Monday, July 23, 2007
Your Ideas are Needed!
Welcome to the Farmers Branch Blog!
It’s been over 60 days since I was elected to the Farmers Branch City Council, and one of the things I wanted to ensure was good communication and an open dialogue with the citizens of our city on what the city was doing, and what the vision and strategy is for the future as we work to improve the overall quality of life in DFW’s “best living place.”
One avenue for this two-way communication is this blog. I will update it regularly with news about the programs and activities we are undertaking, important meetings and events, and all other relevant information that I can share about Farmers Branch. But a major motivation for creating this blog is to solicit ideas and input from Farmers Branch citizens. This is your city, and I want to hear from you!
The aim of the current City Council is to improve the livability and quality of life of Farmers Branch for all our residents. We have established a set of aggressive goals to build on the fabulous foundation we have of established neighborhoods, beautiful parks, and outstanding police, fire, and municipal services.
To assist in reaching these goals, our City Manager Gary Greer has introduced three new standing agenda items on all City Council Meetings:
- Revitalization Initiatives
- Public Safety Initiatives
- Beautification Initiatives
Every meeting, the city council will be brainstorming new ideas and following up on existing projects for each of three items. The city staff is already hard at work on several projects that have come out of these discussions, and I will be posting details of these as they develop. But I want to hear from you and your ideas for our city in these three areas.
If you have ideas for programs, activities, strategies, etc. please either post them in the comments section of this post, or email them to me at:
mailto:Tim.scott@farmersbranch.info
The future of Farmers Branch is bright!
Tim
by Tim Scott, City Council, Place 1 at 11:36 AM |
94 Comments:
Does the city have any plans to enforce the number of cars parked at a residence or in the street? Many people especially the elderly were very concerned about this during the election. The cars aren't there during the day but during the night.
Yes, I agree with Teckla. There are houses with too many cars indicating more people living in these small houses than the allotted occupancy rates allow. I believe it goes by the square footage. For a 1,500 square foot house, there shouldn't be more then 4 cars allowed. I see many houses with 5 and 6 cars parked in the driveway and taking up space on the streets.
I would love to see something done about not only parked cars, but also homes that are not kept up (i.e. paint peeling, yards not mowed etc). Does code enforcement actually go out and enforce or do they rely upon the other citizens having to file a complaint?
4 corners plans: I would just assume see the old Albertsons and the strip center around it be bulldozed and the area be made into a parking lot. Anything would be an improvement over that eyesore that sits there now. Keep us up to date on what is going on there.
Property values in Farmers Branch are not increasing at the same rate as other parts of the metroplex in my opinion partly because there is lax code enforcement. Lets clean up the city!
The fire dept. obviously did not
walk the grass right of ways this
spring as they usually do because
some residents are not keeping these areas mowed like they are supposed to. one neighbor have not mowed theirs even one time this year. I complained about 5 weeks ago and it still has not been cut.
this causes mosquito, fly and
possible vermin infestation. what
good is citizens reporting these
violations going to do when the city does nothing about enforce-
ment?
I know that it is in Addision but dose anyone have any information on the plans for the aparments on brookhaven club drive i heard rumors they were going to be torn down I think this would be good for Farmers Branch the schools especialy
Code Enforcement needs to step up to plate. I don't understand why someone has to get 2-3 citations before they mow their grass. Every comment has to do with the lack of code enforcement. That was a consistent concern during the election. Maybe we need a citizen code enforcement group and decrease the code enforcement personnel if they won't do their jobs.
I, also, agree that the old Albertson's building needs to be bulldozed. The whole strip mall is an eyesore!
I've sent this same message to Mr. Scott: The only responses one gets from a Blog, is from other Bloggers. Sad to say, as our votes have shown, these comments will be the only voices we get to hear. I've told our mayor about multiple cars in a resident's driveway and along the street, about that resident's front window being boarded up, and about trashy yards and porches. The only result: they painted the board covering the window. I got a neighbor with two fences:cyclone and wooden, with a foot of space growing any number of weeds that are never cut. Code enforcement has ignored a report on this eyesore to my yard. Another neighbor holds his fence up with cable tied to trees. All ignored by the city. Do you feel sorry for me? The city doesn't.
teckela:
Thanks for the comment, too many cars parked on the street is a problem for us. The council brought this up with the city staff at our recent retreat, as it is one of the most common concerns expressed by our citizens. The previous city council passed an ordinance limiting the number of cars that could be parked at a specific residence, you can view those rules here:
http://www.ci.farmers-branch.tx.us/
BuildingInspection/TooManyVehicles
Overcrowding.html
The council has instructed the staff that we want these rules strictly enforced. In order to do that, the Code Enforcement budget was raised to increase the size of the staff and provide for evening enforcement. The violations of this ordinance are more readily visible at night, and we want our code enforcement officers investigating during the evenings. Know that this is a big issue for the council, and we want to ensure we are enforcing this strictly.
We also discussed our options for limiting the ability to park cars on the street, and mandate that cars be parked in driveways. Our hands are tied a bit in that regard due to existing State laws; there are strict requirements on when a street can be made "no parking."
Thanks again for your comments, and let me know if this continues to be a persistent problem in your neighborhood. If you want, email me your address, and I will make sure we are doing all we can in that area.
Tim Scott
zitans1:
You're right on! We have to address our lagging property values. We have a great geographic location, and there is no reason our property values shouldn't keep pace with our neighbor cities. The good news is that since the May election, there are signs that our houses are selling quicker, and that values are increasing. Time will tell, but we have to be diligent and deliberate about making our town as attractive to home buyers as possible.
Regarding the four corners, I live just to the East of the old Albertson's building, and cannot wait for demolition to begin! I hope you had a chance to participate in the citizen-driven vision sessions we had with a consulting company regarding the future of the four corners. You can see the ideas that came out of that here:
http://www.ci.farmers-branch.tx.us/
Planning/fourcornersreport.html
The four corners area should be the hub of the city, providing essential retail, dining, and entertainment options for all citizens. I'm excited about what we can do there, and will push aggressively for wholesale change. The process from here is for the Planning and Zoning board to make a recommendation on the plans, and have the city council decide on a course of action, which should occur in September/October. From there, we can begin having serious discussions with developers about making the vision a reality.
I can't wait.
Tim Scott
code enforcer:
This is the type of thing I want to hear about. Please email me and let me know the address of the lawn that hasn't been mowed all year. I will make it a priority to get that taken care of.
