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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 Depart

DESOTO – As Dallas clears its homeless population out of that city, it is no surprise suburbs like DeSoto are finding more of an uptick in the “unhoused” situation. At a Special DeSoto City Council meeting Monday night, one item on the agenda addressed the coming need to address this increase in numbers. The homeless situation in DeSoto falls to the Tri-City Regional Care Team, which encompasses not only DeSoto but also Cedar Hill and Duncanville, and it plans to include Lancaster and Glenn Heights in the future. DeSoto Lt. Melissa Franks is the Regional Team Coordinator, and at Monday’s meeting, she reminded the council that the City of Dallas has initiated programs to move its homeless encampments out of the city to clear up its communities.

On Friday, November 8, 2024, at approximately 7:54 p.m., police were dispatched to an active disturbance in the 400 block of Raintree Circle, DeSoto, Texas. The caller, an adult female, reported to dispatch that an unknown adult male armed with a pistol was in her backyard. During the 911 call, dispatch could hear screaming as the suspect attempted to force entry through the rear garage door. Multiple neighbors also called 911, reporting gunshots in the area. Police arrived on scene at the victim’s residence by 7:57 p.m.

Upon arrival, officers encountered the victim in front of her home. She informed them that she believed she had shot the suspect, who was likely at the back of the property. Police searched the premises and found the suspect lying on the ground inside the garage, with a pistol nearby. The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Octavio Flores Mondragon, had sustained two gunshot wounds, one to the chest and another to the face. Officers secured the scene and administered first aid until an ambulance arrived. The suspect was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

The victim stated that she noticed a dark truck following her as she entered her neighborhood, and it pulled in behind her when she parked in her driveway. Concerned for her safety, she ran inside her home and called the police. She armed herself with her pistol as the suspect tried to break in, firing multiple shots to stop him. She then met officers at the front of her home when they arrived.

The suspect faces charges of Burglary of a Habitation with Intent to Commit Another Felony, a first-degree felony. No motive has been determined. The pistol found beside the suspect is believed to be the firearm he had during the incident.

No further details are available for public release.

The post Armed Intruder Shot by Homeowner During Break-In Attempt in DeSoto, Texas appeared first on Focus Daily News.

DESOTO— Two public hearings were for discussion only, including the FY 2025 Budget, as required by Article VII of the DeSoto City Charter. This budget was later passed during the regular agenda. The discussion during this public hearing had staff explaining the proposed tax rate of .684934 to fund the debt service and general fund operations. This rate is higher than the no new revenue rate of .613457 and equal to the voter approval rate of .684934. With this rate being equal to the voter approval rate the city is not required to hold an election for approval.

DESOTO – The DeSoto City Council spent a good part of the meeting Tuesday night discussing the upcoming FY 2024/2025 budget.

There was one citizen comment, 34-year resident Anna Williams who thanked the DeSoto Police Department regarding city safety. Williams mentioned a former local Sheriff having said “Thank you for the most thankless job in America” adding “quite often that happens in DeSoto. Chief Costa and his policemen and policewomen, they are great and they do an amazing job in helping us in DeSoto to clean up crime, to clean up gambling that should not have been here, but they have done that and they have done an amazing job and I hope they continue to stay with us and with the citizens.”

Bernadine Harrison did not speak, but noted on a public comment card she was confused on how agenda items are presented.

The budget item was a discussion-only public hearing with no residents speaking.

The adoption of the Budget, Tax Rate, Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and Council Business Plan is set for Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at 7 p.m.

DeSoto City Manager Majed Al-Ghafry said regarding the budget that staff was able to maintain the existing tax rate, and create a balanced general fund “as well as focusing to achieve the business plan priorities and strategic plan finally investing in areas identified as high priorities with citizen survey results while focusing on implementing large and prioritizes capital projects.”

The proposed budget, including the CIP, was first presented to the council on July 11 with two budget workshops held at the end of July.

The next steps will be for the council to prepare the draft and finalize its business plan during its upcoming summer retreat.

In staff notes it was pointed out the tax rate necessary to pay the debt obligations and provide the level of operating services as proposed in the budget is 68.4934 cents per $100 valuation, which is slightly lower than the tax rate in Tax Year 2024. The proposed rate is comprised of the Debt Service and Maintenance & Operations rates. The Debt Service rate is 18.1000 cents per $100 valuation, 0.0607 cents lower than Tax Year 2024. The Maintenance and Operations rate is 50.3934 cents per $100 valuation, 0.0449 cents higher than the Tax Rate in 2024. Adopting this tax rate will lower the overall tax rate by .000158 and enable the City to cover additional personnel compensation, salary, and associated benefits increases, supplies and equipment costs, contractual services, and professional fees.

The City is not required to hold an election with the proposed tax rate equal to the voter approval tax rate. The FY2024-25 budget is projected to raise more total revenue taxes than last year’s budget by $6,389,424 or 13.87%. Of that amount, $1,067,228 is tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year.

The Public Utility Fund Budget for FY 2024-25 has proposed a 9% increase in the water base and volume rates from the current base rate of $10.64 to $11.60 and the current volume rate of $3.70 to $4.03. The fund also has proposed a 9% increase in the sewer base rate from the current rate of $12.87 to $14.03 and a 9% increase in the sewer volume rate from the current rate of $12.87 to $14.03. The increase is proposed to cover the costs of contract water and wastewater treatment services, maintain current service levels, and continue capital improvements.

The Sanitation Fund Budget for FY 2024-2025 proposes a 5% increase in the sanitation rate from the current $29.97 to $31.47. The increase is proposed to maintain current service levels and cover the cost of the City’s new waste hauler contract with Republic Services.

Place 2 councilmember Pierette Parker had several questions about the increase $11.64 average of residential accounts proposed increase for water and sewer. Staff emphasized these costs are not controlled by the city and are passe