Good evening and welcome to the City Council meeting. Before Mayor Pro Tem Flores calls the meeting to order, we ask that you please be seated and silence all electronic devices. City Council meetings are conducted for the official business of City Council and to receive input from residents. Members of the public attending meetings shall observe rules of decorum and shall not engage in conduct conduct that interferes with the ability of those present to observe or to participate in the meeting without disruption or fear of intimidation. An individual engaging in disruptive conduct may be removed from the chamber and could be arrested for disruption of a meeting. Speakers who engage in disruptive conduct could have their their mic muted and be removed from the chamber and arrested for disruption of a meeting. Disruptive conduct includes yelling, screaming, clapping, and other noise creating acts. For those of you who are requested to speak, when your name is called, please come forward to the center podium. The countdown clock is displayed on the left monitor and will indicate how much time is remaining. A bell will sound when you have 30 seconds remaining. Before you begin your comments, please state your name and thank you. Thank you, Janette. And welcome everyone to our Tuesday, March 10th City Council meeting. I'll call the meeting to order. Tonight's invocation will be given by Father Sergio Diaz from Iglesia San Miguel. Please rise for the invocation and remain standing for the pledges of allegiance, which will be led by the Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains. Let us pray. God of wisdom and justice and service, today we gather with gratitude for the opportunity to serve the community of Fort Worth. We recognize our responsibility just to this City Council and to all leaders who work for the being well of our city. We ask that you grant discernment to the members of the Fort Worth City Council, to our mayor and to all public officials and employees participating in this meeting. May their deliberations to guidance by integrity, mutual respect, and sincere commitment to the common good. Help us to listen carefully to the voices of our residents, to fairly consider the needs of every neighborhood, and to make decisions that promote the safety, prosperity, and dignity of all who call Fort Worth home. Bless this time of public service and the work carried out for the good of our city. Amen. Amen. Before we say our pledge of allegiance, I'm going to call on the Girl Scouts of Oklahoma and Texas Plains to come up to the podium and lead us in that pledge of allegiance, please. I pledge 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. Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible. Thank you very much. All right, we have some special presentations uh that we're going to hear today. Let's see, first up, I believe is uh Council member Martinez. She's going to give a presentation recognition to the Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains. Good afternoon, everyone. So, I'm super excited to be here today. As you can see, today's all about the Girl Scouts. And so, we're celebrating Girl Scout Week. For those who may not know, we celebrate this week every year on March 12th uh to mark the anniversary of the very first troop meeting in 1912. Uh that makes the Girl Scouts 114 years old this year. That is over a century of providing uh Sorry. That is over a a century of providing exceptional service and Girl Scout confidence to cultivate the leadership skills that truly make the world a better place. So, behind every Girl Scout and volunteer, uh there is a dedicated team member, uh a leader, and staff members that are ready to help them earn the next badge, embark on a camping adventure, or organizing an impactful service project. Now, this is a surprise. I would like to turn the spotlight onto Becky Burton. As we all know, an organization is only as strong as the people who breathe life into its mission. While we told Becky we were here today for general recognition of Girl Scouts Week, that was only a small small part of the truth. The real reason we are gathered here is to recognize the woman who has been the heartbeat of this organization for 40 incredible years. Becky, you have spent four decades making sure the Girl Scout way isn't just a phrase in a handbook, but a lived reality for thousands of young women. You have taught us all that leadership isn't about a title, it's about service. So, if you'd like to join me at the podium, please. I have the distinct honor to present Mrs. Becky Burton with the special recognition to honor her lifetime achievement at and service to the Girl Scouts. >> [applause] >> So, I will now read this. Uh the City of Fort Worth special recognition presented to Becky Burton in recognition of 40 years of service. Whereas, since its founding by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, the Girl Scout movement has empowered generations of girls to discovering their strength, build confidence, and become leaders in their communities. And whereas, Becky Burton has devoted 40 years of service to the mission of Girl Scouting, demonstrating visionary leadership, steadfast commitment, and an unwavering belief in the potential of every girl to lead with courage, confidence, and character. And whereas, during her distinguished tenure as Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains, she guided the organization through transformational growth, expanded access to leadership programming, championed outdoor and STEM experiences, and built strong partnerships across North Texas and beyond. And whereas, her leadership has empowered thousands of girls to discover their strengths, serve their communities, and become the leaders, innovators, and public servants of tomorrow, creating a legacy whose impact will be felt for decades. And whereas, Becky's influence extends far beyond organizational success, reflecting a lifelong commitment to mentorship, volunteerism, and the betterment of the Fort Worth community, embodying the very spirit of service that defines this city. Now, therefore, we, the City of Fort Worth, congratulate Becky on her well-deserved retirement and proudly join her colleagues, volunteers, alumnae, and community partners in expressing deep gratitude for her four decades of visionary leadership and service. >> [applause] >> Do you want to say a few words? You know, this is this is just means so much to me, and I really appreciate it. Thank you, Janette. This I'm speechless, and I know I've got to pull myself together, but I'm I'm a crier, and everyone knows that, so now y'all all know that, too. But, this has been a tremendous career, and it it's not been a job it's it's just it's my passion, and I've been a Girl Scout all my life, and absolutely love what I do. And as I'm telling people now, it is time for me to go and play. I've worked hard, and I'm going to go play now. So, but thank you all so much. This means the world to me, and I love Fort Worth and Girl Scouts, and thank you. I really appreciate it. >> [applause] >> So, we'd like to take a picture with any Girl Scouts that are out here, you know, the Girl Scouts themselves, board members, lifetime Girl Scouts, anybody? Lauren, I think you're here. You're still here. Dana, board member, yes. >> [laughter] >> Awesome. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Everyone in? Make sure I see everyone's faces. All right, guys. Let's look here first. Big smile on three. 1 2 3. Let everyone else go. All right, good. Congratulations, Becky. Well deserved. All right, next up, and Council Member Martinez, stay up there. I'll join you here shortly. We're going to recognize 30 years of the League of United Latin American Citizens, LULAC Council number 4568. Okay. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. So, I'd like to invite Albert Govea and all the members of LULAC Council 4568 to join us at the podium. For 30 years, the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC Council 4568, stands as a dedicated advocate for the Hispanic community of Fort Worth. As part of the oldest and largest Hispanic organization in the United States, which just celebrated its 97th anniversary, Council 4568 is more than just our local LULAC chapter. It's an engine for social progress, educational support, community health, and economic empowerment. Where they are opening doors through their scholarship fund, fostering literacy at Fiesta de Libros, or providing for families through the Tree of Hope holiday drive, Council 4568 is also a true leader in supporting our Latino youth. To celebrate this milestone and their steadfast commitment to the Latino residents of Fort Worth, we have the privilege uh to present LULAC Council 4568 with a special recognition that Mayor Pro Tem Flores will read into the record. Thank you, CM Martinez. And I will read special recognition. Whereas, League of United Latin American Citizens, founded in 1929, has been and continues to be a steadfast advocate for advancement, equity, empowerment of the Latino community across the United States and beyond. And whereas, local Amigos LULAC Council 4568, established in 1995, has exemplified leadership and mini uh in unity for 30 years by working tirelessly to promote educational opportunities, protect civil rights, foster civic engagement, and mentor our future leaders. And whereas, through the decades, the dedication of the members of this chapter have uplifted countless individuals and families, strengthened community bonds, inspired future generations to lead with integrity, and celebrated our rich Latino culture. And whereas, the 30th anniversary of the Amigos LULAC Council 4568 is a milestone that reflects the chapter's enduring commitment to the collective achievements of its members, partners, and supporters. Now, therefore, we, Mayor Pro Tem, myself, and Councilwoman Janette Martinez, do hereby recognize and congratulate Amigos LULAC Council 4568 on their 30th anniversary in celebration of this chapter's outstanding contribution to our Latino community and its legacy of service, leadership, and advocacy. Please take it. >> [applause] >> Say anything? Go ahead, please. Uh I would just like to thank uh Councilwoman Janette Martinez and Mayor Pro Tem Carlos Flores for this recognition. As uh you may know, uh our work very often goes goes unnoticed, and in many ways, that's that's a good thing because we're not looking for recognition. It's nice to have the recognition, but but the work is our recognition and I'm just really happy that most of these people that you see behind me work every year tirelessly to make sure that our programs function along with the people that donate generously. So again, I want to thank everyone here for their support and I especially want to single out my wife. She's been here since day one. So And I'll mention it. Coach Ramos I think came in on our second year of being established and also family that without their help we could not continue our work either and we hope that they'll take our work into the future even even when some of us may be not may not be here anymore. They'll continue our work. One last thing, one of our favorite we have several programs and one of our favorite programs is annual toy drive hope for the Esperanza program and every year we have Pancho Claus which is Santa Claus's nephew that comes out to visit the children. Our programs are North Side. Pancho Claus is coming in a fire truck. He's coming in low riders. So you never know how Pancho Claus is going to arrive, but one thing that you do know he's going to be here for all the children. We even have a book now that's Pancho Claus's backstory. So again, thank you everyone. >> [applause] >> Big smile here on three. One two three. Good to go. Next will be items to be continued or withdrawn. Yes, we've got We have four items to be continued. The first uh ZC25-185 to April 28th. Next is ZC-25004 to May 12th. And then ZC25-184 to delayed till June 9th and ZC25-205 also to June 9th. All these are being uh delayed at the request of the applicants. Okay, if there are no questions on that, I ask for a motion to approve the consent agenda. Uh Mayor, we have one. Oh, we do? One consent >> Speaker. Okay. Adrian >> Adrian Smith. Adrian Smith, I am one with the people. Um the mayor and council communication I'm speaking on tonight is a is 26-01057 and it is recommend it's a recommendation for execution of a contract for artwork totaling 191,896 191,896 dollars for fabrication, delivery, installation and contingencies for artwork at the Sendera Springs Library located at 1297 Avondale-Haslet Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76052. I stand in favor of this because for one it's it's in support of the arts. And we know that the city has been failing when it comes to support of local arts. So for the individual due to receive this contract, congratulations to you. Although when I looked at the map, I didn't see the library. So I'm assuming this library is due to come online because I didn't I just saw empty space. I was looking for a library when I did the Google search. However, again, we are in support of the arts. But let's be mindful not to forget about the Fort Worth Community Arts Center who was which is still waiting for its funding or answers as to which direction the city is going to go with it. Considering that the failures happened not nothing towards the managers who who are managing that facility, but I think it was deliberately done. The failures were done deliberately so this particular property can go down so that another developer can come in and develop on it. So hopefully we can get some funding or some type of answers for the regarding the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. It's been what two, three years now and it's been tabled. You all had a commission that was established to answer questions, to look at different options etc. etc. Former council member, he was the head of that Mr. Firestone. He's no longer a council member. He was the head of that particular commission which I felt was in direct conflict and I felt like they deliberately allowed this that the Fort Worth Community Arts Center to go under. So hopefully you all are really considering the Fort Worth Community Arts Center as you all continue to divvy out divvy out dollars towards arts. Thank you. Okay. All right, now you can start voting, please. All right. Motion passes. Next will be upcoming and recent events, recognition of citizens and approval of ceremonial travel if needed. All right, first up we have Council Member Lorstorph. Charlie. