[1. Call the meeting to order.]
[00:00:06]
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.UH, I WANNA OFFICIALLY CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
WE DO HAVE A FULL QUORUM OF CITY COUNCIL PRESENT.
THIS IS AN OPEN MEETING AND THIS IS A REGULAR SCHEDULED BRIEFING SESSION.
[2. City Manager Reports: City Council Calendar/Upcoming Events City Operations Conduct a briefing to discuss items for the 7:00 p.m. regular meeting]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CITY MANAGER REPORT.GOOD EVENING, MADAM CITY MANAGER.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S A PLEASURE AND HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COME IN A LITTLE BIT LATE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A BRIEFING SESSION, SO WE THOUGHT WE WOULD START AT SIX 30 INSTEAD OF SEVEN AND, UH, IN FACT,
WE START AGAIN AT FIVE 30 'CAUSE WE NEED ANOTHER TIF BOARD MEETING.
WE'RE GONNA, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DALLAS COUNTY ON A FEW ITEMS AND SO WE'LL HAVE A TIF BOARD MEETING ON ON THE NEXT MEETING.
BUT, UM, WANNA START OUT WITH MY UPDATE ON A FEW ITEMS IN THE CALENDAR FOR YOU THAT'S IN YOUR FYI PACKET.
WE'LL GO THROUGH THE COUNCIL AGENDA HERE MOMENTARILY AND THEN WE'LL GET TO OUR SEVEN O'CLOCK MEETING.
UH, FIRST THING ON THE CALENDAR IS OUR AMAZING MAYOR, STATE OF THIS CITY ON THIS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH AT 6:00 PM WE DID OPEN IT UP FOR ALL RESIDENTS TO BE A PART OF THE STATE OF THE CITY THIS YEAR AS WE HAVE BEEN DONE IN YEARS PAST.
AND IT'S SOLD OUT WITHIN A FEW DAYS, JUST AS HAS BEEN THE CASE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.
IT'S GONNA BE AN AMAZING NIGHT.
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, THE PRESENTATION BY THE MAYOR AND, UH, AND WHAT WILL COME FROM THAT.
UM, ALSO NEXT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH IS A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THREE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT INCLUDES THE DOG PARK, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS, AND EV CHARGING STATION.
SO, LOOKING FORWARD TO GIVING YOU AN UPDATE ON ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS, THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM, AND, UM, SOLUTION FOR, UM, SOME, SOME BUDGET, SOME BUDGET ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD.
WE WILL BEGIN THAT EVENING FROM FOUR TO FIVE WITH A CITY COUNCIL REQUESTED SERVICE CENTER TOUR.
AS YOU KNOW, IN THE COUNCIL RETREAT, YOU REQUESTED A TOUR OF THE SERVICE CENTER AND WE'D LIKE TO GIVE THAT TO YOU.
YOU JUST MEET AT THE, UH, 1554 SOUTH CLARK ROAD ON THAT DAY, AND WE WILL GIVE YOU A TOUR OF OUR FACILITIES ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST.
THE CEDAR ALLIANCE CLUB IS HAVING THEIR ANNUAL SHERRY BORTH PANCAKE BREAKFAST FROM EIGHT TO 10:30 AM AT GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE, COUNCIL.
AND THEN, UM, AS A RESULT OF OUR JOINT MEETING WITH C COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE PARKS BOARD, THE COUNCIL, AND THE, THE BOARDS GAVE US DIRECTION ON WHICH DESIGN TO GO WITH AND YOU TO CHOSE THE BACK PORCH.
WE ARE REVEALING THAT BACK PORCH DESIGN FOR THE SENIOR EDITION TWO TIMES ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD AT ONE.
THE FIRST TIME IS IT FROM NINE TO 10:00 AM AT THE ALLEN E SIMS RECREATION CENTER.
AND THEN THAT SAME EVENING FROM SIX TO 7:00 PM SO IF YOU REMEMBER, YOU TOLD US ABOUT THE BACK PORCH, BUT YOU WANTED TO TAKE THE FRONT FACADE FROM THE COURTYARD AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE SHARING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE OTHER DETAILS AT THIS JUNCTURE.
WHAT THE GOAL IS BETWEEN NOW AND THE TIME THAT WE GET TO GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE IS TO GET TO A HUNDRED PERCENT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS.
THAT CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION WILL COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL FOR YOUR ULTIMATE CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.
THEN WE WILL HAVE A GROUNDBREAKING COUNCIL GAVE US DIRECTION TO REALLY TRY HARD TO DO A GROUNDBREAKING IN THIS FISCAL IN THIS YEAR, UH, IN 2026.
AND WE'LL WORK HARD TO GET THAT DONE IN DECEMBER, BUT CONSTRUCTION WILL START IN 2027, MOST LIKELY.
