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OF THE CITY[Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee on October 13, 2022.]
OF HOUSTON'S PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE.WE WILL BE, UH, THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 2 0 6 2:06 PM UH, TODAY WE HAVE PRESENTATIONS THAT ARE ALL, UH, THAT IT'S A FOCUS ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS, UH, AND PREPAREDNESS, UH, RELATED TO SPECIAL EVENTS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, UM, EXCUSE ME, LIVE MUSIC EVENTS THAT ARE OUTDOORS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
UH, CURRENTLY WE ARE JOINED BY OUR COLLEAGUES.
UH, I HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER PECK IN CHAMBERS.
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE HER AS WELL AS STAFF FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S OFFICE AND COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN'S OFFICE ON, AND I SHOULD SAY, A VERY SPECIAL WELCOME BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN'S, CHIEF OF STAFF.
UH, IT IS GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK, UH, ONLINE.
WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM VICE MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM'S, OFFICE COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON, AND COUNCIL MEMBER KUBOSH.
AM I MISSING ANYONE? CISNEROS JUST JOINED COUNCIL MEMBER CIS AND COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS HAS ALSO JOINED US ONLINE.
WE DO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WATCHING, UH, BOTH ONLINE AND ON HTV.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE PRESENTATIONS ARE UPLOADED TO THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE.
UH, YOU CAN GO TO HOUSTON TX.GOV FOR THAT.
UM, I ALSO WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT, UH, THIS WEEK, OCTOBER 9TH THROUGH 15TH IS THE HUNDREDTH ANNUAL FIRE PREVENTION WEEK.
UH, RESIDENTS CAN VISIT, UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S WEBPAGE FOR MORE INFO@HOUSTONTX.GOV SLASH FIRE, AND ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO REACH OUT TO THE GULF COAST RED CROSS TO HELP COORDINATE A SOUND THE ALARM EVENT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO RECEIVE FIRE SAFETY INFORMATION AND FREE SMOKE ALARM INSTALLATION.
SO, FIRST UP, UM, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE, UH, DIRECTOR SUSAN CHRISTIAN OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS, CHIEF SAM PENA FROM THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEF JAMES JONES.
UM, AND REMIND ME, ASSISTANT CHIEF JONES, ARE YOU GONNA COME UP FIRST? OKAY, GREAT.
SO, AT THIS TIME, CHAIR RECOGNIZES CHIEF JONES.
WE APPRECIATE YOU HAVING US HERE VERY QUICKLY.
UH, WE'RE HERE TO PROPOSE A CHANGE TO THE CODE OF ORDINANCE CHAPTER 25.
UH, THE SPECIAL EVENTS ORDINANCE, THE REASON WE BELIEVE THIS CHANGE IS NECESSARY IS TO PROVIDE SOME STRUCTURE.
SO WHEN WE HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, SPECIFICALLY IN OWING SPECIFICALLY, UH, LIVE MUSIC EVENTS, THIS, WE GIVE THE CITY A CHANCE TO, UM, TO, TO, UH, COORDINATE THE RESPONSE AND ACTUALLY LET, UH, REGULATE IT TO SOME DEGREE.
THE REASON THAT'S NECESSARY IS WHEN WE HAVE THESE, UH, UH, EVENTS ON, UH, IN THIS CASE, IT'S, WE'RE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, UM, LIVE, UH, VIEW, UH, MUSIC EVENTS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
I MEAN, I'M SORRY, I'M PRIVATE PROPERTY, PRIVATE PROPERTY.
UH, WHEN WE DON'T FIND OUT ABOUT 'EM, WHAT HAPPENS IS WE HAVE TO SEND RESOURCES AT THE LAST MINUTE, AND IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY.
AND IT ALSO DRAINS OUR, OUR OFFICERS, UH, FOR ABILITY TO RUN OTHER CALLS FOR SERVICE.
SO THE, THE STRAIN ON OUR RESOURCES, WHEN THIS DOES TAKE PLACE, IT'S NOT ALL THAT OFTEN, BUT WHEN IT DOES TAKE PLACE, IT DOES MAKE A, A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE IN OUR EFFORTS AT CRIME FIGHTING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
UH, THE EVENTS WE HAVE IN THE PAST THAT ACTUALLY BRINGS US TO MIND IS THERE WAS A, A SUMMER JAM FEST IN HOUSTON, AND I THINK IT WAS JULY OF LAST YEAR.
UH, IT WAS A EVENT THAT WAS EXPECTED TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO TO 4,000 PEOPLE.
IT WAS ON, ON A PIECE OF PASTURE PROPERTY.
THERE WAS A ONE ROAD INN, WHICH WAS A TWO LANE ROAD WITH STEEP FOUR FEET, UH, STITCHES ON BOTH SIDES.
THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR PEDESTRIANS TO WALK.
THERE WAS NO PARKING, VERY LITTLE PARKING, LIMITED PARKING ON SITE.
UH, SO WHEN WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS, WE WENT TO THE ORGANIZER AND SAID, THIS IS REALLY A BAD IDEA.
BUT WE HAD NO MECHANISM TO ENFORCE THAT OR PREVENT THEM FROM HAVING THE EVENT.
SO WE, WE PUT ALL OUR RESOURCES, WE HAD 40 TO 50 OFFICERS OUT THERE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS OUT THERE, AND IT WAS JUST IN CASE THE, TO THE EVENT, UH, COORDINATOR'S, UM, CREDIT, THEY, THEY PUT IT TOGETHER THE LAST MINUTE, AND THEY GOT THE RESOURCES THEY NEEDED.
AND WE'RE ALSO BENEFITED BY THE FACT THAT IT HAD A VERY SMALL TURNOUT COMPARED TO WHAT THEY EXPECTED.
BUT WE, TO PREVENT THIS IN THE FUTURE, I THINK THIS ORDINANCE, AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED TODAY WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
UH, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE, 'CAUSE I FUMBLED OVER THE START A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE I, I MANAGE EXPECTATIONS SLIGHTLY.
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TO THE ORDINANCE, WHICH IT ONLY AFFECTS PRIVATE PROPERTY, AND IT ONLY AFFECTS PRIVATE PROPERTIES AS TO LIVE MUSIC EVENTS OUTDOORS.AND THERE'S PROVISIONS THAT WILL, WILL BE BROUGHT UP LATER.
I THINK IT'S HAS TO BE EVENTS OF AT LEAST 500, UH, PERSONS OR, OR MORE.
SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE WILL GO THROUGH ON THE POWERPOINT RIGHT AFTER I'M DONE.
UM, THIS, I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED IS, AND, AND I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU THIS, THIS WILL ONLY AFFECT PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO EVENTS LIKE AT AT NRG, UM, ANY OTHER, UH, COUNTY OR CITY OWNED PROPERTY DOES NOT APPLY THIS.
THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THIS DOES NOT AFFECT, WELL, WE HAVE POP-UP, UH, STREET EVENTS, WHETHER THERE'LL BE, UH, UH, BLOCK PARTIES OR CAR SHOWS, THOSE THINGS WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY THIS ORDINANCE.
UH, IT IS LIMITED IN SCOPE, BUT I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD START AND SOMETHING I'M EXCITED FOR AND HOPE, UH, THIS COMMITTEE WILL LOOK AT, UH, SERIOUSLY.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I MENTIONED, WHEN WE HAD THAT EVENT LAST SUMMER, WE HAD 40 TO 50 OFFICERS, UH, OUR COMMAND STAFF.
WE HAD THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OUT THERE.
THERE WAS NO MEANS TO RECOUP THE COST TO THE CITY.
UH, WE WOULD'VE BEEN DERELICT IF WE HADN'T BEEN OUT THERE, BUT WE COULD NOT EX RECOUP THE COST THAT TO BE OUT THERE.
SO THIS, THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE WOULD ALLOW US TO RECOUP THOSE COSTS.
IT ALSO ALLOW US TO GET WITH THE ORGANIZER EARLIER, WHICH IS KEY.
