[PRESENTATIONS]
[00:00:03]
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.IT IS 1:42 PM ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4TH, 2022.
I AM MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN, IN SPIRIT OF THE ASTROS PITCH, HITTING FOR MAYOR TURNER, WHO IS OUT TODAY.
AND I'M CALLING THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER AS A HYBRID MEETING WITH SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS JOINING IN PERSON, WHILE SOME ARE USING MICROSOFT TEAMS. THE CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS FOR A PROCLAMATION TO SEE PATRICK MCELVANE TO WALK HOUSTON FOR THEIR 30TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY THAT'S GOING.
THIRD, HOW ARE YOU? I, WELL, THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES.
IT'S AN HONOR TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO PR TO PATRICK MICHAEL BAIN, SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN, IN, IN, IN, IN THIS.
AND, UM, I PARTICIPATED ALMOST EVERY YEAR, UH, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, IN THE WALK OR IN THE, UH, UH, EVENTS THAT HE HAS IN REGARDS TO RECOGNITION OF WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY.
AND IT'S AN HONOR TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO PATRICK TODAY.
WHEREAS ON THIS DAY, 30 YEARS AGO, THE WORLD FEDERATION OF MENTAL HEALTH SELECTED THE 10TH DAY OF OCTOBER AS WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY.
AND WHEREAS WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY WAS CREATED AS A DAY FOR GLOBAL ADVOCACY AND AWARENESS WITH THE GOAL OF ENCOURAGING POSITIVE PUBLIC DIALOGUE REGARDING MENTAL ILLNESS, IT IS A DAY TO TALK, REFLECT, AND ENGAGE WITH OTHERS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND THE REALITY OF MENTAL HEALTH.
AND WHEREAS A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC, WHICH ALONE CREATED A SURGE OF TRAGIC LOSS OF LIFE EXPERIENCES, CREATED A WAVE OF TRAUMA.
THIS TRAUMA LED TO AN UNIMAGINABLE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DEVELOPING, DIAGNOSED CASES OF MENTAL ILLNESS FROM PTSD, DEPRESSION TO ANXIETY.
AND WHEREAS NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME, MANY PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING GROUPS AND INDIVIDUAL THERAPISTS HAVE HAD TO CREATE A WAITING LIST FOR NEW PATIENTS.
AND WHEREAS THE TIME HAS COME FOR HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, AND THE STATE OF TEXAS TO DO ALL WITHIN THEIR POWER TO TALK PUBLICLY AND OPENLY ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON STANDS PROUDLY BY THOSE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS IN SPEAKING UP FOR THEMSELVES AND PLAYING AN ACTIVE ROLE BY VOICING THE FACT THAT THEY ARE INDEED EQUAL MEMBERS OF SOCIETY AND SHOULD NOT BE DEFINED BY MENTAL ILLNESS ONE'S, ONE'S MENTAL ILLNESS DOES NOT DEFINE THEM.
THEREFORE, I MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN, ON BEHALF OF SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 10TH, 2022 AS WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY.
I'M A LITTLE OVERWHELMED, UH, ALTHOUGH I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE MANY TIMES.
I DO WANT TO, UH, I'M GONNA BE A PROUD SON, AND I'M GONNA USE SOME OF THE WORDS MY MOTHER USED WHEN SHE STOOD HERE IN 1978.
SHE WAS THEN ADVOCATING FOR HER GAY SON, ANOTHER LGBT PEOPLE, AND SHE, SOME OF HER WORDS AT THAT TIME, UH, TO EVERYONE THAT WAS HERE, UH, UH, LOOK TO YOUR LEFT, LOOK TO YOUR RIGHT, LOOK IN THE AUDIENCE, UH, YOUR DOCTOR, YOUR TEACHER, YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR WORK PEOPLE.
ANYONE COULD BE L-G-B-T-Q, QUESTION.
BOY, WE HAVE GROWN, UH, IN OUR, IN OUR ALPHABET.
UH, AND THE SAME, VERY SAME THING, SADLY, UH, CAN ALSO BE SAID FOR THOSE OF US WITH MENTAL ILLNESS BECAUSE OF THE STIGMA THAT IS SO STRONG AND SO PERVERSE.
WE KEEP IT TO OURSELVES, AND WE REALLY DON'T START GETTING BETTER UNTIL WE NA, UNTIL WE NAME IT AND CLAIM IT AND START DOING THE PROCESS.
I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT, UH, UH, THIS IS ALSO NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
[00:05:01]
UH, UH, RITA GARCIA, CHANNEL 13 IS GOING TO BE DOING A TOWN HALL MEETING THAT I HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING.SHE'S COMBINING, UH, UH, THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY AND MENTAL HEALTH.
UH, IT WILL BE BROADCAST SOON.
UM, THE SEVENTH, THE SEVENTH ON ALL PLATFORMS OF ABC 13.
UH, THANK, THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR STANDING IN, UH, UH, FOR, FOR THE MAYOR.
UM, AND, AND I HAVE ONE PERSON THAT I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UP YES.
AND TO ALSO TAKE PICTURES WITH US.
UH, ONE OF MY BOARD MEMBERS, UH, THE WALK.
THIS IS OUR 12TH YEAR, UH, FOR THE WALK, AND WE'RE A NONPROFIT.
WE'RE A NONPROFIT, ALL VOLUNTEER.
UH, DO YOU WANNA MENTION HER NAME FOR THAT? OH, UH, YES.
AND, UH, TRINA STANFIELD, UH, IS HERE WITH ME TODAY.
LIKE I SAID, SHE HAS BEEN A STRONG, UH, ADVOCATE AND SUPPORTER FOR A LONG TIME.
FOR THE PICTURE, IF WE'LL ALL GET IN.
NOW THAT OKAY, NOW, NOW I, YES, YES, SIR.
AND MAY I GIVE YOU MY PHONE SO WE CAN GET, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
THANK, EXCUSE ME, MAYOR PRO TIM.
SO, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER FOR A PROCLAMATION TO CHIEF RUDOLPH KLEIN TO CELEBRATE CHIEFS CHIEF KLEIN'S 91ST BIRTHDAY.
YOU'RE YOU KIDDING ME? YOU'RE, YOU'RE BETTER THAN I'M DOING
YOU DOING COUNSEL? THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH.
SO I HAVE WITH HERE, UM, HERE, HERE WITH ME, CHIEF RANDOLPH KLEIN.
RUDOLPH RUDOLPH, YOU RUDOLPH, EXCUSE ME.
RUDOLPH KLEIN, UM, AN ICON CLEARLY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO ON SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2022, FAMILY AND FRIENDS WILL GATHER TO CELEBRATE A CHIEF KLEIN'S BIRTHDAY.
THIS WISH WILL BE MEMORABLE FOR THE DAY, UM, FOR A VERY SPECIAL PERSON IN THEIR LIVES.
IN THE TIME TO REJOICE WITH WARM FAMILY TIES, WRENCH, FRIENDSHIPS, AND TREASURED ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
MR. KLEIN WAS BORN ON SEPTEMBER 27TH, 1931, SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE UP FROM 1952 THROUGH 1956 IN THE AIR FORCE.
AIRMEN FIRST CLASS CLIMB DEVELOPED AND LEARNED THE SKILLS OF BEING A FIREMAN.
THE PASSION BLAZED THE TRAIL FOR HIM AND MANY TO COME AFTER A HORRIBLE DISCHARGE FROM SERVICE.
AN HONORABLE, EXCUSE ME, SIR, I NEED GLASSES ON RIGHT NOW.
AFTER AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE FROM SERVICE, HE EMBARKED ON THE THANK YOU
I NEED SOME READERS GONNA GET THIS RIGHT.
I THINK I'M GONNA GO WITHOUT THEM.
THIS HONOR WAS ACHIEVED THROUGH THE ENTIRE DEDICATION, PERSEVERANCE, AND PATIENCE WITH THE HOPE TO INSPIRE OTHER BLACK FIREFIGHTERS TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.
DURING SEGREGATED TIMES AND WITHSTANDING MANY CLOSED DOORS,
[00:10:01]
HE PERSISTED TO FIGHT FIRES, SAVE LIVES, AND EMPOWER HIS COMMUNITY.IT'S LONG 'CAUSE YOU DESERVE EVERY MOMENT OF IT.
AT THIS APPOINTED TIME, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ASKED HIM TO JOIN THE RECRUITING STAFF, WHICH W WHICH BEYOND HIS EXPERIENCE AND MORE, WAS MORE ADMINISTRATIVE.
HOWEVER, NOTHING CONDEMN THE LIGHT THAT GOD HAD PLACED ON HIM.
THIS, HE RETIRED IN JANUARY, 1986, AFTER 28 YEARS WITH HFD, STILL PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS CRAFT AND PROVIDING FOR HIS FAMILY.
CHIEF KLEIN THEN WORKED WITH NASA AS A FIRE PROTECTION SPECIALIST FROM 1987 TO 1995, CHIEF KLEIN ALSO SERVED A LIFETIME MEMBER WITH THE TEXAS BLACK LANDOWNERS ASSOCIATION AND THE FEDERATION OF SOUTHERN COOPERATIVES.
HE'S A DELEGATE OF THE, A PHILIP RANDOLPH ASSOCIATION AND IS A TRUSTEE OF THE BLUE RIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH.
HE IS A DEVOTED HUSBAND, DAD, BROTHER, AND PAPA
CHIEF KLEIN HAS BEEN MARRIED TO THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE, BERTHA MAY KLEIN FOR 66 YEARS.
GARIN, IS THAT RIGHT? GARLAND.
GARLAND AND BENICIA BENICIA KLEIN.
AND HE HAS ALSO HAS FIVE GRANDCHILDREN AND FOUR GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN WHO AFFECTIONATELY CALL HIM PAPAPA
THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS SO THANKFUL TO CHIEF KLINE FOR INSPIRING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH HIS WISDOM AND STRENGTH, AND CAN BE PASSED DOWN TO ENLIGHTEN YOUNGER GENERATIONS AND EXTENDS BEST WISHES FOR HIS HAPPY 91ST BIRTHDAY.
THEREFORE, I, MAYOR PROAM, DAVE MARTIN ON BEHALF OF MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2022, AS CHIEF RANDOLPH KLEIN DAY RU 91ST RU RUDOLPH.
I DID THE SAME DARN THING THAT SHE TAUGHT ME TO DO.
WE'RE GONNA CHANGE YOUR NAME TO RANDOLPH JUST FOR THE DAY.
DIDN'T EXPECT IT, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY, UH, GRANDDAUGHTER FOR THINKING ENOUGH OF ME TO DO THIS, YOU KNOW, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
I, UH, IT IS BROUGHT BACK MEMBERS BECAUSE, UH, BEFORE I MADE CHIEF, I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS MAKING SENIOR CAPTAIN, AND I WAS BROUGHT OVER HERE TO EXPLAIN MY SITUATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND, UH, SO THAT BROUGHT BACK MEMBERS.
BUT, UH, BEING A CHIEF WAS THE EASY PART.
SENIOR CAPTAINS WAS THE HARD PART.
AND, UH, WE, UH, MADE IT IN RECRUITING IT, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE WITH ME, STOOD BY ME, AND, UH, I HAD TO DO A LOT OF ODD THINGS IN RECRUITING.
I ENDED, I ENDED UP TAKING A STRING ON A, UH, UNITED STATES MAP AND MEASURING A CITY 900 MILES FROM HOUSTON AND TAKING A STRING AND GOING ALL THE WAY AROUND HOUSTON.
AND THEY TOLD ME TO GET OUT THERE AND RECRUIT.
SO THAT'S WHAT I DID, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS DOING WHEN I RETIRED.
IN FACT, I WAS ON MY WAY TO, UH, OKLAHOMA AND, UH, THE ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY TO RECRUIT.
AND ON THE, WHILE I WAS ON THE PLANE, UH, IT CAME TO ME THAT THE DOCTORS HAD TOLD ME THAT MY, UH, BLOOD PRESSURE WAS NOT A CAUSE OF ANY PHYSICAL CONDITION.
AND THEN I GOT TO THINKING ABOUT WHAT I WAS DOING, AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAYING, DID YOU SEE MY SIGNATURE ON THAT APPLICATION? AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
[00:15:01]
AND, AND, AND, UH, SO THEN I DECIDED TO RETIRE.SO WHEN I GOT BACK, I RETIRED MM-HMM
AND, UH, IT, THE, I THINK THE LORD WAS IN THE PLAN BECAUSE THE SAME YEAR MY DADDY DIED.
AND, UH, OUR HOUSE ON THE HOME PLACE IN THE BACK FIELD.
AND MOTHER WANTED TO STAY OUT THERE.
SHE DIDN'T WANT TO STAY WITH US, SO WE COULDN'T LET HER STAY BACK THERE.
SO I BUILT HER HOUSE AND, UH, TOOK ME ABOUT SIX MONTHS TO BUILD IT.
THIS YEAR THEY SOLD THE HOUSE FOR 290.
WITH CHIEF KLEIN, WE, WE DO HAVE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE.
AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS HAS SOME COMMENTS FOR YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOUR GRANDDAUGHTER FOR BRINGING THIS RECOGNITION.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THIS RECOGNITION AS WELL.
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH DURING, UH, YOU KNOW, SEGREGATION HERE IN THE CITY AND IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR BRAVERY OF, OF STEPPING UP AND, AND, AND, AND DOING WHAT YOU COULD TO MAKE A CHANGE, UH, AND OPENING THE DOORS FOR ALL THOSE THAT FOLLOWED.
UH, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
I KNOW, UH, JUST HEARING IT FROM YOUR VOICE, UH, YOU KNOW, I CAN, I CAN FEEL THE ANGER AND A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH, BUT HERE YOU ARE TODAY, UH, AND WE ARE CELEBRATING YOUR 91ST BIRTHDAY, UH, AND THANKING YOU FOR OPENING THOSE DOORS.
AND CHIEF KLEIN, BEFORE WE MOVE TO INTRODUCE, UM, THOSE BEHIND YOU, IF YOU JUST LOOK BEHIND YOU OF ALL THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE COME BEHIND YOU, BECAUSE YOU MADE THE DECISION TO DO THE HARD THING.
AND SO THERE WAS A, I DUNNO ALL.
YOU HAVE A HARD BUNCH OF PEOPLE WITH YOU TODAY.
OH, AND HAYES, I KNOW THE FIVE CHIEF.
WELL, I KNOW HIM ALL WHEN I SAY I KNOW THAT YOUNG LADY, RIGHT?
SO WE JUST WANTED TO SAY, BECAUSE YOU MADE THAT DECISION TO COME TO CITY HALL YEARS AGO AND PROBABLY TREMBLE IN YOUR VOICE TO, TO, TO RAISE YOUR POINT ABOUT THE CONFLICT, BECAUSE OF THAT DECISION, YOU'VE CREATED A PATHWAY NOT ONLY JUST FOR BLACKS, BUT HISPANICS WOMEN, UM, TO SERVE IN SENIOR POSITIONS IN THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND YOUR TENTACLES AND ROOTS GO DEEP AND WIDE.
UM, AND SO THE FACT THAT YOU ARE 91 YEARS OLD AND YOU GET TO SEE ALL OF THE FRUIT OF YOUR LEGACY IS A BLESSING.
AND SO, UH, THAT'S A HUGE BLESSING.
UM, MANY PEOPLE AREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHAT I WAS DOING IN 1986 WHEN YOU WERE RETIRING.
I WAS PROBABLY COLORING AND TAKING NAPS.
UM, BUT I THINK HOUSTONIANS NEED TO, UM, PAUSE AND REALLY TAKE IN THIS MOMENT BECAUSE, UM, YOUR STORY REALLY IS THE CITY STORY, RIGHT.
HOW IN THIS CITY YOU CAN BE, AND YOU CAN DO, AND YOU'RE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
UM, CHIEF PENA, UM, IF YOU COULD INTRODUCE THE COMMAND STAFF AND, UM, IF THERE ARE ANY, ANY FAMILY MEMBERS OR INDIVIDUALS YOU WOULD LIKE TO LET US KNOW WHO'S WITH YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, AND THE ENTIRE COUNCIL FOR, FOR THIS, UH, RECOGNITION OF CHIEF KLEIN.
AND, AND I WANT TO ECHO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS SAID IS THAT YOUR DILIGENCE AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE ON THOSE TOUGH CHALLENGES, UH, HAVE RESULTED IN, I THINK, WHAT YOU SEE BEHIND US IN, IN THIS, UH, IN THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND CERTAINLY FOR THE CITY.
SO FOR THAT, WE ARE ALL TRULY GRATEFUL.
I WANNA INTRODUCE, UH, WE DO HAVE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMAND STAFF.
WE DO, UH, WE HAVE CHIEF POLIT.
HE'S, UH, HE'S ON DUTY RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? CHIEF? YES.
YOU CAN TELL BY NOBODY'S GETTING SICK.
UH, WE HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, UH, CHIEFS CHIEF WELLS CHIEF MCLEOD IS HERE, AND CHIEF WEST.
WE ALSO HAVE ASSISTANT CHIEF, UH, ME, ASSISTANT CHIEF WALKER.
AND, UH, WELL, THE REST OF 'EM ARE WATCHING ONLINE.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FIRST OF ALL, CHIEF KLEIN AND I WANNA THANK COUNSEL FOR, FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS IS BACK IN THE QUEUE WITH SOME CLOSING REMARKS.
AGAIN, CHIEF KLEIN, I KNOW YOU STATED YOU WERE HERE AT CITY COUNCIL ONCE BEFORE AND, AND, AND,
[00:20:01]
AND BACK THEN YOU WERE HERE.IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WERE HERE TO FIGHT FOR WHAT WAS RIGHT.
SO TODAY WE ARE GONNA STAND AND GIVE YOU A STANDING OVATION FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID FOR US.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PICTURE.
PICTURES, GRAB THAT HERE, GUYS IN HERE.
Y'ALL CAN GO BACK BEHIND THE HORSE.
[2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ FOR OUR INVOCATION AND OUR PRAYER.THANK, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
UH, I AM DOING THIS ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON, AND, UH, BECAUSE SHE WAS SUCH A VITAL PART OF HER OFFICE.
SO I'M GONNA ASK RAIN EKMAN TO COME UP.
RAIN EATON IS A LONGTIME LEADER FROM ACRES HOMES, THE FOFO
SHE GRADUATED FROM THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
AMONG HER MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, SHE HOSTED THE FIRST EVER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN HER COMMUNITY FOR TWO YEARS.
SHE ALSO WORKED FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE JARVIS D JOHNSON AS THE SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR BEFORE JOINING DISTRICT B AS THE CONSTITUENT SERVICES COORDINATOR.
RAIN IS NOW HEADING THE AKER HOMES COMMUNITY ADVOCACY GROUP, AND SHE'S HERE TO COVER US IN PRAYER.
[00:25:01]
THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ.AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRAY OVER TODAY'S, UH, SESSION.
IF YOU WOULD ALL, UH, BOW YOUR HEADS, OUR MOST GRACIOUS AND HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CENTER OURSELVES AND FOCUS ON THE MISSION THAT YOU'VE CALLED US TO, WHICH IS TO SERVE.
WE THANK YOU RIGHT NOW, GOD, THAT OUR MINDS, OUR HEARTS, OUR BODIES, OUR SPIRITS ARE ALL IN UNISON GOD.
AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER IN THIS PLACE, IN THIS MOMENT AND OPPORTUNITY TO DO RIGHT BY YOUR PEOPLE.
GOD, I THANK YOU, JESUS, FOR THE LEADERS THAT YOU HAVE BLESSED THE CITY WITH GOD.
BECAUSE EACH LEADER HAS BEEN CALLED TO THEIR MANTLE.
EACH LEADER HAS BEEN CALLED TO THEIR MINISTRY GOD.
AND YOU HAVE GIVEN THEM A FIRE.
YOU HAVE GIVEN THEM PROVISION, AND YOU HAVE GIVEN THEM SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH TO BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE AS NO ONE ELSE COULD MASTER.
I THANK YOU, GOD, THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IMPARTED IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM, MASTER.
AND THEY HAVE ALL COMBINED IN THIS TIME, IN THIS SPACE, MASTER TO DO YOUR WORK AND TO DO YOUR WILL, GOD.
AND NOW I ASK THAT IN THIS SAME SPACE, MASTER THAT YOU CONTINUE TO ALLOW THEM TO WORK IN UNITY AS OTHERS LEAD AND FOLLOW UNDERNEATH THEM.
MASTER, I THANK YOU JESUS, THAT THEY LISTEN TO YOUR WISDOM AND THAT THEY ARE GUIDED BY YOUR HAND GOD, AND THAT THEIR SOULS ARE CALLED TO YOUR WORK MASTER.
I THANK YOU JESUS, THAT THEY ARE EAGER TO SERVE GOD.
I THANK YOU, JESUS, THAT THEY HAVE A JOY TO SERVE MASTER.
AND I THANK YOU JESUS, THAT THIS JOY GIVES THEM THE ENERGY THEY NEED TO CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD AND CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES AS YOU HAVE CHARGED ALL OF US IN YOUR WORD.
GOD, I THANK YOU, JESUS, THAT WE ARE ALL HERE ON PURPOSE.
GOD, I THANK YOU JESUS, THAT WE ARE ARE ALL HERE TO SERVE ON PURPOSE.
GOD AND I THANK YOU JESUS, THAT NO ULTERIOR MOTIVES, MASTER NO, NO HIDDEN AGENDAS.
GOD COULD EVER COME IN BETWEEN YOUR WILL BEING DONE ON THIS EARTH, GOD AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, GOD.
AND I THANK YOU THAT FOR EVERYTHING THAT EACH OF THESE LEADERS POUR OUT, GOD, YOU ARE RESTORING THEM MINUTE BY MINUTE, SECOND BY SECOND.
GOD, I THANK YOU, JESUS, THAT YOU ARE LIFTING THEM UP.
GOD, IN THE PLACES THAT THEY LACK, THAT THEIR SECRET PLACES THAT THEY WON'T EVEN TELL THEIR CLOSEST CONFIDANT.
GOD AND I THANK YOU JESUS, THAT IN THEIR WEAKNESS, GOD, YOU ARE MAKING THEM WHOLE AND YOU ARE STRENGTHENING THEM.
AND I THANK YOU JESUS FOR THE PROTECTION OVER EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.
AND I THANK YOU, GOD, THAT THIS MEETING WILL BE PRODUCTIVE AND IT WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE PEOPLE THEY'RE CALLED TO SERVE.
RAIN, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE, BLESS ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE ALL.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING]
CALL COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE PREPARE TO ANSWER THE ROLL CALL BY UNMUTING YOURSELVES.MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
PRESENT? COUNCILMAN CISNEROS? HERE.
WE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF JULY 19TH AND 20TH AND JULY 26TH AND 27TH, MOVE ROBINSON SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
MADAM SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE A MOTION REGARDING THE MINUTES? WE JUST DID IT.
I WAS GONNA DO A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AND WELCOME BACK TO THE HORSESHOE.
GARETH MORGANS, HE'S JUST, HE JUST STEPPED OUT.
WE, UH, HE'S BEEN ILL FOR QUITE A BIT AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE HIM BACK IN THE HORSESHOE.
NOW WE'LL REVIEW THE PROCEDURES FOR CONDUCTING THIS HYBRID PUBLIC SESSION MEETING FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS JOINING VIRTUALLY, WHICH WE HAVE A FEW OF THEM 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, WHEN SECONDING OR TAGGING.
FOR THOSE JOINING VIRTUALLY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK PLE, PLEASE TYPE THAT INTO THE CHAT WINDOW.
[00:30:01]
DIRECTOR WILL BE MONITORING THE CHAT AND WILL ADD YOUR NAME TO 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 IS CALLED.
IF YOU ARE HERE IN PERSON, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM.
IF YOU ARE CALLING IN, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
IF YOU ARE APPEARING ON CAMERA, CLICK ON THE MICROPHONE ICON AND THE CAMERA ICON.
YOU WILL THEN HAVE ONE, TWO, OR THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
AFTER YOUR TIME, A BELL WILL RING AND ONCE THAT BELL RINGS, WE MUST, YOU MUST STOP SPEAKING.
RECOGNIZE, IF YOU SPEAK DURING THE MEETING AND WE HAVE NOT RECOGNIZED YOU, WE WILL MUTE YOU.
IF YOU SPEAK AGAIN, WE WILL REMOVE YOU FROM THE MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? AND I'LL START WITH ONE.
UH, I MOVE TO, I SUSPEND THE RULES.
MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE MR. JACOB CLEMENTI TO THE VERY TOP, THE VERY FIRST SPEAKER OF THE THREE MINUTE AGENDA.
NEXT WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
FOR A PROCEDURAL MOTION, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD PA PAHA SWANNI RO EVANS BELAY AND DGE, UH, TO THE THREE MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST FOLLOWING ADA ESP ESPOSA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED MOTION GRANTED.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER.TO BEGIN WITH MY COWORKERS OF THSA EVENTS AT NG PARK AND MANMADE PARK, WERE ARAMARK EMPLOYEES, BEN, AKA, ALSO KNOWN AS BEN
ROBERT, THIS IS JEFFREY AND CHRISTOPHER AND LIN AND KING AND JESSE WHITE.
AND
I WILL MISS WORKING IN THE FINAL GAME OF THE REGULAR SEASON OF THE ASTROS.
WE'RE GONNA WIN THE WORLD SERIES.
ALL RIGHT, JACOB, BRING US, BRING US HOME A VICTORY.
TO AFTERNOON BE FOLLOWED BY AMBER WIGGLE.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
I AM THE MARKETING DIRECTOR FOR SAFE DIVERSITY, AND I AM HERE, UH, REGARDING OUR NEXT WEDNESDAY FROM NINE 30 TO ONE 30, WE WILL BE AT DYER STADIUM AT 2020 MANGO.
AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR VENDORS AND VOLUNTEERS.
OUR VENDORS, UM, MUST VOLUNTEER.
I MEAN, OUR VENDORS, NO, OUR VOLUNTEERS MUST REGISTER, I'M SORRY,
AND WE WILL HAVE, UH, QUITE A FEW ACTIVITIES GOING ON OUT THERE.
AND THE WINNER, UH, OH, WE'LL ALSO HAVE THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS AND ALSO THE WINNER WITH THE MOST SPIRIT WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THE MAYOR.
NEXT SPEAKER, AMBER WIGGLE TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANDREW JONES.
I AM THE INVENTORY MANAGER FOR PETLAND HOUSTON.
UM, SO I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD VERY UNFORTUNATELY, UM, PUT THREE OF MY BEAUTIFUL STORES OUT OF BUSINESS AND FOUR STORES IN HOUSTON.
SO MY JOB, UM, I STARTED HERE IN 2020 AND MY JOB WHEN I FIRST STARTED HERE WAS TO SEND PUPPIES HOME WITH LOVING FAMILIES WHO ARE VERY MUCH LOOKING
[00:35:01]
FORWARD TO BRINGING THESE BABIES HOME.SO AS AN OWNER OF ONE OF THESE BEAUTIFUL PUPPIES FROM ONE OF MY STORES.
I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL WHITE GERMAN SHEPHERD.
AND WE HAVE PROBABLY ALL BEEN IN THAT PLACE WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BROUGHT A PUPPY HOME AND YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU BRING THAT PUPPY HOME.
SO OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU BRING HOME A BEAUTIFUL, HAPPY, HEALTHY PUPPY HOME AND YOU HAVE EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO BRING THIS BEAUTIFUL BABY HOME.
SO AS A PET OWNER WHO HAS GOTTEN A BEAUTIFUL BABY FROM THE STORE, UM, IT IS VERY, VERY APPARENT THAT MY PUPPY THAT I GOT HAS JUST BEEN BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL AND HEALTHY.
UM, SHE CAME FROM A WONDERFUL BREEDER.
SHE CAME WITH ALL OF HER USDA PAPERWORK, A KC PAPERWORK, ANY PAPERWORK NEEDED WITH MY BABY.
AND ONE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THING TOO IS I HAVE TWO BEAUTIFUL, YOU KNOW, PUPPIES.
I HAVE ONE THAT I GOT FROM A PETLAND AND ONE THAT I DIDN'T, MY BEAUTIFUL BABY THAT I GOT FROM MY STORE.
AND I VERY MUCH PREACH WHAT I BELIEVE, WHICH IS WHY I GOT MY PUPPY FROM US, BECAUSE I HAVE THE CONFIDENCE THAT, YOU KNOW, MY BABY IS COMING FROM A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
UM, SHE HAS JUST BEEN EXTREMELY HEALTHY.
UM, ESPECIALLY THE BENEFITS THAT COME WITH OUR PUPPY.
SHE HAS JUST BEEN JUST AMAZING.
AND I'VE NEVER HAD A PUPPY THAT IS AS HAPPY, HEALTHY, TRAINABLE IN EVERYTHING AS SHE IS.
UM, BUT, BUT YES, THIS, THIS ORDINANCE THAT WAS, UM, BROUGHT UP IN JANUARY, UNFORTUNATELY, WOULD PUT MY BEAUTIFUL STORE IN BEL AIR OUT OF BUSINESS.
AND WE VERY MUCH WOULD NOT APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT, UM, BUT YES, AS A PET OWNER, I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY TO PREACH WHAT I BELIEVE WITH MY BABY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ED POLLARD.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM, AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED THAT, UH, WILL SHUT DOWN YOUR FOUR STORES THAT YOU WERE MENTIONING.
UM, HOW IS THAT? SO BASICALLY WHAT, WHAT THE BAN IS GONNA DO IS IT'S GONNA PUT, UM, PUPPY RETAILERS.
SO WE GET PUPPIES FROM THE BREEDERS AND ANY, ANY STORE THAT'S GETTING THE PUPPIES FROM THE BREEDERS, IT WOULD PUT OUT A BUSINESS.
SO THE ORDINANCE THAT WE PASS WILL ELIMINATE ALL RETAIL PET STORES.
SO, I, I, I HAVE A QUESTION, AND I KNOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS REGARDING THIS SUBJECT.
I REMEMBER VIVIDLY THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND WE WERE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
WE WERE TRYING TO STOP THE PUPPY MILLS FROM DOING DISASTROUS THINGS TO ANIMALS.
I LOOK BACK AND THE FIRST TIME I THINK MICHAEL HARRIS IS IN THE AUDIENCE, AND HE EDUCATED ME A LOT ON THIS.
AND WHAT I CALL THIS IS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS, UM, PARTICULAR, UM, CHAPTER SIX OF THE PET CODE, UH, IS CAUSING THIS.
AND IT WAS A, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT MY OPINION WE DID NOT INTEND TO DO.
WE DON'T WANT PUT BUSINESSES THAT DO GREAT THINGS TO FIND HOMES FOR PUPPIES, DOGS, CATS, ANIMALS, ANYBODY, ANY KIND OF PET.
SO, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT COUPLE OF SPEAKERS TO I TO HELP ME IDENTIFY WHAT PARTICULAR IN CHAPTER SIX DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
BECAUSE AS I READ IT NOW, UM, ALL PET STORES LOCATED IN THE CITY LIMITS ONLY SELL DOGS AND CATS SOURCED FROM A HUMANE ORGANIZATION OR A MUNICIPAL COUNTY OR ANIMAL SHELTER.
UA HUMANE ORGANIZATION IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT DOES NOT BREED ANIMALS OR DOES NOT OBTAIN A DOG OR CAT FROM A PERSON OR ORGANIZATION THAT BREEDS OR SELLS ANIMALS.
THE ORDINANCE INCLUDES A ONE YEAR GRACE PERIOD TO ALLOW HOUSTON PET STORES TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SIMILAR ORDINANCES WERE ENACTED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, AND WERE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AT APPROVAL BY THE GOVERNOR AND BODY.
SO AS YOUR SPEAKERS COME FORWARD, HELP EDUCATE US AS TO HOW THIS IS NUMBER ONE, AFFECTED YOUR BUSINESS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS BODY DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THE RIGHT THING.
NEXT SPEAKER ANDREW JONES TO BE FOLLOWED BY KIMBERLY DUCA.
I'M VERY HONORED TO BE HERE, TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.
UH, YOU MENTIONED WHAT EXACTLY ABOUT THE ORDINANCE IS BAD FOR OUR BUSINESS.
UH, I BELIEVE THE ORDINANCE DEFINES, UH, COMMERCIAL BREEDERS AS A CERTAIN NUMBER OF CYS AND DAMS THAT ARE ABLE TO BREED FOR PUPPIES.
LET ME GO AHEAD AND TELL YOU WHAT OUR PROTOCOL IS.
NUMBER ONE, THE BREEDERS WE WORK WITH HAVE TO BE LICENSED BY THE USDA AND THEY CANNOT HAVE
[00:40:01]
ANY VIOLATIONS FOR TWO YEARS.BY DEFINITION, THIS INCLUDES, THIS EXCLUDES PUPPY MILLS.
'CAUSE IF A PUPPY MILL IS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A LICENSE BY THE USDA, THEY DEFINITELY ARE NOT GONNA BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO AVOID VIOLATIONS.
SO, BY DEFINITION, WE'RE AVOIDING ANY PUPPY MILLS.
NOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE BREEDERS WE WORK WITH DON'T DO THIS FOR A BUSINESS, BUT THEY DO THIS IN A WAY THAT IS, UH, BEST FOR THE HEALTH OF THE PUPPY AND ALSO FOR THE ULTIMATE CUSTOMER.
MY EMPLOYER ACTUALLY HAS WHAT'S CALLED A BREEDER PLEDGE, WHICH IS, GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THE USDA REQUIRES.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING REGULATIONS FOR THE AMOUNT OF LIVING SPACE, AMOUNT OF PLAY SPACE FOR OUR PUPPIES, HE ACTUALLY DOUBLES THAT.
SO WE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THE USDA REQUIRES.
AND AGAIN, THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE HEALTHY ANIMALS TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
UM, OUR MISSION STATE STATEMENT IS TO PROVIDE THE BEST THAT PROVIDE THE RIGHT PUPPY FOR THE RIGHT CUSTOMER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF BOTH.
BUT WE TAKE THAT A STEP FURTHER.
