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MY NAME IS,[Super Neighborhood Alliance Meeting]
UH, CINDY CHAPMAN.I AM THE CHAIR THIS YEAR OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE, AND I WANT TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE JOINED US THIS EVENING.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF SPEAKERS TONIGHT, AND I HOPE THAT, UH, YOU'LL FIND, UH, THIS INFORMATION HELPFUL AND INFORMATIVE TO YOU.
UH, AND, UH, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND, UH, ROLL CALL.
I'M THE SECRETARY FOR THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE, AND I AM ONLY CALLING THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENT THE PAST THREE MONTHS.
AND AT THE END, IF I DIDN'T CALL YOUR SN, PLEASE, UH, SPEAK UP AT THAT TIME.
PHILLIP ERNO, PRESIDENT PRESENT,
DOUG SMITH AND BARBARA QUATRO.
KATHY EASTERLY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY PLACE.
TERRY KAMINSKI, PRESIDENT HERE.
DID I HEAR NAOMI AND SYLVIA? YES.
AND I THINK BECKY EDMONDSON IS ALSO HERE.
STEVEN IC, VICE PRESIDENT HERE.
I'M ONLY CALLING THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN THE HERE, UH, THE LAST THREE MONTHS.
AND THEN AT THE END WE WILL GET TO THE OTHERS.
RIGHT, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RECOGNIZED SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS AT THE MOMENT.
I'M LOOKING FOR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
I ALWAYS GET, I GET US MIXED UP
IS KATHLEEN O'REILLY HERE? OKAY.
TOMORROW, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 84.
OKAY, SO I HEARD, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 45, PASTOR DEB, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM 45? 30? OKAY.
ANYONE ELSE? UH, 30, 39 AND 40.
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OKAY.AND AND WHO JUST, WHO, WHO WAS THAT FOR 41? SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, 41.
ELEANOR BRADLEY, AND ALSO GEORGIA AND JOHNSON FOR 41.
WHAT WAS THE SECOND NAME? GEORGE ANN JOHNSON.
ANYONE ELSE? DID I HEAR KATHLEEN O'REILLY? YEAH, YOU DID.
STACY, SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING OTHERS.
SANDRA, THIS IS AMY DEN, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 64 AND 88, AND WE WERE ALSO AT MORE THAN ONE OF THE LAST THREE MEETINGS.
ANYONE ELSE? THERE'S A HAND UP FROM RHONDA JONES.
HAS RHONDA ALREADY SPOKEN? RHONDA, UH, IS 41.
I'VE BEEN HERE THE LAST THREE MEETINGS.
HEY EVERYONE, THIS IS GARETH MORGANS.
UM, I'M WEARING THREE DIFFERENT HUTS TODAY REPRESENTING COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON'S OFFICE REPRESENTING THE MAGNOLIA PARK CIVIC CLUB.
AND, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE THE PAPERWORK HAS GONE THROUGH SO THAT NOW SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 65 AND 80 DEACTIVATED.
SO, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE BACK IN THE FAMILY AGAIN.
SO IS PRISCILLA GOING TO CONTINUE TO COME? PRISCILLA ARGUTA, OR, UM, THAT'S WHO I HAVE LISTED FOR 65.
SHE'S GONNA BE THE BEST POINT OF CONTACT AT THIS TIME.
YEAH, I'LL, I'M HAPPY TO BE A, A BACKUP CONTACT THOUGH.
ANYONE ELSE FROM THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT IS HERE TONIGHT THAT, UH, HAS NOT MENTIONED THEIR NAMES GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.
YOU, I THINK WE DID THAT IN RECORD TIME.
UM, WELL, UH, I KNOW YOU ARE ALL VERY EAGER TO HEAR, UH, FROM, UH, THE SPEAKER FROM THIS DEPARTMENT.
STACY, DID YOU WANNA DO THE INTRO SINCE YOU MADE THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR OUR GUEST SPEAKER? I, I WILL BE HAPPY TO, IS DIRECTOR WILL FALCON? I AM.
WELL, EVERYONE, UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE DIRECTOR MARK WILL FALK, UH, IF, IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD THE CHANCE OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET HIM, UM, HE IS, UH, HE IS A PLEASURE TO TALK TO AND I HAVE FULL FAITH THAT HE IS GOING TO TURN SOLID WASTE AROUND OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS,
UM, SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, UH, I, AND I'M READING FROM THE PRESS RELEASE, UH, FROM WHENEVER YOU, UH, CAME ON BOARD LAST OCTOBER, DIRECTOR, BASICALLY THE MAYOR SELECTED HIM AS THE NEW DI UM, THE, THE NEW DIRECTOR OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT.
AND HE HAS NEARLY THREE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN SOLID WASTE RESOURCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT.
AND HE COMES TO US FROM TAMPA, FLORIDA.
HE'S HELD VARIOUS POSITIONS, INCLUDING DIRECTOR AND CHIEF OF OPERATIONS WITH THE TAMPA'S DEPARTMENT OF SOLID WASTE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM MANAGEMENT.
AND AS THE DIRECTOR, HE LED THE ORGANIZATION'S ADMINISTRATIVE AND MANAGERIAL PROCESSES TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION, DISPOSAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES TO APPROXIMATELY 80,000 RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS.
SO THE MAYOR, SELECTED DIRECTOR WILL FAULK FOR HIS ABILITY TO DEVELOP LONG RANGE PLANNING GOALS TO IMPROVE SOUTH WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENTS, ORGANIZATIONAL, ORGANIZATIONAL, AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES.
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AND SO WHENEVER I, UH, INVITED DIRECTOR WOLF FACA ASKED HIM TO GIVE US THE STATE OF SOLID WASTE AND HIS VISION FOR WHAT SOLID WASTE SHOULD LOOK LIKE.OKAY, OVER TO YOU, DIRECTOR WOLF.
THANKS AND THANKS AND GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND, AND THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
UM, IT IS CERTAINLY A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
AND I HEARD HER SAY EARLIER THAT HE'S GOING TO TURN SOLID WASTE AROUND.
WELL, I, I JUST WANT TO BE THE FIRST TO SAY THAT I CAN'T DO IT BY MYSELF, RIGHT? SO I NEED TREMENDOUS SUPPORT FROM EVERYONE LIKE YOU, UH, ON THIS IN, IN THIS PARTICULAR MEETING AND AND BEYOND.
SO, UH, I AM A BIG TEAMS PERSON, RIGHT? NO BIG EYES, LITTLE U'S OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UH, SO I, I'VE BEEN IN THE, BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR A WHILE AND, UH, WHEN SHE WAS, YOU KNOW, SAID THREE DECADES, I'M LIKE, GEEZ, I'M THAT OLD NOW.
YOU KNOW? SO, BUT IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A FUN RIDE.
AND THE ONE THING ABOUT SOLID WASTE IS IT'S NEVER A DULL MOMENT, YOU KNOW? IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A UNIQUE, UH, INDUSTRY, YOU KNOW, TO WHERE THERE'S NEVER A DULL MOMENT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO POSITIONS, I THINK I, I PROBABLY HELD THEM ALL FROM INTERN, RIGHT? LIKE INTERNING IN SOLID WASTE, EVEN THOUGH I WAS, I GRADUATED IN COMMUNICATIONS, UH, SOMEHOW ENDED UP WORKING UP IN GARBAGE, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WAS JUST A PATH FOR ME AND, UH, STAFF ASSISTANT, YOU KNOW, I WAS THE, THE RECEPTIONIST AT ONE POINT, YOU KNOW, TO ANSWER PHONES IN, IN AN OFFICE FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF GAINESVILLE, AND ALL POINTS IN BETWEEN, UH, DRIVER, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DID THAT A LITTLE BIT.
AND, UH, THAT REALLY HELPED ME DEVELOP AN APPRECIATION FOR THE PROFESSION.
UH, AT ONE POINT I ACTUALLY THOUGHT I WAS TOO GOOD TO GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A TRUCK, YOU KNOW? AND, UH, BUT WHAT IT, WHAT IT DID WAS IT QUICKLY HUMBLED ME AND IT REALLY MADE ME APPRECIATE, UH, THE WORK THAT HAS TO GO INTO, UH, KEEPING A MUNICIPALITY CLEAN AND FREE OF DEBRIS.
SO, UM, THAT'S JUST A LITTLE ABOUT ME.
SO I'M, I'M KIND OF LIKE A HANDS-ON TYPE PERSON, AND I, I NEED TO, UH, SOMETIMES HAVE TO PULL MYSELF FROM THE FIELD AND WORKING WITH THE TEAMS AND THE, AND THE GROUPS THAT ARE OUT IN THE FIELD, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST WHERE MY PASSION IS, YOU KNOW? SO, UH, NOW I, I DID HAVE A BRIEF POWERPOINT.
IT'S ABOUT 50, ABOUT 10 SLIDES.
AND THEN JUST KIND OF, UH, GIVE YOU ALL AN OVERVIEW OF THE, THE STATE OF THE DEPARTMENT, KIND OF WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON.
SOME OF IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE REDUNDANT, AND THEN TALK ABOUT MAYBE WHERE, WHERE WE NEED TO GO IN THE FUTURE.
UH, SO I GUESS, WILL I TAKE CONTROL FROM HERE? DO I SHARE? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN SHARE YOUR SCREEN DIRECTOR, YOU DO HAVE PERMISSION.
UH, LET'S SEE IF I CAN REMEMBER HOW TO DO THIS.
AND DIRECTOR, WHILE YOU ARE PULLING UP YOUR PRESENTATION, I WANTED TO MENTION, WE FORGOT TO, UH, RECOGNIZE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEIR STAFF.
SO WE WILL DO THAT AFTER YOUR PRESENTATION IN THE Q AND A.
ALRIGHT, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN SWITCH THE VIEW.
CAN EVERYONE SEE THAT? HAVE GO? THERE WE GO.
I'M SORRY, JUST, JUST REAL QUICK, HOUSEKEEPING.
UM, IF YOU, IF YOU AREN'T MUTED, WE CAN HEAR YOUR PHONE, SO PLEASE, UM, MUTE YOUR PHONES.
I WILL BE GOING AROUND DURING THE PRESENTATION AND, UM, MUTING THEM MANUALLY.
ALRIGHT, SO, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, MARK WOLF, SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT, UM, ABOUT ABOUT NINE MONTHS HERE, UH, NOW, EIGHT, NINE MONTHS IN.
AND IT'S, UH, IT'S CERTAINLY A PLEASURE TO BE HERE, COMING FROM TAMPA TO HOUSTON.
IT'S, UH, BASICALLY, UH, ABOUT FOUR TIMES THE SIZE OF THE, THE, UH, THE POND THAT I CAME OUT OF.
SO, YOU KNOW, SWIMMING IN THIS PART OF THE OCEAN OR HANGING OUT ON THIS SIDE OF THE GULF HAS DEFINITELY BEEN, UH, A BLAST FOR ME NOW.
SO, JUST A COUPLE THINGS THAT I'LL COVER JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY REVAMPING.
UH, GIVE YOU JUST A QUICK GLIMPSE OF THE ORG CHART.
UH, MAYBE TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR, OUR BASE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE AS WELL AS RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.
AND THEN WE'LL KIND OF COVER THE INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, THE DEPARTMENT MISSION, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ONE ON, I'M, I'M REAL BIG ON THE MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES, AND I BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD, SHOULD STAND FOR WHAT WE
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DO.WE SHOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, SPEAK IT AND, AND REMEMBER IT AT THE DROP OF A DIME.
BUT WHEN I, WHEN I GOT HERE AND I ASKED SOMEBODY TO REPEAT THE, YOU KNOW, TELL ME WHAT YOUR MISSION IS, YOU KNOW, NOBODY COULD REALLY, REALLY TELL ME.
SO IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT A PARAGRAPH AND A HALF LONG.
SO, YOU KNOW, COLLECTIVELY AS A DEPARTMENT, WE'LL BE WORKING ON KIND OF REVAMPING THAT AND REALLY LET THAT GUIDE FOR WHAT WE DO.
BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW FOR WHAT I'VE SEEN, UH, OUR DEPARTMENT IS PROBABLY GONNA CATEGORIZE IT IN A MISSION STATEMENT.
