We learn many lessons in life. When I was a seventh grader, I was in a large PE class of about 70 boys. When we had dressed for class, coach told us to go the football practice field and line up on the goal line. A friend and I ran with the other boys to the field. He and I stood on the goal line and all of the others lined up on the line at the back of the end zone where the goal post was anchored. We tried to get them to move up to the goal line. Coach walked to the field and made all of them run laps for not doing as he had instructed and not knowing the difference.
 
I had been taught in school that the majority ruled but I had evidence that day that the majority, even the mass majority, can be wrong.
 
I'm currently reading about Jane Jacobs, the journalist and author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities (©1961) that I mentioned in this post. The book is Wrestling with Moses by Anthony Flint. The reference is to Robert Moses, who I mentioned here. That post dealt with the massive urban renewal projects that Moses conducted all over New York City, displacing thousands and thousands of businesses and families and whole neighborhoods.
 
Jane Jacobs didn't agree with the architects, planners, and developers like Moses that saw the buildings and roads as the wonderment of the times. She defended neighborhoods and people. She understood community.
 

From Wrestling with Moses, by Anthony Flint:

 

Two years into Jane's tenure [Architectural Forum magazine], she was given an assignment that would be a turning point in her career—an update on urban renewal plans in Philadelphia. Rather than the new suburban development that was attracting attention at the time, Haskell [her editor] wanted to focus on what was happening to cities. By the mid-1950s, cities across the country had fallen in dire straits, losing population and jobs to the booming suburbs. For decades, big cities had been seen as crowded, congested, unhealthy places of slums and tenements. The condition had prompted a prominent succession of planners, architects, and intellectuals to rethink human settlement—to make it more orderly and efficient. The city was a problem to be solved; great thinkers were coming up with modern ideas, and planners and policy makers were implementing what was universally regarded as solutions.
 
The man at the helm in Philadelphia was Edmund Bacon, who held the same czar-like position as Robert Moses in New York. He targeted the run-down neighborhoods in and around the center city for massive redevelopment schemes, with housing towers and commercial centers replacing the dilapidated buildings and scattered vacant lots. Haskell wanted someone to travel to Philadelphia and gauge the success of his grand revitalization plans. Largely because the staff was shorthanded, he chose Jacobs.
 
Going to meet the great Ed Bacon, Jacobs confessed she was "not what you would call a city-planning expert." But she knew Philadelphia was a grand experiment at the time, and Ed Bacon was very fashionable. She took the train from New York and met Bacon, who escorted her to a section of the downtown area that city was working on. "First he took me to a street where loads of people were hanging around on the street, on the stoops, having a good time of it, and he said, well, this is the next street we're going to get rid of. That was the 'before' street," she said.
 
"Then he showed me the 'after' street, all fixed up, and there was just one person on it, a bored little boy kicking a tire in the gutter. It was so grim that I would have been kicking a tire, too. But Mr. Bacon thought it had a beautiful vista."
 
She turned to him and asked, "Where are the people?"
 

 
She had lined up on the goal line, virtually alone. It has taken 50 years for her voice to rise above the modernists.
 

Although this image shows the new traffic signals on SH-78 at SH-190, in the rear-view mirror,
the accident occurred prior to their operation and wasn't related to the detour.

 
As part of the ongoing construction of the Eastern Extension of the President George Bush Turnpike (SH-190), the southbound exit toward Downtown from the turnpike has been closed and traffic is routed to the next exit that previously just handled northbound traffic. A new lane has been added and temporary traffic signals now stop traffic so turnpike drivers can continue south.
 

From NTTA President George Bush Turnpike Eastern Extension Update:
 

President George Bush Turnpike Eastern Extension Click graphic for large version

The Eastern Extension is a portion of the outer loop around Dallas and its suburbs that connects Interstate Highway (IH) 30 to the existing President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT). It is part of the Loop 9/State Highway 190 corridor first envisioned in the 1960s. Construction on the approximately 9.9-mile corridor began in October 2008. The project is expected to open to traffic in fourth quarter 2011.
 
Milestones

• A $160 million toll equity grant from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to the NTTA was approved for right of way (ROW) and other costs on August 23, 2007.
• A three-party agreement among the NTTA, TxDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) was executed in November 2007.
• In addition, a TxDOT/NTTA two-party agreement was executed, allowing eminent domain proceedings for critical ROW acquisition to begin; property acquisitions are ongoing.
• TxDOT approved a revised schematic on March 7, 2008.
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Section 404 permit was approved April 25, 2008.
• The City of Dallas (Dallas Water Utilities, or DWU) agreement for the Lake Ray Hubbard bridge was approved by the Dallas City Council and NTTA Board of Directors in May 2008.
• A rail-crossing agreement with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) was approved by the DART Board and NTTA Board, also in May 2008.
• FHWA approved the Final Environmental Impact Statement Re-evaluation on July 1, 2008.
• A groundbreaking for the first construction contract, Section 30, from north of the future Merritt Road to south of Main Street in Rowlett, took place August 21, 2008. Construction began on October 13, 2008.
• All five sections of the extension were officially under construction by mid-March 2009.

Corridor Updates

• A migratory bird survey found no nesting birds in the remaining ROW of Section 28, which allowed clearing and construction to begin. The contractor’s earthwork subcontractor received a Nationwide Permit 33 from the USACE for the installation of a construction access road across Rowlett Creek. The contractor has constructed ramp detours and installed a temporary traffic signal for the intersection of State Highway 78 and the eastbound frontage road.
• In Section 29, crews began installing front panels for the retaining wall at the Miles Road bridge. Crews also continued installing the retaining walls at Merritt Road. In addition, workers continued installing moisture-treated subgrade at Miles and Merritt roads.
• In Section 30, the contractor continued work on the future Merritt/Liberty Grove connector, a new culvert and the placement of various retaining walls and water lines throughout the project. Placement of the bridge decks at the Liberty Grove bridges has begun, and the Kirby Road detour adjacent to Rowlett High School was constructed.
• The Section 31 contractor continued installing underground utilities and doing earthwork from the southern project limit proceeding north. Crews also continued the moisture-treated subgrade work near the southern project limit and installation of the retaining walls at the south end of the project near Miller Road to Lake Ray Hubbard. In addition, the contractor began working on the southbound frontage road north of Miller Road.
• Section 32 is being constructed by TxDOT.

