Good evening and welcome to the city council public comment meeting. Before Mayor Parker calls the meeting to order, we ask that you please be seated and silence all electronic devices. For those of you have 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 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. Thank you. >> Good evening. I'll call our Fort Worth City Council public comment meeting to order. Council, our first action will be the invocation given by Pastor Chris Freeland from Doxology Bible Church. Please rise for the invocation and remain standing for the pledges of allegiance. Pray with me. Lord, we come before you in this season of thanksgiving with so much to be grateful for. It's a gift that we get to live in this great city and uh in this great country during this great time. Um every day isn't great, but there's still just so much to be thankful for. And even though there's so much work to be done, uh Lord, we don't ever want to lose sight of the fact that uh your gifts are ours. And we don't want to take for granted the gift that it is to live in this extraordinary city. What a blessing that is. But we're here uh before you before the beginning of this meeting because we uh elected officials and appointed officials. Uh they're members of their team and us citizens who are gathered today. We we don't want to be just recipients of your blessings, but conduits of them. uh we we want to be a blessing to the city that you've called each of us to serve and uh we know that all of us have uh different capacities to serve. All of us have different callings as a part of that and undoubtedly we all have different perspectives and opinions about what that could look like uh maybe even what it should look like for uh this city to flourish. But we want to be united in serving the city at least in that. So, uh, Lord, we're coming before you because we know that to whom much is given, much is required. And we want to be faithful and wise stewards of your blessings and also humble because we realize that apart from your wisdom and your guidance, none of us could possibly do what you've called us to do. So, we come before you to ask for wisdom and for boldness and for courage. Go before us and around us and behind us and above us and below us tonight and long into the future. We're grateful people and want to live and lead like that. So help us to do that. I ask it because I believe that that's exactly what Jesus would have us do. So we ask it in his name. Amen. >> Allegiance. Council, our first action item will be consideration of the minutes from the October 21st, 28th, November 4th, 11th, and 18th council meetings. Got a motion and a second, council. Any other discussion? If not, please vote. Charlie's not present. >> Motion carries. >> Mayor, that concludes all of the action items. >> Thank you, Janette. Um, our first speaker is a group um under Sarah Readington. And just as a note, the council is attempting to get to the Christmas tree lighting. So, we're going to reduce speaking time to the following. Um, group speakers will be three minutes and each individual speaker group will be a minute and a half. As we get closer to time, I'll probably give some encouragement so we make sure we get through every speaker that did sign up this evening. Thank you, Miss Readington. Good evening, council members and Mayor Parker. Thank you for your service to our community and for the opportunity to speak with you this afternoon. My name is Sarah Readington with the Miles Foundation. It's my honor and pleasure to be here on behalf of the Tarant County Maternal and Infant Health Coalition, which started three years ago under Mayor Parker's leadership and which I've helped lead alongside Rose Bradshaw, North Texas Community Foundation, Satie Funk at Best Place for Kids, and Dean Flynn of TCU Medical School. Mayor Parker first convened the coalition in September of 2022 to address a critical issue in our community. Tarant County's public health district has the second highest rate of maternal mortality for black women in our state. With over 27,000 live births each year in Tarant County, Mayor Parker challenged our community to do better on behalf of our local mothers and babies and especially for those populations most at risk. So together, we called each of our region's biggest health system leaders from Karen Duncan at JPS to Mary Robinson at THR, Charles Williams at Baylor Scott and White, Karen Love at Cook Children's, and Laura Kender at MHMR. Each of these leaders not only answered our call, but agreed to join together to create a different approach for how we care for mothers and babies in Taran County. Over the last three years, I'm pleased to report that the coalition has designed a high-tech hightouch approach utilizing existing assets in the community. First, the free parent pass app funded by the Miles Foundation and built together with local families. And second, MHMR's help me grow navigators who provide a full intake and screening with mothers and walk them through every step to connect with the resources they need. Today, Parent Pass serves 20,000 families in Tarant County and together with help me grow, we are closing the loop with 90% 91% of the mothers we serve. In partnership with 100 organizations across DFW, we are excited about our Dallas expansion through the newly established maternal health accelerator led by TCU and CPAL. Hi, I'm Alexandra Morales, the project and partnership coordinator with Parent Pass. Working in the community, I get to see firsthand the impact of these supports. Help me grow recently shared a story with me about a new mother who was receiving free and home nurse supports and education about lactation, blood pressure, and how to recognize the signs and symptoms of blood clots. When mom started to recognize these signs and symptoms in herself, she checked into the hospital where the ER found many blood clots, including one life-threatening blood clot in her brain. Her life was saved, and because of this, mom and baby now get to experience toddlerhood together. This story illustrates the power of this work and the impact that will last for generations to come. Hi there, Rose Bradshaw from the North Texas Community Foundation. I have to say after 35 years in the business, I've never seen anything like this. Partners coming together thanks to Mayor Parker's leadership three years ago when you said this was unacceptable for mothers to [snorts] be dying in Tarant County. And these partners are united by one thing first, refusing to accept the unacceptable. together. They've come together to try new things, to use their expertise, their experience, their shoe leather, um their relationships to be able to help save mom's lives. And today, we're here now thanks to the donations from um foundations. >> Thank you, Rose. >> You bet. Thanks for your support. >> Our next speaker is Mindy Tacket. Appreciate you all being here. Miss Tacket will be followed by Peter Irvin. Mayor Parker, you always present yourself as a moderate, believing that standing in the middle makes you fair. However, your actions minimize the struggles of marginalized communities and dismiss those who confront injustice. This mirrors the history of moderates who who urged patience while others suffered. In 1963, eight white Alabama clergymen criticized civil rights demonstrations, claiming they were unwise and untimely. They prioritized civility over justice, urging people to wait as injustice continued. Dr. King identified them as the greater obstacle than outright oppressors, valuing silence over progress. You claim to focus on city operations, yet you spend significant time on image control. If you truly believe 80% of this city supports you, why cut public speaking and orchestrate a thank you parade with nonprofit leaders and local or organizations? Reality is only 2.6% of the city of a million voted for you. You mirror those clergymen unconcerned and lacking urgency. The white moderate was the problem then and you are the problem now. Wait is a message of white privilege sounding reasonable and untimely meaning never. You want to convince people that your brand of moderation is the best they can do, but it is not. Our city deserves more than managed stagnation. Our next speaker is Peter Irvin. Peter will be followed by Nelly Gay. Thank you. >> Uh good evening. My name is Peter Irvin. Uh I'm a resident of Fort Worth City Council District 6. Uh, I have been informed that Fort Worth is considering funding various municipal infrastructure upgrades through the 2026 bond program. I urge the city to embrace responsible fiscal conservatism by abandoning city support for the car industry's 100-year-old monopoly on transportation and embracing public safety through equality of movement. Fort Worth is on a Detroit style path to financial ruin if long-term lowmaintenance transportation infrastructure is not built in our city. These options are described by organizations such as Strong Towns. If you'd like to uh see more, as many with the transportation public works department already know, car instructure car infrastructure is the most expensive method to move people to their destinations. the uh these organizations have laid out the case for exploding deferred maintenance costs in