[Super Neighborhood Alliance Meeting]
[00:00:19]
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.I AM THE CHAIR OF THE CHAIR OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT, AND THIS IS THE, UH, NOVEMBER, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE MONTHLY MEETING.
I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US, AND, UH, WE WILL START WITH, UH, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
UH, MY NAME IS STACY FAIRCHILD.
I'M THE SECRETARY FOR THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE, AND I'LL BE CALLING THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS FIRST THAT, UH, HAVE ATTENDED THE LAST THREE MONTHS.
SO IF I MISSED YOUR NAME, UH, OR SNC AT THE END, UH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR, OR SPEAK UP SO THAT I CAN MAKE SURE YOU'RE RECORDED.
UH, FIRST SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, FIVE.
RICKY MILLER, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, SIX.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, 12 SUPER, NEIGHBORHOOD 14.
MARIE CARLISLE HERE FOR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
YEAH, THIS IS PEDRO
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 17, SUPER, NEIGHBORHOOD 22.
AND THIS IS MIKE VAN DEUSEN, A MEMBER OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 22, AND THE ALLIANCES REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 24, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 25, BARBARA AND AND DOUG SMITH.
SANDRA RODRIGUEZ, GULFTON, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, 27.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, 28, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, 31.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 32, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 36, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 37.
38, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 46, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, 48, UH, PRESENT.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 55 SUPER, NEIGHBORHOOD 57.
HELLO, THIS IS BRIDGET MURRAY, PRESENT.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 62, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 63 LIRA PRESENT.
SUPER NEIGHBOR, SORRY, LINDA ORGA ALSO PRESENT.
ARE LINDA ORGA WITH 63 ALSO PRESENT? OKAY, THANK YOU.
SOMEHOW I MISSED SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
OH WAIT, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 62.
IS PRISCILLA HERE? SHE'S, HEY, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 65.
[00:05:01]
AND 82.SCOTT KUBLER, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 86.
I SEE PASTOR DEB HERE IS, UM, THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WITH YOU? USUALLY PAULA, BUT I DON'T SEE HER.
ANYONE ELSE? MELINDA, YOU'RE WITH THE EDGEBROOK, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, WE'RE TRYING TO REESTABLISH NUMBER 79.
SO, SO I DID THAT IN SIX MINUTES.
UH, ALSO, ARE THERE ANY ELECTED OFFICIALS? UH, IS THIS SALLY? SALLY AL, UH, COUNCILWOMAN.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR UPDATES OR, OH, OH, I THOUGHT WE WERE JUST SAYING HELLO.
I LOVE THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE.
IT'S A GREAT DAY IN DISTRICT K TODAY WITH THE SPARK PARK AND THEN THE, UH, THE DR. SHANNON WALKER LIBRARY.
SO, UM, JUST KNOW, I'M HERE TO LISTEN.
GREAT TO SEE EVERYBODY CARRY ON.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS ON THE LINE HERE TODAY? I, I WAS TRYING TO QUICKLY SCAN THROUGH, BUT, UH, I DON'T WANNA MISS ANYBODY IF WE HAVE ONE.
AH, I'M SORRY, WHAT? SENATOR JOHN WHITMEYER IS HERE.
AND HE'LL BE OUR GUEST SPEAKER.
SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT, SENATOR WHITMEYER.
UH, IF NOT, WE WILL SAVE THE REPRESENTATIVES, UH, OF ELECTED OFFICIALS TO LATER IN THE MEETING.
UH, AND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON WITH THE AGENDA.
UH, SO THE NEXT PART OF THE AGENDA IS ACCEPTANCE OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM AUGUST.
THOSE WERE DISTRIBUTED WITH THE MEETING NOTICE TODAY.
DID ANYONE HAVE, UH, ANY, UM, CORRECTIONS OR REVISIONS TO THE MEETING MINUTES? I MOVE.
SO DOUG, AND THEN MIKE VAN DEUSEN SECOND.
UM, AND, UH, I GUESS IF ANYBODY OBJECTS, LET US KNOW.
OTHERWISE, WE'LL ASSUME THEY'RE ACCEPTED GOING ONCE, TWICE.
UM, THIS PART OF THE PROGRAM IS, UH, A FEW MINUTES, UH, AS AN OPEN FORUM.
IF THERE ARE ANY, UH, ANNOUNCEMENTS OR COMMENTS IN THE OPEN FORM.
I BELIEVE SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN, IN DOING THAT.
UM, SO, UH, KEITH, YOU'RE A SPEAKER LATER ON, BUT KEITH DOWNEY, DID YOU ALSO HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO SAY IN THIS PART? UH, YES.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD, UM, WE, WE, BEING NORTHEAST HOUSTON REDEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, MS. HUEY, MR. KEN, AND MYSELF, WE'VE COME UP, UH, WORKING WITH THE CITY AND, UH, RESILIENT CITY CATALYST WITH A WEBSITE THAT, UH, RESIDENTS IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON CAN, CAN, YOU KNOW, NUMBER ONE, UH, SIGN UP FOR ALERTS.
THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE BEFORE STORM.
AND ALSO, UH, WHO TO CONTACT, UH, IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY.
SO THAT'S WORKING WITH OEM AND THE WEBSITE INFORMATION IS NE HOUSTON, ALL ONE WORD, NE HOUSTON.
GET READY.COM, UH, SLASH AGAIN, BE HOUSTON GET READY.COM/THANK YOU.
KEITH, WOULD YOU PUT THAT IN THE NOTES, PLEASE? WILL DO.
[00:10:01]
MAYBE STACY, MAYBE WE CAN SEND THAT AROUND.UM, YEAH, I TOOK A LOOK AT THAT.
THAT'S A WONDERFUL WEBSITE, KEITH, UH, AND, AND ALL THE OTHER, UH, SUPER COUNCILS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THAT.
THAT'S A GREAT, GREAT RESOURCE.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
TERRY, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP EARLIER.
DID YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OR COMMENT YOU WANTED TO MAKE TERRY KAMINSKI? TERRY, YOUR HAND IS STILL UP.
SHE USUALLY HAS TROUBLE WITH BEING HEARD.
THERE'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WRONG WITH HER AUDIO.
SO, UM, MAYBE SH TERRY, WHY DON'T YOU PUT IT IN THE CHAT AND WE'LL, AND WE'LL READ IT OFF FROM THERE.
UH, AND, UH, PRISCILLA, DID YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OR COMMENTS YOU WANTED TO DO? OH, YES.
I, I, I APOLOGIZE, I FORGOT TO RAISE MY HAND.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT IN OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD OF MAGNOLIA PARK IN MANCHESTER.
WE WILL BE HAVING A COMMUNITY BIKE RIDE IN COLLABORATION WITH BIKE HOUSTON THIS SATURDAY.
UH, WE WILL BE NAVIGATING AROUND DESIGNATED BIKE LANES AND GREEN SPACES TO FUNDAMENT, FUNDAMENTALLY PROMOTE HEALTH AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING OF OUR NEIGHBORS WHILE REINFORCING SAFE RIDERSHIP.
UH, THIS MONTH WILL BE OUR INAUGURAL RIDE.
IT'S OUR FIRST RIDE AS A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZED EVENT, AND IT WILL BE DEDICATED TO ORIENTING PARTICIPANTS TO, UM, FUTURE PROJECTS THAT MAY COME PENDING FUNDING, OF COURSE, UH, MOSTLY WE ARE BEING GUIDED BY THE LOCAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT'S MASTER BIKE PLAN, AS WELL AS THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIPS EAST MASTER PLAN.
AND FINALLY, THE HARRIS COUNTY TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY DESTINATION TRAIL, WHICH ALL OVERLAP IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO ALL THESE PROJECTS REFLECT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN OUR RESPECTIVE NEIGHBORHOODS, SO THAT WE, WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA TO GET FOLKS IN THE ROAD AND IN THE STREETS TO GET FAMILIAR WITH THOSE THINGS.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US KNOW.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN, UH, ALSO SEND TO US FOR DISTRIBUTION? WELL, ACTUALLY, THIS FIRST INITIAL GUIDE IS ALREADY THE, THE MEMBERS ALREADY CLOSED.
WE HAVE A CERTAIN, BUT WE, WE HOPE TO GROW IT IN THE FUTURE, AND WE'LL KEEP YOU GUYS POSTED.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP AGAIN? YES, THANKS, CINDY.
I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THIS EARLIER.
WE HAD A REGULATORY AND NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS MEETING TODAY, UM, COVERING THE MINIMUM LOT SIDE MINIMUM BUILDING LINE ORDINANCE.
AND DOUG SMITH WAS THERE AND MADE A PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE ARE, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE NOTIFICATION WE'RE, WE'RE HAVE RENEWALS OF THESE NOW BECAUSE IF THE ORDINANCE IS 20 YEARS OLD, SO SOME, THE, THE FIRST ONES THAT WE SET ARE, ARE EXPIRING.
SO JUST ONE PERSON, ONE PROPERTY OWNER JUST HAS TO, IF THEY WANNA RENEW A MINIMUM LOT SIZE OR MINIMUM BUILDING LINE, HAS TO MAKE AN APPLICATION WITH PLANNING.
AND THEN IF THERE'S NO PROTESTS, IT JUST SAILS THROUGH.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE RIGAMAROLE AGAIN.
BUT DOUG MADE A GREAT SUGGESTION THAT WE ALSO NEED TO LET THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS KNOW, BECAUSE WE WERE JUST LETTING PROPERTY OWNERS KNOW.
SO WE'RE GONNA START DOING THAT.
OR THEY MADE INDICATION THAT PLANNING WOULD START MAKING SURE TO LET THE CIVIC CLUBS AND SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS KNOW.
AND THEN COMING UP IN, IN DECEMBER, ON DECEMBER 13TH, WE'RE GOING TO BE COVERING THE UPDATES, THE AMENDMENTS TO THE BUFFERING ORDINANCE, AND THAT'S FOR, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT THAT BUTTS UP RIGHT AGAINST, UM, UM, RESIDENTIAL.
SO YOU'LL WANNA PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.
THERE'S MORE ON THAT ON THE LET'S TALK HOUSTON WEBSITE.
THAT'S THE LIVABLE PLACES ACTION COMMITTEE, AND THAT'S DECEMBER 13TH.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE AN IMPORTANT MEETING FOR ALL THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, ESPECIALLY IN SOME OF THE MORE DENSE AREAS OF HOUSTON.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS THAT HAD AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE? SO RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, AND, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU CAME IN LATER, UH, IF, IF YOU ARE REPRESENTING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL OR A DEPARTMENT, UH, WE'LL HAVE SOME TIME AT THE END FOR COMMENTS FROM YOU ALL, SO THAT WAY WE CAN, UH, PUSH THROUGH OUR, UH, PACKED AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THOSE UPDATES, EVERYBODY.
AND, UH, WE WILL, DO YOU HAVE THE AGENDA TO PUT UP ON THE SCREEN? UM, UH, AND, UH, ROY, ARE YOU GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR, UH, NEXT SPEAKERS? OF COURSE, I AM.
SO, OUR FIRST TYING INTO DEVELOPMENT OF OUR SNA LEADERS AND ENSURING THAT WE REALLY SKILL UP EVERYONE.
[00:15:01]
TRAINING TOPICS EACH MONTH WITH SOMETHING THAT'S TRULY IMPORTANT TO EACH SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU'RE LOCATED.AND ONE OF THE NATURAL TRANSITIONS INTO THIS IS DATA.
IT'S NOT JUST AN ART, IT'S A STORY.
AND WE HAVE, UM, A LEADER WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY IN THAT.
AND DANIELLE INGER IS JOINING US THIS EVENING.
SHE'S THE CEO OF COMMUNITY LATTICE AND HAS EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE CITY AND OTHER AGENCIES, AND ALSO PARTNER WITHIN THE COMMUNITY ITSELF.
SO, DANIELLE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND SPINNING YOUR TIME.
UM, AND IF I COULD SHARE MY SCREEN, UM, THERE IT IS.
UM, I'M NOT MONITORING THE CHAT, BUT FEEL FREE TO ADD SOME, UH, COMMENTS.
I'M GONNA JUST LOOK AT THE TIME REAL QUICK TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT I'M BEING RESPECTFUL OF EVERYBODY'S TIME.