Next Steps

• Open the service road in front of the Mariners Cove subdivision in Rowlett, Section 30
• Switch DART service to temporary tracks in Section 30
• Continue construction on all sections

Corridor Details

• Project limits: Extends the PGBT from SH 78 to IH 30
• Project length: Approximately 9.9 miles
• Anticipated project cost: Approximately $1 billion
• Anticipated NTTA cost: Approximately $623 million
• Anticipated opening date (all sections): Fourth quarter 2011

Project Partners

  TxDOT, Dallas County, Dallas, Garland, Rowlett, Sachse
 

Deo Sookdeo represents District 1 on the Garland Community Multicultural Commission. The two primary reasons I appointed him, besides the fact that he's a genuinely nice person, are his being truly multicultural at heart and experience and his long history working with law enforcement and helping individuals learn from their mistakes. He's a natural on the former and an expert on the latter.
 
Deo retired from Dallas County after a career of service. Since then, he and Lucy, who is retired from Nortel, have traveled many places, including Antarctica, and plan to travel many more. Yet he has not missed one CMC meeting!
 
Connections, a publication of the Texas County and District Retirement System, recently featured Deo on their cover and in a three-page story. We get a unique opportunity to know another District 1 representative a bit better, thanks to Connections.
 

 

From the Connections Newsletter:   Deo Sookdeo’s life has been a journey. The 69-year-old TCDRS retiree blazed his own path from his birthplace in a small village in Guyana, South America, to Dallas, Texas. In between taking care of work and family, Deo has also taken the opportunity to retrace the paths of famous explorers, crisscrossing the globe and visiting places he only read about as a child.   His adventures in travel culminated with what he calls the trip of a lifetime: a cruise to Antarctica and a visit to the tomb of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Deo finds it hard to explain his attraction to travel, but he finds it very satisfying to visit the places where history happened.   "You read about it, you go there and see it," he explained. "It's just a different feeling you get."   Deo was born in a small village called Sofia (pronounced sof-I-ah) on the outskirts of Georgetown, the capital of Guyana. Situated about a mile from the Atlantic Ocean, Deo and his friends spent their childhood days emulating the cowboys they watched on the silver screen. Inspired by the likes of Audie Murphy, Randolph Scott and John Wayne, Deo says they dressed up like cowboys and pretended they were in Texas.   "When I was growing up, I wanted to swim across the Atlantic to be a cowboy," he laughed.   But it was in high school when he really fell in love with the idea of travel. He dreamed of following in the footsteps of the great explorers, such as Shackleton, Christopher Columbus and New World explorer Sir Walter Raleigh.   "I can identify with some of these explorers," he said.   After earning his General Certificate of Education, Deo joined the civil service in 1961, working as a valuation officer with the Ministry of Local Government. It was during his tenure with the Guyanese government that he married his wife, Lucy, and started a family.   [More , including photo of Deo and Lucy in the Antarctic.]

City of Garland Press Release:

Garland Youth Council Members Appointed to Congressional Advisory Panel

Four members of the Garland Youth Council (GYC) have been appointed to the 2009-10 Congressional Youth Advisory Council by U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (3rd District - Texas). Congressman Johnson selected 45 students for this honor.
 
"I consider these students my young ambassadors to Congress. They keep me updated on what's important to their generation. I look forward to another terrific and engaging year filled with informed debate and lively discussions," said Johnson.
 
Johnson created the Council in 2004. The Council's goal is two-fold. First, the group provides Johnson with greater student perspective and insight on issues that directly impact younger Americans. Second, Council activities educate students on government policies relevant to young people. The members of the Council meet approximately four times throughout the school year in the Third District. Last year, Johnson announced his official Facebook page at a CYAC meeting.
 
The GYC members appointed are:

• GYC Chair Jaywin Malhi, appointed by District 1 Council Member Douglas Athas and serving his second year on the GYC;
• GYC Secretary Jennifer Sims, appointed by District 8 Council Member Darren Lathen and serving her second year on the GYC;
• Valencia King, appointed by District 2 Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem Laura Perkins Cox and serving her second year on the GYC;
• Ginu Scaria, appointed by District 8 Council Member Darren Lathen and serving her first year on the GYC.

"The City of Garland is very proud of our Youth Council and the honor of having such abundant representation on Congressman Johnson's Youth Advisory Council," said Garland Mayor Ronald E. Jones.
 
For more information about the Garland Youth Council, visit www.GarlandYouthCouncil.org.
 

Jaywin has been representing District 1 as the GYC Chair for two years and, of course, lives in District 1. Jaywin is also a National Merit Scholarship semi-finalist.
 
Please join me congratulating Jaywin and each of these Garland youth that reflect so well on our community.
 

A number of professional sports stars have come from Garland, including NFL All-Pro Bobby Boyd, NFL place kicker Mac Percival, and NBA players Mookie Blaylock and Ricky Pierce.
 
The Indianapolis Colts seem to be particularly fond of Garland athletes. Bobby Boyd was a Colt cornerback for nine years, 1960 to 1968. He led the NFL with 9 interceptions in 1965. He finished his career with 57 interceptions, which he returned for 994 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also recovered 11 fumbles.
 
Now two District 1 athletes are on the Colt roster: defensive backs Melvin Bullitt and Jacob Lacey. Their families still live in the district. Both attended Naaman Forest High School.
 