excruciating detail which we are already beginning to see from the financial breakdown in our bond program. Um, we find residents of Fort Worth will struggle to service the debt bill snowballing our way if the city does not fully embraceable walkable neighborhoods sensible zoning practices limiting the geographic reach of nimi activism and infrastructure projects enabling viable non-car movement choices. Thank you. >> Our next speaker is Chris Wood. Miss Wood will be followed by Nancy Estrada. Chris Wood. Hi, Chris. I'm Chris Wood from District 6. The upcoming May 2026 bond election Proposition D public safety improvements has my strong support. It includes funding for a new 911 call center with the primary goal of reducing emergency response times by combining services and improving efficiency. In emergencies, every second can mean the difference between life and death. I know this firsthand. A few years ago, I faced a terrifying situation. In the middle of the night, a man built like a defensive lineman was banging on my door trying to break in. He was a friend of my stalker. I grabbed my phone, took shelter in my bathroom, and called 911. The time waiting for the police felt like an eternity. When I finally heard sirens and saw the officer at my door, I was overwhelmed with relief. The timely response from the police likely prevented a tragedy. If that man had broken in, one of us probably would have ended up in the hospital and the other in jail. The city and taxpayers will bear the financial burden of crime. The average cost for an emergency room visit after an assault is 3,800, but that pales in comparison to the greater expenses such as court fees, jail operations, and investigations. Thank you, >> Nancy Estrada, followed by Kayla WAC. People in public service or those connected to it should never be allowed to use their position to protect each other from accountability. A person in a position of authority over my children made inappropriate advances towards me. I rejected him and his demeanor towards me changed. My children paid the ultimate price. They were expelled. His alternate employer, Fort Worth County Day, refused to acknowledge his misconduct and instead treated me as the problem. I became a threat only hours after reporting his behavior to HR department. Then was charged with harassment for exposing him. No detective ever questioned me before signing off a harassment warrant. Until this day, I have not been asked a single question by any public servant. I spent over a day in Tarant County Jail despite never initiating contact with him. More than $30,000 in taxpayer funds have been spent targeting me. In a time where we're debating whether to cut programs that feed our most vulnerable citizens, how can this kind of spending be justified? How can protecting misconduct be priority over public need? I'd like to I'd like you to consider my case for review and action to resolve this abuse of the system and the personal retaliation I have faced. Thank you for your consideration. Kayla Wak followed by Shaina Starks. Hi, my name is Kayla Wac and I am a resident at the Nest by Justin's Place. I'm a single mother of two little girls and have lived at or below the poverty line all of my adult life. At the Nest, I have received unwavering support and stability in order to chase my dreams. I will finish my education for cyber security in May with a major in information technology. And this past October, I sat for the CompTIA security plus exam and passed on the first go. My education and the certification will allow me to obtain a wage sustaining career and take care of my family in a great way. Justin's place in the Nest have allowed me to be supported while I go after my dreams and goals. Thank you, Mayor Parker and city councilman for your support of the Nest. It's truly life-changing. Thank you, >> Shania Starks, followed by Kim Medford. Good evening. I'm Shaina Starks, a Fort Worth ISD parent, and I am here to speak on behalf of Literacy Roundup and the important work that they're doing. It's well known that identifying dyslexia early can make a real difference in a child's educational journey by connecting them with the resources they need to succeed. My son was recommended for dyslexia testing in third grade because his teacher recognized he was facing challenges in this area that were outside of the norm. But unfortunately, his dyslexia went undiagnosed. We were told that his signs were not significant enough to qualify him for available resources. He's now in fifth grade and has continued to struggle with reading, spelling, and written expression. Thankfully, Literacy Roundup assessed my son for dyslexia again this summer and concluded that he was at risk. They shared their concerns and advocated for a retest at the school with which ultimately led to an official diagnosis. This goes to show why organizations like Literacy Roundup matters so much. Navigating the system can be overwhelming and we didn't know what our options were. They stepped in with their expertise and their genuine belief in my child and for that I'm grateful. I also want to thank the city council for recognizing that literacy extends beyond the classroom. It's a community responsibility and your leadership in this area demonstrates a commitment to being part of the solution to literacy. If there are any questions about whether this program should continue, I say with confidence that it should. I have no doubt that many more children will benefit. Thank you. >> Our next speaker is Kim Medford, followed by Alan Loba. Hi, I'm back to talk. I talked a couple months ago about Noah and my struggle with getting him services for dyslexia. I'm proud to say he received his second day of help today at the school. So, I want to thank the city council for backing Literacy Roundup. I want to thank Literacy Roundup for reaching out to the community. Thank you for dedicating and footwork on the ground for our community. Thank you for coming to Koma Community Center and giving much help and support to my son Noah. I've had a successful nursing career, but I've not been so successful in getting Noah help for his dyslexia. We know Noah has a long road. It won't be easy, but he will be successful. Honestly, believe without the screening and help of Literacy Roundup, Noah would not have received the help he needed to get further on in his schoolwork. I believe we wouldn't have gotten help till probably next year, which would have been the seventh grade. The support and help of navigating the system, helping me push for Noah, helping me ask the right questions, it has all been beneficial. Our city pays so much for the kids we don't find to help and teach and to read. City council members, I know you're not doing this for the money. You're doing this to help a help and make a change make a change and a difference in the city and for the kids. Thank you so much for your continued support and backing literacy roundup. Noah told me to wrap it up because he's trying to get to the Christmas tree lot himself. Our next speaker is Alan Loba. Allan here, Whitney Wood Wares, followed by Jerry Jerry. Good evening. I'm Whitney Woodarez. I'm a Fort Worth resident and local realtor. I am aware of the housing affordability crisis. Are you? The DRAP 2026 bond allocates only $10 million to affordable housing. That's barely 1% of an $800 plus million package. Meanwhile, Fort Worth's median household income is about $76,000 and the median home price is over $320. That's more than four times the average income. And families I work with every day, teachers, first responders, service workers, and seniors are being priced out of the city they love and serve. Other cities aren't ignoring this. Dallas committed over $80 million. Austin approved 350 million. Fort Worth is falling behind. If we continue underfunding housing, we will see increasing displacement of long-term residents, workforce shortages, slower economic growth, and increased pressure on social services. As housing instability is one of the strongest predictors of poverty, crime, and poor health outcomes, I urge you to in significantly increase the affordable housing allocation of the bond. Thank you. Our next speaker is Jerry Jerry followed by George Charles. >> Hello. Uh happy holidays, Mayor Parker, council members, and everyone today. Uh, my name is Jerry and recently I mailed a letter to Mayor Parker, Councilman Nettles, and tax assessor Rick Barnes. Um, I'm a disabled senior veteran and I live on a fixed income. Um, I moved back to Fort Worth to care for my mother who had Louisibody dementia. Um, this changed my life completely. Uh, I wasn't able to work, but I went to school full-time, and I earned a AA degree from TCC, a UN degree or BAS from a master's degree from Texas A&M School of Law. Uh, like many others, my home was damaged during the 2021 uh, storm. And so I applied for a um grant or for help from the uh community action partners veterans home repair uh unit with the city and I was denied because they said that my taxes were um uh not my my current property taxes were not paid. Uh I'm actually um legally tax deferred via text Texas tax code 33.06. 