WE DON'T JUST SEND PUPPIES HOME WITH RANDOM PEOPLE THAT COME IN ASKING FOR A PUPPY.
WE ACTUALLY TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.
YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY WORK LONG SHIFTS OR WHETHER THEY ARE ABLE TO BE AT HOME WITH THE, WITH THE PUPPY.
SO OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THEY TAKE HOME A PUPPY AND ARE ABLE TO CARE FOR IT.
AND THE EXTREME UNLIKELY EVENT, WE HAVE A CUSTOMER THAT CANNOT CARE FOR THE PUPPY, WE WILL ACTUALLY TAKE THAT PUPPY BACK AND REHOME IT.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA SEE OUR PUPPIES IN THE SHELTERS.
OUR PUPPIES, I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, OUR PUPPIES ARE GONNA BE WITH HOMES FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
AND I'M VERY HONORED TO WORK FOR THIS COMPANY.
HOLD ON FOR A SECOND, MR. JONES.
SO ALLOW ME TO READ, WE ALL HAVE NOTES AT OUR MM-HMM
UH, THAT GIVES US THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU MET WITH BARK ON AUGUST 3RD AND PETLAND DISCUSSED WAYS REGULATIONS COULD BE ENACTED THAT WOULD PROTECT THE ANIMAL AND PREVENT PET STORE ANIMALS FROM CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOCAL ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION AND STILL ALLOW THE PET STORES TO OPERATE IN HOUSTON.
SO, AT THAT TIME, BARK REQUESTED A RED LINE OF THOSE PROPOSED REGULATIONS, SPECIFICALLY A RED LINE THAT INCLUDED A PROVISION THAT WOULD REQUIRE PET STORES TO SPAY AND NEUTER ANIMALS AS SOON AS THEY REACHED AN AGE WHEN SPAYED AND NEU NEUTERING WAS A SAFE OPTION.
WITHOUT THIS REQUIREMENT, ACCORDING TO BARK PET STORES WOULD CONTINUE TO INADVERTENTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE PET OVERPOPULATION.
PETLAND REPRESENTATIVES SUBMITTED A RED LINE ON AUGUST 22ND, 2022.
HOWEVER, THE DRAFT RECEIVED BY THE CITY DID NOT INCLUDE THE REQUIRED SPAY AND NEUTERING PROVISION.
SO IT SOUNDS TO ME AS BARKS WORKING CLOSELY WITH PETLAND, BUT ARE YOU NOT GOING TO INCLUDE THE SPADE AND NEUTER PROVISION THAT THEY WANT YOU TO INCLUDE? THAT WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY ABOVE MY PAY GRADE.
BUT I WILL SAY THIS, WE, WE, WHEN WE HAVE THE AGREEMENT WITH THE CUSTOMER, WE ARE, WE ARE SENDING THAT PUPPY HOME WITH THE UNDERSTANDING IT'S GONNA BE A COMPANION ANIMAL NOT TO BE BRED, UH, NOT TO BE CONTINUED TO BE BRED, UH, IN THE FUTURE AS FAR AS RESTRICTING THEIR RIGHTS BY FORCING THEM TO SPAY AND NEUTER.
I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT, BUT I'M SURE MY SUPERIORS WOULD.
THANK YOU, SIR, FOR COMING FORWARD.
UH, THEY WERE MENTION MENTIONING A MEETING BETWEEN PETLAND AND BARK ON AUGUST 3RD.
DID YOU ALL EVER HAVE A MEETING WITH BARK OR ANY OTHER OFFICIALS FROM THE CITY REGARDING THIS ORDINANCE BEFORE IT WAS PASSED? I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY MEETING, UH, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
UH, SO THE FIRST TIME YOU LEARNED OF THIS ORDINANCE WAS AFTER IT WAS ALREADY PASSED.
IT WAS A SURPRISE TO EVERYONE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
UM, MR. MR. JONES, UH, IN REGARDS TO WHEN YOU SAID THAT, UH, YOU'LL HAVE TO GET WITH YOUR SUPERIORS, UH, ONCE YOU DO THAT, IF YOU CAN LET US KNOW IF YOUR SUPERIORS ARE, ARE WILLING AND, AND, AND ACCEPTABLE, UH, IN REGARDS TO HAVING THE, UH, DOGS AND CATS SPAY AND NEUTERED BEFORE THEY ARE RELEASED.
UH, BECAUSE AGAIN, THE WHOLE ISSUE IS THAT WE HAVE AN OVERPOPULATION OF STRAY DOGS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, AND WE NEED, WE NEED EVERYONE TO WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER, UH, TO BRING THIS SITUATION, YOU KNOW, UNDER CONTROL HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND NOT JUST IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE MAYOR OF G GALENA PARK, UH, ASKING FOR HELP.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF STRAYS WALKING THEIR STREETS.
UH, SO WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER IN REGARDS TO SPAY AND NEUTERING.
SO IF YOU CAN FIND OUT FROM YOUR SUPERIORS, IF THEY'RE WILLING, UH, TO ALLOW THE DOGS AND CATS THAT GET SPAY AND NEUTERED BEFORE THEY'RE RELEASED TO THE, THE NEW PET OWNERS, UH, AND THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK ON.
ALSO, I DO WANNA SAY WE DO ENCOURAGE SPAY AND NEUTER BY ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS BY GIVING
[00:45:01]
THEM A DISCOUNT AT OUR VET.UM, WE, WE OBVIOUSLY, UH, SUPPORT, UH, RESPONSIBLE HANDLING OF THE ANIMAL.
WE DON'T WANT, OBVIOUSLY, A BUNCH OF, UH, ANIMALS TO BE GENERATED FROM, FROM A PUPPY THAT'S SOLD BY OUR STORE.
NEXT SPEAKER, KIMBERLY DUCA TO BE FOLLOWED BY LOUIS MARQUE.
THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A MISTAKE WITH THE NAME.
I'M THE KENNEL MANAGER OVER AT, UH, THE BEL AIR LOCATION.
UM, AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT KIND OF WHAT WE DO WITH OUR DOGS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS AND HOW WE MAINTAIN THEIR HEALTH.
SO WE DO WORK ALONGSIDE WITH A VET, AND THEY DO GET CHECKED TWICE A WEEK.
UM, WE DO ALSO HAVE AVAILABILITY ON THE WEEKEND WITH THEM.
WE HAVE KENNEL CHARTS WHERE WE KEEP TRACK OF THEIR HEALTH, UM, THEIR WEIGHTS, THEIR TEMPERATURES, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE EATING THREE TIMES A DAY.
WE'RE ALWAYS KEEPING TRACK OF, UM, THEIR HEALTH.
AND EVERYTHING GETS DEEP CLEANED ON A DAILY BASIS.
WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS SANITARY.
I WOULD NOT PUT MY OWN ANIMALS IN ANYTHING THAT I DON'T TRUST.
SO I ALWAYS KEEP THEIR CLEANLINESS TO A VERY TOP ORDER.
UM, OUR STAFF DOES TAKE THEM OUT AND WE LET THEM RUN AROUND.
WE SANITIZE BETWEEN EACH KENNEL SO THAT WAY WE'RE MAKING SURE EVERYTHING IS SANITARY.
UM, 'CAUSE WE ALWAYS WANT A CLEAN PLACE FOR THESE ANIMALS TO BE.
UM, WE, WE ARE OPEN ALL DAYS OF THE WEEK AND WE ARE ALWAYS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE AN EYE ON THESE ANIMALS AND THAT THEY'RE ALWAYS DOING THEIR BEST AND THAT THEY'RE ALWAYS HAPPY AND WE FALL IN LOVE WITH THEM OURSELVES AS WELL.
WE GET ATTACHED AND WE WANT TO FIND THEM GOOD HOMES.
UM, I WORKED AS A KENNEL TECHNICIAN BEFORE I STARTED MANAGING.
SO I WAS IN BEHIND THE SCENES ON HOW EVERYTHING IS BROKEN DOWN AND GETS CLEANED.
AND I GOT TRANSFERRED OVER AND I BROUGHT ALL THOSE PROTOCOLS ALONG WITH, UM, TO THAT STORE AND ALL OF OUR OTHER STORES.
WE ALL HAVE, UM, THE SAME LEVEL OF SANITARY AND CLEANLINESS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS TAKING CARE OF ALL OF OUR ANIMALS, JUST THE WAY THAT WE WOULD TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN ANIMALS AS WELL.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
UH, MS. DUKA, UH, WHAT I'M HEARING, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE AND I MAY BE WRONG, AND IF, IF, IF THERE, YOU KNOW, IF I'M, IF I AM WRONG, BARK CAN LET ME KNOW.
I'LL SEE WHAT WE COULD DO ON THAT END.
BUT, UH, AND, AND, AND DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE'S AN ISSUE IN REGARDS TO IF THE PETS AT THE PET STORE ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF.
UH, IT, IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ISSUE IS, IS THAT IF THE PET STORES ARE GOING TO HAVE THE DOGS AND CATS SPAYED AND NEUTERED BEFORE THEY'RE RELEASED MM-HMM
UH, AND, UH, UH, AGAIN, WE NEED TO ALL WORK TOGETHER TO TRY TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE IN REGARDS TO AN ABUNDANCE OF DOGS AND CATS, UH, FERAL CATS AND STRAY DOGS WE HAVE ON OUR STREETS.
UH, AND, AND, UM, UH, SO IF, YOU KNOW, IF, IF Y'ALL CAN LET US KNOW THAT THE STORES ARE WILLING TO HAVE THE DOGS AND CATS SPAYED AND NEUTER BEFORE THEY RELEASE THE NEW PET OWNERS MM-HMM
UH, WE CAN WORK WITH BARK TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO CHANGE ALL THIS.
UM, AND OUR OWNER WILL, WILL BE SPEAKING NEXT, SO HE'LL BE ABLE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.
UM, THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M ABLE TO TALK TO Y'ALL ABOUT, BUT HE DEFINITELY WILL BE.
UM, REGARDING THE COURT, THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT YOUR LIFE AND ESPECIALLY AS AN EMPLOYEE? UM, IT WOULD DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR STORE 'CAUSE IT WOULD SHUT DOWN AND OUR ANIMALS IN THE STORE, UH, WOULD HAVE NO PLACE TO GO.
WE DO FIND HOMES FOR THESE BABIES ALL THE TIME AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO A GOOD HOME AND NOT JUST ANYONE, AND THEY DON'T END UP IN OUR SHELTERS.
UM, SO IF IT WERE TO GET SHUT DOWN, THEN WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FIND GOOD HOMES FOR THESE ANIMALS.
NEXT SPEAKER, LUISE MARQUEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY JEFFREY NOR LO.
HOW YOU GUYS DOING TODAY? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
IF, IF YOU DON'T START THE, I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS, UH, MR. GALLOS IF POSSIBLE, SIR.
UM, I KNOW YOU, YOU BROUGHT UP THE, THE, THE WHOLE ITEM OF, UH, YOU KNOW, SPAY AND NEUTER.
UH, I WAS IN THE MEETING, UM, BY THE WAY, I'M LUIS MARQUEZ, SORRY.
UH, THE OWNER, UH, AT PETLAND BEL AIR, I ALSO OWN PETLAND WEBSTER, AND I ALSO OWN PETLAND, UH, IN WOODLANDS.
UM, I WANT TO ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS BECAUSE AGAIN,
[00:50:01]
UH, THE IDEA IS TO BE A GREAT PART OF THIS COMMUNITY, UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, RIGHT? AND, UH, THIS SEEMS TO BE A HUGE ISSUE IN THE COMMUNITY.UM, YOU KNOW, WE EXPLAINED TO THEM NOT ONLY WHO WE ARE AND WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO, BUT YOU KNOW, THE, WE ADDRESSED THE PUPPY MILL ISSUE, UM, WHICH I'M GONNA ADDRESS TO YOU GUYS IN A LITTLE BIT.
UH, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH EMANCIPET, UM, TO TALK ABOUT SPAY AND NEUTER.
BUT REGARDLESS, WE MADE A COMMITMENT TO THEM, UH, THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE EITHER A VOUCHER.
YOU GUYS ARE, ARE THE BODY OR THE GOVERN GOVERNMENT BODY.
AND YOU, YOU, YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S GONNA TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO.
UH, I'M NOT HERE TO IMPOSE A SPAY AND NEUTER ON MY CONSUMER, BUT IF YOU GUYS WANT DO THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR RIGHT AS A GOVERNMENT BODY.
BUT I WILL PROVIDE A FREE VOUCHER THAT PETLAND WILL PAY FOR, THAT I WILL PAY FOR, UM, SO THAT EVERY ANIMAL THAT COMES OUT OF OUR STORE, UH, WILL HAVE THE SPAY AND NEUTER PAID FOR.
UH, AND THAT'S A COMMITMENT THAT I I GIVE TO THIS BODY HERE TODAY.
UH, THE SAME ONE THAT I GAVE TO BARK WHEN I MET WITH THEM.
UM, AS FAR AS, UM, THE PUPPY MILL ISSUE, OH, BY THE WAY, I DID WANNA ADDRESS THAT.
THE AUGUST 22ND RED LINE DID HAVE A SPAY AND NEUTER, UH, IN IT.
SO YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE THE, THE UPDATED VERSION, BUT IT IS INCLUDED IN THERE.
WE MADE THAT COMMITMENT AND WE'RE PEOPLE OF, OF OUR WORD.
UM, THE OTHER THING, UM, SO I'M, I'M A BUSINESS OWNER, UH, BEEN DOING THIS NOW FOR SIX YEARS.
UM, FIRST THING I EVER DID BEFORE I, I STEPPED FOOT IN A STORE WAS, WAS MEET MY BREEDERS.
UH, WE HAVE A NETWORK OF BREEDERS THAT WE PURCHASE FROM, UH, THAT WE SOURCE OUR PUPPIES FROM.
UM, I DO NOT LEAVE THAT NETWORK OF BREEDERS FOR ANYTHING IN THE WORLD.
UH, THROUGHOUT COVID, THERE WAS A HUGE, AS YOU GUYS MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, THERE WAS A HUGE SHORTAGE IN PETS.
I COULD HAVE MADE A FORTUNE, UH, GOING OUT AND BUYING ANY DOG IN THE MARKET.
I REFUSE TO DO THAT BECAUSE I RUN MY BUSINESS THE WAY THAT IT'S MEANT TO BE, TO RUN.
AND THAT'S WITH MY BREEDER BASE THAT I KNOW WHAT THEY DO.
THEY WORK WITH PURDUE UNIVERSITY WITH, ON A PROGRAM NAMED CANINE CARE CERTIFIED.
CANDACE NY IS WHO LEADS, UH, THAT, THAT FOR THE VETERINARY WE, UH, WELFARE DEPARTMENT AT PURDUE.
AND, UH, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM.
I SIT ON THAT BOARD, UH, AS A CHAIR PERSON.
AND THAT'S A BREEDER, UM, SCIENCE-BASED PROGRAM, UM, THAT TELLS BREEDERS HOW AND WHY AND WHERE, AND, AND HOW DOGS SHOULD BE BRED.
UM, OUR BREEDERS WILL BE THERE BY THE YEAR 2025.
WE MADE A COMMITMENT ABOUT 45% OF OUR BREEDERS ARE THERE RIGHT NOW.
TAKES MONEY, TAKES TIME, TAKES EFFORT.
UH, AND ALL OF OUR BREEDERS ARE MAKING THAT CONVERSION.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ED POLLARD.
UH, WE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UH, HIS STORY IS ACTUALLY IN MY DISTRICT, OR ONE OF THE STORES, ACTUALLY IN MY DISTRICT.
I DID GO TOURED AND VISITED AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THE IMPACT, UH, OF THIS ORDINANCE.
BUT I'D LIKE YOU TO EXPLAIN THE IMPACT OF THIS ORDINANCE FOR YOUR STORE.
AND THEN TAKE THE REST OF MY TIME TO FINISH UP YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, IMMEDIATELY, UH, THE FIRST IMPACT IS THAT 50 OF OUR EMPLOYEES WILL BE PUT OUT, YOU KNOW, PUT OUTTA WORK IMMEDIATELY.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND ON TOP OF THAT, UH, I MADE A, I MADE A COMMITMENT TO THIS CITY, UM, NOT ONLY WITH ONE LOCATION, BUT THREE LOCATIONS OF OVER A MILLION DOLLARS EACH.
UM, I HAVE, YOU KNOW, A 10 YEAR LEASE THAT I HAVE, UH, IN, IN BEL AIR ON WESTHEIMER.
AND, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT MY LEASE THAT'S OVER $1.5 MILLION IN COMMITMENTS ON TOP OF THE MILLION DOLLARS THAT I PUT INTO THAT STORE, UM, FOR MY FAMILY, AND I, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE DEVASTATING.
UM, MY DAD AND I ARE PARTNERS, UM, AND, UH, IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR.
UM, THE REASON I MET WITH BARK AND, AND WHOEVER IT WAS, WE, WE WERE NEVER TOLD ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE.
NOBODY EVER CAME TO ME AND SAID, HEY, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT CHAPTER SIX.
UH, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT.
NO, I MEAN, I THOUGHT IT WAS A MICROCHIPPING ORDINANCE THAT WAS BEING, YOU KNOW, IN A TETHERING.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE BANNED, YOU KNOW, JANUARY, ALL OF MY EMPLOYEES IN MY STORE ARE CLOSED.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE ONE THING THAT WE DO THAT I CAN TELL YOU NOBODY ELSE, UH, DOES TODAY, IS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE VIDEOS OF ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS OF OUR BREEDERS.
WE SHOW OUR CUSTOMERS WHERE OUR PUPPIES COME FROM.
WE HAVE PICTURES OF EVERY SINGLE SIREN AND DAM OF EVERY DOG THAT IS BRED IN MY STORE.
UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT TYPE OF REGULATION.
LET'S MAKE ALL THE OTHER PET STORES DO THE SAME THING AND LET'S CAUSE REAL CHANGE.
BUT DON'T PUT ME OUTTA BUSINESS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ALL WORK REALLY HARD HERE.
AND, AND I MEAN, FOR, TO NOT EVEN HAVE A DAY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S PUT REAL REGULATION IN PLACE.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT, IF WE CAN'T FULFILL THOSE REGULATIONS, THEN WE SHOULD BE PUT OUT OF BUSINESS.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, YOU KNOW, LET, LET'S FIND THE RIGHT SOLUTION.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND THAT, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING ME MORE TIME, COMMISSIONER, AND I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS, UH, REALLY CARING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HEARING US OUT.
THIS ALL WE REALLY WANTED WAS TO BE HEARD,
[00:55:01]
UH, YOU KNOW, FROM THE GUT.AND WE WERE PUT OUTTA BUSINESS LITERALLY IN TWO MONTHS, IN JANUARY, WE'LL BE OUTTA BUSINESS.
SO AGAIN, I'M HERE TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS ON EVERYTHING.
IF IT, IF IT COSTS ME MONEY FOR SPAYING NEUTER, I'M THERE.
IF IT COSTS ME MORE MONEY TO DO WHATEVER IT IS, I'M THERE.
UH, I JUST WANNA KEEP MY EMPLOYEES, I WANNA KEEP MY STORE AND I WANNA BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
THE, THE ONE THING THAT I HAVEN'T MENTIONED IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AMBER AND, AND, AND, AND SOME OF MY TEAM, WHETHER IT'S TWICE A WEEK OR THREE TIMES A WEEK, WE'RE IN DIFFERENT ALZHEIMER'S CENTERS.
WE'RE TAKING OUR PUPPIES, WE'RE DOING PU THERAPY.
AND IT, IT'S, IT'S JUST TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE DO IT IN ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND WE'RE PROUD TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO GROW IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, I JUST, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I'M HERE.
I MEAN, I TRANSPORT MY OWN DOGS IN MY OWN VEHICLES.
'CAUSE I DON'T TRUST TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES OUT THERE.
IT'S, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TERRIBLE.
THEY'RE ALL AC HVAC CONTROLLED.
MY DOGS COME FROM EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY BREEDERS THAT I'VE SAT AT A TABLE WITH AND I'VE CONSUMED FOOD WITH AND GOTTEN TO KNOW.
MY PARTNER AND I, WE GO OUT THERE TWO OR THREE TIMES A YEAR.
WE DON'T MESS AROUND WITH THIS STUFF.
AND SO IF YOU GUYS WELCOME ANY OF YOU TO GO OUT THERE AT ANY POINT IN TIME, UH, I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO COME 'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA SEE IT FOR YOURSELVES.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
WELL, YOU GOT MY ATTENTION WHEN YOU SAID YOU'RE WORKING WITH EMANCIPET.
'CAUSE EMAN PET'S A GREAT ORGANIZATION HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROVIDING LOW COST OR FREE SPAY AND NEUTERING FOR THOSE THAT THAT NEED TO GET THEIR DOGS FOR CATS SPAY AND NEUTERED.
UH, MY, MY ISSUE AGAIN IS THAT IF, UH, YOU, YOU SAY YOU GIVE A VOUCHER TO A MM-HMM
PET OWNER THAT'S TAKING A DOG OR A CAT.
IS IT JUST DOGS OR CATS AS WELL? OR IT'S DOGS? IT'S DOGS.
SO, SO YOU SAY YOU GIVE A VOUCHER TO THE PET OWNER THAT'S TAKING THE DOG HOME.
UH, SO THEREFORE THEY CAN GO AND GET THE DOG SPAYED OR NEUTERED.
MY CONCERN IS IF, DO THEY ACTUALLY FOLLOW THROUGH TO GET THE DOG SPAYED OR NEUTERED? AND IF THEY DON'T, THEN WE'VE ALREADY LOST THE VOUCHER AND THE DOG HAS NOT GOTTEN SPAYED OR NEUTERED.
SO I'M JUST THROWING THIS OUT THERE.
IF THERE'S A WAY WHERE YOU CAN, LET'S SAY I'M GOING TO YOUR STORE.
WHEN, WHEN I'M PAYING FOR THAT DOG, YOU'RE CHARGING ME ANOTHER $150 MM-HMM
UH, SO THAT WAY WITHIN 90 DAYS I GET THAT DOG SPAYED AND NEUTERED.
AND YOU DON'T CHARGE ME THE ONE 50, I'M TOLD.
BUT IF I DON'T GET THAT DOG SPAYED AND NEUTERED YEP, THEN YOU'RE GONNA CHARGE ME THAT EXTRA 150.
BUT OF COURSE, YOU DON'T GIVE THAT EXTRA 150, YOU GIVE THAT 150 TO EMANCIPATE.
SO THEY IN TURN CAN GIVE VOUCHERS OUT TO OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT CAN'T AFFORD TO GET THEIR DOGS SPAYED AND NEUTERED.
UH, SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE WORKED OUT WITH BARK, UH, OR IN THIS ORDINANCE, I'LL BE SUPPORTING IT.
UH, AGAIN, WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE EXACT, WE JUST MADE THE COMMITMENT AND WE SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, LET'S FIND THE RIGHT SOLUTION FOR IT.
'CAUSE I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SIT DOWN WITH 10 VETERINARIANS, JUST LIKE YOU GUYS ARE SITTING HERE, THE 10 VETERINARIANS WILL PROBABLY GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT EXAM.
IF YOU GUYS KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT VETERINARIANS, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE WILL TELL YOU THAT THE BARK VETERINARIAN IS OKAY WITH SPAYING AND NEUTERING A PUPPY.
UH, MOST OTHER VETS ARE NOT EITHER THEY WANNA WAIT TILL SIX MONTHS, THEY WANNA WAIT TILL A YEAR, THEY WANNA WAIT TILL EIGHT MONTHS.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO.
BUT WE HAVE MADE THE COMMITMENT TO THIS, TO THIS CHAMBER THAT WE WILL COVER THAT AS NEEDED, UH, TO MAKE THIS RIGHT AND, AND TO WORK WITH THIS CITY.
UM, AND, AND, AND THAT'S MY COMMITMENT.
AND YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE HERE TODAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION GRANTED, GO AHEAD.
UM, SO, UH, COMMISSIONER YE, I'M, I'M WILLING TO DO WHATEVER THAT LOOK, I MEAN, WHATEVER THAT IS.
I MEAN, IF YOU GUYS WANT IT TO BE SICK, YOU KNOW, DONE, OR, OR THE ONE 50 IS HELD AND WE, WE GIVE IT TO EMANCIPATE, I'M IN WHATEVER, WHATEVER IS GONNA MAKE THIS RIGHT.
AND I'M NOT JUST SAYING THAT, UH, I I TOLD BARK THE SAME EXACT THING.
UH, I'M IN WHATEVER IT TAKES I'M IN.
UM, THE OTHER THING, YOU KNOW, THAT I I I WAS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IF, IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT PUPPY MILLS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE TRY AND, AND, AND DO THINGS AT THIS LEVEL THAT WILL, THAT WILL ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
PUTTING US OUTTA BUSINESS WILL DO NOTHING FOR PUPPY MILLS.
THEY'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SELL PUPPIES ONLINE.
PUPPIES WILL CONTINUE TO COME INTO HOUSTON.
I MEAN, I HAVE A 10 YEAR WARRANTY.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU GUYS KNOW A 10 YEAR WARRANTY FOR CONGENITAL AND HEREDITARY ISSUES.
THAT DOESN'T EXIST IN ANYTHING THAT YOU BUY NOWADAYS.
SO ANYTHING THAT THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH WE COVER FOR 10 YEARS, THERE'S NO PUPPY MILL'S EVEN GONNA GIVE YOU A MONTH OR TWO.
I MEAN, I, I I WORK WITH BREEDERS.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT FOR YOU.
SO MY THING IS, A CONSUMER IS GONNA HAVE PROTECTION HERE.
[01:00:01]
ANYWHERE.GOD WILLING, IF YOU GUYS WILL HELP US OUT AND, AND, AND, AND YOUR CONSUMER'S GONNA BE PROTECTED, WE'RE GONNA DO THE SPAY AND NEUTER AND WE'RE GONNA BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, IN HOUSTON, IF POSSIBLE.
SO, MR. MARQUEZ, BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER YES, SIR.
CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ SEEMS LIKE THIS IS AN EASY FIX.
AND IN TALKING WITH OUR FOLKS THAT YOU MET WITH IN ADMINISTRATIVE AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS AND BARK, THEY SAID THEY HAD A FANTASTIC MEETING WITH PETLAND.
HOWEVER, SPAY AND NEUTERING IS CRITICAL TO REACHING ANY AGREEMENT.
SPAY AND NEUTERING IS CRITICAL TO REACHING ANY AGREEMENT.
AND AS I TALKED ABOUT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES FROM OUR ACTIONS, THE THING THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IS UNINTENDED CON CONSEQUENCES OF GOING BACK AND REVISING THIS.
AND THAT WOULD ALLOW A PUPPY TO GET INTO THE HANDS OF A INHUMANE BREEDER.
AND A BACKYARD BREEDER DOESN'T GIVE A DARN ABOUT OVERPOPULATION OF ANIMALS.
SO I'LL REPEAT MYSELF FOR THE THIRD TIME.
SPAY AND NEUTERING IS CRITICAL TO REACHING AN AGREEMENT AND TALKING WITH THOSE FOLKS.
I BELIEVE IF PETLAND AGREES TO THAT, WE'LL COME BACK WITH THIS ORDINANCE AND IT'LL BE A DONE DEAL.
SO YOU'RE SAYING TO ME THAT YOU WILL UP YEAH.
PETLAND CORPORATION, NOT THE INDIVIDUAL OWNER OF THE STORE, BUT THE CORPORATION NEEDS TO AGREE, UH, TO THIS WITHIN THE PROVISION OF CHAPTER SIX.
SO THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ.
I'M A, UH, AVID LOVER OF ANIMALS, PERIOD.
UM, I, OF COURSE I HAVE HIGHEST 50 SEVENS, RIGHT? UH, IF ANYBODY KNOWS WHAT THAT IS, THAT'S A DOG THAT'S, THAT HAS NO REAL BREEDING.
BUT MY, UM, QUESTION, THIS BROUGHT TO ME THAT, BUT FOR A CHANGE IN THIS ORDINANCE, THERE WOULD BE NO SALE OF PURE BRED DOGS.
UH, BECAUSE IF WE ARE GOING TO A RESCUE FACILITY, THEN THAT PRECLUDES THAT OPPORTUNITY.
COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT? YEAH, I, I MEAN, LOOK, WE, WE SUPPORT SHELTERS AND, AND AN I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S ABOUT, I MEAN, THAT AT THE, AT THE CORE, THAT IS WHO DOESN'T WANT TO HELP? SH I MEAN, SHELTER ANIMALS.
I MEAN, WE, WE ALSO TOLD BARK THAT WE WOULD TAKE SEVERAL OF OUR KENNELS IN OUR STORE, AND WE, WE PLEDGED THAT AS WELL.
AND WE WOULD, WE WOULD TRY AND FIND SOME OF THOSE SHELTER ANIMALS, UH, HOMES IN OUR STORE, AND WE WOULD GIVE BACK A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE PROCEEDS TO, TO BARK OR, OR TO WHOEVER, YOU KNOW, THIS COMMISSION AND THIS CHAMBER CHOSE.
WE DON'T NEED TO MAKE A DOLLAR OFF OF THAT.
UH, BUT TO YOUR POINT, I MEAN, THERE, YOU KNOW, MY, I'M GONNA USE MY, AN EXAMPLE I ALWAYS USE EVERYWHERE BECAUSE IT'S VERY CLOSE TO ME.
MY DAUGHTER, MY MIDDLE DAUGHTER, TRE, SHE, SHE'S, YOU KNOW, SHE'S ALLERGIC TO DOGS.
SHE'S ALLERGIC TO, TO, TO JUST A PURE BREED DOG.
SO SHE NEEDS A HYPOALLERGENIC BREED.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A MINI BERNADO IN MY HOME.
I LOVE FRENCH BULLDOGS, BUT I, I CAN'T HAVE ONE AROUND HER.
WE HAD TO GET A HYPOALLERGENIC BREED.
UH, AND AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, THIS ORDINANCE, UM, THE WAY FOR YOU TO GET A CERTAIN PURE BREED, I'M NOT SAYING ALL OF THEM, BUT A LOT OF THEM, UH, WOULD BE TO EITHER GO DIRECTLY TO A BREEDER, UM, WHETHER IT'S HERE IN THE CITY THAT'S A BACKYARD BREEDER OR FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND THEY'RE GONNA SHIP IT IN, OR GO TO YOUR LOCAL SHELTER AND, AND USUALLY GET A PIT MIX OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, I'M, I'M OPEN TO ANY OF THAT.
RIGHT? WHATEVER THE DOG IS RIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILY IS WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILY.
BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT CANNOT HAVE A PIT MIX AND THAT CANNOT HAVE A BULLDOG MIX AND CANNOT HAVE CERTAIN THINGS.
THEY NEED A HYPOALLERGENIC BREED.
THEY WANT A PUPPY TO GROW UP WITH THEIR KIDS.
SO YES, IT WOULD MAKE IT VERY, VERY DIFFICULT FOR PURE BREADS AND HYPOALLERGENIC BREEDS, YOU KNOW, TO BE, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR A FAMILY IN HOUSTON TO FIND THAT THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT FIT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED MOTION GRANTED.
I BELIEVE HE ANSWERED, UH, THE QUESTION REGARDING THE PRECLUDING, UH, PURE BRED ANIMALS.
AND SO I DO NOT WANNA PRECLUDE PURE BRED ANIMALS, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE HIGHS 50 SEVENS.
UH, SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
THANK YOU, CHAIR AND MAYOR PROAM.
UM, LEWIS, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
I THINK YOU HAVE GOTTEN ALL OF OUR ATTENTION.
I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE ALL PUPPY LOVERS.
LEMME GO OUT ON A LIMB ON THAT ONE AND JUST SAY, APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID AND PETLAND AND, UH, WHERE YOUR STORE IS INVOLVED.
AND YOU SEEM LIKE A MAN OF YOUR WORD.
SO I'M, I'M, I THINK YOU'RE COMPELLING TO US.
AND I KNOW WORKING WITH EMANCIPET, IT IS AN ORGANIZATION AS COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS HAS SAID THAT WE'VE ALL HAD A STRONG FEELING ABOUT FOR
[01:05:01]
YEARS ON THIS COUNCIL.UM, SO AS THE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER, I WANT TO ASK YOU WHAT THE BROADER PROBLEM IS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR PRO TEM HAS TALKED ABOUT AN EASY FIX.
UM, I'M, I'M NOT QUITE SO SURE ABOUT THAT MYSELF.
THIS IS FIX, PARDON, PARDON THE PUN ON THE FIX.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS, PARDON ANOTHER PUN, A DOGGED PROBLEM FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IT'S BEEN PERPETUAL, UH, FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, AND I DON'T SEE IT ENDING, BUT I DO THINK THAT SPAYING, SPAYING AND NEUTERING IS WHERE THE SOLUTION GOES.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, AT LARGE, ACROSS THE CITY, HOW DO WE GET AT THE PROBLEMS CRUX? UH, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, BARK AND ALL PET STORES, OR FOR THAT MATTER, YOUR CORPORATION, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? LOOK, I'M, I'M, I'M ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT, THAT, UM, AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU STRAIGHT FROM THE HIP.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD.
I, I, I, LOOK, I, I'M NOT A PERSON TO IMPOSE ANYTHING.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST MY, THE WAY THAT I AM.
AND I DON'T KNOW THE, THE ISSUES OF THE CITY.
UM, BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT IF, IF IT WAS ME, I WOULD, I WOULD WANT THE RETAILER TO COMMIT TO, TO HELPING FIX THE PROBLEM WITHOUT PUTTING THEM OUT OF BUSINESS.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE DONE HERE TODAY.
HOWEVER, UM, IF IT WAS ME, I, I, I WOULD GIVE A VOUCHER.
BUT IF THIS CHAMBER THINKS THAT THAT'S NOT, DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH, THEN THAN THEN IT'S ME TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON ME TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS AS I'VE WANTED TO DO ALL ALONG AND TRY AND HELP FIX THE ISSUE.
BUT I, I PROMISE YOU GUYS, THAT PUTTING ME OUTTA BUSINESS IS NOT GONNA FIX YOUR PROBLEM.
