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[ NOTICE OF MEETING CITY OF GARLAND, TEXAS ENVIRONMENTAL & COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD Work Session Room of City Hall William E. Dollar Municipal Building 200 N. Fifth Street Garland, Texas January 8, 2025 7:00 p.m. A meeting of the Environmental & Community Advisory Board of the City of Garland, Texas will be held at the aforementioned location, date, and time to discuss and consider the following agenda items:]
HELLO.LET'S, UH, DO A ROLL CALL START.
MR. MAYOR'S APPOINTEE PRESENT.
ALRIGHT, WHAT DO WE HAVE GOING ON TONIGHT? WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR WHEN I STARTED, START THAT ARGUING IF YOU, IF YOU GO TO, UH, NUMBER FIVE, YOU'LL HAVE THE AGENDA WITH YOU.
SO THE FIRST THING IS GONNA BE THE MINUTES TAB, RIGHT? THERE YOU GO.
DID EVERYBODY READ THESE? ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE SEPTEMBER 11TH? NO.
YOU WANNA, SOMEBODY WILL NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AND WE'LL NEED A SECOND MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
UM, I THINK THE FIRST THING WE HAVE UP IS, UH, THE FOOD TRUCK PERMITTING PROCESS, WHICH I WAS HOPING TO TALK TO THE GARLAND PEOPLE ABOUT, BUT NO, THEY DO IT.
I'M THE INTERIM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AT DALLAS COUNTY.
UM, SO THE AGENDA THAT WE'RE GONNA GO OVER WITH THE MOBILE FOOD PROCESS IS APPLICATION, APPOINTMENT, LOCATION, PROCESSING, INSPECTION AND PERMITS AND PAYMENT.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS A VALID IS AVAILABLE THROUGH, WE JUST TELL PEOPLE TO GO ONLINE AND IT'S A WEB LINK.
YOU CAN GO TO OUR DEPARTMENT, GO TO HUMAN RESOURCES, GO TO PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, AND THEN IT GOES TO THE FOOD, UM, INSPECTION.
IT'S A PACKET WHERE, UM, THERE'S DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS IN THE PACKET AND WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THOSE AS WELL.
BUT IT'S JUST A WAY FOR US TO EASILY TELL PEOPLE TO ACCESS INFORMATION AND TO DOWNLOAD THE PACKET.
AND IT'S A ALSO AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO, UH, SPAN AS VERSION AS THEIR AVAILABLE AS WELL FOR PEOPLE.
AND IT'S DALLAS COUNTY.ORG IS THE, UM, WEBSITE THEY FIRST GO TO.
SO THIS IS THE CHECKLIST THAT, UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT MEETS ALL REQUIREMENTS.
THEY HAVE TO COMPLETE A APPLICATION.
THEY HAVE TO GET A COMMISSARY AGREEMENT AND A FOOD SERVICE PERMIT.
AND THE LAST INSPECTION, A COMMISSARY IS A PLACE WHERE A FOOD TRUCK EMPTY OUT AS WASTEWATER AND A REFILLS THIS WATER, IT STORES THE FOOD.
THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO PREP THE FOOD, UM, FOR THE FUTURE.
UM, THERE'S ALSO A FOOD MA A MANAGER CERTIFICATION.
UM, AND THE UNIT HAS TO REGISTER THEIR TAGS WITH A LICENSE PLATE.
SOMETIMES THEY WANT TO GIVE US THE, UH, TEMPORARY PLATES AND THOSE AREN'T AVAILABLE ANYMORE.
SO WE WANT THE, THE REGISTRATION TAGS WITH THE LICENSE PLATES AND A SALES TAX.
STATE OF TEXAS SALES TAX PERMIT.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE MIGHT MISS THAT.
AND WE DO PROVIDE THEM WITH INFORMATION TO GET THE SALES TAX IF THEY WANT TO GO THERE IN PERSON OR A PHONE NUMBER THEY CAN REACH OR A WEBSITE.
AND ALSO WE REQUIRE A FIRE INSPECTION FROM ANY CITY THAT THEY'RE WORKING OUT OF.
AND ALSO WE ASK THEM TO PROVIDE US A MENU.
UM, WE TRY TO COMPLETE AT THE LOCATION OPERATING HOURS FROM ON THE FORM SO THEY KNOW WHERE TO GO TO AND THEY KNOW THE HOURS THAT WE'RE AVAILABLE.
AND WE ALWAYS WANT THEM TO CALL OUR OFFICE FIRST TO SCHEDULE IT.
UM, AND WHENEVER THEY CALL TO SCHEDULE IT, THEY HAVE TO CALL OUR OFFICE.
THE NUMBER IS UP THERE, 2 1 4 8 1 9 2 1 1 5.
AND OUR OPERATIONAL HOURS ON THE MOBILE UNIT IS FROM 8:30 AM TO 3:00 PM.
UM, WE ALWAYS WANT PEOPLE TO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS, EVEN IF IT'S FOR A REINSPECTION OR ANYTHING.
IF THEY WANT TO BRING PAPERWORK THEY DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE, THEY STILL HAVE TO GET THE WHOLE THING REINSPECTED AGAIN.
UM, THE AVERAGE TIME IT TAKES IS 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES THE REASON WHY IT TAKES THE TIMES ARE DIFFERENT IS BECAUSE OF THE REFRIGERATION TIME IT TAKES THEM TO, TO TURN THE REFRIGERATION ON, TO MAKE A, UM, CODE TO MAKE SURE THEIR HOT WATER IS HOT.
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PARAIC CIRCLE DRIVE.AND UM, IT'S REALLY A CUL-DE-SAC AT THE END OF THE STREET.
AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO PARK AFTER THE CONES ON THE RIGHT PORTION OF THE STREET OR LEFT PORTION, DEPENDING ON WHICH SIDE YOU'RE COMING IN OUT OF.
BUT IT'S, UM, IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO A WAREHOUSE.
WE'RE, UM, SITTING THERE WAITING FOR PEOPLE.
SO A LOT OF TIMES IF, IF PEOPLE EVEN SHOW UP TO THE CIRCLE, WE CAN SEE THEIR VEHICLE AND WE CAN GO TALK TO THEM.
AND, UM, THE PROCESSING PART IS REAL EASY.
UM, WE JUST TELL PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THEY BRING ALL THE DOCUMENTS.
THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IS PEOPLE BRING IN THE DOCUMENTS.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT SALES TAX ARE.
UM, FOR THE COMMISSARY, THEY HAVE TO BRING THE HEALTH PERMIT OF THE LOCATION.
A LOT OF TIMES THE LOCATION ITSELF MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT THE HEALTH PERMIT IS.
THEY MIGHT, YOU KNOW, WE CALL IT A FOOD PERMIT, YOU KNOW, WE JUST TRY TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHATEVER CITY IT IS TO BRING THAT PERMIT.
UM, AND THEN WITH THE COMMISSARY DOCUMENTS, WE, IN THE PACKET, WE HAVE A COMMISSARY AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE THE COMMISSARY SIGN SAYING THAT THIS PERSON'S AVAILABLE TO USE THEIR AREA PLUS THE PAPERWORK, THE DOCUMENTATION.
UH, WE ALSO CREATE COPIES OF EACH MOBILE UNIT PAPERWORK FOR OUR RECORDS.
SO LET'S SAY WHEN SOMEONE SHOWS UP AND THEY ARE MISSING A DOCUMENT, WE'LL MAKE COPIES OF ALL THE OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT THEY HAVE.
SO WHEN THEY DO SHOW UP, AGAIN, WE HAVE COPIES OF EVERYTHING THEY NEED ALREADY.
UH, ALTHOUGH WE STILL WANT THEM TO BRING THEIR UNIT AND ALL THEIR DOCUMENTS TO ALL THEIR INSPECTIONS AND RE-INSPECTIONS.
AND THEN WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THE, UH, CUSTOMER HAS THEIR UNIT READY FOR INSPECTION.
AND THAT'S WHERE IT TAKES 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR.
'CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THEY NEED TO BRING A GENERATOR TO SHOW THAT THE REFRIGERATION WORKS, OR THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY HAVE TO, THE, OR THE GENERATOR'S NOT WORKING.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T BRING GAS AND THEY RUN OUTTA GAS OR THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER IN THEIR MOBILE UNIT SO THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER TO, FOR US TO TEST THE HOT WATER.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT, UM, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S JUST PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET OUT THERE AND START OPERATING.
THEY DON'T REALIZE THE, THE INFORMATION ON THE PAPERWORK.
THEY DON'T CHECK THE WEBSITE AND THEY DON'T KNOW THEIR UNIT LIKE THEY SHOULD TO BE ABLE TO PROVE TO US THAT IT'S WORKING.
SO IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON AND FINDING DIFFERENT WAYS TO MAKE OUR, UM, INSPECTION MORE EFFICIENT.
AND LIKE I SAID, THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK FOR WHEN WE DO OUR INSPECTION, WHERE WE CHECK FOR CRITICAL ITEMS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE HOT WATER AT THE HAND SINK IS A HUNDRED DEGREES.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THE THREE COMPARTMENT SINK IS 110 DEGREES.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE REFRIGERATION IS 41 DEGREES OR BELOW.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE THINK, UM, 'CAUSE THEY OPEN AND CLOSE IT, IT IS NOT GONNA BE CODE, BUT IT STILL SHOULD BE 41 DEGREES EVEN AFTER THEY OPEN AND CLOSE IT A LOT.
UM, THE THREE COMPARTMENT SINK, WE WANNA KNOW WHERE THEIR POTABLE WATER IS AND THEIR NON POTABLE WATER TANKS ARE, AND WE WANT IT LABELED.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CHECK.
AND A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR, UM, KNOWLEDGE TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHAT THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING AT AND WHAT THE, WHAT POTABLE WATER IS AND NON POTABLE WATER IS.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAN.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN RODENT DROPPINGS AND PEST PROBLEMS IN, IN FOOD TRUCKS.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE LIKE COMMISSARIES.
'CAUSE ALLOWS THEM TO BE ABLE TO, UM, STORE AT A SAFE LOCATION.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THERE'S NO HOLES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT SUPPLIES PAPER TOWELS, SANITIZER, UM, TEST SANITIZER, TEST STRIPS, UM, THERMOMETERS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE EQUIPPED READY TO GO WHEN THEY LEAVE OUR LOCATION.
AND WE DO HAVE, UH, TWO DIFFERENT FORMS TO, TO SHOW THAT SOMEONE HAS A PERMIT.
UM, IT'S JUST A CERTIFICATE AND THE CERTIFICATE IS, UM, BLUE PIECE OF PAPER.
AND THIS YEAR THEY'RE GONNA BE GREEN.
SO IF ANYBODY JUST RECENTLY GOT PERMITTED IS GONNA BE GREEN.
WE HAVE GREEN STICKERS AS WELL.
WE ARE STILL, UM, WAITING ON THE GREEN STICKERS.
BUT RIGHT NOW THEY DO HAVE BLUE STICKERS AND THEY ALL KNOW ABOUT ONCE, UM, THE STICKERS COME IN, WE USUALLY EMAIL THEM OR CALL THEM UP AND ALLOW THEM TO COME BACK AND GET THE STICKER.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO BRING THEIR UNIT OR ANYTHING, THEY JUST HAVE TO PROVE PROOF PAPERWORK TO PROVE THAT THEY HAVE A PERMIT.
AND WE'LL GIVE THEM THE, THE GREEN STICKER.
WE'LL ALSO MAIL THEM TOO AND WE MAIL THEM AS WELL.
UM, AND THIS IS OUR FEE SCHEDULES.
SO RIGHT NOW THE FEE FOR A REGULAR FOOD TRUCK THAT'S COOKING, COOKING HOT FOOD IS 1278.
UM, WE DO ACCEPT CASH CARD, MONEY ORDER, UM, AND THE RENEWAL FEE IS 6 39, BUT THEY HAVE TO GET A PERMIT FIRST.
UM, AND THEN THOSE DIFFERENT FEES FOR THE FOOD CART, THE CATERING CARTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT NOW, UM, ICE CREAM AS FAR AS UM, ICE CREAM TRUCKS THAT DON'T PREPACKAGED ICE
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CREAM TRUCKS DON'T HAVE TO GET A PERMIT WITH US.AND ON OUR, ON OUR, UM, PAPERWORK, WE STILL HAVE A, A PORTION THAT WE GIVE PEOPLE ON OUR SECOND PAGE THAT TELLS PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CHECK WITH THE CITIES BEFORE THEY OPERATE AND THEY SIGN OFF WITH THE ORDINANCES AND ZONINGS.
SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S A, UM, COUNTYWIDE PERMIT, THEY STILL HAVE TO CHECK WITH THE LOCAL ORDINANCES AND, UM, ZONINGS OF EACH CITY THAT THEY GO AND, UH, SET UP THEIR MOBILE FOOD UNIT.
AND YOU ALSO HAVE TO GET A FIRE PERMIT IN THERE.
SO THE LEGISLATION IS GOING BACK INTO SESSION.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS WHEN THIS NEW LAW WENT UP, UM, INTO EFFECT, UM, SEPTEMBER, 2023.
SO THEY MIGHT DO SOME CHANGES MAYBE WITH ALSO THE FIRE INSPECTION.
YEAH, DALLAS, I, I KNOW, UH, DALLAS WON'T ACCEPT IT.
SO WE GO TO FAIR PARK AND WE HAVE TO BUY A $235 PERMIT A DAY.
SO THERE'S BEEN SOME, YOU KNOW, IT, THE, THE, THE HOUSE BILL 2078 HAD A LOT OF FAKENESS, SO I THINK THEY'RE GONNA PUT SOME MORE STIPULATIONS IN THERE BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S STILL SOME, UM, PEOPLE GETTING CHARGED AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT THE, THE REAL, THE REASON THAT I ASKED THIS TO BE ON THE AGENDA IS IN GARLAND WE HAVE FOOD TRUCKS ALL AT EVERY GAS STATION, PRETTY MUCH TRAILERS.
AND THESE TRAILERS NEVER MOVE MM-HMM
AND I KNOW, I KNOW THE RULES ON THE COUNTY PERMIT AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GO TO COMMISSARY DAILY.
SO THESE THINGS DON'T HAVE ELECTRICITY, THEY DON'T HAVE WATER RUNNING TO 'EM.
THEY COME IN TO HOOK UP A GENERATOR, SO THEY'VE GOT NO HOT AND COLD HOLDING AND NO HAND WASHING.
AND I'VE SEEN ONE OF 'EM NOT MOVE FOR EIGHT MONTHS NOW.
AND SO I WAS HOPING TO GET THE GARLAND PEOPLE TO TELL US WHY THEY'RE NOT INSPECTING THEM.
SO SOME CITIES FEEL LIKE THEY CAN'T, SO YOU CAN FILE A COMPLAINT WITH US, BUT ALSO IT'S LIKE A ALSO AZO, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE ANYTHING ABOUT IN YOUR ORDINANCES ABOUT ZONING.
UM, SO THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, ANOTHER CITY HAS BEEN TELLING US ABOUT, LIKE THEY'RE STAYING IN ONE SPOT.
THEY'RE NOT REALLY GOING TO THE COMMISSARY AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
UM, WE'RE ASKING LIKE CITIES TO TRY TO, UM, DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR ORDINANCE OR ZONING SO THAT THEY CAN, UM, THEIR INSPECTORS CAN CITE ON THAT.
I THINK DALLAS COUNTY HAS WHAT, FOUR INSPECTORS? EIGHT NOW
BUT I MEAN EVEN EIGHT FOR ALL OF DALLAS COUNTY.
AND AND YOU COULD COVER GARLAND, MESQUITE.
AND, AND NOT JUST THE, THE ONES THAT ARE HIDDEN IN A BACK LOCATION, BUT THE ONES THAT ARE OPEN EVERY SINGLE DAY.
YOU KNOW, THEY ARE NASTY IN THOSE THINGS.
IF YOU, YEAH, JUST GIVE US THE NAMES OF THEM AND LOCATIONS AND WE'LL GO OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT THEM.
YOU CAN ALWAYS FILE A COMPLAINT WITH US.
UM, BUT YEAH, ANOTHER THING IS IF THEY'RE NOT MOVING A LOCATION, THE MORE NOW THE MORE LIKE A STANDALONE RESTAURANT SO YOU CAN POP THEM AND SAY, HEY, UH, WE'RE GONNA CHARGE Y'ALL NOW FOR A RESTAURANT PERMIT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT MOVING.
BUT YES, I YOU COULD, I'VE SEEN IT ALL OVER THE YES, I DO MOSTLY FAIRS AND FESTIVALS.
SO WE HAD TO HAVE A PERMIT SO THAT WE COULD OPERATE IN GARLAND FOR THE 4TH OF JULY AND ANYTHING.
BUT, UM, THESE GUYS JUST HANG.
BUT DON'T HESITATE TO, TO SEND US AN EMAIL OR CALL ME AND GIVE US THE ADDRESSES AND THE NAMES AND WE'LL GO OUT THERE FOR A COMPLAINTS.
THEY GOT 'EM COOKING ON TOP OF STORAGE TANKS OF GASOLINE STATIONS.
THEY HAVE A OPEN FLAME COOKING WITH PROPANE ON TOP OF THE STICK.
THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT DOING THEIR STUFF IN THE MOBILE UNIT, SOUNDS LIKE.
DO Y'ALL HAVE ANYTHING ABOUT UNITS WITH NO PERMITS? DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY REGULATION? I DON'T HAVE A STICKER ON MINE.