The strong parallels for Melvin and Jacob seems to have caught the attention of Phillip Wilson, sports writer for the Indianapolis Star. He gives a nice insight to their current adventures and the families' reactions. Naaman Forest coach Bill Patterson is also tapped for his observations:
 

From IndyStar.com:

Tandem: Colts defensive backs Melvin Bullitt and Jacob Lacey played at Naaman Forest High School in Garland, Texas. - Phillip B. Wilson / The Star

Joyful journey for Melvin Bullitt and Jacob Lacey Melvin Bullitt and Jacob Lacey played high school football together in Texas, and now they've teamed up with the Colts.   By Phillip B. Wilson Posted: October 23, 2009   Each time the Indianapolis Colts play, phones start ringing in Texas. Text messages also come from across the country, a barrage of quick-hit comments that trigger a cellular buzz in the suburbs of Dallas.   Safety Melvin Bullitt forces a fumble at Arizona. Cornerback Jacob Lacey breaks up a pass in the end zone at Tennessee.   It's as it always has been. However improbable, it's how they always hoped it would be. Bullitt and Lacey have been making plays together since they suited up in 2002 at Naaman Forest High School in Garland, Texas.   That they both made it to the NFL, each undrafted, landing with the same team two years apart, well, it's been a non-stop thrill ride not just for them but for their ecstatic families and friends back home.   [More. Note that story at the link has three pages.]

 
Also, Melvin recently gave a special gift to surprised Naaman Forest teacher Melanie Parsons, a friend of his father.

The approach to DFW Airport is always interesting. If you do it fairly often, it's easy to identify your approach simply by reading the cities' names on their water towers. That's never been the case for Garland because almost all of our water storage tanks are on the ground. Our tanks easily hold twice as much water as most of the largest elevated tanks. However, an elevated tank is more efficient maintaining even water pressures.
 
The city has long had an old elevated tank just north of Forest Ave but the other storage tanks are all ground level. (There is another small water tower near I-635 but it is privately owned.)
 
Soon, that won't be true anymore. Just south of the intersection of the SH-66 and Country Club, at Commerce St, an new elevated tank will be raised to position.
 

 
Currently, the top section is scheduled to be hoist into place Friday morning, starting as early as 7 am. The lift will take four to five hours.
 
Here's a little more information on the city's newest addition to our water department's infrastructure:

• Tank Capacity: 2.5 Million Gallons
• Completed Structure Height (with handrail included): 220 feet
• Pedestal Diameter: 54 feet
• Tank Diameter: 104 feet

If you happen to be in the area and get a chance to see it, you might be interested in a little more information about the operation and why it is done this way:
 
Hoist Info

• Hoist weight is 251 tons.
• Hoist is made using 54 hydraulic jacks located at the top of the pedestal.
• Each jack has a capacity of 30 tons but for maximum safety jacks will only be lifting 4.6 tons.
• Each hoist cables is a 7-strand post-tension cable (similar to the cables used in a house slab).
• Each cable is 0.58 inches in diameter.
• The tank is centered-based on the center point and the radius, with the tank within ¼-inch of the radial line.
• The console on the dome has individual controls for a pair of jacks and a master that operates all the jacks at once. If the tank gets out of level going up they can adjust the jacks to re-level.

Why hoist?

• A more symmetrical, trued tank can be constructed on the ground than doing so in the air.
• It’s faster and easier than building one in the air.
• The tank can be painted better and at less cost than on the ground.
• It is safer for the workers involved.

Sequence of Events for Hoist

• Hoist crew arrives at the site.
• Access tube is set.
• Hoist equipment is set up on the dome.
• Hoist and level tank.

The next time you are flying over the city, you won't look at it the same again.
 

Katie Fairbank Katie Fairbank was the reporter for the Dallas Morning News that made the harsh claims against the Garland animal shelter in a series of articles (listed at that previous link) and blog posts that accused the city of illegally killing animals and of "gassing young, sick or elderly cats and dogs."   Her reporting covers one perspective of the story well but barely indicates any effort to speak to shelter personnel or to inspect the shelter. Why no attempt to be fair?   In the series, Ms Fairbank never mentions that the euthanasia methods used in Garland are fully within the guidelines set by the American Veterinary Medical Association. She did say, "The American Veterinary Medical Association and the state do not oppose gassing, but have set limits on its use. For example, the Texas Administrative Code says carbon monoxide cannot be used on animals younger than 4 months, elderly or sick animals because the 'time required to achieve death in these animals may be significantly increased.' Using carbon monoxide on such animals is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine for each charge." She charges in post after post that Garland is violating the rules but what evidence does she offer?   In a Sept 19 article, Ms Fairbank refers to a sampling of records from 2007 that were provided to the newspaper by anonymous sources. She says these were "shelter records" and she refers to photographs taken of "illegally killed" kittens. (Why would the shelter take photographs of illegally-killed kittens?) She refers to a young dog as another example.   According to city personnel, she did ask staff on the afternoon of Sept 17 to investigate a number of incidents. She was told that records were not immediately available — that they were archived — but that her questions could be addressed within a few days. She agreed, telling staff members that she expected the story to run "in a few weeks" and to contact her with the findings. She called the next morning for the results, waiting little more than overnight. Her story was in the paper the following day. There were no other efforts to get the rest of the story even though there were successive articles and blog posts.   When those "records" were reviewed, staff was only able to find one instance of improper euthanasia, which was documented in a memo to Council and the city manager: "After reviewing the records from 2007 provided by the media, there does appear to be one instance of an animal younger than four months of age that was euthanized by respiration of carbon monoxide. It was euthanized by a Shelter Attendant who is no longer employed by the City of Garland." Ms Fairbank later acknowledges that single incident but does nothing to correct her prior claims.   Never in the articles on carbon monoxide euthanasia does Ms Fairbank mention that she has a conflict of interest: that she has volunteered with various animal rescue groups for 15 years. She does mention it in a blog post in reference to a problem solver question on the Animal Services Advisory board, but never in the newspaper or in any of her blog posts on euthanasia. [Ed.: This slight correction is to be clear that Ms Fairbank never mentioned her rescue efforts in print or her blog posts when reporting on euthanasia. Her statement did appear in her initial response to the Animal Services Board question both in print, Sept 6, and was mirrored in her Sept 7 blog post.]   For 15 years Ms Fairbank has been actively trying to rescue animals, a period that would pre-date her start at the Dallas Morning News. In 2005, she donated money to the Metroplex Animal Coalition on behalf of KittiCo for animal victims of Katrina (donation list here ). Her Facebook page lists many friends from rescue groups, many using their pets as their avatar (requires registration to see whole list).   While I commend her rescue efforts (we have two cats rescued from a feral litter), it is a conflict of interest for Ms Fairbank to pretend to be reporting on our animal shelter when in fact she is furthering her personal agenda of rescuing animals, hiding behind the Dallas Morning News and using it as her tool to accomplish the same goal she has been working toward for 15 years.   Barely two years ago, American Airlines had a pay dispute with its pilots union. Katie Fairbank was the reporter that filed the first story on the dispute with the Dallas Morning News. It took someone at D Magazine to disclose that Ms Fairbank's husband is a pilot and union member at American Airlines and that she had failed to disclose her conflict of interest. That conflict was noticed as far away as the Washington Post (under Media Morsels).   On that occasion Managing Editor George Rodrique said, "One of the canons of our ethical code is avoiding even the appearance of a conflict of interest. This week, we blew it." He goes on to say that it was the paper's fault for assigning her the story but he doesn't explain why she didn't say that she couldn't cover it because she had a conflict of interest.   Many professionals have potential conflicts of interest. As a Council member, I have had to recuse myself several times to avoid a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict. It is fairly common in any city. If we ignore our professional duty, we tarnish our names and our city's name. It is the same probably for all professions. It is certainly true for journalists!   What will the Dallas Morning News do to correct the record and explain away the incident this time?

