[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6653848,"mediaKeyId","2477730-35c150a6e32ece7dd69d0c7035926f8e","parentId",2477730,"title","Council approves minutes and consent agenda unanimously; mayor to send letter on EMS license request, council to consider right-of-way abandonment","audioSeconds",9916,"startMs",62000,"endMs",9978000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2477730-35c150a6e32ece7dd69d0c7035926f8e&start=62&end=9978","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2477730-35c150a6e32ece7dd69d0c7035926f8e/thumbnail_62000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6653848/Richardson/Dallas-County/Texas/Council-approves-minutes-and-consent-agenda-unanimously-mayor-to-send-letter-on-EMS-license-request-council-to-consider-right-of-way-abandonment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6653848-0fc5797af133e96ac72adbdfeb5139c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139144&Signature=fzp1a5zN-fUOsFPedQ2sDtfk8COPy9wvadvMlgLEZdrlIn3NXLBwD5CaRJe4Za9yLEbWdt2R6wL3W7QHMJDsT-QjkzmxDkfU5MRHAJmJQ7bGbUz2fvXMzgbDYljD9LiyF0YqgK33D0remA8oT0gJvlMXGKxNh4TIdh95PFHHgwBZDrxyruMk8QwYM~CIpwk4u40j1ZW4gQCIY9kjYJA8xCtXgdaIU2Dpjxsw7bXhs9ZQxEX9Q4750YvSShRYKAi05muS1AN-CNdXAOVa5c5rZ-tUUNxYtdFY1ia2HVBDBGwBOx2~U-3VoSuRCsWeG9r~q8LYaUZIfxQl5diRvKmRvg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Richardson","date","2025-03-03T00:00:00Z","article","The Richardson City Council approved two routine measures unanimously during the meeting: approval of the Feb. 24, 2025 meeting minutes and the consent agenda as published.

Councilmember Sheffield moved to approve the Feb. 24 minutes \"as written,\" and Councilmember Dorian seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

On the consent agenda, Councilwoman Jennifer Justice moved to approve the consent agenda as published; a second was provided by Councilmember Hutchenrider. The council voted unanimously to adopt the consent agenda.

Items highlighted by staff during the consent discussion included:

- An item authorizing the mayor to send a letter to the Texas Department in accordance with the Texas Health and Safety Code (chapter cited during the meeting as 773.057) relating to Folk Emergency Medical Services'request for a medical service provider license. City staff and Chief Poovey said the request concerns transport services (for example, interfacility transport) and does not change 911 emergency responses; after stakeholder outreach the chief assessed that adding Folk Emergency Medical Services would not have a negative impact on the city's emergency-response system.

- An ordinance to abandon excess right-of-way at the southwest corner of Greenville Avenue and Plano Road. City staff explained that the triangular parcel in question is uniquely shaped, that a long-term lease on the property extends for decades (the lease began as a 20-year contract with four 20-year renewal options, which staff summarized as leaving roughly 70 years remaining), and that abandoning the right-of-way would transfer the land back to the property owner and return potential future improvements to the local tax roll. Staff said the parcel offered no public benefit in its current configuration.

Both measures were adopted by unanimous vote; no member recorded a nay or abstention on the motions recorded in the meeting minutes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Richardson - City Council - Mar 03, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Richardson City Council unanimously approved the Feb. 24, 2025 minutes and the consent agenda. The consent agenda included authorization for the mayor to send a letter on a transport-service license request from Folk Emergency Medical Services under the Texas Health and Safety Code and an ordinance to abandon a small triangular right-of-way at Greenville Avenue and Plano Road.","taxTitle","Richardson, Dallas County, Texas","taxId",2786,"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},6653851,"Richardson Adult Literacy Center reports enrollment growth, seeks data and business partners to support sustainability",1350,1902000,3252000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2477730-35c150a6e32ece7dd69d0c7035926f8e&start=1902&end=3252","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2477730-35c150a6e32ece7dd69d0c7035926f8e/thumbnail_1902000.jpg","/articles/6653851/Richardson/Dallas-County/Texas/Richardson-Adult-Literacy-Center-reports-enrollment-growth-seeks-data-and-business-partners-to-support-sustainability","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6653851-68db54d7cc094cc1266a3935722e937f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139144&Signature=IsAfmrzb568uwXR-h6dUQtH4cfy1UOKRLLRF9OVuKAB5t2Gmlo-vIARw7cHy2b3zKOktMLu3S1E044mGVbHkgs09~uaqaKv3dYaLgFKgqa~PEZaVVV6CBxSUbpkamQq9NU2vXr8Wp0-b91QqqaJMvrIcXeZV41vkfqp6ep-PQepgktS2JJtMzG9XhMyOq8b3HjH0LBtASEGBHKl-r49Q4dR4H~Yn5hZJVMtBgYptqecKW5bhmvsbhe39hH43O4qcgFFrxgBw6isRyjAgJBH2flz~jyEz4nXm0nW41FS~F-EPbFzLmAIoosrjj1fQ7-DaFamkWQ7szsvTKJ1BG3EpRg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Anne, chief executive officer of the Richardson Adult Literacy Center (RALC), briefed the City Council on the nonprofit's recent progress and its strategic goals for sustainability.