I WOULD SAY THAT IT IS A DYNAMIC FORWARD FACING DEPARTMENT THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING ALL TYPES OF ESSENTIAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND BEYOND, TO ME, THE BEYOND INCLUDE SOME OF THE OTHER SUPPORTING PROGRAMS THAT, THAT OUR TEAMS ARE A PART OF, WHETHER THE, WHETHER THE CITY, UH, UH, MANAGES IT THROUGH ITS OWN RESOURCES OR BY GRANT.
AND BY THAT I MEAN, WE ALSO PROVIDE LITTER ABATEMENT, UH, REMOVAL FROM CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN NEED OF IT.
WE ASSIST IN THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT, UH, DECOMMISSIONING AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT DEBRIS GETS PROPERLY REMOVED, UM, AS WELL AS JUST SOME OTHER LITTLE THINGS THAT DON'T FALL IN THE, THE EVERYDAY LINE OF DUTY THAT FALL THAT, THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING.
SO JUST A QUICK GLIMPSE OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.
ONE THING ABOUT THIS CHART IS THAT WE HAVE PLENTY OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND, AND IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN A PLEASURE KIND OF INTERVIEWING OUR FOLKS AND GETTING, GETTING FAMILIAR WITH MY NEW TEAM MEMBERS AND, AND REALLY, UH, UH, UNDERSTANDING THEIR DESIRE AND COMMITMENT TO REALLY WANNA PROPEL THIS DEPARTMENT FOR.
AND, UH, SO JUST WANNA ALSO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT, UH, ON THE CALL THAT EVERYONE THAT YOU SEE HERE, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO REPORT TO THEM, THEY ARE REALLY DEDICATED TOWARDS, UM, GROWING THIS DEPARTMENT AND GETTING IT UP TO ITS CURRENT CENTURY STANDARDS.
UM, JUST SO AN OVERVIEW, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR, BASICALLY WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF, OF SERVICING 434,000 RESIDENTS.
AND, UH, AGAIN, HOUSTON IS, IS HUGE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT'S BEEN FUN TO ME DRIVING FROM ONE END OF HOUSTON TO THE OTHER, AND EVEN, YOU KNOW, SPENDING HOURS ON THE ROAD, BUT I STILL HAVEN'T LEFT TOWN.
SO, UH, BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR 4 34, WE PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES TO ABOUT 380,000 OF THOSE RESIDENTS.
AND BY DIRECT SERVICES, I MEAN, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE BLUE TRUCKS, UH, SERVICE THE REST THAT, THAT ARE NOT PART OF THAT OR PART OF OUR SPONSORSHIP SERVICE WHERE WE ACTUALLY REIMBURSE THOSE, THOSE MEMBERS WHO HAVE TO GO OUT AND SEEK SERVICES FROM PRIVATE INDUSTRIES.
UH, IT'S NOT A BIG REIMBURSEMENT, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE, UH, FOR, FOR DECADES APPARENTLY.
AND OF COURSE, WE PROVIDE CURBSIDE RECYCLING, UH, CURBSIDE COLLECTION FOR GARBAGE, UH, UH, YARD WASTE AND RECYCLING.
SO, UM, WHEN YOU CALCULATE THAT, IT'S QUITE A FEW HOUSE CALLS THAT WE MAKE ON A, ON A, ON A MONTHLY BASIS, ON A DAILY, WEEKLY, AND MONTHLY BASIS.
SO, AGAIN, I MENTIONED EARLIER WE PROVIDE THE WEEKLY SERVICES.
EVERYBODY IS FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
UM, ALSO PROVIDE THE MONTHLY TREE WASTE AND JUNK WASTE COLLECTIONS.
UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS RECYCLING DROP OFFS, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE, UH, CURBSIDE SERVICE, MAYBE THEY'RE PART OF A MULTIFAMILY UNIT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY AN AREA THAT WE WANT TO GROW.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR DEPOSIT DEPOSITORIES OUT THERE THAT WILL ALLOW RESIDENTS TO TAKE MISCELLANEOUS DEBRIS, UM, THAT THEY, THAT'S NOT PART OF THE REGULAR CURBSIDE COLLECTION TO ONE OF THOSE SITES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THE BOTTOM LINE, OUT OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND, UH, BAR EMERGENCIES AND, YOU KNOW, UNEX UN UNEXPECTED EVENTS THAT MAY OCCUR, WE'RE ONE OF THE ONLY DEPARTMENTS THAT STILL MAKES WEEKLY HOUSE CALLS.
SO, UH, I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, JUST KIND OF GLANCED OVER IT EARLY, BUT WE DO HAVE THE DROP OFF SITES, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS, THAT IS DESPERATELY, UH, THAT IS, THAT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR OPERATIONS HERE WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT GIVEN, UM, RESIDENTS THE ABILITY TO GET RID OF THE ITEMS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY FIT IN THOSE TRADITIONAL CURBSIDE PROGRAMS. AND I CAN TELL YOU SOMETIMES WHEN I GO AROUND AND I SEE SOME OF THESE SITES ON THE WEEKENDS, WHETHER IT BE A SUNDAY OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, THEY ARE DEFINITELY IN POPULAR DEMAND.
UH, BUT ONE OF THE, UH, ONE OF THE, THE, UH, UH, UH, FACETS OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT I WAS READ ABOUT AND I WAS, UH, NOW THAT I'M PROUD TO, TO ACTUALLY BE A PART OF IS A REUSE WAREHOUSE CENTER.
IT'S LOCATED OFF OF MAIN STREET IN THE NORTH SIDE OF HOUSTON.
UH, THAT'S AN, UH, FACILITY WHERE, UH, I GUESS IT'S FOR, UM, UH, NONPROFIT, UH, BUSINESSES.
THEY CAN COME AND, AND EXCHANGE, UM, ITEMS, THINGS THAT THEY NO LONGER WANT, WHETHER IT BE, UH, CLASSROOM CHAIRS OR OLD PLUMBING, MAYBE AN
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OLD TOILET OR, OR TILE THAT THEY'RE NOT USING.UH, WE ACCEPT THOSE ITEMS THERE AT THE REUSE WAREHOUSE CENTER.
AND THEN IF ANYBODY IS WORKING ON A PROJECT OF SIMILAR SCOPE, MAYBE THEY'RE LAYING DOWN SOME NEW TILE, THEY CAN REPURPOSE THAT TOWARDS THEIR PROJECT.
SO THAT HAS DEFINITELY BEEN A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM THAT, THAT I THINK THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS VERY PROUD OF.
UH, AND THEN, UH, OCCASIONALLY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME AMNESTY DAYS AND EVENTS THAT OCCUR IN KING IN THE CLEAR LAKE CLEAN KINGWOOD AREA, AS WELL AS BRIMORE, WHERE PEOPLE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, BRING THEIR CHEMICALS AND, UH, UH, ELECTRONICS FOR SCHEDULED DROP OFFS.
AND, AND THE, UH, TEAM WORKS WITH A CONTRACTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ITEMS ARE PROPERLY DISPOSED.
UM, OF COURSE, FIVE, FIVE MINUTES REMAINING, PLEASE, BEFORE QUESTIONS.
UM, OF COURSE, WE'RE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR DEBRIS MANAGEMENT, SO THAT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF WHAT WE DO AS WELL.
JUST KIND OF WANTED TO TOUCH BASE REAL BRIEFLY.
UH, YOU CAN SEE WHERE OUR ACTUAL BUDGET WAS IN THE YEAR OF 21.
UH, WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN AN INCREASE.
WE EXPECT TO SEE SOMEWHAT OF AN INCREASE THIS YEAR.
THIS YEAR WE'LL PROBABLY BE AT ABOUT 99 MILLION RIGHT IN THAT AREA, WHICH IS GOOD.
BUT THE OTHER THING THAT IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE HEADED TOWARDS IS MAYBE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF EQUIPMENT, UH, UH, THE AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE.
SO, UH, WE'VE ACTUALLY MADE A PITCH TO THE MAYOR.
UH, WE'LL SEE WHAT HE, WHAT HE DOES.
UM, AND UNDERSTANDING IS A BIG RESPONSIBILITY, BUT THE EQUIPMENT IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF, UH, HOW WE DELIVER OUR SERVICES.
SO, UH, WE'LL HOPE TO HAVE MORE TO COME ON THAT.
JUST SOME OF THE CURRENT INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE GOING RIGHT NOW, CITY OF HOUSTON, IS WE'RE DEFINITELY IN A GREAT SPOT.
UH, THE ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ON THIS PAGE IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN ADVANCED RECYCLING THAT YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS.
ADVANCED RECYCLING BASICALLY, UM, KIND OF BROADENS OUR SCOPE OF THE MATERIALS THAT WE CAN RECYCLE IN OUR PROGRAM.
AND ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT READY YET, WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS THAT, UM, I'M HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THAT ADVANCED RECYCLING TEAM FOR THE CITY.
AND, UH, YOU'LL BE AMAZED THAT SOME OF THE MATERIALS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE ONCE WE GET THAT PROGRAM KICKED OFF.
LAST THING THAT I WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH IS WE ARE RECRUITING DRIVERS, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE NEW STARTING PAY RATES THANKS TO MAYOR TURNER.
WE'VE ACTUALLY, UH, JUST RECENTLY APPLIED A 6% INCREASE TO, UH, OUR STARTING PAY.
SO IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING A, A REWARDING CAREER WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, PLEASE TELL 'EM TO GIVE US A CALL.
UH, WE CAN DEFINITELY, WE DEFINITELY HAVE SOME WORK FOR THEM.
AND, UH, WE PROMISED TO TREAT 'EM RIGHT.
SO, UH, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL.
DID I BEAT THE FIVE MINUTE MARK TIMELINE? YES, YOU DID.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME.
WELL, SINCE NOBODY ELSE IS THERE, UH, THIS IS DOUG SMITH.
CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE MORE THE SPONSORSHIP, YOU HAD LIKE 500,000 HOUSEHOLDS AND SPON.
HOW DOES THAT WORK? OR WHAT'S GOING ON THERE? YES, UH, 5,000 HOUSEHOLDS AND SPONSORSHIPS, WAS IT 5,000? SO THIS IS SOMETHING, YEAH, THIS IS SOMETHING I CAN TELL YOU.
YOU KNOW, BEING IN THE SOLID WASTE PROFESSION FOR MANY YEARS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I CONSIDER TO BE RATHER UNIQUE.
UM, SINCE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NO SECRET THAT WE DON'T CHARGE, UH, A SERVICE.
WE ONE OF THE ONLY MUNICIPALITIES IN THE NATION THAT DOES NOT HAVE A, A FEE FOR SOLID WASTE SERVICES.
UH, SO THE, AS I GUESS AS THE CITY CONTINUED TO GROW, UH, WE CAN, OUR RESOURCES WILL ONLY STRETCH SO FAR.
SO FOR THOSE, UH, RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE SOLID WASTE COLLECTION FROM THE, UH, CITY OF HOUSTON, THEY WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO OUT AND, AND SEEK A CONTRACTOR WITH A PRIVATE HAULER, LIKE A WASTE MANAGEMENT OR REPUBLIC SERVICES, OR A COMPANY LIKE THAT.
SO, WHATEVER, UH, THAT FEE IS, THE CITY ACTUALLY REIMBURSE THE RESIDENTS.
UH, I BELIEVE IT'S UP TO $6 PER MONTH, UH, TO HELP OFFSET THE EXPENSES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING THAT COLLECTION.
SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW THE SPONSORSHIP SERVICE WORKS.
COULD YOU, UH, GIVE ME, UH, THE SPELLING OF YOUR LAST NAME AND ALSO YOUR CELL NUMBER? SURE, SURE.
THE SPELLING OF MY LAST NAME IS WILF, AS IN FRANK, A LK NOT, NOT AFRAID TO GIVE THAT CELL NUMBER OUT.
IT'S AREA CODE 3 4 6 3 3 9 2 2 4 9.
SAY THAT AGAIN? AREA CODE 3 4 6 3 3 9.
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ALL RIGHT.DI DIRECTOR WILL FALK, UH, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WITH THEIR HANDS RAISED AND, OKAY.
KAY WALTON, I'M JUST GONNA START FROM THE VERY TOP.
SO, KAY WALTON, GO AHEAD AND ASK YOUR QUESTION.
