* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:02] OKAY. [Community Services Committee on March 9, 2021] SO IT IS MARCH 9TH, 2021. AND THIS IS A MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE. I AM THE CHAIR, DEBRA MORRIS, AND WITH ME ARE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, RICH ALBAN, AND DYLAN HEDRICK. UM, AS WELL AS KEVIN SLEIGH, KUCHA COPELAND MCKAYLA, RAY, SCOTT BALLINGER, AND CHIEF BRYAN. SO, UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. SO FIRST IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE LAST NOVEMBER 10TH MEETING. UM, HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO READ THEM? DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? OKAY, THEN ALL IN FAVOR. OKAY. APPROVED. UM, SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TO REVIEW THE FALL 2020 NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY GRANT APPLICATIONS PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED. SO THIS IS ANOTHER BITE AT THE APPLE AND I WAS HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF DEJA VU RUNNING AGAIN. SO THIS SHOULD BE INTERESTING. UM, SO, UH, WHO'S GOING TO BE PRESENTING CONTENT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, WHY DON'T YOU GO FOR IT? ALL RIGHT. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN AND WE WILL GET STARTED ON THIS. OKAY. CAN EVERYONE SEE MY SCREEN? CAN YOU MAKE IT GO FULL SCREEN? THERE YOU GO. THERE YOU GO. SO AS A SUMMARY FROM THE NOVEMBER 10TH MEETING THAT WE HAD, THE COMMITTEE REQUESTED A CONTINUANCE ON FOUR OF THE FALL 2020 MATCHING GRANT APPLICATIONS, VILLAGES OF VALLEY CREEK IRON GATE, WIND JAMMER, HOA, AND, UM, TRAILS RECREATION CLUB THREE OUT OF FOUR OF THESE THEY REQUESTED, OR YOU ALL REQUESTED FUNCTIONALITY REPORTS, AND WE HAVE THEM TO BE SHARED TONIGHT. AND ANOTHER ONE OR, UM, TRAILS WAS, UM, WE NEEDED TO DISCUSS MATTERS FURTHER WITH LEGAL TO SEE IF THEIR PROJECT WAS EVEN ELIGIBLE UNDER THIS TYPE OF, UM, PROGRAM OFFERED. SO I'M GOING TO GET STARTED WITH THE FUNCTIONALITY REPORTS THAT WERE REQUESTED. AND, UM, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN VILLAGES OF VALLEY CREEK. SO I'M JUST GOING TO GO OVER THE PROJECT SUMMARY AND THEN GET TO THE FUNCTIONALITY REPORT AND THEN A DISCUSSION CAN BE, UH, STARTED UNLESS YOU WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO RUN THROUGH THE ENTIRE, UM, PROPOSAL AGAIN, THEN I CAN DO WHATEVER THE COMMITTEE IS, UM, WANTING TO DO. I, I WOULD DOUBT THAT, THAT WE WOULD NEED YOU TO DO THAT COMMITTEE. DO YOU, UM, DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANT THE ENTIRE PRO UM, PRESENTATION AGAIN? I CAN'T SEE YOU. OKAY. SO I WAS NOT IT, UM, VILLAGES OF VALLEY, UH, NORTH HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION HAS A PROJECT SUMMARY TO INSTALL ROCK, GROUND COVER FROM CREEK MEADOW DRIVE TO BRIAR BROOK LANE TO PREVENT EROSION AND WASH OUT ALSO TO INSTALL, UM, UH, WELL AROUND EACH PLANT PREVIOUSLY PLANTED WITH DIRT TO KEEP PREVIOUSLY INSTALLED PLANTS ALIVE. UH, THEY'RE WANTING TO INSTALL ROCK GROUND COVER FOR ABOUT A 17,000 SQUARE FEET ALONG PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD. THE, UM, COMPANY THAT THEY SELECTED WAS THE GROUNDS COMPANY AND A SUMMARY OF THEIR FUNCTIONALITY REPORT IS THAT WATER CAN FLOW THROUGH THE CRACKS BETWEEN THE STONES AND IMPROVES DRAINAGE FIRE WHEEL ESTATES PROJECT WAS RECENTLY COMPLETED BY THIS COMPANY AND HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT, UH, AND IS HOLDING UP VERY WELL. HE RECOMMENDS THAT VILLAGES OF VALLEY CREEK DO THIS TOO, BECAUSE IT IS A GREAT PROJECT FOR DROUGHT TOLERANT LANDSCAPING AND TO PREVENT FUTURE EROSION. AND WITH THAT, I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. OKAY. UM, WOULD YOU MIND GOING AHEAD AND GOING AHEAD AND TAKING YOUR SCREEN NOW, AND WE MAY ASK YOU TO PUT IT BACK UP AGAIN, BUT ALL RIGHT. THAT WAY I CAN SEE PEOPLE. UM, SO I'M LOOKING AT OUR, OUR NOTES FROM, UM, FROM THE LAST MEETING, WE WERE, UH, SPECIFICALLY CONCERNED THAT ON THIS PROJECT, UH, WITH BEING RE REASSURED THAT THIS WOULD ACTUALLY, UM, RESOLVE THE EROSION ISSUE. SO, UM, COMMITTEE, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? WHERE ARE YOU SATISFIED THAT THAT REPORT ADDRESSED THAT CONCERN? [00:05:02] ARE WE ALLOWED TO USE RIVER ROCK BEN IN PLACE LANDSCAPING? IS THAT MORE THAN PERMANENT ALLOWABLE USAGE THERE? SCOTT, DO YOU KNOW THAT? CAN YOU LET ME KNOW, PLEASE? YES. THE, THE ADVICE WE'VE BEEN GIVEN IS THAT YEAH, THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED PART OF HARDSCAPING. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER CONCERNS ON THIS ONE? I CAN ASK FOR A MOTION. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL. OKAY. NOT THAT ONE DONE. AND LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE. OKAY. NEXT IS IRON GATE AT FIRE WHEEL, A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. THEY ARE WANTING TO, UM, AIRY THE TURF FOR IMPROVED WATER ABSORPTION AND INSTALL SALT AND PEPPER ROCK UNDER THE CURRENT TREES ABOUT 7,000 SQUARE FEET ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF GARLAND ROAD. IN ADDITION TO MULCHING THE CREPE MYRTLE MYRTLES. SO THEY HAVE SELECTED TWO DIFFERENT COMPANIES, ONE FOR AERATION AND THE OTHER FOR THE RIVER ROCK. SO THE PRECISION TREE CARE GARDEN SCAPE CORPORATION IS FOR THE RIVER ROCK. AND A SUMMARY IS THAT THE RIVER ROCK WILL STAY LEVEL WITH THE SIDEWALK PREVENTING EROSION AND THE WATER WILL HAVE A PLACE TO GO BESIDES THE SIDEWALK, AND IT WILL ACHIEVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S GOAL TO CONSERVE WATER, LOOK NICE AND PREVENT MUDDY SIDEWALKS. THE SECOND FUNCTIONALITY REPORT IS FOR THE AERATION, AND THIS IS FROM BRIGHT VIEW LANDSCAPES, AND THEY STATED FACHE IS GOOD FOR GROWING GRASS, BUT NOT, BUT TOO MUCH IS BAD. AERATION CAN BE USED TO THIN THAT TO NORMAL LEVELS, WHICH IMPROVES THE ENVIRONMENT FOR GROWING GRASS. SO BOTH FUNCTIONALITY REPORTS ARE STATING THAT THE PROJECT SUMMARY IS, UM, GOOD FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND GOOD FOR GOOD FOR WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, WHICH IS EROSION AND FOR THE GRASS TO CONTINUE GROWING IN A HEALTHY WAY. AND WITH THAT, I'D BE PLEASED TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. I HAVE ONE. SURE. YEAH. I WONDER IF THE SAD SHARE THE DETHATCHING THE AERATION IS ALLOWED, IT SEEMS LIKE A TEMPORARY OR A MAINTENANCE ISSUE THAT WAS NOT THE RIVER ROCK. LIKE THE PREVIOUS PROJECT AGREED. UH THAT'S IT'S NOT, UM, IT'S CERTAINLY NOT ENCOURAGED BY OUR GUIDELINES. UM, THERE'S NO LEGAL ISSUE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT AGAINST IT, BUT IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD TYPICALLY DENY THAT PORTION OF THE AERATION PORTION. YEAH. I THINK WE SHOULD SPLIT THAT PORTION OUT. IT DOESN'T HAVE A BREAKDOWN ON THE SHEET I HAVE, BUT IF WE COULD BREAK THAT OUT THEN, UM, FOR PROVING THEIR ROCKS, JUST LIKE THE PREVIOUS ONE FOR THE, UH, AIRATION WAS PROJECTED TO COST $1,500 FOR 1.2, FIVE ACRES, AND THE RIVER ROCK IS A 31,000 FOR 117 TONS. SO YEAH, WE CAN DEFINITELY, UH, IF YOU'RE WANTING TO APPROVE JUST THE RIVER ROCK INSTALLATION, UM, THAT WILL BE COMMUNICATED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IS THAT THE MOTION? YEAH, I'D MOVE IN TO EXCLUDE THE AERATION PORTION OF IT AND APPROVE THE ROCK. OKAY. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? OKAY. IN FAVOR? YES. ALL RIGHT. LET'S DO IT THAT WAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT IS NEXT IS WINDJAMMER HOA. UM, THIS IS AN EROSION CONTROL PROJECT. AND BACK IN NOVEMBER, ALMOST THE ENTIRE PROPOSAL WAS DENIED BESIDES THE INSTALLATION OF AN EROSION RETAINING FLOWER BED WALL, UM, WITH THE WALL TWO FEET TALL IN FRONT OF THE PARKING AREA. SO THE COST BREAKDOWN IS, UM, NOT ACCURATE ON THIS PAGE, BUT AFTER REVIEWING THE APPLICATION, THEY HAVE THAT IT SHOULD COST FIVE TO 10,000. SO THE MATCH WOULD BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN, BUT THE FUNCTIONALITY REPORTS, SUMMARY STATES THAT, UM, THE [00:10:01] EROSION IS PARTLY DUE TO THE LACK OF, UH, THE GUTTERS THAT WERE BEING INSTALLED AROUND THE BUILDING. AND ALL OF THE WATER IS FLOWING OUT OF THE DOWNSPOUTS, UM, CAUSING THE ISSUES. AND THIS EROSION WILL CONTINUE UNLESS ACTION IS TAKEN. IT STATES THAT THIS WALL IS NOT A PERMANENT FIX, BUT WILL HELP AND SHOULD BE INSTALLED. AND WITH THAT, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON WIND H Y UM, CAN I HAVE, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT, UM, DYLAN RICH, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YEAH. IS A WALL, THE RIGHT SOLUTION FOR QUARTER COMING OUT OF A DOWN'S FAST SEEMS LIKE THEY MIGHT NEED SOMETHING AT THE DOWNSPOUT ITSELF BEFORE IT GETS TO THE WALL. BUT, UM, I KNOW THEY ALSO HAVE SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS ON HERE AS WELL. THAT I QUESTION IS, IS THAT ALL PART OF THIS CONSIDERATION AS WELL? IN ADDITION TO THE WALL? NO, UH, NOVEMBER, EVERYTHING ELSE WAS DENIED BESIDES WALL. THAT WAS THE ONLY PART OF THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS ISSUED AT CONTINUUM. OKAY. CONTINUE. SO, OKAY. I WAS JUST CONFUSED BY IT. I KNOW THE PRODUCT SUMMARY INSTEAD WHEEL STOPS AND FINE AND EVERYTHING ELSE. OKAY. UM, YEAH, I QUESTIONED IF THIS WILL ACHIEVE THEIR PURPOSE, BUT, UM, I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT THE REST OF THE, HE SAYS AS WELL. YEAH. IT'S, IT'S AN INTERESTING REPORT. IT'S LIKE, WE DIDN'T PROPERLY MAINTAIN OUR PROPERTY WITH, WITH GUTTERS AND THAT CAUSED A BUNCH OF PROBLEMS. SO NOW WE ADDED THE GUTTERS AND THAT CAUSES SOME OTHER PROBLEMS. SO I, IT DOESN'T FEEL VERY, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD VITALISTIC. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO REALLY DESCRIBE THAT. AND I'M NOT SURE IT SOLVES A, AS DYLAN SAID, I'M NOT SURE IT SOLVES THE UNDERLYING WELL NOT, I'M NOT SURE IT FLAT OUT SAYS IT DOESN'T SOLVE THE UNDERLYING ISSUE. IT HELPS WITH THE UNDERLYING ISSUE. SO I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE POINT IS FOR US TO PITCH IN A BUNCH OF MONEY TO HELP WITH AN UNDERLYING ISSUE FOR NOT GOING TO SOLVE IT. UM, YOU KNOW, I MIGHT BE INCLINED TO SEND SOMEBODY YOU'LL SEND, SEND SOMEBODY FROM THE CITY TO GO OUT AND LOOK AT IT AND MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, LIKE A LEGIT, LIKE, WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL OPTIONS FOR YOU GUYS SOLVING YOUR DRAINAGE PROBLEMS OR ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP IN THAT MAYBE, MAYBE NOT. BUT, UM, IT ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A, IT'S A SOLUTION WITH A, WITH A POST KIND OF JUSTIFICATION FOR IT. IT'S LIKE WE WANT A WALL. SO, UH, HERE'S THE REASON WHY, ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THEY WANT A WALL, CAUSE IT'S DECORATIVE. I MEAN, MAYBE THAT IS NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY. I WOULD, I WOULD SAY THE POSITION OF THE WALL IS A LITTLE, LITTLE MORE INTERIOR THAN I WOULD LIKE TO THE OVERALL COMPLEX TO BE CONSIDERED SOME KIND OF, UM, YOU KNOW, FRONTAGE BEAUTIFICATION KIND OF THING. UM, THAT'S, THAT'S MY OPINION. I AM INCLINED TO JUST DENY THIS AS, ALONG WITH WHAT WE ALREADY DENIED EARLIER, BUT WE HAVE MORE QUESTIONS OR DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MOVE TO DINNER. ONE QUESTION, QUESTION. UM, WILL THEY BE ABLE TO REVISE AND COME BACK? IS THIS A DENIAL WITH PREJUDICE OR ARE WE, UH, CAN THEY KEEP REVISING AND REVISING AND REVISING? AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE THERE. THEY'RE CERTAINLY TRYING, AND I GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR THAT, BUT OH, SAID, CAN WE GET SOMEONE OUT THERE MAYBE TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR APPLICATION? NO. WELL, AND, UH, WELL, UH, WHAT I'M, WHAT I WOULD DO WITH THIS AND WITH THE DENIAL IS THAT I WILL ENCOURAGE THEM TO REAPPLY, BUT MAYBE TO WORK WITH US A LITTLE BIT MORE IN PREPARING THEIR APPLICATION AND WE DIDN'T GET, THEY SORT OF, UM, THEY TALKED TO US A LITTLE BIT, BUT THEY DIDN'T REALLY WORK WITH US ON PREPARING THE APPLICATION AND WHAT TYPE OF THINGS THAT THESE, THAT THIS PROGRAM, UM, APPROVED. SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD DO WITH IT. UM, SAY YOU WERE DENIED THIS TIME, BUT YOU KNOW, UM, THE SPRING DUE DATE IS, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE WEEKS AWAY, MAYBE WE CAN WORK WITH YOU ON THAT OR, OR MAYBE THE NEXT DEADLINE TO PREPARE YOU FOR, UH, FOR A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION AND HELP ON THEIR APPLICATION. OKAY. SO AGREED ON DENIAL, YOU KNOW, [00:15:01] IT'S LIKE, ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. FINALLY IS TRAILS RECREATION CLUB. THIS IS FOR A TENNIS AREA RESTORATION. THE PROJECT SUMMARY IS TO REPHASE AND RESTRIPE THE PARKING LOT. AND SIX TENNIS COURTS TO INCLUDE PICKLEBALL INSTALL, A STRONG CHAIN LINK FENCE AROUND THE TENNIS COURTS, REMOVE DEAD BUSHES AROUND THE TENNIS COURTS AND REPLACE WITH NEW AND WITH NEW ONES AND IN A BETTER LOCATION. AND FINALLY, TO RESTORE THE OVERHEAD LIGHTING WITH TIMERS, TO CONSERVE ENERGY FOR PLAYERS TO PLAY AS THE SUN STARTS TO SET. SO HE COMMITTEE WAS CONCERNED WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS, THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS, ALL BEING INSIDE OF THE RECREATION CLUB THAT COSTS MONEY TO ENJOY. IT COSTS $5 A DAY PER PERSON TO ENTER INTO THE RECREATION CLUB. AND IN THE PAST, THE TRAILS HAD APPLIED, BUT ALL OF THE PROJECT IMPROVEMENTS WERE OUTSIDE OF THE RECREATION FACILITY AND THIS ROUND THEY'RE INSIDE. SO WE SPOKE WITH LEGAL AND THEY STATED THAT THERE IS NO REASON TO DENY THE APPLICATION BASED ON THE CLUB FEE. UM, HOWEVER, IT MIGHT BE WORTH A DISCUSSION WITH THE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE TO, UM, GET A STRONGER, UM, ENFORCEMENT ON IF THESE TYPES OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ARE PERMITTED WITHIN THIS PROGRAM, WHEN THEY CHARGE A FEE TO ENJOY THE ACTIVITY, OR IF IT, IF IT IS TRULY OKAY AND THEY CAN CONTINUE TO APPLY. CAUSE I, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT TRAILS IS THE ONLY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION THAT POTENTIALLY IS LIKE THIS. SO IT MIGHT BE WORTH THE DISCUSSION IN THE FUTURE, BUT WITH LEGAL, THEY SAID, THERE'S NO REASON TO DENY THE APPLICATION BASED ON THE CLUB FEE. OKAY. AND WITH THAT, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU. I WILL SAY I LIKED THE IDEA OF DISCUSSING AND TAKING TO COUNCIL THAT KIND OF JUDGMENT CALL TO SAY, SHOULD THESE, UM, SHOULD THESE GROUPS ACTUALLY BE PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM AT ALL? JUST TO MAKE THAT CLEAR? UM, THE MORE CLARITY WE HAVE, THE EASIER THIS PROCESS GETS, UH, COMMITTEE, WE ON THE QUESTIONS ON, ON THIS FROM OUR, OUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATION THAT, UM, THE MAIN CONCERNS WERE ABOUT IT BEING A SEMI-PUBLIC FACILITY. SO LEGALLY OUR HANDS ARE NOT BOUND, BUT THAT'S STILL SOMETHING FOR US TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION. AND WE'VE, AND THIS IS YEARS AGO, SCOTT, YOU MAY REMEMBER IT MAY ONLY BE YOU AND I WHO WERE AROUND AT THE TIME. UM, SO WE HAD, WE'VE HAD SIMILAR PROJECTS BEFORE, NOT QUITE LIKE THIS, BUT PROJECTS IN GATED, HOA WAYS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. AND IT'S LIKE, ARE WE GOING TO SPEND MONEY ON, UM, ON PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC? UM, AND MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT PREVIOUSLY WE'VE TAKEN AND WHETHER IT'S LEGALLY REQUIRED OR NOT, WE'VE TAKEN THE POSITION THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO FUND PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO FUND PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC ON THIS. THAT'S MY RECOLLECTION. UM, I DO THINK IT'S WORTH IT. YOU KNOW, IT IT'S, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY ANYTHING THAT WE DO HERE TODAY IS SIMPLY A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL. UM, AND I THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY WORTH THE COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THAT. BUT I DO FEEL I HAVE SOME REAL CONCERN ABOUT, UH, USING THIS, THIS FUNDING, UH, THIS FUNDING FOR THAT, UH, I DON'T KNOW, THERE MAY BE OTHER, MAYBE OTHER AVENUES FOR THEM OR FOR OTHER THINGS, BUT I'M A LITTLE SKIDDISH ABOUT USING THE NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY FUNDS FOR, UH, UH, FOR SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S ONLY SORT OF PUBLIC. UM, WELL, WE'LL SAY SINCE, SINCE I'VE BEEN WITH NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY 2008, WE CAN DIG FURTHER BACK TO SEE IF THERE'S AN EXCEPTION OR CONTRADICTION TO THAT. BUT YEAH, SINCE, SINCE I'VE BEEN WITH NEIGHBORHOOD VITA, I MEAN, SORRY, 2015, SEVEN WITH NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY, UM, WE HAVE DISCOURAGED APPLICANTS AT REALLY AT THE APPLICATION LEVEL, NOT EVEN AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL, UM, THAT I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE. UM, THERE, UH, I BELIEVE IN WEST GARLAND, I BELIEVE IT'S CALLED PLACE ONE. THERE'S A DEVELOPMENT OVER THERE WHERE WE INSTALLED A PLAYGROUND AND [00:20:01] THE PLAYGROUND WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN HOA MEMBER. NOW THEY CAN DO SOME REASONABLE THINGS. LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, POST PARK HOURS, YOU KNOW, AFTER A CERTAIN TIME PEOPLE AREN'T ALLOWED, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. WE HAVE OTHER FACILITIES LIKE PAVILIONS THAT ARE ON, THAT ARE ON HOA PROPERTY, THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT WE HAVE TOLD THEM IN THE PAST THAT YOU CANNOT RESTRICT ACCESS BASED ON THAT MEMBERSHIP. AND YOU ALSO CAN'T, UM, PUT ANY KIND OF PHYSICAL BARRIER UP, YOU CAN'T PUT UP A LOCKING GATE, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN PUT A GATE UP, YOU KNOW, TO HELP WITH THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, AND STUFF LIKE THAT. BUT IT HAS TO BE ABLE TO, ANYONE CAN, CAN ACCESS IT. UH, WE HAVE ALSO, UM, AS ANOTHER EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A LOT OF, UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF PONDS IN THE CITY AND, UM, SOME OF THOSE OWNERSHIP SITUATIONS, THE PARCEL SORT OF MEET IN THE MIDDLE OF A POND. SO YOU HAVE SORT OF ALMOST LIKE JOINT OWNERSHIP OF 12 PROPERTIES SAY OF THIS POND AND THEY GATE IT OFF BECAUSE THEN THEY CAN DO THAT. THEY CAN GET IT OFF AND NOT ALLOW PEOPLE BACK THERE. BUT WHEN THEY ASKED FOR US FOR S YOU KNOW, ASSISTANCE WITH FUNDING ON, ON DOING SOMETHING BACK THERE REPAIRING OR BEAUTIFYING IT OR WHATEVER, WE TELL THEM, WELL, WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE YOU'VE, YOU'VE RESTRICTED ACCESS TO THAT PROPERTY. SO THAT'S BEEN, YES, I AGREE. COUNCIL MEMBER ALBAN THAT, THAT HAS BEEN OUR POLICY TO DATE. UH, THIS IS THOUGH THE REASON WE'RE BRINGING THIS TO YOU, INSTEAD OF JUST HANDLING IT AT THE STAFF LEVEL IS BECAUSE THIS IS SORT OF A UNIQUE SITUATION WITH THE CLUB FEE. THEY WERE A SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT IN THE PAST. UM, AND WE, I ASSUMED ACTUALLY I HAD JUST ASSUMED THAT THERE WAS A, UM, THAT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF LEGAL REASON TO DENY IT ANYWAY. AND I WAS SURPRISED THAT THERE WASN'T. UM, SO ESSENTIALLY COUNCIL IS BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER A PROJECT THAT WOULD ALLOW PROJECTS THAT HAVE LIMITED PUBLIC ACCESS TO BE ELIGIBLE IS, IS, UM, IS HOW WE'RE WORDING THAT. UM, SO, AND, AND THIS COULD BE SOMETHING WHERE, WELL, LET ME PUT IT ANOTHER WAY. WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS TAKE YOUR GUIDELINES AND COMMUNICATE THEM AND WORK WITH APPLICANTS AS BEST WE CAN, BASED ON THE GUIDELINES YOU'VE GIVEN US. SO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO PUT IN THE GUIDELINES, WE WILL, WE WILL FACILITATE THAT THAT'S OUR JOB. BUT, UM, JUST TYPICALLY THIS ISN'T EXPRESSLY SAID IN THE GUIDELINES, TYPICALLY WE DO DENY THIS TYPE OF THING, BUT WE FIGURED IT WAS A GOOD TIME FOR A DISCUSSION SINCE THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY. I HAVE ONE QUESTION, SCOTT, YOU BROUGHT UP AN INTERESTING THING RIGHT THERE. YOU HAD MENTIONED THE PONDS AND I HAVE SOME OF THAT IN MY DISTRICT WITH CAMELOT, THEY HAVE THEIR PROPERTY LINES ACTUALLY EXTEND TO THE CENTER OF THE PONDS THAT GO THROUGH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THERE. UM, THIS PROJECT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, I ASSUME THE ENTIRE PROJECTS ON HOA PROPERTY, IS THAT CORRECT? YES. YEAH. AND OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN IN MARGINALLY HAVE BEEN IN THE RIGHT OF WAY OR, WELL, THEY MIGHT EVEN ACTUALLY BE AN HOA PROPERTY AS WELL. SO THAT'S NO HOA PROPERTY PROJECTS. I MENTIONED A COUPLE OF, WE PROBABLY HAVE, I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU, I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU A GUESS, BUT IT'S APPROACHING DOUBLE DIGIT. IF IT'S NOT ALREADY THERE OVER THE ENTIRE HISTORY, SINCE 2005 OF THE PROGRAM, WE DO HAVE PROJECTS ON HOA PROPERTY, BUT THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE TOLD THEM, AND WE'VE EVEN CHECKED UP ON THEM THAT YOU CANNOT RESTRICT ACCESS BASED ON MEMBERSHIP, ONLY SORT OF THOSE REASONABLE, UH, HOURS. THINGS IS THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN RESTRICT ACCESS. NOW THAT SCARES SOME PEOPLE OFF, YOU KNOW, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, UM, ARE YOU GOING TO, ARE YOU GOING TO BUILD THE MOST AWESOME PLAYGROUND IN THE WORLD THAT EVERYONE FROM RICHARDSON'S GOING TO COME OVER AND VISIT? YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THE RISK IS PRETTY LOW THERE, BUT REGARDLESS SINCE WE'RE USING, YOU KNOW, TAX TAXPAYER BOND, MONEY, TAXPAYER DEBT ISSUANCE TO PAY FOR IT, WE'VE TOLD THEM THAT YOU CAN'T DO THAT. I WOULD HAVE A LARGER ISSUE WITH THIS. IF IT WAS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, WITH THOSE PONDS, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING TO IMPROVE THOSE BONDS, I DON'T HAVE AS LARGE OF AN ISSUE IF IT'S ON THE PUBLIC HOA PROPERTY, BECAUSE PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY IS TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND ATTRACTIVENESS AND THE STABILITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS. AND THAT'S WHAT HOA AND HOA PROPERTY TENDS TO DO. AND I HOPE THAT'S THEIR GOAL AS WELL. SO I DON'T HAVE AS MUCH OF A PROBLEM FUNDING THIS TYPE OF PROJECT BECAUSE OF THAT. I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION AND I'M JUST REMEMBERING THIS FROM LAST TIME. PART OF THEIR REQUEST WAS FUNDS TO, UM, RESURFACE AND RESTRIPE THE TENNIS COURT AND PARKING LOT. AND THE NOTES FROM YOUR OFFICE, SCOTT WAS THAT DURING A RECENT VISIT, THE TENNIS COURTS APPEARED AS IF THEY HAD BEEN RESURFACED RECENTLY. [00:25:01] SO, UM, THAT'S, UH, A PRACTICALITY I TO MINOR PRACTICALITY, I AM INCLINED TO NOT APPROVE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BARRIERS BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND THE USE. SO $5 A DAY IS NOT ENORMOUS, BUT THAT'S, I STILL JUST FIND THAT A LITTLE BIT PROBLEMATIC ON OUR END. SO WE, WE MAY JUST NEED TO BRING THIS TO A VOTE ON COMMITTEE TO SEE HOW WE FEEL JOINTLY ABOUT IT. UM, BUT I DO THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BRING TO COUNCIL AS A WHOLE AND DISCUSS WHAT OUR PARAMETERS ARE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S THE LINE DRAWN BETWEEN RISK RESTRICTED ASS ACCESS, PARTIALLY RESTRICTED ACCESS