I MEAN, THE, THE, THE, THE, SOME OF THE LARGEST PET RETAILERS IN THIS NATION, UH, CALIFORNIA BANNED THE SALE OF PETS.
YOU GUYS ARE AWARE OF THAT, RIGHT? A COUPLE YEARS AGO, YES.
THEY ARE THE LARGEST IMPORTER OF PUPPIES IN THIS GREAT NATION TODAY.
THEY COME FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING, LET'S PUT REAL REGULATION IN PLACE.
LET'S, LET'S WORK ON SPAY AND NEUTER, IF THAT'S THE WILL OF THIS COUNCIL, AND, AND LET'S FIX THAT PROBLEM.
AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND THAT, AND THAT'S, LET'S ADDRESS IT.
I MEAN, IF AT THAT POINT WE STILL HAVE AN ISSUE AT SOME POINT, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY NOT GONNA BE 'CAUSE OF THE ONE STORE YOU HAVE IN BEL AIR.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT I, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH OTHER STORES IN THE CITY, BUT I THINK THAT IF YOU GUYS WANT TO ADDRESS PUPPY MILLS, I THINK WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE REGULATIONS AND WE MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THE PLACES THAT THESE, THESE PUPPIES ARE COMING FROM ARE LEGIT AND AREN'T BEING BOUGHT OFF A SCREEN ON A COMPUTER, ALRIGHT? AND SHIPPED TO THEIR STORE.
UH, LET, LET'S MAKE IT, LET'S MAKE THIS LEGIT AND LET'S MAKE IT STRINGENT TO MAKE SURE THAT REAL PUPPY MILLS ARE PUT OUTTA BUSINESS IN A WAY THAT, THAT JUST NOT ANYBODY CAN, CAN BUY, RIGHT? BECAUSE IF THEY WANNA BUY ANY DOG, THEY'RE GONNA JUST GO ONLINE AND BUY IT ANYWAY.
AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A TON OF DOGS COMING INTO HOUSTON, MIAMI, UH, CALIFORNIA, OHIO, WHEREVER, THROUGH THE INTERNET.
IT'S JUST, IT HAPPENS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO LET'S ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE.
I'M FULLY DEDICATED AND COMMITTED, UH, TO MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
MR. MARQUEZ, I THINK YOU'VE PRESENTING A, A COMPELLING CASE.
UM, I THINK CREATIVE SOLUTION MAKING IS WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO WITH THIS.
I THINK IT WILL TAKE A NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONAL LEVELS.
THE MUNICIPALITY, OUR CITY, UH, THE COUNTY HEAVEN KNOWS THE STATE, AND LOTS OF OTHER, UH, PARTNERS THROUGHOUT.
SO, UH, APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY.
UH, IT, IT'S REALLY MY PLEASURE.
I'M, I'M HERE FOR MY BUSINESS AND MY EMPLOYEES AND, AND TRUTHFULLY MY, MY FAMILY.
AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE PUPPIES AND OF COURSE THE PUPPIES,
THAT'S WHY I NEED THESE SNAKES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ALL OF YOU.
NOR LOW, MR. NOR LOW JEFFREY, NOR LOW, MR. NOR LOW FROM KINGWOOD, TEXAS, NOT HERE.
GEORGE LEBLANC, NEXT SPEAKER, EDWARD WILLIAMS TO BE FOLLOWED BY ROBIN HUDDLESTON.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. WILLIAMS. WELCOME.
I'M YOUR CONCERN IN MY WATER BILL.
I HAVE A $7,000 WATER BILL AND I'M ON A FIXED INCOME AND EVERYBODY I TALK TO, I CAN'T GET NO HELP.
THE MAIN THING THEY TELLING ME IS, WELL, OUR MACHINE IS TELLING IT, RIGHT? BUT THEY SEND PEOPLES OUT AND THE, AND THE PEOPLE SELLING THEM, IT'S NO LEAK AT THE ADDRESS, BUT MANMADE MACHINE CAN CLICK TOO.
BUT YOU TELLING ME I'M A LIE BECAUSE MY LANDLORD DUG IT UP TO LINE UP AND THERE'S NO LEAK AT THE ADDRESS.
BUT I GOT A $7,000 WATER BILL THAT'LL
[01:10:01]
CARRY ME.AND I'M LOOKING FOR SOME HELP FROM ANYBODY THAT I CAN.
AND, UH, I WENT FOUR YEARS IN PACKING WATER IN.
MY FAMILY CAN'T COME OVER 'CAUSE I CAN'T FLUSH IT.
I GOT TO PAY, YOU KNOW, POUR IT IN BY BUCKETS, FLUSH TO COME OVER.
SO I'M BASING OUT OF A BUCKET AND I CAN'T PACK WATER BACK HERE NO MORE.
'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT.
SO THEY GONNA TURN ME OFF SOONER OR LATER.
FIRST THING THEY SAID, WELL, IT'S YOUR BILL.
THEY SEND ME A LETTER SAYING, WELL, WE, IT'S UNDER INVESTIGATION.
THANK YOU, MR. WILLIAMS. COUNCIL MEMBER ED POLLARD.
TIM, THANK YOU SIR FOR COMING FORWARD.
SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR SITUATION.
WAS THIS ONE BILL THAT CAME IN FOR 7,000 OR THIS OVER A COURSE OF TIME? OR WHAT IS THE CITY TELLING YOU? WELL, THE CITY TOLD ME.
OKAY, IT STARTED, SEE WHEN IT STARTED BACK IN OH 16, IT SAID THAT IT WAS RAISING, THE BILL WAS RAISING, I WAS PAYING THE BILL, ALTHOUGH IT WAS GETTING HIGH, IT GOT TO WHERE I COULDN'T PAY IT.
SO I PACKED MY WATER IN FOR FOUR YEARS.
AS I SAID, MY SON CAME HOME FROM THE MILITARY.
HE CAME OVER AND VISIT AND HE WENT TO USE THE, THE TI SAID, KID, IT DON'T WORK.
HE SAID, WHAT'S WRONG, DADDY? I SAID, WELL, MY WATER BEEN ON FOR FOUR YEARS.
HE SAID, FOR WHAT? SO HE GOT AHOLD TO HIM.
HE PAID TO HAVE IT TURNED BACK ON.
HE PAID LIKE A THOUSAND SOMETHING DOLLARS TO HAVE IT TURNED BACK ON.
SO WHEN THE MAN CAME OUT TO TURN IT ON, THEY SAID IT WAS A LEAK.
FOUR YEARS AFTER BEING THERE, THE PIPE HAS DRY RIDING.
SO WHEN HE, I CALLED MY LANDLORD, HE CALLED THE PLUMBER, THE PLUMBER REDID ALL THE PIPES, TURNED IT ON BILL STEEL RAISING UP.
SO THEY SAYING IT'S UNDERGROUND.
I SENT THEM PICTURES, VIDEOS OF EVERYTHING WHERE THERE'S NO LEAK THERE, PLUMBERS COME OUT.
I SENT 'EM PAPERWORK WHERE THE PLUMBER SAID, THERE'S NO LEAK THERE.
EVEN THEY MAN COME OUT SAYING THERE'S NO LEAK THERE.
BUT MY POINT IS THIS, I ASKED HIM FOR A MEETING WHEN THE MAN COME OUT TO READ THE NEEDLE.
THEY DIDN'T SIT THERE THOUGH, WHAT HE DID, THEY, HE CAME OUT LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT AND SNATCHED ALL THE STUFF OUT OF IT.
AND I ASKED HIM WHAT HE DOING.
I SAID, HEY MAN, UH, THIS IS UNDER REVIEW.
WELL, WE CHANGE HIM OUT THERE ALL THE TIME, BUT THAT AIN'T TELLING ME NOTHING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH IT.
BUT YOU GOT ME PAYING A $7,000 WATER BILL AND I TRULY CAN'T DO IT.
ALRIGHT, I'M, I'M, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU MY CARD FROM MY OFFICE.
YOU, YOU'RE NOT IN MY DISTRICT, BUT, UH, I'LL WORK WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER AND FOLLOW UP TO SEE IF WE CAN DOUBLE TEAM THIS TO GET YOU A ANSWER.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
I THANK Y'ALL FOR LISTENING TO ME, SIR.
MR. WILLIAMS. MR. WILLIAMS, HOLD ON.
A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU AS WELL.
THIS INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, IT DOES SAY THAT THIS WAS ADDRESSED WITH THE ACCOUNT HOLDER AND ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW, AND A HOLD HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE DISPUTED CHARGES, WHICH WILL PREVENT SERVICE INTERRUPTION FROM OCCURRING.
UH, BUT THE COLLECTIONS MANAGER HAS REACHED OUT TO MR. WILLIAMS TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE AS WELL AS PAYMENT AGREEMENT OPTIONS.
UH, AND THEN MR. WILLIAMS ADVISED THE, THE MANAGER THAT HE WOULD NEED TO CALL HIM BACK TO DISCUSS THESE OPTIONS FURTHER.
I KNOW THAT CITY COUNCIL, WE VOTED RIGHT AFTER THE FREEZE.
UH, IN REGARDS TO SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, IN REGARDS TO SENIORS, UH, RECEIVING A HIGH WATER BILL, I KNOW THAT I HAVE A CONSTITUENT THAT HAS REACHED OUT TO ME.
THEY JUST SENT ME THE, THE, THE INFORMATION.
SO I HAVEN'T DONE THE, WE HAVEN'T DONE THE RESEARCH YET, BUT THEY WERE CHARGED A $35,000 WATER BILL, UH, WHICH IS REALLY OUTRAGEOUS AND RIDICULOUS.
UH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE RESEARCHING THAT.
UH, BUT, BUT, BUT, AND YOURS HERE IS A $7,000 WATER BILL.
UH, SO IT, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, THEY'VE, UM, THEY, THEY ARE PROVIDING SERVICE.
YOU, YOU, SO YOU'RE GETTING WATER NOW? YEAH.
THEY SAID AS LONG AS IT'S GOING UNDER VIEW, THEY GOT THE WATER ON.
BUT BACK THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, THE FIRST MONTH, THE BILL WAS $44.
I GOT THE BILL IN FOR $38 FOR THE PAST MONTH.
[01:15:01]
AND $38.HOW DID IT GET FROM THERE TO 7,000, RIGHT? YEAH, NO, I TOLD, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT, BUT AGAIN, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE LOOKING INTO IT.
SO I'M GLAD YOU GOT YOUR WATER SERVICE BACK ON FOR NOW.
UH, BUT THE, UH, COLLECTIONS MANAGER IS, UM, HAS REACHED OUT TO YOU AND, AND, AND THEY ARE LOOKING INTO IT.
SO, IS SOMEBODY FROM PUBLIC WORKS? YEAH.
IS THERE SOMEONE FROM PUBLIC WORKS HERE? TH THERE'S A GENTLEMAN STANDING BACK THERE IF YOU CAN GET WITH HIM TO JUST GET AN UPDATE ON WHERE, WHERE YOU'RE AT WITH THIS, SIR.
IF YOU COULD REACH, IF YOU CAN JUST, IF YOU CAN TALK TO HIM TO, TO GIVE YOU AN, TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE WHERE, WHERE YOU'RE, WHERE YOU'RE AT WITH THIS BILL OR WHERE THEY'RE AT WITH THIS BILL.
MR. WILLIAMS. UH, MR. CHRISTOPHER SALVA WILL HELP YOU.
BUT BEFORE THAT, COUNCIL MEMBER, CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ HAS SOME COMMENTS.
I MEAN, TO NOT HAVE WATER IS JUST INHUMANE.
AND SO TO KNOW THAT YOU WENT FOUR YEARS WITHOUT RUNNING WATER JUST REALLY DISTURBS ME.
NOW, WHEN YOU GOT THE $7,000 BILL, HOW LONG HAD THE WATER BEEN BACK ON BEFORE YOU RECEIVED THAT BILL? MY SON HAD IT TURNED BACK ON IN APRIL.
AND FROM APRIL THE BILL WENT SKY HIGH.
AND LIKE I SAID, I, I CAN'T LOOK UNDERGROUND, SEE IF WATER RUNNING, BUT THEY STARTED TELLING ME IT'S A LEAK UNDERGROUND.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THIS TO SEE, BECAUSE THIS IS UNCONSCIONABLE, UH, FOR YOU TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS, UH, WITHOUT WATER.
AND THEN APRIL, I MEAN, YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE A COUPLE OF SWIMMING POOLS TO BE ABLE TO, THAT'S WHAT HAVE 7,000, A $7,000 BILL.
AND SO OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING IS WRONG.
I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE TODAY SO THAT YOU CAN BE HEARD AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN BE HELPED.
COUNCIL MEMBER LETICIA PLUMMER.
MR. WILLIAMS. MR. WILLIAMS? MR. MR. WILLIAMS. I JUST HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
WE HAVE ONE MORE COUNCIL MEMBER.
YEAH, I, I'M WITH MIKE, MY COLLEAGUE.
UM, BUT QUESTION, DO YOU LIVE IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME OR ARE YOU IN A, IS IT YES, I LIVE IN A TWO BEDROOM FLAT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN YOUR, LIKE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS? ANYONE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM? IT'S JUST MINE.
YOUR BILL'S THE ONLY ONE THAT'S $7,000.
AND THANK YOU MR. WILLIAMS AND CHRISTOPHER.
WE'LL GET WITH YOU IN A MINUTE.
STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS. NEXT SPEAKER, BARBARA CANTON, TO BE FOLLOWED BY THELMA SCOTT.
I'M MARRIED TO THURMAN CANTON FOR 20, 44 YEARS.
UM, THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DOING SOME UNGODLY THINGS TOWARDS ME.
HE TOOK OUT A LOAN WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE CREDIT UNION.
AND IT'S A SEVEN SERIES ATTACHED TO WELLS FARGO.
WHEN I CALLED TO TALK TO THEM, UM, I DON'T HAVE MY PENSION FROM THE DIVORCE BECAUSE HE THREATENED TO KILL ME.
SO, BUT I STILL TOOK CARE OF HIM BECAUSE HE WAS ON DIALYSIS.
[01:20:01]
A LOT HEART ON THE PERSON THAT HAS TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.UM, I TOOK CARE OF HIM DESPITE WHAT HE SAID TO ME, BUT I KNEW THAT HE NEEDED SOMEBODY IN HIS LIFE TO HELP HIM.
AFTER MY HUSBAND DIED, ALL OF THESE BILLS CAME THAT I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF.
I NEVER DID GET MY DIVORCE SETTLEMENT.
I, UM, HAD SOMEONE TO COME IN FROM FELICE THAT WAS HIS FRIEND WHEN HE HEARD THAT HE HAD DIED.
UM, THEY HAVE ERASED MY SOCIAL SECURITY.
THEY HAVE TAKEN OUT MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
THIS SAYS, HE GAVE ME THESE DOCUMENTS FROM MY HUSBAND.
THIS SAYS, UNDERSTAND, UH, UH, FPT.
THIS TELL YOU HOW TO GO IN ANYBODY'S FOLDER OR RECORD AND BAG OUT SOME THINGS.
THEY BAGGED OUT MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE, MY DRIVER LICENSE, AND MY SOCIAL SECURITY CARD.
THEY COULDN'T DO TOO MUCH WITH MY, UH, SOCIAL SECURITY BECAUSE THEY CHANGED MY NAME AND PUT IT IN BOBBY BARBER JAMES AND BOBBY BARBARA JAMES WAS CHANGED IN 2008 WHEN THEY MADE THIS LOAN AT THE CREDIT UNION.
I SENT OFF FOR MY IDENTITIES AND EVERYTHING.
THEY SENT BACK MY SOCIAL SECURITY CARD AND MY RIGHT NAME, BARBARA CANTON.
THE STATE JUST SENT ME AFTER I DONE DID THIS 10 TIMES TO GET MY, UM, SOCIAL SECURITY, GET MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
THEY JUST NOW RETURNING ONE OF MY CHECKS.
I DID IT ONLINE AND I ALSO FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK THAT I NEEDED TO DO.
I'M DISAPPOINTED WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE I AM A WIFE OF A MAN WHO GOT SICK.
I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING NONE OF THEM COME TO THE FUNERAL.
THEY SAID THAT I WAS GONNA GET A PLAQUE THAT SAYS THIS DAY OF MARCH 18TH, 21, WHEN MY HUSBAND PASSED, I DIDN'T GET THE FLAG.
WHEN I CAME TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO TALK TO RAY HUNT, HE TOLD ME THAT, WELL, HE'S IN A QUAD.
OKAY, TO ME, WHAT IS A QUAD? THAT'S SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING OF.
OKAY? THIS HERE SAYS HOUSTON POLICE CREDIT UNION ELECTRONIC, UH, TURBO.
I NEVER SIGNED, THEY NEVER CALLED ME AND SAID, YEAH, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
I WILL, UM, OUR NOTES HAVE THAT HPD HAS REACHED OUT TO YOU BUT COULD NOT CONNECT WITH YOU.
I WILL ASK THEM TO GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH YOU.
UH, I AM SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS AND I'M SORRY FOR WHAT YOU'VE GONE THROUGH SINCE YOUR LOSS.
BUT WE WILL INFORM HPD TO MAKE SURE THEY CONNECT WITH YOU AND GO OVER THIS SITUATION.
IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT DAY IN HOUSTON, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.
COUNCIL MEMBER AZZ, THIS IS A GREAT DAY IN HOUSTON.
'CAUSE I WOKE UP THIS MORNING TO A NEW DAY I NEVER SEEN BEFORE
AND I'M SO EXCITED, UH, BY WHY I'M HERE.
THELMA SCOTT, TO FIND A SAFE DIVERSITY COMMUNITIES.
WHAT SAFE STANDS FOR? STUDENT AND FAMILY EMPOWERMENT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO, EMPOWER OUR FAMILIES TO BE THE BEST THAT THEY CAN BE.
WE HAVE A MONDAY WORKSHOP WHERE WE ENCOURAGE THEM THAT IT'S THEIR RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, CLIMATE CHANGE, THEIR RIGHT TO LIVE IN A CLEAN AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT AND BREATHE CLEAN AIR.
BUT ON OCTOBER THE 12TH, NEXT WEDNESDAY IS THE SHOWDOWN, OUR DIVERSE OLY SPIRIT DAY.
THE KIDS AGAINST THE POLICE OFFICERS.
AND I THINK IF EVERYBODY REMEMBER THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS, WE CAME IN MAY AND PRESENTED AND THE MAYOR, SYLVESTER TURNER, UH, PRESENTED THEM WITH A PROCLAMATION.
SO WE ARE GETTING READY FOR THAT.
BUT I'M HERE TODAY TO INVITE EVERYONE HERE TO COME OUT TO THE SHOWDOWN.
'CAUSE I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S THE SHOWDOWN.
BUT WE ALSO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ON OCTOBER 12TH, ALL THE KIDS COME OUT.
WE USUALLY ASK FOR THAT SUPPORT FOR THAT DAY.
WE PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ALL THESE KIDS.
WE DON'T JUST DO KIDS IN MY AREA.
WE DO KIDS IN FIFTH WARD, THIRD WARD ACRES, HOME, UH, GREENSPOINT.
WE, UH, SAFE, DIVERSE WARD WITH KIDS ALL OVER HOUSTON.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY ALL THE, ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU ALL INVITED.
SO YOU ALL GOT KIDS IN THE AREA, ESPECIALLY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAKA, YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT WE DO AND HOW MUCH FUN THAT WE HAVE ON OCTOBER 12TH.
[01:25:01]
SO I'M INVITING YOU GUYS TO COME OUT.ALSO, I KNOW THE MAYOR IN HIS ABSENCE IS SUCH A SUPPORTIVE OF THESE KIDS, ESPECIALLY.
HE HAS A SCHOLARSHIP IN OUR PROGRAM FOR STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY.
BUT WHEN ASKING YOU IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE US A DONATION, WE HAVE TO PAY FOR OUR BUSES THAT COME.
WE BOUGHT ABOUT 15 OR 16 BUSES, AND OUR BUSES COST TWO 50.
SO IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR BUSES, JUST LET US KNOW.
I'M THELMA SCOTT WITH SAFE DIVERSITY.
AND I HAVE A WONDERFUL BLESSED EVENING.
'CAUSE I'M THINKING OF A LOT OF THINGS RIGHT NOW, THINKING BOBBY.
OKAY, SO BOBBY, I'M THINKING OF A FIGHT.
I'M THINKING OF A BASKETBALL GAME.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BATTLE OF BANDS WHERE WE HAD, WE HAD A 100 YARD DASH, WE HAD A BEAN BAG, TOS, TUG OF WAR, HULA HOOP CONTEST, GREAT ENTERTAINMENT.
AND WE DO THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
SO YOU'RE DOING A, YOU'RE DOING A HUNDRED YARD DASH AGAINST, UH, OVERWEIGHT POLICE OFFICERS FROM HPD
WELL, LISTEN, I I WANT TO SAY THAT I, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR, UH, TITLE SPONSORS, UH, UPS AND CENTER POINT ENERGY.
BUT I WANTED TO TELL YOU, THOSE KIDS BEAT EVERYBODY.
I, I THINK THE POLICE OFFICERS MIGHT'VE WON, MIGHT'VE WON ONE OF THE GAMES.
THEY'VE BEEN WAITING ON THE POLICE OFFICERS AND THEY JUST TOLD ME A FEW MINUTES AGO, THEY READY FOR US.
ESPECIALLY THE HULA HOOP CONTEST.
I THINK THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT BEAT THE KIDS, THOUGH.
I REALLY CAN'T SAY WE HAVE VIDEO OF THAT.
I BEAT OUR KIDS THE HULA HOOP CONTEST.
AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND, UH, GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE.
MY MONEY'S ON THE KIDS AND THE A HUNDRED YARD DOWN.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ.
THANK YOU, MAYOR WITH THE TWO $50 DONATION.
I APPRECIATE YOU COMING FORWARD.
I KNOW IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT, IT'S GONNA BE PHENOMENAL AND FUN.
IT'S GONNA BE JUST THE FYI MY BIRTHDAY IS THE 13TH, BUT I GO ALL MONTH.
SO CERTAINLY I, I KNOW THAT THIS WILL BE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO COME OUT AND CELEBRATE WITH, WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE.
BUT I GOTTA TELL YOU, BUT I'LL GET WITH YOU LATER BECAUSE MY KIDS SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU SUPPORT US ALWAYS.
BUT YOU, BUT I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT IT LATE.
AND I, AND I, I'M SORRY, I CAN'T HULA HOOP ANYMORE.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY EVER TRIED IT AGAIN.
I DON'T KNOW IF I GOT TOO MUCH TO HULA OR TOO MUCH WHO LISTEN OR WHAT.
BUT I WILL COME OUT COUNCIL AND SUPPORT YOU.
'CAUSE WE STILL GOT PANDEMIC ON IT.
I TOLD EM, I SAID I'M SEVEN TWO YEARS OLD, BUT I CAN HULA HOOP BABY.
OKAY, Y'ALL TAKE CARE AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.
ANAYA ARAJI TO BE FOLLOWED BY WILLIAM COARD.
I MOVED TO A NEIGHBORHOOD LAST YEAR, UM, BETWEEN OCTOBER TO NOVEMBER, 2021.
AND SINCE THEN, UM, ME AND MY 9-YEAR-OLD SON HAS BEEN HARASSED.
WE RECEIVED THREATENING TEXT MESSAGES FROM, SINCE WE LIVED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
I FILED TWO DIFFERENT POLICE REPORTS WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND, UM, BASICALLY THESE MESSAGES ARE VERY VILE.
UM, THEY'RE CALLING US THE N WORD THAT WE NEED TO GO BACK TO AFRICA.
UM, SO, AND THEY'VE ALSO THREATENED MY SON AS WELL VIA TEXT MESSAGE.
AND, UM, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND ANY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
I, I'M SORRY YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS, ESPECIALLY WITH YOUR SON.
UH, OUR NOTES THAT ARE GIVEN TO US BY THE, UH, BY HPD SAYS THAT YOU WERE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY'S JURISDICTION AND THEY HAVE DIRECTED YOU TO TURN TO HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO PRESENT YOUR CONCERNS.
HAVE YOU DONE THAT? I'VE DONE THAT.
I FILED TWO POLICE REPORTS WITH HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND ANY ACTION BEING TAKEN? NO, NONE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR US, SINCE YOU'RE OUTSIDE THE CITY'S JURISDICTION, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
BUT WE CAN, I WOULD KEEP CALLING HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.
I MEAN, WE HAVE, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER'S COURT GO TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
THEY MEET, UH, TUESDAY IS, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL ACTION TO BE TAKEN, BECAUSE SOMEONE OBVIOUSLY HAS MY SON'S INFORMATION.
SO AS YOU COME TO US AND TALK TO US ABOUT HPD ISSUES, HARRIS COUNTY HAS A COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
THEY MEET EVERY OTHER TUESDAY.
I THINK THEY'LL MEET NEXT TUESDAY.
SO YOU'LL HAVE POLITICAL LEADERS THERE THAT WILL HEAR
[01:30:01]
YOUR VOICE AND EXPRESS CONCERN.AND ONE OF OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES, ED GONZALEZ, IS THE SHERIFF FOR HARRIS COUNTY.
AND, UH, HE'S A GOOD MAN AND HE'LL DO THE RIGHT THING.
SO MY SUGGESTION TO YOU WOULD BE TO GO TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT, DOUBLE CHECK, UH, NEXT WEEK, NEXT TUESDAY, AND VOICE YOUR CONCERNS TO THEM AS YOU'RE DOING WITH US.
OKAY? 'CAUSE THAT'S THE JURISDICTION WHERE THIS, UH, IS ABLE TO TAKE SOME ACTION.
BUT BEFORE THAT COMES FROM MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS.
UM, BECAUSE YOUR SON'S A MINOR, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO ALSO, UM, PUBLICLY GO TO YOUR SCHOOL BOARD OKAY.
AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU GO BEFORE THAT BODY, UM, AND TO SEE IF THERE'S SOME RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE WITH THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE HE IS A MINOR THAT, TO MAKE SURE THAT HE'S PROTECTED AS WELL.
IF SOMEONE, IF THERE'S A BREACH OF HIS INFORMATION.
SO YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO GOING TO YOUR CONSTABLE, YOUR COMMISSIONER MM-HMM
BUT BECAUSE YOUR SON'S A MINOR, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WHILE HE'S AT SCHOOL, HE'S ALSO PROTECTED.
IF YOU ALSO HAVE SOME FEAR AROUND THAT, HE IS HOMESCHOOLED.
SO SOMEONE BREACHED OUR INFORMATION.
AND ARE YOU OKAY WITH JUST POSSIBLY CHANGING PHONE NUMBERS OR REMOVING SCRUBBING PUBLIC RECORDS WHERE YOU COULD YEAH, I WOULD BE, BECAUSE YOU CAN REMOVE CERTAIN CONTACT FROM, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
AND HOW WOULD I DO THAT?
SO HERE, HERE'S WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST.
GIVE US A COUPLE MINUTES AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THEIR NEXT MEETING IS AND WHAT TIME APPEAR IN FRONT OF HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT APPEAL TO THAT BODY.
UH, GIVE THEM A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
IF YOU DON'T GET ANY, UM, SATISFACTION, UH, CALL COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS'S OFFICE AND WE'LL GET BACK ON IT AGAIN AND WE'LL APPEAL TO SHERIFF N GONZALEZ TO SEE IF HE CAN HELP ON YOUR BEHALF.
OKAY? AND 'CAUSE NO ONE SHOULD BE PUT THROUGH VERBAL ABUSE.
RIGHT? ALSO, I WAS TOLD, UM, TO GET A SUBPOENA TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PHONE NUMBER AND, AND THEY CAN, THAT THEY'RE USING AND THEY CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT AS WELL.
OKAY? SO THE NEXT MEETING IS OCTOBER 11TH.
OCTOBER 11TH AT 10:00 AM 10:00 AM OCTOBER 11TH, HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT, WHICH IS A BASEBALL THROWAWAY FROM HERE.
OKAY? 10:00 AM SO 10:00 AM OCTOBER 11TH, HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT APPEAL TO THEM, ASK FOR SHERIFF ED GONZALEZ'S COOPERATION.
AND THEN IF NOTHING HAPPENS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS, APPEAL BACK TO US THROUGH COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, AND WE'LL GET INVOLVED.
I BELIEVE THERE'S SOME MISSPELLED.
AND I CAME HERE TO TALK ABOUT, COULD YOU PLEASE SPEAK A LITTLE BIT LOUDER? I'M A FOR FORMER EMPLOYEE FOR BARK ANIMAL SHELTER.
SO I CAME TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I FEEL LIKE IT'S AN UNLAWFUL TERMINATION.
SO RECENTLY I WAS ATTACKED BY ONE OF THEIR ANIMALS AT BARK, AND I WAS SENT HOME TO HEAL.
BUT RECENTLY, ON SEPTEMBER 27TH, I WAS CALLED TO THE OFFICE AND THEY WERE TERMINATING ME.
AND THE REASON IS THEY SAID THAT ON THE 10TH, I HAD SUPPOSEDLY LEFT THE DOG OUTSIDE THE KENNEL WITHOUT WATER, WITHOUT WATER, FOOD, OR ANY BLANKET OF ANY SORT.
BUT I WAS ATTACKED ON THE EIGHTH, SO I WASN'T THERE ON THE 10TH.
THEY, AND THEN ALSO AS WELL, THEY'RE TERMINATING ME IN A SITUATION WHERE I CANNOT LOOK FOR ANOTHER JOB BECAUSE I AM NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT HEALED FROM MY LEG.
SO MY REAL QUESTION IS LIKE, HOW WOULD I PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY? HOW, WHAT CAN I DO TO PROVIDE FOR THEM AND MY ANIMALS?
SO THE SPEAKER THAT WE HAD REGISTERED IS
AND THE NOTES WE HAVE IS THAT SHE WILL BE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF HER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.
SO I'M ASSUMING YOU ARE THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW? YEAH.
AND YOU ARE ZU HAILEY TRON? YEAH.
[01:35:01]
OKAY.SO I NEED A MOTION TO ALLOW HER, I MOVE, I MOVE TO ALLOW THE SPEAKER TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF HER, HER AUNT.
HER AUNT WAS GONNA SPEAK ON HER BEHALF.
I, I MOVE THAT THE SPEAKER AT THE PODIUM BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF HERSELF, THOMAS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION GRANTED.
WE JUST NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RECORD IS CLEAN, SO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
UM, FORMER EMPLOYEE WORK FOR BARK.
YOU AT THAT TIME, YOU WERE UNDER A PROBATIONARY REVIEW YES.
SCHEDULED TO BE TERMINATED ON THE EXACT DATE THAT THE ANIMAL BIT YOU, CORRECT? NO.
SO SEE, I WASN'T AWARE THAT I WAS GONNA BE TERMINATED.
AND I AM PRETTY SURE THIS IN THE PAPER, THAT THEY'LL SOMETIMES THEY'LL LET YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY WON'T.
BUT THE THING IS, IS THAT THEY TERMINATING A SITUATION WHERE I STILL AM NOT HEALED COMPLETELY.
HOW WOULD I BE ABLE TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER JOB WITHOUT WALKING FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS? BECAUSE IF I WALK FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS, I'M STILL BLEEDING.
I'M STILL SWOLLEN FROM MY FEET.
AND WHEN THEY SAID THAT, I WA I LEFT THE DOG OUTSIDE ON THE 10TH.
AND I'M LIKE, HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE WHEN, SINCE STARTING THE EIGHTH, I HAVEN'T RETURNED BACK TO WORK.
YOU, YOU KNOW? SO IT'S LIKE, WHY, WHY ARE YOU ACCUSING ME FOR SOMETHING THAT I WASN'T EVEN THERE FOR? AND THAT'S SOMETHING I DIDN'T EVEN DO.
SO I FEEL LIKE, I BELIEVE LIKE IT'S AN UNLAWFUL TERMINATION AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE FOR.
SO LET US DO SOME CHECKING WITH ADMINISTRATIVE AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS BECAUSE THEY'RE THE SUPERVISING BODY OVER BARK.
UH, THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE THAT YOU ARE UNDER PROBATIONARY, UH, YEAH.
AND YOU WERE SET TO RECEIVE YOUR TERMINATION LETTER ON SEPTEMBER 28TH.
EIGHTH, BUT YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO SIGN IT UNTIL THE 27TH SET TO RECEIVE IT ON THE EIGHTH BECAUSE OF YOUR INJURY.
WEREN'T ABLE TO SIGN IT UNTIL THE 27TH.
IS THAT CORRECT? MAKE SURE I HAVE THE FACTS RIGHT BEFORE WE GO TO THEM.
UH, UM, I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GETTING, LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GETTING TERMINATED UNTIL THE 27TH WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY SENT THAT PAPER.
LET US, LET US REFER THIS BACK TO ADMINISTRATIVE AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS.
IS ANYONE HERE FROM A RA? OKAY.
WE WILL HANDLE IT AND, UH, HOPEFULLY YOU CAN GET RESOLUTION OF THIS.
OTIS MILES TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOSE ZAMARIN.
THANK Y'ALL FOR LISTENING TO ME ABOUT, UH, THEY'RE DOING A BUILDING BEHIND MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY HAVE BUILT THE, UH, DIRT UP TO ABOUT THREE FEET IN.
I, WHEN I LEFT HOME, THEY WAS PUTTING MORE DIRT ON IT.
IT GOING TO FLOOD MY NEIGHBORHOOD IF I COULD NOT GET ANYTHING DOWN.
WE HAVE NEVER HAD A FLOOD AND SEEN IT WITH FLOWERS.
BUT NOW THEY DONE BUILT IT THE DIRT UP BEHIND.
IT'S NO MORE THAN 15 FEET FROM THE HOUSE THERE.
I WENT TO PERMIT AND ASKED HIM DO THEY HAVE A PERMIT? THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE ELECTED PERMIT.
I WENT THROUGH 3 1 1 LIKE YOU SUPPOSED TO, AND GOT MY NUMBER IN.
