Well, good evening, everybody.

Somebody's awfully popular tonight.

Thank you all for coming out.

We're gonna go ahead and call the Arlington City Council session to order.

I want to recognize Mayor Jeff Williams and his bride, Karen Williams back here.

Thank you for being here, sir.

And I'm gonna invite Mr.

Lewis Torres from Revived Zoe Church to come forward and lead us in an invocation.

Will y'all please rise with us?

Father, thank you so much for today.

Thank you for this great city for this great council, Lord.

Thank you that you lead us.

Thank you that you're gonna lead this meeting.

Please join us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

But Jock has been doing great things for decades here in the city of Arlington.

Whereas Jock Bethune, an Arlington resident for over five decades, has been a shining example of servant leadership, compassion, and unwavering dedication to our community.

And whereas he has humbly and consistently uplifted others through volunteerism, and whereas Jockley proudly volunteered during the nineteen ninety-five MLB All-Star Game, representing Arlington with honor and hospitality on the national stage.

And whereas Jock has served as a board board member for Dance Theater of Arlington, champion artistic expression and helping young dancers flourish through creativity and culture.

And whereas Jock has enjoyed the congenial fellowship his involvement in the Arlington Senior Men's Club, and whereas as a proud Rotary Club of Arlington member, he has embodied their motto, service above self, building bridges of goodwill locally and abroad.

Whereas Jock has played a key role in Sister Cities of Arlington promoting global unity, cultural exchange, and international friendship.

And whereas Jock has been an engaged member of the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, further demonstrating his commitment to civil leadership, community progress, and economic vitality in our city.

And whereas, as a devoted member of First Christian Church, Jock's faith and service has helped strengthen his congregation and community.

Whereas Jock Bethun's life of service is a living testimony to the power of love, community, and humble leadership, qualities that have made him a treasured and respected figure in Arlington.

Now therefore, I, Jim Ross, mayor of the City of Arlington, do hereby proclaim September 2nd, 2025 as Jock Bethune Day.

Let me tell y'all something.

I've known Jock for years.

Every time we appear somewhere, he'll hug my neck and say I love you.

That's his character, and I wish I could say he loved me best because he says it to me all the time, but I know he tells everybody he loves me.

But brother, just so everybody knows I love you too, and I know all these folks do.

So God bless you.

I love you all for being here.

I mean, this is every one of you from all different parts of my life, whether it's Arlington, American Airlines, all sorts of other parts of my life.

Um, I'm just so blessed with having each and every one of you in my life, and I mean that very sincerely, and I want to thank this group of people.

These are really volunteers, except for trade.

But they spend so much of their life for the people of Arlington.

I want to thank each and every one of you for being here.

And just thank you all.

And Karina says we're going to have a get together at J.

Gilligan's afterwards, so come and join us.

I would love to see and spend more time with each and every one of you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Love you.

Thank you.

We still love you.

We still love you.

Well, we still love y'all for even though you're all leaving us now, okay?

Oh, man.

Come on.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Of course.

We'll do it here real fast.

Oh, I don't know if that's what a particular meeting or the question is.

Oh yeah.

So if you go up the front door to the left, turn left.

Sure, can you just like five things happening?

We're gonna let them clear out this one.

I think we're close enough now.

Let's go ahead and go through speaker guidelines and general decorum, please.

Thank you, Mayor.

We ask that the citizens and other visitors in attendance assist in preserving the order and decorum of the of this meeting and to provide for attendance at and participation in the meeting without fear of intimidation, threats, or hostility.

Any person making personal, profane, hostile, slanderous or threatening remarks who uses vulgar or obscene language, who engages in any other actions that disturb or calculated to dis disturb the meeting, or who becomes disruptive while addressing the mayor and the city council or while attending the city council meeting may be removed from the council chambers.

All speakers shall address the city council and not the audience or city staff and shall not call out individually named members of city staff or the public.

For speakers tonight, when your name is called, please come to the microphone at the podium and state your name and city of residence for the record.

Speakers may not use music, videos, other forms of media signs or props.

During public hearings for zoning cases, the applicant will be asked to speak first and will be given five minutes to make a presentation.

Speakers and supporter opposition of the item will be given three minutes each to make their statements.

The applicant will then be given three minutes for any rebuttal.

For all other items on the agenda, speakers will be given three minutes to speak.

If multiple speakers plan to provide the same or similar comments, those speakers may, if they so desire, designate one or more individuals to provide public comment on behalf of the group.

A bell will signal the end of each speaker's time.

In consideration of other speakers, please conclude your comments promptly when you hear the bell.

We ask that you address your comments to the mayor and council.

Thank you, Mr.

Buskin.

Do we have any appointments to boards or commissions?

No, sir.

We do not.

Thank you, sir.

Consideration of consent agenda, please.

Thank you, Mayor.

The consent agenda this evening contains 18 minute orders, four ordinances, and four resolutions.

The minute orders seek to authorize one through four annual requirements, contracts for umpire officiating services, concrete repair services, rental of traffic barricades, and for elevator maintenance repairs and annual inspections.

Five and six annual contracts for maintenance and support services for the e-approval permit software for the planning and development services department and for specific stop loss coverage.

Seven renewal of annual requirements contract for mosquito control services.

Eight and nine engineering services contracts for fire station number 15 pavement replacement and for the construction management and observation services for the Pierce Birch Water Treatment Plant Filter and Backwash Improvements.

10 sole source purchase of annual support and hosting fees for the meter data management system.

11 contract for the voiceover internet protocol migration services and equipment.

12 five year contract for the purchase and implementation services of the team dynamics information technology service management software.

13 and 14, three year contracts for insurance broker and risk management services, and for a third party administrator for workers compensation, automobile and general liability and subrogation claims.

15 and 16 construction contracts for the roof replacement at the city office tower and for Pierce Birch Water Treatment Plant Filter and Backwash Improvements.

