[00:00:02]
IT IS 9:00 AM ON JUNE 4TH, AND THIS IS THE SENIOR CITIZENS CO UH, ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING.
FIRST, I WANT TO ASK EVERYBODY TO SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES AND BE SURE THAT YOU SPEAK INTO THE MIC, BECAUSE THE LADIES THAT TAKE THE MINUTES CAN'T UNDERSTAND US IF WE'RE NOT SPEAKING INTO THE MIC.
SO WHEN YOU SPEAK, PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MIC.
AND ONE MORE THING BEFORE WE GET TO OUR AGENDA IS EVERYBODY HAS AT THEIR PLACE, UH, PICTURES OF THE CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO IF YOU RUN ACROSS 'EM WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN THE WILD, YOU CAN, UH, SHAKE THEIR HAND AND LET 'EM KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
OKAY? SO THE FIRST THING ON OUR AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
HAS EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO READ THOSE? I MOVE.
GAIL MOVES TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
IS THAT KATHLEEN OR ANN? ANN, SECONDED.
THE ME THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED AS WRITTEN.
UM, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND WE ARE SO VERY PLEASED TO HAVE OUR MAYOR WITH US HERE TODAY.
SO, MR. MAYOR, ARE YOU READY FOR US? I'M READY.
IT'S NOT OFTEN I GET TO SIT ON THIS SIDE OF THE TABLE TALKING TO EVERYONE, BUT THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY, AND I'M HAPPY TO, UH, COME AND SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.
I KNOW I SENT A VARIETY OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE, BUT, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN GARLAND.
UM, THIS COMING SATURDAY, WE HAVE AN ALL DAY BUDGET MEETING.
WE'RE BEGINNING OUR BUDGETING SEASON A BIT EARLY THIS YEAR, UH, JUST DUE TO THE SPECIAL ELECTION WE HAVE COMING UP IN NOVEMBER.
WE HAVE TO PREPARE ESSENTIALLY TWO BUDGETS THIS YEAR.
ONE IS FOR WHEN, UH, IF THE VOTERS PASS THIS, UH, WHAT WE'RE CALLING A SWAP AND DROP, WHERE WE'RE LOOKING.
WE HAVE TWO SIDES OF OUR BUDGET FOR WHEN WE, UH, WHEN WE FUND, FUND PROJECTS OR FUND ESSENTIALLY OPERATIONS TO THE CITY.
ONE IS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET.
IT'S A DEBT CAPACITY BUDGET, AND THE OTHER IS AN OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE SIDE.
ONE FOR DEBT FOR BIG, LARGE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, THE OTHER FOR OPERATIONS.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE ARE GOING TO THE VOTERS AND WE'RE ASKING TO SWAP SOME OF THAT CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE IN THAT DEBT SIDE.
OVER TO THE OPERATIONS SIDE, WE'VE BUILT A LOT OF NEW ITEMS LATELY IN THE CITY.
WE BUILT NEW REC CENTERS, DO SWIMMING POOLS, NEW LIBRARIES, ALL THOSE GOOD SORT OF THINGS.
BUT NOW WE NEED TO OPERATE THOSE BIG REC CENTER.
IT TAKES MORE PEOPLE TO RUN THEM SURF AND SWIM, JUST OPEN.
THAT TAKES FAR MORE LIFEGUARDS THAN THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, THE SMALLER POOLS.
SO ALL THOSE KIND OF OPERATIONAL COSTS ARE INCREASING.
SO WITH THIS SWAP, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS SWAP SOME OF THAT CAPACITY.
WE'RE PAYING OFF ALL OF OUR DEBT FOR THOSE BOND PROJECTS.
WE DON'T NEED AS MUCH DEBT GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE FOR BOND PROJECTS BECAUSE WE'RE ESSENTIALLY, WE'VE, WE'VE COMPLETED A LOT FROM, ESPECIALLY FROM 2019.
TAKE SOME OF THAT CAPACITY, MOVE IT OVER INTO OPERATIONS.
WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS GO TO THE VOTERS TO ASK THEM TO DO THAT.
SO WHAT WE WILL BE DOING IS GO INTO VOTERS, AND I'M CALLING IT A SWAP AND DROP BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA SWAP SOME OF THIS TAXES OVER TO THE OTHER, THE OPERATIONS SIDE, AND WE'LL ACTUALLY DROP THE DEBT SIDE EVEN MORE TO CREATE A TAX BREAK.
YOUR TAXES WILL ACTUALLY GO DOWN IF YOU VOTE FOR THIS.
WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED FINAL CERTIFIED VALUES FROM DALLAS BRAZEL DISTRICT YET, UH, FOR OUR PROPERTY TAXES.
BUT IT'S LOOKING LIKE WHAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO IS SWAP SOME OF THAT AND THEN ACTUALLY DROP YOUR TAXES LOWER, WHERE IF YOU VOTE FOR IT, YOU ACTUALLY RECEIVE A BIGGER TAX DECREASE THAN YOU WOULD HAVE IF THERE WAS NO ACTION.
SO SWAP AND DROP, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
IF THE VOTERS DON'T APPROVE THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, IT'LL BE VERY HARD TIMES OPERATIONALLY IN GARLAND, LAST YEAR, FOR INSTANCE, WE DIDN'T GIVE OUR CITY STAFF RAISES.
WE GAVE THEM A ONETIME, UH, ONE TIME.
WE USE ONETIME FUNDS TO GIVE THEM A, UH, KIND OF A, ALMOST LIKE A BONUS, BUT IT'S NOT A BONUS.
BUT JUST GIVE 'EM A ONETIME FUNDING.
UH, GOING FORWARD, WE HOPE TO NOT HAVE TO DO THAT.
TO USE ONETIME FUNDS FOR OPERATIONAL COSTS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THOSE OPERATIONAL COSTS, SINCE THEY'RE ONGOING, ARE BUDGETED EVERY YEAR.
IF THIS DOESN'T PASS, WE'LL HAVE TO CUT SOME OF THOSE OPERATIONAL EXPENSES.
THE LIBRARY, IT MAY MEAN CLOSING A REC CENTER.
IT MAY MEAN A LOT OF THINGS ACROSS THE CITY.
UH, WE SPEND ABOUT ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OR A LITTLE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY TO BUY NEW BOOKS FOR THE LIBRARY.
WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO UPDATE OUR COLLECTION EVERY YEAR BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE ONLY MAY HAVE A CERTAIN PORTION.
SO IF THE VOTERS DON'T APPROVE
[00:05:01]
THIS, IT'S GOING TO BE, UH, VERY TOUGH.AND, AND, UM, ALWAYS PARKS, LIBRARIES.
SPECIAL EVENTS ARE THE FIRST THINGS TO GO.
WE HAVE TO HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
THAT'S ABOUT 63% OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET EVERY YEAR.
THAT'S A FIXED COST, ESSENTIALLY BECAUSE OF STATE LAWS.
YOU'RE NOT CUTTING POLICE AND FIRE SALARIES.
SO WE'RE HAVING TO CUT THAT REMAINING OF WHAT'S LEFT TO THAT 63%.
IT'S ALWAYS PARKS LIBRARY, SPECIAL EVENTS.
IF THE VOTERS SAY, NO, WE MAY ONLY HAVE TWO SPECIAL EVENTS EVERY YEAR.
THE RED, WHITE AND YOU, 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION AND CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE, EVERYTHING ELSE LIKE D DE LOS MUERTOS OR JUNETEENTH, ALL OF THAT WOULD BE CUT FROM THE BUDGET JUST BECAUSE OPERATIONALLY WE CAN'T PAY FOR OVERTIME.
AND THE STAFFING AND THE PORTABLE RESTROOMS AND ALL THAT IT TAKES TO PUT ON THOSE EVENTS EVERY YEAR.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING ALL OF THIS AND MORE IN OUR BUDGET IN THIS ROOM ON SATURDAY.
SO WE'LL BE STARTING AT EIGHT 30 AND, AND GOING AS LONG AS IT TAKES.
BUT IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TIME FOR GARLAND AT BUDGETING.
AND THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT BUDGET GOING FORWARD JUST BECAUSE OF THIS TAX RATE SWAP, THIS SWAP AND DROP.
I'VE TERMED IT SWAP AND DROP ELECTION.
AND YOU'LL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT OF THAT IN THE FUTURE.
ANOTHER THING I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS OUR CODE COMPLIANCE PROGRAM THAT WE'VE INITIALIZED.
IT'S A CIVIL ENFORCEMENT CODE ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, WHERE PREVIOUSLY OUR CODE OFFICERS WOULD GO OUT AND WRITE A CITATION, AND IF YOU DIDN'T COMPLY, IT WOULD BECOME A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
YOU'D ACTUALLY GO TO OUR MUNICIPAL COURT AND, AND GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS WITH THIS CIVIL ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM.
IT'S, UH, YOU WON'T GO TO THE MUNICIPAL COURT, IT'S A CIVIL INFRACTION.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PAY THE FINE ONLINE MUCH LIKE YOU WOULD, UM, OUR PARKING MARSHALS.
IT'S THE SAME KIND OF SYSTEM WHERE, UH, OUR MARSHALS ARE ALREADY USING THIS CIVIL ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM FOR PARKING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE'RE GONNA DO THE SAME THING IN FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT PREVIOUSLY OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFERS HAD TO GO WRITE A CITATION, HAD PROBABLE CAUSE.
THEY'D HAVE TO GO TO COURT AND TESTIFY IN FRONT OF OUR MUNICIPAL JUDGES.
IT TOOK FAR LONGER TO GET COMPLIANCE THROUGH THAT, THAT COURT SYSTEM PROCESS THAN IT WOULD THROUGH OUR CIVIL PROCESS.
UH, THAT MEANS THAT THEY HAD TO SPEND A LOT OF THEIR TIME ADMINISTRATIVELY, MAKING SURE ALL THEIR PAPERWORK TO GET THAT CASE.
AND SO WE WOULD ONLY HAVE ABOUT 40 COURT, UH, CITATIONS THAT WOULD ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM A MONTH, 40.
AND THAT'S A CITYWIDE OF 80,000 HOMES.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE OUR CODE CODE ENFORCEMENT SITS A BASELINE ON STANDARDS.
SO OUT THAT 80,000, IF WE'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO ENFORCE 40 OR GET 40 OF THOSE IN COMPLIANT EVERY MONTH, EVERY MONTH, THERE'S A BIG GAP THERE IN ENFORCEMENT.
WHAT OUR CIVIL PROGRAM WILL DO IS WE'LL BE ABLE TO WRITE, GO OUT THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WRITE MORE TICKETS.
THEY WON'T HAVE TO SPEND AS MUCH TIME IN, UH, IN GOING THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS TO GET ENFORCEMENT.
BUT THE GOAL IS TO WRITE MORE TICKETS, WHICH IS REALLY TO, THE FIRST TICKET REALLY SERVES AS A WARNING.
IF YOU HAVE HIGH GRASS, YOU GET A TICKET FOR THAT.
YOU SEND US A PICTURE THROUGH OUR APP OR A CALL OUR INSPECTOR TO COME BACK AND INSPECT IT, WE WILL WRITE OFF THAT TICKET.
AND IT'S ONLY $25 FINE IS WHAT IT IS IN THE CIVIL PROCESS.
THERE'S A CRIMINAL PROCESS THAT COULD BE 200, 2 50, $500 OR MORE.
SO IT'S A FAR LOWER AMOUNT FOR THE FINE.
BUT IF YOU JUST TAKE A PICTURE OR YOU CALL OUR OFFICER, YOU GET ERR IN COMPLIANCE, THAT FINE GOES AWAY.
THAT ESSENTIALLY THAT FIRST NOTICE SERVES AS A WARNING.
NOW, IF YOU LET YOUR RAS GROW HIGH AGAIN AND YOU GET A SECOND NOTICE, YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE A PICTURE AND GET RID OF THAT ONE BECAUSE, WELL, WE GAVE YOU ONE CHANCE ALREADY TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE AND, AND YOU'RE NOT COMPLYING FOR A SECOND TIME.
BUT FOR THOSE CASES OF PEOPLE WHO MAY BE ELDERLY, DISABLED, DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO.
WE HAVE A CODE CARES PROGRAM OR A GARLAND CARES PROGRAM.
IT STARTED ON JUNE 1ST, JUST A FEW DAYS AGO.
AND WHAT WE HAVE IS A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS.
IT'S A FRATERNITY ORGANIZATIONS, CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS, VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS.
THEY ARE GOING OUT INTO NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEY WILL ADOPT A NEIGHBORHOOD, ADOPT A BLOCK, GO OUT AND TAKE CARE OF THOSE CODE COMPLIANCE ISSUES, HELP THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED, WHO'VE SHOWN, UH, THAT THEY NEED HELP WHO'VE REACHED OUT TO US DURING, IF YOU REACH OUT TO US, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE THAT INFORMATION ON THE TICKET.
IF YOU REACH OUT TO US, WE'LL STOP THE TIMELINE ON ENFORCEMENT.
NORMALLY, WE WANT ENFORCEMENT WITHIN 30 DAYS, BUT IF YOU REACH OUT TO US AND SAY, I NEED HELP, I HAVE SOME ISSUES, WE'RE NOT GONNA VET YOU FOR.
OKAY? IF YOU, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE FINANCIAL MEANS, WE'RE NOT GONNA ASK FOR YOUR BANK RECORDS.
IF YOU REACH OUT TO US, WE'RE GONNA COME HELP FOR YOU NO MATTER WHAT.
SO WE HAVE THESE ORGANIZATIONS, THESE VOLUNTEERS WHO WILL GO OUT, TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUE, AND, UH, HOPEFULLY THE GOAL IS TO RAISE THE STANDARDS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO IMPROVE THE LOOK AND FEEL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH OUR BASELINE CODE STANDARDS, WHICH ARE JUST BASELINE STANDARDS THAT WE WANT ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO HAVE.
SO, UH, THAT PROGRAM STARTED ON JUNE 1ST.
OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE OUT THERE.
[00:10:01]
DAY WARNING PERIOD.IT WILL RUN JUNE, JULY, AND AUGUST THAT IT WON'T BE TICKETING YET.
THAT'LL START IN SEPTEMBER 1ST.
BUT FOR THE THREE MONTHS, JUNE, JULY, AND AUGUST, WE'RE JUST GIVING OUT NOTICES THAT ARE INFORMATIONAL NOTICES SAYING, WE'VE NOTICED THAT YOUR GRASS IS HIGH.
THIS IS NOT A TICKET, BUT THIS IS, UH, AWARENESS OF THIS PROGRAM.
YOU CAN REACH OUT NOW TO CODE, TO CODE CARES, TO OUR GARLAND CARES PROGRAM AND GET HELP NOW.
SO WE'RE STARTING TO BUILD THAT PROGRAM OUT.
WE'RE DOING A 90 DAY PRO, A 90 DAY AWARENESS OUTREACH.
YOU'LL SEE MORE ABOUT THIS IN THE GARLAND PRESS COMING OUT.
WE'LL HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, WE'LL HAVE EMAILS.
ALL OF THIS IS HAPPENING NOW, AND IT JUST STARTED JUST A FEW DAYS AGO ON JUNE 1ST.
SO THAT'S A, A, A BIG PUSH TO REALLY HELP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IMPROVE FOR THE, FROM, UH, WHAT WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF BLIGHT AND OTHER ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN HURTING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND, AND THE GOAL REALLY IS WE WANT TO IMPROVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE WANNA MAKE EVERYTHING LOOK BETTER.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF BIG UPDATES IN THE CITY OF GARLAND.
UH, WE'VE HAD SURF AND SWIM, I MENTIONED THAT OPENED UP JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO FOR THE SWIM SEASON THAT HAS BEEN PACKED EVERY DAY SINCE.
IT IS REALLY A GREAT FACILITY THAT WE HAVE.
I KNOW THE SENIOR CENTER, YOU GUYS MAY BE VERY AWARE.
WE HOPE TO OPEN THAT UP THIS FALL.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
SO, A LOT OF GOOD STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING IN GARLAND RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, I HAVE A LIST OF QUESTIONS I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE THOSE AS WELL.
WELL, I THINK THE FIRST THING, UM, THAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS WHAT DO YOU AND THE COUNCIL EXPECT FROM US? WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU MORE, AND I KNOW YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM US MORE AS WELL.
I'M HAPPY I GOT AN INVITATION TO COME TALK TO YOU DIRECTLY TODAY.
BUT ANYTIME, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US.
ALL OF OUR PHONE NUMBERS, ALL OF OUR EMAILS ARE ON OUR WEBSITE.
THAT PHONE NUMBER ON THE WEBSITE RINGS THIS PHONE IN MY POCKET RIGHT HERE.
AND I'M HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE YOUR CALL AND IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES, HAPPY TO DISCUSS THEM WITH YOU.
SO, UH, MORE COMMUNICATION IS ALWAYS GREAT.
UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE SHOW UP, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR BUDGETING MEETINGS.
UH, ARE WE SPEND $1.1 BILLION ANNUALLY IN GARLAND.
AND WHEN WE HAVE OUR BUDGETING HEARINGS, I'LL OPEN UP THE MEETING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AND THERE'LL BE NO SPEAKERS.
AND THIS IS $1.1 BILLION OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE BEING SPENT EVERY YEAR.
I'D LOVE TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS AND BE ABLE TO COMMENT ON OUR, OUR BUDGET.
