Coppell Chronicle Vol. 3, No. 22

Superintendent Accused of Racial Remarks • Trustees Demand Details on Bond Projects • Irving Leaders Back Trash Collectors • Friends of Coppell Nature Park Solicit Funds

Superintendent Accused of Racial Remarks

Superintendent Wendy Eldredge had her hair styled by cosmetology students at R.L. Turner High School in May.

After only four months leading Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, Wendy Eldredge is mired in controversy. The white superintendent has been accused of making racial comments about Black and Hispanic students.

The accusation was made anonymously via a letter received by members of the Carrollton City Council this month. One of those recipients, Richard Fleming, read the alleged comments to the CFBISD Board of Trustees during their meeting on Thursday:

“Our poor Black boys are confused. They don’t know if they’re their mama’s boyfriend, their mama’s friend, their mama’s daddy. And our Hispanic kids are living in poverty. They both have parents working two jobs, so if someone comes along and offers them quick money, well, of course they’re going to take it.”

Fleming said, “I don’t know what that last part’s about.” I, however, am willing to make an educated guess: CFBISD — which includes portions of Coppell and Irving — has lost at least three students to fatal drug overdoses in the past year. Some of those drugs were reportedly sold by teenagers.

Fleming, who was CFBISD’s first Black trustee before he won his seat on Carrollton’s council, urged the district to hire a third party to investigate the anonymous allegation against Eldredge, and a few other CFBISD residents did the same during the “Audience for Guests” portion of the meeting. Meanwhile, three Black people who worked with Eldredge in other districts showed up Thursday to praise her character. One of those people is Kyalla Bowens, the Director of Talent Acquisition for Crandall ISD, where Eldredge was the superintendent for nearly four years until CFBISD hired her last March.

“Dr. Wendy Eldredge respects the communities in which she has served and currently serves,” Bowens said. “She is not a demeaning person of others. Dr. Eldredge is one who will reflect on this incident, as a whole, and work together with the CFB school board and community to resolve this matter with the best interests of Carrollton-Farmers Branch students in mind.”

In Crandall ISD, 38 percent of the students are Hispanic and 23 percent are Black, while 35 percent are white. In CFBISD, 55 percent of the students are Hispanic, 18 percent are Black, and 11 percent are white. (For perspective, 54 percent of Coppell ISD’s students are Asian, 25 percent are white, 13 percent are Hispanic, and 4 percent are Black.)

After the “Audience for Guests” portion of Thursday’s meeting, the trustees participated in a workshop on their priorities as a board, and they also approved the district’s compensation plan. They then went into an executive session that lasted 75 minutes. Once they reemerged, Board President Cassandra Hatfield read a brief statement:

“The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District Board of Trustees reviewed and discussed the contents of an anonymous letter received. As a responsible and committed governing body, the Board of Trustees will address it in strict adherence to DIA (Local) and other appropriate district policies and procedures.”

Eldredge, who was seated directly to Hatfield’s left, did not comment on the controversy.

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Trustees Demand Details on Bond Projects

Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD trustees were recently asked to authorize the sale of up to $400 million worth of bonds without much information about how the district would spend the money.

During the school board’s July 11 meeting, Trustee Tara Hrbacek was bothered by the lack of details. She said the trustees hadn’t been provided a list of projects, a design timeline, or a construction schedule.

“I know it wouldn’t be set in stone because, you know, people haven’t been hired, discussions haven’t been had,” Hrbacek said, “but there’s no plan, and this is a lot of debt for no plan.”

The up to $400 million in debt represents more than half of the $716.4 million bond package endorsed by 64.5 percent of CFBISD voters last May.

Associate Superintendent Larry Guerra, who is also CFBISD’s Chief Financial Officer, said the district needs to have the money in the bank before it can hire architects and contractors. In response to a question from Trustee Randy Shackmann, Guerra said the district used “the exact same process” in 2018, when 67 percent of voters supported a $351 million bond package.

“I like to follow success,” Schackmann said, “and I think our 2018 bond process — and the bond overall — was very effective.”

Hrbacek countered that the trustees had a project schedule in front of them before the first portion of the 2018 bond package was sold.

“I did not go back to verify whether that schedule was final and met and stayed, you know, with it, but we had — there was some information,” she said.

Trustee Carolyn Benavides asked how the staff came up with the amount of $400 million for the initial bond sale. Looking down at his notes, Guerra said nearly $350 million would go toward renovations and updates to 19 existing facilities. He mentioned restroom updates at four elementary schools, four middle schools, and two high schools; cafeteria renovations at two middle schools and two high schools; and library upgrades at four middle schools. He also cited more than $37 million worth of security enhancements, including cameras, fences, and protective film on windows.

“The list that you just provided would have been helpful for us to have had. That explained where the 400 million was going,” Trustee Sally Derrick said. “400 million’s a lot of money. I don’t think any of us up here are going to deny that. And as good stewards of the taxpayer dollars, we want to know exactly what we’re spending the money on.”

Eventually, Trustee Kim Brady made a motion to issue the bonds as proposed. Only Hrbacek voted against it.

Before that vote, Hrbacek asked why a Bond Oversight Committee hadn’t been assembled yet. Guerra said that committee would be formed after the district hired a new Chief Operations Officer to supervise the bond projects. Malcolm Mulroney, who’d held that title for four years, decamped last month to Comal ISD, the same district that lured former Superintendent John Chapman away from CFBISD last year.

(See “Superintendent Quits in Middle of Semester” in Vol. 2, No. 35.)

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Irving Leaders Back Trash Collectors

When staffing issues forced Irving to start collecting trash and recycling on a weekly basis last year, the city also instituted interim rules about what residents could place on their curbs. Before long, those rules will become permanent to appease the frustrated garbage collectors.

Solid Waste Services Director Travis Switzer recommended that the City Council codify these changes effective Oct. 1, when the city’s new fiscal year begins. Council Member John Bloch doesn’t want to wait that long.

“Not having these policies enforceable has been an issue of contention with our staff,” Bloch said during the council’s July 13 work session, “so, personally, I would be in favor of not waiting to implement these ordinance changes.”

One of the council’s two newly elected members, Abdul Khabeer, asked why the new policies were not made official last October, when the garbage collectors began putting them into practice.

“The council had requested an education period to help inform the residents,” City Manager Chris Hillman explained, “to give them a heads-up that this is what we were looking at doing.”

The interim changes are detailed on this webpage, and they’ve been printed on thousands of courtesy notices distributed to residents. Here a few highlights:

• Each address is limited to 15 bags per week (including trash and/or grass bags).

• Individual bags cannot weigh more than 50 pounds.

• Construction and demolition debris will not be collected at the curb.

The new policies classify toilets as construction debris, which residents or their contractors are supposed to take to Irving’s landfill. Council Member Dennis Webb has a problem with that, as evidenced by this exchange:

• Webb: “To me, that don’t make any sense, because, if I’m a resident, OK, a contractor did not take that commode out and put it in. I did. So you’re telling me that now I need to drive all the way to the landfill to take a commode.”

• Switzer: “That’s what we’re saying right now, yes, sir.”

• Webb: “Well, please unsay it, because that don’t make any sense.”

The city plans to hire a consultant to provide analysis of hybrid and automation collection systems, and some Irving residents apparently believe that study is already complete. The truth of the matter is that a consultant hasn’t been hired yet. If you want the gig, you have until the end of this week to submit a proposal.

The other new council member, Mark Cronenwett, wondered whether the policy changes could wait until the city has a consultant’s report in hand. Council Member Kyle Taylor said that kind of delay might lead to a mass resignation by the garbage collectors.

“We owe it to them to go ahead and pass the ordinance,” Taylor said. “Let them know that we’re listening to what they’re saying — our employees — before they completely walk out, and we don’t have anybody picking up trash for three or four days because we’ve disappointed them again.”

Bloch backed up Taylor, saying that if the trash and recycling policies need to be amended again based on a consultant’s report, then so be it.

“This is one small thing that they’ve been asking for consistently for the last year, that we’ve given them in practice, but it doesn’t have any teeth,” Bloch said. “We can give them the teeth that they need for it to actually help them.”

Although the proposed ordinance doesn’t address the frequency of pick-ups, Council Member Brad LaMorgese advocated for returning to twice-a-week collection as soon as possible.

“I’ve heard a lot about, you know, the diapers sitting in a garage for a week,” LaMorgese said. “And heaven forbid you miss your one collection that week. You’re really — I mean, you’re pushing it.”

Mayor Rick Stopfer said LaMorgese may be putting the cart before the horse — or, in this case, the diaper before the baby.

“All we’re trying to do right now is get enough people employed to provide the service once a week. If we can get to that point, then we can start looking at the next level,” Stopfer said. “But right now, we’re just trying to put some rules in place so the people who are here will stay here, and hopefully some new people will join them.”

Irving residents should expect the council to vote on the trash and recycling ordinance soon. Their next meetings are set for Aug. 3 and Aug. 31.

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Friends of Coppell Nature Park Solicit Funds

Starting tomorrow, Coppell Nature Park will be closed at least a week for maintenance. Once it reopens — and this heatwave subsides — get on out there. And if you have any kids who could use less screen time, bring them with you.

Here’s how Betsy Wilcox, one of the founding members of the Friends of Coppell Nature Park, recently summed up the group’s mission: “We want to pry those phones out of those cute little hands and introduce them to nature.”

AMEN, sister!