CAN EVERYBODY SEE THIS? WE GOOD? OKAY.
UH, SO AGAIN, LIKE ROY SAID, MY NAME IS, UH, DANIELLE INGER.
UM, I AM THE CEO OF, UH, COMMUNITY LATTICE.
WE ARE A LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS HERE IN HOUSTON, UM, AND WE WORK A LOT IN, UM, IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
UH, WE WORK IN LAND REVITALIZATION, UM, AND WE ARE A MISSION DRIVEN ORGANIZATION.
UH, WE ARE DRIVING SOCIAL, UM, AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS THROUGH CHANGES IN LAND REVITALIZATION POLICIES AND PRACTICES, UM, REALLY HELPING OUR, OUR PARTNERS WITHIN THE CITY, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UM, IS UP TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, RESPOND TO THE REAL TIME REAL WORLD NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE DO THAT AND WE EXPEDITE THAT, UH, UM, THE CAPACITY BUILDING WITHIN COMMUNITIES USING DATA, UM, AND, UM, SHARE SOME JUST GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT I, I HOPE, RESONATE THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION, BUT ALSO MAYBE, UM, YOU KNOW, CARRY BACK WITH YOU AND THINK ABOUT, UM, AS YOU INTERPRET DATA.
UM, WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S A RADICAL CONCEPT.
UM, PUBLIC DATA SHOULD BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE.
UM, WHAT WE WANNA STRESS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT DATA IS THAT WHAT'S ON THE MAP IS JUST WHAT'S NOT ON THE MAP, IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT IS ON THE MAP.
UM, SO QUESTIONING THAT DATA, UM, IS REALLY FUNDAMENTAL TO WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE TEACH COMMUNITIES, UH, WHAT TO DO.
UM, AND BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE, I'M SURE YOUR EXPERIENCE, THE COMMUNITY USUALLY KNOWS WHAT THE DATA SAYS, UM, BEFORE IT IS PUBLISHED.
UM, AND KEEPING THAT IN MIND THAT THE, THE DATA IS HERE REALLY TO TELL, TELL YOUR STORY, UM, TO SUPPORT YOUR STORY.
UM, BUT THAT DATA, THE DATA, THE COMMUNITY REALLY ALREADY KNOWS THAT.
UM, SO, AND WITH THAT AND WORKING WITH, UM, ON A NATIONAL SCALE AND, AND TAKING SOME LESSONS FROM, UH, TRIBAL NATIONS, WE, WE DEEPLY RESPECT DATA SOVEREIGNTY, ETHICS, AND JUSTICE STANDARDS.
UM, AND WE APPLY THAT, UM, THAT RESPECT AND THAT, THAT, UM, THE AGENCY WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE WORK WITH.
SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH SOME, SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW, UM, DATA CAN BE USED TO TELL, TELL A STORY, UNCOVER TRUTHS, INFORM DECISIONS, CATALYZE ACTIONS, AND DRIVE IMPACT.
UM, AND I'LL START JUST ON THAT NOTE OF, OF, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONING THE DATA AND UNDERSTANDING HOW THE DATA IS GOING TO BE USED.
BUT WE WORK WITH, UM, THE CITY ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD RESILIENCE PLANNING EFFORTS.
I'M A BIG FAN OF, UM, WITH GO NEIGHBORHOODS.
MANY OF YOU WITH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BEEN THROUGH THOSE PROCESSES.
UM, AND SOME OF THE, THE SENTIMENTS THAT ARE COMING FROM THE COMMUNITY AND WHY THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN HESITANT TO WORK WITH US, UM, AND WORK WITH THE CITY OR WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT, IS THAT, UM, THE DATA SOMETIMES IS ONE COMMUNITY LEADER PUT IT THAT JUST TOLD THE DEVELOPERS WHERE TO GO.
UM, SOMEBODY'S USING THE DATA, BUT THE COMMUNITY WASN'T.
UM, AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CERTAIN PROMISES, UM, THAT, THAT WERE NOT KEPT, UM, BECAUSE, UM, OF, OF FALSE EXPECTATIONS WITH THE DATA.
SO WE'RE REALLY SENSITIVE TO THAT.
AND, AND I'M HOPING THAT, UM, THAT WORKING MORE WITH SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE COMMUNITIES, THAT WE CAN BETTER POSITION THE COMMUNITY TO CONTROL THAT DATA AND TO UNDERSTAND IT.
UM, AND WHY THAT IS IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, DATA MAKES IT WHATEVER IT IS, UM, VISIBLE, ACTIONABLE AND FUNDABLE.
UM, AND SO THAT THEME HERE IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA TO DRIVE HOME, UM, GOING THROUGH SOME CASE EXAMPLES, AND THEN I'M GONNA LEAVE YOU WITH A WHOLE LOT OF DATA OVERLOAD.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THIS, UH, THIS PRESENTATION HAS BEEN SHARED WITH EVERYBODY, OR AT LEAST IS UP ON THE WEBSITE.
SO, UM, IT CAN ACT AS A RESOURCE.
ONE OF MY FAVORITES, AND I SAW VICKI, YOU WERE ON HERE, UM, IS, UH, IN EAST HOUSTON, UM, WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, DOING THESE, THESE, UH, THESE MINI MURALS.
SO THE COMMUNITY, AGAIN, KNOWS THE DATA, KNOWS WHAT THEY WANNA DO.
UM, THEY KNOW THAT ALONG MESA DRIVE IS A MAJOR EVACUATION ROUTE.
[00:20:01]
UM, THEY WANTED TO DO THESE MINI MURALS.UM, IT WAS ACTUALLY THE LOCAL INITIATIVE SUPPORT CORPORATION, LISC, WHO FUNDED THIS PROJECT.
UM, WHEN, WHEN THE COMMUNITY WANTED TO APPROACH THAT AND APPLY FOR THAT GRANT, IT'S NOT QUITE AS STRONG JUST TO SAY, OH, WE WANT A MURAL.
UM, WE NEEDED TO GO INTO THE PLANS AND FIND THE DATA THAT REALLY SUPPORTED THE REASONING WHY.
SO THE DATA THAT WAS USED HERE IS THAT 68% OF EAST HOUSTON STREETS ARE IMPASSABLE DURING A MAJOR FLOOD EVENT.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE POSITION THESE MURALS AS IS, IS REALLY, UM, IMPORTANT FOR IDENTIFYING AND WAY FINDING FOR THOSE, THOSE EVACUATION GROUPS.
I AM THE COMMUNITY, AND THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT IT'S A FOOD DESERT.
YOU DON'T NEED TO HAVE THE DATA THERE FOR, UH, MY FRIEND NATHAN THERE TO BE GROWING VEGETABLES OR, UM, THE FOLKS IN, IN EDGEBROOK TO BE DOING THE FOOD DRIVE.
THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT THEY LIVE IN A FOOD DESERT.
THERE'S LOW INCOME, LOW ACCESS TO FOOD.
HOWEVER, TAKING THAT DATA AND PUTTING THAT INTO ACTION, VISUALIZING IT, AND PUTTING IT INTO ACTION, UM, ONE RECENT OUTCOME OF THAT WAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GRANT THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY THROUGH THE BLACK UNITED FUND OF TEXAS, UM, TO ADDRESS THOSE F FOOD INSECURITIES AS WELL AS OTHER, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, UM, WITHIN, UH, FIFTH WARD.
AND WE HAVE THOSE STATISTICS RIGHT UP THERE TO THE RIGHT.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY, UM, THOSE STATISTICS REALLY BACK UP THAT STORY, UM, AND DROVE THAT ACTION.
AND I, I, I BELIEVE KEITH DOWNEY'S GONNA GONNA SPEAK TO THIS A LITTLE BIT AFTERWARDS.
UM, AND CERTAINLY A CHAMPION OF THIS DATA AND OF THIS ACTION.
UM, THE CANCER CLUSTER, I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON, IN FIFTH WARD IN KASHMERE GARDENS.
AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T NEED THIS MAP, WHICH IS VERY SHOCKING OF HOW MUCH CANCER, UM, RISK WE HAVE IN HOUSTON.
UM, BUT THEY DON'T NEED THAT DATA TO, TO KNOW THAT, THAT PEOPLE AROUND THEM ARE DYING.
UM, THEY'RE DYING OF CANCER, THEY'RE GETTING CANCER, UM, AND WHAT THEY BELIEVE WERE HIGHER RATES, UM, THAN OTHERS.
AND, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL THE STATE THAT, THAT, THAT THE COMMUNITY CONVINCED THE STATE TO DO A, A, THE ANALYSIS AND TO DIVE INTO THE DATA TO UNCOVER MORE TRUTHS, UM, THAT WE STARTED TO SEE SOME REAL OPTION.
UM, SO AS YOU KNOW, I'M SURE YOU KNOW, FROM BEING IN HOUSTON AND WATCHING THE NEWS, UM, THE, THE HIGH RATES OF ESOPHAGAL ESOPHAGUS, LARYNX, LIVER CANCER, UH, PRETTY HIGH IN FIFTH WARD IN CASHMERE GARDENS IN RED OVER HERE IS THAT SITE.
UM, AND WE HAVE CHILDHOOD CANCER.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE STATISTICS, UH, REALLY BACK THE, THE, THE COMMUNITIES, UH, CRIES FOR HELP.
UM, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THAT DATA, BUT THEN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, WE FIND MORE DATA.
THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY DRIVING WHAT WE DO NEXT.
SO THIS IS THE, UH, PROCESSING, THIS IS A HISTORIC AERIAL OF THE PROPERTY AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBER POINTING OUT WHERE WE, WHERE WE NEED TO SAMPLE, UM, WHERE THE, THEY, THEY BELIEVE THERE ARE DATA GAPS.
UM, NOT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE ANY SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND.
THEY JUST KNOW FROM THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE THAT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT HERE.
AND SO THAT REALLY DROVE THE SAMPLING PLAN FOR THE DIOXINS THAT WE FOUND HERE RECENTLY.
AND OF COURSE, AND THIS IS, THIS IS ALL, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL LET KEITH, UM, SPEAK TO THIS.
'CAUSE THIS IS REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, HIS, HIS LAWSUIT THERE THAT HE'S BEEN DRIVING.
UM, BUT THERE'S BEEN SOME REAL ACTION THAT HAS COME OUT OF THIS.
UM, AND IT IS BECAUSE OF THE DATA SUPPORTING THAT STORY.
SO, UM, WHAT IS NOT ON THE MAP IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT'S ON THE MAP.
AND I, I DON'T WANNA STRESS OUT BETWEEN, AND, AND THIS IS THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO, TO RE TO, TO UNVEIL THAT TO THE LEFT THERE.
THIS IS, UM, THE FIFTH WARD AND KASHMERE GARDEN, OR I THINK IT MIGHT BE JUST FISH.
NO, AND, AND A LITTLE BIT OF CASHMERE.
UM, THIS IS DATA FROM THE EPA RECORDS THAT THEY HAVE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.
UM, MY COMPANY SAID THAT THAT'S NOT ALL THE, ALL OF THE RECORDS.
UM, SO WE CREATED A DATABASE TO SHOW ALL THE RECORDS.
UM, AND, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, WE, YOU, THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THERE'S MORE ISSUES OUT HERE.
UM, WE NOW KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE ISSUES OUT HERE, BUT EVEN STILL, WE WANTED, THE NEXT STEP IN HERE IS TO DIG DEEPER.
YOU MIGHT SEE A LOT OF DOTS ON THE MAP, BUT WHAT WE ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN IS WHERE, ARE THERE NOT ANY DOTS WHERE THERE SHOULD BE A DOT ON THE MAP SHOWING SOME KIND OF CLEANUP OR ASSESSMENT.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA BE CONSCIOUS OF THE TIME HERE.
UM, SO THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT, WHAT WAS NOT ON THOSE THAT, THAT MAP AND, AND THOSE DOTS AND WHY WE DUG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER.
THIS IS A LIONS AVENUE CORRIDOR, UM, IN THE FIFTH WARD, KNOWN AS THE BROADWAY OF THE SOUTH.
HAD A LOT OF COMMERCE ALONG ALONG THAT CORRIDOR.