AND ACCESS. THAT'S, YOU KNOW, $5 AND UNDER IS OKAY, BUT IF IT'S $10 A DAY, THEN THAT'S SUDDENLY BAD. UM, I THINK THIS WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO MAKE CLEAR AND JUST HAVE IT BE SCOTT PART OF YOUR GUIDELINES SO THAT IT'S NOT GUESSWORK. UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DOES EVERYBODY PAY $5? IF YOU LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU PAY $5, IS IT FREE OR WITH YOUR HOA MEMBERSHIP OR HOW'S THAT WORK? NOT PAY $5 IF YOU LIVE THERE. OKAY. SO IF YOU LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SO IF YOU LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU'RE PART OF THE HOA AND WE'RE PAYING DUES, CORRECT? CORRECT. OKAY. SO IT'S PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. YEAH. WAIT, THIS ONE IS A BORDERLINE, I'M HAPPY TO SEND IT UP TO COUNCIL WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A DEFINED, WE NEED GUIDANCE FROM COUNCIL ON IT AND JUST SEE WHERE PEOPLE FALL ON IT, FOLLOWING THE POLICY. BUT, UM, UH, BUT I DO APPROVE MOVING IT UP TO COUNCIL AT THIS POINT. YEAH. I AGREE. UH, DALE AND I CAN GET WITH THAT. SURE. I'M HAPPY TO MOVE IT UP TO COUNCIL. LIKE I SAID, I WOULD SUPPORT IT AND PRESENT FORUM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO HEAR WHAT THE ENTIRE COUNCIL HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. LET'S DO THAT. AND SCOTT, IF YOU CAN, UM, BRING THAT TO US AND DESCRIBE NOT ONLY THE PROJECT, BUT THE, UM, THE STICKING POINT THAT WE NEED DEFINITION ON. I DO THINK THAT'S A FULL COUNCIL, UM, DECISION THAT WOULD BE BEST. SO, UM, JUST A PROCEDURAL QUESTION. SO WE, WE NORMALLY, UM, WE, WE NORMALLY SUBMIT THESE AS WRITTEN BRIEFINGS. SO MAYBE DO THE, THE FIRST THREE AS WHAT YOU RECOMMENDED AS A WRITTEN, BUT COUNT ON A VERBAL ON THIS LAST ONE. WOULD THAT BE THE BEST WAY TO DO IT? YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. OH, NO. WHAT? MY AGENDA JUST VANISHED WITH ALL MY OTHER PAPERS. HOLD ON. ALL RIGHT. WAS THAT THE END OF YOUR PRESENTATIONS FOR OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY? THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. YOU ARE WELCOME. ALL RIGHT. ITEM THREE, UH, TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING VETERAN HOMELESSNESS AND, UH, CHIEF BATES BATES AS THE FIRST TIME I'VE DONE THAT IN ALMOST A YEAR AFTER ALL THOSE TIMES IN THE BEGINNING WHERE I, AND ANOTHER BRIAN CHIEF, BRIAN, I'M ASSUMING THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE. BRIEF US AND THAT JUST UP TO DATE. OKAY. THAT IS WHY I'M HERE. AND SO ARE YOU GETTING ME INSTEAD OF THE AWESOME WENDY SHERIFF? UM, I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS, BUT WHEN DO YOU RETIRE FROM THE GARMIN POLICE DEPARTMENT? ABOUT A MONTH AGO, BUT WE HAVE REHIRED HER TO BE OUR, UH, HOMELESS LIAISON PERSON. I MEAN, SHE IS SUCH A FORCE MULTIPLIER. WE DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE THAT, BUT THERE IS A 30 DAY PERIOD THAT SOME STRANGE CMRS RULE THAT I DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND, BUT, UH, THAT ENDS THIS WEEK. SO SHE'LL BE BACK TO WORK WITH US THIS WEEK. UH, IN THE MEANTIME, WE'VE, UH, WE'VE GOT A NEW OFFICER THAT IS JUST NOW KIND OF GETTING CAUGHT UP TO SPEED. HIS NAME IS LARRY WILSON. SO THAT TEAM, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN HE COMES BACK AND LARRY'S IN PLACE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT TEAM. SO I'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE. AND WE LOOKED AT THE PAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE TALKED ABOUT THIS. SO WE LOOKED AT THE PAST YEAR AND TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF, OF HOMELESSNESS AND VETERANS HOMELESSNESS, LISTENING IN THE CITY, UH, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED 215 CAMPS IN THE CITY IN THE PAST YEAR. NOW, SOME OF THOSE ARE VERY SMALL CAMPS. UH, SOME OF THOSE ARE LARGE CAMPS. UM, SOME OF THOSE, IT'S JUST A SIMPLE CONVERSATION. THEN THEY MOVE ON THEIR WAY, BUT WE'VE ALSO HAD 61 CLEANUPS. AND SO OUR, UH, OUR CLEANUP TEAM, OUR TASK FORCE [00:30:01] HAS CLEANED UP 61 CAMPS AND 214 TONS OF WASTE HAS BEEN PICKED UP IN THOSE 61 CAMPS. UM, WE HAVE TALKED TO 412 DIFFERENT HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT HAVE PASSED THROUGH OUR CITY THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND OF THOSE 412, 125 OF THOSE WERE VETERANS. UM, WE WERE ABLE TO, WELL, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE VETERANS OR NOT, UH, VETERANS, WE REFER YOU TO SERVICES, BUT THANKFULLY FOR THE VETERANS, WE HAVE ADDITIONAL SERVICES THROUGH THE VA. UM, WE'RE ABLE TO TRACK 15 OF THOSE AND KNOW THOSE, THOSE ARE NO LONGER HOMELESSNESS. THE OTHER 110. IT'S JUST VERY DIFFICULT TRACKING. YOU KNOW, MY, MY MANPOWER THAT I HAVE, WHICH WAS ONE INDIVIDUAL ON NOW, TWO INDIVIDUALS TO KEEP UP AND TRACK WHAT GOES BEYOND THE INITIAL CONTACT AND GETTING SERVICES. IT'S DIFFICULT TO DO. UH, I WILL SAY WE ALSO HAVE, UH, IDENTIFIED 30 INDIVIDUALS THAT DID NOT HAVE IDENTIFICATION CARDS. AND WE HAVE A NEW PROGRAM WITH METRO RELIEF THAT WE HELP THOSE INDIVIDUALS ATTAIN IDENTIFICATION CARDS. AND WE'VE GIVEN OUT 150 SLEEPING BAGS, UH, BLANKETS, SOCKS, AND BACKPACKS. SO THOSE KIND OF GIVE YOU SOME BROAD NUMBERS. I LOVE TO SIT HERE AND TELL YOU OUR HOMELESS SITUATIONS AND IMPROVE A NIGHT'S NOT IMPROVING AND GETTING, WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE. WE'RE SEEING LARGER, LARGER GROUPS. AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE TIMES WE'D SEE A PUSH FROM DALLAS AND NOW IT'S JUST, THE AREA IS JUST SATURATED WITH HOMELESS. AND I COULD FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION. I OFFER IT IN A HEARTBEAT, BUT, UM, OUR JOB IS WE'RE TRYING TO DO CONTACT THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND GET THEM TO THE SERVICES. YOU KNOW, WENDY IS SUCH A FORCE MULTIPLIER, AND SO IS TODD AND LARRY WILL BE, BUT ALL THE CONTEXTS THEY HAVE, WE BRING THEM HERE TO GARLAND AND TO ASSIST WITH THAT. SO I'LL STOP RAMBLING AND OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. OKAY. I HAVE SOME, BUT AGAIN, I'LL, I'LL WAIT, GO AHEAD, DYLAN. YES. CHIEF, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT THE PANDEMIC HAS HAD ON THE HOMELESS NUMBERS? WELL, I I'M, I'M, IT'S SO FAR OUT OF MY EXPERTISE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. I, I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN THE HUGE NUMBER OF HOMELESS THAT HAVE COME SINCE THE PANDEMIC HAS OCCURRED, BUT CAN I TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW THAT PANDEMIC AND THE EMPLOYEE AND EVICTIONS THAT IS REALLY FAR OUT? I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE ARE SURE THAT THAT'S PART OF THIS ISSUE. UH, AND IN FACT, WE'VE CONTACTED INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD HOMES BEFORE THE PANDEMIC TOLD US THEY'VE LOST THEIR JOBS AND ARE NOW HOMELESS. SO WE KNOW IT HAS A DIRECT IMPACT. UM, I CANNOT TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, THE SCALE OF IT, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW. WE CAN EVEN ANTICIPATE AS A NATION AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, WHAT THE SCALE OF THAT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE COMING OUT OF IT. NOW I COULD JUST TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IN GARLAND. OKAY. RICH, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD OR ASK? NO, I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, THIS IS IT, THIS IS ALL CONSISTENT, JEFF, AS YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT I'VE SEEN DOWN IN, IN MY PART OF THE CITY, WE'VE HAD, UM, A LOT MORE ISSUES. I UNDERSTAND DALLAS DID DO A CLEANUP OVER ON THE ENCORE SITE, UM, JUST A WEEK AGO, WHICH, WHICH IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT MUCH WE CAN DO. WE'RE PART OF AN ECOSYSTEM THERE WHERE PEOPLE LIVE ON THE DALLAS SIDE AND THEY COME OVER TO GARLAND FOR, YOU KNOW, THE NEEDS OF THEIR DAY, UH, AND INTO SOME OF THOSE BORDER NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S, NETTLESOME, I KNOW WE'RE SEEING A MUCH HIGHER NUMBER, BUT IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO, TO PUT, PUT A CAUSE ON IT. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST BECAUSE SOMETIMES, I MEAN, IT WAS WHAT, WHAT WAS IT, JEFF, TWO TO TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, WE HAD THAT SURGE. WE JUST HAD THIS MASSIVE SURGE. WE WENT FROM ABOUT A HUNDRED HOMELESS PEOPLE. I'M SORRY, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UM, BUT A HUNDRED OF THEM TO, UH, TO ABOUT 500. AND SO THERE WERE NO GOOD SOMETIMES THERE'S NO REALLY GOOD ANSWER FOR THAT. SOMETIMES IT'S RELATED TO JUST WHATEVER DALLAS IS DOING IN DOWNTOWN, AS THEY TEAR DOWN THEIR TENTS AND STUFF, YOU KNOW, FROM A, FROM A VETERAN HOMELESSNESS PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A MUCH HIGHER NUMBER THAN WHAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED OR BELIEVE WAS IN THE CITY. I MEAN, THERE WERE TIMES AT WHICH WE THOUGHT IT WAS IN THE HIGH SINGLE DIGITS, EVEN I THINK SOMEBODY HAD SUGGESTED, OR THE LOW DOUBLE DIGITS IS OBVIOUSLY MUCH HIGHER. UM, HOPEFULLY, AND I [00:35:01] DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S REALLY TO THE VA HOSPITAL BEING OPEN. I DON'T THINK SO. I KNOW THAT, I KNOW THAT, UM, MR. BRADFORD TOLD ME THAT HE HAD SOME EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE VA AND THEY DID NOT FEEL THAT THE PRESENCE OF THE VA BROUGHT MORE HOMELESS VETS. UM, I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S JUST PURELY A NUMBERS GAME. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE VA HERE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, MAYBE WE CAN INTERFACE WITH THEM A LITTLE BIT AS WE, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF STRUCTURES WE CREATE TO DEAL WITH VETERAN HOMELESSNESS. AND, AND WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE FRAMEWORK THAT WE HAVE TO GET THOSE PEOPLE AND IN A SYSTEM AND, UM, AND TAKEN CARE OF AS BEST WE CAN. UM, AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE THAT FRAMEWORK AND WE FEEL LIKE IT'S WORKING, THEN, THEN WE CAN START LOOKING AT EXPANDING THAT FOR OTHER TYPES OF HOMELESSNESS. BUT WE, I THINK WE HAVE SOME REAL OPPORTUNITIES HERE WITH THE VA HOSPITAL BEING IN GARLON NOW. SO, AND CAN I COME ON ON THAT TOO? I MEAN, YOU'RE CORRECT. I, I CAN GIVE YOU A SINGLE INCIDENT STORIES OF INDIVIDUALS. WE CONTACTED TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE SEEING A SURGE. I MEAN, WE CAN ALL SPECULATE IT'S WAY OUT OF MY EXPERTISE. I WILL TELL YOU ON THE VETERANS SIDE OF THINGS, WE, I CAN'T SEE, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY INCIDENTS WHERE WE'VE CONTACTED A VETERAN AND THEY'RE IN GARLAND BECAUSE THE VA'S IN GARLAND. WHAT I CAN SAY IS WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS INCIDENTS WHERE WE'VE CONTACTED A VETERAN. THEY DID NOT KNOW WE HAD A CON THE HOSPITAL IN GARLAND AND WE'RE ABLE TO CONNECT THOSE RESOURCES. SO WE'VE SEEN ALREADY THAT BEING A STRONG ASSET AND, AND WE PREDICT THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE A STRONG ASSET FOR US. AND SO, AGAIN, I CAN'T, I CAN'T MAKE PREDICTIONS OR IT'S JUST, IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT IS A REGIONAL THING. UM, WE DO SEE SURGES WHEN DALLAS CLEANS UP. I CAN TELL YOU THAT FOR SURE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHEN DALLAS IS GOING TO DO THAT. UH, WE'VE ASKED THEM TO LET US KNOW, BUT WE'VE NOT GOTTEN THAT COMMUNICATION FROM THEM YET. AND CHIEF, THIS YEAR, WE HEARD VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE ANNUAL PIT COUNT THAT ALWAYS ROLLS AROUND TOWARD THE END OF JANUARY. UM, THAT'S USUALLY A BIG, BIG, BIG PUSH THAT'S LOUD, THAT'S EVERYWHERE. AND IT JUST THAT, THAT TIME SLOT SLID BY DID THAT, DID THAT HAPPEN? UM, I NEVER GOT A REPORT SAYING IF SO, WHAT THE COUNT WAS, AND ACCOUNT'S NEVER ACCURATE ANYWAY, BUT, UM, DID THAT, DID THE NORMAL PIT COUNT EVEN HAPPEN THIS TIME? UH, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION. I KNOW THAT'S NOT RUN BY US. YOU KNOW, WE DO PROVIDE SECURITY AND WE DO THAT AS A SUPPORT FOR THAT TEAM. UH, BUT I MAY, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE IF I REMEMBER MIKE, IT DID HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE COVID RESTRICTIONS AND FINDING VOLUNTEERS. UH, BUT DID THEY DO ANYTHING AT ALL? I'LL HAVE TO CHECK INTO THAT AND GET BACK TO THEM. I JUST NEVER HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT IT. SO THAT WAS A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE SURPRISING, BUT NOT, I MEAN, GIVEN WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH WITH THE PANDEMIC, IT'S EVEN MORE COMPLEX. SO, UM, THE DISCUSSION, I DON'T REMEMBER THE RESULT OF IT. UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN THAT WE, WE, WE KIND OF GET TIED TO THAT BECAUSE WE DO PROVIDE SECURITY. UM, BUT WE'VE SAID TIME AND TIME AGAIN, IT'S SO INACCURATE. IT'S JUST DEPENDING ON THAT DAY AND DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU FIND, SO IT'S, IT REALLY IS DIFFICULT TO GET, UH, TO GET A GOOD COUNT, BUT LET ME CHECK ON THAT AND I'LL SEND YOU AN EMAIL. OKAY. YEAH. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE SEEN THAT. THAT'S BEEN THE ONLY NUMBERS WE'VE HAD FOR HOMELESS VETERANS BEFORE HAS BEEN FROM THAT ANNUAL PIT COUNT AND IT'S NOT ACCURATE. UM, BUT IT'S WHAT WE HAVE USUALLY. SO, UM, WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS GOING BACK TO THE, UM, STRATEGIC PLAN AT WHICH WE HAVE LEFT ON THE BACK BURNER WHILE ALL THE CHAOS HAS ENSUED FOR A LOT, MUCH OF THE LAST YEAR, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO BRING UP FOR, FOR DISCUSSION IN THE TIME THAT WE HAVE TODAY, ONE OF THE AREAS OF FOCUS IN THE PLAN, THE WRITTEN PLAN IS INCREASING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES. AND WE'VE TOUCHED ON THAT BEFORE, BUT, UM, I HAVE BEEN APPROACHED, UM, I'M ASSUMING MOST OF YOU KNOW WHO LARRY WALKER IS. HE'S BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PAST WITH MIKE BEN CHECK, HE'S DONE RAPID REHOUSING. UM, HE'S BEEN INVOLVED A GREAT DEAL WITH, UH, ISSUES RELATING TO THE HOMELESS AND TO REHOUSING THEM. AND HE HAS APPROACHED ME SPECIFICALLY ASKING IF GARLAND WOULD, UM, WOULD CONSIDER, UM, A GROUP HOME. LIKE WE HAVE MEDICAL GROUP HOMES ALREADY IN THE CITY. UM, I'M FAMILIAR WITH A HANDFUL OF THEM. WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE, UM, THEY'RE ALMOST LIKE PRIVATE NURSING HOMES. SO THEY'RE [00:40:01] MEDICAL GROUP HOMES. SOME OF THEM ARE NOT MEDICAL, BUT THEY ARE FOR, UM, THE, UH, MENTALLY DISABLED ADULTS. UM, SO, AND THOSE ARE IN NEIGHBORHOODS. AND SO, UM, LARRY WALKER'S FIRST QUESTION WAS IF WE BUY A LARGE, NICE HOUSE IN GARLAND, UM, WOULD THE CITY OF GARLAND CONSIDER LETTING US TURN IT INTO A GROUP HOME FOR HOMELESS VETERANS WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE SIX OR EIGHT, UH, SIX OR EIGHT MEN WHO HAVE, AND ON THE STREET COME AND LIVE THERE WITH A HOUSE PARENT WHO WOULD BE THERE 24 SEVEN. UM, AND OF COURSE THAT IS NOT ALLOWED IN OUR CURRENT, UM, ORDINANCES BECAUSE WE HAVE LIMITATIONS ON THE NUMBER OF UNRELATED ADULTS WHO CAN LIVE IN A HOME IN GARLAND. SO THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE, UM, THE OTHER MEDICAL HOMES HAVE EXCEPTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN CARVED OUT FOR THEM. SO I WANTED TO KIND OF TOSS THAT OUT THERE FOR STARTS. HE, HE HAS ANOTHER, WELL, I'LL TELL YOU BOTH OF THEM AS, AS WHAT THE OTHER IDEA THAT HE HAS BROUGHT TO ME AS WELL, WHICH IS LOOKING FOR, UM, LIKE AN OLD DAYCARE CENTER OR SEMI LARGE, UM, COMMERCIAL PLACE THAT COULD ACT AS A, AS A CENTRAL HOMELESS RESOURCE PLACE