17 and 18 professional services contracts for the access road and aircraft apron project manager and for relocation assistance consulting services.

The ordinances seek to authorize 19 settlement with Atmos Energy Court Mid Text Division regarding the Atmos Mid Techs 2025 rate review mechanism filing.

20 amendment to the streets and sidewalks chapter relative to the addition of a temporary traffic permit.

21 zoning case PD 25 09, the Knox on Watson 1409 South Watson Road.

22 zoning case SUP 25 05 2306 Park Run Drive.

The resolutions seek to authorize 23 Terrant County 911 District Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

24 interlocal agreement with the North Central Texas Council of Governments for reimbursement for improvements to the Texas Rangers parking lot H.

25 modification of interlocal cooperation contract with the University of Texas at Arlington for the Arlington Rapid Project.

26 professional services contract for the Arlington Cemetery Operations.

Thank you, Mayor.

This concludes the consent agenda for this evening.

Thank you, Mr.

Buskin.

I'm going to pull 6.18 from the consent agenda.

Mr.

Buskin, do we have any speakers on the remaining items of the consent agenda?

No, sir.

No speakers.

We did have one non-speaker in support on item 6.21.

Thank you, sir.

I have a motion from Councilmember Hogg and a second from Councilmember Gonzales.

Please cast your vote.

And the motion passes.

I want to now go back to 6.18.

I request that we'll go ahead and table this.

If I can get a motion to table 6.18 and a second, please.

I have a motion from Councilmember Odom Wesley.

A second from Councilmember Pham.

Please cast your vote.

And the motion passes.

We're going to move on down to the public hearings nine point one.

Mr.

Rick Ripley.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Thank you very much.

We have before you this evening is an ordinance regarding multifamily and mixed-use developments to help establish a more sustainable, healthy, livable environment for individuals coming into these facilities as the city continues to grow and see an expansion in these.

What we are doing to improve this is to utilize some green building technology for these improvements to health and sustainability and longevity for not only the structures but the tenants and the city as well.

So we're trying to mitigate that by moving forward with this to continue to promote a healthy Arlington.

Thank you, sir.

Mr.

Buskin, any speakers on this item?

No, sir.

No speakers on this item.

Thank you.

I'm going to close the public hearing.

I have a motion from Councilmember Galante, a second from Councilmember Gonzalez.

Please cast your vote.

The motion passes.

We're going to move on down to consideration of ordinances.

First reading 10.1, Mr.

Troy Williams.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Uh Troy Williams, Chief Equity Officer.

The ordinance before you tonight proposes the to amend the City of Arlington's code of ordinances, administration chapter section 3.09, the Unity Council, uh, relative to membership responsibilities and objectives.

Uh the collective amendments uh align the unity council with the city council priorities of building unity, championing great neighborhoods, while remaining compliant with federal directives that impact the city's receipt of federal grant funds.

And I'm happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, sir.

Mr.

Buskin, any other speakers on this item.

Yes, sir.

We have two speakers on this item.

Our first speaker is Jason Shelton.

Dr.

Shelton.

After Dr.

Shelton is DJ Johanneson, good evening, everybody, and thank you for the opportunity to address City Council once again.

As you all know, I'm Dr.

Jason Shelton.

I've had the honor and privilege of chairing the Arlington Unity Council for the past five years.

Um I've worked very closely with Mayor Ross, Mayor Williams, each and every one of you as current members of City Council, and a bunch of prior members of City Council over the past five years.

The Unity Council has fulfilled our charge from City Council to submit official reports on matters related to diversity, equity, and inclusion right here in the great city of Arlington, Texas.

I have served with more than 60 different people over the course of my time, and together we have submitted more than 80 different recommendations on how to improve the quality of life right here in our city.

Our task force represents a wide range of people from different backgrounds.

We are black, white, Asian, Latino, and Native American.

We are rich, poor, and middle class.

We are Christians, we are Muslim, we are atheists, we are gay, we are straight.

And yes, some of us are very strong conservative Republicans, others are very strong Liberal Democrats, and others are fiercely independents.

With all of that diversity, I'm proud to say that each and every member of the Unity Council has signed off on our reports over the years.

Some of these recommendations are very specific and they relate to women and minority-owned businesses.

However, others are very general, and they have little to do with race, ethnicity, or gender.

Some of these are things like updating our city's transition plan for the Americans with Disabilities Act, hiring a full-time permanent chaplain to assist officers in the Arlington Police Department, enhancing the police athletic league so that students can engage in sporting activities with the ADP officers for the entire school year.

And yes, it was a unity council recommendation that led to the hiring of Mr.

Troy Williams, who was standing here at this podium just a few minutes before me.

And I know all of us think that Troy has done an amazing job for our city on matters related to diversity and on matters that have nothing to do with diversity.

Part of the reason that the Unity Council has accomplished so much over these years is because the winds of change were at our back from 2025 to from 2020 to 2025.

But now the winds of change are blowing directly towards us, and it definitely slows our progress.

But this does not mean that we step back or that we stop moving forward.

It just means that we focus on issues that impact all of us.

I will leave you with this.

I know that the City Council is proud of the work and the awards that the Unity Council has received over the years.

You have told me this, and you have showed me this by supporting the recommendations and implementing them.

But when the winds of change ultimately ultimately are at our backs again, please remember that Arlington has already shown how we can build unity and move our city forward when we acknowledge our diversity, work together, and give each of us an opportunity to speak up and speak out.

Thank you very much for your time and attention.

Thank you, sir.

Our next speaker is D DJ Johanneson.

After Mr.

Johanneson is uh Kennedy Jones.

Mr.

Mayor, members of council, my name is DJ Johanneson.

I am the CEO of the Help Center for LGBT Health.

Um I speak in support of this ordinance today with the caveat that while it brings us into alignment with some federal requirements, it doesn't change what we do as a city.

And we are here as a city to make sure that every single person is supported.

Whether you are black or white, gay or straight, there is a place in this city for you, and your participation is encouraged.

