS WHAT THEY WANT.
AND WE'VE NEVER VOTED FOR A NEW CITY HALL. $20 MILLION IS NOT GOING TO COVER THIS NEW CITY HALL.
YOU'VE ALREADY PASSED $20 MILLION WORTH OF CO BONDS, AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO COVER IT.
WE'RE GOING TO YOU'RE $52.5 MILLION IN CO BONDS IN THE LAST 1819 MONTHS.
SO WE JUST ASK THAT WE GET THE PART THAT WE ASKED FOR.
THE PART THAT WE VOTED FOR. AND WE WANT THE HOCKEY RINK TO STAY THERE.
AND YEAH. AND JUST FURTHER, FURTHER ADD TO THE AMENITIES AT THAT PARK THAT IS NOT A PART OF MAIN STREET, AND IT WON'T EVER BE A PART OF MAIN STREET. MOVING CITY HALL DOWN THERE IS NOT GOING TO MAKE IT SO.
RIGHT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SCOTT FELT.
MY POINTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE HERE, SO I'M NOT GOING TO BE UNDERSTOOD.
THANK YOU SIR. THEN OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN THAT CASE IS DAN HAUPT, FOLLOWED BY ALLISON FELDERHOF.
DAN HAVE TO. ROWLETT, TEXAS. WANTED TO GET YOU GUYS TO THINK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT MR. HALL LEFT OUT OF HIS PROPOSAL. HE DIDN'T SAY ONE WORD ABOUT HOW MANY PARKS AND HOW MUCH ACREAGE IN PARKS THESE OTHER CITIES HAD.
WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THOSE OTHER CITIES. IT'S ROWLETT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A GLASS SHINY BUILDING TO BE PROUD OF ROWLETT.
WE'RE PROUD OF ROWLETT. NOW WE JUST WANT STUFF FIXED.
BUT DON'T FALL FOR COMPARING WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING TO WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING.
WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU SIR.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALLISON FELDERHOF, FOLLOWED BY TAYLOR VAN WINKLE, ALLISON FELDERHOF, ROWLETT, TEXAS I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR RESIDENTS WHO FEEL IGNORED IN THIS PROCESS.
WE HAVE HEARD COMPARISON TO GRAND PRAIRIE AND THEIR MUNICIPAL COMPLEX ALONG HIGHWAY 161.
THAT COMPARISON DOES NOT APPLY HERE. GRAND PRAIRIE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX IS LOCATED ON A MAJOR STATE HIGHWAY WITH THE TRAFFIC CAPACITY, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND COMMERCIAL TAX BASE TO SUPPORT THAT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WOULD ACTUALLY MEAN THAT MILLER HEIGHTS WOULD BE THE COMPARABLE SITE IN ROWLETT ALONG 190. HERFURTH PARK ON MAIN STREET IS NOT HIGHWAY 161.
USING GRAND PRAIRIE AS AN EXAMPLE DOES NOT JUSTIFY THIS PROJECT.
THERE WAS NO BOND ELECTION FOR A NEW CITY HALL, THERE WAS NO PUBLIC MANDATE, AND THERE WAS NO CLEAR APPROVAL FROM THE TAXPAYERS WHO WILL ULTIMATELY BE PAYING FOR THIS. WE DID NOT ASK FOR THIS.
WE DID NOT APPROVE ANY OF THIS, AND WE DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR IT RIGHT NOW.
THE CITY CANNOT MAINTAIN WHAT IT ALREADY HAS.
THEN YOU HAVEN'T YET. WE HAVE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT RESIDENTS DEAL WITH EVERY DAY BEFORE ADDING MORE BUILDINGS THAT ULTIMATELY TAXPAYERS WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR, AND MORE TRAFFIC AND MORE LONG TERM MAINTENANCE COSTS.
THE CITY NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT IT ALREADY HAS.
BUILDING MORE WHILE FAILING TO MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE PLANNING.
YES, BUT NOT A MEGA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX. THERE ARE ALSO SERIOUS PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS.
THAT PUTS FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND PEDESTRIANS AT RISK.
[01:45:02]
THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. HAVE YOU CONTACTED A WATER ENGINEER TO EVALUATE THE SITE TO MITIGATE DAMAGE FROM RUNOFF? IF YOU IGNORE US AND BUILD ON THIS SITE, YOU WILL BE DOING EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU NOT TO DO.WHY ARE WE PAYING $20,000 A MONTH TO RENT A LIBRARY SPACE? WHY IS THAT NEW LIBRARY SPACE NOT IN YOUR DESIGN? SO WE CAN OWN SOMETHING INSTEAD OF PAYING THAT KIND OF RENT PER MONTH? THIS PROJECT FEELS RUSHED, TOP DOWN AND DISCONNECTED FROM THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE.
CITY STAFF MAY SUPPORT IT, BUT STAFF WAS NOT ELECTED.
REPRESENTATION MEANS LISTENING, EVEN WHEN IT'S INCONVENIENT.
IT MEANS SLOWING DOWN WHEN PEOPLE ARE SAYING, NO, WE'RE ASKING YOU TO STOP THIS PROJECT.
WE'RE ASKING YOU TO FIX EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST.
PLEASE REMEMBER WHO YOU REPRESENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TAYLOR VAN WINKLE, AND AFTER MR. VAN WINKLE WILL BE MICHELLE WALLACE. AND THAT IS THE LAST SPEAKER CARD I HAVE.
TAYLOR VAN WINKLE HERE IN ROWLETT. JUST A FEW COUNTERPOINTS TO THE PRESENTATION WE JUST SAW.
FEASIBLE MEANS POSSIBLE OR PRACTICAL. IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT OPTIONS I LIKE VERSUS I DISLIKE.
AND LOOKING AT THE MILLER HEIGHTS EVIDENCE, IT WAS COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY WEAK.
ESPECIALLY WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WAS MADE TODAY. HOW IS IT FEASIBLE TO BUILD A SOCCER COMPLEX IN AN AREA WHERE YOU CAN'T BUILD A CITY HALL AND WHATEVER COMPLEX YOU'RE TRYING TO DO? BUT THEN AGAIN, YOU FACE THE SAME PROBLEM SEIZING PARKLANDS FOR NON PARK PURPOSES.
LET'S SEE HERE. WHAT ELSE WERE WE AT? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SIGNIFICANT COSTS. YOU MADE A LOWBALL OFFER OF $2 PER SQUARE FOOT, WHICH IS KIND OF ODD TO ME. I BELIEVE LAND IS ACQUIRED IN ACRES.
SO THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO ME, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU SAID YOU MADE A $2 OFFER.
HOW IS IT FEASIBLE TO ISSUE ALMOST $20 MILLION IN CO BONDS, BUT $6 MILLION FOR THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY? TO MITIGATE THIS DISASTER IS NOT FEASIBLE. THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. YOU CAN PROCURE MONEY WHENEVER YOU WANT TO FOR THE THINGS YOU WANT TO, BUT WHEN YOU'RE ONLY LOOKING THROUGH YOUR LEFT EYE, YOU ONLY SEE THINGS THROUGH YOUR LEFT EYE.
YOU DON'T GET THE FULL PICTURE. SO THE MITIGATION, THE SECOND PART OF THIS WAS THE MITIGATION OF DAMAGE TO LAND, SPECIFYING THE WORD LAND HERE. ONCE A PARK IS PARKED, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE NOT GOING TO COME AND PLAY FOOTBALL OR PASS THE BALL AROUND INSIDE THE NEW CITY HALL.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE IT AS PARK SPACE. IF IT CAN'T BE UTILIZED AS PARK SPACE. IT'S NO LONGER A PARK, AKA THE PARKING. WHAT DAVID MENTIONED TO ME IN HIS OFFICE PRIVATELY A BIT AGO WAS WHEN A PROJECT RUNS OUT OF MONEY, YOU SIMPLY JUST ADD MORE MONEY, WHICH YOU HAVE PROVEN TO BE THE CASE WHEN YOU ADDED THE C-O BONDS.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND, EVEN WHEN OUR CURRENT SITUATION, HOW THE DAMAGE TO THE LAND IS MITIGATED BECAUSE IT'S NOT, YOU'RE GOING TO BE UTILIZING IT FOR THINGS THAT ARE NO LONGER PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE. I CAN'T COME PLAY PICKLEBALL IN YOUR OFFICE, JEFF. SORRY, THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE A THING. SO THEREFORE, IT'S NO LONGER PARKLAND, AND STUFFING MORE FEATURES INTO A PARK DOES NOT CONSTITUTE MITIGATING DAMAGE. IT JUST MAKES MORE ASSETS THAT YOU'LL HAVE TO MAINTAIN, WHICH ACCORDING TO WHAT OUR CURRENT PARK CONDITION IS, IT'S NOT BEING MAINTAINED WELL. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW SHOVING MORE FEATURES INTO A PARK WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO US WHEN WE CAN'T EVEN MAINTAIN THE PARKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE NOW YOU'RE INCURRING AGAIN, MORE COSTS UPON THE TAXPAYER TO MAINTAIN THESE THINGS, MORE STAFF TO MAINTAIN THESE THINGS, AND IT WE'RE JUST NOT SEEING IT.
SO IT JUST A LOT OF THESE THINGS JUST DON'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
AND I DON'T THINK OUR FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS ACCURATE OR COMPLETE.
I DON'T THINK SOMETHING OF THIS CALIBER SHOULD BE DONE BY AN INTERNAL RESOURCE.
A THIRD PARTY SHOULD BE DOING THESE FEASIBILITY STUDIES BECAUSE IF YOU ASK THE GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE THEMSELVES, THEY'RE GOING TO FIND THEMSELVES NOT AT FAULT, NOT AT HARM.
I GET IT. THERE'S BEING A GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR MYSELF.
I GET SOMETIMES FUNDING RUNS OUT, ECONOMICS CHANGE.
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO CUT FEATURES AND YOU HAVE TO REDUCE THE CAPABILITIES, LIKE LOSING WHATEVER IT WAS AT THE END OF THE PARK ON THE FAR RIGHT SIDE TO REPLACE IT WITH THE EXISTING HOCKEY RINK. MAKES SENSE. SAVES MONEY.
[01:50:07]
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE PLENTY OF FEASIBLE WAYS TO ACHIEVE THIS, JUST NOT THE WAYS THAT WE'RE PRESENTING.THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. ALL RIGHT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHELLE WALLACE, FOLLOWED BY SHELBY COLEMAN. DID YOU KNOW THAT HEREFORD PARK IS DEDICATED AS PARKLAND, WHICH MEANS WITHOUT A VOTE FROM THE CITIZENS OF ROWLETT, IT CAN NEVER BE ANYTHING BUT PUBLIC PARK.
SINCE THE PARK'S DEDICATION, IT HAS SERVED MAINLY AS A SPORTS COMPLEX.
LOCATED OFF OF MAIN STREET IN VILLAGE OF ROWLETT, DOWNTOWN HEREFORD PARK CURRENTLY HOSTS THE ROWLETT HOCKEY LEAGUE AND IS HOME TO TENNIS COURTS, PICKLEBALL COURTS AND CENTRAL PARK DOG PARK.
