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OF LIFE COMMITTEE MEETING.[Quality of Life Committee on July 27, 2022.]
I'M ROBERT GALLEGOS, CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.IT'S NOW 2:02 PM AND I'M PLEASED TO CALL TODAY'S MEETING TO ORDER.
LET ME START BY RECOGNIZING MY COLLEAGUES JOINING US TODAY.
BE BEGINNING WITH VICE CHAIR AV CA ABBY CAYMAN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
ALSO, WE HAVE, UH, IN THE CHAMBERS, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ASHA JACKSON.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN JOINING US.
VERSE VIRTUALLY WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN.
WE HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS ROS.
WE HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE, UH, KNOX.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY.
OH, WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMBER'S OFFICE.
IF I MISSED ANYONE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
UH, I, SIR CAYMAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO OFFER A FEW OPENING COMMENTS? UH, NO.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PRESENTATIONS.
A REMINDER FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF EACH PRESENTATION.
WHEN YOU'RE RECOGNIZED, REMEMBER TO UNMUTE YOUR MICROPHONE.
I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR THREE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS AS IN IT.
NOW, SWITCHING TO THE MEETING AGENDA.
TODAY, THE COMMITTEE WILL RECEIVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT ON A PROPOSED NATURE PRESERVE ORDINANCE.
WE WILL ALSO RECEIVE AN UPDATE FROM THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON GRANT FUNDED COVID-19 PROJECTS.
AND FINALLY, AN UPDATE ON MUSIC INITIATIVES FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
THE FIRST PRESENTATION, I'LL, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR FIRST PRESENTER, PARKS DIRECTOR, KENNETH ALLEN.
AND, UH, NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER, KELLY ANDRA.
CHECK IF YOU'LL PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD AS WELL AS ANY MEMBERS OF YOUR TEAM JOINING YOU TODAY.
THANK YOU, CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
AS WE, UM, THINK ABOUT THE NATURE PRESERVE ORDINANCE, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT, UM, PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR ECOSYSTEM.
DI DIRECTOR, COULD I ASK YOU TO PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MIC? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
UH, IT'S A PLEASURE FOR, FOR ME TO SIT HERE AND PRESENT THIS ORDINANCE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR OVER TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE JUST FOR HEARING THIS OUT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR OF, FOR HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND OUR PARK SYSTEM.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT EQUITY IN PARKS, HE'S CERTAINLY A DRIVER FOR THAT AND I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR THAT.
UM, FROM A STAFF STANDPOINT, I HAVE MULTIPLE STAFF MEMBERS HERE.
AND WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT AND INPUT ON THIS ORDINANCE AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE DO IN THE PARK SYSTEM, UM, WE SIMPLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FUNCTION, UH, AS WE FUNCTION NOW.
SO, STAFF, COULD YOU PLEASE STAND UP? YEAH.
YOU KNOW, TOGETHER, WE CERTAINLY GET A LOT MORE DONE.
UM, I WANT TO GIVE SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO OUR GREEN SPACE TEAM OF ABEL GONZALEZ, OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF GREEN SPACE MANAGEMENT THAT'S HERE.
ALSO HAVE CHARLOTTE LUSK, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF GREEN SPACE MANAGEMENT, THAT'S HERE WITH ME.
AND I HAVE KELLY ANDRE, OUR NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGER, AND JEREMY BURKES, OUR FORESTER AND OUR DIVISION MANAGER.
THE NAMES THAT I JUST MENTIONED ARE, WERE CRITICAL IN DEVELOPING THIS PRESENTATION AND WORKING ON THIS NATURE PRESERVE ORDINANCE.
IT TOOK A LOT OF WORK, A LOT OF INTENSE WORK, WORKING WITH PARTNERS AND CONSULTANTS TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY.
UM, AND I DON'T WANT TO STAND HERE AND TAKE THE CREDIT FOR SOMETHING THEY WORKED ON BEFORE I EVEN SIT IN THIS CHAIR, BUT I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
UM, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT NATURE AND YOU THINK ABOUT PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION, IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY.
SO KELLY AND DREEK IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR HABITAT, OUR WILDLIFE, AND OUR, AND OUR WATER BODIES.
AND SO MUCH IN THIS PRESENTATION INVOLVES THAT.
UH, SHE'S OUR RESIDENT EXPERT AND SHE COMES TO US HIGHLY QUALIFIED, UH, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT PRESERVATION
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AND NATURE ACROSS THIS CITY, UM, WITH ALL OF OUR PROPERTIES AND, AND THINGS THAT WE MANAGE, UM, AND OPEN SPACE AND PARK SPACE.SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'M GONNA HAND THE MIC OVER TO HER TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THE DETAILS OF THE ORDINANCE, WHICH IS VERY THOUGHT OUT.
SO, UM, FOR THE NATURE PRESERVE ORDINANCE, THE PURPOSE OF THE ORDINANCE IS TO PRESERVE CITY OWNED NATURAL AREAS FOR THE PROTECTION OF ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES AND NATIVE WILDLIFE, AND FOR THE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE.
OUR DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING TO PRESERVE THE BEST OF HOUSTON'S EXISTING HABITAT AND CITY PARKS THROUGH THIS ORDINANCE.
ALTHOUGH ALL PARKS HAVE PROTECTION AS PARK LAND, THE NATURAL AREAS WITHIN PARKS ARE NOT PROTECTED AND THEY COULD BE DEVELOPED FOR OTHER USES.
THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAS OVER 380 PARKS AND 25,000 ACRES OF LAND.
26 OF THOSE PARKS CONTAIN NATURE PRESERVES OF 7,423 ACRES.
THEY WERE SELECTED BY THE NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PROGRAM BASED ON SIGNIFICANT NATURAL RESOURCES THAT WE FEEL WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON IF THEY WERE DEVELOPED.
THEY CONTAIN THREATENED ECOSYSTEMS, IMPORTANT WATER RESOURCES IN LOCALLY RARE PLANT AND WILDLIFE SPECIES.
THE NATURE PRESERVE ORDINANCE WAS LISTED IN RESILIENT HOUSTON ACTION, 51.1 LEAD BY EXAMPLE, BY CONSERVING CITY PARK LAND AS NATURE PRESERVES.
IT WAS ALSO REFERENCED IN THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN TO RESTORE, PROTECT, AND ENHANCE HOUSTON'S NATURAL ABILITY TO CAPTURE AND STORE CARBON.
UH, JUST A EXPLANATION OF, UH, HOUSTON'S HISTORIC HABITATS.
UM, THIS IS AN AERIAL IMAGE FROM 1944 AND, UM, IT SHOWS THE PERIMETER OF WHERE KEITH WISE WILL BE.
AND, UM, THE BLACK OUTLINE IS FORESTED HABITAT.
AND, UM, HALLS BAYOU IS, IS CUTTING THROUGH, UM, WHERE KEITH WISE WOULD BE.
SO, UH, RIPARIAN HABITAT IS A HABITAT ALONG A WATERWAY.
AND HOUSTON'S HISTORIC HABITAT WAS RIPARIAN FORESTED HABITAT.
AND THEN THE GRAY AREA ADJACENT TO THAT IS COASTAL PRAIRIE HABITAT.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE IMAGE TODAY, UH, ALL OF THAT HABITAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED.
SO THE ONLY REMAINING HABITAT IS WITHIN KEITH WISE PARK, EVEN THE AREA SOUTH OF KEITH WISE, KEITH WISE PARK, WHERE HALLS BAYOU RUNS.
UM, THE RIPARIAN FOREST HAS BEEN REMOVED, AND DEVELOPMENT, UM, HAS OCCURRED ALL THE WAY UP TO THE EDGE OF THE WATERWAY.
UM, EVEN THE COASTAL PRAIRIE HABITAT, UM, IS GONE FROM KEITH WISE PARK.
OVER 99% OF COASTAL PRAIRIE HABITAT, UM, HAS, HAS BEEN LOST.
AND, UM, WE HAVE SOME OF THE, THAT REMAINING HABITAT LEFT IN CITY OF HOUSTON PARKS.
KEITH WISE PARK IS AN EXCELLENT HABITAT.
UM, IT IS DEFINITELY WORTH PRESERVING.
SOME OF THE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES FOR THE NATURE PRESERVE ORDINANCE ARE TO PRESERVE THE LOCAL PLANTS, WILDLIFE AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO PRESERVE THE AESTHETIC VALUES OF THE AREA TO PRO TO PROVIDE PASSIVE RECREATION ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT TOURISM AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO RESTORE HABITAT IN THESE AREAS.
SO, DEVELOPMENT IN THE NATURE PRESERVE IS LIMITED TO TRAILS, BENCHES, SIGNAGE, TRASH CANS, BIRD FRIENDLY LIGHTING.
AND THERE IS AN ALLOWANCE FOR STORMWATER WETLANDS, WHICH IS A DETENTION FEATURE.
UM, IT HAS MANY OF THE SAME RULES AS OUR OTHER PARKS.
THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL RULES YOU HAVE TO STAY ON TRAILS WITHIN NATURE PRESERVES AND MOUNTAIN BIKING IS PROHIBITED IN THE NATURE PRESERVES EXCEPT FOR EISENHOWER PARK, WHICH HAD AN EXISTING, UH, MOUNTAIN BIKING SYSTEM.
UM, AND THERE ARE NO NEW EASEMENTS ALLOWED IN NATURE PRESERVES.
THERE ARE EXISTING EASEMENTS IN SOME OF THE NATURE PRESERVES, AND THOSE WILL STILL BE ALLOWED TO BE MAINTAINED, UM, AS THEY ALWAYS HAVE BEEN.
THERE ARE MANY USES FOR NATURE PRESERVES.
SO WE'RE ALREADY DOING RESEARCH IN MANY OF OUR NATURE PRESERVES.
WE HAVE TRAIL SYSTEMS IN MANY OF OUR NATURE PRESERVES AND SIGNAGE.
THERE IS PASSIVE RECREATION ALREADY HAPPENING IN THESE, UH, BIRDWATCHING IS A, A BIG ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENS IN OUR NATURAL AREAS.
WE HAVE A BIG VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
WE DO HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS IN MANY OF THESE PARKS.
AND THERE'S OUTDOOR EDUCATION, UM, THAT'S HAPPENING IN THEM FREQUENTLY ALSO.
SO THE BENEFITS OF NATURE PRESERVES.
THESE AREAS ARE PROVIDING NATURAL FLOOD PREVENTION.
UM, THEY PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
THEY INCREASE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS THAT LIVE NEARBY THEM.
MANY OF THEM HAVE WATER FEATURES IN THEM, AND THEY IMPROVE THE WATER QUALITY OF OUR BAYOU SYSTEM.
UM, AND REALLY BY PROTECTING THEM, WE'RE PRESERVING THE ECOLOGICAL HERITAGE OF HOUSTON.
THEY STORE CARBON, THEY IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, AND, UM, IT ALSO REDUCES URBAN HEAT.
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THE RECENT URBAN HEAT MAPPING THAT OCCURRED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE MAPS, UM, THE COOLEST AREAS OF HOUSTON WHERE OUR NATURE PRESERVES ARE.UH, IT WAS ALSO MENTIONED, UM, IN ACTION 26.3 OF RESILIENT HOUSTON THAT WE WOULD PROMOTE NATURAL INFILTRATION AND TREATMENT OF STORM WATER BY WETLANDS, PRAIRIES, AND WOODLANDS.
SO THESE NATURE PRESERVES ARE ALREADY RETAINING STORM WATER ON SITE.
SO WE WANTED TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, NORMALLY YOU DON'T THINK OF WHAT IS LOST.
IF, IF SOMEONE CLEARS A FOREST, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAVE YOUR DEVELOPMENT AND THERE'S NO REALLY ACCOUNTING FOR WHAT WAS LOST FROM THAT CLEARING.
WE HAD A CONSULTANT COME IN AND LOOK AT ONE OF OUR NATURE PRESERVES AND WE ASKED THEM TO LOOK AT NOT ONLY THE FINANCIAL, UM, YOU KNOW, GAINS OR LOSSES FROM DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PARK, BUT ALSO THE SOCIAL, WHICH INCLUDES URBAN HEAT ISLAND.
IT INCLUDE INCLUDES FLOOD RISK AND HEALTH.
AND WE, AND WE ASKED THEM TO LOOK AT ENVIRONMENTAL, WHICH IS THE CARBON REDUCTION AIR POLLUTION, BIODIVERSITY VALUE.
AND WE LOOKED AT WEST MOUNT HOUSTON PARK RIGHT NOW, UM, WEST MOUNT HOUSTON.
LOOKS LIKE THE SLIDE ON THE RIGHT.
UM, AND WE LOOKED AT WHAT IT WOULD BE IF THAT THAT PARK WAS DEVELOPED.
SO IF THE TREES WERE CLEARED, IF RECREATIONAL BALL FIELDS, PARKING LOTS WERE PUT IN THAT SITE VERSUS IF WE CAME IN AND DID HABITAT RESTORATION AND IMPROVED THAT LOCATION.
UM, SO THE, THE FINANCIAL WOULD BE, THEY LOOKED AT, UM, WHAT THE COST WOULD BE FOR CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE FOR 50 YEARS.
AND THEN ALSO PUT A VALUE TO, UM, THE LOSS OF SHADE FROM, FROM CUTTING DOWN THOSE TREES AND, AND THE LOSS OF WATER QUALITY BENEFITS.
AND, UM, IT WAS A NEGATIVE $27.2 MILLION FOR THE DEVELOPED SITE AND FOR THE RESTORATION SITE, IT WAS A POSITIVE 1.7 MILLION.
WE LOOKED AT MANY OTHER CITIES FOR EXAMPLES OF NATURE PRESERVES.
MANY OF THE LARGE CITIES DO HAVE SOME TYPE OF NATURE PRESERVE SYSTEM.
