[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6678065,"mediaKeyId","2156183-a694041c11bf38a9721b940bbd6dbb91","parentId",2156183,"title","Votes at a glance: Balch Springs council approves terminations, accepts federal traffic grant; tables inland-port seat","audioSeconds",100,"startMs",7409000,"endMs",7509000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2156183-a694041c11bf38a9721b940bbd6dbb91&start=7409&end=7509","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2156183-a694041c11bf38a9721b940bbd6dbb91/thumbnail_7409000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6678065/Balch-Springs/Dallas-County/Texas/Votes-at-a-glance-Balch-Springs-council-approves-terminations-accepts-federal-traffic-grant-tables-inland-port-seat","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6678065-bddb94b91a56021189216f4f77cf168a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136694&Signature=PQrM8mQukChb1dL1b82mOWrhQJRPD6dzIaxrfwiIXRSLJZy9zk-7o6N5-bKC4Teiikj7KbZYBwifwHH2vqkjV4lvYS73vRxroUQWGbhl~GFjKenkAHayPE8bYoJjpES9jp-CcuKXbcv8LeDwGi6Fq5CdbiJI4UCPifPy5iP5NRk68Ca00cT1DN21W7rKX9EoN7mKDN2KUOeJVSGzlDE5i72BqOQieCQVLc0IHes4p5OWKVIVPMSn1iZbW0BOYDjvHpLSpcqJ4l3PDGWVofgnNi3qaaPbpsUnUQjNY4jQ9jFalhAYFRSkvrDjf2GXwu~QteT3z~cyFopI18YRc3hX7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Balch Springs","date","2025-01-27T00:00:00Z","article","At its Jan. 27 meeting the Balch Springs City Council approved several routine consent items and a federal grant and took action to table one outside-board vacancy while creating a council subcommittee to review board application procedures.

Consent agenda: The council approved the consent agenda — which included minutes from the Jan. 13, 2025 regular meeting and resolutions authorizing termination-by-mutual-consent employment agreements with two individuals — on a motion by Mayor Pro Tem Miles seconded by Council member Hill. The council vote was recorded as unanimous in favor. The resolutions concerned the termination of employment agreements listed on the consent agenda; the council did not debate those items at length during this meeting.

Federal grant: The council unanimously approved a resolution to accept the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) for 2024 in the amount of $6,967.65. The funds will be used to purchase traffic data-collection units, Chief Hurley told the council, and the devices will be shared across departments for school-zone and other traffic-analysis uses. Council member Garcia moved approval and Council member Hill seconded; the motion passed unanimously.

Inland Port of Dallas County vacancy: The council tabled action on filling a vacancy on the Inland Port of Dallas County board of directors until the Feb. 10 meeting to allow staff to confirm eligibility and charter details. Mayor Pro Tem Miles moved to table the item; the motion passed with council approval.

Board-application procedures subcommittee: The council approved creation of a council subcommittee to review application processes, rules and documentation for city boards and commissions and to bring recommendations back to the full council. Council member Whitley made the motion; Council member Hill seconded. The council asked staff to ensure the subcommittee reports back to the full body at a future meeting; members will be named in the subcommittee resolution or by council direction at a later date.

Ending

Staff will process the JAG grant purchase after the federal funds arrive, follow up on the inland-port vacancy and support the council subcommittee’s work on board-application rules.

Note on records and names: The council directed the city secretary and staff to review board-application materials and the background-check process; the council also discussed whether board members should be required to use their legal surnames on official rosters and applications and asked staff to return with draft procedures.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Balch Springs - City Council - Jan 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council approved consent items including two termination-of-employment resolutions, unanimously accepted a 2024 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for traffic data collection, tabled an inland-port board vacancy to Feb. 10 and formed a subcommittee to review board-application procedures.","taxTitle","Balch Springs, Dallas County, Texas","taxId",69448,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6678070,"Council debates warming-center SOP for unsheltered people; motion withdrawn after concerns about staffing and low use",1074,5332000,6406000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2156183-a694041c11bf38a9721b940bbd6dbb91&start=5332&end=6406","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2156183-a694041c11bf38a9721b940bbd6dbb91/thumbnail_5332000.jpg","/articles/6678070/Balch-Springs/Dallas-County/Texas/Council-debates-warming-center-SOP-for-unsheltered-people-motion-withdrawn-after-concerns-about-staffing-and-low-use","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6678070-7ae4155e948159e8e5b4336767574cf0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136694&Signature=WU9dN19Gt56aHLmrIKsb2WHhgNw6qc-TmnZetFya-vmx4A18J-ZKz-uV26CwneaWkicy0qHzBIw7w~-nz1ty-dcr66pHEax2jPXnjwRBKCCjNNyL01gcWrKWTeqXgL7poBCUevHpTj5eJsaifqqJRA6SiqkLWLcG-zroXKto87-2j-VD35pWfCLDSaCx8DJFqunpVzhu6MCioGAhtJ7cy1~OkYJMmUh2nKFv183RR-302~0MmB4KcfcxluF~R4xoodoJ0LdKqbbZi50ctSi7UIQ0BoVCVw2Nkxo6IA3FZkP~p3HaMleyPhVFCvcwriv4m2jPlg3Uq0KbuqycsCn1~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Balch Springs City Council discussed its inclement-weather policy for unsheltered individuals on Jan. 27 and ultimately took no action after a motion to revise the policy was withdrawn.

Fire Chief Eric Neal told the council that the city had opened a warming center during the recent winter event but that just one person used it for about three hours. \"So based on the lack of use under the current SOP, we recommend that it remain the same,\" Chief Neal said, recommending no change to the existing triggers in the Standard Operating Procedure.

