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EVENING.WELCOME TO THE DECEMBER MEETING OF, UH, EAB.
UH, WE'LL START WITH A ROLL CALL TO MY RIGHT OVER HERE.
MARIA NANGA, DISTRICT TWO, ALBA TORES, DISTRICT THREE.
CHRISTINA SEGOVIA, DISTRICT FOUR.
UH, FIRST I'M ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
DOES ANYBODY WANNA TAKE A MINUTE, TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THEM? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES.
ALRIGHT, YOU GOT ONE SECOND? I SECOND THAT MOTION.
NEXT, NEXT ON IS THE ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION CODE COMPLIANCE, COMMERCIAL STANDARDS OVERVIEW.
I'M DIRECTOR OF CODE COMPLIANCE HERE IN THE CITY OF GARLAND.
JOINED WITH ME IS CHRIS HARRIS, OUR COMMERCIAL INSPECTOR MANAGER.
SO, UH, WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR COMMERCIAL INSPECTION PROCESS, WHAT WE LOOK FOR, SOME OF OUR COMMON VIOLATIONS.
THEN OF COURSE, WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE FOR US.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S GO THROUGH, THIS WON'T BE AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST, BUT IT'LL JUST BE OUR TOP MOST PROACTIVE, MOST COMMONLY SEEN VIOLATIONS THAT WE SEE IN OUR COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS.
AND SO, OF COURSE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS ARE IN GOOD CONDITION.
THEY'RE LOOKING, UH, RESPECTABLE FOR OUR BUSINESSES, FOR OUR RESIDENTS, AND FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO LIVE, PLAY, OR INVEST OR WORK IN GARLAND.
SO, IT'S A KEY, KEY COMPONENT OF WHAT WE DO IN CODE COMPLIANCE.
UH, ONE OF THE MOST COMMON ISSUES, OF COURSE, IS HIGH GRASS AND WEEDS.
SO OUR ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT ANYTHING OVER 12 INCHES IS IN VIOLATION, SO YOU HAVE TO CUT THAT.
UH, WE DO HAVE A PROCESS WHERE WE CAN ABATE THE VIOLATION.
UM, IF YOU DON'T CUT IT WITHIN THAT REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, UH, WE CAN HAVE OUR CONTRACTOR COME OUT AND DO THE WORK FOR YOU.
IF YOU DON'T MOVE QUITE QUICKLY ENOUGH, WE CAN COME OUT AND WE'LL HAVE OUR CONTRACTOR TO ABATE THAT PROPERTY.
WE ALSO LOOK FOR PARKING LOT MAINTENANCE.
UH, WE KNOW SOME OF OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS HAVE, YOU KNOW, POTHOLES, YOU HAVE VEGETATION THAT'S GROWING UP BETWEEN THE CRACKS.
UH, NOT ONLY IS IT NOT A GOOD AESTHETIC LOOK FOR US, BUT IT ALSO, YOU KNOW, IT CAN DAMAGE A VEHICLE WHO WANTS TO TAKE A, YOUR NEW VEHICLE AND GO THROUGH A POTHOLE AND GET SOME POSSIBLE DAMAGE.
UH, IT ALSO CAN HARBOR SOME HOLDING, UH, WATER.
SO HARBOR MOSQUITOES, UH, FOR PUBLIC NUISANCE, RIGHT? SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THAT.
UH, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT ALL OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE PROPERTY, SO MAKING SURE THE PAINT, THERE'S NO CHIPPING, THERE'S NO FLAKING.
UH, THE SOFFIT AND THE FACIAL BOARDS ARE IN GOOD REPAIR.
UM, THAT'S JUST AESTHETIC WISE AND, YOU KNOW, IT CAUSES FURTHER DETERIORATION OF THAT BUILDING.
AND, UH, IT'S JUST NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR OUR, OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS.
SO, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE HAVE A RELATIVELY OLDER, SOME OF OUR BUILDINGS ARE A LITTLE BIT OLDER, SO THEY REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE MAINTENANCE.
SOME HAVEN'T BEEN TOUCHED IN IN MANY YEARS.
SO WE HAVE A, A PRETTY HEAVY JOB FOR OUR INSPECTORS TO GO OUT AND ENFORCE AND INSPECT AND MAKE SURE THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE DOING THEIR PART TO KEEP CITY OF GARLAND, UH, AS IT SHOULD BE.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT EXTERIOR ROOF DAMAGE AND DAMAGE TO THE BUILDINGS.
IF YOU HAVE MISSING SHINGLES, UH, IT COULD CAUSE FURTHER DETERIORATION INSIDE THAT PROPERTY.
UH, LEAKS AND, AND ALL SORTS OF MISHAPS CAN HAPPEN IF YOU'RE NOT PROPERLY MAINTAINING THAT PROPERTY.
UM, WHILE WE'RE THERE, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE PROPER DRAINAGE, MAKING SURE THAT IF IT'S CHANNELED TO GUTTERS, THAT THE WATER IS FLOWING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO IT'S NOT CAUSING ANY OTHER PUBLIC NUISANCE ISSUES.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT RES STRIPING OF THE PARKING LOTS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THE PARKING LOTS ARE IN GOOD CONDITION, THAT THE FIRE LANES ARE CLEARLY MARKED FOR EMERGENCY PERSONNEL.
UM, WHILE WE'RE THERE, WE'RE LOOKING AT SIGN MAINTENANCE.
THIS IS A, WE HAVE A TASK FORCE NOW.
WE'RE LOOKING AT TEMPORARY SIGNS, THE, UH, THE BANNERS, THE INFLATABLES, UH, JUST THOSE DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT WE SEE, UH, WITHIN THE CITY.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL SIGNS ARE AS THEY SHOULD BE IN FULL GOOD CONDITION.
NOT SHIPPING, UH, NOT PARTIALLY DILAPIDATED.
SO THAT'S A MAJOR FOCUS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CANS.
YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME WITH MISSING PIECES WITHIN THAT LARGER CANS SO THAT BUSINESS COULD HAVE GONE OUT OF BUSINESS, COULD HAVE LEFT THE CITY, BUT YOU WANNA REPLACE THAT WITH AN
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APPROVED MATERIAL.UH, NOT CARDBOARD, NOT JUST PLASTIC, NOT ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT AN APPROVED MATERIAL THAT, UH, CAN WITHSTAND THE ELEMENTS.
ALRIGHT, MOVING FORWARD, BROKEN SIDE PANEL, SAME DEAL.
UH, JUST MAKING SURE THAT IT'S IN GOOD CONDITION AND PROTECTED FROM ALL ELEMENTS, NOT FURTHER DETERIORATING AS IT AS IT GOES.
UM, SO HERE'S ANOTHER MAJOR ISSUE THAT WE SEE QUITE OFTEN.
UH, SO IN SHORT, EVERY PARKING SPACE, A CAR CAN ONLY BE PARKED IN THAT PARKING SPACE.
SO WHAT WE'LL SEE COMMONLY IS THAT THEY WILL PACK IN AS MANY CARS AS THEY CAN ON A SMALLER LOT, UH, TRYING TO MAXIMIZE THE SPACE FOR THAT PARTICULAR LOT.
AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO ALLOW THAT.
AND IT'S OFTEN SIGNS OF A BIGGER ISSUE.
UM, IT COULD BE A SALVAGE YARD, WHICH WE'LL GET TO LATER WHERE THEY ARE, UH, TAKING CAR PARTS, DISMANTLING THE VEHICLES, AND THEN SELLING THOSE PARTS FOR INDIVIDUAL USE.
AND SO THAT'S COMPLETELY PROHIBITED WITHIN THE CITY.
AND SO STACKING IS OFTEN A SYMPTOM OF THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT OFTEN A BUNCH OF NEW CARS STACKED UP.
THEY'RE OFTEN OLD, DILAPIDATED AND UNDRIVABLE.
AND SO OUR SPECTRAS KNOW TO LOOK FOR THAT AND IT MAY BE A, A DEEPER ISSUE, UM, INVOLVED RIGHT THERE.
THEY'RE USING EVERY AVAILABLE PIECE OF LAND THEY HAVE TO STACK, RIGHT? RIGHT IN BETWEEN.
IT'S, IT'S NOT DESIGNED TO HAVE ANY VEHICLES, ANY STRUCTURES, ANYTHING PARKED RIGHT HERE IN THIS SPACE.
AND SO, AGAIN, THEY'RE MAXIMIZING EVERY SQUARE INCH OF WHAT THEY HAVE ON THAT PROPERTY.
UH, SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS LIKE THAT WHEN WE'RE OUT.
SO AS, AS I SAID, WE HAVE A VERY, VERY HEAVY LIFT WHEN WE'RE OUT THERE.
AS YOU KNOW, GARLAND IS HEAVILY POPULATED WITH AUTO BUSINESSES, RIGHT? SO THAT'S ON THE MAJOR THIRD FAIRES.
AND THAT'S EVEN ON THESE BACK STREETS WHERE SOME OF THIS SALVAGING TAKES PLACE.
AND IT A, IT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE THAT WE BATTLE, UH, ON A DAILY BASIS.
BUT WE, WE DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF STAYING AHEAD OF IT.
AND, UH, WE'RE FOCUSING ON JUST TRYING TO REGULATE AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO KEEP THESE BUSINESSES IN, IN CONTROL.
UH, SO AS I SAID, SALVAGING IS TOTALLY ILLEGAL.
SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A, LET'S GO BACK TO THAT LAST SLIDE.
SO WE'RE TALKING LIKE A JUNKYARD A PULL APART, RIGHT? THAT IS COMPLETELY PROHIBITED WITHIN THE CITY.
SO ANYTIME WE SEE THOSE PARTS JUST LAYING AROUND, WE KNOW LIKELY THEY'RE RUNNING.
THEY CAN TAKE A, THEY CAN TAKE A VEHICLE THAT COSTS, UM, 250 BUCKS AND THEY CAN PIECE IT OUT AND SELL FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, RIGHT? SO IT'S VERY LUCRATIVE AND IT'S HARD TO DETER BECAUSE IT'S SO PROFITABLE FOR THEM TO CONDUCT THAT BUSINESS IN THAT WAY.
UM, LANDSCAPING IS A KEY ISSUE.
SO EACH BUSINESS HAS AN APPROVED LANDSCAPING PLAN THAT'S IN PLACE THAT'S REPORTED AND RECORDED WITH THE CITY.
AND SO FROM TIME TO TIME, IT'LL, IT'LL BECOME HARD TO MAINTAIN.
AND WHEN WE SEE IT, WE DO ENFORCE IT, UH, INCLUDING IRRIGATION.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOUR IRRIGATION PLAN, WHICH IS A PART OF THAT APPROVED LANDSCAPE PLAN, IS IN PLACE AND PROPERLY MAINTAINED, UM, AT ALL TIMES.
SO OUR INSPECTORS ARE ON THE HUNT FOR THAT AS WELL.
UM, CERTAIN SPECIFIC, THE, THE LANDSCAPE PLANT IS SPECIFIC TO CERTAIN PLANTS.
IT'S NOT JUST ANY TREES, NOT JUST ANY PLANTS.
IT'S SPECIFIC TO WHAT YOU HAVE APPROVED THROUGH OUR PLANTING.
AND WE ARE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA HOLD YOU TO EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAVE, UM, IMPLEMENTED AND TOLD US THAT YOU WOULD MAINTAIN AND UPKEEP.
UM, SO WE HAVE TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THOSE INTRICACIES WHEN IT COMES TO ENFORCING THAT PARTICULAR ORDINANCE.
UH, THIS IS ONE WE'RE WORKING WITH RIGHT NOW.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE THEM JUST ABOUT IN COMPLIANCE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING ON IT.
SO IT'S, SOME OF THESE PROCESSES TAKE LONGER, RIGHT? SO TALL GRASS, OF COURSE, SEVEN TO NINE DAYS, WE WANT THAT CUT.
IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY, FAIRLY EASY.
SOME OF THESE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LANDSCAPING PLANS, WHEN YOU'RE SPEAKING OF, UH, PARKING LOT, RE PAVEMENT, RESURFACING, THAT CAN GET INTO THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
SO OF COURSE, WE WANNA BE BUSINESS FRIENDLY, UM, AND BE REASONABLE, RIGHT? WE DON'T EXPECT THEM TO PULL A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS OUT YOUR POCKET BY NEXT TUESDAY.
WE WANNA GIVE THEM ENOUGH TIME TO REASONABLY COME INTO COMPLIANCE.
ALRIGHT? AND AS WE ARE, WE HAVE A FEW MORE SLIDES.
IT CAN BE RIGHT? AN UNSECURED BUILDING, WHETHER IT'S SAY RESIDENTIAL OR A COMMERCIAL.
UH, WE HAVE AN UNSHELTERED POPULATION, WE HAVE CRIMINAL ELEMENTS THAT COULD GET INTO THESE BUILDINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, MANY THINGS COULD HAPPEN.
YOU COULD TAKE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE KIDS THAT PLAY IN THE AREA, SO IT'S A DANGER TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, WHEN IT'S COLD, IT'S ABOUT TO GET HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
WE HAVE A FIRE RISK IF WE LEAVE THESE BUILDINGS UNSECURED.
UH, WE JUST OPEN OURSELVES UP TO MANY, MANY DIFFERENT
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HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS.SO OF COURSE WE WANT TO GET ON THAT ASAP AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THOSE BUILDINGS SECURED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND, UH, JUST KINDA CIRCLING BACK, THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE SALVAGE, THE SALVAGE YARDS.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THESE PICTURES, THIS IS NOT A, THIS IS NOT AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP, RIGHT? THEY'RE NOT DOING MINOR OR MAJOR REPAIRS.
THEY'RE STACKING THESE MATERIALS AND PREPARING TO, THEY HAVE IT CATALOGED AS IF, AS IF IT'S A WAREHOUSE, RIGHT? YOU HAVE DOORS OVER HERE, MIRRORS OVER HERE, AND DIFFERENT PARTS IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
SO WE KNOW WHEN WE SEE THIS, THIS IS A, A RED FLAG FOR US THAT THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING BEYOND JUST AUTO REPAIR, RIGHT? THIS IS CLEARLY BEYOND, BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT'S ALLOWABLE.
UM, JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE, AS YOU SEE THIS IS THEY'RE CLEARLY LINED UP.
DIFFERENT CARS, DIFFERENT MAKES, DIFFERENT MODELS AND PARTS ARE ORGANIZED FOR, UH, FOR QUICK SALES.
UH, ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR, WHICH IS COMMON, UM, YOU KNOW, RETAIL BUSINESSES WANT TO ADVERTISE AND ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE TO THEIR BUSINESS.
SO THEY WILL COMMONLY PUT THEIR, YOU'LL SEE TIRES OUTSIDE, YOU'LL SEE CLOTHES OR DIFFERENT, UH, DIFFERENT WEARS OUTSIDE OF THEIR BUSINESS, WHICH IS ALLOWABLE.
BUT THERE ARE LIMITS TO HOW YOU CAN DISPLAY IT, WHERE YOU CAN DISPLAY IT, AND HOW LONG YOU CAN DISPLAY IT.
SO, UH, FOR SHORT, WE KINDA USE A FIVE BY FIVE BY FIVE RULE.
UM, THE MATERIALS HAVE TO BE WITHIN FIVE FEET OF YOUR BUSINESS OR WITH YOUR ENTRANCE.
UH, IT CAN'T OBSTRUCT ANY PARKING SPACES AND WE DON'T WANT IT OUT THERE AS A LONG-TERM EVERY, EVERY DAY ACTIVITY.
SO FIVE DAYS WITHIN THE CALENDAR YEAR, WHICH IS A NIGHTMARE TO ENFORCE, JUST BEING HONEST WITH YOU.
IT'S A, IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO ENFORCE.
UH, BUT WE ARE MAKING SOME, SOME EFFORTS TO CRACK DOWN ON SOME OF THE OUTDOOR DISPLAY CALENDAR MONTH, UH, WITHIN A CALENDAR MONTH.
SO IT'S FIVE BY FIVE BY FIVE BY FIVE.
THE LAST PORTION PORTION OF THAT IS, UH, FIVE CALENDAR DAYS IN A MONTH.
AND SO IT'S, THAT'S WHY IT CAN BE FAIRLY HARD TO STAY UP WITH.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CORRECTION.
ALRIGHT, SO THAT'S, UM, THAT'S THE OUTDOOR STORAGE, UH, DUMPSTERS.
ENCLOSURES, THIS IS A HEALTH AND SAFETY RISK.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EACH BUSINESS HAS A PROPER ENCLOSURE AND WE WANT YOUR TRASH TO STAY INSIDE THAT ENCLOSURE, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANNA SEE YOUR TRASH, YOUR BOXES, UM, JUST OUT FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.
IT'S ALSO ATTRACTION FOR RATS AND RODENTS AND ALL TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO, UH, EXPLODE THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
ALL RIGHT? SO THAT'S THE DUMPSTER ENCLOSURE.
HERE'S JUST A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT, WE DON'T WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE, RIGHT? THIS IS CLEARLY, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT RATS WOULD HAVE A FIELD DAY IN IF THEY SEE THIS.
AND OF COURSE IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD AESTHETICALLY, YOU DON'T WANNA DRIVE BY THIS AND, AND SEE THIS TYPE OF, YOU KNOW, DISPLAY OUTSIDE IN YOUR CITY.
SO, UM, THIS IS PROBABLY ILLEGAL DUMPING.
IN MANY CASES, PEOPLE WILL SEE AN ISOLATED DUMPSTER OR OPPORTUNITY, THEY WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY AND THROW OUT WHATEVER THEY WANNA THROW OUT.
SO, UM, BUT AGAIN, THAT PROPERTY OWNER IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE TO KEEP THAT ENCLOSURE CLEAN.
ALRIGHT? UM, AND I THINK THIS IS OUR LAST SLIDE.
UH, DON DONATION BOXES ARE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN, IN MANY CITIES, A LOT OF TIMES THESE COMPANIES WILL, WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE PROPERTY OWNER, THEY WILL JUST PLACE THOSE DONATION BOXES OUT ON ANY PARKING LOT.
UM, AND FOR RESIDENTS AND FOR, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS, YOU'LL BE AMAZED AT SOME OF THE THINGS YOU SEE OUT THERE, RIGHT? EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS CLOSED, I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE SEEN IT, EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS CLOSED DONATIONS, GO IN THE BOX, YOU'LL SEE SOFAS, YOU'LL SEE TRASH BAGS, YOU'LL SEE JUST ABOUT ANYTHING IN ANYWHERE.
