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03/02/05 Council Briefing
The
3/2/05 morning
City Council meeting was brief because of the noon
press
conference
held by
the
Coalition for Open Government
against the
Blackwood Proposition.
(I
will
report on
the press conference later
because there is much to discuss on this topic). All 14
city
council
members
attended the
press conference, and each commented.
It was good to see what a diverse group we had.
We
were all there because we love our city. I urge you to keep up with the real
proposition, not the lies that are being sold
by the proponents.
Much
is happening,
but below
are
some
important
items from
the
meeting. I
want to express how happy
I
am
for all the progress going on in many low income neighborhoods in Dallas,
but
I
am
frustrated
and
sad that the area between Mockingbird and Walnut Hill is not one of them.
1. LaSheryl Walker from the Jubilee Park & Community Center thanked the
council
and
a faith base organization for all the help
her
neighborhood has gotten. The
neighborhood has
transformed from
crime & blight into a lovely place. They
had
two children
and
one mother
speak.
It was very touching. I rarely feel envy,
but I do
envy
how someone has taken an interest in the lives of these people and
is
making a difference for all who live there.
Monday
of this week,
Wilma Avalos & I drove around various neighborhoods to see for ourselves if they
had any new developments. All areas we visited were in low income neighborhoods
of East Dallas, just south of Downtown and West Dallas.
We found several low income gated communities
are
being built. Dilapidated apartments & houses have been torn down
and
replaced with new construction. It saddens me that no one has taken an interest
in our area. We saw a park in West Dallas that looks
like the Texas Rangers sponsor
it, while
our area has few places for children to play.
Recently,
the Crystal Charity Ball collected $4,085,032 to fund seven children's
charities. Not one was in our area,
but
we have 50,000 low income families living just south of Walnut Hill. West
Dallas initiative received $940,000
to expand
and renovate
West Dallas Community School (a private school for low income kids). Money is
being invested in these neighborhoods because they know that to change an area
you must start with the children. Not so around NW. WHY?
One BIG investment that has been ongoing for years is the St. Phillips
School (an excellent private school for African American low income kids). This
school is not only educating its kids but it also has a Master plan where new
homes are being built nearby. Famous people come to help raise money,
as
well as local organizations.
At the
briefing,
it was mentioned that earlier this week 300 Southwest Airlines employees spent
part of the day helping to clean the neighborhood near this school.
SW
is in our neighborhood & to my knowledge have never done anything like this
for the Bachman/NW area.
WHY? Surely many of these employees go to work & see daily the blight around
their headquarters.
2. Homeless Shelter:
Nothing
was said during the meeting,
but
I did see Herschel Weisfield
(brother
of the
owner of
Harry Hines location mentioned for shelter) lobbying several people
at the press conference.
From the way
he looked at us, it
was apparent to Wilma & I he was not happy to see us.
I urge you to drive around town for yourself & see all the new
development. Please do not misunderstand me,
I love what is going on in Dallas but I am sad that
NW Dallas
is like an
orphan, always forgotten and ignored.
Mary Lou Montes Zijderveld
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