Tim Scott
citizen69:
Regarding the apartments on Brookhaven Club Drive just East of Marsh, here's what I know: the two complexes on the East side of Brookhaven Club are set for demolition by the end of the year, and will be replaced with nicer townhomes/apartments. Right now, approximately 200 students from those complexes attend Janie Stark Elementary School here in Farmers Branch. This dip in enrollment should free up resources at the school that can be used to bolster the program offering at the school, allowing it to become a "destination" school that would be attractive to students across this district. We could really see an impact from this change.
As I understand it, the apartments on the West side of Brookhaven Club (I believe there are three complexes, I could be wrong) have been sold, but no demolition date has been set. Those complexes send approximately 400 students to Montgomery/Blair in Farmers Branch. Any change in those complexes will have an enrollment impact at Montgomery/Blair, which is welcomed. For too long, Farmers Branch has been asked to do the heavy lifting with all students from Addison, even though there is an elementary school closer in geography in Carrollton (County Place) and campus enrollments in Farmers Branch schools are outpace Carrollton schools.
Plus, the impact on revitalization will be real once this redevelopment occurs. I welcome it!
Tim Scott
amberlane:
The city staff has heard from this council that code enforcement needs to be real, and that penalties need to be strictly levied and enforced. Please email me any and all instances where code violations are being allowed to fester and go unresolved. I will give them personal attention.
Tim Scott
I am a player on Brookhaven's Golf courses and I can't tell you how many awful back yards there are that we have to look at when golfing. The views are so wonderful and then there's bubba's unkept yard! From junk sitting around to just plain awful, not to mention the lack of maintenance some of these homes have. The President's course seems the worse.
What are the chances of you taking a golf cart ride to check it out?
Brenda
Tim,
I live in the community just East of the old Albertsons. I have an idea, wouldn't it be great if this community was gated? It really wouldn't be that difficult to do. The community would not need an actual wall around it, just access gates. Some of the streets could be closed permanently, ie: become dead ends. I know this would cause some traffic issues, fire/police issues and probably more issues that I have not thought about. However, I've had items stolen a couple of times and I think it would make the area safer, not to mention it would stop people from cutting through our neighborhood to go from Josey to Webbs.
Gator.
I would like to know what, if anything, that the city can do about the swamps that have developed on the parcel of land at the southeast corner of Bee and Pepperwood. Once the old homes were removed, they left behind large cavities which quickly filled with rainwater which has not drained. Now we have an area which is a breeding ground for mosquitos. My 3 yr old attends the day school right across the street which has a playground adjacent to this land. The children have not been able to enjoy their playground because of the mosquitos from these swamps. The day school had their playground and surrounding area which they own treated but the pest control company said that until those large ponds of water were removed we would still have a problem. Why can't the city fill in the cavities with dirt to help get rid of the sitting water? This has to be a health issue not to mention just plain nasty to look at and right in the front yard of City Hall. Is there anything that can be done? Thanks for setting up this site, Tim. It's a great way to communicate!
Does Farmers Branch have any plans to control what color a house gets painted? I have seen brick homes painted purple and bright blue. It is such an eyesore and can really make a neighborhood look bad.
cause 4 paws brenda:
I can't tell you how many times I've been playing at Brookhaven and have seen a yard, house, or building that was in dire need of attention. And another city councilman brought some specific issues to the attention of Code Enforcement just last week. Maybe we could get some code enforcement officers to take a ride with us...that would be a good idea!
Thanks for your comments!
Tim Scott
susieque:
This is something I am going to look into, to see what our codes and ordinances specify. I'll do some digging and get back with you.
Tim Scott
Yes. There are some homes that have way to many vehicles parked at them. I live off of longmeade, and I have seen up to 13 vehicles parked at a house across the street from me. It creates traffic issues.
anonymous:
Gating the neighborhood behind the old Albertson's is an interesting idea. I live on Eric Lane, and many people use it as an alternative cross street instead of Valley View, and while the traffic isn't heavy, it can be noticeable at different times during the day. I am guessing that such an effort to put up gates would require the homeowners to give their overwhelming approval, and that city and state law would have some requirements in order to close streets. It's interesting, I'll see what I can find out.
What gating this neighborhood would do is provide a greater "identity" to the neighborhood, something I'd like to see us do across the city. I think we need to give the type of specific attention we give to Branch Crossing to other neighborhoods, creating a city that has closely-knit areas, all with their individual features and identity. It's something to explore.
Tim Scott
I am sure everyone has heard about the ruling against Hazelton PA. I just hope that Farmers Branch doesn't back down and stands firm. Our soon to be former Mayor is still promoting his opposition to the ordinance. I, for one, will be glad when we have a strong Mayor like Tim O'Hare.
I hope we see some results from code enforcement sooner than later. The frustration is obvious on this bog site.
Teckela:
Regardless of what the Dallas Morning News wants you to think, the ruling in the Hazelton case will do nothing to dampen our resolve here in FB to fight for Ordinance 2903. We aren't going away, and we aren't backing down. Some things everyone should understand: 1) Hazelton saw this coming. They are in the same position we are: in the fight for the long haul, and ready to fight at the appellate level. 2) The overwhelming majority of the citizens of Farmers Branch voted for Ordinance 2903, and expect us to stand firm. We will not disappoint.
I will address the Mayor's comments after I personally address the Mayor.
Tim Scott
In light of the recent Hazleton ruling could you give an update on what the City has spent so far on legal fees related to ordinance 2903 and extrapolate that out over three years? I know it won't be anywhere near the millions of dollars suggested by opponents of Ordinance 2903.
Go Farmers Branch
This article looks at the Hazleton decision from another angle:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/28/opinion/28sat1.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
In pointing out facts about Hazleton you might want to also point out that they have a $1M insurance policy to cover their legal expenses. The lawsuit against FB that questions the constituionality of Ordinance 2903 is not covered by insurance.
You should also point out that when the case is ultimately decided, FB may also be on the hook for the legal expenses of the plaintiffs (probably several million dollars more).
Go Farmers Branch
Anonymous:
The NYT Editorial Page is the last place I would ever look to for advice, counsel, or serious interpretation of events. Seriously.
And FB does have some insurance coverage on our lawsuit. But even if we didn't, it wouldn't change my resolve one bit.
Here's my question to Judge Munley and the NYT Editorial Board: It's illegal for someone to enter this country without following the proper process, but anyone that does instantly has the legal right to live wherever they choose without impunity? Huh? That's like saying someone doesn't have the right to break into your house, but if they do, you can't kick them out of your favorite chair when the Cowboy game comes on, because they have a right to sit there.