AND WHAT HAPPENED IS I TALKED TO MS. SMITH, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SUPERVISOR OVER IN PERMIT.
SHE TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T NEED ONE UNTIL WE GO OUT AND CHECK AND SEE WHETHER THEY HAVE A PERMIT OR NOT.
GO OUT AND TALK TO THE PEOPLE WHEN I KNOW BETTER THAN THAT BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH THIS BEFORE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WENT DOWN AND FILED ALL THE OPEN RECORDS LAW ON FRIDAY AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE 10 DAYS.
THEY GONNA HAVE TO RESEARCH IT.
I KNOW BETTER BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE BEFORE.
IF YOU HAVE A PERMIT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO A DR.
A WORK SITE AND FIND OUT FROM THE PEOPLE WORKING THERE, WHETHER THEY HAVE A PERMIT OR NOT PERMIT WILL NOT GIVE ME ANY KIND OF INFORMATION.
SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY I'M HERE, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA FLOOD IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN THERE 48 YEARS.
[01:40:01]
A FLOOD IN CEDARWOOD PLOW, BUT THEY BUILDING THAT DIRT UP.LIKE I SAY, IT WAS ABOUT THREE FEET AND THEY HAD THROW SOME MORE DIRT ON IT BEFORE I LEFT HOME.
AND THAT'S ABOUT 15 FEET FROM THE HOUSE.
SO LET ME, LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN.
SO THEY'RE BUILDING A GAS STATION AT THE ENTRANCE TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AT 5,600 LITTLE YORK? NO.
AND YOU CHECKED WITH PERMITTING AND YOU CAN'T GET ANY INFORMATION FROM THEM YES.
AS TO IF THIS HAS BEEN PERMITTED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON, NO.
WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE WILL FIND OUT THROUGH THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE AND WITH PERMITTING WHERE THE PERMIT IS, UH, UNFORTUNATELY FOR YOU, IF THEY ABIDE BY THE LAWS AND THE REGULATIONS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THEY CAN BUILD ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ON THAT SITE.
AS LONG AS IT'S PERMITTED PROPERLY AS A NON ZONING CITY, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.
THERE'S THE GOOD AND THE BAD OF ZONING OR NON ZONING.
BUT WHAT WE WILL DO FOR YOU IS WE WILL CHECK WHERE IT IS IN PERMITTING AND TO SEE IF THERE HAS BEEN A PERMIT THAT HAS BEEN APPLIED FOR AND WHERE IT IS IN THE PROCESS.
BECAUSE ACCORDING TO OUR NOTES, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF FOLKS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAVE EXPRESSED THIS CONCERN THROUGH THE MAYOR'S, UH, ASSISTANCE OFFICE.
UH, BUT DID THEY DO AN IMPACT STUDY HOW IT'S GONNA IMPACT MY NEIGHBORHOOD? I'M SORRY? DID THEY DO AN IMPACT STUDY ON THAT WHEN THEY, BEFORE THEY GAVE THE PERMITS? I'M NOT SURE IF THEY HAVE TO DO AN IMPACT STUDY.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO FIND OUT.
I WENT DOWN, LIKE I SAID, I FILED ON FRIDAY TO, TO PULL THE PERMITS ON THAT AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS GONNA TAKE 10 DAYS, BUT IT, THEY DID AN IMPACT STUDY SHOW IT WILL.
AND I THINK CHRIS SANDOVAL, CHRIS, ARE YOU IN THE BACK? YEAH.
YEAH, HE'S GONNA RAISE HIS HAND, GET WITH HIM AND HE WILL HELP YOU, UH, RESEARCH THAT INFORMATION.
AND THE REASON WHY I SAID THAT, BECAUSE I HAD SOME HOUSES WITH DOING SOME REBUILDING.
CITY CAME OUT, PERMIT CAME OUT AND RED TAGGED IT TWICE.
AND WHAT THEY DID, THEY PULLED IT AND THEY STILL WORKING ON IT.
THEY HAVE SOME IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT NOW HOUSES THAT THEY HAVE RED TAG AND THE PEOPLE STILL WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW.
ONE CHECK ON THEM WHEN THEY ARE GIVE THOSE PERMITS.
SO, AND THE GUY WAS OUT THERE ON, ON, ON THE OTHER DAY.
OUR, OUR RESIDENT ARCHITECT COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON, HAS A QUESTION AND COMMENT FOR YOU.
AND, UM, WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING INTO WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND INQUIRING ABOUT AN IMPACT STUDY.
'CAUSE THESE ARE IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND ON IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE NORTH SIDE, THERE'S BEEN A HORRIBLE AMOUNT OF FLOODING AND A REAL NEED FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER WITH HARRIS COUNTY FOR ALL KINDS OF FLOOD CONTROL MEASURES.
SO RIGHT NOW YOU'RE ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER A BUILDING PERMIT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, YOU KNOW, WHAT REGULATIONS AND WHAT, UM, YOUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS ARE LOOKING TO DO.
AND WE HAVE A GENTLEMAN FROM PUBLIC WORKS WHO'S HERE TO HELP YOU LOOK INTO THAT AND ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS TODAY AND UNDERSTAND, FOR INSTANCE, IF THERE'S PROXIMITY TO THE FLOODPLAIN AND WE CAN GET YOU A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT'LL HOPEFULLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION ON YOUR ADJACENT PROPERTY AS WELL AS THE NEIGHBOR DOWN THE STREET.
AND I THINK YOU'RE GONNA FIND, UH, A VERY HELPFUL, UH, AUDIENCE IN THIS GENTLEMAN FROM PUBLIC WORKS.
BECAUSE I, I HAVE TALKED TO PEOPLE IN, IN
THEY SAID THEY HAD THE PERMIT THAT THEY NEEDED WHEN I FIRST CALLED HIM.
WHAT HE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IS EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW HOW SOME OF THOSE PERMITS FROM THE INDIVIDUAL TRADES ARE TIED TO THE OVERALL BUILDING APPLICATION.
SO THIS WHAT I WAS GENTLE, THIS GENTLEMAN CAN, UH, HELP YOU.
IS THAT WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD? YEAH, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO GET YOU ANSWERS.
LIKE I SAID, THEY DID IT BEFORE.
THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT PERSONALLY.
LIKE THE PEOPLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD SAYS THEY THINK SOMEBODY TAKING KICKBACK ON IT BECAUSE THE PEOPLES CAME OUT.
PEOPLES CAME OUT THE OTHER DAY.
THEY STOOD OUT THERE AND TALKED BECAUSE MY NEIGHBOR BEFORE THERE HAVE A CAMERA ON HIS BACK PART.
THEY DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING TO CEMENT TRUCK BEFORE, BEFORE WE WORK UP ON TOO MANY, TOO MUCH HEARSAY AND RUMORS.
LET'S TRY TO GET THE FACTS HERE.
I BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, HEARSAY TO ME TODAY.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND TRY TO GET SOME ANSWERS FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS ABOUT THESE PERMITS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
I CAME DOWN HERE, MR. MILES, CHRISTOPHER SANDOVAL IS OVER THERE AND HE WILL TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE AND START THE PROCESS OF LOOKING THIS INFORMATION UP.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERNS.
[01:45:01]
WELL, WELL, THEY TOLD ME THE LAST TIME WHEN I CAME DOWN THERE.WELL, WE NOW, SO YOU KNOW, WE NOW HAVE CHRIS ON TOP OF HE'LL GET TO THE BOTTOM.
LIKE I SAID, MY NEIGHBORS IS SAYING SOMEBODY'S TAKING MONEY.
FLORIDA COOPER, FLORIDA COOPER.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MS. CARPENTER TO BE FOLLOWED TO BE FOLLOWED BY MERCILESS PEREZ.
SO I LEARNED WHAT RECIDIVISM WAS IN JAIL.
I LEARNED THE SYSTEM WHEN I GOT OUT OF JAIL.
NOTHING I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED COULD HAVE PREPARED ME FOR THE NUMEROUS ASSAULTS, DISCRIMINATORY, DISCRIMINATORY INSTANCES, CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS, CHRONIC ILLNESS, BLACKLISTING AND OSTRACISM AFTER BEING INCARCERATED IN HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL.
MY BACKGROUND IS SULLY BECAUSE I REFUSE TO PLAY ALONE WITH THE DA WHO SAY THEY CAN ONLY ASSIST IF, IF I VOLUNTEER TO BE IN, IN, IN AN INPATIENT SETTING AND BE INJECTED WITH DRUGS THAT MAKE ME MUTE OR ADMIT TO HAVING SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES, THEN I WOULD BE ABLE TO RECEIVE STABLE ACCOMMODATIONS.
I'VE BEEN TOLD BY A JUDGE I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SURVIVE WITHOUT THE SYSTEM'S ASSISTANCE, BUT THAT MEANS I'D BE PLACED BACK IN ENVIRONMENTS WHERE RECIDIVISM IS HIGHLY LIKELY.
I DIDN'T EVEN COMMIT A CRIME, BUT I WAS INCARCERATED FOR 15 MONTHS CONCURRENTLY.
AS FOR GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION, I TOLD THE TRUTH ABOUT MY ALMOST 15 YEARS OF SERVICE AND EXPERIENCED THE MOST HEINOUS, PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE IMAGINABLE.
MY HOME, MY VEHICLE, MY CHILD, MY PERSONAL PROPERTY.
GONE THROUGH COVERT DOMESTIC AND SYSTEMIC MANIPULATION AND CORRUPTION.
MY CREDIT RUIN, MY LICENSE SUSPENDED MY HEALTH.
AND CHECK ADMITTEDLY, NOT HAVING FAMILIAL SUPPORT LED ME TO RELY ON STRANGERS WHO EVENTUALLY TOOK THE WORST KIND OF ADVANTAGE OF ME.
THESE STRANGERS ALL KNEW COINCIDENTAL FACTS THAT PUT ME IN CONSTANT REMINISCE OF THINGS AND PEOPLE I USED TO LOVE AND ADMIRE.
I DON'T EVEN SPEAK THEIR NAMES.
AS I CONTINUE TO GET THROUGH ALL THAT I HAVE ENDURED, I'M REMINDED DAILY IN SOME WAY OR COINCIDENCE THAT I'VE BEEN DAMAGED AND BRUISED IN WAYS THAT OTHERS WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MANAGE.
I'VE BEEN PUT OUT OF NUMEROUS HOTELS, SPIT ON, BEAT UP, SCAMMED, ROBBED, DENIED SERVICE, HUNG UP ON AND IGNORED AND TOLD, WELL, MAYBE YOU SHOULD CHANGE YOUR NAME OR MY FAVORITE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO LEAVE TEXAS.
WELL, I'M NOT DOING EITHER BECAUSE I BELONG HERE JUST LIKE YOU AND WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE NOT BEING HANDLED LIKE A F*****G PSYCH PATIENT.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME TO TELL MY SIDE AND WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH OBTAINING LEGAL ASSISTANCE.
SINCE I WAS FORCIBLY REMOVED FROM COURT BY THE BAILOR WITH PURSUING PSYCHOLOGICAL RESTITUTION FROM THE GOVERNMENT, MY ONUS HAS BEEN PAID TO THIS COUNTRY BY MYSELF AND MY ANCESTORS.
WHEN ASKED, HOW DO I KEEP GOING IN THE MIDST OF ADVERSITY, I REPLIED, MY ANCESTORS, SHE SAID, GOOD FOR YOU.
DON'T TAKE THIS PATHETIC PERSONALLY, BUT F**K Y'ALL.
THE NEXT SPEAKER, MERCILESS PEREZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY CYNTHIA HERNANDEZ.
OLA, OLA, UH, MR. RU WILL, UH, INTERPRET FOR YOU.
I'M A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER OR PROMOT.
HI, MY NAME IS, UH, MS. PEREZ AND I AM A, UM, HEALTH WORKER, UH, OR AND PROMOTER OF, OF HEALTH.
[01:50:05]
IS AND DISTRICT AS A, AS A HEALTH PROMOTER.UM, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE MY SERVICES THROUGH NCIU AND, UH, WE HELP FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR DISTRICT DISTRICT, UM, DURING DIFFICULT TIMES SUCH AS, UH, HURRICANE HARVEY AND THE FREEZE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE OUR RESOURCES TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO, UM, PEOPLE, UH, THROUGH, UH, THROUGH THE HEALTH SERVICES AS FAR AS, UH, MENTAL, MENTAL SERVICES AND, UM, OTHER, UH, BENEFITS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE AS A MOTHER AND A AND A HEALTH WORKER.
UM, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE THE TIME TO PROVIDE, UH, SERVICES TO THE COM, TO THE COMMUNITY AND, UM, UH, RESOURCES, UM, RESOURCES, UM, UH, FOR EVERYONE, UH, WITHIN, WITHIN OUR HOME.
AS A, AS A HEALTH WORKER, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO HELP THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND IN, IN THOUGHT OF HELPING PEOPLE WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND WITH THEIR PHYSICAL HO HEALTH.
UM, AND I WANT TO HELP THEIR FAMILIES AND I WANT TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN, UH, AND VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO OFFER SERVICES TO THE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.
UH, AND I FEEL LIKE WORKING TOGETHER WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THESE TASKS.
A THANK YOU, UH, RENEE QUESTION BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON.
UM, THE NEXT FOUR SPEAKERS BEHIND HER ABOUT REDISTRICTING, IS THERE AN ASK THAT THEY WOULD LIKE UNDERSTAND HEALTH WORKERS AND HELPING FAMILIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT? WHAT IS IT REDISTRICTING ASK THAT SHE IS PROPOSING? UM, CASE WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE DIVISION OF OUR DISTRICTS AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO HAVE THE SAME LIKE-MINDEDNESS, UM, BE ASSOCIATED WITH OUR DISTRICTS.
THAT'S THE BEST COUNCIL MEMBER.
[01:55:23]
OKAY.UM, AND I'M, I'M JUST ASKING HER TO REPEAT, UH, IN HER OWN WORDS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS HER QUESTION FOR THE COUNCIL? OKAY.
TO UNDERSTAND HER, THEIR COMMUNITY, TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THEIR, UM, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT THERE THAT I'M, THERE'S A LOT OF VERBIAGE THAT WE COULD USE, BUT I THINK GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHAT SHE'S TRYING TO EXPLAIN IS THAT SHE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHOEVER REPRESENTS, UH, HER DISTRICT, UH, DOESN'T CAUSE DIVISION IF THERE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, IN INCLINATIONS OF THE MOVING OF THE, OF THE DISTRICT.
AND I THINK IF IT'S FAIR, I'M GONNA SUMMARIZE BY SAYING THAT THE NEXT MS. PEREZ AND THE NEXT FOUR SPEAKERS ARE HERE TO ADDRESS THE TOPIC OF REDISTRICTING AND THEY REPRESENT A NUMBER OF GROUPS.
NEXT SPEAKER CYNTHIA HERNANDEZ.
BE FOLLOWED BY CARINA HERNANDEZ.
MY NAME IS, UH, CYNTHIA HERNANDEZ.
UM, IT'S A HEALTH SERVICES, UH, AND I CONTRIBUTE TO THE ORGANIZATION'S TRUST CHW FROM 2015.
AND I'VE BEEN SERVING MY COMMUNITY, UH, FROM WHERE I RESIDE ON THE EAST END AND THE PRESENCE THE PRESIDENT OF, OF, UM, I'M RES, I'M PRESENTLY, UH, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT.
I, UH, MY NEIGHBORS, UH, ARE IN MINORITY HISPANIC, AND THERE WE HAVE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO HEALTH.
UM, CHW, UH, COORDINATION AND SERVICES.
PARTICI, UH, PARTICIPATES IN HEALTH FAIRS FOR, UM, HEALTH SERVICES.
UM, UH, WE DO HEALTH FAIRS AND HEALTH SERVICES FOR OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH CHURCHES OR THROUGH, UH, CENTERS FOR HELPING THE ELDERLY OR HOMES, UH, UM, OR, OR HOMES THAT ARE, THAT ARE SHELTERS.
AND, UM, WE COULD HOMELESS AND FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO ARE
AND ALONG WITH OTHERS, UM, WE HELP FIND, UH, DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESOURCES TO HELP, UH, THE COMMUNITY, UH, FOR FREE.
[02:00:06]
ALRIGHT.SO, UM, THE, UH, THE RESOURCES, UH, THE SOCIAL RESOURCES THAT, THAT WE PROVIDE FOR FREE, UH, INCLUDE, UM, FOR PEOPLE WITH WHO HAVE, UH, UH, LANGUAGE BARRIERS, UM, THAT ARE, THAT HAVE, UH, PROBLEMS WITH, UH, READING AND WRITING.
UH, WE PROVIDE A, UM, WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO, UM, FROM THE, WE, WE PROVIDE RESOURCES FROM THE STATE, UH, FOR PEOPLE WITH, UH, LOW INCOMES.
UM, AND WE HELP OUR, UH, UH, LIFT UP OUR, THE VOICE OF OUR, OF OUR CHILDREN, OUR ADULTS AND, UH, PEOPLE WHO, WHO ARE ELDERLY.
UM, SEE, UH, THE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, THAT ARE ALSO AFFECTED BY THEIR HEALTH, UM, THAT ARE AFFECTED, UM, BY WHERE THEY LIVE AND WHAT SERVICES, UM, THEY ARE LACKING, UM, ECONOMICALLY.
SO THESE, UM, THESE PEOPLE ARE ALSO FACING, UM, INSECURITIES WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEIR SCHOOLS.
I'M ASKING THAT THE EFFECT THE AFFECTED GROUPS.
UM, UM, MAN DISTRIBU DISTRIBUTION.
SO THEY'RE ASKING, UM, THAT THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, MEET THE, THE, THE RE WELL, SHE HAS IT ON THE REDISTRIBUTION OF, OF THE DISTRICTS, UH, WHICH REPRESENT, UM, UH, THE, THE IMPORTANCE, THE BETTER, WELL, THE, THE BETTER WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN ACTION.
SHE'S, SHE'S ASKING THAT YOU, UH, ASK THAT YOU FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES THAT THE HOUSTON IN ACTION HAS, HAS, UH, PROVIDED SO THAT, UH, IT WOULD HELP OUT THE COMMUNITIES.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
MAYOR PROAM, UM, CANNOT REPRESENT AT LARGE.
SO TRANSLATION OF THAT WAS THAT I'M SUMMARIZING THAT MS. HERNANDEZ'S REMARKS ARE LARGELY ABOUT FINANCIAL RESOURCES, FUNDS AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT THAT'S DISPROPORTIONATELY DISTRIBUTED, UM, IN SOME CASES, ESPECIALLY FOR THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
AND THAT THIS HAS RESULTED OR MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A MAP, UH, THAT
[02:05:01]
DOESN'T SERVE, UH, THE PURPOSES OF DISTRICT I.AND IF SO, I'M ASKING HER TO COMMENT ON WHERE SHE THINKS WE MIGHT HAVE SOME ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN ACTION.
NEXT SPEAKER, CARINA HERNANDEZ.
MY NAME IS MARINA MARINA HERANDEZ AND I AM A COMMUNITY HEALTH, HEALTH WORK PROMOTER WITH, UH, TRUST CHW.
UH, FOR OVER 10 YEARS I'VE BEEN PARTICIPATING AS A VOLUNTEER, UM, OR IN, IN THE ORGANIZATION.
AND I'VE ALSO BEEN A MEMBER OF THE PTA, UH, AT THE SCHOOL WHERE MY, MY CHILDREN ATTEND.
UM, OKAY, SO AT THIS TIME, I'M, I'M ASKING THAT THE, UM, AT THIS TIME THAT THE, THAT THE MAYOR, UM, UH, OH, OKAY.
I, I, I GOT REALLY CONFUSED WITH THIS STATEMENT.
UH, AT THIS TIME SHE'S ASKING THAT, UH, FOR A COUNT OVER THE MAJOR PROBLEMS THAT ARE CONFRONTING HER COMMUNITY, UH, WITH ACCESS TO THOSE SERVICES, UH, FOR HEALTH SERVICES.
UM, ONE EXAMPLE WOULD BE THAT, THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC OF COVID-19, MANY OF THE PART PARTICIPANTS COULDN'T, UM, GO INSIDE OF A, A, UH, A CLINIC OR A CENTER THAT PROVIDES ANY TYPES OF SERVICE MEDICAL SERVICES.
UM, WHICH, AT WHICH AT THAT TIME, UM, A LOT OF MANY FAMILIES LOST FAMILY MEMBERS WITH WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I HOPE THAT THESE CHANGES, UH, WITHIN OUR DISTRICTS, UH, TAKE ACCOUNT FOR THE PROS AND CONS, THE PROS AND CONS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE.
YOUR HOUSTON IN NCIO, I SUPPORT, UM, THE PROPOSAL FROM, UH, HOUSTON IN ACTION.
AND I PUT MY CONFIDENCE THAT YOU ALL, THAT ALL REPRESENTATIVES, UH, WITHIN THE CITY, UH, ARE LOOKING FOR ARE FOR BEST INTEREST.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME OUT.
YOU NEXT SPEAKER, MANDA ESPINOZA ARTO TO BE FOLLOWED BY PAUL WAS
[02:10:10]
COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER C LATINO CENTER HOUSTON ION.HI, MY NAME IS MS.
UM, DURING, DURING THE PANDEMIC, I HELPED MY COMMUNITY, UH, WITH, UH, VACCINATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS OF, OF, OF FOOD ITEMS. UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE TIME TO VISIT SOME, A STORY OF A, UH, RESIDENT IN THE, UH, THAT IN THE AREA.
AND I WANT, I WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO GIVE YOU THIS, THIS STORY ABOUT A, A YOUNG LADY WHO WAS, UH, WHO WAS, UM, WHO WAS SINGLE AND PREGNANT AT THE TIME.
UM, AT THE TIME, UM, SHE, SHE WAS, UH, PREGNANT AND SINGLE AND SHE, SHE LOST, SHE LOST HER HOME, UH, WHERE SHE WAS RESIDING AT THE TIME.
UM, EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD RECEIVED, UH, BENEFITS FOR HER RENT, UM, SHE WAS QUESTIONING WHAT IS GONNA HAPPEN TO THIS PERSON WHO JUST GAVE BIRTH AND, AND WHAT HER, WHAT COULD CHANGE HER SITUATION WITHOUT HER BEING ABLE TO WORK AND WITH THE SEPARATION OF HER, OF HER COMMUNITY, UM, I, I BELIEVE THAT THINGS WOULD ONLY BECOME, UM, HARDER THROUGH TIME.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO DO THIS.
UH, I AM THE ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR MAGE TEXAS.
WE SHARE A COHORT WITH SOME OF THE LEADING A API 5 0 1 C THREES, UM, OPERATING IN HOUSTON.
AND WE ARE A COHORT UNDER HOUSTON IN ACTION.
THIS COMMENT, OR THIS TESTIMONY IS ON BEHALF OF CHINATOWN STILL BEING SEPARATED BY DISTRICT F AND J.
WE ARE ASKING THAT PRECINCT THREE 11 BE PLACED INTO DISTRICT F THAT CHINATOWN IS CONSOLIDATED INTO ONE SINGLE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT.
CHINATOWN IN OF ITSELF IS A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST.
UM, THE A API COMMUNITY OVERALL IS AN UNDER TO UNREPRESENTED POPULATION AMONG SEVERAL LEVELS OF LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT.
STATISTICALLY, MAYBE MORE THAN 40% OF CHINATOWN IS NOT NATURALIZED YET TO VOTE, WHICH IS A LENGTHY AND CONSTANT PROCESS.
AND SO BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT VISIBLE ELECTORALLY, IT IS A COMING INCUMBENT UPON ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS TO REPRESENT THEM.
CHINATOWN IS THE HEART OF MANY A API GROUPS AND BUSINESSES.
UM, IT'S A HISTORIC AREA OF OUR CITY'S GREAT AND VIBRANT DIVERSITY.
BUT TO ADD, IT IS ALSO A PART OF OUR CITY THAT HAS SUFFERED HATRED AND FINANCIAL LOSSES DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND SO THIS HAS ONLY EXACERBATED THE NEED FOR UNIFICATION.
ADDITIONALLY, THE CITY'S APPEARANCE AS AN INTERNATIONAL HUB IS ONE OF ITS MAJOR APPEALS TO GLOBAL INVESTORS AND A DRAW FOR GLOBAL CITIZENS.
[02:15:01]
STRENGTHENING THE VOTING POWER OF CHINATOWN AS A WHOLE WILL BENEFIT TODAY'S FUTURE AS WELL.SO AGAIN, TO PLEASE PLACE PRECINCT THREE 11 INTO DISTRICT F.
I KNOW MAYOR, UH, TURNER'S NOT HERE, BUT, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER.
UH, MY NAME IS ROHAN C EVANS, ORGANIZING DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE PEER JUSTICE ORGANIZATION.
I AM AN IMPACTED CITIZEN BOOK AUTHOR OF FOUR BOOKS.
UH, THREE BOOKS IS AROUND A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
THE FOURTH, UH, BOOK IS TO PUSH PEOPLE BEYOND TRADITIONAL WAYS OF THINKING.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE HIA, I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE ON THE SUGGESTIVE MAPS CREATED BY HIA COALITION IN ORDER TO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF THE UNDER-RESOURCED, WHICH SHOULD BE THE PURPOSE OF POLITICS, THE RESOURCE TO RESOURCE THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE OVER THE WANTS OF PEOPLE.
THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS IS TO ENSURE THOSE WITH THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUES ARE OUTLINED TOGETHER.
NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO IN A WORLD, YOU WILL HAVE TWO MAJOR GROUPS OF PEOPLE WITH THE BIGGEST NEED.
THOSE TWO GROUPS STRETCH ACROSS IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.
AND I ALWAYS SAY THE BEST WAY TO HAVE SOMEONE DO SOMETHING AGAINST THE LAW, KNOWING IT'S A STRONG POSSIBILITY THEY MAY GET CAUGHT, IS TO UNDER RESOURCE THEM AND OVER ICE OR OVER POLICE THEM.
LET'S NOT OVER ICE OR OVER POLICE THE UNDER-RESOURCED, LET'S RESOURCE THEM.
BUT IN ORDER TO RESOURCE THE UNDER-RESOURCED, WE HAVE TO HEAR THE PEOPLE IN NEED OF RESOURCES THAT'S AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF THE UNDER-RESOURCED BY CREATING ISSUE-BASED MAPS.
SO I ASK MAYOR TURNER AND CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE SUGGESTIVE MAPS CREATED THROUGH FROM THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE HIA PROPOSAL AND PEER JUSTICE, UH, HAD A HAND IN CREATING B, D AND K.
THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE MOST OF OUR BOOTS ON THE GROUND AROUND CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.
MR. UH, MR. EVANS, COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ.
YOU PROBABLY THINK EVANS AND EVANS, RIGHT?
I THANK YOU FOR COMING AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT IT.
SO IF YOU COULD REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE, 'CAUSE I DID HEAR YOU SAY DISTRICT D AND THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
AND SO, UH, REACH OUT AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR PLAN.
I AM THE CO-DIRECTOR OF MIGRANT REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AND A MEMBER OF HI.
UH, WHAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS, UH, DISTRICT J WE LIKE DISTRICT J'S POSITION.
WE LIKE THE DISTRICT J, IT'S DRAWN, EXCUSE ME, WE LIKE HOW DISTRICT J IS DRAWN.
IT ALSO CONTINUES TO INCLUDE THE
OUR CONCERN IS THAT THE DISTRICT J THE UH, BASIN TRACK STARTS FROM 59, GOES DOWN TO BELTWAY EIGHT.
MY CO-DIRECTOR, ZAIA AND I, WE GO THERE MOST OF THE TIMES TO TALK TO OUR CLIENTS.
IT LOOKS LIKE DOING BUSINESS AS USUAL.
YOU COULD SEE MEN ARE STOPPING IN THEIR VEHICLES AND CONVERSING.
IT COULD BE PROSTITUTION, SEX TRAFFICKING OR DRUG DEALING.
MY FRIEND ZED AND I MET OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, MR. EDWARD POLLARD AT A FUNCTION.
AND WHEN WE ASKED HIM ABOUT THESE ISSUES, HE LET US KNOW THAT MENTAL ISSUES AND
[02:20:01]
JOB OPPORTUNITIES ARE IN THE PROCESS AND THAT HE HAS SOME PROGRAMS IN PLACE.WE KNOW THIS IS NOT THE JOB ONE COUNCIL MEMBER BECAUSE IT HAS, THIS AFFECTS THE WHOLE OF HOUSTON.
SO THE JOB HAS TO BE THE EFFORT OF A COLLECTIVE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE THINK THESE ISSUES ARE THE RESULT OF LACK OF RESOURCES.
SO OUR QUESTION IS, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE COLLECTIVELY PERTAINING TO THESE ISSUES? IS THERE ANY PROGRESS AS A MEMBER OF HIA? WE ALSO URGE YOU TO IMPLE IMPLEMENT H I'S PROPOSAL.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME.
COUNCIL MEMBER OF DISTRICT J EDWARD J. POLLARD, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING AND GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
UH, LIKE TO CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSIONS ON THE BUSINESSNET TRACK, WHICH IS AN EXTREMELY CHALLENGING AREA FOR US, BUT ALSO A AREA THAT HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL STRONG FAMILIES AND STRONG BUSINESSES THAT ARE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN TO HAVE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.
UM, THERE IS SOME UPDATES I LIKE TO GIVE YOU AND MAYBE YOUR ORGANIZATION AND ALSO HEAR FROM YOU ON MORE CREATIVE IDEAS THAT YOU ALL SEE FROM A COMMUNITY STANDPOINT THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE.
UM, BUT THAT'S AN AREA THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO, UM, IGNORE.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO TRY, ALTHOUGH THAT WE'RE MET WITH A MYRIAD OF OBSTACLES AND HURDLES, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH THE BALL, UH, FORWARD TO TRY TO RESOLVE.
AND WE'LL NEED YOUR HELP AND OTHERS IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
SO I'LL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MY INFORMATION AGAIN IN CASE YOU DO NOT, AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE UP WITH THIS CONVERSATION TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO WORK TOGETHER.
NEXT SPEAKER ONE CARDOZA NDA, DO AFTERNOON.
HOW ARE YOU? AL, AL? GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM.
MY NAME'S JUAN CARDOZA ODO, AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND ELECTIONS AT HOUSTON IN ACTION.
SO MY COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE, UM, JUST CAME BEFORE ME TO SPEAK, UM, EACH OF THEM HAS HAD A ROLE IN MAPPING COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST ACROSS THE WHOLE CITY, AND ALSO COMING UP WITH A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD LIKE, LIKE RASHAN SAID, THAT WOULD CENTER POLICY ISSUES THAT COMMUNITIES FACE, PARTICULARLY, UM, IN THE CASE OF HOUSTON IN ACTION, HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
UM, SO WHAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TESTIMONY THAT THEY PROVIDED, WHAT WE HOPE IS THAT IT'LL ILLUSTRATE FOR THE COUNCIL AND FOR THE MAYOR WHAT'S AT STAKE IN THIS REDISTRICTING PROCESS.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ALL GET THE MAP RIGHT AND MAKE SURE THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, YOU ALL CAN KEEP COMMUNITIES WHOLE WITHIN DISTRICTS.
THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS DONE A GREAT JOB.
UM, THE LEGAL COUNSEL THAT Y'ALL HIRED HAS DONE A GOOD JOB.
THERE'S A FEW IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE WANT TO PROPOSE TO YOU ALL TWO ON THE PROCESS, UM, ON THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS AND ONE ON THE ACTUAL MAP.
HOUSTON.ORG HAS A LOTS OF GREAT RESOURCES, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION BY RACE ANALYSIS, CVAP.
AND THAT'S WHAT, UM, EX LEGAL EXPERTS LOOK TO WHAT THE COURTS LOOK, LOOK AT WHEN, UM, TO EVALUATE A JURISDICTION MEETING, SECTION TWO OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANNA DO A GOOD JOB OF EVALUATING THE MAPS.
WE WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THAT CVAP ANALYSIS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.
THE SECOND THING IS A RATIONALE REPORT.
SO AS WE'VE BEEN EVALUATING THE LINES, WE'RE, WE'RE ASKING OURSELVES, OKAY, WHY, WHY IS THIS LINE DRAWN THIS WAY? AND WHY, YOU KNOW, WHY DOES DISTRICT B HAVE THIS TAIL GOING OUT HERE? AND WHY IS H DRAWN THIS WAY, ET CETERA.
AND WE, WE ASK THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT COUNSEL, THE LEGAL COUNSEL, YOU ALL TO PUBLISH A RATIONALE REPORT FOR WHY THE LINES ARE BEING DRAWN THE WAY THEY ARE.
AND THEN THIRD IS THE ACTUAL MAP.
SO MY COLLEAGUE PAUL WASA TALKED ABOUT DISTRICT J AND F CHINATOWN RIGHT NOW IS DIVIDED BETWEEN J AND F.
WE DON'T WANT THAT TO, WE DON'T WANT THAT.
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THE COMMUNITY OF CHINATOWN TO BE WHOLE SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE WORKING WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT F MS. THOMAS TO HOLD THAT OFFICE ACCOUNTABLE AND COLLABORATE WHERE POSSIBLE.AND ALSO, WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTION TIME ALSO, THAT'S A, THAT'S A PART OF THIS WHOLE THING TOO.
COMMUNITIES BEING ABLE TO HAVE ELECTORAL POWER.
THE, THE SECOND AREA IS THE BORDER BETWEEN DISTRICT B AND A ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF TOWN.
THERE'S SOME AREAS WEST YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
UH, ONE WHAT A, WHAT A GREAT PRESENTATION, UM, FROM YOU.
UH, AND I WANNA THANK ALL THE SPEAKERS.
'CAUSE I THINK THEY, THEY TEASED OUT SO MANY OF THE IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT YOU'RE BRINGING TO THE COUNCIL TODAY.
UM, AND, AND THEN YOU CLEARLY DEFINED IT, AT LEAST FOR MY, UH, CARDIOGRAPHIC INSTINCTS.