SO YOU CAN'T TELL UNLESS IT'S OPEN.
THE, THAT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE GARLAND HEALTH TOLD ME.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF, UM, GO AHEAD.
THEY SAID THEY CAN'T TELL IF THEY'RE PERMITTED OR NOT.
THEY, THEY'RE NOT OPEN WHEN, SEE, THEY DON'T, A LOT OF 'EM DON'T OPEN UNTIL THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CLOSES.
THE, WE WILL COME OUT AFTER DARK.
BUT YEAH, JUST GIVE US THE NAMES, UM, AND THE LOCATION AND THEN YEAH.
THE PERMITS LOOK SHOULD BE LOOKING LIKE THIS.
SO IF, IF, IF WE REVOKE THE PERMIT, DO Y'ALL HAVE SOMETHING IN PLAN? IN PLAN? NO, THEY DON'T.
UH, AMBER, DO YOU KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT, FOR WHAT BOB IS, IS
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TALKING ABOUT? UM, SO I GUESS TO GO TO THE VERY BEGINNING.SO YOU ARE AWARE OF THE SENATE BILL? YEAH.
SO WE DON'T HAVE REGULATORY AUTHORITY TO PERMIT.
AND WE OPTED OUT OF THE AGREEMENTS, THE INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT TO PERMIT THEM.
SO DALLAS COUNTY DOES ALL THE PERMITTING.
UM, WHAT WAS YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION? THEY'RE OPERATING LIKE A RESTAURANT, RIGHT? THEY NEVER, THEY NEVER GO HOME.
SO IS THERE ANY RECOURSE WITH THE CITY? UM, BECAUSE WE CAN REVOKE THEIR PERMIT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY, IF THEY'RE A PLACE THAT THEY'LL STILL BE OPERATING, THEN YEAH.
IF WE CAN REVOKE THE PERMIT, WHAT, SO YOU COULD STILL LIKE, UM, TICKET THEM SITE, CITE THEM FOR NOT HAVING A PERMIT IN YOUR CITY? BUT I DON'T THINK THEY GO ANYWHERE NEAR 'EM.
UH, SO I'M WITH A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT, MAN.
PEOPLE WILL QUITE BE THE BEST PERSON.
BUT, UM, WE, WE WILL GO AND ON A COMPLAINT BASIS, WE GO OUT AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A PERMIT.
AND IF THEY HAVE A PERMIT, THAT'S WHAT WE CHECK.
WE DON'T CHECK ANYTHING FURTHER IN AND THEN WE, WE FORWARD THE COMPLAINT.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DON'T HAVE A PERMIT? WE CITE THEM.
BUT YEAH, GIVE US THE NAMES OF THESE THAT ARE NOT MOVING.
SO THEY'RE NOT REALLY USING THEIR COMMISSARY.
I'M MOSTLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE, THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE EATING AT THESE PLACES.
WE'LL GO IN INSIDE IT AND INSPECT THEM.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? UH, YEAH, I, I DID TOO.
SO PART OF THE INSPECTION DOESN'T INCLUDE WHERE THEY'RE PARKING THAT I WAS GONNA PIGGYBACK ON SO THEY CAN STAY AT THE SAME LOCATION.
IS THAT CORRECT? OR IS THERE LIKE A STATUTE OF LIMITATION OF HOW LONG THEY NEED TO BE THERE? WE DON'T HANDLE THE ZONING ISSUE.
BUT THE COUNTY RULE SAYS THAT YOU HAVE TO RETURN TO THE COMMISSARY EVERY DAY, I BELIEVE, CORRECT.
TO THE PLACE OF SELLING? NO, THE COMMISSARY IS WHAT? THE, THE COMMISSARY IS A, IN SOME CASES A RESTAURANT.
IT'S A COMMERCIAL LICENSED KITCHEN.
SO GARLAND DOESN'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMISSARIES.
THEY, I THINK THEY HAD TWO AND THEY WERE DOWN TO ONE, BUT NO PLACE REALLY TO PARK THESE THINGS.
IT'S ILLEGAL TO PARK ONE AT YOUR HOUSE IN GARLAND.
SO A COMMISSARY BASICALLY IS SAYING YOU CAN'T DO ANY FOOD PREP OR ANYTHING AT YOUR HOME.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE TO HAVE A COMMISSARY.
SO YOU COULD GET YOUR WATER, YOU CAN CLEAN YOUR, UH, MOBILE FOOD UNIT.
UM, IF THERE'S A PLACE WHERE YOU'RE STORING YOUR FOOD AT, THAT HAS TO BE AT THE COMMISSARY.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE COMMISSARY IS FOR.
AND THEN, UM, ARE THERE RANDOM INSPECTIONS? DO Y'ALL GO OUT LIKE EIGHT TO FIVE AND ARE Y'ALL STOPPING? OKAY, I SEE A BOOT TRUCK.
I'M GONNA GO IN THERE AND, UM, INSPECT THAT.
IS THAT WE DO THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, BUT WE MOSTLY ASK THEM TO COME AND DO A SECOND INSPECTION WITH US AFTER EVERY, UM, SIX MONTHS.
SO, BUT WE DO, DO HANDLE COMPLAINTS.
SO OUR, SO DURING OUR COMPLAINTS, WHAT WE DO IS THAT IF WE GET A COMPLAINT ON A MOBILE UNIT AND THEY DO HAVE A PERMIT WITH US, WE DO AN INSPECTION, THEN THAT'S WHEN WE SEE THE FOOD, THAT'S WHEN WE SEE EVERYTHING.
AND IF THEY DON'T PASS THEIR INSPECTION, THAT'S WHEN WE TELL THEM THEY HAVE TO COME BACK FOR A RE-INSPECTION.
WE'LL, WE'LL PULL THEIR PERMIT AND TELL 'EM THEY HAVE TO COME ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2121 PANORAMIC AND GET ANOTHER INSPECTION.
SEE, THEY'RE NOT DOING, THEY'RE DOING PREP AT HOME.
THEY'RE COOKING THE FOOD OR IN, IN DI BELIEVE IN, IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, YOU CAN'T CUT ONIONS IN YOUR TRUCK.
WELL, THE THING WITH COMMISSARIES, WE JUST WANT, UM, THE COMMISSARIES ARE, WE WANT THE COMMISSARIES TO HAVE A HEALTH PERMIT.
SO ALL THE COMMISSARIES ARE LICENSED THROUGH THE CITIES.
SO IF A PLACE DOESN'T IS VIOLATING COMMISSARY RULES AND REGULATIONS, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GIVE US A COMPLAINT AND WE CAN GO OUT TO THAT LOCATION WHERE THE COMMISSARY IS SUPPOSED TO BE.
WE DO, WE DO, WE DO CHECK THAT AS WELL.
DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A COMPLAINT OR CAN YOU JUST GO A SURPRISE? UM, WE BASED ON COMPLAINTS RIGHT NOW, SO OH NO, NO, WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
BUT LIKE I SAID, IF WE, IF WE'RE OUT AND ABOUT AND WE SEE, WE MIGHT STOP AND DO IT, BUT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE MANPOWER.
AND THEN, LIKE I SAID, WE DO HAVE THEM COME EVERY SIX MONTHS AND COME BACK AND DO A REINSPECTION WITH US.
AND THEN THEY HAVE TO RENEW THEIR PERMIT TOO AT THE, SO, UM, AT THE END WHEN THE, UH, PERMIT IS EXPIRED, LIKE WE HAD A GUY THE OTHER DAY, HE GOT A COMPLAINT.
HIS PERMIT WAS EXPIRED, BUT HE HAD NO HOT WATER.
I THINK HE WA WASN'T, UH, MOVING.
SO HE ENDED UP LOSING HIS, UH, PERMIT.
AND SO HE'S NOW ON HIS, I THINK THIRD WEEK OF STILL KEEP ON TRYING TO REINSPECT BECAUSE HE'S STILL TRYING TO FIX HIS HARD WATER.
DOES HE HAVE TO WAIT? DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO WAIT A PERIOD OF TIME AFTER THEY'VE BEEN,
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AFTER THEY'VE HAD THEIR PERMIT REMOTE BEFORE? THEY CAN REAPPLY.AS LONG AS THEY GET THEIR, THEIR, THEY GET THEIR MOBILE FOOD UNIT BACK UP TO OUR STANDARDS.
SO LIKE HE SAID, THE HOT WATER HAS NOT BEEN WORKING, SO HE CAN'T, HE'S NOT GONNA PASS.
SO HE KEEPS ON RESCHEDULING HIS APPOINTMENT.
IT'S A BIG HIT THAT, THAT IT'S A $1,200, UH, PERMIT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT HALF THE PRICE.
SO THE FIRST YEAR IT'S THE 1278 AND THEN THE SECOND YEAR AFTER THAT, IT'S HALF THE PRICE I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT THE 1278 AND I HAVE GOT $1,500 WORTH OF FIRE INSPECTIONS.
SO HOW FAR IN ADVANCE DOES SOMEONE NEED TO, IF THEY'RE GONNA HAVE LIKE A 4TH OF JULY THINK OR SOMETHING IN THE FOOD TRUCK, HOW FAR IN ADVANCE THIS STORE NEED TO START A PERMIT PROCESS? UH, LIKE THEY WOULD DOWNLOAD OUR PERMITS, I MEAN OUR APPLICATION AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS.
SO, UM, JUST DEPENDING ON HOW, IF THEY CAN MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND IF THEY DO, UM, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME? WE TALKING ABOUT A WEEK, TWO WEEKS.
UH, MOST OF THE TIMES WE CAN GET, UM, A MOBILE FOOD UNIT IN WITHIN THAT WEEK.
AND WHAT'S THE MAGIC NUMBER WITH 41 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT? WHAT THAT IS? UH, UH, T FOURS RULE TEXAS FOOD ESTABLISHMENT RULES.
UH, IT'S 41 AND BELOW, UH, 1 35 AND ABOVE.
UM, SO IT'S TO BE OUT OF THE DANGER TO BE OUTTA THE DANGER ZONE BETWEEN 41 AND 1 35 IS IN THE DA YOUR FOOD PRODUCT IS IN THE DANGER ZONE.
THE CARRIER IS THE HOT HOLDING.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PLACES DON'T HAVE HOT HOLDING, SO THEY PREPARE THE FOOD, THEY PUT IT IN A LITTLE DISH AND THEN SERVE IT THROUGHOUT THE DAY WITHOUT HOLDING A TEMPERATURE.
A TACO TRUCK, FOR EXAMPLE, COULD HAVE A BOWL OF CILANTRO, ONIONS, PICO DE GALLO SIT OUT ON THE COUNTER ALL DAY LONG.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT'S THOSE LITTLE THINGS THAT YEAH.
AND ANYTIME Y'ALL MAKE A COMPLAINT, WE WILL HANDLE IT TO GO OUT ANY, ANY PLACE.
SO, SO THEY LIKE WITH THE, UM, THE REQUIREMENTS, THAT'S WHY WE REQUIRE SO MUCH.
LIKE, THEY CAN'T BE A FOOD HANDLER.
THEY HAVE TO BE A FOOD MANAGER.
AND THOSE ARE, THAT'S A HARDER TEST TO TAKE.
UM, BUT YEAH, WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THEIR FOOD MANAGER'S CARD, UM, AND PROVIDE US THAT COMMISSARY AGREEMENT WITH, WITH A FOOD.
SO LIKE SOMETIMES THEY TRY TO MAKE A COMMISSARY, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, A TIRE SHOP THAT'S NOT A COMMISSARY.
SO THAT'S WHY WE ASKED ALSO FOR THEIR PERMIT IN THEIR LAST INSPECTION, BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S A, UM, UH, A PERMITTED ENTITY THAT THEY'RE GET, THEY'RE STORING THEIR FOOD TRUCK AT AND, UH, USING THEIR, UM, THEIR EQUIPMENT.
IT COULD BE A GAS STATION IF IT'S PERMITTED.
THEY'VE GOT A KITCHEN AND A GREASE.
JUST OUT CURIOSITY, WHAT YOU MENTIONED, SOME OF THE REPERCUSSIONS BECAUSE HOW MANY CITATIONS SHOULD ONE GET BEFORE HIS PERMIT TOTALLY REMOVED? WE DON'T NONRENEWABLE WE DON'T ISSUE CITATIONS BECAUSE WE'RE THE COUNTY.
BUT WE, LIKE I SAID, IF THEY'RE NOT, IF THEY, WE GO IN AND THERE'S NO HOT WATER, WE PULL THE PERMIT, WE JUST PULL IT.
CITIES ARE THE ONES THAT ISSUE CITATIONS.
WE DON'T, WE, WE DON'T ISSUE CITATIONS.
SO THEY COULD STILL OPERATE WITHOUT PERMIT? NO, THAT'S WHAT I'M, NO, THEY CAN'T.
BUT YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE THE ENFORCEMENT CAPABILITY TO SHUT THEM DOWN.
WE NOTIFY THE CITIES AFTER OUR, EACH COMPLAINT WE GET DONE, WE NOTIFY THE CITIES OR WHOEVER GIVES US THE COMPLAINT, WE NOTIFY THEM AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.
SO THE, THE CITY WOULD BE UP TO Y'ALL TO ISSUE A CITATION BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A PERMIT ANYMORE.
SO DO YOU CALL THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR CODE COMPLIANCE OR WHAT? HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO, SO FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, ARE THOSE PERMITS SHOULD BE VISIBLE? YES, THEY SHOULD.
AND IF I'M GOING TO ONE, LIKE OKAY, WE GIVE THEM LIKE TWO PERMITS.
SO WE GIVE THEM A PAPER COPY AND WE GIVE THEM THE STICKER COPY.
THE STICKER SHOULD BE ON, YOU KNOW, YES.
IT SHOULD BE ON THE VERY BACK RIGHT PORTION OF THE UNIT.
WE TELL THEM TO, THAT'S WHAT WE USUALLY TELL 'EM TO PUT IN THE BACK.
SO YOU CAN SEE IT A VISIBLE AREA.
SO IF YOU'RE STILL SEEING 2024, WHICH IS BLUE, UM, SOME OF THEM ARE STILL VALID, BUT YOU SHOULD START SEEING A GREEN STICKER SOON.
SO, OUT CURIOSITY, WITH YOUR COMPLAINTS,
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WHO'S, WHAT KIND OF COMPLAINTS ARE YOU GUYS GETTING FROM, YOU SAID YOU RESPOND TO COMPLAINTS? UM, THESE, LIKE CONSUMERS, PEOPLE? NO, USUALLY WE GET THE CITY.WE HAVE CITIES GIVING US COMPLAINTS.
UM, NORMALLY THEY'LL GO THE, THE COMPLAINTS AND WE'LL GO TO THE CITY AND THE CITY WILL BE NOTIFIED.
SOMETIMES, UM, WE GET JUST PHONE CALLS AND WE'LL HANDLE THAT.
BUT MOST OF OUR MAJOR COMPLAINTS ARE FROM CITIES.
SO THAT WAY WE'LL HAVE A WAY TO RESPOND TO PEOPLE.
LIKE FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, SOMETIMES IT'S, IT'S, UM, CODE COMPLIANCE.
WHO DEALS WITH THE, THE PARKING.
THEY HAVE A, A COMPLAINT HOTLINE NUMBER, I GUESS.
AND THEY'LL JUST GIVE US THE INFORMATION, FORWARD US THE INFORMATION.
SO WE DON'T NECESSARILY GET TO SPEAK TO ANYBODY.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WHEN YOU DO GET A COMPLAINT, YOU TRY TO GET THE TIME, THE, THE COLOR OF THE UNIT.
ANY INFORMATION COULD HELP US OUT.
'CAUSE EVEN MYSELF, IF I GO TO A PLACE, LET'S SAY IF I DO A, A COMPLAINT AT EIGHT O'CLOCK AND THEY'RE KNOWN TO COME AT 10:00 PM I'M GONNA CHECK THE ADDRESS THEY THAT YOU GIVE ME.
I'M GONNA CHECK THE NEXT DOOR.
I'M GONNA CHECK ANY PLACE AROUND THAT'S GONNA BE OPEN TO SEE DO.
AND I'M, I JUST ASK PEOPLE, DO Y'ALL GET TACOS FROM A FOOD TRUCK AROUND HERE AT NIGHT? AND THEY, THEY SAY YES.
SOMETIMES THEY DO, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T.
BUT NORMALLY PEOPLE, THEY DON'T.
IF IT'S THERE, THEY'LL SAY YES THERE.
THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
SO IT LETS ME KNOW THAT IT IS THERE AND THAT WAY WE CAN STILL WORK WITH YOU GUYS.
F THESE PLACES HAVE PICNIC TABLES SET UP AND YES, EVERY CITY, THE THING IS DIFFERENT CITIES HAVE DIFFERENT RULES AND REGULATIONS ABOUT HOW MANY CHAIRS THEY CAN PUT OUT.
CAN THEY SIT THERE? THEY HAVE TO FILL OUT OTHER FORMS TO SIT THERE.
THEY DO A VEHICLE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY THAT ALLOWS A VEHICLE TO KNOW THAT, HEY, YOU GO, YOU ONLY HAVE TWO HOURS TO BE HERE AFTER YOUR TWO HOURS IS OVER.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL CAN LOOK INTO AS WELL.
SOME CITIES HAVE LIKE ZONING TIME LIMITS AND OR STUFF IN THEIR ORDINANCES.