But Federal Judges and the NYT Editorial Board didn't build their reputations on clear thinking, solid decision-making, and strict Constitutional adherence.
Let's be clear: If anyone thinks the recent Hazelton decision and whatever some Upper East Side Elitist Editor thinks is little more than a curious distraction to me and the FB City Council, you're kidding yourself.
Tim Scott
The point is that the judiciary branch is the final arbitrator on these issues. Regardless of what kind of elementary school arguments you and the rest of the council make, the judges are the ones that are trained and qualified to interpret the constitution. Besides the preemption issue, the 14th amendment right to due process is violated by the Hazleton Ordinance and Ordinance 2903 (read the decisions.) No amount of money or feeble argumentativeness will change that. It's simple. Find another way.
In case you don't remember, the DMN editorial board also came out against the ordinance. I don't think anyone would confuse the DMN editorial board with "Upper East Side Elitists". And, to accuse Federal Judges of not being clear thinkers because you don't agree with them is not proper for a representative of our City.
I certainly don't expect the FB City Council to change its course because of what the NY Times says. It should change its course because it is clearly the right thing for FB. The writing is on the wall, but for some reason the City Council refuses to read it.
Go Farmers Branch
Anonymous:
I can't print here what I think about the DMN board, throwing them into the mix doesn't win points with me. And just because a President saw fit to give someone a lifetime appointment to a Federal Bench doesn't make them above criticism and reproach.
Regarding preemption, from my "elementary logic" if a city can't enforce laws consistent with Federal Immigration laws, it also can't enforce drug laws, et al. But we could argue that all day.
Here's the deal: Illegal Immigration is a major drain on this country, and the vast, vast majority of the citizens of the United States want our laws enforced. 68% of the citizens of Farmers Branch agreed in the largest election turnout in memory. And you can count on the fact that I am not backing down one bit.
We could go on and on like this, but I won't as long as you post anonymously.
Tim Scott
I believe everyone on here is posting anonymously or via a pseudonym. I don't think "suzieqyue" is someone's real name.
In any case. I agree this conversation is going nowhere. To presume that you know more about the consitution than a federal judge is ridiculous. In case you weren't aware, federal judges also are confirmed by the Senate. To suggest that all of these elected officials would put someone the bench who is incompetent doesn't make sense. I really don't know what background you have to take issue with the Juudges' decisions. I think if you read the decisions carefully, you might learn quite a bit.
Your stance seems to be that you are right because you are right and anyone that disagress with you is somehow mentally impaired. This is the kind of "thinking" that will cost us millions of dollars for nothing. I agree that he voters gave you a blank check and you have every right to spend it. Go ahead and have fun. I'm going to get something to eat.
Anonymous, Apparently you have the money and desire to foot the bill for all the illegal aliens invading our cities, states and our country. I am sure Parkland Hospital would love for you to write them a check.
I am sure you probably support Johnny Sutton for railroading the 2 border agents while giving a free pass to the drug runner. Gonzales, Attorney General, another fine example. Oh, wait a minute, that is just 2 examples of who can be appointed, confirmed by the Senate.
I feel better now that you will be footing the bill for the illegal aliens debt.
I back my City Council and 68% of the voters do also. Supreme Court here we come along with Hazelton PA and hundreds of other cities that want our country back. IT ISN'T FOR SALE!
teckela:
I know you can't hear me right now, but I'm clapping.
Tim
The question isn't whether illegal immigration is a problem. The question is whether Ordinance 2903 addresses the problem. It's really as simple as that. Ordinance 2903 and others like it will all be struck down by the courts. And now you have two problems. You have the problem of illegal immigration and you have the problem of the legal fees resulting from trying to defend Ordinance 2903. Just like two wrongs don't make a right. Two problems don't make a solution. I'm all for solving the problem of illegal immigration here in FB and everywhere else. Passing an unenforceable and unconstitutional ordinance doesn't do that.
BTW, I don't mind Mr. Scott disagreeing with the Federal Judge. I just don't think it is proper for him to call him incompetent (not a clear thinker.) Obviously judges can interpret the constitution differently. That's why we have many 5-4 Supreme Court decisions. I think, however, if you read the decisions you will see that this law is clearly unconstitutional. Pursuing it is just a waste of time and money.
Thanks for the applause.
Mr. Scott, do you have updates on the legal fees?
Go Farmers Branch
The last report pegged our legal fees specific to our defense at around $250K. I am sure it's creeped up a bit from there.
Tim Scott
OK. Thanks for the update. That number is from the spring. I'll file an open records request and post it here.
That is the last report I have received. The moment I get an update d one, I will post it.
Tim Scott
If you are going to take pot shots at Tim and the City Council, at least have the courage to sign your name. The cost of legal fees should not be the determining factor on whether laws should be enacted or enforced. What Tim and the City Council are doing is the right thing to do and the majority of Americans would agree. Keep up the good work Tim! :) Belinda
No shots were taken and I assumed this forum allowed anonymous posts since there is no requirement to register.
In any case, the main point is that the City Council should review what happened in Hazleton and take appropriate action. To say that the ruling has no effect on FB is disingenuous. If the ruling had been in favor of the the City of Hazleton would the City Council have been encouraged. I certainly hope they would have been..
It seems that the probability of prevailing is always a consideration when defending yourself against a lawsuit, but maybe that is not the case here.
This may be part of my misunderstanding. It seems that what Mr. Scott is saying is that even if there is no chance of winning the lawsuit we will still pursue it. If that is the case, then I take back all that I have written. I always considered that the idea of pursuing the legal route was to win in the end. But maybe that is not the case here.
In my opinion, the cost should be one of the factors. The other factors should be the probability of prevailing and the impact (positive and negative) of pursuing the lawsuit. Like I said in an earlier post, the City Council has a blank check to do as it pleases with regards to 2903. However, even if someone gives me a blank check, I still would want to spend it as wisely as possible.
What the citizens need to look at is how will life be different in FB two years from now when this case is still in court. There will still be posts about too many cars in the street and people's grass being too high. Why don't we spend the legal fees to address these issues instead of wasting them on a lost cause?
If this seems like a shot at the City Council, I apologize. I’m just trying to understand what the reasoning is behind the actions they are taking. I know they have a mandate from the citizens to pursue this, but it would seem like they would adjust their strategy based on new information as it becomes available.