ALRIGHT, UM, ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH, THAT'S OUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING, STARTING AT 5:30 PM WITH THE TIF BOARD MEETING 6:00 PM UH, BRIEFING SESSION AT 7:00 PM CITY COUNCIL ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, THE CEDAR HILL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL HAVE STATE OF THE DISTRICT AT JOLYN MADDOX TEACHING AND LEARNING CENTER AT 1533 HIGH POINT LANE, THAT SAME AFTERNOON FROM TWO TO THREE 30 ARE, UH, WE WILL HAVE HOST A RETIREMENT CELEBRATION FOR 22 YEAR PUBLIC SERVANT EARL SHIPMAN IT DIRECTOR HERE IN THE GOVERNMENT CENTER.
THE COURT MULTIPURPOSE ROOM WON.
INVITE THE COUNCIL TO JOIN US FOR THAT.
ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH, WE WILL HAVE THE CEDAR HILL SHARES GALA AT 6:00 PM THE THEME FOR THAT IS STEP ON THE BOARD OF THE RIVER BOAT QUEEN AT THE TRAFFICKING HICKMAN LIBRARY AT FOUR 50 PIONEER TRAIL ON TUESDAY, MARCH 3RD.
WE, UH, HAVE AN EVENT SCHEDULED CALLED WIND BIG DURING 2026 WORLD CUP.
THIS IS COORDINATED BY THE TOURISM EDC AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
THE SPEAKER WILL TALK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES WHILE FIFA
[00:05:01]
IS IN TOWN.THE SPEAKER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DALLAS SPORTS COMMISSION AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HELPING OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES THRIVE WITH THAT EVENT.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHAMBER FROM NINE TO 10:30 AM AT THE GRAINY LAND BUILDING ON SATURDAY, MARCH 7TH.
FROM NINE 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM WE WILL HAVE OUR ANNUAL CEDAR HILL BLOCK PARTY.
AND THEN ON TUESDAY, MARCH 10TH IS WHEN WE WILL HAVE OUR ONLY COUNCIL MEETING DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE, OR ANYTHING TO ADD ON THE CALENDAR? UM, THE MARCH 3RD EVENT.
CAN WE GET THAT ON MY, MY CALENDAR? MAYBE COUNCIL'S CALENDAR.
YES, MAYOR, WE'LL GET THAT SENT OUT TO YOU.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA? I MEAN, THE CALENDAR ON THE CALENDAR, I'M SORRY.
IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE COUNCIL AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.
PASTOR MARLON PERKINS OF LIVING WATERS WORSHIP CENTER OF CEDAR HILL WILL DO THE INVOCATION.
WE WILL HAVE SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS LOOKING FORWARD TO ADMINISTERING.
I KNOW OUR CITY SECRETARY WILL ADMINISTER THE OATH OF OFFICE, AND I WILL GET TO INTRODUCE TO THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY, THE INCOMING CEDAR HILL FIRE CHIEF MIKE HARRISON.
LOOKING FORWARD TO READING SOME THINGS ABOUT HIM AND, UH, WITNESSING HIM, UM, AFTER 28 YEARS OF SERVICE, UM, BEING OFFICIALLY SWORN IN AS OUR FIRE CHIEF.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT WITH MIKE HARRISON.
WE WILL ALSO HAVE A PRESENTATION BY OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, ELI REYES, TO A COMMUNITY MEMBER.
AND I DON'T WANNA SPILL THE BEANS FOR YOU, BUT IT'S A REALLY GREAT STORY.
LOOKING FORWARD TO HIM PRESENTING THAT, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT IS REALLY, REALLY WELL DESERVING OF THIS, UH, SPECIAL RECOGNITION BY ELI.
THEN WE HAVE TWO AGENDA ITEMS THAT WERE POSTPONED FROM THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING DURING THE WINTER STORM.
THIS IS THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION DISTINGUISHED BUDGET AWARD PRESENTATION FOR THE FISCAL BUDGET YEAR 25 26.
WE HAVE RECEIVED THIS BUDGET AWARD FOR 35 YEARS.
THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT GOING BACK SEVERAL CITY MANAGERS AND SOUND FISCAL MANAGEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL AND THE FINANCE DIRECTORS AND ALL THE STAFF THAT WAS INVOLVED.
SO I REALLY WANNA HONOR THIS CITY FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE 35TH YEAR.
AND THEN RECOGNIZING THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AS RECIPIENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICER ASSOCIATION, CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, AN AWARD OF FINANCIAL REPORTING ACHIEVEMENT.
UM, WE JUST MET WITH THE AUDITORS AND TALKED ABOUT THE EFFORTS THAT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS UNDERTAKEN IN THIS LAST YEAR IN REGARDS TO TRANSPARENCY AT THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
AS YOU KNOW, WE INCLUDE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORTS ON THE COUNCIL AGENDAS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, AND IT'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT, UM, ACHIEVEMENT FOR OUR FINANCE TEAM.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THEM BEING HONORED WITH THIS AWARD.
THEN WE HAVE CITIZENS FORUM PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR, UM, THE HOOTERS RESTAURANT.
THIS IS JUST SALE OF OWNERSHIP AND, UH, WE'RE HAPPY.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SEVERAL HOOTERS THROUGHOUT THE METROPLEX ARE CLOSING AND, UH, OURS IS NOT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THAT APPROVED.
ITEM B IS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 26 8 70, ADOPTING THE HEART OF THE HILL DOWNTOWN ACTION PLAN.
OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, CHASTITY BENSON, HAS BEEN A CRITICAL PART OF WORKING WITH MEN COLLABORATIVE.
THEY WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM, UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING OF COURSE, AND THEN COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTING IT.
JUST WANNA SAY A SINCERE THANK YOU TO, UM, CHASITY BENSON AND THE TEAM.
UM, UH, HENRY FLORHAM, COLBY COLLINS, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AND OUR PLANNING DIRECTOR ANGELA SELF AND ALL THE PLANNING TEAM FOR THE HARD WORK THAT IT'S TAKEN TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
IF YOU REMEMBER, IT WAS JUST A SHORT YEAR AGO THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DOING AN ACTION PLAN, AND IT'S SURPRISING HOW QUICKLY THAT YEAR HAS FLOWN BY, BUT I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE FRUITS OF THE LABOR WILL BE SEEN TONIGHT AND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME BECAUSE WE'VE MADE, TAKEN THIS VERY NECESSARY STEP.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU RECEIVING THAT PRESENTATION.
ITEM SEVEN IS CONSIDERED ORDERING A GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY AND MAY 2ND TO ELECT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN PLACE TWO AND PLACE SIX.
CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES ITEMS OF MINUTES.
ITEM B IS RECEIVE A QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2025.
ITEM C IS, AND DI WOULD LIKE TO ASK OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO COME FORWARD TO GIVE YOU A BRIEFING ON THOSE TWO AGENDA ITEMS, IF I MAY.
[00:10:04]
THANK YOU MELISSA.UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY IS, UM, BEING PRESENTED WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR TAXPAYERS DOLLARS.
AND, AND WITH THAT, UM, IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE SOME GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, UM, WITH THE, OUR GREAT ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM, UH, CHIEF LAFFERTY, REESE, MELINDA, CAPTAIN SCHNAT, AND ERICA DELGADO.
UM, THESE TWO ITEMS THAT YOU'RE GONNA FIND ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, UM, ONE OF THEM IS FOR THE FIRST RESPONDER MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM.
THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR, UH, OF THIS PROGRAM.
UM, IT'S $63,000 TO GO TOWARDS, UH, MENTAL HEALTH, UH, COUNSELING IN THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS, UH, TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE CUMULATIVE TRAUMA EXPERIENCED BY OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN THE LINE OF DUTY.
UM, AND I, I THINK WE'VE RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR THIS AND TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THOSE TAX DOLLARS WITH A ZERO, UH, MATCHING FUNDS FROM THE CITY, I THINK IS A GREAT BENEFIT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, UM, THAT'S $63,000 THIS YEAR.
IT'S THE SECOND YEAR FOR THAT GRANT.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER, UM, GRANT WE HAVE IS FOR OUR BODY-WORN CAMERA PROGRAM.
THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR, UH, FOR THIS PROGRAM.
UH, IT, THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR THE BODY-WORN CAMERA PROGRAM IS 82,000.
THIS GRANT WILL PROVIDE $65,000 TOWARDS THAT 80,000 AND THE CITY WILL MATCH IT AT $16,400, WHICH IS ALREADY A BUDGETED AMOUNT IN OUR BUDGET.
UM, WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB IN LEVERAGING GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND JUST BETWEEN THESE TWO GRANTS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, IT'S OVER $300,000 THAT WE'VE SAVED THE TAXPAYERS OF THE CITY, UM, BY LEVERAGING GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, UM, AND GIVING OUR STAFF THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOBS BETTER, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE MENTAL HEALTH AND RESILIENCY PROGRAM.
SO THOSE TWO ITEMS ARE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT AND, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THOSE TWO ITEMS. OKAY.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR COUNSEL? UH, CO UH, CHIEF, THE, I GUESS THE, UM, THE BODY-WORN CAMERAS.
I KNOW WE DID A BUDGET LINE ITEM FOR IT.
WAS IT EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, THE OFFSET OR WAS THERE A LITTLE MORE? SO WE BUDGETED FOR THE CASH MATCH AMOUNT, UH, WITH GRANT FUNDING, UM, YOU CAN'T BUDGET FOR THE GRANT AMOUNT.
UM, SO, UH, WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING THAT GRANT FUNDING.
SO WE BUDGET FOR THE CASH AMOUNT, UH, MATCH AMOUNT.
CLOSED SESSION WILL INCLUDE, UH, A BRIEFING WITH COUNSEL ON, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
IS THERE A REGULAR ITEM? SORRY, THERE IS NO REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS, MAYOR.
YES, IT'S TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION NAMING THE CITY'S NEW DOG PARK LEGACY DOG PARK IN HONOR OF THE COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS AND LEGACY OF PASTOR JIM HENNESSY.
ALRIGHT, WELL COUNSEL, THAT CONCLUDES OUR BRIEFING SESSION.
UH, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TO ADJOURN.
MOTION TO ADJOURN? I DO HAVE A MOTION.
SECOND, UH, COUNCILWOMAN M MIRANDA INE.
HONOR FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
WE'LL RECONVENE AT 7:00 PM FOR THE REGULAR SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING.