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FINGER AFTER YOU.COUNCIL MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN, DISTRICT C COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ, DISTRICT D COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS, DISTRICT F VICE CHAIR, ED POLLARD, DISTRICT J COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KOSH AT LARGE POSITION THREE.
COUNCIL MEMBER STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER'S.
OFFICE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE KNOX'S, OFFICE AND STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MARY NAN HUFFMAN'S OFFICE.
ALL BUDGET WORKSHOPS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PERSON ONLY.
PUBLIC SPEAKERS HAVE THE OPTION TO COME IN IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY 48 HOURS PRIOR TO THE START OF ALL WORKSHOPS.
PRESENTATION MATERIALS ARE UPLOADED TO SHAREPOINT AND HARD COPIES DELIVERED TO EACH COUNCIL OFFICE.
OUR DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TO PROVIDE WRITTEN RESPONSES WITHIN 48 HOURS OF THE CONCLUSION OF THEIR PRESENTATION TO ANY QUESTIONS POSTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SHAREPOINT.
THE BUDGET WORKSHOP SCHEDULE IS POSTED ON THE BFA WEBSITE.
QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN BE UPLOADED AT ANY TIME DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP PROCESS.
THE EARLIER THE BETTER, ALLOWING THE DEPARTMENT'S PLENTY OF TIME TO PROVIDE RESPONSES.
ALL PUBLIC SPEAKERS SHOULD BE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
IF YOU HAVE NOT SIGNED UP, PLEASE SIGN UP AT THE FRONT TABLE.
MY STAFF CAROLINA WILL BE MONITORING THE PUBLIC SPEAKER'S LIST.
THE 2023 BUDGET AMENDMENT TEMPLATE HAS ALSO BEEN UPLOADED TO SHAREPOINT.
MAYOR TURNER SENT OUT A MEMO TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COUNCIL OFFICES TO ENSURE A PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION ON THE 23 PROPOSED BUDGET.
AMENDMENTS ARE DUE WEDNESDAY, MAY 25TH.
AGAIN, AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET ARE DUE WEDNESDAY, MAY 25TH.
THE AGENDA TODAY, WE'LL HEAR FROM PUBLIC WORKS, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, IT, HUMAN RESOURCES, OFFICE OF BUSINESS, OPPORTUNITY FLEET MANAGEMENT HOUSING DEPARTMENT, AND HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
AS A REMINDER, ONLY PEOPLE ATTENDING VIRTUAL OR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
THERE ARE SIX VIRTUAL SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TO SPEAK AND THERE ARE 13 PEOPLE IN VIRTUALLY JOINING US AND WE'LL GET THEIR QUESTIONS AFTER THE PRESENTATIONS.
AND QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN CONCLUDED.
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN AT LARGE POSITION FIVE AND STAFF FROM CARLOS CISNEROS, OFFICE COUNCIL DISTRICT H.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME DIRECTOR CAROL HADDOCK AND MR. SAMIR SOLANKI AND TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT'S UPDATE AND HAPPY PUBLIC WORKS WEEK.
UH, TODAY WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
MY NAME'S CAROL HADDOCK, DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, AND I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE SAMIR SLANKY, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
WE HAVE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS EXECUTIVE TEAM AND ALSO OUR BUDGET TEAM, UH, THAT HAVE JOINED US IN THIS MEETING SO THAT WE MAY BE ANSWER QUESTIONS ON THE SPOT IF YOU MAY HAVE THEM.
OH, OH WAIT, YOU'RE ALREADY AT THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AIMS TO ABIDE BY OUR PURPOSE AND OUR FIVE TO THRIVE VALUES IN ALL THAT WE DO.
UH, TOGETHER WE CREATE A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR HOUSTON TO THRIVE AND WE DO THIS EVERY DAY BY DOING THE THINGS THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T SEE OR NOTICE, UH, UNLESS SOMETHING GOES WRONG AND WE, UH, WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THAT.
UH, WE EMBODY OUR FIVE TO THRIVE VALUES EVERY DAY.
UH, WE OPERATE THROUGH INTEGRITY, THROUGH TEAMWORK.
WE TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THINGS WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
UH, WE WE STRIVE TO COMMUNICATE AND WE LOOK FOR RESPECT STARTING WITH OURSELVES, OUR COLLEAGUES, THE CITIZENS WE SERVE THIS BODY AND ULTIMATELY THE CITY OF HOUSTON ITSELF.
EXECUTIVE TEAMS CONSISTS OF THE CAPABLE PEOPLE THAT YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE.
AT THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION, THERE IS A VERY EXTENSIVE APPENDIX.
UH, IT SHOWS ALL OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR FI FISCAL YEAR 2022, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT OVER YET.
AND WHILE I WOULD LOVE TO TALK ABOUT OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, I'M GOING TO SKIP THAT TODAY AND LEAVE THAT FOR YOU TO LOOK AT AT THE BACK OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE DO TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK THROUGH THAT AS YOU GO THROUGH IT.
NEXT SLIDES PLEASE, FOR WHAT YOU SEE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
OUR OPERATIONAL SERVICE LINES, UH, OUR FIVE SERVICE LINES THAT PROVIDE THE SERVICES, OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, UH, OUR CUSTOMER ACCOUNT SERVICES, HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER, HOUSTON WATER AND TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS.
UH, THESE SERVICE LINES DON'T HAVE A SINGLE FUND COST FUND CENTER.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE MULTIPLE FUNDS AND MOST OF THEM HAVE MULTIPLE COST CENTERS.
UM, WE HAVE A LONG PRESENTATION AND I AM GOING TO HAND THIS OVER TO SAMIR SLANKY TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AT THIS TIME.
LIKE CAROL MENTIONED, THIS IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PRESENTATION.
WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO TRY AND GET THROUGH ALL THE INFORMATION IN THE
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TIME THAT'S ALLOTTED THIS, LIKE CAROL HAD MENTIONED, PUBLIC WORKS CONSISTS OF SEVERAL FUNDS AND THIS SLIDE SUMMARIZES THE CHANGES IN REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FROM FISCAL YEAR 2022 FOR EACH OF THESE FUNDS.I'M NOT GONNA CALL OUT EACH OF THESE NUMBERS AS WE'LL COVER ALL OF THIS IN DETAIL IN THE UPCOMING SLIDES.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THE VARIANCES ARE FROM THE FY 22 CURRENT BUDGET, AND BECAUSE THIS IS ROLLOUT SLIDE, THESE NUMBERS ARE IN MILLIONS.
ONCE WE GET TO EACH OF THE FUND, WE'LL BE TALKING IN THOUSANDS.
FIRST, WE'LL BEGIN BY DISCUSSING THE GENERAL FUND.
NOW THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE MAJOR SERVICES REQUIREMENTS, IMPACT AND POPULATION SERVED BY THE GENERAL FUND WITHIN THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
LET'S TAKE A LITTLE DEEPER THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS SERVICE DELIVERY.
THESE ARE THE REVENUE OVERVIEWS FOR THE REVENUE PORTION.
A SMALL AMOUNT IS BROUGHT IN FROM RECOVERIES AND REFUNDS, AND MAJORITY OF THIS IS FROM SALE OF CAPITAL ASSETS.
RECOVERIES AND REFUNDS ARE FROM THE RECOVERY OF ELECTRICITY COSTS FOR DECORATIVE LIGHTING THAT'S ABOVE THE CITY STANDARD.
SOMETHING LIKE CLOSER BETWEEN POLES OR HIGHER WATTAGE, UH, BULBS, WHICH THE CITY HAS PAID TO CENTER POINT AND BILLS BACK TO THE CORRESPONDING MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS WHO REQUEST THE ABOVE STANDARD LIGHTING.
THE MAJORITY OF SERVICES FOR THIS PORTION OF THE GENERAL FUND IS RELATED TO ELECTRICITY FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND STREET LIGHTS CITYWIDE, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A RESTRICTED ACCOUNT WITH NO BUDGETED FTES.
THE REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT SECTION GENERATES REVENUE FOR THE GENERAL FUND BY SELLING PROPERTY AND EASEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE HOUSTON AREA, AND THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY NINE POSITIONS WITHIN THIS FUND.
THIS SECTION IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGEMENT OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, REAL ESTATE INVENTORY, INCLUDING OVERSIGHT AND MANAGEMENT OF CITY OWNED PROPERTY INTEREST SUCH AS STREETS, EASEMENTS, ALLEYS, AND FIONA LAND.
AND THE PROCESS REQUEST FOR ENCROACHMENTS INTO STREETS OR ALLEYS THROUGH THE JOINT REFERRAL COMMITTEE PROCESS THE JRC PROCESS.
NOW WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE EXPENDITURES AND THIS IS A FURTHER BREAKDOWN OF THESE EXPENDITURES FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
THE GENERAL FUND'S LARGEST EXPENSE CONSISTS OF THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS AS I HAD MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, WHICH INCLUDES SERVICE CHARGEBACKS FOR FUELS, ELECTRICITY, IT ACCOUNTS, AND OTHER ITEMS. UH, THE PROJECTED BUDGET FOR ELECTRICITY IN THIS FUND IS 21.4 MILLION DUE TO TRANSITIONING FROM A FLOATING RATE TO A LOCKED IN ELECTRICITY RATE.
NOW THIS IS A DISCHARGE IS BROKEN UP BY PERSONNEL AND NON-PERSONAL ITEMS, AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE LARGEST AMOUNT IS MADE UP OF RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
THAT IS PRIMARILY ELECTRICITY, WHICH IS AT 21.4 MILLION AND THE IT HITS RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 300,000.
THE NET CHAIN SLIDE WALKS THROUGH THE ITEMS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE INCREASE IN EXPENDITURES FOR THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS PORTION OF THE GENERAL FUND.
THE OPERATING BUDGET DECREASED SLIGHTLY IN SUPPLIES BASED ON SPENDING TRENDS AS COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR 22.
THERE WERE INCREASES IN CONTRACTUAL OR MANDATED ADJUSTMENTS FOR RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS AND FERENCE SERVICES OF ABOUT 700,000, AS WELL AS 17,000 INCREASE IN HOPE AND BENEFIT RATES, WHICH RESULTED IN AN OVERALL INCREASE OF 3.3% IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET.
NOW LET'S MOVE ON TO THE PROJECT COST RECOVERY FUND.
THIS SLIDE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE MAJOR SERVICES REQUIREMENTS, IMPACTS AND POPULATION SERVED BY THE PROJECT COST RECOVERY FUND.
THIS IS A REVOLVING FUND AND IT DERIVES ITS REVENUES FROM DIFFERENT FUNDS WITHIN HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH MEANS THAT WHATEVER REVENUES ARE BROUGHT IN MUST BE FULLY EXPENDED.
THE PROJECT COST RECOVERY FUND REVENUES ARE INCREASING FROM 51.9 MILLION TO 55.7 MILLION FOR ABOUT A DIFFERENCE OF 3.8 MILLION.
THE PROJECT COST RECOVERY FUND EXPENSES ARE INCREASING, EXCUSE ME, UH, 2.8 MILLION OF THIS IS DUE TO INCREASE IN HOPE AND BENEFITS AND THE REMAINING INCREASES ARE IN RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS, INTERFUND SERVICES AND BUILDING MAINTENANCE.
AND THIS IS A PROGRAM ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, WHICH I'LL GO THROUGH INDIVIDUALLY.
THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS MANAGES AND ANALYZES TRAFFIC CALMING PATTERNS, COLLECTS DATA COORDINATES WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS TO DEVELOP TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE PROJECTS.
THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR ADMINISTERS THE CITY'S M-W-D-B-E PROGRAM.
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HAVE HOUSTON WATER, WHICH MANAGES CONTRACTUAL ISSUES AND OTHER REQUIRED COORDINATION RELATED TO THE NORTHEAST WATER PURIFICATION PLANT EXPANSION.THEN WE HAVE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES THAT PROCESSES THE PAY ESTIMATES AND PROJECT REIMBURSEMENTS, PROVIDES FINANCIAL REPORTS ON PROJECT AND GRANT RELATED ACTIVITIES, MONITORS AND ACCOUNTS FOR CIP RELATED REVENUES AND EXPENSES.
THEN WE HAVE CAPITAL PROJECTS, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS FOR THE CITY'S ADOPTED FIVE YEAR CIP PLAN.
THEN THERE'S ALSO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, WHICH PROVIDES AND MAINTAINS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT PLANNING, DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS, AND ALSO TECHNICALLY ASSIST THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORK INSPECTORS TO PERFORM WORK AND INPUT DATA INTO C-I-P-M-S FROM REMOTE SITES.
FINALLY, THE MANAGE AND SUPPORT BRANCH PROVIDES NECESSARY FUNDING TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF ACCURATE, RELIABLE, AND TIMELY BIWEEKLY PAYROLL REPORTS.
AND THIS CHART SHOWS A BREAKDOWN BETWEEN THE PERSONNEL AND NON-PERSONNEL.