The bottom line is: The Hazleton decision has very little impact until the decision is made by the Supreme Court. And until the fat lady sings--nothing is a lost cause.
And as far as code enforcement and revitalization, the City Council is addressing those problems. So until they raise your taxes (which they won't because they dont have to) quit whining about the cost. And if you do have concerns, stop being a coward and sign your name. Its really hard to take you seriously otherwise.
Sounds like "anonymous" is using all his mumbo-jumbo jabber to hide the fact he's worried about not getting his gated community, what with his deep concern on the city's finacial output regarding 2903. Or maybe the second anonymous stole the first responders name. If that be the case, my appologies to the first...and "bug off" to the second.
Like I said before. Go for it and have fun. I wasn't expecting to change any minds. Just giving my point of view.
I appreciate you all reading and commenting on the posts.
Go Farmers Branch
If we want to talk about "wasting money" let's not forget the monumental waste of money that "anonymous" and other pals decided to spend on the "Let the Voters Decide" campaign. Wasn't that almost $100,000 that was spent and you still got a major butt whipping? What a fine piece of work and colossal backfire. But great for Ordinance 2903. Iamnotanonymousanymore: I don't think the issue is a difference of opinion. I think the problem is that when you make comments such as "elementary school arguments" and aggressively start attacking Mr. Scott, instead of presenting viable solutions in a reasonable manner and then hide under "anonymous" that simply stirs people up and turns this blog into a hostile debate forum. Tim Scott, the City Council, the City Manager and the majority of residents have stated their intent. Deal with it, move on and try to work with the City Council on other issues you feel passionately about--like code enforcement. Otherwise, find another place to live.
Janet. Well said. I'll keep that in mind. I'm pretty sure the money spent by "Let the Voters Decide" was not taxpayer money. I don't really think I should be required to leave FB because I have a difference of opinion, but I'll take it under advisement.
Go Farmers Branch
Sorry, but I don't banter with cowards.
Word for the day "Demagogy". Look in the dictionary for a definition and you will see the Farmers Branch City Council
Here's another word of the day: "coward." Look in the thesaurus and you will see it as another word for "anonymous."
My name is Ann Dingman. I have not lived in Farmers Branch for over 10 years but still visit regularly, as I did this past weekend. I will not spend time on my opposition to the ordinance and the because I expressed my thoughts to Mr. Scott and the mayor when it was first proposed, and did not hear back from either of them. I will just say that before spending more taxpayer money on a quixotic and hateful lawsuit, you should post confirmed, objective statistics (i.e., numbers) in support of your claims that FB's crime has increased and school quality has decreased in recent years -- one of your stated motivations for 2903. Additionally, it is inconceivable to me that curbside recycling does not exist in FB. Apparently people in FB are more concerned with the color of other people's houses than the environment.
Ms. Dingman: 'quixotic, hateful lawsuit'??? I guess that is your definition of 'legal and illegal'. There is no hatred in the lawsuit. It has to do with the law.
I don't know about you but I prefer not to have a bright yellow, turquoise or fuchia pink house next to mine.
You see, I do live in Farmers Branch.
I reiterate my interest in seeing statistics touted by supporters of 2903 that support the decline in schools and property value. I personally enjoy different colored houses but that is everyone's opinion. That is what makes the United States great, the differences in personal opinion and ability to express it. I care about FB even though I no longer live there because is my hometown and friends and family are still there. Obviously, I want it to stay healthy and pleasant for its residents and for myself as a frequent visitor. [BTW I had an error in my previous statement -- I sent my letter to the mayor and Tim O'Hare, not Mr. Scott.]
No one has ever said crime has "increased." Please show me one quote where any of the council members have said that "crime has increased." What was said was that Farmers Branch ranks in the top ten of having the most non-violent crimes in the state of Texas.
No one has ever said that property values were declining. What was said was: that Farmers Branch property values have only increased by 1% which is far below the national average and is unacceptable. (I believe that property value rate is one of the lowest in the state)
As far as education goes, Mr. O'Hare was quoted as saying: "Then I found out that the school district is spending umpteen million dollars of taxpayer money to build a school whose sole purpose is to teach kids English. Well, that's not fair ... when that 14 million bucks should be spent for every kid in the district and it shouldn't be spent to make this person better suited to get a job than the people who have been here and paid their taxes all along."
Ann, go talk to the parents in the Farmers Branch School District whose children are suffering at the hands of those who are here illegally. They would say: I don't need to see statistics. I know first-hand what is happening.
Illegal aliens NEVER in the history of our country have increased property values--never. Never have they improved our educational system--instead they have bled it dry. A recent study came out and said 4,380 Americans are killed annually by illegals, 4,745 are killed by illegal alien drunk drivers, 2,920 Americans annually are victims of sexual abuse by illegal aliens and the list goes on and on. And no wonder--they have already crossed into our country illegally, committed identity theft to stay in this country, don't drive with auto insurance, don't drive with a driver's license, and in essence, are crippling this country. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that there isn't a city in America that prospers from illegal aliens because the problems that come with it far outweigh the menial jobs they do. (and then send their money back to Mexico)
Unfortunately, people hear what they want to hear and if you don't live in Farmers Branch, sometimes you don't get the full story. Getting rid of illegals is only part of the problem, which the City Council has stated time and time again.
If you could show one statistic that shows that illegal aliens actually improve the quality of life in a city it still doesn't matter and you know why? Because crossing into this country illegally is WRONG and AGAINST THE LAW. And if the Federal government can't enforce the law, then every city in America has the right and the obligation to protect their citizens and strive for a better quality of life.
Mr. or Mrs. Design, you are correct, the City should do something about issues related to immigration (legal or illegal) that are affecting its citizens. The point is that they need to do this within the confines of the Constitution. Three federal judges have emphatically ruled that Ordinances like 2903 are unconstitutional. I suppose you can cling to the hope that none of these judges know anything about the Constitution, but that doesn't seem likely. The City Council should find another way. I know they won't because they have the support of angry citizens like yourself. However, wouldn't it be prudent to spend just a little bit of time considering other options.
Go Farmers Branch
Thanks for all your hard work to make our city the best living place in the Metrocrest once again. We are making a difference!
As far as the four corners, I have seen the proposals that are being considered and I am very excited about them. Have you seen the square in Southlake? I think we could get some ideas from them, they did a good job of combining residental and retail in a park-like pedestrian setting.
