The Arlington City Council convened on November 18, 2025, to conduct routine business, including the approval of minutes, the Consent Agenda, and a public hearing regarding the Arlington Tourism Public Improvement District (TPID). The Mayor observed a moment of silence for the late former Mayor LZ Odom and addressed the community regarding recent misinformation campaigns. The central portion of the meeting was dedicated to a heated public hearing on an anti-discrimination ordinance concerning sexual orientation and gender identity, which resulted in a decision to delay voting on the matter.
Good evening, everybody. Welcome to the Arlington City Council meeting. Today is November the eighteenth of twenty twenty five. I'm going to ask for Chaplain Don Coker to come forward from the Arlington fire department to lead us in an invocation. Please stand if you can. And Lord, as this uh as this council is continued, Lord, I ask you to bless all the festivities of it. And all these things I ask in Christ Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Please join us in the Pledge of Allegiance. I Pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic which stands one nation under God and the visible and liberty and justice for all. Honor the Texas flag. I pledge the Texas one state. One individual. Thank you. You may be seated. Before we begin tonight's meeting, I want to take a moment to recognize the passing of former Arlington Mayor LZ Odom. Mayor Odom was a dedicated public servant whose leadership, compassion, and steady commitment helped shape our city and to the community we are proud of today. He served Arlington with integrity and left a legacy that will endure for generations. On behalf of the city council and the citizens of Arlington, we extend our deepest condolences to the Odom family. Mayor Mayor Odom's contributions to our city will never be forgotten. I now ask that you please join me in a moment of silence as we honor Mayor Odom. Thank you. Mr. Buskin, 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 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 disturb the meeting, or who becomes disruptive while 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 in support or 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 you have any appointments to boards or commissions this evening? No, sir. We have no appointments this evening. Thank you. Consideration of minutes, please. Thank you, Mayor. Minutes for consideration this evening or the afternoon and evening meetings from November 4th, 2025. Thank you, sir. Council, do you all have any additions or corrections?