Indian-American CEO named chair of community bond task force in Dallas

Indian-American CEO of Dallas-based ‘Nextt’, Arun Agarwal, has been appointed chair of the Community Bond Task Force (CBTF) committee as part of the 2024 Capital Bond Programme development process.

Agarwal will lead the Community Bond Task Force committee, a 15-member group, to assist the Dallas city council and city staff in reviewing and selecting projects for consideration in the 2024 Capital Bond Programme.

Bond programmes are intended to pay for the city’s capital needs and must be approved by voters. That means the authorised funds cannot legally pay for salaries, benefits, and other ongoing programmatic costs.

“I’m particularly excited to help make major investments in parks, trails, and recreational facilities,” Agarwal told PTI.

“Mayor Johnson has been a true champion for our city’s parks and for the efforts to build a safer and more vibrant city. I look forward to working with Mayor Johnson, my colleagues on the task force, and the residents of Dallas as we work to prioritise our city’s most pressing needs.”

“The upcoming bond programme will provide us with a critical opportunity to build for our future by investing in public safety, in infrastructure, and in our most significant needs,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said in a statement.

“Arun Agarwal has proven to be an effective and engaged leader in our city, and I am confident he will advocate for the right priorities for the people of Dallas on this task force.”

The task force will assess the city’s USD 13.5 billion needs inventory and recommend roughly USD 1 billion to the Dallas city council, which will make the final decision to call a bond election.

The mayor said Agarwal’s appointment underscores his administration’s commitment to ensuring that parks are treated as a top priority in the bond programme.