Wilcox said those words on July 13, during the first of the City Council’s four budget workshops this month. The bulk of that workshop was dedicated to service organizations’ requests for funds, and the Friends of Coppell Nature Park were making their first such ask.

Wilcox said the group’s fundraising has been limited to appeals via North Texas Giving Day and the occasional 5K race. “There’s only about 20 of us, and we’re not as young as we used to be,” said Wilcox, who helped found the Friends of Coppell Nature Park in 2003.

In case you’re not aware, the park occupies 66 acres within Wagon Wheel Park. Until I watched the Friends’ presentation to the council, I was not aware that the park’s trails are maintained by volunteers.

Mayor Wes Mays: “I thought I had walked most of the nature park, but after looking at the map, it’s clear that I had missed part of it.”

Friends historian Vonita White told the council that Paul Dolliver, who teaches geology at Collin College and Richland College, recently visited the Nature Park for a presentation. “I can’t believe this is Coppell,” she recalled him saying. “This is wonderful!” Despite such rave reviews, White said the park’s level of excellence can’t be maintained solely by volunteers. “That’s why we’re coming before you for consideration.”

The Friends asked for $15,000, and more than a quarter of that money would go toward educational programs. “We want to do the best for this community,” Wilcox said. “We want to offer as many programs as we possibly can.” They also intend to spend more than $3,000 on hiring professionals to restore native plants and fend off invasive species.

Wilcox said privet is the primary problem among the invasive species. “If you’re a gardening person, you know what privet is,” she said. “It’s a nightmare.” I am not a gardening person, but I am a Googling person, so here’s a link to “Everything You Need to Know About Privet” by Southern Living.

Council Member Jim Walker asked whether the Friends had thought about selling memberships as a way to raise funds. They have discussed the idea, but “I hate asking for money,” Friends treasurer Jane Kleid said with a smile. Council Member Don Carroll encouraged them to do so.

“I don’t think you would have any trouble at all getting memberships to an organization like this,” Carroll said. “I think people in this community would come out of the woodworks to contribute.”

(Carroll didn’t seem to notice his pal Kevin Nevels’ response: “Woodworks? Is that a joke? … Wood. Woods. Nature.”)

In the end, the council approved the $15,000 request, as well as all of the other funds sought by service organizations. Here’s a chart that summarizes those requests.

Wilcox closed her presentation with this advice for the council that also applies to anybody reading this: “If you haven’t been out there, you really need to come out there for a program. Or just go for a walk. Listen to the birds. Get dirty.”

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Chronicle Crumbs

• When the Coppell City Council approved a fuel station at Kroger last month, many of our elected officials said they wished the pumps could have been placed on the southeast corner of the grocery store’s parking lot. Last Monday, Kroger submitted a revised plan to the city that will shift the pumps’ location further south. “This approach is a win-win for Kroger and our neighbors,” Director of Corporate Affairs John Votava told me via email. The Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct an Aug. 17 public hearing on the revisions, and the City Council will do the same on Sept. 12.

• A City of Coppell contractor was reportedly in stable condition at a hospital on Thursday after a lawn mower he was operating slid into a pond at Andrew Brown Park East. The city’s Environmental Health Department plans to monitor the pond to ensure the incident doesn’t negatively impact wildlife.

• I attended the latest Silver Line community meeting on Tuesday in Cypress Waters, where the DART employees in the room outnumbered the rest of us. The only information that was new to me was the existence of a free app called DART Say Something, which allows users to quickly and discreetly send photos and videos to DART police when they see something suspicious. This app would have been useful a few weeks ago at Royal Lane Station, where I saw a guy with obvious mental health issues take a stroll on the tracks while ranting and raving to nobody in particular. Despite commuting via DART for years, I’d never seen THAT before.

• Have you ever hopped a train at DART’s Trinity Mills Station in Carrollton? There’s never been much there besides a parking lot, but ground was broken last week on what Carrollton Mayor Steve Babick called “the largest publicly owned transit-oriented development site in North Texas.”

• When I ran into Coppell Mayor Wes Mays at a Chamber of Commerce event on Thursday, he said I’d downplayed the significance of his tie-breaking vote on the proposed carport regulations documented in last week’s edition. Not only was it the first tie-breaker of his term, Mays said he can’t find any record of a mayoral vote being cast by predecessors Karen Hunt, Jayne Peters, Doug Stover, or Candy Sheehan, which takes us back to 1997. However, Mark Wolfe, who was mayor from 1989 to 1993, said he recalls casting several of them. The vote that allowed Coppell restaurants to sell beer and wine as private clubs was particularly memorable. “I was either the town hero or the guy that would have dozens of teenagers killed by local drunks,” he said.