BUT INSIDE THE BOX PEOPLE, YOU SEE PEOPLE
AND SO WE DON'T ALLOW THEM IN THE CITY OF GARLAND ONLY IN HEAVY COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS AND INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS.
AND SO WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION OF SOME OF OUR COMMON VIOLATIONS.
AGAIN, THIS IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE, IT'S NOT ALL INCLUSIVE.
UH, THESE ARE THE MOST COMMON THINGS THAT WE NOTE AND THAT WE ENFORCE.
AND, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
QUESTIONS? ANYONE? I HAVE PLENTY.
I LEARNED TWO NEW TERMS, STACKING AND SALVAGING, AND I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS ILLEGAL IN GARLAND SALVAGE ANYWHERE.
I MEAN, NOT EVEN A LEGAL BUSINESS.
THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO EXEMPTION ANYWHERE IN GARLAND FROM SALVAGING, UM,
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JUNKYARD TYPE OF MM-HMMSO WHAT IS THE PENALTY FOR THAT? IF YOU CATCH ON DOING THAT? IF IT'S ILLEGAL, THERE SHOULD BE A PENALTY, NOT A FINE, RIGHT? OR IS IT A FINE? WELL, I MEAN, SO IF WE FIND 'EM IN DOING THAT INITIALLY, WE'RE GONNA GO OUT AND ISSUE NOTICE.
MAKE SURE THAT THE EDUCATION PORTION IS, IS PARAMOUNT.
IT'S THE, IT'S THE FIRST THING THAT YOU WANT TO DO, RIGHT? A LOT OF PEOPLE SIMPLY DON'T KNOW.
THEY CAN'T, THEY DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T SALVAGE IN GARLAND, RIGHT? SO THE, UH, EDUCATION ASPECT OF IT, THAT'S THE FIR FIRST THING THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
THEY'RE GONNA BE GIVEN A TIME PERIOD TO GET IT, YOU KNOW, TAKEN CARE OF.
UM, AFTER THAT, THEN THE CITATIONS CAN, CAN START TO, YOU KNOW, GO WITH THAT.
WHAT'S THE TIME PERIOD, SHARONDA? CAN YOU GET CLOSER TO YOUR MICROPHONE? WHAT'S THE TIME PERIOD? UH, THE TIME PERIOD ON THAT IS GONNA BE USUALLY THOSE, UH, 30 DAY TIME PERIOD.
UM, ANYONE ELSE? 'CAUSE I GOT A FEW QUESTIONS, SO I WANT YOU TO GET YOUR QUESTIONS OUT.
JUST ONE, PROBABLY JUST CURIOUS, HOW ABOUT DUMPSTER DIVING? YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THAT IN TIKTOKS AND WHAT IS OUR POLICY ON THAT? WHAT'S OUR ENFORCEMENT POLICY? UH, THE DUMPSTER DIVING MEANING IT, BY DUMPSTER DIVING, YOU MEAN WHEN SOMEONE GOES IN, GOES IN, IS FISHING FOR DIFFERENT MATERIALS? MM-HMM
UM, NOT SURE WE REALLY ENFORCE THAT.
UM, WE, WE DON'T HAVE AN ORDINANCE.
THERE'S NOTHING IN CHAPTER 32 THAT WE USE TO, UH, TO DO ANY SORT OF, UH, ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S AGAINST THE LAW.
UM, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I WOULD, I WOULD ASSUME THE PROPERTY'S GONNA BE OWNED BY A PROPERTY OWNER.
SOMEONE'S GONNA BE, UH, LEGALLY TRESPASSING ONTO THEIR PROPERTY.
SO THERE, THERE'S SOME ELEMENT OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY GOING ON WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND THE, THE POLICE WOULD BE, NEED TO BE CALLED AT THAT POINT.
BUT, UM, YEAH, WE DON'T, WE CODE ENFORCEMENT THEMSELVES.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT WE USE FOR COVERING THAT.
UM, I KNOW AROUND THE HIGH GRASS YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT, UM, YOU GAVE RESOURCES OUT FOR SOMEONE WHO CAN GO CUT THE GRASS IF THEY CAN'T.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER RESOURCES FOR LIKE THE ROOF, UM, DAMAGING AND LIKE THE PARKING LOT MAINTENANCE? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING LIKE WHERE YOU CAN GIVE THEM OUT, HELP THEM OUT? SO LET ME, LET ME CLARIFY THAT.
UM, WHEN WE SAID RESOURCES FOR CONTRACTOR, WE DIDN'T MEAN FOR FREE, RIGHT? OH YEAH, I KNOW.
I, SO WHAT WE WOULD HELPING THEM FIND LIKE A COMPANY? SO WHAT WE'LL DO WE HAVE A CONTRACTOR THAT WE PAY, UH, IN THE CITY.
AND SO IT'S AFTER WE SEND OUR NOTICE OF VIOLATION OUT, IF THEY HAVE NOT TAKEN CARE OF THAT VIOLATION, THEN WE WILL SEND OUR CONTRACTOR OUT TO CUT.
UM, BUT THERE'S CERTAIN REPAIRS THAT WE DON'T RIGHT.
QUITE GET INTO THE ROOF REPAIR COULD BE VERY EXTENSIVE, RIGHT? IT COULD BE THOUSANDS, THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
SO IT'S REALLY, THAT'S GONNA BE LIMITED TO, UH, QUICK VIOLATIONS.
SO TRASH AND DEBRIS, UH, HIGH GRASS AND WEEDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THANK AND IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN MAKE MORE AFFORDABLE, ESPECIALLY WITH ELDERLY RESIDENTS OR HAVING SOME KIND OF DISABILITY.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE ASSISTANCE? SO FOR THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S MEETING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMERCIAL, BUT IN, I'M SORRY, ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION THOUGH, YES.
THERE ARE PROGRAMS, UH, OUT THERE THAT HELP, UH, SENIOR CITIZENS ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
SO I HAVE A REALLY QUICK QUESTION TOO.
UM, WHAT IF SOMEONE IS RUNNING A BUSINESS OUT OF THEIR HOME? IS THAT CONSIDERED, HOW DO WE DRAW THE LINE WITH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL? SO, UH, A HOME OCCUPATION WOULD BE A ZONING VIOLATION.
AND SO IT'S, IT, IT'S, IT'S TAKING PLACE ON A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
UH, GARLAND DEVELOPMENT CODE 2.61 COVERS THE HOME OCCUPATION.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO LOOK MORE INTO IT, BUT THERE ARE, IN THE CITY OF GARLAND, HOME OCCUPATIONS ARE ALLOWED, RIGHT? THERE'S JUST CERTAIN ONES THAT ARE PROHIBITED AND THEN THERE ARE AS LONG, IF THEY, THE ONES THAT THEY DO HAVE, AS LONG AS THEY DON'T, UM, VIOLATE CERTAIN ASPECTS, THEN THEY'RE GONNA BE FINE AS WELL.
RIGHT? UM, AND THEN IF THEY DO VIOLATE ANY OF, THERE'S LIKE THREE MAIN ASPECTS THAT THEY VIOLATE.
IF THEY VIOLATE THOSE, THEN THERE'S SOME AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES THAT ALLOW THEM TO TAKE PLACE.
AS LONG AS THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING THIS, BUT IT'S, THEY'RE NOT DOING X, Y, Z MM-HMM
THERE'S A LOT OF LEGALESE IN THERE.
THAT'S WHY
AND SO, FOR INSTANCE, YOU COULDN'T, YOU, WE DON'T WANT HIGH TRAFFIC IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, RIGHT? SO YOU COULD HAVE A HOME BASED BUSINESS, YOU'RE SELLING GOODS SERVICES ONLINE, BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE A BUSINESS WHERE YOU'RE HAVING TRAFFIC COME THROUGH EVERY 30 MINUTES.
THAT WOULD BE A PROHIBITED ACTIVITY.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S CERTAIN LIMITATIONS TO KEEP A RESIDENCE, RESIDENTIAL AND MAKE SURE WE SEPARATE OUR COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES TO THE COMMERCIAL AREAS.
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MAYBE A BANNER IN A FRONT YARD THAT'S TAPING.ABSOLUTELY NO BANNER THAT IS PROHIBITED.
SIGNAGE HAVING ANY KIND OF, YEAH.
STORAGE DISPLAY, UH, CELL FROM, UH, OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE STORAGE.
I MEAN, OUTSIDE CELLS, LIKE IN THEIR FRONT YARD, THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW, IN A VIOLATION OF IT.
WE'RE NOT GOING AFTER LEMONADE STANDS, YOU KNOW, BUT I MEAN,
SO FOR GARAGE SALES AND OF THEMSELVES, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE ARE LEANING MORE INTO THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE OF THINGS.
UM, BUT FOR GARAGE SALES, JUST TO ANSWER, IF IT'S OKAY TO ANSWER THAT REAL QUICK.
UM, YOU CAN HAVE THREE PER YEAR.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UH, PERMITTED GARAGE SALES.
IT DOESN'T COST ANYTHING TO HAVE A GARAGE SALE.
AND YOU CAN HAVE THREE PER YEAR.
IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN THAT, THEN YES, YOU CAN BE, YOU CAN CAN GET CITATIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, AND YES, THERE ARE, YES, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT MAKE A BUSINESS OUT OF HAVING GARAGE SALES, BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT WRITTEN INTO THE ORDINANCE FOR US TO HAVE ACTION UPON THAT.
