* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] IT IS NOW SEVEN O'CLOCK. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING OF THE SELMA OF THE WILMER CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER AT 7:00 PM ON THE BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL, I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A WARM WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS, THIS EVENING. YOUR PRESENCE RE REFLECTS A STRONG COMMITMENT TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND WE TRULY VALUE YOUR INTEREST IN THE WORK AND PROGRESS IN OF OUR CITY. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE CHIEF KEMP TO PROVIDE OUR INVOCATION. I WILL ASK EVERYONE TO STAND IF YOU ARE ABLE. MAYOR, MAYOR, PRO TEM. I'VE BEEN ALL OF MY FEELINGS TODAY. YOU KNOW, AND I, CHRISTINA, THAT'S WHAT I PRAYED TONIGHT. AND WHENEVER DISCIPLES CAME, ONE OF THE THINGS HE SAID, I CAME TO COME MARYS OUT. WHATEVER LEVEL OF FAITH YOU ARE, THAT THAT'S RIGHTEOUSNESS. CAN WE PRAY THAT TONIGHT? PRAY A NATION TORN WITH WAR HATE. AND DO WE FORMAL, SORRY FOR HEAVENLY FATHER, FIRST AND FOREMOST. AND TONIGHT WE HONOR YOU. GRATEFUL. WE'RE THANKFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY MOMENT, PRECIOUS MOMENT THAT YOU GIVEN EVERY DAY AND A BEAUTIFUL DAY, THE NIGHT FATHER ASKS, THAT YOU WOULD JUST GIVE HEAVENLY WISDOM. WISDOM FROM ABOVE TO OUR, OUR MAYOR, OUR COUNCIL, THE ENTIRE STAFF OF THE CITY OF WILMER. FATHER, THAT WE MAY HEA THE WORDS OF THE AMOUNT AS THERE WAS MANY, THAT WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS AS WE LOVE OURSELVES, THAT WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO DESPITEFULLY USE US AND PERSECUTE US. COULD WE FATHER AND TIME OF DISUNITY TRULY AS A COMMUNITY IN WILMER, BE A BRIGHT, SHINING BEACON OF HOPE AND LIGHT UNITY, TRULY COMMUNITY? THAT'S MY PRAYER TONIGHT, FATHER, IS THAT WE WOULD BE SOLUTIONS. WE WOULD BE HOPE, BECAUSE WHATEVER LEVEL OF FAITH WE ARE, JESUS IS OUR HOPE OF GLORY. AND I, I JUST INVITE YOU AS I KNOW YOU ARE ALREADY HERE, AND ALL THE THINGS, PROSPERITY, PROTECTION, GRACE AND MERCY FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND BEYOND. AT THIS TIME, I WILL ASK MS. DI LINDA, DIANE NEELAND, TO DO THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OKAY, WE WILL NOW, OH, SORRY. ONE MOMENT PLEASE. COMMISSIONER PRICE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR HELPING GET PARKLAND HOSPITAL IN WILMER. YES, YOU DID A GREAT, GREAT JOB, SIR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHTY. [1. Receive the Community Service's Quarterly Report. ] WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR PRESENTATION ITEM ITEM NUMBER ONE, RECEIVE THE COMMUNITY SERVICES QUARTERLY REPORT. AND WE HAVE MS. ANGELICA GARCIA, OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES MANAGER, WHO WILL PRESENT THAT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNSEL, I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE FIRST QUARTER OF, UM, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES UPDATE, PAGE TWO. I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ALEJANDRO CASTANERA FOR OUR SENIOR INSPECTOR FOR PASSING HIS PROPERTY MAINTENANCE AND HOUSING INSPECTOR CERTIFICATION EXAM THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL. SLIDE NUMBER THREE. UM, THIS QUARTER WE ISSUED 187 PERMITS. THERE'S A DETAIL OF ALL OF THE PERMITS THAT WERE ISSUED DOWN BELOW. OUR BUILDING INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT COMPLETED 1,353 [00:05:02] INSPECTIONS DURING THIS QUARTER WITH 1,175 OF THOSE PASSING. 144 OF THOSE FAILED. 33 OF THOSE DID A PARTIAL PASS AND WE CANCELED ONE INSPECTION OR THE CITIZEN CANCELED ONE. INSPECTION SLIDE NUMBER FIVE, WE HAD 143 CODE VIOLATIONS OPEN DURING THIS QUARTER. 124 VIOLATIONS HAVE BEEN CORRECTED AND 17 VIOLATIONS REMAIN OPEN. THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS 113 ACTIVE LIENS ON FILE. OUR RESIDENTIAL RENTAL INSPECTION PROGRAM, UM, DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE FISCAL YEAR OF 26 12 RENTAL PROPERTIES WERE INSPECTED AND APPROVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE. ANY QUESTIONS? COUNSEL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE LIENS? ARE THOSE FOR TAXES OR REQUIRED IMPROVEMENT? THOSE ARE, UM, FOR CODE VIOLATIONS WHEN, UM, WE HAVE TO SEND A CONTRACTOR OUT THERE TO MOW PROPERTIES OR CLEAN UP A PROPERTY, UM, AND THE PROPERTY OWNER DOESN'T PAY FOR THEM, THEN WE PUT A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY. SO THESE AREN'T HOUSES THAT AREN'T CONNECTED TO WATER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? THEY COULD BE, UM, THEY COULD BE. UM, SO DO WE NOT PUT THE FINE IN WITH THE WATER BILL? NO. NO. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL NOW MOVE [CITIZENS' COMMENTS] ON TO OUR CITIZEN COMMENTS. FIRST UP IS MS. CANDY MADRIGAL, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, AND YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES, MA'AM. CANDY MADRIGAL TWO FIVE SUMMER STREET. OKAY. I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE UP HERE DOING THIS, BUT I WANNA ADDRESS THE BELTLINE BEAUTIFICATION GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED. THEY DID SUCH A GOOD JOB DOING IT, BUT NOW I'M ASHAMED WITH ALL OUR DIGNITARIES HERE. HOW THE WEEDS HAVE GROWN UP. THE TRASH IS ALL IN THERE. I'M ON THE A BOARD, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT, BUT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING. I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY, A LOT OF WORK, LOT OF ENERGY GOING INTO A BEAUTIFYING BELTLINE, GET IT BACK TO LOOKING GOOD. AND THE N IS DRAINAGE ISSUES. I KNOW BEFORE WE HAVE BOUGHT EQUIPMENT TO HELP GET THESE CULVERTS CLEANED OUT. I'VE DUG MINE DOWN AS FAR AS I CAN TO HELP HOLD WATER WITHOUT HAVING A DETENTION POND. I KNOW SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE AROUND HERE BEHIND THEIR HOUSES, THE WATER HAS WASHED AWAY BIG GIANT AREAS. I MEAN, KIDS ARE GONNA FALL IN THAT NEXT FLOODS WE HAVE. I MEAN, IT, THERE'S NOTHING ROPING 'EM OFF. I SEE HOW BAD MINE IS AND I SEE HOW IT RUNS DOWN THE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT DOWN WILMER WHEN IT RAINS SO HARD. BUT I THINK WE REALLY, REALLY NEED TO DIG OUT OUR MACHINERY AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE CULVERTS. OTHER THAN THAT, UM, I THINK THAT OVERALL THE CITY'S LOOKING GOOD. I MEAN, I DRIVE UP AND DOWN AND I SEE EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO CLEAN UP THEIR HOMES OR MOWING. GETTING THINGS LOOKING GOOD. LET'S GET BELT LINE BACK. IT SHOULD BE, WE FINALLY GOT IT THERE. LET'S HOLD IT. THAT'S IT. OUR NEXT COMMENT IS MS. VICKY VANGER. MS. VICKY, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU. VICKY VAN, 2 40 70 WIT STREET. I'M HERE TONIGHT AS, UM, CHAIRPERSON OF THE WILMER ADV LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD. I'D LIKE TO INVITE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, CITIZENS TO COME OUT TOMORROW IF YOU HAVE THE TIME AND ARE AVAILABLE BETWEEN 11 AND 12. WE DO HAVE A LITTLE GARDEN CLUB STARTED AND OUR LITTLE PROJECT TOMORROW IS GONNA BE MAKING SEED BALLS. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE PLANTING THESE IN THE YARDS AND HAVING SOME LOVELY FLOWERS COME UP TO ADD TO THE BEAUTIFICATION OF WILMER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT COMMENT WILL BE MR. GEORGE LEVERETT. MR. LEVERETT, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, SIR. THANK YOU, MA'AM. GEORGE LEVERETT, 24 MEADOW LANE, MAYOR PRO TEM COUNCIL STAFF. APPRECIATE Y'ALL. UH, I WANT TO ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP BY THE CITY COUNCIL. SOME CONCERNS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE HAD, UH, HERE RECENTLY. AND THAT'S WITH OUR DATA CENTERS. KIM TURNER'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. THERE ARE SOME [00:10:01] BAD ACTORS OUT THERE. HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, BAD ACTORS WITH DATA CENTERS NOT IN WILMER. THOSE BAD ACTORS LOOK FOR RURAL AREAS WHERE THERE'S LITTLE TO NO REGULATION ON THE DATA CENTERS THEMSELVES AND HOW THEY'RE TO OPERATE AND BE CORRUPTED. THERE'S LITTLE TO NO PROTECTION IN A GOOD MANY OF THESE RURAL AREAS THAT THESE DATA CENTERS HAVE BEEN LOCATED, UH, TO YOU. WHETHER IT'S IN THE CAROLINAS, WHETHER IT'S IN VIRGINIAS, UM, IT IS WELL KNOWN, WELL DOCUMENTED, AND THEY ARE EXTREMELY BAD ACTORS. THAT BEING SAID, YOU BEING 100% CORRECT, UH, THAT THEY EXIST NOT IN WILMER. ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT OUR DATA CENTERS IS THERE IS NO TAX ABATEMENT FOR OUR DATA CENTERS. ZERO. SOMEBODY'S BROUGHT THAT ISSUE UP. THERE IS ZERO TAX ABATEMENTS FOR ANY OF THE DATA CENTERS THAT ARE HERE OR THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE COMING, NUMBER ONE. SO THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE. WATER USAGE. THE DATA CENTERS HERE IN WILMER, UH, USE A CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM. THE WATER IS CONSTANTLY CIRCULATED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IT'S COOLED, USED TO COOL THE FACILITY. WHEN IT LOOSES THE HEAT, IT IS RECOILED AGAIN. IT'S THE SAME WATER OVER AND OVER. THESE, UH, LOOPS, UH, CLOSED LOOP SYSTEMS HAVE AN APPROXIMATE LIVELIHOOD OF 15 TO 20 YEARS BEFORE IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. THE INITIAL STARTUP, UH, IS ABOUT 75,000 GALLONS OF WATER. GRANTED, THAT IS A LOT OF WATER. HOWEVER, THE DATA CENTERS PAY TO HAVE THE WATER TRUCKED IN SO THAT THERE IS NO IMPACT ON THE LOCAL WATER SUPPLY HERE IN WILMER. IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE WILMER WATER USAGE, UH, IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, UH, ON THE WATER. UH, DUE TO MAINTENANCE PRACTICES, POSSIBLE SMALL LEAKS, THEY MIGHT GO THROUGH A 1500 GALLONS A YEAR FOR REPLACEMENT. GRAHAM BACKGROUND, UH, TO STATE PROGRAMS, SUPPORTING [*A portion of this meeting is unavailable*] INFRASTRUCTURE AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES. [7. Consider Resolution R2026-0319B authorizing the submission of a grant application to the Texas Department of Agriculture for the Texas Community Development Block Grant (TxCDBG) Downtown Revitalization Program and committing the required local match. ] THE FOCUS IS ON DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY. IT FUNDS PROJECTS THAT IMPROVE SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND WALKABILITY. IT'S A COMPETITIVE STATEWIDE GRANT PROGRAM FOR POTENTIAL GRANT FUNDING. THE PROGRAM GRANTS UP TO 1 MILLION AND GRANT FUNDING PER PROJECT. FINAL AWARD MAY BE LESS DEPENDING ON SCORING AND FUNDING AVAILABILITY. THE GRANT PROGRAM DOES REQUIRE A 5% LOCAL MATCH FROM THE ELIGIBLE PROJECT. IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE SIDEWALK REHA, UM, REHABILITATION, AND A DA ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS, PEDESTRIAN AND STREET LIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS, DOWNTOWN STREET RECONSTRUCTION, STORM DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, PUBLIC PARKING IMPROVEMENTS, STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS INCLUDING LANDSCAPING TREES, BENCHES. THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PHASES. PHASE ONE IS THE COMMUNITY APPLICATION, WHICH IS NOW OPEN AND HAS A SET DEADLINE OF APRIL 3RD OF THIS YEAR. UM, PHASE TWO IS THE PROJECT APPLICATION PERIOD WHERE SELECT COMMUNITIES FROM PHASE ONE WILL BE INVITED TO SUBMIT THEIR FULL PROPOSAL. FINAL AWARDS ARE DETERMINED FOLLOWING REVIEW OF THE FULL APPLICATION FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS. THE TEXAS CDBG GRANT PROGRAM HAS A MAXIMUM POTENTIAL GRANT AWARD OF 1 MILLION. HOWEVER, A FINAL AWARD AMOUNT MAY VARY. THERE IS A 5% LOCAL MATCH. IF THE CITY IS AWARDED AND FORMALLY ACCEPTS THE GRANT. THE 5% MATCH AMOUNT DEPENDS ON THE FINAL AWARD AMOUNT. NEXT STEPS. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF THE TEXAS CDBG DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION GRANT IS FORMALLY BEFORE YOU DENY FOR CONSIDERATION. SHOULD THE CITY COUNCIL WISH TO PROCEED WITH THE COMMUNITY APPLICATION, SUBMISS STAFF WILL COORDINATE WITH THE CITY'S GRANT CONSULTANT TO SUBMIT DOCUMENTS TO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PRIOR TO THE APRIL 3RD DEADLINE. IF SELECTED, THE CITY WILL BE INVITED TO SUBMIT A FULL PROJECT APPLICATION DURING PHASE TWO OF THE PROGRAM AT THIS TIME. AND THIS IS A, JUST A PROJECT THAT IF WE GET DOWN LATER AND IT GETS TIME AND WE ACTUALLY RECEIVE IT. 