'CAUSE REALLY WHAT WE WANT IS GOOD EVENTS.
WE REALLY WANT GOOD EVENTS AND WELL-MANAGED EVENTS, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS ORDINANCE WILL ALLOW US TO DO.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
SO AGAIN, WE ARE SEEING, UH, A BITE AT THE APPLE HERE, UH, A BIG APPLE, BUT ONE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING LIVE MUSIC EVENTS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT THE CITY MAY NOT BE AWARE OF, LET'S SAY UNTIL A WEEK OR MAYBE EVEN A DAY BEFORE.
YOU CAPITALIZE IT MUCH BETTER THAN I DID, SO, YES, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
WE ALREADY HAVE THIS FOR, FOR PUBLIC EVENTS.
UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE SPECIAL EVENTS ALREADY HANDLES THAT.
THEY REGULATE IT, AND THIS WOULD JUST SEEM TO SLIDE OVER NICELY AND ALLOW US TO, TO REGULATE, UH, PRIVATE EVENTS ON OPEN SPACE.
THANK YOU, ASSISTANT CHIEF, AND, UM, FOR STAFF AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'LL HOLD QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF ALL THREE PRESENTATIONS.
UH, CHIEF PENA, MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU, FIRST OF ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT, UH, THIS TO YOU.
AND, AND THANKS TO THE, TO THE COMMITTEE FOR, FOR THEIR ATTENTION ON THIS.
UM, AND YOU'RE EXACTLY CORRECT.
THIS IS, WE WANNA SPECIFY EXACTLY WHAT THIS PERTAINS TO.
UM, MS. SUSAN CHRISTIAN WILL BE GETTING MORE GRANULAR IN HER PRESENTATION AS FAR AS ALL THE SPECIFICS, BUT IT IS, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PUBLIC EVENTS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, 500 OR MORE THAT ARE EITHER OPEN TO THE PUBLIC OR TICKETED.
AND, AND SO IT'S, WE'RE LIMITING THE SCOPE OF THIS, OF THIS ORDINANCE.
BUT, UM, FROM MY OPINION, IS THE ORDINANCE IS, IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, IT, IT REALLY ALLOWS US, UH, FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE, UH, MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS TO, TO EVALUATE THE, THE EVENT AND PREPARE FOR, FOR A SAFE EVENT IN, IN OUR CITY.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE AFTER FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S PERSPECTIVE.
THE BENEFITS THAT WE GET FROM, FROM HAVING A, UH, THESE PARAMETERS, UH, PLACED IN THE ORDINANCE IS THE FACT THAT WE GET TO REVIEW THE EVENT ORGANIZER'S PLAN, UH, TO ENSURE THAT IT'S MEETING AT LEAST MINIMUM STANDARDS, RIGHT? THE SECOND THING THAT ALLOWS US TO DO IS, IS TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE IN LINE WITH WHAT THE FIRE CODE REQUIRES.
UH, FOR, FOR THESE TYPES OF EVENTS, IT ALLOWS US AN EVALUATION OF THE MEDICAL PLAN TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE ENOUGH EMTS AND, AND MEDICAL SUPPORT PERSONNEL, UH, CONTRACTED BY THE EVENT ORGANIZER TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN MEET THE EX, THE, THE EXPECTED RISK OF, OF THEIR EVENT.
IT ALLOWS US TO EVALUATE THE NUMBER OF EXITS BASED ON THE ESTABLISHED, UH, OR THE ANTICIPATED OCCUPANCY THAT THEY'RE EXPECTING.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, BECAUSE THIS DOESN'T EXIST IN CODE RIGHT NOW, IT ALLOWS US TO PLACE AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR OCCUPANCY LOADS IN THESE EVENTS.
AND, AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG, UH, ELEMENT, THAT'S A BIG DIMENSION, UH, WHEN, WHEN WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT SAFETY IN, IN THESE OPEN, IN THESE OPEN AREAS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHAT IT ALLOWS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO DO IS TO PLAN AHEAD FOR STAFFING TO, TO, TO MEET THE ANTICIPATED, UH, DEMAND IN, IN THESE EVENTS.
NOT THAT WE WANT TO TAKE OVER THE EVENT MEDICAL FOR, FOR THESE, UM, FOR THESE EVENTS,
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BUT WE SURE NEED TO STAFF UP, OR AT LEAST PRE-PLAN FOR ANY OVER SPILL FROM, FROM THE EVENTS AND WHAT EFFECT IT HAS ON THE REST OF THE CITY IF WE START DRAWING RESOURCES FROM OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY TO SUPPORT AN EVENT THAT'S NOT PROPERLY PLANNED.SO, AGAIN, IT ALLOWS, THE TIMELINE ALLOWS US TO, TO PUT EYES ON THIS, UH, ON THIS EVENT, IT ALLOWS US TO HOLD THE EVENT ORGANIZER TO AT LEAST A MINIMUM STANDARD AND ENSURE THAT ELEMENTS OF THE FIRE CODE ARE, ARE BEING CONSIDERED WHEN, WHEN THESE EVENTS ARE BEING PLANNED.
UM, I THINK NEXT UP WE HAVE DIRECTOR CHRISTIAN, AND I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS TO FOLLOW UP WITH BOTH OF YOU AFTER.
AND IT'S VERY GOOD TO SEE, AND I SHOULD SAY CONGRATULATIONS ON A VERY EXCITING THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE ANNOUNCEMENT.
UH, IT, IT, IT IS EXCITING AND THAT, THAT PARADE IS EXCITING EVERY YEAR, BUT, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE NOT YET SEEN THE NEWS, UH, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE 50 CENT AS OUR, UM, GRAND MARSHALL.
WE'LL HAVE BUN BEE PERFORMING, AND, YOU KNOW, I COULD GO ON, YOU, YOU OPENED UP THE DOOR, BUT I'LL TRY NOT TO TALK ABOUT THAT INCREDIBLE 73RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.
UM, SO WHAT I WANT TO DO AS, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M THE GRANULAR ONE ON THIS ONE.
UH, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD OPEN UP WITH IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK THAT WE ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS WHEN MY COLLEAGUES AND I GET TOGETHER PUBLIC WORKS, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, HPD, ANY OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS, WHEN WE APPROACH EVENTS, WE ALWAYS WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S COMING AT US SO THAT WE CAN PROPERLY PLAN AND THAT WE CAN PROPERLY HAVE, AND SO THAT WE CAN PROBABLY HAVE PROPERLY HAVE SAFE AND SECURE AND FUN EVENTS.
BUT THE, THE, THE VERY FOCUS IS COMMUNICATING THOSE EVENTS SO THAT THEY ARE SAFE AND SECURE.
SO, UH, WE'VE COME UP ON SOME CHALLENGES.
WE'RE NOT THE ONLY CITY THAT HAS COME UP ON THESE CHALLENGES, UH, IN RECENT YEARS ON WITH, UH, WITH EVENTS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, UH, WE HAVE WORKED VERY DILIGENTLY WITH OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, AND I WANNA THANK TRACY AND JOSEPH.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE ARE SO MUCH BETTER BECAUSE OF THE BRILLIANCE COMING OUT OF, UH, THAT DEPARTMENT, UH, TO, UH, REALLY FOCUS ON WHY WE NEED THINGS.
AND THEY REALLY ASK US THE TOUGH QUESTIONS, UH, BECAUSE, UH, SOME OF THESE ARE VERY CHALLENGING.
YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA SAY YES TO EVENTS BECAUSE IT'S MY JOB TO SAY YES TO EVENTS, BUT I WANT TO ENSURE, UH, YOU KNOW, AS A LONG TIME PUBLIC SERVANT THAT, UH, WE'RE NOT DRAINING OUR CITY RESOURCES AND COFFERS, AND THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING TO STOP EVERYTHING WE DO WHEN SOME OF THESE EVENTS, UH, COME UP LAST MINUTE AND CAUSE GREAT STRAIN ON THOSE RESOURCES.
SO I THINK JOSEPH AND, AND TRACY, THAT, UH, Y'ALL HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB IN HELPING US KIND OF CAPTURE, UH, THIS SPECIFIC, IT'S NARROW IN FOCUS.
