Are you doing? Are you Oh my god. I think so. I'm getting all my supplies. >> Look, I just Ladies and gentlemen, there's lots of open seats left. If I could get you guys to grab a seat if there's one open, please. We can't have people standing in the back. That's 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. Council meetings are conducted for the official business of the city and to receive input from residents. Individuals attending the meeting shall observe rules of decorum and not engage in disorderly conduct that interferes with the ability of others to observe or participate in the meeting without disruption or fear of intimidation. speakers who engage in any conduct or encourage such such conduct which make it difficult for the city council to conduct the meeting or to continue with the meeting will have the their mics muted and will be removed from the chamber. For those of you who 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 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. Thank you. >> Thank you, Janette. Good evening. I'll call our meeting to order. >> Tonight's Tonight's invocation will be by Pastor Dearan Lewis from Love Sanctuary Church. Pastor, if you want to take the center podium, if everyone would please rise and remain standing for the pledge of of allegiance. Shall we pray? Eternal and all- wise God, come before you today with hearts filled with gratitude for the opportunity to serve. We acknowledge that all wisdom and understanding comes from you. So, as we gather to discuss, to plan, and to make decisions that will shape the future of this council, our city, and our communities that we serve, we humbly ask for your divine guidance. Grant us clarity of thought, unity of purpose, and sound judgment. Help us to listen with respect, speak with wisdom, and act with integrity. that our decisions be guided not by personal interests, but by the common good and principles that honor truth, justice, and compassion. Bless every mind present with creativity and discernment. Where there are differing opinions, give us patience and understanding. Where there is uncertainty, give us insight and courage. May our work today bring progress, peace, and purpose to all we represent. Thank you for this council. Thank you for these people. And we ask you to lift us and bind us together in your love and in your holy name that we pray. Amen. Pledge allegiance to the flags under God and justice for Texas. >> Council, our first item of business tonight is the consideration and approval of the minutes from the September 16th, 2025 special called meeting. >> Got a motion and a second. Council, any other discussion? Please vote. motion carries. Mayor, that concludes all of the items. >> Thank you, Janette. Our first speaker is Rick Herring, followed by Ernie Mayor, we have 10. Do we get a little extra time? >> Yes, you do. You have six minutes. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. Uh, good evening, Mayor Parker and city council, city manager Chapa and other city staff. Rick Herring, 1801 Bolton Street in Fort Worth. A little less than 50 years ago, the city of Fort Worth set aside 160 acres to form the nucleus of what is today Gateway Park. The park sits nestled between three freeways a short distance from downtown Fort Worth. Over the decades, land donations and purchases and a park easement agreement with Tarant Regional Water District have grown the park to nearly the size of New York's Central Park. There we go. Okay. However, unlike New York's Central Park, our Central Park, lowercase, is not universally seen as the important destination point and economic driver that it can and should be. At nearly 50 years old, half of the park is still not open to the public. We have made lofty statements about the potential for the park when we have rolled out one master plan after another, but investment by the city has been sporadic at best. Until a couple of years ago, the park and recreation department viewed Gateway as just one of the 300 parks for which it is responsible. Despite the impediments to a grand vision, the park sees 600,000 visits per year. It's the 17th most visited outdoor attraction in the state. To help Gateway Park achieve its full potential, the Gateway Park Action Coalition, GPAC, has been formed, and we are here tonight to formally introduce and launch GPAC. We have an 11 member executive board and I would like to introduce them at this time. President myself Rick Herring, Vice President Robin Kelly, Secretary Gary Cumbi, treasurer Don Bordon, and board members Carlos Canazeres, Wanda Conlin, Daniel Hayes, Natalie Lopez, Stacy Marshall, Bill Schwinson, and Shelley Torres. Our non-governing advisory board includes Brett Bowen. Brett >> Bowden, >> Louise Apple, >> Randy O'Quinn, I'm >> gonna pause you, Rick, just a second. We'll see if they can figure it out. >> Okay, thank you. >> Randy O'Quinn, Kelly Allen Gray, Estrus Tucker, Judy Harmon, Fernando Costa, and others. The GPAC mission statement reads that GPAC exists to ensure the timely and transparent execution of the Gateway Park master plan through active community engagement, strategic partnerships, and persistent advocacy. GPAC wants to collaborate with the city and other groups to fully implement the master plan, raise awareness of Gateway Park with residents, increase programming in the park, protect and ensure appropriate development around the park, and help find additional funding sources to bring this valuable asset to the prominence it should have. We've already had several successes in the past several years under the handicap of not being organized as an official organization. As you'll see on the screen, we appreciate the enthusiasm for Gateway Park that has been shown by Mayor Parker and other members of the council and the parks and recreation department. GPAC wants to be seen as collaborators with the city, but we are going to be persistent advocates for the park, even if that occasionally means ruffling a few feathers. Gateway Park is Fort Worth's largest urban park and its only metropolitan park. We have a once- in a generation opportunity to build a worldclass public space for all and to fully develop a green oasis in the city center. Gateway Park has a long way to go and GPAC wants to be a part of the strategy toward getting Gate Gateway Park there. Thank you very much for your time and attention and we look forward to working with you. Thank you, Rick. Our next speaker is Ernie Moran, followed by Mindy Tacket. I'd like to start by acknowledging that we are on land seated and shared by the Toakani Kikapoo Jamanus Comanche and Witchah nations. Mayor Parker, I must congratulate you on being such a fast learner because here, just barely into your second term of in office. You've already adopted some maneuvers straight out of the fascist playbook. First, you reduced the opportunity for residents to give public comment at city council meetings, restricting our first amendment right to address our elected leaders for grievances. Then you had the city put out a social media post stating that those restrictions and reduced meetings in 2026 somehow equate to more public input. You all know that these restrictions disproportionately affect black and brown working-class communities. We don't have the free time to meet with our elected officials during their office hours and the cudigra using the power of your office to attack a private citizen. And not just attack her. If that was as far as it went, I know Patrice would have handled it on her own. But you used words that any rational person would view as a threat and then played the victim and tried her in the media, denying her due process and a chance to defend herself. If you had the facts on your side, you would have presented the evidence to the authorities and investigators. I'm sure that have taken your call and heard what you have to say. But that's not what you did because there is no evidence. Your case is devoid of any proof. So you get behind closed doors and craft your statement attributing your case to hearsay. This is the classic move we see coming out of the White House. people are saying. I guess we can expect a press conference any day now where the current occupant of the White House praises you as his favorite mayor. So again, bravo, Mayor Parker. Fascism has indeed arrived to our fair city. And as I look around, it is indeed wrapped in a flag carrying a cross. And to my fellow residents interested in justice and fighting fascism, I say peace be to you if you're willing to fight for it. >> Our next speaker is Mindy Tacket, followed by Eddie Delgado. This photo was taken by photojournalist Carl Daiser. in Haiko, Texas in 1991. I was in high school. That's within the lifetime of nearly everyone in this room. It isn't an ancient history. It's recent. During a Black History Month panel in 2022, Mayor Parker, you told a story about your father helping your friend seek emancipation because your friend's father was a grand dragon of the KKK. You said your mother showed you photos when you were young so you could recognize racism and taught you your responsibility when you saw it. That story proves you know racism didn't end after the civil rights movement. It evolved. When you told that story you positioned yourself as an ally. Yet since then, you've enabled an administration that's now literally snatching black and brown people off the streets. We're watching fascism grow in real time. Racism is roaring back and it's happening on your watch. And now you're allegedly partnering with Christian nationalists. You're in a powerful position as a white woman leading the 11th largest city in America in a Republicanled state. You could use that power to speak boldly and stand up for what's right, even when it's uncomfortable. You could be brave enough to truly listen to black and brown residents without centering yourself as a victim. Black and brown communities don't need a white savior, but they do need white Americans to stop treating them like they're threats. When this mo moment is written in history, will it show you protected your privilege and position or that you had the courage to be the woman you said you were? How do you want to be remembered? Maddie, our next speaker is Eddie Delgado, followed by Kin Shimato. Is Mr. Delgado here? Okay. Our next speaker is Kin Shimato, followed by Chris Wood. Good evening, Mayor Parker, members of the council. I am the son of a man who when he was 18 volunteered to fight fascism while his father was incarcerated as an enemy alien. At age 68, I can do no less. Mayor Parker, I understand you feel bleaguered. Having a painted coffin left in your yard certainly sends a grim message, but at the time you declined to press charges. Now you, a public official, have made a statement in a public forum that presumes someone's guilt in the incident. You said you felt triggered as a mother and as a home defender. But what was a Tatiana Jefferson besides a home defender when she was killed in her home holding a legally purchased licensed firearm with which she thought she was defending her nephew from every householder's greatest fear. The man in the backyard a home invasion because officer Aaron Dean never identified himself as a police officer. The many delays in Mr. Dean's subsequent trial stoked anger and fear in the community that justice would be denied. But this fraugh moment is also ripe with opportunity. Chief Garcia's expressed openness to a real community-led police oversight board and his history of dealing with such bodies throughout his law enforcement career makes this the ideal time for you council members to consider once again establishing such a board. Do it in Atantiana Jefferson's name. A new era of openness and trust between community and police benefits us all. And Mayor Parker, please apologize to Miss Jones. It is the right thing to do. >> Thank you. >> Our next speaker is Chris Wood. Chris will be followed by an Zeta. >> I'm Chris Wood from District 6. Recently, there has been discussion about political divisions and the resulting infighting. These problems, of course, are more widespread than local government due to our two-party democratic system. What bothers me most is that one party comes into power and they quickly rip away programs that the other party has put in place. People's livelihoods rely on these programs and they are quickly dismantled. Sometimes even before the replacement program of the new party in power is in place. Changes to programs that citizens depend on should be done slowly with careful consideration and impacts closely monitored. Like others that have addressed this issue, I urge the Fort Worth City Council and citizens to unite and turn focus to issues like security. Work towards moderation and nonpartisan relationship building. Listen to each other. Challenge stereotypes and focus on commonalities. One strategy that helps me deal with conflict is using the phrase just like me. Whenever I think a negative thought about someone, I add just like me at the end. For instance, whenever I face my stalker, I think you are crazy, just like me. This brings to my mind the realization of the severe mental illness of my stalker, and it keeps me from overreacting and seeking revenge, which only belongs to God. Please continue to unite on similarities. Bring more consistency and calm to Fort Worth. Thank you. Our next speaker is Ann Zeta and will be followed by Tom Harris and then Barney Holland. I'm going to try to keep ahead of the list because there is overflow. Good evening. My name is Anne Zeta. If the people just loved one another, we wouldn't need these kind of rules. Councilman Chuck Silox 2000. Mayor, council members, and neighbors, these are the words of Chuck Silox, a conservative Republican when this body was debating Fort Worth's non-discrimination ordinance. At first, he doubted that discrimination was real, but then he sat across from a man who told him that he had been fired simply for being gay. That conversation changed his mind, and in that moment, he showed us what leadership looks like. The courage to listen, to learn, and to act with compassion. That ordinance passed in 2000, and Fort Worth proved something important. Progress does not belong to one party or one ideology. Both conservatives and liberals agreed that compassion was our shared goal. We be we can be pragmatic and bold at the same time. And for a while, we were. After the Rainbow Lounge incident in 2009, the city responded with reforms, training, and outreach that made us stronger. And after the Jaclyn Craig incident in 2016, we created the race and culture task force. That task force gave us 22 recommendations to address inequalities in policing, housing, and opportunity. It was a roadmap for a more just Fort Worth. But here is the truth. In the years since, we have lost our momentum. Many of those recommendations remain unfulfilled. We acknowledge inequalities, but we hesitate to fix them. We talk about trust, but we fail to earn it. And while Fort Worth grows, the gap between our ideals and our actions grow wider. Even public comment has been reduced, silencing the very voices that could change minds as the one conversation once changed Chuck Silox's. And so, we must ask ourselves, how did we get stuck in hesitation? How did a city that once led with courage become a city that delays, deflects, and diminishes the voices of its own people? Who is responsible for this environment of hesitation? Imagine if seven years ago we had acted boldly on every recommendation of the race and culture task force. Today, we would not be still debating documented inequalities. We would be measuring progress. We would be on a path to restoring trust. Instead, we are still stuck. And that is at the cost of hesitation. There is a difference between governing out of fear and leading with boldness. Fear says wait, study, delay, protect yourselves from backlash. Boldness says listen, learn, act even when it's hard. Fear preserves the status quo and boldness changes lives. Chuck Silox was not afraid to change his mind when confronted with injustice. He was not afraid to let compassion guide him. That is leadership. Council, the people of this city are not asking for perfection. They are asking for courage. They are asking for leaders who will not manage problems but will solve them. They are asking for leaders who will love this city enough to act boldly on its behalf. It is to it is time to stop governing out of fear. It is time to lead with courage. It is time for leadership that can make Fort Worth not a city of hesitation but a city of progress. Our next speaker is Tom Harris. Mr. Harris will be followed by Barney Holland and then Anthony Michael Moore. Perhaps some positive news. Good evening, Mayor Parker and members of the Fort Worth City Council. My name is Tom Harris, and I have the honor of serving as co-chair of the mayor's council on education and workforce development. This council was created thanks to the leadership and vision of Mayor Parker, who saw the need to bring together education, industry, and community partners to build a stronger, more connected future for Fort Worth students and workforce. Our purpose is simple but powerful. To align our efforts that every student in Fort Worth has access to highquality pathways from high school to college to career and that our local industries like BNSF, JPS, Lockheed, Bell, and American have the talent they need to thrive. I want to thank Dr. David Kines, the council's senior educator, education adviser, and Mr. Bill Waters for their work to ensure the vision and mission of this group. These guys are doing the heavy lifting. Now, I'd like to review activities and in that we've influenced and that we've accomplished together. Over the past year, we've seen a 37% increase in students graduating with dual credit from local high schools. A total of 