Dallas City Council members question $200,000 proposal for in-home garden boxes

DALLAS - Dallas City Council members expressed concerns on Wednesday about a proposal that would get the city into the gardening business.

The proposal would use one-time funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to provide up to 1,000 households with in-home garden boxes, but some council members feel the proposal doesn't pass the smell test.

The item for the city to spend $200,000 on the kits was originally on the consent agenda, meaning it was set to pass without discussion, but Dallas City Councilman Chad West had questions.

"Which city plan or goal does this support?" asked West.

"I think that it really supports a couple of the city goals. The first being the interracial equity plan, our big audacious goal to create the most economic opportunity in a large city," said Jessica Galleshaw, Director of the Office of Community Care.

City staff had not provided council members with any images to show how the garden kits would fit inside a home.

"I would like to see what the kits look like. It's hard for me to envision. As I listened to the committee I was like, if we are delivering a food kit what actual food can you grow in there? Is it more of an herb garden that we're paying for or can you actually grow tomatoes and food that they can eat?" West asked.

The Bellcam Group, the company that would receive the $200,000 contract, doesn't have any images of the kits on its website.

"The main concerns I had was that when I researched the vendor, it appeared that they were a real estate company. So I was curious to know what the vendor's background was in providing food, closing a food gap?" said West.

"They did provide numerous examples of being involved in community events, urban agriculture, and garden box-type work," replied Galleshaw.

Despite a pilot program a couple of years ago, staff also did not have information about how many vegetables, or what kind of vegetables, the kits had helped families grow.

"Are individuals who received these kits still using them?" asked Dallas City Councilman Jesse Moreno.

"We are still gathering that information, I don't know that we have a long-term follow-up on the initial pilot," replied Galleshaw.

Other council members said they believe the money could be used in a better way, that is more in the scope of city government.

The item was deferred until October 23.