[District E Redistricting Town Hall and CIP Meeting]
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GOOD EVENING.WE'RE GONNA GO GET AHEAD AND START.
THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA SPEND THE FIRST HALF, WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FIRST HALF, BUT THE FIRST PART OF THE MEETING TALKING ABOUT REDISTRICTING, WHICH I KNOW IS A VERY IMPORTANT SUBJECT.
WE DO THIS EVERY TIME THERE'S A CENSUS REPORT, SO WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO IT WHEN WE HAVE A CENSUS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT COUNCIL DISTRICTS AROUND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, MOST OF THEM ARE COMPRISED OF AROUND 210,000 PEOPLE.
WE HAVE 11 COUNCIL DISTRICTS SPECIFIC, AND THEN WE HAVE FIVE COUNCIL DISTRICTS THAT ARE AT LARGE, WHICH ARE THEIR ENTIRE CITY.
SO BEFORE WE START, UH, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY STAFF, JESSICA BEAMER.
WHERE'S JESSICA? MY CHIEF OF STAFF, MY ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF, JORDAN MCGINTY, FRAZIER.
SHE'S A CHIEF OF STAFF FOR SALLY ALCORN.
SO SHE DECIDED THAT SHE, YOU KNOW, SHE GOT TIRED OF WORKING REALLY HARD AND DOING A LOT OF THINGS, SO SHE WANTED A LOT SLOWER LIFE, SO SHE WENT TO WORK FOR SALLY.
SO MARK MITCHELL, MY SOUTH SECTOR MANAGERS, MARK DUSTIN HODGES, WHO HANDLES THE NORTH SECTOR, AND CAROLINA HERNANDEZ, WHO IS OUR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, UH, INTRODUCE, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS.
LET ME LOOK AROUND, SEE IF THERE ARE ANY, I ONLY SEE ONE SALLY ALCORN, WHO DOES A GREAT JOB AT LARGE AND WORK REALLY HARD.
SO BEFORE, I'M GONNA LET MAYOR TURNER SAY A FEW WORDS.
IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE HIM HERE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL ASH'S OFFICE.
REPRESEN IS BEING REPRESENTED.
I NEVER, ANNETTE, I NEVER KNOW IF YOU'RE REPRESENTING ANNETTE DWYER OR MICHAEL KUBOSH, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
SO YOU'RE REPRESENTING COUNCIL MEMBER K, COUNCIL MEMBER KUBOSH COUNCIL.
HE LEFT TODAY TO GO OUT OF TOWN, AND I'LL BE LEAVING TOMORROW MORNING FOR MY, UH, SON'S GRADUATING.
AND WHERE IS COMMISSIONER GARCIA'S OFFICE? HEY, DOUG.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT, UH, PER, UH, PERMITTED JESUS THAT WAS ON OUR MIND TODAY.
BUT, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE PLANNING AND THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT LEAVE A PRESENTATION ON REDISTRICTING, TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION.
OTHER RELATED MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT LET'S TALK HOUSTON.ORG/REDISTRICTING.
AGAIN, LET'S TALK HOUSTON.ORG/REDISTRICTING.
NOW, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY DEAR FRIEND, A GUY WHO DOES A GREAT JOB DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HIS, UH, WHAT, I GUESS I'M YOUR NUMBER TWO GUY.
NUMBER ONE GUY, NUMBER ONE GUY, ALWAYS NUMBER ONE IN YOUR HEART, ALWAYS.
BUT MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.
AND LEMME SAY, UH, GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE.
AND IT'S GOOD TO BE IN DISTRICT E AND CLEAR LAKE AND, UH, WITH MAYOR PRO TEM, WHICH MAKES HIM NUMBER ONE.
SO HE IS NUMBER, NUMBER ONE GUY.
UH, AND, UH, AND THEN THIS EVENING, UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL, UH, DIRECTORS, UH, WHO ARE HERE, AND SOME ARE ON THE WAY.
UH, I SEE ANDY EKIN, WHO'S STANDING UP THE CHIEF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, WHO ALSO LIVES IN, IN DISTRICT E.
UM, AND THEN, UH, YOU'LL BE HERE.
THEN I SEE, UH, DIRECTOR MARK WILT, WHO'S OVER SOLID WASTE, WHO IS HERE AS WELL.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE, MIKE, RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND THEN I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT, UH, YOU'RE GONNA BE HEARING FROM, UH, MICHAEL RE REDDY, UH, LATER ON WHEN IT COMES TO THE CIP.
SO HE'S HERE, UH, BUT THERE ARE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE AROUND THEM.
THE TWO TOPICS TONIGHT ARE REDISTRICTING, IT'S NUMBER ONE, AND THEN FOLLOWED BY THE CIP.
UM, AND THIS IS OUR 11TH TOWN HALL MEETING.
UH, THIS IS THE 11TH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.
I MEAN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCO HAS BEEN WITH US 10 OF THE 11TH.
UH, AND THEN TOMORROW NIGHT WE WILL WRAP UP, WHICH WILL BE OUR 12TH, BUT THIS IS THE 11TH TOWN HALL MEETING, UH, FOR US.
WE WERE IN A LEAF LAST NIGHT, AND OF COURSE, WE ARE NOW IN CLEAR LAKE TONIGHT AND TWO TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN DISTRICT EVE.
SO WE'VE HAD ONE IN KINGWOOD, AND NOW WE ARE HAVING THIS ONE IN CLEAR, IN CLEAR LAKE.
WE DO THIS REDISTRICTING PROCESS EVERY 10 YEARS.
UH, AND AS MAYOR PROM SAID, UH, WE ARE TRYING TO EVEN OUT THE DISTRICTS AT ABOUT 209, MORE THAN 209,000 PEOPLE, UH, DIRECTOR MARGARET WALLACE BROWN WILL BE LEADING US THROUGH THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS.
JERRY WOODS, WHO HAS DONE REDISTRICTING,
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SEVERAL OF THEM, UH, HE'S THE DEMOGRAPHER WHO IS HERE AND WILL BE TAKING, TAKING COPIOUS NOTES AND EVERYTHING, BUT EVERY, EVERY 10 YEARS.SO, UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL DISTRICTS THAT ARE ABOVE, UH, THAT 2009 MARK, AND THEN THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT ARE BELOW.
I THINK DISTRICT E IS BIT ABOVE, IS A LITTLE BIT ABOVE.
YOU CAN HAVE A VARIANCE OF ABOUT 10, YOU KNOW, UH, BUT DISTRICT E IS A BIT ABOVE SEVEN, UH, 7%, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH RIGHT AT AN ACCEPTABLE AREA, UM, GIVE OR TAKE JUST A FEW.
UM, BUT YOU HAVE DISTRICTS, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE DISTRICT H, AND YOU'LL HEAR THIS ON THE VIDEO THAT'S LIKE 17% BELOW.
UM, AND SO WE, WE ARE JUST TRYING TO EVEN THINGS OUT.
UM, SO TONIGHT, UM, WE WANNA LISTEN TO YOU, IF YOU LIKE, THE WAY THE DISTRICT IS DRAWN.
WE, WE, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU ON THAT.
IF YOU THINK IT NEEDS TO BE REDRAWN.
UH, WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU ON THAT.
IF YOU HAVE IDEAS ON WHAT SHOULD STAY IN AND WHAT SHOULD KIND OF GO SOMEPLACE ELSE, WE WANT TO HEAR YOU ON THAT.
UH, AND, UH, WE DIDN'T COME WITH ANY MAPS THAT HAVE BEEN PRE-DRAWN, UH, BECAUSE IF WE DID THAT, THEN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE MAY SAY, WELL, WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? HAVING THIS LISTENING SESSION, SINCE Y'ALL ALREADY DREW UP THE MAPS.
SO THERE ARE NO MAPS THAT HAVE BEEN DRAWN.
UH, WE WILL FINISH THIS, THIS, THESE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, THESE LISTENING SESSIONS, UH, AND THEN, UH, THE MAPS, UH, BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE HEARD, UH, GETTING WITH THE DEMOGRAPHERS, WE'LL DRAW SOME MAPS.
AND THEN IN JULY, UH, YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THOSE PROPOSED MAPS.
AGAIN, THERE'LL BE THREE, THREE MEETINGS ON THAT.
UH, AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL BE ASKED TO VOTE ON THE PROPOSED MAPS.
UH, AND THEN THE ELECTIONS WILL TAKE PLACE, OF COURSE, NEXT YEAR IN 23.
AND THEN THE NEW REPRESENTATIVES WILL TAKE OVER ON JANUARY 1ST, 2024.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE PROCESS.
AND, AND SO ON THE REDISTRICTING, WHEN IT COMES TIME, UH, IF YOU LIKE THE WAY THINGS ARE DRAWN, YOU KNOW, PLEASE STAND AND JUST SAY, HEY, WE'RE COOL.
UM, BUT IF YOU WANNA GO SOMEPLACE ELSE, OR, YOU KNOW, THEN LET US KNOW THAT, LET US KNOW THAT AS WELL.
AND THEN WE HAD ONE QUESTION THAT SAID, UM, UH, DO YOU COUNT JUST PEOPLE WHO ARE REGISTERED? AND THE RESPONSE IS, WE COUNT EVERY WARM BODY IN THE DISTRICT.
SO IF YOU, YOU'RE BARELY, BARELY BREATHING, YOU KNOW, WE COUNT YOU TWO
SO WE COUNT EVERY WARM BODY, UM, AND IT'S BASED ON THE CENSUS, THE LAST CENSUS.