UH, IT'S KAY WALTON FROM MIDTOWN.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS TO PUT ANY RECYCLING CENTERS INTO THE MIDTOWN DOWNTOWN AREA? WE HAVE NOTHING NOW.
YES, THAT, THAT IS, UH, ONE OF THE AREAS, YOU HEARD ME SPEAK EARLIER ABOUT ADVANCED RECYCLING AND HAVING JUST MET WITH THAT TEAM EARLIER TODAY, UM, THAT, THAT IS CERTAINLY AN AREA THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING AT THIS TIME.
UH, THOSE, UH, AREAS, UH, SIMILAR TO THE MIDTOWN AREA, THEY PRESENT, PRESENT A FEW CHALLENGES TO US.
UH, BUT HOWEVER, I THINK WE CAN, UH, UH, SEE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP SOME PARTNERSHIPS, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR PRIVATE COUNTERPARTS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO, UH, DEFINITELY MORE TO COME ON THAT, ON THAT.
OKAY, EVERYONE, PLEASE MUTE, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'RE ON MUTE SO WE DON'T HAVE ECHO.
NEXT IS BARBARA TRO THE DIRECTOR.
CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE ADVANCED RECYCLING? UH, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT ENTAILS.
SEE YOU, YOU'RE KIND OF LIKE ME.
I WAS, I HAD THE SAME QUESTION, RIGHT? THEN.
THAT WAS ME COMING TO HOUSTON, I'M LIKE, ADVANCED RECYCLING, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THIS? SO BASICALLY, WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE BASIC, UM, UH, UH, FEATURES OF THE PROGRAM, RIGHT? YOU CAN RECYCLE ALL OF YOUR PLASTICS AS LONG AS IT HAS THE CHASE AND ARROWS WITH, UH, NUMBERS, WHAT IS IT? ONE THROUGH FIVE AND SEVENS.
UH, YOU PUT IN YOUR PAPERS, YOUR, UH, YOUR CARDBOARD AND ALL THE OTHER MATERIALS.
BUT SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE OFTEN HAD TO DEAL WITH, AND THIS IS IN THE INDUSTRY, AND I'M CERTAINLY, UH, I'M, I'M CERTAIN THAT IT HOLDS TRUE IN HOUSTON, IS HOW COME I CAN'T PUT, UH, A BIG WHEEL IN, IN MY, UH, RECYCLING BIN? YOU KNOW, IT'S MADE OUT OF PLASTIC.
WHY, WHY THAT'S JUST NOT PART OF THE PROGRAM IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER THAT WE, WE'VE GOTTEN, RIGHT? UH, OR HOW ABOUT PLASTIC GROCERY BAGS THAT WE GET FROM THE GROCERY STORE, AND I PUT THOSE IN THE RECYCLING BIN.
TRADITIONALLY, THAT ANSWER HAS BEEN NO, BUT WITH THE ADVANCEMENTS OF TECHNOLOGIES, I'M TELLING YOU, YOU GOT SOME REAL SHARP ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS OUT THERE WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REALLY HONE IN AND FOCUS ON PLASTICS.
AND THEY, THIS IS WHERE IT GETS DEEP.
THEY HAVE BROKEN DOWN THE MOLECULAR STRUCTURE OF ALL PLASTICS AND DEVELOP CHEMICAL PROFILES SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE THESE, UH, CHEMICALS FROM ITS POLYMER STATE TO A MONOMER STATE, AND INJECT IT INTO A SYSTEM AND BASICALLY CLOSE THE LOOP ON RECYCLING.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS THAT EVENTUALLY IN THE FUTURE, NOT NOW.
SO DON'T, DON'T RUN OUT AND QUOTE ME ON IT NOW, OR START DOING IT NOW.
UH, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE PLASTIC BAGS AS PART OF OUR CURBSIDE RECYCLING PROGRAM.
UH, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE RIGID PLASTICS AS PART OF OUR CURBSIDE RECYCLING PROGRAM.
SO IF YOU HAVE, UH, AN OLD CABLE REMOTE OF SORTS, AND IT'S PLASTIC, THEY'VE DEVELOPED THIS AND THEY'VE BROKEN DOWN THE MOLECULAR STRUCTURE AND THE CHEMICAL PROFILE TO WHERE THEY CAN INJECT THAT AS PART OF THEIR SYS AND THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND BASICALLY CREATE A WHOLE NEW PRODUCT.
UH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS THEORY AND THIS CONCEPT IS BEING, UH, LED BY A LOT OF THE OIL COMPANIES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
SO HOUSTON IS THE RIGHT MARKET TO ACTUALLY, UH, LAUNCH THIS ADVANCED RECYCLING INITIATIVE.
SO NOW, YOU KNOW, JUST AS MUCH AS I DO.
UM, DIRECTOR WILLOCK, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.
I WORK WITH THE METROPOLITAN ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE A BUNCH OF CLERGY ACTION TEAM PEOPLE.
UH, WE ARE MET, MET WITH CHRIS BROWN, THE CONTROLLER, AND HE INDICATED WE MIGHT BE PAYING FOR TRASH SERVICES IN THE FUTURE.
IS THERE SOME DELIBERATION ABOUT SENIORS AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES, UH, PARTICULAR SOME THAT CAN'T GET ON THE WATER BILL PLAN? UM, TELL ME JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD COVER THAT WITH THE RECESSION HERE AND, UM, AND SO MANY PEOPLE IN, IN DIRE NEED.
WELL, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT, IT'S, IT'S GOTTA BE BIGGER THAN ME, RIGHT? IT, IT, IT REQUIRES THE BUY-IN OF EVERYONE.
UH, AND WHEN YOU, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE TO KEEP THOSE, THOSE GROUPS IN MIND AND THOSE CATEGORIES, YOUR SENIOR CITIZENS, THE DISABLED, AND, AND, AND FOLKS THAT JUST MAY BE HAVING A HARD TIME, UH, BEING HERE IN HOUSTON FOR JUST A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
[00:30:01]
THOSE SAME CHALLENGES ALSO EXISTED WITH OUR UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, WATER AND WHATNOT.AND I NOTICED THEY SEEM TO HAVE PRETTY GOOD SUCCESS.
UH, MAYBE WITH HAVING A WATER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WITH, UH, YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT, THAT CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THE BILL, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO APPLY FOR SOME ASSISTANCE ON THERE.
SO IF WE EVER, UH, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO PROVIDE THAT FEE, WE WOULD WANT TO HAVE THAT STRUCTURED.
I WOULD RECOMMEND HAVING IT STRUCTURED SIMILAR TO, TO WHAT OUR, OUR WATER DEPARTMENT DOES.
UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS SENIOR CITIZENS DISCOUNTS AND WHATNOT, THE SYSTEMS THAT I HAVE ALL BEEN A PART OF IN THE PAST, AND, AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES, ALL OF THEM OFFER SOME SORT OF, WHETHER IT BE 10, 15% SENIOR CITIZENS DISCOUNT, UH, JUST FOR THAT REASON THERE.
UH, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND TOO, UH, YOU, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE FEATURES THAT COME ALONG WITH, UH, HAVING A, A RATE STRUCTURE IN PLACE THAT ALLOWS US TO BE A LOT MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF OUR, OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO AS WE SEE THESE ILLEGAL PILES POP UP, THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE THE, UH, THE FEE STRUCTURE IN PLACE SO THAT MAYBE WE HAVE CODE, DEDICATED CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THAT, THAT MAY FOCUS STRICTLY ON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, UH, TO GET OUT THERE, RESOLVE IT, RESEARCH IT, AND, AND, UM, YOU, YOU KNOW, REMOVE THAT EYESORE BEFORE OTHER PEOPLE COME AND START PILING ON.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE COMPLAINT DRIVEN DEPARTMENT.
I LIKE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PROACTIVE.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, OUR RESOURCES AND, AND, AND THE SITUATIONS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW, WE, WE'VE GOTTA FOCUS ON THE IMMEDIATE NEED AT HAND.
BUT I WOULD LIKE US ULTIMATELY TO BE, UH, A LOT MORE PROACTIVE AND, UH, RESOLVING THESE MATTERS BEFORE THEY BECOME SERIOUS ISSUES.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WHEN YOU BRING ON A RACE STRUCTURE, YOU ALSO KIND OF, YOU KIND OF GUARANTEE THE ABILITY TO SUPPORT, UH, YOUR NEEDS, YOUR EQUIPMENT.
I BELIEVE THAT EMPLOYEES AND EQUIPMENT, THOSE ARE TWO GREATEST ASSETS.
UH, THE EQUIPMENT HAS A LIFECYCLE JUST LIKE WE ALL DO.
UH, LIFECYCLE FOR THAT EQUIPMENT TENDS TO HOVER AROUND FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS BECAUSE IT'S IN SUCH A RUGGED ENVIRONMENT AND THE INTENSE DEMAND ON IT.
SO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE SOLVE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, REPLACE THAT EQUIPMENT WHEN IT'S TIME TO REPLACE 'EM, BECAUSE IF NOT, THE MAINTENANCE ON MAINTAINING THOSE LARGE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, UH, TENDS TO EXCEED THE VALUE OF THE, OF THE TRUCK ITSELF.
SO JUST A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF KIND OF WHAT THOSE RATE STRUCTURES IN PLACE AND WHAT THEY'RE DESIGNED TO DO.
UM, I THINK I LOST YOU, MS. BELL.
WIL WALK, I, I, MR. WIL WALK, BROTHER, I MET YOU AT THE SUNNYSIDE, UM, MULTIPURPOSE DEGREE REDISTRICTING, AND I SAW YOUR ORG CHART AND I SAW THE PEOPLE THAT WAS ON THERE.
AND FOR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, ELISE COFFEE IS SOLID WASTE, SO THAT SHE WAS NOT ON YOUR ORG CHART.
AND I HOPE THAT'S NOT BECAUSE SHE ABOUT TO RETIRE AND Y'ALL DIDN'T WANT TO TELL US.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE, BECAUSE SHE IS OUR GO-TO, UH, WHEN WE NEED FLOW THROUGH.
WHEN SCOTT K WAS HAVING HIS ISSUES, THAT'S WHO I CALLED TO GET US HELP.
SO WHERE DOES ELISE FIT IN ALL THIS? BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE HER NAME.
UH, SO WHAT YOU JUST SAW WAS JUST THE, THE TOP HALF, IF I PUT THE WHOLE CHART UP, IT IS 474 PEOPLE IN THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE WOULD STILL BE, UH, GOING THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND THEY WOULD'VE CALLED THE SANDMAN OUT ON ME, AND THEY, YOU JUST WOULD'VE PULLED THE PLUG.
SO, NO, AT LEAST COFFEE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
AND, AND I CAN TELL YOU, UH, THE FIRST, WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH OF MY ARRIVAL, I GOT A THANK YOU LETTER FROM AN ORGANIZATION THANKING, YOU KNOW, ELISE COFFEE FOR THE WORK THAT SHE DID, AND, AND JUST HELPING THEM GET THROUGH IN A CERTAIN, UH, SCENARIO IN THE PANDEMIC.
SO, AGAIN, I'M, I'M BIG ON PEOPLE, EMPLOYEES, AND EQUIPMENT.
AND I THINK OUT OF THE TWO OR THREE ALL HANDS MEETINGS, DEPARTMENT WIDE MEETINGS THAT I HELD, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT I'VE RECOGNIZED, SINGLED OUT, UH, ELISE COFFEE AT LEAST TWICE, TWO OR THREE TIMES.
SO YOUR, YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS ARE SPOT ON, AND I FOUND THAT OUT.
SO YOU DEFINITELY, WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT SHE BRINGS TO THE TABLE FOR US.
AND I, THE LAST HAND I SEE UP IS FROM GARETH, GARETH MORGANS.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE YOU AND I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING IN PERSON YET, BUT I WORK FOR COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON'S
[00:35:01]
OFFICE, AND I TOO WOULD LIKE TO ECHO, UM, WHAT MS. BELL SAID ABOUT MS. COFFEE.SHE'S BEEN A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY ASSET.
UM, SHE HELPED ME PUT TOGETHER A COMMUNITY CLEANUP WITH COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK, UH, LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE, AND JUST WENT WAY OUT OF HER WAY TO ASSIST US.
SHE'S, SHE'S GONNA BE WELL MISSED.
