Dallas City Hall
District 12
Enews
September 11, 2022
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Connecting You With City Information, News, and Resources | |
Foster Care, Fun Events, and of course, a DART update!
You've probably read about the Child Protective Services crisis in Texas. From kids sleeping in offices or unspeakable acts against our most vulnerable children, we can't turn our eyes away. The City of Dallas has no part in oversight of this program, but they are our children. I recently toured the CPS offices, as well as two agencies that serve Children Without A Placement. To that end, a letter from the City of Dallas Legislative Committee has been sent to the state to advocate for more funding of CPS as they prepare the next state budget and the 2023 legislative session.
Locally, District 12 is hosting a meeting on Tuesday night so you can learn what is involved with becoming a foster parent. Maybe you don't have kids, or your kids are all grown, or you are in the midst of the child-rearing years, no matter your season of life, you may be able to welcome a baby, a toddler, an elementary school kid, a teenager, into your home for a short stay or a longer stay. I hope you'll log on for this virtual session that could change a children's life - and yours. The link will be sent out to all on Tuesday afternoon for the 7 pm meeting. If you are part of an observant religious community, this will teach you about getting approved to foster a child that may be most comfortably placed within his or her faith traditions.
Many HOAs and neighborhood associations have recently had elections for new officers. Please drop us a note with your updated information. The City Manager has announced his intention to put forward a bond proposal in Fall 2024. Project recommendations from HOAs and NAs will receive priority. If your street is not in a HOA or NA, contact us and we'll help you get one set up.
If you live near DART's Cotton Belt/Silver Line tracks and you do not have an attorney, you may want to consider engaging one to protect your interests. DART is openly talking about NOT following the ILA with the city. Please read the article below.
The Marni Kaner Trail petition has been submitted to the Dallas Park and Recreation Department. We opted to go forward with a naming that required 2,000 Dallas resident signatures, and in just a few months, we collected more than 2,500! Thank you to sponsors Richardson ISD PTA Council and the Kaner family for all their efforts. As the item moves forward to the Park board and then full city council, we'll keep you up to date.
There are some really fun events coming... make sure to read below!
See you soon, Cara
Council Liaison: Madison.Johnson@dallas.gov
Council Assistant: Luis.Delgado@dallas.gov
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Crime statistics in the city are broken down into three categories - crimes against people, crimes against property, and crimes against society. For overall crime, District 12 has the least number of criminal incidents of any district in the city. You can find crime reports and information here: https://www.dallaspolice.net/resource/dpd_crimereport?dl=0. Here's an update on District 12 year to date numbers:
Crime against people is down (currently second lowest in the city - D13 is lowest). There have been 48 fewer victims year to date. One crime included is murder, which is up from 1 this time last year to 6. Five of the murders were at apartment complexes and tied to drugs. Please see article below about how D12 is addressing apartment crime.
Crime against property is up by a total of 11 incidents year to date (currently the second lowest in the city - D5 is lowest). Reductions include the crimes of residential burglary, business burglary, vandalism, identify theft, and individual robbery, all down significantly, but we've had increases in theft from a vehicle, theft of motor vehicle parts, and stolen cars. Please help by making sure your car doors are locked and all valuables are removed from your car every time you leave the vehicle unattended.
Crimes against society is up (we are lowest in the city). Drugs and weapons charges are the reason for the increase.
Dallas Police Department needs our help. Please make sure to report all crimes or suspicious incidents to 911, report crime online (see graphic below) or submit a tip or something suspicious that doesn't need an emergency response through the app iWatchDallas (can be done anonymously).
The North Central Police Station has recently increased its police staffing and shift schedules have changed. We have 8 Neighborhood Police Officers who are available to attend HOA meetings, come speak to congregations or civic groups, or participate in your neighborhood events. They have a strong focus on the apartments in our district. If you're not sure who your Neighborhood Police Officer is, contact Sgt. Ed Lujan at edmundo.lujan@dallaspolice.gov.