IT'S OUTDOOR EVENTS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, OUTDOOR MUSIC EVENTS.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO FOCUS ON ANY OTHER CATEGORY.
WE WANNA KNOW WHAT THOSE EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN DRAINING, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN OF GREAT SAFETY CONCERN TO US OVER THE LAST TWO TO THREE YEARS.
UH, WE WANNA FOCUS ON THOSE AND IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, IF WE NEED TO ADJUST LATER ON AND INCLUDE SOMETHING ELSE, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS, UH, THE FRAMEWORK WOULD'VE BEEN SET WITH THESE.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT THE ONLY CITY THAT'S HAVING TO FACE THIS.
DALLAS PASSED AN ORDINANCE EARLIER, I THINK IT WAS IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR, UH, THAT ADDRESSED THE SAME THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH.
SO LEMME JUST GET RIGHT TO IT.
UH, WHY THE ORDINANCE IS NEEDED.
THE EXTENSIONS TO CHAPTER 25 ARE IN THAT SPECIAL EVENTS ORDINANCE ARE, UH, IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE RISK OF BEING INFORMED OF SUCH EVENTS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT COULD REQUIRE UNEXPECTED CITY RESOURCES.
KNOWING ABOUT THE EVENTS IN ADVANCE AND HAVING INPUT IN THE PLANNING, UH, WOULD HAVE, UH, WOULD HELP ENSURE THAT THE ORGANIZER HAS THE PROPER RESOURCES IN PLACE, INCLUDING TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, SECURITY, AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL, AND THAT THE CITY CAN ADEQUATELY STAFF HPD AND HFD AND EMS PERSONNEL IN ANTICIPATION OF LARGE UPCOMING, UH, UH, EVENTS.
AND EVEN THE SMALL ONES CAN CAUSE US HEARTBURN AND CONSTERNATION.
FYI ALSO WORKING IN ADVANCE WITH EVENT ORGANIZERS, WHETHER WE'RE PROVIDING THE SERVICES OR NOT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE THAT THEY HAVE SECURED THE INCREDIBLE PROFESSIONAL STAFF IN THE EVENTS OR, UH, ORDINANCE THAT HANDLES SAFETY, THAT HANDLES EMT SERVICES.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S US OR NOT.
WE DO, IN FACT, WE CAN'T HANDLE ALL OF THEM.
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BE THE FIRST ONES TO TELL YOU.UH, BUT WE DO HAVE INCREDIBLE, UH, COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE THESE SERVICE SERVICES AND OUR TEAM AND THEIR TEAMS NEED TO BE COMMUNICATING.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I, I THINK THAT'S REALLY FUNDAMENTAL.
UH, ADVANCED COMMUNICATION WILL IMPROVE THE IMPACT THAT OUTDOOR MUSIC EVENTS ALSO HAVE ON THEIR SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
WHEN SOME OF THESE POP UP, WE START GETTING COMPLAINTS.
IN FACT, OFTENTIMES IT'S, UH, IT'S TWO WAYS THAT WE HEAR OF THESE THINGS.
SOMETIMES IT IS JUST SOCIAL MEDIA, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE KNOWS THE INCREDIBLE JOB THAT HPD DOES IN MONITORING SOCIAL MEDIA.
THAT IS PART OF WHAT THEY'RE TASKED WITH EVERY DAY.
IT'S THE NEIGHBOR WHO MAY HAVE SEEN A SOCIAL MEDIA POST, UH, YOU KNOW, OR A FLYER WITHIN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY CALL US AND THEY GO, YOU DO REALIZE IT'S, THERE'S JUST ONE ROAD COMING TO US, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE HAVING THIS, UH, EVENT.
SO ANYWAY, MOVING ON TO, UM, THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS FOCUS, UH, THIS ORDINANCE FOCUSES ON, UH, OUTDOOR MUSIC EVENTS WITH MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.
THEY'RE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC OR REQUIRE A TICKET OR ENTRY FEE AND TAKE PLACE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
THE THIS EVENT TYPE HAS HISTORICALLY CAUSED THE MOST DIFFICULTIES OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
UH, AND ALSO THE OUTDOOR MUSIC EVENTS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY ARE NOT CURRENTLY REGULATED IN CODE.
THE WAY THAT PUBLIC EVENTS, UH, UH, ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, UH, ARE, ARE REGULATED, RIGHT? SO WE, UH, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE AN EVENT ON CITY PROPERTY, UH, THAT THOSE EVENTS COME THROUGH OR CLOSING DOWN STREETS, THOSE EVENTS, UH, COME THROUGH, UH, AND REQUESTS COME THROUGH MY OFFICE, AND THEN WE GATHER, UH, OUR, UM, UH, OUR DEPARTMENTS AROUND SO THAT IF WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND WE MEET AND, AND WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT, UH, THE EVENT THAT'S ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE, UH, BUT THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CONSTRUCTION CODE, IF MY, IF MY CODE DOESN'T IN CHAPTER 25 DOESN'T COVER IT, THERE'S GONNA BE A CONSTRUCTION CODE, SOUND PERMITTING, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, FIRE CODE ENFORCEMENT.
WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, AND WHAT THIS ORDINANCE DOES IS, UH, IS, UH, MAKE IT A A, A REALLY A, A, A SMOOTH PLAYING FIELD, UH, OR AN EVEN PLAY PLAYING FIELD FOR OUR SAFETY, UH, UH, PARTNERS PERMIT APPLICATION.
EVENT ORGANIZERS, UH, MAY APPLY FOR AN EVENT PERMIT 365 DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT, AND NO FEWER THAN 60 DAYS PRIOR TO THE START OF THE, OF AN EVENT WITHOUT PAYING A LATE FEE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NEW BECAUSE IN CHAPTER 25, WE DO NOT HAVE A LATE FEE.
CURRENTLY, WE ARE REQUESTING IT.
AND SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT, THAT FLOATS.
BUT, UH, THE DEMAND ON, ON OUR RESOURCES HAS BEEN GREAT.
UH, AGAIN, WE'RE, OUR WHOLE FOCUS IS GETTING AHEAD.
YOU CAN COME IN 365 DAYS, YOU CAN HAVE A GREAT IDEA AND COME IN 365 DAYS AND, UH, AND, AND GET WITH US, AND WE'LL START, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GET YOU ON THE CALENDAR AND WORK OUT ALL THE REQUISITES THAT'S NEEDED TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL EVENT.
OKAY? SO APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT DATE, UNLESS UNDER THE DIRECTION MY, UH, REASONABLE, REASONABLE DISCRETION.
DO I HAVE REASONABLE DISCRETION? I THINK I DO, UH, BASED ON THE SIZE AND COMPLEXITY OF THE EVENT, APPLICATIONS MUST INCLUDE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EVENT, INCLUDING MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY AND ENTERTAINMENT, PROPOSED EVENT CONTROL PLAN, INCLUDING CROWD MANAGEMENT, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, UH, PLAN FIRST AID, AND MEDICAL PLAN TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT.
THIS IS ALL THAT, WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN CHAPTER 25 WITH ALL EVENTS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, WE'RE SIMPLY SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS WORKS PRETTY WELL.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING THESE CHALLENGES.
WE WANT THESE PROMOTERS TO COME TO US.
AND, UM, AND WE JUST WANT THEM TO BE, WE WANT AN EVEN PLAYING FIELD FOR US, REQUIREMENTS, UH, ORGANIZERS AND EVENTS, HEADS OF SECURITY MUST BE AVAILABLE AND RESPONSIVE TO CITY LEADING, UH, LEADERSHIP AT THE EVENT, EVENT ORGANIZER MUST PROVIDE A DETAILED EVENT CONTROL PLAN, LAYING OUT SECURITY AND CROWD CONTROL INFORMATION, SITE PLAN DETAILS, FIRST AID AND MEDICAL INFORMATION, AND OTHER RELEVANT INFORMA INFORMATION EVENT ORGANIZER IS ACCOUNTABLE TO INFORM THE CITY OF ANY UPDATES OR CHANGES.