[00:25:01]
DEVELOPERS THERE, UM, IN NONPROFITS SAID TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST SEEMED LIKE EVERY PROPERTY THAT THEY WANTED TO, TO PURCHASE OR, OR REDEVELOP SEEMED TO HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE.AND SO I'LL SAVE YOU FROM MY, WHAT I USUALLY DO WITH COLLEGE, UH, LESSONS.
UM, BUT IN THIS PHOTO, UM, THIS GENTLEMAN RIGHT HERE IS, IS HOLDING A WHOLE LOT OF COAT HANGERS.
AND HE IS HOLDING A WHOLE LOT OF COAT HANGERS BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE HE WAS STANDING IN THE 1950S WHEN THAT PHOTO WAS TAKEN.
THIS AT THIS CORNER ARE 19 HISTORIC DRY CLEANERS, AND ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF GR OF GAS STATIONS.
THIS, ALL OF THESE ALONG THAT LINES AVENUE CORRIDOR, AND DOWN THROUGH HERE, 133 HISTORIC DRY CLEANERS, JUST ONE HISTORIC DRY CLEANER OR ACTIVE DRY CLEANER IN NORTHWEST HOUSTON IS A SUPERFUND SITE.
NOW, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THESE ARE WHOLE SUPERFUND SITES, UM, BUT THERE IS SOME SERIOUS CHEMICALS THAT COME OFF OF DRY CLEANERS, AND THIS IS A RED FLAG TO ANY ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONAL, UM, THAT IS, UM, INVESTIGATING.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, AGAIN, THIS DATA DROVE ACTION.
UM, WHERE WE, WORKING WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY 350 POTENTIAL BROWNFIELDS AND GOT EPA FUNDING IN ORDER TO, UM, IN ORDER TO ASSESS.
UM, AND WE NOW HAVE SOME CLEANUP FUNDING AS WELL.
SO WE ARE ADDRESSING THAT FIVE.
YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES REMAINING FOR FIVE MINUTES.
UM, SO AGAIN, I HOPE JUST TO, TO SHOW DATA IS EVERYWHERE.
UM, AND THERE ARE SOME RESOURCES HERE.
I'M GONNA FLIP THROUGH THIS REALLY KIND OF FAST, BUT KNOW THAT THIS IS AVAILABLE TO COME BACK TO.
UM, SO AGAIN, CREATING THE DATA, BEING PART OF THAT CREATION, UM, IS, IS ALWAYS THE OPTION.
UM, THERE'S SOME GREAT DATA RESOURCES FROM THE CITY.
IF YOU CAN PUT THE SCREEN UP, I'M FAMILIAR ENOUGH TO AT LEAST KEEP IT GOING WHILE SHE CAN TRY TO RECONNECT, OR WE CAN MOVE ON TO KEITH, SO WE CAN HAVE A FEW MINUTES, AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK IF SHE LOGS BACK IN.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.
UH, SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT, DANIELLA WAS TALKING ABOUT BROWNFIELD.
SORRY, KEITH, SHE'S GETTING BACK.
I KNOW WE GOT TWO MINUTES, RIGHT? UM, OKAY.
YOU'LL SEE ALL OF THE, THE PLANS THAT THE CITY HAS DONE, MINING THOSE PLANS.
THE CITY HAS ALREADY, UM, GOT THE DATA FOR YOU WITHIN THOSE PLANS.
UM, SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK THERE.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS A TON OF STUDIES AND GREAT PLANS.
UM, SO IF YOU COME HERE, DATA AND REPORTING, YOU CAN DIVE DOWN.
UM, AND I JUST PULLED OUT ONE STATISTIC THAT ALMOST ONE IN FOUR CHILDREN IN HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY ARE FOOD INSECURE.
THAT'S A PRETTY POWERFUL, UM, PIECE OF DATA THAT YOU CAN USE.
SUSAN ROGERS, AGAIN, I'M A BIG FAN OF SUSAN ROGERS.
UM, HER WEBSITE, UM, C DRC HOUSTON.ORG, UM, HAS ALL OF THESE, UM, THESE AREAS HERE THAT SHE'S DONE.
STUDIES ARE CLICKABLE, ARE SEARCHABLE, UM, FOR, FOR FINDING DATA WITHIN THOSE PLANS.
THERE'S RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS HERE LOCALLY, LIKE HARC, UM, BUT ALSO NATIONALLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, DATA KIND IS AN ORGANIZATION WE WORK WITH.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK OUT THIS DATA PORTAL AT KINDER INSTITUTE.
IF YOU'RE WRITING A GRANT AND NEED DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, COVID INFORMATION, THAT'S FANTASTIC.
UM, YOU HAVE A DATA, YOU KNOW, A HEAT MAP STUDY THAT WAS RECENTLY DONE.
THEY'RE ALWAYS COMING OUT WITH GREAT, UM, GREAT DATA.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF TOOLS TO HELP OUT.
THERE ARE PUBLIC RESOURCES AS WELL.
EJ SCREEN WILL BE DOING A TRAINING ON EJ SCREEN SOMETIME IN DECEMBER.
UM, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF THE CENSUS DATA, UM, AND THERE'S A, A, A TOOLKIT, THIS, UM, TOOLKIT ON CLIMATE, UH, US CLIMATE TOOLKIT ALLOWS YOU TO SEARCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR WITHIN VARIOUS DATA TOOLS.
UM, SO YOU CAN GO THERE AS WELL.
AND I'M SURE I OVERLOADED YOU HERE AT THE END WITH ALL OF THOSE, THOSE VARIOUS DATA OPTIONS.
UM, BUT I HOPE THAT, UM, THAT I GAVE YOU AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT, UM, TO START THINKING ABOUT AND CHEWING ON, UM, AS YOU'RE ADVOCATING FOR YOUR, YOUR COMMUNITIES.
THAT THAT WAS A, A VERY INFORMATIVE, UH, UH, TIDBITS,
[00:30:01]
UH, AND ALMOST OVERWHELMING.AND I THINK, ARE WE HAVING QUESTIONS AFTER THEY'RE BOTH DONE, AFTER DANIELLE AND KEITH? I, THAT'S WHAT WE HAD DISCUSSED DOING.
SO THEN, DANIELLE, IF YOU CAN STAY WITH US A LITTLE LONGER, THERE ARE A FEW QUESTIONS THAT ABSOLUTELY ARE LIKELY FROM HERE.
SO OUR SECOND SPEAKER IS KEITH DOWNEY.
HE IS THE PRESIDENT OF CASHMERE GARDENS OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL.
AND AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT COME IN AND SPEAK.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM A DIFFERENT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL GIVE THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON THIS ISSUE.
SO, KEITH, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
THAT WAS A HECK OF A PRESENTATION, AND I WANNA THANK HER FOR THAT.
UH, SHE MENTIONED THE BROWNFIELD.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS UNTIL I WENT TO OKLAHOMA CITY TO THE, UH, CONVENTION THIS SUMMER.
I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND IT EITHER.
BUT, UH, BROWNFIELD IS A PROPERTY, THE EXPANSION, REDEVELOPMENT, OR CAUSE OR REUSE OF WHICH MAY BE COMPLICATED BY THE PRESENCE OF POTENTIAL, PRESENCE OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE POLLUTANT OR CONTAMINANT.
SO IT'S A REUSE OF A PROPERTY THAT USED TO BE, AS SHE STATED BY DRY CLEANERS.
SO MANY, OF COURSE, ALL OF THE, MOST, ALL OF THOSE DRY CLEANERS ARE GONE, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE ON THOSE PROPERTIES NOW, MOST OF THEM ANYWAY.
UH, SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO TALK ABOUT DATA, DATA OF FACTS AND STATISTICS COLLECTED TOGETHER FOR REFERENCE OR ANALYSIS.
AS SHE SAID, IN A LOT OF THESE COMMUNITIES, WE'VE KNOWN FOR YEARS THIS WAS HAPPENING AND THAT WAS HAPPENING.
BUT TO STAND AT A PODIUM AND TO RECITE IT WITH NO BACKUP, THAT LEAVES YOU EMPTY.
AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL LISTEN, SOMETIMES THEY WANT, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE IT IN PURE BLACK, UH, BLACK AND WHITE, OR RED AND WHITE, OR WHATEVER IT IS, BUT YOU HAVE IT IN WRITING AND IT'S A, A REPLICABLE, UH, RESPECTABLE, UH, REFERENCE THAT YOU'RE, YOU ARE, YOU ARE GETTING THIS DATA AND INFORMATION FROM IS VERY IMPORTANT.
ESSENTIALLY, INFORMATION IS A RESULT OF ANALYZING AND INTERPRETING PLACES OF DATA.
WHEREAS DATA IS THE INDIVIDUAL FIGURE OF THOSE PLACES OR KNOWLEDGE WHEN DATA IS PROCESSED, INTEGRATED, ORGANIZED, STRUCTURED, OR PRESENTED SO AS NOT TO MAKE THEM MEANINGFUL OR USEFUL.
INFORMATION PROVIDES CONTEXT FOR DATA.
THAT BEING SAID, UH, CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? NEXT SLIDE.
YES, RHONDA, WHILE WE'RE WAITING ON THAT, UM, IN THE NEXT SLIDE, IT SHOWS WHERE WE GET QUITE A BIT OF OUR DATA THESE DAYS FROM, UM, AND I, I SAY WE LIVE IN AN ERA OF DATA FOR EVERYONE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT DATA FOR SOME, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPERS OR WHAT HAVE YOU, WHERE THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT INFORMATION.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, YOU SEE THEIR ALLIANCE, HOUSTON.
UM, IF YOU CLICK ON THAT H-T-T-P-S SITE, UH, YOU WILL FIND A PLETHORA OF INFORMATION FOR JUST ABOUT EVERY COMMUNITY IN HARRIS COUNTY.
IT WILL SHOW THE FACILITIES, ENVIRONMENTAL FACILITIES IN THE COMMUNITY, HOW MANY RESIDENTS ARE LIVING WITHIN A ONE MILE RADIUS OF THESE FACILITIES.
AS WELL AS IT ALSO WILL SHOW YOU ANY VIOLATIONS OF THESE FACILITIES.
AS YOU KNOW, WE LIVE IN THE FOURTH, UH, LARGEST CITY IN MAYBE THE THIRD IN THE COUNTRY.
AND WE HAVE NOTHING BUT, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL INDUSTRY THAT PRODUCES A LOT OF PM TWOS, UH, WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE AIR THAT WE BREATHE.
SO YES, STARTING TO GET AIR MONITORS IN A LOT OF OUR MINORITY NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, BUT IT'S ESSENTIAL TO KNOW THE AIR THAT WE BREATHE.
NOW WE ARE HEARING ABOUT RRSV INCREASE IN OUR BABIES.
WE ARE HEARING ABOUT, UH, IT'S, IT'S SPREADING ACTUALLY THROUGHOUT THE POPULATION.
WE ARE DEALING WITH, UM, UH, ASTHMA.
[00:35:01]
GETTING TO A FALL OR A WINTER SEASON WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT IS SHORTNESS OF BREATH.I'M AN ASTHMATIC MYSELF, SO I HAVE TO MAKE SURE MINE HEALER IS VERY CLOSE IN THE COOL AIR.
AND, UH, WE ALSO HAVE A, ANOTHER WEBSITE THERE IS R GIS.COM.
AND IF YOU GO ONTO THAT, YOU WILL, YOU WILL CLICK ON R TYPE IN IN THE SEARCH MY CITY HOUSTON.
AND WHAT YOU WILL FIND IS QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION.
UP UNTIL RECENTLY, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT SITE EXISTED.
BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, YOU WILL FIND THINGS LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, A CITY OF HOUSTON, GIS, CONTENT COUNCIL, DISTRICT C, HOUSTON MAP SERVICES AND PUBLIC ACCESS, UH, CITY OF CITY OF HOUSTON DATA, ONE MINUTE REMAINING.
UH, CITY MINUTE REMAINING, PLEASE.
CITY SERVICE INFORMATION AND WHAT HAVE YOU, AND I WILL WIND IT UP WITH THIS.
USE DATA TO REINFORCE YOUR POSITION AS YOU ADVOCATE FOR THE NEEDS OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
SHARE YOUR DATA WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS, WITH YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, WITH YOUR CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS.
AND A DO NOT, DO NOT USE UNCONFIRMED SOURCES.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF OF SOURCES OUT THERE, BUT CROSS-REFERENCE WHAT YOU HAVE FOUND AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S RELIABLE IS NOT A, AN OPINION, IT'S AN ACTUAL FACT.
