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MORNING EVERYONE.[9:00 AM - ROLL CALL]
IT IS 9:04 AM ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6TH, 2022.I AM MAYOR PRO DE TAM, DAVE MARTIN, AND I'M CALLING THIS CONSOLIDATED MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER.
FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS WILL BE THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS.
ACTUALLY, WE'VE SWITCHED COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES.
UM, I HAVE TODAY WITH ME A VERY SPECIAL FRIEND OF MINE, A MINISTER NIKKI, A KAISER NIKKI, COME ON UP HERE, PLEASE, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
NIKKI BELIEVES IN THE WORD OF GOD.
SHE'S BELIEVES IN THE WORD OF GOD AND THE VALUES OF GOOD, OF A GOOD CHRISTIAN LIFE, AND I CAN ATTEST TO THAT.
SHE IS THE FOUNDER OF SIMPLY HER MINISTRIES, A MINISTRY THAT HELP BUILDS PEOPLE AND SERVES THROUGH SPIRITUAL OUTREACH TO THE NORTHEAST COMMUNITIES.
EMPOWERING THE MIND TO GROW IN THE THINGS OF GOD, THOUGH GOD'S, UH, THROUGH GOD'S GUIDANCE AND PURPOSEFULLY WORKING IN HER COMMUNITY ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF HOUSTON, UH, NIKKI IS A PROUD RESIDENT OF DISTRICT B.
UH, SHE ADVOCATES SERVING, WORKING, AND VOLUNTEERING IN THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF NONPROFIT SERVICE.
SHE'S THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SIMPLY HER HELPING, BY THE WAY, HER MEANS HELPING EMPOWERMENT AND RESTORATION MOVEMENT.
SIMPLY, HER MOVEMENT IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO THE EMPOWERMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF UNDERPRIVILEGED COMMUNITIES, BOTH DOMESTICALLY AND ABROAD.
NIKKI HAS BEEN A PILLAR IN HER OWN COMMUNITY AND HER SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
SHE SERVES TEACHING, SERVING, AND LEARNING SIMPLY HER MOVING, UH, SIMPLY HER MOVING COMMUNITIES BY EMPOWERING, ENRICHING INDIVIDUAL LIVES.
AND WITH THAT, I INTRODUCE NIKKI KAISER, MINISTER, I'M SORRY, MINISTER NIKKI KAISER
IT'S ALL YOUR, OH, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
WE ARE SO PROUD TO BE HERE ON BEHALF OF SIMPLY HER MOVEMENT MINISTRIES.
WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR WHAT YOU DO HERE.
WE DO NOT TAKE LIGHTLY YOUR POSITION, AND WE THANK YOU AGAIN FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THIS IS THE DAY THAT YOU HAVE MADE GOD, WE SHALL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT.
GOD, I THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
GOD, I THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO BE BEFORE THE PEOPLE.
GOD, I THANK YOU, LORD FOR EACH AND EVERY PERSON GOD THAT IS PRESENT IN THIS SPACE.
AND WHO WITH US VIRTUALLY, GOD.
GOD, I ASK RIGHT NOW THAT EVERYTHING GOD LINES UP, ALL AGENDAS ARE MET GOD, AND EVERYTHING IS IN YOUR PERFECT WILL AND IN YOUR WAY.
GOD, I ASK RIGHT NOW THAT YOU GIVE US GRACE AND MERCY AS WE GO THROUGH OUR DAY.
AND WE TRUST YOU, GOD, WE BELIEVE, AND WE STAND ON YOUR PROMISES.
GOD FORGIVE US OF SIN, SHORTCOMINGS, ANYTHING WE'VE DONE THAT IS NOT OF YOU, GOD.
KEEP US SAFE AS WE TRAVEL THROUGH OUR DAY AND HELP US, GOD AND LORD JESUS, RESTORE OUR LIVES AND GIVE US WHAT WE NEED.
IN JESUS NAME, WE PRAY AND WE ASK.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THROUGH THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN WITH LIBERTY, JUSTICE.
OKAY, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE.
COUNCILMAN CAMAN WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCILMAN CISNEROS WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCILMAN CASTEX TATUM? HERE.
WE NEED A MOTION TO DELAY THE MINUTES.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION GRANTED.
JUST A FEW QUICK REMINDERS TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS BEFORE WE ADJOURN.
AS THIS IS A CONSOLIDATED SESSION, PUBLIC SESSION WILL HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS MEETING.
I WILL ANNOUNCE WHEN WE MOVE TO PUBLIC SESSION, AND WE'LL DO THAT AS CLOSE TO NINE 30 AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT LATE DEPENDING ON THE, UH, MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT AND SOME OF THE ITEMS. IN ORDER TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A PUBLIC SPEAKER, YOU HAD TO SIGN UP WITH THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE BY 3:00 PM YESTERDAY.
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.
IF YOU ARE CALLING IN, PRESS STAR SIX
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TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.IF YOU ARE APPEARING ON CAMERA, PLEASE CLICK THE MICROPHONE ICON AND THE CAMERA ICON.
YOU'LL THEN HAVE ONE, TWO, OR THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK, AND YOUR TIME WILL RING.
WHEN THE TIME IS UP, THE BELL WILL RING.
AND ONCE THAT BELL RINGS, YOU MUST STOP SPEAKING.
YOU MAY ONLY SPEAK WHEN RECOGNIZED.
PLEASE NOTE THAT WHEN YOU SPEAK DURING THE MEETING AND I HAVE NOT RECOGNIZED YOU, WE WILL MUTE YOU.
WE WILL NOT HIT THAT BELL LIKE WE JUST HEARD,
AND IF YOU SPEAK AGAIN, WE WILL REMOVE YOU FROM THE MEETING.
[
REPORT FROM CITY CONTROLLER AND THE CITY ADMINISTRATION REGARDING THE CURRENT FINANCIAL STATUS OF THE CITY including but not limited to, a revenue, expenditure and encumbrance report for the General Fund, all special revenue funds and all enterprise funds, and a report on the status of bond funds
]IS THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT, AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONTROLLER CHRIS BROWN AND FOR HER LAST MEETING IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL.AS MY HEART BREAKS,
HOW ARE YOU? GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING MAY 31ST IN THE GENERAL FUND, THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS PROJECTING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF 316 MILLION FOR FY 22.
THIS IS 9.5 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PROJECTION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
THE DIFFERENCE IS DUE TO A 9.5 MILLION OR LOWER REVENUE PROJECTION THAN FINANCE.
BASED ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTION, THE FUND BALANCE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 148.8 MILLION ABOVE THE CITY'S TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% IN RESERVES.
OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS INCREASED BY APPROXIMATELY 500,000 FROM THE APRIL, 2022 REPORT, AND THAT WAS DUE TO THE FOLLOWING.
UH, PROJECTIONS FOR INTEREST INCOME FOR THE FISCAL YEAR HAD BEEN INCREASED BY 500,000, AND THAT'S DUE TO HIGHER, UH, INTEREST RATES PROJECTED TOTAL EXPENDITURES AND OTHER USES WERE UNCHANGED FROM THE APRIL REPORT, UH, WHICH STOOD AT 2.64 BILLION AS OF MAY, 2022.
UH, HOWEVER, PROJECTED TOTAL EXPENDITURES AND OTHER USES AS OF MAY, 2022, EXCEEDED THE ADOPTED BUDGET BY APPROXIMATELY 33.3 MILLION.
UH, AS OF MAY, 2022, OUR PROJECTION OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH REMAIN UNCHAIN UNCHANGED IN ALL OF OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
UH, SO I'LL MOVE ON TO OUR COMMERCIAL PAPER AND BONDS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT ALL OF OUR VARIABLE RATE DEBT, IT IS WELL BELOW THE 20% THRESHOLD.
THANK YOU, CONTROLLER, DIRECTOR EMO THANK YOU.
THIS IS THE 11 PLUS ONE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING MAY 31ST, 2022.
THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON 11 MONTHS OF ACTUAL RESULTS AND ONE MONTH OF PROJECTION.
SO WE ONLY HAVE ONE MORE MONTH FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
FOR THE GENERAL FINAL REVENUE PROJECTION IS 92 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND FRONT END 14,000 HIGHER THAN LAST MONTH'S REPORT.
THE VARIANCE FROM LAST MONTH'S REPORT IS MAINLY DUE TO THE 414,000 INCREASE IN THE INTEREST TO REFLECT THE HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED CASH RECEIPTS.
ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, OUR EXPENDITURES PROJECTION IS 33.3 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND REMAINS UNCHANGE FROM LAST MONTH'S REPORT.
WITH THAT, WE ARE CURRENTLY PROJECTING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF THREE 26 MILLION, WHICH IS 58.8 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, AND 14.6% OF THE ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY SU GO.
THIS FUND BALANCE IS 158.8 MILLION ABOVE THE TARGETED 7.5% OF THE EXPENDITURES.
LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO.
NO CHANGES ON THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS FROM LAST MONTH'S REPORT.
AT THIS POINT, THE ONLY CHANGES WE HAVE IS ON THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS ASSET FOR FUTURE FUNDS.
REVENUES INCREASED BY 1.2 MILLION.
THIS IS DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED CONFISCATIONS AND PARK SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, WHETHER REVENUES INCREASED BY 459,000.
THIS IS MAINLY DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED TREE REMOVAL PERMITS AND CONCESSIONS, IF I MAY.
SO THIS IS AS THIS IS, UH, MY LAST REPORT ON THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL FINANCIAL REPORTS AT THE CITY COUNCIL.
I DO WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, TO THANK THE MAYOR, UH, THANK CITY COUN, CITY CONTROLLERS, AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR, FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE, UH, FOR MY CAREER IN THE CITIES.
IT HAS BEEN MY PLEASURE AND AN HONOR TO SERVE THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND WORK UNDER SUCH AN AMAZING LEADERSHIP AS WELL.
AND I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF MY FINANCE TEAM, UH, FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND, AND LEAD ME TO THIS, UM, UH, POSITIONS WHERE I AM TODAY.
SO I'M, I'M VERY MUCH GRATEFUL AND FOR THAT, I'M BLESSED.
UH, WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR EMO, COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX.
YOU KNOW, OUR LITTLE, UH, DISCUSSIONS BACK AND FORTH WERE SPIRITED ON,
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ON OCCASION, UH, BUT YOU ALWAYS HAD SOME GOOD ANSWERS AND NEVER SHIED AWAY FROM TELLING ME WHAT I NEEDED TO KNOW.I WILL DEFINITELY MISS THAT TOO.
WELL, WE'LL, MAYBE WE'LL HAVE A LUNCH OR SOMETHING.
WE'LL DO, UM, UH, MY QUESTION ACTUALLY IS FOR THE CON CONTROLLER.
UM, I NOTICED THAT WE ARE SPENT, UH, EVIDENTLY 33 MILLION MORE THAN WE BROUGHT IN FOR THE YEAR 2022.
A LOT OF THAT WAS COVERED AS YOU KNOW, BY, UH, THE ARPA MONEY THAT, THAT CAME THROUGH.
AND, UH, WE'RE DID IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.
UM, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T REMEMBER, I VOTED AGAINST THE BUDGET FOR THAT REASON, THAT WE'RE, UH, SPENDING MORE THAN WE BRING IN EVERY YEAR.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU GIVE US SOME PREDICTIONS OF WHAT THE CITY'S GONNA FACE, UM, POST ARPA MONEY? IN OTHER WORDS, WE'VE, WE'VE GIVEN PAY RAISES.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF LONG-TERM COMMITMENTS USING THE ARPA MONEY, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOME WAY TO PAY FOR THAT IN THE YEAR 25, FOR EXAMPLE.
I THINK WE'RE COVERED THROUGH 24, BUT, UM, CAN YOU JUST DESCRIBE TO US WHAT THE FINANCIAL CONDITIONS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN 25 AND BEYOND? WELL, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE QUESTION.
WE, WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF THIS DISCUSSION YESTERDAY AT THE BUDGET AND OFFICIAL FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
UH, REALLY, UH, IT CENTERED AROUND, UH, ARPA BEING A ONETIME FINANCING SOURCE.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY A GRANT, UM, AND THE CHALLENGE OF USING A ONE-TIME FINANCING SOURCE TO FUND RECURRING EXPENDITURES.
AND, UH, WHAT WE'VE SEEN, UH, TO THIS POINT, A LARGE PORTION OF THAT ARPA MONEY, ONE-TIME FINANCING SOURCE HAS GONE TOWARDS FUNDING RECURRING EXPENDITURES OF THE FUTURE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? UH, IN FY 25 OR CALENDAR YEAR 25, FY 26? UM, YOU KNOW, A LARGE PORTION OF THE RECURRING EXPENDITURES ARE IN SALARY INCREASES, AND I THINK BASED ON THE ADMINISTRATION'S ESTIMATES, UH, FOR THOSE, UH, ROUGHLY $150 MILLION OF INCREASED, UH, EXPENDITURES, UH, IN THAT CATEGORY ALONE.
UM, SO ABSENT OF FINDING A RECURRING REVENUE SOURCE, AND IT MAY BE THAT, UH, THE PRICE OF OIL OR, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER UNFORESEEN, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, BENEFIT TO THE CITY.
UM, BUT, BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A CHALLENGE TO GET AN ADDITIONAL 150 MILLION.
UM, SO YOU ALSO LOOK AT THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, UH, WE DID $160 MILLION OF ARPA MONEY TO COVER THE BUDGET SHORTFALL.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ADD THOSE TOGETHER AND YOU NORMALIZE THE SALES TAX AND, AND OTHER REVENUES, YOU KNOW, I I, I THINK OUR ESTIMATES, IT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 250 AND $300 MILLION, UH, FOR FY 26 DEFICIT.
NOW, AGAIN, WE COULD SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, $150 OIL FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, COULD REALLY BE BOOM TIME AND, AND THAT COULD HELP OFFSET THAT.
BUT I STILL THINK IT'S GONNA BE, UH, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE, I'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, FOR THOSE OF Y'ALL THAT FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AT CONFERENCES, WHETHER IT'S GFOA OR NLC THAT I'VE SPOKEN AT, YOU KNOW, THE FISCAL CLIFF AND, AND HOUSTON IS NOT UNIQUE, BUT THE FISCAL CLIFF THAT CITIES ARE FACING, UH, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, BURNOFF OF ARPA FEDERAL FUNDS AND THE OVERALL, UH, DOWNTURN IN THE ECONOMY, WE'VE SEEN QUITE A, A BOOM, UM, AS A RESULT OF $6 TRILLION OF FEDERAL MONEY THAT'S BEEN PUMPED INTO THE ECONOMY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ECONOMISTS NOW ARE, ARE WARNING ABOUT RECESSION.
AND SO ALL THESE THINGS MIGHT HIT AT THE SAME TIME.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AS A RESULT, I, I THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL BUDGET DEFICIT, UM, IN CALENDAR YEAR 25.
