Subject: Dave Neumann

• Mo Money Mo Problems: Leppert's Got Some "Good News" for the Council About Trinity

  Sam Merten In February, Mayor Tom Leppert and Kevin Craig of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -- and tomorrow, they're holding a repeat performance Earlier tonight, a few of us local media members found in our respective in-boxes a draft of remarks Mayor Tom Leppert is expected to deliver Monday during a 10 a.m. press conference in the Flag Room at Dallas City Hall. He's expected to announce that the city will "invest approximately 29 million dollars to determine the items that need to b

  May 31, 2009

• Say it Like Seinfeld: Neumann

  June 27, 2007

• Tom Leppert: Predictable and Classy

  September 12, 2007

• When the Levees Break: Behind the Scenes of the Trinity Toll Road Campaigns

  September 21, 2007

• Council Member Makes Sure Tom Leppert Will Win At Least One Trinity Toll Road Debate

  October 16, 2007

• Trinity River? Check. Jim Foster? Check. Dwaine Caraway? Check.

  October 26, 2007

• Get On the Bus As Some City Council Members Tour the Trinity River -- For, Um, Like, the Very First Time?

  October 31, 2007

• What, Them Worry?

  November 6, 2007

• Warning You Now: A Lot of Math Ahead

  January 21, 2008

• More Truth About What the Trinity Parkway Will Really Cost Us

  February 20, 2008

• Headache Hotel and Other Dallas City Council SUPs and WTFs

  February 28, 2008

• "Flood Control Has Always Been First."

  So said Dallas city council member Dave Neumann, chair of the council's Trinity River Corridor Project Committee, at today's Trinity River levees press conference at City Hall about which Jim wrote earlier today. Last night, we provided a draft of Mayor Tom Leppert's remarks, from which he seldom strayed; here, then, courtesy the city, are Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and Neumann's remarks offered today in the Flag Room. If only because, well, you paid for 'em, so you might as well get to

  June 1, 2009

• Sheffie Kadane on Memo, Random

  May 9, 2008

• Everyone Knows That Hotel's a "Risk." Which Ain't Stopping Anyone.

  May 14, 2008

• Angela Hunt Can Be Very Sarcastic

  May 22, 2008

• Lions, Tigers and a Mayor Tom Fund-Raiser -- Oh, My!

  June 11, 2008

• Ross for Mess: How We Got Into This Renaming Thing in the First Place

  August 27, 2008

• From Now On, We're Going to Call City Project Delays "Deep Breaths"

  August 29, 2008

• In the Absence of a Trinity River Project, Fun and Fascinating Meetings

  September 2, 2008

• Wait, Even the Trinity Project Model Isn't Done Yet? And It Took Two Years?

  September 9, 2008

• Well, So Much For That Piece O' Cake Industrial Boulevard Renaming

  September 18, 2008

• As Far As Some on the Council Are Concerned, We've Already Voted For the Convention Center Hotel

  September 24, 2008

• Why the Council Isn't Voting on Ross and Industrial Name Changes Today

  October 22, 2008

• Is the Trinity River Toll Road on a "Fast Track" to Completion? Um, No.

  Rudy Bush had a good story in The Dallas Morning News yesterday about the new Trinity River "overlook" unveiled by the city on Wednesday and how handy it is if you want to go down and marvel at the lack of progress. Basically, as Bush points out, it's a vantage point at the corner of Beckley and Commerce Streets looking out on the same old swampy river bottom that has always been and will always be.Mayor Tom Leppert and council member Dave Neumann keep telling people they have the Trinity River

  December 4, 2008

• Why the New Smoking Ordinance Should Have Been Delayed, and Sorting Through the 10 Amendments

  There's a line where government stops and the rights of the people begin, and when Mayor Tom Leppert and nine of his council colleagues voted to strengthen Dallas' smoking ordinance, that line wasn't blurred, they drove right past it as if it didn't even exist. But no matter where you stand on the issue, one thing should have been clear in yesterday's council debate: The council opposition posed an excellent argument to at least delay the vote so the council could hash out some of the finer p

  December 11, 2008

• Trinity Chairman Sees "Many, Many Obstacles" With Turnpike Project

  Sam MertenFrom left to right: Gene Rice and Kevin Craig of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Dan Chapman of HNTB and project manager for the NTTA and Rebecca Dugger, director of the Trinity River Corridor Project As Schutze mentioned earlier, the council's Trinity River Corridor Project Committee met this morning to get an update on the Trinity Turnpike, with reps from the North Texas Tollway Authority and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on hand to walk everyone through the PowerPoint presentation

  January 27, 2009

• Somewhere, Jim Schutze is Off Doing a Happy Dance

  Sam MertenMayor Tom Leppert and Kevin Craig of the U.S. Army Corps of EngineersMayor Tom Leppert reluctantly addressed local media this afternoon regarding City Manager Mary Suhm's earlier announcement that the Trinity River levees will be rated "unacceptable" in 34 of 170 areas by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in advance of a March 31 deadline. He stressed that safety remains the city's No. 1 priority, and the Trinity River Corridor Project remains on track. Following the flooding in New O

  February 24, 2009

• Mitchell Rasansky Tells City to Get the Pocketbook Ready if it Wants to Push Out Family-Owned Scrap Metal Recyclers

  Sam MertenCouncil member Mitchell Rasansky meets with owners of local scrap metal recycling businesses after blasting city staff for how they've handled the issue.As we mentioned yesterday, the city council's Trinity River Corridor Project Committee was briefed on what should be done about the scrap metal recyclers located near the Trinity corridor, which are gumming up the city's "vision" for the Trinity project. Theresa O'Donnell, director of development services, urged the committee for dire

  March 4, 2009

• Who's No. 1? Dallas City Council Candidates Pick Ballot Positions.

  Sam MertenPauline Medrano and Sheffie Kadane were two of only three (Vonciel Hill was the other) incumbents who showed up this morning.City Secretary Deborah Watkins and her staff this morning in the Flag Room at City Hall announced the ballot positions for the May 9 city council elections, as Billy MacLeod, Victoria Walton, Tiffinni Young, John Jay Myers and Anita Dade gained an early leg up on the incumbents in their respective district races by nabbing the top spot. Ann Margolin was able to

  March 10, 2009

• The Maples Screamed, "Oppression!" And the Oaks Just Shake Their Heads.

  Alexa SchirtzingerStormwater Management Assistant Director Errick Thompson, left, gets a lesson in southwest Dallas developer politics from farmer Frank Bracken.Thursday morning, Cedar Vista neighborhood advocate Frank Bracken -- the southwest Dallas farm owner profiled, in part, in this week's cover story about the taking of the trees -- finally got the city to lend an ear -- or, rather, two guys willing to get their shoes muddy. Bracken led Zaida Basora from Building Inspection and Errick Tho

  March 20, 2009

• Behind the Trinity River Toll Road Scenes with Angela Hunt

  September 20, 2007

• Ethics Complaint Alleges Council Member Dave Neumann Accepted Nearly $28,000 in Donations Violating City Code

  Brian HarkinDave Neumann's financial prowess has been questioned once again.A supporter of Casey Thomas filed an ethics complaint Monday against Dave Neumann, who's being challenged by Thomas for his District 3 city council seat, claiming he violated the Dallas City Code. Brian Wesley alleges Neumann accepted $27,925 in contributions that exceed the allowable $1,000 donation per individual in each election cycle. We called Neumann's office Monday for comment and were referred to his consultant,

  April 17, 2009

• You Know Who Doesn't Like the Daytime Curfew Ordinance? Kids, That's Who.

  If nothing else, the debate over the daytime curfew sure did get more than a few kiddos active in city politics. The Dallas City Council just got through hearing from a parade of folks opposed to the 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. curfew, about which Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle told Unfair Park, "I think it could be helpful for those parents who are trying to do everything they can do get their kids to school -- to have some more leverage over their children about why they should be at school because

  May 13, 2009

• Council Doesn't Want to Raise Taxes, Cut Key Services to Trim Budget. Good Luck With That.

  Sam MertenThe city's budget is $190 million in the hole because of "revenue erosion," according to CFO Dave Cook.The Dallas City Council yesterday afternoon wrapped up a lengthy discussion on how best to tackle the city's $190-million budget deficit by agreeing that a tax increase and making cuts to the police and fire departments are not the answers. Council members opposed several of the proposed cuts by City Manager Mary Suhm and her staff, yet were unable to provide alternative solutions to

  May 21, 2009

• Angela Hunt on City's Budget Crisis: "We're Cutting Muscle; We're Cutting Bone."

  Hey, at least Dallas doesn't have budget problems like Conan is facing out West. So we've got that going for us, which is nice.As we mentioned yesterday, the city council's Quality of Life & Government Services Committee got a look-see Monday afternoon at some of the proposed budget cuts before the full council is updated in a June 17 briefing. To close the $190 million deficit, City Manager Mary Suhm is recommending significant reductions in funds set aside for public libraries, swimming pools

  June 9, 2009

• Harsh City Budget Cuts "Unavoidable" and Only "the Tip of the Iceberg"

  While we had Angela Hunt and council member-elect Ann Margolin on the phone yesterday, Unfair Park asked for their evaluations of the city's $190 million budget deficit. Hunt says right now it's hard to pinpoint the cut resulting in the biggest impact to residents because it's early in the process, and things are about to get worse before the council votes on a final budget in September. "We've only hit the tip of the iceberg of what we're cutting," she says. With approximately $1 billion in t

  June 12, 2009

• With More Than $315 Million in Profits Expected From the Convention Center Hotel, Why Don't We Build Two of These Suckers?

  Now that we're one vote away from getting a convention center hotel, it looks like the College Football Hall of Fame is a done deal. At least that's what we gather seeing it across the street from Hotel Dallas in this rendering.The city council's Economic Development Committee this morning predictably approved placing an item on the agenda of Friday's special called council meeting authorizing a maximum bond issuance of nearly $514 million with a maximum interest yield of 5.5 percent for the co

  June 15, 2009

• Reeds Confirmed as "High-Priced Lobbyist" Pushing to Allow Car Booting Without Receipts

  Save Deep EllumUpdated at 3:07 p.m. As we mentioned yesterday, the freshly inaugurated city council is set to approve a booting ordinance after the Economic Development Committee voted unanimously June 16 to put a modified version of the staff recommendation on tomorrow's addendum. This didn't make the Save Deep Ellum coalition happy, as they sent out fliers claiming, "The parking companies have hired a high-priced lobbyist in order to get their way." Friend of Unfair Park "Mark" speculated t

  June 23, 2009

• Hunt Attributes Delayed Car Booting Ordinance to Budget and The Reeds; Deep Ellum Group Uses Petition to Lobby Council

  Sean FitzgeraldThe Deep Ellum Community Association used a petition measuring more than 50 feet with more than 850 signatures to push the council to take the car booting issue more seriously.We're already breaking our promise, but because we're strangely obsessed with the city's struggle to get a car booting ordinance on the books, Unfair Park probed Angela Hunt regarding the city council's decision to bring the issue back to the Transportation and Environment Committee in August. To catch eve

  June 25, 2009

• How Long Would It Take You to Notice a Missing $1.9 Million? Now Ask Dave Neumann.

  Allen Gwinn has the details over on Dallas.org, but the short version is: Ever since February, Dallas city council member Dave Neumann, along with wife Frances Malik Neumann, have been engaged in a legal battle with a former employee, Shannon DeMerse, they claim stole $1.9 million from Ivy Jane, the couple's clothing line for women. (Dave's listed as president and CEO; Frances, as vice president and merchandiser.) DeMerse -- who, from the looks of the docs posted, has admitted to the theft, clai

  July 15, 2009

• Finance Reports Confirm What You Already Knew: Harlan Crow and Ray Hunt Are Loaded

  Sam MertenWhat recession? As Harlan Crow told us right after the losing the election and more than $5 million: "I'll get over it before I get home."The spending gap between the two convention center hotel campaigns predictably didn't mimic the narrow margin at the polls, as Harlan Crow's $5.2 million anti-hotel effort dwarfed an otherwise impressive haul of more than $1.9 million by three pro-hotel committees. Nearly all of the funding for Crow's campaign came from his company's hotel, the Hilt

  July 17, 2009

• Council Members (At Least Those Without Rent Homes) Supportive of Registration Idea. Except Dave Neumann, Who Blasts "Tax."

  ​If the Dallas City Council winds up passing an ordinance requiring rent-house owners to register with the city -- a proposal we mentioned Sunday and just discussed at the council's briefing -- it'll apparently have to do so without three members' input. In the middle of Code Compliance's presentation, two years after this notion first surfaced at City Hall, Mayor Tom Leppert said that Pauline Medrano, Vonciel Jones Hill and Tennell Atkins had to step out of council chambers because they "have

  September 2, 2009

• The City's Budget in Just Under 45 Minutes

  Courtesy Angela Hunt​You know why it seems like Angela Hunt's always on Unfair Park? Because she's the only council member with a regularly updated Web site to which she posts items of significance to Dallas residents. Hey, Carolyn Davis gets herself a blog, we'll post the hell out of it; same for Dwaine Caraway or Dave Neumann or Ann Margolin or the mayor or anyone else sitting at the horseshoe. Till then, all we have is the District 14 council member, who last night posted the entirety of he

  September 11, 2009

• The City Council's Budget Wish List

  Natalie Dee​Curious to see which council member wants what program reinstated to City Manager Mary Suhm's proposed FY2009-2010 budget, which the council will vote on one week from tomorrow? Then you're in luck: Tomorrow, the council will discuss during its briefing session their budget amendments, which call for reinstating everything from Park and Recreation programs to Office of Cultural Affairs staff to library materials to ... well, from the looks of Tennell Atkins's proposal, pretty much

  September 15, 2009

• The Dallas City Council, Paper Dolls

  The city manager and mayor look awful beaten down by this particular discussion.​If you've got some time this afternoon, you may wanna tune into the city council's budget amendment briefing, which has turned its attention to the council members' proposal to cut their own budget. As you may know, the council's modest proposal got more modest last week. But the council -- which, so far today, has restored funding to the Office of Cultural Affairs and given back some dough to the library for mate

  September 16, 2009

• Off Track, or: Some Notes from the City Council's Downtown Streetcar Briefing

  Courtesy Justin CozartThis piece from 1945 must be what DowntownDallas's Kourtny Garrett means when she writes, "I'd say we're coming full circle."​Grudgingly, I have to say that the two Dallas City Council members who asked the best questions at today's council briefing on downtown trolleys were Ron Natinsky and Dave Neumann. Both of them wanted to know why the proposed governing body for a downtown trolley system would put the City of Dallas in a minority role, since the system will be in do

  October 12, 2009

• Downtown Trolleys Are a Good Idea. So You Know It’ll Never Work.

  October 15, 2009

• The Waters Are Murky as Dallas City Council Seeks Clarity Before Ethics Reform Vote

  Sam MertenCouncil member Carolyn Davis talks to zoning lawyer Kirk Williams as Willie Cothrum (right) listens.If nothing else, the city council's hastily planned ethics reform briefing early this morning showed that this group is capable of a spirited debate. For the most part, Mayor Tom Leppert has been able to keep everyone, with the exception of Angela Hunt and former council member Mitchell Rasansky, on the same page, sharing their toys with no complaints. But today, Dave Neumann, a Leppert

  October 26, 2009

• After Spending All Day Talking Ethics Reform, City Council Punts the Whole Shebang and Wraps It Up With a Freakin' Straw Vote

  ​As the Dallas City Council reached the end of its painfully long discussion about the proposed ethics reform, Dave Neumann said, "It was productive for the council to go through this briefing, but that's OK." Yup, the council began its agenda meeting this morning chatting about fine points of the amendments and stopped around 4:30 p.m. That, dear Friends, is the very definition of a briefing, especially when the result is a half-assed straw vote. It wasn't that there weren't attempts t

  October 28, 2009

• The City Wants to Start Registering Rent Houses By No Later Than February 1, 2010

  ​It's been a couple of months since last we heard of the city council's plan that would require rent-house owners to register with the city for a fee, but it's still very much alive and well at Dallas City Hall and moving forward with a briefing to the entire council this Wednesday. And, if all goes according to plan, the council will vote on the new ordinance at its December 9 meeting; it would then go into effect two months later, with Code Compliance in charge of the ordinance's enforcement

  November 2, 2009