4,342 students. And those earning 15 or more college hours jumped 28%. These numbers show that our students are not just participating, they're succeeding. This also means the students are getting a head start on their college education while also serving saving money as dual credit and dual enrollment is free for students. Taran County College, Charleton, and UT are the three institutions that are offering students this opportunity to earn college credit. Local school districts have also launched new collegiate pathways across the region. That includes programs at Fort Worth ISD, Castleberry, HB, and Birdville ISD. New Heights Adult High School is expanding into a second campus in South Fort Worth through a partnership with Fort Worth ISD and Taran County College where students are coming back to earn their high school diploma while also working towards an indust industry credential through TCC. College and city partners have stepped up in big ways. TCC's HVAC High School Institute welcomes students from Fort Worth and Kennedale ISD. The Fort Worth Police Department High School Academy is now serving 60 students from multiple Fort Worth ISD campuses. Summer programming has also grown. The health science center summer health science academy served 30 students from Calbury and Lakeworth. JP's shine program provided paid internships to 30 students. We've held industry convenings in aviation, automotive, manufacturing, HVAC to align curriculum, support accreditation, and build regional instructor pipelines. The future of Fort Worth workforce starts with our students from Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Mayor's Council on Education Workforce Development is here to support the growth of student and teacher engagement. Thank you, Mayor, and thank you, council, for your focus on supporting efforts to provide our students. Next speaker, >> Barney Holland, followed by Anthony Michael Moore. [Applause] >> Good evening. My name is Barney Holland. I live in Fort Worth. We've been in business here 96 years. And I say this with apologies to any politicians who happen to be in the room, but not to most of the public comment speakers I heard last month. Mark Twain said, "To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail." That's an apt description of one issue voters given 15 minutes of fame instead of productive, principled people who think of the city's big picture. Executives considering relocating their company to another city watch videos of target city's council sessions and evaluate the governance and the citizenry to to which they will be subjecting their company and their employees. The ill-mannered, loudmouthed, hammer wielding few that broadcast their single issue from these chambers have hurt Fort Worth's image when it's compared to those welcoming, well-governed cities that have put their best foot forward and collectively promote the big picture when competing for jobs and the tax dollars that come with the relocation. Broadcasts of the Dallas Council meetings of 50 years ago were chaotic and Dallas was dropped from consideration before it even got its first interview in some cases. Thomas Soul, one of America's smartest, best thinkers with 95 years of wisdom said, "People who have time on their hands will inevitably waste the time of people who have work to do." And I'll leave you with a quote from the late Walter Rristen, who was CEO of City Corp for 17 years. Capital goes where it is welcome and stays where it is well treated. Companies are leaving California and New York because they are unwelcome and illreated. with good manners and a focus on the big picture. We need to help Robert Allen promote Fort Worth as a good place to relocate their companies because that will benefit all districts with good jobs, more taxes, and opportunities for better quality of lives for those who prepare themselves and strive therefore. Thank you very much. >> Our next speaker is Anthony Michael Moore, followed by Caroline James and then Brent Beasley. Good evening, honorable mayor and I'm city council and city council women and men. Uh my name is Anthony Moore and today I'm representing Nami Tarian County and also uh NAMI Texas. Um I just want to share a little bit of my strength and hope and how this organization has really helped me and can help other people. Um I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophffect effective disorder uh around it control my life back to when I was about 16 17 years old but um it manifested around me being 23 which most people um you know did before all all the statisticians uh psychologist that's about the age group but um it's a lot it's been 22 years um exactly I won't be able to share everything tonight mayor honorable mayor but um insomnia in college panic attacks stress loss of energy lots of interest. I had depression, sadness, and paranoia. Um, and then this all hit me like a tsunami around my freshman year at UTA or, you know, next door neighbors Arlington. My high school sweetheart and I, we broke up after dating about four years. Um, I was kind of falling behind in some architectural studies that that was my major at the time. And then my dad and I, we got in a little argument, weren't seeing eye to eye, and then finally my car uh just pretty much like blew up. But I'm having these problems. The reason I want to share this, the consecutive triggers that were leading to my manic depression outbreaks, uh it's a long journey. It's a it's been healing, educating myself on the illness, condition, learning coping mechanisms, uh counseling, nutrition, and then the right medication. Mayor Maddie, councilman, council men and council women and citizens of Fort Worth, I just gave a like really short in 20 years, you can see it's a long story, but I just wanted to um transition to why NAMI is really important to me. Um we have it over here on fourth street is National Alliance of Mental Illness uh Texas too and then also nationally in Arlington Virginia. Um this Dave really helped me like kind of relate to other people whether it's family to family, a family member that may have it, a peer that may have it uh you know or war veterans um coming back with PTSD. So I I actually started the journey back in 2019 right here in Fort Worth. Um, in closing, my hope is my prayer, my dream. Um, you know, the Lord put me on earth to do this to have some good work in helping people uh overcome the situation that happened to me. You know, that's what our testimony is about in the faith of, you know, faith in Jesus. So, um, I hope that NAMI um can get can get more funding, you know, stuff so we can identify the unidentified. Uh, it's it's heartbreaking. I had a a short bit of homelessness, but I also saw how that had affected a lot of people, too. So, um I hope that uh in conclusion, like I said, my illness has helped other people. I'm on maintenance now. U mayor, may the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob uh shine upon us here in Fort Worth. And y'all be blessed. Thank you. >> Thank you for sharing. >> Caroline James, Brent Beasley, and then Jeremy Pope. >> Good afternoon, Mayor Parker and council members. I'm grateful for the opportunity to share good news on the literacy front with you today. Recently at a reception, a friend said to me, "Caroline, do you just wake up thinking about literacy?" He was teasing, but I do. It's just too important. If a child can't read on grade level by third grade, they are four times as likely to drop out of school. And if they do stay in school, every single subject will be affected. We teach kids how to read in K through three. And from third grade on, they have to read to learn. Illiteracy is not an easy challenge, and Fort Worth's numbers are not unique. But with your leadership and example, extraordinary things are happening in this city for our kids. In April, you approved a resolution declaring literacy a priority for the city of Fort Worth. But then you did more. Mayor Parker partnered with the superintendent of Fort Worth ISD to dig in on solutions. By partnering with Dr. Dr. Molinar, superintendent of Fort Worth's largest district. You are not just telling her to fix it, you're working together. What a powerful example this sets for all of Fort Worth school districts. If the superintendent of our largest school district can partner with the mayor of the fastest growing city in service of kids, what does that say about their priorities? But of course, I stood up and really started cheering when your actions affected students with dyslexia. Dyslexia is something that touches my family profoundly and so I would like to report specifically on how the partnership between Mayor Parker and Dr. Molinar is serving students with dyslexia. First, Dr. Molinar has committed to highquality curriculum and highquality training for interventionists. She's implemented the TakeFlight curriculum. Take flight is the Cadillac of intervention. Last summer, teachers began their training and a pipeline was created in the district. Fort Worth ISD is not just looking at the present. They are planning for the future. One in five students has dyslexia. Fort Worth ISD has a plan to serve them well now and into the future. The third big change is that Fort Worth ISD is now screening students in seventh grade and training teachers in middle school and high school on how to spot students with dyslexia. Because by middle school, a child's emotional well-being is at risk as well as their academics. These changes meant shifting over a million dollars in funding. This meant tough conversations about priorities, but you did it. As this city's leadership, you are setting a powerful example. And as a mom of a student with dyslexia, I'm proud to call Fort Worth home. Thank you for putting kids first. Again, >> our next speaker is Brent Beasley, followed by Jeremy Pope, Mitch Whitten. >> Appreciate Caroline uh talking about the resolution that y'all did back in the spring about literacy. And as she said, uh resolutions can sometimes just be ceremonial. Um I had a New Year's resolution about exercise this year that turned out to be purely ceremonial. But the ones that you the one that you did about literacy really hasn't been that. Um the literacy roundup initiative that Caroline mentioned. There's the mayor convening a group of nonprofits and foundations and city staff uh this spring to support probably the highest need school in in Fort Worth, Clifford Davis Elementary, the Go Beyond Grades initiative, which is about helping parents know just how their kids are doing academically and then giving them some tools to do something about it. and Fort Worth public libraries have been a huge part of that go beyond grades initiative. And others who signed on as sponsors were Mayor Parker, the literacy roundup, the mayor's council on education and workforce, former council member Gina Bivven signed on as well when she was still in office. Those are just some quick examples, but but your efforts and focus on the education of our fourth kids is a part of a larger community focus on literacy. I heard Wallace Bridges on the Fourth ICT school board say uh recently, everywhere I go, people are talking about literacy. And they are. Recently, the Bill and Meinda Gates Foundation has taken notice of all of this uh ground swell of activity in Fort Worth and has worked with the organization that I lead to invest almost $10 million in support of many of our local universities to enhance their teacher preparation programs. Uh we all know that the support of teachers and a strong teacher workforce pipeline is one of those critical pieces in all of this. So there's a movement in Fort Worth. All of this that we're talking about is a part of that. It's about improving education outcomes for kids um for their sake. It's a powerful movement that includes community leaders and schools and school systems, parents, nonprofits, foundations, grassroots organizations, government agencies, elected officials, and you as our city leaders have been and are being catalysts in that in that movement. So, thank you for what you're doing. Uh, in her poem, Turning to One Another, Margaret Wheatley writes, "There's no power greater than a community discovering what it cares about. We're doing that. Thank you. Let's Let's keep at it. >> Our next speaker is Jeremy Pope, followed by Mitch Whitten and Sabrina Ball. My name is Jeremy Pope and I live in District 5. I'm an ordained minister here in Fort Worth. The core of my ministry is standing with and fighting for marginalized communities. Fear seems to be the currency of politics in 2025. Who can scare whom the most to get elected? Meanwhile, marginalized groups are treated like pawns in a game they never agreed to play. Women, people of color, those dealing with mental health challenges, the poor, the unhoused, the elderly. all too often used, then discarded when no longer convenient. Mayor Parker, your comments to Patrice Jones during the September 30th council meeting came across as a double entandra. You have clarified but not apologized for that statement since. I understand there's fear among elected official that drives certain decisions, but there's fear among marginalized communities, too. And that fear is just as real, just as justified. There is no world in which your comments to Patrice Jones were acceptable. You decided to throw out unfounded accusations in a way that doesn't allow her to defend herself. An abuse of your place on this dis. I urge you to apologize and move on. A friend of mine who voted for you, mayor, told me recently that she no longer feels represented by you. Your role in theory is nonpartisan. You've said yourself that you represent 1 million citizens. Yet, you've given into extremist partisan politics. Instead of deepening division, you should be working to unite this city. You were recently quoted as saying that public comment is nothing more than chest beating. But as mayor, it's your job to listen when we speak, whether you whether or not you like what you hear. If you're unwilling to do that part of the job, perhaps it's time to step aside. Since your election in 2021, you've made it increasingly more difficult for the public to be heard. Our voices will not be silenced at the ballot box. We are asking council to increase the number of public comment sessions and at least act like you're paying attention. You are making changes to city government that make you more comfortable instead of making it more transparent for the citizenry. Too often members are absent on their phones or shuffling papers while citizens speak. If you're not listening, it's fair to ask why you're in those seats at all. Mayor, I'll close where I began with the hope that you'll apologize for your remarks. The country is heading toward a cliff and our city has far bigger fist to fry than an unfounded accusation. I hoped you would one day become someone worthy of the title mayor. Sadly, today you have align chosen to align yourself with right-wing Christian nationalist extremism. Not very mayoral. Next time, pay attention to it. >> Our next speaker, our next speaker is Mitch Whitten, followed by Sabrina Ball and then EJ Kerrion. >> Mayor and Council, good evening. My name is Mitch Whitten with Visit Fort Worth. I live in District 9. And it's important I came to talk to you tonight to thank you for creating a program and supporting a program that has created tens of thousands of jobs, created new career pathways, especially with Tarant County College, and put a positive spotlight on our city. Next Monday marks the 10th anniversary of the Fort Worth Film Commission. So, in advance, I wanted to make sure I came and thanked you for and shared our appreciation for city staff who have made so much of this story possible. I'm joined tonight by our film commissioner, Taylor Hardy, who was just an intern when we started this 10 years ago. The whole idea of a film commission started from the private sector when Red Sanders, a local producer and entrepreneur, pointed out that we were the largest Texas city that wasn't helping the creative class do business here. We needed an organization to welcome these visiting film crews, help them connect with the city, connect with our residents and the private sector, and then promote these films and television shows to visitors who wanted to see the city where it all happened. We all know that forward zone Taylor Sheridan has had a tremendous impact, but we also keep our independent spirit with productions including The Chosen, Miss Junth, and one of Robert Redford's last films, The Old Man in the Gun that filmed right in our downtown. Now, in the film story, there are stars in front of the camera, but there are many, many more behind the scenes. Let me just talk about city staff for a minute. Since the early days of the film commission, the parks and recreation department said yes to filming. Public events, transportation, and public works, they are heroes when it comes to being a bridge between our citizens and commerce when it wants to happen in Fort Worth. Environmental services has responded and made sure trash is picked up when film crews are active in our city. And of course, the Fort Worth police have been instrumental, working countless of hours on movie and TV sets, ensuring a safe and secure environment. Filming is happening also all across our city in locations such as Gateway Park in District 11. In the near southside in District 9, the Stockyards District 2, a studio in District 8, and filming soon in District 10, the Dude Perfect Show will be taping at Texas Motor Speedway. Thank you, Mayor Parker, for highlighting film in your state of the city this coming Thursday. Not only were you a founding member of the Film Commission Board, but we also appreciate you're highlighting this industry. It has created more than 50,000 jobs in 10 years. You your leadership in Austin was crucial to the state's