Dallas Area Cultural Advocacy Coalition Candidate Survey City of Dallas Elections 2015

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1 Dallas Area Cultural Advocacy Coalition Candidate Survey City of Dallas Elections 2015 Candidate Name/Address/Phone (please include your website address/ ): Adam McGough 9827 Windledge Dallas TX (214) Votemcgough.com What Elective office are you running for? Dallas City Council, District 10 Please attach a resume to this survey and return your completed survey to: Dallas Area Cultural Advocacy Coalition 3630 Harry Hines Blvd. Dallas, TX Or fax to 214/ to the Attention of DACAC Please return by April 15, 2015 You can download electronic copy from 1. What Arts events or performances have you attended in the past year and what Arts organizations or commissions have you served as a Board Member, Volunteer, Contributor, or Season Ticket holder? Please list all cultural groups even if not in Dallas and how you participated. Le Mis, A Christmas Carol, Phantom of the Opera, Rocky Horror Show, Stagger Lee, City Lights and many other smaller events. Within the parameters established, I help facilitate Dallas Arts Week for the Mayor. I helped Project Discovery with the Dallas Theater Center support a theater program for South Oak Cliff High School. I worked with the Mayor s Rising Star Council to create and fund public art installations across Southern Dallas. 3. The City of Dallas currently allocates more than seventeen million dollars from the general fund to support City-owned arts facilities and also to directly fund programs for more than one hundred and fifty arts organizations throughout the City. How do you propose to honor the City s obligations and also increase direct funding in support of performances and services? We must actively work to not only restore pre-recession funding levels to our arts organizations, but there must be a greater understanding of the role our cultural institutions and arts community play in our economy and drawing new people to our area. I will work to honor our obligations as an integral part of my priorities as a councilmember. I will also advocate for support for smaller arts groups and public art in District 10.

2 4. Crime in our City continues to be an issue that we are all concerned about. Adding police Officers certainly addresses the need to fight crime, but to really bring the crime rate down, we need to address crime prevention. What role, if any, do you think the arts can play in crime prevention strategies? The arts already play a major role in crime prevention and helping our youth from the wrong path. Many arts organizations, like Junior Players, Big thought s Creative Solutions, Thriving Minds and others are good examples of when arts become part of a kids life, good things happen. I would love to see increased support for programs that work with at-risk youth. These programs work and need our attention. Project Discovery has had a direct impact on several kids who I work with in Southern Dallas. Arts can be a tool for economic development as well as crime prevention. 5. Corporate relocations to the Dallas area are highly desirable to grow our economy and add jobs. How would you integrate the arts into your strategy for attracting corporate relocations? Corporations and people that are moving to Dallas today want to see a thriving arts community, world-class parks and libraries and walkable/bikeable neighborhoods. If we are to continue to draw people and companies to our area, we must realize the arts must be integral to any strategy. 6. How important is Cultural Tourism to the development of our economy and what is your strategy to increase cultural tourism for our City? I believe cultural tourism is very important and already plays a major role as we become a destination city for the arts. The more top art attractions we support, the more we will draw cultural tourists. I would work with the DVCB to increase cultural tourism and make our facilities friendly to draw more arts symposiums and major events to our area. We need one or more signature ideas that focuses national attention on Arts in Dallas. I would look to bring a signature concept to District 10 because I do think Arts should spread both in the Arts District and beyond. 7. Dallas is the only major city in Texas that does not allocate a portion of the Hotel/Motel tax to support arts events and performances that draw people to our city. What is your position on allocating a portion of the Hotel/Motel tax to support arts and culture. I support allocating a portion of the Hotel/Motel tax to support art and culture. 8. Are you familiar with the City of Dallas - Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) funding programs and what changes, improvements or other innovations would you recommend for OCA Programs? I have been frustrated with the strategic focus of the OCA in that I have not really known what