IN 2012, ALL BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL PROGRAMING WAS MOVED TO COMMUNITY PARK, WHICH CENTRALIZED THE MAJORITY OF OUR OF OUR COMMUNITY'S BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL ALL OPERATIONS IN ONE LOCATION.
FUNDING FOR HER FIRTH PARK UPDATED SITE PLAN WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS IN 2018.
BOND ELECTION. THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THIS PLAN IN APRIL 2020.
THE NEW SITE. CURRENT AMENITIES AND ADDS FEATURES SUCH AS A GREAT LAWN FOR FOR EVENTS, AGILITY COURSE AT CENTRAL PARK, GAME LAWN AND PUBLIC ART PARK, BANDSTAND WITH FOOD TRUCK AREA, NEW BASKETBALL COURT AND ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND ALONG LOOP TRAIL AND A SPLASH PAD.
DUE TO THE TOTAL RENOVATION OF THE PARK FROM THE GROUND UP, COMPLETION WILL REQUIRE THREE PHASES.
FUNDING FOR PHASE ONE WAS PROVIDED IN 2018 BOND ELECTION AND CITIZEN LED COMMUNITY INVESTMENT ADVISORY BOARD PRIORITIZED PHASES TWO YOU AND THREE IN THE CURRENT 2021 BOND ELECTION PROJECT LIST.
IF APPROVED BY VOTERS IN THE MAY 2020 MAY 1ST 2020 BOND ELECTION.
THIS FUNDING, ALONG WITH FUNDING FROM 2018, WILL COMPLETE THE RENOVATION OF HEREFORD PARK AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE LOT AT THE CORNER OF PGE AND MAIN STREET, THE DEVELOPER WILL BE INSTALLING A PORTION OF CENTENNIAL ROAD.
HERFURTH PARK WILL REMAIN PUBLIC PARK LAND REGARDLESS OF WHAT DEVELOPS AROUND IT IN THE FUTURE. FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS AND ALL THE PROJECTS, INCLUDING IN THE UPCOMING 2020 BOND ELECTION AT ROULETTE. COM 2021 BOND OR EMAIL US AT 2021. BOND AT COM.
EARLY VOTING RUNS APRIL 19TH THROUGH THE 27TH ELECTION DAY IS MAY 1ST.
CITY OF ROWLETT, TEXAS, APRIL 13TH, 2021. YOU HAVE NOT PROVEN.
YOU HAVE NOT PROVEN ANYTHING. I'M IN CONSTRUCTION.
ANYTHING. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER AND THE LAST SPEAKER I HAVE A SPEAKER'S CARD FOR IS SHELBY COLEMAN. IF AGAIN, IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE BRING YOUR SPEAKER CARD TO OUR CITY SECRETARY. THANK YOU. SHELBY ROWLETT.
BEFORE I BEFORE I READ MY WHAT I WROTE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GO OVER WHAT THE CHAPTER 2026 OR CHAPTER 26 TP. YOU GUYS GET IT THE ON SEE, IT SAYS THE GOVERNING BODY OR OFFICER SHALL CONSIDER CLEARLY ENUNCIATED LOCAL PREFERENCES. THAT'S ALL. LAST TIME I ASKED FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, I WAS PUBLICLY DISMISSED DURING A COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND TOLD BY COUNCIL MEMBER SHUPE THAT I HAVE NO POWER. TODAY I'M ASKING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AGAIN, NOT BECAUSE I WANT POWER, BUT BECAUSE I WANT TRANSPARENCY, TRUST AND COMMUNITY THAT IS GENUINELY HEARD, WHICH THE LAW PROTECTS US BEING HEARD.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN HERFURTH PARK AND THE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX IS SERIOUS AT THIS POINT.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR HOW WE ARRIVED HERE.
EITHER CITY MANAGEMENT KNEW THAT A CHAPTER 26 PUBLIC HEARING WAS A LEGAL REQUIREMENT, AND CHOSE NOT TO HOLD IT UNTIL AFTER SIGNIFICANT PLANNING, AND ROUGHLY $10 MILLION IN FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS HAD ALREADY OCCURRED, OR CITY MANAGEMENT DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS LEGAL REQUIREMENT EXISTED.
BOTH SCENARIOS ARE DEEPLY CONCERNING, AND TO BE CLEAR, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS A LEGAL REQUIREMENT,
[01:55:05]
NOT A FORMALITY. IF MANAGEMENT NEW, THEN WE HAVE TO ASK DOES PUBLIC INPUT ACTUALLY MATTER TO THIS ADMINISTRATION AT ALL? THE ONLINE FORM TO SUBMIT COMMENTS WASN'T EVEN PREPARED TO RECEIVE INPUT UNTIL 4 P.M.IF MANAGEMENT DID NOT KNOW, THEN AN EVEN BIGGER QUESTION ARISE.
THIS IS NOT A FAILURE OF COUNCIL. THIS IS A MANAGEMENT ISSUE.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS YOU GUYS ONLY TRUST STAFF.
YOU WON'T LISTEN. YOU WON'T LISTEN. YOU PROBABLY DO LISTEN.
YOU DO. YOU GUYS WILL NOT HEAR. YOU DON'T CARE.
YOU ONLY CARE WHAT DAVID HALL SAYS. THAT IS MY EXPERIENCE.
THIS CULTURE HAS CAUSED SO MUCH DISSENSION. IT'S US VERSUS YOU.
IT SHOULD NEVER BE THAT. JEFF, I TRUSTED YOU.
I BELIEVED THAT YOU WOULD. LISTEN. I HAVE SENT YOU SO MUCH EVIDENCE AND PROOF, EVEN LIKE ABOUT MY DEVELOPMENT OR OTHER THINGS IN DOWNTOWN, GIVING YOU AMPLE PROOF. PROOF? STAFF TOLD YOU SOMETHING WRONG.
THAT'S CRAZY. I HAD MORE, YOU KNOW.
THANK YOU, MISS COLEMAN. THAT WAS THE LAST SPEAKER CARD I HAVE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHED TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING? ALL RIGHT.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 9 P.M.
COUNCIL. YOU'RE ASKING FOR A BREAK. OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BRIEF RECESS.
WE'LL RECONVENE HERE IN ABOUT AT ABOUT 910. I'LL GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO STRETCH YOUR LEGS.
THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE HAVE CONCLUDED OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
[5.B. Consider action to adopt a resolution in accordance with Sections 26.001 and 26.002 of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code regarding the proposed new Municipal Complex Project, which would include the taking and use of approximately 9.38 acres of an approximately 24.256 acre tract of land previously designated and used as a public park, the same being located at 4500 Main Street, Rowlett, Texas and commonly known as Herfurth Park. ]
.002 OF THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE CODE REGARDING THE PROPOSED NEW MUNICIPAL COMPLEX PROJECT, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE TAKING USE OF APPROXIMATELY 9.38 ACRES OF AN APPROXIMATELY 24.25 ACRE TRACT OF LAND PREVIOUSLY DESIGNATED AND USED AS A PUBLIC PARK.THE SAME BEING LOCATED AT 4500 MAIN STREET, ROWLETT, TEXAS AND COMMONLY KNOWN AS HEREFORD PARK.
SO, COUNCIL, WE'VE HEARD THE STAFF REPORT. WE'VE HEARD THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMENTS.
DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR STAFF FOLLOWING THAT PRESENTATION AND PUBLIC COMMENTS, MR. REEVES? SORRY, I SHOULD NOT HAVE PUT A MINT IN JUST A SECOND AGO.
OF THE BONDS. HOW MUCH HAVE WE ISSUED THUS FAR? SIR, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION OFFHAND. WE HAVE ISSUED THE MONEY FOR THE 20 MILLION FOR THE CITY HALL.
WE'VE ISSUED SOME TRANCHES OF THE OTHER PORTIONS OF THE COMPLEX.
I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION. THAT'S WHERE I CUT YOU OFF GUARD.
AND THAT'S I GUESS IT JUST KIND OF GOES. I WAS JUST CURIOUS ON HOW MUCH WE HAVE ISSUED VERSUS WHAT WAS VOTED ON, AND THAT'S FAIR. I WAS THERE FOR THE MEETINGS.
I COULD HAVE GONE BACK AND LOOKED MYSELF. I JUST DIDN'T DO THAT.
JUST A THOUGHT THAT JUST CAME UP. THANK YOU. COUNCIL.
OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH. AND AND MAYBE THIS JUST NEEDS PUBLIC CLARITY AND MAYBE I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THIS. BECAUSE ONE OF ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE REALLY RECURRING.
RECURRING ARGUMENTS. REFERS TO THE $20 MILLION COE.
NOW, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT $20 MILLION IS NOT NEW DEBT AS MUCH AS IT WAS RESTRUCTURED DEBT FROM THE ORIGINAL, WHATEVER IT WAS $65 MILLION BOND. SO IT'S NOT IT'S NOT AN ADDITIONAL $20 MILLION.
BUT IN ORDER WHEN WHEN AS A COUNCIL AND AS A GROUP.
AND WE HAD THE MONEY FOR IT BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT WAS ORIGINALLY BID.
THE ONLY WAY TO ACCESS THAT MONEY WAS TO DO IT AS A CEO, BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T JUST TAKE IT OUT.
IS THAT ANYWHERE NEAR ACCURATE? THAT'S PRETTY ACCURATE.
OKAY. OKAY. SO THE TAKEAWAY THERE FOR FOLKS THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT THE CEO, THE $20 MILLION CEO.
THAT'S NOT NEW MONEY. THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL BOND MONEY.
[02:00:02]
SO YOU'RE BASICALLY GETTING FOR THE SAME MONEY.YOU'RE GETTING A CITY HALL, PUBLIC BUILDING. SO NO, NO, I'M EXPLAINING IT TO, YOU KNOW, WITH WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, THIS IS NOT A DIALOG.
THE COUNCIL'S MAKING COMMENTS RIGHT NOW AND ASKING QUESTIONS, SO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM OPINING.
THANK YOU. DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, MR. SHOOP? NO. MR. BRITTON, DID YOU HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YEAH, I JUST HAD A QUICK COMMENT. AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, COUNCILMAN GIBBS IS MORE OF AN AUTHORITY ON THIS THAN I AM, BUT BUT THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE REFERENCES TO A DETENTION CENTER.
WE DO NOT HAVE A DETENTION CENTER. WE HAVE A HOLDING FACILITY IN OUR CURRENT JAIL.
WHAT WE WILL HAVE IN THE NEW PUBLIC CITY IS A HOLDING FACILITY, IF THERE'S ANY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CLASSIFY THIS. IF THERE'S ANY REALLY ROUGH PEOPLE THAT TAKE INTO CUSTODY, THEY ARE WITHIN HOURS, OR AT LEAST AT LEAST WITHIN 24 HOURS, THEY'RE TRANSFERRED TO DALLAS COUNTY.
SO WE DON'T HOLD REAL HARDENED CRIMINALS, IF YOU WILL.
COUNCILMAN. GIBBS, YOU CAN YOU COULD PROBABLY ADD TO THAT, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE A DETENTION FACILITY.
AND WITH DALLAS COUNTY THEY HAVE IN ROCKWALL COUNTY, THE JUDGES EXCUSE ME, HAVE BASICALLY AN ORDER THAT ANY PRISONER THAT HAS A COUNTY CHARGE, WHICH IS A CLASS B OR ABOVE, HAS TO BE IN FRONT OF THEM TO BE MAGISTRATE WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS.