PS- If you'd like me to attend your event, please send requests to Madison.Johnson@dallas.gov.
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DART Cotton Belt/Silver Line | |
What is new:
- Utility relocation on Hillcrest was approved, part of the median has been removed and only one travel lane in each direction is open on Hillcrest between Wester Way and McCallum, with additional construction signage and lane work from Dye to Starbuck. The lanes may shift, but expect to have one lane open each direction for the next two years or more. There will be at least 6 months where Hillcrest will be fully closed.
- Lots of accidents. Please drive extra slowly in this area and realize it is going to take more time to get to your destination. If it is possible, try to take a different route.
- We are tracking accidents on Hillcrest. If you are aware of one since the roadwork began, please let us know.
- If you have a suggestion to make traffic navigation safer, please email us and we will forward it to the transportation and public works departments for consideration.
- DART is proposing to start work on Dickerson very soon, possibly by the end of the month. The road will be totally closed for approximately 12 weeks. They will have a secure path for pedestrians and cyclists to cross. This is especially important for our kids that walk from the McCallum apartments to Frankford Middle School.
- DART will be setting the beams for the Osage 1 bridge near Davenport and the creek beginning 9/13.
- DART will begin the construction of the subgrade between McCallum and Meandering Way in the coming days. The city has requested a surveyor examine the existing privacy wall prior to work beginning. This part of construction is expected to last 2 months. (reminder that work is only allowed 7am-9pm M-F and 9am-7pm on Saturdays)
- DART is proposing work on multiple streets simultaneously. This is currently being reviewed by the city. I am very concerned about how traffic will flow and emergency response delays during construction and have asked the city to hire a consultant to look at the impact of so many lane closures in such a concentrated area. I've also asked for examples of where this has happened in our city or any other city, and so far, nobody can find any instance.
- COIT ROAD - DART is still pursuing a design that does not meet the Interlocal Agreement (ILA), and will create a more dangerous situation for the 55,000 daily vehicles and a lasting negative visual impact for those who live near Coit Road. The point of contention is how far down the rail will go below the street. The ILA says 11' but DART wants to go 8'. This means there will be a bigger "hump" on the roadway, making traffic less safe, providing less privacy, more noise, and an ugly road outside the windows of Highland Springs and University Place residents. There is land DART needs to acquire that may also delay the construction on Coit. DART says the ILA measurement didn't specify if it would be 11' to top of rail (customary) or bottom of rail. I hope DART will honor what they told the community and redesign Coit to meet the agreement.
- HILLCREST ROAD - DART is proposing a year closure of Hillcrest during construction. The ILA states only 26 weeks. There has not been discussion on the pump station. The FTA has not determined if a supplemental EIS is required since the pump station was not included in the FEIS and it has a negative impact on our environment and community. I hope DART will honor what they told the community and adjust their plans accordingly to meet the agreement.
- CAMPBELL ROAD - DART proposed reducing Campbell to one lane each direction while Hillcrest was at one lane each direction. The city has told them they must keep open 2 lanes each direction and finish the work on Campbell before Hillcrest is fully closed.
- I asked DART for monthly public meetings to update the community. The next meeting will be September 20th at 7 pm at Texas A&M AgriLife Conference Center. If you live nearby or travel these roads frequently, please attend.
DART said to the residents at the 8/4 meeting that they had been working closely with Dallas Police and Dallas Fire Rescue to ensure safety. They also gave a statement to Channel 11 saying the same. Meeting records showed they did not discuss any issues in our area with either DFR or DPD, both who were unaware of what was happening with lane closures on Hillcrest. This is completely unacceptable. Two weeks ago, DART confirmed they had not talked to Frankford Middle School in recent memory, even as they plan to close Dickerson. Since then, I've been told they have met with DPD and DFR. DART also acknowledged they had not sent your public comments to FTA about their "memo to file" discussed in the last enews and 8/4 public meeting.
