Dallas City Hall
District 12
Enews
February 22, 2021
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Connecting You With City Information, News, and Resources |
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Councilmember Cara Mendelsohn
Current Council appointments:
*Government Performance and Financial Management, Chairman
*Public Safety
*Housing and Homeless Solutions, Vice Chair
*Transportation
*COVID-19 Ad Hoc
*Legislative Ad Hoc, Vice Chair
*Regional Transportation Council
*National League of Cities Youth, Education, and Families Council
*National League of Cities Women in Municipal Government, Board of Directors
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Creating snowmen provided some smiles and fun in a terrible storm |
The mobile warming bus located at Midway and Frankford |
In the news: Winter Storm
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Hello District 12,
Wow, can you believe the week Texans just endured? Many lost power or had intermittent electricity, experienced prolonged extreme cold, or are now suffering damage from frozen pipes or having their water turned off while water pipe repairs are made. In this edition of the enews, there are resources for help and ways you can be of help.
The State of Texas regulates the power industry and the Texas House of Representatives and Texas Senate have already set hearing dates to address the obvious failures of planning and governance that led to this disaster. Governor Abbott has added this as one of his emergency orders for this session. You are encouraged to give public comment to your state elected leaders and you will find the link here: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=450.
The City of Dallas dealt with the weather crisis issues as they appeared. The Office of Homeless Solutions opened the Convention Center with non-profit partners for over 1000 homeless guests a night, Dallas Animal Services officers worked non-stop to bring unattended animals in from the cold and care for those in the shelter, Dallas Water Utilities staff kept the water clean and flowing while working day and night to repair main breaks, Office of Emergency Management arranged warming buses, the council offices and communications office kept the public informed, 311 operators connected people with information and services, and our dedicated 911 operators, police and fire officers responded to a record number of calls for service. As you think of this week, your suggestions on how the city can improve its response are welcome. (The city does not control the electrical utility.)
The biggest heroes of the weather event are the people of Dallas. You conserved electricity, helped your neighbor, took in friends and family who had no power, shared food and water with people who needed it, made calls to check on people, donated to non-profits to help with relief efforts, and said a prayer for those suffering and serving. There is only one way to get through a disaster - by helping each other. It was really heartwarming to see in action.
The week-long internet outage at my house made communication more challenging. Hopefully you stayed connected to updates through Facebook and NextDoor. Like many, we've had frozen pipes and a family friend without electricity stay at our home. This weather disaster included many calls with Oncor, county-wide calls with Collin and Denton counties, coordination with the Office of Emergency Management, Dallas Police Department, Dallas Water Utilities, Office of Homeless Solutions and our local school districts and many, many residents messages and calls. The warming bus was a creative way to provide comfort and heat, and it transitioned to warming centers at recreation centers as soon as the electricity was stable.
If you need help, please reach out. We are here for you. It's been a very difficult week, but there are also incredible stories of caring and selflessness in our community. Contact the District 12 office at District12@dallascityhall.com or send a direct email to cara.mendelsohn@dallascityhall.com.
Stay safe, Cara
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The water in the City of Dallas has remained at or above quality levels throughout the severe weather. There is no need to boil water from Dallas Water Utilities. If you live in the City of Dallas, your water is safe.
There has been a dramatic increase in water main breaks, leaks, and burst pipes in homes and businesses. This may result in service interruptions to DWU customers while repairs are made. Please be assured that the DWU water system is safe, stable and functioning. For urgent water issues, please call 311 or report online at bit.ly/3ub6hMM or through the OurDallas phone app.
Also, please remember that although mail may be delayed due to current conditions, DWU has suspended late fees and disconnects until further notice.
The City of Dallas continues to assist residents with water needs during the recovery from the storm.
In Far North Dallas, residents without water service can receive a free case of water Monday and Tuesday from 10-5 at Fretz Park (Beltline @ Hillcrest). Yesterday (Saturday) and today I worked with DPD and DFR to provide bulk jug fill ups at Fire Station 13 (Frankford & Hillcrest) and at the Timberglen Rec Center and library (Midway @ Timberglen). Additionally, several D12 volunteers distributed cases of water bottles to anyone who needed special assistance. Most apartment complexes who shut off water due to pipes bursting have provided water bottles to their residents.
To meet resident water needs, the city has worked with our Office of Emergency Management and Park and Recreation departments to set up a Bulk Water Pick Up Program. In Far North Dallas, we’ll have Timberglen Rec Center, Campbell Green Rec Center, and Fretz Park Recreation Centers available to assist. Starting Monday, February 22, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Dallas residents will be able to come to any of the City of Dallas-run Park and Recreation warming stations to fill water containers up to 15 gallons per visit. Residents are requested to bring their own containers. No ID required. Residents should bring their containers to the center and staff will assist in filling the containers. For those who don’t have containers, a limited number of 5-gallon containers will be available.
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RIP DPD Officer Mitchell Penton |
Please join in saying a prayer for the pregnant wife, parents, family, friends, and Dallas Police Department family of Officer Mitchell Penton. He was just 27 years old, and had served on the force for just 2 years when killed on-duty while assisting with a traffic accident on Central Expressway. His squad car, which had flashing lights and was providing protection for the accident scene when a vehicle being driven by an intoxicated/impaired individual slammed into the police car at a high speed, hitting Officer Penton. At his viewing Sunday evening, his wife and family both shared with me that he loved being a police officer and serving the community. His funeral is Monday. |
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Water Pipes - Advice from Dallas Water Utilities |
The thaw is coming and much of the damage from frozen pipes occurs after the ice melts. Sometimes pipes are just blocked with ice and have not burst. If that’s the case, once the ice melts and shifts in the pipe and out of your faucet, you may be in the clear. However, if the expanding ice has burst your pipes, the pipes will leak water inside your home after the ice melts.
If you know your pipes have burst (or if you're unsure), you may want to turn off the water to your home. Most homes have a private shut-off valve which the homeowner can turn off and on. If you don’t know where your private shut-off valve is, visit bit.ly/3rxGQnf for tips where it might be. If you can’t find your shut-off valve, or don’t have one, contact 3-1-1 and we will turn off your water at the meter. The phones have been very busy, so you can also reach 3-1-1 online at bit.ly/3ub6hMM or use the OurDallas phone app. More info on the app here: bit.ly/3s9cQNI
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You May Qualify for Disaster Assistance |
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The City of Dallas has received confirmation of an approved Major Disaster Declaration and Individual Assistance covering the entirety of the City of Dallas within Dallas, Collin, Denton, Kaufman and Rockwall counties. City of Dallas residents and business owners who sustained Feb winter storm damage can begin applying for assistance by registering at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or calling 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585.
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Many have asked how they can help. The biggest need we are hearing is for diapers and feminine hygiene items. The need is urgent, so we've come together to do a quick donation drive to get needed items in the hands of young families. If you can help by purchasing any size diaper (newborn to adult diapers) and dropping it off at a location near you, it would be very appreciated by people who have spent their whole budget trying to get through the storm. See graphic below for more detail. |
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JFS has added a supplemental food distribution day on Monday, February 22. It's boxed meal kits from Hello Fresh. It is first come, first served. On Thursday, they will reopen their regular weekly distribution. JFS is located on the corner of Montford and Arapaho. They serve everyone in the community. They welcome volunteers and donations of diapers, wipes, tampons/pads, and adult diapers. Please visit www.jfsdallas.org for more information.
North Texas Food Bank has a variety of locations and times for food distribution. Please see below. First come, first served.
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A Federal Major Disaster Declaration has been issued for 77 Texas counties. Individuals who sustained losses due to the winter storms and do not have insurance can now apply for federal assistance. If your property was damaged in one of the designated counties and you don't have insurance, apply for assistance now:
Call: 800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585)
If you sustained damages due to the winter storms and have insurance, document your damages before you start the clean-up process.
*Take photos of damages
*Start your insurance claim
*Save your expense receipts
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Concert Truck... coming back Sunday Feb 28 at Noon |
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If you attended the last performance of the Dallas Symphony Concert Truck, you know it was a terrific performance! We've got an encore performance coming Sunday, February 28th at noon. The location is not yet confirmed because of the winter storm. We will send out a reminder on Saturday with an exact location.
Like our last performance, you are welcome to stay in your car, bring a lawn chair, or ride your bike to the location. Please wear a mask and stay 6' from those outside your household. We had glorious weather last time, but there are some rain showers in the forecast for Sunday. Please check your email on Saturday to confirm the show can go on!