decision to increase film incentives so even more uh jobs could be created in the years ahead. These aren't just stars in front of the camera, but truck drivers, hair and makeup, grip and gaffers, construction crews, and much more. Thank you for helping us bring jobs and business to our city. Thank you. Sabrina Ball will be followed by EJ Kerrion and then Leah King. Mayor, let's talk about your team of protectors you called to protect you against the terrorists in this room. Landon Shot, pastor at Mercy Culture, thinks I worship demons because I have empathy for others, because I advocate for myself and my children. He does whole sermons on this dangerous makebelieve. I asked Councilman Crane not to use that terminology because out there today there are people that do not understand that demons are not real and will draw swords to stop them. Landon calls strong women who disagree with him Jezebels. Do you know what a Jezebel is? In US history, the Jezebel stereotype hypersexualized black women to justify exploitation and violence, to justify sexual assault and rape. It's an extremely harmful term. You called to your aid to protect you against the scary black woman, a man who regularly uses the term that excuses violence against black women. He also idolizes a man, Gateway Church pastor Robert Morris, who's going to jail for the sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl. His church dedicated an entire service to him in celebration of him. Do you know what the law considers Morris a pedophile? And talk about sound bites. The mayor invited Nate Chhatzline, the local Tarant County king of sound bites. He admits to putting his god over voters. He's more of a podcaster than a legislator. The bills he's authored all have to do with sex, like a ban on childlike sex dolls. Did we have a problem with childlike sex dolls? No. We have a problem with pedophiles attacking children in churches. It's interesting that you invited the folks like Nate who started the trend of flooding boardrooms for sound bites to protect you from real criticism. I have been told time and time again that I should trust you to be fair to all community members. Yet I watch you dangerously follow in a long line of white Christian women, asking for protection from the black community by those seeking power instead of truly considering the safety of the black community and treating all of the citizens of Fort Worth with respect. Our next speaker is EJ Kerrion, followed by Leah King, followed by Adrienne Smith. All right. So, today I don't have a script uh because we just need to watch what's happening in the room today. There's three parts. Uh first, it's the new people. Welcome. I know a lot of you were brought here because of spiritual warfare. Um we're trying to restore public comments. Basically, before Mattie Parker, you could speak in public comments. Just Adrian, if you could just address us, that'd be >> You can speak at public comments every single council meeting before Mayor Parker. Now, in 2026, you only get 10 times to speak in public comments. So, I believe everyone in this room believes in democracy, freedom, and wanting that ability to have a voice in your government. How is that spiritual warfare? All right. And so, the that's the first people who need to be acknowledged. Welcome to this danger. Two is you, Mayor Parker. In 2022, you said in the Texas Tribune that you could not run for a Republican primary and look yourself in the mirror. You were watching what was happening to Texas, to your party, and you were trying to signal that you did not want to see what it is today. And unfortunately, what you did here today is showing that you have become the beast in that very mirror. You have created polit political violence. I mean, it isn't incredible how dedicated that not just Mayor Parker is to the Fort Worth. It is to visit Fort Worth. Peter Garin is in the back. Everybody is here. Robert Allen, who is a a piece to Governor Abbott. If you're mad about corporate companies, get state policies off of allowing us actually to be a city. How about those things? We're talking about schools. Yes, Mayor Parker went and danced with Taylor Chev Sheridan for film money, but where was she when public schools were being attacked by vouchers and now it's Fort Worth ISD is being state takeover. So to the people of Fort Worth, look how powerful you are. They brought the whole crew, the whole crew. the Fort Worth way, which any person here in who in Fort Worth, Texas, who thought that they were the moderate, cordial, who doesn't get into politics, they just laid in bed with Christian nationalism. They became the very thing, and the thing that upsets me is that just a week ago, a black woman activist came here to stand for public comments and is now somehow the villain, and you get to play victim. The most dangerous beasts are the people who's supposed to be the hero that plays the victim. And I can't believe that you try to position her. And this is over the weeks. Just look at the last three weeks. You instigated Charlie Kirk with rhetoric about Elizabeth Beck in a letter to fire people up. You then tell a black woman about a casket and now we're here. You are the political violence. Our next speaker is Leah King. Leah will be followed by Adrienne Smith and then Ty Edwards. Mayor and Council, good evening. Leah King, president of Tarant Regional Water District. I wanted to come and give you an update on some of the work that we're doing between the Tarant Regional Water District Fire uh Police Department and the Fort Worth Police Department to restore some safety to the Trinity trails. So, in response to community input gathered during the development of our new recreational master plan, the Tarant Regional Water District has made enhancing safety and security along the trails a priority. These efforts are focused on improving the trail experience for all users and supporting community well-being. I'll give you a few examples of some of the security measures that are being put in place that we can talk about publicly. One of the most visible improvements will be the introduction of lighted safety loops. The plan calls for three loops, each about 2 m long, primarily following existing trail routes targeting upgrades to bridges and to pathways. These lighted loops will make trails more safe and accessible during the evening hours, more comfortable to those during hot summer months. The first loop is now in design and will be located AC along the Clear Fork between Overden Division and Clear Fork Main Street Bridge. The next one will be at the Fourth Street trail head uh leading from the Fourth Street trail head upream to I35. We are also approving improving trail signage and striping. This will add hazard warnings, speed and caution warnings, and trail etiquette etiquette reminders. so that people feel safer and more secure when they're accessing the trails. That design work too is currently underway. Additional safety and security measures beyond these infrastructure upgrades are will be in place to enhance in coordination with public safety agencies. The district has added a dedicated law enforcement liaison for the Trinity Trails. This officer helps ensure that police and emergency personnel have seamless access to the trail system and can respond quickly when needed. We've also expanded our recreational asset management program, applying some of the same disciplined approach that we use for the infrastructure and recreational plans. This means that annual safety inspections and priorit prioritized improvements such as the new uh automated gate at Fourth Street Trail Head. And if you haven't been by there to see that, you'll you'll see that there's a new automated gate at that trail head, which now enforces the trail hours as people were accessing that place, particularly long after the trail had closed. Finally, we're proud to partner with the nonprofit Safe and Happy Trails to explore and implement new safety technologies. It's very sad that these technologies are necessary, but after a couple of horrific events, we know that they're essential. Together with the technology providers, the Fort Worth Police Department and Realtime Crime Prevention Center, we're executing such tools as solar lighting, 911 call boxes, and sadly gunshot dete detection. Thank you very much. >> Our next speaker is Adrienne Smith, followed by Ty Edwards, followed by Patrice Jones, and then Bob Willoughby. >> Adrienne Smith, I am one with the people. Uh, council members, I'm going to address the most recent council meeting that I was not able to attend. However, council member Nettles, you see what happens when you compromise with the devil. You lose more than gain. And sometimes there's no undoing what's already been done. Councilman Crane, your personal number 817-677-8258 is for your constituents, developers, and business interest whose bidding you do whenever they need something passed in their favor. Mr. Flores, you stated something to the effect regarding committee meetings and the lack of public participation, GTFO. How many of your constituents know about said meetings since you claim no public participation? You you are the longest serving council member present day. How much longer will you go along with the bad misguided behavior of Mayor Parker? Mr. Large off. It's not about the amount of people who show up to council meetings. Your obligation is to the oath you swore to uphold when elected. What you do outside of these council chambers doesn't deserve a pat on the back. If it's anything that would compromise the position, you should step down or be prosecuted. Thank you, council members Beck, Hall, Peoples, and Nettles. Shame on you, council members, Bllelock, and Martinez. Your silence and playing it safe will eventually get you unseated. I don't care about how you vote, but you playing it safe on the issues is going to eventually get you unseated. To Mercy Culture, Pastor Nate, there is no true prayer without repentance. You also stated recently that there are threats of violence against government leaders in Tarant County going on right now. Sir, that's a law enforcement matter if said threats are proven to be credible. 333 million $333,626,188 is what this facility costs we the taxpayers to the mayor, to the city secretary, to the council members. When are you going to restore remote speaking? It provides a voice for individuals who cannot attend council meetings due to personal matters, disabilities, and scheduling conflicts. In my last 10 seconds, to the people of this city, thank you for coming out, but don't just come out on the controversial issues. We need you here when the business is going forward. >> Thank you. Our next speaker is Ty Edwards followed by Patrice Jones followed by Bob Willoughby. Good evening everyone. My name is Tanishia Edwards. I'm a native of Fort Worth growing up in the historic community of Stop 6. For the past 15 years, I've lived quietly in District 10 until now. In light of the recent surprising and disturbing events in this very place, I felt compelled to come speak to the mayor and fellow council members about my concerns. I want to speak to you about accountability that comes with your authority and the duty that comes with the power. The position that you hold was not a birthright. Your bottom was not attached to that chair when you were born. This is a position that you asked for. It is a position that you campaigned for. So, while you're in the seat that you asked for, you're expected to perform at a higher standard than which you recently showed. Mayor Parker, I was highly disturbed by your outburst during the last council meeting and even more disappointed when you shared your excuse for your behavior. The excuse being she triggered me. And respectfully, Mayor, your triggers and apparent inability to control your emotions are not my concern. That is a personal matter that would be better served in the discussion with a mental health professional rather than being resonated in public comment during a council meeting. Now, please don't misunderstand my position. I did hear your admission. It was very unnecessary. Basically, a deflection. See, we know you said it because we heard you said it. We heard you say it. It was on TV. Now when you take accountability for your actions then you will be being a mayor for all of the people. See your trigger was a woman who exercised her right to come speak to you as we are invited to do. She was at the right place at the right time speaking to the right people. The only wrong was you. It was very distasteful, disrespectful and highly unprofessional. And in my opinion, there will be no forum which you would be allowed to use this public place for your personal agenda, especially to ignite division among citizens who are already struggling under the laughable lackluster leadership in the White House. Now, your ego, pride, and privilege may never allow you to apologize to the individual Patrice Jones who you offended. But please know that we were all offended and affected. So apologize. >> Next speaker is Patrice Jones, followed by Bob Willoughby. >> Mr. Willoughby would followed by Irma Holt and then Barbara Brewer. This past Sunday, October the 12th, marked six years since Fort Worth lost Atiana Jefferson, a bright, compassionate young woman whose life was stolen in the place where she should have been the safest, her own home. Her death shook our city and our conscience, and that pain remains. Other families in Fort Worth have faced similar heartbreak, losing loved ones to the hands of those sworn to protect and serve us. Their names may not have made headlines, but their stories mattered, their lives mattered. Each one represents a life cut short, a mother's cry unanswered, and a community's trust betrayed. To the families who have endured this pain, we stand with you. We will not forget and we will keep fighting until justice lives in Fort Worth. Not just in words or symbolic gestures, but in actions and policy. Tonight we remember a Tatiana Jefferson and every soul taken too soon. May their memories guide us toward healing and may their light continue to lead the way. I also want to remember George Floyd on what would have been his 52nd birthday. And I would like to stand here in moment of silence for all the victims of the Fort Worth Police Department and across the world. It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains. It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains. All power to the people. >> Our next speaker is Bob Willoughby. Mr. Willoughby be followed by Irma Hol and then Barbara Brewer. >> Well, let's hold the video till next week's uh Hold the video. It was cut short. I didn't make it long on purpose. Hold the video. Let's save it for next week's council. Oh, wait a minute. Next week's council meeting, we don't have a public comment on it. It's been taken away by Mayor Parker. We don't have it no more. We used to have it four times a four times a month. We barely have it one time a month. So, the next comment meeting, whether it's next month or next year when we have one, we'll play the video then. And if anybody wants to see the video, you can see it then because what's going on now is more important. I have an issue with the police. Great video. I do have an issue with the police. But you know what's more important than the police? Free speech. When you lose free speech, you don't have anything. That is the most rottenest thing a mayor can do to a city is take away free speech other than lie about the citizens like you did about me. Mayor, you sit there and barefaced lie and said I cursed at kids in a city hall meeting. It's on tape. That's why it's on the side of my car. Mayor Parker, two-faced liar. Oh, you know how many pictures I get taken of that? People cool up and they smile and they love it. They honk. They like it. You know what I always tell people when they come up and they see it. I say me and the mayor just like that. You know, she loves me. You know, no free speech. All you got to do is put back the regular agenda that was here before you came in here. You took an oath to serve and you took away our right to speak. It's what you did right away. You cut down. This is one of the growing cities and you took away two council. This is not a council meeting. This is a comment meeting. This is a social meeting. Council meeting is next week. The difference between this meeting and next week is a council meeting is where business is conducted. We are the city. We pay you. We should be involved and you kicked us out. You know what I asked you when you first set up there to see if you were real or not. First thing I asked you cuz our council meeting come meeting used to be on the bottom of the agenda. Other cities were on top. We were on the bottom. Treated like garbage. I said, "Mayor, so let's see if you're going to be a real mayor. Move it to the top of the agenda. Don't take but a minute and show that you care about the people." You know what you did, mayor? Yeah. Hey, you took it to the top and right on out the roof. No, none at all. Now, you know, over at the commissioner's court, I was there today. That's something I've asked y'all if I got time here real quick. I've asked you to take You see, you kept your uh announcements and comment. I call it the celebrity council show. We all got to watch that for 30 minutes. And the girl is talking about Crane saying something about Don't Don't worry about Crane saying words about you. He can't help it. He called me a so he can't help it. But anyway, move your announcements and comments. >> I I know I'm not ignorant. So, um not to be confused with people that think you are ignorant to uh thank you for your service because I realize what you go through um your personal life is not personal anymore once you choose to to serve us the citizens. Fort Worth has grown from an army