[1. Notice and Return]
[2. Moment of Silence and Pledge of Allegiance]
[00:00:47]
DISTRICT TWO DUSTIN MARSHALL'S JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
OUR SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS DR.
MICHAEL HINOJOSA ALSO JOINS US.
AND I'M JUSTIN HENRY, BOARD PRESIDENT.
THIS MEETING WILL BE AVAILABLE SIMULTANEOUSLY IN SPANISH ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THROUGH DALLAS ISD IN ESPANOL, ON FACEBOOK AND THROUGH THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE.
TRUSTEE FLORES [SPANISH] THANK YOU ON MARCH 16TH, 2020 GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT GRANTED A REQUEST BY ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND A LIMITED NUMBER OF OPEN MEETINGS LAW TO THE EXTENT NECESSARY TO ALLOW TELEPHONIC AND VIDEOCONFERENCE MEETINGS IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE SUSPENDED RULES, WE CERTIFY THE FOLLOWING.
A NOTICE OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTED ONLINE FOR AT LEAST 72 HOURS B WE HAVE A QUORUM IN ATTENDANCE AT THIS MEETING, EITHER PHYSICALLY OR TRUSTEES ARE IN ATTENDANCE SIMULTANEOUSLY THROUGH ZOOM. C WE ARE MEETING BY USE OF ZOOM MEETING SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS WHICH ALLOWS TWO WAY COMMUNICATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
D MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE MEETING NOTICE FOR REGISTERING TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION WILL BE ALLOWED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR THREE MINUTES TO PHYSICALLY PRESENT UN MUTED, FOR THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
E ALL OTHER MEETING PROCEDURES WILL ADHERE TO BOARD ADOPTED PROCEDURES TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE. F AN AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS MEETING IS BEING MADE IT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, G WE APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE FOR ANY UNFORESEEABLE DIFFICULTIES AND ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE NAVIGATE UNPRECEDENTED CONDITIONS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE SUSPENDED LAWS, PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL AT 888-672-6787 OR BY EMAIL AT TLMA AT OAG.TEXAS.GOV.
I HAVE ONE DISCUSSION ITEM FOR THIS CALL BOARD MEETING THIS IS THE DISCUSSION OF LEGAL
[3. Discussion Item]
COUNSEL FOR A DISTRICT [INAUDIBLE] INCLUDING PRESENTATION BY PROSPECTIVE LAW FIRMS. EACH PRESENTER WILL HAVE 10 MINUTES TO PRESENT THEIR PRESENTATION AND TRUSTEES WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF 15 MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FIRST PRESENTATION WILL BE BY THOMPSON AND HORTON, THE SECOND PRESENTATION BY CADILAC LAW THE THIRD PRESENTATION WILL BE PRESENTED JOINTLY BY ROLANDO RIOS AND ASSOCIATES AND O'HANLON, DEMERATH, & CASTILLO, AND THE LAST PRESENTATION WILL BE WALSH GALLEGOS . THE [INAUDIBLE] AT THIS MEETING, HOWEVER, THIS ITEM IS SET FOR ACTION UNDER STATUTORY ITEM, SIX POINT ZERO ONE AT THE DISTRICTS REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING THAT BEGINS AT SIX P.M. TODAY TRUSTEES ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE BEGIN THE PRESENTATIONS? YES. TRUSTEE FOREMAN.MR. PRESIDENT, DID WE LOOK AT THE WAY THAT WE ACTUALLY DID THE REDISTRICTING THE LAST TIME? FROM MY UNDERSTANDING I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PASS THAT TO THE ADMINISTRATION, I HAVEN'T PERSONALLY. WELL THE ADMINISTRATION ACTUALLY THE GENERAL COUNSEL DID NOT DO IT.
THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE BOARD.
AND I THINK BOARD SERVICES SHOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THIS.
THE LAST COUPLE OF TIMES I'VE BEEN INVOLVED AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME ISSUES WITH REDISTRICTING. SO I'D LIKE THE GENERAL COUNSEL OR THE SUPERINTENDENT TO LET ME KNOW IF THERE'S BEEN ANY CONVERSATION WITH ANY BOARD MEMBERS REGARDING THIS.
YES, I HAVE NOT HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH BOARD MEMBERS, BUT I THINK OUR CHIEF OF STAFF, DR.
LEAR, HAS HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR GENERAL COUNSEL AND DR.
FLORES HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS IN THE PAST.
LEAR HAD A CONVERSATION SO I'M CONCERNED THAT ONE BOARD MEMBER IS BEING TALKED TO PRIOR TO THIS, DR.
FLORES WAS NOT THE ONE THAT WAS IN CHARGE OF REDISTRICTING THE LAST TWO TIMES.
AND IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, THERE WERE SOME REAL CONCERNS WITH WHAT HAPPENED.
SO I JUST BELIEVE THIS PROCESS SHOULD BE ONE THAT IS CONDUCTED BY THE BOARD, NOT THE GENERAL COUNSEL. AND, MR. PRESIDENT, I'M ASKING THAT THE BOARD TAKES CHARGE OF THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS.
[00:05:10]
SINCE IT AFFECTS THE BOARD, NOT THE ADMINISTRATION.THANK YOU, TRUSTEE FOREMAN TRUSTEE FLORES.
SO TWO THINGS I DID HAVE CONVERSATION WITH CHIEF OF STAFF ABOUT THIS PROCESS, I DO AGREE THAT THIS IS A BOARD PROCESS AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
SO. SO I'M THE ONLY PERSON PRESENT IN THE ROOM, EXCEPT MAYBE MAYBE [INAUDIBLE] WHO WAS ACTUALLY OH AND DR.
HINOJOSA, WHO'S ACTUALLY DONE REDISTRICTING.
AND PERSONALLY, I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION TRUSTEE FOREMAN THAT YOU WERE INVOLVED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. WELL YOU'RE WRONG.
THAT'S IRRELEVANT FOR THIS TO EXPLAIN TO ANYONE THE PROCESS WAS HANDLED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND WE ENDED UP HIRING ACTUALLY TWO OUTSIDE COUNSELS BOTH TIMES THAT WE DID IT TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HAVE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT OPINIONS FROM LAWYERS.
AND I THOUGHT THAT THE PROCESS WENT, YOU KNOW, VERY SMOOTHLY.
THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE AT THE TIME WERE, YOU KNOW, RELATIVELY MODEST.
BOTH TIMES. WE DID TRY TO DO A WHOLESALE REDISTRICTING.
IT WAS LIKE, LET'S DEAL WITH WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US AND KIND OF WORK ON THE LINES.
AND I THOUGHT THAT THE PROCESS WENT VERY, VERY SMOOTHLY.
MAY I RESPOND TO THAT, BECAUSE THE LAST TIME THERE WERE THREE OR FOUR FIRMS HIRED AND THEY ACTUALLY WENT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND ASKED QUESTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY WERE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS, THE TIME BEFORE THAT WAS WHEN TWO FIRMS WERE HIRED, SO THERE WERE MORE THAN THREE OR FOUR AND MY CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN WITH PREVIOUS TRUSTEE LIKE TRUSTEE BLACKBURN, WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THE OVERALL PROCESS.
OK, THANK YOU, TRUSTEE FOREMAN.
SO I THINK TODAY I STILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PRESENTATIONS FROM THE VARIOUS FIRMS, BUT I DO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AND IT MIGHT CHANGE IN THE NEXT MEETING, I BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD BE A BOARD PROCESS.
WE MIGHT HAVE TO HIRE OUR OWN COUNSEL SEPARATELY.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THIS IS A BOARD PROCESS.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HEAR FROM THESE FOUR FIRMS THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY.
SO I WANT TO FOCUS ON THAT IF WE CAN HAVE THE PRESENTATIONS AND ASK QUESTIONS.
BUT POINT TAKEN, TRUSTEE, FOREMAN AND TRUSTEE FLORES ON THE PROCESS.
CHIEF LEAR OR CHIEF CORDOVA ARE WE READY? I'M SORRY, HENRY, CAN YOU SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME? JUST READY FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
UNLESS ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF THOMPSON HORTON I ALSO HAVE LISA MCBRIDE, WHO IS, YOU CAN SEE ZOOMING IN.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S A WAY TO PUT HER ON THAT SCREEN.
BUT EITHER WAY, LISA IS OUR FIRMS SORT OF RESIDENT EXPERT ON REDISTRICTING, REALLY ALL THINGS REDISTRICTING. AND SO SHE'LL BE PRESENTING TODAY.
AND OBVIOUSLY I'LL BE ASSISTING IN ANY WAY NECESSARY, ALONG WITH ASHLEY WHITE AS WELL, WHO YOU'LL SEE AND IS IN THE BIO THAT WE PRESENTED TO Y'ALL.
AND OF COURSE, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS.
MY NAME IS LISA MCBRIDE, AS CARLOS LOPEZ SAID, CARLOS, IF YOU DON'T MIND ADVANCING TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THE TABLE OF CONTENTS SLIDE BOARD MEMBERS WERE REALLY THANKFUL AND APPRECIATIVE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON.
OUR PRESENTATION COVERS A NUMBER OF TOPICS FIRST, SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, A LITTLE REDISTRICTING ONE ON ONE THEN THE SPECIFIC TIMELINE THAT WE WOULD PROPOSE SHOULD WE BE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT AND THE BOARD SPECIFICALLY WITH RESPECT TO REDISTRICTING, A TIMELINE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE BOARD TO MEET ALL OF THE APPLICABLE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS TO REDISTRICT.
A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR ELECTIONS AND VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF PRACTICE OUR SPECIFIC PROPOSAL TO THE DISTRICT AND THE KEY ATTORNEYS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING THAT WOULD WORK WITH THE BOARD WITH RESPECT TO REDISTRICTING.
OK. AND SO, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS REDISTRICTING, JUST TO SORT OF GET A BASIC DEFINITION,
[00:10:02]
IT IS THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ELECTED DISTRICTS, I.E.SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, ARE PERIODICALLY REDRAWN IN RESPONSE TO POPULATION CHANGES OR CHANGES IN THE POPULATION.
AND WE KNOW ABOUT THOSE CHANGES IN THE POPULATION AS A RESULT OF THE RELEASE EVERY 10 YEARS OF CENSUS DATA.
THE EDUCATION CODE PROVIDES A VERY SPECIFIC TIMELINE AND A VERY SPECIFIC TRIGGER FOR WHEN REDISTRICTING MUST OCCUR.
SO THE TIMELINE IS IT HAS TO OCCUR AT THE FIRST ELECTION.
THAT IS 90 DAYS FROM WHEN YOU CAN ACT ON CENSUS DATA.
AND SO WHAT TRIGGERS THAT TIMELINE IS WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAS ALREADY DRAWN INTO SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
WITHIN THE LAST 10 YEARS, HAVE THE POPULATION SHIFTS BETWEEN THE MOST POPULOUS DISTRICTS AND THE LEAST POPULOUS DISTRICT CHANGED SO MUCH THAT EXCEEDS 10 PERCENT.
THAT REQUIRES US TO DO WHAT WE CALL REBALANCE, REDRAW OUR LINES.
SO WE COME BACK WITHIN THAT 10 PERCENT DEVIATION AND WE HAVE TO COMPLETE THAT REDRAWING PROCESS 90 DAYS BEFORE THE FIRST ELECTION THAT WE COULD ACT ON THAT.
SO FOR A DISTRICT SUCH AS YOURS THAT HAS ELECTIONS IN MAY, IT'S NOT YOUR MAY OF 2021 ELECTION BECAUSE THAT HAS ALREADY PASSED AND WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA YET.
IT WOULD BE YOUR MAY OF 2022 ELECTION.
THE HANG-UP WITH RESPECT, AND YOU KNOW IN EVERY 10 YEARS THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW WITH RESPECT TO REDISTRICTING OR SOMETHING THAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THAT 10 YEAR PERIOD.
THIS 10 YEAR PERIOD WHAT'S NEW IS THE IMPACT THAT COVID HAVE HAD ON THE COLLECTION OF DATA. SO BY LAW, THIS DATA IS SUPPOSED TO BE RELEASED TO THE STATES BY APRIL ONE, THE YEAR FOLLOWING THE COLLECTION OF DATA SO THE COLLECTION OF DATA HAPPENED IN 2020.