'CAUSE AGAIN, AS SHE STATED THAT THIS IS A COMPETITIVE PROCESS, THIS DOESN'T OBLIGATE YOU TO CONTINUE ON. IF LATER YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND. BUT ANYTHING WITH DOWNTOWN, ANYTHING WITH, UH, PEDESTRIAN, UH, SIDEWALK ENHANCEMENTS, [00:15:01] UH, I MEAN WE NEED TO DO AND 5% AND THE MILLION IS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT. SO IF IT'S 800,000, IT'D BE 5% OF THAT, WHICH WOULD BE 40,000. SO THIS IS, UH, AGAIN, ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. AND THERE ARE SUFFICIENT FUNDS IN OUR, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FUNDS TO PAY FOR THIS. THIS JUST FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA, OR IT'S JUST, UH, THE TOWN? YES, IT'S JUST FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA. DOWNTOWN. MADAM MAYOR, DIDN'T WE APPLY FOR THIS GRANT LIKE TWO, THREE YEARS AGO WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO DO SIDEWALKS AND, AND, AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS ON BELTLINE? I THINK WE DID, BUT IF WE, WE DIDN'T WIN. NO, MA'AM. DO YOU HAVE RECORDS OF WHERE WE APPLIED FOR THIS BEFORE? MAYBE THEY GAVE US RESPONSES ABOUT WHY OUR GRANT WAS NOT APPROVED. I CAN, BECAUSE I'M ALMOST POSITIVE WE APPLIED FOR THIS, FOR THIS GRANT BEFORE WE CAN LOOK, ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY, IT WAS, AND IT WAS DENIED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. IT WAS TURNED DOWN. THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING. SO THE CITY COUNCIL JUST DENIED IT? YES. YEAH. OKAY. FREE MONEY. HEY LADIES, GENTLEMEN, MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? WE HA UH, I MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE THE, THE SUBMISSION OF A GRANT TO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR A DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PROGRAM. GRANT. I SECOND. I'LL SECOND IT. THANK YOU, MA'AM. MAY I HAVE YOUR VOTE? YES. YES, YES, YES. FIVE TO ZERO. IT PASSES. ITEM EIGHT, DISCUSS [8. Discuss and consider approving Resolution R2026-0319C, accepting the 2025 Racial Profiling Analysis Annual Report. ] AND CONSIDER APPROVING RESOLUTION. R 2 26 DASH 0 3 1 9 C ACCEPTING THE 2025 RACIAL PROFILING ANALYSIS ANNUAL REPORT. CHIEF KEMP MAYOR, MAYOR PRO, TIM AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU BRIEFLY ABOUT OUR ANNUAL REPORT IN 2025. UH, RACIAL PROFILING REPORT TOLD YOU EARLIER, I DO A LOT OF REFLECTING TODAY WHILE WE'RE REQUIRED BY STATUTE TO SHARE THESE NUMBERS. IT'S, IT'S MORE THAN THAT. AND THIS CAN BECOME TO FEEL LIKE A FORMALITY, BUT, BUT IT'S, IT'S MUCH GREATER THAN THAT. AND I ALWAYS LEAN INTO THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS. UH, THE NUMBERS OF TRAFFIC STOPS OR PEDESTRIAN STOPS AT THE WILER POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD, UH, THIS PAST YEAR, 2025, WAS 8,154, WHICH IS RIGHT ON THE AVERAGE OF WHAT WE HAVE FROM THE LAST FIVE YEARS. UH, COVID SUCH. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S MORE, IT IS MORE THAN JUST NUMBERS. EACH ONE OF THESE ARE NOT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PEOPLE, INDIVIDUALS THAT, UH, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE WILER POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE CONTACTED IN SOME SHAPE, FASHION, OR FORM. NOW, I, I'VE JUST BEEN REFLECTING A LOT. UH, THIS IS MY 16TH YEAR TO HAVE THE HONOR TO STAND UP HERE AND SHARE THE RACIAL PROFILING REPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT. I STARTED LAW ENFORCEMENT WHILE I WAS IN 1994. I WAS EIGHT. I WAS 19 YEARS OLD. SOMEBODY TALKED ABOUT RACIAL COHORTS. WE DIDN'T EVEN WAS SMITH HELD. I CAME TO THE CITY OF WILMAR IN 2002 AND I BEGAN TO LEARN ABOUT RACIAL PROFILING AND CULTURE DIVERSITY AND THAT TYPE OF TRAINING JUST PRIOR TO 2002 THAT SENATOR ROYCE WEST, I, I SAY SENATOR ROYCE WEST FOR A REASON. EVERYTHING WE DO AT THE LUMBER POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT WE TRY TO VET AND RUN THROUGH OUR MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH IS VERY SIMPLE TO SERVE WITH HONOR, IT, PROTECT WITH VIGILANCE. WHEN I WAS APPOINTED TO POLICE CHIEF, THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT DROPPED IN MY SPIRIT THAT'S FAR AS THE VISION STATEMENT. AND IT WAS LEARNING FROM THE PAST, PROTECTING THE PRESENT, PLANNING THE FUTURE. AND WE STILL KEEP THAT AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYTHING WE DO. SENATOR ROYCE WEST, PRIOR TO 2001, FUTURE THINKING, FORWARD THINKING. SO ON ISSUE IN THE PROBLEM, PUT FORTH LEGISLATION THAT DON'T, THE NUANCES OF ALL THOSE THINGS. BUT IF A STATUTE, SEPTEMBER THE FIRST OF 2000 LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY PUT DATA ON RACIAL. IIII [00:20:01] APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH BECAUSE IT'S MORE THAN JUST NUMBERS. IT PAINTS A PICTURE PORTRAIT, IF YOU WILL, EACH YEAR OF THE SERVICE THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE LUMBER POLICE DEPARTMENT PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY. THOUSAND 105. WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE NUMBERS IT REPRESENTS AS IT DOES EACH AND EVERY YEAR. I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT IT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT THE TRAINING THAT OUR OFFICERS, UH, CAN DO. AND WE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE MINIMUM STATE. IT, IT IS A PICTURE. I'LL BE BRIEF AND GO THROUGH THAT. NEVER SAID THAT, BUT I WANNA SAY IT. THE, NOT THE DATA OF YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. MOST OF THESE ARE GENERALLY ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOPS AND PE STOPS THAT WE ROUTINE PATROL OF PUBLIC CALLS BY ANOTHER HIGHWAYS AS WELL. AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, AND OUR DIRECTORS MEDIA JUST WANTED TO MENTION , THAT WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED OUR TRAFFIC PROGRAM THREE YEARS AGO AND I WAS HAVING TO DO SUCH, THE FIRST THING YOU'LL NOTICE IN THE REPORT IS THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS INCREASED ON SURFACE STREETS, CITY STREETS FIVE. AND IT IS CONSTANTLY, OUR GOAL CONTINUED TO PUT OUR RESOURCES. WE'RE NO SECRET. THE CONVERSATION HAS COME UP TONIGHT. WE HAVE A TRAFFIC, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A SOLUTION TO SOME TRAFFIC ISSUES. AND WE PART OF THAT OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, THAT PERCENTAGE HAS FLIPPED TO, UH, MORE AND MORE, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE ON SURFACE STREETS WITHIN THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY TO SAFE AND SUCH. AND A ANOTHER ONE THAT I ALWAYS CIRCLE ON. AND THIS, UH, WE'VE, I'VE SUBMITTED THIS TO T COLE