Public commenter says CIAB school-security grants total about $73,767; council moves CIAB item to regular agenda

A Mesquite resident told councilmembers on May 20 that the Community Investment Advisory Board (CIAB) grant package for school security will total about $73,767 because two schools did not submit applications, and asked city officials for documentation.

During the City of Mesquite Technical Review Meeting, resident Wes Bulger said he had emailed Councilwoman Gallo, the newest CIAB appointee, with the latest version of the grant list. Bulger summarized the funding as “basically the $60,000 worth of grants plus the $15,000 worth of grants that the, for the school security part of it that, previous council had approved,” but said because two schools did not apply the full $85,000 would not be awarded.

“I emailed Ms. Gallo, our, new appointee to CIAB, the newest version of it because it is basically the $60,000 worth of grants plus the $15,000 worth of grants … Whereas 2 of the schools didn't, that's why it's not gonna be a full 85. It is at about $73,767,” Bulger said during his three-minute public comment.

Bulger told the council he had forwarded the latest grant submissions to “Patty” and offered to provide the documents to other councilmembers by email if desired. He said he did not have the details immediately available in his three-minute comment but could supply them later.

Councilmembers moved the CIAB notice from the consent agenda to the regular agenda; the transcript shows a councilmember requested the move and a subsequent call for a vote with Councilwoman Fielding recorded as seconding the procedural change. The meeting record does not include council discussion about the specific grant recipients, nor does it record final approval of any awards during the May 20 technical review meeting.

Bulger also raised a separate complaint about a city attorney and said he would like a special meeting; that personnel allegation was handled separately by the council, which placed a City Attorney performance item on the May 27 regular agenda.

Bulger asked the council if they wanted the CIAB documents during the meeting; he said he would email the materials to staff and councilmembers. The transcript does not show staff presenting the CIAB grant list or any vote to approve grant awards on May 20.