UM, DID YOU WANNA LEAVE THE REST OF THIS, ROY? JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, ONE, SO TO DANIELLE, ACTUALLY, TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE, SO THE BENEFIT OF ALL OF THIS, OF SHARING THIS INFORMATION IS SO THAT WE CAN LEVEL SET, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND BETWEEN THOSE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS THAT HAVE THE MOST ARTICULATE, EDUCATED FINANCE, PROBABLY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT TO DO WITH THIS, THOSE THAT MAY NOT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, THIS IS A WAY OF PROVIDING INFORMATION TO DO THAT.
SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, THE TWO QUESTIONS ARE, ONE, HOW DO WE BEGIN IF WE KNOW THERE TRULY IS AN ISSUE AND WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY ARTICULATING IT, WHAT'S THE STARTING POINT? BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A HUGE UNDERTAKING.
AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION TIES BACK TO ONCE WE'VE DONE THAT, OR EVEN IN THE SETUP PROCESS, WHICH STAKEHOLDERS DO WE PARTNER WITH TO GET STARTED? IS IT LOCALLY ELECTED OFFICIALS? IS IT NONPROFITS? IS IT THE INTERNET? WHAT ARE THOSE STEPS THAT YOU'D RECOMMEND? AND BASED ON YOUR SUCCESSES? SO MY GREATEST SUCCESS HAS REALLY BEEN MY FRIEND GOOGLE
I SAY, WHAT IS THIS? UH, WHAT IS A, YOU KNOW, FOOD SECURITY, YOU KNOW, USDA, WHAT DO THEY SAY ABOUT THIS? UM, SO GOOGLE IS A, UH, GREAT WAY TO GET STARTED.
UM, AND YOU CAN GO DOWN A RABBIT HOLE OF RESEARCH.
AND LIKE KEITH WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, JUST UNDERSTAND AND FACT CHECK OF, UH, IS IT A RELIABLE SOURCE? IS IT, IS IT, UM, YOU KNOW, IS IT USUALLY, IF THERE'S A.COM NEXT TO IT, I QUESTION IT, WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO SELL ME? UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A GOVERNMENT SOURCE, UM, THEN, THEN, OR A UNIVERSITY, UM, THEN, THEN IT'S USUALLY PRETTY GOOD.
UM, IN TERMS OF PARTNERING, YEAH, I, I WOULDN'T GO AT THAT ALONE.
UM, SO ONCE YOU START GOOGLING, YOU START RESEARCHING, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE, ARE AFFECTED BY SIMILAR ISSUES.
WHAT DATA DID THEY GATHER? WHAT DATA DO YOU NEED TO GATHER? UM, I WOULD CONTACT YOUR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CITY, UM, OR COME BACK TO SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS AND SEE IF ANYBODY HAS A CONTACT.
UM, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
UM, SO THERE'S OF COURSE, A WHOLE MYRIAD OF, OF CITY DEPARTMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, WORKING AS JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST BEING A RESIDENT AND WORKING WITH THE CITY, AND ALSO WORKING WITH THE CITY AS A CONTRACTOR, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE'S NOBODY AT THE CITY WHO ISN'T MORE THAN HAPPY, UM, TO, TO SHARE WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY KNOW.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST GO START, JUST GO DOWN THE RABBIT HOLES.
UM, AND DEFINITELY THE UNIVERSITIES, RICE UNIVERSITY, UH, THE KINDER INSTITUTE, UM, HAS HUGE DATA, UM, IN THE LIBRARY.
UM, AND THEY, THEY DEFINITELY ARE RESOURCE AGAIN, UH, SUSAN ROGERS AT UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, UM, AND OURSELVES AS WELL.
AND WE ACTUALLY WERE JUST RECENTLY FUNDED, UM, TO DO MORE DATA LITERACY WORK.
UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING IN 2023 OF HOW TO, HOW TO, HOW TO DO THAT, UM, WHAT TO DO, WHAT DOES, UM, HOW CAN WE HELP, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY AND JUST GLOBALLY, UM, PEOPLE UNDERSTAND DATA AND USE IT.
SO, UM, PLEASE, UM, ADD US AS A
[00:40:01]
RESOURCE THERE.UM, WE WILL HELP OUT HOWEVER WE CAN, AND WE'RE ALREADY FUNDED, SO FOR FREE.
THANK YOU, UH, PASTOR DEB, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CINDY AND DANIELLE AND KEITH, WHAT A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
UH, DANIELLE, I HAD A QUESTION SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU.
UM, OVER HERE IN NORTHLINE, WE ARE REBUILDING A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AFTER MANY YEARS.
UH, SO WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD NETWORK.
UM, ARE YOU WORKING WITH THE SWAT ANALYSIS, UM, UH, FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU WERE IN? AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED IN YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD CHAPTER.
I GOT A 400 PAGE REPORT HERE, UM, AND IT SAYS, UH, SWAT FOUR, A ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENT, NORTH SIDE NORTHLINE DRAINAGE AND PAVEMENT IMPROVEMENT.
WE HAVE STORAGE, UNDERGROUND TANKS, GASOLINE TANKS, EVERYWHERE.
THERE WAS A DRY CLEANERS, MAPS, AERIALS.
IT WAS PREPARED APPARENTLY IN 2017, UH, WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING AT SOME CONSULTANTS TO DO SOME WORK OUT HERE.
AND THE REASON I'M ASKING YOU THIS IS WHEN, WHEN I SEE ALL HOW YOUR GROUP IS VERY ORGANIZED, AND WE KNOW ABOUT AIRLINES IN ONE BREATH, AND YOU MENTIONED LISC, THE LOCAL INITIATIVE SUPPORT COMPANY, THEY'RE STARTING, UM, I'M ENLIST T FOUR T AMBASSADOR.
THEY'RE STARTING, UM, AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GROUP.
UH, BUT IN A NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE NORTHLINE, THAT'S TECH TECHNOLOGY DEFICIENT, WE HAVE A HARD TIME DRIVING DATA.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ONE MINUTE REMAINING.
YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE REMAINING, PLEASE.
SO TO A GROUP THAT'S JUST STARTING, DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION HAVE LIKE MEETINGS AND DO Y'ALL HAVE LIKE A COMMUNITY EVENTS WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET EDUCATED A NETWORK? AND THAT'S REALLY THE QUESTION I HAD, AND I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON AN EMAIL AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND IF THERE, IF THERE'S A, A DEMAND FOR THAT, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SPEND THAT, THAT GRANT.
SO, UM, YES, WE, WE CAN, WE CAN.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? MS. UH, DANIELLE, DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANYONE ON STAFF WHO SPEAKS, UM, SPANISH? WE DO.
UM, THEY'RE NOT HERE IN HOUSTON, BUT WE DO WORK WITH, UM, WITH, UM,
UM, THIS IS A LOCAL JUSTICE, UM, LANGUAGE JUSTICE ORGANIZATION.
UM, SO WE CAN, UM, WE CAN OFFER TRAININGS IN SPANISH.
THESE ARE, UH, UH, REALLY, UH, THOUGHT PROVOKING PRESENTATIONS, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR INSIGHT, AND I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT TO THINK ABOUT WITH THE DIFFERENT, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, TO, UH, CONSIDER HOW THEY CAN USE DATA MORE EFFECTIVELY.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE.
SO AS THE SLIDE OR THE PRESENTATION COMES UP, WHAT THIS IS AND WHAT STACY'S GONNA BE SHOWING RHONDA WILL, IS THE, IS AN UPDATE.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT EARLIER IN THE YEAR, WE CONDUCTED A POLL SURVEY FOR THE SA FOR ALL THE S THE RESULTS WERE PUBLISHED.
WE WENT THROUGH DISSECTED THEM AND SHARED THE INFORMATION FROM THAT.
WE HAD SEVERAL, WE HAD SOME ACTION PLANS, WHO'S SHARING THE SCREEN? PERFECT.
SO AS WE MOVE TO THE SECOND SLIDE, WE WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THREE THINGS.
WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED IF WE GO TO, AS WE TRANSITION TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHAT IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, RIGHT? WE DID THE SURVEY, AND THIS IS THE FIRST UPDATE OF SEVERAL.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE COMMITTED TO DOING THIS ABOUT EVERY SIX MONTHS SO WE CAN PROVIDE AND DEMONSTRATE THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEING DONE.
UM, THIS INDICATES THE ACTION SINCE JUNE WHEN WE PUBLISHED THIS, AND IT'S CATEGORIZED INTO THREE DIFFERENT WAYS.
AS WE TRANSITION TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'RE SEEING THAT THE FIRST ITEM IS WHAT'S BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
AND YOU CAN SEE THIS IN SOME OF THE SMALL DETAILS, SUCH AS REDESIGNING THE GENERAL MEETING SO THAT THE FOCUS IS ON YOU AND THE TOPICS ARE SPECIFIC TO YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS, AND A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT ARE SOME COMMON ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING OR OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS REPRESENTED.
BY DOING THAT, WE ALSO REALIZE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE FOCUS ON ONE PRIMARY SPEAKER EACH MONTH SO THAT WE CAN ADEQUATELY GIVE PEOPLE THE TIME TO FOCUS ON THESE TRAINING TOPICS, ASK QUESTIONS, REVIEW THE RESOURCES, AND SEE WHAT'S
[00:45:01]
RELEVANT TO THAT.THIS IS ALSO POSITIVE IN THAT WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER ALQUAN, WHO'S BEEN A HUGE ADVOCATE OF THE SNA AND ACTUALLY WAS OUR FIRST SPEAKER ON A TRAINING TOPIC, WHICH WAS AN OVERVIEW OF CITY ORDINANCES.
AND THEN WE HAD INTERNAL EXPERTS ABOUT CIP AND BUDGET.
LET'S TRANSITION TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW, ONE OF THE BIGGEST ITEMS FROM THIS WAS, UM, HOW DO WE GET MORE PEOPLE ENGAGED? NOT ONLY THAT, HOW DO WE PARTNER WITH TO REACTIVATE ADDITIONAL S UH, SUPER, ONE OR TWO MANCHESTER'S RECENTLY BEING ACTIVATED, AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING, PARTNERING WITH THE CITY TO REACTIVATE ANOTHER ONE.
THE BENEFIT OF ALL OF THIS WE KNOW, IS THAT WE HAVE A VOICE, AND IF WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE OUR VOICES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT, HOW WE CAN BETTER IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY, THE ALLIANCE IS ALL BETTER FOR IT.
ADDITIONALLY, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT COMMITTEES, SOME OF THE COMMITTEES THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST, WE'RE, WE'RE CONTINUING WITH THAT.
WE ALSO REALIZE THAT BASED OFF OF WHERE WE ARE AS AN ALLIANCE AND OUR LEADERSHIP AND OUR MEMBERSHIP, THERE'S SOME GAPS IN SOME AREAS THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON.
SO THAT LED TO, THAT'S LEADING TO POTENTIALLY SOME ADDITIONAL COMMITTEES THAT FOCUS ON DEVELOPMENT, UM, UH, AN AREA OR A COMMITTEE OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS THAT REALLY HIGHLIGHT WHAT WE DO WELL AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO.
SO THOSE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS THAT MAY NEED SOME ASSISTANCE IN THAT WAY.
SO LET'S TRANSITION TO THE NEXT ONE.
WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE UPCOMING, I GUESS THE, THE CONCEPT OF LOOKING AT THIS IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING THE LEADERS FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION.
AND WHEN WE SAY THAT WE JUST DON'T MEAN THE SNA, BUT OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS, THE REALITY IS EVERYONE ON THIS CALL MAY BE INVOLVED IN THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE FOR A YEAR OR MANY YEARS, BUT THE EXPECTATION OR THE OUTCOME SHOULD BE WHEN YOU RETURN BACK TO YOUR LOCAL OR NEIGHBORHOOD EVENT OR TEAM OR COMMITTEE, YOU ARE GONNA COME BACK AS A STRONGER LEADER WHO CAN REALLY IMPACT AND INFLUENCE THAT SPECIFIC CAUSE THAT YOU'RE IN.
THIS MEANS REDESIGNING THE BOOTCAMP THAT WAS CREATED BY JANE WEST, PROBABLY JUST SLIGHT TWEAKING, UM, HIGHLIGHTING THE DIFFERENT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS.