I particularly like the methodology in which this ordinance was put forward, where it proactively made a change and didn't suspend the Unity Council in its entirety and say we're going to come back to you at a later date with something.

Because what we want to make sure is that each and every single day that we are here as citizens, that we value each other, even if we disagree.

As a member, I used to chair the mayor's advisory group for LGBT.

And this last year's Jason, Dr.

Shelton was saying, you know, there's recommendations that come forward.

And this year, the LGBT advisory group had one recommendation.

It was please don't change anything.

And people looked at us like we were crazy.

And they said, What do you mean don't change anything?

The fact of the matter is we knew this was coming.

We knew the attacks on our community were coming.

And so our recommendation and our request of this body was please don't change anything.

Please don't turn your back on some of the citizens.

Please don't say you're less than.

And I know a lot of you up here, a lot of your friends, some of us have really spirited debates, because I'm not shy and quiet.

But the fact of the matter is we all have the same goal.

We might not have the same way of getting there.

We have the same goal.

That Arlington is a place where everybody has the opportunity to live, work, raise your family, and be treated with respect and dignity.

And provided that this ordinance allows that to continue, I'm in support of it.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, sir.

Our next speaker is Kennedy Jones.

Reverend Jones.

I would just like to say in summary, uh, considering the totality of what you put forward today, tonight, is that that law, which is unjust, which disparages the character and the quality of any individual is no law at all.

And to accept it as such demeans this council and it demeans our city.

Just because someone puts forward something, and because they think that they have the winds of change behind them, however immoral it may be, does not mean that we, this city council, or we, this city, should bend the knee.

Arlington has been through some tough times.

They have stepped out front when other people fell back.

This has been a city that has been like a beacon, a light on a hill.

And it should continue to be so, irregardless of those forces, however corrupt that they may be, whatever their goals may be, that we should bow in submission to what that which we know is wrong.

The issues put forward by the Justice Department of these United States is wrong.

The issues put forward by this president of this United States is wrong.

The attack upon this city is wrong.

The attack upon our mayor is wrong.

And we as a city will stand behind this council.

We'll stand behind our mayor.

And we should not accept the injury that's being perpetrated upon our city laying down.

Sometimes you have to fight back.

Sometimes it's inconvenient.

But you have to fight back.

Because a bully, he won't take concessions and say that's enough.

They'll just keep coming back.

The city of Arlington is prepared to fight.

And I know there's some good folks on this council that are too.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you, Mayor.

And thank you to the speakers that came in support of the Unity Council.

You know, I remember when we first started the Unity Council.

Discussion started in 2020.

And it was partially in response to the George Floyd murders, the racial tension that we were experiencing across the country.

And cities were establishing racial task forces and you name it, developing plans.

But in Arlington, my thoughts were we need to take a comprehensive look at disparities.

It's more than policing.

It's more than social justice.

And we want to be known as an equitable city, a welcoming city.

And my colleagues on council at the time agreed.

I lobbied the mayor to appoint Jason Shelton as the chair.

Jason came with the academic discipline and rigor that the process needed, as well as the passion for this civil rights kind of work.

Out of all those recommendations, I think hiring our chief equity officer, Shroy Williams, was one of our greatest accomplishments.

I think having this unity council is one of the best things Arlington has ever done.

We divided into five subcommittees, looked at housing, health, and access to health, economic disparities, which led to our MWBE goals, education, and of course, policing and social justice.

We've done some great work.

And we have been recognized nationally.

When I go to the National League of Cities, they want to hear about the Unity Council.

When I talk to the folks at Common Ground USA, they want to see that report from the Unity Council.

And they are all looking at us as the model.

We got it right.

We want to be welcoming.

We want to not just tolerate diversity, but celebrate.

So that we don't focus on the problem or the issue.

We're focused on the outcome, the goal, and what it is we're trying to accomplish.

So I just wanted to remind everybody why we have the unity council in the first place.

And that we will continue to need it.

And now we have expanded the scope so that we incorporate the mayor's advisory councils and all of those communities of interest have an avenue now to express their issues, concerns, and recommendations.

So thank you to everyone who's ever served on the Unity Council.

Thank you to the leadership, and thank you, Mr.

Mayor, for this opportunity.

Thank you, ma'am.

Mr.

Buskin, do we have any other speakers?

No, sir.

No additional speakers.

We did have one non-speaker in opposition.

Thank you, sir.

I look out here tonight and I see a bunch of people who are friends of mine.

I think a lot of y'all know where my heart lies when it comes to these issues.

I don't disagree with anything that my dear colleague, Dr.

Odom Wesley just said.

Arlington is the most diverse city in the entire state of Texas.

I'm proud of that.

Yeah, thank you.

You all know that we've worked hard at doing the things we've done to make sure everybody feels welcome and loved in this community.

And when I look at these things like on the agenda tonight, it sickens me in one aspect that we have to address this.

It worries me in another when you're talking about the potential loss of tens of millions of dollars to the city.

But more importantly, for me and I think for all of counsel up here.

When we were elected, we all took an oath.

We raised our hand and we said, we promise that we're going to adhere to the laws of the state of Texas and the United States of America.

Unfortunately, it doesn't give us an opportunity to say unless we disagree with them.

Our oath remains our oath.

And y'all want us to abide by our oath.

You want your public servants to do what they swear they're going to do.

It breaks my heart that I have to do that tonight.

But my oath is my oath.

And I will abide by the laws of the United States of America and this great state of Texas.

Whether I agree with them or not, my oath doesn't allow me to protest in such a manner.

With that, I have a motion from Councilmember Peel and a second from Councilmember Galante.

Please cast your vote.

And the motion passes.

Good evening.

The ordinance before you tonight proposes to temporarily suspend the application and enforcement of the anti-discrimination chapter of the Code of Ordinances.

The proposed temporary suspension is recommended to remain in compliance with federal directives that impact the city's receipt of federal grant funds.