UM, I KNOW THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE'RE RUNNING INTO WITH SOME CITIES THAT DON'T HAVE IT.
THEY SHOULD JUST HAVE NO OVERNIGHT PARKING ON SITE AND THAT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
OR A BATHROOM LETTER CITY, SOME CITIES DO A BATHROOM LETTER WHERE YOU'RE, YOU TELL THOSE PEOPLE THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE A BATHROOM LETTER BECAUSE THEY CAN'T, THEN THEY CAN'T GO IN AN EMPTY PARKING LOT.
THEY DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO USE THE RESTROOM.
YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT YOU CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OFFICER CAN CHECK AND SAY, DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE A PLACE TO USE THE RESTROOM? YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TECHNICALLY WANT PEOPLE TO USE, HAVE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY WE ASK FOR THE COMMISSARY INFORMATION, JUST SO WE KNOW.
AND THEY, WE ALSO HAVE A PLACE ON A, OUR, OUR APPLICATION WHERE WE GIVE, WE HAVE FIVE BLANKS AND WE WANT ALL THE LOCATIONS THAT THEY GO TO.
AND IF IT'S, AND IF THEY GO TO A NEW LOCATION, THEY HAVE TO TELL US ABOUT THE NEW LOCATION THEY GO TO.
SO THAT WAY WE HAVE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT WE CAN CHECK.
ESPECIALLY IF WE GET COMPLAINTS.
I GET RANDOMLY INSPECTED BY THE FORM I FILLED OUT.
'CAUSE I FILLED OUT THE FESTIVALS AND MM-HMM
SOMEONE SHOWED UP AT ONE OF THE FESTIVALS AND CHECKED US.
SO JUST A HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION, WHAT IF LIKE THREE PEOPLE COMPLAIN OF FOOT POISONING IN THE AREA? TALKING ABOUT THE SAME YEAH.
ESPECIALLY IF IT'S COMING FROM OLOGY, THE DIVISION.
AND IN GARLAND, IF, IF IT'S A FESTIVAL SITUATION, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE FOOD LIABILITY INSURANCE MM-HMM
SO, AND, AND MANY OF THE FAIR PARK HAS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT.
EVERY FESTIVAL IN NORTH TEXAS, PRETTY MUCH YOU HAVE TO CARRY ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF FOOD LIABILITY INSURANCE TO HAVE A, TO BE AT THE FESTIVALS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY REQUIRE IT.
THE COUNTY DOES IT RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY PROBABLY SHOULD.
ONE LAST THING, WHAT ABOUT THE LITTLE PEOPLE WHO PUSH THE, THE CARTS THAT'S HAVE THE ICE CREAM? LIKE HOW ARE THOSE, ARE THOSE MONITORED? NOT THE ONES THAT SELL JUST HARD CANDY.
WE DON'T PERMIT THOSE, BUT, UM, LIKE WHAT IS THAT KIND OF ICE? THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A FOOD PERMIT.
UM, INDIVIDUAL THAT'S WALKING.
THEY ALL, THEY HAVE TO HAVE FROZEN ICE CREAM PREPACKAGED ITEMS. OKAY.
SODAS, CANDIES, CHIRONS, I GUESS THEY SEE IT, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE THE SALSA MIXTURES AND THINGS LIKE MAYONNAISE.
NOT, NOT TO DO SAMPLING, BUT WE DON'T PERMIT THOSE.
BUT LIKE, UM, CORN CARTS, UM, HOT DOG CARTS, THEY ARE REQUIRED.
AND YOU CAN ALWAYS DO A, A VENDOR PERMIT.
I HAVE ONE OF MY CITIES, THEY MAKE PEOPLE GET VENDOR PERMITS FOR THOSE JUST 'CAUSE
[00:30:01]
WE'RE MEETING TE R.SO THAT HOUSE BILL 28 78 SAYS WE HAVE TO MEET TEER.
WHAT IS THAT? TEXAS FOOD ESTABLISHMENT RULES.
THAT'S WHAT WE, UM, OUR RULES ARE BASED OFF OF.
ANYBODY ELSE? WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
ANYONE NEED A BUSINESS CARD OR Y'ALL
HEY KEN, GET YOUR MIC CLOSER TO YOU.
AND LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, WE DOUBLED OUR STAFF, UM, TO ACCOMMODATE THIS NEW HOUSE BILL.
YEAH, DON'T HESITATE TO EMAIL ME, UM, ANY COMPLAINTS OR CALL ME.
MY NAME'S AMBER THOMPSON AND I AM WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT.
IT'S A RELATIVELY NEW DEPARTMENT WITH THE CITY.
UM, I WAS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND THE CITY SPLIT THOSE.
UM, AND I TOOK OVER SOME OF THE STORM WATER DUTIES, UH, FOR WHAT HEALTH WAS DOING AND ALSO, UH, HOMELESS.
UM, SO THERE'S TWO SECTIONS TO THE HOMELESSNESS.
THERE'S, THERE'S MY DEPARTMENT WHICH HANDLES THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE SECTION OF IT.
AND THE OFFICERS WILL TALK ABOUT THE HOMELESS, UH, LIAISONS, THE HOMELESS OUTREACH, AND ANY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY RELATED WITH HOMELESSNESS.
BUT, UM, SO WE CALL IT THE WAYWARD ENCAMPMENT AND COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE NETWORK.
UH, IT'S NOT A SOLUTION TO HOMELESSNESS, BUT IT'S A RESPONSE TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS CRISIS.
UM, SO THERE'S KIND OF TWO PARTS TO IT.
THERE'S ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND THEN THERE'S, THERE'S PROPERTY DAMAGE THAT HAPPENS WITH THESE TWO THINGS.
AND SO, UM, ME AND MY DEPARTMENT, WE HANDLE THOSE RESPONSES TO THAT, UM, EDUCATING PROPERTY OWNERS.
UM, YOU'LL KIND OF SEE IN HERE WHAT WE DO.
UM, SO I THINK THE MOST IMPACTFUL THING AT AN ENCAMPMENT THAT SOME PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE OF IS THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
AND SO THESE PEOPLE ARE, UM, DEFECATING IN PUBLIC, UM, JUST NEXT TO TREES BEHIND DUMPSTERS, WHEREVER THEY CAN FIND A PLACE TO GO.
UM, SO WE RESPOND TO THOSE AS IMMEDIATE RESPONSE.
WE COME OUT AS SOON AS WE KNOW ABOUT IT, AND WE DISINFECT THE AREA AND WE REMOVE THE, THE HUMAN WASTE OFF OF THERE.
SO, UM, AND I MEANT TO PUT IN ANOTHER PICTURE, BUT, UM, WE ALSO REMOVE, UM, BIOHAZARD ANY SORT OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, NEEDLES AND STUFF.
WE, WE COME AND WE TAKE ALL THOSE AS WELL.
UM, WE ARE ALL HEP B VACCINATED.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAS KINDLY PROVIDED FOR US.
SO THAT, UH, WE GET THAT SERIES WITH THE CITY CARE CLINIC.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST STOP ME ALONG THE WAY.
UM, SO ANOTHER THING WE CONSIDER IMMINENT TO LIFE, UH, SAFETY IS, UM, PEOPLE LIVING INSIDE STORM DRAINS OR THE STORM SEWERS.
UM, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A DROWNING HAZARD FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE DOWN IN THERE, BUT IT ALSO FLOODS OUR CITY.
SO, UM, WE TRY AS BEST WE CAN TO RESPOND TO THOSE AND REMOVE THOSE AS SOON AS WE CAN.
UM, THAT'S ME INSIDE OF A STORM DRAIN.
SOMEBODY WAS ACTUALLY LIVING IN THERE.
UM, THEY HAD SLEEPING BAGS, PILLOWS, THEY HAD ACTUALLY TAKEN PILLOWS, BLANKETS, AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS AND SHOVED IT INSIDE THE STORM DRAIN TO BLOCK THE WATER.
NO, UM, BUT IT'S, UM, IT'S A LITTLE EYEOPENING.
UM, YOU WOULDN'T THINK SOMEONE WOULD LIVE INSIDE OF A STORM DRAIN, BUT THEY ARE IN THERE.
UH, ANOTHER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IS THE FIRES.
UM, IT'S OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY IMPACT, BUT THOUGH, UM, THIS PARTICULAR ONE RIGHT HERE, UM, HE WAS BURNING TIRES.
AND SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANNA BURN TIRES.
UM, AEROSOLS I'VE FOUND PAINT, ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF, THEY'LL THROW INTO THE FIRE TO BURN IT.
SO, UM, AND THEN THIS IS ACTUALLY DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
SO THEY HAD STARTED A FIRE NEXT TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
UM, SO THE OFFICERS WILL RESPOND TO THOSE.
FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO THOSE, AND THEN, UM, WE WILL COME AND CLEAN UP AFTERWARDS.
SO I JUST KINDA WANTED A LITTLE BIT TO GO OVER PUBLIC VERSUS PRIVATE PROPERTY, UM, WITH PUBLIC PROPERTY.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE ANYTHING, ANY RIGHT OF WAYS.
ALLEYS, UM, MIDDLE OF THE STREET, UM, SIDEWALKS AND ANY PUB GARLAND OWNED, UM, LAND CITY PARKS.
UM, WE GIVE THE RESIDENTS THREE DAYS TO VACATE.
UM, AND THEN WE COME ON MONDAYS AS OUR BIG CLEANUP DAY.
[00:35:01]
I, I USUALLY POST THE SIGNS WHERE THE OFFICERS WILL POST THE SIGNS THAT WEEK, AND THEN THE MONDAY WE COME AND WE CLEAN IT UP AND REMOVE ALL THE ENCAMPMENTS AND THEN, AND THEY'LL TALK ABOUT IT TOO.BUT WE STORE THEIR ITEMS FOR SEVEN DAYS.
THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO RETRIEVE THOSE ITEMS UNLESS IT'S REALLY, REALLY FILTHY, THEN WE JUST, WE DISCARD THOSE.
UM, BUT JUST SOME THINGS WE DEAL WITH.
UM, SO HE'D BE SURPRISED AT ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN THIS.
UM, EVERYONE FROM GPNL TO OBVIOUS, OUR STREETS DEPARTMENT IS THE CREW WHO CLEANS THESE.
UH, SO KUDOS TO THE STREETS DEPARTMENT AND THEY'RE OUT THERE CLEANING THESE CAMPS.
UM, GPNL HERE, THEY HAD TAKEN OUT THE ELECTRICAL WIRES OF THE LIGHT POLE.
UM, AND IN THIS ONE, THEY HAD ACTUALLY REMOVED THE TENSION WIRES THAT HOLD UP THE TELEPHONE POLE TO BUILD A STRUCTURE.
UM, PARKS DEPARTMENT IS OBVIOUSLY VERY INVOLVED.
UM, THEY HELP US, THEY PROVIDE THE TRUCKS AND THEY TAKE THE TRUCKS TO THE LANDFILL AND PROVIDE US A DRIVER.
UM, PROPERTY DAMAGE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
UM, THOSE PICTURE ON THE, ON THIS SITE HERE IS, UH, THAT'S A REST, AN OLD RESTAURANT.
THOSE WERE THE GREASE TRAP LIDS.
AND IT'S ABOUT A FOUR FOOT DROP INTO A BUNCH OF WATER.
SO, UM, THEY REMOVE THE LIDS AND SELL THE METAL.
SO, UH, I NOTIFIED THE PROPERTY OWNER AND THEY'RE GONNA FIX IT, BUT IT'S JUST SOME THINGS THAT TO BE KIND OF AWARE OF, UM, WHEN YOU OWN, WHEN YOU OWN LAND.
UH, AND THEN THIS ONE IS ACTUALLY THE CITY OWNS THE LOT HERE AND THAT WE REMOVED AN ENCAMPMENT OFF THERE.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE IT JUST, IT DECREASES PROPERTY VALUES.
THE MAN WAS TRYING TO SELL HIS HOUSE AND REDID HIS HOUSE, AND THERE WAS AN ENCAMPMENT NEXT TO IT.
SO, UM, WE FIXED THE LAND AND WE FIXED IT ALL UP.
BUT IT'S JUST KIND OF, UM, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF, I GUESS IT'S QUICKER ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO, UM, THEY HAVE, OH, I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.
BUT THEY HAVE, UH, MAYBE IT'S MY NEXT SLIDE.
WE DON'T TRESPASS PEOPLE OFF PUBLIC PROPERTY.
UM, BUT PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, WHEN I TALK TO THEM, ARE A LOT OF TIMES UNAWARE THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY TRESPASS PEOPLE.
THEY FEEL VERY SORRY FOR THEM, YOU KNOW, RIGHTLY SO.
UM, IT'S A TERRIBLE SITUATION.
UM, BUT I LET THEM KNOW THAT BY ALLOWING THEM TO STAY THERE, YOU'RE KEEPING THEM HOMELESS.
UM, THEY NEED TO BE TAKEN TO A SHELTER.
UM, AND IF THEY REFUSE, THEN WE HAVE OTHER RESOURCES.
BUT, UM, THEY HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY.
AND, UM, SO I NOTIFIED THE PROPERTY OWNER, UM, THAT THERE'S AN ENCAMPMENT ON THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, AND USUALLY THAT'S ALL IT TAKES IS THEY HAD NO IDEA IT'S A VACANT LOT.
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN THERE AND FOREVER.
UM, OR IT'S A PROPERTY THEY'RE TRYING TO SELL AND THEY'VE GOTTEN INTO THE BUILDING AND THEY USUALLY DON'T KNOW.
UH, SO WHEN THEY FIND OUT THEY'RE USUALLY RESPONSIVE, THEY'LL PUT THE SIGNS OUT AND THEY'LL, UH, REMOVE PEOPLE AND THEY WILL CLEAN THE ENCAMPMENT THEMSELVES.
UM, FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE, I DON'T WANNA SAY NONCOMPLIANT, BUT PEOPLE THAT DON'T, EITHER I CAN'T GET AHOLD OF ANYBODY OR THEY JUST SAY, I DON'T CARE, IT'S FINE.
UM, WE ISSUE NOTICES A VIOLATION.
AND, UM, MARCH I, I, I FOLLOW WHAT OUR LEGAL DOES FOR WARRANTS, JUST IN CASE IT GOES TO WARRANT.
SO I GIVE THEM 15 DAYS, UM, TO CLEAN IT.
IF IT'S NOT CLEAN, I GIVE 'EM 48 HOURS AND THEN I OBTAIN A WARRANT AND WE GO IN AND DO IT OURSELVES.
BUT WE WILL WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
SO A LOT OF TIMES IF IT'S RESIDENTIAL AND IT'S BEHIND A HOUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WILL GO IN THERE AND TAKE IT, CLEAN IT FOR THEM.
'CAUSE THE RESIDENT DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE BIOHAZARD MATERIAL.
UM, OR IF IT'S GOTTEN OUT OF HAND ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, WE WILL ASSIST IN THOSE CASES.
UH, AND THEN AGAIN, REMOVAL AND CLEANUP ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
THESE ARE THE, THE SIGNS WE POST.
IT LETS THEM KNOW THE DAY THAT I POSTED THE SIGN AND IT LETS THEM KNOW, UM, ON OR AFTER THE DAY, THE ENCAMPMENT MAY BE REMOVED.
UM, SO SOMETIMES, LIKE FOR INSTANCE, THIS MONDAY DUE TO THE WEATHER, OUR STREETS TEAM WAS DOING ICE AND WATER MAIN BREAKS AND STUFF, SO THEY COULDN'T ASSIST IN CLEANUP.
SO WE DIDN'T HAVE A CLEANUP MONDAY.
UM, SO WE DIDN'T COME MONDAY, BUT ON OR AFTER.
SO THEY KNOW THAT ANY, ANYTIME AFTER THAT WE CAN COME.
UM, SOMETIMES THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL THERE WHEN WE COME AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT.
SO, UM, I JUST RECENTLY PUT TOGETHER, UH, IT'S NOT OFFICIALLY FINISHED YET, SO I DIDN'T HAVE IT.
BUT, UM, A FLYER THAT I MAIL OUT, UH, OR I BRING TO THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND THIS IS ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE, NOT THE VIOLATION SECTION, BUT TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE ATTRACTING ENCAMPMENTS TO THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, ANY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IS A CRIME.
SO PLEASE REPORT THAT TO THE GARLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, PASSWORD PROTECT YOUR WIFI.
PEOPLE A LOT OF TIMES DON'T REALIZE THERE'S OPEN WIFI IN THEIR HOUSE, AND THAT'S WHY SOMEONE'S THERE.
[00:40:01]
KNOW YOUR PROPERTY BOUNDARIES.UM, SOMETIMES YOUR PROPERTY EXTENDS INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE CREEK OR IT EXTENDS INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
AND THAT PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STORM DRAIN UNDERNEATH.
AND OF COURSE, WE WILL ASSIST INSIDE STORM DRAINS.
UM, BUT KNOW YOUR PROPERTY BOUNDARIES AND KNOW EXACTLY MAYBE YOU ACTUALLY, THIS ENCAMPMENT ACTUALLY IS ON YOUR PROPERTY.
UM, NO TRESPASSING SIGNS ARE VERY EFFECTIVE.
UM, I'VE NOTICED, UH, BLOCK ACCESS WITH FENCES OR GATES, UM, REMOVE ENCAMPMENTS, TRASH AND OTHER, UH, RELATED MATERIALS UPON DISCOVERY.
UM, SOME PROPERTY OWNERS FIND OUT THE LONGER YOU WAIT 'CAUSE YOU FEEL SORRY AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, SO YOU JUST LET THEM STAY, THE BIGGER THE ENCAMPMENT GETS.
AND WHEN THE ENCAMPMENT GETS REALLY, REALLY BIG, UM, IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO REMOVE, UH, LOCK REMOVE OR DISABLE EXTERIOR ELECTRICAL PLUGS OR WATER FAUCETS.
UM, ESPECIALLY WITH BUSINESSES, THEY'LL, THEY'LL, THEY'LL USE THE POWER, THEY'LL POWER NEXT TO IT OR THEY'LL, THEY'LL TICK WATER.
UM, AND THEN I LET THEM KNOW, UM, USUALLY NOT IMMEDIATELY, BUT IF I'M NOT GETTING A RESPONSE THAT ANY VIOLATIONS THAT HAPPEN ON THEIR PROPERTY DUE TO THE ENCAMPMENTS ARE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, UH, AND THAT THEY WILL BE CITED FOR THOSE THINGS.
UM, HEALTH HAZARD FROM THE PRESENCE OF HUMAN WASTE, UM, THIS USUALLY OPENS THEIR EYES.
IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO USE THE RESTROOM SO THAT THEY'RE USING THE RESTROOM ON YOUR PROPERTY.
AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH,
UM, I HAD ONE, UH, LADY WHO WAS VERY HESITANT.
SHE OWNED THIS BIG STORAGE UNIT, AND, UM, SHE FELT VERY SORRY.
AND I SAID, WELL, HE'S CUTTING YOUR TREES DOWN RIGHT NOW AND STARTING A FIRE ON YOUR PROPERTY.
IT'S LIKE, WE KIND OF NEED TO HAVE THE REALITY OF THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, PRESENCE OF LITTER OR REFUSE, WHICH CODE USES THIS A LOT.
UM, MELISSA, DISCHARGE OF PROHIBITED, PROHIBITED SUBSTANCE.
UM, I'LL USUALLY ISSUE THIS ONE.
UH, IF IT'S ALONG A CREEK BANK AND THERE'S THINGS SPILLING INTO THE CREEK, THEY'RE BATHING IN THE CREEK OR DISCHARGING ANYTHING INTO THE CREEK.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE SOME, UM, CODES THAT TALK ABOUT DOWN THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE AND RELATED AREAS.
UM, AND THEN THE GARLAND DEVELOPMENT CODE KIND OF COVERS ENCAMPMENTS.
UM, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TRAVEL TRAILERS, TENTS, PORTABLE TEMPORARY HOUSING MAY NOT BE USED FOR DWELLING OR GUEST, UH, HOUSING IN ANY DISTRICT.
SO IT'S PEOPLE LIVING IN PLACES NOT DESIGNED FOR HUMAN HABITATION.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT OUR FOCUS IS.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS? SO, IN SOME CITIES, LIKE I WAS RECENTLY IN WASHINGTON, THE HOMELESS SITUATION HAS GOTTEN OUTTA CONTROL.
UM, THEY, THEY CRACK IN THE STREET IN FRONT OF THE COPS.
THEY, SEATTLE WAS GIVEN BUCKETS.
HOME DEPOT BUCKETS FOR THEIR WASTE.
UM, AND THEY JUST GO DUMP THAT IN THE RIVER.
UM, WHAT'S THE SOLUTION? WELL, FORTUNATELY YOU HEAR ABOUT IT, RIGHT? LY AND THEY SAY, OH, IT'S A MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, FORTUNATELY WE HAVE A TEXAS PENAL CODE, WHICH THE OFFICERS ARE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT PROHIBITS CAMPING IN A PUBLIC PLACE.
UM, SO IF YOU'RE IN OUR PARK AND YOU HAVE A TENT OR AN ENCAMPMENT THAT'S AGAINST THE TEXAS PENAL CODE, AND THE POLICE OFFICERS CAN ADDRESS IT THAT WAY, UH, IT IS A, I THINK ARRESTABLE DEFENSE, BUT I'LL LET THEM TALK ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, EMPOWERING PROPERTY OWNERS TO KNOW THAT THIS IS YOUR PROPERTY, IT'S YOUR PROPERTY, UM, AND YOU HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
UM, SOLUTION, I, I'M NOT SURE, UM, I WOULD SAY IT'S, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY IT'S NOT HAVING ACCESS TO A HOME.
UM, BUT I'VE HEARD STORIES OF THEM GETTING HOMES AND STILL DEFECATING OUTSIDE OF THE RESTROOM.
SO, UH, IT'S CLEARLY A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM.
I DON'T KNOW ANYONE SOUND MIND THAT WOULD SLEEP IN THEIR OWN HUMAN WASTE, WHICH I'VE SEEN.
SO, UM, CLEARLY WE HAVE AN EPIDEMIC OF SOME KIND OF MENTAL ILLNESS.
I GUESS MY, THE BETTER QUESTION IS IF YOU'RE HOMELESS MM-HMM
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A MENTAL ISSUE.
AND, AND IF YOU'RE, IF YOU HAVE A MENTAL ISSUE, YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE HOMELESS.
WHICH OF THOSE TWO SEEMS TO BE THE MAJOR CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM? OH, I HAVE NO IDEA.
AND I'VE ONLY BEEN IN THE BUSINESS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.
SO, UH, IN MY SHORT STINT SO FAR, UM, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT.
I THINK THEY'LL PROBABLY ADDRESS THAT.
BUT, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, IT, IT'S, IT'S REALLY WHAT I'VE LEARNED SO FAR IN THE THREE MONTHS I'VE DONE THIS, IS THAT I, YOU CAN'T CATEGORIZE THEM INTO ONE THING.
YOU CAN'T SAY THE HOMELESS, BECAUSE I'VE MET HOMELESS THAT TRULY HAVE, DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
THERE'S NO MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. THEY GOT EVICTED, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
UH, I'VE SEEN SEVERE ADDICTION, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN MENTAL HEALTH, UH, I'VE SEEN PEOPLE BEING
[00:45:01]
TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF FOR BEING HOMELESS, UH, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANNA RUN CRIMES THROUGH THEIR WHATEVER.UM, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS WE HAVE AUDUBON PARK AND THE D CREEK MM-HMM.
SO UNFORTUNATELY WHAT WE'VE SEEN WITH CONSTRUCTION IS THAT THESE ENCAMPMENTS ARE GOING DEEPER INTO THE WOODS WOODY LIKE AREA, I DON'T KNOW WOODY'S THE WORD, BUT IN THAT AREA.
SO HOW, HOW DO ARE Y'ALL, LIKE YESTERDAY I WENT FOR A RUN THAT MORNING AND THEN THE NEW YEAR'S DAY THERE WAS NONE.
AND THEN I GO, AND THEN THERE'S LIKE THREE, THREE TENTS.
SO THAT AREA, UH, IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE PARTS OF IT ARE MESQUITE AND PARTS OF IT ARE GARLAND.
I JUST SAY LUCK THAT WHEN I CAME ON BOARD AND I CONTACTED MESQUITE, THEY HAD JUST STARTED THEIR HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM.
AND SO WE COORDINATE ENCAMPMENT, CLEANUPS, WE TRY TO ON THE SAME DAY, SO THEY DON'T JUST WALK ACROSS TO GARLAND AND THEN WALK BACK TO MESQUITE AND THEN WALK BACK TO GARLAND.
UM, WE, GARLAND OR MOSQUITO ALREADY HAS THEIRS UP, BUT WE HAVE PERMANENT NO CAMPING SIGNS THAT WE'RE PUTTING UP SOON THAT ALLOWS US TO NOT GIVE THEM NOTICE.
SO WE CAN REMOVE 'EM UPON DISCOVERY.
UM, AND THEN, UM, GARLAND HA OR MESQUITE HAS A HOMELESS OUTREACH COORDINATOR THAT WILL MEET US ANYTIME AND THEY'LL TALK ABOUT METRO RELIEF, UM, WHO DOES OFFER, THEY, YOU KNOW, GARLAND MESQUITE HAS A CAR AND SAID, WE WILL TAKE YOU RIGHT NOW TO A SHELTER.
SO THERE ARE OPTIONS AND PLACES FOR THEM TO GO.
UM, I JUST, WE'RE DOWN THERE ALL THE TIME.
I MEAN, REPORTING IT, LETTING ME KNOW, DROPPING A PIN IS PROBABLY THE BEST WAY.
UH, THIS IS ALL ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, IF YOU GO TO GARLAND, TX, UH, FOUR SLASH WE CAN, WE CAN, UM, INFORMATION IS ON THERE.
UM, THERE'S GONNA BE SOMETHING PUT OUT IN THE, THE NEXT GARLAND, UH, PRESS ABOUT IT.
BUT, UM, YOU CAN CALL MY DEPARTMENT, YOU CAN EMAIL ME, YOU CAN CALL CODE, YOU CAN CALL YOUR CITY COUNCIL PERSON.
UH, AND I'LL, WE GO DOWN IN THE WOODS AND, AND WE FIND THEM.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE MAIN THING IS JUST LIKE ENSURING THAT SOMEONE'S GETTING DOWN THERE.
SO, BALLPARK NUMBER, YOU GOT A, A CITY OF 245,000 PEOPLE.
HOW MANY HOMELESS WOULD YOU ESTIMATE ON COUNTY WE'RE? SO THE, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE PIT COUNT, BUT THERE'S, UH, HOUSING FORWARD IS A, I THINK IT'S A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT THE COUNT ON A COUNTY LEVEL THAT, AND EVERY YEAR IN JANUARY, WHICH IS COMING UP, UH, EVERY CITY THEY GO AND COUNT HOMELESS IN EVERY CITY.
SO EACH CITY TAKES VOLUNTEERS AND WE COUNT THE HOMELESS AT NIGHT.
AND, UM, THEY MAY KNOW BETTER ON THE ESTIMATE OF LAST YEAR.
UM, BUT IT'S, WHAT IS IT? 3, 2, 300? WE HAD WELL ON, ON OUR OFFICIAL COUNT.
WHICH WE ONLY GET THE ONE DAY ACCOUNT.
ACTUALLY IN GARLAND IS GETS LEFT OUT QUITE OFTEN BECAUSE IT'S, UM, NOT SPOKEN OF.
WE DO ACTUALLY HAVE A WOMEN'S SHELTER HERE IN GARLAND.
IT'S NOT VERY WELL KNOWN BECAUSE THEY WANNA KEEP IT A SECRET, BUT THEY TYPICALLY RUN ABOUT 25 TO 30 IN THERE IN THEIR HOUSE.
SO THAT ON TOP OF, WE HAVE USUALLY A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED.
IT'S NOT AS MANY AS YOU WOULD THINK.
AND YEAH, IT'S A LOT OF TIME AND RESOURCE AND MONEY ON THESE FEW PEOPLE.
SO, UM, WHAT I WAS TOLD BY HOUSING FORWARD IS THE PIT COUNT HAPPENS ON THE COLDEST DAY OF THE YEAR.
UM, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO COUNT THOSE THAT TRULY HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.
AND SO THEY COUNT AT NIGHT 'CAUSE THEY'RE USUALLY GONNA BE IN THEIR ENCAMPMENTS AT NIGHT.
UM, IT'S DURING THE DAY THEY'RE GONNA BE OUT DOING WHAT THEY DO, BUT, UM, THEY'LL GO AND COUNT AT NIGHT, UM, AND COUNT TRUE THE TRUE HOMELESS THAT REALLY HAVEN'T SEEK, SEEK SHELTER ANYWHERE, DIDN'T GO TO A GLOW SHELTER.
THEY'RE REALLY TRULY HOMELESS.
UM, THE HOME DEPOT THAT'S ON, UH, JUPITER AND IS THAT JUPITER AND BELTLINE? MM-HMM
THERE'S A, THERE'S A LINE OF PARKING SPOTS THAT LIKE BACK UP TO, I THINK IT'S CHASE BANK OVER THERE.
AND IT'S LIKE A LINE OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR CARS.
LET ME KNOW WHAT IS, ARE THEY CONSIDERED YES.
HOW DOES THAT WORK? WOULD YOU GUYS BE ABLE TO, WOULD YOU, COULD YOU TELL THEM TO LEAVE AND I IMAGINE WHAT PREVENTS THEM FROM JUST COMING BACK THE NEXT DAY? LIKE HOW
[00:50:01]
DO YOU RESOLVE IT? SO IF IT'S, IF IT'S IN THE HOME DEPOT PARKING LOT, I'M GONNA NOTIFY HOME DEPOT THAT THEY'RE ALLOWING PEOPLE TO LIVE IN A PLACE NOT DESIGNED FOR HUMAN HABITATION.AND THEY'RE, THEY WILL BE USING THE RESTROOM AND DUMPING IT.
AND, UM, I KNOW THERE'S SOME SORT OF CODES, I THINK IT'S A DEVELOPMENT CODE MAYBE WHERE YOU CAN'T LIVE IN A VEHICLE.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.
BUT YEAH, I DEFINITELY, THEY'LL RUN THE PLATES, I THINK FOR, TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT STOLEN CARS MAYBE.
UM, BUT YES, WE, WE DO ADDRESS THOSE.
SO WITH THE WEATHER OF BEING, YOU KNOW, BEING BAD PROBABLY NEXT FEW HOURS FROM NOW.
SO, UM, I HEARD THERE'S A WARMING CENTER HERE.
I THINK IT'S AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
I THINK IT'S FIVE 30 TO SEVEN GET SCHOOL.
HOW ARE WE GONNA HANDLE IT? UM, THEY CAN TAKE THE BUS, DO DALLAS.
THERE'S A LOT OF SHELTERS IN DALLAS.
BUT I KNOW THERE'S RESTRICTIONS TO STAY IN THE SHELTERS, RIGHT? YEAH.
I HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T VENTURED INTO SHELTERS YET.
UM, THEY HAVE AN OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS AND I SPENT SEVERAL DAYS WITH THEM TO SEE WHAT THEY DO IN DALLAS.
AND I WENT OUT WITH MESQUITE TO SEE WHAT THEY DO IN MESQUITE.
I WANNA GO JUST LOOK AT SOME OF THESE SHELTERS AND, YOU KNOW, IS WHAT THE PERSON SAYING TRUE.
DO THEY NOT ALLOW PETS? DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A DRUG TEST? LIKE, I DON'T KNOW.
I WANNA KNOW WHAT, WHAT'S PREVENTING THEM FROM, IS IT REALLY A BARRIER OR ARE THEY JUST HAS AN EXCUSE, YOU KNOW? SO IS OUR HERE, CAN THEY ALLOW PETS AT THE GLOW SHELTER? THEY HAVE A, A CONTAINER FOR, IS THE CITY HELPING OUT WITH THE, WITH THE PETS? LIKE GLOW SHELTERS? NON-PROFIT? YEAH.
MM, I I DON'T TAKE THE DART COMMUTER TRAIN A TON, BUT WHAT I DO IS IF I'M GOING TO DOWNTOWN OR WHATEVER.
BUT I DO NOTICE A FAIR AMOUNT OF HOMELESS PEOPLE ON THE, THEY TEND TO SURF THE MUNICIPALITIES OR THEY TEND TO STAY PUT IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT YOU'VE SEEN.
THEY PROBABLY KNOW MORE THAN THAT ABOUT THAT.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BY SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
DO THEY GO FROM ONE CITY TO ANOTHER? FROM LIKE GARLAND TO DALLAS AND DALLAS TO PLANO OR TRAIN THE TRAINS? YEAH, BECAUSE YEAH, THERE'S ALWAYS, THERE'S ALWAYS THE, YEAH, THEY'RE ALWAYS ON THE TRAIN AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE USING THE BUS WITH THE TRAIN AS THEIR SHELTER.
IF IT'S COLD OR RAINY HOT SOMETIMES THAT THEY COULD JUST GET OUTTA THE ELEMENT.
SOMETIMES THEY'LL ON THE TRAIN ALL DAY.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? SO WHAT'S YOUR, YOUR, UM, AMBER THOMPSON GARLAND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE DIRECTOR? YES.
AND MY EMAIL'S, UH, IT'S AMTHOMPSON@GARLANDTX.GOV.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? AMBER? NO.
HOW MANY PEOPLE UNDERSTAND FOR AND MYSELF, THEY, I'M, THIS IS, I DO MOST OF THIS.
UH, THEY HANDLE INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING INSPECTIONS FOR STORMWATER COMPLIANCE AND THEY'RE IN THE CREEKS, CHECK IN FOR DISCHARGES.
AND THAT'S THEIR MAIN DUTIES AND THEY WILL HELP ME EVERY NOW AND THEN.
IF I ASK, THIS MAY SOUND LIKE A STUPID QUESTION, BUT AS A WOMAN, DO YOU FEEL, DO YOU, DO YOU TAKE A COP WITH YOU OR SOMETHING WHEN YOU GO? UM, I MEAN, I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND THAT LIKE IT.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES IF, IF IT'S IN THE PUBLIC, UH, LIKE WE HAD ONE IN AN ALLEYWAY, THERE'S ON THE SIDEWALK, I'LL WILL WALK UP AND I'LL GIVE THEM THEIR HANDOUT OR I, THEY USUALLY GET NOTIFIED BEFORE I GO, HEY, I'M, THIS IS THE LOCATION.
'CAUSE THEY OBVIOUSLY, THEY HAVE TO CHECK IT OUT TOO.