AND SO BY APRIL ONE OF 2021, THIS DATA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RELEASED TO STATES BASICALLY GIVING A SCHOOL DISTRICT LIKE DALLAS ISD A FULL YEAR OR A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A YEAR TO ACT ON THAT DATA.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE DELAYS IN COLLECTING DATA, NOT ONLY DID WE NOT GET THE CENSUS DATA THAT WE NEED FOR PURPOSES OF REDISTRICTING BY APRIL ONE, BUT WE'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO GET IT BY THIS SUMMER. THERE WAS SOME EXPECTATION THAT IT WOULD BE OUT BY THE MIDDLE OF JULY.
NOW, THE EARLIEST THAT WE'RE EXPECTING TO GET THIS DATA THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO EXAMINE THE POPULATION SHIFT IS THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST AND IT'S GOING TO BE ON A ROLLING BASIS THROUGH THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
AND RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHICH JURISDICTIONS ARE GOING TO BE AN EARLIER JURISDICTION OR WHICH JURISDICTION IS GOING TO BE A LATER JURISDICTION.
BUT I FLAGGED THAT BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IF YOU ASSUME WORST CASE SCENARIO, LET'S SAY THAT DALLAS ISD IS GETTING ITS CENSUS DATA IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021, WE HAVE TO ACT ON THAT DATA BY 90 DAYS BEFORE YOUR FIRST ELECTION THAT YOU COULD ACT ON IT.
SO THAT WOULD BE MAY OF 2022 90 DAYS BEFORE THAT DATE IS FEBRUARY OF 2022.
SO WE'RE BASICALLY LOOKING AT A PROCESS OF SEPTEMBER THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2021 BECAUSE WE WANT TO HAVE THESE DISTRICTS DRAWN IF WE HAVE TO REDISTRICT AND TIME ENOUGH FOR CANDIDATES WHO ARE FILING FOR THE RACE IN YOUR MAY OF 2022 ELECTION TO KNOW WHAT THOSE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS WILL LOOK LIKE, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND SO THE SPECIFIC DATE, THAT'S 90 DAYS BEFORE YOUR MAY OF 22 ELECTION IS FEBRUARY 6, 2022. SO THAT'S THE ABSOLUTE DROP DEAD DATE THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO REDISTRICT BY SHOULD YOUR POPULATION DATA THAT'S RELEASED LATER THIS SUMMER INDICATE THAT THERE HAS AT LEAST BEEN A 10 PERCENT SHIFT BETWEEN YOUR MOST POPULOUS AND LEAST POPULOUS DISTRICT.
BUT WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO IN ADDITION TO LOOKING AT THAT DATA AND SEEING IF THERE IS A 10 PERCENT SHIFT? WELL, YOU NEED TO HAVE A DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE 2010.
SO LOOKING AT YOUR 2010 DATA IN COMPARISON WITH YOUR 22 DATA AND LOOKING AT EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT AS WELL AS YOUR PLAN AS A WHOLE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A WELL BALANCED PLAN, AND WHERE HAS THERE BEEN CONCENTRATION AND WHERE HAS THERE BEEN DECONCENTRATION.
SO THAT'S THE DEMOGRAPHIC PART NEEDING A DEMOGRAPHIC EXPERT, A DEMOGRAPHER WORKING WITH YOU WITH RESPECT TO YOUR DATA.
BUT THEN THERE ARE SEVERAL LEGAL REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE STATE AND FEDERAL CONSTITUTION, THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, AS WELL AS STATE LAW.
IT'S A DELICATE DANCE, TAKING YOUR DATA AND MAKING SURE IT COMPLIES WITH THOSE THREE AREAS OF THE LAW AND IN PARTICULAR, HOW WE USED [INAUDIBLE] RACE IN ORDER TO ANALYZE THAT DATA. AND IF YOU'LL GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, I DO WANT TO
[00:15:03]
EMPHASIZE WHAT THE CENSUS REPORTS CARLOS THAT WAS SLIDE 10.SO THERE ARE THREE PIECES OF DATA THAT THE CENSUS REPORTS, IT REPORTS TOTAL POPULATION NUMBERS, IT REPORTS A VOTING AGE, POPULATION NUMBERS AND CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION.
AND EACH ONE OF THOSE IS IMPORTANT FOR DIFFERENT AREAS OF ANALYSIS.
SO ARE YOU'RE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS WELL BALANCED? HAS THERE BEEN A TRIGGER IN THIS SYSTEM SUCH THAT YOUR MOST POPULOUS AND LEAST POPULOUS DISTRICTS EXCEED 10 PERCENT? WE'RE LOOKING AT TOTAL POPULATIONS, ALL BODIES WITHIN THE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ELECTORAL FRANCHISE WITH RESPECT TO OUR MINORITY COMMUNITIES, WHETHER OR NOT BECAUSE OF POPULATION SHIFTS, THEIR ABILITY TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE AND TO ELECT A REPRESENTATIVE OF THEIR CHOICE HAS BEEN DILUTED ANY WAY WE LOOK AT THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO EXERCISE THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
SO THAT MEANS LOOKING AT VOTING AGE POPULATION AS WELL AS CITIZEN VOTING AGE, POPULATION.
SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES AS IT RELATES TO RACE, WHETHER IT'S THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OR SPECIFICALLY UNDER THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE, WE'RE LOOKING AT CITIZEN VOTING AGE, POPULATION.
IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THE WELL BALANCEDNESS OF YOUR SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT PLAN, WE'RE LOOKING AT TOTAL POPULATION.
SO DIFFERENT NUMBERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE RELEASED TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT APPLY TO DIFFERENT AREAS OF THAT ANALYSIS IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE CARLOS.
THANK YOU. I'VE INCLUDED SOME DEFINITIONS OF THOSE POPULATION NUMBERS.
JUST FOR YOUR FURTHER EDIFICATION, IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT.
SO DATA IS GOING TO BE RELEASED TO THE DISTRICT IN THE FORM OF CENSUS TRACK, AND THAT'S THE LARGEST PIECE OF DATA THEN EVEN SMALLER CENSUS BLOCK GROUP AND THEN THE ACTUAL SMALLEST CENSUS BLOCK.
AND SO THAT REALLY IS THAT SMALLEST PIECE OF DATA GETTING DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS ABOUT YOUR VOTERS, YOUR RESIDENTS, WHAT THEIR DEMOGRAPHICS ARE.
THAT'S THE CLOSEST TO REALLY LOOKING AT LIKE A COUNTY ELECTION PRECINCT.
SOMETIMES A CENSUS BLOCK IS A LITTLE BIT SMALLER THAN A COUNTY ELECTION PRECINCT.
SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE BIT LARGER.
BUT YOU'RE GETTING DATA RIGHT DOWN TO THAT SMALLEST UNIT OF GEOGRAPHY AND YOU'RE ANALYZING THAT TO LOOK AT HOW WELL BALANCED IS YOUR PLAN OVERALL AND WHETHER OR NOT WITH RESPECT TO OPPORTUNITY DISTRICTS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHETHER OR NOT THE MINORITY VOTE OR MINORITY ELECTORAL FRANCHISE IN THOSE OPPORTUNITY DISTRICTS HAS BEEN DILUTED IN ANY WAY AS A RESULT OF POPULATION SHIFTS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT VOTE DILUTION IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION TWO OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT. NEXT SLIDE CARLOS, PLEASE.
SO THREE QUESTIONS THAT WE ALWAYS USE OUR CENSUS DATA TO ANSWER AND WHAT WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO ANSWER AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
NUMBER ONE, ARE MY SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
ARE THEY STILL WELL BALANCED? WE KNOW THEY WERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LAST DECADE, BUT ARE THEY NOW STILL CONTINUE TO BE WELL BALANCED AS A RESULT OF POPULATION SHIFTS DURING THE DECADE? HAS THERE BEEN ANY RETROGRESSION IN TERMS OF THE ABILITY OF MINORITY COMMUNITIES TO ELECT A CANDIDATE OF THEIR CHOICE? AND THEN DOES MY PLAN OBSERVE TRADITIONAL REDISTRICTING PRINCIPLES AS STATED IN FEDERAL LAW, BUT MOST SPECIFICALLY IN STATE LAW? NEXT SLIDE, CARLOS.
SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LAW.
THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT YOU LOOK AT UNDER THE CONSTITUTION, AND ONE IS THE SEMINAL REQUIREMENT, ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE.
AND FROM THAT, WE WANT WELL-BALANCED DISTRICTS.
AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT.
BUT WE ALSO NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT WE DON'T WANT DISTRICTS THAT ARE OVER PACKED, OR UNDER PACKED BECAUSE THEN YOU DON'T HAVE ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE.
ONE VOTE ACTUALLY IS LESS IN SOME DISTRICTS OR WORTH LESS IF YOU'RE OVER PACKED AND IF YOU'RE UNDER PACKED, YOU ACTUALLY, RELATIVE TO OTHER DISTRICTS, EXERCISE MORE THAN JUST ONE VOTE. YOUR VOTE ACTUALLY MIGHT BE EQUAL TO ONE AND A HALF OR TWO, RELATIVELY SPEAKING, TO THE OTHER DISTRICTS WITHIN THE SAME MEMBER DISTRICT PLAN.
SO THAT'S WHY THERE IS THAT 10 PERCENT.
LET ME INTERRUPT YOU JUST BRIEFLY, BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF FIRMS THAT WE HAVE WE'RE LIMITING TO TEN MINUTES EACH.
SO OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION, I'VE BEEN TOLD OF APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES. I SUPPOSE THAT'S UP TO THE TRUSTEES.
OK. QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION.
SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR LISA.
YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. AND JUST SORT OF SO EVERYONE KNOWS WE ARE GIVEN THESE SLIDES IN ADVANCE, WE'RE ABLE TO READ THROUGH THEM AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR SENDING THOSE IN ADVANCE.
WE HAVE 15 MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.
I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO TRUSTEES.
IF WE DON'T TAKE THE 15 MINUTES THEN MAYBE WE CAN FINISH THOSE SPECIFIC SLIDES THAT SHE
[00:20:02]
WAS TRYING TO ADDRESS AT THE END. SO THANK YOU.TRUSTEE FOREMAN. JUST BRIEFLY, IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WHAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE YOU WORKED WITH, WITH REDISTRICTING? ABSOLUTELY. SO IN VARIOUS CONTEXTS, EITHER IN INITIAL DISTRICTING OR REDISTRICTING, WORKED WITH FORT WORTH ISD, GRAND PRAIRIE ISD, RICHARDSON ISD WITH RESPECT TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE HAD OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS ANNEXED TO THEM AND HAS RESULTED IN NEEDING TO REDISTRICT LAMAR CONSOLIDATED HOUSTON ISD DOING TRADITIONAL REDISTRICTING, CORPUS CHRISTI ISD, TEXAS CITY ISD, CROSBY ISD AND DICKINSON ISD.
ADDING TO THAT SLEW OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND ENTITIES WILL BE WORKING WITH TARRANT COUNTY COLLEGE THIS TIME AROUND AND OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS THEY COME ONLINE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE FOREMAN, THAT WAS MY QUESTION AS WELL, I GUESS WE'LL GO AHEAD AND FINISH THE PRESENTATION.
OH, WELL, I WAS GOING TO ASK TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THE NEXT PART OF THE PRESENTATION, WHICH HAD TO DO WITH PACKING AND CRACKING AND SO WE COULD GET A LITTLE MORE COLOR ON THAT, PLEASE. ABSOLUTELY, SO WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT YOUR DATA AND LET'S SAY YOUR DATA SUGGESTS THAT ONE NEEDS TO REBALANCE BECAUSE THE MOST POPULOUS AND THE LEAST POPULOUS DISTRICT EXCEEDS THAT 10 PERCENT THRESHOLD, NORMALLY THAT DOES NOT JUST IMPACT THOSE DISTRICTS, BUT IT IMPACTS EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO MAINTAIN A 10 PERCENT VARIANCE ACROSS YOUR ENTIRE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT SYSTEM.