This temporary suspension does not impact application of any other federal anti-discrimination laws.

Revisions to the anti-discrimination chapter will be brought forward to council in the coming months.

We provided you all with a revision to the ordinance that adds the term temporary in front of suspension.

I believe Mr.

Gilberton has additional information relative to this ordinance.

Yes, uh, thanks, Elizabeth.

Just as uh a follow-up to Elizabeth's introduction.

Uh the obvious question is what's the impact and kind of why is this action uh on the council's agenda tonight?

It's been brought up as part of our budgetary discussions, what the risks are to the city relative to the various directives that are out there at the federal and state level.

And the short answer to that question is $65 million of federal grants that come to the city.

It's split up amongst things like housing assistance, community development block grant dollars, uh, via and handy trans funding from for transportation, grants for cops grants, fair firefighters types grants, and and you know, various uh activities such as that.

And what's what's happening in a very systematic way is as we receive these grants, we have to enter into a contract with the federal government or the granting agency that stipulates various types of activities that we can or cannot do.

And as noted here, um these contracts now are being updated, particularly at the federal government, uh, to include prohibition for advancing or promoting um DEI as well as any type of race, use, gender, uh, as part of decision making process based on allocating funds or benefits.

And so we have got certain practices that could arguably be inconsistent with these directives, it becomes kind of important as to what the mayor was alluding in order to preserve and protect the city's ability to serve individuals that are being uh benefit benefited from these dollars to take certain activities.

And um, if I could get the next slide, I think uh there should be one other.

Um, as part of our budget discussions, we identified what those activities are, and in a holistic way, it includes these seven or eight items that are here.

Um some of those are being handled as part of a budgetary process which includes redesign of certain jobs and was alluded tonight about the very good work that Troy Williams has done as our chief equity officer.

Um we are not able to, within grant assurances have such a role moving forward.

However, what we need to do is redesign that and broaden the role, um broaden that the uh the outreach, and so we've broadened that out to be a community development director.

Our business diversity office needs to be broadened and restructured to be completely inclusive of all business outreach.

I mean we're joking uh last week.

There's a movie that I watched last year that's out.

It kind of makes me think of this, where what we're doing is we're having to do everything for everyone all at once.

It cannot be different uh slivers of demographics of such, and so we're gonna make sure that all of our efforts are redesigned to be broadly applicable to everyone in our community that can find a way to be involved and to be that place that they want to be, want to live and want to invest.

So we have one budgetary reduction we made to our MWB coordinator, it's a vacant position, but we do not anticipate any further modifications in that area.

Then we do have future activities, not just tonight's agenda items, where a moment ago the council voted on first reading to broaden the unity council's purpose.

Here in a moment, they will uh consider the temporary suspension of the anti-discrimination chapter in favor of one that would be redefined here in the weeks ahead and brought back for council's consideration to make sure we don't have any language that would not allow us to meet our grant assurances.

Um in between there we have some other activities, which would also include a future temporary suspension of our MWBE policy in favor of a future broadened small business uh outreach uh effort, but which would be holistic and again global to all uh all elements of our community.

That one is going to take a little more time, quite candidly working with Troy.

Um I think the anti-discrimination chapter is gonna be able to come back and in relatively short order, but the uh MWBE policy revisions will be more substantial and take us a little more time.

It'll be early next year before I expect those back.

And then we also need to take a look at even uh more modest things, although as very much impactful and intentional about modifying our 380 policy as it relates to MWB certification processes for reimbursement, as well as is even as simple as today's speaker guidelines and general decorum, which make commentary towards um DEI values that the organization has.

So we're taking a series of steps that are all intended to preserve capital in this community so that we can continue to serve our community with over 65 million dollars worth of assistance coming here, and we'll continue to work kind of methodically through these processes in a way that aligns that is respectful of all the great work that has gone on here the last five or six years in this effort.

Um, but it does need to take it to a different um uh style, a different approach, and one that is uh everywhere, everyone, all the time.

And so uh tonight um this is uh an action that's under consideration number one about being in alignment with federal grant assurances and preserving 65 million dollars of assistance continuing to come to our city and de-risking future contract um worries as it relates to uh types of penalties and or other things that could be required to be paid by the city.

It's not simply a matter of uh losing a grant, it's a matter of losing a grant and/or having contractual uh negative impacts that actually cost the city way more than even the grant would provide.

So that's what we have why we brought this forward so the public is familiar with what's going on, uh, and we will continue to do good work that serves all parts of our community and working with Troy and the Unity Council in order to ensure that that's the case.

Mr.

Busk and any speakers on this item.

Yes, sir.

We have one speaker in support and 11 speakers in opposition.

Our first speaker is Trevor McCullough after Mr.

McCullough Cindy Golden.

Good evening, sir.

Evening.

I'm Trevor McCullough.

Uh I am as of now a current resident of the city of Fort Worth.

Um, but I'm studying here in Arlington.

I can say for certain.

Well, let me just back up.

Recently I was asked by a city um planner for the Arlington for the City of Arlington, what would it what it would take for me to lay down roots in Arlington.

Um I can say for certain that as compassionate, as innovative, and as genuine of an action as 10.1 and later 10.2 will be is definitely something that makes me choose, would make me choose Arlington over my home city.

If you guys don't know, Fort Worth had a very heated and drawn-out battle over how the city would manage DEI in the face of the Trump federal budget threats, and as opposed to having a fiscal responsibility, a fiscal responsibility plan for even if they were to vote no, they had delayed the vote.

There was a lot of moral grandstanding on both sides, and eventually they came down to suspend DI and anti-discrimination efforts with no further infrastructure to maintain it, to my understanding.

And I'm proud to say that I'm standing here in a city that has taken such considerations, and I will say that history will definitely smile a lot brighter on you guys than the city of Fort Worth.

Um it's things like this that I really do think would make Arlington a lot more attractive as a city for you know young professionals like myself to flock to, whether that's temporarily out of college or even later on down the line.