AUSTIN HAS HAD ONE SINCE 1935.
THEY WERE VERY FORWARD THINKING AND TRYING TO PROTECT THEIR HABITAT SO THAT IT WOULD NOT BE DEVELOPED.
UH, BUT ALSO MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HAS 26,000 ACRES.
NEW YORK CITY HAS A HUGE NATURE PRESERVE SYSTEM.
AND I, UM, HAD THE ABILITY TO GO AND VISIT SOME OF THOSE, UH, CHICAGO COOK COUNTY.
AND ACTUALLY THE STATE OF ILLINOIS HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH OVER 70,000 ACRES OF NATURE PRESERVE.
AND THESE ARE THE PROPOSED LOCATIONS WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
NOT ONLY DID WE LOOK AT TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE REALLY BEST HABITAT WITHIN PARKS, BUT WE ALSO WANTED IT TO BE EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT HOUSTON.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GO TO A NATURE PRESERVE THAT'S CLOSE TO THEIR HOME.
AND SO WE LOOKED, UM, AT ALL OF THESE AND, AND THESE ARE THE 26.
AND, AND WE HAVE OTHER NATURE AREAS IN PARK.
SO CULLEN PARK IS A BIG ONE ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A GAP THERE.
BUT, UM, IT'S OWNED BY THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS.
WE JUST MANAGE IT AND WE MANAGE THE HABITAT IN IT, WHICH IS WHY IT'S NOT A NATURE PRESERVE.
BUT, AND WE HAVE MANY OTHER HABITAT AREAS.
WE JUST SELECTED THE 26TH BEST.
AND, UH, THIS IS A CLOSEUP IMAGE OF OUR SITES ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN.
AND, UM, THE SOUTHEAST SIDE IS A LOT OF PRAIRIE HABITAT.
SO MANY OF THESE WERE HISTORIC PRAIRIE.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE YELLOW, THAT'S THE PARKLAND.
AND THEN THE PURPLE IS THE NATURE PRESERVE.
SO YOU'LL NOTICE THAT MOST OF THESE HAVE DEVELOPED AREAS.
A NATURE PRESERVE IS ONLY A PORTION OF THE PARK.
AND THIS IS OUR PROJECT AT SYLVAN RODRIGUEZ PARK, ONE OF THE PROPOSED NATURE PRESERVES.
UM, WE HAVE A LARGE, UH, RESTORATION SITE HERE.
WE JUST PUT IN A BOARDWALK, UM, ON THAT SOUTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN.
AND THIS IS THE OVERALL IMAGE.
THE PURPLE IS THE NATURE PRESERVE, BUT IT ALREADY HAS A, A, A RELATIVELY LARGE DEVELOPED AREA.
IT HAS, UH, LACROSSE FIELDS AND, UM, HOPEFULLY, UH, A NATURE CENTER WILL BE COMING THERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND THEN ON OUR NORTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN, THESE ARE REALLY GOOD FORESTED HABITATS, UM, THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO PRESERVE.
HERMAN BROWN, BROCK PARK, TIDWELL, THEY ALL HAVE, UH, A BAYOU SYSTEM ADJACENT OR THAT RUNS THROUGH THEM.
AND THIS IS THE RIP PAIRING FOREST HABITAT AT BROCK PARK.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF OUR, OUR BEST SITES.
BROCK PARK IS AN EXCELLENT HABITAT.
AND, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE, THERE IS ALSO MANY, UM, THERE'S BALL FIELDS.
THERE'S GOLF COURSES, UM, AND THE PASSIVE RECREATION THAT TIES INTO THE NATURE PRESERVE WITH CANOE LAUNCHES AND, AND FISHING OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THIS IS THE POND AT HERMAN BROWN PARK.
IT'S STOCKED BY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE.
WE HAVE KIDS OUT THERE FISHING FREQUENTLY.
AND THIS IS WITHIN THE NATURE PRESERVE.
AND THIS IS THE NATURE PRESERVE AT HERMAN BROWN PARK.
IT HAS A, A REALLY EXCELLENT TRAIL SYSTEM, BUT ALSO HAS A, A DEVELOPED
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AREA WITH BASEBALL FIELD, SOCCER FIELDS, COMMUNITY GARDEN.AND THEN OUR NORTHWEST SIDE OF TOWN, UM, WEST MOUNT HOUSTON WAS THE PARK I WAS REFERENCING EARLIER.
AND THEN WE HAVE A, A RIPARIAN CORRIDOR AT WOODLAND PARK, WHITE OAK PARKWAY AND FREE ART NATURE PARK.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A FRIENDS GROUP AT WOODLAND PARK, WHICH IS VERY ACTIVE IN THE NATURE PRESERVE AREA.
AND LORRAINE CHERRY NATURE PRESERVE IS ALSO, UM, NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS THE WHITE OAK PARKWAY.
WE HAD A HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECT HERE ALONG THE BAYOU WITH MANY VOLUNTEERS OUT THERE.
AND THE LORRAINE CHERRY NATURE PRESERVE HAS A FRIENDS GROUP ALSO, WHICH IS VERY ACTIVE.
AND, UM, THE NATURAL HABITAT THERE.
AND THERE'S A, A EXCELLENT TRAIL SYSTEM AT THIS PART.
AND THEN THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF TOWN.
CAMBRIDGE VILLAGE IS OUR LARGEST SITE HERE.
AND THE PURPLE AREA IS THE NATURE PRESERVE.
AND THERE, THIS IS ONE OF OUR, UH, PILOT PROJECTS FOR MULTI-USE DETENTION.
SO WE WORKED WITH PUBLIC WORKS TO AVOID THE NATURE PRESERVE AREA AND COME INTO THE CURRENTLY DEVELOPED AREA.
AND SO THE SOCCER FIELD WILL BE GOING TO DETENTION IN SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS AT THIS LOCATION.
LAKE HOUSTON WILDERNESS IS OUR LARGEST NATURE PRESERVE.
UM, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST HABITATS THAT WE HAVE IN CITY PARKS.
AND THERE IS A VERY, A ACTIVE OUTDOOR EDUCATION PROGRAM AT LAKE HOUSTON WILDERNESS PARK.
SHELDON AND EISENHOWER PARK ARE CITY OWNED.
UH, WE HAVE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT ONE TO MANAGE THESE AREAS.
IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO FOCUS ON SLIDE TWO HOUSTON'S HABITAT WHEN WE CAN.
WE LOOKED AT WHAT, 1944 COMPARED TO 2022 AT KEITH WISE PARK.
SO I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE TO ASK THEMSELVES A QUESTION, WHAT WILL HOUSTON LOOK LIKE 10, 20, 30 YEARS FROM NOW? AND WHAT WILL WE HAVE TO OFFER TO OUR KIDS IN TERMS OF NATURE, IN TERMS OF CON CONSERVATION? IT'S A REAL SERIOUS QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, FROM THE ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS TO THE EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS TO OPEN SPACES IN PLACES THAT PEOPLE CAN GO AND RELAX TO CLEAN AIR.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT DEVELOPMENT ACROSS HOUSTON, THESE SPACES ARE NEEDED AND ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
SO I POSE YOU GUYS WITH THAT QUESTION.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE VOTE.
AND, AND, AND MS. ANDRA SICK FOR THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS, LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM CASICK TATUM, WHO HAS JOINED US VIRTUALLY.
LET'S START OFF WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY HORD.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS, THIS PRESENTATION.
AND, AND JUST WHAT THE CITY NEEDS.
THIS IS A NEW ORDINANCE, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT REVISING SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD A NATURE PRESERVE AND WE'RE DESIGNATE WILL THESE DESIGNATED AREAS BE LISTED OUT IN THE ORDINANCE? OKAY.
SO THAT'S LIKE A CHAPTER 26, ALMOST LIKE THEY CAN'T BE MESSED WITH FOR IN PERPETUITY.
THERE'S NO WAY OUT OR, OR IS THERE SOME KIND OF, LIKE, IF SOME, I MEAN, WHAT'S KIND OF THE, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO DEVELOP SOMETHING AND IT WOULD'VE TO GO THROUGH A HEARING IN CHAPTER 26, KIND OF LIKE A CHAPTER, OR WOULD IT BE A CHAPTER 26? IT WOULD BE ONE ANYWAY.
'CAUSE IT'S ALREADY IN A PARK.
AND THEN YOU'D HAVE A AND ALSO A HEARING PROCESS.
I MEAN, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO DEVELOP IN THESE PLACES, BUT, BUT I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT SOMETIMES HAPPENS IN PARKS AND IF IT, IF SOMETHING WAS TO COME UP IN AN, IN A, A, A NATURE PRESERVE, IF THERE WAS A WAY FOR US TO DEAL WITH THAT.
YEAH, WE HAD, WE HAD TALKED TO LEGAL ABOUT IT, AND THE ULTIMATE PROTECTION IS A CONSERVATION EASEMENT, WHICH WOULD BE SEPARATE FROM THE ORDINANCE.
AND SOMETHING THAT IS MENTIONED IN THE ORDINANCE AS, AS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE TO ADD TO INDIVIDUAL PARKS.
AND THEN HOW DO NEW AREAS GET ADDED? UH, SO WE TALKED ABOUT JUST REVIEWING ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND, UM, WE WOULD COME BACK BEFORE COUNCIL TO PROPOSE THE NEW LOCATIONS.
AND JUST ONE, ONE LAST IDEA ABOUT THAT.
I MEAN, IN TERMS OF BALANCE, IN TERMS OF FUTURE, AND WE'VE TRIED TO CREATE A BALANCE AND WE KNOW THE FOOTPRINT OF HOUSTON IS GONNA CHANGE OVER TIME.
IT'S JUST WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU DO AND WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND IN THAT PROCESS? SO THERE'S A LOT, A LOT OF THINGS TO CONSIDER.
UH, SO WE DID WANT TO LEAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A PUBLIC HEARING IN
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CHAPTER 26 WITH THOSE CHANGES IN MIND.NEXT WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS SHABA.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I JUST, I'M JUST CURIOUS, I GUESS THESE AREAS HAVE ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED, BUT, AND I SAW THAT THERE ARE, THERE'S A COEXISTENCE WITH PLAYGROUNDS OR WHATEVER.
SO WILL IT IMPACT THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE PARK WITH ADDING PLAYGROUNDS AND MAYBE A COMMUNITY CENTER AND ANY OF THESE PARKS OR, UH, THEY WILL THEY BE ABLE TO COEXIST? SO THE, THE NATURE PRESERVE AREAS ALREADY EXIST.
THEY, THEY'RE EXISTING IN PARKS AND, AND THEY WOULD FUNCTION AS THEY, THEY ALWAYS HAVE, THEY WOULD JUST HAVE THIS PROTECTION.
AND UM, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, MOST OF THE AREAS DO HAVE DEVELOPED AREAS WITHIN THE PARK THAT, UH, NEW FEATURES COULD BE ADDED TO THE PARKS IN THOSE LOCATIONS.
AS LONG AS THEY DIDN'T IMPACT THAT, UH, DESIGNATED PROTECTED AREA.
UM, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
AND AGAIN, I WANNA COMMEND, UH, DIRECTOR OF THE ENTIRE PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR THE EFFORTS ON THIS.
I THINK YOU MENTIONED IT, IT'S TAKEN SEVERAL YEARS, UH, WORKING ON THIS.
UH, I BELIEVE YOU HIT, TO ME THIS IS VERY HISTORICAL AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PUT HOUSTON ON THE NATIONAL MAP IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT MAKES THIS SUCH A, UM, HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY WHERE HOUSTON CAN BE LEADING THE WAY? IF YOU LOOK AT THE EXAMPLE THAT WAS GIVEN WITH THE OTHER CITIES AND THEIR NATURE PRESERVE AREAS, UM, I THINK ONE CITY, I FORGET WHICH CITY IT WAS OVER SEVEN, SEVEN 70,000 ACRES DESIGNATED AS NATURE PRESERVE.
UM, THAT WAS CHICAGO AND THE COUNTY YES.
SO IF YOU KIND OF LOOK AT THAT AND LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE NOW FROM A NATIONAL STANDPOINT, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PROPOSALS FOR HOUSTON IN TERMS OF NATURAL RESOURCES THAT THERE'S EVER BEEN.
THAT'S HOW HUGE IT, HUGE IT IS.
AND ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH, WITH THIS ORDINANCE PLUS MULTI-USE AND DETENTION WORK AND, AND WORKING IN BALANCE, UM, THOSE ARE TWO INITIATIVES THAT ARE HUGE FROM A NATIONAL STANDPOINT.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO, I I, I WAS JUST GONNA ADD THAT, UM, ALSO HOUSTON HAS REALLY EXCEPTIONAL HABITAT THAT COULD BE PULLED APART FROM SOME OF THOSE OTHER CITIES.
WE'RE ALONG THE COAST, WE'RE IN A MIGRATORY BIRD FLYWAY, WE HAVE COASTAL PRAIRIE FOREST RIPARIAN HABITAT.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MANY OTHER CITIES DO NOT HAVE.
WE HAVE VERY UNIQUE HABITAT, AND WE'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROTECT THIS UNIQUE HABITAT.
WELL, AND I THINK THE PROTECTION ASPECT OF THIS IS SO CRITICAL, RIGHT? LIKE, WE'RE SPENDING ALL OF THESE RESOURCES RIGHT NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, MEMORIAL PARK TO RESTORE THE NATURAL HABITAT FOR ALL THE BENEFITS, NOT JUST FOR, UM, THE PUBLIC RIGHT BENEFIT, BUT FOR, UH, SAFETY, CARBON CAPTURE, FLOOD MITIGATION, UH, DIRECTOR, WE'VE TALKED, I MEAN, THROUGHOUT THE DROUGHT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TREES.
JUST YES, THE COOLING NATURE OF WHICH WE DESPERATELY NEED TREES RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT WHAT LITTLE WE HAVE LEFT VERSUS TRYING TO RESTORE LATER, I THINK, UM, IS BEAUTIFUL.