To the Dingbat! About 10 yrs ago a great thing went on in Farmers Branch but until now I could never put my finger on it! Thank you for? for going & now that you have left please take you mouth with you! You are no longer A part of the "GREAT CITY OF F.B." but you will always be a "BLACK EYE" on the city and the reason we should not just kick Illegals out of our city but people like you also!!!!
To the self proclaimed "King of FB". I stoped name calling in 6th grade and I would suggest you stop as well and show some respect. Not only does this ordinance disappoint me but so do some my fellow citizens of Farmer Branch that have to lower the level of debate to name calling. Next time you want to call some one a name keep it to yourself. You, sir, is what is wrong with politics. I call on Councilman Tim Scott to do what is right and denounce the "king of FB" comments and delete your message from the record. I have faith in Tim Scott to do this.
Because we all should take the advice of someone who posts "anonymously" (rolls eyes) The only thing Tim Scott should ban is anonymous users from posting such drivel.
And by the way, you may have stopped name calling in the 6th grade, but your spelling and grammar make me think you ARE in the 6th grade. Work on that.
Janet--
By only using your first name you might as well be posting under "ananymous."
Janet--
You are in fact anonymous. What is your last name and address? If you are not willing to post that information then you too are anonymous.
Actually the word is ANONYMOUS not "ananymous." And if double posting isn't immature, I don't know what is. If you don't have anything beneficial to contribute, like suggestions on how to revitalize Farmers Branch, then in the words of a previous poster, Amber Lane, "Bug Off."
Has anyone participated in the City's Incentive Program? If so, how was your experience?
Whew! Nothing draws the participation of us American Citizens like a little Illegal Alien talk.
Regarding deleting postings, I decided to make it a point to only do that in extreme cases. People's opinions speak for themselves.
There's some news on our legal defense front: I found out last night at our City Council meeting that to date we have spent around $500,000 in our defense. Be watching the blog for more announcements regarding our defense as the week goes on.
I need to share some important info with you about the exciting development projects going on in the city, as well as the great job our Police and Fire departments are doing, be watching for more into.
Tim Scott
Tim--
On July 28th you state the city has spent round $250k in defense. Your posting today stated that it is now $500k. Please explain this socking increase.
Juan -
You're misrepresenting what I said. On July 28 I said:
"The last report pegged our legal fees specific to our defense at around $250K. I am sure it's creeped up a bit from there."
And then:
"That is the last report I have received. The moment I get an updated one, I will post it."
That total was from the last report I had received, and I went and found out what the total to date was, and then I posted it. I never said or implied that $250K was the total on July 28th. I said that was the last figure I had been given, and even stated I was sure it was higher.
Understand that above total is for the entirety of the lawsuits we are defending, which includes the three apartment complex suits concerning Ordinance 2903 that were consolidated and are now in Judge Lindsay's court, the frivolous lawsuit brought by businesses that said Ordinance 2903 was having an adverse effect on them (it was dismissed), the lawsuit that says the prior council violated the Texas Open Meetings Act, and the lawsuit that is seeking to destroy our current at-large city council and replace it with single member districts, which is ridiculous.
We seem to be quite a popular target, but that's ok. I will continue to update our residents on our legal bills as I get the information.
Tim Scott
The use of the phrase "creeped (sic) up" was misleading. Doubling is not creeping and $250K is a huge number. Just think what else the City could be doing with the $500K already spent and the millions to come. See the DMN article this morning for some more details. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/080907dnmetfblegal.2b27ee4.html
Mr. Scott, it is unconscionable that the City Council won't tell its citizens what the estimated legal fees are now that they have been calculated (see the article above). I don't think this will sit well in your Open Meetings Act lawsuits.
This legal cost estimate is also in direct contradiction to what you, Mr. O'Hare and Mr. Koch said during the campaign when it was stated that it was impossible to calculate the cost of taking a case to the Supreme Court. Apparently it is not impossible to estimate, but just impossible for the citizens to find out.
Go Farmers Branch
Anonymous:
If Tim Scott or any council member said the cost was $1.98, you would find fault with that statement. I don't know and really don't care who you are. Hopefully, you have been in attendance at the Council Meetings to see that the City is taking care of business. If you are so concerned, come to the council meetings and voice those concerns. The cost of doing nothing about the illegal alien issue will far outweigh the legal costs of fighting for our nation. Parkland Hospital costs for treating illegal aliens alone reached over 62 million. We have along way to go before reaching that dollar amount. How many Senior Citizens could have been helped with the money? Schools? Lowering taxes? Helping legal college age citizens with their tuitions? The list goes on and on.
You find fault with the city but I haven't seen on this blog your ideas for dealing with the illegal aliens issues.
I am proud of Tim Scott, David Koch, Ben Robinson, and Tim O'hare.
I am anxious to read your ideas.
Teckela,
Believe me; I have been voicing my concerns since last September when the Council first ran off course. I will try to address your questions since you asked so nicely, but I don’t really think there is much point. One thing I have noticed over the last year is that each side is entrenched and there seems to be no middle ground where we can talk. That is unfortunate, but I think it is by design. It’s much easier to rally your troops when you demonize the other side. That probably applies to both sides. Anyway, back to your questions. First, Ordinance 2903 does not address any of your concerns. There has been no estimate of how much money would be saved if it were in force. So, it is impossible to say that the money we are spending is cost effective. Frankly, I think most people don’t care if it cost effective. I think the best way to address your question is to tell you how I would address the issues facing Farmers Branch and not concentrate on whether Ordinance 2903 is a good idea.
1.) Appoint a task force to study the effects of the changing demographics in Farmers Branch. This would cover all aspects, such as the availability of cheap housing due to an aging housing stock, the impact of recent immigrants on the community (schools, retail etc.), how to deal with deteriorating apartment complexes, etc.. The first goal of the task force would be to clearly articulate the problems facing Farmers Branch and then to start offering a variety of possible solutions.
2.) The task force should be representative of the community and should definitely have someone representing the needs of the Latino community in FB. It should also have input from City Staff. During this whole debate, City Staff (with the exception of legal counsel) has had very little input. They know more about the city than anyone else and they could have a huge impact on coming up with workable solutions.
3.) As the task force comes up with recommendations these would be presented to the Council and the citizens and a healthy public debate would take place.
4.) Work with surrounding cities (Dallas, Carrollton, Irving, Addison etc.) to form a coalition to try to force Congress to act in the best interest of the cities and do something about the impact of immigration on local governments. We will be much more effective as a coalition than going it alone.