AND THAT'S REALLY BEEN DONE AS WE'VE ALSO INCORPORATED DIFFERENT TRAINING TOPICS.
ONE ITEM THAT SOME AREAS DO WELL AND OTHERS CAN BENEFIT FROM IS UNDERSTANDING HOW WE LEVERAGE SOCIAL MEDIA TO PROMOTE OUR CAUSES, OUR ACTIVITIES, AND REALLY JUST TO INCREASE OUR IMPACT OR FOOTPRINT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND LASTLY, AS WE TRANSITION, THE NEXT ONE IS SOME TEMPLATES THAT MAKE IT EASIER FOR US, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ADMINISTRATORS, TO REALLY GO IN AND JUST MAKE IT EASIER TO COMPLETE YOUR WORK.
THIS LAST SLIDE IS ABOUT WORKING HARDER OR NOT SMARTER BEST PRACTICES, AND SHARING THESE CONCEPTS FROM ONE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL TO ANOTHER.
ADDITIONALLY, HOW DO WE TRANSITION SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE MEMBERS INTO LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE ROLES AND POTENTIALLY BEING A LEADER OR AN OFFICER WITHIN THE SNA? AND WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR IMPACT, HOW DO WE GET MORE INVOLVED AND COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY AND HA OR OTHER AREAS TO INCREASE THE SNA PRESENCE IN COMMITTEES AND ADVISORY BOARDS? WE UNDERSTAND AND REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE THAT AS COMMUNITY OR NEIGHBORHOOD REPRESENTATIVES, OUR VIEW MAY BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN PEOPLE WHO ARE TRULY ADVOCATES FOR A TOPIC.
AS A NEIGHBORHOOD ADVOCATOR, CIVIC ACTIVIST, OUR FOCUS TRULY IS ON THAT.
AND WE BRING A VOICE THAT OTHER GROUPS MAY NOT.
SO THIS IS THE PLAN THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE BEING, THAT HAVE BEEN DONE OR BEING DONE IN PLANS.
AND THIS WAS OUR COMMITMENT FROM OUR CHAIR, CINDY CHAPMAN, TO EACH OF OUR, TO EVERYONE ON THIS PHONE CALL ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE AND THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE ARE BEING INCORPORATED AS A RESULT OF YOUR FEEDBACK.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UM, I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. ROY.
I'M LOOKING AT THE SLIDE ABOUT A POTENTIAL WEBSITE AND HOPEFULLY A CALENDAR OF CIVIC EVENTS AND MEETINGS.
WOULD THIS BE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT THE CITY ALREADY HAS, UM, ON THEIR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD CALENDAR? YES.
AND THIS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT AUGMENTS THAT BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND WITH THE CITY, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THERE.
HOW DO WE MAKE THIS SEIZURE AND RELEVANT TO EACH OF OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS? AN EXAMPLE MIGHT BE WHAT YOU PRESENTED EARLIER TODAY ABOUT A BICYCLE RIDE.
WE HAVE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT MAY WANT TO PARTICIPATE OR OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ACTUALLY ARE INTERESTED IN THAT AND HOW IT CAN, THAT THEY INCORPORATE THAT TYPE OF
[00:50:01]
PROGRAM IN THEIR COMMUNITY.IT'S, IT'S AN EASIER WAY TO DO THAT.
IT'S A LONGER TERM ITEM BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING TO STAND SOMETHING UP LIKE THIS.
IT'S GONNA TAKE LONGER TO STAND UP AND EASIER TO MAINTAIN.
BUT WE KNOW THIS IS GONNA TAKE A LOT OF RESOURCES, VOLUNTEER RESOURCES.
WELL, I VOLUNTEER MYSELF TO HELP
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY, THANKS SO MUCH.
AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN, UH, HAVING A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THE PLANNING COMMITTEES ABOUT, UH, HOW TO REALLY CONTINUE TO MOVE, UH, THE SUPER NA ALLIANCE FORWARD.
SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THINKING BEEN GOING ON IN THE BACKGROUND.
AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH ROY FOR, UH, LAYING THAT OUT SO CLEARLY FOR EVERYONE.
UH, AND, UH, STACY, UH, I THINK WE'RE ALL EXCITED FOR YOU TO INTRODUCE OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
I'LL, I'LL MAKE IT QUICK OR AS BRIEF AS I CAN.
HIS, HIS RESUME IS REALLY LONG.
UM, IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY GREAT.
UH, I'M GONNA KEEP IT REALLY SHORT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW SENATOR JOHN WHITMEYER, HE REPRESENTS, UH, SENATE DISTRICT 15, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF NORTH HOUSTON AND OTHER PARTS OF HARRIS COUNTY.
HE WAS ELECTED TO THE TEXAS SENATE IN 1982, AFTER SERVING 10 YEARS IN THE TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
SO WITH OVER 38 YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE TEXAS SENATE, HE RANKS FIRST IN SENIORITY AND IS KNOWN AS THE DEAN OF THE SENATE.
SENATOR WHITMEYER SERVES AS CHAIR OF THE SENATE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE AND WORKS TO BRING ABOUT NEEDED CHANGES TO THE ADULT AND JUVENILE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS. HE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE SENATE BUSINESS AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE AND THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE, WHERE HE IS COMMITTED TO FINDING APPROPRIATE SOLUTIONS FOR FUNDING THE STATE'S, MANY AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS. I'M ALMOST FINISHED.
IN ADDITION TO HIS LEADERSHIP IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY, SENATOR WHITMEYER IS A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR QUALITY EDUCATION, AFFORDABLE, HIGHER EDUCATION, MINORITY AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS, ACCESS TO QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND SOUND BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICIES.
ORIGINALLY FROM HILLSBOROUGH, TEXAS, SENATOR WHITMEYER MOVED TO HOUSTON, WHERE HE GRADUATED FROM WALTRIP HIGH SCHOOL.
HE EARNED A BACHELOR'S OF ART, EXCUSE ME, A BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, AND ATTENDED THE BATES COLLEGE OF LAW.
SENATOR WHITMAR IS ATTORNEY OF COUNSEL TO THE LAW FIRM, LOCKE LORD LLP.
AND HE IS THE PROUD FATHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS AND TWO GRANDSONS.
AND I'M VERY PROUD TO INTRODUCE TO YOU MY SENATOR, SENATOR JOHN WHITMEYER.
UH, I'VE ENJOYED, UH, OBSERVING THIS EVENING, UH, AND MADE GOOD NOTES.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE MEMBERS FOR THEIR PUBLIC SERVICE, AND I DO THINK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ARE A PUBLIC SERVANT.
I'VE BEEN ASKED TO ADDRESS THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THE UPCOMING SESSION.
I'D LIKE TO MENTION BRIEFLY THE LAST SESSION, WHICH WAS VERY UNIQUE.
AS EACH SESSION IS, EACH SESSION IS VERY DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF NEW ISSUES, UH, NEW MEMBERS, NEW LEADERSHIP.
AND LAST SESSION WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST UNUSUAL BECAUSE OF COVID CONDITIONS.
THIS TIME, TWO YEARS AGO, WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IF WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MEET, THAT WAS BEFORE VACCINATIONS, BUT WE PRACTICED, UH, UNDER SOCIAL DISTANCING DAILY TESTING.
AND THEN LATER IN THE SESSION, WE HAD VACCINATIONS.
AFTER JANUARY 6TH, WE HAD SECURITY CONCERNS.
THE DPS HAD PICKED UP ON SOCIAL CHATTER THAT SOME OF THE, UH, ACTORS AT THE WASHINGTON TRAGEDY WAS SAYING, WELL, IF WE CAN'T GET IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL, WE'LL GO TO STATE CAPITAL.
SO EVERY MORNING AFTER JANUARY 6TH, WE WERE ESCORTED BY DPS TO OUR OFFICE, TO OUR PARKING THAT EVENING.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE FREEZE CAME AND WE ADDRESSED AND DEBATED, UH, FREEZING CONDITIONS, ERCOT AND THE PUC.
SO, LAST SESSION WAS MOST UNUSUAL.
THIS SESSION WILL BE DIFFERENT.
NEW MEMBERS, UH, SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE REELECTION OF THE LEADERSHIP AND WHAT THEIR AGENDA WILL BE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S A BIG SECRET THAT ABBOTT IS INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.
[00:55:01]
JUDGMENT, INTERFERE WITH LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.THE MAIN ISSUE THIS SESSION AND WHERE YOU SHOULD HAVE INPUT IS THE BUDGET.
BECAUSE OF OIL PRICES, THERE'S GONNA BE PROBABLY 27 TO PROBABLY HIT 30 BILLION BEFORE WE'RE THERE IN MORE REVENUE THAN THE STATE ANTICIPATED WHEN WE LEFT TWO YEARS AGO.
THE MAJOR DISCUSSION WILL BE WHAT TO DO WITH $30 BILLION BEYOND, UH, BUDGETED ITEMS. THE LEADERSHIP IS ALREADY DISCUSSED.
WHEN I SAY THE LEADERSHIP IS PRIMARILY THE GOVERNOR, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, AND THE SPEAKER, UH, WOULD LIKE TO RETURN A LOT OF THAT AND FORM OF PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
AND I THINK ALL OF US CAN AGREE THAT'S A HUGE BURDEN ON OUR N NEIGHBORS.
BUT THEY WOULD HAVE YOU RECEIVE $200, BUT THEY WON'T TELL YOU THAT THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT WILL PROBABLY REVALUE YOUR HOME OR PROPERTIES, AND YOU'LL NEVER REALIZE IT.
I PERSONALLY WILL BE FIGHTING THIS SESSION AS A MEMBER OF FINANCE AND ONE OF THE SENATE LEADERS FOR SOME LONG UNADDRESSED NEEDS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
STARTING WITH MENTAL HEALTH, WE'VE DESPERATELY GOT TO ESTABLISH COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES.
IT IMPACTS EVERYTHING WE DO, CERTAINLY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
WE HAVE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ON SO MANY OF OUR INSTITUTIONS.
WE HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NEEDS ADDRESSING.
AND WHAT I AM GOING TO PUSH VERY STRONGLY THAT THE STATE GET INVOLVED IN LOCAL HOMELESS ISSUES, INFRASTRUCTURE, FLOOD CONTROL, $30 BILLION CAN DO A LOT.
ALTHOUGH THIS IS A LARGE STATE.
WITH LAST SESSION, WE WROTE A $240 BILLION BUDGET, BUT YOU COULD USE THAT 30 BILLION OR A LARGE SHARE OF IT FOR, UH, WE HAVE CONDITIONS IN OUR PRISONS THAT NEED ADDRESSING.
UM, WE COULD EASILY USE THE STATE MONIES FOR FLOOD CONTROL IN OUR URBAN AREAS.
HOUSTON IN PARTICULAR, I THINK WHAT WE SHOULD ARGUE FOR, AND I'VE TALKED TO ERIC JOHNSON, THE DALLAS MAYOR, FORMER STATE REP.
WE NEED AN URBAN INITIATIVE IN THIS STATE.
WE DO REALLY GOOD BY RURAL TEXAS, MID-SIZE CITIES WITH THE BEST FARM TO MARKET ROAD IN THE COUNTRY.
WE HELP WEST TEXAS WITH BRUSH CONTROL.
WE PROVIDE DPS TROOP PROTECTION IN MID-SIZE CITIES SUCH AS COLLEGE STATION, LUBBOCK, WICHITA FALLS.
WE DON'T RECEIVE THOSE TYPE OF SERVICES IN A METROPOLITAN AREA THE SIZE OF HOUSTON.
WE NEED TO CONVINCE THE GOVERNOR, UH, AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT I'VE MENTIONED THAT WE DO FIND BY MID-SIZE TOWNS IN RURAL TEXAS, BUT WE ARE IGNORING AT THE STATE LEVEL.