I WOULD SAY, UM, I THINK WE GOT, WE, WE GOT ONE OF THEM IN DISTRICT C.
GRANTED WE HAVE MEMORIAL PARK AND OTHERS.
I WOULD DO A, A SPECIAL PUSH FOR LITTLE THICKET AT SOME POINT FOR CONSIDERATION.
UM, I, I BELIEVE THE CITY OWNS IT.
I KNOW THE TURS IS DOING A LOT OF WORK WITHIN IT TO RESTORE AND STABILIZE RIGHT NOW, BUT I WOULD, I WOULD DO A SELFISH PUSH AND THE DISTRICT TO SEE A FEW MORE, UH, WHEN WE CAN GET THEM.
I'M HAPPY TO HEAR COUNCIL MEMBER ELKHORN, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION ABOUT ADDING IN, UM, SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE, UH, AS THOSE BECOME AVAILABLE.
WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU, UM, DIRECTOR ALLEN AND YOUR TEAM FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
UM, I, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT, UM, THE PRESERVATIONS AT HARBOR POTATO PARK.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT EXISTED MM-HMM
UM, AND IN FACT, THE RESIDENTS THOUGHT IT WAS JUST OVERGROWN GRASS AND THEY WAS COMPLAINING, WANTING TO CUT.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS, UM, HOW ARE WE, LIKE, I KNOW THIS IS A LIST OF, UM, PARKS THAT HAS A LOT OF FORESTS OR WHATEVER, BUT SOME OF THE PARKS DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TREES, AND SO IT'S HARD TO DISTINGUISH MM-HMM
THAT IT'S A PRESERVATION, UM, AREA.
AND SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS KIND OF KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS EXISTS? I I, I KNOW WE HAVE A LIST.
IS THERE A LIST OF OTHER PARKS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO HOT POTATO PARKS OR DO WE
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AWARE MM-HMMSO OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, ALONG WITH KELLY, WHEN WE HAVE ION PROJECTS THAT MAY NOT NECESSARILY INCLUDE A LOT OF, A LOT OF TREE WORK, BUT WE HAVE CLEARING, AND KELLY CAN SPEAK TO SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS IS HAPPENING MM-HMM
BUT SIGNAGE DEFINITELY, WE INCLUDED ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE AT HOBERT TAYLOR, WHICH DEFINITELY HELPED.
IT WAS, THANK YOU FOR WALKING IT WITH US AND BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
BUT BETWEEN, FROM A, UH, FROM A, AN AWARENESS STANDPOINT, A CAMPAIGN, BASICALLY SAYING WHAT WE'RE DOING COLLECTIVELY ACROSS THE CITY, UM, WOULD HELP GET THE WORD OUT ON WHERE WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHERE.
I WAS EXCITED TO LEARN THAT IT ACTUALLY HELPED MITIGATE FLOODING.
AND SO KNOWING THAT IT'S LIKE, OKAY, JUST LET ALL THE GRASS GROW
SO THERE'S SOME STRATEGIC, UH, OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND WAYS THAT WE DO THAT.
AND KELLY, YOU CAN KIND OF EXPLAIN THAT.
WELL, AND WE ALSO, FOR THE NATURE PRESERVE ORDINANCE, SPECIFICALLY IN THE ORDINANCE, IT MENTIONS THAT WE WILL HAVE MARKERS ALONG THE BOUNDARIES OF THE NATURE PRESERVES.
AND MANY OF THEM HAVE TRAIL SYSTEMS. SO WE'VE ALREADY, UM, HAD A DESIGNER WORKING ON TRAILS MAPS TO GO AT ALL OF THESE NATURE PRESERVES.
AND SO, UH, WE'RE PLANNING, YOU KNOW, A PRETTY BIG PUSH, UH, ONCE THE, HOPEFULLY THE ORDINANCE IS PASSED THAT, UM, THEY WILL BE ANNOUNCED AND VERY VISIBLE.
UM, AS FAR AS SOME OF THE AREAS THAT ARE NOT NATURE PRESERVE AND JUST OUR NATURAL AREAS AND HABITAT RESTORATION SITES LIKE COHORT TAYLOR.
UM, WE DO, WE HAVE A HUGE, UH, SIGNAGE PLAN FOR SOME OF THESE AREAS.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT REALLY HELPS.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE THERE TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT THEY CAN READ ABOUT IT AND SEE PICTURES.
AND, UM, AND ALSO, UH, PLANS LIKE WITH OUR UPCOMING POTENTIAL NATURE, UM, CENTERS THAT WE WOULD HAVE MORE EDUCATION STAFF TO FOCUS AND DO PROGRAMMING.
AND, AND CERTAINLY AT HOBART TAYLOR, WE HOPE TO, UM, ONE OF MY STAFF WAS AT A MEETING ABOUT IT TODAY TO COME OUT AND GET COMMUNITY MEMBERS OUT TO HELP US PLANT THE PRAIRIES, BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN THAT, THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE REALLY START ACCEPTING IT AND, AND THEY'RE ROOTING FOR THESE SITES TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR WHAT YOU GUYS FOR DOING.
UM, DIRECTOR, THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, AND MS. SANDRA, CHECK, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
THIS IS REALLY FANTASTIC, AS OUR COLLEAGUES HAVE, UH, POINTED OUT.
AND, UM, I, I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, APPLAUD THE OVERALL EFFORT AND JUST POINT OUT KIND OF THE OBVIOUS THAT WE'RE REALLY BECOMING SUCH A GREEN CITY, NOT LEAST OF WHICH IS CAUSED BECAUSE THE WORK WE'RE DOING IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, BUT WITH THE RESILIENT HOUSTON PLAN, WITH THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
THESE THINGS ARE REALLY, UM, IN SOME WAYS A GREEN PRINT FOR US IN THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING, UM, TO, TO HELP HOUSTON BECOME A GREENER CITY AND REALLY IN SOME WAYS OVERCOME OUR REPUTATION, NOT AS THE ENERGY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD 'CAUSE WE WANT TO PRESERVE THAT.
BUT AS BEING A GREEN, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND JUST PLAIN OLD GREEN CITY WITH THE GREAT TRAILS WE HAVE WITH THE PARKS.
AND I THINK THIS NATURE PRESERVE, UM, ORDINANCE IS A WONDERFUL STEP, UH, TO ENCOURAGE THAT DIRECTION AND FOR ALL OF US TO CELEBRATE THE, THE FACT DIRECTOR YOU POINTED OUT THAT IT'S IN THE MAYOR'S MIND OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE, THAT IT WOULD BE EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED AND BALANCED ACROSS THE CITY.
AND IN THE AT LARGE POSITION I SERVE, I'M HEARING COLLEAGUES OF MINE IN DISTRICT POSITIONS CELEBRATE THOSE PARKS THAT ARE IN SPECIFIC DISTRICTS.
BUT I'M HOPING AS ILLUSTRATIVE AS THIS PRESENTATION IS AND WONDERFUL FOR OUR CITY, I WONDER IF THERE IS A MAP THAT SHOWS MAYBE ALL OF THE PARKS THAT ARE AT LEAST IN THIS FIRST ROUND, UH, THAT WE COULD SEE, AND PERHAPS YOU COULD DISTRIBUTE, I'D LOVE TO SHARE IT WITH MY CONSTITUENTS AND PUT IT OUT KIND OF IN A NEWS BLAST.
SO, UM, MS. UNDER CHECK IF, IF YOU HAVE THAT OR DIRECTOR? YES.
THAT WOULD, WE HAVE THE 26 LISTED, BUT I DON'T THINK WE ADDED A MAP ON AND ASSOCIATED WITH THE ORDINANCE WOULD BE, UH, A MAP OF EACH PARK SHOWING THE SPECIFIC NATURE PRESERVE WITHIN THAT PARK.
WE HAVE INDIVIDUAL MAPS FOR ALL.
IS IT LINKED BY ANY CHANCE? LIKE A HYPERLINK WITHIN A MAP? I I MEAN, THAT'S A KIND OF MAYBE A, A TALL ASK, BUT THAT KIND OF INTERACTIVITY COULD REALLY BE A WONDERFUL TOOL FOR US, WHETHER IT'S ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, ON THE PARK'S WEBSITE, OR FOR US TO SHOW THAT KIND OF INTERACTIVITY COULD BE REALLY, REALLY DYNAMIC.
ACTUALLY, ON PAGE SIX, THE 26 THAT WE HAVE LISTED, THERE'S A CIRCLE DOT ON WHERE THEY ARE.
I MEAN, IF WE CAN, WE CAN GET A MORE DEFINED MAP IF YOU NEED IT ON PAGE SIX.
UM, THE 26 PARKS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING, THAT SHOWS THE DISTRIBUTION OVERALL, HOUSTON'S SO LARGE THAT MAKING MAPS IS HARD BECAUSE EVERYTHING LOOKS TINY ON A MAP.
BUT WE HAVE THAT OVERALL MAP SHOWING THE LOCATIONS, AND THEN WE CAN SEND THE INDIVIDUAL MAPS OF EACH PARK SHOWING THE NATURE PRESERVE AREA WITHIN THAT PARK.
[00:30:01]
GOTCHA.AND I KNOW THE DIRECTOR AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE OVERALL NUMBER OF PARKS WE HAVE IN THE CITY.
WAS IT NOW THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY, THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY TWO, THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY TWO NOW.
THAT'S HARD TO LOOK AT ON A MAP MM-HMM
UH, TO UNDERSTAND THE SCALE, AS YOU SAY, MS ON CHECKS.
SO, UM, I'D LOVE IT TO SEE JUST THESE PROGRAMS, THESE PARKS ISOLATED, AND THEN WE COULD REALLY CELEBRATE THAT AND UNDERSTAND IT BETTER.
QUESTIONS FROM STAFF COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX'S OFFICE.
GREAT WORK STAFF AND EVERYBODY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IN HERE, IN YOUR PRESENTATION, Y'ALL ARE INCLUDING MAINTENANCE OF THESE AREAS TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE CLEAR OUT THE DEAD BRUSH OR DETRIMENTAL INFESTATION.
SO IT'S NOT JUST YOU, I CAN JUST LET IT GROW.
SO THE, THE NATURE PRESERVES ARE ALREADY THERE.
THEY, THEY ARE AS THEY HAVE BEEN, BUT WE DO HAVE A NATURAL RESOURCES TEAM THAT ARE TASKED WITH, UM, WITH NATURE PRESERVES IN PLACE, PREVENTING FIRES, OTHER GREAT WORK.
IN, IN REGARDS TO, UM, THE FUTURE, UH, LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, 20 YEARS FROM NOW, THE COMMUNITY AROUND THERE NEEDS A BALLPARK, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND, UH, IS THERE A WAY WHERE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT COMES TO COUNCIL AND COUNCIL HAS TO APPROVE TO SAY, OKAY, GO AHEAD AND GIVE A LITTLE PIECE OF THIS NATURE PRESERVED TO DO A BALLPARK OR, OR, OR WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE IN THE FUTURE? IS, IS, IS THERE THAT IN AN ORDINANCE, THERE'S A WAY TO PROPOSE IT THROUGH A HEARING IN CHAPTER 26, BUT I WANT TO, I WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE NATURE PRESERVE IS A PERCENTAGE OF THE PARK, AND THERE'S OTHER AREAS THAT COULD BE USED FOR DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE WOULD LOOK AT THE OTHER AREAS WHERE WE CAN DEVELOP FIRST, AND IF IT'S JUST NOT A POSSIBILITY, THEN YES, WE CAN, WE CAN, UM, HAVE A HEARING AND GO AND GO THROUGH THE CHAPTER 26 PROCESS.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS THEN IF YOU'RE GOING TO ADD FUTURE NATURE PRESERVES PARKS, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SECTION IN THE EXISTING PARK WHERE EXPANSION CAN BE DONE NOT IMPACTING THE NATURE PRESERVE AREA OF THE PARK.
WE HAVE SOME, SOME AREAS LIKE SYL RODRIGUEZ, MM-HMM
IT'S JUST THE HABITAT IS JUST SO HUGE IN TERMS OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE ECOSYSTEM AND WE DON'T WANNA DISTURB IT AT ALL.
VERY FEW ON THIS LIST ARE LIKE THAT, BUT AS WE LOOK AT OTHER PROPERTIES, WE COULD CERTAINLY KEEP THAT IN MIND.
AND, AND, AND WHAT IS THE TIMELINE OF IT COMING TO COUNCIL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE?
WE WERE LOOKING AT ABOUT A MONTH FROM NOW.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, SO THANK YOU, DIRECTOR AND MS. REEK.
WE'LL NOW GO ON TO OUR SECOND PRESENTATION ON GRANT FUNDED COVID-19 PROJECTS.
THIS PRESENTATION IS BEING LED BY HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO DIRECTOR STEVEN WILLIAMS. IF YOU'LL PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD AS WELL AS ANY MEMBERS OF YOUR TEAM JOINING YOU TODAY.
STEVEN WILLIAMS, DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND HOPEFULLY JOINING ME, UH, SOON WILL BE JUDY HARRIS, MY CHIEF OF STAFF AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
SHE DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO COME UP HERE, UH, BUT WITHOUT HER, I WON'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
UH, JUDY'S ALSO, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING US PULL TOGETHER A LOT OF THESE GRANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE INTEGRATED, SO WE HAVE REALLY A BIG PICTURE PERSPECTIVE ON IT, BECAUSE GRANTS USUALLY GO TO INDIVIDUAL, UH, BUREAUS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T HAVE THE, THE BROADER PERSPECTIVE.
I KNOW THE PRESENTATION IS LONG.
I'LL TRY TO GO FAST SO THAT WE CAN, UH, GET TO WHAT YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT.
BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT IN TERMS OF, UH, HOW WE WE APPROACH THE PANDEMIC, WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN IN TERMS OF DOLLARS AND WHAT SOME OF THE EXPECTATIONS ARE AS A RESULT OF THE DOLLARS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN ON.
ON SLIDE THREE, UH, YOU, YOU, WE ALL KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN RESPONDING TO COVID SINCE, UH, FEBRUARY OF 2020.
UH, JUST IN CASE WE DON'T, UH, THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT IT.
WE, WE ARE STILL IN A PANDEMIC.
PEOPLE ARE, ARE STILL GETTING COVID, PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING TO THE HOSPITAL.
UH, UH, WITH, WITH THE FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, UH, ENHANCE OUR DATA COLLECTION, UH, LOOK AT, UH,
[00:35:01]
UH, IMPLEMENT TRENDSETTING, UH, WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM, UH, WHICH, UH, LATER ON, HOPEFULLY BY NEXT WEEK, WE'LL A ANNOUNCE, UH, A CENTER OF E EXCELLENCE FOR, UH, OF COURSE, EVERYBODY'S FAMILIAR WITH CASE INVESTIGATIONS AND CONTACT TRACING THAT A LOT OF FOLKS TALKED ABOUT.BUT PROBABLY WHAT WAS MOST VISIBLE WAS THE MOBILE, UH, TESTING SITES AND THE MOBILE VACCINATION SITES.
WHAT YOU DID NOT SEE IS A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN TERMS OF OUR IN-HOME TESTS AND VACCINATION, OUR SCHOOL-BASED AND ENHANCED, UH, LABORATORY TESTING ONE, SLIDE FOUR.
THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU, YOU'LL SEE A, A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE WERE ENGAGED IN, UH, RELATIVE TO, UH, COVID, INCLUDING COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGE SPENT HUMAN SERVICES WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT A LOT OF TIMES, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF OUR IN-HOME VISITS, UH, PEOPLE WOULD NEED MORE THAN JUST, UH, A, A, A COVID TEST OR A, A COVID SHOT.
OF COURSE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF SOCIOECONOMIC CHALLENGES THAT FOLKS WERE FACED WITH, AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAD A TEAM OF FOLKS THAT WOULD, UH, UH, TRY TO CONNECT THEM WITH RESOURCES TO HELP THEM RESPOND TO IT.
PEOPLE, UH, ASKED US THIS QUESTION ON, ON, ON SLIDE FIVE.
OVERALL, WE'VE RECEIVED $405 MILLION WITHIN 14 MONTHS.
UH, SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW A LOT OF THAT MONEY IS USED AND HOW WE, UH, PLAN TO USE IT.
WE ALSO, UH, WERE AWARDED A LOT OF THESE DOLLARS OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL GRANT, GRANT, UH, PROCESS.
UH, THEY DID USE SOME OF THE USUAL METHODS OF GIVING US DOLLARS.
UH, WE ARE A DIRECTLY FUNDED CITY FOR A VARIETY OF THINGS, UH, UH, BECAUSE OF OUR SIZE AND BECAUSE OF CERTAIN INSTANCES, INCIDENCES, UH, OF DISEASES ARE, ARE, ARE CONDITIONS.
AND SO THAT PUT US IN A GOOD, PRETTY GOOD FAVOR WITH, UH, UH, CDC IN TERMS OF GETTING THE MONEY QUICKLY.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO, BECAUSE OF ALL THE MONEY COMING IN, UH, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO DO, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAD TO HIRE, WE PRETTY MUCH, UH, SHOCKED THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM IN TERMS OF IT SUPPORT PURCHASING, UH, AND, AND, AND, AND LEGAL.
UH, ON PAGE SIX, UH, WE, WE STARTED, UH, INITIALLY, UH, WHEN IN OUR RESPONSE TO COVID BY REALLY REDEPLOYING STAFF, UH, WE IN ESSENCE DEPLOYED THREE TO 400, UH, STAFF PEOPLE TO WORK ON COVID.
WE AS ASSIGNED THEM FROM THEIR REGULAR, MOVED THEM FROM TRANSITION THEM FROM THEIR REGULAR JOBS TO A COVID RELATED A, A ACTIVITIES.
BUT WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO USE CONTINGENT WORKFORCE CONTRACTS AND EMERGENCY PURCHASING PROCEDURES, UH, WHICH WAS ALLOWED BY THE FUNDER TO HELP US RESPOND TO, TO COVID.
AND, UH, UH, ON 9 9 21, UH, WE STOPPED USING THE EMERGENCY PURCHASING PROCEDURES, AND IT WAS INTERPRETED THAT WE NEEDED TO COMPLY WITH A FEDERALLY COMPLIANT PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
UH, AND REALLY THE BEST CASE SCENARIO, IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TAKE FOUR TO SIX MONTHS IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT A LOT OF THE CONTRACTS, UH, UH, DUE TO THE SHORT PERFORMANCE PERIOD OF THE EQUITY GRANT AND OTHER THINGS.
UH, I REACHED OUT TO CDC AND HAD THEM, UH, HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH, WITH OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, AND EVENTUALLY THEY SENT US A LETTER SAYING THAT WE COULD, BECAUSE THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION, UH, UH, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE ON SEVEN, UH, THAT WE WERE ALLOWED TO CON CONTINUE THAT PROCESS.
UH, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH LEGAL AND AND SPD TO EXPEDITE OUR CONTRACTING, UH, PROCESS, UH, WITH, UH, UH, IDENTIFIED PRO UH, PARTNERS CONSISTENT WITH THE EMERGENCY, UH, DECLARATION.
YOU WANT IT TO HAVE AN OVERVIEW OF ALL THE GRANT DOLLARS THAT WE RECEIVED.
SIR, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, ON PAGE EIGHT, YOU'LL SEE OUR GRANT DOLLARS, AND I'LL TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SOME OF THEM.
UH, YOU SEE THE FIRST ONE, THE THREE LINES DOWN, EARLY DETECTION CROSS-CUTTING EMERGING ISSUES, AND THAT WAS $62 MILLION.
WE SPENT A BULK OF THAT MONEY ON TESTING, UH, UH, AND TEST AND DOING THE WASTEWATER OR SURVEILLANCE, UH, THAT, THAT IS A EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION.
UH, NOT, NOT ONLY DID YOU SEE THAT AS EVIDENCE IN THE FIELD, BUT YOU KNOW, THE, THE LABORATORY COST AND, AND CERTAINLY THE COST OF, UH, EVEN SETTING UP SOME OF THE SYSTEMS, UH, THAT WE GOT ANOTHER ADDITION TO THAT PARTICULAR GRANT, UH, DOWN A FUEL LINES DOWN, EARLY DETECTION, 133 MILLION.
BASICALLY, WE SPENT THAT MONEY IN THE LAB OR SPENDING THAT MONEY IN THE LAB, IN OUR EPI PROCESSING AND CONTACT TRACING, HEALTH AND HEALTH EDUCATION
[00:40:01]
AND, AND, AND TESTING, EXCUSE ME.ALSO, WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THAT GRANT IS THAT CAME AT A TIME WHERE, UH, THAT, UH, WE HAD A, A, A LOT OF TESTING NEEDS, AND WE WERE NOT VACCINATION NEEDS, RIGHT? AND WE HAD A LOT OF VACCINATION NEEDS, BUT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO USE THOSE DOLLARS FOR VACCINATION, ONLY FOR THE THINGS THAT THEY, THEY SPECIFIED.
I KNOW YOU'RE SHAKING YOUR HEAD, BUT WE HAVE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT ENVIRONMENT.
AN INTERESTING GRANT DOWN AT THE BOTTOM WAS THE EL ELC REOPENING GRANT, AND I HEARD YOUR CONVERSATIONS WHEN Y'ALL PASSED THAT, WONDERING WHY WE WERE GIVING SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, MONEY TO, TO TEST.
AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT GRANT WAS SPECIFICALLY MET TO TEST, UH, STUDENTS AND IN, IN, IN, IN CLASSROOMS. UH, BASICALLY IN ADDITION TO TESTING, WE WERE ABLE TO SUPPLY RESOURCES FOR INVESTIGATION TEAMS TO RESPOND TO POSITIVE CASES IN THE CLASSROOM.
THE PURPOSE OF BASICALLY WAS TO KEEP KIDS IN, IN SCHOOL, WHICH I THINK WE WOULD ALL SUPPORT.
THE NEXT SLIDE ON PAGE NINE, UH, CONTINUES WITH, WITH, WITH THE GRANTS THAT WE HAVE.
AND I THINK HOPEFULLY WHAT YOU'RE GETTING BY LOOKING AT BOTH OF THESE PAGES IS THAT THIS, UH, THERE WAS TREMENDOUS EFFORT AND REALLY MANAGING, UH, THESE GRANTS AND INTERFACING WITH OUR GRANTING AGENCIES, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE WERE SPENDING THE GRANT WITH, WITH, WITHIN THE, THE, THE, THE CONFINES OF WHAT THE, IT WAS MEANT TO DO.
IT, IT'S, IT'S EASIER SAID THAN DONE.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD TO DO IN ALL OF THESE GRANTS WAS BECAUSE SOME OF THEM WERE, SOME OF OUR, SOME OF THE CARES DOLLARS WERE ENDING, AND THESE, WHERE WE'RE GETTING THESE GRANTS WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE USING THESE GRANTS TO CONTINUE SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TEST TESTING AND VACCINATIONS.
UH, AND THAT WAS A, A, A, A MAJOR DEAL.
NEXT TO THE END, YOU WILL SEE THIS HEALTH EQUITY GRANT, UH, BASICALLY, AND, AND WE'RE REALLY GLAD THAT WE, WE, WE GOT THIS GRANT, AND WE, WE'VE ACTUALLY PASSED SOME CONTRACTS RELATIVE TO THAT, BUT THERE'S STILL MORE TO GO.
BASICALLY, THE PURPOSE WAS TO LOOK AT THE DEPARTMENT, MAINTAINING PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS TO ENSURE COMMUNITY VOICE, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UH, CERTAINLY ENGAGING COMMUNITY LEADERS AND, AND, AND, AND LAY PEOPLE, UH, ENGAGE IN OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, REALLY MORE OF AN EMPOWERMENT MODEL.
UH, WE REALLY, HEALTH DEPARTMENTS HAVE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT WE'VE NEVER REALLY HAD RESOURCES TO DO THAT.
UH, LET'S GO TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAS OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF US SPENDING, UH, THE, THE THESE DOLLARS, BECAUSE I KNOW THE QUESTION IS, OKAY, SO YOU HAD ALL THAT MONEY, AND WE STILL HAVE SOME OF IT.
WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF THAT? ON PAGE 10, YOU WILL SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH OUR NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, UH, WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM.
WE'VE STOOD UP A 300 PERSON CONTACT TRACING UNIT AT GRB WITHIN THREE MONTHS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH OUR, OUR, OUR COLLEAGUES AT, AT GRB AND, UH, AND WITH, UH, GSD AND EVERYBODY, WE WERE ABLE TO, TO DO THAT, AND, WHICH WAS PRETTY MUCH UNPRECEDENTED.
YOU SAW ALL OF THE TESTING SITES THAT WE HAD, BUT WE DID THAT THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH CURATIVE, UH, TS AND UMMC.
WHAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS THAT EVEN WHEN TEEMS CAME TO TO TOWN TO SET UP TESTING SITES, THEY WOULD COLLABORATE WITH US, AND WE WOULD GIVE THEM ADVICE AS TO WHERE WE THOUGHT THOSE SITES NEEDED, NEEDED, NEEDED TO GO.
OF COURSE, WE IMPLEMENTED, UH, VACCINATIONS AT OUR HEALTH CENTERS AND SOME OF OUR MO MULTI SERVICE CENTERS, AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE HAD A VERY AGILE, UH, MOBILE VACCINATION, UH, TEAM THAT PRETTY MUCH SET UP, UH, VACCINATION SITES THROUGHOUT THIS CITY, WHETHER IT'S TALKING ABOUT IN PARKS AND, AND GROCERY STORES AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, UH, AND UNION HALLS OR WHATEVER.
WE DID THAT, AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF IT.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, AND MAYBE I'LL SAY JUST LATER ON TOO, IS THE FACT THAT BECAUSE WE WERE DOING THIS, NOW THAT WE'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH MONKEYPOX, UH, WE ARE USING THOSE TEAMS AND THAT SAME PROCESS, UH, UH, TO, TO, TO DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE TOO.
UH, CERTAINLY I TALKED ABOUT US ESTABLISHING THE SCHOOL TESTING PROGRAM.
IF YOU LOOK DOWN AT THE BOTTOM ON PAGE 10, YOU WILL SEE THE SHEER NUMBERS OF ACTIVITIES THAT WE'RE ENGAGED IN AS, AS, AS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS, UH, CERTAINLY SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN, UH, THE, THE NUMBERS THAT WE PRODUCE DURING A, A REGULAR, UH, PUB PUBLIC HEALTH YEAR.
UH, YOU, YOU, UH, ON THE DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORTING ISSUE, UH, YOU KNOW, AND Y'ALL WERE PART OF THAT, ASKING FOR DATA IN TERMS OF, UH, WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY OR WHATEVER.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO A LOT OF THAT.
AND WITH SOME OF THE DOLLARS, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING PEOPLE IN TO HELP US REALLY CRUNCH THE NUMBERS AND THE DATA SO THAT WE CAN REPORT TO Y'ALL.
[00:45:01]
YOU'VE HEARD OF CONTRACT TRACING.YOU SEE ALL THE RE UH, CONTACT TRACING.
YOU SEE THE REPORTS, UH, THE NUMBER OF CASES AND THE CONTACTS THAT, THAT WE'VE MADE, UH, TALKED ABOUT TE TESTING AND VACCINATION.