'CAUSE IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE DO EVERY YEAR.
AND, UM, OTHERWISE IN THAT VOLUNTEERING, THERE ARE, UH, CODE CARES.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS, NOT JUST FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS, CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
IF YOU GO TO GARLAND, UH, VOLUNTEER GARLAND.ORG, VOLUNTEER GARLAND.ORG IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN SIGN UP ALL OF OUR FUTURE VOLUNTEER EVENTS.
UM, THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET INVOLVED.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SO IF YOU WANNA JUST ADDRESS, I CAN RUN THROUGH.
WHAT WOULD YOU EXPECT FROM THE COMMISSION? I'D JUST LOVE TO HEAR YEAH.
HOW WOULD I LIKE TO RECEIVE INFORMATION FROM YOU? YOU KNOW, SAME THING, JUST MORE COMMUNICATION IS GREAT.
ACROSS ALL APARTMENTS ARE SENIOR NEEDS CONSIDERED IN THEIR OPERATING PROCESSES AND THEIR BUDGET REQUESTS.
SO SENIOR NEEDS SPECIFICALLY, I MEAN, THAT WOULD REVOLVE MORE AROUND OUR, OUR SENIOR CENTER.
BUT I THINK SENIOR NEEDS ARE NOT JUST SENIOR NEEDS, IT'S COMMUNITY NEEDS.
BECAUSE THE NEEDS OF OUR SENIORS ARE REALLY THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
SO WE CERTAINLY TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT FOR, UH, THIS MAKING THIS THE NEIGHBORHOOD STANDARDS IS ONE THING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, THAT, THAT BENEFITS NOT JUST SENIORS, BUT BENEFITS OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY.
IF THERE'S OTHER SPECIFIC SENIOR NEEDS THAT ARE AREN'T ADDRESSED, THEN I'M HAPPY TO, TO TALK ABOUT THOSE.
UH, DEVELOPING AN OUTREACH PROGRAM TO MAKE GARLAND SENIORS AWARE OF THE COMMISSION.
WE CAN INCLUDE WHATEVER TYPE OF INFORMATION.
IF YOU HAVE A SURVEY OR INFORMATION, INCLUDE IT.
WE GET A WEEKLY EMAIL THAT IS SENT OUT EVERY SUNDAY TO OUR RESIDENTS.
IF YOU'RE NOT SIGNED UP FOR THAT, SIGN UP FOR IT.
WE CAN INCLUDE INFORMATION IN THE GARLAND PRESS THAT GOES OUT EVERY OTHER MONTH.
THAT'S THE HARD COPY, THAT NEWSPAPER THAT GETS DELIVERED IN YOUR MAILBOX EVERY OTHER MONTH.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT EITHER THE COMMISSION OR ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO INCLUDE IN THAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO INCLUDE IT.
WE HAVE AN ARTICLE, IT'S CALLED SENIORS IN THE KNOW MM-HMM
AND IT'S IN THERE IN THE CITY PRESS EVERY TIME.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE OUR, UH, IT'S OPEN SESSION RIGHT NOW FOR ANYONE WHO'S APPLYING FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
SO NOT JUST THE SENIOR CITIZENS, UH, ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BUT ANY OTHER COMMISSION THAT ANYBODY WANTS TO APPLY FOR.
IT'S OPEN RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE TAKING NOMINATIONS FOR ANY APPOINTMENT FOR THOSE.
I THINK WE'VE ALL FILLED OURS OUT.
I HOPE YOU'RE ALL COMING BACK AGAIN.
UM, NEXT ONE IS, WHERE ARE THE CASH GRANTS FOR THE HEB COMING FROM? THAT IS COMING FROM PROPOSITION C
[00:15:01]
THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN THE 2025 BOND PROGRAM.THERE WAS MONEY APPROVED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDING, AND THAT'S WHERE THAT FUNDING IS COMING FROM.
IT WAS A VOTER APPROVED INITIATIVE.
THEY GAVE US A BUCKET OF FUNDS TO USE FOR PROJECTS JUST LIKE THIS, TO BRING THESE TYPE OF BUSINESSES TO GARLAND.
WHAT ARE THE DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR AGING NEIGHBORHOODS AS STORES MOVE OUT? AND THERE ARE FEWER SHOPPING OPTIONS FOR SENIORS TO WALK TO.
THE CONCERN IS THAT IT REQUIRES OLDER SENIOR ASSISTANCE TO DRIVE OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD RATHER THAN WALK.
SO ONE THING WE'LL ALSO BE DISCUSSING SATURDAY IS OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE, WE'VE COMPLETED A CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH THIS CODE ENFORCEMENT IS ONE PART OF IT, BUT WE'VE ALSO COMPLETED A HOUSING STUDY RECENTLY, WHICH ADDRESSES THE NEEDS OF HOUSING AND IDENTIFIES GAP IN HOUSING IN THE CITY.
OVERALL, GARLAND HAS VERY AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPARED TO OTHER SURROUNDING CITIES.
IT'S A, AS A RESULT OF THAT, OUR HOUSING VALUES ARE LOWER THAN COMPARABLE CITIES.
IF I TOOK MY HOUSE, I PICKED IT UP AND I MOVED IT, I LIVE AT JUST RIGHT ON JUPITER, WHICH ORDERS RICHARDSON.
IF I PICKED MY HOUSE AND MOVED IT JUST ACROSS JUPITER, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE IN VALUE, JUST BECAUSE IT'S IN RICHARDSON RATHER THAN GARLAND.
THAT'S A RESULT OF, UH, AGAIN, THIS, THIS CODE, THESE BASELINE STANDARDS FOR A LONG TIME BEING IGNORED.
SOME OTHER FACTORS, BUT PART OF THAT HOUSING STUDY IDENTIFIED, WE HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WHAT GARLAND IS MISSING IS A LOT OF THAT TOP END HOUSING THAT MORE, UM, LUXURY HOUSING.
THE, UH, THAT KIND OF UP THAT HIGHER END.
WE'RE ABOUT 8,000 HOMES SHORT OF THAT TOP END HOUSING, WHICH WE WON'T GET ALL AT ONE TIME.
BUT THE IDEA IS TO RAISE THE MIDDLE HOUSING RIGHT NOW UP A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE GET, UH, GET SOME OF THAT, UH, CAPACITY FROM THAT HIGHER END HOUSING THROUGH IMPROVING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND IF WE IMPROVE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, IT'LL BRI IT'LL IMPROVE OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS.
IT'S KIND OF A, YOU BRING THE ROOFTOPS, THEN THE RETAIL FOLLOWS.
UH, PEOPLE ASK A LOT OF TIMES, WHY DON'T WE HAVE THINGS LIKE A TRADER JOE'S OR THIS? AND ESSENTIALLY IT'S JUST BECAUSE ONE, THE DISPOSABLE INCOME OF THE RESIDENTS ISN'T, ISN'T HIGH ENOUGH TO DRAW THOSE PEOPLE.
BUT IT'S ALSO THE LOOK OF OUR CORRIDORS.
AND, AND THIS CODE PROGRAM WILL GO AND IT'LL IDENTIFY, UM, IT'S NOT JUST RESIDENTIAL, BUT IT'LL LOOK AT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AS WELL.
WE WANT OUR COMMERCIAL STANDARDS TO BE HIGHER.
IF THESE PEOPLE ARE RUNNING A BUSINESS, WE DON'T WANT THEM TO HAVE PEELING PAINT AND A SIGN THAT'S CROOKED AND A PARKING LOT THAT LOOKS LIKE THE SURFACE OF MARS.
WE HAVE BASELINE STANDARDS ON THAT AS WELL.
SO WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS CON, THIS CIVIL PROCESS TO GO AFTER THOSE BUSINESSES.
WE WANT THEM TO BE IN COMPLIANCE.
'CAUSE IF THEY RAISE THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THEIR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS, IT'LL ATTRACT MORE OF THOSE BUSINESSES THAT WE WANT THAT ARE THE, YOU KNOW, THE TRADER JOE TYPES AND, AND THE SPROUTS AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING.
SO, UM, THERE'S A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ALL OF THAT.
WE HOPE TO ADDRESS ALL OF THAT THROUGH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT IT BEGINS OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS HELPING THOSE, UH, GET TO OUR BASELINE STANDARDS.
AND THEN IT'LL HOPEFULLY ATTRACT AND SEND THE MARKET SIGNAL THAT GARLAND.
WE WANT THOSE MORE, UH, THOSE TYPE OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE, UM, MORE THAN JUST A TIRE SHOP OR A CHECK CASHING PLACE OR, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, WHAT IS THE CITY DOING ABOUT SO MANY VACANCIES IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE SEAVER SENIORS ARE MOVING OUT? IS THE CITY HELPING YOUNG FAMILIES PURCHASE A HOME? SO, UH, THROUGH OUR GARLAND HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, WE DO HAVE PROGRAMS FOR FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS TO BUY A HOME.
IT GIVES THEM, UH, THERE'S CERTAIN TYPES OF LOANS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THAT.
UM, WE'RE NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH PRIVATE TRANSACTIONS NECESSARILY WHEN, UH, THERE'S A HOME THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR SALE.
BUT WE WANT TO SEND MARKET MARKET SIGNALS THAT, UM, IF YOU DRIVE THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU SEE ON ZILLOW, OR YOU'RE LOOKING ON AN APP, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL HOME.
THIS HOME'S AVAILABLE FOR SALE.
IF YOU GO AND VISIT IN PERSON AND THE HOME RIGHT NEXT TO THAT HAS WEEDS IN THEIR YARD AND PAINT PEELING, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO BUY THAT HOME BECAUSE YOU SEE THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND AGAIN, IT'S, THAT'S WHY THIS CODE ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM IS SO IMPORTANT.
WE WANT TO RAISE THE STANDARDS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THAT BEAUTIFUL HOME THAT YOU SEE ON ZILLOW, THAT THE PICTURES ARE INSIDE ARE GORGEOUS AND THE OUTSIDE LOOKS PRISTINE, BUT THE NEIGHBORS AROUND IT DON'T, THEY DON'T TAKE CARE OF THEIR PROPERTY AS WELL AS WE WOULD HOPE.
WE WANT TO RAISE THOSE STANDARDS SO THAT WE CAN ATTRACT MORE, YOU KNOW, HAVE BETTER NEIGHBORHOODS AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
SO IT, THAT, THAT GOES INTO ALL OF THAT.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO KEEP THESE INVESTORS FROM PURCHASING MASS AMOUNTS OF HOMES FOR RENT? NO.
AND THAT, THAT'S KIND OF A, UH, A FALLACY BECAUSE REALLY IT'S LESS THAN 5% OF HOMES ARE PER, ARE OWNED BY, UH, IN BIG CORPORATIONS.
A LOT OF 'EM IS MIGHT BE A ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO MIGHT OWN ONE OR TWO OTHER HOMES
[00:20:01]
THAT THEY LEASE OUT.IT'S REALLY, THAT'S WHAT THE BULK OF THE RENTAL HOMES ARE.
IT'S NOT THESE BIG CORPORATIONS.
SO, UH, AND REALLY BY STATE LAW, WE CAN'T, CAN'T ENFORCE ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO RESTRICT A, UH, AN OWNER FROM BUYING A HOME, UM, OUR CORPORATION.
I, SORRY, I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS.
SO WHAT IS HIGH END HOUSING? WHAT WOULD, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF PRICING? UH, IT'S, WELL, IT, IT'S MORE OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR IN A HOME.
SO IT'S MORE OF NUMBER OF BEDROOMS, NUMBER OF BATHROOMS. OUR HOUSING STOCK, AND THIS IS WHAT OUR HOUSING SET STUDY SAYS, IS THAT A LOT OF OUR HOUSING WAS BUILT SIXTIES AND 70.
THAT IS PROBABLY 60% OF OUR HOUSING STOCK IN GARLAND.
I THINK LESS THAN 20% WAS BUILT AFTER 1990, WHICH THAT'S RELATIVELY NEW HOME IN GARLAND.
BUT THERE'S A DEFINITE CUTOFF SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN THE SEVENTIES AND THE NINETIES WHERE HOMES WERE USED TO BE 1500 SQUARE FEET, TWO BATHROOM, MAYBE ONE BATH, SMALL HOME VERSUS MODERN HOMES, WHICH ARE FOUR BEDROOMS, 2.5 BATHROOMS. YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE 3000 SQUARE FOOT.
IT'S ALMOST DOUBLE IN SIZE WHAT THOSE OLDER, OLDER HOMES ARE.
SO THAT IS THE LARGER HOME, IS WHAT THE MARKET IS LOOKING FOR.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THOSE BIGGER TYPE OF HOMES FOR A BIGGER FAMILY RATHER THAN THE EXISTING HOUSING STOCK WE HAVE, WHICH IS A 1500 SQUARE FOOT HOME THAT HAS ONE BATHROOM AND, AND ONE CAR GARAGE.
SO, AND THE SECOND THING WAS, UM, AND I'VE TOLD YOU THIS, I THINK GARLAND IS AMAZING IN SERVICES FOR SENIORS AND EVERYTHING.
AND SO I'VE LOOKED, I WOULD LOVE FOR GARLAND TO SEEK, UM, RECOGNITION AS A SENIOR CITY.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, THAT WHEN I READ THERE, THE THINGS THAT ARE LOOKED AT TO MAKE THOSE JUDGEMENTS, THE ONLY THING WE'RE MISSING IS A HOSPITAL, WHICH IS PROBABLY NOT COMING.
UM, BUT HAVE WE LOOKED AT EFFORTS TO ACTUALLY GET SOME DESIGNATION AS A A SENIOR CITY? WELL, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO THAT.
I KNOW A HOSPITAL IS SOMETHING WE'RE PUSHING FOR STILL, IS THAT WE OWN LAND IN OUR HOSPITAL DISTRICT.
THERE'S TALKS GOING ON WITH DEVELOPERS AND, AND BRINGING IT, BUT IT'S A MARKET SIGNAL.
AGAIN, BRINGING, UH, THE BAYLOR SCOTT AND WHITE HOSPITAL WENT OUT BUSINESS BECAUSE OF, UH, INSURANCE CLAIMS, ESSENTIALLY UNINSURED PEOPLE COMING IN.
AND YOU CAN'T DENY THEM HEALTHCARE WHEN THEY COME THERE.
AND IT'S HARD TO RUN A BUSINESS WHEN PEOPLE AREN'T PAYING THEIR BILLS.
SO TO CHANGE THE MARKET, WE WANT TO START WITH OUR HOUSING TO CHANGE SEND TO MARKET SIGNAL TO RAISE OUR STANDARDS.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A SLOW PROCESS.
WE DO OWN LAND IN OUR MEDICAL DISTRICT.
THE, UM, VA THEY'VE PUT $25 MILLION INTO RENOVATING THAT BUILDING.
IF YOU GO THERE NOW, IT IS INCREDIBLE.
IF YOU'VE SEEN THE OLD HOSPITAL AND WHAT'S NEW ON INSIDE NOW, IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT INSIDE.
THEY HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT, UM, SERVICES THEY'RE PROVIDING IN THE VA IS EVERY YEAR WE HAVE MEETINGS WITH THEM.
OH, NOW WE'RE PROVIDING ONCOLOGY AND DENTISTRY AND, AND RADIOLOGY.
AND THEY KEEP ADDING MORE AND MORE SERVICE TO THAT.
SO THEY ARE REALLY INVESTING A LOT.
AND NOW THAT'S ONE MARKET SIGNAL, BUT THAT'S KIND OF A CORE MEDICAL DISTRICT AND ALL THE SERVICES ARE THERE.
WE WANNA DO THE SAME WITH THE AREAS AROUND IN THE CITY THAT WE'RE SENDING ANOTHER MARKET SIGNAL TO THEN ATTRACT THAT KIND OF HOSPITAL DEVELOPER.
SO IT, IT'S A LONG PROCESS, BUT IT, IT TAKES TIME.
BUT THIS, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN AND WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT MORE OF THAT ON SATURDAY.
IF THERE'S ANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT MAKE THOSE KIND OF SENIOR DESIGNATE, I'M HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT AND DO THAT.
UM, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF AIRBNB BUSINESSES IN GARLAND? SO WE HAVE RESTRICTED, ABOUT SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR AGO, WE PUT IN MORE SEVERE RESTRICTIONS ON AIRBNBS, LIMITING THEM, REQUIRING THINGS LIKE A LANDLINE TELEPHONE AND A NOTICE ON THE DOOR OUTSIDE OF THE FRONT DOOR SAYING, HERE'S THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE OWNER.
SO SEVERAL THINGS LIKE THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE ISSUES, VIOLATE OUR NOISE STANDARDS, VIOLATE OTHER STANDARDS.
WE HAVE MORE SEVERE RESTRICTIONS, WHICH INCLUDES PUTTING SOUND METERS ON THEIR PROPERTY CORNER.
UM, DOING SOME OTHER, UH, RESTRICTIONS TO REALLY CRACK DOWN.
THAT HAS ELIMINATED A LOT OF OUR PROBLEM.
WE STILL HAVE ONE PROBLEM HOUSED SPECIFICALLY THAT IS, UM, WE JUST, AT OUR COUNCIL MEETING THIS PAST MONDAY AND TUESDAYS, WE TALKED ABOUT EVEN STRICTER STANDARDS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO, THIS ONE HOME HAS CONTINUED, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A COURT ORDER, A COURT RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST THEM, THEY'RE CONTINUING TO OPERATE AS AN AIRBNB.