IN GARLAND WHERE OVERNIGHT STAYS WOULD BE PERMITTED FOR A LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE, A STAFF MEMBER PRESENT. OKAY. THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS HE BROUGHT. UM, SO I WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE FOR DISCUSSION, BECAUSE THAT DOES, THAT DOES MESH WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND SOME OF THE GOALS THAT ARE STATED, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES AND ALTERNATE HOUSING. SO ANY IDEAS, THOUGHTS, CONSIDERATIONS. OKAY. THE IDEA ABOUT THE GROUP HOME, I BELIEVE WOULD BE A VERY HARD SALE TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS. UH, I THINK YOU'D HAVE NEIGHBORS COMING UP VERY UPSET IF THAT SORT OF THING HAPPENED IN SOME, MY AREA NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, WE ALREADY HAVE COMPLAINTS, SOMEBODY WHO'S ABOUT TOO MANY PEOPLE LIVING HUNTED HOME. WE CAN'T PROVE THEY'RE RELATED OR NOT ALREADY, AND THAT'S CAUSING SOME ISSUES ON SOME OF MY AREAS, BUT IF IT WAS IN THE RIGHT SETTING WHERE IT'S ALREADY MAYBE A COMMERCIAL AREAS, ZONED COMMERCIAL, A LITTLE DIFFERENT AREA THAN A STRICTLY RESIDENTIAL AREA, LIKE A GROUP HOME, THEN SURE. THAT'S SOMETHING FOR CONSIDERATION IF WE COULD FIND THE RIGHT PLACE. YEAH. OKAY. SO YOU'RE KIND OF TRENDING TOWARD THE MORE, THE IDEA OF THE LOOKING FOR AN OLD DAYCARE CENTER OR SOMEPLACE THAT'S A SUITABLE SIZE FOR THEM TO ACT AS A CENTRAL RESOURCE AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO STAY THE NIGHT WITH OVERSIGHT, IF IT'S THE RIGHT PLACE. I MEAN, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A DAYCARE CENTER IF IT'S SOME KIND OF BUILDING THAT IS RETROFITTED. SURE. CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY. YEAH. I KNOW THE NIMBYISM WITH, AND THEY'VE DONE THIS IN DALLAS. UM, AND THE PANDEMIC CAME, I WAS PLANNING TO GO TO OUT, DOWN TO DALLAS, TO SANFORD, SEVERAL OF THE AREAS WHERE THEY HAVE ACTUALLY PUT IN GROUP BOUGHT HOMES, NICE HOMES, OVER $400,000 HOMES AND HAVE, UH, TURNED THEM INTO GROUP HOMES, MONITORED GROUP HOMES. UM, AND I WAS ACTUALLY ON MY WAY TO GO DOWN THERE AND GO DOOR TO DOOR THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND JUST TALK TO PEOPLE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, HOW'S YOUR, HOW'S YOUR STRAIGHT, HOW'S YOUR BLOCK? DO YOU HAVE ANY HOUSES THAT TROUBLE YOU, DO YOU HAVE ANY NEIGHBORS THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST SEE HOW THAT HAS GONE FOR THEM? UM, BECAUSE IT'S, IT WAS PRESENTED AS BEING A VERY POSITIVE THING, BUT YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT CAN GO WRONG GENERALLY WILL, AND IT, IT WOULD INDEED BE A VERY HARD SELL TO MOST OF OUR CITY, UM, TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT COME INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD. YEAH. UNDERSTOOD. SO IS WHAT LARRY TALKING ABOUT? IS IT VETERAN GROUP, THESE ARE GROUP HOMES FOR VETERANS VETERAN HOMELESSNESS, OR JUST HOMELESSNESS. GENERALLY HE, HE CAME TO ME ABOUT HOMELESSNESS IN GENERAL, AND I TOLD, I DIDN'T SEE A GHOST OF A CHANCE OF GETTING ANYTHING LIKE THAT PAST COUNCIL OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THAT HE COULD POSSIBLY CONSIDER VETERANS BECAUSE THAT IS A LOWER BAR TO LEAP. UM, AND SO HE SAID, OKAY, SO THAT WAS, THAT, THAT WAS AT MY SUGGESTION THAT HE, HE NARROWED THE FOCUS TO VETERANS. UM, I HAD A DISCUSSION, UH, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO WITH RICH POOH CAT WHO IS, UM, [00:45:02] HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND GARLAND. AND HE HAD INDICATED THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN BUILDING HOMES FOR VETERANS, UH, AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR VETERANS THAT THEY HAD ATTEMPTED TO DO THIS IN, UH, IN RAIL LAND AND ACTUALLY GOT QUITE A BIT OF OPPOSITION, UM, WHICH I FOUND A LITTLE BIT SURPRISING, BUT, UM, THESE ARE GENERALLY, YOU KNOW, HE SAID HOMES IN THE RANGE OF, YOU KNOW, 1800 SQUARE FEET OR SO, UM, AND THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE ACTIVELY LOOKING, THEY HAVE THE FUNDING, THEY THINK TO BUILD SOME OF THESE, AND I HAD DIRECTED HIM TO PERHAPS TALK WITH KFC. UM, AND SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT, THAT BETTER COMING OUT OF THAT END AND, AND SEE WHAT THEY SEE WHAT THEY COME UP WITH. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT IN GARLAND PEOPLE WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF, OF OUR VETERANS. I MEAN, THIS WAS A PLACE, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE DID THE, UM, THE APPROVALS ON THE DA TDAC APPLICATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY'VE LOOKED AT THAT PROPERTY ON SHILOH, WHICH WOULD ALSO PUT IT CLOSER TO, UH, TO THE HOSPITAL AND THOUGHT THAT THEY COULD PROBABLY GET 12 TO 13 HOMES IN THERE. UM, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING YOU JUST HAVE TO BE AS, AS STILL IN, SO YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW YOU LOOKED AT THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT. THERE'S, THERE'S A WIDE RANGE HERE BETWEEN SINGLE FAMILY GROUP HOMES, MULTIFAMILY, RIGHT. UH, YOU KNOW, ACTIVITY CENTERS, STUFF LIKE THAT. AND SO, UM, BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE MAY BE OTHER OPTIONS OR MAYBE OTHER WAYS OF, OF HOUSING COKES. AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE, INSTEAD OF NECESSARILY. I MEAN, MAYBE THE THING TO DO IS TO IDENTIFY MAYBE NOT GROUP HOMES, BUT HOMES GENERALLY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET PEOPLE? W W WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET VETERANS IN THIS CITY HOUSED? UM, CAN, THERE MAY BE OTHER WAYS TO DO THAT? UH, THE GROUP HOME THING. I MEAN, WE'VE GOT, WE HAVE SOME GROUP HOMES, UM, IN MY DISTRICT THAT ARE FOR MEDICAL REASONS, FOR ELDERLY AND WHATNOT, AND SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN QUITE PROBLEMATIC AND CAUSED A LOT OF DISTRESS IN SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS, JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THEY ARE. THERE ARE SOMETIMES, I MEAN, NOT EVERYBODY IS GREAT AT RUNNING THOSE KINDS OF FACILITIES OR HAS THE TRAINING ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, BUT APPARENTLY IT'S RELATIVELY EASY TO GET APPROVED TO DO IT. AND SO I'D HAVE SOME REAL CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, ABOUT GROUP HOMES IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS. BUT I THINK THAT WORKING WITH, UH, KIND OF, UH, THE SINGLE FAMILY INITIATIVE, UH, MIGHT BE, MIGHT BE PARTICULARLY PRODUCTIVE. BUT, UM, ANYWAY, I JUST THOUGHT I'M NOT, I'M NOT KNEE JERK OPPOSED TO ANY OF IT. I THINK IT'S A LOT OF THESE ARE IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS FOR US TO HAVE ABOUT TO HELP THESE PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THE VETERANS. I MEAN, AND THAT'S NOT, AND THAT'S NOT TO, YOU KNOW, EVERY IT'S A HUMANITARIAN ISSUE. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE DEALING WITH A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES, BUT I FEEL VERY PARTICULAR OBLIGATION TO OUR VETERANS. SO JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. WELL, AND AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO TAKE, TAKE ONE BITE OF THE APPLE INSTEAD OF TRYING TO GET IT ALL AT ONCE. AND VETERAN REACHING OUT TO VETERANS IS A ENCOUNTERS, LESS RESISTANCE THAN THE LARGER HOMELESS POPULATION. AND SOME OF THAT IS EDUCATION. AND, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, THE PART OF THE PROBLEM, EVEN WITH SAYING A GROUP HOME FOR VETERANS, PART OF THE REASON WHY A LOT OF THE VETERANS WOULD NEED, UM, A HOUSE PARENT OVERSIGHT BASICALLY IS A LOT OF THEM ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SUFFERING FROM PTSD. THEY ARE, THEY'RE HAVING ADDICTIONS, JUST LIKE OTHER NON VETERAN HOMELESS. THERE ARE ISSUES. AND SO PART OF THESE, UM, WITH LARRY WALKER, PART OF THE GROUP HOME PROGRAM THAT THEY DO IS THEY ACTUALLY, BEFORE THEY GET THEM THERE, THEY HAVE THEM GO THROUGH A PROGRAM THAT SHOWS THAT THEY CAN, THAT THEY'RE ENGAGED, THEY'RE WILLING TO SHOW UP, THEY'RE WILLING TO DO THE WORK. SO THEY'VE, THEY'VE, THEY KIND OF VET THEM BEFORE THEY EVEN PUT THEM INTO THE GROUP HOME PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, BUT AGAIN, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING WITH SOME OF THE MEDICAL GROUP HOMES, SOME OF THEM ARE EXCELLENT AND SOME OF THEM ARE TERRIBLE. SO OPENING THE DOOR BROADLY CAN LEAD YOU TO HAVE ONE. THAT'S [00:50:01] GREAT. I THINK ANYTHING THAT LARRY WALKER RAN WOULD BE EXCELLENT. UM, BUT THEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE. WHO'S NOT LARRY COME IN THROUGH A DOOR WE OPEN AND THAT COULD BE NOT SO GOOD. SO, UM, THE, UH, AND PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH HOMES, INDIVIDUAL HOMES FOR VETERANS IS, IS AGAIN, UM, UNLESS WE HAVE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, IF THEY'RE THE IDEAL MAGAZINE COVER HOMELESS VETERANS THAT REALLY HAVE NO PROBLEM OTHER THAN THEY HAVE NO FOAM FOR ECONOMIC REASONS, BECAUSE OF THE JOB THAT'S SUPER EASY. EVEN NOW, THAT'S SUPER EASY TO OVERALL TO FIND THEM HOUSING REHOUSING FAIRLY QUICKLY. BUT WHEN YOU MIX IN THE OTHER THINGS THAT COME ALONG WITH, UM, HAVING FALLEN OUT OF HOUSING AND ESPECIALLY IF IT'S GONE ON FOR SOME TIME, THEN THAT, THAT BECOMES MUCH MORE OF A CHALLENGE. SO, SO IF I'M HEARING CORRECTLY, IT SOUNDS LIKE, UM, WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT MORE OF THE ACTIVITY RESOURCE CENTER, WHERE THERE WAS A PASTA IN A COMMERCIAL AREA THAT MIGHT POSSIBLY LEND ITSELF TO HAVING PEOPLE BE ABLE TO STAY OVERNIGHT, WHICH WOULD NOT, WHICH WOULD BE MORE SHELTER LIKE THAN HOUSE. LIKE, YEAH, I THINK MAYBE CHIEF BRIAN CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE START MOVING STUFF TO MORE SHELTER TYPE FACILITIES, AT LEAST WHAT'S BEEN EXPERIENCED AND IN DALLAS AND THE CONCOMITANT ISSUES THAT THOSE CAUSE. AND I KNOW WE HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THAT. UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MY INCLINATION WOULD AT THIS POINT BE TO INVITE, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S GET SOME, LET'S GET LARRY TO COME AND TALK TO US. LET'S GET RICH BLUECAT TO COME AND TALK TO US AND SEE WHAT THOSE, WHAT SOME OF THOSE IDEAS AND POSSIBILITIES ARE. UM, I DO NOTE THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE WITH A, WITH A HAND RAISED, SO WE'RE TAKING PUBLIC COMMENTS. GIVE ME A SECOND HERE. OKAY. UM, JENNIFER ERNST, I DIDN'T HAVE THE SCREEN SHOWING UP, SO I'M SORRY. AND MIKAYLA, ARE YOU OPERATING THE, I HOPE WE HAVE SOMEONE DOING NEXT. I DON'T HAVE ALL THOSE CONTROLS ON HERE. ALL RIGHT. CAN YOU PLEASE OPEN THE LINE FOR JENNIFER EARNS TO, UM, HI, I'M JENNIFER ERNST ADDRESSES SEVEN ZERO FIVE MALIBU DRESS. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. UM, AND, UM, THE CHIEF TO BRIAN MAY HAVE ANSWERED ONE OF THEM AND IT WAS, ARE WE WORKING WITH DALLAS BECAUSE I DO. I WORK IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS. AND SO I SEE A LOT OF THE HOMELESSNESS DOWN THERE. AND THEN YOU CAN TELL THE DAYS WHEN THEY CLEAR OUT, CAUSE I DRIVE INTO GARLAND AND I EXIT 30 AND THERE THEY ARE. UM, AND, UM, SO THAT WAS NUMBER ONE. DO WE WORK WITH DALLAS? I KNOW YOU SAID THEY'RE NOT REALLY COMMUNICATIVE ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO DO THESE THINGS, BUT MAYBE IT'S, I DON'T KNOW. ANYWAY, THAT WAS IT. THAT WAS NUMBER ONE. UM, AND I LIKE TO KNOW WHAT SERVICES YOU'RE REFERRING TO. YOU'RE REFERRING VETERANS TO. I AM, UM, I COME FROM A VETERAN FAMILY AND I UNDERSTAND VETERAN HOMELESSNESS. AND, UM, AND I KNOW PART OF THE PROBLEM OF VETERAN HOMELESSNESS AS WITH OTHERS IS THAT IN ORDER TO GET SERVICES, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ADDRESS. AND IN ORDER TO GET AN ADDRESS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A JOB, BUT YOU CAN'T GET A JOB WITHOUT AN ADDRESS. IT BECOMES THIS WHOLE THING. RIGHT. AND SO, UM, THE VA TENDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE LENIENT ON THINGS LIKE THAT. UM, SO THAT WAS QUESTION NUMBER TWO. IS THERE A COMMITTEE THAT WHERE CITIZENS CAN HELP WITH THIS VA HOMELESSNESS SITUATION? UM, AND NUMBER FOUR, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL LIVING HOMES IN GARLAND, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE IF, IF WE CAN HAVE SOBER LIVING HOMES WHERE WE'VE HAD PEOPLE DIE OF OVERDOSES, THAT WE CAN ABSOLUTELY 100% SUPPORT OUR VETERANS. AND I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT, THAT WE, WHY WE WOULDN'T SUPPORT OUR VETERANS. AND I KNOW THAT I'M PROBABLY MORE PRONE TO THIS AND I KNOW LARRY AND I KNOW WHAT I KNOW THE PROGRAMS HE RUNS, AND I KNOW HE'S A GOOD MAN AND I KNOW WHAT HE WOULD DO AND NOT EVERYBODY DOES, BUT I'M JUST LIKE THESE VETERANS FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOMS AND IT'S OUR TIME TO SUPPORT THEM. AND A LOT OF THEM CAME HOME WITH NO SUPPORT. MY DAD WAS ONE OF THOSE FROM VIETNAM, AND I'M ALSO DENISON, TEXAS. [00:55:01] I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF Y'ALL LOOKED AT THIS. THEY RAN A PROGRAM TO GET INDIVIDUAL HOUSES FOR VETERAN WHO WERE HOMELESS. THEY WERE SMALL, THEY HAD LIKE A KITCHEN AND A BEDROOM LIVING ROOM AND A BATHROOM. THERE ARE SMALL LITTLE BITTY HOUSES, BUT THEY RAN SOME KIND OF PROGRAMS. SO IT'S JUST ANOTHER, I USED TO LIVE IN DENISON UP ON THE LAKE, ANNA. SO IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO LOOK OUT. IT WAS BACK PROBABLY 2003 TO SIX, SOMEWHERE IN THAT TIME PERIOD. I DON'T EXACTLY REMEMBER, BUT I KNOW THEY WERE IN A PROGRAM BECAUSE ONE OF MY FRIENDS LIVED IN ONE. UM, SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO. MIGHT BE ANOTHER RESOURCE. THAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR? MY WORDS ARE NOT FLOWING TODAY. ANYWAY. UM, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS. SORRY. IT TOOK SO LONG. I'M MUMBLE. THAT'S OKAY. CHIEF, DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER THE ONES THAT SHE ADDRESSED TO YOU? SURE. UH, SO WE DO TRY TO WORK WITH ALICE. UH, TRY IS THE KEY WORD THERE. UM, WE, YOU KNOW, AND I'M NOT BLAMING DALLAS, DALLAS IS SO LARGE AND THEIR PROBLEMS ARE SO DIFFERENT THAN OURS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ADDRESSING THIS, UH, MOSTLY WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, DALLAS HAS, UH, RESOURCES OUTSIDE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO IT'S SUCH A CONTRAST THING. UM, SOME OF THE WAYS THAT CITIES ARE HANDED AND THE SIZE OF THE CITIES AND THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT I DO UNDERSTAND THAT SOME COMMUNICATION FALLS THROUGH THE, THAT THE ONE INFORMATION WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A CLEANUP SO WE CAN EXPECT AN INFLUX IN THERE, BUT I'M GETTING THAT. WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THAT. UH, YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU TALKED ABOUT FINDING SERVICES FOR VETERAN HOMELESSNESS THAT DO NOT HAVE AN ADDRESS. WE'VE NOT RUN INTO THAT ISSUE AT ALL. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF, OF SOMEONE TURNING YOU DOWN FOR SOME OF THESE SERVICES BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT HAD AN ADDRESS. SO IF THAT'S YOUR EXPERIENCE, I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT AT ALL. NOT WITH THE VA, NOT WITH METRO RELIEF, UH, NOT WITH THE BRIDGE, NOT WITH ANYTHING. UM, THE, THE ONE THING THAT WE HAVE SEEN IS, IS PROVING YOU'RE A VETERAN OR GETTING IDENTIFICATION, AND THAT'S WHAT WE USE METRO RELIEF FOR. AND I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE, UH, THIS JUST THIS PAST YEAR, WE'VE GOT 30 INDIVIDUALS ID CARDS, SO THEY CAN START GETTING TO THOSE SERVICES. UM, IS THERE ANYTHING I MISSED THERE? I THINK THAT WAS THE THREE THINGS. IT'S THREE THINGS I WROTE DOWN ANYWAY. UM, BUT THE RESOURCES WE USE, THE MAIN RESOURCES THAT WE USE IS METRO RELIEF IN THE VA. UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE BRIDGE AND THEN THERE'S A NUMBER OF OTHER ONES, OF COURSE. UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M DRAWING A BLANK. UH, WHY AM I DRAWING A BLANK ON THIS DOWNTOWN GARLAND, UH, THE FOOD PLACE, UM, SINCE AMERICANS MAN, GOOD SAMARITANS, WE USE, UH, SALVATION ARMY WE USE, UM, AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF FOOD PLACES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT TO GET EXTENDED SERVICES OF HOW CAN WE GET YOU OUT OF HOMELESS? UH, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT METRO DALLAS HOMELESS ALLIANCE AND THAT'S PROBABLY OUR PRIMARY RESOURCE. AND THEN FOR OUR VETERANS, IT'S THE BAS. OKAY. UM, ANOTHER THING THAT, THAT SHE RAISED AND THIS WASN'T SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU, BUT, UM, I'M A LITTLE CURIOUS, UM, MS. MINT MENTIONED IN GARLAND THAT WE HAVE SOBER LIVING HOMES AND I, MYSELF AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY SUCH, UH, GROUP HOMES THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE OPERATING UNDER LICENSE IN THE CITY OF GARLAND IN YOUR DISTRICT. OKAY. CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE, BECAUSE THAT'S, I WILL GO DRIVE BY THERE AND GIVE YOU THEIR ADDRESS. I'M NOT, I DON'T KNOW THE ADDRESS, BUT I KNOW WHERE IT IS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT. THAT'S, UH, I AM FAMILIAR WITH OUR MEDICAL GROUP HOMES. I'M FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF OUR DISABLED GROUP HOMES, WHICH KIND OF FALL UNDER THE SAME UMBRELLA. UM, SO THAT, ISN'T SOMETHING THAT I HAVE, UM, SEEN. AND, UM, IF, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS BEING, BEING OPERATED UNDER THE RADAR, THEN I, I AM NOT GOING TO BE THE ONE TO, UM, SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNLESS SOMEBODY COMES AND COMPLAINTS. BUT, UM, ANYWAY, THAT JUST CAUGHT, THAT CAUGHT MY EAR. SO, UM, YEAH, I WOULD, I WILL, INTO THAT. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE STAFF ON HERE RIGHT NOW WHO, UH, WHO COULD ACTUALLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION DEFINITIVELY, BUT THE QUESTION ABOUT, DO WE HAVE A COMMITTEE FOR CITIZENS AT PRESENT? WE DON'T HAVE A VETERANS. UM, WE DON'T HAVE A CITIZEN COMMITTEE TO HELP HOMELESS VETERANS. WE DO HAVE THE GARLAND HOMELESS.COM, UM, LOOSE PUBLIC PRIVATE WEBSITE, COLLABORATION, AND THAT'S, THAT'S GOING ON TWO AND A HALF YEARS NOW. AND THERE ARE MEETINGS [01:00:01] THAT STOPPED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC THAT WE'LL BE STARTING AGAIN, UM, TO PULL TOGETHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, AND THAT INCLUDED CITIZENS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING HOMELESS PERIOD, THAT WASN'T, UM, VETERANS WEREN'T FORCED OUT SEPARATELY FROM THAT. BUT, UM, I ALWAYS LIKED THE IDEA. I ALWAYS FAVOR THE IDEA OF, OF, UM, INVOLVING INTERESTED CITIZENS IN SOLUTIONS, BECAUSE I, I THINK IT'S EASY FOR US AS A CITY TO GET, UM, UH, BLINDERS ON VERY NARROWED VISION BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE ENVISIONING SOLUTIONS THAT FALL WITHIN OUR CAPABILITIES TO FUND TO STAFF, TO, TO GET PAST ALL THE LAWS. AND SOMETIMES PRIVATE CITIZENS ARE ABLE TO COME IN FROM A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND I RESPECT THAT AND I FIND THAT HELPFUL ON MANY LEVELS. SO, UM, SO JENNIFER, I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO CONNECT, UM, CONNECT WITH YOU ON THAT. AND IN THE MEANTIME YOU CAN GO TO, I'M PRETTY SURE I'M GETTING IT RIGHT. GARLAND HOMELESS.COM. AND YOU CAN SEE JUST THE, THE GENERAL OUTLINE OF THAT, BUT WHEN MEETINGS START UP AGAIN, WHICH I'M HOPING IT WILL BE WITHIN A FEW MONTHS, UM, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE YOU PARTICIPATE IN THAT. UM, AND, AND PARTICULARLY, UM, TO, TO RAISE ISSUES THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF RELATED TO HOMELESS VETERANS. WELL, ONE THING ON THIS MORNING AS TO THAT AS TO VOLUNTEERING, UM, I MEAN, UNDERSTAND OUR JOB, WHAT OUR JOB IS AND OUR JOB IS TO, TO GET THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO THOSE RESOURCES. AND THAT COULD BE GOOD SAMARITANS. IT COULD BE GLOWS, IT COULD BE THE HOMELESS ALLIANCE. IT COULD BE NAMI. THOSE FOLKS ARE BEGGING FOR VOLUNTEERS. AND SO, UH, IF YOU'RE WANTING TO, TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OUT THERE CONSTANTLY. IN FACT, THAT THE STORM WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT ASKING, PLEASE, WE NEED VOLUNTEERS. SO I COULD SEND YOU A LIST OF PEOPLE THAT ARE BEGGING FOR VOLUNTEERS IF YOU'D LIKE TO GET INVOLVED. OKAY. AND TH THE LAST POINT MADE WAS ABOUT DENISON'S. UM, I, I BELIEVE DENNISON PROGRAM. IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I LOOKED AT IT, BUT I THINK IT, IT, IT, IT INVOLVED KIND OF TINY HOMES AND, UM, AND THAT WAS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS. UM, I, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE STATUS IS NOW, BUT, UM, I'M ALWAYS OPEN TO THINGS LIKE THAT. I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT AS A, AS A CITY OR AS A COUNCIL, THAT, WITH THAT THERE'S BEEN MUCH ENTHUSIASM FOR ENABLING SMALLER HOMES TO EVEN BE BUILT IN THE CITY. UM, BUT I'M PERSONALLY OPEN TO LOOKING AT PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING THAT MIGHT WORK. SO, UM, INCLUDING THAT. SO I'LL GO BACK AND, AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE, THE DENISON PROGRAM AND SEE HOW THEY'RE FARING. AFTER SOME YEARS, THERE'VE BEEN SOME OTHER AREAS, AND I'M ALMOST THINKING DALLAS, UH, DID THIS AS A WHILE. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE A TEMPORARY TRANSITION HOME. ONLY NOBODY TRAINED. EVERYBODY CAME IN AND NOBODY LEFT. SO IT HAS BECOME LONG-TERM PERMANENT INSTEAD OF SHORT-TERM TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. AND THAT THAT'S REALLY WHAT BECOMES THE PROBLEM. UM, YOU'RE NOT GETTING PEOPLE BACK ON THEIR FEET AND GETTING THEM BACK INTO SOCIETY. YOU'RE KIND OF PERMANENTLY, UM, CARING FOR THEM. AND AT SOME POINT IN EVERY CITY, THE FUNDS RUN OUT FOR DOING THAT AND THE NEW PEOPLE WOULD NEED TO KEEP COMING. BUT, UM, ANYWAY, I WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. SO I WANTED TO BE MINDFUL OF EVERYONE'S TIME. IT'S, UH, FIVE OH FOUR. I WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND, UM, WE'LL END HERE. AND ONE THING WE DID NOT HAVE ON THE AGENDA THIS TIME THAT I'D LIKE TO BRING BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING ARE THE, WHAT WE'RE CALLING POCKET PARKS, COMMUNITY PARKS. AND WE HAD ASKED, UM, ANDY HAS HER TO, UH, DO SOME INVESTIGATIONS FOR US AND COME BACK TO US WITH SOME SPECIFIC DEFINITIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. SO I, I DON'T WANT THAT ONE TO DRIFT INTO THE SUNSET. SO, UM, THE NEXT AGENDA EXPECT TO SEE THAT. AND I THINK, UM, SINCE THE VETERAN HOMELESSNESS ISSUE IS, UM, AND THIS REPORT IS CONTINUING TO BE BULKY, UM, WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP CHIPPING AWAY AT IT UNTIL WE REACH THE POINT OF, OF HAVING SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS. THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LAST YEAR, UH, GOT COMPLETELY SLAPPED IN THE FACE WHEN THE PANDEMIC CAME. SO, UM, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY STARTING OVER AND TRYING TO COME APPROACH FROM NEW ANGLES. SO, UM, [01:05:01] ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS BEFORE WE GO TO ITEM FOUR AND A TURN? OKAY. ITEM FOUR IS A JOURNEY AND AT FIVE OH FIVE, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR TODAY AS RETURNED. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.