Former Councilmember Criticizes Internal Conflicts, Calls for Accountability

DESOTO – Former City Councilmember Kay Brown Patrick opened citizen comments with her thoughts about council discourse: “After the election, I really felt that the lack of unity and un-organization is the reason we have racism, fascism and authoritarianism that is going to be walking around the White House and to watch my own council continuously perpetuate that own discord. Then I saw conveniently there is an item on the [upcoming] agenda about council internal conflicts and dynamics. I have worked closely with council and local governments, and I have never seen the need for an agenda item to discuss internal conflict and dynamics among council members.”

Brown Patrick read her notes: “I say all this to say that it is no secret there are members of this council who actually thrive in conflict in the discourse and who welcome the drama because it benefits them in their own political positioning. We see this every time there is a bit of discourse. It is as if some of you are more invested in the appearance of fighting and being petty than actually solving the solutions or solving the problems.”

She also added that the residents stand to lose the most from these distractions. She said when a council member does stand up to raise a question, that member is dismissed. Brown-Patrick expressly referred to councilmember Place 3 Nicole Raphiel’s budget questions, which Brown-Patrick said were great questions “[Councilmember Place 6 Crystal] Chism accused her [Raphiel] of grandstanding,” Brown Patrick added, “I am not sure why that was grandstanding because I elected her to ask the questions, we should all be asking. So, if asking tough questions and holding the body accountable is grandstanding, perhaps you should all be grandstanding.”

She then went on to say, “The next seven times you will see me, I will have three minutes for each of you.” She added that it is important that the residents hear specifically why each councilmember deserves or does not deserve to be in their city council seat.

Jerry Ravenel spoke next, thanking the city council for the Civic Academy Program they put together recently to help residents understand what city leaders and staff do. He thanked the staff and directors and said he could tell they took pride in making sure “the residents of this city were engaged; they had interactive discussions and were able to ask questions they felt needed to be asked.” Ravenel finished by saying that he was not aware of “the things this city has going for it, and it made me even prouder to be a resident.”

All Consent Agenda items passed unanimously, including the Regular City Council meeting minutes from August 20 and the Special City Council meeting minutes from August 19, August 26, 27, and 30, 2024. 

Five proclamations were heard, including one honoring Global Entrepreneurship Week, another honoring National Apprenticeship Week, another honoring National Hunger and Homelessness Week, another honoring Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, and another honoring Small Business Saturday. The confirmation of Yulonda Davis’s appointment to the Domestic Violence Advisory Committee—Clergy was also made.

Also part of the consent agenda items that passed were amendments to the Investment Policy for the City of DeSoto, DeSoto Housing Finance Corporation, DeSoto Industrial Development Corporation, DeSoto Health Facilities Corporation, and DeSoto Development Corporation  effective November 1, 2024; an Ordinance amending the City of DeSoto’s Code of Ordinances for Health Department Fees to adjust annual permit fees for Environmental Health Services (Food Establishment Operator’s Permits, and Boarding Home Health Inspections), a financial award on behalf of the Southwest Regional Communications Center from the Commission on State Emergency Communications in the amount of $746,001.41 for Next Generation 9-1-1 use; authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a professional service agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. not-to-exceed $59,500 for design, bid, and construction phase services for the East Parkerville Road and Academy Way intersection signalization project, an approval to execute an agreement with Ubeo Inc. for the leasing of network copiers, multi-functional printers, and print management services; and a rejection of all the bid submissions received for the Westmoreland Pump Station Rehabilitation Project and the authorization for the city to re-bid the project at a later date.

One Public Hearing was passed 5 – 2 with Parker and Pierette voting against the ordinance to amend a Planned Development-120 (PD-120) to allow for site layout and building amendments to the Site Plan for the undeveloped Phase 2 portion of the Assured Hampton Addition at 803 and 811 S. Hampton Road. 

Staff had recommended the City Council deny the applicants request, but Councilmember Place 4 Andre Byrd wanted to know why staff wanted it denied. He was told because it was not part of the city’s Comprehensive Plan, but Byrd reminded that the Comprehensive Plan is not policy it is a proposed plan for city owned property.

It had been noted regarding this item an ordinance had been approved for this to be developed entirely as mini warehouses and that ordinance had been approved in 2014. At that time, an ordinance was written that specifically identified that the two phases of this property be developed per that site plan. The development being presented now is five buildings and the applicant is asking for modifications. Applicant Trent Robertson also told council his request was not a change to the zoning, but a request to amend an existing site plan.

Councilmember Place 5 Dinah Marks said what was approved in 2014 does not align with what is wanted now and she said it would be a clever idea to go back and look at cases from 2014 overall to see if each one aligns with where the city wants to go in the future.

A Public Hearing for an ordinance located at the northeast corner of S. Polk Street and E. Parkerville Road on 50.35 acres of land to amend Planned Development-193 (PD-193) with base zonings of Single Family-8 (SF-8), Single Family-9 (SF-9) and Single Family-10 (SF-10) with deviations to a new PD-193 with base zoning of SF-8 with deviations was tabled. The applicant requested this item be tabled until January 7, 2025, to await the feedback from a community meeting being held December 10.

Resident Denise Valentine spoke during this public hearing and said she too wanted to the item tabled until there is an alternate proposal offered.

The final Public Hearing, which had been continued from the October 1, 2024 and October 15, 2024 City Council meetings for an Ordinance for the applicant’s request to rezone tracts at 804 Kirnwood Drive was with withdrawn by the applicant until a future date. 

One regular agenda item to offer names for members of the Board of Directors to the Dallas Central Appraisal District had the city cast five names with six votes each. These names offered up were Clyde Hairston, Pauline Medrano, Carma Morgan, Cassandra Philips, and DeMarcus Odom.

A second agenda item to approve the City’s participation in the Gun Surrender Program with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office authorizing a $10,000 contribution from the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office and $10,000 from Walmart once the funds are received was tabled until a future meeting.

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