YOU, YOU, YOU SEE THE NUMBERS REL RELATIVE TO THAT, IF YOU TURN TO THE NEXT PAGE ON 11, UH, WE, ANOTHER THING THAT I'M REALLY PROUD OF IS THE CALL CENTER THAT WE ESTABLISHED.
I MEAN, AND WE'RE USING THAT CALL CENTER TODAY, UH, FOR MULTIPLE PURS PURPOSES, INCLUDING, INCLUDING MONKEYPOX.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, ARE, ARE TOUTING TECHNOLOGY, BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT A LOT OF FOLKS, UH, ESPECIALLY SENIORS, SENIOR SENIORS, ARE NOT NECESSARILY COMFORTABLE WITH USING TECHNOLOGY.
AND SO THE WAY THAT THEY WERE ACCESSED THESE SERVICES IS BY CALLING OUR PEOPLE.
AND, AND, AND IN THE CALL CENTER, UH, UH, ALSO, UH, NOTEWORTHY IS THE FACT THAT WE ACTUALLY ENGAGED, UH, GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, AND, AND, AND OUR TRUSTED AMBASSADOR PROGRAM WHERE WE CONDUCTED DOOR TO DOOR OUTREACH IN INDIVIDUAL, UH, COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING, LIKE, UH, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN, IN, IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'RE STAFF REFERRAL SYSTEM TO RESPOND TO SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS.
AND, UH, I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT IN-HOME TESTING AND AL ALSO IN-HOME VA VACCINATIONS BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR FOLKS ARE HOME BOUND AND WE NEED IT TO PROVIDE ACCESS.
IT'S ALL ABOUT EQUITY AND, AND ACCESS.
UM, UH, WE PRETTY MUCH USED, UH, ON PAGE 11, UH, DATA AND INFORMATION TO IDENTIFY AND, AND EQUITIES AND DISPARITIES, UH, UH, USED GIS MAPPING, UH, TALKED ABOUT, UH, OUR WASTEWATER SYSTEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE PRETTY MUCH FOLLOWING THE DATA.
AND I'LL TALK EARLIER, YOU'LL SEE SOME MAPS OF HOW WE DO DID THAT ON PAGE 13.
UH, MOST OF OUR ACTIVITIES WERE REALLY TO ENSURE ACCESS AND EQUITY, AND WE USED MULTIPLE DATA VARIABLES TO TELL US WHERE WE NEEDED TO ESTABLISH TESTING SITES, WHERE WE NEEDED TO ESTABLISH VACCINATION SITES.
WE USED WHAT'S CALLED A CO, UH, COVID COMMUNITY VULNERABILITY INDEX.
BASICALLY, IT IS THE, UH, IT, IT, IT, IT ADDS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT FACTORS TO, TO THE, THE, THE, THE SOCIAL, UH, UH, VULNERABILITY INDEX THAT WAS, THAT ENSURED THAT IT WAS SPECIFIC FOR COVID.
UH, AND WITH THAT, WE ENGAGED IN OUTREACH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, AND, AND, AND LITERACY IN A NUMBER OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT TWO SLIDES, AND I'M NOT GONNA GO OVER THOSE, THOSE ARE THE TIER ONE AND TIER TWOS.
THE, THE ZONES THAT WE ESTABLISHED, UH, THAT REALLY MET THE CRITERIA OF COVID V VULNERABILITY.
AND A LOT OF OUR EFFORTS WERE REALLY TARGETED IN, IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE THAT WE WENT, BUT WE WANTED TO PUT SPECIAL EMPHASIS TO ENSURE ACCESS AND EQUITY.
AND I'M GOING FROM, AND ON PAGE 16, YOU WILL SEE THAT ALTHOUGH WE'VE ENGAGED IN A LOT OF THESE EFFORTS, THAT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE IN SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND WE'RE HOPING THAT OUR ACCESS AND EQUITY STRATEGIES WILL HELP US TO DO THAT.
AND WE'LL, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THAT IN OUR, THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE REALLY CONTRACTING WITH TO DO THAT.
UH, THE NEXT TWO SLIDES ACTUALLY COVER, UH, THE VACCINATION RATES OVERALL, UH, UH, BY, UH, THE, THE TIER ONE AND TIER TWO ZIP CODES.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT ON PAGE 18, YOU SEE THE VACCINATION RATES BY, UH, RACE AND ETHNICITY, AND YOU SEE, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
UH, I WANNA GO A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO DETAIL ON THE ACCESS AND EQUITY GRANTS.
WE WERE AWARDED $30 MILLION, AS YOU SAW IN THE CHART, FOR, TO REALLY ADDRESS, UH, HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONGST POPULATIONS AT HIGH RISK AND UNDERSERVED, UH, COMMUNITIES.
UH, BASICALLY, UH, THIS AWARD PROVIDES FUNDING TO ADDRESS COVID-19, AND REALLY TO ADVANCE EQUITY OVERALL, NOT JUST COVID, I MEANT WE WANTED TO DEAL WITH COVID, BUT WE KNOW THERE ARE ISSUES RELATED TO, TO CHRONIC DISEASE AND A NUMBER OF OTHER HEALTH ISSUES.
I AM HURRYING UP BECAUSE THERE IS A PRESS CONFERENCE AT THREE O'CLOCK I'M TRYING TO GET TO.
BUT ANYHOW, UH, THIS, UH, AWARD IS UNPRECEDENTED.
AS I TALKED ABOUT THE OVERALL AWARDS.
WE HAD NOT GOTTEN THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY BEFORE.
UH, THE GRANT PERIOD IS FROM JUNE ONE TO OF, OF 2021 TO MAY 31ST, 2023.
ONE THING WITH THESE GRANTS I WANNA MENTION IS THAT OFTENTIMES IF WE
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GET TO THE END OF GRANT OF THE GRANT YEAR, AND WE HAVE DOLLARS LEFT OVER, WE WILL ASK FOR A NO COST EXTENSION.AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THEY ARE, ARE GRANTED.
UM, ON PAGE 22, YOU SEE THE SHORT TERM, UH, STRATEGIES RELATED TO OUTREACH, UH, TO EXPAND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRAINING, AND REALLY, UH, INVEST IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND MOBILIZATION.
UH, THE LONG TERM, AND THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, WE WANTED TO BUILD NETWORKS IN THE COMMUNITY TO ACTUALLY BE EXTENSIONS OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS THROUGH OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT, AND CONNECTING TO, TO SERVICES.
COVID IS NOT THE ONLY ISSUE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, PARTICULARLY IN SOME OF THE TARGETED NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE FOCUS.
AND SO WE ARE THINKING THAT IF WE ACTUALLY HAVE A NATURAL NETWORK THAT WE CAN RELATE TO, THAT'S CLOSER TO THE COMMUNITY, THAT WE CAN START TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, ISSUES.
WE ALSO WANTED TO STRENGTHEN OUR PARTNERSHIPS SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE A, A NETWORK TO RESPOND TO HURRICANES AND OUTBREAKS AND OTHER PANDEMICS ON PAGE 24.
BASICALLY, WHAT THIS IS SPEAKING TO IS THE FACT THAT, UH, CDC IS ACTUALLY ASKING US TO DO THIS.
THIS IS REALLY, UH, THIS HAS BEEN PROMOTED, UH, IN PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY THE PAST DECADE.
BUT THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THAT WE HAD RESOURCES TO DO THAT.
AND WHAT WE DID TO EN ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, IS TO ACTUALLY SENT OUT, UH, A TEMPLATE TO 37 ORGANIZATIONS TO SEE WHO WAS INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH US ON THAT.
ON PAGE 25, YOU SEE THAT, ALTHOUGH WE SENT IT OUT TO 37 ORGANIZATIONS, UH, 25 ORGANIZATIONS RESPONDED, AND ONE ORGANIZATION REVIEWED, WITHDREW.
AND SO WE INCLUDED 24 OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR ORIGINAL APPLICATION TO, TO DEFENSE ON PAGE 26.
UH, AND 27 7, YOU WILL SEE THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE INCLUDED IN OUR INITIAL APPLICATION ON 28.
ON PAGE 28, UH, 76% OF THE EQUITY GRANT WAS ALLOCATED FOR CONTRACTS TO ENGAGE MULTIPLE ORGANIZATION IN ADVANCING E EQUITY WORK.
WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ONE ORGANIZATION THAT, UH, IT WOULD BE CULTURALLY COMPETENT TO ACTUALLY FUNCTION IN THE, A, THE, THE VARIOUS DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IN, IN, IN HOUSTON.
UH, WE WANT IT TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS PROGRAM.
UH, WE WANTED TO ENGAGE IN EQUITY TRAINING AND AWARENESS OUTREACH AND EDUCATION BY COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION, AND LOOK AT CAPACITY BUILDING WITHIN MULTI SECTORIAL PARTNERS, SUCH AS FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, MENTAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS, ET CETERA.
AND REALLY, UH, IT'S ABOUT BEING ABLE TO MOBILIZE THE COMMUNITY AND BUILD A CAPACITY, UH, TO, TO, TO COORDINATE THIS.
AND WE WANTED TO DO THAT THROUGH INTERMEDIARY ORGANIZATIONS.
AND WHAT WE DID WAS TO DIVIDE THE CITY INTO FIVE ZONES AND RECRUIT, UH, UH, ORGANIZATIONS TO SERVE AS INTERMEDIATE ORGANIZATIONS.
ON PAGE 29, YOU WOULD SEE THE INTENDED RESULTS.
WE WANTED TO BUILD A STRONGER NETWORK OF TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL PARTNERS IN COMMUNITIES, WHICH CAN SERVE AS EXTENSIONS OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO DELIVER CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY COMPETENT OUTREACH, EDUCATION, UH, ENGAGEMENT AND CONNECTION TO SERVICES.
AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WE GIVE PEOPLE THE FACTS, BUT IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO CON CONNECT WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UH, IT, IT, IT, IT'S REALLY NOT GONNA BE A FRUITFUL EFFORT.
WE ALSO, IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM PART OF 29, UH, WE WANTED TO LOOK AT THE, SOME OF THE ISSUES FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PERSPECTIVE THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN.
SO IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT CO COVID, IT'S ABOUT PROMOTING ACCESS TO CARE.
IT'S ABOUT, UH, REALLY EN ENGAGING COMMUNITIES IN CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT EFFORTS.
CERTAINLY VIOLENCE PREVENTION HAS BEEN ON EVERYBODY'S MIND FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
CERTAINLY THAT DISASTER AND PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS, I THINK EVERYBODY IS THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
BUT LAST BUT NOT LEAST, ALSO, UH, ENGAGED IN COVID MITIGATION STRATEGIES, INCLUDING TESTING, VACCINATE AND, AND VACCINATION.
WE STILL BELIEVE THAT WE CAN, UH, MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN THOSE AREAS THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, ON, ON 30, UH, DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PARTNERSHIPS, I TALKED ABOUT THAT EARLIER.
REALLY ENGAGING, UH, AND, AND TRAINING AND, AND DEPLOYMENT OF C COMMUNITY OR, UH, ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IS PART, PART OF THE INTENDED RESULTS OF THAT.
ON PAGE 31, YOU WILL SEE A CONTINUATION
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OF INTENDED RESULTS, INCREASED CAPACITY AND MOBILIZATION AMONGST GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS.COMMUNITY EQUITY TEAMS ARE NOT ONLY DEVELOPED, BUT SUSTAINED AND INCREASED AWARENESS EXISTENCE, SYSTEMIC AND STRUCTURAL RACISM, BIAS AND DISCRIMINATION PRACTICES THAT CREATE HEALTH AND, AND INEQUITIES.
SO BASICALLY WHAT THIS IS SAYING IS WE REALLY WANT TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, UH, WITH US TO, TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE ARE THE ALMIGHTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THAT, THAT, THAT KNOW ALL WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO REALLY BE, UH, IN SYNC WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND ON PAGE 32, THE HEALTH EQUITY INTENDED RESULTS.
THESE ARE THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE ARE, WE HAVE ENGAGED TO BECOME INTERMEDIARIES.
THE THOUGHT IS, IS THAT THEY WILL ENGAGE, UH, INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS AND KEY STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN THEIR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND WE'VE DIVIDED THIS UP GEOGRAPHICALLY.
I'M NOT GONNA GO, UH, THE REST OF THIS REALLY STARTS TO TALK ABOUT, UH, THE EXECUTED CONTRACTS ON, UH, 33.
UH, WE'VE GROUPED THEM, UH, BY THE PROJECT DESCRIPTION.
I'M, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH A LOT OF THIS BECAUSE, UH, THE ON 33 THAT'S PASSED, COUNSEL, UH, UH, ON, ON 34 THAT HAS, BUT YOU SEE THE LEVEL OF WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE, UH, BY THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TO DO THAT.
ON 35, YOU SEE A NUMBER OF CONTRACTED PARTNERS, UH, THAT WE HAVE ALSO ENGAGED, UH, AND HAVE ACTUALLY STARTED SOME OF THIS WORK.
UH, ON, ON 36, YOU SEE OUR INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS, SUCH AS UT, UH, THAT WE'VE ENGAGED IN.
A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF THAT WORK HAS BEEN DONE.
UH, AND ALSO AT AT THE BOTTOM, YOU SEE BUILDING CAPACITY THROUGH MULTI-SECTORIAL PARTNERS, THESE, UH, OUTREACH STRATEGIES TO INSTITUTE FOR SPIRITUALITY AND BRI BACKS.
I'M 37, UH, CONTINUATION OF, UH, PARTNERS THAT WE'VE ENGAGED AT JUST PAST COUNCIL.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA GO, UH, ON THE SCHOOL REOPENING GRANT.
I'M, I'M GONNA SKIP MOST OF THAT, UH, BECAUSE BASICALLY I TALKED ABOUT THAT EARLIER.
BUT ON PAGE 40, YOU WILL SEE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WE'VE ENGAGED.