TYPICAL PRISONERS THAT ARE THERE. THE MORE THAN TWO DAYS, TYPICALLY SOMEBODY THAT'S GOT A CLASS C TICKET OR PAYING OFF THEIR TICKETS OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT? THE FOLKS THAT HAVE THE HIGHER CHARGES USUALLY GONE ROCKWALL COUNTY, WITH OUR AGREEMENT WITH THEM, BASICALLY, TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS WE JUST TAKE THEM STRAIGHT TO ROCKWALL COUNTY AND DO A BOOKEND WITH THEM, NOT REALLY BEING WITH US. AND SO THEY GO STRAIGHT TO ROCKWALL COUNTY AND GET BOOKED IN.
BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. MR. REEVES.
QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. I HAVE A COMMENT AND A QUESTION.
YEAH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS AND KIND OF GET THE DISCUSSION GOING HERE.
YOU KNOW, OUR FIRST JOB AS ELECTED OFFICIALS IS TO REPRESENT YOU.
AND ANOTHER PART OF THE JOB IS TO STRATEGICALLY DEPLOY EVERY DOLLAR.
I'VE GOT SOME NOTES HERE. LET'S SEE. 64 MILLION, ROUGHLY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES, 8.4 FOR ANIMAL SHELTER, 4 MILLION FOR HERFURTH PARK. THAT'S ROUGHLY $76.4 MILLION.
AND WHEN THIS IDEA CAME UP OVER TWO YEARS AGO TO ME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOOK AT IN ORDER TO STRATEGICALLY DEPLOY, DEPLOY DOLLARS IS HOW CAN WE USE THIS MONEY IN THE MOST ECONOMICAL FASHION? IT'S A TON OF MONEY. WE'RE ALL PAYING FOR IT.
THIS WILL BE. THESE ARE LEGACY TYPE BUILDINGS.
FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND. HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE HERE A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW, ASSUMING THEY'RE APPROVED FOR THIS, FOR THIS PLOT. THE PUBLIC SAFETY OBVIOUSLY IS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS AS WELL AS THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
SO THE THOUGHT TO ME IS, HOW DO WE HOW DO WE MAKE THESE DOLLARS STRETCH AND DEPLOY THEM THE MOST EFFECTIVELY LONG TERM? NOW FOR THE POLICE OR THE PUBLIC FACILITIES, PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY? THERE'S A LITTLE BIT BROADER IDEA. I JUST WANT TO DISCUSS.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF I'M TOTALLY RIGHT ON THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S A FAIR POINT THAT AT SOME POINT, ROWLETT GROWTH FROM A POPULATION PERSPECTIVE PARTICULARLY WITH THE DISTASTE FOR FOR FOR HIGH DENSITY HOUSING THAT THE PUBLIC HAS, AS WELL AS PROBABLY MOST OF US ON CITY COUNCIL.
THE, THE, THE GROWTH RATE AT SOME POINT IS GOING TO STOP.
SO HOW BIG OF A PUBLIC FACILITY. PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY IS NEEDED FROM A SQUARE FOOTAGE PERSPECTIVE.
[02:05:06]
AND AT $64 MILLION. THAT'S A GIGANTIC BUILDING.AND BASED ON THE RENDERINGS AND SORT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THE POLICE CHIEF SEEMED TO BE FINE FROM AN OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVE ON ON WHERE THAT WOULD STAND. SO FOR ME, I'M LOOKING AT THAT THINKING FROM A $76.4 MILLION SPEND IN ORDER TO GET MORE FOR THAT MONEY. IT IT MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE. NOW, HAVING SAID THAT, THERE'S A LOT OF VALID POINTS THAT WAS MADE TONIGHT.
AND IT'S NOT LOST ON ME. SOME THINGS I HADN'T THOUGHT OF.
AND THAT IS TRANSPARENCY. YOU KNOW COULD WE DO A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING? I'LL OWN THAT. I'M AN AMBASSADOR OF THE CITY.
I'M TERRIBLE AT ONLINE SOCIAL MEDIA. VERY RARELY ON FACEBOOK.
I HAVEN'T HAD A PERSONAL FACEBOOK ACCOUNT IN OVER 12 YEARS.
I'M NOT ON THERE BECAUSE IT'S RATHER TOXIC AT TIMES.
WHETHER IT'S YOUR FAMILY THAT YOU DON'T LIKE OR SOME STRANGER, SOMETIMES IT JUST GETS TOXIC.
SO I'LL OWN THAT. THAT'S THAT'S ON ME. I'VE NOT DONE A GOOD JOB OF COMMUNICATING WITH ALL OF YOU.
HOWEVER, I DO HAVE AN EMAIL, AND I TYPICALLY TRY TO RESPOND TO MOST EMAILS WITHIN A FEW DAYS.
THIS ISN'T MY ONLY JOB. SO HAVING SAID THAT, THE TRANSPARENCY PIECE, I THINK IS A LITTLE BIT INACCURATE BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF MEETINGS IN EVERY SINGLE MEETING IS PUBLIC. EVERY SINGLE MEETING THAT HAPPENS ABOUT THIS IS PUBLIC.
THERE ARE LAWS CALLED THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT THAT DOES NOT ALLOW US TO TALK.
WELL, I COULD TALK TO COUNCIL MEMBER BOWERS, AND IF HE TALKED TO COUNCIL MEMBER BRITTON, THEN BRITTON CAN'T TALK TO ANYBODY ELSE, AND NEITHER CAN I. THAT WE CAN'T HAVE A QUORUM.
AND TYPICALLY MAYBE 1 OR 2 WILL KIND OF PICK EACH OTHER'S BRAINS, BUT THAT THAT MAY BE IT.
IN FACT I HAVEN'T TALKED TO ANYONE ON THIS COUNCIL EXCEPT FOR COUNCILMAN BOWERS.
I JUST WANTED TO GET HIS PERSPECTIVE ON THIS. SO I ACTUALLY HADN'T TALKED TO ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS PRIVATELY, EXCEPT FOR THE MULTIPLE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD PUBLICLY, WHICH HAVE BEEN ALL ALL BEEN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC HAVE ALL BEEN RECORDED FOR POSTERITY.
SO CITY MANAGER DAVID HALL MENTIONED IT. WE JUST HAD A CHARRETTE MEETING, I THINK IT WAS IN OCTOBER AT FIRE STATION TWO THAT WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. WE HAD ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THERE, I THINK MAYBE TWO WE'VE HAD SEVERAL OTHER MEETINGS THAT GO BACK TO THAT TIME.
AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT YOUR JOB TO SAY WHAT'S GOING ON.
AGAIN, I'LL OWN THAT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I COULD DO A BETTER JOB AS A COUNCIL MEMBER TO SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. BUT TO TO SAY THAT THEY'RE NOT TRANSPARENT.
WE HAVE HAD OPEN MEETINGS. THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE.
SO I DON'T REALLY AGREE WITH THAT POINT. PER SE.
THE OTHER THING IS ON SAFETY NEAR THE SCHOOL.
THERE'S A VALID POINT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, AND THIS IS JUST FOR FOR US TO DISCUSS, I GUESS THESE ARE JUST POINTS I WROTE DOWN, AND SORRY IF I'M GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE. I WAS TRYING TO WRITE NOTES AND KEEP UP, SO I'M JUST KIND OF STREAM OF CONSCIENCE HERE, BUT I THINK THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THEY'RE WORTHY OF DISCUSSION.
THERE THERE WAS THE COMMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES ZOOMING DOWN THE STREETS.
AND IT'S AN INTERESTING THOUGHT. I ACTUALLY HAD THE EXACT OPPOSITE THOUGHT WHEN I WAS THINKING OF, IS IT ACTUALLY BE SAFER BECAUSE YOU'D HAVE PATROL CARS PATROLLING TO AND FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDINGS? AND THAT WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE MAIN STREET AND THE SCHOOL 190 MAIN SAFER WAS KIND OF MY ORIGINAL THOUGHT.
SO I'LL JUST THROW THAT UP FOR YOU ALL TO, TO TO THINK THROUGH AND DISCUSS IF, IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
BUT TO ME, I JUST LOOKED AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY AS ACTUALLY BEING A SAFER.
ONE WAS IN DECEMBER OF 2020 FOR A WOMAN IN POLICE CUSTODY, RAN WHILE HANDCUFFED, RAN OFF, AND SHE WAS FOUND. BUT IT WASN'T AT THE POLICE STATION.
IT WAS WHEN THEY WERE DETAINING HER. WHEN THEY STOPPED HER.
[02:10:01]
AND THE OTHER ONE WAS 11 YEARS AGO. YOUNG PERSON, 18 OR SO WAS AT LAKE POINT MEDICAL CENTER AND DECIDED TO TO BOUNCE OUT.AND SO THAT AGAIN WAS NOT AT THE DETENTION CENTER, BUT THAT'S ALL I COULD FIND.
SO I THINK THE PROBABILITY OF A DETENTION CENTER ISSUE IN MY MIND, IS VERY, VERY LOW.
LET ME JUST LOOK THROUGH MY NOTES HERE SINCE I'VE GOT THE FLOOR.
I DO WANT TO REITERATE COUNCIL MEMBER SHIPS POINT IN THAT THE THE AMOUNT SPENT.
WELL, I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THAT, DIDN'T I? THE AMOUNT SPENT WAS WHAT WE'D ALREADY GOT VOTER APPROVAL FOR. AND JUST GETTING MORE FOR THE MONEY. SORRY, I'M STREAM OF CONSCIENCE HERE. I DO THINK THAT THIS IS ALSO, AGAIN, JUST PART OF THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN LOOKING AT.
I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR NOW. COUNCIL. QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? YEAH, SO I ACTUALLY DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT KIND OF PURSUANT TO THE QUESTION ABOUT SAFETY NEAR THE SCHOOL AND THAT IS WHAT STEPS WOULD BE TAKEN AS PART OF THE DESIGN, WHETHER IT'S FENCING OR WHETHER IT'S CONTAINMENT WITHIN THE SALLY PORT? YOU PROBABLY CAN'T GO INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL ON THE LOGISTICS OF THE OF OF THE.
WELL, AS MUCH AS YOU'RE ABLE. THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
YES, SIR. EXCUSE ME. FIRSTLY COUNCIL MEMBER. REEVES.
SINCE ROWLETT HAS BEEN IN THE LOCATION THAT'S AT ON ROWLETT ROAD.
NOW, IF THERE'S DIFFERENT INFORMATION, IT MAY NOT BE IN THE RECORD, BUT I ASKED.
I ASKED THAT QUESTION. I ACTUALLY HAVE NOT ASKED THAT QUESTION.
SO THERE'S A RECORD OF IT. THE ANSWER WAS ZERO.
AND FIRST OF ALL WAS TO CREATE MULTIPLE POINTS OF INGRESS AND EGRESS.
AND I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, WELL, IT'S GOING TO YOU'RE EXITING OUT INTO THE RESIDENTIAL AREA.