3 the strategic plan really is. The last Cultural Policy and Program was adopted in November of The vision and mission are good, but it is time for an updated plan that takes into consideration our current arts and culture climate. We also need specific measures in place to hold our OCA accountable to the community. 9. What s your opinion on bringing together City, Corporate and Foundation sources in our community to create more resources for arts and culture and improve communication about the cultural activities that exist in our community? I m a strong believer in public-private partnerships. I believe we need a comprehensive arts funding master plan to set goals and bring stakeholders together to initiate a plan. 10. The City of Dallas has invested significant resources to the acquisition and development of Public Art including sculptures, murals, paintings, and other art works in our public spaces. What opinions or suggestions do you have regarding the Public Art Program? Our city public art is a jewel. We all gain through public art, both cultural and economic value. It reflects our community and invigorates public spaces. We must have a properly funded maintenance program. I have seen some really special public art installations across the country and I will advocate for interesting, connecting, interactive art in District 10 and across the city. 11. The current needs inventory to address a serious level of deferred maintenance, repairs and replacements for City-owned arts facilities totals more than $186 Million dollars and further delay in addressing these issues will only increase the costs. How would you propose to handle this problem, prioritize the needs, and what kind of plan would you propose to address this issue. We must maintain our facilities. We must prioritize the needs inventory and fund an appropriate amount in the next bond election. With our infrastructure needing so much we also must find public/private ways to handle some our repairs and maintenance needs. 12. If elected, you will appoint representatives to a variety of boards and commissions. What criteria will you use to select appointees and specifically, what would be your requirements for your appointee to the City of Dallas, Cultural Affairs Commission? I will appoint a person from my district who feels as I do, that the arts is an integral part of our community and its future.

4 B. Adam McGough 5521 Greenville Ave. #104, Suite 211 Dallas, Texas (214) DEMONSTRATED SKILLS MEDIATION & CONFLICT RESOLUTION MANAGEMENT & SUPERVISION LAW & LITIGATION EDUCATION & TRAINING LEGAL EXPERIENCE City of Dallas, City Attorney s Office, Dallas, TX Chief of Community Prosecution & Community Courts (August Present) Executive Assistant City Attorney Deputy Chief of Community Prosecution (October 2008 August 2011) Manage and oversight of a team of seventeen attorneys, eight code officers, and three fully staffed community courts Combine a practice of civil litigation, criminal prosecution, and community conflict resolution Audit Compliance for Federal JAG Grant funding Trainer: National Crime Prevention Council (April 2013) 100% Success rate on TABC Administrative Law proceedings City Task Force on Group Homes Participant Project Safe Neighborhood Organizer and Presenter Community Mediation Trainings Presented for: DPD, Code Compliance & Community Prosecution. National Community Prosecution Training (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012). Old East Dallas Community Prosecutor (October 2005 September 2008) City of Dallas Wall of Honor: Honored for dedicated service to Old East Dallas Community McGough Law Firm, PLLC, Dallas, TX Solo Practitioner (May 2003 October 2005) General law practice including specific experience in civil litigation, trial advocacy, criminal defense, settlement advocacy, corporate law, contract negotiation and litigation, real property issues, and estate planning Lone Star Resolutions, LLC (Conflict Resolution Firm), Dallas, TX President, CEO Attorney-Mediator (May 2004 Present) Provide array of dispute resolution services including: mediation, arbitration, negotiation, case evaluation, facilitation, mini-trials, and ADR training TEACHING EXPERIENCE El Centro Community College, Dallas, TX Director of the Conflict Management Program, Fall 2008 to Present

5 Teaching Faculty: Mediation, Negotiation, Conflict Dynamics, Divorce Mediation, Law for Mediators, Advanced Mediation, and Advanced Negotiation Organized Small Claims Mediation Program Served on Numerous Committees for El Centro College as well as the DCCCD including: President s Strategic Planning Committee Faculty Association, Alternate for Arts & Sciences Division IT Advisory Committee Communications Section of the CORE Implementation Committee Completed Training and Requirements for the Visions of Excellence Faculty Sponsor for the Conflict Resolution Society Adjunct Faculty in Conflict Management Program, Spring 2007 Fall 2008 Southern Methodist University, Plano, TX Masters Program in Dispute Resolution, Fall 2009 to Present Adjunct Teaching Faculty: Mediation & Dispute Resolution Foundations of American Legal Systems. University of San Francisco School of Law, San Francisco, CA Adjunct Professor at the Intensive Advocacy Program, Summers 2004 to 2009 Texas Mediator Trainers Roundtable Council Member Judge, Coach, and PONY League Umpire Judge moot court competitions, coach mock trial & negotiation teams, and umpire baseball games. MEMBERSHIPS Admitted to Practice: Supreme Court of Texas & All State Courts, Licensed May 2003; U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Admitted December 2003 Texas Bar Association: Section of Dispute Resolution Dallas Bar Association: Vice Chair ADR Section; Litigation Section, Government Section American Bar Association: Section of Dispute Resolution; Litigation Section; General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section Association of Attorney Mediators Federal Bar Association Texas Young Lawyers Association Dallas Association of Young Lawyers: DAYL Life Foundation Member; 2004 Leadership Class; Co-Chair Poker for Playgrounds Committee Credentialed Distinguished Mediator, Texas Mediator Credentialing Association Texas Association of Mediators, Full Member 2004 to Present Association of Conflict Resolution, Member and Presenter Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas 2004 to Present Christian Trial Lawyers Association, Member EDUCATION Pepperdine School of Law Straus Institute for Dispute Resolutions, Malibu, CA