AND SO POPULAR CHALLENGES TO REDISTRICTING PLANS IS AS A RESULT OF ADDRESSING THE POPULATION SHIFT, YOU'VE EITHER OVERPOPULATED MINORITY COMMUNITIES IN A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT OVER THE THRESHOLD THEY NEED TO BE IN ORDER TO ELECT A REPRESENTATIVE OF THEIR CHOICE, OR YOU'VE SPLIT THEM ACROSS SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS SO THAT THEY'RE NOT CONCENTRATED IN HIGH ENOUGH NUMBERS WHERE THEY COULD BE THE MAJORITY VOTE.
SO PACKING IS PUTTING TOO MANY, PUTTING MORE THAN WHAT YOU NEED, LIKE MORE THAN 50 PERCENT, SOMETHING AS HIGH AS 60 OR 70 PERCENT WHEN YOU COULD HAVE ACTUALLY HAD TWO OPPORTUNITY DISTRICTS IF YOU HAD SPLIT THEM ACROSS SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS OR TAKING A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT, THAT'S JUST BARELY ENOUGH TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT FOR A PARTICULAR MINORITY GROUP, BUT THEN JUST DECIDING TO DISPERSE THEM ACROSS TWO DISTRICTS WHERE THEY CAN'T BE ENOUGH TO HIT THAT THRESHOLD TO ELECT A CANDIDATE OF THEIR CHOICE.
AND SO THOSE ARE TWO POPULAR OR FREQUENT CHALLENGES TO REDISTRICTING PLANS.
SO WHEN YOU ARE WORKING WITH A LEGAL TEAM, THAT LEGAL TEAM IS NOT ONLY LOOKING AT JUST THE 10 PERCENT DEVIATION, JUST LOOKING AT HAVE YOU OVER CONSIDERED RACE IN TERMS OF MAKING IT PREDOMINATE THE PROCESS.
BUT THEY WILL ALSO LOOK AT IS THIS SUBJECT TO A CHALLENGE UNDER SECTION TWO THAT YOU'VE DILUTED THE VOTE AND YOU'VE EITHER DILUTED THE VOTE BY CRACKING, SPLITTING UP A MINORITY OPPORTUNITY GROUP OR BY PACKING, OVER PLACING THEM IN A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE AS MUCH INFLUENCE AS THEY COULD HAVE IN TWO DISTRICTS BECAUSE YOU'VE PACKED THEM IN ONE. AND SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF CRITERIA THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY COURTS WITH RESPECT TO SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT PLANS.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE THAT THIS IS A BOARD DRIVEN PROCESS AND T&H'S APPROACH TO THIS PROCESS IS TO WORK WITH THE BOARD AND ANY OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE POINT PERSON THAT THE BOARD WOULD IDENTIFY IN ORDER TO HELP IMPLEMENT THE PROCESS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD.
TRUSTEE INPUT AND COMMUNITY INPUT INTO HOW A PLAN IS TO BE MODIFIED TO ADDRESS CHANGES IN POPULATION IS NOT SPECIFIED EITHER IN FEDERAL LAW OR IN STATE LAW.
STATE LAW SAYS THAT WHEN YOU DO AN INITIAL PLAN, YOU AT LEAST HAVE TO HAVE ONE COMMUNITY MEETING WHERE YOU GIVE SEVEN DAYS NOTICE, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY PARAMETERS AROUND WHEN YOU ARE DOING A REDISTRICTING, WHEN YOU ALREADY HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE, BUT YOU'RE JUST RESPONDING TO 10 YEAR DATA.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THE BOARD REALLY GETS TO DESIGN ITS PROCESS.
THE BOARD HAS TO DESIGN A PROCESS THAT ALLOWS IT TO MEET THE TIMELINE.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH YOUR LAWYER TO DO THAT.
BUT THIS IS REALLY A BOARD DRIVEN PROCESS.
[00:25:02]
SO IS IT THE BOARD THAT'S GOING TO BE REVIEWING MAPS OR CHANGES TO MAPS OR DATA? IS IT GOING TO BE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE BOARD? IS IT GOING TO BE A CITIZENS GROUP? IS IT GOING TO BE? AND HOW DO WE SOLICIT COMMUNITY INPUT? ALL OF THAT WILL BE A BOARD DETERMINED PROCESS.AND THEN WHAT WILL BE THE CRITERIA THAT THE BOARD WANTS ANYONE LOOKING AT THIS TO CONSIDER? SO ANY PLAN IF WE HAVE TO REDISTRICT BECAUSE WE CROSSED THAT 10 PERCENT THRESHOLD, WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE CRITERIA THAT WE JUDGE ANY PLAN BY? DO WE WANT TO PRESERVE INCUMBENCIES? DO WE WANT THE PLAN TO BE AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO OUR PREVIOUS PLAN? DO WE WANT THE PLAN NOT TO HAVE CROSS COUNTY PRECINCTS TO OBSERVE ATTENDANCE ZONES, OUR POLLING PLACES TO PUT COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TOGETHER, WHATEVER THOSE CRITERIA ARE GOING TO BE, INCLUDING AVOIDING RETROGRESSION OF MINORITY ELECTORAL STRENGTH? LET'S SAY IT'S 10 CRITERIA.
I BELIEVE I HAVE 12 THAT'S PRESENTED TO YOU AND THE WRITTEN MATERIAL.
THEN EVERY PROPOSED PLAN IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE POPULATION SHIFTS HAS TO BE JUDGED AGAINST THOSE 12 CRITERIA OR 10 CRITERIA OR SEVEN CRITERIA, WHATEVER THE BOARD CHOOSES TO ADOPT. AND THAT KEEPS THE BOARD SAFE BECAUSE THAT ANNOUNCES TO THE BOARD AND ANNOUNCES TO THE PUBLIC AND ANY WOULD BE CHALLENGER THAT THESE ARE THE NEUTRAL CRITERIA, THE NEUTRAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT WERE USED TO JUDGE ANY PLAN BEFORE ONE PLAN WAS ADOPTED.
AND ONE CAN SEE THAT RACE, ALTHOUGH HAVING A PLACE WAS NOT THE PREDOMINANT CONSIDERATION, BECAUSE WE CAN CONSIDER RACE, WE CAN CONSIDER NOT DILUTING MINORITY VOTE.
BUT IT HAS TO BE A NARROWLY TAILORED CONSIDERATION TO ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT. SO BY ADOPTING THAT CRITERIA, YOU'RE DEMONSTRATING PUBLICLY THAT YOU ARE APPROPRIATELY CONSIDERING THAT CRITERIA ON A NARROW BASIS TO COMPLY WITH A VERY IMPORTANT FEDERAL LAW.
THANK YOU, MS. MCBRIDE. I'M GOING TO HOP IN THERE.
TRUSTEE FLORES DO YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS BECAUSE TRUSTEE MACKEY HAS QUESTIONS AS WELL.
I HAVE A QUESTION AS WELL, MR. PRESIDENT.
MACKEY, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO TRUSTEE FLORES.
MS. MCBRIDE WHEN YOU ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IF YOU TRY TO BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.
WE ARE ABOUT SEVEN MINUTES. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE TRUSTEES AND EVERYBODY ASKED THEIR QUESTIONS. TRUSTEE MARSHALL.
I JUST WANTED TO BUILD OFF THE COMMENTS YOU WERE JUST MAKING, MS. MCBRIDE, ABOUT THE CRITERIA THAT THE BOARD COULD USE.
THE MOST FREQUENT PIECE OF FEEDBACK I RECEIVE IN MY COMMUNITY IS FRUSTRATION THAT TRUSTEE DISTRICTS DO NOT CLEANLY OVERLAP WITH FEEDER PATTERNS IN THE DISTRICT.
AND SO I'M CURIOUS IF IT IS LEGITIMATE AS A CRITERIA TO ASSESS ANY REDISTRICTING PLAN BASED ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY TO KEEP THE ENTIRE W.T.
WHITE FEEDER PATTERN TOGETHER OR THE T.J.
FEEDER PATTERN TOGETHER AND WHICHEVER FEEDER PATTERN THAT MAY BE, IF THAT CAN BE INCORPORATED AS ONE OF THE CRITERIA THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR.
YES SIR, IT CAN BE INCORPORATED AS ONE OF THE CRITERIA THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR IT IS RARE THAT IT HAPPENS.
NORMALLY THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME CROSS SECTIONALITY, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD ADOPT AS YOUR CRITERIA.
YEAH, I RECOGNIZE IT WOULDN'T BE A BLANKET LAW THAT EVERY FEEDER PATTERN WAS PERFECTLY ALIGNED TO A SINGLE TRUSTEE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY GET A LOT CLOSER TO HAVING MORE FEEDER PATTERNS ALIGN TO TRUSTEE DISTRICTS THAN WE DO TODAY.
AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING I'D PERSONALLY ADVOCATE FOR.
THANKS. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE MARSHALL.
YES THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, I'M ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN THE BOARD PROCESS.
YOU ALL HAVE CLEARLY WORKED WITH A LOT OF DISTRICTS.
THERE'S A LOT OF LEGAL REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND STANDARD PROCESSES LIKE THAT. I'M JUST CURIOUS, IN YOUR ESTIMATION, IN SEEING SO MANY OF THESE PROCESSES PLAY OUT, WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN AS WHAT YOU WOULD SAY IS A REALLY THOUGHTFUL OR INNOVATIVE WAY THAT ANY OF THESE DISTRICTS, THEY CAN STAY UNNAMED, HAS OPERATED IN SETTING THAT PROCESS OR SOMETHING UNIQUE THAT THEY DID TO REALLY DO THIS PROCESS REALLY WELL IN YOUR ESTIMATION? ONE THING THAT I THINK IS COMMON FOR ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT IS SUCCESSFUL WITH A REDISTRICTING PLAN IS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND NOT LIMITING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT TO ONE HEARING WHEN THE BOARD HAS IS BASICALLY SET ON A PLAN, BUT REALLY DOING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND GETTING FEEDBACK THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
SO BUILDING IN THE PROCESS OPPORTUNITIES TO REPORT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE IN THE PROCESS AND IN THOSE MEETINGS, NOT DOING THEM MAYBE JUST AT THE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, BUT MAYBE EVEN HAVING THEM OUT AT DIFFERENT COMMUNITY SITES THAT
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REPRESENTS THE DIFFERENT QUADRANTS OF THE DISTRICT.AND GETTING THAT TYPE OF COMMUNITY BY IN EARLY ON, REALLY SETS UP THE BOARD FOR SUCCESS WITH RESPECT TO THE ULTIMATE PLAN THAT'S ADOPTED.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. I APPRECIATE IT.
TRUSTEE MICCICHE AND THEN TRUSTEE FLORES.
DO WE HAVE ANY SENSE AT THIS POINT WHICH WAY THE POPULATION HAS SHIFTED IN DALLAS, IS IT SHIFTING? IS THE SOUTH GROWING MORE, THE NORTH, EAST, WEST? DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA? IS THAT A QUESTION TO ME? YES.
I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT YOUR DATA YET, EITHER YOU'RE 2010 OR 2020 DATA.
I DO WORK WITH A DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP DOES ANY OF YOUR POPULATION DENSITY STUDIES OR ANY OF YOUR ATTENDANCE ZONE STUDIES.
BUT I WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH TEMPLETON DEMOGRAPHICS THAT ANALYZES THESE ISSUES IN REAL TIME, THAT ALLOWS YOU TO BE ABLE TO DRAW DISTRICT LINES.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD ONCE THEY HIRE A TEAM OF A DEMOGRAPHER AND A LAWYER.
IS THIS IS WHAT YOUR 2010 DATA LOOKS LIKE.
AND THIS THIS IS WHAT YOUR 2020 DATA LOOKS LIKE, AND THIS IS HOW YOUR POPULATION DENSITIES HAVE CHANGED ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND WITHIN SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
SO THAT REALLY IS THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO THE BOARD AND THEN HAVE THE BOARD DEVELOP A PROCESS FROM THERE.
OK, SO EVEN IF THERE HAS BEEN NO POPULATION GROWTH IN ANY PART OF DALLAS, JUST A HYPOTHETICAL HERE, IF THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES IN THE DEMOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION OF THE DISTRICTS, THAT WOULD BE A REASON WHY WE'D HAVE TO REDISTRICT.
YES, YOU WOULD LOOK AT TWO THINGS.