I, I LOVE MAPS AND I THINK YOU'RE IDENTIFYING THAT, UH, SOMEHOW THE RACE CARD WAS NOT PART OF THE ANALYSIS, THE, THE RACE OF OUR PEOPLE.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK THE CENSUS PROCESS WAS HIGHLY CRITICIZED FOR, THAT IT WASN'T PROPORTIONATELY, UH, RESEARCHED OR CONDUCTED ACROSS, LET'S SAY, THE UNITED STATES, ACROSS TEXAS, AND ACROSS HARRIS COUNTY AND HOUSTON.
SO I, I THINK THIS IS A REMEDY, UH, THAT IS OVERDUE AT LEAST TO, TO, TO BRING TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE MAP THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I THINK I WAS HOPING TO HEAR SOME SPECIFICS FROM SOME OF THE SPEAKERS, BUT, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT.
AND I'D LOVE TO SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH YOU TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS AND THE RATIONALE BEHIND IT.
'CAUSE I THINK AS MUCH AS YOU'RE CALLING ATTENTION TO THAT, THE HISTORY OF MAPMAKING BY RACE IS FRAUGHT WITH, UH, UH, SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS. UM, SO WITH THAT BETWEEN US AND UNDERSTOOD, I THINK OUT LOUD, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT Y'ALL ARE GONNA SUGGEST, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO COMMENT ABOUT THAT.
SO, UM, YEAH, THAT CVAP ANALYSIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO EVALUATE HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW WELL THE MAP IS DOING FOR, YOU KNOW, THOSE PROTECTED GROUPS UNDER THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
UM, JUST TWO OTHER AREAS ON THE MAP THAT I WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO.
IT'S DISTRICT B AND A THAT ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE, THOSE AREAS, WEST OF ACRES HOMES, ACTUALLY SHARE A LOT, A LOT OF THE SAME NEEDS, RESOURCE NEEDS AND POLICY INTERESTS THAT THE COMMUNITY, THE, THE HISTORIC COMMUNITY OF ACRES HOMES HAS, AND ALSO DIS DISTRICT H, SO ON THE NORTHEAST, SO A LITTLE BIT NORTH OF THE EAST END RIGHT NOW, THAT SPLIT BETWEEN H, B AND I.
AND WE WANT THAT SWATH OF, OF, OF THE CITY TO ALL BE INCLUDED IN HI THINK THAT THAT WILL MAKE FOR A MORE COHESIVE DISTRICT H AND ALLOW THOSE COMMUNITIES A STRONGER VOICE.
NEXT SPEAKER, NICHOLAS FUGUE, TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARTHA VOGEL.
I'M HERE BECAUSE, UH, WAS A, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
I WAS, UH, A BUSINESS OWNER SINCE 2015.
AND I'M HERE TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE THAT IS PLAGUING OUR COMMUNITY WITHIN THE HOUSTON AREA.
UH, THE ISSUE IS REGARDING CYBER DOMESTIC ATTACKS AND CYBER DOMESTIC ABUSE, AND IN REALITY, TERRORISM THAT IS AFFECTING SMALL BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE HOUSTON, UH, WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AREAS.
RECENTLY, NOT ONLY MY BUSINESS HAS BEEN AFFECTED WITH DISRUPTION, SABOTAGE, CONSTANT HARASSMENT AND ATTACKS, UM, OUR OWN AND OPERATED OUR REAL ESTATE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, UM, BUSINESS THAT ONLY LOCAL, THAT ONLY SERVICE OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD OF TIME, THAT FOR ME HAS BEEN FOUR YEARS, UM, I WAS ABLE TO, TO, TO ANALYZE THE CURRENT SITUATION WITHIN THE INVISIBLE PLAQUE THAT COULD HARM US ALL, EVERY SINGLE CITIZEN, EVERY POLITICAL INDIVIDUAL, UH, UH, WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO I'M HERE TO ADDRESS AND BRING LIGHT FORTH TO THE INVISIBLE ENEMY THAT WE CANNOT SEE, BUT THAT IS ABUSING, THAT IS, UM, THAT IS STEALING INFORMATION, THAT IS ABRUPTING AND SELLING INFORMATION.
AND THAT IS AFFECTING A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UH, WITH THIS, IT INVOLVES THE LAW, THE, UH, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT
[02:30:01]
AGENCIES THAT WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO, TO PARTICIPATE AND DO MORE WITHIN THE SEVENTH FLOOR IN THEIR BUILDING, WITHIN THE HOUSTON AREA.AND AS WELL, UH, UM, UH, ADDITIONAL EFFORTS THAT WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO A BETTER SOCIETY, A BETTER COMMUNITY, UH, INVOLVING THE WAY THAT WE EARN A LIVING AND PROTECT IN THAT WAY.
BECAUSE WITHOUT A JOB, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
SO I'M HERE TO BRING OUT LIGHT, UH, OF WHAT IS AFFECTING THIS MATTER.
I HAVE VISITED A COUPLE OF BUSINESSES, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED AS WELL.
FRIED FORWARDING, UM, IMPORT EXPORTS, UM, GREAT MID SIZE AND SMALL COMPANIES, UH, THAT HAVE ABRUPTLY STOPPED RECEIVING CALLS, STOP RECEIVING CALLS OUT OF THE BLUE.
UM, WE DON'T KNOW IF ANY OTHER AGENCIES IN ARE, UH, ARE INVOLVED IN THIS, WHO ARE OPERATING ON MY BEHALF AS A VICTIM.
UM, I HAVE ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE TO THE FCC TO EVERY AGENCY IN THE WORLD.
I WILL GIVE YOU 30 SECONDS OF MY TIME TO FINISH UP.
SO, UH, THIS MATTER IS AFFECTING ALL, ALL THE BUSINESSES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND THIS IS WHAT I'M LOOKING TO BRING UP.
I BELIEVE WE COULD DO A LITTLE BIT MORE TO PROTECT OUR, THE WAY THAT WE RECEIVE OUR TAXES.
WE COULD PROTECT, UH, UH, OUR BUSINESS OWNERS AND WE COULD PROTECT, UH, UM, THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN PARTICULAR AND MID-SIZE BUSINESSES THAT IS CURRENTLY BEEN AFFECTED UNDER THIS CYBER TOURISM.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
NEXT SPEAKER, MARTHA VOGEL TO BE FOLLOWED BY FERNANDO BADILLO.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU'RE GIVING ME TO BE IN THIS MEETING.
I'M A MEXICAN NATURALIZED US CITIZEN.
ON JULY, SOMEBODY PAINTED ON MY STREET FENCE TO TIKA IN THE NORTH SIDE.
I HAD AN HONDURA IMMIGRANT WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS TO PAINT OVER MY FENCE.
AND WHILE SHE WAS DOING THAT, THE NEIGHBORS STARTED YELLING AT HER, GO BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY.
AT THE SAME TIME, A NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET WAS LAUGHING, JUST LIKE MY SPANISH TENANT WAS JAIL.
MY ASIAN AMERICAN TENANT WAS JAIL.
GET OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD F ASIAN, JUST LIKE MY SUBCONTRACTORS BEING TOLD WETBACKS.
AND JUST BY LIKE MY NEIGHBOR PICKING OVER MY FENCE, YELLING AT ME, GO BACK TO THE GOOD LANDS.
YOU'RE GENTRIFYING MY NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU'RE RAISING OUR TAXES.
IN CONSEQUENCE, MY TENANTS BROKE THEIR LEASES, AND I SOLD MOST OF MY PROPERTIES IN THE NORTH SIDE.
I HAVE LIVED IN THE GOOD LANDS IN KING.
I WENT TO A BOARDING SCHOOL IN MCLEAN, VIRGINIA, THE MATERIAL SCHOOL.
I WAS NEVER, I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ANY DISCRIMINATION OR RACES.
OKAY? I MOVED TO THE NORTH SIDE TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY TO BE A LANDLORD, AND AS A FIRST GENERATION MINORITY OWNED WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS, LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY, I WAS THE WEAKEST AND EASIEST TARGET.
INSTEAD OF PAINTING GRAFFITI ON THE BIGGER DEVELOPERS IN THEIR TOWN HOMES, IT WAS EASIER TO DO IT ON THE FIRST GENERATION, MINORITY-OWNED, WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS.
IT IS A DISSERVICE NOT TO SHARE THESE EXPERIENCES WITH YOU TODAY, AS IT IS A CALL FOR HELP FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT IS STRUGGLING IN THE NORTH SIDE WITH THE GENTRIFICATION.
AND ALSO TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT WITHIN THE BROWN COMMUNITY THERE IS RACIST TOWARDS FIRST GENERATION IMMIGRANTS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS DAILY.
I'M JUST LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO STAND UP HERE, TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE, TO HAVE THE BACKGROUND, TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THIS SOMETHING THAT MY SUBCONTRACTORS THAT DON'T EVEN SPEAK ENGLISH CANNOT DO.
I ALSO MET GREAT PEOPLE IN THE NORTH SIDE THAT I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR.
THEREFORE, I INVITE THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO CARLOS CISNEROS FOR CONTACTING ME.
THANK YOU TO THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR OPENING AN INVESTIGATION.
AND I LOOK FORWARD THAT THE HATE CRIME GETS RESOLVED, JUST LIKE THE HOUSTON HEIGHTS HATE CRIME WAS SOLVED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
[02:35:01]
ON.COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS.
MS. VOGEL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR GRACE THROUGH ALL THIS, THAT IT'S A TERRIBLE THING TO HAVE GONE THROUGH AND THERE ARE HATEFUL PEOPLE AND, AND I'M SORRY THIS HAPPENED TO YOU.
I'M REALLY, I'M VERY SORRY ABOUT THAT.
AND, AND WE DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN TO ANYBODY.
BUT, UM, THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH MY OFFICE AND WE ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU.
AND, AND, UM, PLEASE, UM, CONTACT US AGAIN IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING.
BUT, UM, BUT I'M, I'M, I'M REALLY GLAD WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE HATE CRIMES ARE AGAINST THE LAW, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A CRIMINAL ACT.
AND, UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO, TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND AGAIN, I'M VERY BLESSED LIVE IN HOUSTON, AND I LOVE THE UNITED STATES.
I COME FROM A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY, AND I CAN SAY WITH ALL THE IMPERFECTION, THIS IS THE BETTER, THE BEST PLACE TO BE EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
THAT'S WHY 2 MILLION PEOPLE CAME THIS YEAR AS VISITORS, BECAUSE THIS IS A COUNTRY OF OPPORTUNITY.
SO I'M VERY BLESSED TO BE HERE AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL AND I WANTED TO CONTINUE THAT WAY FOR THE NEWCOMERS, YOU KNOW.
NEXT SPEAKER, FERNANDO BO, TO BE FOLLOWED BY EL MONTOYA RIVAS AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS FERNANDO BADILLO, AND I'M A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER, UH, FOR, UH, TRUST CHW.
AND, AND ALSO I'M PART OF HOUSTON IN ACTION.
UH, I'M, I'M GONNA TRY TO BE BRIEF.
I SUPPORT, UM, THE PROPOSAL OF HOUSTON IN ACTION THAT KEEP TOGETHER THE, THE DISTRICTS AND, UH, IT WILL SEPARATE THE DISTRICTS.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE, IT'S GONNA BE HARDER TO ADMINISTRATE.
ONE OF THE MAIN PROBLEMS, UH, WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW IS THE MONKEY P.
SO EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT, THAT THERE'S A THREAT THAT THIS MONKEY P IT CAN BECOME A ANOTHER PANDEMIC.
AND WE'RE TRYING, WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT THAT, RIGHT? SO I'M TALKING BY EXPERIENCE.
SO, UM, WEEK, SOME WEEKS AGO, I WAS VERY SICK, HONESTLY, I THOUGHT I HAD THE MONKEY PUCK BECAUSE I HAD ALL THE SYMPTOMS. SO I JUST CALLED THE, I WANTED TO GET TESTED.
SO I JUST CALLED ALL THE NUMBERS, THEY, THEY SHOWING IN THE NEWS, AND I CALLED THE NUMBERS ON, UM, I FOUND ONLINE.
SO I, I KEPT CALLING THOSE NUMBERS AND WELL, NOBODY GAVE ME AN ANSWER.
PEOPLE PUT, PUT ME ON HOLD FOR HOUR, FOR LONG TIME.
THEY JUST KEEP TRANSFERRED THE PHONE CALLS.
EVERY PERSON WHO ANSWERED THE THE PHONE, THEY, UH, THEY KEPT ASKING ME THE SAME QUESTIONS.
'CAUSE I, I HAD, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN INTERVIEW, AND EVERY PERSON WHO ANSWERED THE PHONE, IT WAS LIKE 10 MINUTES TALKING, ASKING THE SAME QUESTIONS.
THEY JUST KEPT TRANSFERRING AND TRANSFERRING.
AND AT THE END, NOBODY ANSWERED QUESTIONS.
UH, THEY DON'T GIVE YOU APPOINTMENTS FOR, UM, THEY DON'T GIVE YOU NAME OF CLINICS WHERE THEY DOING THE TESTING FOR MONKEY POX.
THEY DON'T GIVE YOU APPOINTMENTS.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN, WHEN IS GONNA BE THE NEXT, UH, VACCINATION EVENT OR VACCINATION SITE.
SO, UH, THE PHONE NUMBERS THEY'RE PROVIDING ON THE NEWS AND INTERNET AND EVERYWHERE, UH, THEY'RE NOT REALLY HELPFUL.
SO IT'S, IT'S KINDA HARD FOR A PERSON IF, IF A PERSON THINKS THEY HAVE MONKEY PS IT'S KINDA HARD TO FIND RESOURCES WHERE TO GO.
SO I CALLED SEVERAL CLINICS, AND CLINICS DON'T HAVE THE MONKEY POX TEST.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONKEY PX VACCINE YET.
SO, I MEAN, FINALLY I GOT THE VACCINE PROBABLY LIKE, LIKE THREE WEEKS LATER I GOT THE VACCINE.
AND THAT WAS BECAUSE THERE, THERE WAS AN EVENT AND WHEN I WAS WORKING AND THEY HAD THE MONKEY POX VACCINE.
SO WHEN I WAS THERE, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VACCINE, BUT NOT BECAUSE I CALL AND SOMEBODY HELP ME.
SO I THINK, I THINK THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS PROBABLY THE CALL CENTER OR IS PROBABLY THE, PROBABLY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
IAN MONTOYA RIVAS TO BE FOLLOWED BY DEREK MOIN.
ON 9 22 22, I BECAME MY GRANDMOTHER.
UH, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT EVICTION, THE UPDATE.
I STILL DON'T HAVE AN EVICTION.
UH, I GOT A JOB AT THE AIRPORT.
UM, UM, ALSO, I WAS LISTENING TO THE SPEAKERS.
[02:40:01]
POURS TO THEM.UH, WE ARE ALL EXPERIENCING SOMETHING AROUND HOUSTON.
UM, I DO NOT SUPPORT HATE CRIMES.
I DON'T KNOW, SUPPORT ATTACKS.
MANY MEN AROUND THE COMMUNITY ARE HARASSING LADIES.
I'M PRO, UH, CHEMICAL CASTRATION, IF THAT'S AN OPTION, BECAUSE RECENTLY, UH, I HAD A NEIGHBOR, UH, GETTING UPSET.
UH, UH, HE WAS HARASSING LADIES.
UH, WHEN I WAS AWAY ON A SATURDAY, I HAVE TO CALL HPD.
THERE WAS LIKE SIX EGGS THROWN AT MY DOOR.
I HAVE SOMEBODY WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL.
I GUESS NOW THE, UH, HPD HAS THE OPTION TO TAKE, UH, INDIVIDUALS TO THE HOSPITAL VERSUS TO JAIL.
THAT'S AN EASY WAY OUT WHEN YOU COMMIT A CRIME, VANDALISM, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
ANY QUESTIONS? SO, I, I UNDERSTAND I MISSED YOU LAST WEEK.
NO, I, I MISSED STILL APARTMENTS.
I'M STILL, ALL THE APARTMENTS WHERE I LIVE, I MEAN, THEY, LAWS ARE CHANGING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE ACCOUNTANT IS GONNA GIVE THOSE VOUCHERS.
UH UH, THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON.
I TOLD 'EM I COME HERE TO SPEAK BEFORE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT FOR THEM TO COME LOOKING FOR TROUBLE, I BECOME TROUBLE.
I CALL A PCI CALL CPS AND I'M NOT ONE TO TAKE, WHAT IS IT CALLED? UH, A PUNCH.
I'M NOT ONE TO BE STABBED IN THE BACK.
I'M NOT ONE TO, UH, GO, UH, GET HURT.
SO I WILL CALL HPD AS MANY TIMES AS I HAVE TO, AND I'M SORRY.
BUT, UH, OKAY, THINGS ARE GETTING DIFFICULT AND I'M ALSO DON'T, LIKE PEOPLE TALK KNOCKING ON MY DOOR.
SO I PUT, UH, WHAT IS IT CALLED? NO SOLICITING SIGN.
UH, I DON'T MEAN TO BE DIFFICULT, UH, MAJOR.
BUT, UM, I WILL CALL, UH, HPD AS MANY TIMES AS I HAVE TO, AND, UH, MAY MY NEIGHBORS FORGIVE ME FOR NOT BEING, UH, UH, A NICE, UH, PERSON I USED TO BE.
AND I LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT SOMETIMES WE CANNOT HELP EVERYBODY.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THINGS THAT ARE LOOKING UP FOR YOU.
SEE YOU TONIGHT AT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
SEE YOU TONIGHT AT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, WYOMING, THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
DEREK MOTEN, NEXT SPEAKER, CHINA, GREG, CHINA, GREG.
NEXT SPEAKER ANGELIA BOOKER, ANGELA BOOKER.
THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
[RECESS]
SO THIS MEETING'S IN RECESS UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00 AM YES SIR, HAVE A BLESSED EVENING AIRPORT SLASH HOUSTON IA, CENTRAL TERMINAL AREA.ITEM SEVEN, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF 1,000,007 $775,894 AND 12 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT FATIGUE.
CONSTRUCTION LLC FOR SMALL AND LARGE DIAMETER WATERLINE VALVE REPLACEMENT PROJECT.
ITEM EIGHT, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $765,855 AND 64 CENTS.
AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT FOR DG MEDINA CONSTRUCTION, LLC FOR ON-CALL NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
NUMBER FOUR, ITEM NINE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $1,419,209 AND 44 CENTS.
AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH GRAVEL LLC FOR NEIGHBORHOOD STREET RECONSTRUCTION.
NUMBER FOUR 60 SUB PROJECT TWO, ASHLAND STREET, ITEM 10, TURTLE AND HUGHES INC.
FOR PURCHASE OF AIRFIELD LIGHTING FOR THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
ITEM 11, TEXAS COMMISSION ON FIRE PROTECTION FOR PAYMENT FOR ANNUAL RECERTIFICATION FEES FOR FIREFIGHTERS FOR A FIRE DEPARTMENT.
FOR PURCHASE OF ONE PRESS BREAK STREET SHEET METAL PRESS FOR THE FLEET MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
ITEM 13, COMMUNITY LATTICE LLC FOR APPROVAL OF SPINNING AUTHORITY FOR CONSULTING SERVICES FOR THE BROWNFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FROM FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO THE ROSEMONT PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM 15, ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY'S MASTER CLASSIFICATION PLAN, CITY OF HOUSTON, ORDINANCE NUMBER 1998 DASH 8 34 AS MOST RECENTLY AMENDED BY CITY OF HOUSTON CLASS ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 22 5 0 9 TO ADD 16 CLASSIFICATIONS
[02:45:01]
AND AMEND THE PAY GRADE OF ONE JOB CLASSIFICATION, PROVIDING A RE PILLAR.ITEM 16 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $15,477,414 AND NO CENTS OUT OF AIRPORTS IMPROVEMENT FUND AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION AND DE APPROPRIATING $42,311,676 AND 43 CENTS FROM HALF 2021 A A MT BOND FOR I TRIP FUND FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AT RISK SEYMOUR SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND AUSTIN GILBANE JOINT VENTURE ITEM 17, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING ONE HUNDRED TWENTY NINE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED TWENTY NINE MILLION NINE HUNDRED THIRTY TWO THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY THREE DOLLARS AND 77 CENTS OUT OF AIRPORT SYSTEM CONSOLIDATED ICHIP A MT CONSTRUCTION FUND, $42,311,676 AND 43 CENTS OUT OF HASH.
20:21 AM T BOND FOR ICHIP FUND 66,000,180 $88,163 80 CENTS OUT OF I-A-H-P-F-C CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND AND $28,450,844 AND NO CENTS OUT OF HAS AIRPORTS IMPROVEMENT FUND AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AT RISK SERVICES CONTRACT WITH HANSEL PHELPS CONSTRUCTION.
CO ITEM 18 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $15 MILLION AND NO CENTS OUT OF AIRPORTS RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT FUND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING TWO AGREEMENTS FOR ON-CALL ASSET MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ONE INFRASTRUCTURE ASSOCIATES INC.
ITEM 19 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT TO SUB RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS OF HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY.
ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND WESTLAKE COMMUNITY CENTER INC.
ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CAREER AND RECOVERY RESOURCES INC.
ITEM 22, ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL.
ITEM 23 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND GEOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE.
ITEM 24 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AND AWARDING CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND BRAIN FUSED INC.
ITEM 25 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AWARDING SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON.
ITEM 26, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 17 3 48 PASSED TO MAY 17TH, 2017 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND BFI.
WASTE SERVICES OF HOUSTON, DBA ALLIED WASTE SERVICES OF HOUSTON, DBA, REPUBLIC SERVICES OF HOUSTON.
ITEM 27, ORDINANCE AWARD AND CONTRACT TO BECKS INC.
DBA APPLE TO AND CO ITEM 28 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENTS BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ONE PEACE OF MIND.
CONFERENCE SOLUTIONS LLC TWO PEREZ DEMOLITION INC.
THREE EMMANUEL ENTERPRISES, LLC AND FOUR COMPASS ABATEMENT SERVICES LLC ITEM 29.
ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2018 DASH 9 46 PASSED NOVEMBER 28TH, 2018 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR CONTRACT NUMBER 4 6 0 0 0 1 5 0 2 9 FOR THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND FAS INDUSTRIES.
ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2019 DASH 2 1 1 PASSED ON MARCH 27TH, 2019 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR CONTRACT NUMBER 4 6 0 0 0 1 5 0 3 0 FOR CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND JUAREZ MOWING.
ITEM 31 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN STATE VENTURE LLC AS LANDLORD AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, TENANT FOR OFFICE SPACE AND PARKING LOCATED AT 25 25 NORTH LOOP WEST.
ITEM 32 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF GREATER GREENS POINT REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 11, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS GREENS POINT ZONE ITEM 33, ORDINANCE APPROVING ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF FOURTH WARD.
REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 14, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS FOURTH WARD ZONE ITEM 34 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEM 35 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ADOPTING A REDISTRICTING PLAN FOR CITY OF HOUSTON BASED ON THE 2020 CENSUS DATA ESTABLISHING THE BOUNDARIES OF ALL SINGLE MEMBER COUNCIL DISTRICTS FROM WHICH DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ELECTED.
ITEM 36, ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 1.7586 ACRES OF ATLANTA TO MALCOLMSON ROAD UTILITY DISTRICT FOR INCLUSION IN THE DISTRICT.
ITEM 37 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ANNEXATION OF 21.870 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER FIVE EIGHT
[02:50:01]
OH FOR INCLUSION IN THE DISTRICT.ITEM 28 ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 2.3686 ACRES ACRES TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 46 ITEM 39.
ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 1.951 ACRES ACRES OF ATLANTA TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 1 5 7 ITEM 40 MUNICIPAL SETTING DESIGNATION ORDINANCE PROHIBITING THE USE OF DESIGNATED GROUNDWATER BENEATH A LAND AT TRACT LAND CONTAINING 0.4740 ACRES, COMMONLY KNOWN AS 100 NORTH JACKSON STREET, HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS, SUPPORTING ISSUANCE OF A MUNICIPAL SETTING DESIGNATION BY THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AT THE REQUEST OF SORENSON REAL ESTATE COMPANY LLC ITEM 41 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING APPLICATION TO THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY FOR AN AWARD OF BROWNFIELD ASSESSMENT GRANT FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE CITY OF HOUSTON BROWNSFIELD REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
ITEM 42, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING APPLICATION TO THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY FOR REVOLVING LOAN FUND.
GRANTED THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO SUPPORT FUNDING FOR BROWNSFIELD REMEDIATION PROJECTS.
ITEM 43 AND 44 HAVE BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEM 45 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT AND RESTATING AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND FORT BEND COUNTY FOR ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS.
PROJECT NUMBER 7 0 1 7 5 8 AND 7 6 6 ITEM 46, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $743,400 AND NO CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CLURE GROUP INC.
ITEM 47 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $4,950,000 AND NO CENTS OUTTA METRO PROJECTS CONSTRUCTION D-D-S-R-F AWARDING CONTRACT TO JAY RIVAS CONSTRUCTION, LLC.
THAT'S THE END OF THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR MATTERS HEALTH ITEM 48 ORDERS PROVIDING FOR THE ASSESSMENT LEVY AND COLLECTION OF VALOREM TAXES FOR THE CITY OF FUSION, TEXAS FOR THE YEAR 2022.
TAB BY COUNCIL MEMBER MS. KNOX AND KUB.
THIS WAS ITEM TWO ON AGENDA OF SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2022.
ITEM 49 WAS RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR OF FINANCING FINANCE THAT COUNCIL ADOPT A MOTION AND CONFORMANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 26.05 B OF THE TEXAS TAX CODE.
THIS ITEM SHALL ONLY BE CONSIDERED AT THE PASS OF ITEM 48 ABOVE.
THIS ITEM WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOX AND KUBA.
THIS WAS ITEM THREE ON AGENDA OF SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2022.
ITEM 50 IS A PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR TONIGHT AT 6:00 PM RELATING TO THE BOND ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH, 2022, REGARDING THE ISSUANCE OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS.
THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE PUBLIC SESSION SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 5TH, 2022 AT 9:00 AM IN THE WORDS OF OUR FORMER CITY SECRETARY, MS. ANNA RUSSELL, SHE ALWAYS SAID, DRIVE SAFE, DRIVE FRIENDLY, AND HAVE A NICE DAY.
AND THE WORDS I, CURRENT CITY SECRETARY MYSELF, 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 DAY.
EVERYBODY TAKE YOUR SEATS PLEASE.
[RECONVENE]
MORNING.UM, I AM SHOWING 9 0 4 ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5TH, 2020 20 20 22.
I'M CALLING THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO WATER.
[
9:00 A.M. - REPORT FROM CITY CONTROLLER AND THE CITY ADMINISTRATION REGARDING THE CURRENT FINANCIAL STATUS OF THE CITY including but not limited to, a revenue, expenditure and encumbrance report for the General Fund, all special revenue funds and all enterprise funds, and a report on the status of bond funds
]ON THE ON TODAY'S AGENDA WILL BE THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.UH, SO THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COMPTROLLER, CHRIS BROWN, THIS COMPTROLLER HERE.
OH, THERE'S THE COMPTROLLER AND THE, UH, FINANCIAL DIRECTOR.
AND COMPTROLLER, WE'LL START WITH YOU.
I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING AUGUST 31ST, 2022.
THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS PROJECTING IN NEW FUND BALANCE OF 291.1 MILLION FOR FY 23.
THIS IS 57.7 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PROJECTION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
BASED ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS, THE FUND BALANCE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 118 MILLION ABOVE THE CITY'S TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% IN RESERVES.
THE FFY 2023 BA BEGINNING FUND BALANCE IS 16.7 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE FY 2022 ENDING FUND BALANCE REPORTED IN THE JUNE 30TH, 2022
[02:55:01]
MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.THIS INCREASE IS DUE TO YEAR END ADJUSTMENTS TO REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES THAT WILL NOT BE FINALIZED UNTIL THE FY 2022 ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT IS PUBLISHED.
OUR PROJECTIONS ARE UNCHANGED FROM THE JULY, 2022 REPORT, AND WE ARE PROJECTING NO CHANGES IN ANY OF OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR COMMERCIAL PAPER AND BONDS, ALL OF OUR VARIABLE RATE DEBT IS WELL BELOW THE 20% THRESHOLD.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES FINANCE DIRECTOR WILL JONES.
THIS IS THE TWO PLUS 10 FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING AUGUST 31ST, 2022.
PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON TWO MONTHS OF ACTUAL RESULTS AND 10 MONTHS OF PROJECTIONS.
BOTH OUR REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS REMAIN UNCHANGED FROM THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR THE GENERAL FUND FROM PRIOR MONTH.
UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY PROJECTING THE ENDING FUND BALANCE OF 348.8 MILLION, WHICH IS 44.8 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND 15.1% OF ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES, LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO.
THE FUND BALANCE IS 175.6 MILLION ABOVE THE TARGETED 7.5% OF EXPENDITURES, EXCLUDING DEBT SERVICE IN PAYGO ON THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND SPECIAL FUNDS.
WE'RE PROJECTING NO FORECAST CHANGES FROM PRIOR MONTH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMAN UH, KOSH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M SORRY I MISSED Y'ALL YESTERDAY.
I HAD FAMILY DETAILS TO DO, BUT, UM, CONTROLLER BROWN, HOW MUCH CAN YOU TELL US HOW MUCH MORE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, UH, UNDER THIS CURRENT RATE THAT WE'RE, WE'VE GOT SET THAT WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON TODAY.
ARE WE, ARE WE, UH, ESTIMATED TO BRING IN OVER LAST YEAR'S TOTAL REVENUE ON PROPERTY TAX? SO WE ARE, AS YOU KNOW, UH, UNDER A PROPOSITION ONE REVENUE CAP.
WE'RE SEEING THAT, UM, BECAUSE THE INCREASE IN TOTAL VALUATIONS AND, UH, BASED ON THE CALCULATION, UH, WE'RE SEEING, UM, A REDUCTION IN THE ACTUAL TAX RATE.
SO WE GO FROM POINT 55 0 8 3, UH, TO THE PROPOSED POINT 53 3 6 4.
UM, THE TOTAL, UH, MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE IS 1.27 BILLION.
UM, I'D HAVE TO LOOK EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS FOR LAST YEAR, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS AN INCREASE IN, UM, TOTAL MONEY THAT'S COMING IN BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN THE PROPERTY APPRAIS WE'VE SEEN, YEAH.
AS, AS WE'VE ALL SEEN THE PRICES OF, YOU KNOW, MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY HAS BEEN ON A TEAR.
AND SO AS A RESULT, THOSE, UH, YOU KNOW, KEEP INCREASING, UH, THE VALUES AND THAT'S PUSHED THE TOTAL ASSESSED VALUE OF OUR PROPERTY IN HARRIS COUNTY UP.
SO AS A RESULT, WE BENEFIT FROM THAT.
BUT WE ARE LIMITED BECAUSE UNDER THE PROPOSITION ONE REVENUE CAP, UH, WE CAN'T HAVE, UH, MORE THAN FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE OR THE CPI AND POPULATION, UH, CALCULATION.
SO THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 3.57%.
SO WE WERE CAPPED AT A 3.57%, BUT THE TOTAL ASSESSED VALUE DID INCREASE, UH, WAY WELL ABOVE THAT.
NOW, IS PROP H STILL, UH, UH, FIGURED INTO ALL OF THIS THAT WAS PASSED YEARS AGO DURING THE BILL WHITE ADMINISTRATION? YES, WE DO, UH, INCLUDE PROP H AND THE PROP ONE CALCULATION.
SO, UH, SO IT, IT DOES HAVE A, A, A, AN INCREASE IN IN WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO, TO, UH, TO COLLECT YES.
FOR, FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PURPOSES.
UH, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO, TO SAY TO, UH, TO WILL, UH, AFTER HIS, UH, APPOINTMENT LAST WEEK AND WHAT HE DID FOR HIS MOM AT THE END AND HOW THAT MADE PEOPLE LIKE ME FEEL ABOUT MY MOM AND, AND, UH, EVEN THOUGH SHE'S PASSED.
AND I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, SOMETHING HAPPENS, LIKE WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK, THAT REALLY DOES MAKE US FEEL GOOD.
AND I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT EVER SINCE.
GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID.
AND MOMS ARE SPECIAL, SO THANKS.
ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO CONTROL OR, OR TO THE FINANCE DIRECTOR? OKAY.
UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES MAYOR PRO TEM, UM, MARTIN FOR A MOTION.
MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT DATED AUGUST 31ST, 2022 AS PRESENTED.
ANY DISCUSSION? ANY OBJECTION, JERRY'S NOT MOTION IS GRANTED.
[MAYOR'S REPORT]
THE MAYOR'S REPORT AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE MAYOR'S REPORT, UH, I WANT TO PRESENT, UH, AWARDEES, UH, TO OF, UH, OUR HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDEES, UH, FOR, FOR THIS, FOR THIS YEAR, UH, IN THIS, IN THIS MONTH.SO I WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE ON YESTERDAY.
[03:00:01]
SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEM, UH, TODAY.BEING PLACED ON THE PODIUM RIGHT NOW.
LET ME, LET ME, UH, UH, PRESENT FIRST, UM, THE AWARD TO OUR YOUTH ACTIVISTS, UM, AND ASKED AND ASKED HIM TO COME FORWARD.
LENE O RODRIGUEZ STAND RIGHT THERE.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE, UM, THIS MORNING ALSO, UM, UM, ROLAND GARCIA AND LENORA PULLMAN, WHO ARE THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE MAYOR'S HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARD, AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARD THAT ARE ALSO PRESENT AS WELL.
UM, BUT I WANT, AND ARLENE, IS THAT I PRONOUNCE THAT RIGHT? MM.
HEY, UM, THIS IS EILEEN O RODRIGUEZ AND, UH, WHO IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE 2022 MAYOR'S HISPANIC HERITAGES YOUTH ACTIVIST AWARD.
SHE HAS DEDICATED HER TIME TO CULTIVATING YOUNG LEADERS THROUGH HER PERSONAL, PROFESSIONAL, AND ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES.