WE'VE NOW CHANGED OUR ORDINANCE THAT WOULD MAKE IT A CRIMINAL OFFENSE FOR IF SOMEONE IS, UM, THE OCCUPANT IS GOING TO RENT THAT OUT, AND THEY, THERE'S A NOTICE OUTSIDE THAT SAYS, THIS IS NOT A VALID, THEY DON'T HAVE A VALID PERMIT FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS.
NOW WE CAN GO OFF AFTER THE RENTERS AS WELL, NOT
[00:25:01]
ONLY THE OWNER OF THAT PROPERTY.SO WE'RE, WE'RE LEARNING FROM THIS PROCESS.
WE'RE MAKING IT MORE, OUR STANDARDS MORE STRICT TO BALANCE THE NEEDS.
AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR AIRBNB HOUSES OR VRBO OR ANYTHING SHORT TERM RENTALS NOT AN ISSUE.
BUT THE COUPLE OF OUTLIERS CREATE A LOT OF ISSUES FOR US.
AND THAT, FROM THOSE CASES WE'VE LEARNED AND WE'RE GOING OUT AND MAKING OUR STANDARDS MORE STRICT TO, TO GO AFTER THOSE PROBLEMATIC PROPERTIES.
SO WE'RE HOPING OUR, WITH JUST WHAT WE DID THIS PAST WEEK, IT'LL EVEN FURTHER, UM, GIVE OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND, AND THEM THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO PROSECUTE THOSE OFFENDERS AND, AND CORRECT THOSE ISSUES.
WHAT IS THE COUNCIL PHILOSOPHY AND STATUS OF DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT? IS THE CITY GIVING CA BREAKS AND CASH GRANTS TO THEM? HOW ARE CURRENT ONES AFFECTING GARLAND POWER AND LIGHT AND THE WATER DEPARTMENT? SO THIS IS AN INTERESTING ONE THAT A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS BROUGHT UP RECENTLY.
THEY'RE, THEY ACTUALLY ASKED FOR WHAT THEY WANTED A LIST OF THE HIGHEST WATER USERS.
YOU MAY HEARD DATA CENTERS USE A LOT OF WATER.
THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT THE CASE IN GARLAND BECAUSE THEY USE CLOSED LOOP SYSTEMS. AND INSTEAD OF EVAPORATIVE COOLERS, WHICH CAUSE A LOT OF WATER TO EVAPORATE THROUGH THEIR COOLING SYSTEM, THEY ACTUALLY USE GLYCOL IN THESE SYSTEMS, WHICH JUST RUNS THROUGH PIPES THAT IS CLOSED LOOP WHERE THEY DON'T ACTUALLY USE WATER.
SO WE HAD A LIST OF OUR TOP 500 WATER USERS FROM OUR WATER DEPARTMENT.
NUMBER ONE IS KRAFT FOODS, WHICH OF COURSE THEY, I MEAN THEY MAKE BARBECUE SAUCE AND VINEGAR AND, YOU KNOW, AND ALL THE WATER GOES INTO THEIR PRODUCT.
UH, SHERMAN WILLIAMS, THE OTHER BIG ONES PLASTIC PACK ARE BIG WATER USERS.
OUR DATA CENTERS THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE OPERATING IN THE CITY, WERE LIKE NUMBER 394TH USER.
I MEAN, THESE DATA CENTERS, THEY MIGHT HAVE FIVE EMPLOYEES THAT FLUSH TOILETS, USE SINKS.
THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE SHOWERS THERE.
SO SOME OF THE DATA CENTERS ARE ACTUALLY LOWER USERS THAN YOUR HOUSE BECAUSE YOU'RE RUNNING IRRIGATION.
AND THE DATA CENTERS DO USE IRRIGATION, BUT IT'S BECAUSE WE TOLD 'EM THEY HAD TO PUT IN LANDSCAPING AS PART OF OUR ORDINANCES.
SO THEY HAD TO IRRIGATE THOSE.
SO THEIR WATER USE IS ACTUALLY SOME CASES LOWER THAN SOME OF THE RESIDENTS WE HAVE.
'CAUSE IF YOU HAVE A POOL, YOU'RE FILLING UP YOUR POOL, YOU'RE PROBABLY USING MORE WATER THAN THAT DATA CENTER DOES.
AS FAR AS ELECTRICITY USE, SOME OF OUR DATA CENTERS ARE SERVED BY EN COURSE.
THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A STRICT PROCESS WITH ERCOT, WHICH IS THE TEXAS RELIABILITY COUNCIL, TO SEE IF THERE'S EVEN CAPACITY ON THE GRID FOR THOSE USES EVEN BEFORE THEY GET CONSTRUCTION.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN A FEW DATA CENTER PROJECTS, AND THERE'S ABOUT A TWO YEAR REVIEW FROM ERCOT, THE STATE LEVEL TO REVIEW IF THERE'S ENOUGH CAPACITY ON THE GRID TO SERVE THOSE DATA CENTERS.
GPNL IS LARGELY A TRANSMISSION PROVIDER.
WE DO OPERATE SOME GENERATION CAPACITY, BUT WE'RE LARGELY A GENERATION A, UM, TRANSMISSION PROVIDER WHERE YOU JUST PROVIDE THE LINES THAT CONNECT UP THE DATA CENTERS RATHER THAN THE, THE ELECTRICITY ITSELF.
SO, UM, WE SOMETIMES GIVE THEM INCENTIVES JUST LIKE WE WOULD ANY OTHER BUSINESS LIKE AN HEB OR ANYTHING ELSE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PER SQUARE FOOT PROPERTY TAX AND, UM, BUSINESS AND PER PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES THAT WE RECEIVE FROM DATA CENTERS, IT IS FAR HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER USE THAT WE HAVE IN THIS CITY.
UH, DATA CENTERS ARE VERY GOOD FOR OUR, OUR REVENUE IN OUR BUDGET.
UH, AND BEING THAT THEY'RE A LOW IMPACT USER WITH LOW WATER USAGE, IF THEY'RE USING GPNL AS THEIR ELECTRIC PROVIDER, THEY'RE PAYING FOR ELECTRICITY, WHICH WE'RE ABLE TO GET REVENUE AND TAXES OFF OF THAT.
THE PROPERTY TAXES AND THE BPP TAXES ARE VERY HIGH.
SO WE ACTUALLY WE'RE IN FAVOR OF DATA CENTERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A GREAT IMPACT, A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR BUDGET AND OUR REVENUE EVERY YEAR.
UH, GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THE POLICY AND USE OF AI CITYWIDE.
UH, I KNOW OUR NEW CITY MANAGER, MIKE BETS, IS A BIG FAN OF AI USE.
HE, UM, JUST TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE, HE USES IT EVERY DAY TO PROVIDE A, UH, JUST A DAILY BRIEF FOR ANY EMAILS.
HE HASN'T ANSWERED ANY, UH, ANY TASKS HE HAS TO DO THAT DAY.
IT JUST RUNS THROUGH, READS HIS EMAILS AND GIVES 'EM A PRINTOUT EVERY MORNING.
AND HERE'S WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO EVERY DAY.
SO WE'RE ENCOURAGING MORE AI USE THROUGHOUT THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, WE'VE SEPARATED IT OFF WHERE IT DOESN'T HAVE RIGHT CAPACITY.
WE WON'T, WE DON'T WANT AI LOOKING INTO OUR FILES AND BE ABLE TO WRITE AND CHANGE THINGS.
IT ONLY HAS READ CAPACITY WHERE, AND WE HAVE IT SEGREGATED FROM THE REST OF THE AI SYSTEM WHERE, UH, BEING ON CITY COUNCIL, I HAVE A CHAT GPT ACCOUNT THROUGH THE CITY OF, OF GARLAND, AND IT IS SEGREGATED SO THAT ANY EMAILS OR INPUT OR RESPONSE I PUT INTO IT DOESN'T GO INTO THE GREATER DATABASE THAT CHAT GBT CAN USE FOR LEARNING.
SO IT, UH, IT DOESN'T KNOW THE PERSONAL STUFF THAT I PUT IN THERE TO USE FOR THE GREATER, UH, CHAT GBT BECAUSE WE HAVE A PROGRAM, A PREMIUM PROGRAM, THAT THE CITY
[00:30:01]
PAYS FOR THAT SEGREGATES AND KEEPS IT CONTAINED.SO ONLY THE CITY DATA IS IN THAT, THAT DATABASE.
UH, CAN THE STREET OR TRANSPORTATION CONSIDER DOING SOMETHING TO MAKE MEDIAN ENDS MORE VISIBLE? ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT, IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC LOCATIONS YOU HAVE, WE CAN GET THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
GENERALLY THEY WOULD PUT REFLECTORS OUT ON A MEDIAN AND THOSE CAN BE SEEN BETTER AT NIGHT.
UM, THOSE, OF COURSE, IT JUST TAKES MAINTENANCE.
'CAUSE SOMETIMES THEY GET HIT AND POP OFF AND WE'LL GO OUT AND PUT 'EM BACK.
BUT IF THERE'S ANY PROBLEMATIC MEDIANS YOU HAVE, LET ME KNOW AND WE'LL, WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
BUT THAT'S THE END OF MY LIST THERE.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, I'M HAPPY TO, TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
DO WE HAVE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON THE VAPE SHOPS? WHAT WE JUST DID ON, UH, AGAIN, THIS JUST PAST WEEK, WE ADDRESSED, WE SEPARATED A NEW ZONING CATEGORY TO SEPARATE VAPE SHOPS FROM CIGAR AND TOBACCO SHOPS.
WE HAD A NEW DEFINITION WHERE A CIGAR AND TOBACCO SHOP IS ANY BUSINESS THAT HAS 75% OR MORE OF THEIR INVENTORY ON DISPLAY.
THAT IS PIPE, TOBACCO, CIGARS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
ANYTHING THAT IS LESS THAN THAT, IT WOULD BE A DECLASSIFIED AS A VAPE SHOP.
AND WE CHANGED THE DESIGNATION TO WHERE NOW THOSE BUSINESSES ARE ONLY ALLOWED BY A SPECIAL USE PERMIT IN INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS ONLY.
SO THAT MEANS IN WHERE THEY ARE NOW, THEY CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE, BUT THEY'LL BE LEGALLY NON-CONFORMING.
MEANING THAT THEY DON'T COMPLY TO OUR ZONING CODE NOW.
BUT THAT MEANS THAT THEY CAN'T EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS, THEY CAN'T, UM, OPEN UP A NEW PLACE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
UH, THEY, UH, IT REALLY RESTRICTS THE GROWTH OF THOSE TYPE OF VAPE SHOPS IN AREAS OTHER THAN THE INDUSTRIAL AREAS THAT ARE ARE, AND STILL THEY HAVE TO COME TO US FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND GET THAT THROUGH OUR ZONING PROCESS.
WE HOPE THAT IT WILL MAYBE REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THOSE EVENTUALLY, BECAUSE IF A BUSINESS, IT GOES OUTTA BUSINESS FOR MORE THAN 180 DAYS, THAT USE IS GONE.
THEY CAN'T OPEN UP AGAIN IN THAT SAME LOCATION.
SO OVER TIME, THIS MAY, YOU KNOW, BUT WE CAN'T TAKE THE RIGHTS AWAY OF SOMETHING, A BUSINESS THAT'S ALREADY EXISTING AND OPERATING.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT'LL ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES.
AND A LOT OF THESE BUSINESSES COMPLAIN, BUT REALLY WHAT IT'S DOING ALSO IS IT'S RESTRICTING NEW BUSINESSES OF THOSE FROM OPENING.
THEY ALMOST HAVE A MONOPOLY NOW OF WHERE THEY ARE.
THEY CONTINUE TO OPERATE, THEY CONTINUE TO OPERATE, AND THEY WON'T HAVE COMPETITION BECAUSE SOME, ANOTHER ONE WON'T OPEN UP RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THEM EITHER.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY CAN'T EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS EVEN, YOU KNOW, ONE SQUARE FOOT BIGGER JUST BECAUSE THEY, THEY'RE LEGALLY NON-CONFORMING RIGHT NOW.
IS THAT THE SAME WHEN IT COMES TO MASSAGE HOLLERS AND I, I JUST SEE A LOT OF THEM OPENING UP AND THAT'S DIFFERENT USE.
SO THAT'S A DIFFERENT USE UNDER A DIFFERENT PART OF THE ZONING CODE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, WE HAVEN'T TAKEN A LOOK AT THOSE.
AND I MEAN, IF THEY'RE PROBLEMATIC, WE MIGHT LOOK AT THOSE AGAIN.
BUT REALLY, I, I HAVEN'T HEARD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THOSE.
BUT IF SOMEONE WANTS TO OPEN UP A MASSAGE BUSINESS, THEN THEY CAN DO SO IF THEY HAVE THE PROPER ZONING IN PLACE.
COULD YOU JUST BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT YOUR PODCAST AND WHEN CAN WE VIEW THAT? AND I, I IT ENTAILS I WOULD LOVE TO.
IT'S, UH, IT'S CALLED FIFTH AND STATE.
AND FIFTH AND STATE IS THE CORNER THAT WE ARE AT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S THE STREETS THAT ARE RIGHT BY CITY HALL, FIFTH STREET AND, UH, STATE STREET AND FIFTH AVENUE.
AND IT'S COMES OUT EVERY FIRST MONDAY OF THE MONTH.
YOU CAN GET IT ON APPLE, APPLE PODCASTS, SPOTIFY, ANYWHERE ELSE.
WE ACTUALLY PUT IT UP ON YOUTUBE AS WELL.
IT'S NOT VIDEO, IT'S JUST AUDIO.
BUT EVERY MONTH I GO TALK TO A NEW DIRECTOR FROM A CITY DEPARTMENT ABOUT THEIR OPERATIONS, WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE JUST RELEASED THE ONE JUST THIS PAST MONDAY TALKING TO AMY ROSENTHAL, WHO'S OUR CULTURAL ARTS DIRECTOR, TALKING ABOUT THE GRANDVILLE ARTS CENTER AND ALL THE RENOVATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING THERE.
SO IT'S JUST A CASUAL 30 MINUTE CONVERSATION.
IT'S MYSELF AND THE CITY MANAGER AND ANOTHER CITY STAFF MEMBER FROM A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT EVERY MONTH TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY.
SO, WOULD YOU HAVE OUR CHAIR COME? I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOMEONE COME IF THERE'S A TOPIC TO TALK ABOUT THAT YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT
WE CAN BRING ANY MEMBER IT HURT.
WE'VE GOT FOUR MICROPHONES THOUGH THERE.
HAPPY, I'M HAPPY TO TALK IF THERE'S SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, BEYOND CITY DEPARTMENTS TALKING TO OUR, OUR COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
IT'S A VERY GOOD, ALL THE DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MM-HMM
[00:35:01]
THREW OUT TO ME THAT 25% OF GARLAND RESIDENTS ARE SENIORS.AND YOU GUYS VOTE TOO, WHICH IS YES, YOU DO.
HEY, IF THERE IS NOTHING ELSE, WE DO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
YOU'RE BEING SO CANDID WITH US.
AND, UH, DON'T BE SURPRISED IF WE START REACHING OUT
NOW IT'S, IT'S EASY TO REACH ME.
MY PHONE NUMBER'S ON THE WEBSITE OR MAYOR@GARLANDTX.GOV.
IT GOES RIGHT TO THIS PHONE RIGHT HERE.
I HAVE IT IN MY POCKET, SO I'M FREE.
'CAUSE I CALLED ON A SUNDAY NIGHT, I WAS JUST GONNA LEAVE A MESSAGE AND HE ACTUALLY ANSWERED
THEY CALLED ME AND I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA REACH YOUR SECRETARY.
I'M LIKE, WELL, WELL WHO DO YOU EXPECT? YOU CALLED MY NUMBER AND I ACTUALLY ANSWERED THE PHONE.
I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, THE COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR, WE ALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE.
IT WAS INFORMATIVE, VERY INFORMATIVE.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I THINK WE, YOU SHOULD DO MORE OF THOSE.
WE TRY TO DO THOSE AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR AND REALLY GEARED TOWARDS NEW RESIDENTS THAT ARE COMING TO GARLAND.
SO KIND OF A COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR INTRODUCTORY TO GARLAND.
AND IF YOU WERE THERE, YOU SAW THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PEOPLE WHO'D BEEN HERE LESS THAN A YEAR, AND THERE'S PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN HERE 50 YEARS IN GARLAND.
THAT CAME TO IT JUST TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THEIR CITY.
AND WE DO THOSE, I TRY TO ALSO MEET THE MAYOR MONDAYS EVERY NOW AND THEN IN OUR OFF CYCLE WEEKS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO I WANT TO HAVE ONE COMING UP, MEET THE MAYOR MONDAY, THIS COMING MONDAY, WHERE IT'S, IT'S THE WEEK BETWEEN OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS THAT JUST COME AND TALK TO ME ABOUT SAME KIND OF THIS, ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYTHING YOU HAVE, TALK ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, YOU, YOU DID INVITE PEOPLE TO, TO GO BACK OUT AND HAVE MORE SNACK, BUT I SAW A WOMAN LOADING A BAG WITH SOME FRUIT AND STUFF.