I APPRECIATE THAT COUNCIL, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, BY THE WAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KUBOSH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, DIRECTOR EMO, UM, APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
UH, I'M GONNA VOTE FOR YOUR REPORT TODAY,
SO, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH,
I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, YOUR, THE FUTURE.
IT'S ALSO GOOD TO SEE, UH, CHRIS, UH, CHRIS NEWPORT HERE, OUR FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF YEARS AGO.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, JUST BECAUSE WE DISAGREE ON THINGS DON'T MEAN WE DON'T MEAN WE DON'T, UH, CARE FOR EACH OTHER OR ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE.
AND I THINK WE ALL ARE FIGHTING THE SAME BATTLE.
WE WANT TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND, UH, I HAVE, UH, A BIG INVESTMENT IN HOUSTON WITH, UH, FIVE CHILDREN AND 20 GRANDCHILDREN, AND FOUR GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.
ALL BUT ABOUT FIVE OF 'EM LIVE HERE IN HOUSTON.
SO IT, IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE BEST IF THE CITY OF HOUSTON WAS SAFE AND FINANCIALLY SOUND BECAUSE, UH, THAT'S WHERE MY FAMILY IS.
AND SO I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I FIRST MET YOU, AS I SAID YESTERDAY, IN DECEMBER OF, UH, 2013 WHEN WE WERE ALL AT THE GRB AND WE HAD THE BOOTCAMP, AND, AND I REMEMBER, UH, KELLY DOW AND, AND SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME AND GONE OVER THE LAST, UH, EIGHT YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN
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IN OFFICE.BUT WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND YOURS AS WELL, UH, CONTROLLER BROWN.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT SAYING GOODBYE TO YOU YET.
COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PROTI, DIRECTOR EMO CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW SEASON.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
UH, OFTENTIMES PUBLIC OFFICIALS, WE RECEIVE A LOT OF THE ATTENTION REGARDING THE CITY'S FINANCES.
AND NATURALLY, OF COURSE, UM, WE GET THE, UH, PAT ON THE BACK WHEN THINGS ARE GREAT, AND WE ALSO GET THE PUNCH IN THE STOMACH WHEN THINGS ARE NOT.
UM, BUT I, I JUST, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR HOUSTONIANS TO KNOW AND FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A WHOLE TEAM OF FOLKS CARRYING, UM, A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FINANCES OF THE CITY.
AND THANK YOU FOR ASSISTING US NAVIGATING THROUGH COVID-19, UM, CH EVER CHANGING REGULATIONS, DESIGNATING FUNDS, UM, AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE, UH, FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT, UH, AND YOUR WORK.
AND SO CONGRATULATIONS INTO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, AND INTO THE INTERIM DIRECTOR, UM, THAT WE KNOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND, AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM, MARTHA TEX TATUM, DIRECTOR EMO, I COULDN'T LET YOU LEAVE WITHOUT TELLING YOU THANK YOU IN PUBLIC.
I KNOW WE HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION WHERE I SHARED HOW VALUABLE YOU HAVE BEEN, UM, TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TO EACH ONE OF US WHO REPRESENTS THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
BUT I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT EVERY MONTH WHEN YOU SIT HERE AND YOU SMILE EVEN IN THE FACE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, CRITICISM AND THE TOUGH DECISIONS AND ALL THAT COMES WITH YOUR POSITION, THAT YOU HAVE DONE A STELLAR JOB.
AND WE ARE VERY PROUD TO HAVE WORKED ALONGSIDE YOU.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR DEDICATED EFFORTS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN YOUR NEXT POSITION.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PORT TIM, I, I DON'T SAY VERY MUCH IN THE BUDGET MEETINGS, BUT CERTAINLY I SIT HERE WITH THE CONFIDENCE IN YOU AND THE WORDS AND THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE PUT OUT THERE.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU PERSONALLY.
YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN, YOU KNOW, WE CAME IN AND MOST OF US DIDN'T KNOW, UH, WHERE THE RESTROOM WAS ACTUALLY, BUT YOU GAVE US SO MUCH CONFIDENCE IN THE WAY THAT YOU PROJECTED, UH, WHAT WAS GOING ON FINANCIALLY FOR THE CITY.
AND SO I CERTAINLY WISH YOU THE BEST, UH, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE HAD THE BEST IN YOU.
SO, DIRECTOR EMO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS, UH, SOMEONE'S, WHEN THEY LEAVE AN ORGANIZATION TO LEAVE IT BETTER THAN WHEN THEY, UH, FIRST CAME INTO IT, AND YOU WERE INDEED DOING THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH MENTIONS 2013 WHEN WE HAD THAT MEETING ABOUT FISCAL CHALLENGES THAT WE HAD.
AND WE REALIZED AT THAT POINT WITH MAYOR TURNER COMING ON BOARD THAT WE NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING ON REFORMS RELATED TO PENSION AND RELATED TO OPEP, WHICH WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
AND, UH, I WOULD ARGUE THAT IT'S NOT A FISCAL CLIFF.
I THINK EVERY CITY GOES THROUGH THE SAME THING.
I THINK EVERY BIT OF GOVERNMENT, IF YOU LOOK AT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, STATE OF TEXAS, THEY ALL HAD AN INFUSION OF FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT CAME TO THEM.
AND WHAT THEY DID WITH IT WAS, IT WITH, IT WAS A LOT DIFFERENT FROM ENTITY TO ENTITY.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU COULD BE MOST PROUD OF IS YOUR WORK ON THE PENSION REFORM THAT WE PASSED IN 2017.
AND THAT WAS ASTRONOMICAL TOWARDS GETTING US AWAY FROM THAT FISCAL CLIFF AND REALLY LOOKING AT IT WHERE WE'RE SITTING HERE WITH $316 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS 148 OVER WHAT IS REQUIRED.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOOK BACK ON, I KNEW THIS WAS GONNA BE YOUR LAST MEETING, BUT SOME OF THE PROJECTIONS YOU MADE IN THE, IN YOUR OFFICE MADE, UM, WHEN WE SAW COVID AT ITS WORST, AND THAT WAS PROBABLY THIRD QUARTER OF LAST YEAR, FOURTH QUARTER OF LAST YEAR, UM, YOUR PROJECTIONS ON THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS TO OUR REVENUE STREAM, SALES TAX, AND APPRAISAL VALUE WITH HOME TAXES WERE PRETTY SPOT ON.
AND, UH, YOU DID A GREAT JOB OF ANALYZING IT ALONG WITH YOUR TEAM.
AND I THINK WE'RE IN THIS POSITION TODAY BETTER THAN WE WERE ANYTIME IN MY NINE AND A HALF YEARS SERVING ON CITY COUNCIL.
I KNOW YOU'LL HAVE A, UH, GREAT OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT OF YOU WORKING WITH OUR FIRM OR COHORT, AND I KNOW WE'LL BE IN GOOD HANDS WITH WILL AND MELISSA RUNNING THE SHIP, ESPECIALLY WILL, MY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.
I'VE ALWAYS ADMIRED WILL'S TENACITY.
I'VE ALWAYS ADMIRED HIS INTELLECT WHEN IT COMES TO FINANCES.
AND, UH, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE.
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YOU DID A GREAT JOB OF BALANCING BEING A MOTHER TO YOUR CHILDREN AND BEING A GOOD, UH, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.AND I'VE ALWAYS ADMIRED YOU FOR THAT.
UM, IF I CAN, LASTLY, IF I CAN ADD, SO WE, WE DO TOOK, TAKE PRIDE OF WHAT WE DO IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, AND, AND I DO WANNA THANK WILL JONES FOR STEPPING UP AS AN INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR FINANCE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
AND I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE MELISSA DSKY A REFRESH SHEET WHO SOMETIMES YOU DON'T SEE IT, BUT HE'S THE ONE WHO MAKES SURE THAT THOSE DISASTER RECOVERY HAPPENED.
UH, THE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE GOT PAID, INVOICES GOT PAID, AND RECEIVABLE IS DONE.
THE ACCOUNTING IS DONE, UH, AS, AND THE PROCUREMENT AS WELL.
UM, NOW WE WILL HAVE JI GREENFIELD TO BE THIS CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER.
SO I DO, I DO WISH THEM THE BEST OF LUCK.
AND I DO, I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN GOOD HANDS, YOU ARE INCAPABLE HANDS.
UH, WE HAVE DONE, I THINK TO YOUR POINT, WE HAD DONE THE, UH, FIVE YEAR PRESENTATIONS A WHILE AGO TO SHOW WHAT IS GONNA BE LOOKING LIKE FOR THE CHALLENGES LIES AHEAD WITHOUT ARPA MONEY.
UM, SO THAT IS PART OF OUR STRATEGY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO, UM, KEEP SOME FUND BALANCE AND BE STRATEGIC ABOUT IT TO FACE WHAT'S CHALLENGES COMING AHEAD IN FISCAL YEAR 2025.
UM, SO WE HAVE THOSE IN MIND TO PREPARE THE CITIES MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK, UH, I THINK WHAT WE HAVE IN HERE HAS TREMENDOUSLY WORKED VERY WELL.
UH, THE GOVERNMENT WORKS WITH THE BODIES THAT WE HAVE FROM THE MAYOR, THE COUNCIL CONTROLLERS, THE ADMINISTRATIONS.
I THINK THE, THE, THE SYNERGY, THE, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, AGREEMENT, DISAGREE OR DISAGREE OR DISAGREE, I THINK THE DISCUSSION WE HAVE IS VERY HEALTHY.
SO I DO, UM, THANK YOU AND, AND WISH THE THE CITIES THE BEST.
I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT AS PRESENTED MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED FOR THE LAST TIME DIRECTED EMAIL.
UH, I, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, THANK THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR PUSHING TO GET THESE, UH, UH, THESE NEW CURTAINS IN.
IF YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED, THEY'RE TURNED THE WRONG WAY.
AND THAT'S WHY THE SUN IS ON YOU FOLKS OVER THERE.
THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO TURN 'EM THE OTHER WAY.
PERHAPS SOMEBODY WILL, UH, DO THAT FOR US SO THAT THE SUN DOESN'T COME IN ON THE, ON THE PEOPLE SITTING HERE.
GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, COUNCIL MEMBER, MAYOR.
WELL, THANKS TO CJ MESSIAH, WALTER HAMBRICK AND ALL THE FOLKS THAT, THAT DID THAT.
AND, UH, WE ALL NEED A LITTLE BIT OF RAY OF SUNSHINE IN OUR LIVES, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S LEFT OPEN.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX.
THANK YOU, UH, TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER KUBA.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA FOR THE SUN TO SHINE ON, ON POLITICS AND WHAT'S GOING ON.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
WE'RE GONNA GO A LITTLE BIT, UH, OFF PACE, UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE UP, UH, AGENDA ITEMS ONE AND TWO FIRST, UH, AND THOSE ARE OUR APPOINTMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THE MEAT OF THE SCHEDULE AS WELL AS PUBLIC SESSION.SO, MADAM SECRETARY, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL ITEMS NUMBER ONE AND ITEM NUMBER TWO, ITEMS NUMBER ONE AND TWO, JUST NEED A MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
WE HAVE JUST APPOINTED A FEW FOLKS TO THE BOARD OF JUROR 12.
I SEE ONE OF OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES, MR. CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT.
PLEASE COME FORWARD WHEN WE CALL YOUR NAME, POSITION NUMBER ONE, POSITION NUMBER TWO, ELIJAH WILLIAMS, POSITION NUMBER THREE, CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT.
AND POSITION NUMBER FOUR, WILLIAM HADDOCK.
CHRIS, MR. NEWPORT, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
I KNOW YOU DO A FANTASTIC JOB.
I'M DISAPPOINTED NOT TO SEE YOUR BEAUTIFUL SON HERE.
I SAW YOU AT THE GAME ON THURSDAY CHEERING THE ASTROS ON.
WE'RE AT WHAT, NINE IN A ROW NOW? SO ALL'S WELL IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I APPRECIATE, UM, APPRECIATE THE PRIVILEGE TO CONTINUE MY SERVICE.
THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR, HIS TEAM, COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN, THE REST OF CITY COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE A PART OF THE TEAM.
HAVE A GREAT MEETING COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
THANK YOU CHRIS NEWPORT FOR YOUR SERVICE, CONTINUED SERVICE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
HE DOES NOT HAVE HIS BEAUTIFUL SON HERE, MAYOR PRO TEM, BUT HE DOES HAVE HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE, ALLISON HERE.
THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, FOR YOUR
[00:25:01]
SCHOOLS, YOUR COMMUNITY, AND FOR THE CITY.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SERVING ON THIS TOURS.
I ONLY HAVE A TINY, TINY SECTION OF THIS TOURS, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU AND THE REST OF THE BOARD IS DOING.
COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KOSH, A QUALITY PICK, HAVING OUR FORMER, UH, CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, SERVING IN THIS CAPACITY.
AND ALL I WANT TO SAY TO YOU IS JUST KEEP SMILING.
AND, AND I'LL SAY CHRIS, 'CAUSE WE'RE ON THAT FIRST NAME BASIS.
I'VE ALWAYS APPRECIATED WORKING WITH YOU WHEN YOU WERE HERE AT THE CITY AND, UM, I ALWAYS APPRECIATE WORKING WITH YOUR BROTHER.
I TELL YOU THAT ALL THE TIME, THAT HE'S ONE OF THE FINEST MEN I'VE EVER MET IN MY LIFE.
UH, SO THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE AND I KNOW YOU'RE BUILT OUT OF THE SAME CORE.
SO, UH, THE NEWPORT BOYS ARE ALWAYS IN GOOD LIGHT WITH ME BECAUSE THEY DO SUCH A GREAT JOB AND THEY REFLECT PROFESSIONALISM IN EVERYTHING THEY DO.
SO THANK YOU FOR SERVING AND THANK YOU TO YOUR LOVELY WIFE AS WELL AS YOUR FAMILY.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM, JUST LASTLY, UH, IT IS TO THE BENEFIT OF CITY COUNCIL THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS NEWPORT, YOU GET THE BETTER NEWPORT, UM, MOST, MOST OF THE TIME.
[9:30 AM - PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
NINE 30 AND WHEN WE, WE WILL MOVE INTO PUBLIC SE UH, PUBLIC SESSION.SO MADAM SECRETARY, JUST A REMINDER TO KEEP YOURSELVES MUTED UNTIL YOUR NAME IS CALLED BY THE CITY SECRETARY.
ARE THERE ANY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? SEEING NONE, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER, FLORIDA TAYLOR.
MUTE ALL VIRTUAL SPEAKERS, FLORIDA TAYLOR.
NEXT SPEAKER TAWANA BRYANT, TO TAWANA BRYANT.
GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, AS USUAL ABOUT DISTRICT A WEST BRANCH, INWOOD AND MAINY CREEK, BRENDA STAREK AND DWAYNE BOAK, AS WELL AS TED POE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT FRAUD IN THESE HOAS, I'VE TURNED IT INTO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TO ALL STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, I HAVE ASKED FOR HELP FROM HPD AND HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A PHONE CALL.