 
UPDATE: Comments closed to block spam hits.
 

City of Garland Press Release:

Garland’s City Secretary Named TMCA President Elect Garland City Secretary Mary Kayser was elected president elect of the Texas Municipal Clerks Association, Inc. (TMCA), at the organization’s annual meeting on October 8.   TMCA, Inc. is a statewide association with more than 925 members. The Association operates the Texas Municipal Clerks Certification Program located at the University of North Texas, Denton. The Certification Program is recognized and endorsed by Section 22.074 of the Local Government Code, Vernon’s Annotated Civil Statutes. TMCA, Inc. publishes the Texas Municipal Election Law Manual, the Texas Municipal Law and Procedure Manual and the Texas Municipal Clerks Handbook.   Kayser has served Garland as City Secretary since 2006. She has received her Master Municipal Clerk designation from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks and is a Texas Registered Municipal Clerk.   Kayser will be charged with the responsibility of accomplishing the goals and objectives of TMCA, Inc. The Association is dedicated to serving the demands of excellence in local government and public problem solving. Its principal missions are to motivate Texas city clerks and city secretaries to become leaders in their fields of governance and to provide an educational program for the beginning and career city clerk and city secretary.

City Secretary Mary Kayser

Being a Council member during an economic downturn when city revenues are dropping or during a period when the growth has been minimal is a difficult time to serve. We're in both situations right now. We have had to close a library branch, remove two fire engines, and, more recently, cut city employee salaries. None of those were easy votes but we're elected to do the job, not put it off hoping some future council will solve it.   The hardest vote for me personally, the one I wanted to take back first opportunity, was eliminating the employee cost of living increase for retirees. I have followed the city's efforts since to somehow restore the COLA. We've had numerous initiatives only to see them fail because of some state or federal regulation.   During this year's budget discussions, a suggestion was made by a speaker to have a committee look at the challenge. I thought it was a great idea. So did City Manager Bill Dollar. He has formed such a committee and the announcement below shows that representatives from departments across the city will address the problem. I don't know that they will have any more success that we've had to date but more minds working on the problem can't hurt. For any shortcomings they uncover, employees and the Council will have a clearer understanding of the challenges and why.   I'm very encouraged by the aggressive schedule the committee will follow and especially encouraged that the meetings will be televised and accessible on the city's website. Anyone interested in following the deliberations will be able to do so, even if they've moved to England or Timbuktu.

COLA committee meetings will be broadcast on CGTV. Current and past meetings will be available online.

City of Garland Press Release:

Garland Studies Employee Retirement Benefits Options

The City of Garland has created a special committee to examine options for providing a benefit to Garland retirees that is similar to the Texas Municipal Retirement System’s Cost of Living Adjustment benefit with minimal financial impact to the City.
 
The TMRS Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) was eliminated in the 2008-09 Budget. In an effort to continue the evaluation of other options, City Manager Bill Dollar is establishing a City Employee TMRS COLA Study Committee to accomplish the following objectives:

• Review previous TMRS, Finance, and actuarial consultant studies
• Briefings by Finance/Budget staff on financial impacts of TMRS and proposed TMRS increases
• Briefings on legal issues relating to state regulated retirement plan
• Discussion on all questions/ideas/issues from Study Committee and other interested City employees

"We value our employees and want to take whatever steps we can to offer attractive retirement benefits," says Mr. Dollar. "It’s important for us to explore every available option on behalf of current and future retirees."
 
The Committee will meet for the first time on Wednesday, October 14 from 2-4 p.m. at Garland City Hall, 200 N. Fifth Street in the Council Work Session Room. The Committee will continue to meet every other Wednesday until all related issues are studied and resolved. The committee consists of 11 people including, Robby Neill (Human Resources), Sharon Rinewalt (Water & Sewer), Lt. Jeffrey Bryan (Police), Brad Neighbor (City Attorney), Thom Guillory (Engineering), Susan Webb (Environmental Waste), Jonas Whitehead (GP&L), Barry Swisher (Parks), Capt. Robert Smith (Fire), Ed Wilson (Retiree), and George Kaufmann (Financial Services).
 
Committee meetings will be televised on CGTV, the City's government access channel, at 6 a.m., Thursday through Sunday of meeting weeks. CGTV is available on Time Warner Cable channel 16 and on Verizon FIOS TV channel 44, or by video streaming from the City website at www.ci.garland.tx.us.
 
COLA Study Committee meetings will also be available via videostreaming video on demand under "Specialty Videos" approximately 48 hours after the meeting.
 

From Dallas Morning News Crime Blog:

Woman pleads guilty in middle of murder trial, gets 50 years

11:26 AM Mon, Oct 12, 2009
Jennifer Emily/Reporter
 
A Detroit woman has pleaded guilty in the middle of her murder trial to shooting her on again, off again lover in the head, burying him in his backyard and emptying his bank accounts.
 