I THOUGHT, WELL, WE MIGHT LIST IT ON THE PANTRY LIST.
GO TO THE MAYOR'S TALK AND YOU CAN GET A WHOLE LOT OF FRUIT.
AND THAT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CONCERNS ABOUT THE SUIT, THE FOOD INSECURITY FOR SENIORS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK EACH ONE OF US HAVE MADE THAT A PASSION FOR US IN OUR DISTRICT.
SAM'S IS NOW MOVING INTO WHAT WAS OUR FORMER WALNUT CREEK BRANCH LIBRARY.
THEY ARE DOING RENOVATIONS THERE.
THEY SHOULD BE OPENING UP VERY SOON IN THAT NEW LOCATION, AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE FROM THAT.
UH, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A RIBBON CUTTING.
I KNOW I WAS INVITED TO SPEAK AT THAT.
I FORGET THE EXACT DATE, BUT THAT'S COMING UP VERY SOON FOR THEIR NEW BUILDING.
SO THEY'RE A GREAT ORGANIZATION.
SO WHILE WE'RE WAITING, UM, FOR OUR, OUR NEW C UM, NPO TO COME UP, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I MENTIONED THIS BEFORE OR NOT, BUT I DID SEND A, AN EMAIL TO OUR THREE NEW COUNCIL PEOPLE, GAVE THEM OUR ANNUAL REPORT AND OUR GOALS.
AND I DID HEAR BACK FROM, UM, JUSTIN CARAWAY AND FROM CHRISTINA AND JUSTIN EXPRESSED AN INTEREST TO COME AND TALK WITH US.
I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM HIM, BUT, UM, JUST WANTED TO BRING YOU UP TO DATE ON THAT.
CHRISTINA SAID SHE'D LOVE TO HELP US WITH OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS.
SO WE NEED TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO INCORPORATE THEM INTO OUR, OUR PLANS AND GOALS.
MAY I SUGGEST SOMETHING? CERTAINLY, I THINK NEXT YEAR GOING FORWARD, EACH ONE OF US SHOULD TAKE A MONTH AND INVITE OUR COUNCIL PEOPLE.
AND THAT WAY EACH MONTH WE WOULD GET THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND WE JUST GO DOWN THE 2, 3, 4, NO, IT'S 1, 2, 3, 4 TO EIGHT.
AND THEY WOULD HAVE TIME TO PLAN TO COME FOR NEXT YEAR.
Y'ALL HAVE NOTICED THAT COREY IS IN AND OUT AND, UH, HE IS ON SWAT AND AS A RESULT, HE HAS A LOT OF OTHER OBLIGATIONS THAT HE CANNOT ATTEND OUR MEETINGS FREQUENTLY.
SO WE ARE NOW INVITING AND APPRECIATING OFFICER MARLER, WHO WILL NOW BE OUR NPO LIAISON FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
HEY, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE.
UM, I KNOW I CAME RECENTLY, SO I GAVE A LITTLE INTRODUCTION, BUT I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO REINTRODUCE
[00:40:01]
MYSELF.UM, SO I'VE BEEN WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR SIX YEARS.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN PATROL MOST OF THAT TIME.
I JUST CAME TO THE MPO UNIT A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
BUT, UM, YEAH, SO I'M JUST GETTING KIND OF USED TO MY NEW DUTIES.
SO THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, SEEING YOU GUYS ONCE A MONTH.
AND I'M GONNA LEAVE MY CARDS HERE.
UM, SO IF YOU GUYS WANT TO EMAIL ME IF THERE'S ANY TOPICS, ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT ME TO KIND OF DIVE INTO, UM, EVERY MONTH, JUST FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME.
JUST FYI, SO EMAIL'S A LITTLE BETTER.
UM, THERE IS, UM, ONE SCAM THAT I KIND OF WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT.
SO, UM, I SAW THIS POP UP IN GARLAND, UM, JUST ONE TIME RECENTLY, BUT I'VE BEEN SEEING IT IN OTHER CITIES.
THERE'S KIND OF LIKE NEWS ARTICLES COMING OUT ABOUT IT.
BUT, UM, BASICALLY LIKE A UTILITY PERSON WILL COME TO YOUR HOUSE AND THEY USUALLY KIND OF TARGET SENIOR CITIZENS AND THEY'LL KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND SAY, HEY, LIKE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DIG IN YOUR YARD.
CAN YOU COME SHOW ME YOUR PROPERTY LINE? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, NO ONE WANTS ANYONE TO DIG IN THEIR YARD.
SO THEY'RE, YOU'RE GONNA GO OUT THERE AND BE LIKE, WHERE ARE YOU DIGGING? SO THEY GET YOU OUT OF YOUR HOUSE AND YOU DON'T LOCK YOUR DOOR WHILE THEY'RE WORKING WITH SOMEBODY ELSE WHO WILL COME INTO YOUR HOUSE WHILE YOU'RE OUTSIDE.
SO JUST MAKE SURE, UM, IF ANYONE IS COMING TO YOUR DOOR AND ASKING YOU TO STEP OUT, UM, KIND OF VERIFY.
DO THEY HAVE A BADGE, A LANYARD? DO THEY HAVE A TRUCK THAT HAS THE LOGO ON IT? OKAY.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
UM, OR VENITA MAY, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? WELL, WE GOT A NOTICE THAT, UM, A, A UTILITY, NOW I'VE FORGOTTEN ATMO RELIANT OR SOMEBODY WAS GONNA BE LOOKING AT SOME THINGS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OVER A CERTAIN DATE PERIOD.
WE GOT THAT NOTICE, BUT, BUT THE GUY CAME THROUGH MY GATE TO MY BACK DOOR AND I HAVE TO, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THAT WAS STARTLING.
UM, AND HE DID SEEM TO BE LEGITIMATE, BUT MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, I'M, I'M GONNA CALL THE POLICE.
I'M, YOU KNOW, IT SHOULDN'T BE IN MY BACKYARD.
AND I REMEMBER THAT HAPPENING TO ME BEFORE.
SOMETIMES ELECTRICITY COMPANIES REMEMBER LIKE ONE TIME WE FORGOT TO PAY OUR BILL FOR THE MONTH JUST ON ACCIDENT AND THEY'LL, UM, THEY'LL SEND SOMEBODY TO GO TURN YOUR POWER OFF SO THEY'LL SEND SOMEBODY IN YOUR BACKYARD AND IT CAN BE KIND OF STARTLING.
'CAUSE MY STUFF IS OUTSIDE MY BACKYARD.
YOU KNOW, HE DIDN'T HAVE TO COME IN.
UM, AND I, I DON'T KNOW IF, IF, IF WE WANNA REMIND PEOPLE THAT THE REVERSE, LIKE SENIORS DON'T WANNA BE STARTLED
IS MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, OH GOSH, HE'S, HE'S HERE NOW.
I'M, IF HE WANTED TO PUSH IN, I REALLY HAVE NOTHING TO STOP THIS.
AND I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE, UM, TO VERIFY, LIKE, IS THERE A TRUCK OUTSIDE? MOST OF THE TIME WHEN IT'S A SCAM OR SOMEBODY WHO KIND HAS ILL INTENT, THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE LOGO ON THEIR TRUCK.
SO IF YOU SEE THE TRUCK AND IT'S, THERE'S NOTHING ON THERE THAT'S, THAT'S DEFINITELY WHEN I WOULD CALL THE POLICE JUST, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO PROBLEM WITH US COMING OUT JUST TO VERIFY.
ANYONE ELSE? LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU EACH MONTH.
UM, YOU'LL, I'M SURE YOU'LL BRING US SOME GOOD INFORMATION AND KEEP US OUTTA TROUBLE.
AND WHAT IS YOUR LAST NAME? MARLER.
WELL THEN WHAT'S YOUR FIRST NAME? SHY.
S-H-S-H-I-S-H-I SHY LEAH, BUT, OKAY.
I THINK MOST PEOPLE IT'S EASIER JUST FOR SHY
UH, WAIT, WE DON'T HAVE A MEETING NEXT MONTH.
UM, ITEM C IS ENVISION VISION REHABILITATION CENTER.
AND KATHLEEN'S GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKER, PLEASE.
I'D LIKE TO MEET EDWIN CASTILE.
I MET HIM LAST YEAR AT THE, UH, HEALTH FAIR IN GARLAND, IN THE ATRIUM.
WE TALKED FOR A FEW MINUTES AND HE BROUGHT ONE OF HIS OTHER EMPLOYEES WHO WAS A YOUNG MAN THAT WAS BLIND.
I SPENT SEVERAL MINUTES TALKING TO HIM, AND IT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO ME.
HE HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION, A LOT OF SERVICES, PRODUCTS, AND, UH, OUTREACH.
AND I JUST WANTED TO HAVE HIM COME AND GIVE US A PRESENTATION THIS MORNING.
SO IT'S VALUABLE INFORMATION, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO ASK.
SO I JUST WANNA START BY THANKING YOU, UH, FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT AMBITION DALLAS.
UM, WELL, I'M GONNA START BY GIVING YOU UNDERSTANDING OF
[00:45:01]
AMBITION DALLAS, UH, AMBITION DALLAS.UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NEED TO CLARIFY IS THAT WE USED TO BE KNOWN AS THE DALLAS LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND.
I DON'T KNOW IF, IS, IS ANYONE IN HERE FAMILIAR WITH THE DALLAS LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND? SO, UH, AMBITION DALLAS, UH, TOOK OVER THE DALLAS, UH, LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND BACK IN 2018.
UH, AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, WE, WE FOUND OUT THAT THE DALLAS LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND WASN'T REALLY MEETING THEIR GOALS.
SO WE DECIDED TO STEP IN AND BASICALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, WE TOOK OVER, YOU KNOW, UM, AND WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES SINCE 2018 IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
NOW, ENVISION DALLAS, UH, NOT ONLY DO WE SERVE, UH, DALLAS COUNTY, BUT ALSO WE SERVE A TOTAL OF 10 COUNTIES IN THE DFW.
I DON'T HAVE THE ACTUAL LIST WITH ME TODAY, BUT AS SOME OF THE COMMON COUNTIES THAT WE SERVE ARE COLLIN, YOU KNOW, WHICH YOU GUYS ARE, I'M SURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH COLLIN COUNTY DENTON.
UM, WE ALSO SERVE SOME COUNTIES TOWARDS THE SOUTH, LIKE ELLIS NAVARRO.
SO, UH, WE ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
NOW, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO AMBITION DALLAS, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE IS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DO, UH, AT OUR, AT OUR FACILITY AND SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
BUT ONE OF OUR MAIN FOCUS, UH, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE FOCUS ON IS PROVIDING SERVICES TO SENIOR CITIZENS.
UH, AS YOU GUYS PROBABLY KNOW, UH, ONE OF THE COMMONALITIES, UH, WITH SENIOR CITIZENS IS THAT AS THEY AGE, THEY TEND TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VISION.
SO, UM, OFTENTIMES THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET SOME ASSISTANCE OR THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET SOME HELP.
SO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THAT IS WHY WE ARE THERE, YOU KNOW, TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
UH, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS GIVE YOU A, UM, KIND OF, OF A RUNDOWN OF HOW OUR REHABILITATION SERVICES, HOW THEY WORK.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKE US, UH, UNIQUE IS THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A LOW VISION SPECIALIST THAT IS PART OF OUR CENTER.
SO THE LOW VISION SPECIALIST IS USUALLY, UH, THE INITIAL POINT OF CONTACT THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THE PATIENT OR THE CLIENT, AND SHE WILL DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, WHAT TYPE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, MEDICAL SERVICES, MEDICAL CARE THEY COULD BENEFIT FROM.
AND THEN BASED ON THAT, SHE CREATE, SHE CREATES A PLAN OF MEDICAL CARE.
NOW, UH, AFTER SHE DOES THAT, UH, WHAT, WHAT OUR, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR MODEL IS, WE CALL IT THE, UH, COMPREHENSIVE CARE MODEL, WHICH THEN SHE'S ABLE TO PROVIDE REFERRALS TO OTHER PROVIDERS WITHIN OUR CLINIC.
SO WITHIN OUR CLINIC, WE HAVE AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST THAT IS ABLE TO MEET WITH A CLIENT OR THE PATIENT AND SHE CAN PROVIDE SERVICES TO THEM.
NOW, WHEN IT COMES TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES INDIVIDUALS ASSOCIATE ASSOCIATE OCCUPATION WITH EMPLOYMENT, OR THERE'S SOME TYPE OF WORK COMPONENT THAT IS RELATED TO THAT.
AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE WITH US.
SO THE WAY THAT SHE DESCRIBES OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IS THAT SHE WILL WORK WITH YOU ON ANYTHING THAT OCCUPIES YOUR TIME.
OF COURSE, THAT COULD INCLUDE EMPLOYMENT, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR SENIOR POPULATION, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE SOMEONE THAT JUST WANTS TO BE MORE INDEPENDENT.
YOU KNOW, THEY ARE WANTING TO DO, YOU KNOW, SIMPLE THINGS, UH, SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE NE THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, BEING ABLE TO GO TO A GROCERY STORE, UH, BEING ABLE TO ATTEND, UH, RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AT THE LOCAL SENIOR CENTER.
SO SHE'S ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE FOR THE CLIENT, UH, ON A ONE-ON-ONE BASIS, DEPENDING ON THE GOAL THAT THEY HAVE IN MIND.
SO WE HAVE AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST THAT IS PART OF OUR STAFF.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE TWO ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TRAINERS.
AND THESE ARE ACTUALLY THE INDIVIDUALS THAT MEET WITH A CLIENT AND THEY PROVIDE TRAINING ON THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY.
AND THAT COULD BE ANYTHING FROM, UH, THE USE OF A SMARTPHONE SUCH AS AN IPHONE OR AN ANDROID.
AND, AND THAT'S SOMETIMES CAN BE A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR AGING POPULATION.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT TRAINING TO THEM, YOU KNOW, UH, AND THOSE SERVICES, YOU KNOW, ALL THE SERVICES THAT ARE, THAT I'M DESCRIBING, THEY CAN BE PROVIDED AT NO COST, UH, TO OUR CLIENTS AND, AND OUR SENIOR POPULATION.
SO THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE ASSISTED TECHNOLOGY TRAINING ON A ONE-ON-ONE BASIS.
YOU KNOW, UH, IT COULD BE SOMETHING, UH, AS SIMPLE AS THE USE OF A CELL PHONE.
IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS MORE COMPLEX, UH, SUCH AS THE USE OF A COMPUTER, COMPUTER PROGRAMS. UM, PERHAPS IT COULD BE A SENIOR CITIZEN THAT WANTS TO LEARN, YOU KNOW, HOW TO USE, YOU KNOW, MICROSOFT APPLICATIONS,
[00:50:01]
YOU KNOW, WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT.SO WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO THEM.
THE SAME THING IF WE HAVE, UH, AN AGING, UH, CLIENT OR PATIENT, YOU KNOW, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH SCREEN READERS, UH, WITH SCREEN READERS IS OFTEN USED AS A TOOL FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND.
AND THEY BASICALLY, WHAT IT DOES, IT READ TO YOU WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU, AND IT TELLS YOU SPECIFICALLY THESE ARE THE THINGS IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU KNOW, ON THE SCREEN OF THE COMPUTER.
SO THAT WAY YOU'RE ABLE TO NAVIGATE IT AND BE ABLE TO BE FUNCTIONAL, YOU KNOW, WITH THE USE OF THE TECHNOLOGY, OF THE TECHNOLOGY.
SO WE CAN ALSO PROVIDE THAT TYPE OF TRAINING.
UM, UH, PART OF OUR STAFF, WE ALSO HAVE TWO INDEPENDENT LEADING SKILLS TRAINERS.
AND THE INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILL TRAINER IS BASICALLY SOMEONE THAT WILL GO TO YOUR HOME AND THEY WILL TEACH YOU VERY SPECIFIC SKILLS TO HELP YOU REMAIN INDEPENDENT.
UH, WITH OUR SENIOR POPULATION, OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE LOSING THEIR VISION, IT BECOMES MORE OF A CHALLENGE, UH, DOING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ACCUSTOMED TO DO, SUCH AS COOKING, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO NOW THEY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.
YOU KNOW, UH, I DON'T RECALL IF I LEFT THE STOVE, UH, ON, SO WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE A TRAINING, YOU KNOW, FOR SAFE SAFETY WHEN IT COMES TO COOKING, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THEIR LIVING ENVIRONMENTS ARE SAFE, FREE OF HAZARDS.
UM, WE CAN ALSO PROVIDE TRAINING ON HOW TO HELP THEM GET THEIR LIVING, UH, ENVIRONMENTS ORGANIZED, ESPECIALLY IF IT IS SOMEONE THAT HAS BEEN WITH, UM, A VISUAL IMPROVEMENT FOR SOME TIME AND THEY HAVE CONCERNS.
YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T RECALL WHERE I, UH, I PLACED MY, MY CLOTHING.
I DON'T RECALL WHERE I PLACED MY, UH, CLEANING SUPPLIES.
SO WE CAN HELP WITH GETTING THEIR LIVING ENVIRONMENT ORGANIZED.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO TRAINERS THAT WILL GO TO YOUR HOME.
UH, THEY WILL PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TWO ORIENTATIONAL MOBILITY TRAINERS.