UM, AS DONALD J. TRUMP SAYS, WHEN YOU FIND FRAUD, YOU CAN PLAY UNDER DIFFERENT RULES.
MS. PECK, YOU HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THESE ISSUES IN WEST BRANCH.
I HAVE CONTACTED HUD MYSELF, UH, AND, AND WHEN PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR HOMES TO ATTACK AND FOR LESS THAN VALUE, I THINK IT'S TIME FOR EVERYONE TO STAND UP TO THE PLATE.
AND THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE HAS KNOWN IT.
I FINALLY GOT IN FRONT OF ROYCE WEST, BUT I CAN'T GET JOHN WHITMEYER TO EVEN TALK TO ME ABOUT THE MATTER.
I AM CRAZY JOHN WHITMEYER BECAUSE I WAS DENIED DUE PROCESS AND MY HOME WAS STOLEN OVER AN 800 FRAUDULENT FEE.
I NEED HELP FROM THE OCC WHO DENIED FRAUD BY PNC BANK.
SO YES, I'M UPSET EVERY TIME I SEE PNC PRETENDING LIKE THEY'RE DOING WONDERFUL THINGS WHEN THEY DIDN'T ACCEPT MY MONEY AND CHOSE TO FORECLOSE A SECOND TIME.
I THINK EVERYONE HAS MY NUMBER.
AND THANK YOU MS. SILVA FOR SPEAKING TODAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS MANY TIMES AND THE ADVICE THAT I CONTINUE TO GIVE YOU IS TO, UM, WORK WITH A PRIVATE ATTORNEY ON THIS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE'S ANY ASPECT THAT THE CITY CAN OVERSEE, UM, AS IT IS BETWEEN THE HOA AND THE HOMEOWNERS IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO, UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT CITY LEGAL HAS LOOKED AT IT AS WELL, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOTHING, UM, THAT THE CITY CAN DO.
BUT I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME FLOODING ISSUES THAT OUR OFFICE IS WORKING WITH YOU ON.
SO I DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE CONTACTING US ABOUT THAT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER PICK, I SEE YOU AS A STRONG AND VIGILANT ADVOCATE FOR THE AREA THAT YOU REPRESENT, SO THANK YOU.
[00:30:01]
YES, SIR.GOOD MORNING, MR. RE GOTCHA YOUR TIME.
I HAD AN ELEVATION GRANT 2016.
SINCE THEN, THE CONTRACT THAT MADE DAMAGE TO MY HOUSE, I TRIED GETTING MR. RAM, MR. GREENFIELD, MR. LANKY TO LOOK INTO IT, CONTACT ME WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT SO I CAN VOICE MY ISSUE.
I'VE SENT THEM ALL THE DOCUMENTATIONS MUCH MORE THAN I'M GIVING Y'ALL TODAY.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT IT, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE CONTRACTOR 27 SECONDS INTO THE VIDEO WHERE IT WAS RAISED UP AND THE SLAB WAS NOT CUT.
IF YOU LOOK AT LIKE THE PAGE FIVE ON THE, UH, CONTRACT FOR HIS, THE PROTOCOL, UH, SCOPE OF WORK, IT SHOWS WHERE HE IS CHARGED TO CUT THE BEAM IN MY GARAGE BEFORE LIFTING.
BUT HE ACTUALLY LIFT UP ON THE HOUSE BEFORE BROKE THE SLAB, LEFT MY KITCHEN SLOPE, AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE VIDEO, 27 SECONDS IN HOW HIGH THE HOUSE WAS.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THREE MINUTES LATER, THE SLABS, THE BEAM WAS STILL NOT CUT, IT'S ABOUT A 14 TO 16 INCH BEAM THAT THEY DID NOT CUT.
THEY PICKED UP ON THE HOUSE AND THEY BROKE THE SLAB.
AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS ISSUE DONE.
I EVEN HAD A MEETING WITH, UH, MR. SOLANKI, SAMIR, SAMIR SOLANKI, MR. GREENFIELD AND MR. RAM IN 23RD, WHICH I ATTACHED THAT TO IT AS WELL.
AND SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD NO CORRESPONDENCE.
I'VE ASKED FOR CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, CORRESPONDENCE WITH TEXAS WATERBOARD, NO CORRESPONDENCE.
AND THEN I RECEIVED A LETTER LAST WEEK WHERE HE WENT TO SOMEONE IN MS. HADDOCK'S OFFICE AND IT'S, YOU SEE THE LETTER WHEN IT WAS POSTMARKED AND HIS COMMENTS, YOU EVEN SEE IN WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY.
NOW THERE'S LIKE 150 BUCKS TO PUT THREE WALLS OF BAMBOO AND THEIR TWO CAR GARAGE BACK UP.
THEN THERE'S MANY THINGS ON THE LIST THAT I HAVE A TREAD OF EMAILS WITH THEM THAT SCOPE OUT A LOT OF OTHER THINGS BESIDES THAT.
AND I HAVE THAT EMAIL TRAIL LEADING UP TO THE 23RD.
AND THEY'RE JUST CONTINUING NOT TO DO ANYTHING IN THE FLOOD MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
THEY WILL NOT GIMME ANY CORRESPONDENCE.
UM, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT VIDEO.
UH, ACCORDING TO MY NOTES, UH, YOU WERE USING THE FLOOD MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM TO, THROUGH AN ELEVATOR ELEVATION CONTRACTOR P THREE ELEVATION.
AND, AND IT'S YOUR, YOU ASCERTAINED THAT THEY CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE PRIMARILY IN YOUR KITCHEN.
UM, P THREE ELEVATION THEN REVIEWED YOUR CONCERNS AND FOUND THAT THE HOUSE MET ALL CODE REQUIREMENTS AND HAS SATISFIED THE GRANT AND INFORMED YOU THAT ANY ADDITIONAL ELEVATION WORK COULD RESULT IN POSSIBLE DAMAGE, ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR HOME.
SO P THREE ELEVATION COMMUNICATED THIS EXPLAINING THEIR REVIEW OF YOUR CONCERNS AND DETERMINED AT THAT TIME THERE WAS NO FURTHER CONSTRUCTION WORK REQUIRED.
IF, JUST IN READING THESE NOTES, IT SOUNDED LIKE THIS MAY EVOLVE INTO A LEGAL ISSUE BETWEEN YOU AND P THREE, UM, AS IT RELATES TO SOME CONTRACT WORK THAT YOU HAD DONE.
SO, BUT THE SCOPE OF, I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT THE SCOPE OF WORK AND THE CONTRACT WHERE THEY SUPPOSED TO CUT THE THEY DID NOT.
AND THE CITY MANAGE THE PROGRAM.
SO IT'S THE CITY MANAGEMENT AND IN THE MANAGEMENT THEY HAVE MY BEST INTEREST AT HAND AND THEY HAVE A BOND ON THE JOB.
SO THEY SHOULD, CITY SHOULD REACH OUT CLOSE.
THEY BOND, TAKE THE BOND, MAKE THE REPAIRS TO MY HOME, WHICH I HAVE ASKED SEVERAL TIMES.
THEY REFUSE TO DO THE WORK, THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE BOND.
AND I HAVE VOICEMAILS, I HAVE VIDEO, EVERYTHING TO SHOW THE CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY DAMAGED MY HOUSE.
IF YOU LOOK IN THE VIDEO, YOU SEE THE SCOPE OF WORK SAYS CUT THE SLAB.
AND YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE OF THE VIDEO RIGHT THERE, IT'S RAISING THE HOUSE BEFORE THE SLAB WAS CUT, SO IT WAS DAMAGED, NEGLIGENT IN THE CONTRACT.
SO THEY DID NOT GO BY THE SCOPE OF WORK IN THE CONTRACT.
AND THE CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT CAN MAKE A CHANGE WITH, THEY DID NOT FOLLOW OUT THE PROTOCOL OF THE CONTRACT WHEN YOU BREACH THE CONTRACT.
AND THAT'S BACK ON THE CITY BECAUSE THEY MANAGES THE GRANT.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN Q COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KOSH.
MAY I ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY A QUESTION, MR. MAYOR? YES, SIR.
UH, DOES THE CITY HAVE ANY, WHAT WHAT IS THE CITY'S OBLIGATION IN MATTERS LIKE THIS COUNCIL MEMBER? I'M GONNA HAVE TO REVIEW THAT AND GET BACK TO YOU IN THE FACTS OF THIS SPECIFIC CASE.
THE, UH, IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME IF YOU HAVE A LEGAL ISSUE, YOU'D WANT TO GET A LAWYER AND, AND THERE'S A LOT OF LAWYERS AROUND.
I'M SURE THAT THERE'S SOME THAT, UH, UH, IF, IF YOU'VE BEEN WRONGED OR HARMED, UH, BY THIS CONTRACTOR THAT WOULD, UH, GO AFTER THEIR
[00:35:01]
PERFORMANCE BOND.SO PER, PERHAPS IT'S NOT A CITY ISSUE AS MUCH AS IT IS THE CONTRACTOR'S ISSUE, BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING.
AND, AND WHERE CAN I SEE THIS VIDEO? AND I, I SEE STILL PICTURES HERE, RIGHT? I CAN BRING IT TO WHOEVER WANT TO SEE IT.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN I LOOK AT THE CONTRACT, IF YOU READ THE GRANT PROCESS AND THE STEPS THAT HAS TO BE TAKEN, IF YOU ALL WOULD REVIEW THE GRANT, AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO DO, BUT THEY WILL NOT PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH LEGAL.
BUT IF THEY REVIEW THE GRANT, THEY SEE IN THE GRANT THAT EACH PARTY HAS STEPS TO TAKE AND THE SCOPE OF WORK, THEY DID NOT CARRY OUT THE CONTRACT AS THE SCOPE OF WORK.
CAN YOU SEND US THIS VIDEO IN A AND A LINK, UH, TO OUR EMAILS? I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN, I CAN MEET WITH SOMEBODY AND BRING IT.
WELL TELL YOU IF YOU HAVE GRANDCHILDREN, THEY KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
NO, MY, MY GRANDKIDS CAN DO ALL KIND OF STUFF.
WELL, IF I COULD JUST MEET WITH SOMEONE IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, GIVE THEM EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE CITY SINCE THEY MANAGED THE GRANT, IF I CAN JUST GIVE IT TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE, LET THEM REVIEW IT AND COME BACK WITH ANSWER.
AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KUBACH, YOU SHOULD HAVE IN YOUR PACKET OF INFORMATION FOR TODAY'S MEETING, A JUNE 21ST, 2022 MEMO FROM HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
AND LET ME JUST READ A PORTION OF IT.
IT SAYS, PERMITTING CENTER HAS DETERMINED THAT THE STANDARD SET FORTH IN THE APPLICABLE BUILDING CODES HAS BEEN MET FOR THE SUBJECT HOME ELEVATION.
AND AS A RESULT, CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION HAS BEEN ISSUED.
SECTION 4.8 OF THE HOMEOWNER CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT FOR THE 2016 FLOOD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE HOME ELEVATION PROJECT STATES THAT THERE ARE INHERENT AND UNAVOIDABLE RISKS IN THE HOME ELEVATION PROCESS.
SO WE'LL GET WITH LEGAL AND LOOK AT THAT DOCUMENTATION AS WELL.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT AS RED, BUT AS SO IF THEY CARRY OUT THE RIGHT SCOPE OF WORK, IF YOU DO NOT CUT A BEAM AND YOU PICK UP ON A HOUSE AND IT'S STILL ATTACHED TO SOMETHING ON THE GROUND AND YOU DAMAGE IT, THEN THAT'S NEGLIGENCE.
BUT I UNDERSTAND IT'S MINIMAL RISK IF IT'S NOT LEVEL, IF IT'S MINOR CRACKS.
BUT THIS WAS DONE BY NOT CARRYING OUT THE SCOPE OF WORK IN THE CONTRACT.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, THAT WAS EXACTLY MY QUESTION.
AND THE SCOPE OF WORK IS WHAT THE CONTRACT SHOULD ABIDE BY.
AND THAT'S MANAGED BY THE CITY TEXAS WATER BOARD FUNDS.
SIR, MR. MACK, THAT, THAT WAS EXACTLY MY QUESTION.
I ALSO WAS READING THAT 4.8 ABOUT THE, UM, INHERENT AND UNAVOIDABLE RISKS AND THAT AND, AND WHAT YOUR, YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THAT WAS JUST WHETHER IT'S LEVEL KIND OF MO I MEAN, WAS THAT WHEN YOU WERE GOING THROUGH THIS, WAS THERE A DISCUSSION OF THE INHERENT AND UNAVOIDABLE RISKS? NO, BECAUSE IT WAS DAMAGED AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD CARRY OUT AND MAKE IT REPAIR.
IF THEY HAD TO CUT THE BEAM AND PICK THE HOUSE UP, IT MAY HAVE LEVEL HAD SOME CRACKS SOMEWHERE, BUT THEY DID NOT CUT A 16 INCH CONCRETE BEAM AND PICKED UP ON THE HOUSE AND YOU PICK UP ON SOMETHING WHAT IS GOING TO SNAP AND THEN THEY COULDN'T.
SO THEN IN THE VIDEO, AS YOU CAN SEE, I WILL SHOW YOU THAT THEY WENT BACK AND CUT IT.
YOU KNOW, 10, 15 MINUTES LATER THEY STILL CUTTING THE BEAM, THE BEAM THIS THICK, AND THE HOUSE IS STILL ATTACHED AND YOU HAVE IT UP.
SO THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE TO THE SLAB.
AND THAT'S NEGLIGENCE ON THEIR BEHALF.
VICE MAYOR PROM, MARTHA CAST STATE AND CITY COMES IN.
VICE MAYOR PRO, MARTHA CASTEX ON, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM.
I, I, MY QUESTION IS FOR CITY LEGAL, UM, MR. MACK IS ASKING FOR A MEETING WITH SOMEONE FROM CITY LEGAL.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO SET UP A MEETING WITH SOMEONE FROM CITY LEGAL SO HE CAN GET HIS QUESTIONS ANSWERED? I THINK IT, IT, IT'S PRUDENT IF WE ARE MANAGING A PROJECT THAT IF WE HAVE A CONSTITUENT WHO HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE PROJECT, THAT THEY AT A MINIMUM SHOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
SO IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO SET UP SOMETHING SO MR. MACK CAN SPEAK TO SOMEONE IN CITY LEGAL? ABSOLUTELY.
I HAVE MY BUSINESS CARD FOR HIM RIGHT HERE.
I DON'T THINK, UH, COUNCILOR PI, UM, DEIDRE PENNY HAS THE INFORMATION IN FRONT OF HER.
WE'LL GIVE YOU THE PACKET AS WELL.
COUNCIL MEMBER ED, MR. ED POLLARD.
AND ONE OTHER THING, MEMBER ED POLLARD IS THE SAME.
NUMERICAL FIVE NUMERICAL ONE, DWIGHT MAC FIFTY1@GMAIL.COM.
NEXT SPEAKER, ROSEMARY ALEXANDER.
