Work Session Notes - May 19, 2025
We drink beer and wear Adidas!
I am officially off the City Council as I handed over the District 7 reigns to Joe Thomas last week, but I still enjoy writing commentary so much that I wish to continue my bi-weekly work session commentary.
I hope that you will join me for the Mayoral Candidate Question and Answer Session I am hosting next Saturday, May 24 at 1:00 PM at the North Garland Branch Library. Come with your questions for the candidates as we move towards this important election on June 7. Early voting starts May 27.
Until then, let’s get on with the Work Session notes:
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORK SESSION ITEMS
CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA
WRITTEN BRIEFINGS
1. Abandonment of Utility Easement and Sanitary Sewer Utility Easement in Digital Realty Addition
Council is requested to consider the abandonment of a Utility Easement and a Sanitary Sewer Utility Easement in the Digital Realty subdivision to the current property owner, Digital Garland Campbell, L.P. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the June 3, 2025 Regular Meeting.
The City constructed a sanitary sewer line in 1998 through a 42.2-acre vacant tract (then owned by Stonebridge Life Insurance) to improve Campbell Road infrastructure, dedicating a 20-foot easement. In 2005, Five Stone Community Church added an 8-inch line with a connecting 15-foot easement.
Now, as the property is being redeveloped into a data center by Digital Garland Campbell, L.P., these easements are limiting the site’s usable area under current zoning. The developer has proposed relocating the sewer lines and dedicating new easements through a replat. The Engineering Department supports the abandonment, and Council is being asked to approve a resolution to formally abandon the existing easements.
VERBAL BRIEFINGS
Council may ask for discussion, further information, or give direction to staff on an item posted as a verbal briefing.
2. Garland Youth Council End-of-Year Recap GYC members and staff liaisons will provide an overview of learning and service activities that occurred over 2024-25, as well as provide an update on recruitment for 2025-26. An update on recruitment and incentive programs for the Garland Youth Council was requested by Councilmember B.J. Williams at the July 15, 2024 Work Session.
GYC members presented their achievements from the 2024–25 year, including over 220 volunteer hours and civic engagement like voter encouragement and survey participation. Recruitment for the next year is underway.
It’s great to see our youth so involved, but let me know your thoughts on how can we further empower them to influence city policy and decision-making. Mayor LeMay always says that he expects one of the Youth Council members to be sitting in a council seat someday, and I would love to see one of them run for office some day.
3. Interview for Appointment to the North Texas Municipal Water District Board Information was posted on the City website in order to provide an opportunity for citizens to apply for the North Texas Municipal Water District Board position. At the close of the notice period on May 12, 2025, four applicants, Lori Barnett Dodson, Tomas Perez, Robert Cooper, and Jose Orozco responded. An interview has been scheduled for May 19, 2025. Council is scheduled to formally appoint a representative to the North Texas Municipal Water District Board at the May 20, 2025 Regular Meeting.
Four applicants—Lori Barnett Dodson, Tomas Perez, Robert Cooper, and Jose Orozco—are being interviewed for Garland’s representative seat on the NTMWD Board. The appointment is scheduled for the following day.
Former Mayor and current representative Dodson has reapplied, while Perez, a civil engineer at my previous firm Halff; Cooper, a citizen with an in the environment and water quality; and Orozco, a Production Operations Supervisor at Tyson Foods Inc. are also vying for the position.
4. Proposed Lease Agreement for Soccer Complex and Training Facility Staff will brief City Council on the proposed lease agreement for a multipurpose soccer complex and training facility to be located at the intersection of Holford Road and the President George Bush Turnpike. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the June 3, 2025 Regular Meeting.
The dream of professional soccer comes closer to reality as staff presents lease terms for a $70M+ multipurpose soccer facility near Holford Road and the Bush Turnpike. The complex includes eight fields including one “Show Pitch” with artificial turf, two training fields with hybrid turf, five academy fields with two artificial & three natural (TBD), a restroom and concession building, two futsal courts, a 28,000-sf training center, and a lease term of 20 years.
The tenant will maintain and operate the facility by providing lease payments of $350,000 annually + 10% of net sponsorships or $50k, whichever is greatest. The lease is a 20-year term with no rent first 18 months. The team will maintain and manage the facility and cover insurance and utilities.
The renderings of the building and site are quite stunning as seen below.
5. Presentation of an Advanced Meter Infrastructure System for the City of Garland Council is requested to consider the approval of installing new infrastructure that will allow for remote communication with both electric and water meters. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the June 3, 2025 Regular Meeting.
Garland Power & Light and the Water Department are proposing the installation of an Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) system to enable remote, real-time communication with all electric and water meters across the city.
The initial step is selecting a vendor to provide and implement the system. AMI is seen as a long-term investment that boosts efficiency, sustainability, and service quality while helping prevent water loss and electricity theft. Staff is seeking Council’s support to move forward, with formal approval anticipated at the June 3, 2025 meeting.
This upgrade will improve billing accuracy, allow remote service connections, enhance outage management, and give residents access to a customer portal to track their usage and receive alerts.
Other benefits include more data than one read per month with more detailed online information to manage users usage, water leak detection/notification, improved electric outage awareness, and quicker initiation/close out of accounts and move-in/out improvements (remote reconnect/disconnect).
I am happy to see our water and electric service utilize the latest technology to provide better data and service to the end user.
6. Accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) Staff will provide a report on the Parks and Recreation Department's progress toward national accreditation.
Garland Parks & Rec is pursuing national accreditation through CAPRA, having completed its self-assessment and preparing for a site visit. The process involves aligning with 154 best-practice standards and has already led to numerous improvements in policy and planning.
The CAPRA team will be in town from June 2 - 4 to tour parks facilities, review standards, and interview staff to complete their formal review. I hope to hear good news from this assessment in the near future.
ANNOUNCE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
EXECUTIVE SESSION
7. Deliberate or discuss: The City Council will adjourn into executive session pursuant to sections 551.071, 551.072 and 551.087 of the Texas Government Code to deliberate and discuss the following:
1. A potential offer by the City of financial and other incentives to a business prospect and the receipt of commercial or financial information that the City has received from that same business prospect, which the City seeks to have located within the City in the area of President George Bush Turnpike and Holford Road, and with which the City is conducting economic development negotiations (551.087), and which may include the sale or lease of real property (551.072); and attorney/client communications related to the same (551.071).
ADJOURN
With the announcement of the Athletico Dallas soccer HG, let’s play a classic soccer rally song by the Bouncing Souls “Ole”.