TESTING MISSION LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT I'LL LET THIS SIT ON MY DESK, UH, USUALLY FOR FOR WEEKS AND I'LL LOOK AT IT. AND WE HAVE MEETINGS WITH OUR COMMAND STAFF. WHAT DOES THIS, UH, REPORT TELL US IN THE DATA, TELL US. AND, UH, ONE THAT I ALWAYS PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO, UH, WAS RACE OR ETHNICITY KNOWN PRIOR TO STOP. I COMPARE OUR REPORTS TO OTHER COMMUNITIES IN OTHER CITIES THAT IS, UH, QUARTER PERCENT PRIOR TO A STOP. AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT NUMBER TO US THAT WE LOOK AT. YOU CAN GO THROUGH, UH, AGAIN, THE REPORT IS JUST REFLECTIVE OF I THINK THE INTEGRITY AND THE CHARACTER AND THE TRAINING THAT OUR OFFICERS EXHIBIT EACH AND EVERY DAY AND TRANSPARENCY WE'D LIKE TO PUT FORTH AS WELL. MR. NORWOOD, WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS, AND I'LL TELL YOU EACH AND EVERY YEAR, IT IS A PROUD MOMENT. AND I MEAN, THAT WAS THE UTMOST HUMILITY THAT I CAN STAND BEFORE YOU AND SAY THAT. AND IT IS NOT 16 YEARS, BUT IT'S ALMOST 16 YEARS THAT THE CITY OF WILMER POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS HAD A SUSTAINED FORMAL WRITTEN COMPLAINT AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS. AND WHEN YOU HAVE, YOU CAN COMPARE THIS, YOU SAY 8,000 PLUS STOPS FAR SURPASSED A LOT OF COMMUNITIES MUCH LARGER THAN OURS. AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MUCH CONTACT WITH INDIVIDUAL DAILY BASIS, 206, I SHARED THIS DIRECTOR'S MEETING JUST LAST WEEK, 206 CONTACTS, AND TO NOT HAVE A WRITTEN, FORMAL WRITTEN COMPLAINT AGAINST THE POLICE OFFICER, I BELIEVE SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE TEAM THAT WE HAVE. AND I COULDN'T BE COMPLAINTS. NO, UH, USE OF FORCE INCIDENTS, LIGHT, BUT THEY'RE ALL THERE. SO DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I, IT'S BEEN, I KNOW IT'S BEEN IN EFFECT FOR YEARS AND YEARS THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, IT, UH, EACH OFFICER, UM, IT KEEPS THEM IN THE CLEAR BECAUSE THERE WAS NO, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY CHECK IT ON THEIR TICKET AND KEEP UP WITH IT. SO YES. AND IT'S BEEN POLICY FOR YEARS. YES. SO WE HAVE THE TEXAS, WE, UH, IMPLEMENT THE TEXAS BEST [00:25:01] PRACTICES POLICY AND MM-HMM . UH, FOR OUR RACIAL BIAS, UH, POLICY. AND, UH, WE REVIEW IT ANNUALLY AND WE TALK ABOUT IT ON, AGAIN, I'VE TOLD YOU GUYS, AND I MEAN BOTTOM OF MY HEART, YOU KNOW, T COLE HAS MINIMUM STA MINIMUM STANDARDS THAT IS REQUIRED BY STATUTE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. BUT I BELIEVE IF WE'RE JUST DOING A MINIMUM, WE'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH. WON'T JUST, I JUST BELIEVE THE LUMBER POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR, OUR, OUR HEART AND DESIRE IS TO ALWAYS BE A BRIGHT SHINING AND BEACON IN SOUTHERN DALLAS COUNTY, BEYOND, ABOVE AND BEYOND. BUT THAT MAY NOT BE PERFECT, BUT IF WE CHASE IT, WE MAY GET SOME EXCELLENCE OUTTA IT. I HAVE A QUESTION. I I HAVE A QUESTION CHIEF. UM, ON PAGE EIGHT, AND IN PAGE NINE WE TALK ABOUT CONTRABAND DISCOVERED, AND THEN THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTRABAND AND DRUGS IS A HIGH PERCENTAGE ALL AND DRUGS IS A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE. IS THAT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OR IS IT MOSTLY ON THE HIGHWAY? MOSTLY HIGHWAY. THAT'S, AGAIN, THIS WAS A, A DISCUSSION WE HAD JUST THIS MORNING, AGAIN, LOOKING AT, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR NEIGHBORS NUMBERS AND THINGS, WE EVALUATE THAT AGAIN WITH THE IMPLEMENT IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR TRAFFIC UNIT. WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOPS ON INTERSTATE FOUR, FIVE. UH, YOU KNOW, THEY REVEAL NARCOTICS AND THING MORE THAN IT DOES ON A, ON A LOCAL LEVEL. THAT'S NOT TO PRETEND THAT WE DO NOT HAVE OUR SHARE LIKE ANY OTHER COMMUNITY DOES. UH, AGAIN, NOT TO GO BACK TO THE DIRECTOR'S MEETING. WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION THIS MORNING, MR. NORWOOD, YOU KNOW THAT WHEN I DID THE STUDY A FEW YEARS AGO, I COULD GET YOU A SPECIFIC NUMBER. IT'S 49% IS, SO IT IS CALLED 50% OF THE 9 1 1 CALLS THAT THE CITY OF WILBURN, AND THIS COMES THROUGH COGA ME GETTING REPORTS FROM THEM. 50% OF THE 9 1 1 CALLS THAT WE RECEIVE ARE RELATED TO INTERSTATE 45, UH, ROAD RAGE, OFFICIALLY DRUNK DRIVING, UH, RECKLESS DRIVING. UH, IT, IT, IT'S A CONSTANT SOURCE FOR US. YOU KNOW, AS WE MANAGE THE, THE INTER DALLAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WE MANAGE THE BORDER TO BORDER OWNER IN. SO A LOT OF THAT SCENE THERE IS EXACTLY RIGHT. THAT'S WHY I WAS WONDERING. BUT AS FAR AS EVEN WHEN IT GET DOWN INTO IT AGAIN, TO INFORM ME AS A POLICE CHIEF, AS WE EVALUATED THE STAFF PROFILE I REPORT, AND HOW ARE THOSE NUMBERS REFLECTED ON HERE WHEN I LOOK AT RED FLAGS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, CHIEF, AS ALWAYS, I APPRECIATE YOU TREMENDOUSLY. THANK YOU. MAY I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND? I MAKE A MOTION, UH, TO APPROVE RESOLUTION R 2026 DASH 0 31 9 C. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND. MAY I HAVE A VOTE? YES, YES, YES, YES. AND YES. FIVE TO ZERO HIT PASSES. ALL RIGHT. ITEM NUMBER [9. Discuss options and avenues for how to handle procedural zoning notice violations for various properties in the City who have been granted zoning changes in potential violation of the Zoning and Enabling Act, Chapter 211, et. seq. of the Texas Local Government Code 551.071. ] NINE, DISCUSS OPTIONS AND AVENUES FOR HOW TO HANDLE PROCEDURAL ZONING. NOTICE VIOLATIONS FOR VARIOUS PROPERTIES IN THIS CITY WHO HAVE BEEN GRANTED ZONING CHANGES AND POTENTIAL VIOLATION OF THE ZONING ENABLING ACT. CHAPTER 2 1, 1 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 5 5 1 0.071. AND, UM, I HAVE THREE AGENDA ITEM SPEAKER CARDS FOR, UM, THEM TO COME UP. AFTER MS. COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER PRESENTS THE ITEM, PRIOR REMARKS HAVE FOCUSED ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL, ELECTRICAL, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND QUALITY OF LIFE ASPECTS OF HAVING DATA CENTERS IN OR NEAR A COMMUNITY. TODAY, THERE IS A SERIOUS SECURITY SITUATION GROWING WITH REGARD TO DATA CENTERS. THEY ARE NOW SO-CALLED SOFT TARGETS FOR WAR TERRORISTS AND RADICALIZED INDIVIDUALS INTENT ON CREATING UNSTOPPABLE CONDITIONS FOR AMERICANS WHEREVER THEY ARE. THE CURRENT WAR IN WHICH OUR NATION INITIATED STRIKES AGAINST IRAN, THE WORLD'S TOP STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM, WHO REGULARLY SHARES THEIR INTENTION OF CAUSING DEATH TO AMERICA, HAS BROUGHT THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF DATA CENTERS INTO FULL VIEW. EARLIER THIS MONTH, IRAN TARGETED TWO AMAZON DATA FACILITIES IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, WHICH WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED AND EMPLOYEES INJURED. IN ADDITION, A MICROSOFT DATA CENTER IN BAHRAIN WAS DAMAGED BY DEBRIS FROM A NEARBY [00:30:01] EXPLOSION. IRAN HAS TAKEN CREDIT FOR BOTH. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY RETALIATORY STRIKES BY THE US ON DATA CENTERS IN TEHRAN, IRAN, INDICATING THAT THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES ARE NOW FAIR GAME FOR BOTH SIDES. SUCH TARGETS ARE USUALLY SUBJECT TO CYBER ATTACKS GEARED TO INTERRUPTING A SPECIFIC COMPANY'S BUSINESS AND OR GATHERING PERSONAL DATA FOR NEFARIOUS PURPOSES. BUT THE NEW WAVE OF KINETIC ATTACKS BRINGS FAR REACHING AND HARDER TO RECOVER FROM DISRUPTIONS IN BANKING, FINANCE, SHIPPING, AND OTHER DAILY LIFE NEEDS. IN ADDITION TO THE SHEER DESTRUCTIVE GOALS OF PARTIES AT WAR, ONE MIGHT DISMISS THE ELEVATED DANGER IN WILMER AS THE CURRENT WAR IS FOCUSED ON THE MIDDLE EAST. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE LONE WOLF ATTACKS IN OUR COUNTRY THAT INDICATE IRAN HAS THE ABILITY TO REACH THESE SHORES AND BEYOND WITHOUT LONG RANGE MISSILES. ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS ENCOURAGE PEOPLE LIKE OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY SHOOTER IN VIRGINIA AND THE BUFORDS BAR SHOOTER IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THIS WAR BEGAN, AND BOTH OF WHICH APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN COMMITTED BY ANTI-AMERICAN FOREIGN GUIDED ACTORS. DATA CENTERS DEFENSE HAVE DEFENSE DEFENSES TO GROUND ATTACKS AND CYBER ATTACKS, BUT THEY HAVE NO DEFENSE AGAINST MILITARY OR PARAMILITARY ATTACKS, MANY OF WHICH COULD RESULT IN EXPLOSIONS WITH SHRAPNEL. FIRES THAT WOULD BE REQUIRE SPECIAL EQUIPMENT TO PUT OUT AND TOXIC RUNOFF AND SMOKE PLUMES, DROPPING CONTAMINANTS ON PROPERTIES SUCH AS HOME SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES AND FARMLANDS DOWNWIND. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THE DEVELOPERS, BUILDERS, AND OPERATORS OF SUCH SITES CAN PREVENT, FIGHT OR REMEDIATE ON THEIR OWN. THEY WILL REQUIRE THE NEARBY COMMUNITIES TO TAKE THESE RISKS WITH THEM AND PROVIDE THE CAPABILITIES THEY DO NOT POSSESS AT THE COMMUNITY'S EXPENSE. THIS DOES NOT EVEN ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF EVACUATING THE CITY. IF CONDITIONS, DEMAND APPROVAL OF DATA CENTERS WITHIN TWO MILES OF THE CITY PUTS THE COMMUNITY AT RISK. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO PUT IT. THE COUNCIL MUST CONSIDER THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY FIRST AND RECOGNIZE THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE WHEN AUTHORIZING LAND USE OR DEVELOPMENT. AND IF A PROJECT POSES A DANGER THAT THE CITY CANNOT MANAGE, THE CITY HAS A DUTY, IN MANY CASES, A LEGAL JUSTIFICATION TO DENY IT. PUT SIMPLY WHAT CANNOT BE PROTECTED SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED. BOTTOM LINE IS AS DANGEROUS AS DATA CENTERS ARE, THE DEVELOPER HAS ZONING RIGHTS, BUT THEY ONLY HAVE THOSE RIGHTS WHEN LEGAL PROCEDURE IS FOLLOWED. AND HERE, LEGAL PROCEDURE WAS NOT FOLLOWED, PROPERTY OWNERS DID NOT RECEIVE NOTICES OF ANY TYPE OF THE ZONING CHANGE. MR. HOLLA CAN THE COUNCIL, WHAT CAN THE COUNCIL DO TO MAKE SURE THE LAW IS FOLLOWED AND ZONING IS DONE LEGALLY CORRECT. THERE ARE SOME OPTIONS I THINK THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE TO COUNSEL, BUT WE MIGHT WANNA WAIT AND HEAR THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SINCE THE COMMENTS FIRST, AND THEN WE CAN GET INTO THAT. OUR FIRST PERSON TO SPEAK ON, UM, AN AGENDA ITEM IS CATHERINE DURHAM. KATHERINE DURHAM, 27 28 NORTH HARWOOD DALLAS, REPRESENTING STREAM DATA CENTERS. MADAM MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY FIRM'S CLIENT STREAM DATA CENTERS, WHICH OWNS APPROXIMATELY 140 ACRES IN THE CITY OF WILMER. FIRST, I WANT TO BE CLEAR, STREAM IS LOCATED ON PROPERTY WITH LEGALLY APPROVED ZONING AND THE ABILITY TO PROCEED UNDER THE CITY'S ADOPTED RULES AND PROCEDURES. THAT SAID, OUR STRONG PREFERENCE IS NOT JUST TO PROCEED, BUT TO PROCEED COLLABORATIVELY IN A WAY THAT RESPECTS THE COMMUNITY, REFLECTS WILMER'S PRIORITIES AND RESULTS IN A PROJECT THE CITY CAN [00:35:01] BE PROUD OF. SECOND, WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT DATA CENTERS CAN RAISE SOME CONCERNS. MEMBERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION HAVE REVIEWED COMMENTS AND CONCERNS, VOICE PUBLICLY IN THIS COMMUNITY, BUT MANY OF THOSE FEARFUL STATEMENTS ABOUT DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT ARE INACCURATE. AND BASED ON MISUNDERSTANDINGS, WE DON'T DISMISS THOSE CONCERNS. BUT WE DO BELIEVE THE CONVERSATION IS BEST SERVED BY FACTS, CLARITY AND SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS. THIRD, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT DATA CENTER DESIGNED AND OPERATIONS HAVE EVOLVED AND CONTINUE TO EVOLVE DRAMATICALLY. MANY OF THE CONCERNS PEOPLE ASSOCIATE WITH DATA CENTERS ARE OFTEN BASED ON FACILITIES BUILT 10 OR MORE YEARS AGO. THE INDUSTRY HAS EVOLVED DRAMATICALLY, AND THE BEST PRAC PROJECTS TODAY LOOK VERY DIFFERENT FROM OLDER EXAMPLES, WHICH LEADS TO MY FOURTH POINT. THE DATA CENTERS WE WILL CONSTRUCT IN WILMER WILL BE INDUSTRY LEADING. WE INTEND TO BRING THE BEST AND NEWEST TECHNOLOGIES TO THE CITY OF WILMER. OUR GOAL IS TO MINIMIZE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND TO DELIVER SUBSTANTIAL POSITIVE ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR THE CITY. WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH CITY STAFF AND THIS COUNCIL ON PRACTICAL ITEMS THAT MATTER TO RESIDENTS. THE REALITY IS DATA CENTERS ARE ALREADY AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR DAILY LIVES, SUPPORTING SERVICES THAT RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES RELY ON DAILY, AND THEIR IMPORTANCE IS ONLY INCREASING. THAT SAID, WE BELIEVE THE MOST CONSTRUCTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION IS NOT WHETHER DATA CENTERS WILL