A Dallas County judge granted a temporary restraining order against the city of Dallas Tuesday, preventing a meeting that would have decided the next steps on City Hall.
The decision comes a day after Dallas City Council members Adam Bazaldua, Paula Blackmon and Cara Mendelsohn filed for the temporary restraining order, or TRO.
The special called meeting about City Hall was scheduled for Wednesday, less than a week after the City Council heard updated repair costs and plans for a possible phased approach.
But the council members argued the meeting was rushed.
In his order, Judge Eric Moye said there was evidence that "harm is imminent" to the council members and the public if the court did not grant the TRO.
"The public's right to transparent and lawful decision-making will have been violated, and no after-the-fact remedy can restore that right," Moye wrote. "Moreover, Dallas City Hall is an irreplaceable civic landmark. Any action taken that threatens the building's continued existence or integrity constitutes irreparable harm that cannot be remedied by monetary damages."
In a statement Tuesday, Bazaldua said the court affirmed council members’ concerns.
“Regardless of one’s stance on the City Hall debate,” said Bazaldua, who has been a supporter of staying at the current building, “I believe we can all agree that our city government should operate with transparency and due diligence for the benefit of the people of Dallas.”
The TRO will expire in 14 days. A hearing for a temporary injunction has been set for June 18 at 1 p.m.
Dallas City Council still has its regularly scheduled agenda meeting on Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Got a tip? Email Megan Cardona at mcardona@kera.org.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you!
