Councilmember Cara Mendelsohn

*Government Performance and Financial Management, Vice Chair

*Public Safety

*Housing and Homeless Solutions

*COVID-19

*Legislative, Vice Chair

*Regional Transportation Council

*City Council Representative to Texas Municipal League Policy Summit

*National League of Cities Youth, Education, and Families Council

*Women in Municipal Government

Hello District 12,

Most of the news out of city hall surrounds the budget and public safety. Below is a recap of how specific proposals would affect you. With a budget of $3.8 billion dollars, my goal is to lower the property tax rate, increase street repair and maintenance, and maintain funding for public safety.

Last month, three District 12 budget town hall meetings were held to get your input. If you weren't able to join us but would like to share your thoughts, please email me.

If you need help with anything, please let us know and we will try to resolve your city issues and connect you to assistance for things beyond the city.

Regards, Cara

Ladies, do you feel left out of the conversation about improving public safety in Dallas? If you live or work in Dallas, let's work together to make sure ALL of our children, seniors, families, and businesses can thrive in a safe city. If you'd like to be part of the movement to make Dallas the safest large city in America, let's start talking about how to make it happen! Sign up here: https://forms.gle/fjK5iAUPH61cUKvx5

While the three District 12 Budget Town Hall meetings are complete, you can still give input and make your opinion known. The budget, along with all amendments are posted on financialtransparency.dallascityhall.com.

There is a lot of discussion about public safety and the Mayor's proposed amendment (which no council member voted for) and one of the amendments that passed to take away $7 million from Dallas Police Department (I was one of three that DID NOT vote for it). The meeting to discuss this was very difficult and long, starting at 9 am and ending at 1:40 am!

I am a strong supporter of public safety and spoke up against all amendments that sought to defund the police, which included reducing overtime 25%, closing our police academy, ending mounted patrol, and not hiring any officers next year, and I voted against every one of them.

The amendment the Mayor put forward last week had a problem that meant I could not support it. While I supported 100% the way he wanted to use the funds to address the drivers of crime as outlined from his task force, I could not support the way he developed the source of funds. He is definitely on the right track in talking about the excess, duplication and waste at city hall, but I can’t support decreasing the salary of people at the $60,000 level or having pay cuts up to 25 percent. The reality is the city must hire engineers, city planners, and other technical professionals, and we must pay on par with other organizations to recruit the talent we need. I have made several suggestions to his office about how his amendment could be adjusted so I could fully support it, including 1) starting pay reductions at the $100,000 level and with a lower percent, 2) using an alternate source of funds ($6.7 million) identified in my budget amendments, and 3) looking at the total line item for salaries (not including police & fire officers) and proposing an overall percent decrease from last year and allowing the city manager to decide how to accomplish that with the budget. I am glad he is changing his approach to decrease the total line item for salaries, which I support.

Another item of note that passed was the creation of a fund to clean/remove homeless encampments that are on the water department right-of-way and on land that is designated as a park. This will allow for quicker and more frequent resolutions to this out of control problem.

The final budget approval is more than a month away. If you'd like to give input, here's how you can make your voice heard:

email

email all city councilmembers and mayor at once

sign up to speak at a council meeting (virtual)

In November 2017, voters across the city decided to support all of the propositions in the City of Dallas' bond proposal. Included in the bond was a project to build a bridge in the Prestonwood neighborhood for over $300,000 across a creek off Shadybank to make it easier and safer for students and the community to get to the other side. Since it is a short-cut for some kids to get to school and a lovely walking area, there has been long-time interest in making it a safer path. The Prestonwood HOA voted in 2016 to support the project, paid for a feasibility study, and it was included in the city's 2017 bond package.

When I was elected, the project had already begun. Today, the project is in the construction phase. I was surprised to find that some in the community were unaware of the project status or that some of the neighbors didn't want the bridge. I don't know the whole story of this project because it predates my service, but there are some important lessons.

Here are pictures of the bridge that is being built. There are rumors that the City is also providing a rock garden with seating, but that is unfounded.

If you are having frequent power, cable, or internet outages, you're going to want to join us for the upcoming District 12 town hall. We're working to secure a date for Oncor, Verizon, AT&T, and Spectrum to join us later this month. STAY TUNED FOR A CONFIRMED DATE.

Oncor is currently doing extensive pruning in the Bent Tree North and Bent Tree West neighborhoods and is expected to work on the Frankford/Preston area throughout September.

If you live in Bent Tree North or Bent Tree West, there has been a specific effort to resolve the frequent power outages. With the leadership of Bob Rycroft and Bill Hoyt, we believe we've identified the issues and have a plan to resolve and correct some items. Here's what is happening:

1) Primary cause of the outages have been due to lightning, wind, primary voltage conductors contacting each other and facilities contacting vegetation.

Oncor began comprehensive vegetation clearing of the mainline circuit August 24, and expects to complete the work by September 11. This week crews have focused on conducting the necessary trimming in the area. Trimming is anticipated to be complete next week, weather permitting. Lighting arrestors are being installed on Oncor poles to prevent this type of interruption to the electric service. 

2) Oncor has comprehensively patrolled the feeder and made repairs. It is expected that these remedies will significantly improve the feeder’s performance. Below is the summary of the actions taken thus far to address the reliability: Replaced failed insulator and ridge pin on freeway crossing over Dallas Tollway, spot trimming of trees has occurred at numerous locations along the feeder route, where it appeared the primary conductor was making contact, poles were replaced on circuit route along Ivy Hill and Dallas Tollway, installed spacers in primary conductor slack spans and other locations to improve conductor separation and reduce faults, improved coordination of smart switches on the feeder to increase operation efficiency of equipment, installed a dozen fault indicators at various points to improve feeder performance by proactively providing locations that have experienced faults.

It is unsafe and a violation of the Texas Health and Safety Code for non-line clearance certified contractors to be near the high voltage lines. Customers should not hire contractors to conduct any pruning which would require them to be within 10 feet of the electrical line. Oncor will respond to any such violation by assessing the situation and determining the best course of action to ensure the safety of our customers and community; this may include the immediate trimming of any tree(s) potentially impacted.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact the number on the green tag notifying of the pending pruning as soon as possible, so your concerns can be addressed prior to the pruning. Oncor prunes for safety and reliability but also consider the health of the tree during the pruning process in order to preserve the tree whenever possible.

For more information regarding the Texas Health & Safety Code you may log onto http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us

We're celebrating for Elysia Martin who got an offer she could not refuse. She has joined the organization that sponsored her college fellowship as they moved their office to Dallas. Elysia did a great job resolving resident issues, researching issues and gathering data, and was truly a delight to work with. The office won't be the same without her, but we're excited for her to take her professional skills to the next level.

We are currently interviewing candidates that have been furloughed from our libraries... stay tuned for an announcement!

Have you completed the Census? Every person counted helps determine how funding for roads, fire trucks, and schools will be allocated. Please fill it out today by going to www.2020census.gov. It is quick, important, confidential, and legally required for all who live in the United States.

In an effort to try to get as many people as possible to complete the census, the City of Dallas and Dallas County joined forces to hire a company to help increase participation. In District 12, I've been putting up posters, yard signs, and on Saturday we knocked on doors and left door hangers at apartment communities in the district.

Need help, got a question, or want to give input?

Email: Cara.Mendelsohn@DallasCityHall.com

Office phone: (214) 670-4067

Text phone: (214) 490-1036