SO, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW I, HOW OFTEN YOU HAVE THE PERFECT PLAN, BUT SOMETIMES, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATE THAT THERE ARE CHANGES.
IF WE DON'T GET THOSE CHANGES THAT MAY, THEY MIGHT, THEY MAY BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IS REALLY INHERENT TO THE OVERALL PLAN, UH, AND AND DETRIMENTAL TO HAVING A SAFE EVENT AT THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION.
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NON-PAYMENT OF, UH, APPLICATION FEES ARE, ARE NOT FILED AT THE, IN THE TIME REQUIRED FAILURE TO PROVIDE OR RECEIVE APPROVAL FOR EVENT CONTROL PLANS.THE SIZE AND NATURE OF THE EVENT SPACE IS INADEQUATE TO ACCOMMODATE THE ANTICIPATED AUDIENCE.
AND OFTENTIMES, JUST SO YOU'LL KNOW THAT HAPPENS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, UH, AND WE, WE DON'T JUST SAY, NO, YOU CAN'T DO IT.
THE UNIQUENESS OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS IS WE WORK WITH THEM TO WORK WITH THE PRODUCER TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHY, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU MAKE THESE ADJUSTMENTS? AND SERIOUSLY, FOLKS, NINE TIME OUTTA 10, NINE TIMES OUTTA 10, THEY MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS BECAUSE THEY TOO RESPONSIBLE EVENT PROMO PROMOTERS WANT A SUCCESSFUL EVENT, AND WE, IT'S OUR JOB TO HELP 'EM GET THERE.
UH, APPLICATION CONTAINS FALSE OR MISRE, UH, MISREPRESENTED INFORMATION.
THE ORGANIZER HAS FAILED TO TIMELY TENDER ANY INSURANCE DOCUMENTATION, FAILURE TO PAY ANY FEES DUE OR REIMBURSE THE CITY FOR ANY COSTS OR FEES ASSESSED FOR CITY SERVICES PROVIDED FOR ANY PREVIOUS EVENT.
UH, SO GUYS, RIGHT NOW, JUST SO YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A VERY RESPONSIBLE THING.
WE IMPLEMENTED, WE'VE, UH, NOT HAD, UH, ANY ISSUES WITH IT AT ALL.
IF SOMEONE OWES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SOMETHING, OR FOR, FOR THAT MATTER, IF THEY OWE A SOUND PERMIT, I AM NOT GOING TO PERMIT EVENT UNTIL THEY MAKE GOOD WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR A RA THAT'S BEING RESPONSIBLE, RIGHT? WHEN I SAY WE SPEAK IN ONE VOICE, TRUST ME, WE DO A LOT OF TALKING.
I THINK YOU KNOW THAT FROM ME ANYWAY.
BUT, UH, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, WE DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR SISTER DEPARTMENTS ARE PROPERLY TAKEN CARE OF.
UM, THEN THE OTHER, UH, IF A LISTED PERFORMER, UH, UM, IF A LIST, UH, UH, I'M SORRY, FAILURE TO OBTAIN REQUISITE APPROVAL OF ANY OTHER PUBLIC AGENCY REQUIRED TO HOLD OUTDOOR MUSIC FESTIVAL.
YOU KNOW, SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT OUR EVENT, RATHER, AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, UH, TABC STATE LAW, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER CERTAIN CERTAINLY, UM, STATE AND MUNICIPAL LAWS THAT MAY APPLY, UH, OTHER THAN WHAT'S JUST ON THE FACE.
I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THEY'RE IN GOOD STANDING.
IF A LISTED PERFORMER HAS A PRIOR CONVICTION OF INCITING A RIOT IS UNDER INDICTMENT FOR, OR HAS A PENDING CHARGE FOR INCITING A RIOT, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT CONCERN FOR US.
PRIOR CONVICTIONS, UH, CONVICTION FOR ACTIONS TAKING PLACE AT AN EVENT OR A CONCERT, IF, IF, UH, THE PRODUCER OR, OR THEIR LINEUP, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE THIS CONSTERNATION, CERTAINLY A SECOND.
LOOK, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WANTING.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE MUST DO.
REVOCATION AND SUSPENSION OF A PERMIT, IT'S WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN CHAPTER 25.
I'VE BEEN HERE, HATE TO ADMIT IT, SINCE I WAS SIX, TWO OR 37 YEARS AGO, UH, SINCE, UH, 37 YEARS AGO, AND I'VE ONLY, UH, HAD SAID NO TO A PERMIT ON TWO OCCASIONS.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD RECORD WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU HAVE OVER 2000 EVENT DAYS IN A NON PANDEMIC YEAR.
SO, YOU KNOW, UH, THESE REVOCATIONS AND SUSPENSIONS OF PERMIT IS CURRENTLY, AND WE'VE JUST SIMPLY INCLUDED, UH, THE SAME PROCESS THAT WE, UM, CURRENTLY HAVE IN CHAPTER 25.
SAME THING, APPEAL OF A PERMIT, DENIAL OR REVOCATION.
AN EVENT ORGANIZER MAY APPEAL THE DENIAL, UH, OR REVOCATION.
UH, AND ALL OF THIS IS THE VERY SAME EXCEPT FOR ONE THING, UH, OF, UH, YOU KNOW, OF, OF EVENTS FOR, UH, PUBLIC PROPERTY EXCEPT FOR ONE THING.
AND OUR INCREDIBLE ATTORNEYS SAID, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE SHOULD CHANGE, UH, WHO IS, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WHO'S ACTUALLY REVIEWING THESE THINGS.
THE TWO TIMES WE, WE DID HAVE TO GO AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND MEET IN THIS REGARD.
UH, AND THAT'S, THAT THE HEARING WILL BE CONDUCTED BY AN IMPARTIAL HEARING OFFICER APPOINTED BY THE MOHS DIRECTOR.
THE DIRECTOR SHALL NOT DE DESIGNATE A PERSON TO ACT AS HEARING, UM, OFFICER WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
AND THAT'S WHAT OUR CURRENT ONE DOES.
SO,
AND SO, UH, THAT'S GREAT EMERGENCY RESPONSE RECOVERY COSTS.
THIS ALSO IS NEW IN THE EVENT OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
THE CITY MAY PURSUE COST RECOVERY FEES AND EXPENSES IF THE EVENT WAS OPERATED EITHER WITHOUT AN APPROVED PERMIT OR IN VIOLATION OF AN APPROVED PERMIT.
THIS INCLUDES THE COST OF PROVIDING POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS, PARAMEDICS, AND RESCUE SERVICES, COST OF EQUIPMENT OPERATION, COST OF MATERIALS, UH, OBTAINED AND USED BY THE CITY.
AND ANY PROPERTY DAMAGE WE WANNA GO AFTER 'EM.
OFFENSES AND PENALTIES IS THE NEXT SLIDE.
A PERSON COMMITS AN OFFENSE UNDER THIS SECTION IF THEY CONDUCT AN OUTDOOR MUSIC EVENT, UH, WITHOUT AN APPROVED OUTDOOR MUSIC EVENT PERMIT.
AFTER THE APPROVED OUTDOOR MUSIC PERMIT IS SUSPENDED OR REVOKED, OR IN VIOLATION OF AN APPROVED EVENT CONTROL PLAN, IT IS AN OFFENSE FOR BOTH
[00:25:01]
THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY OF THE EMERGENCY CONTACT.IF THE EMERGENCY CONTACT FAILS TO RESPOND TO A CITY REPRESENTATIVE IN A TIMELY FASHION, AS OUTLINED IN CHAPTER 25.
IT IS ALSO AN OFFENSE IF THE, UH, EMERGENCY CONTACT FAILS TO BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT AT THE OUTDOOR MUSIC EVENT TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ACCESS AND COMMUNICATION WITH POLICE OFFICERS OR CODE ENFORCE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
AND GUYS, YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW MANY TIMES THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
IT'S, UH, IT'S JUST REALLY A BAD DEAL.