06. Um, I wanted more answers. So, I I went to the uh Texas Public Information Act and requested tax statements and um there are a lot of discrepancies within the tax statement. Um, I'm simply asking to you to >> Jerry, that's the conclusion of your time, but I'm going to ask one of our essence city managers to come visit with you and exchange information. Thank you. >> George Childs will be our next speaker, followed by Sheay Shaw. My name is George Ron Childs. I live in Fort Worth. So much for the script tonight. Although the subject was extremely predictive, it was on First Amendment shrinkflation. I know of no more fitting symbol of what's important to all of you people that were picked to take care of city business. then you would by reduce to what what exercise of a of a constitutional right has been reduced to. So you will all have a quorum which you have been singularly lacking uh for for quite a while when you feel like it. So you can have a photo op at a tree. It was a pagan symbol. And if you don't believe me, if you don't believe me, ask any person who follows Odin, the true warrior god. It was a pagan symbol a long time before BC suddenly on that fable night became a I have no words to express my disgust. My disgust. I can't even say it. I'm so mad. >> Our next speaker is Shay Shaw and then followed by Jerry Tracy. Hello, I'm Reverend Sha Shaw and I'm a District 7 resident and a certified global citizen. Let's make sure y'all make it in time for your photo op. Okay, never mind AI and all its dangers. Did you know slave owners just became shareholders? [laughter] And now systemic oppression is just politics. Tragic, isn't it? Do you do you feel the acid of apathy that's running through your veins? It's soaking up all these broken pipeline stains and it's spitting out every massive warning sign. History already made. We the people have chosen representatives who are choosing our fate. The earth is now screaming. She's far past pleading for us to be kind. We've built her a casket made of plastic. And the most graphic part of all is well, good Samaritans are now for building walls. Then lend in a hand. Huh? Money and government must be too good of friends to see that the heart of our world will be barely beating if we don't change dramatically. Schoolbook stories that once seemed scary are today's headlines of reality. >> Our next speaker, >> thank you so much. Tracy will be followed by Rebecca Montgomery. Good evening, Mayor Parker and council. Uh, I'm Jerry Tracy, and I'm here to speak to you about the Community Arts Center. The Community Arts Center is an outgrowth of the Fort Worth Art Association, established in 1938. Prior to becoming the first location of the Modern Art Museum, the center has been both a museum and an art school. Many budding artists were taught their craft right there in that building and there by many of the the artists were taught by that prestigious group known as the Fort Worth circle. Restoration projects are not like new construction. The methodology used to calculate the 20 to 30 million to address deferred maintenance of the center does not follow preservation practice. If landmarked at the city, state, and/or national levels, restoration incentives may generate 25% or more of the project's improvement cost. Additionally, unlike construction, these preservation projects may be prioritized, phased in, and addressed over a long period of time. In closing, in Texas, Fort Worth has the second highest number of designated buildings. That's second only to San Antonio. Let's lead on in preservation by landmarking the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. Local artists deserve to continue to utilize this vital building. Thank you. [applause and cheering] >> Rebecca McGomery will be followed by Bart McGaw. >> Good afternoon, mayor and council members. I'm Rebecca McGomery and I'm honored to volunteer with the Fort Worth Literacy Roundup Program. On behalf of our entire team, thank you for your continued support of this vital work. In September, I attended an AR meeting addressing a child's struggles in [snorts] our local education system. I was reminded exactly why this work matters so deeply. Five educational professionals explained how this fifth grader's screening scores were in the normal average range. Yet, everyone at the table acknowledged that his reading, writing, spelling, and handwriting were closer to a second or third grade level. I don't believe any of us here would call that normal for a fifth grader. Because of you, literacy roundup was at the table. We asked the question that needed to be asked. You've heard the parents concerns. What is the plan? And we stayed until we received the plan. On November 14th, his testing was completed and as you heard from his mother, he was recommended for dyslexia support. He now has a plan and we're moving forward. This is why your support matters. Lorcy Roundup is here to help to provide encouragement, tools, and hope. When a child learns to read, it transforms their future and our community. Thank you, mayor and council members for prioritizing our youth and believing in the future of Fort Worth. >> Bart McGawi, followed by Leila Santeline. >> Hi. Uh my name is Bart. I deliver mail for a living and that means I'm out in Fort Worth neighborhoods uh on foot more than most people. Rain, heat, whatever the day looks like. And when you're on the streets every day, you start to notice things that drivers never see. You notice the worn footpaths in the grass where sidewalks should be. You notice parents pushing strollers in the road because that's the only option. You notice kids walking to school tight against the curb because there's no shoulder. And you notice cars how fast they come around certain corners. How often people look nervous just trying to get across their own street. None of this is dramatic. It's not a news story. It's just daily reality for thousands of people in this city. And once you've seen it enough, you can't unsee it. That's what pushed me to speak here tonight. Uh walkability isn't some abstract idea to me. It's something I witness up close every single day. And the picture is right here in our face. When a city is built only for driving, the people who aren't in cars, even just for a few minutes, feel it immediately. I'm not asking for anything huge, just that as Fort Worth grows, we pay attention to the small improvements that make a neighborhood safer for people who live in it. Sidewalks that finish the route. Uh sidewalks where people already cross the streets, design that considers humans as much as vehicles. Uh those big things add up. >> Thank you. [applause] Leila will be followed by Andrew Deator. Just hand it here to the city secretary's office and they'll pass it out. >> Good evening, council. My name is Leila Santthion and I have the honor of serving as chief operating officer at Fort Worth Education Partnership. Each year in response to our academic performance report, we hear that student outcomes are simply a function of poverty. That students serving wealthy white students do well and we shouldn't expect the same from schools serving black and brown students or students experiencing poverty or learning English. that kids in classrooms today must wait for conditions tomorrow to change to get the educational foundation that they deserve. That narrative asks our kids to bear the burden of waiting for an education that enables a freer life and increased opportunity. Our public schools shoulder society's obligations and we should acknowledge that and resource them accordingly. But it's equally true that among schools serving the same student populations, we see wide variation in outcomes, including right here in Fort Worth. So the question becomes, what is happening in schools that are proving what's possible for Fort Worth kids? Last month, we released Cultivating Hope, highlighting four bright spot campuses in Fort Worth, Alice Dontheras Elementary, Idea Edgecliffe College Prep, Cesar Chavez Primary School, and the Leadership Academy Network at MAI Logan. all serving 80 to 95% of economically disadvantaged student populations and del delivering exceptional academic growth under extraordinary leaders with more than 53% of all students on grade level at each of those campuses. We ask you to encourage these leaders, thank them for the work they're doing for Fort Worth students. Thank you. >> Our next speaker is Andrew Tori. Is Andrew available? Hi, Andrew. Our next speaker is Yolanda Smith. >> Good evening. My name is Andrew Tory and I'm a resident of Council District 5. And I'm here because public comments are not a privilege, they are a right. And before 2022, residents could speak at every regular council meeting. And today, we're down to fewer than twice a month. And now meetings are quietly shifted to hours when working families can't even attend. Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing cities in America. We're a city of a million a million people. Yet when opportunities to speak at our own government are shrinking, that's backwards. The transparency should grow as the city grows. Chris Tacket had recommended restoring public comments to every meeting because democracy works best when people are heard. not controlled, not filtered, not scheduled around photo ops. So, we demand public comments at every meeting in 2026, >> not 10 times a year, every single meeting. So, let the record show that the people of Fort Worth are done being silenced. Thank you, [applause and cheering] >> Yolanda Smith. Yolanda will be followed by Chris Shersfire. Yolanda. Okay, I'll come back. Chris Shfire. Is Chris here? Chris Chris will be followed by EA Kerrion. Good evening. [clears throat] Really excited to be here. I bring you greetings from Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Texas. We are really excited to be partnered with Crowley Independent School District to work with four middle schools. The reason why we work with four middle schools is that there is power in the middle. Mindsetss are built in the middle, habits are built in the middle, and skills are built in the middle. And so we're excited to partner with forth for with Crowley Independent School District. We serve 3,500 students, of which 65% of them reside in Fort Worth. Um, we are excited to invite both of our council members, Dr. Hall and also Councilman Nettles, to come and visit us. We focus on academic excellence. We focus on experiential learning. We focus on industry recognized skills and we also focus on entrepreneurial thinking because our children need to solve the problems that don't yet exist. And so we're really excited to partner with Crowley ISD. We're excited to be in Fort Worth and we're also excited to be back in Fort Worth because we have served in Fort Worth before and working in night school and Dumbar High School to help people finish their college degree. And so we're really excited. We invite you all to come visit us. We invite you to we'll come back with updates from time to time and we also are really excited just to be here. Thank you. [applause] >> Our next speaker is EJ Kerrion followed by Martin Malowski. >> Reduce the amount of public comments. Uh minimize the amount of time we can speak. Change it to a time that only working people now can't make it. Invite Mercy Culture in. Get the establishment to start coming quarter in with a quarter left in the year. Uh run to your banker uh at the Sundance for a tree ceremony. These are all the things we get to see for them to try to minimize the people. But I want to talk about one that we don't get to see. Bradford William Davis wrote an article October 31st called don't be so quick to judge intent behind a casket left at Mayor's house. This talked about the history of caskets being used as a symbol of peaceful protesting not just in our city but across the country. I'm here to say that less than 30 days after that article, Bradford is no longer have a job at the Star Telegram. a black journalist, the only oped black journalist of Star Telegram no longer has a jobs. So what you have here today is power and it's working in three ways. One, the people who have the privilege to come and speak to you. Two, the people who need to pay their bills and make sure their job is being certified by kissing your ring. But three is all the other people who can't come out here because they're afraid that they're the next Bradford. >> [applause] >> Martin Malowski. You'll be followed by Sabrina Ball. >> Hi, my name is Martin Mowski. I'm from District 6. In District 6, we don't really have much going on besides a lot of nice homes, some fast food restaurants, and some liquor stores. There's nothing really for families and the youth to do. And that is why I'm proposing that this would be the only um yearround ice rink for the city of Fort Worth, a million people be built in District 6. There's a lot of land and youth sports is very important. I played football in high school. I don't anymore, but those lessons that I learned, hard work, perseverance, teamwork, those are lessons that I use every day. My son plays hockey because he likes to go fast, but we have to drive 40 minutes to Arlington or Mansfield or an hour to Ulis or Northland Hills. There's nothing really in the area, but there is an interest. People try drive all the way from Weatherford just to go to like Arlington or Mansfield. Um, my wife and I get parents who come up to us all the time, "Oh, your son plays hockey. My kid keep bugging me about hockey, but I don't know where they can go to play it. So, I'm proposing that we um find a way to develop the first year round ice rink in District 6 and that will benefit the entire city of 1 million people. Thank you. [applause] >> Sabrina Ball will be followed by Shana Snyder. I want to commend the mayor for creating the maternal health accelerator. You said we can't just admire the problem. We have to focus on solutions. And that's true. This won't succeed if the policies you support undermine the mothers you want to help. Project 2025, the agenda shaping conservative policies, calls for slashing SNAP and WICK, the programs that keep pregnant women and babies fed. You cannot champion maternal health while supporting an agenda that takes dinner off their table. It calls for major Medicaid cuts, even though Medicaid pays for half the bursts in Texas and is the main insurer for low-income moms in Tarant County. Cutting Medicaid means cutting access to maternal and infant care. And no accelerator can fix that. Project 2025 aims to dismantle public health agencies like Health and Human Services, which supports the inter interventions we need. Family planning has already been gutted. That's the regime you support. You've heard about our awful maternal mortality here tonight. And our only public hospital, JPS, has had its tax rate cut three years in a row despite delivering 20% of babies in this country. And because of the abortion ban, we face doctors and now nursing shortages because they aren't considered professionals. If you care, stand up and push back. Food assistance is maternal health. Medicaid is maternal health. Education is maternal health. Affordable housing is maternal health. Funding JPS is maternal health. And yes, abortion is maternal health. Otherwise, this isn't a maternal health accelerator. It's a photo op. And mothers in Tarant County deserve more than PR. [applause and cheering] Good evening, Mayor Parker and council members. I am Shannon Snyder. I'm our senior director of community investment programs with United Way of Tarant County and I oversee our maternal health initiatives. This sounds like a really important topic tonight. Uh so I am very excited to give some updates about some of the work that United Way has been doing along with our programmatic partner CPAL in Dallas. They were mentioned earlier uh with the maternal health coalition work. Um team birth not teen team tam that happens a lot. Team birth is a very simple but powerful model that improves communication and safety during the birthing process. Um it brings the birthing person, their support person and the clinical team together to in regular huddles use in a shared planning board so that everyone stays aligned and families have a real voice in their care. Um United Way along with CPAL has served as local backbone implementation partner. We got to meet team birth bring team birth to Tarant County. Taran County has now implemented in seven hospitals, launched one more hospital this year and is the very first one in all of Texas to implement this really life-saving um program for for our families here. Uh alongside this work, we're also doing a lot of work with our doula community. We have five doulas on staff providing free care and we have trained 150 doulas in our community. So, lots of work going into supporting these families and our mothers. Thank you so much. Um, is Miss Smith here? Yolanda Smith, did she make it in? Yolanda, if you want to come down and speak and then we'll go back to Becky Bass. Thank you. >> Hello, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Yolanda Smith and I'm a volunteer with the litery literacy rounder program and I'm here to tell you about Titan, a fourth grade um boy who had life has been transformed because of the opportunities that you have helped make possible. This past summer, Titan's family was able to go to the dyslexic screening and because of that, his mom was able to get assistance and get him diagnosed. And now um once he was diagnosed, the school acted quickly and now he receives [sighs and gasps] dyslexia classes every day of the week. He also has um a one-on-one aid and he also has class assistance for reading and writing. Because of your support, Titan is now a bright young kid who is uh sorry who going to school is not impossible anymore. He looks forward to going to his dyslexia class every day and he can now encounter anything that comes through through his life. So on behalf of uh Tines's family, I'm just here to tell you thank you. Thank you for your commitment and I'm just here to tell you that you are changing lives. You're not just supporting a program. Thank you very much. >> Becky Bass will be followed by Michelle Kennedy. Thank you, Mayor Parker and city council for the opportunity to speak with you tonight. My name is Becky Bass and I'm the executive director of the Fort Worth Community Land Trust. And I just want to thank the city for prioritizing housing as a part of the upcoming 2026 bond and urge city council to support and possibly expand to even more meaningful funding as a part of the upcoming bond initiative. The data is very clear. We are projected to have over 