AND THE REASON THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE IS BECAUSE WE'RE DIRECTED, FUNDED, UH, UH, JURISDICTION.
AND THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE IN OUR JURISDICTION ON 41.
YOU SEE THE CONTRACTS THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, AND YES, UH, LABORATORY SERVICES ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.
WE DO HAVE RESOURCES LEFT OVER IN THIS GRANT.
UH, BUT WE CAN ONLY USE THOSE RESOURCES FOR THE STATED PURPOSES WITHIN THIS GRANT.
UH, WE ASK, UH, AT THE TIME, BECAUSE WE NEEDED SOME DOLLARS FOR GENERAL COMMUNITY TESTING, BUT WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
WE STILL, ON PAGE 42, HAVE SOME CONTRACTS PENDING WITH HISD PUBLIC, UH, WORKFORCE PROJECT, UH, WITH THE FOCUS AREA IS, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH, WORKFORCE RESPONSE READINESS AND CAPACITY BUILDING AND SCHOOL HEALTH.
UH, YOU SEE THE AMOUNT OF THAT CONTRACT, $770,000.
AND, UH, WITH THIS, AS I STATED EARLIER, A PERCENTAGE OF THIS HAVE TO BE ALLOCATED FOR SCHOOL SERVICES THEMSELVES.
ON PAGE 43, IT JUST, IT TALKS ABOUT WE JUST DON'T GIVE FOLKS MONEY.
THEY DO HAVE TO REPORT AND TELL US WHAT THEY, THEY THEY'VE ACTUALLY DONE.
UH, ON 44, YOU SEE AN OUTLINE OF OUR CONTRACT MONITORING PROCESS.
UH, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
YOU WANT IT AN OVERVIEW OF ALL OF OUR, UH, COVID RELATED GRANTS.
YOU CAN SEE ABOUT MORE THAN 400, UH, MILLION DOLLARS.
IT'S BEEN ACTUALLY CHALLENGING MANAGING THESE GRANTS AND JUST KIND OF KEEP KEEPING THINGS IN, IN SYNC, ENSURING THAT, UH, WE, WE FOLLOW THE PROCESSES BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY COMING BACK ASKING FOR MONEY.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, WE NOW HAVE ON THE LIST HERE, WE HAVE ICE CHAIR CAYMAN.
UM, I'LL, I'LL TRY TO MAKE THIS QUICK BECAUSE AS YOU MENTIONED, YOU HAVE AN IMPORTANT, UH, PRESS CONFERENCE TO GO TO.
I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.
UH, NOT ONLY IN RESPONDING TO, UH, SOMETHING BEYOND UNPRECEDENTED, RIGHT.
UH, AND THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS THAT GO WITH THAT,
[01:00:01]
BUT THE WAY IN WHICH WE, AS A CITY HAVE LED, UH, WHICH IS A DIRECT, UM, RESULT OF THE INNOVATIVE WAYS IN WHICH YOU AND THE DEPARTMENT HAVE LAUNCHED THINGS, FOR EXAMPLE, WASTEWATER TESTING.I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT AT THE BEGINNING, BUT AGAIN, THE ENTIRE REST OF THE COUNTRY IS NOW USING THE METHODS THAT WE AS A CITY STARTED MM-HMM
SO, AGAIN, MY APPRECIATION TO EVERYONE, UH, INCLUDING THE FOLKS AT ALL THE, THE TESTING SITES, RIGHT.
THAT WE'VE EMPLOYED, THAT HAVE SAT OUT THERE IN THE COLD, IN THE FREEZING, IN THE HEAT, UH, ON THE FRONT LINES EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHILE MAINTAINING THE SAME WORK THAT WE DO AS A STANDARD, AS A CITY AND THE CARE WE PROVIDE.
UM, I KNOW, I'M SURE THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON COVID RELATED, BUT SINCE I HAVE YOU AND YOU BROUGHT UP MONKEYPOX, UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONFUSION AS TO WHO IS CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE.
COULD YOU JUST PROVIDE US WITH A BASIC RECAP OF, AS OF NOW WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE? SURE.
UH, WE DIVIDED THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA INTO TWO CATEGORIES.
THE FIRST GROUP, WHICH WE, UH, HAVE AND WE'VE IMPLEMENTED SINCE DAY ONE, WOULD CONSIST OF PEOPLE CONFIRMED BY, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH TO HAVE HIGH OR IMMEDIATE RISK EXPOSURE WITH SOMEONE WITH MONKEYPOX, OR PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED AN EVENT OR VENUE WITH HIGH RISK EXPOSURE TO SOMEONE WITH A CONFIRMED MONKEYPOX VIRUS.
SO BASICALLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, CONTACTS AS WELL AS SUSPECTED CONTACTS, UH, KNOWING THAT WE HAD A, A SCARCITY, A A, A VACCINE, BUT WANTED TO KIND OF GET AHEAD OF THIS, UH, WE, UH, WANTED TO KIND OF STRIKE A BALANCE.
AND SO A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, WE EXPANDED THAT CRITERIA TO A SECOND GROUP, AND IT'S REALLY SPECIFIC.
THE SECOND GROUP OF ADULTS DIAGNOSED WITH GONORRHEA ARE EARLY SY SYPHILIS IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS, PEOPLE ON HIV EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS, WHICH IS CALLED PREP, ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ATTENDED OR WORKED A COMMERCIAL SEX VENUE WHERE ANONYMOUS SEX, A SEX WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS TOOK PLACE IN THE PAST 21 DAYS.
THAT IS THE SPECIFICS OF THE, UH, SECOND GROUP.
AND, UH, I HAVE DR. WHITE, UH, WITH ME WHO WORKED WITH, UH, DR.
PURSE, WHO'S IN CALIFORNIA AND
UM, CHAIR, IF I COULD GO BACK IN QUEUE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU KEEP UP WITH ALL THESE GRANTS.
THIS IS A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT OF MONEY.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO THE HEALTH EQUITY GRANTS, WHICH HAVE RECENTLY COME THROUGH COUNCIL, WHICH MANY OF US HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT.
IT'S A LITTLE HARD, UM, TO, TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE WILL USE THESE NETWORKS, HOW WE WILL USE THESE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS MM-HMM
AND, AND, AND YOU SAID IT'S NOT JUST FOR COVID, IT'LL BE FOR FUTURE THINGS.
SO WILL WE JUST HAVE A DATABASE OF PEOPLE, OR, I MEAN, WHO ARE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS? I MEAN, WHO, WHO, WHO, WHAT IS THAT? WHAT IS IT, WHAT IS A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER LIKE? IS IT SOMEBODY THAT NEEDS TO BE TRAINED TO BE ONE THAT'S NOT DOING IT ALREADY? OR JUST EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS.
WELL, THE ANSWER IS YES AND NO TO THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF LAY PEOPLE THAT ARE IN COMMUNITIES THAT SERVE AS PEER COUNSELORS AND SUPPORTS TO PEOPLE WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE CONFRONTED WITH, UH, A VARIETY OF ISSUES.
BUT TRADITIONALLY WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, THEY WOULD GO THROUGH A SPECIFIC TRAINING.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I MET WITH, UH, AN ORGANIZATION THAT TRAINS COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS YESTERDAY.
BUT, AND, AND, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS WITH A PURPOSE.
WE WE'RE SAYING THAT WE WANT TO TRAIN COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IN A VARIETY OF FIELDS.
ONE COULD BE MORE RELATED TO, UH, HEALTH, HEALTH EDUCATION, GENERAL HEALTH, EDUCATION OR DIABETES, A AWARENESS, CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT.
WE COULD ALSO TRAIN COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, UH, AND, UH, UH, IN, IN THE AREA OF VIOLENCE WHERE WE MIGHT, UH, HAVE, UH, UH, TRUSTED AM AMBASSADORS, UH, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO, UH, ARE IN SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES WHO, UH, MIGHT BE PRONE TO, UH, ACT OUT FROM A PREVENTION STANDPOINT.
BECAUSE THERE, GRASSROOTS COMMUNITIES, THERE ARE OTHER USES FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
AND, AND WE'RE REALLY EXPLORING THAT FROM A VARIETY OF, OF PHYSICIANS.
UH, PARAPROFESSIONALS HAVE LONG BEEN, UH, I THINK, INSTRUMENTAL
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IN OUTCOMES.FOR EXAMPLE, IN OUR, UH, IN IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM, WE USE, UH, UH, UH, A PARALLEL TO COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS TO ACTUALLY CALL, UH, OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR PATIENTS TO, UH, REMIND THEM OF, UH, TO BRING THEIR KIDS IN TO GET VACCINATIONS.
AND BEFORE COVID, WE WERE ACTUALLY DOING PRETTY GOOD.
SO BASICALLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PARAPROFESSIONALS THAT YOU'RE TRAINING, UH, ALONG SPECIFIC, UH, LINES, UH, TO REALLY HELP WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH PROFESSIONALS.
AND THE THOUGHT IS, IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT FOLKS CAN IDENTIFY WITH.
I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT I, SO WE'RE, WE'RE BASICALLY BUILDING A NETWORK.
THERE YOU GO, OF THESE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
SO WE'LL HAVE THEIR NAMES AND NUMBERS IN THE NEXT CRISIS THAT COMES ALONG OR SOMETHING WE NEED DONE.
WE'LL KNOW WHO, WHO TO CALL TO DO THAT WORK WITH US.
AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH SPECIFIC COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, WE HAVE SOME FOLKS TRAINED WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT TO DO THAT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL BE MORE EFFECTIVE BY BUILDING CAPACITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT, AND, AND, AND YOU'RE ALSO CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR FOLKS TO GET ENGAGED IN PUBLIC HEALTH RELATED WORK TOO.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR, UM, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND THANK YOUR WHOLE DEPARTMENT FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, JUST YOUR EFFORTS AROUND CAPACITY BUILDING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT, I ALWAYS THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES HAVE THE RESOURCES, HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO INCIDENTS OR CRISISES, LIKE COVID OR FLOODS.
AND SO, UM, YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN DOING EVERY A, A TREMENDOUS GOOD JOB WITH LIKE, NOT JUST WORKING WITH THE NORMAL, UM, BAKER RIPLEY'S OR WHATEVER, BUT YOU'RE GOING DEEP D DOWN INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WORKING WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT NORMALLY DON'T GET THESE RESOURCES.
UM, YOU HAVE A WHOLE LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE THE ANCHORS.
I CALL 'EM THE ANCHORS, THE HUBS, BUT THEY ARE WORKING WITH MM-HMM
ORGAN, A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE, UM, ESPECIALLY MY DISTRICT.
AND SO MY, UM, CONSTITUENTS, THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE VERY EXCITED BECAUSE THEY ARE NOW CONNECTED TO THE CITY.
AND THIS NORMALLY HAVEN'T HAPPENED FROM MY EXPERIENCE AND JUST FROM A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT I WORK WITH.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANNA SAY, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
UM, IT IS MAKING A HUGE DIFFERENCE, UM, WITHIN, UM, MY DISTRICT.
UM, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING TRAINED TO BE RESOURCE, UM, COMMUNITY RESOURCE NAVIGATORS.
AND YOU JUST, JUST LIKE WHAT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, I CALL 'EM NAVIGATORS BECAUSE WHAT THEY DO IS THEY HELP CONSTITUENTS NAVIGATE VARIOUS SYSTEMS, YOU KNOW, OR NAVIGATE, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND WHERE THE RESOURCES IS AT.
IT IS ABOUT WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
IF A FLOOD HAPPENED, PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO GO TO GET FOOD OR CLOTHING OR WHATEVER.
AND SO THESE NAVIGATORS ARE RE COMMUNITY RESOURCE A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IS GONNA BE CRITICAL TO ESPECIALLY LOW INCOME AND STRUGGLING NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR JUST ALL THE TIME THAT YOU'VE SPENT WITH ME IN MY OFFICE, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP.
ACTUALLY, UH, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MY COLLEAGUE, UH, R LAWSON, DR. LAWSON IN, IN THE LIBRARY.
AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
AND HER FIRST COMMENT, I, I DON'T KNOW WHY I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT, WAS, UH, CAN WE HAVE SOME IN SOME OF OUR LIBRARIES? IT'S LIKE, YES, MA'AM.
JUST TO GO BACK TO MONKEYPOX, 'CAUSE AGAIN, UH, SO WE HAVE THESE QUALIFICATIONS THAT ARE LIMITED.
I AM ASSUMING THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF VACCINES, ALTHOUGH WE ARE BOTH PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY, UH, ACTIVELY TRYING TO GET THOSE, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
IF WE HAD, UH, MORE VACCINE, UH, WE WERE PROBABLY EXPAND, UH, THE CRITERIA, WE WOULD GO BACK TO OUR, UH, HEALTH AUTHORITIES AND SAY, OKAY, UH, WHAT WOULD THE NEXT, UH, LEVEL OF RISK POPULATION BE? GREAT.
AND, UM, I WILL JUST SAY ON, ON BEHALF OF MANY CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME CONCERNED ABOUT ACCESS RIGHT NOW.
UM, I UNDERSTAND RIGHT NOW IF YOU, UM, HAVE HIV YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BE, UM, ON PREP IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE VACCINE.
IS THAT, THAT'S BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST I'M GONNA LET NO, UP HERE.
JANINA WHITE, SHE'S THE DEPUTY HEALTH AUTHORITY.
UH, YEAH, I'M SORRY, THAT'S ON HER LINE.
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COULD INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR POSITION FOR THE RECORD.JANINA WHITE DEPUTY HEALTH AUTHORITY WITH HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT EQUITY IN HEALTHCARE IS HAVING THE STATUS OF HIV DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU WOULD BE A PATIENT NECESSARILY AT RISK.