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. We just have two upcoming events. First one is April 25th from 11:00 to 2:00 at North Park YMCA. We're going to be having a resource fair. It'll be our second one. So we're going to have all of our city offices out there as well as some fun to do things out there. So bring your families out. It's a free event with the exception of the food truck, but bring your family out. It's sure to be a good time. Next slide. And a big congratulations to Park Glen Neighborhood Association for taking home three awards and then being a first runner up in two others. So they're showing what communities can do whenever they come together and all work together and and not just beautifying their community, but making it a safer place to live. So congratulations to Park Glen and that is it. All right, thank you, Charlie. Next up we have Dr. Mia Hall. Let me try that again. Try it right now. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. All right. To begin, it's been a busy I would say 30 days since my last update. Next slide, sorry. Um started off February 14th, Valentine's Day with the annual Sinker Ball. I'm so happy to have been joined by my other colleagues or joining them. There's a photo there of that was my last my husband's last hurrah before his shoulder replacement. Now he has an excuse not to go to any night time events or weekend events right now. But also our library board appointee was there and so it was great to fellowship with so much of Fort Worth community for a great cause. Next slide. Uh Crowley ISD hosted their annual Black History Bowl. Um I'm going to see a typo there February. Their annual Black History Bowl it's a great opportunity for students to learn key historic facts about African-American contributions here in this country in this nation. They did an outstanding job this year with student performances. Just the lineup in itself and they included every age group down to the little pre-K students to do to pull off this epic event. So that's pictured there is Trustee um Trustee CC Watkins and so it was great again to attend that. Having affinity for Crowley ISD as you know. Um the Youth Mental Health Conference was held at the Como Community Center on February 21st, 2026. I was unable to attend, but But did have representation uh from the D6 office with Andrea West. Um hats off to them um for having a great event. Mental health, of course, um impacts our youth uh disproportionately. And so, it was great uh to have to see them um host this event uh to support our youth. Next slide. Um on February 21st, keeping the ball going, we had the Fort Worth uh Links Incorporated Boots and Bling event. It also is a fundraiser that supports education. They raise uh money for STEM and support STEM in our schools. Um had a great time there, of course, joined by my colleagues um and appreciative of the invitation from Leah King, who's a uh a Links. Next slide. Tarleton State University, which I consider to be the official university of District 6. Um they're uh featured with uh Rachel Capua. Um I was able to uh join them for their Forward Summit, in which we were doing um some strategic planning on um what the next steps will be for Tarleton. It is growing, the campus is growing, D6 is growing. And so, it was great to be a part of so um joining hands with others who are interested in visioning and uh deciding what the the impacts of education is going to look like, higher ed, in our Fort Worth community. Next slide. Later that evening, same location at the Omni, just went across the hall, and we hosted the Fort Worth ISD Ace premiere. This is actually my daytime job, and so I had the uh honor of hosting this event. I wanted to thank my colleague Michael Crane, who graciously made a donation to support uh our DJ efforts, because in case you did not know, you cannot use school money to pay for a DJ. And so, Michael Crane stepped in and took care of that for us. So, we had more than 300 people attend that event. We're trying to attract uh high-performing educators to uh help our students uh achieve um their fullest potential. So, if you know, this is my commercial now. If you know of a educator, a teacher, looking for an opportunity to serve and make a difference, Fort Worth ISD is certainly um a destination uh location for them. Next slide. United Way of Tarrant County, of which I have the pleasure of serving on the executive board, hosted their first gala in quite some time, I think since I've been on the board. Um it was a great night. We had a great keynote speaker. Um learned a lot that night, and uh again, a great place to hear about the visioning for Fort Worth. Um we had Rachel Capua there. We had uh the head administrator from the law school there. So, great things are coming to Tarrant County, and the United Way is joining hands with not only our educators and our and other um providers in our community, but great things are happening at United Way in Tarrant County. On March 5th, got to join [sighs] the Girls Inc. celebration breakfast. I don't think I've missed one of those before. Um on March 5th, um so many great uh leaders were recognized. Regina Williams was recognized, uh our own very own uh Honorable Betsy Price was recognized um as well. Um another great event. If you don't know about Girls Inc. of Tarrant County and their mission, I encourage you to get involved. Next slide. And this was my very first uh Visit Fort Worth annual meeting. I was I I always asked the question, should I go to this? Because we go to so many different events, and the schedule's always so tight. I was told we do not miss this for any for any reason. So, had an opportunity to say goodbye to the convention center as we know it. Um and uh it was it was a great place to be. It was so much history. For this history teacher, it was just great to see where we've been, where where we've come from, and where we're going. Next slide. Um on a Saturday, we visited we I had a chance to attend the mayor's uh neighborhood awards. And so, I want to congratulate Rainbow Ridge Homeowners Association in District 6 for receiving two awards this year. They were recognized at the Safety First Award and the Community Collaboration and Engagement Award. Um our very own Andrea West uh serves as the VP. And all of the things that she has to do, she's the vice president of the HOA, and Erica Patterson serves as president. They've done a great job in Rainbow Ridge uh just building collaboration amongst their young neighborhood. And so, congratulations to them on this honor, and we look forward to the awards that you'll win again next year. And then, of course, I want to I mean, I feel like this is a drum roll, and maybe confetti should fall from the ceiling. The Lake Como Community uh Neighborhood Advisory Council won Neighborhood of the Year for the third, I repeat, third year in a row. So, um if you were there, Como won a number of different um recognitions on that day for all of the community involvement that they have, all of the resources that they provide for their community, opportunities for their youth, the elderly, and everyone in between. And so, um congratulations to the Lake Como NAC again on your win. Um and I hope that you can take it home at um NUSA this year. Um and this weekend, this Friday actually, on March 13th, Friday the 13th, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., we will have office hours. We have mobile office hours every month. They'll be at the Chisholm Trail Community Center. I encourage uh District 6 neighbors and residents to come out, um meet our uh team, and let us know how things are going and how we can uh stand in the gap. And next slide. For those of you who share in my excitement, next week is spring break. It's like a holiday for educators. So, happy spring break, District 6. That's all. Thanks, Mayor. Next up, we have Chris Nettles. Council member Nettles. Thank you. I'll be brief. Uh the first slide talks about our opportunity to represent the city of Fort Worth at Toluca, uh Mexico City. Um uh my council member Elizabeth Beck will talk more about that, but great opportunity to talk all things economic development. Next slide. New Mitchell Boulevard Neighborhood Block Party is going to be Saturday, March the 14th, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please uh hit the QR code and come out and enjoy. Next slide, please. Easter uh event is Saturday, March the 21st, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It's going to be at the Tatiana Carter Jefferson at Hillside Community Center. Next slide is going to be our annual cleanup day at annual Glenwood Park spring cleanup, which is Saturday, April the 11th, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Come out and be a part of the cleanup. And tonight, North Crowley will be uh facing, I think it is Duncanville, uh for the game before the state championship. So, if you haven't got your tickets, it's sold out. You maybe can look online for that. But we're going to be rooting on our Fort Worth team to take it to state to the state title. And those are all of my announcements. Thank you. Go, Crowley. Thanks, Chris. Next up, we have Council member Beck. Uh great. Uh first of all, happy Women's History Month, everybody. Uh next slide. So, it's been busy in District 9. Um had the opportunity to speak to the West 7th Neighborhood Association during their spring meeting, um and it's always good to be with that group of folks. Next slide. Uh as you can see, we all cleaned up pretty nice for the um black uh Metropolitan Black Chamber Sneaker Ball. Not all of us council members are um shown in that photograph. We took a vote several months ago uh that was quite uh controversial. And um in that vote, we said that we were going to continue to support the Hispanic and the black chambers here in the city of Fort Worth. So, my challenge to all the members on council next year is to make sure that we're doing everything we can to support those chambers in light of taking away of our um WMBE programs, cuz this is really how we keep it alive. Next slide. Um the monks, who you may have seen uh make national news, started right here in the city of Fort Worth. And I was pleased to be there with um uh family and friends, and also colleagues like Councilwoman Deborah Peoples, to welcome them back to Fort Worth. Um I also want to thank the Fort Worth Police Department for making sure that of all of the badges that they had on their um garments, that they had one of ours from home. So, thank you for that. Next slide. Uh long time in the making, uh we attended the Tobias Place grand opening with my colleague Janette Martinez. It was a great day for the south side, and a great day for affordable housing here in the city of Fort Worth. You have 288 units of the most deeply affordable um units in the city of Fort Worth, about a mile away from the central business district. So, that's a big win for our community. Next slide. As uh you heard from Council member Nettles, we did attend the Sister Cities trip to Toluca, Mexico. It was really great. Um this particular Sister Cities trip focused on the economic bonds between our two cities, and you think, well, what do we have um to tie us together? But uh we have a pasta factory. So, Toluca and Fort Worth share in the same company, um and so, if you have had pasta from HEB or Kroger or Tom Thumb, um you have had pasta from La