\"We are about people and about community,\" Anne told council, summarizing the rebranding work the organization completed to emphasize services and personal outcomes rather than books. She said RALC increased staff, expanded programs and rebranded marketing to attract donors and students.

Key metrics and program changes presented to council included a return to and surpassing of pre-COVID enrollment (the presenter said the program had about 532 students before the pandemic), a staff increase driven in part by city support, and a reported 79% enrollment increase since 2022. Anne also said the fiscal 2022'24 period showed a 52% increase in students across those fiscal years.

RALC described program offerings that include ESL classes (daytime, evening, online and in person), a Career Bridge series of one-time workshops (resume prep, mock interviews, financial literacy), a student advisory council, volunteer-led instruction, and partnerships with organizations including local churches, libraries, Dallas College and the Dialog Institute. RALC recently moved its office to a larger shared nonprofit space called Network, which staff said improves visibility, storage and meeting capacity.

Anne told council the organization needs improved data and analytics to demonstrate impact on local businesses and to make the case for more stable local funding. She said RALC is pursuing a three-year Moody Foundation grant (application submitted) to build data capacity and has applied to other foundations for support. The center also plans to recruit business partners willing to allow company employees to take classes as a way to collect evidence on outcomes such as improved attendance or productivity.

Council members responded with praise and offers of support. Several council members and staff noted the importance of RALC's workforce and ESL programming to Richardson businesses and the region. The briefing was described as part of the city's advance information-gathering for the upcoming budget-development process.

No council action was taken; the briefing was intended to inform the FY2025-26 budget process and ongoing partnership discussions.","RALC CEO Anne (last name not specified in the record) told council that enrollment and volunteer support have grown since 2022, and the organization aims to move from grant dependency to financial sustainability with better data collection, grant-writing support and business partnerships.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6653856,"Independent auditor issues unmodified opinion on Richardson's 2023'24 financial report",158,1504000,1662000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2477730-35c150a6e32ece7dd69d0c7035926f8e&start=1504&end=1662","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2477730-35c150a6e32ece7dd69d0c7035926f8e/thumbnail_1504000.jpg","/articles/6653856/Richardson/Dallas-County/Texas/Independent-auditor-issues-unmodified-opinion-on-Richardsons-202324-financial-report","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6653856-f3c1fe45ed3f7eed4740340ca8303597/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139144&Signature=kJEDfv8xkZH4W6eNxYsE7FjN4CiUr9DtQSg19QZFj3cXt~GQC133NoQ4lLoo8TGksbop4Csmq~sXL4lT7E2CygkAsvN2GJyUOf7PQDyx2~FUIFN1dSv49vLUxpN4oUKxO0PpfDq5bmqMHFTtJozwpnSLnj9vABbELy-uMvoIf5g8B952War~GoZM32OVi0o66LM9n7hA9N-ojwlaNy7xgeSLZXfMFXcdCDVv7sXCuiVl5DcsHnQr2llOisGFU8rTa4waokSkRh5CwIIJhDbppND7hy5MmXJ8Bf58Z3ilDXHAe~2zNh6rnNNgoSdyhd8a69c3huvuF9WGf~yD3TKUiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Richardson received an unmodified opinion on its 2023'24 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), Crowe audit partner Kevin Smith told the City Council during a briefing.

\"We have been issued an unmodified opinion upon both of those,\" Smith said, referring to the city's financial statements and the federal awards audit. He told council auditors found no material weaknesses, significant deficiencies or other deficiencies warranting written comment on internal control.

Smith said the audit included the city's federal grant expenditures and covered a recent payroll conversion project. He described the report as the \"best audit that the city of Richardson has had in several years,\" and credited internal control systems, policies and timely staff responses for enabling a smooth process.

Council members and Audit Committee liaison Joe Corcoran thanked finance staff and the controller's office for remedying prior findings and for delivering the report on schedule in February. Corcoran said earlier audit committee follow-up and extra committee attention helped move corrective actions forward.