ONE IS WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT MY CURRENT MOST POPULOUS DISTRICT AND LEAST POPULOUS DISTRICT, IF IT'S OVER THAT 10 PERCENT THRESHOLD, WE KNOW WE'VE GOT TO REBALANCE. AND THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A REBALANCING THAT AFFECTS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
BUT ALSO, YOU WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT YOUR CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION IN EACH OF YOUR SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS AND SEE IF HAVE THOSE NUMBERS SHIFTED IN ANY WAY THAT WOULD MAKE AN OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT BASED ON A MINORITY POPULATION, DISTRICTS WHERE YOU HAVE MINORITY POPULATION GREATER THAN 50 PERCENT OF THE CITIZEN VOTING AGE.
HAS THAT DECREASED IN ANY WAY? AND IF IT HAS, HAS IT DECREASED IN A WAY THAT MIGHT AFFECT THE ABILITY OF THAT GROUP TO ELECT A CANDIDATE OF THEIR CHOICE? IF THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, THEN SEPARATE AND APART FROM REBALANCING 10 PERCENT TRIGGER, WE MIGHT HAVE A SECTION TWO RESPONSIBILITY TO LOOK AT THAT DATA, TO MAINTAIN MINORITY VOTING STRENGTH TO DO WHAT WE CALL AVOIDING RETROGRESSION.
THANK YOU TRUSTEE MICCICHE TRUSTEE FLORES WILL BE THE LAST QUESTION.
SO I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THE CHANGE IN THE LAW AND THE NEED OR NO LONGER HAVING A NEED TO HAVE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT PRECLEARANCE ON THESE.
SO SECTION FIVE, THERE'S NO LONGER A COVERAGE FORMULA THAT TELLS JURISDICTIONS IF THEY'RE SUBJECT TO SECTION FIVE.
SO THEREFORE, THERE'S NO LONGER A NEED TO PRECLEAR YOUR PLAN.
BUT SECTION TWO IS ANOTHER PROVISION OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE PRECLEARANCE, BUT IT GIVES INDIVIDUAL STANDING IF THE PLAN THAT'S ULTIMATELY ADOPTED BY THE BOARD VIOLATES ANY VOTING RIGHTS ACT PRE-PRINCIPLES LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT THE CRACKING THE PACKING RETROGRESSION, OR DILUTION OF MINORITY VOTE.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO SUBMIT OUR PLAN BEFOREHAND TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR THEM TO PRECLEAR. BUT IF WE VIOLATE ANY VOTING RIGHTS ACT PRINCIPLES IN THE REDRAWING OF OUR PLAN, IT IS SUBJECT ON THE BACK END AFTER ADOPTION TO A SECTION TWO CHALLENGE.
OK, I THINK THAT'S IT FOR OUR TIME AND QUESTIONS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOU FROM THOMPSON HORTON MS. MCBRIDE. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO OUR NEXT PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS AFTERNOON.
OUR NEXT PRESENTATION IS CADILAC LAW WITH LAUREN CADILAC, AND SO I'M GOING TO SEE IF SHE'S OUT IN THE CORRIDOR.
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PRESIDENT HENRY, THIS IS LAUREN CADILAC, AND SHE'S GOING TO PRESENT HER PRESENTATION AND SHE KNOWS THE PARAMETERS.AFTERNOON. EVERYONE. OK, IF I HAVE MY MASK OFF, I THINK IT'S JUST EASIER.
OK, THANK YOU. I AM LAUREN CADILAC AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT.
I WILL TRY TO ENTERTAIN YOU A LITTLE AND GET THROUGH THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE'LL GO OVER MY FIRM OVERVIEW.
I HAVE SOME IN DEPTH ON STAFF AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT OF THE FIRM.
OUR EXPERIENCE AS A FIRM, A PROGRAM WE RUN FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WHAT ARE BILLABLE RATES ARE? AND THEN I'LL GO OVER YOUR QUESTIONS, OF COURSE.
SO I ESTABLISHED MY FIRM IN 2013 LEGALLY, AND I DID SOME SIDE WORK FOR A FEW YEARS, BUT I WENT FULL TIME IN 2016 AND I ACTUALLY STARTED IN MY HOME IN OAK CLIFF AT THE TIME MY SON WAS IN A DALLAS ISD SCHOOL AND ACTUALLY ABOUT AN HOUR AGO MY DAUGHTER JUST FINISHED HER LAST DAY OF SECOND GRADE AT HARRY STONE MONTESSORI.
SO A LITTLE BITTERSWEET BECAUSE I THINK I'M TOO YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL TO BE EXPERIENCING A THIRD GRADER IN MY HOME, BUT SHE IS VERY PROUD OF HERSELF FOR FINISHING SECOND.
IN 2019 I BECAME WBE AND HUB CERTIFIED WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS I'M A WOMAN OWNED BUSINESS. AS YOU CAN SEE, I AM A WOMAN.
CADILAC LAW IS A DISD APPROVED VENDOR.
WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS AT THE END OF 2020 AND BECAME APPROVED AT THE BEGINNING OF 2021. I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.
I HAVE A RELATIVELY EXTENSIVE STAFF FOR THE SIZE OF MY FIRM.
I'M PRETTY PROUD OF MYSELF LOOKING AT THIS LIST AND WE'LL JUST KIND OF GET TO KNOW EVERYONE ONE BY ONE.
BELEN TAMAYO IS MY FULL TIME RECEPTIONIST.
SHE ACTUALLY WENT TO THE LAW MAGNET.
SHE HAS SINCE DECIDED THAT BEING A LAWYER IS OVERRATED.
AND I CERTAINLY CAN'T BLAME HER FOR THAT COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS.
I'VE TOLD HER THERE'S OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO, BELEN, BUT SHE IS A SPANISH SPEAKER.
SHE WAS RAISED IN OAK CLIFF AND SHE IS ACTUALLY WORKING ON A DEGREE IN MARKETING AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS.
SHE BRINGS A GEN Z PERSPECTIVE TO THE FIRM, AND IT'S QUITE FUN BEING ABLE TO USE THE WORDS THAT 16 YEAR OLD USE AND SOMEONE ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND THEM.
JAMESHA OWENS IS MY PARALEGAL AND MY RIGHT HAND WOMAN.
SHE HAS WORKED FOR OUR FIRM FOR FIVE YEARS.
OH, I'M SORRY. FOUR YEARS IN JUNE.
HER EXPERIENCE IS IN PROBATE, REAL ESTATE, IN CRIMINAL LAW.
AND SHE ACTUALLY WORKED FOR CHAD WEST, WHO IS A CITY REP IN MY DISTRICT.
AND THAT IS WHERE SHE AND I MET WHEN SHE WORKED THERE.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING AS A TEAM EVER SINCE.
SHE'S THE MOTHER OF FIVE AND ALL FIVE OF HER CHILDREN HAVE BEEN IN THE DISD.
NAYRA IS THE NEWEST TO MY TEAM.
SHE'S WORKING OUT OF OUR NEWLY ESTABLISHED FORT WORTH OFFICE.
HER JOB IS MAINLY TO PRODUCE REAL ESTATE RELATED DOCUMENTS.
LISA BEGLEY IS MY VIRTUAL EMPLOYEE.
SHE IS A FULL TIME BOOKKEEPER FOR MY FIRM.
SHE ALSO WORKS ON IRS AND TAX ISSUES.
JUHREE RODRIGUEZ IS MY INTERN WHO WILL BE COMING ON AS AN ASSOCIATE IN AUGUST WHEN SHE
[00:40:06]
FINISHES THE BAR EXAM.HER NAME IS JUHREE SO I KNOW HER MOM KNEW SHE WAS GOING TO BE A LAWYER.
SHE IS A VERY TALENTED FUTURE LAWYER.
SHE HAS EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND WRITING MEMOS, DOING LEGAL RESEARCH.
MARY'S LAW SCHOOL BAR JOURNAL, AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING HER ON THE TEAM FULL TIME AFTER SHE TAKES THE BAR EXAM IN AUGUST.
RIGHT NOW, SHE IS WORKING IN A PART TIME CAPACITY UNTIL IT GETS REAL BUCKLE DOWN TIME FOR STUDY. HERE I AM, I'M A JD, MBA, I AM WORKING ON MY LLM IN TAXATION, I EXPECT THAT TO BE COMPLETE IN 2020.
MY FIRM, LIKE I SAID, I STARTED FULL TIME IN 2016.
AND WE FOCUS ON REAL ESTATE, PROBATE AND ESTATE PLANNING.
WE DO BUSINESS PLANNING AND ADVICE BOOKKEEPING.
WE HELP PEOPLE WITH AUDITS, ALL OF THAT FUN STUFF.
I AM A BOARD MEMBER OF THE OAK CLIFF FILM FESTIVAL, AS WELL AS THE ATTORNEY FOR THE ALL BREED TRAINING CLUB, WHICH IS A GROUP OF DOG LOVERS WHO GETS TOGETHER EVERY WEDNESDAY OVER AT FLAGPOLE HILL AND WE TRAIN DOGS.
SO IF YOU HAVE A NEW PUPPY, PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND.
WE HAVE NATHAN BEGLEY AND HE IS ALSO IN OREGON.
HE AND I SHARE THE SAME BIRTHDAY, SO I AM QUITE CONFIDENT THAT HE IS EXCELLENTLY SMART.
WE ACTUALLY WENT TO LAW SCHOOL TOGETHER, SO I KNOW THAT FOR A FACT.
HAVING BEEN HOMELESS HIMSELF, NATHAN MAINLY WORKS IN BANKRUPTCY AND PLACES WHERE HE CAN HELP PEOPLE AVOID HOMELESSNESS.
AND FINALLY OF COUNSEL, I HAVE AARON CARTWRIGHT.
AARON IS A FELLOW TEXAS ATTORNEY.
HE LOVES, LOVES, LOVES, CONSTRUCTION, SECURITY AND THE TYPE OF BIG THINGS THAT I DON'T CARE FOR. SO AARON AND I WORK REALLY WELL TOGETHER, AND HE BRINGS A REALLY INTERESTING AND MORE FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE TO OUR TEAM.
SO IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND MY FIRM IS ESTABLISHED IN OAK CLIFF, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN IN DALLAS.
I JUST ONLY RECENTLY ADDED THE SECOND OFFICE OVER IN FORT WORTH.
I HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS MONTHLY SEMINARS THAT ARE FREE.
IN FACT, I'D LIKE PEOPLE TO COME TO THEM.
AND I TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT REAL ESTATE ISSUES, PROBATE ISSUES, GENERAL ISSUES.
I HAD THIS EXPERIENCE ONCE WHERE I WAS TALKING TO THIS KID WHO WAS APPLYING FOR COLLEGE, AND HE SHOWED ME THE ENVELOPE WITH THE COLLEGE APPLICATION AND HE HAD HIS ADDRESS IN THE MIDDLE AREA AND HE HAD THEIR ADDRESS IN THE RETURN TO SENDER AREA IN THE UPPER LEFT.
AND I REALIZED THAT WE AREN'T EXACTLY TEACHING FOLKS BASIC FUNCTION SKILLS.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY NOT TEACHING THEM WHAT TO DO WHEN MOM DIES OR HOW TO HOLD OUR HOME THAT WE OWN TOGETHER, HOW TO HOLD THAT TITLE SO THAT OUR KIDS WON'T END UP FIGHTING WHEN WE PASS AWAY. SO THAT'S WHAT I TRY TO EDUCATE FOLKS ON.
AND THEN MY GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT.
WELL, BESIDES MY AMAZING CHILDREN AND EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND AND THE CAR ACCIDENT THAT I ALMOST DIED IN FIFTEEN YEARS AGO BUT DECIDED NOT TO, WAS GETTING THIS AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS TO HELP DO A TITLE CLEARING PROGRAM.
ESSENTIALLY, THE CITY SAID, HERE'S WHAT WE NEED.
AND I WENT AND BUILT THE PROGRAM AROUND THOSE NEEDS.
AND I'VE BEEN MANAGING THE PROGRAM FOR JUST OVER A YEAR NOW.
SO THE FIRM'S EXPERIENCE INCLUDES THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF THAT PROGRAM. WE DO LOTS AND LOTS OF LAWSUITS.