EXIST, BUT HOW THEY WILL BE BUILT AND HOW WILMER CAN BENEFIT FROM RESPONSIBLE MODERN DEVELOPMENT. WE WELCOME THAT DISCUSSION. WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND TO COLLABORATE WITH YOU AND THE COMMUNITY SO THAT DATA CENTER PROJECTS REFLECT WILMER'S STANDARDS AND WILMER'S FUTURE. NOW, JUST TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE COMMENTS TONIGHT, I THINK THAT MR. LEVERETT WENT INTO A LOT OF DETAILS ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE BEING INNOVATED AND HOW THINGS ARE EVOLVING, AND THAT REPRESENTS THE COMMITMENT THAT I'M DISCUSSING IN THESE COMMENTS. HE WILL ALSO HEAR FROM A REPRESENTATIVE OF MY CLIENT, ALEX STEWART, WHO WILL FURTHER ANALYZE HOW WE PLAN TO BRING DATA CENTERS HERE. WE HEAR YOUR CONCERNS, MS. TURNER, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERNS AND WE THINK THAT THOSE ARE VALUABLE FOR THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE PLAN ON ADDRESSING AS MANY AS WE CAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. UM, MS. ALEX STEWART. OKAY. NAME AND ADDRESS. YES, PLEASE, PLEASE. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? GO AHEAD. OKAY. ALEX STEWART, 1 0 2 1 6 GALLWAY DRIVE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ALEX STEWART WITCHERS. WE UNDERSTAND THE AGENDA ITEM BEFORE YOU TONIGHT RELATES TO AN UNCONFIRMED PROCEDURAL ISSUE. TIED TO THE PREVIOUSLY IS PROVED REZONING IN FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR. WE WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT WE FULLY BELIEVE ALL NECESSARY STEPS WERE TAKEN. THIS WAS ALSO CONFIRMED ON THE RECORD BY THE CITY OFFICIALS IN PLACE AT THE TIME MEMORIALIZED IN THE MINUTES AND BY OUR TEAM THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS. OUR PURPOSE TONIGHT IS NOT TO DEBATE PROCESS, BUT TO REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE CITY IN A CONSTRUCTIVE AND TRANSPARENT WAY FROM THE BEGINNING. OUR GOAL HAS BEEN TO BE MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER DATA CENTER IN THE CITY. WE STRIVE TO DEVELOP FACILITIES THAT COMMUNITIES CAN BE PROUD OF, PROJECTS THAT ARE THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED, WELL MAINTAINED, AND COMPATIBLE WITH THE SURROUNDING AREA STREAMS. DATA CENTERS ARE QUIET, LOW TRAFFIC, AND HIGHLY SECURE FACILITIES, AND WE PLACE A STRONG EMPHASIS ON SAFETY, RELIABILITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY. WE TAKE PRIDE IN HOLDING OURSELVES TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS WHEN IT COMES TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, SITE DESIGN, AND LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIP. THIS INCLUDES CAREFUL ATTENTION TO AESTHETICS, NOISE, WATER USE, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AND OVERALL COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES. WE'VE ALREADY HAD PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH STEVE, THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR, AND HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE AT STREAM ARE RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPERS AND LONG-TERM PARTNERS. TO THAT POINT, OUR EXISTING CAMPUS LOCATED AT BELTLINE AND SUNRISE, UM, DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR UP AND COMING SITE, HAS PAID APPROXIMATELY 1.2 MILLION IN TAXES FOR 2025. AND THAT'S WITH ONLY 15% OF THE CAMPUS BUILT OUT. UM, AND I ALSO WENT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER WITH THOSE NUMBERS AND, UM, AT, AT A CAMPUS LEVEL FOR BOTH THE REAL ESTATE TAXES AND THE BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES, UM, FOR THE TENANT, THAT'S $540,000 TO THE CITY OF WILMER, NOT THE COUNTY, THE ACTUAL CITY. UM, AS ADDITIONAL PHASES ARE DEVELOPED, THE TAX CONTRIBUTION WILL GROW ACCORDINGLY. DATA CENTERS PROVIDE A MEANINGFUL AND STABLE TAX BASE FOR CITIES WHILE PLACING MINIMAL DEMAND ON LOCAL SERVICES. THEY GENERATE SIGNIFICANT TAX REVENUE [00:40:01] WITHOUT CREATING STRAIN ON SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SAFETIES, ROADS, OR OTHER CITY RESOURCES, WHICH ALLOWS COMMUNITIES TO BENEFIT FINANCIALLY WHILE MAINTAINING THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS, WE'RE MORE THAN WILLING TO SIT DOWN WITH THE APPROPRIATE STAFF OR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO LISTEN AND WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S GOALS AND THE COMMUNITY'S EXPECTATIONS. OUR INTENT IS TO INVEST HERE FOR THE LONG TERM AND TO DEVELOP A PROJECT THAT REFLECTS POSITIVELY ON THIS COMMUNITY FOR YEARS TO COME. AS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY STREAM HOSTED AN ONSITE TOUR TO ELECTED OFFICIALS, POTENTIAL CANDIDATES AND CITY STAFF COULD SEE, SO THEY COULD SEE FIRSTHAND HOW AN OPERATING MODERN DATA CENTER LOOKS, SMELLS, SOUNDS, ET CETERA. SEVERAL LEADERS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY, THOUGH NOT ALL CHOSE TO ATTEND. WE BELIEVE FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE IS ESSENTIAL TO INFORMING A WELL-INFORMED PERSPECTIVE. WHEN DECISIONS ARE BASED ON DIRECT OBSERVATION AND OPEN DIALOGUE RATHER THAN GENERALIZED INFORMATION FOUND ONLINE, IT BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND THE CONSTITUENCY REPRESENT. WE APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A THOUGHTFUL FACT-BASED DISCUSSION. THANK YOU GUYS, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE JUST TO, I GUESS CLARIFY FOR YOU, WE'VE DONE A LITTLE CHANGE IN HOW WE HANDLE CITIZEN COMMENTS. UH, THE SPEAKERS HERE HAVE SIGNED UP SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS ITEM, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK AND THERE CAN BE CONVERSATION BACK AND FORTH. NO, THEY DID SIGN UP FOR THESE. NO, NO, THE WAY THE LAW WORKS, IT CHANGED A FEW YEARS AGO, AND I MAY NOT EXPLAINED IT RIGHT, SO APOLOGIES, STEVE, IS YOU CAN CHOOSE, WE, WE CAN ALLOW CITIZEN COMMENTS AT THE BEGINNING OR WE GOT THREE OPTIONS AT THE BEGINNING, OR WE CAN LET 'EM PICK WHICH AGENDA ITEM THEY WANT TO HAVE THEIR CITIZEN COMMENTS AT. OR YOU CAN DO A COMBINATION OF BOTH OF THEM, EITHER ONE OF THOSE THREE COMBINATIONS, OKAY? WHETHER THEY HAVE CITIZEN COMMENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING OR WHERE THEY HAVE CITIZEN COMMENTS AT A, THE SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM THEY WANNA SPEAK ON. IT'S ALL THE SAME. IT'S STILL CITIZEN COMMENTS. THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, THERE'S JUST CITIZEN COMMENTS. THEY'RE JUST CHOOSING WHETHER THEY WANNA DO IT AT THAT SPECIFIC ITEM OR AT THE BEGINNING. SO IT DOESN'T MATTER. THE LAW IS, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE CITIZEN COMMENTS ARE. YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. IT'S JUST THAT, AND IT'S FINE THE WAY WE'RE DOING, WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG. IT'S FINE, BUT THERE, THERE CAN'T BE A DISCUSSION. SO I MAY HAVE EXPLAINED THAT INCORRECTLY, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I, I CLEARED THAT UP. MEGAN THOMAS, YOU GUYS HEAR ME? MEGAN THOMAS, 6 4 3 1 LONGHORN DRIVE, IRVING, TEXAS 7 5 0 6 3. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. AND I ALSO WANT TO MIMIC WHAT ALEX SAID. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE SEEING A FEW OF YOU GUYS AT, UM, OUR TOUR AT OUR IRVING FACILITY. IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE YOU GUYS ON SITE TO BE ABLE TO SEE OUR OPERATIONAL DATA CENTER AND THE ONE THAT'S IN CONSTRUCTION CURRENT. IN RECENT YEARS, SOUTH DALLAS HAS BEEN A, HAS BEEN AN AREA OF STRATEGIC GROWTH FOR THIS REGION'S DIG, DIGITAL AND INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY. AND WILMER IS WELL POSITIONED TO BENEFIT FROM THAT GROWTH IN ITS LOCATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO CREATE A STRONG POTENTIAL FOR LONG-TERM ECONOMIC. QTS EXPANDED HERE TO SUPPORT THAT GROWTH AND TO BE RESPONSIBLE LONG-TERM PARTNERS IN THE CITY OF WILMER COMMUNITY. WHILE IMMEDIATE DEVELOPMENT PLANS ARE STILL EVOLVING, PRESERVING THIS LAND USE ENSURES THAT WILMER REMAINS POSITIONED TO CAPTURE THIS OPPOR FROM THE ONSET. OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN ON PARTNERSHIP. WE BELIEVE RESPONSIBLE GROWTH STARTS WITH BEING PRESENT, ENGAGED, AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THE QTS INVEST LOCALLY THROUGH COMMUNITY EVENTS, PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES. AND WE SEE THOSE EFFORTS AS A FOUNDATION FOR ONGOING RELATIONSHIP, NOT A ONE-TIME COMMITMENT. JUST AS IMPORTANT AS TRANSPARENCY. AS PLANS EVOLVE, WE ARE COMMITTED TO OPEN AND CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION WITH THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING MEETINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIALOGUE. WE'LL CONTINUE TO SHARE UPDATES AND LISTEN TO FEEDBACK AS THIS PARTNERSHIP DEVELOP. OUR PRESENCE IN WILMER REPRESENTS THE BEGINNING OF WHAT WE HOPE WILL BE A STRONG COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP. ONE BUILT ON TRUST, RESPONSIBILITY, AND SHARED LONG-TERM SUCCESS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO, WE ARE EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO BUILDING THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF WILMER AND ITS COMMUNITY. SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MS. DOWNS. THAT'S IT. SO TO ANSWER NOW, TO ANSWER MS. TURNER'S QUESTION, AND SO WHAT I UNDERSTOOD FROM THE AGENDA ITEM, IT'S A, A NOTICE SITUATION AND IT SAYS, UH, TWO 11 ATEC. TWO 11 IS [00:45:01] THE CHAPTER FOR ZONING IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. MY, MY GUESS THESE WOULD BE THE NOTICES THAT WENT OUT TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS. SO THERE ARE TWO, NO, 2 11 0 6 B AND 2 11 0 7 C OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. TALK ABOUT THE NOTICES THAT HAVE TO GO ABOUT TO PROPERTY OWNERS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO, WHERE YOU'RE GONNA CHANGE ZONING. OKAY? SO THAT IS WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING FROM THE AGENDA ITEM. NOW EVERYBODY GETS THEIR ZONING IF PROCEDURE IS FOLLOWED. NOW THAT'S, THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG. THEY DID EXACTLY WHAT I WOULD EXPECT 'EM TO DO IS STAND UP AND SAY, HEY, EVERYTHING WAS DONE RIGHT, WE GOT IT. RIGHTS, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, BUT LET'S TALK. SO THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THEY DID, BUT THAT'S PRETTY CANNED EXPECTED STATEMENT FROM ALL THE DEVELOPERS. TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT. SO THE QUESTION AND THE DIRECTION THAT WE STAFF WOULD NEED, AND WE CAN'T REALLY GO FORWARD FROM STAFF WITHOUT SOME DIRECTION FROM COUNSEL. 'CAUSE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS IF WE'RE, IF THESE NOTICES DID NOT GO OUT, IF THEY WEREN'T NOTIFIED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW, THEN THEY DON'T HAVE THE ZONING 'CAUSE THAT OWN, AND I, I THINK THEY WOULD AGREE WITH ME AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SAYING THAT PROCEDURE WAS FOLLOWED. I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES IF PROCEDURE IS NOT FOLLOWED TO REACH THE ULTIMATE ZONING ORDINANCE, THEN THAT ZONING ORDINANCE IS NOT VALID. NOW THEIR POSITION IS, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT I MENTIONED, I DON'T KNOW HOWEVER MANY MONTHS AGO WHEN THIS CAME UP, IS THAT PROCEDURE WAS FOLLOWED. OKAY? IF PROCEDURE WAS NOT THOUGH, WE NEED TO GO BACK, GIVE THE PROPER NOTICE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SECTIONS THAT I HAVE QUOTED AND MAKE. NOW WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING VIA CERTIFIED MAIL. SO THAT'S A GOOD THING. I'VE BEEN ADVISING THAT FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. SO I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING IT. GET THE NOTICES, SET A DATE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, HAVE THE ORDINANCES PREPARED AND READY FOR COUNCIL TO TAKE A VOTE ON, HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON WHATEVER DATE WE NOTICE IT FOR, AND THEN HAVE THE COUNCIL VOTE ON THOSE ORDINANCES. THAT IS HOW WE COULD DO AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS DONE CORRECTLY. BUT WE, THE STAFF, WE WOULD NEED SOME DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL, UM, ON THAT. AND WE'D ALSO NEED TO KNOW LIKE SPECIFICALLY WHICH ZONING ORDINANCES THAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, HERE. I MEAN I, IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY MAY KNOW, I DON'T KNOW FROM THAT AGENDA ITEM SOUNDS LIKE THE, THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE HERE KNOW. SO, UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD ALSO, THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT WE WOULD NEED, UM, FROM, FROM COUNSEL TO LET US