EILEEN RODRIGUEZ HAS A PASSION TO EMPOWER HER COMMUNITY THROUGH SERVICE AND EDUCATION.
SHE'S A 2020 HONORS GRADUATE FROM THE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON WITH A BACHELOR OF ARTS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE AND A DUAL MINOR IN ESSEX NICS.
AND I, WHAT IS THAT? IT'S, UM, THE STUDY OF, IT'S THE STUDY OF LAW POLICY AND ETHICS.
IT WAS GOOD TO LEARN SOMETHING.
REIS AT UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, CORRECT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAD THAT WHEN I WAS THERE,
SHE FURTHER EDUCATION AND IN MAY OF 2022, RECEIVED HER MASTER OF PUBLIC POLICY FROM THE HOBBY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, I CAN, I CAN ALREADY SEE THAT, UH, THAT YOU ARE YOUR TRAJECTORY.
I CAN ONE OF THESE DAYS SHE'LL LIKE BE SITTING HERE OR IN AUSTIN OR IN DC BUT I MEAN, IT IS THE DNA IS ALREADY THERE.
SO, UM, IN 2021, ARLENE REALIZED THAT YOUTH WERE NOT ENGAGED IN POLITICS, ESPECIALLY LATINAS.
SHE TOOK IT UP ON HERSELF TO START A YOUNG LATINAS FOR LENA, UH, POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE TO REGISTER VOTERS AND ENCOURAGE HER COMMUNITY TO BECOME MORE ENGAGED IN POLITICS.
AND ONE OF OUR LEAN RODRIGUEZ'S BIGGEST PASSIONS IS TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIP BUILDING ACTIVITIES THAT CURATED, UH, A CULTURALLY DIVERSE ENVIRONMENT.
SHE IS HONORED TO SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY AS THE COALITION'S DIRECTOR UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF HARRIS COUNTY, JUDGE LENA HADARGO.
UH, HER DEDICATION TO EDUCATING HER COMMUNITY ON POLICY AND VOTER RIGHTS AWARENESS MAKES HER A POWERFUL VOICE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF PUBLIC SERVANTS.
SHE CONTINUES HER WORK THROUGH HER ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE HOUSTON AREA MODEL, UNITED NATION.
I'M THE LEAGUE OF LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS COUNCIL.
LEMME TELL YOU, I THINK YOU'RE ONE OF THE STRONGEST CANDIDATES AWARDEES THAT WE'VE HAD IN THIS CATEGORY.
UM, I MEAN, YOU, YOU ARE IMPRESSIVE.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON SALUTES AND COMMAND ARLENE O RODRIGUEZ FOR HER OUTSTANDING EFFORT AS A COMMUNITY YOUTH LEADER AND VOLUNTEER IN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY AND WISHES HER CONTINUED SUCCESS IN ALL HER FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
AND AS I WOULD, AS I TELL YOU, AS I WAS REVIEWING A NUMBER OF THE RECOMMENDED CANDIDATES, UH, EILEEN, YOU JUST, YOU JUST STOOD OUT.
I MEAN, YOU ARE A BRIGHT, SHARP, UH, STAR AND PROVIDES A GREAT DEAL OF HOPE, UH, TO ALL OF US FOR THE FUTURE.
SO, I'M, I'M, I'M JUST VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOU.
SO THEREFORE, I, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY HONOR EILEEN O RODRIGUEZ WITH THE MAYOR'S HISPANIC HERITAGE YOUTH ACTIVIST COMMUNITY AWARD AND PROCLAIM OCTOBER 5TH, 2022.
THAT'S ELENE O RODRIGUEZ DAY IN THE CITY OF
[03:05:05]
SAY WHATEVER YOU WANNA SAY,WELL, I, I CERTAINLY WASN'T PREPARED FOR THIS, BUT I JUST, YOU KNOW, WANNA THANK, UH, LENORA PULLMAN FOR NOMINATING ME, UM, FOR THIS, FOR THIS AWARD.
I REALLY WASN'T EXPECTING, UM, TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THIS WORK.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S TRULY SUCH AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO REPRESENT MY COMMUNITY IN THIS WAY AND TO BE ABLE TO, UM, ACTIVATE MY COMMUNITY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT IS SO IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY, UM, THIS YEAR, UM, FOR THESE, FOR THIS ELECTION CYCLE.
AND I KNOW THAT I WILL BE INVOLVED IN MORE TO COME, BUT, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF MY COMMUNITY.
UM, THE RECOGNITION FROM MY COMMUNITY, IT COMES, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST VERY SPECIAL TO ME.
BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY FAMILY WHO'S HERE TODAY, UM, THAT HAS SUPPORTED ME THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS.
UM, MY, MY DAD, EDWIN RODRIGUEZ, AND MY SISTER, UM, SARAH RODRIGUEZ.
UM, SO IT, IT'S TRULY WITH THEIR SUPPORT AND WHERE THEIR LOVE AND GUIDANCE THAT I AM ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY AND ABLE TO DO THE WORK THAT I DO.
UM, BUT ALSO JUST VERY PRIVILEGED AND LUCKY TO BE, UM, IN SUCH A WONDERFUL CITY.
UM, MY CITY WHERE I WAS BORN AND RAISED, UM, WHERE I'VE SEEN LATINO LEADERS, WHERE I'VE SEEN LATINO LEADERSHIP, AND I'VE SEEN HOW, HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT THAT HAS ON OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND I JUST, I WANNA BE A PART OF THAT CHANGE.
I WANNA BE A PART OF THAT IMPACT, AND I WANT TO INSPIRE, UM, THE NEXT GENERATION.
AND I'M JUST VERY GRATEFUL FOR, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TODAY AND FOR THIS FOR PROCLAMATION.
IT, IT'S TRULY, UM, IT, IT'S A DAY I WILL NEVER FORGET.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU.
AND AS THE MAYOR SAID, YOU DO HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE RESUME, UH, VERY ACCOMPLISHED IN SUCH A, UH, A SHORT CAREER.
AND WE LOOK FOR MORE CONTINUED ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS, ARLENE, CONGRATULATIONS.
YOU TRULY ARE AN EXTRAORDINARY CANDIDATE.
I KNOW EVERY EVERY YEAR THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE THAT ARE PUT FORWARD.
BUT, BUT YOU, YOU HAVE RISEN TO THE TOP AND, AND YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
UM, YOU ARE NOT JUST A, UM, AN INSPIRATION TO THE NEXT GENERATION.
YOU'RE AN INSPIRATION TO ALL OF US, AND A AND A VERY, VERY CREDIBLE REMINDER THAT WE NEED TO KEEP LOOKING TO YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE TALENTS THAT YOU BRING.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR, UM, FOR DOING THIS.
UM, AS THE YOUTH ACTIVIST, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY, UM, AWARD WINNER.
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU, AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO USE YOUR POWERFUL VOICE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM, AND THANK YOU EILEEN, FOR SUCH A GREAT JOB.
UM, THE RESUME SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
I THINK AS MAYOR TURNER SAID, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE IMPRESSED HIM FOR THE SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE GOING TO YOUR STUDY OF THE LAW.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THE NOMINATION REPRESENTS SO MUCH TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, YOU'RE STANDING WITH THE GREAT LEADERSHIP OF THIS CITY, AND, UH, YOU SHOULD BE VERY, VERY PROUD INDEED.
AND, UH, CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS IMPORTANT AWARD FOR YOU, UH, OUTSTANDING WORK.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ.
IF FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND BODY LANGUAGE MEAN ANYTHING, LOOKING AT YOUR FACE AND THE EXPRESSION GIVES ME SUCH HOPE AND ENCOURAGEMENT.
I MEAN, YOU LOOK LIKE JUST, YOU'RE GETTING READY TO JUST BURST
AND SO CERTAINLY CONGRATULATIONS AND WE ARE HONORED THAT WE CAN HONOR YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER AND COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS, COLLEAGUES, AS IT WAS STATED HERE IN THIS PROCLAMATION, HALENE IS ONE OF THOSE SPECIAL, SPECIAL INDIVIDUALS, SOMEONE THAT IS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, A WEEK DOESN'T GO BY WHERE I DON'T SEE HER AT THREE OR FOUR EVENTS, VOLUNTEERING AND DOING WHATEVER SHE CAN TO BETTER HER COMMUNITY.
AND EVEN LAST NIGHT I SAW HER AT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, BUT SHE ALWAYS HAS THIS SMILE, YOU KNOW, A SMILE THAT SHE'S PROUD THAT SHE'S OUT THERE AND SHE'S DOING EVERYTHING SHE CAN TO BETTER HER COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO OUT OF THE COMMUNITY.
COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR PERIM, CONGRATULATIONS.
I, I KNOW YOU KNOW WHO YOU'RE STANDING WITH, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIFTING YOU, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPPORTING
[03:10:01]
YOU, THE MENTORSHIP THAT YOU HAVE, THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE, YOU ARE ALREADY SUCCESSFUL.BUT I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS JUST SO AMAZING HOW, HOW IT, THIS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF COMMUNITY LIFTING AND SUPPORTING.
AND SO YOUR SUCCESS IS ALREADY DONE, BUT YOU ARE, YOU ARE GOING TO JUST MOVE TO THE HIGHEST OF HIGHS.
SO CONGRATULATIONS, WELL DESERVED.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA PRESENT THIS TO YOU, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THERE, THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR, JUST YOUR CONSONANCE, UH, THAT'S, UM, THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES.
OKAY? I WANNA CONGRATULATE, UH, YOUR DAD MM-HMM
UH, WHO'S HERE, UM, BECAUSE, UH, IT DOES TAKE THAT SUPPORT.
UH, SO I CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIM.
AND OF COURSE, YOUR SISTER IS ALSO HERE.
UM, BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT, UM, YOU HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD.
AND I WISH YOU THE VERY, VERY, VERY BEST.
SO LET'S TURN AROUND AND TAKE THIS PICTURE.
WHAT'S THE NEXT ONE? DO YOU KNOW? PAY ATTENTION.
THE COMMUNITY, UM, ACTIVIST AWARD ON THIS, UH, AWARD IS GOING TO SANDRA RODRIGUEZ.
AND AGAIN, THERE'S, UH, JUST SOME OUTSTANDING, UH, CANDIDATES.
THIS, UH, WELL EVERY YEAR WE HAVE OUTSTANDING CANDIDATES.
SO, UM, AND THIS COMMUNITY AWARD THAT'S BEING GIVEN TO SANDRA RODRIGUEZ.
SANDRA RODRIGUEZ IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE 2022 MAYORS HISPANIC HERITAGE COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AWARD.
SHE'S A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANT PARENTS AND THE ADVOCACY DIRECTOR OF LA AT LATINOS FOR EDUCATION, WHERE SHE LEADS THE ORGANIZATION'S EFFORT TO ELEVATE LATINO VOICES AND DECISION MAKING TO INCREASE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES.
SANDRA OBTAINED HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE SCHOOL OF HUMAN SERVICES.
SHE PREVIOUSLY SERVED AT THE, AT AT IN THE HOUSTON MAYORS ANTI-GANG OFFICE IN HOUSTON DEPARTMENT, OVERSEEING PROGRAM PLANNING.
SHE ALSO SERVES AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE GOFTON SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL.
WE WERE OUT THERE LAST, LAST NIGHT, A CIVIC ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON IDENTIFYING, PRIORITIZING, AND ADDRESSING THE NEEDS AND CONCERNS OF THE BROADER COMMUNITY.
IN JULY, 2022, SANDRA PARTNERED WITH AIR ALLIANCE HOUSTON TO PLAN AND CO-LEAD A BIKE TOUR IN GOFTON.
TO SAMPLE THE AIR QUALITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SANDRA HAS BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR IMPROVING TRANSPORTATION POLICY AND BELIEVES EVERYONE DESERVES ACCESS TO SAFE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS.
SHE SERVED ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO ADVISE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, EARN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ON BICYCLING ISSUES IN THE CITY.
SANDRA ALSO WORKED ON THE CITY'S FIRST VISION ZERO ORDINANCE TO END TRAFFIC DEATHS AND SERIOUS INJURIES BY 2030.
SHE HAS LED THE MAYOR'S COMPLETE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM IN GOFTON, THE MOST DIVERSE AND DENSELY POPULATED NEIGHBORHOOD IN HOUSTON.
AND THROUGH THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM, SHE FOCUSED ON NINE AREAS, HOUSING, EDUCATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MOBILITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, SAFETY, PARK COMMUNITIES, NEIGHBORHOOD, CHARACTER, AND HEALTH.
AND LEMME JUST SAY YOU EPITOMIZED WHAT BEING A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE AND ACTIVIST IS ALL ABOUT.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU ARE DOING IT EVERY DAY.
SANDRA'S EXPERIENCE CONNECTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO CRITICAL RESOURCES DRIVE TO WORK OUTSIDE THE OFFICE.
SHE CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE CO-CHAIR FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, FOOD AND SECURITY BOARD, PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE, CO-CHAIR OF THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT CAPITAL PLANNING STEERING COMMITTEE AS A FELLOW OF THE AMERICAN LEADERSHIP FORUM CLASS.
[03:15:01]
THESE ROMAN NUMERALS STILL KIND OF GET ME, YOU KNOW,THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMEND SANDRA RODRIGUEZ FOR OUR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EXPANDING COMMUNITY.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, LET ME ADD, FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING WORK TO THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
FOR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY TRULY CAPTURES THE SELF SELFLESS SPIRIT THAT ALL HOUSTONIANS SHOULD SEEK TO EMULATE.
THEREFORE, I, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROUDLY HONOR SANDRA RODRIGUEZ WITH THE MAYOR'S HISPANIC HERITAGE COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AWARD AND PROCLAIM OCTOBER 5TH, 2022, AS SANDRA RODRIGUEZ DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WELL, I'M REALLY HUMBLED, I'M REALLY HUMBLED FOR THIS HONOR.
THE WORK THAT I DO IS NOT FOR RECOGNITION.
THE WORK THAT I DO IS FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR THAT KID THAT GREW UP IN GULFTON, RUNNING AROUND THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, BAREFOOT LIVING, AN INHABITABLE APARTMENT UNIT, THE GANGS, THE CRIME THAT I GREW UP AROUND, DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS, WATCHING PEOPLE GET SHOT, JUST THE THE THINGS THAT I GREW UP AROUND.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO ADDRESS AS I GOT OLDER FOR MY SON.
TO ENSURE THAT I CREATE A SAFER NEIGHBORHOOD FOR MY MOM AND MY DAD, WHO ONLY HAD A THIRD GRADE EDUCATION FOR MY FAMILY, FOR THEM, AND FOR EVERYBODY ELSE IN, IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON AND THROUGHOUT HOUSTON THAT ARE FACING THE SAME CHALLENGES THAT I WAS FACING GROWING UP.
AND SO, EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE WITH ME TODAY, MY SON, MY FRIENDS, MY COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU.
I WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT YOU AND YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU TO STATE REPRESENTATIVE JEAN WU FOR THE NOMINATION, JEAN TO THE HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARD, AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT WHEN I CALL AND I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN DIFFERENT INITIATIVES.
THANK THANK YOU MS. RODRIGUEZ.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE THAT'D LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR YOUR AREA, EDWARD J. POLLARD.
SANDRA, CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS WELL DESERVED AWARD.
I THINK YOU EPITOMIZE A COMMUNITY LEADER, UM, WHEREVER I AM, WHEREVER, UH, MY OFFICE IS.
UM, YOU'RE ALWAYS INVOLVED, UM, VERY ENGAGED WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, HAVE A REAL PASSION FOR PEOPLE AND A REAL PASSION FOR SERVICE.
AND I THINK PEOPLE NOTICE THAT.
AND SO, ALTHOUGH YOU DON'T SEEK THE ATTENTION, UH, IT'S NOTEWORTHY FOR US TO GIVE IT TO YOU AND TO YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE.
'CAUSE I KNOW IT TAKES A LOT, UH, TO HAVE A LOVED ONE THAT'S AWAY WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT SHE'S DOING IT BECAUSE SHE CARES AND SHE WANTS TO HAVE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THOSE IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, WELL DESERVED.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS.
AND I, I REALLY LOVED AS YOU, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE WANTING TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES YOU'D FACED GROWING UP AND HOW YOU WERE REALLY, I THINK, PROBABLY INSPIRED TO, YOU KNOW, BY YOUR CHILDREN TO, TO BECOME VERY ACTIVE AND, AND THE FRIENDS THAT ARE HERE, BUT THAT IT'S JUST GROWN.
AND, AND, AND TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, LOOK WHAT YOU'RE DOING, THIS IS REALLY EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE.
AND, AND, UM, AND I I LOVE THAT YOU, THAT YOU, UM, THAT YOU REALLY BEGAN AT, AT YOUR CORE, AT YOUR HEART IS, UM, ABOUT INCREASING EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES.
THAT'S INFORMING A LOT OF WHAT YOU DO.
SO AS YOU'RE, AS YOU'RE, UM, DEALING, TACKLING AIR QUALITY OR VISION ZERO, OR HOUSING OR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, THAT'S AT THE, AT THE, AT THE BASE OF IT ALL.
AND, UM, AND, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
CONGRATULATIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
SANDRA, JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO MY FRIEND.
YOU MAY, YOU MAKE GOOD FRIENDS ALONG THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, AS WE ALL KNOW, STANDING OUT THERE, AND SANDRA, YOU ARE ALWAYS JUST SUCH A DELIGHT.
I WAS JUST AT THE GULFTON SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING LAST WEEK.
SHE RUNS THAT THING LIKE A TIGHT SHIP MAYOR.
WE WENT STREET BY STREET ON THE SIDEWALKS THAT THEY WEREN'T GONNA FIX OVER THERE.
AND YOU REALLY, REALLY CARE ABOUT THE GULFTON COMMUNITY.
[03:20:01]
THOSE KIDS.THERE'S NO POWER LIKE A MAMA TRYING TO DO SOMETHING BETTER FOR HER SON.
SO THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO AND CONTINUE TO DO.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS.
THANK YOU MAYOR PROTI, CONGRATULATIONS.
YOU ARE A BRIGHT LIGHT, UM, FOR SO MANY PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT, UM, ARE ABLE TO SEE THEIR WAY OUT.
AND, UM, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING YOU TODAY FOR YOUR SERVICE TO COMMUNITY, I'M ALWAYS IMPRESSED BY HOW YOU LOVE ON YOUR SONS ON FACEBOOK.
SHE TELLS ALL Y'ALLS BUSINESS ON FACEBOOK, JUST SO Y'ALL KNOW, IF Y'ALL DIDN'T KNOW, BUT JUST HOW YOU'RE SO PROUD OF THEM.
UM, BECAUSE ALL OF YOUR EFFORT, YOU MADE SURE THAT THEY DIDN'T BECOME A STATISTIC.
YOU MADE SURE THAT THEY DIDN'T EXPERIENCE WHAT YOU WERE ABLE TO EX WHAT YOU EXPERIENCED, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND SO I'M JUST ALWAYS HAPPY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, SUN GOING TO UHD AND GRADUATING AND PURSUING ALL THESE THINGS.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR HANDS, THAT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR EFFORT.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT OF COURSE TODAY.
BUT JUST THANK YOU FOR BEING WHO YOU ARE TO EVERYONE THAT YOU SERVE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
SANDRA, I JUST WANT TO ADD MY WORDS TO YOU.
UH, CONGRATULATIONS FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID, BUILDING A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HAS SAID.
I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR SO LONG IN THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD STRUCTURE AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING TODAY, OUR RECENT RIDE ON THE BICYCLE WITH THE AIR ALLIANCE HOUSTON.
UH, THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON, CONTRIBUTING, UH, AS WE SAW LAST NIGHT WITH MAYOR TURNER AT THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD EVENT AND NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE GOING ON IN ENGULFED IN, AND YOU DESERVE SO MUCH OF THAT CREDIT.
UH, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT AWARD FOR YOU, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, JUST SO WELL DESERVED.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER.
I JUST COULDN'T LET THE MOMENT GO BY.
I LOVE WORKING WITH YOU IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO BALANCE LIFE AND COMMUNITY AND WORK AND SPIRIT AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS.
AND YOU DO IT SO EFFORTLESSLY.
SO CONGRATULATIONS, WELL DESERVED.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO STATE REPRESENTATIVE WOO, FOR THIS WELL DESERVED RECOGNITION.
UH, ALSO WANNA THANK SANDRA ONCE AGAIN, UH, AS YOU, AS IS WAS STATED, UH, HER PASSION, HER LOVE FOR THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE CITY, UH, AND HER PASSION FOR THE GULFTON AREA, UH, FOR HER TO BE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR SO MANY YEARS, AND TO STILL BE INVOLVED IN THAT COMMUNITY, UH, YOU KNOW, REMINDS ME IN REGARDS TO ME BEING OUT IN THE EAST END AS WELL WITH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE GULFTON SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND FOR MAKING IT SO MUCH BETTER.
SO, MS. MS. RODRIGUEZ, AS, AS THIS IS OUR LAST ONE, I WOULD BE REMISS IN NOT HONORING MS. LENORA AND MR. ROLAND GARCIA AND DR.
LAURA MARILLO, AND ALSO YOUR NOMINEE OR YOUR NOMINEE STATE REP, GENE WU.
AND THE LAST WORDS I'LL LEAVE TO YOU ARE STATE REP, BUT BEFORE, AFTER STATE REP, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOUR, UH, I'M ASSUMING THAT'S YOUR FAMILY.
YES, MAYOR, UH, MAYOR TE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UH, IT IS A TRUE PLEASURE TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU ON THIS OCCASION.
UH, I, I THINK I'VE KNOWN SANDRA FOR QUITE A WHILE TOO.
UH, AND, AND I, I AM DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT THAT SHE SAYS THAT SHE DID NOT SEEK OUT RECOGNITION.
AND THAT HAS, UH, ALWAYS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE FOR THE DECADE I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE.
UM, NO MATTER WHAT ISSUE IT IS, NO MATTER WHAT DISASTER, WHETHER IT'S HURRICANE HARVEY, WHETHER IT'S THE FREEZE, WHETHER IT'S COVID, ANY NUMBER OF THINGS, THE PERSON, I CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON ISAND.
AND SOMETIMES I, I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO CALL HER.
RIGHT? AND WHAT I APPRECIATE THE MOST IS THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY, THERE ARE PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO ARE REFUGEES, PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMIGRANTS, PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE MONEY, PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE POWER, PEOPLE WHO CAN'T VOTE.
PEOPLE WE WOULD SAY HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN.
THEY'RE NOT FORGOTTEN BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS AT LEAST ONE PERSON WHO REMEMBERS THEM AND WILL LOOK AFTER THEM, AND WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THEM AND WE'LL PROTECT THEM.
AND, AND THAT IS MY FRIEND SANDRA.
AND, AND I AM DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
AND SO, UM, I, I, YOU KNOW, I I WAS VERY HAPPY, HAPPY TO NOMINATE HER, AND I AM, UH, NOT SURPRISED AT ALL THAT SHE WON BECAUSE I CAN THINK OF FEWER PEOPLE, FEW PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE DESERVING OF THIS AWARD.
[03:25:01]
SO COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH.WELL, LET ME JUST SAY, UH, I LIKE TO, YEAH, SORRY, I WANTED TO INTRODUCE, EXCUSE ME, MAYOR.
UH, FIRST MY BOYFRIEND, ANTHONY MANOLA.
MY BROTHER RAUL RODRIGUEZ, MY OTHER BROTHER, HECTOR RODRIGUEZ, MY OTHER BROTHER.
I HAVE ONE SISTER THAT'S NOT HERE.
AND MY MOTHER, MY LOVE, THE ONE THAT I FIGHT FOR EVERY DAY.
A RODRIGUEZ AND MY FATHER, RA RODRIGUEZ, WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, LET ME THANK YOU ALL FOR, UM, ALLOWING INDULGING ME, ALLOWING ME TO CHANGE THE SCHEDULE FROM TUESDAY TO, UH, TO, TO WEDNESDAY.
UM, HAVING SAID THAT, LET ME ABBREVIATE THE REMAINING THINGS THAT I WAS GONNA SAY TO YOU.
I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT THE TURS.
I'M GONNA HOLD THAT AND TALK ABOUT THE NEXT TIME.
UH, THAT'S A LONG CONVERSATION.
UH, I WILL TALK ABOUT THE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM, WHICH IS THIS COMING SATURDAY IN COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS DISTRICT.
UH, THAT WOULD BE THIS SATURDAY, 8:00 AM IT'S THE START TIME.
UH, IT WILL BE AT THE METRO PARKING RIDE AT 11 0 5, 0 11 0 5 0 HARWIN DRIVE AND STARTS AT EIGHT O'CLOCK.
THIS IS THE SECOND GUN BY THAT PROGRAM.
AND AGAIN, NO GHOST GUNS ARE ALLOWED.
UM, YOU CAN GET GIFT CARDS BETWEEN $50 UP TO $200.
SO, UH, WE, WE'VE, UH, CHANGED THE SETUP A LITTLE BIT.
THERE ARE MORE LANES TO ACCOMMODATE MORE VEHICLES.
AND THEN IF YOU RECEIVED A, A, A VOUCHER TO COME TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE FROM THE FIRST ONE, UH, THAT VOUCHER IS GOOD FOR THIS ONE HERE TO GET TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE.
THERE WERE ABOUT 150, UH, VOUCHERS THAT WERE GIVEN OUT.
UH, BUT AGAIN, NO PROPERTY MANUFACTURED WEAPONS OR GHOST GUNS ARE ALLOWED.
SO, UH, PLEASE BEAR THAT IN MIND.
UM, THE HOUSTON ASTROS POSTSEASON RALLY WILL BE THIS COMING FRIDAY.
UM, THE EVENT WILL BE AT 1230 IN FRONT OF CITY HALL.
ALSO, PLEASE, UH, PLAN TO COME AND JOIN, COME WITH YOU ASTROS COLORS, UH, AND ALL OF THAT.
AND, UM, UNFORTUNATELY, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO PLAY IN THE RUNOFF IN THE PLAYOFFS, UH, THIS TIME, UH, BECAUSE YEAH, YOU KNOW, UH, HAD A LITTLE SURGERY, SO I'M SIDELINED.
[03:30:01]
RALLY THIS COMING FRIDAY.UM, AND THEN THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, HALLS BAYOU GREENWAY RIBBON CUTTING.
THERE'S ALSO THIS COMING SATURDAY, UH, IN PRECINCT ONE, SO PLEASE MAKE A NOTE.
AND THEN THE BAYOU CITY ART FESTIVAL IS THIS WEEKEND, UH, RETURNS TO DOWNTOWN HOUSTON WITH MORE ART, ENTERTAINMENT, AND MORE FOOD, UH, WITH SOME OF HOUSTON'S TOP CHEF.
AND THE WEEKEND FESTIVAL WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, UH, THIS WEEKEND AT SAM HOUSTON PARK AND ALONE ISLAND PARKWAY.
SO THAT'S KIND OF AN ABBREVIATION, ABBREVIATED REPORT.
AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THIS IS YOUNG KAPU, UH, WHICH IS ONE OF THE HOLIEST DAYS IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY.
IT STARTED, UH, YESTERDAY AT SUNDOWN.
WE'LL RUN THROUGH SUNDOWN TODAY.
THAT'S WHY SEVERAL OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE NOT HERE TODAY.
UH, SO WE REALLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YAM KAUR, UM, UM, ON THIS, UM, THIS, UH, PARTICULAR MOMENT.
HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, THAT, UM, I'LL PICK THE REST UP.
UH, NEXT, UH, WEEK, UH, WHEN WE, WHEN WE GET TOGETHER, UH, NOW WE'LL TURN TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT, UH, THE BUYBACK PROGRAM ON THE GUNS IS, UM, IS, IS GUN LAUNDERING.
AND I, I'M HOPING THE LEGISLATURE THIS NEXT TIME WILL PASS THAT CITIES CAN BUY BACK GUNS, BUT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO, UH, DO JUST LIKE A, A REGULAR GUN DEALER.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE THE SERIAL NUMBERS AND, AND WHO, WHO'S GIVING THE, THE GUN TO US.
I, I THINK IT'S THE ONLY SAFE WAY TO KEEP FROM GUN LAUNDERING AND ALLOWING THESE PEOPLE TO DUMP THESE GUNS AND, AND TO EVEN GET PAID FOR IT.
SO, I, I'M JUST IN A OPPOSITION TO IT FOR THAT REASON.
IF WE WERE TO COLLECT THE INFORMATION ON WHO'S DOING IT, AND MAYBE SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER WE ARE BY CHECKING THE LICENSE PLATES OF THE CARS COMING THROUGH, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER WE COULD TAG THE GUNS TO THE PERSON WHO BROUGHT 'EM TO US IN CASE SOMEBODY TOOK A GUN OUT OF A CLOSET THAT WAS, AND CAME AND SOLD IT TO US OR GAVE IT TO US ON A BUYBACK PROGRAM.
AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE USED IN A FELONY.
WELL, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT, UH, HPD DOES AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB, UH, WITH THE HANDLING OF THESE GUNS.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANOTHER POLICE FORCE THAT'S BETTER CAPABLE OF DOING THAT, UH, THAN HPD.
AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO PRIMARILY HAVE DESIGNED THE GUN, THE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM.
WITH REGARDS TO THE STATE, I HOPE THE STATE WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT GUNS 'CAUSE THEY HAVEN'T DONE A DONE THING OTHER THAN MAKE THEM MORE ACCESSIBLE, MORE AVAILABLE, AND PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL MARKET FOR THEM.
SO THEY NEED TO REPEAL HOUSE BILL 1927, UH, THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO HAVE GUNS, NO PERMITS, NO LICENSE, NO TRAINING.
BUT THE LEGISLATURE HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO RESTRICT LIMIT GUNS OTHER THAN MAKE THEM MORE AVAILABLE.
THEY NEED TO REDUCE AND INCREASE THE AGE FROM 18 TO 21.
SO THE STATE HAS OFFERED NO HELP WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, CREATING A SAFER COMMUNITY.
UH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SPENDING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THE BORDER.
THEY NEED TO BE SPENDING SOME OF THOSE BILLIONS IN THESE CITIES, UH, TO HELP, TO HELP US AND TO BECOME A SAFER CITY.
SO, OOH, DON'T GET ME RILED UP ABOUT THE STATE.
YOU KNOW,
UH, COUNCILMAN WITH YOU ON THAT? THANK YOU.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
THE CONSENT AGENDA.UH, MADAM SECRETARY, UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY, ITEM THREE HAS BEEN RECEIVED, AND WE NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE.
MOVE ROBINSON, MARTIN, SECOND, THEN MOVED.
AND SECOND ON ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE.
DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF POST GRANITE UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY.
NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM SIX THROUGH NINE.
SECOND, THEY MOVED IN SECOND ON ITEM SIX THROUGH NINE ON DISCUSSION.
DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED UNDER THE PURCHASING TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY.
ITEM 13 HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS 10, 11, 12, AND 14, MOVE ROBINSON MARTIN.
BEEN MOVED IN SECOND ON ITEMS 10, 11, 12 14.
DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANITE UNDER ORDINANCES.
CATEGORY ITEMS 34, 43 AND 44 HAVE BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE, I'M SORRY, ITEM 25 HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED AND WILL BE CONSIDERED IF IT IS RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE AGENDA.
ITEMS 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 35, 42,
[03:35:06]
AND 45 HAVE BEEN RE HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.OKAY, GO THROUGH THAT ONE MORE TIME.
THE ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION ARE 23 AND 24, 26 THROUGH 28, 35, 42, AND 45.
UH, ANY OTHER, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE REMAINING ITEMS? DISCUSSION.
DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED, GRANTED.
ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
DISCUSSION ON 23, DISCUSSION ON 23.
DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED, GRANTED.
MAYOR, WE, I THINK I VOTED AGAINST THIS LAST TIME.
I'M GONNA VOTE AGAINST IT AGAIN THIS TIME.
UM, BECAUSE THIS IS AN $822,000, UH, MONEY COMING OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND TO HELP KIDS WITH THEIR HOMEWORK, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY GREAT IDEA.
BUT EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN HARRIS COUNTY HAS A SIMILAR OR IDENTICAL PROGRAM THAT'S DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CHILD AND THE ACTUAL LESSON THAT THEY'VE BEEN SENT HOME WITH.
I, I THINK THIS IS SUPERFLUOUS AND SIMPLY A THROWAWAY OF $822,000.
SO I'LL BE OPPOSED TO THIS ITEM.
I WILL SAY THAT SOME OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WORK WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY IN THIS AREA.
AND ANNUALLY THERE ARE LIKE 125,000 TOUCH POINTS.
BEAR IN MIND, THIS IS A FIVE YEAR NUMBER, UH, BUT, UM, BUT SOME OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DO WORK WITH, UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY.
I DID ASK SOME QUESTIONS ON THIS TOO AS IT, IT'S GENERAL FUND MONEY.
I I, I CERTAINLY BE, UH, IT'D BE GREAT TO GET SOME GRANT MONEY AND, AND GOT, UH, SOME ANSWERS FROM THE LIBRARY THAT WE, WE COULD SEARCH FOR SOME GRANT MONEY FOR THIS PURPOSE.
UM, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD SIT BETTER.
MAYOR, IF WE DIDN'T PASS THIS, WOULD THERE BE CHILDREN THAT, UH, STUDENTS THAT WOULD NOT HAVE THIS ACCESSIBLE TO THEM? UH, I WOULD THINK THE ANSWER IS YES.
I MEAN, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS THERE ARE 125,000 PEOPLE WHO ACCESS THIS SURFACE.
BUT, BUT, BUT IT IS, WHEN YOU SAY ACCESS THIS SERVICE, IS THIS THE, THE CITY'S THE CITIES OR THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS? NO, THE CITY.
I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE, THE, THE, THE SUPERINTENDENT, UH, UH, HOUSE.
I I I FEEL BAD THAT I HAVEN'T REACHED OUT TO HIM.
UH, HAVE, IS HE IN, IN, IN APPROVING OF THIS MAYOR? I THINK A JD IS ONE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WORK WITH THIS PROGRAM.