UM, BUT, UH, I TRY NOT TO WANDER INTO THE WOODS ALONE, BUT SOMETIMES I WILL
I MEAN, DOES, IS THERE SOME REQUIREMENT THAT YOU TAKE AN OFFICER WITH YOU OR NO? MM, JUST YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN? YEAH.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, I MEAN, THEY'RE HUMANS.
THEY'RE, UH, IF THEY'RE THERE AND I CAN HEAR 'EM YELLING, I'M NOT GONNA WALK UP.
I'LL TAKE A PICTURE FROM MY CAR AND I'LL HEY, HEY KEITH.
WOULD YOU GO CHECK THAT OUT FIRST BEFORE I DRIVE UP TO THIS? BUT, UM, IF IT'S LIKE, IF, IF OBVIOUSLY IF IT'S IN A STORM DRAIN OR IF IT'S DEEP IN THE WOODS, I'LL TAKE SOME OF MY GUYS WITH ME, UM, UH, OUT THERE TO JUST TO CHECK IT OUT AND YOU SAY, HEY, YO, WHAT'S UP? WHAT
[00:55:01]
SO ON, ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, UM, A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE NOT THERE BECAUSE IT'S DURING THE DAY AND THEY'RE USUALLY OUT IF THEY'RE WORKING OR YOU KNOW, ABOUT WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING.UM, AND I'LL USUALLY JUST POST THE SIGN, TAKE A PICTURE AND LEAVE.
UM, IF THEY'RE THERE, UH, I'LL JUST BE LIKE, HEY, I'M WITH THE CITY.
UM, YOU CAN'T LIVE IN A STORM DRAIN.
IT'S NOT SAFE FOR YOU TO BE HERE.
WE'LL BE BACK IN ABOUT THREE DAYS.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING REMAINING, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT.
UM, OR IF IT'S THE CITY PARKS, UH, PARK SKIS DO GOOD TOO, NOTIFYING ME.
UM, BUT I'LL PUT THE SIGN OUT AND JUST SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A CITY PARK.
WE DON'T ALLOW CAMPING IN CITY PARKS AND, YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE SIGNS? UH, THEY'RE IN MY CAR.
I, I'LL GET, I, I LIKE ONE
AND THEN, UM, I, I GOT SOME PRIVATE PROPERTY SIGNS, NO TRESPASSING.
THEY WERE NOT, THEY WERE VERY CHEAP FOR LIKE THREE BUCKS AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE.
I'LL GO AND I'LL PUT A SIGN DOWN AND SAY, HEY, DO YOU KNOW THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY? AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY DON'T KNOW IT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY.
UM, THEY ASSUME BECAUSE IT'S IN THE CREEK OR UP AGAINST A CREEK, UH, OR IN A VACANT FIELD THAT IT'S PUBLIC PROPERTY AND THEY CAN SIT ON IT.
AND I'M LIKE, OKAY, WELL I AM NOTIFYING THE PROPERTY OWNER THAT YOU'RE HERE.
I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT.
UM, AND THEN YOU, HALF THE TIME, THAT WILL BE THERE WHEN THE PROPERTY OWNER SHOWS UP, AND HALF THE TIME THEY'LL BE GONE.
IF IT IS A CREEK BED, THAT'S TYPICALLY NOT PRIVATE PROPERTY.
WELL, THE CREEK BED AND THE WATER IS, IS WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES.
SO THAT'S AND PUBLIC TRUST FOR EVERYBODY TO USE.
UM, BUT THE CREEK BANK SOMETIMES IS PRIVATE PROPERTY, UM, ALONG THE CREEK BANK.
AND SO THOSE, LIKE, ESPECIALLY ON WEST WALNUT, IF YOU'RE ON KEEN CREEK AND YOU'RE ON THE WAY, LIKE JUPITER TO SHILOH, MOST OF THAT IS PRIVATE PROPERTY ON BOTH SIDES.
AND SO I GET THE PRO PROPERTY OWNERS, I LET THEM KNOW, HEY, THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN THIS, AND YOU'RE, IT'S CONTAMINATING THE CREEK.
AND SOMETIMES THEY DO AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T.
SO HOW DO YOU FIND, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND CALL THEM? UM, SOMETIMES IT'S BY LUCK.
A LOT OF TIMES I'LL JUST BE DRIVING BY AND THEY WILL BE CHECKING OUT THEIR VACANT LOT, UH, BUILDINGS.
NOT, NOT JUST GRASS, BUT, UM, I FOUND A COUPLE THAT WAY.
UM, IF THERE'S A FOR SALE SIGN, I'LL CALL THE FOR SALE SIGN AND NOTIFY THE REALTOR TO, HEY, I'M LOOKING FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER, LETTING 'EM KNOW THAT THERE'S SOMEONE CAMPING ON THEIR PROPERTY.
AND USUALLY THEY'LL CALL ME BACK.
UM, I USE D AD AND I USE, UH, STATE OF TEXAS TO FIND THE REGISTERED AGENT.
AND THAT'S USUALLY WHO I SEND MY CERTIFIED NOTICE TO IS THE REGISTERED AGENT, UH, ON FILE.
AND, AND ALONG WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER ON DC OH WOW.
UM, DALLAS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
SO IF YOU GIVE ME YOUR, IF YOU GIVE ME AN ADDRESS, I CAN FIND OUT WHO OWNS THAT PROPERTY.
IT'S, IT'S ONLY A NAME, UNFORTUNATELY, IN AN ADDRESS.
I WISH IT HAD LIKE EMAILS OR PHONE NUMBERS, BUT I UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION.
BUT THE T BAR WAS STICKING THE GROUND.
NO, I'LL PUT IT FOR THE WHOLE ENCAMPMENT.
AND THEN, SO THE SIGNS FOR THE CITY PARKS, UM, ARE SIMILAR.
IT DOESN'T, IT JUST SAYS THAT CAMPING IS PROHIBITED IN THIS AREA.
BASICALLY, YOU'VE BEEN NOTIFIED.
ANY ITEMS FOUND WILL BE DISCARDED UPON DISCOVERY.
CAN I HAVE THIS ONE FOR OUR OA
WELL, WE, WE KIND OF NEED TO KEEP TRACK OF WHERE THEY'RE AT BECAUSE WE TAKE PICTURES OF THEM.
IS IT PRIVATE PROPERTY? UH, IT'S, WELL, THAT WAS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
THE CREEK BEDS, THE CREEK IN THAT AREA IS OWNED BY THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE.
WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED? UH, SHORES OF WELLINGTON, UH, ZION.
UM, IF YOU GO TO D AD, THEY HAVE A MAP FEATURE MM-HMM
AND YOU PUT YOUR ADDRESS IN AND YOU, UH, I CAN SHOW YOU ONE DAY AND YOU CLICK THE 2024 MAP, WHICH SHOWS AN AERIAL VIEW AND IT HAS ALL THE PARCELS.
NOW IT'S NOT LIKE, UM, LEGALLY LIKE SIGN, YOU KNOW.
BUT IN THE CASE WHERE I NEED TO HAVE A WARRANT, I NOTIFY OUR REAL ESTATE OFFICE AND THEY PULL THE ACTUAL SURVEY AND THEY SAY, YEAH.
AND YES, IN FACT, THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY OR NO, WE HAVE AN EASEMENT HERE.
OH, THAT, THAT'S, THAT MAKES IT EASY FOR ME.
IF IT'S AN EASEMENT, I CAN, I CAN REMOVE THAT ENCAMPMENT.
BUT YEAH, I CAN SHOW YOU ON DCA AND SHOW YOU KIND OF GENERALLY WHERE YOUR PROPERTY LINE ENDS AND WHERE, UH, THIS, IT MAY BE PUBLIC PROPERTY.
AND WE HAVE CREEKS BEHIND OUR WAREHOUSE, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY ON OUR PROPERTY AND THEY ARE OUR CREEKS.
WE OWN THE PROPERTY ON BOTH SIDES OF THEM, BUT THEY'RE DRAINAGE DITCHES.
[01:00:01]
YEAH.NOT, NOT ALL CREEKS ARE NAVIGABLE WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES.
SO JUST BECAUSE IT'S A CREEK DOES NOT GIVE ANYONE RIGHT TO BE ON IT UNLESS IT IS A NAV BEEN DESIGNATED AS A NAVIGABLE WATER OF THE UNITED STATES.
SPRING CREEK IS, THOSE ARE BIG ONES.
UM, BUT THE LITTLE BITTY ONES EVERY NOW AND THEN, OR MAYBE A POND ON SOMEONE'S PROPERTY.
YOU REALLY SHOULD DO YOUR RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU GO ON SOMEONE'S PROPERTY.
HOW MANY, HOW MANY DOES STORMWATER FIND? THEY FIND A LOT FOR ME.
BECAUSE I KNOW BEHIND OUR PLACE, THERE'S, THERE'S A GUY THAT'S LIVED IN A, A LOT BEHIND US.
I THINK THEY SAID FOR 26 YEARS HE'S LIVED.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE SO WELL HIDDEN THAT THERE'S AN, A BOAT TRUCK OR SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE IN FRONT OF, I LIVE AT, UH, JUPITER AND CAMPBELL.
AND THERE'S A MAN WHO MY NEIGHBORS HAVE SPOKEN TO THAT LIVES A COUPLE BLOCKS OVER.
BUT HE MIGRATES OVER TO THE GAS STATIONS EVERY DAY WITH A SHOPPING CART.
AND HE JUST HANGS OUT BEHIND THE GAS STATION WITH A SHOPPING CART, EVEN THOUGH HE HAS A HOME.
HE LITERALLY JUST HANGS WONDERS.
EVEN WHEN IT'S COLD, HE BUNDLES UP AND HE, AND THEN HE GOES HOME.
AND UNTIL, I GUESS A COMPLAINT HAPPENS UNTIL THERE'S ANOTHER GAS STATION ACROSS THE STREET, AND I'LL SEE HIM OVER THERE.
BUT, UM, HE, HE DID INHABIT, LIKE THE ENTRANCE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
HE HAD SOME TREES AND BUSHES THERE, AND HE WAS KIND OF HANGING OUT THERE DURING THE DAY.
AND, UM, SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS ASKED HIM TO MOVE 'CAUSE THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, WALKING WITH YOUR LITTLE KIDS RIGHT.
YOU'D WALK BY AND THERE'S A MAN IN THE BUSHES,
SO, UM, BUT HE'S STILL AROUND.
BUT I IMAGINE THAT'S UP TO LIKE THE GAS STATION OWNERS AND FOR THEM TO DO SOMETHING.
THEY CAN PROBABLY SPEAK MORE ON LOITERING.
WE, I DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO TELL ANYBODY TO HAVE TO LEAVE.
SO TELL THE PROPERTY OWNER TELLS THEM YOU NEED TO LEAVE THAT.
IF THEY DON'T, NOW THEY'RE COMMITTING AN OFFENSE.
THAT, THAT GIVES ME THE AUTHORITY TO SAY, OKAY, YOU'VE BEEN ASKED TO LEAVE AND YOU DID.
NOW YOU'RE COMMITTING AN OFFENSE.
WHY DO THESE BUSINESSES ALLOW SOMEBODY TO, SOMETIMES THEY'RE JUST SCARED TO SPEAK TO THEM.
THAT'S THE MOST, PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON THING WE GET.
LIKE, I DON'T WANNA GO TALK TO, I DON'T WANNA MAKE THEM MAD.
THERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T CAUSE PROBLEMS, BUT FEAR OR THEY DON'T WANNA, DO YOU GUYS WANNA COME UP HERE? 'CAUSE AIR, WE HAVE TO RECORD THIS
SO, AND ALSO FOR YOU GUYS, REMEMBER YOU GOTTA SPEAK INTO THE MIC.
A LOT OF TIMES YOU'RE SPEAKING.
YEAH, BECAUSE I'M, WE WORK SO CLOSELY TOGETHER.
WE SHOULD JUST CAME UP HERE WITH IT.
DO YOU WANNA PUT YOUR PRESENTATION? I OKAY.
ARE YOU GETTING THAT ONE? OKAY.
MY RADIO OFF, SO I'M NOT KEYING UP FOR DISPATCH.
THESE, THESE CHAIRS ARE DIFFICULT FOR US TO SIT IN BECAUSE OF THE RADIOS THAT STICK OUT ON THE SIDE OVER HERE.
UH, I'M WITH THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE.
UH, IT'S MY PARTNER DOWN HERE, OFFICER POLK.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND SHE'S BEEN ALMOST, UH, ABOUT A YEAR NOW.
SO MAYBE EXPLAIN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT WHAT WE, OR KIND OF HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN WORKING.
SO USED TO THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BASICALLY HANDLED EVERYTHING AND IT BECAME TOO OVERWHELMING.
SO THE CITY KIND OF SPLIT US UP.
SO AMBER TAKES CARE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECT OF IT, AND WHICH TAKES CARE OF THE CLEANUPS FOR US.
AND WE FOCUS ON THE, THE ENFORCEMENT PART OF IT.
SO WHEN WE STARTED, OR WHEN I SAY WHEN I STARTED ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, WE WERE ACTUALLY TOLD WE WERE NOT TO DO ANY TYPE OF ENFORCEMENT.
THEY WANTED US TO BE, UH, FRIENDLIER AND, UH, HELPFUL TO THEM TO TRY TO GET THEM HELP AND TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE THAT WAS IMPACTING THE, THE CITY TO TRY TO GET THEM OFF OF THE STREETS.
WELL, WHAT WE'VE LEARNED OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON, IT'S PROBABLY NINE OUT OF 10 PEOPLE THAT WE CONTACT DON'T WANT THE HELP.
AND IT'S, IT'S FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
AND WE WILL, I'LL ADDRESS, SOMEBODY ASKED A WHILE AGO WHAT THE SOLUTION IS.
UM, BASICALLY THAT COMES DOWN TO EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON.
UH, EVERYBODY THAT WE CONTACT HAS A DIFFERENT REASON FOR WHY THEY'RE ON THE STREET.
AND UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY SIT DOWN WITH 'EM AND DISCUSS PRACTICALLY THEIR LIFE HISTORY BEFORE YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'VE
[01:05:01]
COME TO THIS POINT IN THEIR LIFE, THAT NOBODY FROM THEIR FAMILY WHO'S WILLING TO HELP THEM.SO, AND THAT'S DIFFERENT FOR EVERY ONE OF THEM, BUT IT BOILS DOWN TO EITHER TWO DIFFERENT ASPECTS.
IT'S EITHER MENTAL HEALTH OR SOME TYPE OF DRUG ADDICTION.
BUT FOR EACH OF THOSE, THE SOLUTION IS INDIVIDUAL.
WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THAT PERSON OFF THE STREET, THAT'S THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR THEM.
IT'S LIKE AMBER SAID A WHILE AGO, IT'S, IT'S VERY PERSONAL AND INDIVIDUALIZED.
YOU KNOW, WHAT WORKS FOR ONE PERSON MAY NOT WORK FOR ANOTHER.
WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT PEOPLE OFF THE STREET AND INTO AN APARTMENT, AND THEY LITERALLY DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FUNCTION BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T LIVED ON THEIR OWN IN A, IN A, IN A DWELLING.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PAY RENT.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO GO GROCERY SHOPPING.
THEY JUST PRETTY MUCH DIDN'T HAVE ANY, ANY LIFE SKILLS.
AND THEY BASICALLY JUST WALKED AWAY FROM THE APARTMENT.
IT, SO IT'S A, IT'S A LONG RECOVERY PROCESS IF THEY'VE BEEN AN INDIVIDUAL THAT'S BEEN ON THE STREET FOR VERY LONG.
AND WE'RE STILL LEARNING WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK.
AND IT'S KIND OF A, UH, A WORK IN PROGRESS, SO TO SPEAK.
BUT, UM, IT'S MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS.
AND NOW THAT WE'VE DIVIDED THINGS UP, IT LETS US FOCUS A LITTLE MORE ON THE, UM, ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF THINGS.
AND ONCE THE CITY'S REALIZED THAT THE ANSWER TO SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS IS A LITTLE MORE ENFORCEMENT, THEY'VE ALLOWED US TO ACTUALLY START WRITING CITATIONS AND PUTTING SOME OF THESE PEOPLE IN JAIL.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL REMEMBER ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, WE HAD AN INDIVIDUAL, HE STAYED CONSTANTLY IN THE, UM, THE, THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
HE WOULD SLEEP IN THE SQUARE AND HE, DURING THE DAY, HE WOULD GO INTO CITY, HE WOULD COME IN HERE IN THE LOBBY OF CITY HALL AND JUST SIT AND HE WOULD CLAIM THAT HE HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE MAYOR OR SOMEBODY.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE'D JUST BASICALLY ANY EXCUSE FOR HIM TO STAY IN THERE.
UM, AND BEFORE WE WOULD JUST TELL HIM HE HAD HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, HE COULDN'T SLEEP IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT THEN THEY STARTED ALLOWING US TO WRITE, HE SHOULD WRITES THE CITATIONS.
AND SO IT ACTUALLY TOOK SEVERAL CITATIONS AND FOR THOSE TO GO TO WARRANTS FOR US TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION.
AND IT ULTIMATELY CAME TO GET HIM HELP.
ONCE HE GOT INTO THE COUNTY SYSTEM AND HE WAS FORCED TO GET MENTAL HELP, THEN HE'S, HE'S ACTUALLY NOT ON THE STREETS ANYMORE.
