* 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. [00:00:03] HELLO. IT IS NOW 1 35. HELLO. IT'S NOW 1 35 ON TUESDAY, JUNE THE SEVENTH, 2022. I'M MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, AND I'M CALLING THE MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER AS A HYBRID MEETING WITH SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS JOINING IN PERSON AND SOME USER MICROSOFT TEAMS. LET ME, [PRESENTATIONS] UH, RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCO FOR A PROCLAMATION TO THE HOUSTON HURRICANES IN HONOR OF BEING SELECTED AS THE MOST VENUE, UH, AS THE HOST VENUE FOR UPCOMING CWC LEAD TO, UH, TRIER COUNCIL. MEMBER ALCO. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COLLEAGUES. WE'RE HERE TODAY TO HONOR THE SPORT OF CRICKET. THERE'S AN EXCITING NEW CRICKET SPORT GOING ON AND OVER BY PRAIRIE VIEW. THEY'RE BUILDING A BIG CRICKET COMPLEX, AND DURING ONE OF THE IFTAR DINNERS THIS, THIS RAMADAN SEASON, I MET, UM, TAN WEIR AMESH AHAD AT A DINNER, AND I SAT RIGHT NEXT TO HIM AND HE STARTED TELLING ME ABOUT HIS INVOLVEMENT, UM, WITH IN BUILDING AND PROMOTING CRICKET, BUILDING THIS CRICKET COMPLEX AND PROMOTING IT IN HOUSTON. SO TODAY'S PROCLAMATION IS TO HONOR THE HOUSTON HURRICANES, WHICH IS OUR CRICKET TEAM, AND, UH, IF YOU'LL JOIN ME UP HERE, TAN WEIR, AND ALSO CHOW IS HERE AS WELL. UM, NATIVES OF PAKISTAN. TAN WEIR WAS BORN TO A MODEST FAMILY AND ALL, AND WAS DISCOURAGED FROM PLAYING CRICKET THAT I UNDERSTAND, BUT, AND, BUT, AND EVERY PEN PENNY WENT TOWARDS SENDING HIM AND HIS FOUR CHILDREN FORCED SIBLINGS TO SCHOOL, BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP TAMIR AND HIS PEERS FROM ASSEMBLING AT A NEARBY FIELD ON SUNDAYS FOR MATCHES. TODAY, AHMED IS OWNER OF MORE THAN 150 FRANCHISE RESTAURANTS IN FOUR STATES, PLUS AN ENERGY COMPANY AND HALF OF A MEDICAL RESEARCH VENTURE. HE'S ALSO BUSY POURING MILLIONS OF HIS OWN DOLLARS INTO BUILDING ONE OF THE NATION'S LARGEST CRICKET COMPLEXES, RISING LAND VALUES, PROSPECTIVE HOTELS AND SALES TAXES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CRICKET DEVELOPMENT. AND WITH HOUSTON'S WESTWARD GROWTH, HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO DOUBLE THE PRAIRIE VIEWS. DOUBLE PRAIRIE VIEW'S BUDGET OF 3.2 MILLION. I THINK WE WILL GET, AND I THINK THAT THE CITY WILL GET SOME OF THAT, HOPEFULLY. SO LET ME READ QUICKLY. IN JANUARY, 2018, ED PURCHASED 86 ACRES OF LAND IN PRAIRIE VIEW, TEXAS TO BUILD ONE OF THE LARGEST CRICKET COMPLEXES IN THE NATION. HIS PURPOSE IS TO SHARE AND PROMOTE THE INTERNATIONALLY VIEWED SPORT OF CRICKET. UPON OPENING IN MAY, 2019, THE COMPLEX REGULARLY HOSTED MATCHES OF THE HOUSTON CRICKET LEAGUE. BY JULY OF THAT SAME YEAR, SIX CRICKET GROUNDS HAD OPENED. IN 2020, THE PRAIRIE VIEW CRICKET COMPLEX BECAME HOME, THE HOME TURF OF THE HOUSTON HURRICANES FOR THE EXHIBITION LEAGUE OF MINOR LEAGUE CRICKET. THE TEAM FORMED AS PART OF 24 ORIGINAL TEAMS TO COMPETE IN MINOR LEAGUE CRICKET. THE FRANCHISE OWNED BY 10 RAED AND CHOW IS AN AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL 2020 FRANCHISE CRICKET TEAM THAT COMPETES IN MINOR LEAGUE CRICKET. CURRENTLY, PRAIRIE VIEW CRICKET COMPLEX IS HOME OF THE ANNUAL HOUSTON OPEN CRICKET TOURNAMENT AND NATIONAL COLLEGE CRICKET ASSOCIATION CRICKET TOURNAMENTS. THE THE COMPLEX HAS ALSO BEEN SELECTED AS THE HOST VENUE FOR PRACTICE GAMES OF THE CWC LEAGUE TWO SERIES. THESE GAMES INVOLVE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS HOST SCOTLAND, UAE, NEPAL, AND OMAN. IN MARCH, 2022, IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE VENUE WOULD UNDERGO A $3 MILLION RENOVATION AHEAD OF MAJOR LEAGUE CRICKET AND THE 2024 ICC MEN T 20 WORLD CUP. THE HOUSTON HURRICANES WILL START THEIR 2022 MINOR LEAGUE CRICKET SEASON ON JUNE 25TH, 2022. ON JUNE 7TH, 2022, THE HOUSTON HURRICANES WILL BE HONORED FOR THEIR INTERNATIONAL SPORTSMANSHIP AND TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTION TO OUR COMMUNITY. THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMENCES THEIR HOUSTON HURRICANES ON THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND EXTENDS BEST WISHES ON ALL FUTURE ENDEAVORS. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. AND SO THEREFORE, I, SYLVESTER TURNER MAYOR CITY OF HOUSTON, THEREBY PROBABLY PROCLAIM JUNE 7TH, 2022 AS HOUSTON HURRICANES DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. CONGRATULATIONS TO WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF MY INTRODUCTION, I CAME TO UNITED STATES IN THE EIGHTIES FROM THE STREETS OF SIGO PAKISTAN. I STARTED FROM BEING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL TO HAVING A PLATFORM IN WHICH I CAN SPEAK TO YOU TODAY. I STARTED MY JOURNEY BY WORKING AT A RESTAURANT AND WORK TO MY LIMITS. I WAS EVENTUALLY RUNNING THE REGIONAL CIRCUIT OF THE RESTAURANT I WAS ORIGINALLY HIRED IN. I WANT TO GIVE BACK AND HELP BUILD A COMMUNITY THAT CAN FOSTER THE IMPACT MAKERS FOR TOMORROW. BEING AN IMMIGRANT MYSELF, I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH SETTLING INTO A LAND AND CULTURE THAT IS NOT YOUR OWN AND HOW DIFFICULT IT CAN BE TO MAKE A MARK ON IT. THIS IS WHY WHEN [00:05:01] THE ARAN REFUGEES PROBLEM AROSE, I LEFT NO STONE UNTURN AND NOT LET NO RESOURCES GO TO WASTE TO ENSURE THAT I AM DOING ALL I CAN TO HELP THESE REFUGEES SETTLE IN THE CITY OF, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. TOGETHER. TODAY, WE GATHERED TO TALK ABOUT CRICKET, WHICH IS THE SECOND LARGEST SPORTS BEING PLAYED IN THE WORLD. CRICKET HAS BEEN PLAYED IN THE USA FOR LAST 200 PLUS YEARS, AND SINCE 2019, WORLD STARTED NOTICING RIGHT AFTER I STARTED TO BUILD THE LARGEST CRICKET COMPLEX IN PRAIRIE AREA. THE INITIATIVE LED NEW HEIGHTS AS BRAND NAMES LIKE CEO OF MICROSOFT, SATYA, CEO OF ADOBE NU, AND A BOLLYWOOD STAR. SHAHAN STARTED, AND MYSELF TO BE PART OF IT AS WE ARE LAUNCHING MAJOR CRICKET LEAGUE IN 2023. LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO HUMBLY REQUEST MR. MAYOR TO ALLOW US BY ALLOCATING SOME OF THE LAND IN HOUSTON, SO WE CAN CONVERT THAT TO CRICKET STADIUM. THIS WILL OPEN THE GATEWAY FOR INTERNATIONAL CRICKET TEAMS TO VISIT OUR CITY OF HOUSTON AND PLAY HERE, WHICH WILL BE OPENING A NEW CHAPTER OF INTERNATIONAL SPORTS IN USA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THOUGHT YOU WERE ABOUT TO CHALLENGE ME TO PLAY CRICKET . DIDN'T YOU PLAY CRICKET IN YOUR YOUNGER DAYS OR DID YOU PLAY WITH CRICKETS? YOU KNOW, IS THAT IT? , AS A MATTER, AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE A NEW LEAGUE, WHICH IS, UH, WE ARE, UH, THE, THE, THE PLAYERS WHO ARE ABOVE 60 YEARS OLD ARE PLAYING. SO YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US. NO, I'M NOT. I DON'T QUALIFY FOR THAT, UH, , BUT NO, I LOOK FORWARD TO IT. AND, UH, LEMME JUST START OUT BY, BY ACKNOWLEDGING, UH, WHAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE, UH, AND BUILDING ALL OF THE, UH, THE SPORTS ARENA DOWN THERE AND IN, IN PRAIRIE VIEW. AND IT IS REALLY TALKED ABOUT ALL OVER, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, IF NOT OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES. SO LET ME, LET ME THANK YOU FOR REALLY STEPPING UP. AND WHEN IS, WHEN IS THE TOURNAMENT? SO THE TWO TOURNAMENTS ARE BEING PLAYED RIGHT NOW, BUT THE MAJOR EVENT STARTS ACTUALLY NEXT YEAR IN JUNE. IN JUNE, FOLLOWED BY A WORLD CUP IN 2024. YEAH. WELL, BY THEN, MY HAMSTRING SHOULD BE, SHOULD BE, UH, . BUT NO, THIS IS THIS THE CAP? THIS IS THE CAP, PLEASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. CERTAINLY, SIR. UH, WHENEVER I HEAR PRAYER VIEW, I HAVE TO ALWAYS JUMP IN AND SAY HOW PROUD I AM AND HOW THANKFUL I AM FOR WHATEVER IS BEING PROVIDED ON BEHALF OF PRAIRIE VIEW. UH, MY HISTORY, MY GRANDFATHER WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF PRAIRIE VIEW A AND M UNIVERSITY. AND SO IT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART, BOTH MY PARENTS, I HAVE A SISTER. SO PRAIRIE VIEW IS THAT DOES PRODUCE PRODUCTIVE PEOPLE, AND I'M CERTAINLY GLAD THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT THIS AND YOU HAVE BROUGHT THIS FORWARD, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK IN THE TOURNAMENT THIS WEEKEND. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR. JUST TURN AROUND. YOU HAVE BEEN TO OUR SHOW. UH, WE WERE DOING A MORNING SHOW. SO HE IS VERY GOOD AT GUESSING, HE'S [00:10:01] VERY GOOD AT PLAYING RAPID FIRE AROUND, SO HE'S VERY ENERGETIC AND WE NEED SOMEONE LIKE HIM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. YEAH, AND THE, AND THE MAYOR USED TO BE SIX FIVE AS WELL. , OUR NEXT PRESENTATION, COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KASH, WILL PRESENT A PROCLAMATION TO STELLA HOLCOMB NASH, PERHAPS STAND IN SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, TODAY, UM, WE'RE HERE TO HONOR, UH, STELLA MAY HOLCOMB NASH, I JUST CALL HER SISTER NASH. SHE WAS BORN IN RICHMOND, TEXAS, THE DAUGHTER OF EDNA MAY AND HENRY SIMON HOLCOMB. SHE IS THE GRADUATE OF THE HISTORIC JACK YATES HIGH SCHOOL. STELLA MAE HOLCOMB HAS BEEN MARRIED FOR 65 YEARS TO PASTOR JAMES NASH, AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL MAKE YOUR WAY UP HERE. NOW. THEY HAVE SERVED ST. PAUL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH AT SUNNYSIDE FOR 47 YEARS. THOSE WHO HAVE KNOWN THE NELLA NASH DESCRIBED HER AS A WOMAN OF GRACE, WHO HAS A WONDERFUL PERSONALITY. MANY HOURS OF STELLA NASH'S TIME IS SPENT AT THE SENIOR CITIZENS COORDINATOR FOR THE MARCY L KEY CENTER. SHE ALSO PROVIDES A SUPPORT FOR THE YOUTH MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH WHO LOOK TO HER FOR ADVICE, GUIDANCE, AND WISDOM. CHURCH MEMBERS OFTEN ADDRESS HER AS MAMA NASH BECAUSE OF HER WONDERFUL NURTURING WAYS. IN ADDITION TO THE DEDICATION SHE HAS FOR ST. PAUL'S, SHE'S ALSO ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, A REAL PEOPLE PERSON WHO HAS WORKED AS A HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT JUDGE FOR 20 YEARS. STELLA AND PASTOR NASH, UH, HAVE SIX CHILDREN. DEBORAH, MICHAEL, DARLENE, YVONNE JAMES JR. AND CARLA. IN ADDITION TO HER NUMEROUS COMMUNITY AND CHURCH ACTIVITIES, STELLA NASH ENJOYS TRAVELING, FISHING, AND MOST OF ALL, SPENDING TIME WITH HER GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN. TODAY WE RECOGNIZE, UH, STELLA MAY HOLCOMB NASH FOR HER CONTRIBUTION TO ENSURE A BETTER LIFE FOR OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS OF HOUSTONIANS. MAYOR. THANK, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. AND SO, UM, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SAYING, THEREFORE, I, SYLVESTER TURNER MAYOR CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROUDLY PROCLAIM JUNE 7TH, 2022 AS STELLA MAY HOLCOMB NASH DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. CONGRATULATIONS, SISTER, MAYOR. FIRST, I WANNA SAY THANK OUR WONDERFUL MAYOR TO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL. I'M NOT GOOD AT TAKING HONORS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT PEOPLE IS WHAT I LOVE DOING THINGS FOR PEOPLE, WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I I LOVE IT. WE'VE BEEN THERE 47 YEARS, AND I CAME EVERY DAY. I'VE BEEN THERE. I ENJOYED DOING WHAT I DO. I WANNA SAY THANK TO ALL OF Y'ALL AND KEEP THE GOOD WORK OF WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING, BECAUSE I'M WATCHING AND I'M LOOKING AT EVERYBODY , AND I TELL YOU, Y'ALL ARE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB. BUT I, I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR. HE'S DOING A WONDERFUL JOB. ALSO TOO, THANK THE MAYOR FOR GIVING THIS DAY TO BE MY DAY. BUT IT'S NOT ABOUT ME, IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE. AND WHEN YOU SHARE, I'M SHARE WITH OTHER PEOPLE, THAT'S WHAT GOD WOULD HAVE US TO DO. SO THANK YOU'ALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN KOSH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. EVERYBODY KNOWS I ADORE THE NHE, AND THIS IS A TRUE PROVERBS 31 WOMAN. AND CERTAINLY, IT'S, IT'S ALSO TRUE THAT BEHIND EVERY GOOD MAN IS A GREATER, I MEAN, GOOD WOMAN. THAT'S RIGHT. YOU'RE RIGHT. AND SO, YOU'RE RIGHT. SHE HAS JUST BEEN A JEWEL AND PASTOR NASH, I MEAN, I, THIS, THIS COUPLE IS A POWER COUPLE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. AND I AM SO VERY HONORED THAT I KNOW THEM AND THAT THEY PRAY FOR ME AND THEY UNDERGIRD ME. AND, AND THEY NOT ONLY WORK AND PRAY AND WORSHIP IN, IN DISTRICT D, THEY LIVE IN DISTRICT D. AND THAT'S A TRUE TESTAMENT BECAUSE A LOT OF PASTORS MOVE AWAY FROM THE CHURCH. RIGHT. BUT THEY HAVE BEEN INGRAINED IN THE SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR. THAT'S RIGHT. AND I'M SO VERY HONORED TO BE ABLE TO REPRESENT YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBER, AND GLAD THAT YOU GOT NOTICED TODAY FOR YOUR OWN DAY. THANK YOU. BECAUSE YOU CERTAINLY DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR PERTA. MAMA NASH, CONGRATULATIONS. [00:15:01] THANK YOU SO WELL DESERVED. YOU ARE SUCH AN EXAMPLE FOR ALL OF US. SO THANK YOU FOR TEACHING US HOW TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. PASTOR DASH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. . ALRIGHT. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR PROAM. MARTHA CASTEX. MISS KAREN, I BRING MY FAMILY. UH, MRS. NASH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AT CITY HALL. I I COULDN'T LET YOU COME HERE AND RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION WITHOUT SAYING, UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. UH, SO MANY PEOPLE KNOW YOUR HUSBAND AND THE GREAT WORK THAT WE DO MM-HMM . AND TO BE THE FIRST LADY OF A CHURCH IS NOT AN EASY FEAT. RIGHT? RIGHT. AND SO I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE YOU FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL MINISTRY AS YOU UNDERGIRD YOUR HUSBAND, AS HE LEADS A CHURCH THAT IS YOUR MINISTRY THAT GOD GAVE TO YOU. AND FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT YOU AND LOVE YOU, WE WANTED YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE, UM, ALL THAT YOU DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MEMBERS OF YOUR CHURCH ARE SUPPORTED. ALL OF THE YOUNG GIRLS THAT HAVE COME UP THROUGH THE CHURCH THAT LOOKED UP TO YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN A SHINING STAR IN THE BODY OF CHRIST AND IN THE ENTIRE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO WE APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR LIGHT DEFINITELY SHINES. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN. AND NOW, COUNCIL MEMBER KUBA, I'LL GIVE YOU THE LAST WORDS. OUR MAYOR. YES. UH, I'D LIKE TO SAY MAYOR, THAT, UH, WHEN I DECIDED THAT, THAT I WAS GONNA TAKE ON THE RED LIGHT CAMERA ISSUE, WELL, WELL, PASTOR NASH OPENED HIS CHURCH UP, UH, AND, AND AT MARCY L KEYS AND, AND WE HAD MEETINGS THERE. MM-HMM . AND THEN WHEN I, WHEN PEOPLE WERE ASKING ME IF I WAS GONNA RUN FOR, FOR COUNCIL, I, I, I MET WITH, I MET WITH YOU. RIGHT. AND, AND I MET WITH YOUR HUSBAND. RIGHT. AND WE MET OVER AT, AT A GOOD RESTAURANT WHERE THEY SERVED SOME GOOD CATFISH, CATFISH AND, AND KEY LIME PIE. AND, AND, UH, WE ATE, WE ATE OVER AT PAPA'S. AND LET ME TELL YOU, I SAID, I'LL RUN IF, IF I CAN GET YOUR SUPPORT. AND, AND, AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD SUPPORT ME. RIGHT. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEY'VE BEEN MY SUPPORTERS EVER SINCE. SHE, SHE'S A PERSON THAT PRAYS FOR YOU. AND, AND I KNOW WHEN I HAD BROKE MY LEG, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS PRAYING FOR ME. PASTOR NASH WAS MM-HMM. WHEN, WHEN MY WIFE'S HAD SURGERIES THIS PAST YEAR, THEY, THEY WERE RIGHT THERE WITH US WHEN MY BROTHER HAD HAD SURGERY, UH, FOR THAT EIGHT HOUR SURGERY. YOU WERE RIGHT THERE THE WHOLE TIME WITH ME, PASTOR AT, AT, AT THE METHODIST HOSPITAL. AND YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T BUY FRIENDS LIKE THIS. YOU, YOU DEVELOP 'EM. AND, AND MAYOR, I'M, I'M GRATEFUL FOR, FOR FOR STELLA NASH AND FOR HER HUSBAND AND ALL THEY'VE MEANT TO ME IN MY FAMILY. GOD BLESS YOU. ALRIGHT. TWO ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED ALPHA KAPPA OMEGA CHAPTER TO HONOR THEIR AKA DAY AT CITY HALL. VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. TODAY WE ARE WELCOMING TO CITY HALL, THE ALPHA KAPPA OMEGA CHAPTER OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED. AND I SEE OUR PRESIDENT STORY HAS, HAS JOINED US AS A LIFE MEMBER OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY. I AM SUPER PROUD TO RECOGNIZE THE ALPHA KAPPA OMEGA CHAPTER FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITIES AND THE CITY AND APPLAUD THEIR CIVIL [00:20:01] RESPONSIBILITIES. WE DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE TWO OTHER SORORS ON THE CITY COUNCIL, SO I'M GONNA ASK THEM TO COME ON DOWN WHILE WE DO THE PROCLAMATION MAYOR AND COUNCIL TODAY WE HAD A GREAT SESSION IN THE LEGACY ROOM. WE HAD, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CHAVEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, HPD, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, SORA CARVANA CLOUD, AND CHIEF NER, ALSO, UM, ENGAGED WITH THE SOROS HERE AT, UH, CITY HALL. SO I AM HONORED TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER AND COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ AND IT READS, WHEREAS ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED WAS FOUNDED ON JANUARY 15TH, 1908 ON THE CAMPUS OF HOWARD UNIVERSITY BY NINE UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN WHO WERE FOCUSED ON SISTERHOOD, ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, HIGH MORAL STANDARDS AND SERVICE TO ALL MANKIND. THE ALPHA KAPPA OMEGA CHAPTER OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED IS COMMITTED TO EXEMPLIFYING EXCELLENCE THROUGH SUSTAINABLE SERVICE TO ALL MANKIND AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO PROGRAMS THAT IMPACT THE EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PHYSICAL, MENTAL HEALTH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND POLITICAL AWARENESS. AND WHEREAS THE ALPHA KAPPA OMEGA CHAPTER OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED IS COMMITTED TO MOBILIZING THE MEMBERSHIP TO TAKE ACTION ON LOCAL AND GLOBAL ISSUES THAT IMPACT THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS, WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES THAT IMPACT PEOPLE OF COLOR. SUCH ISSUES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO VOTER EDUCATION, VOTER REGISTRATION, HEALTHCARE REFORM, GUN VIOLENCE FUNDING FOR HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITY AND REDISTRICTING. AND WHEREAS A K DAY AT CITY HALL IS A BIANNUAL PROGRAM TO INCREASE MEMBERS' INVOLVEMENT AND MOBILIZATION IN THE LOCAL PUBLIC POLICY MAKING PROCESS AND ADVOCACY SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, ENGAGEMENT WITH LOCAL LEADERS AND RECOGNITION BEFORE CITY COUNCIL THROUGH AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE, AND ACTION WITH FEATURED SPEAKERS THAT INCLUDE KEY POLICY MAKERS AND EXPERTS ELECTED IN PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS . AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMENDS AND CONGRATULATES, THE ALPHA KAPPA OMEGA CHAPTER OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED ON ITS COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING OUR CITY ON THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION AND EXTENDS BEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS. BEAUTIFUL. AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER. AND SO THEREFORE, I, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROBABLY PROCLAIM JUNE 7TH, 2022 AS ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED DAY OF ALPHA KAPPA OMEGA CHAPTER IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. CONGRATULATIONS LADIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE THIS AKA DAY AT CITY HALL. IT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL DAY OF EDUCATION. ON BEHALF OF OUR CHAPTER MEMBERS, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PROCLAMATION AND FOR THIS DAY AND FOR THE EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED. AND WE ARE REALLY THRILLED TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE SORORITY MEMBERS WHO ARE ON THE FOREFRONT OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT HELPING, LEADING THE WAY. SO, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE MOMENT, WE APPRECIATE THE DAY AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE. AND LET ME JUST SAY ONE OR TWO FINAL THINGS. WE ARE THE ORGANIZATION THAT BROUGHT OUR INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE HERE AND LIT THIS CITY UP PINK AND GREEN IN 2018 UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF OUR MAYOR. AND WE ALSO BROUGHT OUR REGIONAL CONFERENCE HERE TO HOUSTON, TEXAS IN MARCH WITH ANOTHER FEW THOUSAND PEOPLE IN PINK AND GREEN. AND SO I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WE ARE HONORED TO ALWAYS BE INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS AND OUR INITIATIVES AND TO SUPPORT THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND OUR FIRST COUNCIL MEMBER, OUR LADY IN RED, TIFFANY D. THOMAS , JUST SAYING, JUST, JUST SAYING SHE'S MY COUNCIL. AND YES, THAT'S, UH, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON BEHALF OF THIS ONE BIG DELTA . UH, CONGRATULATIONS. UM, I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH YOUR SOROS, UH, MY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, LEADING THE CHARGE. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THEY EXEMPLIFY YOUR IDEALS AND PRINCIPLES EVERY DAY, UM, AND IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. AND SO IT IS MY HONOR. UM, ALSO, YOUR MADAM PRESIDENT IS A DISTRICT F PRESIDENT, SO WE DO IT BIG. SO MADAM PRESIDENT, JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS MENTIONED THAT A-K-A-A-K-O IS THE LARGEST, IS IT THE LARGEST CHAPTER, THE LARGEST CHAPTER [00:25:01] IN THE ORGANIZATION INTERNATIONALLY, IN THE WORLD, THE, UH, UH, THE WORLD. SO JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE IN AND OUT THE PANDEMIC, UM, THROUGH A FREEZE. I MEAN, THE RAPID RESPONSE, ALL OF THE STUFF YOU'RE DOING AROUND SCHOLARSHIPS, IT'S JUST AMAZING. AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'LL BE DOING IN THE CITY ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US IN THE CITY, THANK YOU. THANK COUNCILWOMAN THOMAS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD J. POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM AND VICE MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, UM, TO COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ AND PLUMBER. UH, THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING THESE, UH, FINE LADIES IN THE ENTIRE SORORITY AS A WHOLE, UH, WITH DISTINCTION. BUT AS A SON OF A AKA, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL, UH, FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS. IT GOES BEYOND JUST, UH, SOCIAL FESTIVITIES AND SISTERHOOD. UM, BUT IT GOES TOWARDS THE, THE REAL IMPACT THAT YOU BRING TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TO OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT RELATES TO, UH, YOUTH EMPOWERMENT AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, AND, UH, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR DAY. THANK YOU AGAIN. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS FOR BEING, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. I'LL NEVER FORGET MY, UH, HOUSTON FIRST BOARD MEMBER AND YOUR SISTER DESIREE MORGAN JUST POUNDING US ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD ENOUGH GOING ON TO MAKE SURE THAT THE AKAS HAD A REALLY GOOD CONVENTION. AND I THINK WE DID THAT. SO CONGRATULATIONS. ABSOLUTELY. LOOK, DRAW FORWARD TO A LOT OF PINK AND GREEN IN OUR CITY AGAIN FOR THE NEXT NATIONAL CONVENTION. WE GET TO HOPE. COUNCIL MEMBER, I'LL GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD ADVICE. MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. I JUST WANTED TO TELL MY SORROWS CONGRATULATIONS. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR WORK TOGETHER. ABSOLUTELY, LIZ. THANK YOU. [00:33:29] ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALSO VERY, VERY MUCH. LET'S GET READY FOR NOW FOR THE PUBLIC SESSION. UH, [2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] THE CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES COUNCIL VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM CAST TATUM FOR THE INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M GOING TO ASK, UH, SO LAURA ALLEN, IF SHE WILL COME TO THE PODIUM AND SHE WILL, UM, BE PRESENTING THE PRAYER FOR US TODAY. I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE HER. SHE IS A DISTRICT K RESIDENT AND ALSO THE VICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAMS FOR ALPHA ALPHA OMEGA CHAPTER. THAT'S CORRECT. SORRY, LAURA. WE'RE READY. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO. WE WOULD BOW OUR HEADS AND CLEAR OUR MINDS FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE LIVE IN VERY CHALLENGING TIMES, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY RAYS OF SUNSHINE THAT WE CAPTURE EACH AND EVERY DAY. ONE OF THEM IS BEING HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE'VE SURVIVED COVID. ANOTHER IS TO SEE OUR LEGISLATORS AT WORK, OUR CITY COUNCIL, OUR MAYOR, AND TO GET INFORMATION FROM OUR POLICE CHIEF BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH FATHER GOD, HOUSTON IS A GIGANTIC CITY, WE FELT LIKE, AND WE FEEL LIKE EACH AND EVERY DAY THAT IT'S A VILLAGE. BECAUSE ONCE YOU TALK TO OUR LEGISLATOR, OUR CITY COUNCIL, OUR MAYOR, IT DOES BECOME A VILLAGE. AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT, THAT WE LIVE IN THIS GREAT CITY. FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU ALSO FOR THE YOUNGEST PEOPLE HERE, THE GIRL SCOUTS, WHO WERE JUST HONORED TO THE MOST SENIOR CITIZEN BECAUSE AGAIN, UH, WE ALL PRAISE YOU. AND WE, [00:35:01] WE ARE PART OF YOUR VILLAGE. CONTINUE TO GIVE US STRENGTH, FATHER GOD, TO FACE THE COMING DAYS AND TO GIVE OUR, UM, LAWMAKERS THE COURAGE TO NEGOTIATE, COLLABORATE ON GUN CONTROL, AND TO COMPROMISE, UH, WITH ONE ANOTHER AS WE DO HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. CONTINUE TO KEEP US FREE FROM, UM, UH, RAMPANT AND RAVAGES. KEEP US STRONG. KEEP US HEALTHY, FATHER GOD. AND AGAIN, WE'RE THANKFUL WE COME TO YOU WITH A THANKFUL HEART. AND WE ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO BLESS US WITH YOUR GRACE, YOUR MERCY, RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH WITH THE HEART OF THANKS. WE THANK YOU FATHER GOD. AMEN. AMEN. PLEASE RISE ON THE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS OR NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL COMPROMISE. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. UH, [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING] NEXT WE'LL HAVE THE ROLL CALL, UH, MADAM SECRETARY OF YOUR CALL THE ROLL, MAYOR TURNER. HERE. COUNCILMAN PECK. HERE. COUNCILMAN JACKSON? HERE. COUNCIL MCMAN. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN EVAN SHABA. HERE. COUNCILMAN MARTIN. PRESENT. COUNCILOR THOMAS. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN? PRESENT. COUNCIL CISNEROS. HERE. COUNCIL GALLEGOS? HERE. COUNCIL POLLARD. HERE. COUNCILMAN CASTEX TATUM? HERE. COUNCILMAN KNOX? HERE. COUNCILMAN ROBINSON. HERE. COUNCILMAN KOSH? HERE. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER HERE. AND COUNCILOR ALCORN. HERE. I NEED A MOTION TO DELAY THE MINUTES FROM JUNE 1ST. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE. SECOND ROBINSON. THEN MOVED. AND SECOND TO DELAY THE MINUTES. ANY OBJECTION, CHAIR? NONE. AND THE MINUTES. AND THE MOTION CARRIES. UH, FOR THOSE WHO WILL BE, UM, FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE ONLINE, FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ONLINE, IF YOU HAVE TO LEAD THE MEETING, PLEASE TYPE THAT IN THE CHAT WINDOW AND THEN YOU CAN PROCEED TO HANG UP. UH, STATE YOUR NAME WHEN MAKING OR SECONDING A MOTION. FOR THOSE JOINING VIRTUALLY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE TYPE THAT IN THE CHAT WINDOW. IF, UH, WE FAIL TO SEE YOU, PLEASE SPEAK UP AND I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU. AND THEN PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU MUST BE VISIBLE ON CAMERA WHILE YOU ARE SPEAKING. [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] AND THEN FOR THOSE WHO ARE PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY, FOR THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY, IN ORDER TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A PUBLIC SPEAKER, YOU HAD TO SIGN UP WITH THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE BY 3:00 PM ON YESTERDAY. AND WE WILL CALL YOUR NAME IN THE ORDER THAT YOU SIGNED UP WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED. IF YOU ARE HERE IN PERSON, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM, GET RIGHT BEHIND ONE OF THOSE MICS, AND THEN YOU CAN PROCEED TO SPEAK. IF YOU ARE APPEARING ON CAMERA, CLICK ON THE MICROPHONE ICON AND THE CAMERA ICON. YOU WILL THEN HAVE ONE, TWO, OR THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK, UH, THAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN. AFTER YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, THE BELL WILL RING. AND WHEN YOU HEAR THE BELL RING, THAT MEANS THAT YOU MUST STOP. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED AND YOU MAY ONLY SPEAK BEING RECOGNIZED. UM, SEE, LET ME RECOGNIZE, UH, SEE, UH, COUNCILMAN ALCORN FOR, UH, POINT, POINT A PER PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I WANNA ANNOUNCE TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT THE JAZZ HOUSTON YOUTH ORCHESTRA HERE TODAY, IF THEY WANNA STAND UP AND BE RECOGNIZED, UM, THEY'VE GOT SOME, UM, MAYOR YOU GOT, I'M GLAD YOU GOT TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH THEM EARLIER. THEY ARE GOING TO HONOR US BY REPRESENTING THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS THEY PERFORM IN NEW YORK CITY NEXT WEEK. UM, AFTER AN AUDITION PROCESS IN THE HOUSTON AREA, 21 STUDENTS FROM WALTRIP H-S-P-V-A, STRATFORD MAGNOLIA AND DAWSON HIGH SCHOOLS WERE SELECTED. THE JAZZ YOUTH AT HOUSTON YOUTH ORCHESTRA HAS BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND A FOUR DAY RESIDENCY AT JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER, WHERE THE INTERNATIONALLY RE RENOWNED TRUMPET PLAYER, WINSTON WINTON MARSALIS IS THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR. THE GROUP WILL CULMINATE THEIR TRIP WITH A JOINT PERFORMANCE WITH THE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER YOUTH ORCHESTRA AT THE FREDERICK P ROSE HALL, HOUSTON NATIVE PIANIST, HELEN SUNG WILL JOIN THEM AS A SPECIAL GUEST ARTIST. THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE EFFORTS AND HARD WORK OF JAZZ HOUSTON ARTISTIC DIRECTOR VINCENT GARDNER, WHOSE DESIRE TO EDUCATE TALENTED YOUNG MUSICIANS IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA, LED HIM TO FORM THIS GROUP IN AUGUST. UM, I KNOW WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY THOMAS JO JONES, THE BOARD PRESIDENT OF JAZZ HOUSTON, AND BY MICHAEL MCMAHON, A BOARD MEMBER BY BELINDA MONROE GARDNER, THE DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS. UM, I'LL BE GETTING ONLINE 'CAUSE THEY'RE A LITTLE SHORT OF THEIR FUNDRAISING GOALS. SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO HELP DONATE, UH, JAZZ HOUSTON.ORG/DONATE, THEY'LL, THEY'LL TAKE YOUR MONEY. AND I'M SO EXCITED 'CAUSE I'M GONNA HAPPEN TO BE IN NEW YORK CITY NEXT WEDNESDAY NIGHT, AND I WILL BE AT YOUR 9:30 PM CONCERT. I'M STAYING UP LATE FOR [00:40:01] YOU GUYS. SO REALLY EXCITED TO RECOGNIZE YOU HERE AT CITY HALL AND GOOD LUCK AND HAVE A GREAT TRIP. VICE MAYOR PROAM, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM CA UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THESE, UM, YOUNG MUSICIANS TO CITY HALL. I HAVE A SPECIAL AFFINITY FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS AS MY SON WAS A YOUNG MUSICIAN AND PLAYED THE TUBA AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER AND ALSO, UM, TO CARNEGIE HALL AS A MEMBER OF THE CONRAD JOHNSON YOUTH ORCHESTRA. AND I KNOW THAT, UM, I SEE BELINDA GARDNER IN THE AUDIENCE, AND IF YOU HAVE NOT HEARD HER SING, OH, YOU ARE MISSING A TREAT. SHE'S A PHENOMENAL VOCALIST AND PLAYS A TREMENDOUS PART IN MAKING SURE THESE, UM, YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE GOING TO JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER. SO I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A FABULOUS TIME IN NEW YORK AS A MUSICIAN. WHAT BETTER PLACE TO BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE YOUR TALENT THAN AT JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER? SO I WILL DEFINITELY BE ONLINE TONIGHT MAKING A DONATION TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR QUEST TO, UH, GO TO JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER, UM, BECAUSE THESE ARE MEMORIES THAT YOU'LL, UM, HAVE FOREVER. SO BEST WISHES AND WE KNOW YOU WILL REPRESENT THE CITY OF HOUSTON. WELL, AND I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, LARRY GREEN, WHO PLAYED A TREMENDOUS PART IN BRINGING JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER TO HOUSTON, IS SMILING DOWN FROM HEAVEN AS YOU CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, MAYOR PRO TIM MARTIN. YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I'M EXCITED TO WELCOME GIRL SCOUT TROOP 1 1 7 1 6 4 FROM SHADOW FOREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN KINGWOOD, ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILY. SO A SPECIAL THANK YOU. UH, THEY'RE HERE TODAY TO WORK ON THEIR INSIDE GOVERNMENT SERVICE BADGE, AND THEY'RE ESCORTED BY MS. AMY BERTRAN, A KINGWOOD RESIDENT, AND ALSO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GREATER HOUSTON BUILDERS ASSOCIATION. AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN, WHO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ESCORT THESE LADIES AND TO LEAD 'EM IN A BRIEF DISCUSSION. I CAUGHT THE TAIL END OF IT AND IT WAS REALLY EXCITING. AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR STEPPING IN, ABBY. I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. HOPE Y'ALL HAD A GREAT DAY HERE. THANK YOU. AND WE ALSO RECOGNIZE COUNCILMAN MCCAIN. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM. YOU HAVE SOME GREAT STUDENTS OVER IN KINGWOOD. UH, IT WAS A PLEASURE TO BE WITH THEM, BUT I KNOW HOW SPECIAL IT WAS TO HAVE YOU THERE. UM, ON THE BACK END OF THAT, I WILL SAY, UH, SOME OF OUR, SOME OF OUR GIRL SCOUTS SUGGESTED A FEW THINGS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS OVER THERE THAT YOU SHOULD GET WITH THEM ON. UH, THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT RECYCLING. UH, THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT BIKE LANES AND GREEN BELTS, UH, AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THEY CAN GET SAFELY TO SCHOOL. SO THEY HAD SOME GREAT IDEAS AND IT WAS A PLEASURE BEING WITH THEM. THANK Y'ALL. AWESOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. ALRIGHT, THE CHAIR NOW REC, UH, THE, UH, RECOGNIZES COUNCILMAN MC GALLEGOS FOR PROCEDURAL MOTION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I MOVE, UH, I, I MOVE TO SPEND THE RULES TO MOVE STEPHANIE STEWART, PATRICK DAVIS, FRANCIS DS AND REBECCA CHEN TO THE TOP OF THE AGENDA SPEAKER'S. LIST FOR ONE MINUTE EACH SECOND, ROBINSON. OKAY. YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION. UH, ANY OBJECTION, CHAIR? NONE. AND THE MOTION IS GRANTED. ARE THERE ANY OTHER PROCEDURAL MOTIONS TODAY? I DON'T HAVE ANY. ANY OTHERS? OKAY. MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU PROCEED TO CALL THE, UH, SPEAKER'S LIST. STEPHANIE STEWART. STEPHANIE STEWART, UH, STEPHANIE STEWART IS HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, WE'RE BACK FOR A THIRD WEEK. UH, AGAIN, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR SPECIAL APPEALS AS THE SIGN CODE CHANGED FROM 2020 IN JUNE, I'M SORRY, JULY 29TH FROM WHEN WE STARTED OUR PROCESS IN DECEMBER. AND UNFORTUNATELY, IF COVID HADN'T HAPPENED, CHICK-FIL-A NORMALLY CAN GET EVERYTHING DONE WITHIN 12 TO 14 WEEKS WITH A BUILDING AND SIGNAGE AND SO FORTH. AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT WAS NOT THE CASE THANKS TO COVID PEOPLE NOT WORKING, YOU KNOW, STAFF AND EVERYTHING. EVEN WITH PERMITTING, YOU HAD DELAYS AND WHAT HAVE YOU NOT. SO WE'RE JUST ASKING THAT WE CAN GET A 42 FOOT SIX PILE ON, WHICH WAS THE OLD CODE, NOT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE, BUT AT LEAST THE HEIGHT. AND THAT'S IT. SO WE'RE ALL CONSISTENT ALONG THOSE LITTLE CORRIDOR RIGHT THERE. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER KASH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IF, IF YOU'RE COMING AND YOU'RE SPEAKING IN FAR OR AGAINST SOMETHING TO LET US KNOW, BECAUSE IT APPEARS TO ME THAT IF I VOTE YES ON THIS ORDINANCE, YOU LOSE. SO YOU'RE WANTING ME TO VOTE NO. CORRECT. SO I THINK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE A, A YES VOTE IS [00:45:01] WHEN WE'VE TAKEN THE MAYOR'S TAKING A, A, A A VOTE ALL IN FAVOR. ALL OPPOSED. AND, AND, AND IF YOU DON'T SAY ONE OF YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO YAY OR NAY THERE, THEN, THEN WE NEED TO KNOW. AND, AND IT CONFUSES ME OVER THE YEARS AND, AND I'VE BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH TO, TO, UH, PROBABLY START FORGETTING MORE THAN I KNOW. BUT, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SAY, I WANT YOU TO VOTE NO. IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO, CORRECT? WE DO. WE WOULD LIKE TO VOTE NO ON THE 31 FOOT VERSUS WHAT WAS EXISTING PRIOR TO JULY 29TH, 2020, WHICH WAS 42 6. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT, NEXT SPEAKER. PATRICK DAVIS. CORRECT. I THINK THE COUNCIL REPRESENTED. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, AGAIN, SO WE ARE HERE, UH, REQUESTING THAT YOU ALL VOTE NO, UH, ON THIS APPEAL. UH, I HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY SENT SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION JUST STATING THE FACTS, AND I'M ASKED THAT YOU GUYS ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE FACTS THAT WE SUBMITTED OUR, UH, PERMITTING PROCESS STARTING IN DECEMBER OF 19, GOING THROUGH JANUARY OF 2020. WE ACTUALLY HAVE RECEIPTS FROM THE CITY WHERE WE ACTUALLY STARTED PAYING PERMITTING FEES IN JUNE OF 2020. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A RECEIPT IN JUNE OF 2020. AND SO WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU GUYS JUST BE FAIR, UM, NOT, NOT FROM A CHICK-FIL-A STANDPOINT, BUT REALLY FOR BECKY CHAN, A LOCAL OPERATOR. SO I'M BORN AND RAISED HERE IN HOUSTON THAT ARE GIVEN JOBS TO YOUTH THAT ARE GIVEN SCHOLARSHIPS. AND THIS IS DEFINITELY GOING TO IMPACT HER BUSINESS WITHOUT A DOUBT. UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WERE ALL DEVELOPED AROUND THE SAME TIME WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS, UM, WE WERE THE LAST ONES TO GET CAUGHT UP WITHIN COVID. AND SO WE'RE JUST ASKING YOU GUYS TO BE FAIR, UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR JUDGMENT AND VOTE NO. YEAH, BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR THOUGH, YOU'RE ASKING FOR A VARIANCE. WE ARE ASKING FOR A VARIANCE. UH, AND IF ANYBODY ELSE, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, COMES IN AFTER THE FACT, UM, THEN WOULD WE NOT BE SETTING A PRECEDENT TO DO THE SAME THAT WE ARE DOING FOR YOU ALL? NO, MR. MAYOR, YOU WOULD NOT BE SETTING A PRESIDENCY. AGAIN, WE HAVE DOCUMENTATION THAT WE, WE LITERALLY STARTED THE PROCESS IN 2019 THAT WE STARTED SUBMITTING PERMITS PRIOR TO THE COLD CHANGE. AGAIN, I DO, I'VE BEEN DOING DEVELOPMENT HERE IN HOUSTON FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS FOR CHICK-FIL-A, INCLUDING WITH THE STORM DRAINAGE AND RETAINAGE. WE UNDERSTAND LIKE CHICK-FIL-A, WE PUT IN THE STORM REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PUT IN WITH EVERY ORDINANCE THAT COMES, WE'RE SPENDING OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS. I UNDERSTAND EVEN A MILLION DOLLARS ON SOME, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT INSTANCE WHERE WE WERE AHEAD OF THE, THE ORDINANCE UNDERSTAND AND JUST ASKING FOR A FAIR UNDERSTAND. BUT IF, BUT IF, BUT IF YOU ALL DID EVERYTHING THAT WAS, UM, AUTHORIZED, THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FORBEARING. YOU WOULD SIMPLY BE ASKING US TO APPLY THE RULES AS THEY ARE. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S NOT THE CASE. IF YOU, IF IF YOU WERE NOT ASKING FOR A VARIANCE AND YOU WERE SIMPLY SAYING APPLY THE ORDINANCE BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE MET THE CONDITIONS OF THE ORDINANCE, I WOULD BE, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU ALL DID WAS SOMEBODY MUTE. MUTE WHOEVER. OKAY, WE'LL GET, OKAY. UM, WE'LL WORK THROUGH IT. UM, BUT THE VERY FACT THAT, UH, THAT ALL THE RULES WERE NOT MET, UM, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, OKAY. CAN WE AT LEAST AGREE WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT? YOU ARE. YOU ARE ASKING US TO APPLY. YOU ARE ASKING FOR A VARIANCE. WE ARE ASKING FOR BECAUSE OF A VERY SPECIAL SITUATION AND, AND OCCURRENCE OF COVID. AGAIN, WE WERE IN THE PROCESS SUBMITTING THE DOCUMENTS. I UNDERSTAND. BUT, BUT COVID HAS LASTED FOR TWO PLUS YEARS. SO IF ANYBODY ELSE COMES IN AND, AND CITES COVID AS A, AS A RATIONALE FOR A VARIANCE, UH, EVEN THOUGH THAT THEY HAD MADE PLANS TOO, BUT THEY DIDN'T GET OR MEET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS. UH, IF FOR EXAMPLE, COUNCIL SHOULD VOTE FOR THIS VARIANCE, THEN IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE, UM, SETTING A PRECEDENT FOR ANYBODY ELSE WHO COMES IN AFTER THE FACT. UH, MAY MAYBE BASED ON A DIFFERENT FACT PATTERN. BUT NONETHELESS, A VARIANCE IS A VARIANCE REGARDLESS OF THE REASONS THAT PEOPLE CITE. CAN I MAKE ONE MORE STATEMENT, MR. MAYOR? SURE. SO AGAIN, I THINK OUR CASE IS VERY UNIQUE BEING THE FACT THAT, AGAIN, WE WERE SUBMITTING DOCUMENTS, WE WERE PAYING FEES, WE WERE TOLD, WE LITERALLY SAT DOWN WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S PLANNING DEPARTMENT, CITY OFFICE OF ENGINEERS AND CODE ENFORCEMENT, AND WE WERE TOLD THAT WE COULD HAVE A 40 FOOT SIGN. AGAIN, WE HAD SIX OTHER COMPETITORS THAT WERE ALL DOING DEVELOPMENTS AND RENOVATIONS AROUND THE SAME TIME. AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE SITUATION, MR. MAYER. WELL, AND MAYBE, AND SO I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT IN THE PRESIDENT, IT MAY BE VERY UNIQUE, BUT IN THE HISTORY OF [00:50:01] OUR ASSIGNED ORDINANCES, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS NEVER GRANTED A VARIANCE. THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME, REGARDLESS OF THE FACT PATTERN, REGARDLESS OF THE FACT PATTERN, THAT THIS COUNCIL WOULD VOTE, UH, TO GRANT A VARIANCE THE VERY FIRST TIME, REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER YOUR PARTICULAR FACT PATTERN MAY BE. AND THE REALITY IS, IS THAT ONCE THIS COUNCIL STARTS GRANTING A VARIANCE FOR ONE, WHETHER IT'S CHICK-FIL-A, BURGER KING OR WHATABURGER, THEN WE FACE THE THE PRESSURE OF OF, OF OTHERS BRINGING UP CHICK-FIL-A AND SAID WHAT WE DID FOR ONE, WE OUGHT TO BE SENSITIVE IN DOING IT FOR ANOTHER. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. UH, BUT I'M GOING TO ADHERE TO THE WORDS OF MY MOM THAT SOMETIMES LIFE IS NOT FAIR. BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO NAVIGATE THROUGH IT. AND A VARIANCE HERE CREATES A PRECEDENCE FOR A VARIANCE FOR THE NEXT ENTITY. MY, MY TAKE, I'LL LEAVE IT TO THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. COUNCIL MEMBER KUMAR MAYOR. THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS TOLD US REPEATEDLY WHEN THESE ISSUES COME UP THAT WE CAN ONLY, UH, WE CAN ONLY LOOK AT THE RECORD. THAT'S CORRECT. SO ANYTHING THEY SEND US IS IRRELEVANT. WE THAT'S CORRECT. AND SO, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE HERE TALKING TO US, EVEN THAT ACCORDING TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, IS IRRELEVANT. RIGHT? SO VERIFY THEY CAN ONLY LOOK AT THE RECORD FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEBODY SAID SOMETHING TO YOU IN WHATEVER DEPARTMENT. AND IF THAT IS NOT IN THE RECORD, IF THAT IS NOT ALREADY IN THE RECORD, EVEN IF YOU OR SOMEONE ELSE SAYS SOMETHING, IF IT'S NOT IN THE RECORD, IT CANNOT BE CONSIDERED. OKAY? AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY, VERY CLEAR THAT WE ARE CONSTRAINED BY THE RECORD. AND IF YOU ARE SAYING TO ME THAT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING TODAY IS ALL IN THE RECORD ALREADY, THAT'S ONE THING. I'VE SHARED RECEIPTS WITH YOU. I'VE SHARED EMAILS AND RECEIPTS WITH YOU ALL. IF IT'S IN THE RECORD, IT'S IN THE RECORD. WELL, WE SHALL SEE. OKAY. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER. GALL GOES. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, AND THANK YOU MR. DAVIS, UH, FOR BEING HERE AGAIN. AND, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR JUST, UH, SPEAKING WITH YOU LAST WEEK AFTER THE, UH, UH, MEETING LAST WEEK, UM, BRIEFLY. UM, I KNOW YOU HAD STATED IN YOUR COMMENTS RIGHT NOW THAT, UH, IF Y'ALL DON'T HAVE A 40 FOOT SIGN THAT IT COULD AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS NOW. ABSOLUTELY. I I HAVE TO, UH, RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH YOU 'CAUSE I GO BY THERE SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. UH, AND THERE'S A LONG LINE OF CARS, A LONG LINE OF CARS, UH, WAITING TO BE SERVED. SO TO SAY IT'S GOING TO AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS. I, I, I, AGAIN, I JUST, UH, RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH YOU. UH, HERE, HERE YOU'VE GOT CHICK-FIL-A, UH, YOU'VE GOT CANNES BURGER KING, YOU HAVE AN OPEN LOT, YOU HAVE POPEYE'S, AND YOU HAVE AN OPEN LOT. SO WHEN THE MAYOR SAYS THIS IS GONNA SET PRECEDENCE, AND LIKE I STATED LAST WEEK, MORE THAN LIKELY THESE TWO OPEN LOTS ARE GONNA BE FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS SINCE FIVE OF THEM ARE ALREADY FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS. SO IF THE, IF COUNCIL WOULD APPROVE THE, THE 40 FOOT SIGN, I MEAN, I COULD IMAGINE WHOEVER COMES IN ON THESE TWO LOTS, THEY'RE GONNA WANT A 40 FOOT SIGN ALSO. SO WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING A, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, A, A AIRPORT CORRIDOR, UH, AND HAVING A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN SUPPORT OF AN AIRPORT CORRIDOR, UH, TO PROTECT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE CORRIDORS TO AND FROM OUR AIRPORTS AND INTO DOWNTOWN? UH, AGAIN, I REPRESENT DISTRICT. I, UH, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION ON THIS SINCE, UM, NOVEMBER OF 2017 THROUGH JULY 29TH, 2020. UH, AND, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, THE ONES THAT HAD BEEN CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO, UH, THE ONES THAT ATTENDED THESE WERE IN SUPPORT OF, OF THIS AIRPORT CORRIDOR. UH, SO AGAIN, I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES, UH, TO MOTION TO EXTEND SECOND, ANY OBJECTION. YOUR THANK GRANTED. THANK YOU AGAIN. I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES TO AGAIN, UM, ADHERE TO WHAT WE VOTED ON UNANIMOUSLY, UH, FOR THIS AIRPORT CORRIDOR. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMAN P*****K, CAN I MAKE A COMMENT TO TWO OF THE COMMENTS? I, YOU, YOU CAN PICK IT UP WITH COUNCILMAN POLLACK. YES, SIR. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU MR. DAVIS FOR COMING AGAIN. UM, MAYOR, ON THE FIRST DAY OF LAW SCHOOL, WE LEARNED ONE THING. THE FIRST THINGS WE LEARNED IS NO MATTER THE RULE, THERE'S ALWAYS AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE, AND YOU NEEDED TO HAVE GOTTEN ANOTHER PROFESSOR. WE , WE, WE ALWAYS, WE ALWAYS LEARN THAT NOTHING IS ABSOLUTE WHEN IT COMES TO THE RULE OF LAW. SO, AND I ALSO [00:55:01] THINK THAT ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS PHRASES IN BUSINESS IS WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT THIS WAY, RIGHT? WE, WE, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO JUST LIVE IN A BOX WHERE, UM, THINGS COULD BE FAIR IF WE WERE TO BE CREATIVE ABOUT IT. I THINK IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, IT'S A VERY UNIQUE SITUATION. AND IF WE'RE THE ONES THAT CAN CREATE THE, WHATEVER THAT EXCEPTION MAY LOOK LIKE, THEN WE CAN DO IT NARROWLY ENOUGH TO WHERE IT ONLY AFFECTS THEM TO, TO COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS IS POINT ABOUT THE OPEN LOTS. I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE OPEN LOTS STARTED TO HAVE THEIR PERMITTING DONE BEFORE THE SIGN ORDINANCE WAS DONE, BUT IF, IF, IF THEY DID NOT, THEN IT WOULDN'T APPLY TO WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING TODAY. THIS PARTICULAR VENDOR HAS ESTABLISHED THAT THEY WERE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF, UM, DEVELOPING AND SUBMITTING PERMITS AND EVEN RECEIVED A RECEIPT BEFORE THE, UM, ORDINANCE OR POLICY WENT INTO EFFECT. AND SO IT IS BASICALLY CHANGING THE RULES AS, AS IT'S GOING ON. THEY ALSO ESTABLISHED THAT IF IT WAS NOT FOR AN UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCE, WHICH WAS, UH, A PANDEMIC, THAT THE PROCESS WOULD GO MUCH QUICKER AND THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE RECEIVED EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEEDED IN ORDER TO GET THE SIGN IN PLACE. AND SO WE ARE THE ONES THAT GET TO DECIDE BASED ON ALL OF THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, TO SAY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP A BUSINESS OWNER WHO EMPLOYS, UH, RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY TO ENSURE THAT THINGS ARE FAIR? NOT TO GIVE THEM MORE, BUT NOT TO GIVE THEM LESS. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER REGARDING THEIR PARTICULAR CASE. AND, UM, NOT TRY TO MAKE IT TO WHERE IF WE DO SOMETHING FOR THEM, WE HAVE TO DO IT FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE EVERYONE IS NOT IN THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATION. AND, AND EVERYONE DID NOT HAVE THOSE PERMITS AND RECEIPTS BEFOREHAND LIKE THEY DID. THANK YOU. OKAY, LET ME DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO MR. DAVIS. NOW, WE CAN ARGUE THAT TOMORROW AT, AT NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF TODAY, LET'S BE DEFERENTIAL TO THE, TO THE PERSON WHO'S COMING TO TEST THE, TO TO SPEAK, UH, TO US. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I'LL, I'LL WITHHOLD MY, MY COMMENTS UNTIL I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE A VERY ROBUST DEBATE TOMORROW MORNING. BUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS POINT, AND THIS IS IN HIS DISTRICT. MM-HMM . HELP ME UNDERSTAND, UM, THE CONCERNS ABOUT HAVING A SMALLER SIGN. IS IT THAT IT WON'T MATCH OTHERS? IS IT THE VISIBILITY? IS IT THE COST OF CHANGING THE PLANS FOR THE, WHAT'S THE COST TO YOU? I'M NOT GONNA GO WITH, UM, PEOPLE AREN'T GONNA KNOW ABOUT IT BECAUSE PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THE CHICK-FIL-A IS. OKAY, , I KNOW WHERE IT IS. SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COST TO THE BUSINESS IS OTHER THAN THAT. OKAY, SO, UM, UM, FOR THE, THE, THE SAKE OF NOT PUTTING, YOU KNOW, MRS. CHEN, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE INFORMATION OUT THERE, I I, I DO WANNA STATE THIS FACT, AND IT GOES TO THE POINT THAT, UM, COUNCILMAN GOGOS MADE, WE OPENED THE STORE WITHOUT A SIGN, UM, AND WE'VE BEEN OPEN NOW FOR ALMOST 2, 2, 3 WEEKS WITHOUT A SIGN HER. THIS IS FACT, HER NUMBERS ARE, ARE DRASTICALLY LOWER THAN A CHICK-FIL-A OPENS CITY OF HOUSTON, ANY CITY. AND SO, SO THAT'S, WE, WE SEE THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT THAT HAVING NO SIGN IMPACTS HER. I, I DIDN'T SAY NO SIGN. AND TO, TO YOUR POINT TO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UM, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, HAVING A SMALLER SIGN ACTUALLY DOES NOT GIVE HER VISIBILITY TO THE FREEWAY. ESSENTIALLY RIGHT NOW, ALL THE SIGNS ADJACENT TO HER AT 42 FEET. AND IF SHE'S AT 30, NOT ONLY WILL IT NOT GIVE HER THE ONLY INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO SEE HER SIGN AND SEE HER STORE, OR ESSENTIALLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN OFF THE EXIT. AND THEN THE, THE LAST POINT THAT I, THE LAST POINT THAT I'LL MAKE, UM, MOTION TO EXTEND ANY OBJECTION, CHAIR, STAND GRANTED, YOU CAN CARRY. OKAY, THANK YOU. AND THEN THE, THE, THE LAST POINT THAT I'LL MAKE IS, UM, AND I, AND I LOST THE BELL, KIND OF THREW ME OFF A LITTLE BIT. UM, FREEWAY, FREEWAY, 40 FOOT SIGN. SO THERE, THERE IS. SO IF THE, THE LAST POINT THAT I'LL MAKE IS THIS 30 FOOT SIGN IS ABSOLUTELY GONNA BE A EYESORE. WHEN YOU, WHEN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS DEVELOPMENT, AND THERE ARE ESSENTIALLY 6, 6, 6 DEVELOPMENTS ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER. ALL THEIR SIGNS ARE, ARE BRAND NEW, SAME SI, SAME HEIGHT. AND THEN OURS IS GONNA BE 10 FOOT LOWER AND A SMALLER SQUARE FOOTAGE. SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE BEAUTIFICATION, I I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S GONNA STICK OUT. IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S NOT GONNA BEAUTIFY THE AREA. WELL, SO I JUST WANNA SPEAK TO THAT PARTICULAR POINT. I GOT IT. THEY ALL STICK OUT. LET'S BE CLEAR. BUT YOU DON'T, JUST TO YOUR POINT ABOUT, UH, [01:00:01] LOWER ATTENDANCE, COULD THAT NOT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT? THERE ARE SIX OTHER FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS ALL IN THE LINE RIGHT THERE. AB ABSOLUTELY NOT THAT, THAT'S, AND, AND NOT, NOT FROM AGAIN, AN ARROGANCE STANDPOINT, BUT, UM, WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE KNOW THAT CHICK-FIL-A IS THERE, WHEN THEY SEE CHICK-FIL-A, HONESTLY, AND, AND AGAIN, THIS IS A BENEFIT TO OTHER BUSINESSES. WE DRAW BUSINESS TO OTHER BUSINESSES AROUND US. IF, IF YOU TALK TO MRS. CHEN, SHE'S ALREADY ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE CANS WITH BURGER KING, AND THEY'RE ALL EXCITED ABOUT US BEING THERE BECAUSE I, I HAVE NO DOUBT ABOUT THIS ISN'T A VOTE ABOUT LIKING CHICK-FIL-A, NOT LIKING CHICK-FIL-A, JUST TO BE CLEAR. BUT I APPRECIATE THE, THE INPUT. AND I JUST WANNA SAY THIS IS TOTALLY ABOUT, THIS IS NOT ABOUT CHICK-FIL-A IS GONNA BE FINE, RIGHT? THIS IS, THIS IS ABOUT MRS. CHEN, WHO IS A LOCAL RESIDENT. HER BUSINESS, HER BUSINESS IS GONNA BE IMPACTED. SOMEONE WHO IS HIRING YOUTH, TRAINING YOUTH UP IN LEADERSHIP, GIVING SCHOLARSHIPS, TRULY, POSITIVELY IMPACTING THE COMMUNITY. AND I'M, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. THAT'S WHY I'VE PHONED HERE FIVE TIMES. I HAVE THIS CONVERSATION TO MAKE SURE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY I CAN SUPPORT HER. AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL GIVE HER A FAIR SHOT IN SUPPORTING HER AS WELL. MAY I APPROACH YOUR MARTIN? YES. THANK YOU, SIR. YOU, YOU LOST ME. WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE SIGN. AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE I LIVE IN AN AREA THAT HAS RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS AND I GO TO CHICK-FIL-A MORE TIMES THAN I'D LIKE TO ADMIT. AND THEY HAVE GREAT FOOD, BUT BUSINESS IS NOT GONNA RUN AWAY FROM YOU BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE A SIGN THAT'S HIGH IN THE SKY BECAUSE WE DON'T ALLOW SIGNS. AND THE CHICK-FIL-A THAT I WENT TO LAST NIGHT, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT NINE 30 TO GET MY FAVORITE ICE CREAM MILKSHAKE, DIDN'T HAVE A SIGN THERE. AND ACROSS THE STREET THEY HAVE A RAISINS CANES, THEY HAVE A WHATABURGER, THEY HAVE A BURGER KING, A MCDONALD'S, AND THE LINE AT CHICK-FIL-A IS DOWN THE STREET AND THEY DON'T HAVE A SIGN, BUT THE BURGER KING HAS A SIGN BECAUSE THEY HAD IT BEFORE WE HAD THE RESTRICTED COVENANTS AND SUPPLY. SO CHICK-FIL-A'S GONNA BE FINE. YOU RUN A GOOD BUSINESS. I TEND TO VOTE WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT REPRESENTS THAT DISTRICT. I THINK THAT HIS WEIGHT AND HIS OPINION WEIGHS MORE WITH ME BECAUSE I DON'T WANT ANYONE COMING INTO MY AREA AND TELLING ME THEY THINK THEY KNOW BETTER THAN I WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS. SO I'D APPRECIATE A LITTLE QUIET OVER THERE, BUT, UH, I, UM, I ALSO AM GONNA VOTE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS TOMORROW ON THIS. BUT THANKS FOR COMING AND I WILL TELL YOU, UH, MR. DAVIS, AND, AND LOOK, I APPRECIATE YOUR REPRESENTATION. IT WASN'T A SIGN THAT KIND OF KEPT ME AWAY FROM CHICK-FIL-A. IT'S WHEN Y'ALL ENTERED THE KALE SALAD. UH, SO, SO LET, LET'S JUST, LET'S JUST TALK BRAS TACK, YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS NOT THE SIGN. BRING BACK THE KALE SALAD. AND THEN I, I, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT IT WASN'T A SIGN. I, SO JUST, JUST FOR THE RECORD, I JUST, I JUST WANTED, I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT BACK IN. COUNCIL GOT HICCUPS. . THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, TO, TO, TO, UH, RESPOND TO COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD'S, UH, COMMENTS IN REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION AND WHAT HAVE YOU. WELL, THIS UNIQUE SITUATION, I UNDERSTAND FROM THE, UH, ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ALREADY RECEIVING CALLS FROM OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE WANTING, ARE ASKING ABOUT THEIR SIGNS. UH, SO AGAIN, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, WE'RE OPENING A, A CAN OF WORMS IN, IN REGARDS TO, THERE'S NEVER BEEN A VARIANCE IN REGARDS TO THE SIGNAGE. UH, AND BY US DOING THIS, THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE OTHER PEOPLE CALLING IN. UH, 'CAUSE THEY'RE, LIKE I SAID, LAST WEEK, THERE'S ANOTHER FAST FOOD RESTAURANT A FEW BLOCKS AWAY THAT'S BEING CONSTRUCTED RIGHT NOW. AND THEY WILL BE CALLING IN ASKING THAT THEY WANT A 40 FOOT SIGN. UM, IN REGARDS TO YOUR COMMENTS, AGAIN, UH, THAT, THAT YOU NEED A TALLER SIGN AGAIN, I'VE BEEN ON THE GULF FREEWAY. I LOOK TOWARDS THESE NEW RESTAURANTS AND THERE'S OAK TREES. CAN'T EVEN SEE THE SIGNS. YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE THE SIGNS, EXCEPT THAT NEW RAMP THAT TDOT BUILT. BUT THAT'S COMING FROM TELEPHONE ROAD. BUT THE GULF FREEWAY ITSELF, YOU CAN'T SEE THESE SIGNS BECAUSE THERE'S OAK TREES IN FRONT OF THESE SIGNS. UH, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S URGENT TO HAVE A 40 FOOT SIGN, 40 FOOT GRANTED. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. OKAY, MR. DAVIS, I GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD AGAIN. WELL, I'M, I'M GONNA YIELD THE FLOOR TO, TO MS. CHEN. SHE'S NEXT. AGAIN, I, I WOULD HOPE COUNCILMAN GOGOS THAT, UM, YOU, YOU WOULD HEAR HER, UM, HER SENTIMENTS, UH, AS A, AS A CITIZEN OF YOUR DISTRICT. AND, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT ABOUT CHICK-FIL-A, THIS IS TOTALLY ABOUT MS. BECKY CHEN, UM, AND THE IMPACT THAT THIS WILL HAVE ON HER BUSINESS. AND I AM JUST REQUESTING, AGAIN, THAT YOU ALL VOTE NO, UM, IN ORDER TO GIVE US AN OPTION TO, UH, TO WIN THIS APPEAL. FOUR 45TH SIGN. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER, FRANCIS DIES. FRANCIS. [01:05:04] FRANCIS, GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. I HOPE THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE AND VOTE NO ON THIS APPEAL REGARDING THE CHICK-FIL-A AND THEIR 40 FOOT SIGN THAT IS THE SAME AS THE OTHER BUSINESSES NEXT TO THEM. THANK YOU FOR TAKE, TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO US. AND IN MANY OPINIONS, THIS IS A MATTER OF TIMING AND UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES. NOBODY IS PERFECT. IT IS, IT IS. IT TAKES TIME TO UNDERSTAND AND COMPREHEND CHANGES TO RULES THAT WERE APPROVED BY THE CITY. MAYBE WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM THIS ORDINANCE CHANGE AND MAKE SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS, PARTNER WITH CHAMBERS AND GET THE WORD OUT TOGETHER. I KNOW YOU WILL NOT GET OTHER BUSINESSES COMING AFTER THIS RULING, ASKING FOR SIMILAR PERMISSION, ESPECIALLY IN THE EAST END, AS I AM GOING TO DO MY PART AND ADD THIS ORDINANCE TO OUR WEBSITE. AND ALSO SHARE THESE UPDATES WITH NEW BUSINESSES SO THERE ARE NO SURPRISES, INCLUDING THE NEW BUSINESSES THAT IS OPENED BY THE SEVEN 11 THAT WAS REFERRED EARLIER. I AM ALSO GONNA INCLUDE LINKS TO BOTH COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS AND CISNEROS NEWSLETTERS SO THAT ALL BUSINESSES CAN BECOME, GET VALUABLE INFORMATION AND BE MORE INFORMED. I AM ASKING FOR GRACE IN THIS NEW RULE. COUNCIL MEMBER KASH? YES. UH, YOU DIDN'T IDENTIFY YOUR ROLE? WHO, WHO ARE YOU? I MEAN, I KNOW YOUR NAME. ABSOLUTELY. AND I WAS, I DIDN'T EVEN FINISH MY ONE MINUTE. SO MY NAME IS FRANCIS CAST AND ICE, AND I'M PRESIDENT OF THE EAST END CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THERE YOU GO. THAT'S WHAT I NEEDED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK AND FRANCIS, WHERE YOU FINISH? YES SIR. NO. GOT ONE MORE SENTENCE? YOU MAY. OKAY. I'M ASKING FOR GRACE IN THIS RENEWAL NEW RULE BECAUSE IT IS A PERFECT STORM. IT'S ABOUT TIMING, PERMITTING, NEW ORDINANCES, ET CETERA. SO PLEASE HELP US WITH THIS EXCEPTION THAT, AND NOT SET, IT WILL NOT SET A PRECEDENT FOR OTHER BUSINESSES, BUT SHOW THAT THE CITY LISTENS AND CAN RELATE TO CIRCUM SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES LIKE THE ONE IN FRONT OF YOU. SO THANK YOU. THANKS. THANKS, FRANCIS. OKAY. OKAY. ALRIGHT. NEXT SPEAKER. REBECCA CHEN. MS. CHEN. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR AND DISTINGUISHED COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS BECKY CHEN. I'M THE OWNER OPERATOR OF THE CHICK-FIL-A ON 45 AND WOODRIDGE, I'M APPEALING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE NO TO THIS ORDINANCE AND TO ALLOW MY RESTAURANT TO ERECT THE SIGN AT 42 FEET, WHICH IS THE SAME AS THE OTHERS IN MY CENTER. IN ADDITION, CONTRARY TO WHAT HAS BEEN STATED, I DRIVE 45 AS WELL, AND THE OAK TREES DO NOT OBSTRUCT IN THAT WAY. WHATEVER LINES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN SEEN WAS A DIS DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCE. WE ARE VERY IMPACTED EVEN NOW WITH NO LINES. UH, SO IF YOU WANNA DRIVE BY, FEEL FREE TO DRIVE BY AT ANY TIME. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE LINES THAT WE'RE SEEING SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO I WANNA REITERATE THAT HAVING A 31 FOOT VERSUS 42 FOOT SIGN ACTUALLY CREATES MORE VISUAL CLUTTER. IF WE HAVE A, A LINE OF SIGNS AT 42 AND A COUPLE OF NOT 50 OR ABOVE, THE 31 WILL ACTUALLY BLOCK MORE VISIBILITY, WHICH IS CONTRARY TO WHAT I THINK WE WANNA DO, WHICH IS THE BEAUTIFICATION. SO I WANNA DRAW THAT YOUR ATTENTION TO THAT. IN FACT, THE 31 FOOT SIGN WILL ALSO, UM, BLOCK THE VISIBILITY OF TREES AND PLANT LIFE IN OUR AREA AS TO OTHER BUSINESSES. I'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER MINUTE. AS TO OTHER BUSINESSES THAT SOME BELIEVE WOULD TRY TO ASK FOR THE SAME EXCEPTION. THE QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER IS WHETHER THEIR SITUATION REALLY IS SIMILAR. DID THEY SUBMIT AND RECEIVE DOCUMENTATION FROM PLANS BEFORE THE ORDINANCE WAS CHANGED? THAT REALLY IS THE FACT. CONSIDER WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR VOTE, THAT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCILMAN MCCAIN? THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, MS. CHIN, I JUST HAD A A QUICK QUESTION. IN TERMS OF YOUR BACKGROUND. DO YOU OWN OTHER FRANCHISES CURRENTLY? I DO CURRENTLY OWN THE SECOND RESTAURANT, YES, MA'AM. OKAY. I, I APPRECIATE ALL, EVERYTHING. I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING CORPORATE DOWN HERE TO SPEAK ON YOUR BEHALF, YOU HAVE, UH, A STRONG VILLAGE. AND AGAIN, WE, WE APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW SOME OF YOUR BACKGROUND AS WELL IN TERMS OF BUSINESS THERE. YES, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBER KASH, ISN'T THERE A CHICK-FIL-A'S RIGHT ACROSS THE FREEWAY. ON THE OTHER SIDE, THERE'S A CHICK-FIL-A, MY FIRST RESTAURANT, WHICH IS A MILE AND A HALF, UH, UP THE ROAD ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. YES, SIR. . OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLACK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, SINCE YOU HAVE ANOTHER CHICK-FIL-A RESTAURANT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FREEWAY, UM, AND YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE ON WHAT THE TURNOUT WAS WITH THAT OPENING, CAN YOU TELL US THE DIFFERENCE, UM, WITH THE, UM, PATRONAGE THAT YOU HAVE AT THE SECOND LOCATION, UM, SINCE YOU HAVE NO SIGN THERE? SURE, OF COURSE. THANKS. UM, WE OPENED 10 YEARS AGO. WE OPENED THE WAYSIDE LOCATION, AND, UH, WE DID MORE THAN TWICE OF WHAT WE OPENED AT, AT THIS CURRENT LOCATION. UM, SO WE, SO IN TALKING WITH MY NEIGHBORS, THEY ACTUALLY EXPECTED A MUCH LARGER OPENING FROM US AS WELL. UH, WE HIRED SECURITY OFFICERS TO MAINTAIN TRAFFIC FLOW FOR THAT REASON, AND OBVIOUSLY [01:10:01] IT WAS IMPACTED TO THE NEGATIVE BECAUSE OF THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. SHAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER, ANDREA FRENCH. ANDREA FRENCH IS HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M ANDREA FRENCH, SCENIC HOUSTON'S RECENTLY APPOINTED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. I'M DELIGHTED TO NOW LEAD AN ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON THE BEAUTIFICATION AND VISUAL CHARACTER OF OUR CITY AND REGION'S LIVABLE AND DESTINATION SPACES. WE ARE THE KEEPERS OF THIS VISION, AND WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY HONORED TO BE THE VOICE FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS WANTING A MORE SCENIC PLACE TO CALL HOME. I AM BEFORE YOU TODAY TO COMMENT ON ITEM 42 FOR COUNSEL TO MAKE A DETERMINATION REGARDING THE APPEAL FROM CHICK-FIL-A ON THE DECISION OF THE SIGNED ADMINISTRATION TO DENY AN ON-PREMISE SIGN. FIRST, I WANT TO GENUINELY THANK EACH OF YOU FOR THE THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION ON THIS ISSUE TODAY. AND DURING LAST WEEK'S COUNCIL SESSION, AFTER SEVERAL HOURS OF BUDGET DELIBERATIONS, IT WOULD'VE BEEN EASY TO APPROACH THIS APPEAL AS SIMPLY ONE SIGN AMONGST MANY OTHERS, CLIMBING UNDER THE OLD SIDE CODE TO CROWD VISUAL SPACE, AND CLUTTER OUR CORRIDORS. AND WITH THE UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF THE AIRPORT CORRIDOR, SIGN CODE CHANGES BACK IN JULY OF 2020, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE PRESERVATION OF OUR SCENIC AND VISUAL SPACES IS TO ALL OF YOU. IF WE DO NOT ENFORCE THE RULES WE HAVE IN PLACE, WE RUN THE RISK OF WAKING UP TO A HOUSTON THAT FAILS TO REPRESENT OUR VALUES, VALUES THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SHINE BRIGHTLY ALONG OUR GATEWAY CORRIDORS, AND YES, ATTRACT MORE BUS VISITORS AND BUSINESS TO THESE AREAS IN THE LONG RUN. CMA HOUSTON IS ABSOLUTELY SYMPATHETIC TO THE TIMELINE FOR THIS APPEAL, AND WE SINCERELY HOPE THAT CHICK-FIL-A AND FUTURE BUSINESSES VIEW THIS NEW SIGN CODE NOT AS PUNITIVE, BUT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A LEADING AND SHINING EXAMPLE FOR SUPPORTING OUR CITY'S CONTINUED BEAUTIFICATION EFFORTS. IT IS MORE ABOUT BEING PART OF WHAT'S NEXT FOR HOUSTON THAN FIGHTING TO BE PART OF WHAT WAS. WE DO NOT WANT TO CREATE A PRECEDENT FOR FUTURE VARIANCE REQUESTS AND CONTINUE TO GO BACKWARDS IN TIME FOR ALL OF THESE REASONS. SENA HOUSTON REQUESTS THAT CITY COUNCIL VOTE YES TODAY, TOMORROW TO UPHOLD THE APPEAL DENIAL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION OF THIS REQUEST. COUNCILMAN KAMA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, ANDREA, GREAT TO SEE YOU, UH, AND REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU WHERE YOU ARE NOW. THANK YOU. REALLY QUICKLY, UH, HOW EXTENSIVE WAS THE ENGAGEMENT AND THOUGHT THAT WENT INTO THIS, THIS ORDINANCE AND THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH EXTENSIVE? I CAN, I WILL. FULL TRANSPARENCY. I WAS NOT, YOU KNOW, LEADING SCENIC AT THE TIME, BUT, UM, ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD AND ALL OF THE DOWNLOADS THAT I'VE HAD ON THE INFORMATION AND THE TIMELINE, UH, FOR THAT SIGN CODE, IT, IT WAS EXTREME ENGAGEMENT. UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, I LOOK BACK AND I THOUGHT ABOUT THE TIMELINE WHEN THIS PASSED, AND WE WERE, WE WERE VERY MUCH IN THE THROES OF COVID. YES. BUT TO ME, THAT SENDS A SIGNAL HOW IMPORTANT THIS CHANGE WAS TO CITY COUNCIL, THAT IT WAS A UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF THIS, OF THE SIGN CODE CHANGE AT A TIME WHEN THERE WAS A LOT OF OTHER THINGS GOING ON. AND THAT, TO ME, SAYS A LOT ABOUT, I KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL REALLY, REALLY VALUES, UH, THESE SIGN CODE RULES. UH, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, TIME COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS CAN LIKELY SPEAK BETTER TO THIS, AND I KNOW IT CAME TO QUALITY OF LIFE TWICE, UM, BUT THIS WAS OVER THE COURSE OF YEARS, UM, THAT THIS WAS THOUGHT OUT. AND I BELIEVE, UM, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, UH, OTHER ORDINANCES HAVE INCLUDED INTENTIONALLY GRANDFATHER CLAUSES, CORRECT? RIGHT. THAT'S CORRECT, YES. AND THERE'S A REASON WHY THAT WOULD NOT HAVE INCLUDED IN THIS, RIGHT. BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO GO FORWARD AND WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID WHAT'S HAPPENING IN, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS ISSUE RIGHT NOW TODAY. SO, OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN GALLEGOS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK, THANK YOU MS. FRENCH. MM-HMM. WELCOME ABOARD ON SCENIC HOUSTON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, AND, AND THANK YOU FOR SCENIC HOUSTON FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DID TO BEAUTIFY OUR CITY. UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, 20 YEARS AGO, CITY COUNCIL DESIGNATED A PORTION OF THE SOUTHWEST FREEWAY, UH, AS A, UM, UH, SCENIC DISTRICT. IT'S FROM I 69, BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND SIX 10. UH, AND THAT WAS 20 YEARS AGO. UH, AND THEN INDIVIDUAL SIGN ON A PREMISE, UH, IT CAN ONLY BE 14 FEET TALL. UM, AND THERE IS A CHICK-FIL-A AND I DON'T SEE THEM HERE COMPLAINING THAT THEY WANT A 40 FOOT SIGN, UH, AND THEY HAVE A 14 FOOT SIGN ALONG THE SOUTHWEST FREEWAY. UH, SO AGAIN, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, UH, AND I'LL, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN KASH? YES. WOULD YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR THE, FOR THE RECORD, STATE WHO YOU ARE, WHO YOU REPRESENT? [01:15:01] SURE. UH, ANDREA FRENCH, AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR SCENIC HOUSTON. THANKS, COUNCIL. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UM, AND WELCOME MS. FRIEND. I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU IN THIS NEW ROLE. UM, I WAS PART OF, OF CITY COUNCIL IN THE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF THE, UM, THE AIRLINE COURT OR ORDINANCE. AND, AND I, I THINK THAT GRANTING THIS VARIANCE IS, IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE, AND THAT IT WILL SET A PRECEDENT. UM, I'M SYMPATHETIC TO THE, THE CIRCUMSTANCES HERE, UM, BUT I'M, I'M NOT PERSUADED BY THE ARGUMENTS. AND I WILL, UM, I RESPECT THE, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGO, AND I WILL BE VOTING WITH HIM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS, ANDREA. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. BARRINGTON NOTICE. BARRINGTON NOTICE. BARRINGTON NOTICE. NEXT SPEAKER. LEE WALTON. LEE WALTON LEE WALTON. LEE WALTON. NEXT SPEAKER. GLADYS HOUSE. L GLADYS HOUSE. GLADYS HOUSE. L HMM. P ONLINE PLEASE. CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU, GLADYS. OKAY, GOOD. YEAH, I, I'M JUST, UH, FOLLOWING UP ON, UM, TWO MATTERS, BOTH UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE FOURTH WAR REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MAYOR. AND, UH, I WANT TO THANK SAL FOR HIS WORK ON THE CURB, UH, STREET SIGNS, UH, 'CAUSE WE NEED TO STOP THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CURB SIGNS IN FRIEDMANS TOWN AS THE STREET PAVEMENT IS GOING IN. AND TWO, I WANT TO THANK WILLIAM PAUL FOR LOOKING INTO THE THREE HOUSES, HISTORIC HOUSES IN THE 1400 BLOCK OF, OF ROBIN STREET, SO WE CAN GET THOSE HOUSES RESTORED. HE INFORMED ME TODAY THAT, UH, HE'S GOING TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION LATER THIS EVENING ON THAT. SO I, I APPRECIATE HOW, UH, THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD. UM, TRY TO, TRY AND HELP PRESERVE OUR HERITAGE IN FRIEDMANS TOWN. THANKS, GLADYS. AND WILLIAM, OH, WAS STANDING RIGHT BEHIND ME. UH, YES. OH, I'M SORRY. HE'S STANDING RIGHT BEHIND ME, SO WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU. UH, GLADYS. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER. AMANDA LUNA. AMANDA, AMANDA, LUNA. IF YOU'RE PRESS STAR SIX. AMANDA, LUNA. AMANDA, NEXT SPEAKER. ALLISON, AN SORRY, ALLISON, AN SORRY. IF YOU'LL PRESS STAR SIX. ALLISON, AN SORRY. STAR SIX. ALLISON, NEXT SPEAKER. JORDAN. AN SORRY, JORDAN, AND, SORRY, PRESS STAR SIX. JORDAN, AN SORRY, JORDAN. NEXT SPEAKER. ANTHONY FOND. ANTHONY FOND IS ANTHONY HERE. ANTHONY FONG. ANTHONY. NEXT SPEAKER. LEE ENG. LEE ENG. HERE. LEE LEE. LEE ENG. NEXT SPEAKER. JOSEPH BALLARD. JOSEPH BALLARD. IS JOSEPH HERE. JOSEPH BALLARD. JOSEPH JOSEPH. NEXT SPEAKER JOSEPH NI. JOSEPH NEER. JOSEPH NIER IS HERE. IF YOU'LL COME ON DOWN. GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYBODY. THERE YOU GO. GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYBODY. I AM VERY GLAD TO BE HERE AND I'M PROUD OF EVERYONE OF YOU. I HAVE BEEN MAKING, UH, ONE SYSTEM THAT I'M GOING TO READ IT TO YOU. HEALTHY AND SAFE AIR WITH NEW FILTRATION SYSTEM, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF FILTERER, WHICH ARE RAPIDLY INTO EACH OTHER. EACH TER CONTAIN A SPECIAL CHEMICAL AGENT TO ELIMINATE VIRUS AND TOXIC GAS. AS SOON AS, AS, AS ONE STARTED A VACUUM PUMP, ALL, ALL, AND MOST OF THE AIR FROM THE TOP OF THE SYSTEM WOULD CARRY OUT TO THE FILTERS AND CREATE EMPTINESS INNER THE SIDE [01:20:01] OF THE SYSTEM AND CONTAMINATED AIR, TOXIC GAS AND DUST GET SUCTIONED INTO THE SYSTEM FROM THE ENTRY PIPE, POLLUTED AIR PIPE INLET PIPE WILL STARTED FROM A FIRST FILTER TO THE LAST FILTERER, WHERE THE EACH FILTERER INCLUDES A DIFFERENT CHEMICAL AGENT, TOXIC TO THE DIFFERENT CONTAMINATED GAS AIR TREATED BY THE CHEMICAL AGENT IN ONE FLEETER FOLLOWS TO THE CONSECUTIVE TREATER FOR TREATMENT BY THE CHEMICAL AGENT IN THE CONSECUTIVE TO THE LAST FLEETER. THE END, WE HAVE PURE AIR EXIT FROM THE OUTLET PIPE. AND I HAVE A PICTURE AT OF THAT IF YOU WANT ME, I CAN HANDLE YOU, CAN YOU FINISH THE MOST IN INTERESTING ABOUT THIS, UH, DEVICE THAT I MADE? YOU CAN USE IT IN, UH, IN SURGERY ROOM. YOU CAN USE IT IN THE ALL DIFFERENT PLACES. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. OKAY. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU BROUGHT US. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER. LOVELY WASHINGTON. LOVELY WASHINGTON. EXCUSE ME. YES. UH, THE THINGS THAT I ACCEPT AND WANTED FROM YOU TO, TO PROVE, TO TEST THAT SYSTEM FOR ME, PLEASE. OKAY. I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT. THANK YOU DEAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER. LOVELY WASHINGTON. LOVELY WASHINGTON HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON. AFTERNOON. I HAVE FOUR COMMENTS I LIKE TO MAKE. THE FIRST ONE IS GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS THROUGH, UM, THE FITNESS CENTER AT HOUSTON FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH THAT PROVIDED ME A SAFE PLACE TO WORK OUT WITHOUT HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION, AND BULLYING. AND I'VE GIVEN EVERYONE A BROCHURE ABOUT THE FITNESS CENTER AT HOUSTON FIRST BAPTIST, AND I WANT TO THANK THEM. I WENT FROM 167 POUNDS AND I'M NOW AT 1 55. SO GOD ANSWERED PRAYER FOR THAT. THE SECOND POINT I WANTED TO MAKE IS THAT I PLAN TO SPEAK BEFORE THE JUDICIARY SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, UM, BEFORE SENATOR DICK DURBIN, BECAUSE I WANT TO SHARE THE HARSH YEARS THAT I'VE EXPERIENCED FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS OF BEING HARASSED FOLLOWED TO SIX STATES. EVEN HAVING PEOPLE GOING TO WHERE MY MOTHER WHO HAS DEMENTIA IN LONG-TERM CARE, TO POKE FUN AT HER AS RETRIBUTION AND, UH, RETALIATION AGAINST, AGAINST ME. ALSO, I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO GO TO CHRIS COLE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND IN AUSTIN OR RECEIVE ANY OF MY LOW VISION DEVICES. I MUST STAND FIRM AND SPEAK OUT FOR MYSELF. I NEVER WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANY OTHER PERSON THAT'S VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND BLIND. IT'S DEVASTATING. THE, UM, FOURTH, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, THE, THE THIRD POINT I WANTED TO MAKE WAS THE REASON I WAS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND RETALIATED AGAINST IS BECAUSE I WOULD NOT KEEP QUIET ABOUT MR. MICHAEL MCCULLOCH AND HIS SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF [01:25:01] WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES. I WILL NOT KEEP SILENT ABOUT THAT. THAT IS WRONG AND ILLEGAL, AND I WON'T KEEP QUIET. UM, SOME OF THE OTHER HARASSMENT THAT I'VE EXPERIENCED WAS BY SOME OF MICHAEL, MR. MICHAEL MCCULLOCH'S FRIENDS, WAS FROM AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND METRO LIFT TEXT, UM, THE LIGHTHOUSE OF HOUSTON OF THE BLIND, AND VIA VISUALLY IMPAIRED ASSOCIATION, WHO HELPED MR. MICHAEL MCCULLOCH THROUGH THE BLUETOOTH, UH, AND TRACKING DEVICES TO HARASS ME AND FOLLOW ME. AND I HAVE ONE LAST POINT. OKAY. I'LL LET YOU FINISH YOUR LAST POINT. OKAY. MY LAST POINT IS, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WOMEN OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION WITH DISABILITIES WILL HAVE A VOICE. MY MOTHER WHO LIVES WITH DEMENTIA TAUGHT ME TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT, NO MATTER THE COST. AND THAT IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO, FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS. THIS IS, THIS IS WRONG. THIS IS WHY I'M SO PASSIONATE ABOUT IT. IT'S WRONG. IT IS DEVASTATING TO A PERSON WHO IS BLIND NOT TO GET RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED. IT IS VERY, HAS BEEN VERY DEVASTATING TO ME IN MY LIFE, NOT TO, UH, HAVE GONE TO CHRIS COLE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND IN AUSTIN, WHERE I CAN GET EXTENSIVE TRAINING TO MAKE MY LIFE BETTER. ALL BECAUSE I WANTED TO DO WHAT WAS RIGHT. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME TO WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT, LITERALLY AND PHYSICALLY. AND THAT IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO. SO I'M ASKING NOT FOR THE MAYOR OR CITY COUNCIL TO DEFEND ME OR PROTECT ME OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, JUST CONNECT ME WITH A JOURNALIST SIMILAR TO JULIE K. BROWN THAT GAVE A VOICE TO THE GIRLS THAT WAS SEXUALLY EXPLOITED BY MR. JEFFREY EPSTEIN. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. I DON'T WANT ANOTHER PERSON, ANOTHER WOMAN WITH A DISABILITY TO EXPERIENCE THIS. AGAIN, I WANNA DO SOMETHING GREAT WITH THE HARSH SIX YEARS THAT I'VE EXPERIENCED. I JUST WANNA DO SOMETHING PO POSITIVE WITH IT, TAKE THE NEGATIVE AND THE EVIL, AND DO SOMETHING POSITIVE. THAT'S ALL I WANT TO DO. SO IF YOU CAN CONNECT ME WITH A JOURNALIST OR A REPORTER SO I CAN SHARE MY EXPERIENCE AND MY STORY, I DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN TO ANYONE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M GONNA HAVE, UH, MY, UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO REACH OUT TO YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND, UH, I ASSUME THE NUMBER THAT, UM, THE NUMBER THAT I HAVE IS THE NUMBER WHERE YOU CAN BE REACHED? YES, SIR. OKAY. THEN I'M GONNA HAVE MY, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, UH, TO REACH OUT TO YOU. OKAY. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. OKAY. OKAY. WILL HEAL WILL HEAL. IT'S WILL HEAL. WILL HEAL. WILL HEAL. NEXT SPEAKER PINNELL STRAWBERRY BRIDGE. PINNELL STRAWBERRY BRIDGE IS PINNELL PINNELL. HERE. PINNELL. STRAWBRIDGE. NEXT SPEAKER. MONTEZ POWELL. MONTEZ POWELL IS HERE. YEAH. MAKE SURE WE PUT IN TOUCH WITH, UH, OKAY. WE'RE DOING FINE, MONTE. I DO. MY NAME IS MONTEZ POWELL, PRESIDENT OF, UH, HIGHWAY AND HEDGES, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. UM, I COME TO SHARE BRIEFLY WITH YOU GUYS, UM, WHICH I HAVE BEFORE. UM, I KNOW WHAT IT IS, UH, TO GROW UP IN A HOME, UH, WITH ABUSIVE PARENTS. I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO, UH, BE ABUSED AND, YOU KNOW, GET OUT ON, UH, STRUNG OUT ON DRUGS. HAVING A FATHER THAT LEFT ME AS A YOUNG CHILD GREW UP AND BEGAN TO SELL DRUGS AND, AND, [01:30:01] AND, AND TO TAKE POLICES ON HIGH SPEED. CHASE. I SAY THAT TO YOU BECAUSE I WANT YOU GUYS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT I KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO HELP THE CITY WITH THE CRIME. I WANTED TO SHARE SOMETHING VERY BRIEF WITH THE TIME I HAVE LEFT, WHICH ALL OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH. VALDI. THE MASS SHOOTING DER ROMAS, 18 YEARS OLD, SHOT HIS GRANDMOTHER IN THE FACE KILLED 19 CHILDREN AND TWO TEACHERS AND INJURED 17 PEOPLE. WHEN I LOOK AT THE HOMICIDE OF HOUSTON, IS IT RIGHT AT, IN THE YEAR OF 2022 IS RIGHT AT 173 HOMICIDES, MR. RAMOS MURDER AT LEAST 9% OF THE TOTAL MURDERS THAT WE HAVE NOW IN 2022. THIS MAN HAD NO CRIMINAL BACKGROUND AT ALL. I SAY ALL OF THIS TO SAY THAT HOW IN HEDGES WE DO, WE TARGET AREAS THAT ARE CRIME INFESTED, GANG BANGERS. THOSE THAT ARE STRUNG OUT ON DRUGS, SOME OF THEM ARE LOOKING FOR A WAY OUTTA THEIR CONDITION. BUT WE ALSO GO TO THE WORLD. WE GO TO THOSE THAT HAVE THE SHIRT AND TIE ON. WE, YOU COULD, YOU IMAGINE HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR MARRIAGES AND ARE ANGRY AND, AND, AND IF THEY WANT TO KILL THEMSELVES, THEY'LL COME AND KILL OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY'RE SUICIDAL. SO WHEN WE COME OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, WE COME TO BRING IT TO EVERYONE. AND SO WE HOW AND HEDGES WE ARE READY. WE HAVE OUR ACTION PLAN ALREADY PREPARED, AND WE ARE READY TO SIT DOWN AND MEET WITH THOSE THAT WE HAVE TO MEET WITH AND SHOW THEM OUR ACTION PLAN. WE READY TO GO TO AREAS THAT EVEN SOME OF THE POLICES ARE, ARE DREADING TO GO, YOU KNOW, FEARING FOR THEIR LIVES. THEY WAKE UP EVERY MORNING, THEY PUT THEIR BADGE ON, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU MS. MS. POWELL? YES, SIR. I CAN'T RECALL, WERE YOU ONE OF THE FOUR THAT I MET WITH? YES, I'M ONE OF THE FOUR YOU MET WITH. OKAY. I THOUGHT YOU WERE IN THE MEETING. OKAY. YES I WAS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP. OKAY. OKAY, NEXT, NEXT. SPEAKER. SOPA ROD. RIGHT. SOPA RODAS IS HERE. I'LL BE S THE INTERPRETER FOR TODAY. THANK YOU. WE GONNA START. HI, MY NAME IS RO. I AM A MEMBER OF SEIU TEXAS AND A JANITOR FOR BUILDING, UH, 1500 POST OAK FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS. THROUGHOUT THE LAST FEW WEEKS, SEVERAL WORKERS HAVE SPOKEN IN FRONT OF COUNSEL OVER OUR CAMPAIGN TO WIN A STRONG UNION CONTRACT. AFTER A MONTH OF NEGOTIATIONS, WE HAVE WON AND RATIFIED A CONTRACT WITH CLEAN CONTRACTORS. WE WANT A TWO YEAR CONTRACT WHERE MOST OF US WILL HAVE PAY RAISES, RANGING FROM 9% TO 24% THE HIGHEST WE HAVE SECURED IN THE UNION'S HISTORY, REPORTING, THE REPORTING. WE ALSO SECURE, UH, AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR IN ADDRESSING SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR CONTRACT, THERE'S LANGUAGE THAT ENCOURAGES WORKERS TO [01:35:01] REPORT SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND PROTECT THOSE WHO REPORTED FROM RETALIATION. WE WANT TO THANK, UH, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR SUPPORTING US IN THIS FIGHT. YOUR SUPPORT TIPPED THE SCALES OF POWER IN FAVOR OF THE WORKERS IN THE CITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALL. APPRECIATE YOU. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER. ANNETTE. ANNETTE JEFFERSON. ANNETTE JEFFERSON. IS ANNETTE. ANNETTE JEFFERSON. NEXT SPEAKER. STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS, STEVE WILLIAMS. STAR SIX STEVE WILLIAMS. STAR SIX. STEVE WILLIAMS. STAR SIX. NEXT SPEAKER. JOHN DONOVAN. JOHN DONOVAN. HERE. JOHN DONOVAN. NEXT SPEAKER. KEVIN STRICKLAND. KEVIN KEVIN STRICKLAND IS HERE. HI. HOW IS EVERYBODY? I HOPE YOU'RE WELL TODAY. UM, BEFORE I START, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT OUR DEMOCRACY FEELS VERY FRAGILE AT THIS POINT, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR FOR THE COUNTRY'S FOURTH LARGEST CITY. I THINK THAT'S VERY POWERFUL. UM, I APPRECIATE ALSO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PRIOR SPEAKERS WHO SPOKE ABOUT DIFFERENT DIFFICULT ISSUES. SO I'D LIKE TO RAISE ONE AS WELL. UH, HOUSTON HAS AN EPIDEMIC OF PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE, UH, DEATHS AND INJURIES, AND WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IT ENOUGH. UH, THE CITY HAS, UH, PLANS FOR VISION ZERO AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP THAT ON TRACK. AND TO THAT END, I WANT TO POINT OUT, I THINK THE MAYOR, THAT YOU'RE GONNA ANNOUNCE YOUR DECISION ABOUT 11TH STREET THIS WEEK. AND I'D LIKE TO PUT 11TH STREET IN CONTEXT. WE, UH, THE DISCUSSION IS TREATED AS SORT OF A ONE-OFF, UH, PROJECT. THAT IT'S A NICE TO HAVE THAT NOT HAVING IT DOESN'T MEAN MUCH. AND I WANT TO DISPEL THAT. THAT'S COMPLETELY NOT TRUE. IT'S PART OF A MUCH LARGER PLAN. UM, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND THE MAYOR, WHEN YOU WERE ON 11TH STREET, YOU REITERATED THIS TO THE OPPONENTS TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THE RATE OF CRASHES THAT WE'VE GOT. AND WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT. UH, 11TH STREET DOES NOT STAND ALONE. UH, NORTH MAINE IS GETTING A SIMILAR TREATMENT. AIRLINES GETTING A SIMILAR TREATMENT. SHEPHERD DURHAM IS GETTING A SIMILAR TREATMENT. UM, METRO IS PUTTING IN ITS RAPID TRANSIT ALONG THE OTHER SIDE OF, UH, I 10. SO THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THEY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING FOR PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE CONNECTIVITY. UM, SO WE SHOULDN'T TREAT 11TH STREET AS A, UH, A ONE OFF PROJECT. IT'S VERY MUCH CRITICAL TO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET TO VISION ZERO. UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS TO DO. I THINK THAT 11TH STREET IS THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS, NOT THE END. SO I'M ASKING THAT WE CONSIDER A COUPLE OF THINGS WE NEED. THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ISLANDS, PART OF THE CURRENT DESIGN. WE NEED AT LEAST TWO MORE 'CAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS IN THE AREA. SECOND THERE ALONG THE, UH, STRETCH OF 11TH STREET, THERE ARE MISSING, UH, CURB CUTS, A DA RAMPS AT 11TH AND HEIMER. THERE IS AN APARTMENT BUILDING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. THEY'RE IN A BLOCK THAT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE CONTIGUOUS SIDEWALKS, NOR CAN THEY SAFELY REACH, UH, 11TH STREET. SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY'S PROGRAMS. I'LL BE REACHING OUT TO GABE'S OFFICE TO, UH, TO WORK ON THOSE 80 A RAMPS SECOND IN ORDER FOR 11TH STREET TO BECOME THE WALKABLE CORRIDOR THAT IT SHOULD BE. AND AS YOU REMEMBER, YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK OR A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, THAT WE SHOULD DESIGNATE 11TH STREET AS A WALKABLE PLACES CORRIDOR. UM, THERE HASN'T BEEN A LOT OF ACTIVITY ON THOSE, UM, DESIGNATIONS. AND I'D LIKE TO ASK, AND I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE THAT WE GET A, UH, DESIGNATION FOR THE 11TH STREET. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANKS. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. YES, SIR. THANKS. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER, AMIR. AND, SORRY, AMIR. AND SORRY IF YOU PRESS STAR SIX, AMIR. AND, SORRY AMIR. AND SORRY. STAR SIX. NEXT SPEAKER. ILI MANTA. RIVAS. MANALIA RIVAS IS [01:40:01] HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, MAYOR TURNER. UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, I WANNA SAY MY DEEPEST, UH, SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO, UH, THE PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT LOST, UH, LIVES, UH, IS UNFORTUNATE. UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE SITUATION THAT, UM, IS TAKING PLACE IN DISTRICT B WITH, UH, THE LANDLORD. I WANT PHYSICALLY TO DO SOME DISCOVERY WITH THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR. AND I FOUND OUT SOME OF, UH, THE TENANTS AND THE PROPERTY WHERE I'M RENTING BASICALLY ARE PAYING, UH, TAXES. LIKE, UH, THEY'RE CREATING ACCOUNTS FOR PROPERTY, UH, TAXES. AND I HAVE, UH, THE PROOF THEY'RE COMMITTING FRAUD. THEY'RE DOING, UH, ALSO STEALING ELECTRICITY. UH, I AM, UM, I WANNA THANK THE, UH, UM, THE, UH, ACON PRESIDENT MORALES AND ALSO MY BISHOP CARLOS HERNANDEZ BECAUSE THEY EXTENDED, UH, BASICALLY A CHECK FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO FULFILL MY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M SORRY. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. THANK YOU. MAYOR, GO AHEAD AND FINISH WHAT YOU WERE ABOUT TO SAY. UH, YES. UH, THEY GAVE ME A CHECK. IT'S PARTIAL THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST. A LOT OF REASONS. I HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM IN DISTRICT E UH, UM, UH, SIR, THANK YOU. I ALSO WAS ABLE TO MEET WITH SOME FOLKS, UH, THAT ARE IN CHARGE OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. UH, ALSO I SPOKE WITH AN ASSISTANT OF, UH, DAN , A REPRESENTATIVE. SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH, UH, DISTRICT E. UH, I'M VERY THANKFUL BECAUSE SOME OF MY, UH, FAMILY ARE LIVING IN, UH, IN YOUR DISTRICT. SO I'M SUPER HAPPY AND, UH, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE DOING FOR ME. UH, I WILL, UH, LAST WEEK I MET WITH, UH, YOUR ASSISTANT MAGIK. SHE'S, UH, SHE'S, UH, REALLY NICE. SHE'S, UH, AMAZING. SO I'M TRYING TO WORK WITH, UH, UH, PEOPLE THAT HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME THAT ARE IN DISTRICT E AND DISTRICT B. RIGHT. AND SO WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN TALKING, THEY HAVEN'T GIVEN ME. YES MA'AM. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN TALKING WITH OUR OFFICE, YOU KNOW. YES, MA'AM. OVER SOME MONTHS NOW ABOUT THE ISSUE THAT YOU HAD WITH BAKER RIPLEY AND CATHOLIC CHARITIES. I HAVEN'T REACHED OUT TO BAKER RIPLEY SCHOOL. RIGHT. BUT YOU, YOU WERE, YOU WERE GETTING, YOU NEEDED MORE MONEY FROM THEM FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE. AND AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THEY ACTUALLY DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A CLERICAL ERROR, UM, ON THE RENT THAT THEY, THE MONEY THAT THEY GAVE YOU TO HELP PAY YOUR RENT. UM, AND THEN THEY CORRECTED THAT AND THEY GAVE YOU THE ADDITIONAL MONEY TO PAY YOUR RENT. UM, BUT HOWEVER, I FOUND THEY SAID THAT YOU WERE NOT PAYING SOME OTHER CHARGES, WHICH FEES? BASICALLY, THEY ADDED TOO MANY CHARGES AND THEN THEY WANTED TO EVICT YOU. AND THEN EVENTUALLY, UM, YOU WERE CONNECTED WITH A, A LAWYER AND THE LAWYER WAS SAYING THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP YOU. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT, WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM MY OFFICE? HOW DID, HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? I NEED TO TRY TO PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER BECAUSE I WENT PHYSICALLY TO SPEAK WITH THE, UH, CLERK IN THE COURT IN WALL CLAYTON PARKWAY. THAT'S WHERE THEY FILE THE EVICTIONS. SO BASICALLY, THIS IS THE DOCUMENT. IT SAYS A SMALL CLAIM SCORE. I HAVE CHALLENGED MY LANDLORD TO FILE BASICALLY AN EVICTION, WHICH IS $129. OKAY. AND THEY HAVE THE DENIED, UH, TO DO. SO I HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH AVENUE FIVE, UH, HEADQUARTERS. MM-HMM . THEY HAVE ALSO, UH, NOT ANSWER MY PHONE CALLS. OKAY. 'CAUSE YOU COME HERE EVERY WEEK. AND SO I'M JUST, I, I'M JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT MORE CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU? AND I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL, AND I DON'T WANNA COME HERE EVERY WEEK. EVERY, UNFORTUNATELY YEAH. EVERY WEEK. EVERY WEEK, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY WEEK. YES. AND AS I SPOKE TO YOU, WE, WE CONSTANTLY WORKING WITH YOU. MM-HMM . WE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO HELP YOU. UM, BUT THEN YOU ALSO, YOU COME BACK AND YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT SOME TAXES, YOU KNOW, SO THE, THE ISSUES CHANGE. SO JUST LET ME KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED MM-HMM. AND WE CAN SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU. BUT YOU, I, I NEED YOU TO STICK WITH ONE ISSUE. AND I KNOW WE WERE WORKING WITH YOU ON RENT, MA'AM, AND NOW IT'S GOING TO OTHER THINGS. YES, MA MA'AM. AND SO, YEAH. AND I APOLOGIZE. FAIR TO US BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING WITH YOU. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. I DON'T WANNA COME HERE EVERY WEEK. UNFORTUNATELY. THIS SITUATION HAS, UH, IT HAS BEEN HARASSMENT, IT HAS BEEN POLICE, AND I DISCOVER A DIVIDE THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE METERS. THEY'RE STILL IN ELECTRICITY. SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME. I DON'T WANNA COME HERE EVERY WEEK. I UNDERSTAND. I HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO. UH, SO RIGHT NOW, YES, MA'AM. SO RIGHT NOW YOU NEED TO RENEW YOUR LEASE. THEY DON'T WANNA GIMME A CONTRACT, RENEW THE LEASE. SO WHAT DO YOU NEED ME TO DO? HOW CAN I, HERE IS A CHECK. CARLOS HERNANDEZ GAVE ME THE CHECK. UM, SO YOU GOT THE DROPPED IT OFF. YES. I OFF. SO BASICALLY I'M WILLING TO NEGOTIATE WITH THEM. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO NEGOTIATE WITH ME AND THEY'RE NOT BEING WILLING TO BE [01:45:01] HONEST AND ACCOUNTABLE. ME. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY HAS TO BEEN HELPING YOU OUT. YOU GOT A CHECK THERE. YOU KNOW, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH, YOU HAVE VICE MAYOR PRO ME, UM, OUR MAYOR PRO TE THAT'S BEEN WORKING WITH YOU. SO I THINK THE CITY HAS DONE EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO SUPPORT YOU TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO GET YOU SOME LIBERAL, YOU KNOW? YEAH. AND, AND LAST WEEK WHEN I WAS BEFORE, UH, THE ASSISTANT OF MAYOR MARCH. YES. YES SIR. HE, HE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU AFTER THE MEETING. SO YES. HE HAS BEEN AMAZING. YEAH, HE IS. AND THEY, THEY HAD A QUESTION IF I WANTED TO FLEE THE COUNTRY, HE'S BEEN AMAZING. EXCUSE ME. YEAH. HE WANT YOU TO REPEAT THE FACT THAT HE'S BEEN AMAZING. NO, THAT'S GOOD. SO NO, HE, MY FAMILY, I MEAN, THEY, THEY OWN LIKE FOUR HOMES IN HIS RIGHT. WELL, THAT'S THE BAIL DISTRICT. SO HE HAS BEEN RELATED AND YOUR DISTRICT DO. RIGHT. OKAY. WELL, GOOD LUCK TO YOU. OKAY. UH, AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, I'M NOT LEAVING THE COUNTRY. I BROKE THE, UH, US PASSPORT BEFORE HIS ASSISTANCE. I'M JUST SAYING BE FAIR ABOUT THE SITUATION. YOU KNOW, YOU COME HERE PRETENDING LIKE WE'RE NOT WORKING WITH YOU AND WE HAVE BEEN CONSTANTLY WORKING WITH YOU. SO JUST BE FAIR. OKAY. YES, MA'AM. UH, UH, I NEED SOME, THE TIME HAS EXPIRED IF I, I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. TIME HAS EXPIRED. YES. PLEASE, PLEASE TAKE IT OUT WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN POLLARD. UH, NEXT SPEAKER. MARY EDWARDS. I DON'T SEE MS. EDWARDS HERE TODAY. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER. NELLY MEDFORD. NELLY SP, NELLY BEDFORD. UH, STAR SIX NELLY. HI. OH, THERE YOU, WE CAN SEE YOU. I'M, UM, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN SEE YOU AND HEAR YOU. AWESOME. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE. IT'S A PLEASURE. I'M REPRESENTING NARA, THE NATIONAL SERVING HISPANIC, UH, IN THE HOUSTON AREA CHAPTER. AND I'M REALLY HERE TODAY, UM, TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION. WE STARTED LAST MONTH, THIS MONTH, JUNE IS A MONTH OF HOUSING AND HOME OWNERSHIP FOR OUR INDUSTRY. SO WE WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HOUSTON IS DOING AND HOW WE CAN PARTNER TOGETHER. AGAIN, I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT HOUSING CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING TODAY, NOT ONLY IN HOUSTON BUT IN OTHER CITIES, IS HOW CAN WE HELP WITH LAND? WHERE ARE WE AT WITH LAND USAGE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING? AND UM, HOW DO WE PARTNER TOGETHER WHERE THE CITY IS UNDERSTANDING HOW TO ADMINISTER, I GUESS SOME OF THE BUILDING PERMITS. WE DO HAVE, UM, A REPORT THAT, UH, I BELIEVE I SENT, I DUNNO IF YOU CAN SEE IT, BUT IT IS THE, YEAH. TIME HAS EXPIRED. I'LL GIVE YOU 30 MORE SECONDS. AND SO WE HAVE A REPORT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE FOR NOT ONLY, UH, HISPANIC, BUT ALSO PEOPLE OF COLOR AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. OH. OH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I FEEL LIKE I WAS FROZEN. YEAH, YOU WERE FROZEN. I'M SORRY. WERE YOU ABLE TO HEAR? YEAH, I HEARD UP UNTIL ABOUT THE LAST 10. ABOUT THE LAST 10 SECONDS. SO WE DO HAVE A REPORT THAT WE WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU AND YOUR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS IN REGARD AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE STATISTIC FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, FOR THE HISPANIC LATINO COMMUNITY. GOOD DEAL. IF YOU, IF, UM, AND WHERE CAN WE GET THE REPORT? SO IT'S A REPORT THAT, UM, I BELIEVE I SENT A COPY TO COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID, UM, W ROBINSON. I SENT A COUPLE OF EMAILS. NOT SURE IF, UM, COUNCILMAN ROBINSON HAVE BEEN RECEIVING MY EMAILS, BUT LET ME ASK HIM. COUNCILMAN ROBINSON, DID YOU GET ? HE'S NOT AMAZING. DID YOU GET THE REPORT, MS. MIDFORD? I'M NOT SURE THAT I'VE RECEIVED THE REPORT, BUT I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO READ THAT AND HELP YOU. I, I'VE BEEN, I'M NOT AMAZING LIKE THE MAYOR PRO TEM, BUT I'M, I'M INTENDING TO HELP YOU. OKAY. IF YOU'RE JUST DOUBLE CHECKING MISS MILFORD, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, HE RECEIVED THE REPORT. OKAY. AWESOME. WE'RE JUST HERE TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND ANYTHING WE CAN FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT TOO. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER. WAYNE NUNLEY. IT'S WAYNE HERE. WAYNE NUNLEY. WAYNE. NEXT SPEAKER. NEXT SPEAKER. THERESA VAZQUEZ. IT'S THERE. HERE THERE. THERESA VAZQUEZ. THERESA. NEXT SPEAKER. APRIL AGUIRE. APRIL A A, UH, STAR SIX. APRIL STAR SIX. OH, APRIL IS HERE. I'M SORRY. IT WAS MY MISTAKE. I HAD A MEETING TODAY AND I WENT TO VIRTUAL. OKAY. I THANK EVERYBODY FOR RIGHT BEHIND THAT MIC. RIGHT. [01:50:01] OH, THANK YOU. OKAY. THERE YOU GO. I THANK EVERYBODY FOR LISTENING TO US. THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, WE WERE VERY HEARTBROKEN, BUT, UH, WE FOUND SOME STRENGTH TODAY. I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT WHEN SOMEBODY IN YOUR FAMILY IS MURDERED, YOU ONLY HAVE ONE RESOURCE FOR INFORMATION AND THAT'S THE HARRIS COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE. WE LOG IN, WE SEARCH OUR DEFENDANT, AND WE CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. IN OUR CASE, WHAT I'M WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IS TO LIFT THE VEIL OF PRIVACY BETWEEN TRANSACTIONS, BETWEEN DEFENDANTS AND BAIL BOND COMPANIES. THE REASON THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE OUR FAMILY, ALONG WITH OTHERS FAMILIES HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY, WORKED VERY HARD TO PASS THIS 10% MINIMUM MANDATE FOR VIOLENT OFFENSES. AND NOW WE GOTTA GET EVERYBODY ON THE BALL WITH THIS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP EVERYBODY HONEST. WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IS A LETTER, UH, OF, OF APPROVAL FROM YOU GUYS SO THAT WHEN WE GO TO THE BAIL BOND BOARD, WE CAN SAY, HEY, CITY COUNCIL IS BEHIND THIS. WHAT WE WANT IS WHEN FAMILIES LOG INTO THE HARRIS COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, THAT WE CAN SEE WHAT PREMIUM WAS PAID FOR IN ORDER FOR THIS DEFENDANT TO GET OUTTA JAIL. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VIOLENT OFFENSES, LIFE ALTERING. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, WE ARE, WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THE REFORM TO REMAIN. IT'S INCLUDED IN ONE SAFE HOUSTON. SO WE PUSH ALSO FOR THOSE. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD BEFORE THE TRAGEDY STRUCK ARLENE BEFORE THE TRAGEDY STRUCK OUR FAMILY. HOWEVER, UM, NOW THAT WE'RE IN IT AND FULLY SUBMERGED, WE'RE TRYING TO SEE WHERE THE SYSTEM IS VERY BROKEN. WHEN JUDGES DO THEIR JOB NOW WE NEED TO HOLD BAIL BOND COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE SO THEY CAN ALSO DO THEIR JOBS. SO WHAT WE'RE SEEKING IS, UH, CLARITY OF WHAT PREMIUMS WERE PAID WITHIN THE HARRIS COUNTY CLERKS. AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE EVER HAD SOMEBODY DIE IN YOUR FAMILY OR MURDERED, YOU WOULD KNOW VERY WELL THE SYSTEM. LONG STORY SHORT, YOU, YOU LOG IN AND YOU CAN SEE THE BILL BOND COMPANY THAT BAILED THEM OUT. BUT WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE NOW IS A PREMIUM. AND AS YOU KNOW, THERE WAS AN FBI RAID JUST LAST WEEK ON ABLE BAIL BONDS. AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY WERE DOING EVERYTHING THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO. I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT THERE'S PEOPLE MAKING MONEY OFF OF DEAD KIDS AND INNOCENT DEAD PEOPLE AND WE NEED TO STOP THAT. SO I REALLY WOULD LIKE YOUR HELP. I'M GOING TO THE BAIL BOND BOARD TOMORROW. IT'S TOO LATE FOR US. WE NO LONGER HAVE A HAPPILY EVER AFTER, BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN HELP OTHER VICTIMS OF CRIME NOT BE IN LIMBO AND KNOW HOW MUCH THE DEFENDANTS PAID TO GET OUTTA JAIL. OUR MURDERER WAS OUT 22 HOURS LATER AFTER HE KILLED OUR BABY. AND, AND WE CAN ECHO THE SAME STORY WITH OTHER FAMILIES, BUT WE HAVE TO PUT A STOP TO THIS AND I NEED EVERYBODY'S HELP. AND AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN YOU GUYS ON THE NEWS WORKING HARD TO COMBAT THIS AND YOU GUYS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER AND TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT AS WE GO. AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. AND I DO NOT HOLD, I DO NOT PUT BLAME ON ANYBODY HERE BECAUSE THIS IS AN EPIDEMIC THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH TOGETHER. TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU AND WE, WE JOIN YOU IN YOUR EFFORTS. OKAY, THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO THANK YOU. THAT'S GONNA BE, BE PUT ON THE AGENDA IN JULY. OKAY. WHAT I NEED IS SOME LETTER, SOMETHING BACKING SENATOR WHITMEYER WILL BE HERE IN JULY TO PUSH FORWARD THAT TRANSPARENCY. THANK YOU. AND TO LIFT THE VEIL OF PRIVACY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PALM. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND UH, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR COMING AND AGAIN, SO SORRY TO HEAR WHAT HAPPENED WITH YOUR FAMILY. IF YOU, UH, SPEAK WITH ME AFTER I'LL, UH, SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT HOW YOU CAN MAYBE COORDINATE THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT. OKAY. THERE BEING NO OTHER SPEAKERS BEFORE US. WE WILL, [RECESS] UH, MEET AGAIN IN THE, IN THE MORNING. UM, I WAS LOOKING AT HAVING MAYBE A MEETING AT SEVEN FIRST, UM, I'M, I'M MORNING AT SEVEN, MEETING AT SEVEN AND YOU'RE GONNA SIX 30. OH THAT, OH, I FORGOT IT HAD, OH, I, I'M SORRY. KAY. DO A NO POSTER MEETING. ALRIGHT THEN WE STAND, UM, WE STAND IN RECESS UNTIL, UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00 AM GIVE US YOUR DRAFT FOR THE WEEK. JUNE 7TH [RECONVENE] AND 8 20 22. ITEM ONE, PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE DESIGNATION OF THE FIRST RIVERSIDE T HISTORIC DISTRICT. ITEM TWO, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE FALL CREEK MANAGEMENT DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR TERM TO EXPIRE JUNE 1ST, 2025. ITEM THREE, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OR REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE BOARD OF THE METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY. ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $27,035,951 AND 69 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH MAINLAND INDUSTRIES LTD FOR 108 INCH WATERLINE ALONG [01:55:01] CITY EASEMENTS FROM VICKERY DRIVE TO MILLNER ROAD. ITEM FIVE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FILING CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $2,294,054 AND 21 CENTS. AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH RE-PIPE CONSTRUCTION L-L-C-D-B-A-I-P-R SOUTH CENTRAL LLC FOR WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM REHABILITATION AND RENEWAL, EXCUSE ME. ITEM SIX, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FILING CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $993,171 AND 71 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH TEAK. INSTRUCTION LLC FOR FY 2017 DITCHES REHAB WORK ORDERS NUMBER ONE, ITEM SEVEN, TEXAS BOOM COMPANY LLC FOR PURCHASE OF FUEL TRAILERS FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. ITEM EIGHT, HOLT CRANE AND EQUIPMENT FOR HYDRAULIC CRANE REPLACEMENT PARTS AND REPAIR SERVICES FOR THE FLEET MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. ITEM NINE, ASTHMA INC. DBA CORE OFFICE INTERIORS FOR THE REP RECONFIGURATION OF WORKSTATIONS THROUGH THE NATIONAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL PURCHASE PURCHASING ALLIANCE COMPANY DBA OMNI APARTMENTS CONTRACTOR FOR HOUSTON PUB, HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT. ITEM 10, PIVOTAL INDUSTRIES, DBA DEVON SANCAR FOR THE PURPOSE OF PIPE FITTINGS FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM 11, ORDINANCE SUBMITTING SECTION 44 DASH FOUR OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, HOUSTON, TEXAS RELATING TO THE AMOUNT OF THE TAX EXEMPTION FOR THE TAX YEAR 2022. ITEM 12, ORDINANCE SUBMITTING CHAPTER TWO, ARTICLE ONE OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, HOUSTON, TEXAS. ITEM 13 ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE RETAIL GAS UTILITY RATES OF CENTER POINT ENERGY RESOURCES CORP. DBA CENTER POINT ENERGY IN TEXAS AND AT CENTER POINT ENERGY, TEXAS GAS ITEM 14 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $363,387 AND 17 CENTS OUT OF AIRPORT SYSTEM CONSOLIDATED 2011 CONSTRUCTION FUND AND $6,359 AND 28 CENTS OUT OF AIRPORTS IMPROVEMENT FUND AND THE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING THE DESIGN BUILD CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CHRISTENSEN BUILDING GROUP LLC ITEM 15 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATED $100,000 IN NO CENTS OUT OF EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION CONSOLIDATED FUND. ITEM 16, ORDINANCE APPROVING PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ENGLISH AND ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS INC. ITEM 17 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON FOR SERVICES ADDRESSING COVID-19 HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG POPULATIONS AT HIGH RISK AND UNDERSERVED REGARDING THE PROJECT MITIGATING THE EFFECT OF SYSTEMIC RACISM AND MISSED INFORMATION. ITEM 18, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON FOR SERVICES ADDRESSING COVID-19 HELD DISPARITIES AMONG POPULATIONS AT HIGH RISK AND UNDERSERVED. REGARDING WE'VE GOT NEXT PROJECT FOR THE HOUSTON HELD DEPARTMENT. ITEM 19 ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2017 DASH 3 33 PASSED MAY 10TH, 2017 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND SOUTHERN TIRE. MORT LLC FOR TIRE REPAIR SERVICES. ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING DERIVATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND FORD AUDIO VIDEO SYSTEMS LLC FOR TELEVISION PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES. ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT FOR CREDIT CARD REP PROCESSING SERVICES BETWEEN PAYMENT TECH LLC AND JP MORGAN CHASE BANK ITEM 22 ORDINANCE APPROVE AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND PROQUEST LC FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF DIGITAL DATABASES AND COLLECTION SERVICES FOR THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY PROVIDING A MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT. ITEM 23 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF A GRANT APPLICATION FOR AN ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS THROUGH THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT FOR THE URBAN OUTDOOR GRANT PROGRAM RELATED TO THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS OF KEITH WISE PARK ITEM 24 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE 300 BLOCK OF WILLARD STREET WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS AS A SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE BLOCK PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 42 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES. ITEM 25 ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 266 POINT 10 ACRES OF LAND TO VALLEY RANCH MEDICAL CENTER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT IN THE EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. ITEM 26 ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 35 POINT 58 62 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY FRESHWATER SUPPLY DISTRICT NUMBER 58 ITEM 27 ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 44 POINT 51 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 5 31 ITEM 28. ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE CREATION OF HARRIS WALLER COUNTY'S MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 45.9 24 ACRES OF LAND. ITEM 29 ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 1.706 ACRES OF LAND TO NORTHGATE CROSSING MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER TWO. ITEM 30. ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 32.7677 ACRES OF LAND TO [02:00:01] GREENWOOD UTILITY DISTRICT. ITEM 31 ORDINANCE FINDING AND DETERMINING PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY INTEREST AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION OF FEE SIMPLE OR EASEMENT INTEREST TO TWO PARTS OF LAND REQUIRED FOR THE WASTEWATER FORCE MAINE RENEWAL REPLACEMENT FOR HIGHLAND MEADOW AND BAY AREA LIFT STATIONS PROJECT ITEM 32, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS SELLER AND ANDRE P WARD PURCHASER FOR SALE OF APPROXIMATELY 16,095 SQUARE FEET OF LAND LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF CANDLE SHADE LANE AND JOIN STREET ITEM 33. ORDINANCE APPRO AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY AND PROPERTY OWNER AT 50 35 HEATHER GLEN DRIVE, HOUSTON, TEXAS 7 7 0 9 6 FOR FY 2016 FLOOD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE HOME ELEVATION PROJECT TO BE PERFORMED BY PLANET THREE CONSULTING COURT. ITEM 34 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATED AND $210,000 AND NO CENTS OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND AOR TAX APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND MIDTOWN ENGINEERS. LLC FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT. SUBSURFACE UTILITY ENGINEERING PROGRAM. ITEM 35 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $315,000 AND NO SENSE OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND DRAINAGE CHARGE AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE DE ENGINEERING SERVICES INC. ITEM 36 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,565,936 AND NO CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARD AND CONTRACTOR SPECIALIZED MAINTENANCE SERVICES INC. ITEM 37 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $10,183,375 50 CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARDING CONTRACT LI CONSTRUCTION CODE INC FOR WELL SITES AND RE PUMP STATIONS. PACKAGE TWO ITEM 38, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $11,375,000 IN NO CENTS OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND, ALUMINUM TAX AWARD AND CONTRACTOR T GROUP, INC. FOR CITYWIDE CONCRETE PANEL REPLACEMENT PROJECT NUMBER ONE, ITEM 39 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $4,950,000 IN NO CENTS OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND VALOREM TAX AWARDING CONTRACT TO GROVEL LLC FOR FY 2022 STREET AND DRAINAGE REHABILITATION CONTRACT NUMBER TWO, THIS IS THE END OF THE CONSENT AGENDA MATTERS HELD. ITEM 40 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING ONE MILLION ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY SIX MILLION SIX HUNDRED SIX THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED NINETY DOLLARS AND 86 CENTS OUT OF CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. TAX INCREMENT FUNDS FOR REINVESTMENT ZONES ONE LAMAR TERRY, ZONE TWO MIDTOWN ZONE THREE MAIN STREET, MARKET SQUARE AND MANY OTHERS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THIS WAS ITEM 13 ON AGENDA OF JUNE 1ST, 2022. ITEM 14, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $66,118,127 AND 72 CENTS OUT OF TAX INCREMENT FUNDS FOR REINVESTMENT ZONES. ONE LAMAR TERRY, ZONE TWO, MIDTOWN ZONE THREE, MAINSTREAM MARKET SQUARE ZONE, AND VARIOUS OTHERS. THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER OF JACKSON. THIS WAS ITEM 14 ON THE AGENDA OF JUNE 1ST, 2022. ITEM 42 WAS REVIEW ON THE RECORD AND MAKE DETERMINATION RELATIVE TO THE APPEAL FROM THE DECISION OF THE SIGNED ADMINISTRATION ON DENIAL OF AN ON-PREMISE SIGN AT 7,007 GULF FREEWAY. THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCILMAN GALLEGOS. THIS WAS ITEM 25 ON AGENDA OF JUNE 1ST, 2022. THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE COUNCIL SESSION OF JUNE 8TH, 2022. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM IN THE VERSE WORDS ABOUT FORMER CITY SECRETARY MS. ANNA RUSSELL. SHE ALWAYS SAID DRIVE SAFE, DRIVE FRIENDLY, AND HAVE A NICE DAY. IN THE WORDS, ROBERT CURRENT CITY SECRETARY, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED. HAVE A BLESSED AND FANTABULOUS DAY AND TO THE MAYOR AND LET'S GET GOING, MAYOR. OKAY, GOOD MORNING. IT'S TROUBLE. IT IS 9 0 8 ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8TH, 2022. I'M MISS PASTOR TURNER AND I'M CALLING, UM, THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. TOWA. IT'S A HYBRID MEETING WITH SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS IN PERSON, UH, THIS MORNING AND SOME USING MICROSOFT TEAMS THIS MORNING. UM, LET ME, LET ME ASK, UM, THE SECRETARY, IF YOU WOULD CALL [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] UP, UM, ITEM THREE, DO WE NEED A MOTION TO CALL UP ITEM THREE? MOVE TO CALL UP, UH, ITEM THREE, UH, ON THE AGENDA. YES. UH, SECOND MOVE TO SECOND TO CALL UP. ITEM ITEM THREE ON THE AGENDA, UH, IN DISCUSSION. ANY OBJECTION JURORS? [02:05:01] NONE GRANTED. ALRIGHT, MADAM SECRETARY, YOU CALL ITEM THREE. ITEM THREE NEEDS A MOTION MOVE. SECOND. ROBINSON BEEN MOVED IN SECOND ON ITEM THREE. DISCUSSION ON ITEM THREE. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER? THANK YOU MAYOR. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD SOMEONE TO THE SPEAKER'S LIST. WOULD THAT BE OKAY? NOT YET. OKAY, GOT IT. OKAY, THANK YOU. OKAY, ON ON ITEM THREE. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM THREE? DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OPPOSED GRANTED ON ITEM THREE. UM, AND LOOK, LET ME, LET ME, UM, CALL UP, UH, ALL OF THE, UM, THE MEMBERS OF THE METRO BOARD THAT ARE HERE. I KNOW TERRY MORALES IS OUT OF THE COUNTRY. UM, LET ME, LET ME BRING UP THE, THE CHAIR OF THE METRO BOARDS, UH, SANJAY RAMA. UM, AND THEN IT'S LES, IT'S LES HERE. LES, IF YOU'LL COME. UM, TROY TAYLOR IS ALSO HERE. UH, DIANE LUTER WILL COME AND TERRY MORALES IS OUT OF THE COUNTRY. UM, BUT LET ME SAY FIRST, UM, ABOUT DIANE LUTER. 'CAUSE, UH, DIANE LUTER HAS BEEN APPOINTED, UM, ANNOUNCING THE APPOINTMENT OF DIANE LUTER TO THE METRO TRIBE AUTHORITY, WHO YOU HAVE APPROVED THIS MORNING. UM, MS. LU IS A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT LEADER IN HOUSTON'S COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS, AND HAS AN EXTENSIVE HISTORY OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. UH, THIS WOULD BE, UH, DIANE'S SECOND APPOINTMENT ON METRO'S BOARD. PREVIOUSLY SHE HELD A POSITION, UM, FROM JANUARY, 2014 THROUGH JANUARY THROUGH APRIL, 2016, REPRESENTING THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND DURING THIS TIME SHE CO-CHAIRED THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND REAL ESTATE COMMITTEES AND SERVED ON THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, UH, PEOPLE AND CAPITAL PROGRAMS COMMITTEE. UH, SHE WILL SERVE THE REMAINING TERM NOW, UH, UH, WITH ME AND I APPRECIATE, UM, AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH DIANE AT LENGTH AND IT WAS A VERY, UM, UH, JUST A VERY, UM, PRODUCTIVE, FRUITFUL, UH, CONVERSATION. WE, WE SHARE, UM, THE SAME EMPHASIS AS IT RELATES TO METRO. AND THE GOOD NEWS NEWS IS THAT, UM, SHE CAN COME IN RUNNING, UH, AND, AND WORKING WITH THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE, OF THE METRO BOARD. AND THEN SHE RESIDES IN VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM, UH, DISTRICT, DISTRICT K. AND, UH, A CITY COUNCIL PERSON SPOKE VERY, VERY HIGHLY OF DIANE AS WELL. AND SO, IN FACT, THERE WAS NO HESITATION AT ALL. UH, SHE, YOU KNOW, CAME WITH A, UM, A THUMBS UP ALSO. DIANE, WELCOME, WELCOME A BOARD AGAIN, UH, TO METRO. AND THEN LEMME JUST SAY, UM, SANJAY, UH, NOW IS THE CHAIR AND HE'S BEEN OFF AND RUNNING. AND SANJAY COMES, AS YOU ALL KNOW, CAPABLE, QUITE CAPABLE OF CHAIRING, UM, UH, METRO AND HAS, UM, ALREADY IS MOVING THE ORGANIZATION FORWARD. TROY HAS BEEN ON THE BOARD NOW FOR, FOR SEVERAL YEARS. DAD USED TO BE A BUS DRIVER, UH, AS WELL. SO, UH, UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSIT, UM, AND THEN WITH HIS OWN, UM, ENTREPRENEURIAL BACKGROUND AS WELL. SO HAS BROUGHT A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE TO METRO. AND THEN WHAT CAN WE SAY ABOUT IT LESS, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO A DA WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING SURE THAT WE LEAVE NOBODY BEHIND OR LEAVE, NO ONE AT THE BUS STOP, OR MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE AMPLE BUS STOPS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE. UH, LESS HAS BEEN ON THE FOURTH ON THE FOREFRONT. AND SO I'VE JUST BEEN A PIONEER ON SO MANY FRONTS. AND METRO HAS BEEN, UM, UM, BLESSED TO HAVE, UH, TO HAVE LESS ON THE BOARD. AND THUS, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH, NOT JUST FOR METRO, BUT YOUR COUNSEL AND ADVICE AS IT RELATES WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. AND I'M WAITING TO GET SOME, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FROM YOU AGAIN. SO, UH, THIS IS YOUR BOARD, TERRY MORALES. OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW TERRY MORALES. UH, SHE, UM, IS NOT HERE BECAUSE SHE'S OUT OF THE COUNTRY. UH, BUT AGAIN, TERRY BRINGS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE, UH, TO METRO AND HAS SERVED ABLY WELL. UH, AND, AND LET ME JUST ADD, UH, WITH ALL OF THEIR CAPABILITIES AND COMPETENCIES, UM, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN BEAT THE DIVERSITY THAT EXISTS ON THE METRO BOARD. UM, THIS BOARD IS, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS HIGHLY, HIGHLY DIVERSE AND REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY, THE DIVERSITY OF OUR CITY. SO, UH, LET ME THANK YOU ALL. IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND I KNOW METRO WILL GO WAY [02:10:01] PAST 2023. UM, BUT WHAT I'VE CHARGED, UM, THESE BOARD MEMBERS IS FOR METRO TO DO AS MUCH AS METRO CAN DO AND, AND BE AS IMPACTFUL AS YOU CAN DO, UH, CERTAINLY OVER THE NEXT 18 MONTHS. AND I KNOW THAT UNIVERSITY CORRIDOR IS A MAJOR CORRIDOR, 25 MILES OF CONNECTIVITY, UH, THAT WOULD BE HUGE IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM THAT. THE UNIVERSITIES THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM THAT, ABOUT 750,000 PEOPLE IN YOUR SERVICE REGION WOULD BENEFIT FROM THAT. AND SO, UM, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO ASSIST IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN, UH, WE WILL CERTAINLY DO THAT. SO LET ME JUST SAY, SANJAY, YOU WANT TO, YOU WANT TO JUST PROVIDE SOME BRIEF REMARKS AND THEN I'LL RECOGNIZE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL WHO, UH, HAVE SOME COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. GOOD MORNING MAYOR. MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THANK YOU ALL, UH, FOR THE CONFIDENCE AND TRUST YOU'VE PLACED IN US TO LEAD THE METRO BOARD. UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU AND MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD AND THE METRO FAMILY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SAFE, RELIABLE, FREQUENT ACCESSIBLE AND EQUITABLE MULTI-MODAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK, WHILE ALSO FOCUSING ON DELIVERING ON THE PROMISES OF METRO. NEXT. AND AS THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT, ACCELERATING THE DELIVERY WHEREVER POSSIBLE, WE ARE LOOKING AT A WHOLE HOST OF PROJECTS. WE JUST CELEBRATED 2,500, UH, FULLY ACCESSIBLE BUS STOPS. WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE BIG PROJECTS, THE UNIVERSITY CORRIDOR, 25 MILES, AS THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT, CONNECTING THE WEST SIDE OF HOUSTON, THE GALLERIA, GREENWAY PLAZA, THE FOUR UNIVERSITIES, EASTWOOD, DENVER HARBOR, KASHMIR GARDENS, AND TIDWELL MONTROSE THAT DAVID ROBINSON'S, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER IS CORRECTING ME. UH, WE ARE ALSO FOCUSING ON THE INNER KATIE CORRIDOR. WHILE WE FOCUS ON THESE MEGA PROJECTS, WE ARE ALSO FOCUSING ON THE 82 WEST TIMER, WHICH TRANSPORTS ABOUT 13,000 CUSTOMERS EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT BOTH THE SMALL, MID-SIZE AND MEGA PROJECTS, AND WE ARE JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOU THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE METRO SERVICE AREA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. UH, LET ME NOW TURN TO VICE CHAIR, UH, MARTHA CASTEK. TAYLOR VICE MAYOR PRO VICE MAYOR, PRO CHAIRMAN, MARTHA CASTEK TAYLOR. THANK YOU MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO, UM, SAY TO SANJAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS BOARD AND TO THE ADDITIONAL REAPPOINTMENTS TO TROY AND LES. UM, YOUR SERVICE HAS BEEN INVALUABLE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. WE, UM, SEE WHAT METRO IS DOING EVERY DAY. UM, WE, WE'VE SEEN THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BUS STOPS, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS ARE, ARE VERY PLEASED, UM, WITH THE, THE WAY THAT THOSE BUS STOPS ARE GOING IN EXPEDITIOUSLY. UM, AND THE CONTRACTORS ARE, ARE DOING A FINE JOB TO GET THOSE COMPLETED. SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT METRO NEXT, BUT TO ACTUALLY SEE THE MOVEMENT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE. AND THEN TO MY DISTRICT, A RESIDENT WHO IS SO COMPASSIONATE AND SO DILIGENT AND HAS BEEN JUST AN EXTREMELY VALUE ADDED MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY, I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU BEING APPOINTED TO THIS BOARD. WE DID HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME EMAIL EXCHANGE AND BRIEF CONVERSATIONS, AND SHE WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE COUNCIL MEMBERS KNEW THAT SHE WAS ACCESSIBLE AND THAT, UM, SHE REALLY WANTS TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD. AND I KNOW FIRSTHAND OF HER LOVE FOR THIS CITY, HER LOVE FOR HER COMMUNITY, AND HER LOVE FOR PEOPLE. SO WELCOME BACK TO THE METRO BOARD AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE, UM, IN THIS CAPACITY. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN KOOSH. THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR THESE WONDERFUL APPOINTMENTS. UM, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO SPEND A WHOLE WEEK WITH, UH, SANJAY, UH, ON THIS TRIP TO ISRAEL A FEW YEARS AGO. YES, YOU GET TO KNOW SOMEBODY WHEN YOU'RE WITH 'EM, UH, EARLY IN THE MORNING TILL LATE IN THE EVENING. I GUARANTEE YOU. VERY APPROACHABLE, VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE OF WHAT HE'S DOING. I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE, LEX. UH, AS I'M GETTING OLDER, I, I LOOK FOR RAMPS WITH HANDRAILS , SO YOU'RE GONNA BE MY VOICE ON, ON METRO. IT, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE A SIMPLE FALL AS I HAD, UH, OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, CAN, CAN END UP IN A, IN A BROKEN LEG. SO, UH, CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR, FOR THOSE WHO ARE, UH, HANDICAP OR HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE WHEELCHAIRS, OTHER TYPES OF, UM, MOTORIZED, UH, THINGS THAT GET AROUND, BUT, BUT ALSO THOSE HANDRAILS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. SO REMEMBER THAT. AND DIANE, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK ON THE BOARD. AND, AND, UM, UH, UH, TROY, IS IT TRUE YOU DROVE A BUS FATHER? MY DAD, YOUR DAD DROVE A BUS. HE DROVE. I RODE THE BUS. YOU RODE THE BUS . WELL, I WAS GONNA TELL YOU, I, I, I, UH, I, I DROVE A, A, A BUS, BUT IT WAS A CHURCH BUS AND, AND I DROVE IT FOR YEARS. [02:15:01] AND, UH, AND REALLY, UH, YOU START LEARNING A LOT ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE CAN AND AND SHOULDN'T DO WHEN YOU'RE RIDING. UH, AND, AND OF COURSE I HAD KIDS IN MY BUS. SO IT, IT'S A, IT'S A REAL SITUATION THAT, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE, UH, ADVOCATES TO FIGHT FOR THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MCCAIN. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU. UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND I THINK, UH, SANJAY, YOU MENTIONED SO MANY PROJECTS THAT HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON DISTRICT C. UH, WHETHER IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, UNIVERSITY, WHETHER IT'S JUST THE EXPANSION OF, UH, METRO NEXT, UH, INTER KATIE, I MEAN, YOU NAME IT. METRO'S PLAYING A ROLE IN HOW WE, IN KIND OF THE HEART OF THE CITY INSIDE THE LOOP ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET AROUND. SO THANK YOU FOR THE DIFFERENCE YOU'RE MAKING. UH, I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE PARTNERSHIP THAT METRO IS DOING, UH, NOT JUST WITH CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT ALSO WITH OUR MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS AND OTHERS WHEN WE'RE IMPROVING OUR BUS SHELTERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. UM, I REALLY WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU ALL BECAUSE YOU'RE ON THE FRONT LINE PUSHING FOR INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY. UH, I KNOW THAT'S A TOP PRIORITY OF METRO AND I, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT THAT WORK AND LIFT IT UP, UM, THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE CAN MAKE SUCH A DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO SUSTAINABILITY, UH, REDUCING CARBON, YOU NAME IT, METRO CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN IT. AND I WANTED TO JUST DO A SPECIAL PUSH. UM, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT PAID PARENTAL LEAVE AND OTHER BENEFITS, AND OUR HOPE IS THAT OTHER BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT IN OUR AREA WILL CONSIDER LOOKING AT THAT AND MOVING FORWARD ON ADDITIONAL, UM, BENEFITS, PLANS THAT HELP ALL FAMILIES IN HOUSTON. MM-HMM . SO THAT'S JUST MY ASK THAT Y'ALL LOOK AT THAT. UM, HAPPY TO SIT WITH YOU ON THAT, BUT REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S SERVICE, UH, TO SERVE THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OUR REGION HERE. UH, DIANE, THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE ONCE AGAIN. UH, AND LEX, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ADVOCACY FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES. UM, AND, UH, SANJAY, I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU AND I HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN. YOU CAME TO MY OFFICE A A FEW WEEKS AGO. UH, I KNOW THE BRT UNIVERSITY CORRIDOR. UH, AGAIN, I'M, I'M, I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SIT DOWN AND, AND, AND, AND MEET WITH THE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY, UH, TO MAKE SURE THIS IS BUILT AND BUILT RIGHT. UH, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UH, I KNOW THAT THE, UH, GREEN LINE, UH, KEEPING FOCUS ON THE GREEN LINE, UH, TO HOBBY AIRPORT, UH, AND, UH, ALSO TO THE BOTANIC GARDEN, UH, ON, ON THE EAST SIDE. AND HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE THAT CONNECTIVITY TO MEMORIAL PARK ON THE WEST SIDE VIA THE GREEN LINE, UH, WITH A CONNECTION, UH, ON THE RED LINE GOING TO HERMAN PARK, WHICH WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, TOURIST ATTRACTION, BASICALLY FOR OUR CONVENTIONS, UH, TO GO OUT AND SECURE CONVENTIONS TO COME TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HAVING THE GREEN LINE ENJOY ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL GREEN SPACES. UH, SO THAT'S SOMETHING I WILL STILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR. UH, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S SERVICE AND, UH, APPRECIATE, UH, Y'ALL'S TIME AND, AND, AND DEDICATION TO METRO. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CI IS ON THE SCREEN. YES. UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO APPLAUD ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS, THE STRENGTH OF THIS BOARD, HOW ENGAGED THEY ARE, HOW REALLY, TRULY EXCELLENT THEY ARE, AND HOW THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY REPRESENT THE, THE DIVERSITY OF OUR CITY. UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, SANJAY, LEX, TROY, DIANE, AND TERRY. UM, SO GLAD TO SEE YOU, THAT ALL OF YOU ARE PART OF THIS. THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, IT'S NOT, UH, E YOU KNOW, OFTEN THAT, UM, PEOPLE SAY YES TO FREE WORK. UH, AND SO I JUST WANNA APPLAUD MAYOR TURNER FOR PRESENTING, UH, THE REAPPOINTMENTS TO THIS WORK Y'ALL HAVE OF A LARGE RESPONSIBILITY. YOU'VE NAVIGATED US THROUGH, UM, COVID AND JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WAS ACCESSIBLE DURING PANDEMIC AND MAKING VERY QUICK DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THOSE OF US THAT UTILIZE PUBLIC TRANSIT. AND JUST, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT. AND THEN, ACTUALLY, METRO'S WORKING ON A PROJECT IN DISTRICT DEV AS WE SPEAK THIS WEEK. SO WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND JUST, YOU KNOW, AS YOU MENTIONED, WORKING ON THE BIG PROJECTS, BUT JUST THE SMALLER PROJECTS THAT REALLY ARE SUBSTANTIAL TO, YOU KNOW, EVERYDAY INDIVIDUALS THAT USE, YOU KNOW, THE WESTHEIMER, RICHMOND BEACH NUT, BEL AIR NUMBER TWO, ALL OF THAT. SO I KNOW WE ALL HAVE A BEL AIR. I MEAN, ALL HAVE A, A METRO STORIES. I JUST APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT. AND THERE'S A SPECIAL POINT. IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT YOU GET A METRO TRUSTEE TO HELP YOU DURING DISASTER. SO TROY MAY NOT SAY THIS, BUT I'LL SHARE THIS AFTER THE WATER, THE FREEZE. UM, AND WE HAD LIKE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WATER DROPS, UM, TROY AND HIS FAMILY WERE IN DISTRICT F HELPING PUSH OUT WATER TO SOME OF OUR SENIORS AND THOSE THAT WERE DISABLED. AND SO REALLY APPRECIATED THAT. SO WHILE THEY WERE NAVIGATING THEIR OWN PERSONAL CRISIS, THEY WERE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR COMMITMENT, AND TO ALL [02:20:01] OF YOU, AND LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A WONDERFUL PARTNER WITH YOU. THANK YOU. I, REPRESENTATIVE, REPRESENTATIVE, COUNCIL MEMBER , COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I, I LOVE THE BUS. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING. I MEAN, I HAVE REALLY THE 82 WEST TIMERS, MY BUS, HOW MANY PEOPLE DID YOU SAY RIDE THAT THING EVERY DAY? SANJA PRE PANDEMIC. 13,000 A DAY. 13,000 A DAY. THAT'S MY BUS, THE 82 WESTHEIMER. AND I, I DON'T REALLY LIKE TO DRIVE, WHICH MAYBE THIS ISN'T A VERY GOOD CITY FOR ME TO LIVE IN, BUT, BUT, UH, THE BUS HAS, UH, SINCE I'VE BEEN DOING THE FRIDAY DEAL, IT, IT'S REALLY, IT'S A GREAT, IT'S ALWAYS CLEAN. IT'S ALWAYS NICE. I ALWAYS FEEL SAFE. UH, IT'S A, I'VE HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND THE BUS STOP. LEX, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK THERE. THEY LOOK SO GOOD. THEY REALLY, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO HOW OUR STREETSCAPE LOOKS, SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT. AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE METRO NEXT IMPROVEMENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU, DIANE. WELCOME, COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE, UH, TO EACH OF YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. UM, SANJAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR FRIENDSHIP. UH, I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING OPEN AND CREATIVE TO NEW INNOVATIVE IDEAS IN MY DISTRICT. UH, WE PARTNER WITH METRO FOR OUR DISTRICT J JOBS INITIATIVE, WHERE WE PUT, UM, QR CODES IN EACH OF THE BUS SHELTERS AND DISTRICT J TO HELP PEOPLE, UM, BE ABLE TO FIND JOB OPENINGS ALL OVER THE CITY. UH, WE HIGHLIGHT THE METRO JOBS THAT ARE THERE AND JOBS OF EVERY INDUSTRY SPACE, UM, SO THAT PEOPLE, UM, HAVE A FLEXIBLE AND EASY WAY AND ACCESSIBLE WAY TO LOOK FOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES ALSO. UH, SO SHOUT OUT, UM, AND, AND PUB THAT REALLY QUICK. DISTRICT J JOBS.COM FOR ANYONE, FOR ANYONE LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. AND THEN THE GULFTON CIRCULATOR. UM, THAT REALLY HELPS US WITH THE FIRST MILE, LAST MILE OF A VERY DENSELY POPULATED, UM, VERY DIVERSE AND DYNAMIC COMMUNITY WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO, UH, RIDE METRO AND WANNA FIND WAYS TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE AND, UM, SAFE FOR THEM TO GET TO AND FROM. UH, SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT WE APPRECIATE, UH, YOU ALL'S EFFORTS IN THAT REGARD. AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE DAYS AHEAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I WANT TO ADD MY VOICE TO MY COLLEAGUES AND THE MAYOR, OF COURSE, FOR, FOR YOUR REAPPOINTMENT FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU'VE ALREADY DONE AND, AND WHAT YOU HAVE AHEAD. UH, I KNOW SOME OF YOU'RE AWARE, WE, WE, WITH, IN THE CAPACITY THAT I CHAIR THE TTI COMMITTEE, UH, WE HAVE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA TOMORROW THAT DEALS WITH METRO. THIS IS NOT A FIRST OFF, THIS IS AN ONGOING CONVERSATION. UH, THERE'S SO MUCH WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO. LEX, YOUR, UH, HISTORIC WORK IN THIS CITY AND IN OUR COUNTRY IS, UM, HAVING JUST RETURNED FROM MEXICO YESTERDAY, I CAN TELL YOU THAT OUR COUNTRY IS SO FAR AHEAD OF SO MANY OTHERS IN THE WORLD, UH, THAT IT'S REALLY, WE'VE JUST BEGUN THE STRUGGLE, UH, TO, TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBILITY TO ALL THOSE WHO DESERVE IT IN OUR WORLD. SO YOU ARE AT THE ABSOLUTE FOREFRONT OF THAT. AND WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THIS CITY IS SOMETHING, UM, THAT I'M JUST VERY PROUD TO BE A PART OF, WHETHER IT'S WITH THE TTI COMMITTEE, WITH MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBER, CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ AS THE OTHER VOTING MEMBER ON THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY COUNCIL, UH, AND OUR ALTERNATES WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. WE'VE GOT WORK TO DO. SANJAY, YOU AND I WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT. WE ARE WATCHING, WE ARE WITH YOU, AND WE ARE, UM, COLLABORATIVE IN THE WAY THAT WE MUST MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD. AND YOU ALL ARE IN SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE FOR US. SO MY THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO YOU. THANK YOU. AND COUNCILMAN PLUMMER, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR, AND CONGRATULATIONS. UM, I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU ARE, UM, THAT WE'RE REALLY INCORPORATING HOUSTON AS BEING A SMART CITY. UM, ONE OF MY, UH, ONE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS MENTIONED THAT THEY CAN PUT GOOGLE MAPS AND THEY, AND THEY CAN SEE WHERE THEY ARE, AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE BUS COMING. IT'S AMAZING BECAUSE IT REALLY ALLOWS PEOPLE TO USE THEIR TIME MORE EFFICIENTLY. UM, AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR FOCUSING ON THE, THE TRANSIT INSECURE AREAS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, TO MAKE SURE OUR RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, UM, HAVE COVERED SHELTERS AND AREAS THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY SIT DOWN. AND, UM, NOT A GRASSY AREA, BUT A SIEMENS LAB. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE, THAT YOU DO. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANNA SAY THANK YOU. AND ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, I HAD A BROTHER THAT, UH, ACTUALLY DIED, BUT HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. I ACTUALLY RODE THE BUS OF THE METRO RAIL ALMOST EVERY DAY. IT ALLOWED ME TO GO AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MY PARKING AND HOW MUCH MONEY I WAS GONNA HAVE TO PAY WHEN I CAME OUT. THEY WERE VERY CONVENIENT. AND ALSO THE APP HELPED ME A GREAT DEAL, AND THEY WERE VERY TIMELY. AND SO ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, AND I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW, YEAH, EVEN COUNCIL MEMBERS RIDE METRO, AND SOME [02:25:01] PEOPLE WERE VERY SURPRISED, YOU KNOW, UH, TO SEE ME THERE. I, AT THAT TIME, I THINK I WAS A COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRUSTEE, BUT IT WAS A, A GOOD EXPERIENCE. I FELT VERY SAFE. AND I MEAN, I WOULD RIDE AT NIGHT AND ALL TIMES OF THE DAY. AND SO, I WANNA SAY A PERSONAL THANKS TO METRO FOR PROVIDING THAT SERVICE, NOT ONLY TO ME, BECAUSE I MEAN, I HAVE A CAR, BUT SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE DON'T. AND SO I'M VERY MINDFUL THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO GOOD, GOOD AND SAFE TRANSPORTATION AND RESPECT. AND SO, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK, THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, UH, THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. AND AS YOU ALL CAN SEE, UM, YOU RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF METRO AND, UH, WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, OUR FUTURE DAYS ARE BETTER THAN OUR PAST DAYS. AND THAT, UH, PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GET TO POINT FROM POINT A TO POINT B, UH, AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS POSSIBLE, AND THEN TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, METRO IS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY. SO, UM, THANK YOU. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH YOU. AND, UH, MY CHARGES. SIMPLY DO AS MUCH AS YOU CAN, AS BE AS IMPACTFUL AS YOU CAN, UH, OVER THE NEXT 18 MONTHS, , YOU KNOW? ALRIGHT. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. WHERE ARE WE TURNING NEXT? ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT, NEXT. WE'RE GONNA TURN TO, WELL, OKAY, WELL, THE MOTION IS BEFORE US, BEFORE Y'ALL LEAVE IN CASE THERE'S ANY HELP. OKAY. ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION AND DISCUSSION? READY TO VOTE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? GRANTED. OKAY. IT'S UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU, . THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. UH, WE'RE GOING TO NOW TURN TO [1.  9:00 A.M. PUBLIC HEARING regarding the designation of the FIRST RIVERSIDE TERRACE HISTORIC DISTRICT - DISTRICT D - EVANS-SHABAZZ ] THE PUBLIC HEARING ON RIVERSIDE TERRACE. AND BEFORE WE, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND MARGARET AND HER TEAM COME, UH, LET ME MAKE, LET ME MAKE THESE COMMENTS, UH, THIS MORNING. LET I, UH, LOOKED AT THIS, REVIEWED ALL OF THIS, UH, MAKE A FEW OBSERVATIONS. UM, NUMBER ONE, UM, WHEN WE SET OUT, YOU KNOW, THE REQUIREMENTS, TWO THIRDS, 67% OF THE AREA. SO LARGE AREA THEN WAS CONDENSED TO A SMALLER SUBSET, UH, IN THAT NUMBER. AND IN THAT SMALLER NUMBER, IN THE SMALLER SUBSET, UH, UH, AFTER IT WAS PRESENTED TO THE, THE BOARD, UM, UM, JU BONY FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER INDICATED, UH, THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO PARTICIPATE. I MEAN, THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO BE A PART, AGREED TO, UH, THE CHANGE. UM, THAT WAS AFTER THE FACT. PREVIOUSLY HE SAID YES, AND HE SAID NO. UH, AND THEN THERE WAS A QUESTION IN REFERENCE TO SOMEONE WHO DIED, UH, LEFT A POWER OF ATTORNEY, BUT A POWER OF ATTORNEY OF COURSE, CEASES WHEN THAT PERSON CEASES AND THE PERSON DIES. UH, AND THEN THERE WAS A WILL, BUT THE WILL HADN'T BEEN PROBATED. OKAY? UM, AND SO PRIMARILY FOR THOSE TWO REASONS, UH, I'M GOING TO ASK THIS MATTER TO COME, GO BACK, COME BACK. UM, THERE WILL NOT BE AN ORDINANCE. THERE'LL BE COMING FOR YOU ANYTIME SOON. OKAY? AND THEN, UM, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHEN AN ORDINANCE WILL BE COMING, BUT WHAT I CAN SAY TO YOU, IT WON'T BE COMING, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME SOON. SO, I WANTED TO SAY THAT BEFORE WE GET INTO ALL OF THIS, UH, CERTAINLY, UM, UM, TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE, UM, UH, THE CONCERNS, UH, THE PUT FORTH BY THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER COUNT, COUNCIL MEMBER, CAROLYN AND SHABAZZ, UM, AND THE CONCERNS THAT SHE HAS RAISED. I APPRECIATE, UH, HER INPUT AND HER REPRESENTATION OF HER OWN DISTRICT. UM, BUT I JUST WANTED YOU, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO KNOW. UH, SO I'VE ASKED MARGARET, UH, TO DO A VERY ABBREVIATED PRESENTATION BASED ON WHAT I'VE JUST SAID. 'CAUSE THERE'S REALLY NO NEED TO GO THROUGH A VERY DETAILED PRESENTATION. SO I WANT EVERYONE TO BE CLEAR. UM, UH, AN ORDINANCE THAT WAS SCHEDULED TO COME, FOR EXAMPLE, NEXT WEEK, IT WILL NOT BE COMING. UM, IT WILL BE GOING, OR THINGS WILL BE RETURNING BACK TO THIS ADMINISTRATION. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHEN AN ORDINANCE WILL BE COMING. ALL I CAN SAY TO YOU WON'T BE COMING ANYTIME SOON. UM, SO I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT. NOW, HAVING SAID THAT, LET ME ALSO SAY IF WHETHER AN ORDINANCE MAY NOT BE COMING ON THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT MATTER. UH, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THIRD WARD, OKAY. UH, TO TAKE STEPS TO PRESERVE THE CHARACTER, THE PERSONALITY, AND THE INTEGRITY [02:30:01] OF THEIR AREA. THAT'S IMPORTANT. SO, UH, THIS, THIS MEASURE MAY NOT BE BECOMING, UH, MAY NOT BE UTILIZED, UH, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THIRD WARD, UH, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MINIMUM LOT SIZES, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, UH, MINIMUM BUILDING SETBACKS, UH, TO, UH, TAKE EVERY STEP TO PUT IN PLACE OR REACTIVATE DEED RESTRICTIONS, OKAY. UH, TO LOOK AT POSSIBLE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS. OR YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A VERY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE PERSONALITY OF THIRD WARD. SO, AND, AND, AND YET OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS. SO, UH, SO LET ME SAY TO THOSE WHO ARE LINING UP TO LINE UP TO SPEAK, UH, THIS ORDINANCE IS NOT GOING TO BE COMING BEFORE YOU ANYTIME SOON. OKAY? UH, IT'S BEING RETURNED BACK TO THIS ADMINISTRATION. UH, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL CONTINUE. UH, AND, AND, AND CERTAINLY I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL FOR HER INPUT AND REPRESENTING HER, HER DISTRICT. UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. AND SO, UM, TO THE DIRECTOR, UM, UH, AND TO THE CHIEF PRESERVATION OFFICER, UH, ROMAN MCALLEN, THERE'S NO NEED TO DO A, JUST A VERY, JUST DO A VERY MODIFIED . SURE. CONCISE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING THAT THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL WILL BE CONSIDERING ANY ANYTIME SOON. BEFORE WE GET STARTED, COUNCIL MEMBER KBA MAYOR, I HAVE AN INQUIRY, UH, SINCE WE HAD VOTED TO HAVE THIS HEARING TODAY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE HEARING TODAY. YEAH. SINCE, YEAH. BUT, BUT, BUT THE SPEAKERS, UH, SO, SO IF THEY DON'T, WHAT IS THAT? 'CAUSE THERE'S 29 ON THIS LIST. AND WHAT I AM SAYING TO, TO THE, TO, AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO MAKE MY STATEMENT AHEAD OF TIME, BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, THERE'S NO NEED FOR PEOPLE TO BE WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR YOU SAY, THAT THEY, BECAUSE THERE'LL BE ANOTHER TIME IF IT COMES UP, IF, IF IT SHOULD COME UP. AND I UNDERSCORE IF, BUT WHAT I CAN SAY WON'T BE COMING UP ANYTIME SOON. OKAY. SO, SO THE, THE, BASICALLY YOU'RE WITHDRAWING THE MATTER, BUT YOU CAN'T WITHDRAW THE HEARING BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY VOTED TO HAVE IT. OKAY. TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, IF THERE WAS AN ORDINANCE BEFORE YOU, I WOULD BE ASKING YOU TO SEND THE ORDINANCE BACK. THERE IS NO ORDINANCE BEFORE YOU, I HAVE NOT PLACED ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA, AND NOTHING WILL BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA ANYTIME SOON. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. PLANNING WILL CONTINUE TO DISCUSS, UH, THIS MATTER AND THE OTHER MEASURES. AND SO, WHAT I AM SAYING, UH, THIS WAS AN ATTEMPT TO PRO PROVIDE SOME HISTORICAL PROTECTION TO SOME MINIMUM LOTS. OKAY? UM, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE IN THIRD WARD TO LOOK AT PUTTING IN PLACE MINIMUM LOT SIZES WHERE IT'S NOT MINIMUM BUILDING SETBACKS, DEED RESTRICTIONS, LOOKING AT CONSERVATION DISTRICTS TO MAINTAIN OR TRY TO PRESERVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, UH, THE PERSONALITY, THE CULTURE, THE IDENTITY OF THIRD WARD. AND CERTAINLY WE'RE GONNA BE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN AND ENCOURAGING THE TURS AND OTHERS TO BE BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THIRD WARD SO PEOPLE CAN'T CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THIRD WARD. UM, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT, UH, FOR MEASURES TO TAKE PLACE. ALL I CAN SEE DOWN THE STRETCH. UM, THIRD WARD BEING A DIFFERENT THIRD WARD, THAT, SO THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE MY STATEMENT. UH, UM, BUT QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T INTEND TO WADE INTO THIS WARD ANYTIME SOON. OKAY? OKAY. ALRIGHT. HAVING SAID THAT, MARGARET, IF YOU'LL GIVE US AN ABBREVIATED YES, SIR, WE WILL. UH, PRESENTATION PROBABLY ABOUT TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, ROMAN MCALLEN, OUR CITY'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER, WILL ABBREVIATE HIS PRESENTATION TO ONE OR TWO SLIDES. SURE. THANK YOU. UH, STAFF MEMBER, OUR SLUM, WE'RE JUST GONNA SHOW SLIDE ONE AND TWO, WHICH IS JUST THAT WE WERE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING. UH, WE COULD SHARE SCREEN. HERE SHE COMES. JUST SLIDE ONE. THERE'S SLIDE ONE. WE'RE TALKING, WE WERE HERE TO TALK ABOUT A PROPOSED FIRST RIVERSIDE HISTORIC DISTRICT. AND, UH, SLIDE TWO, I JUST WANT TO STILL RECAPTURE WHAT, WHAT A HISTORIC DISTRICT IN HOUSTON. THESE ARE AREAS RECOGNIZED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IT'S KEY BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON, RECOGNIZED AS POSSESSING SIGNIFICANT CONCENTRATION, LINKAGE, CONTINUITY OF BUILDING STRUCTURES, OBJECTS, OR SITES, UNITED BY HISTORICAL CULTURAL STRESS. THEN THAT CULTURAL 'CAUSE. YOU'LL SEE THAT WHEN YOU SEE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS COMING DOWN THE LINE, ARCHITECTURAL AND ARCHEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE IN OUR CITY. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ABOUT. THAT'S WHAT THIS MEETING WAS, WAS PROPOSED TO BE ABOUT. I WON'T GO ANY FURTHER WITH THAT, BUT I CAN'T STAND UP HERE WITH THOSE BACKPACKS BEHIND ME WITHOUT THANKING [02:35:01] YOU, MAYOR, DEEPLY FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO LOWER WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN OUR CITY AND IN OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTRY. THANK YOU. AND TO ALL OF YOU ON COUNCIL, THANK YOU. VERY MORE AVAILABLE. ANY QUESTIONS? IF YOU WHAT? OH, OH, SORRY. GO AHEAD. SAY IT. WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABA, YOU'RE IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, UM, DIRECTOR AND ROMAN, FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS. UM, I'M JUST GONNA SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS TROUBLED WHEN THERE'S DISCORD BETWEEN MY CONSTITUENTS, AS I AFFECTIONATELY REFERRED TO THEM AS MY SON AND MY DAUGHTER. UH, AND I INITIALLY MET WITH ALL PARTIES, UH, TO TRY TO BUILD CONSENSUS, BUT THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN. AND A COMMUNITY HAS A RIGHT TO APPLY FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION TO PRESERVE THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT ALSO THERE IS A SIDE OF THE COMMUNITY AND THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO OPPOSE IT AND BE CONCERNED ABOUT IT BEING A TOOL OF GENTRIFICATION THAT COULD SLOWLY CREEP THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ONE DESIGNATION AT A TIME. AND SO, CERTAINLY I HAVE PUSHED FOR DEED RESTRICTIONS AND DID A WORKSHOP AND GOING TO TRY TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE CIVIC CLUBS TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE THIS. AND SO THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY PUSH. BUT I ALSO FELT IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY AS A COUNCIL MEMBER TO INFORM MY CONSTITUENTS, UH, JUST AS THEY DID FOR THE DEED RESTRICTIONS, BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE HAD QUESTIONS. AND SO I CALLED THE TOWN HALL MEETING FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ONLY. AND SO I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT TWO THINGS, AND I HAVE TO THANK, UH, ATTORNEY MELANIE MILES. I THINK SHE BROUGHT FORTH A WONDERFUL, UM, SOME INFORMATION TO US. AND SHE ACTUALLY PUT IT IN A BINDER, AND I WANT TO THANK HER FOR THAT. BUT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT TWO THINGS. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WAS NOTICED TO THE RIVERSIDE CIVIC ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS REQUIRED. AND IT SAYS THE DIRECTOR SHALL ENDEAVOR TO GIVE NOTICE TO A CIVIC ORGANIZATION REGISTERED WITH THE CITY WHOSE AREA IS INCLUDED IN WHOLE, OR IN PART IN THE PROPOSED DISTRICT. I DISCOVERED THAT THE EMAIL WAS WRONG, THAT WAS SENT TO THE CIVIC CLUB, AND I ACTUALLY BROUGHT THAT TO BOTH THE CIVIC CLUB LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS TO THE DIRECTOR. AND SO OF COURSE, IT WAS RATIONALIZED AND MS. SOWING, WHO WAS THE RCA PRESIDENT, WAS AT THE MEETING. SO SHE WAS NOTIFIED. WELL, I CONTEND THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE CIVIC CLUB NOTICE IS NOT TO NOTIFY THE PRESIDENT AS AN INDIVIDUAL, BUT IN HER CAPACITY AS THE PRESIDENT TO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE THE CIVIC CLUB DATABASE. AND WITHOUT DOCUMENTATION OF ACTUAL NOTICE, WE DON'T KNOW IF THE OPPORTUNITY WAS AFFORDED IN A TIMELY MANNER TO ALLOW THAT ENGAGEMENT. SO THAT WAS ONE POINT. I'M GONNA TRY TO MAKE THIS FAST, MAYOR, 'CAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY MADE YOUR RULING REGARDING REMANDING IT, BUT I, BUT I JUST WANT MY COMMUNITY. BUT THE, BUT THE LONG IT LINGERS, NOW I RESERVED TO CHANGE MY MIND. NO, MAYOR. NO, NO. AND I'LL TEXT YOU ALL NIGHT, MAYOR, I PROMISE YOU I WILL. UH, SECONDLY, ONE OF THE OWNERS WHOSE VOICE WAS RECORDED TO VOTE WAS RECORDED TO SUPPORT THE APPLICATION, WAS DEAD THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE VOTE. AND A RELATIVE REPORTEDLY SIGNED AS A POA AND AS A MAYOR POINTED OUT IN TEXAS, THE POA NO LONGER HAS AUTHORITY, UH, NOR HAS THE WILL BEEN PROBATED. SO IT'S ALL VERIFIED. SO AGAIN, THAT LOWERED THAT 67% THRESHOLD EVEN MORE. AND THEN, OF COURSE, JUDA BONY, WHO'S WHO HAD ACTUALLY SENT AN EMAIL PREVIOUSLY, I DISCOVERED, UH, DID NOT FOR SOME REASON GET THROUGH OUR SERVER. AND ACTUALLY, I WAS ABLE TO SEND THAT TO YOU LAST EVENING TO LET YOU KNOW THAT HE DID FORMALLY PULL BACK HIS SUPPORT ON THIS. AND SO, I, I, I THANK YOU AGAIN, UM, MS. MILES FOR BEING ABLE TO GIVE ME THAT AS WELL. AND SO, JUST IN CLOSING, I WANNA SAY PERSON'S HOME IN MOST CASES IS THEIR BIGGEST ASSET. I'M COMING COUNCIL MEMBERS. THERE'S ALREADY AN ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THIS COMMUNITY WITH INFLATED PROPERTY VALUES AND HIGH TAXES, ADDING HIGH COST OF REPAIRS, PENALTIES, FEES, AND FINES ATTACHED TO A HISTORIC DISTRICT CAN FURTHER RESULT IN OPPORTUNITIES FOR GENTRIFICATION. AND THE HISTORIC DISTRICT TEMPLATE DOES NOT FIT IN EVERY COMMUNITY. AND THE LARGER COMMUNITY HAS EXPRESSED THAT THEY DON'T WANT IT AND DOCUMENTED THAT IN THE INITIAL VOTE. AND SO, UH, I'M GLAD, MAYOR, THAT YOU HAVE PULLED THIS BACK, UH, SO THAT, UH, WE CAN MOVE ON BECAUSE TO THIS ORDINANCE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AND TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN SOMETHING THAT BOTH THE DIRECTOR AND THE COMMUNITY HAS DETERMINED IS VAGUE AND IS NOT BEING FOLLOWED. I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE FAIR OR PRUDENT. AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. 'CAUSE YOU ALL HAVE COME FORTH. THANK YOU. RCA AND MAYOR, I'M DONE. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INDULGENCE COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANKS. UM, COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I WANT TO GIVE A, A THANK YOU TO ALL PARTIES INVOLVED, TO THE DIRECTOR, TO THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION, AND EVERYONE WHO PLAYED A ROLE IN ENGAGING IN ENSURING THAT WE UNDERSTOOD YOUR VOICE [02:40:01] AND UNDERSTOOD WHERE YOU STOOD ON PARTICULAR ISSUES. UH, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS PROCESS IS ALL ABOUT. AND, UH, THE INFORMATION THAT YOU ALL SHARED REALLY DID SHED A LIGHT FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT LIVE IN THAT AREA, ON WHAT THE DYNAMICS WERE AND HOW YOU FELT. UM, AS A CHILD OF A MOTHER WHO, UH, HAS BEEN AT TSU FOR OVER 40 YEARS, I KIND OF GREW UP IN THE THIRD WARD AREA AND I'M VERY MUCH, UM, POSSESSIVE OF THE WORD THIRD WARD, JUST LIKE I'M VERY POSSESSIVE OF FOURTH WARD. UM, BEING THAT MY CHURCH WAS IN AT ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, AND NOW WHAT FOURTH WARD ONCE WAS IS NOW MIDTOWN. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT FOURTH WARD WAS MIDTOWN. AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THESE HISTORIC PRESERVATION DISTRICTS, AND WE ARE TRYING TO PRESERVE HISTORY, YOU KNOW, WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE FOLKS OF THIRD WARD, BUT NOWHERE IN THAT TITLE OF THE PRESERVATION DISTRICT WAS THIRD WARD. AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE LOST ON FUTURE GENERATIONS THAT WE START SPLITTING UP AREAS INTO THESE LITTLE, UM, SUBSETS THAT WAS ONCE THIRD WARD, BUT NOW IT'S CALLED SOMETHING ELSE. ALL RIGHT? SO WE WANT THIRD WARD. WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIRD WARD RECOGNIZED FOR ALL THE TRUE BEAUTY THAT IT HAS BROUGHT TO OUR CITY. AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BRING. AND SO WHEN THINKING ABOUT, UM, THE NAMING OF DIFFERENT DISTRICTS AND PRESERVING THAT HISTORY, LET'S BE MINDFUL OF THIRD WARD AND ITS CONTRIBUTIONS. JUST LIKE WE SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF FOURTH WARD AND ITS CONTRIBUTIONS AND NOT TRY TO LOSE THAT HISTORY. SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. BUT I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR, THERE WAS NOTHING IN THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT WAS GOING TO BE SUBDIVIDING WORKING AGAINST THIRD WARD. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE TO RESPOND IS THAT'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION. BUT THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT WAS GOING TO BE WORKING AGAINST THIRD WARD. I THINK YOU'RE LOSING MY, YOU NO, NO, NOT I, COUNCIL MEMBER. MY, I'M, I'M SPEAKING. NOT MY TIME, MY TIME. WE ARE NOT MOVING FORWARD ON THIS MATTER. LET ME SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME. THANK YOU. HOW MANY TIMES Y'ALL, Y'ALL GOING, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. REALLY QUICKLY, 'CAUSE WE HAVE, I THINK OVER 75 MINUTES OF PUBLIC SPEAKERS SIGNED UP. SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR ENGAGEMENT, UM, THAT, THAT'S THE TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT YOU WANNA SEE. IT'S, IT'S AMAZING. UM, I DID THOUGH WANNA RECOGNIZE ROMAN AND DIRECTOR, UM, AT LEAST IN DISTRICT C, THAT MAP YOU JUST PULLED UP. UH, A LOT OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS THERE, OR HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE ONLY TOOLS THAT WE HAVE HAD IN DEALING WITH OVERDEVELOPMENT, UH, UTILITY POLLING. I MEAN, YOU NAME IT, WE'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH IT SIMILAR TO OTHER AREAS. BUT I JUST WANNA THANK YOU 'CAUSE I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM IS, UH, PRESERVATION AND PROTECTION. UH, SO AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND IT'S BEING REFERRED BACK, MAYOR, SO I'LL, I'LL WITHHOLD MY COMMENTS. I JUST, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO WHAT YOU ALL DO IN AT LEAST DISTRICT C. SO I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT. AND THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN KNOX. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU GUYS TODAY, BUT IT'S EVIDENTLY A MOOT POINT, SO I'M NOT GONNA ASK THEM. BUT I WILL SAY THIS, I I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE TODAY IS THE RECOGNITION OF PROPERTY RIGHTS. THAT INDIVIDUALS HAVE A RIGHT TO THEIR PROPERTY. AND THAT GOVERNMENT REALLY SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT, UH, RESTRICTING OR REDUCING INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN HOUSTON AND IN TEXAS. AND I'M ALL FOR HISTORICAL PRESERVATION, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE WITH THE CONSENT OF ALL OF THE OWNERS THERE. SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE THE MAYOR HAS DECIDED TO PULL THIS ITEM AND, AND NOT PRESENT IT FOR A VOTE. 'CAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY CONTENTIOUS. UH, BUT I WOULD JUST REMIND EVERYBODY THAT, THAT, UH, HISTORICAL PRESERVATION'S REALLY NICE AND EVERYTHING. BUT YOU MUST GET CONSENT BEFORE YOU RESTRICT THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS TO DEAL WITH THEIR PROPERTY IN WHATEVER WAY THEY SEE FIT. SO THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR DOING THIS TODAY. COUNCIL, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX. WE HAD A LOT OF ANSWERS AS WELL. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PLUMER. REALLY QUICKLY, MAYOR, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE COMMUNITY FOR ALL THE ENGAGEMENT, AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ AND MAYOR TURNER FOR LISTENING TO THEM. IT'S A GOOD DAY TODAY. SO, UM, AS A FUTURE RESIDENT OF RIVERSIDE TERRACE, I'M REALLY EXCITED. . OKAY. UM, THANK YOU. WE'RE DONE. THANK YOU BOTH. THANK YOU ALL. I DO WANT TO THANK THE, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DONE. Y'ALL SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND, UM, AND EFFORT ON THIS. SO LET ME, LET ME THANK YOU BOTH AND YOUR STAFF AND EVERYTHING, AND EVERYONE FOR, FOR YOUR EFFORT. UM, SO, UM, THIS MAY NOT, UM, BE THE TOOL FOR THIS PARTICULAR AREA, BUT I DO KNOW THAT, THAT THERE ARE OTHER AREAS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE REQUESTING, UH, DESIGNATIONS OF HISTORICAL [02:45:01] DISTRICTS. UH, SO LET ME, LET ME THANK, UM, UH, EVERYONE, UH, FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION. YOUR INVOLVEMENT, AND THE TIME AND THE ATTENTION THAT Y'ALL HAVE DEVOTED TO IT AND IT, UM, AND, UM, AND IT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. SO THANK YOU BOTH. THANKS, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR. ALRIGHT, UH, COUNCILMAN PALMER. MAYOR TURNER, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD ISHA GAGE TO THE TOP OF THE TWO MINUTE LIST OF THE PUBLIC HEARING. ISHA GAGE. OKAY. YEAH, YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION HAS BEEN SECOND AND THE OBJECTION CHAIR, NONE. THAT MOTION IS GRANTED. THANK YOU, MAYOR, JUDGE. OKAY. OKAY. UM, LEMME JUST SAY YOU, YOU, YOU'RE ON THE LIST, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEAK THIS MORNING. UM, BUT, UH, YOU CERTAINLY CAN. UM, ALRIGHT, MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL CALL THE LIST SPEAKER'S. LIST ITEM, WE NEED TO CALL THE ITEM ITEM. OH, DO WE NEED TO CALL THE ITEM? YEAH, CALL THE ITEM AND THEN, OKAY. IF YOU'LL CALL THE ITEM, ITEM ONE. ITEM ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY. WE'RE ON ITEM ONE, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND MADAM SECRETARY, WILL YOU PROCEED TO CALL THE SPEAKERS, PLEASE? THE FIRST SPEAKER, BONITA FORD. BONITA FORD. IF YOU'RE PRESSED STAR SIX, YOU CAN PROCEED. BONITA FORD STAR SIX BONITA FORD. NEXT SPEAKER. ADDISON H ADDISON. IS IT H OR H? H-H-H-H-H-H-H. OKAY. RIGHT. I'M NEW AND NERVOUS. RIGHT BEHIND THE MICROPHONE. OKAY. UM, MY GRANDMOTHER MOVED INTO HER HOUSE IN THIRD WARD IN 1966. UM, I'M NOW HER PRIMARY CARETAKER, AND I STAND TO INHERIT THAT HOUSE. UM, I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT THIS, UM, IS NOT GONNA GO FORWARD, BUT I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING. UM, THIRD WARD IS NOT JUST A BUNCH OF BUILDINGS. THIRD WARD IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE. IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOOTBALL PLAYERS, UH, FROM YATES AFTER PRACTICE, GOING TO WING STOP. IT'S ABOUT BELIEVING WHEELER AVENUE ON A SUNDAY, GETTING THE KING SPECIAL FROM FRENCHIES. THIRD WARD IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE. AND THIS SEEMED TO BE A WILLFUL ATTEMPT TO SUBVERT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE. UM, WE ARE PEOPLE, WE ARE NOT BUILDINGS. UM, AND CONSENT IS, UM, WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX SAID, CONSENT IS THE BIG PART, AND I HOPE YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. REMEMBER THAT? THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCILMAN MADAM SHABAZZ. HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON JUST A SECOND. UH, IF YOU HAVE FURTHER COMMENTS, I'LL GIVE YOU MY TIME. BUT I HAVE TO SAY ONE THING. I, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU. I HAVE KNOWN YOU SINCE YOU WERE A LITTLE BOY. YOUR MOM KIM IS MY SISTER'S BEST FRIEND. SO TO SEE YOU COME HERE IS, IS JUST GIVES ME GOOSEBUMPS. SO I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE TIME, BUT I DON'T, I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK AFTER EVERYBODY, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE THIS YOUNG MAN HIS ACCOLADES FOR COMING FORWARD. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. UH, THANK YOU. UM, JUST PLEASE DON'T SUBVERT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE OF THIRD WARD. UM, PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN GROWN AND MOLDED IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN HOW WE MOVE AND HOW WE OPERATE. UM, MAYOR TURNER, YOU DID, I DO UNDER, UH, STAND AND AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID. THAT IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO, UH, KEEP THIRD WARD, YOU KNOW, KEEP THIRD WARD GREAT, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD BE DONE. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. TISHA GAGE. I'M TISHA GAGE IS HERE. GOOD MORNING. I FEEL AT HOME. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I BEGAN MY CAREER HERE, HOUSTON. UH, I SPENT MANY HOURS IN THE CHAMBERS. UH, I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PERSONNEL RESEARCH. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY, THE MATRIARCH OF MY FAMILY WHO MOVED INTO RIVERSIDE TERRACE WHEN SHE GRADUATED FROM PRAIRIE IN 1975 YEARS AGO. MY GRANDFATHER GRADUATED FROM PRAIRIE VIEW AND ALL THE OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS FOLLOWED HIM. HE BOUGHT A HOUSE IN THE HEIGHTS. THEY BOUGHT HOMES IN THIRD WARD. WE KNOW [02:50:01] WHAT HAPPENED IN THE HEIGHTS TO OUR RELATIVES AND THEIR FRIENDS ONCE IT BECAME A HISTORIC DISTRICT. NOW, I HAD TO ASK MYSELF, WHAT WOULD MY MENTORS SAY? MY MOTHER'S CHILDHOOD FRIEND BARBARA JORDAN, WHO TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT POLITICS. WHAT WOULD MY MENTORS SAY? ARTHUR GASTON. WHO, WHOSE LAW PARTNERS WERE FRANCIS WILLIAMS. MATTHEW PLUMMER. WHAT WOULD MY DEAN SAY? WALTER MCCOY IN THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, MY COUSIN IS NOW 70, IS NOW 95 YEARS OLD. SHE NOT ONLY WORKED, WENT TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY AND TAUGHT STUDENTS AS MY MOTHER DID AND MY OTHER COUSINS, BUT SHE AND HER HUSBAND ALSO HAD A BUSINESS ON DIALING PETTUS OF HOUSTON. THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED. THEY HAVE WORKED ALL THEIR LIVES AND THEY DESERVE. THEY DON'T HAVE THE DISPOSABLE INCOME NOW, CAROL. THEY DON'T HAVE THE DISPOSABLE INCOME. SALLY, DAVID, YOU TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I APOLOGIZE FOR LOOKING THE WAY I LOOK. MANY OF YOU KNOW I'M RECOVERING FROM BRAIN CANCER, SO YOU'RE FINE. YOU LOOK FINE. THANK, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU WILLIAM PAUL. THANK YOU. YOU LOOK FINE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS, YOU KNOW, OUR APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER. ALFRED GREEN. ALFRED GREEN. GOOD MORNING. I'M ALFRED GREEN, UH, PRECINCT CHAIR FOR TWO 10. AND I CAME IN THIS MORNING TO, UH, ASK FOR FAIRNESS, AND I TELL YOU, I THINK I GOT IT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, . THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. FREDDY HARRIS. FREDDY HARRIS. GOOD MORNING. MEMBERS OF THE TEAM, THE COMMITTEE. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, MR. MR. TURNER. BROTHER WILLIAM PAUL, BROTHER BAILEY, CAROLINE, EVAN SHABAZZ, FELLOW CITY COUNCILMAN, NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS. TODAY, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE VOTING. THE VOTE THAT I UNDERSTOOD WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN A NO VOTE. IF YOU DIDN'T VOTE, THEN WE HAD ANOTHER VOTE WHERE THAT CAME ABOUT. I HAVE NO EARTHLY IDEA. UH, THAT WAS A LITTLE BOY. HE GREW UP ON WICHITA. HE RODE HIS BIKE FROM THE 24 TO THE 2,500 BLOCK FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER. ON ONE CORNER WAS MR. AND MS. JOEL THOMAS, HIS COUSINS AND HIS, HIS COUSINS AND HIS GODPARENTS WHO BURNED IN THE FIRE. THEY ALSO OWNED WHAT IS THE LODGE ACROSS THE STREET, WHICH IS A WHITE BUILDING. IT USED TO BE AN INSURANCE AGENCY. THE NEXT HOUSE WAS MY COUSINS, ALSO JOHNNY MARTIN AND HIS WIFE. THE NEXT HOUSE BELONGED TO A PREACHER. UH, THE NEXT HOUSE BELONGED TO, UH, MY MOTHER. THE NEXT HOUSE AFTER THAT BELONGED TO MY MOTHER. THE NEXT HOUSE AFTER THAT BELONGED TO MY COUSINS JESSE. JESSE WAS A FAMOUS MUSICIAN, A GOSPEL SINGER, AND HIS BROTHER, WILLIE WILLIE THORNTON. THE NEXT HOUSE BELONGED TO SCHOOL TEACHERS. THE NEXT HOUSE BELONGED TO A DOCTOR. SO WE, THE PEOPLE IN THAT AREA, SUGAR HILL, THIRD WARD, RIVERSIDE TERRORISTS. WE BELIEVE IN DOING WHAT'S RIGHT NOW. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THIS LITTLE BOY IS GROWING UP TO BECOME A MAN. WHEN HE LOOKS OVER THE BLOCK, WHEN HE'S 23 YEARS OLD, HE SEES BEYONCE PLAYING THE BACKYARD, TWO HOUSES DOWN, EXCUSE ME, TWO HOUSES DOWN. HE SEES JUDY TILLMAN, WHO USED TO COME OVER AND PLAY WITH ME AND TALK TO ME. HER DADDY WAS MAC HANNAH. TIME IS UP. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELL, THANK YOU. I NEED TO BE A VOTE. I'M SORRY. I'M, IT IS ILLEGAL FOR IT TO BE A VOTE. I'M SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER COUNTY. MR. SHABAZZ, THANK YOU FOR POINT OF CLARIFICATION AND THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I LOVE YOU. AND YOU KNOW, YOUR MOM WOULD'VE BEEN RIGHT UP IN HERE, OKAY? AND MS. HARRIS WAS A FIGHTER, BUT JUST FOR POINT OF CLARIFICATION, THE VOTE PRIOR TO THIS WAS FOR A WHOLE NOTHER ITEM. THIS IS NOT COMING TO A VOTE TODAY. AND THE MAYOR [02:55:01] HAS REMANDED IT. SO JUST THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT THERE IS NO VOTE TODAY REGARDING A HISTORIC DISTRICT. OKAY? OKAY. JUST, BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER. MICHELLE OGLETREE. MICHELLE OGLETREE, IF YOU PRESSED STAR SIX ON THREE. YES, I'M HERE. THANK YOU. UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ, FOR TAKING THE VALID CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY AND STANDING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT. AND THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER FOR WITHDRAWING THE ORDINANCE AT THIS TIME. THE HISTORIC DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS PUT TOO MANY COSTLY RULES AND STIPULATIONS ON THE HOMEOWNERS. THE MAJORITY OF THE RES RESIDENTS AND RIVERSIDE TERRACE HAVE LIVED HERE FOR DECADES AND FAMILIES LIVING HERE FOR A HALF A CENTURY, EVEN AS THE HOUSE THAT I'M LIVING IN NOW. AND, UM, WE'VE ENJOYED DECORATING AND UPGRADING OUR HOMES AS WE SEE FIT AND ENJOYING THE COMMUNITY AS IT IS. I'M THIRD GENERATION IN MY HOME, AND I'M AGAINST THE CREATION OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT IN THIS AREA. I WANT MY CHILDREN TO ENJOY THE SAME LIBERTIES AND REASONABLE RESPONSIBILITIES OF HOME OWNERSHIP THAT I HAVE. FURTHERMORE, AND MOST OF ALL, THE RIVERSIDE RESIDENTS HAVE HAD VOTED AGAINST THIS. IT'S WELL KNOWN THAT THE RULES WERE BROKEN IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT IN ITS UNFAIR, UNLAWFUL, AND WRONG. AND, UM, I'M THANKFUL AGAIN THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE VOTED ON TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER, TIMOTHY DIXON. UH, TIMOTHY DIXON. IF YOU'RE PRESS STAR SIX TIMOTHY TIMOTHY DIXON. THANK YOU, MAYOR TURNER. MY NAME IS TIM DIXON. I'M A LIFETIME RESIDENT OF THIRD WARD, MEMBER OF THE RIVERSIDE TERRORIST CIVIC CLUB. AND MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN, RACHEL AND I HAVE BEEN HOMEOWNERS IN THIRD WARD FOR A TOTAL OF 21 YEARS. MY TIME, I WANTED TO INVITE OUR COUNCIL TO REMEMBER THAT THIS PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU TO APPROVE THE CREATION OF A HISTORIC DISTRICT, SHOULD YOU VOTE TO APPROVE IT, WHICH OF COURSE, WE, WE, WE WON'T DO THAT TODAY. WE'LL START A TREND THAT WILL BRING MORE UNCERTAINTY TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S FUTURE THAN STABILITY. AN ARTICLE ON FORBES.COM IN 2019 CITED A STUDY IN THE JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY THAT FOUND NEGATIVE NET GAINS WHEN ONE COMPARES THE RESULTING HIGHER HOUSING PRICES AND DECREASED HOUSING INVESTMENTS WITH ANY BENEFITS THAT ARISE FROM A HISTORIC DESIGNATION. THIS ARTICLE ALSO DETAILS THAT SUCH DESIGNATIONS ON AN AREA HAVE THE EFFECT OF STIFLING NEW DEVELOPMENT, SEVERELY IMPACTING THE COMMUNITY'S ABILITY TO ADAPT TO ECONOMIC CHANGES MAKING THESE AREAS LESS DESIRABLE TO DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF COMPLIANCE COSTS, PERMITTING, DELAYS, ET CETERA. SO THE VARIOUS STABILITY THAT THIS DISTINCTION CLAIMS IT WILL BRING, WILL HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. MOREOVER, THIS DISTINCTION WILL NOT STOP OR SLOW GENTRIFICATION IN OUR COMMUNITY AS IT HAS BEEN CLAIMED, BUT WILL BECOME A CONDUIT OF IT. THE NATIONAL DATA SHOWS PLAINLY THAT THE MEDIAN INCOME AND EDUCATION OF OWNERS IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE DRAMATICALLY HIGHER THAN THEIR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES. HOUSTON PRIDES ITSELF ON DIVERSITY. IS THIS REALLY WHAT WE WANT IN ONE OF ITS MOST CHERISHED COMMUNITIES? LASTLY, I WOULD IMPLORE THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THAT LEGACY AND THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORY IS NOT BEST DONE WITH APPEARANCES, BUT WITH WORK, THE WORK OF FOSTERING PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS, THE WORK OF STRENGTHENING THE BONDS BETWEEN NEIGHBORS THAT INVOLVE MORE THAN THE LOOK OF A HOME, BUT THE BONES OF A COMMUNITY. I SUBMIT THAT THIS, IT IS THAT GENERATIONAL WORK THAT GIVES RIVERSIDE TERRORISTS MOST OF ITS VALUE AND STABILITY AND NOT THE PROSPECT OF A HISTORIC DISTRICT. THIS IS WHAT RIVERSIDE TERRA HAS BEEN. AND WITH YOUR VOTING NO TODAY, WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE, ALTHOUGH YOU WON'T BE VOTING ON THAT TODAY. I TAKE YOUR POINT, MAYOR TURNER, ABOUT THIS, NOT INCLUDING THIRD WARD. I THINK THAT THE CLAIM IS THAT THIS WILL START A TREND THAT IS UN THAT IS NOT FAIR TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE WARD. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. BUT PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THE THIRD WARD HAS LOST 8,000 AFRICAN AMERICANS UNDER THE CURRENT STATUS QUO. THAT NUMBER CONTINUES UNLESS STEPS ARE TAKEN TO REVERSE THAT TREND. SO JUST BEAR, BEAR IN MIND, WHAT IS TAKING PLACE IN THIRD WARD CURRENTLY? OKAY, SO BEAR IN MIND, UM, NEXT SPEAKER. KIMBERLY H KIMBERLY H KIMBERLY IS HERE. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. UH, MY SON SPOKE TO, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY THAT HE HAS AN INHERITING, UH, MY MOTHER'S PROPERTY. MY MOTHER HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO BUILD, MAKE IMPROVEMENTS, DO ALL OF THESE THINGS TO HER HOME SO SHE CAN PASS DOWN GENERATIONAL WEALTH. I HEARD ONE OF THE WOMEN SPEAK ABOUT, UM, SHE'S THIRD GENERATION IN HER HOME. IF THESE THINGS COME TO PASS, I DO NOT LIVE IN RIVERSIDE TERRACE, BUT IN A NEIGHBORING. AND [03:00:01] IT SEEMS LIKE IT SAYS THE FIRST WE ARE TRYING TO PREVENT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BE BEING TAKEN OVER BY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FROM, WHO ARE NOT, WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THE RICHNESS OF OUR CULTURE. AND AS MY SON SAID, WE ARE LIVING HISTORY. IT IS LIVING HISTORY. IT'S NOT IN A EDIFICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER, DON BURTON. DON BURTON, IF YOU OPPRESS STAR SIX DON BURTON, STAR SIX DON BURTON. NEXT SPEAKER, CHARLOTTE BURTON. CHARLOTTE BURTON. IF YOU OPPRESS STAR SIX CHARLOTTE BURTON. STAR SIX CHARLOTTE. NEXT SPEAKER. TRISTAN WILLIAMS. TRISTAN WILLIAMS. IF YOU OPPRESS STAR SIX, TRISTAN WILLIAMS. HELLO, MAYOR, THIS IS DAWN BURTON. I'M ON MY PHONE AND WHEN I PRESS STAR SIX, IT SENT ME TO THAT'S OKAY. WE CAN HEAR YOU. UH, SOMETHING WITH VERIZON. WE CAN HEAR YOU. MAY I HAVE TIME NOW OR YES. SHOULD I GO AHEAD ON? THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, REMOVING THE VOTE, WITHDRAWING THE NEED TO VOTE TODAY. THE CONCERN THAT I, I HAVE IS AS NUMBER ONE, AS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THIRD WARD. UH, THE CONCERN OF THE, MY CONCERN IS OF THE POWERS AND PRACTICES OF THE PLANNING BOARD TO O IN THE WAY THAT THIS PROCESS WA WAS INITIATED AND ENGAGED IN. UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE WHAT THEY DID WAS OVERLOOK THE OPPOSITION OF THE OWNERS. UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE, THE PLANNING BOARD, UM, PERSON IN CHARGE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE DECISIONS. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO RAISE THE CONCERN THAT MAYBE HER POWERS SHOULD BE EITHER, UH, SHOULD BE RECONSIDERED BECAUSE AS THE, UH, AS THE THE ISSUE CAME UP, NEIGHBORS WERE NOT NOTIFIED. UH, EVELYN SHABAZZ, ME COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ MENTIONED THAT, OR YOU MENTIONED THAT. UM, BUT THAT IS THE OTHER CONCERN, NOT ONLY, UH, THAT THIS CAME UP, BUT THE POWER THAT WAS YIELDED IN SPITE OF THE OPPOSITION OF THE OWNERS INCLUDED, WAS A PROBLEM. BECAUSE WE STOOD UP AND SAID NO. AND WHEN WE STOOD UP AND SAID NO, THE LINES WERE WITHDRAWN TO INCLUDE MEMBERS WHO DIDN'T, ALSO DID NOT WANT TO BE INCLUDED, BUT JUST BECAUSE OF THEIR LOCATION AND PROXIMITY TO THE MINORITY WHO WERE INTERESTED, THEN THEY WERE THEN, UH, CAPTURED AND HELD CAPTIVE TO SOMETHING THEY DID NOT WANNA PARTICIPATE IN. AND THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE POWERS AND PRACTICES OF THE PLANNING BOARD'S. UH, LEADER, UH, FORGIVE ME, I DON'T REMEMBER HER TITLE. UM, BUT SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, REMOVING THIS AS ON THE AGENDA OR NOT REQUIRING THE VOTE TODAY. UM, BUT THE CONCERN IS THAT IT WILL COME BACK AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE POWER AND PRACTICES OF THE PLANNING BOARD AND THE HISTORICAL DISTRICT AND WHAT THEY SEEM TO THINK IMPORTANT. YEAH, TOM HAS TRY. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU ALL CAN TAKE THAT UP WITH THE NEXT MAYOR. UH, NEXT QUESTION. UH, UH, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. CHARLOTTE BURTON. UH, CHARLOTTE BURTON. CHARLOTTE BURTON, STAR SIX CHARLOTTE BURTON. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER. TRISTAN WILLIAMS. TRISTAN WILLIAMS. UH, STAR SIX TRISTAN WILLIAMS. STAR SIX TRI WILLIAMS. STAR SIX. NEXT SPEAKER. KEVIN WRIGHT. KEVIN WRIGHT. IF YOU, IF YOU OPPRESS STAR SIX, YOU CAN PROCEED. KEVIN WRIGHT. KEVIN WRIGHT. NEXT SPEAKER. JACK MAY. JACK MAY JACK, MAY IS HERE. MR. MAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I'M DISAPPOINTED AT THIS OUTCOME, BUT THAT'S WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE. EVERYBODY I KNOW WANTS TO PRESERVE MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I PARTICULARLY WANT TO PREVENT IT FROM BECOMING THE MUSEUM DISTRICT. SO WE HAVE ALREADY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF MINIMUM LOT SIZE AND MINIMUM, UH, BUILDING LINE. AND I WANT TO LET MY NEIGHBORS KNOW THAT I, MY SKILLS AS AN ENGINEER ARE AVAILABLE TO ANYONE WHO HAS ANY PRACTICAL PROPOSAL FOR IMPROVING THE CHANCES THAT WE WILL RETAIN OUR CURRENT ARRANGEMENT. UH, I CAN HELP PEOPLE WITH MINIMUM BUILDING LINE, UH, DATA COLLECTION. I'VE DONE THAT MANY TIMES. AND IF ANYONE HAS A PRACTICAL [03:05:01] SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEMS, I'M WILLING TO LISTEN AND I'M WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE. THANKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OH, I'M SORRY. COUNCILMAN . THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, JACK. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, YOU HAVING THE COURAGE TO COME HERE. BUT CERTAINLY I AM ALWAYS TRYING TO WORK OUT CONSENSUS. I DO UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS. UM, AGAIN, WE ARE GONNA WORK ON DEED RESTRICTIONS AS ANOTHER TOOL IN THE TOOL, UH, CHEST. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE CAN TRY TO WORK OUT, UM, BECAUSE EVERYBODY IN HERE WANTS THE, THE COMMUNITY TO STAY AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT IS. AND SO, UH, I, I APPLAUD YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. UH, AND, AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR GIVING OF YOUR TIME. I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR HAVING BEEN HELPFUL TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED, EVEN THOUGH IT DIDN'T GO MY WAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, MATTHEW FEA. MATTHEW FEA. MATTHEW IS HERE. UH, IF YOU GIVE IT TO, UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY HERE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNCIL. THANK YOU. UH, GIVEN THE MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENT, I'LL KEEP, UH, MY POINT TO ONE POINT. MY NAME IS MATT FEA. I'M A PROFESSOR AT SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW, WHERE I TEACH LAND USE AND PROPERTY RIGHTS. UH, AND THE ONE POINT THAT I WANNA MAKE TODAY IS THAT, UM, THESE HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO THE STATE ZONING LAW. I'VE, UH, I'VE REPRESENTED KATHLEEN POWELL AND PAUL LUCIA OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS IN A CASE WHERE THEY OBJECTED TO THE HEIGHTS HISTORIC DISTRICT BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY PERCEIVED AS PROCEDURAL IRREGULARITIES, SIMILAR TO SOME OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED, WHICH, WHICH I DON'T KNOW FIRSTHAND HERE. UH, BUT ALSO, ALSO BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT VIOLATED STATE LAW. THEY TOOK THIS COURSE, THE, THIS CASE TO THE SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SUPREME COURT IN A 10 YEAR FIGHT. AND THE CITY WON. CONGRATULATIONS, . UH, BUT MY CLIENT'S ACCORD, UH, SECURED AN IMPORTANT RULING IN THE OPINION IN A UNANIMOUS PART OF THE SUPREME COURT'S OPINION. IN POWELL, THE COURT HELD THAT THE HOUSTON'S HISTORIC DISTRICTING LAWS REQUIRED COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE ZONING ENABLING ACT, CHAPTER TWO 11 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. SO IT'S NOT JUST THE CITY'S OWN ORDINANCES AT STAKE AT STATE LAW AS WELL. AND JUST A FEW OF THOSE THINGS INCLUDE, UM, NOTICE TO THE, TO THE HOMEOWNERS AN IMPACT STATEMENT OF THE EFFECT OF A HISTORIC DISTRICT. AND I THINK SOME OF THE, UM, RESIDENTS OF RIVERSIDE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SURPRISED TO REALIZE THAT THEY MIGHT BE SUBJECT TO ALMOST 200 PAGES OF DESIGN GUIDELINES. THAT WOULD BE A THING THAT OUGHT TO BE IN AN IMPACT STATEMENT. ALSO, THE RIGHT TO WITHDRAW CONSENT AT ANY TIME, AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED EARLIER. AND ANY PROPERTY OWNER THAT DOESN'T WANT TO BE INCLUDED IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT CAN ONLY BE INCLUDED WITH A 75% VOTE OF THIS COUNCIL. RIGHT? SO THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT, UM, THAT ALSO APPLY THE, THE STATE LAWS, THE, THE SUPREME COURT HELD THAT THESE, UH, ZONING RULES DO APPLY TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION. AND I JUST COMMEND THE, UM, COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE COMPLIED WITH IMPACT STATEMENTS, STATE LAWS, UH, BEFORE THIS IMPORTANT POLICY DECISIONS ARE MADE IN THIS OR, UH, OTHER FUTURE HISTORIC DISTRICTS. SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PHYLLIS MOSS. PHYLLIS MOSS, MR. PRESIDENT, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. AND YES, TODAY IS A GOOD DAY AS A RESIDENT OF RIVERSIDE TERRACE AND A BOARD MEMBER, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AND I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR FOR RECOGNIZING THE FAILURES OF THE APPLICATION. WE AS A COMMUNITY, WE WORKED TIRELESSLY. WE REALLY, REALLY DID. AND I'M VERY PROUD OF RIVERSIDE TERRORISTS. I'M PROUD OF THE COMMUNITY. I'M PROUD OF THE BOARD. WE ACHIEVED A LOT TODAY. AND, AND I THINK WE SHOULD PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK. WE KNOW WE HAVE A STRUGGLE AHEAD OF US. WE ARE PIVOTING QUICKLY TO GET OUR DEED RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE. WE WOULD WELCOME HELP FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON, FROM OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, ANYBODY. WE EVEN HAD AN ATTORNEY THAT LIVES NEXT DOOR TO ME. SHE'S A REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY. SHE SAID, MS. MOSS, THIS IS WHAT I DO EVERY DAY, AND I, I'LL BE GLAD TO HELP. AND SO WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE HERE TODAY RUNNING TO GET OUR D RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE. WE APPRECIATE YOU RECOGNIZING THAT. AND, UM, TODAY'S A GOOD DAY. AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO SPOKE WITH US, WHO MET WITH US, [03:10:01] WHO READ OUR EMAILS, WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCILMAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, MS. MOS. MS. MOSS ACTUALLY GOT ME IN THIS FIGHT BECAUSE SHE CAME TO COUNCIL AND PASSIONATELY SPOKE ABOUT HER COMMUNITY, AND I WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT JUST HOW SHE LOOKED AND HOW SHE FELT. SO I ACTUALLY WENT TO HER HOME RIGHT AFTER COUNCIL, AND WE HAD A WONDERFUL MEETING. I THINK I MET MANY OTHER TIMES AFTER GETTING BACK FROM MONROVIA WITH JET LAG. I WENT TO MEET WITH THE, UH, CIVIC ASSOCIATION. AND SO I HAVE TRIED TO ENGAGE EVERYONE, BUT I, I THANK YOU FOR COMING FORTH PASSIONATELY AND GETTING MY ATTENTION AND ULTIMATELY NOW THE ATTENTION OF THE ENTIRE COUNCIL. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND YOU CAN GO DO YOUR RUN NOW JUST A LITTLE LATE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M SORRY. ONE SECOND. ONE SECOND. MS. MOSS. ONE SECOND. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. MS. MOSS, I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS AND BRINGING BEFORE COUNCIL. THANK YOU. WERE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO KIND OF MAKE US AWARE OF THE DYNAMICS AND, UM, THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR WHEN THE, UH, COMMUNITY SPEAKS OUT. SO THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU TOO. I APPRECIATE IT. ONE SECOND. COUNCILMAN MAG GALLEGOS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. UH, I, I WAS PRESIDENT OF MY CIVIC CLUB FOR 15 YEARS AND WE REVISED RD RESTRICTIONS. SO IF I COULD JUST MAKE A SUGGESTION. YES. UM, IN, IN, IN REGARDS TO YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS, REACHING OUT TO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE GOOD DEED RESTRICTIONS AND TRY TO COPY THEM SURE. UH, TO PROTECT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT'S WHAT WE DID. AND, UH, IT, IT JUST GAVE MORE TEETH, UH, TO KEEP THE DEVELOPERS OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. THOMAS. UHHUH . OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER. SHARON EVANS. BROOKS. SHARON, SHARON EVANS. BROOKS IS HERE. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, I'M JUST GONNA PIGGYBACK ON, WE, WE DID NOT SHARE NOTES. MS. MOSS AND I, ALTHOUGH WE SHARE IN OUR LEADERSHIP OF THE RIVERSIDE CIVIC ASSOCIATION, UH, I, I, I WANNA, MAYOR, THANK YOU TREMENDOUSLY, COUNCILWOMAN SHABAZZ. WE CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU ENGAGED WITH US. IT WAS A, IT WAS A, A WICKED, WINDY, COMPLICATED ROAD. TEMPERS, FLARED, SNOT WAS FLYING. BUT I THINK , I THINK WE ULTIMATELY GOT THERE IN SOME GOOD UNDERSTANDING. THANK YOU. UM, COUNCIL, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, MS. THOMAS CASSICK TATUM, AND FOR, AND MR. POLLARD AS WELL, AND OTHERS, I'M SURE I'M MISSING SOME NAMES, BUT, BUT THANK YOU GUYS SO VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING TO US AND ALLOWING US TO ENGAGE AND VOICE OUR, OUR CONCERNS IN THIS PROCESS. BUT BEFORE I STEP AWAY AND GO BACK TO MY SEAT, WHAT I WANTED TO, UM, TO ASK IS THAT COUNSEL, UM, TAKE A REALLY HARD VIGOROUS LOOK AT THE, UH, HISTORIC, UH, PRESERVATION AND ARCHEOLOGICAL COMMISSION'S AUTHORITY ON THIS MATTER. UM, AND NONE OF US WOULD'VE EVER KNOWN THE, THE, THE, THE PITFALLS, UM, THAT GO ALONG WITH APPLICATIONS THAT COME BEFORE IT. AND SO GOING FORWARD OF THEIR SERIOUS LOOK AT THE AUTHORITY THAT'S GRANTED TO THE DIRECTOR AND THE PROCESS AND THE PROCEDURES THAT, UM, THAT, UH, UH, CITIZENS AND NEIGHBORS ARE, ARE, ARE SUBJECT TO. UM, IT REALLY COULD USE SOME, SOME VERY, UM, KEEN LOOKING INTO AND AND CONSIDERATION GOING FORWARD. BUT AGAIN, MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING TO US AND WE'RE, AS PHIL SAID, AND AS OTHERS. AND, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER SAID, IT'S A GOOD DAY FOR US. AND, AND, UM, MAYOR, WE WANT TO WANT YOU TO KNOW FROM THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION'S PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE HEARD YOU LOUDLY AND CLEARLY REGARDING YOUR WORDS. USE THE TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT BLOCK BY BLOCK IN RIVERSIDE, WE ARE USING THEM. WE HAVE APPLIED FOR OUR MINIMUM LOT SIZE AND SETBACKS. WE ARE DOING THAT. AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL ON OUR DEED RESTRICTIONS. WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD AT THAT. AND WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT PERSONALLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER ZANI, KENDRICK ZANI, KENDRICKS OF YOU, PRESS STAR SIX ZANI. OKAY, MAYOR. GOOD. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. HOW YOU DOING THIS MORNING? MY FRATERNITY BROTHER? I'M GOOD. UH, THE CITY COUNCIL, WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR, UM, YOUR DECISION THIS MORNING TO RESCIND THIS, THIS, THIS VOTE OR THIS DISCUSSION. UH, I'VE BEEN IN THIS COMMUNITY NOW A LITTLE OVER 32 YEARS, UH, AS A REAL ESTATE BROKER, DEVELOPER AND BUILDER, I WANNA SEE THE COMMUNITY STAY THE WAY THAT IT IS. NO CHANGES. HISTORICAL DESIGNATION DOESN'T REALLY FIT THIS MODEL THAT WE'RE IN. AND, UH, FOR THE MAIN POINT FOR ME, YOU KNOW, GENERATION OF WEALTH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND THAT A LOT OF FAM SEASONED FAMILIES WHO'VE BEEN LIVING HERE ALL THIS, THIS TIME REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THEY CAN PRESERVE THEIR INTEREST AS WELL. SO AGAIN, I WANT TO [03:15:01] THANK YOU. I'VE HEARD ALL THE, UH, THE COMMENTS. AND I, I SINCERELY AGREE THAT WE SHOULD REALLY PUT EVERYTHING IN MOTION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, WE CAN CHALLENGE THESE DECISIONS IN THE FUTURE. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. UM, NEXT SPEAKER, AMBER HERRERA. AMBER HERRERA VIEWER, PRESS STAR SIX AMBER HERRERA. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. UM, MY NAME IS AMBER HERRERA AND I AM A HOMEOWNER IN THE RIVERSIDE TERRACE COMMUNITY. I'M PROUD TO SAY I'VE HAD FAMILY WHO'VE OWNED IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR OVER 60 YEARS. I'M HERE TO VOICE MY CONCERN FOR THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION. AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF MY NEIGHBORS HAVE STATED THAT THEY DO NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN. AND I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE AGAINST THIS MOVE TO VOTE AGAINST THE PEOPLE'S WISHES WOULD DEEPLY AFFECT MY COMMUNITY. I WISH THAT YOU WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE MANNER IN WHICH THE AFFIRMATIVE VOTES WERE ACQUIRED. TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO THE NOTIFICATION THAT WENT OUT, AND IF THEY WENT TO THE CORRECT ADDRESSES, INVESTIGATE THE SIGNATURES YOU RECEIVED VOTING FOR THIS DESIGNATION. IT MAKES NO SENSE TO PUSH THIS DESI, THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT UPON SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED HERE FOR DECADES AND HAVE MANAGED THEIR PROPERTIES, PAID THEIR TAXES, AND VOICED THEIR OPPOSITION ON THIS ISSUE. BECAUSE LESS THAN A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT THEY WANT THIS. I ASK THAT YOU REMIND THOSE FEW REQUESTERS THAT IS THEIR RIGHT TO HAVE THEIR OWN HOMES DESIGNATED AND BE DONE WITH THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL. WE SAY NO TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT. WE SAY NO TO GENTRIFICATION CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. PLEASE STAND WITH US ON THIS MATTER, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, ELIZABETH SMITH. ELIZABETH SMITH. ELIZABETH SMITH IS HERE. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. I'M ELIZABETH SMITH, A SIXTH GENERATION TEXAN, AND A THIRD GENERATION HOUSTONIAN. I LIKE MY TEXAS ANCESTORS AM A PROPERTY OWNER. MY HOME IS IN RIVERSIDE TERRACE ON ROSEDALE STREET IN THE CURRENT CITY OF HOUSTON. PROPOSED HISTORIC DISTRICT, TEXAS HAS DEEP ROOTS IN LAND OWNERSHIP. THE CITY OF HOUSTON WAS FOUNDED BY LAND INVESTORS ON AUGUST 30TH, 1836, UNDER THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION OF 1836. ALL HEADS OF FAMILIES LIVING IN TEXAS ON MARCH 4TH, 1836, EXCEPT AFRICANS AND INDIANS WERE GRANTED HEAD RIGHTS BY REPUBLIC OF TEXAS 4605.5 ACRES AND SINGLE MEN AGES 17 YEARS OR OLDER WERE GRANTED 1476.1 ACRES. IN TEXAS, LAND OWNERSHIP IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF CITIZENRY IN AMERICA. THE RIGHT TO VOTE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RIGHTS AS A CITIZEN. THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HISTORIC DISTRICT ORDINANCE, AS IT STANDS TODAY, IS A THREAT TO THE SANCTITY OF PROPERTY OWNERSHIP AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE. WE, THE RESIDENTS OF RIVER RIVERSIDE TERRACE AND MEMBERS OF THE RIVERSIDE TERRA CIVIC ASSOCIATION VOTED NOT TO PROCEED WITH THE APPLICATION FOR THE HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AFTER THE VOTE, THE PROPOSED HISTORIC DISTRICT WAS REDRAWN AND IS CURRENTLY BEING CONSIDERED BY APPROVAL BY CITY OF COUNCIL, EXCEPT BY YOUR DESIGNATION THIS MORNING, UH, MAYOR, UH, WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF A VOTE BY THE HOMEOWNERS AFTER THE NEW MAP WAS DRAWN. THE HISTORICAL DISTRICT ORDINANCE ALLOWS FOR THIS USURPING OF THE RIGHT TO VOTE, AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE LEGAL. SIMPLY REDRAWING THE MAP ONCE THE VOTES HAVE BEEN COUNTED, IS GERRYMANDERING. AS AFRICAN AMERICANS IN RIVERSIDE TERRORISTS, WE HAVE A HEIGHTENED SENSE OF GENTRIFICATION. WE SEE ALL AROUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE, TO OWN PROPERTY, AND TO OWN AND KEEP OUR HOMES FOR GENERATIONS. I HAVE WITNESSED THIS STRUGGLE IN MY OWN FAMILY. AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO ARE HOMEOWNERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH GENERATIONAL WEALTH WITH THE HANDING DOWN OF OUR HOMES TO OUR CHILDREN. THIS HISTORIC DIS DESIGNATION THREATENS TO DECIMATE THAT DREAM. IN ADDITION, IN ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT RULES AND PERMITS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN OUR HOMES IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT ARE TOO COSTLY AND BURDENSOME FOR US AS MIDDLE CLASS HOMEOWNERS, WE VIEW THIS AS A LAND GRAB, DRESSED AS A HISTORIC DESIGNATION. WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE UNEVEN AND SOMETIMES UNETHICAL INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS AND ORDINANCES. ONE SET OF RULES FOR US, ANOTHER SET OF RULES FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT US, WE MUST MAINTAIN [03:20:01] THE SANCTITY AND THE AUTONOMY OF OUR HOME OWNERSHIP AND OUR VOTE. THIS PROCESS IS UNDERMINING US AS PEOPLE AND OUR RIGHTS AS CITIZENS OF THIS CITY, HOUSTON, THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS, AND OUR RIGHT TO VOTE AS ESTABLISHED IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS ORDINANCE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU FOR COUNCILMAN MEMBER SHABAZZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, LIZ, MY SPELMAN SISTER, DO YOU WANNA COMPLETE YOUR THOUGHTS? I WOULD LIKE TO, PLEASE, PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. UM, THIS ORDINANCE IS RIDDLED WITH MISINTERPRETATION AND BY THE USE OF VAGUE AND EASILY MISUNDERSTOOD PROCESSES. AS SUCH, THIS APPLICATION MUST NOT BE APPROVED AND THE ORDINANCE SHOULD BE HELD IN ABEYANCE UNTIL SUCH TIME AS ITS ABILITY TO SU USURP THE VOTING RIGHTS OF CITIZENS OF HOUSTON HAS BEEN REMOVED. I UNDERSTAND YOUR INTENT, MAYOR, BUT I'M ALSO ASKING THAT THE COUNCIL, PLEASE TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE ORDINANCE SO THAT IT CAN BE CORRECTED SO WE CAN AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK, AND I HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. MARTHA LAN. MARTHA LAN. YES. GOOD MORNING. HOUSTON CITY ADOPTED A CODE REFLECTING THE INTERESTS THAT THE CITY HAS IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION. THE APPLICATION TO APPROVE THE HISTORIC DE DESIGNATION FOR ONE BLOCK OUT OF THE THIRD WARD. ONE BLOCK WAS SET OUT. THE NEIGHBORS ON THE BLOCK AGREED FOR THE MOST PART. YOU HEARD FROM MS. SMITH. SHE DOES NOT AGREE. YOU HEARD FROM JACK MAY. HE AGREES. ALL OF THESE OTHER PEOPLE DON'T LIVE IN THE AREA THAT THIS PROPOSED HISTORIC DISTRICT COVERS. NONE OF 'EM. THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON THE BLOCK WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE THE BLOCK PROTECTED. AT ONE END OF THE BLOCK, WE HAVE A PROTECTED LANDMARK. UH, YOU CAN STILL SEE WHERE THE ORIGINAL TENNIS COURT WAS ON THAT HOMESTEAD. THE OTHER END. WE HAVE A WONDERFUL, UH, SORT OF TYPICAL MIDDLE CLASS HOME AND IN THE MIDDLE. THE REST OF US JUST LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS LAID OUT IN THE THIRTIES. WE HAVE ALLEYS THAT ARE PAVED THAT PEOPLE CAN USE. IT WAS A BETTER LAYOUT IN A LOT OF WAYS THAN RIVER OAKS WAS. BUT WE DID NOT HAVE THE ALTERNATIVE WHEN THE ORIGINAL DEED RESTRICTIONS CAME TO AN END TO RE TO RE-UP THEM. THAT HAPPENED PROBABLY IN THE FIFTIES OR THE SIXTIES. PEOPLE WEREN'T AS INTERESTED THEN IN THOSE. WE WOULD LIKE TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT RESTRICTIONS, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT LET'S, LET'S DO DEED RESTRICTIONS. YOU HAVE NO IDEA, I THINK, ON HOW YOU CAN, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT WHAT'S ACCEPTABLE? I'VE TRIED IT. IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET PEOPLE TO AGREE TO DEED RESTRICTIONS AND ANYBODY ON THE BLOCK WHO DOESN'T AGREE ISN'T GONNA AGREE WITH THE DEED RESTRICTIONS EITHER. SO I URGE YOU TO ALLOW THIS APPLICATION THAT FOLLOWED ALL OF THE RULES OF THE CITY ORDINANCE TO GO FORWARD. I THINK THE ISSUES ON SOME OF THE VOTES CAN BE RESOLVED, AND WE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO HAVE OUR ONE BLOCK OUT OF THE ENTIRE THIRD WARD BE DESIGNATED HISTORIC DISTRICT. WE DO NOT WANT TO APPEAR TO REPRESENT THE THIRD WARD BECAUSE THE THIRD WARD IS ENTIRELY TOO DIVERSE FOR ONE ORGANIZATION TO DO THAT. SO IF YOU WILL, PLEASE TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. SHA. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. THAT'S OKAY, MA'AM. MA'AM, MA'AM. NO, NO, NO. I WAS GONNA, I DIDN'T KNOW IF SHE HAD FINISHED. I WAS GONNA GIVE HER THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER. TOMORROW BELL. TOMORROW BELL. DOES THIS ONE WORK? ALL RIGHT, COOL. THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR WHAT CAME ABOUT THIS MORNING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YESTERDAY. I APPRECIATE YOU. AIN'T NO WAY IN THE WORLD I WOULD'VE STAYED THERE THIS LONG. BUT, UH, SOME COMMENTS WAS [03:25:01] MADE AND I GOTTA SAY SOMETHING. FIRST OFF, I THANK YOU AGAIN. I APPRECIATE WHERE WE ARE. BUT THE ORDINANCE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS SHOULD BE APPLIED FAIRLY ACROSS THE CITY. IT SHOULDN'T MATTER IF YOU LIVE IN THE FOURTH WARD. SIXTH WARD. FOUR FOUR, THE BOTTOMS OR WHATEVER. THE ORDINANCE SHOULD BE APPLIED FAIRLY PRIOR TO THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT COMING UP LAST YEAR, ALMOST THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR, THE BRUNER HARMONIUM HISTORIC DISTRICT CAME UP. AND THAT SAME APPLICATION, YOU HAD ONE RESIDENT WHO'S MAKING EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE SAYING RIGHT NOW. HIS ISSUE. THEY PASSED BY 99% APPROVAL OF THE RESIDENTS. IT WENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. IT PASSED BY AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY. YET THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING HERSELF WENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TWO MONTHS LATER AND ASKED THEM TO REMOVE THAT ONE PROPERTY OWNER WHO DID NOT WANNA BE IN IT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANNA GO AND HAVE ANY LEGAL ISSUES AND WERE CONCERNED IT WOULD COST THEM THE WHOLE DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THE CHANGING LAWS AT THE STATE, WHICH ARE MEANT TO PROTECT THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS. THE CITY ORDINANCE IS KIND ENOUGH TO ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNER TO APPLY FOR HISTORIC STATUS, WHICH EVERYONE WHO WANTS THIS STILL HAS THAT AVAILABILITY TO THEM. BUT NOT TO YANK SOMEBODY ELSE'S HOUSE IN THERE. AND THE RIVERSIDE CIVIC ASSOCIATION, I HELPED THEM. THEY HAD BEEN TRYING TO GET DEED RESTRICTIONS. ONE RESIDENT WHEN THEY DIDN'T LIKE WHAT THEY WERE DOING, THEY MADE THEIR OWN CIVIC CLUB OUT. THEY ONE HOUSE. I I THE HOW IS THAT INCLUDING EVERYBODY? EVERYTHING YOU SAID ABOUT THIRD WARD, YOU ARE 100% RIGHT. I REMEMBER WHEN WE USED TO GO TO THIS, IS IT ON FOURTH WARD AND ALL THE HOUSES USED TO BE AROUND IT. YOU CAN'T EVEN FIND OUT WHERE THIS IS. IT WAS ANYMORE. THIRD WARD MEANS THE WORLD TO ME. 40 YEARS OF MY LIFE HAS BEEN DEDICATED FOR FREE TO MAKING IT A BETTER COMMUNITY. SO I HEARD EVERYTHING YOU SAID ABOUT THAT, BUT I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO PLEASE MAKE SURE WHEN THE ORDINANCE ARE APPLIED, THEY ARE APPLIED EQUALLY AND FAIRLY ACROSS THE CITY. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, FOR COMING TO OUR AID AND HELPING US IN THIS MATTER. AND I WANNA THANK EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO VISITED WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I WASN'T COMING 'CAUSE I ALREADY KNOW ALL Y'ALL. BUT THEY WANTED TO COME AND VISIT WITH YOU ALL AND TALK TO YOU ALL. SO, SATURDAY , UH, UH, MARTIN, WHO'S NOT HERE, AND KNOX AND ANY OF YOU OUT TO VISIT, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. CAROLYN, I THANK YOU FOR WHATEVER YOU WERE DOING WAS INVOLVED IN THIS TODAY AND THAT WE ARE HERE. HEY, I'M, I'M GREAT ABOUT IT. THANKS SO MUCH Y'ALL. THANK COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH TO TAMARA. UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING. UH, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO, UH, RESIDENTS LIKE MARTHA FAILING THAT WAS JUST HERE THAT WANTS TO HAVE HER ONE BLOCK? I THINK IT'S PHENOMENAL THAT AN INDIVIDUAL, THAT ORDINANCE THAT IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE HISTORIC. SO YOU ALL KNOW THAT IS MY FAVORITE POINT IN THIS ORDINANCE. YOU ALL GIVE AN INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNER THE RIGHT TO DESIGNATE THEIR HOME AS A HISTORIC, UH, PLACE THEMSELVES. THEY CAN ALL APPLY INDIVIDUALLY FOR THAT DESIGNATION. THE ONE HISTORIC HOUSE THAT WE HAVE, MR. WHITE'S HOUSE, THAT'S WHAT HE DID WITH HIS HOUSE. THEY EACH CAN APPLY THOSE WHO WANT IT FOR THEIR OWN HOUSE WITHOUT YANKING IN THEIR NEIGHBORS WHO DON'T WANT IT. THEY CAN APPLY FOR THEIR OWN HOME. THAT IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THIS ORDINANCE. THEY CAN DO THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, MR. BAR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I JUST WANNA SAY IN REGARDS TO WHAT, UH, MS. BELL JUST ADDED, SHE'S TALKING ABOUT HISTORIC LANDMARKS, WHICH CAN BE DESIGNATED FOR HISTORIC HOMES, BUT IT DOES NOT PROTECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD FROM DEVELOPMENT. AND SO THAT WAS THE WHAT, UH, MS FAILING AND, AND, AND THE APPLICANTS WERE, WERE TRYING TO CONVEY. UH, SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS, MAYOR, I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, CERTAINLY HEARING MY VOICE AND THE COMMUNITY'S VOICE REGARDING THIS. BUT THE, HIS, THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION IS DIFFERENT FROM A HISTORIC LANDMARK. AND, AND, AND MISS BILL, YOU CAN COME BACK TO THE MIC IF YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING FURTHER. NO, I THINK, OH, I CAN'T, I CAN'T. OH, WELL, I THOUGHT I WAS, I THOUGHT I WAS RESPONDING TO HER. THE, THE TOOL THAT YOU ALL GAVE OF THE MINIMUM LOCK, BECAUSE THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ON THAT BLOCK, THEY ALREADY HAVE MINIMUM LOCK FOR THAT BLOCK. SO NOBODY CAN COME IN THERE AND BUILD NO APARTMENTS OR HIGH RISE OR ANYTHING OF THAT. THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE TOOLS YOU ALL PUT IN PLACE THAT ARE THERE. SO THAT STREET ALREADY HAS THAT, THAT STOPS THAT KIND OF ENCROACHMENT OF DEVELOPMENT. THIS WAS NOT ABOUT THAT. AND SO I'M VERY GLAD THAT YOU ALL ALLOW PEOPLE TO MAKE THEIR OWN HOMES HISTORIC LANDMARKS. 'CAUSE THAT'S, IF YOU WANT THAT, THAT'S FINE. AND THE MINIMUM LOT PROTECTS THEM FROM THAT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT. IT DOESN'T PROTECT FROM THE USE BECAUSE ONE OF THE MAIN APPLICANTS HAS TURNED THREE OF THE HOUSES INTO HOTEL MOTEL, [03:30:01] HOLIDAY INNS IN THE NEW NAME AIRBNB IN REGARDS TO THAT. THE DEED RESTRICTIONS CAN HELP TO STOP THE BUSINESSES. AND THERE IS A HOME RIGHT THERE NEXT TO MS. MOSS THAT I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD WANT ON THAT PARTICULAR LOT. AND IT WOULD MAKE MINIMUM LOT SIZE, BUT IT WOULD NOT BE CONDUCIVE TO THAT BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER JERRY MONROE. JERRY JERRY MONROE, STAR SIX JERRY MONROE, STAR SIX JERRY MONROE. NEXT SPEAKER PAMELA BOLIN. PAMELA, UH, BOLIN ON STAR SIX. YOU PRESSED STAR SIX. PAMELA BOLIN. STAR SIX. HERE I AM. THANK YOU. UH, I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR NOT PUSHING THIS FORWARD. UM, MY FAMILY HAS LIVED IN THIRD WARD FOR NEARLY A HUNDRED YEARS. I HAVE TRIED TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND HOW IN THE LAST TWO DECADES WE HAVE CUT UP THIRD WARD INTO DISCO CONGENIAL PARTS. AND I, I AM VERY, VERY THANKFUL THAT WE ARE NOT LETTING THIS GO FORWARD. UM, THE, THE CONSTANT FIGHT FOR GENTRIFICATION TO, UH, CHANGE AND ERASE MY HISTORY AND OUR LEGACY IN THIS COMMUNITY IS CONTINUAL AND DOES NOT STOP. SO I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU AND KEEP THAT IN MIND. THIRD WARD IS NOT JUST A BLOCK IN, IN, UH, IN THE AREA. IT USED TO GO FROM 45 TO, TO THE BAYOU. NOW IT, YOU KNOW, STOPS IT LOGIC AND NO ONE UNDERSTANDS WHY. SO GOING FORWARD, WE REALLY HAVE TO PRESERVE WHAT IS THIRD WARD AND WHAT WE, UH, CONTINUE TO SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER, LENCHI LOPEZ. UM, LENCHI LOPEZ. LENCHI YOU LOPEZ. NEXT SPEAKER. ARTIE SOUTHERN. ARTIE SOUTHERN. IF YOU PRESS STAR SIX ARTIE SOUTHERN STAR SIX ARTIE SU STAR SIX. NEXT SPEAKER. LLOYD FORD. LORD FORD IS HERE. HELLO EVERYBODY. LLOYD FORD, UM, GREW UP IN THIRD WARD, RYAN YATES. UM, WE OWN THE BLACK STORE IN SUNNYSIDE, SO WE JUST DON'T DEAL WITH THIRD WARD. UM, AND I'M HERE JUST TO SUPPORT MY, THE AMAZING LEADERSHIP OF RIVERSIDE TERRACE. YOU KNOW, WE JUST DON'T DEAL WITH THIRD WARD. WE DEAL WITH ALL OF OUR BLACK COMMUNITIES. UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, THAT JUST CONCERNED, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE ALREADY STATED IS, YOU KNOW, BEING PROACTIVE ON SOME OF THESE THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO THE ORDINANCE. UH, NOT BEING ALLOWED TO REDRAW THE MAP AFTER A VOTE HAS BEEN TAKEN. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE REVISITED AND JUST NOT HERE BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OTHER PLACES. AND BEING ABLE TO USURP THAT POWER, I DON'T THINK IT JUST, UH, DEALS WITH THE LADY THAT'S, UH, IN CHARGE RIGHT NOW. IT'S SOMETHING THAT DEALS WITH THE ORDINANCE AND THE POWERS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE TO BE. SO THOSE TYPE OF POWERS NEED TO BE CHECKED ON THINGS. AND I'M GONNA GO FORWARD AND WORKING WITH OUR SUNNYSIDE CIVIC CLUBS AND THE CIVIC CLUBS THAT WE ALREADY WORK WITH ON MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS BEING PROACTIVE. AND LET'S BE CLEAR, HISTORIC DISTRICTS DO NOT PRESERVE BLACK PEOPLE IN THESE DISTRICTS. SO THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A THING. UM, SO WE JUST WANT TO SAY GLAD THAT THIS IS GOING FORWARD, BUT I DON'T SEE THAT THIS FIGHT BEING OVER UNTIL THE ORDINANCE AND THINGS AND RULES HAVE BEEN CHANGED. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MADMAN. SHAVA. THANK YOU MR. FORD, UH, FOR COMING FORWARD. I DID ATTEND YOUR OPENING OF YOUR BLACK STORE. MM-HMM . AND SO CERTAINLY I KNOW THAT IT'S A WONDERFUL BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT I TOO AGREE THAT WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE AND DETER BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S SOME VAGUE TERMS IN THERE AS WELL. AND SO I DID, UH, MEET WITH THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION WHO GAVE SOME GREAT SUGGESTIONS, AND SO HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT WE CAN GET TO COMMITTEE OR SOMETHING TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT PARTICULAR ORDINANCE. SO I THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR SURE. APPRECIATE Y'ALL. NEXT SPEAKER. MELANIE MILES. MELANIE MILES, UH, OH. SOMEBODY SAY, UH, OH. . OKAY. UM, FIRST OF ALL, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU COUNSEL, UH, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK HERE TODAY. UM, YOU HAVE MY YELLOW PACKETS AND I WAS PREPARED TO HOLD COURT HERE, BUT I GUESS I DON'T NEED TO AFTER ALL. UM, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, I'M, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A A FUNNY QUOTE THAT ANN RICHARDS SAID, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE HERE, THAT [03:35:01] PEOPLE DON'T ASK THEIR PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO BE PERFECT. THEY JUST ASK THEM TO BE SMART, TRUTHFUL, HONEST, AND SHOW A SPECK OF GOOD SENSE. SO, I MEAN, I I, YOU HAVE BEEN ALL OF THAT HERE TODAY. WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU. WE APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT, THE TIME, THE CONSIDERATION THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS ISSUE. UM, AND ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, YOU ALL HAVE, UH, HEARD US, YOU'VE, YOU'VE, UH, REALLY DONE THAT DEEP DIVE INTO THIS ISSUE. AND YOU'VE HEARD THE PEOPLE. AND WE REALLY DO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR EFFORT AND, AND, AND, UH, YOUR CONSIDERATION HERE TODAY. UM, I DO WANT TO, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I HAD A BIG LONG PRESENTATION AND I WILL NOT DO THAT EVEN THOUGH I WAS GOING TO SPEED READ. BUT, UH, I, I DO WANT TO BRING A COUPLE OF THINGS JUST TO YOUR ATTENTION AS WE, AS YOU MOVE FORWARD OR, OR IN THE FUTURE. UM, TWO THINGS THAT, THAT CAUSE ME A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN BESIDES THE SEVEN VIOLATIONS THAT I FOUND WITH, UH, CARRYING OUT THE ORDINANCE. UH, AND ONE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL AFFORDED BY THE CONSTITUTION OUR FIFTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS, AND THAT WHICH PROTECTS OUR RIGHT TO PRIVATE PROPERTY. AND IT GOES ON TO STATE SPECIFICALLY THAT A PERSON MAY NOT BE DEPRIVED OF PROPERTY BY THE GOVERNMENT WITHOUT DUE PROCESS OF LAW AND FAIR PROCEDURES. ALRIGHT? AND, AND THAT IS THE CRUX OF THE ISSUE HERE TODAY. SO, WHETHER YOU CONSIDER HISTORIC DISTRICTS GOOD, OR YOU CONSIDER THEM BAD, IT'S UNCONTROVERTED THAT THE, THAT THE ORDINANCE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE HERE DEPRIVES THE PROPERTY OWNERS OF FREE WILL TO DEVELOP, CONTROL AND REMODEL THEIR OWN PROPERTIES. IT'S UNCONTROVERTED. SO THEREFORE, THEY ARE AFFORDED DUE PROCESS OF LAW, AND THEY SHOULD BE AFFORDED FAIR PROCESS, FAIR PROCEDURES THAT DID NOT OCCUR HERE. AND TIME AFTER TIME, THEY WERE FACED WITH CHANGING RULES, DIRECTORS THAT WERE OPERATING OUTSIDE THE ORDINANCE AND STATE LAWS THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE TO PROTECT CITIZENS SO THAT THEY ARE NOT BLINDSIDED, SO THAT THEIR PROPERTY RIGHTS ARE NOT DEPRIVED WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND CONSENT. AND OVER AND OVER THIS OCCURRED. SO EVEN IF YOU LEAVE THE ORDINANCE IN PLACE, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE PROTECTIONS BUILT INTO THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, AND IF YOU LOOK TO STATE LAW, WHICH DOES APPLY HERE AS WELL, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE PUT INTO PLACE SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO NOTICE. THE, THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS A SITE TO 33.0, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. THAT'S THE ONLY NOTICE WHERE THE STATE LAW SPECIFICALLY SAYS YOU MUST LIST OUT AND YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. SORRY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHAB. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. MS. MILES, DID YOU COMPLETE YOUR THOUGHT? COULD I JUST COMPLETE IT? JUST SO, OKAY. THANK YOU. BRIEFLY. SO I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU THAT AS YOU MOVE FORWARD, THAT YOU, NOT ONLY AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ INDICATED, LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE, BUT LOOK AT THE PROCESS. LOOK AT THE FAIR NOTICE BECAUSE IT DID NOT OCCUR HERE TODAY. AND THAT MEANS EVERY PROPERTY OWNER IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS SUBJECT TO THE SAME TREATMENT AND THE SAME UNFAIR PROCESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. ERIC BANKS. ERIC BANKS. STAR SIX. ERIC BANKS. STAR SIX ERIC BANKS. NEXT SPEAKER. CHARLES WHITE. CHARLES WHITE STAR. SIX. CHARLES WHITE. CHARLES WHITE. HE'S TRYING, UH, HE'S SPEAKER ISN'T WORKING. YEP. YOU'RE MUTED. RIGHT? ALRIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME BACK. NEXT SPEAKER. CHARLENE JONES. CHARLENE JONES IS HERE. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR TURNER AND ALL THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING US TO COME AND SPEAK FOR A MINUTE. MY NAME IS CHARLENE JONES. I'M THE NEWLY ELECTED PRECINCT CHAIR FOR 1 3 6, WHICH RIVERSIDE IS PART OF THAT. UM, THE JONES LEGACY HAS BEEN IN RIVERSIDE FOR OVER 60 YEARS. BETTY JEAN JONES FOREMAN LIVED, UH, IN THE HOUSE THAT USED TO BE LEON JAWORSKI WHEN IT WAS A JEWISH AREA OF THE, UH, CITY. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF HISTORY, AND I WANNA CONTINUE TO GENUINE GEN GENERATIONAL WEALTH FOR MY FAMILY AND MY KIDS AND MY GRANDKIDS. AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU, MAYOR TURNER AND THE CITY COUNCIL FOR NOT PUTTING THIS TO A VOTE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOING BACK TO MR. WHITE. YOU CALL MR. WHITE? CHARLES WHITE? [03:40:02] YES. CAN YOU, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. OH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M SORRY THAT APPARENTLY MY, UH, MIKE WAS MUTED. UH, I'M CHARLES WHITE AND I'VE, UH, LIVED IN HOUSTON MOST OF MY LIFE. UH, I WENT TO WHEATLEY HIGH SCHOOL, GRADUATED FROM THERE, AND MY FATHER OWNED A STORE ON, ON, IN, UH, ON LYONS AVENUE ON THE CORNER OF BENSON AND LIONS AVENUE CALLED LEWIS BIKE GROCERY. ACTUALLY, THE STORE STILL, THE STOREFRONT STILL STANDS THIS POINT. WE, WHEN I WAS 16 YEARS OLD, WE MOVED TO RIVERSIDE TERRACE. SO WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE OWNED THAT HOUSE AT 25, 20 DALE FOR 72 YEARS. UH, WHEN MY FATHER DIED, MY MOTHER TOOK OVER THE BUSINESS ALONG WITH MY OLDER BROTHER. MY OLDER BROTHER DIED EVENTUALLY. AND THEN EVENTUALLY MY MOTHER AND MY YOUNGEST BROTHER, UH, WHO WAS LARRY WHITE, WAS THE LAST ONE TO STAY HOUSTON, TO RUN THE HOUSE AND HELP RUN THE BUSINESS. AND WHEN WE, MY MOTHER LEFT, UH, OUR BILL TO THE, UH, HOUSE TO BOTH OF US, LARRY AND ME, WHEN WE LOOKED, WHEN THE, THE, UH, BILL WAS BE PROBATED, UH, LARRY COULD FIND THE CO SO I SAID, GO AHEAD. YOU TOOK CARE OF MY MOTHER WHILE SHE HAD ALZHEIMER'S. YOU GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE HOUSE. HE'LL LEAVE THE HOUSE TO BE WHEN YOU ARE DONE. SO HE DID IN HIS WILL. THE HOUSE IS FINE. I AM THE PROPERTY OWNER OF 25 20 ROSE. THAT BEING SAID, I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT THIS AREA, RIVERSIDE TERRACE, HAS SUCH A RICH HISTORY. ORIGINALLY, THE, UH, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD WAS PRIMARILY JEWISH BECAUSE THE JEWISH PEOPLE COULD NOT BUY HOMES IN, IN RIVERSIDE, IN, UH, RIVER OAKS. SO THIS BECAME KNOWN AS THE JEWISH RIVER OAKS. UH, THEN ONCE, UH, BLACK FAMILIES STARTED TO MOVE IN, MANY OF THE JEWISH FAMILIES MOVED OUT. MY FAMILY WAS ONE OF THE VERY FEW FAMILIES THAT MOVED IN. AND IF AFTER JACK CAESAR MOVED IN, JACK CAESAR WAS THE FIRST, UH, BLACK TO MOVE IN OVER ON WICHITA. AND JACK SUFFERED A LOT OF HATE AND FROM A LOT OF, UH, HATE MONGERS, INCLUDING HAVING HIS HOUSE BEING BOMBED. UH, AND SO IT, AFTER THAT, MY FATHER SAID WE WERE MOVING IN, AND ONE NIGHT I FOUND HIM SITTING IN WITH A SHOTGUN, UH, SITTING AT HIS HOUSE. THAT HOUSE IS SO IMPORTANT TO US, AND IT REPRESENTS A HISTORIC I LANDMARK ALONG, ALONG WITH, UH, CAESAR'S FAMILY AS A SYMBOL OF CHANGE. THE PROGRESS OF EQUITABLE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. IT WAS THE SYMBOL OF WHITE MR. WHITE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. WAS MR. WHITE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. SO BLACK FAMILY HOUSTON, BACK THEN WENT LONG. MR. WHITE AND PREJUDICE, IT WAS OUR BLACK, BLACK COMMUNITY'S AMERICA DREAM. MR. WHITE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. MR. WHITE, MR. WHITE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BECOME SUCH, I HATE TO CUT YOU OFF HISTORY, MR. WHITE. WE ONCE PROTECT, PROTECTED AS YET BEST MR. OUR HOUSEHOLD BEYOND THE HISTORIC REGISTER. BUT I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. WHITE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO THAT'S MY REASON FOR SPEAKING TODAY, IS THAT I SUPPORT STRONGLY THE PRESERVATION, HISTORIC PRESERVATION. UH, I DON'T WANT TO SEE SOMEONE COME INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SOME CONGLOMERATE TEAR DOWN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OLD, A HUGE, UH, CONDO. I WANT NEIGHBORHOOD TO REMAIN PACKED AND JUST BE AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT WAS WHEN I MOVED IN. WE MOVED IN FAMILY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. WHITE. THANK YOU. SO, OKAY. UH, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. THAT COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS. OKAY, THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION TO, UM, TO CLOSE THE HEARING CAST TATU TATUM, MOVED TO CLOSE HEARING SECOND ROBINSON AND MOVED. AND SECOND. ANY OBJECTION, CHAIR? NONE. MOTION IS GRANTED. HEARING IS CLOSED. ALRIGHT, UM, LET ME MAKE A FEW COMMENTS IN REFERENCE TO, UM, UM, SOME [MAYOR'S REPORT] MATTERS. UM, JUST BEAR IN MIND OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS, UH, AND EVEN GOING TO THE SUMMARY'S GONNA BE, UM, QUITE HOT OUT THERE. [03:45:01] AND, UM, I'M JUST ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO REALLY CHECK ON OUR SENIORS. PLEASE CHECK ON YOUR NEIGHBORS. CHECK ON THE SENIORS. UM, LET ME ENCOURAGE SENIORS. YOU USE YOUR AIR CONDITION. I KNOW PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR BILLS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UH, BUT I'D RATHER YOU TURN ON THAT AIR. BUT PLEASE CHECK ON, UH, CENTERS. AND THEN IF IT REACHES A CERTAIN POINT, UM, THEN WE'LL BE ESTABLISHING, UH, COOLING CENTERS. UH, SO PLEASE BEAR, UH, BE BE SENSITIVE TO THE HEAT. UM, UM, THIS WEEK, THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S MAYOR'S OFFICE OF VETERANS AND MILITARY AFFAIRS IS PARTNERING WITH THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS NATIONAL MUSEUM FOR A SPECIAL EXHIBITION IN HONOR OF OUR NATION'S SERVICE WOMEN. THE COLOR OF FREEDOM, HONORING THE DIVERSITY OF AMERICA'S SERVICE WOMEN, UH, TELLS THE STORY OF THE SACRIFICES AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF WOMEN WHO SERVED IN OR ALONGSIDE THE US MILITARY THROUGHOUT HISTORY. THE EXHIBITION OPENS ON FRIDAY, JUNE THE 10TH, UM, AT, UH, 6:30 PM AND IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL JULY THE 15TH, 2020, UH, JULY 15TH. UH, THEN ON SATURDAY, JUNE THE 12TH, THE 60TH ANNUAL WOMEN VETERAN EMPOWERMENT EXPO ON WOMEN VETERANS DAY WILL BE HELD AT THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS MUSEUM, 38 16 CAROLINE STREET. AND THE EXPO IS FREE AND WELCOMES ALL, UH, THE, UH, FEMALE VETERANS AS WELL AS OTHERS. AND A NEWS RELEASE IS GOING OUT THIS MORNING WITH MORE INFORMATION. UH, PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE TODAY IS ON SUNDAY, JUNE THE 12TH. UH, THE FILIPINO CULTURE AND HERITAGE WILL BE CELEBRATED IN THE HOUSTON AS PART OF THE 124TH PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION. THE COMMUNITY GATHERING WILL BEGIN AT 11:00 AM AT THE BAYOU CENTER EVENT CENTER, 94 1 KNIGHTS ROAD. AND THEN WITH REGARDS, UM, TO THE, LET'S SEE, UH, WHERE'S MY INFORMATION ON THE AIRPORT? UM, WITH REGARDS TO THE AIRPORT, KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UH, TRAFFIC CONGESTION AT THE AIRPORT. UH, PLEASE BEAR IN MIND IT'S LIKE A $1.3 BILLION CONSTRUCTION, UH, UM, THAT'S BEING TAKING PLACE AT THE AIRPORT. SO IT'S MAJOR CONSTRUCTION, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE ONGOING FOR, UH, FOR A WHILE. SO PLEASE, PLEASE BEAR THAT IN MIND. UH, BUT AS OF, UH, JUNE THE SIXTH, AN ADDITIONAL LANE AND CURVE CAPACITY, UH, AT TERMINAL E, UM, WAS MADE AVAILABLE. UM, THE ELEVATORS REOPENED, IT ALLOW REMOVAL OF THE A DA BUSES. IT FREED UP ADDITIONAL CURB AND LANE CAPACITY, UH, AND ADDITIONAL LANE OPERATIONAL, UM, WILL BE, UH, TOOK EFFECT ON THE MORNING OF JUNE THE SEVENTH. SO AN ADDITIONAL LANE HAS OPENED, UH, NEXT WEEK. AND ADDITIONAL ROADWAY CAPACITY AT AND TERMINAL TRAFFIC SEPARATION, UH, WILL BE AT THE ENTRANCE TO CENTRAL TERMINAL AREA. UH, THE TRAFFIC SEPARATION WILL BE, WILL IMPROVE MERGING POINTS AND TRAFFIC LOADS FOR ARRIVING AND DEPARTING PASSENGERS. UH, THEN THERE WILL BE TWO LANES DEDICATED FOR TERMINAL C DEPARTURES, THEN ARRIVALS, UH, TWO LANES WILL BE DEDICATED TO TERMINAL D FOR DEPARTURES. AND THEN ONE LANE WILL SERVE AS A BYPASS FOR TERMINAL E. THE POINT THAT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT, UH, WE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, UH, TO ALLOW, UM, BETTER INGRESS AND DIGRESS AT THE AIRPORT FLOWING, COMING, PEOPLE COMING IN, PICKING UP AND PEOPLE DEPARTING. UM, BUT IT IS GOING, BUT LET ME ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LEAVE EARLY TO, TO GO TO THE AIRPORT. OKAY. UM, BECAUSE IT'S MAJOR CONSTRUCTION, IT DOES CREATE INCONVENIENCE. UM, BUT I AM, UM, UM, PUSHING EVERYONE OUT AT THE AIRPORT TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN, UH, TO EASE THE, UM, UH, THE TRAFFIC SITUATION OUT THERE. SO AN ADDITIONAL LANE HAS OPENED UP, AND WE'LL BE TRYING TO OPEN UP, UM, MORE LANES AS, AS SOON AS THEY ARE FEASIBLE IN ADDITION. AND THEN IN JULY, ON JULY ONE, UM, THE SEED DEPARTURE RAMPS WILL REOPEN IN ITS ORIGINAL STATE. UM, AND THEN ON JULY THE 15TH, UH, THERE WILL BE SOME ADDITIONAL MEASURES TAKEN TO EASE THE FLOW. AND THEN WE ARE PROVIDING MORE, UM, PERSONNEL OUT THERE TO HELP IN GUIDING PEOPLE AND ASSISTING PEOPLE, OR AT LEAST, UH, DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO DIRECT THE TRAFFIC, UH, OUT THERE. UM, I'VE ASKED MARIO DIAZ AND EVERYONE TO PROVIDE MORE, UH, BODIES OUT THERE TO ASSIST, UM, IN PROVIDING, UH, ASSISTANCE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. SO, UH, JUST AS SOON AS WE CAN OPEN UP ADDITIONAL LANES BEYOND WHAT I'VE ANNOUNCED THIS MORNING, WE WILL DO IT. UH, WE'RE CERTAINLY ENCOURAGING THE CONTRACTORS TO DO THEIR WORK AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. UH, BUT IT IS A MAJOR PROJECT THAT'S [03:50:01] TAKING PLACE OUT AT THE AIRPORT. SO, AGAIN, LET ME APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE, BUT LET ME ASK PEOPLE TO BE VERY PATIENT. LET ME ASK PEOPLE TO SHOW UP AN HOUR. TWO, YOU KNOW, GIVE YOURSELF, YOU KNOW, AN HOUR, TWO HOURS MORE THAN WHAT YOU HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED. UM, AND THEN HOPEFULLY AS WE GO THROUGH JUNE, AS WE GO THROUGH JULY, UH, THINGS WILL START TO EASE UP OUT THERE. SO, UM, WE WERE DOING OUR VERY BEST, UH, TO BE RESPONSIVE AND SENSITIVE TO PEOPLE TRYING TO GET IN AND OUT. NO ONE WANTS TO SEE, UH, PEOPLE HAVING TO GET OUT OF THEIR CARS BEFORE THEY REACH THEIR SPOT AND THEN, UM, TRYING TO REACH THEIR, THEIR GATES. SO, UM, UH, I KNOW HOW FRUSTRATING THAT CAN BE. UM, UM, AND SO I'VE, I'VE INDICATED I'VE SAID TO THE PEOPLE AT THE AIRPORT UTILIZE WHATEVER AVAILABLE RESOURCES, UM, UH, TO ASSIST AND TO REDUCE THE CONGESTION THAT'S TAKING PLACE, UH, AT THE AIRPORT. AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UM, THINGS WILL, UH, BE IMPROVING. UM, AND WE'LL BE KEEPING A, A WATCH ON WHAT TAKES PLACE ALMOST ON A DAILY, ON A DAILY BASIS, UM, THAT'S ON THAT SUBJECT. AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE, AND I'LL COME BACK TO YOU. UH, THE OTHER POINT THAT I WANT TO RAISE, UM, UH, THIS MORNING IS WITH REGARDS TO ALL OF THESE, UM, HATEFUL RACIST MESSAGES, UH, THAT ARE BEING DROPPED OFF IN VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, IN OUR CITY. UM, IT STARTED WITH, WITH, UH, JUST A FEW, UM, IN ONE OR TWO NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT IT HAS RAMPED UP. UM, AND IT'S IMPORTANT NOW FOR ALL OF US COLLECTIVELY TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST IT. AND WHAT, WHAT IT DEMONSTRATES, IF YOU DON'T SPEAK OUT EARLY, EARLY ON, PEOPLE WHO ARE FILLED WITH HATE AND WHO ARE EVIL DON'T STOP. THEY KEEP PUSHING AND GOING AND GOING. UH, SO I'M, I'M, LET ME ENCOURAGE, IF ANYONE KNOWS WHO THESE PERSONS ARE OR WHAT ORGANIZATIONS THEY MAY BE AFFILIATED WITH, UM, UH, UH, HAVE ANY INFORMATION IN IDENTIFYING WHO'S, UH, DISTRIBUTING THESE HATEFUL, RACIST MESSAGES. UH, PLEASE PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION, UH, TO HPD OR CALL THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OR CALL MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL AND MAKE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE. BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE IDENTIFY, BECAUSE THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS AND OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE TRYING TO CREATE DIVISION, UH, WITHIN OUR CITY. UM, AND, UH, IT DOESN'T BENEFIT ANYBODY. SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE, UH, THAT WE DEAL WITH THIS HEAD ON, UH, THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE, UM, AND, AND BECAUSE THEY WILL ONLY INCREASE, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO EITHER LIVE IN OUR CITY OR PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO OUR CITY, UM, WHO ARE, UH, INTENT ON DISTRIBUTING THESE HATEFUL, EVIL, RACIST MESSAGES. AND WE NEED TO CALL 'EM OUT AND WE NEED TO IDENTIFY THEM. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THEY'RE, THEY'RE LEAVING MESSAGES ON PEOPLE'S, UH, DOORS. IF YOU, IF YOU GOT THESE DOOR CAMS RINGS AND, AND WHAT YOU CALL 'EM, RING RINGS, THAT DOOR RINGS RING. AND, AND IF YOU'VE GOT PICTURES OF PEOPLE DROPPING OFF THESE HATEFUL MESSAGES, PLEASE MAKE THEM AVAILABLE. OKAY? BECAUSE THEY'RE DROPPING THEM OFF, IN MANY CASES, AT, ON PEOPLE'S, AT PEOPLE'S DOORS. HOW SHOULD THEY DO THAT? MAYOR IS THAT CALL THE POLICE, CALL THE POLICE. THEY CAN CALL THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. THEY CAN MAKE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE, UH, TO COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, YOU CAN CALL THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF JEWS, YOU CAN CALL THE NAACP, UH, ANY OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. BUT I CERTAINLY WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CALL POLICE. CALL THE POLICE, OR CALL THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. BUT THE POINT IS, UH, AND UNTIL GOOD PEOPLE STAND UP AND SAY, NO, THESE TYPE OF PER PERSONS ARE ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE INTENT ON CREATING DIVISION, UH, WITHIN OUR CITY, THEY DON'T STOP. OKAY? AND SO WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY THEM AND CALL THEM OUT. UH, SO, UH, I'M VERY CONCERNED, UM, WITH, WITH, WITH, UM, UM, UH, WITH WHAT'S TAKEN PLACE, UH, AND NOT JUST IN THIS CITY. THEY'RE DOING IT IN OTHER CITIES AS WELL, BUT THERE'S NO PLACE FOR THIS TYPE OF, THIS TYPE OF HATRED, BIGOTRY, UM, RACIST IDEOLOGY TO BE TAKING PLACE IN OUR, IN OUR CITY. UM, AND WITH THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, KOSH MAYOR LAST WEEK, THERE WAS A SUPREME COURT DECISION THAT AFFECTED, UH, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT THE CITY AND THE DRAINAGE FEE. UH, CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? UH, I NOTICED THE CITY ATTORNEY'S NOT HERE, BUT I HEAR HE'S VIRTUAL. YES. UH, CAN YOU GIVE US A SYNOPSIS OF, OF JUST A LITTLE SOMETHING THAT, SO WE WOULD KNOW, UH, WHAT, WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN PEOPLE CALL US. I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE LAWSUIT, UH, JONES VERSUS, UH, JONES AND WATSON, [03:55:01] GUESS AGAINST THE CITY OF HOUSTON PERTAINING TO THE CALCULATION, UH, OF OUR DRAIN SHEET. YES, YES. OKAY. UH, BASIC, UH, AND, AND, AND, UH, ATTORNEY ARTURA MICHELLE CERTAINLY CAN ADDRESS IT, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, AND, AND AURA, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, UH, THAT THE TEXAS, THAT THE SUPREME COURT, UM, UH, SAID THAT THE PARTIES HAD THE STANDING TO PROCEED AT THE TRIAL COURT LEVEL. THE TRIAL COURT SAID NO TO OUR PLEA TO THE JURISDICTION SAYING BASICALLY THE PARTIES YOU DON'T HAVE STANDING HERE. AND THEN ON THE APPELLATE LEVEL, THE APPELLATE LEVEL AGREED WITH THE CITY, UH, THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE STANDING. OKAY? AND THEN THEY TOOK THAT UP TO THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT, AND THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT SAID, YES, YOU DO HAVE STANDING. AND SO ESSENTIALLY, BASICALLY YOU JUST START ALL THE WAY OVER. UH, 'CAUSE THEY'RE SAYING YOU DO HAVE STANDING, BECAUSE WHAT THEY DID NOTE, AND SOMETHING THAT UNDER UNDERLINED IT SAID THAT, AND THIS IS THE SUPREME COURT SAYING, TEXAS SUPREME COURT, WE DO NOT IMPLY THAT TAXPAYERS WILL ULTIMATELY SECEDE ON THE MERITS OF THEIR CLAIM, REFERRING TO THE PARTIES WHO ASSUME HIM. WE SIMPLY HOLD THAT AT THIS STAGE OF THE LITIGATION, THE RECORD DOES NOT SUPPORT GRANTING THE CITY'S OFFICIAL PLEA TO THE JURISDICTION. SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, JUST ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE WHERE THE TRIAL COURT SAID, UH, UM, YOU DO HAVE STANDING, THE APPELLATE COURT SAID TO THEM, YOU DON'T HAVE STANDING NOW THE SUPREME COURT IS SAYING YOU DO HAVE STANDING, SO NOW GO PROCEED AND TRY THE CASE. SO IT'S, IT'S YEARS AWAY. YEAH, I GUESS YOU CAN, YEAH, I THINK YOU CAN EASILY SAY THAT. BUT THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT BY THEIR RULING, THEY ARE NOT SUGGESTING, UH, THAT THE PARTIES WILL ULTIMATELY SECEDE ON THE MERITS OF THEIR CLAIM. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY STATED IN THEIR OPINION. NOW, TYRO, DID I, DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? OR ANYTHING YOU WANT, YOU WANT TO ADD, UH, TO THAT? I, I THINK THAT'S ACCURATE. BOTH, UH, FROM WHAT YOU SAID, AND ALSO FROM WHAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, THIS IS AN ULTRA VIRUS CLAIM, WHICH MEANS, UH, THE ALLEGATION THAT CITY OFFICIALS ACTED OUTSIDE THEIR AUTHORITY. IMMUNITY TYPICALLY BARS CLAIMS, BUT ULTRA VIRUS IS NOT SUBJECT TO THAT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T INVOLVE MONETARY DAMAGES. SO, UH, WHAT THEY'RE SEEKING IS PERSPECTIVE RELIEF. SO WHEN THIS COMES DOWN THE ROAD, UH, WORST CASE SCENARIO FOR THE CITY IS IT WOULD HAVE TO RECALCULATE IN THE FUTURE. IT WOULD NOT BE BACKWARDS LOOKING, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, AND DO WE, ARE WE HIRING LAWYERS TO DO THIS? OR IS THIS IN-HOUSE COUNSEL WHO, WHO'S REPRESENTING US? I, WE'RE DOING IT WITHIN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, A PRIMARILY, UM, AN ISSUE THAT, UH, SUZANNE CHAUVIN AND COLIN PD AND OTHERS HAVE, HAVE HAD HANDLED VERY WELL. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCILMAN KAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE, UM, MOST RECENT FLYERING INCIDENTS THAT YOU REFERENCED. I KNOW, UH, IN APRIL, UH, IN HEIGHTS IN LAZY BROOK TIMBER GROVE, WE EXPERIENCED, UM, NOT JUST ANTI-SEMITIC, BUT RACIST AND ANTI-IMMIGRANT, UH, XENOPHOBIC FLYERING. UM, WE HELD A TOWN HALL ON THAT. AND I REALLY WANNA THANK AND ACKNOWLEDGE HPD FOR THE RESOURCES THEY'VE PROVIDED. BUT MOST RECENTLY IN COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, I KNOW YOU EXPERIENCED IT IN YOUR DISTRICT, BUT, UM, OVER, UH, THE, NOT THIS PAST WEEKEND, BUT THE WEEKEND BEFORE THAT, UH, MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, WE HAD IN GREATER MEYERLAND AREA, UM, ANTI-SEMITIC FLYERING, UH, AND WHAT'S TRADITIONALLY AND HISTORICALLY A LARGE JEWISH POPULATION AREA. UM, SOME REALLY UNPLEASANT FLYERS WERE FOUND. I WANTED TO SHARE SOME RESOURCES. UH, MAYOR, TO YOUR POINT, UH, RESIDENTS ARE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED, UH, IF YOU FIND THESE MATERIALS TO CONTACT HPDS NON-EMERGENCY LINE 7 1 3 8 8 4 3 1, 3 1, AND THEY SHOULD, EVERYONE SHOULD BE READY TO PROVIDE PICTURES OF MATERIALS OR THE MATERIALS THEMSELVES. UM, THIS ALSO HELPS IN THE INVESTIGATION. JUST BECAUSE YOUR NEIGHBOR REPORTED IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BE REPORTING IT BECAUSE THEY NEED TO GEO MAP WHERE IT IS. AND AGAIN, MAYOR, TO YOUR POINT, THAT WILL ENABLE ADDITIONAL CAPTURING OF FOOTAGE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. UM, PLEASE ALSO REPORT IT TO THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE BECAUSE THEY SUPPORT, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT IN TRACKING THESE, BUT ALSO DETERMINING WHAT GROUPS, UH, WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. BUT I THINK, MAYOR, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO REMIND RESIDENTS NOT TO POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THE IMAGES OR IDENTIFY THE GROUP. SO IT'S ONE THING TO GIVE THOSE IMAGES OVER TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. IT'S ANOTHER THING TO POST IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SHARE THOSE IMAGES, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THESE HATE GROUPS WANT. UM, THAT'S WHAT THESE WHITE SUPREMACIST GROUPS WANT, IS THAT ATTENTION IS THAT, YOU KNOW, INCREASING THAT, UH, VISIBILITY OF WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO. UH, SO I THINK IT'S BEAUTIFUL THE, UH, VOICES THAT HAVE RISEN FROM THIS SAYING, NOT IN [04:00:01] OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW, AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND WE WANNA ENCOURAGE THAT. BUT PLEASE DON'T IDENTIFY THE GROUPS BY NAME, AND PLEASE DON'T POST PICTURES OF THE MATERIALS THAT HAVE BEEN FOUND. UM, AGAIN, ALL OF THAT. AND THAT ALSO GOES TO THE MEDIA. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MEDIA TO TRAIN, UM, ON BEST PRACTICES. SO WHEN THEY'RE COVERING ISSUES LIKE THIS, AGAIN, GETS MORE HITS AND VISUAL, YOU KNOW, WHEN MEDIA IS REPORTING WHAT IT ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE. BUT THAT'S GOING TO EXACTLY WHAT THESE GROUPS WANT, AND WE CANNOT LET THEM WIN. SO, UH, AGAIN, MAYOR, THANK YOU. BUT I WANNA ALSO, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, THANK HPD, UH, OUR CIVIC GROUPS AND ALL OF THE OUTSIDE CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING TOGETHER TO WORK ON THIS. AND I KNOW HPD IS TAKING IT VERY SERIOUSLY. THANK, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. OKAY. APPRECIATE THAT. ALRIGHT, THAT, UH, THAT'S IT FOR, FOR ME, MADAMS, UH, SECRETARY, LET'S PROCEED WITH THE AGENDA UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS [CONSENT AGENDA] CATEGORY. ITEM THREE HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. ITEM TWO NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON MOVED AND SECONDED ON ITEM TWO. DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR, OPPOSED GRANTED ON ITEM TWO. AND NOW, UH, SEE IF YOU ARE HERE. UH, PLEASE STAND UP. UH, POSITION FOUR, AND THIS IS TO THE FALL CREEK MANAGEMENT DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, JULIUS, UH, MJ MORRIS JR. CHARLIE GASPER, AND A TROY TURNER. OKAY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH, UH, ALL OF THESE INDIVIDUALS. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM. I'M DAVE BROOK. CATEGORY ITEM FIVE AND SIX HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM FOUR, CASTEX TATUM, MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON MOVED. AND SECOND ON ITEM FOUR. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF POST GRANTED ON BOARD UNDER THE PRESSING AND TABULATION OF BID CATEGORY. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS SEVEN THROUGH 10? CASTEX TAYLOR, MOVE SECOND, ROBINSON. UH, MOVING TO SECOND ON ITEM SEVEN THROUGH 10. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION, 11 THROUGH 13, 19, 21, 23, AND 35. THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 11 THROUGH 13, 19, 21, 23, AND 35. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE. DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR, OPPOSED GRANTED ITEMS REMOVE SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM FIVE NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TAYLOR, MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON MOVED IN SECOND ON ITEM FIVE, DISCUSSION ON FIVE. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION ON FIVE IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED ON FIVE. ITEM SIX NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON MOVED IN. SECOND. ITEM SIX, COUNCILMAN POLL ON SIX. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. UH, THIS WAS AN ITEM FOR THE REHAB OF DITCHES AND DISTRICTS, B, G, J, AND K. I JUST WANNA, UM, SPOTLIGHT THE VENDOR. T CONSTRUCTION, UH, IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL STATES THAT THE CONTRACTOR T CONSTRUCTION HAS COMPLETED THE WORK. UM, IN THE FINAL COST OF THIS PROJECT, UH, WAS ACTUALLY $506,828 UNDER THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT. SO THEY, THEY WERE ABLE TO PERFORM AND GET THE WORK DONE, UM, WITH LESS MONEY THAN ANTICIPATED. AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MWBE PORTION, UM, THE MWBE UM, APPROVED GOAL FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT FOR MBE WAS 4%, BUT THEY ACHIEVED ALMOST 18%. SO I WANNA, UH, GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT FOR NOT ONLY, UM, BEING VERY, UM, INTENTIONAL WITH THEIR HIRING PRACTICES, BUT ALSO SAVING THE CITY SOME MONEY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM SIX? DISCUSSION IN FAVOR, OPPOSE GRANTED ON ITEM SIX, ITEM 11 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. DISCUSSION ON 11. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN ON 11. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND CERTAINLY WANNA COMMEND YOU FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD. THIS, THIS, UH, EXEMPTION WILL MAKE THE, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON THE HIGHEST EXEMPTION, UH, FOR ELDERLY AND DISABLED HOMEOWNERS, THE COUNTIES AT 2 29. THIS 260,000 IS GOOD. UH, MY WONDERFUL NEW INTERN WHO I'LL [04:05:01] BRAG ON AT POPOFF PUT TOGETHER THIS SPREADSHEET FOR ME SO I CAN PLUG IN ANY NUMBERS. BUT STARTING AT 300,000, YOU'RE SAVING IF YOUR HOME IS WORTH THAT, YOU'RE SAVING ABOUT, IF YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF BOTH EXEMPTIONS, YOU'RE SAVING $440 AND, AND ON UP AS YOUR, AS YOUR HOME VALUE IS UP. SO THIS IS A, IS IS A GREAT MOVE AND, UH, WILL PROVIDE SOME NECESSARY RELIEF TO OUR TAXPAYERS. THANK YOU. AND I DID WANT TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT IT BECAUSE THIS ALSO HELPS TO KEEP OUR CITY AFFORDABLE, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WITH WHO ARE SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH WHO ARE DISABLED. UH, SO IT'S PROPERTY BASED RISE. UM, UH, THE TAX EXEMPTION, UH, CERTAINLY WILL, CERTAINLY WILL HELP. UM, AND SO THIS IS A WAY OF TRYING TO, AS PEOPLE AGE, UM, KEEPING THEM . AND IF, YOU KNOW, IF GOD IS KIND, WE'LL, GOT IT. WE'LL, WE'LL ALL AGE, YOU KNOW, . SO, UM, THANK YOU. GEORGE TURNS 65 NEXT YEAR. I'M EXCITED. OKAY. ALL RIGHTY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 11? DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF POST GRANTED ON ITEM 11. ITEM 12 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE ON ITEM 12, DISCUSSION ON 12. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR. OPPOSED? GRANTED ON 12 MAYOR. YES. I'M SORRY. COUNCILMAN KUBA. WOULD YOU, UH, JUST GIVE A LITTLE BRIEF SYNOPSIS FOR THE CITIZENS ON WHAT THAT ACTUALLY, UH, ENTAILED, HOW THAT WORKS AND, AND WHAT HAPPENED THERE? YEAH, WHEN IT HAPPENED, UM, JUDGE ROSENTHAL FEDERAL JUDGE, UM, RULED IN ONE OF THE CASES THAT WAS BROUGHT, THAT CAME BEFORE HER. THAT, UH, IF YOU ARE ONE OF THESE, UM, PEOPLE COLLECTING PETITIONS, CIRCULATORS, CIRCULATORS, UH, WE HAD SAID THAT YOU HAD TO BE A RESIDENT, FOR EXAMPLE, OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND WHAT JUDGE ROSENTHAL SAID, UM, WHAT'S THAT? UH, THAT IS NOT THE CASE. WHAT DON'T HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A VOTER, UH, TO BE A CIRCULATOR. UH, AND SO ANY PERSON, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN HIRE PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, WHAT HAVE YOU, TO GO AND COLLECT PETITIONS, BUT WE CAN'T RESTRICT PEOPLE BASED ON A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT. UH, A TOUR. YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT? YEAH, YEAH. THAT'S ES ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT, UH, IT WAS A 20-YEAR-OLD, UH, US SUPREME COURT CASE. AND, UH, THE PLAINTIFFS BROUGHT THIS LAWSUIT. THE CITY'S POSITION WAS, WE DON'T ENFORCE THIS, BUT IT'S IN OUR CHARTER. WE PA HAD PASSED AN ORDINANCE IN, UH, 2020. THEY STILL CHALLENGED IT, UH, ADDRESSING SOME OF THE ASPECTS OF THE ORDINANCE. WE HAD AN AFFIDAVIT BASICALLY TO GUARD AGAINST FRAUD THAT THEY WOULD SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE TEXAS COURT. SO THEY HADN'T BEEN CONVICTED OF FRAUD. THEY RAISED A COUPLE ISSUES WITH THAT. THE JUDGE ESSENTIALLY RULED THAT, UM, SHE'S NOT GOING TO AWARD DAMAGES. SHE'S GOING TO GIVE THE CITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES AND THEN TAKE A LOOK AT IT LATER. SO THIS IS, I THINK, A STEP OF JUST RESOLVING THIS ONE. WE HAVE THE AWKWARD PROBLEM OF HOW DO YOU REMOVE SOMETHING FROM OUR CHARTER WITHOUT A CHARTER AMENDMENT ELECTION. GOOD. OKAY. THANKS. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 12? OKAY, IN FAVOR, OPPOSED? GRANTED. NEXT ITEM, ITEM 19 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. 13. 13. 13. I'LL PICK UP TOO MANY, SIR. ITEM 13 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. MAYOR, I LIKE TO TAG ITEM 13. YES, I, THIS ITEM IS BEEN TAGGED BY VICE MAYOR. VICE MAYOR PER TIM TATUM. AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON JOINS ON AND HUFFMAN WOULD LIKE TO TAG AS WELL. AND HUFFMAN IS ALSO TAGGING. GOT IT. OKAY. NOW NEXT ITEM, ITEM 19 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE ON ITEM 19. COUNCILMAN POLL ON 19. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, ITEM 19 IS REGARDING A 2017 CONTRACT, UM, WITH SOUTHERN TIRE MART. AND WE ARE BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT WHENEVER I SEE US, UH, HAVING AN ITEM WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT A PREVIOUS CONTRACT THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING TO INCREASE THEIR CURRENT CONTRACT. I'D LIKE TO SEE WHERE THEIR MWBE PARTICIPATION WAS. UM, ON THIS CONTRACT, IT WAS ORIGINALLY AWARDED AT A 4% GOAL. UM, BUT THIS VENDOR IS ACHIEVING 43.6%, SO THAT WAS A BIG EYE-OPENER BECAUSE WE PUT THE GOAL AT 4%, BUT THEY'RE ACHIEVING ALMOST 44%. SO 40, ALMOST 40% HIGHER. SO IT BEGS THE QUESTION, HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHAT THESE GOAL PERCENTAGES ARE BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR VENDOR WAS ABLE TO, TO ACHIEVE MUCH HIGHER. AND SO THEY ARE A GOOD PARTNER AND THEY ARE, UH, SOMEONE WHO IS, UM, MAKING IT [04:10:01] A PRIORITY AND AN EMPHASIS TO HAVE DIVERSITY IN THEIR HIRING PRACTICES. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERYONE WILL DO THAT. SO I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK INTO HOW WE COME UP WITH THESE GOAL PERCENTAGES IF THEY'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE SO MUCH. WHY WAS THE ORIGINAL GOAL ONLY AT AT 4%? UM, BUT I, I COMMEND THEM FOR THAT AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE ITEM. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND LEMME JUST SAY THAT, UM, IN THE PAST WE, WE PRETTY MUCH APPLIED GOALS AND CATEGORIES, BUT NOW WHAT OPO IS DOING IS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD IS INSTEAD DOING CONTRACT SPECIFIC GOALS. SO THERE IS A MODIFICATION THAT WE'RE MAKING. THANK YOU MA'AM. UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 19 IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? GRANTED ON 19? ITEM 21 IS ORDINANCE THIS NEED A VOTE? VOTE ITEM 21. DISCUSSION ON 21. DISCUSSION ON 21. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? TAG THE ITEM. ITEM 21 IS BEING TAGGED BY COUNCIL POLL. ITEM 23 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE ON ITEM 23. DISCUSSION ON 23. DISCUSSION ON 23. ON 23. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. UM, THIS IS THE ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO SUBMIT, TO SUBMIT A $5 MILLION, UM, GRANT APPLICATION THROUGH THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE, UM, DEPARTMENT FOR ITS URBAN OUTDOOR GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS AND UPGRADES FOR THE KEITH WEISS PARK. UM, WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO STATE REPRESENTATIVE RAIMONDO WALLY FOR HIS ADVOCATE ADVOCACY EFFORTS. UM, BECAUSE OF HIS, YOU KNOW, UM, ADVOCACY, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT, THOSE DOLLARS APPROPRIATED, UM, IN THE 20 21, 20 22 GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, UM, BY THE 87TH LEGISLATION. SO, JUST HAD TALKED TO HIM. YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WE'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PARKS OVER THE PAST THREE, FOUR MONTHS, AND SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, JUST EVIDENCE AND PROOF THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. UM, LAST WEEK I WAS AT TOUGHLEY PARK AND I SEE THAT THEY'RE CUTTING UP THE POOL, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE FIXING THE POOL AND REBUILDING IT. AND SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, WE ARE HOPEFUL AND WE KNOW THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, UM, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR ALLEN AS WELL FOR HIS EFFORT EFFORTS AROUND THIS AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON 23? DISCUSSION IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? GRANTED ON 23. ITEM 35 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE ON ITEM 35, DISCUSSION ON 35, DISCUSSION ON 35. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRAND ON 35. ITEM 40 [MATTERS HELD] IS AN ORDINANCE. THIS NEED OF VOTE. ITEM 40, DISCUSSION ON 40. DISCUSSION ON 40. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR. OPPOSED? GRAND ON 40. ITEM 41 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ITEM 41, DISCUSSION ON 41. DISCUSSION ON 41. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED, GRANTED ON 41 ON THE NEXT ONE. ITEM 25 IS A MOTION. 42, I MEAN 42 IS A MOTION. , UH, WE ALREADY HAVE A MOTION. JUST NEED TO VOTE. OKAY, WE ARE ON ITEM 42. LEMME JUST, UH, PREFACE BY SAYING, PLEASE BEAR IN MIND YOU, WE ARE RESTRICTED TO THE RECORD. OKAY, SO LEMME JUST, LEMME JUST SAY THIS. IF YOU HEARD ANY, ANYTHING, IF IT DOESN'T FALL WITHIN THE RECORD, UH, IT IS NOT A PART OF OUR DECISION MAKING, SO WE ARE RESTRICTED TO THE RECORD. UH, LEMME SAY NUMBER TWO IS THAT, UM, THIS IS A VARIANCE THAT'S BEING SOUGHT TO THE, UH, TO THE CODE. SO THIS IS A VARIANCE WE HAVE NEVER GRANTED A VARIANCE TO THE SIGN CODE. SO LET ME, LET ME JUST, LET ME JUST SAY THAT NUMBER TWO, NUMBER THREE, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES AND IT MAY, UM, AND THERE MAY BE GOOD REASONS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, UH, I WON'T SAY GOOD REASONS, BUT LOGICAL REASONS, UM, PASSIONATE REASONS, UM, UH, FOR THINGS UNFOLD. UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS IN TERMS OF THE RULES. SO, UM, UM, THAT IS WHAT IS BEFORE US. THE PARTY IS SEEKING A VARIANCE AND THE ONLY THING THAT WE, UM, WE ARE OBLIGATED TO JUST LOOK WITHIN THE FOUR WALLS OF THE, OF THE RECORD. UM, AND A YES VOTE MOVES FORWARD IN, UM, DENYING THE VARIANCE. OKAY. UH, WITH THAT BEING, WITH THAT BEING SAID, COUNCILMAN P*****K. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I, I TAGGED THIS ITEM SEVERAL WEEKS AGO JUST BECAUSE, UM, UM, HEARING TESTIMONY AND READING THE RECORD, UH, GAVE ME SOME PAUSE BECAUSE I DID NOT SEE WHAT I INTERPRETED WOULD BE FAIR OR PROPER NOTICE TO, UM, THE DEVELOPER AND THE CHICK-FIL-A OWNER. UH, WHEN I CONSIDER THE CITY OF HOUSTON, I LOOK AT US AS A, A COMPANY. WE'RE [04:15:01] A BUSINESS. AND AROUND THIS HORSESHOE, WE BASICALLY SERVE AS BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THAT BUSINESS. AND IT IS OUR, UH, JOB TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING FORTH, I THINK, FAIR BUSINESS PRACTICES, UM, TO ENSURE THAT OUR SHAREHOLDERS, WHICH ARE OUR CONSTITUENTS, UM, ARE ABLE TO HAVE A FAIR OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO THRIVE, UM, WITHIN, WITHIN, YOU KNOW, OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT. UM, AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT FAIR NOTICE, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT BUSINESS PRACTICES, WHEN WE BRING UP PRECEDENTS, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE TO NOTIFY THE CHICK-FIL-A OWNER, UM, OF, UH, PENDINGS ASSIGNED CHANGE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WAS IN CONVERSATION AND HAD, UH, NOTICED THAT THEY WERE DEVELOPING THEIR PROPERTY. UM, WHEN WE MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT WE'VE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE, I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CHANGE. YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAY THAT THE MOST DANGEROUS PHRASE IN BUSINESS IS WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT THIS WAY. AND SO SOMETIMES WE'RE ELECTED HERE FOR CHANGE, RIGHT? AND SO WHEN YOU TAKE ALL THESE IN CONSIDERATION, I THINK THE CITY, UM, COULD HAVE DONE MORE, UH, TO PROVIDE PROPER NOTICE AND TO WORK WITH THIS VENDOR. UM, BUT WHAT I CAN ALSO SAY IS THAT, UM, THE PERSPECTIVE AND THE OPINION OF THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER MEANS A LOT TO ME. AND I THINK THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB AT STAYING AT THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT HE BELIEVES IS BEST FOR HIS DISTRICT. HE HAS HIS OWN VISION, UM, AND HE KNOWS HIS DISTRICT BETTER THAN PROBABLY ALL OF US. AND SO, UM, ALTHOUGH I DON'T THINK THAT THE CITY DID AS GREAT OF A JOB AS WE COULD HAVE WITH NOTICE, I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A GREAT COUNCIL MEMBER AND, UH, ROBERT GALLEGOS. AND SO IF IT IS HIS WILL TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS, AND IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT HE BELIEVES IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF HIS DISTRICT, UM, THEN I SUPPORT HIM IN THAT FACT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNCILMAN KNOX. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I, I PRESUME EVERYONE HAS THEIR COPY OF THE RECORD. SO IF YOU'LL TURN WITH ME TO PAGE 14 OF THE GENERAL APPEALS BOARD HEARING, UH, THERE WAS SOME QUESTIONING BEING DONE BY MR. UH, TO MR. MARIO GARCIA FROM THE PERMITTING DEPARTMENT. AND THE QUESTION WAS, HOW DID YOU COME TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE? AND THIS ANSWER, THE KEY PART THAT I WANT TO HAND, UH, HIGHLIGHT THERE IS, AND SHE HADN'T CAUGHT IT IN THE FIRST REVIEW, BUT WE FOUND IT IN THE SECOND REVIEW AND IT, AND IT WAS IN THE AIRPORT CORRIDOR. SO, UM, THEY INITIALLY SUBMITTED THEIR, THEIR APPLICATION AND IT WAS ORIGINALLY EVIDENTLY APPROVED, AND THEN THEY REDID IT AND DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS IN THE CORRIDOR. IF YOU'LL TURN WITH ME AGAIN TO, UM, LET'S SEE. THE NEXT PAGE, UH, IS PAGE, UH, 25 OF THE RECORD. UM, THIS IS ONE OF OUR, IT'S ONE OF OUR, ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, MR. MCKNIGHT, WHO SAYS ON THE RECORD, CITY COUNCIL, THOSE GUYS CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO AND THEY WILL DO WHATEVER THEY WANT. HE'S TELLING THE CITIZEN THIS, UH, THIS WAS IN RESPONSE TO SOME CONVERSATION REGARDING WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES WERE. AND IF YOU GO BACK TO PAGE, UH, 31 OF THE RECORD, UM, THE CHAIRMAN, MR. DISH BERGER SAYS, COMMENTING THIS, WELL, YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE A VOTE. WE VOTE TO DISAPPROVE. YOUR NEXT OPTION IS TO GO TO CITY COUNCIL. AND IT'S, AGAIN, CITY COUNCIL CAN, CAN OVERRIDE ANY OF THEIR ORDINANCES OR CODES. THIS IS ON THE RECORD. SO WE'RE TOLD BY OUR CITY LEGAL THAT WE CAN'T DO THAT, THAT WE CAN ONLY, UH, MAKE A DECISION BASED ON WHETHER THE BOARD FOLLOWED ITS PROCESS AND PROCEDURE. BUT THE BOARD IS TELLING OUR CITIZENS THAT WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT. AND I DON'T WANT MAKE OUR BOARD MEMBERS A LIAR. SO I THINK WE SHOULD DO WHAT THE BOARD MEMBERS SUGGEST AND SAY, YOU KNOW, OKAY, WE'LL JUST OVERTURN IT. THERE'S, UH, ONE MORE THING I WANTED TO DO THAT'S ON PAGE STARTS ON PAGE 35. UM, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, BUT WE'RE GOING TO WAIT FOR CITY COUNCIL TO OFFER SOME INTERPRETATION OF IT, MEANING THIS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? SO THE BOARD ITSELF HAS, UH, YOU KNOW, INDICATED THAT THEY WANT US TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT THIS, AND I THINK WE SHOULD, IN THE INTEREST OF GRACE AND FAIRNESS, WE JUST, WE JUST HAD A BIG HEARING THIS MORNING [04:20:01] ABOUT PEOPLE WANTING TO PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY RIGHTS AND, AND, UH, EXPECT THE CITY TO LISTEN TO THEM. I THINK UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, UM, IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION, THIS ONE WOULD BE THE ONE TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION WITH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. LEMME JUST SAY, IN ALL FAIRNESS, THE PERSON IS CORRECT. CITY COUNCIL CAN, YES, WE CAN JUST LIKE, JUST LIKE DIRECTOR MARGARET WALLACE BROWN, THEY'RE CHARGE WITH AND THEY MOVE FORWARD. BUT IT THEN COMES HERE AND I SAID, NO. AND I SAY, YES, , BUT THE POINT, WHAT THE POINT IS WHAT THE, WHAT WAS SAID IS CORRECT. I MEAN, THIS, THIS IS THE FINAL STOP. OKAY. CONSTABLE KASH, MAYOR, I WENT BACK THROUGH THE RECORDS, UH, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNSEL THE LAST, UH, EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS THE SIXTH ONE OF THESE THAT I'VE SEEN. I'LL NEVER FORGET THE FIRST ONE I SEEN, UH, YEARS AGO. AND, AND GOING THROUGH THE RECORD, IT WAS A LOT MORE PAGES THAN THIS ONE WAS AND A LOT MORE DETAILED. AND I, MY, MY QUESTION ALWAYS HAS BEEN WHY IS IT SHOWING UP HERE TO US IF WE HAVE TO JUST AGREE WITH THE RECORD? BECAUSE AS I READ THIS RECORD, MAYOR, AND IF WE FOLLOW THE RECORD, UH, THEN, THEN WE HAVE TO VOTE. YES. IT'S REAL CLEAR. I MEAN, THAT'S REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT I WANNA STAND WITH MY DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER OR NOT. IF I WANT TO FOLLOW WHAT WE HAVE SET UP, THEN I HAVE TO VOTE YES, BUT YET I HAVE AN OPTION TO VOTE NO. SO THERE, THERE, THERE IS THIS DICHOTOMY IN, UH, IN THIS MATTER. SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE, THE, THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT ABOUT SAFETY. UH, THIS IS ABOUT, UH, BEAUTIFYING THE COMMUNITY AND EVENTUALLY ALL THE SIGNS WILL, WILL, WILL EVENTUALLY COME DOWN EITHER BY HURRICANE OR AGE, AND THEY'LL HAVE TO BE RE PERMITTED AND THEY'LL ALL BE THE SAME HEIGHT. THAT, THAT, THAT'S WHAT WAS SAID AND STATED IN THE RECORD. AND WHEN I LOOKED AT WHO OUR CHAIRMAN WAS, MIKE BERGER, I THOUGHT, WOW, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A QUALITY INDIVIDUAL. AND, AND THESE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE ON OUR, ON OUR, ON THIS BOARD IS QUALITY INDIVIDUALS. SO, BUT THEY DIDN'T GET ONE NAY VOTE. ALL OF 'EM WERE YES. VOTES EVERY ONE OF THEM. SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY, BUT TO VOTE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, NO VICE MEMBER CAST TATUM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I, WE'VE HAD SOME EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS, UM, VARIANCE THAT CHICK-FIL-A IS SEEKING. AND, UM, AND, AND, AND QUITE FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, I, I STRUGGLE WITH IT BECAUSE, UM, INITIALLY I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, CHICK CHICK-FIL-A IN THE UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD BE GRANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT UP THEIR SIGN. UM, I DID SOME EXTRA LOOKING AT SOME THINGS. I DID THE, UM, GOOGLE EARTH, AND I SAW THAT ACTUALLY WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN 45 TO GET TO CHICK-FIL-A, YOU ACTUALLY PASS IT UP AND HAVE TO, YOU TURN AROUND TO GET TO THE CHICK-FIL-A. AND CURRENTLY THERE IS NOT A, UM, ONE OF THOSE LONE STAR LOGO SIGNS. UM, AND I, AND I, THE WAY I FEEL LIKE WE CAN GET TO A WIN-WIN IS WE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY FOR THE CORRIDOR TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SIGNS AT A CERTAIN HEIGHT. UM, BUT CHICK-FIL-A WOULD QUALIFY BASED ON MY CONVERSATIONS WITH TEXDOT LAST NIGHT FOR ONE OF THOSE LONE STAR LOGO SIGNS THAT WE COULD PUT PRIOR TO THE WOOD, UH, WHAT IS IT? WOODBRIDGE WOODBRIDGE BRIDGE EXIT, UM, THAT I THINK WOULD GIVE THEM AMPLE, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE WANTING TO GO TO CHICK-FIL-A TO SEE THAT A CHICK-FIL-A IS COMING UP SOON, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WHEN YOU DRIVE DOWN 45, BY THE TIME YOU SEE THE SIGN, THERE'S NO EXIT TO GET TO THE CHICK-FIL-A, YOU HAVE TO PASS IT UP AND MAKE A U-TURN TO COME BACK. SO IN THE ESSENCE OF LOOKING FOR A WIN-WIN, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD HELP TO, UM, NAVIGATE WITH CHICK-FIL-A AND TEXDOT ONE OF THOSE LONE STAR LOGO SIGNS THAT WOULD GIVE THEM AMPLE SIGNAGE THAT CHICK-FIL-A IS COMING UP. UM, AND THEN WE WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO KEEP, UM, OUR CORRIDOR INTACT THE WAY WE UNANIMOUSLY [04:25:01] VOTED TO DO SO. UM, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SUGGESTION FROM OUR, OUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, LEMME JUST SAY, UM, THAT SOUNDS LOGICAL, BUT, UM, IT'S NOT IN THE RECORD EITHER. SO, UH, , IT'S NOT IN THE RECORD, BUT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY. I'M JUST SAYING IT IS, IT'S NOT IN THE RECORD. AND AS THE JUDGE WOULD SAY, AND LET ME ASK, UH, THESE JURORS TO STRIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, PAY NO INTENTION TO THAT . IT'S NOT, IT IS, IT IS, IT'S A GOOD IDEA. IT IS A, IT IS A, IT IS A GREAT IDEA, BUT STILL DO IT. YOU'RE DIRECTED TO NOT, YOU DIRECTED, YOU KNOW, NOT TO FACTOR THAT IN, INTO YOUR DECISION MAKING. UM, BUT IT'S BEEN SAID, SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL BLO, VICE MAYOR, PRO TIM, I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA. UM, SO THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I THINK THE CONVERSATION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS DEFINITELY, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT BEAUTIFICATION AND OUR COMMITMENT TO THE CORRIDOR. I THINK THE BIGGER QUESTION THOUGH, IS HOW THAT HAPPENED. AND, UM, AND, AND, AND AS A BUSINESS OWNER, THE FIRST THING THAT YOU ARE ASKED IS LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. AND RIGHT AFTER LOCATION IS SIGNAGE. I MEAN, IT'S JUST THE WAY THE BUSINESS IS. UM, I OFTEN WONDER WOULD SHE HAVE EVEN DONE THIS? WOULD SHE HAVE OPENED THIS BUSINESS IF SHE WASN'T ABLE TO GET THAT DONE? UM, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT ANSWER. AND UM, IT'S NOT IN THE RECORD, SO IT DOESN'T MATTER. BUT MY POINT IS, IS THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO BE, UM, STEWARDS OF BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THEN WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB MAKING THEM AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING. BECAUSE AS A BUSINESS OWNER, I KNOW IT LOOKS LIKE CHICK-FIL-A IS INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL, AND IT IS, BUT IT'S STILL A HUGE FINANCIAL INVESTMENT FOR THE BUSINESS OWNER ITSELF. AND THIS IS A MINORITY BUSINESS OWNER. CHICK-FIL-A HAS AN AMAZING LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER COMPANY THAT HAS THE LEVEL OF LEADERSHIP PROGRAM THAT CHICK-FIL-A DOES. THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS ON POINT. AND SHE'S A MINORITY. SHE'S A MINORITY OWNER. AND SO I CLEARLY WANNA SUPPORT MY COUNCIL MEMBER AND MY DISTRICT MEMBER. IT IS YOUR DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, THE BEST. BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO GO MOVE BACKWARD A LITTLE BIT AND UNDERSTAND HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? AND, UM, ONE THING THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEM BROUGHT UP, WHEN IT, WHEN IT, WE TALK ABOUT NOTICE AND HAVING THINGS ON OUR PORTAL, I DON'T KNOW, MAYOR, BUT IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WHEN SOMETHING WE KNOW IS COMING UP THE PIKE, WHEN IT HAS TO DO WITH CHANGES AND ORDINANCES, IF THIS ALERT CAN BE PLACED FOR OUR BUSINESS OWNERS TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS, SO THEY'RE NOT SO COMMITTED. 'CAUSE THEY'RE TWO YEARS OUT OFTENTIMES, UM, FOR GETTING ANY OF THIS DONE. AND SO I THINK THAT IF WE'RE GONNA BE STEWARDS OF BUSINESS, THEN WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. SO THEY'RE NOT CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE NOW. SHE HAS TO, SHE'S GOT A BUILDING THERE, SHE'S GOTTA THRIVE AND SHE'S GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I MEAN, WE KNOW THAT 'CAUSE EVERYONE LOVES CHICK-FIL-A, BUT, UM, MAYBE A DIFFERENT BUSINESS MAY NOT HAVE THE BEST OPPORTUNITY. AND AND SHE HAS OBVIOUSLY AMAZING CORPORATE SUPPORT TOO. SO, UM, SO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD NEED TO BACK UP A LITTLE BIT AND SEE HOW THIS SHOULD BE DONE DIFFERENTLY, MAYBE MOVING FORWARD. BUT I'M GONNA OBVIOUSLY SUPPORT MY DISTRICT MEMBER ON THIS AS WELL. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, FIRST I JUST, I I WANTED TO, UH, ADDRESS THE RECORD THAT WAS READ IN. UM, WHILE WE DO HAVE DISCRETION IN THIS CASE, UH, I WANT IT TO BE VERY CLEAR BECAUSE APPARENTLY THERE WERE ALLEGATIONS THAT AS A COUNSEL WE CAN JUST DO WHATEVER WE WANT WHENEVER WE WANT, AND THAT IS NOT CORRECT. UM, SO LET'S JUST BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE PUBLIC AND TRANSPARENCY, NO COUNSEL DOES NOT HAVE, UH, THE RIGHT TO DO WHATEVER WE WANT, WHENEVER WE WANT WHEN IT COMES TO ORDINANCES. BUT FOR THE CASE AT HAND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGO, I AFER TO YOUR JUDGMENT, UM, THIS IS YOUR DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, THE DISTRICT, UH, I ALSO LOOK TO, UH, THE INTENT OF OUR ORDINANCES. UH, OFTENTIMES WE HAVE, UH, GRANDFATHER CLAUSES. OFTENTIMES WE HAVE PHASE IN CLAUSES, SHOULD THIS SHOULD APPLY AND, YOU KNOW, GO INTO EFFECT 90 DAYS FROM NOW, ET CETERA. HOW WE WORD THINGS MATTERS. AND WHAT I DO IS LOOK TO THE INTENT OF THE FACT THAT WE DID NOT INCLUDE IT. AND THERE IS LIKELY A REASON FOR THAT AFTER YEARS OF WORKING ON THIS ORDINANCE. THERE'S A REASON WHY IT WAS WRITTEN THE WAY THAT IT WAS. UM, SO I LOOK TO THAT, BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE, AT LEAST AS A DISTRICT MEMBER, THE IMPORTANCE OF DEFERRING, UM, TO DISTRICT MEMBERS IN THESE TYPES OF MATTERS. COUNCIL MAG GALLOS, I HAD ONE QUESTION FOR YOU, MAYOR, IF I MAY DIRECT A QUESTION TOWARDS HIM. UM, DID THE PARTIES REACH OUT TO YOU, UH, FOR A MEETING OR SET UP A MEETING WITH YOU AS ALL OF THIS WAS TRANSPIRING WHEN IT FIRST GOT TAGGED? THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER? UH, NO. UH, LAST WEEK AFTER THE ATTORNEY OR THEIR REPRESENTATIVE [04:30:02] SPOKE, UM, UH, HE WAS WAITING FOR ME DOWNSTAIRS JOUR THROUGH, THROUGH THE, UM, UNDERGROUND TO GO BACK TO THE ANNEX. AND, YOU KNOW, HE EXPLAINED TO ME THEIR SITUATION AND HE SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO MEET WITH ME. AND I SAID, THAT'S FINE. I HAVE NO PROBLEM MEETING WITH YOU. BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM. AND LEMME JUST SAY THEY MAY HAVE TALKED TO SOMEBODY ON MY STAFF, BUT NOBODY'S TALKED TO ME. THANK, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT TO MAYOR COUNCILMAN GGO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. COLLEAGUES, THIS IS SOMETHING AGAIN THAT HAS, THAT WAS STARTED BACK IN 2017 IN REGARDS TO THIS AIRPORT CORRIDOR. I AM ONE OF 11 DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD FOR YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU. AND I AGREE WITH YOU, UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM IN REGARDS TO THAT COULD BE A SOLUTION TO PUT, PUT ONE OF THOSE TXDOT SIGNS THERE ON THE FREEWAY ITSELF. BUT AGAIN, I'M ONE OF THE 11 COUNT DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WAS ELECTED TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE MY DISTRICT. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I TAKE SERIOUSLY. I TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY WHEN YOU HAVE THE SIGNS GOING ON THE AIRPORT CORRIDORS. YOU'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT IN MY DISTRICT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT I 45 NORTH. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 59 NORTH. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GULF FREEWAY. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TO AND FROM ELLINGTON AIR, UH, UH, UH, AIRPORT. HOW MANY OTHER BUSINESSES WITHIN THESE 17 MONTHS? IT TOOK 17 MONTHS FOR THEM TO APPLY FOR A SIGN PERMIT 17 MONTHS FROM WHEN THIS AIRPORT CORRIDOR WAS APPROVED IN JULY OF 2020. THEY APPLIED IN DECEMBER OF 21. HOW MANY OTHER BUSINESSES APPLIED FOR SIGNS WITHIN THOSE 17 MONTHS ALONG 59 NORTH, ALONG 45 NORTH, ALONG THE GULF FREEWAY, ALONG TO AND FROM ELLINGTON. OUR VOTE TODAY IS GONNA SET A PRECEDENCE. IT WILL SET A PRECEDENCE FOR THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WERE, THAT WERE, THAT ARE NEW, OR THAT HAVE BEEN HERE WITHIN THESE PAST TWO YEARS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING SINCE 20 17, 20 17. IT CAME TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE TWICE. AND AGAIN, I WAS ELECTED TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE MY DISTRICT AND THIS WILL IMPROVE THE GULF FREEWAY WITHIN DISTRICT I. AND I'M ASKING YOU TO SUPPORT AND, AND VOTE MY WAY. 'CAUSE THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THE RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT. I THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 42? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UM, THE MOTION IS TO UPHOLD THE DECISION OF THE APPEALS BOARD BY VOTING FOR ITEM 42. YOU ARE UPHOLDING THE DECISION OF THE APPEALS BOARD VOTING NO. UH, WILL OVERRULE, UH, THE DECISION OF THE APPEALS BOARD AND GRANT A VARIANCE SO WE ALL CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE DOING, SIR, REPEAT THAT ONE MORE. OKAY. THIS IS A MOTION TO ITEM 42 IS A MOTION TO UPHOLD THE DECISION OF THE APPEALS BOARD IF YOU VOTE YES ON ITEM 42. YOU ARE VOTING TO UPHOLD THE DECISION OF THE APPEALS BOARD. IF YOU VOTE NO, YOU'RE VOTING TO OVERRULE, UH, THE DECISION OF THE APPEALS BOARD AND GRANT A VARIANCE TO CHICK-FIL-A. OKAY, WE ALL CLEAR? YES. OKAY. HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, THOSE IN FAVOR OF ITEM 42. JUST SHOW OF HANDS PLEASE. IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF ITEM 42 IN FAVOR OF ITEM 42 IN FAVOR OF 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 14. OKAY. AND OPPOSED? OKAY. OPPOSED. APPRECIATE . AND SO PECK. OKAY. SHOW, SHOW. PEG, HUFFMAN AND KNOX VOTING. NO. OKAY. OKAY. PAT HUFFMAN KNOX VOTING? NO. ALL OTHERS, INCLUDING, UM, MAYOR PRO, UH, MARTIN VOTING? YES. CISNEROS AND CISNEROS ON THE SCREEN VOTING? YES. OKAY. WE ALL GOOD? OKAY. THANK YOU. THE ITEM PASSES. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. OKAY, NEXT ITEM. OKAY, TODAY WE'LL COMPLETE THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. TODAY [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] WE'RE GOING TO START WITH COUNCILMAN [04:35:01] ROBINSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. I KNOW EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ALL THE ITEMS ON THE TTI COMMITTEE AGENDA TOMORROW, SO I WILL READ THEM VERY SLOWLY AND AT LENGTH. NO, ACTUALLY LET ME TRY TO BE BRIEF. UM, WE'RE GONNA HEAR TOMORROW MORNING AT, UH, 10:00 AM IT'S THE THURSDAY, JUNE 9TH MEETING OF THE TTI COMMITTEE. WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM A RA, THE CITY OF HOUSTON EMPLOYEE TRANSIT PROGRAM. IT'S THE METRO AGREEMENT, VERY CRITICAL, ESPECIALLY GIVEN WHAT WE'VE PASSED WITH THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS THIS MORNING. UH, WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM THE GSD REGARDING FACILITY CON CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT AND STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECTS. WE'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT THE FROM THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER AND HITS COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, I KNOW SHE AND I ARE ANTICIPATING, UH, UH, ROBUST, UH, CONVERSATION ABOUT HOUSTON PERMITS AND PROJECT APPROPRIATIONS. WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM THE HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM ABOUT THE MICROSOFT ENTERPRISE LICENSE AGREEMENT. HUGE CONTRACT FOR ACROSS ALL OF OUR PLATFORMS. WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM PLANNING REGARDING THE PLAT TRACKER AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION TRACKER SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION. AND WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM REGARDING THE HOBBY AIRPORT, CCTV CAMERAS, INSTALLATION CONTRACT TONS COMING BEFORE TTI THIS MONTH. WE ALSO WILL HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING LATER THIS MONTH, MAYOR AND, UH, ONWARD TO, UH, TO FULFILL ALL THOSE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON. ADDITIONALLY, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE TRIP THAT WE'VE JUST MADE TO MONTEREY MEXICO. A SMALL DELEGATION, UH, FROM THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM, VISITED WITH THE TECHNOLOGICAL, THE MONTEREY, UM, ALONG WITH, UH, DELEGATES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, CLEAR LAKE SAN JACINTO COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND, UH, ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT ALSO FROM TSU AND RICE UNIVERSITY. THE GOAL OF THE VISIT WAS TO TAKE AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE INNOVATIVE LEARNING METHODS THAT TECH MONTEREY IS DOING TO UTILIZE THEIR EDUCATION PROGRAMS. MAYOR, WHAT YOU AND I SAW BACK IN MARCH WHEN WE VISITED MONTEREY AND SAW THOSE INCREDIBLE FACILITIES AT THE TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE THERE. UH, THIS IS ALL RELATED TO AN ONGOING PROGRAM TO DEVELOP A NEW EDUCATION CENTER AND FACILITY AT, AT THE ELLINGTON FIELD. AND THE SPACEPORT MAYOR, I GOTTA TELL YOU WHAT WE SAW YESTERDAY, AND, WELL, I GUESS IT WAS MONDAY BY NOW, BUT IT WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. AND, UH, TO GET THEM ON BOARD IS AN OBJECTIVE THAT I KNOW YOU'LL SHARE WITH ME AND, UH, THE AIRPORT SYSTEM. SO I BELIEVE WITH THAT, I'D LOVE TO JUST CELEBRATE ONE QUICK VICTORY. MAYOR. IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON WON THE 2022 WYLAND NATIONAL MAYOR'S CHALLENGE FOR WATER CONSERVATION. IT'S A HUGE DEAL. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, HOUSTON WATER TEAM MAYOR, AND YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR, UH, ADVOCATING FOR CONSERVATION. WE WE'RE SAVING A LOT OF WATER AND CONSERVATION THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND LASTLY, COLLEAGUES, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO, UH, RECOGNIZE MY TWO INTERNS, UH, IF THEY COULD STAND UP. TAYA PORTER IS HERE. OUR, UH, REPEAT INTERN FROM LAST YEAR. TAYA WAS WITH US LAST YEAR. SHE IS, UH, UH, AN APPROACHING SOPHOMORE AT GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, A DOUBLE MAJOR IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES. TAYA HAS BEEN STUDYING ARABIC SINCE SHE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND STUDIED ABROAD IN AMMAN, JORDAN, VERY PROUD OF HER RETURN AND ALREADY DOING GREAT THINGS WITH US. AND BY HER SIDE ON THE RIGHT IS MY YOUNG FRIEND, EUGENE HAGER, WHO IS, UM, AT THIS ALSO APPROACHING HIS SOPHOMORE YEAR AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS. HE'S MAJORING IN POLITICAL SCIENCE WITH A MINOR IN GERMAN. UH, I'M PROUD TO SAY EUGENE IS A PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYER AND CURRENTLY PLAYS FOR THE HOUSTON FC FOOTBALL TEAM AND AS WELL AS THE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY TEAM. SO, UH, MAYOR, GLAD TO HAVE THOSE TWO ABOARD AND ANY COLLEAGUES WHO NEED SOME EXTRA HELP FROM OUR OFFICE, AS USUAL, THE AT LARGE OFFICE IS HERE FOR YOU. GOOD DEAL. GOOD DEAL. I WAS A FORMER SOCCER PLAYER, SO IT'S GOOD. UH, I KNOW YOU WERE MAYOR, DIDN'T WE? WE PLAYED IN THE WORLD CUP TOGETHER, DIDN'T WE? IN 1984 OR SOMETHING. THANKS, MAYOR. THANKS, COUNCILMAN KASH. MAYOR, YESTERDAY WAS SUCH A GOOD DAY WHEN WE HONORED, UH, STELLA NASH AND ALL THE WORK SHE'S DONE AND SERVED AS, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY AND SERVED AS A PRECINCT CHAIR IN SUNNYSIDE. UH, AND MAYOR THIS COUPLE HAS BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING SO MANY PEOPLE WITH THEIR, UH, FOOD DRIVES, UH, ON A MONTHLY BASIS. AND, AND, UH, PASTOR NASH, UH, HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING OUT FRONT SIGNS AND CLEAR CHANNEL SIGNS TO PUT, UH, SIGNS UP IN THE, UM, SUNNYSIDE AREA. IT'S BEEN HIS HEARTBEAT TO, UH, LET THE LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING. AND, UH, HE, HE HAS A CATCHY PHRASE THAT RIGHT NOW SLIPS MY MIND ABOUT CRIME CAN'T RESIDE IN SUNNYSIDE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND, AND, AND, AND MAYOR, IT'S, IT'S JUST WHEN YOU'RE AROUND PEOPLE LIKE, LIKE THE NASHES, [04:40:01] YOU SEE THE THE FACT THAT, UH, WE HAVE HOPE, WE HAVE HOPE FOR OUR COUNTRY. 'CAUSE THESE ARE THE STALWORTH CITIZENS WHO HAVE CARRIED THE TORCH. AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MAYOR FOR YESTERDAY'S, UH, PRESENTATION, UH, TO THESE, UH, FRIENDS OF OURS. GOD BLESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE NATIONAL HAVE DONE SO MUCH. THANK YOU MAYOR THOMAS. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU. UM, WE HAVE A SERIES OF ITEMS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN DISTRICT F AND, UM, HOPEFULLY SOME OF MY AT LARGE COLLEAGUES WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN. SO TOMORROW, UH, JUNE 9TH AT 9:00 AM UM, I WILL ATTEND THE BAYOU GREENWAY, UH, GROUNDBREAKING. IT'S A NEW SEGMENT OF BRAIDS BAYOU. I WANNA ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO ATTEND. AND ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS, THIS IS AN, AN IMPORTANT, UM, PIVOT IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, THIS STRETCH WILL TAKE US FROM BRAEBURN GLEAN ALL THE WAY TO ARTHUR STORY PARK, AND IT'S GONNA BE GREAT. SO, A LONG TIME COMING, EXCITED FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT ON JUNE 14TH. I'M ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS OF CARVER CREST AND OUR HISTORIC PINEY POINT COMMUNITY TO JOIN US AT OUR CIVIC CLUB MEETING ON TUESDAY, JUNE 14TH AT SEVEN O'CLOCK AT PILGRIM'S REST MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH. WE'LL HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TALKING ABOUT PROPOSED PLANS FOR AMANDA LANE IN SUPPORT OF MAYOR TURNER'S SINGLE FAMILY, UH, DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY, UM, TO INCLUDE POSSIBLY EIGHT TO 10 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, WHICH WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THIS NEIGHBORHOOD HAS RECEIVED NEW DEVELOPMENT FROM THE CITY SINCE 1959. SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND LETTERS WILL BE GOING OUT TO ALL HOMEOWNERS TODAY. UM, LATER THIS MONTH, WE WILL HOST OUR SECOND ANNUAL HPD TOWN HALL AT TRACY G COMMUNITY CENTER. CH UH, CHIEF TROY FINNER WILL JOIN US AND HE'LL BRING UPDATES FROM ONE SAFE HOUSTON. WE HAVE A ROBUST PANEL, UM, JOINING US. AND SO I WANT TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S ON YOUR CALENDAR AND I'LL SHARE MORE ABOUT THAT WITH MY COLLEAGUES. AND THEN ON JUNE 25TH, IN CELEBRATION OF INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY, MAYOR, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING YOU WITH YOUR MET IN A POSE. UM, AND, AND THE REST OF Y'ALL. BUT AT WOODCHASE PARK, WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY HAVE A MOMENT OF WELLNESS. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO JOIN US ON JUNE 25TH AT 8:00 AM AT WOODCHASE PARK. IT'S ONE OF THE, UH, PARKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE WESTCHASE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, PHENOMENAL PARK. AND, UM, WE WILL BE LED BY JAINA BUCK. SHE'S GONNA LEAD US INTO WELLNESS AT 8:00 AM SO I'M GONNA SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU. AND THEN YESTERDAY, I'M, I'M GLAD THAT THE METRO APPOINTEES WERE HERE THIS MORNING. UM, THEY STARTED, UM, UH, INSTALLING 15 BUS SHELTERS IN DISTRICT F. WE'VE HAD A SERIES OF, UH, BUS LOCATIONS THAT DIDN'T HAVE A SHELTER. THEY DIDN'T HAVE A BENCH OR TRASH CAN. SO ONE OF THE WAYS IN MY COMMITMENT TO QUALITY OF LIFE IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE BUS LOCATIONS. 'CAUSE IT'S HOT IN HOUSTON AND IT'S HOT IN THE SUMMERTIME, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE INCENTIVIZED AND FEEL COMFORTABLE STANDING OUTSIDE, UM, AS THEY USE METRO. SO JUST SHOUT OUT TO METRO FOR THE PARTNERSHIP. UM, AND YOU AND THOSE, UH, BUS LOCATIONS WILL BE RELEASED IN OUR NEWSLETTER AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA. IT'S A REALLY EXCITING DAY, AND I BELIEVE THAT SHE'LL BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE NEXT 10 DAYS. AND THEN LASTLY, I HAVE SOME REALLY AMAZING IN, UM, UH, NEWS AND A UPDATE. THE TRAILER ON A LEAF CLOTHING AND WEST PARK HAS BEEN MOVED, READY TO GO. ALRIGHT, SO JUST WANNA APPRECIATE, UH, THE, IT'S, UH, RIGHT. SO I WANNA APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC PRESSURE AND IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD DAY IN, IN DISTRICT F UH, NOW THE CHRONICLE REPORTED THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE OWNER BELIEVES SOMEONE STOLE IT. SO ANY ONE OF YOU THAT HAS TAKEN THAT TRAILER, I OWE YOU LUNCH. UH, I, I OWE YOU LUNCH AND I OWE YOU BREAKFAST AND A COCKTAIL, AND I THANK YOU FOR IT. UH, AND SO THIS IS JUST ANOTHER COMMITMENT. AND, AND THE, AND THE REALITY IS, IS THAT PEOPLE WANT CLEAN STREETS, CLEAN NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, AND THAT THE STREETS ARE REALLY WATCHING. AND PEOPLE REALLY BELIEVE THAT NO ONE'S PAYING ATTENTION. THEY ARE PAYING ATTENTION. UM, AND THEY'RE SNAPPING PHOTOS. THEY'RE SENDING IN THE INFORMATION. AND SO WE'RE KEEPING OUR COMMITMENT TO THEM. IT'S A NEW DAY. UH, AND SO LET'S MAKE SURE WE KEEP OUR, UH, COMMITMENT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS CLEAN. SO WE'LL BE CELEBRATING ON THAT LOCATION SHORTLY. SO THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT. CONGRATULATIONS ON THE, THE TRAILER. I THINK BEING GONE. YEAH. STEAL IT. TRAILER GATE. GOOD. COUNCILMAN MCC. COUNCILMAN ALCO. THANK YOU MAYOR. MAYOR, I APPRECIATE YOUR BRINGING UP THE AIRPORT, UH, SITUATION. GEORGE AND I LANDED AT SEA ON SUNDAY EVENING, ABOUT SIX O'CLOCK. WENT DOWN TO GET OUR BAGS. AND ALL AROUND US PEOPLE WERE TALKING. THEY COULDN'T GET, THEIR PERSON HAD BEEN WAITING FOR HOURS. THEY COULDN'T GET AN UBER. THE UBER CHARGES WERE SUPER, LIKE, I HEARD ALL THIS AROUND ME, AND WE GOT ON THE SUBWAY AND WE WENT TO A AND WE GOT A, AN UBER NO PROBLEM. UM, IT WAS BAD WHEN WE WERE DRIVING OUT TO GO TO THE 59 EXIT, AS FAR AS YOU COULD [04:45:01] SEE, THEY WERE LINED UP. AND ONCE YOU GET UP ON THOSE FLYOVERS TO GET TO THE AIRPORT, YOU'RE STUCK. I MEAN, THERE'S NO MOVING. SO I'VE HAD GREAT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DIRECTOR, WITH VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS SITUATION. UM, THAT, AND IT'S NOT THE A ONE OFF. I MEAN, THIS, THIS WEEKEND WAS, I THINK, ONE OF THE WORST. BUT I'VE BEEN GETTING COMPLAINTS SINCE NOVEMBER ABOUT THIS. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GONNA BE GROWING PAINS WITH THE $1.3 BILLION PROJECT, BUT WE HAVE GOT TO GET, I'M GLAD YOU'RE GETTING MORE PERSONNEL BEFORE PEOPLE GET STUCK. THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME KIND OF DIVERSION. LIKE, DO NOT GET IN THIS LINE. I MEAN, YOU NEED TO GO TO A DROP OFF AT A, I TELL I'LL BE SENDING OUT ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SAID IN YOUR MAYOR'S REPORT. I'LL BE SENDING THAT IN A NEWSLETTER. PEOPLE WANNA KNOW THIS. IT'S SUMMER. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THE AIRPORTS. IT'S MAINLY BAD IN THE EVENINGS ON DURING THE WEEKENDS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE NORMAL FLIGHTS ALL THE PROBLEM. IT, IT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH CURBSIDE AND THERE'S ALL THE FLIGHTS ARE COMING IN AT THE SAME TIME AND IT'S JUST A MESS. SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THOSE ELEVATORS ARE WORKING. THEY'RE O THEY'RE, UH, OPENING UP SOME LANES, BUT TO THE EXTENT WE CAN DIVERT PEOPLE AND LET A BI MEAN, THERE'S NO PROBLEM OVER THERE. IT'S EASY TO GET ON THAT SUBWAY, YOUR OUTSIDE SECURITY, YOU CAN GET ON FROM THERE AND YOU'LL SAVE YOURSELF A LOT OF GRIEF. AND I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PULL UP THE IAH WEBSITE, THERE IS A LITTLE TINY ALERT OVER ON THE SIDE, BUT YOU GOTTA KIND OF LOOK FOR IT. I THINK WE HAVE TO BE SUPER PROACTIVE ABOUT GETTING THIS INFORMATION OUT BECAUSE IT, IT WAS AS JUST AS, AS BAD A AS IT COULD BE. AND, AND THAT'S JUST KIND OF EGG ON OUR FACE. IF WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE RESOURCES TO MAKE SOMETHING BETTER OUT THERE. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO THAT. UM, UH, THE PERMITTING PANEL THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON AND I ARE HOSTING JUNE 23RD, BREAKFAST, SEVEN 30. WE ALREADY HAVE OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE REGISTERED, SO THAT'S GONNA BE A GREAT THING. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I MENTIONED EARLIER WE HAVE A NEW INTERN, UM, RYAN MARTINEZ, STAND UP. RYAN. HE IS A RISING SENIOR AT YALE ULA. THERE YOU GO. UM, SO HE'S A LITTLE SMART. HE'S SMART OVER THERE. AND HE'S A DISTRICT H RESIDENT AND ATTENDED HOUSTON ACADEMY FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES. HE'S A RISING SENIOR POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR. AND IN HIS SPARE TIME HE COACHES DEBATE AT A LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL. SO, COME ON. WELCOME, RYAN. GOOD. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, NOW THAT WE ARE IN HURRICANE SEASON, I JUST WANTED TO REMIND THE DISTRICT OF CONSTITUENTS THAT WE DO HAVE, UM, A HURRICANE PLAN IN PLACE. UM, SHOULD THERE BE, UM, HEAVY RAIN IN DISTRICT A? WE ARE PREPARED WITH LILY PAD SHELTERS, UM, AND ALSO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON TOOL BANK THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UM, TO OFFER TOOLS IN THE AFTERMATH OF HEAVY STORMS. AND WE WILL BE SENDING OUT A NEWSLETTER, UM, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS THAT OUTLINES, UM, KIND OF WHAT TO EXPECT IN THOSE SITUATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, LET'S SEE. COUNCILMAN JACKSON, OH, EXCUSE COUNCILMAN KAMAN. UM, ALSO ON JUNE 25TH. SO GO CHECK OUT YOGA IN DISTRICT F AND THEN, UM, HEAD OVER IN DISTRICT C. WE ARE GOING TO BE LAUNCHING THE INAUGURAL, UH, FAMILIES WITH PRIDE EVENT THE MORNING OF THE PRIDE PARADE. SO PRIDE PARADE IN THE FESTIVAL IS IN THE AFTERNOON, UH, FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT IN, UH, AT, AT DISTRICT CS LEVY PARK. UH, TONS OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. IT'S GONNA BE TERRIFIC. COUNCIL MEMBERS, THIS IS PART OF PRIDE CELEBRATION, SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT DISTRICT C. SO PLEASE COME ON OUT. YOU'RE INVITED. UH, LET US KNOW IF YOU'RE COMING SO THAT WE CAN INCLUDE YOU IN A, A SPEAKER SLOT AND GIVE YOU CREDIT FOR BEING OUT THERE. UM, BUT SHARING THE LOVE FAR AND WIDE. WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS EVENT. AND MAYOR, UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU AS WELL. UH, I WANTED TO GIVE A FEW QUICK, UH, THANK YOUS. THE LONGSTANDING HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT UNDER THE SPUR, UH, RICHMOND, UH, WEST ALABAMA. RIGHT? THAT HAS BEEN A HUGE ISSUE FOR SO MANY YEARS, UH, WAS FINALLY SUCCESSFULLY DECOMMISSIONED. AND I WANTED TO THANK A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE, UM, THE ENCAMPMENT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE, NOT JUST FOR DISTRICT C, BUT ALL HOUSTON RESIDENTS. UH, BUT IT WAS DECOMMISSIONED THE RIGHT WAY. AND THAT'S WHAT I WANNA FOCUS ON, MAYOR, IS YOUR APPROACH TO THAT. YOU USING DATA-DRIVEN HOLISTIC SOLUTIONS TO HELP INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND PREVENT, MERELY DISPLACING PEOPLE ONTO NEARBY BLOCKS OR FURTHER INTO NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, 27 INDIVIDUALS AT THE ENCAMPMENT WERE ENGAGED. NOT A SINGLE PERSON REFUSED SERVICE. 25 OF THE 27 WERE SUCCESSFULLY PLACED WITH THE NAVIGATION CENTER TO RECEIVE HOUSING. UH, SO I WANNA MAYOR, FIRST OFF, THANK YOU. AND YOUR TEAM, UH, ESPECIALLY MARK EICHENBAUM, UH, HARRIS COUNTY, THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, WHO DID A BULK OF THE COORDINATION, OUTREACH AND HOUSING SEARCH, HOMELESS SERVICES, HARRIS CENTER, HARMONY HOUSE, THE BEACON [04:50:01] METRO CITY, UH, OUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT, HPD HOT TEAMS, H-P-D-D-R-T, AND SO MANY OTHERS. UH, IT WAS JUST A REALLY SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'RE DEALING WITH RESPONDING TO HOMELESSNESS. AND IT WAS A BIG WIN FOR RESIDENTS IN THE AREA. UH, I ALSO WANTED TO GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. WE CAME UP WITH A REALLY CREATIVE SOLUTION, MAYOR, FOLLOWING THE FREEZE. WE HAVE SO MANY DEAD TREES AROUND THE CITY, AND THEY, THEY, UH, AREN'T JUST AN EYESORE, THEY'RE A HAZARD, A SAFETY HAZARD. UH, THE FORESTRY DEPARTMENT IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN, UH, TO REMOVE THESE TREES QUICKLY, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT FAST ENOUGH. SO ACTUALLY, UH, MYLAND COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION AND CHARLES GOFORTH LED AN EFFORT TO DO, UH, BASICALLY AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. THEY CARRIED THE COST AND FUNDING TO REMOVE THE TREES. UH, OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT PICKED UP THE DEBRIS. UH, PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN AN AWESOME PARTNER, BUT IT WAS A REALLY GREAT SOLUTION TO DEALING WITH IT. 'CAUSE RESIDENTS REALLY NEEDED THESE TREES REMOVED AND THERE WERE A LOT OF THEM. UH, SO SPECIAL APPRECIATION, NOT JUST TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO, UM, OUR CIVIC GROUPS FOR FINDING A CREATIVE SOLUTION. UH, ALSO WANTED TO ANNOUNCE ON THE AGENDA. WE DID HAVE A SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE APPROVAL. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR A SOUTH SIDE BLOCK IN MONTROSE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTIONS. THAT'S ONE OF THOSE TOOLS. SO WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THAT COME FORWARD. AND FINALLY, UM, NEXT THURSDAY, COLLEAGUES WILL HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING. UH, IT WILL WE'LL BE COVERING, UH, HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS, BUT ALSO MAYOR, UH, AN UPDATE ON ONE SAFE HOUSTON, UH, HOW THAT IS GOING, INCLUDING SOME NEW PROGRAMS THAT HPD IS WORKING TO IMPLEMENT RELATED TO GUN VIOLENCE AND GUN SAFETY. UH, WE WILL ALSO HAVE AN UPDATE ON, UH, A, THE PARTNERSHIP HPD IS DOING WITH THE A TF RELATED TO GUN DATA, UM, AND OTHER INITIATIVES. SO WE'LL ALSO HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS ON THAT YET. BUT WANTED TO GET THAT ON EVERYONE'S RADAR. IT SHOULD BE A, UM, IMPORTANT AND INFORMATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCILMAN POLLACK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I AM EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT I WILL BE LEADING A TRADE MISSION TO SOUTH AFRICA, WHERE WE'LL VISIT JOHANNESBURG AND CAPE TOWN FROM AUGUST 31ST, UH, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 9TH, WHICH WILL BE HOSTED BY THE HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL. THIS TRADE MISSION SEEKS TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HOUSTON AND SOUTH AFRICA AND PROVIDE STRATEGIC ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES TO PROMOTE HOUSTON AS A GLOBAL PARTNER. JOHANNESBURG AND CAPE TOWN ARE GREAT DESTINATIONS FOR HOUSTON AREA BUSINESS LEADERS PURSUING CONNECTIONS ON THE CONTINENT OF AFRICA. AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE, UM, WITH THE TRADE MISSION, UH, PLEASE REACH OUT TO VAL THOMPSON AT 8 3 2 5 2 6 3 3 3 5, OR THETHOMPSON@HOUSTONTRADE.ORG. AND TO EVERYONE, HAVE A BLESSED REST OF YOUR WEEK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MC SHABAZZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, ON TONIGHT, THE SOUTH PARK COMMUNITY VIOLENCE PREVENTION MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION HALL FROM SIX TO SEVEN 15. AND THAT HALL IS LOCATED AT 49 19 REED ROAD, AND IT WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT AND DISCUSS, UH, VIOLENCE PREVENTION, EXCUSE ME. ALSO, THEY WILL DISCUSS, EXCUSE ME, COMMUNITY HEALTH, LORD, HELP ME WITH MY OWN HELP AND AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES. UH, ALSO ON, UH, WE ARE LAUNCHING A PROGRAM IN DISTRICT D TO HELP OUR SENIORS TO GET THINGS THAT THEY NEED FIXED. UH, PLEASE CONTACT MY OFFICE. UH, THERE IS A LIMIT ON THE REPAIRS, UH, BUT THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED WITH YOU. AND IT'S FOR SENIOR 65 AND OLDER. KITCHEN REPAIRS, BATHROOM REPAIRS, PLUMBING AND PIPES PAINTING, LIGHT INSTALLATION, AND OTHER MINOR REPAIRS. AND SO WE SAW THE NEED FOR THAT, AND WE ARE LAUNCHING THAT AS WELL. ALSO, UM, THERE WILL BE A DISTRICT D MICROCHIPPING AND WELLNESS SERVICES APPOINTMENTS. THIS WILL BE OUR THIRD AND LAST EVENT FOR THE SUMMER, THE DISTRICT D UH, MICRO MICROCHIPPING AND VACCINES. PLEASE GO TO THE BARK WEBSITE. YOU'LL SEE MY FACE AND A LINK THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, I, I WANNA, AGAIN, THANK, UH, YOU MAYOR, AND I WANT TO ASSURE DISTRICT D RESIDENTS THAT WE WILL, AND I WILL PERSONALLY WORK WITH YOU REGARDING THE DEED RESTRICTIONS AND ANYTHING THAT HELPS TO PRESERVE OUR COMMUNITY IN THE MANNER THAT WHICH WE CHOOSE, IN WHICH WE CHOOSE WITHOUT INFRINGING ON PROPERTY RIGHTS. AND SO, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT. CERTAINLY WE HAD A HUGE, UH, DEED RESTRICTION WORKSHOP, AND WE HAD A, A LARGE BINDER TO HELP PEOPLE TO NAVIGATE THE PROCESS. [04:55:01] BUT WE ARE GOING TO STEP, GO A STEP FURTHER AND TRY TO, UH, PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUNDING TO GET THIS DONE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT DOES NEED, UH, LEGAL COUNSEL AND LEGAL REPRESENTATION. SO, THANK YOU, MAYOR. THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I WANTED TO SAY THAT THE EMPTY SHELTER PROJECT, WHICH OFFERS, UM, UH, KIND OF A MASH STYLE, UM, EVENT TO, UM, SPAY NEUTER, UM, MANY, MANY ANIMALS. WE'VE DONE THIS, UH, THREE TIMES IN, UM, IN DISTRICT H, UM, AND HAVE EACH TIME, UM, UH, HAD SURGERIES ON ALMOST 500 ANIMALS BETWEEN 350, 350, AND 500 ANIMALS EACH TIME. THERE WILL BE ONE THAT WILL BE IN DISTRICT B ON ON SATURDAY, JUNE 19TH, BUT IT IS ALSO TARGETING ZIP CODES THAT ARE IN DISTRICT H. SO THE EVENT WILL BE AT FINNEGAN PARK, BUT DENVER HARBOR, ZIP CODE 7 7 0 2 0, SECOND WARD, 7, 7 0, UM, 11. AND, UM, PORT HOUSTON 7 7 0 2 9. AND NEAR NORTH SIDE 7, 7 0 0 9 ARE ALL ELIGIBLE. UH, ZIP CODES. THEY WILL BE OFFERING, UM, FREE SPAY, UTER, SURGERIES, MICROCHIPPING AND VACCINATION SERVICES ALL FOR FREE. YOU MUST REGISTER AHEAD OF TIME. YOU CAN DO THAT EITHER, UM, THROUGH MY OFFICE, WE WILL CONNECT YOU, UM, THAT THOSE, THERE ARE LINKS IN, IN, UM, THE NEWSLETTERS, THE PREVIOUS WEEK'S NEWSLETTER AND THIS THURSDAY'S NEWSLETTER. OR YOU CAN CALL US DIRECTLY AND WE WILL CONNECT YOU OR, UM, IF YOU'RE A DISTRICT B, A RESIDENT, YOU KNOW, UM, CHECK TO YOUR COUNCIL OFFICE AND THEY WILL CONNECT YOU AS WELL. BUT IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. ALL THESE THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, CAN, CAN REALLY GET EXPENSIVE. SO, AND, AND THIS IS FREE TO CONSTITUENTS AND, AND THESE ZIP CODES, UM, ALSO STAY TUNED BECAUSE THEY, THEY MAY EXPAND THE ZIP CODES THAT THEY ARE SERVING. UM, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN AN OFFICIAL WORD ABOUT THAT, BUT I DID HEAR FROM THEM THAT THEY'RE CONSIDERING DOING THAT. UM, I WANT TO SAY THAT THIS TIME LAST WEEK, THE CITY'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT POSTED THAT THE COVID POSITIVITY RATE WAS 11%. UM, AND NOW WE'VE, WE'VE GOTTEN, UM, AN EMAIL THAT CAME OUT YESTERDAY THAT SAID THAT COVID-19 POSITIVITY RATE IS 17.4%. THAT IS A BIG JUMP. AND I WILL TELL YOU, I'M, I'M DEALING WITH THAT MYSELF RIGHT NOW, AND WHICH IS A REASON I'M NOT THERE TODAY. UM, AND THEN FINALLY, UM, OH, AND JUST ALSO TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT TESTING, UM, VACCINATIONS ARE ALL OF EASILY READILY AVAILABLE AT AND, AND ARE, ARE FREE AT, UM, AT, AT ALL CITY OF HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT SITES. AND THEN FINALLY, I DID WANNA SAY, UM, THAT THE HIGH TEMPERATURES AND THE HEAT INDEX VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO RISE FROM NOW THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AND I JUST REALLY WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE, DO NOT LEAVE INFANTS CHILDREN, SENIOR CITIZENS OR PETS UNATTENDED IN ANY PARKED VEHICLE, EVEN IF THE WINDOWS ARE CRACKED OPEN. PLEASE, PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS OUT OF THE CAR. AND DON'T OVERLOOK CHILDREN WHO MAY HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP. HEAT RELATED DEATHS ARE PREVENTABLE, SO PLEASE LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER. THANK YOU, MS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM, CAST TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR TAMARA'S THE BIG DAY. SUPER, SUPER EXCITED ABOUT OUR GATEWAY RECEPTION AND SUNSET PARADE. I THINK YOU ALL RECEIVED INVITATIONS TO THE EVENT. UM, EVERYONE LOVES THE LIGHTS AT CITY HALL AND THE LIGHTS OVER 59. WELL, GUESS WHAT? HOUSTON, THERE ARE GONNA BE LIGHTS IN DISTRICT, A , , UH, THE FIVE INTER, UH, UNDERPASSES ALONG HIGHWAY 90 FROM HIAM CLARK ALL THE WAY TO FUQUA. WE WILL HAVE ILLUMINATION UNDERNEATH THEM. UM, MONDAY WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND TEST THEM. IT'S THE SAME COMPANY THAT, UM, DOES THE LIGHTS OVER 59. AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING TO SEE THE, UM, THAT, THAT THE LIGHTS CAN FADE, THEY CAN CHANGE COLORS. THEY JUST SO MANY OPTIONS. AND IT'S REALLY, UM, WE'VE GOT THE COLUMNS PAINTED. UM, WE'VE GOT SOME BETTER LANDSCAPING. WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT POSSIBLY TESTING THAT TURF ON OUR ESPLANADES, UM, AS PART OF THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS PROJECT BECAUSE WE JUST CAN'T GET THE GRASS TO GROW IN THAT HEAT. UM, SO WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT DOING A, A POSSIBLE TESTING OF THE TURF ON THAT PART THAT CAN'T GROW. UM, SO IF YOU ARE AVAILABLE ON TOMORROW, UH, THE PARADE WILL START AROUND EIGHT 30 BECAUSE IT REALLY HAS TO BE DARK BEFORE YOU CAN REALLY APPRECIATE [05:00:01] THE BEAUTY OF THOSE LIGHTS. UM, BUT WE'LL BE THERE FOR THE RECEPTION. YOU SAID EIGHT 8:30 PM AM PM I THOUGHT YOU SAID, AM YOU THAT'S WHEN I LIGHTS NIGHT. I WOULDN'T SUNSET. I WASN'T THINK THAT SUNSET, CORRECT. YEAH, NO. OH, 8:30 PM PM NOW THAT MAKES SENSE. I WAS THINKING WHAT Y'ALL THINKING ABOUT, BUT ANYWAY, YEAH, NO, NO. IT'S 8:30 PM AND, UM, WE'LL BE THERE, UM, AT SEVEN 30 FOR THE RECEPTION. UM, THE POWER CENTER HAS NEW OWNERS, UM, THE COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE, SO PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE, UM, THE NEW PO, THE NEW AND IMPROVED POWER CENTER IS NOW CALLED THE COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE. THEIR NEW OWNERS WILL BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE WHAT'S HAPPENING AT AT THAT FACILITY, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR SUNSET PARADE. SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD, UH, TO THAT. AND THEN I WANNA SAY A SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS TO THE VALEDICTORIANS IN DISTRICT K. WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH EACH OF OUR VALEDICTORIANS IN DISTRICT K, UM, AND GAVE THEM A CHROMEBOOK AND A HOTSPOT AND A CERTIFICATE, UM, AS THEY ARE OFF TO COLLEGE. UM, OUR, WE, OUR WESTBURY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, WE MET WITH YESTERDAY, OUR MADISON HIGH SCHOOL. WE MET WITH LAST WEEK, AND OUR WILLOW RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL HAD ALREADY STARTED HIS INTERN, BUT HE'S GONNA COME BACK TO CITY HALL AND WE'LL GIVE HIM HIS CHROMEBOOK AND HIS RECOGNITION FOR BECOMING THE VALEDICTORIAN OF THIS GRADUATING CLASS. UH, LASTLY, THE FRIENDS OF MARION PARK WILL BE HOSTING THEIR SECOND ANNUAL BAYOU TRAIL BIKE RIDE ON SATURDAY, JUNE 11TH, BEGINNING AT 7:00 AM MEET AT MARION PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, 1 1 1 0, 1 SOUTH GASNER ROAD FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER TO RIDE. HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE OUT ON THEIR BIKES ON THE TRAIL. IF YOU ARE NOT RECEIVING OUR NEWSLETTER, YOU SHOULD BE. KEEP UP WITH DISTRICT K, , KEEP UP WITH K. THANK YOU. UH, THEN LASTLY, AND I, AND I FORGOT TO MENTION THIS EARLIER, BUT, UM, AT THE US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS, UM, IN RENO, NEVADA, UM, ON THE MAIN STAGE, THEY RECOGNIZE HOUSTON FIRST AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR BEING LIKE THE DESTINATION. UM, AND HOW WE GO BEYOND JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, FEELING HOTEL ROOMS AND RESTAURANTS MM-HMM . UH, BUT HOW IT IS A PART OF OUR WHOLE CITY FRAMEWORK THAT RECOGNIZES THE BRANDING THAT'S BEING DONE BY HOUSTON. FIRST. UM, MICHAEL HECKMAN, THE CEO AND PRESIDENT OF HOUSTON FIRST WAS ON THE STAGE WITH ME. UH, AND THEN THE, UM, THE GUY WHO'S OVER DESTINATION INTERNATIONAL. SO IT WAS JUST THE THREE OF US ON THE MAIN STAGE AT THE US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS BEING, BEING HIGHLIGHTED. SO, UH, KUDOS TO, UH, TRACY, EVERYTHING THAT'S TAKING PLACE. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, SO THAT, THAT, THAT TURNED OUT, THAT TURNED OUT NICELY. SO, UH, I WANTED TO, I MENTIONED, WANTED TO MENTION THAT EARLIER, BUT DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO OKAY. HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, I THINK THAT WRAPS US UP, UH, THIS MORNING. AND, UM, UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, WE STAND RESET, WE STAND ADJOURNED, ADJOURN. * 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.