The Dallas City Council started a few minutes after 9 a.m. Wednesday, closer to its scheduled start than meetings often begin. Mayor Pro Tem Jaime Resendez, who runs meetings when the mayor is absent, had asked colleagues earlier in the week to arrive as close to 9 a.m. as possible.
The council approved funding for a streetcar that connects Bishop Arts with downtown Dallas. It also chose two top city officials and accepted grants for the new police academy. Council member Gay Donnell Willis said the meeting did not have many controversial items. Some items were postponed, including a third attempt to rename part of Harwood Street as Exchange Place for the Texas Stock Exchange. That decision was moved to December.
Mayor Eric Johnson did not attend. Council member Adam Bazaldua took part online. Resendez said the council is "a very inefficient body" and that late starts are an area to improve. He said he sees starting on time as a way to respect people's time. The meeting ended at 2:28 p.m.