HE'S ACT WITH HIS FAMILY, TAKING HIS MEDICATION LIKE HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS HIS ANSWER.
THAT'S WHAT IT TOOK TO GET HIM OFF THE STREET.
SO THAT'S A LOT OF, THAT'S A LOT OF INVESTMENT IN ONE.
AND YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT, HOMELESSNESS IS NOT A CRIME AND IT'S NOT A POLICING PROBLEM.
AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, HOW OUR SOCIETY IS DEVELOPED.
YOU KNOW, USED TO, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO WE HAD INSANE ASYLUMS AND THAT'S HOW WE DEALT WITH PEOPLE WHO HAD MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, IS WE JUST PUT 'EM AWAY AND WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH 'EM ANYMORE.
AND WE REALIZED HOW INHUMANE THESE PLACES WERE AND YOU KNOW, AND THE PENDULUM HAS SWUNG THE OTHER WAY.
AND NOW WE HAVE ALMOST NOWHERE TO POLICE PEOPLE TO GO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE, IT'S STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS.
WE'RE, AS A SOCIETY, WE HAVE TO VOTE ON WHAT EACH COMMUNITY THINKS IS, IS BEST FOR THEM.
WE, YOU SAY YOU CITE 'EM, IS THAT FEE THEY'RE EXPECTED TO PAY? NO, WE DON'T, WE REALIZE THEY'RE, MOST OF THEM ARE NOT GONNA PAY.
THEY USUALLY DON'T EVEN GO TO THE, THE, THE CITY COURT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
YOU KNOW, LIKE THEY GIVE, THEY'RE GIVEN 12 DAYS TO GO TO THE COURT TO SET, YOU KNOW, PLEAD GUILTY OR SET UP A COURT DATE.
BUT MOST OF 'EM DON'T DO THAT.
WHAT WE USE IS WE USE THAT 'CAUSE WE KNOW IT'LL GO TO A WARRANT.
SO THAT, AND THAT GIVES US OTHER OPTIONS DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, IF WE, IF WE ARREST THEM, UM, UH, OR SAY IF WE ARREST THEM FOR CRIMINAL TRESPASS MM-HMM.
THAT ACTUALLY GIVES US A SECOND OPTION.
THERE'S A, AN ORGANIZATION CALLED HOMEWARD BOUND.
AND THEY RUN THE DALLAS DEFLECTION CENTER.
SO THAT IS A ORGANIZATION THAT'S BEEN SET ASIDE.
AND THEY CAME UP WITH THE PROGRAM FOCUSED JUST SOLELY FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT GET ARRESTED FOR CRIMINAL TRESPASS.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE NO PLACE ELSE TO GO.
SO IF THEY GET ARRESTED FOR TRESPASSING, IF THEY'RE WILLING, THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO GO TO THE DEFLECTION CENTER AS OPPOSED TO GOING TO JAIL.
BUT THEY HAVE TO BE WILLING TO GO.
SO THAT'S, THAT GIVES, IT GIVES US MORE TOOLS TO USE.
WHAT DOES THE DEFLECTION CENTER DO? SO IT'S, IT, I'VE BEEN THERE.
WE, I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN THERE TWO OR THREE TIMES IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
AND IF YOU GO IN THERE, IT LOOKS LIKE A, LIKE A DORM ROOM.
THEY HAVE INDIVIDUAL ROOMS, THEY HAVE A LOUNGE AREA, THEY HAVE A GAME ROOM.
AND THERE'S DIFFERENT, UM, OFFICES THAT ADDRESS
[01:10:01]
DIFFERENT ISSUES.LIKE, THEY HAVE ONE FOR MENTAL HEALTH, THEY HAVE ONE FOR ADDICTIONS, THEY HAVE ONE FOR HOUSING.
THEY WANT ONE FOR VITAL DOCUMENTS.
SO IT'S LIKE A ONE STOP SHOP TO ADDRESS DIFFERENT ISSUES TO WHATEVER IT MAY TAKE TO GET THEM BACK ON THEIR FEET.
SO IT'S LIKE A REC CENTER WITH, IT LOOKS A LOT LIKE A REC CENTER.
THERE'S INDIVIDUAL ROOMS AND BEDS AND SO, SO I'M JUST WORKING THROUGH THE LOGIC HERE.
IF I'M HOMELESS, I'D PROBABLY WANT TO GET ARRESTED TO GET THREE.
IF IT GETS YOU OUT OF THE COLD, RIGHT? YES.
AND JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS A WARRANT, WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THEM TO JAIL.
IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, OF COURSE IF IT'S FOR SOMETHING SERIOUS, THEY'RE GONNA GO TO JAIL.
BUT IF WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TICKETS FOR PANHANDLING OR FISHING WITHOUT A LICENSE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ISSUE THEM TICKETS FOR ALL SORTS OF THINGS.
AND THAT'S JUST SO THAT WE CAN MAYBE HAVE THAT AS A TOOL LATER.
WELL, I'M THINKING THINGS LIKE, LIKE EXCUSE ABOUT PUBLIC DEFECATION.
THAT'S, THAT'S PROBABLY A, A CAKEWALK TO THE, TO THE COUNTY JAIL.
AND THE COUNTY JAIL'S PROBABLY.
WHAT OVERRUN WITH THIS SORT OF THING? WELL, IT WOULD BE A CITY OFFENSE.
SO THEY WOULD JUST GO TO THE CITY JAIL.
JUST A CITY ORDINANCE VIOLATION.
AND HOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE ON THE AVERAGE DOES ARE, ARE IN THE CITY JAIL FOR THAT SORT OF THING.
UH, NOT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SERVE A WARRANT TO, IT'S NOT A LOT.
BUT IF, IF AN OFFICER WERE TO OBSERVE THAT TAKING PLACE AT THE TIME, WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR A WARRANT.
YOU COULD ACTUALLY PUT 'EM IN JAIL FOR RIGHT THEN.
I IMAGINE SERVING A WARRANT IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY MOVE AROUND.
UM, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THEM, IT'S, WE HAVE REGULARS AND WE KNOW WHERE THEY LIKE TO STAY IN GENERAL AREA.
IF WE WANT TO GO LOOK FOR SOMEBODY, WE CAN GENERALLY FIND THEM, YOU KNOW, IN WITHIN A DAY OR TWO.
THEY'RE MOSTLY FOR THE, LIKE YOU SAID, THE TOOL THAT IF WE COME ACROSS HIM AND THEY'RE STILL NOT DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING OR COMPLYING WITH LAWS AND WE CAN TAKE THEM AWAY FOR A WHILE.
SO HOW MUCH, I KNOW WE'VE GONE TO A KIND OF A CONVERSION WITH THE, UM, THE FOCUS NOW BEING ON SOCIAL ASPECT OF THIS SORT OF THING.
SO DO THEY, DO YOU GUYS HAVE TO TAKE SOME SOCIAL WORK CLASSES OR GET A WE HAVE OUR REGULAR TRAINING THAT WE DO JUST BE POLICE.
AND A LOT OF IT, UH, IS MENTAL HEALTH.
WE'VE ALL HAD TO TAKE, UH, MENTAL HEALTH CLASSES.
UH, AND THEY'RE PRETTY INTENSE.
UM, BUT JUST YEAH, EXPERIENCE, ONGOING TRAINING THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY HAVE.
NOT TO GET OFF TRACK, BUT PART OF THE DEFUNDING THE POLICE THING IS, AS, AS I TRY TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE, IS NOT TAKING MONEY FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT'S REALLOCATION OF RESOURCES TOWARD OTHER THINGS THAT TYPICALLY INVOLVE SOCIALISM, UH, UH, SOCIAL ASPECTS OF, OF THE COMMUNITY AND STUFF.
RATHER THAN JUST, AND LIKE YOU SAID, ENFORCEMENT IS ONE THING, BUT TRYING TO RESOCIALIZE THESE PEOPLE AND TO RE GET 'EM BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, THAT'S A DIFFERENT ASPECT.
SO THAT TAKES A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TRAINING.
AND THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS WE WORK WITH, THAT'S THEIR, THAT'S THEIR EXPERTISE.
THAT'S THEIR FOCUS THAT WE USE.
AND WE HAVE NUMEROUS DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, SOME OF WHICH ACTUALLY COME TO US AND THEY, WE TAKE THEM INTO THE CAMPS.
SO Y'ALL TAKE SOMEBODY THAT'S SPECIALIZED IN THAT TYPE OF MENTAL THERAPY OR THEY, THEY DO.
ACTUALLY, TWO YEARS AGO WE HAD TO CALL FOR OUR BUSINESS.
WHEN WE BOUGHT OUR PROPERTY, THERE WAS A, A HOMELESS PERSON THAT HAD BEEN LIVING IN THAT AREA FOR LIKE 20 SOMETHING YEARS.
AND WE NOTICED WE'D SEE 'EM IN THE CAMERAS AT NIGHT, OPENING THE WATER SPIGOTS, FILLING UP JUGS, GOING TO THE BATHROOM, LIKE VARIOUS THINGS.
AND WE BECAME CONCERNED BECAUSE OUR EMPLOYEES COME IN REALLY EARLY IN THE MORNING.
YOU KNOW, THERE'D BE SOMEONE RIGHT THERE.
AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE REALIZED WE NEEDED TO CORRECT.
UM, THEY SENT OUT, I BELIEVE HER NAME WAS WENDY.
AND WHEN SHE CAME IT, I, I WAS SO IMPRESSED BECAUSE SHE BROUGHT, LIKE, UM, AN ORGANIZATION CAME WITH HER, I FORGET THE NAME OF THEM, BUT WAS OH, METRO RELIEF.
AND, UM, HE WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT PART OF THE CITY.
LIKE HE EXPLAINED, THEY HELP PEOPLE.
SOME PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS BECAUSE THEY'VE LOST THEIR ID AND THEY CAN'T GET A JOB 'CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE.
THEY CAN'T GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE 'CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE AN ADDRESS LIKE THESE TECHNICALITIES.
AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE HOMELESS 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T ACQUIRE A PLACE TO LIVE.
BUT ALSO THEY HAD LIKE, SO MANY RESOURCES FOR LIKE DRUG REHABILITATION PRO HALFWAY HOUSES.
LIKE, AND, AND THEY WERE THE, UM, WENDY WAS SO INFORMATIVE ABOUT WHAT KIND OF SIGNS WE NEEDED TO POST LOCKING UP THE WATER RESOURCES, UM, HOW TO FOLLOW
[01:15:01]
UP WITH IT.SO WHEN HE CAME BACK WE COULD ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING.
'CAUSE WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE SITUATION, BUT I THOUGHT THEY DID A GREAT JOB EDUCATING, LIKE PROPERTY OWNER, BUT ALSO MAKING YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WEREN'T JUST, 'CAUSE I THINK, LIKE YOU SAID, A LOT OF PROPERTY OWNERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IS THIS BAD KARMA? LIKE ALSO THIS POOR INDIVIDUAL AND WHAT ARE WE DOING TO THEM? AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THEM IF YOU CALL AND REPORT THEM AND YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE YOU WANNA HELP.
SO I THOUGHT I REALLY HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE WITH FEELING LIKE, OKAY, WELL YOU'RE GIVING US SOME TOOLS.
THEY ALSO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GONNA GET SOME HELP IF THEY WANT IT.
AND, UM, YEAH, I I, I WAS IMPRESSED.
SO BOTTOM LINE IS THEY'RE NOT EXPECTING YOU GUYS TO GO IN AND HAVE THE RESOURCES TO APPLY TO THIS SITUATION.
THEY'RE THEY'RE BRINGING SOMEBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE TO, TO GO WITH YOU.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE LIAISON PART COMES INTO.
SO WE RESEARCH THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS AND FIGURE OUT WHO'S BEST AT DOING WHAT.
AND SO WHEN WE FIND THESE HOMELESS PEOPLE, THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE DO IS IDENTIFY THEM AND EVALUATE WHAT, WHATEVER THEIR NEEDS ARE.
UM, WE GIVE THEM AN ASSESSMENT TO SEE WHAT, WHAT IT IS THAT WOULD THEY NEED TO GET THEM OFF THE STREET THAT YOU DO THIS OR THIS, THIS RESOURCE OFFICER DOES.
SO WE, THAT'S THE INITIAL EVALUATION.
WE, WE TALKED TO THEM AND JUST BASICALLY IT'S JUST LEARNING THEIR LIFE STORY.
YOU KNOW, IS THIS DRUG RELATED? IS IT MENTAL HEALTH? IS IT BOTH? YOU KNOW, IS IT JUST A SIMPLE FACT THAT THEY LOST THEIR JOB AND THEY HAVE TOO MANY DEBTS TO, TO GET AN, AN APARTMENT? OR IS IT, YOU KNOW, THEIR CREDIT HISTORY OR, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
LIKE I SAID, EACH STORY IS DIFFERENT.
SO IT'S JUST ASKING A FEW QUESTIONS AND SITTING DOWN WITH 'EM FOR A FEW MINUTES AND SPEAKING TO THEM, UM, IN A DIGNIFIED WAY AND NOT, WE'RE NOT THE, THE TYPICAL OFFICER THAT SHOWS UP THAT JUST SAYS, OKAY, YOU'RE IN VIOLATION OF THIS RULE OR THIS LAW, YOU HAVE TO GO.
AND THAT'S TYPICALLY WHAT, YOU KNOW, A PATROL OFFICER, THEY DON'T HAVE THE TIME OR THE EXPERTISE TO SIT DOWN AND, AND, AND DO THAT KIND OF THING.
SO THAT'S WHAT OUR FOCUS IS, IS TO BASICALLY GIVE THEM THAT FIRST ASSESSMENT TO SEE WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS, NOT TO JUST TELL THAT PERSON, YOU NEED TO GO DOWN THE STREET, BECAUSE IF WE DO THAT, THAT'S, THEY'RE GONNA BE THE PROBLEM TOMORROW DOWN IN FRONT OF YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE, NOT IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS AND, UH, INSTEAD OF JUST SENDING THEM ON THEIR WAY, BUT SOMETIMES THAT'S THE ONLY THING THEY LEAVE US WITH, LEAVE US WITH IS IF THEY WON'T ACCEPT THE HELP IS OKAY, WELL THEN I HAVE TO WRITE YOU THIS CITATION AND JUST BE ADVISED IF YOU SET UP A CAMP AND THE BUT THE BUSINESS NEXT DOOR, THEN WE WILL ADDRESS THAT THEN.
AND THEN WE WILL JUST KEEP, YOU KNOW, IT'LL KEEP PROGRESSING FROM THERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THAT'S THE ANSWER.
SO HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON THE STAFF OF THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE? THERE'S THREE.
SO YOU, SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY SOCIAL WORKER CASE MANAGER? YEAH.
BECAUSE THEY TAKE THEM TO THE, BUT BUT AS THE INITIAL CONTACT OF EVALUATING WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, YOU GUYS ARE THE ONES DOING IT NOT RIGHT.
NOT THE SOCIAL WORKER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IF, IF, IF WE CAN IT SEE THAT IT'S, IT'S OBVIOUSLY A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, THEN WE WOULD BRING A MENTAL HEALTH WORKER BACK WITH US OR TELL THEM, HEY, THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED TO CONTACT THIS PERSON.
AND THEN WE WOULD GO WITH THEM TO CONTACT THEM.
LIKE THE, THE PERSON I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT CONSTANTLY LIVED ON THE SQUARE OUT HERE, HIS NAME WAS SAMBA.
AND WE KNEW RIGHT AWAY THAT HE HAD MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
AND SO WE DID, WE BROUGHT HER, UM, UH, PSYCHIATRIST OR CLINICAL, I FORGET WHAT HER DESIGNATION IS.
BUT SHE, TON OF LETTERS BEHIND HER NAME,
BUT SHE CAME OUT AND SAT DOWN WITH HIM AND, AND SPOKE WITH HIM FOR, YOU KNOW, QUITE A WHILE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND, UM, SO SHE, SHE DID THAT PART OF THAT ASSESSMENT THAT REQUIRES THAT SKILLSET.
THAT'S PROBABLY AN LCSW, LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER.
IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME, YOU GUYS ARE THE, BASICALLY THE TIP OF THE SPEAR.
AND YOU LOOK AT THE, THE RESOURCES YOU BRING, THE CITY VOL, THE VOLUNTEERS IN THE CITY, THE GLOW AND THE PEOPLE THAT HELP, AND THE CHURCHES THAT MEAN WELL, BUT THE CITY STAFF, THE SANITATION, THE PARKS, THE, I BELIEVE THERE'S MORE PEOPLE WORKING ON THIS IN GARLAND THAN THERE ARE HOMELESS PEOPLE IN GARLAND.
SO IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF GARLAND NOT SPENDING MONEY OR RESOURCES OR TREATING PEOPLE.
THEY'RE THROWING EVERYTHING AT IT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IF, IF YOU REALLY START TELL TELLING UP, I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE LISTENING, GOING, OH MY GOD, YOU KNOW, THE ALS GOTTA HAVE 15, 20 PEOPLE WORKING ON THIS AT A TIME.
YOU GOTTA BRING OUT ROLL OFFS.
YOU GOTTA GO OUT THERE AND CLEAN STUFF UP.
UM, JUST TO PUT IT INTO PERSPECTIVE, WE GOT, WE GOT NOTHING ON PLACES LIKE AUSTIN.