SO IT, BECAUSE IT'S THE PERSON, THE PERSON THAT DOES THE HOMEOWNER, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT THEY GO AND GET THE PERMIT, THEY HAVE IT IN THEIR NAME, AND IF THEY HAVE IT AND THEY'RE ALLOWING IT ON THEIR PROPERTY, THEN THERE'S NOT A LOT THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THAT AS LONG AS IT'S USED GOODS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO HOW OFTEN IS A CERTAIN SECTION OF THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY BEING KIND OF PATROLLED OR EVEN CHECKED ON TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY MAY COMPLY AT ONE POINT BUT THEY REVERT BACK TO THE SAME PRACTICE OF SALVAGING AND STACKING THE, YOU KNOW, CARS AND PARTS LIKE THAT? OKAY.
UH, SO THAT'S KIND OF LIKE, OKAY.
SO, UH, GARLAND'S 57 SQUARE MILES RIGHT NOW.
UM, CURRENTLY WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE FOUR COMMERCIAL INSPECTORS.
SO NOT A LOT IS QUITE FRANKLY, THE ANSWER.
WE ARE MOVING THAT MOVING FORWARD AND, UH, GOING INTO THE NEW YEAR, WE DO HAVE A NEW QUADRANT METHODOLOGY THAT WE'LL BE DOING.
SO WE HAVE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE 25 OFFICERS, UH, IN, IN THE, UH, CITY OF GARLAND.
AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO UTILIZE ALL OF THOSE OFFICERS FOR COMMERCIAL HOUSING NEIGHBORHOODS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, SO THAT IS ONE THING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
UM, BUT IN GENERAL, WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO COINCIDE WITH, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY THINGS AND, UM, OTHER DEPARTMENTS SO THAT WE'RE ALIGNING OUR, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, WHAT WE'RE GOING AFTER, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CITE AND PROACTIVELY, UH, LOOK AT ALONG WITH THOSE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
THAT WAY WE'RE MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT THE CITY IS, IS LOOKING TO IMPROVE AS WELL.
SO, WHICH WOULD BE COMMERCIAL THOROUGH, UH, THOROUGHFARES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO KIND OF FOLLOW UP WITH THAT, WOULD YOU, THIS MAY SOUND KIND OF, UH, BAD, BUT WHICH PREFERS CITIZENS OR PEOPLE KIND OF TO REPORT IT TO CODE COMPLIANCE THAT HEY, I THINK THEY'RE DOING SUCH AND SUCH PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES.
SO FOR FOREVER, I, I'VE, I'VE DONE A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND EVERYTHING AND I ALWAYS SAY IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING, DON'T EVER, PLEASE DON'T EVER ASSUME THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE IT.
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS CITIZENS WILL WAIT BECAUSE THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, SOMEONE SHOULD BE SEEING WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE.
RIGHT? AND THEN BY THE TIME IT BRING, IT'S BROUGHT UP TO US, IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR WEEKS, MONTHS, AT A TIME.
BUT THEN ONCE IT IS BROUGHT INTO OUR RADAR, THEN WE HAVE, WE HAVE OUR TIMELINES THAT WE HAVE TO GO TO GO THROUGH, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO WAIT ON OUR TIMES AND TIMELINES WHEN YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN DEALING WITH IT FOR A LONG TIME.
SO IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING IS, IS, IS THE BEST THING THAT I CAN SAY AS FAR AS THAT GOES.
AND WE HAVE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT WAYS OF, OF GETTING THAT INFORMATION TO US.
SO LET'S GO BACK TO THE CONTAINER ISSUE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT WANNA BE CHEAP AND GET THE SMALLER CONTAINERS WHEN THEY HAVE MUCH MORE GARBAGE.
OKAY? SO HOW DO WE ENFORCE THEM OR SHOW THEM THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SMALL CONTAINER AND YOU HAVE TO, OR YOU MUST PURCHASE A BIGGER CONTAINER TO HOLD THE TRASH THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, SO A LOT OF THAT'S GONNA GO BACK ONTO THE, IF, IF THEY HAVE TOO MUCH TRASH GOING ON THAT IT'S ACTUALLY, IT'S OVER SPILLING THEIR IN, INTO THE SIDE AND THEY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT TRASH.
AND WE'RE OUT THERE CONSTANTLY, RIGHT? IN A LOT OF WAYS THAT'S KIND OF ON THEM.
IF THEY DON'T GET THAT, THE, THE BIGGER CONTAINER, IT'S GONNA BE ON THEM.
'CAUSE IF WE'RE OUT THERE, WE'RE ISSUING THAT WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN OUT THERE A FEW DIFFERENT TIMES WE'VE ISSUED NOTICE.
WE'RE GONNA JUST START WRITING CITATIONS.
UM, HOWEVER, IN SITUATIONS WHERE THEY HAVE A CITY OF GARLAND TRASH CONTAINER, 'CAUSE NOT ALL DO THEY, IT'S, IT'S MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, IT'S DEREGULATED, DEREGULATED.
UM, BUT WHEN THEY DO, THEN A LOT OF TIMES WE MIGHT TURN TO OUR, THE COMMERCIAL MANAGER, UM, WITH SANITATION AND SPEAK WITH HIM ABOUT, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE SEE GOING ON.
CAN YOU TALK WITH YOUR CUSTOMER? SO WE'LL, WE'LL, YOU KNOW, UTILIZE THAT INTERDEPARTMENTAL RELATIONSHIP TO SEE IF WE CAN RESOLVE THE ISSUE.
BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THAT, UH, IS THE FACT THEY DON'T WANNA PAY THE MORE MONEY, THE, THE, THE EXTRA MONEY FOR THE BIGGER
[00:25:01]
CONTAINERS.AND, AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR THE BIGGER CONTAINER, BUT WHAT THEY CAN DO IS THEY CAN HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, MORE PREMIUM PICKUPS, YOU KNOW, MORE PICKUPS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND THEN THE, THE CLOTHING DONATION.
YEAH, I DO SEE THEM EVERYWHERE.
SO HOW DO WE LET YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING, BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S ONLY 25 OFFICERS THAT IS COMING IN 2026.
RIGHT? AND WE'RE 57 MILES, SO I'M SURE YOU'RE NOT THERE EVERYWHERE, RIGHT.
I KNOW, BUT IT TAKES A COMMUNITY, IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO, TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
SO WHEN WE SEE SOMETHING AND WE WANNA SAY SOMETHING, WHERE ARE WE SAYING IT AT? A EMAIL, A PHONE NUMBER.
DON'T, I, I LIKE TO SEND PICTURES, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THEY CAN DO THAT.
SO WHENEVER I EMAIL A ISSUE THROUGH OR A PROBLEM THROUGH, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, YOU CAN TAKE THE PICTURES TO WHERE YOU SAW IT AND EMAIL CODE COMPLIANCE.
SO NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT THOSE CONTAINERS ARE ISSUES AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE IN CERTAIN AREAS, WHERE DO WE SEND THAT INFORMATION? SO YOU CAN EMAIL IT TO CODE NFC@GARLANDTX.GOV.
YOU CAN ALWAYS EMAIL THAT, GET YOUR PICTURES IN AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WE ALSO HAVE A PHONE LINE, UM, WHERE WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE ABLE TO ANSWER THE PHONES (972) 485-6400.
UM, AND, AND THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE TWO CURRENTLY.
UM, WE DO, WE ARE WORKING ON A NEW SOFTWARE SYSTEM WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE CITIZEN PORTALS WHERE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GO ONLINE, HAVE THEIR OWN, UM, HAVE THEIR OWN ACCOUNT ESSENTIALLY, AND BE ABLE TO TRACK THEIR, THEIR COMPLAINTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND SO, SO THE GREAT THING WITH THAT, THE APP THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ROLLING OUT THE CITIZEN PORTAL, UH, IT WILL HAVE, IT'LL BE ABLE TO GEOLOCATE YOUR MM-HMM
SO IF YOU'RE JUST DRIVING BY A LOCATION, YOU DON'T KNOW THE EXACT ADDRESS, IT MAY NOT BE POSTED, IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY KNOW WHERE YOU ARE AND SEND THAT VIOLATION DIRECTLY TO US.
AND IT'LL BE A TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION GOING BACK AND FORTH FOR YOU.
YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE GO OUT TO INSPECT WHAT WE'VE DONE AT A CERTAIN POINT, AND THEN WHEN WE CLOSE THE CASE AND RESOLVE IT.
I GOT ONE MORE VERY USER FRAME.
WELL, AND, AND ONE MORE FOR CONNECTION IF YOU WILL.
WE ALSO HAVE EIST, UM, EIST IS SOMETHING THAT IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT VERY INTERCONNECTIVE WITH THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE NOW, IT STILL CAN BE USED MM-HMM
AND SO THAT IS ANOTHER OPTION.
THE GOOD THING IS MOVING FORWARD, THE ESY WILL BE INTEGRATED SEAMLESSLY WITH OUR NEW CITIZEN PORTAL.
UM, IT WON'T ACTUALLY BE DONE THROUGH EOY, BUT WHEN YOU PUT YOUR COMPLAINT INTO ESYS, IT'LL AUTOMATICALLY TRANSITION OVER TO OUR CITIZEN PORTAL.
SO IT'LL BE A LOT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH US AND LIKE I SAID, KEEP UP WITH WHAT THEY'VE GOT GOING ON.