In exchange for her plea, Kwaneta Harris accepted a 50-year-sentence. A jury could have sentenced her from 5 years to life in prison.
 
Harris killed 46-year-old Michael Giles, an U.S. Air Force retiree, in the summer of 2006 but his body was not discovered until October 2007. She hired people to dig a hole for his body and then paid someone to pour concrete over his grave.
 
Harris has previously pled guilty to theft for stealing more than $200,000 from Giles. She was sentenced to 30 years in prison for that crime.
 
The sentences will run concurrently.
 
Last week, Dallas County prosecutors Josh Healy and Kevin Brooks portrayed Harris and manipulative and deceitful, creating a web of lies to cover up Giles' murder.
 
Defense attorneys Richard Franklin and Robbie McClung have said that Harris was in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend, who is the one actually responsible for Giles' death.
 
The boyfriend, Deandre Knight, has been charged with theft in the case. He did not testify during the trial.
 
The court will soon hear victim impact statements from Giles' family.
 

 
People from across the country that knew the Michael Giles and Kwaneta Harris were following this trial. No one did a better job following it and keeping others informed than John Bayless. His blog (link below) had much more information than could be found anywhere else. Even though the trial ran only a week, John has been getting a lot of hits, as evidenced by the comments that readers have left. Amazingly, jurors and witnesses have even found his blog and left comments.
 
While I expect this to be my final post on the case, I'm guessing that there is plenty of information that John will continue to write. I suggest that readers keep checking his blog for updates.
 

The Harbor Point development that contains Bass Pro and other businesses has been for sale for several weeks. Today Ray Leszcynski writes a comprehensive article in the Dallas Morning News that covers the sale, the city's participation in the development, and the details of that involvement.
 
Also timely is a recent story in USA Today about Bass Pro CEO Johnny Morris: "Morris' retailing has come a long way: People drive for hours and will even stay overnight to visit one of the chain's 56 huge stores, which in addition to outdoors merchandise are filled with typically free activities ranging from archery to rock climbing. Several movies and TV shows have been filmed at its stores and, in the past nine months alone, nine couples have gotten married at a Bass Pro Shop. Even so, the firm is feeling the recession's pain." Follow the link to read the entire story.
 

From the Dallas Morning News, Metro section:

Harbor Point retail development in Garland listed at sale price of $29.2 million

12:00 AM CDT on Monday, October 12, 2009
By RAY LESZCYNSKI / The Dallas Morning News
rleszcynski@dallasnews.com
 
Harbor Point, the retail development on the shores of Lake Ray Hubbard featuring restaurants and star tenant Bass Pro Shops, appears to be for sale.
 
Harvest/Harbor Point Ltd. developed the property in Garland after reaching an incentive agreement with the city in 2005. Now it's seeking to sell the property for $29.175 million, according to a local Web site for real estate investment firm Marcus & Millichap.
 
Representatives of Marcus & Millichap weren't immediately available for comment regarding the sale or list price. But the development is listed as a featured property on the Web site of two local agents, Philip Levy and Jason Vitorino. The site's home page features a large photo of Bass Pro, information about the property and a link to a 46-page marketing package for potential buyers.
 
City officials said last week that a sale isn't unexpected and is, perhaps, overdue.
 
"It was always intended that they would be selling the property at some point to an investment group," said Assistant City Manager Martin Glenn. "That's normally what you see happen. We thought the marketing of the property would have taken place before now."
 
Glenn and others agreed that a sale doesn't mean the development, or the $23.7 million approved by voters in 2004 to fuel Harbor Point, is in any trouble. But the development has not lived up to its potential.
 
A hotel and a lakefront restaurant site have never been developed. One shoreline restaurant failed.
 
Signage restrictions along Interstate 30 and the exit from the freeway are troublesome, at best. And growth in the I-30 corridor isn't generating enough new tax revenue to cover the city's $1.26 million yearly debt payment – and it won't for years.
 
As part of the 2005 agreement, Garland agreed to rebate to Harvest/Harbor Point all sales taxes until either the total reaches $14.9 million or 20 years passes.
 
In 2007, the developer exercised its option to sell the nearly five acres that house the store to the city for $100 and lease it back for $100 a year, in effect taking it off the property tax rolls.
 
The incentives transfer to the new ownership once the property sells, Glenn said. But Bass Pro Shops, he insisted, isn't going anywhere.
 
"Everyone seems to be doing well," Glenn said. "I stay in close contact. Bass Pro is getting ready for holiday sales."
 
The most recent happenings at Harbor Point, though, have nothing to do with the Harvest partnership or Bass Pro Shops. Atlantic Hotel Group bought the hotel site about a year ago, and there has been talk of building a Holiday Inn Express.
 
Atlantic Hotel Group is connected to hotel projects in Frisco, Allen and Grapevine, Glenn said, but not to the Holiday Inn being built on the Bush Turnpike in North Garland.
 
Glenn said that progress on the Harbor Point hotel and other parts of the development have slowed because of the economic downturn. The city is prohibited from disclosing sales tax numbers for Harbor Point, but officials said it probably fits the city's overall portfolio in that it is tracking slightly behind 2008.
 
That translates into a buyer's market in at least one instance.
 
Dallas restaurateur Shannon Wynne said he was interested in Harbor Point from the start but didn't move in until July 2009, when he took over the site of the former County Line Barbecue.
 
"It's a very rare and lucrative time for healthy concepts to be looking at real estate," Wynne said recently, adding that his deal to establish a Flying Saucer Draught Emporium was nearly twice as good as when the property was first developed. "The property back then was very, very expensive."
 