[01:20:01]
OH YEAH.BUT ONE, BUT ONE OF THE REASONS WE DON'T LOOK LIKE, LIKE DALLAS OR AUSTIN OR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE PLACES, SEATTLE IS BECAUSE WE, WE STAY FOCUSED ON IT EVERY DAY.
THAT, THAT, THAT'S OUR PRIMARY JOBS IS WE'RE ON OUT ON THE GROUND EVERY DAY.
WE TYPICALLY WALK AROUND FIVE MILES A DAY THROUGH THE WOODS.
AND SOMEBODY WAS ASKING ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW DEEP IN THE WOODS DO YOU GO? WE GO ALL THE WAY
WE LOOK AT ALL, ALL THROUGH THE WOODS.
AND SO WE'RE OUT THERE THROUGH THE BRUSH AND LOOKING AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 57 SQUARE MILES IN OUR CITY AND WE'VE WALKED BASICALLY EVERY BIT OF IT.
I'D SAY PERCENTAGE WISE, YOU PROBABLY REPRESENT MORE POLICE PRESENCE PER CAPITA FOR THE HOMELESS THAN THE GENERAL POLICE FORCE AND THE POPULATION.
I WOULD SAY WE PROBABLY HAVE MORE DAILY CONTACTS THAN THE AVERAGE PATROL OFFICER.
HOORAY FOR FORWARD THINKING GARLAND.
WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THAT THEY WERE, SOMEBODY NOTICED THE PROBLEM AND THEY WERE ABLE TO ADDRESS IT.
YOU KNOW? WHAT ABOUT THE PANHANDLING WHEN THEY HAVE CHILDREN WITH THEM? IS THAT, IS THAT LIKE A CO LIKE HOW, WHO DO WE CALL? YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I'M IN LAW ENFORCEMENT TOO.
I'M LIKE, HEY, DO Y'ALL WANT ME TO CALL? I WILL CALL CPS.
I GET, AND THEN THEY START SCOUTING.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA OVERSTEP, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S WHAT I DO.
I'M LIKE, HEY, I'LL BRING OUT MY BACK.
I'M LIKE, I'LL, I'LL BRING A RESOURCE OFFICER IN HERE RIGHT NOW.
I CAN HAVE YOU, I CAN HAVE THESE CHILDREN TAKEN AND Y'ALL CAN GO TO A, A SHELTER RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN AT THAT TIME THEY SCATTER.
SO, UM, IS THERE A ONE CODE COMPLIANCE AGAINST PANHANDLING AND THEN TWO, IS IT EVEN ELEVATED WHEN THEY HAVE CHILDREN? LET ME JUST TELL YOU, ALMOST EVERY ONE OF THOSE ARE NOT HOMELESS.
'CAUSE I'LL, I'M LIKE, HEY, YOU WANT ME TO GET THIS? OH, NO, NO, NO.
MOST OF THEM ARE BROUGHT IN, DROPPED OFF AND THEN PICKED UP LATER.
UM, MOST OF 'EM DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH.
LIKE A AND IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S QUITE A PROBLEM.
BUT THE PANHANDLING IN AND OF ITSELF, UHHUH IS NOT ILLEGAL.
UM, BUT WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF, UH, AN ORDINANCE OKAY.
UM, IT'S A, A LIMITED PEDESTRIAN ZONE THAT A LIMITED PEDESTRIAN ZONE.
AND IT'S USUALLY AROUND LIKE 6 35 CENTERVILLE NORTHWEST.
KINGSLEY, THOSE AREAS WHERE IT'S REALLY DANGEROUS.
AND THERE'S A, A LONG, LIKE 600 FEET IN EACH DIRECTION THAT NOBODY CAN STOP, STAND FOR ANY LONGER THAN IT TAKES TO CROSS THE ROAD.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN OUR TOOL FOR ENFORCING, BASICALLY PANHANDLING.
BUT IT'S, UH, IS THAT MORE OF A LOITERING VIOLATION? WE DON'T HAVE ANY LOITERING EITHER.
UH, I MYSELF CALL THE NON-EMERGENCY LINE WHEN I, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE WEATHER'S REALLY BAD AND THE KIDS WITH THE BABIES WITH A CUP NEXT.
I'VE NOTICED THAT THE PANHANDLER HAVE MOVED TO SITTING DOWN RATHER THAN STANDING UP ALL LAZY AL JUPITER BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE, WHAT IS SOME SORT OF CHANGE? MM-HMM
SO FOR NOT TO GET INTO Y'ALL'S PERSONAL, BUT Y'ALL HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME SORT OF SPECIALIZED TRAINING FOR THIS.
UH, I MEAN, YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY MORE COMPASSIONATE THAN YOUR BASIC BEAT OFFICER BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE DEALING WITH A, A DIFFERENT ASPECT OF POLICING AND IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT BUSTING UP CRIME OR GOING, YOU KNOW, KNOCKING KNOCKING ON DOORS AND DOING STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO DO YOU HAVE TO, DO Y'ALL HAVE TO GET SOME LETTERS BEHIND YOUR NAME FOR THAT SORT OF THING? NO.
SO WE WERE BOTH FROM PATROL UHHUH
UM, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE? 20.
THIS IS A POSITION THAT KIND OF NEEDS EXPERIENCE IN IT.
UM, WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY GOOD YOUNG, YOUNGER OFFICERS, BUT, UM, WE'RE NOT AS QUITE AS GUNGHO
UM, BUT THIS IS A POSITION THAT, UH, WE DON'T HAVE SPECIALIZED TRAINING PER SE.
EVERYBODY IN PATROL HAS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME TRAINING WE DO.
UM, BUT WE HAVE A LOT MORE TIME UNDER OUR BELT.
AND IT'S A POSITION THAT WE APPLIED FOR.
SEE, WHEN I APPLIED, IT'S, AND IT'S NOT THE MOST POPULAR POSITION.
UH, I THINK WHEN I APPLIED THERE WAS ONLY THREE OF US.
WHO APPLIED FOR THE POSITION, UH, ONCE, UH, WENDY WENT.
SO IT'S, YEAH, IT'S JUST EXPERIENCE AND THE WILLINGNESS TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO PEOPLE, LIKE PEOPLE.
SOME OF THEM YOU CAN'T, BUT MOST OF THEM RESPOND TO IT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CALL 'EM BY THEIR NAME.
'CAUSE WE RUN INTO THESE PEOPLE SO MANY TIMES THAT I KNOW 'EM BY NAME AND I'VE GOT A SPECIAL PHONE NUMBER THAT IF THEY NEED TO CONTACT SOMETIMES
[01:25:01]
THAT THEY CAN, SO IT DOESN'T BLOW UP MY PHONE NUMBER.UM, AND THEN AT SOME POINT YOU KIND OF, YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF, SOME OF THE PEOPLE YOU LIKE, SOME OF THEM YOU DON'T.
UM, YOU GET TO KNOW 'EM A LITTLE MORE PERSONAL.
IT'S, IT'S TRAINING IN AND OF ITSELF.
'CAUSE I MEAN, HAVE I GOT THIS POSITION AFTER BEING HERE 29 YEARS AND MY EYES HAVE BEEN OPENED, UH, TO SOME OF THE STUFF THAT, UH, KEITH'S GONE THROUGH WITH DEALING WITH THESE, UH, PEOPLE OUT HERE.
IT'S NOT, IT'S ANYTHING LIKE, YOU MIGHT THINK THAT MAKES SENSE IN YOUR HEAD.
LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, UM, YOU WOULD WANNA BE ARRESTED TO GET OFF THE STREET, LIKE DURING THIS COLD.
I EVEN, WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION THE OTHER DAY, WHAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU AND ME KEEPS US NOT BEING ON THE STREET.
SO WHAT, WHEN WE DEAL WITH THE PEOPLE, THEY DON'T WANT HELP.
MOST OF 'EM, THEY DON'T WANT THE REGIMEN OF HAVING TO GO.
AND, AND THERE'S OTHER, OTHER ISSUES, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT THEY, THEY'VE ADJUSTED AND YOU LEARN ALL THESE THINGS JUST FROM, UH, BEING OUT THERE.
BUT IF YOU THINK LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA EVER FIGURE OUT.
SO YOU GOTTA KIND OF THINK LIKE, NONE OF IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE IT'S NOT SENSICAL IN, IN THE NORMS, BUT MAKES SENSE TO THEM.
BUT YEAH, JUST, JUST THE HANDS-ON AND THE 10 TO 12 HOURS THAT WE SPEND HERE EVERY DAY AND THE FIVE OR MORE MILES, HONESTLY.
UH, IS, IS THE TRAINING GOOD FOR Y'ALL? GLAD GLAD YOU HAVE YOU.
IT DOES TAKE A SPECIAL BREATH.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO.
YOU GUYS HAVE A CONTACT NUMBER, LIKE A BUSINESS CARD SOMETHING? I WAS GONNA ACTUALLY PASS THAT.
MY WIFE TRIED RESCUING SOMEBODY LAST YEAR AND THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT.
YOU HAVE TO GO OUT TO GET A TRIP.
DO YOU FIND THESE PEOPLE GENERALLY WANT TO HAVE HELP OR THEY DON'T? IT DEPENDS ON, YEAH.
IT, IT DEPENDS ON WHEN YOU CATCH THEM.
UM, IF THEY'RE FRESHLY HOMELESS, UM, THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE MOST LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM TO HELP.
BECAUSE COMING OUT HERE AND LIVING ON THE STREETS IS A SHOCK TO THEM.
THEY DON'T REALIZE HOW HARD IT ACTUALLY IS.
UM, SO THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WOULD MOST LIKELY ACCEPT THE HELP.
AND WE CAN ACTUALLY GET THEM OFF THE STREETS PRETTY QUICK.
IF IT'S A CAREER HOMELESS THAT WE CALL 'EM, IF THEY'VE BEEN OUT ON THE STREETS FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, THEY'VE LEARNED HOW TO ADAPT.
SO THEY KNOW WHAT SHELTERS THEY CAN GO TO IF THEY REALLY WANT TO GET OFF THE STREET, THEY KNOW WHERE TO GO GET HOT MEALS.
JUST IN GARLAND ALONE, THERE'S ABOUT SEVEN DIFFERENT CHURCHES THAT SERVE A HOT MEAL ON A DIFFERENT DAY OF THE WEEK.
AND SO YOU CAN ALMOST HAVE A HOT MEAL EVERY DAY IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO.
AND WE HAVE SEVERAL FOOD PANTRIES THAT WE'LL GIVE YOU BULK FOOD TO LAST FOR A WEEK OR MORE.
UH, THERE'S PLACES WHERE YOU CAN GO TO GET A SHOWER WHERE YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, UM, GET YOUR CLO THERE'S A CLOTHING PANTRY.
SO IF, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU GET STREETWISE AND YOU'VE BEEN OUT HERE FOR A WHILE, YOU KNOW HOW TO SURVIVE, THEN THE MORE THEY'RE WILLING TO LIVE THAT WAY.
THEY HARDLY EVER WANNA GO BACK TO A REGULAR JOB WHERE THEY'RE PAYING TAXES AND HAVING TO LIVE ON THAT REGIMENT AND GET UP AND GO TO WORK.
AND I, I TALKED TO A GUY AND HE SAID, MAN, YOU DON'T KNOW FREEDOM TILL YOU LIVE ON THE STREETS.
LIKE, THAT'S A FRIGHTENING PROSPECT.
AND THAT'S, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S, WE'RE A KIND HEARTED SOCIETY.
THERE'S MORE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO HELP AND THEY DON'T REALIZE THEY'RE KEEPING THEM HOMELESS.
WHERE IS THAT CLOTHING PANTRY THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? UM, YOU KNOW WHERE NEW LIBERTY CHURCH IS ON CENTERVILLE
SO THEY, UH, I THINK IT'S IN THE 400 BLOCK OF CENTERVILLE WEST CENTERVILLE.
UM, THEY HAVE, UH, THEY SERVE A HOT MEAL, I BELIEVE, THURSDAY NIGHTS.
AND THEY HAVE A INSIDE WHERE THEY SERVE, IT'S LIKE A GYM.
THEY HAVE A, A CLOTHING PANTRY WHERE YOU CAN GO IN IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW, A JACKET OR PANTS OR SHOES.
SO, AND I THINK THIS WILL HELP YOU.
WE, I WORK IN THE HOSPITAL, SO JUST LIKE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE EXPERIENCING.
USUALLY IF IT'S THE HOLIDAYS OR WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GETS COLD, WE SEE A LOT OF HOMELESS PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, GOING TO THE HOSPITALS AND GETTING ADMITTED AND, YOU KNOW, THE USUAL, THEY ALREADY KNOW THE, THE, THE USUAL EXCUSES.
ADMIT THEM FOR A CS OR MI POSSIBLE MI RULE IT OUT IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
AND AGAIN, BOOM, THEY GO BACK TO THE ED AND GET ADMITTED AGAIN.
SO IT'S BEEN ALL YEAR TRYING TO CONVINCE 'EM.
SO YOU CAN GO TO A SHELTER IF YOU NEED TO.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW THAT IN JANUARY IT'S GONNA BE COLD,
YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ID TO GO TO A SHELTER.
ALL BUT ONE, THEY CAN GO TO THE BRIDGE.
AND THAT'S IN DALLAS? IT'S IN DALLAS, YES.
ALL THE SHELTERS ARE IN DALLAS COUNTY, ARE
[01:30:01]
ACTUALLY IN DALLAS.SO WE DON'T HAVE A, A FULL-TIME SHELTER IN GARLAND.
I DRIVE BY THAT PLACE EVERY DAY.
AND IT, AND IT IS SAD THAT ONCE A HOMELESS PERSON GETS TO A SHELTER AND THEY GET THEIR SPOT, THEY THINK THEY'VE ARRIVED, I'M AT HOME AND THEY'RE GONNA STAY THERE.
THEY DON'T USE IT FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE IS TO GET THEM ON THEIR FEET SO THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, BECOME ANOTHER PRODUCTIVE PERSON.
ONCE THEY GET THEIR SPOT AT THE SHELTER, THEY THINK, OKAY, I'M JUST, I'VE MADE IT.
I'M JUST GONNA THIS GET MY THREE MEALS A DAY AND SLEEP HERE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
NOW, THERE'S A FEW EXCEPTIONS, BUT THAT'S THE MENTALITY THAT WE COME ACROSS MOST OFTEN.
SO THE ANSWER IS NOT TO BUILD MORE SHELTERS.
IT WILL END UP JUST LIKE SEATTLE.
ENCOURAGE, IF Y'ALL HAVE NEVER SEEN THE VIDEO, SEATTLE'S DYING.
THEY PUT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THEIR HOMELESS SYSTEM.
THANK KANSAS CITY AND SAN FRANCISCO IS ANOTHER ONE.
I MEAN, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE ANSWER? IS IT, IS IT, IS IT APPROACHING IT FROM A MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT? OR IS IT APPROACHING FROM I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE PEOPLE TO BE PRODUCTIVE OR WANTED TO BE PRODUCTIVE OR BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEMSELVES ANYMORE.
UNLESS YOU JUST SAY, I'M NOT GONNA TAKE CARE OF YOU.
I'M TAKING CARE OF, I'M NOT, YOU'RE NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FEED AND CLOTHE YOURSELF.
BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SYSTEM FOR THAT.
BUT MOST OF THE PEOPLE WE COME ACROSS ARE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.
SO WHAT'S MISSING FROM, DO YOU THINK THERE'S ANYTHING MISSING FROM OUR APPROACH TO IT? WOULD, WOULD ANOTHER ELEMENT OF SOMETHING ELSE BE HELPFUL? ANOTHER HELPFUL TOOL TO YOU GUYS? FROM A, FROM A CRIMINOLOGICAL STANDPOINT? FROM A SOCIOLOGICAL STANDPOINT, FROM A AN ENFORCEMENT STANDPOINT.
WHAT, WHAT'S MISSING IN OUR, IN OUR EFFORT, I DON'T KNOW, BUT FIND OUT YOU CAN MAKE A MILLION DOLLARS OFF OF IT.
'CAUSE ALMOST ALL OF THEM END UP BACK ON THE STREET.
IT'S THOSE, UM, LIFE SKILLS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE EITHER NEVER HAD OR FORGOT OR SOMETHING.
UH, KIND OF SOMEBODY TO HOLD THEIR HAND.
BUT WE JUST, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE KIND OF RESOURCES.
UM, SOMEBODY TO MAKE THEM ACCOUNTABLE IS BASICALLY WHAT IT IS.
UM, BUT LEARN HOW TO PAY THE BILLS.
LEARN HOW TO SET UP YOUR MEALS, LEARN HOW TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH, LEARN HOW TO INVEST MONEY, LEARN HOW TO SAVE MONEY.
UM, THAT'S BASICALLY BABYSITTING 'EM FOR A TIMEFRAME.
BUT, UH, WE HAVEN'T TRIED THAT YET.
ALMOST LIKE A PROBATION PROBATIONARY PERIOD LIKE WE DO WITH CRIMINALS TRYING TO REINTRODUCE THEM INTO SOCIETY.
A HALFWAY HOUSE REPORT IN YEAH.
AND, BUT I THINK THOSE HAVE A HIGH FAILURE RATE TOO.
BUT YOU HAVE TO BALANCE THAT AGAINST THE RECIDIVISM RATE.
THEY USED TO HAVE A SERIES OF HOMES LIKE THAT IN, IN ARKANSAS CALLED THE GIST HOUSE.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING OFF AND WE, BUT, BUT YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD POINT IS THAT, THAT TEACHING THE LIFE SKILLS IS PROBABLY WHAT'S MISSING.