THOSE ARE OPTIONS. THEY COULD EXIT OUT. WE'RE GOING TO CREATE AN EXIT FROM THE VERY BACK OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY LOCATION THAT WOULD COME OUT ON, GOSH, I'M FORGETTING THE STREET. AND WE. CHEYENNE.
CHEYENNE. IS IT CHEYENNE? OKAY. WOULD EXIT ON THE CHEYENNE.
THERE'S A POTENTIAL EXIT ON LLANO. RIGHT. COMING.
COMING BACK WEST. AND IF WE CAN. I DON'T EVEN KNOW.
WE CAN PULL IT BACK UP. IT WOULD BE EASIER TO SEE.
BUT WE. THERE ARE SIX POINTS. SIX POINTS OF INGRESS AND INGRESS AND EGRESS ON THIS SITE, ONE ON MAIN, THE OTHER ON SHIRAZ LLANO GOING TO PGT AND THEN ANOTHER ONE THAT WE'RE CREATING FURTHER SOUTH ONTO PGT. AND THAT WAS VERY INTENTIONAL TO ENSURE THAT IF EVER THERE WAS NOT A NEED THAT THAT FOR WHATEVER THE OPERATIONAL NEED WAS, YOU DID NOT WANT TO EXIT IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
MY JOB IS TO GIVE INFORMATION. THE THE FACT IS THAT SITE CONTAINS SIX POINTS OF INGRESS AND EGRESS.
AND AGAIN, SEVERAL OF THEM EXIT MAIN AND THREE OF THEM EXIT ONTO PGT.
THERE IS A SALLY PORT WHERE IT IS EXPECTED, AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO TOO FAR PAST MY EXPERTISE, BUT DETAINEES WOULD BE REMOVED OUT FROM. BUT THERE'S A SALLY PORT.
AN ENCLOSED SALLY PORT. THAT WAS VERY INTENTIONAL.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, PLACING IT IN THE BACK. SO YOU ASKED IF THERE WAS FENCING? YES. THERE IS. IS THERE A SALLY PORT? PORT? YES THERE IS.
[02:15:09]
RELEASED FROM CUSTODY. AND IT'S EITHER GOING TO BE THAT THEY'RE IN A HOLDING, THEY'RE THEY'RE IN AN OVERNIGHT HOLD, MAYBE, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND THEY GET RELEASED OR THEY'RE, THEY'RE BEING ARRAIGNED THROUGH THE JUDGE AND THEY GET RELEASED.I MEAN, CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH THAT? LIKE, WHEN ARE PEOPLE GOING TO BE LEAVING THE JAIL AND WHERE WOULD THEY GO? HOW DOES THAT WORK? WELL, THEY'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT. PEOPLE COULD WALK RIGHT OUT THE FRONT DOOR. BUT THAT'S BEEN RELEASED. SO, FOR INSTANCE, THE JUDGE COULD COME IN AND FIND NO PROBABLE CAUSE AND RELEASE AN INDIVIDUAL FROM CUSTODY, AND THEY COULD WALK OUT THE FRONT DOOR. A JUDGE COULD FIND TIME SERVED, AND THEY WOULD WALK OUT THE FRONT DOOR.
THEY COULD PAY THEIR TICKETS. THEY COULD PAY THEIR BOND.
FOR THE MOST PART, MOST PEOPLE DO NOT WALK HOME OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT UNLESS THEY WERE PICKED UP, MAYBE NEAR THE RAIL STATION OR SOMETHING. THEY'LL WALK BACK TO THE RAIL STATION.
AND SO WHAT KIND OF WHAT KIND OF CRIMES ARE WE TALKING ABOUT WITH THIS, WHERE THEY WOULD NOT BE TRANSFERRED TO DALLAS COUNTY OR ROCKWALL COUNTY? WELL, FOR THE MOST PART, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING MAYBE PIES.
PUBLIC INTOXICATION, DISORDERLY CONDUCT, ANYTHING UNDER A CLASS C? FIGHTING IN PUBLIC? MOST OF THEIR ARRESTS PROBABLY ARE.
BUT WE HOLD FOR OTHER PEOPLE. FOR OTHER CITIES.
SAXY. PD ALSO BRINGS PEOPLE TO OUR JAIL TALKING LIKE I'M STILL THERE.
BUT THE ONLY TIME THAT YOU WOULD SEE PEOPLE WALKING OUT IS PEOPLE THAT WHO ARE FREE TO GO.
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT TO JAIL WILL ENTER INTO MORE THAN ONE SECURED AREA.
FIRST, THEY'D ENTERED A SECURED FENCING AREA, THEN THEY'D PROBABLY ENTERED A SECURED SALLYPORT. AND THEN AFTER, ONCE THEY'RE IN SECURED SALLYPORT THEY'LL COME OUT AND THEY'LL HAVE JAILER GREET THEM WITH THE OFFICERS.
THEY'LL GET THEM OUT OF THE VEHICLE, DO A QUICK CHECK OF THE VEHICLE, MAKE SURE NOTHING WAS LEFT IN THERE FOR US TO FIND, AND TAKE THEM TO THE JAIL. THEY'LL TAKE ALL THEIR STUFF FOR THEM, BUT THEY WALK THEM INTO THE JAIL BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT ANY CONTRABAND ENTERING THE JAIL.
THAT COULD HURT ANYBODY OR THAT COULD SWALLOW.
LET'S JUST PUT IT THAT WAY. AND WE CAN GET THEM IN THERE.
AND YOU KNOW, THE LAST THING ANYBODY EVER WANTS IS IN CUSTODY DEATHS.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY FOCUS ON THE MOST.
SO THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF THAT GOES INTO IT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITIZENS STAY SAFE, AND EVEN THE INMATES WILL CALL THEM, I GUESS OR SAFE, THEIR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE VISITING AND NOT ON THEIR, ON THEIR OWN FREE WILL, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, AS WE STATED EARLIER, IF YOU HAVE A HIGHER CHARGE, A, B OR ABOVE AND YOU'RE NOT GETTING OUT, YOU'RE GOING TO DALLAS COUNTY WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.
COUNCIL WHAT OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS DO YOU HAVE? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.
WE HAD SOME COMMENTS, BUT BEFORE BEFORE I HAVE MY COMMENTS.
IS OUR GOAL TODAY TO MAKE THIS DECISION TONIGHT LIKE NO POSTPONEMENT.
WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT ON A DECISION. THIS IS A STAFF INITIATED ITEM.
SO I'M GOING TO DEFER TO STAFF ON THAT QUESTION.
THAT'S ENTIRELY UP TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU.
OH YEAH. SO SO MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU CITY MANAGER.
I BELIEVE I'VE HEARD A LOT OF THINGS FROM THE PUBLIC TONIGHT, WHICH IS WHICH IS WHY THEY'RE HERE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S A THAT'S A GOOD THING. I THINK TWO THINGS CAN BE TRUE, RIGHT? WE DO NEED A NEW ANIMAL SHELTER AS A CITY. WE DO NEED A NEW PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING.
BUT THE CONVERSATION HERE IS ABOUT THE LOCATION FROM WHAT I'M HEARING.
IS IT AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT, WOULD I HAVE WANTED TO GO OUTSIDE OF MY SCHOOL AND SEE A JAIL? NO, I WOULD NOT WANT WOULD WANT TO SEE THAT AND SEE A DETENTION CENTER.
BUT I WILL SAY AT THE SAME TIME IN MY IN MY CONVERSATION WITH COUNCIL MEMBER REEVES, IN THAT OPEN MIND I WOULD PUSH FOR SINCE THERE WAS SO MUCH THAT WE HEARD TODAY, I WOULD PUSH FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME SO WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE IN WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC AND THEN SEE WHERE WE MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT A DECISION MADE TONIGHT WOULD BE GOOD, BECAUSE WE COULD BE HERE FOR ANOTHER THREE HOURS, FOUR HOURS TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING, TRYING TO TAKE IN EVERYTHING THAT WE JUST HEARD TODAY. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GO OFF OF THAT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE YOU SAID SOMETHING.
[02:20:02]
YOU MADE ME THINK ABOUT IT. IS THAT WHEN ONE OF THE SPEAKERS WERE UP THERE, THEY TALKED ABOUT THAT OUR SYSTEM WASN'T WORKING UNTIL AFTER 4 P.M..IS THAT THE CASE? ANYBODY KNOW ON THE COUNCIL? ANYBODY. SO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE IF I UNDERSTOOD THE COMMENT CORRECTLY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PUBLIC INPUT FORM ON THE WEBSITE.
AND SO I KNOW THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE PUBLIC INPUT FORM ON THE WEBSITE DISPLAYING ONLY 2025 AS A YEAR, BUT WE DID STILL RECEIVE PUBLIC INPUT COMMENTS BECAUSE WE RECEIVED, I THINK, NINE SEPARATE PUBLIC INPUT COMMENTS AS A RESULT OF THIS ITEM.
THAT'S CORRECT. SO WAS THERE ANY OTHER ISSUE WITH RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENT, EITHER THROUGH THE WEBSITE, OR WAS THERE ANY ISSUE WITH OUR EMAIL THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF AND BEFORE SHE ANSWERS THAT IF THERE IS, THEN I WOULD PUSH TO TO FOR US TO MOVE AND COME BACK AT ANOTHER DATE AND RETHINK THIS AND LET SOME MORE PEOPLE GET THEIR CHANCE.
BUT IF THAT'S THE CASE, IF IT WAS HINDERING OUR CITIZENS FROM BEING ABLE TO DO THEIR IN FAVOR OR THEIR OPPOSITION THAT I WOULD ASK THAT WE WE TABLE THIS AND COME BACK TO IT.
OKAY. COUNCIL. OTHER QUESTIONS. SORRY. COMMENTS.
MISS BOWERS. SO I, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WHEN I'M I'M WRONG, I ADMIT I'M WRONG.
AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH PARKS FOR 10 OR 15 YEARS, WHO KNOWS HOW LONG, A LONG TIME.
AND HER FIRST PARK HAS ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF THIS WEIRD LITTLE PARK.
AND SO MY THOUGHT WAS, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS MAKES SENSE.
THE THING THAT I DID NOT CONSIDER, FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T HAVE KIDS.
I'VE NEVER SAT IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PICK UP LINE.
I HAVE NEVER WATCHED MY KIDS COME ACROSS THE STREET AT FROM A MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I JUST I JUST DID NOT HAVE THAT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS OF HERFORD PARK AND WHERE IT SAT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
I ALSO THINK THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE WEST OF IT IS ONE OF OUR LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I MEAN, THAT IS LIKE THE LONG THAT'S LIKE THE LONGEST, OLDEST NEIGHBORHOOD WE HAVE.
AND SO FOR, FOR THOSE REASONS, I, I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING EITHER ONE OF THESE INITIATIVES.
COUNCIL OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY, EVEN THOSE THAT DIRECTED PERSONAL COMMENTS. I TRULY DO APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING OUT HERE AND AND VOICING, YOU KNOW, GIVING YOUR VOICES AND LETTING US HEAR THIS.
IT IS IMPORTANT. BUT I'M ALSO STRUCK BY SOMETHING.
SO YOU KNOW, IN MY MIND, PEOPLE, ORGANIZATIONS, CITIES, THEY DO 1 OR 2 THINGS.