5.) Do something proactive to make sure illegal aliens that commit crimes in the City are deported. This can be done with or without implementing 287(g). This is already being done in Irving. We know this can be done without inviting lawsuits.
FYI, I proposed this idea to Council last September and got no response. It’s entirely possible that the result of this study would be to implement Ordinance 2903. However, if that was the result, there would be researched, factual supporting data for the Ordinance. This would be critical to trying to defend the Ordinance in any lawsuits.
If the council would have taken my approach, we would be well on our way to implementing workable solutions rather than bickering and paying lawyers and essentially being in the same place we were a year ago.
Thanks for listening.
Go Farmers Branch
Annoymous,
Are you aware that when you start a response to someone's comment by insulting them, you will lose their attention. You have lost them because you accuse them of being too stupid or uninformed or not reasonable enough to understand forward thinking...your reasoning will fall on deaf ears.
I'm sure teckla caught the insult when your last comment to her was that your following explanation would do no good.
Way to go JERK!
amberlane,
Sorry if my last response was taken as an insult. That certainly wasn't the intention. One of the problems with blogs and e-mail is that the tone can be misinterpreted. I actually took some time to give as detailed a response to teckela's question as I could without putting everyone to sleep.
Thanks for pointing this out.
Go Farmers Branch
Amberlane,
I am glad that he took some time to think about it and his tone doesn't bother me. During the election, it was much worse. We are all passoniate in our beliefs but I still believe his thinking is flawed. We cannot afford the same-o, same-o approach.
Thank you for the comment.
LOL...I would bet 100 bucks that "anonymous" is Paul Heller. Sounds just like him...
Anonymous,
I am glad that you took the time to answer and present your plan.
Only once in your response did you mention illegal immigrants. There is a difference in LEGAL IMMIGRANTS and ILLEGAL ALIENS (not screaming at you but just emphazing). Legal immigrants are welcome but the issue is illegal. That is and will continue to be the dividing issue. I constantly hear that Let the Voters Decide and the cadidates that ran for council were against illegal immigration. They didn't want participation in the 287g and didn't want any action that might reveal illegal aliens in the city.
The Revitalization Program, 4 Corners Study Group, Mercers Crossing, etc. are addressing some of the issues. No one has excluded the Latino community. As far as the city staff, you are right about them knowing the city better than anyone else. They should know which houses have multiple families living in them, houses that have been converted to duplexes ( I can sure see it), streets blocked at night due to cars being parked, apartment complexes that have multiple violations which put tenants in danger etc. I bet your first thought will be that I am blasting the Latinos with the above comments. Guess what, I am talking about every race. I just have a problem that the Latinos want special treatment. Illegal Aliens means all races: Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Arabic, French, English, German etc. English is our language and nothing should be printed in any other language.
I know that you are not going to agree with me but that's okay. I don't think this is a pointless conversation but you will have to decide for yourself.
One last point before I close. I decide for myself what I believe in. I don't know what design you had in mind. If I believe in an issue, I will take a stand and not back down. I believe that we are a nation of laws and illegal aliens have made a joke of our laws and our country.
Take care.
I'll take the bet. Y'all all have a great weekend.
Go Farmers Branch
Anonymous:
There's minds you can change, and there's minds that you can't. I learned a long time ago that I shouldn't try to wrestle with the latter.
To everyone: the City of FB has spent less than the $500K figure I posted, but that isn't the real story. We're going to spend more, and I'm excited that we now have a strong law firm representing us, bit that isn't the real story.
The real story is the millions that city, state, and local governments have to spend in education, health care, social services, and incarceration of illegal aliens. The real story is the fact that every day you can read news stories of illegal aliens who commit murder, rape, and other unspeakable crimes, many of whom had been detained at one point by the Federal Government, but released back into the society. (Examples of this can be found here:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/
0,2933,292717,00.html
and here: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/
dws/dn/latestnews/stories/
081107dnmetoregon.1deba5dc.html
The real story is that American Citizens all across this great county are proud that we are a Nation of Legal Immigrants, and want to protect that tradition and enforce our the laws that are meant to protect our way of life. The real story is that it is time for all of us to take a stand and say we will do the right thing, no matter what the cost.
I stand proudly with everyone who is ready and willing to face the real story, and work hard to enforce our Nation's laws.
Tim Scott
(Not afraid to step into the arena and put a name and face on my beliefs, statements, and values)
Best of luck.
Go Farmers Branch
My, what an argument!
My name is Mary. I have lived in Farmers Branch for 44 of my 50 years, and I am a teacher in the CFB-ISD. I have owned a house since 1985 (you do the math - I teach language arts). My father was a career police officer here for 29 years. I think it is fair to say that I know a lot about this city, and have personally witnessed a great deal of change, much of it negative.
To those of you who do not think that illegal immigrants have an impact on our schools, I suggest you ask the CFB-ISD what the ESL budget is. Certainly, some of the children served by ESL are legal immigrants, and because the school district does not ask for a child's immigration status, there can never be any accurate figures on how many children are legal vs. illegal. However, I think it can be reasonably inferred based on what we know about immigration patterns, and based on what I know specifically about the students I teach, that the ESL budget would drop significantly if we taught only children who immigrated to the US legally. If I were a parent of a school age child, the fact that any significant sum of money was being spent on an ESL program, or on bilingual education, would make me very angry. That money could be used on lots of other great programs!
For those of you who think that judges follow the law, wake up and smell the coffee. Judges follow the law as interpreted through their own worldview. My husband, who practiced law for years as a criminal defense attorney, can tell you all about that. That's one of the reasons that we have levels of review in the judicial system.
One thing I really hope the city will do is be creative and find additional ways of attacking our problems. I saw from a recent NYT article that there will be more involvement with our local police department. I think this is wonderful. What else can we do?
For example, our cars have been hit twice by uninsured non-English speaking drivers. What can be done about this?
The Cookscreek Apartments are an eyesore. I noticed the last time I drove down Josey that the paint is starting to peel off the brick even. Has anyone met with the owner(s) to propose any sort of upgrade of this property? Can the city work with the owner some how to encourage the owner to raze these awful apartments, and build the kinds of apartments that young people are flocking to Frisco to live in?
What about that strip of stores on Valwood Parkway, near the Dairy Queen? Boy is that place unattractive! The people across the street have done a wonderful job upgrading that gas station. What would it take to raze/rebuild that little shopping center?
Come on, people! Let's hear some other ideas!
