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Council splits on creating downtown advisory board; several members prefer delay
Summary
Councilors debated an ordinance to establish a downtown advisory board. Some members and downtown business owners expressed concern about controversy and declined to serve; others supported a citizen advisory board. Council did not move the ordinance forward at this meeting and directed staff to let the idea “ferment.”
Rowlett City Council debated a proposed ordinance to establish a downtown advisory board and stopped short of creating the board, with several council members saying the timing was not right and citing controversy among downtown business owners.
Mayor (name not specified) opened the work‑session discussion by reading a prepared statement saying the mayor had greater reservations after visiting downtown businesses who expressed unwillingness to participate. The mayor said, in part, that businesses had “significant concerns about the controversy that had already happened” and that starting a board under those conditions was the “wrong foot on which to begin a board.”
Small business owner and public commenter Martha Cardenas, owner of Barrocos in downtown Rowlett, had told the council during citizen’s input that she appreciated the idea of bringing more voices to the table but…
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