• If you ever need to buy a gift for Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer, consider a box of See’s Candies. During the City Council’s June 13 work session, while explaining that the city government can’t tell businesses where to set up shop, the mayor said this: “As much as I may want a See’s candy store at the corner, because I like See’s candy, I can’t say, ‘We’re going to put a See’s candy store at the corner.’ They were here, they were not able to sustain it, and now I have to go somewhere else, because we don’t have one in the city of Irving.” That’s how at least one council member found out that See’s has vacated its space on MacArthur Boulevard near Interstate 635. “Yeah, they’re gone from up there,” the mayor lamented. “It was on my way home.”

• Did you know the hungry, hungry hippos at Coppell High School and New Tech High collectively scarf down 900 slices of pizza on an average school day? I wasn’t aware of that factoid until I perused Coppell ISD’s request for proposals to be the district’s new provider of “ready to serve” pizza. More interesting info from that document: Frozen pizzas will not be accepted, each pizza must be at least 14 inches in diameter, and the minimum number of pepperoni pieces per pizza slice is six. Don’t skimp on our kids’ pepperoni!

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Community Calendar

Young Frankenstein: Theatre Coppell will stage four more performances of the musical based on Mel Brooks’ classic comedy. The next one is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. today in the Wheelice Wilson Jr. Theatre at the Coppell Arts Center.

Next to Normal: Theatre Three will stage one more performance of the award-winning rock musical about a family’s struggles with bipolar disorder. It’s also scheduled for 2:30 p.m. today in the Main Hall at the Coppell Arts Center.

Mindfulness Practice: Mindfulness facilitator Sheela Singla will guide participants in meditation between 2 and 3:30 p.m. today at the Cozby Library and Community Commons. Advance registration is required.

Dallas Zoo: Animals from the Dallas Zoo will be at the Cozby Library and Community Commons between 2 and 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Admission will be limited to children who will be in elementary school this fall. Younger siblings and parents will have to wait in another part of the library.

Storytime at Heritage Park: A Coppell Historical Society volunteer will read The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at the Minyard’s Store. The reading will be followed by a tour of the store and a children’s activity.

Mythology Academy: Fans of the Goddess Girls and Heroes in Training books are invited to celebrate all things mythological with crafts, games, and activities between 2 and 3 p.m. on Wednesday at the Cozby Library and Community Commons.

Make a Bouncy Ball: Middle school students can learn how to make a bouncy ball by mixing together a few key ingredients between 5 and 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Cozby Library and Community Commons.

Let’s Learn Robotics: Students entering middle school or high school are invited to the Cozby Library and Community Commons between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, when they can learn how robots are built and get to interact with one.

Singing 101: The Coppell Community Chorale will offer a series of lessons on July 31 and Aug. 7 at the Coppell Arts Center. Participants can take two classes on each of those dates, at a cost of $35 per day.

Play ball! Aug. 1 is the registration deadline for the Coppell Baseball Association’s fall leagues, but Coppell Girls Softball Association players have until Aug. 4 to sign up. Meanwhile, the Coppell FC semi-pro soccer team will host open tryouts at 6 p.m. on Aug. 5 and 6 at Lesley Field.

The Coppell Chronicle is a proud sponsor of the Coppell Baseball Association.

Geocache Treasure Hunt: The Biodiversity Education Center will host this event for children ages 7 to 17 between 10 a.m. and noon on Aug. 2. Children must be supervised by an adult caregiver, and there is a $10 fee for each participant.

Author Q&A with Anita Kharbanda: The author of Lioness of Punjab will be at the Cozby Library and Community Commons at 4 p.m. on Aug. 2 to answer questions from middle school and high school students.

Guided Hike: The Friends of Coppell Nature Park will host a free guided hike focused on nature photography at 9 a.m. on Aug. 5. Participants should wear protective clothing and bring a bottle of water. Children must be supervised by an adult caregiver. A similar event is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Aug. 23.

End of Summer Reading Celebration: Readers who have spent the summer with their noses in books are invited to celebrate their efforts at 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 5 at the Cozby Library and Community Commons, where there will be games, face painting, and free burgers.

Troop 842 50th Anniversary Celebration: Past and present Scouts and troop leaders are invited to mark 50 years of Troop 824 with speeches, skits, and games between 2 and 4 p.m. on Aug. 6 at First United Methodist Church.

North Texas Job Fair: Need a job? Coppell’s Wes Mays and Irving’s Rick Stopfer are among more than a dozen mayors who will co-host a job fair with U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 7 at the Irving Convention Center.

Four Day Weekend: The acclaimed improv comedy troupe will return to the Coppell Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 10.

Yoga in Nature: Advanced yoga therapist Latha Shanmugan will lead a class at 9 a.m. on Aug. 12 at the Biodiversity Education Center in Coppell Nature Park.

Locally Sourced: The Coppell Creatives are soliciting submissions for an exhibit devoted to art created by people who live or work in Coppell. The entry deadline is Aug. 18.