DOESN'T MEAN YOU WOULD BE THE AT RISK OF HAVING CLOSE CONTACT OR RISK FOR THE GROUPS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT FOR AT RISK FOR MONKEYPOX.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE SORT OF ELABORATED THAT SECOND GROUP IN GROUP A BY SAYING SYPHILIS AND GONORRHEA AND THOSE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, IS WE KNOW IN HOUSTON THAT CONGENITAL SYPHILIS AND SYPHILIS AND THE BURDEN OF STIS IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
SO WITHOUT STIGMATIZING ANY GROUP FROM GROUP A, WE LEVERAGE SOME MEDICAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT MIGHT OCCUR IN THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD PRESENT IN TO OUR, LIKE EPI AND CONTACT TRACING TEAM WITHOUT STIGMATIZING THEM.
BECAUSE AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WHEN WE'RE CALLING AND ASKING AND TRYING TO GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, IT CAN BE VERY CHALLENGING FOR SOMEONE TO REALLY TRUST THAT THEY SHOULD TELL US WHO MIGHT THEIR CONTACTS BE WHEN THEY WENT TO SORT OF A EVENT AND MAYBE HAD MULTIPLE PARTNERS.
AND, AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND I, AGAIN, AM NOT THE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL.
I'M JUST CONVEYING QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS BEING RAISED BY RESIDENTS RIGHT NOW.
INCLUDING SOME WHO ARE, UM, HIV POSITIVE, BUT MAY NOT BE ON CERTAIN TREATMENTS THAT ARE BEING SPECIFIED, BUT STILL FEEL THAT THEY'RE, THEY'VE BEEN, THEY ARE COMMUNICATING TO US THAT THEY'RE BEING TURNED AWAY.
WELL, I THINK I'M, I'M GONNA PARAPHRASE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS JUST, UH, BY, BY, BY BEING HIV POSITIVE DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY EQUATE TO YOUR ENGAGING IN CERTAIN BEHAVIORS.
THIS, THIS REALLY EQUATES TO THE BEHAVIORS THAT YOU'RE ENGAGING AT THAT PUTS YOU AT RISK.
UM, WE WILL CONVEY THAT, AND I WILL JUST, UM, IF I COULD SPEAK TO SOMEBODY OFFLINE ABOUT THE WAYS IN WHICH WE'RE COMMUNICATING, INCLUDING TEXTING, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ABSOLUTELY.
UM, ON, ON THESE GRANTS AND ALL THE COVID GRANTS, IF THERE'S MONEY LEFT, I MEAN, DO PEOPLE SPEND TO THE END, OR IF THEIR MISSION'S KIND OF OVER, DO THEY, I MEAN, HOW DOES THAT MONEY WORK? IS ANY RETURNED? WELL, WHAT HAPPENS WITH A LOT OF THE GRANTS, WHEN WE GET TO THE END OF THE GRANT YEAR AND THERE ARE DOLLARS OVER, WE HAVE TO CALL THE FUNDING AGENCY.
AND WHAT WE NORMALLY ASK FOR IS A NO COST EXTENSION, MEANING GIVE US MORE TIME TO, UH, PROVIDE MORE SERVICES AND SPEND THE MONEY.
USUALLY THE ANSWER TO THAT IS, IS YES, THERE'VE BEEN VERY FEW, UH, UH, CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THEY'VE ACTUALLY ASKED FOR THE MONEY BACK AS LONG AS YOU'RE SPENDING IT ACCORDING TO THE, THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS.
AND ON THE, UM, ON THE, THE MONITORING SIDE, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR SLIDES THERE.
I MEAN, I, I CANNOT IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF WORK GOING INTO MONITORING ALL THESE CONTRACTS, UM, NOT JUST THE HEALTH EQUITY ONES, ALL OF 'EM.
UM, AND I MEAN, YOU, YOU, YOU SAY THEY'RE FROM VARIOUS DIVISIONS WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT STAFF FOR MONITORING? IS THERE ALSO MONITORING BY THE FEDERAL AGENCY THAT OVERSEES THESE GRANTS? I MEAN, HOW, HOW IS THE MONITORING? UM, CAN YOU DESCRIBE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE? WELL, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UH, WE HAVE TO BUILD THAT CAPACITY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, AND WE ARE BUILDING IT.
THIS IS THE FIRST, I GUESS I'VE BEEN HERE TOO LONG TO SAY THIS, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST ORGANIZATION THAT I'VE WORKED IN WHERE, WHEN YOU LET GRANTS, WE REALLY, REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A, A, A UNIT THAT'S REALLY, UH, UH, SET ASIDE TO ACTUALLY DO THAT REGARDLESS OF WHERE, WHERE, WHERE THE FUNDING IS COMING FROM.
I, I, UH, WITHIN ALL OF THESE GRANTS, ONE OF THE THINGS, AND WE SPENT TIME YESTERDAY WITH MY STAFF, UH, REALLY TALKING ABOUT PUTTING AN EMPHASIS ON, UH, YOU KNOW, QA Q QI, UH, BUILDING TOWARD ACCREDITATION, WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE ACHIEVING, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THE GRANT.
SO, UH, WE WILL BUILD A STAFF.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'LL BE, YOU KNOW, AT THE CAPACITY THAT WE WANT, BUT I CAN'T SEE US NOT DOING THAT, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES THAT'S GOING INTO THIS.
THE, THE CONTRACT COMPLIANCE ON THIS, I THINK WOULD BE PRETTY HEFTY LIFT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, PLEASE LET US KNOW ABOUT RESOURCES YOU NEED OR WHAT, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP WITH THAT.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF ALL THIS.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR FOR, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
[01:15:01]
UH, WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE THIRD AND FINAL PRESENTATION BEING LED BY MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR NICOLE IRVIN AND CULTURAL TOURISM AND MUSIC OFFICER GRACIE CHAVEZ.UH, IF YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD AS WELL AS ANY MEMBERS OF YOUR TEAM JOINING YOU TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIRMAN GALLEGOS, I HOPE THAT YOU, YOUR, UM, OUR VOLUME IS OKAY.
SO, MY NAME IS CORVIN DIRECTOR FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, AND I HAVE WITH ME TODAY GRACIE CHAVEZ, OUR MUSIC AND CULTURAL TOURISM OFFICER.
AND I'M GOING TO SHARE OUR SCREEN AND GO AHEAD AND START OUR PRESENTATION.
UM, SO THE LAST TIME THE, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS CAME BEFORE QUALITY OF LIFE WAS A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO WHEN WE WERE REPORTING ON FUNDING PROVIDED BY THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL FOR, UM, OF CARES DOLLARS FOR MUSICIANS AND MUSIC VENUES.
THOSE DOLLARS WERE, UM, WELL RECEIVED AND UTILIZED IN THE COMMUNITY AT THAT TIME.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO AS WE BEGAN BUILDING OUT SUPPORT AND WORK FOR HOUSTON MUSICIANS AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
ONE OF THOSE THINGS WAS A COMMITMENT TO THE ANNUAL CELEBRATION, MAKE MUSIC DAY, UM, AND MAKE MUSIC DAY, UM, IS CELEBRATED EVERY SUMMER SOLSTICE.
THIS YEAR WAS OUR SECOND YEAR CELEBRATING MAKE MUSIC DAY HOUSTON.
UM, AND AS YOU SEE WITH THE HIGHLIGHTED NUMBERS, UM, WE HAD MORE THAN 150 VENUES AND PERFORMERS ACROSS THE CITY, OVER 80 CONFIRMED CONFORMED PERFORMANCES.
UM, AND WHAT WAS PARTICULARLY EXCITING WAS THE CONTINUED CONNECTION WITH THE FRENCH CONSULATE.
UM, AND FRANCE IS WHERE THIS CELEBRATION BEGAN MORE THAN, UM, 40 YEARS AGO, EXCUSE ME.
AND SO BOTH THE MAYOR AND FRENCH CONSULATE GENERAL, VALERIE BARBAN, UM, STARTED THE LIVE MUSIC HERE AT CITY HALL.
UM, WE ALSO HOSTED A KARAOKE FOR CITY EMPLOYEES THAT AFTERNOON.
UM, BUT THESE NUMBERS IN ONLY THE SECOND YEAR OF THIS CELEBRATION WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT EXPERIENCE ON OUR TEAM.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UM, THE LATEST MEMBER OF THE, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS TEAM, AND THAT IS GRACIE CHAVEZ GRACIE, UM, WHO IS OUR MUSIC AND CULTURAL TOURISM OFFICER, IS A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN AND COMES TO US WITH SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE, UM, ACROSS THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, AS WELL AS BEING A MUSICIAN.
UM, AND SO WE ARE TRULY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT SHE BRINGS TO THE TABLE AND THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE IN COMMUNITY AND HER LEVEL OF EXPERTISE IN THE INDUSTRY.
AND SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO HER TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE HOUSTON MUSIC ADVISORY BOARD.
GRACIE, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, AND, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
UM, I'M REALLY PLEASED TO JOIN MOCA MOCA'S TEAM AS, UH, THEY CONTINUE TO BE COMMITTED, UM, TO ENHANCING A RICH CULTURAL ASSET LIKE MUSIC FOR OUR CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND WITH SUCH SIGNIFICANCE TO WHO HOUSTON IS, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO ESTABLISH AN ADVISORY BOARD TO IMPACT AND INFLUENCE OUR CITY'S WORK.
AND PART OF THIS MISSION FOR, UM, THE ADVISORY BOARD WOULD BE TO SERVE AS A LIAISON BETWEEN THE, UH, MUSIC COMMUNITY AND OUR MUNICIPALITY, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AND FOSTERING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR HOUSTON MUSICIANS AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
SOME OF THOSE GOALS WOULD BE TO PRESENT TOP CHALLENGES AND OR OPPORTUNITIES BASED ON MUSIC COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, DEVELOP POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THOSE MUSICIANS AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
AND FINALLY, ENCOURAGE REGISTRATION TO THE NEW MUSIC DIRECTORY THAT IS DUE TO ROLL OUT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO THESE NINE ACTION-ORIENTED MEMBERS WOULD BE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.
THEY WOULD REPRESENT THE, THE DIVERSITY, INTEREST AND EXPERTISE OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND ALL OF THESE STEPS WOULD BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH, UM, UM, GETTING CERTIFIED IS A MUSIC FRIENDLY CITY FOR THE TEXAS MUSIC OFFICE, WHICH WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR AS WELL.
[01:20:02]
THANK YOU FOR THAT, GRACIE.UM, SO AGAIN, A VERY SHORT PRESENTATION, BUT WE DID WANNA COME BEFORE YOU TO LET YOU KNOW THIS CONTINUED WORK THAT WE ARE DOING IN THIS SPACE, BUT ALSO TO PRESENT THE FIRST HOUSTON MUSIC ADVISORY BOARD.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I WILL END IT, UM, AND OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
YES, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, AND THANK YOU GRACIE.
UH, WE HAVE QUESTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
THANK YOU CHAIR, AND WELCOME, UM, GRACIE, THIS IS EXCITING NEWS AND, AND HAPPY TO KNOW THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON THIS.
WILL THE, WILL WE BE THE, THE LOCAL MUSICIANS AND ALL, I MEAN, THE, THE ADVISORY BOARD, IS IT GONNA BE JUST MORE LOCAL PERFORMERS, OR ARE WE INCLUDING SOME OF THE LARGER ARTS GROUPS, UM, YOU KNOW, SYMPHONY, DIFFERENT MUSIC GROUPS? I MEAN, ARE, WILL THEY GONNA BE PART OF THIS OR WE, IS THIS MORE OF A FOCUS OF KIND OF A GRASSROOTS MUSIC SCENE OR WHAT, WHO, WHAT ARE THE ORGANIZATIONS AND TYPES OF PEOPLE? WELL, WE WE'RE DEFINITELY INCLUDING, UM, A BROAD SPECTRUM OF MUSICIANS.
UM, YOU KNOW, ALSO, UH, VENUE OWNERS AND MANAGERS, PEOPLE THAT MAYBE PERHAPS OWN, UH, STUDIO RECORDING STUDIOS, UH, PRODUCERS, YOU KNOW, SOUND ENGINEERS.
SO REALLY, YOU KNOW, MUSIC REPRESENTATIVES HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, IS WHO WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF, OF THE MAKEUP OF THIS BOARD.
SO, SO NOT REALLY PART OF THE LARGER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.
THIS IS MORE OF A MUSIC SPECIFIC.
UM, REALLY QUICKLY, DIRECTOR AND GRACIE, WELCOME ABOARD.
UM, I, I THINK THAT THIS IS A PHENOMENAL IDEA AND MUCH NEEDED.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PRESS ABOUT, UM, WHY DOES HOUSTON, WHY IS HOUSTON NOT ON THE MAP, UH, WHEN WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE.
SO, UH, I, I COMMEND THIS WORK DIRECTOR, IF I MAY, UM, FOR A BRIEF MOMENT SINCE WE HAVE YOU, UM, AND WE JUST HEARD FROM THE, UH, DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS IT RELATES TO THE USE OF, UH, FUNDS AND GRANTS.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON, I KNOW WE HAD ONE ROUND OF ALLOCATION, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR ARTS, UH, RELATED TO COVID AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN, UM, SOME REALLY EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS FROM A COALITION OF ARTISTS SINKING, UH, AR, RPA FUNDS, UH, AS IT RELATES TO ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
COULD YOU PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THAT AND WHERE THINGS STAND? YES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, UM, IT HAS BEEN A CONCERTED EFFORT ACROSS THE CREATIVE ECONOMY AND ITS COMMUNITY AND COMING FORWARD TO MAKE A REQUEST, UM, THE COMMUNITY IS ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE FUNDS, AND THAT REQUEST IS BEING CONSIDERED BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
AND, UH, DO WE HAVE A TIMELINE OR WHERE I, I, AGAIN, I DON'T WANT ANYTHING THAT CAN'T BE DISCUSSED.