Tim,
Can you explain a little bit more about code enforcement and the penalties? For example how many violations do you issue to one resident before taking further action? Or is their further action? Besides fines, what are the consequences? What if someone can't afford to pay the fines or do the requested maintenance? And what is the City's criteria for "blight" in the neighborhood and how is that handled? Thanks-- B
Just a couple of thoughts on code enforcement. The code must be objective and violations must be clear and verifiable. Matters of personal taste generally don't fall into any of those categories. You can spend a long day reading the code or talk to the City code enforcement officer. Call 972-247-3131 and ask. If there is a violation, the City is legally responsible for enforcement on an equitable basis among all property owners. btw the owner of the property at 2427 Valwood is Robert A Beer according to DCAD. He can be reached at Beer-Wells Real Estate. If one is offended by the appearance, why not let the owner know your feelings. It is just being good neighbors.
Jose -- I'd be interested in finding out more about how you figured out who owns the property on Valwood. I would love for you to e-mail me at mary at fancyfibers dot com with more details. As for the property on Valwood, I'm was not suggesting it was out of code, just that it is trashy looking. Valwood is a major thoroughfare for our city, our "first impression" to a lot of people. What I would like to see is the city work with the owner to each party's mutual benefit to upgrade the property, as is being done in so many other areas. It is another property that I have watched change over the years. My grandmother used to get her hair cut in a salon in that strip. She used to babysit my brother and I; we would walk to the Dairy Queen and get a treat while we were waiting on her ...
One of the wonderful features of our constitutions (federal and state)is that they provides for involvement of the public, in this case freedom of information. See http://www.dallascad.org/AcctDetailCom.aspx?ID=65002820010200000 for Mr. Wells.
I would add that the Farmers Branch council seems to determined to frustrate our rights to information, to wit the legal budget for 2903.
Jose-
I don't understand how you can say that this council is frustrating the citizen's right to information. I've openly shared what we've spent so far on our legal defense, and all of those legal bills are public record. I will continue to let you know how that progresses.
The DMN article of this week attempted to find out what our expectations are going forward, and requested a document that we received from our attorneys that is privileged information, and it speaks to our legal strategy. It would be like asking Wade Phillips to release the Cowboys' playbook the week before the season began.
Any attempt to estimate what our legal bills could be is pure speculation at this point, because no one has any idea exactly where this thing is going to go. But I think I have demonstrated that I and the rest of the council are not trying to hide anything.
Plus, not do I have a blog that I update regularly, so does Tim O'Hare. The city manager is about to launch a weekly program on FB TV. This is an open council and staff when it comes to information.
Tim Scott
Jose -
And one more thing: the legal budget for 2008 is published in the overall city budget. That is available to the public on the FB home page.
Tim Scott
Oh Jose, that is ridiculous. Each year the City Council posts on the front page of the city's website the budget for the upcoming year which includes everything including legal fees. Since this year's budget was just approved, I am sure that will be posted soon. Furthermore, as reported in the DMN "The city has spent $438,613 on legal costs associated with the anti-illegal immigrant measure. The city has budgeted $424,000 in the general fund for expenses during the fiscal year ending Sept. 30 and has received $39,448 in donations to the legal defense fund." I'm not sure what part of that you don't understand.
There is no "conspiracy" to keep residents out of the loop--all you have to do is read. And BTW, you will also notice in the budget that contrary to "Let the Voters Decide" rhetoric, taxes are NOT going up. If you want to talk about "frustrating the right to truthful information" I would start looking in the direction of the "Let the Voters Decide" clan.
Belinda
It seems logical that people might be skeptical about your legal budget. You spent 236% of it last year. The only way we have been able to find out about the legal expenses is through open records requests. I don't think that is being open. The Council knew they were spending unbudgeted money last year, but wouldn't tell us how much they were spending. Using attorney-client privilege to protect your legal expense estimates is hiding information. We'll see what the Attorney General has to say about that. Your analogy to the Cowboys doesn't hold water. Everyone knows what they players are paid and how much it costs the Cowboys to field a team. This doesn't give away their game plan. The plaintiffs have provided estimates of their legal budget. The council should do the same if they have the information (according to the DMN article they do.) You should also make it clear to the citizens that when the City eventually loses this case, they may be forced to pay some or all of the plaintiff’s legal expenses. This is estimated to be $3-5M. The citizens have emphatically stated that they don’t care how much it costs do defend 2903. What’s the harm in giving them all the information without making them file open records requests to get it?
Go Farmers Branch
BUYER BEWARE:
3036 Amber Lane has just recently been placed on the market for $127,000. It's been refurbished, hopefully following city enticements so that proper permits were obtained, and the completion thereof inspected and approved. I expect this to be so, since a room of unspecified dimensions has been added. If anyone is interested in this property, be aware that the square footage given on the realtor's flyer is incorrect, hence the appraised value will surely go up as well as the property taxes that will be imposed at closing. Be careful.
Anonymous and Jose,
Enough of the conspiracy theories. I, for one, don't think the city is hiding anything from me. If I have a question, I ask it. If I am not satisfied with the answer, I keep asking until I am. Doesn't mean I always agree. Just because you don't agree with what the city is doing, doesn't mean it is a conspiracy.
Sounds like to me you like playing the 'victim' role.
I am behind my city 100% on Ordinance 2903. I know it will go to the Supreme Court because there isn't a judge that will go against political and/or cultural correctness.
Hopefully, since the announcement was made this week that employers must enforce our current law regarding social security number matches, the illegal alien problem will diminish. I have always said if they cannot get work, free services etc, they will go back to their country.
You don't like my beliefs and I don't like yours but there is no conspiracy. The only 'victims' are the legal citizens that need help but the illegal aliens are stealing it from them.
Amberlane,
Have you notified the realtor? Typos happen sometimes during printing. Good info, though. Always pays to proofread.
Anonymous:
You are making mis-statements and false accusations.
FACT: Our legal budget is published. Right now you can go to the Farmers Branch web site and see the totals we've built into next years budget.
FACT: Everyone on the council has been very open about what we've spent defending Ordinance 2903. It's been in the paper. It's been on my blog. It's been discussed in open session at City Council meetings. It's part of the public record.
FACT: The only place you've seen estimates on the opposition's legal bills being as high as $5MM is from the opposition law firm. Who cares what they think or what they'll try and do to line their own pockets?
FALSE: That the only way so far to get a true sense of how much money we've spent has been through an open records request.