Moderna. Um so, it was really great to go with the Hispanic Chamber, and um not just do the dignitary exchange, but be part of um um some economic development work as well. Next slide. Um had a really great opportunity to visit District 5, um and speak to a group of students uh Dunbar High School students, about my legal profession. They didn't have any questions about my legal profession, but I do anticipate that you will see several of them up here on this dais soon enough because they were very interested in how the city works. Next slide. Um, this last week had the opportunity to attend the Westside Village groundbreaking. This is a $1.7 billion investment in the city of Fort Worth. Notably, this is the, um, largest construction of, uh, single-user office space, um, in the last 40 years in the city of Fort Worth. So, we're making big investments here in District 9. Next slide. Speaking of District 9, there's another District 9 here in Texas, and for the first time in a while, the city of Fort Worth now can, um, claim that we have our very own state rep once again. Um, so, had the opportunity to welcome, uh, tail new newly elected Senator, State Senator Taylor Remmert to, um, his new district office that is located just off of Jennings in the near Southside. Okay. Next slide. For upcoming events, we've got a lot. So, Fort Worth ISD spring break is March 16th to the 20th, and for educators, it's a lot of fun, but for those of us, um, that answer the phone call for spring break traffic, not so much. Um, please remember that, um, be alert of the traffic in and around the zoo during the week of spring break. If you can, avoid it. Um, and if you really want to go, purchase your tickets ahead of time, um, and I would highly recommend taking Trinity Metro to avoid the madness. Next slide. We have a meeting coming up Thursday, March 2nd, the virtual WebEx on the near Southside street improvement, uh, program for those of you interested. Next slide. Same evening, March 12th, from 5:30 to 7:00, uh, p.m. at the Fort Worth Convention Center Ballroom on the third floor, we will be having our town hall for phase two of the convention center. If you have questions or concerns, now is your time to to come and speak, so I hope to see you there. Next slide. Uh, last but not least, we have the Fort Worth PD Central Division Safety Fair, April 11th, from 9:30 to 12:30 at the Montgomery Plaza Target. Um, come by, pick up some Chick-fil-A, and visit our safety fair. Thank you. Thank you, Elizabeth. Next up, we have Council Member Martinez. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. So, uh, District 11 has two upcoming events. On March 26th, we will be hosting a town hall meeting at the historic Stagecoach Ballroom on Belknap. Uh, so, the residents are invited to speak directly with city departments, and get up on updates on what's happening in their community. On April 22nd, we are celebrating Earth Day at Black Coffee. So, we're partnering with Environmental Services again this year. Uh, they're going to bring out the Crad Cruiser. So, there'll be several, uh, free services that are going to be provided on site, paper shredding, disposal of household hazardous waste, electronics recycling. But, this year, we're also adding, um, a partnership with the Drug Enfor- Enforcement Administration to help you safely dispose of any old prescription drugs. Uh, this take back program helps ensure that potential harmful pharmaceuticals do not end up in the water or in the hands of children. So, please join us. We'll have free coffee and mini conchas for you. Next slide. A huge congratulations to our very own, Rachel Arellano. She was recognized, uh, she will be recognized on April 8th as an exceptional woman of influence in the Fort Worth Business Press 2026 Great Women of Texas class. So, we're very excited for her, very proud of her. Um, another other, uh, top honorees include Joe Ellerd, Great Woman of Texas. Lily Bigham gets the Legacy Award, and uh, Dr. Opal Lee, Lifetime Achievement Award. Congratulations. Oh, Deborah, I think you're also being recognized right? Councilwoman Peoples, as as a Great Woman of Texas? Well congratulations. >> [laughter] >> That's all I have. All right, thank you, Janette. Next will be non-consent speakers, and I believe we have two. Yes. Daniel Heise, I think is first up. Good evening. My name is Dan Hayes, and I wanted to speak on the habitual nuisance ordinance. I just want to say, uh, thank you to Benjamin Sampracht and the numerous other people who had a role in bringing this ordinance to the city council for a vote tonight. To anyone who thinks the city doesn't listen to its citizens, I say this ordinance is proof that it does. This ordinance is a direct result of a number of us in East Fort Worth consistently advocating for a way to hold negligent commercial property owners responsible for their actions. Excuse me. It's an unfortunate reality that places like the Economy Motel, Rocky's 1 and 2, and plenty of other commercial establishments consume a huge amount of taxpayer-funded resources, far more than their fair share. These include police, fire, and EMS, vice and detective units, code compliance, environmental services, development services, legal staff, court officers, and other departments. And when these first responders and city staff are dealing with these blighted properties, they are not available to other taxpayers in the city. This ordinance will force owners who are essentially just sucking the life out of their properties to pay the price for their continued negligence. Maybe some will wise up and reinvest in their properties. There's always hope. It gives the city another tool to serve the hardworking people who live near such places, so maybe have a little better quality of life. I look forward to the results it will hopefully achieve. Thank you. Thank you, Dan. Our next speaker is Ryan Burgess. He's not speaking. Okay, thank you, Michael. Okay. Next will be Resolution 26-5819. All right. Do I have a second? Okay. Let's get the vote started here. Just a moment. Janette, do you show Mr. Willoughby as signed up to speak? Just a moment, Bob. We're checking. You signed up on public comments. That's a that Yes, sir. Mr. Mr. Willoughby. That is a public hearing, and you will be called when we get to the public hearing. That That that's next, Bob. Just a moment. Just bear with us, okay? All right. I can mean up there we go. All right. Now, we may vote on the item, please. Motion passes. Next will be Item 26-5831. All right, Michael. I think you have some language to read in on this one. Let me turn you on. Just a moment again. There we are. Your mic's on. Can you hear me? Yep. Okay. Move to approve M&C 26-5831 with the following change. Update the date and time of the public hearing to reflect that it will occur during the city council meeting scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. on April 28th, 2026, and revise the date for giving notice accordingly. Okay, motion and a second. Let's start the vote, please. Motion passes. Next is 26-5832. Okay. Do we have a second? Let's get the vote started. Just a moment. All right, cast your votes, please. Motion passes. Next is M&C 26-0198. Mayor Pro Tem, we have one speaker. >> speaker. All right. Mr. Willoughby, now's your cue. Yeah, my apologies. I did jump the gun, okay? It's on here, but Maddie's bypassed me so many times. Okay. Oh, it's on the screen, too, up there. What do you know? Okay. I don't know why y'all put some of these up there, and you don't put other ones up there. I don't understand it. But, that's why I put it on here, so that when it's blank over there, the people are going to actually see what we're talking about. Anyway, you can go ahead and start my time. It's okay. It's up here mainly. So, you can start my time. I appreciate it. You, matter of fact, uh, it's a lot better when Maddie's not here. I'm a lot more relaxed. Okay, this is CCPD funds, Carl. You know you don't like hearing me talk about this, and I got a big sign back there. I didn't bring it up here. But also you you y'all never you never answered publicly, okay? I am working on this with the DA. DA's a roadblock from getting an audit on the CCP funds, but all CCP funds should be frozen until we have an audit. Now, Carlos, I called you. I've got you on film. You ran away. You said let's meet behind closed doors, all that kind of stuff. You also sent me to Mr. Keith Morris, which is on here, too. And Keith Morris emailed me. And I hear and it says, well, down below there anyway, what it says, Mr. Morris, what he did, he gave me the answer to the new rules. What we're talking about the old rules. The old rules said they couldn't get over $300,000. Six organizations got more than that. The ISD got $1.4 million. Rodney got $800,000. You know, that's a lot of money we're giving here, and I grant you Rodney cannot produce receipts where that money go. I met with him. He cannot. If we get an audit, that's what we need, and Bill Swords is stopping from an audit. Texas Rangers will come in and audit this stuff if Bill Swords, but Bill Swords, the DA, says, "I'm not going to dispute this. I'm not going to answer. I'm not going to do anything." So, I'm at the Commissioner's Court with Lisa Simmons, commissioner to work with this. We'll try to get Bill Swords to do his job. You're not doing yours, Carlos. So, this. But, [clears throat] Keith, he says in here, now he gave me that, he says, "Let me know if you have any additional questions." Well, I did. I called back, Keith. I said, "Keith, this answer is to the new one." See, y'all went ahead and passed it, but didn't get any amount now. $300,000 was too much to give these people, but you opened it up to any amount. So, anyway, so Keith, he never answered questions either. So, it's a lot can not answering questions is an a mission and a guilt, 100% right there. When you can't come out and be transparent, and this is our money, this CCPD funds is ours. So, and I'm not going to let up on it. It's been almost 2 years yelling about this, and I'm going to stay with it till we get an answer. And we need an audit. We need If you just give me a one clear audit of Rodney. Let's just see Rodney, just one, okay? Cuz Rodney cannot show what he did with $800,000. I grant you he cannot, and that's our money. So, you're you're misrepresenting funds. You're not You know what? You should never This board is not council. It Council removed a independent board that used to get this money out, and they put themselves there, and it should be a conflict of interest, too. It should be a conflict. And then you say you're overworked, and you want more you want a raise. You're overworked. Well, take yourself off these boards, Chris, and put people there who can do. So, you're not overworked. So, anyway, the CCP funds, answer this, okay? You don't deserve a raise if you can't answer this. Okay. And we're moving to close the public hearing and approve the MNC, correct? Okay. All right. Do we have a second? And let's start the voting. All right. Cast your votes, please. Motion passes. Next will be ZC- 25-212. Have a second? Okay, and a second by Chris Nettles. All right. Let's get the voting started. Cast your votes. Motion passes. Next will be ZC-25-208. Who's with? I am going to move to continue this case until the next zoning meeting to give the applicant the opportunity to reach out to our council office. Second. Okay. And second. And start voting, please. Motion passes. Next will be ZC-25-210. Okay, and that's D5, and uh I got to find my way around here, Deborah. Move to approve. Okay. And second. And let's get the voting started. Cast your votes, please. Has everyone voted? Amelia, there you go. All right. Motion passes. Next will be ZC-25-211. All right. D11. Janette, let me get your mic on. Go ahead. I think we have a couple of speakers. All right. Next uh first up, we have Diego Pinceno. You see here. It's going to be followed by Daniel Molina. Good evening, Council. Um I'm here to uh just address some of the things that came up during P&Z and see if I could clear anything anything up and hopefully get a favorable decision here. Um I want to note that one of the first things that came up with a problem with our site was the fact that we were trying to zone this for general commercial restricted in a future land use map showed it as single family residential. I just wanted to call for just understanding the area. The area that is in question right now is sandwiched between two heavy industrial sites, and it's a very difficult piece of land or area to realistically turn into single single family residential. Um the heavy industrial sites are auto parts businesses and Republic Services. This is This is This makes this area a very difficult site to turn into a single family residential, and it's also half of the area is in a 100-year flood plain. So, I'm just trying We're trying to get something moving here, see if we can you know, have some sort of development in this area that seems to be like it