UM, OH, SHE'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
YEAH, SHE'S, SHE'S GONNA BE WELL MISSED.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY SOMETHING.
YOU HAD SAID THAT FOR THE SUBSID PROGRAM, FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT DON'T HAVE COLLECTIONS, THAT'S A $6 PER MONTH? UM, YES.
I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT, THAT TO ME, THAT SEEMS KIND OF LOW, BUT I, I DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND THE, THE ECONOMICS OF SOLID WASTE.
SO, UM, I'M, I'M LEARNING AS I GO WITH THIS.
YEAH, IT'S, I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S A FEATURE OF THE PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR, FOR A MIGHTY LONG TIME.
SO, UM, I'M TRYING TO, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT AS WELL.
BUT IT'S, IT'S CERTAINLY TIME TO EVOLVE.
AND, AND A LOT OF TIMES YOU HEAR MAYOR TURNER TALK ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTA ADDRESS THIS AT SOME POINT.
AND, AND THE INTENT IS, IS NOT TO BECOME A BURDEN ON ANYONE, UH, MORE THAN IT IS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICE AS SCHEDULED, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN, UM, ACCUMULATING ADDITIONAL EXPENSES IN OTHER AREAS AND, AND REALLY, UH, UH, BEING GOOD STEWARDS AND OF JUDICIARY RESPONSIBILITIES OF OUR RESOURCES.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
UH, LET'S SEE, UH, STACY, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.
UM, I'VE, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M SEEING ON WASHINGTON AVENUE AND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
WE'VE GOT SOME BUSINESSES THAT JUST DO NOT PICK UP THEIR TRASH.
SO I DON'T, WHAT IS THE, THE BEST WAY TO, TO HANDLE A SITUATION LIKE THAT? YES.
SO EARLIER, UH, YOU HEARD ME MENTION, JUST BRIEFLY MENTION ABOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT, AND, UH, I BELIEVE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS UNDER DIRECTED AKASHA FRANCIS COULD ASSIST US WITH.
UM, BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY, UH, LIKE TO TAKE DOWN THAT, THAT THAT LOCATION, YOU KNOW, AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING, IT'S IN MY BLOOD, RIGHT? SO IF IT'S, IF IT'S GARBAGE, UH, IT'S DEFINITELY GONNA PERK MY EARS UP.
BUT WE, WE WORK IN, UH, PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY ADDRESS THAT AREA.
WELL, DIRECTOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, ANSWERING ALL THESE QUESTIONS.
UH, I'M SURE AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT, SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
IF SO, PLEASE SEND THOSE QUESTIONS TO, UH, OUR SECRETARY, STACY, AND SHE CAN RELAY THOSE TO THE DIRECTOR, UH, TO, UM, GET THOSE ANSWERS.
IF I COULD JUST ADD ONE MORE THING, UH, I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR HARD WORKER AND MEN AND WOMEN, OTHER PROFESSIONALS IN THE DEPARTMENT.
SO, UH, WITHOUT THEM, I DON'T GET A CHANCE TO SIT HERE AND TALK TO YOU.
AND THEY, THEY WELCOME ME WITH OPEN ARMS. SO BIG SHOUT OUT TO OUR, TO OUR FRONTLINE FOLKS.
YES, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
WELL, THANKS AGAIN, Y'ALL, Y'ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING.
AND IN MY ZEAL TO GET TO OUR GUEST, SPEAKER, DIRECTOR, WILL, I KIND OF SKIPPED OVER, UH, SOME OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND REPRESENTATIVES FOR, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OTHER CITY AGENCIES.
SO, UM, LET ME GET BACK TO WHAT I SKIPPED PAST IN MY ZEAL TO GET TO, UH, DIRECTOR OCK.
UH, DO WE STILL HAVE SOME MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL HERE ATTENDING WITH US? YES.
UH, THIS IS YOUR, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
CINDY, ARE Y'ALL ABLE TO HEAR ME OKAY? YES.
IT'S GOOD TO, IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALWAYS BRINGING SUCH GREAT INFORMATION TO US.
UM, I'M YOUR CITY, UM, OF HOUSTON, A LARGE MEMBER, UH, POSITION NUMBER FOUR.
UH, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ONE QUICK UPDATE, A HUGE SUCCESS FOR THAT LARGE OFFICE.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET, UM, EIGHT ADDITIONAL HEALTH SLASH HABITABILITY INSPECTORS, UH, FOR OUR APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
AND SO, UM, AS, UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY LOOKING TO WRITE SOME NEW ORDINANCES, UH, FOR THE SLUMLORDS, THE FOLKS THAT ARE JUST NOT DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF HOW OUR CITIZENS ARE LIVING.
AND SO, UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH LEGAL, THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, TO GET IT TO PUT OUT A REALLY SOUND ORDINANCE.
[00:40:01]
KNOW, ONE HUGE STEP WAS ADDING SOME MORE HEALTH INSPECTORS TO THE LIST.WE ONLY HAD TWO ORIGINALLY, AND SO NOW WE HAVE 10.
SO, UM, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND, UM, AND, UH, AND OO OBVIOUSLY, I'M ALWAYS HERE FOR ANYONE.
I'LL, I'LL PUT MY INFORMATION IN THE, IN THE CHAT.
UM, BUT WE ARE ALWAYS HERE TO HELP IN ANY WAY THAT WE ARE, WE SUPPORT OUR DISTRICT MEMBERS.
AND, UM, ANY OVERFLOW THAT THEY HAVE, IF THEY JUST CAN'T DO SOMETHING, WE'RE HERE TO BACK THEM UP.
AND OB OBVIOUSLY A, YOU KNOW, A PHONE CALL AWAY FROM ALL OF YOU.
SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
UH, LET'S SEE, UH, FOR, I KNOW WE'VE GOT SEVERAL OTHER REPRESENTATIVES FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, UM, MAYBE I'LL JUST LET YOU TRY AND WITH JORDAN FRAZIER.
JORDAN FRAZIER IS ON FROM SALLY ALCORN'S OFFICE.
I'M WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN'S OFFICE.
SHE IS YOUR AT LARGE FIVE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, JUST WANTED TO HOP ON HERE AND SHARE AN UPDATE.
SHE'S THE CHAIR OF THE REGULATORY AND NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING COUNCIL COMMITTEE, AND WE'LL BE HAVING A COMMITTEE MEETING ON TUESDAY, JULY 12TH, UM, TO DISCUSS A NEIGHBORHOOD NUISANCE HAVING TO DO WITH, UH, PROHIBITED YARD PARKING IN VIOLATIONS OF THAT ORDINANCE, AS WELL AS JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES AND 18 WHEELERS PARKING IN, UM, ON RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM SEVERAL COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE CITY THAT THESE ARE ISSUES PLUGGING YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND WE'RE TRYING TO PULL ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER TO, UM, PRESENT ON WHAT CURRENT RULES WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS, AND WHERE WE COULD, UM, TIGHTEN UP THOSE RULES AND CLOSE THOSE LOOPHOLES.
UM, FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE COMMITTEE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE AT AT LARGE5@HOUSTONTX.GOV, AND I'LL PUT THAT IN THE CHAT AS WELL.
SHERRY CORTEZ WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND I HAVE A COUNCIL, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, MARK GOLDBERG, WHO IS NOW ONE OF OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEYS HERE WITH ME AS WELL.
BUT I WANNA QUICKLY, UH, GIVE OUR PSA FOR THIS MONTH, WHICH IS PRETTY IMPORTANT ABOUT NOT LEAVING CHILDREN IN HOT CARS.
SO FAR THIS YEAR, WE'VE LOST 23 CHILDREN, UM, TO BEING LEFT IN VEHICLES.
UM, AND MOST OF THEM WERE NOT DONE INTENTIONALLY.
THE MOST RECENT ONE WAS A 10 MONTH OLD BABY, UM, THAT THE MOTHER JUST FORGOT.
SHE PICKED THE BABY UP AND, UH, PULLED INTO THE GARAGE AND FORGOT THE BABY.
UM, AND SHE, THAT BABY WAS UNABLE TO BE REVIVED.
THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW WITH THE, WITH THE HEAT INDEX THAT WE HAVE.
IT ONLY TAKES THREE MINUTES FOR BRAIN INJURY TO OCCUR.
WE NEED TO GET THIS OUT INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE'RE ONLY IN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF THE YEAR, AND THIS IS HAPPENING WAY TOO MUCH.
SO WE HAVE A PSA I'VE GIVEN IT TO, UM, STACY, IT'S BEEN PASSED AROUND, BUT I'M HAPPY TO GIVE IT TO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO PUT IT INTO THEIR COMMUNITY NEWSLETTERS OR OUT ON NEXT DOOR.
WE ARE GONNA BE DOING A WINDOW CLING, UM, TO PUT INTO, AT BUSINESSES, UM, AT THE DOOR HANDLE.
WHEN THEY PULL THE DOOR HANDLE, IT'S GONNA HAVE A PSA THERE.
UM, SO TO MAKE IT EASY, WE'LL BE DOING A ROLLOUT ON THAT PRETTY SOON.
UM, THE OTHER THING, UM, IS ABOUT GUN SAFETY.
I'M GONNA KEEP TALKING ABOUT THIS.
PEOPLE LEAVING GUNS IN THEIR GLOVE BOXES.
HPD HAS NOW COME OUT TO SAY THAT, UH, 10 GUNS ARE STOLEN A DAY OUT OF GLOVE BOXES OF CARS.
UM, WE'VE GOTTA GET THIS INFORMATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO PLEASE PUT THAT OUT THERE, THAT PEOPLE NEED TO BRING THEIR GUNS INSIDE.
WE DON'T WANNA TAKE GUNS AWAY.
WE JUST WANT PEOPLE TO BRING 'EM INSIDE SO THAT THEY DON'T END UP IN THE HANDS OF A CRIMINAL.
I WILL DIVERT TO, UH, MARK GOLDBERG NOW, OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY WHO HAS SOMETHING TO ADD.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO ADD, I I WORK IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES DIVISION, AND A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS GO AFTER ILLEGAL DUMPING.
THERE'S A LOT OF IT OUT THERE.
UM, IF YOU FIND A SPOT THAT'S, UH, ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, WE CAN PUT UP CAMERAS.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTIONS THAT WAY, BECAUSE ONCE THE PEOPLE ARE CONFRONTED WITH THE PHOTOS, THEY ADMIT IT, AND THEN THEY GO AHEAD AND ACCEPT THE PUNISHMENT.
UM, IF YOU SPOT SOMEONE, REALLY ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS TAKE A PICTURE OF THEM DUMPING IT, YOU KNOW, BEFORE, IF YOU HAVE IT AFTER, IF YOU HAVE IT, AND THEN THE LICENSE PLATE, YOU DON'T NEED TO APPROACH THEM.
IF WE HAVE THE LICENSE PLATE, WE CAN DO THE REST OF THE WORK, UM, WHERE A LOT, A LOT OF IT IS FROM PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DUMP, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE PROPER DOCUMENTATION TO DUMP AT THE CITY SITES.
'CAUSE THE CITIES ARE, THE CITY IS REQUESTING LIKE AN ELECTRIC BILL OR A WATER BILL OR SOMETHING, AND THEY JUST DON'T HAVE IT.
AND SO A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE TOLD ACTUALLY BY CITY EMPLOYEES TO GO AROUND THE CORNER AND DUMP THERE.
[00:45:01]
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT JUST CAUSES MORE EXPENSE BECAUSE THEN CITY OF HOUSTON, SOLID WASTE HAS TO SEND A CLEANUP OUT THERE AND, AND DELIVER IT TO THE PLACE ANYWAY.BUT, UM, LIKE I SAID, IF YOU CAN, IF YOU HAVE SITES THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT, LET US KNOW.
IF YOU SEE SOMEONE DUMPING, TRY TO GET EVIDENCE, UH, SEND IT TO US OR SEND IT TO ME AND WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT.
UH, TOMORROW BELL, UH, HAS A COMMENT SHE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE BRIEFLY BEFORE WE GET TO THE OTHER REPRESENTATIVES TOMORROW.
UH, UH, PLUMMER, I, I, I CAN'T LET YOU GET OFF THIS CALL WITHOUT THANKING YOU, UH, SO MUCH.