outpost in 1849, that was 175 years ago, to a city that is now the 11th largest in the United States of America. The good news is last year more than 10 million people came to see what we have, which is that western heritage, where a man's word is his bond. They took in the history of Fort Worth and um and I think that we should all be so proud of that. We shouldn't be separated from that. We should embrace that and be pr proud of our history. Fort Worth has been recognized recently with many accolades. One of which is the repurposing of this building here. So, congratulations to each of you that saw this be repurposed. I know that each of you makes a sacrifice. Again, I want to say thank you and I want us to continue as citizens of Fort Worth to help you set an example, an example of the cowboy way, an example of the Fort Worth. And thank you. Our next speaker is Mindia Whittier, followed by Amanda Estrada, then Bishop Kirkland, who's a part of a group. Mindia Whittier. The mayor recently held a meeting of pastors to mobilize a spiritual battle for the city. That's a fascinating rhetorical choice because it indicates black folks are viewed as the enemy since that's the community calling for the accountability that the mayor feels she needs to be defended against. Here's the interesting thing about Jesus. since he's invoked here to join us tonight. He's not only remembered for his compassion, he was also a fierce and courageous trutht teller who repeatedly denounced injustice, hypocrisy, and systems of oppression. So, what God has called on me to say is that being radically anti-racist and speaking truth to power is literally the most spiritfilled thing that any of us could do here tonight. So, here goes. Missouri 1855. An enslaved black woman named Celia killed her in slaver after repeated sexual assaults. White women testified against Celia, portraying her as vindictive. Alabama 1944. A black woman, Reissi Taylor, was kidnapped and raped by six white men. White women publicly discredited her, accusing Reissi of being immoral and dishonest. North Carolina, 1974. A black woman, Joan Little, was raped by her white jailer and killed him in self-defense. White women from conservative groups publicly accused her of fabricating the rape and framed her as dangerous. Texas 2025. Patrice Jones, a black woman, made comments at a city council meeting. The mayor, a white woman, turned the council chambers into a court of law. Patrice was accused of a crime, denied due process, and convicted in the court of public opinion with no evidence. There is a long history of white women accusing black women of crimes and attacking their character with no evidence to humiliate and endanger them physically legally socially and economically. If there is credible evidence of who placed that casket three years ago, it should have been handled through the proper legal channels, not as an accusation in a meeting based on gossip. And now you have the audacity to play victim when the community seeks accountability. In the words of Tamara Renee, accountability only feels like an attack when you're not ready to acknowledge how your behavior harms others. So, I'm calling on the mayor to make an official public statement on city letterhead that it was wrong to turn a public meeting into a courtroom and accuse Patrice Jones of a terroristic threat. Sands evidence. Make a fullthroated apology. It's literally the most anti-racist thing you can do. May you find your better angel, Mayor Parker. [Applause] Our next speaker is Amanda Estrada, followed by Bishop Kirkland and Mr. And Bishop Kirkland does have a group followed by Emily Millian. Good evening. My name is Amanda Shrada and I'm a proud charter school parent at Harmony Public Schools and a Fort Worth Families Forward parent leader. I want to begin by thanking Councilwoman Dr. Mia Hall for taking the time to visit our campus at Harmony Science Academy for Worth Middle School in District 6. Um it means a lot to our community to see you engaging with our students, staff, and parents. Um, we also appreciate your support in addressing our traffic safety concerns and helping ensure we have crossing guards so our students can arrive safely. Thank you for listening and taking action on that. It we really appreciate it. I would also like to extend an invitation to Councilwoman Beck um to visit our Harmony Science Academy elementary campus in District 9. We'd love the opportunity to host you and introduce you to our school community. Finally, I encourage all council members to visit the charter schools located in your districts. These visits are a great way to connect with families, learn more about our schools, and see firsthand the charter schools are public schools serving Fort Worth students. Thank you for your time. I appreciate you, >> Bishop Kirkland. And if you're here with Bishop Kirkland, if you just stand for a moment, we'll recognize you. And Bishop, you do have six minutes. Thank you for being here. Thank you, Bishop. Floor is yours. Bishop will be followed by Emily Million. Then Nadia Cardinius. I >> heard a man quote uh Mark Twain. I too will quote Mark Twain. Mark Twain said there are two Americas. One that set is captive free and one that captives is free. The real problem is that you think you could tell us anything and we could just go along with it. Executive Order 14149 restoring freedom of speech and ending federal censorship. signed by President Trump on January 20th, 2025. Section 2C ensures that no tax resources are used to engage in facilitate in any conduct that would unconstitutionally a bridge freedom of speech for any American citizen. If you don't want to hear the citizen that don't agree with you, that don't dance to your music, or that don't drink the Kool-Aid, then resign. Take your ball and go home. There will be heat in this kitchen. People aren't always happy with me when I come to city hall and say, "You did it right." But I live with it. Listen and hear me well. I played a little silly games with you. was your play pen or I call it your horse and pony show. I always refer to the mayor as mayor Parker. I refer to county judge as judge O'Hara. It's my military bearing. But these young folk are not having it. I play the game with you just to play the game. But when little egotistical Napoleon syndrome tiny Tim throw a fit and calls me anything but Bishop Kirkland, the gloves come off. I don't play with black, brown, or white folk. And I don't let them play with me. You cannot talk to Ro Bramfield, Dante Williams, Pamela Young, Patrice Jones any kind of way and expect them not to respond to you. Rounds will be coming down range. Look, some days you eat grapes, but other days you have to eat raisins. Some days you drink the lemonade. Some days you got to eat the tart lemon. Quit bitching and complaining and just eat. I get it. You see what's happening on the national stage. So you come to the funk trying that y a master trash. Just whatever foolishness that you throw at us, we're supposed to digest it and just be okay with it. Governor Abbott banned the tension of critical race theory and adopted involuntary relocation. How in the Sam Hill hell are we supposed to teach our children that trash? Let me help you out. We no longer scratch where we don't itch. We don't laugh when ain't a damn thing funny. We don't sit around waiting for crumbs to fall from the master's table. We will not accept crumbs or crumpets pretending that it's bread. Those days are long gone. And before I be your slave, I'll be sleeping in my grave. Respect is not a one-way street, nor is it a culde-sac. It's not a closed vestable. Respect is a two-way thoroughare. If you want respect, you must give it. You throw a rock and then when one get thrown back at you, you crop out. Just in case you haven't received the memo, we not sleep no more. We woke. Dr. King was dreaming, but we woke now. We woke like Nack Turner, Huie Newton, Bobby Steel, Quasi Bloomberg, Madam Georgia, Marcus Garvey, Angela Davis, the honorable Mr. Lewis Farrakan. Dreams of sleepers. We passed all that passive resistance trash. Don't fire at us and we won't fire at you. Don't clap at us because we will clap back. I'm tired. I'm a retired Marine. I slept under the stars of the creators. I ate what dogs wouldn't eat sometimes. And I only stand here because I have a God-given right because I earned that right. I am like Amelia Sapata. I would rather die on my feet than to live on my knees. Yeah, we mad. We mad as hell. We mad about Tatiana Jefferson, Sandra Blend, Anthony Johnson Jr., Dante Wright, Eric Gardner, Eric Brown, uh George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Bolton John, Chassity Bonner. We mad about the Philadelphia massacre. We mad about the Wington, North Carolina massacre. We mad about Hamburgg, South Carolina. We mad about Tulsa. Hell, we just plain damn mad. And we tired of officers like John Ramos and the Courtney Johnson's and the Aaron Deans that have desecrated our city and have held my village in bondage. If you want us to play fair, if you want us to act responsible, then damn it, you play fair and you act responsible first because ownership and responsibility and accountability, it starts at the top and then it roll down the hill. If you don't want to hear the citizens, if you don't want to hear what they have to say, you enjoy all your perks that you get with being a council woman, a city manager or a mayor, you get all of the perks that you get. If you could accept those perks in good honesty, then take it when somebody jumping your behind. [Applause] >> Our next speaker is Emily Millian. Emily Millian will be followed by Nadia Cardinz and then Father William Winston. Good evening, Mayor Parker and city council members. My name is Emily and I'm a proud lifelong uh resident of Fort Worth. I'm here tonight because I care deeply about transparency, accountability, and respect between city leadership and the people they represent. Before 2021, residents could share their concerns at every city council meeting. But in 2022, that changed. Public comment opportunities were cut from 21 per year to just 10. That's less than once a month for people to speak directly to those who are making decisions about our city. Public comment is one of the few ways everyday's reticence can be heard, and reducing access sends the wrong message. At a time when free speech is being restricted across the country, Fort Worth should be expanding access, not limiting it. We've also seen recent examples that make restoring public trust even more urgent. During a recent meeting, as many of have have mentioned, Mayor Parker, told a community member, Patrice Jones, a black woman speaking before this council, "Patrice, I still have your casket." Regardless of intent or context, that remark came across as threatening and deeply inappropriate, especially coming from a sitting mayor who recently signed a letter condemning political violence. It's understandable that residents saw this as intimidation and it reflects painful histories that cannot be ignored. That's why I'm asking this C council to take three steps. Publicly apologize to Patrice Jones for the harm and intimidation caused by what by what you said. Restore public comments before every regular meeting so residents can speak at all 20 scheduled sessions each year. Deliver justice for a Tatiana and Jefferson by establishing a truly independent police oversight board with subpoena power. A truly inclusive city listens to its people and ensures that every voice can be heard safely and on the record. Thank you. Our next speaker is Nadia Cardinius followed by Father William Winston. Good evening. My name is Nidia Cardinas and I live in District 3. I'm here to talk about public comment, but before I do, I want to address what happened at the last meeting. Mayor Parker, when you said to Patrice Jones, "I still have your casket, you crossed a dangerous line. We need to talk about who gets to be seen as a victim and who gets labeled a perpetrator because unfortunately that often depends on race. Research shows white victims are humanized by being shown with family and friends and receive nearly four times more sympathetic coverage than black victims. Black victims are devalued and their harm minimized. Mindy and Sabrina in their comments represented that when a black woman is threatened in this chamber, we need to ask who do we instinctively see as needing protection? Who do we perceive as threatening? These aren't abstract questions. The answers shape whether threats are taken seriously or dismissed. This dynamic has been on full display since that last meeting, and it matters. As the leader of our city, you have to do better. And you can do better by apologizing. Now, to why I'm really here. You recently cut public comment time, and many of you said there are more effective ways for community members to provide input. But how do we know that input is being heard? How do we know it's being discussed? How do we know what you're hearing at all? This is where psychology comes in. Even smart, capable people fall prey to what's called availability bias. It's the human tendency to make decisions while relying on information that comes readily to mind. Without actual systems and transparency, you're vulnerable to remembering the loudest voices, the most recent conversations, or the people you already know and like. That's not your fault. It's how human brains work. But exa it's exactly why we need processes that disrupt bias. Without public comment, how do you know you're hearing from everyone, not just the people who have your cell phone number? So, what does better look like? Let me offer some concrete suggestions. As someone who attends your public meetings and contributes my multicolored stickers and post-its and my ideas when the staff is gathering them. First, transparency in your existing channels. Each council member could share a summary in their district newsletter. Here's what we heard this month. Here are the asks from stakeholders. Simple as that. Now, we all know what you're hearing. Second, let your staff be smart. I've met some of them. You've hired really capable, creative people, but are you actually letting them use those skills? Could we accept audio or voice memo submissions and use technology on the back end to transcribe and tag the input? Suddenly, we've expanded who can contribute here. Here's what it comes down to. Transparency and accountability. When you cut public comment and tell us there are other ways to engage, you're asking us to trust our voices matter without showing us the evidence. You're asking us to believe decisions reflect community input without letting us see what the input is you received. That's not how trust is built. Public comment is the one space where we can all see and hear each other and everyone knows what's said. It's what separates governance from just making choices behind closed doors. Let's make public engagement a reality in Fort Worth, not a performance. Our next speaker is Father William Winston, followed by Dolores Yam Laza. I am so I am Father William Winston. I live in District 9. I'm a retired Episcopal priest. So, first I want to thank you for inviting Mercy Culture Church to attend this meeting and to cover us all with their prayers. I think this is an important precedent and I hope that the next community comments meeting will have another specifically invited church or denomination, synagogue, mosque, temple or shrine to cover us with their prayers. It's it's gratifying to know that you see the religious and spiritual communities of Fort Worth to be essential to our unity, our progress, and our overall health and our successes. As an Episcopalian, I was intrigued that you chose the acknowledged Christian nationalist flagship congregation in Fort Worth to be the first church specifically invited to community comments since my own denomination was the unofficial national church of the United States of America from 1776 until around 1960. Fort Worth's diverse religious traditions go back to the earliest days of this magnificent city. Our American Indian heritage is even remembered in the Calgur Hall of Fame in honor of principal Cherokee Chief Wilma Mankiller who was a personal friend of mine. The meat plants brought the workers from Eastern Orthodox nations. Many of our bankers and merchants came here from Jewish communities. Fort Worth has always had a vital and vigorous Hispanic community and their strong Roman Catholic culture and celebrations. And since Texas was a slave state, we have always had a faithful black community. Most recently, a significant and diverse Eastern Asian, Western Asian, and Southern Asian community has come into Fort Worth, bringing new cultures, new food, and the third most spoken language in Texas. And at the center of much of the settlement and development uh and character in Fort Worth has been those of us who are Anglo-Americans. But all these things point to one extremely important point. Just as we have embraced the national motto in God we trust and are united in the solemn belief that there is no God but God, we must also look back to an older national motto eurabus unum from many one. It's essential for you as a city council to make sure that as many of our voices are heard by you. Please restore the number of these meetings to 21. I know it's boring, but it's part of what you signed up for by running for and by winning the public office you hold. >> We must all be mutually responsible and interdependent, and you must make sure that this mosaic of people, religions, and cultures and political ideologies. Thank you. >> Our next our next speaker is Dolores Lamazos. Dolores will be followed by Gerald Bank, senior. >> Is Dolores here? No. Gerald Banks, Senior. I've not seen Mr. Banks, I don't think. Wesley Kirk. Wesley Kirk will be followed by Alex Scott. My name is Wesley Kirk and