UH, LAST TIME YOU GUYS WERE HERE, CODE WAS HERE.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE FOOD TRUCK PROBLEM.
WHAT ARE WE DOING? SO FOOD TRUCKS, ARE THEY CONSIDERED RESIDENT FOOD TRUCKS OR NOT US? YEAH, THAT WAS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
OH, THAT WAS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT WAS HERE? YES.
I KNOW IT HAS TO BE SOME TYPE OF CODE COMPLIANCE WITH THEM.
SO, WELL, WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME THINGS IN GENERAL FOR THE, WHAT THEY ARE DOING AS FAR AS SELLING FOOD.
THAT'S NOT, THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE STATIONED.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MOVING ABOUT, THEY HAVE A PERMIT TO BE A ONE PLACE ONE TIME, TWO DAYS, THREE DAYS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT IT, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY STATIONED THERE.
SO LIKE I SAID, UM, AT THIS TIME WE ARE, UH, PUTTING SOME STUFF TOGETHER TO SPEAK WITH THE, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT ALTERED AVENUES OF ENFORCEMENT.
UM, WE CAN'T ADDRESS THE FACT THAT THEY'RE SELLING FOOD.
THEY'VE GOT THEIR, IF THEY HAVE THEIR PERMITS THROUGH THE COUNTY, THEY CAN DO THAT.
WE'RE, WE ARE LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER AVENUES OF ENFORCEMENT, UM, WITH SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE'RE SEEING, BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, NOW THE POPUP VENDORS, THAT IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE DID.
WE, UH, OUR DEPARTMENT KIND OF TOOK THE LEAD ON THAT.
AND, UM, I'M SORRY I PUT YOU ON THE SPOT WITH THAT ONE.
I, THE PROBABLY THE NUMBERS, BUT, UM, IF YOU WANNA SPEAK ON THAT, SO, SO, RIGHT, SO THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, THE POPUP FOOD VENDORS MM-HMM
OF COURSE, THAT'S A, THAT'S A SEPARATE HEALTH ISSUE.
WE WERE HANDCUFFED, BUT YOU MAKE A GREAT POINT AS FAR AS THE STATIONARY VENDORS.
AND SO WE ARE LOOKING ACTIVELY INTO WHAT WE CAN DO.
UM, THEY SEEM TO HAVE TAKEN IT A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR BY CREATING A PERMANENT LOCATION.
SO WE'VE SEEN THAT AND, UH, WE'RE WORKING ON IT STATION.
UH, BUT THE VENDORS, THE MERCHANDISE VENDORS, UH, YOU GUYS MAY SEE THE, THEY HAVE BALLOONS OR STUFFED ANIMALS, OR THEY'RE SELLING ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIFFERENT WARES.
AND SO WE DID, UH, PUT TOGETHER A SPECIAL, UH, PROJECT SPECIAL INITIATIVE WHERE WE CRACKED DOWN OVER 13 WEEKS AND WE JUST WENT ON THE WEEKEND SHIFT AND ISSUED CITATIONS, GAVE EDUCATION, AND HAD A, HAD A GREAT RESULT.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T SEEN MANY OF THEM IN THE LAST THREE TO FOUR MONTHS.
SO COUPLE OF MONTHS OF THAT, WE REALLY SHUT DOWN THAT, THAT EFFORT.
AND SO WE'RE PREPARED TO KEEP THAT GOING SPORADICALLY AS NEEDED.
UM, SO THAT, THAT WAS A PRETTY GOOD SUCCESS FOR US.
NOW I WANNA SAY IT WAS LIKE 124
[00:30:01]
CITATIONS.20, I THINK IT WAS 114 HUNDRED 20.
IT WAS, I MEAN, IT WAS, IT WAS QUITE A BIT.
WE DID, I MEAN, IT WAS, IT WAS A GOOD SUCCESS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO SELL FLOWERS LIKE IN THE MEDIAN ON A STREET.
SO IN THE MEDIA, THE STREET, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE SOME, UH, IN THE ORDINANCE THAT'S WRITTEN IN CHAPTER 26, UH, FOR, UM, YEAH, 26 FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THERE ARE CERTAIN INTERSECTIONS THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE PEDESTRIANS WALKING IN THE, IN THE MAJOR THOROUGH AFFAIRS.
UM, THAT'S ACTUALLY, UH, RAN BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF THE, UH, TRAFFIC.
INTERACTIONS IN, IN THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THAT.
UM, SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE KIND OF ON THE SIDE OR SET UP IN A PARKING LOT, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
TRY CENTERVILLE DURING VALENTINE'S DAY AND MOTHER'S DAY, BUT NOT FATHER'S DAY,
YOU EVER NOTICE THAT? NOTICE THOSE TWO MAJOR
AND THAT'S ONE OF OUR TARGETS GOING FORWARD.
I SEE IT A LOT FOR THOSE HOLIDAYS, FOR MOTHER'S DAY, UNDERSTANDS VALENTINE'S DAY, NOT FATHER'S DAY.
UH, BUT THOSE, THOSE HIGH TRAFFIC HOLIDAYS, WE'LL HAVE A DETAIL OUT SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE DAYS.
WHEN YOU SEND US THE SLIDE PRESENTATION, WOULD YOU ADD THE CONTACT INFORMATION? 'CAUSE I'M GONNA RUN THIS IN THE GARLAND GAZETTE AND I'LL TRY TO GET YOU SOME HELP FROM COMMUNITY.
SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING ENFORCEMENT.
SO YOU'RE WITH THE GARLAND GAZETTE? MM-HMM
I'VE BEEN NEEDING TO GET WITH YOU ABOUT OUR SENIOR LAWN CARE.
SO I'LL GET WITH YOU ON THAT IF I GET A CARD OR ANYTHING.
NO, BUT I'LL GET WITH YOU AFTER.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A LAST QUESTION.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, PARKING, UH, COMMERCIAL PRO, UH, PARKING, I KNOW OUR LAST LIE WITH THAT CLOTHING, DUMPSTER, PARTICULARLY THAT WHOLE PARKING LOT IN THAT AREA, I FEEL THAT THE PARKING IS, THERE'S HOLES, THERE'S A LOT OF PATCHES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO WITH THE PARKING, UH, VIOLATIONS ITSELF, IT FALLS ON THE PROPERTY OWNER, CORRECT? MM-HMM
BUT SAY FOR INSTANCE, IF SOMEONE, OR A LOT OF PEOPLE UTILIZE THE PARKING, BUT THEY REALLY DON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE CONDITION OF IT.
SO IS IT KIND OF KINDA, UH, GOING BACK TO IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING, BUT IT FEELS LIKE IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS? IT HASN'T BEEN.
AND SOME MAY JUST NOT KNOW, RIGHT.
IF, IF YOU'RE NOT DEALING WITH CODE COMPLIANCE 24 7 AND YOU'RE USED TO SEEING A PARKING LOT IN THAT CONDITION, OR ANY SUBSTANDARD PROPERTIES, YOU MAY CONSIDER THAT AS JUST NORMAL.
SO YOU MAY NOT KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG OR SOMETHING, AN ENTITY THAT CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
RIGHT? SO THAT'S THE POINT OF THIS EDUCATION, HOW WE CAN SPREAD THE WORD ON WHAT IS ENFORCEABLE AND WHAT IS ALLOWABLE AND WHAT OUR STANDARDS ARE.
BUT YES, WE WELCOME ALL NOTIFICATIONS, UH, LET US KNOW IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT BOTHERING US AT ALL.
THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO.
ANYONE ELSE? GOING, GOING, GONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR THANK YOU GUYS.
NEXT UPS, THE WATER DEPARTMENT PRESENTATION ON FREEZING WEATHER TIPS.
BRINGING, WHO IS THAT? GUYS, JUST A QUICK REMINDER WHEN YOU SPEAK, PLEASE GET CLOSE TO THE MIC.
I'M THE OUTREACH COORDINATOR FOR THE GARLAND WALLER UTIL UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.
UH, SO REALLY, UM, OUR PRESENTATION IS NOT AS, UM, UH, I GUESS IN DEPTH AS THEIRS IS.
UM, I WAS ASKED TO COME TALK ABOUT, UH, WATER, YOU KNOW, OR I GUESS PIPE PREPARATION FOR THEIR FREEZING WEATHER.
UM, AND MANY RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW IF, ESPECIALLY IF THEIR NEW HOMEOWNERS MAY NOT BE AWARE OF HOW THAT WORKS.
UM, PROPERTIES THAT HAVE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS NEED TO BE EMPTIED OUT.
UM, AND THERE IS A, MOST HAVE A PORT THAT YOU OPEN A VALVE TO DRAIN ALL OF THAT WATER OUT BEFORE, BEFORE THE COLD WEATHER HITS IF YOU HAVE A SPRINKLER SYSTEM, IF YOU DON'T, THEN YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO WORRY ABOUT OUTSIDE OTHER THAN DISCONNECTING YOUR HOSES AND COVERING OUTDOOR FAUCETS.
RIGHT? AND SO THERE'S A VARIETY OF COVERS THAT YOU CAN USE.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THEM USED IN A, IN A LITTLE VIDEO IN A SECOND.
[00:35:02]
PUT THE FAUCET, THE ACTUAL FAUCET THROUGH THE LITTLE LOOP, AND THEN YOU PULL IT TIGHT.THIS WILL LOCK UP AGAINST THE WALL.