THE TOTAL BUDGET PROPOSED IS 55.7 MILLION OF THAT THE PERSONAL ACCOUNTS FOR 45 MILLION.
NOW WE MOVE ON TO THE BUILDING INSPECTION FUND, WHICH IS ALSO THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER.
THE MAJOR SERVICES IS TO ENSURE BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES ADHERED TO CITY OF HOUSTON'S BUILDING CODE, AS WELL AS REVIEW AND APPROVE COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE IMPACT IS SAFETY, USABILITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PRIVATE AND PUBLICLY BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
THE BUILDING INSPECTION FUND REVENUES ARE INCREASING FROM 84.4 MILLION UP TO 91.0 MILLION FOR A 6.7 MILLION INCREASE DUE TO MORE ANTICIPATED PERMITTING AND CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AND ANNUAL CPI INCREASE IN FEES.
THE EXPENDITURES ARE DECREASING FROM 103 MILLION TO 1 0 2 0.5 MILLION, MAINLY DUE TO REDUCTION IN THE FISCAL 23 FOR THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW PERMITTING AND INSPECTION SYSTEM AND DECREASING IN LAND AND BUILDING COSTS FOR JOINT PARKING GARAGE WITH HPD.
AND THIS IS OFFSET BY THE INCREASE IN PERSONAL COSTS AND RESTRICTED BUDGETS.
AND THIS IS THE PROGRAM ORGANIZATIONAL CHART FOR THE BUILDING INSPECTION FUND AND FOR THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR.
WE HAVE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SERVES AS THE PRIMARY ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHTS AND NEEDS OF CITIZENS WITH DISABILITIES.
SERVES AS A LIAISON BETWEEN THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES.
THEN THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER, WHICH PERFORMS A REGULATORY ROLE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY, USABILITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
THEN ALSO THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF REVIEWS, PERMANENT, UH, PERMIT ADMINISTRATION AND FIELD INSPECTION FOR BUILDING CODES SIGNED ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEN WE HAVE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY THAT PROVIDES THE HIGHEST QUALITY TECHNOLOGY BASED SERVICES IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND COST EFFECTIVE MATTER.
THEN WE HAVE THE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT BRANCH, WHICH PROVIDES NECESSARY FUNDING FOR THE BUILDING INSPECTION, BIWEEKLY PAYROLL FUNCTION.
THE TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET IS 102.5 MILLION OF THAT PERSONNEL ACCOUNTS FOR AROUND 70.8 MILLION.
THE NON-PERSONAL BUDGET IS AROUND 31.6 MILLION.
5.4 MILLION IS FOR THE HUE PERMIT SYSTEM.
5.9 MILLION IS FOR THE HPC SUPPORT AND 4.3 IS FOR HPC.
IT AND SUPPLIES AND SERVICES RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS CONSISTS MAINLY OF HITS RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS, WHICH IS 2.7 MILLION.
HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS INDIRECT COSTS OF 2.3 MILLION.
CITYWIDE INDIRECT COST OF 1.6 MILLION FLEET RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS, WHICH IS 1 MILLION AND PAYROLL RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS OF ABOUT 1 MILLION.
THEN THE BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT OF 3.1 MILLION IS BROKEN DOWN INTO 1.5 MILLION OF CONSULTING SERVICES TO ASSIST THE CITY IN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PLAN REVIEW AND INSPECTION IN CITYWIDE DEVELOPMENTS WITH THE REMAINING 2.3 MILLION GOING TOWARDS VEHICLES AND OTHER SERVICES.
TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE, WHICH CONTAINS FUNDS 23 0 2 23 10, 23 11 AND 2312 FUNDS, 23 10, 23 11, AND 2312 COMPRISE OF THE BUILD HOUSTON FORWARD PROGRAM.
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THESE FUNDS WERE PREVIOUSLY ALL HELD IN 2310 AND WERE SPLIT INTO THREE FUNDS IN FISCAL YEAR 2021.THE PRESENTATION APPEARS TO HAVE DISAPPEARED FROM THE SCREENS.
WE HAVE A IT ISSUE AS YOU'RE RECOGNIZED, SO PLEASE FOLLOW ALONG ON YOUR PRINTED COPIES IF YOU HAVE THEM AT YOUR DISPOSAL.
OKAY, WE'RE ON SLIDE NUMBER 24.
THE MAJOR SERVICES PROVIDED ARE TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE STREET AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS TO PLAN FOR REINVESTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND GROWTH NEEDS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TO COORDINATE WITH OUTSIDE ENTITIES FOR IMPACTS THE CITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND USES.
THE IMPACTS AFFECT NEIGHBORHOOD DRAINAGE, SUB-REGIONAL OR DRAINAGE AND DETENTION AND CITYWIDE MOBILITY.
THIS IS THE OVERVIEW OF THE REVENUES FOR THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS.
THE STORM WATER FUND, WHICH IS 23.02, REVENUES ARE DECREASING BY 3.3 MILLION AND THIS IS DUE TO ABOUT 5.8 MILLION LESS TRANSFER NEEDED FROM THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM TO COVER OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.
AND THIS IS OFFSET BY AN INCREASE IN TRANSFER FROM THE DRAINAGE CHARGE FROM FUND 2310 BY 2 MILLION FUND 2310 REVENUES ARE INCREASING BY 400,000 DUE TO HIGHER PROJECTED AMOUNT OF INTEREST EARNED COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR 22, EXCUSE ME, THE AVALOR TAX FUND 2311 REVENUES ARE INCREASING BY 2.1 MILLION, MAINLY DUE TO 1.7 MILLION ADDITIONAL TAX REVENUES PROJECTED TO TRANSFER IN FROM THE GENERAL FUND AS WELL AS 400,000 HIGHER PROJECTED AMOUNT OF INTEREST EARNED COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR 2022.
THE METRO ETAL FUND 2312 IS MOSTLY FLAT INCREASING, MAINLY DUE TO 550,000 INCREASE IN INTERFUND REVENUES FOR POTENTIAL WORK PERFORMED BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS FOR OTHER HOUSTON PUBLIC SERVICE LINES OR OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS 315,000 FOR EXPECTED REIMBURSEMENTS UNDER THE METRO GENERAL MOBILITY PROGRAM.
AND THIS IS THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE EXPENDITURES ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, THE STORMWATER FUND IS DECREASING BY 1.5 MILLION DUE TO LOWER OPERATING COSTS, WHICH IS ABOUT 2000002.6 MILLION RESTRICTED BUDGETS OF ABOUT 300,000 AND CAPITAL ROLLOVERS OF 600,000.
THIS IS OFFSET BY AN INCREASE IN PERSONNEL COSTS OF ABOUT 2 MILLION.
THE D-D-S-R-F FUNDS GROUP ARE INCREASING BY 6.2 MILLION DUE TO A 6.9 MILLION INCREASE IN TRANSFERS TO CIP, WHICH IS OFFSET BY 500,000 DECREASE IN SUPPLIES.
KEEPING IN MIND THAT 22, 23 10, 23 11, 23 12 MAKE UP THE DDSR FUNDS GROUP.
OH, WHERE ARE WE? THERE WE GO.
WE ARE ON SLIDE NUMBER 27 STORMWATER FUND 2302, THE PROGRAM ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR INSPECTING, CLEANING AND REPAIRING CURRENT STORM SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES MANAGES PAYMENT OF THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON STORMWATER DEBT AND PENSION OBLIGATION BOND DEBT.
THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER MAINTAINS AND ADMINISTERED THE CITY'S TEXAS POLLUTION DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM.
THE T-P-D-E-S STORMWATER PERMIT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES A HIGHEST QUALITY TECHNOLOGY BASED SERVICE IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND COST EFFECTIVE MANNER.
AND THEN MANAGEMENT SUPPORT BRANCH PROVIDES TRAINING RELATED TO VARIOUS SAFETY PRACTICES, SAFETY AWARENESS INITIATIVES, AND ACTS AS A LIAISON BETWEEN DIVISION AND CERTAIN STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES.
I THINK I JUST WENT THROUGH 10.
THEN THE DDSR OF DRAINAGE CHARGE FUND 2310.
THE OFFICE OF THIS IS THE, AGAIN, THE PROGRAM, UH, ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, SLIDE 28.
WE HAVE THE CHIEF RECOVERY OFFICE LIAISONS WITH GOVERNMENTS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO REDUCE FLOODING RISK.
MISSION IS TO ENSURE A RAPID, RAPID QUALITY RECOVERY FROM HURRICANE HARVEY AND OTHER DISASTERS AND POSITION THE CITY TO BE LESS VULNERABLE TO THE NEXT RECORD BREAKING STORM.
THAT ALSO HELPS IDENTIFY TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECTS AND DESIGN STRATEGIES FOR MITIGATING FLOOD RISK AND ACHIEVING FLOOD RESILIENCY.
THEN WE HAVE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, WHICH MANAGES, UH, FUNDING FOR VARIOUS ITEMS SUCH AS TRANSFER FOR STROM WATER AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS MANAGEMENT SUPPORT BRANCH PROVIDES NECESSARY FUNDING TO ENSURE ACCURATE, RELIABLE, AND TIMELY BIWEEKLY PAYROLL REPORTS.
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CUSTOMER ACCOUNT SERVICES, WHICH PROVIDES BILLING AND CUSTOMER SERVICE TO DRAINAGE UTILITY CUSTOMERS.THE DDS RF AT VALOREM TAX FUND 2311, WHICH INCLUDES TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATION, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE OF STREETS AND BRIDGES, INSTALLATION OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEM.
INSTALLATION OF MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNS, PAVE MARKINGS AND FLASHING SCHOOL BEACONS.
MAINTENANCE OF ROADWAY LIGHTING ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS, CONDUCT STUDIES INVOLVING SPEED ZONES AND TRAFFIC COUNTS.
REVIEW OF STREET LINE INSTALLATIONS.
THEN THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES BRANCH, MANAGES FUND TRANSFER FOR CIP PROJECTS AND THREE 80 AGREEMENTS.
SLIDE 30 D-D-S-R-F METRO ETAL PROGRAM.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART OF WHICH A TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE OF STREETS AND BRIDGES, INSTALLATION OPERATION, MAINTENANCE OF THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEM, INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNS, PAVEMENT MARKINGS, AND FLASHING SCHOOL BEACONS.
MAINTENANCE OF ROADWAY LIGHTING FROM WHAT I HAD JUST UH, MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY IS ALSO PART OF THE 2312 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
PROVIDES HELP DESK DESKTOP APPLICATION TO WORK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SUPPORT ALONG WITH OTHER SYSTEM SUPPORT.
THE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT, UH, SERVICES BRANCH PROVIDES NECESSARY FUNDING TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RELATED TO EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND SAFETY.
UH, RESPONSE SUPPORT IN EMERGENCIES CREATED BY NATURAL OR MANMADE DISASTERS, SPILL RESPONSE, CONTRACT COMPLIANCE, ACCIDENT AND INJURY INVESTIGATIONS AND FIELD SURVEYS AND INSPECTIONS.
AND ALSO ENSURE ENSURES ACCURATE, RELIABLE, AND TIMELY BIWEEKLY PAYROLL REPORTS.
WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE BACK.
THE TOTAL PURPOSE PROPOSED BUDGET IS 390 MILLION OF WHICH PERSONAL ACCOUNTS FOR AROUND 71.6 MILLION AND NON-PERSONAL ACCOUNTS FOR AROUND 318 MILLION.
THE CASH TRANSFERS RELATED TO CAPITAL PROJECTS, EXPENDITURES, ACCOUNT CAPITAL PROJECTS, EXPENDITURES ACCOUNT FOR A BULK OF IT, AND THE REMAINING ITEMS ARE RELATED TO OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSE FOR STREET TRAFFIC AND DRAINAGE RELATED ITEMS. DEBT SERVICES IS MOSTLY COMPRISED OF RETIRING THE PRE 2012 PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BOND DEBT IN 2302, WHICH THE PRINCIPAL BALANCES ABOUT 18.8 MILLION.
CAN YOU SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME? SURE.
THE LAST PART, THE DEBT SERVICE IS MOSTLY COMPRISED OF RETIRING THE PRE 2012 PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BOND DEBT IN 2302, WHICH THE PRINCIPAL BALANCE IS ABOUT 18.8 MILLION.
TRANS STAR IS A COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM BETWEEN THE CITY, HARRIS COUNTY METRO, AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION THAT PROVIDES TRANSPORTATION, HOMELAND SECURITY, AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR CITY AND 13 SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
ON THE REVENUE SIDE, THE DECREASE IS DUE TO THE REDUCING GRANT CONTRIBUTIONS FROM METRO METRO REDUCED CONTRIBUTIONS BY 527,000 DUE TO METRO'S TAKEOVER OF THE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP OF TRANS STAR CENTER FROM GSD.
THE INCREASE IN CONTRIBUTION FROM CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY IS ABOUT 76,000 ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE.
PERSONNEL AND LAND AND GROUND MAINTENANCE SERVICES ARE THE MAIN DRIVERS FOR THE INCREASE.
THEN ALSO THE INCREASE IS ALSO DUE TO HOPE PENSION, UH, HEALTH INSURANCE AND LAND AND OTHER GROUND MAINTENANCE COSTS.
SLIDE NUMBER 34 5, EXCUSE ME, THE TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DIVISION, WHICH INCLUDES ABOUT 10 FTES THAT MANAGES, OPERATES, AND MAINTAINS A HOUSTON AND TRANSFER SYSTEM.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS 3.4 MILLION OF WHICH NON PERSONNEL ACCOUNTS FOR 2 MILLION.
THE BREAKOUT IS THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE ACCOUNTS FOR 1.7 MILLION, WHICH CONSISTS OF 575,000 FOR CONSTRUCTION SITE WORK SERVICES FOR ABOUT 400,000 FOR BUILDING MAINTENANCE.
150,000 FOR ADVERTISING, ABOUT 100,000 FOR CONTINGENCY AND 400,000 FOR VARIOUS OTHER SERVICES AND SUPPLIES.
THE OTHER REMAINING 373,000 BELONG TO RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS, WHICH INCLUDES ELECTRICITY HITS, AND THEN FLEET PAYROLL AND UTILITIES ACCOUNTS.
FINALLY, WE MOVE ON TO THE BIGGEST ENTERPRISE FUND, WHICH IS THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM.
THE LARGEST FUND GROUP WITHIN HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS THE MAJOR SERVICES FOR THE UTILITY OF PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF OVER 146 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER TREATMENT OF 90 BILLION GALLONS OF WASTEWATER
[00:25:01]
AND BILLING AND COLLECTION FOR 480,000 WATER AND WASTEWATER ACCOUNTS.THE REVENUE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE IN FUND 8,300.
THEY'RE INCREASING MAINLY DUE TO 280 MILLION WATER AND SEWER RATE INCREASE ADOPT, ADOPTED BY COUNSEL VIA ORDINANCE 2021 DASH 515 FUND 83 0 1.
THERE IS A 5.7 MILLION DECREASE IN SCHEDULED DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS, THEN FUND 83 0 5 IS THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM SAVINGS ACCOUNT AND DOESN'T TYPICALLY GENERATE REVENUE.
HOWEVER, IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, WE HAD A 9.4 UH, MILLION DOLLARS INCREASE DUE TO WATER AUTHORITIES CONTRIBUTION FOR THE LEASE BAYOU PAYMENT, WHICH IS ABOUT 9.4 9.5 MILLION.
THE EXPENDITURE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING FOR FUND 8,300.
THERE'S AN INCREASE OF 43.3 MILLION INCREASING OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS.
AND THIS IS BA BROKEN DOWN INTO VARIOUS CATEGORIES, WHICH INCLUDE ABOUT 9.5 MILLION IN CHEMICALS AND GAS, 3.3 MILLION MANAGEMENT CONSULTING SERVICES, 1.1, MISCELLANEOUS SUPPORT SERVICES, 8.1 MILLION EQUIPMENT SERVICES, 2.3 MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION SITE WORK SERVICES, 4.8 MILLION IN RIVER AUTHORITY CONTRACTS.
UH, 1.2 MILLION IN COMPUTER SOFTWARE, 2.8 MILLION INCREASES IN THE CONSENT, DECREASE STIPULATED PENALTIES, 4.2 MILLION, INCREASE IN BUILDING MAINTENANCE SERVICES, 2.1 MILLION INCREASE IN INTER FUND ELECTRICITY MAINTENANCE, 1 MILLION INTER FUND APPLICATION SERVICES, UH, 1.8 MILLION IN SYSTEM DEBT SERVICE TRANSFER, AND 1 MILLION IN NON-CAPITAL OFFICE EXPENDITURES.
THERE'S ALSO A 19 MILLION INCREASE IN PERSONNEL DUE TO HOPE AND BENEFITS RATE CHANGES AND A 2.3 DECREASE IN DEBT SERVICE TRANSFERS.
UM, FOR 83 0 1, THERE IS A 5.8 MILLION IN SYSTEM DEBT SERVICES PAYMENT.
THEN FOR FUND 83 0 5, WE HAVE AN INCREASE IN THE PAYGO, WHICH IS THE PAY AS YOU GO SERVICE, THE CASH FUNDING FOR THE CIP PORTION, THEN AN 11.7 MILLION INCREASE IN CAPITAL EQUIPMENT INCLUDING NEW AND ROLLOVERS, 4.7 MILLION INCREASE FOR METER REPLACEMENT PROGRAM AND 1.5 MILLION INCREASE FOR MCKINNEY BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENTS, AND 800,000 INCREASE FOR WATER AUTHORITY CONTRACT DEBT, AND THEN A 4.8 MILLION REDUCTION IN TRANSFER TO STORMWATER.
NOW A QUICK NOTE THAT WE ARE PURPOSELY MAKING THE DECISION TO INCREASE OUR CASH FUNDING OR THE PAYGO FUNDING FOR THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM CIP.
SO WE CAN CASH FUND PROJECTS INSTEAD OF DEBT FINANCING GIVEN THE CURRENT MARKET ENVIRONMENT THAT IS HIGH INFLATION AND ALSO WITH THE RISING INTEREST RATES.
THIS IS THE PROGRAM ORGANIZATIONAL CHART FOR THE WATER AND SEWER OPERATING FUND.
8,300 OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR PROVIDES LEADERSHIP AND OVERSIGHT IN THE OPERATIONS FOR THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
HOUSTON WATER PRODUCES AND SUPPLIES PORTABLE DRINKING WATER THROUGHOUT THE HARRIS COUNTY AND PORTIONS OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT MANAGES MONITORS AND CONTROLS DEPARTMENT'S FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING ACTIVITIES.
CAPITAL PROJECTS INITIATES AND MANAGES THE SALE OF SURPLUS UTILITY OWNED PROPERTIES.
IT IMPLEMENTS INSTALLS, CONFIGURES SUPPORTS AND MAINTAINS HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, COMPUTER SOFTWARE, TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND SOFTWARE SUCH AS SCADA YMAX NETWORK AND SECURITY SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SERV, UH, BRANCH PROVIDES SUPPORT IN THE AREAS OF RECORDS MANAGEMENT, FLEET SUPPORT AND INTERNAL REVIEW.
NOW WE HAVE CUSTOMER ACCOUNT SERVICES, WHICH READS MAINTAINS WATER SEWER METERS, PRODUCES THE BILLS, RECEIVES AND PROCESSES INVOICE PAYMENTS, MANAGES CREDIT AND COLLECTIONS PROCESSES, AND RESPONSE TO BILLING INQUIRIES.
THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET IS 1.6 BILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 OF WHICH PERSONNEL ACCOUNTS FOR 234 MILLION AND NON PERSONNEL BUDGET IS ONE POINT ROUNDED UP TO 1.4 BILLION.
THE NON PERSONNEL SECTION CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING, $583 MILLION IS FOR DEBT SERVICE, 285 MILLION WATER AND WASTEWATER OPERATIONS, 51 MILLION TRANSFER TO STORMWATER AND 300 MILLION FOR THE PAY AS YOU GO FOR THE CASH FUNDING FOR THE CIP.
THEN THIS IS THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM REVENUES EXPENDITURES, AND THIS SORT OF GIVES YOU A, A, A NET OVERVIEW.
AND IF YOU PLEASE NOTE THAT IN FISCAL YEAR 22 AND FISCAL YEAR 23, THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM IS SHOWING A BUDGETARY DEFICIT, WHICH THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM IS INTENTIONALLY SPENDING DOWN ITS FUND BALANCE.
[00:30:02]
THAT CONCLUDES THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET PRESENTATION.WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE AND FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR SKINNYING THIS DOWN.
UH, WHEN I SAW 20 PUBLIC SPEAKERS, I KNEW WE HAD TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF AN AUDIBLE, SO, UH, THANK YOU DIRECTORS.
UH, I NOTICED ON PAGE 40 YOU TALKED ABOUT, THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I HEARD THE WORD CONSENT DECREE.
HAVE WE HAD ANY BREACHES OF, OF THE, UH, CONSENT DECREE CHAIR THAT, I'M SORRY, WOULD YOU MIND REPEATING THE QUESTION? THE WASTEWATER HAS THE WASTEWATER.
HAVE WE HAD ANY BREACHES SINCE WE'VE ACTUALLY SIGNED THE, THE CONSENT DECREE? SO, SO WE HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE SOME SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS.
UM, THAT PART OF SIGNING THE CONSENT DECREE IS A, A AGREED PLAN TO INVEST AND REDUCE THOSE OVER TIME.
THERE'S A RECOGNITION WHEN YOU ASSIGN THE CONSENT DECREE THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO MAGICALLY STOP.
SO WE HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE SOME, UH, BUT WE ARE DOING BETTER.
UH, WE ARE SEEING, UH, SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS WITH THE INCREASED CLEANING AND TELEVISING THAT IS ALREADY HAPPENING.
LET ME ASK YOU, CONCERNING THE DEF I I I GET REPORTS OF DEFECTIVE WATER METERS.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS I GET IS, IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE, UH, WATER BILLS THAT, THAT CITIZENS ARE TRYING TO CONTEST THEIR WATER BILLS.
UH, HAVE WE DETERMINED, UH, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE, OF THE WATER METERS ARE DEFECTIVE IN, IN, UH, AND WHAT SHOULD THE CITIZENS DO? SO LET ME JUMP IN REAL QUICK.
IT IS, IT IS VERY RARE FOR AN ACTUAL WATER METER TO BE DEFECTIVE.
UM, IT IT, WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THE REMOTE READER THAT ATTACHES TO THE WATER METER, UH, THEY ARE 20 YEARS OLD AND THEY ARE, UM, UM, DYING EVERY DAY.
AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS WE HAVE, UH, MONTHS WHERE WE ESTIMATE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET A GOOD READ, UH, BUT THE, THE METERS THEMSELVES, IT'S VERY RARE FOR ONE TO BE DEFECTIVE.
SO IT'S NOT, DO NOT WAYS TO TEST THEM.
WELL, IF THE, IF THE DEVICE THAT'S ATTACHED TO IT THAT'S READING IT IS DEFECTIVE ARE ARE, ARE GETTING OLD, THEN THE CITIZEN WOULD CONSIDER THAT A DEFECTIVE WATER METER.
AND, AND, UH, BECAUSE THEY SEE IT AS ALL ENCAPSULATED IS ONE THING.
UH, HOW, HOW DO WE BUY FUEL, UH, GASOLINE OIL, UH, UH, GASOLINE AND AND DIESEL AND CNG? DO WE PURCHASE IT IN A, UH, AN ANNUAL BASIS OR DO WE, DO WE HAVE CONTRACTS? HOW DO WE GET OUR FUEL? SO I'M GONNA DEFER THAT TO FLEET AS, UH, THAT IS NOT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS PURCHASING SEPARATELY.
COUNCIL MEMBER, VICE CHAIR ED POLLARD.
THANK YOU CHAIR, AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, MY QUESTIONS ARE REGARDING PERMITTING.
UM, FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, WHAT ARE SOME PROCESSES OR SYSTEMS THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE OR THAT WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE TO, UH, STREAMLINE EXPEDITE SPEED UP THE, THE PERMITTING PROCESS? SO WE RECENTLY GAVE A PRESENTATION TO TTI ABOUT SOME OF THE, THE IMPROVEMENTS AND PROCESSES THAT ARE HAPPENING INTERNALLY.
UM, SOME OF THE, THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE, UH, IS UM, PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SAME REVIEWER TO REVIEW THE PLAN SET ON A, A SUBSEQUENT SUBMITTAL.
UM, BUT, UH, WE'VE ALSO, UM, AUGMENTED OUR CAPACITY BY HA BY EXECUTING OUTSIDE CONTRACTS THAT ALLOW US WHEN OUR CAPACITY EXCEEDS OUR, OUR PERSONNEL RESOURCES TO USE SOME OF THOSE OUTSIDE RESOURCES.
UH, WE'RE STILL, WE'RE STILL WORKING TO CATCH UP AND GET ON TOP OF IT.
WE ADMIT THAT WE ARE LONGER THAN WE NEED TO BE, UH, BUT WE, WE DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE TOOLS IN PLACE TO EAT DOWN THE BACKLOG AND KEEP UP MOVING FORWARD.
SO WHEN YOU SAY THAT, YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE KIND OF BEHIND, BUT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO, UH, CATCH UP, ARE THERE BENCHMARKS IN PLACE OR A STRATEGY IN PLACE THAT TO SHOW THAT, OKAY, WE KNOW WE NEED TO GET HERE, HERE'S HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF WHAT WAS PRESENTED AT TTI, UH, JUST RECENTLY.
I WOULD BE HAPPY IT IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, UM, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THAT.
AND CAN WE JUMP TO PAGE 25 REALLY QUICK DIRECTOR? IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO GET A DATE OF THAT MEETING IF YOUR STAFF IS ABLE TO HELP US WITH THAT.
FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBER, JUST FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
EVERYBODY HAS TO WATCH THOSE, SO, YEAH.
PAGE 25, IF WE CAN PULL IT UP ON THE SCREEN.
THERE WAS A, UM, FOR STORM WATER WE'RE SHOWING A 4.8, UH, PERCENT DECREASE CHANGE FROM VARIANCE FROM FISCAL YEAR 22 TO NOW.
CAN YOU FURTHER ELABORATE ON THAT? THESE,
[00:35:01]
TRYING TO FIND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE 4.8 MILLION, I'M SEEING A 5.8 MILLION LESS TRANSFER.THAT'S I SEE THE STORMWATER REVENUES, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? NOT THE EXPENDITURES, YES.
SO THE, THE REVENUES ARE DECREASING BY 3.3 MILLION.
THIS IS DUE TO $5.8 MILLION LESS TRANSFER NEEDED FROM THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM TO COVER OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS.
AND IT'S, UH, OFFSET BY AN INCREASE IN TRANSFER FROM 2310.
SO STORMWATER GETS ITS FUNDING FROM TWO AREAS.
ONE IS, UH, DDSR OF 2310, AND THE BULK OF THE, OF THE FUNDING COMES FROM THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM.
AND SO THIS YEAR THERE WAS A LESSER NEED AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE OF FUNDING FROM THE DDSR FUNDS GROUP.
SO IT NETS OUT TO ABOUT A 3.3 MILLION DECREASE IN THE FUNDING THAT WAS NEEDED FOR SHE WATER.
BUT THERE IS ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR IT, IN YOUR OPINION THERE.
BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, SALLY ALCORN, UH, WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AMY PECK, MARSHALL JACKSON, MARY ANN HUFFMAN, VICE MAYOR PRO TE MARTHA CASTEX TATUM AND CHAIRMAN DAVID ROBINSON, COUNCIL MEMBER OF SALLY ALCORN.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND THE D-D-S-R-F DRAINAGE FEE REVENUE.
I NOTICED THAT WE BUDGETED LAST YEAR, LIKE $113 MILLION IN REVENUE.
WE ENDED UP GETTING MORE THAN THAT, ABOUT 126 OR 28 MILLION, AND THEN WE'RE BUDGETING BACK DOWN AT 113.
IS THERE A REASON THAT WE HAD THAT INCREASE LAST YEAR AND OVER WHAT WE THOUGHT AND WHY AREN'T WE EXPECTING IT AGAIN? UH, SOME OF THESE, SOME OF THESE REVENUES, UM, IT DEPENDS ON PROJECTIONS.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE LOOK AT IT FROM A FUNDS PERSPECTIVE.
SO YOU'RE BUDGETING MORE CONSERVATIVELY ON REVENUES THERE.
JUST YOU DON'T WANT TO OVERESTIMATE VERSUS, OKAY, THANK YOU.
AND IN THE D-D-S-R-F-A VALOREM, UH, I SEE, UM, TRANSFERRED FROM THE GENERAL FUND WAS ABOUT 77 MILLION, WELL PLAN ABOUT 77 MILLION.
WE'RE ADVANCING ABOUT 97 MILLION TO CAPITAL PROJECTS.
I'M ASSUMING SOME OF THAT'S COMING FROM FUND BALANCE, CORRECT? FROM FROM FUND, FROM FUND BALANCE, YES.
WHEN WE GET THE TRANSFER FROM, FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THAT FUND, IT, THAT IS LESS WHAT'S PAID DOWN IN DEBT SERVICE THAT'S DONE BEFORE YOU GET THE TRANSFER.
THAT IS DEBT SERVICE PRIOR TO US COMING.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH DEBT HAS BEEN PAID DOWN? YES.
UM, FROM AVALOR, UM, SINCE REBUILT HOUSTON STARTED, THE AMOUNT OF DEBT THAT WE PAID OFF SO FAR HAS BEEN ABOUT, AND LET ME, UH, HAVE THAT INFORMATION HERE.
I DID BRING THAT 1.5 BILLION THAT'S BEEN PAID, AND WE HAVE ABOUT 905 MILLION, THAT'S STILL $1.5 BILLION IN DEBT.
AND THAT IS, THAT IS A MAJOR THING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT LET US BORROW FOR PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS.
I MEAN THAT THE REDUCTION IN DEBT WAS A, A BIG PART IN LETTING US BORROW MORE MONEY.
SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT FEATURE ON THE BUILDING INSPECTION FUND.
AND THAT, THAT PRESENTATION WAS DONE IN NOVEMBER, NOVEMBER 4TH OF LAST YEAR ON PERMITTING.
UM, SO WE'RE DUE FOR AN UPDATE AND COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON AND I ARE BE HOSTING A, AN EVENT, UM, ON PERMITTING AND PUT ME BACK IN THE QUEUE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KUBOSH.
UH, UH, ONCE AGAIN, THE, THE NUMBER OF OF COMPLAINTS THAT I RECEIVE E EACH EACH WEEK, UH, DEAL WITH EITHER WATER, WATER PROBLEMS, EITHER LEAKS OR, OR THEY FIT THE CUSTOMER THAT FEELS OVERBILLED.
AND, AND THE OTHER IS PERMITTING, UH, PERMITTING, UH, THE, THE CITIZENS JUST SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HIRE AN EXPEDITER TO GET A PERMIT, UH, DONE.
AND, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, UH, YOUR ROLE IS ON TRYING TO GET THIS PERMITTING DONE PROPERLY, BUT I KNOW THAT WE PASSED, UM, DURING THE PARKER ADMINISTRATION RIGHT BEFORE SHE LEFT, WE PASSED A ORDINANCE THAT ALLOWED THE PERMIT FEES TO GO INTO A SEPARATE FUND.
IS IS THAT STILL HAPPENING? SO THE, UH, THE, THE PERMITTING FUND THAT WE BRIEFED TODAY IS A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND THAT WAS CREATED DURING THAT TIME.
SO, SO IT IS A SUBSET OF THE GENERAL FUND, BUT IT IS, UM, IT, IT IS SOMEWHAT FIREWALLED OFF IN THE SENSE THAT THE FEES GENERATED BY PERMIT FEES STAY IN THAT FUND AND ARE USED FOR THE EXPENSES IN THAT FUND.
WELL, THE WHOLE PURPOSE FOR PERMITTING IS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND NOT FOR NECESSARILY REVENUE GATHERING.
I, BUT I, I DO WANT TO, UM, UH, SAY THAT WE, WE DEFINITELY NEED SOME HELP THERE.
UH, HOW MUCH MONEY, UH, OR DID WE, DID THE PUBLIC WORKS, UH, APPLY FOR ARPA FUNDS OR CARES DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON COVID-19 SEPARATE FROM THE, SO THAT IS, THAT IS SEPARATE FROM THIS, THIS BUDGET HEARING AND, AND WE'RE
[00:40:01]
HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT TO YOU SEPARATELY AND OFFLINE.UM, WE, WE WORKED WITH THE CITYWIDE PROCESSES FOR BOTH ARPA AND COVID AND, UM, WITHIN THE, THE CITY'S PRIORITIES, WE DID RECEIVE FUNDING IN BOTH OF THOSE CATEGORIES TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, BUT THAT, THAT IS, UH, UM, NOT INCLUDED IN THIS PRESENTATION AS WE WERE DIRECTED.
WELL, I WOULD SURE LIKE TO HAVE THAT, THAT SENT TO ME.
I MEAN, THE CITY OF HOUSTON RECEIVED ARCA FUNDS AND IT WAS SUBDIVIDED INTO EACH AND EVERY DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CITY.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOUR ALLOCATION WAS, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS.
UM, YOU WENT THROUGH THE PRESENTATION FAIRLY QUICKLY, SO CAN YOU CLARIFY SOME POINTS TO ME AND JUST GIVE ME CONTEXT FOR THE DIVISIONS THAT HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL BUDGET, BUT ZERO FTE? SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE GO TO PAGE 27, STORM WATER FUND, THE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT BRANCH, IT'S 296 MILLION, BUT THERE'S ZERO FTV, FTE.
CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY WHY IT'S A CHARGEBACK? YEAH, IT, IT, IT'S, I BELIEVE THAT'S A CITYWIDE CHARGEBACK THAT COMES BACK TO US THAT WE PAY ESSENCE, SO, YEP.
AND IS THAT THE SAME TRAIN OF THOUGHT FOR ALL DIVISIONS THAT MIGHT HAVE SUBSTANTIAL BUDGET ZERO? CORRECT.
THERE'S CERTAIN CDY PROCESSES THAT WE PAY FOR THAT GET TALKED BACK TO US.
MUCH FOLLOW UP BY COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KOSH.
CAN, CAN YOU TELL US, UH, WHERE THE CITY OF HOUSTON RATES IN MAJOR CITIES AS FAR AS OUR, OUR WATER COSTS THAT WE'RE CHARGING OUR CITIZENS? UH, HAVE YOU DONE A COMPARISON WITH OTHER CITIES LIKE DALLAS OR FORT WORTH OR THE MAJOR TEXAS CITIES? YES, SIR.
UH, LAST YEAR WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE, UH, THE RATE STUDY AND RECOMMENDED UPDATES TO CITY COUNCIL, WE HAD SEVERAL CHARTS, UH, THAT WERE DIRECT COMPARISONS WITH OTHER CITIES.
WE WERE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PILE AND NOW WE'RE STILL TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE PILE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
I THINK THE CITIZENS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THAT.
'CAUSE WHEN THEY GET THEIR WATER BILLS, I'M SURE THEY DON'T FEEL THAT WAY.
AND THE BOTTOM OF THE PILE BEING GOOD, AS IN WE'RE CHEAPER
COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, THANK YOU.
BACK ON THE BUILDING INSPECTION FUND, AND I KNOW THERE'S THAT, THERE ARE 26 ADDITIONAL FTES COMING AND, AND THE, TO THE PERMITTING CENTER, UM, OVER LAST YEAR.
AND THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN LOOKING AT THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES, WE'RE AT 22% OF FIRST REVIEWS FOR COMMERCIAL PLANS IN 15 DAYS, BUT OUR GOAL IS TO GET TO 80%.
SO THAT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT THING.
I KNOW WE'VE DONE SOME OUTSOURCING.
I KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME, UH, WE HAVE NOT DONE ANY OUTSOURCING, NOT OUTSOURCING, SORRY, STAFF AUGMENTATION.
STAFF AUGMENTATION AND, AND, UM, AND THEN HIRING.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE, AND I'LL ASK THESE IN WRITING.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW SPECIFICALLY, UH, I, I'VE GOT SOME ORG CHARTS THERE WHERE THE VACANCIES AND MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THOSE 26 PEOPLE, UH, TO THE RIGHT PLACES.
UH, PRIMARILY THE, THE COMPLAINTS I HEAR ABOUT ON SLOW, UH, SLOW DOWNS ARE IN, AT THE OFFICE OF CITY ENGINEER, SO TRAFFIC AND STORM AND TO SOME DEGREE PLANNING.
SO THAT'S WHERE I'D WANT TO SEE, UM, THOSE, THOSE RESOURCES SPENT.
BUT I'LL, I'LL HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS IN WRITING, BUT JUST WANTED TO, TO, TO GET THAT OUT THERE THAT I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THAT THERE WERE 26, I THINK THAT WE HAVE HAD ATTRITION OF OVER 30 PEOPLE.
SO 26 HOPEFULLY BRINGS US BACK TO ADDRESS THE BACKLOG AND GO TO THE FUTURE.
AND MAKE SURE WE, UH, UPLOAD THOSE TO SHAREPOINT AS YOU ALWAYS DO.
JUST A QUICK FOLLOW UP TO COUNCIL MEMBER ASH'S QUESTIONS, UH, RELATED TO PERMITTING, A FEW MONTHS AGO WE DID A SUPPLEMENT TO HIRE A, WE HIRED A FIRM TO SUPPLEMENT THE EXISTING EMPLOYEES.
DOES THAT $89 MILLION, I'M LOOKING ON THE EXPENSE SIDE INCLUDE THAT OR IS THAT SEPARATE? SO IT IS, UM, IN THE NON-PERSONNEL SIDE OF THE EXPENSES.
SO IT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THE 89 MILLION I WAS LOOKING AT IN THE PREVIOUS PAGE.
I THINK I ANSWERED MY OWN QUESTION.
UM, YOU ALSO MENTIONED CONSENT DECREE, STIPULATED PENALTIES.
HOW MUCH DO WE PAY IN STIPULATED PENALTIES ON CONSENT DECREE? SO THE FIRST, UH, DEMAND THAT WE HAD, AND I'D BE RECALLING THIS FROM MEMORY YEAH.
WAS FOR 1.2 MILLION, 1.3 MILLION.
UH, AND THAT WAS FOR A FULL YEAR'S WORTH.
UH, WE, WE, THAT WE HAD BUDGETED ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MILLION WHEN WE ORIGINALLY LAID THIS OUT.
AND WE WERE PERFORMING BETTER AND HAVE LOWER ESTIMATES THAN THAT.
SO LESS THAN 2 MILLION A YEAR.
UM, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO GO DOWN, ALTHOUGH THE WAY THAT THE AGREEMENT IS WRITTEN, THE STIPULATED PENALTIES ARE A LOT LOWER NOW.
WHEN YOU GET TO YEAR FIVE AND YEAR EIGHT AND YEAR 10, THEY GO UP BECAUSE THAT'S THE INCENTIVE FOR YOU TO GET THE WORK DONE.
[00:45:01]
SO ON UH, PAGE, UH, SLIDE 40, YOU HAD A, ON CUS UH, 256 MILLION BILLION DOLLAR INCREASE, MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE ON THE VARIANCE TO THE BUDGET.YOU MENTIONED IT'S PAY AS YOU GO WATER AUTHORITY CONTRACT DEBT.
IS THAT THE NORTHEAST WATER PURIFICATION PERCENTAGE DEBT IN OUR PERCENTAGE OF PAYMENT? NO.
WHAT IS THE INCREASE? YOU SAID PAY PEGO WATER AUTHORITY CONTACTED A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF IT.
UM, PREVIOUSLY WE'D DONE ABOUT $70 MILLION IN PEGO, BUT GIVEN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT WITH THE MARKET CONDITIONS, WE INCREASED THAT TO 300 MILLION.
SO IT'S AN ADDITION OF ABOUT 230 MILLION.
THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT PORTION, BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS 800,000, WHICH IS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT THAT'S, UH, INCREASED FOR WATER AUTHORITY CONTRACTUAL DEBT THAT PREVIOUSLY EXISTED.
WHAT BUCKET DO WE PAY? THE NORTHEAST WATER? OUR SHARE OF THE NORTHEAST WATER PURIFICATION PLAN.
IT'S PART OF THE TOTAL DEBT SERVICES THAT I HAD MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.
IT INCLUDED IN THE $583 MILLION ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON.
UM, THANK YOU, UM, DIRECTOR HADDOCK FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATION, UM, BUDGET.
DOES THAT IN ANY OF THAT INCLUDE LIKE A DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE, UM, PLAN, UM, FOR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE THE OPEN DITCHES? UM, YES.
THE, THE OPERATION SIDE OF THAT DOES INCLUDE THE MAINTENANCE OF THE ROADSIDE DITCHES, UM, AS, AS PART OF THE, THE ACTIVITIES WITHIN THAT FUND.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I KNOW THE RESIDENTS ARE LIKE THE DITCHES THAT'S WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEY ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTENANCE THEIR OWN DRAINAGES AND THEIR DITCHES.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH IS TO GET PUBLIC WORKS TO, YOU KNOW, CONDUCT THAT MAINTENANCE BECAUSE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO A LOT OF THE FLOODING, UM, IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO KNOW, WAS THAT INCLUDED? YES, MA'AM.
STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ABBEY CAYMAN'S OFFICE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FIRST WANTS TO THANK, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, UM, AND THE ENTIRE TEAM AND THE DIRECTOR OF COURSE FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING, UH, DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE, UM, TO THINK INDIVIDUALLY RIGHT NOW, BUT WE RECOGNIZE, UH, NOT ONLY THE BUDGETARY CHALLENGES, BUT THE ADDITIONAL CHALLENGE THAT COVID PRESENTED.
I KNOW YOU DIDN'T GO THROUGH THEM, GO THROUGH THEM, BUT THE LIST IS IN THE APPENDIX, UM, SHOULD BE COMMENDED.
WE HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS THAT WE WILL ALSO SHARE AND SUBMIT THROUGH THE SHAREPOINT, BUT I NOTICED, BUT SHE NOTICED SOME DIVISION, UH, DIVISIONS IN RED AND SHE WILL, UM, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAME IN THIS PAST, UM, ON A BUDGET AMENDMENT LAST YEAR THAT WOULD POSSIBLY HELP INSPECTIONS AND BRING IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE, UM, FLAGGING THAT TO SEE WHERE IN THE PROCESS THAT IS AGAIN, UH, WE WILL COMMUNICATE THAT QUESTION VIA SHAREPOINT.
UM, THE QUESTION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAME IN IS ASKING OF EACH DEPARTMENT IS DUE TO THE BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS, INCLUDING THE REVENUE CAP, WHAT NEEDS EXIST THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO ADDRESS THROUGH THIS YEAR'S BUDGET? OOH, THAT'S A BIG QUESTION.
SO, SO WITHIN THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE DEFINED FOR US, WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE, UM, ADEQUATE FUNDING TO ADDRESS IF WE WANT TO ADD ACTIVITIES CITYWIDE, THAT'S WHERE WE BEGIN TO RUN INTO CHALLENGES.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE IN SOME AREAS, UM, THAT, THAT WE SEE, UM, PARTICULARLY IN THE, THE STORM DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
WE ALSO SEE IT IN OUR SIDEWALKS.
UM, AND SO OUR CHALLENGES WOULD BE THOSE.
UM, BUT I WOULD ALSO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT IN STREET AND DRAINAGE IN OUR TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS, WE ARE LIMITED TO 25% THAT CAN BE SPENT ON O AND M BY D-D-S-R-F, BY THE CHARTER AMENDMENT.
SO, UM, THERE, THERE IS A A AND WE ARE AT THAT 25% WITH THE ACTIVITIES WE HAVE, SO ADDITIONAL FUNDING WOULDN'T NECESSARILY EVEN BE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE ACTIVITIES.
COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS, THANK YOU.
JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, CAN YOU, UM, SHARE MORE ABOUT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED BUT NOT FUNDED? UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF, UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE DUE TO NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO, UM, IN CONTEXT OF HAVING ADEQUATE FUNDING, BUT ALSO THE CAVEAT OF THAT 25%.
COULD YOU ELABORATE ON THAT? WELL, SO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ARE, ARE NOT WITH THAT 25% CAP.
AND SO, UM, THE, THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE, WE'VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE ESTIMATED COST OF THOSE PROJECTS.
AND SO EVERYBODY'S STILL IN LINE.
UM, THE, IT TAKES LONGER TO SERVE THE LINE.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THE, THE INCREASE COST IN SOME CASES, THE DECREASED FUNDING, UH, WE, WE HAVE SEEN BECAUSE OF REVENUE CAP LESS TRANSFER, UM, THAN WE HAD ORIGINALLY PROJECTED ON THE ADVIL ARM SIDE.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT HAS EXTENDED OUT.
WE'VE ALSO SEEN A DECREASE IN METRO, UM, PRO, UM, SALES TAX REVENUE
[00:50:01]
THAT HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED AS WELL.UM, SO IT'S, IT, IT IS REALLY A, A STRUGGLE.
UM, BUT WE, WE HAVE THOSE PROJECTS DEVELOPED ENOUGH TO SEEK THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT, UH, SHOULD BECOME AVAILABLE THROUGH THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL AND THE IIJA.
SO, UH, WE ARE, WE ARE ACTIVELY MATCHING PROJECTS TO PROGRAMS AS WE, WE SEE THE BUCKETS BECOME AVAILABLE TO MOVE THOSE FORWARD, UH, WITH A, WITH A BIG EMPHASIS ON LOOKING FOR, UH, FUNDING THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY, UH, BEEN UNDER INVESTED.
AND THERE'S NO WAY TO SKIP THE LINE.
I'M JUST ASKING, CAN WE SKIP THE LINE? NO.
LAST QUESTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS IS COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
THANK YOU, CHAIR AND DIRECTOR.
ART, THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I KNOW YOU'VE COVERED A LOT OF TERRITORY AND PICKING UP A LITTLE BIT WHERE MY COLLEAGUE, UH, TIFFANY THOMAS JUST WENT WITH DEFERRED CIP PROJECTS AND SOME OF WHAT OUR CHAIR HAS, UH, INQUIRED ABOUT WITH THE BIGGEST TICKET ITEMS ON WATER AND SEWER AND THE GENERAL PURPOSE, UH, COMBINED UTILITY PROGRAMS. UM, I WANTED TO GET SOME TERRITORY ON THE REAL BOTTOM OF THAT.
I KNOW YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, THE EXPENDITURES GOING TO THE ACCESSIBILITY PROGRAM THAT, UH, DIRECTOR CASRE HAS TAKEN ON AS WELL AS SOME OF WHAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED TODAY WITH TRANSFER TRANS STAR AND OTHER PROGRAMS. SO FROM THE LARGE BUDGET ITEMS TO THE SMALL, I WONDER IF YOU COULD JUST TAKE A SECOND TO NARRATE SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE CHANGES IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR, WHAT WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT, AND, UH, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN HELP YOU WITH.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD USE CONCERNS.
I, I WOULD SAY THAT WE DEFINITELY HAVE, UM, SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK BACK AT OUR, OUR ACTIVITIES AND MAKE SURE THAT, UM, EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUR ENERGY, EFFORT, RESOURCES TO IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR THE CITY.
UM, AND SO AS WE LOOK AT OUR BIGGEST ONES, OUR WATER AND WASTEWATER, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSED ON, UM, THE RESILIENCE OF SUSTAINABILITY OF THE EXISTENCE EXISTING SYSTEMS, WHILE ALSO ALLOWING FOR THAT FUTURE GROWTH AND REDEVELOPMENT.
UH, AND IF YOU BRING THAT THROUGH WATER WASTEWATER, THAT ALSO INCLUDES STREET AND STORM.
UM, BUT ON THE PERMITTING SIDE, UH, THIS WILL BE THE YEAR THAT WE REALLY FOCUS ON MOVING TOWARDS THE, THE THE 2021 BUILDING CODES.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA BE REALLY FOCUSED ON, UM, THAT FORWARD LEANING.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SETTING THINGS IN PLACE, UM, THAT THAT ADMINISTRATIONS AFTER THIS ONE THAT, THAT, THAT WHERE I'M SITTING ARE PRIMED FOR THE FUTURE.
AND AS YOU AND I HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT WITH THAT ON THE QUEUE OF THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE ON, WHETHER THAT'S WITHIN A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING IN THE JUNE MEETING OF THE TTI COMMITTEE OR AS SOON AS WE CAN GET TO IT, UH, AFTER JUNE, UH, JULY 1ST, UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT ON PENDING THE ADMINISTRATIVE ADMINISTRATION'S APPROVAL.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR.
WE'LL NOW MOVE TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
THERE ARE SIX VIRTUAL PUBLIC SPEAKERS AND WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 20, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKERS ON THE LIST.
PLEASE, WHEN I ANNOUNCE YOUR NAME, PLEASE HIT STAR SIX TO UNMUTE 'CAUSE WE WILL HAVE TO GO RAPIDLY.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MR. DOUG SMITH.
ONE MINUTE EACH SPEAKER HAS ONE MINUTE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? IS THIS MR. UH, THOMPSON? THAT'S DOUG.
WHO DO WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE TOM THOMPSON AND I'M, UH, AND THIS IS DOUG SMITH AS WELL AS YES, I GOT YOU, DOUG, BUT I, DO WE HAVE MR. THOMPSON? YES, I HEAR, GO AHEAD.
DO YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR, WE CAN.
DO YOU WANT DOUG TO GO FIRST? YES, PLEASE, MR. THOMPSON, WE ARE WAITING.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY I, I AM ENCOURAGED TO SEE THE INCREASE IN, UH, FUNDING PROPOSED FOR STREET MAINTENANCE AND THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAIN OPERATIONS BUDGET, UH, BUT BUT STRONGLY TO THE CITY TO ALLOCATE SUFFICIENT FUNDING TO ENSURE THAT OUR BIKE LANES ARE REGULARLY CLEANED AND MAINTAINED, ENSURING THAT THIS CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE IN WHICH THE CITY AND ITS PARTNERS HAVE ALREADY MADE AN AND COMMITT A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT CAN CONTINUE TO BE USED, THEREBY INCREASING SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY
[00:55:01]
FOR ALL TRANSPORTATION MODES.UH, I HAVE TWO QUICK COMMENTS.
FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE NINE DASH 58 OF THE REPORT, THEIR PERFORMANCE STATISTICS WITH THE METRO FUNDS IS FANTASTIC.
IT'S BEST, THE BEST OF ANY, UH, DEPARTMENT THAT I'VE SEEN, AND THEY DESERVE CREDIT FOR THAT.
AND I'D LIKE TO ASK ONE QUESTION.
UH, WE PROVIDE WATER TO ENTITIES OUTSIDE THE CITY.
THIS IS A VALUABLE COMMODITY IN GETTING MORE VALUABLE EVERY DAY.
CAN WE CHARGE PREMIUM RATES TO THOSE USERS, UH, TO RECOGNIZE THAT VALUE AND GIVE HOUSTON CITIZENS A BREAK IN THEIR BILLS? UNFORTUNATELY, I'VE ASKED THAT MANY QUESTION MANY TIMES, AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NO, WE CANNOT.