PLUMMER, FOR YOU ALL, WHO, UH, ARE AWARE OF THE BATTLE WE WERE HAVING WITH THE RI RI RIVERSIDE HISTORIC DISTRICT, THAT WE WERE FIGHTING VERY HARD OVER HERE.
PLUMMER CAME TO OUR AID AND HELPED US LEAD THE BATTLE, UH, IN THAT, UH, FIGHT.
UH, AND I CAN'T THANK YOU, UH, SO MUCH, UH, UH, BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY HARD BATTLE.
AND, UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, SO MANY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS STOOD WITH US.
UM, WHAT WE NEEDED THE MOST, TOLD YOU ALL EARLIER, OURS HAD TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF 75% ON COUNCIL AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT.
PLUMMER, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE WOULD BE.
SO I'M NOT LETTING YOU GET OFF OF THIS CALL WITHOUT TELLING YOU.
APPRECIATE YOU FOR STAYING WITH THE NEIGHBOR.
UH, 'CAUSE WE NEED IT, UH, WHEN WE GO FIGHT, WE NEED THAT SUPPORT.
YEAH, MY, MY PLEASURE, TAMARA.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR ADVOCACY.
I JUST WANTED TO NOT LET THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM SALLY ACORN'S OFFICE KNOW THAT THE FOLKS IN BORDERS BILL APPRECIATE THE DONATION OF 39,000 TO OUR PARK, UM, UPGRADE.
AND SO I WANT YOU TO BE SURE AND TELL HER WE CERTAINLY DO APPRECIATE THAT DONATION TO GET OUR PARK UPGRADED, WHICH HASN'T BEEN UPGRADED IN YEARS.
SO WE DO APPRECIATE THAT, UH, WORKING WITH OUR DISTRICT B COUNCIL MEMBER AS WELL.
I'LL MAKE SURE SALLY GETS YOUR GETS, UM, WORD OF YOUR COMMENTS.
UH, JOE GATSON FROM DISTRICT K.
THIS IS JOE ON BEHALF OF COP FIGHT MAYOR PRO, TIM MARTHA CASTEK TATUM.
AND WE'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED THE DISTRICT K GATEWAY RECEPTION AND SUNSET PARADE LAST THURSDAY, JUNE THE NINTH, THANKS TO FIVE CORNER OF IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT TERRA NINE, TERRA 25, AND ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCON, POLLETT EVANS, SHABA, JUDGE, WANDA ADAMS, STAFF FROM FEDERAL AND STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND ALL WHO ATTENDED.
UH, WE REALLY HAD A GREAT ALSO THIS SATURDAY, WE'D LIKE TO JOIN US AT THE HPD SOUTHWEST COMMAND STATION, INVITE YOU TO A JUNETEENTH FOX BAY COMMUNITY BY FIVE.
IT BEGINS AT 9:00 AM IT'S GONNA BE HELD AT 1 3 0 9 7 NATTER STREET IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
WE JUST JOINED FOR SIX MILE LEISURE RIDE.
FEEL FREE TO INVITE FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBORS.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER, ARE THERE ANY OTHER HANDS UP FOR REPRESENTATIVES FROM AGENCIES OR, OR ELECTEDS? YEAH.
ROGER, ROGER BRIDGEWATER IS ON FROM PRECINCT THREE.
I JUST DIDN'T SEE HIS SAND UP.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO COME BACK.
I, UH, STARTED WITH COMMISSIONER RAMSEY IN 2020 WHEN HE WAS ELECTED.
AND, UH, WITH, UH, AT THAT TIME OUR PRECINCT WAS THE SPRING BRANCH, UH, SHARPSTOWN, GULFTON, BEL AIR, THAT AREA.
AND I RE I TOLD YOU, UH, AT THE END OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR, UH, WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA BE ON FOR THE LAST TIME, JUST HOW MUCH I WAS ENCOURAGED BY THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, WE HAD A GOAL, NEVER HAD HAD ANYBODY IN COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN PRECINCT THREE BEFORE.
WE WERE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT WE COULD DO TO GET OUT THERE, DEALING WITH PANDEMICS AND PAN AND, UM, FLOOD FREEZES AND JUST ALL THE PROBLEMS. AND THERE WERE JUST SO MANY OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT REACHED OUT, HELP US BE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO.
AND, UH, WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOW MOST OF THE AREA THAT USED TO BE PRECINCT FOUR, UM, WE'RE IN THAT AREA.
I THINK KINGWOOD IS ONE OF THE AREAS, UH, BUT I CAN'T REALLY, FROM THE MAPS, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP ON ALL THE AREAS THAT MAY BE IN PRECINCT THREE.
[00:50:01]
NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS THAT KNOW, IF YOU'RE IN PRECINCT THREE, I PUT MY, UH, CONTACT INFORMATION IN THE CHAT WITH MY PHONE NUMBER AND WITH MY EMAIL ADDRESS, BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT TO PICK UP, UM, IN THE NORTHERN PART, WHAT WE LEFT OFF IN THE SOUTHERN PART.SO JUST AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL Y'ALL DO.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, BEING HERE.
AND ALL YOU DO THIS EVENING, I'M HERE FROM THE OFFICE OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE PENNY MORALE SHAW.
JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.
WE ARE CURRENTLY GEARING UP FOR, UM, A NUMBER OF BACKPACK EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP IN A FEW MONTHS, AS WELL AS VISITOR, UH, VISITS TO SENIOR HOMES.
AND, UM, AND WE'LL BE GEARING UP FOR THE NEW SESSION IN 2023.
THAT'S WHEN THE NEW DISTRICTS TAKE OVER.
AND SO YOU ALL WILL BE SEEING THOSE, UH, CANDIDATES ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT AS WELL.
UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE AND FOR ALL YOU DO HERE.
UH, WHO IS THIS? HELLO? GO AHEAD.
THIS IS RAY WASHINGTON WITH SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 39 AND 40.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A, UH, YMCA, UH, IN OUR AREA THAT'S BEEN, UH, DORMANT.
IT'S BEEN CLOSED FOR OVER TWO YEARS.
AND THE YMCH, THEY WAS GOING TO OPEN IT, UH, ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
AND, UH, THE MONIES THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED, THEY WAS GOING TO OPEN IT UP, BUT WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR THEM TO OPEN IT UP.
BUT I NEED SOMEONE TO HELP ME, UH, WITH THIS SITUATION BECAUSE THE SENIORS AND ALSO THE YOUNG MEN IN THIS AREA ARE LOOKING FORWARD, UH, TO ATTEND, UH, THE WEST O AND YMCA.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, BRINGING THAT, UH, ATTENTION, UH, MATTER TO OUR ATTENTION.
UH, LET'S SEE, GARETH, YOU'RE WITH, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, ROBINSON'S OFFICE.
UM, THIS IS GONNA BE MY LAST COMMENT FOR THE EVENING, I BELIEVE.
UM, JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A QUICK UPDATE FROM OUR OFFICE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE.
THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING THIS FRIDAY, UH, JUNE 17TH AT 10:00 AM IN HYBRID MODE TO DISCUSS A VARIETY OF CODE CHANGES INCLUDING THE, UH, HOUSTON NA, NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODE, UM, AND PROVIDE UPDATES.
UM, I'LL DROP THE AGENDA AS WELL AS MY CONTACT INFORMATION IN THE SPACE SHOULD ANYBODY NEED ANY MORE INFORMATION.
AND WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO CONNECT YOU WITH OUR CHIEF OF STAFF, DIANA CADO, WHO IS THE, UH, THE, WHO IS THE COMMITTEE CHAIR, OR NOT COMMITTEE CHAIR, EXCUSE ME, BUT WHO LEADS THE COMMITTEE ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER? OKAY.
I DO SEE YOUR HAND IS UP, BUT, UH, WE ONLY HAVE A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
CAN YOUR COMMENTS WAIT UNTIL THE END DURING THE, UH, OPEN COMMENTS OR DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? ONE OF OUR, UH, I JUST NEEDED TO ASK A QUICK QUESTION FROM, UH, UH, THE DA'S OFFICE ON WHO DO WE CONTACT, WHAT IS THE NUMBER OR THE EMAIL ADDRESS THAT WE SEND THE, UH, ILLEGAL DUMPING CONTACT INFORMATION TO? YOU CAN, I DON'T SEE THEM ON ANYMORE.
UM, YOU CAN SEND, YOU CAN CALL OUR OFFICE AND ASK FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES DIVISION, OR YOU CAN EMAIL ME.
UH, MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS GOLDBERG MARK@DAOHCTX.NET.
UM, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PROGRAM TO GO THROUGH IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO, UH, STACY, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE MEETING MINUTES AND THEN INTRODUCE OUR, UM, UH, NEXT SPEAKER, ALISON? SURE.
UH, THE MAY MEETING MINUTES WERE DISTRIBUTED, UH, LAST WEEK FOR ANY OF THE SNS, I THINK, YOU KNOW, ARE WE ACCEPTING THEM NOW, CINDY? YES.
SO I'M, IF, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MINUTES BEFORE WE ACCEPT THEM INTO THE RECORD? NO, STACY, IT'S DOUG.
THEY WERE VERY THOROUGH, UH, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT.
[00:55:02]
OKAY,UH, SO THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AS WRITTEN INTO THE RECORD, AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR SECOND SPEAKER, WHO IS, UH, ALLISON HUDSON.
SHE IS THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM MANAGER, UH, IN THE PUBLIC INFORMATION SECTION OF THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
AND SHE IS HERE TONIGHT TO TALK TO US ABOUT HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS.
AND JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON ALLISON.
SHE BRINGS OVER 15 YEARS OF SERVICE IN JOURNALISM, CRISIS COMMUNICATION, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
PRIOR TO JOINING THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ALLISON SERVED AS THE FIRST PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER OF THE ASCENTION PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN ASCENTION PARISH, LOUISIANA.
FOR 10 YEARS, SHE ALSO SERVED AS A CRIME VICTIM INVESTIGATOR.
AND PRIOR TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, SHE WAS THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE DONALDS DONALDSONVILLE CHIEF NEWSPAPER BEING THE FIRST WOMAN AND THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE SINCE THE NEWSPAPER'S EXISTENCE IN 1871.
SO, WITH THAT, ALLISON, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
AND THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING THIS.
IM IMPORTANT INFORMATION WITH US.
UM, SO I WANT TO, UM, JUST BRIEFLY, UH, TOUCH BASE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE JUST STARTING HURRICANE SEASON.
UM, STACY, DO YOU HAVE THE POWERPOINT OR DO I NEED TO PUT IT UP? UH, GO AHEAD AND SHARE IT FROM YOUR SCREEN, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
EVERYONE ELSE, PLEASE PUT YOURSELF ON MUTE.
JUST A QUICK REMINDER WHILE ALLISON IS PULLING UP HER PRESENTATION.
SO WE'RE GONNA JUST TALK ABOUT, UM, HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS.
UM, I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS KIND OF DRILLED IN OUR HEADS FOR NOW, BUT SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER WE STILL KIND OF PROCRASTINATE.
AND SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR ALL OF US TO, UM, TO KIND OF HAVE A PLAN.
SO JUST ABOUT OUR OFFICE, UH, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE FOR THE CITY.
UM, AND WE PROVIDE INFORMATION AND SERVICE TO RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND PRETTY MUCH ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN, UM, ABOUT OUR RESPONSE DURING TIMES OF DISASTER.
UM, THE TWO PHOTOS HERE ARE FOR OUR, FROM OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, UM, WHERE WE STAFF, UH, A NUMBER OF, UH, CITY DEPARTMENTS DEPENDING ON WHAT THE DISASTER IS.
AND THEN THE PHOTO TO THE RIGHT IS THE JOINT INFORMATION CENTER, WHICH IS WHERE ALL OF THE PUBLIC INFORMATION PROFESSIONALS FROM THE CITY AND OTHER, UM, DEPARTMENTS WOULD, UM, WOULD SIT.
SO TODAY WE'RE GONNA TALK, UH, BRIEFLY ABOUT THESE FOUR THINGS WHICH ARE MAKING A PLAN, EMERGENCY KIT, BEING INFORMED, AND KNOWING YOUR NEIGHBORS.
SO FIRST I WANNA TALK ABOUT MAKING AN EMERGENCY PLAN.
ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS FORGET IS COMMUNICATION WORKS.
AND COMMUNICATION IS EVERYTHING.
UM, SO YOU WANNA MAKE A PLAN AND YOU WANNA KNOW HOW YOU'LL COMMUNICATE THAT PLAN.
IF YOU HAVE A PLAN AND NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT, THEN WHAT GOOD IS THE PLAN? UM, SO MAKING SURE THAT YOUR PLAN IS COMMUNICATED, WHO IS YOUR PLAN? COMMUNICATING TO OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS, COWORKERS, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THAT PLAN.
AND ALSO INCLUDED IN YOUR PLAN IS IF YOU HAVE TO EVACUATE KNOWING WHAT YOUR EVACUATION ROUTE IS AHEAD OF TIME, THAT IS SO IMPORTANT TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE, YOU KNOW WHAT ROUTES YOU NEED TO TAKE AHEAD OF TIME.
AND THAT SHOULD BE ALSO IN, IN YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN AS WELL.
UM, YOU ALSO NEED TO KNOW LIKE WHERE THE SAFE PLACES IN YOUR HOME OR SURROUNDING AREAS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UH, LOCAL SCHOOLS.
UM, THE REASON FOR THAT IS YOUR STREET MAY BE FLOODED, BUT ANOTHER STREET MAY NOT BE.
YOU JUST NEED TO KNOW DIFFERENT ROUTES AND EVERYTHING TO GET HOME.
AND KNOWING YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
AND THEN ALSO, THE OTHER THING IS IF WE DON'T COMMUNICATE OUR PLAN, AND IF WE DON'T PRACTICE OUR PLAN, THEN OUR PLAN BECOMES NULL AND VOID.
SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU, YOU WRITE DOWN A PLAN, YOU COMMUNICATE YOUR PLAN, AND THEN YOU PRACTICE YOUR PLAN.
NOW WILL BE THE PERFECT TIME TO PRACTICE YOUR PLAN WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, SO THAT THEY WILL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU SAY READY, SET, GO, AND THAT HURRICANE IS COMING, EVERYONE WILL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE TRY TO FOCUS ON IS MAKING SURE THAT RESIDENTS ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO LOCAL GUIDANCE.
UM, AND NOT JUST RUMORS AND, UH, AND OTHER TYPE OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE ARE THE TRUSTED SOURCE WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO, UH, PREPARE THAT INFORMATION AND GET THAT OUT.
UM, SO IF YOU, IF ANY, ANY TIME, PLEASE GO TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA SITES AT HOUSTON, OEM
[01:00:01]
AND SHARE THE INFORMATION, UM, THAT WE ARE PROVIDING.IT IS, IT IS KNOWN AS A, A TRUE SOURCE, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING THE RIGHT INFORMATION ON WHERE TO GO ABOUT PLANS, EVACUATIONS, AND SHELTERS OR ANYTHING.
UM, ANY INFORMATION RELATIVE TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
UM, IF YOU'RE GONNA STAY HOME, NOW IS THE TIME TO START PREPARING YOUR HOME IN CASE AN EMERGENCY HITS, MAKING SURE YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS HAVE BATTERIES AND, AND THEY'RE WORKING PROPERLY.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL COME OUT AND CHECK YOUR SMOKE DETECTOR.
IF YOU CALL YOUR LOCAL, UM, YOUR LOCAL DEPARTMENT, THEY WILL, THE, THE CLOSEST ONE, THEY WILL ACTUALLY COME OUT AND CHECK THOSE SMOKE DETECTORS FOR YOU.
UH, AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE CARBON MONOXIDE, UM, DETECTORS IN THEM, AND THAT COULD ACTUALLY SAVE YOUR LIFE.
SO IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD TIME TO JUST MAKING SURE THAT, UM, YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS ARE WORKING AND THEN POSTING EMERGENCY NUMBERS.
UH, WE ALSO, WE, WE ALSO, UH, ASK THAT YOU PUT, UH, ANY TYPE OF EMERGENCY NUMBERS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY OR ANYBODY IN PLAINVIEW, LIKE ON THE REFRIGERATOR, ON THE WALL, SOMEWHERE THAT IN CASE EMERGENCY RESPONDERS HAVE TO COME INTO YOUR HOME, AT LEAST WE KNOW MAYBE WHAT A NEXT AKIN OR, UM, JUST AN EMERGENCY NUMBER OF SOMEBODY THAT WE CAN CALL TO FIGURE OUT MAY WHAT BE, WHAT MAY BE GOING ON OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD, UM, A GOOD PRACTICE TO HAVE, KNOWING HOW AND WHEN TO TURN OFF YOUR UTILITIES.
UM, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, TREES CAN FALL ON YOUR HOUSE AND THE POWER LINE CAN GET CAUGHT IN IT, AND YOUR HOUSE, YOU KNOW, MAY, UH, CATCH ON FIRE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND SO IT'S ALWAYS, ALWAYS GOOD TO KNOW WHEN TO TURN, HOW TO TURN OFF THAT BOX ON THE OUTSIDE, UM, TO, FOR SAFETY REASONS.
UM, ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL IN A COVID ENVIRONMENT.
UM, MAKING SURE THAT YOUR PLAN ALLOWS FOR COVID PROTECTION FOR YOU AND OTHERS.
THAT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH, UH, COVID SUPPLIES TO GET THROUGH.
UM, WHATEVER AN EMERGENCY MAY BE.
IF YOU KNOW, IF EVERYBODY'S GATHERING AT YOUR HOUSE, MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH MASKS.
THE WORST THING TO DO IS TO GO THROUGH AN EMERGENCY AND THEN BE SICK AND NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE PROPER CARE.
SO, UM, MAKING SURE THAT YOU KNOW YOU'RE SAFE, UM, FROM ANY TYPE OF ILLNESS OR ANYTHING IS ALWAYS A GOOD, A GOOD PLAN TO HAVE.
SO, BUILDING AN EMERGENCY KIT, I WOULD HOPE THAT BY NOW EVERYONE ON THE PHONE HAS THEIR EMERGENCY KITS READY, UM, AND THEY ARE UP TO DATE.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WANNA HAVE IN YOUR KIT.
UH, COPIES OF YOUR, YOU KNOW, FLOOD INSURANCE, YOUR HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE OR RENTER'S INSURANCE OR WHATEVER TYPE, UM, OF INFORMATION, UH, DOCUMENTS THAT YOU MAY NEED.
ANY TYPE OF BIRTH CERTIFICATES, PASSPORTS, OR ANYTHING FOR, UM, YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS IN A ZIPLOC BAG OR SOME TYPE OF BAG, UM, THAT CAN BE, BE PROTECTED FROM WATER OR ANY TYPE OF, UM, LIQUID.
FIVE MINUTES REMAINING, PLEASE.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, RADIOS WITH EXTRA BATTERIES, UM, FOOD, WATER, CASH, UM, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE LIST HERE OF OTHER THINGS 'CAUSE I'LL GO AHEAD AND GO ON SINCE WE
AND THEN ALSO MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING YOUR PETS AS WELL.
UM, MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL OF THEIR INFORMATION IS UP TO DATE.
AND ONE THING I WANNA REALLY FOCUS ON IS THE FAMILY NEEDS.
UM, IF YOU HAVE, UH, PEOPLE WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, LOVED ONES WITH, WITH DISABILITIES OR FUNCTIONAL FUNCTION, FUNCTIONAL OR ACCESS NEEDS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED AS WELL, AS WELL AS THE TYPE OF MEDICATIONS THAT YOU'LL NEED.
UM, MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE AT LEAST A FIVE DAY SUPPLY OF MEDICATION, UM, JUST IN CASE THE POWER GOES OUT, THE STORES ARE CLOSED, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
JUST MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED, AND WE ALWAYS WANT YOU TO STAY INFORMED.
YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR ALERT HOUSTON, WHICH IT WILL ALERT YOU ON ANY TYPE OF WEATHER, UM, SHELTER IN PLACE, ANYTHING, BUT IT IS A SUBSCRIPTION BASED THING, AND YOU HAVE TO GO AND SIGN UP ON OUR WEBSITE TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE ALERTS.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE WANNA CONTINUE CHECKING, UM, YOU KNOW, TV AND RADIO STATIONS AND ALL OF THE HOUSTON OEMC CHANNELS OF THAT.
SO KNOWING YOUR NEIGHBORS, IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS TO SEE HOW, UM, HOW TOGETHER WE CAN RECOVER FASTER.
UH, WE CAN ALSO BE A RESOURCE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS.
UM, SHARING SUPPLIES CAN HELP US GET THROUGH THINGS, UM, QUICKER.
SO WE WANNA ALSO JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE HELPING EACH OTHER OUT.
ONE OF THE MOST RESILIENT THINGS IS AFTER A HURRICANE OR A DISASTER HAS PASSED, SEEING HOW THE COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER TO REBUILD STRONGER.
BUT WE CAN ALSO DO THAT IN THE PREPAREDNESS SPACE.
SO PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND YOUR NEIGHBORS SO THAT WE CAN ALL BE PREPARED AND IT WOULD JUST MAKE THINGS A LOT EASIER.
WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THOSE WITH FUNCTIONAL ACCESS NEEDS.
WE HAVE A STEER REGISTRY, WHICH IS THE STATE OF TEXAS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE REGISTRY.
UM, IT IS FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE DISABILITIES AND, AND IT
[01:05:01]
WILL JUST LET US KNOW, UM, WHAT THEIR NEEDS MAY BE IN A TIME OF DISASTER.AND THEN YOU AL OBVIOUSLY, UM, YOU CAN CHECK OUT YOUR FLOOD RISK, UH, HERE AT THE WEBSITE, HARRIS COUNTY FE MT.ORG.
UM, AND THEN IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO JUST KNOW, UM, WHAT TYPE OF FLOODING EVENTS THAT YOU HAVE.
AND IT WILL SHOW YOU THAT ON YOUR, ON THAT WEBSITE.
OBVIOUSLY YOU NEED TO KNOW YOUR EVACUATION ROUTES.
WE'VE KIND OF ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THAT, SO I WON'T, UM, FOR THE PURPOSE OF TIME GO INTO DETAIL.
AND THIS IS, YOU CAN, YOUR EVACUATION ZONES ARE BROKEN DOWN AND BY ZIP CODE, SO BE MINDFUL OF THAT AND YOU CAN GOOGLE THAT INFORMATION.
AND THEN AFTER THE DISASTER RECOVERY WHEN RETURNING HOME, YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA WAIT FOR OFFICIALS TO GIVE YOU THAT INSTRUCTION AND IT'S THERE BECAUSE OF YOUR SAFETY.
YOU KNOW, JUST PRACTICE PATIENTS BE PREPARED TO BE WITHOUT SERVICES, UM, FOR A WHILE.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST REMEMBER YOU DON'T WANNA PRACTICE GOOD HABITS.
KEEPING THOSE MASKS ON WHEN YOU'RE GOING INTO YOUR HOME DISCARDING OF THE, OF, OF, OF FOOD THAT WAS IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR, AND THEN JUST BEING, UM, YOU KNOW, GOOD CITIZEN SHARING THE INFORMATION ON ASSISTANCE THAT WE MAY HAVE.
FEMA WILL COME IN AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WILL COME IN TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE, SO PLEASE HELP US TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION.
AND AGAIN, JUST BEING, UM, BEING A RESILIENT COMMUNITY IS HELPING EACH OTHER AND SHARING THE WEALTH OF INFORMATION THAT IS OUT THERE.
AND THESE ARE OUR WEBSITES HERE THAT YOU CAN GO TO TO GET, UM, INFORMATION.
UM, IT IS YOU, THERE'S A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.
IF YOU WANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, YOU CAN EMAIL ME.
I ALREADY PUT MY EMAIL IN THE CHAT.
UM, AND, AND WE HAVE JUST A WEALTH OF INFORMATION AND WE HAVE MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AS OF OUR DISASTER GUIDE.
UM, SO WE'RE NOT JUST TOUCHING, UM, JUST ONE, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO, TO REACH ALL.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, STACY, YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, THANK YOU ALLISON, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION AROUND, YOU KNOW, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT HURRICANES, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT'S WE'RE EXPERIENCING MORE AND MORE IS THE POWER OUTAGES.