ONCE I CAN GET IT TO WORK, IT'LL LOCK UP AGAINST THE WALL SO THAT YOUR FAUCET'S COVERED AND YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FREEZING.
UH, THEY ALSO HAVE THIS POCKET THAT PRETTY MUCH WORKS THE SAME.
UH, YOU CAN SEE HOW IT WORKS IN THIS LITTLE PICTURE.
SO ESSENTIALLY IT'S THE SAME, THE SAME IDEA.
THEY'RE ALL SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.
SO YOU POP IT IN THE FAUCET IN, YOU PULL THE TAB TIGHT AND IT'LL LOCK IN PLACE LIKE THE OTHER ONE.
UM, THAT'S JUST OUTDOORS, RIGHT? UH, YOU ALSO HAVE, FOR ANY PIPES THAT ARE OUTDOORS THAT ARE, ARE EXPOSED ON EXTERIOR WALLS, YOU BASICALLY HAVE WHAT LOOKS LIKE A POOL NOODLE, RIGHT? THERE'S A LITTLE SEAM.
THEY COME IN DIFFERENT SIZES, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE PIPE.
YOU POP IT OPEN ON THE SEAM, YOU WRAP IT AROUND.
YOU WANNA PUT SOME DUCT TAPE AROUND TO MAKE SURE IT SEALS UP.
THESE ARE FAIRLY CHEAP AT ANY HARDWARE STORE, HOME DEPOT, ACE HARDWARE, ANYWHERE LIKE THAT.
OOH, SHOULD I NOT MENTION BRANDS? LOWE'S TOO, IN CASE
UM, BUT YOU CUT THEM DOWN TO WHATEVER LENGTH YOU NEED.
SOME PEOPLE WRAP THEIR, IF YOU, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A PMB, THEY MAY GO UNDER THE, THAT CRAWL SPACE AND WRAP ANY EXPOSED PIPES IN THERE OR IN YOUR ATTIC TO KEEP THEM SAFE.
UM, REALLY, PREVENTION IS WHAT YOU WANT, RIGHT? SO WHEN THE TEMPERATURE STARTS DROPPING, YOU WANNA CHECK YOUR SPRINKLERS AND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S DRAINED.
UH, YOU WANNA ELIMINATE ANY SOURCES OF COLD AIR THAT ARE GETTING UP UNDERNEATH YOUR HOUSE OR EXPOSED TO ANY OF THOSE WATER, UH, REPOSITORIES.
UM, AND THEN YOU ALSO WANNA KNOW HOW TO SHUT OFF YOUR WATER.
AND I HAVE A VIDEO THAT I CAN SHOW YOU ON HOW TO DO THAT SAFELY.
AND THEN, UH, YOU WANNA PROTECT YOUR PIPES WITH INSULATION, OKAY? UM, ONCE THE COLD WEATHER HITS INSIDE, IF YOU HAVE ANY PIPES ON EXTERIOR WALLS, YOU WANNA KEEP THOSE WARM, RIGHT? SO IF YOUR VANITY OPENS UP, IF THERE'S A DRAWER YOU PULL OUT JUST TO KEEP WARM AIR CIRCULATING AGAINST THOSE PIPES TO HELP OUT.
UM, AND THEN YOU ALSO WANNA KEEP WATER MOVING BECAUSE WHAT MOVING WATER DOESN'T FREEZE.
SO, UH, A LOT OF NEW HOMEOWNERS DON'T KNOW TO LET THE FAUCET DRIP IF THE TEMPERATURES ARE GONNA BE SUSTAINED BELOW FREEZING.
I PERSONALLY CAN TELL YOU THAT I MADE THE MISTAKE.
I HAVE ONE OF THE FAUCETS WHERE, LIKE, IF THERE'S ONE, ONE VALVE THAT YOU KIND OF MOVE, MAKE SURE YOU PUT IT IN THE MIDDLE SO THE COLD AND THE HOT WATER ARE MOVING ALL NIGHT.
AND IF YOU HAVE SEPARATE FAUCETS FOR COLD AND WATER, YOU WANNA OPEN EACH, EACH OF THE FAUCETS TO LET IT DRIP.
YOU DON'T NEED IT TO RUN, YOU JUST NEED A DRIP, RIGHT? UM, AND THAT'LL KEEP THE WATER MOVING ENOUGH SO THAT IT DOESN'T FREEZE.
UM, IF YOUR PIPES DO FREEZE, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE TO TURN THE WATER OFF IMMEDIATELY, BECAUSE WHEN THOSE PIPES THAW THERE, BECAUSE WATER EXPANDS WHEN IT FREEZES, THERE MAY BE SOME, UM, GAPS THAT, UH, WERE NOT THERE BEFORE AND YOU DON'T WANT, UH, UH, MORE WATER INTRODUCED INTO THAT SITUATION.
THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO TAKE SOMETHING LIKE A HAIR DRYER AND SLOWLY DEFROST THOSE PIPES.
UM, BUT YOU DO REALLY WANNA TURN OFF THE WATER.
UH, AND THERE'S A VIDEO THAT I'M GONNA SHOW YOU ON THE PROPER WAY TO DO THAT.
THERE IS, UM, EVERY RESIDENT CAN GET A FREE, UM, UM, OH MY GOSH, METER COVER KEY THAT YOU CAN GET AT CUSTOMER SERVICE.
THEY ARE GONNA ASK FOR YOUR RESIDENCE BECAUSE IT'S FOR RESIDENTS ONLY.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT YOU, THAT YOU PROBABLY NEED TO GET, AND I JUST GOT THIS AT EAST HARDWARE, I'M GOING HOME DEPOT LOWS, ALL OF THEM.
UM, THIS IS THAT PROPER TOOL TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE VALVE TO YOUR WATER METER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL USE LIKE A WRENCH OR ANYTHING, BUT THE PRESSURE ON THAT VALVE WHEN YOU'RE TURNING IS, IS HERE, RIGHT? SO IF YOU HAVE ONE LITTLE PLACE, YOU CAN SNAP SOMETHING THAT IS VERY, VERY BAD.
UM, SO YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THIS TOOL, IT SITS ON THE, THE VALVE ITSELF AND IT TURNS IT EVENLY.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE PROBLEMS. AND LET'S PLAY THAT VIDEO.
OH, I THINK THEY CLOSED IT ON ME.
OH, CAN WE GET THAT TO THEM? BECAUSE I WOULD CRY IF I LOST MY, YEAH.
WE'LL, WE'LL GET IT BACK TO
TODAY I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU HOW TO QUICKLY AND SAFELY TURN OFF YOUR WATER IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO TURN OFF THE WATER TO YOUR HOUSE, EITHER AT THE WATER METER OR THE HOUSE SHUTOFF VALVE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD KNOWS HOW TO TURN OFF THE WATER USING BOTH METHODS.
THE CITY OF GARLAND HAS A WATER MAIN LINE THAT RUNS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND EACH HOME AND BUSINESS IN GARLAND HAS A SERVICE LINE THAT BRINGS THEM WATER BETWEEN YOUR HOUSE AND THE WATER MAIN ALONG YOUR SERVICE LINE.
THERE IS A METER THAT MEASURES THE AMOUNT OF WATER BEING USED AT YOUR HOUSE.
THE PIPE BEFORE AND INCLUDING THE METER BELONGS TO THE CITY OF GARLAND, AND THE PIPE AFTER THE METER BELONGS TO THE HOMEOWNER.
[00:40:01]
METERS ARE FOUND INSIDE CONCRETE METER BOXES, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY LOCATED WITHIN YOUR PROPERTY LINES, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE ROAD AND YOUR SIDEWALK.AT THIS HOME, YOU CAN SEE THE WATER METER BOX IS LOCATED ALONG THE VERY EDGE OF THE PROPERTY LINE.
THE NEIGHBOR'S WATER METER BOX IS ALSO LOCATED AROUND THE SAME LOCATION ON THEIR SIDE OF THE PROPERTY LINE.
IF YOUR WATER METER BOX IS NOT VISIBLE LIKE THIS ONE, IT'S PROBABLY COVERED BY VEGETATION SOIL, OR HIDDEN UNDER BRUSHES.
YOU MAY NEED TO WALK AROUND THE PROPERTY AND POKE AROUND THE GROUND TO LOCATE IT.
OTHER TYPES OF METER BOXES MAY BE LOCATED IN THIS AREA AS WELL, LIKE THOSE FOR UNDERGROUND CABLE, PHONE, OR FIBER OPTIC LINES.
IN THE CITY OF GARLAND, THERE ARE SIX DIFFERENT TYPES OF WATER METER BOXES LOCATED OUTSIDE THE RESIDENTIAL HOMES.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING FOR YOUR WATER METER BOX, YOU'LL BE LOOKING FOR ONE OF THESE LIDS FROM THE METER.
THE WATER SERVICE TYPICALLY RUNS IN A STRAIGHT LINE TO THE NEAREST FAUCET IN YOUR HOME, WHICH SUPPLIES WATER TO YOUR HOUSE.
THE HOUSE SHUTOFF VALVE IS USUALLY LOCATED HERE.
IF YOU CANNOT LOCATE THE HOUSE SHUTOFF VALVE, HAVE A PLUMBER COME OUT AND FIND IT FOR YOU.
MARK IT SO EVERYONE IN THE HOME KNOWS WHERE IT IS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
NOW THAT YOU'VE SUCCESSFULLY LOCATED YOUR WATER METER BOX, LET'S OPEN IT UP TO TURN OFF THE WATER QUICKLY AND SAFELY.