ROSEMARY ALEXANDER STAR SIX TO UNMUTE FOR ALL THOSE VIRTUALLY STAR SIX.
NEXT SPEAKER, BRENDA MURSON HAWKINS.
[00:40:04]
ERICA HARRISON.CAN YOU HEAR ME RIGHT BEHIND THE MICROPHONE PLEASE? THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS JESSE MONA, KURT WRIGHT BIGGS, AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF QUARTER PLACE APARTMENTS, LOCATED AT 7 2 1 0 PLESS STREET IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX DOESN'T HAVE A SIDEWALK, SO A FEW PEOPLE HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY VEHICLES INCLUDING CHILDREN.
THE CHILDREN HAVE TO WALK FROM PEERLESS AND YELLOWSTONE TO SCHOOL ON CULLEN, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT.
PEOPLE HAVE, UM, DISABILITIES IN THAT COMPLEX.
THEY HAVE ELECTRIC SCOOTERS, AND I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT THAT AN APARTMENT BUILDING THAT THEY HAVE A SIDEWALK SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO WALK IN THE STREET FOR SAFETY.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING, THAT WHOEVER CAN TAKE CARE OF 7, 7 2, 1 0, DO WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT A SIDEWALK IS BUILT IN FRONT OF 7 2, 1 0 PEERLESS APARTMENT COMPLEX, PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES AND CHILDREN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR SIDEWALKS, UM, IN ALL AREAS OF HOUSTON.
AND I'M, I'M ADVOCATING THAT WE LOOK AT, AT MORE PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN SIDEWALK INFRASTRUCTURE, LOOKING AT OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE USED IN SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES TO BUILD SIDEWALKS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND, AND, UM, KEEP, UH, THERE, WE HAVE THREE PROGRAMS AT THE CITY THROUGH WHICH YOU CAN APPLY FOR SIDEWALK FUNDS.
UM, YOUR, YOUR AREA MIGHT MEET ONE OF THOSE CRITERIA, AND I THINK YOUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER PROBABLY HAS MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU ON THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR COMING FORWARD.
UH, UH, JUST A QUICK QUESTION, HOW FAR ARE YOU FROM A SCHOOL? I'LL LOOK AT ALL THE, I HAVE INFORMATION RIGHT NOW, UH, UH, MS. SHABAZZ, UH, EVAN SHABAZZ, BUT I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU LATER TODAY.
WELL ACTUALLY I'LL GET STEVEN IN MY OFFICE, MY CONSTITUENTS DIRECTOR, TO REACH OUT TO YOU TO HELP YOU NAVIGATE THROUGH ANY OF THE SIDEWALK PROGRAMS THAT ARE APPLICABLE.
I DO KNOW THAT IF YOU'RE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A SCHOOL THAT THAT'S A POSSIBILITY AS WELL, BUT CERTAINLY THOSE WITH DISABILITIES SHOULD HAVE PRESIDENTS AS WELL.
SO STEVEN WILL GIVE YOU A CALL TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
THANK YOU MS. MONA FOR COMING HERE.
I THINK THERE'S ALSO ONE OTHER ADDITIONAL, UH, OPTION FOR YOU THROUGH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND THE SIDEWALK REPAIR PROGRAMS THAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR FROM DR.
UH, AS WELL AS WHAT OUR COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HAS JUST SAID, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE'RE STUDYING CITYWIDE.
SO THE TIMELINESS OF YOU COMING FORWARD IS AT A POINT WHERE WE'RE REALLY THINKING BROADLY ABOUT OUR SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S, UH, WHERE I THINK IF YOU START WITH YOUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT'S THE RIGHT PLACE TO GO, BUT ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER RESOURCES.
AND, UH, AS THE CHAIR OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE, WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT FOR A POLICY SET OF PROCEDURES COMING FORWARD.
UM, AND I JUST LOVE TO OFFER MY ASSISTANCE AS WELL.
UH, BUT STARTING WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER IS CERTAINLY A GREAT PLACE TO BEGIN.
UH, I BELIEVE THEY ARE DOING SOME SIDEWALK REPAIR ON THE STREET OF YELLOWSTONE, BUT WE'RE ON PEERLESS, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT MS. ALCORN WAS SAYING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE GOING ON.
BUT OUR ASK AND OUR CONCERN IS FOR 7 2 1 0 PEERLESS, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON.
WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA COME BEHIND YOU AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT THAT IDEA.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU GUYS COULD DRIVE BY THERE AND GET A VISUAL OF EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY PICTURES, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE HARD TO DO.
HOW ARE YOU? JUST SLIDE OVER A LITTLE BIT TO THE THANK YOU,
UM, MY NAME IS SELENA HAR, AND I'M SPEAKING ON, ON BEHALF OF,
[00:45:01]
ALSO ON BEHALF OF QUARTER PLACE APARTMENTS, LOCATED AT 7 2 1 0 PAR STREET, 7 7 0 2 1.UM, NOW IT'S LOCATED ON PEERLESS AND QUARTER STREET, WHICH IS LOCATED NEAR A LOW INCOME APARTMENT COMPLEX.
AND, UM, THAT COR IN COURT THAT'S, IT'S CALLED QUARTER PLACE APARTMENTS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
AND THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE, IT INCLUDES PEOPLE WITH CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, OVER THE YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN THREE ADULTS THAT WERE HIT BY CARS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO WALK TO THE STORE TO GET TO, TO A STORE, WHICH IS, UH, MAYBE A MILE AWAY.
IT'S PRETTY, IT'S PRETTY FAR, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IT'S LOCATED REAL WHERE IT IS.
IT'S LIKE THE STREETS ARE NARROW.
THERE'S, UM, NO FIELD ON EACH END, NO STREETLIGHTS, NO, TOWARDS THE END OF THE END OF THE STREET.
IT'S LIKE REALLY, UH, VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO BE WALKING DOWN.
SO, UM, AND THERE'S ALSO SCHOOL KIDS ALSO.
THEY HAVE TO WALK MAYBE A MILE TO GET TO, TO GET TO THEIR SCHOOL OR TO A BUS STOP, YOU KNOW, OR ADEQUATE, YOU KNOW, TO A MAIN, UH, STREET, I THINK, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WHICH IS, UH, SCOTT OR OST LOCATION.
UM, AND IT, IT'S, UH, IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.
UH, LO IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS STREET TO BE WALK ON, YOU KNOW? AND, UM, I, I REALLY BELIEVE WE NEED SIDEWALKS FOR SAFETY BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S DANGEROUS TO BE AROUND.
AND, UM, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THAT WE NEED A SIDEWALK.
UH, WE NEED SIDEWALKS FOR SAFETY AND MOBILITY.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ.
THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING FORWARD.
I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU'RE LOCATED.
UH, AND SO I CERTAINLY, I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE FAR FROM THE SCHOOL TO GET THAT PROGRAM, BUT CERTAINLY YOU ALL HAVE BROUGHT FORTH SOME, SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS.
AND SO I ALREADY SENT A MESSAGE TO MY CONSTITUENTS DIRECTOR, UM, TO REACH OUT TO, TO BOTH YOU AND THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER YES.
SO THAT WE CAN, UH, ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
I KNOW SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T WANNA PUT IN THEIR PERSONAL INFORMATION, BUT WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE YOUR ADDRESS AND KNOW YOU'RE IN OUR DISTRICT, WE TRY TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS BEFORE YOU EVEN HAVE TO COME TO COUNCIL.
BUT CERTAINLY, WE, I ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOU COMING BECAUSE YOU ARE THE EYES AND EARS, AND I DO, UH, BELIEVE THAT WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING FORTH IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND SO, UH, HE SHOULD BE IN TOUCH WITH BOTH YOU AND THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER SOMETIME TODAY.
AND STEVEN JAMES WORKS IN HER OFFICE AND DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES.
HE'LL BE RIGHT ON TOP OF IT, SO THANK YOU.
MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS MICAH REO.
I AM AN IRAQ VETERAN, AND I'VE LIVED IN HOUSTON FOR A LITTLE OVER THREE YEARS.
FIRST, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY I HAD THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
I KNOW THAT THEIR SELFLESSNESS, THEIR BRAVERY, UM, THEY PROTECT US, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THERE FOR US, AND WITHOUT THEM, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE SOCIETY THAT WE HAVE.
THEY PERFORM AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS JOB, AND THEY'RE NOT THANKED ENOUGH.
ALTHOUGH I'M ABOUT TO PROVIDE A PRETTY SEVERE CRITIQUE OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE MOST PUBLIC OF FORUMS, IS WITH THE HOPES OF PROVIDING INSIGHT FROM A CITIZEN'S POINT OF VIEW, FEEDBACK THAT IS MEANT TO HELP NOT CONDEMN.
THE FIRST OFFICER I TALKED TO A COUPLE DAYS AFTER MY TRUCK WAS STOLEN, OFFERED THESE PARTING WORDS AFTER HE HANDED ME A PHONE NUMBER.
JUST KEEP CALLING UNTIL YOU GET AN INVESTIGATOR.
MY FIRST IMPRESSION AFTER DEALING WITH HPD AUTO THEFT WAS THAT THEY WERE VERY UNORGANIZED.
I FELT LIKE I HAD TO CONVINCE THEM THAT A CRIME WAS COMMITTED AND HAD TO RECOUNT THE SAME EVENTS MULTIPLE TIMES.
EVEN THOUGH THE CRIME WAS ON VIDEO, NO ONE SEEMED TO HURRY.
THERE WERE ALSO EYEWITNESS COUNTS.
IT WOULD BE A DIFFICULT CHOICE TO SAY, WAS I MORE DISHEARTENED THAT ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS STOLE MY TRUCK, OR THAT I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING THE POLICE TO HELP ME WITH THE INVESTIGATION.
AFTER GETTING POOR RESULTS THROUGH TRADITIONAL CHANNELS, I CALLED COUNCILWOMAN PECK'S OFFICE AND FINALLY RECEIVED SOME ASSISTANCE.
WITHIN 24 HOURS, AN OFFICER FROM THE NORTHWEST DIVISION CALLED ME, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS HIS DAY OFF.
AFTER SPEAKING ON THE PHONE, HE MET WITH ME AND TOOK ALL THE
[00:50:01]
EVIDENCE THAT I HAD ADDRESSED MY CONCERNS.AND I COULD TELL THAT HE WAS VERY SERIOUS AND HE WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME.
AND REALLY, THAT'S ALL I WAS LOOKING FOR.
SOMEONE TO JUST LET ME KNOW THEY CARED WHAT HAPPENED, BECAUSE UP UNTIL THIS POINT, I FELT LIKE I HAD NO RECOURSE.
WHERE WAS I GONNA GO? WHO WAS I GONNA TALK TO? AND THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNCILWOMAN PECK.
THE QUESTION REMAINS IN MY MIND, THOUGH, WHY DID I NEED TO GO TO SUCH LENGTHS? I DID FINALLY RECEIVE A CALL BACK FROM SOMEONE AT HPD HEADQUARTERS, A SERGEANT FROM THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE YESTERDAY.
HE ASKED WHY I WANTED TO SPEAK AT THE CITY COUNCIL.
I STILL HAVE NOT, I STILL HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THE AUTO THEFT INVESTIGATORS.
FINALLY, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION THE PROBLEMS FACED IN THE COMMUNITY THAT I PREVIOUSLY LIVED IN.
I'VE NOW MOVED OUT OF THAT, BUT IT IS SHERWOOD LANE AND MAN GUM ROAD.
THIS COMMUNITY IS DOMINATED BY A GROUP OF, A SMALL GROUP OF CRIMINALS WHO REGULARLY PREY ON THOUSANDS OF LAW, ABIDED CITIZENS IN THAT AREA.
THE RESIDENTIAL COMPLEXES THAT RUN ALL ALONG SHERWOOD LANE, DRUG DEALING, VEHICLE THEFT, ASSAULT, RAPE, MURDER ARE ALL TOO COMMON.
THE PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY REALLY NEED YOUR HELP.
I KNOW THERE'S CRIME ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ME.
AND, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY COUNCIL MEMBER, AMY PICK.
THANK YOU, MR. REO, FOR SPEAKING TODAY.
UM, AND I'M SORRY THAT YOU DIDN'T GET, UM, THE SERVICE FROM HPD THAT YOU WERE EXPECTING, BUT WE, UM, IF, IF YOU'D LIKE, WE CAN SET UP A MEETING WITH YOU AND HPD TO KIND OF DISCUSS ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE OF CONCERN TO YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET EVERYTHING, UM, HONESTLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OFFER.
HONESTLY, AFTER MEETING WITH THE OFFICER FROM THE NORTHWEST DIVISION, I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE THING.
THE PROBLEM IS THOUGH, ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT STILL LIVE THERE HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHAT'S GOING ON.
I WANTED TO COME SPEAK IN A PUBLIC FORUM JUST TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH HPD TO, UM, TO HEAR FROM THEM WHAT THEY'VE SEEN AS WELL, AND TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP SUPPORT HPD IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
WE WILL GO BACK TO THE SIXTH SPEAKER ON OUR LIST.
I'M THE NATIONAL CHAIR OF THE NEW BLACK PANTHER PARTY FOR SELF-DEFENSE.
I'VE BEEN A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, UH, DOING WORK IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ACROSS THE SOUTH, ACROSS THE NATION FOR 30 YEARS.
NOW, SINCE I WAS 19, UH, THERE'S A POLICY AND A ISSUE GOING ON IN HOUSTON, WHICH IS LIKENED TO SLAVERY.
THE 13TH AMENDMENT SAID, YOU CANNOT COMMIT A CRIME.
I MEAN, I'M SORRY, BE MADE A SLAVE OR INDENTED SERVANT UNLESS YOU COMMIT A CRIME.
IF YOU ARE ACCUSED OF A CRIME, YOU'RE SUBJECT TO BE, UH, PUT IN CONDITIONS WORSE THAN SLAVERY.
THE ISSUE I'M HERE TO ADDRESS IS A RACIST POLICY.
WE BELIEVE THAT WAS KICKED OFF BY MICHAEL KOSH IN JANUARY WHEN THE ATTACK WENT TOWARDS BAIL BOND COMPANIES FOR MAKING PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ACCUSED OF A CRIME.
SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU'RE ACCUSED OF A CRIME DOES NOT MEAN YOU'RE GUILTY.
WHAT'S GOING ON IN HARRIS COUNTY? HARRIS COUNTY HAS THE LARGEST PRISON POPULATION ON EARTH, THE WHOLE ENTIRE PLANET EARTH.
WE HAVE A CITY THAT HAS MAJORITY BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE.
THE, THE COURT SYSTEM IS MODERN DAY SLAVERY.
99% OF THE PEOPLE ARE BEING FORCED TO TAKE PLEAS.
THEY'RE FORCED TO TAKE PLEAS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD A BAIL.
AND A JUDGE AND A LAWYER, WHICH IF YOU GET CHARGED OF A MISDEMEANOR, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $10,000 BETWEEN THE BAIL BOND AND PAYING FOR AN ATTORNEY.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY, ESPECIALLY IN THESE DAYS.