SO WHATEVER THE CENSUS NUMBERS GIVE US, THAT'S WHAT WE WORK, THAT'S WHAT WE WORK WITH.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
AND THEN, AND THAT WILL BE THE FIRST PART.
AND THEN THE SECOND PART WOULD BE, UH, WOULD BE THE CIP.
SO HAVING SAID THAT, IF YOU WILL TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SCREEN.
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, WHETHER 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, AURA 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, AN 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 EXPERIENCED 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.
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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 THOROUGHFARES 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.
THEY SHOULD BE COMPACT AND COMPOSED OF CONTIGUOUS TERRITORY, INCLUDING FUNCTIONAL AND GEOGRAPHIC CONTINUITY.
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 AND NARROW STRIPS OF LAND.
FUNCTIONAL COMPACTNESS AND CONTINUITY 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.
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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 RUPE KOSHI@HOUSTONTX.GOV BY US POSTAL SERVICE, OR HAND DELIVERY TO RUBES 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 SIX FOUR 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.
SO I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, MARGARET WALLACE BROWN AND MR. JERRY WOOD IS OUR DEMOGRAPHER.
BEFORE I DO THAT, I KNEW THIS WOULD BE AN INTERESTING MEETING BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE DISTRICTS, UM, DISTRICT E IS THE MOST CONVOLUTED DISTRICT THAT WE HAVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT CONTIGUOUS AREAS, IT'S CONNECTED BY THE WATERS OF THE SHIP CHANNEL.
BUT THIS, AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME OR MAYOR TURNER.
WE BOTH LEAVE ON DECEMBER 31ST AT MIDNIGHT OF 2023.
THIS IS IMPLEMENTED ON JANUARY 1ST, 2024 FOR WHOEVER TAKES OVER.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT I LIVE WAY UP HERE AND I REPRESENT HERE.
AND I WILL SAY THIS, I'VE SAID THIS IN PUBLIC, PRIVATE, EVERYWHERE I GO, CINDY KNOWS THIS.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE SOUTH SECTOR A LOT MORE THAN THE AREA I LIVE IN.
I'VE SAID THIS TO THEM ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO.
MY LIFE IS BETTER TODAY BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE MET IN THIS AREA, AND I MEAN, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME.
I'VE MET, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS ABOUT THIS AREA.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE WATER, IF IT'S THE SERENITY, IF IT'S A PEOPLE, BUT I ABSOLUTELY ENJOY WORKING DOWN HERE EACH AND EVERY DAY.
AND, UM, I LIVE IN KINGWOOD, BUT I LOVE CLEAR LAKE.
AND IF THIS IS UP TO YOU TO GIVE US INPUT AND YOU DECIDE HOW YOU WANT TO BE REPRESENTED, REPRESENTED IN THE FUTURE, AND IF IT MAKES SENSE TO CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH, LET US KNOW.
IF IT MAKES SENSE TO MAKE CHANGES, PLEASE LET US KNOW THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE AS MAYOR SAID, WE GOT A LOT.
WELL, THE, THE UNITED STATES, THEY GOT A LOT OF FLACK FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS THAT HAD NO PUBLIC INPUT.
THE HARRIS COUNTY HAD NO INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.
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PUBLIC INPUT.WE WANT THIS TO BE THE PEOPLE'S DECISION IN DICTATING TO US.
BUT, UH, I, I JUST WANTED TO STATE THAT PUBLICLY AS I ALWAYS DONE.
UM, MY LIFE IS A BETTER LIFE BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE IN MY ABILITY TO WORK IN THE LAST NINE YEARS IN THIS AREA.
AND FOR THAT, I THANK EVERYONE.
NOW I'LL TURN IT ON OVER TO MARGARET WALLACE BROWN, AND WE'LL GET DOWN TO THE, UH, THE, THE DETAILS.
SO I'M GONNA TAKE THAT, I'M GONNA TAKE THAT PERSONALLY BECAUSE I WAS RAISED IN DISTRICT E ALSO.
IN FACT, MY DAD WORKED ABOUT A HUNDRED YARDS OVER THERE IN THAT BIG BUILDING.
THANKS FOR COMING OUT AND, UM, SPENDING YOUR EVENING WITH US.
I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A MILLION OTHER THINGS YOU'D PROBABLY PREFER DOING THAN SPENDING TIME WITH US.
SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA, GONNA GET RIGHT TO IT, RUPESH CO.
SO TWO THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FROM THE VIDEO THAT YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO WRITE DOWN ARE, IF ANY PIECE OF INFORMATION YOU WANT ABOUT REDISTRICTING IS ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON PLANNING DEPARTMENT WEBSITE, YOU CAN GET TO IT FROM LET'S TALK HOUSTON.ORG.
LET'S TALK HOUSTON.ORG/REDISTRICTING.
WE TRY TO THINK, KEEP IT AS EASY TO REMEMBER AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN RUPESH KOHE, WHO'S STANDING IN THE BACK OF THE, UH, ROOM WITH THE GREEN SHIRT IS WHOSE PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL AND EVERYTHING IS UP.
IT'S R-U-P-S-H DOT K OS H Y@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
AND WE DON'T HAVE IT UP ON THE SCREEN, BUT RUPESH CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTION YOU HAVE.
SO HE'S GOT THE CARDS IN HIS HAND.
DO YOU HAVE ANY THAT PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY PUT THEIR NAMES ON? ANYBODY WANNA TALK ABOUT REDISTRICTING? CAN I EXPLAIN THE PROCESS AGAIN ABOUT THE, THE CARDS? OH, SO RUPESH HAS A SERIES OF CARDS AND HE WILL HAND THEM OUT.
AND IF YOU'D WOULD PLEASE PUT YOUR NAME ON THEM SO WE CAN HAVE A RECORD OF WHO SPOKE AND WHO, UM, COMMENTED.
UM, SIR, IF YOU WANNA GO TO THE MICROPHONE, WE'LL JUST WRITE YOUR NAME DOWN IF YOU'D LIKE, IF YOU COULD SPELL YOUR NAME FOR ME, THAT WOULD BE TERRIFIC.
I'M JIM MICKEY, YOU ALL KNOW, AND MAYOR, NO PECANS THIS YEAR.
NOW, AS WE ALL AGREE, MARTIN HAS BEEN ONE HELL OF A DAMN GOOD COUNCILMAN.
I START OFF WITH, UH, MANCUSO WAY BACK WHEN AND A FEW OTHERS, BUT THEY DIDN'T REALLY DO A GOOD JOB.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO LOSE HIM IN A YEAR AND A HALF.
AND HE, HE SAYS HE LIVES UP NORTH.
I'M GONNA BE IN BED SLEEPING BEFORE HE GOES TO BED TONIGHT.
NOW, I DO NOT LIKE THE WAY COUNCIL LINE BOUNDARIES ARE DRAWN.
LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY.
DISTRICT E NEEDS TO BE REDRAWN BECAUSE THE NORTH HAS THEIR NEEDS, THE SOUTH HAS THEIR NEEDS, AND THE NEXT COUNCILMAN MAY NOT BE ANOTHER MARTIN.
SO WE NEED GOOD REPRESENTATION.
SO MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL PEOPLE, PLEASE PUT A SHEET OF PAPER DOWN THE MAP AND DRAW THE LINES LIKE THIS AND LET THINGS FALL WHERE THEY WILL.
AS OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE SAYS, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, IT DIDN'T SAY WHITE, BLACK, HISPANIC, OR ANYTHING ELSE, WE NEED TO BE UNITED AND GET THE REPRESENTATION FOR EACH OF US.
SO MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
MR. MCGEE, WOULD YOU PLEASE SPELL YOUR LAST NAME FOR ME JUST TO HAVE, SO I HAVE IT CORRECTLY? REAL SIMPLE.
I'M PRESIDENT OF MICKEY MOUSE CLASS.
MIMI S AND THEN, UH, DENNIS THORNTON.
HOW WILL THE, HOW WILL THE CITY'S RE REDISTRICTING AFFECT US IN TERMS OF CIP FUNDING FOR PARKS, SIDEWALKS, HIKE, BIKE TRAILS, TRAFFIC CONTROL, AND FLOOD REMEDIATION? YOU'VE GOT A MICROPHONE RIGHT THERE IF YOU WANNA JUST USE IT.
AND GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT'S NOT, IT IS NOT IMPACTED.
UM, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT ALL THE NEEDS ARE IN A PARTICULAR DISTRICT.
UH, FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, I WILL TELL YOU THE WAY DISTRICT E IS SITUATED CURRENTLY, WE GENERALLY HAVE LIKE TWO TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN DISTRICT, DISTRICT E IS THE ONLY ONE.
WE HAVE TWO TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
SO WE HAVE TOWN HALL MEETING ON THE NORTH SIDE.
WE HAVE A TOWN HALL MEETING, OF COURSE NOW ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
BUT IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING THAT GOES INTO IT,
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IT'S REALLY NOT IMPACTED BY HOW IT'S DRAWN.WE ARE STILL OBLIGATED TO, TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PARKS, LIBRARIES, YOU NAME IT, IN THOSE PARTICULAR DISTRICTS.
NOW, DISTRICT E IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WHEN IT COMES TO CLEAR LAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE WITH RESPECT TO THE REBUILD HOUSTON FUND, BECAUSE YOU HAVE YOUR OWN SORT OF SYSTEM THERE.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THERE.
BUT IN GENERAL, NOT, NOT VERY MUCH, NOT NOT THAT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE.