HERE ARE THE TWO TOOLS YOU SHOULD USE TO TURN OFF YOUR WATER.
ONE THE METER KEY TO ACCESS YOUR METER.
YOU CAN FIND IT AT YOUR LOCAL HARDWARE STORE.
THIS IS THE ONLY TOOL YOU SHOULD USE TO TURN OFF YOUR WATER.
INSERT THE METER KEY INTO THE CURVED SLOT ON THE LID, AND TURN IT COUNTER-CLOCKWISE UNTIL YOU FILL IT.
UNLOCK USING THE KEY AS A HOOK.
REMOVE THE LID SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY.
I JUST WANNA TELL YOU, I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO BE PREPARED TO HAVE SOMETHING JUMP OUT AT YOU.
THERE ARE BUGS THAT LIVE IN THERE, SNAKES AND SOMETIMES BUGS.
AND SO I, I WAS TOLD BY ONE OF THE GUYS, TAP IT REALLY HARD, THEN PUT THE KEY IN, THEN TURN AND THEN BE READY TO JUMP BACK.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE AWARE OF THAT
TO DAMAGE THE WIRES ATTACHED TO THE LID, THESE WIRES HELP THE CITY OF GARLAND.
READ YOUR WATER METER QUICKLY AND ACCURATELY.
CAREFULLY PLACE THE CUTOFF WRENCH OVER THE SHUTOFF VALVE KNOB AND SLOWLY TURN THE WRENCH CLOCKWISE WITH A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE INTO IT WON'T TURN ANYMORE.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO FORCE THE SHUTOFF VALVE.
IF THE KNOB HAS NOT BEEN USED IN A WHILE, IT COULD BE LOCKED UP.
FORCING THIS VALVE CAN DAMAGE YOUR METER.
YOU CAN ALSO TURN OFF THE WATER AT THE HOUSE SHUTOFF VALVE AT THIS HOME, THE HOUSE SHUTOFF VALVE IS LOCATED NEXT TO AN OUTDOOR SPIGOT.
THIS ONE IS INSIDE A PROTECTED BOX, BUT YOURS MAY BE BURIED UP TO TWO FEET UNDERGROUND.
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO TURN THE WATER BACK ON, TURN THE METER SHUTOFF VALVE COUNTERCLOCKWISE BACK INTO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION, BE SURE TO TURN THE WATER BACK ON SLOWLY TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO YOUR PIPES.
DO NOT LEAVE THE METER BOX OPEN.
BEING CAREFUL NOT TO DAMAGE ANY OF THE WIRES OR THE METER READ DEVICE ATTACHED TO THE LID TO REQUEST WATER OR WASTEWATER MAINTENANCE EMERGENCY SERVICE OR REPORT AN ISSUE, VISIT GARLAND EIST OR CALL 9 7 2 2 0 5 3 2 1 0.
I'D LIKE TO THANK ANTONIO WHITE, WHO IS OUR, OUR ACTOR
UM, SO THE, ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HOMEOWNERS ALSO NEED TO KNOW IS ONE, LIKE DON'T WAIT TILL YOU NEED TO TURN OFF THE WATER TO FIND OUT WHERE THIS BOX IS.
DO IT BEFORE, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN IN THAT MOMENT OF PANIC.
AND THE LAST THING YOU ARE GONNA DO IS GO FIND THAT BOX
YOU NEED TO KNOW WHERE IT IS BEFOREHAND.
UM, AND THE OTHER THING THAT YOU WANNA KNOW AS A HOMEOWNER IS THAT FROM THE METER OUT INTO THE STREET, THAT'S CITY OF GARLAND, UH, PROPERTY, THEY WILL GO OUT AND FIX THAT FOR YOU.
THEY WILL, YOU KNOW, DO ALL THE THINGS FROM THE METER TO THE HOUSE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS YOUR PROBLEM AS A PROPERTY OWNER, SO THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT PORTION.
UM, WE WILL COME OUT AND AN EMERGENCY, YOU KNOW, SHUT OFF WATER FOR YOU, ESPECIALLY IF YOU CAN'T, RIGHT? LIKE, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW.
UM, BUT WE CAN'T DO ANY REPAIRS BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE PROPERTY ITSELF, THE PRIVATE PROPERTY ITSELF.
DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? I DO, YES, MA'AM.
SO THIS IS MY SECOND HOME ONLY.
AND, UH, IN CHICAGO WE DIDN'T HAVE, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T DO ANY OF THAT.
SO, BUT IN GARLAND IT'S DIFFERENT.
SO WHEN HAD THE 2021 STORM? YEAH, I WAS ONE OF THOSE.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, SO I CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY WERE LIKE, WELL SHUT THE WATER OFF.
I WAS LIKE, WELL, HOW DO YOU DO THAT
WAS THAT DAY A HARD, THAT'S HOW I LEARNED IT.
[00:45:01]
AND SO HOW DO WE GET THIS VIDEO TO PEOPLE LIKE ME OUT THERE? SO THIS IS VERY EDUCATIONAL AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN, THIS IS SOMETHING WE COULD HAVE.THIS IS, DO YOU SHARE THIS LIKE WITH SENIOR CITIZENS HOAS? IN THEORY, YES.
AND SO, UM, FULL DISCLOSURE, THIS HAS BEEN MY JOB FOR FIVE MONTHS.
SO I AM STILL DISCOVERING WHAT MATERIAL WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
UH, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS PLANNED TO BE RELEASED DURING THESE MONTHS PRIOR TO WHEN THE FREEZE, 'CAUSE WE LIVE IN TEXAS.
THE FREEZES REALLY HAPPEN IN FEBRUARY, RIGHT? MM-HMM
LIKE, THAT'S WHEN THEY HAPPEN.
SO THERE IS A SERIES OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS THAT'LL COME OUT THAT ARE A VERSION OF, UM, REALLY IT'S LIKE A POSTER THAT HAS ALL THE INFORMATION I WAS GIVING YOU, RIGHT? SO IT'LL BE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS THAT COME OUT A RE RE-RELEASING OF THIS VIDEO, UM, ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT REALLY THROUGH ITS YOUTUBE, RIGHT? WHERE EVERYBODY CAN GO AND LOOK AT IT.
UM, BUT IT, IT IS, UM, A, UM, AN OUTREACH THAT WILL BE HAPPENING WHEN THESE, THESE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS GETTING THIS INFORMATION OUT.
OKAY? BECAUSE WE DO WANT PEOPLE TO FIND IT BEFORE THEY NEED IT.
UH, AND REALLY YOU NEED IT IN THE SUMMER TOO.
UH, WATER HEATERS WILL DECIDE TO, YOU KNOW, GO OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER PIPES BURST AT ANY POINT OF THE YEAR THROUGH NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.
UM, BUT I DO TELL HOMEOWNERS, LIKE, YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW WHERE THIS IS.
EVEN IF YOU LIVE IN AN APARTMENT, YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR PIPES DON'T FREEZE, BECAUSE WATER DAMAGE IN YOUR APARTMENT IS A NIGHTMARE AS WELL.
SO LIKE, AGAIN, OPENING THOSE CABINETS, UM, LETTING THE WA YOU KNOW, THE, THE WARMER CIRCULATE AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
I DO HAVE ANOTHER LITTLE SHORT VIDEO I WANT, UM, TO SHOW YOU BECAUSE IT DOES SHOW HOW THESE, UM, OUTDOOR, UH, FAUCET COVERS ARE USED.
I WAS KIND OF GIGGLING WHEN I FOUND OUT.
I WAS LIKE, THERE'S, THERE'S NO TALKING.
SO HERE'S YOUR OUTDOOR SPIGOT, RIGHT? YOU CAN SEE THAT THE WATER HOSE HAS BEEN REMOVED.
THIS IS THAT POCKET THAT I WAS TELLING YOU.
UM, MY OWN PERSONAL PREFERENCE IS THIS HARDCOVER ONE.
BUT THIS WILL WORK JUST AS FINE.
AND THERE'S DIFFERENT VERSIONS.
THIS IS THE STYROFOAM ONE, THE ONE THAT I SHOWED YOU HAS STYROFOAM INSIDE TOO.
BUT IT HAS A HARDER COVER BECAUSE THAT WAY BIRDS ARE, YOU KNOW, WILD ANIMALS CAN'T SCRATCH AT IT.
SQUIRRELS, IF WE LIVE IN TEXAS, RIGHT? THIS IS OPENING THE CABINET UNDERNEATH.
THIS IS THAT FAUCET THAT I WAS TELLING YOU THAT YOU HAVE ONE, ONE, UH, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S IN THE MIDDLE, SO IT'S COLD AND HOT WATER THAT ARE RUNNING.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE IT'S A SMALL DRIP.
RIGHT? UM, THIS ONE HAS TWO DIFFERENT FAUCETS.
BUT YOU NEED TO OPEN TWO ALL BO BOTH OF THEM.
UM, AND REALLY THAT'S THE END OF THE VIDEO.
UH, BUT IT, IT IS IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY FOR NEW HOMEOWNERS TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY'RE LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? MM-HMM
UH, WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE
LET ME, I'LL GET YOU MY CARD BEFORE I LEAVE.
GONNA MENTION THAT TOOL YOU'VE GOT FOR, UH, TURNING THE VALVE OFF.
USUALLY YOU CAN BUY THEM WITH, UH, THE KEY AS, AS, AS PART OF IT AS WELL.