I MEAN, BUT HE, HE, HE'S FOR THIS, I'M SORRY, HOUSTON ALE AND PASADENA.
WELL, IF HOUSE IS FOR IT, I'LL VOTE FOR IT.
IF YOU, IF YOU'LL TELL ME HE'S FOR IT.
WELL, JOSH D IS A PARTICIPANT.
ISN'T IT TRUE THOUGH THAT HBL MOST OF THE PROGRAMS, MOST OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT THEY DO IS ALL DONE THROUGH THEIR FOUNDATION? I MEAN, WE VERY RARELY REALLY USE MONIES TOWARD THAT IS CORRECT.
THAT THE FOUNDATION IS VERY ACTIVE, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO I THINK THAT'S, I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON A LOT OF THINGS.
AND EDUCATION FOR THESE KIDS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
A LOT OF THESE CHILDREN REALLY GOT SET BACK DURING COVID.
THEY'RE TWO YEARS BEHIND, UM, A LOT OF THEM.
AND SO I THINK THIS IS SIMPLE.
EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE WE, UM, SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN IS IMPORTANT.
AND WE DON'T REALLY, DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? THE, THEY, THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS ALL OF THEIR PROGRAMMING AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM, THEY HAVE THE TOOLS.
OTHERWISE, I MEAN, UH, THINGS ARE CHANGING AND THEY HAVE TO INNOVATE ALONG THE WAY AS WELL.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, WE DON'T SPEND A WHOLE LOT ON THE BUILDING 'CAUSE THEY DO NEED A, WELL, THAT'S ANOTHER SUBJECT.
BUT IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE FUNCTIONAL AND, UH, AND THAT THEY HAVE THE SERVICES THAT CAN BE ACCESSIBLE, UH, ESPECIALLY IN THIS DAY AND TIME WHEN THERE ARE ALL SORTS
[03:40:01]
OF COVID AND OTHER THINGS, THE ONLINE SERVICES ARE CRITICAL TO MAKING SURE THAT THEY, THAT WE PROVIDE THE KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH THE TOOLS.AND THAT'S WHY, AND THIS IS NOT A BIG TICKET ITEM, IT'S A FIVE YEAR NUMBER.
I, I, UM, SUPPORT THIS, THIS ITEM.
AND, UM, THE POINT THAT, UM, THAT, THAT MY COLLEAGUE WAS MAKING THAT DOESN'T, THIS, DON'T, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DO THIS, YOU KNOW, IT, THE, THE SUCCESS OF OUR CHILDREN IS, IS NOT JUST LEFT UP TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, IT'S NOT JUST THE PARENTS.
IT'S NOT JUST FAITH INSTITUTIONS, IT'S, IT'S, UM, THE CITY TOO.
ONE OF US THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS, THE SUCCESS OF OUR CHILDREN.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THE CITY HAS CONTROL OVER, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH OUR LIBRARIES AND, AND THE, THE INCREDIBLE RESOURCES THAT, THAT WE CAN MAKE AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES THROUGH OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
THIS IS, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT THING TO PASS.
UM, SO IT SAYS ON HERE THAT IT PROVIDES ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENTS KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE AND COLLEGE INTRODUCTORY LEVEL.
SO IS THIS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR ADULTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE 12TH GRADE? YES.
UH, AS A 10 YEAR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, WE HAVE A BUNCH OF KIDS THAT UNFORTUNATELY DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO HOME COMPUTERS AND THUS THEY USE THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND IN OUR AREA, THE LIBRARY SYSTEM TO ACCESS THE ONLINE HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UM, I UNDERSTAND WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX SAYS.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE MORE MONEY RIGHT NOW THAN THE STATE OF TEXAS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, IF YOU NARROW THIS FIGURE DOWN, WE HAD 125,000 USERS OF THIS SYSTEM LAST YEAR.
AND THE COST IS $164,000 A YEAR.
SO IT'S A DOLLAR 30 PER USE OF THIS ONLINE HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE SERVICE.
SO FOR ALL THE FAMILIES THAT DON'T HAVE COMPUTERS, UNFORTUNATELY THE ONLY AVAILABLE OPTION IS THIS SYSTEM.
AND YOU'D BE SURPRISED, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, WE HAD A NUMBER OF ADULTS THAT WERE USING IT, THAT WERE GETTING THEIR GEDS AND THEY NEEDED THIS TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK FOR THEIR GED PROGRAM AS WELL.
NOW, OF COURSE, THAT WAS 10 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS ON THE SCHOOL, SCHOOL BOARD, BUT I THINK IT'S, UH, PROBABLY CHANGED A LITTLE BIT, BUT I THINK IT'S A STILL U GOOD USE OF THE MONEY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? DISCUSSION.
DISCUSSION IN FAVOR? OPPOSED A SHOW? COUNCILMAN MINOX VOTING NOX VOTING THOUGH.
MAY I HIM ON 35? YES, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO TAG THIS ITEM.
UH, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE NOT HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS.
SO, UH, OUTTA RESPECT FOR THEM, I WILL TAG THIS ITEM.
ITEM 35 IS BEING TAGGED, UH, BY MAYOR PRO TIM MARTIN.
I'VE TRIED, I'M SORRY, COUNSEL, I TRIED TO LOOK THIS OVER AND, UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD IF WE WERE TO, UH, TO, TO LIKE, UH, I, I SEE THESE, THESE STRIPES OVER HERE.
OF COURSE THAT LOOKS LIKE WATER, BUT IF, IF THEY WERE TO, TO, TO PUT WHAT THE CHANGE IS.
SO, SO WE COULD CLEARLY SEE IT BECAUSE UNLESS I TALK TO THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS, I, I'M TRYING TO ALWAYS FIGURE OUT, WELL, WHAT'S CHANGED? LET ME, LET ME ASK, UH, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, MARGARET WALLACE BROWN TO GET WITH YOU, COUNCIL TO GET WITH YOU AND FOLLOW UP ON THIS ITEM WON'T COME UP TODAY.
OKAY? BUT, BUT I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD IF, IF WE COULD UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT'S CHANGING IN CASE THERE'S QUESTIONS.
[03:45:01]
YOU KNOW, AS AN AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER, I DON'T EVEN PAY ATTENTION TO BOUNDARIES.DISCUSSION ON 42, DISCUSSION ON 42.
DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED ON 42.
I'M RESPECTFULLY TAGGING THAT ON BEHALF OF THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEM.
45 IS BEING TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALCO.
[MATTERS HELD]
48 IS AN ORDINANCE.IT'S JUST
I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN GALLEGOS ON 48.
I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT YOU MAYOR AND OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE EXPRESSED BEFORE RESIDENTS EXPECT AND DESERVE RELIABLE SERVICES.
AND FOREGOING THIS REVENUE DUE TO MISGUIDED LIMITATIONS, UH, IS NOT, IS NOT KEEPING WITH THAT SPIRIT NOR IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CITY, THE REVENUE COULD BE REINVESTED IN PUBLIC SAFETY, PARK MAINTENANCE, OR TO RIGHT SIDE SOLID WASTE AND IMPROVE GARBAGE COLLECTION ONCE AND FOR ALL.
SO AGAIN, MAYOR, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS THAT YOU MADE THE LAST TIME.
THAT, UH, THIS REVENUE IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY CAN USE TO IMPROVE OUR SERVICES.
AND, UH, OF COURSE I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS, BUT I WISH THAT IT COULD BE REDIRECTED TO SERVICES THAT THE CITY AND RESIDENTS DO DESPERATELY NEED.
MAYOR, I MENTIONED PROP H WHENEVER WE HAD THE FINANCIAL REPORT THIS MORNING.
UH, I, I THINK THAT WE'VE, WE'VE MISSED IT OVER THE YEARS BY NOT ALLOW, JUST LIKE WE'RE ALLOWING THE VOTERS TO VOTE ON, UH, BONDS.
AND THE REASON I VOTED FOR, I, I DIDN'T VOTE FOR THE BONDS.
I VOTED FOR THE CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO, TO DECIDE IF THEY WANTED BONDS.
AND SO WE COULD HAVE, WE COULD HAVE DONE A PROPER H MANY TIMES, UH, OVER THE YEARS TO ALLOW, UH, US TO HAVE MONEY FOR FIRE AND POLICE AND E-M-S-I-I, I'M JUST DISAPPOINTED THAT WE'VE NEVER, AT LEAST GIVEN THE VOTERS THAT CHANCE.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT YEARS AGO HOW THEY CAME ABOUT WITH THE CHARTER AMENDMENT TO RESTRICT OUR, UH, OUR PROPERTY TAX, UH, RATES AND ALL THAT.
BUT, BUT MAYOR, THERE, THERE'S A WAY, UH, UH, TO, TO AT LEAST GET MONEY FOR THE FIRE AND, AND POLICE.
AND, AND, AND THERE COULD, THERE, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN.
I MEAN THIS, THIS COUNCIL ON ITS OWN CAN, CAN, CAN MAKE A, CAN PUT FORTH A, AN OR, UH, A, UM, CHARTER AMENDMENT FOR THE PEOPLE TO VOTE ON.
AND, AND, AND WE'VE NEVER DONE THAT EITHER.
I MEAN, SO I, I'M JUST WONDERING WHY WE'VE NEVER DONE A PROPER H WHEN, WHENEVER I DON'T SEE HOW WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO FUND OUR FIRE AND POLICE, UH, A AFTER ALL THESE GOVERNMENT FUNDS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RUN OUT.
SO I, I JUST WOULD HOPE THAT, THAT WE WOULD AT LEAST CONSIDER THAT.
I MEAN, CITIZENS ON THEIR OWN BEFORE TOOK UP THIS MANTLE AND GOT THE, THE PUBLIC TO VOTE FOR THIS AND THEY COULD DO IT AGAIN AND TO REMOVE IT IF THEY WANTED TO.
SO, AND, AND COUNSEL COULD GIVE 'EM THAT OPTION AS WELL.
OKAY, LET ME, LET ME MAKE, LEMME MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND.
UM, YOU'RE SAYING, OKAY, RIGHT NOW WE ARE GOVERNED BY WHAT WAS PUT IN PLACE IN 2004 AND 2006, AND PART OF THAT IN 2006 WAS TO ALLOW AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FOR LET'S OUR FIRST RESPONDERS POLICE AND FIRE.
AND YOU ARE SAYING THAT IT WOULD MAKE GOOD SENSE, UH, ESPECIALLY IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THESE OPERA DOLLARS ARE GOING TO RUN OUT, UH, TO, IN, TO ALLOW THE VOTERS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD LIKE TO AMEND WHAT IS IN PLACE RIGHT NOW PUT IN PLACE IN 2006 FOR AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT, UH, FOR POLICE AND FIRE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS UP TO X AMOUNT.
UH, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD, YOU KNOW, YOU FAVORABLY GIVEN THE, THE, THE PEOPLE, THE RIGHT TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
[03:50:01]
BECAUSE I, 'CAUSE I'M READY TO DO IT.I'M WILLING TO DO IT BECAUSE THE REALITY IS OPERA FUNDINGS ARE GOING TO RUN OUT NOW.
THEY ARE, THEY ARE GOING TO COME TO AN END.
UM, AND IF, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE IS STRONG SENTIMENT OF THIS COUNCIL TO AT LEAST ALLOW THE VOTERS TO DECIDE VOTE, UM, WELL, LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY.
I'M WILLING TO PUT IT BEFORE YOU AND THEN I ALLOW THE VOTERS TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
WHEN WOULD THAT, UH, IT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAPPEN NOVEMBER IN THIS NOVEMBER, BUT IT CERTAINLY CAN BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT FOR NEXT NOVEMBER, YOU KNOW, FOR THE VOTERS TO DECIDE.
UM, WELL, LEMME JUST SAY THIS TO YOU.
UH, I WILL PRESENT IT, I WILL PUT IT BEFORE YOU TO BE PLACED ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT OF NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN THE VOTERS CAN DECIDE AN EXEMPTION FOR, UH, AN EXCEPTION FOR, UM, POLICE AND FIRE.
UM, COUNCILMAN ICO, YOU WERE IN Q.
THE PROPERTY TAX VALUATION CAP OF 10% INCREASE EACH YEAR, THAT IS SET BY THE STATE, CORRECT? STATE? CORRECT.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME NUMBERS.
I KNOW WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE 'EM RIGHT HERE.
HOW, HOW MANY VALUATIONS GO STRAIGHT UP TO THE 10%? I MEAN, LIKE, IS IT 80% OF ALL THE VALUATIONS GO UP TO THE ALL OF 'EM? A HUNDRED PERCENT.
I MEAN, PROBABLY EXCEPT EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY GOES TO THE CAP PROBABLY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE WHO APPEAL.
AND THAT'S WHY THE APPEAL 'CAUSE THEIR ORIGINAL NOTICE WAS RIGHT.
SO IT'S KIND OF AN AUTOMATIC 10%.
YOU GO, YOU'RE GONNA GO UP EVERY YEAR UNLESS YOU APPEAL.
AND UNFORTUNATELY MANY PEOPLE, UH, EITHER NOT AWARE OF THE APPEAL OR DON'T KNOW HOW TO APPEAL OR JUST DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO APPEAL.
AND AS WAS DISCUSSED AT, AT THE BFA MISS, UH, MEETING THAT I LISTENED TO YESTERDAY, UH, THE, THE, THE STATE HAS BEEN REALLY FOCUSED ON THE RATE, THE STATE, THE STATE HAS, THE, THE CITY'S RA, THE, THE, THE LOCAL MUNICIPAL RATES, NOT THE FOCUS ON THE RATE EVALUATION, NOT THE VALUATION.
THE STATE HAS HAD, HAS SHOWN NO INTEREST AT CAPPING THE APPRAISALS BEYOND THAT 10%.
SO THERE'S NO NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO ADDRESS THAT.
THE THE ANSWER IS YES, THEY CAN, THEY DO HAVE THAT DISCRETION.
I FEEL LIKE THE EARTH IS SPINNING COUNTERCLOCKWISE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE, DID I JUST HEAR THAT YOU ARE GONNA ALLOW A COUNCIL MEMBER TO MAKE A SUGGESTION TO PUT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR US TO CONSIDER? IS THAT WHAT I JUST HEARD? THAT'S WHAT YOU HEARD.
THEREFORE, COUNCIL MEMBER KASH DOES NOT HAVE TO PROCEED WITH HIS AMENDMENT TO THE VOTERS TO HAVE COUNCIL PUT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA AS THIS IS MY FIRST TIME IN MY 10 YEARS ON COUNCIL THAT I'VE HEARD A COUNCIL MEMBER MAKE A SUGGESTION TO THE MAYOR TO PUT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
SO IS THE EARTH SPINNING IN THE PROPER DIRECTION? THIS MAYOR HAS ALWAYS BEEN PERSUADABLE.
BY, BY A POIGNANT, YOU KNOW, ARGUMENT.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, IT MAKES GOOD SENSE.
AND I WILL ASK TO DELINEATE BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL WHEN WE MAKE THIS CORRECT.
'CAUSE THERE IS A VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL TAXES AND COMMERCIAL TAXES.
WE'LL HAVE TO WORK THROUGH AND VALUATIONS.
WE'LL HAVE TO WORK THROUGH IT.
BUT I DO THINK IN LIGHT OF THE FACT, UM, THAT THESE FEDERAL DOLLARS ARE GOING TO COME TO AND END AND THE NEEDS OF THE CITY, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO PUBLIC SAFETY, WILL NOT BE DIMINISHED.
AND THERE HAS TO BE FUNDING FOR IT THAT THE VOTERS SHOULD DECIDE, MAKE THE DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO AMEND, UH, FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PURPOSES.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO WORK THROUGH IT, BUT WHAT I AM, BUT, UH, WHAT I AM SAYING TO YOU IS THAT WE WILL WORK IT UP AND WE'LL SEND IT THROUGH A COMMITTEE, UM, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO BE PLACED ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT OF NEXT YEAR.
[03:55:01]
I THINK IT'S JUST MAKES GOOD FINANCIAL SENSE MM-HMMBECAUSE I WILL TELL YOU THE REASON WHY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND OVERTIME TO POLICE IS BECAUSE OF THE OPERA FUNDING.
AND IT IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE HOMICIDES AS OF THIS MORNING, IS DOWN 6%.
WE HAVE SOME 20 PLUS FEWER MURDERS THIS YEAR THAN WE HAD THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
VIOLENT CRIME IS DOWN, I WANNA SAY BETWEEN 10 AND 14%.
SO WE ARE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT YOU GOTTA KEEP IT GOING.
SO ANYWAY, UM, WE'LL WORK IT UP.
I WILL PRESENT IT, I CERTAINLY SUPPORT IT AND I THINK THE VOTERS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE DECISION.
AND I THINK THE BEST TIME WOULD BE FOR NOVEMBER OF NEXT YEAR BECAUSE THEN EVERYBODY WILL HAVE A MUCH BETTER VIEW OF WHAT WAS, OF WHAT WILL UNFOLD GOING FORWARD.
COUNCILMAN KN THANK YOU MAYOR.
AND, AND BACK TO MY COLLEAGUE'S CONCERN ABOUT THE, THE 10%, UM, APPRAISAL CAP THAT ONLY APPLIES TO HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES.
SO IF YOU OWN MORE THAN ONE PROPERTY, IT GOES UP TO THE MARKET RATE EVERY YEAR.
AND SO, AND IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS, YOUR PROPERTY VALUE GOES UP TO THE MARKET RATE EVERY YEAR.
AND THIS IS WHY SO MANY PEOPLE, UM, APPEAL THESE DECISIONS BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN APPRAISER DRIVING AROUND DECIDING, UH, RANDOM RANDOMLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT SOMETHING'S WORTH, UH, WORTH.
AND, AND I'VE BEEN A PROPONENT FOR A LONG TIME OF, YOU KNOW, I'D RATHER, I'D RATHER RAISE THE RATE AND KEEP THE VALUE WHERE IT IS BECAUSE THAT'S A REAL LIFE ECONOMY.
IN OTHER WORDS, MY HOME IS WORTH WHAT I PAID FOR IT, AND THE VALUE OF THAT HOME DOESN'T CHANGE UNTIL I SELL IT.
RIGHT? AND SO WHEN I SELL IT, THE NEXT PERSON WHO BUYS IT CAN PAY THAT HIGHER VALUE.
UH, AND SO GOVERNMENTS ARE USING THIS, THIS WHOLE SYSTEM AS A WAY TO, TO SNEAK A TAX INCREASE ON EVERYBODY.
AND LET'S NOT BE, LET'S BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR ABOUT THIS, DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE LOWER THE TAX RATE BECAUSE THE PROPERTY VALUES KEEP GOING UP, WE STILL COLLECT MORE MONEY THAN WE DID THE YEAR BEFORE.
UM, AND, AND SO I, I THINK PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF IT.
AND, AND I THINK, I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA PASS THIS TODAY AND, AND AS WE SHOULD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A REQUIREMENT OF OUR CITY CHARTER, BUT, UH, I THINK THE MAYOR IS CORRECT.
THE STATE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE EVALUATIONS AND WE, WE'VE GOTTA START LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, LOOK, IF A GOVERNMENT CAN SAY, LOOK, WE'VE SPENT ALL YOUR MONEY AND WE'VE DONE IT FRUGALLY, WE'VE DONE IT WISELY, WE'VE GOT THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE ENOUGH, THEN I'M WILLING TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE AND, AND PAY MORE MONEY.
AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE, IF YOU CAN MAKE THAT ARGUMENT, BUT THE ARGUMENT CAN'T BE MADE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH WASTE IN GOVERNMENT OR PERCEIVED WASTE IN GOVERNMENT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, ALL I CAN SAY IS THIS IS A DIFFICULT CHOICE.
THANK GOODNESS I'VE ONLY GOT A YEAR LEFT AND, AND, UH, THEN I'LL BE OUTTA HERE
WELL, QUITE FRANKLY THOUGH, BUT NO, BUT YOU HAVE MORE THAN A YEAR BECAUSE COVID, UH, EXTRA, OH, EXTENDED MY TERM.
COVID EXTENDED OUR TERMS FOR TWO MORE YEARS.
ALRIGHT, THEN I'LL BE ABLE TO STIR THE POT FOR TWO MORE YEARS.
SO WE, WE, SO WE GO THROUGH 2025
IN YOUR MIND WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH DURING THE INVITE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, THANK YOU.
AND JUST A CONSIDERATION IF YOU'RE WILLING TO, TO LOOK AT THAT AND EXPLORE THOSE AS AN OPTION.
UM, PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT THAT CAME UP.
AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE DEFERRED, YOU KNOW, UM, TWO CYCLES BECAUSE OF FUNDING AND OTHER THINGS.
AND, BUT THAT'S STILL A HIGH DEMAND.
SO JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOUSTONIANS ARE DEMANDING TO DEMANDING SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEY ALSO WANT STREETS AND SIDEWALKS.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO ASK HOUSTONIANS, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY FOR THAT? IF, IF THIS IS A VALUE OF YOURS? AND THEN IF YOU WANT YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO HAVE THIS AND WE'RE LIMITED IN WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO, PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AS WELL AND ALLOW HOUSTONIANS TO CHOOSE JUST A CONSIDERATION.
WE'RE GONNA PUT IT TOGETHER AND SEND IT TO COMMITTEE AND LET'S HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
UH, BUT I DO THINK THERE'S GENERAL CONSENSUS AS IT RELATES TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
COUNCIL MEMBER KUBAN, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR, FOR HEARING ME.
I, I THINK I'LL BE ABLE TO SLEEP A LITTLE BETTER KNOWING THAT, UH, UPON OUR DEPARTURE FROM COUNCIL AT LEAST WE MIGHT LEAVE THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION, UH, STRONGER AND THE CITY STRONGER IF, BUT JUST GIVE THE PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO DO IT.
[04:00:01]
YOU.ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 9 48? DISCUSSION IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? GRANTED ON 9 48.
RECOGNIZE THIS MAYOR PRO TIM MARTIN FOR A MOTION ITEM 40.
YES, MAYOR ITEM 49 IS A MOTION TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 26.05 B OF THE TEXAS TAX CODE.
AND AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, THIS IS EIGHT OUTTA THE LAST NINE YEARS THAT OUR TAX RATE HAS BEEN REDUCED.
BUT EVEN THOUGH OUR TAX RATE IS DECREASING AGAIN THIS YEAR, THE TEXAS PROPERTY TAX CODE 26.05 B REQUIRES THAT THIS COUNCIL STATE THAT THE TAX RATE IS EFFECTIVELY INCREASING.
SO MY MOTION IS I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF TAX RATE OF 0.5 3 3 6 4 0, AGAIN 0.5 3 3 6 4 0, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 1.75% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.
SECOND ROBINSON SECOND, A FEW COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON, ON AND ON THIS, ON, AS MAYOR PROTO SAID, WE ARE REQUIRED BY STATE LAW TO MAKE THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE SETTING THE TAX RATE IN THE SPECIFIC FORM OF SECTION 26.05 B OF THE TAX CODE, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE LOWERING THE EXISTING TAX RATE.
OKAY? SO WHERE THE TAX RATE IS NOW, WE ARE DROPPING THE TAX RATE, BUT THE STATE HAS THIS NO NEW TAX RATE CALCULATION.
AND SO IF WE ARE INCREASING IT ABOVE, ABOVE WHAT THE STATE PROPOSES, THEN THEY REQUIRE US TO SAY IN THE LANGUAGE THAT WE ARE INCREASING IT.
IT'S, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST, IT'S A SHAM BECAUSE WHERE WE ARE TODAY, THE TAX RATE WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND THAT TAX RATE IS IT'S 55 5.
WELL, REMIND ME WHAT THE TAX RATE IS RIGHT NOW.
JUST SO WE HAVE IT ON THE RECORD.
YEAH, IT'S UH, 55 0 8 3 0 55 0 8.
SO THE TAX RATE RIGHT NOW IS 0.5083 0.5 5 0 8 3 0.
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE LOWERING THE TAX RATE TO 0.5 3 3 6 4 0.
YOU SEE, WE ARE LOWERING IT FROM WHAT IT IS, BUT THE STATE DOES ITS CALCULATION AND IT'S EVEN LOWER THAN THAT.
AND SO IF, IF WE ARE, IF THE RATE WE ARE ADOPTING IS ABOVE WHAT THE STATE SAYS THAT IT, IT, UH, WHAT THEY PROPOSE, THEN THEY FORCE US IN THE LANGUAGE TO SAY WE ARE INCREASING THE TAX RATE ABOVE THEIR STATE RATE.
IT IS CONVOLUTED, MAKES NO SENSE.
BUT THE POINT IS, AS THE MAYOR APPROACH HIM, SAID, UH, THIS WILL BE THE EIGHTH TIME IN THE LAST NINE YEARS THAT WE ARE LOWERING THE TAX RATE.
I GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX.
YES, IT WOULD BE A BETTER DEAL IF THE STATE WOULD CAP THE APPRAISALS.
OKAY, THEN I THINK YOU'LL HAVE A MORE REALISTIC PICTURE.
BUT IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT, UH, WE ARE LOWERING THE TAX RATE.
IF YOU ADOPT, UM, NUMBER 5 49, THE TAX, THE CURRENT TAX RATE IS 5.5 5 0 8 3 0.
WE ARE LOWERING THE TAX RATE TO 0.5 3 3 6 4 0.
UM, IF THAT, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.
THIS IS NOT AN INCREASE OF THE ACTUAL TA TAX RATE.
IN FACT, IT IS A DECREASE FROM LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE BY 1.70 CENTS OR ABOUT 3.12 LOWER THAN LAST YEAR'S RATE.
AND AGAIN, I'M GONNA REPEAT THAT.
UM, THIS IS NOT AN INCREASE OF THE ACTUAL TAX RATE.
IN FACT, IT IS A DECREASE FROM LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE BY 1.70 CENTS OR ABOUT 3.12% LOWER THAN LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE.
OKAY? COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
AND I'M ASKING IF YOU, IF YOUR OFFICE CAN PLEASE SEND US SOMETHING IN RELATE IN RELATION TO THAT.
AND IT'LL BE UP TO US IF WE WANNA PUT THAT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
UH, BECAUSE THAT WAY MY CONSTITUENTS CAN UNDERSTAND WHEN
[04:05:01]
THEY WERE COMING OUT TO ME YESTERDAY ASKING ME WHY AREN'T WE HIRING MORE POLICE OFFICERS? WHY IS MY TRASH NOT BEING PICKED UP? WHY ARE THE FIREFIGHTERS NOT GETTING A PAY RAISE? WELL, THE REASON WHY IS 'CAUSE WE'RE HAVING TO LOWER OUR TAX RATE AND THAT WAY HOPEFULLY WHEN WE PLACE THIS ON THE BALLOT NEXT YEAR, THEY CAN UNDERSTAND.YEAH, WE'LL PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.
JUST TO JUMP IN ON THE DISCUSSION OF THE APPRAISAL VALUES.
I THINK YESTERDAY WE HAD AT BFA, UM, MR. KELLY SPEAK TO US ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE PRINCIPLES.
AND I THINK AS A CITY WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO, UH, SEND A MESSAGE IN OUR NARRATIVE THROUGH COUNCIL IN HIS OFFICE ON WHY WE BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE A CONSIDERATION TO CAP THE APPRAISAL RATE.
UM, AND I SAY THAT FROM A STANCE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PEOPLE ARE BUYING THESE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR GOING THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THEY THINK THEY HAVE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSE TODAY, BUT NEXT YEAR, THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THE YEAR AFTER THAT, THEIR APPRAISALS ARE GOING HIGHER AND HIGHER.
SO THE HOME IS NO LONGER AFFORDABLE BECAUSE OF WHERE IT'S APPRAISED.
AND THAT'S ONE THING I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY PAYING A LOT OF ATTENTION TO IS, IS NOT JUST THE EVERYDAY CITIZEN THAT'S FILLING IT, BUT THE PERSON WHO'S BARELY BEING ABLE TO PAY THAT MORTGAGE OR BARELY BE ABLE TO GET IN THAT HOME TO MAKE IT AFFORDABLE FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILY.
BUT WHEN THE APPRAISALS JUMP UP THE NEXT YEAR, THIS YEAR WAS A, THE HOUSE WAS VALUED AT 250,000, BUT NEXT YEAR THE HOUSE IS VALUED AT 400,000 OR 350,000, THEY'RE PRICED OUT.
AND SO YOU GO BACK THROUGH THAT SAME CYCLE AGAIN.
SO THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING, UM, I WOULD LIKE MY OFFICE TO BE INVOLVED IN WITH YOUR ADMINISTRATION, UH, IN THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE NEED TO HIGHLIGHT.
I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT ON THAT.
I WASN'T GONNA MAKE ANY MORE COMMENTS ON WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD STATED, BUT I JUST RECEIVED MY, UH, INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR NEXT YEAR AND IT'S GONE UP BY 40%.
INTEREST RATES ARE GOING UP EACH AND EVERY DAY.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, IT'S NOT THE $150,000 YOU SPEND ON THE HOUSE, IT'S THE PROPERTY TAXES, THE INSURANCE THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY THAT HAS NO CAP TO 'EM AND THEY WERE GONE OUT OF THE ROOF, ESPECIALLY INSURANCE PREMIUMS. IT'S RIDICULOUS WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE WORLD TODAY AS FAR AS, UH, BUSINESS RISK AND INSURANCE PREMIUMS, BUT GREAT POINTS THAT YOU MADE AND I'M GLAD TO PIGGYBACK ON THOSE COMMENTS.
AND THE ONLY THE OTHER POINT THAT I THINK WE NEED TO HIGHLIGHT, THIS WILL BE THE EIGHTH OF TIME OUT OF NINE YEARS, WE ARE LOWERING OUR TAX RATE.
IT'S REALLY NOT THE CITY'S TAXES THAT PEOPLE PAY THAT'S REALLY HURTING THEM, WHERE PEOPLE ARE GETTING HIT ON THE SCHOOL TAXES.
NOW, WHEN PEOPLE ARE PAYING THEIR TAX BILL, ALL OF IT BECOMES CONVOLUTED, BUT BEAR IN MIND, YEARS AGO THE STATE PAID 60% OF THE, OF THE FINANCIAL COSTS FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND THE LOCALS PAID 40%.
THE STATE IS PAYING 39% AND THE LOCALS ARE PAYING 61%.
SO THE STATE IS PAYING LESS FOR THE COST OF EDUCATION AND HAVE FORCED THE, THE COST ONTO THE LOCALS AND THEIR LOCAL TAXES HAVE GONE UP.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE STATE SHOULD DO THAT WOULD EASE THE BURDEN ON PROPERTY OWNERS AND HOMEOWNERS IS TO GO BACK AND ASSUME THEIR POSITION OF PAYING 60%.
LOCALS PAY 40 AND YOU WOULD AUTOMATICALLY SEE A REDUCTION IN YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES.
BUT THE, I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE FOR 27 YEARS AND ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR 21 OF THOSE 27, AND THE STATE IN A, IN A VERY SUBTLE WAY HAVE HAS SHIFTED WHO PAYS WHAT AND THEY SHIFTED IT DOWN TO THE LOCALS.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CITY TAXES, EIGHT OF NINE YEARS, WE'VE LOWERED THE TAX RATE.
BUT WHEN PEOPLE ARE PAYING THIS TAX BILL AND THEY SEE THEIR LOCAL SCHOOL TAXES, THEY'RE LIKE THIS.
AND SO THEY'RE SAYING YIKES, YOU KNOW, SO BUT FOR THE BUT FOR THE, YOU KNOW, AVERAGE PERSON, ALL OF IT IS IN THE SAME BOWL.
AND THEY, SO THEY JUST SAYING, WE JUST GETTING HIT LEFT AND RIGHT AND YOU KNOW, WE ALL AT
[04:10:01]
FAULT.BUT IT DOES TAKE TIME TO KIND OF WORK THEM WORK THROUGH.
THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT THE STATE CAN DO THAT CAN EASE THE TAX BURDEN.
THEY CAN PLACE A CAP ON APPRAISALS AND THEY CAN ASSUME, RE ASSUME THEIR POSITION OF THE COST OF, OF EDUCATION ON THE LOCAL LEVEL AND GO BACK TO THAT 60 40 PROPORTION.
AND YOU WILL SEE ON THE LOCAL LEVEL A BENEFIT TO YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES.
THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT THE STATE CAN DO AND SHOULD DO.
OKAY, HAVING SAID THAT, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 14, NINE? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 49? READY TO VOTE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? GRANTED ON 49.
OKAY, NOW SEE WE HAVE DONE 48, 49 AND WE ARE ALL HERE IN THE COUNTY FOR, EXCEPT THOSE WHO ARE CELEBRATING, UH, YOUNG KAUR.
AND THE TAX RATE HAS BEEN LOWERED AND WE HAVE DONE IT UNANIMOUSLY.
NOW, NOW WE SHALL GO TO THE COUNTY AND SHOW THEM HOW TO DO IT.
[25.
ORDINANCE approving and awarding Subrecipient Agreement between City of Houston and UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON addressing COVID-19 health disparities among populations at high-risk and underserved health of Houston Surveillance Cohort for the Houston Health Department - $1,000,239.00 - Grant Fund
]GO BACK TO 25.NOW BEAR IN MIND, IN CASE SOME OF Y'ALL LEAVE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO ADJOURN ADJOURN TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO RECESS UNTIL TONIGHT.
AND IT ISHY IT CAN, IT CAN, IT'S HYBRID SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME IN IT, IT CAN BE HYBRID.
I JUST SENT IT OUT SO EVERYBODY HAS AN INVITATION NOW.
SO THE MAYOR, TIM AND THE MAYOR WILL BE HERE.
YOU KNOW, NOW YOU CAN, YOU CERTAINLY CAN COME IF YOU WANT TO COME GONNA BE PIZZA.
YEAH, THERE WILL BE SOME PIZZA
AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK THIS EVENING AT SIX, UH, FOR THE, WE DO HAVE TO HAVE A QUORUM FOR THAT 6:00 PM AND WE DO NEED A QUORUM.
SO WHETHER YOU'RE IN PERSON OR ON HYBRID, IF YOU CAN HELP US TO GET A QUORUM.