I've been asked to read this letter on behalf of a city of Fort Worth employee because in today's political climate they are afraid to speak openly in defense of terms like inclusivity, equity, and diversity. Quote, "Dear council, mayor, and city manager, over the past month, I have been part of the large effort to remove diversity and inclusion language from our web pages, branding, and city messaging. This has been one of the most disheartening responsibilities many of us have faced in our time with the city. Not only because it conflicts with our personal values, but because these principles are woven into the very fabric of what Fort Worth has stood for for decades. We have spent hundreds of hours meticulously combing through city pages to flag these terms at your request. The search feels endless. And as we continue to find gray areas containing words like business equity and employee inclusiveness, at the same time we have been asked to dismantle diversity inclusion department while still maintaining the programs it supported such as the beloved movies that matter series. With the diversity inclusion department gone, the resources to sustain this programming have disappeared. Yet we are expected to figure it out. The Employees Value Committee is now overwhelmed and uncertain about how to plan for next year's events. Black History Month, Pride Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and more. Will these two be dismantled? Are our efforts to celebrate our shared heritage now in jeopardy? Recently, I attended meetings discussing the eraser of one of the city's six core values, diversity. We have an entire video series on the city's uh website titled Diversity Matters. What would become what will become of these stories and the decades of work that went into them? Must we now hide this history indefinitely? I left that meeting in tears. I love Fort Worth and I'm proud to work for this city, but I feel compelled to tell you how deeply this decision is affecting employees, those who bring your policies to life and make this city's vision possible. Many of my co-workers share this disappointment and heartbreak. According to our employee statistics, 62% of our general workforce is non-white. Erasing diversity and inclusion department sends a message that their experiences and perspectives no longer matter. I want to close by thanking the city council members who voted against dismantling the diversity and inclusion department and chose to stand on the right side of history. Sincerely, a disheartened city employee and a concerned Fort Worth citizen. I see uh Mr. Banks is here. Mr. Banks will be followed by Alex Scott and then said Dowy Bank Senior District 5. Evening. Back in May and June, I spoke that the city of Fort Worth has to make some changes and it starts right here with you, mayor and council members. The admiration towards one another should be impeccable, but it's not. And it shows. Well, well, well. Here we are months later and calling on prayer as if people haven't been praying every meeting >> before it starts. It's not going to take prayer. It's going to take you as a body of people to settle your differences and put aside your egos and self-pity. We know you. We know your job is not easy and can be stressful, but you signed up for to take on this challenge. So, put down the shameful act and pull up to those seats and do business like the citizens of this community voted you in for. making changes to silence the community is not opening to help me not going to help or hide what's really going on in this city. Even though it's not peaches and cream with with the cherry on top like some folks would like to think. We live with the good and the bad while making it a better and safer place to live. And cutting down on the speaking time is not going to change that. We need to be in that workshop speaking on the agenda items as I have stated in the past. But you act like you don't hear me on that. If you don't if you sit if you set the rules not to speak back to an individual or stay on topic, conduct yourselves to your same rules and don't be a fool. Always remember they're watching you. I'd like to take this moment just to say it's a lot of people been speaking in here. Y'all ought to take note. Take heed to what's being said. Do what you got to do to straighten this city up, but straighten yourselves up first. Appreciate you listen. Our next speaker is Alex Scott followed by Said Dowy. and then DA Patterson. >> Hey y'all. Um my name is Alex Scott. Um I'm your neighbor in Dallas actually. Um I drove all the way over here to um just comment on what's going on and also kind of reorient um y'all's responsibility as public servants. um when you chose to take up this responsibility, you chose to speak and to act on behalf of the constituents um that voted for you and even those that didn't. Um it requires an extreme amount of humility and realizing that when people come up here and provide their public comment, it's because they do want you to succeed. They do want you to make the right decisions for the people of this city. And to hear that being triggered was an excuse to choose words that most likely you completely ignored for two minutes three weeks ago and take that opportunity to get the last word in. does not display the meekness of what it takes to be a leader of the 11th largest city in the United States. Um, and I'm not here today to ask for an apology from anyone. Um, because you're not sorry and that's okay. Any type of apology from here on out, it would be empty. It would be littered with false comments honestly. But there is an opportunity to reflect, take accountability, ownership and responsibility and say, "Hey, what's happened? It's not okay. What I did that is not a display of who I am as a character, and what I will do moving forward is X, Y, and Z." You don't have to apologize. And coming from um a family who had apologies as that's a way to lose. Um apologizing is not you saying that you lost. It's you saying that I'm willing to put aside anything to reconstruct a relationship that I chose to to to not mend essentially. Um, I believe in public service. I believe in the ability to evolve based off of feedback that's provided to you. And this is an opportunity to change the perception of the public and I highly encourage you in whatever way that you go to be intentional about it. Um, anyways, thank you. Our next speaker is said Dowy followed by Derica Patterson and then Manuel Mada. Hello, I am Said Dowy. I reside in District 3. Unfortunately, I became disillusioned with Fort Worth City Council before these meetings were even in this room. However, I'm here tonight to re-engage my civic duty of addressing my city council members. I'm here to support Patrice and Patrice's message about the city council public comment suppression by this committee that sits in this room. On 9:30, Patrice Jones was publicly threatened by Maddie Parker in this very room saying, "Patrice, I have your casket." This is it has always been stated by our mayor and our council, "This is not a discussion. There will be no responses." And our mayor chose that Patrice public comment as the opportunity to attack a black woman. Maddie can pass this off as a heat of a moment or a mama bear protector moment. But what this is is she is using parenthood to own and her own children as a shield for a deflection. As a parent, I resent this and your statement is a scapegoating accountability for your actions. Maddie, attacking a black woman is violent, but this seems like something uh a version of violence that you are unwilling to recognize, and I'm not sure why that that is unclear. Following the city council meeting, Mattie chose to dig her heels in. I see that Mattie and Tim O'Hare called upon the leadership of Mercy Church, which aligns themselves with white Christian nationalism, to rally here tonight at city council. Maddie called upon her fascist church connections instead of taking accountability for a sincere public apology that she owes Patrice and all black women. Frankly, Patrice was here speaking about the suppression of public comment. I was doing my own research on Maddie. Um, and she's been slowly chipping away at the amount of public time that we get to speak with you. The last time I was here at city council, we had 21 opportunities. I was there every time for years. Now we only have 10. Suppressing contact with you with your constituents for 30 minutes per year is unjustifiable. All of you are elected here to listen to our comments and concerns. I'm not sure why you wanted to be elected if you don't like to fulfill the duties of your job. I read a quote from one of you saying that there is no solutions that are offered at public comment. I disagree with this. I've heard solutions here in the past and right now tonight. But if you don't think that there are solutions here, then okay. Our job is to be here and tell you what our concerns are and we're doing that. That is our end of the bargain. It is your job to find solutions. So please do that. Our next speaker is Derica Patterson followed by Manuel Mada and then Arcila Chavez. >> Hi, it's Derkica. You wouldn't know that though because you don't come down to District 6 with us. So, um I'm Derkica Patterson and I'm a homeowner and the president of the Rainbow Ridge HOA in District 6. When I first moved to this area bordering Crowley, it reminded me of when my mother moved us to Arlington when I was 9 years old. Trees, peace, and potential. Much like back then, I saw opportunity here. Unfortunately, that potential has stalled. Houses were built, but the investment stopped there. McFersonson is thriving, yes, but our immediate neighborhoods are being left behind. It feels as though Southwest Fort Worth has become an afterthought. Our area deserves the same intentional development and city resources as other parts of the city. For instance, the developer of our neighborhood entered into an agreement with the city and paid into a fund for the redevelopment of Whitfield Park. Today, that park still consists of only one gazebo, two tables, and a walking trail. No lights, by the way. So when most residents get off of work, it is too dark and unsafe to use. And because of the lack of lighting, the park has become a hot spot for suspicious and illegal activity. What appears to be a sex trade, honestly, because when we go to do our litter stomp, that is a part of the keep Fort Worth beautiful. We're picking up condoms used, by the way. Now, I I heard earlier uh Leah King mentioned that Trinity Trails is getting upgrades for comfortability, and we can't get lights for safety. That's concerning. >> As a mother and active community member, this is unacceptable. We came here believing this was a growing, familyfriendly, and upand cominging community. But the reality is families are disappointed and many of them are ready to leave. My own husband is actively searching for a new city, not just area. Not because we don't love Fort Worth, but because we feel forgotten by it. I also want to address the growing juvenile activity in our area. Lording, trespassing, fighting. I don't want our kids criminalized. I want them to be supported. But when officers are responding saying there's nothing we can do in front of those kids, it only emboldens them. These are preventable problems. Idle minds are the devil's playground. We mean we need more city-led youth programming right here in our own neighborhoods. Partner with our local schools, the YMCA, the community centers to create mentorship and recreation opportunities that redirect our youth towards something positive. We've taken our own action and created resources for the children that we post on our mailboxes, but that's not our responsibilities because we pay you guys to do that. So, I heard that you said there's no solutions offered. The ball is in your court. >> Our next speaker is Manuel Mada, followed by Arcelia Chavez and Peter Irvin. >> My name is uh Manuel Mata. And um I'm kind of confused because Miss Parker and Edos, weren't y'all both held in contempt for being sworn in as possible witness during pre-trial hearings surrounding the defense team's motion for a change of venue, making them subject to gag orders. Y'all were willing to understand public comments and your right to speak when you're emotionally driven, but when it comes to us, it's a dead issue. Janette, you marched with us and held the f the cop sign. And for you to forget about that is crazy. >> Crazy, man. And where where you at? Nah, never mind, man. From now on, I'm tired of this where y'all get your feelings in a bunch and y'all forget professional, right? Cuz let me let me read something to you, right? It's called Darvo. Deny attack, reverse victim and offender, right? So there's two main components to this. Psychological projection is a defense mechanism where a person unconsciously attributes their own unacceptable feelings or traits to another person. An abusive persons may accuse their victim of being crazy or unstable to avoid confronting their own internal issues. Now, victim mentality. This is a broader pattern where a person fabricates or exaggerates their victimhood to get attention, manipulates others or avoids responsibility. Why not all instances involve provoking conflicts? It is a core component of reactive abuse. Now you want to call a church I used to worship Satan. And for you to call demons to come protect you, that's crazy. And I know the difference because I followed Satan faithfully for 15 years of my life. So I know how their habits are. I know how they speak. That's why I come and say, "People, beware of wolves in sheep clothing. >> I am not afraid of nobody. You do not fear me. you do not uh have pause because none of y'all are able to put yourselves in our mother effing shoes. >> So remember that next time you want to sit high above, remember that y'all are standing on our shoulders for being there. And I'm and I I was going to a aggravate the police, but this is more important. >> Speaker is Arcela Chavez. Area Chavez followed by Peter Irvin. Is Arcella here? >> Chavez. No. Peter Irvin. Peter Irvin. And then Peter will be followed by Richard Perez. Hello, my name is Peter Irvin. I live in District 6. Mayor Matt. Uh, it came to my attention recently that Mayor Maddie Parker, a white woman, recently said to Patrice Jones, a black woman, "Patrice, I still have your casket. I find it interesting that the leader of our minority majority city feels bold enough to imply that her constituents may be lying about receiving clanstyle white supremacist threats. Any attempt to deflect or deny this is a bald-faced lie. Shame, shame, shame on you. It is 2025. When I say it is time for y'all to abandon your hate, y'all means all. I would love to think this is an isolated incident, but there are other subtle ways this failure of leadership manifests. There is a subsidized low-income apartment building planned to be built next to my neighborhood near the Risinger Risinger Police Station. Now, I agree with the idea that mixed income neighborhoods are good for society. They humanize the rich and poor alike and create self-sufficient, compassionate communities. However, why is this project planned where I live, a place that is not a wealthy area? Is it because the wealthy white people of Arlington Heights, etc., don't want to see poor people walking around Sprouts? The time is long past due that the whole community mixed together and not only poor families with slightly less poor families. Miss Mayor, prove to me and the citizenry that you are not a classist white supremacist. My demands are these. Number one, restore public comments at every city council meeting. It is your job to listen to us whine and complain. And I think it is ridiculous that the council has voted to cut down their job responsibilities. That is not something I get to do at my place of work. You should not be able to do the same. My second demand is that Mayor Maddie Parker publicly apologize to Patrice Jones, who you have wronged with your words. And my final demand is to uh relocate the subsidized low-income housing project near the Risinger Police Station to another neighborhood that can better afford to bear the cost of this subsidy. Have a day. >> Our next speaker is Richard Perez followed by Pastor John Reid. Is Mr. Perez present? Richard Perez, followed by Pastor John Reid. Pastor Reed will be followed by Payton Jackson. Good evening, mayor and council members. I had a a speech, but I've been sitting in the back and I'm saying the reaction from different folks. Some are things they like, they they go against, they shake their heads. I want to speak from the heart tonight. I'm I wonder what would Jesus do right now. Is Jesus proud of what's going on tonight? When you go home, each and every last one of us, take a moment and look in the mirror and ask yourself, "What would Jesus do? Is this the way that Jesus want us to act? I would never bring my kids to this council chamber. We have kids in here and we're acting the way we're acting. It was some things said the last council meeting I think was wrong. And it take a big person to say I'm sorry. We all make mistakes. We as pastors, we sit up in the pull pit Sunday after Sunday and we tell our congregation to do what thus said the Lord, but we come inside this hill chamber and we can't even be kind to one another. I know what I'm saying is on going on one ear and coming out the other, but at the end of your time, everything we do, he's going to pull that curtain back and everybody holler, Lord, Lord, will not enter those gates. You called our mercy. church don't speak for walls of Jericho Deliverance Church. >> Now, if you would have called, you should have called all the churches. Mayor, >> come on now. >> That's what should have took place. All the churches should have got called. We all going to always be divided