14,000 new households that will make between 60 and 120% of area median income in the next 10 years. Those are families that are going to struggle to find housing without meaningful production and programs that meet their needs. Just between 2010 and 2024, we've seen a 33% increase in our population here, which beats the state average of 24%. And prices have increased 50% in the last 5 years alone. Uh the city's own neighborhood conservation plan and affordable housing strategy is clear that housing is necessary to meet our growth and we need new funding sources to be a key part of that production. Thank you [clears throat] Michelle Kennedy. Miss McKenny will be followed by CJ Johnson. >> Use the center podium please. Kennedy the center podium. >> Oh yeah Michelle, thank you very much. Yeah, thank you. Thank you so much. My name is Michelle Kennedy and I'm with Trinity Habitat for Humanity. I just like Becky wanted to take a moment and say thank you so much for the inclusion of housing as a part of the 2026 bond. In November, I celebrated my 28th anniversary with Habitat for Humanity and it's the first time during my tenure that I've seen housing considered as a part of a bond package and I want to say thank you. I was recently reading an article that I think you might find interesting, especially since all of the discussion we've had tonight is surrounding education. The article was by uh researchers Harin and Parcell entitled the impact of home ownership on childhood outcomes. It was referencing previous research by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies that said a home is foundational in the life of a child. But these researchers found out that children who grew up in a home owned by their parents do better in school in math and reading are 11% more likely to graduate high school and 14% more likely to go to college. Not only tonight, but for the last several months, I've heard you all talk about and I've seen you spoken to about the crisis of education that is perceived in our community. I want to say tonight, thank you for recognizing that a home is foundational to a good start in the life of our children. Thank you. Our next speaker is CJ Johnson, followed by Wesley Kirk. CJ here. Wesley Kirk who's a part of a group. My name is Wesley Wesley Kirk with Support Fort Worth Art and I'm here to urge the city of Fort Worth to restore the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. The last time we got any real update on the future of the building was June 4th, 2024 when assistant city manager Fernando Costa updated the city council that both redevelopment proposals had been rejected because they did not meet the needs of the city nor the needs of the arts community. He said, and I quote, "This is not a situation that we can allow to continue indefinitely. We are seeking a solution that will be broadly acceptable to the community." End quote. and we have been waiting ever since. A major reason why the RFP process to redevelop the building was a failure was because the city did not coordinate with the arts community to learn what the needs were for the building, what would improve it, and what had already made it so successful and what would allow it to thrive even more. The entire arts community has spent over a year dealing with the loss of the community arts center. We have seen art spaces throughout the city struggle to absorb all of the art shows that need a place. All the performances that have ceased to exist without a home. We are experiencing arts atrophy. We are missing out on that creativity, that innovation, that economic activity, all of the things that make Fort Worth such a vibrant city. People are looking for a home for creativity in the heart of the city. They are looking for the community art center to return. Artists, architects, historians, all of those who care about the building and want to see Fort Worth thrive are all eager to work with the city and ensure that the restoration of the community arts center is a huge success that Fort Worth can be proud of. The longer the building sits empty, the more expensive it will be to restore. The longer we wait to address it, the harder it will be to fix the damage being done to the arts community without it. We are ready. We are willing. We are able to help the city see this project through. We cannot wait any longer. Now is the time. Let's rebuild the Fort Worth Community Art Center together. Thank you. [applause] >> David Martinez is our next speaker. Mr. Martinez will be followed by an Zeta. David, are you here? No. An Zeta will be followed by He is Oh, sorry. Stay. You stuck by me. Mr. Martinez. Good evening. Sorry I've been I've been away. I know y'all miss me. Um I am now uh cancer free. Thank god. [applause] Um so um I want to tell everybody about uh this last month was Native American Heritage Month and um a lot of a lot of people uh didn't know about it because we didn't see it u much of anything by the city or by the arts community in Fort Worth. and that I'm I'm not going to give put the blame on anybody because I should be out there doing not that uh my community wants to do things. U but we had a setback with the um White Silment Road uh name change. Uh it kind of inspired a few of us uh to work on a mural that we want to be able to present for the city um about the history of Fort Worth and how it came about. A lot of people have different things to say, but if you look into the Texas history uh documents, it talks about the the the battle that took place that was pushed by developers who put uh our militia to attack the Native Americans when we had peaceful me uh uh places in Fort Worth before we went to battle and then they sent the military after our people. Um we weren't conquered. We have a peace treaty. It's the uh supreme law of the land and I'd like to talk more about it, but God bless. Thank you. [applause] >> And Zade will be followed by Steven Bryant. >> I appreciate the opportunity recently at public meetings to voice my support for the 2026 bond to include funding for affordable housing and reiterate that support here tonight. and also after accepting your request to serve on the 1300 Gendy task force addressing the future of the community arts center. A pretty frustrating process, but I believed then and I believe now that the community asset should be restored and fully supported by the city as a citywide asset. For years, it has been said that leadership being in elected office is about having thick skin. People used to say that to me all the time when I served on that side of the DAS. You must have thick skin. Just so that we're clear, I do not have thick skin. But leadership is not measured by how one ensure endures criticism, but how faithfully one listens to it. When officials dismiss dissent as noise, they do not show strength, they show fear. When the city calls for civility while narrowing the public's right to speak, they do not protect democracy, they weaken it. We are told to admire toughness, but toughness without accountability is tyranny in disguise. And the true measure of leadership is not thick skin enough to ignore criticism, but ears open enough to hear it and hands willing to act upon it. The people of Fort Worth in every city deserve leaders who welcome descent as a compass, not as an inconvenience. We deserve rules written in plain language, meetings open to all, and budgets that reflect equality rather than expediency. Let us demand leaders who measure their worth not by endurance, but by responsiveness. Let us insist that democracy not be a performance but a practice. A practice that we all participate in. [applause and cheering] >> Steven Bryant will be followed by Amy Amy Razer. >> My name is Steven Bryant. I live in District 4. I think that we can all agree we want our tax dollars going towards solving issues in our city the most cost-effective way possible. After looking at the Fort Worth 26 bond budget tool, I have some ideas that would have our tax dollars working smarter, not harder. I am all for helping animals get the safety, care, and shelter they need. So instead of 58.7 million for a new animal shelter, I propose 35 million go to mobile spay and neuter units to address the root issue of overcrowding and shelters instead of just building a bigger shelter. Use current shelters to provide temporary housing while stitches heal and release after. Fort Worth animal care and control through the clip and snip program already has a mobile trailer coming into the city and doing the surgeries and vaccines for free. Let's uplift this program by giving it more resources, more times that people can bring their pets, partnering with local animal shelters for temporary housing, and actively promote this program so all current and future pet owners are made aware. We already have designated vehicles and assets, so we could save even more money by allocating more to FWACC rather than having to start from scratch. Depending on how we want to allocate it, we could even use some of that 35 million to add onto or upgrade our current shelters by finding a local contractor to help afford with small business added along with more more mobile trailers outfitted with the tools to fix the issue of overcrowding and go at this issue from two fronts while still doing what the city set out to do by adding state-of-the-art equipment. Why? This addresses the heart of the issue in a fiscally conservative way without bloating the budget because we are using the tools at our disposal. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Amy Razer followed by Mindia Woodier. Good evening my hearing council. Uh my name is Amy Razer and I am a resident of District 7. I am also an art historian, an artist, a former arts business owner and I am proud to serve at Arts Fort Worth as the director of giving. The arts are not a luxury. They are essential. They strengthen education, health, our economy, and our city's appeal. Research proves that arts education boosts creativity, critical thinking, achievement in math, reading, and science. Participation in the arts reduces stress, improves recovery, and even helps prevent cognitive decline. The arts make us smarter, healthier, and more resilient. We are also an economic powerhouse. We brought in half a billion dollars every year and 7,500 jobs to this city. Impact only happens when people can access it. Mayor, I've heard you say, "Let's have an an art center for every city council district. We don't just need one, we need many." Uh so let's work together to make that happen. Uh we would love to participate and and make that uh a vibrant city and a worldclass Fort Worth as a result. Thank you. >> [applause and cheering] >> Miss Whittier will be followed by Derkica Patterson. In 2017, community members advocated for Fort Worth to join a lawsuit challenging the Show Me Your Papers law for violating civil rights. During that time, I met with Maddie Parker. As chief of staff for Betsy Price, you were dispatched to diffuse us. At that meeting, you theorized we were really upset about what was happening with politics at the national level and we were just taking it out on the local elected officials because that's who we had access to, even though every other large city in the state had already voted to join the legal action, which clearly vindicated the legitimacy of our proposal. I heard this same talking point by you on a recent podcast that the state of polarization lies with the national parties, but you all are the ones getting pummeled due to proximity. You also mentioned reading a book called Performative Outrage. It lets you rationalize that anyone outside of the Westside gang is an ignorant, wrong-headed radical just seeking fame. I'm here to set the record straight. Those of us advocating for accountability are not here to take out our anger on the from the federal level on you. We're here to not here to score a viral video or build a political following. We are here because we care. Because government has the most direct impact on our daily lives at the local level and because many of you are bought and boss. This is not performance, it's participation. So here is the book that you really need to read. I brought you your own personal copy, White Fragility. It's the roadmap to reduce the rhetoric if that's really what you're seeking to do. and shame on you for reducing public participation for a photo op. [applause and cheering] >> Derkica Patterson will be followed by Benjamin Loza. Miss Patterson. >> Okay. Good evening, Mayor and Council. I want to begin by thanking Dr. Mia Hall and the District 6 office for their responsiveness and intentionality. their engagement is the reason I stepped into civic participation and began mobilizing my own community. Um, please uh know that we see you, we appreciate you. Um, and we thank you. So, before anyone disengages, let me reassure you that I come in peace. I am not angry. I am informed, invested, and unwilling to pretend everything is fine or accept scraps because it could be worse. These issues may not be the fault of anyone sitting here today, but here we are. Recently, I was told that development is at the mercy of private investors and they must see an area as worth investing in. If that's true, then we all have work to do. No developer will view our area as worth investing in while deteriorating properties bypass the standards the city should enforce. We have plywood boarded up buildings and retail corridors next to 300 and $400,000 homes. dead, overgrown landscaping, filthy buildings that need pressure washing, and signs that are fading. If we want investment, enforce the ordinances we already have and create new ones. Development follows expectation, and rooftops clearly aren't our issues here. I want to come and let you know that I am asking this entire council, not just District 6, to partner with us. We may have been quiet before, but we are here. We are awake, and we are engaged and organized, ready to work with you. And again, I'm not angry. >> Thank you, Miss Patterson. Our next speaker is Benj Benjamin Ledesma, followed by Chris Tacket. >> Mayor Parker, um, Mayor Parker and Fort Worth City Council. Uh, I'm here with regards to the redevelopment of the community arts center at 1300 Gendy. I am a board member and musician in the Fort Worth Civic Orchestra. Our organization collects modest dues from roughly 80 members, but we provide free classical programming to the Fort Worth public. I'm not here to provide an official statement from our organization, but rather as a member of the orchestra who happens to have insight into its direction. I will however express our gratitude for the support our organization receives from Arts for Worth. Organization lost its longtime performance venue during COVID and we would now need to spend about $10,000 for uh the same facility. Uh we do spend about $1,000 per concert, 4,000 a year, uh for a smaller venue. Um but this does represent a threat to our ability to provide free programming for citizens of Fort Worth. Um as a result, I'd like to urge the city to consider ways to maintain low rental costs for the use of possible new performance venues like that at 1300 Gendy. While we chose not to consider renting the WA Scott Theater um due to size constraints, the cost of parking to patrons at $10 per car was specifically hostile to our audiences. Uh we're just one of many organizations that would love to provide centrally located concerts free to the public. Um but it is really getting difficult. It's very difficult to find a affordable place to uh provide those free concerts. Um, I'd also like to caution against proposals that allow private interests to use the arts center in a way that would render the center inaccessible otherwise. >> Thank you. >> After Chris Tacket, it's Darlene Crier. Affordable housing is a real crisis and cities across the state are taking action to try and do something about it. In 2022, Austin passed an affordable housing bond for $350 million. San Antonio the same year passed one for $150 million. In 2024, Dallas, as part of a larger bond, had $82 million set for affordable housing. Even Denton passed a bond for $15 million for affordable housing in 2023. What's in the bond for 26 for Fort Worth? $5 million. That's it. Um Austin for their bond is looking at at least 3,500 units built or preserved. San Antonio is looking at over 4,000 units. What's Fort Worth going to get for ours? 20 to 25 single family homes. When we have that many households moving to Fort Worth every single day, you know, in New York, they just elected a mayor who ran on a platform of affordability. The billionaires spent a ton of money trying to make sure he didn't get elected. young, diverse, urban voters, many who don't normally vote. They showed up in that election and said, "We're not going to listen to billionaires anymore." Will Fort Worth wake up? 2027's coming. Thanks. [applause] Our next speaker is Darlene Crier, followed by David Rodriguez. >> Hi everybody. Uh thanks for having me. I am a Fort Worth ISD teacher. I've taught with the district for about eight years the last four years a long time ago and then the last four years. Uh I'm a dyslexia teacher and actually I was know dyslexia teacher. The young man that was here tonight. I'm here to talk about literacy and literacy roundup. Uh they've done some amazing things for our schools and our kids and being in the community centers is extremely important. So I just want to thank you for your support for that and for to continue funding them and to give them more funding. And honestly, just to talk about literacy for a second, I have two daughters who are dyslexic and I had to fight for them to get help. My oldest daughter is 29 and it was a nightmare 20 years ago and it still is unfortunately. So, we just need to do a better job of promoting literacy, which I know we're doing with our words, but actually with our actions. And one thing that would really help is to make sure we have enough teachers in our schools. I teach at Ming Middle School. We do not have enough teachers. We have 30 to 35 kids in many of our classes. on a good day. That is not good and it's not a good day. So, we really need to help our teachers, our schools, and our kids because if we don't teach these kids how to read, they're gonna have major significant problems in their life in the future. Um, I did teach Noah today just for the second day and um it was great to have him. So, thank you for your help and just please continue to fund literacy. [applause] David Rodriguez will be followed by Drew Brown. David Rodriguez. Thank you. Then Drew Brown. Good evening. I'd like to start off by thanking council members Beck, Hall, Nettles, and Peoples for those who voted against reducing public comment. [cheering] [applause] Because when power is taken away from the people, the people will respond in kind. And I'm sure you've probably noticed that there is organizations that are developing all around Fort Worth, for example, the People's Commissioner's Court because of the obuscation that's purposely done by the city to try and make it hard to be able to talk to make it hard and to be able to have any kind of agenda. And it's personally insulting to me when I'm speaking out for my community and I'm a performer. But whenever you have people with power, money behind closed door meetings, they're just called donors. This is not for a photo op. So of course, Mr. Charlie Lowdorf is not here. So he said there's no solutions. the solutions that you have. Fund your schools. Feed the children in these schools. Pay your teachers. Pay your TAs. Pay your specialists. Fund the arts. If you want children out of the streets, not engage in gang violence. We already know that education, places for them to actually belong, is what keeps them from going from the school to prison pipeline. Thank you. [applause] Our next speaker is Drew Brown, followed by Emanuel Mada. I'm uh speaking in support of the Arch Community of Fort Worth tonight. Specifically in support of the Fort Worth Arch Community Center. The mayor, council, and city staff have failed the citizens of Fort Worth by neglecting to provide the proper facility maintenance required to maintain the arts center. Lack of preventative maintenance has led us to a point of needing major repairs and renovations, which will cost the citizens of Fort Worth much more than these repairs would have been through a best practices building maintenance program. It's important to note that the current mayor and council have inherited this problem from years of neglect. This issue does not did not arise overnight. Just because the current government did not create all these problems does not excuse you from making a commitment to fix them. You are not only stewards of our tax dollars but also stewards of an infrastructure. Fort Worth can no longer claim has been claiming that we haven't had a tax increase in over 10 years. That's a false negative. We need a budget that works towards future needs. So, I have to cut my time short. So, I'm asking you to be bold, be brave, and do the right thing. [applause] >> Manual model will be followed by Donna Vaness. My name is Manuel Mata and I live in Carlos's district. And uh I'm here to give you an example of two different types of fear. Fear you run from and fear you run towards. I'm going to give you an example of fear that you run to. I've been afraid to publicly speak all my life, but I learned how with Thomas Torancasi. I was afraid of changing my life from being nobody to just being a regular person in a world, right? And also I learned how to not cuss for 3 minutes. You heard? And uh I say all this because the other definition is fear you run from. And y'all been running from the fear of public comments for I don't know a year, right? So yeah, since you've been elected, Maddie and uh fear that you run from eventually put you in a corner where you don't have nowhere to turn back around and face everyone you ran and hid from. Right? And my only thing is why did you get that guy fired? Why isn't he working with the Star Telegram no more? And I'm sure you're the one who made it happen because he was supposed to wait until after your speech. >> Donna Vaness will be followed by Becky Delane. Center podium. Thank you. Mayor, council, thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today. I'm Donna Vaness with Housing Channel. As you may know, Housing Channel has been a partner with the city for over 30 years to help increase affordable housing for working families. So, I want to thank you for including housing in the bond allocation. And I would like to also request your consideration to expand that allocation. I see it every day in our work. residents of Fort Worth, teachers, first responders, seniors on fixed incomes, veterans, young professionals, working families are all being priced out of the very city that they serve and love. Housing costs have risen dramatically while wages have not kept pace. I know there are a lot of priorities in the bond program, but an investment in affordable housing is one of the most effective tools that we have to strengthen neighborhoods, make them safer, healthier, and more economically vibrant. When we create attainable housing options, we support local businesses, attract employers, and keep our city competitive for years to come. The city already has a detailed affordable strategic housing plan which demonstrates that a targeted public investment can produce transformative results. So I urge you to please consider prioritizing meaningful funding for affordable housing in the upcoming bond package. Thank you so much. [applause] Becky Delane followed by Jeffrey Burke. I am Becky Don and here to speak for myself on behalf of the growing number of delinquent youth being sent to prisons rather than to juvenile detention centers for rehabilitation that serves them rather than breaks them. I spoke at a meeting of the Tarant County judges last year to advocate for a proven program for young people serving in juvenile detention. They boasted 100% of their students graduated either from high school or got their GED. They provided free classes not only for the kids but for the parents in parenting or English or reading or job hunting, whatever they needed and that was paid for. Neighbors were trained as tutors and mentors in community activism and participation was encouraged in the community centers. The judge judges voted to withdraw their funding. And today, more young people are going in through the detention and overflowing into state prisons than in any other county in Texas. I know you're aware of that, and I assume that you're as ashamed as I am. It's very, it's sad. It's heartbreaking. It's nothing to be proud of. Again, I am here to ask you Oh, wait a minute. Wrong page. Um, children are five times more likely to be sexually assaulted in adult prisons than in juvenile detention. Recognizing the heightened risk for youth, the pres prison Thank you, Becky. I'm sorry your time's expired. I thank you very much for coming. Yes, ma'am. Yeah, thank you. Our our next speaker is Jeffrey Burke. Um, followed by Adrienne Smith. Um, good evening, honorable council members, citizens of Fort Worth. Um, my name is Jeffrey Burke. I am from district 9 from Miss Beck's district. Um, honestly, I think what I'm going to say is a bit of a bust. It's none of the big stuff. It was just some small stuff I've noticed here since I've been here for about two years. It's a good good to see you again, Mayor Parker, by the way. Just a few. I mean, I'm a law student. I hope to be a DA one day, maybe serve as a JAG. And one of the things that I've noticed, I've been to the criminal court building a few times. And I guess I've heard that it needs some renovation. It's probably the most heavily used court building in the in the city. Unfortunately, there's near unlimited supply of cases. I hope that hopefully in the bond program. It will have some extra funding. It's used heavily. In addition to that, there's a criminal court building right next to it that the city can use. the city is growing and we need to increase our capacity to deal with these cases. So hopefully people can have their day in court not two years later but maybe a few months later. And I guess one other small thing is that okay oh I have 30 more seconds. Never mind. Sorry. And I guess one small other thing is that I was on a walk today and I noticed a lot of buildings that are not being used and I hear a lot of uh people here talking about needing for housing, needing other buildings. I feel like the city can do some good by maybe using things like tax abatements, maybe giving incentives so that employers and investors can use those buildings. I saw that with a business called Dotopia and they did a really good job of that. Thank you for your time and thank you for the time. Thank you so much. >> Is is Adrienne Smith here? Yeah. Thank you, >> Adrienne Smith. I am one with the people. Budgeting public servants when power protects itself. Silence enables injustice. We need to speak up for those without power while we still have our first amendment rights. Mr. Strada is being punished and harassed for exposing a sexual predator. and Fort Worth District Attorney Phil Soros had the nerve to ask her to apologize to him. This man's name is Hugo Munos and he is one of the owners of Silverback Brazilian Jiujitsu in Fort Worth, location 585811 West Creek Drive and he coaches wrestling at Fort Worth Country Day. Chief Eddie Garcia, I hope you're listening, sir. To the public servants whose time, salaries, and resources were used to retaliate when sexual misconduct was exposed by Mrs. Miss Nancy Estrada. Detective M. Sullivan, badge number 4150. Responding Officer McDonald, badge number n38. Judge Cynthia F. approving Supervisor Sergeant Harris