IMPORTANT: Rumors are that DART will ask the City Council to revise the ILA to suit their needs. Possibly, they will leverage the $100 million excess sales tax they received and should be returning to the city to pressure the city council to approve changes to the ILA. If you live in the area, you may want to consider hiring an attorney to represent your interests. At least two attorneys are working on a contingency basis, so there are no out of pocket expenses for residents. Residents are giving each other referrals on Next Door and in Facebook groups on this subject. The Facebook group Neighbors Sharing Cotton Belt Information is a good source for questions or referrals. https://www.facebook.com/groups/345535752800481
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Free Trees - Branch Out Dallas | |
The program gives City of Dallas (Collin and Denton County Dallas zip codes included) residents a free five-gallon tree for their yard. Residents will be able to choose from one of the six locations to pick-up their Texas trees. Trees benefit the urban environment by cleaning the air and slowing down climate change. Reserve trees by September 30 (while supplies lasts).
Nearest pickup location in District 12 is the Shelton School at 17301 Preston.
For more information, pick up sites, and registration head over to: Branch Out Dallas
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Volunteers Needed for Trash Assessment | |
Volunteers are needed for assessing (not cleaning up) the trash on the ground in Dallas zip code 75287. Volunteers will be given a list of locations to assess and rate how much trash they see, then email the results to Beth Weaver, the assessment’s leader. Beth will be working with individuals and organizations to adopt locations and continually clean them on the first and third Saturdays of each month.
Details of the Trash Assessment:
Date: Saturday, October 29 (rainout date Saturday November 5)
Time: all day as convenient for the volunteer
To volunteer, please contact Beth Weaver at saturdaysfortheearth@gmail.com.
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FREE COMMUNITY ARTISTS - PERFORM, TEACH, EXHIBIT | |
Please remember that the City of Dallas has a fabulous FREE program for your events to have artists perform - the Community Artist Program (CAP).
The only requirements are that it has to be in the city of Dallas, free and open to the public, (cannot be used for a private party, fundraising event, religious service or paid event) and CAP artists must be requested three weeks before the date needed. The host must provide a facility/space at no charge and should market the event appropriately.
The Community Artist Program (CAP) provides artist services to Dallas communities by ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, and Native American) and other individual artists and non-profit organizations to teach, perform, and exhibit at host facilities in neighborhoods around the City of Dallas for no charge. Host sites and community members who are planning events can request artists from the CAP Roster via our Community Artist Program Website (https://dallasculture.org/.../community-artist.../roster/).
• The Community Artist Program is offered to facilities and groups hosting events within the city limits of Dallas only.
• Events or services must be free of charge to the public. Services are available in the form of performances and workshops. Some performances and workshops can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the host organization.
• Artists are available through the CAP funding program offered by the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture. You book the services and OAC pays their fee.
• The Office of Arts and Culture’s staff will assign participating artists/organizations to services in the community on a request and need basis.
• Community hosts may include (but not limited to) churches, community organizations, recreation centers, libraries, parks, social service agencies, and other nonprofit groups.
• Performances are based on a 50-minute presentation. Workshops are available in 2-through 4-session series.
• Bookings are available for audiences ranging from preschool to senior citizens.
To request a CAP artist/group: https://webportalapp.com/webform/fy21-22_cap_request
For a listing of available CAP artists/groups:https://dallasculture.org/roster/?fbclid=IwAR2nqyv8LtPyliWDBUz5w31WrcxpW54By5MosLIo6X3cuF_nXw0JDTt83ek
Special thanks to D12 Arts Commissioner Jo Trizila for this information and write up!
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In an effort to keep the power on, Oncor will be trimming trees in these areas in the coming weeks: Gibbons & Rosemeade Pkwy, Haverwood & Gibbons, Coit & Osage Plaza Prkwy, Dickerson & Frankford, and Dallas North Tollway & Haverwood. If a tree is on your property, they will put a notice on your door so you can contact them and discuss the plan for trimming.