because we put one person above another person, one church above another church. Until we come together, we going to forever be divided. And it's up to y'all up on that dice to bring us together. But when you can't get along, how you expect for us to act, when you backbiting each other, you're smile in each other face. And when you get in that car, you'll call and talk about folks. I'm I'm I'm I'm disappointed. >> Pton Jackson. >> Our next speaker is Payton Jackson followed by Donna Floyd. >> Good afternoon, council. Whenever we aren't quick to follow, we have the privilege of factchecking. One of my speeches was re recently misqued miserably and without my permission. and I just wanted to show up and clear the air. A few years ago, once I realized that I was extremely passionate about public speaking, I sat back after real realizing that I was wrong about housing and I decided to come out and race bait. Now, if that isn't bad enough, within that race bait, I decided to take a piece of someone's history, a piece of their history that they were vulnerable enough to share with the public that they were serving. In my speech, I said that Mayor Parker had a friend, a part of a KKK family. But what I did not say, what I omitted from my speech was that her family got that boy emancipated from his family. Parker comes from a family of heroes and the fact that I came out and I told the halftruth Mayor Parker yet again, I genuinely apologize for what I did to you. I've apologized plenty of times, but I'm woman enough to do it again today. Moving forward, happy birthday to Charlie Kirk. But we are beyond the time of condemning political violence. We are now at the forefront of admitting that political harassment is a part of that. Y'all don't get paid enough to do city council. You for sure don't get paid enough to be harassed at church, especially over a vote. And this is coming from someone who is wellversed in city council in the metroplex. Fort Worth is still leading this metroplex in regard to public comment. For instance, in Dallas, our public comment is at 9:00 in the morning on a Wednesday. But at least they take the speakers first, right? Wrong. They take the first five speakers, then they move on with their agenda, then they take a three-hour intermission like it is the Kasa mñana, and then they come back for the executive session, and then they go back to the speaker list around 2 or 3:00, completely inaccessible, not only to the working class, but to any parent fighting a car line at 3:00. But now that that's settled, we're going to talk about this casket. There's members within this community that know the truth of who placed that casket. Yet, you remain silent. Chris, tell the public, tell the people, tell the council that your mistress placed that casket in front of this woman's house. Go ahead. Go ahead. That's the problem, though. Far too many pastors who refuse to believe in judgment day and even more congregations refusing to fact check. Mayor Parker. >> Our next speaker is Donna Floyd followed by Chris Tacket with Chris is also has a group and then Christa Daniels. >> Miss Floyd. >> No outburst from the audience, please. Miss Floyd, >> I'm Donna Floyd. Um, I don't have a speech written because I really pretty much believe um that I stand with my mayor and our city council that our actions um our busyiness, our work, our steadfastness are working hard to make this city a better place for the the people who live here speak a lot louder than our words. Nine years ago, I founded a nonprofit called Justin's Place out of the life of a kid who came into our lives when he was 15 years old and his family had fallen apart. We attempted to put his family's life back together and we failed. So, he was ours and we were his. We grew him up. He graduated from high school, went on to play football, and graduated from college in four years. He now lives self-sufficiently independent of poverty in Denver, has a great job. Um, out of his life, we've created a body of work called Justin's Place that walks with single moms, um, to become self-sufficient, skill equipped, um, engaged and ready to accept wage sustaining careers and live independently on their own. that body of work um worked hard to raise $10.5 million with the support of this council, this city, thousands of volunteers, thousands of donors to make a difference in single mother's lives um by building a stable living property for them. Um today it is open and 11 single mother families call it home. Um, it's the action that matters in this city and that's what makes our city so great. That's what makes our mayor worthy of respect. That's what makes our city a great place to be and a great place to live. Justin's place is God's work. It came straight from him. Every bit of it is for him. It's not mine. I'm just a vessel he uses to do it. It's a good work in this city like many other great works that Mayor Parker and this council has supported not just with funding but with support of being there. Chris Nettles and Mayor Parker at my um ribbon cutting when we opened our property in May, I mean March, sorry. Um anyways, I want to say thank you to each one of you. Um for your time, for your selflessness, for what you give. Um I want to thank your families, your spouses, everyone who gets less of you because we get more of you. Um I'm forever grateful. Thank you. Our next speaker is Chris Tacket. Um followed by Christa Daniels. if you're here with Mr. Tacket's group, if you'll just stand really briefly and then we'll proceed with six minutes. Thank you, Christa Daniels, and then Stephen It is all right. So, I watched the September 30th council meeting where we reduced or passed the calendar for what was coming in 2026 for public comments. And you can see what's actually happened when you look up on screen where we've been with public comments since 2021. Multiple speakers have talked about the idea that public comments used to be part of all the regular meetings. And you can see we went to 21 meetings in 22 to 17 to 16 to 15 and now what was passed is 10 in 2026. Well, Councilman Lowersdorf, you said, you know, at public comments you you don't hear people bring solutions. So, what I attempted to do was come up with a solution for what we could do to try and I I listened and took notes on what all of you said when you were talking about what happened and and why 10 was the right number. um when Councilman Nettles brought forth 19, working with uh Councilwoman Hall trying to come up with this idea of taking the 10 that were there and then moving nine more into the early council sessions and we heard folks have all the reasons why not. So I I tried to dive in and again really listen to that. Um if we could go to the second one. So, what I did is went into the minutes from every single one of our council meetings so far this year for the regular sessions and the public comment minute uh comment meetings from Gavl in to Gavl out how long each one of those were. And when you look at the 14 that we had the minutes available for, they averaged 109 minutes. So, an hour and 49 minutes for those who can't do base 60, right? Um, when you look at the public comments, the 10 that we had minutes for, they averaged 41 minutes. So, if we actually had public comments folded into our standard meetings, we're talking about two and a half hours of time. And I think the citizens of Fort Worth, I think your time, right, to give two and a half hours to do the the business of the city and still hear the voices of the people doesn't seem like too much to ask. Now, Councilman Flores, I heard you say in that 9:30 meeting that, you know, when we did have these things rolled together that, hey, at the end of a long day, it's one where everybody was ragged, people were leaving to go home that, you know, there just wasn't anything left. And I think having public comments at the end of the meeting when people have no clue when they're going to be speaking, I think that's a problem. So, I think public comments should be at the beginning. and it takes care of that issue and then people can look at the rest of the agenda if they're speaking on agenda items and I think that would be a really good thing. And Councilman Crane, you said, "Look, having to be here on a night like tonight for public comments is an opportunity on a Tuesday night that you can't be out in the community meeting with community or even the idea of not having a meeting like tonight and allowing staff to not have to gear up for another Tuesday night. I I think those are all things that we should keep in mind as we lay together and put together plans. So the next one please. You know, we we have people talk about this idea that when you come to public comments, council members aren't engaged. Council members aren't here. And the reality is I did the same thing. I looked for attendance at the public comment meetings and the regular meetings. When you look at all the regular meetings, five total absences across the 14 meetings this year. It's littered with absences across the public comments. We have some that barely get over 50% of the meetings and others that miss a third. I mean, absences all over the place. So, if you actually want to speak to the full council, you got to go to the regular meetings. And you know what? As it is today, we don't get to. So, next one, please. I I took a look at the calendar and said, 'Look, the city charter says we have to have 44 meetings, right? Regular work sessions and public comments. If we move public comments into our regular sessions and we actually hold 22 of them, two each month except July. We can have public comments. We can get those two and a half hours all the way through. We can have 22 work sessions and this doesn't even count the additional I mean look what you guys have passed today is 51 scheduled meetings not counting seven budget workshops why don't we actually look at the city charter and schedule 44 add the extras add the others on top of that but make sure the people actually have a voice last one look just in summary Right. 44 meetings that meet the city charter versus the 51 you've put. You've put additional burden on this council on this staff. Why are we doing that? 22 chances to speak in public comments. That's better than the 19 Councilman Nettles. So, I hope that's okay. We'll take 22, right? We want to give people back time and we want public comments at the beginning so that you're fresh. You're listening to our voices. Please, let's reconsider what you guys passed on 9:30. Thank you. >> Our next speaker is Christa Daniels, followed by Steven Hello to all of you. and grace be to uh my father which is in heaven. To thine own self be true. I want to him that is able to keep us from falling. One day he's going to present us faultless before the throne with exceeding joy. Why? Because he's the only God. That's the only one that's going to judge us on that day. I woke up to a video that summons preacher pastors to come out and to pray. And the young man said, "Pray for Crane, Mr. Crane, and our mayor." I remember when I worked for Deborah Peoples on a campaign. We were threatened four times. I'm not from here. I'm the widow of the late pastor WG Daniels. I was afraid. I was scared. I didn't know what to do. He called me everything but a child of God. I never heard the word coup. I never heard the word I never heard the word, not those words coming to me. All because I made an executive decision to help my friend Deborah Peoples run. So, did I make a mistake? No. Because I never said to no one who you are to vote for, who you are to help. I never did. all I did. But I did say to Miss Peoples, when we run this campaign, God is going to be first and we're not going to slander nothing and nobody. And if you get out of line, I'm off. And I meant that. But you had so many calls. Now, I am the the chair of the Greater Fort Worth Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Committee. I get a phone call from someone 84 years old on the west side and he told me, I don't even know how he got my number, but he said, "If you do that parade," he said, "I'll find you. I'll hunt you down and I'll kill you." And I said, "What did I do, sir? What did I do?" I said all of that to say this. Listen, the pastor said it best. Everybody in this room deserves a chance to be prayed over. Not just some, >> but everybody. And here I am, scared, and they did nothing. I didn't have nobody coming out praying for me. >> Thank you, Miss Daniels. >> So, what do we do? >> Our next speaker is Steven followed by Cassandra Ewing, followed by Chris Simma. Hello. Good evening. I think it's like the bottom of the ninth. We're almost done here. I hopefully we I'll end on a high note. We got a few more people, I guess. Uh I'm Stephen. I'm a resident of District 9. Um very proud resident of District 9. I wanted to start out by saying how awesome the city hall is. Uh it's I think what a great job uh those involved in building the city hall have done. Uh I've been in the building before, but this is the first time uh speaking to city council. And um this is a building I think that Fort Worth citizens deserve. It's what our city employees, our council and our mayor deserve. I spoke to a city employee not long ago who was so proud of working here. And I loved hearing that. I have a lot of pride for this city. The city has a lot of pride for this city. Um everyone working and living in this city should be proud of the many things we're capable of. And this city hall is is just one of those things. When I think about what we deserve and how we can be proud of our city, I think of city hall as a symbol of our collective voice and a vision of what we can achieve. However, I pause and I wonder if we can be proud if we are not invited to speak here often and share our own vision. There was news this year that we are the 11th biggest city in terms of population. likely we are already number 10 but I question if we are really a top 10 city in other areas if we can be proud that we can be proud of in many cases we have some markings of a top 10 city we have a world-class community here we've seen that tonight we have world-class museums we now have a worldclass university I'm of course talking about Texas A&M not TCU I have to I have to say it as an Aggie though but sadly um we're missing things in this city that we know we can achieve we don't have a central library right now. We don't have an art center that we can be proud of and our visitors can be proud of and now we are limiting the amount of time citizens can speak directly to the council. That doesn't give me a proud feeling and it's not what we deserve. The last couple years I've been motivated to be more civically involved, not sitting on the sidelines or waiting through the cesspool of social media. So, it's discouraging when public comments are limited. It's not only important for the council to hear the citizens, it's important for us to hear each other. It's crucial for us to hear each other. And that's what a leading top 10 city does. That's what we should be doing. Coming back to this chamber in the city hall. People deserve to have their voices heard in this hall. We can be proud of this building. We deserve this building. But that does not mean much if Fort Worthians can't be proudly sharing their voices in it. My suggestions here are simple. Restore public comments in every regular council meeting. Allow for virtual comments during public comments. We all or many of us are working families. We all have jobs. We would love to contribute and communicate with city council when we're working our nineto-fives. And then find innovative ways for community engagement of current meetings uh that are not well attended. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. >> Our next speaker is Cassandra Yuing. Mr. Yuing will be followed by Chris Steimma. Good evening, Mayor Parker, city council members, and fellow residents. My name is Cassandra Yuing, and I stand before you as a proud Southside resident and a recipient of one of the very first Southside Community Gardens nearly five years ago. That garden has fed my family, taught my family the value of growing their own food, and showed me what real community looks like. I'm here to speak not only as a grateful community member, but also on behalf of the founder, Patrice Jones, a woman who has dedicated to improving health, wellness, and civic engagement in one of the most undeserved zip codes in Texas, 76104. Through Southside Community Gardens, dozens of families have been empowered with the tools to grow their own fresh produce, reclaim health, and connect with their neighbors. This is not just about vegetables. It's about justice, dignity, and self-determination. Patrice and her team are doing what so many talk about, but few actually do. They are saving lives and building communities from the ground up. That's why I am deeply concerned and deeply disappointed to witness the public attack and slanderous accusations that have been directed towards Mrs. Jones by Mayor Parker when the highest elected official in our city chooses to weaponize her platform against a community leader. It sends a chilling message to every grassroot organizer, every nonprofit, and every resident who dares to speak truth to power. Words have weight, and when those words come from the mayor's office, they can damage reputations, disrupt funding, dismantle years of trust, and community progress. I asked this council to reflect on what that means for organizations like Southside Community Gardens, organizations that depend on community partnerships, city grants, and the faith of very people they serve. Lastly, I want to speak on the recent decision to reduce public comment time. This is our city, and addressing our elected officials is not a privilege. It is a fundamental part of democracy. Silencing or limiting residents voices, especially those from historically marginalized communities, only deepens the divide between city hall and the people it's meant to serve. I urge this body to remember that leadership requires listening, even when it's uncomfortable, and democracy requires dialogue, not control. On behalf of myself, my neighbors, and hundreds of families touched by Southside Community Gardens, I ask you to do better, not just in words, but in action. Thank you. >> Next speaker is Christina, followed by Dorothy Connelly. Is Chris available? Christa. Chris. No. Dorothy Connelly. That is are you Chris? Okay. Dorothy Connelly and then Jim Dong. >> Good evening, mayor, city council members. I have the privilege of being a father of three and a pastor at Mercy Culture Church. You can call me a part-time a right-wing Christian nationalist, a partial folkike rep. Nate Shatsline, or also Seahawks fan. But I'm here to talk about the direction of Fort Worth. First, I want to thank you for your service and dedication to this city. I came tonight with gratitude and hope for our city because God is doing something special. You see, revival has come to our city of Fort Worth and reformation has started. This is what revival is. It's people encountering Jesus Christ, surrendering their lives to him, and awakening to the truth that he is Lord of all. Hearts are being transformed in our city on a weekly basis. Families are being restored. And lives are being renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit. The bibleelving church is rising, not in anger or fear, but in faith, love, and courage. We're motivated by righteousness and by truth. Proverbs 21:1 says, "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord. He turns it wherever he wishes." I'm thankful that God's hand is guiding the hearts of our leaders in the city, including yourselves. And I pray that his wisdom and the fear of the Lord rest upon every decision that you make. You see, Fort Worth stands at this divine crossroads. With revival has come, but reformation, it requires a choice. We will either uphold what is crooked, agendas that divide and deceive in the name of unity, or we'll stand as reformers who bring heavenly justice, truth, and freedom that comes from God alone. Joshua declared in scripture, "Choose this day whom you will serve, whether the false gods that destroy nations or the Lord, the God of all." You see, today we have an opportunity to choose righteousness and to partner what God is doing in this city. I'm grateful that even the moments of darkness, the light of God continues to shine brighter. To be clear, there's only one way to God and it's through Jesus. And he is the highest authority over the city of Fort Worth. And his goodness, mercy, and justice are advancing here. The bibleelving church is here and here to stay. We're here to stand for righteousness, to establish truth, and to vote in and for righteousness. I give thanks to God because the Bible declares the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. We're here to make it known today. It won't prevail against our city Fort Worth. Thank you. >> Our next speaker is Dorothy Connelly. Dorothy Connelly will be followed by Jim Dong. Is Dorothy available? No. Jim Dong will be followed by Kimberly Lawrence. Good evening. What a night it's been. We hear a whole lot of things, whole lot of different sides. You know, united we stand, divided we fall. And it's so important for people to express their opinions. But when there's hate, derision, strife, malice, and anger, that has no that should have no place here. You can be frustrated. I remember years ago a lady came up crying. She had asked the city to help her and she didn't get any help, but she was pleading, not condemning. And you know what happened? They asked heads of departments to meet with her after the meeting to take care of it. And I hear all of these voices, but if we don't unite, have your opinions, but if it's mixed with hate and anger, there's no place for that. There should be no place for that in this council, in this city, in our lives. That is a choice each one of us needs to make on a second by second basis. We're here. Some of you I probably agree with a whole bunch. Some of you I agree with you maybe a little bit. But we have points of agreement. Why? If we are so partisan in this country, united we stand, divided we fall, and when I hear division coming out of people's hearts, I say, "Oh, they're part of the fall of this city. They're part of the fall of our nation." And that's a travesty. We should be able to have civil discussion, civil um differences of opinion. But when anger, hate, and strife, and division are part of what's coming out of our heart, I challenge each one of us cogently look at yourself, at ourselves, and council. I thank you for standing and sitting during these public speaking times and I say God bless you. Our next speaker is Kimberly Lawrence followed by Carolina Rodriguez. After Miss Rodriguez, it'll be David Martinez. Good evening. My name is Kimberly Lawrence and I live in district 9. Mayor Parker, I wrote out comments to articulate the impact of your unprofessionalism and disrespect toward the citizens of Fort Worth who don't look like you or from whom you don't profit and about how your racism was on full display toward Patrice Jones. And I spent time trying to find words that might affect you. But others here tonight were more articulate and spoke more powerfully than I ever could have. But I also realized something. No matter what I say, it doesn't matter because you're not listening. You made that very clear by reducing public comment, refusing to listen to the people you represent. So instead, I will speak to Patrice Jones and the all of my Fort Worth friends and neighbors who do listen to We the People. Thank you all for the courageous work that you do with professionalism and with respect to make our city better for all of us when our mayor doesn't. I hope that she will study your example. [Applause] Carolina Rodriguez followed by David Martinez and Drew Brown. Yeah, it's working. Okay, so yesterday Manuel Manta sent me a link on Facebook and when I opened it, for some reason it started at the end and there was a man named Pastor Landon who's calling people to action to come to the city council meeting and speak. a lot of them spoke and I was like yes more people are becoming involved in this speech thing. I mean I love freedom of speech. You know the first amendment allows everyone to have an opinion and be able to speak about anything without fear. Then I decided to listen to his link again and um from the beginning and found that Pastor Landon, Pastor Jasmine, Pastor Le, Pastor Heather were told by Maddie Parker and Tim O'Hare that they were they've been facing threats of violence against righteous against righteous Tarant County officials. And now according to Pastor Landon, it was up to them pray pray um to fix that. So, I'm not I don't Mayor Parker, I don't know who's leaving you threats of violence. Like, what do they want to do to you? Do they want to put like dish soap in your hot tub or I don't know. But, um, where's our new police chief, Eddie Garcia? That needs to be your number one priority to find these people that are leaving those threats. And you have to hurry because Mercy Church's plan is to pray, pray, pray. And between you and me, I don't think the I don't think the prayers are going to stop the threats. So you better find out who's been doing these threats to them. But the so the real reason we have this packed house is because of all these mercy people here to speak and that way only half the speeches will embarrass Manny Parker. And plus any political agenda needs cheerleaders to push it through. And imagine that phone call Maddie made to Pastor Landon. She's like, "Yo yo, Landon, this me the mayor. Hello Landon. Dude, you owe me. I'm the one that got you that hundred bed trafficking motel pass through. None of the people down there wanted that thing. You're never ever going to have more than 10 girls over there ever. Landon, you have to come cheer me on because you owe me. And them people want to hold me accountable for everything. Especially that Patrice woman. They still be calling me racist. They they're still mad about this police union running me too. Anyways, I heard that the whole congregation there believes anything their pastors say. So if you told the pastors to tell his sheep that they had threats of violence made against you, they'll believe it. Sight unseen, but not us. We demand transparency. And we've been coming here for a long time demanding it. And we, the advocates, the cop watchers, the court watchers, we're labeled the bad guys. We're when we're uncovering all the bad stuff, we're the bad guys. How come we're the bad guys? And what's really, really crazy is that Timmy and Maddie have law degrees. What were they doing their first year of law school when they were learning about the Bill of Rights? And as far as the casket thing goes, I want to throw that in. I thought that was so funny. I think y'all made too big of a deal about that. I thought that was funny. I wish I would have thought of that. That was good. It was so funny. [Applause] David Martinez, followed by Drew Brown. Good evening. Thank you for everybody who stayed. I'm here to talk about well, let's start off with white settlement being changed. Um, I don't speak for all the Native Americans. I am Native American. I'm Chakawa Apache. Um, so was reading about who was here first, things like that. The Apache was here, too. Um, so on the name change, I I I live down the street from from there, so I would I mean, in district 7, I've been staying in District 7 lately, so I'm okay with it staying white settlement on that side. And in on the district nine side, I have friends that own businesses uh that are Native American and um they're on the other side of the spectrum of of that uh thing. So to respect them, they would like to have it changed on on that side. And I understand there's over a billion dollars being invested. So I stand on business because those tax dollars go to health care, go to other things that everybody wants. So we need those dollars. They don't just fall out of the sky. they come out of these big investments to come to the city of Fort Worth. So, I will stand on business on that, but that's not what I'm here for. I wanted to talk to also about uh we need a Patrick Zenipa baseball complex is being built. We do need a little league baseball league. Um I don't know where it's going to come from, but I am working on that. But that's not what I'm here to talk about. I wanted to talk about a lot of things about what the what the being threatened things like that. And a lot of people don't know my background of what I've been doing uh throughout my life is helping kids. I I work for the Boys and Girls Club coming up program to help kids stay out of gangs because of the gang violence that was going on during that time in the late 80s and early 90s. But that's not what I'm here to talk about. Because when I'm reading forward report and then I read about one in every 315 Fort Worth residents is a registered sex offender. That's what I'm here. I'm not going to get any snaps. I'm not going to get any uh Oh yeah, Miss Martinez. Yeah, that's you're right. Because there's probably a pedophile in this room. But I'm trying to tell you that's too many. And I want I've been working um I'm not going to say what exactly what I've been doing, but I've been working against this. And I'm going to shut down these motel. I'm going to send these people to hell. God bless you. Drew Brown, followed by Bradley Freeman, and then Amy Super. Can you all hear me? Okay, good. Spoiler alert. I'm not mentioned the 11th largest city. You probably haven't heard that tonight. Okay, nobody's got a sense of humor tonight. Okay, I'll go on. So, um, good evening, mayor, madame mayor, and council members. Uh, Fort Worth is now the large the 11th largest city in the United States. As such, a significant city. Fort Worth should use its position to promote a vision of hope rather than fear. Mayor Parker is a member of the Conference of US Mayors and serves on its advisory board. I respectfully request that the mayor propose a resolution to the conference of US mayors condemning the Trump administration's for deploying armed t armed troops to so-called blue cities which serves to intimidate lawabiding citizens. In addition, I'm asking that the council make a public statement. I'm sure there's some of you on the council that can write one and y'all could vote on it condemning this action. If it's in one city, it can be in all cities. So, asking you all to step up, lead, and maybe other cities around the nation will follow your example. I'm not used to having this much time. I'm usually at the commissioner's court. It's really exciting. So I'm going to take my two more things. One is that there were two one solution for sure that was given by Chris. So you have a solution. We can have 21 meetings and 21 times for the public to speak and cut down on quite a few meetings for you. Uh the second is there's something you could all do in the morning and that's called a park and recreations department and uh refund whatever amount the church spent earlier. The woman who spoke about the about the toilets that weren't working the portatories. I' I've rented space before so I know she paid a fee and that church paid a fee. So, you know, wake up tomorrow morning, all of your work together and get it taken care of. Simple thing. Might even show up at the church and uh apologize. Thanks. Our next speaker is Bradley Freeman, followed by Amy Super, and then James Smith. Good evening everyone. My name is Brad Freeman. I have lived in Fort Worth for almost six years now. I have been in district 5 uh that whole time. Hello, Councilwoman Peoples. Uh and this is actually my first time at city council and giving public comment. In the years since I moved here, I've made an effort to learn more about what is going on in the local politics of my city. Um, unfortunately for me, as I was learning, um, had been here just a few years in 2022, it was then that, uh, the newly elected council led by you, Mayor Parker, started to make some significant changes to public comment. Now, I have a wonderful daughter. She is nearly 3 years old and having a child has been one of the driving factors for me in my desire to know what's going on in this city and to make Fort Worth a wonderful place where I can raise her. That desire is the main reason that I am here tonight. But my wife and I, we both work full-time. We're intentional about spending time parenting after we work. And so for the last three years, as it's getting increasingly difficult to make it to these meetings, to give public comment, as a working parent, I can't help but feel that my voice is not valued by this council. And if that's the case for me as a straight white man, a straight white cisgendered Christian man, if you don't value my voice, do you value my wife's? Will you value my daughters? Do you value my black and brown neighbors voices? I want to live in a city where our leaders listen to our voices because that is what it takes for you to know that what it is we need from you. And right now we need you to support democracy to make it simple for us to bring you the feedback and the accountability that is needed for you to do a job that you can be proud of. Thank you. Our next speaker is Amy Super followed by James Smith and then Lori Duke. Mayor, council, to the council member who struggled with pronouncing my name the last time I was here, Mrs. Super will work just fine. My husband and I are residents of District 3 represented by Councilman Crane. I'd like to make the following crystal clear. My public comment said this evening or anytime I speak in a setting like this repres represent the views of myself as a longtime resident of Fort Worth and as an actively engaged community member who votes. I'm was not asked by anyone to come down here and speak tonight or any organization. I don't profit financially, professionally, or in any other tangible way to come down here and speak. While I am actively engaged politically speaking, ours is not a family of aspiring politicians. When this meeting concludes, no one at my urging will be compiling nifty little edited or fulllength clips of my comments tonight to share on social media in case you missed it live. I'm also not a member or attend a particular area church some of my fellow residents have stated have been organized to come speak tonight. I am no one's lap dog. I support, however, an efficient and responsive city leader city level at government. If I encounter an issue or wish my opinions or views to be heard on something, I know I can simply call my councilman. I called him yesterday. I left a Facebook message for him. He responded same day. Guess what we did? We had an actual conversation. You know what that looks like? It looks like I spoke, he responded, uh, you know, back and forth. He spoke, I responded, you know, back and forth. And our conversation lasted more than three minutes. He heard me just fine. All that being said, I fully support the move to 10 public comment meetings for the 2026 calendar year. One can not only still address the mayor and council by signing up to speak at a specific agenda item that they will be voting on during their regular meetings, you can still march your little self down here at 10 times next year so you can get some more clips to share on social media if that's what you want to do. All of our time is valuable, so you're not going to see me coming down here for all 10 of those meetings. It's not necessary and not the most impactful use of my time. I now question the motives of almost any resident who insists there's a true need for more of that. I see the quote and hashtag encouraging the following and heard it two times at least tonight. Speak truth to power. Let's start with speak truth. Mayor Parker, thank you for your boldness and efficiently leading this city. Furthermore, I thank you for being the human being that you are and addressing the individual who directly threatened to quote come into the safe spaces of council members. if she feels she isn't given all the time she needs to be heard here via public comment meetings. Leadership should never feel compelled to apologize for responding to threatening bullying rhetoric. I encourage you to continue your gut when addressing such instances because you and I both know this won't be the last time it happens. Stand firm in your convictions. Continue to be the leader you are. That's what I voted for. Our next speaker is James Smith, followed by Lorie Duke and then Estella Williams. >> Good evening, council. My name is James Smith. I'm not in favor of the reduction of the opportunity for us to address this body. I've come here for six years, six years now. And each time I've spoken, it was my hope that something positive would come from it. I've sought justice, transparency, accountability, whether it be for the maintenance of my alleyway or the accountability for the death of Atiana Jefferson, or the continued mistreatment of Emanuel Ma and Caroline Rodriguez by the forward police department. In six years, I feel little has changed on how some people are treated, i.e. Patrice Jones. I noticed the more that we advocate for change, the result is a continued reduction of our ability to address this body, i.e. no quorum, no meeting at all, shorten two, three minutes to two minutes, and the no mobile opportunity to call from home. your your scheduled meetings for 10 10 meetings in 2026 undoubtedly will be reduced to eight at best. The spoils of Washington are raining down on our state, on the city, and unfortunately the citizenship. It's time to chart a new course, one in which a city where equality under the rule of law are not just words. I listened to this meeting on YouTube on my way here and in the comments there was when I requested accountability for Tatiana Jefferson, someone had the audacity to say the family was using her name for a na for a money grab. No amount of money could be grabbed from this city to justify the death of a loved one. In Dallas, both and John's family sued Amber Guyger and they were awarded a hundred $100 million. The death of Atachiana is not a money grab. Her sister has formed a nonprofit organization that buys computers for un for children every summer. 