SO MANY OF THE SERIOUS CONDITIONS IN URBAN TEXAS, UH, PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN OUR INNER CITIES CERTAINLY NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
TSU HAS SOME UNMET NEEDS AS WELL AS U OF H IS GROWING AT A RAPID RATE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION YOU'LL SHOULD GET INVOLVED IN THE BUDGET PROCESS SITTING HERE WATCHING TONIGHT, THINKING, I KNOW YOU ARE PRIMARILY A CITYWIDE ORGANIZATION, BUT I WOULD BE GLAD TO HELP FACILITATE YOUR INVOLVEMENT MORE IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
UH, IT WOULD NOT BE DIFFICULT TO, TO HAVE A MEETING JUST LIKE THIS IN THE MID SESSION, UH, OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
SO I'M HERE TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, WORK WITH SO MANY THAT I'VE MET RECENTLY.
UH, AND MANY OF YOU I HAVEN'T MET BUT KNOW THROUGH PRESS AND ALSO REFERENCES, BUT, UH, WE'VE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB IN AUSTIN OF THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WORKING WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND IT'S A TWO-WAY STREET, BUT THERE'S SOME PERSONALITY CONFLICTS.
WE DIDN'T, WE DID NOT GET OUR HARVEY FUNDING BECAUSE ONE, GEORGE W UH, GEORGE PI GUESS WAS RUNNING FOR LAND COMMISSIONER.
THERE WAS A TIT FOR TAT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND CITY LEADERSHIP WITH AUSTIN.
BUT SOMEONE HAS TO GET EVERYONE TO HIT THE RESTART BUTTON BUTTON AND GET HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY.
ITS SHARE OF STATE RESOURCES, AND YOU COULD PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THAT.
SO WITH THAT, UM, THERE'LL BE OTHER, OTHER ISSUES CERTAINLY IN THE SESSION.
UH, SOME CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES, SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUES, AND, UH, WE'VE GOT TO CONVINCE THE STATE LEADERSHIP, THOSE IS HOW THE STATE OF TEXAS WILL GO.
ALL THOSE RURAL MEMBERS IN WEST TEXAS THAT REPRESENT THE FARMERS THAT GROW THE COTTON, THEY SHIP IT THROUGH OUR SHIP CHANNEL.
[01:00:01]
SO, UH, OUR TRANSIT NEEDS, NEED ADDRESSING OUR PORT, UM, CERTAINLY OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.SO WITH THAT, STACY, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
OKAY, KEITH DOWNEY, GO AHEAD AND, UH, KEITH, GO AHEAD AND LET, UM, SENATOR WHITMAR KNOW WHICH SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD YOU'RE WITH.
I APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION.
UM, BUT I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH WHAT YOU SAID ALSO ABOUT NOT GETTING YOUR FAIR SHARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, MINORITY COMMUNITIES IN HOUSTON ARE TREATED A LOT LIKE, UM, MINORITY COMMUNITIES OF SMALL TOWNS.
THEY DON'T GET THEIR FAIR SHARE, UM, OF THE, OF THE PIE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY WE HAVE, WELL, WE HAVE THE $100 MILLION INVESTMENT WITH HUNTING BAYOU IN HOUSTON, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE GREEN'S BIO? OR WHAT ABOUT HALL'S BIO? YOU KNOW, THEY, UH, KNOW SOME CONSTRUCTION IS TAKING PLACE, BUT YOU KNOW THAT THE INVESTMENT NEED NEEDS TO BE THERE TO HELP OTHER COMMUNITIES AS WELL, UH, DEALING WITH INDUSTRIAL WIND, PLEASANTVILLE, UH, THE AIR FROM THE SHIP CHANNEL, THE WHOLE BIT.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, BRIDGET HAS DONE GREAT WORK WITH THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A LARGER SHARE OF THE PIE FOR MINORITY COMMUNITIES GOING FORWARD IN, IN RURAL AND URBAN AREAS.
WELL, OBVIOUSLY AS THE PREVIOUS SPOKESMAN SPOKES LADY, UH, MENTIONED IN GATHERING DATA, THERE'S, THERE'S CERTAIN DATA WE DON'T HAVE TO GATHER.
UH, AND CERTAINLY THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES ARE UNDERSERVED, UNDERREPRESENTED WHEN IT COMES TO RESOURCES.
I WAS IN DENVER, HARVARD JUST LAST WEEK.
THEY JUST WOULD LOVE SOME LIGHTING, BETTER LIGHTING ALONG LINES AVENUE.
AND, UH, I THINK WE HAVE TO NOT ONLY HOLD OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE, BUT WE HAVE TO BE CREATIVE AFTER TALKING TO THE DENVER HARBOR CIVIC LEADERS, I SUGGESTED THAT CENTER POINT, WHICH HAS EXPENDABLE FUNDS FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WILL GET LIGHTING.
UH, I THINK IT WAS LIKE NINE, NINE BLOCKS DOWN LINES AVENUE.
AS YOU ENTER DENVER HARBOR HAVE SECURITY CONCERNS.
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO REACH OUT TO CENTER POINT.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS.
UH, I THINK THE CITY AND THE COUNTY COULD DO SO MUCH BETTER WORKING TOGETHER.
UH, I'M, I'M SHOCKED SOMETIME WHEN I SEE THE LACK OF, UH, COMMUNICATION.
UH, I JUST, AS ANOTHER EXAMPLE, IT'S, IT'S CERTAINLY NOT WHAT YOU MENTIONED, BUT THE COUNTY HAS A ANIMAL SHELTER IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA, AND I'VE JUST RECENTLY TALKED TO HOUSTONIANS THAT GO THERE AND THEY LOOK AT THEIR ADDRESS AND SAY, NO, YOU'RE A HOUSTON RESIDENT.
WE CAN'T SERVICE YOUR, YOUR PETS.
UH, THEY, THEY HAPPEN TO ALSO BE COUNTY RESIDENTS.
SO I, I THINK EVERYONE HAS TO GET AT THE TABLE, UH, USE THE INFORMATION THAT THEY REPRESENT.
AND, UH, I THINK, I THINK THE COUNTY'S DONE A GREAT JOB.
I KNOW SENATOR ELLIS LEADS THE CHARGE ON FLOOD CONTROL, UH, UH, PROGRAMS IN UN UNSERVED AREAS.
I DO KNOW FOR A FACT SOME FOLKS IN RIVER OAKS AND TANGLEWOOD CALLED HIM ABOUT SOME OF THEIR FLOOD CONDITIONS, AND HE WAS BOLD AND TOLD THEM, NO, NOT UNTIL WE SERVED, UH, UH, THE EQUALITY ISSUE OF GREENS, BIO FLOODS.
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SUGGEST, AND I WENT OUT THERE DURING RECENT FLOODS A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT NOT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO REBUILD ALONG GREENS BIO.
I MEAN, IF YOU GO THERE, ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS LOOK WHERE THE DEVELOPERS PUT THE APARTMENTS, THE, THE, THE FLOOD CONDITIONS DO NOT MAKE THE TURNS IN THAT, IN THAT BAY.
THEY GO RIGHT STRAIGHT INTO THE APARTMENTS.
SO I THINK SOMEONE NEEDS TO GET FEDERAL FUNDING AND OR BOND ISSUES AND HELP LOCATE SOME LARGELY MINORITY RESIDENTS THAT ARE GOING RIGHT BACK INTO THE DAM, UH, CONDITIONS THAT FLOODED BEFORE.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST UNDISPUTABLE.
AND, AND THAT'S NOT THE ONLY AREA IN TOWN.
SO, UH, THE, THE EQUITY OF, UH, EXPENDING FLOOD CONTROL FUNDS, WE DON'T HAVE NEAR ENOUGH.
UH, I'M NOT SURE THE 2.5 BILLION, UH, WILL EVER BE SUFFICIENT.
AND THAT'S WHERE I WAS GETTING TO THE STATE INVOLVEMENT AND CERTAINLY SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE MONIES COMING OUT OF WASHINGTON.
[01:05:01]
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.WE ALL KNOW THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.
BRIDGET DOES EXCELLENT JOB OF KEEPING US FOCUSED ON THAT.
BUT THE BATCH PLANTS, THE LANDFILLS, UH, YOU KNOW, ELECTIONS MATTER, UNFORTUNATELY, TECQ, UH, WILL BE GOING UNDER SUNSET UNDER THE SAME ADMINISTRATION THAT SET THOSE MEMBERS IN PLACE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO I'M FIRED UP, BUT, UH, WE'VE GOTTA GET OUR COMMUNITIES TO, UH, ORGANIZE AND CERTAINLY VOTE.
UH, I JUST, WE HAVE THREE QUESTIONS LEFT, BUT I WANNA MAKE A COMMENT, UH, BEFORE, BEFORE WE GET TO, UM, THE THREE.
AND THAT IS, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CONFLICT BETWEEN THE, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE GO TO, YOU KNOW, OUR GOVERNMENT TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO SOLVE A PROBLEM, SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE THEY JUST GO LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, WELL, IT'S THE, IT'S THE STATE'S FAULT, OR IT'S THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S FAULT.
AND GUESS WHO'S LEFT HOLDING THE BAG AND STILL WITH THE PROBLEM, IT'S US.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.
AND ALSO, WE WOULD LOVE TO TAKE YOU UP ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU MID-SESSION, HOWEVER THAT WORKS OUT.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT MORE OFFLINE.
WE'VE GOT BARBARA QUATRO, THEN BRIDGET FROM PLEASANTVILLE, AND THEN VICKY MARTIN.
SO BARBARA, GO AHEAD, SENATOR.
UH, YOU MENTIONED, UH, UH, HARRIS COUNTY, UH, PETS.
UH, THERE, THERE, HARRIS COUNTY, UH, SHELTER IS SO OVERLOADED THAT THEY CAN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT TAKING ANY ANIMALS IN UNTIL 2023.
THE SITUATION IS COMPLETELY OUTTA HAND.
UH, ALL THE RESCUES IN HOUSTON ARE, ARE, ARE DESPERATE FOR HELP.
UM, THERE, THERE'S PROBABLY A TRANSPORT THAT GOES OUT OF HERE EVERY WEEK TO TAKING DOGS AND CATS TO DIFFERENT STATES.
WHAT CAN BE DONE LEGISLATIVELY TO, TO MAKE IT MANDATORY THAT, UH, UNLESS YOU ARE AN OFFICIALLY REGISTERED BREEDER, THAT YOUR ALL PETS ARE SPAYED AND NEUTERED.
WELL, UM, I'VE LED THE CHARGE ON PUPPY MILL LEGISLATION TO PREVENT THAT REPRODUCTION BUSINESS, UH, THE TITTERING BILL.
UH, WE'VE GOTTEN MUCH, MUCH MORE INVOLVED IN ANIMAL WELFARE IN AUSTIN IN RECENT SESSIONS.
WE STILL HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH OUR RURAL MEMBERS WHO VIEW, UH, OUR PETS AS MORE WORK ANIMALS.
SO I'M ENCOURAGED THAT WE'VE, WE'VE KIND OF MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS.
UH, THE REQUIREMENT ON NEUTERING AND SPRAYING, UH, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I HAD NOT THOUGHT ABOUT A MANDATORY, UM, HERE'S WHAT WE HAVE TO GUARD AGAINST IN, IN, AND IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE, AND IN, IN THE DISCUSSION OF VOUCHERS, WHEN YOU GET THE EDUCATION WE ARE EXPERIENCING IN AUSTIN TO TEXAS, THEY'LL DO A RURAL VERSION, AND THEN THEY DO A URBAN, THEY'LL BRACKET IT AND, UH, TRY TO PUT US UNDER CONDITIONS THAT THEY DON'T WANNA LIVE UNDER, WHETHER IT'S EDUCATION IN, IN THIS INSTANCE YOU'RE MENTIONING ANIMAL WELFARE.
THE RURAL INFLUENCE IS STILL GREATER THAN THEIR NUMBERS DESERVE.
UH, THERE'S NO PROBABLY NO SECRET THAT THE LEADERSHIP GETS ELECTED IN RURAL TEXAS.
SO THEY HAVE A, A LARGE VOICE, BUT WE HAVE MADE ON THE TETHERING BILL AND YOU, AND IF YOU RECALL THE LEASE, IT'S A LEASE BILL TETHERING THAT ABBOTT ACTUALLY VETOED IT AFTER LAST SESSION.
BUT PETSET AND OTHER ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUPS GOT ORGANIZED.
I WORKED WITH 'EM, AND THEY JUST BOMBARDED THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE WITH CALLS.
HE'S WORRIED ABOUT HIS REELECTION, AND WE WENT BACK IN A SPECIAL SESSION AND PASSED THAT.