WE MUST HAVE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ORGANIZING THE EVENT AND PEOPLE WHO ARE SECURING THE EVENT ON SITE AT ALL TIMES.
ANY OF OFFENSE COMMITTED UNDER THIS ARTICLE IS A MISDEMEANOR PUNISHMENT UPON CONVICTION BY A FINE NOT TO EXCEED 2000.
I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED THAT THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, CITY OF DALLAS IS ALREADY IMPLEMENTED.
UH, THERE, UH, AN ORDINANCE SIMILAR.
UH, THERE ARE OTHER CITIES THAT ARE LOOKING AT IT.
PERHAPS THEY HAVE IMPLEMENTED, I DON'T KNOW, I JUST KNOW ABOUT DALLAS, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THIS IS, UH, UH, THIS IS OF CONCERN WITH MANY CITIES THROUGHOUT THE NATION.
UM, AND, AND SO IT'S JUST KIND OF THE NEXT, THE NEXT STEP, UH, FOR MUNICIPALITIES.
I, I ALSO JUST SUBMIT COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS IS GOING TO BE ON COUNCIL HOPE, HOPEFULLY PRETTY SOON.
UH, BUT PRIOR TO THAT, UH, TIME AND, UH, HOPEFULLY, UM, WELL PRIOR TO THAT TIME, WE WOULD ALSO MEET WITH STAKEHOLDERS, UM, SO THAT WE KNOW THE STAKEHOLDERS.
REMEMBER, THERE'S A LOT OF THESE PRIVATE, UH, VENUES WHO CURRENTLY COME TO US,
I MEAN, YOU'VE BEEN TO EIGHTH WONDER BREWERY, AND IF NOT, I'LL INVITE YOU TO COME WITH ME ANYTIME THAT THEY CLOSE THE EVENTS AND I CAN MAKE IT.
UH, BECAUSE THERE, THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT RESPONSIBLE PLAYERS OUT THERE THAT ARE DOING THIS.
WHAT WE'RE WANTING TO GO OUT THERE IS JUST EVEN UP THAT PLAYING FIELD, LET EVERYBODY KNOWS KNOW WHAT THE, UH, UH, WHAT THE, WHAT WE NEED TO, UH, ENSURE SAFETY IN OUR, UH, IN OUR EVENT, UH, WORLD HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND, UM, AND SO WE'LL MEET WITH THE STAKE THOSE STAKEHOLDERS, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S, YOU KNOW, UH, ON, UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE'RE DOING AND SPECIFICALLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE'RE NOT, WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING.
AND SO, KIND OF LIKE THOSE THREE OR FOUR BULLETS ON WHAT WE'RE NOT, WHAT THIS DOES NOT, UH, AFFECT IS WE'RE NOT AFFECTING THOSE DECKS.
THEY ALREADY HAVE OCCUPANCY ANYTHING WITH AN OCCUPANCY PERMIT, ANYTHING WITH AN OCC OCCUPANCY PERMIT.
WHITE OAK MUSIC HALL, LOVE THOSE GUYS OVER THERE.
THEY DO A GREAT JOB, HAVE A LOT OF GREAT EVENTS, ESPECIALLY ROCK AND ROLL EVENTS, AND YOU, YOU CAN COME WITH ME FOR TO SEE THOSE TWO, BUT WE'RE NOT AFFECTING THOSE.
THEY DON'T GET OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE OF THEIR, UH, FOOTPRINT.
SO, UH, BUT IF THEY WANTED TO, THEY'D COME TO US TO GET A, A STREET FUNCTION PERMIT.
UM, SO ANYWAY, I THINK THAT PRETTY MUCH DESCRIBES IT.
I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONS.
AND, UH, STAFF, UM, AS YOU JUST SAID THIS, THIS DOES NOT AFFECT, UH, OFFICIAL MUSIC VENUES THAT HAVE OUTDOOR LIVE MUSIC CURRENTLY.
AGAIN, PLACES LIKE WHITE OAK MUSIC HALL AND OTHERS.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY, UM, ONE TYPE OF PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT'S OUTDOORS THAT WOULDN'T TRADITIONALLY HAVE THIS.
AND SEE POPUPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND EVERYONE'S, EVERYONE'S SCRAMBLING TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY AND IT'S A STRAIN ON RESOURCES.
UM, FIRST IN QUEUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, FIRST, HOW WOULD SOMEONE KNOW THAT THEY NEEDED THIS PERMIT? ARE THERE OTHER PERMITS THAT THEY'RE ALREADY GETTING AND WE'RE JUST ADDING THIS TO THEIR, THE LIST OF PERMITS THEY NEED? OR HOW WOULD THEY KNOW? RIGHT.
WELL, WE WILL COMMIT TO, I WILL COMMIT TO DOING, YOU KNOW, ONCE THIS GETS ON COUNCIL, UH, AND WITHIN THE BODY, UH, OF, OF THE, UH, NEW EDITION, RIGHT OF THE CHAPTER, IT, UH, UH, WE WILL, IT STATES THAT IT'S A 90 DAY PROCESS TO START THIS, TO START THIS PLAN.
SO WE HAVE 90 DAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REALLY GET A GOOD PR CAMPAIGN, UH, SO THAT EVERYONE WILL KNOW ABOUT IT.
REMEMBER ALSO, WE WORK WITH SO MANY, UH, BRICK AND MORTARS RIGHT NOW, SO THAT WE CAN REACH OUT TO THEM.
YOU KNOW, PART PART OF MEETING WITH STAKEHOLDERS IS MEETING WITH PEOPLE IN THE EVENTS INDUSTRY OR PLACES THAT DO EVENTS OR PLACES THAT OPEN UP, UH, THEIR VENUES TO PROMOTERS WHO PRODUCE EVENTS.
AND SO WE'LL REACH OUT TO ALL OF THOSE THAT THOSE ARE NOT UNFAMILIAR WITH US, UH, OR TO US, UH, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, EXPLAIN WHAT THIS PROCESS IS.
AND THAT WOULD BE PRIOR, UH, PRIOR TO
[00:30:01]
Y'ALL VOTING.BUT, BUT LASTLY, WE WOULD DO A BIG CAMPAIGN.
UH, ONCE Y'ALL APPROVE THIS, IF YOU THINK IT'S WORTHY OF APPROVAL, WE'D DO A BIG CAMPAIGN, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THE HEADACHES WITH OUR, OUR PARTNERS IN THE INDUSTRY EITHER, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE OUR FRIENDS.
THESE ARE WHO WE WORK WITH ON A DAILY BASIS.
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE, I'LL HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THERE ARE SOME CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE DON'T KNOW.
AND SO WE'LL JUST DO THE BEST WE CAN, UH, AND THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, AND THROUGH, UH, STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS.
UM, AND WHAT IS THE COST FOR A PERMIT AND A COST FOR PERMIT IS I HAVE THAT AND I KNOW THAT, AND I SIGN PERMITS EVERY DAY.
AND, UM, IF, WHAT HAPPENS IF, AND I THINK WE SAID 200, 200 FOR A LATE FEE, 200, BUT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, I AM GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT.
UH, SOMETHING I FORGOT TO BRING UP WE'RE, WE ARE WORKING WITH A RA, UH, TO VET THE COST, AND WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO INCORPORATE, UH, A PENALTY OR WE'RE NOT TRYING TO CHARGE BACK IN OUR LATE FEE WHAT IT TAKES, $200 DOESN'T COME NEAR IT.
IT'S, THAT IS NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UH, WE JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY SEND A REALLY STRONG MESSAGE THAT, HEY, GUYS, WE NEED YOUR HELP.
AND WHAT I BELIEVE A RESPONSIBLE PRODUCER WHO, UH, UH, I'M A PRODUCER MYSELF, I WANT EVERYONE, UH, YOU KNOW, TO, TO DEAL WITH THEIR EVENT RESPONSIBLY.
AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THEY WILL, WE'RE ALSO NOTORIOUSLY CHEAP IN THE EVENTS WORLD.
