By Jackie Hardy
On May 14, Irving voters of Place 3 and Place 5 will go to the polls to elect their next city council member. This election marks the second time voters will have the opportunity to elect candidates under the new voting system adopted by the city of Irving in September 2009. Early voting will begin May 2 and continue through May 10.
U.S. District Judge Jorge Solis ruled the existing voting system in Irving violated Section 2 of the Voters Right Act of 1965; therefore the city was ordered to adopt a single-member district election process. Under the new election system, single-member districts now include places 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 with places 2 and 8, and the mayoral post remaining at-large.
Allan Meagher, the current city councilman for Place 3 is stepping down; therefore, making it an interesting race for first-time candidates Dennis Webb, Kensley Stewart and David Gutierrez. Webb is a Grand Prairie firefighter and the founding pastor of Bear Creek Community Church in Irving; Kensley Stewart is a healthcare professional; and David Gutierrez is a local business owner of Can Do Wood Projects and Repair Company.
Place 5 candidates are Julie Grant, a local business owner of a pet transport company; and incumbent Rose Cannaday, owner of Cannaday and Associates, a mediation company. Grant is facing a tough challenge in defeating Cannaday, a name more recognized with the voters of Place 5.
Geographically, Place 3 covers the western edge of the city from Rock Island north to State Highway 114 including the eastern area of D/FW International Airport; and Place 5 consist of the areas from Belt Line Road and Northgate Drive, east to the former Texas Stadium site, south along Loop 12 to Irving Boulevard.
Irving is now home to 216,290 residents giving it a population growth of 12.9 percent, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. The city is recognized for its ability to attract Fortune 500 companies such as Citigroup Incorporated, Verizon and Nokia.
Over the past six years, crime has continued to decline, visible improvements have been and continue to be made to the main corridors within the city, and there are several Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) under construction.
CIP is a program initiative that focuses on creating economic development within Irving. Projects such as the DART Orange Line Light Rail Transit, Irving Convention and Entertainment Center and the Redevelopment of Heritage Crossing are a few of the many CIP initiatives in place to promote economic growth.
Some of the challenges facing the incoming council candidates involve maintaining a sense of transparency with respect to fiscal decisions on high-profile city projects and developments; working to change public perceptions over some of the city’s CIP initiatives; and continuing to provide important city services while dealing with the reality of major budget constraints.
The lack of fiscal transparency is a stigma that continues to plague city hall. In the past, voters have publicly expressed their dissatisfaction with the council’s failure to properly communicate the details relating to high-profile and, at times, controversial projects.
“With the exception of the three newest council members, no one on the city council likes me. The reason why is I have spoken out on numerous occasions on the topics of taxes, transparency, water rates and the proper role of government, Stewart said.
“Citizens have lost trust in our current city council and it will take time to win it back. To see that trust is restored with our constituents, I am dedicating one day each week for communicating with our residents in Place 5.
Grant advises: “They can make an appointment for a face-to-face meeting or call and talk with me about their concerns and suggestions. Our citizens are our most valuable resource and we need to trust their input.”
Voters of Place 3 and Place 5 are one of several districts anticipating the significant financial benefits city officials boast the CIP programs will bring to Irving. The recent news about the Irving Entertainment Center has definitely made this a hot-button issue among voters.
The proposed 5,200-seat concert and entertainment venue is a project the city touts will brand Irving as the premier entertainment destination in the country. Presently, many voters feel this project has become more of a liability than an asset.
City officials continue to face questions from the media and voters regarding expenditures paid for by the city to the Las Colinas Group that were not related to the construction of the Entertainment Center Project.
According to a WFAA-TV (Channel 8) news report, an internal memo from Irving’s Senior Assistant City Attorney to Irving’s Chief Financial Officer dated on Nov. 12, 2010, indicated the Entertainment Center project costs must be limited to “Generally Accepted Accounting Principles of capitalization of costs.” In January, the city paid an outside auditing firm to audit all expenditures paid to the Las Colinas Group and found of the $21 million spent by the city current-to-date, $4.2 million were not capitalized.