SO IT'S A, IT'S AN EDUCATION ISSUE.
THEY DON'T THINK IN RURAL OR MIDSIZE TEXAS, THEY'VE GOT AN ANIMAL POPULATION PROBLEM BECAUSE THAT'S JUST NOT THEIR PRIORITY.
YOU AND I KNOW WE HAVE, UH, I KNOW HOW BROKEN IN MY JUDGMENT FROM THE INPUT OF PEOPLE I LISTEN TO BARK, UH, NEEDS TO DO A BETTER, IT'S A FUNDING ISSUE.
WE'VE GOTTA BE CREATIVE, LIKE I MENTIONED ON THE LIGHTS, ON LINES AVENUE.
WE'VE GOTTA BE CREATIVE WITH ANIMAL.
I THINK IF YOU HAD A NONPROFIT AND GREG, UH, ONCE THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WAS THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, GREG, UH, ON THE WEST SIDE, TRAVIS, TRAVIS, GREG TRAVIS AND I HAVE DISCUSSED IT.
HE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT ANIMAL WELFARE.
[01:10:02]
IF, IF WE HAD A NONPROFIT HELPING BART, WE COULD RAISE PRIVATE MONIES THAT I THINK WOULD DO A BETTER JOB.BUT THE COUNTY FACILITY, I HEAR ABOUT IT.
THEY'RE QUITE AS OVERRUN AS YOU DESCRIBED, BUT I'M NOT SURPRISED BECAUSE THE NEED IS THERE.
UH, I DO KNOW THAT I WORK WITH FRIENDS FOR LIFE, PET SET, AND OTHERS.
UH, WE JUST GOTTA MAKE THAT A GREATER PRIORITY.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF NEEDS, A LOT OF HUMAN NEEDS, BUT WE ALL KNOW HOW WE TREAT OUR PETS AND ANIMALS IS A REFLECTION ON US AS A PEOPLE.
SO I WAS JUST SHOCKED THOUGH, AND IT WAS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CITY COUNTY COOPERATION, THAT A COUNTY RESIDENT WHO HAPPENS TO BE A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, CANNOT ACCESS A COUNTY SERVICE EVEN IF YOU GET ON A WAITING LIST.
I JUST THINK THE TIME AND THE NEEDS ARE SO GREAT THAT WE CANNOT HAVE BETTER ORGAN ORGANIZATION OR COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
AND AS STACY MENTIONED, THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND IT'S A TWO WAY STREET.
THE STATE NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE US OR IN THIS TOGETHER, HOW HOUSTON GOES.
HOW HARRIS COUNTY GOES IS HOW THE STATE WILL GO.
AND, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, THEY DO TAKE IT OUT ON THE CITIES, THE URBAN CITIES THAT ARE CONTROLLED BY, UH, LARGELY DEMOCRATS.
THEY GOTTA UNDERSTAND THE ELECTIONS BEHIND US, AND NOW LETS GOVERN.
WHEN I STARTED IN THE LEGISLATURE, WE DID THAT.
IN FACT, THE PARTISANSHIP WAS VERY MINIMAL.
WE NEED TO HAVE THE, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF BLAME TO GO AROUND.
AUSTIN LEADERSHIP IS TRYING TO PUNISH URBAN AREAS.
THEY GET AFTER AUSTIN ROUTINELY.
YOU KNOW, AUSTIN CAN'T EVEN CONTROL JUST, UH, ON THEIR OWN INITIATIVE DOING AWAY THE BLACK BOX FOR, FOR X UH, INMATES TO APPLY FOR A JOB.
AUSTIN WANTS TO GIVE 'EM A SECOND CHANCE.
ABBOTT AND PATRICK NIM, STOP IT.
UH, AUSTIN WANTED TO PROTECT THEIR TREES.
THE LEGISLATURE SAID NO PLASTIC BAGS, LEGISLATURE SAID NO.
AND OF COURSE, IT GETS BACK TO ELECTIONS MATTER.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, UH, SOME OF THOSE CANDIDATES THAT TAKE THOSE PUNITIVE MEASURES TOWARD DEMOCRATIC CITIES GOT REELECTED.
SO THAT MEANS WE GOTTA DOUBLE DOWN AND DO OUR PART.
I THINK PEOPLE AT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY NEED TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL ABBOTT AND OTHERS AND SAY, I KNOW WE ARE GONNA DISAGREE ON A LOT OF THINGS, A LOT OF YOUR SOCIAL ISSUES, BUT CAN WE AGREE ON NEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIONS? I TELL THE FOLKS IN KINGWOOD, ON A REGULAR BASIS, Y'ALL ELECT THOSE STATE OFFICIALS, YOU KNOW, KINGWOOD, WHEN I'M THERE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE RIVER CONDITIONS, THE SANDBAR BROUGHT ABOUT BY FLOODING, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE LARGE AND THEY JUST PUSH THE WATER ACROSS KINGWOOD.
AND I TELL 'EM, I'LL DO MY PART.
BUT YOU ELECT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LITERALLY IN CHARGE OF THE STATE.
AND, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, I CAN TELL THE FOLKS THE SAME, SAME THING IN OTHER AREAS, BUT, UH, IT'S FRUSTRATING TO ME.
BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN, I AM A WITNESS TO GOVERNMENT WORKING.
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS ONLY GOVERNMENT CAN PROVIDE, AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC SAFETY.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY, UH, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE GOVERNMENT AND WE NEED TO REQUIRE GOVERNMENT TO WORK.
SEE, NORMALLY THEY WILL HIDE BEHIND.
WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY'VE GOT.
WE'VE STILL, I DIDN'T EVEN MENTION THEY GOT $12 BILLION IN THE RAINY DAY FUND.
SO I THINK ALL OF US COULD ESTABLISH THAT WE'VE GOT SOME RAINY DAY CONDITIONS AND WE'RE STILL SUFFERING UNDER PREVIOUS FLOOD CONDITIONS.
SO ANYWAY, UH, TALKING TO Y'ALL GETS ME PRETTY FIRED UP, QUITE FRANKLY.
WELL, THANK YOU, UH, BRIDGET MURRAY, I PROMISE TO BE BRIEF.
UH, GLAD TO SEE YOU HERE TONIGHT.
UM, AND I WANNA SAY THAT STACY REALLY STOLE MY THUNDER BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO SAY, I HOPE THAT WE DO TAKE YOU UP ON YOUR OFFER TO GET MORE ENGAGED AND MORE INVOLVED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, ARENA.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING, WENT THROUGH THE DIFFERENT MEETINGS FOR THE SUNSET REVIEW, FOR TCQ AND PUC, AND AS YOU SAID, ELECTIONS MATTER, BECAUSE WE WILL NOT SEE MANY CHANGES IN THOSE TWO STATE AGENCIES BECAUSE WE'RE GOING RIGHT BACK TO WHERE WE WERE.
[01:15:01]
BUT A LOT OF THE FIGHT IS AT, IS AT THE POLICY LEVEL.AND SO MANY PEOPLE WITHIN THE CITY ARE FAMILIAR WITH WHO HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT.
AND I SEE THIS AS A REAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE STATE FUNDS, WHAT THEY DON'T FUND, AND, AND NOT ASSUME THAT IT'S ALL THE CITY'S FAULT, ALL THE COUNTY'S FAULT.
THEY NEED TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THESE POLICIES, THESE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
IF WE DON'T CHANGE, AND OF COURSE, WHAT'S THE CHICKEN? WHAT'S THE EGG? THE, THE CHANGING OF POLICY
OBVIOUSLY, WE LIVE IN A STATE THAT HAS VERY LIMITED PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE LEGISLATURE, BECAUSE WE ONLY MEET EVERY OTHER YEAR FOR 40, 140 DAYS.
SO IT'S NOT SURPRISING WHEN I SPEAK TO GROUPS THEY DON'T KNOW.
AND, AND IN FACT, I'LL, I'LL SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE WITH YOU.
I USED TO GO SPEAK TO GROUPS, ROTARY CLUBS, OTHERS, AND I WOULD GIVE THEM THE CIVIC PITCH TO BE INVOLVED.
AND I WOULD SAY, LET'S START OVER HERE.
EVERYONE NAMED THEIR STATE REP AND STATE SENATOR.
AND IT BECAME SUCH AN EMBARRASSMENT.
BUT YOU KNOW, YOU JUST MADE ME THINK OF THAT, BRIDGET, IF, IF IT SERVED NO OTHER PURPOSE THAN HELPING PEOPLE IDENTIFY WHO THEIR STATE REP AND STATE SENATOR IS, HOW THE SUNSET PROCESS WORKS.
AND ULTIMATELY, THAT WOULD LEAD TO BETTER POLICIES.
YEARS AGO, SOME OF THE RADIO AND TV STATIONS FROM HOUSTON WOULD COME AND DO.
IN FACT, THAT'S HOW I MET WAYNE TINO OF ALL THINGS HE WOULD DO LIVE FROM AUSTIN IN ONE OF OUR OFFICES.
AND, UH, WE COULD DO SOMETHING, PUBLICIZE IT, UM, DISCUSS THAT BEFOREHAND, WHAT TOPICS WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS.
AND, UH, I'LL BE MORE THAN GLAD TO DO THAT.
OH, WE GOT ONE, ONE AFTER VICKI.
SO VICKI MARTIN, AND THEN PRISCILLA RETA.
UH, I ECHO WHAT THE PREVIOUS LADIES HAVE STATED.
I JUST WANNA TUNE IN TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SIDE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
UH, I'M A FORMER PAROLE OFFICER.
AND I'VE CHECKED IN ON MY COWORKERS BECAUSE I KNOW THE SITUATION THAT I LEFT THEM IN.
AND THE RATIO THE LEGISLATORS HAVE PUT FORTH.
THE RATIO, LIKE FOR SPECIALIZED, WHICH I WAS A SEX OFFENDER OFFICER, IS 20 TO ONE.
WELL, MY COWORKERS, FORMER COWORKERS ARE CARRYING 60 PLUS.
SO YOU HAVE PAROLE OFFICERS THAT SUPERVISE SEX OFFENDERS, WHICH ARE THE HIGHEST PROFILE CASE LOADS, AND THEY'RE DOING THREE TIMES, UH, THE POPULATION OF WHAT THE LEGISLATORS SAY THEY COULD HANDLE.
SECONDLY, REGULAR FIELD, THE RACIAL FOR THE PER, THE LEGISLATORS ARE 71 5 TO ONE.
SO FOR ONE PAROLE OFFICER, THEY SHOULD HAVE IDEALLY 75 CLIENTS.
SO BASICALLY THE MISSION STATEMENT IS TO PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECOND, TO HELP REINTEGRATE THE CLIENT BACK INTO SOCIETY WITH THOSE TYPE OF NUMBERS.
THEY'RE NOT SUPERVISING THE CLIENTS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY SEEING THE CLIENTS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA BE A SAFETY ISSUE.
AND I JUST WANNA SEE IF YOU GUYS CAN TUNE IN ON THAT.
THE LEGISLATOR HAS IT THERE, BUT THE REALITY IS BECAUSE OF, UH, RECIDIVISM RATE, UH, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO KEEP STAFF BECAUSE OF THE PAY SALARY.
AND IT'S A TYPE OF, UH, CAREER WHERE YOU MUST HAVE A, UH, A BACHELOR'S DEGREE AT THE MINIMUM.
SO IF YOU CAN JUST KIND OF TUNE INTO THAT AND TRY TO GET THOSE GUYS SOME HELP, BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THEIR BEST TO PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US AS CITIZENS IN TEXAS.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.
BEING A PAROLE OFFICER IS, IS A TOUGH JOB.
LONG HOURS AND OFTEN DANGEROUS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, AND I, AND I DESCRIBE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AS A SYSTEM, I REALLY MEAN THAT IT STARTS WITH THE, YOU KNOW, OFFICER ON THE STREET RIGHT UP THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM.
AND THEN IF INCARCERATION IS NECESSARY, AND THEN PAROLE AND, AND CERTAINLY PROBATION, UH, NEEDS ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND, AND, AND LOWER SUPERVISION NUMBERS.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER HAD HEARD ME SPEAK IN FINANCE AND NEEDING A CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE PUSHING FOR BETTER RESOURCES FOR PAROLE AND PROBATION BECAUSE,
[01:20:01]
UH, THEY'RE TREATED LIKE THE STEPCHILD OF THE TDCJ SYSTEM.THEY DO THEIR FUNDING REQUIREMENTS AND TAKING CARE OF THE PRISONS, UH, WHICH QUITE FRANKLY IS WAY UNDERSTAFFED BECAUSE OF LOW SALARIES AND WHERE THEY LOCATED THE DARN PRISONS.
