City Hall Roundup: Library Fallout, World Cup Update, DART Negotiations
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I hope all of y’all are staying warm as we enter Day 2 of this icy long weekend. Officials are cautioning against taking any unnecessary trips on the roadways, so why not heed the advice and read up on some of the goings on at Dallas City Hall this past week?
Staff Regroups After Proposed Library Closures Fall Flat
It looks like staff got the message after a tough reception from council members at this past week’s meeting of the Quality of Life, Arts & Culture Committee. A proposal to close the Oak Lawn, Skyline, Renner Frankford, and Arcadia Park branches as part of a transition to a regional model anchored by flagship locations was roundly criticized by officials and residents alike.
Now, it seems staff will be taking some of the feedback to heart and preparing a follow-up presentation for the committee in March outlining modifications and/or alternatives to their initial pitch.
Additional factors that will be taken into account will be the historical significance of branches under consideration for closure; analysis of branch proximity to other city facilities with related missions (co-location potential here); and public transit access, according to a memo.
Staff will also flesh out how it might be possible to realize the $2.6 million in savings the city is trying to achieve without closing any branches, likely through the citywide reduction in library service days and hours.
“The Library is also partnering with the Friends of the Dallas Public Library to conduct a community survey that will gather broader public input,” wrote Assistant City Manager Liz Cedillo-Pereira.
World Cup Update
Dallas City Council got an update Wednesday on how things are shaping up for the upcoming World Cup this summer. Here are some of the highlights:
The Metroplex is expecting as many as 3.8 million visitors (100,000 per day) across the 39 days of the tournament, with nine matches booked at Dallas Stadium in Arlington and a projected economic impact as high as $2.1 billion.
Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center will serve as home for the International Broadcast Center, base camp for the thousands of media professionals covering the matches in the D-FW. Prep work for the facility is underway, with build-out and technical installation expected to wrap up by early May.
The FIFA Fan Festival will be held at Fair Park with programming planned for 34 days, including giant-screen live match viewings, cultural showcases, interactive zones, and 3-4 ticketed headline concerts. Designated community days will be planned in coordination with local school districts and organizations. There will also be participation opportunities for local vendors and special programming for July 4.
And it’s probably no surprise that Dallas stands to net the most hotel bookings since it has the most rooms. As it stands, the Big D is capturing nearly 60% of the bookings being tracked in the Metroplex.
DART Control Up for Negotiation as Suburbs Plan
Negotiations are ongoing as local officials from DART and its constituent cities work to see if some sort of accommodation can be reached to stave off exit elections in Farmers Branch, Highland Park, Irving, Plano, and University Park.
One point of contention is representation on the transit system’s 15-member governing body. Dallas has seven seats outright and shares an eighth with Cockrell Hill. Garland, Irving, and Plano each have one seat. The remaining seats are apportioned based on population, with cities sharing seats. Supermajority votes are required for many significant actions.
At a meeting of Dallas’ Transportation Committee on Tuesday, a narrow majority supported city staff’s negotiation framework, which included Dallas holding 40-50% of an expanded DART board’s voting power with each member city holding at least one seat on the board.
Discussions are being handled through a working group of several city managers who are negotiating potential governance, service delivery, and funding models. Cities with exit elections scheduled for May 2 have until March 18 to call them off.
It’s Cold and Icy Outside
City of Dallas officials have been working to keep everyone safe this long, chilly weekend as icy conditions bring things to a virtual stop in classic Lone Star State fashion.
Libraries, recreation centers, Dallas Municipal Court, and most non-emergency city facilities will be closed through Monday, including City Hall.
Temporary inclement weather shelter services at Fair Park’s Automobile Building have been organized by the city and Austin Street Center. The shelter has capacity for over 1,200 people with flexibility for expansion if needed.
Power outages numbering in the thousands were reported by Oncor across Dallas County and Tarrant County on Saturday. The electric delivery company warned that more outages are possible as the severe winter weather intensifies during the overnight hours this weekend. Ice can accumulate on tree limbs, weighing them down onto power lines.
If you haven’t already taken steps already, check out our latest Upon Closer Inspection for tips on what you can do to mitigate the impact of freezing weather on your home.