FACT: When the facts aren't on your side, the best way to make some noise to make false allegations anonymously.
Tim Scott
Well you know,Tim, I thought anonymous was Paul Heller, because I didn't think Chris McGuire knew how to use the Internet...But now that I think about it, Chris would just be cowardly enough to post erroneous information anonymously..and not know how to read a simple City budget....(rolls eyes)
I really don’t like playing this game, but I have to point out your misstatements and misinterpretations of my previous post.:
Anonymous:
You are making mis-statements and false accusations.
FACT: Our legal budget is published. Right now you can go to the Farmers Branch web site and see the totals we've built into next years budget.
(If you read my post, my point was that the City spent 236% of its budgeted money last year. There was about $300K budgeted and about $700K was spent. Based on that fact, people might be skeptical that your current budget number is accurate)
FACT: Everyone on the council has been very open about what we've spent defending Ordinance 2903. It's been in the paper. It's been on my blog. It's been discussed in open session at City Council meetings. It's part of the public record.
(This is not true. We have been required to file an Open Records Request to get the legal expenditures. Ask Cindee Peters about it. I asked the Council last October to post legal expenses monthly since they had obviously gone over the legal budget, but they never acted.)
FACT: The only place you've seen estimates on the opposition's legal bills being as high as $5MM is from the opposition law firm. Who cares what they think or what they'll try and do to line their own pockets?
(I admitted that these were the plaintiffs’ estimates. Yes, they may be false, but my point was that providing estimates would not give away your legal strategy and to give a rough estimate of what the City’s financial exposure is.)
FALSE: That the only way so far to get a true sense of how much money we've spent has been through an open records request.
FACT: When the facts aren't on your side, the best way to make some noise to make false allegations anonymously.
(Making misstatements is wrong whether you do it anonymously or not. This anonymous argument is getting very tired. It’s your blog, if you don’t want anonymous posts, don’t allow them. Otherwise, quit complaining about them. )
Dearest Annoymous:
Based on your suggestion to Tim Scott in your last input...if you don't like annoymous input, don't allow it (or words to that effect)...why don't you take your own advice: If you don't like the way it's run, why don't you leave Farmers Branch?
I am sympathetic to those who post anonymously, since I chose not to and was personally attacked. I sent a version of the below directly to Mr. Scott one week ago but his opinion speaks for itself.
Dear Mr. Scott,
I am very disappointed that you do not consider calling someone who
was born and raised in Farmers Branch "dingbat" and "a black eye" to
be "extreme" enough to delete. I do not expect people to agree with me or even take my
opinions seriously since I do not live in the city anymore. However, I
do take offense to being personally attacked on a public venue.
Stating that I disagree with a position taken by you and many others
is not the same as personally attacking you. I do not know you and I
do not know whether "King of the Branch" knows me or not, since I am
not sure of his or her real name. I asked a question about the
ordinance and someone replied. That was fine with me. Being personally attacked because
of my opinion was not something I anticipated or appreciated.
The unspoken message you are sending is that it is fine in political
discussions to engage in name calling. This does nothing for the argumentative state of
politics and lowers the level of debate. Whether or not someone is
anonymous, spells things correctly, lives in FB, or agrees with other
people's opinions is irrelevant. I do not think it is appropriate that
you leave the "King"'s post on your blog. If you want to take down my
postings as well you are welcome.
Please let me know how this can be accomplished.
Anonymous:
I don't mind anonymous input or suggestions. What I don't like is anonymous assertions about my integrity or intentions when it comes to serving the city of Farmers Branch.
I also noticed that you referenced a "we" in one of your posts. So now not only are you an anonymous individual, you are a part of a anonymous organization or movement. Whatever.
I have been and will remain completely consistent on this: I don't care who disagrees with me, and I am happy to have a productive dialogue on any issue with anyone. I and that person(s) may not come to a mutual agreement, but that doesn't mean we can't still respect and work with each other toward the common good. But if someone is only interested in Demagoguery and name calling, and won't even put there own name to their rhetoric, it's just a waste of time and energy.
Tim Scott
Ann -
As I stated before, everyone's posts speak for themselves. Everyone is free to draw any conclusion about the opinions (and the posters) that are approriate.
I don't condone calling anyone a "dingbat," and as I hope you've noticed, I don't get into name calling and abuse. I don't think name calling is productive, and I don't want to see it continue.
I don't believe that my not deleting someone's post means that I condone negative rhetoric. I don't like it, and have been on the receiving end of far too much of it. But it is what it is, and it often says more about the person giving it than the person receiving it.
Tim Scott
Ann,
If you don't like being attacked on a public venue, then DON'T POST on a public venue. Send your concerns to Tim and the City Council in an email, by phone or by snail mail. You had to know that using such inflammatory words as "quixotic and hateful lawsuit" and other accusatory statements would illicit the ire of many. If that person had called Tim or myself, or Amber, or Teckela a name, would you have been so eager to have that post taken down? I am learning that the way you post something on blog can dictate the type of response that you get.
Webdesign (Belinda),
Lets take your comment to the next step. I have not seen you get called any names. What if you were to be called a name? I bet your change your mind if that happened.
What I find interesting in this debate are the people that stick up for this ordinance. They don't realize this ordinance will do nothing to stop the problem. Their response to people is to call people names.
If you want to solve this problem with illegals you need to work with other communities, state and federal goverment. By passing this ordinance you have done nothing to solve the long-term or even the short-term problems. I would rather see the money that is being used to defend this ordinance to lobby congress and the state legislature.
If you don't like Mexicans I suggest you move to Alaska. I have a feeling you will like the Canadians better, well at least the english speaking ones.
Since I decided to post, I am wondering what name I will be called. "Dingbat," "Jerk," "black eye," attack my educational level, will you roll your eyes, or will you be creative and call me another name. I hope it is something creative.
Bill-
Regarding working with other Cities, the State, and the Federal government, this city council and staff are very active in that regard. The most recent example is how closely we're in communication with Kenny Marchant's office on pending and future immigration legislation. We've met with Senator Cornyn's office. We've met with State Representative Jim Jackson. Other municipal elected officials reach out on a regular basis to discuss these issues.
We're not in a vacuum.
Tim Scott
To All-
This was a post about ideas for Farmers Branch. The comments have taken a turn away from that. There are plenty of other opportunities to continue this discussion (and I use that term in its most liberal definitiion) in other places of this blog and other forums.
I'm locking this comment string up.
Tim Scott
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