“I am the only candidate in the Place 3 race that is on record after Brett Shipp – reporter with WFAA-TV Channel 8 News – found egregious misspending on the part of the entertainment center,” Stewart said in written statement. “I will fight for transparency in all of Irving’s financial affairs.”
“I want to insure the city has in place a system that provides specific oversight of each project. I will work to develop solutions to the inadequacies discovered in the Entertainment Center Project. Insuring oversight is provided by project-specific managers and not General City Management is the key, concludes Webb, a candidate for Place 3.
“A forensic audit must be conducted regarding the entertainment center to find out where the city stands financially. The entertainment center must be paid with private funding, which is available and no building commenced until all funding is in place.
Grant said another look at the restaurants scheduled for placement inside the building needs to take place to ensure that the Restaurant with Alcoholic Beverage 60/40 Ordinance can be utilized for all restaurants in and around the Entertainment Center without exception. The ordinance requires a ratio of a minimum of 60 percent food sales and a maximum of 40 percent alcoholic beverage sales is maintained.
The Heritage Crossing Redevelopment Project is another CIP initiative approved by the city to stimulate economic growth, but frustrations exist over the delays in redeveloping this area. In December 2009, the city council agreed to extend the contract for another three years with McDougal Companies, a property management, real estate, construction and land development company based in Lubbock.
“The current city council has endorsed Mr. Delbert McDougal’s blatant lack of action,” Grant said. “The original contract was signed in June of 2006. Five years later, we still have little accomplished, although he has been receiving his $12,000 a month retainer payment. Mr. McDougal knows that his company has delayed too long and has breached the contract.
“The project now needs to say goodbye to Mr. McDougal and his company. The project needs to be placed for bids, and the company (ies) who are eligible for consideration must have a long history of stability, completing projects on time, and sufficient monies to complete the project.”
In a Fiscal Year 2010‐11 Proposed Budget Revenue and Expenditure Review presented to the city council, Assistant Chief Financial Officer Bret Starr reported a proposed budget gap of $20 million. Irving is facing budget constraints like many other metropolitan cities. Although the council has committed to keeping public safety a top priority, they understand the challenge these budget constraints can and will pose in their efforts to sustain exceptional public safety and other municipal services.
“I have been employed in the public safety field for 28 years as a firefighter. I understand how important providing the man power, training and tools for fire and police officers to be able to protect the public. I have the internal motivation based on my history in the public safety arena to push a little harder so potential budget cuts do not hamper public safety needs,” Webb said.
In 2011, the city council voted to increase property taxes to help address the budget shortfall. According to City Hall, property taxes were increased to offset a second year of revenue reductions.
Maintaining public safety in an ever-growing community, as well as addressing the city’s water demands are two key challenges facing the city.
In the Fiscal Year 2010‐11 Proposed Budget Revenue and Expenditure Review, the city is proposing a 5.1 percent increase in water rates to replace neighborhood water and sewer mains; address key infrastructure needs (booster pump); provide the required bond covenant coverage; and handle the overall cost of service for water maintenance.
“Resources from various departments can be pooled together and coordinated. I will be approaching schools and the courts for community service options, Stewart said.
Many voters feel education is one effective way to having a safe, strong and economically stable community. Statistics show communities with strong schools typically have lower crime and a stronger workforce. Candidates for Place 3 and Place 5 pledge their commitment to partnering and sharing resources with the Irving Independent School District to create a community that provides residents a great quality of life.
“IISD is committed to providing the very best education and the city of Irving is committed to providing the very best quality of life. They both work hand-in-glove and you need collaboration, open dialogue, partnership and goals to make it happen,” said A.D. Jenkins, current Irving school board trustee for Place 2. Jenkins is up for re-election on the board.