badge number 3098. Six Fort Worth corrections officers who came to her home with a seal warrant. Court employees responsible for repeated rescheduling. God bless you, Maddie Parker. Bless your heart. I mean, bless your heart. >> Patrice Jones will be followed by Julie Wendy. Yeah, sure. Go ahead. Start at 1:30, please. Thank you. >> Yeah, they're going to do it for you. We'll start at 1:30. Thank you. >> Make sure you have the microphone. We're all aware of the ongoing and intentional limiting of public comments that began the moment Maddie was elected and the deep disappointment this community has felt ever since. And now to keep playing in our faces, you've decided that the lightning of a casket ready Christmas tree is of greater priority than hearing from the people who pay taxes and who keep this city running. Even deciding to cut our speaking time in half. What's the point in bragging about having a tree taller than the Rockefeller tree if it looks half dead? Just like the spirit of too many of our elected officials, that Sundance tree is symbolic of the Fort Worth leadership. Tall, expensive, sold as impressive, yet neglectic, anemic, and lackluster. A far cry from the diversity in real democracy represented it represented in New York and their newly elected mayor. What's even more comical is that WFAA spent airtime demanding the return of a stolen ornament, but didn't spare a single second to hold Mayor Parker accountable for her defamation and blatant lies. Her attempt to play victim instead of leader. The imbalance in priority speaks loud and clear. And Fort Worth's disregard for truthful journalism is nothing new. Laying off Bradford Davis, the only black opinion columnist at Star Telegram, after writing two of the strongest pieces that newsroom has produced in years, wasn't an accident. It was a message. Don't challenge the people of power, especially not make it up Maddie. >> Julie Wendy will be followed by Carolina Rodriguez. Jul. >> Hi, I'm Julie Wendy. I'm a working artist here in Fort Worth. I sold two paintings this week. I got my start at the community arts center back in the early 90s, actually. And I'm here to support everybody else who showed up. And I want to say to each one of the council members here, I want to ask of you, what can I do? What can I do? Because you all know the problem. We all know that we need to keep crown jewel of the cultural district, the arts, which overlaps with everything everybody's talking about here, child literacy, delinquency, education. It's a it's a vital and important thing, and Fort Worth can have its moment again. So, I'm just here and I will yield my time to uh whoever's next, but let's work together >> and let me help somehow in bringing the community arts center back to prominence. And I thank you, >> Carolina Rodriguez, followed by Anthony Michael Moore. Oh, she's okay. She's working. Anthony Michael Moore. Is Mr. more available. Anthony, no. Um, Haley Green. Haley Green. Thank you. This is like a little stressful. Just pointing that out. [clears throat] Good evening. My name is Haley Green and I'm a resident of Fort Worth Council District 7. Since repeated pleas from arts workers like myself seem to have fallen on deaf ears as we have begged for the mayor and city council over the last two years to keep the Fort Worth Community Arts Center alive and funded as a vital part of our arts ecosystem in Fort Worth. I'm here today with a different approach. The numbers 347, the number of days since the Fort Worth Community Arts Center has been closed to the public. 154, the number of days since the art center has stood empty. 57 million, the dollars arts organizations generated into the Fort Worth economy in 2023. 783, the number of days since possible developers made proposed plan presentations. And what has the city lost since Fort Worth Community Art Center closed its doors? again by the numbers. Nine art galleries, two performing arts centers, 600 square f feet of event space, and the home of nine arts organizations. I urge you, Mayor Parker and city council, to offer us an update in the new year on the status of the Fort Worth Community Arts Center, and commit once again to maintaining it as an arts incubator within our city. Do not let this building fall into even more disrepair or another day pass without recommitting to the city your support of the arts by providing an update on the future of the community arts center. The arts are as vital to a city's lifeblood as road systems or public transportation or housing authority and right now it feels that that lifeblood is being drained. Thank you. [applause] >> Jim Dong will be followed by excuse me followed by Jazelle Henderson. Good evening. My name is Jim Dong. United we stand, divided we fall. We can have differences of opinion, but that doesn't ne mean that we have to be divided against one another. Tonight's been a unique night for me. This is one of the most civil public speaking times. There's been balance on both sides. People having issues, people being thankful, and that's great to see that balance. But one of the things I want to talk about tonight is the condition of our heart. I can talk like this at you and be accusing to you and what are you going to do? you're going to get defensive. We can have a difference of opinion without being mad and accusing and putting you on the defense. You are our leaders. And if we put you on the defense, what does that say about how smart we are. So, I just want to make an appeal to all. Let's speak from a heart of gratitude. We can be different. We can be uh forceful in our difference, but we can say it in a tone and in a manner that can bring unity. Thank you. >> Miss Henderson will be followed by James Smith. >> Tonight, while you head to get your viral tree lighting picture, a mother is struggling to figure out how to get her family a tree. A son is desperate to relieve her pain yet uneducated in how he can make some money. So he'll likely go out and rob somebody a score of misdemeanor or a man amount of marijuana. The look in his mother's eyes will gratify him so much that he'll continue to sell drugs because he doesn't know how to help. He never learned how to live, only how to survive. Yet he won't stand out by eventually someone will tell on him. His bum will be unaffordable and he'll become a felon along with the overwhelming amount of young people Taran County serves on a platter of the TDC. Historically, black youth from Fort Worth overwhelmed that population. At the rate your current district attorney is sentencing, he'll be gone for 30 to 40 years. During that time, his mother will fall sick, yet lose all their benefits. His step will become pregnant and have another child that'll fight this same battle amplified by whatever exponentiated marginalization you begin to foster between now and then. And if any of them want to talk to you about it, they get 10 times a year right at the height of traffic and when the kids are at home wonder what wondering what they're eating for dinner. I hope that tree tonight is beautiful because this reality isn't. Guess what? I too am a felon and cannot pursue even precinct chair wearing boots on the ground, not heels on the sidewalk at a tree lighting because I didn't know a way either. But you know what else I am? I'm a mentor, a coach, a serial entrepreneur, a burgeoning and trade school creator and a woman with 90 seconds to elicit a smile from the people I love comparable to the one that you'll find in your picture tonight. People growing up in the actual streets of Fort Worth, not the sun downtown where you blossomed in. We need more than 30 seconds. more than three minutes 10 times a year. >> Our next speaker is James Smith. James will be followed by Tara Maldonado Wilson. James. Okay. Tara Maldonado Wilson. Tara here. Okay. Alexander Montalvo. Well, this night has been interesting, that's for sure. We're going to talk about it here for a minute and a half. Before I do, I want to invite everyone to stand up who's in this room and please give a round of applause to the mayor and the city council for meeting their tree lighting ceremony. We want to congratulate them for meeting this moment that they worked so hard to get to. Also want to thank police chief Garcia and the police officers in the room, including that special marshall officer standing against the wall for not knowing what deescalation looks like. Tonight, I had the joy of getting bullied by law enforcement simply because I asked a question. Why was someone getting kicked out of the room? And because I asked that question, this marshall against the back wall decided that it was enough to threaten my attendance in this meeting and to get other police officers to force me out of the room where they put hands to try to push me out of the building and I simply kept asking the question, what did I do? I sign it for my minutes. I want my right to speak and I want this incident on record so that everyone knows what happened and you will see more footage about what happens and this was cowardly what happened with law enforcement and what you are doing Maddie is cowardly by being so afraid of the people's voice to try to continue this crusade against public comments. >> That's a conclusion of our speakers meeting is adjourned.