The Dallas City Council is meeting at the Dallas Zoo for an all-day retreat to discuss the duties of various appointed officials and hear an update on zoo security.
Although the council regularly meets at the zoo, this retreat follows high-profile incidents in which exhibits were breached and animals were stolen.
According to the agenda, after conducting a “similarities exercise,” the council members will “discuss the duties of the Administrative Judge, Preston Robinson, Interim City Attorney, Tammy L. Palomino, City Auditor, Mark Swann, City Manager, TC Broadnax, and City Secretary, Bilierae Johnson for 2023.”
The top levels of City government have seen considerable tension and shakeups lately. City Attorney Chris Caso, for instance, resigned at the end of January, as reported by The Dallas Express. Caso might receive a separation payment of $162,500, according to provisions in his contract.
Additionally, the City Council’s relationship with City Manager T.C. Broadnax has been on-again-off-again as an ouster attempt late last year turned into a 3% raise. The raise bumped Broadnax’s salary up to $423,000 — more than the president of the United States — as reported by The Dallas Express.
At the time of the raise, Council Member Gay Donnell Willis (District 13) voted against the proposal, explaining that she “[c]ould not support a 3% raise for the City Manager when a key issue like permitting went unresolved for so long.
Willis noted that she “still hear[s] about permitting issues EVERY DAY.”
The City of Dallas has struggled against a persistent permitting backlog under Broadnax’s supervision, although recent steps have been taken to increase transparency and accountability.
After taking a break for lunch, the council will continue discussing the listed officials. Following this, they will “draft proposed duties for each city council appointed official for 2023,” then identify reviewal dates to go over the duties with each official.
The final business item on the agenda is an on-site briefing on zoo security measures.
The briefing follows the repeated breaching of zoo enclosures and the theft of two emperor tamarin monkeys, as reported by The Dallas Express. Over the span of several weeks, a snow leopard escaped and a monkey exhibit was compromised, in addition to the monkey theft.
The alleged culprit, Davion Irvin, was arrested in relation to the incidents after a multiday investigation by the Dallas Police Department in conjunction with the zoo, as reported by The Dallas Express.
Kari Streiber, the vice president of marketing and communications for the zoo, explained via email to The Dallas Express, “[W]e will provide a recap to the Council on the incidents from the last few weeks.”
“There is not any new information to be shared,” she continued, “but more an update on what has happened and on the continuing security updates.”
The day for the council members will conclude with a reception and dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The Dallas Express reached out to the City of Dallas for additional comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.