So I do appreciate the consideration, and it's very unfortunate that we come down to you know suspending an anti decry anti-discrimination chapter, but obviously everyone here has made very thoughtful actions and very thoughtful considerations to prevent any harm from being done from that effort.

And with that, I thank you all.

Thank you, sir.

Our next speaker is Cindy Golden.

After Ms.

Golden is Roger DeFrang.

Good evening, members of the council.

Thank you for your service.

My name is Cindy Golden.

I live at 6408 Saddlebridge Road in Arlington, Texas for the last 40 years.

Um I'm speaking for myself and opposition of this bill.

According to the rules for public comments in our city, under paragraph two, and I quote, the city of Arlington fully embraces the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are words.

But values, values are concept of our character, the character of our city and its values.

The character of our city and one of our values is unity.

We are the fourth most diverse city in the United States.

Diversity in Arlington is inherent.

It's inherent by its population.

I've been a member of the Unity Council for six years.

First as the chair of the subcommittee on health and wellness for the ad hoc council, and have served two terms, uh totaling four more years, so six years.

The Unity Council specializes in listening, listening to all of our citizens.

Through research and public input, the recommendations that we have made have helped many in our town, and I'm just going to give you a few examples.

And these agenda items sort of uh fall with each other.

So uh we had a full-time chaplain placed with the police department.

We encouraged and move forward with consistent mobile health care in neighborhoods of our city, which would not have it.

ADA guidelines were updated so that our disabled citizens would have greater accessibility.

Recommendations have been made to support our veterans with a directory of resources to help navigate their needs.

These are just a few of the recommendations that the Unity Council has placed.

We provide a unique method to examine our city for the betterment of all.

Thank you, ma'am.

Mr.

DeFrang.

Our next speaker after Mr.

DeFrang is Catherine Godby.

Good evening, Mayor, City Council.

My name is Roger De Frank.

I live at 2200 Shady View Court, and I've lived in Arlington now for 49 years.

And I want to thank all of you for your ongoing service, because I think your job really is kind of volunteer for all the time that you put in.

And seeing that I'm standing up here and I'm probably older than every one of you up there.

It was a fantastic speech.

He talked about equal rights for everyone, no matter what color or creed you were.

He said that everyone should have the right, the same right to succeed.

He also said that for several reasons, everyone was not going to have the same success or may not even succeed.

He didn't talk about DEI.

He just talked about having the same rights to succeed.

He said that each individual's success was his or hers to have.

Today at Arlington, we have diversity.

It wasn't forced on us.

As the mayor points out, we're the most diverse city in the state of Texas.

We're the fourth in the United States.

We are diverse city, and that is absolutely fantastic.

But it happened naturally.

Today in Arlington, our children have an equal chance in our schools.

They even have school choice.

If they have a learning challenge, we have plans like the 504s to help them succeed and be with everybody.

Today at Arlington we have inclusion.

Just look at our council.

We have counselor of color, Hispanic, white.

We have males, we have females, we have inclusion.

We can go over to the school board and see the same thing.

We have inclusion.

Arlington is an overall atmosphere that naturally encourages the population we have today.

And I came to Arlington by choice in 1976.

They could have picked anywhere else in the Metroplex when I was transferred down here.

But I entirling to we don't need to be a DAEI program forced on us, and I encourage you to vote in favor of this proposal.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Next speaker, Mr.

Buskin.

Our next speaker is Catherine Godby.

After Miss Godby is Jane Collins.

Hello, I'm Catherine Godby.

I'm a resident here in Arlington.

I do appreciate everything you've tried to do for diversity in Arlington.

And I know the Trump administration has put cities in a bind, blackmailing or maybe it's extortion, basically, with the loss of funds if you keep your DEI anti discrimination policies.

So here we are.

But DEI is important, I want to say to white people.

Whiteness is responsible for 400 years of oppressing black people with the lynchings, Jim Crow, the Middle Passage, redlining, slavery, the new slavery, which is mass incarceration, all that and so much more.

People racialized as white often try to say, yeah, but that wasn't me.

That was my ancestors.

I'm not responsible.

But the oppression is built into our current education system, health care, employment, criminal justice system, financial systems, and more.

Whiteness built those systems.

Whiteness maintains those systems today, and everyone racialized as white benefits from those systems.

There's no way out of this.

It's our fault.

Until we face that fact, we are forever trapped in the role of the oppressor.

As white people, DEI is one way we can resist the slow suffocation of our own souls.

DEI is good for all of us.

I know you're in a tough spot, but this is morally wrong.

It's unjust, and the time to be brave is now.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Our next speaker is Jane Collins.

After Miss Collins is DJ Johanneson.

Hi, I'm Jane Collins, and I lived at live at 1608 Larksford Drive.

I have loved living here.

I've only been here almost four years now, and I have loved living here, and uh I really have appreciated the uh DEI approach that I think has been taking place in this city, and I really appreciate what uh Dr.

Odom Wesley brought forward.

And I'm I'm really worried right now because I see this happening all over the country.

Uh people are being blackmailed into coming out against DEI.

And I think back on the civil rights movement.

Uh I think back when I was, you know, 10 years old, and I remember the um my father told me about poll tax when he came home, and I knew about literacy tests, and I think that there's certain people in this country right now that are trying to push us back in that direction, and I'm very concerned about that, and I know that the uh um the uh civil rights movement had to use civil disobedience, it had to be done because there were so many people trying to take people's rights away, and I think that we should consider that.

I know there's a lot of money involved, but I hate to see us go for this blackmail that will take your money away unless you come out against DEI, and I'm seeing it also when I'm in the uh commissioner's court every time that there are really people that are white supremacists that are really determined to get rid of DEI, and I'm sure that all of you are aware of it too.

So I think we should consider some uh civil disobedience.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next speaker, Mr.

Buskin.