KNOW, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO. THANK YOU. UM, I, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT MS. TURNER BELIEVES THAT THERE WERE SOME LEGAL PROCEDURES WERE NOT FOLLOWED AND UM, I THINK WE CAN ALL HAVE SOME UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN YOU MAIL SOMETHING AND IT MAY NOT GET THERE, UM, OUR MINUTES DATE THAT PROCEDURES WERE FOLLOWED, THEY WERE VOTED ON. AND I DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE BACKWARDS TO BRING THIS UP AGAIN. UH, I UNDERSTAND YOU SAY TO START ALL OVER AGAIN AS A PROPERTY OWNER, IF YOU TELL ME THAT I HAVE A BUILDING AND I HAVE PROPERTY AND I'VE MADE THIS INVESTMENT INTO THIS, AND NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME I HAVE TO START ALL OVER, I'M GOING TO SUE YOU. I'M GOING TO SUE YOU FOR A LOT. AND, UH, UNDERSTANDING THE INVESTMENT THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT INTO OUR CITY, IT'S GOING TO BE 10 TO $20 MILLION, MINIMUM. MINIMUM THAT THEY WILL SUE US FOR. AND AS A SOMEONE HERE THAT IS A STAKEHOLDER IN THE CITY, NOT ONLY A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE, I DON'T SEE HOW YOU CAN DO THAT. WHEN OUR OWN MINUTES STATE THAT IT WAS FOLLOWED, I, I'VE SENT MESSAGE TO MESSAGES TO MS DOWN, CAN YOU FIND THE AUDIO OF THIS? AND SHE HAS SPENT HOURS RESEARCHING TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND THE AUDIO. IT WAS BEFORE SHE GOT HERE, SO IT WAS WHEN SUSIE WAS HERE AND THAT AUDIO DOES NOT EXIST. ALL WE HAVE ARE THE ACTUAL WRITTEN MINUTES. SO, YOU KNOW, I HEAR OUR LAWYERS SAY TO START OVER AS ONE PERSON ON THIS COUNCIL. I'M TELLING YOU, I DON'T TAKE THAT ADVICE. I THINK IT'S NOT GOOD ADVICE. UM, MINUTE STATE, THEY WERE PROCEDURES MAY HAVE HAVE NOW BEEN CHANGED. WHERE WE ARE GOING TO DO CERTIFIED MAIL FOR SITUATIONS SUCH AS THIS. WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD. WE CANNOT MOVE BACKWARDS. WE CAN'T GO INTO THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN PREVIOUS YEARS AND TO TRY TO CORRECT IT. THIS IS SOMETHING [00:50:01] THAT CANNOT BE CORRECTED. AND AS A MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL, THERE HAVE BEEN THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN VOTED ON AND APPROVED THAT I DID NOT AGREE WITH, I DID NOT LIKE, BUT WE SPEAK AS ONE, WE HAVE ONE VOICE AND WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU MS. MS. MANN. I NEED TO MAKE ONE CORRECTION. AT NO POINT AT ALL, NOT ONE SINGLE TIME DID I EVER SAY THAT WAS MY ADVICE. SO ANYONE THAT SAYS IT WAS MY ADVICE IS INCORRECT. I NEVER SAID THAT WE CAN PLAY IT ALL. WHAT I SAID WAS AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION. THOSE ARE OPTIONS. THAT'S AN OPTION TO THE COUNCIL AND THAT IS MY ROLE TO GIVE OPTIONS. SECOND, WE WOULD NOT START AT THE BEGINNING. WE WOULD START AT THE NOTICE, THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL AND THAT ORDINANCE, THAT'S WHERE IT WOULD START. SO THANKS MAYOR. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? WELL, I, I RESEARCHED 10 DIFFERENT PROPERTIES AND THERE WERE NO LATE LETTERS IN ANY OF THOSE. SO THEY MAY HAVE BEEN WRITTEN INTO THE MINUTES, BUT THERE IS NO PROOF OF ANY KINDA LETTER FOR ANY OF THE DATA CENTERS ANYWHERE. OKAY? YOU, YOU KEEP BRINGING, SO MY SUGGESTION IS WHAT HIS SUGGESTION IS, AND THAT IS TO FOLLOW THE ZONING LOSS LEGALLY. SO THIS MUST, WE NEED A VOTE, I SUPPOSE IT'S A DIRECTION TO STAFF. YES. ON ON ON WHAT TO DO. BANK OF THE CITY. OKAY, I'M, I'M GONNA CALL FOR A VOTE. THIS IS ON THE DATA CENTERS, WHETHER YOU WANT 'EM IN THIS AREA OR NOT TONIGHT, WE'RE MAKING THAT. THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS VOTE IS ABOUT. THAT'S WHAT I HAVE PROPOSED AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO TONIGHT. I WANT TO VOTE AND I CAN DO THAT. WHAT'S, WHAT IS SO ARE WE GONNA BE VOTING ON WHAT HE HAS SUGGESTED THAT, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING? NO MA'AM. I JUST ASK FOR A VOTE ON THE DTA CENTERS. SO WHAT DO YOU THINK MR. HOL? I MEAN, IF NO MOTION IS MADE, THEN NOTHING HAPPENS. YOU MOVE ON TO THE REST OF THE DISCUSSION. ALRIGHT THEN MAY I GET A MOTION? I'M SORRY? MAY I GET A MOTION? MAY I SAY SOMETHING? PLEASE, YES, PLEASE. I BELIEVE A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO IT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THIS COUNCIL TO HAVE A TOWN HALL MEETING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE CITIZENS PREFERRED. I THINK IT'S KIND OF PREMATURE FOR THIS COUNCIL TO VOTE ON WHETHER WE WANT A DATA CENTER OR NOT. UNTIL WE HEAR WHAT OUR PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY. WHEN WE'VE ALREADY DECIDED THAT THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD JUST WAIT UNTIL AFTER WE HEAR OUR PEOPLE, OUR PEOPLE PUT US IN THESE CHAIRS. AND I, FOR ONE WANT TO KNOW WHAT MY PEOPLE WANT ME TO DO. THANK YOU. WILL WE BE VOTING? START, START THIS? WE GOTTA HAVE A MOTION ON ANY, SOMETHING, WHATEVER, RIGHT? WE DON'T, THERE'S NO MOTION RIGHT NOW. I MEAN, THERE DOESN'T, HERE'S THE THING. THERE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE, THERE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ANY MOTION. SO WE CAN JUST HAVE THE TOWN HALL NEXT, CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY. SO WE SAYING THAT OUR MINUTES AROUND THOSE ARE OUR FORMAL GOVERNMENT RECORD. SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S, THERE'S NO MOTION. AND AGAIN, THERE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE. SO IF THERE'S NO MOTION, YOU JUST MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. AND MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN YOU. I SECOND. YES. OH, YES, YES, YES, YES. AND IF I WILL MAKE A COMMENT, I, I SPOKE WITH OUR CITY, UM, ADMINISTRATOR THIS EVENING. UM, I'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO TOLD ME THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GO ON THE WEEKDAY TO OUR DATA CENTERS, VISITS TO WHETHER OR NOT HE COULD ARRANGE A SATURDAY MORNING. SO, UM, HE'S PROBABLY GONNA GET IN CONTACT WITH Y'ALL. THANK YOU. OH, [00:55:01] AND WHILE WE'RE ON THAT SUBJECT, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT ALL OF COUNSEL EXCEPT ONE, WENT ON THE TOUR AT ONE, TWO, WENT TO THE ONE AT STREAM TWO, WENT TO THE ONE AT QTU, BUT WE HAD ONE CO COUNCIL MEMBER THAT DID NOT GO TO EITHER. AND THE TIME IS AGE 32. IT IS NOW ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.