6 Master of Laws in Dispute Resolution, May 2005 Specialization in Mediation Center for Conflict Resolution, Mediator California Academy of Mediation Professionals, Mediator Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, Dallas, TX Juris Doctor, May 2003 SMU Computer Law Review & Technology Journal, Editorial Board, Article Solicitations Director Dean s List Phi Delta Phi Honor Fraternity Board of Advocates, Master Advocate & Executive Board Member William Mac Taylor American Inn of Court Student Bar Association, Mentor to first-year law students SMU Criminal Justice Clinic, Chief Counsel & Student Attorney Legal Research and Writing Program, Teaching Assistant for Professor Beverly Dureus The Honorable Karen Johnson, Judicial Extern, Spring 2003 Christian Legal Society SMU Summer in Oxford Program, University College, Oxford England, Summer 2001 University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA Intensive Advocacy Program, May 2002 The University of Texas, Austin, TX Bachelor of Arts in Economics, May 2000 Minor Coursework in Biology, Philosophy, Finance Delta Tau Delta Fraternity Social Chairman & Executive Board member Longhorns for Christ Student Government Student Body Vice President Candidate University of Alacante, Alacante, Spain Spanish Proficiency Certificate, July 1998 COMMUNITY SERVICE Texas Association of Mediators Board of Directors & Co-Chair of the Annual Conference in Dallas, 2013 Imagine Dallas, Inc., Dallas, TX Founding Director & Community Activities Director and Trainer Dispute Mediation Services, Inc. Member of the Board of Directors (Vice President) & Volunteer Mediator Youth Conflict Resolution Center Trainer and participant. Department of Justice Weed and Seed Executive Board Participant & Volunteer

7 East Dallas Community Organization Volunteer Board representative, Activity Coordinator, and Committee Participant, Fall 2005 Present Cesar Chavez Learning Center Site Based Decision Makers, Past Board Member Exall Park Advisory Board Past Member Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas Member, Maintain over 80 hours of pro bono service legal service per year Lifeline Chaplaincy Certified Chaplain Provide compassionate support to the seriously ill, their family, and caregivers DAYL Leadership Class (2004) Co-Chair of the Poker for Playgrounds Committee Planned and organized sponsorships, vendors, and participants to raise money for children E-Mentoring, Esq2 Mentor Provide mentoring and advice through for Dallas Independent School District students at high risk who have expressed an interest in going to college Dallas Kids Project Volunteer Taught local elementary children about the law and help them try a case Boys & Girls Club Volunteer and Coach ADDITIONAL TRAINING Pepperdine University School of Law: Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution Basic Mediation Training Pepperdine Law School: Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution (2003) Advanced Mediation Training Pepperdine Law School (2004) Teaching Law School ADR Classes (2011) Tools for Mindful Awareness (2011) University of Texas School of Law Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution Resolving Public Policy Conflicts and Managing Contention in Public Meetings (July 07) The Next Generation of ADR (2010) Getting to the Heart of Conflict (2010) Harvard Law School, Boston MA. (Summer 2006) Mediation Seminar Mediation Pedagogy Conference (Spring 2009) Lipscomb University, Institute for Conflict Management Southeast Conference on Conflict Management (2012) Texas Association of Mediators Annual Conference (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2013) Texas Mediator Credentialing Association

8 Annual Symposium (2010) ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Annual Conference (2009, 2011) Association of Conflict Resolution Annual Conference (2006) Association of Attorney Mediators Advanced Mediation Training (2002) (2013) Los Angeles Superior Court Civil Harassment Training (2003) Social Psychology in Conflict Resolution (2003) Domestic Relations Mediation Training SMU Dispute Resolution Certificate Program (2004) Negotiation Workshops and Training Collaborate Law Training Dallas Bar Association (2005) PERSONAL INTERESTS Proud Husband and Father of 3 boys Active Member Prestoncrest Church of Christ Avid Athlete Captain of Texas Soccer Championship Team Ran with the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain Appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman