* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [District D Redistricting Town Hall and CIP Meeting] [00:00:15] GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. IT'S LIKE 6 0 3. WE WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYBODY'S TIME. I, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I WAS SO CONCERNED. I SAID, ARE THEY GONNA KNOW OR THEY'RE GONNA COME BECAUSE I WANT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. SO LET'S BE CLEAR, FIRST AND FOREMOST THAT YOU ARE HERE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA MAKE A PRESENTATION, AND THEN THERE WILL BE QUESTIONS. BUT I WANNA SAY, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MAY NOT KNOW ME, I AM COUNCIL MEMBER CAROL EVAN SHABAZZ, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT D, WHAT I CALL THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. AND WE ARE IN ONE OF OUR DESTINATION VENUES. OF COURSE, I FEEL QUITE AT HOME. I USED TO BE THE HCC BOARD CHAIR, AND SO I'M VERY GLAD THAT THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE OPENED THEIR DOORS TO US. AND SO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOME OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE. AND I DO SEE COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON, AND THEN I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCO. AND I DON'T THINK I SEE ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT CERTAINLY I WANT TO KNOW, SAY THAT, UM, TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION AND OTHER RELATED MATERIALS FOR TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT LET'S TALK HOUSTON.ORG/REDISTRICTING. LET ME REPEAT THAT. LET'S TALK HOUSTON.ORG/REDISTRICTING. AND SO, I WANNA THANK THE CITY OF HOUSTON PLANNING AND LEGAL DEPARTMENTS FOR PREPARING THE MATERIALS FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING. AND SO CERTAINLY I'M GOING TO NOW INTRODUCE, YOU KNOW, I GOT A CHEERLEADER VOICE. DO I DO, I BET Y'ALL DIDN'T MISS A WORD. I SEE IT. OKAY. 'CAUSE I HAVE VOLUME SOMETIMES TOO MUCH. BUT CERTAINLY I WANT TO, I DON'T THINK THIS PERSON REALLY NEEDS AN INTRODUCTION, BUT I AM HONORED TO SAY THAT RIGHT HERE IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION, WE HAVE OUR MAYOR, SYLVESTER TURNER. AND SO MAYOR TURNER, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LEMME JUST SAY GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE, AND IT'S GOOD TO BE IN DISTRICT D. UH, ONE MORE TIME. UH, AND LOOK, IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ. SO PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER. SHE'S ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGED. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, AND COUNCIL MEMBER DAVE ROBINSON. I SEE DAVE ROBINSON THERE. WHERE IS COUNCIL? COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN IS, IS THERE AS WELL. UH, LOOK, THERE ARE, UH, UH, SEVERAL DIRECTORS WHO ARE HERE. I CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM. I KNOW, I SEE, UH, ANDY EKIN, THE CHIEF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER IS HERE. UH, AND THEN I, UH, THERE IS, UH, KENNY ALLEN, DIRECTOR KENNY ALLEN OVER PARKS AND REC IS ALSO PRESENT. I KNOW ASHA FRANCIS, WHO'S OF THE DIRECTOR OF, UH, UH, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IS ON HER WAY AND WILL BE HERE. AND BEAR IN MIND, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS RE, UH, DISTRICTING MEETING. AND THEN IN THE SECOND PART IS THE CIP, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENT, UH, THAT ARE REPRESENTED TODAY. SO THAT GO BEYOND THOSE TWO TOPICS. SO ON ANY ISSUE THAT COMES UP, WHETHER IT'S PARKS, LIBRARY, PUBLIC WORKS, YOU NAME IT. IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, FEEL FREE TO VISIT. UM, ALL OF THE PEOPLE, THE BOOTHS THAT ARE SET UP OUTSIDE FOR ALL THE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HERE, IF YOU JUST SHOW YOUR HANDS. SO, OKAY. IF YOU LOOK AROUND, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CITY EMPLOYEES. IF YOU RAISE YOUR HAND UP, MAKE SURE I, I JUST WANT TO TAKE ROLE. YEAH. . YEAH. ALL I'M MISSING, I'M MISSING A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, BUT, BUT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY. I CERTAINLY DO WANNA ALSO RECOGNIZE STATE REPRESENTATIVE ALMA ALLEN, WHO IS HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU. UH, LEMME JUST, LEMME JUST SAY, UM, THIS IS A, THIS IS A LISTENING, UH, KINDA LIKE A TOWN HALL MEETING, AT LEAST WITH THE FIRST PORTION DEALING WITH REDISTRICTING. UH, WE DO THIS EVERY 10 YEARS, UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, EVERY 10 YEARS. AND SO WE HAVE TO, BASED ON THE CENSUS NUMBERS THAT HAVE COME OUT, UH, WE HAVE TO PRETTY MUCH KIND OF LIKE REDRAW THE LINES. AND WE TRIED THEIR 11 DISTRICT COUNCIL SEATS. AND EACH ONE ON AVERAGE, BASED ON THE LAST CENSUS NUMBERS THAT CAME OUT, WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE EACH DISTRICT ABOUT 209,000 PEOPLE. SO THAT'S FOR EACH ONE OF THE 11 DISTRICTS. UH, WE HAVE GO, WE ARE GOING AROUND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THIS IS MEETING NUMBER EIGHT OR 9, 9, 9. THIS IS MEETING NUMBER [00:05:01] NINE. UH, WE HAVE TWO MORE. WE HAVE TWO MORE TO GO. THREE MORE TO GO. IS THAT RIGHT? ALRIGHT. EVERY NIGHT THIS WEEK THERE, THERE'S A TOWN HALL MEETING. BUT THIS IS NUMBER, THIS IS NUMBER NINE. AND, UH, THERE ARE SOME DISTRICTS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ARE ABOVE, UH, THE, UH, THE AVERAGE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE OF 209,000. I THINK DISTRICT DI WANNA SAY IT'S ABOUT 7% ABOVE. SO DISTRICT D IS 7% ABOVE. IT'S PRETTY MUCH CLOSE TO THE RANGE, UH, THAT'S NEEDED. AND THEN THERE ARE SOME DISTRICTS THAT ARE, LET'S SAY, 15 TO 16% BELOW. AND THEN WE HAVE TO BRING THEM UP. SO IF YOU'RE TOO FAR ABOVE, WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO BRING YOU DOWN. IF YOU'RE TOO FAR BELOW, WE HAVE TO BRING YOU UP, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO PULL FROM OTHER, FROM OTHER DISTRICTS. I KNOW STATE REPRESENTATIVE KNOWS, 'CAUSE SHE'S GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS SEVERAL TIMES. AND SO, EVEN THOUGH DISTRICT D IS ABOUT 7% ABOVE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH RIGHT ON THE CUSP OF BEING OKAY, IS THE DISTRICTS ALL AROUND DISTRICT D AS WELL AS OTHER DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT CAN HAVE AN IMPACT. WHICH MEANS, UH, THERE ARE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE IN, UH, IN DISTRICT D NOW, UH, COULD COME OUTTA DISTRICT D. AND THEN THERE'S NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF DISTRICT D THAT COULD COME INSIDE DISTRICT D. AND WE TAKE IN INTO ACCOUNT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, A NUMBER OF THINGS, NOT JUST THE NUMBER OF 2009, UH, BUT THE COMMUNITY OF INTEREST, THE DIVERSITY OF THE CITY, HOW CONTIGUOUS THE DISTRICTS ARE. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE TAKE, THAT WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT TONIGHT. UH, WE SIMPLY WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. SO, UH, UH, IF YOU LIKE WHERE YOU ARE IN DISTRICT D OKAY? AND YOU WANT TO STAY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, CAROLYN, EVAN SHABA OF THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION, UH, THEN, THEN YOU WILL LET US KNOW, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL. WE LIKE WHERE WE ARE. AND FOR DISTRICT D, IT IS, IT IS RIGHT HERE. NOW, BEAR IN MIND, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS I IS, I WANT TO SAY IT'S ABOUT 15% BELOW. SO THIS IS GOTTA BE MORE PEOPLE. THIS IS OKAY. BUT AGAIN, EVERYTHING CAN BE IMPACTED. THIS SEE IS ABOVE THIS AGE IS ABOUT 70% BELOW. SO I AND H FOR EXAMPLE, NEED MORE PEOPLE. AND SO YOU GOTTA KIND OF LOOK AROUND AND SEE HOW, HOW TO MAKE THAT WORK. UM, SO THAT'S WHAT, SO TONIGHT WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN TO YOU ON THE REDISTRICTING SIDE. YOU KNOW, I LIKE WHERE I AM. I DON'T, I, YOU KNOW, I WANNA GO SOMEPLACE ELSE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT GOOD STUFF. AND THEN WE ARE GONNA BE TAKING NOTES AND LISTENING TO YOU. UH, AND THEN, SO WHEN IT COMES YOUR TIME, PLEASE, PLEASE WEAR THE CARDS SO PEOPLE CAN START WRITING OUT WHATEVER QUESTIONS THEY HAVE. SO, OKAY, SO WRITE OUT YOUR QUESTIONS AND THEN YOU'LL COME TO THE MIC, UH, WHEN IT COMES THAT TIME, AND THEN YOU'LL EXPRESS YOURSELF, AND THEN GO TO THE SECOND PART, UH, AFTER RELINE IS OVER. AND, UH, MYSELF, PEOPLE LIKE JERRY MARGARET, WE'LL BE HEADING TO ANOTHER MEETING. OKAY? BUT THEN YOU'LL, YOU'LL DEAL WITH THE CIP AFTERWARDS. UH, AFTER WE DO THE FIRST PART, THE, SO THE MAIN PART OF THIS, OF THIS TOWN HALL MEETING IS DEALING WITH REDISTRICTING. SO HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, LET ME YIELD AND PLEASE WATCH THE SCREEN. WATCH THE, HELLO, THIS IS MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER HOUSTON, THE CITY WE ALL CALL HOME CONTINUES TO PROSPER AND GROW. RANK THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES. WE ARE A DYNAMIC COMMUNITY, RICH IN CULTURE AND DIVERSITY TOGETHER, OUR PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS HELP TO SHAPE THE GLOBAL METROPOLIS WHERE IDEAS, DREAMS, AND IMAGINATION ARE WELCOME AND CELEBRATED. HOW WE CHOOSE TO GOVERN OURSELVES IS ESTABLISHED BY OUR CITY CHARTER, MUCH LIKE THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. OUR CITY CHARTER IS THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S GOVERNMENT, AND FOR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR GOVERNMENT AND WE THE PEOPLE, ANY GOVERNMENT OR THE FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL WORKS BEST WHEN IT REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHY ADJUSTING THE BOUNDARIES OF OUR CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS IS SO IMPORTANT. OUR CITY ATTORNEY, ARTURO [00:10:01] HEL, WILL NOW TELL YOU WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IN THIS REDISTRICTING PROCESS. THE CITY CHARTER, AS WELL AS STATE AND FEDERAL LAW, REQUIRE THAT WE ADJUST OUR CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS FROM TIME TO TIME IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE DIFFERENCE IN DISTRICT POPULATIONS IS NEVER MORE THAN 10% OF AVERAGE DISTRICT POPULATION. THE LAST TIME THE CITY ADJUSTED CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES AND ACTION CALLED REDISTRICTING WAS 10 YEARS AGO. SINCE THEN, OUR POPULATION HAS GROWN BY 9.8% AND IS MORE THAN 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE. EACH OF THE 11 COUNCIL DISTRICTS EXPERIENCE POPULATION CHANGE AT DIFFERENT RATES. AS A RESULT, ADJUSTMENTS ARE REQUIRED FOR OUR CURRENT DISTRICTS BY CITY COUNCIL BEFORE THE NEXT MUNICIPAL ELECTION IN 2023. THIS MEETING IS ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS IN THAT PROCESS. ACCORDING TO THE 2020 CENSUS, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DISTRICT WITH THE LARGEST POPULATION, DISTRICT C, AND THE DISTRICT WITH THE SMALLEST POPULATION, DISTRICT H IS OVER 66,000 PEOPLE. THIS IS 31% OF THE AVERAGE DISTRICT POPULATION, FAR ABOVE THE MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE VARIATION. OTHER DISTRICTS ARE ALSO ABOVE OR BELOW THE ALLOWABLE RANGE, AND WILL HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY. THE GOAL OF REDISTRICTING IS TO RECONFIGURE OUR DISTRICTS TO ACHIEVE AN EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF THE POPULATION IN EACH DISTRICT TO MEET REQUIREMENTS OF STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS. STARTING IN 1964, THE SUPREME COURT RECOGNIZED THE PRINCIPLE OF ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE, AND THE APPLICABILITY OF THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE TO REDISTRICTING. AND THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965 AS AMENDED ALSO SETS FORTH REQUIREMENTS THAT WILL AFFECT THIS PROCESS. REDISTRICTING MUST NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, OR MEMBERSHIP IN A PROTECTIVE LANGUAGE. MINORITY GROUP CITY COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED A RESOLUTION THAT ESTABLISHES THE TIMELINE CRITERIA AND RULES THAT WILL HELP GUIDE THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS. THE SPECIFICS FOR EACH OF THESE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, VIETNAMESE, AND CHINESE, CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEBSITE@WWW.HOUSTONTX.GOV. OUR REDISTRICTING TIMELINE IS GUIDED IN PART BY THE DATES THAT RESULTS OF THE 2020 CENSUS BECOME AVAILABLE AND BY THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE, WHICH PROVIDES THAT CHANGES IN ELECTION BOUNDARIES. EXAMPLE, COUNCIL DISTRICTS MUST BE ADOPTED MORE THAN THREE MONTHS BEFORE ELECTION DAY. IT IS ALSO INFORMED BY THE 12 MONTH RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT ESTABLISHED IN THE CITY CHARTER. AND THE CITY CHARTER ALSO REQUIRES THAT A REDISTRICTING ORDINANCE BE ADOPTED IN THE SAME YEAR AS THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION. SO THE PLAN ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL IN THE FALL OF 2022 WILL BE RATIFIED BY CITY COUNCIL IN EARLY 2023, AND THE NEW BOUNDARIES WILL BE EFFECTIVE ON JANUARY 1ST, 2024. WE HAVE ORGANIZED THESE TOWN HALL MEETINGS TO HELP KEEP YOU INFORMED AND AWARE OF WHAT WE ARE DOING AT EVERY STEP OF THE PROCESS. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, YOUR PARTICIPATION IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PROCESS, AND WE HOPE YOU'LL PROVIDE COMMENTS TO HELP GUIDE DECISIONS ABOUT THE CONFIGURATION OF OUR 11 COUNCIL DISTRICTS. THESE MEETINGS WILL HAPPEN ACROSS HOUSTON THROUGHOUT THE MONTHS OF APRIL AND MAY. IN JUNE, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, DEMOGRAPHER AND LEGAL COUNSEL WILL PRESENT A DRAFT PLAN AND MAP TO CITY COUNCIL. THREE. PUBLIC HEARINGS WILL BE HELD FOR CITIZENS TO COMMENT ON THE DRAFT PLAN AND MAP. THE FIRST TWO HEARINGS WILL BE ON JULY 13TH, ONE IN THE MORNING, AND ONE IN THE EVENING. AND THE THIRD WILL BE HELD ON JULY 20TH. CITY COUNCIL WILL APPROVE THEIR REDISTRICTING PLAN ORDINANCE IN SEPTEMBER. THE CRITERIA ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL, WHICH SHOULD BE FOLLOWED TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE, INCLUDE DISTRICTS SHOULD BE RELATIVELY EQUAL IN POPULATION WITH NO MORE THAN A 10% VARIATION FROM THE AVERAGE DISTRICT SIZE. THEREBY ENSURING THE VITAL STANDARD OF ONE PERSON ONE VOTE. THEY MUST BE COMPOSED OF WHOLE COUNTY VOTING PRECINCTS, WHICH ARE DEFINED BY THE COUNTIES, AND SERVE AS THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS. WHEN PRECINCTS ARE SPLIT BY THE CITY LIMITS, ONLY THE CITY PORTION OF THAT PRECINCT WILL BE USED. THEY SHOULD HAVE EASILY IDENTIFIABLE GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES, SUCH AS MAJOR THOROUGHFARE OR BAYOU. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT NOT ALL COUNTY VOTING PRECINCTS FOLLOW CLEAR GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES, WHICH MAY MAKE IT NECESSARY FOR CITY COUNCIL BOUNDARIES. TO DEVIATE FROM A PREFERRED BOUNDARY, THEY SHOULD MAINTAIN COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST. NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY SHOULD BE COMPACT AND COMPOSED OF CONTIGUOUS TERRITORY, INCLUDING FUNCTIONAL AND GEOGRAPHIC CONTIGUITY. THE FUNCTIONAL DIMENSION MAY TAKE ON ADDED WEIGHT IN SITUATIONS IN WHICH GEOGRAPHIC COMPACTNESS MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE, IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT SOME AREAS ARE ATTACHED TO THE REMAINDER OF THE CITY, ONLY BY RELATIVELY LONG [00:15:01] AND NARROW STRIPS OF LAND FUNCTIONAL COMPACTNESS. AND CONTIGUITY INCLUDES CONSIDERING FACTORS SUCH AS AVAILABILITY OF TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION, EXISTENCE OF COMMON SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND OTHER SHARED INTERESTS. THE ABILITY OF CITIZENS OF A COUNCIL DISTRICT TO RELATE TO EACH OTHER AND TO THEIR REPRESENTATIVE ON CITY COUNCIL, AND THE ABILITY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER TO RELATE TO HIS OR HER CONSTITUENCY. THEY SHOULD PRESERVE INCUMBENT CONSTITUENT RELATIONS BY RECOGNITION OF THE RESIDENTS, OF EXISTING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND THEIR HISTORY IN REPRESENTING CERTAIN AREAS. THE PLAN SHOULD NOT FRAGMENT A GEOGRAPHICALLY COMPACT MINORITY COMMUNITY OR PAC MINORITY VOTERS IN THE PRESENCE OF POLARIZED VOTING SO AS TO CREATE LIABILITY UNDER SECTION TWO OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT. MORE DETAILS ABOUT THESE CRITERIA CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEBSITE IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, VIETNAMESE, AND CHINESE. TO HELP US MANAGE THIS COMPLICATED AND LENGTHY PROCESS, CITY COUNCIL ALSO ESTABLISHED THESE IMPORTANT RULES. THE CITY'S PLAN AND ANYONE ELSE'S PLAN SUBMITTED TO THE CITY FOR CONSIDERATION MUST BE IN WRITING, BE BASED ON THE 2020 FEDERAL CENSUS MUST REDISTRICT THE ENTIRE CITY CONTAINING PROPOSED BOUNDARIES FOR ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS WITHIN THE CITY. IF A PLAN DOES NOT REDISTRICT THE ENTIRE CITY, IT MAY BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR COUNCIL TO ASSESS THE PLAN'S IMPACT ON ONE OR MORE PROTECTED MINORITY GROUPS. THIS REQUIREMENT DOES NOT PRECLUDE CITIZENS FROM PROPOSING THAT PARTICULAR VOTING, PRECINCTS, NEIGHBORHOODS, OR LOCATIONS BE INCLUDED IN A SPECIFIC COUNCIL DISTRICT. THE PLAN MUST CONFORM TO THE CRITERIA DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY AND BE SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN 4:45 PM ON JULY 20TH, 2022. TO RUPE KOSHI IN THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD REGARDING YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR THE CONFIGURATION OF THE NEW COUNCIL DISTRICTS. YOUR INPUT MAY SIMPLY BE REGARDING NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDARIES, OR YOU MAY WANT TO SUBMIT A COMPLETE REDISTRICTING PLAN. EITHER WAY, THERE ARE SEVERAL POINTS AT WHICH YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS, OPINIONS, OR PLANS, ONE HERE AT THIS OR OTHER SCHEDULED TOWN HALL MEETINGS. TWO THROUGH OUR WEBPAGE@WWW.HOUSTONTX.GOV. THREE DIRECTLY TO RUPE KOSHI IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT THROUGH EMAIL AT RUPESH DOT KOSHI@HOUSTONTX.GOV BY US POSTAL SERVICE, OR HAND DELIVERY TO RUES KOSHI, OR FOUR AT ONE OF THE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT WILL BE HELD IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF CITY HALL 9 0 1 BAGBY STREET. IF YOU WANT TO SUBMIT A PLAN OF YOUR OWN, IT IS VITAL THAT YOU FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES CRITERIA AND RULES FOR THE CONSIDERATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW COUNCIL DISTRICTS. WE'RE READY TO HELP TO ENABLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP AND SUBMIT THEIR OWN PLAN. A COMPUTER KIOSK WITH REDISTRICTING SOFTWARE WILL BE SET UP IN THE OFFICES OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ON THE SIXTH, FOURTH OF SIX 11 WALKER STREET, SEVEN SEVEN ZERO ZERO TWO. PLEASE CALL 8 3 2 3 9 3 6 5 5 2 TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT SO A STAFF MEMBER CAN ASSIST YOU IN USING THE SOFTWARE. AGAIN, ALL PLANS MUST BE SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN 4:45 PM ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 20TH, 2022. NO MATTER HOW OR WHERE YOU JOIN THIS CONVERSATION, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHERE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDARIES ARE AND WHERE IT MAKES SENSE TO KEEP A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST TOGETHER. HOUSTON WILL BE STRONGER AS A RESULT OF YOUR PARTICIPATION. THANK YOU FOR JOINING IN THE CONVERSATION. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW LET ME SAY, UM, MY CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE, UM, IF YOU'VE GOT A A SEAT, UM, WHY DON'T YOU, UH, LET ME ASK YOU TO GIVE UP YOUR SEATS, UM, FOR, FOR THOSE WHO ARE PRESIDING IN DISTRICT D UH, JUST SO WE JUST SO WE CAN GET, JUST SO WE CAN GET A FEW PEOPLE SITUATED. OKAY? LET ME ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE SHANNON BUGS, WHO'S DIRECTOR OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, WHO'S PRESENT. AND, UH, TASHA FRANCIS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IS IS HERE AS WELL. UH, TED IRVIN OVER OUR, UH, HTV UH, PROGRAM IS ALSO, IS ALSO HERE. UM, OKAY. WANDA, ADAM, JUDGE, WARD JUDGE WANDA ADAMS IS PRESENT. DO JUDGE IS ALSO PRESENT. AND JAMES BURNETT. AND NOW JAMES BURNETT. WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS OFFICE IS HERE AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. UH, THAT TAKES CARE OF KINDA LIKE THE VIDEO AND THE PRESENTATIONS. NOW LEMME TURN IT OVER TO [00:20:01] DIRECTOR MARGARET WALLACE BROWN. UH, THAT WILL TAKE IT FROM HERE. BEAR IN MIND ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, UH, OR COMMENTS ON REDISTRICTING, PLEASE, YOU, YOU KNOW, UH, WRITE YOUR NAME DOWN. I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ASKING YOU FOR. AND THEN YOU'LL GO TO THE MIC AND, AND WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN. OKAY. QUESTIONS? ANYBODY NEED A CARD JUST FOR YOUR NAME SO WE CAN KIND OF RIGHT HERE? YES, SIR. OKAY. KEEP DOING THAT TO YOUR LEFT. I CAN HELP IF YOU'RE JUST JOT YEAH. HAND THE CARDS OUT AND JUST PLEASE LET US, LET US KNOW HOW MUCH YOU'RE GOING TO BE CONTRIBUTING, UH, TO THE DISTRICT D FUND. UH, , JUST, JUST PUT IT DOWN. PUT YOUR TIRES AND OFFERING ON THOSE, ON THOSE ON THOSE CARDS. , SOME OF Y'ALL DIDN'T GO TO CHURCH YESTERDAY ON SUNDAY, YOU KNOW, SO JUST PUT YOUR NAMES DOWN AND THEN, OKAY, LEMME TURN IT OVER. NOW TO THE DI DIRECTOR OF MARGARET WALLACE BROWN. THANK YOU, SIR. UH, WELCOME TONIGHT. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND TAKING THE TIME TO BE WITH US TONIGHT. I'M, I'M GONNA REPEAT A COUPLE THINGS THAT WERE IN THAT VIDEO BECAUSE I KNOW YOU, THEY CAME PAST PRETTY QUICKLY. SO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS CAN BE FOUND AT LET'S TALK HOUSTON.ORG/REDISTRICTING. AND THEN THE PERSON YOU WANNA TALK TO IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS IS THE GENTLEMAN IN THE BROWN RUPESH KOHI. AND HIS NAME IS SPELLED R-U-P-E-S-H DOT K-O-S-H-Y, AT HOUSTON TX DOT GOV. SO HE WILL ANSWER ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS. HE'S THE NUMBER ONE GUY TO TALK TO. AND YOU CAN IF, AND THEN GO TO HOUSTON REDISTRICTING DOT LET'S TALK HOUSTON REDISTRICTING. OKAY, I'M GONNA START OFF RIGHT AWAY. SO IF YOU'VE CHECKED REDISTRICTING COMMENT, I'LL READ YOUR NAME AND IF YOU'D COME TO THE MICROPHONE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET YOUR NAME SPELLED CORRECTLY FOR THE RECORD. AND, UM, JERRY WILL BE WRITING ALL OF THIS DOWN AND HE MAY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR FOLLOW UP IF, IF HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND SOME THINGS YOU'VE SAID. SO FIRST PERSON IS IVA JEAN JOCKS. UM, COME ON. COME UP. YAY. OH, OKAY. WELL, SAY WHAT? HI, MY NAME IS IVA JEAN JACKSON AND I LIVE IN SUGAR VALLEY. AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M HAPPY, UM, LIVING WHERE I LIVE RIGHT NOW. OKAY. DISTRICT D THANK YOU. I'M SORRY, DID, DID YOU SAY SUGAR? SUGAR VALLEY? SUGAR VALLEY. OKAY. UM, I HAVE A DWAYNE, WE'LL CALL YOU AGAIN FOR CIPI HAVE A DWAYNE LARK. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. GOOD, UH, DISTINGUISHED COUNCIL MEMBER. UH, FIRST OFF, LET ME SAY THAT I WANT TO THANK THE THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE WHO CALLED ME. 'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE MEETING. I RUSHED OVER HERE AND DROPPED EVERYTHING I HAD TO DO. AND COUNCIL MEMBER, I'D LIKE TO GET ON THAT LIST. MAY I LIKE TO GET ON THAT LIST? I'VE WORKED PRETTY HARD. UH, BUT THE ISSUE FOR ME WITH REDISTRICTING IS SIMPLE. IT WOULD APPEAR TO ME THAT THE CONGRUENCE AND THE REALISTIC BUFFER FOR THE WEST BOUNDARY OF DISTRICT D OUGHT NOT B 2 88, IT OUGHT TO BE ALAMEDA ROAD. SO I JUST WANT YOU TO MAKE SURE IN, IN CONTINUITY, A LOT OF US WHO BUILD OVER FROM HERE TO ALAMEDA ROAD, WE GREW UP IN SUGAR VALLEY. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE DECIDED TO COME OUTTA HUMBLE AND COME OUTTA THE LANDS AND SOME OTHER PLACES SO WE CAN STAY IN OUR TRADITIONAL HOMELANDS, IF YOU WILL. SO I JUST WANNA UNDERLINE, AND I HOPE I GET AN AMEN, THAT INSTEAD OF 2 88 BEING THE BUFFER ALAMEDA ROAD OUGHT TO BE THE BUFFER. BECAUSE ONCE YOU CROSS ALAMEDA ROAD, YOU'RE GOING TOWARD WESTBURY AND ALL THE OTHER SOUTHWEST, MKL, WHATEVER. SO JUST KEEP US IN DEEP BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY GOT THE BUFFER. YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO MAKE THE BUFFER, UH, SOUTH, NORTH, WHICH IS THE BELTWAY EIGHT AND THE BUFFER. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE BUFFER IS 'CAUSE YOU PASS 16 WITH DISTRICT D. YOU HAVE TO DO THAT FOR NUMBERS. BUT I THINK IT OUGHT TO BE A SIMPLE MATHEMATICAL PROPOSITION TO LOOK AT ALAMEDA ROAD AS THE WESTERN MOST BUFFER FOR DISTRICT D. AND ALAMEDA ROAD IS THE PRIMARY BOUNDARY BETWEEN K AND D RIGHT NOW. WELL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REDISTRICTING. YES, SIR. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE CHANGING THAT WE, WE KEEP SOME CONTINUITY [00:25:01] HERE. AND THOSE OF US JUST SAY, AMEN. THOSE OF YOU WHO AGREE WITH ME, LORD, I MEAN, WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE CHURCH HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE THE MAYOR OPENED IT UP. IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THE MONEY, YOU NEED TO HEAR THE SERMON, RIGHT? AMEN. AMEN. WE THINK, AND, AND COUNCILWOMAN WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK, THE HARD WORK, THE LABOR THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING FOR DISTRICT DI TOLD YOU YOU WAS GONNA WIN. YOU, YOU HAVE DONE WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE. JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE SHOUT. AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU GET A LITTLE RAGGED WITH IT, I'LL BE RIGHT THERE. BUT THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN, AND THANK YOU FOR THE AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU, SIR. ALRIGHT. OKAY, NEXT, I HAVE A CARD FROM TAMARA BELL FOR REDISTRICTING COMMENT. THANK YOU. HELLO MAYOR. HELLO. COUNCIL MEMBER. AND DR. BROWN. UH, I CAME HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE, UM, LIKE BROTHER LARK, I'VE BEEN LIVING IN DISTRICT DEAL OVER 40 YEARS. AND, UH, THIS IS MY HOME. I DON'T PLAN ON GOING TO ANY OTHER DISTRICT. UM, I DO SEE MULTIPLICITY OF PROBLEMS THAT I HOPE REDISTRICTING WOULD HELP, BUT I DOUBT IF IT WOULD. UH, I WOULD LIKE US TO STAY CONTIGUOUS BECAUSE WE ARE ALREADY BEING EVADED, WHETHER WE CHANGE THE DISTRICTS OR NOT, UH, FROM FORCES THAT WE CANNOT CONTROL THOSE, WE CAN, I HOPE WE AS A COMMUNITY STICK TOGETHER TO FIGHT. AMEN. UM, BUT, UH, WHAT I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT IN MANY OF THESE MEETINGS, UM, WHETHER I COME OR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE THROWING OUT THERE IS TO GET RID OF AT LARGE POSITIONS. I PRAY THAT DON'T HAPPEN BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU MAY NOT WORK WELL WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER. AND, AND ALLY AT AN AT LARGE WHO IS SUPPOSED TO WORK FOR EVERYBODY HAS BEEN TRULY AN AID IN TIMES OF CRISIS, ESPECIALLY IN IKE AND ESPECIALLY IN HARVEY. UH, THE AT LARGE PEOPLE WERE THERE WHEN WE COULDN'T GET AHOLD OF WHOEVER OUR COUNCIL MEMBER WAS. SO I HOPE THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL CONSIDER WITH THIS METHOD THAT YOU'RE USING FOR REDISTRICTING. UM, I, I HOPE THAT IT'S NOT ON THE TABLE, AND IF IT IS ON THE TABLE, I'M ASKING YOU TO TAKE IT OFF BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED THEM. UH, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES A DISTRICT MEMBER MAY HAVE A CONCERN THAT DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT HAVE LOOKED AT IT OR THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND EVERYBODY NEEDS AN ALLY WHEN THEY COME TO THE HORSESHOE. SO I HOPE THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING. AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. AND LEMME JUST, AND LEMME JUST SAY THAT, UH, ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS ARE, ARE, ARE WELCOME AND APPRECIATED. UM, WE ARE LISTENING, AND RIGHT NOW THE CONFIGURATION IS 11 DISTRICTS AND FIVE AT LARGE. UH, BUT EVERYTHING IS ON THE TABLE, OKAY. IN THIS, IN THIS WHOLE LISTENING PROCESS. SO IF YOU LIKE THE WAY THINGS ARE, YOU TELL US YOU LIKE THE WAY THINGS ARE. UH, THERE ARE PEOPLE IN, UH, THAT WILL SAY, WE WANT TO CHANGE THE CONFIGURATION AND WE WANT ALL SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, OR WE WANT TO REDUCE SOME OF THE AT LARGE DISTRICTS. ALL OF THOSE COMMENTS YOU HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE AND MYSELF AND, UM, THE DEMOGRAPHER AND OTHERS. WE ARE HERE, WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN. SO YOU JUST TELL US WHAT YOU LIKE. ALL RIGHT, , BUT I ONLY HAVE TWO MORE CARDS FOR REDISTRICTING. AH, SO IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING, PLEASE SEND YOUR CARD IN INTO EITHER RUPESH OR LINDSEY OVER THERE. OKAY. SO ANITA WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. UM, GOOD EVENING. I'VE BEEN IN TEXAS NOW FOR 17 YEARS AND I BOUGHT MY FIRST HOME IN DISTRICT D, AND I LOVE IT. WHY I LOVE IT IS BECAUSE I'M SO CLOSE TO, UH, PEARLAND. I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE WHO COME TO VISIT ME FROM CALIFORNIA AND RHODE ISLAND, THAT ALAMEDA GENOA IS THE LAST EXIT FOR HOUSTON. BEFORE YOU GET TO BRACERO COUNTY OR PEARLAND, I BOUGHT MY HOME. I'M A HOMEOWNER AND I LOVE IT. WHAT I DON'T LOVE RIGHT NOW, IT TAKES ME A HALF HOUR TO GET TO MY SUBDIVISION FROM 2 88 TO THE NEXT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S MCDONALD'S RIGHT THERE, AND THEY HAVE JUST BUILT A, I THINK A, I'M GONNA SAY 500 COMPLEX APARTMENT, AND THEN ACROSS THE STREET THEY'RE BUILDING SOMETHING ELSE. AND I'M LIKE, WAIT, WHERE'S THE LIGHT? MY HOME FACES ALAMEDA GENOA, AND I JUST, I JUST OPEN UP MY CURTAIN AND COUNT EVERY ACCIDENT AT ALAMEDA. GENOA, FURMAN, I MEAN, THE, BETWEEN THE AMAZON TRUCKS TRYING TO PICK THEM TURN RIGHT, YOU CAN'T. SO FOLLOWING SOMEONE SAID, YOU KNOW, GO DOWN TO SCOTT, MAKE A RIGHT AND COME ON DOWN THE BELTWAY, [00:30:01] YOU KNOW? UH, BUT WHEN I CAME TONIGHT, BECAUSE, UM, MY COUNCILMAN SHABAZZ, I LOOKED AT HER NEWSLETTER WHEN SHE PUTS IT OUT, AND THAT'S WHY I FOUND ABOUT TONIGHT, HOW CAN I KNOW THE CITY NEEDS MONEY FOR TAXES, RIGHT? BUT HOW CAN YOU PUT IN THAT MANY APARTMENTS WITH NO LIGHT? SO WHEN PEOPLE CI DON'T, ARE THEY COMING RIGHT NOW? EVERYBODY COMES TO VISIT ME, SAYS THEY HAVE TO GO TO, TO ORUM TO GO ALL THROUGH MY SKYVIEW FOREST SUBDIVISION WHEN MY HOME'S FACING NOW MEANS TO NOAH. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THE GPS CAN BE TURNED, OR THEY'RE TRYING TO, UM, DEFER A TRAFFIC FROM COMING ON ALAMEDA. GENOA, LET ME, LET ME ASK YOU TO HOLD THAT QUESTION. OKAY. THAT, THAT GUY RIGHT BACK THERE. WHO, WHO? MICHAEL RUSTY. THAT GUY IS WITH PUBLIC WORKS. HE'S GONNA BE LEADING THE CIP PORTION. OKAY. AND, AND YOU NEED TO LET HIM HAVE IT WHEN HE COMES. OKAY. OKAY. RIGHT THERE. THAT GUY RIGHT THERE. THANK YOU. OKAY. , CAN I, CAN I SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE STOPLIGHT? YES, FOR SURE. WE RECENTLY PUT A, UH, COVERED AREA FOR, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE RIDING THE BUS. YES. THE BIG TRUCKS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO TURN ON FERMAN AND THEY'RE NOT ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY CAN. OKAY, GOOD. BUT LET ME TELL YOU, THE FIRST PHASE WAS THE STOP SIGN. THE SECOND PHASE WILL BE A TRAFFIC LIGHT. . OKAY. THAT'S A CIP COUNCIL MEMBER . OKAY. RIGHT. MICHAEL ARRESTED. I GOT RIGHT THERE. OKAY. OKAY. I HAVE PAT SPIKES AND THEN AFTER THAT I HAVE YVONNE WHITLOCK, BOTH REDISTRICTING. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. UM, I'M WITH THE SUGAR VALLEY BLUE RIDGE, BLUE RIDGE AND REED WOOD CIVIC CLUB. I'M THE NEWLY APPOINTED PRESIDENT. I GREW UP OUT HERE. I'VE WATCHED ALL THE CHANGES. I'VE WATCHED EVERYTHING THAT HAS GONE ON OUT HERE. WE ARE WORKING SO HARD TO BRING CONTINUITY TO THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANNA SEE ANY REDISTRICTING. A LOT OF THE FAMILIES ARE OLDER. A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ARE MOVING ON, CHILDREN ARE MOVING IN, AND WE ARE TRYING TO SEE THE YOUNGER PEOPLE TAKE CONTROL AND HELP BUILD UP OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THIS WOULD TOTALLY DESTROY THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING TO BRING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TOGETHER. SO WE ARE DEFINITELY, THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. I PASTOR YOUR OFFICE TO DEATH, BUT THANK YOU FOR TRYING TO HELP US IN OUR EFFORTS TO BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER. SO WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS HAPPEN. OKAY. THANK YOU. YVONNE WHITLOCK, THEN KAREN HOLLER. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING MAYOR. COUNCIL ONE WITH SHA. GOOD. I LIVE IN EDWOOD FOR, ON THE LEFT SIDE ACROSS 2 88. AND I LIKE WHERE I LIVE. I GREW UP, I GOT A HOME AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY GRANDMOTHER LIVED SO I COULD BE CLOSE TO HER. AND I LIKE WHERE I LIVE AND AS THEY SAY, I'M SEEING THEM BUILD UP EVERYWHERE, BUT I'M STILL PA PATIENTLY WAITING. MY NAME IS STILL ON THE LIST TO GET SOME WORK DONE ON MY HOME, BUT I LIKE WHERE I AM. I'M COMFORTABLE AND I DON'T WANT TO GO ANYWHERE ELSE. I'M GETTING UP IN THERE. SO I'M GOING TO STAY RIGHT WHERE I'M, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, KAREN, AND THEN KENNETH ROSE. UM, HI, I AM KAREN HALLER AND YOU KNOW, WE ALL LIKE WHERE WE LIVE. MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE NUMBERS, THE DATA. WHEN WILL WE BE ABLE TO GET OUR HANDS ON THE DATA? JERRY, YOU WANNA RESPOND? WELL, UM, THE CENSUS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE NOW. WE HAVE IT BY DISTRICT, UM, IS VISIBLE HERE IF YOU WANT IT AT PRECINCT LEVEL. MM-HMM . THAT COULD BE SENT TO YOU. IF YOU'LL, UH, JUST SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS. UH, SEND AN EMAIL TO RUPESH. OKAY. HE CAN FORWARD IT TO YOU. IT'S, IT'S A BIG FILE, RIGHT? 'CAUSE IT'S A LOT OF PRECINCTS, BUT HE'LL BE ABLE TO SEND YOU THAT INFORMATION. YEAH. I, I WORKED THE LAST REDISTRICTING, SO I KNOW THE MAPS. I KNOW THE NUMBERS, I KNOW THE PRECINCT NUMBERS. AND I WANTED TO LOOK AT YOU'LL, YOU'LL YOU'LL NEED THE NEW MAPS THOUGH, BECAUSE THE, THE PRECINCTS, THE COUNTY'S CHANGED THE PRECINCTS. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE, UM, THE ABILITY FOR YOU TO COME INTO OUR OFFICE AND USE THE DESKTOP WITH THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE ON IT. MM-HMM . THAT WOULD HELP YOU DO THAT. IF YOU WANNA DO IT IN OUR OFFICES, RUPE WOULD BE THE ONE TO SPEAK WITH. OKAY. THANKS. UM, I HAVE KENNETH ROSE, AND THAT'S IT. UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE GIVES ME SOME CARDS. UH, I, I WANNA SAY HELLO TO OUR MOTHER, PASTOR KENNETH ROSE. PASTOR MOUNT VERNON. OH, RIGHT. AND TO OUR, SAY THE COUNCILWOMAN. I AM, UH, I'VE BEEN PASTOR IN THE AREA FOR 32 YEARS AND I DON'T KNOW, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WHENEVER THE LINES ARE DRAWN, THEN THINGS HAPPEN. WE CAN'T IGNORE THE LINES. WE KNOW THE LINES GOING TO DETERMINE WHERE THE POLICING GOES, WHERE [00:35:01] THE VOTING POWER GOES, WHERE THE MONEY GOES. I DON'T KNOW IF THE PEOPLE IN HERE ARE EDU ARE WELL AWARE, BUT THE LINES ARE IMPORTANT. AND, UH, WHENEVER THE LINES ARE DRAWN, SOME FOLK WILL BE LEFT OUT. AND WE APPRECIATE YOU WORKERS, YOUR PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE FIND YOU. YOU WON'T BE AFFECTED BY IT. BUT THOSE WHO LIVE IN THESE AREAS, WE'RE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY IT. WE WANNA THANK OUR MAYOR. I THINK, UH, I THINK THIS IS YOUR LAST TERM, ISN'T IT? LET'S GIVE HIM A HAND. LET'S GIVE A HALF. YEAH. YOU, YOU SERVED ALL TWO TERMS, BUT YOU GONNA BE GONE AND WE GONNA BE LEFT WITH THE LINES . SO, NO, NO. AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE FUNNY, BUT HE'S DONE A, I I'M NOT, I THOUGHT HE'S DONE A WONDERFUL JOB. I, I VOTED. I WORKED HARD TO GET YOU. BUT, BUT, UH, WE DON'T KNOW WHO THE PREDECESSOR'S GOING TO BE OR WHATEVER'S GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LINES. AND IF WE, AND IF WE HEAR TO SAY WE HAVE A WORD AND WE HAVE POWER, WE WANT, AND I WANT THE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN. YOU NEED TO BE EDUCATED TO KNOW WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN. BECAUSE ONCE IT HAPPENED, THERE AIN'T NO SENSE OF YOU SAYING NOTHING NO MORE. IT'S TOO LATE. SO, AND I'M NOT BEING ANTAGONISTIC. OUR COUNCILWOMAN HAS DONE ONE DROP. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN BEHIND YOU. SO, UH, UH, I I JUST WANT US TO BE, UH, DEFINITIVE ABOUT WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN. AND THE PEOPLE KNOW, BECAUSE IT ALSO IS GONNA AFFECT OUR SCHOOLS, OUR EDUCATION FOR THE KIDS. AND, UH, WE WANT TO BE, UH, VERY, VERY, UH, UNDERSTANDING OF DO WE HAVE A VOICE OR IS THIS JUST GONNA BE DONE? WELL, LET ME, LET ME AND LET ME RESPOND TO YOU. UH, PASTOR, AS YOU KNOW TONIGHT, WE DIDN'T COME OUT WITH ANY MAPS. WHAT, WHAT, WHAT? WE DIDN'T COME OUT WITH ANY MAPS. THERE ARE NO, THERE NO MAPS HAVE BEEN DRAWN AT THIS. I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE. I WAS CALLED DOWN. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. THIS, I, NO, THIS IS, I DIDN'T SAY THIS AT THE BEGINNING AND I MEANT TO SAY THERE ARE NO MAPS THAT HAVE, THAT HAVE BEEN DRAWN AT THIS POINT. WE WANTED TO LISTEN TO YOU FIRST. NOW, IF WE HAD COME OUT WITH SOME MAPS, THEN I THINK YOU WOULD'VE BEEN SAYING, WHY DIDN'T Y'ALL COME LISTEN TO US BEFORE YOU DREW THE MAPS? EXACTLY. OH, YES, EXACTLY. SO WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T DRAWN ANY MAPS. WE WANNA LISTEN TO YOU FIRST, AND THEN AFTER WE FINISH THESE LISTENING SESSIONS, UH, WE WILL START PREPARING MAPS BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE HEARD. AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IN SOME OTHER PUBLIC SESSIONS TO COMMENT ON THOSE MAPS AND SEE IF THE LINES IS DRAWN THE WRONG WAY. THEN THIS WOMAN, THIS POWERFUL WOMAN, WON'T BE OUR CITY COUNCIL WOMAN NO MORE. WELL, SHE'LL BE, SHE'LL BE THE STILL THE CITY COUNCIL PERSON OF OF OF DISTRICT D OH. DISTRICT D JUST MAY NOT LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME. THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. THAT'S WHAT I WANT US TO UNDERSTAND. SO, UH, UH, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. SO, SO ALL I'M SAYING IS CAN IS IT IS NOT TIME FOR THE CIP NOW? NO, JUST AS SOON. JUST AS SOON AS YOU FINISH CPP. OKAY. I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO SET THAT TONE SO EVERYBODY COULD UNDERSTAND AND KNOW EXACTLY THAT THE LINES ARE IMPORTANT. WE, WE HAVE TO STAY WITH, THEY TEACH YOU IN SCHOOL, DON'T STAY WITH, YOU KNOW, STAY IN THE LINES. YEAH. SO YOU WANT TO EITHER BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN OR WE'LL BE ON THE WRONG SIDE. SO I APPRECIATE THE PEOPLE FOR SAYING, BUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE ARE REALLY NOT AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. YEAH. AND SOMEONE MAY BE AFRAID TO TALK WITH YOU. IT'S ALL RIGHT TO TALK OR ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU WANNA KNOW BECAUSE THIS IS THE TIME. YEAH. YOU CAN'T HAVE NO RIDE OR NOTHING LATER THAT OUR MAYOR AND OUR CITY COUNCILWOMAN HAS GIVEN US A CHANCE TO SAY AND ASK ANY QUESTION THAT WE NEED TO ASK. THIS IS NOT TIME FOR CIP NOW. NOT YET. NOT YET. OKAY. THANK. ALRIGHT. BUT I DO WANT, BUT I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, THAT WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. AS YOU CAN SEE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS CHART, THERE ARE SOME DISTRICTS THAT ARE ABOVE, AND THERE ARE SOME DISTRICTS THAT ARE BELOW. OKAY. THE NUMBER, THE AVERAGE NUMBER THAT WE ARE TRYING TO REACH IS 209,000 PER DISTRICT. WHICH MEANS NOT EVERYBODY CAN'T JUST STAY THE SAME BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO EQUAL IT OUT. WE'VE GOTTA BALANCE IT OUT. OKAY. SO, WELL, NO, THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE NUMBERS. OKAY. IT IS BECAUSE OF THE CENSUS. AND THAT'S WHY WE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE CENSUS, WE SAY THIS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO FILL OUT THE CENSUS BECAUSE, UM, BECAUSE IT'S NOT TO SAY, LEMME JUST SAY THIS SO EVERYBODY KNOW. IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THEY ARE NOT MORE PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT. THEY JUST MAY NOT HAVE FILLED OUT THE CENSUS. AND SO THE NUMBERS, AND SO THE REDRAWING OF THE LINES IS [00:40:01] BASED ON EVERY WARM BODY. SO IF YOU BARELY BREATHING, WE COUNT YOU. OKAY? IF YOU BADLY BREATHING, IF YOU ONE MONTH OLD, YOU'RE COUNTED. OKAY. SO IT'S BASED ON ALL THE PEOPLE, BASED ON THE CENSUS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE IN THESE DISTRICTS. AND OUR JOB IS THAT WE HAVE TO BALANCE IT OUT. WHICH MEANS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE IN THE, LET'S SAY, IF YOU ARE IN THE, I'M GONNA SAY THE, THE HEART OF DISTRICT D, SO YOU'LL REMAIN IN DISTRICT D. OKAY? BUT IF YOU ARE SOMEWHERE ON THE EDGES, THINGS COULD SHIFT. OKAY. BUT WE TRY TO KEEP IT AS TO AS TOGETHER AS POSSIBLE. BUT ALSO, BEAR IN MIND, IT'S NOT JUST THE NUMBERS, IS THE DIVERSITY WITHIN OUR CITY GOTTA TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DIVERSITY, THE COMMUNITY OF INTEREST, ALL OF THOSE FACTORS. SO WE'LL DO OUR VERY BEST TO KEEP THINGS TOGETHER. BUT THERE THAT, AND IF YOU SHIFT IN ONE AREA, IT COULD CAUSE A SHIFT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. OKAY? SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON. OKAY? IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT AN EASY PROCESS, BUT WE WANT IT, WE WANT IT TO BE A VERY THOUGHTFUL PROCESS. OKAY. ALRIGHT. I, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF THERE'S A QUESTION ON THE REDISTRICTING, WE'LL DO THIS OR THEN WE ARE GONNA SHIFT TO THE CIP AND I'M GONNA TRY TO REMAIN JUST AS LONG AS I CAN BEFORE I HAVE TO SHIFT TO MY NEXT MEETING. WHERE 58, IS IT ORANGE DISTRICT A? IS THE, IS THE TURQUOISE UP AT THE TOP? H IS BROWN IS THE DARK BLUE H IS HERE AND H IS 17% UNDER I I IS LOW. I IS LOW. I IS ABOUT 50 14% UNDER J IS LOW. SO THEY NEED PEOPLE. OKAY. ALRIGHT. ARE WE ALL TOGETHER? OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON REDISTRICTING? I HAVE NO MORE CARDS FOR REDISTRICTING. ARE WE DONE? AND IF YOU LIKE THE WAY THINGS ARE, THAT'S FINE. YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU OKAY? WE DO GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE. GONE. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. MICHAEL RETI. MICHAEL RETI IS WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. HE'S GONNA LEAD THIS DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. MAYOR, COULD YOU ASK? WE HAVE SOME EMPTY CHAIRS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM AND, AND THEY'RE ASKING ME TO ASK YOU ALL TO SCOOT IN. SO WE HAVE PEOPLE STANDING AND I THINK THE MAYOR HAD ASKED ALL CITY EMPLOYEES TO STAND SO THAT RESIDENTS CAN TAKE THE SEATS. SO FOR THE CITY EMPLOYEES TO, INSTEAD OF GIVING, GIVING UP YOUR SEATS, THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU LEAVE. NOW DON'T . IT IS JUST GOOD TO SEE STATE REPRESENTATIVE AL ALLEN, THE GURU ON EDUCATION. ALL RIGHT, WE READY FOR THIS? OKAY. CIP TIME. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, ON BEHALF OF OUR DIRECTOR, HADDOCK, UH, AND 4,000 EMPLOYEES OF PUBLIC WORKS, THANK YOU FOR, UH, INVITING ME TODAY. SO DESPITE WHAT THE MAYOR SAID, BE EASY ON ME. , I'M JUST KIDDING. . UH, I'LL PROMISE TO BE SHORT IN THIS PRESENTATION FOR INTEREST OF TIME. UH, THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT. THE CITY CONTINUES TO ADDRESS THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC. UH, HOUSTON WILL RECEIVE 607.9 MILLION FROM AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT PASSED BY CONGRESS LAST YEAR. WE RECEIVED HALF OF IT. THE SECOND HALF IS COMING IN AND WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO LET YOU KNOW AND ASK YOU TO GO ON HOUSTON TX.GOV/APA. THAT'S THE WEBSITE YOU SEE THERE. AND THERE IS A 22 QUESTION SURVEY. PLEASE FILL IT OUT. IT IS VERY USEFUL FOR THE CITY TO DO, TO USE IT. UH, ALTHOUGH I STAND HERE TODAY WITH THE AS PUBLIC WORKS, UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS THAT DELIVER THE CIP, THE GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT DOES THE VERTICAL PROJECTS. AND OUR PARKS AND REC HAVE ALSO HAVE PART IN THE, IN THE CIP. SO I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE PROJECTS, HIGHLIGHTS OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS. SO TODAY, IF THERE IS ANYTHING I WANT YOU TO TAKE WITH YOU IS THE THREE RS. WE CALL THEM REPAIR, REHABILITATE, AND RECONSTRUCT. UH, REPAIR IS WHEN [00:45:01] WE GO OUT AND DO POTHOLES AND, UH, CLEAN OUT STORM WATER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT VERY QUICKLY, UH, INLETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND WE LIVE BY 3 1 1. PLEASE CONTINUE TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO 3 1 1. YOU ARE OUR EYES AND EARS. UH, WE DEPEND ON YOU. SO THESE ARE TYPICALLY DONE BY IN-HOUSE FORCE THAT DO THESE KIND OF WORK. AND THEY ALWAYS ARE CONSTANTLY RE UH, RESPONDING TO THESE THINGS. UH, THE SECOND R IS REHABILITATION. IN THE PAST, THIS IS ONE OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WAS LACKING IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. UH, SO THANKS TO THE MAYORS, THE STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AND THE STORM WATER ACTION TEAM, UH, THESE ARE LOCALIZED KIND OF REPAIRS AND ALSO THE LOCAL DRAINAGE PROGRAM. THESE ARE ALL NOW WHAT WE ARE SPENDING ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TO EXTEND THE LIFE A LITTLE BIT BEYOND THAN REPAIR, BUT A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN RECONSTRUCT. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT. BUT THIS IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE WE CANNOT RECONSTRUCT THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO THIS STRATEGY WAS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. AND THIS IS ACTUALLY SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER HAS, UH, VERY STRONG INPUT INTO IT. OKAY? AND THEN RECONSTRUCT ARE JUST SIMPLY THE LARGE PROJECTS THAT WE CANNOT REPAIR IT OR REHABILITATE IT. SO WE HAVE TO RIP IT OUT AND REPLACE IT. AND THESE ARE REALLY, TAKE A LONG TIME. TYPICALLY HAVE COMPLEX UTILITY CONFLICTS, UH, MIGHT REQUIRE REAL ESTATE ACQUISITION AND IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO PLAN. AND IT MIGHT REQUIRE ACTUALLY STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT WITH OTHER AGENCIES AS WELL. UH, AND WE DO HAVE SOME PROJECTS LIKE THAT WITHIN DISTRICT D. ALRIGHT, THE FIRST HIGHLIGHT TIER WESTERN, THE TIER WESTERN REALIGNMENT FROM FAULKNER TO IDAHO STREET WAS COMPLETED LAST YEAR. UH, THIS IS A $4 MILLION PROJECT AND THE PROJECT OF THE YEAR TECHNICAL INNOVATION AWARD FROM AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION. WE'RE PRETTY PROUD OF THAT. IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO INCORPORATE SMART CITY STREETLIGHTS SYSTEMS. UH, THE STREETLIGHTS HAVE SENSORS TO NOTIFY US IF THE POLE HAS BEEN HIT AND DAMAGED. WE USE THE CITY COMPLETE STREET DESIGN CRITERIA TO ENSURE TRANSPORTATION EQUITY FOR THE AREA. THE 72 INCH WATER LINE, UH, UH, AROUND EMANCIPATION. THIS IS A CONSTRUCTION OF THE 72 INCH WATER LINE FROM EMANCIPATION TOWA ALONG POKE HUTCHINS. AND CLAY IS WRAPPING UP. UH, WE HAVE INVESTED ABOUT 49 MILLION IN THIS PROJECT, UH, TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF WATER LINES, PROVIDE DRINKING WATER TO THE DISTRICT. THIS IS THE FIRST OF THE TRANSMISSION LINE PROJECTS. UH, WE ARE INSTALLING MORE THAN 12,000 FEET OF STORMWATER LINE. NEARLY 8,000 FEET OF 72 INCH WATER LINE. UH, A NEW PAVEMENT AND 13,000 FEET OF NEW SIDEWALKS. SO THESE ARE SUCH LARGE PIPELINES THAT WHEN WE INSTALL 'EM IN THE STREET, WE PRETTY MUCH HAVE TO RECONSTRUCT THE STREET. THIS IS THE SECOND PART OF THE 72 INCH WATER LINE AROUND TWA AREA. UH, FANON HOLMAN, EMERSON KIPLING IS UNDERWAY. CURRENTLY WE'RE INSTALLING MORE THAN A THOUSAND FEET OF STORM LINES AGAIN HERE, NEW PAVEMENT AND 7,000 FEET OF NEW SIDEWALK AND CONSTRUCTION IS SUPPOSED TO WRAP UP IN 2024. AND THESE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTED OF THE ROUTE OF THAT LINE. ANOTHER UPCOMING PROJECT IS THE CLOVER LAND AREA. UH, THIS HAS BEEN IN THE PLANNING FOR, UH, IN OUR CIP. UH, IT WILL COME NEXT YEAR IN THE PAVING DESIGN. THIS IS A $12 MILLION PROJECT IS CURRENTLY UNDER DESIGN. WE ANTICIPATE THE CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN NEXT YEAR. THIS PROJECT WILL IMPROVE STORMWATER DRAINAGE AND UPGRADE THE STREET HIGHLIGHTED ON THE MAP. SO THE NEXT ONE I WANTED TO SHOW YOU IS WE TALKED ABOUT THE REHABILITATION STRATEGY. UH, THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN DISTRICT D IN REHABILITATION TYPE OF STORMWATER PROJECTS. SO THIS IS THE, THE STORMWATER ACTION TEAM AND THE LOCAL DRAINAGE. UH, THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT HAS BEEN DONE OR BEING CURRENTLY BEING PLANNED TO BE DONE, LIKE FORBES ROAD AND MAORI ROAD AT CARBY DRIVE TYPE OF IMPROVEMENTS. THESE ARE REALLY IMPROVING SOME OF THE BLOCKAGES THAT WE HAVE FOR IMMEDIATE, UH, BENEFITS. SIMILARLY, HERE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN PLANNED AND COMPLETED FOR STREET [00:50:01] REHABILITATION. UH, THESE ARE THE YELLOW DOTS ON THE MAP AS WELL, SO YOU CAN SCREEN THEM WHEN YOU GO INTO THE WEBSITE. THIS IS HE BUILT HOUSTON FOR.ORG. UH, YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S UPCOMING OR IS ON THE WAY. SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS ARE OMI GENOA BETWEEN TELEPHONE, UM, TO CLEARWOOD AND MLK BETWEEN BALKING AND GREEKS. SO I'LL GO TO THE OTHER DEPARTMENT'S HIGHLIGHTS. NOW, THIS IS THE SAGEMONT PARK COMMUNITY CENTER. OH, I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. EDGEWOOD PARK. FORGIVE ME, . EDGEWOOD PARK IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IMPROVEMENTS FUNDED IN PART THROUGH THE TEXAS PARK AND WILDLIFE GRANT. INCLUDE A NEW PLAY AREA SPRAY, GROUND PICNIC SHELTER, SHADED EXERCISE AREA BENCHES, PICNIC TABLE WALKWAYS, AND LANDSCAPING. THE PARK IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN THIS SUMMER. THANK YOU. STATE REPRESENTATIVE AM ALLEN. CONSENT FUNDING IS COMING FROM THE STATE PARK COMMUNITY CENTER. THE ROOF UPGRADES AT ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY CENTER ARE IN PRO IN PROCESS AND WILL BE COMPLETED THIS SUMMER. THE GYM FLOOR WILL BE REPLACED UNDER ANOTHER CONTRACT ONCE THE ROOF WORK IS COMPLETE. MALONE PARK AS PART OF THE MAYOR'S LOVE FOR, UH, LOVE OUR PARKS INITIATIVE. MALONE PARK WAS COMPLETED LAST SUMMER AND PARK IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED NEW FENCING, UPGRADED BASKET BASKETBALL PAVILION, ADDITIONAL PLAYGROUND PIECES, IMPROVED WALK BENCHES AND GAME TABLES. ALRIGHT, OUR PARK, OUR PARK IS ANOTHER LOVE. OUR PARK. THESE PARK, THIS PARK IMPROVEMENT WILL ARE ALSO COMPLETE AND INCLUDE AND NEW PLAYGROUND SITE FURNISHINGS, SHELTER UPGRADE FENCING AND LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS. MOSES LEROY PARK, UH, FUNDING FOR THE NEW PLAYGROUND OF MOSES LEROY PARK HAS BEEN APPROPRIATED. INSTALLATION WILL START LATE SUMMER 2022. THE PLAYGROUND WILL HAVE VARIOUS PLAY COMPONENTS AND DISC SWING. SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS. AND I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE WITH, UH, PUTTING A NOTE FOR ENGAGE HOUSTON. THIS IS A WEBSITE THAT WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER, UH, TO SHOW, UH, OUR, OUR ONGOING PROJECTS. AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY REGISTER, UH, AT THIS WEBSITE FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING. AND IF THERE IS AN UPDATE ON YOUR SPECIFIC PROJECTS, YOU'LL GET 'EM. WE ALSO HAVE ON THE TABLE THERE THESE CARDS WITH A QR CODE. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND THERE IS A BUTTON THAT SAYS ASK US AND THEN WE CAN, UH, WE CAN GET YOU QUESTIONS AND ANSWER. AND THAT'S IT. CAN WE YES. NOW WHAT WAS NOT ON THERE WAS THE SUNNYSIDE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED. WHERE WAS THAT? THAT'S ALL. I'M SORRY. I THINK THAT'S ALL OUR QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW. THERE. YEAH, THE SUNNYSIDE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT WAS NOT ON THE LIST. THAT IS, THAT IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED. WHERE DID THAT? THAT'S GHD ANYWAY, WHAT SCHNEIDER ON HERE IS THE G IS THE SUNNY SIDE MULTI SERVICE CENTER. UH, THAT IS ABOUT 26 MILLION. AND THAT WILL BE COMPLETED. UM, I WANNA SAY, IF NOT THE END OF THIS YEAR, THE VERY FIRST PART OF 2023, IT WILL OPEN UP. OKAY, LET'S, LET'S QUICKLY DO THE QUESTION. I'M TRYING TO STAY A LITTLE BIT LONGER HOLDING ANOTHER MEETING. SO WHAT YOU GOT? I HAVE A JEAN. OH, I'M, I'M GOING TO GET ME. I'M GOING. DOES SOMEONE HAS A BLANK CARD? SHE COME RIGHT BACK. OKAY. OKAY. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. JUST YOU GO TO THE MIC AND START. IF YOU HAVE A SEAT NEXT TO YOU, CAN YOU PUT YOUR HAND AND LET ME ASK, IS GHD HERE IS GHD HERE TONIGHT? CAN YOU TELL IT? CAN YOU GIVE US THE REPORT ON, ON THE SUNNYSIDE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER? BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT WAS NOT ON THE LIST. [00:55:02] WHEN IS IT SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED? SO JUST LIKE, COME ON, MAYOR TO THE MIC. SO THE MAYOR WAS CORRECT BY THE END OF THE YEAR OR THE FIRST PART OF THE NEXT YEAR, IT'S SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETE. IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW, APPROXIMATELY $26 MILLION. UM, SO THIS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING SUNNYSIDE HEALTH AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTER THAT'S CURRENTLY LOCATED, UH, AROUND THE CORNER. IT'LL CONSOLIDATE BOTH OF THOSE TWO FACILITIES INTO ONE LARGER FACILITY. THE OTHER PROJECT IS THE SUNNYSIDE, UH, UH, SOLAR FARM. UM, THAT WILL BE, UH, IT'S IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, BEING CONSTRUCTED WILL BE FINISHED AND UP AND OPERATIONAL IN JULY OF NEXT YEAR. IT'LL GENERATE ENOUGH POWER TO POWER FIVE TO 10,000 HOMES. IT'LL BE A $70 MILLION INVESTMENT INTO THE SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY. UH, GENERATE, UM, UM, JOBS FOR THAT AREA AND WILL SUBSTANTIALLY LIFT IT UP. AND, UH, SHANNON BUGS OVER COMPLETE COMMUNITIES IS OVERSEEING, OVERSEEING THAT PROJECT. OKAY. WE RAN OUTTA CARDS, BUT WE DO HAVE SHEETS OF PAPER. YOU CAN WRITE YOUR NAME AND YOUR QUESTION ON IT. IF YOU STILL NEED ONE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. OKAY. GO MIKE, IF YOU ALL RIGHT MA'AM, ARE YOU? YES. OKAY. UM, HI AGAIN. MY NAME IS IVA JEAN JOCKS. UM, SOME OF YOU CITY OFFICIALS MAY HAVE HEARD MY NAME BECAUSE I CALL A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS. UM, . UH, FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE, THE POSITIVE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE. HOUSTON REALLY DOES LOOK NICE. A LOT OF THE POTHOLES ARE FIXED. WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW BUILDINGS AND THE CITY DOES LOOK NICE. THANK YOU. BUT BEFORE YOU LEAVE, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE A LOT OF THINGS HAPPEN. MORE THINGS HAPPEN FOR SUNNYSIDE IN SOUTH HOUSTON. UM, MULTIPURPOSE CENTER THAT I, THAT WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS THAT, THE SOLAR FORM. THAT'S NICE TOO. BUT OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THAT. I'M NOT SURE IF WE GONNA GET FREE ELECTRICITY WITH THAT. I DON'T THINK SO, BECAUSE NOTHING IS FREE. SO THAT'S NOT REALLY, UH, I MEAN, IT'S A BIG DEAL, BUT IT'S A HUGE DEAL. LET ME LET, LET ME, LET ME, LET ME JUST STOP Y'ALL NOW. NOW, OKAY. BECAUSE LEMME JUST SAY THIS. WHAT HAS HELD SUNNYSIDE DOWN FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS HAVE BEEN THOSE 240 CONTAMINATED ACRES FROM THAT LANDFILL THAT OPENED IN THE 1930S, CLOSED IN THE 1970S. AND FOR THE LAST 52 YEARS, THOSE 240 CONTAMINATED ACRES HAVE HELD DOWN SUNNYSIDE. OKAY. AND PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND WALKED AWAY FROM IT. WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH SOLAR FARM, WITH THE, WITH, UM, SUNNYSIDE AND THAT LANDFILL IS CONVERTING IT TO THE LARGEST URBAN SOLAR FARM IN THE COUNTRY. OKAY. IT WILL GENERATE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS IN SUNNYSIDE. OKAY. WHAT WE ARE ALSO DOING IN ADDITION TO CIP IS WORKING IS, IS BUILDING, UH, MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING, UH, IN SUNNYSIDE. SO WITH THE, WITH THE SUNNY, WITH THE SOLAR FARM COMING, WITH THE $26 MILLION MULTI-SERVICE CENTER COMING WITH ADDITIONAL SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING COMING IN SUNNYSIDE, IT WILL SPUR ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS. OKAY. SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING. UM, WHICH PROJECT ARE YOU SPEAKING ABOUT? THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT ARE ON, THAT ARE ON THE BOOKS FOR RIGHT NOW. FOR SUNNYSIDE. YEAH. LIKE CITYSCAPE. I KNOW THAT'S ONE. AND BUT THOSE ARE AFFORDABLE. THAT'S THE PROPER WORD. AFFORDABLE. THOSE ARE NOT AFFORDABLE TO THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS AREA. $300,000 HOME, YOU'RE GIVING 130,000. THAT'S STILL EXPENSIVE. THERE ARE BUILDINGS, WELL THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING FOR AFFORDABILITY. CITY COUNCIL WILL BE VOTING ON, UH, EARLY PART OF NEXT MONTH, UH, FOR AN EXEMPTION TO INCREASE THE EXEMPTION IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FROM 160,000 TO 260,000. OKAY. IT'S GREAT FOR THE SENIORS. IT'S GREAT. YEAH. YEAH. ESPECIALLY FOR THE SENIORS. 'CAUSE THESE ARE THE FOLK WHO'VE BEEN HERE FOR DECADES MM-HMM . AND, AND THEY NEED THEIR TAXES TO COME DOWN. YEAH. AND THAT WILL HELP THEM TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES. UH, BUT ON THE AFFORDABILITY, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY COST TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY, TWENTY, SEVENTY 5,000 TO BUILD, WE ARE ALSO PROVIDING SUBSTANCE USE THAT WILL BRING THAT DOWN SUBSTANTIALLY. SO YOU MAY MOVE INTO A HOME THAT MAY COST 250 TO 300,000, BUT WITH THE SUBSIDIES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING, YOU'LL BE PAYING LIKE A MORTGAGE OF LIKE 125 TO 150,000. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PACKAGES THAT WE ARE PUTTING IN PLACE THAT WILL PROVIDE AFFORDABILITY SO THAT PEOPLE CAN, CAN LIVE IN SUNNYSIDE [01:00:01] AND IN OTHER, IN OTHER AREAS. OKAY. YES. I KNOW THAT IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO BUILD NOW THE MATERIAL STUFF IS BILLED, BUT, RIGHT, RIGHT. UM, HUD I THINK IS SUPPOSED TO BE DESIGNED FOR VULNERABLE PEOPLE, LOW INCOME PEOPLE. AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT MAKE OVER $60,000 TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HUD. I JUST WANNA KNOW, IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET MONEY FROM HUD AND BUILD A WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD OF REASONABLE HOUSES LIKE 150,000 OR A HUNDRED THOUSAND WITH THE HUD MONEY THAT THEY GIVE TO THE CITY AND THE STATE EVERY YEAR? WELL, FOR HOMES, WELL, LEMME JUST, LEMME JUST SAY THIS, UM, UH, HUD IN LARGE PART PROVIDES MONEY TO THE STATE. UH, IN TURN, WELL, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO UP TO AND STATE, UM, ALLEN CAN TELL YOU THIS AND LET ME REFER YOU TO, TO GOVERNOR ABBOTT AND TO LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DAN PATRICK AND TO ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDED $4.3 BILLION IN C-D-B-G-D-R MONEY FOR, FROM HURRICANE HARVEY. AND THE STATE HAS NOT PROVIDED THE CITY OF HOUSTON A SINGLE DIME. YES, I KNOW. SO I KNOW. SO THEY TOOK THAT MONEY. BUT I'VE ALSO, I'M ONLY SPEAKING ABOUT THE MONEY THAT THE CITY GETS. WELL, I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU THE, BUT WAS INTENDED FOR THE CITY, BUT IT WAS ROUTED THROUGH THE STATE. OKAY. AND THE STATE STOPPED IT. RIGHT. I KNOW THAT'S UNFORTUNATE FOR US, BUT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, HOW ARE THEY ABLE TO BUILD NEW HOMES ON NEAR NORTH SIDE AND NORTH SIDE AND EAST END AND DENVER HARBOR? YOU KNOW, IT'S, AND SUNNYSIDE, IT'S A WHOLE NEW, UM, COAL LIVING, UM, COMPLEX THAT Y'ALL BUILD OVER THERE IN UM, I THINK THE EAST END OR DENVER HARBOR, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY USED THE SAME KITCHEN AND UH, WE'VE BEEN BUILDING HO WE'VE BEEN BUILDING MULTIFAMILY SINGLE FAMILY THROUGHOUT THE CITY. OKAY, WELL WE NEED SOME STUFF. WE NEED STUFF LIKE THAT OVER HERE. AND WE NEED IT NOW BECAUSE WE NEVER HAD IT, YOU KNOW, OUR PARKS, I JUST SEE A WHOLE BUNCH OF PARKS SHOULD BE SPENT IN 26 MILLION IF ANY TIME TO DO IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOW BECAUSE MILLIONS AND BILLIONS CAME FROM EVERYWHERE. NO, I'M NOT GONNA, OKAY. WHAT I WILL SAY TO YOU, THERE ARE 22 PARKS THAT ARE IN DESIGN RIGHT NOW THAT WILL BE BUILT BEFORE I LEAVE OFFICE IN DECEMBER OF NEXT YEAR. TWO OF THOSE PARKS ARE IN EVERY CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT, EVERY LAST ONE OF 'EM. 22 PARKS. OKAY. I DIDN'T SEE SUNNYSIDE UP THERE. NO OFFENSE TO YOU. I MEAN, I SEE EVERYTHING IN THIRD WARD, YOU KNOW, ALL THE PARKS IN THIRD WARD. I JUST THINK THAT YOU NEED DO, YOU SHOULD HAVE, YOU SHOULD DO A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR THIS AREA BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU DO A LOT IN THIRD WARD. WELL, AGAIN, LET ME JUST, LEMME, LEMME JUST SAY I WORK VERY , YOU KNOW, I SEEN FOUR PARKS IN THIRD WARD. WHY DO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO WAIT LAST AND THEN YOU HAVE TO SEARCH FOR FEDERAL DOLLARS. YOU DON'T HAVE LEMME I HEAR WHAT, LEMME JUST SAY THIS, I HAVE ATTENDED EVERY CITY COUNCIL TOWN HALL MEETING. EVERYBODY SAY THE SAME THING. BEFORE WE CAME INTO OFFICE. THERE WAS A LOT OF NEGLECT OF COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERSERVED AND UNDER-RESOURCED. AND DECADES. FOR DECADES. CORRECT. OKAY. AND WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO BUILD THOSE COMMUNITIES UP. THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE, UH, SHINING BUGS OVER COMPLETE COMMUNITIES. SO THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT MANY COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAVE BEEN, UM, UH, FACE NEGLECT AND DISINVESTMENT. OKAY. UM, ONE MORE MINUTE. 'CAUSE I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE WANT TO TALK. YEAH. HEY, MS. SHANNON, HOW YOU DOING? UM, WE'VE BEEN COMPLAINING PEOPLE BEFORE ME. THE ELDERS MISS MERCY, MISS HELEN, ABOUT OUR DRAINAGE. AND, UH, CIP WE HAVEN'T HAD A CIP PROJECT AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW Y'ALL CHOOSE AND DETERMINE WHICH ONE GO FIRST, BUT THE AREA THAT'S BEEN LIKE THIS THE LONGEST SHOULD GO FIRST. AND I DIDN'T SEE SUNNYSIDE UP THERE. IT SEEMED LIKE SUNNYSIDE IS LIKE LAST FOR EVERYTHING. WE, WE CALL 3 1 1 A THOUSAND TIMES. HOW MANY TIMES YOU WANT US TO CALL 3 1 1 AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. I'M JUST SAYING, AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE. AND WE CALL ALL THE TIME. I KNOW Y'ALL GET THOSE CALLS. I KNOW YOU DO. WELL, WHAT I ALWAYS TELL EVERYBODY IS CALL THREE ONE ONE AND THEN CALL MY OFFICE. AND THEN YOU GIVE STEVEN THE RE THE, THE REPORT NUMBER. MM-HMM . SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER, AND THEN WE SPECIFICALLY GET IT DONE. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST, IT'S A, IT'S A TWO STEP PROCESS. OKAY. IN, IN REGARDS TO THAT, BECAUSE WE TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY THAT PEOPLE ARE CALLING AND IT SEEMS THAT SOMETIMES THEY FALL INTO BLACK HOLES. SO GET THE SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER, EITHER EMAIL OR CALL MY OFFICE, AND THEN WE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THOSE THINGS. OKAY. AND WE ALSO NEED A BOND FOR SCHOOLS TOO. WOODSON HASN'T BEEN DONE IN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS WOODSON BEEN LIKE THAT SINCE THE, WELL, NO, LEMME SIXTIES. BUT LEMME JUST, LEMME, [01:05:01] LEMME JUST SAY THIS. LEMME, LEMME JUST SAY THIS. LEMME JUST SAY THIS. LEMME JUST SAY THIS. I FULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. SO LET THERE BE NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. OKAY. I FULLY RECOGNIZE THERE'S A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. BUT WHAT I WILL SAY TO YOU THOUGH, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT THE SUPERINTENDENT. I'M NOT THE GOVERNOR, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT OVER HU OKAY. BUT THERE'S A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. AND EVEN WHEN I, WHEN MY TURN, THERE WILL STILL BE A HUGE LIST OF STUFF THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE. BUT I WILL ALSO, ESPECIALLY ESPECIALLY IN SUNNYSIDE. HUH? ESPECIALLY IN SUNNYSIDE. IN SUNNYSIDE IN THE EAST END, IN, IN HIRA CLARK, UM, IN SOUTH PARK. OKAY. IN THE FO FO YOU KNOW, IN FIFTH WARD, THE NICKEL IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON. I UNDERSTAND. I UNDERSTAND. OKAY. OKAY. BUT I HEAR YOU, BUT I HEAR YOU. ONE MORE THING. WE HAVE A LOT OF CRIME. WE HAVE A LOT OF CRIME IN SUNNYSIDE, AS YOU KNOW. THAT'S BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE BEING NEGLECTED. THEY DON'T HAVE PARKS TO PLAY. THEY DON'T HAVE NO, WAIT A MINUTE TO PLAY WITHIN THE PARK. NO, NO. HOLD IT. HOLD IT. SH LEMME JUST SAY THAT THERE IS CRIME, MORE CRIME THAN WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE. OKAY. PERIOD. BUT, UH, BUT I WILL SAY TO YOU, SINCE, SINCE WE HAVE PUT IN ONE SAFE HOUSTON, WHERE WE ARE EXPENDING $52 MILLION JUST ON PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE FROM WHERE CRIME WAS IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, 70% ABOVE ON THE HOMICIDE RATE FROM A YEAR AGO. AS OF THIS MORNING, THAT NUMBER IS 9% IN ALMOST EVERY VIOLENT CRIME CATEGORY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. NOW IT IS LESS THAN WHERE IT WAS A YEAR AGO. OKAY? SO YES, OUR KIDS NEED MORE PARKS. YES. OUR KIDS NEED MORE OPPORTUNITY. WE ARE PROVIDING 15,000 PAID SUMMER JOBS THIS SUMMER. ALL KIDS HAVE TO DO IS GO TO HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH.ORG. SO WE ARE, WE ARE DOING THAT. WE ARE PUTTING A GREAT DIFF UH, UH, A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON THE PARKS. WE ARE DOING THAT. BUT LET ME ALSO SAY, I DON'T MAKE EXCUSES FOR KIDS EITHER. OKAY? BECAUSE TOO MANY ARE HAVING GUNS. HMM, OKAY. AND TOO MANY PARENTS ARE TRYING TO BE LIKE THEY KIDS. OKAY. SO I LOOK, I, I HEAR LEMME JUST SAY THIS. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. LEMME SAY THAT. I'M TALKING ABOUT KIDS. I'M TALKING ABOUT KIDS THAT ARE 12, 14, AND 15. OKAY? SO LEMME JUST SAY THIS. LEMME SAY THIS. NOW WE NEED TO DO OUR PART AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE KIDS WITH OPPORTUNITIES AND A BETTER ENVIRONMENT. I AGREE WITH ALL OF THAT. THE START, NO, IT AIN'T THE START. THE START IS MOM AND DAD. THAT AIN'T THE START. NOW BECAUSE SEE, STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR YOUR KIDS. IT STARTS WITH MOM AND DAD BECAUSE NO KID OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO COME INTO YOUR HOME WITH A GUN. SO NO, NO, NO. I AIN'T GOING THERE NOW. NO, I AIN'T GOING THERE BECAUSE PARENTS, IT STARTS WITH PARENTS. AND PARENTS NEED TO BE PARENTS AND STOP TRYING TO BE COOL WITH THEY KIDS. AND THEY DON'T DONE WELL. KIDS WALKING INTO THEIR HOMES WITH STUFF THEY DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY FOR. SO, NO, DON'T GET ME, DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THAT NOW, , BECAUSE, OH, I, LOOK, I HAD TO GO PAST MY, I GOTTA, I GOTTA GET TO MY NEXT MEETING, . AND I WANNA SAY THAT EP HILL, EP HILL PARK AND GRIMES PARK ARE ARE TWO SUNNYSIDE PARKS THAT ARE GETTING IMPROVEMENTS. AND THEN WE ARE ALSO GETTING PRIVATE FUNDING FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT SUNNYSIDE PARK. AND SO WE ARE WORKING TO GET THESE THINGS DONE. THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, WE JUST WANNA PUT IN PLACE A TIME LIMIT SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW EVERYONE TO SPEAK. NO, YOU DON'T. THAT TIME LIMIT IS GOING TO BE TWO MINUTES AND I WILL SERVE AS THE SERGEANT AT ARMS. I WANNA RECOGNIZE A STATE ELECT, STATE REPRESENTATIVE ELECT YOLANDA JONES. SHE WALKED IN. AND THEN WE HAVE CANDIDATE DANIEL KEYS BEST THAT ALSO CAME IN. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, HOLD ON. HOLD ON. COME ON. OH, HERE YOU GO. OH, YOU GOT IT. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. UM, WANDA ADAMS, IT FEELS GOOD TO BE ON THIS SIDE AS A CITIZEN. UM, SO, BUT I JUST, FIRST OF ALL, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. COUNCIL MEMBER, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. I UNDERSTAND THAT WITH ALL [01:10:01] THE PARTS THAT ARE BEING DONE AND REHABBED AND NEW EQUIPMENT, AND, AND WHEN I LOOK AT THE LIST, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION, AND YOU PROBABLY ANSWER IT LATER, WILL YOU MAKE ANY ABILITIES, PARKS IN THOSE PARTS ABILITIES. ABILITIES MEAN THAT THOSE DIFFERENT EQUIPMENTS THAT ARE MADE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DISABLED? RIGHT? AND I DIDN'T SEE THAT. SO IS THERE A WAY THAT WE, ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY SO I KNOW EXACTLY RIGHT. SO THEY NEED TO BE ACCESSIBLE. YES. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. SO IN THE LIST THAT YOU HAVE IS JUST A QUESTION. AND THE LIST THAT YOU HAVE OF ALL THE REHAB PARKS, THE PARKS THAT YOU'RE DOING, WE, I DIDN'T SEE WHERE THERE'S TYPE OF, UH, EQUIPMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY. SO I JUST WANTED TO LEAVE IT RIGHT THERE. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY, WELL, I'LL BE MINDFUL OF THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT I LOOK INTO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. AND AS A FORMER SPECIAL ED DIAGNOSTICIAN, I HAVE A CERTAIN EMPATHY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES. SO THAT, THANK YOU FOR, FOR MENTIONING THAT. GO AHEAD, LAUREN SIMMONS, WHERE SHE GOING? YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. MAKE THE ORGANIZER COME OUT OF ME. HEY, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. COUNCILMAN . SHABAZZ MONDS. MY NAME IS LAUREN SIMMONS. I AM A FELLOW JACK GATE FLYING, AND I SEE MY CHAPTER MEMBER, UH, SO OUR ADAMS HERE. I'M GREETING EVERYBODY, BUT JUST REALLY QUICK, WANTED TO BRING UP AN ISSUE. I GREW UP IN THOROUGH WARD, BUT NOW I'M LIVING CURRENTLY IN THE HOLLY HALL AREA IN BETWEEN ALAMEDA AND 2 88. VERY POOR LIGHTING AND VERY, VERY AWFUL. UM, TRAFFIC SITUATIONS, I'VE WITNESSED MORE THAN ENOUGH FENDER BENDERS, BUT IT'S ALSO AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE BLOCK OF AREA FOR PEOPLE TO WALK. IT'S A LOT OF MULTIFAMILY COMMUNITIES AND A LOT OF FAMILIES WITH SMALL CHILDREN, AND IT'S JUST, JUST GENUINELY, GENERALLY UNSAFE. UM, AND THEN TO MY OTHER ISSUE, I REALLY WANNA ADDRESS, AND I WANNA SAY THIS, I DON'T WANNA SOUND UNGRATEFUL, REALLY EXCITED THAT WE HAVE THE NEW MCGREGOR MARKET, UM, AND HEB, BUT IT DID NOT TOTALLY ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM OF A FOOD DESERT FOR THAT AREA, ESPECIALLY GOING BACK TOWARDS SOUTH UNION AND SUNNYSIDE, THE MCGREGOR MARKET IS NOT AS WELL EQUIPPED AS SOME OF THE OTHER HBS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN, PARTICULARLY LIKE IN THE BEL AIR AREA. THERE'S LIKE THREE HBS AND GROCERY STORES, UM, THAT DID NOT, LIKE I SAY, DID NOT ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM OF THE FOOD DESERT THAT WE HAVE. AND SO JUST HOPING THAT THERE'S A WAY THAT THE CITY CAN ADDRESS, UM, FOOD AND NOURISHMENT ISSUES BECAUSE SO MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE AND RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD, AND NOW THEY NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO THAT STORE, UM, IN THAT, ON THAT OST AREA. AND THE BUS LINE SITUATION ISN'T THE SAME. SO IT'S BECOMING AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN TO A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY OUR ELDERLY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN. SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S IN ALL IN THE SAME WHEELHOUSE, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST ON MY HEART. WELL, IS SOMETHING THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT. ALSO, THE LIGHTING, IS IT THAT THE LIGHTS ARE OUT? THE LIGHTS ARE JUST NOT VERY BRIGHT, SO THERE ARE, THEY'RE JUST NOT THERE. QUITE, QUITE A FEW OF THEM ARE OUT, AND THE ONES THAT ARE AVAILABLE ARE VERY DIM. SO LIKE NOW THE TIME HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT. SO LIKE WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DAYLIGHT OUTSIDE MM-HMM . BUT ABOUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, I ALMOST WITNESSED SOMEBODY GETTING RUN OVER, WALKING ACROSS THE STREET, AND IT WAS NOT THE FAULT OF THE DRIVER. THEY WEREN'T DOING ANYTHING WRONG. THEY JUST LITERALLY CANNOT SEE IF PEOPLE CROSSING. CAN YOU REPORT THAT TO 3 1 1? YES. I WILL REPORT THAT TO THREE ONE ONE AND THEN CALL STEVEN AND WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT SO THAT THEY CAN EITHER, UH, PUT A, A BIGGER WATTAGE MM-HMM . OR MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, THE LIGHTS ARE NOT OUT. OKAY. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'LL DEFINITELY DO THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU ARE WELCOME. THANK YOU, . ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. LLOYD FORD. WHAT'S GOING ON EVERYBODY? UH, LLOYD FORD, YOU KNOW, RESIDENT OF THIRD WARD. UM, ANYBODY BEEN TO THE BLACK STORE? DEFINITELY COME TALK TO US. UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT POWER IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WE TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC POWER IS WE JUST NAMED ABOUT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF CONTRACTS UP THERE. BUT WHO IS ENSURING THAT BLACK PEOPLE OR OUR BLACK BUSINESSES ARE INVOLVED IN THESE CONTRACTS? I KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE, AND WE TALK ABOUT THINGS, BUT THINGS THAT THEY COME UP WITH, BUT A A A CHECKLIST AND A STOP LINE ON HOW GOOD THEY'RE DOING THE CONTRACTS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. WE'VE KNOWN SENATOR RODNEY ELLIS HAD A, WITH A, A STUDY DONE FROM 2016 TO 2020. OUR BLACK BUSINESSES THAT WORKED WITH THE CITY WAS 0.5. POINT FIVE. I THINK THAT THAT'S CRAZY. AND SO WHEN WE DEALING WITH, WE TALKING ABOUT ECHOING, WE TALKING ABOUT POWER IN OUR COMMUNITIES, RIGHT? THEN IN SUNNYSIDE WE DID, STARTING FROM THE BLACK STORE, WE DID A SURVEY WE GIVE AWAY IN FIVE MILES, WE GIVE AWAY OVER A BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF HOUR DOLLARS. WE ONLY OWN 19% OR LESS OF THE BUSINESSES. AND THOSE ACCOUNT FOR BEAUTY SHOPS, BARBERSHOPS, AND [01:15:01] TAX SHOPS. SO WHEN WE TALKING ABOUT REAL EQUITY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WHO'S BUILDING THAT CENT OVER THERE? IS IT ANY OF OUR BLACK BUSINESSES WHO'S CREATING A CHECKLIST OF WHO'S TAKING ACCOUNTABILITY, OF WHO'S DOING THEIR WORK? TOO LONG THAT HAS WENT UNNOTICED. I KNOW A LOT OF BUSINESSES WHO IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WHO GOT CONSTRUCTION BUSINESSES WHO CAN BE BUILDING ROOFS, STUFF FOR THE PARKS, THE WORK THAT'S DONE IN OUR DISTRICT SHOULD BE DONE BY THE PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICT. WE GOT MORE THAN ENOUGH BUSINESSES. SO MY THING IS, LET'S CREATE A CHECKLIST OF WHO'S REALLY GETTING THE WORK AND WHO'S GETTING THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF OUR DISTRICT. IF YOU GO LOOK ON A CITY WEBSITE, PEOPLE LIKE ABBY CAME AND GO LOOK AT THE ACCOUNTABILITY THAT THEY HAVE WHEN THEY TALKING ABOUT THEIR DISTRICTS AND BUDGETS AND THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT TO BECOME AND STAY THE CITY COUNCILMAN OF THAT DISTRICT. WE HAVE TO CLAIM AND GET THE SAME TYPE OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OUR DISTRICT AND WHO'S DOING THE WORK AND WHERE THE BUDGET AND MONEY IS GOING. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH OBO TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE PREPARED AND THEY HAVE THEIR PAPERWORK IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND BID ON THESE CONTRACTS. SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT, THAT YOUR EFFORTS CAN HELP DO, BECAUSE THAT IS YOUR WHEELHOUSE WITH ECONOMICS. AND SO WE CERTAINLY, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE CITY SHOULDN'T HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY, BUT WE CERTAINLY, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE GET KNOCKED OUT. YOU KNOW, YOU COME UP AND THEN MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR TAX RETURNS OR YOU DON'T HAVE THE CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN CITY BUSINESS, AND YOU NEED TO BE CERTIFIED AS A VENDOR WITH THE CITY. SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN BE READY AND TRAIN. AND YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE WEBSITES TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE NOT MISSING A BID OPPORTUNITY. SOME OF THEM, MOST OF, I THINK, ARE, UH, POSTED IN THE NEWSPAPERS AS WELL. AND SO YOU HAVE TO CHECK THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS. AND SO I AM VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE NEEDS IN REGARDS TO, UH, BLACK BUSINESSES PARTICIPATING, YOU KNOW, MINORITY BUSINESSES, BLACK BUSINESSES, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. BUT CERTAINLY I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S HOW WE BRING OUR COMMUNITIES UP BY BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE IN BUSINESS BECAUSE WE DO GOOD BUSINESS AND WE NEED TO GET PAID FOR IT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, AND BE ABLE TO LIFT UP OUR FAMILIES AND OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BASED ON THE BUSINESS THAT WE ARE ENGAGED IN. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. ANYTHING TO ADD ON? , DO YOU WANT ME TO ADD? UH, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, ON, IN TERMS OF CONSTRUCTION AWARDS, UH, WE ARE, UH, BOUND BY STATE LAW THAT IT IS A LOW BID SYSTEM. UH, SO AFTER WE ADVERTISE, UH, A PROJECT AND IT'S AWARDED TO THE LOWEST BIDDER, UH, BUT THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. THE OBO, THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY ENSURES THAT THERE ARE MINORITY WOMEN OWNED AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES ON THE LIST THAT THEY CAN SUB AND ALL THAT STUFF. THEY'RE ON THE LIST. THEY'RE ON THE LIST. 5%, NOT TOO MANY ARE GETTING WE THAT. RIGHT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UH, NEXT IS FREDDY PROCTOR. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. GOOD EVENING. AFTER ALL THE TALKS I'VE HEARD, I MINE SO MANY SCHOOLS I STUDIED. I DECIDED ALMOST LEFT. BUT, UH, MINE IS ABOUT TRASH. OH, I I, I'M SORRY. BUT IT'S ABOUT TRASH. I KNOW. I AM NOT. I, I'M A 40 PLUS RESIDENT OF, UH, FOSTER PLACE AND I'M CLOSE TO OLD SPANISH TRAIL AND SCOTT AND YELLOWSTONE AND THAT AREA OVER THERE. WE HAVE SO MANY AREAS THAT ARE DUMPING GROUNDS. IT'S, IT IS, IT, IT IS OUT OF, IT'S OUT OF CONTROL AND, AND ON. I HAVE WROTE THE NAMES OF THE STREETS THAT, THAT, UH, HAD THE MOST OF THEM. AND THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE, UH, WHO HAVE REAL ESTATE COMPANIES WHO HAVE, UH, PER, UH, HAVE LAND THAT THEY WANT TO SELL, BUT THEY DON'T TAKE CARE OF THAT LAND. THERE'S A BIG PLOT BEHIND THE ALDI. I GO TO ALDI BECAUSE IT'S CLOSED. AND THEN WHEN YOU GO DOWN THE, TO WEST TIER, WEST SIDE AND YOU GO IN THAT LITTLE SIDE BEHIND THE CAR WASH, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH, UH, TO THE OTHER SIDE BEFORE YOU CAN GET THERE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH TRASH AND TREES OVER THERE YOU CAN'T EVEN GET THROUGH. AND THERE'S A LOT BELONG BELONGING TO A REAL ESTATE COMPANY THAT'S BEHIND IT, THAT IS OVERGROWN RIGHT BEHIND ALDI. AND I ASKED THE MANAGER AT [01:20:01] ALDI AND HE SAID THAT ALDI COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE LAND DOESN'T BELONG TO THEM. BUT IT, IT, IT'S JUST VERY INCONVENIENT. IT'S, IT'S DISENGAGING FOR US TO LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND SEE SO MUCH TRASH. AND IT'S SOMETIMES THE DUMPING, UH, THERE'S AN AREA ON SHERWOOD THAT THE, THAT THE, I DON'T KNOW, SOMEBODY JUST DUMPS STUFF THERE ALL THE TIME AND IT STAYS THERE FOR TWO OR THREE WEEKS OR MORE. AND, AND IT, IT, IT'S CAUSING A BIG PROBLEM. THAT IS ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERNS AFTER CRIME. MM-HMM . OKAY. WE HAVE A HOT TEAM AND WITH THAT HOT TEAM, YOU HAVE TO REPORT IT TO 3 1 1 AND THEN IT COMES TO STEVEN AND THEY GO AROUND AND THEY PICK UP TRASH. BUT I GUESS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONCERNS ME IS WHO'S PUTTING THE TRASH DOWN THERE? YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE THAT MINDSET THAT SOMEBODY ELSE IS GONNA COME GET IT? AND SO I RIDE, I RIDE AROUND SOME SUNDAYS AND I TAKE PICTURES MYSELF AND SEND THEM TO STEVEN AND SAY, LOOK, WE NEED TO GET THIS. IT IS A TREMENDOUS PROBLEM. WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH, IS IT SOUTHEAST MANAGEMENT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, TRYING TO GET SOME DUMPSTERS ALL IN DIFFERENT AREAS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES IF YOU GO TO THE, UM, THE SITE, YOU HAVE SOME CHALLENGES AND THEY MAY TELL YOU, WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR LICENSE OR YOU DON'T HAVE THIS. AND THEY MAKE CHALLENGES. AND TRUST ME, YOU, YOU GOT A TRAILER FULL OF STUFF, YOU NOT TAKING IT BACK HOME. AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE THEIR TRASH ALONG WITH OTHER SITES SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO SIT IN LONG LINES TO BE ABLE TO DUMP THE TRASH. AND SO WE ARE WORKING WITH SOUTHEAST MANAGEMENT TO PLACE DUMPSTERS IN STRATEGIC AREAS TO, TO HELP PEOPLE. AND YOU KNOW, I FIND THAT A LOT OF THOSE ARE AROUND APARTMENT COMPLEXES. THE PEOPLE ARE MOVING OUT, BUT THEN WE DEPEND ON YOU TOO. WE DON'T EXPECT YOU TO BE A HERO OR A HEROIN, BUT IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY THAT'S DUMPING, JUST TAKE A QUICK PICTURE OF THEIR DRIVERS, I MEAN THEIR, THEIR LICENSE PLATE, I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO GET OUT AND CONFRONT 'EM. ESPECIALLY NOT IN THESE DAYS AND TIMES, BUT IF YOU SEE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING IT HELP US BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE. AND SOME OF THESE CONTRACTORS ARE DOING IT AS WELL. AND THEN THEY COME BEFORE US AND THEN THEY WANNA GET PAID FOR THEIR CONTRACTS AND WE CALL 'EM OUT ON THAT TOO. SO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HELP. WE CAN'T DO IT BY OURSELVES, BUT WE DO, SOME OF THE DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE HOT TEAMS NOW, ACCORDING TO OUR NEW SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR, HE'S GONNA TRY TO MAKE IT A PART OF THE BUDGET THAT WE CAN BE, WE CAN DO THAT, WHICH MEANS IT FREES UP MONEY TO DO OTHER THINGS BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HIRE FOUR PEOPLE WITH TWO TRUCKS IN ADDITION TO WHAT THE CITY IS DOING. BECAUSE THAT IS A GREAT CONCERN, UH, FOR PEOPLE DUMPING. SO THANK YOU. BUT CONTINUE TO REPORT IT. CONTINUE TO REPORT IT, CALL THE SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER IN AND WE'LL GET IT PICKED UP. OKAY. OKAY. KENNETH ROSS, PASTOR, PASTOR KENNETH ROSE. ALRIGHT. WE, UH, WE UM, I THINK IN THE, WE APPRECIATE THAT, UH, YOU DOING, UH, 27 ACRES AND, UH, WILLA BE IN THE SUNNYSIDE I KNOW TO DO THE HOMES. I I WAS IN THAT MEETING AT, UH, REVEREND NASH'S CHURCH AND UM, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN OUR MAIN ISSUES WAS WHAT TO DO WITH SOME OF THE $605 BILLION. AND SOME OF IT COME INTO DIRECTLY TO SUNNYSIDE. I KNOW OUR MAYOR THAT HE'S RIGHT. IT HAS WENT DOWN THE CRIME RATE. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THE CRIME. YES. AND WE DO UNDERSTAND THE GUNS AND THE SITUATIONS, UM, THROUGH, IN, THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE. YOU WANT TO CURB THE CRIME RATE. WE USED TO DO COMMUNITY CLEANUPS WITH, UH, AT LEAST COFFEE SCOTT, DR. LIKE DR. VEY. AND A LOT OF THE GONE ON IN NOW. BUT THE COMMUNITY CLEANUPS WAS THE CHURCHES COMING TOGETHER WITH THE CITY WITH, AND I WAS PRESIDENT OF THE COALITION AND WE, THAT'S WHAT WE DID BACK THEN. WE HAD CITIZENS ON PATROL WHERE PEOPLE WOULD RIDE AROUND. WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE PROBABLY SCARED TO DO THAT NOW. TIMES HAVE CHANGE, BUT, BUT THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE WE CAN SEE, UH, SOME, UH, CHANGE FOR THE CRIME. WE DO HAVE A CRIME PROBLEM. WE CAN'T IGNORE THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. UH, THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME PASTORS IN HERE. I KNOW I SAW ONE, A YOUNG MAN, ONE FIGHT, ONE TEAM. THERE ARE OTHER MM-HMM . CHURCHES, WELL NOT JUST MY CHURCH, BUT WE [01:25:01] OUT ON THE STREETS. WE RIGHT IN THERE WITH 'EM, MINISTERING CLOTHING, FOOD. AND UH, WE WAS HOPING THAT SOME OF THIS MONEY COULD GO INTO THESE MINISTRIES COULD GO AND HELP SOME OF THE CHURCHES THAT ARE DOING WHAT WE CAN ON OUR OWN. MM-HMM . NOT ASKING, BUT, AND THEY GAVE US SOME KIND OF WEBSITE WHERE WE COULD DO A FOLLOWING GRANT, BUT WE NEVER HEARD NO MORE FROM IT. BUT WE GO, WE YOU GOT CHURCHES AND OTHER MINISTRIES AND OTHER GROUPS THAT ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO HELP COMBAT THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF THAT'S GOING ON TO PICK UP TRASH AND DO STUFF AND THEN TO, OKAY. THANK YOU. WELL, I KNOW PASTOR CALVIN MILLER WAS IN HERE. I KNOW THAT HE DOES A REGULAR CLEANUP AND THEN WE DO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANT TO DO CLEANUPS AND WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. BUT WE'LL BE MINDFUL OF THAT, WHICH YOU SAID WAS UH, DISCUSSED BEFORE TO SEE IF THERE IS SOME WAY, BECAUSE I WOULD CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE HELP IN GETTING, UH, THE AREA CLEANED UP. SO THANK YOU PASTOR RODNEY WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. UH, UH, MY NAME IS RODNEY WILLIAMS AND I LIVE IN BLUE RIDGE. AND UH, THE PET PEEVE I HAVE IS A, IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE ON OUR TRAFFIC. I TALK ABOUT THIS A LOT AND LIKE THE SISTER INTIMATED EARLIER ABOUT STAYING NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE AND ALL THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S GOING ON ON ALAMEDA, GENOA. AND I HEARD YOU COUNCILWOMAN SAY AND RESPECTFULLY THAT THEY WERE GONNA PUT A LIGHT THERE THAT NEED TO BE WIDEN. I LOOK AT ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT'S GOING ON IN OTHER AREAS LIKE THE, THE PARA LAND AND WE ON PERIPHERY PARA LAND, YOU, THEY GOT ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MAJOR PROJECTS THAT THEY COMPLETING ALL OUR TAX DOLLARS GOING DOWN THERE. WE NEED EGRESS AND INGRESS LIKE AIRPORT. I NOTICED THIS. SO YOU THINK ALAMEDA GENO NEEDS TO BE WIDER? YES MA'AM. AT LEAST FOR FOUR MILES FROM TELEPHONE ALL THE WAY TO RIGHT HERE AT TWO EIGHT. EIGHT. THAT'S ONE THING. ORUM, THEY BUILDING THESE, UH, GATED COMMUNITIES OFF OF ORUM AND RIGHT THERE BY THE SEAS, UH, THE HILL IS SEAS. WE NEED THAT STREET TO GO ON THROUGH. IT DON'T NEED TO BE TWO LANES. IT NEED TO BE FOUR AIRPORT IN THE EVENING. TRAFFIC BACKS UP FROM 2 8 8 ALL THE WAY TO ROSE HAVEN. THAT'S ALMOST A HALF A MILE. THAT'S RIDICULOUS. WHEN THEY FINISH PUTTING THEM WAREHOUSES ACROSS THE STREET AND THEN BUILD THE RESERVES ON AIRPORT RIGHT THERE BEHIND, UH, ON THE NORTH SIDE OF UH, AIRPORT, IT'S GOING TO BE JUST OUTTA CONTROL. THEY HAVE WRECKS CONTINUOUSLY RIGHT HERE, RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF THIS COLLEGE BECAUSE OF ALL THIS TRAFFIC. ANOTHER THING IS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN AUSTIN, THEY, WE, WHILE WE 2 49 AND US, WE ARE LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY. WE NEED, UH, MORE FEEDER ROADS ON THESE HIGHWAYS BECAUSE IN THE EVENING TIME, IF IT'S SOMETHING HAPPENED OR MAJOR WRECK OR ACCIDENT, EVERY WE STUCK AT THIS FREEWAY OR AMBULANCE, THEY CAN'T EVEN GET ACROSS BECAUSE THEY STUCK BECAUSE YOU DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE A FEEDER ARRAYS, I MEAN THE FEEDER ROADS TO GO AROUND. BUT BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAYING ABOUT, UH, ROADS, THAT AVENUE THAT, YOU KNOW, NEEDS TO BE WIDENING THE FOUR LANES I'VE BEEN LIVING IN, IN THIS AREA SINCE 84. AND THIS MY APOLOGIES, BUT I WANT YOU TO SUM UP, FINISH UP YOUR STATEMENT, YOUR TIME. OKAY. I'M SORRY IF, IF THE ONLY THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IF WE COULD FORM SOME KIND OF AD HOC COMMITTEE WHERE WE CAN GET WITH, UH, PRECINCT ONE, DISTRICT D AND ALL THE PARTIES INVOLVED, THE HOUSTON GASTON AREA COUNCIL THAT'S SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND I DON'T SEE NONE THEY SPENDING IN DISTRICT D MORE SO SUNNYSIDE. I WOULD, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. OKAY, WELL REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE AND LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET DONE. 'CAUSE SOME OF THAT IS TDOT BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY ENGAGE WITH THEM, UH, REGARDING SOME OF THAT. SO I WELCOME THAT. I APPRECIATE IT. SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GIVE YOUR CONTACT TO MY CHIEF OF STAFF, MONICA. MM-HMM . OR MY CONSTITUENTS DIRECTOR STEVEN. THANK YOU. REACH OUT SO THAT WE CAN I I WELCOME THAT. I I BELIEVE IN COMMUNITY COLLABORATION. THANK YOU COUNCIL, COUNCIL WOMAN. THANK YOU FOR THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU JANICE WOODS. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. I'M SPEAKING FOR SOUTH PARK. NO ONE HAS SPOKEN FOR SOUTH PARK . WE, WE UH, THE, THE STREET BY LAW PARK IS IN TERRIBLE SHAPE. I MEAN WE, I I'M SAYING [01:30:01] IT IS, IT'S BUILT UP IN THE MIDDLE AND ALL THE OUTSIDE OF IT IS ALL CHUNKED UP. SO IF ANY TWO CARS PASSING BY THERE, IT'S A ONE. THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE ACCIDENT YET, BUT THEY WOULD FLIP OVER BECAUSE IT IS SO HOT. AND THEY HAD NERVES ENOUGH TO PUT, UH, THE, THE PAINT DOWN THE, THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET DOUBLE LINES. AND I SAID, WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT ? I MEAN YOU, YOU PUT A DOUBLE LINE NOT TO PASS THE NOT FOR PASSING CARS AND YOU GOT A RAGGED STREET THAT YOU PUT IT ON AND TALKING ABOUT THE DRAINAGE. WELL WE HAVE A DRAINAGE PIPE ON BELFORT AND UM, WHAT'S THAT STREET BELGAR? IT'S BEEN THERE SINCE I WAS THERE AND I'VE BEEN THERE FOR OVER 50 YEARS. ALL THEY DO IS SOMETIME MORE OF THE GRASS AROUND IT, BUT IT NEVER HAS BEEN CHANGED. I HAVE SEEN FLOODED STREETS. WE HAVE A BAYOU THAT RUNS TO THE BACK. IT NEVER FILLS UP. NOW, WHEN HARVEY CAME, I'M SURE IT WAS FILLED UP THEN 'CAUSE EVERYTHING WAS FILLED UP. BUT JUST LOCAL RAIN THAT FLOODS THE STREET, THAT STAYS LOW. AND YOU REPORTED THIS TO 3 1 1 SEVERAL TIMES THROUGH THE YEARS. OKAY. SO YOU HAVE A SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER? NO, I DON'T. WELL GET ONE AND THEN CALL STEVEN AND LET HIM KNOW AND WE'LL WORK TO TRY TO GET THAT MOVING FORWARD. OKAY. I'M STILL WORKING ON LAW PARK. I SAY YOU BUILDING LAW PARK, YOU BUILDING EDGEWOOD PARK, BUT THE STREETS ARE STILL WHAT THEY ARE. YEAH, WELL YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO GET MARTIN LUTHER KING DONE THROUGH THE MAYOR'S PROGRAM. WE'RE TRYING TO GET CULLEN REDONE AS WELL. AND SO BASICALLY THE MONEY IS BEING USED AROUND MAJOR STREETS. BUT CERTAINLY I WANNA LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF POOR INFRASTRUCTURE ALL OVER THE DISTRICT. AND SO WELL SEE. THAT'S WHAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE ARE SAYING. AND I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S NOT JUST DISTRICT D IT'S, IT IS ALL OVER THE, THE CITY. THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS OLD AND RAGGEDY AND YOU TELL, YOU CALL THEY, THEY DO WHAT NOT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN FIXED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND THEY NEGLECT THE ONES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TOUCHED AT ALL. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. OKAY, WELL THANK YOU. THANK YOU TAMARA. BE TAMARA. I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT , THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT APPROVED THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL SOME TIME AGO. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT APPROVED THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL SOME TIME AGO. AND I KNOW THAT HOUSTON IS A PART OF THE FUNDING THAT IS SUPPOSED TO COME DOWN. I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE LISTED PROJECTS THAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE MONEY AND THE TAX DOLLARS THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE TO YOU, BUT THAT MONEY THAT IS COMING, I ASKED ABOUT THIS, WHEN YOU ALL INCREASE THE WATER BILLS SIGNIFICANTLY AND THE WASTEWATER FEES, WHEN YOU GET THIS MONEY, ARE YOU GONNA REFUND THAT MONEY? BECAUSE THE WATER BILLS HAVE GOTTEN WAY OUTTA CONTROL AND WE NOT EVEN IN THE SUMMER MONTHS. AND NOW TO SAY THAT A SENIOR USE 3000 GALLONS A MONTH AND IF THEY GO OVER THAT, THAT FEEDS OVER, THAT MEAN THEY GONNA TAKE ONE BATH A YEAR BECAUSE THAT'S NOT ENOUGH WATER. IF YOU HAVE GRASS, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH WATER. IF YOU HAVE THE WATER, YOUR PLANTS AND IN ADDITION TO THAT AND YOU ALL ARE DOING THESE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHY DON'T YOU GET MORE INNOVATIVE? WHEN I WAS IN OMAN, THEY HAD PERMEABLE CONCRETE. ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT OPTIONS FOR DIFFERENT KIND OF ASPHALT INSTEAD OF PUTTING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT WILL LAST LONGER. AND IT'S MORE FLEXIBLE BECAUSE YOU PUT THAT BLACK TOP DOWN AND BEFORE THE YEAR UP, THAT HOLE IS BACK. I MEAN FOR THE MONTH OVER THE HOLE IS BACK. AND WHAT THE LADY SAID ABOUT BELFORT IS TRUE, BELFORT IS A MAJOR STREET. BELFORT LOOKS A HOT MESS. I DON'T GO DOWN BELFORT 'CAUSE I AIN'T BUYING NO NEW TIRE MUFFLER, A LINEMAN, NONE OF THAT. SO I DON'T GO DOWN BELFORT. SO YOU ALL NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT, AND I KNOW YOU ALL BASE IT ON THE QUANTITY AND THE DOLLARS AND THE WHEREVER YOU GONNA GET THE MOST PRODUCTION. SO CURVY IS GOING TO ALWAYS OUTPACE BELFORT. 'CAUSE YOU LOOK AT THE STREETS THAT HAVE MORE MOBILITY, BUT THEY SHOULD NOT BE PUSHED TO THE BACK ALL THE TIME. THEY NEED TO BE GETTING TO THE FRONT AND ESPECIALLY BY NOW. THAT'S IT. THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. IN REGARDS TO THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I ENGAGE WITH YOU AND WE DID DO AN AMENDMENT TO THAT TO SAY THAT WHEN THE MONEY COMES DOWN THAT IT [01:35:01] IS SUPPOSED TO COME TO THE CITY TO RELIEVE TAXPAYERS AND IT WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY. BUT WE HAVE, IT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET. BUT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT I HAVE HAD WITH THE MAYOR BECAUSE IF IT WAS APPROVED BY COUNSEL, BY UNANIMOUS AMENDMENT THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON GIVING THE TAXPAYERS THE RELIEF REGARDING THE WATER BILLS. SO IT IS FORTHCOMING, BUT IT IT HAS NOT COME YET. BUT IT'S NOT THAT IT, WE HAVE FORGOTTEN IT. IT JUST HAS NOT COME YET. AND SO, UM, AND THEN THE, THE SUGGESTION ABOUT THE PERMEABLE CONCRETE, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE DISCUSSED WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO SEE IF THEY ARE LOOKING AT SOME INNOVATIVE THINGS BECAUSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS TERRIBLE, UH, IN THE CITY. WELL, OKAY, I CAN ANSWER THAT. RIGHT? RIGHT. WE, WE ARE ACTUALLY, UH, TRYING ON WINTER STREET, UH, PERMEABLE PAVEMENT. BUT I WILL TELL YOU IT'S A DELICATE BALANCING THING. UH, THERE IS AN INITIAL EXPENSE THAT YOU HAVE TO PUT INTO THE PAVEMENT VERSUS HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO LAST. UH, SO IT IS, UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE PERMEABLE PAYMENT FOR SURE. UH, IN FACT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT IT IN ONE OF OUR, UH, 500 YEAR FLOOD AREA BECAUSE WE REALLY CANNOT FULLY MITIGATE ALL THE DRAINAGE, UH, REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE IT'S CLOSE TO THE BAYOU. UH, WE ARE TRYING TO MITIGATE SOME OF IT BY USING PERMEABLE PAVEMENT, BUT THAT COMES WITH THE MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL. WE HAVE TO BUILD UP OUR IN-HOUSE AND EXPERTISE AND ALL THAT STUFF TO MAINTAIN THOSE KIND OF NEW, UH, MATERIALS AS WELL. UH, BUT I'LL TELL YOU, THEY, THEY CURRENTLY IN ALL OUR RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, UH, WE ARE USING A 50 YEAR DESIGN, UH, PAVEMENT SECTIONS. SO IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER. IT'S NOT ONE STANDARD, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TRAFFIC LOAD AND THE DRAINAGE AND ALL THAT STUFF TO DETERMINE THE TYPE OF PAVE THICKNESS THAT WE NEED FOR EACH PROJECTS. UH, AND ALSO WHAT I TALKED ABOUT, REHABILITATION, IT HAS TO BE PART OF OUR STRATEGY OF WHAT WE GOT TODAY. AND THIS INCLUDES THE ASPHALT PAVEMENT AND THE CONCRETE PAVEMENT. I WILL TELL YOU THAT IN, IF WE DECIDE TO RECONSTRUCT EVERYTHING TODAY, WE CANNOT REACH ANY STREET AT ALL. WE'LL BE LIKE A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF IT BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSE. SO THIS REHABILITATION, THE MAYOR'S, UH, PAVEMENT REHABILITATION PROGRAM OVERLAY, YOU KNOW, MILL AND OVERLAY, FIXING SOME OF THE BASEMENTS IS REALLY THE RIGHT STRATEGY TO GET TO AS MUCH INFRASTRUCTURE AS WE CAN KNOW THAT YOU WERE TRYING TO HOLD METRO ACCOUNT. YES. YES. THAT. OKAY. AND, AND WE DO USE, UH, METRO FUNDING, UH, THE SALES TAX, THAT THAT IS WHAT IS USED FOR SOME OF THESE EXPENSES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NEXT TRULA SAMUEL, YOU WANT US TO JUST PASS YOU THE MIC OR YOU WANT? THAT'D BE GREAT. DO THAT. YEAH, DO THAT. HAVE A SEAT, . GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. CAN EVERYBODY, GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME? YES. I COULD HAVE A MULTIPLICITY OF COMPLAINTS, UH, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME, UM, MORE THAN SEVEN DECADES, SO I'VE SEEN A LOT. BUT I CAN TELL YOU, I PIGGYBACK ON WHAT DR. ROSE SAID. WE DIDN'T ALL HEAR HIM WHEN HE SAID VOTE. WE HAVE GOT TO VOTE. WE HAVE, WE HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS SITTING HERE LOOKING AT US, BEING PATIENT. WE HAVE, UH, HER HONOR, JOLANDA JONES, HER HONOR, ALMA ALLEN, HER HONOR, CAROL SHABAZZ. AND CAROL IS, SHE IS THE SISTER OF A GIRL. THAT WAS MY MAJORETTE WAY BACK THERE, . SO SHE'S STILL AS SOPHISTICATED AS HER SISTER WAS WHEN SHE WAS WITH ME. UM, BUT I CAN REMEMBER WHEN MY MOTHER AND FATHER HAD TO PAY POLL TAXES TO VOTE AND MY MOTHER COULDN'T VOTE BECAUSE MY DAD HAD TO VOTE. IF MY MOTHER VOTED [01:40:01] MY DAD, HE COULDN'T VOTE. THAT'S WAY A LONG TIME AGO. BUT WE CANNOT IGNORE THAT AND NOT VOTE. WE HAVE TO VOTE. IT STARTS, IT STARTED WHAT TODAY? THE EARLY VOTING MM-HMM . THESE PEOPLE HAVE RACES, YOLANDA AND DR. ALMA. AND DO YOU HAVE A RACE? NOT YET. OKAY. NEXT YEAR. AND THEN YOU HAVE A CANDIDATE OVER THERE AS WELL. DANIELLE, KEITH, BE MS. BESS AND WHO ELSE IS IN HERE WITH A RACE? THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES I WISH, WISH I COULD STAND UP. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES, YOU KNOW, WHEN THESE PEOPLE COULD NOT RUN FOR ANYTHING. THE ONLY THING THEY COULD RUN FOR WAS TO CATCH THE BUS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. NOW YOLANDA CAN RUN AND JUMP OVER CARS AND RESCUE PEOPLE AND AT THE SAME TIME RUN TO HELP OTHERS. SO WE HAVE TO, AND I'M NOT UP HERE TRYING TO CAMPAIGN. OKAY? BUT PLEASE , BECAUSE WE GOTTA GIVE EQUAL TIME HERE. PLEASE VOTE. PLEASE VOTE. I DON'T CARE WHO YOU VOTE FOR, PLEASE VOTE. I'M BEGGING YOU. IT'S SO IMPORTANT. AND DON'T BE LAZY BECAUSE THEY'RE EXPECTING US TO BE LAZY AND STAY AT HOME. THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT. PLEASE VOTE. I THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY. I'M, I'M, I'M NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT A STREET OR 'CAUSE THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME AND I THINK THEY'RE GONNA BE AROUND FOR QUITE A WHILE. SO WE JUST HAVE TO VOTE. WE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE. OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK MA'AM. WE GOT A LOT LEFT. WOO. WE GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS LEFT. SO IT 7 45. WE, YOU HAVE APPROXIMATELY 15 QUESTIONS LEFT. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MINIMIZE THE TIME DOWN TO A MINUTE. SO THEREFORE EVERYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ASK HER QUESTIONS CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, A COUNCIL MEMBER CAN FOLLOW UP NOW. SHE'LL, OTHERWISE WE CAN PASS OUR BUSINESS CARD. YOU CAN SEND THE INFORMATION TO US WHEN WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU AND WE'LL GET BACK TO END. IS THAT ALL RIGHT? UH, I SAW JUAN ABOUT PARKING ISSUE. OKAY. SOME, I FORGOT WHO IT IS, BUT, UH, THERE ARE VERY QUALIFIED PEOPLE OUT THERE AT THE TABLE THAT PROBABLY COULD HELP YOU BETTER THAN US. SO IF, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, YOU COULD GO OVER THERE AND, UH, TALK TO VALERIE LUNA. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT IS PASTOR HICKMAN. LET CHURCH SAY AMEN. LET LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN. AMEN. . ALL RIGHT. UH, GOOD EVENING. AND, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR UH, HA COMING TO THIS PLACE AND, AND ENTERTAINING THIS COMMUNITY. UH, DISTRICT DI APPLAUD, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CHAVEZ AND THE MAYOR AND HIS AND THE LIKE. WE ABOUT COME HE LEAVING SOON SOMEHOW. ANYHOW, SEEMS LIKE WE ALL HAVE MORE MUCH SIMILAR CONCERNS AND, UM, OUR MINDS IS ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE. AND WHEN YOU SAID CIPI SAID, PRAISE THE LORD GOD HAND HURT OUR PRAYER. THE CITY EVERYWHERE IS SEEING DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH. BUT IN SOUTH PARK, TEXAS, WE ARE SEEING, UH, UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH AT THE TIME. WE'RE HAPPY ABOUT THAT. I'M HAPPY TO SEE HOMES GROW. UH, THE HORSE STABLE LEFT AND NOW WE GOT 66 HOMES WHERE THE HORSE STABLE WAS. UM, BUT THE PROBLEM IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE HAS NOT KEPT UP. AND SOUTH PARK DON'T SEEM TO HAVE A LOUD ENOUGH VOICE. I'M HERE TO BEAT THAT DRUM TODAY FOR SOUTH PARK 'CAUSE THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE NOISE. 7, 7 0 4 8 AND THREE ONE AND THREE THREE. THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS, IS LOUSY. I'M ON MY THIRD TRUCK ON WEBER CREST. MY CHURCH IS LOCATED ON WEBER WEBER CREST 12,000 0 21 WEBER CREST. THEY HAVE CAME OUT AND PATCHED AND I APPRECIATE THEM PATCHING. BUT SAVE THAT MONEY, THOSE PATCHES GO AWAY QUICK. I DON'T KNOW WHO SAID IT. I THINK THAT LADY LEFT ALREADY. THEY DID. THOSE PATCHES GO AWAY VERY SOON. SO WE'RE ASKING CAN WE SOMEWHERE GET IN YOUR AND I, I THINK CIP STANDS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. THAT'S RIGHT. SO WE THROW THE ACRONYMS AROUND, BUT WE NEVER SAY WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE. SO WE'RE ASKING CAN WE PUT SOUTH PARK IN THERE? NOT JUST WEBER CRE THERE, THERE ARE MULTIPLICATIVE STREETS RIGHT THERE. UH, AND I, LET ME PUT THIS IN THERE. DEVELOPERS HAVE COME THROUGH AND BUILT PROJECTS. THEY'LL BUILD A HUNDRED HOMES AT A TIME, BOUGHT THOSE BIG TRUCKS THROUGH TH TORE UP THE STREETS AND LEFT US WITH THE TORE UP STREET. SO CAN WE ASK THE DEVELOPERS TO COME BACK AND, UH, FIRST [01:45:01] OF ALL, BUY ME A NEW TRUCK, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THEN PUT THOSE ROAD BACK IN. AND THEN I'M ASKING FOR SOMETHING VERY REALISTIC. 'CAUSE I'VE SEND YOU THE VIDEOS. THEY COME IN AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT CHANGED IN 2015 OR WHATEVER. I, I GOT YOU. GIMME, GIMME TWO MORE. I'M, I'M ABOUT TO CLOSE NOW. I'M ABOUT TO CLOSE COUNT UNTIL A CLOSE. Y'ALL DON'T HEAR ME. NOW HOW DEVELOPERS COME IN, WE DON'T HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE ROADS, THOSE SIDEWALKS. IT'S A SCHOOL OVER THERE. THEY HAVE NO SIDEWALK. THEY WALK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. UH, AND YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND PUT 'EM ON BLAST STREET. IT'S MARRIAGE'S HOME. MARRIAGE'S HOME IS A BILLION DOLLAR, UH, COMPANY IN HOUSTON. BUT WHEN THEY LEAVE PROJECTS, THEY LEAVE A ROAD TO UP AND THEN THEY LEAVE NO SIDEWALK FOR THE SCHOOLS, UH, FOR THE CHILDREN. SO I'M ASKING FOR THE ROADS TO NOT TO BE PATCHED. PUT US ON THE CIP, THE PIC OR WHATEVER AND GET US SOME NEW ROWS OVER THERE. I OKAY. Y'ALL SAY AMEN. I BEFORE YOU GO. I THINK THAT OUGHT TO BE A PART OF COMPLETION BEFORE YOU GET PAID. TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IF YOU HAVE COME IN AND YOU HAVE TORN UP THE STREETS, THEN BEFORE YOU FINISH, YOU NEED TO FIX THE STREET AND, UH, AND THE SIDEWALKS BEFORE YOU LEAVE. OKAY? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND LOOK, PUT THEM DUMPS AROUND TOWN FOR THEY DUMP ON MY STREET, OKAY? OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. NOW, YOU KNOW WHAT I, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE. WE HAVE DIRECTOR KENNETH ALLEN HERE, AND I KNOW WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR PARKS IN PARTICULAR SUNNYSIDE PARK. AND HE WANTED TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION AND, AND CERTAINLY TELL HIM ABOUT THE LIFEGUARDS THAT WE NEED. IF YOU GOT 16 YEAR OLDS AND THEY WANNA BE TRAINED, LET ME TELL YOU, WE CAN GET THE POOLS READY. UH, BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE PERSONNEL, WE CANNOT OPEN THE POOLS. SO IF YOU HAVE SOME, SOME 16 YEAR OLDS AND UP THAT WANNA COME AND MAKE AT LEAST $15 AN HOUR, RIGHT? DIRECTOR 13 TO 17, 13 TO $17 AN HOUR, AND YOU WANNA HAVE THEM DOING SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE THIS SUMMER. I REMEMBER IT WAS A GOOD THING WHEN YOU GO A LIFEGUARD AT A SWIMMING POOL BACK IN THE DAY. SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD DO. AND SO CERTAINLY PUT THAT BECAUSE WE, WE ARE TRYING TO OPEN THESE PARKS BY MEMORIAL DAY, WHICH IS TWO WEEKS. AND IF WE DON'T HAVE THE PERSONNEL, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA TRY TO GO ON KTSU AND SEE IF WE CAN GET THE, THE SWIMMING, UH, TEAMS AT TSU AND UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND AROUND AND SEE IF THEY CAN GET THEIR GUYS TO COME. BECAUSE I WANT THESE POOLS OPEN BECAUSE I WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN SOME CONSTRUCTIVE THINGS THIS SUMMER. SO, UH, DIRECT ALLEN, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BRICKS AND MARTYR. I'M GONNA BE REALLY HONEST WITH YOU GUYS. WE HAVE A VERY HUGE INVENTORY. WE GOT THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN AMERICA. WE HAVE AN AGE IN INFRASTRUCTURE. WE GOT PARKS, NEW PARKS, OLD, CERTAINLY IN DISTRICT D. WE ARE PARK RICH. WE HAVE A LOT OF PARKS IN DISTRICT D. WE HAVE A LOT OF PARKS THAT NEED IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTRICT D AS WELL. BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS JUST A LITTLE BIT ON INFRASTRUCTURE IN TERMS OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING WALL STREETS, YOU KNOW, DRAINAGE, BUT THE PEOPLE, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE KIDS? 16 AND UP? HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW KIDS? 16 AND UP A GRANDKID OR ANY, ANY KID? SO THIS SUMMER COUNCIL MEMBER SAID IT AND I'M, I'M PLEA, I'M, I'M GONNA MAKE A PLEA TO YOU GUYS. WE NEED POOL SUPERVISORS, HEAD LIFEGUARDS AND LIFEGUARDS. WE HAVE SEVERAL POOLS IN THIS DISTRICT. WOULD LOVE TO GET 'EM ALL OPEN. SO IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE THAT'S INTERESTED IN, IN A JOB, 40 HOURS A WEEK, 13 TO $17 AN HOUR, LET'S PUT, LET'S PUT THESE KIDS TO WORK. GUESS WHAT THEY EAT? THEY WANT CLOTHES. THEY, THEY WANT THINGS GOING INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR. WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A LIFEGUARD, HEAD LIFEGUARD OR A POOL SUPERVISOR. YOU KNOW? SO I PLEAD TO YOU GUYS, HAVE THEM GO TO HOUSTON PARKS.ORG. ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS APPLY. WE WILL TRAIN THEM, WE WILL DO THE CERTIFICATION AND WE WILL PUT THEM TO WORK. SO I PLEAD, I PLEAD TO YOU GUYS FOR THAT. WE ALSO HAVE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, PARK RANGERS, WE HAVE LABORERS, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE. SO IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU WANNA WORK, THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE OUT THERE. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOICE. YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY CONCERNING FACILITIES, YOU KNOW, SUNNYSIDE PARK IS DEFINITELY A PARK THAT NEED ATTENTION AND WE'RE POURING INTO IT AS MUCH [01:50:01] AS WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE WITH DEVELOPING A NEW FOOTBALL FIELD. I'M DONE. OKAY. , SHE'S NO, SHE'S NO RESPECT PERSONS, RIGHT? , THANK YOU SO MUCH. BUT YOU GUYS PLEASE, PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE THAT MAY HAVE BUT MAY HAVE YOUNG MEN, ANYTHING LIKE THAT THERE AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE DEPARTMENT, OUTSIDE KIDS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE OPPORTUNITY. YEAH, AB ABSOLUTELY. WE, WE DO BELIEVE IN SECOND CHANCES AS LONG AS THERE'S NO OFFENSES WITH, WITH CHILDREN OR SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY, REALLY SERIOUS. WE BELIEVE IN SECOND CHANCES. AND TYPICALLY OUR LABORERS AND OUR GUYS THAT ARE CUTTING, WE HAVE MR. ABEL GONZALEZ, OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF GREEN SPACE, THOSE GUYS HE HIRE AND HE GIVES SECOND CHANCES. SO JUST HAVE TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE. THANK YOU. OH, AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR ALLEN FOR THE FIRST TEE GRADUATION THAT WE HAD. FIRST TEE, WE HAD 16 YOUTH TO GO OUT AND LEARN HOW TO PLAY GOLF AND THEY STARTED OUT AT FM LAW PARK. AND BECAUSE GOLF IS VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS. AND SO WE, WE HAD 16 GRADUATES THAT GRADUATED, UH, THIS SATURDAY AND THE MAYOR CAME OUT AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THAT. THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY EXECUTIVE TEAM, THEY'RE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROOM. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON PARKS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. EVERYBODY FROM PARKS, THEY'RE HERE. THEY'RE HERE FOR YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. SURE. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, UM, DISTRICT BEEN FAIR ON JUNE 25TH. WE HAVEN'T RELEASED THE FLYER FOR IT, BUT WE HAVE FINALIZED PLANNING, SO EXPECT THAT TO COME OUT. WE TARGETING PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE MADE SOME MINOR OFFENSES AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A FULL SECOND CHANCE. SO DEFINITELY FEEL FREE TO COME OUT, UM, TO THAT EVENT. AND WE'LL SHARE IT. IT WILL BE IN OUR NEWSLETTER. WE'LL ALSO DO A MOBILE DIAL ABOUT IT AND IT WILL BE SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA. YOU DON'T KNOW THE LOCATION? I DO KNOW THE LOCATION TONIGHT, BUT I ALSO JUST HAD A BABY, SO I CAN'T REMEMBER OFF. THAT'S OKAY. UM, IT'S AT THE, IT'S AT THE SUNNYSIDE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, ISN'T IT? NO, IT'S NOT. IT'S THAT. UM, I'LL PULL IT UP. OH, IT MOVED. IT MOVED. OKAY. WE'RE REMEMBERING BECAUSE ALL OF US KNOW I'M BACK. YES, ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. I'LL LET YOU KNOW THE LOCATION IF YOU GIVE ME ONE MINUTE WE MAKE THE TEAM QUESTION. THANK YOU COUNCIL. OKAY. ALRIGHT. AND YOU KNOW WE ARE TRYING TO GET TO AS MANY AS WE CAN. IF WE GET TO SOME POINT, YOU MAY HAVE TO EMAIL THEM. I DON'T WANNA KEEP PEOPLE OUT REALLY LATE, BUT WE, BUT WE DO. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. SO YOU WANNA GO TO THE NEXT PERSON? DIANA HEATH. HELLO? UM, I WON'T BE LONG. UM, MY NAME IS DIANA HEATH AND I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF SUNNYSIDE OFF AND ON FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS. UM, MY CONCERN IS, WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER BY UH, UH, MS. WANDA ADAMS ABOUT UM, THE NEED FOR PARKS THAT HAVE AVAILABILITY AND SPACE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS, UM, CHILDREN, UM, AND ADULTS. UM, I WANT TO KNOW IF THE TWO PARKS, GRIMES AND I FORGOT THE OTHER PARK FOR SUNNYSIDE, IF THERE'S A WAY EEB HILL, EB HILL, EEP HILL AND G GRIMES, IF THERE, IF IT'S TOO LATE FOR THOSE CONSIDERATIONS FOR THOSE TWO PARKS OR ARE THEY NOT BEING CONSIDERED OR BUILT JUST YET? OR HAS THERE BEEN ANY MOVEMENT ON THOSE TWO PARKS YET? FOR THERE TO BE AN ACCESS FOR THERE TO BE ACCESS, UH, FOR, THAT'S A QUESTION OF DIRECTOR ALLEN, BUT I WOULD THINK THAT THEY WOULD ALL HAVE ACCESSIBILITY. BUT, UH, DIRECTOR ALLEN, DO YOU KNOW IF EP HILL AND GRIMES HAS ACCESSIBILITY? I THOUGHT THAT WAS AS FAR AS UM, ACCESSIBILITY IN TERMS OF UM, WE CALL 'EM INCLUSION. MOST OF THEM SHOULD BE A DA ACCESSIBLE BUT SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, LIKE MIRACLE PLAYGROUNDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. UH, WE DO NEED TO FACTOR THAT IN A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND WE HAVE LISA JOHNSON FROM GSD, SHE'LL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU A LITTLE BIT. UM, DIRECT PART PART TWO TO THE QUESTION. UH, FOR SUNNYSIDE MULTIPURPOSE CENTER, WILL THERE BE AN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE VERNE COX CENTER IN PASADENA? NO, THAT'S A, UM, A VERY POPULAR PARK FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND IT'S FULLY ACCESSIBLE. UM, AND SO MY QUESTION IS, WILL THERE BE A CENTER OF THAT SORT PLACED IN SUNNYSIDE SO THAT THE CHILDREN HERE WHO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS DON'T HAVE TO VENTURE OUT OF THEIR [01:55:01] NEIGHBORHOOD? THEY CAN GO OR HAVE SERVICES, THEY CAN HAVE TREATMENT, THEY CAN HAVE, UH, PROVIDER UH, PROVIDERS MEET THEM THERE AT THE PARK IF THEY CAN'T GO TO THEIR HOME, UM, IF THEY HAVE APPOINTMENTS OR SOMETHING. IS THERE GOING TO BE SOME TYPE OF AREA IN THAT BUILDING FOR, FOR, FOR THAT? SO THE BUILDING WILL BE ACCESSIBLE? THE ACTUAL PROGRAM THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS OFFERING? YES. HAVE TO BE DEPARTMENT. I BELIEVE HEALTH IS, IS OUT THERE. OKAY. THEY HAVE KIND PROGRAM AFTER SCHOOL EQUIPMENT, WALKING TRAIL. DO A LITTLE BIT MORE OUTSIDE OF THE FACILITY AND INSIDE . OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALRIGHT. I HAVE THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOU SIR. FOR THE, EXCUSE ME SIR, I HAVE THE LOCATION FOR YOU. IT'S AT CRESTMONT PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. 1 1 5. IT'S ON JUNE 25TH. I'LL BE THERE WITH CREW. OKAY. UM, I'M GONNA LET GENERAL SERVICES ANSWER THAT QUESTION ONE MORE TIME. WE COULD NOT HEAR HIM SO IT WOULD NOT APPEAR ON PUBLIC RECORD. SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S RECORDED. SO JUST TO RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION, THE BUILDING WILL BE ACCESSIBLE. UH, THERE IS A LOT OF PROGRAMMING IN THE FACILITY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AFTER SCHOOL. UH, THIS SITE ALSO HAS WALKING TRAILS, UH, SOME FITNESS EQUIPMENT OUT THERE. THE ACTUAL PROGRAMMING THAT HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL OFFER IS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT AND THEY HAVE A TABLE OUTSIDE WHERE THEY CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AT A PROGRAM LEVEL. OKAY. UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE OUT TIME. MAYBE WE CAN TAKE ONE MORE QUESTION. LET'S AT LEAST TAKE ONE MORE QUESTION. I THINK I OKAY. REVEREND . REVEREND DOY LO SHERIFF MY TIME WHEN I GET TO THIS MIC, SO, OH, HERE WE, SORRY. UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR FREE SUPPORT FINANCIAL SERVICES, THEY'RE RIGHT OUTSIDE, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO STOP AT THEIR TABLE ON YOUR WAY OUT. ALRIGHT THEN I'LL START YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DISTRICT D YOU SHOWED OUT TODAY, HEAR YOURSELVES A HAND STANDING ROOM ONLY. AND COUNCILWOMAN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR NOT BEING AFRAID TO COME OUT TO YOUR PEOPLE, RIGHT? LIKE RODNEY ELLIS IS AFRAID, BUT LET ME ALSO SAY THAT THE NEXT TIME. YEAH, YEAH. I SAID IT AND YOU CAN TELL HIM I SAID IT. IT'S TRUE. COME ON. HAVE YOU SEEN HIM LATELY, REVEREND? WELL, WELL NOW YOU OUGHT KNOW BETTER THAN THAT DR. SHABAZZ, THAT, UH, I'M GIVING YOU YOUR DUE, BUT THE REST OF 'EM DON'T DO. OKAY. NOW I'VE SAID YOU AND BORIS MILES STAND OUT. NOW HAVING SAID THAT, YES. THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW REVEREND DWAYNE LARK, I'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR 53 YEARS OUTTA MY 63 STARTED WHEN I WAS 10 YEARS OLD. NOW WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS THAT COUNCILWOMAN, THE NEXT TIME YOU HAVE AN EVENT LIKE THIS, MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO GET A STAFF HALF THE DAY OFF AND LET THEM COME IN AT 12. SO EVERYBODY WHO HAD THAT QUESTION, YOU COULDN'T GET IT IN, THAT WOULD BE TIME TO DO. SO THAT'S A CONSIDERATION. BUT IN THE LAST, LET ME SAY THAT THE MONEY AIN'T THERE FOR EVERYTHING. I RAN ONE TIME AND I DECIDED THAT IT'S A HEADACHE BECAUSE WE WANT EVERYTHING, BUT WE DON'T WANT THEM TAXES RAISED. AND AT THE STATE LEVEL, THEY PUT A MUZZLE ON THE CITY TO ACTUALLY RAISE MORE MONEY. HAVING SAID THAT, I'M JUST GIVING YOU A WAY OUT. NOW YOU, YOU'RE NOT GONNA MAKE EXCUSES, BUT IT'S ABOUT MONEY HERE AND IT'S ABOUT YOUR TAXES. AND NONE OF US WANT OUR TAXES RAISED TO THE LEVEL. WELL, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO. HAVING SAID THAT, . OKAY. OKAY. WELL ARE WE, I PROMISE, BECAUSE THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT ABOUT SENIOR OKAY. HOLD BUT HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON JUST A SECOND. I'LL LET YOU WANNA MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT? NO, WE'LL DISMISS THE ROOM AND THEN YOU CAN DEFINITELY FEEL FREE TO COME UP AND YOU CAN ASK YOUR QUESTION. YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR AN ANNOUNCEMENT? SHE HAS A QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW, BUT I DO WANNA HONOR THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE REST OF THE QUESTIONS UP HERE AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO TAKE THEIR HAVE AND SNAKES COMING IN THEIR HOMES. MM-HMM . OKAY. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M ASKING Y'ALL TO COLLABORATE WITH THE, UH, PRECINCT ONE. 'CAUSE OVER THERE OFF OF BEDFORD WHERE SAID EARLIER WE HAVE THOSE, THOSE, UH, BAYOU BEHIND THERE ARE NOT BEING SERVICED ON A REGULAR LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. SO I HAVE SENIORS WHO HAVE RATS, WOOD, RATS, AND SNAKES IN THEIR HOMES THAT NEED TO BE, UH, OKAY. WE HAVE, FOR THE RECORD RIGHT THERE WITH JAMES AND JAMES CAN NAME FORMS AND JAMES CAN CONVEY THAT TO [02:00:01] PRECINCT ONE SO THAT THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT. YES. AND FLOOD AND DRAINAGE, YOU KNOW, THE COVER ON FROM YEAH. THAT, THAT'S THE COUNTY TO, TO, UH, THE COVERAGE AND THE DRAINS NEEDS TO BE CLEANED ON THE RECORD. I AGREE. THAT'S RIGHT. WELL, WELL I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I, YOU KNOW, IT'S KINDA LIKE I WAS THROWING A PARTY AND DIDN'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WAS GONNA COME, BUT Y'ALL CAME, YOU SHOWED OUT. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE. I DON'T WANT ANY QUESTION UNANSWERED, SO PLEASE DO THAT. THANK YOU AND BE SAFE AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING. THANK YOU, PASTOR, I APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.