AND WITH THE EXTREME HEAT THAT WE EXPERIENCED OVER THE WEEKEND, WHILE, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST I DIDN'T EXPERIENCE ANY POWER OUTAGES, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT OTHERS IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW, DID NOT.
SO, UM, OR DID, SO, YOU KNOW, HOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO, YOU KNOW, IN THE EVENT THAT WE'VE GOT A, A TERRIBLE SITUATION WHERE WE'VE GOT EXTREME HEAT AND THEN WE'VE GOT POCKETS OF AREAS THAT ARE WITHOUT POWER.
I MEAN, ARE, YOU KNOW, HOW DID THE, I GUESS IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE.
HOW DO THE COOLING CENTERS WORK THIS WEEKEND? AND ARE THERE PLANS FOR MORE OF THOSE? AND IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD IN TERMS OF OUR, YOU KNOW, PREPARATION FOR EVENTS LIKE THAT? SO, YEAH, SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH CENTERPOINT TO IDENTIFY IF, YOU KNOW, THE ROLE IN BLACKOUTS WILL BE NEEDED.
UM, WE HAVE NO REPORTS THAT POWER WAS OUT, UM, IN ANY AREA.
UM, THIS PAST WEEKEND WE DID ACTIVATE OUR HEAT EMERGENCY PLAN FOR THE CITY, AND WE OPENED, UM, ALL OF OUR LIBRARIES AND PARKS AND A FEW OTHER CENTERS.
UM, THIS WEEKEND WE WILL DO THAT, BUT THERE ARE THRESHOLDS THAT WE MUST MEET.
UM, THE TEMPERATURE HAS TO BE 103 FOR OVER TWO DAYS, AND THE HEAT INDEX HAS TO BE AT LEAST A HUNDRED, UM, I'M SORRY, 108, UH, FOR HEAT INDEX.
UM, SO IF THAT THRESHOLD IS MET, UM, AGAIN, WE WILL OPEN UP THOSE COOLING CENTERS.
I CAN TELL YOU THIS WEEKEND, UM, SATURDAY, WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT MANY, UM, THAT WERE IN THE COOLING CENTERS.
IT WAS MAYBE 20, BUT ON SUNDAY WE HAD 103 AT THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY.
SO, UM, THAT WAS AN ALARMING NUMBER FOR US.
AND WE ARE GATHERING OTHER DATA TO SEE HOW WE CAN OPEN COOLING CENTERS, UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST KEEP THAT UP IF IT HAPPENS.
NOW, I WILL TELL YOU THAT CENTERPOINT, UH, AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM AND THEY HAVE MADE A PROMISE TO US THAT IF ROLLING BLACKOUTS ARE NEEDED, WE WILL KNOW WELL ENOUGH TIME.
SO WHERE THAT WE CAN OPEN THOSE COOLING CENTERS, UM, TO KIND OF HELP THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OTHER PARTNERS, OUR NGOS, TO DETERMINE OTHER COOLING CENTERS THAT MAY, UM, BE ABLE TO OPEN ON THE READY WITH JUST A SIMPLE PHONE CALL.
SO WE ARE WORKING TO, UH, TO KIND OF HELP THAT.
WE CAN'T CONTROL THE HEAT, OBVIOUSLY, I WISH WE COULD.
UM, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO THAT, AND SO IN THE, IN THE, IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, TELL PEOPLE IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO MAYBE IF YOU, IF YOU WORK OUTSIDE TO MAYBE ADJUST YOUR WORK SCHEDULES, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE YOU'RE HYDRATED, ALL THOSE TYPE OF PREPAREDNESS
[01:10:01]
TIPS IS WHAT ARE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON, BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONE THING THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON, UM, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF IF THE POWER'S OUT OR ANYTHING.AND ONE, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER I SENT OUT THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COOLING CENTERS, I DID GET ONE RESPONSE BACK THAT THE SUNNY SIDE LOCATION IS REGULARLY.
THE, THE, THE AIR CONDITIONING OVER THERE IS, YOU KNOW, REGULARLY LIKE 82 DEGREES.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHO AT THE CITY TO CONTACT ABOUT THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT OFFLINE, BUT, UH, I JUST, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT TO YOU.
IF YOU DON'T MIND STACY SENDING ME AN EMAIL ABOUT THAT.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU, UM, SUNNYSIDE, UH, HVAC HAD TO BE ADDRESSED ON TUESDAY BEFORE WE OPENED THAT LOCATION.
SO WE DO KNOW THAT THERE IS A HVAC ISSUE.
UM, SO YEAH, IF YOU CAN SEND ME THAT, I WILL SEND THAT TO WHO NEEDS TO GET IT AT PARKS.
WE HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION FROM TAMARA BELL, AND THAT'LL BE THE LAST QUESTION ON THIS TOPIC.
TAMARA, YOU, NATE, YOU'RE MUTED, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.
SO, UH, I GUESS TAMARA DID NOT HAVE A QUESTION.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US AND GIVING THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE, UH, HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS.
IT IS DEFINITELY THE TIME OF YEAR TO BE THINKING ABOUT IT.
UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US.
UH, LET'S SEE, UH, STACY, UH, WANNA INTRODUCE OUR NEXT SPEAKER? SURE.
UH, SO THIS ONE'S AN EXCITING ONE AS WELL.
WE'VE GOT MIKE BURNS HERE WITH US TONIGHT.
HE IS A PRINCIPAL PLANNER FOR THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL, AND HE IS HERE TONIGHT TO TALK TO US ABOUT THE 2045 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN UPDATE.
SO, UM, MIKE, GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT AWAY, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE IN ADVANCE.
YOU CAN HEAR ME ALL RIGHT? CORRECT? YES, YES, WE CAN.
UM, WELL, I'M, I'M JUST HERE TO SOLICIT SOME INPUT ON THE, UH, UPDATING OF THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
UM, I DO HAVE A QR CODE ON THE OPENING SLIDE HERE FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO GRAB THE PHONE REALLY QUICK AND SCAN THAT AND MAYBE TAKE THE OTHER SURVEY THAT I'M GONNA TRY TO PEDAL HERE FOR YOU.
UH, WHILE I'M GIVING MY, UH, RUNNING THROUGH MY SLIDES, UH, I'VE ALSO DROPPED IN A, UH, LINK TO THE, UH, UH, THE SURVEY ONLINE AND TO THE, UH, THE CHAT THERE.
UM, SO, UH, YOU MIGHT BE ASKING, WHAT IS THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN? WELL, IT, THE, IT'S THE RTP, UH, ESTABLISHES THE TRANSPORTATION FUTURE FOR OUR REGION.
UH, THIS DOCUMENT OUTLINES OUR RE UH, HOW OUR REGION'S METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL, WILL SPEND OVER A HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS, UH, TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND CONDITION OF ASSETS, UH, IMPROVE CONGESTION AND ACCOMMODATION OF ALL MODES OF TRAVEL, AND DO ALL THIS IN A MANNER THAT'S PHYSICALLY CONSTRAINED, IMPROVES OUR REGION'S ECONOMY, OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, AND OUR CULTURAL RESOURCES.
AND IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE RTP IS REQUIRED TO RECEIVE, UH, FEDERAL FUNDS.
UH, WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH PHASE, UH, UH, ACTUALLY TOWARDS THE END OF OUR INITIAL VISIONING PHASE HERE.
UH, OUR SURVEY AND OTHER OUTREACH TOOLS ARE GONNA BE, UH, AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE END OF JULY.
AND THEN USING THE SURVEY RESULTS AND, UH, THE OTHER INPUT THAT WE RECEIVED DURING THE VISIONING PHASE, UH, STAFF WILL, UH, DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR ADDRESSING NEEDS AND PRIORITIES, UH, THIS SUMMER AND INTO THE LATE FALL.
UH, WE WILL BE COMING OUT, UH, IN A SECOND ROUND OF OUTREACH, UH, TO THE DIFFERENT GROUPS, UH, LATER IN THE FALL, UH, BETWEEN OCTOBER AND UH, DECEMBER.
AND THIS IS ALL IN AN EFFORT TO HAVE A DRAFT DOCUMENT READY FOR REVIEW, AND THEN APPROVED BY THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY COUNCIL IN APRIL OF 2023.
SO, HCC IS USING A NUMBER OF TOOLS FOR THIS VISIONING OUTREACH, UH, LIKELY TO USE THOSE SAME TOOLS IN THE SECOND ROUND OF OUTREACH AS WELL.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS JUST OLD FASHIONED IN PERSON MEETINGS.
UH, THE, THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MAY, UH, WE WENT AND VISITED, UH, ALL EIGHT OF THE REGION'S, UH, COUNTIES, UH, HARRIS COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING SEVEN COUNTIES, UH, TO SOLICIT FEEDBACK.
AND HERE'S A LISTING OF THE, UH, THE MARATHON OF MEETINGS.
IT WAS TWO A WEEK THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MAY, AND THEN WE ENDED AT THE, UH, BEGINNING OF JUNE WITH A VIRTUAL MEETING.
SOME OF YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THAT AND EVEN PARTICIPATED, UH, IF NOT, THAT'S THE POINT OF THIS SOLICITATION IS TO, UH, UH, ASK IF YOU COULD GO VISIT THE H GC.COM/RTP WEBSITE.
[01:15:01]
YOU WILL SEE, UH, A NUMBER OF TOOLS, LIKE I MENTIONED, OUR VISITING SURVEY, A COMMENTING MAP, AND A TRANSPORTATION 1 0 1 INTERACTIVE MAP.THE SURVEY IS A PRIORITY, AND, UH, WE REALLY NEED, UH, PARTICIPATION IN THIS EFFORT.
AND THE, THE SURVEY IS DESIGNED TO RECORDS, UH, THE RESIDENTS AND, AND VISITORS OPINIONS ON THE STATE, THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IN OUR REGION.
UH, THE SURVEY CONTAINS QUESTIONS, UH, UM, ON REALLY FOR PREMISES, UH, HOW DO YOU GET AROUND, UH, WHAT DO YOU LIKE AND DISLIKE ABOUT TRANSPORTATION IN THE REGION? UH, WHAT ARE YOUR TRADE-OFFS, UH, WHEN YOU MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, AND WHAT INFLUENCES YOUR CHOICES? SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
THAT'S KIND OF OUR PRIORITY IN THIS EFFORT, JUST TO, TO GET AS MANY RESPONSES AS WE CAN TO THAT SURVEY.
UH, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A COMMENTING MAP, AND THIS IS KIND OF A FUN THING IF YOU JUST LIKE CRUISING AROUND TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE REGION.
UH, THE COMMENTING MAP IS A TOOL THAT WE USED DURING THE PANDEMIC, UH, UH, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T MEET IN PERSON AND USE, YOU KNOW, UH, ON ROLL A SET OF PLANS ONTO A TABLE AND MARK THEM UP WITH CITIZEN PARTICIPATION.
UH, BASICALLY DID THIS THROUGH AN INTERACTIVE MAP, UH, AND, UH, RESIDENTS COULD DROP PENS, UH, IS A WAY TO SAY IT, OR LEAVE COMMENTS ON, ON THE MAP ANDING SAFETY CONGESTION, OR REALLY ANYTHING RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION.
AND THESE COLOR CODED PENS, UH, HELPS, UH, OUR AGENCY, HGAC LOCATE AND ADDRESS EXACT DEFICIENCIES IN THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
BUT YOU CAN ALSO JUST TAKE A LOOK AROUND AND VISIT THESE, THESE COMMENTS AND SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT WHERE YOU LIVE, WHERE YOU WORK, UH, AND MAYBE IT'LL INSPIRE YOU TO, TO DROP A PIN YOURSELF ON SOME AREAS THAT YOU MAY SEE THAT MIGHT HAVE A CONGESTION SAFETY OR ACCESSIBILITY, UH, ISSUE.
TWO MINUTES REMAINING, PLEASE.
UH, THE LAST TOOL IS A TRANSPORTATION 1 0 1, UH, STORY MAP.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS AND CONTAINS A VARIETY OF INTERACTIVE MAPS ON POPULATION JOBS, THE CURRENT, UH, TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE REGION.
THIS INCLUDES OP PROJECTS AND EVEN SOME LOCAL PROJECTS TO RECEIVE FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING, UH, AND INCLUDES A VARIETY OF OTHER DATA.