I DO TRESPASS AND QUIET TITLE LAWSUITS, DISPUTED PROBATE LAWSUITS, DIFFERENT TYPE OF LAWSUITS. WE OFFER COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE THROUGH AARON CARTWRIGHT AND WE DO CONSULTING, INCLUDING MEMO WRITING AND TYPICAL LEGAL ADVISEMENT.
HOW YOU WOULD CONSIDER HERE CLIENT IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
HERE'S WHY YOU SHOULD OR WHY YOU SHOULD NOT.
AND HERE'S WHAT THE LAW SAYS ABOUT IT OR MAYBE EVEN THOUGH YOU WANT TO DO IT AND IT'S NOT THE GREATEST HERE'S HOW WE CAN GET AROUND IT.
SO WE DO HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THAT TYPE OF WORK AS WELL.
OUR CITY OF DALLAS PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH THE CITY.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP FORTY FOUR PERCENT OF THE APPLICANTS DIRECTLY AND WE LAUNCHED THIS PROGRAM DURING THE PANDEMIC.
[00:45:01]
SO IT REALLY KICKED OFF ABOUT A YEAR AGO TODAY ISH.AND THAT WAS WHEN WERE DEFINITELY AT HOME AND NOT ALLOWED TO SEE EACH OTHER.
THE LEGAL WORK UNDER THE PROGRAM, UNDER THE CITY PROGRAM IS STRICTLY REAL ESTATE WORK.
IT HAS TO DO WITH AFFIDAVITS OF HEIRSHIPS.
WE'LL DO FAMILY AGREEMENTS, JOINT TENANCY DEEDS.
WE DON'T COVER THE BIGGER LAWSUITS.
WE DON'T COVER ADVICE AND PLANS ON HOW TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. OR IF YOU WANT TO BUILD THIS, IS IT LEGAL.
NOW THERE IS WORK WE DO, BUT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE CITY PROGRAM.
SO FINALLY, OUR FIRM IS OBVIOUSLY QUITE SMALL IN COMPARISON TO SOME OF WHAT I CALL THE MARBLE IVORY TOWERS.
WE OUR ATTORNEYS, BILL AT THREE FIFTY AN HOUR, OUR INTERN AT 250 LEAD PARALEGAL, ONE SEVENTY FIVE, PARALEGAL ONE FIFTY AND SUPPORT STAFF 115.
SO WITH MY FIRM, YOU GET NOT ONLY THE WBE AND HUB CERTIFICATION, AS WELL AS THE EXPERIENCE OF MANAGING AND HELPING WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT ON A PROGRAM.
WE HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING AND ADVISING OUR CLIENTS BASED ON THE LAW AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO. HOW MANY MINUTES WAS THAT.
THANK YOU MS. CADILAC FOR THE PRESENTATION AND YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON.
TRUSTEES IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? OK, WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN.
ONE QUICK QUESTION, HAVE YOU I MEAN, HAVE YOU WORKED WITH ANY DISTRICTS IN REGARDS TO REDISTRICTING OR ANY OF THOSE TYPE OF ELEMENTS? AND IF SO, CAN YOU GO OUT, EXPOUND ON THE EXPERIENCE? YES. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
SO I HAVE NOT ACTUALLY WORKED WITH A SCHOOL DISTRICT.
MY FIRST GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO I DON'T HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE.
NOW I DEFINITELY LOOKED UP BEFORE I CAME HERE TODAY.
YOU KNOW, WHAT TYPE OF WORK WOULD I BE DOING? AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND I THINK IT'S SUPER INTERESTING BECAUSE THERE'S NOT MUCH OUT THERE.
AND SO TO ME, THAT IS AN EVEN MORE FUN AND INTERESTING CHALLENGE BECAUSE I'M GOING TO GET TO SEE HOW OTHER PEOPLE INVENTED THE WHEEL WHILE WE BUILD IT TOGETHER.
I DON'T THINK THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON.
AND [INAUDIBLE] READY FOR THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
PRESIDENT HENRY OUR NEXT FIRM WILL BE RIOS AND O'HANLON, AND IT'S ROLANDO RIOS AND KEVIN O'HANLON.
YEAH [INAUDIBLE] AND SO I DON'T HAVE TO CARRY THEM BACK.
THAT'S THE POWERPOINT AND HERE'S THE WHERE DO WE CONTROL THE POWERPOINT.
RIGHT HERE. GREAT. YOU WANT TO USE THIS OR THAT? SO I JUST CLICK HERE AND THEN BACK? WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. MR. PRESIDENT, TRUSTEES, MR. SUPERINTENDENT, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.
BEFORE I INTRODUCE THE REST OF MY TEAM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT THE CENSUS.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY UNIQUE DECADE.
[00:50:01]
NEXT TO DEFENSE, THE CENSUS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES, BECAUSE THE CENSUS IS THE BASIS UPON WHICH THIS COUNTRY ALLOCATES ITS TWO MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCES.POLITICAL POWER AND FEDERAL FUNDS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2010, TEXAS GAINED THREE NEW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS, CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK, EACH LOST ONE.
THIS DECADE WE'RE GOING TO PICK UP TWO NEW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK MIGHT LOSE ONE BECAUSE THEY ARE 80 PERSONS SHORT AND EACH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS MEANS ENORMOUS POLITICAL POWER AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. NOW, WE'VE HAD 24 CENSUS'S SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE REPUBLIC IN 1776, AND EVERY DECADE THE CENSUS IS CONDUCTED BETWEEN APRIL AND OCTOBER OF THE DECADE YEAR.
IN OTHER WORDS, 2000, 2010, 2020, THE DECADE YEAR, THERE'S A SIX MONTH PERIOD, APRIL ONE TO OCTOBER WHEN THE CENSUS IS CONDUCTED.
AND THAT INFORMATION THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GATHERS IS THE BASIS FOR THE ALLOCATION OF POLITICAL POWER AND FEDERAL FUNDS.
TWENTY FOUR CENSUSES, THE FIRST CENSUS THAT WE HAD A MAJOR PANDEMIC GOING ON BETWEEN APRIL AND OCTOBER OF THE DECADE YEAR.
NEVER HAD THAT BEFORE, NEVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND ALSO THERE WAS A LOT OF DEMAGOGUERY ABOUT NON-CITIZENS BEING ABLE TO BE DEPORTED AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. SO PEOPLE WERE VERY HESITANT TO FILL OUT THE CENSUS FORM.
PANDEMIC, MADE ENORMOUS PROBLEMS FOR THE CENSUS BUREAU AND SO FAR AS GETTING CENSUS TAKERS TO GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY HERE WE ARE IN MAY AND THE CENSUS DATA SHOULD HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE IN APRIL.
NOW IT APPEARS THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AVAILABLE UNTIL SEPTEMBER.
SO IT'S GOING TO HAVE SOME ENORMOUS PROBLEMS, AND THIS IS WHY WE URGE THAT YOU HAVE A TOP NOTCH LEGAL TEAM AND WE HAVE A TOP NOTCH LEGAL TEAM.
I'VE BEEN DOING REDISTRICTING FOR 40 YEARS.
I WAS INVOLVED IN THE REDISTRICTING FOR DALLAS COUNTY, I MEAN, FOR THE DISD SEVERAL TIMES. TO MY LEFT IS KEVIN O'HANLON.
HE'S A TOP NOTCH SCHOOL LAWYER.
I'VE KNOWN KEVIN FOR 30 YEARS AND WE'VE WORKED ON A NUMBER OF REDISTRICTING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. TO MY RIGHT IS JESSE GAINES.
HE'S ALSO A FRIEND AND I WORKED WITH HIM ON REDISTRICTING FOR 30 YEARS.
HE AND I CREATED SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS FOR THE FORT WORTH ISD IN 1990.
[INAUDIBLE] AND THEN WENT INTO A 9 0 PLAN LIKE THE ONE THAT WE HAVE HERE.
THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF OUR TEAM IS CHAD DUNN.
HE IS A TOP NOTCH LAWYER HE' ARGUED BEFORE THE FIFTH CIRCUIT AT LEAST 30 TIMES.
HE'S THE LEGAL DIRECTOR FOR THE UCLA VOTING RIGHTS PROJECT.
AND HE AND I ARE DOING THE REDISTRICTING FOR DALLAS COUNTY.
THE PROCESS IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
WE PUT IT INTO THE COMPUTER, GET THE SHAPE FILES FOR YOUR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS AND FIND OUT WHICH DISTRICTS HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE RULE. AND THIS DECADE AND WE HAVE A MAP [INAUDIBLE] AND ARCVIEW SOFTWARE THAT IS TOP NOTCH SOFTWARE THAT'S COMPATIBLE WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WITH ZOOM NOW, WE CAN HAVE ZOOM MEETINGS WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A GROUP AND DRAW DISTRICTS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.
HOWEVER, YOU WANT THE DISTRICTS TO BE DRAWN, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE NEW POPULATION SHIFTS. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE ELECTION SCHEDULE.
THIS DECADE, LIKE I SAID FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE DATA WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL SEPTEMBER, WHICH MEANS THAT THE STATE GETS TO REDISTRICT IN OCTOBER AND THEN THE ELECTIONS FILING FOR THE ELECTIONS ARE IN NOVEMBER.
SO THE TIME CRUNCH IS GOING TO CREATE SOME ENORMOUS PROBLEMS INSOFAR AS CONDUCTING THE ELECTIONS. SO WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THAT.
NOW TEXAS IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING STATES, DALLAS FORT WORTH AREA IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING METROPOLITAN AREAS AS WELL.
SO THE CHANGES ARE COMING AND THEY ARE COMING FAST.
WE DID PLUG IN THE ACS DATA TO YOUR DISTRICTS.
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LET ME FIND THAT.I WANT TO SHOW YOU THAT. HOW DO YOU CHANGE IT? HERE. LET'S DO THIS.
OK, HERE WE GO. THAT SHOWS YOU HOW THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS GROWN CONSIDERABLY AND THE DALLAS FORT WORTH AREA IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING.
WE DID PUT IN THE ACS DATA TO YOUR DISTRICTS.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, YOUR DISTRICTS WILL NEED TO REDISTRICT.
DISTRICT NINE WAS THE FASTEST GROWING.
DISTRICT 4 HAS THE SECOND HIGHEST POPULATION.
AND DISTRICT THREE WILL NEED TO PICK UP POPULATION.
YOU ALL HAVE A DEVIATION OF 37 PERCENT.
YOU CANNOT HAVE A DEVIATION GREATER THAN 10 PERCENT.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT CHART BECAUSE THERE'S TWO FEDERAL LAWS THAT HAVE TO BE COMPLIED WITH IN REDISTRICTING.
NUMBER ONE IS THE ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE RULE.
AND THIS CHART TELLS YOU THAT YOU'RE OVER 10 PERCENT AND YOU WILL HAVE TO REDISTRICT.
THIS CHART, THE NEXT CHART, IT ADDRESSES, A SECOND FEDERAL LAW THAT HAS TO BE COMPLIED WITH AND THAT'S SECTION TWO OF THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
IN ORDER TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW WHEN YOU REDISTRICT, YOU CANNOT REDISTRICT IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT WILL DILUTE THE VOTING STRENGTH OF PEOPLE OF COLOR.
SO THIS CHART TELLS YOU WHERE WE ARE IN SO FAR AS A MINORITY CONCENTRATION IN THE RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS.
THIS IS BASICALLY A MAP OF THE EXISTING DISTRICTS.
NOW, ONE FINAL COMMENT ON THE SCHEDULING.
AS I SAID, WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THE DATA IS GOING TO COME OUT, BUT WE HAVE THE ACS DATA.
WE CAN WORK WITH YOU WITH THAT AS WE MOVE ALONG.
THE OTHER POTENTIAL PROBLEM IS THAT THERE ARE THE JOHN LEWIS ACT, WHICH IS IN CONGRESS, AND IT MAY PASS, AND IF THE JOHN LEWIS ACT PASSES, THEN WHATEVER PLAN WE ADOPT HERE WILL HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, AND THAT CAN TAKE TWO TO FOUR MONTHS.
AND I'LL SEE IF MY CO-COUNSEL WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS THAT WE ARE QUITE CAPABLE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT ALL THE LEGAL AND ETHICAL REQUIREMENTS ARE MET.
