Go Time in Fort Worth with Mayor Mattie Parker

On April 25, at Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker’s 3rd annual “Where Achievement Begins: Mayor’s Celebration for Workforce-Ready Graduates,” more than 160 local graduating seniors were honored with the Mayor’s Achievement Award in recognition of their work to achieve workforce readiness skills, professional certificates, and internship experience in addition to high school diplomas. To discuss how these programs and opportunities have impacted their lives and futures, NBC 5’s Deborah Ferguson hosted a panel conversation at the event between Mayor Parker, an honoree from Fort Worth ISD, Rolando Jaramillo, and a recent graduate and T3 scholar, Lizbeth Maldonado.

During the panel, Mayor Parker discussed the ongoing work of the Mayor’s Council on Education & Workforce, a group launched in 2022 to influence and enhance educational programs and career pathways in Fort Worth public schools to help prepare students for their future careers and, including careers that help meet the current and future needs of business and industry in Fort Worth and North Texas.

Learn more about Mayor's Council on Education & Workforce and Where Achievement Begins: https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/government/mayor/mayors-council-education-workforce

On Monday, May 13 Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, who chairs the U.S Conference of Mayors (USCM) Mayors and Police Chiefs Task Force, along with Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes welcomed Mayors and Police Chiefs from across the United States to Fort Worth for the USCM Meeting of Mayors and Police Chiefs. Over the course of the day-long meeting, the mayors and police chiefs heard from foremost experts and engaged in discussion on the challenges and opportunities around public safety issues facing cities across the country, including officer staffing and retention, violent crime reduction strategies, the fentanyl crisis, and strengthening police-community relations.

Among the more than 50 mayors and chiefs from around the country were Mayor of Kansas City Quinton Lucas and Mayor of Tampa Jane Castor, who joined Mayor Parker for a conversation about public safety in their own cities and what cities can learn from each other in becoming stronger and safer.

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker discusses five highlights from 2023: redistricting and an expanded City Council, new tax exemptions and the FY2023-2024 budget, explosive economic development growth, the launch of the Good Natured Fort Worth Greenspace Initiative, and innovative new investments in affordable housing efforts. Plus, a few items to look to in 2024: the Park, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan, 2050 Comprehensive Plan, and the move to Future City Hall.

Find links to more information in the episode notes.

Mayor Parker talks with Toby Owen, CEO of Presbyterian Night Shelter, and Kirsten Ham, VP of Career and Workforce Development of Presbyterian Night Shelter, about the success of the UpSpire program which provides steady employment opportunities for people experiencing homelessness, and larger efforts happening citywide to address shelter, workforce, and affordable housing needs.

Mayor Mattie Parker discusses her top budget priorities for the upcoming City of Fort Worth FY2024 budget discussions, which include public safety, exceptional city services, and green space, while ensuring the City reduces the property tax rate.

The Fort Worth City Manager is set to present the proposed budget to the Fort Worth City Council on Aug. 8. In the weeks that follow, there will be a series of meetings with the Council and community for feedback before the final budget for FY2024 is approved by City Council in September, taking effect Oct. 1.

Additionally, Mayor Parker outlined these top budget priorities in a memo to City Management. Read the full memo here: https://medium.com/@mayormattieparker/fort-worth-mayor-announces-budget-priorities-for-fy2024-e63ae062d841

Mayor Parker discusses the City Council's unanimous vote to approve a $20K increase in the Over 65 and Disability Residential Homestead Exemptions at the Fort Worth City Council on June 27, 2023 as well as several violent crime reduction initiatives ongoing this summer, including the One Second Collaborative and Fort Worth Safe.

Links to more information are available in the episode notes.

Mayor Parker discusses items from the Visit Fort Worth contract approved at the Fort Worth City Council on April 25, 2023 as well as the Where Achievement Begins celebration of workforce-ready graduates and early voting in local elections.

Links to more information are available in the episode notes.

Mayor Parker discusses items from the Fort Worth City Council on April 11, 2023: street racing concerns and FWPD response, the deal for a new Carhartt distribution center in Fort Worth, and newly-allocated funds to combat opioid crisis locally.

Links to more information are available in the episode notes.

Mayor Parker discusses items from the Fort Worth City Council and Local Development Corporation Board meetings on March 23, 2023: $500,000 of operation funding over the next two years to establish The Fort Worth Entrepreneurship Center, $1.5 million incentives over several years for a electronic game design company, and formalizing the policy for innovation districts.

Mayor Parker discusses items from the Fort Worth City Council, Housing Finance Corp. Board, and Crime Control & Prevention District Board meetings on February 28, 2023: violent crime reduction data, $11 million project in housing for homeless families and victims of domestic violence, and council proposal on Financial Openness, Responsibility and Transparency Act (FORT Act).

Links to more information are available in the episode notes.