The Dallas City Council greenlit costs to Dallas taxpayers up to $100,252,613.31 on Wednesday, including both expenditures and “estimated revenue foregone.”

Of this total, $79,769,294.31 came directly from Dallas taxpayers, while $14,161,500 came from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and $6,321,819 came from federal COVID-19 relief funds.

During Wednesday’s meeting, the City Council authorized spending $14,148,271.62 on a two-year purchasing agreement for asphalt and paving materials for the Public Works department. The agreement is with three companies: Texas Materials Group, Unique Paving Materials, and Estrada Concrete. Funding will come from both the General Fund and the Dallas Water Utilities Fund.

The council approved spending $14,700,000 on roadway improvements along Harry Hines Boulevard, including “ecological improvements.”

Furthermore, the council authorized spending $2,000,000 on engineering the bridge abutment foundations for a deck cap and pedestrian infrastructure over Interstate 30 on Lamar Street.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE DALLAS EXPRESS APP

Council Member Jesse Moreno said this will contribute to the council’s efforts to make the city more walkable.

“This will connect downtown to South Dallas,” he added.

The City Council also approved spending $12,583,720.40 on “secondary backup circuits” for the City’s IT department. The expenditure includes both purchasing and maintaining the equipment. The agreement was made with 22nd Century Technologies.

The council authorized spending $5,800,000 on an agreement with Tom Thumb to open a store in Oak Cliff. This agreement also included an estimated $208,849 in “revenue foregone” over the next five years.

In addition, the council authorized spending $2,173,000 on purchasing and maintaining a “backup and recovery system” for the IT department. This agreement was made with Netsync Network Solutions. Both of these purchasing agreements will be paid for using the Data Services Fund.

The City Council also approved spending $700,032.65 on service pins, medals, and award bars for Dallas Fire-Rescue and the police department. The awards will be purchased from Premier Uniform and J. Brandt Recognition.

The council approved spending $16,279,500 on constructing 22 traffic signals on Hampton Road and Lancaster Road after the signals in those locations were damaged by the 2019 tornado. However, this funding will not come directly from the Dallas taxpayer but rather will be paid for by a grant from TxDOT and federal COVID-19 recovery funds.

Additionally, the City Council approved the following expenditures:

  • $2,750,000 — administering a “benefits navigation program” (Paid for by COVID-19 recovery funds)
  • $2,500,000 — maintenance and repairs of pedestrian and roadway lighting
  • $2,294,766 — design and construction services for the Paul Dyer Administration Building
  • $2,261,939.47 — constructing the Wheatland Park Football Complex
  • $1,539,825 — removing and disposing of excavated materials for the Water Utilities Department
  • $1,350,900 — constructing the Woodall Rodgers Deck Plaza Structure Extension
  • $1,262,395.30 — replacing toilets
  • $1,254,000 — operating and maintaining the Cedar Ridge Preserve
  • $1,040,000 — issuance and sale of refunding and improvement bonds
  • $1,000,000 — a grant program for after-school early childcare providers (Paid for by COVID-19 recovery funds)
  • $898,638 — reconstruction of traffic signals (Paid for by COVID-19 recovery funds)
  • $745,000 — acquiring almost 47,000 square feet of land near Bachman Drive and Webb Chapel Extension for a parking lot expansion project
  • $671,337.50 — purchasing lamps and lightbulbs for City use
  • $650,000 — restoring a vacant building on Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
  • $499,605.67 — dredging a pond in Watercrest Park
  • $437,294.63 — purchasing lab supplies for the Water Utilities Department
  • $305,243.60 — animal bedding for the Police Department
  • $292,502 — barricading services for the Water Utilities Department
  • $256,205 — advising services for improvements to White Rock Lake Park
  • $249,708 — design services for the Airport Emergency Operation Center at Dallas Love Field
  • $235,000 — issuance and sale of tax and revenue certificates.
  • $214,950 — system inspections for the Water Utilities Department
  • $200,000 — leasing restaurant space and facilities in the terminal building at Dallas Executive Airport and reimbursement for initial purchase and installation of equipment and furniture (This agreement is expected to provide the City with $209,000 in revenue over the five-year lease term.)
  • $184,100 — construction services for Dolphin Road
  • $172,618 — designing and engineering the Mockingbird Pedestrian Bridge Repair Project
  • $146,613.98 — electronic invoicing and reporting services for the local government
  • $135,565.52 — playground equipment at Willie Mae Butler Playground
  • $129,362.58 — paying outstanding invoices to Fair Park First
  • $4,500 — Memorial sign honoring the late firefighter William Scott Tanksley (Paid for by TxDOT)

In addition to these approved expenditures, the City also authorized several items estimated to bring in a total of $739,024.25 to supplement tax collections.

The City also reduced a lease agreement with TWG Aviation, foregoing an estimated $1,087,169.44 over the next 32 years remaining on the lease.