AND ORIENTATIONAL MOBILITY TRAINER IS SOMEONE THAT TEACHES YOU HOW TO USE THE WHITE CANE THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED USED TO NAVIGATE THEIR ENVIRONMENTS.
UH, WHICH OFTENTIMES IT IS NOT A, A SKILL THAT YOU CAN JUST SIMPLY FIND SOMEONE, UH, READILY AVAILABLE THAT CAN PROVIDE THAT SERVICE TO YOU.
BUT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE A Y KING TRAINING, UH, TO ANYONE.
UH, YOU KNOW, IF I'M BEING HONEST, THE MAJORITY OF OUR CLIENTS THAT BENEFIT FROM THE USE OF THE WHITE CANE ARE ACTUALLY SENIOR CITIZENS, INDIVIDUALS OVER THE AGE OF 55.
UM, AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, YOU KNOW, UH, PART OF OUR TEAM, WE ALSO HAVE A CLINIC COORDINATOR.
AND THAT'S THE INDIVIDUAL THAT WHENEVER SOMEONE CALLS US AND THEY WANT TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR SERVICES, HOW TO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS, AND SHE'S THE ONE THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT TAKES CARE OF GETTING THE PATIENT OR THE CLIENT'S SCHEDULE FOR APPOINTMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS.
THEY CAN BE CONDUCTED AT OUR FACILITY, INFORMANCE BRANCH.
BUT IF I'M BEING HONEST, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY ABOUT 80% OF WHAT WE DO IS IN THE CLIENT'S HOME OR OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO ACTUALLY COME TO THE CLIENT RATHER THAN HAVING A CLIENT COME TO US.
'CAUSE SOMETIMES TRANSPORTATION CAN BE A BARRIER, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, UH, AGING POPULATION THAT WE SERVE.
UH, SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT I JUST WANTED TO DISCUSS WITH YOU, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO HOW WE PROVIDE SERVICES, THE FUNDING FOR THE SERVICES, UH, WE GET FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN SOURCES OF FUNDING THAT ALLOW US, UH, TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND WE HAVE MULTIPLE GRANTS.
SO, UH, I'M NOT GONNA BORE YOU WITH ALL THE GRANTS THAT WE HAVE, BUT THE MAJORITY OF WHAT WE DO, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING SERVICES, IT COMES THROUGH THROUGH GRANTS.
UH, WE HAVE A, UH, VERY SPECIFIC GRANT THAT IS CALLED SERVING OUR SENIORS.
NOW THE SERVING OUR SENIORS OR SOS GRANT, IT IS A GRANT THAT WE RECEIVE THROUGH THE DALLAS AREA AGENCY ON AGING, WHICH ALLOW US TO PROVIDE SERVICES, UH, TO ANYONE IN DALLAS COUNTY.
AND THAT INCLUDES, OF COURSE, THE CITY OF GARLAND, ANYONE WITHIN DALLAS COUNTY THAT IS OVER AT THE AGE OF 60, THAT, THAT NEED US TO COME OUT AND DO AN ASSESSMENT OF THEIR LIVING SITUATION.
AND THEN BASED ON THAT ASSESSMENT, WE CAN DETERMINE HOW THEY CAN BENEFIT FROM THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT, WE CAN CREATE A, UH, A PLAN OF CARE, UH, TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THAT INDIVIDUAL.
AND THAT COULD BE ANYTHING FROM, UH, INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS TRAINING.
IT COULD BE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL MIGHT HAVE TO SEE OR LOW VISION SPECIALIST.
[00:55:01]
GET REFERRED TO SEE OUR LOW VISION SPECIALIST IN OUR CLINIC.UH, IT COULD BE THAT THEY COULD BENEFIT FROM US ASSIST TECHNOLOGY TRAINING, ORIENTATION, AND MOBILITY TRAINING, UH, THE USE OF THE Y CAN.
SO, UM, SO WE ARE, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE, UH, THE RELATIONSHIP OR THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DALLAS AREA AGENCY ON AGING BECAUSE IT ALLOWS TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES AT NO COST, UH, TO OUR SENIOR CITIZENS IN DALLAS COUNTY.
BUT, BUT OFTENTIMES IT IS A, A SERVICE THAT A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS DON'T KNOW ABOUT.
SO WE, WE DO QUITE A BIT OF OUTREACH.
UH, WE DO QUITE A BIT OF, UH, UH, WE, WE, WE TRY TO STAY ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY TO BRING AWARENESS ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
BUT IF YOU GUYS COME ACROSS ANYONE THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM, FROM OUR SERVICES, BY ALL MEANS, YOU KNOW, HAVE THEM REACH OUT TO US.
NOW, UM, I DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, A, A POWERPOINT PREPARED, BUT, UH, ONE FACT THAT I WANTED TO DISCUSS WITH YOU GUYS, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW HOW, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW IMPORTANT, UH, THESE SERVICES ARE TO OUR AGING POPULATION.
UH, ONE OF THE, THE MAIN CHALLENGES AS WE AGE IS THAT, AS I WAS TELLING YOU BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WE TEND TO EXPERIENCE MORE PROBLEMS WITH OUR VISION.
OKAY? SO IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, AS WE AGE, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE OVER AT THE AGE OF 60, ABOUT 85% OF THEM WILL EXPERIENCE SOME TYPE OF VISION LOSS AS THEY GET OLDER.
UH, IT WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THEIR ABILITY TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY.
SO JUST BASED ON THAT FACT, YOU KNOW, THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE ARE REALLY NEEDED OUT IN, IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
ANOTHER FACT THAT I, I WILL SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT, UM, ACCORDING TO, YOU KNOW, A REPORT THAT CAME OUT RECENTLY FROM THE TEXAS GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE, SOME PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHEN IT COMES TO THE AGING POPULATION IN TEXAS, ABOUT, AND IT'S A VERY SMALL NUMBER ABOUT ONLY 1% OF OUR AGING POPULATION KNOWS OF PLACES WHERE THEY CAN GET TRAINING ON THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY.
OKAY? AND THE REASON WHY I EMPHASIZE TECHNOLOGY IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES, THEY LIKE TO SAY, THIS IS ACTUALLY THE BEST TIME TO BE SOMEONE WHO IS BLIND, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY ADVANCES WITH TECHNOLOGY.
YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, I KNOW THE MAYOR WAS TALKING ABOUT AI.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT APPS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLADDER ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED NOWADAYS.
THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE OF BENEFIT.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OUT THERE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE META GLASSES.
THE META GLASSES ARE A HOT TOPIC RIGHT NOW.
HOW DO YOU SPELL THAT? META META.
SO THE META, SO THE, SO META GLASSES, WELL, EVEN THOUGH META GLASSES, UH, WERE NOT CREATED WITH A PURPOSE OF, UH, ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLADDER OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED, THEY DO PROVIDE A LOT OF BENEFITS IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCED IN VISION LOSS.
SO IT ACTUALLY WILL GIVE YOU A PRETTY GOOD DESCRIPTION OF WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU.
IT WILL TELL YOU WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE SEEING, YOU KNOW, META, UH, WELL, THE META GLASSES, THEY, THEY, THEY DO HAVE SOME GLITCHES THAT THEY, THEY HAVE TO WORK THROUGH.
BUT IT IS VERY EFFICIENT IN GIVING YOU SOME PRETTY DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF WHAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND IT CAN BE EASILY ACCESSED THROUGH YOUR PHONE, THROUGH THE USE OF BLUETOOTH.
IT CAN BE EASILY CONNECTED THAT WAY.
BUT, UH, A LOT OF OUR CLIENTS, ESPECIALLY OUR AGING POPULATION, THEY ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE META GLASSES.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A TRAINING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE.
SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
BUT, UH, BUT ONLY ABOUT 1% OF OUR AGING POPULATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS KNOW OF PLACES WHERE THEY CAN GO AND GET ASSISTED TECHNOLOGY TRAINING.
SO, UM, WITH THAT SAID, I, I'M TRYING TO THINK IF I MAY HAVE MISSED ANYTHING.
UM, YEAH, JUST ONE LAST THING.
YOU KNOW, WITH AMBITION DALLAS, YOU KNOW, BESIDES PROVIDING THE, UH, THE WONDERFUL SERVICES THAT I JUST MENTIONED, WE ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF, UM, EXPANDING THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING THAT WE OFFER AND THAT COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING IS GOING TO EXTEND, UH, TO OUR SENIOR POPULATION OR SENIOR CITIZENS.
UH, A FEW THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON AT OUR LOCATION IN FARMERS BRANCH RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, RECURRING, UM, CLASSES THAT ANYONE CAN ATTEND.
UH, WE HAVE A RECURRING CLASS, UH, FOR SCULPTING, WHICH IS BIG, YOU KNOW, WITH THE POPULATION THAT WE SERVE, BECAUSE THE WAY THAT YOU DO THIS, THIS SCULPTING, YOU KNOW, IT IS VERY TACTILE.
[01:00:01]
IT APPEALS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR RACIALLY IMPAIRED.SO IT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF, UH, A PRETTY GOOD SENSE OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE RIGHT INSTRUCTION AND GUIDANCE, UH, FROM THE PROVIDERS OF THE CLASS.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE ALSO OFFER A RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING, SUCH AS BINGO NIGHTS, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE THAT ONCE A MONTH AT OUR CENTER.
AND THEN IN THE COMING MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, SUCH AS, UH, CREATING CLASSES OR GROUPS, YOU KNOW, JUST TO HAVE PEOPLE COME OUT AND, AND, AND TALK ABOUT ISSUES THAT ARE OF IMPORTANCE TO THEM, YOU KNOW, UH, SUPPORT GROUPS, WHICH ARE OFTEN SCARCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED.
UM, WE INTEND TO ALSO HAVE CLASSES OR GROUPS ON FINANCIAL LITERACY.
UH, I KNOW THE, UH, THE OFFICER THAT WAS JOINING US EARLIER, SHE MENTIONED SCAMS, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MAIN TOPICS THAT WE ADDRESS, UH, THROUGH FINANCIAL LITERACY.
YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY THAT, BUT BUDGETING, YOU KNOW, UH, SOME OF THE COMMON, YOU KNOW, SCAMS THAT SENIOR CITIZENS COME ACROSS, FRAUD, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
UH, HOW TO BETTER BUDGET, ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME, IF YOU'RE RECIPIENT OF, YOU KNOW, BENEFITS, RETIREMENT AND SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SUCH AS SSDI OR SSI, UH, WE PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, ASSISTANCE ON FINANCIAL LITERACY WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPE OF TOPICS.
AND THEN, UH, WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING WHAT WE'RE DOING, UH, FROM A COMMUNITY PROGRAM STANDPOINT.
SO, UM, SO WHAT I'LL DO, I'LL KEEP IN TOUCH WITH MS. KATHLEEN SO THAT WAY I CAN MAKE HER AWARE OF ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT WILL BE HAPPENING IN THE COMING MONTHS.
BUT, UM, IF YOU GUYS, UH, COME ACROSS, YOU KNOW, ANY SENIOR CITIZENS, ANYONE THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM OUR BENEFITS, THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM OUR SERVICES, UH, THEY'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO GET IN CONTACT WITH US.
SO DO YOU HAVE A CARD WITH THAT? OH, YES, MA'AM.
SO THAT WE CAN BEHIND, UH, BEHIND OUR MINUTES FOR THE SEVENTH IS, UH, A LOT OF INFORMATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOT HIS NAME ON IT OR NOT.
SO I'M LEAVING YOU GUYS, UH, MY BUSINESS CARDS.
I ALSO BROUGHT SOME ADDITIONAL BROCHURES AND THEN, AND JUST IN CASE I BROUGHT THE SAME ONE PAGER, THAT'S PART OF THE, THE AGENDA THAT YOU GUYS HAVE.
YOU HAVE A QUESTION? SO, I'M A PHYSICAL THERAPIST AND, UH, MANY YEARS AGO I HAD A, A STUDENT, A STRAIGHT A STUDENT, SHE HAD A MASTER'S PROGRAM ONE SEMESTER LEFT OKAY.
AND SHE QUIT AND SAID, I WANNA BE AN ORIENTATION SPECIALIST.
I JUST FEEL BETTER SUITED AND ALL, AND I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED, THEN I NEVER ASKED HER.
AND I SAW HER MANY YEARS AFTER THAT, AND SHE WAS SO HAPPY WITH HER CHOICE MM-HMM
AND, UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST A SURPRISE TO ME AFTER THAT COMMITMENT FOR SO LONG THAT THEN THE CHANGE.
WHAT'S THE TRAINING FOR AN ORIENTATION MOBILITY? YES, MA'AM.
WELL, YOU HAVE TO HAVE NUMBER ONE, A MASTER'S DEGREE.
A MASTER'S DEGREE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION.
NOW, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THERE ARE ONLY TWO, UH, UNIVERSITIES.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE QUALIFIED TO DO.
THE, UH, THE TRAINING FOR THAT.
AND THAT IS TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY, UHHUH AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS.
AND BECAUSE THERE ARE, UM, RIGHT NOW WITH CHANGES IN PAYMENTS, INSURANCE AND THAT SORT OF THING, A LOT OF PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANTS WHO DO ONLY HAVE AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE, BUT HAVE A LOT OF SKILLS OH, YES, MA'AM.
AND, UM, AND THE JOB OPPORTUNITIES ARE DECREASING FOR THEM.
AND THEY ASK ME, SOMETIMES I HAVE A LOT OF FORMER STUDENTS, AND THEY'LL ASK ME, UM, WHAT MIGHT BE SOME OPPORTUNITIES AND MM-HMM
AND COULD YOU JUST, UH, PAY SCALE ABOUT, OR DO WE, DO WE NEED MORE ORIENTATION? OH, YES, WE DO.
THAT'S ACTUALLY A PROFESSION WHERE, UM, THERE IS A, THERE IS A BIG NEED FOR ORIENTATION MOBILITY TRAINERS, UH, NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, TO PROVIDE SERVICES, UH, THROUGH AGENCIES SUCH AS INVASION DALLAS, BUT ALSO, UH, FOR PROGRAMMING THAT IS PROVIDED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.
NOW, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVEN'T MENTIONED IS THAT WE ARE, WE'RE ALSO A CONTRACTOR OF THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION.
I DUNNO IF YOU GUYS ARE AWARE THAT TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION HAS AND OLDER INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS OVER THE AGE OF 55 WHO ARE BLIND.
AND BASICALLY THE STATE CAN PROVIDE A LOT OF THE SERVICES THAT I MENTIONED AT NO COST, UH, TO THEIR CLIENT, OR, YOU KNOW, THEY USE A TERMINOLOGY CUSTOMER, BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY A, A CONTRACTOR OF THE STATE.
SO THEY ACTUALLY PAY US TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS, UM, NOT ONLY IN THE DFW, BUT WE, WE, WE CAN PRETTY MUCH TRAVEL ANYWHERE IN THE STATE
[01:05:01]
TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.BUT, BUT THE ORIENTATION, MOBILITY PROFESSION, THERE ARE VERY FEW INDIVIDUALS, AND THERE IS A HUGE NEED FOR THAT.
NOT ONLY FROM AGENCIES LIKE OURS, THE STATE OF TEXAS, THEY THEMSELVES, THEY HAVE ORIENTATION MOBILITY TRAINERS, UH, THE LOCAL ISDS.
UM, EACH IS SD IS REQUIRED TO HAVE, UH, AT LEAST ONE OR A FEW ORIENTATIONAL MOBILITY TRAINERS.
UH, SO A LOT OF THEM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHAT OF A, OF A CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW, KEEPING ORIENTATIONAL MOBILITY TRAINERS OR HIRING BECAUSE THEY, THEY'RE SO SCARCE.
BUT THAT, THAT THERE IS A BIG, BIG NEED FOR FOR THEM.
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT YOUR CLASSES.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO BRING THEM TO OUR SENIOR CENTER? WE COULD DO THAT ONCE A YEAR, TWICE A YEAR, SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YES, MA'AM.
WE CAN, UH, WELL, JUST, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT FINANCIAL LITERACY.
UH, WE HAVE A, UM, A COLLABORATION OR A PARTNERSHIP WITH BANK OF AMERICA, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY RIGHT NOW TO COME TO OUR CENTER, UH, THE WAY THAT WE ESTABLISH THAT RELATIONSHIP IS, YOU KNOW, FLEXIBLE IN THE SENSE THAT THEY HAVE MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS THAT COULD FACILITATE THE, UH, UH, FINANCIAL LITERACY, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMMING AND PRESENTATIONS AND WHATNOT.
AND THEY CAN PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, GO ANYWHERE IN, IN DALLAS COUNTY.
SO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, DO YOU PROVIDE ANY ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS? MAYBE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY MIGHT NEED A A MM-HMM
A WATCH THAT WILL SPEAK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IS THAT AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE? IT DEPENDS.
YOU KNOW, UH, WE DO HAVE A, A GRANT THAT CAN PROVIDE THAT SERVICE, BUT BECAUSE IT IS A LIMITED, BECAUSE WE HAVE LIMITED FUNDING TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE, WHAT WE DO IS RELY ON OTHER PROGRAMS THAT COULD ALSO PROVIDE THE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE CLIENT.
I DON'T, ARE YOU GUYS FAMILIAR WITH THE STAFF PROGRAM THAT IS RUN BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO OBTAIN A, UH, PIECE OF EQUIPMENT AS ASSIST TECHNOLOGY AT NO COST.