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The Dallas Morning News wrote an op-ed about the new office of the inspector general and our new ethics ordinance. Passing the ordinance was probably the most important thing city council has done to secure Dallas' future and now we need to properly fund and staff this department. There was a very concerning effort underway to try to pull funding from the department.
At the city council meeting following the article, the amendment was changed to pull funding from a different source, leaving the inspector general budget intact for now. There will be one more council meeting where budget amendments will be considered. My sincere hope is no councilmember will try to remove funding from this area. Here's a link to the article:
Dallas Morning News - Don’t Balk at Ethics Watchdog
https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?artguid=bbacdf4f-e1f6-4b06-aac3-6de066e14486
Below is a link to the city council briefing if you would like to watch (3 hours). Items to know include the Inspector General is part of the city attorney's office, which reports directly to city council, not the city manager. The city attorney's office falls in the portfolio of the Government Performance and Financial Management committee, which I chair, and the Ad Hoc Committee on General Investigating and Ethics, which I also chair, and has been the driver of Ethics reform, with Councilmember Paula Blackmon spearheading the effort. You can skip to item A: https://dallastx.swagit.com/play/09082022-574
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PERMIT OFFICE - NEW PROGRAM FOR SINGLE FAMILY | |
The RSVP Program is Here! The Development Services Department is pleased to announce its new Rapid Single-Family VIP Program (RSVP)! It is an appointment-based, quality, personalized, and expeditious permitting plan review service delivery for new residential single-family projects. The program is designed to facilitate the issuance of new single-family permits the same day the permit application is submitted by partnering City staff with the customer. This program is available to any registered developer, homeowner, architect, engineer, or contractor. An expedited plan review fee of $200.00 per hour will be assessed to qualifying projects. Please call (214) 948-5391 to reserve your appointment! | |
LIVING ON THE BORDER OF DALLAS | |
District 12 has a large border with 4 other cities. If you've had a difficult time reaching 311 from your home and get a message saying you aren't in Dallas, but you are... this is for you! Our CIO took on the project to figure out what was happening and how it can be fixed. Many thanks to residents who shared their experiences and AT&T who helped with research and some tech answers.
- Landlines aren't having problems, but mobile phones are. Mobile phones connect to the nearest available cell tower, and sometimes that may be in Richardson, Plano, Carrollton, or Addison. That is why the message says you are not in the City of Dallas.
- What can you do? Use a landline, submit 311 requests through OurDallas app, or call the full number for 311, which is (214) 670-3111. The full number will allow anyone to reach 311, even if they are outside the city.
- The city will continue to work with AT&T to determine if there are other options that can be implemented to allow customers to route calls to the call center, regardless of which cell tower they connect to.
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VENDORS WANTED FOR HOLIDAY AT THE FARM EVENT | |
Holiday at the Farm wants arts and crafts, gift market, specialty artisans, and food vendors to make this old-fashioned holiday event a day to remember. Bring your wares and goodies to Holiday at the Farm from noon to 6 p.m. December 10 at Samuell Farm in Mesquite. Go to https://bit.ly/3ABQCdm for vendor application. | |
SEPTEMBER IS SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH | |
According to the CDC, in 2020, suicide was among the top 9 leading causes of death for people ages 10-64. It was also the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 and 25-34. Approximately 46,000 people died by suicide in 2020, which averages out to 1 death every 11 minutes. Prior to 2020, and between the decade of 1999 and 2019, suicide rates increased by 33%. As these facts reveal, suicide has become one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
There are many risk factors involved in the tendency of an individual to pursue suicide. A few include:
Individual Risk Factors
- Previous suicide attempt
- History of depression and other mental illnesses
- Serious illness such as chronic pain
- Criminal/legal problems
- Job/financial problems or loss
- Impulsive or aggressive tendencies
- Substance misuse
- Current or prior history of adverse childhood experiences
- Sense of hopelessness
- Violence victimization and/or perpetration
Relationship Risk Factors
- Bullying
- Family/loved one’s history of suicide
- Loss of relationships
- High conflict or violent relationships
- Social isolation
Community Risk Factors
- Lack of access to healthcare
- Suicide cluster in the community
- Stress of acculturation
- Community violence
- Historical trauma
- Discrimination
Suicide can be prevented. There are strategies to help prevent it. In order to do this, it takes healthy, strong, and available individuals, families, and communities to assist those who struggle with traveling the path to suicide. Some strategies of prevention include:
- Economic and household strengthening supports
- Promoting connections and community engagement
- Identifying and supporting people at risk
- Available teaching and coaching stakeholders with coping and problem-solving skills
Recently, a new 988 number went live nationally. It is a Suicide and Crisis Lifeline set up for anyone experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. 988 is confidential, free, and available 24/7/365. Anyone can call or text 988 for help. To chat online go to 988lifeline.org.