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Big Brothers Big Sisters is looking for 12 mentors for District 12 young men and women. You can be a positive, steady influence that helps guide a young person to success in a meaningful and fun way. Please reach out to Caprice if you are interested in learning more. |
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Behind the scenes, Dallas Animal Services has stepped up to save animals left out in the freezing temperatures and care for the animals at the shelter. Even when staff has difficulty getting to work, DAS employees are committed to the life and safety of Dallas animals. Below are some great stats to show the level of work happening while the city froze over. |
District 12 Stepped Up in the Storm! |
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A couple of thanks yous are needed to some extraordinary people and organizations for their efforts during the storms.
*Dallas Bible Church and All Saints Catholic Church, both stepped up to help keep the community warm by offering the first in-district warming day shelters. They allowed residents to charge phones, access wi-fi, and enjoys some snacks and fellowship. Many thanks for your loving kindess.
*Chaverim of Dallas, a group run by Baruch Shawel, volunteered to help many homes turn off water and clean up water damage.
*Volunteer phone callers - we had so many people volunteer and not enough phone numbers! Connecting the city through phone and text is urgently needed. More than 5000 texts were sent to residents in 75287 by HD65 Texas Rep Beckley to identify needs and all requests were satisfied.
*Jeffrey and Melinda Kollinger/Spice of Life Catering made 300 hot, delicious meals for families staying with Family Gateway and Genesis Women's Shelter
*Rabbi Singer and Danielle Rugoff donated pizzas, salad, and drinks to the mobile warming bus at Frankford and Midway.
*Donating and delivering groceries - several volunteers stepped up to help residents with specific needs from toilet paper to replacing food for single moms with kids who just didn't have the budget to buy groceries all over when they had to throw out spoiled food from the refrigerator and freezer.
*DPD, DFR, and the DWU showed what it takes to keep a city running in extreme weather. Special shout out to Sr. Corp Black who assisted in checking all apartment complexes to alert residents to the warming bus, and helped residents with filling their jugs at Station 13.
*Some city-wide organizations needed extra help as they lost power, had pipes burst, or stepped up in big ways and many thanks to all D12 residents who helped with Family Gateway, Genesis, Our Calling, Stewpot, Austin Street, and Salvation Army.
*For all who have been able to check on your friends, neighbors, and loved ones, who have offered a place to stay, meal, shower, water, or a kind word to someone, or who have been able to donate to favorite non-profits, many thanks to you. You are what make Dallas the BEST city in America!
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DART's quarterly community meeting was postponed due to the weather. Here is the rescheduled meeting information:
Thursday, March 4 - 6:00 p.m.
Phone #: 469-391-0632
Conference ID: 417 767 281#
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Dallas County Dallas County is focused on getting second shots to people who already had the first vaccine.
Monday, February 22, open 8 - 5 pm for anyone who received their first dose at Fair Park and was scheduled to receive the second dose on or before Saturday, February 13th. They ask for you to try to arrive at Fair Park around the same time of day that you received the first dose. Plans for vaccination after Monday have not been announced. Stay informed by going to: www.DallasCountyCovid.org.
City of Dallas - The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is set to reopen Tuesday for vaccinations.
Collin County - Vaccinations will resume at Plano's John Clark Stadium on Monday by appointment.
Denton County - Will focus on people who missed their second shot due to the weather. Public Health’s drive-thru vaccination site at Texas Motor Speedway will reopen on Wednesday.
UTSW- encourages patients who missed an appointment to check MyChart.
Parkland - by appointment at all locations will restart Monday.
Methodist Hospital - unknown.
FEMA is expected to start vaccinating people at Fair Park very soon. Detailed plans have not been made.
Private businesses will soon start receiving federal allocations of the vaccine. If you aren't signed up with Walgreens, CVS, Tom Thumb, HEB, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, and Kroger, you should do so. Once these places start vaccinating, it should be much easier to obtain a vaccine.
Anyone may register with any county in Texas for the COVID-19 vaccine. It is highly recommended that you register with ALL available vaccine sites. Here are the three main counties:
Dallas County vaccine information and registration for waiting list:
Dallas County is giving names off their wait list to UTSW, Parkland and Methodist Hospitals, the City of Dallas, and others to assist with vaccination.
If additional information about eligibility, changes from appointment to walk-in, or other information becomes available, we will post it on social media and send an enews update. Please follow CDC guidelines to keep yourself and others healthy.
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Need help, got a question, or want to give input?
Email: Cara.Mendelsohn@DallasCityHall.com
Office phone: (214) 670-4067
Text phone: (214) 490-1036
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