UH, USE THIS TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE CURRENT AND PROJECTED CONDITIONS IN THE REGION.
AND THAT'S THE, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
SO I, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, UH, HELPING ME SPREAD THE WORD.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE OUR SURVEY, AGAIN, SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT THE WEBSITE THERE, AND ENCOURAGE YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, COWORKERS, ET CETERA, TO PARTICIPATE AS WELL.
UM, TRAFFIC IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE JUST ALL LIKE TO HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT, SO THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO DO IT IN A PRODUCTIVE MANNER.
SO THANKS AGAIN FOR, FOR HAVING ME.
UH, WE HAVE JUST A VERY FEW MINUTES LEFT, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE KEEP IT VERY SHORT TOMORROW.
UH, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. BURNS FOR COMING AND ASKING US TO ENGAGE.
UH, THE ONE, UH, MEETING THAT I ATTENDED, UH, THAT YOU ALL HAD BEFORE THE PANDEMIC WAS RELATED TO THE I 45 PROJECT, AND I NOTED DURING THAT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEETING, IT WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST MEETINGS YOU ALL HAD EVER HAD, AND I JUST DIDN'T THINK THAT YOU ALL WERE MUCH ON PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
SO TO SEE THAT YOU ALL ARE REACHING OUT, UH, I'M IMPRESSED BECAUSE I, I DIDN'T GET THAT, UH, VIBE AT ALL FROM THAT MEETING.
SO TO SEE THAT YOU ALL ALL ARE ASKING THE PUBLIC, WHAT DO THEY THINK? UH, I'M IMPRESSED.
I, I WOULD SAY HALF THE JOB IS MAKING SURE YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, THAT'S, APOLOGIZE YOU FELT THAT WAY EARLIER.
THAT'S REALLY NOT THE SENSE WE WANNA PROJECT GOING FORWARD.
SO I'M GLAD, UH, THAT YOU CAN RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO THIS.
AND, UH, ONE, WE REACH A NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDERS, UH, NOT JUST PROTECTED CLASSES, BUT THOSE WITH THE, UH, LANGUAGE, UH, UH, LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY.
WE TRY TO TRANSLATE ALL OUR MATERIALS AND THEN AGAIN, TRY TO MEET IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY TO MAXIMIZE PARTICIPATION.
WE HAVE TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENT.
UM, STACY, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP.
THANK YOU, MIKE, FOR COMING TO PRESENT TONIGHT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW ON THIS CALL THAT, UH, HVAC HAS PRESENTED OR GIVEN THE SAME PRESENTATION AT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 22 WASHINGTON AVENUE COALITION MEMORIAL PARK.
AND SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HA AT YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING, UM, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT.
UH, THEY ARE LOOKING TO GET IN FRONT OF EVERYONE THEY CAN ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT SURVEY.
AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
UM, WE'RE, WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES, SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE LAST TWO SPEAKERS.
ROY, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE SURVEY? OF COURSE, AS A REMINDER THAT PLEASE TAKE THE THE TIME TO FILL THIS OUT ON BEHALF OF YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
[01:20:01]
GOING TO HELP US DETERMINE THE DIRECTION, WHAT'S NEEDED FROM THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE.HOW CAN WE HELP YOU AND COLLECTIVELY, WHAT DO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE IN COMMON THAT WE MAY NOT REALIZE? SO WE WANNA LEVERAGE OUR RESOURCES AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANNA TAKE A LARGER ROLE, WE ALSO WANNA TAKE, UH, USE THEIR EXPERTISE.
THE DEADLINE, AGAIN, IS JUNE THE 20TH, AND AS OF THIS MORNING, THERE HAVE BEEN 20 REPLIES.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO STACY OR MYSELF AND WE CAN, UH, WALK YOU THROUGH.
UH, DOUG, UH, UPDATE ABOUT THE BUDGET.
UH, UH, THE BUDGET WAS PASSED LAST WEEK IN THE NORMAL MARATHON MEETINGS.
I THINK IT WENT ON FOR SIX HOURS.
UH, TWO TAKEAWAYS, UH, THAT I GOT.
I THINK FOR THE FIRST TIME, SINCE I CAN REMEMBER THE BUDGET DID NOT PASS UNANIMOUSLY.
THERE WERE TWO NO VOTES, UH, ON THE BUDGET.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT I TOOK AWAY IS THAT, UH, WE RECEIVED THIS YEAR AROUND $370 MILLION IN, UH, ARPA FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND ALL OF THOSE FUNDS WENT EXCEPT FOR $30 MILLION, WHICH WAS USED TO INCREASE THE FUND BALANCE.
ALL OF THOSE FUNDS WENT TO, UH, COVER THE CURRENT EXPENSES OF THE CITY.
UH, TOMORROW'S NOT AGREEING WITH ME THERE.
UH, YOU, YOU'RE MUTED TOMORROW.
I'M JUST SAYING, THAT'S A DAMN SHAME.
ALL OF THE MONEY EXCEPT FOR $30 MILLION WENT TO, UH, CURRENT OPERATING EXPENSES AND THERE'S GONNA BE ANOTHER $360 MILLION NEXT YEAR.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, WHEN THAT MONEY IS GONE, WHERE ARE THEY GONNA COME UP WITH THE MONEY TO MAKE UP FOR IT? AND IT'S GONNA BE, UH, IF YOU ARE A FIRST TERM COUNCIL MEMBER AND PLAN TO RUN AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT A BIG PROBLEM ON YOUR HANDS.
THAT'S MY CONCERN WITH THIS BUDGET THAT WAS JUST PASSED.
AND I HAVE NO MORE ELSE, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY ABOUT IT.
DON'T FORGET TO SO MANY MILLIONS OF THAT WENT TO PAYROLL
SORRY, I HAD TO THROW THAT IN THERE.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF THAT MONEY WENT TO PAYROLL.
AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A RECURRING EXPENSE RATHER THAN A ONE-TIME EXPENSE.
THAT'S HOW MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT.
ONE THING THAT, UH, CAME OUT, ONE GOOD THING THAT CAME OUT OF THE BUDGET IS, UH, DIRECTOR FRANCIS WAS ABLE TO GET, APPROVED US TO BE ON HTV FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
SO I JUST WANTED TO FORMALLY THANK HER AND THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, RHONDA SOUDER AND JACK VALINSKI AND EVERYBODY ELSE INVOLVED THAT WE REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, YOU ADDING THAT MONEY INTO YOUR BUDGET AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR FOR APPROVING IT.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT, THAT UP, STACY.
WE CERTAINLY DO APPRECIATE THAT GREATLY.
UM, AND THAT'S, WE JUST HAVE A ONE OR TWO VERY FEW COMMENTS BEFORE WE END UP TODAY.
UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY REALIZES WE ARE NOT MEETING NEXT MONTH, SO WE'RE GONNA MEET AGAIN IN AUGUST.
UH, AND I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, UH, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM COMMISSIONER GARCIA'S STAFF HAS PARTICIPATED IN THIS MEETING, UH, MARIA ANOS.
I WAS JUST MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO, TO TALK.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
ALSO, UH, UH, DID YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT? UH, WELL CERTAINLY THANK YOU.
I DO HAVE ONE ANNOUNCEMENT, AND IT'S BASICALLY, WE ARE PROVIDING, UH, FREE HOTSPOTS TO THOSE THAT, UH, QUALIFY.
ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS CALL 7 1 3 2 7 4 22 22 TO PREREGISTER.
UM, THERE ARE PLENTY OF THOSE HOTSPOTS AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS THAT ARE IN NEED.
AND IF YOU HAVE SLOW OR NO INTERNET AT HOME, BASICALLY YOU QUALIFY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND WE ALSO, I, I WANNA MENTION THAT WE HAVE A, UH, POLITICAL CANDIDATE WHO, UH, WE, WE DO THOSE TO THE END AND WE JUST HAVE A VERY BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT, UH, ALEX MEER IS A POLITICAL CANDIDATE.
[01:25:01]
MEER, I'M RUNNING FOR HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE, UH, VERY FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY ON GETTING BACK TO JUST DELIVERING BASIC SERVICES, PARTICULARLY PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.UM, PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE AND HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH ANY OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY, UH, ALEXANDRA ER.COM.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING ME HAVE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.
AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE, UH, YOU STAYING FOR THE ENTIRE MEETING TO HEAR THE CONCERNS OF THE DIFFERENT SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS HERE.
WE HAVE, IF ANYBODY HAS A COMMENT OR QUESTION, WE HAVE BASICALLY ONE OR TWO MINUTES.
SO, UM, I WANNA SAY, OKAY, LEMME COVER UP MY DA THING HERE BECAUSE I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY COMMUNITY, WHICH IS CINDY CHAPMAN'S COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UH, CINDY CHAPMAN RECEIVED A LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM HCC.
SO EVERYBODY CONGRATULATES, CINDY
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE ATTABOY BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WON'T
REAL QUICK, I JUST WANNA TELL YOU ALL I WILL BE SPEAKING TO MAR AT CITY COUNCIL.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, I GOTTA GO BACK AND THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT STOOD WITH US.
IF ANYBODY COMES TO YOU AND SAY, WE NEED TO GET RID OF LARGE MEMBERS, THEY HAVE GOT TO BE OUT OF THEIR MIND, BECAUSE SOMETIMES IN THIS POLITICAL PROCESS, YOU MAY BE AT ODDS WITH YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AS WE WERE IN THIS SCENARIO.
AND YOU NEED SOMEBODY WHO'S GONNA STAND WITH YOU.
SO, UH, I WILL BE GOING TOMORROW BECAUSE WHEN THEY BACKED OFF ON US LAST WEDNESDAY AT THE HEARING, I AIN'T GONNA LIE TO Y'ALL, I WAS IN SHOCK.
I, I COULDN'T EVEN, WHEN I GOT TO THE SPEAK, I, I WAS JUST, BECAUSE WE WERE SO PREPARED, UH, THE, UH, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH TEXAS, SOUTH TEXAS SCHOOL OF LAW HAD AGREED FOR, FOR PRO BONO TO HELP US IN OUR LAWSUIT IF WE HAD TO FILE ONE AGAINST THE CITY, BECAUSE OUR EVIDENCE WAS THAT OVERWHELMING.
AND SO, I JUST WANNA SHARE IT WITH YOU ALL.
ANYBODY SAYS, GET RID OF AT LARGE.
MAKE SURE YOU STUDY YOUR CANDIDATES WHO YOU HAVE, BECAUSE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS STRAIGHT UP TOLD US, THIS IS SO WRONG.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY'RE DOING THIS TO YOU, BUT I, I, I, I, I, I, I CAN'T VOTE WITH YOU.
AND THAT WAS SO HARDENING THAT WAS SO DISHEARTENING.
SO, UM, WANTED TO MAKE SURE Y'ALL KNOW THAT.
AND LIKE US, IT SHOUTS OUT TO LETITIA PLUM AND MIKE KNOX, KUBOSH, AMY PECK AND POLLARD, WHO WERE WITH US RIDE OR DIE.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY WE PREVAILED.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WE'VE GOT LIKE ONE MINUTE LEFT BEFORE UH, THE RECORDING STOPS.
REDISTRICTING PROGRESS PROCESS IS STILL ONGOING.
SO IF YOU'VE NOT, IF YOU DIDN'T, DIDN'T ATTEND ANY OF THE 12 IN PERSON MEETINGS, THE VIRTUAL MEETING MEETING, YOU CAN STILL GO DOWNTOWN AND COMPLETE IT ONLINE OR SEND IN YOUR COMMENTS.
YET LARGE PEOPLE ARE INCREDIBLY NEEDED.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE TAKE FOR GRANTED.
AND WE HAVE FIVE GREAT MEMBERS.
WELL, THAT'S A GREAT NOTE TO FINISH ON.
AND, UH, WE, UH, CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE OUR CANDIDATES BECAUSE IT'S NOT EASY TO BE A CANDIDATE EITHER, AND IT'S A HUGE PROCESS.
I HOPE ALL OF YOU HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE AN INFORMATIVE, HELPFUL MEETING TONIGHT.
THAT IS THE TIME WHEN WE NEED TO, UM, UH, SHUT OFF OUR PROGRAM.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.