I BELIEVE IT WAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR YOU TO EVEN BRING THAT UP.
KOSH, SINCE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY MAY OWN THE BAIL BOND COMPANIES THAT NEVER TOOK PAYMENT PLANS, BUT A BLACK WOMAN WITH ABEL BAIL BOND, SHEBA MAHARA, WAS TARGETED FOR MAKING BAIL BONDS AFFORDABLE, NOT TRYING TO NOT PAY THE 10%, BUT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO MAKE A PAYMENT PLAN ON IT.
NOW, A BLACK JUDGE HAS BEEN TARGETED FOR SETTING FAIR BONDS.
IN EFFECT, THIS IS, GOES BACK TO THE NINETIES WHEN THE THE LAWS WENT IN PLACE TO SAY THEY WERE GONNA BE A WAR ON DRUGS AND A WAR ON CRIME AND DISENFRANCHISED, THE MAJORITY OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, THIS POLICY THAT IS PUT IN PLACE.
I KNOW IT SOUNDS GOOD TO SAY YOU'RE GOING AGAINST VIOLENT OFFENDERS.
IT SOUNDS GOOD AS A TALKING POINT, BUT JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S BEEN ACCUSED DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY'RE GUILTY.
AND IT STARTS RIGHT WITH THE POLICE ARRESTING YOU.
[00:55:01]
I'VE BEEN CH I'VE BEEN CHARGED WITH FELONIES FOR COMING TO THIS CITY COURT, CITY HALL MEETING RIGHT HERE.AND I WAS INNOCENT FOR SPEAKING UP ON WHAT'S RIGHT.
AND BAIL BONDS HAD TO BE PLACED, PLACED ON ME.
SO BECAUSE I'M ACCUSED OF SOMETHING DOES NOT MEAN I AM GUILTY TO TARGET BLACK-OWNED, UH, BAIL BOND COMPANIES.
IT'S OVER 80 BAIL BOND COMPANIES.
WHY WAS THE ONE COMPANY OUTTA THREE OWNED BY A BLACK WOMAN, TARGETED, NOT EVEN CHARGED WITH A CRIME, BUT IN THE COURT OF PUBLIC APPEARANCE, YOU WOULD THINK THAT SHE CREATED A CRIME FOR SIMPLY MAKING PAYMENT PLANS.
I BELIEVE IT'S A CONVICT OF INTEREST.
YOU SHOULD RECUSE YOURSELF FROM CITY COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ.
I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN QUITE SOME TIME, BUT I KNOW HOW HARD YOU WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY, SO I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO HAVE FURTHER CONVERSATION WITH YOU.
UH, AND I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A NUMBER ON HERE, I BELIEVE.
AND SO CERTAINLY I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FURTHER CONVERSATION WITH YOU BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO NAVIGATE, AND I ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT.
WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH LYNCHINGS IN MISSISSIPPI, RECENT LYNCHINGS.
CERTAINLY YOU HAVE, AS YOU SAID IN JUSTIN, LOUISIANA, YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK, BUT THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE ALL FOR ALL OF THESE YEARS.
AND SO I, I DO REMEMBER TIMES WHEN WE WALKED TOGETHER ON CERTAIN ISSUES.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR COMING FORWARD, AND I WILL REACH OUT TO, UH, GET SOME MORE INPUT FROM YOU.
I, I HAVEN'T, UH, I HAVEN'T OWNED A BONDING COMPANY OR BOND IN ANYBODY IN OVER TWO YEARS.
YOUR BROTHER, YOUR BROTHER DOES? NO, MY BROTHER PAUL IS A TRAFFIC TICKET LAWYER.
WHAT ABOUT RANDY? YOU DON'T OWN KBOX BAIL BONDS ANYMORE? NO.
WHAT YOU HAD, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
AND OVER 90 SOMETHING PERCENT OF THE BONDS THAT I'VE DONE WERE TRAFFIC TICKETS.
I RARELY, I RARELY EVER DID THE OTHERS.
BUT NONETHELESS, I, MY ISSUE WITH, WITH, WITH CRIME IS, IS THAT THE JUDGES, REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE, THE JUDGES ARE RELEASING VIOLENT HABITUAL OFFENDERS.
AND THEY SHOULD AT, AT THE COURT DATE, YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN SOMEONE'S ACCUSED IF YOU GIVE SOMEBODY WRONG, THAT'S THE PERSON THAT WAS GIVING THE FIRST TIME OFFENDER $750,000 BOND.
I'M TALKING ABOUT FIRST TIME OFFENDERS.
THE COURT SYSTEM MAKING YOU GUILTY FROM PLACING A BOND ON TOP.
IF YOU MAKING IT UNAFFORDABLE FOR A PERSON TO HAVE A RIGHT TO FIGHT FOR, FOR THEIR RIGHT.
THIS IS COUNCIL MEMBER COOPER'S TIME.
THE JUDGES ARE RELEASING VIOLENT HABITUAL OFFENDERS THAT ALREADY HAVE A RECORD AND THEY'RE GOING OUT AND MURDERING PEOPLE.
THIS IS THE SAME THING THAT TAMARA BELL HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF THAT? AND, UH, I I, I KNOW YOU SAID IT WAS 99% COMPARED TO HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE PLACED BONDS THAT WERE INNOCENT.
BUT, BUT THE THING IS, IS I'M NOT IN THE BAIL INDUSTRY ANYMORE, SO I DON'T NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM ANYTHING.
BUT, BUT I WILL SAY THIS, THAT, UH, A BONDSMAN CAN, UH, TAKE PAYMENT PLANS AND IF THEY WISH, UH, I KNOW THAT SOME OF THEM OWN FINANCE COMPANIES, SO THEY'RE TAKING A SMALL PAYMENT AND THEN FINANCING THE REST THROUGH A FINANCE COMPANY.
BUT I'M NOT INVOLVED IN ANY OF THAT.
I'M NOT ATTACKING ANY OF THOSE PEOPLE.
I JUST WANT THE CRIME LEVEL TO GO DOWN.
I'M, I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU INITIATED THAT STATEMENT IN JANUARY WINDOW, WHAT STATE DID I MAKE? YOU DID A PRESS CONFERENCE.
YOU HAD REVEREND NASH AND ALL OF THEM.
I MEAN, A PICTURE UP WITH ALL THESE OFFENDERS, MOST OF 'EM BLACK.
AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT VIOLENT OFFENDERS.
I I DIDN'T SHOW ANY THAT INITIATED THE DOMINO EFFECT THAT HIT HARRIS SHOW.
ANY, I DIDN'T SHOW ANY PICTURES.
SHOULD I PUT IT UP? I DIDN'T SHOW ANY PICTURES.
DO YOU WANT ME TO PULL IT UP? I CAN PULL IT UP AND GIVE IT TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON.
AND THANK YOU, CHRISTOPHER, COMING IN AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED ADVOCACY, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
YOU KNOW, BAIL REFORM WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT, UM, I TOOK UP AFTER THE DEATH OF SANDRA BLAND, WHICH WAS THE REASON WHY THE, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS JUST WAS FIRED UP BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SEE A CHANGE, UM, WITHIN OUR BAIL SYSTEM BECAUSE NO ONE SHOULD SIT IN JAIL, UM, BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD A $500 BAIL, UM, FOR, ON A TRAFFIC TICKET.
AND THAT WAS THE WHOLE PREMISE WITH BAIL REFORM.
AND OF COURSE, OVER THE YEARS, IT THEN TURNED INTO SOMETHING MORE.
AND SO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY.
I WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT, UM, ARE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN, SHOULD BE INNOCENT, AND TO PROVEN GUILTY AND BE A BAIL SHOULD NOT BE A PUNISHMENT.
IT SHOULD BE A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS COME BACK, UM, TO, TO COURT.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND I'M HERE FOR YOU TO SUPPORT YOU ON ANYTHING YOU NEED.
I, I'M HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO MEET WITH ME AND WE COULD TALK.
I, I JUST, I, I BELIEVE, LIKE YOU SAID, THAT WE'RE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.
[01:00:01]
GIVE ME THAT SAME, UH, THAT LEVEL OF, OF, UH, INNOCENCE.WOULD YOU DO THAT? WE'RE GONNA BE CONVENING A TOWN HALL MEETING, AND WE WANNA INVADE ALL OF Y'ALL BECAUSE THIS, I'M JUST COMING AS THE, WHAT THEY CALL IT, THE FIRST SCOUT, TO PUT IT ON NOTICE THAT THE PEOPLE ARE SEEING WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE'RE GONNA BE GOING BEFORE THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER COURT, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE ALL GOING THROUGH IN THIS COUNTRY AN ECONOMIC CRUNCH.
WELL REMIND THEM THAT, THAT I'M NOT IN THE BONDING BUSINESS ANYMORE.
I HAVEN'T BEEN, I HAVEN'T BEEN FOR SOME, WELL, CUBA, I MEAN, MR. KUBOSH, YOU WERE IN IT FOR OVER DECADES.
SO DON'T JUST ACT LIKE TWO YEARS AGO CHANGED.
MOST OF IT WAS TRAFFIC TICKETS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR THE COUNCIL ON AMERICAN ISLAMIC RELATIONS.
UH, WE ARE THE LARGEST MUSLIM CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCACY GROUP IN THE COUNTRY.
UH, AND CARE HOUSTON IS A CHAPTER OF THAT.
I COME TO YOU TODAY TO INFORM YOU OF A UPCOMING MUSLIM HOLIDAY, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE THIS SATURDAY.
UM, I WANTED TO INVITE YOU ALL TO YOUR LOCAL MOSQUE, UH, AND MOSQUES THROUGHOUT YOUR DISTRICT, AND ALSO THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS A MUSLIM COMMUNITY REACHING NUMBERS OF ALMOST HALF A MILLION.
UH, WE HAVE MOSQUES FROM ACROSS THE CITY AND AROUND GREATER HOUSTON.
UH, YOU ARE ALL INVITED TO YOUR LOCAL MOSS.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO REACH OUT TO YOUR LOCAL MUSLIM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, YOU CAN DO SO THROUGH CARE.
COUNCIL MEMBER LATIAN, PLUMBER, KU, HOW ARE YOU? SALAAM LATIAN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.
UM, LIKE, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY IS REALLY VIBRANT AND ACTIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE REPRESENTING CARE.
AND IN ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU FOR REPRESENTING OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN CITY COUNCIL.
PLEASE, YOU KNOW, TELL EVERYONE EAT, EAT, UM, EAT.
NEXT SPEAKER, PATRICIA WILLIAMS. GOOD MORNING, MS. WILLIAMS. GOOD MORNING, YOUR HONOR.
AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL GIVING ME THIS TIME.
MY NAME'S PATRICIA WILLIAMS. I AM, I AM MINISTER OF JUSTICE OF NEW BLACK PANTHER PARTY UNDER NATIONAL CHAIRWOMAN SISTER CRYSTAL.
UM, TODAY, UH, TODAY I'M JUST COMING TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BAIL REFORM ALSO.
UM, WHY ARE THESE RACIST POLICIES PUT IN PLACE AGAIN, JUST BACKDOOR SISTER CRYSTAL.
WHY, UH, BLACK WOMAN WAS TARGETED? IT SEEMS AS IF SHE WAS TARGETED, UH, FOR MAKING, UH, BONDS AFFORDABLE FOR THOSE WITH LOW INCOME.
MY MYSELF HAVE BEEN ACCUSED AND BEEN IN JAIL AND BEEN FOUND NOT GUILTY.
YOU UNDERSTAND? BUT HAD I NOT BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A PAYMENT PLAN TO GET OUT, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY.
'CAUSE I HAVE 10 CHILDREN AND THREE GRANDCHILDREN TO CARE FOR.
BAIL REFORM HAS, BAIL REFORM HAS CLOSED A GAP FOR INDIVIDUALS FACING DIFFICULTIES IN PAYING A BAIL BOND AND MUST STAY IN JAIL UNTIL TRIAL, RISKING THEIR LIVELIHOOD AND ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES WITH AFFORDABLE PAYMENT PLANS.
THOSE WHO, THOSE WHO HAVE PUSHING FOR NO PAYMENT OPTIONS, NOT ONLY GIVE PEOPLE LIMITED SELECTIONS AND SEVERE RESTRICTIONS, WHICH IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IF THEY ARE GOVERNMENT OR THEY ARE IN GOVERNMENT POSITIONS, AND WHO ALSO OWN BAIL BOND COMPANIES.
THE COST OF THESE UNFAIR AND UNWISE TACTICS OFTEN INCLUDE PEOPLE TAKING UNFAVORABLE PLEA BARGAINS RATHER THAN HIRING AN ATTORNEY WHO REPRESENTS THEIR INTERESTS WHILE, WHILE ME BEING IN JAIL, MOST OF THE WOMEN THAT ARE IN THERE ARE BLACK WOMEN, AND THEY, THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO GET OUTTA JAIL FOR A $1,500 BOND.
SO THEY'RE STUCK THERE 6, 7, 8 MONTHS, AND THEN OUTTA DESPERATION JUST TO GET OUTTA JAIL.
THEY'RE GONNA SIT HERE AND TAKE PROBATION WHEN THEY'RE INNOCENT.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND? IT'S REALLY HARD FOR A WOMAN, ESPECIALLY A BLACK WOMAN, WITH CHILDREN, TO SIT IN THAT JAILHOUSE BEHIND SOME TRAFFIC TICKETS.
SOME PEOPLE ARE IN THERE BEHIND TRAFFIC TICKETS.
UH, JUST MILD MARIJUANA POSSESSIONS.
REALLY NOTHING THAT, THAT SERIOUS TO HAVE THESE BONDS AND NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT.
WE ARE, WE ARE MOTHERS, SOME ARE FATHERS.
WE HAVE CHILDREN, AND WE NEED TO BE WITH OUR CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO, UH, BE ABLE TO FIGHT ON THE OUTSIDE.
YOU UNDERSTAND? AND THAT'S WHAT WE ALL HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU, MS. WILLIAMS. YOU'RE WELCOME.
NEXT SPEAKER, THE BOY ELAINE ALLEN.
[01:05:01]
TTA SMITH.HOW WE DOING? UH, GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMAN.
HOW WE DOING? OR COUNCIL PEOPLES, HOW WE DOING?
UM, WITH THE, UH, COUNCIL'S PERMISSION, MAY I RECORD THIS SESSION FOR MY OWN PERSONAL, UH, UH, UH, MY OWN PERSONAL, UH, AGENDA? DEFERENCE? THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
UH, GOOD AFTER, OR GOOD MORNING COUNSEL.
I'M A STREET PERFORMER AND A PROFESSIONAL MAGICIAN FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS.
WELL, I'M INDIAN, SO I'M SUPPOSED TO BE A DOCTOR, BUT THAT DIDN'T QUITE WORK OUT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO BE A DOCTOR, BUT MY PARENTS SAID NO, I'D BE A MAGICIAN.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE FACT THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE WHAT I DO.
ABOUT A COUPLE DAYS AGO AT THE FREEDOM OF HOUSTON, JULY 4TH FESTIVAL, I WAS PROMPTLY ESCORTED OUT BY SEVEN OF HOUSTON'S FINEST POLICE OFFICERS.
AND ONE NATIONAL GUARDSMAN WHO WEIRD FOUR, HOLDING UP A SIGN THAT SAYS, FREE MAGIC.
IT'S, I WASN'T CHARGING $4 FOR A BOTTLE OF WATER.
I WASN'T CHARGING $5 FOR A DR.
PEPPER, AND I WASN'T CHARGING $9 FOR A HOT DOG OR A BEER.
I WAS PROVIDING FREE ENTERTAINMENT, AND I WAS PROMPTLY ESCORTED OUT.
WE ARE THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE NUMBER ONE IN MEDICINE.
WE ARE NUMBER ONE IN OIL AND GAS, NUMBER FIVE IN SPORTS.
WHY ISN'T THERE A DESIGNATED AREA SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE SUCH AS MYSELF, THAT WE CAN PERFORM AND ENTERTAIN FOR FREE? BECAUSE WE LOVE WHAT WE DO.
NOW, BEFORE I DECIDED TO APPEAR HERE, I OF COURSE DID MY RESEARCH FROM PRESTON TO DALLAS UP TO MILAM TOWARDS 45 IS THE THEATER AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, WHERE IF WE OBTAIN A PERMIT FOR $11 FOR A MONTH, OR $54 FOR THE YEAR, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO PERFORM.
WELL, THAT AREA IS THE THEATER AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, BUT IT IS NOTHING BUT OFFICE BUILDINGS, CORPORATIONS, AND PARKING GARAGES.
NOBODY WANTS TO SEE ANY TYPE OF FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT, ESPECIALLY DURING THE DAY AND AT NIGHT.
SO ESSENTIALLY YOU'RE SAYING WE CAN OPEN UP A BARBECUE JOINT IN A VEGAN AREA.
ALL OF THE ACTION WE ALL KNOW IS TO CENTER DISCOVERY, GREEN MINUTE MAID PARK, BBVA COMPASS STADIUM.
BUT IT'S REQUIRED TO BE A PERMIT.
TRUST ME, I'VE ALREADY GONE TO TRY AND GET A PERMIT, AND THEY DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT PERMIT TO GIVE ME.
SO YES, TIME HAS COUNCIL MEMBER, DAVID.
YEAH, I DO APOLOGIZE ABOUT GOING OVER MY TIME, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
MR. JOSEPH, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
AND, UH, I THINK YOU, YOU KNOW, RAISED A NUMBER OF EXCELLENT POINTS, SO I'M APPRECIATING THAT MM-HMM
AND HAVING, UH, MY DAUGHTER IN NEW YORK CITY WITH A RECENT TRIP.
I KNOW THAT TIME SPENT IN, UM, IN TIME SQUARE RIGHT.
WAS, UH, EYE OPENING FOR ME AS I WAS PULLED INTO A SHOW, WHICH, UH, MY FAMILY SPECTATED AND ENJOYED THOROUGHLY AT MY EXPENSE.
AND, UM, SO I'M JUST REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WERE ADDRESSED BY THE HPD MM-HMM
ASSUMING THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB.
AND APPROPRIATELY, UH, TAKING CARE OF YOU AS WELL, SERVING AND PROVIDING SAFETY.
I'M, I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE NATURE OF YOUR MAGIC AND, UM, HAD YOU BEEN ALLOWED TO CONTINUE, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE? I DO CARD TRICKS.
AND, UH, I, I DO ENTERTAINMENT.
I, I MAKE JOKES, AND I HAVE A GREAT TIME.
I HAVE A MAYBE 10 MINUTE SET LIST.
BUT MY ENTIRE THING IS I'VE BEEN TO MULTIPLE CITIES AROUND THE UNITED STATES, NASHVILLE, AUSTIN, GALVESTON,
[01:10:01]
OUR NEIGHBORING CITY, NEW ORLEANS, AND THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVE AND WELCOME STREET PERFORMERS SUCH AS MYSELF, WHICH, SO NEXT INCREASE TOURISM.AND YES, I'M NOT TRYING TO REALLY, UH, SCREEN YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, YOUR VIRTUE, BUT WOULD YOU, IN YOUR WORDS, DESCRIBE YOUR PERFORMANCE AS FAMILY FRIENDLY? OH, OF COURSE.
NOT YOU, IT'S, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STREET PERFORMER AND ENTERTAINER AND SOMEBODY WHO JUST WANTS TO BE LD, SIDIOUS, AND VAGRANT FOR ATTENTION THAT WE DO NOT NEED, BECAUSE THAT GIVES US A BAD NAME.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO CON, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO HUSTLE.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TOURISTS THAT I DO NOT AGREE WITH.
BUT IF YOU ARE GOING TO SIT THERE AND PERFORM A HONEST SERVICE AND JOIN WHAT YOU LOVE, AND IF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO TIP, THAT'S FINE.
YOU'RE NOT CHARGING FOR THE SHOW, THEN I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
SO YOU'RE NOT, IF THERE IS SOME SORT OF PERMITTING, THEN YES, PLEASE LET ME PERFORM.
SO I'M, I'M HEARING YOU'RE NOT A SHAKEDOWN ARTIST.
YOU DO IT AS A PART OF YOUR PROFESSION.
MAYBE BEYOND THIS, TO FIGURE, UH, OR TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS FOR WHAT YOU THINK THE CITY SHOULD DO TO AMEND THOSE POLICIES.
IT'S A AREA THAT WE HAVE DESIGNATED SPECIFICALLY FOR VENDORS, STREET PERFORMERS AND ARTISTS THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON KNOWS ABOUT.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS WEEKEND? OH, WE'RE GOING TO FREEDOM OVER HOUSTON.
THAT'S ONE AREA OF FREE ENTERTAINMENT THAT DOESN'T COST A LOT OF MONEY TO GET INTO.
AND YOU CAN SEE MAGICIANS, JUGGLERS, SWORD, SWALLOWERS, FACE PAINTERS, PEOPLE WALKING ON STILTS.
AND THAT'S WHAT I PROPOSE, A DESIGNATED AREA.
I'M GONNA YIELD TO AT LEAST ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU, MR. COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS.
AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
AND, AND, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO PAY A PERMIT FEE IF THERE'S ONE.
UH, I'M, I'M THE, UH, CHAIR OF QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO I WOULD ASK IF YOU CAN REACH, REACH ME, UH, GIVE ME A CALL IN MY OFFICE SO WE CAN SIT DOWN AND TALK TO EXACTLY.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN INQUIRE, UH, AND, AND, AND SEE WHERE WE CAN GO FROM THERE.
AND MY ONLY GOAL IS TO BRING MORE CULTURE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I LOVE MY CITY, AND I DON'T WANT TO GO ANYWHERE ELSE.
AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVE THAT RIGHT ACROSS 45, WHERE IT USED TO SAY, BE SOMEONE.
THAT'S THE SHIRT I'M WEARING BECAUSE I CHOOSE TO BE SOMEBODY THAT'S NOT A DOCTOR.
I WAS WATCHING A MOVIE WHERE I JUST, I FIGURED IT WAS SOMETHING COMPELLING, LIKE, YOU KNOW.
I HAVE VENMO, PAYPAL, IN THE CASH APP.
WHO IS HERE NOW? MS. MS. SMITH, STAR SIX.
UH, I WAS CALLING ABOUT THE, UH, DOWNTOWN HOUSTON AREA.
WE CHECK IN ON THE HOMELESS, BUT IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU GOT GET THERE, IT WAS, UM, IT'S REALLY LIKE, UH, I DON'T KNOW, A TRASH TRASHY AREA DOWN THERE, OR, YOU KNOW, UH, TAXPAYERS AND EVEN, UH, TOURISTS THAT COME TO ONE OF THE LARGEST CITIES.
UM, I WAS TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT, WHAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT THE, UH, CLEANUP AND MAYBE EVEN WITH THE CLEANUP ON, ON THE HOMELESS THERE IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
DOES THAT COMPLETE YOUR STATEMENT, MS. SMITH? YES.
THAT COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
WE WILL NOW RETURN TO THE COUNCIL AGENDA.
[MAYOR'S REPORT]
WE'LL DO IS THE MAYOR'S REPORT.WE HAVE A SHORT MAYOR'S REPORT, SO I WILL BE TING FOR MAYOR TURNER AND READ YOU SOME OF THE COMMENTS ON THE MAYOR'S REPORTS.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, WE HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT 4TH OF JULY AND THREE DAY HOLIDAY THIS WEEKEND.
UH, THE CITY'S SIGNATURE FREEDOM OVER TEXAS WAS A LOT OF FUN AND
[01:15:01]
SHOWCASED SOME GREAT PERFORMERS.MORE THAN 32,000 PEOPLE SHOWED UP TO PARTY AND CELEBRATE AMERICA'S BIRTHDAY AT ELEANOR TINSLEY PARK.
MAYOR TURNER IS NOT HERE THIS MORNING, BUT ON HIS BEHALF, I WANTED TO THANK THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS AND ALL THE SPONSORS WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE.
PEPPER AND BUD LIGHT SELTZER, UH, SILVER EAGLE DISTRIBUTORS.
AND A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO OUR ONE AND ONLY SUSAN CHRISTIAN, WHO DOES A FANTASTIC JOB EVERY TIME WE HAVE AN EVENT.
I THINK THE, UH, THE RECORD WAS WE ONLY HAD THREE PEOPLE THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION DUE TO DEHYDRATION.
SO THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE AND, AND THE TEMPERATURES THAT WE HAD.
UH, JUST A REMINDER THAT CITY COUNCIL WILL HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS TO RECEIVE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING OUR PROPOSED REDISTRICTING PLAN.
THE HEARINGS WILL TAKE PLACE ON JULY 13TH AT NINE AND 7:00 PM AND ON JULY 20TH AT 9:00 AM HERE IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, AGAIN, JULY 13TH AT 9:00 AM AND 7:00 PM AND JULY 20TH AT 9:00 AM HERE IN CITY COUNCIL CHAIN CHAMBERS BY THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS TOMORROW, JULY 7TH.
THE PROPOSED REDISTRICT AND PLAN WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT WWW DOT LET'S TALK HOUSTON.ORG/REDISTRICTING.
WWW DOT LET'S TALK HOUSTON.ORG/REDISTRICTING.
YESTERDAY, MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER AND HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY CHRISTIAN MENIFEE, ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD EACH SUBMIT NOTICE OF INTENT TO SUE PURSUANT TO THE FEDERAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT TO UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD IN CONNECTION WITH THE LONGSTANDING CONTAMINATION.
IN HOUSTON'S FIFTH WARD FROM UPS, HOUSTON WOOD PRESERVING WORKS CSO TREATMENT FACILITY, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES FOUND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES IN CANCER RATES AROUND THE UP RAIL YARD.
ACCORDING TO THE NEWS RELEASE, THE NOTICES OF INTENT TO SUE WILL BE SENT IN THE COMING WEEKS TO UP THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE US ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
THE NOTICE WILL STATE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY WILL FILE A CITIZEN SUIT AND FEDERAL COURT SEEKING INJUNCTIVE RELIEF AGAINST UP TO ADDRESS ITS DANGEROUS STORAGE AND DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS WASTE AT THIS UP FACILITY.
THE LANES ARE NOW OPEN THE HOV AND HOT LANES FOR THE SUMMER PILOT PROGRAM.
THE EXPRESS LANES THAT HELP YOU AVOID TRAFFIC ON WEEKDAYS ARE NOW OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AS PART OF OUR REGIONAL PILOT MOBILITY PROGRAM APPROVED BY METRO'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THE HOV HOT EXPRESS LANES MANAGED BY METRO WILL BE OPEN ON WEEKENDS, BEGINNING SATURDAY, JULY 2ND, THROUGH MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH WEEKEND, AND HOLIDAY OPERATIONS WILL FOLLOW THE SAME SCHEDULE, OCCUPANCY REQUIREMENTS, AND TOLLS AS WEEKDAYS, LANES INCLUDED.
THE PILOT PROGRAM RUN DOWN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSTATE 45 US HIGHWAY 59, WHICH I TOOK ON SATURDAY AND HIGHWAY TWO 90.
SO THANK YOU METRO FOR PROVIDING THIS SERVICE.
JUST ANOTHER REMINDER THAT HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION IS STILL LOOKING FOR LIFEGUARDS FOR THE SUMMER.
YOU CAN EARN A $500 INCENTIVE AT THE END OF THE SUMMER, BUT YOU MUST PASS THE AMERICAN RED CROSS LIFEGUARD TRAINING.
APPLY@HOUSTONTX.GOV GOV BACK SLASH JOBS, OR CALL 8 3 2 3 9 5 7 1 2 9 FOR MORE INFORMATION.
ASTROS WON ANOTHER EXCITING GAME LAST NIGHT, NINE IN A ROW.
AND IF YOU DIDN'T WATCH THE GAME, YOU WOULD'VE SEEN A GREAT THROW FROM DEEP LEFT FIELD BY OUR OWN, UH, JORDON ALVAREZ TO CATCH A RUNNER AT PLATE AT AT THE PLATE TO, UH, KEEP A TWO RUN LEAD.
REMEMBER TO VOTE FOR JOSE ALTUVE AND VOTE FOR YODON ALVAREZ.
YOU CAN VOTE DAILY UNTIL FRIDAY, JULY 8TH TO SEND THEM TO THE 2022 ALL-STAR GAME AS STARTERS.
AND IF YOU DON'T VOTE FOR YODON ALVAREZ, ANYONE IN THE UNITED STATES, YOU'RE REALLY NOT A BASEBALL FAN.
'CAUSE IT'S AMAZING WHAT THIS GENTLEMAN IS DOING THIS YEAR.
SO PAY ATTENTION, WATCH THE GAMES, AND VOTE FOR OUR FAVORITES, YAN AND JOSE.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE CITY OF HOUSTON CITY HALL LIGHTS WILL BE LIT IN ORANGE THIS WEEKEND IN SUPPORT OF THE HOUSTON DYNAMO, AN MLS NEWEST STAR PLAYER, HECTOR HERRERA, WHO COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS ROBINSON MET ON FRIDAY LAST WEEK.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S AND FAN WELCOME HIM TO OUR CITY.
HE MAKES OFFICIAL DEBUT ON THE NINTH WHEN THE DYNAMO PLAY THE HATED DALLAS FC MADAM SECRETARY.
[01:20:01]
TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.SO THERE UNDER THE ORDINANCE CATEGORY, ITEM 10 HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED AND WILL BE CONSIDERED IF IT IS RECEIVED BY THE END OF THE AGENDA.
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION, 3, 4, 5, 11, AND 12.THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN, ARE 3, 4, 5, 11, AND 12.
JUST NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES JUST A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
WE JUST APPROVED ITEM NUMBER CLEAR LAKE 18, WHICH IS FOR THE CLEAR LAKE CITY WATER AUTHORITY FOR THE EL DORADO FACILITIES.