THANK YOU FOR WELCOME WORK FOR WHAT YOU DO.
I THINK, UH, WE GO RIGHT TO COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, KEN.
UH, WELL, WE COVERED MOST EVERYTHING I HAD ON THE AGENDA LAST TIME.
THE TWO, UM, UH, PROPOSALS FOR GRANTS WERE APPROVED.
UM, I CAN GET 'EM FOR YOU REAL QUICK, BUT I, I MENTIONED 'EM LAST TIME.
OTHER THAN THAT, UM, THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY HAS, UH, THE 23RD OF JANUARY IS THEIR NEXT, UH, CYCLE FOR THE LETTERS OF INTENT FOR THE SPRING GRANTS.
I ALSO, UH, MICHELLE STUYVESANT ASKED ME TO BE SURE TO TELL EVERYBODY THAT THIS SATURDAY THERE'S A, UH, TIRE AND TEXTILE RECYCLING EVENT AT THE, AT THE, UH, COMMERCE CENTER.
UH, AND SHE WAS ASKING FOR VOLUNTEERS.
IT'S FROM NINE TO NOON, NINE TO ONE.
UH, I'LL BE THERE NINE TO NOON.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO TELL 'EM ABOUT THAT YOU WANNA PIGGYBACK ON THAT? NO, JUST WE'RE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS.
WE CAN SIGN OFF ON COMMUNITY SERVICE IF YOU HAVE KIDS OR TEENAGERS THAT NEED THE HOURS.
THEY CAME OUT LAST TIME AND THEY WERE ABLE TO HELP.
[01:35:01]
TO ME.AND I HAVE SOME YOUTH THAT WILL BE GOING OUT THERE THIS SATURDAY TOO.
DO YOU? UM, I, I HAVE MAYBE THREE.
UM, AND SO SH SHE SAID THEY WERE GREAT LAST TIME TOO, SO I SAID JUST LET HER KNOW OR LET ME KNOW THAT THEY ARRIVED AND THEN I'LL, I'LL DOCUMENT THEIR HOURS AND SHE AGREED TO DO SO.
WHO DO WE REPORT TO WHEN WE GET THERE? MICHELLE? SHE'LL BE THERE.
AND I THINK WE JUST DISCOVERED THAT OUR LAST ELECTION WAS MARCH OF 24.
UM, YEAH, WE STILL HAVE TO DO IT.
THE BYLAW SAID THAT WE HAVE TO DO IT OCTOBER EVERY SINGLE YEAR, REGARDLESS.
WE COULDN'T DO THAT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING.
SO WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A MEETING, IT, IT JUST KEEPS GOING.
WE HAVE TO DO IT OCTOBER OF EVERY YEAR REGARDLESS.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SUGGEST WE GET ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING IS TO CHANGE THE BYLAWS.
IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE HOW YOU WANT TO HAVE THE, THE ANNUAL, WELL, WE CHANGED THE AMOUNT OF MEETINGS.
BUT, BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, THE ELECTIONS.
IF YOU WANNA DO 'EM ONCE A YEAR.
'CAUSE THE, THE BYLAWS RIGHT NOW, THEY SAY THAT YOU HAVE TO DO 'EM SPECIFICALLY DURING THE MONTH OF, DURING THE OCTOBER MEETING.
WELL, WE DON'T HAVE A, AN OCTOBER MEETING ANYMORE.
SO THAT MIGHT BE SHIFTED TO DECEMBER.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE GONNA HAVE ELECTIONS TONIGHT, WE MIGHT END UP DOING ELECTIONS AGAIN IN DECEMBER JUST SO THAT WE CAN FALL BACK ON THE REGULAR SCHEDULE.
AND WE JUST SAY LIKE, ANNUALLY, FOURTH QUARTER, THAT'S COMPLETELY UP TO YOU GUYS.
AND DO WE HAVE AN OPTION OF PERHAPS MAKING IT A TWO YEAR TERM IF WE DIDN'T WANT TO MESS WITH IT EVERY FOURTH MEETING, OR, I CAN LOOK INTO THAT.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW THE BYLAWS SAY ANNUALLY.
NO, BUT, UH, I CAN, I CAN LOOK INTO THAT.
SO WITH THAT SAID, WE, WE WILL NEED A NOMINATION FOR CHAIR.
I'LL NOMINATE BOB FOR CHAIR AGAIN, AND WE'LL NEED A SECOND.
BOB, DO YOU MIND RUNNING? I'LL DO IT.
AND THIS IS WHERE I WAS GONNA NOMINATE DAPHNE FOR VICE CHAIR, BUT SHE, UH, IF YOU GUYS WANNA HOLD ON.
YOU'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT AHEAD.
SO, UH, IF YOU GUYS WANNA VOTE FOR CHAIR, UH, RAISE YOUR HAND.
WELL, WE, I, LET'S SEE, HOW MANY DO WE HAVE? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
AND SO NOW WE NOMINATE, UH, I NEED A NOMINATION FOR OUR VICE CHAIR.
LIKE I SAID, I WAS GONNA NOMINATE DAPHNE, BUT SHE FELT SO STRONGLY SHE, UH, BAILED
JIM, THAT WAS HER LAST MEETING.
AND WHO ELSE DO WE NEED? THAT'S IT.
I THINK WE SHOULD PUT ON THE, UH, UH, A REVIEW OF THE BYLAWS.
I THINK JIM, YOU WORKED ON THAT.
I THINK WE SHOULD DO THE, UH, UM, ELECTION TO, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT CORRESPONDS WITH THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS WE'RE CURRENTLY HAVING.
I THINK, UM, KEN BROUGHT UP PRIOR TO THE MEETING THAT WE'RE, AND, AND JIM DID TOO, UM, WE'RE MISSING A COUPLE OF ASPECTS THAT BETTY USED TO HANDLE.
ONE WAS A REPORT FROM, UH, CAPE GARLAND.
WHICH WE DECIDED WE'D TRY TO GET REBA TO SEND US ONE.
AND THE OTHER WAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS.
AND UH, I THINK JIM WOULD PROBABLY BE PRETTY GOOD AT THAT TOO.
BUT WE CAN DO IT AS, LET'S PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS WHETHER WE WANT TO GO FORWARD WITH THEM OR NOT.
I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD KIND OF BRING A SUGGESTION OF WHAT YOU, WHAT TYPE OF PERSON YOU WOULD NOMINATE, OR A SPECIFIC GROUP YOU'D LIKE TO NOMINATE.
AND THEN WE CAN FORM HOW WE WANT TO DO THAT.
AND IDEALLY MAKE IT MORE THAN A ONE PERSON SHOW.
MAYBE WE, MAYBE WE SAY WE'VE GOT THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE ON THE LIST, LET'S VOTE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD DEAL.
CAN, CAN I ASK OR SUGGEST THAT MAYBE WE BRING SOMEBODY THAT'S, THAT'S PRESENT AT MOST OF THE KEEP GARLAND BEAUTIFUL MEETINGS OR? THAT'S BECAUSE I ONLY DO EVENTS WITH 'EM PRETTY MUCH.
I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THE DAY TO DAY STUFF.
WELL WE, WE CAN SEE IF, UH, REBA OR WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BRING IN MICHELLE.
WELL I CAN BRING, BECAUSE ACTUALLY SHE'S PART OF THE OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
I CAN BRING THE MINUTES IN TOO.
CAN WE INVITE, YOU WANT BRING MICHELLE IN NEXT TIME AND LET HER YEAH.
MICHELLE LIKES DOING STUFF LIKE THAT, SO.
AND YOU REMEMBER ALSO WE USED TO HAVE THE WATER REPORTS FROM JOHN AND THOSE THINGS WENT BY THE WAYSIDE TOO.
SO THAT'S BECAUSE WE WERE SO RELIEVED
[01:40:01]
THAT YEAH.I DON'T THINK WE NEED THE WATER REPORTS
BUT WE CAN, I MEAN THERE'S, ANYWAY, I'M JUST SUGGESTING IT SO WE CAN MAYBE EVERYBODY HERE DISCUSS IT FOR HAS AN AREA OF INTEREST.
AND I BELIEVE THAT, THAT, UH, THE ENVIRONMENT INCLUDES THE ENVIRONMENT WE LIVE IN, THE COMMUNITY, THE ATMOSPHERE WE LIVE IN.
SO I THINK THAT'S SORT OF WITHIN OUR, AL MIGHT DISAGREE, BUT IT'S SORT OF WITHIN OUR, UM, OUR, OUR AREA OF OPERATION TOO.
AND SOME OF SOME OF THESE THINGS, UM, DO INFECT THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT.
AND SOME OF THEM AFFECT THE, UH, THE, THE MENTAL, I PERSONALLY BELIEVE WE HAVE TOO MANY AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESSES IN MARYLAND AND THAT OUR RULES FOR OPENING THEM ARE VERY SHALLOW AND VERY EASY TO MEET.
AND THERE'S NO, THERE'S NOTHING IN PLACE TO SAY WHEN YOU CLOSE YOUR BUSINESS, YOU HAVE TO CLEAN THE GROUND THERE.
WHEN WE LOOK FOR PROPERTY, I THINK WE LOOK, WE'RE GETTING THAT.
WE REMEMBER WE GOTTA STICK WITH THE AGENDA.
SO IS THAT AN AGENDA ITEM THAT YOU WANT FOR THE NEXT MEETING? SOMETHING TO SOMEONE THAT'S FROM THE CITY? THAT'S WHERE I WAS TRYING TO GET.
WOULD THAT FALL UNDER ZONING? UH, WHO WOULD THAT FALL UNDER ZONING? NO, UNFORTUNATELY I THINK IT ALL FALLS UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
I KNOW, BUT WHICH WAS TWO PEOPLE LAST TIME WE TALKED IT, IT'S ACTUALLY SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING PLANNING.
'CAUSE PLANNING IS THE FIRST STEP.
UH, BILLING INSPECTIONS AS PART OF THAT TO, UM, ISSUE THE, UM, OCCUPANCY, UH, CERTIFICATE, UM, CODE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE PART OF IT.
I JUST GOT, I I HAVE TO DO SOME RESEARCH, BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT ME TO LOOK INTO, I CAN, I CAN SEE IF WE CAN GET SOMEONE, UH, WHAT, WHAT IT, WHAT IT TAKES.
THERE DO SEEM TO BE A LOT OF HIGHER PLACES PER CAPITA IN THE CITY OF GARLAND.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD FOLLOW UP TO OUR TIRE CONVERSATION IS HOW IS THE CITY, UM, YOU KNOW, GAUGING HOW MANY DO WE HAVE? HOW MANY MORE CAN WE HAVE? WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS? UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS CAN DO IF YOU WATCH EVERY COUNCIL MEETING OR OR THE COUNCIL MEETINGS, EVERY OTHER TUESDAY OF THE MONTH IS THE FIRST AND THE THIRD TUESDAY OF THE MONTH, THEY HAVE ZONING CASES.
SO THAT MEANS EVERY BUSINESS FROM EVERY IN EVERY INDUSTRY WILL GO IN FRONT OF COUNCIL AND PRESENT THEIR CASE.
THOSE THAT GET APPROVED, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR WHY THOSE THAT GET DENIED.
YOU'RE GONNA HEAR WHY FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE STAFF, UH, FROM CITIZENS.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE BEST WAY FOR YOU.
IT'S EVERY, EVERY UM, APPLICATION IS GONNA BE DIFFERENT.
IF THE BUSINESS HAS TO GO BEFORE, THAT'S CHANGE ZONING.
NO, THAT'S EVEN FOR SOMEBODY JUST APPLYING TO OPEN A CAR WASH.
OR LET'S SAY THAT US WANTS TO OPEN A TIRE SHOP IN WEST GARLAND FOR THE FIRST TIME.
HE'S GOTTA GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS, GO IN FRONT OF COUNCIL, GET APPROVAL, AND THEN, UH, OR THAT, THAT IS ONLY IF THE PROPERTY IS ZONED.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU GO FROM WAREHOUSE TO WAREHOUSE AND IT'S ZONED LIKE, UH, ZONE A B, YOU CAN GO, YOU CAN OPEN A NEW BUSINESS THERE, AS LONG AS THAT BUSINESS IS ALREADY ZONED AB BUT IF YOU'RE CHANGING IT FROM AB TO LIKE ZONE D, THEN YOU HAVE TO DO A ZONING REQUEST FOR AUTO SALES.
I KNOW FOR A FACT, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, IF, IF IF SOMEBODY THAT NOW HAS A CERTIFICATE FOR AUTO SALES AND THEY TRY TO SELL IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE, I KNOW COUNSEL'S NOT APPROVING THOSE.
NOW IF THEY TO JUST DO IT FOR BODY SHOPS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE IF THE, DEPENDING ON THE AGE OF THE BUILDING, THERE'S DIFFERENT RULES.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE AS MUCH PARKING.
BUT, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I RECOMMEND YOU GUYS DO IF YOU HAVE THE TIME, UM, WATCH THE, THE COUNCIL MEETINGS.
THEY'RE ALL RECORDED ONLINE AND YOU'RE GONNA HEAR EXACTLY WHY FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, WHY SOMETHING GETS APPROVED OR, OR DENIED.
I THINK I'VE BEEN TO EVERY ONE OF 'EM FOR A RECYCLING CENTER, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S IT.
IS IT, IS IT MY IMAGINATION OR THERE ARE AN OVERABUNDANCE OF TIRE AND AUTO SHOPS.
THEY KEEP, THEY'RE STILL BUILDING 'EM.
I SAY, YEAH, GO TO FRISCO THE FIRST TUESDAY AND THE THIRD TUESDAY OF THE MONTH AT 7:00 PM DEFINITELY.
I THINK THE AGENDA'S ALREADY OUT THERE.
AND, AND YOU GUYS CAN ALSO WATCH THE ONES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN RECORDED.
GO TO GARLAND, DALLAS COUNTY FOR ALL GUYS.
ANYTHING ELSE? REMEMBER WE, WE HAVE TO STICK WITH THIS.
SO, OKAY, SO AUTO SHOPS AND TIRE SHOPS.
AND I THINK IF NOBODY ELSE HAS A, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY VISITORS.
ANYBODY ELSE HAS A, A AGENDA ITEM YOU'RE INTERESTED IN? I WAS ASKING ARIELLE ABOUT THE PROPER DISPOSAL OF PRESCRIBED NARCOTICS OR ANY PRESCRIPTIONS FOR THAT MATTER.
DALLAS COUNTY, THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN GARLAND HANDLES PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND DISPOSE
[01:45:01]
EM THERE.AND THEN WAS IT AT DALLAS COUNTY? I'M JUST ADJUSTING AN AGENDA ITEM.
BUT, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO TO BRING.
I THINK IT'S THE POLICE THAT HANDLE, I'LL DO SOME RESEARCH AND SEE IF I CAN FIND SOMEONE.
NOT NECESSARILY A NARCOTIC, BUT IN GENERAL PRESCRIPTIONS.
'CAUSE I WANNA KNOW DRUG DISPOSAL.
YOU KNOW, ON A PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, THINGY IS THEY HAVE A KIO.
IS THERE ANY, I MEAN, I MEAN PERCENTAGE OF ACCIDENTAL, UH, POISONING, YOU KNOW, LIKE GERIATRIC POPULATION OR, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE THAT INFORMATION, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY DO SOME RESEARCH AND THEN GET BACK TO YOU GUYS.
YOU, WHEN WE DO THE ANNUAL RECYCLING THING, DON'T WE COLLECT PRESCRIPTIONS AND EYEGLASSES AND STUFF LIKE THAT TOO? OH NO.
LIONS CLUB USUALLY US, THEY HAVE, I'VE SEEN EVENTS WHERE THEY DO INCLUDE THAT.
I CAN TELL YOU I HAVEN'T BEEN AUTHORIZING THOSE.
REALLY? BECAUSE I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT THE GENERAL YEAH, THAT'S GOOD.
SO, SO WE'LL LET ME DO SOME RESEARCH, FIND OUT EXACTLY PEOPLE FLUSHING IN THE TOILET, PUT IT UNDER YOUR DRAINS OR WHATEVER.
I THINK IT'S ON THE CITY WEBSITE TOO.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S ON THE WHAT TO DO WITH WASTE.
I THINK MIGHT EVEN BE ON THE SANITATION PORTION.
DO Y'ALL HAVE THOSE NEW MAGNETS? ANY OF THE NEW MAGNETS? WHAT? WHO TO CALL, WHAT, WHERE TO YOU REMEMBER THOSE OR? I DON'T.
SANITATION DOES NOT, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY HAS THOSE.
THAT WOULD BE LIKE POISON CONTROL, RIGHT? NUMBERS? NO, WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT THE, THIS, I FORGET WHAT DEPARTMENT USED TO HAVE THE, WHO DO I CALL FOR THIS? WELL, IT HAS A WHOLE LIST.
I WOULD, I WOULD ASSUME CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT HONESTLY, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY PMR DID SOMETHING LIKE THAT YEARS AGO WHEN THEY HAD A GENERAL CONTACT LIST.
'CAUSE I'VE GOT TWO OF OUR REFRIGERATOR, WE ALL HAVE STAINLESS STEEL REFRIGERATORS NOW.
MAGNETS DON'T STICK NON FARISH METAL.
IF, IF IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, WE GOTTA WE GOTTA CLOSE THE MEETING.
NOBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING ELSE.