WE CAN DRAW DISTRICTS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO NOT ONLY COMPLY WITH THE LAW, BUT ALSO MITIGATE ANY MANNER OF LEGAL CHALLENGES.
AND WE UNDERSTAND HAS DONE THIS IN THE PAST IN TERMS OF THE DISTRICTS THAT WE HAVE DRAWN AND WORKED WITH. AND I BELIEVE THIS DISTRICT IS IN A UNIQUE POSITION WHERE WE NOT ONLY HAVE THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE BRING, BUT WE BRING THE HISTORY WITH THIS DISTRICT WHERE WE CAN MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH ALL THE GOALS THAT YOU HAVE SET OUT DOING THIS REDISTRICTING PROCESS.
THANK YOU. JUST ONE THING THAT THE WITH RESPECT TO THAT THIS IS A RELATIVELY YOU GUYS HAVE MAY ELECTIONS, CORRECT? CORRECT? YEAH, THE THREE YEAR TERM [INAUDIBLE] ELECTIONS, WHICH MEANS THAT THE SIGN UP PERIOD IN NORMAL ORDER IS GOING TO BE BEGINNING IN JANUARY, MID-JANUARY TO MID FEBRUARY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TRY AND GET THAT DONE WITHIN THAT SHORT PERIOD.
SO WE HAVE THOSE ARE THE TIMELINES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
BUT SO KIND OF JUST IN TERMS OF WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE, I'VE DONE REDISTRICTING A COUPLE OF CYCLES, BUT MY CONTRIBUTION IS SEVERAL THINGS AS I BRING COMPLIANCE, I USED TO BE GENERAL COUNSEL, TEA.
I'VE BEEN WE REPRESENT DISTRICTS ALL OVER THE STATE IN ADDITION TO THE VOTING RIGHTS, JUST IN GENERAL LAW.
MY ROLE IS COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW PROVISIONS AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL TO MAKE SURE WE MEET ALL THE MEETING REQUIREMENTS.
AND I'M A PRODUCT OF DALLAS, SO I KNOW THE TOWN.
I NOTICED DRIVING UP TODAY PAST THE GROVE HILL CEMETERY--THE GROVE HILL CEMETERY WAS THE SPONSOR OF MY BOYS FIRST AND SECOND GRADE BASEBALL TEAM IN THE 60S.
SO, WE KNOW THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY FAIRLY WELL AND I THINK WE CAN BRING THAT INSIDE, ONE
[01:00:03]
OF THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND DO IS BE FAIR WITH RESPECT TO THE CAPS, BUT ALSO TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY AND TO TRY AND DRAW DISTRICTS THAT GAIN COMMUNITY CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE IN. EVERYBODY FEELS THAT THEY HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.OK, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
TRUSTEE FOREMAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU. JUST A FEW QUESTIONS, GENTLEMEN.
THE FIRST ONE IS, HAVE YOU ALL HAD ANY CONTACT WITH ANY BOARD MEMBER REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR PROCUREMENT? NO, I HAVEN'T.
NO, I HAVE NOT HAD ANY CONTACT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DID YOU IN FACT, PARTICIPATE IN THE LAST REDISTRICTING FOR DISD? I DID, YES.
AND HOW DO YOU REMEMBER THAT REDISTRICTING? WAS IT ONE FIRM, THREE FIRMS? I THINK IT WAS A JOINT FIRM.
I THINK I WORKED WITH ONE OTHER FIRM.
AND HOW DO YOU REMEMBER THAT TAKING PLACE? DID WE GO TO THE COMMUNITY? YES, MY RECOLLECTION IS WE DID DO SOME PUBLIC HEARINGS.
AND I THINK IT WAS DURING THE TIME WHEN YOU WERE ANNEXING WITH [INAUDIBLE] HUDSON SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND SO THAT HAD TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
I KNOW I CONDUCTED A COUPLE OF HEARINGS THERE AS WELL DURING THE MERGER.
SO YOU DON'T REMEMBER ANY COMMUNITY MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT? I DON'T REMEMBER PRECISELY.
YEAH, THERE WERE, AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET--IN MY VIEW, IT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY COMMUNITY MEETINGS IN EACH OF THE DISTRICTS SO THAT WE CAN [INAUDIBLE].
THIS IS A COMMUNITY INVOLVED PROCESS.
YES, MA'AM. THAT'S WHAT I RECALL HAPPENED.
AND THE LAST QUESTION I ASK, WHAT IS WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON PACKING DISTRICTS FOR A PARTICULAR RACIAL ETHNICITY? WELL, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
NORMALLY, THE LAW IS THAT YOU DO ADD OR INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF MINORITIES IN A PARTICULAR DISTRICT ONLY TO THE POINT WHERE THEIR COLLECTIVE VOTING STRENGTH IS NOT DILUTED. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE AN EFFECTIVE VOTE, BUT NOT AN OVERWHELMING VOTE. LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
THE NORTH CAROLINA CASE WHERE HALF OF THE POPULATION IS DEMOCRAT AND THEY HAVE 13 CONGRESSMEN AND HALF THE POPULATION DEMOCRAT. THE REPUBLICANS DREW THAT DISTRICTS WHERE THEY ENDED UP GETTING 10, THEY DID IT ON A PARTISAN BASIS AND THE DEMOCRATS HAD THREE.
SO THAT'S TACKING TO THE EXTREME.
SO YOU DON'T WANT TO GO THAT FAR, BUT YOU WANT TO TRY AND CREATE DISTRICTS SO THAT THE COMMUNITY IS REPRESENTED IN PROPORTION TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY DESERVES.
I'M SORRY. MY CONCERN IS MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE DISTRICT ARE PROTECTED AND THAT THERE IS NO PACKING THAT WOULD IMPACT THE CURRENT PEOPLE IN THAT DISTRICT. AND THAT MEANS DRAWING LINES TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ANY RACIAL GROUP.
ABSOLUTELY. AND SO I AM LOOKING AT THAT VERY, VERY CLOSELY AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
YES, MA'AM. THERE'S A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AND THE VOTERS THAT WE TRY TO MAKE SURE WE MAINTAIN.
PART OF THE REASON FOR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS IS REASONABLE MINDS CAN DIFFER ON WHAT A SAFE DISTRICT IS. SOME PEOPLE SAY IT'S 50.
SOME PEOPLE SAY IT'S HIGHER, BUT NOT 100 PERCENT, BUT HIGHER.
SO PART OF THAT IS TO GET A SENSE, WHY YOU HAVE THE HEARING IS TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY THINKS WITH RESPECT TO VOTING OPPORTUNITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO RUN.
AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT THERE'S NOT A SET FORMULA.
FEDERAL LAW, THERE'S RANGES, BUT THE RANGES ARE BROAD AND THERE'S SOME DIFFERENCES IN SENSIBILITY. SO PART OF THE PROCESS IS TO DETERMINE WHERE THE SENSIBILITIES ARE.
SO WHILE I WASN'T ON THE BOARD AT THE LAST TIME, I WAS INVOLVED AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THE CONCERNS OF THE PAST ARE NOT THE CONCERNS THIS TIME.
[01:05:02]
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
AND THAT'S HAPPENING ALL ACROSS I KNOW. AND THAT'S WHY I RAISED THE ISSUE.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPEN IN TERMS OF REDISTRICTING FOR DALLAS ISD.
SO PART OF THAT IS WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE BOARD IN DALLAS RIGHT NOW.
PART OF THAT IS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ENTIRE BOARD HAS ALL OF THE INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO WHAT THE CRITERIA ARE WITH RESPECT TO HOW PEOPLE ARE ASSIGNED TO ONE OR ANOTHER, AND THAT WAY WE PRESENT THAT INFORMATION FAIRLY AND ACCURATELY AND CLEARLY TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS.
AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS AND SO THAT THEY WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINION AND THEIR VIEWS OF THAT.
PART OF THIS IS TO SOLICIT KIND OF BOTTOM UP VIEWS WITH RESPECT TO THAT.
GENERATE THOSE PUT THOSE ON THE FLOOR FOR DEBATE IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AS PART OF THE LINE DRAWING PROCESS AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S TRANSPARENT AND THAT THE POLICY DECISIONS ARE MADE BY THE POLICY MAKERS, NOT THE MAP DRAWERS IN THE BACK ROOM.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IN CLOSING IS, IS THAT ONE BOARD MEMBER DOESN'T GET INFORMATION BEFORE THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, BECAUSE I WOULD BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
WE ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEED THAT.
THANK YOU, TRUSTEE FOREMAN. TRUSTEE MACKEY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO ONE QUICK QUESTION. YOU GUYS CLEARLY HAVE TONS OF EXPERTISE AND HAVE DONE THIS A LOT OF TIMES. CAN YOU SPEAK TO ANY ANECDOTES OF PLACES THAT YOU'VE WORKED WITH THAT HAVE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A REALLY STRONG, ROBUST PROCESS AND WHAT HAVE THEY DONE ABOVE THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS TO MAKE THAT, IN YOUR ESTIMATION, A REALLY STRONG AND ROBUST PROCESS VERSUS A COMPLIANT PROCESS? WELL. A LOT OF THAT IS A FUNCTION OF HOW QUICKLY AND HOW ACCURATELY WE REPRESENT THE INFORMATION.
MOST ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE PRETTY SHARP.
THEY LIKE THEIR DISTRICTS BECAUSE THEY ELECTED, THEY WERE ELECTED IN THEIR DISTRICTS.
AND THE SOONER WE GET THE ACCURATE DATA, THE SOONER THEY ARE WILLING AND READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MAKING WHATEVER CHANGES ARE REQUIRED BY LAW.
SO A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH OUR BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE DATA ACCURATELY AND ROBUSTLY.
AND TO DISPLAY THE DATA THAT IS THAT FIRST STEP IS, IS THAT ONCE WE GET THE DATA, WE LOAD IT ON THE MAP, WE GO PLUSES AND MINUSES WHAT DISTRICT HAVE TO GAIN AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO LOSE IN TERMS OF JUST THE NUMBERS, THEN WE KIND OF START LAYING THAT OUT SO THAT IT'S A SERIES. IT'S NOT JUST YOU PRODUCE A MAP, YOU PRODUCE HOPEFULLY A DIALOG BETWEEN US COMMUNITY GROUPS.
SOME OF THE COMMUNITY GROUPS WILL BE FOCUSED ON THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND WHETHER THEY'RE PAIRED WITH SOMEBODY OR ANOTHER OTHERS MIGHT BE THE CITYWIDE OR DISTRICT WIDE GROUPS WITH RESPECT TO IF THEY WANT MORE HISPANICS OR MORE WHATEVER IN TERMS OF THAT.
SO THERE'S SOME HORSE TRADING, IF YOU WILL.
THAT'S THE NATURE OF THIS PROCESS, IS IS A DIALOG.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, NOT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE 100 PERCENT SATISFIED WITH THAT BECAUSE THAT'S JUST HOW IT IS.
BUT WE WANT TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT NO ONE CAN SAY THE INFORMATION WASN'T THERE AND WASN'T THEY DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION SO THAT THEY COULD PARTICIPATE IN AN ACTIVE SENSE IN THE DEBATE.
AND THAT'S A GOOD PROCESS WHEN THEY HAD THE INFORMATION AND THE TOOLS SO THEY COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU. TRUSTEE FLORES [INAUDIBLE].
SO, YOU KNOW, [INAUDIBLE], IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
GOOD TO SEE YOU. WE'VE DONE THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES AND I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE WITH,
[01:10:01]
YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF INITIAL YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE COMMUNITY SURVEY, BUT AT LEAST IT GIVES US AN IDEA OF KIND OF WHERE WE'RE HEADING.AND I KNOW I KNOW I WAS SURPRISED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF THESE NUMBERS.
WELL, THOSE ARE THOSE ARE MADE AVAILABLE BY THE STATE AND BY THE CENSUS BUREAU BECAUSE OF THIS TRAUMA THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING AND GETTING THE DATA OUT.
BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY 19, 20, 19 DATA.
SOME OF OUR CLIENTS ARE ALREADY USING THEM TO EVEN THE STATES DOING IT TO GET READY SO THAT WHEN THE DATA COMES OUT, WE DON'T HAVE ANY SHOCKS.