Our next speaker is DJ Johanneson.

After Mr.

Johanneson is Leslie Rathburn Mayor, members of council.

A hundred and sixty one dollars and two cents.

That is the price that is too high to pay to protect the citizens of Arlington from discrimination.

That's what this ordinance says.

Fortunately, we shouldn't have to make that decision.

Fort Worth did not suspend its anti-discrimination ordinance.

Dallas did not suspend its anti-discrimination ordinance.

As a matter of fact, no other city in Texas, to my knowledge, has suspended their anti-discrimination ordinance.

They have all dealt with DEI.

I think Arlington's special, and I love it.

We aren't that special.

We don't have something totally different than anybody else.

So if they did not find the need to suspend their anti-discrimination ordinances in order to protect those federal dollars, why are we doing it tonight?

As a matter of fact, I encourage you to do exactly what you did with the very last ordinance for the Unity Council, which was proactively solve it.

And then make the change.

And tell people for the next 30, 60, 90 days.

We're not going to do anything about it.

That's not the only recourse here.

As a matter of fact, I gave packets to everybody.

The Attorney General's memo repeatedly states you should have anti-discrimination ordinances and clauses in all of your contracts.

There's nothing in there that says you have to get rid of them.

What it is talking about is activities that promote activities that promote things.

The anti-discrimination ordinance prevents discrimination.

It doesn't promote DEI.

I encourage you tonight to take a stand.

You're in a tough spot, and I understand that.

I encourage you to do that.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, sir.

Our next speaker is Leslie Rathburn.

Legislative.

Next speaker, Mr.

Busker.

Our next speaker is David Runnels.

After Mr.

Runnels is Carol Rayburn.

Hello, Mr.

Mayor and uh members of the council.

I uh want to first thank you for giving us the opportunity to speak.

Uh my name is David Runnels, like I said, I'm uh resident of South Arlington, and I just wanted to uh speak against uh this uh ordinance.

Uh the anti-discrimination ordinance was put in after uncomfortable but necessary conversations regarding race after uh the George Floyd murder in uh the uh 2020, 2021 time.

Um it kind of talked about you know how all of our residents should be treated with uh respect and equal dignity.

Uh according to the Fort Worth Star Telegram when we passed this anti-discrimination um ordinance, uh Arlington's score for the human rights uh campaigns municipal equality index rose to a perfect 100 percent.

The year before, it was a 63.

And the year before that, or in 2020 in 2013, uh excuse me, Arlington got an 11.

So this was a very important thing that we passed.

Uh it was clearly necessary because it showed the public that Arlington values diversity and equality, but now it seems that we're attempting to soften our stance uh to placate a president who will never be satisfied with our humble offerings of concessions.

We can't allow federal government overreach to dictate the expression of our values of equality, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

I want to be a part of a city that stands firm in its values and is not subject to the whims of the federal government.

We must project strength and stability to citizens and businesses that may seek to move to Arlington.

Now we do risk losing funding, um, like the city manager pointed out.

Um, but that's the thing about moral conviction.

It's easy to be for justice when others are in favor of it, but real moral conviction, uh, it lies uh when we stick to our values, even when the political environment and those in power are against us.

Uh the gentleman who spoke on item 10.1 made a great point that I will re-emphasize.

Bullies never stop bullying unless you stand up to them.

I ask that you reinforce our collective conviction to uphold equality and social justice, and that we stand up to the federal government's uh bullying and we reject this attempt to allow Donald Trump's backwards and racist ideology to pervert our great city.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Our next speaker is Carol Rayburn.

After Miss Rayburn is Timothy Schweck.

Good evening.

My name's Carol Rayburn.

I'm a retired mechanical engineer, degreed from UTA, lived here 35 years.

Thank you.

I've worked with men my whole life, and I'm if experienced discrimination firsthand, and it is not a pretty thing.

It forces people to shut up.

Now, is that really what we want to do?

We don't really have to tell half of our citizens they're not equal.

Passing this kind of an ordinance gives gives away the power we have to support all of our citizens.

All of our citizens need to be treated fairly and equally.

We also need to protect our city from people that would prefer to discriminate moving in and setting up an all-white area.

We need to protect ourselves from the hate that could come into our city if we open the door.

And this opens the door to let those attitudes in.

So we need to watch what we're doing.

And this is the kind of thing that we really I agree, we really have to put our heart in the right place and do the right thing.

And the right thing is to protect all the citizens of Arlington, not just the ones that are white.

We need to protect all of us.

And we need to especially value all of the citizens and open the door so everybody has an equal opportunity.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Our next speaker is Timothy Schweck.

After Mr.

Schweck is Kennedy Jones.

Council.

Mayor.

Thank you for giving time to being able to voice how we feel.

Um I'm not originally from Texas.

I'm actually I grew up in New York.

I've lived in Texas for 17 years, and I've lived in Arlington for nine of those.

You don't always get to choose where you live.

I chose Arlington to live.

Because this is a diverse city.

I truly think the two best things about our city.

And when somebody asked me like why I moved here, it was the diversity of the city.

And our parks.

The reason I chose to stay here, the reason I I still work in Texas, I probably would have left the state long ago with the way our state government has gone.

But every day, you know, I get to go out, I have friendly neighbors, I I can walk around my neighborhood without any issues.

I think it's an amazing thing that you we can have a city that has so much inclusive diversity and yet isn't truly a mess.

Like you guys have a great city.

And when I you know look at this, to me, this is just us uh giving up on a protection that we give to our citizens who live here.

It's just one more way we chip away at what makes the city great.

And I don't want to see the city fall backwards.

Like I I found it interesting last speaker brought up that in 2013 to now, you know, our scores had increased, and that's the time I've lived here actually.

Um and in the time things have gotten better.

I like I remember when I first got here, Abrams was still like a little narrow road, and we had to redo it.

Like it was Arlington was the place I drove down to from like where we we lived up in Louisville, and I watched this grow into some place I loved better than the rest of North Texas, and I think that says a lot to me anyway.