IF WE CAN SAVE $200, WE'RE GONNA GO IN AT LEAST ON THAT 50, UH, 59TH DAY
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS, UM, WHAT HAPPENS IF THE PERMIT IS DENIED? OR MAYBE SOMEONE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY NEEDED A PERMIT AND THEY, UM, HAVE THE EVENT ANYWAY.
I SAW THAT THERE'S THE FINE, BUT IS THERE GOING TO BE ANYTHING IN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ALLOW HPD TO, OR SOMEONE ELSE TO SHUT DOWN THE EVENT? OR IS IT JUST THE FINE, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS IF WE JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, WE KNOW ABOUT IT 24 HOURS IN, IN ADVANCE.
AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO, AS WE DO QUITE OFTEN, UM, AND, AND PERHAPS JOSEPH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADDRESS THAT, BUT, UH, AS WE DO, QUITE OFTEN, WE REALLY LOOK AT THE EVENT.
OUR JOB IS NOT, OUR INTENT IS NOT TO, UH, ZING PEOPLE.
UH, BUT IF THEY'VE PUT TOGETHER A POOR PLAN, YOU KNOW, YES.
WE WILL NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY SHUT THAT DOWN.
AND, AND, AND MIGHT I, MIGHT I ADD THAT BADGE RIGHT THERE IN THE BADGE HE'S WEARING? IF THERE'S ANY, I DON'T CARE WHAT PROPERTY YOU YOU'RE ON, IF THERE'S ANY, UH, QUESTION, UH, ABOUT A, YOU KNOW, UH, A PERCEIVED DANGER, THEY CAN GO ANYWHERE TO SHUT SOMETHING DOWN OR AT LEAST PAUSE IT AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, SOMETIMES I THINK WE FORGET THAT.
UH, I SEE NO OTHER STAFF OR COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE, BUT I DID WANNA RECOGNIZE ONLINE, UM, WE DO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ THAT JOINED US VERY EARLY ON, AS WELL AS, UH, STAFF IN CHAMBERS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMBER'S OFFICE, UM, DIRECTOR, I'M GONNA, UH, THE KIND OF ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, UH, AS WE NEAR THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF ASTROWORLD IS, DOES THIS ADDRESS ASTROWORLD, UM, CHIEF JONES HAD MENTIONED WHAT THIS DOESN'T DO, BUT JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR FOR THE PUBLIC IN TERMS OF WHAT THIS DOES AND DOESN'T NEW, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? IT DOES NOT.
UH, IN, IN, IN, IN SHORT, IT DOES NOT, UH, THERE ARE OTHER, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR PUT TOGETHER A SPECIAL EVENTS TASK FORCE TO, UH, THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA, ACTUALLY WITH THE COUNTY, WE'RE ADDRESSING, UH, THAT, UH, IN VARIOUS MEETINGS.
AND THAT'S STILL AN ONGOING PROCESS.
UM, AND SO HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THAT WILL COME TO A HEAD AS WELL ON RECOMMENDATIONS BACK TO THEM.
WELL, I KNOW I COMMEND, UM, YOU, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND OF COURSE MAYOR TURNER THOUGH, FOR NOT STOPPING THERE AND LOOKING AT THIS HOLISTICALLY IN TERMS OF WHAT SOUNDS LIKE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ISSUES THAT THE CITY CONTINUES TO FACE.
UM, WE HEARD FROM CHIEF JONES THAT FROM HP D'S PERSPECTIVE, AND HE GAVE A GREAT EXAMPLE.
THIS IS AN ISSUE IN REAL TIME.
I JUST WANNA ASK YOU ON THE RECORD, UH, DOES YOUR OFFICE EXPERIENCE ACTUAL EVENTS THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS ADDRESSING? YES, IT DOES.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOK, IT, IT AFFECTS MY LITTLE BITTY OFFICE TOO.
I DON'T HAVE A BIG OLD STAFF, BUT, UH, WHEN, UH, HE SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED, UH, THE EVENT THIS, UH, THIS SUMMER, BUT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GONNA LOOK AT THE
[00:35:01]
MAYOR'S OFFICE SPECIAL EVENT STAFF AND THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT THEY'VE PUT ON IT, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT THEY'VE PUT ON IT.WHEN, WHEN THIS HAPPENED WITH, UH, WITH THIS PARTICULAR EVENT THAT, UH, CHIEF JONES MENTIONED, UH, THEY CALLED US AND THEY SAID, DID YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS EVENT? AND WE'RE LIKE, NO.
AND IN FACT, THAT EVENT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE AT THE POWER CENTER AND, UH, THE POWER CENTER FOR WHATEVER REASON, DON'T KNOW, DON'T CARE.
THEY JUST SAID, YOU CAN'T DO THE EVENT.
THEY HAVE, THEY WERE ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED.
WHAT WE FOUND OUT TO DO THE EVENT THERE, THE POWER CENTER SAID, NOPE, NOT GONNA DO IT.
SO THEN THEY WENT TO THIS OTHER EVENT, WHICH WAS JUST NOT SUITABLE FOR WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY WERE LAYING OUT OF WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO.
THERE WAS ONE WAY, IN, ONE WAY OUT THERE WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, TO THE, MAYBE IT'S THE WEST.
I DON'T, I CAN'T REMEMBER RIGHT.
THIS NOW THE WEST OF THEM IMMEDIATELY.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY NEEDED BECAUSE WHAT CATCHES YOUR EYE WHEN YOU DO LOOK AT THE EXPENSE, IT'S, IT'S THESE GUYS' BUDGETS.
YOU KNOW, YOU ARE NOT GONNA BUT IT, IT SATS HOURS OUT OF MY LITTLE OFFICE.
AND SO I CAN ONLY IMAGINE, UH, WHAT THESE GUYS ARE DOING.
BUT WE DON'T GO IN THERE SOLELY.
WE IMMEDIATELY, JUST AS WE PLAN SUCCESSFUL EVENTS OR PLAN FOR SUCCESSFUL EVENTS, UM, WE PICK UP THE PHONE OR IF WE SEE AN EMAIL, WE'RE FLIPPING AROUND LIKE YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE.
I MEAN, WE ARE ALL KISSING COUSINS.
IT'S JUST, IT IS WHAT IT IS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT COULD TURN INTO SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY SERIOUS.
AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON, NOT JUST LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN BUILDING THIS TEAM FOR THREE DECADES, AND, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S JUST NECESSARY.
AND I APPRE APPRECIATE ALL THE GUIDANCE THAT Y'ALL, YOU'VE GIVEN US.
COUNCIL MEMBER, OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND, UM, SO ANYWAY, HOPEFULLY THIS WILL GET ON COUNCIL AGENDA AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, PRETTY SOON.
AND, AND WE CAN PREPARE FOR THE SPRING SEASON.
IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN THIS, THIS FALL SEASON OR THE WINTER.
IT'D BE REALLY SPRING WHEN YOU THINK OF 90 DAYS OUT.
AND, UM, AND I'LL, I'LL CALL UP CHIEF PENA AND CHIEF JONES IN JUST A SECOND.
BUT YOU SAID YOUR OFFICE HANDLES OVER 2000 IN NON PANDEMIC YEARS.
UH, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF OUR, OUR STATS ARE, UH, RIGHT AT AROUND AND IT CHANGES A LITTLE BIT EVERY YEAR, BUT RIGHT AT AROUND 2000 EVENT DAYS, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE, WE MAY HAVE AN EVENT THAT IS MULTIPLE DAYS, RIGHT? SO, UH, AT FESTIVALS, WHEN YOU HAVE FESTIVALS, THEY'RE GENERALLY OVER A WEEKEND WHEN WE HAVE A FARMER'S MARKET, ONE THAT WE PRODUCE, UH, WE WE HAVE IT EVERY, UM, ONCE A WEEK, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO, UH, AND THEN WE HAVE ABOUT 10 MILLION PEOPLE.
UH, OF COURSE THAT'S OUTSIDE OF A PANDEMIC.