I WOULD LOVE TO RECOGNIZE MR. JOHN BRANCH.
JOHN IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CLEAR LAKE CITY WATER AUTHORITY DOES A GREAT JOB FOR US FOLKS DOWN IN THE CLEAR LAKE AREA, AND ALSO WITH HIM AS MS. KIPPE CARAWAY AND, AND KIPPE OUR CONDOLENCES ON THE LOSS OF YOUR MOTHER.
MADAM, MADAM SECRETARY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM THREE? NO DISCUSSION.
ALL IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED.
ITEM FOUR IS AN ORDINANCE SEAT, THE VOTE.
ITEM FOUR, COUNCIL MEMBER OSH.
THIS, UM, HAS TO DO WITH THE, THE PARKING AT THE, UM, AIRPORTS.
AND, UM, I WANT THE COUNCIL TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I FLY A LOT OUT OF HOBBY AIRPORT, AND, AND WHEN I FLY IN, UH, I HAD HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE GATES NOT BEING, UH, UH, MANNED WHEN, WHEN I'D LAND AFTER MIDNIGHT.
AND, UH, BUT THE LAST TIME I FLEW IN, THEY, THEY WERE, THEY WERE MANNED.
AND I WAS REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
BUT I WILL HAVE TO SAY, WE PRIDE OURSELF OF BEING A FIVE STAR AIRPORT SYSTEM.
AND, UH, THE BATHROOMS DON'T NEED TO BE CLOSED AT, AT, AT MIDNIGHT AND HAVE, UH, DRAPES PUT ACROSS 'EM SO THAT WE CAN'T GET IN, UH, THE OVER 140, 150 PEOPLE GETTING OFF THE PLANES AND, AND THESE RESTROOMS ARE CLOSED.
AND, AND, UH, I THINK THIS NEEDS TO, I MEAN, WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.
AND, AND THESE RESTROOMS DON'T NEED TO BE CLOSED ALSO, UH, DIRECTOR DIAZ HAD PROMISED ME BACK IN 2014 DURING THE PARK ADMINISTRATION WHEN THEY TORE DOWN THE, THE, UH, THE COVER BETWEEN THE, THE PARKING GARAGE AND, AND THE ENTRANCE INTO JAVI AIRPORT, THAT IT WOULD BE PUT BACK UP.
WELL, IT'S BEEN EIGHT YEARS, STILL NOT UP.
AND I PARKED THERE AT THE, UM, AT THE VALET PARKING WHEN I, WHEN I GO IN AND OUT.
AND I DON'T LIKE HAVING TO, WHEN IT'S BAD WEATHER OR, OR TO HAVE TO GO DOWN TO, TO, TO THE, TO THE BASEMENT AND THEN GO ACROSS TO AVOID THE RAIN.
WHENEVER WE, WE, WE HAVE, WE ALREADY HAVE THE BEAMS UP THERE.
ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS PUT THE, THE COVER ON IT.
AND IT'S BEEN GONE NOW FOR ALL THESE YEARS.
SO, UM, MAYOR, I, I'M, I'M JUST REAL DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THOSE TWO ASPECTS.
AND THERE, THERE'S ONE OTHER, WHEN, WHEN YOU GET, IF YOU PARK IN THIS PARKING AREA, THEY, THEY GIVE YOU A, A RECEIPT THAT, THAT'S ACTUALLY A, A CREDIT CARD RECEIPT.
AND ON THAT CREDIT CARD RECEIPT IS A LITTLE BARCODE.
AND I, AND I'VE TOLD MARIO THIS, AND, AND WHEN YOU TO GET OUT OF THE GATE, YOU HAVE TO PUT THAT, THAT BARCODE IN FRONT OF A, A LITTLE LIGHT SENSOR SO THAT IT READS THAT AND SCANS IT.
BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, THE WIND'S BLOWING.
IF, IF, IF IT IS RAINING, WHICH GOD WILL, WE HOPE IT GETS MORE RAIN.
BUT, BUT WHEN, IF, IF IT'S BAD WEATHER, UH, IT'S BLOWING AND YOU CAN'T GET THAT FLIMSY LITTLE PIECE OF PAPER IN FRONT, UH, OF THAT LITTLE SCANNER.
AND, UH, AND IT, IT'S A REAL PROBLEM.
I'VE HAD TO BACK UP HO MY HORN, GET THE STAFF TO COME AND, AND, AND TO, SIMPLY BECAUSE, 'CAUSE I CAN'T OPEN MY DOOR BECAUSE I, I'M RIGHT AGAINST THE DEAL.
LOOK, MARIO SAID, WELL, YOU CAN KEEP THAT PAPER THAT THEY GIVE YOU WHEN YOU CHECK IN IT.
IT'S GOT THE SAME BARCODE ON IT.
AND IN FACT, THE LAST TIME I FLEW IN, I TOLD 'EM, I SAID, THE DIRECTOR SAYS I CAN KEEP THIS PIECE OF PAPER.
AND THE LADY WAS ALMOST IN TEARS, AND IT WAS ONE 30 IN THE MORNING.
AND SHE SAID, BUT I'LL GET IN TROUBLE IF I DON'T HAVE THAT PIECE OF PAPER.
AND, AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, THIS IS A MATTER THAT NOT ONLY AFFECTS ME AS A SENIOR, BUT IT AFFECTS EVERYBODY ELSE THAT PARKS THERE AND HAS THAT FLIMSY LITTLE PIECE OF PAPER.
SO, UH, MAYOR, AFTER THIS TIRADE, I'M JUST GONNA TAG IT.
[01:25:01]
FOR A CONTINUED DISCUSSION ON THIS EXCITING TOPIC? ABSOLUTELY.COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
I'LL LEAVE MY COMMENTS FOR NEXT WEEK.
BUT THIS IS AN ITEM FOR A BILLION DOLLARS, A BILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE FOR A $36 MILLION EXPENSE THAT HAS BEEN TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KOSH.
WOULD YOU HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE PARKING DIVISION OVER A FLIMSY TICKET?
WELL, IT, IT, I KNOW Y'ALL ARE MINIMIZING, MINIMIZING THIS, BUT, UH, WHEN, WHEN YOU'RE A SENIOR AND YOU'RE HAVING A PROBLEM GETTING IT IN THAT LITTLE DEVICE TO GET OUT AND IT'S ONE 30 IN THE MORNING, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO FUNNY.
NEXT ITEM, ITEM FIVE IS AN ORDINANCE.
ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM FIVE? ALCORN, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
AND WE IN SOME OF THESE PASSED ON CONSENT THERE, THERE ARE NINE ITEMS. IT LOOKS BEFORE, LOOKS LIKE BEFORE US.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE FOUR OF THEM ARE FOR, TO ADDRESS COVID-19 HEALTH DISPARITIES, UM, AND POPULATIONS AT HIGH RISK AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
A COUPLE OF THEM ARE COMMUN COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
SOME OF THEM ARE FOR REOPENING SCHOOLS.
UM, ALL OF THESE, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, VALID.
I'M, I'M WONDERING ABOUT TIMING AND LIKE, WHEN, WHEN DID WE HAVE NOTICE OF THESE GRANTS AND HOW LONG DID THEY TAKE? I MEAN, THEY SEEM TO BE PERHAPS MORE RELEVANT.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME MONTHS AGO, UH, LIKE I SAY, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE WORK.
UH, AND I'VE GONE THROUGH THE SCOPES OF SERVICES.
I'VE JUST AM WONDERING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOW, THEN THEY'LL HAVE TILL 23 TO DO THE WORK.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE PASSED A LOT OF THESE THINGS LATELY.
WE WENT AND DID SOME FOR THE, THE UNIVERSITIES DID SOME, UM, RESEARCH WORK.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE ARE FOLLOWING UP WITH THESE GROUPS.
I UNDERSTAND AS PART OF THE SCOPE, WE ARE GETTING REPORTS FROM THEM MONTHLY.
BUT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, I'D LOVE TO SEE SOME OF THESE COME TO COMMITTEE, UM, AS THEIR WORK GETS GOING, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS WORK IS RELEVANT, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, THIS PANDEMIC THAT WE ARE STILL IN AND TO FUTURE THINGS.
BUT I, I JUST, I, I'M A LITTLE CURIOUS ABOUT THE TIMING AND IF WE HAD A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF LEAD TIME, WHY, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE WE JUST DOING THESE NOW? AND, UH, I'M ASSUMING THERE WAS A BIG RFI WHEN WE DID, WHEN WE GOT THE GRANT MONIES IN, IF I COULD JUST ASK A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
I DO KNOW THE SUBMISSIONS HAD TO BE SUBMITTED BY THE 15TH OF THIS MONTH.
AND I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA, IS LOOKING AT THESE, IT'S, I, MY MATH IS RIGHT, IT'S $9.2 MILLION IN, IN FUNDS.
SO THERE SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABILITY BACK TO THIS BODY IF WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT THROUGH COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS COMMITTEE.
RIGHT? SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
AND, AND 'CAUSE IT'S A LOT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, GETTING HEALTH AMBASSADORS AND, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT MORE OF WHAT, HOW THEY WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, IT IS A, A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, WAS IT, WAS IT, UH, DONE? WAS THERE AN RFI DONE FOR ALL OF THE, UM, YES.
AND, AND THIS WAS, UH, OUTREACH PRO OUTREACH PROGRAMS FOR FOLKS THAT ARE IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HARD FOR US TO GET IN CONTACT WITH.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A LOT OF THESE IN AREAS THAT ARE VERY MUCH UNDERSERVED ZIP CODE, BUT THERE'S, YEAH, THE ZIP CODES.
SOME ARE SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, IT'S SCHOOL REOPENING, WHICH SCHOOLS ARE REOPENED.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE SOME OF THIS STUFF SEEMS KIND OF LATE TO THE, TO THE GAME.
THAT'S WHY I WANNA MAKE SURE WHATEVER WE'RE DOING, WHATEVER THESE GROUPS ARE DOING HAS RELEVANCE FOR FUTURE DISASTERS OR FUTURE HEALTH CRISIS CRISES OR WHATEVER.
AND WE WILL REFER THOSE TO COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS COMMITTEE.
I THINK THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE FORUM.
COUNCIL MEMBER, MARY NAN HUFFMAN, UH, I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN ABOUT FOLLOWING UP, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THESE COME TO COMMITTEE.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE SEE THINGS LIKE THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON, UM, WHICH IS VERY WELL KNOWN FOR THEIR WORK AND THEIR RESEARCH.
BUT SOME OF THESE OTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, ENTITIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, I'M JUST NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH.
WE WERE WAITING ON SOME INFORMATION, UM, TO BE PROVIDED TO US THIS MORNING.
I HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT INFORMATION, SO I'D LIKE TO TAG FIVE, UM, UNTIL WE HAVE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION.
AND JUST SO I CAN DO A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH ABOUT THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS COMPANY AND THE, THE WORK THEY'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBER MARIANNE HUFFMAN TAGS, UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? NEXT ITEM.
[01:30:01]
IN FAVOR, OPPOSE.MOTION CARRIES ITEM 11, ITEM 12 IS AN ORDINANCE.
ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 12? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
[MATTERS HELD]
ITEM 19 NEEDS A MOTION.ITEM 19, REC CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS FOR A MOTION.
MAYOR PERAM, I ASK THAT THIS ITEM BE REFERRED BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
UH, ITEM HAS BEEN, UH, MOTION AND SECOND.
THIS IS SUPPORTED BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
OPPOSED? ITEM NUMBER 19, REFERRING BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN GRANTED.
NEXT ITEM, ROBINSON, GALLO, ROBINSON TAGS.
REQUESTS SENT BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
OKAY, ITEM 20 IS AN ORDINANCE.
ITEM 20 IN DISCUSSION ON ITEM 20.
COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS.
UM, COLLEAGUES, I TAGGED THIS LAST WEEK.
UM, I HAD A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION WITH HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
THANKS MARTA, FOR SETTING THAT UP.
UM, LAST YEAR AROUND THIS TIME, WE PASSED A FEE TO, UH, RATE USERS FOR THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND OUR DIS CONSENT DECREE.
AND OFTENTIMES, SOMETIMES WE KNOW WE'LL PASS SIGNIFICANT ITEMS THAT GO INTO THE ETHER.
AND SO I'VE REALLY BEEN KEEPING MY EYES, UM, ON OUR PROGRESS WITH THIS.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THE SAME THING.
UM, IT'S GONNA, UM, ALLOW US TO MEET OUR GOAL AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AROUND THE TECHNOLOGY, UM, WITH OUR CONSENT DECREE, OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
AND THE TEAM, UM, THEY'RE READY TO, TO CARRY US ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
AND I THINK IT'S ALSO HELPFUL.
ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED IS THE INFORMATION I'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE BACK TO RESIDENTS TO LET THEM KNOW THE REASON WHY THAT THAT RATE WOULD INCREASE WAS IMPORTANT.
BECAUSE THIS IS THE TYPE OF WORK THAT THEY CAN EXPECT IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO I'M IN TOTAL SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM.
IT'S REALLY GREAT AND JUST WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON THIS AMAZING HEAVY COMMITMENT THAT WE'VE MADE TO HOUSTONIANS BECAUSE IT'S DEFINITELY SOME GOOD STUFF TO TALK ABOUT.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TAG ON THIS ONE.
COUNCIL MEMBER AND, UM, HAVE HEARD FROM PUBLIC WORKS ON THIS AS WELL.
IT'S SOMETHING AGAIN, WITH THE TTI COMMITTEE THAT WE ARE TRACKING AND KEEPING VERY CLOSE EYES ON WITH THE CONSENT DECREE FOR BOTH THE EPA AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AS WELL AS THE TCEQ.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO UPDATE COUNCIL, KEEP IT IN FRONT OF US, UNDERSTANDING THE SCOPE, THE METRICS, THE WAY IN WHICH WE'RE, UH, INCREASING IT.
IT'S, IT'S OBVIOUSLY A VERY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY AND WE HAVE GOOD PEOPLE WORKING ON IT.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR INQUIRY AND WE WILL BE FOLLOWING UP.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
ITEM 20, THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
BEFORE WE GO, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AS I CALL 'EM PAULY PAUL YOUNG, HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAUL.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY COUNCIL MEMBER LETICIA PLUMMER.
BOTH OF THEM ARE 29 YEARS OLD TODAY, SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
[NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
OFF WITH THE BIRTHDAY GIRL.COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. MAYOR PURTO.
UM, I WANTED TO FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON, UM, ON THE STERLING SHIRE APARTMENT COMPLEX.
UM, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN REALLY LOOKING AT APARTMENT INSPECTION REFORM AND, UM, IN ADDITION TO COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON AND HER ADVOCACY FOR, UM, THE APARTMENTS AND EVERY, ALL THE PEOPLE IN HER, IN HER DISTRICT, I WANNA, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, H-F-D-H-P-D, UM, THE NONPROFIT ENTITIES THAT CAME IN AND HELPED TREMENDOUSLY RAINBOW COALITION, UM, IN, IN, UM, IN TOP HONESTLY, FOR REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAD THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEEDED.