Chief Neal and other staff described partnerships the city uses when shelters are needed, including a Community Care Team that conducts outreach in encampments and nongovernmental shelters and transportation options to larger, regional shelters. City staff stressed the SOP covers multiple emergency triggers beyond low temperature, such as power outages, and includes preplanned staffing, cots, food and security arrangements when it is activated.

Council member Hill made a motion to approve or implement the inclement-weather policy; Council member Whitley seconded the motion. Council members and staff then discussed operational questions including on-call lists, staffing backups if CERT volunteers are unavailable, outreach to area churches and nonprofit partners such as Sharing Life and the Salvation Army, and whether to adjust the temperature trigger to account for wind chill.

After extended discussion about limited use in prior activations, volunteer staffing limits and the costs and logistics of running a 24/7 shelter, Council member Hill withdrew the motion; the council recorded no change to policy at the meeting.

Chief Hurley and other staff said the city’s SOP already includes activation criteria (the fire chief cited a 20-degree threshold used as a trigger during earlier briefings) and that the city coordinates with regional partners for surge capacity. Council members asked to be included in planning for future activations and requested access to the community-care contact list for referral use.

Ending

Council members said they would continue outreach and coordination with regional partners and nonprofit shelters; no revision to the city’s inclement-weather SOP was adopted Jan. 27.","Balch Springs officials discussed keeping the city's inclement-weather/warming-center standard operating procedure unchanged after recent activations drew almost no use; a motion to change the policy was withdrawn and no action was taken.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":79,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6678073,"Balch Springs council appoints Wanda Adams to Civil Service Commission after heated public debate",1035,4297000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2156183-a694041c11bf38a9721b940bbd6dbb91&start=4297&end=5332","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2156183-a694041c11bf38a9721b940bbd6dbb91/thumbnail_4297000.jpg","/articles/6678073/Balch-Springs/Dallas-County/Texas/Balch-Springs-council-appoints-Wanda-Adams-to-Civil-Service-Commission-after-heated-public-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6678073-b07ee12033a2987b6bdcf04f190e693d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136694&Signature=dluxu4f78l77POvjvsv1V8kl6fugIJvbJ7OTu~smgqnyWiCgV8c2bBlICcK1DcM8FZncc3EWzY3MAVJ0PjTVuJnVsorwgYc-P2f646ld7BEHgZLsPPDBDQJhhdHhLSh~c~LSjqH4zvOgzl2yuZzzOjW7JX9MLuc3rPIN9lovhR6XeJt6MKN3tMj~Af2TJSk0WDEF7ymjkT6NG7ez4vkt0i035MmJWrsv6Aaqm8t1YLSzefnaV9d~UE8qqdiPG0pLZj7G9-UbCB4E7T6cCNG7T3AxJwGi~phi~t39sG7mf99V8kn9T~iSdxuQs8IVLXhSJ9MbsrC31~Vp753ZrUKg4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Balch Springs City Council voted 5-1 Jan. 27 to appoint Wanda Adams to the Civil Service Commission for a three-year term, following public comments both supporting and opposing her appointment.

The appointment passed after a motion by Council member Taslima Garcia and a second from Mayor Pro Tem Miles. Council member Gabriel cast the lone no vote; Council members Hill, Garcia, Whitley, Miles and Salau voted yes.

The vote capped more than an hour of public comment and council discussion. Angela Singletary, a resident who addressed the council during the public-comment period, cited Texas Local Government Code Section 143.006 and urged the council not to approve Adams’s appointment, saying, \"I urge the city council to not approve miss Adams to the Veil Service Commission.\" Justin Roberts, another resident, questioned Adams’s impartiality for a post that oversees personnel hearings and promotional testing.

Wanda Adams spoke from the podium before the council vote. She described past service on local boards and said she was qualified to serve, adding, \"I am thoroughly qualified.\" Several council members and other speakers urged the meeting to stay focused on the appointment rather than on social-media disputes.

Mayor Pro Tem Miles noted the broader consequences of online attacks on the city’s reputation and called for a forward-looking tone, saying, \"Let's start a new page in this city. Let's move forward, and let's start building this city.\" Several council members echoed concern that online harassment discourages volunteerism.

Council member Gabriel said he would vote no. The motion to appoint Adams passed with five votes in favor and one opposed.

The commission to which Adams was appointed — identified in the meeting as the Civil Service Commission — hears personnel matters for the city’s public-safety departments and administers promotional testing. The council did not adopt any ordinance or change to qualifying statutes during the discussion.

The council took no separate legal findings on Adams’s background at the meeting; references to Texas Local Government Code Section 143.006 were raised by speakers and noted by the city attorney during the public discussion.

The appointment was placed on the agenda for action after being continued from an earlier meeting so the applicant could speak in person.

Quote-attribution note: direct quotations in this article are taken from the meeting transcript and attributed only to speakers shown in the council record.

Ending

Council members said they would continue encouraging residents to volunteer for city boards and to avoid personal attacks in public forums. The newly constituted Civil Service Commission will receive Adams as a member for a three-year term per the council vote.","The Balch Springs City Council voted 5-1 to appoint Wanda Adams to the Civil Service Commission for a three-year term after extended public comment and council discussion over social-media posts and past legal issues.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Balch Springs council approves terminations, accepts federal traffic grant; tables inland-port seat

Council debates warming-center SOP for unsheltered people; motion withdrawn after concerns about staffing and low use

Balch Springs council appoints Wanda Adams to Civil Service Commission after heated public debate