THEY IMPROVE, THEY GET BETTER, THEY MOVE FORWARD, AND THEY BECOME, YOU KNOW, THEY BECOME BETTER.
AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THERE'S NOT ALWAYS A A, YOU KNOW, COMPLETE 100% AGREEMENT OF WHAT SHOULD BE DONE, SHOULDN'T BE DONE. ALL VOICES NEED TO BE HEARD.
BUT I THINK FOR ME PERSONALLY AND I LOVE THIS CITY AND I WANT THIS CITY TO GET BETTER.
BUT PHILOSOPHICALLY, I THINK THE CITY REALLY NEEDS TO MAKE A DECISION OF WHAT IT WANTS TO BE.
DO WE WANT TO BE A BETTER CITY, OR DO WE WANT TO JUST KIND OF JUST LIKE LIKE IN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, WE QUIT TRYING TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD. WE TRYING TO FIND THE BEST WAYS TO DO THINGS, THE BEST WAY TO SPEND OUR MONEY, THE BEST WAY TO TO TAKE CARE OF THIS CITY. OR DO WE JUST SIT THERE AND SAY WELL, MAKES A BUNCH OF PEOPLE MAD AND I DON'T WANT TO AND I DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE THAT, AND I THAT DOESN'T. THAT SOUNDS WORSE THAN I MEAN, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THERE'S DISAGREEMENT.
THERE IS DISAGREEMENT. AND YOU CAN DISAGREE WITH ME AND I CAN DISAGREE WITH YOU, AND THAT'S FINE.
[02:25:04]
BUT WHERE I COME FROM AND WHERE MY DISAGREEMENT COMES FROM AND I DO.AND MY DISAGREEMENT IS NOT THAT A BUNCH OF WHAT'S BEING SAID HERE ISN'T TRUE.
BUT MY DISAGREEMENT IS MORE PHILOSOPHICAL. WHAT DOES THIS CITY WANT TO BE? DOES THIS CITY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD AND BECOME A BETTER MODERN CITY THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF? OR DO WE JUST KIND OF WANT TO SLIDE BACKWARDS AND SAY, OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS BUILDING HAS ONLY BEEN HERE 100 YEARS.
WE'RE PROBABLY GOOD FOR ANOTHER HUNDRED. SO NOT AN ARGUMENT, BUT THAT'S BUT THAT'S MY OPINION.
YOU CAN YOU CAN TAKE WITH WHAT YOU WANT, BUT BUT GOTTA GET THUMBS DOWN.
YEAH. THERE YOU GO. SO ANYWAY, SO I DID WANT TO SAY THAT.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, MISS BOWERS? YEAH, I DID WANT TO SAY ONE OTHER COMMENT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE THERE COULD BE RESISTANCE TO HAVING A NEW CITY HALL.
I BUT I DO AS A PERSON WHO HAS WORKED HERE BEFORE I DO THINK WE DO NEED A CITY HALL.
I'M ABSOLUTELY 100% BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A PLACE THAT IS HEALTHY AND NICE FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND WORK BECAUSE WE WANT COMPETENT, EFFECTIVE EMPLOYEES.
SO HAVING A GOOD PLACE TO WORK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT AND BELIEVE THAT WE NEED A NEW CITY HALL.
SO I, I DO I, I WOULD ABSOLUTELY VOTE FOR A CITY HALL.
MY MY ISSUE IS THE LOCATION. AND I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES WHO DO SO MUCH FOR ALL OF US DO DESERVE A GOOD PLACE TO WORK. SO DON'T THINK THAT I WOULD NOT VOTE FOR A CITY HALL, BECAUSE ABSOLUTELY I WOULD. SO I DO WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL. OTHER COMMENTS QUESTIONS.
AND CITY ATTORNEY, IF WE WERE TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM, WOULD THAT REQUIRE A, A REHEARING? WOULD THAT REQUIRE US GOING THROUGH THE REHEARING PROCESS? NO, BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY HELD THE PUBLIC HEARING.
OKAY. I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR CITY MANAGER.
AND THAT IS WITH RESPECT TO POSTPONEMENT. IF THIS WERE POSTPONED TO TWO WEEKS FROM NOW, FOUR WEEKS FROM NOW, I MEAN, IS THERE ANY IMPACT ON THE TIMELINE OF THE THE PROJECT OR IS IT I MEAN, WHAT HAPPENS? ABSOLUTELY. MAYOR, AS YOU KNOW, THIS PROJECT WAS DELAYED ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS ALREADY AND NOT DUE TO STAFF, NOT DUE TO THE CONTRACTORS. THIS PROJECT WILL GO AS QUICKLY OR AS SLOWLY AS THE COUNCIL DESIRES.
THANK YOU. ONE OTHER QUESTION THAT I WROTE DOWN THAT I FORGOT TO ASK.
THERE WAS MENTION OF A PLAYGROUND IN THE ORIGINAL DESIGN, AND I WAS WONDERING IF THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THIS DESIGN AS WELL. IT WAS NOT. IF YOU RECALL, IN THE COUNCIL DESIGN CHARRETTE, YOU SPECIFICALLY AND EXPLICITLY DECIDED NOT TO PUT AN ACTIVE NOTE IN THAT OF THAT NATURE WITH REFERENCE WITH RESPECT TO COMMUNITY PARK.
GOT IT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK I'VE GOTTEN ALL MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
SO THIS IS DEFINITELY AN INTERESTING ONE. NO DOUBT.
IT WAS BECAUSE WE, AS A COUNCIL, MADE A DECISION TO PRESERVE THE DOWNTOWN GREEN SPACE, TO UTILIZE THAT SPACE FOR OUR EVENTS, TO BRING PEOPLE INTO THE CORE OF DOWNTOWN, TO BRING PEOPLE INTO THAT ACTIVE AREA WHERE THEY COULD VISIT RESTAURANTS AND POTENTIALLY BARS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE. IT STILL DOESN'T MAKE SENSE WHY THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME INTENDED TO MOVE THAT GREEN SPACE TO THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN, FURTHER AWAY FROM THE BUSINESSES THAT WERE ALREADY LOCATED THERE? AND I STILL DON'T NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND THAT DECISION, BUT THAT'S HOW IT WAS MADE. AND WE ARRIVED AT THAT DESIGN THAT INCLUDED THE LAWN ASPECT OF OF THE PARK.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE THAT I ACKNOWLEDGE SOMETHING SUPER IMPORTANT, AND THAT'S THAT.
[02:30:04]
AND THAT WAS SHARED TONIGHT BY SEVERAL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.AND I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND EVEN WHEN WE GO THROUGH A PROCESS THAT IS LAWFUL AND WELL INTENDED, IT'S STILL OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A CITY TO EXPLAIN HOW WE ARRIVE AT THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE. AND WE NEED TO DO THAT CLEARLY, AND WE NEED TO LISTEN RESPECTFULLY WHEN OTHERS DISAGREE.
LIKE COUNCILMEMBER REEVES, I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE ULTIMATELY HAVE HERE IS VERY MUCH A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE ON OUR PART. AND SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. AND I'M NOT TOO BIG TO ADMIT WHEN I'M WHEN I'VE MADE A MISTAKE.
BUT IN THE INTEREST OF THAT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY PERSPECTIVE.
AND TO JUST GO THROUGH KIND OF SOME PREPARED REMARKS THAT I HAVE.
AND THAT WAS THAT, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE BOND ELECTION THAT WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS, AUTHORIZED SPECIFIC PROJECTS, WHICH INCLUDED A PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY, AN ANIMAL SHELTER AND PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
BUT IT DID NOT SPECIFY A LOCATION, AND THAT DISTINCTION MATTERS.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY PRODUCED MATERIALS AND THINGS WERE SHARED BY BOTH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OUR CITY STAFF AT THE TIME THAT SHOWED A POTENTIAL LOCATION BEING ON MILLER HEIGHTS, AND THAT LOCATION WAS VERY MUCH CONSIDERED.
IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK BACK THROUGH OUR HISTORY ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2018, THERE WAS A BOND ELECTION FOR A FACILITY ASSESSMENT TO DETERMINE WHAT FACILITIES THE CITY NEEDED. AND THROUGH THAT, YOU CAN FIND IN THE NOVEMBER I THINK IT'S NOVEMBER 3RD.
I DID NOT WRITE IT DOWN OF 2021 COUNCIL PACKET.
SOME OPTIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED. AND THOSE OPTIONS OUTLAID THREE DIFFERENT DESIGNS, ONE OF WHICH WAS AT THE CORNER OF MILLER HEIGHTS, ONE OF WHICH WAS ALL THE WAY AT THE BACK OF MILLER HEIGHTS, AND WAS THIS BIG CIRCULAR DESIGN THAT WOULD HAVE INCLUDED ALL KINDS OF STUFF.
AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS A MORE SCALED BACK VERSION.
AND I REVIEWED THE MINUTES FROM THAT MEETING, AND ULTIMATELY COUNCIL KICKED THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
SECONDLY, THE SITE THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED TONIGHT WAS NOT CHOSEN QUICKLY.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT WAS SHARED THROUGH BOTH THE PRESENTATION AND SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM OUR COUNCIL, THAT IT WAS A LENGTHY PROCESS, IN FACT, GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2023. WE WERE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT POTENTIAL OPTIONS.
WE'RE NOT TO THE POINT NOW WHERE WE'RE READY TO BUILD STILL, AND THAT'S WHAT'S FRUSTRATING. THIRD, THERE HAS BEEN CONCERN THAT'S BEEN EXPRESSED ABOUT LOCATING A PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY NEAR NEIGHBORHOODS AND SCHOOLS.
I WOULD LOVE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR DETENTION FACILITY AND HOW INDIVIDUALS ARE RELEASED FROM CUSTODY OR RELEASED FROM THE COURT WITHIN THAT SYSTEM. I WOULD LOVE TO UNDERSTAND THE DIVISION THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE PARK AND THE SCHOOL AND WHAT KIND OF ACCESS POINTS THERE ARE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE PRIOR LOCATION WAS AT MILLER HEIGHTS AND PGT, WHICH IS JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM ROWLETT HIGH SCHOOL. SO.
I WANT TO ADDRESS FUNDING BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE CLEAR THAT THE PROJECTS THAT WERE APPROVED BY VOTERS ARE STILL BEING FUNDED AS DESCRIBED, WHICH INCLUDES A PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY, INCLUDES AN ANIMAL SHELTER AND DOES INCLUDE THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARK.
CITY HALL, AGAIN, WAS A SEPARATE COMPONENT. A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN OVER THAT, SO I WON'T GO DOWN THAT ROAD. LASTLY, HERFURTH PARK IS A 25 ACRE PARK, AS WAS MENTIONED 20 ON THE WRONG PAGE NOW, SO I DON'T REMEMBER 26, 25, 26, 24.2 56I DON'T WANT TO.
I DON'T WANT TO ROUND UP TOO MUCH. AND THIS CALLS FOR USING 9.38 ACRES OF THAT LAND, WHICH STILL LEAVES A LARGE AREA THAT ALLOWS FOR THE PARK TO BE ENHANCED THROUGH ALL THESE DIFFERENT FEATURES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
[02:35:01]
ALL OF THAT, IN MY OPINION. DOES THE RIGHT THINGS FOR THIS SPACE, DOES THE RIGHT THINGS FOR THIS PARK.HOWEVER, I UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO POSTPONE THE ITEM THAT A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE PRESENTED.