AND QUITE FRANKLY AT THIS POINT WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS, SO, SO JUST POP IN AND YOU CAN POP OFF.
SO WE NOW TURN TO THE POP OFF SESSION AND COUNCILMAN
[NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
MAGOS, WE START, WE START WITH YOU.I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL THE COMMUNITY GROUPS, CIVIC CLUBS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT HOSTED OR PARTICIPATED IN NATIONAL NIGHT OUT YESTERDAY.
WE ALWAYS HAVE A GREAT TURNOUT IN DISTRICT DIE AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S THANKS TO OUR ENGAGED RESIDENTS AND OUR HOUSTON POLICE OFFICERS AND OUR CONSTABLE OFFICES, PARTICULARLY THOSE FROM NORTHEAST PATROL SOUTH CENTRAL EAST END, AND SOUTHEAST WHO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICE POLICING COLLEAGUES.
LAST WEEK I TESTIFIED BEFORE THE FEDERAL SERVICE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD IN OPPOSITION TO A PROPOSED RAILROAD MERGER BETWEEN TWO MAJOR RAIL COMPANIES, CANADIAN PACIFIC AND KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN.
THE MERGER IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TRAIN TRAFFICK IN HOUSTON AND ADD TO THE BLOCK CROSSING PROBLEM THAT'S IMPACTING EMERGENCY RESPONSE MOBILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
ACCORDING TO THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD'S DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, THE MERGER COULD BRING EIGHT TO 14 ADDITIONAL FREIGHT TRAINS PER DAY BETWEEN 3000 AND 5,000 MORE TRAINS PER YEAR THROUGH OUR AREA IMPACTING NUMEROUS COMMUNITIES ACROSS HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY.
THE TRAIN TRACK THAT WOULD CARRY THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC CURRENTLY RUNS FROM NORTHEAST HOUSTON THROUGH THE INGLE INGLEWOOD RAIL YARD, CUTS THROUGH KASHMIR AND FIFTH WARD AND CONTINUES ALONG THE TRACK THAT PARALLELS THE WASHINGTON CORRIDOR BEFORE GOING THROUGH COTTAGE GROVE, MEMORIAL PARK, RIVER OAKS, AFTON OAKS,
[04:15:01]
AND OTHER COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON.I, ALONG WITH COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE REYNOLDS OFFERED TESTIMONY EXPRESSING OUR SHARED CONCERNS AND ASKING CP AND KCS TO COME TO HOUSTON AND HEAR DIRECTLY FROM OUR COMMUNITIES BE BEFORE TAKING FURTHER ACTION ON THEIR MERGER.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT ALLOW CP AND KCS TO ADD TO AN ALREADY STRAINED HOUSTON RAILROAD COMPLEX WITHOUT THE RAILROADS FIRST FULLY STUDYING AND ANALYZING THE IMPACTS THEY WILL CAUSE IN HOUSTON AND WITHOUT INVESTING IN MITIGATION.
AND MAYOR, JUST YESTERDAY MY OFFICE RECEIVED WORD THAT A COUPLE OF THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE COMING TO HOUSTON NEXT WEEK TO SEE FOR THEMSELVES THE PROBLEMS OUR COMMUNITIES ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING AND HOW THE PROPOSED RAILROAD MERGER COULD MAKE THINGS WORSE.
CERTAINLY, MARY, IF YOUR SCHEDULE PERMITS, IT WOULD BE IMPACTFUL FOR YOU TO JOIN US AND SHOW THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD HOW CONCERNED THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS.
WE'RE WORKING ON FINALIZING A DATE AND TIME AND I WILL GET THAT TO YOUR TEAM AS SOON AS WE HAVE IT.
FINALLY, WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, WHICH KICKED OFF SEPTEMBER 15TH AND RUNS THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH.
AND I WANNA ENCOURAGE ALL HOUSTONIANS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MANY FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS TAKING PLACE IN CELEBRATION OF HOUSTON'S RICH AND VIBRANT HISPANIC CULTURE VISIT.
HOUSTON HAS A GREAT LIST OF THINGS TO EXPLORE ON THEIR WEBSITE.
SO CERTAINLY CHECK OUT THE MANY EVENTS, DINING OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER CELEBRATIONS TAKING PLACE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND I'D LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY THIS MONDAY, OCTOBER 10TH, 2012.
AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, GREAT REPRESENTATION, UH, FOR MATTERS RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION.
UM, AND JUST WANTED TO THANK THE AT LARGE TWO TEAM FOR FANNING OUT ACROSS THE CITY OF HOUSTON LAST NIGHT FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
WE COVERED JUST ABOUT EVERY CORNER OF THE CITY, UH, ESSENTIALLY ALL THE DISTRICTS OF OUR GREAT CITY.
AND I KNOW I WAS, UH, FOCUSED ON THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST SIDE OF TOWN TOUCHING DISTRICTS, K, J, G AND C BACK IN THE HEART OF THE DISTRICT, UH, IN THE HEART OF THE CITY.
AND MAYOR, IT WAS GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, GREAT TO BE OUT THERE WITH STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN'S OFFICE AND ELSEWHERE.
SO, UM, AND TO REPRESENT OUR VICE MAYOR PRO TEM WHILE SHE WAS AWAY.
SO LOTS OF GREAT THINGS GOING ON ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, I DO WANNA MENTION FOR EVERYONE'S ATTENTION THAT TOMORROW MORNING, UH, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6TH, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE WILL MEET IN CHAMBERS AT 10:00 AM AND WE'VE GOT TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
ONE IN PARTICULAR RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION AND SAFETY IS THE HOUSTON VISION ZERO UPDATE BY OUR CHIEF TRANSPORTATION PLANNER, DAVID FIELDS, ALONG WITH SO SOPHIA FONT AND SHE'S THE VISION ZERO COORDINATOR FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THAT'S OF COURSE VERY IMPORTANT DURING THIS MONTH OF OCTOBER, WHICH IS NATIONAL PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MONTH.
ALSO ON THE AGENDA IS A PRESENTATION FROM OUR HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM, UH, REGARDING A CONTRACT FOR CABLING INSTALLATION.
IT'S AN INVITATION TO BID AND, UH, DIRECTOR KENT WILL BE PRESENTING THAT FOR OUR COMMITTEE.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, IN ADDITION TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY, I WANNA WISH ALL OUR CO COLLEAGUES A HAPPY YOM KIPPUR AND, UH, ON OCTOBER 4TH AND FIFTH.
SO IF YOU WEREN'T IN DISTRICT F LAST NIGHT FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU WERE AT.
UH, WE HAD A TIME AND A PARTY.
SO, UH, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT BROUGHT OUT THE VERY BEST OF THE WEST.
SO WE WERE IN TANGO OUT IN WESTMONT.
THOSE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS WORK TOGETHER AND THEY HAVE A SINGLE DE MAY PARTY NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
THEY ALWAYS HAVE PREMIUM EXPERIENCES.
THEN WE WENT TO WEST CHASE THAT WAS SPONSORED BY ASHFORD COMMUNITIES, TARGET WEST CHASE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, THEN WE HEADED OVER TO ASHFORD PARK.
THEY HAD SMOOTH JAZZ, THEY HAD A MASSAGE LADY.
IT WAS A, LIKE A FAMILY HAPPY HOUR.
THEN WE WENT TO MEADOWS VILLAGE AND ENDED AT PARK PARK GLEN.
WE HAD FIVE EVENTS IN DISTRICT, UH, DISTRICT F IT WAS GREAT.
AND SO, UH, NOT ONLY DID WE MEET NEW NEIGHBORS, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO HEAR OF THEIR CONCERNS.
PUBLIC SAFETY OF COURSE CAME UP.
INFRASTRUCTURE CURRENT CAME UP.
SIMPLE THINGS FROM TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE, THE BETTER MOMENTS OF THIS JOB IS TO BE WITH THE PEOPLE AND REALLY HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE GOING ON.
AND I TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE CAN FORGET THAT WE, 'CAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE OVERWHELMED WITH A LOT OF DEMANDS, BUT WHEN YOU GET BACK OUT
[04:20:01]
WITH THE PEOPLE AND IN THE STREETS, YOU REMEMBER WHY YOU SAID YES TO RUNNING FOR THIS POSITION.YOU REMEMBER WHY YOU WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE PEOPLE BECAUSE, UM, WE'RE MAGICAL IN THE CITY.
AND I WAS REMINDED OF THAT LAST NIGHT.
SO THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.
IF YOU DID NOT HOST A NATIONAL NIGHT OUT LAST NIGHT, YOU HAVE A YEAR TO PLAN BECAUSE, UH, FOR 2023, 'CAUSE IT WAS A GREAT TIME IN THE WEST SIDE.
SO I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT THE GUN BY BACK, UH, AND MAYOR TURNER, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING BUT THE GUN BY BACK IS ON SATURDAY.
AND, UM, THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF PHI BETA SIGMA SAID HE WANTS TO FLY INTO TOWN TO SEE, ALRIGHT, BECAUSE THE WORD GOT BACK WITH THE PSA AND AND THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
AND SO THE, THE, IT'S BUZZING AROUND.
WANNA SHOUT OUT THE OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING, UM, SNACKS THAT DAY ON, ON SITE.
ADS ARE RUNNING ON KCOH, KTSU AND RADIO ONE.
COLLEAGUES, PLEASE SHARE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S HOSTED IN DISTRICT F, THIS IMPACTS OUR ENTIRE CITY.
WE ALL HAVE POSITIONS ON GUN VIOLENCE.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK TOGETHER WITH THE ONE SAFE HOUSTON PLAN AND IN OUR DISTRICT.
SO I KNOW I SAY THE WEST SIDE IS THE BEST SIDE AND I'M PARTIAL, BUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS, WE ARE THE BEST CITY IN, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
UM, AND JUST A SHOUT OUT MY DADDY.
UM, WE TOOK, I TOOK HIM TO THE TEXANS GAME.
AND SO ANDRE JOHNSON WAS NEXT TO HIM, AND SO HE WAS LIKE TALKING TO ANDRE, LIKE HE REALLY KNEW HIM.
AND THEN HE GOT IN THE CAR AND WAS TELLING MY BROTHER LIKE, YEAH, YOU KNOW, ME AND ANDRE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, DADDY, YOU DO NOT KNOW THIS MAN.
DADDY HAD A, YOU DO NOT KNOW THIS MAN AND THIS MAN DOES NOT KNOW YOU.
UM, BUT IT WAS JUST GOOD TO GET OUT, UM, THAT WEEKEND TO CELEBRATE WITH MY DADDY.
HE DOESN'T, UM, REALLY GET OUT WITH ME TOO MANY, UH, TOO TO TOO MANY EVENTS, BUT IT WAS GOOD.
AND, UH, HE'S A CHARACTER SO PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO MEET HIM IN, IN REAL LIFE.
SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE HIM A SHOUT OUT ON THAT.
AND SO MAYOR TURNER, NEXT YEAR, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME TO THE WEST SIDE FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
UH, LAST NIGHT, I, I MEAN, I JUST THINK NATIONAL NIGHT OUT HAS KIND OF GOTTEN BIGGER AND BETTER ALL THE YEARS I'VE BEEN DOING IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S COVID AND EVERYBODY'S BEEN INSIDE, BUT PEOPLE WERE OUT LAST NIGHT.
I, I SPENT THE TIME IN HIREMAN CLARK AND FORT BEND HOUSTON, AND WE WERE PAN SPANNED OUT ALL OVER THE PLACE.
BUT, BUT GREAT, GREAT TIME AND YOU REALLY DO GET TO MEET PEOPLE AND TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS.
SO, UH, THANKS TO ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT WERE OUT THERE.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE OUT THERE IN FORCE.
UM, I DO WANNA JUST GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MY COLLEAGUE TASHA JACKSON, ON HER EFFORTS LAST WEEK WITH THE BE SUCCESSFUL, UM, THAT IT, IT IS, YOU KNOW, I'VE ATTENDED SOME OF HER MEETINGS OUT IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
SHE IS TACKLING SUCH AN ENORMOUS RAY OF PROBLEMS FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE TO POVERTY, TO JOBS TO, AND, AND ANYWAY, JUST A SHOUT OUT.
AND, AND HOWEVER WE AS AT LARGE MEMBERS CAN SUPPORT YOU IN THAT EFFORT.
UM, PLEASE, PLEASE LET US BECAUSE, UH, IT'S, IT'S A LOT.
YOU'VE, YOU'VE BITTEN OFF A LOT AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT BE SUCCESSFUL WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
UM, I WANNA GIVE EVERYBODY KIND OF AN UPDATE.
YOU KNOW, A YEAR AGO I WAS TELLING EVERYBODY TO SAVE THEIR FOOD, YOU SHOULD STILL BE SAVING YOUR FOOD WASTE.
UM, AND I HAVE A COMPANY COME GET MINE AT MY HOUSE ONCE A WEEK.
UM, WE, WE, UH, I'VE, I'VE, IT REALLY CHANGES YOUR HABITS.
I MEAN, I KNOW LIKE, LIKE GASP WHEN SOMEBODY THROWS SOMETHING IN A BANANA PEEL IN THE TRASH CAN.
SO, UH, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
I MEAN, WE ALL KNOW HOW UNDER-RESOURCED THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT IS.
I CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE ASK SOLID WAYS TO, TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
LAST YEAR'S PILOT PROGRAM WAS COMPLETELY RUN VOL BY VOLUNTEERS AND BY, UH, VENDORS WHO PROVIDED THE SERVICE FOR FREE.
SO, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER DAY ON A FEE THAT POSSIBLY COULD, WE COULD DO CITYWIDE COMPOSTING.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE SEEKING OUT GRANT FUNDS.
WE ARE ACTIVELY RESEARCHING GRANTS, WORKING WITH KEITH KOSKY AT SOLID WASTE TO LOOK AT GRANTS, WHAT WE CAN, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO EXPAND THE CITY'S DROP OFF LOCATIONS FOR COMPOST, UM, AND, AND PILOT PROGRAMS WHEREVER WE CAN DO THEM.
WE ARE UPDATING IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING OUR, THE WEBSITE SO EVERYBODY WILL KNOW WHICH COMPANIES DO WHAT.
AND WE'RE, WE'VE PULLED, WE'VE PULLED 'EM ALL, WE'RE WAITING FOR THE INFORMATION.
WE'VE GOTTEN IT FROM SOME WHO DOES WHAT IN WHAT AREA, WHERE THE DROP OFF SPOTS ARE, HOW MUCH, UM, IT MIGHT COST IF YOU WANNA DO THE SERVICE FOR A FEE.
ALL OF THAT'S IN THE WORKS 'CAUSE WE WANNA KEEP PROMOTING THIS.
BUT THE MOST EXCITING THING YOU KNOW, IS THAT WE'RE GONNA DO, LAST YEAR WE COLLECTED A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT OF PUMPKINS AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SOLID WASTE AND THEY'VE AGREED TO USE THE REUSE WAREHOUSE UP IN INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS.
SO THE WEEK AFTER HALLOWEEN, UH, PEOPLE CAN DROP OFF THEIR PUMPKINS SO THEY DON'T GO IN THE LANDFILL AND CREATE ALL THAT METHANE GAS.
AND YOU'LL BE LIKE, KIND OF LIKE WE DO THE CHRISTMAS TREE RECYCLING.
UM, WE'RE GONNA COLLECT YOUR PUMPKINS.
THAT'LL BE RIGHT AFTER HALLOWEEN.
SO WHEN YOU BUY YOUR PUMPKINS, DON'T FEEL GUILTY THAT THEY'RE GONNA GO IN
[04:25:01]
THE TRASHNATIONAL A WAS SO MUCH FUN YESTERDAY.
AND IT IS GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S TRULY A CITY BLOCK PARTY.
I WAS IN THE FIFTH WARD, CASHIER GARDENS RIVERSIDE, GULFTON, MUSEUM PARK.
I MEAN, I WAS IN THERE AND IT WAS JUST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM HAD THEIR OWN LITTLE PERSONALITY AND NOT A LITTLE BIG PERSONALITY.
UM, FIFTH WARD HAD THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THERE.
THEY HAD, UM, THEY HAD SOMEONE INSTALLING PLANTS, LIKE NOT GIVING AWAY PLANTS.
I THINK THEY'RE DOING ON THE FOURTH FLOOR
UH, BUT ANYWAY, IT WAS, IT WAS AMAZING.
UM, IT WAS REALLY, REALLY AWESOME.
SO, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE OUT THERE AND, AND TO MY DISTRICT MEMBERS.
SERIOUSLY, Y'ALL ARE REALLY, Y'ALL DOING THE THING? 'CAUSE IT'S JUST A REALLY GREAT WAY OF EVERYONE COMING OUT.
POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS THERE, THERE WERE SO, SO WELL RECEIVED.
WE HAD BANDS FROM, UM, FROM, UM, FROM ONE OF THE SCHOOLS WAS AT CASHMERE GARDEN.
UM, I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, THIS MONTH IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
UH, I WANNA GIVE HUGE SHOUT OUT TO ADVA, UM, AND, AND HAWK OBVIOUSLY FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY DO IN THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER FOR REALLY MAKING THIS A PRIORITY.
UM, AND TO KEEP KEEP PEACE SAFE.
UM, AND I WANNA GIVE A PHONE NUMBER IF ANYONE IS DEALING WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, THE PHONE NUMBER TO ADVA AT THEIR, UM, THEIR HOTLINE NUMBER IS 7 1 3 2 2 4 9 9 1 1.
UM, CLEAR CHANNEL HAS PUT THESE REALLY GREAT BANNERS, UM, IN THE UMBLE AREA, BUT THEY'RE PUTTING ALL OVER JUST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THEM AS WELL.
AND I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, DR.
SHE IS THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF FRESH SPIRIT, ALSO A NON MM-HMM
SHE'S REALLY BEEN COUNSELING AND HELPING WOMEN, UM, THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND SHE'S HAVING A LUNCHEON, UM, ON THE EIGHTH AT 11 O'CLOCK AT THE HILTON.
UM, I TOO WANT TO AND CONGRATULATE ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, MY STAFF WHO PARTICIPATED IN, UM, NATIONAL RIDE OUT LAST, UM, NIGHT.
UM, WENT FROM SHEPHERD PARK TERRACE.
GREENSPOINT HAD A VERY HUGE EVENT.
UM, HPD JUST REALLY SHOWED UP ACROSS, UM, DISTRICT, I'M SURE THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THEY WERE VERY ACTIVE, REALLY APPRECIATE THEM AND THEIR LEADERSHIP.
UM, PLEASANTVILLE, LAKEWOOD, CASH MILL GARDEN EAST TEXAS, JENSEN, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT B IS PRETTY SPREAD OUT.
SO WE WAS DOING A LOT OF DRIVING, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO LIKE, TOUCH BETWEEN MY TEAM AND I, WE WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL OF THE, UM, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENTS.
SO, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AGAIN, THANKS, UM, TO YOU, UM, COUNCILMAN ALCORN, MAYOR TURNER, AND JUST ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS WHO HELPED LAUNCH THE BE SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVE ON LAST WEEK.
UM, EVERYBODY'S STILL FIRED UP ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, JUST THE, THE, THE LOT, THE WORK THAT WE DID OVER THE YEARS JUST TO SEE EVERYTHING BECOME REALIZED.
AND SO, UM, OUR JOBS AND RESOURCE FAIR THAT WE HAD ON SATURDAY, WE HAD APPROXIMATELY, UM, 80 PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP AND WE KNOW IT'S GONNA GET BIGGER, BUT, AND ALL THESE PEOPLE WAS CONNECTED TO JOBS.
AND SO SPECIAL THANKS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, HR DEPARTMENT WAS THERE, METRO, ANHEUSER BUSCH, YOU HAD AMAZON, YOU HAD A LOT OF, QUITE A FEW, UM, ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
BUT ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT WALKED THROUGH THE DOOR WERE CONNECTED WITH THE NAVIGATOR AND WILL BE, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWED UP REAL SOON.
AND THEY WERE JUST, JUST, THEY, THEY WERE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET JOBS ON THE SPOT.
WE HAD A TOTAL 24 PEOPLE WHO GOT A JOB ON THE SPOT.
UM, DOMINO'S PE PISA WAS THE PRESIDENT AS WELL AS TEXAS TWO BELT.
SO YOU HAVE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE THAT'S GONNA BE OUT KNOCKING ON DOORS FOR ELECTIONS.
UM, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE.
OUR NEXT JOB FAIR IS GONNA BE NOVEMBER THE FIFTH IN GREENS POINT.
THAT WILL BE MONTHLY JOB FAIR EVERY FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH.
AND THEN ALSO DOING THROUGHOUT THE MONTH THERE WILL BE TWO WORKFORCE READINESS, UM, WORKSHOPS.
AND SO IF YOU WANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES THAT'S HAPPENING, UM, WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL, VISIT OUR WEBSITE, UM, BE SUCCESSFUL.ORG OR YOU CAN REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE, WHICH IS EIGHT, UM, 8 3 2 3 9 3 3 0 0 9.
UM, LASTLY, THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER TRAINING IS COMING UP.
I HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WAS INTERESTED IN HOW THEY CAN GET, UM, THEIR CONSTITUENTS INVOLVED WITH THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER TRAINING.
THE NEXT TRAINING IS OCTOBER THE 17TH THROUGH THE 21ST.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, AGAIN, GO TO THE BE SUCCESSFUL WEBSITE, WHICH YOU CAN, LIKE, THERE'S GONNA BE A LINK WHERE YOU CAN DO, THEY CAN REGISTER THERE OR REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE, 8 3 2 3 9 3 3 0 0 9.
THANK YOU AGAIN, EVERYONE FOR JUST THE SUPPORT AND I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED WEEKLY ON OUR PROGRESS.
UM, I TOO WANT TO THANK ALL THE COMMUNITIES THAT PARTICIPATED IN NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
UH, YESTERDAY IN DISTRICT J, UM, MY OFFICE, WE WENT TO EIGHT DIFFERENT EVENTS.
UH, WE WENT TO GULFTON RICHMOND PLAZA, SOUTH RAYBURN VALLEY ONE AND TWO,
[04:30:01]
BELMONT PARK, RAYBURN VALLEY WEST SHARPSTOWN, AND WIND WATER ESTATES, AND REGENCY SQUARE.SO I WANNA THANK ALL THE COMMUNITIES FOR, UH, PUTTING ON THOSE OUTINGS.
AND SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO HPD AND ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT WERE PRESENT, UH, THAT NIGHT IS REALLY FOR THEM AND TO SUPPORT THEM AND ENCOURAGE THEM AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE THANK THEM, UH, FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING SERVICE.
UH, MAYOR THIS MORNING WE CELEBRATED YOUR AWARDEES FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
UH, MY OFFICE THIS PAST MONDAY ALSO HAD AN AWARDS PRESENTATION TO RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING HISPANIC COMMUNITY LEADERS IN DISTRICT J.
AND WE RECOGNIZED TWO PEOPLE WITH THE OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY LEADER AWARD.
ONE WAS THE SANDRA RODRIGUEZ, WHO YOU, UH, RECOGNIZED THIS MORNING, AND ALSO CLAUDIA HERNANDEZ.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZED TWO PEOPLE WITH THE PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE YEAR AWARD, WHICH WENT TO SERGEANT JOSE JUAREZ OF THE SOUTH GESNER HPD STATION, AND VERONICA HERNANDEZ OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, THE RECEPTION WAS AT PAPA CTO'S AND OUR GUEST SPEAKERS WERE JUDGE ISRAEL GARCIA AND TAMMY RODRIGUEZ.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AND SAY CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO EACH RECIPIENT AND TO EVERYONE.
HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR WEEK, AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THE VOTER'S REGISTRATION DRIVE AND BLOCK PARTY AT THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
IT WAS A EXCELLENT VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE AND, UH, IT WAS LAST WEEK ON THE TIGER WALK, AND IT WAS, I WAS VERY, VERY GLAD TO BE A PART OF THAT INITIATIVE, BUT MAYOR, WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE IT WHEN YOU COME, UH, TO THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
UH, CERTAINLY LAST NIGHT WAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE NEIGHBORS.
I JUST WISH I COULD GET TO ALL OF THEM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SO MANY THAT DO THIS GREAT PLANNING, BUT IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE IN THAT LITTLE TIME SPAN.
BUT I WANT THEM TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THEM COMING OUT AND DOING THAT.
UH, BUT WE STARTED OUT, UH, A NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, UH, AT THE CUNY HOMES WHERE WE HAD A PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, PRESS CONFERENCE.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU MAYOR.
UM, CERTAINLY CONGRESSWOMAN, THE CONGRESSWOMAN, UH, SHEILA JACKSON, LEE STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOLANDA JONES, CHIEF NER, THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY PRESIDENT, AND CEO DAVID NORTHERN, UH, THEN TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY'S POLICE CHIEF MARY YOUNG AND CERTAINLY, UH, SASHA MARSHALL WITH THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY.
SHE, ALONG WITH MY STAFF, MY CHIEF OF STAFF, STEVEN JAMES, AND MY, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR, COREY GLENN, WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD TO GET THAT DONE.
AND I WAS ABLE TO ANNOUNCE THAT, UM, IN LIEU OF WHAT'S, WELL, WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE COLUMBIA TAP WITH SO MANY PEOPLE, UH, ENGAGING AND IT BEING A SAFETY ISSUE, THAT MY OFFICE IS CONTRIBUTING A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR CALL BOXES UP AND DOWN THE TAP THAT WILL BE DIRECTLY, UM, ENGAGED WITH HPD AND TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ENGAGE AND ENJOY THAT SPACE BECAUSE IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SPACE RIDING BIKES AND WHATEVER.
AND I WANT TO ALSO ANNOUNCE THAT NEXT WEDNESDAY, ALONG WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS, THERE WILL BE AN UNVEILING OF THE SIGN AT THE RIVERSIDE HISTORIC GENERAL HOSPITAL.
UH, HARRIS COUNTY AND PARTNERS ARE REDEVELOPING A COORDINATED CARE FACILITY THAT WILL HOUSE HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH AND OTHER COUNTY SAFETY NET SERVICES FOR PARTNERS.
AND THAT WILL BE, UH, NEXT WEDNESDAY FROM 10:00 AM TO 12 NOON.
SO IF I MISS POP OFF NEXT WEEK, YOU'LL KNOW WHERE I AM, BUT I'LL DO MY BEST TO STAY HERE.
'CAUSE I KNOW Y'ALL WANNA KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
AND SO CERTAINLY, UH, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH AND, UM, YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEK.
OKAY, SO WE KICKED OFF THE COMBINED MUNICIPAL CAMPAIGN, AND SO DON'T FORGET TO PUT MONEY IN THE BLUE BOXES FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE KISS THE CRITTER FROM THE HOUSTON ZOO.
ALSO, WE ARE, UM, DOING THE BOWLING TOURNAMENT ON OCTOBER 25TH.
SO PLEASE TURN IN YOUR REGISTRATION.
WE HAVE 16 TEAMS AND HOPEFULLY EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT CAN, YOU KNOW, TAKE PART IN THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE HAD TAMALE SALES THIS WEEK.
WE'LL SELL TAMALES AGAIN NEXT WEEK.
AND ALSO, UM, NOTHING BUNT CAKES.
SO WE'VE ALREADY DONE SOME GREAT THINGS.
UM, I SPENT LAST SATURDAY AT TEXAS A AND M AT THE, UM, VETERINARY SCHOOL JOB AND EXTERNSHIP THERE.
I WANNA THANK BARK FOR SIGNING UP TO HOST A, A BOOTH THERE.
UM, ALL VET VETERINARY STUDENTS WERE, UM, REQUIRED TO ATTEND.
SO PARTICIPATION WAS HUGE AND SO WAS INTEREST IN BARK.
SO THEY COLLECTED, UM, UH, CONTACT INFORMATION FROM A, YOU KNOW, A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUDENTS WHO WERE STOPPING
[04:35:01]
BY TO SAY, WHAT IS BARK? AND, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY REALLY DIDN'T KNOW A A LOT ABOUT, UM, WHAT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THEM HERE TO, YOU KNOW, IN, IN OUR, IN OUR, IN OUR ORGANIZATION WITHIN BARK, YOU NEED FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO LEARN AND TO, TO SHADOW AND TO, UM, TO, TO BE EXTERNS.UM, SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS WONDERFUL.
UM, I ALSO, UM, WOULD LIKE TO JUST, UM, SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, UM,
SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY COUNCIL NUMBER 39.
WE COULDN'T HAVE HAD BETTER, BETTER WEATHER, YOU KNOW.
UM, UH, THERE WERE 16 EVENTS THAT WE KNEW OF, AND WE WENT TO ALL OF THEM.
I WENT TO EIGHT MYSELF AND, AND WE HAD SOME THAT WERE, WERE SMALL AND VERY INTIMATE, AND SOME THAT WERE LARGE.
YOU KNOW, THERE WERE MAYBE A HUNDRED PEOPLE THERE, BUT EACH ONE WAS SO, SO GREAT.
I MEAN, PEOPLE WERE REALLY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO, UM, TO SPEAK, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, WORK ON RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH, WITH, UM, WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THIS WEEKEND THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, THE GUN BACKPACK PROGRAM, THE, UM, BIO CITY ARTS FESTIVAL, AND, UM, UH, HISPANIC HERITAGE EVENTS.
I WANTED TO JUST, UM, PUT IN A PLUG FOR, UM, WHAT'S GOING ON AT MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER.
UM, THIS WEEKEND, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY NIGHT.
IT'S THE 43RD ANNUAL FESTIVAL.
SO IT'S A CELEBRATION OF CHICANO MUSIC FROM TEJANA TO JUNTO TO MARIACHI AND ORCHESTRA.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT THING EVERY YEAR.
SO, UM, SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE PLANS ALREADY, YOU KNOW, THINK, THINK ABOUT, UM, PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ARNE GABRIEL, WHO WAS FORMERLY MISS TEXAS, AND NOW SHE'S BEEN CROWNED AS MISS USA, UM, THOUGH SHE'S ORIGINALLY FROM FRIENDSWOOD.
SHE'S A RESIDENT OF THE EAST END WHERE SHE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, MAGS AND PEACOCKS AND, UM, TO TEACH SEWING SKILLS TO WOMEN IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
YOU ARE, YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL INSIDE TOO.
MAYOR PROAM MARTY? YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UH, THE CLEAR LAKE MONTHLY ELECTRONIC RECYCLING EVENT WILL BE HAPPENING THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, 9:00 AM TO 3:00 PM ARE WHEN THE TRUCKS ARE FULL AT THE CLEAR LAKE ELLINGTON AIRPORT RECYCLING CENTER.
AND LIKE EVERYONE LAST NIGHT, WE HAD A GREAT TIME.
I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A BETTER WEATHER FOR ANY NATIONAL NIGHT OUT THAT I'VE ATTENDED.
UH, THANKS TO MY STAFF, IT'S A HARD AREA TO GET TO WHEN YOU HAVE TO GO FROM KINGWOOD TO CLEAR LAKE BACK TO KINGWOOD, BUT WE MADE SEVEN ON THE NORTH SIDE AND FOUR ON THE SOUTH SIDE IN AREAS LIKE KINGWOOD WATERS EDGE, NORTH SHORE, MEADOW CREEK, WHERE WE RAN INTO CHIEF NER.
SO THANKS CHIEF FOR SHOWING UP IN DISTRICT E EDGEBROOK AND CLEAR LAKE.
I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO COORDINATE THESE EVENTS.
IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT AND I APPRECIATE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS IN HOUSTON, FIRE, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE HAD THE LAKE PATROL OUT AT WATER'S EDGE.
WE HAD THE CANINE PATROL, WE HAD THE HORSE PATROL, WE HAD THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, CONSTABLES, WE HAD JUST ABOUT EVERYONE EXCEPT OUR AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THANKS FOR EVERYONE FOR MAKING THIS EVENT SUCCESSFUL.
AND, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, UH, WHILE YOU'RE IN THE GIVING MOOD, I THINK I'M GONNA PUT IN A AMENDMENT ITEM NEXT WEEK TO HAVE YOU TAKE, UH, AT LEAST A COUPLE MORE DAYS' VACATION EVERY YEAR.
BECAUSE WHEN KUBOSH GETS AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA AND MIKE KNOX TALKS ABOUT A TAX RATE INCREASE, SOMETHING'S GOING ASTRAY.
AND THAT PROBABLY WAS YOU BEING AWAY AND ME IN CHARGE AND GETTING THEM ALL IN ORDER.
I ENJOYED, I ENJOYED MY DAYS AWAY
UH, ALL RIGHT, LET ME ALSO JOIN IN.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, 39, YOU KNOW, SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND EN ENJOY, ENJOY YOUR, YOUR VERY SPECIAL DAY.
UH, OKAY, HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, WE ARE GONNA, WE STAND IN RECESS, UH, UNTIL THIS EVENING AT 6:00 PM OKAY, STAND IN RECESS, 21, MADAM SECRETARY.
[6:00 PM PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED BOND ELECTION]
IT IS 6 0 4 ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5TH, 2022.I'M MAYOR, SPECIAL ATTORNEY, AND I'M RECONVENING THIS MEETING OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MAYOR TURNER.
[04:40:01]
SHABA.COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN PRESENT.
COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN? PRESENT? COUNCILMAN CISNEROS.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN PLUMBER'S ON HERE.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD ON 15 HERE.
UH, NOW MADAM SECRETARY OF YOU, PLEASE CALL ITEM 50.
ITEM 50 IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE BOND ELECTION TO BE HELD TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH, 2022.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE UPCOMING BOND ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO, I DO NOT.
UM, THERE'S NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD, UH, LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? ANYONE PRESENT IN THIS AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? DAVE, YOU GONNA FILIBUSTER,
UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING? SO MOVED.
IS THERE A SECOND? THOMAS SECOND.
UM, THE SEE ALL IN FAVOR OF CLOSING.
ANY OBJECTION TO CLOSING THE HEARING? ALL IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE HEARING.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, UH, TODAY.
UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO SAY.
UH,