Tuesday night, the five District 9 candidates took their road show to Lake Highlands Baptist Church for some Q and A with the White Rock East Coalition of Area Neighborhoods (WRECAN).
Leigh Ann Ellis, former school board member, moderator of the forum and organizer of WRECAN, described the organization as neighborhood associations on the east side of White Rock Lake banded together by issues that affect their neighborhoods, White Rock Lake, and quality of life. The catalyst for assembling was the proposed restaurant at White Rock Lake and their cooperation has continued after that battle. The neighborhood associations are represented by their presidents or appointee. The neighborhoods in the coalition are:
Eastwood NA
Lake Park Estates NA
Lochwood NA
Old Lake Highlands NA
Peninsula NA
And from the Greater Casa View Alliance
Alger Park/Ash Creek NA
Braeburn Glen NA
Casa View Oaks NA
The forum was well attended– WRECAN estimated 175-200 people– and surprisingly many questions were different from other forums showing the diversity of issues that make up the fabric of East Dallas.
Each candidate gave a two minute “Why Me” pitch followed by questions from the WRECAN leadership. The two-hour forum wrapped after several questions from the audience. This summary will skip the opening statements (check the candidate websites for those commercials).
The candidates are:
Darren Boruff (DB)- Senior management with Reddy Ice
Mark Clayton (MC)- Owner, Allstate insurance agency
Christopher Jackson ( CJ)- Senior management with real estate firm Wynne Jackson
Will Logg ( WL )- Musician and product distributer for Paper City magazine
Sam Merten ( SM ) – Senior staff with non-profit The Bridge
Question #1
Following the flooding of 50 homes along Dixon Branch Creek several years ago, money was allocated in a recent bond program for a study that posed several possible solutions – 1) buying out and relocating existing homeowners 2) building a floodwall 3) diverting water through underground and above ground channels and 4) concrete channelization. What recommendations or approvals would you give if elected?
WL- Give homeowners an option to move, Build a flood wall
CJ- Spoke to business experience dealing with matters like this, Warned of new federal boundaries for flood plains that could include more homes, Channelization can be maintenance problem
SM- Generally against relocating people from homes, Flood wall sounds more appealing
MC- Touted experience as insurance agent that writes flood insurance, Against relocating people, City staff may be inclined to concrete but generally not in favor of that solution as it will damage natural beauty
DB- Favor preserving natural beauty, Include neighborhoods in resolution
Question #2
Do you favor a tolled or non-tolled solution to the proposed improvements to 635 East?
CJ- In favor of toll solution if it spurs construction of free lanes and economic development
SM- In favor of improvements but highly skeptical of a toll component and if it can truly speed up construction
MC- In favor of improvements especially continuous frontage roads, In favor of a toll component if it speeds construction and free lanes remain an option
DB- In favor of improvements, Would like to see a gateway component integrated into design
WL- Against any toll component, Supportive of continuous frontage roads
Question #3
What would be your bond program initiatives for District 9?
SM- Roads, Dredge the lake, Fund trail from Bathhouse to Winfrey Point, Walkable initiatives on Garland Road and Casa View shopping center
MC- Roads, Redevelopment of Casa View shopping center
DB- Roads, Green Space, Walkable initiatives on Ferguson Road, Garland Road and Casa View Shopping Center
WL- Preservation of White Rock Lake
CJ- Distinguished needs from wants, Needs are roads/infrastructure and recreation centers (improvements to Harry Stone and construction of FRI), Wants are dredging White Rock Lake and finding a way to separate cyclists/runners/walkers/cars around the lake
At this point, a minor scuffle broke out regarding the recent FRI forum where the candidates were asked to sign a pledge committing the candidate to the FRI rec center as the #1 priority of the bond program. Sam Merten interrupted the moderator to point out that two candidates had signed the FRI pledge and he had not as he feels roads are the first priority and he didn’t “pander to the FRI people “.
Mark Clayton rose and acknowledged that he signed the pledge. He made an argument that it’s not an either/or proposition on discussing priorities and an FRI rec center that targets underprivileged children doesn’t mean streets don’t get fixed.
Question #4
Do support the Trinity Toll Road?
WL- A colossal waste of money
CJ- Said “Not ready to sign on the line for it yet”, as open issues remain but thinks Stemmons traffic problem needs to be addressed. Moderator Leigh Ann Ellis followed up and asked if Jackson supported the toll road. He answered “Yes, I do”.
SM- Against the toll road from the beginning, Question not only is about a toll road, but how one “looks at the City”, Either believe the Trinity Plan is a park or a transportation corridor, If a proponent of the toll road is for the “Balanced Vision “plan then they are “covering for the special interests “as the “Balanced Vision plan is dead”.
MC- “Completely” against the toll road, No balance in the Balanced Vision plan, Issue is a “litmus test” on what kind of councilman District 9 wants
DB- Supporter of Balanced Vision plan, Won’t support a transportation solution at all costs but need to get people from Highway 183 to Highway 175, Traffic problems hurt economic development and need to stop tax base flight to suburbs
Question #5
Do you support the bag fee ordinance?
CJ- Against the ordinance, Spoke to woman that chooses to shop in Garland because of the bag fee, Should address trash problems in other ways
SM – Would work to repeal the ordinance, Feels community and small business is against it, Ordinance ended up being a bad compromise, Doesn’t have intended result
MC- Supports the ordinance but needs work, Suggested increasing bag costs or some sort of recycling initiative for the bags
DB- Ordinance “not fully baked “when it passed
WL- Initially supported ordinance but now does not, Suggested that bags be banned from White Rock Lake
Question #6
What are your thoughts on recent suggestions for changes at Fair Park?
SM- Coalition for a New Dallas group wants to “literally drive out the State Fair”, Adamantly against relocating the State Fair, Recommends lowering and decking I-30, Need more green space at Park, Recommends governance changes like zoo
MC- Wants to keep State Fair, Listen to adjacent neighbors, Consider parking garages to reduce surface paving and get more green space
DB- Oppose any movement to privatize public buildings, More green space, Make it a year round attraction, Used Balboa Park in San Diego as example, Invest in the perimeter of Fair Park
WL- Against relocating State Fair, Suggested a Blues or Jazz festival for more year round use
CJ- Recent proposed plan is “ not ready for prime time”, Against relocating State Fair, Suggested governance changes like zoo, Needs year round use and preservation of buildings
Question #7
What is your vision for Casa View shopping center?
MC- Use Lower Greenville as an example—lights, street parking, enhance architecture
DB- Resurface the plan already in place, City can “kickstart” the improvements
WL- Fix the sidewalks, Street lights
CJ- Adopt Greater Casa View Alliance vision, Get Oncor to help on telephone poles, look at TIF and tenant incentives
SM- Owner wants buy-in from City and help on drive appeal, City should step out and make walkability improvements
Question #8
Why is electing you going to change the accountability of City Hall employees ?
DB- Council should hold staff accountable, Use metrics measurement
WL- Transient elected officials are focused on higher office and aren’t concerned with permanent employees at City and should be
CJ- Council sets policy for City Manager to follow, Dallas should have best of the best in city employees
SM – Stressed experience, Current council should insure City Manager and Asst City Managers hold senior staff accountable, Hammered Jill Jordan
MC- City Manager doesn’t care about neighbors, he cares about 8 votes, Will hold City Manager accountable
Question #9
What will you do to support the Bathhouse Cultural Center?
CJ- Stressed Cultural Affairs Commission activity, Needs to be part of a plan for the east side of the Lake
SM- Specific plan to take $1M from $16M that City gives to Convention Bureau with Bathhouse as the first priority to improve
MC- Focus on neighborhood arts
DB- Success of Arts District downtown should not come at the expense of neighborhood cultural icons, Bathhouse should go on bond program for inside, outside and perimeter improvements
WL- One of many improvements needed at White Rock Lake
Question #10
What are your thoughts on problems with loose dogs and underfunded animal control?
SM- Worked on issue in Mayor’s office, Need better record-keeping, Spay, neuter, micro-chipping
MC- Just adopted a dog from Animal Services, Need better funding and targeted education about spay and neuter programs
DB- Funding and educational issue, Lauded work ethic of city employees at Animal Services
WL- More of a cat guy, Better spay and neuter policies
CJ- Has six chickens, Better funding, Work with private partners on spay and neuter policies
Question #11
What is your vision of Garland Road ?
MC- Read the Garland Road Vision plan and supports it, Need sidewalks, Arboretum should not let owned lots sit vacant
DB- Supports Garland Road Vision Plan along with Ferguson Road and Casa View shopping center improvements
WL- Supports
CJ- Read the Plan, Can’t let the plan languish, Plan will be tacked on his office wall if elected, Consider TIF
SM- Supports the Plan, Approved in 2011 and sits on shelf, Can’t afford “Sheffie 2.0” where nothing gets done.