DENNIS THORNTON AND FOLLOWED BY BOB.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IS, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A SPLIT SCHOOL DISTRICT, SOME OF IT'S IN GALVESTON COUNTY, THERE'S A BIG CHUNK OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE HAVE THE HIGH SCHOOL ON BLACK HAWK AND CLEAR LAKE BOULEVARD, AND WE HAVE AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT BLACK HAWK AND SCARSDALE.
AND THAT AREA HAS AN INTEREST WITH THE REST OF THE CLEAR LAKE AREA BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND IN TERMS OF REDISTRICTING TO MAKE IT MORE COMPACT AND SIMILAR INTERESTS, CERTAINLY THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES OF WHICH NOT ALL OF 'EM ARE IN, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
'CAUSE SOME OF IT'S IN IN PASS OR IN FRIENDSWOOD.
BUT THERE IS ENOUGH OF IT THAT'S IN THAT AREA, THAT'S IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT I THINK SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THIS DISTRICT.
BECAUSE IF ASSUMING YOU'RE GONNA SPLIT KINGWOOD OFF, I MEAN, IT'S, THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO PICK UP AREAS DOWN HERE THAT, TO MAKE THE DISTRICT THE REASON SIZE.
BUT I THINK THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, UH, ARE, SHOULD BE AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION BECAUSE IT DOES, IT DOES GO TO THE COMPACTNESS, BUT ALSO THE, THE SIMILAR INTERESTS.
AND IF I CAN GO BACK TO THAT LAST QUESTION, 'CAUSE LET ME, LET ME, LET ME, LET ME CHANGE MY RESPONSE THERE JUST A LITTLE BIT.
BECAUSE DISTRICT, DISTRICT E IS DIFFERENT FROM ALL THE OTHER DISTRICTS.
LEMME JUST, LEMME JUST SAY THAT.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO, LET'S SAY, FOR RESOURCES DOLLARS THAT ARE PUT IN DISTRICT E, WE LOOK AT KINGWOOD AND WE PROVIDE RESOURCES AND DOLLARS, FOR EXAMPLE, TO MEET MANY OF THE NEEDS IN KINGWOOD.
AND BECAUSE CLEAR LAKE IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE, THEN WE LOOK AT CLEAR LAKE AND PROVIDE RESOURCES, UM, AND INVESTMENTS IN CLEAR LAKE.
AND WE, IN MANY WAYS, FUNCTIONALLY, WE TREAT THEM LIKE TWO DIFFERENT SORT OF AREAS OF NEED.
AND THEN WE PROVIDE FUNDING AND RESOURCES ACCORDINGLY.
SPECIFICALLY, LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
OF COURSE, IN KINGWOOD, UH, UH, WITH REGARDS TO, UM, DREDGING AND ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY HAD, WE PUT A LOT OF RESOURCES TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.
AND ON THE SOUTH SIDE, ELLERTON FIELD AND, UH, THE SPACEPORT, WE, WE LOOK AT THAT DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN KINGWOOD.
AND SO WE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ON THAT END.
AND THAT'S JUST THE REASON WHY FOLKS EXAMPLE, LAST WEEK WE WERE AT THE SPACEPORT, UH, AND THE RESOURCES THAT WE PUT OVER THERE, IF THOSE TWO, LET'S SAY IF THEY WERE IN DIFFERENT, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THOSE TWO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, AND LET'S SAY IT WAS MORE, LET'S SAY YOU WERE ATTACHED MORE TO LIKE A DISTRICT D OKAY? AND I MEAN, IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING, THEN WE DON'T, THEN WE WON'T NECESSARILY LOOK AT, AT IT AS TWO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
THAT REQUIRES DIFFERENT FUNDING.
YOU JUST LOOK AT IT AS ONE BIG DISTRICT AND YOU GET WHAT YOU GET.
IF THAT, IF I'M MAKING, IF I'M MAKING ANY SENSE, BECAUSE DISTRICT E IS SO DIFFERENT IN GEOGRAPHY, DISTRICT E IS ALMOST TREATED LIKE THEY ARE TWO SEPARATE DISTINCT PARTS, AND WE ALLOCATE RESOURCES BASED ON EACH PART.
THAT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY HAPPEN IF IT WAS NOT DRAWN THE WAY IT'S DRAWN, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO IN MANY WAYS, BECAUSE YOU ARE DRAWN THE WAY YOU ARE, YOU BENEFIT FROM THE RESOURCES THAT ARE ALLOCATED.
UM, MR. IS IT, AND, AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU DIFFER.
ANYONE DIFFER? KIPPIE, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROCESS.
IF ANYONE DIFFERS WITH THAT, AN ESSENCE, PLEASE LEMME KNOW.
YOU TALK ABOUT DISTRICT DD YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER HERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 45.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU THE, THE SIMPLE MAP.
I TOOK EVERY ZIP CODE IN MY DISTRICT, AND I'LL BREAK IT DOWN LIKE THIS.
THE NORTH SIDE OF DISTRICT E REPRESENTS 42% OF THE POPULATION THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
[00:30:01]
RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT EIGHT FROM, AND, AND, AND I CALL IT THE NORTH SECTOR AND THE SOUTH SECTOR.BUT THE SOUTH SECTOR IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU HAVE CLEAR LAKE THAN YOU HAVE WHAT I CALL THE SOUTH BELT FREEWAY, MANOR EDGEBROOK, SOME OF THOSE AREAS THAT ARE QUITE DIFFERENT.
UH, WHAT I TRIED TO DO, AND MR. MITCH CAN TELL YOU THIS IS WHEN I CAME IN TO OFFICE, IT WAS ALWAYS KINGWOOD CLEAR LAKE KINGWOOD, CLEAR LAKE, CLEAR LAKE KINGWOOD IN THE FORGOTTEN AREA.
MY OPINION WAS THE SOUTH HILL EDGE ROAD, FREEWAY, MANOR AREA.
AND I STARTED DUMPING A LOT OF THE PROJECTS INTO THAT AREA.
SO IF YOU HAVE 42% OF THE POPULATION UP HERE, AND CLEAR LAKE REPRESENTS OF ALL THE ZIP CODES, 31% OF THE POPULATION, AND THEN YOU HAVE 27% OF THE POPULATION IN THE SOUTH BELT AREA.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST DAY I RAN IT WAS RUNNING AROUND HERE, AND ANNETTE CAN TELL YOU THIS, OH YEAH, WE KNOW YOU.
YOU'RE THE, YOU'RE THE CPA, YOU'RE THE NUMBERS GUY.
YOU'RE THE GUY THAT'S SPENT 10 YEARS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, BUT YOU LIVE IN CLEAR KINGWOOD.
I DO LIVE IN KINGWOOD AND I DON'T LIVE IN CLEAR LAKE, BUT I TOLD PEOPLE FROM DAY ONE THAT I'M GONNA BUST MY ASS TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M IN CLEAR LAKE, IN SOUTH BELT MORE THAN I'M IN KINGWOOD.
AND I'LL LET PEOPLE DECIDE THAT.
SO IF YOU HAVE THAT MENTALITY GOING IN, IT'S SORT OF LIKE, OKAY, YOU'RE CLEAR, LIKE YOU'RE AT 27% OF THE POPULATION.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO VOTING, YOU'RE GOING TO GO FROM OVER HERE OR OVER HERE, WHERE YOU'RE GONNA BE 27 OF A HUNDRED.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE 83, 70 3% OF THE POPULATION THAT CONTROLS
AND I'LL LOOK AT THE, THE NOTES ON HERE, AND SORRY BARBARA, IT TALKS ABOUT THEY'RE DIVIDED BECAUSE IT'S A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST.
WHERE IS YOUR COMMUNITY OF INTEREST NEAR YOU? IS THERE A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST? AND THEN THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER NEEDS TO RELATE TO THE PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE NEED TO RELATE TO THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO I'LL LET Y'ALL DECIDE THAT PART OF IT.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND WE'LL TALK POLITICS IN A CERTAIN WAY.
ARE YOU, DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A LIBERAL, A CONSERVATIVE, A MODERATE AREA? I DON'T KNOW THAT'S FOR YOU TO DECIDE, BUT WILL TRYING TO HAVE A MORE CONTI CONTIGUOUS AREA BENEFIT YOU IN PROJECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO GET MORE MONEY OR YOU BETTER SERVE WHAT MARIAL, VESTA TURNER JUST STATED IN THAT SAME, WE LOOK AT THESE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
WE LOOK AT THESE AS TWO SEPARATE, AND WE LOOK AT THE FUNDING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
NOW, MAYOR TURNER GOES AWAY AND I GO AWAY AND HOPEFULLY THE OTHER PEOPLE WILL HAVE THAT SAME MENTALITY.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU HAVE 27, OKAY, WELL ACTUALLY 31, 27, 42 THINGS WORK OUT THAT WAY.
YEAH, THE, THE PROBABLY COUNCIL MEMBER'S GONNA LIVE IN KINGWOOD.
THEY CONTROL THE VOTE, THEY CONTROL THE POPULATION.
BUT THAT, THAT'S REALLY WELL, WELL, I, I WOULD SAY IN MY, IN MY DEALINGS, UH, PEOPLE IN CLEAR LAKE ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHICALLY IDEOLOGY THAN PEOPLE AT SOUTH BELT FREEWAY, MANOR EDGEBROOK.
BUT THAT'S NOT FOR ME TO DECIDE.
THAT'S JUST THE FACTS THAT I'M AN ACCOUNTING NERD.