I THINK WE DO NEED TO HAVE SOME MORE CONVERSATIONS AND STEP BACK TO THIS AT A FUTURE DATE.
SO, COUNCIL, IF THERE ARE OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, I'LL ENTERTAIN THEM.
IF NOT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I'LL. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE POSTPONE THIS VOTE UNTIL WE CAN GET A BETTER INFORMATION AT WHAT SAID DATE IS COMING FORTH FOR THIS.
SECOND THAT WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE BY MR. GIBBS, A SECOND BY MR. BRITTON. ANY DISCUSSION? I'M JUST CURIOUS. CAN WE SET A DATE? I MEAN, I'M JUST SAYING TO POSTPONE.
I'M. I'M SURE I'M NOT REAL HAPPY. IN FACT, IT'S PREFERRED TO TO SELECT A DATE IF POSSIBLE.
YEAH. SO SO IF WE IF WE CAN GET A CLEAR DATE ON WHAT THAT POSTPONEMENT WILL BE.
YEAH. GOT A DATE FOR THREE YEARS. SO IF WE CAN JUST HAVE THE COUNCIL COMMENT, PLEASE.
MR. GIBBS? YES. IF WE CAN DO THE NEXT ONE ON THE FIRST COUNCIL MEETING OF THE NEXT MONTH TO POSTPONE THE DATE WORK SESSION OR BE THE VOTE, BE FOR THE COUNCIL SESSION. SO THAT WOULD BE FEBRUARY 3RD.
FEBRUARY 3RD. THE FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY. FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY.
OKAY. DOES THAT NEED A SECOND? IT JUST AGREE WITH THAT.
OKAY. TO FOR YOUR SECOND OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE UNTIL THE MEETING ON FEBRUARY 3RD, AND WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. LET'S CALL THE VOTE, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT.
AND THAT CARRIES BY A VOTE OF 6 TO 1, WITH MISS BOWERS VOTING IN OPPOSITION TO THAT MOTION.
[5.C. Discuss and take action on screening wall repair options.]
AND WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF ON THAT ITEM.ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. ARE YOU READY? GOOD EVENING AGAIN.
SO AGAIN, KIND OF A ROADMAP TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, WE PERFORMED AN ASSESSMENT.
THERE ARE THREE MAJOR CORRIDORS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT DALROCK, MILLER AND ROWLETT ROAD.
AND THE NATURE OF THAT ASSESSMENT WAS TO LOOK AT LOCATION, SIZE, COMPOSITION, CONDITION AND TO GIVE US AN INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT AND ULTIMATELY RECOMMENDATIONS WITH RESPECT TO REMEDY. THAT SCOPE WAS CHANGED THE LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT SCREENING WALLS.
AND WE IT'S BEEN AMENDED TO SAY SCREENING WALLS THAT ABUT ALLEYS AND THAT ARE CONTIGUOUS TO ALLEYS, SCREENING WALLS OF THE SAME TYPE, FRONTING A GIVEN SUBDIVISION.
AGAIN, NOTHING ELSE CHANGED. THAT WAS A MATERIAL CHANGE TO THE SCOPE FOR THE SERVICES.
ULTIMATELY, AS YOU MAY RECALL, WE WERE DOING THESE IN TWO GROUPS.
THAT CHANGED THE SCOPE COST FROM 35,000 TO 63,000.
WE'VE KIND OF GIVEN YOU ESTIMATES AS TO LENGTH BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE ENGINEER WAS LOOKING AT.
THEY'VE HAD BOOTS ON THE GROUND NOW. THEIR NEAREST THEIR MOST RECENT TOTAL WAS 12,918 LINEAR FEET OF QUALIFYING SCREENING WALL, 9709 OF THOSE LINEAR FEET ABUT AN ALLEY DIRECTLY, AND 3209 LINEAR FEET WERE THOSE THAT WERE ADDED WITH THE ENHANCED SCOPE.
THIS IS KIND OF TO IS STRAIGHT. THE SCOPE OF THE ASSESSMENT.
HERE YOU CAN SEE. OH, HERE WE GO. THERE WE GO.
NOPE. OKAY. YOU CAN SEE IN GREEN THOSE ARE WALLS THAT DIRECTLY ABUT AN ALLEY.
THOSE IN FUCHSIA ARE THE QUALIFYING WALLS. BASED UPON THE AMENDED SCOPE WHICH ARE CONTIGUOUS.
[02:40:06]
YOU CAN SEE THE SECTION WALL R1. P2, WHILE NOT DIRECTLY CONTIGUOUS, FALLS WITHIN THE AMBIT OF BEING IN THE SAME SUBDIVISION.THOSE ARE NOT QUALIFYING WALLS UNDER EITHER THE ORIGINAL OR ENHANCED SCOPE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE FUCHSIA WHICH IS CONTIGUOUS AND CONNECTED.
HERE YOU CAN SEE ONE AGAIN THAT KIND OF NOT QUALIFYING UNDER ORIGINAL SCOPE QUALIFYING.
AND NOW QUALIFYING UNDER THE ORIGINAL. THIS IS SOUTH BAY ESTATES.
WE'RE NOT OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT GOING TO READ ALL OF THESE LITTLE SMALL MARKERS.
THIS IS THE ASSESSMENT THAT YOU HAVE BEEN PROVIDED.
IT'S REALLY TO SHOW THE TYPE OF DETAIL THAT'S BEING PROVIDED IN THIS ASSESSMENT.
AND WE USE SOUTH BAY ESTATES AS AN EXAMPLE FOR THIS PARTICULAR IMAGE.
THIS IS LAKE BEND ESTATES. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE ASSESSMENT NOTES.
CRACKED COLUMNS 100%, SOME LEANING 43% OF THE PRECAST WALL CAPS ARE LOOSE, AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS NOTES WITH RESPECT TO THE CONDITION OF THE LAKE BEND ESTATE WALL.
THE AMENDED SCOPE CAPTURES THOSE TWO FUCHSIA SECTIONS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE STREET THERE, AND AGAIN PICKING BACK UP TO THE ORIGINAL SCOPE, ENCOMPASSING SCREENING WALLS UNDER D4C. JUST AN IMAGE TO KIND OF SUPPORT SOME OF THE ASSESSMENT NOTES YOU HAVE BEEN PROVIDED THIS INFORMATION TO FULL SCALE.
THE FULL DETAILS OF THE ASSESSMENT FOR GROUP A.
HERE I'D LIKE TO ORIENT YOU TO THE COST ESTIMATE FORM.
YOU HAVE THIS IN YOUR INFORMATION YOU'VE BEEN PROVIDED.
IT CODES IT TO THE THE IMAGES THAT YOU HAVE GIVES A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM.
AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, OR MAYBE JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, A RECOMMENDATION, WHETHER IT'S TO REPAINT, POWER WASH, REPAIR, MORTAR REPAIR, BRICK AND MORTAR SECTIONS, SO FORTH AND SO ON.
IT ALSO GIVES YOU A PRIORITY TYPE FROM 1 TO 3 UNITS HERE.
THE THE ENGINEER WENT OUT AND WORKED WITH CONTRACTORS THAT DO THIS KIND OF WORK AND HAVE DONE PROJECTS RECENTLY, AND SO THEY HAVE GIVEN US THEIR BEST. WE'LL CALL IT ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE OF PROBABLE COST FOR THE RESPECTIVE PRIORITY AND ASSOCIATED REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENT. YOU CAN SEE HERE THE PRIORITIZATION COST ESTIMATE BASED ON EXISTING CONDITION.
AGAIN, PERHAPS JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, IT INCLUDES A RECOMMENDED ACTION.
THE COST ESTIMATE WILL VARY BASED ON THE REPLACEMENT MATERIAL AND THE RECOMMENDED ACTION.
OKAY, I'M GOING TO PAUSE THERE FOR A MOMENT. IF I'M GOING TOO FAST. LET ME KEEP GOING.
MAYOR OR PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS. YEAH. LET'S PAUSE ON THE ASSESSMENT FROM WITH RESPECT TO THE THE SCREENING WALL ASSESSMENT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON WHAT YOU SHARED OR HOW IT'S PRESENTED. COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS.
SINGLE WIDTH BRICK SCREENING WALL HAS AS AN ADVANTAGE VARIETY OF COLOR OPTIONS.
YOU CAN SEE THE ADVANTAGES THERE. APPROXIMATELY $600 PER LINEAR FEET PER LINEAR FOOT.
$75 OF WHICH WOULD GO TOWARDS REMOVAL OF EXISTING WALLS.
AND WE'VE USED THAT $75 FOOT ESTIMATE CONSISTENT ACROSS OUR ESTIMATES FOR VARIOUS MATERIAL TYPES.
THE SECOND MATERIAL TYPE IS LONG SPAN PRECAST CONCRETE WALLS.
AGAIN, IT HAS SOME ADVANTAGES IN THAT IT COMES IN A VARIETY OF TEXTURES, COLORS, PATTERNS.
IT IS EFFICIENT WITH RESPECT TO MODULAR INSTALLATION.
[02:45:09]
MASONRY. COMING IN AT APPROXIMATELY $575 PER LINEAR FOOT OF SCREENING WALL.TWO OTHER TWO OTHER MATERIAL TYPES WE'RE PRESENTING TO YOU.
IT'S CALLED SUPERIOR FENCE. IT'S BASICALLY STAMPED PRECAST CONCRETE.
IT HAS SOME OF THE SAME ADVANTAGES MENTIONED BEFORE.
ONE OF THE LARGER ADVANTAGES IS THAT IT CAN HAVE A CEDAR LOOK, MORE DECORATIVE ACCENTS, ETC.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IT COMES IN AT APPROXIMATELY $405 A LINEAR FOOT.
AND WE'VE OFFERED UP FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION CEDAR FENCING.
CEDAR FENCING HAS SEVERAL ADVANTAGES AS WELL.
IT TOO IS EFFICIENT IN ITS MODULAR INSTALLATION.
INSECT REPELLENT PROPERTIES. IT IS EXTREMELY DURABLE.
CEDAR, NOT PINE, WHITE CEDAR. IT'S A VERY EFFICIENT WITH RESPECT TO REPAIR.
SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE'VE HEARD AND ARE LEGITIMATE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS NOT EXPEDITIOUS IN ITS REPAIR BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A LONG, ARDUOUS PROCESS TO GET MASONS AND OTHER THINGS.
YOU CAN SEE THE TALLY AT THE BOTTOM THERE. SINGLE SINGLE WIDTH BRICK 1.1 MILLION LONG SPAN PRECAST.
THIS IS JUST LAKE BEND ESTATES. LET ME PAUSE I WAS GOING THIS IS ONLY LAKE BEND ESTATES RIGHT? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT LAKE BEND ESTATES, SO I WANTED TO KIND OF PULL IT OUT AND EXTRACT IT, BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF BEEN A PRIORITY FOR THE COUNCIL TO LOOK AT LAKE BEND ESTATES AS A PRIORITY. AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE COST WITH RESPECT TO MATERIAL TYPES THERE.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS WE'RE TALKING IN THAT IN THAT GRAPHIC THAT IS REPLACEMENT NOT REPAIR.
THAT IS TOTAL REPLACEMENT. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE'VE GIVEN YOU JUST SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO GROUP A WHERE YOU HAVE ALL OF THOSE THE ANALYSIS.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS BASED ON THE ENGINEER'S RECOMMENDATION.
AND YOU CAN SEE WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER TWO GENERALLY THERE'S JUST MORE REPAIR BEING RECOMMENDED.
NOW IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WITH RESPECT TO SOUTH BAY, WHICH HAS THE DECORATIVE FEATURES, THE PRICING DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DECORATIVE FEATURES, I.E.
LASTLY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS TO SOME DEGREE IN A MICRO FASHION, OBVIOUSLY FOCUSING FOCUSING ON A PRIORITIZATION, PRIORITIZATION OF LAKE BEND ESTATES.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING FAIR TO YOU THAT WHEN YOU MAKE THIS DECISION, IT MAY HAVE LONG TERM IMPLICATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE NATURE OF THIS PROJECT FOR YOU.
AND SO ACCORDINGLY, WE'VE GIVEN YOU ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
WHAT IF WE WERE TO REPLACE ALL OF THE WALLS IN GROUP A, NOT JUST LAKE BEND TO STATES? THERE YOU CAN SEE THE CORRESPONDING OR RATHER THE SUBDIVISIONS SIZE AND A CORRESPONDING ESTIMATES FOR THE MATERIAL TYPES FROM SINGLE WIDTH BRICK, LONG SPAN PRECAST CONCRETE, AND DOWN TO CEDAR FENCING.
BUT WE DO HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF THE TOTAL LENGTH UNDER CONSIDERATION FROM BOTH YOUR INITIAL SCOPE AND ENHANCED SCOPE OF 12,918 LINEAR FEET. AND SO WE SAID, WHAT IF YOU CHOSE TO REPLACE IT ALL? SO WE'RE PROVIDING YOU THOSE AGAIN CORRESPONDING ESTIMATES OF COSTS THERE.
SO THERE'S SOME DIRECTION WE'RE GOING TO NEED.
AND OF COURSE I CAN GO BACK TO THESE SLIDES IF YOU WISH, BUT WE'RE GOING TO NEED THERE'S KIND OF A FAIR ASSUMPTION HERE FROM HEARING THE FEEDBACK ON A COUNCIL THAT LAKE BEND ESTATES IS A PRIORITY AND WE NEED TO GET MOVING ON IT.
[02:50:03]
IT'S RECOMMENDED BY THE ENGINEERS TO REPLACE IT ENTIRELY.RIGHT. THE REST OF THE STUDY, WE'LL COME BACK.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT REPAIR. REPLACEMENT. REPLACE ONLY WHICH MATERIAL? WE DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO THAT NOW. IN FACT, I WOULD. YOU KNOW, PERHAPS PREFER THAT YOU DON'T BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT GROUP B INFORMATION. BUT AGAIN, WANTING TO GIVE YOU FULL CONTEXT AND A MORE STRATEGIC VIEW, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'LL COME BACK AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT.
AND SO WITH THAT COUNCIL, I STAND FOR QUESTIONS, FEEDBACK.
THANK YOU. AND JUST TO CONFIRM, BECAUSE IT'S A SIMILAR WALL TYPE BUT IT'S IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION, BAY VIEW ESTATES, WHICH IS UP ALONG DEL ROCK ROAD NORTH OF PRINCETON, IS THAT SAME SLOT IN RED PRECAST STUFF.
IT HAS MANY OF THE SAME ISSUES THAT LAKE BEND ESTATES HAS.
THAT'S IN GROUP B, CORRECT. EVERYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE FIVE IS IN GROUP B, EVERYTHING QUALIFYING ASIDE FROM THE FIVE SUBDIVISIONS IS IN GROUP B. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL QUESTIONS? YEAH, IF I COULD. AND I DON'T KNOW IF IF YOU'RE GOING TO ANSWER THIS MAYBE KNOWS, BUT I, MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE IS ONE OF THE MASONRY OPTIONS FOR REPLACEMENT. BUT MY QUESTION IS PARTICULARLY ON, ON DOWEL ROCK AND THESE MAIN THOROUGHFARES, ONE OF THE BIG REASONS FUNDS HAS FAILED IS BECAUSE PEOPLE DRIVE INTO THEM.
THE PRECAST IS THAT A MORE ROBUST STRUCTURE THAN A BRICK STRUCTURE, OR IS IT EASIER TO REPLACE OR EVEN GOING FURTHER WITH OUR CAPABILITIES WITH CONCRETE? WOULD THERE BE A SCENARIO WHERE WE COULD POSSIBLY DO PRECAST CONCRETE TYPE WORK WITH THE MOLDS? DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON ANY OF THOSE? I DO, IT USED TO BE A BUILDING INSPECTOR. I THINK PEOPLE FORGET THAT.
SO LET ME GO BACK. YOU GAVE ME A LOT THERE. SO YOUR FIRST QUESTION, DURABILITY WITH RESPECT TO CRASH RESISTANCE, I THINK IT'S ARGUABLE DEPENDING ON HOW THE PRECAST IF IT'S PROPERLY REBAR, THE SIZE OF REBAR, THERE'S SO MANY FACTORS THAT COULD GO INTO THAT. SO I CAN'T GIVE YOU A BLANKET ANSWER THAT THE MASONRY WALL WITH THE GROUT MORTAR IS NECESSARILY STRONGER.
I THINK NONE OF THEM ARE IMPACT RESISTANT WITH RESPECT TO A CAR.
CANDIDLY, IT'S DEGREES AT THAT POINT. SO I THINK IF YOU WERE TRYING TO SAY WHICH OF THE OPTIONS WERE MORE IMPACT RESISTANT, IT'S DEGREES. DO YOU WANT TO PAY A PRECAST COMPANY TO INSTALL LARGER REBAR? YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A PUSH BETWEEN THOSE TWO.
YOU COULD MAKE ARGUMENTS ON EITHER SIDE, I THINK FAIRLY I MIGHT SAY THERE'S A SLIGHT DEGREE OF MORE IMPACT RESISTANCE IF INSTALLED PROPERLY WITH MASONRY WALLS RELATIVE COMPARED TO THE PRECAST, WHICH IS NOT REINFORCED.
RIGHT. IF YOU REINFORCE IT, THEN I THINK YOU'VE GOT A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION. SO ARE THE NUMBERS WE'VE GOT FOR, I DON'T BELIEVE FOR REINFORCED PRECAST. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT.
OKAY. WHICH WOULD WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BRING THE NUMBER UP.
I WOULD SUSPECT PROBABLY MORE UP TO WHAT THE SINGLE WIDTH BRICK WOULD BE.
OKAY. YOU ASKED A COUPLE OF MORE. I WANT TO ADDRESS THE REST OF WHAT YOU WERE ASKING.
YOU ASKED ABOUT OUR CAPABILITIES TO DO THAT IN HOUSE. WE DO NOT HAVE THAT CAPABILITY.
OR DID I MISS IT? PROBABLY. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT.
OKAY. MISS BOWERS. YEAH. SO COULD YOU TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WHICH WHICH ONE OF THESE DIFFERENT MATERIALS WILL WITHSTAND OUR CLAY SOIL? THE BEST. THE MOVEMENT OF OUR SOIL IS, I THINK, ONE OF THE THE BIGGEST DRIVERS WE HAVE.
YOU TAKE THE MASONRY WALLS WHILE THEY'VE SHIFTED. FOUNDATIONS WEREN'T DONE PROPERLY, WEREN'T DEEP ENOUGH, MAYBE NO FOUNDATION WALL FOUNDATIONS AT ALL IN SOME OF THOSE.
CONVERSELY, WE'LL GO TO THE FURTHEST END CEDAR FENCING.
IF YOU INSTALL THE POST DEEP ENOUGH, THEY'LL LAST, BUT IF YOU DON'T, THEY TOO WILL LEAN.
AND I DON'T WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY ENGINEERING DESIGNS FOR WHAT THIS IS.
SO WE'RE IN CHARGE OF DECIDING HOW WELL WE'RE GOING TO INSTALL THESE FENCES.
[02:55:03]
SO I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT THE REST OF COUNCIL WOULD AGREE WITH ME THAT I WANT TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR FOUNDATIONS AND ALL OF OUR INSTALLATION IS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY. AND SO WE CAN IF, IF EVERYTHING IS INSTALLED CORRECTLY AND AS DEEP AS IT NEEDS TO BE.IS THERE ANYTHING THAT SAYS GOING WITH THE SINGLE BRICK OR THE LONG SPAN CAST WOULD BE BETTER? IT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON THE FOUNDATION SYSTEM, RIGHT? WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS ENGINEERED. SO I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO SAY TOO MUCH. AND THEN PEOPLE OH GOSH, HE SAID, IT REALLY DEPENDS.
RIGHT. SO IF YOU TELL ME GO WITH CEDAR FENCING, WE'RE GOING TO TASK THE ENGINEER TO INSTALL IT IN SUCH A WAY AS TO RESIST THE MOVEMENT OF THE SOILS. RIGHT. IF YOU TELL US TO GO WITH THE MASONRY PART OF THAT CLEAR, EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION TO THE ENGINEER IN THEIR DESIGN IS TO BE TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT THEY INSTALL A SUFFICIENT FOUNDATION. IT'S ONLY MONEY AND THEY CAN DO IT.
SO I WOULD ARGUE, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO EQUIVOCATE, BUT IT THE MATERIAL TYPE IS A LITTLE LESS RELEVANT TO RESISTING THE MOVEMENT OF THE SOIL AS COMPARED TO ITS FOUNDATION OR POST SYSTEM.
THAT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON THE ENGINEERING DESIGN. I WOULD ESTIMATE, MR. HOGAN, WHEN WAS THAT WALL BUILT? WE MOVED IN IN 1991.
THAT WAS THE FIRST PHASE. SO SOMETIME IN THE 80S WOULD BE LATE 80S.
SO WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 40 YEARS OF IS THAT RIGHT? 86. 96. YEAH. 40 YEARS OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCE IN NOT ONLY THE WAY THAT THESE THINGS ARE CONSTRUCTED AND BUILT, BUT THE WAY THAT THE FOUNDATIONS ARE ENGINEERED. I WOULD I WOULD SAY THAT THAT ALONE TO ME WOULD PROVIDE SOME ASSURANCE, BECAUSE THAT WALL, FOR ALL OF ITS FAILINGS AND FAULTS, HAS LASTED A LONG TIME.
IT REALLY HAS. IT'S IT'S HELD UP. ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, WITH WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE SOIL HERE, IT'S HELD UP FAIRLY WELL. NOW IT'S HAD SOME FAILURES AND IT'S HAD SOME ISSUES, BUT THAT'S WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT TODAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, INITIALLY I WAS OF THE OPINION THAT THE SINGLE WIDTH BRICK WAS WAS THE WAY TO GO.
BUT I'M KIND OF OF THE OPINION THAT MAYBE THE PRECAST MIGHT NOT BE SO BAD.