WHY? WHY? AND WE'RE REQUIRED BY STATE, STATE LAW LAW.
NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. THAT'S ALL.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES SIR.
SORRY FOR BUTCHERING YOUR NAME.
MY NAME IS JOE PRU AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BIKE HOUSTON, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WORKING TO TRANSFORM HOUSTON INTO A CITY WHERE ANYONE CAN GET AROUND SAFELY AND EASILY BY BIKE.
UH, LIKE MR. THOMPSON, I'M HERE TO EXPRESS SUPPORT, UH, FOR THE HOUSTON BIKEWAYS MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.
HOUSTON'S BIKE NETWORK IS CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND IT'S TIME TO START MAINTAINING IT AS SUCH.
AND IT'S NO SECRET TO ANYONE, INCLUDING SOME PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WHO RIDE BIKES AROUND OUR CITY THAT ARE PROTECTED BY
I EVEN CAME ACROSS THE AFTERMATH OF A CAR CRASH AND FOUND THE WHOLE FRONT END OF A HONDA IN THE BIKE LANE ONE TIME.
THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT THAT BIKE HOUSTON HEARS ABOUT FROM PEOPLE WHO RIDE BIKES.
AND IN FACT, UH, SOME FOLKS IN THIS ROOM, COUNCIL MEMBERS ALCORN ROBINSON, WE SAW THE DEBRIS PILING UP IN THE WA AND COMMONWEALTH BIKE LANES COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, YOU MAY REMEMBER THE GARBAGE WE SAW IN THE NEW BIKE LANES ON HILLCROFT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS KNOWS ALL TOO WELL ABOUT THE DEBRIS AND THE BIKE LANES ON HARDY STREET.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER KUBOSH COULD SPEND A LOT LESS ON REPAIRS AT BLUE LINE BIKE LAB IF OUR BIKEWAYS WERE BETTER MAINTAINED.
AND NOBODY LIKES A FLAT TIRE, OF COURSE, BUT WHEN WE FAIL TO CLEAR DEBRIS OUT OF OUR BIKEWAYS, WE CREATE A SAFETY HAZARD TOO, BECAUSE WHEN THE LANES ARE FULL OF DEBRIS, PEOPLE OPT TO RIDE OUTSIDE OF THE BIKE LANES ENTIRELY DEFEATING THE PURPOSE OF THE BIKE LANES.
WE'VE INVESTED SO MUCH IN BUILDING HOUSTON'S AMAZING BIKE NETWORK AND WE'RE GOING TO CELEBRATE THESE INVESTMENTS ON FRIDAY AT THE CITY'S BIKE TO WORK DAY.
BUT WE CAN'T STOP AT JUST BUILDING THE LANES.
WE HAVE TO DO THE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE THING AND MAINTAIN THEM TOO.
OUR BIKE NETWORK NETWORK IS SOMETHING TO, OKAY, MR. I'LL LET YOU GO LONGER THAN A MINUTE.
CAN YOU WRAP IT UP IN FIVE SECONDS? UH, I DO FRIDAY.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT'S USEFUL AND SAFE AND IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT BEING A MULTIMODAL CITY WHERE PEOPLE HAVE REAL TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS OTHER THAN DRIVING, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE BIKE LANES ARE USEFUL AND SAFE.
UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE JASON OLIVER, ARIS BROWN OR VICKI MARTIN ON VIRTUALLY? YEAH, I'M HERE.
SALAND NEXT WE HAVE SABA, SABA, BLANDING ON THE IN PERSON.
NO, WE'LL CALL YOU IN A MINUTE.
UM, A FEW QUESTIONS I'M INTERESTED IN.
SO I WAS TAUGHT TOO, SO THIS WORKS WELL.
I SEE THAT YOU ALL COMPLETED 74 COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FROM PROJECTS, WHICH IS GREAT.
UH, PEOPLE OFTEN MENTION HOW LONG IT TAKES TO IMPLEMENT CDSF PROJECTS.
I'M INTERESTED IN LIKE WHAT CAN WE DO TO SPEED UP THE IMPLEMENTATION, KIND OF GOING ALONG WITH, WITH WHAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS SAID.
AND I'M ALSO INTERESTED ON PAGE 29, IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN HOW MUCH IS BEING TRANSFERRED THROUGH THESE, UH, THREE 80 AGREEMENTS SPECIFICALLY, AND THEN TO WHICH ENTITIES ARE, ARE RECEIVING THOSE, WHICH ENTITIES ARE RECEIVING THOSE FUNDS.
I JUST, ANY, ANY COMMENTS TO ANSWER THE PREVIOUS QUESTION FOR A THREE 80 AGREEMENTS IS ABOUT 4.1 MILLION 4.1? YES.
DEBT SERVICE, CORRECT? CORRECT.
UM, HI, I AM SABA BLANDING DISTRICT, I, UM, I HAD TWO QUESTIONS.
[01:00:01]
THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, I NOTICED THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS SEEN FLUCTUATIONS IN YOUR BUDGET, UM, FOR YEAR TO YEAR INCREASING AS MUCH AS 9.8% AND DECREASING AS MUCH AS 19%.HOW HAVE THESE ANNUAL FLUCTUATIONS IMPACTED YOUR DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO PLAN FOR AND PROVIDE ADEQUATE SERVICES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON? I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING HOW MUCH IT FLUCTUATED.
UM, AND SECONDLY, ON SLIDE 14 YOU SAID THAT MORE INFRASTRUCTURE IS DEGRADING DUE TO DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND IS INSUFFICIENT REINVESTMENT.
UM, WHAT TYPE OF INVESTMENT DO YOU NEED TO SEE FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN ORDER FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT TO ADDRESS HOUSTON'S INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS IN A TIMELY MANNER? SO FLUCTUATION IN BUDGET AND UH, THEN THE SECOND PART? YEAH.
SO SOME OF THE FLUCTUATION IN BUDGET OVER PREVIOUS YEARS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN ROLLOVER OF CAPITAL EQUIPMENT.
OUR VEHICLES ARE, ARE, ARE REPLACING OUR DUMP TRUCKS, VERY LARGE EXPENDITURES THAT THAT TRANSFER FROM YEAR TO YEAR IN THE OPERATIONS BUDGET.
ON, ON THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT SIDE, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS ACTUALLY THE RESULT OF DECADES OF UNDER INVESTMENT THAT WE CAN'T MAINTAIN TO KEEP IT IN USEFUL LIFE WHEN SOMETHING'S 50, 60, 70 YEARS OLD.
AND SO THAT STATEMENT IS, IS REALLY REFERRING TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE INCREASED, UM, BUILD HOUSTON FORWARD IS INCREASING THE REINVESTMENT AND RECONSTRUCTION.
BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE, BECAUSE EVERY YEAR WE GO ALONG, THINGS ARE CONTINUING TO AGE THAT CONTINUE TO GET, UH, BEYOND THAT.
THE WATER WASTEWATER SYSTEM, THE WATER RATE STUDY THAT WE DID LAST YEAR WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT REINVESTMENT IN THE WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEM AS A, AS A RESULT OF THOSE RATES.
WE LOVE YOU, BUT WE DON'T LOVE YOU THAT MUCH.
WE'LL HAVE MS. DORIS BROWN FOLLOWED MS. BY MS. BECKY SEAL.
MY NAME IS DARRIS BROWN AND I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE HISTORIC DISINVESTMENT IN OUR BIPOC NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, FOR YEARS WE HAVE LIVED WITH THE THREAT OF FLOODING.
IT HAS COME TO THE POINT TO WHERE WE ARE ANXIOUS WHEN IT START TO RAIN, EXCUSE ME.
IT HAS COME TO THE POINT TO WHEN WE GET ANXIOUS AND WE GET VERY, IT'S KIND OF LIKE POST-TRAUMATIC SPREAD DISTRESS.
WHEN IT RAINS, WE GET ANXIOUS, WE GET SCARED 'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT OUR STREETS ARE GOING TO HOLD WATER.
WE HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY DISEN, DISINVESTED AND DISENFRANCHISED.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN AMENDMENT FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS TO HAVE MORE MONEY SO THEY COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE FLOODING IN OUR BIPOC NEIGHBORHOODS.
NOT ONLY THAT, WE WANT TO ADDRESS THE WORST FIRST.
WE WOULD LIKE FOR SOMEONE TO COME OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND START DOING SOME WORK THAT, UH, ALLEVIATE THE FLOODING THAT'S GOING ON.
I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER, ANOTHER COUPLE SECONDS.
COULD YOU DEFINE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD? MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS C WOODS CITY GAS, LAKEWOOD, THE NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOODS.
DISTRICT B, WE HAVE 88% OF OPEN DITCH DRAINAGE.
AND IT'S, WHICH WE JUST NEED SOME HELP OUT THERE.
'CAUSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE'S ANTIQUATED, RIGHT? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, MS. BROWN.
MS. BROWN, THANK COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
THANK YOU MS. BROWN FOR, UM, COMING IN AND FOR YOUR, YOUR GROUP, UM, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING TO IN THE DISTRICT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, GET THE RESOURCES AND GET THE PROJECTS WE NEED TO MAKE, MITIGATE THE FLOODING WITHIN DISTRICT B.
UM, THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
YOU HAVE CASHMERE GARDEN, FIFTH WARD ACRES HOMES.
AND SO, UM, THESE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT'S HIT HARD EVERY FLOOD.
UM, 88% OF THE OPEN DITCHES ARE IN OUR DISTRICT.
THAT WAS A DITCH STUDY CONDUCTED BACK IN 2014
[01:05:01]
OUT OF THE HURRICANE IKE DISASTER RECOVERY ROUND $2.THAT INDICATED THAT WE NEEDED SOME, SOME INVESTMENT WITHIN, UM, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO I ASSURE YOU THAT IT'S MY PRIORITY.
I WILL BE SUBMITTING AMENDMENT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, SOME DOLLARS ALLOCATED FOR DITCH MAINTENANCE BECAUSE THE MA IF OUR DITCHES ARE NOT, OUR DRAINAGES ARE NOT MAINTENANCE.
THAT'S WHAT CAUSES A LOT OF THE FLOODING.
AND WE CAN'T DEPEND ON SENIORS TO DO SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING.
WE WERE DOING IT AT ONE POINT, UM, THAT CHANGED IN 2001.
MAKE SURE THAT WE TRY TO GET A, A DRAINAGE SCHEDULE MAINTENANCE RIGHT.
REGULARLY WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.
I'M BECKY SEAL, UH, WITH THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE AND DORIS AND ALL THESE PEOPLE TALKING, UH, THAT PACKET WE JUST PASSED OUT TO YOU, KIND OF LIKE ELABORATES A BIT ON, UH, WHY WE'RE WORKING WITH ASHA TO DO THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT AND, UH, REALLY THE DETAILS OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, SO, UH, I HEARD YOU GUYS SAY THAT THERE IS MONEY FOR DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE RIGHT NOW, AND WE'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN PREVIOUS YEARS BECAUSE THE MAINTENANCE TO THIS POINT REALLY HASN'T, IS NOT MATCHING THE NEED AT ALL.
AND IF SO, OR REGARDLESS, WHERE CAN THE PUBLIC SEE A SCHEDULE SO THAT WE CAN KEEP PUBLIC WORKS ACCOUNTABLE TO THAT? SO LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION.
UM, SO WE'RE DEALING WITH GENERAL FUND RIGHT NOW.
I THINK THAT'S DEALING WITH CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT DOLLARS.
WE WILL ATTACK CIP PROBABLY NEXT MONTH OR SO.
SO IF AN AMENDMENT COMES FORWARD WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND, THERE HAS TO BE A CORRESPONDENT DEBIT, UH, THAT YOU TAKE AWAY FROM IT AND A FUNDING SOURCE THAT'S IDENTIFIED.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON WILL PROBABLY SUBMIT THAT AS WELL WITH HER, UH, AMENDMENT.
BUT, UH, WE WILL TAKE UP CIP AM I CORRECT IN THAT? WELL, IT'S BOTH.
UM, SO THERE, THERE IS A, AN O AND M COMPONENT TO THIS AND, AND, AND I DO WANNA CLARIFY AND, AND, AND I HOPE YOU'LL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, VERONICA DAVIS AND HER TEAM HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH THIS COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST YEAR AND HAVE WORKED WITH YOU TO, TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC, UM, LOCATIONS.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY DONE, UM, SURVEYS OF THE ROADSIDE DITCHES THROUGHOUT THE AREA AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED, I BELIEVE 25 DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WE'LL BE DOING OVER THE NEXT 18 MONTHS IN THAT AREA THAT ARE IN OUR BUDGET THAT ARE FUNDED TO BE DONE.
AND SO I I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT, THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT, THAT WE HAVE RESPONDED TO THAT.