doesn't get too much attention. The other thing that I wanted to cover was the fact that there was some historic historic area concerns for this part of land, and if you look at the map, there is no historic area designation for the land in question, which is 5904 Etsy Street. And then the last thing was the fact that we did not have at the at P&Z we did not have neighbor support. We do have plenty of neighbor support now. We've brought them today, and I just want to clarify again cuz I know we had some issues or some concerns about the neighbor to the west. Um and the noise that a general commercial or auto part auto repair shop would bring. Um just uh just something I wanted to know is that every single residential uh property around in this area is within 100 ft of a heavy industrial site. Um the overall character of this area and land that's part of the neighborhood is sandwiched between heavy industrial sites, and uh we don't I I would hope that we could bring some sort of development general commercial that's a lot less um I guess a lot less not I guess a lot a lot less heavy than a heavy industrial site. That's basically what I came over here to do is just kind of show the character of what's around us, what's the uh the actual area provides, and we're just trying to get something moving, and hopefully I could have, you know, addressed some of those concerns today. Thank you, Mr. Pinceno. Next up, we have Daniel Molina followed by Daniel Hoss. Um thank you for taking the time. Um like uh Diego mentioned, we're all small we're small owners, the three of us. We're not asking for a lot of changes. We're not asking money from the city. We're not It's There's no historical history there. The people objecting this are just looking for money from the church or the city. We're not asking for that. We're just asking for permission to open our businesses, and we're going to be small businesses. As you can see, it's 0.3 of an acre. It's going to be a small little shop. And there's junkyards. There's a a waste company there, and there's only two houses, as you can see, right next to where we want to put the shop. So, if you would approve it, we would appreciate it. Um and like you mentioned, Fort Worth is growing. Uh it's been the it's been the fastest growing city in the United States. So, we just want the opportunity to grow with the city. We want the opportunity to have our own little business. If you can do that and approve us, we would appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Next speaker is Daniel Hayes. Good evening Good evening again. My name is Stan Hayes, and I am opposed to this zoning change. I'm part of the executive board of the Gateway Park Action Coalition, but my interest doesn't start stop at the park boundary. Gateway Park is blessed to have some of the only natural parts of the Trinity River in Fort Worth. The property in this case sits just to the north of the park and just 500 ft from the Trinity River. Today, people appreciate the Trinity River in ways those in the early and mid-20th century did not. A paved trail system extends through most of the city and at times parts of it are quite crowded. People love to be near the river. There are many places like Clear Fork in the River District where the river is celebrated as an asset. Others like Panther Island are working their way towards that goal after decades of past abuse. In East Fort Worth, however, it seems that auto salvage yards and other inappropriate uses are the order of the day. That practice needs to stop. In this case, the property is agriculturally zoned, but yet it contains over a dozen cars, car carcasses, and three structures in violation of its zoning as of the last aerial image. In fact, the image that was up earlier, everything on the south side of Etsy is in agricultural, but yet there's about 60 cars there. Uh in 2019, Streams and Valleys, the nonprofit who first advocated so many years ago for a walking and biking trail system along the Trinity, released a new master plan called Confluence. There was a beautiful accompanying video with these opening lines. The Trinity River belongs to all of us. It is the reason Fort Worth was founded. It remains our grandest civic space. There's nothing grand about how this area of the river is being treated. So, please advocate for the river by denying this case. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Hayes. Let me know further speakers on this, Janette. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. Um with this being uh auto repair that's planned, I'm concerned that uh and so close to a flood plain that there'd be run off uh to the river. So, I'm going to uphold zoning commission's a denial um with prejudice uh for ZC25211. Okay, motion second. There's no discussion. Let's begin vote, please. Motion passes. Next will be ZC-25-213. Okay. Janette, I don't think we have any speakers on this one. Oh, um yes, I have specific wording for that. So, I'm going to move to approve as recommended by zoning commission with a 3-year time limit. Okay. Start your voting, please. Motion passes. Next will be ZC-26-002. Council member uh Martinez, we have a number of speakers on this item. Uh first up is Ashton Miller. It's going to be followed by Leticia Wilburn. Good evening, Council. My name is Ashton Miller. I'm with Oncor at 777 Main Street in Fort Worth, Texas. Uh primarily just here to uh answer any questions that the council may have, um but I would like to provide a little bit of backstory um as to why we are here today. Uh so, Oncor initially purchased the property in 1966 uh where the uh current uh substation is located. Um and and in order to meet um an increase in electrical demand in the area, um we have a need to expand uh the current substation. Today, it has uh it's a two-transformer station. Uh what we are proposing as to replace the two transformers um and add two additional transformers uh to the east. Um and so, um there were a number of residents that were um that were at the Planning and Zoning Commission um uh um and I just like to uh make mention that we did uh reach out to the president of the Echo Heights uh neighborhood association um and we um I myself did answer uh some of the questions that are all of the questions that um uh Mr. Jones had uh related to to our application. I believe the the main concern is just nailing down, you know, exactly what Oncor is doing. Um and so, by uh requesting a conditional use permit, um the site plan that will be attached is is what Oncor will be constructing. Um so, with that, happy to uh answer any questions that the council may have. All right. Janette, or council members, any questions? I'll wait until the other All right. speakers go. Thank you. Leticia Wilburn. And she will be followed by Chris Jones. Hi. This is my granddaughter. She's 21 years old. She has never been able to enjoy a moment at my home in Echo Heights. I'm going to ask Janette Martinez to deny this with prejudice. You are a mother. Pretty soon you will be a grandmother. Echo Heights, according to the city, has rezoned over 100 lots from residential to industrial. This area has become a haven of children with leukemia, miscarriages, which is by the way medically known as a spontaneous abortion. Now, the state of Texas have laws against abortions, but it's okay for the city to continue to allow things in our communities that cause kids to have issues with leukemia and to be aborted. Now, Oncor, they have not met with the community. I am a member of the neighborhood association, and they have not reached out to Echo Heights, Stop Six Environmental Coalition, nor have they reached out to Fort Worth Environmental Fort Worth Environmental Coalitions of communities to meet with us. Now, at the uh commission hearing, Oncor said they could put up a wall for the sound. This area is known as Echo Heights for a reason. You cannot put up a wall to buffer the noise from the children. The abuses in this community at some point, y'all going to have to put your foot down and say no. Just stop it. Looking, on February 3rd, 2026, they did the same thing in Lufkin. Lufkin said no because of the proximity to the school and the proximity to homes. There are mobile homes in this community. They are right there. There are homes in the community are right there. Those mobile homes should be treated just the same as any other home. Those children deserve to be treated the same. People like me deserve to be treated the same. I deserve to live in a area where my grandchildren can come to my home. This is one of nine, and she will tell you I have never been able to host an event at my home because of the things that go on in Echo Heights. Now, you all sit up there, and y'all think it's cool. Have any of y'all ever been sick with almost a million dollars in medical bills for one event, not everything, for one event? I have. Based on what's going on in that community. What about the women that have cancers? What about the other people that have cancers? What about the people that have issues with kidney disease, have high blood pressure, and other stuff? This has got to stop. Y'all are going to have to say no at some point, and I know all of y'all are looking at me, but blood is on y'all's hands. People are dying. >> Next up we have Chris Jones followed by Caleb Roberts. One second, I got to be able to see. All right. Good evening, council members. My name is Chris Jones. I am the vice president, not president. I am vice president of Echo Heights Neighborhood Association. I'm here tonight to explain how our neighborhood attempted to engage with Oncor and to return this matter to our membership for reconsideration. But, we were unable to complete that uh that process before tonight's vote. The Echo Heights number membership previously voted to oppose this zoning request. After the vote occurred, Oncor provided additional clarification. Notice I said after that vote occurred. Oncor provided additional clarification regarding the zoning configuration of the property and the conditional use permit that would regulate that substation expansion. You guys showed that on the first page where the confusion has been uh some of it registered as I, some of it registered as B. Uh so, that confusion, but they we couldn't get a lot of clarification on that. When the executive board reviewed that information, we felt it was important that the residents be given the opportunity to hear clarification directly and ask questions before the association finalized its position. Because of that, the executive board voted unanimously to return the matter to membership for reconsideration. I also want to note that the zoning commission's recommendation on this case was not unanimous. The case passed on a 6 to 4 vote. During the hearing, commissioners specifically asked if Oncor had contacted the surrounding neighborhood associations. Their response given at that meeting was that they had not. Following the hearing, we were informed that the councilwoman Martinez's office encouraged Oncor to reach out to Echo Heights so that a discussion with the residents could occur once additional clarification was provided to us. The executive board attempted to facilitate exactly that type of meeting. We reached out to Oncor. We requested a representative to attend an evening meeting with our membership so the residents could hear the project overview and ask questions directly. Because our bylaws require a 7-days notice before a meeting will where a vote will occur, we also asked respectively that Oncor continue requesting a short continuance from city council so that this meeting could take place and we could have the membership come be complete in its reconsideration process. Unfortunately, we did not receive a response to that. There was no sufficient time remaining to conduct a meeting in accordance with our bylaws. Because the reconsideration meeting could not occur, the prior vote of the membership remains in effect. That reason, Echo Heights Neighborhood Association must maintain its previously adopted position of opposition to this zoning request. I do want to emphasize that our zoning association made in good faith efforts to engage Oncor so the residents could receive clarification and potentially reconsider their position based off of updated information. Our goal has always been transparency and ensuring the residents most directly affected have the opportunity to be informed and participate in the process. Echo Heights is not opposed to reliable infrastructure. Our concern is ensuring that projects affecting our neighborhood and following a process that allows residents to be informed, ask questions, and participate meaningfully meaningly meaningfully before a final decision is made. Thank you for your time. All right. Thank you, Mr. Jones. Uh next up, Caleb Roberts followed by Jamie Perkins. Uh good evening. Caleb Roberts, executive director of Down Winders at Risk. Uh I work with the Echo Heights community quite a bit. Um I'm here to talk about structural racism. Uh