WELL, I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, VERY IMPRESSED.
SO YOU STILL HAVE OUR GIS DATA, RIGHT, FOR THE REDISTRICTING THAT WE DID LAST TIME.
YES, SIR. OK. AND I OBVIOUSLY DID A GOOD JOB SINCE YOU GOT ELECTED IN THAT DISTRICT.
[LAUGHTER] APPRECIATE IT. THANKS. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE FLORES.
TRUSTEE MICCICHE. WELL, THANK YOU.
I WAS GOING TO ASK THE QUESTION ABOUT WHAT THE ACS DATA IS AND WHERE IT COMES FROM.
OK, ACS DATA IS AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY.
IT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS THAT THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS EVERY FIVE YEARS THEY PUBLISH IT.
ONE OF THE REASONS THEY'RE DOING IT IS BECAUSE THAT IS DATA THAT DOES TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY NON-CITIZENS ARE IN THE LOCAL AREAS.
AND IT'S PUT OUT EVERY FIVE YEARS.
AND IT'S THE BEST DATA THAT'S AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW ON WHAT'S GOING ON CURRENTLY UNTIL WE GET THE ACTUAL CENSUS.
LIKE NORMALLY THIS ISN'T USED FOR REGISTERING.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THEY LET IT OUT THIS TIME BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE SITUATION WE'RE IN SO FAR AS THE ACTUAL DATA COMING OUT.
AND HISTORICALLY, IT'S BEEN PRETTY CLOSE? PRETTY CLOSE, PRETTY CLOSE.
AND YOU INDICATED THAT THERE'S A DELAY IN THE NORMAL RELEASE OF THE ACTUAL CENSUS DATA.
ACTUALLY, WE SHOULD HAVE HAD IT LAST MONTH, THE ACTUAL CENSUS DATA WOULD HAVE BEEN RELEASED IN APRIL.
WE WOULD BE ACTUALLY USING CENSUS DATA RIGHT NOW TO REDISTRICT.
AND LIKE I SAID, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES AND DECADES BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA WILL NOT HAVE THE DATA UNTIL SEPTEMBER.
OK, ANYTHING AT JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE SEQUENTIAL TIMELINE FOR US, IF IT'S DELAYED PAST SEPTEMBER.
HOW FAR PAST SEPTEMBER CAN IT BE DELAYED TO WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT DOING THIS? NOT FOR THE ELECTIONS FOR MAY OF '22, BUT MOVED ALL THE WAY BACK FOR THE ELECTIONS IN MAY 2030. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE DATA AND YOU CAN'T REDRAW IT, YOU CANNOT HAVE ELECTIONS USING A MALAPPORTIONED DISTRICT, YOU MAY HAVE TO MOVE IT BACK FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS UNTIL WE GET THE ACTUAL DATA.
BUT I AM TOLD BY THE CENSUS BUREAU--I WORK WITH THE CENSUS BUREAU A LOT--THEIR PRIMARY REASON FOR EXISTENCE IS ACCURACY, THEY'RE PROFESSIONALS, THEY'RE PHDS, THEY'RE DOCTORS, AND THEY TAKE THE CONSTITUTION SERIOUSLY.
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT GOAL IN LIFE IS ACCURACY.
AND THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE THE DATA ACCURATELY, AND RIGHT NOW, I AM TOLD IT WILL NOT GO BEYOND SEPTEMBER.
IT MIGHT BE COMING OUT EARLIER, MAYBE AUGUST.
I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IF IT GOES BEYOND SEPTEMBER AND LET'S SAY IT GOES RIGHT UP UNTIL THE JANUARY FILING, MEANING THE FILING PERIOD FOR CANDIDATES WHO WANT TO RUN FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD MAY 2012, THEN WE WON'T BE ABLE TO USE THAT DATA.
BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS--YOU MAY HAVE TO MOVE THE ELECTION SCHEDULE.
YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT THE MAY '22 ELECTION USING THE OLD DISTRICTS.
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS THAT THE LEGISLATURE, WE ALREADY KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A SPECIAL SESSION. ALL RIGHT.
THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A SPECIAL SESSION TO DRAW THEIR OWN LINES.
DEPENDING ON THE DATE, AND AS THIS BOARD IS WELL AWARE, THE LEGISLATURE HAS NOT BEEN SHY ABOUT MESSING AROUND WITH DALLAS ISD ELECTIONS.
NOT JUST YOU, BUT OTHER DISTRICTS.
SO THERE MIGHT BE A STATEWIDE RESOLUTION TO THAT.
IF IT ACTUALLY DOES RUN INTO JANUARY, THERE MAY BE A BILL TO PUSH OFF THE ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MEET BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT TO DRAW THEIR OWN. SO THERE MAY BE A LEGISLATIVE SOLUTION ON HOW THAT [INAUDIBLE] IT'S LIKE ANYTHING ELSE WITH THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, IT'S DIFFICULT TO PREDICT HOW THAT MAY
[01:15:02]
COME BACK ONCE IT'S TOSSED IN THE BIN.BUT IF IT GETS DELAYED, THERE'LL PROBABLY BE SOME LEGISLATIVE ACTION WITH RESPECT TO [INAUDIBLE]. RIGHT, AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TEN YEARS AGO.
THEY PUSHED SOME DATES FORWARD BECAUSE OF THAT.
AND THEY ALSO EXTENDED SOME DISTRICTS SOME TIMEFRAME.
SO THERE WILL BE SOME ACTION AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE IF THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
OK, WE'RE AT OUR 15 MINUTE MARK.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON PRESENTATION--MR. PRESIDENT, DO WE HAVE A MINUTE? DO WE HAVE A MINUTE? YES, GO TRUSTEE FOREMAN.
JUST A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
ONE IS, IS THIS A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN THE THREE OF YOU GUYS? HOW IS IT DONE? OR IS IT JUST ONE FIRM WITH TWO OTHER ATTORNEYS THERE? HOW DOES THAT WORK? IT'S A JOINT VENTURE WITH LAWYERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE IN AND VOTING RIGHTS AND SCHOOL LAW. SO YOU HAVE A JOINT VENTURE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE THREE OF YOU? WE WILL DO A JOINT CONTRACT WITH THE DISTRICT.
THIS IS AN RFQ PROCESS WE'RE PRESENTING.
IF WE'RE SELECTED, WE'LL WORK OUT A CONTRACT WITH THE DISTRICT IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PROCUREMENT ACT, AND THAT'LL SET FORTH THE DUTIES AND ALL THAT.
WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF WHO'S DOING WHAT AND WHO'S DOING THE DATA CRUNCH AND WHO'S DOING THE COMPLIANCE, WHO'S DOING THAT STUFF.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO I'M JUST A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
THERE WON'T BE ANY DUPLICATE--YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR SERVICES TWICE.
I'M JUST A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THAT PROCESS THAT YOU CAME FORWARD, BUT YOU'RE NOT A JOINT VENTURE AND PRESENTED TOGETHER THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A CONCERN TO ME.
AND THEN, THERE WAS ONE OTHER QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED.
ARE ANY OF YOUR CURRENT FIRMS, SO WE KNOW THEY'RE SEPARATE AND ARE ANY OF YOUR CURRENT FIRMS DOING BUSINESS WITH ANY OF THE TRUSTEE COMPANIES? NO.
NONE OF THE FIRMS? NO, OUR FIRM IS ON THE DALLAS ISD PANEL.
WE DO A LITTLE BIT OF WORK FOR DALLAS ISD.
YEAH, THAT'S FINE. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE FIRMS OF THE TRUSTEES.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. OK, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU. OUR LAST PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE THE FIRM WALSH GALLEGOS.
PRESIDENT HENRY AND THE BOARD, WE HAVE OUR LAST FIRM, WHICH IS WALSH GALLEGOS AND I HAVE LAUREN MCCLAIN AND WHO'S THE LEAD, AND LAUREN WILL INTRODUCE HER TEAM. OK.
I HOPE YOU ALL ARE DOING WELL.
I KNOW BY THIS TIME OF THE AFTERNOON YOU HAVE BEEN PROBABLY INUNDATED WITH A LOT OF INFORMATION. AND SO MY FOCUS AND THE FOCUS OF MY COLLEAGUES TODAY IS GOING TO BE JUST EXPLAIN TO YOU OUR BACKGROUND AND EXPERTISE IN THE AREA OF REDISTRICTING, BUT ALSO TO DEMONSTRATE TO YOU WHY WE FEEL WE ARE THE BEST LAW FIRM THAT CAN HELP YOU AND HELP THE COMMUNITY WITH THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS THIS GO AROUND.
[01:20:03]
I AM JOINED TODAY BY MY COLLEAGUE WESLEY NUTE.WE ARE BOTH OUT OF THE IRVING OFFICE FOR WALSH GALLEGOS.
I'M ALSO JOINED, I BELIEVE, REMOTELY FROM MY OTHER COLLEAGUE, CHRISTINE BADILLO, WHO IS ONE OF OUR ELECTIONS ATTORNEYS, AS WELL AS OUR DEMOGRAPHER ROCKY GARDNER, WHO IS WITH TEMPLETON DEMOGRAPHICS.
SO WHY DON'T WE GET STARTED WITH JUST COVERING ABOUT WHO WE ARE AS A LAW FIRM? WALSH GALLEGOS WAS FOUNDED IN 1983 BY JIM WALSH.
SO WE ARE APPROACHING CLOSE TO 40 YEARS OF WORKING WITH AND ASSISTING PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE HAVE 65 ATTORNEYS THAT WORK OUT OF SEVEN OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND NEW MEXICO.
AS A RESULT, WE HAVE AMASSED A VERY EXPERIENCED REDISTRICTING TEAM FOR THIS GO AROUND FOLLOWING THE 2020 CENSUS.
IMPORTANTLY, OUR REDISTRICTING TEAM MEMBERS HAVE HAD VAST EXPERIENCE, BOTH IN THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS ITSELF AS WELL AS OTHER ELECTION WORK, TO INCLUDE REPRESENTING AND DEFENDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES IN VOTING RIGHTS ACT LITIGATION. AND I POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE MUCH OF REDISTRICTING IS ABOUT NOT ONLY THE LAW, BUT ABOUT THE BEST PRACTICES WE HAVE SEEN THAT CAN ULTIMATELY HELP AND DEFEND ANY CHALLENGE TO A REDISTRICTING PLAN OR FOR THAT MATTER, TO ANY CHANGES THAT AFFECT A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES ELECTIONS.
WITH THAT IN MIND, I WANT TO NOW TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT WE OFFER AND WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO DALLAS ISD AND THE SCHOOL BOARD THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
BECAUSE OF OUR EXPERIENCE, WE HAVE AMASSED KNOWLEDGE AND BACKGROUND ON NOT ONLY THE LAW, BUT ALSO THE PRACTICALITIES OF GOING THROUGH THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS, REDISTRICTING, CERTAINLY IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND KNOW THE LAW AND THE NUANCES THAT ARE REQUIRED.
HOWEVER, IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE HUMAN DYNAMICS IN THE PROCESS.
THE REALITY IS, IS THAT TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER INPUT IS PARAMOUNT TO THE PROCESS, AND THAT ONLY COMES THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF GOING THROUGH THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS. AT WALSH, WE'VE HANDLED REDISTRICTING SINCE 1990.
I MYSELF SO AS NOT TO DATE MYSELF, BUT WILL SAY THAT I HAVE GONE THROUGH AND WILL BE GOING THROUGH MY SECOND REDISTRICTING PROCESS, THE FIRST BEING AFTER THE 2000 CENSUS RELEASE. AND MANY OF OUR REDISTRICTING TEAM MEMBERS HAVE HAD MULTIPLE TIMES GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS. WE ARE AVAILABLE WHEN YOU NEED US.
THE REALITY IS, IS THAT WE HAVE AMASSED THAT REDISTRICTING TEAM AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT IN ANY SCHOOL LAW MATTER, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, IN THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS THAT YOU BE ABLE TO REACH OUT AND CONTACT YOUR ATTORNEYS NO MATTER THE TIME, NO MATTER THE DAY.
AND THAT IS WHY THE TEAM APPROACH SERVES THE DISTRICT THE BEST WAY.