SO I TOOK THE NUMBERS AND WENT 42, 31 27.
THERE IS THE COMPONENTS OF DISTRICT E.
YOU WANT IT CONFIGURED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
SHOULD THIS 27% GO HERE? AND MAYBE YOU GO OVER HERE, I DON'T KNOW.
SOME OF THE THINGS YOU NEED TO LOOK AT AND MAKE, AND WE'LL TURN TO YOU, BUT MAKE SURE YOU MAKE SURE YOU PUT, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THIS ON THE RECORD SO WE COULD GET THEM TO AT LEAST WHAT YELLOW YEAH.
DISTRICT, DISTRICT E IS RIGHT? RIGHT.
THIS, THAT'S THE INFAMOUS SHIP CHANNEL, ALL THAT.
ROBERT GALLEGOS, WHO HAS DISTRICT I, RIGHT, IS GALLEGOS.
COUNCILMAN GALLEGOS IS DISTRICT.
AND ONE LAST THING, AND WE'LL GO BACK.
ONE LAST THING AND WE'LL GO BACK TO YOU.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, IN TERMS OF REPRESENTATION, DISTRICT E IS THE ONLY DISTRICT IS THE ONLY DISTRICT WHERE YOU GET, WHERE THERE ARE TWO, LET'S SAY TOWN HALL MEETINGS, SO TO SPEAK, WHERE THE, IN ALL OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS,
[00:35:01]
WE GO TO ONE MEETING AND IT, I'VE ONLY BEEN TO ONE MEETING.I DON'T CARE WHERE THIS DISTRICT, DISTRICT A MAY BE WHERE DISTRICT, FOR EXAMPLE, DISTRICT C IS, IT'S KIND OF WHERE IS DISTRICT C? OH, DISTRICT C, RIGHT? DISTRICT C IS HERE.
AND OF COURSE, UM, WHEN WE, LAST NIGHT WE WERE IN DISTRICT, UH, WE WERE IN DISTRICT F.
UM, THING IS THOUGH KING RIGHT HERE.
RIGHT? BUT THE POINT THAT I'M SIMPLY MAKING IS THAT WE GO, WE HAVE ONE MEETING PER DISTRICT AND WE MOVE ON.
DISTRICT E IS THE ONLY DISTRICT WHERE THE MAYOR, FOR EXAMPLE, GOES HERE AND THE MAYOR THEN COMES HERE.
SO JUST TO, TO JUST TO KIND OF PUT THIS PERSPECTIVE.
BUT IN THE END, AND THEN LASTLY, WHAT YOU HAVE TO BEAR IN MIND, IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST DISTRICT E OR ANY ONE OF THESE DISTRICTS.
ANY SHIFTING COULD THEN IMPACT THE WHOLE MAP.
AND IT'S NOT JUST A NUMERICAL REPRESENTATION, BUT THERE ARE OTHER INTERESTS THAT ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS WELL.
SO ANY SHIFTING THEN FLOWS ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
SO IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED PROCESS WHEN YOU START TRYING TO DRAW THE MAP.
I'M SORRY, YOU'VE BEEN WAITING LONG ENOUGH.
I REPRESENT, UH, THE CIVIC CLUB FOR MEADOW CREEK VILLAGE.
UH, MEADOW CREEK VILLAGE IS IN A UNIQUE, UH, GEOGRAPHIC PART BECAUSE WE ARE ONE OF THE FARTHEST NORTH ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF DAVE MARTIN'S OFFICE,
SO WE ARE WAY UP HIGH, EVEN HIGHER THAN ABOVE EDGEBROOK OR SOUTH BELT.
UH, SO WE SIT IN A UNIQUE, UH, GEOGRAPHIC AREA BECAUSE WE WE'RE CERTAINLY A LONG, LONG WAY FROM KINGWOOD, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE ALSO A WAYS AWAY FROM CLEAR LAKE.
SO, UH, WE APPRECIATE, UH, DAVE MARTIN'S OFFICE HAS BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE TO US.
AND MARK MITCHELL HAS BEEN EXCELLENT.
UH, WE, WE CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW WONDERFUL MARK MITCHELL HAS BEEN, AND HE'S, UH, ALWAYS BEEN THERE TO ADDRESS OUR CONCERNS AND OUR NEEDS.
BUT, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR MAIN CONCERN IS GOING TO BE WE'RE WAY FAR NORTH, WAY ABOVE CLEAR LAKE, AND WAY ABOVE SOUTH BELT AND EDGEBROOK.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE SITTING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
UH, AND WE REPRESENT 1500 HOMES.
WE'RE A VERY LARGE, MEADOW CREEK IS A VERY LARGE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE, WE ARE GOING TO BE WATCHING CLOSELY.
WE'RE GOING TO BE, UH, LOOKING AT PLANS, PERHAPS, OF OUR OWN.
UH, AND WE JUST WANTED TO, UH, HAVE REPRESENTATION HERE TONIGHT TO SAY WE DON'T BECAUSE OF WHERE WE ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY.
WE ARE, WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE THINGS MAY FALL.
IF AS, UH, MAYOR TURNER SAID, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR.
IF THINGS ARE TO BE DIVIDED, WHERE, WHERE IS THE DIVISION GOING TO HAPPEN? AND IF YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE, YOU MIGHT JUST BE TOSSED OUT HERE OR TOSSED OUT THERE.
AND WE, UH, WE ARE VERY CONCERNED WITH THAT.
SO WE WANTED TO BE HERE TONIGHT FOR THAT REASON.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, COMING OUT TO, UH, TO COVER THIS REALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC.
COULD I ASK WHOEVER'S RUNNING THE SLIDES, COULD YOU MOVE THE SLIDE TO THE, TO THE GRAPH SHOWING THE POPULATIONS FOR EACH DISTRICT? YEAH, THANK YOU.
IF YOU COULD JUST LEAVE THAT UP FOR A WHILE, THAT'D BE TERRIFIC.
SO NEXT, UM, I HAVE A CARD FOR MR. JOSE ROHO ROSALES, AND THEN FOLLOWING HIM IS JEAN SEL.
YOU'LL HAVE TO SPELL THAT FOR ME.
HOW Y'ALL DOING? UM, MR. MARTIN, I'M FROM BURG.
UM, I'M HERE REPRESENTING EDBURG, ACTUALLY.
UH, WE RECENTLY STARTED GETTING MORE INVOLVED AT, UH, FREEWAY MANOR CIVIC CLUB.
UM, WE'RE TRYING TO ADD GOWAY TERRORIST AND, UM, MAYOR TURNER.
YOU, UH, STARTED THE EDGEBROOK RESILIENCY TEAM AND I'M PART OF THAT AS WELL.
UM, I THINK WHAT MR. MICKEY HAS SAID EARLIER WAS LIKE THAT CERTAIN AREAS, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT CONCERNS, DIFFERENT THINGS.
LIKE WHAT I DEAL WITH ON EDGEBROOK OUT HERE, THE CITIZENS OF CLEAR LAKE DON'T DEAL WITH THAT.
I'M, I'M DEALING WITH A LOT OF CAR THEFT, A LOT OF CRIMES IN OUR AREA.
LIKE CARS GET STOLEN EVERY DAY, ALMOST.
MY CAR WAS STOLEN IN DECEMBER.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF, JUST A LOT OF CRIME.
[00:40:01]
UM, AND I'VE LIVED THERE SINCE 1995.UH, I DON'T PLAN ON MOVING AND GOING ANYWHERE AS FAR AS GETTING WHAT WE WISH FOR.
IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHERE YOU PUT ME ON EDGEBROOK.
I, I GET ALONG WITH ANYONE, WHOEVER'S MY NAME, MY NEIGHBOR, MY CITIZEN.
UM, AS LONG AS I THINK THE NEED ARE MET ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND WHAT I KEEP HEARING IS THAT KINGWOOD GETS THIS FUNDING, CLEARLY IT GETS THIS FUNDING.
I DON'T WANNA FEEL LIKE I'M THE FORGOTTEN.
I, AND I NEVER WANTED TO BE LIKE, OH, WELL THE RICHER AREA GETS THIS AND THE POOREST SIDE GETS THIS.
I DON'T WANT IT TO MAKE IT THAT.
UM, BUT I, I DO FEEL THAT, YEAH, CERTAIN THINGS I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU COME DOWN TO EDGEBROOK OR YOU KNOW, ANY OF YOU GUYS.
UM, THE MORE THAT YOU, IF YOU GUYS CAN COME DOWN 'EM, THE DOORS ARE ALWAYS OPEN.
UH, WE USED TO HAVE FLOODING AND THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN IMPROVED.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT MESSING WITH FLOODING ANYMORE.
WE GOT, THEY BUILT LIKE A BIG DAM PROJECT AND THAT, THAT'S WORKED OUT VERY WELL.
WE HAVEN'T HAD FLOODING SINCE HARVEY.
AND I THINK IT WOULD TAKE ANOTHER BIG HARVEY SITUATION IN ORDER FOR IT TO FLOOD LIKE THAT.
WE USED TO GET FLOOD WHEN IT WAS SUNSHINE, RAIN.
UM, THERE'S BEEN
UM, BUT YEAH, I'M, I'M GOOD IF I LAND IN DISTRICT I, OR IF I LAND IN DISTRICT, UH, DI THINK IT HAS TO, THEY TOLD ME IT HAS TO TOUCH, I HAVE TO NEIGHBOR IT WHETHER I TOUCHING DISTRICT E.