UM, I'M ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS IF THEY HAVE ANY PROBLEMS IN IN THEIR COMMUNITIES OR IN THEIR APARTMENTS, YOU'VE GOT TO CALL 3 1 1.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT SO THAT WE CAN DO OUR JOB ON OUR END.
AND, UM, AND I WANTED TO, UM, UM, WISH THAT I BARAK WE HAVE A, UM, A, UM, CELEBRATION, UH, MUSLIM HOLIDAY COMING UP ON SATURDAY, JULY THE NINTH.
AND, UH, AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF MY MUSLIM BROTHERS AND SISTERS FOR THAT HOLIDAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE TWO BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN THE UPCOMING WEEKS IN DISTRICT A.
THE FIRST ONE IS SATURDAY, JULY 23RD.
[01:35:02]
THIS IS AT THE SPRING BRANCH FAMILY DEVELOPMENT CENTER FROM 9:00 AM TO NOON.UM, IT IS FOR FREE IMMUNIZATIONS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR SCHOOL.
UM, AND YOU CAN ALSO GET A FREE BACKPACK AT THE EVENT AS WELL.
THEY ARE HAVING THAT ON JULY 23RD AND ANOTHER ONE ON AUGUST 20TH AT THE SPRING BRANCH FAMILY DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
AND THE OTHER BACK TO SCHOOL FEST WILL TAKE PLACE ON AUGUST 20TH FROM NOON TO THREE.
THIS IS AT THE CARDALE COMMUNITY CENTER, 9 9 2 0 PUERTO RICO ROAD.
I'M VERY THANKFUL TO THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PUTTING ON THESE EVENTS.
AND WE'RE HAVING BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS, HUH? NEXT THING YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA SEE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS START POPPING UP.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ.
TIM, I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE KIDS OF THE YWCA HOUSTON STEM GAMES.
THEY HAD A WONDERFUL ENGAGEMENT AT THE EMANCIPATION PARK ON SATURDAY.
THEY WERE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT BEING THERE EARLY IN THE MORNING.
AND CERTAINLY THE PURPOSE OF THE STEM GAMES IS TO SPARK INTEREST IN STEM-BASED CAREERS FOR YOUNG MINDS TO PURSUE A CAREER IN THE INDUSTRIAL FIELDS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO IT WAS SO VERY, UM, ENLIGHTENING AND IT INSPIRED ME TO CONTINUE THROUGH MY DAY BECAUSE THEIR EXCITEMENT WAS JUST, THEY WERE JUST EXUBERANT.
UM, I WANT TO SAY THAT WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL HOUSTON HUMANE SOCIETY PET PANTRY IN SUNNYSIDE, AND WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF PARTNERING, UH, AND DISTRIBUTING OVER 12,800 PET MEALS TO PET OWNERS TO FIGHT HUNGER IN THE DISTRICT D UM, COMMUNITY.
AND SO I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND WE HAD THE SENIORS PRESENT IN THE SE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER, ALONG WITH OUR MAYOR, UH, HONORABLE MAYORS, UH, SANDRA MASSEY HINES.
AND THEY WERE REALLY ELATED TO RECEIVE THOSE ITEMS. UH, ALSO ON, UH, SATURDAY, THERE WAS A WONDERFUL PICNIC, UH, WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POLICE OFFICERS LEAGUE, A FAMILY FUN DAY AT PEGGY PARK.
AND I'M TELLING YOU, THEY HAD A GREAT TIME.
THEY HAD STEP RITO THERE, NOT STEP RITO.
THEY HAD, WELL, I WISH, BUT WE HAD A WONDERFUL GROUP THERE, UH, ZYDECO GROUP THERE.
THEY WERE GOOD AT STEP BRITO, UH, THAT I REALLY ENJOYED.
AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, OFFICERS, ERIC CARR, MICHAEL AG AND BRANDON LOVE FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO ORGANIZE THE A PAUL PICNIC.
AND ON A SAD NOTE, I WANT TO, UH, SAY THAT WE GIVE OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF MR. SUNSHINE, WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW HIS REAL NAME WAS VIRGOS BOURGEOIS JR.
AND HIS, UH, MANTRA, HE IMPROVED HIS OWN HEALTH, WAS ONE THING, BUT HIS MISSION WAS TO SPREAD THE KNOWLEDGE HE GAINED TO HIS OWN COMMUNITY.
HE WENT ALL OVER HOUSTON, EDUCATING AND HELPING PEOPLE TO BUILD HEALTHIER LIVES.
AND HIS RESTAURANTS, WHICH ARE IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT D, UH, HAVE BEEN OPEN FOR DECADES.
AND SO HE HAS BEEN A GAME CHANGER.
SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE ENGAGED IN THE A MORE HEALTHIER WAY OF LIFE BECAUSE OF HIM.
AND THERE WAS ANOTHER LOCATION OPENED IN MAY OF 22 IN THE HISTORIC FIFTH WARD.
AND SO WE CERTAINLY WANT TO GIVE OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE SUNSHINE FAMILY.
AND THAT CONCLUDES WHAT WE ARE DOING IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
THANK YOU MADAM VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX.
THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING US IN YOUR, UH, IN YOUR ECONOMIC MISSION TRIP.
THANK YOU
UM, HAD A WONDERFUL TIME REPRESENTING, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON ON BEHALF OF MAYOR TURNER IN, UH, PARIS, FRANCE.
AND I TRIED TO CHRONICLE OUR TRIP ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE.
AND THEN, UM, I HOPE THAT YOU'VE ALL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THE PRESS RELEASES THAT HAVE GONE OUT ABOUT THE TRIP.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'LL BE SOME MORE EXTENSIVE FOLLOW UP, UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
UM, TOMORROW IN DISTRICT K, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH NEW FAITH CHURCH AND THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK TO HELP HOUSTONIAN STRETCH THEIR DOLLARS.
WE ARE HAVING A GROCERY GIVEAWAY, UM, WITH FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
IT WILL BE FROM 8:00 AM TO 10:00 PM AT NEW FAITH CHURCH AT 43 15 WEST FU WAY, UH, IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, OF COURSE, UM, THERE ARE NO APPOINTMENTS NEEDED, UH, TO PARTICIPATE AND THERE ARE NO REQUIREMENTS.
JUST DRIVE BY, PICK UP SOME FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
I KNOW LAST WEEK EVERYONE WROTE TO ME AND SAID THAT THE WATERMELON AND THE PEARS, EVERYTHING WAS EXQUISITE AND THEY WERE REALLY SWEET.
'CAUSE THIS IS JUST THE PERFECT TIME FOR US TO ENJOY THE, UM, FRESH FRUITS THAT ARE BEING GIVEN OUT DURING THOSE, UM,
[01:40:01]
GROCERY GIVEAWAYS.AND THEN ALSO TOMORROW WE CAN'T FORGET OUR PETS.
UM, WE ARE HELPING OUR PETS TO REMAIN HEALTHY AND FED.
THERE IS A DRIVE THROUGH PET PANTRY AT THE HI CLARK MULTI-SERVICE CENTER AT 38 10 WEST FUKE WAY.
UH, NO APPOINTMENTS OR REQUIREMENTS.
JUST DRIVE THROUGH AND PICK UP, UH, PET FOOD, PET FOOD FROM 10:00 AM TO 12:00 PM AND THEN IF YOU MISS THE IN-PERSON MEETING FOR THE 2023 DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM, BE SURE TO ATTEND THE MICROSOFT TEAMS VIRTUAL MEETING ON TOMORROW, JULY THE SEVENTH, FROM SIX 30 TO SEVEN 30 WITH RASHAD CAVE.
IF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS INTERESTED IN A MATCHING GRANT, UM, UTILIZING OUR COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS, YOU MUST ATTEND ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS.
AND AGAIN, THAT IS TOMORROW FROM SIX 30 TO 7:30 PM AND YOU CAN EMAIL RASHAD DOT CAVE C AVE@HOUSTONTX.GOV FOR MORE INFORMATION.
AND THEN THIS SATURDAY, JULY THE NINTH, I'M PARTNERING WITH THE LAW FIRM OF RICE AND RICE AND MARSHALL MANAGEMENT GROUP TO HOST ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS ON DEED RESTRICTIONS.
UH, THE DISCUSSIONS WILL COVER ENFORCING DEED RESTRICTIONS, AMENDING, GOVERNING, DOC GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, COLLECTING ASSESSMENT FEES, THE ARCHITECTURAL GUIDELINES, HOW TO RUN A BOARD MEETING, UH, MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATES, BOARD ELECTION ISSUES, BOARD LIABILITIES.
UM, SO IF YOU ARE A DISTRICT, A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION OR CIVIC CLUB, YOU CAN JOIN US AT 9:00 AM TO 11:30 AM AT THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER.
UM, AND WE'D LOVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE PERTAINING TO YOUR D RESTRICTIONS THAT WE GET THOSE ANSWERED.
WE WILL BE HAVING THESE D RESTRICTION D RESTRICTION MEETINGS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF JULY, IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO ATTEND ON JULY 9TH.
WE WILL ALSO HOLD ONE ON JULY 23RD AT THE HPD SOUTHWEST COMMAND STATION, AND THEN AGAIN ON JULY 30TH AT WILLOW MEADOWS BAPTIST CHURCH.
AND THEN FINALLY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, YOU MAY SEE AT YOUR DESK, UH, I PASSED OUT A TML LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY TOOLKIT BOOKLET.
WE HAD OUR TML BOARD MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO.
AND, UM, OUR LEGISLATIVE SUMMIT IS COMING UP IN AUGUST AS WE PREPARE FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
UM, AND AS ALWAYS, THE LEAGUE WILL BE LOOKING TO OPPOSE ANY LEGISLATION THAT WILL USURP OUR LOCAL AUTHORITY FOR TEXAS CITIES.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL HAD THIS TOOLKIT, 'CAUSE THIS IS JUST A WAY THAT YOU CAN ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THIS NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO, UM, DISCUSS THAT WITH YOU.
MAKE IT A GREAT DAY AND BE KIND TO EACH OTHER.
AND, UM, THIS GENTLEMAN DID A GREAT JOB ACTING ON YOUR BEHALF LAST WEEK AS VICE MAYOR PRO TEM COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
WELL, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM.
YOU DID A GREAT JOB ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR AND YOU'RE DOING SO TO AGAIN TODAY.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXCELLENT SERVICE, MUTUAL LOVE SOCIETY.
YEAH, THIS IS THE DAY FORCE IN FULL DISPLAY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO REMIND OUR COLLEAGUES THAT TOMORROW MORNING IS THE, UH, UH, MONTHLY MEETING OF THE TTI COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT COUPLE OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
IT'S NOT AS PACKED AS USUAL, BUT TOMORROW MORNING WE WILL BE HEARING FROM THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, THEIR TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS REGARDING SCHOOL SPEED ZONES.
SO I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.
SO THAT WILL BE ON THE AGENDA AS WELL AS A NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
AN ITEM, UH, MANY OF YOU CARRY ABOUT, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE DISTRICT COUNCIL OFFICES, NAMELY SPEED BUMPS.
UH, SO PUBLIC WORKS WILL ALSO PRESENT THAT TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS THAT HAVE METRICS ABOUT, UH, HOW GOOD WE'RE DOING IN ALL THE DISTRICTS.
SO I CALL THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION AND PLEASE SEND A STAFF MEMBER IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND IN PERSON.
SO, UM, ALSO, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU KNOW THAT OCCASIONALLY I LIKE TO CALL ATTENTION TO A NATIONAL HOLIDAY.
IN THIS CASE IT IS A FACT AND A, APPARENTLY A SCOTTISH TRADITION OF WHICH I AM, UH, UH, A DESCENDANT OF THAT GREAT GROUP OF, UM, NORTHERN EUROPEANS.
AND IN THIS CASE TODAY, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE KNOWN, BUT IT'S NATIONAL FRIED CHICKEN DAY.
SO SCOTTISH IMMIGRANTS BROUGHT THAT TRADITION OF DEEP FRYING CHICKEN IN FAT TO THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES SOME YEARS AGO, ON JULY 6TH, AFTER ITS INTRODUCTION TO THE AMERICAN SOUTH.
OF COURSE, FRIED CHICKEN SOON BECAME A STAPLE.
AND OVER TIME, COOKS ADDED SEASONINGS AND SPICES TO ENRICH THE FLAVOR OF THE CHICKEN.
AND, UM, THOUGHT I'D BRING THAT TO THE COUNCIL'S ATTENTION.
NO ONE MADE BETTER FRIED CHICKEN THAN MY MOTHER-IN-LAW WHO WAS A COMBINATION CAJUN AND CREOLE.
SHE MADE THE BEST GOD REST HER SOUL COUNCIL MEMBER, SALLY ALCORN.
UM, AND A FOLLOW UP TO OUR PERMITTING PANEL THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON AND I HAD.
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IS A NEW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S IN FOLLOW UP TO OUR PERMITTING PANEL, BUT THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED A NEW CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE TEAM.THERE'S A PHONE NUMBER, EIGHT THREE TWO THREE NINE FOUR HELP.
THERE'S A WHOLE DEDICATED TEAM, UM, THERE TO HELP WITH, UH, ANY ISSUES IN BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT OR OFFICE OF CITY ENGINEER.
ALSO, RUDY MORENO HAS JOINED THE STAFF.
HE'S BEEN IN PUBLIC WORKS, BUT HE'S, UM, GOING TO BE ASSISTING, UM, DIRECTOR CHRIS BUTLER IN, YOU KNOW, GETTING THINGS MOVING AT PERMITTING.
SO EXCITED ABOUT THOSE TWO CHANGES.
AND, UH, ALSO WANTED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE REGULATORY NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING ON TUESDAY, JULY 12TH AT 10.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THINGS HAVING TO DO WITH VEHICLES, JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES, PARKING IN THE YARD, VEHICLES, COMMERCIAL VEHICLES THAT PEOPLE BRING HOME AND PARK IN THEIR DRIVEWAYS AND STREETS.
UH, 18 WHEELERS THAT ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF THAT HAVE ANY, HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH BASICALLY VEHICLES THAT YOU DON'T WANT SOMEPLACE THAT ARE KIND OF EYESORE.
SO PLEASE ATTEND THAT MEETING.
WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THESE ORDINANCES.
WE'RE BASICALLY LAYING OUT HOW, UH, THEY'RE WRITTEN, HOW THEY'RE ENFORCED, AND THEN FROM THERE WE'LL GO TO HOW WE CAN IMPROVE ON ENFORCEMENT.
UM, JULY 12TH, TUESDAY, JULY 12TH AT 10:00 AM.
AND THAT CONCLUDES TODAY'S COUNCIL AGENDA.
BEFORE WE ADJOURN, WE WILL ADJOURN IN MEMORY OF OUR FORMER COHORT, KIPPE CARAY'S MOTHER, MRS. TARA PAYNE.