And I I really don't want to see us truly just to meet the letter of what we see as law just because we're afraid of the repercussions.

I I think the city at large would be willing to take the risk of standing up to the the federal government.

And I know you guys have your oaths, and I think you are following the letter of the law.

I think the thing that you can keep is the things that protect the citizens and help give us the tools to say, hey, there's a reason you can't do that legally, because otherwise it's gonna turn on us and we're gonna lose that ability to be able to say, you know, we've got our cities back behind us.

So I implore you.

I wouldn't even temporarily suspend it.

I wouldn't give them an inch.

Thank you, sir.

I'm gonna recognize Councilmember Hogg.

Oh, you don't want to say anything at all.

Okay.

Reverend Jones, come on up here, sir.

After Mr.

Jones is Joanna Cardosa.

From this audience related to the uh and the suspension of our anti-discrimination um ordinances and rules and regulations that we have here in the city of Arlington.

And I would ask that you would consider.

Consider Columbia University.

They capitulated.

When this administration, the federal administration asked them to give up their diversity and equity, they capitulated, or else lose uh millions of dollars in funding that they got from the federal government.

They capitulated.

The the federal government walked all over and still didn't give them a dime.

Harvard made the decision.

You know what?

We're gonna fight back.

We're not gonna take this land down.

They fought back, they fought lawsuit, and in the first uh uh round of that lawsuit, they lost.

This administration lost.

Now I know what I'm talking about.

It's gonna cost money.

I know what I'm talking about.

It's a risk.

And I know it's a big risk.

And if I'm the one that and it's my job that's on the line, um, I'd be somewhat antsy about that.

But what we are talking about here today is too important.

We have fought for too long.

I saw with my own eyes the cost of achieving where we are today.

It did not come naturally, as some people may um wrongly perceive.

It came through blood, it came through sweat, and I saw people bleed.

We should not give up so easily.

And I know the concerns.

I know your concerns, I know your heart's in the right place.

But I also know that every one of you sitting up there are fighters.

I know, I know hate.

I know what it looks like.

I know it bigotry.

I know it when I see it, and I know what it looks like.

Oh no, I know intimidation.

I know what it looks like.

I know it, terrorism looks like.

And I would suggest to you today that it does not matter whether someone is wearing a hood that looks like this or hood that looks like this.

The intent is the same.

And I would ask you to not be intimidated by this federal government.

Take the risk, stand up for what you know is right.

Fight the good fight.

Keep the faith.

Next speaker, Mr.

Busco.

Our next speaker is Joanna Cardozo.

Good evening, Mayor, City Council members and Trey.

All of you know me, Joanna Cardoza.

Tonight I am speaking on behalf of the Arlington Lulak Council in opposition to the suspension of the anti-discrimination chapter of the Arlington City Code.

Forty plus years ago, the city of Arlington welcomed my parents and siblings into the community.

My parents were undocumented at the time and were looking for a better economic opportunity in the middle of a recession.

As my parents contributed to the Arlington economy in me by working in the restaurant industry and building local homes to give us a better life, my siblings and I attended several local Arlington Independent School District Schools in East Arlington.

As an at-risk youth, I secured employment in Arlington that allowed me to flourish and break generational chains of poverty, thanks to local business owners that gave me an opportunity.

I purchased my home and raised my children in the city I love.

As an older adult, I became more aware of how a governmental policy, the allocation of resources, and the quality of life of Arlington residents are all intertwined.

Growing up in East Arlington in poverty as a child, and after attending several underserved schools in that community, I experienced many things I did not understand at the time.

After raising my young children, I decided to get more involved in the community I love dearly.

You see, not much has changed in Arlington communities of color since I was a child.

A few years a few years ago, the Arlington NAACP, Lulak, and other bipartisan organizations partnered up to fight for city council term limits.

It did not happen naturally.

Against the city council at the time and the Arlington machine.

We were called haters.

We were not haters.

We were community leaders who saw the pain in our community, poverty, hunger, early deaths due to health disparities and the lack of quality education for our children.

I will remind some of you that you sit up there because some of us fought for you to have a seat at the table.

We yearn for the diversity and reputation, representation we did not have at the time.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Based on my conversations with some of you, I know that some of you believe in this.

And I know that you are fighting hard every day to improve the lives of all Arlington residents.

But we are not there yet, and we have a long way to go.

The elimination of DEI efforts will hinder any improvements the city has made in key quality of life areas.

Diversity.

Arlington is one of the most diverse cities in the nation.

We should continue to celebrate what makes us strong.

Our food community, the culture, and the people that contribute to the success of Arlington every day.

Equity.

There are many families in Arlington that are struggling every day to keep a roof over their heads.

Figure out why, what they would be having for dinner.

Business owners looking for opportunities to expand their business.

Children with a dream to attend the school and be someone but are stuck in underserved schools that lack leadership, inclusion.

Real community outreach must continue to be intentional.

I have seen from afar the ramifications on the community when we don't have a seat at the table.

I have seen the most improvement in this area, and it is truly appreciated.

Mayor Ross, your words.

Why is that buzzer go off?

Don't you have anything really good to say about me, Joanna?

Or say it.

I'm going to give you extra time to talk good about me.

Mayor Ross, your words a couple of years ago at an international quarter meeting in regard to real community outreach were heartfelt and ease my soul.

You are the first person on City Council to speak so passionately about inclusivity, and I wish you many more years on City Council.

Thank you, ma'am.

Thank you.

Mr.

Buskin, next speaker.

See, wasn't that worth a little extra time?

Mr.

Buskin.

Mayor, that concludes.

That concludes our speakers.

We did have four non-speakers in opposition to this item.

Thank you, sir.

I'm going to recognize Dr.

Odom Wesley.

Thank you, Mayor.

Suspending the anti-discrimination ordinance puts a knot in my stomach.

When we suspend it, what are we saying?