BUT, UM, THE MAIN CONCERN FOR ME IS, ARE YOU MAYOR, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO COME DOWN TO HELP OUT EDGEBROOK? AS FAR AS CRIME GOES, I'M JUST, IT'S, IT IS GOTTEN AWFUL.
LIKE, AND I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE KIDS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I USED TO PLAY BASKETBALL OUTSIDE EVERY DAY.
WE CAN'T REALLY DO THAT BECAUSE THESE GUYS DRIVE SO FAST.
AND I SEE DEAD DOGS AND CATS GET RAN OVER AT RIDICULOUS NUMBERS.
AND I, I'D HATE TO SEE A CHILD RUN OUTSIDE AND, YOU KNOW, GET RAN OVER BY A CAR.
'CAUSE SOMEONE'S GOING 50, 60 MILES AN HOUR IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREA.
AND I'M MAY, AND MAYBE I SHOULD MAKE REFERENCE TO THIS, THE NORTH SECTOR AND THE SOUTH SECTOR.
SO LET ME, LET ME NOT DIVIDE IT, SAY KINGWOOD AND CLEAR LAKE, IT'S THE NORTH SECTOR AND THE SOUTH SECTOR.
AND AS YOU KNOW, EDGEBROOK, WE'VE ADDED IN, IN TERMS OF ONE OF OUR STUDIES FOCUSING ON THE RESOURCES FOR THE EDGEBROOK COMMUNITY.
THAT IS ONE OF, THO THAT'S ONE OF THE, UH, THREE, I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE THREE COMMUNITIES THAT I'VE SELECTED THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON EVEN RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND SO WE, WE ARE VERY INTENTIONAL.
WE REP, WE RECOGNIZE THAT, UH, THERE ARE MANY COMMUNITIES, MANY POCKETS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND THAT WHOLE SECTOR HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THOSE, ONE OF THOSE COMMUNITIES.
UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, EVEN UNDER ONE SAFE HOUSTON, WELL, WE WOULD TELL YOU, AND I TELL EVERYBODY WE RESPECT OF CRIME IN, IN, UM, IN FE IN, IN, UM, IN, UH, JANUARY, FOR EXAMPLE, EVEN ON HOMICIDES, WE WERE ABOUT 70% ABOVE LAST YEAR.
AS OF THIS MORNING, THAT PERCENTAGE HAS PLUMMETED TO 5% AND EVERY CATEGORY OF VIOLENT COP CRIME, UH, UP WITH THE EXPECT EXCEPTION OF A HOMICIDE WITH 5% FROM WHERE WE WERE IN JANUARY, WE ARE BELOW WHERE WE WERE A YEAR AGO LAST YEAR.
AND SO MORE OF THE POLICE OFFICERS WITH THE ADDITIONAL, UH, OVERTIME MONIES THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED ARE ALSO COVERING THAT PARTICULAR AREA AS WELL AS SOME OTHERS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED.
ALL OF US BASED ON THE DATA, UH, THAT WE'VE PUT FORTH.
SO I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME, SOME NOTICEABLE IMPROVEMENTS EVEN ON THAT FRONT.
AND SO WE ARE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WE ARE NOT NEARLY WHERE WE NEED TO BE, BUT WE ARE, WE ARE EXPENDING $52 MILLION ALONE ON PUBLIC SAFETY IN THIS CITY.
AND WE ARE STARTING TO SEE SOME RESULTS.
UM, CAN I ASK A QUESTION BEFORE I GET OFF? SURE.
UM, I KNOW THAT YOU USED TO HAVE THE CATCH AND RELEASE PROGRAM.
IS THE CATCH AND RELEASE PROGRAM STILL SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE GOING ON? 'CAUSE I KNOW IT STARTED DURING COVID.
UM, I REMEMBER SEEING YOU ON THE NEWS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA GO AWAY.
UH, I KNOW Y'ALL STARTED THE BOND THAT YOU HAVE TO FINALLY THEY, THE BOND CAME OUT AGAIN, I WAS WATCHING THE NEWS AND THEY SAID THE HAVE TO PAY THE 10%, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR SERIOUS CRIMES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, RIGHT.
NO CATCH AND RELEASE FOR THE CITY ITSELF.
BUT WITH RESPECT TO THE BAIL BOND, WE WERE PUSHING THAT IT, THAT THIS WHAT I CALL THE LAYAWAY PLAN FOR BAILS TWO AND 3%.
UM, NOW THE HARRIS COUNTY BALLOT AUTHORITY HAS NOW SAID IT NEEDS TO BE AT A MINIMUM OF 10%.
WE PUSH THAT AND THAT, AND THAT IS NOW IN EFFECT.
JEAN, COULD YOU SPELL YOUR LAST NAME FOR US? F-I-S-S-E-L-E-R-E-R.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, WE'LL CHANGE IT.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME AGAIN? I'M SORRY.
SO I, UH, I'VE BEEN LISTENING A WHILE AND I FIGURED I WASN'T GONNA, I DON'T USUALLY SPEAK OF THESE THINGS, BUT I, I'M PRETTY SURE I'M A MINORITY IN THIS ROOM.
[00:45:01]
CLEAR LAKE, AND I REALLY DON'T CARE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.I'VE WORKED WITH OUR CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBER AND HIS PREDECESSOR AND HIS PREDECESSOR AND HIS PREDECESSOR FOR THE LAST 35 YEARS.
AND WE'VE ALL GOT ALONG PRETTY WELL, AND THEY'VE ALL DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT I HAVE MORE IN COMMON WITH THE RESIDENTS OF KINGWOOD AND MORE IN COMMON WITH OUR CURRENT COUNCILMAN WHO HAPPENS TO LEAVE IN KINGWOOD THAN I DO WITH THE FOLKS NEAR US.
GEOGRAPHICALLY, THEY, KINGWOOD MAY BE A LONG WAY FOR ME GEOGRAPHICALLY, BUT KINGWOOD, IF I DRIVE THROUGH THAT NEIGHBOR, THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY LOOK MORE LIKE CLEAR LAKE THAN ANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD IN THIS WHOLE CITY.
SO I'M PERFECTLY HAPPY THE WAY IT IS.
IF YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THINGS, DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO, GUYS.
I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEBODY'S GONNA GO IN A DARK ROOM WITH CIGAR SMOKE AND WHATEVER'S GONNA HAPPEN, BUT GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.
BUT IF WE'RE ONLY 7% OUT OF WHACK, AND THAT'S THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE, IF IT'S ALL ABOUT NOT HAVING A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THIS PART OF TOWN IN COUNCIL, BOY, THAT'S OUR PROBLEM LOCALLY.
THAT'S NOT GONNA BE FIXED BY CHANGING BOUNDARIES.
IF WE DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY ELECTABLE, WE DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY ELECTABLE.
SO I LIKE, I'M GOOD WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE AND IF IT'S ALL DIFFERENT IN A FEW YEARS, SO BE IT.
BUT I JUST WANT TO GET ON THE RECORD.
UM, LEVI BENTON, AND THEN THAT'S FOLLOWED BY MARIE FLICKINGER.
COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN, YOU TOO.
IF NO ONE ELSE KNOWS THAT I HAVE, UH, PLENTY OF PEOPLE IN MY LIFE WHO WOULD TELL ME I SHOULDN'T BE SPEAKING PUBLICLY, BUT HERE IT GOES.
I DON'T KNOW IF MR. WOOD, OR IF THIS LADY OR OTHERS WHO WERE PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESS, UH, HAVE, UH, ARE, ARE ARE ECONOMISTS.
BECAUSE WHAT I'D LIKE TO HEAR IS SURE.
'CAUSE WHAT I'D LIKE TO HEAR OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PROCESS IS IF, IF WE STAY WITH THIS CONFIGURATION, WHAT IT DOES TO MY PROPERTY VALUE VERSUS THE PROPERTY VALUE OF THE REST OF THE CITY.
THAT'S ONE THING I'D LIKE TO HEAR.
NOW AT THIS, THIS NORTH SECTOR, SOUTH SECTOR, IF I RECALL, WAS EITHER BIRTH DURING THE WHITMEYER OR LANIER ADMINISTRATION.
UH, I'LL CONFESS WE WERE ANNEXED IN.
I DIDN'T LIKE IT THEN, AND I DON'T LIKE IT NOW.
UH, IT JUST REALLY OFFENDS MY SENSE OF RIGHT AND WRONG AND IT OFFENDS MY SENSE OF JUSTICE.
AND I KNOW SOME MIGHT SAY THAT I'M SPEAKING AGAINST MY OWN INTEREST IN SOME WAYS, AND I GET THAT.
BUT IT JUST, IT JUST OFFENDS ME.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE LIVED IN, I LIVED IN DISTRICT D WHEN THIS WAS BIRTHED.
I'VE LIVED IN DISTRICT I I MARRIED INTO DISTRICT E IN 2008.
UM, I I, I'D LIKE TO SEE WHOLLY CONTIGUOUS, EXCLUDING THE WATER DISTRICTS.
I THINK THE CLEAR LAKE AREA OUGHT TO HAVE THE SPACE FACILITIES OUGHT TO HAVE THE PORT OF HOUSTON FACILITIES AND HOBBY AIRPORT.
AND YOU NEED TO FIND A WAY TO PUT THOSE ALL IN ONE DISTRICT, BECAUSE THOSE ARE SOME SHARED ECONOMIC INTEREST.
UH, JUST COUNT ME AS COUNT CANCELING OUT THE VOTE OF THIS GENTLEMAN.