I UNDERSTAND, AND THERE'S AN INTERNAL PROCESS AND PROCEDURE AND, UH, IN PLACE TO VET ALL OF THE REQUESTS AS IT RELATES TO ARPA DOLLARS, BUT ARE YOU ABLE TO EXPAND UPON THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT? SO, I'M, I AM NOT.
UM, AND AS YOU'VE MENTIONED, THE PROCESS IS BEING LED, UM, BY OUR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, AND THAT IS BILL KELLY.
AND CHAIR, I WOULD JUST, UM, ENCOURAGE US TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE ON, UM, THE STATUS OF THINGS.
AS THE DIRECTOR SAID, UH, THIS WAS A VERY DIVERSE, UH, COALITION OF ARTS ENTITIES THAT CAME TOGETHER, I WOULD SAY, IN A HISTORIC WAY THAT HAS NOT NECESSARILY BEEN DONE BEFORE, UM, IN ITS PROPOSAL, UH, FOR CO ECONOMIC RECOVERY RELATED TO THIS.
AND GRACIE, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS.
THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, SO WE'LL NOW OPEN IT UP.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, AND THANK YOU, GRACIE.
UH, WE'LL NOW OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC.
THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATIONS.
UM, PUBLIC SPEAKERS WERE REQUIRED TO SIGN UP THROUGH A, THROUGH A PROVIDED FORM BY 5:00 PM ON TUESDAY, JULY 26TH, FOUR SPEAKERS SIGNED UP.
WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND LET US KNOW IF YOU'RE REPRESENTING AN ORGANIZATION.
ALL PUBLIC SPEAKERS WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IS OUR GOOD FRIEND BETH WHITE, WHO JOINS US THROUGH TEAMS. MS. WHITE, PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR MICROPHONE.
UM, WELL, I AM DELIGHTED TO BE HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN STRONG SUPPORT AND ADMIRATION FOR H P'S LEADERSHIP IN THE NATURE PRESERVE ORDINANCE.
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WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT SMART AND THOUGHTFUL PIECE OF WORK ABOUT HOW WE TREAT OUR ENVIRONMENT.UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, AND WE'RE SO PROUD OF OUR NEARLY 50 YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, PRIMARILY WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AT HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP IN OUR LONGSTANDING NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
OUR PARTNERSHIP ON 50 50 PARK PARTNERS WITH MAYOR TURNER H PART AND, UH, GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, AND OF COURSE, OUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT OF BIOG GREENWAYS.
UM, WE WORK TO CREATE, IMPROVE, PROTECT, AND ADVOCATE FOR PARKS, UH, TO MAKE HOUSTON A MORE RESILIENT PLACE.
UM, WE WORK TO INCREASE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYONE WHO USES OUR PARKS OR GREENWAYS OR LIVE LIVES NEARBY.
UM, I THINK THE, UH, LEADERSHIP AT HOUSTON PARKS AND REC EARLIER GAVE ALL THE BENEFITS FOR PARKS THAT, UM, I CERTAINLY DON'T NEED TO REPEAT TO THIS COMMITTEE, GIVEN WHAT YOU EMBRACE, UH, EVERY DAY.
BUT I, I DID WANNA SAY, UM, THAT WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THE WORK THAT PARKS AND RECREATION ARE, UM, PUTTING FORWARD IS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR OUR, NOT JUST OUR PHYSICAL HEALTH, BUT ALSO OUR MENTAL HEALTH.
AND IT'S, UH, INTERESTING THAT IT WAS ON THE SAME AGENDA AS THE, UH, VERY DEEP WORK THAT'S BEING DONE AND THE GRANT FUNDING FOR COVID AND ONE LESSON WE ALL LEARNED, UH, VERY CLEARLY FROM COVID AND JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE ACCESS TO NATURE, BECAUSE TIME AND NATURE IS NOT A LUXURY, BUT IT IS IN FACT ESSENTIAL TO OUR HUMANITY.
BEING IN NATURE HELPS US THINK, SOLVE PROBLEMS, AND WORK TOGETHER.
WHAT H PART IS PUTTING FORWARD IS A GAME CHANGING GIFT TO ALL HOUSTONIANS, MAKING SURE OUR CITY IS RESILIENT BY PROTECTING THESE AREAS, AND NOT ONLY PROVIDING FOR WILDLIFE HABITAT, BUT FOR HEALTHY HUMAN HABITAT.
UM, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF HARD, UM, UNDER KENNETH ALLEN.
UM, MS. ANDRES, WHO HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO US AT BIOG GREENWAY SITS ON OUR STANDARDS COMMITTEE, OFFERS HER EXPERTISE AND GUIDANCE IN THE WORK THAT WE DO.
OVER 40% OF THE AREA THAT WE CONSERVE AND MAINTAIN ALONG BIOG GREENWAYS IS FOREST PRAIRIES AND WETLANDS, AND ALL ARE CRITICAL FOR PROVIDING THESE ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS IN WILDLIFE HABITAT.
AND THEY'RE OFTEN ADJACENT TO THE LARGE PARKS THAT ARE NOTED IN THIS, UH, ORDINANCE.
SO WE ARE IN, UH, GREAT SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO EMBRACE THIS ORDINANCE, AND WE HOPE TO SEE THE SYSTEM GROW.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
TH THANK, THANK YOU, BETH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME FOR BEING HERE.
AND, AND THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM AT THE PARKS BOARD FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO TO PROTECT OUR, TO PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY OUR GREEN SPACES.
I'M SORRY, I, I'VE GOT A, UH, QUESTION HERE FROM THE, UH, VICE CHAIR.
I HAD HEARD THE BELL RING, SO I WAS GONNA GIVE BETH A FEW EXTRA, UH OH.
SECONDS TO FINISH UP, BUT THANK YOU, BETH.
COME UP TO THE FRONT OVER HERE.
THANK YOU, UH, FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
MY NAME IS SIMON GONZALEZ AND I'M REPRESENTING THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN TEXAS TODAY WE ARE PROUD THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT ARE AMONGST OUR STRONGEST AND MOST VALUED PARTNERS.
WE'VE WORKED WITH KELLY AND HER TEAM ON SEVERAL THINGS, AND, AND WE ARE, UH, HOLD HER IN HIGH ADMIRATION AS WELL AS HER TEAM.
WE HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE RESILIENT HOUSTON STRATEGY OF THE HOUSTON CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
THE HOUSTON CITY'S CONNECTING CHILDREN WITH NATURE PLAN, CHILD-FRIENDLY CITIES, INITIATIVES, AND OTHER GOOD WORKS THAT THE CITY IS DOING.
IT IS THROUGH THESE EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE COME TO CLEARLY RECOGNIZE THAT THE QUALITY OF THE CITY'S NATURE WILL DETERMINE JUST HOW RESILIENT, HEALTHY, AND LIVABLE THE CITY IS NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.
RESTORING NATURE TO NEIGHBORHOODS WILL BE CRITICAL TO COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE AND INEQUITY, BUT KEEPING THE NATURE WE HAVE HEALTHY AND WORKING HARD FOR ALL OF US IS EVERY BIT AS CRITICAL.
THIS IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY IN FULL AND VOCAL SUPPORT OF THE NATURE PRESERVES ORDINANCE BEING PROPOSED BY H PART, THESE PREMIER PLACES IN OUR PARKLANDS COOL THE CITY DURING BLISTERING HEAT, SOAK UP POTENTIAL FLOOD WATERS, PROVIDE CRITICAL HABITAT TO WILD HOUSTONIANS, AND GIVE OUR KIDS THE CHANCE, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE CITY,
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A CHANCE AT SEEING NATURE AND ALL THE AWE AND THE JOY THAT IT BRINGS.WE'RE ALSO A BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT CITY, ONE OF ONLY TWO IN THE COUNTRY THIS YEAR MARKED THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW THAT WE WON THE CITY NATURE CHALLENGE, WHICH IS A GLOBAL CHALLENGE BETWEEN 400 CITIES.
WE NEED TO KEEP OUR BIODIVERSITY INTACT.
THIS PROPOSED, UM, ORDINANCE WILL ENSURE THAT THE HIGHEST QUALITY HABITATS WILL CONTINUE TO THRIVE AND WORK HARD FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS, HUMAN AND WILD.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER.
THANK, THANK, THANK YOU MR. GONZALEZ.
WE HAVE A QUESTION FOR COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN? NOPE.
THANK YOU FOR SITTING THROUGH THE WHOLE MEETING AND, AND WAITING TO DELIVER YOUR STATEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK YOU DO FOR THE NATURE CONSERVANCY.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
WE, WE KNOW NEED MORE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, MORE GREEN IN THIS CITY, AND ESPECIALLY AS IT PERTAINS TO FLOODING AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO PRESERVE WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY AND KEEP IT THAT WAY FOR YEARS TO COME.
SO THANK FOR THE, THANK YOU FOR THE ADVOCACY AND WORK YOU DO AND, AND FOR SITTING THROUGH OUR MEETING, SO YOU COULD MAKE YOUR GREAT STATEMENT.
WE, UH, WILL NOW GO TO THE THIRD SPEAKER.
WE HAVE KATHY SWAZI, UH, WHO JOINS US THROUGH TEAMS. PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR MICROPHONE AND YOU CAN BEGIN.
CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME ALL RIGHT? YES.
NAME IS KATHY SUZIE, AND I'M PRESENTING ON BEHALF OF HOUSTON AUDUBON.
HOUSTON AUDUBON IS A CONFIRMATION EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION THAT FOCUSES ON PROTECTING THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT FOR BIRDS AND PEOPLE.
WE ACHIEVE THIS BY WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO NATURE AND HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE INCREASED INTEREST AND APPRECIATION FOR NATURE THAT HAS BEEN INFLUENCED BY BIRDING AND OTHER OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES WITHIN NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS.
HOUSTON IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT LOCATION FOR BIRDS WITH MILLIONS OF MIGRATING BIRDS, RELYING ON HOUSTON TO REST AND REFUEL AFTER THEIR NONSTOP JOURNEY ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO EVERY SINGLE SPRING.
AS ONE OF THE TOP BIRDING LOCATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, HOUSTON BIRDS TOURISM ATTRACTS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TOURISTS EACH YEAR.
BURNING IS A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR REVENUE SOURCE HAVING AN ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF $41 BILLION IN THE UNITED STATES.
THIS AMOUNT HAS LIKELY INCREASED WITH THE RISE IN BIRDING AS A HOBBY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
OVER THE LAST CENTURY, URBANIZATION ACROSS THE UNITED STATES HAS LED TO THE DESTRUCTION OF OVER 150 MILLION ACRES OF ECOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE LAND.
I CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING THE NATURAL HABITAT THESE BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE DEPEND ON TO SURVIVE.
ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE ONGOING THREATS OF A CHANGING CLIMATE AND CONTINUED LOSS OF HABITAT.
THE NATURE PRESERVE ORNAMENTS WILL PROTECT VITAL BIRD HABITAT WITHIN HIGHLY URBANIZED CITY AND MAINTAIN THE ONGOING ECONOMIC SUPPORT FROM BIRD TOURISM.
HOUSTON'S DIVERSE NATURAL RESOURCES PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE, CLIMATE RESILIENCE, AND DRAWING YOUNG AND DIVERSE TALENT TO OUR REGION.
NATIVE HABITAT IS PROVEN TO HAVE MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS, INCLUDING FLOOD CONTROL, CLEANER AIR, AND IMPROVED HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO RESTORE AND MAINTAIN NATIVE HABITAT WITHIN EVERY COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE AN EQUITABLE REACH OF THESE BENEFITS.
TO CONCLUDE, HOUSTON AUDUBON STRONGLY SUPPORTS THIS ORDINANCE.
WE BELIEVE PASSING THIS ORDINANCE IS AN ESSENTIAL STEP TO PRESERVING EXISTING NATURAL AREAS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT TO HELPING HOUSTON BUILD A MORE RESILIENT, HEALTHY REGION WITH INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES WHO ARE ABLE TO ENJOY THE BENEFITS THAT NATURE BRINGS TO OUR DAILY LIVES.
WE NOW, UH, HAVE A, UH, FOURTH AND FINAL SPEAKER, SARAH, SARAH FLORNA, UH, WHO JOINS US THROUGH TEAMS. PLEASE SEND ME YOUR MICROPHONE AND YOU MAY BEGIN.
COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS SARAH FLOURNOY AND I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN HOUSTON AND LIVE HERE.
NOW I WANNA THANK KELLY ANDRE SICK, THE NATURAL RESOURCES TEAM, AND HOUSTON PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT FOR PREPARING THIS EXCELLENT NATURE PRESERVE PLAN THAT I HOPE WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.
I LOVE THE NATURAL AREAS IN OUR PARKS.
I'M A BIRDER AND I ALSO USE NATURE AS A BALM AND BALANCE FOR THE CRAZY URBAN LIFE THAT WE ALL EXPERIENCE.
I'VE ALSO WORKED ON PROJECTS IN THESE NATURAL AREAS AND SEEING CHILDREN'S EYES LIGHT UP, SEEING FROGS, LIZARDS, TURTLES, FLOWERS, AND BIRDS CONNECTING TO NATURE IS A CORE HUMAN EXPERIENCE THAT WE ALL NEED.
THIS WILL BE A HUGE WIN FOR HOUSTON AND HELP US CONTINUE ON OUR PATH AS AN ATTRACTIVE, UNIQUE CITY.
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HERE AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, THESE NATURE PRESERVES WILL BE A WONDERFUL ASSET.THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT TO SPEAK.
THAT ENDS THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF TODAY'S MEETING.
UH, FOR ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WATCHING, YOU MAY SEND QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BY EMAILING MY OFFICE AT DISTRICT I@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
THAT'S DISTRICT I@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
SEEING NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'LL MOVE TO ADJOURN.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING TODAY.
THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.