BUT, BUT THE, THE CAVEAT IS THAT YOU CAN ONLY QUALIFY FOR IT EVERY FIVE YEARS.
AND IT COULD BE SOME, IT COULD BE A, A SMARTPHONE.
OFTEN TIMES, DEPENDING ON THE DISABILITY THAT YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO IS, YOU KNOW, VISUALLY IMPAIRED, UH, IF YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, BLESS IF YOU'RE HARD OF HEARING, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT DEVICES THAT POTENTIALLY YOU COULD, YOU COULD OBTAIN, UH, WITH WITHOUT AGING POPULATION, YOU KNOW, IF THEY REQUIRE THE USE OF, UH, C CT B MM-HMM
DEVICE OR A, OR EVEN A PHONE THAT PROVIDES THAT, THAT THAT TYPE OF SERVICE, UH, THE STATE OF TEXAS CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE THAT TO YOU AT NO COST.
AND, UH, AND I CAN DEFINITELY SEND MS CATHOLIC MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT.
BUT ALL THAT IT TAKES IS AN APPLICATION THAT HAS TO BE COMPLETED, AND THEN THE, UH, CLIENT OR THE PATIENT NEEDS TO GET CERTIFICATION FROM SOMEONE WHO IS QUALIFIED.
UH, WHICH IT'S ACTUALLY A, A LONG LIST OF INDIVIDUALS.
SO, UH, SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF OPTIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE A CERTIFIER AND WE ALSO, UH, COLLABORATE WITH, UM, SOME OF THE, THE ENTITIES OR AGENCIES THAT DISPENSE THE EQUIPMENT.
WE DON'T DISPENSE THE EQUIPMENT.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC VENDORS THAT WILL DISPENSE THE EQUIPMENT, THE CLIENT, BUT WE, WE HAVE COLLABORATIONS WITH LOCAL VENDORS THAT DISPENSE THE EQUIPMENT.
WE APPRECIATE A SON WITH CEREBRAL PALSY.
BUT HE HAD, HE HAD NORMAL VISION, BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE HEAD CONTROL, SO HE COULDN'T READ BECAUSE HE COULDN'T KEEP HIS EYES ON THE PAGE.
AND, UM, UH, UH, THE LIGHTHOUSE PROVIDED, UH, THINGS FOR HIM, SUPPORT FOR HIM, SO HE COULD, I MEAN, HE WENT TO COLLEGE BECAUSE OF Y'ALL.
HE COULD SUCCESSFULLY MANAGE THAT BY HIMSELF.
SO, UM, THE SERVICES ARE TERRIFIC.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH ONCE AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
WE ARE GOING TO SHUFFLE AND MOVE THE SENIOR REPORTS UP NEXT SO THAT OUR
WE'LL PASS, PASS THIS OUT AFTER THEM.
[01:10:05]
WE'VE GOT D AND J.SO WE'VE GOT DJ, DJ, I GOT TO TAKE YOUR GO FIRST THEN I'LL TAKE GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? PULL IT TO YOU A LITTLE BIT.
UM, FIRST OFF, WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT OUR NEW CENTER.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU PASSED IT COMING IN OR NOT, BUT IT LOOKS REALLY GREAT.
CONSTRUCTION IS MOVING ALONG AND WE ARE ANTICIPATING OPENING STILL ON SCHEDULE.
UM, WE HAVE HAD SOME RAIN DELAYS, BUT IT STILL LOOKS REALLY GOOD.
UM, SO THIS YEAR WE, UM, OUR TRIPS ARE, WE ARE STILL GOING TO BILOXI IN JULY, UM, WITH A DAY TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS.
UM, THE RHINE AND AMSTERDAM RIVER CRUISE.
I THINK WE HAVE ONE, ONE OR TWO SPOTS LEFT.
IRISH SPLENDOR, UH, SPAIN, UH, GREECE IS COMING IN 27 27.
WE'VE ALREADY, WE'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT THAT AND GO, WOW.
UH, AND THEN WE'RE HEADED TO BOSTON, SALEM AND NEW HAMPSHIRE AND THE WHITE MOUNTAINS IN 27 AS WELL.
UM, OUR GRUB CLUB, UH, FOR THIS MONTH IS HAM ORCHARDS.
UM, THEY JUST LEFT THIS MORNING AND WE HAVE IT ON GOOD AUTHORITY THAT THE PEACHES ARE THERE,
AND THEY JUST GOT 'EM IN THAT, THAT'S GOTTA EXACTLY RIGHT.
WE HEARD THAT IT'S GOTTA BE ON TUESDAY.
SO THEY WERE VERY EXCITED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GET THE PEACHES.
UM, AND I HEAR THEY HAVE GOOD BARBECUE TOO.
OH, SUCH GOOD BARBECUE AND ICE CREAM.
SO IT, IT'S A BIG, THEY GO HANDS EVERY YEAR.
EVERY, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE'VE GONE FOR A GRUB CLUB.
SO, UM, AND WE HAVE A CASINO TRIP, UH, THIS MONTH ON THE 25TH TO CHOCTAW HA UH HA.
ITS MOTORCYCLES AND SOME OTHER KIND OF VEHICLES.
UM, WE HAVE OUR MYSTERY DAY TRIP, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU WHERE WE'RE GOING.
THAT TAKES ALL THE FUN OUT OF IT.
UH, AND THEN, UH, ROUNDING OUT IN SEPTEMBER, THE HERITAGE FARMSTEAD MUSEUM TRIP.
IF YOU WANT TO GIVE ME SOME MONEY, I WILL TELL YOU WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
UM, SO WE ARE EXCITED, UH, THIS MONTH, ACTUALLY TUESDAY WE STARTED OUR FIRST CLASS FOR TECH TIPS FOR SENIORS.
AND, UM, THE FIRST CLASS WAS QR CODES.
UH, SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, SOME OF YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH THEM.
WE FIND THAT A LOT OF OUR MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, AND THEY MAY BE KIND OF LIKE ME AND JUST NOT REALLY THAT INTERESTED, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO HELP THEM MOVE INTO THE 21ST CENTURY.
UM, WE HAVE A COLLEGE STUDENT WHO, UH, WE FOUND THROUGH OUR VOLUNTEER GARLAND.ORG, UM, WITH HOST, HOST WAY.
HE WAS VERY ACTIVE HELPING US FIND SOMEONE.
AND, UM, SHE WAS VERY EXCITED.
I HEAR THE CLASS WENT REALLY WELL.
UM, FORTUNATELY FOR HER, AFTER THAT CLASS, WE HAVE SCHEDULED A TECH CLINIC SO OUR MEMBERS COULD ASK HER ABOUT THEIR TABLETS, THEIR PHONES, THEIR COMPUTERS, AND I HEAR SHE HAD QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WANTING THAT HELP.
SO WE MAY HAVE TO START LIKE A REGISTRATION TO KEEP HER FROM BEING INUNDATED WITH TOO MUCH DEMAND AND NOT ENOUGH TIME.
BUT OUR NEXT, UM, TECH TIP CLASS IS ON THE 23RD, AND IT'S PROTECTING PERSONAL INFORMATION ONLINE.
UM, SO WE THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND.
UM, YOU CAN GO SHOPPING ONLINE, YOU CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS ONLINE, BUT YOU COULD INADVERTENTLY OPEN A VIRUS OR GIVE OUT INFORMATION YOU DON'T WANT TO.
SO SHE'S GOING TO HELP THEM WITH THAT.
UM, OUR CHILDREN'S CHOIR WILL BE HERE NEXT TUESDAY, I THINK IT IS, ON, UM, THE NINTH PERFORMING FOR US.
THAT'S A BIG DRAW FOR OUR MEMBERS.
[01:15:01]
A GROUP OF STUDENTS, UM, WHO ARE LEARNING.AND WE ARE THEIR PRACTICED AUDIENCE, AND OUR MEMBERS ARE REALLY GOOD ABOUT BEING POLITE AND COURTEOUS AND APPLAUDING THEM AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO CONTINUE.
NUTRITION ED THIS MONTH FOR US IS PICK A BETTER SNACK.
WE HAVE OUR BIG FATHER'S DAY LUNCH ON THE 18TH.
UM, THAT WILL BE A VERY FUN DAY FOR OUR FATHERS.
UM, I TALKED ABOUT TECH TIPS ON THE 23RD.
OUR PAINT WITH ANA CLASS IS ON THE 26TH AT NOON.
UM, WE ARE HAVING OUR 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION AT THE END OF JUNE BECAUSE WE WILL BE BUSY ON THE THIRD, UM, WORKING.
UM, SO WE DIDN'T WANT TWO BIG EVENTS AT THE SAME TIME FOR OUR STAFF AND, UM, MEMBERS.
AND THEN, UM, ANNUAL TALENT SHOW IS AUGUST 11TH.
WE NEED PEOPLE TO SIGN UP AND I HAVE TOLD THEM IF THEY DON'T, I WILL RANDOMLY PICK THEM OUT AND ASSIGN THEM A TALENT FOR THEM TO PERFORM.
THEY, THEY ENJOYED IT LAST YEAR.
I'M SURE WE'LL GET MORE PEOPLE TO SIGN UP.
THE CENTER LOOKS SO MUCH BETTER THAN THIS NOW.
AND I WILL GET BY THERE AND GET A NEWER PICTURE FOR YOU GUYS SOON, FOR NEXT MONTH.
AND THEN THE, THIS IS JUST PICTURES, UM, FROM DIFFERENT EVENTS IN, UM, THE CENTER.
UM, WE HAD, UM, A PRESENTATION LATE LAST MONTH ON THE 28TH.
IT WAS CALLED ATTITUDE WITH GRATITUDE.
UM, WE HAD A GUEST SPEAKER, HE CAME IN, HE PERFORMED, HE SANG, AND HE IS, UM, INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER AND THEY HAD A GREAT TIME.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THIS PICTURE RIGHT HERE WITH THE PAPER BAGS, THOSE WERE HATS THAT OUR SENIORS CREATED.
WE GOT THAT IDEA FROM, I THINK OUR TRUNK AND HUNT.
THE KIDS DID THAT AND WE LOVED IT.
AND OUR MEMBERS ENJOYED DOING THAT TOO.
SO, UH, YEP, THAT'S CINCO DE MAYO.
AND THEN, UM, THIS IS A PICTURE FROM THE AM AMEN.
CARTER BLACK PHOTOJOURNALIST EXHIBIT.
OUR MEMBERS WENT TO, THEY ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH, AND ONCE THEY, WE HAD A GUIDED TOUR THROUGH THAT EXHIBIT.
AND THEN THEY WERE FREE AFTER THAT TO, UM, EXPLORE THE REST OF THE, UM, MUSEUM UNTIL WE LEFT.
AND THEN THIS IS JUST ANOTHER, UM, PHOTOS FROM OUR WASHINGTON DC TRIP.
WE ARE ON ONWARD FOR THE NEXT TRIP IN, UH, JULY.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UM, BOTH OF YOU LADIES TO WORK WITH VENITA ON, UH, THE, THE SENIORS IN THE KNOW ABOUT THE HEALTH FAIR.
SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE IMMINENT, BUT OKAY.
WE WANNA BE SURE THAT'S IN THE SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER.
AND WILL A RUBBER DUCKY DEW FOR A BRIBE.
YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TOLD HER IT WAS A RUBBER DOWN.
YOU GIVING ME THAT LONG THING? HER, UH, JEEP? OH.
I DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE, I NO LONGER HAVE A JEEP ANYMORE.
I DRIVE A, UM, HYUNDAI ELECTRA.
UNFORTUNATELY HE THINKS HE'S MY BOSS APPARENTLY, EVEN THOUGH I WAS BORN FIRST.
CAN EVERYBODY SEE THAT? I KNOW IT'S BLACK BUT BLACKED AS WELL FOR MY EYEBALLS.
CAN EVERYBODY SEE THAT? ALRIGHT.
UM, YES, WE'RE JUST GONNA START.
UM, SO, UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS GOING ON AT CARVER.
UH, THE BIGGEST THING I WANNA POINT OUT IS TODAY WE LEFT FOR OUR FIRST INTERNATIONAL TRIP.
SO, UM, I TOLD CARLA TO SEND ME A PICTURE OF THEM.
SHE SAID THEY WERE ALL SLEEPING
SO, UH, THEY ARE ON THEIR WAY TO CANADA.
[01:20:01]
BE REALLY EXCITING.UM, THIS IS OUR FIRST TRIP THAT WE'RE NOT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
UM, BUT WE'RE GOING RIGHT ABOVE.
UM, THEY LEFT AT EIGHT O'CLOCK THIS MORNING AND THEY WILL BE BACK ON JUNE 15TH.
UM, SO WHILE THEY'RE GONE, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING A COUPLE OF THINGS AT THE CENTER.
UM, WE HAVE A DISCO GLOW BACK IN THE BACK IN TIME PARTY, WHICH IS BASICALLY A SENIOR RAVE WHERE
UM, SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE BLACK LIGHTS, UH, EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE GLOW.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME PARTY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE FOAM, UM, LIKE ONE OF THE LITTLE FOAM THINGIES THAT'LL BE OUTSIDE.
UH, BUBBLE MACHINE AND MUSIC AND DANCING.
YOU KNOW, JUST SOME OF THE SENIORS HAVE NEVER BEEN TO A RAVE BEFORE, SO WE'RE GONNA GO TO A RAVE.
UM, SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN US, UM, YOU HAVE TO WEAR WHITE, UM, FOR THE BLACK LIGHT.
UM, SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN US, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU.
IT'S ON THE 26TH, THE LAST FRIDAY IN THIS MONTH AT NINE 30.
SO COME FROM WINTER DANCING SHOES.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, TWO MORE CASINO TRIPS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, UH, SEPTEMBER 15TH AND NOVEMBER 10TH.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING MOVIE DAYS AT THE CENTER, UM, JUST TO KIND OF TAKE A, A CALMING WITH SUMMER CAMP GOING ON, UM, AND NOT OVERUSING OUR BUSES AND OUR DRIVERS AND STUFF.
SO, UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE MOVIE DAYS.
UM, THE LAST MOVIE DAY, I WILL TELL YOU, WE ARE WATCHING THE MICHAEL JACKSON MOVIE, SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME AND SEE IT, PLEASE COME BY.
IT'LL BE LIKE A LITTLE MOVIE THEATER AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU COME JOIN US.
AND IN THE MOVIE WE'LL START AT NINE O'CLOCK.
BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET THROUGH THE WHOLE MOVIE BEFORE TRANSPORTATION.
UM, UH, WE HAVE MJA AND, UM, OH, I MEANT TO TAKE THAT OUT.
UM, CROCHET IS GOING, WE STILL HAVE CROCHET HAPPENING.
LANA'S CLASS, UM, AND THEN CHAIR EXERCISE.
AND WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR INSTRUCTORS.
UM, WE HAVE OUR TRAVEL MEETING FOR 20 27, 20 28, UM, ON SEPTEMBER 25TH AT NOON.
UM, WE WILL TALK ABOUT OUR ICELAND TRIP AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT WHERE ELSE WE'RE GONNA BE TRAVELING FOR 27.
IN THE BEGINNING OF 28, UM, I INCLUDED A COUPLE PICTURES FOR MOTHER'S DAY.
UM, THESE PICTURES ARE OF, UM, WE DID A, UM, EARTH DAY PRO PROJECT, UM, WHERE WE WERE CREATING, UM, ITEMS THAT WE HAD AROUND THE HOUSE.
SO THOSE ARE BAGS, UM, THAT THEY HAD.
AND WE JUST FOUND DECORATIONS THAT THEY HAD AT HOME AND THEY, THEY BROUGHT IT AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DECORATE IT, SOMETHING TO SAVE THE EARTH.
UM, SO IT WAS OUR EARTH DAY PROJECT.
UM, AND THAT'S REALLY, THAT'S REALLY IT.
OH, THIS IS A PICTURE, UM, THAT I INCLUDED, UM, BECAUSE IT'S A FUNNY STORY.
UM, SO I NORMALLY DON'T MAKE POPCORN ON FRIDAYS, UM, BECAUSE THE MACHINE IS NOT VERY GOOD AND I'M JUST KIDDING.
UM, BUT I ACTUALLY, UH, BURNED THE POPCORN AND SET OFF ALL THE ALARMS IN THE BUILDINGS SO EVERYBODY HAD TO GO OUTSIDE.
SO I INCLUDED THAT PICTURE SO Y'ALL COULD SEE WE HAD THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COME OUT 'CAUSE I BURNED POPCORN, SO I'M NOT ALLOWED TO POP IT ANYMORE.
UM, AND THAT IS, THAT IS ALL THAT I HAVE FOR Y'ALL.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANYTHING AT ALL? Y'ALL GONNA HAVE A BUNCH OF, WE, WE WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, OH, I FORGOT TO MENTION FATHER'S DAY.
WE WILL HAVE OUR FATHER'S DAY LUNCH JUNE 17TH AT NINE 30.
I DON'T WANNA FORGET ABOUT OUR FATHER'S.
YOU ARE JUST DOING MORE AND MORE AND MORE.
OKAY, LET'S GET BACK ON SCHEDULE.
CONSIDERED CANCELING AND RESCHEDULING THE JULY 12TH MEETING.
IF WE NEED TO DO IT OFFICIALLY.