WE NEED TO SEPARATE MARIE FLICKINGER AND THEN I'VE GOT KIPPE KARA AWAY AFTER HER.
BUT LEMME JUST SAY IT'S NOT GOING TO, UNLESS JERRY, YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION IN TERMS OF YOUR PROPERTY ASSESSMENT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO, IT'S NOT GOING TO IMPACT YOU.
UM, WHAT I, SO IT IS NOT GONNA IMPACT YOU IN TERMS OF HOW WE DRAW THE LINES.
UH, WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT, UH, I AM ASKING IN COUNCIL TO VOTE ON IN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE WEEKS AND INCREASE ON THE TAX EXEMPTION FOR SENIOR CITIZENS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW THAT TAX EXEMPTION IS 160,000.
AND I AM PROPOSING THAT THAT TAX EXEMPTION BE INCREASED TO 260,000 FOR OUR SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UH, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT BECAUSE IT REMIND, IT REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING ELSE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN TALKED ABOUT THE POPULATION, UH, SPLIT.
UM, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SPLIT AND HOW PROPERTY TAXES ARE PAID? I, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT ALSO.
AND MAYBE, MAYBE, UH, VOTING TO THE, THE, UM, THE ACT DOESN'T PERMIT THAT TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE DRAWING, BUT WE'D STILL LIKE TO
[00:50:01]
SEE IT.BUT I DON'T THINK THAT, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THERE'S GONNA BE AN IMPACT ON PROPERTY VALUES, WHETHER YOU'RE IN DISTRICT.
I WANNA SEE, I WANNA SEE WHAT, WHAT IF, IF WE'RE LEFT IN THIS CONFIGURATION OR ANY OTHER CONFIGURATION, WHAT PERCENT OF CITY PROPERTY TAXES ARE COMING OUT OF THIS AREA.
AND, AND IF WE'RE, AND IF WE LEFT WITH THIS NORTH SECTOR, SOUTH SECTOR, FORGET THE POPULATION SPLIT.
WHAT'S THE PROPERTY TAX PAYMENT SPLIT? UM, IF YOU'LL CALL RUPE KOHI OR EMAIL RUPESH IF YOU WANNA FOLLOW UP.
UM, FIRST I'D LIKE TO, UH, MENTION SOMETHING OR REFER TO SOMETHING ONE OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS TALKED ABOUT, WHICH WAS THE FLOODING AT EDGEBROOK AND THE IMPROVEMENTS THERE.
JIM MICKEY HAS WORKED ON THAT.
AND, AND HE OUGHT TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR ALL THE WORK HE'S DONE ON THAT FOR THE MANY YEARS.
'CAUSE HE MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
HE HAS KEPT ON FLOOD CONTROL LIKE CRAZY AND GOTTEN A LOT DONE.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR AND MY FAVORITE COUNCILMAN, ALTHOUGH I'M NOT IN HIS DISTRICT 'CAUSE I'M IN DISTRICT D, BUT, BUT THESE GUYS HAVE REALLY, REALLY WORKED HARD FOR US, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO JUST BRING UP, I, LIKE I SAID, I AM IN DISTRICT D AND I WISH THERE WAS A WAY THAT THE, THE SOUTH BELT AREA, WHICH IS BASICALLY FROM ABOUT AL MAITA MALL HOBBY AIRPORT AREA OUT HAD SOMETHING MORE TO DO WITH THE PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICT.
I FEEL WE REALLY HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON WITH MOST OF OUR DISTRICT.
THERE'S NO WORKING TOGETHER OR ANYTHING.
WE HAVE MUCH MORE IN COMMON WITH EDGEBROOK AND CLEAR LAKE.
YOU WERE TOLD THAT THEY HAVE OUR, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, PART OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS IN CLEAR LAKE.
UH, IT, AS A RESIDENT OF SAGEMONT, IF I NEED TO CALL THE POLICE, THEN I CALL CLEAR LAKE SUBSTATION AS THE GUYS THAT ANSWER THE CALLS.
SO WE HAVE MUCH MORE TO DO WITH THAT.
AND I, AND IT'S NOT THAT BIGGEST SECTION.
I THINK THERE OUGHT TO BE A WAY TO FIND OUT HOW THAT SECTION FROM MAYBE, LIKE I SAID, HOBBY AIRPORT SOUTH COULD BE INCLUDED BECAUSE WE REALLY, EXCEPT WHEN WE HAVE A REAL RARE COUNCIL MEMBER AND, AND I THINK WE ALL REMEMBER OUR LAST COUNCILMAN, HE WAS RARE, BUT HE WOULD SPEND AN AWFUL LOT OF TIME IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IF IT WASN'T FOR DAVE MARTIN, A LOT OF THINGS WOULD NOT GET DONE IN OUR AREA.
SO THANK YOU DAVE, AND THANK YOU MAYOR.
KIPI CARAWAY AND THEN NICK KOVIC.
UH, MS. TUBBY FOR NOT GETTING UP.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE MAYOR, OUR NEW CLEARLIGHT COMMAND, OH, WELL, I SHOULDN'T SAY CLEARLIGHT.
THE SOUTH SECTOR COMMANDER IS HERE TONIGHT FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
COMMANDER CRUZ IS HERE WITH US TONIGHT, AND SHE'S BEEN HERE, WHAT ABOUT A MONTH NOW WITH THIS, UH, IN THE SOUTH SECTOR, AND THANK YOU.
IT'S NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE TONIGHT.
I'M GONNA BEAT YOU A LITTLE BIT, JEAN.
I'VE ACTUALLY LIVED IN THE SOUTH SECTOR, UH, SINCE 1974.
AND AT THAT TIME, MY HUSBAND WAS THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE, AND I KNOCKED A LOT OF THOSE DOORS IN FREEWAY MANNER, SO I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU LIVE AND THE LOW SPOTS THAT ARE DOWN THERE IN THE GROCERY STORE.
THAT WAS ROBBED ALL THE TIME, ET CETERA.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON IS, IS THAT HAVING WORKED FOR THE MAYOR 10 YEARS AGO, WE WENT THROUGH THIS AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO OBJECTIONS TO THE DISTRICTS AS THEY ARE NOW.
WE REDREW WE KEPT THEM THE SAME.
MY QUESTION IS, WHAT DO ANY OF YOU WANT OR NEED THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING? WE HAVE A GREAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
WE HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S WORKING WITH OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
WE GOT EL DORADO DONE BECAUSE THEY AGREED ON FUNDING AND HOW IT WAS GONNA BE DONE.
WHAT DO YOU WANT OR NEED THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING? SERIOUSLY? THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN, WE APPRECIATE YOU.
I'M WITH THE FREE MAN PACIFIC CLUB.
I'VE BEEN A MEMBER SINCE MORE THAN HALF OF YOUR PEOPLE WERE BORN
BUT, UH, I, I LIKE EVERYTHING LIKE IT IS RIGHT NOW.
MY QUESTION IS, LET'S GO FIX SOMETHING THAT'S NOT BROKEN.
OKAY, I THINK I GOT ONE MORE CARD.
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UH, MARLA FISHER.AND, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING I WAS GOING TO ADDRESS AND I APPRECIATE THE PREVIOUS LADY THAT WAS UP HERE LEADING ME INTO IT.
AND THAT IS OUR POLICE PROTECTION.
I HEAR SO MUCH FROM SO MANY PEOPLE DON'T BOTHER CALLING HPD.
AND THANK GOD WE HAVE OTHER RESOURCES DOWN HERE, BUT WE KNOW YOU DO THE BEST YOU CAN, BUT YOU'RE ALWAYS UP AT EDGEBROOK.
YOU'RE ALWAYS UP AT THE WHERE, WHERE THE CRIMES ARE.
AND OUR, OUR CRIMES, WE HAVE TO GO ELSEWHERE.
HPD CANNOT RESPOND TO CLEAR LAKE BECAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS FURTHER NORTH.
AND I HEAR IT ALL THE TIME, DON'T BOTHER CALLING HPD.
AND I ALWAYS TELL 'EM, CALL BOTH, EVEN IF THEY CAN'T RESPOND, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE THOSE CALLS LOGGED, BUT TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN UP AND THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
OKAY, THAT'S IT FOR THE FOLKS WHO WANNA SPEAK ABOUT REDISTRICTING.
DID I MISS ANYBODY? GOING ONCE? GOING TWICE.
OKAY THEN MICHAEL, WHERE ARE YOU CIP MEETING STARTING MATT RIGHT NOW.
UH, ON BEHALF OF OUR DIRECTOR, UH, CAROL HADDOCK AND, UH, 4,000 EMPLOYEES OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS THAT DO THE DAILY WORK, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE.
I KNOW IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, SO, ALL RIGHT.
UH, THIS IS JUST AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
UH, THE CITY CONTINUES TO ADDRESS THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC.
HOUSTON WILL RECEIVE 607.9 MILLION FROM AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.
UH, HALF OF IT IS HERE, THE OTHER HALF IS COMING THIS MONTH.
UH, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THERE IS A WEBSITE HERE.
IT'S CALLED HOUSTON, TT TX.GOV/APA.
THAT'S WRITTEN ON THE SLIDE THERE.
THERE IS A 22 QUESTION SURVEY.
PLEASE GO AND FILL THAT SURVEY OUT.
IT'D BE VERY HELPFUL FOR EVERYONE.
UH, ALSO, UH, I'LL BE STANDING HERE FOR PUBLIC WORKS, BUT THE CIP IS A LOT MORE THAN PUBLIC WORKS ACTIVITIES.