50 computers. She's spending money. She's not grabbing money. It's been six years. Six years. And I'm asking myself, and you should ask yourself, does it actually take six years to settle something that's already been settled? For six years, I've been cordial. I've been quiet. And if I have to go another six years, I will. I need more than 10 times to come down and speak to you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Lori Duke. Miss Duke will be followed by Estella Williams. Lori Duke. No. Stella Williams. Then Natalie Williams, Mayor Parker, and council members, in reviewing what I term as guidance for a successful presentation that is listed on the form for public speaking or public comments, there exists seven items of instructions. It appears that those instructions for public speaking perhaps needs to be reviewed. There is nothing that provides for what occurred at this former city council meeting. It is understood that public comments allows for individuals to actually address a governmental body doing an open or public meeting with the required time limit and other things that are associated with it. Mayor Parker and council members, on many occasions, certainly you're ridiculed. You're verbally attacked and even sometimes praised. Yet, is not a time for an elected official or any leader to address or provide rebuttal for issues that are distasteful, unwelcome, or unwarranted. It's not a court of law. How much time would that take if that was to take place? What would it be required of all of you? You cannot pick and choose which individual to cast a stone at. Otherwise, there should have been and should be many stones thrown at others who stood in this space tonight, other times before that made public comments and accusations to those of you seated before me. Yet, that did not occur. Why not? What occurred during the last meeting was totally unacceptable and certainly out of order. Public comments are just that, public comments. Not a time to allow for inappropriate behavior to be displayed, nor a time for one-sided responses to address thoughts, misdeeds, or anything that one feels that is an action or dislike for what one says. Do not operate out of fear, but if you have faith, operate out of your faith. Sit down and address those things that's causing your you to lose the power that is bestowed upon you. And if desired, I will mediate that conversation. Thank you. >> Our next speaker is Natalie Williams, followed by Mia Faith Kendallia. Good evening, Mayor Parker, Mayor Chapa, and city council members. I'm Natalie Williams, president CEO of T3 Partnership, and I'm here to provide an update on how T3 is ensuring more students have access to educational opportunities through First Dollar and Last Dollar Scholarships and our progress towards connecting students uh to local jobs right here in the greater city of Fort Worth. Uh when we were founded in 2020, we had four districts in Fort Worth ISD and about a handful of adviserss. >> Natalie, will you move that microphone closer to you? Move it towards you. Yes. Thank you. >> All right. Better. Okay. Um we've grown a lot since then. And so now I'm pleased to share that we have 57 advisors across four districts in Fort Worth ISD, Castleberry ISD, Crowley ISD, and Arlington ISD. We're supporting over 40,000 students uh in 10,500 plus households and we have eight partner uh institutions of higher education with the goal of expanding to four additional districts, Everman ISD, Lakeworth ISD, uh Birdville ISD, and a partnership with New Heights. We've doubled our enrollment. We've provided uh close to half a million in first dollar scholarships that T3 has raised through philanthropy to help bridge the gap for students being able to afford college. We're leading the way in many of our districts uh in Fort Worth ISD and CCMR outcomes and we have over 1,500 families a part of our family alliance. I want to invite all of you uh to our vision T3 event that is occurring in about two weeks on October uh 28th at uh TCC Trinity River campus. It's an opportunity to celebrate all of the accomplishments of our partners like our more than 70 uh local companies that are helping to support students in having access to local jobs. um our graduates who are um finding those opportunities and the 300 plus uh internships and opportunities that are on our new platform. So we would love to have you join us and share in the celebration of this community and the successes of our students. Thank you. Our next speaker is Mia Faith Kendallia followed by Alexander Montalvo. Hello everybody. My name is Nia Faith Gamaria. I am a Fort Worth resident. Just heads up, I've been working all day, so I look rough or I'm tired. I showed up. I don't want to be silent about this. Um, now if we take a good look around the room, if you see these people, that tells you why we need more public comic events. Um, we deserve to speak up more than just 10 times a year. Your words matter. And trust me, we want you to know exactly how we feel about what's going on. Here's the deal. We used to get 22 public comment meetings a year. 22. Now it's been chopped down to 10. It feels like someone's trying to shut us up or trying to erase our voice. Fort Worth Fort Worth is the 11th largest city in the whole US. You'd think that would mean more chances for us to talk, not less. It should. Our city is booming with young and diverse people. We need a go. We deserve a government that usually listens to all of us, not just when it's convenient. While I'm at it, let me call out these show off these so-called Christian nationalists trying to hijack Swart's name. News flash, they don't allow what they don't align with this city and what this city stands for. They spew false propaganda, twisting faith to push their own agenda, and it's not it's not placed here. Um, don't let this voices of our community. Now, I want to get really um real about something that shook me hard. I heard the mayor say some things to Miss Jones and honestly it scared me. No matter what context or context or no context the excuse and any excuses that were thrown around for it, those were baseless and def defamatory accusations against her character. Threatening someone like that and then turning around and calling on a church church to act like a victim, it's not leadership. That's intimidation. It's simple. Miss Jones deserves a public apology and she deserves it now. If Fort Worth really wants to be inclusive and fair, it has to start with letting people speak up without fear or threats. So, council, please bring back public comment and regular meetings. Better yet, more chances for us to speak throughout the year and we will not be silenced. Thank you for listening. Thank you. Alexander Montalvo followed by Cara Wadell. All right, I'm going to start off my comments by sharing my gratitude as we've heard so many other people talk about today. My gratitude goes first to community leaders and members like Patrice Jones who has stood for community and has helped families in so many ways that are vital and important because of the amount of inequities we have in this city because the amount of issu amount of issues we have in the city. My second focus of gratitude is around all of these amazing community members that spent their evening together sharing the values that focus on a safe, just, equitable, and inclusive Fort Worth. And I'm thankful for their voice. And I'm thankful for the community who's watching online, who has been participating, talking in person to other community members, calling their friends and their neighbors, and communicating through social media to help show that this is the Fort Worth that has power. This collective represents the Fort Worth that we love, especially those born and raised here and those that have moved here that have those values. Now, y'all talk about we don't come here to talk about solutions. So, there's three solutions I'm going to bring to you. First, it's an easy one because I get to second what Chris Tacket said. Everything he proposed is exactly what needs to be done for public comments. and I fully support that solution for us to be able to be engaged with all of you and for the community to be informed about what's going on. My second solution is to address the immense inequities that we've seen from our police department and having a citizens oversight committee with subpoena power. That is something y'all can work on right away and that's something that our community needs to truly serve those because what Maddie does is puts police officers in front of the dis on the edges of city hall and I don't know if these are his her increased bodyguards or what they are standing up that's not protection that's not helping the community and the third thing because I've heard so much love for literacy and I too am a huge literacy advocate is that I want to the 21st century state-of-the-art libraries all throughout our city that includes a central library that has not only spaces for community but the books for people to hold and read and take home and bring back. Those are solutions that I want to see happen. Those are three solutions you can pursue. I'll spend a little time about the change that I want to see and it starts with what's in front of me. This leadership is not for this Fort Worth. And Maddie, you as mayor, not for Fort Worth. And I guarantee in 27, we're going to celebrate a city council that's for the people as well as the mayor. >> Our next speaker is Cara Wadell, followed by Nelly Gennafi, and then Lakesha Davis. >> Good evening. I'm Carara Wadell. I help lead Child Care Associates here in Fort Worth. Um you may know we operate some early learning campuses about 15 in the county especially in some high need neighborhoods and offset the high cost of child care for about 16,000 uh children of working parents. So I wanted to uh come this evening to offer some public input as well as offer a compliment. Mark Twain once said you can live two months on a good compliment. So I hope to at least provide a small one um an update. It was about two years ago that city council and police um came together along with city staff when we raised a challenge that was facing child care centers specifically. Uh childcare centers are providing early education, but they're also providing some of the critical care and safety that children need when they're not in parental care. We live in a real world with real world challenges and some of those trickle into the child care centers as well. Domestic violence, family conflicts, or a life-threatening health situation for a child. and a former city council member colleague um helped to bring together these parties, childcare associates, Fort Worth police and key city staff and we thought through an improved way to handle the situation. U Mr. Rogers used to talk about look for the helpers and so we found a way with the help of CCPD funding you financed a new solution, a new system. Um we've just finished the pilot phase and we've now begun to roll that out and it's kind of a buzzer system. Um, so if you're in the center and there's an emergency situation, you hit the golden buzzer and it bypasses 911 and immediately sends lights and sirens um to that neighborhood center that's needed. And so we just think that's a great um has been a great project. We've installed 10. We're adding another 12 in October and November. So never despise the day of small beginnings. Um now the compliment, we just wanted to appreciate you. Thank you for rallying. Um I come many times with asks. Sometimes I come having to raise alarm bells on problems and we appreciate that you collaborated by bringing together the right people and we focused on solving solutions. Um, as someone who helps provide care every day, I know that those childcare educators appreciate a golden buzzer knowing that someone's on the other line. Just over the last two days, a quick shout out for Councilwoman Mia. We even had a a family with a toddler in a very drastic situation and her staff just immediately responded, elevated it, and got the help that we needed. and our childcare providers need that. So, thank you. Um, we know that care for the youngest and the most vulnerable among us really matters and we appreciate when city council, Fort Worth police, and community operators came together to create some simple but important solutions. Thank you for your time. [Applause] Speaker is Nelly Gimafi followed by Aisha Davis. Is Nelly available? No. Lisha Davis. I actually go by Kesha Brazil, but Google form always goes to my married name or ex-married name. Uh I actually came here with an actual speech perform uh on my phone, but it died. Uh but I purposely came here. I am a educator with Forth ISTD. Uh over 15 years of service and services in my community, specifically work in the Dumbar Pyramid. I've worked with most people on this council to some degree. Uh I also host or coach the largest youth sports program in the city. We take a numerous amount of kids that represent and are ambassadors of Fort Worth to compete nationally in football and track. So, we're nationally known for that. I don't like that my city is nationally known for a lot of things that are not very good. I came here many years ago uh because I hosted H.B.CU track meet uh to uh have my kids or students uh have a H.B.CU experience. And it was the same the year after uh Tatiana Jefferson was killed and my school started bagging out. So I would like I I was actually came to a meeting and complained and would cried out that I was losing my meat because of this particular incident. At the time Betsy Price was the mayor and from that meeting I was contacted by Maddie Parker to have a meeting with Betsy Price. Not only did she apologize and asked what she could do to help, but she also sent a letter to every college, she also came to the event and welcomed my guest. We can come together and get along even though we don't agree on everything. The greatest commandment in the Bible that we so aptly always call and read and say we follow the principles and we are disciples of Christ is the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul. And the second is like unto it. Love your neighbor as yourself. Whatever your neighbor is lacking and don't have, that should bother you. You should be not angry about a coffin in your yard, but you should be angry that there are people dying in real coffins on the jail. that's in Fort Worth. We should be really butt mad that we have people that are in 76104 that have the very short life expectancy. These people are really putting people in the ground. So, if we're going to be mad, be mad about that. Be mad that there are people really dying in this city. So, if we're going to be bad and offended, be offended enough to move to change. I know apology is not going to be is going to be basis at this point, but move to action. Move to action. do something that says, "Hey, this is may be the image that you have for me, but I can be better. This city can be better." So, if you can reach out to the people who really I I grew here. I didn't fly here. I'm not a transplant. So, if you reach out to the people that really care about this city, you will go a lot further. Thank you. >> That's the conclusion of our speakers this evening. Meeting is adjourned. I