For more information about these details, check cdc.gov and nimh.nih.gov.
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SENIORS RECEIVE FREE REC CENTER ANNUAL REGISTRATION | |
If You’re An Active Senior, Your Annual Registration At City of Dallas Recreation Centers Is Free! WellMed Charitable Foundation (WCF) is underwriting the annual registration fees at Dallas recreation centers for residents 60 and older. For the fifth year, WCF is donating $150,000 to the City of Dallas to make recreational and wellness programs more accessible to thousands of Dallas seniors. For a year, Dallas Park and Recreation will waive the required $10 annual and $5 monthly recreation center access fees for existing and new members at its 43 recreation centers. WCF is the philanthropic partner of WellMed and USMD Health System WellMed, USMD and 2,000 WellMed-supported independent physicians in North Texas provide health care to almost 100,000 Medicare-eligible patients in North Texas. | |
HELPFUL RESOURCES & REMINDERS | |
- When will your trash get picked up? Get notified! Download the Dallas Sanitation App and it will text you when it is time to put your items outside. Did you trash/recycling get missed? Call 311 asap and they'll come get it within 24 hours.
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Dallas Animal Services reports the shelter is full! If you are interested in fostering or adopting a dog or cat, please contact them. We have the Everyday Adoption Center inside the Petsmart at Coit and Campbell, usually open 4 days a week. Check out the website www.BeDallas90.org to see the pets currently available.
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Sidewalk maintenance in front of your home is your responsibility. The City of Dallas has a sidewalk replacement program, where the city will pay half the cost and the resident pays half the cost. Learn more here: https://dallascityhall.com/departments/public-works/DCH%20Documents/Public%20Works/pdf/SidewalkReplacementProgram-brochure%20091021.pdf
- To report panhandling or homeless encampments, call 311 or report on the OurDallas app. If you see something dangerous, please call 911.
- Learn more about the latest happenings at our Family Gateway North family homeless shelter. http://familygateway.org/north/
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If you're eligible to vote, make sure you're registered by October 11th to participate in the upcoming November 8 General Election. Texas law requires eligible voters to be registered 30 days before Election Day, and since the 30th day before November 8th, 2022 falls on the Sunday before Columbus Day, eligible Texas voters effectively have two extra days to register this year (Texas Election Code Sec. 13.143(e)). You can find accurate and comprehensive voting information at VoteTexas.gov.
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Councilmember Mendelsohn's Appointments by Mayor Johnson:
*Government Performance and Financial Management Committee (Chairman)
*Ad Hoc Committee on General Investigations and Ethics (Chairman)
*Public Safety Committee (Vice Chairman)
*Housing and Homeless Solutions Committee
*Transportation Committee
*Ad Hoc Committee on Legislative Affairs
*Regional Transportation Council Member (Primary Member)
*North Central Texas Council of Governments Executive Committee
Other appointments/elected positions:
*National League of Cities Youth, Education, and Families Council
*Board of Directors, National League of Cities Women in Municipal Government
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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
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