YOU JUST UN UNLOCK IT, PULL IT UP, AND THEN GO IN THERE AND TURN THE WATER OFF WITH THE OTHER SIDE OF IT.
THERE ARE SOME OF THESE THAT COME WITH THE, THE WATER METER KEY.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING THOUGH IS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACING THE LIDS.
AND SO CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS THE KEY TO THE NEW LIDS.
APPARENTLY NOT ALL KEYS AND NOT ALL LIDS OKAY.
IS AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD.
SCREWDRIVER WORKS ALL THE LIDS THOUGH.
AND, AND SPEAKING OF LIDS, I'VE NOTICED THAT OURS IS JUST STARTING TO SINK IN.
SO AT SOME POINT JUST CALLED THE CITY WATER DEPARTMENT AND HAVE 'EM, SO SOMETIMES IT JUST NEEDS TO BE LIFTED UP AGAIN.
UH, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY FIND OUT, I'VE, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY FIND OUT FOR YOU IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO.
WE COME OUT AND KIND OF LEVEL IT BACK OUT INTO THE GRASS.
UM, I WILL TELL YOU IN THE SUMMER, IT'S HARDER TO FIND IT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T EDGE AROUND YOUR BOX CONSISTENTLY.
AUGUSTINE WILL GROW OVER IT AND IT WILL DISAPPEAR.
AND YOU NEED TO LITERALLY LIKE TAP AROUND LIKE THIS TILL YOU HEAR IT CLUNK AND YOU'RE LIKE, OH, THERE IT IS.
IT'S NOT JUST COVERED AND RIGHT.
SO SOMETIMES THEY SINK DOWN ENOUGH THAT DIRT COVERS OVER IT, BUT I WILL FIND OUT FOR YOU IF WE GO OUT AND LIFT THOSE.
YOU SAID THE FREE METER KEY, RIGHT? JUST FOR THIS SEGMENT, IF YOU CAN LET US KNOW WHERE WE CAN GET THE FREE CUSTOMER SERVICE.
SO, SO IN, UH, THE CHARLES E DUCKWORTH BUILDING, UM, I BELIEVE IT'S TWO 17 NORTH FIFTH STREET IS WHERE YOU CAN GO TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE COUNTER AND ASK THEM FOR YOUR WATER METER KEY.
NOW YOU'RE ONLY ENTITLED TO ONE.
SO THEY WILL TAKE YOUR ADDRESS AND YOUR NAME AND THEN THAT'S IT.
UM, SO MS. CARLA, USUALLY, HOW MUCH DO THOSE ITEMS COST? LIKE, DO YOU KNOW A ROUNDABOUT? GIVE ME ONE SECOND.
I I'M JUST WONDERING IF IT'S FEASIBLE FOR EVERYBODY WHO'S MAYBE LIKE ON FIXED INCOMES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I'M, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S, THEY'RE ABOUT $15 EACH.
[00:50:01]
WHAT? YES.THAT'S EXPENSIVE AT HOME DEPOT 15 EACH.
REALLY? OH, I HOPE YOU'RE GONNA BE REIMBURSED.
OR DID YOU HAVE TO USE YOUR OWN CARD FOR THAT?
SO THE PIPE INSULATION WAS 2 99.
UH, THE, THE, THIS KEY WAS UH, $25.
BUT YOU WILL NEVER NEED, LIKE, YOU WILL BUY ONE, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD LIKE, THIS IS STEEL, LIKE YOU'RE GONNA NEED ONE.
JUST DON'T LET IT, DON'T LEAVE IT OUTSIDE SO IT RESTS.
AND THEN EACH OF THESE, THIS ONE WAS $8.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT ONE'S MORE EXPENSIVE.
THIS WAS, UH, OR SORRY, I GUESS THAT WAS LESS.
AGAIN, NOT ENDORSING ANYTHING.
THINK OF IT AS, THINK OF IT AS AN INVESTMENT TO MAINTAIN YOUR HOME.
IT AS OPPOSED TO THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF WATER DAMAGE.
I I WAS GONNA, THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.
I WAS REALLY THINKING ON THOSE THAT OR FIXED INCOME AND YOU KNOW, OH, MY DAUGHTER RAN THAT.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS LIKE, OH MAN, WALMART HAS THOSE FAU COVERS FOR 2 78.
THAT, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, SO THE, WITH THE, THESE VIDEOS ARE AMAZING AND, AND IT IS JUST, I WILL LOVE TO SEE THIS AT MAYBE THE SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER WHERE THEY DO A LOT OF ARTS AND CRAFTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE AND THEY NEED SOMEONE TO COME OUT AND TALK SOMETIME.
WHAT, UH, SHOWING US AND FOR ONLINE SAFETY.
AND SO THIS RIGHT HERE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT COULD BE A GREAT SEGMENT FOR THEM TO KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR HOME.
'CAUSE A LOT OF OUR ELDERS ARE ALONE.
SO HOW CAN WE GET THE CITY TO, YOU SAID YOU'RE NEW WITH THE PROGRAM, RIGHT? MM-HMM
SO HOW CAN WE GET THE CITY TO LOOK INTO VISITING SOME OF THESE CENTERS AND DO SEGMENTS JUST LIKE WHAT YOU JUST DID.
SO I PRESENTED AT THE SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD FOR A DIFFERENT TALK MM-HMM
BUT, UM, THERE'S CONTACTS THERE.
UM, I KNOW THE, THE OUTREACH COORDINATOR FOR THE SENIOR ADVISORY OR THE SENIOR CENTER, UH, HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS MM-HMM
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S OUT OF THE REALM OF BEING SHARED.
I JUST WANNA, UM, 'CAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE THAT DON'T DO THE WHOLE SOCIAL MEDIA THING.
IT'S GONNA BE GREAT AND IT'S GONNA REACH A LOT OF PEOPLE SOCIAL MEDIA WISE, BUT THEY'RE, WE DO HAVE A POCKET THAT DOES NOT DO SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO HOW DO WE GET THIS INFORMATION TO THEM? THAT'S WHY I, THAT'S WHY I TALKED ABOUT THE HOAS.
LIKE DOING THINGS LIKE THAT WITH THEIR, THEIR TEAM.
SO, UH, WE HAVEN'T REACHED OUT TO ANY HOAS SPECIFICALLY.
I DO KNOW THAT WE PUT THIS IN THE GARLAND, UH, CITY PRESS.
UH, AGAIN, THERE'LL BE THE, THE SOCIAL MEDIA THAT GOES OUT GENERALLY.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE IT ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, THIS IS, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T GO LOOKING FOR IT UNTIL THEY ABSOLUTELY NEED IT.
UM, BUT IT IS PART OF OUR CAMPAIGN TO GET IT OUT PRIOR TO THAT EMERGENCY.
SO WHO DO WE CALL IF WE HAVE A BUSTED PIPE? SO IN THAT MOMENT, IF IT'S INSIDE YOUR HOUSE, I WOULD CALL A PLUMBER IMMEDIATELY IF IT'S, UM, IF IT'S IN THE STREET.
'CAUSE AND I WILL TELL YOU, DURING THAT 2021 FREEZE, THERE WERE WATER MAINS THAT WERE BREAKING AND PIPES THAT WERE MAKING, MAKING BREAKING IN THE STREET.
SO YOU WOULD CALL THE WATER OPS DEPARTMENT TO REPORT THAT.
AND THAT NUMBER'S 9 7 2 2 0 5 32 10.
AND YOU WOULD, YOU SAW IT AT THE END OF THE VIDEO, BUT THAT'S HER GENERAL NUMBER.
LET ME JUST TELL YOU, AS A CITIZEN OF GARLAND, I LOVE THAT E ASSIST APP.
LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS, EVERYTHING'S REPORTED.
UH, AND YOU CAN TAKE PICTURES ON IT AND SUBMIT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
I'LL TAKE MY, MY, MY DESK, MY
WELL SAY I WAS, THEY'RE GONNA THINK I'M AN ATTACKING PEOPLE.
LIKE HOW DO I SNEAK THAT IN? THANK YOU.
OKAY, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE, UH, ANNUAL, UH, BOARD ELECTIONS.
WE'VE GOT A CHAIR AND A VICE CHAIR.
ANY PARTICULAR ORDER WE WANT TO TAKE THEM IN? YEAH, LET'S START WITH THE CHAIR.
IF YOU'RE GONNA NOMINATE SOMEONE, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU'VE ALREADY TALKED TO THAT PERSON AND THAT PERSON'S OKAY WITH YOU BEING NOMINATED.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YOU CAN ASK 'EM HERE BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY NOMINATE THEM.
WE'LL NEED A NOMINATION, WE'LL NEED A SECOND, AND THEN WE VOTE.
AND THEN WE'LL DO THE SAME WITH THE VICE CHAIR.
OPENING THE FLOOR FOR NOMINATIONS.
UH, I'LL NOMINATE SHARONDA GREEN FOR CHAIR.
[00:55:01]
ANY MORE NOMINATIONS.AND NOW WE NEED THE VICE CHAIR NOMINATIONS.
UH, A NOMINATE CHRISTINA FOR DISTRICT FOUR.
AND IF NOT, WE'D HAVE NO ONE, NO ONE FROM THE PUBLIC HERE.
SO, UM, I GUESS WE'RE READY TO ADJOURN.
THEY MAY MOVE TO FOR ADJOURNMENT.