One less chair and it would have felt like a child's game: last Monday the Council met first in executive session, then in work session, postponed the work session for the regular meeting that had been moved to Monday, and then resumed the work session.   The agenda items for the regular meeting went quickly. That's not to say that the meeting was over quickly. Numerous citizens spoke on euthanasia methods at the city's animal shelter, most for lethal injection of sodium pentobarbital and against carbon monoxide gas. The Council can only listen during the comment period. Open Meetings law prohibits the Council from discussing items that are not on the agenda.   Council member Rick Williams explains his research on carbon monoxide euthanasia of animals When the work session resumed, one of the later items was the memo from Richard Briley, managing director of the health and code departments, that he recently sent to the Council explaining his department's future plans toward euthanasia. When the item was called to the floor, Mayor Ron Jones read a prepared statement that he and the city manager would continue to review the euthanasia process, that that advisory board to the shelter is being expanded, and that the city is transitioning away from carbon monoxide euthanasia. It was obvious that the Mayor intended to read the statement and move on.   However, several Council members indicated they too wanted to make statements. Council member Rick Williams spoke extensively of his research into the issue and his concern that the Council not react politically to what is a medical question [my words, not his]. He asked that the Council rescind the memo because he felt with certainty that it was issued for purely political reasons. The Council was polled: two voted to rescind and six voted to leave it to the city manager's discretion.   A subsequent article in the Dallas Morning News reported the events were conclusive and drew lines as to those in favor of eliminating carbon monoxide euthanasia and those that sought to keep it. The headline read: Garland council votes to restrict carbon monoxide gassing at animal shelter. To an observer, that would not be an unreasonable inference but it is not what was being decided. The question was much, much further reaching than that. That portion of the meeting is available here (Item 2e); watch so you can draw your own conclusions.   Quick background: this Council, more than any in my memory, has worked hard to not be guilty of micro-managing the staff. There are plenty of horror stories from the past and the ill consequences that we've chosen to avoid. Council member Laura Cox in her remarks even made reference to the charter and its provision of not interfering with the management of the city. Our role is to set policy, not manage. (Art IV, Section 3: Council and its members shall deal solely through the City Manager and neither the Council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinates of the City Manager, either publicly or privately.)   Council member Williams explained that the city's animal shelter is not violating the law and is using methods well recognized as humane by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Under those parameters, it is not an area that calls for involvement by the Council.   Council members Williams and Barbara Chick felt there was sufficient political pressure and interference that initiated the memo that the Council should rescind it. Their action would have reset the process and given a clear indication from the Council that internal processes in the city are not to be arbitrarily decided by whatever way the political winds are blowing. I don't believe anyone on the Council disagreed with that view; I'm certain a majority supported it. However, I chose to leave operations to the city manager: if there had been interference, we didn't need to interfere again as long as the city manager understood he had the latitude handle the issue.   The end result is that the city is moving on the same path that it was anyway, although probably (definitely?) quicker than it would have otherwise. The result is the same even if the timing is not. The city manager and his staff now have a clear indication from the Council that the decisions are within their duties, not ours, and that we will back them in spite of the political winds. The result also has the effect of moving away from carbon monoxide euthanasia but that was not the subject of the vote. The vote did not indicate any Council member's preference and it would be wrong to infer individual positions on one subject when the vote was on another.

 
UPDATE: Comments closed to block spam hits.
 

City of Garland Press Release:

Garland Environmental Waste Services Wins Green Award

The City of Garland Environmental Waste Services Department is the First Place Award Winner of the Green3 Whole Circle Award, sponsored by the North Texas Corporate Recycling Association.
 
The Green3 Awards recognize efforts of North Texas businesses, governments, colleges and individuals for outstanding contributions to the recycling industry that result in meaningful waste reduction. “The Green3 Award winners are reinventing the way we do business in America, and are proving that there is a better way—businesses can be MORE efficient, save money and still conserve natural resources,” announced Shirlene Sitton, President of the NTRCA.
 
Environmental Waste Services’ award is based on implementation of an Environmental Management System that is helping all departmental employees examine internal processes and areas that merit improvement, as well as implement strategies to reduce, reuse and recycle. Environmental Waste is the first department in the City of Garland to adopt an EMS program.
 
The department has achieved significant milestones following EMS implementation, including fuel reduction of 35,000 gallons this fiscal year and a 12% increase in residential recycling, representing more than 1,150 cubic yards of landfill space saved. The brush diversion initiative has resulted in 44% of all brush being sent to the City’s Wood Recycling Facility, representing more than 11,500 tons of brush recycled and more than 46,000 cubic yards of landfill space saved.
 
EWS also implemented an office recycling program at its administrative offices, diverting more than one ton of material from the landfill in six months. Electricity usage has been reduced by an average of 20% at all facilities, representing a savings of 26,328 kilowatt hours.
 
“Our EMS journey is not complete,” explained Lonnie Banks, EWS Managing Director. “ We will build on these successes and stay committed to our EMS policy, which is to provide service on unbelievable levels for the community, strive for organizational improvement and employee development, understand our environmental impact and reduce waste and pollution and meet and exceed all legal requirements.”
 

Overall, reported crimes dropped more than 20% in September when compared to August and was lower than any period since last November, when we had 78 incidents.
 
Building burglaries were up over previous months, mainly because of a number of break-ins at the Town Center on the same night. Police are working with the business owners and the Town Center security to address the burglaries. The investigation is still ongoing.
 
Thefts dropped for the month but are still high. Most are still occurring in the retail areas of N Garland Ave and near the Town Center.
 
If you want to review the areas that have reported incidents over the last month, download the complete report here for address-by-address information that includes your neighborhood.
 

It was a shock to all of us when a District 1 resident was discovered murdered and buried in his back yard under a concrete slab. Subsequent news articles offered little new information, including a false confession. It didn't make sense at the time and much of it doesn't make sense yet. Perhaps we will learn more and there will soon be justice for Michael Giles.   The murder trial opened today of Kwaneta Harris, who is charged in the killing and subsequent theft of over $200,000.

From UPI.com:
 
Testimony began Tuesday in the trial of a woman accused of killing a man buried beneath a concrete slab in the yard of his Garland, Texas, home.
 
Charged with capital murder is Kwaneta Harris, who police said also paid another woman to falsely confess to killing Michael Giles, 46, a military retiree, The Dallas Morning News reported. Giles's body was found a year after he was reported missing in October 2007.
 