SO, UM, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, WE CANCELED JULY 2ND.
I SECOND IN FACT MEETING AND MOVE IT TO AUGUST 2ND AND MOVE IT TO AUGUST.
[01:25:01]
JUST CANCEL THE JULY MEETING AND TURN AND CANCEL.WE WILL NOT BE MEETING IN JULY OFFICIALLY.
THINK IMAD DOOR OPPOSED? OH, IMAD DOOR OPPOSED.
MOVING ON TO ITEM E, UH, MARKETING OUTREACH, SENIOR CITIZENS UPDATE.
UM, TONY HAS, UH, PRODUCED A SIGNUP SHEET FOR US AND WE NEED TO, UM, UM, LOOK AT, AT, UH, JUNE JUNETEENTH AT THE RED, WHITE AND U UH, INITIAL.
I MEAN, WE CAN GET SOME MORE LATER, BUT THOSE TWO ARE COMING UP REALLY SOON.
THEY'RE COMING UP IN JUNE AND JULY.
AND I, I HAVE ON MY NOTES THAT, UM, BOB AND VENITA VOLUNTEERED TO GO TO JUNETEENTH, BUT, UM, I WANT ONE FOR EVERYBODY.
OH, YOU HAVE ONE FOR EVERYBODY.
UH, LET'S PASS THOSE AROUND AND, AND SIGN UP WHERE ON ANY OF THESE, ANY WHERE YOU CAN, UH, VOLUNTEER TO DO ANY OF THESE OUTREACH EFFORTS AND THEN WE'LL GATHER 'EM BACK UP AFTER THE MEETING IS OVER AND COMPILE IT.
BUT INITIALLY JUNETEENTH IS, UM, THE 20TH.
I KNOW YOU'LL BE IS VENITA, ARE YOU STILL GOOD WITH THAT? OKAY.
AND, UM, WE DON'T, WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT BOB.
SO, UH, THE EVENT IS FROM FIVE TO NINE AND THEN WE WILL BE IN THE COMMUNITY SERVICE BOOTH, WHICH WE CAN TALK MORE TO JESSIE ABOUT THAT, WHAT THAT IS AND WHO WE NEED TO COORDINATE WITH.
UM, WE HAVE PUT, WE'VE GOT THESE QR CODES THAT I'M GONNA PASS OUT THAT YOU CAN USE.
AND THEN WE'RE, WE HAVE DEVELOPED, UH, SOMETHING TO PUT ON THE BACK OF THE QR CODES.
THAT'S INFORMATION ABOUT THE SENIOR CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
AND HE'S GONNA LAMINATE THESE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THOSE.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE ALREADY, I WANT YOU TO TAKE ONE OF THESE.
IS THAT, HOW MANY HAVE YOU GOT THERE? OH NO, THAT ONE'S LAMINATED.
SHE'S PASSING OUT LAMINATED ONES.
AND SO JUST SO ALWAYS HAVE THEM, YOU KNOW, WITH YOU SO THAT YOU CAN PERFORM OUTREACH WHEREVER POSSIBLE.
SO THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LAMINATED ONE AND THIS ONE IS, THIS ONE IS FRONT BACK.
SO ILL GET THESE LAMINATED AS WELL.
SO YOU'LL HAVE A FRONT AND BACK ONE.
SO I SHOULD TAKE ONE OF THOSE.
YOU CAN KEEP, WE DON'T, YOU HAVE, YOU'LL HAVE BOTH.
SO JUST IN CASE WE DON'T HAVE ONE YET, IT'S IN THE BACK.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE SAYING AS A PART OF WHAT'S IN THE BOOTH, THIS WILL BE IN THE BOOTH, THE INFORMATION THAT WILL BE IN THE BOOTH.
WILL THERE BE ANYTHING ELSE? NOT, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE PREPARED.
IT JUST BE, YOU KNOW, TALKING TALKING.
AND SO WHAT'S ON THE BACK WILL BE, UM, JUST LIKE HELP AND, YOU KNOW, NOTES ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND TRYING TO GET THE EMAIL BLAST IN THE SURVEY OUT THERE SO THAT WE CAN KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT THE SENIORS WANT SO WE CAN INFORM THE COUNCIL.
AND IT'LL ALSO HELP OUR, OUR CENTERS KNOW WHAT SENIORS WANT.
SO PLEASE, WHILE WE'RE, WHILE WE CONTINUE TALKING, YOU KNOW, FILL OUT THIS SHEET ABOUT WHERE YOU CAN VOLUNTEER AND UM, WE'LL COMPILE THAT AND UH, GET BACK TO YOU SO WE WON'T BE MEETING AGAIN BEFORE, UM, RED, WHITE AND YOU.
SO WE'LL PROBABLY COMMUNICATE BY EMAIL AS TO WHO HAS SIGNED UP FOR WHAT TIMEFRAMES.
AND UH, AND IF YOU CAN'T STAY THE WHOLE TIME, THAT'S FINE TOO.
WE JUST WANNA HAVE A PRESENCE THERE AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
SO, SO I, I KNOW WE SAID THAT IT WAS TOO SOON TO GO TO THE ASIAN CELEBRATION, BUT I WENT DOWN UHHUH BUT I COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING THAT I IDENTIFIED AS THE, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICE BOOTH.
WAS IT THERE THEN? 'CAUSE I WALKED THE WHOLE SQUARE.
AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY COMMUNITY SERVICE BOOTH? BECAUSE TYPICALLY PARK AND REC WILL HAVE A SPACE DEPENDING ON THE EVENT OR OTHER VENDORS WILL HAVE A SPACE.
SO IF YOU GUYS WANT YOUR SPACE, WE'LL JUST NEED TO CONTACT MONIQUE OR ANTONIO WITHIN SPECIAL EVENTS AND SAY, HEY, MAKE SURE WE HAVE A ADVISORY COMMITTEE SPACE.
OR I THINK HE SAID RECOMMENDED THINK COULD, WE COULD BE IN THE COMMUNITY SERVICE
[01:30:01]
BOOTH.SO I KNOW I THOUGHT BOB HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU COULD USE HIS BOOTH FOR BOTH EVENTS, RIGHT? MM-HMM
BUT WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T SPECIFY WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO.
TO, SO, AND I COULDN'T FIND ANY THAT I MIGHT HAVE STOOD AT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND TALKED TO PEOPLE THAT COME BY.
EXCEPT THE BREAST HEALTH BOOTH.
I STOOD THERE FOR A WHILE BECAUSE AT THE ASIAN EVENT WE DIDN'T HAVE A SPACE.
WE JUST PROVIDED ACTIVITIES, MEANING THE PARK AND REC DEPARTMENT.
WELL I WAS JUST TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, ENGAGE A LITTLE AND I, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT, BUT THERE WILL BE A BOOTH FOR JUNETEENTH.
SO I'LL LOOK FOR, SO FOR THIS, NO, I WON'T BE THERE.
UM, BUT EITHER, SO WE NEED TO DECIDE, ARE YOU GOING TO USE BOB'S BOOTH OR DO YOU WANT YOUR OWN BOOTH? I DIDN'T KNOW BOB HAD A BOOTH.
WELL HE SAID HE HAD A SPACE AT BOTH EVENTS.
OH, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
WELL, SINCE BOB'S NOT HERE, WE'RE GOING TO YOU WANT YOUR OWN SPACE.
SO IT WOULD JUST BE SENIOR ADVISORY BECAUSE WE'LL PROVIDING ACTIVITIES THAT DAY.
UM, OKAY, SO WHERE ARE WE GOING AFTER THAT? OKAY, WHO'S, SO WHO'S THE CONTACT FOR PARK AND REC TO MAKE SURE I WON'T BE HERE, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT CONTACT PERSON.
SO WHEN PEOPLE WHO SIGN UP GO KNOW WHO TO, TO LOOK AFTER.
IT WILL NOT BE A PARK AND REC BOOTH, IT WILL JUST BE SENIOR ADVISORY BOOTH BECAUSE WE PROVIDE ACTIVITIES.
BUT FOR JULY 3RD AND COTS, WE HAVE A BOOTH.
WELL, OKAY, SO WHO WILL SET UP MY BOOTH? SO WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU, WHEN UM, SPECIAL EVENTS IDENTIFY SOMEBODY THAT WANTS A BOOTH, THEY HAVE A TABLE AND A SPACE FOR YOU.
AND THEY'LL PUT LIKE YOUR NAME OR A PIECE OF PAPER SAY, HEY, THIS IS YOUR AREA.
AND THEN YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT IN YOUR, YOUR SPACE.
SO WHOEVER IS GONNA BE THEIR FIRST SHIFT FROM THE COM ADVISORY BOARD PROBABLY SHOULD BE THE REP TO SAY, OKAY, COME FIND ME AND SET UP HOWEVER YOU WANT IN THAT SPACE.
SO I'M LOST, ARE WE TALKING EVERY EVENT? NO, JUST, JUST JUNETEENTH.
JUNETEENTH, I'M GONNA SHOW UP.
ARE YOU GONNA BE THE FIRST SHIFT? YES.
I'M GONNA SHOW UP AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
SO WHAT I'LL DO, I'LL CONTACT MONIQUE AND THEN YOU'LL BE THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR ADVISORY FOR THAT DAY SINCE YOU'LL BE A FIRST SHIFT.
SO IT IS JUST A TABLE IN A CHAIR, CORRECT? IN A TENT.
SHOULD WE GET, SO IF YOU HAVE SOME INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT ME TO HAVE THERE BESIDES THE THE AT ANYTHING THERE? CAROL? I REALLY DON'T.
I I MEAN WHAT'S ON THE BACK OF THAT? THE ONE THAT ANN HAS THE FRONT BACK.
WELL I MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET A FEW SCOOPS.
COULDN'T WE HAVE SOME OF THESE TO HAND OUT? YOU COULD MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF THESE.
I CAN MAKE MORE RATHER THAN JUST SCANNING.
YOU CAN, BECAUSE THE, GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO TAKE WITH THEM.
THE INFORMATION ON THE BACK IS MORE INFORMATIONAL.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WOULD WANT TO TAKE THAT.
'CAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM TO, YOU KNOW, JOIN THE MAILING LIST AND WE WERE TRYING TO GET THEIR INPUT.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE QR CODES ARE FOR.
I MEAN THEY CAN TAKE IT, BUT I, I MEAN I DON'T SEE, WELL, HERE'S WHAT I FELT HAPPENED AT.
BUT THE HEALTH FAIR WAS THAT CAROL WOULD BE TRYING TO HELP SOMEBODY FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT.
BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT AND OTHER PEOPLE OH, THEY WOULDN'T TAKE IT HOME, WALK AWAY.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT.
AND THEN SHE JUST TALKED ABOUT THIS TODAY, ABOUT TRAINING SENIORS ABOUT THE QR CODE.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE DON'T WANNA DO THAT.
SO THIS IS WHY I THOUGHT HANDING THIS OUT THAT WOULD GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY.
AND IS THERE ANOTHER WAY, SEE THERE'S NOTHING ELSE BUT THE QR CODE ON HERE.
WE DON'T HAVE OUR OTHER INFORMATION.
THE ONLY OTHER OPTION, I MEAN IT COULD BE A, THE ACTUAL FORM TO FILL OUT, BUT THAT'S PAPER.
THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO READ THEIR HANDWRITING OR IT CAN BE ON THE IPAD.
SO EITHER WAY I GO, EITHER THEY'RE GONNA STAND AT THE BOOTH AND TRY TO TYPE IN THE IPAD OR FILL OUT A PIECE OF PAPER OR THEY CAN TAKE THAT WITH THEM AT THEIR LEISURE.
BUT COULD WE NOT PUT THE EMAIL ADDRESS ON THERE WHERE YOU GET, THEY COULD GO TO THE, IT IS A LINK.
WE COULD PUT THE LINK ON THE BACK, BUT THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WRITE THAT INFORMATION DOWN AND THAT MAY, THAT'S MORE OF A HASSLE.
BUT THEY MIGHT GO HOME AND, AND HAVE A GRANDCHILD SAY, OH, I'LL HELP YOU DO THIS.
SO I THINK HAVING THE PAPERS, THE FLYERS, TAKE THE FLYERS.
'CAUSE I FELT THAT DAY WAS THAT SOME PEOPLE JUST WERE LIKE, I MEAN THEY'D LOOK OVER AND THEY'D LIKE, OH, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT ANYWAY.
AND SO THEY, AND, AND WE WERE WORKING HARD TO SHOW 'EM, BUT
[01:35:01]
THEY, YOU KNOW, IF THEY, IF WE COULD HAVE SAID, WELL TAKE IT AND MAYBE YOU'LL GET INTERESTED.AND, BECAUSE IN MY MIND THESE EVENTS ARE MORE FOR YOU GUYS TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE AND GET THEM ENGAGED WITH THEM.
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT ENGAGING WITH THEM, THEN TAKING THAT PIECE OF PAPER IS NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, JUST GETTING THERE.
WE COULD ENGAGE, ENGAGED AND GIVE THEM THIS.
SO, UM, YOU, SOMEBODY COULD GET, GIVE YOU MORE OF THESE.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, THEY GO PRETTY QUICK.
I KNOW, BUT FOR SURE I CAN MAKE COPIES OF THIS.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE STAFF THERE SO I CAN GIVE THEM TO THEM.
SO WHEN YOU ARRIVE THEY CAN JUST HAND IN.
'CAUSE OUR STAFF WILL BE THERE AT THREE.
SO IF, IF YOU FORGET TO GET IT FROM PHIL'S, I CAN MAKE SURE TO GIVE THE STAFF.
'CAUSE THEY'LL BE THERE AT THREE O'CLOCK.
YEAH, PHIL'S HOLDS ONTO THEIRS SCOOP, WHICH IS FINE.
I MEAN THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY, BUT, UH, I JUST THINK, OR AT LEAST I'LL TAKE MINE AND THEN I CAN SHOW IT TO PEOPLE AND I'LL WRITE DISPLAY ONLY ON IT OR SOMETHING.
BUT, UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT I LIVED HERE FOREVER AND DIDN'T KNOW THAT EVEN EXISTED.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE IT A WHIRL AND BOB IS SUPPOSED TO COME JOIN ME.
SO I'M BY MYSELF AT THAT BOOTH.
UNLESS YOU'RE GONNA GO OVER TO HIS SPOT.
BUT WOULD YOU TAKE HIM ONE OF THESE? SURE, SURE.
AND OKAY, SO I NEED ANOTHER ONE TO TAKE TO HIM.
UM, AND SO, UM, WHAT YOU SAID THAT DAY, CAROL, WAS THAT STAY AS LONG AS I COULD, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO DO, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL STAY ALL THE WAY TILL NINE O'CLOCK.
IT MIGHT DEPEND ON, I THINK ANYTHING'S BETTER THAN NOTHING.
I THINK THE OTHER SENIORS WILL GO HOME WHEN I'M, I'M GONNA BE OUT OF TOWN SO I CAN'T BE THERE.
WELL, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT ONE.
'CAUSE I, SO I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM.
I'M LOOKING AT LIKE, DO YOU WANT A BOOTH BY YOURSELF OR DO YOU JUST WANT TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF BOB? NO, I BOOTH WITH OUR NAME ON IT.
IF OUR, IF ANYTHING CAN BE THAT SAYS IT'S US.
'CAUSE THE, WE DON'T HAVE A TABLECLOTH THAT SAYS ADVISORY BOARD.
I MEAN, BUT YOU CAN USE THE PARK AND REC TABLECLOTH IF YOU WANTED TO.
I'LL TAKE ANYTHING THAT LOOKS LIKE THE CITY OF GARLAND.
AND I'M A, I CAN TALK AS YOU ALL HAVE NOTICED, SO I CAN TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT US.
AND I, I'LL ASK MONIQUE AND SEE IF WE CAN GET YOU AS CLOSE TO BOB AS POSSIBLE.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF THE FOOD VENDORS ARE SEPARATE, BUT JUST SO THEY CAN WELL YEAH.
AND THEN I WOULD SAY BOB'S ON THE COMMISSION AND GO EAT SOME POPCORN AND TALK TO BOB
ALRIGHT, WE'LL WE WILL WORK ON, UH, RED, WHITE AND U UM, ONCE WE GET THESE PAPERS BACK TO SEE WHO CAN BE THERE.
I'M, I CAN BE THERE AT RED, WHITE AND U AND UH, IT IS FROM FIVE TO NINE ALSO.
I'LL WRITE MY NAME DOWN AND UM, ANYBODY ELSE THAT CAN, AND THEN WE'LL GET THAT BACK OUT THROUGH EMAIL TO WHO'S TO BE WHERE WHEN, UM, FOR THAT EVENT.
DO YOU WANT A SEPARATE SPACE OR WITH US PARK AND REC? 'CAUSE WE WON'T MEET, UM, BEFORE THAT EVENT.
WELL LET'S, LET'S DO IT WITH PARK AND REC WITH WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK? OKAY, THAT'S GOOD.
AND TO THE LADIES THAT ARE AT GALE FIELDS'S MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY.
UHHUH,
'CAUSE WE'RE, IF IT'S NOT ON MY SCHEDULE, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
AND THEN, UM, THE HEALTH FAIR IS DOWN THE ROAD, SO WE CAN WORK ON THAT LATER AS IS CHRISTMAS IN THE SQUARE.