WE ARE, WE ARE ACTIVELY, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S JUST THE FIRST STEP.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT THAT, THAT Y'ALL HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE AREA OUT THERE AND WORKING TO IDENTIFY THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
SO WE'VE ALSO, UM, DONE THE MAINTENANCE THROUGH THE ENTIRE AREA OF EVERYTHING THAT, THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED TO US.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, UM, TRUE MAINTENANCE WHERE IT'S ACTUALLY GOING OUT AND, AND REMOVING SILT AND SOIL AND THINGS IN THOSE DITCHES AND RESTORING CULVERTS VERSUS, UM, DAY TO DAY, UM, LIKE I TAKE CARE OF, OF, OF MY HOUSE, WHICH IS, IS MAKING SURE THAT THAT THE LITTER'S NOT GETTING THERE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND, AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHAT WE ASK PEOPLE TO DO IS, IS THAT THAT LIGHT LEVEL MAINTENANCE, NOT, NOT THAT HEAVY MAINTENANCE THAT WE DO.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH VERONICA DAVIS A LOT, RIGHT? AND WHAT SHE'S TOLD US IS THAT THE MONEY THAT THEY HAVE TO DO PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH THAT IT'S 500 MILES OF OPEN DITCH DRAINAGE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY PER YEAR.
AND SHE'S LIKE HAS SAID, UNLESS WE HAVE MORE MONEY PUT ASIDE FOR THIS, WE CANNOT LIKE DO THE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED.
AND WE DON'T THINK THAT THE ONLY DITCHES SHOULD, THAT SHOULD BE MAINTAINED IS FROM A GROUP OF US WHO SEMI-PROFESSIONALLY COME TO CITY COUNCIL AND HAVE TO PUT OUR ENTIRE LIVES INTO IDENTIFYING DITCHES.
SO, SO YES, THERE'S BEEN A MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT AND IT'S BEEN AMAZING TO WORK WITH VERONICA DAVIS.
WE'VE, WE'VE REALLY LIKED WORKING WITH HER AND APPRECIATED THE RESPONSE, BUT WE THINK THAT LIKE, THERE HAS TO BE A SHIFT FROM THAT PATTERN TO IT BEING MORE PROACTIVE.
AND SHE SPECIFICALLY HAS SAID THE ONLY WAY THAT'S POSSIBLE IS IF THERE'S MORE MONEY SPECIFICALLY PUT FOR THAT.
AND, AND MS. SEAL JUST, UH, UM, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK UP THE, UH, CIP MAP THAT WE HAVE, IT CAN BE FOUND@BILLHOUSTON.ORG AND YOU'LL SEE THE CIP P PROJECT.
YEAH, WE'VE LOOKED AT IT A LOT.
THE CIP P PROJECTS IS NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE NOT TALKING, GOT THE SWAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THERE ARE TWO BUCKETS OF, OF PROJECTS.
ONE IS GENERAL FUNDING AND ONE IN CIP.
SO WE WILL GET TO CIP, BUT YOUR GENERAL FUND OKAY.
BUT IN EITHER ONE, LIKE YOU CAN'T SEE WHAT THE ACTUAL MONEY FOR DITCH MAINTENANCE IS AND THERE'S NO, WE'VE SCOURED THE INTERNET.
IF IT'S OUT THERE, PLEASE SEND IT TO US.
WE'RE TRYING TO SEE IF THERE'S MONEY IN ONE OF THOSE OVERALL CITY IN THE LIKE OVERALL CITY LINE IN THE CIP
[01:10:01]
BUDGET THAT'S GOING TO DITCH MAINTENANCE.WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AND THEN IN THE GENERAL FUND, SAME THING SO THAT WE CAN UNDER, UNDER, LIKE IF IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING.
WE JUST WANNA SEE IT AND UNDERSTAND THEN.
COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE, UM, BUDGET AMENDMENT, UM, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER'S GOING TO OFFER LAST YEAR, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, UM, DURING BUDGET LAST YEAR AUTHORED AN AMENDMENT, UM, FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO LEVERAGE COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS TO MAINTAIN, UM, OPEN DITCHES IN OUR DISTRICT.
AND I KNOW SHE'S HAD SOME SUCCESSES WITH THAT.
SO, UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER CAN COUPLE THE WORK AROUND THE TIMELINE AND THE SCHEDULE THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING, BUT THEN ALSO LEVERAGING SOME OF THE DOLLARS SHE HAS LOCALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, UM, FUNDING THAT A TDO IS LIMITED TO DO, THAT THE COUNCIL OFFICE CAN SUPPORT.
THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN GREAT AND I'LL, I'LL LET YOU TALK TOO, BUT LIKE MS. JACKSON HAS DONE A LOT WITH THAT, BUT THAT STATISTIC DOORS POINTED OUT, 88% OF OPEN DITCH MAINTENANCE IS IN, UH, UH, LIKE NON-WHITE AND POOR NEIGHBORHOODS BASICALLY.
SO LIKE EVERY CITY DISTRICT HAVING SOME MONEY TO PUT TO THAT DOESN'T LIKE NEARLY ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.
THERE HAS, IT'S AN UNEQUAL PROBLEM.
SO THERE HAS TO UNE EQUAL MONEY.
I'M SAYING I'M JUST, WELL, WHAT, WHAT I'M CLARIFYING IS THAT YOU HAVE A ADDITIONAL METHOD.
SO IN ADDITION TO WHAT'S SHOWING UP IN THE GENERAL FUND AND THE BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR A TIMELINE, SHE ACTUALLY, ALL OF US HAVE DOLLARS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THAT WITH TDO IS LIMITED.
SO IT'S, AND IN BOTH, THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE MS. CAROLYN ADDISON RIVERA.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE ARE RECENT PICTURE OF THE DITCHES THAT WE LIVE IN AND THE CONTAMINATION THAT WE DEAL WITH WITH WATER AND OUR LAND.
THE FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS SAY THANK YOU.
UM, THE FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE NEED YOU.
IF YOU CAN SEE THIS, THIS IS WHAT WE LIVE WITH EVERY DAY.
I HAVE BEEN CALLING VERONICA DAVIS AND THE REST OF SINCE 2014, PLEADING FOR HELP.
I'VE LIVED IN THAT COMMUNITY OVER 40 YEARS.
WHEN I MOVED THERE, THERE WAS REGULAR MAINTENANCE.
WE HAD NO FLOODING MY CHILDREN COULD PLAY.
THIS WAS NOT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
JUST YESTERDAY, I CALLED AND THE GUY COME OUT ASKED ME WHAT DO I WANT HIM TO DO? THEY DIG DITCHES WITH WATER.
DO YOU HEAR ME? IT JUST STAND.
UM, I'M GONNA GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT IN THE NORTHEAST, WE NEED SEWAGE AND RUNOFF.
HELP OUR KIDS STAND IN WATER WHEN THEY'RE WAITING FOR THE SCHOOL BUS.
DO OUR KIDS WAIT AND STAND IN WATER? THEY GET TO SCHOOL SOAKING WET.
WE NEED FLOOD HELP IN OUR AREA.
DITCHES 3 1 1 IS A JOKE TO ME BECAUSE WHEN I CALL FOR HELP, THEY HAVE US REGISTER EVERY YEAR.
EVERY TIME WE MOVE, WHEN THE DISABLED AND
[01:15:01]
VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE RELOCATE, THEY ASK US TO REGISTER.I'VE NEVER GOTTEN ONE CALL FROM THREE ONE ONE TO SAY, HELLO, MR. BROADWAY.
ARE YOU OKAY? DO YOU NEED TO EVACUATE? MY FAMILY HAS HAD TO COME IN HIGH WATER VEHICLES TO COME AND GET ME FROM MY HOME.
SO PLEASE, WITH YOUR HELP, HELP DISTRICT B I'M IN LAKEWOOD.
I'M ONE OF MANY DISABLED PEOPLE THAT NEED THE HELP.
WOULD YOU LIKE A COUPLE OF SECONDS OF MY TIME TO COMPLETE YOUR STATEMENT? UH, YES.
IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE CAN TRY AND MAKE THE SYSTEM BETTER, BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE CALL WITH MAN, EVEN SIMPLE THINGS OF LOOSE ANIMALS, BECAUSE I CAN'T WALK TO MY MAILBOX WITHOUT TRYING TO GET ATTACKED BY A DOG AND THE FLOODING ISSUES.
HERE I AM FACING ANOTHER HURRICANE SEASON.
I'M TERRIFIED FROM A SMALL RAIN.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF MY AREA'S GONNA FLOOD BECAUSE THE COVERED DITCHES, THEY HAVE SO MUCH IN THEM.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK THEM FOR COMING IN AND SHARING THEIR, UM, CONCERNS.
AND THEN ALSO JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT DIRECTOR HADDOCK DID, UM, SAY ABOUT THE SWAT PROJECTS SLATED FOR THE AREA AND THE, YOU KNOW, WE DOING H AND H STUDIES.
I THINK WE JUST COMPLETED THE H AND H STUDIES THAT ACTUALLY SHOW, YOU KNOW, WHY THESE PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE DRAINING.
I MEAN, IT'S TRUE THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO INVESTMENT, UM, WHY THESE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE FLOODING.
AND NOW WE ARE GETTING THE STUDIES TO IDENTIFY WHY THESE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE FLOODING.
AND THEN THE NEXT ROUND IS THE, THE FIXING, THE MITIGATING THESE FLOODING.
WE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE TRAINS THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO A LOT OF FLOODING.
SO I JUST WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF MOVEMENT AND WE ARE DOING A LOT OF WORK.
UM, WE GOT A LOT OF PROJECTS SLATED, UM, FOR THE DISTRICT TO ADDRESS THE FLOODING.
BUT THEN ALSO I DO, WE DO NEED A, A DITCHED MATING MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE.
AND OF COURSE, DIRECTOR HADDOCK SAID IS RESOURCES, UM, ALREADY IN THIS BUDGET FOR THAT.
AND SO I'M GONNA HAVE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS JUST TO IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE AMOUNT, HOW MUCH DO IT COST.
IF I HAVE TO USE SOME OF MY DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS, I WILL USE SOME OF MY DISTRICT'S SERVICE FUNDS, BUT I HAVE TO USE IT FOR PARKS AND, AND, AND THE ILLEGAL DUMPING AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.
SO I, A MILLION DOLLARS ONLY GOES SO FAR.
SO I WANNA TRY TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENTS SINCE SEE IF WE CAN FIND RESOURCES TO MOVE SOME OF THESE PROJECTS FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING, COMING.
OKAY, THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU SIR FOR COMING.
THIS QUESTION IS FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.
SO THE DOCUMENT THEY PROVIDED, IT SAID PRIOR TO 2001, WE DID REGULAR MAINTENANCE.
THE CITY DID REGULAR MAINTENANCE OF, OF ROADSIDE DITCHES OR, AND NOW WE JUST GO BASED ON 3 1 1 COMPLAINTS.
DID WE HAVE A PO DID THE CITY EVER HAVE A POLICY WHERE WE REGULARLY MAINTAINED? I, I'LL, I'LL BE HONEST WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER, I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO GET WITH, UM, I AND, AND ERIC DARGEN JOINED THE CITY IN 2002.
UH, AND, AND I'M, I'M UNAWARE OF THAT.
BUT I ALSO DO KNOW THAT, UM, THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT IN THE LATE NINETIES AND EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, UH, BECAUSE OF THE, THE, THE LIMITATIONS ON THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH AT THE TIME WAS IN THE GENERAL FUND, UM, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE FORWARD.
SO I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN UNDER THE IMPRESSION WE DID A LOT MORE MAJOR REGRADING AND THINGS LIKE THAT ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE.
BUT THE MAINTENANCE ITSELF, LIKE THE MOWING, I MEAN, THESE PICTURES ARE WAY MORE THAN JUST MOWING NEEDED.
I MEAN, THAT'S A DIFFERENT SITUATION.
BUT, BUT THAT, THAT WAS THE PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY.
UM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I'M GONNA HAVE TO COME UP HERE AND FIGHT FOR WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ALL RIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
YOU KNOW, I MOVED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD OVER 50 YEARS AGO AND IT WAS A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I COULDN'T EVEN GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY TELL YOU, CHOOSE BECAUSE BEING ATTACKED.
BUT THEY HAD A REGULAR SCHEDULE OF KEEPING UP THE DITCH MAINTENANCE, PICKING UP THE HEAVY TRASH.
BUT THEN AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEGAN TO GROW MORE, YOU KNOW, BLACK AND BROWN ALL OF A SUDDEN JUST STOPPED.
AND I DON'T SEE WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY DID ALL STOPPED ALL OF A SUDDEN WHY WE JUST GOT TOOK OFF THE SCHEDULE ALL TOGETHER.
[01:20:01]
I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYBODY COME IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IN OVER 20 YEARS TO CLEAN THE DITCHES.AND THAT'S RIDICULOUS BECAUSE WE, WE DESERVE THAT.
