Thursday, March 28, 2024 Mar 28, 2024
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LIVE BLOG FROM CITY COUNCIL MEETING

By Tim Rogers |

It’s the last meeting before a month-long recess. A FBvian with a BlackBerry will file dispatches throughout the morning. Check back often:

9:22 — Linda Koop doing a radio interview with KRLD’s B.J. Austin. She just slapped her knee as if she heard the funniest joke ever. Or maybe because B.J. is wearing a vest with a fall leaf motif?

Don Hill just walked in. No wedding band. Yet.

Angela Hunt carrying a black three-ring binder that weighs more than she does.

There are a lot of people in the audience wearing inch-long yellow stickers with no words on them. What do they mean?

9:36 — KXAS-TV (Channel 5)’s Ken Kalthoff consulting with Frank Librio, Mayor Miller’s chief of staff. Mayor Miller just got here.

Benjamin Meyer is Mayor for the Day. He just graduated from W.T. White. President of the senior class, graduated third in his class, captain of the senior class, going to Yale to play football, blah, blah, blah.

Public speaker just called it a “last will and testimony.” Isn’t it “testament”? The Mayor for the Day must be laughing on the inside.

Found out the yellow stickers are for the Cotton Belt Project. Any idea what this is? [Ed: learn about it here.]

Public speaker just said “we’re seeing a lot of high-flying cranes” and celebrities like Donald Trump coming through town. Now he’s talking about Mayor LaGuardia. And LaGuardia would say “fuggeghitabouit” to the Calatrava Bridge project.

9:51 — Mayor Miller just scolded City Secretary Deborah Watkins for talking too fast, telling her to “slow down.”

Don Hill up, pacing, and talking on his cell phone.

Fantroy looks really, really bored.

2:48 — The afternoon session is packed — almost SRO. Only two TV news cameras left.

The man who has fake shackles on his wrists and legs, a cane, African tribal hat, and white T-shirt with fake blood is back. Not sure what his gig is.

Keven McAlester’s mom is here talking about agenda items related to Swiss Avenue Historic District and State-Thomas.

Bill Blaydes pinching the bridge his nose and rubbing his eyes. Maybe he needs a nap.

Don Hill not here.

Speaker concerned about adequate parking for parking around Hotel ZaZa. Says he hopes no one is under the impression there is enough parking there, because there isn’t.

3:03 — Lots of people here with flourescent green stickers with “YES” on them.

A whole other group with gold medallion-type stickers — the kind you might see on a fake diploma or perfect attendance award from third grade.

Where is Sarah Dodd?

Fantroy says he’s been in Baylor University Medical Center 38 times over the last five years — including a recent 20-day stay.

3:43 — Looks like KTVT-TV (Channel 11)’s Jack Fink is playing the role of Sarah Dodd today.

Lots and lots of speakers supporting Vickery Place Conservation District.

Vickery Place Conservation opponets just pulled a public speaking fast one. Hard to explain here, but they did. Trust me.

Developers are tageting Goowin Avenue with their “quote, unquote McMansions” because “we’re so close to the M Streets.”

4:06 — Mayor Miller says there were “odd houses” built in the M Streets before the M Streets Conservation District.

Vickery Place Conservation District passed.

Councilman Gary Griffith eating a sugar cookie.

Angela Hunt just had a minor dustup with a public speaker over an issue about deed restrictions on the southeast corner of Mockingbird and Skillman.

Rasansky mad that he wasn’t called back in after he recused himself from a discussion in which he had a conflict. Madam Mayor curtly told him there was a TV in the back room and he was welcome to monitor it there. After the discussion, Miller said into the microphone, “Mitchell, you may come back into the room.” Zingo!

4:11 — Hat count: African tribal hats – 2; Panama Jack-style hats – 2

5:02 — Dr. Elba Garcia eating a strawberry.

When time ended on a speaker, he said, “But I’m 80!”

Lots of council members keep standing up and stretching their legs. Maybe so they don’t get pulmonary vein thrombosis?

And still no Wright Amendment vote. Or Don Hill.

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