* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. IT IS 2:03 PM ON TUESDAY, JUNE 12TH. JULY 12TH, SORRY. JUNE 12TH, I'M SORRY. JULY 12TH. JUNE 12TH, 2022. JULY. I AM MAYOR PRO TEMP DAVE MARTIN, AND I'M CALLING THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY [2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] COUNCIL TO ORDER AS A HYBRID MEETING WITH SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS JOINING US IN PERSON AND SOME USING MICROSOFT TEAMS. THE CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS FOR THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROAM. IT'S WITH GREAT APPRECIATION THAT I WELCOME PASTOR JOSHUA HARDER TO CITY HALL CHAMBERS. PASTOR, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD? PASTOR HARDER AND HIS WIFE DONYA, HAVE BEEN PASTORING THE VINEYARD CHURCH OF HOUSTON SINCE 2018, LOCATED IN THE GREATER HEIGHTS. THE VINEYARD CHURCH IS AN ETHNICALLY AND CULTURALLY DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE EMBRACED THE IDEA OF UNITY AND DIVERSITY. THE VINEYARD CHURCH IS FIRMLY EMBEDDED IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY ARE HIGHLY ENGAGED, UM, AND VERY ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE HEIGHTS INTERFAITH MINISTRIES, THE FOOD PANTRY, SECOND CUP OF COFFEE, HOG MIDDLE SCHOOL, MENTORING HOMES FOR HOPE, ADOPTION, AND FOSTER CARE, AND HOUSTON WELCOMES REFUGEES. UM, WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE, UM, WITH US TODAY TO, UM, OFFER THE INVOCATION. UM, ARE THERE ANYTHING, ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD OR SAY ABOUT, UM, VINEYARD CHURCH? UH, NO. I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. UH, I LIKE OUR CHURCH. IT'S PRETTY COOL. . UM, THANK YOU. I'M, I'M SO HONORED TO BE HERE, AND, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IN THESE MOMENTS TO RECOGNIZE THAT, THAT THE KINDNESS OF GOD, THAT HIS PRESENCE IS IN THE BIG AND SMALL OF ALL OF US AND ALL OF LIFE. AND IN LIGHT OF THAT, UH, WE AS GOD, THE LIVING GOD, THE CREATOR OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH, THAT HE WOULD, IN HIS PRESENCE HERE, BRING PEACE TO OUR SOULS AND REST TO OUR MINDS. WISDOM AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERY WORD THAT IS SPOKEN AND COMPASSION, TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE. AND BEYOND THAT, TO SEE THE PEOPLE BEYOND THEIR NEEDS. WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT HE SHOWS UP WHEN WE ASK. AND SO WE ASK YOU, GOD, SHOW UP. THANK YOU. AMEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE. ALLEGIANCE. ALLEGIANCE, JESUS FLAG, AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TWO REPUBLIC WILL ONE NATION [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING] NEXT WILL BE OUR ROLL CALL COUNCIL. MEMBERS, PLEASE PREPARE TO ANSWER THE ROLL CALL BY UNMUTING YOURSELVES. MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL MAYOR. ATTORNEY WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER P HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. COUNCILMAN EVAN SHABAZ. HERE. COUNCILMAN MARTIN. PRESENT COUNCIL THOMAS. COUNCIL HUFFMAN. PRESENT. COUNCILOR CISNEROS. HERE. COUNCILMAN GALLEGOS? HERE. COUNCIL POLLARD. HERE. COUNCILMAN CASTEX TATUM. HERE. COUNCIL KNOX. HERE. COUNCILMAN ROBINSON. HERE. COUNCILMAN KOSH. HERE. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER HERE. AND COUNCILMAN ALCORN. HERE. NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF NEED. A MOTION TO DELAY THE MINUTES? I DON'T REMEMBER. MOVE ROBINSON. SECOND. MOTION TO DELAY THE MINUTES. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL NOW REVIEW [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] THE PROCEDURES FOR CONDUCTING THIS HYBRID PUBLIC SESSION FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS. PLEASE REMEMBER TO SPEAK SLOWLY AND CLEARLY. IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THE MEETING, PLEASE TYPE THAT IN THE CHAT WINDOW AND THEN HANG UP. THIS WILL REMOVE YOU FROM THE MEETING AND GIVE US A RECORD OF WHEN YOU LEFT. STATE YOUR NAME WHEN MAKING A MOTION, SECONDING OR TAGGING. FOR THOSE JOINING VIRTUALLY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE TYPE THAT INTO THE CHAT WINDOW, AND THE AGENDA DIRECTOR WILL BE MONITORING THE CHAT AND WE'LL ADD YOUR NAME INTO THE QUEUE. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU MUST BE VISIBLE ON CAMERA WHILE YOU ARE SPEAKING FOR THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS. LET ME REMIND YOU THAT 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 TO THE PODIUM. [00:05:01] IF YOU ARE CALLING IN, REMEMBER TO PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELVES. AND IF YOU ARE APPEARING ON CAMERA, PLEASE CLICK THE MICROPHONE ICON AND THE CAMERA ICON. YOU WILL THEN HAVE EITHER ONE, TWO, OR THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. AFTER YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, THE BELL WILL RING. ONCE THAT BELL RINGS, YOU MUST STOP SPEAKING. YOU MAY ONLY SPEAK WHEN RECOGNIZED. AND IF YOU SPEAK DURING THE MEETING AND WE HAVE NOT RECOGNIZED YOU, WE WILL MUTE, MUTE YOU. AND IF YOU SPEAK AGAIN, WE WILL RE REMOVE YOU FROM THE MEETING. BEFORE WE GO TO MADAME SECRETARY FOR ANY PROCEDURE, EMULSIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR'S YOUTH CLIMATE AMBASSADORS WHO ARE BUILT VISITING US IN PUBLIC SESSION TODAY. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE A SECOND COHORT OF YOUTH CLIMATE AMBASSADORS IN ATTENDANCE AT TODAY'S PUBLIC SESSION. SO I'D ASK THE FOLLOWING TO PLEASE STAND EVELYN ELINA TORRES, ZORA ROBINSON, CAMERON VASQUEZ, AND JADE JONES. FOR NEARLY A MONTH, THESE 2022 YOUTH CLIMATE AMBASSADORS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO BOTH RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND GATHER FEEDBACK FROM HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ON THEIR CURRENT CLIMATE CHALLENGES IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES. EVELINA, ZORA, CAMERON, AND JADE ARE WORKING TO EDUCATE HOUSTONIANS ABOUT THE CITY'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AND THE RESILIENT HOUSTON STRATEGY. THEY'RE COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO TARGET PRIMARY ENGAGEMENT WITH COLORS, UH, WITH COMMUNITIES OF COLORS, COMMUNITIES OF LOW AND MODERATE INCOME, HOUSEHOLD IMMIGRANTS, REFUGEES, YOUTH, AND THOSE WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE CITY AND HOUSTON, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WELCOME TO CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU. NOW, ARE THERE ANY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? SEEING NONE, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER CAST. I'M SORRY. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTHA CASTEX. TATUM, I DON'T HAVE A PROCEDURAL MOTION, BUT I DID WANT TO, UM, SAY TO THE YOUTH CLIMATE AMBASSADORS THAT I APPRECIATE THEM BEING AT OUR DISTRICT K EVENTS. UM, LAST WEEK, UH, THEY WERE THERE FOR OUR PET PANTRY PASSING OUT INFORMATION, AND ALSO AT ONE OF OUR, UM, FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS. AND SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING IN THE COMMUNITY AND WORKING ON BEHALF OF, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN JOINING US VIRTUALLY. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROAM. I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE, UM, OUR YOUTH AMBASSADORS AND JUST THANK THEM FOR, UH, THE CRITICAL, CRITICAL WORK YOU ARE DOING, UH, SERVING IN YOUR ROLES ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. UH, YOU ARE THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS, AND WHILE WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO ON THIS COUNCIL AND AS A CITY, UM, IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE FALLING ON YOU ALL IN TERMS OF SAVING OUR PLANET. SO, UH, I'M NOT GIVING UP AND THE WORK CONTINUES, BUT I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING, UH, IN TERMS OF HOW CRITICAL IT IS. SO, GREAT. GREAT, GREAT JOB. THANK YOU, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER, AUGUSTINE PINEDO. AUGUSTINE PINEDO. AUGUSTINE PINEDO. NEXT SPEAKER. KENDALL BAKER. KENDALL BAKER. NEXT SPEAKER WILL HILL. WILL HILL. NEXT SPEAKER. TRACY SOLS. TRACY SORES. TRACY SOLS, SIX STAR SIX TO UNMUTE IF YOU'RE JOINING VIRTUALLY. NEXT SPEAKER. CODY WEST COT WEST. NEXT SPEAKER, FLORENCE IHA. FLORENCE IHA BATTING A THOUSAND. NEXT SPEAKER. GINA WALLY. YES. HEY, GINA WILEY. GOOD TO HAVE YOU. YES, I FINALLY MADE IT. I STOOD UP THE SECOND TIME. , UH, YEAH, I JUST WANNA BE QUICK AND ASK A QUESTION OF, I'M SORRY, MAYOR TURNER'S NOT HERE. UH, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT TERM LIMITS, REVERSING IT. [00:10:01] AND SO WE GOT A GOOD BODY OF COUNCIL. THE WAY I SEE IT, UH, IT COSTS MONEY TO REPLACE COUNCIL, OUR GOVERNMENT, AND THE MAYOR. AND I JUST THINK THE TIME HAS COME. WE'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THAT. IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT UNDOING TURN LIMITS? IT HAS TO GO THROUGH A CHARTER ISSUE, WHICH GOES TO THE VOTERS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. OH, REFERENDUM. YES, MA'AM. CAN WE DO THAT? WOULD YOU PLEASE PUT THIS ON HIS AGENDA? WELL, YOU CAN DO THAT AS WELL BY, UH, GETTING PROCLAMATIONS AND SUBMIT, I MEAN, UM, PIT PETITIONERS TO SIGN IT AND SUBMIT THEM TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE. BUT EITHER WAY, IF YOU FIND A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S WANTS TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH, UH, ANYONE, UH, THE MAYOR. WELL, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO SPEND. I JUST WANNA YES. PRESENT IT BEFORE COUNCIL AND MAYBE COUNCIL CAN TAKE IT TO THE MAYOR AND DO SOMETHING. YOU GOT IT. AND ON A, UH, ONE MORE NOTE. WELL, I GOT YOU ELECTED MR. POLLARD, BUT I MOVED OUTTA YOUR DISTRICT. I'M NOW WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS SHABBAT. SO IS IT, HOW'S THAT WORKING OUT FOR YOU? IS THAT, THAT'S PROBABLY WORKING OUT A LOT BETTER, RIGHT? UH, WELL, IS HE DOING OKAY? YEAH, HE HE'S DOING A GREAT JOB. IS DOING OKAY? HE'S DOING A GREAT JOB. I WENT TO THE POLLS, NOT SURE WHO TO VOTE FOR, AND I SAID, OH MY GOD, THAT MAYOR GOT A MOREHOUSE MAN. ANYWAY, UH, IF Y'ALL CAN PUT THIS ON HIS AGENDA, THE, UH, TERM LIMITS IDEA. WELL, I, I THANK YOU FOR CALLING ME. I THINK CITY SECRETARY HAS MY, MY, UH, PHONE NUMBER, RIGHT? I DON'T, I DON'T EMAIL OR ANY OF THAT. WE, AND WE HAVE THAT. AND, UH, I GUESS I WILL THANK YOU FOR THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE YEAH. FOR THIS BODY SINCE YOU EXPRESSED THAT. BUT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KUBOSH HAS A QUESTION OR COMMENT. OH, OKAY. YES. I, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND STATEMENT, , THAT'S VERY NICE OF YOU TO COME AND SAY THAT. I, I HAVE, UH, I SUGGESTED THAT, UH, IN, IN THE LAST, UH, BUDGET CYCLE BEFORE THIS ONE THAT WE CONSIDER, UH, SOME CHARTER AMENDMENTS, AND ONE WAS TO EXTEND THE TERM OF COUNCIL FOR THREE TERMS. BUT ANYWAY, UH, I, I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, I, WE GET ALL KIND OF PEOPLE COME UP HERE AND TALK TO US, BUT, BUT THIS IS REALLY NICE. THANK YOU, SIR. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. UH, ALSO ABOUT DISTRICT JI SPENT MY DAYS IN DISTRICT J, THE SWIFT, THERE'S A SWIFT, UH, CONVENIENCE STORE. I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHERE IT'S IN DISTRICT J, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS BEING RECORDED FOR THE PEOPLE, AND I DON'T WANT 'EM TO KNOW WHAT I'M DOING. I HAD SOME PROBLEMS IN MONTROSE AND I DON'T, BUT ANYWAY, UH, IT'S A SWIFT CONVENIENCE STORE IN DISTRICT J AND YEAH, OCCASIONALLY I DON'T, OKAY, I'LL FINISH UP. UH, I, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FOOD, MONEY OR A DRINK. AND THE CUSTOMERS, I'M VERY PROFESSIONAL WHEN I DO IT, WHEN I ASK, AND THEY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM. BUT WHAT I FIND IS VIOLATION, EO SIX, UH, FAIR HOUSING, UH, LAWS, BECAUSE IT'S ALL MEN, ALL MIDDLE EASTERN. AND IF YOU CAN LOOK ONTO THAT, I'D BE, UH, MAYBE SHABAZZ, BECAUSE I NOTICED DISTRICT J AND DISTRICT D. OH, ARE YOU, ARE YOU MY, WHO IS, I ASKED THE CITY SECRETARY. YOU ARE DISTRICT Z. WHO IS, UH, I'LL END WITH THIS. WHO IS COUNCIL MEMBER OF WEST BELFORT AND FRON, COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD J POLLER. NEXT IN THE QUEUE? YES, IN THE QUEUE. ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY, I'M RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THAT. UM, THAT'S ACTUALLY DISTRICT K. UM, BUT KNOW THAT AREA VERY WELL. BUT I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR, UH, COMING IN TODAY AND, UH, GIVING US A, A VOTE OF YOUR APPROVAL AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO SPEAKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE. OH, I SEE AS CASA TATUM, THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY DID. I GOT CONFUSED 'CAUSE IT WAS HYPHENATED. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. I CAN'T STAY, SO YOU GOT IT. THANK YOU. WE'LL, WE'LL GO BACK TO MS. FLORENCE IHA WHO JUST SHOWED UP. FLORENCE. FLORENCE. AHA. HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. RUSSELL NAME IS FLORENCE. HELLO. [00:15:20] HELLO. I WOULD'VE EXPECTED JUST ONE RING TOO. THEN IF NO, NOBODY, THEN YOU CAN DO THE DOOR. AND THEN HE GOES, OH, OKAY. WE WILL LEAVE NOW. GO AND BE SENDING YOU ARBITRARY BILLS. I'M LIKE, OH, IS THAT A HARASSMENT OR, I SAID, I DON'T UNDERSTAND. I WAS JUST TELLING YOU THAT I WAS SCARED. HE SAID, OKAY, THEY'RE LEAVING. I SAID, I DIDN'T TELL YOU TO LEAVE. I DIDN'T SAY, I'M NOT OPENING MY GATE. SO I CALLED THEM, WROTE DOWN THEIR NAMES, AND THEN OPENED MY GATE. THEY WENT TO THE BACK. THEY WERE THERE. I WAS WITH THEM AFTER A WHILE. THEY SAID, OH, UH, THEY HAVE TO GO GET SOME MORE TECHNICIANS. I SAID, OKAY. UH, THIS TIME I HAVE NO LIGHT ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY TOOK AWAY THE METER. THEY DISBANDED EVERYTHING. AND THEN THEY CAME BACK WITH TWO MORE. SO THEY WERE NOW FOUR. AS THEY WENT, UH, TOWARDS THE METER, I RECOGNIZED THE GUY THAT KICKED MY DOOR AND TOLD ME THEY WERE, I SAID, UH, HIS NAME IS LEON. I SAID, MR. LEON, PLEASE, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, CAN YOU MOVE AWAY FROM MY PROPERTY AND LET THESE OTHER GUYS WORK ON IT? HE DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE. SO THE OTHER GUY SAID, WHERE WE LIVE, IF YOU TELL LEON TO LEAVE, I SAID, BUT I THOUGHT HE GOT YOU GUYS BECAUSE HE DIDN'T GET THE EXACT THING TO DO. SO IF YOU ARE HERE, YOU CAN DO IT. OR THEY WOULD CALL THE COPS. I SAID, OH, MY PHONE IS HERE. I CAN CALL THE COPS FOR YOU. THEN LEON NOW LEFT. THEN THEY PACK THAT THING. THEY, I SAID, OH, WHAT IS IT NOW? I SAID, OH, WE WANT TO WALK NOW. I SAID, OKAY, THAT'S GOOD. THE SAME OLD THING. THEN WHEN THEY DID WHAT THEY DID BEFORE, I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE I'M NOT AN ELECTRICIAN. THEY NOW WENT TO THE BACK OF MY GARAGE, OPENED THE TRANSFORMER, AND TOOK MY HOUSE OFF THE GRID. THEN, UH, THE GUIDE YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS. THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM. HI, MS. FLORENCE. HOW ARE YOU? I'M YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER. YOU'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MY OFFICE, JONATHAN. SO WE, WE ARE ON YOUR SITUATION. WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO CENTER POINT ON YOUR BEHALF AND ACTUALLY FOLLOWED UP WITH THEM EARLIER THIS MORNING TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE WITH ONE, THE METER BEING TAKEN, AND THEN THE CONNECTION TO YOUR ELECTRICITY BECAUSE IT IS EXTREMELY HOT. UM, AND SO, UH, WE ARE IN PROCESS OF THAT. WE'RE WAITING ON A RESPONSE. UM, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I GET WITH YOU AFTER THIS SO WE CAN GET YOU SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. IT'S, UH, UNFATHOMABLE IF YOU'RE SITTING IN THAT HOME, IN THIS HEAT DURING THIS TIME. SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IN THE INTERIM, YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED UNTIL WE CAN GET THIS RESOLVED. OKAY? I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. 'CAUSE MY SON IS SICK. HE, HE DIDN'T GO TO WORK TODAY BECAUSE OF THE CONDITION. I UNDERSTAND. I I, I WOULDN'T BLAME HIM. I GET IT. SO, BUT WHAT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, BEFORE YOU LEAVE TODAY, THAT WE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN THE INTERIM UNTIL WE GET A RESPONSE FROM CENTRAL PORT ON ONE, THE RECONNECTION OF YOUR POWER, AND THEN WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE, UH, METER THAT WAS TAKEN FROM YOUR PROPERTY. OKAY. YOU WERE THE ONE I TALKED ON THE PHONE, JONATHAN. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DAY. NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR COMING. BUT DON'T LEAVE. I WANT YOU TO, I'M GONNA GET WITH YOU AFTER THIS, OKAY? OKAY. THANK YOU MY FRIEND. THANK YOU, MS. FLORENCE. THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. FLORENCE. WE'LL NOW GO BACK UP TO GRAB MS. TRACY SORES. STAR SIX TO UNMUTE TRACY SORES. HELLO, GO AHEAD. HI, I AM TRACY FARROW. I'M COLLIE FARROW. MY, UH, GRANDMOTHER, THE 9-YEAR-OLD THAT WAS MURDERED ON JUNE 13TH. AND, UM, I WANTED TO DISCUSS PROCLAMATION FOR THE DAY OF JUNE 13TH IN HONOR OF HER NAME. GO AHEAD. AND, UH, WITH THAT DATE, UM, I'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED THE INFORMATION, UM, IN ORDER TO GET THAT PROCESS STARTED, BUT ALONG WITH THAT, [00:20:01] I WOULD LIKE FOR HER, HER NAME TO BE HONORED THAT DAY. AND THAT'S PRETTY RIGHT. AND, AND I, UNDER, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU'VE MADE CONTACT OR MS. MARY BETTEN, WHO HEADS UP OUR, UM, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE, HAS MADE CONTACT WITH YOU AND GIVEN YOU THE INFORMATION, HOW YOU GO ABOUT REQUESTING A PROCLAMATION. SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN FOLLOW HER INSTRUCTIONS AND WE CAN GET ONE TAKEN CARE OF FOR YOU. OKAY. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND ALSO ON THAT DAY, UM, I KNOW SHE TOLD ME THIS IS SOMETHING I'LL HAVE TO DO ON MY END, IS JUST TO RECOGNIZE JUST KIDS ALL OVER HOUSTON AND AWARENESS WITH VIOLENCE AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT TO MAKE IT A FUN DAY ON THE PARK OR WHATEVER ASSISTANCE I CAN GET WITH THAT. JUST TO HONOR, UH, HER, MY, MY GRANDDAUGHTER'S NAME AND JUST TO, YOU KNOW, UH, UM, JUST SHOW, JUST SHOW SOME KIND OF SUPPORT TO OTHER VICTIMS ON THAT DAY. YES, MA'AM. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU. UH, MAYOR PROAM. UH, MS. LLS, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE AWARE OF HOW TO REQUEST THESE CELEBRATORY DOCUMENTS, BUT YOU CAN GO ONLINE, UH, GOOGLE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, CEREMONIAL DOCUMENTS, AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY REQUEST THOSE DOCUMENTS ONLINE. UH, NOW ALLOW YOURSELF ABOUT 30 DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT TO BE ABLE TO, TO DO IT. OKAY? OKAY. OKAY. AND IF YOU'RE HAVING A PROBLEM, THEN CERTAINLY YOU CAN REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE AND WE CAN ASSIST YOU. BUT I BELIEVE THAT IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU JUST GO ONLINE, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE IT. IT'S PRETTY EASY. BUT WE ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO HELP YOU IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE. THAT'S THE DISTRICT D OFFICE. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, THANK YOU, MS. SORO. NEXT SPEAKER. RODNEY UNDERWOOD. RODNEY UNDERWOOD. NEXT SPEAKER. DOROTHY HAS, HI. YOU SURPRISED THE MAYOR'S NOT HERE? YES, MA'AM. GOOD AFTERNOON. HELLO, MY NAME IS DOROTHY HAAS, AND I'M HERE AND I SURE, I KNOW ABBY KNOWS WHY. YEAH. PICKING MY PHONE. YEAH, I KNOW ABBY KNOWS WHY. 'CAUSE THEY'VE BEEN CALLING HIM. I KNOW THE MAYOR KNOWS WHY, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY HE'S NOT HERE. DOES SOMEBODY WANNA TAKE DOCUMENTATION? CAN YOU IMAGINE FLOODING IN HOUSTON THAT THE FIRST THING THAT Y'ALL DO ON THIS $15 MILLION PROJECT FOR SOMEONE? I DON'T KNOW WHOM, BUT I WILL FIND OUT WHO ASKED THIS PROJECT TO BE DONE. BUT WHY WOULD A CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR, HE SAID HE MADE THE CHOICE TO TAKE OUT OUR DRAINAGE. SO SUNDAY I FLOODED, IT DIDN'T GET TO MY HOUSE 'CAUSE I HAD TO PAY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO GET GUYS OUT THERE DIGGING HOLES. I HAD ONE PUMP LEFT OVER FROM 2010 WHEN I HAD THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND MAYOR PARKER, THEY PUT IN BEAUTIFUL DRAINS AND WHY THIS CONSTRUCTION GUY REMOVED A PIPE, 24 INCH DRAIN, BEAUTIFUL, WORKED GREAT DURING HARVEY, HE REMOVED A PORTION OF THE PIPE. SO THE, IT'S PROOF THAT ALL THE WATER BACKED UP ON MY PROPERTY AND I ALMOST FLOOD AND I ALMOST FLOODED. SORRY. AND, UM, SO NOW WHAT? SO I SPENT $2,300 IN SANDBAGS AND PUMPS. OH, WHAT THE GUYS DID DO. AND THE SUPERVISOR AGREED, CITY WATER CAME OUT ON JULY 4TH, PUMPED ALL THE WATER OUT, DUG A HOLE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. SO THE SUPERVISOR SAID, OR THE INSPECTOR SAID, YOU'RE RIGHT, WE SHOULD NOT REMOVE ANYTHING WITHOUT REPLACING IT. SO THEY STUCK A SIX INCH PIPE. SO IMAGINE PAPER TOWEL HOLDER, WHICH I HAVE IN MY PURSE, I FORGOT. AND YOU STICK A STRAW IN THERE. SO UNFORTUNATELY, SEE THEY PUT A DRAIN, A HYDRANT THAT'S AT A DEAD END AND A CORNER, INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT ON THE INTERSECTION, THIS HYDRANT WON'T BE IN EFFECT UNTIL NEXT YEAR BECAUSE BOBBY, THE CITY LIAISON, SAID, MY STREET IS ONE OF THE LAST ONES TO BE COMPLETED, WHICH WOULD BE NEXT YEAR. SO WHERE TO BE WITHOUT DRAINAGE. SO I HAVE $2,300 WORTH OF SANDBAGS AND PUMPS. IF I PUT THEM UP, MY NEIGHBORS WILL FLOOD, BUT I WON'T. DO I FLOOD ENS. SUE, YOU, DO YOU BUY ME A NEW HOME? BECAUSE ONE DROP OF WATER GETS IN MY HOME. AND I'VE BEEN THERE 12 YEARS AND I FOUGHT FOR THE ORIGINAL DRAINS, BUT BECAUSE OF ONE MAN THAT BULLIES ME, THREATENS ME, CALLS ME NAMES, AND I'M SURE Y'ALL HAVE VIDEO OF HIM, OF ME SITTING IN MY CAR BECAUSE I SAID I WOULD BE RESPECTFUL OF THEIR GUYS AND THAT THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING. BUT I WAS HERE LAST TIME IN MARCH. 'CAUSE I WAS CONCERNED WHAT THEY WERE DOING. 'CAUSE I WAS TOLD BY THIS [00:25:01] MAN, JOHN, THAT WE HAVE TO RUSH IT THROUGH. WHY DO Y'ALL HAVE TO RUSH THIS THROUGH? WHO'S IN A HURRY TO GET THIS DONE? WHO IS PAYING Y'ALL TO GET THIS JOB DONE, IS WHAT I WANNA KNOW. WE HAVE 11 HOMES ON OUR STREET. WE DON'T NEED TWO SIDEWALKS, A TWO LANE ROAD. AND, AND NOW WE HAVE A FIRE HYDRANT IN THE CORNER. EVEN THE FIREMEN AGREE WITH ME, BUT THEY SAID THEY HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHERE WHOEVER DECIDES TO PUT A FIRE HYDRANT. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURES, THE LAST ONE IS, I THINK TANGLEWOOD, YOUR TIME. HAS THIS FIRE COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN JOINING US VIRTUALLY. IS SHE EVEN HERE? THANK YOU. OH, I TOOK A SHOWER. COLD SHOWER. NO HOT WATER. LOVELY. UH, WELCOME MS. MS. HAAS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MY OFFICE, UM, OVER THE PAST TWO DAYS SINCE YOU REACHED OUT TO US. UM, THE NOTES THAT I HAVE IN MAYOR PROTE, YOU MAY HAVE OTHERS, IS THAT, UM, THERE WAS A WATER MAIN BREAK ON JULY 3RD. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE THE WATER COMES FROM, FROM FROM THE GROUND. UHHUH. YES, MA'AM. MA'AM. LET COUNCIL MEMBER, HOLD ON ONE SECOND. UH, IF YOU COULD REPEAT THAT STATEMENT, GO BACK, I CAN REPEAT IT FOR YOU. NO, NO, NO, NO. IT'S, IT'S COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OPPORTUNITY. GO AHEAD. COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, THERE WAS A, A WATER MAIN BREAK ON JULY 3RD, UM, ON JULY 4TH, WA HOUSTON WATER REPAIRED THE TWO INCH WATER MAIN BREAK. UM, AND THEY ALSO, ON JULY 5TH, I HAVE THAT THE CONTRACTOR INSTALLED A TEMPORARY EIGHT INCH DRAINAGE PIPE TO PREVENT ANY WATER BUILDUP IN THE EVENT OF ACTUAL RAINFALL. UM, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN, UH, FLOODING IN DISTRICT C, WHICH IS WHY THIS PROJECT IS WHERE IT IS TO IMPROVE THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS EXPERIENCED FLOODING. UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN IN TERMS OF NOT ONLY YOUR HOME, BUT THE HOMES AROUND YOU. UM, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD IS THAT THAT EIGHT INCH, UH, DRAINAGE PIPE WILL PREVENT, UH, ANY, YOU KNOW, RISK OF FLOODING. BUT I AM HERE IN CASE, UH, YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL CONCERNS. I DO APPRECIATE THE DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSE BACK TO US AS WE FOLLOWED UP WITH THIS. UM, THE TIMELINE THAT I HAVE, JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE, AND YOU MAY ALREADY BE AWARE, UM, IS THAT, UH, ALL OF THE STREET DRAINAGE ON HOME STREET SHOULD BE FULLY INSTALLED BY EARLY AUGUST. SO WE JUST HAVE A FEW MORE WEEKS TILL THAT PERMANENT DRAINAGE, UM, IS FINALIZED. BUT AGAIN, THE, THE CITY HAS TAKEN STEPS TO ENSURE, UM, IN THE MEANTIME THAT YOUR HOME AND OTHERS ARE PROTECTED. BUT AGAIN, I HEAR YOU, UM, MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THE HORSE, YOU KNOW, UH, WE ARE HYPERFOCUSED ON DRAINAGE, NOT JUST IN AREAS THAT, UM, HAVE PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED FLOODING, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PREVENTING FLOODING IN ALL NEIGHBORHOODS AS RAIN LEVEL AND RAINFALLS INCREASE. UM, IT, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW. SO I, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT UPDATE. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HAD BUT HAD HEARD THAT, BUT, UM, I, I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH OUR OFFICE THE PAST TWO DAYS, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND CAN I SAY THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER? MARTHA CASTEX, TM VICE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX. MS. HAAS, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING. WHO I'M, I'M HERE. UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND, AND WE DEFINITELY FEEL YOUR, YOUR FRUSTRATION BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW, UM, IMPORTANT IT IS TO ADDRESS THESE FLOODING CONCERNS THAT, UH, IN THE NOTES THAT WE HAVE, IT SAYS THAT THERE WAS A TEMPORARY INSTALLED DRAINAGE PIPE, AND THEN IT ALSO GIVES THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGER'S NAME AND NUMBER. AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD THAT, IF YOU HAVE ANY. AND I'M, AND I'VE BEEN BLOCKED SINCE, SO IT DOESN'T DO ME ANY GOOD. YOU'VE BEEN BLOCKED FROM WHO? FROM HIS NUMBER? BOBBY. HE TOLD ME THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM. BUT WOULD YOU RISK YOUR HOME? HE'S SPEAKING TO THE, TO THE MICROPHONE. OH. WOULD YOU RISK YOUR HOME TO FLOOD OR WOULD YOU PREPARE BECAUSE OKAY, MS. I, I, I, THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY HAS BULLIED ME. HE CALLED ME NAMES. HE'S THREATENED TO CALL THE POLICE ON ME. OKAY, MS. THOMAS. AND WOULD YOU TRUST HIM OR WOULD YOU GO AHEAD AND SET UP PA BACK SANDBAGS AND PUMPS? AND, AND I UNDERSTAND YOU WANNA SET UP THE SANDBAGS FOR YOUR HOME. UM, I, I'VE HAD, SO MY NEIGHBOR'S FLOOD, SO BE IT. BUT I DO APPRECIATE THAT SHE GAVE ME INFORMATION. WHY DIDN'T, AND THAT'S WHY I TOLD BOBBY, WHY COULDN'T Y'ALL, WE HAVE JUST SAT DOWN AND DISCUSSED THIS. SHE SAYS IT'S GONNA BE DONE IN AUGUST. WHY COULDN'T THEY HAVE TOLD ME? WELL, WELL, IT'S GONNA BE DONE IN AUGUST. SO THE DRAINAGE SUPERVISOR SAYS THE DRAIN IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THANK YOU, MSS. THANK YOU. MSS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BEFORE WE GO TO NEXT SPEAKER, UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. THANK YOU. UH, MAYOR PROAM. I LOOKED OUT IN THE AUDIENCE AND I SEE OUR NEW STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR 1 47, AND I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE HER. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE WANTS TO HAVE A WORD, BUT CERTAINLY, [00:30:01] UH, COME UP OR WE CAN JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU'RE, THAT YOU'RE HERE. THANK YOU. HI. UM, I USED TO SIT RIGHT THERE. UM, SO I REALLY DIDN'T PLAN ON SPEAKING, BUT THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING ME. I ACTUALLY WANTED TO INTRODUCE, MY ONE WAS JUST IN HERE. OH, THERE HE IS, RIGHT THERE. MY CHIEF OF STAFF, CORY HAYWOOD. I WANT, BECAUSE WHENEVER OUR OFFICE GETS CALLS AND THE CITY STUFF, WE ARE NOT GONNA INTERFERE WITH YOU. WE JUST GONNA CALL YOU . UM, IF YOU, IF YOU SHARE 1 47. SO CORY'S MY CHIEF OF STAFF AND MY DISTRICT DIRECTOR IS SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE HERE, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I WAS HERE. BUT THANK YOU. I COUNCIL, I DON'T KNOW IF I MISSED IT. COUNCIL MEMBER. BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. HOLD ON. COUNCIL MEMBER. SOON TO BE REPRESENTATIVE LEFT. I'M ALREADY REPRESENTATIVE KOSH. I'M SORRY. I'M, I'M ALREADY THE REPRESENTATIVE. I'VE GOT SWORN IN MAY 18TH. OH, YOU GOT IT. ALRIGHT. THANKS, . COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTATIVE, WHAT WOULD YOU PREFER COUNCIL MEMBER DOES? YOLANDA, DR. MICHAEL KOSH. KOSH, THANK YOU. IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU BECAUSE STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOLANDA JONES, I, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU. I STILL HAVE THE PICTURE OF YOU AND MY MOM AND MY BROTHER IN MY OFFICE, AND, UH, MY MOTHER JUST LOVED YOU, AS YOU ALREADY KNOW. I LOVE YOUR MOM. GOD BLESS YOU. I'M GLAD, I'M GLAD YOU WON. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CANON, REPRESENTATIVE JONES, UH, I'M SORRY I'M NOT THERE IN PERSON, UH, TO GIVE YOU A BIG HUG, BUT I AM SO THRILLED, UM, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER FOR, UM, OUR, UH, SHARED AND OVERLAPPING AREAS AND RESIDENTS. UH, I, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE TAKING ALL OF YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH YOU, UH, TO AUSTIN, AND WE COULD NOT BE MORE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU THERE. SO THANK YOU AGAIN. ONE OF THE REASONS I CAME IS FOR MY STAFF TO MEET LIKE, UH, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO OVERLAPPED. SO WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY BOP OVER TO YOUR OFFICE SO THAT MY CHIEF STAFF CAN MEET YOUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES PERSON. BUT PLEASE, SAME WITH YOU. DO, AND AS I SAY, UH, WE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY BENEFITS WHEN EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT IS WORKING TOGETHER, AND I KNOW EXACTLY. I KNOW THAT WE WILL DO THAT. AND I KNOW MY STAFF LOOKS FORWARD TO CONNECTING AS WELL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS. THANK YOU, MAYOR TIM. HELLO, STATE REPRESENTATIVE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. HI, UH, DISTRICT I DOES OVERLAP 1 47 AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. SO CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TWO IN THAT HOBBY AIRPORT AREA. YES, MA'AM. YEAH, I WANT TO FEEL PRIDE WHEN I GO THROUGH THERE, SO LET'S FIX IT TOGETHER. THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR PROAM, MARTHA TEX TATUM, STATE REPRESENTATIVE JONES, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. UM, AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING, UH, TO WORK WITH LEGISLATORS WHO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. AND AS A FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, WE, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU AS A FRIENDLY IN THE LEGISLATOR AS WE CONTINUE TO, UM, FIGHT FOR MAINTAINING, UM, LOCAL AUTHORITY AND, UH, WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR STATE LEGISLATORS. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, MOVING LEGISLATION FORWARD IN THE NEXT SESSION. THANK YOU. I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE IN LOCAL CONTROL. UM, THE STATE NEEDS TO STAY OUTTA Y'ALL'S BUSINESS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON. THANK YOU MAYOR AND REPRESENTATIVE JONES. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM, COME TO MEET YOUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS AS A FORMER AT LARGE. I KNOW YOU KNOW THAT, UH, THOSE OF US WHO SERVE CITYWIDE ARE ALSO YOUR ALLIES AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN AUSTIN. AND FOR THAT MATTER, THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL, THE, YOU KNOW, THE GREATER MUNICIPAL AREA. WE'RE, UH, VERY GLAD THAT YOU'RE THERE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU VERY CLOSELY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLINE, EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU. AND IF YOU COULD LEAVE SOME INFORMATION, I CAN ASK, AM MY CHIEF OF STAFF TO REACH OUT TO YOUR, MY PEOPLE CAN BE WITH YOUR PEOPLE. THAT'S COOL. WE CAN DO THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, AND I CAN JUST COME KNOCK ON YOUR DOOR TO ANYWAY. AND SO, BUT THANK YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR OFFER FOR ASSISTANCE, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO DO THIS TOGETHER. AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. AND SHE WILL BE REACHING OUT. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS RIS. HEY, HOW ARE YOU? HELLO. I'M GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? I'M WELL. I CAN'T COMPLAIN. UM, WELL, I'M, I AM PROUD OF YOU. THANK YOU. AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF OVERLAP WITH DISTRICT H AND, AND, AND YOUR REP, YOUR DISTRICT. AND I VOTED FOR YOU, AND I THANK YOU. I DID. I VOTED FOR YOU. AND, AND I KNOW WHAT A FIGHTER YOU ARE, AND I KNOW YOUR PASSION FOR HELPING CHILDREN, THAT THAT'S HOW WE MET MANY, MANY ABSOLUTE YEARS AGO. AND, AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN IMPRESSED BY THAT. AND, UM, I'M, I'M GLAD YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'LL BE TO YOUR OFFICE TOO, REPRESENTATIVE. THANK YOU FOR COMING AND CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. YOU'RE THE LEGEND, AS YOU KNOW. SO YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, NEXT SPEAKER, DEMETRIA BROOKS GLAZE. [00:35:05] DEMETRI BROOKS GLAZE STAR SIX TO UNMUTE NEXT SPEAKER, COLS UA COLLINS, NAB, HE'S ONLINE STAR SIX. CAN YOU HEAR ME? HELLO? GO AHEAD. STAR SIX TO UNMUTE. HE'S JUST REALLY LOW. UH, MY QUESTION, WELL, I'M HERE TO, UH, TALK ABOUT A VERY DIFFERENT TOPIC. UH, IT'S ON HAVANA SYNDROME. I KNOW PRESIDENT BIDEN, UH, APPOINTED SOMEONE ON, IN FEBRUARY, 2022 TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. I NEVER, EVER SINCE THE INVESTIGATION BEGAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'VE BEEN A LOT OF HYPOTHESES AS TOWARDS CAUSE SYNDROME, BUT THE OVERARCHING CONSENSUS AMONG SCIENTISTS AND NEUROLOGISTS IS A RF PLUS MICRO ARE THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE. AND, AND THEN THE, THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT WE ALSO FIND OUT THE MICROBES ALREADY USED FOR SURVEILLANCE UNITED STATES AND THAT THEY CAUSE BRAIN CANCER, MANY OTHER KINDS OF BRAIN PROBLEMS. SO MY HUMBLE REQUEST TO THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL IS THAT GIVEN THE SERIOUS HELP WITH THIS MICROTECHNOLOGY POST, THE GENERAL PUBLIC, BUT YOU GUYS HOLD, HOLD A HEARING SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TO THIS STUDY. SO THAT LEADING SCIENTISTS IN HOUSTON, THERE'S A LOT OF THEM, RIGHT? UNIVERSITIES, YOU KNOW, IN HOUSTON, WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST MEDICAL CENTERS IN THE WORLD CAN EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THIS STUFF. THERE ARE A LOT OF CONSPIRACY THEORIES OUT THERE ABOUT THESE MICRO AND WHAT THEY TOLD AND WHAT THEY, AND IT'S, IT'D BE GOOD TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUBJECT MATTER KNOWLEDGE HAVE LIKE A VERY EDUCATED, YOU KNOW, SECTION WHERE WE CAN EDUCATE THE PUBLIC THIS IS RIGHT AND THIS IS RIGHT, ALL THE CONSPIRACY. AND LASTLY, BUT NOT THIS, I JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT A COUNTRY IN SOUTH AMERICA, IT'S ALREADY LEADING IN THIS MURAL RIGHTS AREA. I MEAN, THIS IS NOT SOME PIE, THIS IS LIKE A REAL PROBLEM. AND THEY HAVE CUT THE LAWS TO PROTECT YOU PEOPLE BRAIN, THEY CALL THEM MURAL RIGHTS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING CALL, BUT I'M JUST SAYING A LEADING INTERNATIONAL CITY LIKE HOUSTON, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO START DEALING STUFF LIKE THIS. I REALLY HOPE YOU GUYS CAN HAVE A MEETING SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TO HAVANA SYNDROME, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW THESE PEOPLE HEALTH ESPECIALLY, I JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. THAT'S MY AND, UH, I BE TO HEAR FROM YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, MARY WILLIAMS. MARY WILLIAMS, MARY WILLIAMS, NEXT SPEAKER. STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS, STAR SIX. NEXT SPEAKER. ELLIE REVA. MS. MONTOYA. REVA, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M DOING WELL, THANK YOU. UM, THE REASON WHY I'M HERE IS BECAUSE, UH, MOST RECENTLY I CONTACT BADGING. I CONTACT OTG, UM, AND, UH, SOME OF, UH, THE FOLKS WHO ARE, UH, PART OF SIU AS WELL AS, UM, UNITED HERE, I WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF, UH, UM, UH, A SCREENING WITH OTG. UH, IT, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THEY ARE PAYING TWO 13 TO SOME AIRPORT WORKERS. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT. UM, AND DURING THE INTERVIEWS, UH, THE PREPARE SIGN, ABBY MOREHEAD, I THINK THAT'S A SEXUAL INNUENDO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I MIGHT BE, UH, MISTAKEN. I PROVIDED EVERY DOCUMENTATION, EVEN, UH, MY DIVORCE DECREE WITH, UH, THE SEAL, THE COURT, I WENT TO DOWNTOWN. SO, UH, I'M MAKING FOCUS TO TRY TO, UH, FIND EXPLANATIONS OF WHY THEY TRIGGER FOR WORKERS IN SUCH A WAY, AND THEY PLAY GAMES WITH THEM. I PROVIDED EVEN MY, UH, CITIZENSHIP WITH THE CELL OF THE COURT, SOCIAL SECURITY, EVERYTHING. SO, UH, I'M, [00:40:01] UM, AMAZED OF HOW THEY, UH, THEY PLAY WITH, UH, FOLKS. I WILL KEEP MAKING SOME PHONE CALLS. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED AND, AND CAN, CAN I SAY SO? THANK YOU. SOMETHING ELSE. THANK YOU. OH, OKAY. CO COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS. YES, MA'AM. HI, MS. ILEY. I'M CONFUSED ABOUT THE PAPERWORK THAT YOU SENT. SO, UM, YOU APPLY, YOU APPLY FOR A JOB. UH, THEY, THEY ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE SOMETIMES I GO TO THE MARRIOTT AND SOMETIMES I GO TO, UH, WHAT IS IT CALLED? CHELSEA. UH, I WORK AS A CONTRACTOR. SOMETIMES I GET BORED. I'M OUT IN THE COMMUNITY DOING DOORDASH. SO IT, IT WAS BROUGHT, I THINK, UH, THEY TRIED, TRIED TO TRICK ME WITH EMPLOYMENT AND, UH, THEY SCREAM ME. THEY EVEN TOOK MY FINGERPRINTS, UH, AND EVERYTHING. SO SOMETIMES WHEN I'M IN, UH, THE MARRIOT LET'S, UH, DROPPING OFF, LET'S SAY AN ORDER OR IN ONE OF THE TERMINALS, THEY HAVE CAMERAS AND THEY GET VERY, UH, AGITATED BECAUSE, UH, UH, AND THERE'S A BUNCH OF, UH, HPD CONSTABLES OF EVERY, UH, SINGLE DEPARTMENT. SO, HOLD ON. WAIT, HOLD ON ONE SECOND. WALK ME SLOW. YOU WORK FOR DOOR, IT'S DOORDASH, BUT YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE NOT GETTING PAID? I GET PAID WITH DOORDASH. I DO IT PART-TIME BECAUSE I GET BORED. SO I APPLIED FOR OTG AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE PAPERWORK, I MEAN THE SEXUAL INNUENDO WITH THE PERSON THAT SIGNED, UH, THE PREPARER SAYS, UH, ABBY MOOREHEAD. YEAH, THAT'S HER NAME. YEAH. I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH NOTHING. SO YOU, SO I DON'T WORK FOR OTG. OKAY. YEAH. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. THEY SAID NO, UH, AND I'M OKAY WITH IT. I DON'T THINK I, UH, PEOPLE SHOULD GET PAID TWO 13. I JUST WANNA BRING IT TO, UH, THEIR ATTENTION BECAUSE MAYOR TURNER AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBER SIGNED ONCE UPON A TIME A DOCUMENT THAT THERE WERE AIRPORT WORKERS WERE GONNA GET PAID MORE. I'M TRYING TO GET ANSWERS. I BEEN CONTACT, UH, MR. MARIO DIAZ'S OFFICE. HE WAS ON VACATION LAST TIME I HEARD. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO, UH, FIGURE OUT IF, UH, ALSO THE UNION CAN GIVE US ANSWERS IN REGARDS TO THIS SITUATION. I THINK THIS IS JUST A JOKE. THEY HAVE MY FINGERPRINTS, THEY HAVE EVERY POWER OF DOCUMENTATION THAT THEY ASK FOR. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OH, COUNCIL, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. MOTION TO EXTEND. MOTION TO EXTEND. MOVE ROBINSON. SECOND. I'M SORRY. IN FAVOR OR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. AND IN YOUR PACKAGE THAT YOU JUST PROVIDED TO US, THERE'S ALSO A NOTICE OF DEMAND FOR AQUA SYSTEM THAT YOU WORK. OH, YEAH. IT HAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I JUST WANNA LET, UH, THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT UNFORTUNATELY AT THIS POINT, UH, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT MR. RE TOLD ME TO GO, UH, TO, UH, MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH, UH, THE COUNTY BECAUSE SOME OF, UH, THE, THE, HE, I DON'T KNOW IF HE BELIEVES THAT YOUR DISTRICT CANNOT HANDLE SOME OF THE SITUATIONS IN DISTRICT B. I CANNOT GO AT THIS TIME TO THE COUNTY BECAUSE I HAVE A SITUATION PENDING WITH, UH, THE CRIMINAL COURT. BUT JUST KNOW THAT THE SITU THE ISSUES THAT YOU'RE HAVING, IT DOESN'T APPLY TO ALL OF THIS DISTRICT B, IT'S YOUR INDIVIDUAL. OKAY. SITUATIONS, I MEAN, I'VE NEVER SEEN THESE TYPE OF COMPLAINTS IN DISTRICT B. YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE, UH, YES. THAT I HEAR ABOUT. MM-HMM . APARTMENTS AND, AND, UM, NOTICE OF DEMANDS FOR YOU PURCHASE A PRODUCT THAT YEAH, UM, YOU FEEL THAT THEY MANIPULATED YOU INTO PURCHASING. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T DEAL WITH A LOT OF THAT IN DISTRICT. SO NOW, NOW THE COUNTY HAS, UH, UH, THE HOUSTON COUNTY MEDIATION. YOU CONTACT THEM, YOU MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, AND THEY HELP YOU OUT WITH THESE SITUATIONS. THE ONLY REASON WHY I BROUGHT THE LETTER FROM ROSE MATHIS IS TO BRING TO THE, YOUR ATTENTION THAT, UH, THAT'S ANOTHER AVENUE. YEAH. AND, AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, I WORK CLOSELY WITH UNITE HERE. YES, MA'AM. SO THE AIRPORT WORKERS WE'RE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION. SO YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO TALK TO UNITE HERE AND ADVOCATE WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY, I MEAN THE MAYOR, ALL OUR OFFICERS ARE WORKING. THEY HAVE HELPED MAKE TO PROVIDE ME THAT THEY GET PAID FAIRLY. OKAY. YES, I HAVE FELT THE PROBLEM. WHO IS THE DIRECTOR ON INFORMATION? THANK YOU. ANY MORE QUESTIONS? NO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. JACOB CLEMENTE. JACOB CLEMENTE. HI GUYS. BATTING CLEAN UP. MATTER WRAP. I FELT LIKE A VICTOR MATTER RAP. GET GET A BAKKER BATTER UP. I I AM GONNA MAKE PANCAKES. NO, I WILL. CAKE. NO, THIS IS A SERIOUS REQUEST FOR COUNCIL MEMBER DR. SHABAZZ. I MEAN EVAN SHABAZZ. THAT IS, WELL THIS WOMAN I KNOW WAS MARY BMI, WHO, UM, STARTED THE, THE MAGNIFICO HOUSES. UH, SHE'S, UH, LIKE IN HER UPPER NINETIES AND I BELIEVE, UH, A DAY SHOULD BE SET ASIDE TO HONOR HER BECAUSE SHE'S A WONDERFUL WOMAN AND A, I USED TO BE A REAL RADICAL SOB AND UM, UM, SHE, SHE HELPED, UH, STRETCH ME UP AND, UM, I ALSO, I JUST FOR ROBBIE, I BE COMMON, UH, CAME IN, UH, I, I, I, I, UH, IF YOU NEED HELP, SEEK A WOMAN, RIGHT WOMAN IF YOU NEED HELP, UH, SEEK A WOMAN'S HELP. OH, UH, AT THEN RATE BETTER UP. UH, [00:45:01] OKAY. I'M GOING TO POINT YOU WHERE I'M GOING TO SEND THE BALL AND, ALRIGHT, JACOB. OKAY. BYE GUYS. GOT THREE AGAINST THE ANGELS. GOTTA SWEEP THEM AND THEY'RE FOLLOWING ANGELS. THERE YOU GO, . THANK YOU JACOB. GOOD TO SEE YOU NEXT SPEAKER. THAT COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS YOU STAND AND REST. RECESS [RECESS] TILL TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00 AM JULY 12TH AND 13TH, 2022. ITEM ONE, PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MULTI-USE DETENTION AND FIVE PILOT PROJECT PILOT PARK PROJECTS. ITEM TWO, PUBLIC HEARING RELATIVE TO ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT BOUNDARIES AS REQUIRED BY ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION THREE OF THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, EXCUSE ME. ITEM THREE, PUBLIC HEARING RELATIVE TO ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT BOUNDARIES AS REQUIRED BY ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION THREE OF THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION FROM FIRE CHIEF FOR APPROVAL OF NOMINATION OF DISTRICT CHIEF RUSSELL FRI TO THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF ITEM FIVE, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE FIRE CHIEF FOR APPROVAL OF THE EXTENSION OF INJURY ON DUTY LEAVE SALARY CONTINUATION FOR FIREFIGHTER PARA MONICA RUIZ FOR THE PERIOD BEGINNING JUNE 30TH, 2022 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2022. ITEM SIX, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE FIRE CHIEF FOR APPROVAL OF EXTENSION OF INJURY ON DUTY LEAVE SALARY CONTINUATION FOR FIREFIGHTER EMT IVAN MARIN FOR THE PERIOD JUNE 3RD, 2022 THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2022. ITEM SEVEN, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR DECLINING THE ACCEPTANCE OF REJECTING AND REFUSING THE DEDICATION OF A 14 FOOT SIDE UTILITY EASEMENT LOCATED WITHIN ONE LOT ONE BLOCK. ONE IN THE DUNCAN STATE SUBDIVISION OUT OF THE E WILLIAMS CHRISTIANA WILLIAMS SURVEY ITEM EIGHT SHI GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS INC. FOR SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR THE PURCHASE OF ENTERPRISE LICENSES AND SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE THROUGH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES FOR HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS. ITEM NINE, RESOLUTION OF ASSURANCES OF SUPPORT FOR THE 2028 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION. ITEM 10 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. ITEM 11, ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING A SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDED 2019 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, INCLUDING THE BUDGET FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT CORONAVIRUS PROGRAM. ITEM 12, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $13,716,175 AND NO CENTS OUT OF AIRPORTS IMPROVEMENT FUND AND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND T-I-B-A-L-L-C. ITEM 13, ORDINANCE APPRO AN AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND KMP ASSOCIATES LIMITED DBA ARROW PARKER. ITEM 14, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND FREE DEED COMMUNITY WORK. CDC ITEM 15, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL PLANNING SERVICES BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND DEBERRY ENGINEERS INC. AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TETRA TECH INC. ITEM 16, ORDINANCE APPROVING ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY TO ELECTRONICALLY SUBMIT APPLICATIONS FOR CIVIL AWARD GRANT ASSISTANCE AND EXECUTE AND ACCEPT CIVIL AWARD GRANT AGREEMENTS AND TO REQUEST AND OR ACCEPT ANY AMENDMENT, UH, MODIFICATIONS TO THESE AGREEMENTS OR ANY SUBSEQUENT AGREEMENTS NECESSARY TO SECURE THE CITY'S, EXCUSE ME, ALLOCATIONS THROUGH THIS GRANT PROGRAM WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR RELATING TO THE FY 2020 HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM, FUNDING FOR THE URBAN AREA SECURITY INITIATIVE AND THE STATE HOMELAND SECURITY PROGRAM. ITEM 17 ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY TO ELECTRONICALLY SUBMIT APPLICATIONS FOR SUB-AWARD GRANT ASSISTANCE AND EXECUTE AND ACCEPT SUB-AWARD GRANT AGREEMENTS AND TO REQUEST AND OR ACCEPT ANY AMENDMENTS OR MODIFICATIONS TO THESE AGREEMENTS AND OR ANY SUBSEQUENT AGREEMENTS NECESSARY TO SECURE THE CITY'S ALLOCATIONS THROUGH THE GRANT PROGRAM OR ANY SUBSEQUENT AGREEMENTS NECESSARY TO SECURE THE CITY'S ALLOCATIONS THROUGH THE GRANT PROGRAM WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR, HOMELAND [00:50:01] SECURITY GRANTS DIVISION RELATING TO THE FY 2021 HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM FUNDING FROM THE URBAN AREA SECURITY INITIATIVE AND THE STATE HOMELAND SECURITY PROGRAM. ITEM 18 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AND INCREASE, INCREASE IN SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STAR OF HOPE MISSION LANDLORD AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. TENANT ITEM 19 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF AN ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR AN ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS THROUGH THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICE, CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVISION FOR THE FY 2023 GENERAL VICTIM ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM. ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF AN ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR AN ACCEPTANCE OF THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FOR THE FIRST RESPONDERS OPIOID ANTAGONIST PROGRAM. ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICE, CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVISION FOR THE FY 23 INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN GRANT PROGRAM. ITEM 22, ORDINANCE APPROVING AN ACQUISITION BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS OF A 153,409 SQUARE FOOT STREET RIGHT OF WAY EASEMENT SITUATED IN THE AR BONDMAN SURVEY, ABSTRACT NUMBER 1 41 HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS FROM GREEN 69 ON A LP FOR A PURCHASE PRICE OF $536,932 AND NO CENTS AND OTHER GOOD AND VALUABLE CONSIDERATION. ITEM 23, ORDINANCE FINDING AND DETERMINING PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY INTEREST AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION OF FEE SIMPLE OR EASEMENT INTEREST TO TWO PARCEL OF LAND REQUIRED FOR RICHMOND PLAZA SOUTH DRAINAGE AND PAVING IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT WITH TWO PARCEL SITUATED IN W BROWN SURVEY, ABSTRACT NUMBER 1 32, HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS BY GIFT, DEDICATION, PURCHASE AND THE USE OF MNT DOMAIN AND FURTHER AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF THE COST OF SUCH PURCHASES AND OR MNT DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS AND ASSOCIATED COSTS FOR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, APPRAISAL FEES, TITLE POLICY SERVICES, RECORDING FEES, COURT COSTS AND EXPERT WITNESS FEES IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION OF FEE SIMPLE OR EASEMENT INTEREST TO THE TWO PARTS OF LAND REQUIRED FOR THE PROJECT. ITEM 24 ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE CREATION OF HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 5 3 3 ITEM 25 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZED SUBMISSION OF A REBUILDING AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE WITH SUSTAINABILITY AND EQUITY GRANT APPLICATION TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. ITEM 26, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $820,452 AND NO CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEW SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARDING CONTRACT TO CSI CONSOLIDATED L-L-C-D-B-A AIMS COMPANIES. ITEM 27 RECEIVE NOMINATIONS FOR POSITIONS ONE THROUGH FOUR FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. ITEM 28 RECEIVE NOMINATIONS FOR POSITIONS SIX AND SEVEN OF THE HOUSTON LAND BANK. ITEM 29 WAS AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $36,824,588 AND NO CENTS OUT OF AIRPORTS IMPROVEMENT FUND TO FUND YEAR TWO OF PARKING OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND SP PLUS GLOBAL IMS. THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KUBOSH. THIS WAS ITEM FOUR ON AGENDA OF JULY 6TH, 2022 AND ITEM 30 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND OUTREACH STRATEGIST LLC FOR SERVICES ADDRESSING COVID-19 HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG POPULATIONS AT HIGH RISK AND UNDERSERVED REGARDING COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT AND COMPLETE COMMUNITY CIVIC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THIS WAS ITEM FIVE ON AGENDA OF JULY 6TH, 2022. THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF JULY 13TH, 2022. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM MS. AL, FORMER CITY SECRETARY, MS. ANNA RUSSELL, SHE ALWAYS SAID DRIVE SAFE, DRIVE FRIENDLY, AND HAVE A NICE DAY. IN THE WORDS OF OUR CURRENT CITY SECRETARY, PAT JEFFERSON DANIEL, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED. HAVE A BLESSED AND FANTABULOUS DAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR VERY OWN CITY SECRETARY EMPLOYEE. ROY MARROW. I MEAN, UH, LARRY MAROW. I'M SAYING ROY, WHERE'D I GET THAT FROM? LARRY J MARROW. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LARRY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LARRY. THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU MADAM SECRETARY. IT [RECONVENE] IS 9:04 AM ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 14TH, 2022. I'M MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN AND I'M CALLING THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER. WE DO HAVE ONE COUNCIL MEMBER JOINING VIA TEAMS. I BELIEVE IT'S NOW TWO COUNCIL MEMBER JOINING VIA TEAMS COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KUBOSH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS IS RUNNING A LITTLE BIT LATE. HE HAS A MEETING THIS MORNING WITH [00:55:01] THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR OF THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION REGARDING TRAIN ISSUES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND DISTRICT I IN PARTICULAR. AND IF YOU'VE PAID ATTENTION TO ANY OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, YOU REALIZE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS IS A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON AND WILL JOIN US AS SOON AS HE CAN. WE GOT THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE AT CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE AT LARGE TWO OFFICES WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS AS WELL. SO MADAM SECRETARY, BEFORE [4.  RECOMMENDATION from Fire Chief for approval of nomination of District Chief RUSSELL FRITSCH to the position of Assistant Fire Chief ] WE BEGIN, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ITEM NUMBER FOUR? ITEM FOUR NEEDS A MOTION. SECOND ROBINSON. MOTION. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM FOUR? ALL IS IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE JUST APPOINTED MR. RUSSELL FR TO THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF. I KNOW THAT HE'S HERE AND ALONG WITH CHIEF SAM PENA. UH, SO IF YOU GENTLEMEN WILL COME FORWARD. CONGRATULATIONS, CHIEF FISH FRITCH AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. IT'S YOUR TURN TO SPEAK CHIEF. THERE YOU GO, . GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBER. GOOD MORNING, SIR. GOOD MORNING, COUNSEL. THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, FOR THIS TIME AND FOR APPROVING CHIEF FR IS MY NEW ASSISTANT CHIEF. CHIEF FR IS, UH, HE'S BEEN AN OUTSTANDING RESOURCE FOR ME IN THE ABSENCE SINCE, UH, CHIEF RU LOZANO LEFT. BUT, UH, WE HAVE NOT MISSED A STEP. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT CHIEF FR HAS DONE. I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT HE'S GONNA CONTINUE TO DO IN SERVING THE, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, SERVING YOU ALL AND CERTAINLY DOING THE BEST FOR OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHIEF. UH, THANK YOU CHIEF PENA FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CITY COUNCIL AFTER 29 YEARS SERVING THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON, THIS IS A VERY EXCITING, PROUD OPPORTUNITY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AS A REP, UH, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT C I'M VERY PROUD TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU, . SOUNDS GOOD. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE IN HERE TODAY THAT'S JOINING YOU THAT YOU'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE? ALL OF MY FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE CITY CO. OF, UH, THE COMMAND STAFF THAT ARE HERE. GREAT. THEY'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE. SO YES, IF WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THEM, THEY'RE ALL SITTING BACK, UH, BEHIND US. UM, VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING THESE LAST FIVE YEARS. HAVE THEM STAND UP. THANK GUYS. HAVE A STAND UP SO YOU CAN BE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU. RECOGNIZED. SO COUNCIL MEMBER AND COUNCIL, THIS IS YOUR TEAM. UM, ANYTHING YOU NEED FROM THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT? OF COURSE YOU ALL HAVE OUR NUMBERS AND DON'T HESITATE TO, TO REACH OUT AND, AND ASK. YES, SIR. SIR AND CHIEF, WELCOME TO, UH, TO THE CHIEF SAM PENA TEAM. UH, CHIEF PENA'S AN AWESOME PERSON. WE LOVE WORKING WITH HIM DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND AS WELL AS HIS STAFF. SO THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTHA, VICE MAYOR PROAM, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIMM, UH, CHIEF FR JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO STEP INTO THIS ROLE. UM, THE ENTIRE COMMAND TEAM IS ONE THAT WE ENJOY WORKING ALONGSIDE, UM, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CHIEF, UH, SAM PENA, WHO WE, UM, ADMIRE AND REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, ALL THAT HE DOES TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THE CITY OF HOUSTON SAFE. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS YOU STEP INTO THIS NEW ROLE. THANK YOU, MA'AM. COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN JOINING US VIRTUALLY. THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM. GOOD MORNING. UH, CHIEF PENA. JUST CHIEF RICH, I WANTED TO WELCOME YOU TO THE EXECUTIVE TEAM. UH, WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU. YOU ARE JOINING, UH, ALREADY AN OUTSTANDING, UH, LEADERSHIP GROUP AND WE ARE, UH, GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU. SO, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN PERSON SOON. BUT, UH, CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU MA'AM. AND, AND THANKS AGAIN AND, AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND CHIEF, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND ALL THE DEPUTY CHIEFS BACK THERE. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OUR CITIZENS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM. THANK YOU COUNSEL. AND UH, WE'RE HERE TO SERVE. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. SO WE WILL BEGIN [MAYOR'S REPORT] THIS MORNING WITH A BRIEF MAYOR'S REPORT. A REMINDER THAT PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE CITY'S PROPOSED REDISTRICT AND PLAN WILL BEGIN TODAY IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS TO RECEIVE COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS, AND ALTERNATE PLANS FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE MAPS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON CHARTER. THE DATES AND TIME FOR THE HEARING ARE THIS MORNING AT 9:00 AM THIS AFTERNOON OR THIS EVENING AT 7:00 PM AND THEN WEDNESDAY, JULY 20TH AT 9:00 AM ALL PERSONS DESIRING TO BE HEARD AT ANY OF THE PUBLIC MEETINGS MAY CONTACT THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 1 1 0 0. AGAIN, ANYONE DESIRING TO BE HEARD AT ANY OF THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS, [01:00:01] CONTACT THE CITY'S SECRETARY OFFICE AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 1100. DETAILS FOR SIGNING UP TO SPEAK IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY ARE POSTED@WWW.HOUSTONTX.GOV. ON SATURDAY, JULY 30TH, MAYOR SYLVETA TURNER AND HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS WILL HOST A GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM IN CONNECTION WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE EVENT IS SATURDAY JULY 30TH FROM 8:00 AM TO NOON AT WHEELER BAPTIST CHURCH. IT IS A NO QUESTION Z GUN BUYBACK AND YOU CAN RECEIVE A GIFT CARD. MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ONLINE. HOUSTON'S COVID-19 COMMUNITY LEVEL IS CURRENTLY HIGH. UH, WE HEARD SOME INFORMATION YESTERDAY THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME A YEAR AGO, THE INCREASE THAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY IS 800% COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO. CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE UP. PLEASE CONSIDER WEARING A MASK IN PUBLIC INDOOR SETTINGS REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS AND GET TESTED IF YOU HAVE CYST UH SYMPTOMS. HOUSTON'S 14 DAY AVERAGE POSITIVITY RATE IS 29.2% AND THE WASTEWATER VIRUS LOAD IS 843% OF THE BASELINE COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. STAY UP TO DATE WITH VACCINES TO HELP LOWER THE NUMBERS FREE VAX SITES AVAILABLE AT GET VAXXED VA XX ED HOUSTON.ORG. GET VAXXED HOUSTON.ORG R 8 3 2 3 9 3 4 2 2 0. SOME REALLY GOOD NEWS CAME OUT. HOUSTON HAS RECEIVED KUDOS IN THE NEW STUDY RANK IN THE COUNTRY'S TOP METRO AREA FOR LIFE SCIENCE COMPANIES TO LAUNCH OR TO GROW THE STUDY PUBLISHED BY COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE PLATFORM. COMMERCIAL CAFE PUTS HOUSTON AT NUMBER 10 AMONG ALL US METRO CITIES AND NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND AS THE CITY MORPHS AWAY FROM OIL AND GAS INTO CARBON CAPTURE, UH, TWO INDUSTRIES THAT WE REALLY LOOK AT TO GROW STRONGLY ARE LIFE SCIENCES AS WELL AS THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IN ASSESSING HOUSTON'S STRENGTH IN LIFE SCIENCES COMMERCIAL CAFE SAYS THAT, AND I QUOTE, THE RESILIENT TEXAS POWERHOUSE WAS LIFTED BY THE WAVE OF EMERGING LIFE SCIENCE CLUSTERS ACROSS THE US TWO MAJOR PROJECTS ARE HELPING HOUSTON MAINTAIN THAT POWERHOUSE STATUS. THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER, TMC UNVEILED, TM C3 A 37 ACRE, 6 MILLION SQUARE FOOT LIFE SCIENCE CAMPUS AND HOUSTON BASE HINES RECENTLY TOPPED OUT THE 270,000 SQUARE FOOT FIRST PHASE OF THE 53 ACRE LEVIT GREEN LIFE SCIENCE DISTRICT RIGHT NEXT TO THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER. IN THE WORDS OF MAYOR TURNER, HOUSTON IS ALREADY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A STRONG HEALTHCARE AND HIGHER EDUCATION ECOSYSTEM WITH TM THREE TM C3 PROJECT. THERE STANDS TO BE THE CORNERSTONE OF THE REGIONAL LIFE SCIENCE STRATEGY. IT WILL CREATE NEW JOBS, ADVANCED INNOVATIONS AND MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES, AS WELL AS HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS. CONGRATULATIONS TO TOP SHELF HOUSTON. IT WON TWO EMMY NOMINATIONS FOR THE 19TH SEASON OF THE SHOW, WHICH FEATURED MANY OF HOUSTON'S DIVERSE CHEFS AND SHOWCASED THE DELICIOUS FOOD IN OUR CITY. HOUSTON'S OWN LIZZO ALSO EARNED HER FIRST EVER EMMY AWARD NOMINATION. ON TUESDAY DURING COLLEGE AS A UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, COUGAR LIZZO PLAYED FLUTE IN THE SPIRIT OF HOUSTON MARCHING BAND. TODAY IS 7 1 3 DAY A DAY FOR HOUSTONIANS TO CELEBRATE. TODAY IS JULY 13TH, 7 1 3. IT'S HELD ANNUALLY IN HONOR OF THE CITY'S MAIN AREA CODE 7 1 3. THE UNOFFICIAL HOLIDAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE HOUSTON'S RICH CULTURE AND ART, ENTERTAINMENT, MUSIC, AND FOOD. THAT CONCLUDES THE MAYOR'S REPORT. SO [1.  PUBLIC HEARING regarding the implementation of multi-use detention in five Pilot Park Projects - DISTRICTS D - EVANS-SHABAZZ; F - THOMAS and K - CASTEX-TATUM - 9:00 A.M. ] MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ITEM NUMBER ONE. ITEM NUMBER ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MULTI-USE DETENTION IN FIVE PILOT PARK PROJECTS. ITEM NUMBER ONE IS A HEARING REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MULTI-USE DETENTION AND FIVE PILOT PARKS. THE CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES AND CALLED FORWARD HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR KENNETH ALLEN AND HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION MANAGER, PERISH LAD FOR THE PRESENTATION. GOOD MORNING GENTLEMEN. GOOD MORNING. [01:05:01] THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL HOUSTON. UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE HOUSTON PARKS. AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAD HAVE IDENTIFIED FIVE PARKS AS POTENTIAL SITES FOR TO CREATE MULTI-USE ATTENTION. BOONE PARK, HACKBERRY PARK, CAMBRIDGE VILLAGE PARK, EP, HILL PARK, AND EDGEWOOD PARK. IF YOU MAY RECALL OUR PRESENTATION ON APRIL 7TH, 2022 WITH THE TTI COMMITTEE THAT SHARED THE MULTI-USE PARK FACILITY GUIDEBOOK AND A PREVIEW OF THESE PARKS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. NEXT SLIDE. EACH PARK IS LOCATED IN A FLOOD PRONE AREA THAT REQUIRES MITIGATION AND OR A COMBINATION OF STORM STORM IMPROVEMENTS. THE USE OF PARKLAND FOR MULTI-USE ATTENTION WILL ALLOW FOR FLOOD RESILIENCY IN NEIGHBORHOODS ENHANCED ENHANCEMENTS TO GREEN SPACE AND PARKS, AND WILL MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF LIFE BENEFITS FOR, FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS. EACH PARK AND RELATED PARK IMPROVEMENT WILL BE DESCRIBED FOR IN FURTHER DETAIL. TO SUPPORT THE GOALS OF CHAPTER 26, BOONE PARK, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS PROPOSES TO USE APPROXIMATELY 9.76 ACRES OF THE PARK TO CONSTRUCT APPROXIMATELY 28 ACRE FEET OF STORMS, WATER DETENTION, AND INSTALL AND INSTALL RELATED DETENTION FACILITIES. THIS PARK WILL SUPPORT FUTURE DRAINAGE PLANS FOR THE BELLOR WEST NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, SORRY, FUTURE BELLOR, WEST NEIGHBORHOOD SOUTH OF THE PARK, WHICH IS HIGHLY URBANIZED WITH LITTLE TO NO OPEN SPACE FOR DETENTION. THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS EXPERIENCED REPETITIVE FLOOD LOSSES AND WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE DETENTION CAPACITY ALONG WITH STORM THROUGH IMPROVEMENTS. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO INCLUDE MANY ENHANCEMENTS TO BOWOOD PARK, SUCH AS REPLACEMENT OF AGING, EXISTING AMENITIES WITH NEW ONES. PARK AMENITIES INCLUDE A WALKING TRAIL, LIGHTING, PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, VOLLEYBALL COURTS, AND THE SOCCER FIELD. TURF AND TREES WILL ALSO BE REPLACED. AND NEW SHADE, NEW SHADE TREES WILL BE ADDED. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. HERE'S A SLIDE WITH THE OVERALL, UH, DETENTION SPACE BEING RECOMMENDED IN THE PARK. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. HERE'S THE OVERALL LAYOUT OF THE PARK WITH A DEPRESSED SOCCER FIELD AND OPEN SPACE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. HERE'S A VIEW OF THE, UH, THE NEW TRAILS PLAYGROUND IN THE VOLLEYBALL COURT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND HERE'S A CLOSER VIEW OF THE DEPRESSED DRY DETENTION BASIN THAT'LL BE UTILIZED FOR IN THE OPEN SPACE AND THE SOCCER FIELD. NEXT SLIDE. HACKBERRY PARK, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS PROPOSES TO USE 9.1 ACRES OF THE PARK TO CONSTRUCT APPROXIMATELY 27.5 ACRE FOOT OF STORMWATER DETENTION AND INSTALL RELATED DETENTION FACILITIES. THE PORTION OF THE PARK BEING UTILIZED, BEING USED FOR DETENTION WILL SERVE THE SERVE AS REGIONAL MITIGATION FOR THE D 1 22 CHANNEL. THE SURROUNDING AREAS IN NEED OF REGIONAL MITIGATION TO SUPPORT LOCAL PLAN PROJECTS ALONG D 1 22. THE AI FOUR CI AI FOUR SOUTH CIP PROJECT IS IN AN URBANIZED AREA WITH LIMITED OPEN SPACE. THE CIP PROJECT WILL IMPROVE STORM SOURCE SYSTEMS AND CREATE TWO ADDITIONAL DETENTION PONDS. THE ADDITION OF MITIGATION IN HACKBERRY PARK WILL INCREASE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD CIP PROJECT AND HELP REDUCE THE WATER SURFACE ELEVATION DURING RAIN EVENTS. THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE MANY ENHANCEMENTS TO HACKBERRY PARK, SUCH AS REPLACEMENT OF AGING EXISTING AMENITIES WITH NEW ONES. PARK AMENITIES INCLUDE A WALKING TRAIL, LIGHTING, FISHING PIER, REGRADING OF THE PARK TERRAIN, AND A WETLAND HABITAT AREA. TURF AND TREES WILL ALSO BE REPLACED AND NEW SHADE TREES WILL BE ADDED. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. HERE'S AN OVERALL VIEW OF THE PARK AND THE AREAS THAT WILL BE USED FOR DE DETENTION. UM, HACKBERRY PARK WAS AN OLD GOLF COURSE AND SO ALREADY HAD, UH, WET BASINS IN THERE OR WET FEATURES, AND SO WE'RE GONNA CONVERT THOSE OVER. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND HERE'S AN OVERALL LAYOUT OF THE PARK WITH THE EXPANDED TRAILS IN THE WET BOTTOM BASINS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND HERE'S A VIEW OF THE CONNECTED WATER FEATURES AND THE REGRADED REGRADING OF ITS TERRAIN. NEXT SLIDE. AND THIS IS A VIEW OF THE NEW FISHING PIER WITH THE FRINGE WETLANDS ALONG, UH, ALONG THE TRAIL SYSTEM. NEXT SLIDE. CAMBRIDGE VILLAGE PARK HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS PROPOSES TO USE APPROXIMATELY 7.4 ACRES OF THE PARK TO CONSTRUCT APPROXIMATELY 23 ACRE FEET OF STORMWATER DETENTION AND INSTALL RELATED DETENTION FACILITIES. THIS DETENTION WILL BE USED TO SERVE THE STORM SERVICE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE RAMBLEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD DRAINAGE PROJECT. UNDER THE STORMWATER ACTION TEAM PROGRAM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD EXPERIENCED REPETITIVE FLOOD LOSSES AND WOULD BENEFIT FROM ADDITIONAL DETENTION CAPACITY ALONG WITH STORM STORM IMPROVEMENTS. THE PARK IS LOCATED ON THE DOWNSTREAM AMOUNT OF STORM IMPROVEMENTS AND IS THE ONLY VIABLE LOCATION TO PROVIDE STORMWATER MITIGATION. THE [01:10:01] PROJECT WILL INCLUDE MANY ENHANCEMENTS TO CAMBRIDGE VILLAGE PARK, SUCH AS REPLACEMENT OF AGING EXISTING AMENITIES WITH NEW ONES. PARK AMENITIES INCLUDE A WALKING TRAIL, SOCCER FIELD, LIGHTING, EXERCISE STATION, AND SHADE STRUCTURES. TURF AND TREES WILL BE REPLACED AND NEW SHADE TREES WILL BE ADDED. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. HERE'S AN OVERALL VIEW OF THE PARK AND THE AREA FOR DETENTION. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS AN OVERALL VIEW OF THE PARK AND THE PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS WITH THE TWO OPEN SPACES THAT WILL BE, UH, UTILIZED FOR DETENTION. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. HERE'S A CLOSER VIEW OF THE OF THE LOWED SOCCER VIEW. THAT'LL BE UTILIZED AS DETENTION STORAGE. NEXT SLIDE. AND HERE'S A VIEW OF THE TWO CONNECTED DRY BASIN FIELDS AND THE WALKING TRAIL. NEXT SLIDE. EP HILL PARK, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS PROPOSES TO USE 2.9 ACRES OF THE PARK TO CONSTRUCT FIVE FIVE ACRE FEET OF STORMWATER DETENTION AND INSTALL RELATED DETENTION FACILITIES. THIS PROJECT WILL SUPPORT FUTURE DRAINAGE PLANS IN THE SUNNYSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS HIGHLY URBANIZED WITH LITTLE TO NO OPEN SPACE FOR DETENTION. THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS EXPERIENCED REPETITIVE FLOOD LOSSES AND WOULD BE BENEFIT FROM DETENTION CAPACITY TO CAPTURE OVERLAND FLOW IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE STORMWATER PLANNING GROUP COMPLETED A SUB-REGIONAL STUDY IN SUNNYSIDE AREA, WHICH RECOMMENDED VERY STRONG IMPROVEMENTS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN NEED AND THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL SURFACE DETENTION. EP HILL PARK IS LOCATED ADJACENT TO NEIGHBORHOOD FLOODING AND WOULD BE ABLE TO CAPTURE STORMWATER FLOWS TO PROTECT THE NEIGHBOR, PROTECT THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD. THE PARK IS LOCATED IN THE PATH OF STORMWATER OVERFLOWS AND THE ONLY VIABLE LOCATION PROVIDE STORMWATER MITIGATION. THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE MANY ENHANCEMENTS TO EP HILL PARK, SUCH AS REPLACEMENT OF AGING, AGING EXISTING AMENITIES. PARK AMENITIES INCLUDE WALKING TRAIL, LIGHTING, BASKETBALL COURT, AND A PICNIC FILLION WITH BENCHES. TURF WILL BE REPLACED AND INVASIVE TREES WILL BE REMOVED. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, HERE'S WE, HERE WE CAN SEE THE, UH, AREA, THE PARK THAT THAT'S BEING UTILIZED FOR DETENTION AND IS THE MAIN OPEN SPACE IN THE CENTER, CENTER OF THE PARK. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE LOWER GREEN SPACE AND THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS AROUND THE, AROUND THE PARK. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. HERE'S A VIEW OF THE NEW PARKING AREA AND THE PLAYGROUND STRUCTURE. NEXT SLIDE. AND HERE'S A VIEW OF THE UPGRADED BASKETBALL COURT AND THE WALKING TRAILS FOR THE PARK. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. EDGEWOOD PARK HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS PROPOSES TO USE APPROXIMATELY 3.75 ACRES OF THE PARK TO CONSTRUCT APPROXIMATELY EIGHT ACRE FOOT OF STORMWATER TENSION AND INSTALL RELATED DETENTION FACILITIES. THE PARK WILL SUPPORT FUTURE STORM, STORM TRUNK IMPROVEMENTS ON SOUTH BANK STREET. THIS AREA IS HIGHLY URBANIZED WITH LITTLE TO NO OPEN SPACE FOR DETENTION AND AN EXPERIENCED REPETITIVE FLOODING PLANNED STORM IMPROVEMENTS ALONG WITH A ADDITION OF STORM SURFACE DETENTION. THE PARK WILL HELP REDUCE STREET PONDING AND INCREASE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE MANY ENHANCEMENTS TO EDGE, WHICH PARK SUCH AS REPLACEMENT OF AGING EXISTING AMENITIES WITH NEW ONES. PARK AMENITIES INCLUDE A WALKING TRAIL, LIGHTING, UPGRADED FOOTBALL, BASEBALL FIELD, AND OPTIONAL UNDERGROUND STORAGE. TREES AND TURF AND TREES WILL BE REPLACED AND NEW SHADE TREES WILL ADDED. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. HERE'S THE SLIDE OF THE O UH, OVERALL AREA OF THE PARK BEING UTILIZED FOR DETENTION. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS IS THE OVERALL, UH, OVERALL LAYOUT OF THE PARK WITH THE PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS WITH THE NEW, UH, BASEBALL SOCCER FIELD AND GREEN SPACE AREA. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. HERE'S A CLOSER VIEW OF THE NEW SPORTS FIELDS THAT'LL BE UTILIZED AS DRY DETENTION SPACE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND HERE'S A VIEW OF THE NEW TRAILS IN THE GREEN OPEN SPACE. THESE, THESE FIVE PARKS WERE SELECTED FOR PROJECTS BECAUSE OF THEIR LOCATION WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE DRAINAGE AREAS, UH, AND ADJACENT FLOODING CONCERNS IN EACH CASE. THERE WERE NO FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO USING THESE PARKS TO CREATE AN IMPROVED LEVEL OF SERVICE NEEDED FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND WITH THAT, I'M GONNA PASS IT ON TO DIRECTOR ALLEN AND HE'LL PROVIDE THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARKS AND THE OVERVIEW OF THE NECESSITY FOR PUBLIC HEARING. THANK YOU, PRH. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR PROTE, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST BE HERE AND PRESENT, UH, WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES THAT PERSH HAS ACTUALLY, UH, COMMUNICATED. UM, I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR HADDOCK AND HER TEAM FOR JUST WORKING WITH US DILIGENTLY AS WE LOOKED AT THIS PROPOSAL. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE PARKS TEAM WHO'S WITH ME TODAY. COULD YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS AND STAND UP BEHIND ME, PLEASE? OKAY. I WANT TO, IT'S, UH, IT'S THE PARKS PARKS TEAM THAT WORKED [01:15:01] DILIGENTLY EVERY DAY PROTECTING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, PROVIDING PROGRAMS AND IMPROVING FACILITIES. I DIDN'T WANT TO NOT WANT TO LEAVE THEM OUT OF THIS PRESENTATION. I WANNA ESPECIALLY THANK ABEL GONZALEZ, KELLY ANDRE AND CHARLOTTE LUSK BECAUSE THEY WORK DAY TO DAY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS WITH THE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. YOU KNOW, TAKING AND GIVING, DETERMINING WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE BEST FOR RESIDENTS AS IT RELATES TO THIS PROJECT. WE DEFINITELY TOOK THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL AS NATURE AND, UH, CONSERVATION AS WELL. SO WHEN THE PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED, THE DETENTION AREAS AND FACILITIES WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH THE CONTINUED USE OF THE SURFACE FOR PARK PURPOSES. THE PROJECTS WILL PROVIDE, UH, A PUBLIC BENEFIT BY REDUCING THE RISK OF STRUCTURAL FLOODING FOR THE VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS WHILE MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING PARK USE AND GREEN SPACE. SECTION 26.001 OF THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE CODE PROVIDES THAT THE CITY MAY NOT IMPROVE ANY PROGRAM OR PROJECT FOR THE USE OF TAKING A PARKLAND DESIGNATED AS PARK LAND UNLESS AFTER A PUBLIC HEARING. ITS GOVERNING BODY DETERMINED TWO THINGS. ONE, THERE IS NO FEASIBLE OR PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO THE USE OF TAKING PARK, TAKEN OF THE PARKLAND. AND TWO, THE PROGRAM OR PROJECT INCLUDES ALL REASONABLE PLANNING TO MINIMIZE HARM TO THE PARK. THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS INTO PORT OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT TO CONCUR, AND WE CONCUR WITH THE FINDINGS THAT THERE IS NO FEASIBLE OR PRUNED ALTERNATIVE AND THAT ALL RESPONSIBLE PLANNING HAS BEEN DONE TO MINIMIZE HARM, HARM TO THE PARK. NEXT CITY COUNCIL WILL BE ASKED TO CONSIDER VARIOUS ORDINANCES MAKING FINDINGS NECESSARY FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS TO USE A PORTION OF THE PARKS FOR MOCHA DETENTION WHEN CONSIDERING THIS PROPOSAL, THE, THE ENHANCED AMENITIES AS WELL AS THE RESILIENCY OF FLOOD CONTROL. IT'S A GREAT COMBINATION AND UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE PROJECTS AND WORKING WITH YOU GUYS IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU BOTH. THANK YOU MR. LAD. UH, THANK YOU DIRECTOR ALLEN. AT THE MOMENT, THERE ARE NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. IS THERE ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS US ON THIS ITEM? SEE, AND NONE, WE'LL MOVE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON. THANK YOU MAYOR PROM. GENTLEMEN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND, UH, PERHAPS START WITH YOU DIRECTOR ALLEN. I KNOW THAT, UH, THIS ITEM CAME FORWARD EARLIER THIS SPRING TO THE TTI COMMITTEE. I BELIEVE IT WAS IN APRIL, WHERE, UH, VICE CHAIR ALCORN AND I, UH, HEARD FROM YOU AND PERSH. WANT TO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND PRESENTATION TODAY. IT'S COMPREHENSIVE. THESE FIVE PARKS, ARE THEY, THEY WERE PRESENTED AS A PILOT. SO THIS IS A FIRST OF ITS KIND FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. REALLY IMPORTANT THAT IT IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN HPR, OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. AND IN THAT REGARD, IT REALLY REPRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT IS FITTING FOR WHERE WE ARE WITH FLOOD RESILIENCY EFFORTS, INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK TO MITIGATE, UH, EVERY OPPORTUNITY IN THE CITY. SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE COLLABORATION AND, AND DIRECTOR JUST, UM, WANTING TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE, THE SLIDES AND I THINK THE GRAPHICS THAT WE'VE WORKED ON TOGETHER A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'S LOOKING SO GOOD. AND I, I JUST THOUGHT WE SHOULD GIVE SOME CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE FOR THE DESIGNERS, THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS WHO ARE BEHIND THIS. IF YOU ALL COULD COMMENT JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, UM, AS A PILOT AND PERHAPS SPEAK TO NEXT STEPS ABOUT BRINGING THIS FORWARD, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE MIGHT HAVE WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONAL AUTHORITIES, THE COUNTY AND OTHER THINGS. YOU, YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS WITH THE STATE, UH, BUT WITH OUR RESOURCES, WHAT CAN WE DO TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND EXPAND THIS PILOT PROGRAM? SO MAYBE START WITH CREDIT TO THE DESIGNERS, IF YOU WOULD. OH, I'LL START WITH, WITH OUR TEAM. INTERNAL, UH, IN TERMS OF OUR GREEN SPUR GREEN SPACE TEAM, UH, THE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, UH, THE COLLABORATION WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND FLOOD CONTROL, TO BE HONEST ON WHAT DESIGNS WILL BE FAVORABLE. AND THEN OF COURSE, UM, WORKING WITH PERSH AND, AND THE TEAM OF DESIGNERS, UH, IT WAS REALLY A, A HUGE UNDERTAKING WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT FLOOD CONTROL AND YOU THINK ABOUT PARKS AND PROGRAMMING AND OPEN SPACES. UH, IT'S A SENSITIVE ISSUE. WE WANT TO PROTECT OUR, OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND OUR LAND. AND FROM AN ARCHITECTURAL AND DESIGN STANDPOINT, UH, THAT HANDBOOK WAS CRUCIAL IN DEVELOPING THIS PLAN. AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW PEREZ TALK ABOUT THAT HANDBOOK WITH THE DESIGN TEAM AND THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE. SURE. SO THE, THE GUIDEBOOK WAS PUT TOGETHER IN COLLABORATION WITH JONES AND CARTER AND M TWO L REALLY HELPED PUT TOGETHER THE RENDERINGS FOR A LOT OF THESE PARKS WERE ALMOST WORKING M TWO L. M TWO L. CORRECT. AND THEY ARE ALSO, [01:20:01] AND THE ENGINEER WAS THE ENGINEER. SAY AGAIN? JONES AND CARTER JONES. AND CARTER AND M TWO L. CORRECT. THANK YOU. RIGHT. AND JONES AND M TWO L IS REALLY CRUCIAL IN GETTING SOME OF THE DESIGNS MOVING FORWARD, SOME OF THESE PARKS AS WELL. SO, UH, CAMBRIDGE PARK IS ACTUALLY CURRENTLY IN DESIGN, AND SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT ONE RIGHT NOW. EXCELLENT. WELL, I, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT EXPANDING THE PROGRAM FUTURE. I THINK THE FACT THAT THESE, UH, FIVE PARKS WE'RE IN A COMBINATION OF DISTRICTS, D UH, F AND K IS REALLY EXCITING FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES IN A DIVERSE SET OF NEIGHBORHOODS. AND, UH, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO KEEP THIS GOING. SO, UM, EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND HOWEVER WE CAN HELP, LET US KNOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR, VICE MAYOR PROM. MARTHA CASTEX. TATUM. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROTE. UH, DIRECTOR IMPRESS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS IS EXCITING AND I'M THRILLED ABOUT THIS, SPECIFICALLY WITH CAMBRIDGE VILLAGE PARK, UM, BECAUSE MANY OF YOU HEAR ME SAY ALL THE TIME THAT MY PARENTS STILL LIVE IN THE HOUSE THAT I GREW UP IN, THAT WE MOVED TO WHEN I WAS FIVE. SO I REMEMBER BEING IN HIGH SCHOOL AND WHEN IT WOULD RAIN, THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD FLOOD AND PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO PARK THEIR CARS AND WALK TO THEIR HOUSES. UM, AND NOT UNTIL RECENTLY WITH OUR SWAT PROJECT DID, PHASE ONE HELPED TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT FLOODING AND PHASE TWO ALONG BLEY LOTUS, WOODMONT AND BROOKSON STREET IS ALSO GOING TO, UM, WORK TOWARDS ALLEVIATING THAT FLOODING. THE RESIDENTS IN, UM, KESWICK AND RAMBLEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ARE ECSTATIC ABOUT THESE PROJECTS BECAUSE FOR YEARS WHEN IT RAINED, THEY WOULD HAVE FLOODING IN THEIR STREETS AND VERY CLOSE TO THEIR HOMES. FORTUNATELY, THE WATER'S NEVER GOTTEN TO THEIR HOMES. BUT AS THE RAIN EVENTS GET WORSE IN OUR, IN OUR CLIMATE, UM, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE THESE TYPES OF STEPS TO PREVENT WATER FROM GETTING INTO PEOPLE'S HOMES. THEY'VE HAD THE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR CARS BEING FLOODED AND WALKING THROUGH THE FLOOD WATERS. BUT THIS PROJECT, THIS DUAL USE, UM, OF OUR PARKS IS OUTSTANDING. UM, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, TO OUR STORM DRAINS AND TO OUR DE THE AMOUNT OF DETENTION. UM, THIS IS A REGIONAL DETENTION PROJECT, SO NOT ONLY ARE THOSE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOODS GOING TO BE AFFECTED, BUT THIS WILL BE ABLE TO HELP US CAPTURE WATER, UH, REGIONALLY IN THE AREA. SO WHEN THIS WAS INTRODUCED AND I SAW THIS PARK ON, I WAS THRILLED BECAUSE I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT THAT IT'S GOING TO HAVE ON THESE RESIDENTS. AND NOT TO MENTION THE ICING ON THE CAKE, THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PARK, UM, ARE GOING TO BE PHENOMENAL. SO THERE WILL BE LOTS OF GREAT MEMORIES MADE IN THIS PARK, AND THE RESIDENTS ARE ECSTATIC ABOUT THIS PROJECT, UM, COMING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND, UM, LET'S GET IT DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. UM, GOOD MORNING GENTLEMEN. AND SO MY QUESTION'S MORE DIRECTED TO YOU, MR. PERSH. UM, PARTICULARLY, UM, AROUND BOONE PARK, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE RECEIVED JUST IN SHARING THE INFORMATION ONCE WE BRIEFED ON THE ITEM, THE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE DIRECTLY CONNECTED, UH, BEL AIR AND IMPERIAL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE BEEN REQUESTING IS A CROSSWALK TO ACTUALLY ACCESS THE PARK DIRECTLY BECAUSE THE BACKSIDE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY CAN EASILY WALK. AND JUST FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, THERE'S NOTHING TO REALLY GUIDE THEM TO THE PARKS. SO JUST IN CONSIDERATION IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK, I KNOW, UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE PARKS TEAM HAS SHARED THIS WITH THE AILEY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS IS A PRODIGIOUS AV ENDEAVOR FOR BOTH DEPARTMENTS AND OUR CITY. SO WE'RE REALLY EAGER AROUND THAT. BUT JUST WANT TO KEEP THAT, BUMP THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION AND KEEP THAT IN MIND JUST SO A RESIDENTS CAN FEEL LIKE THEY CAN GET TO THE PARK WITH EASY ACCESS. PERFECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PERAM. UH, AND THANK YOU BOTH. UH, OF COURSE, IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION, OUR GREEN SPACES AND PARKS ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. AND I THANK YOU, UH, DIRECTOR YESTERDAY FOR THE EVENT THAT WE HAD AT MCGREGOR PARK. AND SO CERTAINLY THAT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL. AND SO I DO APPRECIATE PROTECTION AT ALL TIMES FOR DISTRICT D. AND I SEE THAT THESE THINGS WILL CERTAINLY HELP, UH, AND THE AMENITIES THAT ARE BEING ADDED ARE JUST PHENOMENAL, UH, SO THAT OUR, OUR CONSTITUENTS CAN, MY CONSTITUENTS CAN, UM, HAVE A GREAT TIME IN THE PARK AND BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE LARGER PARKS. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THIS. AGAIN, THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN. I'D LOVE TO SEE THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN FLOOD CONTROL PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS. AND AS CHAIRMAN ROBINSON POINTED OUT SO DILIGENTLY, WE NEED DETENTION ALL AROUND THE CITY. OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS, WE'VE RECOGNIZED THAT. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING, CREATING DETENTION AND TURNING THEM INTO LAKES WITH VARIOUS AMENITIES THAT WEISS MAYOR PRO TEM TALKED ABOUT, [01:25:01] SOCCER FIELDS, RECREATIONAL USE OF THAT WATER, NATURE, TRAILS, THAT'S WHAT MAKES AN AREA LOOK REALLY PRETTY. SO YOU DON'T LOOK AT IT AS A BIG UGLY DETENTION FACILITY. YOU LOOK AT IT AS A PARK LAKE WITH VARIOUS AMENITIES. AND I APPLAUD THE WAY THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THIS. SO, GREAT JOB ON THAT. UM, ANY CLOSING COMMENTS? NO, I THINK THAT'S GREAT. I THINK IT'S BEEN A GREAT EFFORT WORKING WITH PARKS, UH, AND, AND THE REST OF THE TEAM ON, ON THESE PROJECTS. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYTHING COME THROUGH. GREAT. LAST CALL FOR PUBLIC SPEAKERS. ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS? SEEING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING? YES. TAPE. SOMEBODY HAS THEIR HAND UP. MAYOR PRO TIM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, OH, SORRY ABOUT THAT. GENTLEMEN, IF YOU WOULD EXIT STAGE RIGHT. WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC SPEAKER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, GOOD MORNING. INTRODUCING YOURSELF, AND YES, FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS. MY NAME IS AGU PINERO. EVERYBODY CALLS ME AUGIE. I'M, UH, UH, UH, THE EX LULAC DISTRICT DIRECTOR. BEEN IN LULAC OVER 50 YEARS, UH, THE LATINO COMMUNITY. NOW, I, I'M, YES, SIR. TIME OUT ON THE PARKS. THIS IS ON PARKS OR REDISTRICTING? OH, I'M HERE ON REDISTRICTING. OKAY. HAVEN'T GOTTEN HERE. YOU LITTLE PRE PREMATURE. WE'LL CALL BACK PREMATURE. AND WE, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE BRING YOU FORWARD. SO REGARDING PARKS AND WHAT WE JUST SAW IN THE PRESENTATION, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE IS THERE NOW A MOTION TO CLOSE A HEARING CAST? NEXT TAYLOR MOVE. SECOND ROBINSON MOTION. AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. NOW, MADAM [2.  PUBLIC HEARING relative to establishment of Council Member district boundaries as required by Article V, Section 3 of the Charter of the City of Houston, Texas - 9:00 A.M. ] SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL ITEM NUMBER TWO. ITEM TWO IS A PUBLIC HEARING RELATIVE TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT BOUNDARIES. BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WANT TO BRIEFLY SAY THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY TO HEAR FROM YOU. THE PUBLIC COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL ALSO HAVE THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO OPINE AND ASK QUESTIONS LATER. BUT AT THE THREE HEARINGS WE HAVE SCHEDULED, WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC'S THOUGHTS AND WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE DO HAVE A REVIEW OF A FEW LE LEGAL THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THE RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES CITY ATTORNEY ARTURO MICHEL. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. UM, I WANNA REITERATE THE PURPOSE IS TO RECEIVE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC ON THE PROPOSED REDISTRICTING PLAN. AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT IT IS A, UH, PROPOSED PLAN. IT IS A DRAFT. THE FINAL WILL COME AFTER CONSIDERATION, UH, OF ANY INPUT, AND IT WILL COME LATER THIS YEAR FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL. SO CHANGES ARE POSSIBLE. UH, COUNCIL, THE CITY WILL WANT A RECORD OF THE PUBLIC INPUT TODAY. SO I WOULD ASK ANYONE WHO'S PROVIDING INPUT TO PROVIDE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION AND ANY DOCUMENT OR PLAN THAT YOU WANT THE CITY TO CONSIDER, PLEASE PROVIDE US WITH A COPY OF THAT. SHOULD TRANSLATION SERVICES BE NEEDED? THERE'S A TABLE OUTSIDE TO APPROACH, UH, WHERE YOU CAN REQUEST THAT. UM, THIS WILL BE A PRIMARILY A PRESENTATION BY THE CITY'S DEMOGRAPHER. JERRY WOOD. I WANT TO SORT OF SET THE STAGE FOR WHAT HE'S DOING. THAT THERE IS NO HIDDEN AGENDA. THIS IS NOT AN ADMINISTRATION DRAFT. IT IS THE WORK OF, OF MR. WOOD, WHO WAS, WHO WAS, WHO FACTORED IN THE CRITERIA APPROVED BY COUNCIL ON MARCH 30TH, UH, OF THIS YEAR. AND THE ADOPTION OF THE CRITERIA BY COUNCIL BY RESOLUTION. AND THE SPECIFIC CRITERIA APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL ARE SUPPORTED BY UNANIMOUS COURT DECISIONS SINCE 1986. AND THESE INCLUDE, UH, CRITERION SUCH AS EQUAL POPULATION APPROXIMATELY AMONG THE DISTRICTS THAT YOU MAINTAIN, UH, WHOLE VOTING PRECINCTS THAT YOU FOLLOW, IDENTIFIABLE GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES, PRESERVATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS, SHARED COMMUNITY INTERESTS, PRESERVATION OF EXISTING INCUMBENT CONSTITUENT RELATIONS, AND AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO ELECT CANDIDATES OF CHOICE AS GUIDED BY THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965. MR. WOOD WILL ELABORATE ON THIS CRITERIA AND PROCESS. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU ATTORNEY MICHELLE. AND, AND COUNCILOR, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR DILIGENCE IN PREPARING US FOR THIS DAY IN THESE MEETINGS. SO THE CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES MR. JERRY WOOD FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, THE, THE DRAFT PLAN THAT YOU HAD BEFORE YOU WAS MY ATTEMPT TO MEET THE CRITERIA SET BY CITY COUNCIL, UM, TO THE EXTENT I COULD, UM, AND TO PROVIDE A POINT FROM [01:30:01] WHICH THE PUBLIC CAN REACT TO THE CHANGES PROPOSED. AND COUNCIL CAN EXAMINE THE WAYS IN WHICH THE PROPOSED CHANGES, UH, WOULD AFFECT BOTH THEIR DISTRICTS AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE. UM, THE, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THE CHANGES STARTING IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER WITH DISTRICT A. UM, DISTRICT A GIVES UP THE AREA AROUND THE WILLOWBROOK MALL AREA AND THE LIMITED PURPOSE ANNEXATION AREAS THAT SURROUND IT. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT POPULATION BECAUSE OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE LIMITED PURPOSE AREAS, UH, EXTEND OVER NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY. IT THAT TRA THAT POPULATION TRANSFERS TO DISTRICT B. IT'S ABOUT 18,000 PEOPLE. IN ADDITION, DISTRICT A, BECAUSE IT HAS GIVEN UP, UM, 18,000 PEOPLE AT THAT DISTRICT A IS ABLE TO RECEIVE FROM DISTRICT C AREAS THAT ARE WEST OF ANTOINE, NORTH OF TWO EIGHT, UH, TWO 90, UM, IN NORTHWEST HOUSTON. THIS INCLUDES THE, THE REST OF THE GREATER INWOOD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH HAS BEEN A REQUEST FROM GREATER INWOOD FOR SOME TIME NOW IN PRECINCT 3 22. IT ALSO EXTENDING TO THE SOUTH. IT INCLUDES, UH, THE FOREST WEST NEIGHBORHOOD, THE FOREST PINES NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE, UH, I'M SORRY, PINE FOREST NEIGHBORHOOD GETS CONFUSING AFTER A WHILE. AND THIS, THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE OAK FOREST NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, THE TOTAL POPULATION THERE IS OVER 12,000 PEOPLE. DISTRICT, UM, A IS ALSO ABLE, BECAUSE OF THE, THE TRANSFER POPULATION IN THE WILLOWBROOK AREA IS ABLE TO ACCEPT, UH, POPULATION FROM DISTRICT G, C, AND G BEING THE TWO DISTRICTS WITH THE HIGHEST POPULATION, UH, ABOVE THE ALLOWABLE RANGE OF POPULATION. FROM G IT'S ABLE TO ACCEPT THE AREA NORTH OF BUFFALO BIO BETWEEN SIX 10 AND HUNDRED CREEK VILLAGE CITY LIMITS, UH, SOUTH OF I 10. UM, THE AREA IN QUESTION HAS ABOUT 7,400 PEOPLE. UH, IT IS PART OF THE UPTOWN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. IT DOES ESTABLISH A, A CLEAR BOUNDARY ALONG BUFFALO BIO BETWEEN THE TWO DISTRICTS. MOVING ON TO DISTRICT B, UM, THE DISTRICT B ACCEPTED THE 18,000 POPULATION FROM DISTRICT A AS A RESULT, AS A RESULT OF CHANGES IN ITS BOUNDARY WITH DISTRICT H. DISTRICT H UH, IS THE DISTRICT THAT HAD THE LOWEST POPULATION AFTER THE 2020 CENSUS, UM, AND THEREFORE NEEDED TO BE BROUGHT UP WITHIN THE ALLOWABLE MINIMUM OF POPULATION. THERE ARE TWO AREAS THAT DISTRICT B GAVE UP TO. DISTRICT H. ONE IS IN, UH, SOUTH OF ALDEN, UM, UH, BENDER ROAD, UH, AT I 45. IT'S THE IMPERIAL VALLEY AND, UH, GREENBRIER NORTH NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN QUESTION, UM, MAKE UP, UH, OVER 12,000 POPULATION. AND THEIR POPULATION IS, UM, JUST UNDER 90% HISPANIC. THEREBY, UM, IMPROVING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY IN DISTRICT H TO ELECT A REPRESENTATIVE OF THEIR CHOICE. SIMILARLY, IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE DISTRICT PRECINCT 1 52, WHICH IS IN THE EAST TEXAS JENSEN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, WE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ASK THAT EAST JENSEN BE, UH, REUNITED IN DISTRICT H. UM, DISTRICT 1 52, THE, THE PORTION OF THAT PRECINCT, I'M SORRY, PRECINCT 1 52, THE PORTION OF THAT PRECINCT SOUTH OF HALLS BIO, UM, IS PROPOSED TO BE MOVED TO DISTRICT H. BOTH OF THESE ACT ACTIONS REQUIRE THE SPLITTING OF PRECINCTS. IF IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO SPLIT PRECINCTS IN ORDER TO, UH, MAINTAIN THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY AND DISTRICT H TO ELECT REPRESENTATIVES OF CHOICE, UM, I WOULD NOT BE PRE PROSING IT. BUT IN THIS CASE, IT IS NECESSARY. AND ALSO IN ANOTHER CASE, INVOLVING, UH, DISTRICT C [01:35:01] SO THAT THE THREE CHANGES, UM, DISTRICT B RECEIVES THE WILLOWBROOK IN LIMITED PURPOSE ANNEXATION AREAS. IT GIVES UP THE PORTION OF EAST X JENSEN, AND IT GIVES UP THE GREENBRIER NORTH AND IMPERIAL VALLEY NEIGHBORHOODS. MOVING ON TO DISTRICT C, DISTRICT C'S POPULATION WAS THE HIGHEST OF THE DISTRICTS. IT'S, UM, UM, POPULATION NEEDED HAD TO BE REDUCED, UM, BY OVER TO 20,000. UH, IN RATHER THAN MAKE RADICAL CHANGES IN DISTRICT C, THE IDEA WAS TO MAKE SMALL INCREMENTAL CHANGES IN DISTRICT C. IN THE FAR SOUTHWEST, UH, CORNER OF DISTRICT C, WE HAD REQUESTS FROM, UH, RESIDENTS OF THE ROBINDALE NEIGHBORHOOD IN PRECINCT A FOR TO BE, UH, ADDED TO DISTRICT J, UH, AND RE UH, REUNITE ALL OF THE BRADBURN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, THAT'S PROPOSED IN THIS PLAN. DISTRICT G ALSO NEEDED TO LOSE POPULATION, AND YOU'LL SEE JUST NORTH OF THE CITY OF BEL AIR PRECINCT FIVE 70 IS ADDED TO DISTRICT J IN ORDER TO REDUCE DISTRICT G'S POPULATION. UM, IN THE NORTHWEST, I'VE ALREADY DESCRIBED THE, UM, TRANSFER POPULATION TO DISTRICT A IN THE, UM, ANTOINE, UH, BOULEVARD AREA ALONG THE BOUNDARY WITH DISTRICT C, UM, DISTRICT A, UH, H PARDON ME, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DISTRICT C. DISTRICT H. UM, THE HARRIS COUNTY CHANGED THE WAY IN WHICH THE PRECINCTS WERE ALIGNED. UM, THE PRECINCTS, WHICH NORM, WHICH PREVIOUSLY HAD BEEN, UM, SPLIT BETWEEN THEM, UH, ON STUDER WOOD, UH, PRECINCTS THREE AND 53 WERE THEN REORGANIZED SO THAT THEY WERE SPLIT ALONG THE EAST WEST STREET WHITE OAK, UM, DRIVE AM PROPOSING TO SPLIT THOSE PRECINCTS AND RE REUSE THE, UM, THE BOUNDARY THAT EXISTED PREVIOUSLY SO THAT THE BOUNDARY IN THE GREATER HEIGHTS AREA REMAINS THE SAME. UM, FURTHER, A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH, UM, IN ORDER, AGAIN, IN ORDER TO BRING POPULATION DOWN WITHIN DISTRICT C, UM, PRECINCT 30, WHICH IS FREEDMANS TOWN, FOURTH WARD, UM, IS PROPOSED TO BE TRANSFERRED TO DISTRICT H. AND FINALLY, UH, THERE, THERE IS, I'M SORRY, THERE IS ANOTHER IN THE, UH, WEST OF, UM, GREENWAY PLAZA PRECINCT 1 77, LYNN PARK AND HIGHLAND PARK, UH, HIGHLAND VILLAGE IS, UM, TRANSFERRED FROM G TO C IN ORDER TO BRING G'S POPULATION DOWN. UH, THE, THAT WAS POSSIBLE BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE, UH, THE RICE CAMPUS PRECINCT 360 1 FROM, UH, DISTRICT C TO DISTRICT D. UH, THAT HELPED BRING DISTRICT G'S POPULATION DOWN WITHIN THE, THE RANGE THAT WAS, UH, PERMISSIBLE, AND ALSO TO BRING DOWN DISTRICT C'S POPULATION WITHIN THAT RANGE. UM, THE RICE CAMPUSES POPULATIONS ABOUT 2,850 PEOPLE. DISTRICT D. UM, IN ADDITION TO RECEIVING THE RICE CAMPUS, DISTRICT D GAVE UP POPULATION IN FAR SOUTHEAST HOUSTON, SOUTH OF HOBBY AIRPORT. THERE ARE THREE PRECINCTS, THREE PRECINCTS, UM, UH, 8 0 1, UM, 8 4 9, AND 10 63 THAT ARE LOCATED NORTH OF FUQUA, WHICH ARE PROPOSED TO GO INTO DISTRICT I. THE, THE THREE PRECINCTS IN IN QUESTION ARE OVER 10,000 PEOPLE, CLOSER TO 11,000, ACTUALLY WITH A, UH, STRONG MAJORITY HISPANIC POPULATION. UH, THEREBY AVOIDING ANY, UH, DIMINUTION IN THE, UM, HISPANIC COMMUNITY'S OPPORTUNITY TO ELECT REPRESENTATIVE THEIR CHOICE IN DISTRICT I AND BRINGING DISTRICT D'S POPULATION DOWN WITHIN THE ALLOWABLE RANGE. UH, MOVING ON TO DISTRICT E, THE ONLY CHANGE IN DISTRICT E IS TO MOVE TWO PRECINCTS THAT ARE VERY CLOSE TO THE AREAS THAT, THAT WERE IN. DISTRICT D, UM, MOVE ACTUALLY WOULD PROBABLY BE BETTER TO GO BACK TO THAT PREVIOUS MAP. OKAY, WELL, UM, TWO PRECINCTS THAT ARE LOCATED BETWEEN YES, THANK YOU. BETWEEN STATE HIGHWAY SIX AND I 45 AT THE SOUTH BELT, UM, FROM DISTRICT E TO DISTRICT, I, UH, THE TWO PRECINCTS IN QUESTION, UH, HAVE, UH, [01:40:01] 14,000 PEOPLE. UH, AND THEIR POPULATION IS A MAJORITY HISPANIC AS WELL. UH, UM, SOMETHING IN THE 60% RANGE. UH, THOSE TWO PRECINCTS INCLUDE THE GO, THE OLD GENOA TOWN SITE, UM, GULF, UH, PALM SUBDIVISION. AND THE, UM, UH, ANOTHER SUBDIVISION, UH, THAT SUDDENLY ESCAPES MY MIND. S SOUTH, SOUTH TRACE, I'M SORRY, I, I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT NAME. UH, SUBDIVISION, UH, AGAIN, A MAJORITY HISPANIC POPULATION. IT DOES NOT SPLIT UP ARLINGTON HEIGHTS TO THE NORTH, AND IT DOES NOT SPLIT UP ANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, MOVING ON TO DISTRICT F, DISTRICT F IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON HAS TWO, THREE CHANGES, UH, IN ITS BOUNDARIES. ONE, UH, WHILE ITS ITS BOUNDARY ALONG, WESTHEIMER WAS WITH DISTRICT G WAS PRETTY IDEAL. UM, DISTRICT G NEEDED TO LOSE POPULATION. UH, WHAT I HAVE PROPOSED IN THIS MAP IS TO MOVE PRECINCT 7 27, WHICH IS THERE LOCATED AT KIRKWOOD AND WESTHEIMER PRIMARILY APARTMENTS. UH, ITS POPULATION IS ABOUT 2,400 PEOPLE, UH, INTO DISTRICT. UH, F THE OTHER CHANGE IS THAT AT THE BELTWAY AT BENU PRECINCT 9 43, WHICH HAS A RELATIVELY SMALL POPULATION OF, UH, 3000, UM, IS TRANSFERRED INTO F FROM J. AND IN THE PROCESS, IT, UM, REUNITES THE GLEN SHANNON NEIGHBORHOOD AND HELPS TO BALANCE OUT THE TRANSFER OF PRECINCT 5 66 IN WEST CHASE FROM F TO J. SO THERE'S AN EXCHANGE THAT GOES ON THERE. UM, IN THE PROCESS DISTRICT, UM, F'S POPULATION, UH, REMAINS WITHIN THE ALLOWABLE, UH, RANGE. AND DISTRICT J'S POPULATION IS BROUGHT WITHIN THE, THE ALLOWABLE RANGE, ALONG WITH THE OTHER CHANGES AS DESCRIBED BEFORE. UM, I BELIEVE THE OTHER, THE CHANGES TO DISTRICT G HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN DESCRIBED, UH, BUT I'LL SUMMARIZE THAT. DISTRICT G UM, LOSES PRECINCT 7 27 AT KIRKWOOD AND WESTHEIMER TO, UM, F IT LOSES PRECINCTS 2 74 AND SEVEN 30 IN THE NEAR MEMORIAL SECTION TO A, AND IT LOSES PRECINCT 1 77 TO C THERE IN, UH, BETWEEN WESLEYAN AND THE, AND THE, THE OLD UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD LINE, IT LOSES, UH, PRECINCT FIVE 70, UH, IN THE PIN OAK AREA, THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, SOUTH OF THE SOUTHWEST FREEWAY, UH, TO DISTRICT J UH, DISTRICT H I'M, THE ONLY OTHER CHANGE, OTHER THAN THE CHANGES I'VE DESCRIBED IN RELATION TO B AND C, UH, IS THAT DISTRICT H IN ORDER TO BRING ITS POPULATION WITHIN THE ALLOWABLE RANGE, UM, RECEIVES A PRECINCT FROM DISTRICT. I, UH, THE PRECINCT IN QUESTION EIGHT 90 IS, UH, IN DOWNTOWN. IT'S LOCATED BETWEEN COMMERCE STREET AND TEXAS AVENUE. UM, SO THAT DOWNTOWN NORTH OF TEXAS AVENUE WOULD BE LOCATED IN DISTRICT H. UH, POPULATION IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE IS 3,500, UH, JUST UNDER 600 OF THOSE, UH, PEOPLE ARE INCARCERATED IN HARRIS COUNTY JAIL. UM, THE POPULATION THERE IS, UH, IS MIXED DIVERSE, BUT IT, UM, IT IS NOT AS HISPANIC AS DISTRICT H, UH, OVERALL IS. UM, AND THAT'S THE ONLY OTHER CHANGE OTHER THAN, UH, IT RECEIVING, UM, UH, PRECINCT 30 FROM, UH, DISTRICT, UM, C AND THEN THE OTHER TWO AREAS FROM DISTRICT B. IN THE NORTH DISTRICT, I, AS I'VE DESCRIBED, RECEIVE, GIVES UP A PRECINCT TO DISTRICT H IN THE NORTH AND RECEIVES A TOTAL OF FIVE PRECINCTS IN THE SOUTH FROM DIS DISTRICTS. D AND E, UH, IN THE N DISTRICT, UH, I'S POPULATION WAS WITHIN, BROUGHT WITHIN THE RANGE OF ALLOWABLE, UM, UH, RANGE OF, UH, POPULATION. UM, AND DISTRICT J. DISTRICT J WAS THE DISTRICT, UM, IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON, WHICH HAD THE LOWEST POPULATION. THE CHANGES YOU SEE TO DISTRICT J ARE TO RECEIVED THE ROBINDALE AREA AT, [01:45:01] UM, HILLCROFT AND BRAESWOOD, SOUTH OF BISSONNET FROM DISTRICT C, THE PIN OAK AREA, WEST PARK, AND NEWCASTLE IN THE NORTH, UH, EAST FROM DISTRICT GA PORTION OF WEST CHASE, UH, FROM DISTRICT F AND SURRENDERING A, A PORTION OF THE GLEN SHANNON NEIGHBORHOOD IN A LEAF TO DISTRICT F. AND IN THE PROCESS, DISTRICT J'S POPULATION WAS BROUGHT WITHIN, UH, THE RANGE OF POPULATION THAT'S ALLOWED. DISTRICT K HAS NO PROPOSED CHANGES. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. WOOD. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PUBLIC SPEAKERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS COUNSEL ON THIS SUBJECT. SO, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER DAVID GILKERSON. HAMAN HAS A PROCEDURAL MOTION COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAB CAME IN FOR A PROCEDURAL MOTION. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD SHARONDA JOHNSON AND PASTOR ELMO JOHNSON TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE PUBLIC SPEAKERS LIST. SECOND ROBINSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE, MR. GILKINSON, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR ATTENTION THIS MORNING. MY NAME IS DAVE GILKESON, AND I AM CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF THE WEST CHASE DISTRICT. APPEARING BEFORE YOU TODAY, ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT, WEST CHASE DISTRICT HAS HAD TERRITORY IN COUNCIL'S F AND G SINCE ITS CREATION. IN 1995, THE PROPOSED REDISTRICTING MAP WOULD PLACE A VERY SMALL PORTION OF WEST CHASE DISTRICT INTO A THIRD DISTRICT COUNCIL, DISTRICT J. WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU MAINTAIN WEST CHASE DISTRICT AS A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST TO THE GREATEST DEGREE POSSIBLE BY LEAVING PRECINCT 5, 6, 6 IN DISTRICT F OR SPLITTING 5, 6, 6 AT GESNER AND KEEPING THE WESTERN PORTION IN DISTRICT F. WE THINK THAT EITHER OPTION WOULD BE BETTER SERVE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN DISTRICTS, F AND G, AND WHO CALL WEST CHASE DISTRICT HOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SPEAKERS. NEXT SPEAKER, MARIA LIRA. GOOD MORNING, MS. LIRA. ONE PERSON, ONLY ONE PERSON AT THE PODIUM, UNLESS WE HAVE A TRANSLATOR, IS I'M THE INTERPRETER. GOTCHA. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING TO ALL. MY NAME IS MARIA. I'M A HISPANIC MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER, AND I'VE BEEN A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. MY QUESTION TO YOU ALL IS HOW LONG, HOW MUCH MORE TIME WILL YOU CONTINUE SEGREGATING THE HISPANIC POPULATION? AS A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST, I KNOW THE POLITICAL GAME AND THE MANIPULATIONS THAT ARE DONE WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON MAPS, BUT I WANNA TELL YOU ALL THAT BEHIND ALL THESE NUMBERS, THERE'S CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT RECEIVING A GOOD EDUCATION. WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUNG ADULTS WHO FIND THEMSELVES WITHIN OUR PRISONS AND JAILS, . AND THERE'S MANY HOMES THAT ARE DETERIORATED THAT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BECAUSE OF THE WINTER STORM, AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF HURRICANE HARVEY. AND DO YOU ALL KNOW WHY? BECAUSE [01:50:01] OF THE LACK OF RESOURCES THAT HISPANICS SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE. IT'S TIME FOR THE DIVERSITY THAT YOU ALL SAY THAT'S IN HOUSTON IS REFLECTED, ESPECIALLY IN THIS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WITHIN THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS. IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY DOUBTS, I'M GONNA LEAVE THESE PHOTOGRAPHS SO SHE COULD PASS IT ON TO YOU ALL. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, BERT LEVINE. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR PROAM AND CITY COUNCIL. I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO SEE YOU ALL THIS MORNING. I HAVE BEEN HERE IN HOUSTON FOR 30 YEARS, CAME IN FOR A NATIONAL POLITICAL CONVENTION AND LOVED THE CITY OF HOUSTON. I LOVE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON. BEHIND THE MIC, BUR OH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I LOVE THE CITY OF HOUSTON. I LOVE, UM, MEYERLAND, I LOVE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON. AND WHAT WAS DISTRICT C WHEN THEY ADDED TWO NEW COUNCIL DISTRICTS? IT WOULD'VE, YOU WOULD'VE THOUGHT THAT DISTRICT C WOULD'VE GOTTEN MORE COMPACT. BUT WHAT I READ ON SUNDAY WAS THAT IT, IT WAS CENTERED. IT IS CENTERED ON MONTROSE AND THE HEIGHTS. THAT'S VERY FAR FROM PRECINCT THREE 15. THAT'S VERY FAR FROM MEYERLAND. THAT'S VERY FAR FROM, UH, MAPLEWOOD. WHEREAS ON THE MAP THAT IS BEING PROPOSED, PRECINCT THREE 15, BORDERED BY HILLCROFT, UM, FRUM MIDDLE SCHOOL. UH, BRAISED BAYOU IS RIGHT NEXT TO A PROPOSAL FOR DISTRICT J. AND I'M RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT YOU CONSIDER PRECINCT THREE 15 BE ANNEX OR ADOPTED INTO DISTRICT. UH, J I'VE SPOKE TO THE CITY CO, UM, THE PRECINCT CHAIR AND LEE, SHE'LL BE 93 YEARS OLD. AND, UH, COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER, UH, SHE'S RELINQUISHING IT TO ALBERT CHK. YEAH, TIME HAS EXPIRED AND I DO THINK THAT IT WOULD, UH, WHERE WE LIVE NOW, YOU COULD SEE ON THE MAPS, I CAN SEE FROM THE TRAVELS I'VE DONE, WE'RE MINUTES AWAY FROM THE ENTIRETY OF DISTRICT J. WE'RE 40 MINUTES OR AN HOUR FROM MUCH OF WHERE, UM, DISTRICT C. AND IT WOULD MAKE, UH, GREAT SENSE FOR RELIABLE, RESPONSIBLE, RESPECTFUL, UH, CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO, UH, CONSIDER PRECINCT THREE 15 BEING BROUGHT TO THE DISTRICT. A THANK YOU MR. LEVI. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I I YIELD MY TIME. YIELD NONE. . , YOU ARE TOOK SOMEBODY ELSE'S TIME. , NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. AUGUSTINE PINEDO. WELCOME BACK. . THANK YOU. GOT IT RIGHT THIS TIME. UH, MAYOR PROAM AND MEMBERS, UH, CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK HERE TODAY. UH, BEEN IN LULAC MANY, MANY YEARS AS A, A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST, AND WE WERE VERY CONCERNED WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE LOOKING IN HOUSTON. YOU KNOW, WE, WE HEAR ALL THE TIME, UH, THE MAYOR AND, AND OTHER CITY LEADERS MARKET HOUSTON AS A, UH, DIVERSE CITY, THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN THE COUNTRY. ALSO, THE MAYOR SAYS IT'S A WELCOMING CITY. WE HAVE NO QUARREL WITH THAT. BUT ONE THING, IT IS NOT, IS NOT AN INCLUSIVE CITY EXHIBIT A LOOK AROUND YOU. ANY HISPANICS THERE? NO. WELL, UH, THE ONLY ONE, A LONE RANGER THERE IS, UH, MR. ROBERT GALLEGOS. AND, UH, I UNDERSTAND HE GETS TO REPRESENT OVER A MILLION LATINOS HERE IN, IN, IN, IN HOUSTON, BUT THAT SHOULDN'T BE THE CASE. YOU KNOW, IN, IN A, IN A DEMOCRACY, YOU NEED, UH, EQUAL REPRESENTATION BY ALL PEOPLE CONCERNED. YEAH, TOM HAS EXPIRED. I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU SOME TIME TO WRAP UP. WELL, THANK YOU. AND, UH, SO, SO THEREFORE, WE'RE ASKING FOR THE ELIMINATION OF THE, UH, UH, POSITIONS AT LARGE INTO SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS BECAUSE, UH, HISTORY HAS SHOWN THAT, UH, ALL THE CITIES THAT HAVE, UH, SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS HAVE, UH, EQUAL REPRESENTATION, UH, DALLAS, UH, AUSTIN, UH, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. IF YOU LOOK THROUGHOUT TEXAS, YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT IS TRUE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, SIR. ONE SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX. MR. SANCHEZ, HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY? NO, NO. PINERO UH, PANERA, MR. PANERA, HOW ARE YOU DOING? I'M FINE. DOING WELL. ALRIGHT, MR. PANERA, YOU'RE A REPRESENTATIVE OF LULAC, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR. OKAY. SO IT'S [01:55:01] YOUR POSITION THEN THAT POSITIONS AROUND CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE BASED ON RACE, IS THAT CORRECT? PER, UH, THEY SHOULD REPRESENT THE, UH, ETHNICITY. NO, NO. WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE HISPANIC ON THIS, ON THIS BOARD, ON THIS COMMITTEE, ON THIS CITY COUNCIL, AND THAT THE REST OF US ARE INCAPABLE OF REPRESENTING HISPANIC POPULATION. ISN'T THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, SIR? THAT IS RACIST AND CONDESCENDING AND I NO, NO, IT'S, IT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. NO, NO, NO. LET, LET ME ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. IT'S RACIST AND CONDESCENDING BECAUSE THAT ARGUMENT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO ANDREW JACKSON WHEN THEY TOLD THE NATIVE AMERICANS, HEY, DON'T WORRY, YOUR GREAT WHITE FATHER IN WASHINGTON IS REPRESENTING YOU. HE'S LOOKING OUT AFTER YOU. OKAY, SO LEMME ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION AND WE, HOW THAT WENT. LEMME ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION. WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS, IS SUGGESTING, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LULAC IS DOING IS GETTING RID OF THE, AT-LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO IT'S THE POSITION OF LULAC THEN THAT YOU WANT TO DIMINISH THE AMOUNT OF REPRESENTATION THAT ALL CITIZENS OF HOUSTON RECEIVE. AS YOU KNOW, EACH ONE OF THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS REPRESENT THEIR DISTRICT. THE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS REPRESENT EVERYONE IN THE CITY. AND IN THIS METHOD, IN EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN HOUSTON IS REPRESENTED BY SIX COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THIS BODY. AND SO YOU WANT TO REMOVE ALL OF THE, AT LARGE TO LIMIT THE ABILITY TO BE REPRESENTED TO A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND THE PURPOSE FOR THAT IS WHAT, YOU KNOW, THAT IS NOT THE CASE. THAT'S WHAT I'VE READ. WELL, LISTEN, OKAY, FROM YOUR, FROM YOUR OFFICE, WE, WE CAN ALSO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, UH, NEW YORK, UH, CHICAGO, I BELIEVE THEY HAVE AROUND 50. WELL, SEE, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T LIVE IN NEW YORK AND CHICAGO. THIS IS MY TIME. THIS, THIS IS MY TIME RIGHT NOW. PROVIDE REPRESENTATION TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED. WE DON'T NEED TO EXCLUDE ANYBODY, MR. PINE. WE NEED TO INCLUDE PEOPLE. AND, AND IN FACT, THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW INCLUDES EVERYBODY. AND IT GIVES OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY DISAGREE WITH A RESPONSE FROM THEIR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER TO SEEK REDRESS FROM THE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND IN FACT, I RECEIVE A LOT OF CALLS, UH, WEEKLY FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO DIDN'T LIKE OR DISAGREED WITH THE COMMENTS THAT THEY RECEIVED FROM THEIR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND WE TRY TO HELP THEM. THAT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITH A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT, UH, YOU KNOW, SEPARATED OUT, UH, FIVE MORE SINGLE DI SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS. SO YOU'RE IN FACT, REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF REPRESENTATION THAT ALL THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON HAVE. IF YOUR PLAN WERE TO SUCCEED, NO, WE'RE NOT. THAT WASN'T A QUESTION, THAT WAS JUST A STATEMENT. JUST A REMINDER. CAN I ANSWER HIM? NO, SIR. JUST A REMINDER OF CITY COUNCIL AND TO THE PUBLIC CITY COUNCIL RULES PER DO NOT PERMIT SNAPPING, APPLAUDING ANY NOISE. IF YOU ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE SPEAKER, RAISE YOUR HANDS AND DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. THESE ARE RULES THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED FOREVER, SO DON'T YELL AT US OR UP THAT, MAKE THAT, FOLLOW THESE RULES. BUT THOSE ARE THE RULES IN PLACE. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS. YES, SIR. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO. TIM THA THANK YOU AGRE FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. MY, MY, MY APOLOGIES FOR BEING LATE, BUT, UH, I'VE GOT A LATE NOTICE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON REGARDING THE, UH, FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION. THEIR, UH, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR WAS GONNA BE IN TOWN THIS MORNING, UH, WANTED TO MEET WITH ME, UH, AND SOME OTHER ELECTEDS IN REGARDS TO THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING ON THE, UH, WITH THE RAILROADS IN THE EAST END. SO THAT'S WHERE I WAS AT. SO MY APOLOGIES FOR, FOR BEING LATE. UH, I, I, I WANNA THANK YOU AND I WANNA THANK ALL THAT ARE HERE, UH, TO SPEAK. UH, AGAIN, WE ARE ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS. WE WERE ELECTED TO LISTEN TO CONSTITUENTS, NOT TO ARGUE WITH THOSE THAT ARE HERE TO SPEAK. SO I ASKED MY COLLEAGUES TO BE RESPECTFUL. WE WERE ELECTED TO LISTEN TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, NOT TO ARGUE WITH THEM. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS STOS. UM, MR. PENN, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT, AT THIS AND DEBATE THE PROS AND CONS. AND THERE ARE CERTAINLY OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING POLITICAL REPRESENTATION, MINORITY VOTING RIGHTS, AND, UM, THE CONTORTED SHAPE OF MANY OF THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS. UM, I BELIEVE THAT MOVING TO SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS WOULD HELP RESOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS. UM, UM, THE SIZE OF EACH HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT, UM, WILL NOW BE THE SECOND LARGEST IN THE NATION. ONLY LOS ANGELES HAS LARGER COUNCIL DISTRICTS. WITH THE NEW DATA FROM THE 2020 CENSUS, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS CHARGED WITH REDRAWING THE 11 COUNCIL DISTRICTS, SO THAT EACH WILL HAVE APPROXIMATELY THE SAME POPULATION OF ABOUT 209,500 [02:00:03] RESIDENTS. I THINK NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW OUR COUNCIL MEMBER SYSTEM IS ORGANIZED INTO 11 DISTRICTS AND FIVE AT LARGE POSITIONS. AND TO ASSESS HOW WELL THE SYSTEM IS WORKING. ACCORDING TO THE 2020 CENSUS DATA, HOUSTON IS THE FOURTH MOST POPULOUS CITY IN THE UNITED STATES. OF THE 10 LARGEST CITIES ONLY PHILADELPHIA JOINS HOUSTON AT HAVING AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS. AT LARGE COUNCIL POSITIONS ARE MORE COMMON IN CITIES WITH POPULATIONS UNDER 1 MILLION. UM, EIGHT OF THE 10 CITIES WITH THE LARGEST POPULATION, WHICH INCLUDES NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, CHICAGO, HOUSTON, PHOENIX, PHILADELPHIA, SAN ANTONIO, SAN DIEGO, DALLAS, AND SAN JOSE HAVE MOVED TO BEING ENTIRELY SINGLE MEMBER COUNCIL DISTRICTS. AND AS THE MEMBER, AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT H, I CAN ATTEST THAT PROVIDING CONSTITUENT SERVICES TO RESIDENTS OF MY DISTRICT MAKES UP THE LARGEST PART OF MY STAFF'S WORK. I WOULD LIKE US TO EVALUATE AND HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF CONSIDERING A CHARTER AMENDMENT TO MOVE CITY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO 16 SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS. UM, THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS THAT WOULD BE REALIZED BY SMALLER SIZED DISTRICTS WOULD BENEFIT RESIDENTS ALL OVER THE CITY AND WOULD GIVE FAIR REPRESENTATION TO DIFFERENT GROUPS. INSTEAD OF SERVING 209,500 PEOPLE, IF THERE WERE 16 DISTRICTS INSTEAD OF 11, EACH DISTRICT WOULD SERVE 144,000. THIS IS A DIFFERENCE OF 65,000 PEOPLE EACH. THE LAST TIME THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OFFERED A, A PROVISION TO GUIDE THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS WAS IN 1979 WHEN THE POPULATION OF OUR CITY WAS ABOUT ONE AND A HALF MILLION PEOPLE. THE ADDED AMENDMENT TO THE CHARTER STIPULATED THAT WHEN THE CITY'S POPULATION GREW TO 2.1 MILLION PEOPLE OR MORE, TWO NEW COUNCIL DISTRICTS WOULD BE CREATED. DISTRICT J AND A A K WERE ADDED AFTER THE 2010 CENSUS, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF COUNCIL DISTRICTS TO 11. THERE IS NO OTHER PROVISION IN THE CITY CHARTER TO ADDRESS THE FUTURE OR THE SIZE OF OUR GROWING CITY THAN THE AMENDMENT THAT WAS MADE TO THE CHARTER 43 YEARS AGO. SO I THINK IT'S TIME TO, TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION. I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S POLITICAL WILL TO DO THAT. THERE ARE DIFFERENT OPINIONS UP HERE, BUT, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU MR. PANTO. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, IVAN SANCHEZ. GOOD MORNING, MR. SANCHEZ. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. UH, IT'S VERY GOOD TO SEE MANY OF, UH, OF YOU. MANY OF YOU GUYS ARE, UH, MY FRIENDS. UH, MY NAME IS IVAN SANCHEZ. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF LULAC. HOUSTON IS THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN THE NATION, EXCEPT WHEN IT COMES TO ITS LOCAL GOVERNMENT. AND LET ME EXPLAIN, LATINOS ARE NOW 45% OF THE POPULATION, BUT WE ONLY HAVE ONE COUNCIL MEMBER OUT OF 16 TO HELP THIS ISSUE. HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL CREATED DISTRICT J AS A LATINO OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT IN 2011. AND FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS, WE THANK YOU FOR THAT HELP. HOWEVER, THE CITY'S PROPOSED PLAN TAKES OUT PRECINCT 9 4 3 THAT HAS A 70% LATINO PRECINCT AND TAKES OUT PRECINCT FIVE 70 WITH LESS THAN 20% LATINOS IN THAT DISTRICT, DILUTING THE ENTIRE DISTRICT TO NO LONGER BE A LATINO OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT AT 61 POINT, UH, 61.1% LATINO. AND THIS IS WRONG. WE ASK YOU TO USE THE PRESIDENTS. WE, WE ASK YOU TIME. I'LL GIVE I'M A NO. GO AHEAD AND FINISH UP. YES, YOU AND I'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER GALL. WE ASK YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING, USE PRESIDENTS AND WHAT WAS INTENDED TO BE IN 2011. SO PLEASE CONSIDER THIS DISTRICT TO MAKE IT MORE THAN 70, 75% LATINO SO WE CAN HAVE A REAL CHANCE. ALSO, LULAC WILL BE PROPOSING OUR MAPS BY THE, UH, JULY 20TH DEADLINE. SO, UH, MAYBE IF WE HAD SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, THEN WE CAN FINALLY BE REPRESENTED. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. COUNCILS. THANK, THANK YOU, MAYOR CHAIR. THANK YOU, IVAN, FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. UH, THAT, THAT IS CONCERNING IF, IF, IF, UH, THE CITY IS LOOKING AT CHANGING J UH, JH AND I ARE HISPANIC OPPORTUNITY DISTRICTS. UH, AND, AND IF THE CITY IS LOOKING AT CHANGING J UH, THE CONCERN IS WHAT DEMOGRAPHICS IS COMING IN TO J UH, AND IF IT'S NOT HISPANIC, UH, THEN IT'S DILUTING THE HISPANIC VOTE IN J. UH, SO THAT IS CONCERNING, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP AN EYE OUT ON. UH, AGAIN, BEING THE [02:05:01] ONLY LATINO HERE ON CITY COUNCIL, UH, WE HAVE HJ AND I, UH, AND THEREFORE, BY DILUTING THE HISPANIC VOTING, JAY WOULD BE CONCERNING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR. SANCHEZ. COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. AND, UH, GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. MR. SANCHEZ, THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. UM, WE KEEP USING THE TERM HISPANIC OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT, AND AN OPPORTUNITY DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN AN AUTOMATIC OR A GUARANTEE. OUT OF THE 11 CURRENT DISTRICTS, I BELIEVE SIX OF THE 11, THE MAJORITY HISPANICS ARE THEIR TOP POPULATION REPRESENTED IN DISTRICT B, I BELIEVE HISPANICS ARE OVER 40%. SO IN SEVEN OF THE 11 DISTRICTS WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, OVER 40% OF HISPANICS ARE REPRESENTED THROUGH THE POPULATION OF THOSE GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE SEATS. NOTHING PRECLUDES A HISPANIC FROM RUNNING IN. MANY OF THOSE SEATS, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT J HISPANICS, ARE 20 OR 30% HIGHER THAN THE SECOND DEMOGRAPHIC OR RACE THAT'S REPRESENTED WITHIN THOSE BOUNDARY LINES. SO JUST BECAUSE YOU DRAW A LINE A CERTAIN WAY DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY GUARANTEE AN OUTCOME. THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITHIN THOSE COMMUNITIES IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS GET THEIR CHOICE BASED ON WHOEVER SIGNS UP TO RUN, TO CHOOSE WHO THEY WOULD LIKE. IN DISTRICT J FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU GO AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE VOTING TURNOUT IN THE ELECTION NUMBERS FROM THE LAST ELECTION AND VERY HIGHLY POPULATED HISPANIC AREAS, THEY CHOSE THE NON-HISPANIC CANDIDATE. THAT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM ANY OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES, BUT IT DOES SHOW THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON LOOK AT ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE BALLOT AND, AND PRES AND PICK SOMEONE THAT THEY FEEL WILL BEST REPRESENT THEIR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE WE ARE A VERY DIVERSE CITY, AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT JUST RACE AS THE ONLY WAY THAT SOMEONE CAN REPRESENT YOU FAIRLY AND ADEQUATELY. I KNOW FOR DISTRICT J, WHICH IS THE MOST DIVERSE DISTRICT IN THE ENTIRE CITY, WHERE WE HAVE OVER 80 LANGUAGES SPOKEN, YOU KNOW, 85% OF OUR RESIDENTS LIVE IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT WE DO AN EXTREMELY, UM, I DON'T WANNA PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK, BUT WE DO AN EXTREMELY GREAT JOB OF MAKING SURE THAT WE COMMUNICATE WITH EVERYONE AND THAT WE TRY TO REPRESENT EVERYONE. SO IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT JUST BY DRAWING A LINE DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME THAT YOU'LL GET A CERTAIN OUTCOME. AND THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE IN A DEMOCRACY. IT SHOULD BE FAIR. IT SHOULD ALLOW EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY. AND SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP DISTRICT J, WHICH IS WHAT I REPRESENT, THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT THE MAP PROPOSED OR CURRENT THAT DILUTES IN ANY WAY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HISPANICS TO BE REPRESENTED, RIGHT? BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN AREA THAT MAY NOT BE HIGHLY POPULATED BY HISPANICS DOES NOT MEAN THAT A HISPANIC CAN'T GET ELECTED. HISPANICS CAN GET ELECTED IN ANY ONE OF OUR SEATS, AND MANY TIMES WHEN HISPANICS HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO THIS BODY, IT'S BEEN THROUGH AT LARGE. CURRENTLY, OUR HARRIS COUNTY, CURRENTLY OUR HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE IS HISPANIC. SHE REPRESENTS THE ENTIRE COUNTY. OUR SHERIFF IS HISPANIC. HE REPRESENTS THE ENTIRE COUNTY, RIGHT? SO THERE'S NOTHING THAT SAYS THAT A A HISPANIC CANNOT WIN SEATS. AND SO I THINK WE HAVE TO SHIFT THE NARRATIVE TO REALLY FOCUSING ON THE PEOPLE AND GIVING THEM A FAIR SAY IN WHO THEY WANT. AND NOT ALWAYS JUST LOOK AT THE RACE OF THE PERSON. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS. THANK YOU. I, I WANTED TO JUST SPEAK TO THE POINT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, HISPANIC OPPORTUNITY DISTRICTS IN THAT I, I REPRESENT DISTRICT H, WHICH IS ONE OF THOSE DISTRICTS. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT SINCE THE 1990S, THERE'S ONLY BEEN HISPANIC REPRESENTATION HERE. I'M THE FIRST ONE WHO'S NOT. I HAVE, UM, UH, MY GRANDMOTHER WAS FROM GUATEMALA. I'VE MARRIED, UH, YOU KNOW, A MEXICAN AMERICAN MAN. MY CHILDREN IDENTIFY AS LATINOS AND LATINAS. UM, BUT, BUT I'M NOT. UM, BUT SINCE THE 1990S, [02:10:01] FELIX FROG HAS SAT IN THIS SEAT, GABRIEL VASQUEZ SAT IN THIS SEAT. COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA SAT IN THIS SEAT. SHERIFF ED GONZALEZ SAT IN THIS SEAT. DISTRICT H KNOWS HOW TO VOTE FOR WHO THEY WANNA VOTE FOR. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROAM. WE, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE 60% OF HISPANICS IN A DISTRICT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT'S 60% OF VOTERS CORRECT. MANY ARE UN, ARE UNDOCUMENTED, MANY ARE NOT A VOTING AGE. IT WILL HAPPEN, IT WILL HAPPEN SOON, BUT THOSE THAT ARE NOT A VOTING AGE WILL BECOME VOTERS AND THINGS WILL CHANGE. BUT UNTIL THEN, WHEN YOU SAY YOU HAVE 60% HISPANIC IN A DISTRICT, IT'S NOT 60% VOTERS. MM-HMM . MANY OF THEM ARE UNDOCUMENTED. A HUNDRED PERCENT. MANY OF THEM ARE UNDERAGE OF VOTING, SO THEY CAN'T VOTE. SO I MISSED A PRESENTATION OF MR. WOODS IN REGARDS TO THE BREAKDOWN OF THE DISTRICTS. IF I COULD ASK MR. WOODS TO BREAK DOWN WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED IN COMING INTO DISTRICT J IN REGARDS TO DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN? PARDON? SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COULD YOU TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR? I, I, AGAIN, MY APOLOGIES. I'M, I'M, I'M BEEN, I'M RUNNING LATE TO THE FACT I MET WITH THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOU DID A LITTLE PRESENTATION REGARDING THE DE VARIOUS DISTRICTS. MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, DISTRICT J THE PRECINCTS THAT YOU'RE WANTING TO BRING INTO DISTRICT J OR THE PRECINCT YOU'RE WANTING TO BRING INTO DISTRICT J, WHAT'S THE DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN IN THE, IN THAT PRECINCT? THE, LET ME SEE. 1, 2, 3, 4. THE FOUR PRECINCTS THAT ARE COMING INTO DISTRICT J ARE LESS HISPANIC THAN DISTRICT J AS A WHOLE. I'M ASSUMING THAT'S, THAT'S THE THRUST OF YOUR QUESTION. THE, THE, I'M, I'M SORRY, WHAT? REPEAT THAT AGAIN. THE, THE PRECINCTS THAT WOULD BE TRANSFERRED INTO DISTRICT J ARE LESS HISPANIC. LESS HISPANIC, YES. THAN DISTRICT J IS. OKAY. DILUTING THE HISPANIC BOAT IN DISTRICT J I'M BRINGING THE POPULATION UP TO THE ALLOWABLE RANGE OF POPULATION IN THIS PROCESS. MM-HMM . THE DISTRICT F IS ALSO A MINORITY OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT. THERE IS SIGNIFICANT HISPANIC POPULATION IN DISTRICT F, BUT TAKING POPULATION TO DISTRICT J FROM DISTRICT F WOULD SET OFF AN EFFECT WHERE DISTRICT F WOULD THEN HAVE TO PICK UP POPULATION THAT WOULD BRING DOWN THE MINORITY POPULATION PERCENTAGE IN DISTRICT F. SO IT, THERE'S A TRADE OFF INVOLVED HERE THAT THE, THE DISTRICT J REQUIRES ADDITIONAL POPULATION. THE AREAS SURROUNDING DISTRICT DISTRICT J IS, IS CONFIGURED AS IT IS BECAUSE 11 YEARS AGO, WE WERE PUTTING AS THE MOST INTENSELY HISPANIC PRECINCTS IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON TOGETHER TO CREATE A DISTRICT, WHICH MEANS THAT THE AREAS THAT WERE EXCLUDED 11 YEARS AGO WERE LESS HISPANIC, WHICH MEANS THAT IF WE HAVE TO RAISE ITS POPULATION, I HAVE TO TAKE AREAS THAT ARE LESS HISPANIC. SO THAT'S THE EFFECT. I'M SORRY. HOW MANY PRECINCTS ARE BEING BROUGHT INTO DISTRICT J? I'M SORRY, SAY AGAIN? HOW MANY PRECINCTS ARE BEING BROUGHT INTO DISTRICT J? THERE IS A VERY SMALL PRECINCT IN CONNECTION WITH PRECINCT EIGHT, SO THAT'S TWO. THERE IS 5 66, WHICH IS A LARGE PRECINCT IN WEST CHASE, AND THERE'S PRECINCT FIVE 70 IN THE PIN OAK AREA. AND THERE IS PRECINCT 9 43 IN ORDER TO BALANCE UP, TO BRING DISTRICT F'S POPULATION BACK UP IN, UH, ALE, UH, IN THE GLEN SHANNON NEIGHBORHOOD THAT GOES TO DISTRICT F IN THIS PROCESS. SO THERE'S A EXCHANGE BETWEEN, UH, J AND F. SO RIGHT NOW IN DISTRICT J, WHAT'S A PERCENTAGE OF HISPANICS? THE TOTAL HISPANIC PERCENTAGE RIGHT NOW IS 63.5. UNDER THE, UNDER THE PLAN, IT'S PROPOSED TO BE 61.1. SO IT IT, IT'S BEING DECREASED. IT IS, IT DOES DECREASE UNDER THE PLAN. YES, SIR. AND, AND, AND THAT'S THE WHOLE ISSUE. UH, AGAIN, UH, DISTRICT J, DISTRICT I, AND DISTRICT D ARE OPPORTUNITY HISPANIC DISTRICTS. YES, SIR. UH, AND, BUT YET WE'RE BRINGING DOWN THE PERCENTAGE OF HISPANICS IN DISTRICT J IN THIS NEW, IN THIS NEW, IN ORDER TO BRING THE POPULATION UP TO THE ALLOWABLE MINIMUM. MM-HMM . I HAD TO ADD POPULATION, WHICH WAS LESS HISPANIC THAN THE DISTRICT AS, AS IT'S CURRENTLY CON, CON CONFIGURED. AND I, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE ADMINISTRATION DIDN'T WANT TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MINORITY, UH, IN A DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER. YOU'RE ASKING A QUESTION ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION. I PREPARED THIS BASED ON THE INFORMATION [02:15:01] THAT I HAD PROVIDED FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND FROM THE CENSUS. MM-HMM . UM, I WOULD DIRECT YOUR QUESTION TO SOMEONE ELSE SINCE THAT'S NOT, I'M NOT THE ADMINISTRATION. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SANCHEZ. AND JUST AS A POINT OF RECORD, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS, I THINK YOU DO A HECK OF A JOB REPRESENTING THE CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT AGED. SO THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, MIMI SA. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MAYOR PROAM AND CITY COUNCIL. THE CITY MAY CONSIDER THE TOP PRIORITIES OF THE REGION BEING REDISTRICTED IN TERMS OF THEIR NEEDS SUCH AS FLOODING, SECURITY, ET CETERA, AND ENSURE THAT EACH NEW DISTRICT CONTAIN AN ACTIVE COMPONENT OF COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO CAN ADVOCATE FOR THEIR DISTRICT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. NEXT SPEAKER, CARMEN NUNCIO. CARMEN NUNCIO. NEXT SPEAKER, SHARONDA JOHNSON. YES. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MAYOR PRO, TIM CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS SHARONDA JOHNSON. I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF BOTH THE FREEMAN'S TOWN ASSOCIATION AND THE FREEMAN'S TOWN PRESERVATION COALITION. AND, UH, I'M JUST HERE TO SAY HOW, UH, I AM SO, UM, GLAD THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PATH AND A LEEWAY WITH COUNCIL, WITH ABBY CAYMAN. UM, AS YOU KNOW, UH, FREEMANS TOWN IS THE FIRST HERITAGE DISTRICT IN HOUSTON. AND SO BY LISTENING TO, UM, MY FELLOW CONSTITUENTS IN THE AUDIENCE IS THAT, UH, OUR PROPOSED MOVE TO DISTRICT H IS WE'RE NOT WELCOME BECAUSE THAT IS A PARTICULARLY HISPANIC NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SO THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED TO PRODUCE, UM, TO PUSH OUR HERITAGE DISHES FORWARD, THAT WE WOULD NOT RECEIVE FROM DISTRICT H BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A HISPANIC DRIVEN COMMUNITY. SO I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY OF FREEMANS TOWN TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE, UM, OUR SINCERE NEED TO STAY WITHIN DISTRICT C. UM, IT'S SO HARD TO, IT'S SO HARD TO GET REPRESENTATION, AND IT'S SO HARD FOR US TO BE REPRESENT, REPRESENTED. AND THE FACT THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE THAT NOW WITH COUNCIL FOR, FOR SO MANY YEARS, FOR EVERY TIME FREEMANS TOWN COMES TO THE COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN GETTING ON Y'ALL ABOUT NOT DOING, NOT DOING. AND SO NOW LIKE, NO, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PARTNER WITHIN DISTRICT C AND ABBY CAYMAN THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO REMAIN IN DISTRICT C. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS. THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, YOUR CONCERNS. UM, I WILL NOT BE THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHEN THIS HAPPENS, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT DISTRICT H ALSO INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, SOME VERY HISTORIC, IMPORTANT AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS IS IN DISTRICT AGE AND IS A PROUD MEMBER. YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE FIRST, UM, UM, AFRICAN AMERICAN MUNICIPALITY IN THE WHOLE STATE OF TEXAS. AND I KNOW THAT, THAT, THAT, UM, THAT FOURTH, THE BOARD FREEMAN SOUND ARE, ARE PARTNERS, YOU KNOW, IN, IN, IN WORKING TO, YOU KNOW, TO BRING, UM, RECOGNITION AND, YOU KNOW, BUILDING THE, THE, THE, THE FREEDOM TRAIL. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THERE'S A LOT OF ALREADY STRONG PARTNERSHIPS, YOU KNOW, AND COMMONALITIES. AND SO, UM, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CONCERN ABOUT CHANGE, BUT, BUT, BUT DON'T BE, I, I WOULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE VERY ENGAGED IN YOUR, IN THE NEXT ELECTIONS AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT, THAT, UM, THAT, THAT YOU'RE PART OF REPRESENTING, YOU KNOW, OR IN VOTING FOR SOMEONE WHO, WHO WILL SEE THINGS THE WAY YOU DO, TOO. COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. THANK YOU. UM, SHARONDA, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU NOT ONLY FOR SPEAKING TODAY, BUT FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO, UH, FOR FOURTH WARD FRIEDMANS TOWN. UM, YOU ARE ONE OF THE, THE CORE LEADERS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AND YOU ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN ALL THAT HAPPENS THERE. UM, I TRULY APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP, THE HISTORY WITH DISTRICT C, UM, WHAT FREEMANS TOWN MEANS, NOT ONLY TO DISTRICT C, BUT TO THE ENTIRE CITY. UH, SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING AT THE OTHER PUBLIC, UH, HEARINGS AT OUR TOWN HALLS, UH, WHERE RESIDENTS SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR, UM, DISTRICT C FRIEDMANS TOWN TO REMAIN IN DISTRICT C. UH, WE'LL [02:20:01] CONTINUE. AGAIN, THIS IS A DRAFT ITERATION AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS. UM, I DO WANNA SAY FOR THE RECORD, UM, I, I RESPECT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CIRO'S POINT, AND THANK YOU. UM, I DO WANNA SAY, 'CAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE YOU WERE THERE, THAT INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS RESIDENTS HAD ALSO, AGAIN, JUST FOR THE RECORD, REQUESTED TO BE PUT BACK INTO DISTRICT C BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY WITH THE REMAINDER OF THE HEIGHTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO, I, I SIMPLY SAY THAT FOR THE RECORD, UM, AS WELL AS SHONDA, I KNOW HOW ACTIVE YOU ARE IN ELECTIONS IN KNOWING WHO YOU ELECT AS YOUR REPRESENTATIVES, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR ENGAGEMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, ELMO ELMO JOHNSON. REVEREND JOHNSON, ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU, SIR. GOOD TO SEE YOU, BROTHER DAVE AND ALL OF THE CITY COUNCIL. UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE. I'M NOT JUST A ONE REPRESENTATIVE, WE HAVE PREACHERS BACK HERE. WE JUST WAVING HAND. WE HAVE PREACHERS IN THE AUDIENCE THERE THAT, UH, WE ALL ARE STANDING TOGETHER TO SAY, KEEP FOURTH WARD FREEDMAN TOWN IN DISTRICT C. WE ARE WELL REPRESENTED IN DISTRICT C, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO YOU LOOK AT YOUR MAPS OF THE WOODS AND LOOK AT IT AGAIN. WE ARE THE OLDEST AND WE'VE HEARD THE RACE CARD PLAYED HERE THIS MORNING, BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD IN HOUSTON. THE FOUNDER CEMETERY IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR CHURCH, THE ALLEN BROTHERS. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO STAY ALL OF OUR REPRESENTATIVE. AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED SINCE IN FOURTH WARD SINCE 1977. I'VE BEEN PASTORING SINCE 1984, ALMOST 39 YEARS. AND WE'VE HAD, WE'VE PUSHED THE VOTE TO GET OUT IN FOURTH WARD, AND WE'VE HAD GOOD REPRESENTATION. SO MS. ABBY CANIN IS WELL, REP REPRESENTS US WELL, AND I KNOW SHE WON'T BE THERE WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO STAY BECAUSE WE ARE IN HISTORICAL DISTRICT. WE'D LIKE TO STAY IN DISTRICT C. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN JOINING US VIRTUALLY AGAIN, THANK YOU REVEREND, AND TO ALL OF THE FAITH LEADERS THAT, UM, CAME THERE TODAY. I'M SORRY I'M NOT WITH YOU IN PERSON, UM, BUT CERTAINLY THERE IN SPIRIT AND HERE ONLINE. UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME, UH, TO BE HERE TO, UM, SPEAK YOUR PIECE INTO THE RECORD. I KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE MORE CONVERSATIONS, BUT, UM, YOUR DEDICATION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOUR EXPERIENCE, UH, YOUR WORK, UH, IS INSTRUMENTAL TO NOT ONLY FREEMAN'S TOWN, BUT UH, TO THE ENTIRE DISTRICT. UH, YOU TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY, UH, REVEREND ELMO AND, UH, DISTRICT C HAS SOME OF THE OLDEST NEIGHBORHOODS, INCLUDING ONE OF THE OLDEST, RIGHT? IN FREEMAN'S TOWN. YES. YES. UM, IN THE ENTIRE CITY, ALL AROUND THAT AREA AND THROUGH THE HEART OF THE DISTRICT. UM, SO I AGAIN APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING TODAY. UH, RESPECT IT. THE GOOD NEWS IS, UH, I WILL, UH, HAVE A SECOND TERM HOPEFULLY IF ELECTED, UH, WHEN THESE MAPS GO IN. SO I WOULD BE, UM, CARRYING ON THE WORK. UH, AND WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, UH, WHICH IS I THINK WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO, UM, STAY THE COURSE IN MAINTAINING, UH, FRIEDMANS TOWN IN DISTRICT C. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING THERE, AND I KNOW THAT WE WILL, UM, CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS DRAFT PLAN. COUNCIL MEMBER MARY ANN HUFFMAN. THANK YOU. UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. YOU KNOW, US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHERE PEOPLE WANNA STAY OR WHERE THEY WANNA GO UNLESS WE HEAR DIRECTLY FROM YOU. AND SO I JUST THANK YOU FOR COMING AND I WANNA ENCOURAGE PEOPLE THAT MAY BE WATCHING ONLINE TO SIGN UP, TO COME SPEAK AT OUR NEXT PUBLIC HEARING. YES. UM, WE DON'T KNOW UNLESS YOU TELL US. SO THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD J. POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. UH, REVEREND ELMO, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UH, I WANNA SHOUT OUT ALL THE PASTORS, ESPECIALLY MY PASTOR THAT'S IN THE AUDIENCE, PASTOR LIEU OF THE ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, AND ALL OF YOU ALL'S WORK IN PRESERVING THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF FREETOWN. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU AGAIN, REVEREND, YOU TELL MY FAVORITE RETIRED FIREFIGHTER. I SAID HELLO. I WILL THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU ALL DO. THANK YOU. GOD BLESS, THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. NEXT SPEAKER, JUAN CARDOZA, NDA. JUAN CARDOZA QUENDA. NEXT SPEAKER DIANE, ALMOST GUZMAN. [02:25:07] GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. UM, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE LULAC REDISTRICT REDISTRICTING TASK FORCE, AND TO ADVISE ALL CITY COUNCIL THAT THE BOUNDARIES THAT ARE PROPOSED ARE INEQUITABLE AND DO NOT SERVE THE MAJORITY OF THE LATINO POPULATION. IT IS UNFAIR FOR THE SOLE LATINO COUNCIL MEMBER TO TAKE ON FIVE MORE PRECINCTS DOWN IN THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT OF, OF THE I 45 AND BELTWAY EIGHT AREA, WHEN IN FACT, HE IS OVERLOADED BY ALL OF THE CONSTITUENT SERVICES THAT NEED TO BE PROVIDED TO US. AND THERE ARE INEQUITIES THERE TOO. JUST YESTERDAY, I WENT AROUND ALL DOWN HARRISBURG, TOOK PICTURES OF BUSTED WATER MAINS AND DOWN MY STREET, THE BROKEN, UH, SIDEWALKS AND CURBS. AND, UM, THEY'RE STILL LIKE THAT. AND TO HIS CHAGRIN, I HAD A SERIOUS CONVERSATION WITH MY COUNCIL MEMBER ASKING, WHEN CAN WE GET THIS FIXED? I'VE LIVED IN THE EAST END ALL MY LIFE, GREW UP IN MAGNOLIA PARK PARK, AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED. WE SEE THE SAME PROBLEMS DAY IN AND DAY OUT. WE'VE EVEN BECOME NUMB TO SEEING THIS. AND NOW YOU'RE LOPPING ON FIVE MORE PRECINCTS DOWN IN THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT OF, OF THE, UH, SOUTHEAST AREA OF HOUSTON, WHICH THOSE, THAT QUADRANT SHOULD BE. AND I'M GONNA SAY WHAT I CAME HERE FOR SHOULD BE A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT IN DISTRICT E WITH REPRESENTATION FOR THEIR OWN TAXATION. LULAC IS ABOUT HAVING SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS. AND AGAIN, IT'S UNFAIR TO LOP ON ALL THESE NEW PRECINCTS TO OUR SOLE LATINO COUNCIL MEMBER WHO WILL ALSO INHERIT THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE HAD IN THE EAST END FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. DISTRICT I GREW IN POPULATION ACCORDING TO THESE BOUNDARY MAPS. AND AGAIN, IT SHOULD BE A DISTRICT OF ITS OWN DISTRICT E BRINGING IN THOSE LATINO DISTRICTS, DISTRICT E, BECOMING A LATINO OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT AND HELPING US. I KNOW THAT THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS ALL HAVE DISCRETIONARY FUNDS. THE AT LARGE DO NOT, BUT THOSE DISCRETIONARY, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. I'LL GIVE YOU 30 SECONDS TO WRAP UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. YES, MA'AM. THOSE DISCRETIONARY FUNDS, ARE THEY GONNA BE INCREASED BY GIVING DISTRICT I FIVE MORE PRECINCTS? AGAIN, THESE ARE OVER ALL OVERARCHING PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, AND WE SHOULD GO FOR SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS AND DO AWAY WITH YET LARGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. NEXT SPEAKER, KENDALL BAKER. AND I WANNA GOOD MORNING TO, UM, THE HONORABLE MAYOR, PRO TEM MAYOR IN HIS ABSENCE TWO, MY HONORABLE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER. I ALMOST SAID TRUSTEE COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND TO ALL OF YOU THAT ARE HERE TODAY. UH, I COME AS A PASTOR. I COME AS A 30 YEAR RESIDENT OF DISTRICT F. I ALSO COME AS A PRECINCT CHAIR FOR PRECINCT 5 66, AND I ALSO COME AS A, UH, CITIZEN, A LIFETIME CITIZEN, TO ASK THAT YOU RESPECTFULLY LEAVE PRECINCT 5 66 IN DISTRICT F. IT'S MY EXPERIENCE AS A FORMER MANAGER FOR THE US 2020 CENSUS. AND I ALSO NOW WORKING WITH THE EXPERTS AT THE HIST, THAT WHENEVER YOU HAVE OVERAGE, YOU FIRST LOOK AT THE ABUTTING DISTRICT, [02:30:01] IN THIS CASE WILL BE DISTRICT C. YOU HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO, UH, REACH INTO DISTRICT C AND GET MORE. YOU ALREADY HAVE DISTRICT, YOU HAVE, UH, PRECINCT EIGHT. I SUGGEST THAT YOU GO AHEAD AND ADD WHAT BURT WANTS, PRECINCT THREE 15, PRECINCT 3 0 4, AND PRECINCT 4 0 3, AND OTHERS TO GET DISTRICT J WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. UH, PRECINCT 5 66 IS WELL REPRESENTED. IT IS A PART OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS' DISTRICT, AND IN HER TELECOMMUNICATIONS. AND I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU COMMUNICATE WITH US ALL THE TIME. SHE DESIRES THAT IT STAY IN PLACE. WE DESIRE THAT IT STAY IN PLACE. THERE ARE OVER 3000 PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY. IT'S WELL REPRESENTED, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE DECADE TO BREAK IT APART. IF YOU BREAK IT APART, YOU GO, YOU'RE GOING AGAINST YOUR, YOUR RULES. IT'S LIKE ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL. YOU'RE REACHING INTO DISTRICT F IN AN OBSCURE WAY. YOU'RE DIVIDING A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST. YOU'RE DIVIDING, UH, AN ALE, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. YOU'RE TAKING A LANDMARK, WHICH IS A HARRIS, WHICH, A HARRIS COUNTY FACILITY, AND YOU ARE POSSIBLY DISRUPTING THE INCUMBENTS COMMUNITY RELATIONS. SO I SAY FOR THOSE REASONS ALONE, WHICH IS GOING AGAINST YOUR OWN GRAIN LEAVE PRECINCT 5 66 INSIDE OF DISTRICT F. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. AND, UH, BEFORE JULY 20TH, I PLAN TO SUBMIT INFORMATION TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UH, WITH ALL THAT I SAID PUT ON PAPER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PASTOR BAKER, COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DISTRICT F, TIFFANY D. THOMAS. THANKS, MAYOR PROTE. UM, GOOD MORNING. UH, DR. BAKER, THANK YOU FOR COMING. WELCOME. THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND YOUR CIVIC INVOLVEMENT IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY, AND SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF YOUR NEIGHBORS, UM, AND OUR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. AND SO, UM, I ECHO YOUR SENTIMENT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, Y'ALL ORGANIZING AND, AND PREPARING AN ALTERNATIVE MAP, WHICH IS ALSO AN OPTION. WE HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN THE WEST CHASE COMMUNITY. IT IS THE CENTER OF OUR DISTRICT. IT'S THE MOST COMMON MEETING PLACE. UM, SEVERAL ASSETS REMAIN THERE. THE TRACY G COMMUNITY CENTER. MM-HMM . FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, WEST CHASE. RIGHT. UM, SNE ELEMENTARY. YES. UH, THE HONDURAS CONSULATE, UH, SEVERAL APARTMENTS THAT WE'VE HELPED THROUGH RENT RELIEF AND ENGAGEMENT AROUND, UH, MANY OF THE RESOURCES IN, IN THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THE CITY. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND BEING, UM, ON RECORD TO THAT. ENCOURAGE YOUR NEIGHBORS TO JOIN US NEXT WEEK OR TONIGHT. I WILL. LEMME GIVE YOU ANOTHER SHOUT OUT. TIFFANY'S DOING A WONDERFUL JOB IN DISTRICT F. SHE'S HANDS ON AND, UH, SHE, SHE GETS THE PROBLEM SOLVED FOR EVERYBODY. I SECOND THAT COUNCIL MEMBER. CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU. UH, MAYOR PROAM, I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU GREETINGS. YOU DIDN'T MENTION THAT YOU WERE A TRUSTEE WITH THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. YEAH, I, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU. I'M STILL GETTING USED TO THE NEW POSITION, , AND, YOU KNOW, I ASKED THE LORD TO KEEP ME HUMBLE, YOU KNOW, AND SO I JUST TRY TO, YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH THE ISSUES AT HAND. SO, OKAY. BUT IT IS, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT. YOU ARE THE HONORABLE TRUSTEE. THANK YOU FOR THAT FROM THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SPEAKER. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WARM WELCOME INTO YOUR HOUSE. THANK YOU. IGENE JACKS, I, JEAN JACQUE JACQUES JACQUES. NEXT SPEAKER PAUL BEANS. PAUL BENS VIRTUAL PAUL BENS VIRTUALS. HIT STAR SIX TO UNMUTE MR. BEN, IF YOU ARE HERE. OKAY. CAN HEAR YOU. GO AHEAD. I, I AM HERE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR. LOUD AND CLEAR. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. SORRY. IT TOOK A WHILE FOR IT TO UNMUTE. GOOD MORNING. AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO HEAR OUR COMMENTS AND THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ON THE REDISTRICTING. MY NAME IS PAUL BENS, I'M CURRENTLY IN DISTRICT H IN AN AREA KNOWN AS NEW FIRST WARD. I UNDERSTAND THE GUIDANCE TO THE DEMOGRAPHER JERRY WOODS AND ITS DRIVERS. MY QUESTION AND COMMENT FOR YOU IS ABOUT THE EFFECTIVE AND AFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE REGARDING GEOGRAPHIC SIZE. FOR EXAMPLE, LOOK AT THE GEOGRAPHIC SIZE DIFFERENCE WHEN PARTS AND CEMETERIES ARE REMOVED. FOR EXAMPLE, DISTRICT J VERSUS SAY SOMETHING LIKE DISTRICT H. SO, ALL ETHNICITIES ASIDE, WHY WAS GEOGRAPHIC CONSOLIDATION, MEANING AT LEAST BALANCING OF GEOGRAPHIC SIZE TO IMPROVE GOVERNANCE, NOT ADDRESSED? SO THAT'S A QUESTION FOR THE COUNCIL. I REQUEST THAT THE DISTRICTS BE REE EQUALIZED WITH GEOGRAPHIC SIZE AS AN [02:35:01] ADDITIONAL CRITERIA. ALSO, I ASK, WOULD AT LEAST CM CISNEROS AND GALAGOS SUPPORT THIS? THEY'RE PART OF TWO VERY LARGE DISTRICTS. THEY'RE, THE SIZE OF THEM IS DIFFICULT TO MANAGE, I IMAGINE. AT LEAST THAT'S THE FEEDBACK I'VE HEARD, TO BE CLEAR. AND AS WELL, UM, TO BE CLEAR, I, AS WELL AS MANY VALUE, THE AT LARGE POSITIONS, THEY PERFORM A VALUABLE ROLE. I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR GETTING RID OF THE, AT LARGE POSITIONS. GIVEN THE COMMENTS HERE TODAY, I SEE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY. THANKS. DID WE LOSE YOU, MR. BEN? NO, I JUST SAID THANK YOU. I'M NOT TOO SURE HOW MUCH YOU HEARD. SO WE, WE WE LAST LINE WAS GIVEN THE COMMENTS HERE TODAY, I SEE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY. ALL RIGHTY. THANK YOU, SIR. NO SPEAKERS. NO, NO COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE. NEXT SPEAKER, PETER BOWEN. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING TO YOU ALL. UM, I'M NOT USED TO BEING IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION. I WAS ASKED, ASKED TO PARTICIPATE BECAUSE, UM, OF SOME, UH, WERE, UH, PECULIARITIES. ANYWAY, UH, I AM, UM, IN SUPPORT OF WHAT, UH, REVEREND BAKKER JUST, UH, PROPOSED THAT 5 66, UH, STAY IN F AND, UH, I WROTE UP THIS LITTLE THING HERE JUST TO SHOW YOU HOW THE POPULATION ISSUE COULD BE ACTUALLY ADDRESSED IN A WAY THAT MAKES F AND J LARGER, UH, UP TO ABOUT TWO, 205,000 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UH, IN EACH OF THEM. AND YOU, YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT. UH, UH, I GUESS, UH, REVEREND BAKER'S GONNA BE DOING SOME WORK ON A PLAN. BUT ONE THING NEW TO BEING NEW TO THIS, UM, SITUATION IS, UH, IT MADE ME THINK OF YESTERDAY, WHICH WAS, UH, JAMES WEBB DAY. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE PUBLIC WAS GIVEN VIEWS OF OUR UNIVERSE THAT ARE UNPRECEDENTED AND EXTRAORDINARY. AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WHATEVER IS OUT THERE IN THAT UNIVERSE DOES NOT PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR ETHNICITY. WHAT'S OUT THERE PAYS ATTENTION TO YOUR MASTERY OF THE PHYSICAL ORDER OF THIS UNIVERSE, WHICH IS THE ONE GREAT THING THAT HUMAN BEINGS ALL OF US HAVE, IS THAT POWER TO DISCOVER WHAT'S OUT IN THAT UNIVERSE. AND THAT'S WHAT GIVES US OUR FUTURE. AND THE MORE WE CAN, UH, EXCITE THE CHILDREN OF OUR CITY AND OUR NATION ABOUT THAT PROJECT, UH, THE BETTER OUR CHANCES OF A SECURE FUTURE ARE. SO THE, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT'S DRIVEN ME TO BECOME INVOLVED IN POLITICS. I'M, I'M AN A, A NEWLY ELECTED, UH, PRECINCT CHAIR OVER IN, UH, 4 25. SO, ANYWAY, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, KENDRICK DEAN. KENDRICK DEAN, NEXT SPEAKER, EDWARD YRA. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR. OKAY. MY NAME'S EDWARD YRA. I'VE BEEN A PRECINCT SHERIFF SINCE 1974, AND, UH, ALSO SERVED ON VARIOUS, UH, ADVISORY BOARDS FOR DIFFERENT MAYORS FROM FRED HOFFINS UP TO, UH, THE LAST MAYOR BEFORE THIS ONE. AND, UH, I'M VERY GLAD TO BE HERE TONIGHT THIS MORNING. AND, UM, I, I'M THANKFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR HARD WORK. AND, UH, I HAVE VOTED FOR KNOX, EVEN THOUGH HE'S NOT HISPANIC. . WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT, UH, I DON'T THINK, UH, IT'S, IT'S NOT HISPANICS THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. IT'S, UH, AND IT IS NOT A RACE. IT'S MORE AN ETHNICITY. AND, UH, I APPRECIATE THE, THE EFFORT, UH, SOME PEOPLE TO MAKE IT A, UH, ETHNIC, UH, ISSUE. BUT, UM, AND, UH, EDWARD ARD, YOU KNOW, HE'S, HE IS A GOOD MAN. HE IS [02:40:01] A GOOD COUNCIL MEMBER. HE'S, HE'S IN A DISTRICT THAT'S OBVIOUSLY, UH, LESS HISPANIC THAN IT WAS, UH, 10 YEARS AGO. THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE FOR, UH, A HEARING. AND I POINTED OUT TO MOST MEMBERS THAT WERE HERE, I THINK, UH, MAYBE, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE THAT WAS THERE HERE 10 YEARS AGO. AND I SAID, YOU GUYS CAN GO AHEAD AND MAKE AN OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT HISPANIC OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA VOTE FOR HISPANIC. I CAN TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF, OF, UH, VOTING AGE POPULATION, VOTING AGE POPULATION IS WHAT JERRY WOOD AND OTHERS SHOULD GO BY IN CREATING DISTRICTS. AND I'M IN FAVOR OF COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS PROPOSAL TO LOWER THE NUMBER OF, AT LARGE NOW TO TWO OR THREE TO ALLOW, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY DISTRICTS, HISPANIC OPPORTUNITY DISTRICTS TO BE INCREASED SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE CITY ATTORNEY GO TO COURT AT, OR, OR THE LAW FIRM THAT THEY'VE ALREADY HIRED, WHICH WILL COST THE CITY A LOT OF MONEY. AND, UH, I DO APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SERVICE. I, UH, I DO THINK THAT, UH, ETHNICITY IS NOT EVERYTHING. UH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY I'M WHITE AND MAYBE RACIAL. I AM WHITE, BUT ETHNICITY, I'M HISPANIC. MY PARENTS WERE HISPANICS. UH, MEX ONE OF 'EM. MY MOTHER WAS BORN IN TEXAS NEAR, UH, VALDI. AND MY FATHER WAS BORN IN MEXICO, BUT RAISED HERE IMMEDIATELY. BUT, UH, I, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR EFFORTS, AND I HOPE THAT WE WILL, UH, COME OUT WITH A, A BETTER PRODUCT THAN WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. AND I DO APPRECIATE JERRY WOOD. I'VE KNOWN THE MAN OVER 40 YEARS, AND, UH, MAYBE 50. IT'S BEEN A WHILE, GETTING TOO LONG. YES. AND, UH, WE, UH, WE DO HOPE THAT, UH, MORE PEOPLE WILL COME TONIGHT AND NEXT WEEK. AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO DO A DISTRICT, BUT I, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. BUT I COULDN'T HAVE, I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TODAY. THANK YOU, MR. IBARRA. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER. THAT COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS SUBJECT? SEEING NO ONE, IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THIS HEARING? I TATUM MOVE TO CLOSE THE HEARING. SECOND, SECOND ROBINSON MOTION. AND THE SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. JUST A QUICK REMINDER, UH, THAT WE WILL HAVE OUR SECOND HEARING TONIGHT IN THIS CHAMBER AT SEVEN O'CLOCK TO REMIND COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE DO NEED A QUORUM TO CONDUCT THAT MEETING. SO WE'LL SEE EVERYBODY HERE AT SEVEN O'CLOCK TONIGHT FOR THE SECOND PART OF THIS THREE HEARING PROCESS. AND CHAIR WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE A MEMBER OF DISTRICT E WHO HAD NO COMMENTS ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM. MR. JOHNSON NEWPORT, NO ONE HAD ANY COMMENTS ON DISTRICT E. AMAZING. MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL NOW [CONSENT AGENDA] PROCEED WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALL RIGHT. ITEMS THREE AND FIVE NEED A MOTION? CASTEX TATUM, MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON ON ITEM THREE. MOTION SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM FIVE NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX. TATUM, MOVE. SECOND ROBINSON. MOTION. AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM FIVE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, OPPOSE. ITEM CARRIES UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY ITEM. I'M SORRY. ITEM SIX. I MISSED. ITEM SIX. ITEM SIX NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX. TATUM MOVED. SECOND. ROBINSON. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM SIX IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED? ITEM CARRIES UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY. ITEM SEVEN NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX. TATUM, MOVE SECOND ROBINSON. ITEM SEVEN. ANY DISCUSSION FAVOR? OPPOSE MO. ITEM CARRIES UNDER THE PROP PURCHASING TABULATION OF B CATEGORY. ITEM EIGHT NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX. TATUM, MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM EIGHT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. OPPOSED? ITEM CARRIES UNDER THE RESOLUTION CATEGORY. ITEM NINE HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY. ITEM 10 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. ITEM 14 HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED AND WILL BE CONSIDERED IF IT IS RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE AGENDA. ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION ARE 12 THROUGH 18. [02:45:01] 12 THROUGH 18, 23 AND 25. THOSE NUMBERS ONE MORE TIME. 12 THROUGH 18, 23 AND 25. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ANY DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OPPOSED? ITEMS CARRIED. [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] I IS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM NINE IS RESOLUTION. JUST NEED A VOTE. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NINE? ABBY CAYMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. UH, I, I TOOK THIS ITEM REALLY SERIOUSLY, AND I THINK THAT DIALOGUE DISCOURSE IN THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS IS WHAT OUR COUNTRY SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IS BASED ON. UM, BEYOND THAT, WE HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO OUR CITY TO ENSURE THAT OUR ECONOMY AND OUR CITY IS THRIVING FOR THE BENEFIT OF HOUSTONIANS. UM, AND IT'S THAT LATTER PART, THE BENEFIT FOR OUR OWN RESIDENTS, UH, THAT HAS GIVEN ME PAUSE. UH, AND THE RESOLUTION THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO VOTE ON. IT SAYS THAT HOSTING THE CONVENTION WILL GENERATE GOODWILL, ENHANCING THE WORLDWIDE RENOWNED AND PRESTIGE OF THE CITY. UH, I WENT BACK TO LOOK AT THE RNCS PLATFORM. UH, THEY DIDN'T PASS ONE IN 2020, UH, BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC, BUT THEY REFERRED TO THEIR 2016 PLATFORM IN WHICH THEY SAID THAT, UH, LEGALIZING SAME-SEX MARRIAGE DEPRIVED 320 MILLION AMERICANS OF THEIR LEGITIMATE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO DEFINE MARRIAGE AS THE UNION OF ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN. UH, AND I WON'T GET INTO THE, UM, DENIAL OF CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES, BUT GIVEN THEY DIDN'T HAVE A 26, UH, 2020 PLATFORM ACTUALLY IN HOUSTON A FEW WEEKS AGO, UH, THE STATE PARTY PLATFORM WAS PASSED AT OUR CONVENTION CENTER. UH, IN IT THEY SAID HOMOSEXUALITY IS AN ABNORMAL LIFESTYLE CHOICE. UH, THEY VOTED TO, UH, SUPPORT PROHIBITING THE TEACHING OF SEX EDUCATION, SEXUAL HEALTH, UH, AMONG OTHER THINGS IN SCHOOL, IN ANY GRADE WHATSOEVER. AND THEY NOT ONLY CALLED FOR THE REPEAL OF FEDERAL AND STATE LOCAL MINIMUM WAGE AND PER PREVAILING WAGE LAWS, BUT THEY ALSO CALLED FOR THE TOTAL REPEAL OF THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT. UM, ALL OF THOSE ARE EXTREMELY CONCERNING AS IT RELATES TO THE BASIC RIGHTS OF AMERICANS. BUT, UH, EVEN MORE SO, UH, THEY EXPLICITLY DENIED THE LEGITIMACY OF THE 2020 ELECTION AND SAID, QUOTE, TEXAS RETAINS THE RIGHT TO SECEDE FROM THE UNITED STATES. ANY ORGANIZATION HAS A RIGHT TO ENJOY ALL THAT OUR CITY HAS TO OFFER. AND THEY SHOULD. UH, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO COME TO HOUSTON. THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO ENJOY OUR AMENITIES, OUR CONVENTION CENTER, UH, BUT AS A CITY, WE DO NOT HAVE TO PROACTIVELY SEEK OUT AND PROVIDE RESOLUTIONS LIKE THIS THAT DO NOT REFLECT THE CORE AND BASIC PRINCIPLES OF COMMON DECENCY IN HUMANITY, LET ALONE OUR VERY DEMOCRACY. UH, SO, AND I CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE VOTE TO PROACTIVELY SEEK THIS OUT WHEN LARGE, UH, NUMBERS OF DISTRICT C RESIDENTS EVERY DAY ARE BEING IMPACTED BY THE EXPLICIT, UM, BIGOTRY THAT'S BEING EMBRACED BY A, A FACTION, UH, RIGHT NOW. AND I'M REALLY SAD ABOUT THAT. UM, BUT I, I'M GOING TO NEED TO VOTE NO ON THIS COUNCIL. ROBERT GALLEGOS. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROAM. I, I TOO AM GOING TO JOIN MY, MY COLLEAGUE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CAME IN IN VOTING NO ON THIS. UH, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS, IS ANTI-GAY, THEY WANNA CRIMINALIZE THE PARENTS OF TRANSGENDER KIDS. UH, THEY ARE NOT SERIOUS ABOUT DEALING WITH, UH, WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. HOW MANY KIDS DID WE LOSE IN VALDI? I MEAN, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT VOTE AND I'M, I'M GOING TO JOE, THE COUNCIL MEMBER, AND I'M GONNA VOTE NO ON THIS AS WELL. THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? ALL I'LL DO IS QUOTE ONE OF MY FAVORITE DEMOCRATIC COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I'LL QUOTE 'EM VERBATIM. WE NEED A PROCESS THAT IS FAIR AND PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE. AND THAT WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DISTRICT J IN THE EARLIER DISCUSSION. ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? CAME IN NO. GALLS, NO. MOTION CARRIES. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND GALLEGOS VOTING? NO. NEXT ITEM. [02:50:12] ITEM 12 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ITEM 12. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 12? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, OPPOSE. ITEM CARRIES. ITEM 13 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 13? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, OPPOSE. ITEM CARRIES. ITEM 15 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. THOMAS TAGS. ANY DISCUSSION? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS TAGS ITEM NUMBER 15. AND PECK JOINS THE TAG JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK. AGAIN. ITEM 15 HAS BEEN TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS. TIFFANY THOMAS AND AMY PECK. NEXT ITEM, PLEASE ADD ROBINSON TO THE TAG. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON. THANK YOU. PECK. THOMAS ROBINSON. TAG. GOT IT. ITEM SEVEN, ITEM 16 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 16? IN FAVOR, OPPOSE. ITEM CARRIES. ITEM 17 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ITEM 17. ANY DISCUSSION IN FAVOR? OPPOSE. ITEM CARRIES. ITEM 18 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ITEM 18. DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? ITEM CARRIES. ITEM 23 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. OKAY. ITEM 23 HAS BEEN TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD POLLARD. AGAIN, ITEM 23, TAGGED. ITEM 25 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ITEM 25, DISCUSSION. COUNCIL MEMBER MARY NAN HUFFMAN. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PER, UM, SO I WENT BACK AND I LOOKED AT THE JUNE 23RD, 2021 MEETING, AND CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED A MOTION, WHICH WAS A GREAT MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ, WHICH STATED THAT IF ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE DOLLARS BECAME AVAILABLE FROM THE FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT, THAT COUNCIL CAN USE THOSE DOLLARS TO OFFSET THE SUBSTANTIAL WATER RATE INCREASES THAT WERE APPROVED LAST YEAR IN 2021. NOW, THE PURPOSE OF THE WATER RATE INCREASE WAS TO PROVIDE 2 BILLION IN INVESTMENTS TO OUR CITIES WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TO IMPROVE THE CITY'S WASTEWATER SYSTEM. UM, AND ANY FEDERAL DO DOLLARS THAT THE CITY WILL RECEIVE TOWARDS THE WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS WILL HAVE THE EFFECT OF INCREMENTALLY REDUCING THE BURDEN ON THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON BY ALLOWING CITY COUNCIL TO REDUCE THE RATES ON THEIR WATER BILLS. UM, IN A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, IT STATES THAT TEXAS IS GOING TO RECEIVE 2.9 BILLION FROM THE FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT FOR WATER IMPROVEMENTS. UM, YOU KNOW, ITEM 25 IS AN APPLICATION TO START RECEIVING SOME OF THIS MONEY. AND SO AT SOME POINT I WOULD LIKE TO REVISIT THAT MOTION THAT EVAN SHABAZZ PUT OUT THERE. I MEAN, WE HAVE CITIZENS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE SUFFERING THAT CAN'T PAY THEIR WATER BILLS. AND EVEN IF THE CITY OF HOUSTON JUST GETS 1 BILLION OUT OF THE 2.9 THAT'S COMING TO TEXAS, WE COULD REDUCE OUR WATER INCREASES BY HALF. UM, SO I'D LIKE US TO WORK TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE APPLYING FOR THESE GRANT APPLICATIONS. I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT THIS MONEY COMES TO OUR RESIDENTS AND MAYBE WE COULD TAKE SOME OF THAT BURDEN OFF OF THEM. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS. I'LL SAY MY COMMENTS TO AFTER THE VOTE, PLEASE. COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PROAM. AND I THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR BRINGING THAT TO THE FOREFRONT. THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT. PEOPLE ARE REALLY UNDER A SERIOUS FINANCIAL BURDEN AND THESE WATER BILLS ARE PHENOMENAL. SO I THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON WHAT WE COMMITTED TO IN THAT VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK FOR, FOR BRINGING UP THAT ISSUE. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ITEM NUMBER 25. ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? ITEM CARRIES. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEMP. I I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND THE ADMINISTRATION IN PARTICULAR, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE CATHERINE SUMMERLAND, VERONICA DAVIS, AND DAVID FIELDS FOR WORKING WITH ME TO PRIORITIZE THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT. MY COLLEAGUES MAY REMEMBER THAT I SUBMITTED A CIP AMENDMENT LAST YEAR, WHICH PRIORITIZED [02:55:01] THIS PROJECT TO COMPLETELY REBUILD TELEPHONE ROAD FROM LAWNDALE TO SIX 10. THIS IS A MAJOR ARTERY IN DISTRICT I, AND IF THE PROJECT IS SELECTED AND AWARDED THE WORK WILL IMPROVE SAFETY MOBILITY, PROVIDE BETTER CONNECTIVITY WITH SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS AND SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THIS PROJECT IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY NEARBY STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THE HARRISBURG TOURS AND THE GULF GULF GATE TOURS. AND AGAIN, I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THIS VOTE AND THE ADMINISTRATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. NEXT ITEM, ITEM ITEM 27TH. ALRIGHT, HOLD ONE SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS. 27. OKAY, GOT IT. NEXT ITEM, ITEM [NON CONSENT AGENDA - NUMBERING] 27 IS A MOTION TO RECEIVE NOMINATIONS FOR POSITIONS ONE THROUGH FOUR FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR POSITION NUMBER ONE CHAIR RECOGNIZED AS COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS. THERE IS A WRITTEN MEMO ON THIS, THEREFORE NO. SECOND IS MOTION OR SECOND IS REQUIRED. COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS, I MOVE TO NOMINATE DR. AMY CROWN FOR APPOINTMENT TO POSITION ONE OF THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE REMAINDER OF A TWO YEAR TERM THAT WILL END DECEMBER 31ST, 2023. AND WE HAVE THAT IN WRITING. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, OPPOSE. MOTION CARRIES FOR POSITION NUMBER TWO. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS WITH A WRITTEN NOMINATION. I'M PLEASED TO NOMINATE MR. JASON CISNEROS TO POSITION TWO ON THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE. BOARD OF DIRECTORS. MR. CIRO'S RESUME HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? ITEM CARRIES FOR POSITION NUMBER THREE. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ. WE NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THIS ONE. THANK YOU. UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, I MOVE TO NOMINATE DR. LLOYD JARMAN FOR POSITION THREE ON THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS SECOND ROBINSON. A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION ON POSITION NUMBER THREE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, OPPOSE. ITEM CARRIES. NOW POSITION NUMBER FOUR, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN. THANK YOU. THIS IS ON BEHALF OF, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER. I NOMINATE BECKY BEST FOR POSITION FOUR. A SECOND HERE. SECOND ROBINSON. MOTION. SECOND BY ROBINSON SLASH KNOX. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSE. ITEM CARRIES. ARE THERE ANY FURTHER NOMINATIONS? SEEING NONE. A MOTION TO CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS TO CLOSE NOMINATION. SECOND ROBINSON. IN FAVOR, OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. NEXT ITEM. ITEM ITEM 28 IS A RECEIVED NOMINATION FOR POSITION SIX AND SEVEN OF THE HOUSTON LAND BANK FOR POSITION SEVEN. CHAIR. RECOGNIZED AS COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS FOR A WRITTEN NOMINATION. THEREFORE, THERE IS NO MOTION. OR SECOND, I'M PLEASED TO NOMINATE MS. MARILYN MUGA TO POSITION SEVEN ON THE HOUSTON LAND BANK BOARD OF DIRECTORS. MS. MUG'S RESUME HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES FOR POSITION EIGHT. CHAIR RECOGNIZES. COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON. THIS IS SIX AND SEVEN. SO DO I HAVE IT WRONG? I HAVE IT WRONG. OKAY. SIX AND SEVEN. SO THIS WILL BE POSITION. OKAY. SO POSITION SEVEN, YOU NEED TO CORRECT THE RECORD FOR THE GALLEGOS NOMINATION. NO, THAT WAS SEVEN. WE NEED TO DO SIX. IT SHOULD BE POSITION SIX. SO FOR POSITION SIX, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON. RIGHT? IS THERE NO, IT'S SIX. IT'S SIX, CORRECT. THANK YOU. A VERBAL MOTION. OKAY, WHICH NEEDS A MOTION AND A SECOND. OKAY, SO I MOVE TO NOMINATE THE ONE TRINA RUSSELL FOR POSITION SIX OF THE HOUSTON LAND BANK. SECOND ROBINSON FOR POSITION SIX. ONCE AGAIN. OKAY, IN MY ERROR. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, OPPOSE. MOTION CARRIES. ARE THERE ANY FURTHER NOMINATIONS? SEE? AND NONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS CAST? MOVE TO CLOSE NOMINATIONS. SECOND. ROBINSON. FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. MADAM SECRETARY. [MATTERS HELD - NUMBERING] NEXT ITEM. CAN I HAVE THOSE TWO RIGHT? [03:00:11] ITEM 29. ISN'T ORDINANCE, JUST NEED A VOTE. ITEM 29. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OH, UH, CASTEX, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM. MARTHA CASTEX. TATUM. ITEM 29. IS THAT YOU? NO, THAT'S NOT ME. COUNCIL MEMBER GALL GALLEGOS. COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS. THANK YOU MAYOR TIM, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM, BUT I WANNA REMIND THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT THE BUDGET AMENDMENT PROPOSAL I SUBMITTED TO EXPAND THE AIRPORT PARKING PRIVILEGES TO OFFER COMPLIMENTARY PARKING TO CITY EMPLOYEES. THIS WOULDN'T COST THE CITY MUCH SINCE WE ALREADY OWN THE SURFACE LOTS AND IT WOULD HELP BOER OUR, UH, INCENTIVES PACKAGE TO RETAIN OR ATTRACT MORE TOP TALENT TO THE CITY. IF WE CAN'T BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE ON SALARY, THEN LET'S LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE, LIKE PARKING AT OUR AIRPORTS AS A SMALL WAY TO INCENTIVIZE, UH, WORKING, UH, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS OF COURSE, THAT ARE GOING ON VACATION AND WHAT HAVE YOU. UH, THIS IS JUST AN INCENTIVE FOR WORKING FOR THE CITY. SO I'M HOPING THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD CONSIDER THIS. THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? ITEM CARRIES. ITEM 30 IS AN ORDINANCE. THIS NEED A VOTE. ITEM 30. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 30? IN FAVOR? OPPOSE. ITEM CARRIES. THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. THANK YOU, MADAM SECRETARY. WE'LL [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] START OFF TODAY WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DISTRICT A COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK. THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE. THIS WEEK, THE DISTRICT A TEAM, AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT KIDS MEALS. THEIR MISSION IS TO END CHILDHOOD HUNGER BY DELIVERING FREE HEALTHY MEALS TO THE DOORSTEPS OF HOUSTON'S HUNGRIEST, PRESCHOOL AGED CHILDREN. IT'S ESTIMATED THAT IN HARRIS COUNTY, 50,000 CHILDREN, FIVE AND UNDER ARE NOW LIVING IN FOOD INSECURE HOMES. PRE PANDEMIC, THAT NUMBER WAS 26,000. AND SO KIDS' MEALS HAS BEEN SERVING A BIG NEED. AND NOW EVEN MORE SO, THEY SERVE AN AVERAGE OF 7,600 KIDS PER DAY IN HARRIS COUNTY. AND THIS SUMMER, THEY WILL PROVIDE UP TO 10,000 MEALS DAILY. UM, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT KIDS' MEALS BECAUSE THEIR WORK IS SO IMPORTANT AND JUST SEEING THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE AMOUNT OF FOOD THEY PREPARE EVERY SINGLE DAY IS TRULY AMAZING. ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DO IS TO HAVE PEOPLE DECORATE THE PAPER BAGS, UM, THAT THE MEALS ARE SENT IN. THEY SAID THAT IT REALLY BRIGHTENS THE KIDS' DAY TO SEE SOME, THAT SOMEONE CARES ENOUGH ABOUT THEM TO NOT ONLY BRING THEM FOOD, BUT TO ALSO DECORATE THE BAGS. SO WE TOOK A BUNCH OF THE BAGS WITH US AND WE ARE GOING TO DISTRIBUTE THEM TO THE OFFICE, AND WE ASK THAT EVERYONE, UM, DECORATE BAGS AND GIVE IT BACK TO US, AND WE WILL BRING IT BACK TO KIDS' MEALS AND, UM, DELIVER THAT TO THEM. SO, UM, CONTACT MY OFFICE IF YOU WANT TO, UM, DO THE BAGS AND WE'LL ALSO PUT SOME IN THE KITCHEN AREAS OF THE ANNEX. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. AND WE ARE TRYING TO HOLD OUR QUORUM. ITEM 14 IS BEING WORKED ON RIGHT NOW, SO WE WILL TRY AND HOLD OUR QUORUM FOR ITEM 14 AND ALSO UNTIL SEVEN O'CLOCK TONIGHT. SO WE'LL ALL STAY HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON. THANK YOU. UM, I JUST WANT TO INVITE DISTRICT B RESIDENTS TO OUR DISTRICT B UM, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE MEETING TONIGHT, UM, AT 6:30 PM VIA ZOOM. UM, THESE MEETINGS HAPPEN EVERY TWO SECOND WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH. UM, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT'S IMPACTING DISTRICT B. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT, UM, TO MY OFFICE FOR THE ZOOM LINK. 8 3 2 3 9 3 3 0 0 9 TOMORROW NIGHT, THURSDAY, JULY THE 14TH AT 3:00 PM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE WILL BE MEETING DISTRICT B PUBLIC SAFETY, AND WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THE CURRENT INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, AND THEN ALSO COMING UP WITH SOME OTHER SMART SOLUTIONS, UM, TO ADDRESS IMPROVE SAFETY IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN DISTRICT B. AND ON SATURDAY IS OUR DISTRICT B MONTHLY BRIEFING AT 10:00 AM VIA ZOOM. WE'VE INVITED PUBLIC WORKS TO JOIN US TO DISCUSS THE, UM, THE DISTRICT B SWAT PROJECTS AS WELL AS THEIR DRAINAGE PROGRAM. SO IF YOU WANT THE LINK, UM, TO THIS PARTICULAR MEETING, PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 3 0 0 9. AGAIN, THIS FRI THIS SATURDAY AT 10:00 AM VIA ZOOM, DISTRICT B BRIEFING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND ITEM 14 IS BEING WALKED OVER AS WE SPEAK. COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. UH, I FIRST WANTED TO THANK RESIDENTS WHO SPOKE, UH, ON REDISTRICTING, UH, THOSE TODAY, UH, FROM FOR BOARD FRIEDMANS TOWN, UM, SOME OF OUR AMAZING COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND LEADERS, UM, BUT ALSO THOSE WHO, UH, SPOKE DURING OUR REDISTRICTING TOWN HALL, UH, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, ADVOCATING FIERCELY [03:05:02] TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY, UH, OF OUR DISTRICT AND SPECIFICALLY IN OUR SOUTHWEST AREAS THAT HAVE DEEP TIES ALONG THE BAYOU. UM, GOING EAST INTO OLD BRAYWOOD. SO FROM MEYERLAND ALL THE WAY EAST, UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'LL BE MORE HEARINGS AND MORE INDIVIDUALS SPEAKING ON THAT. UH, I ALSO WANTED TO WELCOME OUR NEW INTERN, JACK KEANI. JACK IS A RISING SENIOR AT MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL AND HAS HIT THE GROUND WANTING ON A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR THE DISTRICT, UH, COLLEAGUES. WE HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING NEXT THURSDAY, JULY 21ST AT 2:00 PM UH, AGAIN, THURSDAY, JULY 21ST AT 2:00 PM AND WE'LL BE, UH, ANNOUNCING THAT AGENDA SHORTLY. I WANTED TO WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY 7 1 3 DAY AND A HUGE SHOUT OUT, UH, TO, I KNOW ONE OF THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS MENTIONED IT, UM, TO NASA, IF YOU AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, IF YOU HAVE NOT CHECKED OUT THE IMAGES COMING OUT OF THE WEB TELESCOPE RIGHT NOW, UM, IT IS TRULY PROFOUND AND VERY SPECIAL. I KNOW THAT HOUSTON CONTINUES TO PLAY, UM, AN INTEGRAL PART, UH, IN SPACE EXPLORATION. SO WE'RE SUPER PROUD. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD J. POLLARD, NOT HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. CAROLYN. EVAN SHABBAT. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. UH, CERTAINLY I WANT, AGAIN, AGAIN, THANK, UH, DIRECTOR ALLEN AND ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PARK DEPARTMENT WHO CAME OUT YESTERDAY. PARKS DEPARTMENT RATHER. THEY CAME OUT YESTERDAY FOR THE MCGREGOR PARK BEAUTIFICATION. IT WAS A WONDERFUL SITE. WE HAD, UH, PROBABLY 400 VOLUNTEERS THAT CAME FROM VARIOUS AREAS OF THE COUNTRY AND THEY WORKED VERY HARD IN THAT SUN, CERTAINLY TO BEAUTIFY, UM, MCGREGOR PARK. AND I REALLY WANNA MENTION THAT. UH, THAT WAS VERY, VERY, UH, JUST A VERY GOOD EFFORT AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. UM, I WANT TO SAY THAT ON THIS EVENING THERE WILL BE A X HOUSTON PROJECT WHERE WE WILL HAVE A MEETING TONIGHT VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS TO TALK ABOUT THE HUGE, UH, STRUCTURE THAT IS BEING BUILT IN THE MUSEUM DISTRICT. WE HAVE HAD OTHER CONSTRUCTION AND WE'VE HAD SOME ISSUES, AND SO WE WANNA GET IN FRONT OF THEM AND BE PROACTIVE SO THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH THE ANTICIPATED NOISE AND PARKING AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO, UH, BE ANTICIPATED FOR THIS HUGE CONSTRUCTION. AND SO WE ARE HAVING THAT MEETING AT FIVE O'CLOCK TODAY. IF YOU WANT FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO GET THE LINK, UH, THEN PLEASE REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE, UH, AT DISTRICT D UH, AT HOUSTON TX.GOV OR 8 3 2 3 9 3 3 0 0 1 TO GET THE INFORMATION ON THIS SATURDAY, THE GLOBAL EDUCATION EXCHANGE COALITION WILL HAVE A STEAM THE BLOCK EVENT WITH REM JERNIGAN. IT WILL BE AT 48 18 HIGGINS, AND IT BEGINS AT 9:00 AM SO COME OUT FOR THAT. ALSO ON, UM, WE KNOW THAT THE GRIGGS LONG, LONG MACAU RAIL SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, UH, WE NEED YOUR INPUT ON THAT BECAUSE CERTAINLY IT'S A, A VERY MUCH A CONCERN REGARDING TRAINS AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IN THAT AREA. AND THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON AUGUST THE SECOND, BUT I'M GETTING IN FRONT OF IT SO THAT EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO GIVE INPUT CAN GIVE INPUT, CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT. AND SO I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARY ANN HUFFMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS ROS. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX. WELL, I'M GOING TO RESERVE MY COMMENTS TODAY UNTIL NEXT WEEK ABOUT THIS, UH, GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM. UH, I WANT THE MAYOR TO BE HERE TO ANSWER A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU ON THAT. OTHER THAN THAT, I'M GONNA PASS. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN PASS, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX. TATUM PASS. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS IN DISTRICT K. WANT TO, UH, SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS THAT CAME OUT TO OUR DEEP RESTRICTION WORKSHOP WITH RICE AND RICE, UH, LAW FIRM AND MARSHALL MANAGEMENT. WE DO HAVE TWO MORE ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS SCHEDULED ON D RESTRICTIONS, UH, SATURDAY, JULY THE 23RD AT THE HPD SOUTHWEST COMMAND STATION AND ALSO JULY 30TH AT WILLOW MEADOWS BAPTIST CHURCH. BOTH OF THOSE MEETINGS WILL BE FROM 9:00 AM TO 11:30 AM AND YOU CAN RSVP AT DISTRICT K@HOUSTONTX.GOV. AND WE HOPE TO, UM, SEE ANY RESIDENTS THAT ARE INTERESTED OR HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS AND LOOKING FOR ANSWERS ON THEIR D RESTRICTIONS TO BE THERE. THIS SATURDAY AT 10:30 AM [03:10:01] JOIN THE WILLOW WATER HOLE CONSERVANCY AT THE WILLOW WATER HOLE GREENWAY, AS WE HONOR BRA BAYOU ASSOCIATION, FOUNDING MEMBER AND FIRST PRESIDENT ANN LEE DURING THE ANN LEE NATURE SCAPE DEDICATION. THE WILLOW WATER HOLE GREENWAY IS LOCATED AT 5,300 DRYAD. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE. OUR NEXT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY, JULY THE 20TH AT 2:00 PM THIS WILL BE A HYBRID MEETING IN PERSON HERE IN CHAMBERS AND, UH, VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS. UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR TILLSON WILL PRESENT ON AN UPDATE ON FINANCIAL POLICIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 TS BUDGET PSYCH SCHEDULE. ALSO, THERE WILL BE A PROPOSAL TO CONSIDER A TAX ABATEMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE AND AGREEMENT FOR A FULFILLMENT FACILITY. UM, THERE WILL ALSO BE A PROPOSAL FOR AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH MONTGOMERY COUNTY TO NOMINATE WOOD FOREST BANK AS A TEZ PROJECT. UH, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WISHING FARRELL TO OUR DISTRICT K DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION, KATHY SAPP. UH, KATHY IS PURSUING AN OPPORTUNITY IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA THAT, UM, WE ARE ALL VERY HAPPY, UM, THAT SHE WILL BE TAKING ON THIS NEW POSITION AND WE WISH HER CONTINUED SUCCESS. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR WANT TO RECEIVE OUR NEWSLETTER, EMAIL US AT DISTRICT K@HOUSTONTX.GOV, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS. THANK, THANK YOU, MAYOR PROTO. FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA, UH, THANK, UH, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR, UH, JENNIFER MITCHELL FROM THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION. UH, SHE CAME IN TODAY, UH, TO MEET WITH THE RAILROADS, UH, AND SHE REACHED OUT, UH, TO SEE WHAT OUR CONCERNS WERE, UH, REGARDING THE RAILROADS. UM, SO, UH, I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, JACK GRA FOR BEING THERE. UH, CATHERINE PARKER FOR BEING THERE. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON HAD REPRESENTATION THERE. UH, WE ALSO HAD STATE SENATOR CAR RADO THERE AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE, UH, CHRISTINA MORALES WAS THERE AS WELL. UH, AND WE ALSO HAD STAFF FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CIRO'S OFFICE. SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING STAFF THERE AS WELL. UH, WE GOT THEIR ATTENTION, UM, UH, WHEN, WHEN THEY WERE GETTING THERE TO THE SITE WHERE WE WERE GOING TO MEET AT, THERE WAS A TRAIN, UH, SO THEY WERE HELD UP BECAUSE OF A TRAIN, AND I WAS HELD UP BECAUSE OF A TRAIN. YES. UH, SO, UH, THEY, THEY KNOW WHAT THE ISSUES ARE. UH, THEY, THEY'RE GONNA BE MEETING WITH THE RAILROADS THIS AFTERNOON. UH, SO HOPEFULLY, UH, SOME GOOD WILL COME FROM THIS. AND I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY, UH, FOR REPORTING STOP TRAINS AND, AND IDENTIFYING THE CROSSINGS AND, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT HAS HELPED. SO PLEASE CONTINUE DOING THAT AS WELL. UH, SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO, UH, UH, MS. JENNIFER MITCHELL, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, UH, COMING IN TODAY FROM DC, UH, AND HEARING OUR CONCERNS. UH, I ALSO WANNA INVITE EVERYONE TO COME OUT THIS EVENING TO THE AQUARIUM. UH, IT STARTS AT FIVE 30. UH, IT'S THE, UH, KICKOFF, UH, REGARDING, UH, HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER. THEY'RE HAVING THE MARIACHI FESTIVAL ON AUGUST THE SIXTH AT, UH, WORTHHAM. UH, THEY, UH, SO THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UH, I'M PRESENTED PRESENTING A PROCLAMATION TO THE, UH, TO THE, UH, THE, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, ARE, ARE ORGANIZING THE MARIACHI FESTIVAL IN AUGUST. UH, IT'S ALSO GONNA BE THE KICKOFF, UH, FOR DIA DE LOS MUTOS, UH, UH, FESTIVAL AND PARADE. PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS. IT'S GONNA BE ON NOVEMBER 5TH. UH, LAST YEAR WE, IT WAS THE INAUGURAL, UH, UH, FESTIVAL AND PARADE. UH, IT WAS REALLY NICE. AND WE'RE ONLY EXPECTING IT THIS YEAR TO BE EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER. UH, SO THAT'LL BE ON NOVEMBER THE FIFTH. UH, AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THIS YEAR HAVING A GALA, UH, THE THURSDAY BEFORE THE, UH, THE, THE FIFTH. SO I'M ASSUMING THAT'LL BE THE THIRD, UH, OF NOVEMBER. UH, THERE HOPEFULLY, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE A VENUE YET, SO I'M NOT GONNA SAY TO, SO I CONFIRM, BUT, UH, BUT THERE'LL BE A GALA THE THURSDAY BEFORE THE PARADE AND, AND THE FESTIVAL. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. UH, SO THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON, MAYOR PRO TEMA. I WANNA START BY THANKING YOU. THIS IS THE THIRD WEEK YOU'VE LED OUR SESSIONS AND, UH, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. WE MISS THE MAYOR, OF COURSE, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE REALLY DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB. THANK YOU, SIR. SO THANK YOU, APPRECIATE THAT. UM, AND I, I WANT TO ALSO COMMEND MY COLLEAGUES. YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT MEETING. THIS REDISTRICTING BUSINESS THAT WE'RE DOING HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, EVERY 10 YEARS OR SO. AND THIS IS AN, UH, AN ITEM OF DISCUSSION OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE. AND WE SAW SOME PASSIONATE APPEALS TODAY, UH, LIVELY DISCUSSION AROUND THE HORSESHOE. I'M PROUD OF THE WAY WE CONDUCTED OURSELVES. AND THESE ARE, UH, THESE ARE TOUGH ISSUES, BUT IT IS, IT IS IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. AND, UH, HOPE I'LL SEE YOU ALL BACK HERE AT 7:00 PM THOSE OF US TO CREATE THE QUORUM. SO AGAIN, UM, GOOD WORK. LET'S KEEP [03:15:01] IT UP. AND, UH, HATS OFF TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, ALL OF THEIR PREPARATIONS, JERRY WOODS, INCREDIBLE WORK YOU'RE DOING TO BALANCE ALL THESE THINGS, AND WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU DOING YOUR JOB. I ALSO WANNA MENTION THAT TONIGHT IN THE WORLD OF PLANNING AND THINGS THAT ARE VERY EXCITING, UH, CLEARLY IN THE TRANSPORTATION CATEGORY, THE METRO NEXT PROGRAM, METRO RAPID, THE UNIVERSITY CORRIDOR PUBLIC MEETINGS. TONIGHT AT 6:00 PM AT THE DOUBLETREE GREENWAY PLAZA, THE UNIVERSITY PROJECT WILL PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT WEST TO EAST CONNECTION RUNNING BETWEEN THE WEST CHASE PARK AND RIDE, UH, NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF THE WEST PARK TOLL WAY, AND THE SAM HOUSTON TOLLWAY AND TIDWELL TRANSIT CENTER NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF TIDWELL ROAD AND US HIGHWAY 59. IT IS, AS THE CHRONICLE REPORTED ON ITS FRONT PAGE YESTERDAY, POTENTIALLY THE LONGEST BRT ROUTE IN THE COUNTRY. AND AGAIN, AN EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SEEK WORK, UM, LIKE THAT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, AND I GUESS THE MEETINGS WILL BE GOING ON THROUGH JULY 25TH. SO IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE, PLEASE VISIT RIDE METRO.ORG/UNIVERSITY FOR MORE DETAILS ON THOSE MEETINGS. SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANNA, UM, PASS IT TO MY COLLEAGUE WHO WILL BE ENJOYING HER 25TH BIRTHDAY THIS SUNDAY ON JULY 17TH. SO PROUD OF YOU. TIFFANY D, BIRTHDAY GIRL, THOMAS. RIGHT? HO, HO, HO, HO, HO. HOLD ONE SECOND. MAKING SURE MY COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH IS STILL, HE'S STILL ON. HE WAS WITH US COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH GIVING A BIRTHDAY. THAT WAS A BIRTHDAY. SHOUT OUT. HAPPY BIRTHDAY COUNCIL MEMBER. TIFFANY D. FLOOR IS YOURS. TIFFANY D. THOMAS. UM, I DON'T HAVE A GOOD DISPOSITION TODAY, SO I, I PASS MM-HMM . COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROAM. UH, WE HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING YESTERDAY OF REGULATORY NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS. I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, FOR BRINGING THE, UH, UH, THE ISSUE OF 18 WHEELERS PARKED IN NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, TO MY ATTENTION. UH, WE'VE GOTTEN CALLS ABOUT THAT AS WELL, SO I WAS AWARE OF IT, BUT IT'S REALLY A BIG PROBLEM IN, IN SEVERAL HOUSTON NEIGHBORHOODS. SO WE EXPANDED THE MEETING TO NOT JUST TALK ABOUT 18 WHEELERS. WE TALKED ABOUT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES IN NEIGHBORHOODS. WE TALKED ABOUT BOX TRUCKS, WE TALKED ABOUT PARKING IN THE YARD, WE TALKED ABOUT ALL OF THE VEHICLES, JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES, ALL THE VEHICLES THAT ARE, ARE IN PLACES WHERE THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE. I PLAN. WELL, A LOT OF GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS CAME FORTH FROM H-P-D-A-R-A PLANNING, EVERYBODY PRESENTED. UM, I'M GONNA WORK DILIGENTLY WITH MY COLLEAGUE AND VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER, A ME PET TO PREPARE A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO PRESENT TO THE ADMINISTRATION. SO IF YOU HAVE SOME IDEAS OR HEARD SOMETHING YESTERDAY OR HAVE SOMETHING SPECIFIC GOING ON IN YOUR DISTRICTS THAT YOU'D LIKE US TO ADDRESS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. UM, AND, AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND I WILL BE COMPILING THIS AND, AND PRESENTING SOMETHING TO THE ADMINISTRATION, UM, AND SEE IF THERE'S AN APPETITE FOR MAKING SOME CHANGES TO ENFORCEMENT AND CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE OR, AND, AND IMPROVING ENFORCEMENT. AND THERE'S ALSO AN URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AT THE STATE, UM, LEGISLATURE IS HAVING TOMORROW HERE IN HOUSTON. I'LL BE SUBMITTING SOME WRITTEN COMMENTS ON SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT, UM, BILL KELLY HAD SOME PAST LEGISLATION THAT HASN'T GONE ANYWHERE TO KIND OF DECRIMINALIZE THE PARKING IN THE YARD AND MAKING IT MORE OF A CIVIL OFFENSE SO MORE PEOPLE CAN PUT A TICKET ON A WINDOW INSTEAD OF HAVING TO TRACK DOWN THE OWNER OF A CAR. SO INVITE ANYBODY TO JOIN ME IN THAT. GOOD DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. AND WE ARE STILL WAITING ON ITEM 14, WHICH IS IN THE ELEVATOR. IN THE ELEVATOR. SO WHILE IT'S WORKING ITS WAY DOWN THE ELEVATOR, I WISH VICE MAYOR PRO TIM, GOOD LUCK TONIGHT AS YOU SPEAK TO THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP. SO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THAT INTO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS WELL. SO THANK YOU. HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TWO, TIFFANY D WHICH VERSION? WHICH VERSION? SO I KNOW. NO, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T. RECESS. WE'RE NOT EVEN GONNA AJOUR. WE HAVE TO RECESS. THAT'S, IT'S THE CHECKS IN THE MAIL. IT'S A SLOW PERSON WALKING THAT DOWN. THERE WE GO. WE AND IN THE BACK. BACK THE BACK. OKAY. I HEARD THE BOOK CLOSED THAT DOOR. THERE WE GO. THERE. IT'S OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU GET A, A FOR SINGING. TIFFANY D. THOMAS, YOU GET A, A PLUS FOR DANCING IN YOUR CHAIR, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU'ALL. [03:20:01] MM-HMM . OKAY. ITEM 14 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ITEM NUMBER 14, HUFFMAN DISCUSSION. COUNCIL MEMBER MARY NAN HUFFMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO, TIM. SO LAST WEEK I, UM, ITEM 30 ON THE AGENDA AND REQUESTED MORE INFORMATION FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHEN ITEM 14 WAS ON THE AGENDA, WHEN I SAW WAS ON THIS WEEK, WHICH WAS SIMILAR TO ITEM 30, UM, I ALSO REQUESTED INFORMATION FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND WHILE I GOT SOME VERY, VERY LIMITED INFORMATION ON 30, UM, I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT ITEM 14. SO I WOULD LIKE TO TAG THIS ITEM SO THAT WAY I CAN GET SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED. AND IF, UM, YOU KNOW, THEN WE COULD HAVE A MORE TIMELY VOTE. SO I BELIEVE ITEM, THIS ITEM IS NOT TAGABLE BECAUSE OF A DEADLINE OF JULY 14TH. I THINK WE HAD MADE MENTION OF THAT FOR ALL THESE ITEMS LAST WEEK. SO, UM, BEFORE YOU, CAN YOU JUST VOTE? NO, I, I WOULD LIKE TO RESPECTFULLY DECLINE AND TAG THE ITEM. THE ITEM IS NOT TAGABLE. CONFIRM WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY. OKAY. CITY SECRETARY. I, CITY SECRETARY, CITY ATTORNEY, ATTORNEY MICHELLE. SORRY, COUNSELOR. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. BASED ON THE, UH, THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS, RIGHT? RENDER. SO IF, IF WE TAG IT, THERE IS NO OPPORTUNITY TO GRAB THAT MONEY. IT JUST GOES AWAY. CORRECT. SO, BUT IT WOULD RENDER, IT MOVED AND THEREFORE IF THE ITEM NOT, SO THAT'S WHY THE ITEM IS NOT TAGABLE. SO THE QUESTION IS, IS, IS THE ITEM NOT TAGABLE OR JUST IF IT'S TAGGED, THEN IT WON'T BE VOTED ON IN A TIMELY MANNER. IT'LL KILL THE ITEM. WELL, THE KILLS THE ITEM, THE, THE, THE EXCEPTION TO THE TAG RULE. IF IT BECOMES MOOT, UH, BY VIRTUE OF THE TAG, THEN THE TAG RULE WOULD NOT APPLY THAT. THAT'S THE CIRCUMSTANCE WE HAVE HERE. OKAY. THANK YOU COUNSEL. SO ACCORDING TO CITY ATTORNEY, THE TAG RULE DOES NOT APPLY TO ITEM NUMBER 14. SO IT IS NOT A TAGABLE ITEM TODAY, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. SO ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION WE'RE STILL WITH, BECAUSE WE ARE RECONVENING THIS EVENING, COULD WE HAVE MORE TIME TO SEE IF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT COULD GET THE INFORMATION THAT THEY KNEW I WANTED A WEEK AGO? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. IS THE, THE AGENDA IS POSTED SO THAT WE RECESS AND THERE'S A CONTINUATION OF THE MEETING UNTIL TONIGHT. SO THIS IS A CONTINUOUS MEETING. UH, IF THAT IS COUNSEL'S DESIRE TO, TO MOVE IT, IT CAN BE DONE. SURE. SO WOULD YOU RELEASE THE POSSIBILITY OF A TAG FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION DELAY? THERE IS NO, WELL, ACCORDING TO THE COUNSELOR, WE COULD TAG IT AND TAKE IT UP AT 7:00 PM TONIGHT BECAUSE THIS IS DELAY. THAT WOULD DELAY, DELAY, DELAY. LET ME MOTION, UM, I, I, I'M, I'M SORRY. I MAY NOT HAVE HEARD EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID. I, I THINK THE ONLY CONCERN THAT, THAT WE HAVE HERE IS WE NEED A QUORUM TONIGHT IN ORDER TO HAVE THE MEETING. IF WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, THEN THERE WOULD NOT BE THE POSSIBILITY OF VOTING. SO WE, ONE MORE CALL. WE HAVE YOU SHOWING UP, EXCEPT I GOT ONE COPY GOING THE GYM. SO THAT WORD IS, WE WILL HAVE A QUORUM TONIGHT FOR 7:00 PM SO IS IT, UNLESS SOMETHING HAPPENS, HAPPENS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN TO 10. WAIT ONE SECOND. I'M GONNA GET TO EVERYBODY FOR COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN TO TAG THE ITEM. AND WE'LL TAKE UP THIS ITEM TONIGHT AT SEVEN. IT'LL HAVE TO DELAY THE ITEM TILL 7:00 PM TONIGHT. MOTION TO DELAY. MOTION TO DELAY. YES. THAT MOTION CAN PROCEED. AND IF PASS IT WOULD ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK TO DELAY THAT MOTION UNTIL WE GET SOME OF THE COMMENTS WITHIN THE QUEUE. IS THAT OKAY? YES. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN. THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM. AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN FOR BRINGING ATTENTION TO THIS ITEM. AS YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK I SPOKE AT LENGTH ABOUT THESE ITEMS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE US AND APPRECIATE THE ADMINISTRATIONS, UM, DIRECTING THIS TO QUALITY OF LIFE WHERE WE'LL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT ALL OF THESE ITEMS. THIS IS QUITE A LOT OF MONEY. AND MY TWO QUESTIONS WERE, AND I ASKED THEM AT THE MEETING LAST WEEK, AND I ASKED THEM SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE WEEK, DID NOT GET AN ANSWER UNTIL YESTERDAY WHEN I SPOKE TO SOMEBODY AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND THAT SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE. AND MY TWO QUESTIONS WERE, WHEN DID THESE FUNDS BECOME AVAILABLE, AND HOW WERE THESE ALL OF THESE GROUPS VETTED AND SELECTED? I DID GET A SATISFACTORY ANSWER. I AM, I AM OKAY WITH THIS ITEM NOW, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE IN, IN VERY SIMPLE QUESTIONS. AND I, IT WASN'T AN EASY WAY TO GET THE ANSWER. I HAD TO REALLY WORK TO GET THAT ANSWER. AND I JUST FEEL LIKE THE, WHEN THERE'S A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY AT STAKE, WHETHER IT BE [03:25:01] GRANT MONEY, PEOPLE LITERALLY TOLD ME IT'S FREE MONEY. WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT? I MEAN, FREE MONEY. I'M PAYING TAXES. YOU GUYS ARE PAYING TAXES. THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS FREE MONEY. SO I THINK WE ALL DESERVE AN ANSWER TO HOW THINGS ARE VETTED AND WHO THAT, AND ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS TO WHICH THEY'RE GIVEN. I WAS TOLD THAT EACH OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, AND THERE WERE OVER 20 OF THESE HAVE PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS, FORMAL RELATIONSHIPS, WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE CITY, WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHICH I APPRECIATE. I MEAN, THEY'VE ALL BEEN DOING WORK AND THEY'VE ALL BEEN PARTNERS WITH THE CITY, WHICH I APPRECIATE AND THAT, THAT HELPED ME COME TO A YES VOTE ON THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON. THANK YOU. AND, UM, I VOTE YES ON THIS ITEM AS WELL. UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, ON THIS, UM, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UM, INITIATIVE. UM, IN DISTRICT B, WE HAVE A ROUGHLY, I THINK IT'S WHAT, 72,000 PEOPLE ARE MAKING BETWEEN ZERO TO $25,000 A YEAR. AND THIS INITIATIVE IS TO FOCUS ON WORKFORCE NAVIGATORS, TO START GETTING COMMUNITIES CONNECTED TO JOB TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, APPRENTICE OPPORTUNITIES, BASICALLY TO PULL THE, BUILD THE CAPACITY OF ALREADY DISTRESSED DISTRICT. AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET PEOPLE IN JOBS. UM, IT'S ALSO CONNECTING TO CREDIBLE MESSENGERS. AND SO THIS IS LIKE A COMMUNITY EFFORT. UM, UM, THIS PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK AROUND THE COVID VACCINES. AND SO I'VE, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE THEY WORK. AND SO AGAIN, I SUPPORT THIS, UM, OPPORTUNITY. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY AGAIN TO GET PEOPLE INTO SOME JOBS IN DISTRICT B. SO I SUPPORT THE, THE INITIATIVE. UM, A HUNDRED PERCENT THANKS. COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX. THANK YOU MAYOR PROTI. AS YOU KNOW, I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO LAST MINUTE THINGS. UH, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT JUST GOT NOTICE OF THIS MONEY LAST WEEK WITH A DEADLINE OF THIS COMING WEEK. I THINK THE FACT THAT WE'VE HAD TO WAIT 25, 30 MINUTES TO HAVE THEM DELIVER THE THING IS INDICATIVE OF THAT KIND OF RESPONSE. SO I'M IN FAVOR OF THE DELAY UNTIL MY COLLEAGUE CAN GET THE ANSWERS THAT SHE HAS. THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID, UM, MS. JACKSON, BUT MY COMMENT IS THIS IS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED RESPONSE FOR COVID-19. IT DOESN'T ANYWHERE IN HERE SUGGEST THAT IT'S A JOB ACQUIRING PROGRAM. UH, AND SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT I'M VOTING ON HERE. SO NOW I'VE GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. IS THIS A OUTREACH FOR COVID-19 AND GETTING PEOPLE HEALTHY, OR IS THIS A JOBS PROGRAM? SO I WOULD APPRECIATE THE DELAY AND I'D APPRECIATE A CALL FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MYSELF. UM, SO ANYWAY, I'M GONNA BE VOTING FOR THE DELAY UNTIL 7:00 PM THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS. THANK YOU, MEMBER TIM. AND, UH, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN STATED, IT WILL BE COMING TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE ON JULY 27TH. THE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, WILL, WILL BE PRESENTING AND ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS OR ISSUES OR CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE. I KNOW IT'S AFTER THE VOTE, BUT, UH, THAT THEY WILL BE COMING ON JULY 27TH. COUNCIL MEMBER MARY ANNE HUFFMAN FOR A MOTION I'D TO DO, A MOTION TO DELAY TO THIS EVENING. THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO DELAY ITEM NUMBER 14 UNTIL 7:00 PM TONIGHT. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST ITEM THAT WE TAKE UP ON THE AGENDA AS WE RECONVENE AT 7:00 PM DO I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND ROBINSON MOTION. AND A SECOND IN FAVOR OF THE DELAY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. AND WITH THAT, WE STAND IN RECESS UNTIL 7:00 PM TONIGHT WHEN WE'LL RECONVENE FOR ITEM NUMBER 14, AS WELL AS THE SECOND OF THE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON REDISTRICTING MEETING RECESS. HAPPY THIRD. HOW MANY SPEAKERS? EVERYBODY GETS SUNG. HEY, JULY 13TH, 2022. I AM MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN, AND I'M RECONVENING THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. WE HAVE ONE COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN JOINING US VIA TEAMS. UH, WE'RE MISSING ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM AS SHE IS MAKING A SPEECH TONIGHT FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION FOLKS THAT ARE IN TOWN. BEFORE WE BEGIN WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING, WE DO NEED TO DEAL WITH ONE AGENDA ITEM THAT WAS DELAYED UNTIL THIS MORNING. ITEM NUMBER 14. SO MADAM SECRETARY, FIRST, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL, ROLL. AND THEN WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 14. MAYOR, ATTORNEY WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCILMAN PEG? HERE. CONSTABLE JACKSON? HERE. COUNCILMAN CAMAN. PRESENT ONLINE. COUNCILMAN EVAN SHABAZZ. HERE. COUNCILMAN MARTIN. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN THOMAS? PRESENT. COUNCILMAN [03:30:01] HUFFMAN? PRESENT. COUNCILMAN CISNEROS? HERE. COUNCILMAN GALLEGOS? HERE. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. HERE. COUNCILMAN CASTEX HAYDEN WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCILMAN KNOX? HERE. COUNCILMAN ROBINSON? HERE. COUNCILMAN KOSH? HERE. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER HERE. AND CONSTABLE ALCORN HERE. OKAY. MADAM [14.  ORDINANCE approving and authorizing Subrecipient Agreement between City of Houston and FREE INDEED COMMUNITY WORKS CDC for services addressing COVID-19 Health Disparities among populations at high-risk and underserved for Workforce Development for the Houston Health Department; providing a maximum contract amount - 1 Year - $500,000.00 - Grant Fund ] SECRETARY, IF YOU CALL ITEM NUMBER 14, PLEASE. ITEM 14 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 14. COUNCIL MEMBER MARY NAN HUFFMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. SO THIS WAS THE ITEM THAT I HAD AN ISSUE WITH EARLIER, BUT AFTER HAVING A REALLY GREAT DISCUSSION WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ITEM TO HER COMMUNITY, I AM PREPARED TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM. HOWEVER, IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE TIME SENSITIVE NON TAGABLE ITEMS THAT APPEAR ON THE AGENDA, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE LESS THAN A WEEK TO LOOK AT THESE THINGS ON THE AGENDA AND GET PREPARED AND TRY TO BRING OURSELVES UP TO SPEED ABOUT THIS. SO I JUST ASK THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I GET IT, OCCASIONALLY THERE ARE DELAYS BECAUSE EVERYONE IS WORKING WITH LIMITED STAFF AND LIMITED RESOURCES. UM, BUT FOR US TO, AS A COUNCIL, BE PREPARED TO VOTE ON THINGS, I REALLY WOULD, UM, LIKE AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO PREPARE FOR THESE ITEMS. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, RUSHING ITEMS THROUGH, WITHOUT HAVING ALL CONCERNS BY COUNCIL ADDRESSED, YOU KNOW, ONLY WORKS TO ERODE THE TRUST THAT THE PUBLIC HAS PLACED IN THIS BODY. AND SO I HOPE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION TAKE NOTE, TAKES NOTES OF THIS AND DILIGENTLY WORKS TO LIMIT, UM, THE PRACTICE OF INCLUDING THESE NON-TAXABLE ITEMS AND TYING SENSITIVE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. BUT I AM READY TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND, UH, I DON'T DISAGREE WHAT YOU STATED. SO, COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROTI AND, UH, JOINED THE TAG EARLIER TODAY, OR NOT THE TAG, THE DELAYED, UH, THE MOTION EARLIER TODAY BECAUSE, UH, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, JACK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, INDICATED THIS WAS A GREAT WORK PROJECT, A GREAT WORK CONTRACT. AND I'M LOOKING AT IT THINKING, WELL, NO, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH THING. AND I GOT MY QUESTION. I HAVEN'T EVER HAD A DISTRICT OR, OR A, A DEPARTMENT CALL ME SO QUICKLY . UM, SO MAYBE WE SHOULD DO THIS MORE OFTEN TO GET THEM THE IDEA THAT WHEN A COUNCIL MEMBER CALLS, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BE NITPICKY, WE JUST WANT TO KNOW THE FACTS, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THE CONSTITUENTS OF HOUSTON AREN'T GONNA CALL THE DEPARTMENT HEAD TO ASK THE AIR QUESTIONS. THEY'RE GONNA CALL US. AND SO WHAT I DISCOVERED WAS THAT THE JOBS REFERRED TO BY MY COLLEAGUE HAVE TO DO WITH HIRING PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND DO THE WORK. AND THAT'S A GOOD THING. BUT THE REAL FOCUS IS A COVID-19 HEALTH INITIATIVE TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AND GET TO THAT. INCIDENTALLY, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO HIRE SOME PEOPLE TO DO IT AS A, BECAUSE THE REASON I WAS CONCERNED WAS THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTS AND WE HAVE GRANTS SPECIFICALLY TO HELP PEOPLE FIND JOBS. AND SO, UH, AGAIN, I'M, I'M, UH, HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE GOT A VERY QUICK RESPONSE FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND, UH, I'M GOOD NOW. AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, WHO'S BEEN WORKING SO HARD ON THIS FOR OVER A YEAR AND A HALF. AND I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH ALL OF IT WITH ME. SO THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR PERAM. I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYONE ONCE AGAIN THAT THE, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE WILL HAVE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO ANSWER, UH, ANY, UH, QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, ESPECIALLY THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP LAST WEEK AND THIS WEEK. UH, IT'S ON, UH, JULY 27TH, AND IT'LL BE AT TWO O'CLOCK. AGAIN, THAT'S THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 14. IT IS AN ORDINANCE. ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 14? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, OPPOSE. ITEM PASSES. [3.  PUBLIC HEARING relative to establishment of Council Member district boundaries as required by Article V, Section 3 of the Charter of the City of Houston, Texas - 7:00 P.M. ] NOW. MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ITEM NUMBER THREE? ITEM THREE IS A MOTION ESTABLISHING THE COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT BOUNDARIES. BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WANTED TO REITERATE THE COMMENTS THAT WE MADE THIS MORNING. WE ARE HERE TODAY TO HEAR FROM YOU. THE PUBLIC COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPINE AND ASK QUESTIONS LATER, BUT AT THE THREE HEARINGS WE HAVE SCHEDULED, WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN TO YOUR THOUGHTS AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. WE DO NOT HAVE TO REVIEW, WE DO HAVE TO REVIEW A FEW LEGAL THINGS. SO, FOR THE RULES AND REGULATIONS, THE CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES CITY ATTORNEY ARTURO MICHEL. UM, THANK YOU. THE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS, UH, PUBLIC HEARING IS TO RECEIVE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC ON THE PROPOSED REDISTRICTING PLAN. AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT IT IS A PROPOSED PLAN. IT'S A DRAFT. UH, THE FINAL WILL BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL LATER THIS YEAR. AND THE FINAL WILL TAKE INTO [03:35:01] CONSIDERATION THE CONCERNS, COMMENTS, AND INPUT FROM COUNCIL, AND ALSO FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. UM, IN ORDER TO DO THAT AND BE ACCURATE, THE CITY WANTS A RECORD OF INPUT. SO PEOPLE WHO SPEAK TODAY, WE ASK THAT YOU LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION AND THAT YOU PROVIDE US WITH A COPY OR ACCESS TO ANY DOCUMENT, ANY PLAN THAT YOU THINK IS RELEVANT FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION. IF TRANSLATION SERVICES ARE NEEDED, PLEASE GO TO THE TABLE JUST OUTSIDE THE CHAMBERS HERE, AND THEY CAN ASSIST WITH THAT AND PROVIDE A TRANSLATOR, UH, FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY. UH, I WANNA SET THE STAGE FOR WHAT THE DEMOGRAPHER, MR. WOOD WILL, WILL ADDRESS IN A LITTLE BIT. UM, THERE THIS PLAN, THIS PROPOSED DRAFT PLAN, THERE'S NO HIDDEN AGENDA. IT WAS NOT A DRAFT OF THE ADMINISTRATION, IT WAS THE WORK OF MR. WOOD, BUT HE WAS OPERATING UNDER THE CRITERIA THAT COUNCIL APPROVED IN, UH, RESOLUTION ON MARCH THE 30TH OF THIS YEAR. UH, AND THIS, THIS CRITERIA, THIS RESOLUTION, IS A BEST PRACTICE EVER SINCE 1986. THE COURTS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT GOVERNMENTAL BODIES ADOPT AND FOLLOW SUCH CRITERIA, AND THESE SPECIFIC ONES ARE TAKEN FROM THESE COURT CASES. AND THEY INCLUDE THINGS THAT COUNSEL ADOPTED, SUCH AS MAINTAIN, MAINTAINING EQUAL PROP POPULATION APPROXIMATELY AMONG ALL OF THE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, MAINTAINING WHOLE VOTING PRECINCTS, FOLLOWING IDENTIFIABLE GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES, THE PRESERVATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER, UM, UH, PEOPLE WHO HAVE SHARED COMMUNITY INTERESTS, UH, THE PRESERVATION OF EXISTING INCUMBENT CONSTITUENT RELATIONS, AND AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO ELECT CANDIDATES OF THEIR CHOICE AS GUIDED BY THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965, UM, MR. WOOD WILL ELABORATE ON WHAT HE HAS DONE, THIS CRITERIA AND THE PROCESS. AND THAT CONCLUDES THE OPENING REMARKS I HAVE. THANK YOU, ATTORNEY MICHEL. UH, CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES DIRECTOR MARGARET WALLACE BROWN AND MR. JERRY WOOD FOR TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I DO WANNA JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF TECHNICAL INFORMATION YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU AND THE PUBLIC HAS TONIGHT, UM, NEW VERSIONS OF THE SAME PROPOSED PLAN THAT YOU HAD THIS MORNING. THEY HAVE A COVER SHEET ON THEM THAT HAS, THAT'S A FANCY COVER SHEET. THEY ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT IN THE CONTEXT THAT WE HAVE FIXED SOME SCRIVENER'S ERRORS. THERE WERE SOME MISSPELLED STREETS. THERE WERE, UM, SOME VERY TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS IN THE ONES YOU HAD TODAY. AND WE HAVE FIXED THOSE. SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU AND WHAT YOU HAD THIS MORNING. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JERRY WOOD. I'M HERE TO GO OVER THE CHANGES IN THE DRAFT PLAN THAT THAT WAS, UH, PUBLISHED LAST WEEK. UM, AND I'M GONNA GO, UM, DISTRICT BY DISTRICT IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, UM, IN DISTRICT A. THE DRAFT PLAN BEGINS BY REMOVING THE AREA, WHICH IS IN, UH, THE ROUND WILLOWBROOK MALL, AND INCLUDES THE LIMITED PURPOSE ANNEXATIONS IMMEDIATELY AROUND WILLOWBROOK MALL, UH, TAKES THEM OUT OF DISTRICT A, PUTS THEM INTO DISTRICT B. THE POPULATION THIS LOST THERE IS MADE UP BY, IS MADE UP FOR BY THE INCLUSION OF TWO PRECINCTS FROM DISTRICT C, UM, PRECINCT 3 22 AND TWO 70, WHICH ARE WEST OF ANTOINE, BETWEEN ANTOINE AND MINGLE IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF DISTRICT C. THOSE AREAS INCLUDE THE REMAINDER OF THE GREATER INWOOD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH HAS BEEN SEEKING TO BE REUNITED FOR SOME TIME NOW. AND, UH, AN AREA THAT, UM, INCLUDES THE, UM, UM, PINE FOREST SUBDIVISION, FOREST WEST, AND A PORTION OF OAK FOREST LOCATED WEST OF ANTOINE. ALSO, IN ORDER TO BRING UP DISTRICT, UM, A'S POPULATION AND TO BRING DOWN THE POPULATION OF DISTRICT G, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE MORE OVERPOPULATED DISTRICTS, UM, THE AREA BETWEEN I 10 AND BUFFALO BIO, UH, JUST OUTSIDE OF LOOP SIX 10, UH, UP TO THE CITY LIMITS OF HUNTER CREEK VILLAGE WAS INCLUDED IN A MOVING ON TO DISTRICT B. DISTRICT B HAS RECEIVED A LARGE POPULATION FROM DISTRICT A IN THE WILLOWBROOK AREA TO MAKE UP FOR THE [03:40:01] MOVEMENT OF TWO AREAS FROM DISTRICT B INTO DISTRICT H. UH, ONE AREA SOUTH OF ALDINE BENDER ROAD AT I 45, UM, PRECINCTS 61 AND 4 23, THE IMPERIAL VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THE, UM, UH, GREENBRIER NORTH NEIGHBORHOOD, ABOUT 12,000 PEOPLE, UH, WITH A POPULATION WHICH IS CLOSE TO 90% HISPANIC, UH, IS TRANSFERRED FROM DISTRICTS DISTRICT B TO DISTRICT A IN ORDER TO BRING NO H PARDON ME, DISTRICT H IN ORDER TO BRING DISTRICT H'S POPULATION UP, DISTRICT H BEING ONE OF THE, UH, BEING THE DISTRICT WITH THE LOWEST POPULATION. IN ADDITION, THE PORTION OF PRECINCT 1 5 2 LOCATED SOUTH OF HALLS BIO IN THE EAST TEXAS JENSEN AREA, UH, TRANSFERS FROM DISTRICT B INTO DISTRICT H. UM, WE HAD MANY SPEAKERS COME TO SEVERAL OF THE MEETINGS, UH, DURING THE, UH, PUBLIC, UM, PROCESS, UH, FROM EAST TEXAS JENSEN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, ASKING THAT AS MUCH THAT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD BE UNITED. IT DOES NOT BRING ALL OF EAST TEXAS JENSEN TOGETHER, BUT IT BRINGS THE BULK OF EAST EX JENSEN ALL TOGETHER IN DISTRICT H. MOVING ON TO DISTRICT C. DISTRICT C WAS THE DISTRICT WITH THE LARGEST POPULATION. UM, DISTRICT C'S POPULATION NEEDED TO BE BROUGHT DOWN ABOUT 20,000. THE INCLUSION OF TWO PRECINCTS IN THE FAR NORTHWEST CORNER OF DISTRICT C AND DISTRICT A, UH, MOVED IT PART OF THE WAY THERE. UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, IN THE FAR SOUTHWEST CORNER OF DISTRICT C, UM, THE ROBINDALE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS PART OF THE BRADBURN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH THE, THE REST OF WHICH IS LOCATED IN DISTRICT J, WAS TRANSFERRED TO DISTRICT J. WE DID HAVE SPEAKERS, UM, AT, UM, THE DISTRICT C UM, PUBLIC MEETING ASKING THAT THEIR AREA BE INCLUDED IN DISTRICT J IN ORDER TO BRING TOGETHER THE BRADBURN, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, THE DISTRICTS, UH, THE, UH, FOURTH WARD FRIEDMANS TOWN NEIGHBORHOOD IN PRECINCT 30 TRANSFERS IN UNDER THIS PLAN TO DISTRICT H. UM, THE AREA IN QUESTION, UM, IS NOT AS HISPANIC AS DISTRICT H IN, IN TOTAL, BUT IT IS NOT AS ANGLO AS SOME OF THE AREAS WHICH OTHERWISE, UH, WOULD BE ON THE BOUNDARY OF DISTRICT C AND H. IT BRINGS DOWN DISTRICT C'S POPULATION AND BRINGS UP DISTRICT H'S POPULATION IN THE PROCESS. THE PRECINCT, UH, 360 1, WHICH IS THE RICE CAMPUS, ALSO IS TRANSFERRED OUT PURELY TO BRING THE POPULATION OF DISTRICT, UH, C DOWN INTO THE ACCEPTABLE RANGE OF, OF POPULATION, UM, AND IS TRANSFERRED TO DISTRICT D. DISTRICT D UH, UH, THERE ARE, THERE ARE SPLIT PRECINCTS IN THIS CASE, UH, IN THE WOODLAND HEIGHTS AREA BECAUSE THE COUNTY HAS REORGANIZED THE PRECINCTS THERE. UM, AND WHAT THE SPLITTING OF THE PRECINCTS PUTS THE, UH, PRECINCT, UH, KEEPS THE DISTRICT LINES ALONG THE SAME BOUNDARY THAT EXISTED, UH, FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. IN DISTRICT D. UH, DISTRICT D ACCEPTED ONE PRECINCT FROM, UM, DISTRICT C, UH, IN THE RICE CAMPUS, AND, UH, GIVES UP THREE PRECINCTS SOUTH OF HOBBY AIRPORT, UM, BETWEEN OREM AND, UH, FUQUA SKYSCRAPER SHADOWS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU MAY RECOGNIZE THE NAME OF, UM, BY TRANSFERRING THOSE TO DISTRICT I, THE POPULATION OF THOSE PRECINCTS IS, UM, IN THE 75% HISPANIC RANGE. UM, MOVING ON TO DISTRICT E, DISTRICT E IN ORDER TO BRING ITS POPULATION WITHIN THE ACCEPTABLE RANGE OF POPULATION. AND IT MIGHT BE BEST TO GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS MAP BECAUSE IT SHOWS THIS BETTER. THE ONLY CHANGE IN DISTRICT E IS TWO PRECINCTS THAT ARE BETWEEN STATE HIGHWAY THREE AND I 45, UM, UH, ON EITHER SIDE OF, UM, SOUTH BELT, UH, TRANSFER FROM DISTRICT E TO DISTRICT. UM, I, BOTH OF THE PRECINCTS ARE MAJORITY HISPANIC. UM, IT INCLUDES THE GENOA TOWN SITE AND THE SUBDIVISION OF, UH, GULF PALMS. UM, MOVING ON TO DISTRICT F, DISTRICT F, THERE ARE TWO CHANGES IN DISTRICT F, AN EXCHANGE, IF YOU WILL, BETWEEN J AND F, UH, A SMALL PRECINCT PRECINCT 9 43 IN NORTH OF BEACH NUT AT, UH, THE [03:45:01] BELTWAY, UH, TRANSFERS FROM J TO F. UM, THIS BRINGS TOGETHER THE GLEN SHANNON NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH PRIOR TO THIS TIME WAS SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE BY THE, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT LINE. THE TRANSFER OF ANOTHER PRECINCT FROM DISTRICT F TO J ALLOWS THIS TO BE, UH, ACCOMPLISHED. UH, SPECIFICALLY PRECINCT 5 66 AND WEST CHASE, WHICH, UH, IS SOUTH, UM, SOUTH OF, UH, RICHMOND. UM, AND OUTSIDE OF THE BELTWAY, I MEAN, SORRY, INSIDE OF THE BELTWAY, UH, DISTRICT G DISTRICT G'S POPULATION WAS THE SECOND HIGHEST DISTRICT, UH, POPULATION. UH, IT WAS, THE REDUCTION IN THE DISTRICT POPULATION WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY MOVING PRECINCT FIVE 70, WHICH IS CENTERED ON NEWCASTLE AT WEST PARK. UH, THE PIN OAK AREA PRECINCT FIVE 70, UH, TRANSFERRED FROM DISTRICT G TO DISTRICT J TO BRING DISTRICT J'S POPULATION UP. AND IN ADDITION, THE AREA DESCRIBED BEFORE TRANSFERRED TO DISTRICT A, UM, WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN THE, IN THE PLAN AND PRECINCT 1 77, WHICH IS LOCATED BETWEEN WESLEYAN AND, UH, THE, UH, UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD. SO OF WESTHEIMER DOWN TO THE SOUTHWEST FREEWAY, UH, THE LIN PARK NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, IS TRANSFERRED TO DISTRICT C. MOVING ON TO DISTRICT H. DISTRICT H WAS THE DISTRICT WITH THE LOWEST, UH, POPULATION. THE TRANSFER OF POPULATION FROM DISTRICT B TO DISTRICT H IN THE NORTH. I'VE ALREADY DESCRIBED THE TRANSFER OF FOURTH WARD, UH, FRIEDMANS TOWN FROM DISTRICT C TO DISTRICT H I'VE ALREADY DESCRIBED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS ONE OTHER CHANGE, UH, THAT WAS, UH, PROPOSED, AND THAT IS PRECINCT EIGHT 90, WHICH IS IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON BETWEEN COMMERCE STREET AND TEXAS AVENUE. UM, POPULATION OF ABOUT 3,500, UH, OF WHOM 600 ARE INCARCERATED. UM, DISTRICT I DISTRICT I GAVE UP A PRECINCT IN DOWNTOWN, RECEIVED THREE PRECINCTS FROM DISTRICT D AND RECEIVED THREE PRECINCTS, TWO PRECINCTS FROM DISTRICT E. UH, IN THE PROCESS, THE HISPANIC POPULATION PERCENTAGE ACTUALLY INCREASED SLIGHTLY. MOVING ON TO DISTRICT J, DISTRICT J'S WAS BELOW, UH, THE ALLOWABLE RANGE OF POPULATION. IN ORDER TO BRING IT UP, PRECINCT FIVE 70 IN THE FAR NORTHEAST CORNER WAS ADDED FROM G PRECINCT. 5 66 IN THE FAR NORTHWEST CORNER WAS ADDED FROM F. AND IN THE SOUTHEAST CORNER, UH, THE ROBINDALE NEIGHBORHOOD PRECINCTS EIGHT AND 6 85 WERE ADDED FROM DISTRICT C. UM, THE GLEN SHANNON PRECINCT, UM, IN A LEAF WAS TRANSFERRED TO F AS A RESULT OF THESE CHANGES, DISTRICT K WAS NOT CHANGED BY THE, UM, THE PROPOSED PLAN. OKAY, AT LARGE THREE. WE, SO WE WILL MOVE INTO THE PUBLIC'S SPEAKERS PORTION OF THE MEETING, AND WE WILL START WITH PROCEDURAL MOTION. A PROCEDURAL MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. UM, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD SHADAY PERKINS AND PRISCILLA T GRAHAM, UH, RIGHT AFTER ZION ESCOBAR SECOND KOSH PROCEDURAL MOTION. ALL IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ANY OTHER PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? HEREIN? NONE. MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER. IVAN SANCHEZ. IVAN SANCHEZ, NEXT SPEAKER. MARIA LIRA. NO. MARIA LIRA. SHE SAID NO. ALAN LIPMAN. YES, MA'AM, I'M HERE. HI, I'M REPRESENTING THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 31 BARCLAY CIRCLE, AS WELL AS THE EVELYN RUBENSTEIN JEWISH [03:50:01] COMMUNITY CENTER, AND I'M THANKFUL THAT Y'ALL ARE ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT. EXCUSE ME. HELLO? GO AHEAD, ALAN. WE CAN HEAR YOU. OKAY. UM, I'M PLEASED TO HEAR THAT IN DISTRICT H AND J SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS WERE PUT BACK TOGETHER AND I'M CERTAINLY HOPE THAT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 31 IS ALLOWED TO STAY TOGETHER SINCE WE'VE ALREADY HAD OUR PRECINCT SPLIT THIS PAST YEAR. AND WE'RE ALSO PLEASED WITH THE, UH, WAY THAT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MYLAND AREA HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR COUNCIL PERSON, ABBY CAYMAN, WHO'S BEEN THERE TO SUPPORT US IN ALL THESE YEARS. SO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS CURRENT PLAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. OH, NO. UH, COUNCILOR CAMAN WANTED TO SPEAK. OH, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. SORRY. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. VERY QUICKLY, ALAN, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN ALL THAT YOU DO, UM, VIA THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I KNOW WE HAVE A FEW OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE MEMBERS AS WELL, AND IN ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS I KNOW Y'ALL SPOKE, UM, VERY ELOQUENTLY DURING OUR TOWN HALL ABOUT THE DESIRE OF, UM, THE SOUTHWEST PART OF OUR DISTRICT TO REMAIN, UM, COHESIVELY AS ONE AND ALSO IN DISTRICT C. SO THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT INPUT. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, DIANE, ALMOST GUZMAN. GOOD EVENING. OH, NICE. OKAY. UM, GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF, UH, OUR COUNCIL, CITY COUNCIL. I AM DIANE OLMOS, A LULAC REDISTRICTING MEMBER, TASK FORCE MEMBER, A 30 YEAR PRECINCT JUDGE, AND A FORMER HCC TRUSTEE, AS WELL AS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THE EAST END FROM MAGNOLIA PARK. I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT DISTRICT I'S PROPOSED BOUNDARIES, MAP AND SUGGESTIONS TO YOU FOR ONLY SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS. LULAC IS IN FAVOR OF CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITY IN WITH SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS. WE SUGGEST THAT DISTRICT E, WHICH IS, UH, THAT HAS A HEAVY HISPANIC POPULATION, BECOME AN OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT FOR DIVERSITY. IT ENCOMPASSES A HEAVY HISPANIC POPULATION IN THE FAR EAST SIDE OF LAWNDALE TO ALLEN GENO, WHICH BORDERS PASADENA, AND IT INCLUDES THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT OF I 45 TO THE BELTWAY EIGHT. YET THE EXPERTS HAVE PACKED ALL OF THE HISPANIC POPULATION PRACTICALLY INTO DISTRICT I WITH OUR LOAN HISPANIC REPRESENTATIVE TO OVERSEE AN INCREASE OF 17,913 RESIDENTS, WHICH HAVE BEEN ADDED FROM HEAVILY POPULATED PRECINCTS. TO MY POINT, THIS INCREASE IN POPULATION WITH FIVE MORE PRECINCTS ALSO REQUIRES REPRESENTATION FOR CITY SERVICES, PUBLIC WORKS, INFRASTRUCTURE, REPAIR, AND DISTRICT. I HAS OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS ALREADY THAT REQUIRE NECESSARY ATTENTION. AS STATED, I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THE EAST END, AND THERE IS MUCH TO BE DESIRED FOR THE LATINO COMMUNITIES. I HAVE SOME PHOTOS HERE THAT I JUST TOOK YESTERDAY. THIS RIGHT HERE IS MY STREET WITH BROKEN CURBS, BROKEN SIDEWALKS, AND I NEARLY FELL AND BROKE MY BROKEN ARM OR WHATEVER, ONE TIME WITH ONE OF THESE. THESE ARE THE WATER MAINS BUSTED ON HARRISBURG TODAY WITH THE LIGHT RAIL PASSING THROUGH THERE AND ALSO ON THE CORNER OF HENNINGER AND TELEPHONE ROAD. THIS WATER HAS BEEN SEEPING FOR MORE THAN A MONTH. NOW THIS IS WHERE I LIVE TELEPHONE IN THE LAWNDALE AREA. SO I NEED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE, LIKE I SAID, THERE IS MUCH TO BE DESIRED IN THE LATINO COMMUNITIES FOR CITY SERVICES. WE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. SO, UM, NO COUNCIL MANAGEMENT IN IN QUEUE. [03:55:01] UH, I HAVE A QUESTION. SO YOUR MESSAGE HAS CHANGED SINCE THIS MORNING? NO, NOTHING'S CHANGED, SIR. SO, NO, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE DISTRICT. I REPRESENT DISTRICT E, WHICH I WAS MAKING SURE THAT IT WAS, I WAS SURPRISED THAT NO ONE HAD ANY COMMENTS ON DISTRICT E. SO I MENTIONED E BECAUSE I LOOKED AT THE MAPS AND THE BOUNDARIES HAVE CHANGED FOR I TAKING IN A BIGGER PORTION DOWN IN THE AREA WHERE YOUR, YOUR, UH, DISTRICT E UM, UH, A BUTS NEXT TO DISTRICT. I, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND YOUR, YOUR PROPOSAL, SIR. YOUR PROPOSAL. WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND? I RECOMMEND ADDING MORE OF THE, UH, LATINO, UH, PRECINCTS THAT ARE ALONG ALAN GENOA THAT ACTUALLY MEET THE BOUNDARY WITH PASADENA, TEXAS. AND, UM, AND THEN EXTEND IT ALONG DOWN TO BELTWAY EIGHT. AND THE AREAS, BY THE WAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT KINGWOOD AND CLA CLEAR LAKE WANT THEIR OWN SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS. SO MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE. YOU SEE, IT'S NOT ABOUT ETHICS, IT'S UH, IT'S NOT ABOUT ETHICS, IT'S ABOUT ETHICS. AND THE ETHICAL THING TO DO, SIR, IS TO PROVIDE LATINOS WITH MORE OPPORTUNITY TO DIS DISTRICTS WHERE WE CAN GROW OUR OWN LEADERSHIP FOR REPRESENTATION IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965. SO WHERE WOULD YOU DECREASE THE POPULATION FROM? WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO A NUMBER, ROUGHLY, I THINK IT'S 208,000, WHATEVER THAT IS. SO I GET WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM IN THE FIRST PART. SO I UNDERSTAND THEN THAT WHERE WOULD THE DECREASE IN POPULATION HAVE TO COME FROM THEN? WHERE WOULD YOU MOVE? PEOPLE WE'RE GONNA SUBMIT THEIR MAP. YEAH, YEAH. FROM ALL 16 DISTRICT. WELL, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR 16 SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS AND ACTUALLY WE ARE ON, ON THE VERGE OF COMING TO DO THE MAPS AND, UH, ENSURING THAT WE ENSURING THE ACCURACY FOR THIS. YES MA'AM. MA'AM, I HATE TO GO HALF COCKED AND GIVE YOU SOMETHING RIGHT NOW WHEN WE HAVEN'T EVEN SUBMITTED OUR GOT IT. OUR, OUR MAPS. GOT IT. UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU, SIR. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER. JOHN ENRIGHT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. I SPEAKER ROAM AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JOHN ENRIGHT. UM, I'LL BE REPRESENTING MYSELF TODAY, ALTHOUGH I AM A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF HOUSTON. UM, JUST HAVE A FEW COMMENTS HERE. UM, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA SAY HAPPY 7 1 3 DAY EVERYONE. UM, SO NOTICED, UH, NOW OUTSIDE HAD, UM, PRO MAP ADD THE TITLE OF, UH, JUNE 30TH AS A DATE ON IT. UM, ALTHOUGH ONLY SAW THE MAP THIS PAST MONDAY ON THE WEBSITE, NO, THE, UH, ON HOUSTON CHRONICLE, THEY HAD IT COVERED ON SUNDAY. SO, UH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCREPANCY THERE AND VERY LITTLE TIME TO REVIEW IT. OF COURSE, THAT'S ONLY ABOUT, UH, TWO DAYS AGO. AND, UM, THE MAPS SO COMPLEX LIKE THIS. THERE ARE ALL THESE LITTLE PRESS SINKS AND EVERYTHING GOING HERE AND THERE. SO EVEN THOUGH THERE'S RELATIVELY FEW CHANGES OVERALL, UM, IT'S STILL VERY DIFFICULT TO ANALYZE THAT AMOUNT OF TIME, ESPECIALLY NO WEEKENDS OR ANYTHING TO KIND OF SIT DOWN AND LOOK AT IT. SO, UM, THIS IS ONLY EVENING MEETING. THERE ARE ONLY TWO OTHER MEETINGS THERE AT 9:00 AM ON WEDNESDAY. SO, UH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT AND I'M SURE I'LL EMAIL OR THE COUNCIL, BUT, UM, IT'S FAIRLY LITTLE TIME. I THINK OVERALL THE MAP HASN'T CHANGED TOO MUCH. UM, SO IT'S NOT TERRIBLY CONTROVERSIAL. UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE ISSUES. OF COURSE, THE POPULATION VARIANCE IS AT NINE POINT 84%, SO IT'S JUST BELOW THE 10% THRESHOLD. UM, COMPACTNESS IS ANOTHER ISSUE OF COURSE, WITH ALL THE ROADS, ESPECIALLY ON THE NORTH SIDE, UM, EXTENDING OUT. UM, IT IS PRETTY DIFFICULT, UH, TO MEET AND THEY'RE ALWAYS TRADE-OFFS WHEN DRAWING THESE MAPS, SO, UM, I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT, UM, THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF CHALLENGES. FOR EXAMPLE, WITH, UH, COUNT THE DISTRICT B, IT REALLY WRAPS AROUND DISTRICT H QUITE A BIT, UM, AROUND GREENS POINT AND SPLIT GREENS POINT A LITTLE BIT. UM, I COULD, I SUGGESTED POSSIBLY, UH, FOR PRESSING 4 23 61 AND 10 30, MOVING THAT FROM H TO B TO REUNITE GREENS POINT AND POSSIBLY ANOTHER DISTRICT SUCH AS 663 FROM C TO H, UH, TO RECOVER SOME OF THAT POPULATION. UM, DISTRICT C WHERE I'M FROM, UM, ASH HAS [04:00:01] IMPROVED SLIGHTLY AS FAR AS COMPACTNESS, BUT IT'S STILL, UM, SNAKES QUITE A BIT, UH, FROM OAK FOREST ALL THE WAY DOWN TO MYERLAND. UM, SO SOME THINGS LIKE THAT. UM, THERE ARE SOME OTHER TWEAKS THAT COULD BE MADE, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH REUNITING CHINATOWN MOVING 4 29 FROM J TO F, AND, UH, 5 0 7 FROM F TO JI THINK, UH, WOULD APPROVE IT A LITTLE BIT AS WELL. UM, ALSO THANK, UM, STAFF AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, UH, FOR REACHING OUT TO ME EARLIER TODAY, UM, FOR ANY QUESTIONS I HAD. AND, UH, FOR ALL Y'ALL FOR PRINTING THESE MAPS, LIKE THE BIG COLOR MAPS, SO APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, KENDALL BAKER. GOOD EVENING, PASTOR. GOOD EVENING. IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY. LET ME GREET ALL OF YOU AGAIN. AND COUNCILMAN KASH, THANKS TO YOU AND GOT NICE TO YOU IN PERSON AND ALL OF YOU AROUND THE HORSESHOE HERE. UM, I WASN'T GONNA SPEAK, BUT I WANTED TO COME UP BECAUSE I WANTED TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, TESTIMONIES. FIRST, LET ME, UH, SAY THAT, UH, AS A LIFELONG HOUSTONIAN, I'M ALSO A, UH, PROUD NEWLY ELECTED HISC TRUSTEE. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I AM A PROUD, UH, HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBER FOR THE CEDAR CREEK TOWN HOME ASSOCIATION. AND IT'S JUST IN MY HEART TO SPEAK FOR THOSE WHO COULD MAKE IT. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NEARLY 3000 OR SO REGISTERED VOTERS IN THAT AREA. AND AFTER HAVING SPENT NEARLY THREE DECADES IN THAT AREA, UH, YOU KNOW, TO SEE A WHOLE PIECE, UH, PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR SQUARE MILES, BUT IT'S LONG JUST OVERLAID BY ANOTHER DISTRICT. UH, I HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE YOUR, YOUR PRIORITIES WERE, AND YOUR CRITERIA WERE TO HAVE EASILY IDENTIFY GRAPHIC GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES TO MAINTAIN COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AND NEIGHBORHOODS. AND HERE'S ONE THAT'S I WANNA POINT OUT TO BE COMPACT AND, UH, CONTIGUOUS, WHICH IS CONTINUAL. AND SO, IF, IF YOU MUST DIG INTO A DISTRICT THAT'S ALMOST PERFECT, DISTRICT F IS ALMOST PERFECT IN NUMBERS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT WAS ONLY OFF BY 2% TO GET YOU WHERE YOU'RE GOING. UH, INSTEAD OF GOING ALL THE WAY AROUND AND, AND, AND CUTTING A NEW HOLE AND GOING AROUND WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE FOR THE LOSS OF WORDS. AND TO GO INTO 5 66, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS MAP, YOU LOOK AT 5 0 7. IF YOU HAVE TO DO ANYTHING, YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER 5 0 7, 5 0 7, UH, WHEN I GOT THE EMAIL FROM TIFFANY, UH, THAT SHE SENDS OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THANK YOU FOR DOING SUCH A MARVELOUS JOB. AGAIN, THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD PUT ON MY HEART TO COME OUT AND SPEAK. NOW, I, I DON'T KNOW THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF WHERE WE'RE GOING. I KNOW THIS IS GONNA TAKE EFFECT JANUARY 1ST, 2024, BUT LEMME REMIND YOU ALL THAT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE DEALING WITH THE SAME ISSUE WITH HISD THAT'S COMING UP SOON. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO CAUSE MINIMAL IMPACT ON THOSE CITIZENS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO CAN'T COME TO SPEAK. YOU KNOW, IN OUR DISTRICT, AS I SAID THIS MORNING, WE'RE TAKING AWAY, UH, A COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH, WHICH IS TRACY G. WE'RE SEPARATING AN A LEAF HIGH SCHOOL FROM THE OTHERS BY PUTTING 'EM IN OTHER DISTRICT. ALL THOSE LITTLE INNUENDO THAT MAY NOT MATTER TO YOU, BUT BEING A CITIZEN AND A RESIDENT ON THE GROUND, YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THOSE THINGS AND, AND KEEP IT MINIMAL. SO, 5 0 7, MR. WOODS, IF YOU KEEP THAT TIME, HAS INSPIRED. COUNCILMAN TIFFANY THOMAS, THANK YOU MUCH. UH, THANK YOU AGAIN. GOOD TO SEE YOU. YES, IT HAS BEEN A LONG DAY. AND, BUT I THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT, UM, AND SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF, OF YOUR NEIGHBORS. AND SO, UM, THANKS FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION. I WOULD JUST OFFER THAT 5 0 7 ALSO HAS A COMMUNITY ASSET, THE CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTER, AND A PORTION OF CHINATOWN. AND MY ASK IS TO RETAIN AND TO HOLD THAT COMMUNITY AS WELL. UM, THE TEMPLES WE WORK WITH, SURE. FOOD DRIVES RESOURCES, UM, UM, THEY ADD CURRENCY TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SURE. AND SO, UM, MY ASK IS THAT WE JUST HOLD IN PLACE, , EVERYBODY JUST STOP. BUT I, BUT I THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, AND THANK YOU FOR RALLYING, RALLYING THE TROOPS, AND AGAIN, SHARING, UM, YOUR SUPPORT FOR KEEPING GUIDE DISTRICT AS AS WHOLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, I REVERSE BACK TO WHAT I SAID EARLIER. LET'S JUST WORK ON THE EAST SIDE OF, UH, OF, [04:05:01] UH, DISTRICT, UH, JAY, ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR ME? THANK YOU. NO MORE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT SPEAKER, ZION ESCOBAR. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. UH, I, I'LL INTRODUCE MYSELF. MY NAME IS ZION ESCOBAR. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON FREEDMANS TOWN CONSERVANCY. WE ARE THE STEWARD OF THE FRIEDMANS TOWN HERITAGE DISTRICT, WHICH IS THE SUBJECT OF, UH, BEING SELECTED TO EITHER BE IN DISTRICT C OR DISTRICT H. AND WHILE WE, UM, RESPECT AND ARE DELIGHTED BY ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE COMING TO DISTRICT H, WHAT I WOULD ASK YOU TO CONSIDER IS TO HELP US MAKE THIS MAKE SENSE, KNOWING THAT THERE WAS NO INTENTION, UM, NEITHER BAD OR GOOD, AND THE SELECTION OF, UM, WHICH DISTRICTS COME AND GO. WHAT WE WOULD ASK OF YOU IS WITH A DECISION THAT IS SO CRITICAL THAT IMPACTS THE HISTORY, THE HERITAGE, THE TRAJECTORY OF FREEDMAN'S TOWN, WHICH IS GOING TO BE KNOWN ALL AROUND THE WORLD. I WOULD SAY THAT IT DESERVES MORE THAN A FLIPPANT DECISION AS TO WHAT DISTRICT IT RESIDES IN. WHEN IT COMES TO THE CRITERIA FOR SELECTION. THE VOTING BLOCKS, PRESERVATION OF A NEIGHBORHOOD. NOTHING ABOUT FRIEDMANS TOWN AS A NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT NOW CONNECTS WITH THE DEMOGRAPHIC, THE INTEREST OF THOSE THINGS ABOVE BUFFALO BY YOU DIRECTLY. NOW, MIND YOU, WE'RE ALL CONNECTED, RIGHT? AND THERE ARE ASSETS LIKE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS, WHICH I, I HEARD MENTIONED EARLIER. AND WE LOVE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS, AND WE WANT THEM TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR SELVES. HOWEVER, WE DON'T KNOW, AND THIS IS WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO FILL US IN ON AND ALLOW US TO MAKE A VERY INFORMED DECISION, RIGHT? IT'S ON THE BURDEN, IS ON YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HELP US MAKE THIS MAKE SENSE FOR US BEFORE ASKING US TO MAKE A DECISION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS THE BENEFIT FOR FREEDMAN'S TOWN? WHAT DO WE STAND TO LOSE? UM, AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A WONDERFUL WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH ABBY CAYMAN. NOW UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A DECISION THAT'S GONNA LAST LONGER THAN THE DURATIONS OF, UH, THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN THEIR SEATS. UM, I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT FREEMANS TOWN IS, UM, YOU KNOW, LOWER IN AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION, IT HAS A DOUBLE DIGIT PERCENTAGE OF HISPANIC POPULATION, AND IT HAS A 30%, UM, PERCENT OF WHITE POPULATION. WE'RE ABOUT A SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE IN THE FREEMANS TOWN HERITAGE DISTRICT, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE NUMBERS FOR THE PRECINCT. WE ALSO HAVE ABOUT 2100 RESIDENTS. SO A DECISION THIS BIG THAT CAUSES THIS MUCH IMPACT FOR THE, THE INCREMENT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE UP FOR DISTRICT CI UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO DECREASE DISTRICT C, HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH NUMBERS TO BE SUBJECT TO AS MUCH CHANGE AS WE MAY INCUR. THERE ARE TOO MANY UNKNOWNS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SAY, THIS IS A GOOD DECISION. RIGHT? THERE ARE PRIORITIES WITH THE HISPANIC POPULATION, AND THEY'RE GONNA WANT REPRESENTATION THAT REFLECTS THEIR INTEREST. DO THEIR INTEREST ALIGN WITH, UM, AMPLIFYING HOUSTON'S OLDEST BLACK SETTLEMENT AND OLDEST BLACK HISTORY, OR IS THAT A DIFFERENT SET OF INTEREST? AND THE ELECTED LEADER, WHO ARE THEY GONNA FEEL INCLINED TO RESPOND TO THE MAJORITY OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC? UM, OR, UM, THIS, THIS ONE AREA THAT KIND OF GOT PIECED ON, IN, IN, IN THE END. AND SO WHAT I WOULD ASK YOU TO DO IS, UH, PLEASE MAKE TIME TO SPEAK WITH US, TO EDUCATE US IF THERE ARE THINGS WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT, UM, OPPORTUNITIES IN H UM, AND, AND LET US MAKE OUR VERY INFORMED DECISION. YEAH, TIME FINE. AS IT STANDS, I DON'T, I DON'T SUPPORT THE RELOCATION COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. YES. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM ZION, I WAS JUST GONNA GIVE YOU A FEW MINUTES TO WRAP UP BEFORE MY COMMENTS IF YOU HAD ANY FINAL REMARKS. UM, MY PRIMARY REMARK IS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, SHARED COMMUNITY INTEREST, HOW IS DISTRICT H SHARED? UM, HOW DOES IT, HOW DO THEY SHARE COMMUNITY INTEREST WITH FRIEDMANS TOWN AS IT STANDS TO PROGRESS INTO THE FUTURE? TO BE RESTORED, TO BE MADE WHOLE, TO BE PRESERVED AND TO BE AMPLIFIED FOR ITS BLACK HISTORY? THAT'S MY, THAT'S MY LAST QUESTION. THANK YOU. WELL, AGAIN, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP. I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THE CONSERVANCY DOES, NOT JUST IN WORKING WITH ME AND THE DISTRICT C OFFICE AND THE HISTORICAL TIES THAT WE HAVE, UM, BUT ALL THAT YOU DO IN THE COMMUNITY. UH, SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW YOU WERE LISTENING IN THIS MORNING WHEN YOU HEARD OTHERS FROM, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD SPEAKING ABOUT THE DESIRE TO REMAIN AND SEE, UH, AND I, I APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME THAT YOU TAKING AND OTHERS ARE TAKING TONIGHT TO BE HERE AS WELL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX. THANK YOU. MAYOR PROTI. UM, MS. ESCOBAR MM-HMM . UM, YOU MAKE A VERY COMPELLING ARGUMENT AND I WANT TO, UH, CONGRATULATE YOU ON THAT. BUT I'M CURIOUS HOW DISTRICT C IS DIFFERENT THAN DIFFERENT DISTRICT H IN REGARD TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU FIT INTO THE COMMUNITY. MM-HMM . I MEAN, DISTRICT C IS ALL THE WAY UP IN THE HEIGHTS. MM-HMM . ALL THE WAY TO MEYERLAND. MM-HMM . AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN THERE. MM-HMM . [04:10:01] SO WHAT IS IT ABOUT DISTRICT C UH, THAT MAKES IT MORE IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO REMAIN THERE THAN IN DISTRICT H MM-HMM . WHICH HAS A SIMILAR ISSUE. UM, CORRECT. THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION, BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS ME TO GET TO REALLY THE HEART OF THE MATTER. IF YOU UNDERSTAND THE ACTUAL HISTORY OF FREEMANS TOWN, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WE ARE ON WHAT USED TO BE FOURTH WARD FREEMANS TOWN, FREEMANS TOWN RESIDENTS EIGHT, IN FACT, WE'RE HERE. SO WHERE YOU DRAW THE LINE MATTERS AND HOW THE STORY GOES ON A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW. WE'RE A COMMUNITY THAT'S OVER 150 YEARS OLD. UM, THOSE WHO ARE APPROXIMATE TO US, MIDTOWN, JUST BELOW THE HERITAGE DISTRICT, MONTROSE JUST TO THE WEST OF THE HERITAGE DISTRICT. THEY HAVE BEEN PARTY TO OVER THE COURSE OF HUNDREDS OF A HUNDRED PLUS YEARS. NOW THAT GROWTH AND EXPANSION THAT HAS BOXED FREEMANS TOWN IN HAS HAD CONSEQUENCES. DID PEOPLE IN DISTRICT H DON'T OWE FREEMANS TOWN ANYTHING? THE PEOPLE WHO ARE APPROXIMATE TO, UM, THE FREEMANS TOWN HERITAGE DISTRICT, AS IT STANDS NOW, THEY WERE PART OF THE CHANGE. SO WHEN IT COMES TO US ADVOCATING FOR OURSELVES, I THINK PEOPLE IN DISTRICT H WHEN THEY'RE IMPROPERLY INFORMED WILL SAY, WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WERE DOING WITH MIDTOWN AND THE CONSEQUENCES THAT IT WOULD HAVE ON FRIEDMAN'S TOWN. PEOPLE IN DISTRICT H AREN'T GOING TO CARE THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR OURSELVES. AND WE'RE SAYING WE WANT TO BE FIRST IN LINE. WE'VE BEEN IGNORED FOR LONGER THAN YOU, WE'VE BEEN AROUND LONGER THAN MOST OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE ENTIRE CITY. WE GREW UP WITH HOUSTON. SO IT'S ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE'S ADJACENT INTERESTS WOULD BE, RIGHT? MONTROSE UNDERSTANDS THAT PARTS OF IT WERE FREEDMAN'S TOWN, FOURTH WARD, RIGHT? MIDTOWN, SAME THING. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WOULD FIND THE SAME ALLYSHIP IN THAT WE WOULDN'T BE SEEN, WHETHER IT'S PERCEIVED OR ACCURATE AS, UM, DILUTING THE HISPANIC VOTE BY BRINGING IN WHAT WOULD BE A MAJORITY BOTH WHITE AND BLACK WITH A MINORITY OF, OF HISPANIC TO A HISPANIC DISTRICT. UM, I THINK THERE'S SOME, SOME SUGGESTIONS ON HOW ONE DRAWS THE LINES, BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE BEING PUT INTO H THAT ARE CONNECTED TO FREEDMAN'S TOWN. UM, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER DISCUSSION THAT REQUIRES ADDITIONAL RESEARCH. AND SO PART OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS GIVE ME SOME INFORMATION ABOUT HOW WE ARE BETTER SUITED FOR H UM, AS OPPOSED TO, OH, IT'D BE A GOOD IDEA. 'CAUSE THERE'S OTHERS LIKE YOU IN H WHICH DOESN'T GIVE US ANY SPECIFICS ON FINANCIALLY. DOES IT MEAN THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A PRIORITY FOR FREEDMANS TOWN? RIGHT? RIGHT NOW, ABBY CAYMAN HAS STATED HER COMMITMENT TO FREEDMANS TOWN. SHE'S 10 TOES DOWN. AS, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE MEET IN THE COMMUNITY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET IN DISTRICT AGE. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE AT A VERY CRITICAL INFLECTION POINT. YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE EMANCIPATION TRAIL. MOST OF Y'ALL HAVE SEEN ALL THE THINGS ABOUT IT. YOU'VE SEEN US ON TOP CHEF. WE'RE HEADED FOR AN INCREDIBLE TRAJECTORY. WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, AND WHAT WE DON'T WANNA SET OURSELVES UP FOR IS 10 UNKNOWNS THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL. AND BEING THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK, AND NO ONE'S GONNA SAY, YEAH, YOU SHOULD GET WHAT YOU DESERVE FIRST. WE'VE BEEN WAITING IN OUR DISTRICT FOR THE LONGEST. I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS AND ALL OF THAT. AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I, I, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU, BUT TWO THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, FREEMANS TOWN'S GONNA BE FREEMANS TOWN NO MATTER WHERE THE LINE IS DRAWN. AGREED. WE CAN AGREE ON THAT. YES, ABSOLUTELY, SIR. UH, SECONDARILY, THESE LINES CHANGE EVERY 10 YEARS. FAIR ENOUGH. AND IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POPULATION AND MAKING SURE THAT EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT HAS THE, UH, APPROPRIATE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THEM. RIGHT. AND THEN FINALLY, I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND, IT'S NOT THE COMMUNITY THAT'S GONNA MAKE A DECISION ON THAT. IT'S GONNA BE THE PEOPLE SITTING AROUND THIS TABLE. YES. AND SO WE ARE SEEKING INFORMATION FROM YOU. UH, SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY, AND, UM, YOU'VE MADE A MARK IN MY THOUGHT PROCESS. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. ALL ON MS. AL ESCOBAR. COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX. I MADE MICHAEL KOSH . WELL, WE LOOK ALIKE. IT'S HARD TO TELL US APART. MIKE, MIKE PLUS . I THANK YOU FOR COMING. SOME RESIDENTS IN, UH, IN THAT AREA. I SEE, UH, PASTOR, UH, ELMO JOHNSON AND OTHERS. UM, WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS, AS WELL, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, IT, I'M AN AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY IN IN FREEDMAN TOWN KNOW I'VE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME. MM-HMM . I, I COME OUT, I, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE BRICKS WERE BEING PULLED, YOU'RE SHAKING YOUR HEADS OUT THERE POSITIVELY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT, UH, VERIFICATION. I, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DOING ALSO IS YOU'RE MAKING A POINT, UH, WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, I'VE WORKED WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, ABBY CAYMAN. I I WORKED WITH HER BETTER THAN THE, THAN THE PRIOR ONE. BUT NONETHELESS, I WORKED WITH BOTH OF 'EM, TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING I COULD TO HELP. UH, FREEDMAN TOWN. AND I'VE BEEN HERE NINE YEARS. UH, I'VE DRIVEN THROUGH FREEDMAN TOWN WITH PASTOR ELMO JOHNSON IN THE CAR AND WATCHING HIM TALK TO PEOPLE AND, AND PULLING OVER. AND WE PICKED UP PEOPLE AND TOOK 'EM TO, TO THE, TO THE DRUG STORE. REMEMBER THAT PASTOR? AND, AND, UH, WE, WHEN THE SCHOOL WAS OUT, THE, THE KIDS WERE WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND HE SAID, YOU SEE THAT YOUNG MAN, HE WON'T LOOK AT ME 'CAUSE HE'D BEEN DOING WRONG. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'VE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY 40 YEARS, [04:15:01] LIKE HE HAS MM-HMM . HE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON, RIGHT? I, I GET A CALL CONTINUALLY, OR, OR WHENEVER THERE'S AN INCIDENT IN FREEDMAN TOWN IN REFERENCE TO THE BRICKS AND THE REMOVAL. AND, AND I HAD TO ADMIT THAT I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHEN MAYOR PARKER TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, RE RENOVATION AND, AND, AND RESTORATION AND ALL, ALL THOSE TERMS THAT, THAT, THAT THE PEOPLE IN FREEDMAN TOWN WERE HORRIFIED AT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THEY WERE JUST PULLING THEM UP. BUT NONETHELESS, UH, I THINK YOU'RE MAKING A STRONG POINT OF WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE FIVE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO, WHO CAN ADVOCATE ALONG WITH YOUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER, REGARDLESS. I, YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK ABOUT ALL THESE CHANGES, YOU KNOW, THAT ALL THESE DISTRICTS ARE MINE ANYWAY, ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, KNOX, AND COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, WE'RE ALL AT LARGE. SO, SO WHERE THE LINES ARE, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I'M DRIVING AROUND, I DON'T EVEN THINK, WHAT, WHAT DISTRICT AM I IN? BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY PAY ATTENTION. 'CAUSE ALL OF THEM, I REPRESENT 'EM ALL. SO, UH, WHEN YOU SAY YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM US TOO, AND I, AND I, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY THAT THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO HEAR. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE SAYING TO ME, I WANT TO STAY IN DISTRICT C, WELL THEN I WANT YOU TO STAY IN DISTRICT C. YOU KNOW, SO THEY'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING ELSE. BUT, UH, THAT'S HOW I FEEL. RIGHT? AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU BROUGHT, UH, PASTOR ELMO JOHNSON HERE. WELL, YOU, YOU JUST ABOUT, YOU ABOUT, ABOUT PUT THE KING'S X ON IT RIGHT THERE. PASTOR SAID NO. SO WE SAY NO. SO I, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING. UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR ARTICULATE, UH, SPEAKING ABILITY AND, AND YOUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH US. AND, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. I, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ADDITIONAL ANSWERS FROM YOU ALL. SURE. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO, TIM, AND GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE. I JUST WANTED TO COMMEND YOU ON BEING ABLE TO CLARIFY AND BE ABLE TO STATE TO US WHY YOU THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO STATE AND SEE, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF FREEMAN TOWN, WHAT IT MEANS, NOT ONLY TO OUR CITY, UM, AND OUT EVEN, NOT EVEN TO THE NATION, BUT TO THE WORLD. MM-HMM . UM, AND THE PREVE PRESERVATION OF THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. UH, I GREW UP AT ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, AND I REALLY UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF THAT AREA OF TOWN, AND EVEN MYSELF, UM, THINKING ABOUT H AND C DID NOT TAKE IT AS FAR AND DID NOT GO DOWN THE ROAD THAT YOU JUST TOOK US ON. AND I THINK THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION AND YOUR LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND BY THE WAY, THAT'S NOT A, A FINAL ANSWER. IT'S A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SO THAT BY JULY 20TH WE CAN HAVE A FINAL ANSWER AND MAYBE EVEN SOME SUGGESTIONS ABOUT MAYBE WHO SHOULD GO INSTEAD OF US OR HOW THIS BENEFITS US. AND THIS CHANGE IS NOT JUST A MILLION QUESTION MARKS FOR US THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FACED WITH TRYING TO RESOLVE AND REESTABLISH OURSELVES IN A NEW DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS. OH, YES. I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR PASSION AND, AND HOW WELL YOU COMMUNICATED, YOU KNOW, UM, THE, THE THINKING AND, AND, UM, FRIEDMANS TOWN, I RESPECT YOU AND I HAVE SUCH, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, HIGH ESTEEM FOR THE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LEADERS WHO HAVE DONE SO MUCH TO, YOU KNOW, TO BRING FREEMANS TOWN TO THE FOREFRONT. AND YOU ARE, YOU'RE RIGHT. YOU'RE ON THE CUSP OF SOMETHING BIG. AND, AND, UM, AND I WAS ALSO REALLY DELIGHTED TO HEAR HOW HAPPY YOU ARE WITH YOUR, YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU. I WILL TELL YOU THAT DISTRICT H YOU KNOW, THAT IS REPORTED TO HAVE THE LOWEST POPULATION. I DON'T BUY THAT. YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THERE WAS A SEVERE UNDER COUNT. I CAN TELL YOU I AM NOT PLEASED THAT WE ARE GROWING AND THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GROW MORE THAN ANY OTHER DISTRICT. MM-HMM . YOU KNOW, WE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT STRETCHES RESOURCES THIN. IT WON'T BE ME THAT'S AFFECTED BY WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME. THEY ARE GONNA HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, TO, UM, TO, TO SPREAD THE RESOURCES THE SAME AMOUNT THAT EVERYONE ELSE GETS IN A THINNER WAY THAN ANYONE ELSE WILL. SO I, I'M, I'M NOT, I'M NOT HAPPY THAT WE'RE GETTING BIGGER. UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE, WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO. WE GOTTA GO SOMEWHERE. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, BUT, UM, I, BUT I HEAR YOU. I UNDERSTAND. UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'RE, WE'RE PICKING UP 600 INCARCERATED PEOPLE. MM-HMM . YOU KNOW. I KNOW. I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW. WE, WE NEED MORE PEOPLE. WE NEED A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I HOPE WE CAN, WE CAN FIND THEM . THANK YOU. RIGHT, RIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THAT STRUGGLE. THANK YOU, MS. ESCOBAR. YOU HAD YOUR BOOKS AND YOUR MAPS PACKED ABOUT FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS AGO, AND WE WOULDN'T LET YOU GO BACK. BUT NOW WE'LL LET YOU GO BACK. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND YOUR TIME. GOD BLESS. THANKS. APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU. NEXT SPEAKER ADE PERKINS. HELLO. HELLO. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD EVENING. I'M FINE. UH, MY NAME IS SADE PERKINS. I'M A ARMY VETERAN AND THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF THE FREEMANS TOWN FARMERS MARKET FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. AND [04:20:01] IT IS, UM, IN A FOOD DESERT, FYI, UM, FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF THAT I'VE BEEN OPERATING IT, COUNCILWOMAN ABBY CAYMAN HAS BEEN HERE FOR ME. UM, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WE'VE, UM, DONE TOGETHER AND I WANNA CONTINUE THAT. UM, AND AS MS. ZION SAID, I WOULD NOT NOT WANT OUR WORK TO BE PUSHED TO THE BACK OF, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER HAPPENS IF WE GET JOIN ON DISTRICT H. SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CA IN. HOLD ON. HOLD ON. MS. PERKINS, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CA IN. OKAY. SHADAY, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR COMING IN, COLLEAGUES, FOR THOSE THAT, UM, DON'T KNOW, UM, SADE KIND OF RAN THROUGH, UH, HER CONTRIBUTION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD VERY QUICKLY. BUT, UM, SHE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL, UM, THROUGH THE PANDEMIC IN MAKING SURE THAT, UM, RESIDENTS IN FOURTH WARD FRIEDMANS TOWN, UM, HAVE ACCESS TO FRESH FRUIT AND PRODUCE. UH, AND SADE, MY HOPE, AS ZION HAD MENTIONED ABOUT CONTINUING THE WORK THAT WE'RE, WE ARE DOING, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MAYOR TURNER, UM, BUT ALSO IN THE DISTRICT C OFFICE IS CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON, UM, WHAT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, A SIGNIFICANT FOOD DESERT IN AN AREA THAT SHOULD BE, UM, THRIVING WHERE RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO FRESH PRODUCE. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS. AND AGAIN, MY HOPE IS THAT, UM, WE CAN CONTINUE THIS, UM, THIS WORK INTO THE FUTURE, INTO THE NEXT TERMS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX. THANK YOU, MAYOR PER, UH, MAYOR PRO, TIM, MS. PERKINS, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, I KNOW YOU'RE USED TO BEING IN DISTRICT C AND YOU LIKED YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND ALL OF THAT, BUT THERE ARE, EVERY SINGLE PERSON AROUND THIS TABLE LIVES, EATS AND BREATHES SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. SO IF IT WORKS OUT THAT YOU CAN STAY IN DISTRICT C, THAT'S GREAT. IF IT WORKS OUT THAT YOU END UP IN DISTRICT H, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THE DISTRICT H COUNCIL MEMBER IS GOING TO, UM, HELP YOU AND WORK WITH YOU AS AGGRESSIVELY AS ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD. THAT'S WHAT WE DO HERE IS, UH, IS ALL OF THAT. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND THANK YOU FOR COMING AND, UH, HOPEFULLY IT WORKS OUT FOR YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. PERKINS. NEXT SPEAKER, PRISCILLA GRAHAM. GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND ACTUALLY GIVING ME A VOICE. SO I CAME TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF DISTRICT C, UH, FREEMAN'S TOWN. AND SO THE COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DISTRICT H JUST SAID THAT THEIR RESOURCES ARE ALREADY THIN. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE WEST END OF FREEMAN'S TOWN, WHICH THE RESOURCES ARE VERY THIN AND HAVE BEEN UNDERSERVED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. SO BY PUTTING THEM IN H HOW'S THAT GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE THEM BETTER? IT'S NOT. AND SO, LIKE I SAID, I CAME TO SPEAK ABOUT FREEMAN'S TOWN, BUT WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS PIECE OF PAPER AND STARTED LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS OF THE ETHNICITIES AND THE BREAKDOWNS, OVER HALF THE POPULATION ON THIS LIST OUT OF 2.3 MILLION ARE HISPANIC COUNCIL MEMBER ALSO SAID SHE DIDN'T THINK HER PEOPLE WERE COUNTING. WELL, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HISPANIC POPULATION, LIVE IN THE SHADOWS BECAUSE OF BEING ILLEGAL, AND THEY DON'T WANNA BE COUNTED. SO I THINK THIS IS A VERY UNDERREPRESENTED NUMBER AS FAR AS THE POPULATION AS A WHOLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT DEALS WITH OUR REFUGEES, OUR IMMIGRANTS, AND OUR HISPANIC POPULATION. AND I THINK THAT THIS MAP, THE DRAWING IN HOW IT IS, IS JUST A FANCY WAY OF REDLINING IN 2022. AND THAT'S MY OPINION. BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS, LIKE I SAID, IT'S VERY UNDERREPRESENTED. THE POPULATIONS ARE MUCH HIGHER THAT ARE ON THIS PIECE OF PAPER. AND HOW CAN I SAY THAT? BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ALL OVER THIS CITY. I'VE BEEN IN THESE COMMUNITIES FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND I CHALLENGE EACH ONE OF YOU TO GO IN YOUR COMMUNITIES AND SEE WHAT'S THERE. DON'T JUST LOOK AT THIS PIECE OF PAPER, GO AND SEE HOW YOUR PEOPLE ARE LIVING. SOME PEOPLE ARE LIVING GREAT, BUT THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE SHADOWS THAT'S NOT LIVING SO GREAT. OKAY? SO I THINK WE OWE IT TO OUR CITIZENS TO DO THE RIGHT THING. AND I DON'T NECESSARILY BELIEVE WHAT'S ON THIS PAPER'S THE RIGHT THING. THANK YOU. HOLD ON, HOLD ON. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. YES. UM, MS. GRAHAM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS AND YOUR PASSION. UH, ONE THING I WANTED TO SHARE, AND THIS IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS MENTIONED IT IS THE ISSUE OF THE UNDER COUNT. AND THE CENSUS BUREAU THEMSELVES RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS AN UNDER COUNT THAT TOOK PLACE. UM, WE ARE LEGALLY AS A CITY, REQUIRED TO GO BY THE CENSUS NUMBERS, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T THINK THAT THEY ARE AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF OUR CITY AND ITS POPULATION. SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT FRONT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND JERRY AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD GIVEN THE CARDS THAT [04:25:01] THEY'VE BEEN DEALT, WHICH IS A BAD CENSUS COUNT. UM, THAT BEING SAID, THANK YOU, UH, FOR SPEAKING OUT FOR THOSE THAT, UM, DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE A VOICE. UM, I, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY. UM, YOU, I ALSO KNOW ARE DOCUMENTING AND CAPTURING THE HISTORY FOR OTHERS. UM, OF FOURTH WARD FRIEDMAN SOUND EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO YOUR WORDS MEAN A LOT. UM, THEY CARRY A LOT OF WEIGHT, LIKE THE OTHER LEADERS THAT HAVE COME FORWARD. UH, BUT I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUALLY LOOKING OUT FOR THOSE THAT, UH, MAY NOT HAVE A VOICE. THANK YOU. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS. YES. THANK YOU, MS. BROWN. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, GRAHAM. I MEAN, GRAHAM, THANK, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I, UH, WANTED TO SAY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR COMMENTS, UM, BASICALLY ARE, ARE, ARE WHAT YOU STATED IN REGARDS TO THE CENSUS. THERE IS AN UNDER COUNT, UH, AS YOU KNOW, THERE WAS THAT FEAR, UH MM-HMM . FOR THE IMMIGRANTS THAT ARE UNDOCUMENTED TO FILL OUT THE CENSUS, UH, THANKS TO OUR FORMER PRESIDENT. UH, SO THE, THEREFORE, THESE NUMBERS, IN MY OPINION ARE INCORRECT. ALSO, UH, IN, IN REGARDS TO SAYING THAT HISPANIC POPULATION IS 45%, WHEN, WHEN, IN, IN SAYING IT JUST GROW, GREW, UH, JUST A SMALL PORTION FROM 10 YEARS AGO. UH, WE KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE. UH, SO, SO THIS IS WHY WE'RE HERE. WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE FAIR REPRESENTATION AROUND THIS HORSESHOE, AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. CAROLYN. EVAN, I'M SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KOSH. YES, SIR. HELLO. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. YOU TOO, SIR. UM, SO, SO WE HAVE AN UNDER COUNT. YES. WE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE BAD DATA. YES. SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT, WHAT DO WE DO NOW THAT WE HAVE BAD DATA AND WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION BASED ON BAD DATA? SO WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE DO TO FIX THIS? WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN TO ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS. THERE'S SOME NEIGHBORHOODS, LIKE I SAID, THAT'S LIVING REALLY GOOD. AND THERE'S SOME NEIGHBORHOODS THAT'S LIVING REALLY GOOD THAT'S CLOSE ON CERTAIN PLACES THAT'S NOT DOING SO GREAT ON THIS MAP AND EVERYTHING. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND THINGS BEING DONE, IT'S CONNECTED TO ECONOMICS, IT'S CONNECTED TO MONEY. YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS I CAN GO IN, TAKE HEB FOR, LET'S JUST USE HEB FOR AN EXAMPLE. I CAN GO TO HEB IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOOD. EVERYTHING IS THE MOST HEALTHIEST THING THAT YOU WANNA FIND. YOU WOULD NEVER FIND, I GO INTO A POOR NEIGHBORHOOD. I HAVE EVERYTHING IN THERE THAT'S RIGHT UP IN FRONT OF ME TO KILL ME. LIKE THE JUICE, THE, THE, UM, THE WHOLE CAKES, ALL ALL THOSE TYPES SWEET THINGS. YOU SEE ALL OF THAT THAT'S THERE IN THOSE TYPE OF COMMUNITIES. BUT YOU WOULD NEVER FIND THAT IN A COMMUNITY WHERE THE WE AFFLUENT PEOPLE. THAT'S THAT. YOU, YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA, EVEN THE PLAYING FIELD. AND, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA, EVEN THE PLAYING FIELD FOR OUR FUTURE AND FOR OUR KIDS, BECAUSE LOOK, I GOT GRAY HAIR TOO. WE ALL ARE GETTING OLD. AND SO WE HAVE TO BUILD THIS THING AND THIS, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS. WE, PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT CRT. THIS IS CRT AT ITS FINEST. WHEN YOU TAKE SEPARATE PEOPLE BY ETHNICITY AND PUT SO MANY IN ONE COMMUNITY, THOSE KIDS ARE NOT EVEN LEARNING AND THRIVING. HOW TO OPERATE IN THE REAL WORLD WHEN YOU DON'T SEE PEOPLE THAT DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU. I AM AN AMERICAN, NOT A BLACK AMERICAN, NOT AFRICAN AMERICAN, NOT A COLORED AMERICAN. I AM AMERICAN. AND WHEN WE GET FROM THOSE DIVIDES AND KEEP SAYING WHITE, BLACK, HISPANIC AND ALL THAT, THEN MAYBE WE CAN MAKE SOME PROGRESS IN THIS WORLD. JUST MAYBE. BUT, BUT SEE, WE HAVE BAD NUMBERS. YOU GOT BAD NUMBERS, AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN THE SHADOWS. THAT'S NOT EVER GONNA COME OUT THE SHADOWS. BUT, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION. YOU HEARD WHAT I SAID? GO TO SOME OF THESE ONES AND PUT, PUT, MIX IT UP. MIX UP THE ECONOMICS. SOMETHING RATHER THAN JUST DOING THE ETHNICITY. MAKE UP, DO THE ECONOMICS SO THAT EVERYBODY HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE. I CAN'T, IF, IF EVERYBODY IN MY COMMUNITY ARE POOR, WE ARE NEVER GONNA GET ANYTHING. 