In an opening statement, Prosecutor Josh Healy said Harris and Giles had an on-and-off relationship for 10 years that ended when she shot him in the back of the head, the Morning News reported. He said she then buried him in his backyard, where the body lay undiscovered for more than a year.
 
Healy said Harris stole $200,000 from Giles, a 46-year-old Air Force retiree, after he died.
 
Defense attorneys Richard Franklin and Robbie McClung conceded Harris stole the money but said Harris did not kill Giles, the Morning News reported.
 
After Giles vanished, his house was foreclosed on and leased to someone else, police said. One day, the new residents came home and found the concrete slab behind their house.
 
"We just couldn't figure out why it was poured," the newspaper reported Garland police spokesman Joe Harn as saying when the body was found. "It wasn't an extension of a patio. It wasn't big enough for someone to sit out on."
 
Police said "financial dealings" led them to Harris.
 

 
Some of the opening presentations were difficult to view and the judge gave a recess early to allow more time to adjust to what was being seen. Additional information on the trial was posted at the DMN Crime Blog:
 

 
Prosecutors Healy and Kevin Brooks also introduced gruesome photos of Giles' body as it was found under a cement slab at Giles' Garland home. The body was wrapped in a comforter and a brown robe was wrapped around his head. Also inside the comforter was a pillow with a hole in it.
 
Read more.
 

 
John Bayless discovered himself close to the case and has been following it. He was the first to alert me the trial would soon be starting. John has decided to track the case on a new blog dedicated to the case. John expects to attend some of the trial and to post what he is learning.
 
Also, Giles' Air Force buddies have honored their friend by adding a memorial page to the Pave Cave website, derived from the name of an Air Force project to modify Sikorsky MH-53 helicopters.
 

Update Oct 6: Murder trial begins (DMN Crime Blog)

Update Oct 6: Trial begins (DMN)

Update Oct 7: Evidence mounting against Harris (DMN Crime Blog)

Update Oct 10: Prosecution rests (DMN)

Update Oct 12: Harris pleads guilty (DMN Crimeblog)

Update Oct 13: Harris pleads guilty in middle of trial (DMN)

If you are a neighborhood leader, you need to be at the Summit. If you live in a neighborhood and want to be involved, you need to be at the Summit. If you think you might want to be involved, you need to be at the Summit.
 

City of Garland Press Release:

Great Neighborhoods: 2009 Summit Goal

Great neighborhoods are no accident. When communities recognize the power of engagement fueled by capacity building and committed leadership, something wonderful happens on the block, in the neighborhood and across the city. We invite you to be an active participant in the continued growth and vitality of Garland by attending the annual Neighborhood Summit. This year’s theme is “Great Neighborhoods: From Concept to Reality”.
 
The 2009 Summit is set for Saturday, October 24 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Atrium at the Granville Arts Center in Downtown Garland, 300 N. Fifth Street. Registration for Garland residents and stakeholders is $15. For those not related to Garland, the cost is $25.
 
The keynote speaker is Robert Miller, Director of the Minneapolis Neighborhood Revitalization Program. He will discuss the keys to creating great neighborhoods. The scheduled workshops Building a Sustainable Organization, Developing Effective Partnerships, Developing a Resident Driven Neighborhood Action Plan, and Understanding the Concept of Community Leadership will provide important tools, information, and models to lead participants down a path of building and sustaining a great neighborhood.
 
The event will also feature information about the Envision Garland comprehensive plan project and the opportunity to explore the Office of Neighborhood Vitality’s Social Capital Library.
 
The 2009 Neighborhood Summit is sponsored by the City of Garland, the Garland Chamber of Commerce, Garland Housing Finance Corporation and Garland Power & Light.
 
For more information or to register, call 972-205-3864 or e-mail fconner@ci.garland.tx.us.
 

 
Basically, you can trust a bunch of politicians, professional staffers, and those already involved in their neighborhoods and the city to make all the decisions on the future of the city and what is best for your neighborhood, or you can get involved and have a voice.
 
Maybe it's time to get in the game. I hope to see you at the Summit!
 

In 2004, then-Mayor Bob Day and I attended the first Greater Dallas Planning Council Metromorphosis event. Numerous staff members were there too. It focused exclusively on the so-called First Ring Suburbs. Mayor Day was also on the national First Tier Suburbs Council. Much of my attention to first-tier suburbs started at that symposium.
 
The next Metromorphosis symposium in 2007 focused significantly on the future of the Metroplex as we grow. It was one of the earliest comprehensive sources that I saw that looked at our expansion and as it related to other areas of the country. Mayor Ron Jones, several council members, and staff members were at that symposium.
 
The next Metromorphosis symposium is Friday. This time the theme is Urban Placemaking. The long-range effects emanating from this symposium will be as great as those that came before. Of particular interest to me and anyone living in suburbia will the the keynote presentation by June Williamson, co-author of Retrofitting Suburbia. There are plenty of success stories of changing suburbia. The authors, both architects, have documented many of those changes and measured the effects. We know we have to change; we know it will be incremental. We don't know what works and what doesn't. Now we don't have to feel we are re-inventing the wheel!
 
Look over the program and then register online. If the program and reception at the House of Blues aren't enough to entice you, lunch will be catered by Wolfgang Puck!
 

