Sunday, September 22, 2024

Good evening:

Eddie García, the city’s popular police chief who publicly professed his love for and commitment to Dallas a few short months ago, gave us his own version of a shocking season finale of The Bachelor last week.

The chief handed his last rose to T.C. Broadnax and the city of Austin.

García will take on an assistant city manager position under the former Dallas city manager, who now holds the top appointed position in Austin. He is also joining former Dallas Deputy City Manager Jon Fortune, who is Broadnax’s top deputy and was García’s boss here.

García’s 3 1/2-year tenure here will forever be remembered for a sharp decrease in violent crime, according to Dallas police data. The politically savvy chief is beloved by many, including City Council members, civic leaders, and rank-and-file police officers. Downtown Dallas, Inc. (DDI), greatly appreciated his accessibility and willingness to engage with our stakeholders whenever asked.

But García faced some of the same challenges of his most recent predecessors, challenges that will continue for the next chief. Most notably, the force is at least a few hundred officers short of where it needs to be to quickly respond to day-to-day crime. This is a challenge for big city police departments nationally, and one that was heightened in Dallas by well-documented police and fire pension troubles.

Response times to 911 calls continue to lag behind department goals, especially for what are defined as less serious crimes (unless you are the victim of those crimes).  

García’s focus on hot-spot policing made sense and bore results. But it sometimes felt like that approach came at the expense of manpower in traditionally safer areas like Downtown Dallas, one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in the City with a population of more than 15,000. The Dallas Morning News editorial board today echoed concerns about whether the crime-fighting plan can be adapted to keep Downtown safe.

There is no easy answer here and the police alone should not be asked to solve all of our societal problems, as former Dallas Police Chief David O. Brown famously said days after five officers were murdered in Downtown in July 2016.

Among the challenges ahead for the next Dallas police chief is continuing to find innovative ways to do more with less than what is ideal. There will be little political tolerance for any increase in overall crime. There will also continue to be growing pressure for more visible police presence in Downtown and other neighborhoods.

Adding a bit of insult to injury, García’s (don’t call it a contract) agreement struck with interim Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert earlier this year said the chief would “assist the city in the selection of a new chief when that time comes, and he will assist in all transition issues.”

With García set to slide into his new desk in Austin on November 4, there is little chance that will happen now.

Read on for more on:

• The final vote on interim City Manager Tolbert’s proposed $4.97 billion budget.

• One of the largest gifts for a public park in Dallas history.

• Fresh data on the Dallas housing affordability crisis.

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⚡ Highlights From Last Week’s Meetings of Interest:

— Members of a Dallas City Council committee voted to push ahead with a plan to sell city sidewalk space for video board advertising. The decision comes despite strong opposition from DDI, and many of our partner organizations.

“Sidewalks and public rights of way are intended for people to move and gather,” writes The Dallas Morning News editorial board. “They are not spaces for cities to sell to pad their budgets.”

A new Request For Proposals (RFP) is expected to be issued in the coming months.

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— Dallas City Council members unanimously approved a $4.97 billion budget, including a $78 million increase in funding for police and fire and the largest single-year property tax rate reduction in modern history, according to city officials.

— The Dallas Park & Recreation Board (on which I serve) approved the naming of Halperin Park — formerly known as Southern Gateway Park — tied to an historic $23 million gift from Gayle and Jim Halperin. “This is a level of generosity that endures for generations, long after all of us are gone,” writes The Dallas Morning News editorial board.

— City Plan Commissioners voted to deny an application for a Specific Use Permit (SUP) for Club Vivo in Downtown. Club owners may appeal the decision to the City Council. The club owner is attorney Kevin Kelley, who also owns the nearby Kitchen + Kocktails.

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:

— Two City Council members are calling on the city auditor to survey nonprofit CEOs who contract with City Hall about challenges they’ve had working with the City, according to this memo.

The objective of the survey, requested by Council members Chad West and Gay Donnell Willis, is to “gather anonymous, actionable feedback from City of Dallas nonprofit service provider partners that measures the effectiveness of City procurement; contract negotiation, Council approval, documentation, monitoring, and administration including reimbursements.”

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— Willis and West are also requesting an audit of the City’s failed lead abatement program, the subject of a recent Dallas Morning News investigation. They also want audits of City permitting, zoning, and leases, as well as how City Hall utilizes space.

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

Meetings of Interest: September 23 - 27, 2024

Watch City of Dallas Meetings Live

Monday, September 23

City Council Housing and Homelessness Solutions Committee, 9 a.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

— It is no secret Dallas has a housing affordability crisis. This Dallas Housing Needs Assessment from HR&A Advisors offers fresh data on the issue and what it means for Dallas residents.

Government Performance and Financial Management Committee, 1 p.m., 6ES Briefing Room, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

— The City’s real estate and property management operations are plagued by poor communications, siloed acquisitions, unfunded operations, and a lack of due diligence, according to this briefing. “Case studies” in the presentation include a Downtown property at 711 South St. Paul Street that was overtaken by squatters and vandals earlier this year and is now set to be auctioned. A long list of “process improvements” are underway or proposed.

— This briefing has more details — and some cool photos — of Downtown tunnels and an underground truck terminal tied to a 75-year lease that was apparently costing the City millions. City staff proposes revising the City Code and the lease agreement to bill costs back to the users.

— The recommended audit plan for the new fiscal year includes examinations of the Downtown convention center redevelopment, 911, 311, Information Technology, and the audits requested by Willis and West noted above.

Tuesday, September 24

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Board of Directors, Committee-of-the-Whole, 2:30 p.m.; Board of Directors, 6 p.m.; DART Headquarters, 1401 Pacific Ave., Dallas; Watch Live Here

— Board members will consider the agency’s proposed fiscal 2024-25 budget and 20-year financial plan.

— Board members will also consider the agency’s proposed legislative agenda for the 89th Session of the Texas Legislature.

Wednesday, September 25

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

— Item 16 is renewal of a sidewalk cafe license for Commissary restaurant in Downtown.

— Items 40 and 41 are the City’s proposed federal and state legislative priorities. Read more about the proposals here.

— Items 43, 44, 47, and 77 are Office of Homelessness Solutions contract renewals for The Bridge homeless shelter, Austin Street Center, and Catholic Charities. Read more in this memo.

— Item 80 is a 40-year lease agreement with the University of North Texas System for the long-planned $130 million Dallas police law enforcement training academy at the University of North Texas at Dallas in southern Dallas. The City will be charged $1 for use of the property. The project is being funded with City bond money, state funds, and private dollars.

— Item 82 is a proposal from five City Council members to make it easier to spend taxpayer funds to travel to Washington, D.C., and Austin for legislative advocacy. Members of a City Council committee earlier this month voted unanimously to recommend killing the proposal.

— PH 2 is consideration of the updated ForwardDallas 2.0 land-use plan. DDI supports the updated plan.

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

Best,

Scott Goldstein

Communications & Government Relations Consultant

Downtown Dallas, Inc.