That now it's okay to be discriminatory.

I read somewhere that all men are created equal.

Created equal by the Creator.

So this artificial human made hierarchical caste system that we have in this country was human made.

The creator didn't create that.

We did it.

Based on what?

Artificial qualities, color of skin, texture of hair, speaking with the accent.

Why do we have this system?

And it's designed to hold people in their defined place.

And who got to decide?

Who's the inferior group and who's a superior group?

It's all artificial, not designed by the creator.

So DEI doesn't ask for preferential treatment for any group.

It simply asks for equal treatment.

We are all equal in the eyes of the creator.

We're all equal, supposedly, in the eyes of the law.

To step back on an anti-discrimination ordinance is reversing hard fought generational battles for civil rights, civil rights, not special rights, just civil rights.

And I don't like being held hostage.

Having our grant dollars depend on our compliance with something that you don't believe in.

Worked on removing systemic barriers.

That doesn't always change hearts.

It has changed procedures and processes.

And along the way, we've changed some hearts.

But some hearts will not be changed.

Which is why we need this protection in place.

So that all God's people are treated equally.

And from the speakers, not okay with any of y'all either.

And y'all applaud it, so I guess it's not okay with the audience.

So even though we might risk losing our grant money, which we do need to help our people, even though it may put an even bigger target on our back, because we're seen as being the disobedient city.

I cannot support this.

The suspension.

But you know, we've been here before.

We've been in a tough spot.

I'm reminded of the second verse of the black national anthem.

Stony, the road we trod, bitter, the chastening rod, felt in the days when hope unborn had died.

Yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet come to the place for which our father sighed.

Oh, we have come over away that with tears has been watered.

We have come over away, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered, but out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last where the white gleam of our white, our bright star is cast.

We've come too far to turn our back.

I cannot support anti suspending the anti-discrimination chapter.

Because to me that says it's okay to discriminate now.

And it's just not okay with me.

With that, Mr.

Mayor, I move to table this suspension of the ordinance till our next council meeting, when hopefully the staff can come with some new wording that would protect our federal funds, but also save our mission and our vision.

But before I look for a second on that, I want to say a few things.

Couldn't be more proud of this community tonight.

Those who spoke out in opposition to this change or the suspension, and those who spoke out in favor of it.

Folks had disagreements, but we treated each other with dignity and respect.

And that's what we do in Arlington.

We've all been through various politicians that we've looked at and we've thought, how does he or she stay in office or not go to jail for what they're doing?

And I don't care what party you affiliate with, there's been those views on both sides of the aisle.

Civil disobedience has its place.

But in my opinion, it doesn't have the same place with those of us who have been elected and are public servants.

They took an oath that they have to follow the law.

You know where my heart is.

Joanna spoke to it, that when I say I love our diversity, I do.

Every bit as much as I love our diversity.

It's not just about jeopardizing the financial well being of the city.

That does play a very significant role, but it's about us following the law.

And if we expect those in our county, those in our state, and those in D.C.

to follow the law, by God, we should follow the law.

We can set the example in Arlington to say, listen, we're gonna adhere to the laws of the land.

And we're still going to show you what love, decency, and respect truly is.

So unfortunately, I hate to go against Dr.

Odom Wesley and her motion the table, but I'm wanting this now because if we table this and we walk out of here tonight, we are immediately in jeopardy.

This city has already lost one grant because of words like inclusion being in it.

Other communities have already lost millions of dollars worth of grants.

And I'm not willing to jeopardize this city and its financial well being and continue this any further.

We have to we have an obligation to protect the city financially.

So I have a motion from Dr.

Odom Wesley.

Is there anybody on council wanting to second that?

I have a second from councilmember Hunter.

Please cast your vote on the motion to table.

And the motion to table failed.

We'll now go back on a motion to approve 10.2.

Can I get a motion and a second, please?

I have a motion from Councilmember Peel and a second from Councilmember Galante.

Please cast your vote.

The motion passes.

Mr.

Buskin, citizen participation, please.

Thank you, Mayor.

Citizen participation gives the public an opportunity to make comments or address concerns regarding matters related to city business or affairs that are in the scope of the authority of the city council and which are not posted on the evening agenda.

However, please understand that the mayor and council are not permitted by law to respond to, discuss, or address the comment at this time as these items are not included on the posted council agenda for this evening.

The mayor and council may only ask clarifying questions and or direct staff to take appropriate action.

Speakers who have pre-registered will be given two minutes to make their comments, except that if 26 or more speakers have pre-registered, each speaker will be given one minute to make their comments.

Next speaker, Mr.

Buskin.

Our next speaker is Cheryl Bean.

Ms.

Bean.

Hello, I'm Cheryl Bean, and I am running for Texas House Rep 94 to replace Tony Tinderholt.

I'm here because I wanted to express the fact that I am very pro-business and pro-posperity for the citizens of Arlington.

I'm also for education.

And as a result of that, you know, I have actually personally donated the Ten Commandment signs to each of the classrooms in the Arlington ISD, whether they are in this district or not.

And that's all I really wanted to say tonight.

So thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next speaker, Mr.

Buskin.

Our next speaker is Eric Crowell.

Mr.

Crowell.

Next speaker, Mr.

Buskin.

Mayor, that concludes the speakers that we had pre-registered this evening.

Thank you, sir.

Council, do y'all have any announcements tonight?

Seeing none, Mr.

Buskin announcements, please.

Thank you, Mayor.

I'd like to remind our residents, Arlington City Council evening meetings are rebroadcast on Sundays at 6 p.m.

and on Wednesday and Saturday mornings at 6.30 a.m.

The council's afternoon work sessions are rebroadcast on Sundays at 1 p.m., Wednesdays at 1.30 p.m.

and on Saturdays at 6 p.m.

You can also watch the meetings online anytime at www.arlington tx.gov.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you all for coming out tonight.

God bless you all.

Have a safe ride home.