Monday, September 2, 2024

Good evening:

I did not know Dallas Police Officer Darron Burks, but I wish I did.

On Friday morning, just hours after he was murdered while on patrol in Oak Cliff the night before, the story of his remarkable life was being publicly pieced together in social media tributes.

This was a man who touched many lives. Classmates from Lake Highlands High School and Paul Quinn College, brothers in the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, students whom he mentored as a teacher at Texans Can Academies.

Pursuing a career in law enforcement is always noble. Doing so when you are just a few months short of the 45-year age limit to be a Dallas police officer — as Burks was when he joined the force — suggests an almost impossible level of selflessness.

“It's a testament to him on his life of service to others,” said former 27-year Dallas police veteran David Davis, who now oversees public safety for DDI. “It wasn't about the money. It was truly about leaving an imprint on other peoples’ lives, serving in the community.”

The red braid on Burks’ arm in one of his Dallas police photos indicates he was one of the “squad leaders” of his Dallas Police Academy class, likely made up of men and women half his age or younger.

The police officer who oversaw Burks’ academy class said he saw in Burks “extreme leadership skills,” The Dallas Morning News reported. The academy class nicknamed him “Papa Burks,” a sign of respect for their elder classmate.

Officer Burks was clearly the kind of person who made those around him better.

This week, flags across the city will fly at half staff, police officers will wear a black mourning band across their badges, we’ll continue to pray for the recovery of our two wounded officers, and government meetings will largely go on as scheduled.

Hopefully, folks at City Hall can also honor our fallen officer by trying to be a little more like him.

Read on for more on:

• The fate of a troubled City-owned property in Downtown that once housed a family homeless shelter.

• Which City Council members want to make it easier to spend taxpayer dollars for their travel to Austin and Washington, D.C.

• The next chance for City Council members to publicly debate what photos and words to use in a brochure to lure Dallas city manager candidates.

⚡ Highlights From Last Week’s Meetings of Interest:

— City Council members spent much of a Monday committee meeting criticizing a draft brochure advertising the Dallas city manager job opening. None of them noticed that the cover photo on the brochure was of Houston, not Dallas. The error was spotted by NBC 5 reporter and Houston native David Goins and reported later that day. The committee will meet again tomorrow to discuss the brochure. More on that below.

The Dallas City Council on Wednesday:

• Authorized the sale of a City-owned former family homeless shelter in Downtown that has become a magnet for squatting and vandalism, The Dallas Morning News reports. Downtown Council member Jesse Moreno pushed for the building at 711 South St. Paul Street to be demolished before it is put up for auction, but several of his colleagues opposed the idea. In a compromise proposed by fellow Downtown Council member Paul E. Ridley, the City will auction the property this fall in two tiers, with the building and without it.

• Unanimously approved an ordinance to establish a street topper program to honor Dallas police and firefighters killed in the line of duty. The first street toppers are expected to be put in Downtown next month, according to the agenda material. Read more from The Dallas Morning News

• Approved a resolution to support the City’s Comprehensive Environmental Climate Action Plan (CECAP) recommendations through implementation of the 2024 Bond Program. The resolution outlines specific tools, standards, and programs the City plans to use to advance environmental sustainability and resiliency in the 2024 Bond Program’s infrastructure projects.

• Unanimously approved Downtown Dallas, Inc.’s 2025 Downtown Improvement District assessment of $0.139 per $100 valuation on Downtown property owners to fund DDI’s enhanced Security, Clean, Homeless Outreach, Ambassador, and marketing and events services. The DDI service plan for the coming year includes a one-time increase of $0.01 cent per $100 valuation to fund the planting of 500 trees, in partnership with the Texas Trees Foundation. The organization’s goal is to expand the tree canopy and address the heat index in Downtown in the coming months.

— Two key City boards recommended City Council approval of a $40 million Tax Increment Financing District deal to supplement a reported $200 million redevelopment of the historic Magnolia Building at 1401 Commerce Street. The building is currently home to the Magnolia Hotel and the famous rooftop Pegasus. The owners are pursuing a five-star hotel rebrand. DDI has long worked in support of this project.

Thanks to DDI's Nikia Summerlin, Urban Planning Manager, for monitoring hours of meetings every week and contributing to these summaries.Questions? Nikia can be reached at [email protected].