THERE'S PRECAST THERE TODAY. AND AGAIN, WE'VE GOT 40 YEARS ADVANCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY WHERE THE PRECAST HAS BEEN BUILT UP BETTER, MORE ROBUST CONCRETE MIXES ARE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEY WERE 40 YEARS AGO.
SO, I MEAN, HONESTLY, I'M KIND OF I COULD GO EITHER WAY.
THE REASON I'M SOMEWHAT AGAINST THE SINGLE WIDTH BRICK IS BECAUSE IF THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE WALL AND BRICK HAS TO BE PURCHASED AND REPLACED, IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY MATCH. THERE MAY BE A DIFFICULTY IN GETTING SOME CONSISTENCY IN WHAT THAT BRICK LOOKS LIKE.
WHEREAS THE PRECAST, IF IT'S EITHER STAINED OR PAINTED, IT'S GOING TO BE FAR EASIER TO MATCH.
AS LONG AS THEY DO A BETTER JOB THAN THEY HAVE BEEN WITH THE EXISTING WALL THAT'S OUT THERE.
I WAS GOING TO SAY, SIR, I DON'T WANT TO CONTRADICT, BUT FROM WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD, THOSE ARE CONS OF BOTH OF THOSE TYPES, THAT THE PRECAST PRECAST MAY BE EASIER FROM AN INSTALLATION STANDPOINT, BUT NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MATCHING AND PATTERNS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE AND THOSE OTHER THINGS. AND SO THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT THAT WILL MORE EASILY MATCH THAN NECESSARILY TRYING TO MATCH BRICK FOR BRICK.
OKAY. THEN IN MY OPINION, BRICK IT IS. I THINK WE MAY STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH BRICK FOR BRICK, JUST JUST BECAUSE OF HOW MANY BRICKS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PURCHASE.
IS THAT WHEN YOU SAY THE SAME PROBLEM, SIR. I'VE BEEN THINKING IF WE'RE GOING TO BASICALLY, I GUESS, DO SOME OF THESE WALLS THAT ARE THE SAME COLOR ALL THE WAY DOWN.
JUST JUST USE MY NEIGHBORHOOD. WHEN THEY STARTED BUILDING THE HOUSES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD BACK IN 1999, MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND NOT ALL OF OUR HOUSES HAD THE SAME BRICK.
IT CHANGED JUST WHERE THEY WERE GETTING THE BRICK AT THE TIME.
I GUESS I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CASE WAS, BUT THEY THEY WERE COMING FROM MEXICO'S, WHAT I WAS TOLD.
AND MY NEIGHBOR SUPPOSEDLY HAD THE SAME BRICK I HAD.
BUT THERE'S NOT THE SAME COLOR. IT'S A LITTLE OFF.
SO WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. WHICHEVER. BUT I'M I'M FOR WHICHEVER IS GOING TO LAST, WHICHEVER ONE, YOU KNOW, GET THE MOST BENEFIT OUT OF AND STAY UP AND NOT DOWN ON THE GROUND AND CRACKING.
[03:00:05]
AND FOR THE POINT OF 1991 I REMEMBER BEING THERE WHEN THEY DID PUT THE WALL UP, AND IT DID FELL A FEW TIMES BEFORE THEY EVEN GOT IT FIXED UP.IT WOULD CRACK IN THE MIDDLE AND JUST FALL DOWN.
IF IF WE THINK THAT'S GOING TO LAST THE LONGEST. I'M. I'M IN FAVOR OF THAT. I'LL ADD JUST MY TWO POINTS IN LOOKING AT OBVIOUSLY THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REPLACE LAKE ESTATES AS FAR AS WHAT CITY MANAGER HALL PRESENTED AND LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS TO FROM WHAT CRYSTAL WAS OVER TO SEND OVER.
I'M IN SUPPORT OF REPLACING WITH THE BRICK FOR LAKE ESTATES.
OKAY. COUNCIL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? SO, DAVID, AT SOME POINT YOU'LL BE COMING BACK TO US WITH DECISION ON THE REMAINDER OF THESE ASSESSMENTS TODAY.
WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS APPROVAL FROM THE COUNCIL TO TO PROCEED WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF LAKE BEND.
CORRECT. CORRECT. OKAY. AND WE HAVE A MOTION LANGUAGE TO THAT.
CAN WE AGREE ON WHAT TYPE OF. SO I HEARD SINGLE WITH BRICK FROM MR. BOWERS. I HEARD SINGLE WITH BRICK FROM MR. GIBBS.
I'LL SAY SINGLE BRICK TOO. OKAY, THAT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S PRETTY GOOD CONSENSUS THERE ON THAT.
SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. MR. SHOOP, PUSH A BUTTON.
YEP. OKAY. THERE'S SOME HAPPY PEOPLE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
I MAKE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE A CITY MANAGER TO PROCEED WITH ALL STEPS NECESSARY FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE SCREENING WALLS AND SUBDIVISION ENTRANCE FEATURES AT LAKE BLED ESTATES USING BRICK MATERIAL BASED UPON THE COUNCIL HEREBY FINDING THAT THE REPLACEMENT OF THESE SCREENING WALLS AND SUBDIVISION ENTRANCES FEATURE SERVES THE FOLLOWING PRIMARY AND LEGITIMATE PUBLIC PURPOSES OF IMPROVEMENT OF MAJOR ARTERIAL STREETS.
INCREASING PUBLIC SAFETY. INCREASING AND PRESERVING PROPERTY VALUES AND PRESERVATION OF ESTHETIC QUALITY AND VISUAL CHARACTER OF THE CITY, PARTICULARLY ALONG MAJOR ARTERIAL STREETS. I HAVE A MOTION COUNCIL DO I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND BY MR. BOWERS. I SECOND HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THAT ITEM.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. LET'S CALL THE VOTE, PLEASE.
AND THAT ITEM CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ALL RIGHT.
WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM, THIS MEETING THIS EVENING.
BUT WE'LL MOVE TO THE LAST PORTION OF OUR AGENDA.
[Additional Item]
PLACE A TOPIC ON THE AGENDA FOR A SUBSEQUENT MEETING. DO WE HAVE A REQUEST FOR ANY FUTURE? I DO, MR.. MR.. BRITTON YEAH, I'D LIKE TO GET AN UPDATE ON OUR RCC ESTIMATE.I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S COMPLETE YET, BUT IF WE CAN GET AN UPDATE ON THE REPAIRS THAT WERE BEING ESTIMATED ON THE ASSESSMENT OR WE HAVEN'T BEGUN REPAIRS. NO. YEAH, JUST AN UPDATE ON THAT.
ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL HAVE THAT TO A FUTURE MEETING AND ANY OTHER.
YOU NEED A SECOND. OH SORRY. GO AHEAD, MR. GIBBS.
I WAS GOING TO SECOND THAT. THANK YOU I APPRECIATE THAT, OKAY.
OKAY. I WOULD ALSO LIKE IF I COULD GET OR WE COULD GET A UPDATE ON OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ON WHERE WE ARE, ON THAT WITH THE COMING BUSINESSES.
I'LL SECOND THAT AS WELL. I'D LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING TO A WORK SESSION.
JUST HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT USES OUR FLOCK CAMERA SYSTEM.
AND WHAT OTHER TOOLS OR SHARING THAT IS WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT.
JUST FROM A CIVIL LIBERTIES PERSPECTIVE. OKAY.
YEAH. DO YOU HAVE A DATE FOR THAT OR REQUESTED DATE? LOOKS LIKE EARLY FEBRUARY IS GOING TO BE BUSY.
SO MAYBE SECOND MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY OR 1ST OF MARCH? YEP. YES, SIR. BECAUSE THE DEADLINE FOR ITEMS FOR THE FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY IS TODAY OR TOMORROW.
TODAY, MARCH IS FINE. IF IT'S A FULL CALENDAR.
MARCH IS GREAT. THANK YOU. AND I'LL SECOND THAT.
AND I'D LIKE TO ADD JUST FOR THE MARCH TIME FRAME.
JUST A CONVERSATION IN THE WORK SESSION ABOUT OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT. CAN I GET A SECOND ON THAT ONE, PLEASE? I'LL SECOND THAT. ALL RIGHT. HAVE A SECOND BY MISS BOWERS ON THAT ONE.
SO I'M HEARING FIVE AGENDA ITEMS IN TOTAL REQUESTED.
FIRST IS AN UPDATE ON THE COMMUNITY CENTER ASSESSMENT.
THE SECOND IS AN UPDATE ON OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH RESPECT TO NEW BUSINESSES.
[03:05:04]
THE THIRD IS LAW AND LAW ENFORCEMENT USE OF THE FLOCK CAMERA SYSTEM WITH RESPECT TO CIVIL LIBERTIES AND OTHER INFORMATION.AND THE FOURTH IS EXCUSE ME, NUMBER FOUR IS WORK SESSION REGARDING COMMUNICATIONS.
THE FIFTH IS A WORK SESSION REGARDING OUR NUMBERING SYSTEM FOR RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES.
MR. SHOOP. YEAH. AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS A COUNCIL ITEM OR A STAFF ITEM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO REVISIT THE THE DRAINAGE PROBLEMS, THE THE BASICALLY RE ORDINANCE OR THE CONFORMING NONCONFORMING THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN APPROVED FOR HASSAN. I CAN'T REMEMBER HIS LAST NAME. AND HIS WIFE IS.
YEAH. AND I. IS THAT A CAN THAT BE A COUNCIL ADAM, OR IS THAT A STAFF ITEM? I GUESS I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR. I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY DRAINAGE REGULATIONS THAT WERE CHANGED.
WHAT WAS CHANGED WAS THE ALLOWANCE OF THE STRUCTURE.
LOOK AT OUR CITY ATTORNEY FOR THAT CITY ATTORNEY.
SO WE DON'T WE VOTED ON IT AND WE DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS IT IN THIS MEETING.
SO WE'VE WE'VE HAD THE REQUEST. DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT REQUEST.
[6. Executive Session ]
ATTORNEY TO RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING SAPPHIRE BAY DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS WITH SAPPHIRE BAY LAND HOLDINGS ONE, LLC.WE'LL CONVENE HERE IN ABOUT THE NEXT TEN OR SO MINUTES IN THE WORK SESSION ROOM COUNCIL.
FROM THERE, WE WILL DISMISS OUT OF THE WORK SESSION ROOM AFTER WE COME BACK INTO OPEN SESSION.
THANKS, EVERYBODY, FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. HAVE A GREAT EVENING. THANK YOU ALL. ALL RIGHT.
CITY COUNCIL HAS CONCLUDED EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 11 P.M., AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM SIX, A MR. GIBBS. YES. I MOVE THAT WE AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE AND SERVE A NOTICE OF
[7. Reconvene Into Open Session and Take Any Necessary or Appropriate Action on Closed/Executive Session Matters ]
UNCURED DEFAULT AND NOTICE OF TERMINATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS WITH SAPPHIRE BAY LAND HOLDINGS.I SECOND THE MOTION BY MR. GIBBS, A SECOND BY MR. BRITTON. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, LET'S CALL THE VOTE BY A SHOW OF HANDS, PLEASE.
ALL RIGHT. THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. PERFECT.
WITH THAT COUNCIL, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 11 P.M..
THANKS, EVERYBODY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.