BUT IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN WORK OR, OR VOLUNTEER TO BE THERE, GO AHEAD AND FILL IT OUT ON THIS PIECE OF PAPER DAY OF THE HEALTH.
WHAT DAY IS IT? THE HEALTH FAIR IS THE 18TH.
THE 18TH? I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE NO, I'M SORRY.
WHY DO I KEEP, I THOUGHT IT ONES IN FRONT OF THINGS.
I KEEP PUTTING ONES IN FRONT OF STUFF TODAY THAT WASN'T OKAY.
YEAH, I CAN'T, UNLESS SOMEBODY'S HAVING CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE.
WHAT DAY IS THAT? THAT'S THE THURSDAY.
FRIDAY OF, OR IS IT FRIDAY? OR IS IT, IS IT A FRIDAY OR IT'S GONNA BE A FRIDAY.
SO IT'S GONNA BE THE NINTH THEN? NO, THE FIRST FRIDAY.
OH, I DID NOT SWITCH MY BRAIN.
AND THAT'S A FRIDAY, DECEMBER.
REMEMBER THAT VENITA BROUGHT US IN WRITING SOME IDEAS FOR SENIOR APPRECIATION DAY, WHICH I CAN'T FIND RIGHT THIS MINUTE.
[01:40:01]
AND, UM, ALL GOOD IDEAS.MY THINKING ALONG THOSE LINE IS, IS USE, USE THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OPENING OF THE CENTER AND IF WE DO THAT, THEN WE'RE GONNA NEED A COMMITTEE TO WORK ON THAT.
SO IF YOU ALL LIKE THE IDEA OF THE SENIOR APPRECIATION DAY.
AND, UM, THEN WE NEED A COMMITTEE TO WORK ON HALF WHAT WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY DO.
AND WE'LL WORK WITH JESSE AND HIS GROUP I AT THE OPENING OF THE CITY.
TONY'S BACK NOW HOW, WHO VOLUNTEERS TO BE TO BE THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE? I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT.
WELL, BUT SOMETIMES YES, WE WE'LL DO IT.
WE HAVE A CHAIR AND A CO-CHAIR.
UM, I'M GONNA LEAVE IT UP TO YOU GUYS TO RUN WITH THIS.
AND, AND CONTACT JESSE IF HEARD WITH THE MAYOR.
HE, HE TOLD ME AT THE OPENING OF THE TENNIS THING THAT HE WOULD HELP WITH THIS IF WE WERE INTERESTED.
WHO IS THAT? THE MAYOR? YES, THE MAYOR.
CHRISTINA, THE DISTRICT FOUR, UH, COUNCIL PERSON SAID SHE'D LIKE TO HELP WITH OUTREACH EFFORTS ALSO.
HOW DO YOU SAY HER LAST NAME? ANO.
SO ANO JUST LIKE IT LOOKS OKAY.
BUT ANYWAY, WE NEED THESE BACK AT THE END.
WELL THAT WE DON'T KNOW THE DATE WE GET SIGNED UP YET.
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND START MEETING THOUGH AND PUT SOME THINGS TOGETHER.
SO, SO YOU STILL HAVE WHAT YOU WROTE UP VENITA, RIGHT? MM-HMM
LET'S MOVE ON TO FOOD ASSISTANCE.
ANN, UM, HAS SENT ME A DOCUMENT WITH, UM, ALL THAT WE ASKED HER TO DO WITH EMAILS AND PHONE NUMBERS AND SO FORTH.
SHE SENT IT THIS MORNING, SO I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IT.
UM, BUT THAT WAS WHAT WAS, WE WERE PLANNING TO PUT ON THE WEBSITE WHEN WE GET THAT TO THE WEBSITE.
UM, AND SO ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD ABOUT FOOD ASSISTANCE IN BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE WEBSITE DISCUSSION? NO.
I JUST WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THAT AND COME UP WITH MAYBE A DIFFERENT FORMAT OR JUST LEAVE IT THE WAY IT IS BECAUSE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FOUND IN DOING THAT IS THAT, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, SOME OF THOSE CHURCHES STOPPED DOING IT BECAUSE OF BUDGET REASONS AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
SO I HAD TO TAKE SOME OFF AND DO SOME MORE RESEARCH AND ADD SOME ON.
SO I THINK THE FORMAT THAT I GET SENT TO YOU IS SO MUCH EASIER AND SIMPLE FOR ADDING AND TAKING AWAY RATHER THAN A CALENDAR.
THAT SOUNDS, AND JESSE HAD MENTIONED THAT THE WEB PERSON WILL MAKE IT PRETTY.
IT JUST NEEDS THE INFO AND THEY'LL MAKE IT LOOK DECENT.
SO SPEAKING OF THAT, WELL I WILL, I'LL WAIT TILL I GET TO MY QUESTION.
WELL, UM, IF THERE'S NO MORE ON THAT, THEN WE WILL MOVE TO THE, WE HAVE THE SITE DISCUSSION.
I HAD A EMAIL CONVERSATION WITH RAY.
UH, SO IF YOU CAN SEND THE LINKS OR WHATEVER WE'RE WANTING ON THE SITE, IF WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION, WE CAN START PUTTING IT TOGETHER.
UH, BECAUSE HE GAVE ME AN EXAMPLE ON THE, UH, THE NEW COMMITTEE, THE ABILITIES AND AGES, UM, PAGE THAT THEY HAVE.
AND THEY HAVE LINKS ON THEIR BOARDS OF COMMISSION PAGE.
SO DEPENDING ON THE LINK, WE COULD POTENTIALLY JUST PUT IT RIGHT THERE VERSUS HAVING, YOU KNOW, A SEPARATE WEBPAGE THAT PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO.
SO YES, IF YOU COULD PLEASE GIMME THAT INFORMATION AND THEN WE CAN START PUTTING IT TOGETHER.
AND THIS IS ON OUR COMMISSION PAGE? YES.
AND WHO DO WE SEND THE LINK TO? TO ME? YES.
BECAUSE EITHER I WILL HAVE TO PUT 'EM ON THERE OR WE'LL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT WITH THE WEBMASTER, SO.
AND ONE OTHER THING I DIDN'T SAY, THE PANTRY SCHEDULE'S NOT OUT.
UM, THEY'RE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. THEY ALWAYS HAVE SOMEONE TO PUT IT TOGETHER.
WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL JUST DO THE BEST WE CAN.
UM, I, I THINK I SENT IT, BUT I'M NOT SURE.
SO I'LL HAVE TO FIND IT AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE WOULD PUT IT, THE TOP THINGS COULD CHANGE.
THIS INFORMATION IS AS CURRENT AS WE CAN MAKE IT, OR I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT IT SAID, BUT I'LL FIND IT AND BE SURE TO HAVE THAT DISCLAIMER ABOVE OUR LINKS IN SOME WAY.
[01:45:02]
LET'S SEE.UM, SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE NEW BYLAWS AND WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A DATE AS TO WHEN THEY WERE OFFICIAL.
SO I WOULD LIKE, UH, TO MAKE MAY 5TH THE DAY THAT THE COUNCIL, UH, APPROVED OUR NEW BYLAWS IS OUR OFFICIAL DATE TO START THOSE BYLAWS.
I THINK WE NEED AN OFFICIAL DATE TO START OUR BYLAWS.
SO IF ANYONE IS IN AGREEMENT, I, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DO THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT BYLAWS AS OF AS OF MAY 5TH.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE REASONS I WANT AN OFFICIAL DATE IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE IN THERE THAT IF YOU HAVE THREE UNEXCUSED ABSENCES, THEN, THEN YOU'RE NOT ON THE BOARD ANYMORE AND WE NEEDED AN OFFICIAL DATE TO START THAT PROCESS.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK JESSE A QUESTION.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A PAGE ON YOUR, UH, A PAGE ON IN THE WEBSITE THAT HAS GENERAL EEE LETTERS.
CAN WE PUT OUR BLAST? I MEAN OUR SURVEY, OUR BLAST ON THERE.
UH, RAY SAID YOU SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT, I GUESS ADDING THE SURVEY, THE QR CODES THERE.
WELL THE, THE LINKS, LEMME SAY SURVEY LINKS ALSO WITH THE SENIORS IN THE KNOW.
UH, WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE'RE SUBMITTING THE ARTICLES, THEY ARE ABOUT CITY PROGRAMS OR SERVICES.
UH, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE DO THAT.
YOU DON'T HAVE LAWYER ONE THEN? AND YOU KNOW WHAT, AND THAT'S WHAT HE MENTIONED.
ALSO HAVING ALL THE QR CODES THAT WE CAN MOVE THEM TO THE E LINKS OR ENEWSLETTER.
SO LET'S KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN WE'RE SUBMITTING OUR IN THE KNOW.
SO IF WE WANNA, IF WE WANNA GIVE INFORMATION LIKE THE, THE MAN GAVE US TODAY FOR ENVISION ALICE, IT'LL HAVE TO BE ON A BLAST AND NOT IN A CITY, UH, GARLAND IN THE KNOW OR SENIORS IN THE KNOW FROM WHAT HE TOLD ME.
YEAH, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A SE IT'S NOT A SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE OR A PROGRAM CITY.
BUT I WILL, I HAVE THAT ON THE LIST FOR OUR EMAIL BLAST ALONG WITH THE CODES COMPLIANCE AS WELL TOO.
WELL THANK YOU FOR PRINTING THE OTHER ONE ANYWAY.
SO, BECAUSE THIS WAS GREAT INFORMATION TOO.
AND I WANTED, I WANTED TO ASK JESSIE, UM, HOW WE WERE TO HAVE A PRESENCE ON THE GARLAND PARKS AND RECS PAGE AND HOW THAT PROGRESS IS.
IT'S STILL THE SAME AS FAR AS WITH THE LINK.
UM, I THINK OUR BIGGEST THING IS ONCE WE GET YOUR BOARD AND COMMISSION PAGE FINISHED, THEN THAT WILL BE THE CATALYST, RIGHT.
'CAUSE THEN WE CAN PUT THAT LINK ON OUR PARK AND REC PAGE AND THEN EVERYTHING WILL BE IN ONE SPOT.
ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT, UH, WEBSITES THAT ANYBODY WANTS TO BRING UP OR EMAIL BLAST ARE OUR UM, WELL WE'VE GOT SE SENIORS IN THE KNOW.
IS IT ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM? SO ANYTHING ELSE THAT ANYBODY WANTS TO ASK ABOUT OR TALK ABOUT FOR THE WEB COMMISSIONERS' PAGE ON THE WEBSITE? WE HAVE 247 PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE EMAIL BLAST.
ANY MORE SURVEYS? WE HAVE 31, SO I THINK SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, WE ONLY HAVE TWO OR THREE NEW ONES.
SO THAT WE NEED TO REALLY PUSH THAT.
WE'VE HAD OUR SENIOR CENTER REPORTS, SO THE CITY PRESS UPCOMING TOPICS.
UM, THE LAWYER ONE WILL BE IN THE JULY AUGUST BECAUSE HE, IT WAS APPROVED AND, AND WENT IN.
UM, WE'RE GONNA DO THE HEALTH FAIR IN SEPTEMBER, UM, IN OCTOBER.
AND SO IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER I HAVE ON MY LIST THAT WE COULD EITHER HAVE THE TENNIS CENTER OR WHAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS DO OR, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN IN FOR THE JANUARY, FEBRUARY ONE, WHOSE DEADLINE IS IN NOVEMBER OF 26, UM, I WAS THINKING MAYBE WINTER SAFETY, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD MEET THE CRITERIA OF BEING A CITY SERVICE.
WELL THERE IS A PAGE THERE, THERE'S A CITY PAGE ABOUT WINDOW RISING AND HOW I THINK THAT WOULD BE SAFE AND ALL THAT THINK FIT.
PLENTY PARAMETERS THAT I COULD OKAY.
IDENTIFY UM, WHAT DID YOU SAY BESIDES THE TENNIS CENTER OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? WHAT THEY DO FOR SENIORS.
WELL THERE'S A LOT ON THEIR, ON THEIR
[01:50:01]
SIDE.WE HAVE 274 SUBMISSIONS FOR THE EMAIL IN 50 FOR THE SURVEYS.
I WAS LOOKING AT SOMETHING ELSE.
SO YOU'LL BE THINKING ABOUT DO SOMETHING AND I, YEAH, IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO WRITE ONE, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO QUEEN OF ALL.
ANYBODY HAS A TOPIC THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT AND MAYBE AT LEAST WRITE THE DRAFT FOR THAT.
AND UM, SO THAT BRINGS US TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT JULY, WHILE WE'RE NOT HAVING A MEETING, WE ARE DOING THAT RED, WHITE AND YOU, WHICH WE'RE WORKING ON THE SIGN UP SHEET FOR IN AUGUST.
SO GAIL WILL BE LEADING THE MEETING AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH WE'LL NEED TO CONFIRM.
UH, AND UH, I HAD CAPTION CALL OR OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTIN CARAWAY HAD EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN COMING TO TALK TO US.
SO WE HAD A LOT TODAY BECAUSE THE MAYOR GOT THROWN IN ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE AT THE LAST MINUTE.
SO I, I SUGGEST THAT WE EITHER HAVE ONE OF THE OTHER CAPTION CALL OR SEE IF JUSTIN CARAWAY CAN, CAN COME TO THE AUGUST MEETING.
DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? NO.
I CAN ALWAYS REACH OUT TO JUSTIN CARAWAY IF WE DECIDE HE'S TO BE A OKAY CHOICE.
AND GAIL, YOU'LL TAKE CARE OF, I REALLY LIKE ANN'S IDEA OF HAVING YEAH, THOSE ALSO TOO, SOME, SO HAS FIRE AND JUSTIN POTENTIALLY FOR AUGUST.
I'VE GOT MANDY PIPPEN OF THE GARLAND HEALTH DEPARTMENT HOSTED BY ANNE.
AND THEN, UM, WE COULD HAVE SOME, WE NEED A TOPIC.
I'VE GOT EITHER THE, SOMEBODY FROM THE SENIOR SOURCE BECAUSE THEY HAVE A TON OF THINGS THAT THEY COULD COME TALK ABOUT OR, UM, AN AI TOPIC FROM A CITY DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE DON'T, I, I DO REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING A COUNCIL PERSON COME EACH TIME, BUT THAT WOULD KEEP, WOULD, COULD POSSIBLY KEEP US FROM HAVING OTHER SPEAKERS LIKE THE SENIOR SOURCE OR LIKE THIS ENVISION GUY THAT WE HAD TODAY OR SO.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE 10 MEETINGS AND WE HAVE EIGHT COUNCIL PEOPLE, SO WE MIGHT COULD WORK THAT OUT.
UM, IN NOVEMBER WE'VE GOT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HOSTED BY ANN AND DECEMBER, UM, LUNCHEON.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LUNCHEON, WHICH WE'RE GONNA OFFICIALLY DECLARE IN SEPTEMBER ON THAT AGENDA.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT ANYBODY'D LIKE TO DISCUSS? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE CHANGED OUR BYLAWS.
SO MY QUESTION IS, I HAVE, OH MY GOD, I FORGOT THE NAME OF THE COMPANY, BUT IT'S AN ANKLE AND FOOT.
THEY HAVE A BIG BUS AND THEY DO, THEY GO FROM DESTINATION TO DESTINATION TO HELP SENIORS WITH THEIR ANKLE AND THEIR FEET.
AND SO THEY HAVE BEEN ASKING ME IF THEY COULD COME AND SPEAK TO US JUST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY CAN GO ANYWHERE.
THEY'LL COME ANYWHERE TO ANY CENTER.
BUT IT'S A COMPANY WHERE THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR PROFIT.
THEY HAVE, THEY PROFIT IT, THEY HAVE DOCTORS, THEY HAVE PODIATRISTS.
WOULDN'T THAT BE PART OF THE SENIOR HEALTH FAIR? COULD BE.
WELL, THEY COULD COME TO THE YEAH, FOR SURE.
TO THE SENIOR HEALTH FELL FOR SURE.
WELL BE SURE AND TALK TO, TO DEER OR WHO? WHO'S YEAH.
BUT IT'S A BIG RED AND BLACK BUS.
THAT'D BE PROBABLY THE BEST OUTLET FOR 'EM.
'CAUSE I KNOW A WHOLE LOT OF PTS THAT WOULD LOVE TO COME SPEAK HERE ABOUT COMING TO THEIR PRACTICE INSTEAD OF THAT.
AND WHEN, WHEN IS THAT HELP? YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A TEN EIGHT PAYMENT, IT'S A BUSINESS.
[01:55:01]
AGAIN FOR THE HEALTH FAIR.SO I FELT, AND I SHOULD TELL JOHN ABOUT THE HEALTH FAIR.
ACTUALLY HIS BUSINESS WAS ABOUT, I FELT LIKE HE TALKED ABOUT PRINCIPLES.
NOT WELL, THAT'S WHERE HE FOUND HIM.
I MEAN, I DON'T, I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE HE MARKETED HIMSELF THAT MUCH.
JOHN NOT, BUT, BUT UH, YEAH, I DO REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE MARKETING FOR MONEY.
THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T INVITE THEM.
ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING? ANYTHING ELSE? WELL, I HAVE THAT IT IS 10 56 AND I MOVE, WE ADJOURN.
BE SURE AND GET YOUR, I MEAN, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
AND WE NEED TO GET YOUR SIGN IN SHEET.