📝 Memos of Interest:

— A group of five Dallas City Council members want to make it easier to spend taxpayer dollars to travel to Washington, D.C., and Austin “to speak on legislative matters,” according to this memo to Mayor Eric L. Johnson. They propose eliminating current requirements including prior approval from the mayor, the city manager, or the chair of the Legislative Ad Hoc Committee for such travel.

The proposal is being led by Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Adam Bazaldua, with Council members Jaynie Schultz, Zarin D. Gracey, Paula Blackmon, and Omar Narvaez also signing on.

***

— This memo includes answers to seven questions City Council members raised during a recent briefing on the 2017 and 2024 bond programs. It includes an explanation on plans to spend $250 million annually over five years to implement the recently approved $1.25 billion bond program.

— City staff answers budget-related questions in this memo, which includes the above chart tracking year-over-year increases in overall City property values.

— Check out all the latest City Hall memos here and here.

Meetings of Interest: September 3 - 6, 2024

Watch City of Dallas Meetings Live

Tuesday, September 3

City Council Parks, Trails, and the Environment Committee, 9 a.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

— Downtown is among the hottest areas of the City, according to a 2023 Urban Heat Island Study to be discussed by this committee. That is why DDI is partnering with the Texas Trees Foundation to plant 500 trees in the coming year, funded through the Downtown Improvement District.

— The Texas Trees Foundation is also set to present on the organization’s good work to improve public health by planting more trees and expanding parks and other green spaces.

— In case that’s not enough tree-related content, City officials will also provide this briefing on the City’s Urban Forest Master Plan.

City Council Ad Hoc Committee on Administrative Affairs, 11 a.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

— The committee reconvenes to continue live editing of the draft brochure advertising the Dallas city manager opening. Priority 1: Ensure the new cover image shows Dallas.

City Council Economic Development Committee, 1 p.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

— The committee is taking public comments on the proposed ForwardDallas 2.0 land use plan, which DDI supports. The updated briefing proposes tweaks to the plan to address concerns about making it easier to develop multi-family housing in single-family neighborhoods. A full City Council briefing is proposed for September 25.

— City Hall is being honored by an international nonprofit for its management of Downtown’s Farmers Market Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District, according to this memo. The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) selected the City’s Economic Development Department for a Silver Award in the Neighborhood Development category for the Farmers Market’s success. The TIF, founded in 1998, has helped spur development of apartments, town homes, and commercial space.

Wednesday, September 4

Dallas City Council Briefing, 9 a.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

— A City-hired firm lays out findings and recommendations on investment strategy and performance of the Dallas Police and Fire Pension (DPFP) System and Employee Retirement Fund. The presentation includes this gem: “The City of Dallas needs to increase its knowledge of” the police and fire pension, which may require hiring “staff or dedicated outside experts that work with the City and the Pension with ongoing communication and two-way feedback.” Wild.

— City staff will also present its latest recommendations for a state-mandated Funding Soundness Restoration Plan for the police and fire pension, which is facing a $3 billion shortfall. The City Council is expected to vote on the proposed plan on September 11.

— Meanwhile, DPFP System Board Chair Nicholas Merrick, an appointee of Mayor Eric L. Johnson, defends in a Dallas Morning News op-ed his board’s decision to sue the City of Dallas. The lawsuit is part of a dispute over who gets the final say on a funding plan to solve the system’s multi-billion dollar shortfall. The Dallas Morning News editorial board recently called the pension system’s decision to take the City to court “shortsighted.”

— Only one City Council member and the interim city manager submitted proposed fiscal 2024-25 budget amendments by Friday afternoon for discussion during this meeting. Check the two amendments out here. More amendments could come in by memo up to 5 p.m. tomorrow and amendments could always be made from the floor up to the day of the budget vote on September 18.

Thursday, September 5

City Plan Commission, 9 a.m. Briefing; 12:30 p.m. Public Hearing; Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

Dallas Park and Recreation Board, 10 a.m., 6FN Conference Room, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

Did we miss anything? Do you have any questions? Just want to talk about meetings? Let me know.

Were you forwarded this newsletter? Subscribe here.Have a great week.

Best,

Scott Goldstein

Communications & Government Relations Consultant

Downtown Dallas, Inc.