RIGHT? SO CAN SOMEBODY ANSWER THAT QUESTION? WHY DO I HAVE TO COME UP HERE AND FIGHT FOR A RIGHT THAT I ALREADY DESERVE? THANK YOU, MR. MOSES.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
YOUR COMMENT, UM, WHEN YOU ALL ARE, THIS, THIS IS FOR PUBLIC WORKS, WHEN YOU ALL ARE GOING OUT AND IDENTIFYING PROJECTS AND, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DRAINAGE, HAVE WE, OR IS THERE SOME TYPE OF, UM, LIST THAT YOU ALL HAVE PUT TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE DRAINAGE AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS FOR THAT PARTICULAR AREA? HAS THAT BEEN SHARED TO THE PUBLIC? DO WE HAVE A COST ESTIMATE FOR SOME OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS SO THAT WE AS COUNCIL CAN BE BETTER ABREAST ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT COULD BE DONE TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT THE, UH, COMMUNITY IS FINDING? I WILL INTERJECT.
EACH DISTRICT GETS $2 MILLION IN SWAT PROJECTS DESIGNATED BY THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I KNOW WE DO THAT AND EVERY OTHER DISTRICT RECEIVES 2 MILLION IN SWAT PROJECTS.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE YOUR NEIGHBOR IS ON THE DISTRICT B PROJECT LIST DISTRICT B, BUT WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
BUT I, WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M SPEAKING OF IS JUST GENERAL, NOT, NOT SWAT PROJECTS.
'CAUSE THOSE ARE SMALLER, LIKE 2 MILLION A YEAR PROJECTS.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS LIKE A OVERALL HIGH LEVEL VIEW OF INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS WHEN IT PERTAINS TO DRAINAGE AND MAINTENANCE FOR AN AREA LIKE DISTRICT B THAT HAS A LOT OF OPEN DITCHES.
SO I, I MAY ASK VERONICA TO COME UP AND JOIN US, BUT, UH, WE HAVE, UM, IT'S BEEN IN THE LAST DECADE, UM, THROUGH THIS ADMINISTRATION THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY GONE OUT AND SURVEYED DITCHES CITYWIDE TO HAVE AN IDEA ON WHAT THE CAPACITY OF THOSE DITCHES ARE.
UM, AND, UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A CONDITION ASSESSMENT FOR DITCHES CITYWIDE, WHICH WOULD GIVE US MORE OF THAT ANSWER.
WE DID HAVE, UM, FROM THE, THE LATE NINETIES, EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, A, UH, A CAPACITY ASSESSMENT OF THE PIPE SYSTEMS CITYWIDE.
AND SO THIS, THIS IS THAT, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, DATA DRIVING AND SO, UH, TO BE MORE PROACTIVE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT CITYWIDE DATA, UM, IN, IN, IN LIEU OF HAVING THAT DATA.
WE DID RELY A LOT ON THE 3 1 1 REPORTS.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER RIGHT NOW ON, ON SWAPPING THAT.
SO WHEN WOULD THE DATA BE AVAILABLE FOR US TO, UH, FOR YOU ALL TO DO AN ASSESSMENT? ALRIGHT, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON AT THIS POINT.
UM, SO VERONICA DAVIS, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS IN HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, SO ONE, WE'RE WORKING ON OUR STORMWATER MASTER PLAN.
UH, SO THE CITY UP UNTIL NOW HAS NEVER HAD A FULL MASTER PLAN.
UH, SO CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, WE SHOULD BE GOING TO A NOTICE TO PROCEED VERY SOON.
UM, AND SO THERE'LL BE A COUPLE COMPONENTS WITH THAT.
SO PART OF IT WILL BE, UH, DOING AN H AND H UH, UH, HYDRAULICS ANALYSIS FOR THE CITY, UM, TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THESE NEEDS.
UH, AND THEN TWO, TO BE ABLE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IS THE FULL NEED, UH, THAT WE HAVE FOR THE CITY.
WE HAVE HAVE OTHER PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE THAT WE WILL PULL INTO THIS PROCESS TO HELP INFORM SOME OF THAT.
UM, AND I ALSO WANNA CLARIFY WHAT WE DO.
UM, GENERALLY WE DO RELY ON 3 1 1 RIGHT NOW FOR DITCH MAINTENANCE.
UH, AND SO WE DO SEND OUR DITCH MAINTENANCE CREWS OUT TO DO THE REGRADING, TO DO THE DE SILTING ONCE IT IS BEYOND THE ABILITY OF OUR INTERNAL CREWS TO DO, WE DO REFER IT TO EITHER SWAT, UH, WHICH WE WORK WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ON.
WE ALSO HAVE THE LOCAL DRAINAGE PROGRAM.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
UH, WE HAVE PROJECTS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE IN DESIGN.
UH, SO WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON PROJECTS THAT ARE IN DESIGN AND IN THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, WE'LL BE GOING TO CONSTRUCTION TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAD BEEN, UM, BROUGHT UP BY THE, THE COLLECTIVE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
WELL, THIS MOSES ONE WAS WITH MR. MOSES IN MINE.
BUT, UH, BASICALLY A COMMENT, WANTING TO THANK THE NORTHEAST ACTION, UH, COLLECTIVE FOR BEING HERE.
I THINK IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE JUST HEARD FROM MS. DAVIS AND THE DIRECTOR, I THINK THERE, THERE ARE SOME REALLY POSITIVE TRENDS.
THIS IS SLOW COMING AND YOUR PATIENCE AND AND OBSERVATIONS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE UNDERSTAND WHY THAT'S A GRIEVANCE, WHY THAT'S NOT FAIR AND NOT RIGHT, AND NOT SATISFACTORY.
SO I THINK MOVING FORWARD, WHAT WE'VE HEARD TODAY ARE SOME OF THE VERY, UH, PROGRESSIVE ACTIONS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN.
THEY NEED TO HAPPEN FASTER, IN MY OPINION.
AND PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING TOGETHER WITH YOUR INPUT, WITH YOUR GROUP AND WITH SOME OF THE TOOLS THAT THE DIRECTOR MENTIONED IS DETECT PROBLEMS SOONER.
[01:25:01]
WITH AN INVENTORY OF THOSE DITCHES, THOSE PIPES.AND WHERE CAN WE CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND MORE FAIR, MORE EQUITABLE WITH OUR DOLLARS AND WORKING ACROSS THIS HUGE CITY.
BUT I THINK THE, THE LITERATURE THAT YOU ALL HAVE BROUGHT TODAY IS REALLY WELL DONE.
IT'S COMPELLING, IT'S INSTRUCTIVE AND IT, IT POINTS A PATH TO WHERE THE WORST FIRST CAN BE PRIORITIZED.
SO I WANNA SALUTE YOU MR. MOSES, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
SANDRA EDWARDS MY BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA EVEN HOLD Y'ALL ALONG 'CAUSE EVERYTHING I WANNA SAY HAS BEEN SAID.
THIS IS JUST A MAP OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE COUNCIL CLUSTER AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
OKAY, I JUST WANNA SAY ONE THING Y'ALL NEED TO UH, PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST.
I KNOW Y'ALL BEEN HEARING ALL THIS AND I KNOW Y'ALL TIRED OF HEARING ALL THIS 'CAUSE WE ARE TIRED OF SAYING IT, BUT CAN Y'ALL PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST? WE DONE SHOWED YOU THE PROOF THAT WHAT WE NEED, IT'S NOT LIKE WE ASKING FOR IT.
'CAUSE THIS IS JUST, WE FEEL WE BETTER, THEY THINK THEY BETTER 'CAUSE THEY GET EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO COME THEIR WAY FOR YOU'LL COME TO OUR AREA.
CAN YOU PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST, COME TO OUR AREA, DO SOME CLEAN UP, CLEAN SOME DRAINAGES, MAYBE WE WON'T FLOOD SO MUCH AND STOP THESE PEOPLE FROM, UH, GOING AGAINST US, OUR COMMUNITIES AND BRINGING IN STUFF THAT'S GONNA MAKE US FLOOD, SLAPPING UP OUR DRAINAGES AND EVERYTHING.
JUST DO THE RIGHT THING FOR ONCE.
DO SOMETHING RIGHT FOR A CHANGE FOR THANK YOU.
UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL PEOPLE FOR HAVING US COME IN TODAY TO SPEAK AND, UH, GIVING US A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
UM, BEFORE I TALK, I DO WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO, UM, VERONICA DAVIS AND HER DEPARTMENT IN A LITTLE LESS THAN A YEAR.
SHE'S BEEN, HER AND HER OFFICE HAVE BEEN WAY MORE IMPACTFUL, UH, FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR COLLECTIVE AND THE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR OVER 20 YEARS THAN ANY OF THE PREVIOUS PEOPLE IN HER POSITION.
UM, ALSO WANT TO THANK ASHA JACKSON FOR BEING OPEN AND WORKING WITH US AS WELL AND BEING ACCESSIBLE.
UM, I JUST WANT TO READ THIS, UH, PREPARED STATEMENT.
UM, WE WOULD LOVE FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
WE WOULD LOVE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO AMEND A PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET TO INCLUDE A PILOT PROGRAM FOR DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE IN DISTRICT B.
SPECIFICALLY, IT IS ONE OF THE MOST FLOOD PRONE AREAS AND HAS VERY HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF BIPOC AND LMI PEOPLE AS WELL AS PUBLIC HOUSING.
OPEN DITCH DRAINAGE IS AN EXAMPLE OF SEPARATE AND UNEQUAL THAT LEAVES OUR COMMUNITIES VULNERABLE.
IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE INVEST BEFORE THE NEXT HURRICANE AND DISASTER.
UM, OUR SEA LEVELS ARE SUPPOSED TO RISE 18 INCHES.
DAVID ESPINOZA, WE HAVE MR. ESPINOZA THEN FOLLOWED BY MR. BUTLER.
AND THAT WILL CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
I WANNA SAY THAT I USED TO BE IN JUST ABOUT THE SAME PREDICAMENT AS MY COLLEAGUES IN THE NAC.
UM, ABOUT A HALF A YEAR AGO, ABOUT A HALF A YEAR AGO, UH, THERE WAS SOME, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UH, RIGHT ALONG, UH, LITTLE YORK AND EPSON ROAD.
AND AROUND THE SAME TIME THERE WAS ALSO, UH, THERE WAS THOSE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, THOSE COUPLE FAST FOOD PLACES GOING UP.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, THERE WAS A ROAD MAINTENANCE ON WHICH CAME ALONG WITH DITCH MAINTENANCE.
AND WE SAW, MY FAMILY SAW A DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT FROM THE FLOODING.
WE, WE GOT, WE, WE USED TO HAVE, WE COULDN'T GET OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN IT, WHEN IT WAS FLOODED REAL BAD.
BUT THAT'S PROOF THAT DITCH MAINTENANCE, WIDENING DITCHES, MAKING THEM DEEPER, CLEAN THEM OUT.
UM, IT'S NOT REGULAR, BUT WE'RE KEEPING, WE DO OUR BEST TO KEEP IT, UH, OUR TRASH OUT, OUR BLESS YOU, ME AND MY NEIGHBORS.
AND SO FAR WE'VE BEEN DOING GOOD SO FAR AND I WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPENING
[01:30:01]
THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST WITH MY, UH, YOU KNOW, FELLOW MEMBERS, UH, TO SEE THEM LIVE BETTER.YOU'RE THE LAST ONE WE CAN SAY GOOD MORNING TO.
GOOD MORNING, GOOD AFTERNOON,
MY NAME IS BRO BUTLER AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT B.
AND, UH, OUR MESSAGE IS PRETTY CONSISTENT ALONG WITH GETTING THINGS DONE FASTER.
WE'D LIKE FOR THINGS TO BE DONE PROPERLY, UH, AND CONSISTENTLY.
UH, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, UH, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M HEARING THESE STAFF NAMES AND I'VE LONG SINCE WANTED THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT TO COME TO OUR DISTRICT AND TALK TO PEOPLE ON THEIR LEVEL ABOUT A PROBLEM THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM MULTIPLE PEOPLE OVER A PERIOD OF DECADES.
SO MY QUESTIONS DIRECTED TO THE DIRECTOR ARE, UM, WHO MAKES THE DECISION WHERE MONEY IS SPENT IN THEIR DEPARTMENT IN REGARDS TO OUR DISTRICT AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
I ALSO WANT TO KNOW, AGAIN, THIS QUESTION OF SCHEDULING.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE LIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY THEIR ENTIRE LIVES AND THEY'VE SEEN THINGS GO AWAY.
LASTLY, THERE'S A WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
THERE'S A WATER TREATMENT PLANT THAT WAS CREATED IN THE NORTHEAST.
NO ONE KNOWS IT EVEN EXISTS THAT LIVES IN THE NORTHEAST.
SO I WOULD SAY TO YOU, THIS DEPARTMENT, WHILE IT HAS DONE A LOT OF GOOD FOR US, WE NEED SOME MORE REACHING OUT TO THIS COMMUNITY TO TALK ABOUT SOLVING THE PROBLEMS THAT EXIST.
AND I HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT I'D LIKE TO SUBMIT IN WRITING.
WE WILL PUT THOSE INTO SHAREPOINT.
THAT CONCLUDES THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET WORKSHOP.