AND I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW FAST WE ARE ALL SCRAMBLING BECAUSE EVERYONE IS WANTING TO GET BACK, UH, TO HAVING A VIABLE CIVIC, UH, EVENT, UH, PLAN, UH, YOU KNOW, BACK UP TO THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAD PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, RIGHT? AND THIS IS NOT MEANT TO, UM, RESTRICT OR PROHIBIT EVENTS FROM HAPPENING.
THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR PLANNED PROPERLY, THE CITY IS AWARE WITH ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT IT CAN BE A SAFE AND FUN EVENT FOR EVERYONE.
UM, THAT'S WHAT THIS INTENT IS, CORRECT? 100%.
AND, AND REMEMBER, UH, OFTENTIMES WHEN THERE, THERE, THERE ARE OCCASIONAL EVENT EVENTS OUT THERE THAT IT, IT'LL BE A WHOOPSIE AND IT'LL BE A WHOOPSIE FROM THE PEOPLE WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FOR DECADES.
LIKE, OH MY GOD, I HAVE PIT BULL THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GALLERIA.
IT'S SATURDAY, HE'S PERFORMING TONIGHT, AND WE DON'T HAVE A SOUND PERMIT.
OR, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, AND WE'RE LIKE, YOU'VE GOT TO BE GETTING RIGHT.
THESE THINGS HAPPEN, BUT WE WORK, WE WORK WITH THEM, UH, YOU KNOW, AS, AS OFTEN AS WE CAN.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES JUST STUFF HAPPENS.
WE WILL BE AS FAIR AS WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN.
I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, WHETHER I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES, THEY CAN SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, BUT OR MY OFFICE, WE ARE A FAIR, INCREDIBLY WELL OR OILED MACHINE BETWEEN OUR COMMUNICATION OF ALL DEPARTMENTS AND WE JUST, UH, WE JUST NEED SOME HELP SO THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING TO STOP LITERALLY EVERYTHING WE DO WITH SOME OF THESE BAD PLAYERS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD PLAYERS THAT SOMETIMES HAVE AN OOPSY, YOU KNOW, BUT WITH SOME OF THESE BAD PLAYERS WHO HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHO HAVE PRESENTED, PUT THEMSELF INTO A SITUATION THAT IT'S CAUSING A HUNDRED THOUSAND, UH, 200,000 AND TAKING PEOPLE, UH, THAT THEY HAVE PLANNED FOR THEIR REGULAR SCHEDULES TO HANDLE THIS EMERGENCY THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING AT US.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S REALLY THAT
[00:40:01]
DIRE IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES.AND LASTLY, I'M SORRY, UH, JUST 'CAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT IN TERMS OF COST, YOU'RE STILL ASSESSING, UM, THE FEE THAT COULD BE INCURRED.
UM, WHEN, CAN YOU JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AGAIN? SURE.
WELL, HERE'S, HERE'S THE COOL THING.
WE'VE DONE A, A, A LOT OF THE LION'S SHARE OF THAT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE GONE THROUGH PROCESSES BEFORE WITH A RA AND SO, AND THE OTHER THING TOO IS WE ACTUALLY COLLECT FEES AND, UH, AND OR AT LEAST IF WE DON'T COLLECT FEES, WE ORGANIZE WHAT IT WILL COST A PRODUCER TO ENGAGE THE SERVICES OF HPD OR, UH, OR FIRE PERSONNEL OR FOR THAT MATTER, TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL, RIGHT? UH, AND SO WE KNOW WHAT EVERYBODY MAKES
AGAIN, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP AGAIN, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT TRYING TO CHARGE BACK TO THOSE PRODUCING ENTITIES WHAT THE TRUE COST WOULD BE.
THE MARKET WOULD NOT BEAR THAT WE, A $200 FEE IS NOTHING.
AND, UH, UH, AND, AND THERE ARE SOME THAT WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY THAT.
UH, AND, UH, AND THERE ARE OTHERS THAT, AND WE THINK THE MAJORITY OF CERTAINLY RESPONSIBLE PRODUCERS, UH, WILL GET THEIR APPLICATION IN SOONER THAN 60 DAYS.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
UM, CHIEF JONES AND CHIEF PENA, IF Y'ALL WOULDN'T MIND COMING BACK UP.
SO, CHIEF JONES, I KNOW YOU SPOKE TO THIS, BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M ASKING IT, AND IT'S VERY CLEAR FOR THE PUBLIC, UM, AGAIN, YOU AS HPD HAS EXPERIENCED INSTANCES WHERE, UM, THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE HAS OCCURRED.
YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL, BUT THIS IS A NEED THAT YOU ALL ARE ADDRESSING THROUGH THIS.
IS THAT CORRECT? IT, IT IS DEFINITELY A NEED.
UH, I MEAN, IT CAME VERY APPARENT TO ME, YOU KNOW, THE EVENT I JUST DISCUSSED, THAT IT WAS VERY NECESSARY.
I, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO, TO GET A PROMOTER TO DO WHAT THEY SHOULD DO, AND YOU HAVE NO WAY TO ENFORCE THEM TO DO THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE MENTIONED SHUTTING THE SHOW DOWN.
WELL, SURE THAT CAN HAPPEN, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE, THERE'S GOTTA BE EMERGENCY FOR US TO DO IT, AND THAT'S TOO LATE.
WE DON'T WANNA WAIT TILL AN EMERGENCY TO SHUT SOMETHING DOWN.
WE WANNA TAKE CARE OF IT ON THE FRONT END SO WE CAN HAVE A GOOD PERFORMANCE AND EVERYBODY ENJOYS IT AND GOES HOME SAFELY.
AND IT, IT, THERE IT'S LIMITED.
THERE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THE THOUSANDS OF THESE EVENTS A YEAR, BUT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE THAT IT'LL DEFINITELY AFFECT US.
AND TO THAT POINT, THERE MAY JUST BE A FEW EVENTS A YEAR, BUT CAN YOU TALK, AS THE DIRECTOR DID TO THE COST, THE STRAIN ON RESOURCES AND THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT? Y YES.
I, I, I, YOU KNOW, OVER TIME, AND IF WE HAVE TIME TO, TO ORGANIZE IT, WE'LL BRING IN PEOPLE ON OVERTIME, AND THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS IF WE CAN DO THAT.
BUT THAT COST OF THAT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO THE CITY.
UH, SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, 60, 70, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A MAJOR EVENT.
AND THAT'S JUST ON THE HPD SIDE.
AND IT DOESN'T INCLUDE PUBLIC WORKS, DOESN'T INCLUDE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO THERE'S A, A TREMENDOUS COST THAT'S BORNE BY THE CITY, AND IT SHOULD BE PROPERLY BE BORNE OR COULD BE PREVENTED ALTOGETHER.
IF WE HAVE THIS ORDINANCE AND THE PRODUCERS ARE HELD RESPONSIBLE TO, TO SET UP THE EVENT PROPERLY, UH, STAFF IT WITH SECURITY, STAFF IT WITH A GOOD, UH, A TRAFFIC PLAN, UH, THE, THE EMS HAVE THEM ON SITE.
SO I, I THINK THIS WILL HELP EVERYBODY AND IT'LL MAKE THE, THE EVENT SAFER AND BETTER, BUT WON'T, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SHOULDN'T BE PREVENTING THEM UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO, WHO JUST SHOULD NOT BE HOSTING AN EVENT IN, IN SOME LOCATIONS JUST AREN'T SUITABLE.
AND CHIEF PENA, SAME QUESTION FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, YES OR NO, YOU ALL HAVE HAD ALREADY IN THE PAST SPECIFIC INSTANCES THAT THIS ORDINANCE WOULD ADDRESS? ABSOLUTELY.
SO LOOK, WE'RE, UH, WE'RE AT THE SAME EVENTS THAT HPD IS AT, AND THEY'RE THE SAME EVENTS OR INCIDENTS THAT WE RESPOND TO AS WELL.
