Garland, TX – The City of Garland held a back-to-back City Council Work Session and Regular Meeting on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. Key items for discussion at the Work Session were the continued efforts to develop a soccer complex and the City’s engagement with MD Health Pathways, which brought in testimony from dozens of people. Public comments lasted more than two hours, with a majority of those coming forward with their thoughts on the City’s engagement with MD Health Pathways.
Public Comments:
Holford Soccer Complex
David Parrish, President of the Preservation Society for the Spring Creek Preserve, came forward to express the importance of protecting the natural space in and around Spring Creek Forest from further disruption with the development of the planned soccer complex. Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Lucht asked Parrish directly, “Do you think that the plans as it’s presented tonight will have a negative impact on the Preserve?” Parrish politely responded, “It will have maybe not a significant impact, but it will have an impact.” He went on to urge for a better buffer around the forest.
MD Health Pathways
Supporters:
- Rosa Fuentes
- Julie Azucena Navarro
- Javier Olivares
- Ms. Rodriguez
- David Navarro
- Bob and Pam Chism
- Chance Marshall
Rodriguez pointed out that although she is insured her copay is $50 to see her specialist where she believes she already knows what is going on adding, “This has just been a very convenient service for me.”
Navarro came forward to explain that he is currently uninsured and is in favor of using Tap Telehealth sharing, “For me, when I was sick just recently, this saved me an entire day. I had Tamiflu in my hands within two hours.”
Chism shared about their experience using the service, “I have Medicare. I came home from a trip and my ear was really messed up from a sinus infection and flying… It was on the weekend. And so I thought, well, I’ll give this a try and so I got it out and I was connected immediately with someone who spoke with me, told me some things to try… It was on the weekend where I couldn’t see my doctor, and I was very glad to have that option.”
Marshall, a paramedic for more than two decades, shared his support for the program and how he believes it might help reduce burden on EMS calls for minor medical concerns. “What I’m worried about is having ambulances available for when your mom has that stroke, or your dad has a couple beers and falls and smokes his head…”
Opponents:
- Shirley Roberts
- Janie Britton
- Carol Kerbel
- Nancy Click
- Deborah Ayers
- Danny Starnes
- Sumer Wasef
Roberts added, “These are the cities that Pathways is now serving at 5 or $6 a household: Ferris, Henderson, Troop, Crandall… I think one of them was 671 households. However, one of them was close to 5,000… If 5,000 people can get this at $6, why would they charge $60 for us if we don’t opt-in everybody?”
Nancy Click expressed concern over the flyer she received with her utility bill. “There are people that need a letter to say this is what’s going to happen. One, two, three, and ya’ll have not done that,” shared Click. Councilmember Dutton pointed out that efforts to send a letter were denied, and Mayor Hedrick addressed the comment adding, “I wanted to go per the contract and there are certain requirements we have to meet for advertising, and I didn’t want to spend additional taxpayer dollars going beyond what is in the contract.”
Deborah Ayers pointed out that she believed the frustration within the community stems largely from the City’s lack of communication about the potential program in the months leading up to the August vote to move forward with an agreement with MD Health Pathways. Ayers shared that she is a marketing and communications professional and added, “When you roll out a program of this magnitude and you’re going to add a healthcare charge to a utility bill, I think you know we’re going to understand that people are going to be confused,” she continues adding, “And I understand… what you’re saying about well we’ve had the meeting minutes posted, but like you guys, we’re all very busy and we don’t have time to proactively go out there and search for things.”
Starnes asked the Council to cancel the contract altogether adding, “I keep hearing that the City and the vendor will do everything possible to contact every resident to notify them about the program. If that is true, then why not simply ask the residents to sign up when you contact them?”
Neutral:
- Harold Hensley
Hensley initially came forward opposing, but took a more nuanced stance recognizing the service could be beneficial for some people.
Garland Police Boxing Gym (On the agenda for the Regular Meeting)
Sheena Sherapta came forward with a public comment urging the Council to support efforts to expand the Police Boxing Gym. She shared that the gym has helped keep many vulnerable kids out of gangs and onto a brighter path, adding a story about one boxer named Alex who nearly qualified for the Olympics, “[Alex] was supposed to go to [a party], and his friend went and actually was shot and didn’t make it. And [Alex] didn’t go to that party because he was at the gym with the program mentoring kids and coaching kids.”
Work Session Agenda:
Originally, the new HR Director was to be introduced to the Council, however due to the lengthy public comments that has been rescheduled to the next available meeting. First on the agenda for discussion was the newly updated Holford Soccer Complex plans which featured 8 fields adjacent to the Spring Creek Forest Preserve. Here is the staff presentation.
Next, staff presented the 2026 proposed Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and residents may view those plans online here.
Finally, the MD Health Pathways program update was presented with regard to the timeline of adding the program to the utility bill and how that could be made possible with the AUS system.
Watch the full meeting online here.
The next Garland City Council Work Session is scheduled for February 2, 2026. Here is a breakdown of the upcoming agenda.