'CAUSE WE ARE NOT REALLY PAYING THAT MUCH TAXES. WE'RE NOT PAYING AS MUCH TAXES AS THE OTHER PEOPLE. YOU GOTTA MIX THAT. YOU GOTTA MAKE A MIXTURE. IT'S GOTTA BE EVEN YOU GOT YOUR LOW, MEDIUM, AND HIGH. THAT'S HOW YOU GOTTA LOOK AT IT. BUT SOME OF THESE GOT ALL THE LOW INCOME PEOPLE TOGETHER. NOW YOU WANNA PULL FREEMAN'S TOWN IN A PLACE THAT HASN'T BEEN SERVED AND UNDERSERVED FOREVER. AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO FREEMAN'S TOWN ARE ACTUALLY JUST CRIMINAL. THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS, OVER 150 YEARS, OR JUST CRIMINAL. AND SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT A POINT THAT YOU'RE GONNA SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE IN 1970 IT SAID, WHO KILLED FOURTH WARD? WELL, WE ARE GONNA KILL FOURTH WARD RIGHT HERE. IT DIDN'T DIE IN 1970. IT'S GONNA DIE IF WE DON'T PUT THE RESOURCES AND DO THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO. THIS IS PART OF FREEMAN'S TOWN, THIS IS PART FREEMAN'S TOWN HAS SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TOURISM. AND WE'RE SITTING ON A JEWEL AND WE'RE NOT EVEN USING IT. I AGREE. DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO MAKE IT WHAT IT SHOULD BE. MOST OF IT IS GONE ANYWAY. YOU'RE TAKING MOST OF IT ANYWAY. IT'S ONLY ABOUT [04:30:01] 50 PIECES THAT'S EVEN LEFT THERE WITH THE CHURCHES AND EVERYTHING ELSE. DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO MAKE IT A THRIVING SO IT CAN HELP THE CITY. AND IF THE CITY IS THRIVING, THAT MONEY CAN ROLL DOWN TO THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT NEED THAT HELP. LIKE, THANK YOU, DISTRICT H AND THESE OTHER PLACES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK MEMBER CAROLYN. EVAN SHABAZZ. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. AMIR PROAM. I HAVE KNOWN PRISCILLA GRAHAM FOR A LONG TIME. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL KNOW HER OR WHAT SHE DOES, BUT USUALLY SHE'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAMERA. MM-HMM . TAKING PICTURES. AND I'VE NEVER HEARD YOU SPEAK DISPASSIONATELY ABOUT ANYTHING. AND MY QUESTION WAS GONNA BE THE SAME AS COUNCIL MEMBER KUBOSH. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE DATA OF ANYBODY CAN REMEMBER I ADVERTISED FOR THE, UH, I HAD A SPECIAL SONG FOR THE CENSUS TO TRY TO GET EVERYBODY OUT, BUT IT, IT JUST DIDN'T STOP. NO. I NOT GONNA SAY NO. YOU DON'T WANT HEAR DON'T MAKE, DON'T MAKE ME, DON'T MAKE ME. NO. BUT ANYWAY, UH, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN. I I'M SEEING A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SIDE OF YOU THAT I JUST REALLY, REALLY, IT, I'M REALLY IMPRESSED. I MEAN, YOU HAVE DOCUMENTED SO MANY PARTS OF THE CITY WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHY. AND NOW, UH, TO SPEAK AS ELOQUENTLY AS YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE REALLY, REALLY, UH, JUST, JUST TOUCHED MY HEART AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD POLLARD. OH, YES, SIR. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. AND MS. GRAHAM, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU. WE SPENT MANY DAYS TOGETHER AND JUST LIKE MY COLLEAGUES STATED, UH, YOU, YOU'RE USUALLY BEHIND THE CAMERA. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA AND LETTING US, UH, HAVE MORE INSIGHT ON YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND ALSO LOOKING AT THE CITY AND VALUING IT FOR WHAT, UM, WE OFFER. AND NOT JUST FOCUSING THE LINES ON RACE AND NOT JUST FOCUSING THE LINES ON, UM, ETHNICITY, UM, BUT LOOKING AT ALL COMMUNITIES AND HOW WE CAN, UM, COEXIST AND COLLABORATE TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARY NAN HUFFMAN. NO, I'M SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER LETICIA PLUMMER. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR FOR TIME. WOW. LIKE, I WANT YOU TO STAND UP AND JUST LIKE COME GIVE YOU A HUG. SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU. BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HEAR ENOUGH OF, WE'RE DRAWING THE LINES. I LOVE THE CRITERIA THAT WE'RE USING, BUT ECONOMICS IS NOWHERE IN THERE. WE'RE NOT SPREADING THE WEALTH. THE ZIP CODES STILL MATTER BECAUSE CERTAIN ZIP CODES THRIVE AND CERTAIN ZIP CODES DON'T. AND THE WAY THAT OUR FINANCIAL, THE WAY THAT OUR MONIES ARE DISTRIBUTED ARE ALL DISTRIBUTED EQUALLY INDEPENDENT OF HOW SOME AND MOST COMMUNITIES SUFFER MORE THAN OTHERS. SO, THANK YOU. WE NEED YOU FROM BEHIND THE CAMERA AND IN FRONT. NO, REALLY, I'M REALLY BEING SERIOUS BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TODAY, I DON'T KNOW IF ALL OF US HAVE HEARD AT ONE IN, IN ONE SPECIFIC FORM. WE, WE TALK ABOUT IT INDEPENDENTLY, BUT NOT LIKE THIS. SO, UM, WE ARE DRAWING LINES FROM AN, FROM AN, UM, AN EQUALITY PERSPECTIVE, BUT WE'RE NOT DRAWING THEM FROM AN EQUITY PERSPECTIVE. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM YOU TODAY. YES. AND, UM, I'M JUST INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR YOU SAYING ALL THAT. 'CAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR. SO THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER MARY ANNE HUFFMAN. YES, MA'AM. UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING. YOU KNOW, WE SPENT AROUND 2 MILLION ON CENSUS MARKETING AND WE STILL HAVE THIS, YOU KNOW, UNDER COUNT. AND SO THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE DO? BUT WE KNOW THAT THESE PROBLEMS ARE REAL. YOU KNOW, AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY, UH, MY FAMILY, WE FLOODED. WE HAD 13 FEET OF WATER FOR 10 DAYS, AND WE WERE OUT OF OUR HOUSE FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. AND WE MOVED INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I'M GROCERY SHOPPING, AND I, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT PRICES, NOT NECESSARILY PRODUCTS. AND I GRAB A GALLON OF CHOCOLATE MILK AND I GET HOME. AND MY HUSBAND SAID, WHAT DID YOU BUY ? AND IT WAS A, IT WAS LITERALLY A GALLON OF CHOCOLATE SUGAR WATER. IT WASN'T CHOCOLATE MILK, BUT IT WAS IN THE SAME, YOU KNOW, BIN THE SAME DOOR SECTION AS WHERE YOU WOULD BUY ALL THE OTHER MILK. AND SO, YOU KNOW, AND I READ AND SPEAK ENGLISH AND, YOU KNOW, BUT I STILL PICKED THAT BECAUSE IT WAS, I LOOK AT THE PRICE, RIGHT? SO I PICKED THE LOWEST ONE. AND SO WE KNOW THAT THESE ISSUES ARE REAL. UM, AND IT'S NOT JUST A CITY ISSUE, IT'S A BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY ISSUE. I WROTE A LETTER TO HEB AND I SAID, WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING HERE? YOU KNOW? AND THEY SAID, WELL, THAT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE IN THE THIS COMMUNITY WANT, BUT IS IT, YOU KNOW? AND SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY AND CONTINUE TO SPREAD THAT MESSAGE. AND, UM, I JUST FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GONNA DO A LOT OF GOOD EVERYWHERE. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. THANK YOU. UM, AGAIN, MS. GRAHAM, I THINK EVERYONE CAPTURED, UH, HOW WE ALL FEEL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR WORDS TONIGHT. AND I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE IN ADDITION TO YOU, 'CAUSE I THINK YOU MAY BE THE LAST SPEAKER, UM, RELATED TO FOURTH [04:35:01] WARD, FRIEDMANS TOWN AND DISTRICT C SPECIFICALLY. UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE, I BELIEVE IN THE AUDIENCE, UM, IN ADDITION TO REVEREND ELMO JOHNSON. UM, SHARONDA, UH, CAME BACK AS WELL. SO I, AGAIN, TO ALL OF THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE THERE THAT I CONTINUE TO WORK WITH, AND THAT, UM, JUST REPRESENT AND STAND FOR WHAT FOURTH WARD FRIEDMANS TOWN IS. UH, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR COMMITMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TIM. UH, MS. GRAHAM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. UH, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE $2 MILLION THAT WAS SPENT ON THE CENSUS COUNT WAS MONEY FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, AND NOT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS EVEN VOTED FOR THAT. UH, THE STATE LEGISLATURE FAILED TO SPEND ANY MONEY ON THIS CENSUS COUNT. AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE IN THIS BOAT. UM, CAN I RESPOND? UM, SO I, I REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S ABOUT, UM, WITH THE CENSUS, ACTUALLY, I WORK WITH THE CENSUS. THAT'S HOW I KNOW A LOT MORE THAN I PROBABLY SHOULD. BUT IT'S ABOUT BEING BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND HAVING TO GO INTO THE COMMUNITY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DON'T TRUST YOU. THEY'RE NOT GONNA TALK TO YOU. IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU SPEND OR WHO YOU ARE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE OUT OF THE COMMUNITY, THE ONES THAT'S BEING YOUR SPOKESPERSON. AND I THINK THAT, YEAH, WE INVESTED THE MONEY, BUT MAYBE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INVESTED IN PEOPLE TO DO THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND OUT OF THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY KINDA KNEW RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, JUST MARKETING DIFFERENT THINGS. I'M NOT CONDEMNING ANYTHING, I'M JUST SAYING THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A BETTER WAY TO REACH MORE PEOPLE. YEAH. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO COVID, IT WAS HARD TO HAVE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND KNOCKING ON DOORS. SO THAT'S WHY THE STATE LEGISLATURE SHOULD HAVE SPENT MORE MONEY. YEAH. SO THAT WAY WE CAN GET MORE MAILERS OUT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WILL FILL OUT THEIR CENSUS. YES, SIR. MS. GRAHAM, WE HAVE NO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING. IT'S BEEN A REALLY INTERESTING CONVERSATION. LAST NUMBER OF SPEAKERS FOR ME TO JUST LISTEN BECAUSE TALKING ABOUT UNDERCOUNTING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FREEMAN'S TOWN, POSSIBLY MOVING FROM C TO HI REMEMBER VIVIDLY 10 YEARS AGO WHEN I DECIDED TO TAKE THIS LITTLE JOURNEY, UM, TRAVELING IN MY CAR 65 MILES FROM MY HOUSE TO THE OTHER END OF THE DISTRICT THAT I NOW REPRESENT. THAT'S A LONG WAY'S. A LOT OF GAS. IT'S A LOT OF TIME THAT YOU LOSE IN A CAR GETTING AROUND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND I WOULD GO THERE, THE CAMPAIGN, AND UH, PEOPLE WOULD SAY, YEAH, WE KNOW YOU. YOU'RE THE ACCOUNTANT, YOU'RE THE GUY THAT SERVED ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. YOU'RE THE NUMBERS GUY, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA VOTE FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. AND MY ANSWER WAS ALWAYS, HEY, I GET IT. I GET IT. I DON'T LIVE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IF YOU GIVE ME A CHANCE, IF YOU GIVE ME A CHANCE, I WILL REPRESENT YOU BETTER THAN ANYONE EVER HAS. AND I THINK SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WENT TO THE AWARD CEREMONY THAT THEY HONORED ME DOWN 65 MILES AWAY FROM WHERE I LIVE, WOULD SAY I'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF DOING THAT. MY POINT IN SAYING THAT IS THAT WHILE I MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT MAYBE HAVE A DIFFERENT POLITICAL IDEOLOGY THAN I DO, THERE'S NOT ONE QUESTIONABLE COUNCIL MEMBER HERE THAT I DON'T BELIEVE BUSTS THEIR TAIL DAY IN AND DAY OUT TO REPRESENT EVERYONE IN THEIR DISTRICT. AND WHEN I CAME IN, THE MOST UNDERSERVED AREA THAT I REPRESENT WERE PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T VOTE FOR ME, PROBABLY DIDN'T EVEN VOTE, BUT I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME AND MONEY REDOING SHAVER ROAD, EDGEBROOK FREEWAY MANOR, AND NOW CRENSHAW. SO MY POINT IN SAYING THIS, IF YOU JUST GIVE THEM A CHANCE, GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE. ABBY CAYMAN'S AN EXCELLENT COUNCIL MEMBER, CARLOS CISNEROS IS AS WELL. AND THE PERSON THAT COMES BEHIND CARLOS CISNEROS IS GONNA DO A DARN GOOD JOB AS WELL. SO I WOULD JUST ASK FOR AN OPEN MIND AND AN OPEN DIALOGUE AND GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE. STILL NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES TO SUPPORT DISTRICT H AND SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT ARE HEAVILY HISPANIC, REGARDLESS TO GIVING 'EM A CHANCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, NEXT SPEAKER, RONALD DELANEY. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. I'M RON DELANEY. I'M HERE REPRESENTING ANTOINE FOREST ESTATES IN THE GREATER INWOOD AREA. AND JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WE SUPPORT THE PLAN FOR DISTRICT A AS IT IS 'CAUSE IT KEEPS A GREATER INWOOD AREA INTACT. AND ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS, WE ALL PRETTY MUCH WORK TOGETHER ON EVERY PROJECT THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE AREA. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE TO SAY. AND THANKS AMY PECK FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR US, IT'S SALLY ALCORN 'CAUSE YOU'VE JUMPED ON BOARD WITH US. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MR. DELANEY. COUNCIL MEMBER [04:40:01] AMY PECK. THANK YOU MAYOR PROTIME. THANKS RON FOR BEING HERE TODAY. AND I REALLY WANNA THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE INWOOD COMMUNITY. RON IS THE PERSON, UM, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHEN HIS NEIGHBORS ARE FLOODING. HE IS THERE HELPING THEM EVEN THOUGH HIS OWN HOME IS FLOODING AS WELL. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT DISTRICT A WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO SEE THAT THROUGH. WE STILL HAVE SOME MORE WORK TO DO AND, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU WATCHING THE WHITE OAK BAYOU PROJECT FOR US SO CLOSELY. AND I DO, UM, SUPPORT THE PLAN TO KEEP THE GREATER INWOOD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD TOGETHER ALL IN ONE COUNCIL DISTRICT. I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN INWOOD HAS HAVE REALLY PUSHED FOR. AND PHILIP, WHO'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD IS HERE TODAY AS WELL. I KNOW THAT HE'S ADVOCATED FOR THAT TOO. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER AND COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN. I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. WE GOTTA DO, GET THOSE NAMES ON THE BOARD. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. UH, MR. DELANEY, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING BACK. SORRY, REALLY QUICKLY, I I JUST WANTED TO THANK MR. DELANEY AND ALSO PHILIP, WHO I KNOW IS IN THE AUDIENCE. UM, AS, AS YOU ALL HAVE SEEN, UH, THERE ARE PARTS OF DISTRICT C THAT INEVITABLY HAD TO GO TO OTHER DISTRICTS. AND, UM, THE GREATER INWOOD AREA WAS ONE WHERE RESIDENTS REALLY DID FEEL LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO, UH, BE TOGETHER. SO, UH, WHILE I HATE TO LOSE ANY PART OF DISTRICT C, UM, YOU KNOW, I WANNA SUPPORT WHAT RESIDENTS WANT, AND THIS IS FOR THE, UH, BETTERMENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS A WHOLE. SO I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYONE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ALSO RECOGNIZE PHILIP, YOUR AMAZING, AMAZING WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH MY OFFICE AND WITH DISTRICT A. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. I'M JACQUES. I HAVE A, I HAVE A JEAN JOCKS. I HAVE A JEAN JOCKS NEXT SPEAKER. CASE WENT. GOOD EVENING. UM, I AM A MEMBER OF SUPER. I'M A VICE PRESIDENT OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 31, WHICH IS GREATER MEYERLAND, ALSO VERY INVOLVED IN MANY CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE DRAFT, UM, WHICH INC LETS US KEEP OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD TOGETHER. UM, I HAVE LIVED IN MY HOME IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 45 YEARS. I'VE RAISED THREE CHILDREN THERE. I HAVE FIVE GRANDCHILDREN LIVING IN THE AREA. BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, 15 YEARS AGO, IF YOU HAD SAID YOU WANTED TO SEPARATE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN UPSET. BUT HERE'S WHAT CHANGED. WE FLOODED, WE HAD MASSIVE, WE FLOODED, WE HAD REPEATED FLOODING, SOME NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MY LAND AS MUCH AS 78%. OTHERS, 30%, OTHERS 50%. AND WHEN THAT HAPPENED, IT CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR US. AND WE UNIFIED. AND WHETHER YOU LIVE EIGHT TENTHS OF A MILE TO THE NORTH OF THE BAYOU, OR YOU LIVE EIGHT TENTHS OF A MILE TO THE SOUTH OF THE BAYOU, WE ALL SUFFERED ENORMOUS, UH, CHANGE IN TRAUMA AND LOSS AS A RESULT OF THAT. AND THAT IS A SLOW RECOVERY. WE LOST BUSINESSES. WE HAVE A FOOD DESERT ACTUALLY AROUND CHIMNEY ROCK AND, UM, THE BAYOU, BECAUSE WE LOST THE LITTLE HEB ON ONE SIDE OF IT, WE LOST THE BELDEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT. THERE IS A LARGE APARTMENT COMMUNITY THERE, 1400 UNITS, 800 UNITS, 160 UNITS, 200 UNITS ALL TOUCHING EACH OTHER. MOSTLY PEOPLE OF COLOR, MOSTLY PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE CARS OR HAVE, AND THEY DON'T HAVE A, A GROCERY STORE THAT THEY CAN GET TO. THERE'S AN HEB THAT'S WONDERFUL, BUT IT'S ABOUT A MILE AWAY. SO I WALK THOSE APARTMENT COMPLEXES AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. I TALK TO PEOPLE, THEY ARE STRUGGLING TOO. MY GRANDCHILDREN, ONE OF, YOU KNOW, GOES TO HIGH SCHOOL AND ONE SIDE OF THE BIO GOES TO MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE, IT IS A SHARED COMMUNITY. ABBY HAS DONE A GREAT JOB. WE ASKED FOR HELP WITH A CRIME PROBLEM. SHE GOT TOGETHER POLICE PEOPLE, THE CORPORATE HEADS OF THESE APARTMENTS, OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. AND WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS FOR THE FIRST TIME. I FEEL HOPE FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT WE CAN SOLVE SOME OF THAT. THE SOUTHWEST POLICE COMMANDER SAID THAT THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN OUR AREA, ONE IN PARTICULAR, HAVE THE HIGHEST CRIME RATE OF ANY COMPLEXES IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF HOUSTON UNDER HIS COMMAND. SO I THINK PEOPLE HAVE AN IDEA ABOUT WHAT MEYERLAND IS, BUT KNOW THAT WE HAVE CHANGED SINCE ALL THIS HAPPENED. I'VE HAD TWO PEOPLE HELD UP ON THE STREET, MY STREET WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS. ONE NEXT DOOR TO ME AND ONE SIX HOUSES DOWN. IT HAS CHANGED. I DON'T WALK AT NIGHT ANYMORE, BUT I'M VERY DEDICATED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I'M VERY DEDICATED ACTUALLY TO THOSE APARTMENTS. WE'VE GOTTEN THEM NOW BECAUSE OF ABBY'S WORK. THEY'RE APPLYING FOR BLUE STAR CERTIFICATION. THEY'VE INCREASED THEIR SECURITY. THEY'RE TALKING TO ASK AND AMPING FOR HELP. WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MENTOR SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THOSE. IT WILL BE A PR EVENT. IF WE'RE DIVIDED, IT WON'T CONTINUE. AND SO WE'RE ASKING TO BE KEPT TOGETHER. WE HOPE THAT WE CAN REMAIN IN DISTRICT C AND IT'S [04:45:01] VITAL TO OUR SURVIVAL. WE WANNA BRING BUSINESSES IN AGAIN, AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE IT HAPPEN. BUT WE LOST NOT JUST BIG RETAIL BUSINESSES, BUT TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. MS. WIND. NEXT SPEAKER BEING CHOW. OH, SHE, HOLD ON. CAME IN SPEEDING. OH, NEVERMIND. BEN CHOW. IT'S OKAY IF I NEED AN INTERPRETER. CAN WE HAVE THE SECOND MIC AVAILABLE? CITY COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS BEN CIAO. AND TODAY I'M HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF CHINESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WOMAN AND DIVERSE FAITH. UM, ALL CHINESE PEOPLE. NOW CHINESE AMERICANS KNOW THAT, UH, HOUSTON, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS A VERY DIVERSE CITY. BUT AS YOU KNOW, THAT CHINATOWN, WHERE CHINESE PEOPLE LIVE, CHINESE AMERICANS LIVE, UM, IS SLICED INTO TWO PARTS. DISTRICT F SO, UM, PRECINCT 5 0 7 BELONGS TO DISTRICT F PRECINCT 3 1 1, WHICH IS TO THE SOUTH OF PRECINCT. 5 0 7 BELONGS TO DISTRICT J WOMAN. THERE ARE ONLY TWO AREAS THAT IS CHINATOWN AND ONE IS PRECINCT 5 0 7. THE OTHER IS PRECINCT 3 1 1. WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE TWO PRECINCTS TO BE JOINED TOGETHER IN THE SAME DISTRICT, DISTRICT F QUARTER DISTRICT J 'CAUSE IT'S, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHERE WE BELONG TO, UM, EITHER F OR J AS LONG AS THE TWO PARTS ARE TOGETHER, DISTRICT AN THE SPRING BRANCH. UM, THERE ARE OTHER ASIAN AMERICANS, FOR EXAMPLE, KOREANS, THEY'RE IN DISTRICT A, A DISTRICT F UH, VIETNAMESE IN DISTRICT F AND INDIANS AND PAKISTANIS ARE IN DISTRICT J. UH, THE ONLY EXCEPTION IS THE CHINESE COMMUNITY DIVIDED INTO TWO. SO WE SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOU WILL PUT ALL THE CHINESE PEOPLE IN THE SAME, UH, PRECINCT, IN THE SAME DISTRICT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NO COUNCIL MEMBERS IN Q COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS. THANK YOU FOR COMING. UH, THANK YOU FOR, UM, RAISING THAT. UM, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND I DO SHARE, SHARE THAT. AND, UM, I AM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, COMMITTED TO 5 0 7. UM, THERE'S A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY ASSET, THE CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTER. UM, SO I WOULD BE, UM, UNWILLING TO GIVE THAT UP , UM, UM, BECAUSE OF THE GREAT WORK THAT WE DO. BUT YOU DO RAISE A VERY SAGE POINT, UM, THAT I DID NOT CONSIDER. AND SO, UM, HOPEFULLY THAT CAN BE ADDED TO THE LIST OF CONSIDERATIONS. AND I DO BELIEVE THE CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTER WILL BE SIGNING UP NEXT WEEK ALSO TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE MAP. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU MR. CHOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, I'M SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER ASHA JACKSON. MR. CHOW, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT IN MY DISTRICT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND SHARING YOUR, UM, CONCERNS ABOUT THE MAPS. YOU THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES. REGARDLESS OF WHICHEVER, UH, COUNCILWOMAN THOMAS JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO YOU, UM, IT, IT'S NOT IMPORTANT TO US WHICH DISTRICT WE BELONG TO. IT'S JUST CHINATOWN. THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN TO CHINATOWN, WE ARE UNIQUELY DIFFERENT FROM OUR VIETNAMESE COUNTERPARTS WHO ARE WEST OF BELTWAY EIGHT. WE ARE EAST OF BELTWAY EIGHT. UM, THE DIVIDING LINE BETWEEN US IS BEL AIR, RIGHT? YOU COME TO BEL AIR, WHETHER YOU'RE ON THE NORTH SIDE OR SOUTH SIDE, THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE. BUT IT IS A, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR OUR BUSINESS OWNERS TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR FELLOW BUSINESS PEOPLE IF WE HAVE TO GO TO TWO SEPARATE COUNCIL DISTRICTS. SO WHETHER IT'S IN J OR [04:50:01] F, WE CAN ASK THAT, YOU KNOW, PLEASE DO SOME KIND OF TRADE. AND IF NECESSARY, WE NOTICE THAT PRECINCT 5, 6, 6 WAS MOVED INTO DISTRICT J. WE ASK THAT 5 0 7, 5 6, 6 BE SWAPPED INTO WHICHEVER DIRECTION, SIR. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, HAROLD EDEN. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS HAROLD EATON. I AM CURRENT PRESIDENT OF MONT CIVIC CLUB AND AN OFFICER OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 31. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PUSH THE, TO PROMOTE THE GOAL OF KEEPING THE AREA DISTRICT C ESPECIALLY THE PART THAT REPRESENTS SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 31. TOGETHER WE ARE CENTERED ON BOTH SIDES OF BRAS BAYOU. THAT KIND OF IS WHAT BRINGS THAT NEIGHBORHOOD TOGETHER. I DO WANT TO, TO REMEMBER, TO GIVE CREDIT TO TERRY KAMINSKI. SHE IS PRESIDENT OF OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AND SHE WAS, UH, ONE OF THE PEOPLE INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 31 TOGETHER, AS IS THE, THE JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER. WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE EFFECTIVE. WE WOULD PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD THERE THAT WAS THAT ORGANIZED. IF NOT FOR THE, THE LEADERSHIP PROVIDED BY THE JCC. WE, AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE ON BOTH SIDES OF BRAS BAYOU. WE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, WE FEEL LIKE BRAISED BAYOU IS KIND OF THE CENTERPIECE. IT'S WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER. I HAVE LIVED IN WITHIN STONE'S THROW OF BRAISED BAYOU FOR 40 YEARS. AND THINGS HAVE CHANGED, UH, OVER THOSE YEARS, RAISED A FAMILY AND, AND IT'S STILL A NICE PLACE. AND SO WHAT WE DON'T WANNA DO, WE HAVE THIS COHESION AT THE MOMENT CENTERED AROUND SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 31. WHAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IS HAVING SOME OF OUR GROUPS SPLIT OFF FROM DISTRICT C INTO OTHER DISTRICTS. IT WORKS WELL FOR US TODAY. AND, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT NOT BE, THAT MIGHT NOT CONTINUE FOREVER, BUT WE DO FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A WORKING SITUATION GOING ON, AND WE'D LIKE TO KEEP THAT GOING ON AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE FLOODS THAT WERE MENTIONED EARLIER, AND THE, WE FEEL THE FLOOD THAT THE CRIME PROBLEMS AND THE, UH, OTHER ISSUES. AND WE FEEL LIKE OUR BEST CHANCE TO DEAL WITH THE CRIME AND THE, AND THE FOOD DESERTS IS, IS TO WORK THROUGH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AND CONTINUE IN OUR ONGOING EFFORTS. SO WHAT WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN IS TO STAY WITHIN DISTRICT C. WE'VE HAD VERY SUCCESSFUL, UH, EFFORTS WITH, UH, ABBY CAYMAN AND, UH, UH, AND MS. ALCORN, UH, AND, UH, OTHERS. AND WE, THAT'S OUR GOAL IS TO TRY TO STAY WITHIN, UH, DISTRICT C SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. THANK YOU, HAROLD. I ALSO WANTED TO QUICKLY THANK KAY FOR BEING HERE TO REPRESENT THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL. I KNOW TERRY COULD NOT, AS SHE'S TRAVELING. UM, BOTH OF YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BOTH SIDES OF THE BAYOU, UM, AND THE COHESIVENESS OF THE GREATER MEYERLAND AREA, YOU KNOW, THE FOCAL POINT OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER SERVING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, UM, AS WELL AS OTHER INSTITUTIONS IN THE AREA. UM, COULD YOU TALK REALLY QUICKLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COHESION OF THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE DISTRICT. UM, THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF SIMILARITIES THOUGH, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE BAYOU ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SIX 10. IS THAT CORRECT? AND COULD YOU TALK ABOUT THAT AND HOW THAT INTERPLAYS? WELL, WE ARE THE, THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, 31, AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE SEPARATED AND JOINED BY BRAS BAYOU, AND WE REPRESENT NEIGHBORHOODS INCLUDING MAPLEWOOD AND INCLUDING, UH, THE, UH, WE ALSO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE BRAZE MOUNT, UM, UH, GROUP THAT, THAT HAS FOCUSED ON BUILDING THE BRIDGES, THAT THERE'S BEEN THREE BRIDGES IN THE AREA THAT HAVE GONE UP IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND IF NOT, PERHAPS IF NOT FOR THE, UH, PUSH AND THE, UH, THE COMMUNICATION THAT WAS ONGOING COMING OUT OF DISTRICT C AND SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 31, IT MIGHT NOT HAVE HAPPENED SO WELL OR SO, UH, SO QUICKLY. IT IS [04:55:01] A FINE JOB. THE BRIDGES ARE, IT'S SO NICE TO HAVE THE BRIDGES IN BACK IN PLACE AGAIN. UH, UM, ANYWAY, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE, UH, AND UH, COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU HAROLD. AND I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, TO YOUR POINT, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 38 AND OLD BRAESWOOD, UM, WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 31 AND THE RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS ALL ALONG THERE, UM, IN TERMS OF A COHESIVE COMMUNITY. BUT AGAIN, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR VOICE AND ALL THE OTHERS THAT CAME TO OUR TOWN HALL, UM, TO SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, MR. EATON. THANK YOU BECAUSE, UM, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION TODAY ON THE MOVEMENT TO MR. EATON SAID, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION TODAY ON MOVING FROM SINGLE, FROM AT LARGES INTO SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS. AND YOU MADE A GREAT POINT OF RECOGNIZING YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER AND ONE OF AT AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND I ALWAYS TELL THE PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT, THAT YOU HAVE SIX COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT REPRESENT YOU, ME AND THE FIVE AT LARGE COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND WHEN YOU PUT THOSE FOLKS TOGETHER AND GO DOWN A PATH FOR A MISSION, UH, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY, UH, IT'S PRETTY CONVINCING. SO, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE HEAR SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS ABOUT, UH, MOVING TO SINGLE DISTRICTS, I GET IT. BUT SOME OF THE POWER THAT WE HAVE IN SOME OF THE AT LARGES WHEN WE PULL TOGETHER WITH, UH, YOU HAVING THE ABILITY TO HAVE A, IN THIS CASE, A SALLY ALCORN JOINED FORCES WITH AN ABEY CAYMAN, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD PACKAGE. I'D HATE TO RUN INTO THOSE TWO, AND I'M ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT. BUT, UH, BUT THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THAT. AND, AND, UH, I'VE WORKED WITH MANY OF THE AT LARGES AND PULLING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TOMORROW. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON'S GONE DOWN AND HELPING ME IN ONE OF THE AREAS ON THE SOUTH END OF MY DISTRICT THAT I MENTIONED IS 65 MILES AWAY FROM MY HOUSE. AND, UH, THAT'S A POWERFUL STATEMENT WHEN WE DO THINGS LIKE THAT. SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THAT. UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THAT COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION IS WHAT MAKES THIS ALL WORK. AND SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TOGETHER AND WORKING TOGETHER. YES, SIR. MS. DEATON, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, DON ELLIOTT. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA JUST THANK YOU THAT, UM, THE EXPLANATION OF HOW YOU ARRIVED AT THE MAPS, UM, WAS REALLY HELPFUL. UM, BUT I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED BECAUSE, UM, I FIRST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS FROM AN EMAIL, UM, SENT OUT BY THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, UH, LESS THAN A WEEK AGO. AND THE MAPS ARE DATED LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AGO. AND SO HERE YOU ARE, YOU'RE ALREADY ASKING FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A LOT OF TIME. YES, THERE'S TIME TO MAYBE LOOK OVER THE MAPS, BUT ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS WHERE, UM, THE MAPS DO NOT FOLLOW THE NATURAL BOUNDARIES, THERE'S REALLY NOT, HASN'T BEEN ENOUGH TIME TO DIG INTO THE DATA AND UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITIES. AND I THINK I JUST ENCOURAGE CITY COUNCIL TO, UH, INSTEAD OF RUSHING THESE DECISIONS THROUGH, 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LIVE WITH THESE DECISIONS FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS. I JUST ENCOURAGE A MORE DELIBERATIVE, UM, METHOD OF DETERMINING THESE BOUNDARIES TO GIVE BOTH CITY COUNCIL AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIG INTO THE DATA AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THESE CHANGES ON THE COMMUNITY, UM, AS WELL AS ALLOW THE PUBLIC A CHANCE TO DO THAT. BECAUSE WE REALLY HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF TIME TO DO SO. AND SO I JUST, IN THE INTEREST OF GOOD GOVERNANCE, I JUST ENCOURAGE A MORE DELIBERATIVE APPROACH TO THESE DECISIONS. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU MS. ELLIOT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON. MS. ELLIOT, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING. IT'S EXCELLENT COMMENT AND APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION AND, UM, LOOKING FOR THOSE DEADLINES FOR US. BUT, UM, YOUR COMMENTS ARE REALLY MEANINGFUL. YOU'RE THE LAST SPEAKER I BELIEVE OF THE DAY, AND SO THANK YOU FOR PAYING ATTENTION. THANK YOU. AND, AND JUST AN A REMINDER, WE'LL HAVE THE CHANCE, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEDNESDAY AT 9:00 AM SO INVITE PAST THE WORD, INVITE YOUR NEIGHBORS TO COME AND GIVE US THEIR OPINION, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO THANK YOU. ABSOLUTE, THANK YOU. YES MA'AM. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS. IF THERE IS ANYONE THAT IS HERE THAT WOULD LIKE, LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE, PLEASE COME FORWARD SEEING NO ONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THIS HEARING TO ROBINSON? OH, WE DO. WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE. AND YOUR NAME? PHILLIP SALERNO. OKAY, MR. SALERNO. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER INWOOD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL NUMBER FIVE. AND SINCE I GOT BROUGHT MENTIONED A COUPLE [05:00:01] OF TIMES, I JUST THOUGHT I'D GO AHEAD AND, AND MAKE A FEW COMMENTS. UH, MY, WHERE I ACTUALLY LIVE WITHIN GREATER INWOOD IS IN DISTRICT C. IT'S THAT LITTLE PENINSULA FINGER STICKING UP IN THERE. AND WHILE I PERSONALLY ENJOY, UH, BEING IN DISTRICT C, I ALSO, MOST OF MY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD IS IN DISTRICT A. SO I HAD THE BEST. YOU TALKED ABOUT ONE PLUS FIVE, WELL, I'VE GOT TWO PLUS FIVE. YEAH. AND HAVE WORKED WITH MANY OF THE, UH, AT LARGE, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, COUNCILMAN ROBINSON AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER ON, UH, THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL AND ON MULTIPLE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS. UH, COUNCILMAN ALCORN AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON VARIOUS ACTIVITIES TOGETHER. SO, UM, I WORKED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CI ON THINGS, SO I, I WORKED WITH A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS ON VARIOUS ISSUES. UM, AND I, I WANT TO THANK, UH, DIRECTOR WALLACE BROWN BECAUSE I WAS, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING THE FIRST PERSON TO WORK ON THE SOFTWARE AT THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. AND, UH, MR. UH, AND RUPE, UH, WAS A GREAT HELPER, UH, TO ME ON THAT. AND WE DEVELOPED PHILIP'S PLAN, WHICH KIND OF SOME OF THE OTHER SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT CAME ALONG AFTERWARDS, KIND OF USED MINE AS A, AS A BLUEPRINT TO START OFF WITH ON. AND MINE WAS, I JUST LOOKED AT, OKAY, THIS ONE'S GOT THIS MUCH NUMBERS IN THIS PRECINCT, LET'S MOVE THIS OVER HERE, KEEP 'EM CONTIGUOUS. AND, AND SOME OF THAT IS IN THE PLAN. AND HONESTLY, MOST OF THAT IS IN THE PLAN ON THOSE PRE THOSE DISTRICTS THAT I, UH, WORKED ON. SO I THINK IT'S BEEN A GREAT EFFORT. I WANT TO APPLAUD THE COUNCIL ON ALL OF THEIR OPEN HOUSES, ALL OF THEIR OUTREACH, ET CETERA. AND, UH, CERTAINLY TOO, THE DEMOGRAPHER IN CHIEF OVER HERE AS WELL. UM, BUT, UM, FOR, FOR MY, MY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, THIS PLAN WORKS TOGETHER. UM, AGAIN, HAD GREAT WORK WITH DISTRICT C AND WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, AND, AND WORKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT A AS WELL. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK AND, AND ESPECIALLY APPLAUD THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ON ALL OF THEIR WORK AS WELL. THANK YOU. PART OF PHILIP'S PLAN. WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, PHILIP. UM, AND I, I REALLY LIKE PHILIP'S PLAN, SO THANK YOU FOR PROPOSING THAT . UM, BUT, UM, UNIFYING INWOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN TALKED ABOUT, BUT BECAUSE YOU PUT THE WORK IN AND ACTUALLY PUT THAT PLAN AS A PROPOSAL, THAT'S REALLY WHY WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT. SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANOTHER CALL OUT. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS REDISTRICTING ISSUE? SEEING? NO. NONE. UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THIS HEARING? SO MOVED. ROBINSON. SECOND. SECOND. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. AND ANOTHER REMINDER, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE THIRD AND FINAL PUBLIC HEARING WILL TAKE PLACE HERE AGAIN AT NINE O'CLOCK NEXT WEDNESDAY. WHEN THEY SAY SAME TIME, SAME BAT CHANNEL, . WITH THAT, WE STAND ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.