WHAT THIS, UH, ORDINANCE WILL DO IS GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF, OF ABILITY TO PLAN AHEAD.
THE IMPACT TO US, UH, IS ESSENTIALLY IN SERVICE TO THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY WHEN WE'RE HAVING TO DRAW IN RESOURCES FROM OTHER AREAS OF, OF THE CITY TO ADDRESS A A ILL PLANNED EVENT, UM, BECAUSE IT GOES SIDEWAYS, THAT HAS A, A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON OUR ABILITY TO SERVICE THE NEEDS OF THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHAT THIS, UM, WHAT THIS ORDINANCE WOULD DO, AND MY HAT IS OFF TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO CAPTURE ALL OUR RAMBLING THOUGHTS INTO AND NEEDS ONTO A WORKABLE, UH, DOCUMENT.
AND SO, LOOK, WE ARE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, THEIR WORK, BUT, BUT IT'LL ALLOW US TO PROPERLY PLAN AND, AND STAFF
[00:45:01]
AND ANTICIPATE CERTAIN THINGS AHEAD OF TIME ON THESE EVENTS.UM, THAT WILL HOPEFULLY, ONE, THE MAIN GOAL IS TO, IS TO HAVE A SAFE EVENT, RIGHT? BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BE PROPER STEWARDS OF NOT ONLY OUR RESOURCES, BUT MAINTAIN A CERTAIN LEVEL OF COVERAGE FOR THE REST OF OUR CITY.
UH, ANY, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IN QUEUE FOR EITHER OF Y'ALL.
UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE RE TO ALL OF THE RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS THAT WORKED ON THIS, INCLUDING LEGAL.
UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL.
I KNOW Y'ALL ARE THE QUIET ONES IN THE BACK A LOT OF THE TIME.
AND CHIEF, I KNOW YOU HAD, UM, AN ADDITIONAL, UH, WE HAD AN ADDENDUM TO THE PRESENTATION, AN ADD-ON, UH, THAT YOU WANTED TO COVER REALLY QUICKLY, UH, BEFORE WE GO ROOT ON THE ASTROS.
SO REALLY QUICKLY, AND THIS IS A, THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR US, AND, AND IT'S REALLY GOOD NEWS.
SO THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, MYSELF AND STAFF, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, ON SECURING FUNDS TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE PHYSICALS FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS MEDICAL PHYSICALS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, A CANCER SCREENING FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
UH, CANCER REMAINS ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH IN THE FIRE SERVICE.
AND WITH YOUR HELP, MAYOR TURNERS AND THE REST OF COUNCIL, WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IS, IS WE'VE PULLED DOWN ALMOST A LITTLE OVER $11 MILLION IN GRANTS IN THE LAST FIVE AND A HALF YEARS TO THE MAJORITY OF THOSE HAVE GONE TO HEALTH AND SAFETY INITIATIVES, WHETHER IT'S EQUIPMENT, WHETHER IT'S UPGRADING OUR FIRE STATIONS WITH THE EXHAUST SYSTEMS, WHETHER IT'S, UH, TRAINING, UM, ALL THOSE DOLLARS HAVE GONE TOWARDS THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF FIREFIGHTERS.
THIS PORTION IS, UH, OVER $2 MILLION THAT WE RECEIVED THROUGH FEMA UNDER THE ASSISTANCE OF FIREFIGHTERS GRANTS.
THE A FG GRANT, IT'S THE 2021 GRANT.
WE, THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR WE APPLIED FOR IT.
WE WERE DENIED FOR WHATEVER REASON, BUT, UH, THIS WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR US TO PURSUE AGAIN, AND WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN, IN, UH, OBTAINING THIS GRANT.
AGAIN, IT'LL ALLOW US TO DO AN COUNCIL JUST APPROVED US ACCEPTING THE GRANT YESTERDAY.
WE'RE GONNA BE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS TO FIND A VENDOR THAT'LL PROVIDE THE NFPA REQUIRED.
THOSE ARE SPECIFIC, UM, THINGS THAT, THAT ARE CHECKED AND THAT ARE EVALUATED MEDICALLY, UM, FOR FIREFIGHTERS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE CANCER SCREENING, A FULL CANCER SCREENING IS GONNA BE PROVIDED AS PART OF THIS, THIS INITIATIVE.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT PREVENTION IS, IS KEY, AND IF WE CATCH THINGS EARLY, UM, A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE A BETTER OUTCOME AT THE END.
MY HOPE IS MOVING FORWARD, UM, IMPLEMENTING THIS PROGRAM AND THEN ADVOCATING TO, UH, YOU KNOW, MAYOR AND, AND COUNCIL FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO BE INVESTED INTO, TO MAINTAIN THIS PROGRAM FROM HERE FORTH.
SO AGAIN, IT'S A, IT'S A BIG DEAL.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF.
UH, I WANNA THANK THE, MY COMMAND STAFF AND SUPPORT STAFF AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR, FOR THEIR DILIGENCE IN, IN, IN PURSUING THIS THING.
I KNOW SOMETIMES I, I PUSH 'EM, YOU KNOW, HARD AND, AND SOMETIMES I FEEL REALLY, REALLY BAD BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING LONG HOURS, BUT THIS IS THE FRUIT OF THEIR, OF THEIR EFFORTS AND, AND THIS IS GONNA GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS, TOWARDS ENSURING HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
UH, AGAIN, I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THE NUMBER OVER 3,500, UH, MEMBERS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THESE SCREENINGS, RIGHT? UH, WHICH IS CRITICAL, SO, CORRECT.
Y'ALL HAVE, AS HAS HPD AS, HAS THE ENTIRE CITY GOTTEN VERY GOOD AT GOING AFTER GRANTS WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES OURSELVES? UM, I WISH IT WASN'T THAT WAY.
I WISH WE HAD ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WE COULD EXPEND, BUT, UH, MY HAT'S OFF TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UH, THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON AT COUNCIL YESTERDAY, SO I'M GLAD WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPOTLIGHT THIS YEAH.
AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
YEAH, NO, NO, I, I, AND I WANNA THANK YOU ALL.
I WANNA THANK COUNCIL AND, AND THOSE THAT APPROVE OUR BUDGETS FOR, BECAUSE THE, THE GRANT MATCH HERE IS OVER $300,000 FROM, FROM THE CITY.
SO THAT'S AS A RESULT OF YOUR EFFORTS, MAYOR TURNER'S SUPPORT ON THIS.
AND, UH, LOOK, WE, UM, IT, IT IS, IT'S A BIG DEAL.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY NOW THAT WE'RE IN THIS FORUM, THAT THESE ARE NON-PUNITIVE, UH, EVALUATIONS.
OKAY? UH, THEY'RE GONNA, ALL OUR FIREFIGHTERS, ACTIVE DUTY FIREFIGHTERS ARE GONNA HAVE ACCESS TO THIS, TO THIS, UM, UH, EVALUATION, THIS MEDICAL, UH, SCREENING.
WHAT MY GOAL IS, IS TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION, THEIR MEDICAL INFORMATION, AND IF SOMETHING COMES UP IN THOSE TESTS, THAT THEY, UH, THAT THEY HAVE THE TIME TO TAKE CARE OF IT EARLY.
SO THAT'S THE GOAL, RIGHT? THANK YOU, CHIEF.
I DON'T SEE ANYONE IN QUEUE FROM THIS.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I'M JUST MAKING SURE WE
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DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER ITEMS. UM, WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANNA, AGAIN, THANK ALL THE, ALL OF OUR PRESENTERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF, UH, FOR JOINING TODAY.
UH, DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE HAD THIS SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, UH, WE WILL NOT BE CONVENING NEXT WEEK, UH, FOR OUR STANDARD MEETING ON THE 20TH.
SO THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE IN NOVEMBER.
AGAIN, THE AGENDA AND PRESENTATIONS CAN BE FOUND ONLINE ON THE COMMITTEE'S WEBPAGE.
THE RECORDING OF THIS MEETING WILL BE POSTED ON HTVS WEBSITE AS WELL.
AND THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 2 56.