I don't know if I can even say that here anymore, but I'm going to go ahead. Um I say structural racism because this is maybe the seventh time in 3 years I've been here about a zoning case to change something into industrial in Echo Heights. Um and the gentleman from Oncor just said we have increased energy demands. I wonder if that's because of all the industry in Echo Heights. So, it kind of builds on itself. Because you create industry, now you need more indus- uh you need more energy uh to maintain those industries. Uh I know we didn't get to talk about the data center today, but that may be something coming up that they need energy for just south of Echo Heights. Um I'm also saying structural racism because we were here maybe 8 months ago in June uh about a CUP then that we all came out and had uh a lot of fiery words about. Uh we were kind of chastised for how strongly we came out on that case from members of this council. And it was almost like the residents knew that that company was full of it. Because to this day, that $30,000 that was supposed to be donated for air monitors so we can know the impacts of happening in Echo Heights has not materialized. I just talked to Dr. Laury from University of Texas at Dallas and he hasn't heard anything in a long time. That's trust eroding. You know, like in real time. We had a conversation about um you know, how we're going to respond to the federal government's claims of we can't do minority business and all these things and how that was racist. But this issue is how racism takes place. And I have to be honest with you all about it because if we don't come make noise, these things just happen. They continue. They spur. There's an industrial growth center right there in Echo Heights with highways uh built so semi trucks can move uh things about this this community. But nothing for the community that is there. Uh I think they were saying Oncor was supposed to do an environmental report where they claimed to the community that they did that. I would love to see that to see what it says. Additionally, when you look at the zoning report by the staff, there is nothing that signifies that this community has been out multiple times to say that industrial facilities and industrial zoning is a problem. They just say the adjacent communities are are are industrial. They met with the the community, but the dozens of times the community was here and you know the the people from Echo Heights. Y'all know them when you see them. There is no notice that the staff can even work on to say that there's an issue and we have to wait a year plus for the next comprehensive plan to happen. So, what I want to say is this is structural racism and you all have the opportunity to do something about it today. Thank you, Mr. Roberts. Next up, Jamie Perkins followed by Tina James. Good evening. I'm Jaime. I'm here to speak in strong opposition to the zoning change that would have allowed expansion of Oncor's electrical substations. I took the time to watch the February 11th Forward Zoning Commission meeting where this item was discussed. Thank you, Ms. T uh for sharing that with me. Uh while a couple questions were asked of Oncor during the meeting, the reality is that there were not nearly enough questions asked. Uh honestly, not nearly enough of the right questions were asked before recommending approval. Because the real question here is not just about electricity. The real question is about fairness, accountability, and whose neighborhoods are expected to absorb industrial expansion. Why is it that time after time it is working-class communities of color that are asked to accept more industry creeping into their neighborhoods? Why are we expanding industrial uses in these areas instead of investing in parks, green spaces, and community assets that improve people's qualities of life? Why are the same communities that already live with the heavy impacts of industry being asked to take on even more? This property is currently partially zoned for two-family residential housing. Instead of preserving the potential for housing or community-serving development, this proposal would convert the more would convert even more acres to light industrial use. That is a major land use shift for a neighborhood where people live, raise families, and deserve the same level of protection and planning as any other community in this city. And here's another question that should have been asked. Why isn't Oncor required to meet directly with the community that they're trying to expand into? Why are residents forced to show up here to react to a plan that has already moved through the process instead of the company being compelled to sit down, listen, and answer questions from people who will actually live next to this? Communities deserve transparency and respect, not decisions that feel predetermined. No one is denying that energy is necessary, but necessary uh but it's not necessary that companies get a free pass to site projects in the same communities over and over and over and over again without meaningful engagement, without serious consideration of alternatives, without asking whether the burden is being distributed fairly across the city. Frontline communities should not be the default location for projects that other neighborhoods would never accept. The recommendation from the zoning commission should not be the end of this conversation. This meeting should not be the end of this conversation. It should be the beginning of deeper scrutiny into how this community is facing unjust impacts. This council has a responsibility to ask the hard questions that were not asked before. Who benefits from this project? Who bears the burden? And why is this not the right place? I urge you to vote no on this zoning request and stand with the residents who are asking for fairness, transparency, and respect in the planning decision. Thank you for protecting their neighborhood. >> up. Next up, we have Tina James followed by Anita Bryson. All right, y'all. Y'all see us for all the time. Like you said, y'all know who we are. But I just wanted to kind of piggyback on the situation with uh Oncor. Y'all do know that physical and mental health impacts, the noise pollution, and the potential or potential exposure from all the uh electromagnetic magnetic fields, the EMF associated with high voltage sustainabilities, and significant concerns of residents in the Echo Heights. Also, the cumulative environmental burden, our neighbors is already saturated with industrial activities. Adding an expanded sub- substation increases the overall toxic and stress on the community that already suffers from disproportionated rates of respiratory issues and other pollutions in our community. I'm asking again that we remove it with prejudice. In June 25th, the city council approved the conditional use for the permit for the Federal FedEx to operate in our community. During that meeting, the public was told that the FedEx would provide $30,000 for the DWM Green, uh air monitors, residents could see the quality in the air that we would be breathing. The promise was not taken care of. Because of our community already surrounded with industrial activities, trucks, traffic, environmental pressure, the air monitors were supposed to be a trust tool and transparency from the city of Fort Worth, making sure that they follow through with what they needed to do. Uh the motion to approve that permit was first made by Councilman Nettles and then second by Councilman uh Martinez. But here we are today, months later, and the $30,000 still have not been given to the city to be sent over in the Echo Heights area. FedEx was given a response, a deadline, December the 1st, 2025. They still haven't responded. So how often do we trust people to come in and say that they're going to take care of our community and they still don't? The city took continues to allow this to happen in the residents and ignores the conditions and permits and what happens. We get fined, we get cited, and we get shut down. But when a major corporation ignores the public commit commitment to tie their approvals, nothing happens. This is not accountability. This is not transparency. And the community is the one that suffers. I'm going to ask y'all to understand that families live here, children breathe here, grandparents sit on their porches, and churches pray here. And your community keeps being asked to carry more and more industrial burdens to our community. I want to acknowledge Councilwoman Deborah Peoples and Councilwoman Mea Hall for standing with the residents and supporting the protection of clean air and community health. But tonight, this is a bigger than uh two council members. Tonight, it's about the the credibility of the entire council because our communities are asking three questions. First, uh enforce the agreement required by FedEx. Two, be transparent to the community why this condition has yet to be put through and the permit has still been enforced. Three, stop the expansions of industrial in our community. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. James. Next speaker, Anita Bryson, followed by Ayman Ibrahim. Good evening, council members. My name is Anita Bryson, president of Echo Heights Neighborhood Association. Uh for decades, our neighborhood has been placed next to industrial uses, truck truck truck uh trucking corridors and facilities that have created real environmental and safety harms. Our residents have lived with illegal dumping, poor air quality, soil contamination concerns, and storm water runoff that causes pollution pollutants into our streets and yards. These are not abstract issues. They are part of our daily reality. When this zoning case first came before our membership, residents over women over womenly voted to oppose. When the zoning commission later heard the case, commissioners asked whether Oncor had contacted the surrounding neighborhood associations. The answer was no. After that hearing, we were informed that Councilwoman Martinez's office encouraged Oncor to reach out to Echo Heights. When additional clarification about the zoning request was later shared with our leadership, our executive board agreed that residents deserve to hear directly from Oncor. We unanimously voted to return to the membership for reconsideration. We followed our bylaws, we provided notice, we invited Oncor to attend an evening meeting so residents could ask questions and understand the environmental and safety impact implications of this project, but the meeting never happened. And in the community that that has already endured decades of environmental burdens, that lack of engagement is unacceptable. Residents needed answers about air quality, soil conditions, storm water runoff, equipment failures, fire hazards, and how electrical faults would be handled near homes, schools, and churches. These are basic questions for any neighborhood, and especially for the one that has repeatedly been asked to absorb risk without transparency or protection. Echo Heights has lived through the consequences of decisions made without community input. We have seen what happens when environmental and safety concerns are ignored. We will not allow that pattern to continue. Because Oncor did not meet with our community, the original vote of our membership remains in place, and as president, it's my responsibility to stand firmly on that decision. For these reasons, the Echo Heights Neighborhood Association remains opposed to ZC 26002. And let me be clear, when the city still has not followed up on the FedEx incident that put our residents at risk, it raises a real question. If past harms haven't been addressed, how can our community trust that future ones will be? Echo Heights will not accept one more project, one more risk, one more burden without transparency, accountability, and respect. Not anymore. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Bryson. The next speaker is Ayman Ibrahim. Is Mr. Ibrahim here? I don't think he is. That's the last of our speakers. Councilmember Martinez. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. Um somebody here from zoning zoning staff, I have a question. It's really just one question. Was there any opposition from residents that received the 300-ft notice? Uh Um Councilmember Martinez, within the 300-ft notice area, um we did not So we did I don't think that we No, we did not receive any official any letters from anyone who were who was noticed within that area. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. Mr. Miller. So, you know, for those that aren't familiar with the case, um you know, this has been an emotional zoning case. Uh what is the purpose of an electric substation? Yeah, the purpose of an electrical substation, uh it takes the voltage from a high-powered transmission line. In this case, it's the 138 kV line um that's there today. It steps that power down, and it directly goes into the um homes of the residences in the area. Um keeps their lights on as well as the businesses within the area. Where those are are there Where are all the other substations located in Fort Worth? I know it's not just in one certain area of the city. Yeah, they they are substations are all over the city of Fort Worth. Is it uncommon for a substation to be located near a neighborhood? Uh no, ma'am, it is not. How often are these substations inspected? Uh they are inspected uh monthly. Um we do have our our district personnel that that go out and visit the site um at least once a month. So what type of vehicles do those inspectors Typically, it's your your F-250, um F-150 service-type of trucks. Um there are environmental testing that's done when you add um up um transformers, right? Uh so were there any findings from that environmental testing? Yeah, so we did do a phase one environmental study um on the um uh property in which we are expanding on as well as what we're currently operating in. There were no environmental concerns. What would have happened if there was a finding? Yeah, so if there were a finding, uh we would evaluate um what the the concerns were, um and then we would clean up the site uh prior to um any construction of of new electrical equipment on site. So, the new equipment that you'll be installing will be installed in phases if this is approved, and then you will replace the old equipment, correct? Yes, ma'am. So, we will be expanding um just directly to the east of where the existing station is today. Uh there will be uh two new transformers, uh and then the ring bus equipment that connects the lines into the transformers, as well as one additional uh control enclosure that essentially houses electrical equipment of how we communicate to a station um off site um and there will also be um I just wanted to mention one new access point off of Maxey. Um this is more modern equipment that's going to be installed, correct? What what's the difference between what's already there and what you're installing? Yeah, so just like any kind of mechanical electrical equipment, um it does um require constant maintenance, and um the the new transformers are brand new uh transformers um that uh um are much modern uh much more modern than what is out there currently today, um as well as um as quieter as well. Are they the same size? Are they smaller? Do they take >> They are the exact same size as what's out there today. Just more just updated. Yes ma'am. I see um Councilwoman Hall has a question, so I will wait to um All right. Councilwoman Hall I just had a question with regards to the notice that was sent. How many notices or how many residents received the notice within the 300 ft? Like how many were were within that boundary? Councilmember Hall, I don't have that information in front of me. I don't have the number. Um But that is the map. Uh so every property owner within that that bubbled area um received a notice. Okay. Um and then with regards to and maybe I missed it cuz I know there's been a lot of discussion. Was there a meeting held with the residents with Oncor? Was there a meeting held with the residents? No. No, ma'am. There was not. Okay. Okay, no speaking from the floor, please. Mia, are you good? Okay. Yes. Deborah? Oh, I'm sorry. Not a meeting. Uh It was recommended by uh Councilwoman Martinez and both the president and uh someone else said that they were willing to have the meeting. Yes, ma'am. So um the So we did reach out to um the neighborhood um association um to address their questions um and not to get too personal or anything. My I would my wife and I did have our first baby uh last week and so just timing-wise um I was not able to meet with the the residents. Um So there but we did I did reach out to um the uh neighborhood association and was provided a list of questions um from the neighborhood association in which I answered every question that was provided to me. Councilmember All right. Thank you. All right. Janette? Thank you. Um so I want to note that Thank you, Mr. Miller. So I want to note that this substation and property it's been operating as industrial for approximately 60 years. There is very little to no traffic out of the property. Keeping this property under residential purposes would not be appropriate with the surrounding industrial zoning. To my knowledge, there have been no complaints or concerns about this substation prior to this zoning case. This expansion will reduce an area uh of open space where homeless camps and illegal dumping have been an issue. Um to reiterate, my motion will clean up the zoning that should have been corrected decades ago. My motion will ensure that if Oncor ever retired the substation, no other use would be allowed and a zoning change would be required for other development. Therefore, for ZC-26002, I move to approve with the following amended language uh to PDI excluding all uses except for an electrical power substation site plan approved. I have a second. I have a second. Any discussion? All right, let's start voting. See who we're missing here. Uh Chris All right. Motion passes. Next will be ZC-26-007. All right. Chris, we have no speakers on this. Um Move to approve. >> Second. All right. First and a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, let's get ready to vote. Motion passes. Next is MNC-26-0192. All right. Macy, I think you have some language to read in on this one. Let me get your mic on. Just a moment. There you go. Thank you. Okay. I move that the Fort Worth City Council adopt the resolution authorizing use of the power of eminent domain to acquire 0.654 acres in permanent sanitary sewer easement and 0.192 acres in temporary construction easement from real property owned by Nary Properties LP. The property interest is needed for public use, the M199C parallel SS interceptor project for easements to construct a relief sewer main. The property is located at 220 Redbud Lane in the Cornelius Connolley Survey Tract number 319, Tarrant County, Texas. The property interest to be acquired is described by meets and bounds and depicted by the survey exhibits attached to this mayor and council communication. Okay, we have a second. And let's get to voting. Motion passes. Mayor Pro Tem, that concludes all of the action items and gets us to public comments. All right. Our first speaker tonight is uh Delores Phillips. Followed by Erica Castellani. Is Delores Phillips here? Okay. Moving on. Erica Kristen Telali Is she here? Okay, moving on. Connolly Brewer Council members, good evening. My name is Connolly Brewer. I'm a resident of District 6 and I'm here tonight to voice my opposition to the proposed city council raise currently designated as Proposition G. One of the primary arguments for this increase is that it will foster economic diversity. However, decades of political science data including research in American Political Science Review tell a different story. Higher salaries do not increase blue-collar representation. In fact, research shows that higher pay often leads to fewer working-class politicians as these roles become more attractive to professionalized white-collar career politicians. Our city charter was intentionally designed around a citizen servant model. Residents serving out of duty and not for a career policy salary. By doubling your pay, you aren't just adjusting for inflation. You are dismantling a philosophy meant to keep this body grounded in stewardship rather than professional politics. Furthermore, we must address the cost to play. In District 6 alone, recent winning campaigns spent between $30,000 and $40,000. Raising the salary to $50,000 won't lower that barrier. It's likely to raise it. A higher prize attracts higher spending campaigns that price out the very candidates you claim to be helping. Some will point to Dallas, but let's remember Dallas voters soundly rejected a pay raise less than 2 years ago. Fort Worth should not be benchmarking against the most expensive cities in Texas while our taxpayers are facing an $845 million bond proposal and rising infrastructure cost. I will leave you with this. If you professionalize these seats, you will change the very nature of our elections. You may find that instead of fostering diversity, you have simply invited a more crowded, highly funded field of professional challengers that could complicate your very own path to re-election. Before you ask taxpayers for a 100% pay bump, ask yourselves is Fort Worth better served by career politicians or by the community servants our charter intended? Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Brewer. Next up, Bob Woolley B. Okay, legal never called me back. I had to check see if my biggles my videos clear or not. They never did call me back. So play the video unless it didn't clear. I I got I got to go. I know that's what you said last time. You promised before you said you would call. You not called. So I guess if you don't do an interview with us, then everything you said is just a bunch of lies. That's all it is, a bunch of lies. Mr. Garcia, why are you afraid to speak to me? Mr. Garcia, why are you afraid? You're afraid to speak to me, aren't you? Hm, okay. Anyway, I'll get that up there in a minute. And the reason I print these things up and put them out is because not to show off or anything. Just to send a signal. It's not up there yet. You'll see it in a minute, maybe. That there's a problem. You should see that. And an issue, a problem. Um Now, I don't blame our police chief Eddie Garcia for being a coward. What I do blame is council for hiring a coward for a police chief. Now, the man runs away and you hired him. You don't deserve a raise whatsoever. You people, I'm surprised you even got the gall to ask for a raise. This job is meant for people to serve. You know what? If I was hiring someone and they didn't answer questions like y'all, I wouldn't hire them. They wouldn't work for me. If I hired someone to work in my company, I I work for the Cowboys. If my employees showed up late as many times y'all showed up late, I would fire them. You should be fired. You should have a pay cut, not a raise, until you learn what transparency and respect is. When Carlos runs away about the CCBD funds, that's admission of guilt. But you want a raise? I cannot believe and you probably get it. I can't believe it, but you'll probably get it cuz I feel like I'm living in a bad sitcom, is what I'm in. The only thing is it's reality. Until you learn how to be transparent and answer questions. But actually, this job's not meant for you to live here. And you know what? On the ballot, first thing is on there is your raise. You know, and I'm glad you put I'm glad you put term Oh, wait a minute. You didn't put term limits on there, did you? That's what we wanted. You didn't put that on the ballot from the charter. No. But you put what you wanted, a raise, right? And then you walk on people, you lie, and you don't answer questions. You don't answer questions. I sent I called your office, the lawyer. Said is my video clear? No answer. Last time it got pulled, you said because it was some of the reasons not true. But anyway, you don't deserve a raise. You deserve a pay cut. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Willoughby. Next up, Chris Wood, followed by Derek Perry. I'm Chris Wood. I'm here today to urge you to allow remote speakers at City Council meetings. Four years ago, my stalker's best friend at the time broke my left arm. Later that day, he tried to break my right arm. Three days later, he tried to break my lower back and crack my skull. If he had been successful at all of these attempts, I would have been bedridden for at least 6 months. If I had been incapacitated and the current policy banning remote speakers was in place, I would have been unable to give input on city improvements to help stop this type of crime, such as better lighting or improved walkways. While my experience is extreme, it highlights a broader issue that affects many residents. Remote options increases accessibility and inclusivity by removing barriers for people with health issues, disabilities, child care responsibilities, or transportation challenges. Participation is granted without traveling to City Hall, providing a platform for voices that are typically underrepresented in local government. Also, residents with rigid work schedules can still participate in the decision-making process. It improves government transparency, strengthens trust, and results in more diverse and thoughtful public input. Increased engagement strengthens local democracy by ensuring decisions reflect a wider range of perspectives. Furthermore, other large Texas cities allow for remote speaking at council meetings, such as Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin. Fort Worth is a growing city and our public engagement policies should reflect that growth. Please allow remote speakers to attend City Council meetings so all Fort Worth residents can participate regardless of injury, disability, or circumstance. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Wood. Next speaker, Derek Perry, followed by E.J. Carrion. Do you have some handouts? Give it to the city secretary, please, sir. All right. The future Fort Worth is being shaped by opportunities we create for our children today. Good evening, Mayor Pro Tem and council members. My name is Derek Perry and I'm here representing the Hope Through Housing Foundation. Thank you for the opportunity to share a few words about the work we're doing to support families and young people in Fort Worth. At Hope Through Housing, we believe something simple but powerful. Stable, affordable housing can be a platform for transformational transformational change. When families have safe, stable place to live, parents can focus on work and financial stability, children have the security they need to learn and grow, and communities become stronger. But housing alone is not enough. That's why we provide on-site programs that help residents move from stability to opportunity and self-sufficiency. We offer financial coaching, workforce training, and wellness programs that help residents build stronger futures. Our most transformative work, however, happens with young people. In our Fort Worth community, the residences of Diamond Hill, we recently launched the Eric Dickerson Learning Center. Programs like this help ensure young people growing up in Fort Worth today become skilled workforce and leaders our city will depend on. At the heart of the Eric Dickerson Learning Center is a powerful belief, every child deserves a chance to succeed. The center provides mentorship, academic support, and hands-on learning in technology, engineering, digital media, and the arts. It's a place where students build confidence and begin to imagine new possibilities. For many students, it's the first place after school where someone is helping them discover their talents and see what their future is. That's why I'm here tonight. One way the community can support this work is through the Eric Dickerson All-Star Golf Invitational, which raises critical funding for the learning student center and its students. The event begins with a celebrity dinner and an 18-hole celebrity golf tournament. If you know businesses or community leaders who believe in investing in the future of Fort Worth and its youth, we welcome introductions to potential sponsors. Because we when we invest in the success of our children through the Eric Dickerson Learning Center, we're not just changing individual lives, we're strengthening the future workforce and leadership of Fort Worth. Thank you for your time and your continued commitment to the families and young people of Fort Worth. Thank you, Mr. Perry. Our next speaker is E.J. Carrion, followed by Liz Mendoza. What is going on, beautiful people? Good to see you guys. Uh I want to give credit to the city staff for reaching out to everyone who signed up for the Black Mountain to um the two zoning cases. Uh they sent out emails, they sent out phone calls. Um all of that communication was really great, informed a lot of people um who were probably going to be here today, but they didn't show up because of that communication. My recommendation in the future is that we actually allow them to still be on sign up for public comments, so that if they were available today, if they took off already for work, if they wanted to share their comments still about those data centers, they could have spoke tonight at public comments and just have their names moved there. Um so you guys can actually still hear from the public who is mad about something, clearly, that it changed everything all the way back to June. And to me, to be fair, this isn't a fight that I was aware about until last uh meeting when I came to show up. I came to show up advocating for the salary increase uh because I believe more working people should be able to run for office. And so um Fort Worth is the 11th largest city. We need to actually have a salary where working class people can run for office. And so um but I was inspired by the Charmaines at Forest Hill, the you know, Tina James at Stop Six, Ms. Weston from the Weston Gardens, or Ms. T from Echo Heights. And so I use my platform to activate and to communicate with people and clearly Black Mountain says they go out to get public comments and get public feedback. But obviously, spending only 48 hours, 72 hours caring about this and creating an action network and a letter and activating with organizers, we see there's a lot of people frustrated about this. So I really want to close with my 1 minute is like, who do you really answer to? Who do you really think you you know, lead by? You know, the people are speaking up about things and somehow every time when the people react, we minimize it. We minimize it. We make it harder. We make it harder. And I just want you guys to know, you know, this is history repeating itself. We know this happened with right Denton County with the fracking and the oil and and they got that passed, but then Governor Abbott, you know, made a state mandate where then they had to be forced to be able to allow the oil and fracking happen. And you're right, you know, you guys may fight for with us for data centers and say no, and then that same thing's going to happen to you. Uh but that's your job as municipal leaders not to sit here and say, "Oh, the state told us we had to do it." Because the Republicans on here, you guys are the ones for local control. So, if anyone should be writing a letter to Abbott and other people is you guys. Because municipal power is the thing you guys should be fighting for. And so, I'm looking over the next year and year and a half, how do y'all respond to state things being pressed on you like the state takeover of Fort Worth ISD? We continue to enable them and you guys said it wasn't for Ms. Millenar is why it was okay. And where is Ms. Millenar today? So, listening to the state isn't always the right thing to do. Thank you, Mr. Carrion. Next up, Liz Mendoza followed by Chandler Sharp. Good evening. Sorry, I ran in here some catching my breath. I was listening in. My name is Liz Mendoza, resident of Irving, and I'm here to speak against data centers in our communities. Data centers deplete our water, land, and energy. They skyrocket electric bills that the working class then has to foot that bill. Not the tech bros that are trying to implement these data centers. There's argument So, these data centers need fresh water. And I actually had a question not that long ago asking, "Well, why can't we use salt water?" It's because of its eroding properties. These data centers need fresh water. We are taking fresh water away from drinking water away from our communities to have these data centers. So, let's all take stock and think of this when we use chat GPT when creating AI image slop we don't need just because we're bored. That goes for all of us. AI is making us dumber, lazier, and leaving us without our necessary resources to survive. So, I suggest that all of us in this room we delete any AI apps and disable any AI features on our browsers and apps. Look out for your most vulnerable communities because we're setting these data centers up in vulnerable communities. Why is that? So, that's all to say we don't need Black Mountain Data Center in Fort Worth. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Mendoza. Next speaker, Chandler Sharp followed by Adira and Amelia Goodpastor. Good evening, Council. My name is Chandler Sharp from District 9 and want to build on the previous comments about the Black Mountain Data Center. And also focus on water. So, along with negative effects that data centers have including light pollution and noise pollution, water is also a critical a critical thing that data centers need. So, data centers intend water usage as need for cooling these centers which depending on the size could be anywhere from 1 to 5 million gallons daily. And one of the primary sources is ground water. A city published last year recently saw study cities across the nation and both Fort Worth and Dallas are two of the fastest sinking cities in the country, especially amongst inland cities. And the because of that is extraction of ground water too quickly. And so, these And on top of that, centers are not required to report water usage and the data that we have on how much water the data centers are using is highly inadequate. And on to build on top of that, the Texas State Water Plan does not include projected demand growth for data centers as well which is poised to place unprecedented stress on water supplies across Fort Worth, Dallas, the state, and ultimately the nation. So, 3 months from now when making this vote, take all this consideration on how data centers like Black Mountain are going to have negative effects on communities across Fort Worth, across the state, and ultimately the nation. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Sharp. Next speakers, Adira and Amelia Goodpastor. Adira and Amelia Goodpastor, are here? Moving on, next speaker Shakira Hussein followed by Wala Omar. Good evening, Council. My name is Shakira Hussein. Instead of trying to unpack every global crisis unfolding right now though many of them are deeply important, I want to focus on something that quietly connects to many of them Islamophobia. When fear, misinformation, and prejudice are allowed to grow unchecked, they can lead to discrimination, violence, and even tragedy. We see this We see this rhetoric that spreads harmful stereotypes about Muslims. For example, political figures have openly suggested that Muslims are terrorists that Somali communities should be removed or that Islam should not be treated as a protected religion under the Constitution. Regardless of political affiliation, this kind of language spreads like wildfire and it encourages people to see an entire group of human beings as a threat. Oh, sorry. As a threat rather than neighbors. History shows us where that thinking can lead. In 2015, three young Muslim students, Deah Barakat, Yusor Yusor Abu-Salha, and Razan Abu-Salha were murdered in their home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Many in Muslim community believed that the attack reflected deeper anti-Muslim hostility. In 2017, Nabra Hassnen, a 17-year-old high school student from Virginia was murdered while walking with friends after Ramadan prayers. She was known as a compassionate caring sister friend. May God have mercy on her soul. These tragedies are painful reminders that hateful rhetoric can have real consequences. And here in North Texas, we have even heard public discussions about deporting, jailing, and converting Muslims or re- redefining Islam so it would no longer be protected by the First Amendment. Political scientists have said that rhetoric like like this crosses a dangerous line. Islamophobia is not just a global issue as it is community issue. I am a Somali black American and I am proud of who I am. The faith that guides me, Muslims are your neighbors, your students, your co-workers. We contribute to this community. We care deeply about the future of the city just like everyone else. Leadership is not only about budgets and policies. It's about protecting the dignity and safety of everyone who calls this city home. So, my question to the mayor is what concrete steps will this city take to ensure that Muslim residents are protected from discrimination and hate and that Islamophobia has no place in our community. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Hussein. Next speaker Wala Omar followed by Daniel Martinez Saldivar. Good evening and greetings of peace. I reside in District 5. My name is Wala Omar or as my students call me, Ms. Omar, the best teacher in the world. So, as Councilwoman Dr. Hall said, we are counting down the days for spring break. We feel it. I teach third grade math science, social studies, reading, and writing at a public school, I know. But beyond those subjects, I teach something even more important. In my classroom, I teach my students that everyone belongs. I teach them that every shade of pigment, every texture of hair whether it's covered or not every accent, every learning style, every story is welcome. I teach my students that beneath our beautiful differences, we all share the same red blood. We all deserve dignity. We all deserve to belong. Yet, only 5 miles from my home at the Light of the World Church in Fort Worth, political and community community leaders hosted a panel called Muslims on the menu just this past Friday on the 5th. During that event, they discussed unthinkable ideas like deporting Muslims, jailing Muslims, and even forcibly converting them in their own words to eradicate what they described as a threat of Islam. They reduced my faith, Islam, to something degrading and attempting to redefine it as a political ideology. The same Islam that guides me every day when I step into my classroom. It calls me to teach with excellence, to pour with love into my students to be kind to my neighbors and serve my community with compassion, humility, and dignity. I am an educator, a sister, an aunt, a daughter. I am American. I am Sudanese. I am a hijabi. I am educated. I am a law-abiding citizen. Above all, I am human with the right to be protected and define who I am. At Al Hidayah Academy, the mosque where I also teach, a few miles away, we recently hosted our Ramadan Iftar and invited community leaders, including Councilman Deborah Peoples. Together, we shared meals and built bridges. During the sacred month of Ramadan, Muslims around the world are fasting, praying for peace, healing, and stronger communities. Yet, here in Texas, we are facing misunderstanding. I stand before you today as an educator, an activist, and a proud Muslim American to say that I will not allow others to write my story or define my history. I am a teacher, a believer, a neighbor, a proud American, and I ask the leaders of Fort Worth one question. Will you stand? You are present in the city. Thank you, Ms. Omar. Our next speaker is Daniel Martinez Salvador, followed by Jaime Perkins. Uh hello, my name is Daniel Martinez Salvador. And I'm here to talk about the data centers. And if you allow to if you allow them to build a data center data centers, many of our people in the community are going to suffer who are making who are barely making enough in order to pay for the to pay for the bills of this moment. And if you allow them, it's going to increase taxes and many more things, way more than they can afford, and it's going to increase it and it's going to increase the the um Yeah, it's going to increase in homelessness because or it's going to increase in that number because people are barely or for those people that are barely been able to pay for them, then Yeah, I'm just going to You can continue. I I Don't worry. Uh they're barely going to be able to make make it and if if the data center data centers were there then it basically be the ruin for many of the families and people who are trying to make a living or the or to create the American dream by brick and and today or something. Thank you, Daniel. >> [applause] >> Next up, we have Jaime Perkins, followed by Alexander Stein. Hello, my name is Jaime, and I'm here tonight to ask you to reject any rezoning that would enable the proposed Black Mountain data center in Southeast Fort Worth. This project is enormous. The proposed campus is expected to cover over 450 acres. That's more than 340 football fields. Once land is rezoned and developed at that scale, it permanently locks in industry into an area. And data centers don't operate like normal businesses. They run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Cooling systems, ventilation, backup generators, lighting, all running nonstop. That means constant noise, constant light, and constant industrial activity. But what makes this proposal especially troubling is where it's being placed and who it will affect. I want to talk about some of the people who are already living with the consequences of of this proposal and what it will mean to them. Charmaine Pruitt, who has been organizing her community in Forest Hill, bringing neighbors together, and raising concerns about what this project will mean for their quality of life. Bridget, who has lived in her quiet neighborhood for more than 40 years. After decades of building a peaceful life in her community, she's now being told that a massive industrial data center operating around the clock may become her neighbor. Sue Weston has poured years of her life, her resources, and her passion into building Weston Gardens, a historic and beautiful green space that serves a as a community treasure. And now that place is a at risk of being overshadowed by industrial development. And Ms. T, who spent years fighting against the heavy industrial burden already placed on her community, landfills, warehouses, truck yards, substations, and factories. Instead of relief, she's now being asked to fight yet another massive industrial project. These stories matter because Southeast Fort Worth is already carrying a heavy industrial burden. Adding one of the largest data center developments in Texas here would only deepen that burden. It would bring increased truck traffic, pollution, and strain on local infrastructure. And projects like this demand enormous resources, millions of gallons of water per day, and and massive amounts of electricity, all while being proposed near Lake Arlington, a critical regional water supply. The impacts won't just stop at Fort Worth's border, either. Communities in Forest Hill, Everman Arlington Kennedale and Mansfield will all feel the consequences of this decision. This isn't just about a data center. It's about whether people who have built their lives in these communities are going to be heard or whether their neighborhoods will continue to be treated as places where industry can expand without limits. Please, I ask you to stand with residents like Charmaine, Bridget, Sue, and Ms. T. Reject any future zoning requests that would enable Black Mountain data center and protect Southeast Fort Worth from becoming even Thank you, Mr. Perkins. Appreciate your comments. Next up, Alexander Stein, followed by Sed Dowdy. Alexander Stein. All right, moving on. Sed Dowdy. Is Sed Dowdy here? All right, moving on. Jean Batty. Jean Batty. Moving on. Jamesia Homer. Jamesia Homer. Hello, I want to introduce myself as Jamesia Homer. I've lived Sorry for the mispronunciation. That's okay. Um I am a resident of Fort Worth. I've been here 44 years. Um I'm a little nervous because I didn't know who to reach out to. Um I've went through a lot of horrendous things, unsafe, and unprotected things in Tarrant County over the last few years. I've attempted to make several complaints with the local NAACP. I spoke with Chris, which he was pretty helpful. Um A few years ago, I had a racist issue at a job I was working for as an insurance adjuster. I took it to the EEOC, and they provided me with the right to sue a company. I did sue, and I won the suit. Um After that, I opened up my own business, and I started to receive backlash and didn't know where it was coming from. Um I received several complaints on my business, which eventually I had to shut down. Um I'm sorry. Uh after that, I started receiving a lot of things attempting to sabotage my name, my character, my mental health, and didn't know it was where it was coming from. Uh I've been watched in my home, my jobs, and I didn't know if this was coming from the actual company. I don't have any enemies or anything of that sort, so I just assumed it was from this company. Um Anywhere I go at this moment, my mental health is being lied on. Um I haven't had any issues with anything of that nature. Um The reason why I'm here is because I have a daughter who attends LSU. This is her sophomore year, and I don't feel safe in the community. Um I've never been questioned on my mental health or anything of that sort, but a couple of years ago, my home was intruded. The security um on doors now are entering a code. Someone entered my my home, and I wasn't aware, and drugs were put in a couple of things in my house. I later, maybe a couple of days later, fell and had an incident to where I was in the ICU for a few days, and they found drugs in my system, not placed there by me. After that, I reached out to Chris and spoke with him about it and tried to um see what I could do to have it investigated or see what was going on. I later reached out to the lawyer that helped me with the suit, and he's now looking into everything as well. I've reached out to NAACP, Lee Merritt, which is also a civil rights attorney, and Ms. Homer, please conclude your comments. Time is up. I'm really just looking for someone to possibly help with anything or just bring some type of awareness to what's going on. All right. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you. All right, next speaker Adrian Smith followed by David Martinez. You all should have received handouts. Good evening, Mayor Pro Tem and Council. My name is Adrian Smith and I am a volunteer reading a prepared statement on behalf of Keep Lake Como Beautiful. KLCB, a program of Proof for Life Community Development Corporation. I am reading the organization's approved text of record. KLCB Seat at the Table Campaign is grounded in one principle. No single entity should be treated as the sole civic voice for an entire neighborhood. We are here to improve process, access, and representation. This is a process request to improve representation, access, and integrity in city resource neighborhood work. And Lake Como residents repeatedly report delayed notice, incomplete visibility, and uncertainty about where neighborhood records are housed. When communication is function- functionally rooted through one channel, people find out late, fewer voices are heard, and community trust erodes. Even when people are trying to do right trying to do the right thing. KLCB is requesting a process fix that the city can implement clearly. One, multiple organization distribution of city-facing notice and updates. Two, a public custodian map for records by department and project type. And three, a standard public materials package notice, meeting materials summary, and next step pathway. These standards protect everyone, residents, partner organizations, city staff, and Council. These are governance governance improvements, not personal disputes. They strengthen collaboration while preserving recognized neighborhood roles. Lake Como is bigger than any one table. We are collecting stakeholder sign-ons for Seat at the Table campaign at bit.ly/lakecomotable. Thank you for your time. And in closing, I would like to uh welcome everyone out to join to join us for the State of Lake Como Town Hall. This is the annual kickoff for KLCB season two, Porch to Curb. This Saturday, March 14th, 2026 at the Como Community Center, 4660 Horne Street, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. And with my last 20 seconds, I just want to encourage the voices that had come out tonight. This is your first time to keep coming. Thank you for coming. Your voices are necessary. Stay encouraged. Keep going forward. I'm with you. And know that you're not alone. Thank you, Mr. Smith. Our last speaker is David Martinez. Good evening. Uh I want to thank everybody on the Council, uh especially uh Councilwoman Narvaez, for the uh ordinance expansion for the Keeping Children Safe 2,000 ft. Uh I appreciate every- appreciate all that it was done. Um I am uh deeply deeply deep concerned with the people that were here that uh were the ones on the opposite side. Um but we're working on that. In fact, I have a plan to get rid of the ones that were grandfathered in already for the sex offenders. Uh I have a plan where we can eliminate them, too, also. Uh contact me after this meeting and I'll be able to share that with y'all. Uh also, uh and and God bless y'all and your descendants, please, that what y'all done, y'all saved lots of children with that one ordinance. But we can go further. Um So, the next thing I want to bring up cuz I've been talking about serious things and uh there are other matters that I would like to talk about the uh as for the Native Americans. We had the stock show uh parade and there was a clown who got up there and uh ridiculed and insulted the Native American community. I wish that he will never uh be a part of this uh stock show ever again the stock show parade ever again. He insulted the Native American community dressed up and and to insult us. Um That we don't have very much. And what we do have, we want to hold on to it, and that's our respect. And so, um I'm going to I'm going to make sure that he never uh shows his face at the stock show parade ever again. Um Also, another thing I want to bring up is uh uh Councilwoman Hill, Councilwoman Hill, uh I appreciate with the the shoutout, the cowgirls and all that stuff. One of the things I want to bring up is uh an opportunity for the Native Americans to have their own day at stock show. That would be great for Native Americans. They have excellent horseback riders. And if you would see it, it's like Formula One racing. It is very exciting. It's dangerous. It's but it's exciting. Um Also, I also want to bring up the thing in District 8 with the data center. Look, I'm not going to be a hypocrite cuz I have so much data on my phone and other things than everybody else. I don't see anybody tossing their phones out. So, I don't want to be a hypocrite and it's in my backyard in Carter Park across the street freeway. But also, uh I want to uh tell y'all also uh another thing also we'll bring up is So, I I went against this and I posted it on the Facebook page on Northside uh Facebook page. We have 65,000 members and I was attacked and they're making me a target. A national pedophile group has made me a target. But I want to tell y'all something. Come get some. God bless y'all. Thank you, Mr. Martinez. That's the end of our speakers. Any other business, Janette? All right. We are adjourned at 10 minutes after 8:00.