THE GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UH, DOES VERTICAL, UH, CONSTRUCTION AND PLANNING FOR LIBRARIES AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND ALSO PARKS AND RECS.
SO I'LL BE HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE PROJECTS OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
SO, UH, IF THERE IS ANY, ONE THING I WANT YOU TO TAKE TODAY IS THE THREE RS.
OKAY? UH, AND THEY STAND FOR REPAIR, REHABILITATE, AND RECONSTRUCT.
THOSE ARE OUR THREE STRATEGIES.
HOW WE MAINTAIN AND OPERATE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH HAS FOUR OF THEM STREETS, DRAINAGE, WATER, AND WASTEWATER.
UH, REPAIR IS, UH, WHEN, UH, WE TYPICALLY USE THE 3 1 1.
WE USE YOU AS OUR, AS OUR EYES AND EARS.
WHEN SOMETHING IS BROKEN, WE WANT THAT CALL SO WE CAN RESPOND AND REPAIR IT AS FAST AS WE CAN.
UH, THESE INCLUDE POTHOLES, UH, BLOCKED INLET FOR DRAINAGE.
IT COULD BE WATER LAKE OR SOMETHING.
UH, SO TYPICALLY WHAT WE DO IS WE HAVE IN-HOUSE PERSONNEL THAT RESPOND TO THESE, UH, AND WE HAVE A SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT THAT WE GO AND DO THE THINGS.
THIS WAS LACKING REALLY IN THE PAST YEARS WITHIN PUBLIC WORKS AND THANKS, UH, TO THE MAYOR'S STREET REHABILITATION AND THE STORM WATER ACTION TEAM.
AND WE CALL THE OTHER ONE IS THE LOCAL DRAINAGE PROGRAM.
ALL THESE ARE GEARED TO EXTENDING THE SERVICE LIFE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN REPAIR.
UH, THESE COULD BE REGRADING DITCHES, REPLACING SOME INLETS
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IF THEY ARE BROKEN UP, UH, MILL AND OVERLAY OF ASPHALTS.SO WE GO AND EXPEND A LITTLE MORE RESOURCES TO ACTUALLY REPLACE THAT PANEL REPLACEMENT FOR STREETS.
SO WE DO THOSE KIND OF THINGS, AND THAT'S PROBABLY A MAJOR PART OF OUR STRATEGY.
NOW, AT SOME POINT, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE REACHES WHERE WE CANNOT REPAIR IT OR REHABILITATE IT.
AT THAT POINT, WE WILL BE RECONSTRUCTING IT.
THAT MEANS WE'LL RIP IT OUT AND REPLACE IT.
AND TYPICALLY, THESE ARE VERY LONG TERM.
IT TAKES A LOT MORE PLANNING, COORDINATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES, REAL ESTATE ACQUISITION, AND IT COULD BE, UH, MAJOR UTILITY CONFLICTS AS WELL.
SO THESE ARE MORE EXPENSIVE AS WELL AS COMPARED TO THE OTHER STRATEGIES.
I AM, I'M GONNA START HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CIP SINCE THE LAST TIME WE MET EL DORADO.
UH, THE WIDENING OF EL DORADO FROM CLEAR LAKE BOULEVARD TO HORSE BEND BAYOU IS NEARLY COMPLETE.
UH, THE COUNTY IS GOING TO COMPLETE IT IN OCTOBER, 2022.
UH, THIS IS A MAJOR WIDENING, WIDENING OF ONE SIDE, UH, OF THE STREET.
UH, THESE CHANGES WILL INCREASE MOBILITY IN CLEAR LAKE AREA.
I, I KNOW IT'S PRETTY POPULAR IN THIS AREA, I'M SURE.
UH, THERE IS ALSO A BIKE AND HIKE TRAIL ON ONE SIDE THAT HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER TOLD ME.
YES, THE, THE, THE CITY DID CONTRIBUTE MAJOR TO THIS.
SO IT'S ABOUT $5.2 MILLION
THIS IS THE WEST, WEST END OF IT.
THE, WE HAVE WEST AND EAST OF THAT, THAT NEIGHBORHOOD DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT FOR LONG TIME ARE COMING NEXT YEAR, 17 MILLION SUB SUB-PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON AREAS HIGHLIGHTED ON THE MAP.
HERE WILL BE BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO SUB-PROJECTS.
THE OTHER ONE, THE COMMUNITY WILL RECEIVE, UPGRADE AND LET STORM DETENTION, WATER WASTEWATER LINE AND PAVEMENT STREETS WITH NEW SIDEWALK AND STREET LIGHTS.
THIS IS ALL AN EFFORT TO ADDRESS SOME FLOODING CONCERNS THERE.
THE NEXT PROJECT ACTUALLY IS VERY INTEGRAL TO THESE PIECES OF WEST AND EAST.
SO IN ORDER TO MEET OUR DETENTION REQUIREMENT, WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
THESE ARE THE TWO PONDS ON BERRY, UM, BARRY BAYOU THAT, THAT WE ARE ADDING.
WE HAVE CONTRIBUTED SOME MONEY TO THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL, UH, ABOUT MORE THAN 7 MILLION TO ASSIST IN BUILDING THIS DETENTION.
UH, THEY HAVE COME FOR A PUBLIC PARTICIPATION I KNOW AND UH, JUST GOT AN UPDATE THAT THEY ARE STARTING CONSTRUCTION IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR AND IT WILL TAKE ABOUT A YEAR.
THIS, THESE ARE REALLY CRITICAL BECAUSE THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA MEET OUR DETENTION REQUIREMENTS FOR ARLINGTON HEIGHTS.
UH, THAT'S WHY THE ARLINGTON HEIGHTS WILL START IN 2023 AFTER THESE ARE INSTALLED.
WE ALSO ANOTHER PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY.
UH, WE JUST, UH, LAST WEEK COUNCIL APPROVED THE INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT TO PARTNER WITH THEM TO, UH, REHABILITATE CRENSHAW ROAD.
UH, WE WENT AND DID SOME GEOTECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF THE BASE AND, AND EVERYTHING.
SO WE HAVE FOUND A METHODOLOGY THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PUT IMPROVEMENTS, UH, PRETTY FAST.
THE COUNTY HAS ALREADY PROCURED THE DESIGNER.
UH, YOU ARE JUST WAITING ON THE ILA.
UH, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS WE WILL BE REPLACING SOME OF THE BASE MATERIALS AS WELL.
IT'LL BE MILLED AND OVERLAID AND THEY'LL BE SIDEWALK AT THE YES ACADEMY AREA.
WE'LL BE REGRADING THE DITCH ENTIRELY, UH, REGRADE IT AND FORM IT BACK AGAIN.
AND IF THERE ARE DRIVEWAYS WITH CULVERTS, ALL THE CULVERTS WILL BE REPLACED AS WELL.
YOU GOT AGAIN, MR. MR. MIKA, YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS? YES, THEY, NO, I JUST SPOKE OF THANK YOU
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SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE REHABILITATION, UH, STRATEGY.SO THIS IS A SNAPSHOT THAT I TOOK FROM THE BUILD HOUSTON.ORG WEBSITE.
SO WE HAVE THE GREEN DOTS THAT YOU SEE.
YOU CAN SCREEN THEM AND SORT 'EM BY DISTRICT AS WELL.
THESE ARE ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING OR COMING IN DISTRICT E UH, SOME, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE THROUGH THIS IS THE LOCAL DRAINAGE PROGRAM OUT FOR REPLACEMENT SOUTH OF HOWARD, UH, DRIVE, WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN 2021.
AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND YOU, THE CITIZENS HAVE A LOT OF INPUT IN THESE TYPE OF IMPROVEMENTS FOR LOCALIZED FIXING.
THIS IS FOR STREET REHABILITATION.
UH, SO, UH, SO SIMILAR THAT THESE ARE SOME OF THE STREETS THAT HAVE BEEN REHABILITATED, MILLED AND OVERLAY OR PANEL REPLACEMENTS AND, UH, SOME PLANNED ACTIVITIES HAPPENING IN MEADOWBROOK AREA IN AVONDALE FOR FY 23.
SO I'LL GO TO THE NEXT DEPARTMENT SLIDES NOW, WHICH IS PARKS, THE SYLVAN RODRIGUEZ PARK BOAT BOARDWALK.
AN INITIAL PHASE OF THE SYLVAN RODRIGUEZ PARK BOARDWALK PROJECT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WILL BE COMPLETED IN JUNE.
THE BOARDWALK WILL PROVIDE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO PRAIRIE AND WETLANDS PLANTING WITHOUT DIS DISTURBING THE SITE.
THIS ELEMENT WAS IDENTIFIED IN PARK MASTER PLAN PLANNING FOR THE NEW BUILDING AND PARK IMPROVEMENTS WILL KICK OFF EARLY NEXT YEAR.
FREEWAY MANOR PARK AS PART OF THE 50 50 PARK PARTNERS INITIATIVE.
FREEWAY MANOR PARK UPGRADE WILL INCLUDE NEW PLAYGROUND PARKING LOT AND TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS.
REPURPOSE TENNIS COURT TO A MINI PEACH.
UH, NEW PICNIC TABLES, BENCHES AND IMPROVED LIGHTING.
OAK MEADOW PARK, IT'S THE SECOND, UH, 50 50 PARK PARTNERS.
PROJECT PARK UPGRADES WILL INCLUDE NEW PLAYGROUND AND PICNIC SHELTERS, RESURFACE TRAIL, UH, NEW BENCHES, RENOVATE A BASKETBALL COURT, A NEW VOLLEYBALL COURT, IMPROVED FIELDS AND SITE DRAINAGE AND SITE LIGHTING.