City staff framed the briefing as a required step under the city charter, which demands an annual independent audit. No formal council action was required at the briefing; Smith asked and answered several questions from council before the meeting moved on to other agenda items.","Crowe audit partner Kevin Smith reported an unmodified opinion on the City of Richardson's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2024, and said the audit found no material weaknesses in internal controls; council members thanked staff for remediation work and timely delivery.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6653861,"Richardson police report 2024: overall crime down sharply; staffing, training and new technology highlighted",3367,3545000,6912000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2477730-35c150a6e32ece7dd69d0c7035926f8e&start=3545&end=6912","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2477730-35c150a6e32ece7dd69d0c7035926f8e/thumbnail_3545000.jpg","/articles/6653861/Richardson/Dallas-County/Texas/Richardson-police-report-2024-overall-crime-down-sharply-staffing-training-and-new-technology-highlighted","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6653861-b329d7b9a00fea4c9e5fa3f42a7ed0b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139144&Signature=om4GJkBeDYO-bFt1qO3neYxJzCWkVAg8L6j8PYxyBxYLciWOnUEpQsbmHZ5ITieFvdNZcC3oh59QytqgyWpoMAneodR~il53sLDOiugHAe3rqsSkWZwnX9Zmy0dFrxNo21mQex1d-uCuaNm5AMMu0wUUSHqqdIoNRvg6CU-k82q0g-g6vwGGYh7s5gpesBy0fiv01U~UxUXudzQYis8DYAuIf-UWwdgYjkwXPowTfPfZrHXKSxzcOOkU6AnFKbAxSctEVHS3sua0Qf3SIUb2QTC03tsXOs31azM-FeWSQcw7sZssheR58jiHr6GwtFHbWtSnfT4Bw-bQY9qwa2hd1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chief Jeff Tittle presented the Richardson Police Department's 2024 annual review at the Richardson City Council meeting, reporting that violent crime fell about 4% in 2024 and property crime dropped about 16%, for an overall decline the department quantified as 15.4% compared with the prior year.

Tittle told the council the department would keep focusing on staffing, training and data-driven deployments. \"While we may be shorthanded, we are not desperate,\" he said, summarizing the department's recruiting outlook and training plans.

The presentation gave a detailed accounting of personnel and operations. The department said sworn staffing stood at 169 officers after a pending retirement (down four from the department's authorized level of 173). The communications center reported 19 dispatchers in the field of 25 allocated positions; the department said several candidates remained in background checks or training. Tittle said about 20 recruits or trainees were in the pipeline.

On crime trends, the department reported the largest reductions in property crimes, including a 45% reduction in burglaries of habitation compared with earlier years, and continued declines in motor-vehicle theft and theft-from-vehicles. The chief said 50% of vehicles with firearms taken in thefts were left unlocked; 40 firearms were reported taken from vehicles in 2024. Of 59 vehicle pursuits last year, the department said 31% began with an automated license-plate-reader hit and 42% of pursuits involved stolen vehicles.

Tittle outlined deployment changes the department made to match workload. The department converted a bailiff supervisor position to a patrol sergeant and added a small \"power shift\" of one sergeant and four officers on 8-hour assignments (2 p.m. to 10 p.m.) to cover the afternoon/evening call peak at about 4 p.m.

On officer safety and training, the department reported 24 on-the-job injuries in 2024, all sworn personnel, a 29% reduction from 2023. Tittle said the highest causes of injury were routine duties and training (including defensive tactics and foot pursuits) and noted plans to reduce hands-on training intensity where appropriate to lower injury risk.

Evidence and forensics work drew explicit mention: crime-scene technicians processed 518 scenes in 2024 and the property room inventory was about 85,000 items, down from more than 100,000 after an earlier cleanup. The department described recent equipment purchases and pilots: a Crimelight tool that helped lift a print from an unspent shell casing, a loaner ballistics system under evaluation, and a pilot of Axon's automation tools that include transcription/draft features and a module called Fusus for integrated camera feeds.

Tittle also described technology and program investments under consideration: a move from TASER 7 to TASER 10 devices, continued rollout of automated license-plate readers and camera integrations, virtual-reality micro-training for officers, and planning work on a real-time crime center to aggregate feeds and support officers en route to calls. He raised the possibility of drone-as-first-responder capability for future consideration.

The department highlighted community-focused programs and partnerships. It credited community crime watches, business crime-watch participation near 1,000 organizations, and school and youth outreach for helping reduce crime. The department reported 241 crisis interventions in 2024, 424 follow-up calls, 50 home visits and 728 phone calls by Methodist Richardson partners as part of follow-up outreach. Tittle said National Night Out returned Richardson to first place nationwide for cities in the 100,000'to'300,000 population range.

Council members praised the department's results and programs during questions. Councilman Curtis Dorian called the department \"the best police department in the country\" in his remarks. Council members also discussed staffing strategies and how technology can create efficiencies without fully replacing officers.

Tittle closed by framing policing as a mix of enforcement, coaching and community engagement and said the department would continue to pursue crime-reduction, prevention and community programs while evaluating new technologies and training approaches.

The council did not take formal action on the briefing; the presentation was provided for review and comment.","Chief Jeff Tittle presented the Richardson Police Department's 2024 annual review to the City Council, reporting declines in violent and property crime, ongoing staffing shortfalls, reduced officer injuries and plans to expand technology and community programs including a pilot real-time crime center and TASER upgrades.","actionData","errors"]

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Council approves minutes and consent agenda unanimously; mayor to send letter on EMS license request, council to consider right-of-way abandonment

Richardson Adult Literacy Center reports enrollment growth, seeks data and business partners to support sustainability

Independent auditor issues unmodified opinion on Richardson's 2023'24 financial report

Richardson police report 2024: overall crime down sharply; staffing, training and new technology highlighted