BUT WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO, AND I'LL BE GLAD TO VISIT WITH YOU ANOTHER TIME, IS HAVE A BETTER REENTRY PROGRAM, UH, RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE OUGHT TO MEET, CONSULT, AND ASSIST EVERYONE BEING RELEASED OUTTA TDCJ.
WHEN WE RELEASE SOMEONE TO THE STREETS OF HOUSTON OR OTHER TEXAS CITIES WITH NO RESOURCES, NO HOUSING, NO JOB OPPORTUNITY.
THEY'RE FORCED OFTEN BACK INTO WHAT LED THEM TO BE INCARCERATED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND FOR SURE IT ADDS TO OUR HOMELESS CONDITIONS.
SO THERE'S A MODEL OUT OF AUSTIN THAT I WORKED WITH YEARS AGO, MADE UP OF A ROUND TABLE OF STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CITY, INCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT, CRIME VICTIMS, PROVIDERS, YOU, IT WOULD SERVE ALL OF US IN WHATEVER WAS SPENT.
AND I, I, THERE AGAIN, THERE'S A STATE FUNDING, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIST OUR PAROLEES TO BETTER HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WHEN THEY'RE RELEASED, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT JUST DOESN'T EXIST.
UM, SO THAT, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE WORKING CONDITION, I, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT, I'M SHOCKED THAT WE DON'T HAVE A GREATER TURNOVER AND, AND DIFFICULTY IN HIRING PEOPLE BECAUSE IT'S SUCH SLOW PAY AFTER YOU TAKE OUT RETIREMENT INSURANCE AND TAXES.
YOU JUST REALLY DON'T HAVE A LIVABLE WAGE.
IT'S THE, IT STARTS WITH TDCJ REQUESTING MORE AND BRIAN COLLIER IS DOING A BETTER JOB THAN PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS.
BUT STILL, PAROLE IS KIND OF THE, AFTER EVERYTHING ELSE IS TAKEN CARE OF.
AND, AND THE, AND THE UNDER, UH, THE, THE SHORTAGE OF STAFF IN TDCJ, NOT ONLY AT THE PAROLE LEVEL, BUT INSIDE THE, THE, THE INSTITUTIONS IS A REAL DANGER.
THE, THE HORRIBLE INSTANCE OF THE ESCAPE IN EAST TEXAS THAT LED TO THE DEATH OF THE GRANDFATHER AND HIS GRANDKIDS, THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD THREE OFFICERS ON THAT BUS AND THEY ONLY HAD TWO.
SO THERE SHOWS YOU THE DANGERS OF UNDERSTAFFING A CORRECTION SYSTEM.
UM, I'M WITH SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 65 82, WHICH IS THE MAGNOLIA PARK AND MANCHESTER IN THE EAST END OF HOUSTON.
UM, AGAIN, MY NAME IS PRISCILLA.
I SORT OF HAD A HAVE A GENERAL QUESTION.
WHAT SPECIFIC TOPICS OR ISSUES WOULD YOU LOOK TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE SPECIFICALLY FOR INSIGHT? WOW, WE COULD SPEND THE REST OF THE EVENING TALKING ABOUT THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ACCESS SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE WITH CITY HALL AND THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE GOT AN OUTSTANDING COUNCIL PERSON IN ALCORN WITH US TONIGHT, BUT I'M GONNA GET TO LEARN MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
'CAUSE QUITE, YOU KNOW, BEING UPFRONT, I JUST HAVEN'T HAD ACCESS TO, UH, TO YOUR, UM, SERVICE.
AND IT WOULD APPEAR TO ME, IT WOULD APPEAR TO ME THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING CONSTITUENT SERVICES THAT PEOPLE DON'T OFTEN GET FROM THE CITY.
I HAVEN'T BEEN IN OFFICE MY WHOLE ADULT LIFE UNLESS I'M GREAT ON CONSTITUENT SERVICE.
UH, STARTED AS YOUNG MAN, GENE GREEN AND NIA.
I COULD NAME THOSE OF US THAT STARTED TOGETHER.
CONSTITUENT SERVICE IN A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT IS A HUGE PORTION OF YOUR JOB GOING TO AUSTIN, THAT'S 140 DAYS.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, UNFORTUNATELY, I, I GET SO FRUSTRATED UP THERE 'CAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO BE, EVERYBODY WANTS TO SPEAK.
WE ALREADY KNOW THE OUTCOME OFTEN.
SO MY GREATEST SATISFACTION AS A STATE REP AND SENATOR HAS BEEN CONSTITUENT SERVICE.
I'M LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW COUNCIL MEMBERS OPERATE.
THE FACT THAT MINE REQUESTS ME TO GO THROUGH 3 1 1 BEFORE SHEILA CAN ADDRESS AN ISSUE.
IF YOU CALLED ME AS A STATE REP ABOUT A TXDOT ISSUE AND I TOLD YOU TO CALL A THIRD PARTY BEFORE I CAN HELP YOU, I WOULD'VE BEEN DISAPPOINTED A LONG TIME AGO.
[01:25:01]
IN FUTURE DISCUSSIONS INDIVIDUALLY OR COLLECTIVELY.WHAT ACCESS DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO CITY GOVERNMENT? UH, I'VE ACTUALLY SUGGESTED TO A COUPLE OF FRIENDS ON COUNCIL, WHY DON'T Y'ALL DO NIGHT SESSIONS AND FREE PARKING AND I CAN GO ON AND ON.
UM, PUBLIC SERVICES IS A CALLING IN MY WORLD.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, NO ONE MAKES US DO THIS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONSTITUENT SERVICES THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING.
AND ONCE YOU GATHER THIS INFORMATION, THEN HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO ACCESS CITY HALL? I'M SURE IT VARIES DEPENDING ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD YOU'RE IN, OR HELL, IT MAY BE A GENERAL PROBLEM.
I'M NOT SURE I'M LEARNING MORE AND MORE, BUT, UH, I'M NOT REAL IMPRESSED BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THE APP, THE 3 1 1 APP.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE WHOLE CITY'S LIT UP, UH, WHEN I'VE SEEN WHO IS MAKING THOSE 3 1 1 CALLS.
SO I HOPE THAT HELPS SOME, I JUST WANT YOU TO HELP ME LEARN YOUR AVAIL.
HOW AVAILABLE IS CITY GOVERNMENT TO YOU? YES, SIR.
WE, WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING TONIGHT.
OH, HOPE I DIDN'T STEP ON TOO MANY TOES,
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, UH, WERE ACTUAL QUESTIONS IN THE, THE LAST MAYORAL FORUM.
ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT WE HAD WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, MOVING TO NIGHT COURT, HAVING CITY COUNCIL AT NIGHT, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST EVEN ONCE A MONTH.
AND I FORGET THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU SAID THAT WE HAD ALSO SUGGESTED, AND IT WAS PART OF OUR QUESTIONING.
SO IT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, IN THE, SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED HAVE BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MIND.
AND OF COURSE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION AND WE WOULD LOVE, LOVE TO GET MORE OF YOUR TIME AS IT'S AVAILABLE.
UH, SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO THANK YOU AS CHAIR FOR BEING ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS TONIGHT.
I WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS.
WE HAVE JUST A FEW MINUTES LEFT BECAUSE WE DO KIND OF HAVE A HARD DEADLINE OF EIGHT TO BE BROADCAST ON HTV.
I DO WANNA MENTION ON OUR AGENDA THAT ELECTIONS WILL BE COMING UP IN JANUARY.
AND SO I HAVE, UH, UH, SET UP A NOMINATING COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL BE, UH, TOMORROW BELL JANE WEST AND MIKE VAN DUSEN.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN, UH, BEING CONSIDERED FOR A ROLE, UH, AS AN OFFICER WITH THE SUPER NEIGHBOR ALLIANCE, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO THE SUPER NEIGHBOR ALLIANCE, UH, SNA, CO H@GMAIL.COM.
WE HAVE JUST A MINUTE OR TWO LEFT.
WERE THERE ANY, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY LAST MINUTE COMMENTS.
UH, SO LET'S SEE IN THE ORDER, UH, DIDI CHAVIS, KEEP THEM VERY, VERY BRIEF PLEASE.
AND, UM, SENATOR WHITMAR AND ALL THE PRESENTERS, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS, UM, THIS EVENING.
UH, JUST WANNA, UM, STATE, I'M HERE, UH, CHIEF OF STAFF FOR VICE MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTHA CASTEX TATUM, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT K.
I PUT MY INFORMATION IN THE CHAT AND ALSO I WILL PUT A LINK TO OUR NEWSLETTER WITH SOME INFORMATIVE, UM, TOPICS THERE FOR, UM, OUR CONSTITUENTS TO REVIEW.
BUT THANK YOU AND I YIELD BACK.
HI, SHERRY CORTEZ WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UM, REPRESENTING KIM OG AND, UH, OUR DA'S OFFICE.
AND I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THIS MONTH IS, UH, DWI AWARENESS AND TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT DWIS ARE UP 22% OVER STATEWIDE.
UM, THAT IS A LEGITIMATE STATISTIC AND WE NEED TO GET THOSE NUMBERS DOWN.
THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT DO THAT IS TO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE, UM, DURING THESE HOLIDAY SEASONS THAT, THAT ARE COMING UP.
AND TO ALSO REMIND PEOPLE TO REMOVE THOSE GUNS FROM THEIR GLOVE BOXES.
I WILL KEEP SHOUTING THIS OUT TILL WE STOP THAT 10 A DAY THAT ARE SHOWING UP IN THE HPD STATS.
THAT'S OVER 4,000 A YEAR THAT ARE USED IN AG CRIMES BECAUSE THEY'RE STOLEN OUTTA GLOVE BOXES.
REMINDER ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES, WE ARE NOT THE INVESTIGATORS.
HPD DOES INVESTIGATIONS ON ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME.
SO BE SURE AND CONTACT YOUR DRTS IF YOU SEE ANY ILLEGAL DUMPING.
AND THEN, UM, OUR DAS WILL BE PROSECUTING THOSE AS LONG AS THEY HAVE THE INVESTIGATIVE TOOLS FROM HPD.
LET'S SEE, CHRISTINA, PLEASE, UH, LET ME SEE IF I'M ON MUTE.
UM, WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO AND GOOD TO SEE HER AGAIN.
UM, STATE REP HAS, UH, BEEN REELECTED TO HER NEW DISTRICT AND PREPARING FOR THE NEXT SESSION.
AND I WOULD ECHO SENATORS, UM, CONCERN THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS HAVE MENTIONED SEEING CROSS FINGERS POINTING
[01:30:01]
DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS WHEN WE DO CONSTITUENT SERVICES.AND WE EN ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTACT US IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN HELP YOU WITH.
BUT IF IT'S NOT IN OUR PURVIEW, WE FOLLOW THROUGH AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE SERVED AND THE OTHER PURVIEW AND WE STAY IN THE LOOP TO MAKE SURE YOUR ISSUE IS RESOLVED EITHER WAY.
BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOU DO AND THANKS FOR HAVING US HERE THIS EVENING.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE LAST PERSON IS CC SCOTT.
WHAT A GREAT AND ENGAGED MEETING TONIGHT.
AS THE DIRECTOR OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES AND THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, WE ARE WORKING FAST AND FURIOUS ON CONSTITUENT SERVICES ON EVERY AREA.
AND BY US BEING AN AT LARGE OFFICE, WE GET CALLS ALL DAY EVERY DAY.
I SAY WE, BUT I'M GONNA SAY ME
SO WE'RE HERE FOR YOU, UM, TO ALL OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND YES, SENATOR, WE CAN USE SOME MORE HELP
THAT'S THE LAST PERSON WHO RAISED THEIR HAND.
SO I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU ALL, ALL OUR SPEAKERS, ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ASK THESE WONDERFUL QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
AND, AND, UH, I'LL SAY WE'RE ADJOURNING AT 8 0 1.