SO AS WE GO TO THE UM, CIP PLAN, UH, THERE IS A TABLE THERE WHERE WE HAVE REHABILITATION PROJECTS AND ALL LISTED.
SHE CAN HELP YOU IF THERE IS ANY LOCATION THAT YOU WANT.
UH, ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE WITH THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND WE DO HAVE A CARD HERE WITH A QR CODE.
IT HAS THAT ASK US BUTTON SO YOU CAN ASK US AT ANY TIME.
ALSO, ONE OF THE BEAUTY OF THIS SITE REALLY IS IF THERE IS PROJECTS YOU CAN REGISTER WITH YOUR EMAIL AND YOU WILL GET UPDATES ON THE SPECIFIC PROJECT THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN, NOT EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE YOUR PARTICIPATION AS WELL.
MICHAEL, IF YOU COMMENT ON EL DORADO MIGHT MENTION, I THINK MENTIONED THE EL DORADO
YES, IT'S BEEN DELAYED, BUT I DELAYED IT.
THE REASON WHY I DELAYED IT IS I WASN'T GOING TO BUILD A BRAND NEW FOUR LANE OR HIGHWAY WITH, PARDON MY FRENCH, AN UGLY ASS DITCH RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
SO WE DID UNDERGROUND DETENTION AND WE MADE A NICE GREENCAP AND I WENT TO THE MAYOR AND I SAID, MAYOR, CAN I HAVE $2 MILLION? AND HE DID THIS.
HE WAS BLOWING HIS GLASSES LIKE HE ALWAYS DOES.
HE SAID, I DON'T HAVE $2 MILLION, DAVE, BUT HE ENDED UP GIVING US $2 MILLION.
BUT HE SAID, DON'T ASK FOR FREE
I WE DID THAT BECAUSE THAT ROAD DOESN'T DESERVE A DITCH IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
OKAY SIR, I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THESE TWO PROJECTS.
YES, THERE WERE PROBLEMS TO IT IN 2017.
THEY HAVE FLED AND FLED AND SLED AND STILL NOT STARTED.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, THE ARLINGTON HEIGHTS FREEWAY MANOR AND GULF WAY TERRACE, ALL THOSE ARE CONNECTED TO THOSE DETENTION THAT WE'RE PUTTING.
IT REALLY HAS TAKEN A LONG TIME TO PARTNER WITH H THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL AND FINDING THAT DETENTION REQUIREMENT.
BOTH, BOTH SUB-PROJECTS ARE ON THE CIP FOR 24, I BELIEVE.
UH, SO THEY ARE STILL ON THE PLAN AND WE'RE STILL PROCEEDING WITH THE DESIGN, BUT STILL IS VERY HARD TO FIND THAT DETENTION.
[01:10:01]
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH HARRIS COUNTY TO IMPROVE THE CHANNELS THAT ARE WITHIN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS BETWEEN THE GULF TERRACE AND FREEWAY MATTER.WE LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE IT DONE.
LIKE HE SAID, NICK AND I HAVE BEEN ON LONG TIME.
ANYTHING ELSE LL GIVE IT BACK TO YOU? YOU WANT? DO WE WANNA OH, JUST ONE CARD.
I DIDN'T WANNA PRONOUNCE THE LAST NAME TOO.
SO HOPEFULLY IT WAS AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION.
I AM, UM, I HAVE MY PERSONAL FEELINGS ON REDISTRICTING AND, AND AND WHAT WE SHOULD DO, BUT I'M GONNA DO THAT AS AN INDIVIDUAL, NOT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, BUT I WANTED TO THANK MAYOR TURNER FOR EVERYTHING HE DOES FOR OUR AREA.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE AREAS THAT I REALLY CONCENTRATED ON WHEN I CAME HERE WAS THAT LONG FORGOTTEN WHAT I WOULD CALL Y'ALL'S AREA.
THAT WHAT WE CALL THE SOUTH BELT ELLINGTON AREA.
AND MR. MICKEY KNOWS THIS, AND MR. NICK KNOWS THIS.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT DESERVED BECAUSE EVERYBODY DID.
WHENEVER I HEARD A DISTRICT E IT WAS ALWAYS KINGWOOD CLEAR LAKE, CLEAR LAKE KINGWOOD, YOU KNOW, IT WAS NEVER MENTIONED SOME OF THOSE GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
SO WE MADE A CONCENTRATED EFFORT AND JORDAN MCGINTY LED A LOT OF THIS WHEN SHE WAS WORKING FOR US, DOING THIS AREA, UH, TO DO SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN THAT AREA, TO DO PLAYGROUNDS, TO DO THESE NICE SOCCER FIELDS THAT WERE ON TENNIS COURTS THAT WERE NEVER GONNA BE USED AND TO CREATE MANY SOCCER FIELDS.
AND IT BLENDS IN WITH WHAT THE KIDS WANT TO DO IN YOUR AREA.
SO CRENSHAW ROAD IS LONG OVERDUE, BUT SO WERE SHAVER ROAD WHEN WE FIRST GOT ON IT BACK, WHAT, 10 YEARS AGO? WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL? WAY BEFORE THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE STARTED WITH SHAVER, NOW WE'RE ATTACKING CRENSHAW.
CRENSHAW MAYBE, IN MY OPINION, IS ONE OF THE WORST ROADS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THANKS TO THE MAYOR, WE'RE ON THAT RIGHT NOW AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE MOVING DOWN THAT PATH.
THERE'S A LOT OF ROADS THAT NEED HELP IN THE CITY AND, UH, IF ANYTHING THAT Y'ALL NEED SPECIFICALLY, LET US KNOW.
AND, YOU KNOW, MAYOR'S GOT MORE MONEY, HE KNOWS WHAT TO DO WITH, AND WE'LL MAKE, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE'LL GET INTO SOME OF THAT, SOME OF HIS WALLET.
YOU SENT OUT A NOTICE THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO A PANEL REPLACEMENT ON YES.
GARY BOULEVARD, RIGHT? IT WAS SUPPOSED TO START THIS PAST MONDAY.
WHERE'S, UH, WHERE'S MARK? MARK, MARK, MARK.
WHAT'S, UH, WHAT'S THE LATEST AS OF RIGHT NOW? IT WAS SCHEDULED TO START ON MONDAY.
CHECKS IN THE MAIL BECAUSE GETTING UP AND DOWN FROM WHERE I LIVE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL MAYOR HAD THE INITIATIVE WITH POTHOLES.
UH, HE, WE'VE MOVED OUR THINKING INTO MORE PANEL REPLACEMENTS AND MAKING SURE WE REPLACE CONCRETE WITH CONCRETE THAT LASTS A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
SO WE'RE CONTINUING THAT INITIATIVE AND, AND MOVING DOWN THE PATH.
HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'LL GIVE YOU THE LAST WORDS, SIR.
NO, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST GOOD TO BE IN THE AREA AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN DO OVER THE NEXT 18 MONTHS, WHAT WE'VE SAID TO ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, UM, PROJECTS THAT ARE, UH, THAT ARE ON THE BOOKS.
WE WANT TO GET THOSE COMPLETED.
WE, UH, UM, WE, OUR TERMS RESPECTIVE TERMS IN ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2023.
SO WE WANT TO GET AS MUCH DONE AS WE CAN WHILE WE ARE STILL HERE.
THAT'S THE COMMITMENT THAT WE'RE MAKING TO YOU.
AND, AND MY LAST COMMENT, IF ANYBODY HASN'T BEEN OUS TO SPACEPORT, GO OUT THERE JUST TO TAKE A LOOK.
AND THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT, MY WIFE AND I MOVED HERE WITH A SIX MONTH OLD BACK IN 1990, AND I REMEMBER GOING DOWN 45 AND GOING TO HOBBY AIRPORT AND THAT WAS A LITTLE, A LITTLE SLEEPY AIRPORT THAT REALLY WASN'T THAT MUCH.
NOW IT'S A GREAT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THAT HAS A LOT OF FLIGHTS IN AND OUT OF IT.
I LOOK AT SPACEPORT THE SAME WAY THAT I LOOKED AT HOBBY IN 1990.
A LITTLE BITTY SLEEPY AREA THAT'S GONNA HAVE TREMENDOUS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS AREA.
GREAT JOBS, ENGINEERING JOBS, A LOT OF EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GONNA RELOCATE TO OUR AREA HOUSE AND LOOKING FOR HOUSES AND HOUSE PRIZES.
PRICES SHOULD ELEVATE BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, CINDY ALWAYS LAUGHS AT ME WHEN I SAY THIS ABOUT, ABOUT THIS AREA.
IT IS THE, WHAT DO I CALL IT? CALL IT THE SEXY, IT IS THE SEXY AREA OF MY DISTRICT.
I LOVE IT BECAUSE IT HAS SO MUCH SEXY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAKE THE AREA
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A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO COME VISIT.AND FOR Y'ALL A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
SO, 1300 HIGH PAYING JOBS, 1300 HIGH PAYING JOBS, 1300 AND UH, YOU'VE GOT, UH, AXION SPACE, COLLINS AEROSPACE, AND INTUITIVE MACHINES.
RIGHT? UH, ALL THREE THERE AND IT WILL BE EXPANDING.
AND TWO MORE THAT WE'RE REALLY CLOSE TO, RIGHT? SO THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE REALLY, REALLY COOL THAT I YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.
SORRY,