METROMORPHOSIS 2009: URBAN PLACEMAKING RECEPTION: Thursday, October 8, 6 - 8 p.m. Foundation Room at The House of Blues   SYMPOSIUM: Friday, October 9 Union Station   Programs:   9 - 10:15 a.m. A Focus on Southern Dallas   Moderator: Linda S. Brown - Principal, Brown & Company   Panelists Bob Stimson, President - Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce Lee McKinney, Assistant Director, City of Dallas Office Economic Development - Southern Dallas Initiatives Larry "Butch" McGreggor, West Dallas Investments L.P. Brent Brown AIA, Director - Building Community Workshop   10:25 - 11:40 a.m. A Regional Transportation Focus   Michael Morris, Director of Transportation, NCTCOG and Texas State Senator John Carona (invited)   Luncheon: Noon - 1:20 p.m.   Keynote Speaker: Bill Lively, President & CEO, North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee   Programs:   1:35 - 2:50 p.m. Retrofitting Suburbia   Symposium Keynote Speaker: June Williamson, Co-Author, Retrofitting Suburbia – While there has been considerable attention by practitioners and academics to development in urban cores and new neighborhoods on the periphery of cities, there has been little attention to the redesign and redevelopment of existing suburbs. Ms. Williamson will illustrates how existing suburbs can be redesigned and redeveloped, showing how development in existing suburbs can absorb new growth and evolve in relation to changed demographic, technological, and economic conditions.   3:00 - 4:15 p.m. Vision North Texas   Moderator – Karen Walz - Vision North Texas is completing work on a 'regional gamebook' for the region's growth through 2050. The character of the places within the region plays a major role in North Texas' ability to attract and keep jobs and residents who can choose to locate anywhere in the world. At this session, you will learn how 'North Texas 2050' is shaping up, and you will be able to contribute to its work in creating distinctive, successful and sustainable places throughout the entire North Texas region.   Reception, Luncheon & Symposium Programming: $100 Reception Only: $25 Luncheon Only: $40   Register Online

The Council will receive a verbal briefing during its Monday work session on euthanasia methods that are used at the animal shelter. Since it is a work session, not a regular meeting, any actions taken will be limited.
 
The work session will be squeezed between an executive session to discuss litigation involving our investment in the Texas Municipal Power Agency and our regular meeting that will start at 7.
 
I presume Richard Briley, Managing Director of Health and Code, who also oversees Animal Services and the animal shelter, will give a verbal account of the memo that he sent to Council and the city manager earlier in the week.
 
There are those that contend the only humane method of euthanasia is lethal injection. Yet the law and veterinary professionals do not agree. In the memo, Mr Briley states, referring to the practices at the city animal shelter, "Euthanasia is performed either through injection of sodium pentobarbital or respiration of carbon monoxide. Both methods are administered in accordance with all applicable state laws and veterinary practice, and both methods are considered by the State of Texas and the AVMA to be equally humane."
 
While Garland residents have voiced concerns and support, many of the loudest are not Garland residents. And there are defenders of the animal shelter that are not Garland residents, such as this man in Richardson:
 

From the Dallas Morning News, Letters to the Editor, Sept 28:
 
The Dallas Morning News speaks of the cruel and unusual operation of Garland's animal shelter.
 
For many years, I was familiar with the operation. To my knowledge, nothing has changed. When the time came for me to have a 15-year-old pet put down because of pain and suffering from cancer. I took her to the people I knew would show her the loving end she deserved.
 
I watched as they placed her in the chamber. I saw through the window as she first looked around, then laid down as if to nap. It was over in seconds. She did not panic. She was not in pain. My friends led me back up front and sat with me as I wept. Finally, I was composed enough to leave.
 
Does this sound like the work of unusually cruel people?
 

 
Links to various stories on this issue, including one in Saturday's DMN, are posted here.
 

We think about keeping burglaries out of our homes and that is a successful strategy. With fire, the threat may already be in the home. Of course, having and regularly maintaining smoke detectors can help save us in the event of a fire but wouldn't it make more sense to consciously take steps to avoid a fire in the first place?
 

 
Fire Safety Week is all week, Oct 4-10. Below are numerous resources to check to make your home safer for you and your family. A good starting point is the Home Fire Safety Checklist (link below). To prepare children, the USFA website for kids makes learning about fire safety fun, plus it is a good resource for teachers.
 
Winter is fast approaching. Forecasters are indicating this will be coldest winter of the past decade. We will be more likely to use our fireplaces and other types of heaters. A little precaution now can be much appreciated later. Besides just fire, being conscious of carbon monoxide threats can save lives too. (See Winter Fire Safety Tips below.)
 
Even if your precautions do not prove to be enough and you are awaken by your smoke detectors, what do you do? Do you know to test a door before opening it? Why do you not use your palm to test? Once advancing, do you leave the door open or closed? (See the "during a fire" link below.)
 
Many Garland neighborhoods will be celebrating National Night Out on Tuesday. These tips would be good to announce or to put in a future newsletter. Garland fire fighters will be at many of those neighborhood gatherings. After looking through the sources below, the fire fighters will be a great source to answer any questions you might have. Wouldn't it feel great to have some good questions instead of, "Will you blow the horn?" Okay, don't worry, they still might blow the horn for you.
 

From USA.gov

 
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), each year more than 4,000 Americans die and more than 25,000 are injured in fires, many of which could be prevented. Direct property loss due to fires is estimated at $8.6 billion annually.
 
Fire spreads quickly; there is no time to gather valuables or make a phone call. In just two minutes, a fire can become life-threatening. In five minutes, a residence can be engulfed in flames. To ensure the safety of yourself and your family in the event of an emergency, you should learn what to do before a fire, during a fire, and after a fire.
 
There is a wealth of information regarding fire safety available from the federal government. Please visit the following online resources:

• Firesafety.gov - Resources and information geared toward eliminating residential fire deaths. This website includes fire safety information for citizens, kids, the fire service and the media.
• Smoking and Home Fires - A web page from the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) that provides information about preventing home fires caused by smoking.
• USFA Kids - This web page provides information especially for children. Kids can learn about home fire safety, smoke alarms and escaping from fire, as well as play a variety of online fire safety games.
• Fire Safety Publications - Online publications about fire safety from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), including a Home Fire Safety Checklist.
• Fire Safety Advisor - Information from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding fire safety in the workplace.
• Fire Safety Education - Recommendations from the California Division of Forestry and Fire Protection.
• Agricultural Fire Safety - This web page from the National Ag Safety Database (NASD) offers a large variety of topics about farm-related fire prevention and safety.
• Campfire Safety - Tips from the U.S. Forest Service about how to safely enjoy a campfire.

Additional Resources:

• Winter Fire Safety Tips
• Barbecue Safety Tips
• Fireworks Safety Tips
• Wildfires

Fire Prevention Week 2009 will be celebrated on October 4 through 10. The 2009 theme focuses on burn awareness and prevention, as well as keeping homes safe from the leading causes of home fires.