WE ALSO SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE, AND BY THAT I MEAN WE UNDERSTAND THE LEGAL CONCEPTS, BUT THOSE CONCEPTS HAVE TO BE COMMUNICATED AND THE COMMUNITY MUST BE EDUCATED.
AND SO IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO BASICALLY RETELL AND RESTATE WHAT THE LAW MEANS IN THE MOST PRACTICAL OF TERMS, WHETHER IT'S CONVERSING WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OUR PARENTS OR EVEN OUR OWN ELECTED OFFICIALS ON THIS BOARD.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY, AND OUR EXPERIENCE HAS HELPED US HONE THAT ABILITY.
AND THEN FINALLY, PUT SIMPLY, WE GET THE JOB DONE.
BEING IN THIS BUSINESS FOR OVER 40 YEARS, WE KNOW THAT WE SERVE THE PUBLIC, WE SERVE OUR SCHOOL BOARDS, AND AS A RESULT WE STRIVE TO USE OUR EXPERTISE AND OUR EXPERIENCE TO WORK EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY, BUT ALSO WITH CARE AND ALWAYS IN MIND OF OUR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
NOW, WITH THAT IN MIND, SPEAKING OF EXPERTISE, I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR DEMOGRAPHER, ROCKY GARDNER, WHO IS WITH TEMPLETON DEMOGRAPHICS, AND THEY HAVE PARTNERED WITH US ON THIS GO AROUND OF REDISTRICTING.
ROCKY? GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THANK YOU, LAURA. OUR COMPANY, WE MIGHT [INAUDIBLE] IS OUR SLIDE ON THE SCREEN NOW? I'M NOT SEEING IT. BUT OUR COMPANY IS TEMPLETON DEMOGRAPHICS, AND WE WORK WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT TEXAS.
AND WE HAVE SINCE 2006, MY PARTNER AND I STARTED THE COMPANY THEN.
WE BOTH COME FROM A BACKGROUND OF BOTH SCHOOL AND ALSO CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING IS WHERE I KIND OF CUT MY TEETH.
SO, THIS WILL BE MY FOURTH CENSUS TO WORK IN.
WE'VE GOT A SHARP TEAM OF EXPERIENCED PEOPLE AND WE KIND OF HAVE DEVELOPED A REDISTRICTING PROCESS THAT WE FEEL IS UNIQUE BECAUSE WE'VE WORKED WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR SO MANY YEARS DOING ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES REDRAWS AND PLANNING THAT WE'VE NOW BEGIN
[01:25:03]
TO WE'VE BEGUN TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THEN TO SHARE SOME OF THAT STRATEGY FOR REDISTRICTING. THIS TEAM IS STRONG.THEY'RE ALL GOING TO BE VERSED.
WE'VE GOT MAPPING, GIS SPECIALISTS.
WE'VE GOT RESEARCHERS THAT ARE STRONG IN TECHNICAL WRITING AND PRESENTATION DEVELOPMENT.
AND OF COURSE, ALL OF OUR STAFF IS GOING TO BE VERSED IN REDISTRICTING AS THINGS GO ALONG , BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HELP AS MANY CLIENTS AS POSSIBLE, WE'VE DEVELOPED ONE NEW TOOL.
IT'S CALLED VIEW. AND THIS IS GOING TO BE THE WAY WE ACCESS AND PROVIDE LONG TERM DEMOGRAPHIC STRATEGIES FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE FIRST TEST OF IT IS GOING TO BE DOING REDISTRICTING. SO WE'RE ABLE TO GO TO ANY DISTRICT IN TEXAS.
AND I PASTED SOME THINGS ON HERE FOR REAL TIME.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT I BROUGHT IN THE DALLAS ISD SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DISTRICTS.
AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO JUMP INTO THESE DISTRICTS.
AND THE FIRST THING WE'LL DO IS WE'LL VALIDATE.
WE'LL LOOK AT HOW THINGS AND WE CAN DO THIS IN REAL TIME.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE HERE.
NOW, I'VE JUST KIND OF PUT THIS TOGETHER FOR AN EXAMPLE FOR YOU TO LOOK AT LATER, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK IN REAL TIME WHAT CHANGES LOOK LIKE AND HOW THEY IMPACT EACH DISTRICT. YOU CAN SEE THERE THE NUMBERS ON THE SIDE, BOTH BY RACE, ETHNICITY.
WE'VE USED THE VOCABULARY, THE VOTING AGE POPULATION, THE CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION, WE REALIZED IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT DYNAMIC.
SO WE THINK WE CAN DEVELOP MULTIPLE PLANS VERY QUICKLY.
WE CAN EXPORT THESE MAPS AND REPORTS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
WE CAN DEVELOP PLANS INTERNALLY AND BRING THOSE BACK OR WE CAN WORK WITH A LARGE GROUP AND DO SOME BOUNDARY PLANNING IN REAL TIME.
AND I REALLY THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT PIECE GOING FORWARD.
AND I'M HAPPY TO, I LOVE TALKING ABOUT THE DATA [INAUDIBLE], BUT I KNOW THIS IS A SHORT PRESENTATION. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO CHRISTINE.
THANK YOU, ROCKY. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT HINOJOSA.
I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ACCOMMODATING ME IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT THIS AFTERNOON.
AS LAURA MENTIONED, IT WAS A GREAT PRIVILEGE FOR ME, 10 YEARS AGO, I ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS ON BEHALF OF THE FIRM FOR A NUMBER OF OUR CLIENTS.
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU, VERY MUCH HAS CHANGED IN OUR COUNTRY IN TERMS OF THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE, THE JUDICIAL LANDSCAPE, AND THEN ALSO THE LAW AS IT PERTAINS TO REDISTRICTING.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD A NUMBER OF YEARS OR FAMILIAR WITH IT FROM THE LAST GO ROUND, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO DO AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PROCESS WAS TO SUBMIT OUR PLAN AND DETAILS ABOUT OUR PROCESS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR PRECLEARANCE. AND THAT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT AT THIS TIME.
AND SO THAT MAKES THIS PARTICULAR CENSUS AND THIS REDISTRICTING EFFORT A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE. AND IT ALSO MAKES IT SORT OF THAT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT HOW WE DO IT, DOING IT RIGHT, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DO HAVE A PROCESS THAT RESULTS IN A LEGAL OBVIOUSLY MAP AND A LEGAL PLAN, BUT ALSO IS INCLUSIVE AND IS IT ALIGNED TO THE VALUES OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? SO WHEREAS WE DON'T HAVE TO SUBMIT IT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS STILL THERE CONTINUES TO BE A COMPLAINT DRIVEN PROCESS.
SO IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT HOW WE DO THIS AND TO REALLY GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME.
AND IT IS A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH THIS TEAM.
NEXT UP, YOU WILL HEAR FROM MY COLLEAGUE WESLEY NUTE, WHO WILL TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JUST EXACTLY WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT AND WHAT MAKES US PARTICULARLY WELL SUITED TO DALLAS ISD IN THIS EFFORT.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US TO WORK WITH YOU AND TO REALLY PARTNER WITH YOU IN GETTING IT RIGHT. SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO WESLEY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL OF EVERY REDISTRICTING PROCESS IS TO ESTABLISH LEGALLY DEFENSIBLE AND APPROPRIATE BOUNDARIES.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THE BOARD HERE HAS SOMETHING ELSE IN MIND IN ADDITION TO THAT, AND THAT IS COMMUNITY BUY-IN. WE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE WELL SUITED TO PROVIDE THE TOOLS NECESSARY FOR THAT COMMUNITY BUY-IN.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY THAT WE KNOW VERY WELL.
WE HAVE A DEEP BENCH OF ATTORNEYS THROUGHOUT SEVERAL OFFICES.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, MOST OF OUR ATTORNEYS IN OUR PARTNER DEMOGRAPHER BASED HERE IN THE DFW AREA AND MORE SPECIFICALLY IN DALLAS, THIS COMMUNITY I KNOW VERY WELL, I'VE DONE PRINCIPAL FOR A DAY AT [INAUDIBLE] STEAM ACADEMY, VISITED WITH STUDENTS AT IRMA RANGEL AND TOWN VIEW.
AT ANN RICHARDS WE'VE DONE CAREER DAY PRESENTATIONS.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY, BUY-IN
[01:30:03]
PORTION IS A CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY COMPETENCY THAT IS NEEDED TO ADVANCE OUR COMMON GOAL.SO BRINGING TOGETHER THE ADMINISTRATION, THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY IN THIS EFFORT TO REACH A COMMON GOAL IS WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR.
IT'S WHAT WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF AND WE ARE PROUD TO BE HERE AND TO OFFER OUR SERVICES. SO WITH THAT, WE WILL ACCEPT ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
TRUSTEES, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
TRUSTEE FOREMAN? JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST ONE IS WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE YOU WORK WITH FOR REDISTRICTING? LAST GO AROUND, MS. FOREMAN, IN 2010, WE WORKED WITH CLOSE TO 50 SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT COME TO MIND THAT WOULD BE COMPARABLE TO THE SIZE OF DALLAS ISD, WE'VE WORKED WITH NORTHSIDE ISD IN SAN ANTONIO.
GEOGRAPHICALLY, IT'S A VERY LARGE DISTRICT AS WELL AS POPULATION WISE.
IT IS ALSO A GROWING DISTRICT.
AND SO WHILE THEY ARE NOT A NINE MEMBER BOARD, THEY ARE A SEVEN MEMBER BOARD.
THE PROCESS FOR THEM IS, AS MY MOTHER WOULD SAY, IT'S LIKE EATING AN ELEPHANT.
BUT OUR ATTORNEYS ARE EXPERIENCED IN WORKING WITH LARGER DISTRICTS SUCH AS DALLAS.
WAS IT A REDISTRICTING OR WAS IT A BOUNDARY CHANGE? IT WAS THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS.
THE SECOND QUESTION IS, DOES YOUR FIRM DO BUSINESS WITH ANY OF THE TRUSTEE FIRMS THAT ARE ON THE DISD BOARD? TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE DO NOT DO ANY BUSINESS WITH ANY OF THE TRUSTEES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. TRUSTEE MACKEY? THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
ONE QUESTION, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCE, THERE'S LEGAL REQUIREMENTS TO HOW THIS PROCESS RUNS AND THEN THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL BOARDS OR GOVERNMENT ENTITIES GET TO SET THE PROCESS AND WORK THROUGH THAT.
CAN YOU GIVE ANY EXAMPLES OF WHAT, IN YOUR ESTIMATION, MAKES FOR A STRONG AND ROBUST PROCESS VERSUS A COMPLIANT PROCESS IN THE ORGANIZATIONS YOU'VE WORKED WITH? SO I'M SURE CHRISTINE, AND ROCKY WANT TO CHIME IN ON THIS, BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK WHAT WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE IS THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNITY INPUT. YOU KNOW, WE WORK WE TRY TO TAILOR THE PROCESS TO WHAT THE BOARD DESIRES.
AND SOME OF OUR BOARDS HAVE UTILIZED WHAT THEY CALL A REDISTRICTING ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
OTHERS CALL IT A RAC COMMITTEE TO GET THAT COMMUNITY BUY-IN AND COMMUNITY INPUT AS WELL AS THOUGHT PROCESS GOING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NECESSARILY IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD WORK FOR A DISTRICT THE SIZE OF DALLAS. HOWEVER, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO ACHIEVE TRANSPARENCY AND STAKEHOLDER INPUT.
AND SO WE WOULD WANT TO WORK WITH THE BOARD TO THINK OF THOSE OPTIONS AND TO PRESENT THOSE OPTIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THAT.
ULTIMATELY, I DO THINK THAT TOWN HALL MEETINGS, COMMUNITY MEETINGS BY SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT ARE IMPERATIVE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, NOTWITHSTANDING COVID, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT COMMUNITY INPUT BECAUSE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE IT OR THERE'S A PERCEPTION THAT IT'S NOT BEEN PROVIDED, OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED, THERE WILL BE CHALLENGES.
THANK YOU. OK, I DON'T THINK THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
APPRECIATE YOU BOTH PRESENTING, I MEAN, YOUR TEAM THIS AFTERNOON.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THAT WILL BE IT, [INAUDIBLE]. WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER PRESENTATIONS TODAY FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. THE TIME IS 4:37 PM AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU ALL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.