Having heard the specious rumor that certain dallas City Council members were computer illiterate to the point that they didn’t know how to send an email, we filed an open records request with Dallas City Hall. We asked for the number of emails sent from every council member’s city account during the six-month period from March 17 to September 17. Then we asked the council members to explain their position in the resulting ranking of email activity. A caveat: bear in mind that they all have an assistant or assistants who also communicate with constituents.
No.1 (Tie)
Philip Kingston, District 14 (downtown, Uptown, East Dallas)
1,927 emails
“How could we have tied? I demand that you do a word count as a tiebreaker. I’m actually very proud to have tied with Scott. I don’t know a harder-working person. If I’m as responsive as he is, I am doing a good job.”
Scott Griggs, District 1 (North Oak Cliff)
1,927 emails
“Philip is more verbose than I am. He’s got that. But I love email. If someone takes the time to email me, then I respond. It’s very important to be accessible. One way to do that is to read your emails and respond.”
No. 3
Lee Kleinman, District 11 (North Dallas)
1,456 emails
“I won’t respond to any request from D Magazine after Wick Allison ran a candidate against me.”
No. 4
Casey Thomas, District 3 (Parts of Oak Cliff and Southern Dallas)
1,221 emails
“I ask constituents to email me. That’s really the quickest way for me to respond because my email goes to my cellphone. So the high number of emails is probably based on that fact.”
No. 5
Mark Clayton, District 9 (White Rock Lake)
1,215 emails
“We’re basically glorified customer service managers, so if they take the time to email me, they should expect me to email them back. If you’re going to be a public servant, you need to be a public servant.”
No. 6
Rickey Callahan, District 5 (Pleasant Grove)
933 emails
“If it’s things that are challenging or are neighborhood-centric, then I’m going to be hands-on with it. It’s a timesaving device. You can email us. You can snail mail us. We have an open-door policy.”
No. 7
Adam McGough, District 10 (Lake Highlands)
866 emails
“I read every single email, especially if it is coming from a constituent. If it is something that requires action, I’m going to take action as soon as I can or get my staff to do so. I try to respond to as many as I can.”
No. 8
Jennifer Staubach Gates, District 13 (Preston Hollow, North Dallas)
811 emails
“My goal is to get back with everybody. Sometimes it’s a phone call if it’s easier. I don’t think identifying how many emails I send is indicative of my response.”
No. 9
Omar Narvaez, District 6 (West Dallas)
362 emails
“I am proud to be known in the community as a council member who is easily and readily available in person, by phone, by email, or on social media.”
No. 10
Kevin Felder, District 7 (South Dallas, Fair Park)
343 emails
“The District 7 office prides itself on providing excellent customer service. Many of our responses are via phone calls or with in-person contact.”
No. 11
Adam Medrano District 2 (Oak Lawn, Deep Ellum, Cedars)
198 emails
“If it’s very serious, I just pick up the phone and say, ‘Hey, we got your email. We’re working on it.’ I think I’m more of a hands-on council member.”
No. 12
Mayor Mike Rawlings
162 emails
“So much is lost via email and other electronic communications. I like old-fashioned conversation. We don’t do enough of that anymore.”
No. 13
Sandy Greyson, District 12 (Far North Dallas)
89 emails
“CM Sandy Greyson wishes to inform you that she uses multiple ways to reach out to her constituents. Email is only one of the ways.”
No. 14
Tennell Atkins, District 8 (Southern Dallas)
76 emails
“You email me, I will call you back before I email you. Words do not show expression. Words do not show definition.”
No. 15*
Dwaine Caraway, Disgraced From District 4
54 emails
The mayor pro tem resigned in early August. He pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges and admitted to accepting $450,000 in bribes and kickbacks.
