* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:03] TUESDAY, JANUARY 31ST, 2023. I'M MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER. I'M CALLING THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER, UH, THE CHAIR [PRESENTATIONS] RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CIRES FOR A PROCLAMATION TO THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN LOVE YOUR PET MOP. HEY, WE'RE JUST THRILLED. THANK YOU. SO LOVE YOUR PET MONTH IS QUICKLY APPROACHING. IT'S THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY. IT'S THE BEGINNING OF PUPPY SEASON AND KITTEN SEASON, AND, UM, AND A LOT OF UNWANTED BIRTHS AND OF, UH, ANIMALS ON OUR STREETS. AND SO, UM, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, UM, THERE'S NOT OFTEN IN ASSOCIATION WITH, UH, UM, THE OVERPOPULATION OF PETS ON THE STREETS, BUT, UM, THE, THE MFA HOUSTON, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, BRINGS, UH, A A LOT TO THE CITY, YOU KNOW, INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM, BUT THEY FOCUS ON IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT ART CAN COMMUNICATE IN, IN, IN SOMETIMES MORE POWERFUL WAYS THAN JUST WORDS CAN. SO I'M REALLY HONORED TODAY TO BE, UM, UM, THAT THE MAYORS HAVE, HAS A PROCLAMATION FOR THEM, FOR THEIR ROLE IN LOVE YOUR PET MONTH. THIS MONTH, UM, OR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, STARTING TOMORROW, THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, STUDENTS AT THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN DENVER HARBOR, UM, TO EDUCATE THEM ALONG, YOU KNOW, SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE HOUSTON HUMANE SOCIETY ABOUT RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP, AND THEN EXPRESSING THAT THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY, THEY'VE PROVIDED CAMERAS AND, AND, UM, INSTRUCTORS TO TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO USE THE CAMERAS AND TO COMPOSE PHOTOGRAPHS, AND THEN TO, UM, TO, TO TURN THIS INTO ART PROJECTS. YOU KNOW, THAT WILL BE A PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION ON DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS. UM, BEGINNING ON, UH, THE 23RD, THERE'LL BE A RECEPTION AT THE MFA ON THE 23RD OF FEBRUARY, AND IT WILL BE UP UNTIL, UM, UH, APRIL 2ND. SO IT'S A HUGE HONOR THAT, THAT, THAT THESE CHILDREN GET TO PARTICIPATE THIS WAY. AND I'M SO VERY PLEASED TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY. UM, WE HAVE A LOVELY PROCLAMATION. I SAID A LOT OF THE THINGS ON HERE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE WE REALLY NEED TO SAY, BUT, BUT, UM, IT DOES ENCOMPASS A LOT OF THAT. BUT REALLY MY HOPE IN THE FUTURE THAT, UM, AS YOU'VE, AS YOU'VE DEVELOPED YOUR OWN RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE SCHOOLS AND WITH THE HOUSTON HUMANE SOCIETY, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN CONTINUE BECAUSE IT'S BEEN RECEIVED SO WELL. I MEAN, IT IS, IT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT WAY TO BE ABLE TO REACH INTO FAMILIES AND TO EDUCATE, UM, PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN HOUSTON ABOUT WHAT RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP MEANS. UM, SO, SO MAYOR, I'LL LET YOU JUST FINISH OUT THE PROCLAMATION, THEN. I HAVE A GIFT FOR YOU TO TAKE, UM, BACK TO THE OTHERS THAT YOU KNOW THAT HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN LEADING THE, THE CLASSES FOR THE CHILDREN TOO. MAYOR, I BROUGHT A GIFT TOO. OKAY, , THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR LAYING THAT OUT. AND, AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SAYING THAT, UM, I SELECTED WORKS FROM PARTICIPATING STUDENT ARTISTS WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON, AT THE LOVE YOUR PETS, A STUDENT EXHIBITION ADVOCATING RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP. AND FOR THAT, THEREFORE, AYE, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROUDLY PROCLAIMED 30 JANUARY 31ST, 2023, AS THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARCH DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. CONGRATULATIONS FOR EVERYTHING YOU ALL DID. THANK, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR TURNER AND COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS. REALLY, THE HONOR IS OURS TO HOST THIS PROGRAM AT THE MUSEUM, UH, AND TO SEE THE CHILDREN WHEN THEY COME TO THE RECEPTION AND THEIR FAMILIES, UH, AND TO BE WORKING WITH THE HOUSTON HUMANE SOCIETY. IT'S REALLY A WONDERFUL MULTIPLE PARTNERSHIP, AND WE DO HOPE TO CONTINUE IT. SO THANK YOU. AWESOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN. SECOND. THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM. AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. YOU'VE BEEN A LEADER ON CHILDREN'S ISSUES AND A LEADER ON ANIMAL WELFARE ISSUES, AND YOU'VE BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER HERE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE MUSEUM. THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK. YOU'RE DOING SO MUCH OF OUR STRAY DOG AND CAT POPULATION, AND SO MUCH OF OUR PROBLEM HERE IN HOUSTON IS DUE TO LACK OF EDUCATION. SO E EVERY WAY WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT, UM, ABOUT ANIMAL WELFARE IN OUR CITY IS A GREAT THING. SO THANK YOU FOR USING THE, THE BIG PODIUM OF THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS TO, TO GET THAT WORD OUT AND TO, TO LET THE KIDS, UM, BE INVOLVED IN THIS, IN THIS GREAT THING. SO THANK YOU [00:05:01] AND THANKS AGAIN, AND CONGRATULATIONS AND, AND I WILL END IT BY THIS, UM, EVERY DAY IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS LOVE YOUR PET MOTH. SO, UH, CONGRATULATIONS. I'M SURE YOU'LL ENJOY IT VERY MUCH. SO THANKS TO THE, UH, MUSEUM OF OX CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN FOR A PROCLAMATION TO THE HALAL GUYS. HALAH HALAH GUYS IN CELEBRATION OF THEIR SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY AND RECOGNITION OF THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE HALAH, GUYS, HALAH. AND, AND THEN WE'LL BRING UP EVERYONE ELSE AT THE END. AND MA, YOU MAYOR'S HONOR. THANK YOU. WHO'S MY DAD? HOW ARE YOU PROUD FATHER, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. UH, FIRST OFF, UH, I WANNA INTRODUCE MARO AND THE ENTIRE HALAL GUYS FAMILY. UM, AND THANK THEM FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR BRINGING HALAL GUYS TO HOUSTON. TODAY, WE'RE CELEBRATING THEIR SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY, UM, AND THEIR RESTAURANTS, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, FIT RIGHT INTO HOUSTON, AND ESPECIALLY DISTRICT C'S VIBRANT FOOD SCENE. UH, OUR ENTIRE OFFICE LOVES YOUR FOOD, AND, UH, WE FREQUENT, THERE'S A LOT OF THE CHAIN IN DISTRICT C UH, WE LOVE IT SO MUCH IN OUR OFFICE THAT KATE DENTLER, MY CHIEF OF STAFF, WAS RANKED BY UBER EATS, EMBARRASSINGLY ENOUGH AS THEIR BEST CUSTOMER FOR EATING THERE SO MUCH. HE GOT ONE OF THOSE AWARDS. UH, MAURA AND HIS TEAM ARE INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY PARTNERS, WHETHER IT'S A QUICK PHONE CALL DURING ELECTION DAY, MAYOR, I THINK YOU KNOW THIS, UH, WHEN STUDENTS WERE STANDING IN LONG LINES AT NIGHT ON ELECTION DAY, WE CALLED, UH, JEFF AND MARO AND WITHIN AN HOUR OR SO, THEY HAD BROUGHT FREE FOOD FOR ALL THE STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, UH, TO HELP KEEP THEM IN LINE AND KEEP THEM FED, UH, OR WHETHER IT'S WORKING AND SUPPORTING THEIR OWN HALAL GUYS' FAMILY, UH, SUPPORTING THEIR OWN STAFF DURING COID AND MAKING SURE THAT THEIR DOORS STAYED OPEN, NOT ONLY FOR EMPLOYEES, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN THE PROCLAMATION, BUT BECAUSE OF ALL THE WORK THEY DO, IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT MAURA WAS RECOGNIZED BY BOTH THE TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION AND GREATER HOUSTON RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION AS RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR IN 2021, UH, TODAY, AND I KNOW WE'LL INTRODUCE THEM IN A MOMENT, UH, THEY HAVE BOTH FAMILY AND THEIR EXTENDED RESTAURANT FAMILY HERE WITH THEM, I THINK OVER 20, UH, FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE. SO WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE THEM. SO WITH THAT, I'LL READ, UH, PORTIONS OF THE PROCLAMATION. HALAL GUYS FIRST OPENED IN HOUSTON IN 2016 AFTER MAHONEY PERSUADED THE LEGENDARY NEW YORK RESTAURANT THAT HOUSTON WAS THE PERFECT CITY TO LAUNCH THEIR FRANCHISE. FRANCHISE RECOGNIZED AS POSSIBLY THE WELL WE KNOW THE MOST CULTURALLY DIVERSE CITY IN THE COUNTRY. HOUSTON WOULD IS A PERFECT PALETTE FOR HALAL FOCUSED RESTAURANTS WITH A PASSION FOR PROVIDING GREAT FOOD AND OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE THROUGH THE QUINTESSENTIAL HOUSTON VALUES OF HARD WORK AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF THE PANDEMIC, THE HALAL GUYS MADE A COMMITMENT TO THEIR TEAM AND TO THE COMMUNITY TO KEEP EVERY SINGLE PERSON EMPLOYED THAT WISHED TO REMAIN WITH THE COMPANY. AND DESPITE THOSE CHALLENGES MANAGED TO GROW TO SEVEN STORES EMPLOYING 175 HOUSTONIANS FOR THIS AND MANY OTHER REASONS, AS WE DISCUSSED, MSHO HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED STATEWIDE, UH, AS RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR, OR 2021, EXCUSE ME. HALAL GUYS BELIEVES IN GIVING BACK TO COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE SO GENEROUSLY EMBRACED THEM AND HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR THESE EFFORTS BY SUCH ORGANIZATIONS AS MEMORIAL HERMANN HOSPITAL, HOUSTON REGION, VETERANS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE A MSA AT, UH, AND OTHER RELIGIOUS AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE CITY. THE HALAL GUIDE ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS, SERVING ON ADVISORY BOARDS, SPONSORING BOTH ATHLETIC AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. AND ADDITIONALLY, WHOLE HALAL GUIDE HAS SUPPORTED A WIDE, WIDE ARRAY OF RELIGIOUS AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS. AND MOST RECENTLY WERE ACTIVELY INVOLVED, AS I SAID, IN ELECTION DAY EFFORTS, SUPPORTING OUR AREA'S, [00:10:01] HARDWORKING AND UNSUNG HEROES, MAKING THE VOTING PROCESS WORK FOR EVERYONE. ON JANUARY 30TH, 2023, HALAL GUIDE IS CELEBRATING THE SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR HOUSTON OPENING. THE CITY OF HOUSTON, CONGRATULATES THE HALAL GUYS ON THIS AUSPICIOUS OCCASION AND EXTENDS ITS BEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS. SO THE, SO THEREFORE, I SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROBABLY PROCLAIM JANUARY 30TH, 2023 AS THE HALAL GUYS DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. CONGRATULATIONS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. YEAH, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY SINCEREST THANKS TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN, MAYOR TURNER, FOR HONORING US TODAY. UH, THIS RECOGNITION MEANS A LOT TO US. IT EMPOWERS US AT A YG FOOD SERVICES TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND TO BE A SOLID PILLAR IN THIS COMMUNITY. UM, ALSO AT JAVIER AIRPORT TOO, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. YES. UM, I WANNA THANK MY PARENTS. THEY'VE INSTILLED SUCH VALUES. THEY WERE IN THIS BUILDING IN THE LATE EIGHTIES. MY DAD WAS JUST TELLING ME HOW HE GOT HIS ELECTRICAL LICENSE HERE IN 1988. SO WE'VE COME A LONG WAY IN THIS CITY AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT. UM, I WANNA THANK MY WIFE. HI CHEF. SHE'S OVER HERE TAKING A VIDEO, UM, TO HELP ME CONCENTRATE AND GROW AS A BUSINESS. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANNA THANK MY TEAM. THEY'RE ALL HERE. MANY OF THE MANAGERS HERE ARE, ARE WITH US. UM, WITHOUT THEM, NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE BEEN POSSIBLE. THEY WORK HARD EVERY DAY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN TO, TO, TO BUILD OUR BRAND IN THIS CITY. UM, AND LASTLY, I WANNA THANK CARLOS MARTINEZ. CARLOS, RAISE YOUR HAND. . CARLOS HAS BEEN WITH ME SIDE BY SIDE. I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS. I'M A CPA BY TRADE. AND, UM, MY UNCLE BERT, BOTH OF THEM HELPED BUILD THIS BRAND FOR US. AND, UH, I'M SUPER THANKFUL. AND NOW WITH JEFF, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT CHAPTER IN GROWING IN THIS CITY, AND WE PLAN TO OPEN DOZENS OF MORE RESTAURANTS. SO THANK YOU AGAIN. SECOND. THANK YOU. AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN. THANK YOU. DO YOU WANNA BRING EVERYONE UP FOR PICTURE? YEAH. [00:15:03] CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES MAYOR SYLVETA TURNER FOR A PROCLAMATION TO SALTA. IS IT TERRIO? WHERE I COME FROM? IT'S TERIO OF LITTLE BITS AND MASTERPIECE AS LLC, AS OBOS 5,000 CERTIFIED BUSINESS. WHAT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT. SHE'S COMING UP. SO IS OUR CERTIFICATION DIVISION AND IT'S ANA. OKAY. UM, LEMME JUST SAY THAT, UM, WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE, UM, SEVEN YEARS AGO, UH, WE HAD 2,500 CERTIFIED MWB BUSINESSES. AND SEVEN YEARS LATER, WE HAVE DOUBLED THAT NUMBER. UH, WE NOW HAVE 5,000 AND THIS BUSINESS BEFORE YOU REPRESENT THE 5,000 CERTIFIED MWBE BUSINESS. AND, UM, IT IS LITTLE BITS AND MASTERPIECES, LLC, AND OF COURSE IT HAS TAKEN PLACE UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MARSHA MURRAY, THE DIRECTOR OF OBO, WHO CAN SPEAK, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE ON IT. AND SO IT REPRESENTS HOW MUCH MONETARILY, SORRY, MARSH, HERE WE GO. SO MAYOR, SINCE YOU TOOK OFFICE, UH, SO THE IMPACT OF THIS CERTIFICATION CAN REALLY BE SEEN IN THE AWARDS MADE TO MWBES. AND SINCE YOU TOOK OFFICE, MWBES HAVE BEEN AWARDED OVER $3.3 BILLION AN ALL TIME HIGH. AND THAT THAT IS AN ALL TIME HIGH. AND THAT'S JUST WITH THE CITY BECAUSE THE CERTIFICATION ACTUALLY IS ONLY ABOUT 25% OF THE COMPANIES THAT WE CERTIFY, UM, ARE AT US, USE THEIR CERTIFICATION FOR CITY OF HOUSTON WORK. A LOT OF THESE COMPANIES ACTUALLY LEVERAGE THEIR CERTIFICATION FOR WORK WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENT ENTITIES IN PRIVATE SECTOR. SO A LOT OF ENTITIES RELY ON US FOR THIS SERVICE. AND, UM, THIS IS ABLE TO OPEN UP DOORS FOR SO MANY COMPANIES ACROSS THIS REGION. AND I WANT, I WANNA THANK, UM, I WANNA THANK MARSHA MURRAY FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND HER TEAM, UM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE REALLY WORKED HARD AND VERY DEDICATED. BUT I'M PROUD TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION, UH, TO LITTLE BITS AND MASTERPIECES SOLD IN OUR . AND IT READS AS FOLLOWS, WHEREAS LITTLE BITS AND MASTERPIECES, LLC PROVIDES AN ENVIRONMENT THAT ENCOURAGES CHILDREN TO BE CONFIDENT, TO TRUST THEMSELVES AND TO ENHANCE THEIR CREATIVE AND ARTISTIC ABILITIES THROUGH EXPLORATION AND INDEPENDENT THINKING. AND WHEREAS LITTLE BITS AND MASTERPIECES RECENTLY RECEIVED THE CITY OF HOUSTON, MINORITY AND WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CER CERTIFICATIONS BECOMING THE 5,000 BUSINESSES TO BE CERTIFIED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THIS MILESTONE REFLECTS THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF EQUITABLE ACCESS, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, AND THE SUCCESS OF HISTORICALLY UNUTILIZED SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE GREATER HOUSTON REGION. THE 5,000 CERTIFIED BUSINESS MILESTONE ALSO REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY 100% FROM THE 2,550 BUSINESSES IN THE CERTIFIED FIRM DIRECTORY WHEN I ASSUME OFFICE ON JANUARY 2ND, 2016. AND WHEREAS WITH THE INCLUSION OF LITTLE BITS AND MASTERPIECES, LLC IN ITS CERTIFIED FIRM DIRECTORY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS MORE CERTIFIED BUSINESSES THAN ANY REGIONAL CERTIFIED AGENCY IN TEXAS. SECOND ONLY TO THE STATE OF TEXAS HUB CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY CONGRATULATES LITTLE BITS AND MASTERPIECES, MASTERPIECES, LLC FOR MAKING CITY OF HOUSTON HISTORY AND COMMENDS OWNER SAW TORA FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE GROWTH OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH HER CERTIFIED BUSINESS. AND THEREFORE, I, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROUDLY PROCLAIMED JANUARY 31ST, 2023 AS LITTLE BITS AND MASTERPIECES, LLC DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. CONGRATULATIONS. [00:20:04] GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO STAND HERE TODAY, SHARING MY STORY AND THE JOURNEY OF LITTLE BITS AND MASTERPIECES. I GREW UP IN A SMALL TOWN IN LOUISIANA AND ALWAYS KNEW THAT HOUSTON WAS THE PLACE FOR OPPORTUNITIES FROM PARTICIPATING IN ART EXHIBITIONS TO BUILDING A LIFE AND BUSINESS HERE. HOUSTON HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE WHERE I COULD DREAM BIG. AS AN ART EDUCATOR IN THE HISTORIC FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY, I HAVE SEEN THE INCREDIBLE IMPACT THAT THE ARTS CAN HAVE ON PEOPLE'S LIVES. THAT'S WHY I STARTED LITTLE BITS AND MASTERPIECES TO EXTEND MY REACH AS A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST AND TO SUPPORT MOTHERS AND CHILDREN. MY TIME LIVING IN BEIJING, CHINA HAS TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY IN A BROAD WORLDVIEW. AND I'M GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT FOR MY FAMILY HERE IN HOUSTON. DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF GROWING A BUSINESS, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT LITTLE BITS AND MASTERPIECES HAS BEEN HONORED AS THE 5000TH CERTIFIED FIRM WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY. THIS RECOGNITION IS A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE FOR US, AND I'M DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT IT WILL BRING. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED ME IN MY BUSINESS. I ALSO HOPE THAT THIS RECOGNITION WILL OPEN NEW DOORS FOR LITTLE BITS AND MASTERPIECES, ALLOWING US TO CONTINUE WORKING AS PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS AND TOUCH MORE PEOPLE THROUGH THE ARTS. THANK YOU. AND CONGRATULATIONS. AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, WHO DO YOU HAVE WITH YOU RIGHT HERE? I HAVE MY BEST FRIEND LAUREN. SHE'S ALSO AN ARTIST. SHE'S A DANCER. YEAH. AND I'LL, I'LL INTRODUCE, UM, TIMOTHY WARREN. HE IS THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR OUR CERTIFICATION DIVISION, AND ISAIAH OWA ACTUALLY SERVED AS A CERTIFICATION SUPERVISOR FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE HE TRANSITIONED OVER TO OUR CONTRACT COMPLIANCE TEAM. GREAT. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM. MARTHA CASTEX. TATUM. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME FOR US? SATTER? YOU GO. I'M NEWEST IT TERIO. MS. TERIO, I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT WE ARE SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU AS OUR 5000TH, UH, MWBE BUSINESS. TIMING IS EVERYTHING. UH, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE SUCCESS OF YOUR BUSINESS, UM, AND HOW YOUR ORGANIZATION WILL CONTINUE TO GROW IN OUR DYNAMIC CITY. UM, AND THEN TO DIRECTOR MURRAY AND YOUR TEAM, UM, DESPITE THE CHALLENGES WE'VE HAD WITH STAFFING AND, UH, CHALLENGES WE'VE HAD IN THE OBO OFFICE, YOU'LL CONTINUE, UM, TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT SERVICE TO THE BUSINESSES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, YOU KNOW, WE GET THE EMAILS AND THE CALLS AND WE TALK ABOUT, UH, OBO ALL THE TIME. AND THIS IS JUST YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW, UM, WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN PROVIDING EQUITABLE SERVICE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO, NOT ONLY ARE WE CONGRATULATING OUR 5000TH MWBE BUSINESS, UH, CERTIFICATION IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE, UH, STAFF IN THE OBO OFFICE FOR YOUR STELLAR SERVICE, DESPITE THE CHALLENGES. CONGRATULATIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS. THANK YOU. I TOO, JUST WANNA ADD MY, MY APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE, UM, DIRECTOR MURRAY FOR, FOR REACHING THIS IMPORTANT MILESTONE AND, AND TO YOU TOO, MAYOR, FOR, FOR, UM, FOR BEING, YOU KNOW, WHISPERING TO HER THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU WANNA SEE, . SO, SO THAT'S VERY EXCITING. AND, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW PLEASED I AM THAT THAT THAT THIS BUSINESS, LITTLE BITS AND MASTERPIECES IS ONE OF THEM. YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS, MAYBE THEY WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT WITHOUT THIS HELP, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST LOVED HEARING ABOUT HOW YOU'RE BRINGING ART, YOU KNOW, AND THAT HOW IT'S SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND HELPING CHILDREN AND THEIR, AND THEIR, THEIR, THEIR MOTHERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND, AND BEST WISHES TO YOU AS YOU, AS YOU GROW AND INTO THE FUTURE. COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. THANK YOU. UH, MS. TE, NOT ONLY CONGRATULATIONS, BUT THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING WITH THE CITY BECAUSE WHEN YOU PARTICIPATE AND WE HAVE OTHER, UM, LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS LIKE YOU THAT ARE UP TO GREAT THINGS, WORKING WITH THE CITY TO FURTHER THESE SHARED MUTUAL GOALS, UH, AND EMBRACING THAT DIVERSITY, UH, IT ONLY MAKES OUR ENTIRE CITY BETTER. SO THANK YOU AND, UH, TO DIRECTOR MURRAY AND THE ENTIRE TEAM, AND OF COURSE, MAYOR TURNER. UM, I THINK THIS IS, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY SYMBOLIC, BUT UM, HISTORICAL WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF PARTICIPATION RIGHT NOW, UH, AND MAYOR, I KNOW IT'S A TOP PRIORITY FOR YOU AND FOR ALL OF US. BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO PUSH SO THAT WE CONTINUE TO BREAK THOSE RECORDS AND EXPAND THE PROGRAM. COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ, THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TIM. UM, OBO IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE CITY, PARTICULARLY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. AND SO [00:25:01] I AM SO VERY GLAD FOR THIS, UM, COMMEMORATION, A COMMENDATION RATHER. AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE FURTHER ENGAGEMENT WITH YOU 'CAUSE WE HAVE SOME SPECTACULAR THINGS THAT WE ARE PLANNING IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR AND OTHERS. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, DIRECTOR, AND, UH, CONGRATULATIONS, MAYOR IN THE, IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION IN THE YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION AND EXECUTION. UH, THIS IS A GREAT MILESTONE TO ACHIEVE. BUT MS. TERIO, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF FOLKS AROUND THE HORSESHOE THAT HAVE ROOTS IN LOUISIANA. WHAT PART ARE YOU FROM? UM, LA LAFAYETTE. LAFAYETTE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PROAM. AND I KNOW IF, UM, COUNCILMAN POLL HAVE BEEN HERE A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, HE WOULD SAY HOW PROUD HE IS OF THE FACT THAT YOU REACHED THAT 5,000 MARK AND, AND OBO AND YOUR WORK. AND, UM, TWO, UH, LITTLE BITS AND, AND MASTERPIECES. I KNOW HE WOULD, UH, JUST BE JUST BEAMING WITH PRIDE AND ADMIRATION AND ACCOMMODATION. UH, IF HE HAD HEARD ALL THE PRESENTATION LEADING UP TO IT, AND HOW WE HAVE CHAMPIONED, YOU KNOW, UH, WORK WITH MWBES AND THE, AND THE HALLMARK. AND, UH, HE WOULD BE GOING ON, OH, HE'S HERE. I'M SORRY, , I'M SORRY, BUT I KNOW HE, I I KNOW HE WOULD BE BEAMING. YOU KNOW, THAT WHEN WE STARTED IT WAS 2,500 CERTIFIED BUSINESSES. NOW IT'S 5,000 AND THE MORE THAN $3 BILLION PLUS THAT HAVE GONE TO MWB. SO I DON'T WANNA PUT WORDS IN HIS MOUTH, BUT I KNOW THAT, I KNOW HIS HEART IS, IS JUST POUNDING WITH ADMIRATION AND JOY. AND HE WOULD BE THANKING THIS ADMINISTRATION AND SAYING, MAYOR, JOB. WELL DONE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PAUL FOR YOUR, WE ALSO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD J. POLLARD OF DISTRICT J IN THE KING. OH, HE'S HERE. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TIM. AND, UH, MAYOR, YOU, YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH. TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT IN. SO, UH, NO, NO, SERIOUSLY. UM, THIS, THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO RECOGNIZE WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT. I, I THINK ABOUT MY FATHER, ACTUALLY. MY FATHER WAS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. HE OWNED A, UH, A UNIFORM COMPANY AND HE USED TO GET WORK WITH THE CITY. AND THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, 30 YEARS AGO. AND HE HELPED CHAMPION AND PIONEER THAT AT THE TIME, MBE PROGRAM. AND HE TALKED ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO HAVE MINORITIES PARTICIPATE IN CONTRACTS AND BE CERTIFIED. AND THIS IS WAS BEFORE THE INTERNET. AND SO THIS WAS COMING DOWN HERE DOING EVERYTHING BY PENCIL AND PEN. I REMEMBER, UH, DAYS WHERE HE WOULD PULL UP HERE TO CITY HALL OR TO THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AND HOP OUT AND HAVE TO DO THINGS BY HAND. UM, AND HE DID GET SOME GOOD CONTRACTS. I THINK HE ACTUALLY GOT A, A CONTRACT WITH THE, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT ONE YEAR. THAT WAS HIS LARGEST CONTRACT. BUT HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT HOW IT WAS SO CHALLENGING, UH, FOR MINORITY BUSINESSES TO PARTICIPATE AND THE HURDLES AND THE OBSTACLES THEY HAD TO DO, UH, OVERCOME, UH, REALLY TO HAVE A VOICE AND, AND AND TRULY GET THE WORK. AND SO, UH, FOR, TO SEE IT, UH, GROW TO WHERE IT IS, UH, GONE TODAY. AND FOR YOU MAYOR TO BE AT THE HELM AND YOUR ADMINISTRATION, UH, MAKE IT A PRIORITY, UH, IS A BIG DEAL. AND DIRECTOR MURRAY UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WHAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IS SOMETHING TO BE, UH, COMMENDED AS WELL. AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO DOWN TO THE ROTUNDA, UH, ONCE YOU LEAVE FROM HERE AND LOOK AT THE STEPPING BACK IN TIME EXHIBIT, WHICH SHOWS, UH, THE HISTORY OF BLACK BUSINESSES WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND WHERE WE WERE, WHERE WE ARE, AND WHERE WE'RE GOING. AND SO IT ALL TIES TOGETHER AND I'LL CONTINUE TO BE A CHAMPION, UH, FOR PARTICIPATION FOR MINORITY BUSINESSES. THANK YOU ALL. OKAY. WHY DON'T WE TAKE A PICTURE FIRST AND THEN WE'LL BRING CERTIFICATION TEAM IF YOU'LL COME UP [00:30:47] HERE. IS THAT THIS THE KOREAN GROUP? YOU WANNA DO THE GROUP NOW? YES. SHOULD THEY COME NOW? WE JUST TAKE A PHOTO. WE JUST DO A GROUP, JUST A GROUP, JUST A GROUP BACKGROUND, A PICTURE WITH THE MLK PARADE. UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE. OKAY. HALF ON BOTH SIDES. SOME OF 'EM HERE ACTUALLY HAVE OUR SUPPORT SIGNATURE, UM, FORM THAT WE WANTED TO PRESENT TO YOU. I KNOW YOU NORMALLY DON'T SIGN UP THESE MEETINGS, BUT CAN WE GIVE IT TO YOU JUST SO THAT OKAY. LET'S DO IT. THAT'S A GIFT. YEAH, PLEASE. OKAY, LET'S GET STARTED. UM, THE CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES [2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN FOR THE INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I THOUGHT ON THE HEELS OF SATURDAY'S, FABULOUS OPENING OF THE SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY CENTER IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. I'D INVITE MARY SIAS FROM ST. FRANCIS XAVIER, RIGHT AT THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR TO THE, TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. I MET MARY ACTUALLY AT A TOURS COMMUNITY MEETING, AND THEN WENT TO PRESENT, UH, ST. FRANCIS XAVIER'S, UH, 70TH ANNIVERSARY PROCLAMATION, AND THEN WENT BACK ON CHRISTMAS EVE. AND MARY HAS BEEN, SHE LEADS A PRAYER GROUP THERE AND HAS BEEN A ELECTOR AT ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SINCE 1974. SO WITH THAT, MARY S THE FLOOR IS YOURS FOR A PRAYER. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR TURNER, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF AND GUESTS. I AM HONORED TO PRAY WITH YOU TODAY. PLEASE BOW OUR HEADS. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TODAY ASKING FOR YOUR GUIDANCE, WISDOM, AND SUPPORT DURING THIS MEETING. HELP US TO ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION. ALLOW US TO GROW CLOSER AS A GROUP AND NURTURE THE BONDS OF COMMUNITY. HOLY SPIRIT, WE ASK YOU TO FILL OUR CITY, STATE, AND NATIONAL POLITICAL LEADERS WITH UNDERSTANDING, DISCERNMENT, AND KNOWLEDGE. GRANT THEM FAVOR, INCREASE THEIR FAITH AND PREPARE THEM TO PURSUE YOUR EXCELLENCE. DRAW THEM TO YOU AND CAUSE THEM TO KNOW AND FULFILL YOUR PURPOSES. MAY YOUR TRUTH BE REVEALED. MAY YOUR LIGHT SHINE BRIGHTER. MAY THE VOICES OF THOSE MOST SILENCE BE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR. DEFEND THEIR CAUSAL GOD THROUGH THIS GOVERNING BODY THIS AFTERNOON. WE PRAY FOR STRENGTH AND COURAGE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND GOOD FOR ALL CITIZENS. IN JESUS' NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE [00:35:01] TO THE FLAG, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC, BUT WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, IF YOU ARE PREPARED [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING] FOR, TO ANSWER THE ROLL CALL, MADAM SECRETARY, MAYOR TURNER. HERE. CONSTABLE PECK. HERE. CONSTABLE JACKSON. HERE. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. PRESENT. CONSTABLE EVAN SHABA. HERE. CONSTABLE MARTIN. PRESENT. COUNCIL THOMAS PRESENT. CONSTABLE HUFFMAN. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN CISNEROS? HERE. COUNCIL GALLEGOS? HERE. COUNCIL POLLARD. HERE. CONSTABLE CASTEX TATUM. HERE. CONSTABLE KNOX. HERE. CONSTABLE ROBINSON. HERE. CONSTABLE KOSH. HERE. COUNCIL POLL WILL BE ABSENT. CONSTABLE ALCORN. HERE. WE NEED A MOTION TO DELAY THE MINUTES. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND TO DELAY THE MINUTES. ANY OBJECTION HERE? NONE. THE MOTION IS GRANTED. GLAD TO SHARE EVERYBODY HERE TODAY. I COULDN'T WAIT TO COME BACK TO SEE YOU. UM, BEEN MISSING YOU, UM, OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS. SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY YOU KNOW, IN . ALL HERE. WE'RE ALL HERE. ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE ANY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS FOR TODAY? UH, VICE MAYOR PROTE CAST TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, PRIOR TO MY PROCEDURAL MOTION, I'D LIKE TO TAKE APPOINT A PER PERSONAL PRIVILEGE BECAUSE OUR DISTRICT K, UH, CHIP INTERN ALEXIS BAY MURRAY IS HERE TODAY AND SHE'S ONLY HERE ON TUESDAYS. UH, TODAY'S HER VERY FIRST DAY AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SHE IS STUDYING PSYCHOLOGY AT U OF H. SHE'S A MEMBER OF THE U OF H PRE-LAW SOCIETY AND A COMMITTEE DIRECTOR OF THE DEEDS NOT WORDS ORGANIZATION. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING ALEXIS IN THE DISTRICT K OFFICE FOR THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKS. THANK YOU ALEXIS. AND THEN MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD CHRIS MANNING AND KEISHA MORTON TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE AGENDA LIST. SECOND ROBINSON. WE MOVED IN. SECONDED. UH, ANY OBJECTION? CHAIR IS DONE. AND MOTION IS GRANTED. COUNCILMAN, THESE ARE, THESE ARE NEW NAMES? YES SIR. THESE ARE ADDITIONS TOO. OKAY. YES. OKAY. COUNCILMAN MCCAMMON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE JOSEPH. IT'S, UH, LISTED HERE AS CORU, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE CORU FO. UM, FROM THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST TO, UM, THE TWO MINUTE AGENDA LIST FOLLOWING JOSEPH PANZA. SO I'M MOVING JOSEPH, IT'S ACTUALLY CORU FO TO THE TWO MINUTE LIST. SECOND, RIGHT AFTER JOSEPH PANZA. I MOVED IN SECOND. ANY OBJECTION, CHAIR? NONE. MOTION IS GRANTED. ANY OTHERS? OKAY, MADAM [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] SECRETARY, WE PROCEED TO CALL THE SPEAKERS LIST. FIRST SPEAKER. JOSEPH PANZA. JOSEPH PANZELLA IS HERE. THIS IS THE MIC. YEAH. YES. PERFECT. OKAY, WELL GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE TODAY. UH, MY NAME IS JOSEPH PANZA. I'M A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN FROM DISTRICT E ALL THE WAY UP IN KINGWOOD. UH, I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF BIKE HOUSTON, AN ORGANIZATION WORKING TO TRANSFORM OUR CITY SO THAT ANYONE, REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU ARE OR WHERE YOU LIVE, UH, CAN GET AROUND HOUSTON SAFELY ON BIKE. I WANNA START OFF BY THANKING Y'ALL AND CONGRATULATING YOU, UH, ON THE SUCCESSFUL 11TH STREET REDESIGN. I WAS ACTUALLY THERE JUST THIS MORNING, UH, AND I COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THAT THE STREETS FEEL A LOT SAFER AND CALMER. UM, AND NOT TO MENTION THAT THE PROTECTED BIKE LANES ARE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. SO REALLY KUDOS TO ALL THE HARD WORK THAT WENT INTO THAT PROJECT. AND CONTINUATION WITH 11TH STREET, WE URGE YOU ALL TO FURTHER EXECUTE AND IMPLEMENT SAFE STREETS PROJECTS. BARELY A MONTH HAS PASSED IN 2023 AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD TWO BICYCLIST DEATHS ON OUR STREETS WITHOUT A COMPLETE BIKE NETWORK. I FEAR THAT THESE INCIDENCES WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. IF YOU CAN MAXIMIZE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE TIERS, WITH HARRIS COUNTY, WITH THE METRO, AND FILL THE GAPS IN OUR BIKE NETWORK. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT WE CAN SOLVE SOME OF THESE TRAFFIC AND, AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY DEADLY ISSUES. I BELIEVE THAT HOUSTON CAN BE THE SHINING LIGHT OF A MULTIMODAL CITY IN THE US AND IT JUST TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF DEDICATION TO FINISHING OUT THE BIKE PLAN. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME TODAY. AND MAYOR, CONGRATS [00:40:01] ON, UH, YOUR LAST YEAR IN OFFICE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER, KASH. YEAH, OF COURSE. YOU SAID YOU WAS ON 11TH STREET TODAY AND YOU LIVE IN HUMBLE. DID YOU RIDE YOUR BIKE THERE? NO, I, I I DROVE ON DOWN . IF I COULD BIKE FROM KINGWOOD TO HERE, I WOULD DO IT. I PROMISE YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR KINGMAN. MAYOR. I'M SORRY. MAYOR. MAYOR I COME MARTIN, I'M SORRY. HEY, JOSEPH, WE, WE DON'T GET A LOT OF FOLKS FROM KINGWOOD TO COME DOWN THE CITY HALL, SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU. NOW COUNCILMAN MCCAIN. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, JOSEPH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR COMING. YOU'RE SPEAKING, YOU'RE FROM ANOTHER DISTRICT, BUT YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT SOMETHING IN DISTRICT C UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING FEEDBACK, MAYOR. I KNOW WE GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK, SO IT'S, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU AND HAVE THOSE PERSPECTIVES OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WRITING THE LIENS. MAYOR, I DID WANNA SAY WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK IN TERMS OF THE RESPONSIVENESS OF THE DEPARTMENT. SO WHILE IT'S STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION, UH, RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN GIVING SOME GREAT FEEDBACK LIKE, HEY, THIS TURNS LITTLE TRICKY. CAN YOU LOOK AT THIS? AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE DEPARTMENT SO RESPONSIVE IN WORKING THROUGH, UM, SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION HEADACHES. SO I, IN ADDITION TO, YOU WANTED TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION 'CAUSE I'M GETTING FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS AS WELL ABOUT HOW APPRECIATIVE THEY ARE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX. THANK YOU MAYOR JOSEPH, YOU SAID YOU WERE ON WEST 11TH EARLIER TODAY AND EVERYTHING WAS CALM AND GETTING ALONG GREAT. CALM, GREAT. WHAT TIME OF DAY WAS THAT? I DROVE DOWN FROM KINGWOOD AND GOT TO ANTIDOTE, WHICH I KNOW KNOW IS NOT ON 11TH STREET, BUT IT'S IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND 8:00 AM AND THEN I WAS AROUND 11TH STREET AROUND 10, 10 15. OKAY. WELL IT WAS AROUND THERE ABOUT 1130. IT WASN'T CALM. UH OH. PEOPLE WERE STRESSED OUT, HONKING, TRYING TO TURN, COULDN'T TURN. BIG, BIG MESS DOWN THERE. SO I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON WHAT TIME OF DAY YOU'RE THERE. WHAT PART? 11TH STREET AS WELL. MAYBE . OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER JOSEPH, CFO. JOSEPH WHO? TRO OKAY. JOSEPH, CFO. MM-HMM . IS THIS THING ON. I LOVE A CREATIVE PRONUNCIATION AND SPELLING OF MY NAME. UM, JOE COTRUVO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BIKE HOUSTON. UH, I CAME HERE TODAY TO DO TWO THINGS. FIRST, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER FOR REMAINING STEADFAST IN YOUR COMMITMENT TO SAFE STREETS AND MAKING HOUSTON A TRULY MULTIMODAL CITY. A CITY THAT CAN COMPETE IN THE 21ST CENTURY ECONOMY. A CITY WHERE PEOPLE HAVE SAFE AND CONVENIENT ACCESS TO EVERYWHERE THEY NEED TO GO, REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY GET AROUND. I'M GLAD TO SEE THE WORK ON 11TH STREET COMING ALONG, AND I'M EXCITED TO HEAR THAT 2023 IS THE YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION AND EXECUTION BECAUSE THAT TRANSPORTATION PARADIGM SHIFT THAT WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT, UH, WE NEED TO GET AS MUCH OF THAT DONE AS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING BRINGING DEATHS DOWN TO ZERO BEFORE 2023. ACCORDING TO THE KINDER HOUSTON AREA SURVEY, ABOUT 10% OF HOUSTONIANS RIDE A BIKE AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH FOR NON RECREATIONAL PURPOSES, SO FOR TRANSPORTATION. BUT A MAJORITY, 52% OF HOUSTONIANS SAY THEY WISH THEY COULD RIDE A BIKE MORE OFTEN THAN THEY CURRENTLY DO. SO, ON BEHALF OF THE MAJORITY OF HOUSTONIANS WHO WANT THEIR CITY TO BE A MORE MULTIMODAL, BIKE FRIENDLY ONE, I WANT TO THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER, AND FOR THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE WORKING TO BUILD A MORE BIKE FRIENDLY HOUSTON. NOW ONTO THE SECOND THING. IT'S THE LAST DAY OF JANUARY. WE HAVE SEEN TWO PEOPLE KILLED WHILE RIDING BIKES IN OUR CITY JUST THIS MONTH. AND IF WE REMAIN WITH TWO A MONTH ON THAT SAME TRACK, WHICH I HOPE WE DON'T, THAT'S GOING TO BE 24 DEAD BICYCLISTS BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR. AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO HAPPEN. IN YOUR LAST YEAR IN OFFICE, FEW ELECTED LEADERS HAVE SHOWN THE COURAGE. YOU HAVE TO PUT SAFETY BEFORE SPEED. AND ON BEHALF OF THE MAJORITY OF HOUSTONIANS WHO WANT SAFE, MULTIMODAL STREETS, I'M URGING YOU TO CONTINUE TO SHOW THE SAME STEADFASTNESS, TO SHOW THE SAME RESOLVE THAT YOU SHOWED IN THE HEIGHTS LAST YEAR AS YOU EXECUTE AND IMPLEMENT STREET SAFETY PROJECTS FOR THE REMAINDER OF YOUR TIME IN OFFICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, JOE, I WANTED TO SAY HI AND THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND ALL THE OTHER SPEAKERS TODAY ABOUT, UM, BICYCLES, WHETHER IT BE IN THIRD WARD OR IN DISTRICT CI JUST GOT BACK FROM A CONFERENCE YESTERDAY, THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION FORUM. IT'S TXDOT MEETING AND THE CRUSADE TO STOP THE STREAK, WHICH IS TO END TRAFFIC DEATHS IS GOING ON. THAT, OF COURSE, IS NOT FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON BICYCLISTS, BUT YOU ALWAYS BRING THE FACTS, JOE. THEY'RE NOT PLEASANT. THEY'RE, THEY'RE HARD. AND, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER ON. EVERYONE MAYOR FROM CHAIR BUG OF THE TDOT, UM, UH, BOARD, UH, TO THE COMMISSIONERS, TO EVERYONE THAT WAS IN THE ROOM WAS SINGING THE SAME TUNE ABOUT SAFETY. AND IT IS SOMETHING WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO DO. SO, AS [00:45:01] YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY COUNCIL, FOR THE HGAC, YOUR COMMITMENT PERSONALLY IN YOUR CAREER AND IN YOUR PRIVATE LIFE. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT AND WE'LL KEEP WORKING TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN KASH. THANK YOU MUCH FOR COMING. YOU KNOW, UM, DIVISION ZERO, UH, WE NEED TO, WE REALLY NEED TO LOWER THE SPEED LIMIT IN THE CITY. THE, THE OVERALL SPEED LIMIT IS, IS JUST TOO FAST. AND WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, CHILDREN, UH, THAT, THAT HAVE NO OTHER PLACE TO PLAY SOMETIME, BUT IN THE STREET, AND THEN THERE'S CARS PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET AND, AND THEY CAN RUN OUT AND, AND BICYCLE. IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST, UH, WE, WE'VE GOTTA SLOW IT DOWN. I KNOW THE, THE, WE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, THAT THE CITY MIGHT, UH, HELP, UH, ENCOURAGE LEGISLATION TO, UH, BELIEVE MAYOR, I BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS TO AGREE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE SPEED. YES. I, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT 20, BUT, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN I, I'M SURE THAT THERE'S TIMES ON LEVEL STREET WHEN PEOPLE ARE DRIVING 45, MAYBE EVEN 50, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT WAS FOUR LANES, I'M SURE IT WAS THAT, THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST GETTING REALLY IN A HURRY. YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY GETS REALLY, UH, IN A HURRY BEHIND ME, I, I JUST MOVE OVER OR, OR LET 'EM GET AROUND. YOU KNOW, JUST LET 'EM BY. I MEAN, IT'S NOT THAT BIG A DEAL. LET 'EM GO. BUT, UH, ANYWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR BEING HERE. AND WE NEED THAT NUMBER TO BE ZERO. AND EVERYBODY NEEDS TO GIVE A THREE FOOT, UH, ME, UH, THREE FEET TO, TO YOU BICYCLISTS ALL THE BICYCLISTS. AND, AND, AND, AND I ALSO WOULD WOULD LIKE TO, TO ENCOURAGE ALL THESE BICYCLISTS TO STOP AT THE RED LIGHTS AND TO HONOR ALL THE STRAIGHT, THE, THE, THE SIGNS FOLLOW THE LAW. ALRIGHT? AND, AND THE DRIVERS AS WELL. . I AGREE WITH THAT. IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE THOSE CAMERAS BACK. MM-HMM . ALL RIGHT. THAT'S A DIFFERENT SUBJECT. THAT'S A DIFFERENT SUBJECT MATTER. HE GOT THAT IN THERE. YEAH. . THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH JOSEPH. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER. REVEREND ALONZO EDWARDS. REVEREND ALONZO EDWARDS. REVEREND EDWARDS IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY PHYLLIS MOSS. GOOD AFTERNOON FOR MAYOR AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, REVEREND ALONZO EDWARDS. I'M THE CROWD PASTOR OF PILGRIM CONGREGATIONAL, UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, LOCATED AT 31 15 BLOT STREET. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BLOT STREET PROJECT AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS HERE FROM 7 7 0 0 4 7 7 0 21 THAT'S GONNA COME AND SPEAK. I KNOW THERE'S, THERE'VE BEEN SOME THAT HAVE COME EARLIER AND THAT THIS HAS BEEN A HOT TOPIC CONVERSATION. AND QUITE FRANKLY, I'M NOT GONNA BORE YOU WITH HOW I FEEL AND BY 120 YEAR OLD CONGREGATION THAT STILL HAS ALMOST A HUNDRED YEAR OLD FOLKS TRYING TO GET TO CHURCH. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT I COME WITH THREE THINGS AS A GOOD PREACHER SHOULD. THREE THINGS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE RESPECT, THE RESPECT OF THE COMMUNITY AND MOST OF THE COMMUNITY THAT DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE BIKE LANES. RESPECT THAT FOR ALL PARTIES SHOULD KNOW. AND THAT SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON IT. NOT JUST BIG CHURCHES, CHURCHES THAT MAKE, THAT, MAKE DIFFERENCES THAT WE THINK, BUT ALSO THE SMALL CHURCHES AND THE SMALL NONPROFITS. SECOND THING IS RESPONSIBILITY. THIS GROUP HAS A RESPONSIBILITY NOT TO FORGET THE LEFT OUT, THE LEFT BEHIND THE LET GO. 'CAUSE THAT'S THE MOST, THAT THOSE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT. THOSE ARE THE GRASS SEED PEOPLE. WE SHOULDN'T BE FORGETTING THEM WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HAVING THESE TYPE OF MAJOR PROJECT PROJECTS GOING FORWARD. AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TALK ABOUT RESPECT, YOU DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY, THEN IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT REPARATIONS. WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN THE CONCRETE DOES NOT GET FIXED OUTSIDE OF MY CHURCH? WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN COVERED BACK UP, BUT WHAT'S NOT FIXED? IT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN THESE, WHEN THE PROJECT IS ALMOST OVER, THEN THERE'S GONNA BE ISSUES. AND I'LL LEAVE WITH THIS. AND I KNOW MY TIME IS UP. I I HAVE PURCHASED TIME. I'LL, I'LL EXTEND YOUR TIME. I'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER MINUTE. I APPRECIATE IT, MR. MAYOR. I'VE GOT A FUNERAL I GOTTA GO TO, BUT I HAVE, I'VE GOT TO STOP AT SAM'S TODAY 'CAUSE I'M GOING TO PURCHASE PACKAGES OF PREVAGEN TO PASS [00:50:01] OUT TO MY PARISHIONERS SO THAT WE CAN REMEMBER HOW TO PROCEED WHEN IT'S TIME TO GO TO THE POLLS FOR ISSUES LIKE THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU, MAAM. LISTEN, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, LET ME, LET ME JUST, LEMME JUST ASK THIS. UM, TELL ME, UM, HOW, HOW MUCH INFORMATION, UH, HOW MUCH ARE YOU AWARE OF THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE? UM, OR WILL BE DONE ON, ON BLOCK? HOW MUCH AM I I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE BIKE LANES NOW. OKAY. I'M TALKING ABOUT ALL THE OTHER THINGS. SIDEWALKS, DRAINAGE, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE JUST SPEAKING ABOUT. ABSOLUTELY. AND UNDERSTAND IT'S THE PACKAGE DEAL. AND LEMME SAY THIS TO YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE. NO, I KNOW. BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, I'M JUST SAYING MM-HMM . WHEN, WHEN WOULD YOU MADE AWARE OF THE, THE, THE, THE, THE DRAINAGE, THE STREETS BEING REDONE, WHEN WOULD YOU, WHEN WERE YOU MADE AWARE OF THAT, OF THOSE CHANGES? PERSONALLY, NO ONE HAD CONTACTED THE CHURCH. NO ONE CONTACTED THE CHURCH UNTIL THE PROJECT WAS STARTED. YOU TALKING ABOUT RECENTLY? NO, NO. PERIOD. NO ONE CONTACTED THE CHURCH UNTIL IT STARTED. OKAY. OKAY. WELL LEMME JUST, LEMME JUST SAY THIS BECAUSE THERE'S THE, THE REDOING OF THE DRAINAGE MM-HMM . AND THE STREETS THAT THAT PROJECT WAS INITIATED BACK IN 20 18, 20 19 MM-HMM . OKAY. IN AN INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT, UM, BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY. AND WHAT I'M HEARING YOU TO SAY, EVEN AS IT RELATES TO THE DRAINAGE, THE REDOING OF THE STREETS, THAT YOU AND OTHERS WERE NOT AWARE OF THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. UM, SO THAT INTERLOCAL STARTED BACK IN 20 18, 29, 19 MM-HMM . UH, WITH YOUR FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER MM-HMM . OKAY. WITH THE COUNTY. NOW, THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT DRAINAGE, THE REDOING OF THE STREET, THE SIDEWALKS, ALL OF THAT WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE. WE AGREE. OKAY. AND THAT IS AN, AN EXPENSIVE PROJECT. MM-HMM . AND THE COUNTY, UM, AND SPEC SPECIFICALLY PRECINCT, ONE OF THE COUNTY IS PAYING FOR 90 PLUS PERCENT OF THAT WORK. UNDERSTANDABLE. OKAY. SO THE STREETS NEED TO BE REDONE, DONE, THE SIDEWALKS NEED TO BE DONE. AND CERTAINLY THE DRAINAGE ALL NEED TO TAKE PLACE. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. AND GOING BACK TO 20 18, 20 19, ANYTIME YOU'RE DOING WORK WITH THE COUNTY MM-HMM . AND SPECIFICALLY WITH PRECINCT ONE. OKAY. ONE OF THE MOTIVATING INFLUENCES FOR THE COUNTY PAYING FOR IT. 'CAUSE CITY DIDN'T, CITY DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO, TO DO, TO DO THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT, IS WHEN YOU'RE DOING WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND SPECIFICALLY WITH PRECINCT ONE, ALONG WITH THE PACKAGE BIKE LANES MM-HMM . BECAUSE THAT IS A PART OF PRECINCT ONE. NOT JUST ON THIS PROJECT, BUT ON OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO I, I, I CERTAINLY, UH, RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. BUT LET ME, LET ME JUST AS, LET ME JUST ASSURE YOU FROM THIS END, UH, IF IT COMES TO SIDEWALKS NEEDING TO BE REDONE, LET'S SAY AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION, IT WILL GET DONE. SO ANY SORT OF REPAIRS SPRINKLER SYSTEM BROKE BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S GONNA GET REPAIRED. NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. UM, BUT I, I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT IN AND, UH, WITH THE COUNTY AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE COUNTY, BECAUSE THEY HAVE HELPED TO REDO THE STREETS AROUND TEXAS, SOUTHERN ABSOLUTELY. AROUND UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON. AND MOST OF THE MONEY FOR THOSE STREET PROJECTS COME FROM THE COUNTY. AND, AND I WOULD TELL YOU YES, THE MAYOR CITY OF HOUSTON, I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE AND GRATEFUL FOR THAT. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, BEFORE YOU CAME UP TO SPEAK, THERE HAVE BEEN BIKE LANES, UM, PUT ON 11TH STREET AND OTHER PLACES THAT PEOPLE HAVE OBJECTED TO AND TIME WILL TELL WHETHER OR NOT THOSE TWO OBJECTED TO IT WILL COME TO LOVE THEM. I KNOW IN ONE NEWS STORY I HEARD, UH, ONE PERSON ON TELEVISION WHO SAID TO THE REPORTER, I OBJECTED TO THE BIKE LANES FIRST. BUT NOW THAT I SEE THEM IN PLACE, I LIKE THEM. SO THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN SAY IS THAT, UM, IT IS NOT OUR [00:55:01] JOB TO MAKE THINGS MORE INCONVENIENT MM-HMM . UH, TO WORK AGAINST THE BEST INTEREST. UH, IT'S NOT OUR INTENTION, IT'S NOT WHAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO. BUT WE DO TRY TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR PARTNERS TO TAKE CARE OF PRIORITIES THAT NEED TO BE DONE THAT WE OURSELVES AT THE CITY CANNOT AFFORD. AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE COLLABORATION IS WITH THE COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY WITH PRECINCT ONE. NOW, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR, 'CAUSE I WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT SHE IS OBJECTING TO THE BIKE LANES. MM-HMM . MM-HMM . AND SHE AND I HAVE TALKED MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES. SO HER VOICE IS VERY CLEAR AND I WANT TO, I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW, SHE'S VERY CLEAR. BUT I ALSO WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT AS THE MAYOR OF THIS CITY, I HAVE SAID TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND I HAVE SAID, UH, TO OTHERS THAT THIS IS A MUCH BIGGER PROJECT AND THAT THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO DO THE DRAINAGE. THOSE STREET REP REPAIRERS THOSE SIDEWALKS. AND NEITHER DO WE HAVE $12 MILLION TO GIVE BACK TO THE COUNTY TO SAY, WELL, WE DON'T WANT THE BIKE LANES, SO WE GONNA GIVE YOU BACK $12 MILLION AND WE GONNA DO THIS PROJECT OURSELVES. WE DON'T HAVE THAT. SO WHAT I WOULD ASK PEOPLE TO, TO SAY IS THAT YOU CAN STILL GET YOUR GARBAGE PICKED UP, EVEN WITH THE BACK LANES. THE TRAFFIC WILL BE SLOWER, BUT THE STREETS WILL BE SAFER WITH THE BACK NAMES. NOW PEOPLE MAY NOT AGREE WITH THAT, BUT I ALSO DEALT, DEALT WITH ANOTHER PROJECT IN SUNNYSIDE WHERE PEOPLE DID NOT WANT US TO BUILD THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER AT THE PARK. AND THEY SAID NO. AND WE BUILT THIS SOMEPLACE ELSE, BUT IN A LEAF, WE BUILT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER WITH THE PARK AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE A, JUST A FABULOUS PROJECT. SO I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, I RESPECT EVERYBODY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. UM, BUT THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, UH, DID START BACK IN 2018 AND 2019. AND SO WE FIND OURSELVES WHERE WE ARE TODAY. SO I I HEAR YOU. AND, UM, BUT WE'LL DEAL WITH THIS TOMORROW. UM, BUT AS I'VE SAID TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER, WE'LL DO IT TO TOMORROW AND THEN AFTER TOMORROW. EITHER WAY IT GOES, I'M DONE WITH THIS, WITH ALL OF THIS. AND AND WE APPRECIATE YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, AND PLEASE HEAR WHAT I TELL YOU. WE CAN, WE CAN AGREE TO DISAGREE. I KNOW. AND WHEN YOU SAID THAT THERE WAS A COLLABORATION, ALL WE'RE SAYING IS MAKE SURE WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH EVERYBODY. I AGREE. AND THAT'S THE BEST WAY AND THAT'S THE, AND THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO START. AND UM, AND QUITE FRANKLY, I WAS HOPING THAT WHEN IT STARTED WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER MM-HMM . THAT THAT WAS THE COLLABORATION. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OH, I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. THERE ARE OTHERS. I'M SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER, MEMBER MR. BOBS. THANK YOU PASTOR KEITH FOR COMING TODAY. ABSOLUTELY. AND I JUST WANNA SAY, MAYOR, THIS STARTED IN 2018. THERE WAS A, IN A LOCAL AGREEMENT, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THE BIKE LANES WERE NOT EVEN MENTIONED IN THAT PARTICULAR AGREEMENT. AND I WAS ALSO TOLD BY SOME OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WERE HERE THAT THEY ASKED WOULD ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY BE GIVEN TO THE DISTRICTS TO DISCUSS THESE LANES? AND THEY WERE EMPHATICALLY TOLD YES THEY WOULD BE. THIS WAS PROMISED TO THE COMMUNITY. AND I KIND OF TAKE ISSUE WHEN I HEAR THAT PRECINCT ONE IS PAYING FOR IT. THIS IS TAXPAYER MONEY. LET'S BE CLEAR AND SOLELY IF IT'S TAXPAYER MONEY, TAXPAYERS I BELIEVE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENGAGED. ADMITTEDLY, THE UH, COMMISSIONERS CHIEF OF STAFF SAID THERE WAS NO ENGAGEMENT. SO WHEN YOU RECOGNIZE THAT, THAT CERTAINLY GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO TURN AROUND AND STEP BACK AND CORRECT THAT THAT WAS NEVER DONE. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT MY, AND AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS OBJECTING. LET ME BE CLEAR. THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE IN HER COMMUNITY. AMEN. AND THEY HAVE EMPHATICALLY SENT MANY, MANY EMAILS. I GET CONVERSATIONS, I GET TEXTS, I GET ALL KINDS OF ENGAGEMENT, RESISTING THE BIKE LANES BEING PUT THERE. AND I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE DON'T WANT THE BIKE LANES THERE, THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE DO NOT WANT BIKE SAFETY. THERE ARE WIDE SIDEWALKS ON BLOT THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE [01:00:01] BIKE RIDERS AND BIKERS. SO DO NOT ALWAYS SURMISE THAT IF A PERSON OR A GROUP DOES NOT WANT SOMETHING IN A CERTAIN PLACE, THAT THEY DO NOT WANT SAFETY FOR ALL. WE JUST WANT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME ENGAGEMENT ON THAT. AND, AND SO THAT IS MY COMMENT. I THANK YOU PASTOR KEITH. THANK YOU. WHO REPRESENTS A CHURCH THAT WAS NOT ENGAGED. I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S SOMEWHAT UPSETTING THAT YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT ONLY A CHURCH, THEY HAVE A PANTRY, THEY HAVE A A, A NURSERY SCHOOL AND NO ONE THOUGHT TO STOP BY AND SAY, HELLO PASTOR, LET'S TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING ON. AND THEN I HAVE CONSTITUENTS ON BLOT MAYOR WHO NEED TRASH PICKED UP. WELL, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE THEY GONNA GET THEIR HEAVY TRASH OUT WITH A BIKE LANE IN FRONT OF THEIR HOMES? OH, SOLID WASTE WILL WORK IT OUT. WELL, SOLID WASTE IS HAVING A HECK OF A TIME RIGHT NOW FIGURING IT OUT IN PLACES WHERE IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO ACCESS. SO I HAVE, I DON'T LIKE PROBLEMS BEING CREATED FOR MY CONSTITUENTS AND YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD MANY TEARS I'VE BEGGED, BUT IT'S AT A POINT NOW MAYOR, THAT I'M JUST LIKE YOU. I'M VERY, VERY TIRED. AND AFTER TOMORROW, HOPEFULLY IT WILL TURN OUT THE WAY THAT I AM MY COMMUNITY WANTS IT TO AND I WILL BE DONE WITH IT AS WELL. AND BEING DONE MEANS I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK IN THIS BODY WITH YOU AND OTHERS AND NOT LOOK BACK AND SAY, OH, I'M GONNA GET HIM FOR THAT. IT'S NOT GONNA BE ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO I WANNA BE CLEAR THAT I WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE. SO, THANK YOU PASTOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK COUNCIL MEMBER. THERE WAS NO DISRESPECT INTENDED TO YOU WHEN I SAID THAT YOU, UM, HAD VOICED YOUR OPPOSITION TO, I WAS SIMPLY JUST TRYING TO LET YOUR CONSTITUENTS KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ADVOCATED ON THEIR BEHALF. IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE DISRESPECTFUL AT ALL. UM, PASTOR, PASTOR, PASTOR, YOU GOTTA GO TO A FUNERAL. LISA. OH, YOU HAVE TO GET OUT. YOU HAVE TO LEAVE. YES SIR. OKAY. I'M SORRY. OKAY. APOLOGIZE. YOU UNDERSTAND? OKAY. ALRIGHT. NEXT SPEAKER BILLIS MOSS. PHYLLIS MOS TO BE FOLLOWED BY JONATHAN HOWARD. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, I'M A RESIDENT OF RIVERSIDE TERRACE AND I'M ON THE BOARD OF THE RIVERSIDE CIVIC ASSOCIATION. WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO THE BIKE LANES, BUT WE ARE OPPOSED TO THE BLO STREET BIKE LANES. THE BIKE LANE FROM ENNIS TO SCOTT OFFERS NO ACCESSIBILITY TO ANY OF THE METRO RAIL, WHICH IS LESS THAN A MILE DOWN NORTH. THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS TO PUT THE BIKE LANES AND CREATE MORE CONNECTIVITY. WE ARE DISCUSSING NOW A THREE MINUTE BIKE RIDE FROM ENNIS TO SCOTT. THAT'S HOW LONG YOU WOULD BE ON YOUR BIKE AND THERE IS NO CONNECTIVITY. WHEN YOU GET TO SCOTT, YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO. IT'S GOING NOWHERE. YOU ARE NOT SAFE RIDING YOUR BIKE ON SCOTT. IF YOU GO DOWN TO ELGIN OR CALUMET ON ONE OF THOSE OTHER STREETS, IT BRINGS YOU DIRECTLY TO THE METRO RAIL. OKAY. AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS ALL ABOUT CONNECTIVITY. MY NEIGHBORS ON MY BLOCK, OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION WAS NOT CONTACTED. THERE WAS NO NOTIFICATION AT ANY POINT OF THE PROPOSED BIKE LANES ON BLOT. WE WOULD'VE BEEN AGAINST IT THEN AND SUGGESTED OTHER OPTIONS TO MAKE SOME CONNECTIVITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT US GREATLY. CARS THAT BASICALLY PARK ON BLIGE WILL NOW BE PARKING IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. WE ALREADY HAVE HUGE PARKING ISSUES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND ALL OF THOSE CARS WILL NOW BE PARKING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THIS IS NOT GOING TO ENHANCE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. I RIDE MY BIKE, I AM A BIKE RIDER. I RIDE ON THE COLUMBIA TAP TRAIL. THAT TAKES ME TO TSU TO U OF H TO BBVA COMPASS, WHICH IS NOW PNC STADIUM. I'VE RIDDEN MY BIKE TO HOUSTON HOSPICE, WHICH IS ON HOLCOMB AND NEVER GOT ON THE STREET TO VISIT A FRIEND. THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS. AND TAKING UP TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC ON BLOT, I THINK IS JUST NOT THE BEST OPTION. AND IT DOES NOT CREATE ANY CONNECTIVITY. OKAY. OUR VOICES ARE NOT BEING HEARD. OKAY. TO TIE THE BIKE LANES TO THE DRAINAGE PROJECT IS JUST WRONG. THERE'S NOTHING RIGHT ABOUT THAT. THE TWO DON'T CONNECT AT ALL. AND WHETHER IT WAS IN THE AGREEMENT AT FIRST OR NOT, IT'S JUST WRONG. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. CONGRESSMAN KAMAN, I'LL DEFER TO THE DISTRICT MEMBER FIRST. NO, I WAS JUST GONNA GIVE HER ADDITIONAL TIME IF SHE NEEDED IT. UH, THANK YOU FOR JUST ONE MORE STATEMENT THAT YOU, HOLD ON A SECOND. IT'S MY TIME COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. UM, WELL, GIVEN I, I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TIME TO FINISH. I JUST HAD A, I JUST HAD ONE MORE STATE. GIVE SOME OF YOUR TIME. YOU CAN GIVE HER SOME OF YOUR TIME. OKAY. I, [01:05:01] I'M HAPPY TO GIVE YOU 30 SECONDS OF MY TIME. OKAY. AND I, I FEEL THAT PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE OR WORK IN OUR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEIR VOICES SHOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHAT'S GONNA AFFECT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHERE WE LIVE AND WHERE WE WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, REALLY QUICKLY, AND MS. MOSS, UM, I DON'T REPRESENT YOUR DISTRICT AND ON COUNCIL, WE HAVE A TRADITION OF DEFERRING TO THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER AND A MAJORITY OF OF ISSUES. UM, WHAT IF YOU COULD HELP ME, 'CAUSE I'M, I'M GRAPPLING WITH THIS A LITTLE BIT. YOU HAD SAID, YOU KNOW, BIKE LANES AND DRAINAGE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER. AND I BELIEVE, MAYOR, THE ITEM THAT WE'RE TAKING UP TOMORROW IS A CONTRACT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BIKE LANES AND WHETHER OR NOT THE BIKE LANES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED, IT'S A CONTRACT RELATED TO THE DRAINAGE. UM, I MAY BE WRONG ON THAT AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR ON THAT. BUT IF WE DON'T PASS IT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE CAN ALSO BE IN VIOLATION OF THAT CONTRACT AND OPEN UP THE CITY, UM, TO LIABILITY WITH THAT. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT? WELL, YEAH, I'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE AS WELL. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOK, I'M NOT IN POLITICS AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS PLAYED, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THAT'S ALL OUR TAX DOLLARS. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT IT IS. AND WHETHER WE END UP HAVING TO PAY THE COUNTY BACK, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'D PAY THE COUNTY BACK FOR WORKING OUR COUNTY IN OUR DISTRICT THAT'S NEEDED. SO, YOU KNOW, DON'T I, I I'M JUST NOT THAT PERSON TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAY SOMETHING TO THAT. COUNCIL MEMBER K KASH. THANK YOU MS. MOSS FOR COMING. I THINK THAT YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB, UH, EXPLAINING YOURSELF AND WHERE YOU STAND ON THIS ISSUE. I SUPPORT YOUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER AND I AM YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER AS WELL BECAUSE I'M AT LARGE AND, AND I, I DO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING WHEN YOU SAY THEY'RE NOT HEARING, I'M HEARING YOU. THANK YOU. AND, UH, I, I WAS, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION WHEN WE PASSED THE, THE, UH, THE OVERALL BIKE PLAN, THAT IF THERE WERE QUESTIONS IN REFERENCE TO ANY OF THESE PROJECTS, IT WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL. I SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER HEARING, YOU KNOW, MIKE KNOX, OUR COUNCIL MEMBER HERE, UH, ASK THAT QUESTION, IF WE VOTE FOR THIS, WILL WE BE ABLE TO, TO ADDRESS ANY OF THESE CHANGES THAT WE, THAT THE CITIZENS MAY NOT BE IN FAVOR OF? AND, AND THE ANSWER WAS YES TO HIM. BUT THAT'S BEEN A WHILE BACK, SO. RIGHT. MY, I I'M IN SUPPORT OF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER. I'M CERTAINLY IN SUPPORT OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL BOSS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I GUESS IT'S TIME TO MAYBE LOOK AT A FEW THINGS. THAT ITEM, IF YOU READ IT IN ITS ENTIRETY, THE FIRST PART DOES DEAL WITH MONEY AND THAT TENDS TO CATCH OUR ATTENTION. BUT THERE IS A SECOND PART IF YOU, YOU KNOW THAT WORD AND THAT, AND DISCUSSES THIS ACTUAL INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. SO THEREFORE THIS IS GONNA BE THE SUBJECT OF THE ITEM ON TOMORROW. NOT JUST THE PAYMENT OF THE MONEY, BECAUSE I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR BILLS. BUT THERE'S AN AND, AND I CAUTION MY COLLEAGUES TO READ THE ENTIRE ITEM AS WELL AS THE BACKGROUND TO SEE WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY VOTING ON TOMORROW. THAT'S WHY THESE CONSTITUENTS ARE HERE, BECAUSE THERE IS STILL AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WHAT IS IN THAT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. SO THANK YOU. I KNOW SHE KIND OF PUT YOU ON THE SPOT AND YOU MAY NOT REALLY UNDERSTAND THIS AND YOU DID NOT, SHE DID NOT INTEND TO. I KNOW, THAT'S FINE. SHE'S JUST, BUT IT GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY AND I THANK MY COLLEAGUE TO BE ABLE TO INDICATE THAT THIS IS MORE THAN ABOUT THE PAYMENT OF THE $399,000. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND AS MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KUBA SAID, UH, I'VE HAD A PROBLEM WITH OUR BIKE PROGRAM SINCE ITS INCEPTION BECAUSE IT'S BEEN PRESENTED AS A LAMINATED THING. IN OTHER WORDS, IT CAN'T BE CHANGED. AND I MADE THAT POINT SPECIFICALLY FOR FUTURE REFERENCE LIKE THIS. AND I, WE WERE TOLD THAT WE COULD MAKE MODIFICATIONS AND CHANGES TO THE BIKE PLAN AS NEEDED, DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES AT LARGE. BUT WE'RE EVIDENTLY NOT GONNA DO THAT. SO, UH, WHAT THIS STRIKES ME AS IS. IT'S A VERY TYPICAL SORT OF THING. WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU THIS GREAT TASTING APPLE, BUT WE'RE GONNA PUT THIS LITTLE POISON PILL IN THERE. MM-HMM . THAT YOU HAVE TO EAT WITH THE APPLE. AND I AGREE WITH YOU. IT'S, IT'S COMPLETELY WRONG. ONE DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE OTHER. THERE ARE ALREADY PLENTY OF BIKE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE TSU AREA. AGAIN, IT'S A THREE MINUTE BIKE RIDE. ALL OF YOUR ARGUMENTS ARE VALID, WHETHER THEY PASS COUNSEL OR NOT. I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING TOMORROW. BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS, THAT I HAVE A DEEP CONCERN [01:10:01] WHEN WE ACCEPT GIFTS FROM THE COUNTY TIED TO SOMEONE'S PERSONAL POLITICAL AGENDA AND, UM, ITERATE. I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW I SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING MUCH. MM-HMM . THANK YOU. WELL, I'M, LET, LET ME JUST ASK, 'CAUSE I'M NOT GONNA LET ANYBODY, SERGE, SOMEBODY ELSE AND THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER, AND WE ALL KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO MOBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY THAT MIKE LANES IS A PART OF WHAT HE CHAMPIONS. THAT'S NOT A POLITICAL AGENDA, THAT'S A MOBILITY AGENDA. MAYOR, I CAN'T, I CAN'T HEAR YOU, MAYOR. I, I CAN'T HEAR YOU EVERYBODY. I'M JUST NOT GONNA LET, UH, UH, ANY OTHER PER ANY PERSON. AND IN THIS CASE, THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, BE SUBMERGED IN THAT FASHION. AND IN ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE WORKED ON WITH EVERY COMMISSIONER FROM EVERY PRECINCT IN HARRIS COUNTY, EVERY COMMISSIONER, THERE ARE CERTAIN, UM, CONDITIONS IMPOSED. OTHERWISE YOU DON'T DO IT WITH THEM. AND WE DO IT OURSELVES WHEN WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CO, WITH THE COUNTY. SO WE, WE SEEK COLLABORATION. WHEN WE DON'T HAVE DOLLARS, WE SEEK TO WORK WITH COMMISSIONERS. AND NOW THE COMMISSIONERS ARE SPENDING MORE OF THEIR DOLLARS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAN THEY HAVE EVER SPENT BEFORE. AND THAT'S A GOOD THING FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THAT'S A GOOD THING. AND WE HAVE SAID THAT OUR EMPHASIS IS ON MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION. NOW WE ARE TALKING TWO DIFFERENT THINGS WHEN WE TALK THE GENERAL BIKE PLAN FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THAT'S THAT GENERAL BIKE PLAN. AND THEN IN 2018, SPECIFICALLY, IT WAS AN INTERLOCAL WITH THE PARTICULAR, WITH PRECINCT ONE. SO IT'S NOT ANY POLITICAL AGENDA, IT'S ABOUT CONNECTIVITY AND MOBILITY. NOW, WHETHER WE, WHETHER PEOPLE LIKE THE BIKE LANES OR NOT, THAT'S A DIFFERENT ISSUE. BUT THE INTENT OF THE COUNTY, AND IN THIS CASE, COMMISSIONER WAS IN GOOD FAITH AND REMAINS IN GOOD FAITH. AND PEOPLE CAN DISAGREE WITHOUT QUESTIONING THE INTENT OF, OF THE, OF THE, OF THE PARTICIPANTS HERE. BECAUSE IN THE ABSENCE OF IT, WE WOULDN'T BEGIN THE SIDEWALKS, THE DRAINAGE, AND THE STREET REPAIR. AT LEAST NOT RIGHT NOW. SO THAT, SO LET'S BE VERY, LET'S BE VERY CLEAR HERE. OKAY. WE CAN DISAGREE, BUT THE INTENT OF THE COMMISSIONER WAS GOOD. STILL GOOD. AND HE HAS WORKED WITH US ON MANY OTHER PROJECTS AS WELL AS EVERY OTHER COMMISSIONER OF THE COUNTY. UM, MAYOR, CAN I SAY ONE THING THAT I FEEL THE COMMISSIONER FAILED TO CONTACT AND STAY IN CONTACT WITH THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HERE HAD THE COMMUNITY RECEIVED VALID NOTIFICATION TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE BIKE LANES. IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT 'EM, THIS BLOCK IS JUST NOT THE BEST PLACE FOR IT. AND THAT, AND, AND THAT MAY AND THAT'S NOT ON YOU. AND THAT MAY BE, THAT MAY BE TRUE, BUT AT THE TIME THAT THIS CAME UP, IT WAS THE COMMISSIONER AND YOUR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE. I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IT WASN'T, I'M JUST SAYING IT WASN'T ONE. YOUR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE OF DISTRICT D OKAY. WAS WORKING AT THE TABLE. AND QUITE FRANKLY, LET ME JUST BE VERY HONEST. LEMME SAY, BE HONEST, AS YOUR MAYOR, I WOULDN'T BE PUTTING ANYTHING IN DISTRICT D THAT DISTRICT D INITIALLY DID NOT WANT THROUGH YOUR REPRESENTATIVES. SO PRECINCT ONE AND THE CITY COUNCIL PERSON OF DISTRICT D SAID THIS, THERE WAS STILL A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE. AND THEY MAY NOT, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, THEY MAY NOT COMMUNIC ON, ON, ON BOTH PARTS. THERE WAS A FAILURE. I'M WITH YOU ON THAT. I'M WITH YOU ON. AND I THINK WE WOULDN'T BE HERE HAD THERE BEEN SUFFICIENT COMMUNICATION. AND I'M NOT AND I'M NOTATING ON THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER JONATHAN HOWARD. BE FOLLOWED BY CHRIS MANNING. JONATHAN HOWARD IS HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON. AND, AND THANK YOU BROTHER MAYOR AND, AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL AND YOUR STAFFS DO FOR US DAY IN AND DAY OUT. I REALLY HATE TO, TO BELABOR THIS POINT, UM, I'M PRESIDENT OF THE TIER WEST PACIFIC ASSOCIATION, UH, ONE THAT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR WELL OVER 50 YEARS. BLOT FORMS OUR, OUR NORTHERN BORDER. UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, EAST AND WEST BORDERS, UH, AT THE COLUMBIA BIKE TRAIL, WHICH IS A TRAIL THAT THIS TRAIL [01:15:01] WOULD ACTUALLY INTERSECT. THAT'S ALREADY FOR BIKING AND, AND ALSO AT ROSEDALE STREET. UM, LIKE I SAID, I, I KNOW YOU SAID YOUR PEACE ON THIS BROTHER, MAYOR AND, AND MANY OTHERS HAVE. BUT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 300 HOUSEHOLDS THAT WANTED ME TO BE HERE TODAY TO, TO ADVOCATE ON THEIR BEHALF. AND SO I HAVE TO TESTIFY FOR THEM. UH, LIKE THEY SAID, WE ARE NOT AGAINST BIKES OR, OR BIKERS, BUT WE DO THINK THAT THE PLAN FAILED IN THREE KEY AREAS. AND THAT'S IN COMMUNICATION AND CONDUCIVENESS AND IN CONSEQUENCES. SO WE'RE NOT HERE TO QUESTION THE INTENT, BUT WE ARE HERE TO QUESTION THE CONSEQUENCES AND TRY TO FIND MUTUAL GROUND. UH, WE KNOW THAT ALAMEDA BLOT, UM, TIERWESTER AND A COUPLE OTHER STREETS ARE THE WIDEST STREETS WITHIN OUR DOMAIN. AND THEY'RE THAT WIDE BECAUSE THEY'RE THE MOST WIDELY TRAFFICKED. UH, IN MY CIVIC AREA, WE HAVE THE, THE ACTUAL FRONT DOOR TO TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. AND SO CUTTING DOWN, UH, THE, THE LANES THERE IS GONNA CAUSE MAJOR CONFUSION, UH, CONSTRUCTION, AND OF COURSE THE TRAFFIC JAMS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. SO MY COMMUNITY FEELS AS IF, UH, YOU'RE TAKING SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY VITALLY NEEDS TO GIVE SOMEONE ELSE SOMEWHAT OF A TOY TO PLAY WITH FOR THEIR RECREATION. SOMETHING THAT WE USE EVERY DAY. IT'S NOW GONNA BE USED BY OTHERS OCCASIONALLY. AND SO WE'RE, I HAVE TO VOICE OUR, OUR DISAPP DISAPPROVAL FOR THAT. AND SO I ASKED, UH, ALL OF YOU ALL TOMORROW, WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE TO VOTE, WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY AGAINST THE PLAN, BUT WE THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO BE HALTED IN ORDER TO FIND MUTUAL COMMON GROUND FOR BETTER COMMUNICATION, BETTER CONDUCIVENESS, AND FOR POSITIVE CONSEQUENCES. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. MM-HMM . THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, CHRIS MANNING. I'M CHRIS MANNING, BE FOLLOWED BY KEISHA MARTIN. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, MEMBER OF COUNCIL. MY NAME IS CHRIS MANNING. I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS WITH FAIR STEAD. UH, FAIR STEAD IS A NATIONAL REAL ESTATE COMPANY, UH, PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON AFFORDABLE AND SENIOR HOUSING. UH, WE HAVE ABOUT 24,000 UNITS THAT WE OWN AND OR OPERATE IN 28 STATES, UH, AROUND THE COUNTRY. WE ALSO HAPPEN TO BE THE PROUD OWNERS OF COPPER TREE VILLAGE APARTMENTS. SO I'M HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO SPEAK ON ITEM 18 ON YOUR AGENDA FOR, FOR TOMORROW. UM, STEAD ACQUIRED CARPENTRY VILLAGE IN THE FALL OF 2021, UH, CARPENTRY VILLAGES ON WEALTH WEST GULF BANK ROAD IN COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S, UH, DISTRICT B. UM, WE IMMEDIATELY UPON ACQUIRING THE PROPERTY SET OUT, UM, TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF INVESTMENTS TO STABILIZE THAT PROPERTY. UM, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE PUT INTO PLACE. THERE WERE IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO SOME APARTMENTS THAT HAD, UH, EXPERIENCED FIRE, AND THEN THERE WAS SOME DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THAT WE TOOK CARE OF AT THAT TIME. UM, THE PLAN AS IT WAS THEN AND CONTINUES TO BE TODAY, WAS TO INVEST, UH, $25 MILLION IN A FULL SCALE RENOVATION OF THAT, OF THAT PROPERTY. WITH THE ACQUISITION, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO EXTEND THE AFFORDABILITY OF THAT PROPERTY FOR 30 YEARS. IT IS 100% AFFORDABLE. UH, HALF THE UNITS ARE AFFORDABLE AT 50% OF A MI AND HALF OF THEM ARE AFFORDABLE AT 60% OF A MI. BUT THE $25 MILLION RENOVATIONS REALLY WILL TOUCH EVERY PROPERTY, EVERY UNIT, EVERY BUILDING, AND JUST ABOUT EVERY INCH OF THE PROPERTY ITSELF. WE ARE QUITE PROUD OF WHAT WE PLAN TO DO THERE. WE HAVE TAKEN ON SIMILAR RENOVATIONS AT OTHER PROPERTIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, UM, WITH, WITH, WITH TREMENDOUS RESULTS. THE RESOLUTION, UM, CONTAINED IN ITEM 18 IS A CRITICAL PART OF THAT PROJECT. IT WILL AUTHORIZE, UH, THE HOUSTON HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, UH, TO ISSUE BONDS ON BEHALF OF COT, TREE VILLAGE APARTMENTS THAT WILL THEN BE USED TO FINANCE THOSE RENOVATIONS THAT I MENTIONED. UM, A FEW POINTS THAT I'D LIKE TO, TO TO MAKE, UM, UH, JUST IN GENERAL ABOUT COT TREE VILLAGE AND THE PROJECT. FIRST AND FOREMOST, THIS IS A VERY TIME SENSITIVE PROJECT. UM, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IN REAL ESTATE WORLD, IT IS A VERY TRICKY TIME TO BE DOING JUST ABOUT ANYTHING. UM, BUT WE HAVE WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY HERE THAT REALLY, UM, WILL EXPIRE IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, UH, AND WE DON'T WANT TO SEE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN. SECONDLY, THIS REALLY, UH, WE, WE BELIEVE IS PROBABLY THE BEST OPPORTUNITY IN A GENERATION TO MAKE THE KINDS OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT, UH, CARPENTRY VILLAGE REQUIRES AND DESERVES. AS YOU MAY KNOW, IT HOLDS A VERY IMPORTANT PART, A PLACE IN THE AKER HOMES, UH, PART OF, OF HOUSTON. AND, UM, IN MANY CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH WITH RESIDENTS, THEY'VE BEEN QUICK TO TELL US ABOUT HOW THEY PROUD, HOW PROUD THEY [01:20:01] ARE TO LIVE THERE, AND HOW MUCH THEY HOPE THAT WE CAN RETURN THAT PROPERTY TO THE WAY IT WAS, UM, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO. UM, I WON'T SPEAK TOO MUCH TO, TO THIS PARTICULAR POINT. UM, MY COLLEAGUE KEISHA CAN, CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT, UH, AS ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY MANAGERS. BUT WE'VE HELD A NUMBER OF RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT EVENTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST FEW MONTHS TO GET PEOPLE, UH, TO INFORM THEM ABOUT WHAT WE'RE PLANNING AND TO GET THEM EXCITED. AND THERE IS A YEAH, TO HAS EXPIRED. THIS IS THE PROJECT BETWEEN, UH, WEST MONTGOMERY AND ANTOINE ON, UH, GUFF BANK. THAT'S CORRECT. AND SO, NEED OF REHAB. REHABILITATION, AND YOU'RE SAYING IT'S GOING TO BE, UM, AFFORDABLE FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS? THAT'S CORRECT. A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE, A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE. HOW MUCH IS THAT? THE, UM, 6%? WELL, A MI HOW MUCH IS 50? HALF OF THE UNITS ARE AT 50% OF A MI, THE OTHER HALF ARE AT 60% OF A MI, UM, VICE PROTEIN CAST DATA. THANK YOU MR. MANNING, FOR BEING HERE TODAY. DID YOU SAY THAT YOU'VE ALREADY STARTED THE RENOVATIONS? WE HAVE. WE HAVE NOT STARTED THESE RENOVATIONS. NO. WE INVESTED ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS TO STABILIZE THE PROPERTY WHEN WE ACQUIRED IT. BUT THESE PARTICULAR RENOVATIONS HAVE NOT BEGUN. THEY, THEY WILL NOT BEGIN UNLESS, UNTIL THE FUNDING IS APPROVED. THEN WE CLOSE ON THAT, UH, IN THE NEXT WEEK OR HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT TWO WEEK, WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. AND IF YOU COULD, IN A, A SHORT SYNOPSIS, JUST REMIND ME HOW THAT BOND PROGRAM WORKS. RIGHT. SO THESE ARE STATE BONDS. UH, WE PUT IN, WE, WE APPLY FOR THEM. IT IS A LOTTERY PROCESS. THE STATE LITERALLY PICKS NUMBERS AND THEREFORE NAMES OUT OF THEIR PROCESS. AND THEN WHEN OUR NUMBER GETS CALLED, WE HAVE SIX MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO CASH IN ON THOSE, ON THOSE BONDS. SO THERE'S STATE BONDS. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IT'S THE HOUSTON HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION THAT ISSUES THEM. AND THEN THERE WILL BE, UH, A BANK, IN THIS CASE, FREDDIE MAC, THAT WILL, THAT WILL BUY THOSE BONDS. AND THEN IT'S THE PROCEEDS OF THOSE BONDS THAT WILL COME TO US IN THE FORM OF A LOAN. SO THERE'S NOT ACTUALLY CITY FUNDING GOING TO THIS PROJECT. IT IS STRICTLY THROUGH THE BONDS, BUT YOU NEED THE AUTHORIZATION FROM THE CITY'S BODY TO MOVE FORWARD TO PROCEED WITH THAT PROCESS FOR THIS REHAB FOR THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT. WELL, I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MEETING WITH YOUR TEAM AND, AND YOU AND, UH, WE HAD A REHAB PROJECT HAPPEN IN, UH, DISTRICT K. I'M, I'M WHOLEHEARTEDLY IN SUPPORT OF REHABBING APARTMENT COMPLEXES. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I CAN GIVE YOU THREE IN DISTRICT K THAT I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO GET A BOND FOR AND COME, COME IN REHAB. UM, I, IT, IT IS MY HOPE THAT THE RESIDENTS, UM, BECAUSE I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE LONG STANDING RESIDENTS THAT HAVE LIVED IN THIS PROPERTY, UM, THAT THEY ARE CONFIDENT IN WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY TAKE PLACE AT, AT THIS PROPERTY. FROM EVERYTHING THAT I'VE HEARD FROM MY BRIEFING, UM, FROM HOW THESE BONDS WORK, UM, TO THE POTENTIAL OF A REHAB BENEFIT IN A COMMUNITY, I, I'M WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORTIVE. UM, DEFINITELY WILL, UH, DEFER TO THE, THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER. BUT THANK YOU FOR IMPROVING ON A PROPERTY THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS OVER THE YEARS THAT NEEDED IMPROVEMENT. YEAH, CERTAINLY. THIS IS OUR FIRST, UH, PROPERTY IN HOUSTON. WE HOPE IT WON'T BE OUR LAST. UM, AND YOU KNOW, TO YOUR, TO YOUR POINTS, UM, RESIDENTS ARE ABSOLUTELY EXCITED. THEIR BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT IT WON'T ACTUALLY HAPPEN. WHAT IS THE, THANK YOU. WHAT IS THE PERCENT OF OCCUPANCY OF, OF, OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX RIGHT NOW? I, I DON'T KNOW THE OCCUPANCY NUMBERS. I'M LOOKING AT MY COLLEAGUE, IF THAT'S OKAY. AND 92 POINT 14%. AND THE AGE OF THIS DEVELOPMENT IS, HOW OLD IS IT? THE BUILDINGS WERE BUILT IN THE 1972. 1972. YEAH, I'M QUITE FAMILIAR WITH IT. IT'S RIGHT BEHIND WHERE MY MOM LIVES, UH, WHERE I GREW UP. UM, OKAY. COUNCILMAN KOSH, WOULD YOU, FOR THE RECORD, WOULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME AGAIN? I'M TRYING TO FIND YOU ON THE LIST. HE WAS ADD ON. HE WAS ADD ON. I WAS, MY NAME IS CHRIS MANNING. YEAH, I MET YOU BEFORE COUNSEL. THAT'S RIGHT. I, I WOULD SAY THIS, THAT THERE IS A REAL NEED FOR, FOR THIS, THIS TYPE OF A HOUSING PROJECT, ESPECIALLY TO BE RENOVATED. UH, MAYOR, I, I HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE CALLING ME TRYING TO GET INTO HOUSING. ONE LADY, UH, SHE HAS A RETIREMENT OF $3,200 A A MONTH, AND SHE CAN'T GET INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE SHE MAKES TOO MUCH, BUT SHE CAN'T GET IN BECAUSE, I MEAN, THERE'S JUST, THERE'S JUST SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS. AND, UH, WE REALLY NEED THIS. AND I, I APPRECIATE IT. CERTAINLY BE SUPPORTING IT. THANK YOU FOR COMING. COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. MR. MANNING, I I JUST HAVE ONE [01:25:01] QUESTION FOR YOU. UH, THE, OBVIOUSLY THE BONDS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ENGAGE WITH. THE STATE DOESN'T HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IS YOUR PROPERTY GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE PROPERTIES WHERE 'CAUSE OF ITS STATUS AS LOW INCOME HOUSING, IT GETS TAKEN OFF THE TAX ROLLS? I BELIEVE THE PROPERTY WILL HAVE A TAX EXEMPTION WITH IT AS WELL. UM, BUT, BUT, SO YES. SO YEAH. SO IT WILL AFFECT THE CITY, AND THIS IS WHY THE STATE REQUIRES THE CITY TO APPROVE IT, IS BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA BE REMOVED FROM THE TAX ROLLS AND WON'T BE PAYING TAXES FOR THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY THAT, THAT YOU'RE, AND THAT'S WHETHER THERE'S ONE TENANT OR A HUNDRED PERCENT TENANT. RIGHT? I, I, I, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE PROCESS AND LEGALLY WHY THE RESOLUTION IS REQUIRED. I KNOW THAT WE WILL GET STATE TAX CREDITS THROUGH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS. THAT BOARD APPROVED THEM SEVERAL WEEKS AGO. UM, THE H UH, HOUSTON HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD MET EARLIER TODAY TO APPROVE THE BONDS ON THEIR END. SO I, I CAN'T SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THE PROCESS AND HOW THE LOCAL AND THE STATE, UM, PROCESSES, THEY'RE CONNECTED. WELL, FOR EVERY YIN THERE'S A YANG, RIGHT? FOR EVERY POSITIVE THING THERE'S A NEGATIVE THING. SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR, CLEAR ON THAT. I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THIS IS A PFC, UM, AN AN ARRANGEMENT COUNCIL MANOCK, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE REASON WHY THEY'RE SEEKING THE RESOLUTION, BECAUSE ON MANY OF THOSE PFCS DON'T REQUIRE A RESOLUTION FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, YOU ARE REFERRING TO THE PFC DEAL. I DON'T THINK. I DON'T KNOW IF, IF IT IS OR NOT. IS THERE A WAY I CAN GET SOME INFORMATION ON THAT BEFORE TOMORROW? WE CAN CERTAINLY FIND IT. YES, YOU CAN. OKAY. THE ANSWER IS YES. UM, BUT I, WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX HAS BEEN AROUND, AS THEY SAY, SINCE THE EARLY 1970S. AND IF YOU DON'T REHAB, THEN IT CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE. AND MANY OF THOSE APARTMENTS OWN GULF BANK ANINE AND IN THE AREA NEEDS, ARE IN NEED OF SERIOUS REHABILITATION. SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WILL TELL YOU. UH, BUT I FIND WE'LL GET THE ANSWER TO YOU BEFORE TOMORROW. JACKSON COUNCIL. THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. OBJECTION, CHERRY DOWN GRANTED. THANK YOU. COUNCIL JACKSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU MR. MANON FOR, YOU KNOW, COMING IN. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND TOUR, UM, THE FACILITY, THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, AND SEE THE UPGRADES. UM, AND I MENTIONED TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, I ACTUALLY LIVED IN CARPENTRY, UM, BACK IN 1991 WHEN I HAD MY FIRST CHILD. AND SO, AND I MOVED OUTTA COPPER TREE BECAUSE OF THE CRIME. YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WAS KILLED, UM, RIGHT IN MY FAC MY BUILDING. AND, UM, EVENTUALLY I MOVED OUT WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH. AND SO ONE OF MY CONCERNS, I MEAN, THE PROP PROPER, THE PROJECT, NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORTED. BUT AS I MENTIONED TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN A PART OF, UM, REHABS BEFORE AND DEVELOPERS SAY THAT THEY WERE GONNA DO X, Y, AND Z WHEN EVERYTHING IS SIGNED OFF, UM, 45 YEARS LATER, WHAT THEY COMMITTED TO DO IS NOT DONE. FOR EXAMPLE, CLEMENT MANOR. YI KNOW WE JUST HAD THAT EXAMPLE, UM, WITH CLEMENT MANOR. AND BECAUSE WE ENTERED INTO A COMMUNITY, OR MOU, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T LEGALLY BINDING, WE DID DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ON PAPER WHAT THE DEVELOPER HAD COMMITTED TO DO. UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THAT BACK FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AWAY. IT WAS LIKE SEVEN YEARS LATER, UM, TO, TO THIS RECENT DEAL. SO, UM, AS I MENTIONED TO YOU AND YOUR, YOUR TEAM, I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOMETHING IN, RIGHT? AND THE COMMITMENT, YOU KNOW, I DID SEE THE SECURITY, A LIVE PERSON MM-HMM . AT THE GATE, AND I WAS EXCITED ABOUT THAT. I GOT A CHANCE TO SEE THE BUILDING. THE BUILDING WAS BURNED UP AND THEY REHABBED IT. I WAS EXCITED ABOUT THAT. BUT I WANT TO GET THESE THINGS IN WRITING IF I'M GONNA SUPPORT A 40 MILLION, UM, DOLLAR DEAL, EVEN THOUGH YOU SAY IT'S A, IT IS A BOND, BUT STILL IT'S TAX TAX DOLLARS. AND SO AGAIN, I SUPPORT IT, BUT I WANT TO GET SOMETHING IN WRITING, UM, ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING GONNA DO WITHIN THAT PROJECT WITH THE PROJECT. THANK YOU. UH, UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. I MEAN, CERTAINLY JUST TWO COMMENTS ON THAT. UM, YOU KNOW, SECURITY IS ALWAYS ONE OF OUR PRIMARY CONCERNS AT OUR, AT OUR PROPERTIES. AND SO WE WILL, WE WILL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE OUR SAFETY PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ACCOMPLISHING ITS GOALS. AND AS YOU POINT OUT, WE MADE SOME OF OUR EARLIEST INVESTMENTS TO SECURE THE PROPERTY WITH FENCING, AND THERE'S ONE POINT OF ENTRY AND ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY, WHICH HAS GONE A LONG WAY TO HELP STABILIZE THAT. UM, THE SECOND THING IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF A CORPORATE FOCUS OF OURS WITH COMMUNITY IMPACT. AND EVERY PLACE WHERE WE, UM, WHERE FAIR STATE IS, WE WANT TO BE GOOD CIVIC PARTNERS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND DO THE RIGHT THING, NOT JUST BY OUR RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO BY SORT OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. SO WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS, UM, WITH, WITH CARPENTRY VILLAGE IN MIND. THE OTHER ADDED, UH, BENEFIT IS THAT FANNIE MAE IS STEPPING IN TO BUY THOSE BONDS. FREDDIE MAC, I BELIEVE IS FREDDIE MAC. FRED. FRED, FREDDIE MAC. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT SPEAKER, KEISHA MARTIN. KEISHA MARTIN BE FOLLOWED BY JEREMY CRAFT. MS. MARTIN. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS LAISHA MOTON. I'M THE ASSISTANT COMMUNITY MANAGER OF COPPER TREE. [01:30:01] I'VE BEEN WORKING AT COPPER TREE SINCE OCTOBER 13TH, 2020. I WAS THERE BEFORE FERRIS STATE ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY. I HAVE WITNESSED THE IMPROVEMENT THAT FAIR STATE HAS DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY. PLUS I HEAR IT DAILY FROM THE RESIDENTS. APPRECIATIVE OF THE CRIME HAS DUE TO THE GATES. WE HAVE THE SECURED GATES, UM, SECURITY. WE HAVE PATROL WALKING THE PROPERTY. WE HAVE A PATROL OFFICER AT THE GATE MONITORING TO THE TRAFFIC AS THEY COME IN. THEY ALSO HAVE MADE IMPROVEMENTS. STANDARD REPAIRS ACTUALLY HAS HAPPENED SINCE FAIR STEAD CAME TO THE PROPERTY. THE RESIDENTS ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE REHAB. THEIR BIGGEST CONCERN HAS BEEN WILL IT HAPPEN? THEY'VE HEARD IT. PREVIOUS MANAGEMENT HAS CAME AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE DOING A REHAB, BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED. SO I ASSURE THEM I WILL DO MY PART TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A REHAB. IF I NEED TO BE THEIR VOICES. I'LL BE THE VOICES TO COME AND SPEAK FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR CARPENTRY VILLAGE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SPEAKERS. NEXT SPEAKER, JEREMY CRAFT. JEREMY MCC CRAFT. JEREMY CRAFT IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOHNNY GENTRY. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COUNCIL AND DISTINGUISHED GUEST. UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY. MY NAME IS JEREMY KRAFT AND I'M THE CO-DIRECTOR OF URBAN COMMUNITY NETWORK. AND I'M A CREDIBLE MESSENGER. I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX FOR THE COMMUNITY WORK, CDC CRITICAL MESSENGER SERVICES. BECAUSE AS A YOUTH WHO WAS DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AT THE AGE OF 12 AND SERVE THE FIVE YEAR DETERMINANT SENTENCE, I WAS STILL ABLE TO COMPLETE MY SENTENCE AND GO ON TO GRADUATE FROM PRAIRIE VIEW A M UNIVERSITY WITH MY DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING AND WORK IN THE INDUSTRY FOR OVER FOUR AND A HALF YEARS. UM, ULTIMATELY, I LEFT TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL IN PROVIDING SERVICES TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND AT RISK YOUTH. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE IMPORTANCE OF GOD HARD WORK AND MENTORS ON ANYONE'S JOURNEY TO SUCCESS. THEREFORE, I'M GRATEFUL THAT THIS ITEM HAS FINALLY MADE IT TO THE AGENDA, BECAUSE AS IT STANDS, WE HAVE TRAINED 53 MENTORS HAVE, WHO HAVE JUSTICE INVOLVED EXPERIENCES LIKE MYSELF, AND HAVE A COLLECTIVE OF 17 ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER WORK WITH LITTLE TO NO FUNDING FOR MANY YEARS. WE ALL KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T POUR FOR AN FROM AN EMPTY CUP. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING THE NECESSARY FUNDING TO CONTINUOUS CONTINUOUSLY SERVE YOUNG PEOPLE WHOSE NEEDS GO FAR BEYOND TRADITIONAL MENTORING. THANK YOU. I'M ONE SECOND. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND JEREMY, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD TO CITY HALL TODAY FOR YOUR WORDS, NOT ONLY ON THIS ITEM, BUT YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. UM, MAYOR VICE, MAYOR PROAM, CAST TATUM. JEREMY, THANK YOU FOR, UH, COMING AND SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THIS ITEM. I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS TOMORROW. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU AT THE, UM, DISTRICT B PRESS CONFERENCE. I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK THAT YOU AND OTHERS ARE DOING ON BEHALF OF CREDIBLE ME MESSENGERS. UM, YOU DEFINITELY ARE A CREDIBLE MESSENGER. UH, WE APPRECIATE THE WORK. WE SAY THIS ALL THE TIME THAT GOVERNMENT CAN'T DO THIS WORK ALONE. WE NEED PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO CAN HELP US TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE A WONDERFUL QUALITY OF LIFE. SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS ITEM ON TOMORROW. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND JEREMY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. UM, JUST LEADING THE TEAM, THE WHAT, 53 CREDIBLE MESSENGERS THAT HAVE BEEN TRAINED SO FAR. UM, NOT JUST THROUGH THE, UM, ROBUST FIVE DAY, EIGHT HOUR TRAINING, BUT MONTHLY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CONSTANTLY, UM, HAVING TRAINING. YOU'RE CONSTANTLY COMMUNICATING WITH THEM AND WORKING WITH THEM IN THE ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, SERVING THESE AT RISK YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS, UM, DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE RESOURCES YET. SO, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, MAYOR. THANK YOU. AND YOUR TEAM FOR, YOU KNOW, GETTING THIS ON THE AGENDA, UM, FOR THESE CREDIBLE MASTERS SO THAT THEY CAN GO AND DO SOME, CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. SO, APPRECIATE YOU. UM, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS JEREMY. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. JOHNNY GENTRY. JOHNNY GENTRY. JOHNNY GENTRY. JOHNNY. NEXT SPEAKER. LEE CLARK. LEE CLARK IS HERE. BE [01:35:01] FOLLOWED BY MEREDITH. JAMES, GOOD AFTERNOON. I THANK YOU CITY COUNCILORS AS WELL AS THE MAYOR FOR HAVING ME AND PUTTING THIS ITEM ON YOUR LIST BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. CREDIBLE MESSENGER. THAT'S WHAT I AM. WHAT IS A CREDIBLE MESSAGE? I'M GLAD YOU ASKED. CREDIBILITY. I, US WE, WE HAD A CREDIBILITY BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH TO YOUTH AT RISK. WHEN THEY LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND WHAT THEY THINK THEY SEE, WE ARE, WE ARE THE END RESOURCE THAT THEY DECISIONS WE'D DONE BEEN THROUGH THE MUD, WE'D HAVE BEEN TO PRISON, WE'D HAVE BEEN IN INDENTURE, SERVITUDE, EDUCATED OURSELF, WENT TO COLLEGE, MADE THE DEAN LIST, CAME OUT, WENT STRAIGHT BACK TO THE SAME BLOCKS TO SAVE 'EM, THE RUBBER, GOTTA MEET THE ROAD. MR. UH, CHRIS MANNING, RY APARTMENTS. I LITERALLY WENT OVER THERE THREE TIMES THIS YEAR, SET UP A BARBECUE PIT, SOME TABLES, BROUGHT A DJ, SOME FREE FOOD SNACKS AND GIVING AWAY THINGS JUST TO REACH THE ADD RICH YOUTH OUTTA MY POCKET. AND HAD THAT MUSIC PLAYING, DRAWING THEM IN. AND THEY LOVE THAT BECAUSE WE GOTTA MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE WE DEALING WITH A MINDSET. WE DEALING WITH A TRAIN OF THOUGHT THE WAY THEY THINK EVIL IS GOOD. IT'S COOL TO KILL SOMEBODY. AND IF YOU GET SHOT, YOU GETTING POINTS BECAUSE NOW YOU CHEATED DEATH, YOU THE NEXT TUPAC. SO WE GOTTA UNEDUCATION THEM ON THE OWN AND IN THE RIGHT. SO THIS MONEY Y'ALL ABOUT TO GIVE US THIS NOT A DONATION. IT'S INVESTMENT. AND THIS THE RETURN. BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE INVESTING IN PRISON, THEY BETTING ON THE YOUTH TO LOSE. BUT WHEN Y'ALL INVEST IN PROGRAMS, Y'ALL BETTING ON THEM TO WIN. AND WE THE DECISION MAKERS ON Y'ALL BEST 'CAUSE WE ARE THE RUBBER. THAT'S THE ROAD OUT THERE. I AIN'T GONNA TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF Y'ALL TIME, BUT WE NEED THAT MONEY. ONE SECOND THERE. VICE MAYOR. ONE SECOND. ONE SECOND ONE. YES. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CAST TATUM. I'M SORRY. UH, COUNCILMAN JACKSON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. CLARK. YES, MA'AM. AGAIN, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR PASSION AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO WORKING WITH THESE, THE AT-RISK YOUTH, UM, AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT THEY DON'T GO DOWN THE SAME ROAD THAT YOU WENT DOWN, BUT DO GO THROUGH THE SAME ROAD BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB. AND SO YOU, YOU ARE PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHAT THEY CAN BE. AND SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JUST YOUR CONTINUAL LEADERSHIP. OKAY. AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR MUCH CONSIDERING ME TO BE A CREDIBLE MESSENGER BECAUSE WE HAVE CREDIBILITY AND WE ARE NOW THE MESSENGERS. SO IF YOU A LEADER WITHOUT NO FOLLOWERS, YOU JUST A PERSON THAT'S WALKING. MM-HMM . I'M ON SECOND. YOU GOT OUR FOLLOWERS OUT THERE NOW AND THEY DEPEND ON US. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND MR. CLARK. SO WELL SAID. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO MY COLLEAGUE WHO'S REALLY BEEN TALKING ABOUT CREDIBLE MESSENGERS AND YOU REALLY BROUGHT THAT RIGHT, RIGHT HOME TO US TODAY. AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, SETTING UP THE BARBECUE THING IN THE, IN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX. BUT TELL ME ABOUT SOME OTHER WAYS YOU REACH PEOPLE. DO YOU GO INTO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM ITSELF? INTO THE, INTO THE, THE JAIL? OR DO YOU MAINLY JUST GO TO EVERYTHING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY? HOW, SEE, I DEAL WITH PREVENTION AS A CREDIT MESSAGE, RIGHT? FIRST OF ALL, THANKS TO MY LEADER, I DEAL WITH PREVENTION AND I SEE THAT THEY INFLUENCED BY REP. THEY FLOODING THE SAGGING AT THE SAME TIME INFLUENCED BY REP. THEY SHOOTING FIRST, ASKING QUESTIONS LATER INFLUENCED BY NEGATIVE RAP. AND THEY'VE BEEN ALL THESE NEGATIVE INFLUENCES. SO WHAT WE DO, WE GO OUT AND TRY TO PREVENT THE CRIME BEFORE IT HAPPENED. WE GOTTA BEAT THE BULLY TO THE BLOCK. OKAY. BUT ARE YOU ALSO TALKING TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IN THROUGH THE SYSTEM TOO? THROUGH THE SYSTEM. OKAY. AND ON THEIR WAY THROUGH THE SYSTEM. I'M TRYING TO TALK TO EVERYBODY THAT GOT A CRIMINAL MINDSET. GOT IT. GOT THEY BEEN THROUGH THE SYSTEM ON THEIR WAY THROUGH THE SYSTEM OR THINKING ABOUT GOING TO THE SYSTEM. 'CAUSE IF THEY KILL THIS DUDE FIRST BEFORE HE KILL HIM, HIS MINDSET ALREADY THERE. THAT THAT'S VERY WELL SAID. EDUCATION THAT THEY GOING THROUGH THAT WE TRYING TO UNEDUCATION HIM MUCH. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH. RESIDENT COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS. I LOVE WHAT YOU SAID AND, AND, UM, I, I THINK YOU ARE, YOU'RE SO PERSUASIVE. AND I JUST, I WANNA JUST SAY THANK YOU AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WHOLE FOCUS ON PREVENTION IS CRITICAL. IT IS CRITICAL. WE'VE GOTTA WE'VE GOTTA STOP THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT STARTS. YEAH. 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SO INEFFICIENT AND, AND WASTEFUL TO WAIT TILL THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT IT'S GOTTEN WORSE. I THINK YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT I, I AM EXCITED TO VOTE FOR THIS TOMORROW. AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY A BIG, BIG THANK YOU FROM MAYOR AND WE SO EXCITED ABOUT GETTING YOUR VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX. ONE SECOND. COUNCILMAN KNOX AGAIN. OH, ALL RIGHT. COOL. OH, MR. KRAFT, UM, HAVE YOU READ MY BOOK, GANGSTA IN THE HOUSE, UNDERSTANDING GANG CULTURE? 'CAUSE YOU'RE SPOUTING STUFF RIGHT OUT OF THERE. I'M GONNA GIVE YOU ONE BEFORE [01:40:01] YOU LEAVE TODAY. I AM GONNA GIVE YOU ONE. UM, LET ME JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, GOD USES ALL THINGS FOR GOOD. MM-HMM . WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD TO US IN THE END OF, IN PART OF HIS PLAN. SO YOU'VE HAD AN EXPERIENCE THAT WAS NEGATIVE THAT YOU'VE TURNED INTO A POSITIVE AND I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. UM, BUT AT ANY RATE, SEE ME BEFORE YOU LEAVE AND I'M GONNA MAKE SURE YOU GET A COPY OF MY BOOK WROTE. ALRIGHT, COOL. I THINK YOU'LL ENJOY IT. MAYBE YOU CAN USE IT ALSO. AND I'M GONNA PASS IT ON. WELL BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU START PASSING IT ON, YOU NEVER GET IT BACK. NO, I'M GONNA KEEP THE BOOK THE KNOWLEDGE. I AIN'T GIVE THE BOOK AWAY. OH YEAH. THAT WE CAN DO. THAT'S HOW, THAT'S ALLEGORICAL. . THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN POLLANT. THANK YOU. M BEFORE YOU WALK OFF, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING. UH, YOU DEFINITELY ARE A CREDIBLE MESSENGER AND I THINK YOU'RE A WALKING TESTIMONY BASED ON YOUR JOURNEY AND YOUR JOURNEY WILL BE ABLE TO HELP OTHERS. AND, UH, YOUR JOURNEY IS STILL GOING. AND I THINK THIS IS A PART OF IT AND I'M, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THIS PROGRAM, UH, START AND TO SEE THE FRUITS THAT WE BEAR, UH, COME TO, UH, FRUITION IN THE FUTURE. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU AND ALL OF THE OTHER MEMBERS, UH, THAT ARE STEPPING UP BECAUSE YOU COULD BE DOING A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE MORE FOCUSED ON YOUR OWN, UH, SELF-IMPROVEMENT. BUT NOT ONLY ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT YOUR OWN GROWTH, BUT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THE GROWTH OF OTHERS. AND THAT'S HOW WE REALLY, UM, INFLUENCE AND IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN. YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. AND ONCE AGAIN, I THANK MY CITY COUNCIL, MS. ASHA JACKSON, BECAUSE SHE THE ONE WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER. MEREDITH JAMES. MEREDITH. JAMES MEREDITH. JAMES IS HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE NEED YOU. YEAH, RIGHT BEHIND THE MIC. THE MIC. THIS ONE. THERE WE GO. OKAY. MY NAME IS MEREDITH JAMES. I'M THE FOUNDER AND LEAD CONSULTANT FOR EXCEL. BEYOND CIRCUMSTANCES, WE SPECIALIZE IN WORKING WITH AT-RISK YOUTH AND ADULTS DESIRE, AND A SECOND CHANCE. WE OFFER ANGER MANAGEMENT CLASSES AND A LIFE SKILLS AND REHABILITATION PROGRAM. WE CURRENTLY HAVE CLASSES IN THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL, IN WHICH WE HAVE PRESENTED 65 INMATES WITH CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION JUST LAST YEAR. WE ALSO HAVE AN AFTERSCHOOL MENTORSHIP PROGRAM IN THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER DOWNTOWN IN REGARD TO COMMUNITY WORK. CDC. WE ARE ALSO EMBARKING ON OUR THIRD YEAR WITH OUR YOUTH SUMMER PROGRAM IN HAVERSTOCK HILLS APARTMENTS. AND THIS YEAR WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH PRAIRIE VIEW A AND M UNIVERSITY AT HAVERSTOCK HILLS. WE ALSO HOST SEMINARS AND SET UP COMMUNITY-BASED EVENTS TO BRING AWARENESS. WE ARE DRIVEN TO CONVERT VICTIMS INTO FUNCTIONAL CITIZENS OF SOCIETY. TO REITERATE, CONVERTING VICTIMS INTO FUNCTIONAL CITIZENS OF SOCIETY. I WAS ONCE A VICTIM, A VICTIM OF MY PREVIOUS MINDSET AND CIRCUMSTANCES. I AM CURRENTLY AN OVERCOMER OF BEING A THREE-TIME FELON, A HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT, A TEEN MOTHER, AND A SUICIDE SURVIVOR. NOW I CREATE PROGRAMS TO TEACH INDIVIDUALS HOW TO OVERCOME THE SAME STIGMAS I HAVE. IF EXCEL BEYOND CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER INITIATIVE IS AWARDED WITH FUNDING, WE WILL FURTHER THE CAUSE THAT WE ARE ALREADY WORKING SO DILIGENTLY TO PROMOTE WORKING CONSISTENTLY. SINCE 2017, PASSION, PURPOSE, AND INTEGRITY HAS BEEN THE FUEL IN THIS LOCOMOTIVE. FUNDING WOULD DEFINITELY MAKE THINGS RUN MORE EFFICIENTLY. FROM OFFICE SUPPLIES TO STAFFING, EQUIPMENT, CERTIFICATES, FIELD TRIPS, MORE EVENTS TO BRING AWARENESS AND MORE OUTREACH. BEING A PART OF THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER INITIATIVE HAS ALREADY MADE SUCH A GREAT IMPACT ON OUR ORGANIZATIONS BY GIVING US RESOURCES WE DIDN'T HAVE PREVIOUSLY, SUCH AS NETWORKING WITH LIKE, MINDS, TRAINING, COACHING, AS WELL AS GREAT OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME, CONSIDERATION, AND OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE. THANK YOU. VERY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. THANK YOU, UM, MEREDITH. AND, AND I ALSO WANNA SAY THANK YOU, MAYOR, BECAUSE THIS IS THE MAYOR WHO MADE THE EMERGENCY ORDER HAPPEN. SO THANK YOU MAYOR AND YOUR TEAM. YES, THANK YOU MAYOR AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND JUST EVERYONE WHO'S WORKED DILIGENTLY, UM, TO GET THIS, THESE RESOURCES OUT TO YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. YES MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. TIFFANY CHEVERIA. TIFFANY CHEVERIA. TIFFANY. TIFFANY. NEXT SPEAKER. TIFFANY. NO, I'M REPRESENTING HER. SHE'S, NO, CAN'T DO THAT TODAY. NEXT SPEAKER. KEELY WILSON. KEELY WILSON. KEELY IS HERE. HELLO COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. MY NAME IS KELYN WILSON, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF A NEW APPROACH INCORPORATED. UM, AND I'M ALSO A CREDIBLE MESSENGER. THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER PROGRAM IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART FOR SO MANY REASONS. ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS IS BECAUSE WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND [01:45:01] GUIDE THE YOUTH WE USED TO BE. AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHERE WE FIND OUR PURPOSE. FINDING WAYS TO POUR INTO OUR PAST SELVES AND GIVING THEM WHAT WE KNEW AND GIVING THEM WHAT WE KNOW NOW THAT CAN SET THEM UP TO HAVING GREATER SUCCESS THAN WE, THAN WE'VE ACHIEVED TODAY. IN REGARDS TO MY PAST SELF, I WAS RAISED IN ACRES HOME, THE ONLY CHILD OF A SINGLE MOTHER. AND IN MY ENVIRONMENT I SEEN A LOT AND WAS AFFECTED BY A LOT. MOST OF THE PEOPLE I LOOKED UP TO AND WAS SURROUNDED BY WERE DRUG DEALERS, ATHLETES, AND RAPPERS. THE TRUE PICTURE OF THE STEREOTYPICAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE INNER CITY. I DIDN'T SEE COLLEGE GRADUATES OR DOCTORS OR LAWYERS. I DIDN'T SEE THRIVING BUSINESS OWNERS OR CORPORATE EXECUTIVES. THERE WERE NO REAL MENTORS OR COACHES FOR LIFE. AND THERE WERE SO MUCH, I WAS JUST SIMPLY NEVER EXPOSED TO PROFESSIONALLY, EDUCATIONALLY, OR IN REGARDS TO LIFE IN GENERAL. LONG STORY SHORT, I WAS AN OUTLIER. I CHOSE TO TAKE THE PATH LESS TRAVELED AND BECAME EVERYTHING I DIDN'T SEE. I BECAME THE FIRST IN MY FAMILY TO ATTEND AND GRADUATE A UNIVERSITY GRADUATE FROM A UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN. I BECAME A MENTOR AND MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER FOR UNDER-RESOURCED YOUTH. WHILE IN COLLEGE, I BECAME A TRAUMA COACH FOR YOUTH AROUND THE COUNTRY. I BECAME BILINGUAL IN MY CURRENT PURSUIT TO BECOME A POLYGLOT SO I CAN BE MORE MULTICULTURAL. I BECAME AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOLAR HAVING STUDIED IN THREE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. WHILE IN COLLEGE, I BECAME A BUSINESS OWNER TO A BUSINESS THAT'S ON THE TRAJECTORY TO THRIVE. I BECAME A CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT'S EMPOWERING OUR COMMUNITIES. AND NOW I'M A CREDIBLE MESSENGER POURING BACK INTO THE NEXT GENERATION OF OUTLIERS FROM MY COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. TMI PROUD OF YOU. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. OKAY. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. THANKS COUNCIL. THANK YOU KEELY AGAIN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UM, FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION AND THE WORK WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. I KNOW YOU DO A LOT OF WORK OVER IN, UM, LINCOLN CITY APARTMENTS, UH, GARDEN CITY APARTMENTS. GARDEN CITY APARTMENTS. YEAH. SO THANK YOU. I'M EXCITED AND HONORED TO HAVE YOU AS A PARTNER AS A CREDIBLE MESSENGER. THANK YOU. YOU WORKING IN GARDEN CITY APARTMENTS? YES, SIR. MM-HMM. YOU KNOW WHAT? AND SHE CAME HERE ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT WE WERE HAVING AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM OUTSIDE IN GARDEN CITY APARTMENTS COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON VISITED US. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. YOU KNOW WHERE I GREW UP. YES. YOU, YOU LET US KNOW YOU WERE FROM ACRES. ACRES HOME. YOUR MOTHER STAYED BEHIND GARDEN CITY APARTMENTS. YEAH, GARDEN CITY. YEAH. SO I'M PROUD OF YOU, MAN. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. OH, I'M SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON. THANK YOU MAYOR KEELY. I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD TELL US WHAT LANGUAGE YOU SPEAK OR SPANISH. RIGHT ON. AND WHAT WERE THE COUNTRIES YOU VISITED DURING COLLEGE? I VISITED, WELL, I STUDIED IN BEIJING, CHINA FIRST. AND THEN I STUDIED IN CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN. AND THEN I STUDIED IN COSTA RICA AT UNIVERSITY . GREAT. AND POLL, GLAD YOU WANT TO HEAD THAT WAY. WHAT'S YOUR NEXT LANGUAGE? UH, MY NEXT ONE, I WANTED TO DO MANDARIN, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. I, I WAS, I ACCEPTED A JOB IN CHINA, WAS NOT ABLE TO GO DO DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. SO MY NEXT LANGUAGE MAY BE, UH, PORTUGUESE. AWESOME. YEAH. GREAT STORY. THANKS FOR COMING TO SHARE. THANK YOU. YEAH. EVERYBODY THAT GROWS UP IN ACRE HOME IS GLOBAL IN NATURE. . THANK YOU. THANK YOU . SPEAK SPANISH FLUENTLY TOO. NEXT SPEAKER. ANDRE WILEY. ANDRE WILEY TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARIAN WRIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY? UM, MY NAME IS ANDRE WILEY. I'M ALSO A CREDIBLE MEASURE. I ALSO SERVE CLOSELY WITH A NEW APPROACH IN THE BOSTON LIFE FOUNDATION. I WORK HAND IN HAND WITH KEELAN AS WELL IN THE GARDEN CITY COMMUNITY, WHICH IS A COMMUNITY I GREW UP IN. UM, THIS PROGRAM IS, IS VERY MUCH NEEDED. IT'S, IT IS THE PREVENTION OF CRIME. WE GET TO KIDS, WE TRY TO FOCUS ON THEIR HEARTS AND MINDS AND CHANGE THEIR DIRECTION. UM, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, TALKING HERE ABOUT A YEAR AGO, UM, WE TRY TO GIVE KIDS DREAMS, GIVE THEM OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, SEE EXAMPLES OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO NOT BE A RAPPER, TO NOT BE A BALL PLAYER, TO STRIVE FOR OTHER GOALS, OTHER DREAMS, OTHER JOBS, OTHER PROFESSIONS TO STEER 'EM OFF THE STREETS. YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO GET 'EM BEFORE THE GUNSHOTS ARE FIRED. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THINGS HAPPEN IN MY COMMUNITY THAT COULD BE STOPPED. YOU KNOW, YOU MEET LITTLE KIDS AND SAY THEY DON'T LIKE SOMEBODY, THEY DON'T HAVE A REASON WHY THEY DON'T LIKE 'EM. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT MANIFESTS INTO GANG VIOLENCE AND THEY RUNNING WITH THE WRONG CREW. SO, YOU KNOW, NOWADAYS YOU HAVE OGS THAT ARE 22, 23 AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET THEM TO STOP BEING A NEGATIVE EXAMPLE. SO, YOU KNOW, WITH HELP, YOU KNOW, IT GOES A LONG WAY. LIKE WE'VE BEEN DOING EVERYTHING FROM THE BOTTOM UP, YOU KNOW, FUNDRAISING ON OUR OWN, GETTING DONATIONS, MAKING, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I'D WENT TO CORY AND GET 'EM TO COME FEED THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, JUST TO KEEP THE KIDS INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, KEEP THEIR ATTENTION, YOU KNOW, KNOW. BUT ANYTHING HELPS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT VOTE AND HOPEFULLY WE GET ALLALL SUPPORT. APPRECIATE IT. MEMBER JACKSON, THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU MR. WALLY AGAIN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ALL THE CREDIBLE MESSENGERS FOR COMING OUT TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM. UM, I KNOW IT'S [01:50:01] BEEN A LONG TIME, WAKEN WAITING, UM, BUT IT'S FINALLY FORWARD AND, UM, EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK YOU GUYS ARE GONNA BE DOING THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU. DEFINITELY. THANK YOU. THANKS VERY MUCH MAYOR. APPRECIATE IT. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT SPEAKER, MARIAN WRIGHT. MARIAN WRIGHT TO BE FOLLOWED BY SHARON EVANS. BROOKS. HI, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY AS PART OF ARTS TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE FOR BLOCKAGE STREET. WE SEE A LOT OF SIMILARITIES BETWEEN HAPPEN IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND WHAT IT IS, IS THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE. INSTEAD THEY'RE GETTING SUPPORT FROM OUTSIDE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THEY'RE USING THAT TO DO THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING TO MAKE CHANGES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND JUST REALLY, WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WE HAD SOMEONE TODAY COME HERE FROM KINGWOOD TO SPEAK ABOUT THE 11TH STREET PROJECT, SAYING THAT HE CAME TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND DROVE THROUGH 11TH STREET, WHICH HE WENT TO ANTIDOTES, WHICH IS ON STU WOOD, IT'S NOT EVEN ON 11TH. BUT HE CAME THERE AND HE HAD A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. HE ENJOYED HIMSELF AND WE'RE GLAD HE CAME TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HAD A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS FABULOUS. WE HAVE A LOT OF MOM AND POP BUSINESSES, AND THAT'S WHAT'S ON 11TH STREET. SO I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU NOW TODAY ABOUT SOME OF THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE ON 11TH STREET. THAT FROM TWO 30 YESTERDAY WHEN I WALKED UP AND DOWN 11TH STREET. AND THEN I DID SOME OF THEM THIS MORNING THAT HAVE SIGNED A PETITION SAYING THAT THEY ARE HAVING NEGATIVE IMPACTS BECAUSE OF THE 11TH STREET PROJECT. ANDY'S CAFE, REPUBLIC BOOTS HEIGHTS LIQUOR, BERMUDA REMODELING, METRO MART BUILDING, TIDES, BUCHANANS, DOUG'S BARBER SHOP, LOLA'S DINER, DAPPER DAN'S DADDY'S CHICKEN, CBD, AMERICAN CHARMAN ADVANCED AUTO PARTS CERAMIC STORE, 11TH STREET CLEANERS, FRONTLINE HAIR SALON, BERRY HILLS, BAKER DONUTS, REVOLUTIONARY COFFEE. I HAVE SIGNATURES FROM ALL 20 OF THESE BUSINESSES THAT SAID THEY ARE HAVING NEGATIVE IMPACTS. BIKE LANES AND CENTER MEDIANS ARE PREVENTING LEFT HAND TURNS INTO THEIR PROPERTY. EXCESSIVE TRAFFIC IS BLOCKING INTERSECTIONS, LACK OF CENTER TURN LANES IS CAUSING GRIDLOCK. DELIVERY TRUCKS ARE HAVING DIFFICULTIES. PARKING CUSTOMERS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS. THAT IS WHAT THEY SIGNED. THESE PEOPLE THAT SIGNED THIS, THESE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE ACTUALLY HAVING IMPACTS TO THE POINT WHERE THE CERAMIC STORE CAN NO LONGER GET DELIVERIES. CERAMIC STORE SOUNDS LIKE A LITTLE TINY, YOU KNOW, PLACE THAT YOU WOULD GO IN. NO, THIS IS THE, THE PREMIER PLACE IN HOUSTON THAT ALL OF THE UNIVERSITIES AND EVERYONE ELSE BUY THEIR CLAY. OKAY. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT LIKE LITTLE CLAY THINGS THAT YOU JUST GO IN AND YOU GLAZE SOMETHING, YOU BAKE IT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BIG PALLETS OF ITEMS. THEY CAN'T GET DELIVERIES. SO THEY'RE MOVING, THEY'RE MOVING TO TWO 90 AND PINE MOD. I DON'T KNOW WHO DISTRICT THAT IS, BUT SOMEONE'S GETTING A GREAT BUSINESS, SO TAKE CARE OF THEM. THEY'RE A MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS. THEY'VE BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR 30 YEARS AND THEY'RE LEAVING. YEAH. TOM HAS IT EXPIRED. COUNCILMAN KASH. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT, THAT I'VE HAD IS, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, UH, WHETHER OR NOT THE, UH, FIRE TRUCKS CAN AND THE AMBULANCES CAN PROPERLY NEGOTIATE THOSE AREAS. I'M ALSO BEGIN TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE HEAVY TRASH, UH, HOW THEY'RE GONNA PICK THAT UP. ALSO, UM, IF A GARBAGE TRUCK IS GOING DOWN THE ROAD, PICKING UP THE, THE GARBAGE CANS, THEN THEN THE TRAFFIC HAS TO WAIT. 'CAUSE THERE'S NO WAY AROUND THEM TO, TO, UH, DURING THAT PROCESS. UM, I I, I'M, I'M GONNA HAVE TO REALLY LOOK INTO THIS EVEN MORE. I PERHAPS, UH, ON, ON, WHAT IS THE GARBAGE DAY ON, ON ON 11TH STREET? DO YOU KNOW? UM, I REALLY DON'T KNOW. COUNCIL MEMBER CIS OR ABBY CAYMAN SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT. I LIVE A FEW BLOCKS AWAY. I LIVE ON A DIFFERENT STREET, SO, WELL, I'M, I'M, I'M GONNA WAIT UNTIL, UH, TILL THAT GARBAGE DAY IS GONNA BE, AND I'M GONNA FOLLOW THE GARBAGE TRUCK AND SEE. CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? 'CAUSE I'M REALLY CURIOUS. SO THE GARBAGE TRUCK, UM, CANS HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN INSIDE OF THE BIKE LANES. NOW SOMEONE SAID THAT THE GARBAGE TRUCKS HAVE ARMS THAT CAN REACH OUT 12 FEET, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT, IS THAT TRUE? DOES ANYBODY KNOW IF THE GARBAGE TRUCKS HAVE ARMS THAT CAN REACH 12 FEET? 'CAUSE I, I, I KNOW THEY CAN REACH WAY OUT THERE SO THEY CAN, I'M SURE THEY CAN PROBABLY PICK IT UP. WELL THEN MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LET THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON 11TH STREET KNOW. 'CAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY'RE BLOCKING THE BIKE LANES WITH THE GARBAGE CANS. WITH THE GARBAGE CANS. OKAY, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. [01:55:02] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER. THANK YOU. SHARON EVANS BROOKS BOOKS TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALVA HOWARD. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SHARON EVANS BROOKS AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE RIVERSIDE CIVIC, RIVERSIDE CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND THE, UH, MCGREGOR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS. I'M HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU, UM, OR MAKE COMMENTS REGARDING THE LODGE STREET, UM, BIKE LANE PROJECT. WE ARE HERE TO SAY THAT WE VEHEMENTLY OPPOSE THE PROGRESSION OF THAT PROJECT AS IT IS PROPOSED. WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE, BECAUSE BEFORE THESE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, NONE OF THE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS IN OUR AREA, PASTOR WAS HERE. NONE OF THE CHURCHES, NONE OF THE OTHER, UH, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AREA WERE REACHED OUT REGARDING OUR INPUT ON THE PLACEMENT OF BIKE LANES IN THIS, ALONG THIS SHORT STRETCH BETWEEN INNOCENT BLOT AND SCOTT AND BLOT. AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, UM, THE PROPO, THE BIKE LANE IS PROPOSED ADJACENT TO TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, WHICH DRAWS THOUSANDS OF CAR VEHICULAR TRAFFIC IN THE FORM OF, UH, FROM STUDENTS AND OR STAFF THAT FREQUENT THE UNIVERSITY. IT'S THE SINGLE LARGEST DRAWER OF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC IN OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THE REDUCTION OF BIKE LANES DOWN TO ONE BIKE LANE WILL CREATE A CRISIS SITUATION FOR US. SO, UH, WE ARE OPPOSED TO THE BIKE LANES ALONG THAT STRAIGHT STRETCH. FOR THAT REASON, IT IS DENSELY POPULATED. THE ARGUMENT HAS BEEN THAT THE, UH, PLACEMENT OF THE BIKE LANES WILL INCREASE CONNECTIVITY. WERE ANY OF US DRONES AND WE LOOK DOWN ON THAT SPACE BETWEEN INNOCENT BLOT AND SCOTT AND BLOTT, YOU WILL VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY QUICKLY SEE THAT THERE IS NO CONNECTIVITY WHATSOEVER. BUT THERE IS CONNECTIVITY THREE BLOCKS OVER. I THINK IT'S MCGOWAN A HOLMAN, WHEREIN THE STUDENTS FROM THE, UH, FROM TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, UM, CAN CONNECT TO COLUMBIA TAP BIKE LANES, THE, AND COLLECT, CONNECT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND CONNECT TO THE RAIL SYSTEM THAT EXIST ON BLOT. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY ZERO CONNECTIVITY, NOTWITHSTANDING THE ARGUMENT THAT THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE PROMOTING AND ENCOURAGING IN OUR CITY. UM, LASTLY, UM, THE COMMUNITY IS BAFFLED BY THE ARGUMENT THAT THE, UM, THE FAILURE THAT IF THE PROJECT IS AMENDED TO NOT INCLUDE THE BIKE LANES, THAT IT WOULD COST AN ADDITIONAL FOUR TO $9 MILLION. WE JUST CAN'T WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND WHY IT WOULD COST AN ADDITIONAL FOUR TO $9 MILLION TO NOT PROCEED WITH A PROJECT. WE, WE DON'T GET IT. WE, WE, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN A GOOD EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THAT COST WOULD BE INCURRED WHEN THE PROJECT IS NOT COMPLETED. AS OF THIS MOMENT, AND I WAS THERE THIS MORNING, I WALK COLUMBIA TAP EVERY THREE OR FOUR, THREE OR FOUR DAYS A WEEK. THERE'S ABOUT A 18 FOOT STRETCH OF CONCRETE THAT HAS BEEN PUT DOWN, I GUESS AS A FOUNDATION FOR THIS BIKE LANE THAT IS IN, IN, IN, IN THE WORKS. BUT WHY WOULD THAT COST FOUR TO $9 MILLION? THE COST OF THE TOTAL PROJECT? IT'S ABOUT 12 MILLION. THAT'S INCLUDING THE DRAINAGE, THE REDOING OF YES, YES. YES. LET ME YOU ASK THE QUESTION. LET ME ASK THAT, BUT MAYBE YOU'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING MY QUESTION. MY QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE COST WHEN THE PROJECT HAS NOT BEGUN, THAT HAS BEEN THE THREAT THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE IT'S GONNA COST X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS? WELL, THE, THAT HAS NOT BEGUN, NOR IS IT COMPLETED. IT IS ABOUT AN 18 TO 20 FOOT STRETCH OF CONCRETE. AND I GUESS THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE ASKING, I I TELL YOU TIME. I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. TIME IS EXPIRED. COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU. MS. EVANS. EVAN BROOKS. YES, SIR. EVANS BROOKS. UM, I, I DON'T, UH, I PLAN TO VOTE NO TOMORROW, BUT I'M WONDERING EVEN IF WE VOTE NO WILL, IT'LL STILL CONTINUE. I I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA STOP ANYTHING. MM. UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I THINK, UH, UH, IT'S, IT'S, UH, I DON'T THINK A NO VOTE STOPS IT. SO, UH, I DON'T KNOW. SO, SO WE'LL SEE TOMORROW. WELL, WE REMAIN HOPEFUL AND WE, WE REMAIN PRAYERFUL. THANK YOU, MA'AM. YES. COUNCILMAN . THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, MS. BROOKS? YES, SIR. UM, YOU'RE PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH THE TSU AND ABSOLUTELY. I USED TO LIVE BLOCKS AWAY. SO DO THEY HAVE FOOTBALL GAMES THERE ALL THE TIME? HAVE BASKETBALL GAMES THERE ALL THE TIME ON BOTH CAMPUSES, RIGHT? YES, SIR. ISN'T BLOT SORT OF A MAIN, WHAT DO YOU MEAN SORT? IT IS, IT IS THE MAIN THING OF THERE. I MEAN, IT'S LIKE THE MAIN WAY TO GET TO THE GAME. YES SIR. SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE IT DOWN TO ONE LANE. YES SIR. HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT'LL TAKE FOR PEOPLE TO GET INTO AND OUT OF THE STADIUM? LONG TIME. LONGER TIME. AND NOT [02:00:01] EVEN JUST THE, THE PEOPLE ATTENDING GANGS, GANGS, GANGS RATHER. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO CONSIDERATION FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN LONGSTANDING AND HAVE BEEN THERE 50, 60 YEARS. SO I'VE GOT A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME HERE. SO IF THE, IF THE BIKE LANE WERE MOVED OVER THREE BLOCKS, WHAT IMPACT WOULD THAT HAVE ON PEOPLE GETTING TO, AND THE, AND THE STREET REMAINED ITS CURRENT SIZE, BUT WITH BETTER DRAINAGE AND INFRASTRUCTURE UNDERNEATH IT, YOU KNOW, HOW HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT THE, THE PEOPLE GOING TO AND FROM FOOTBALL GAMES AND BA AND BASKETBALL GAMES? I THINK ALL WOULD BE GREATLY IMPROVED RESIDENTS AND ATTENDEES TO THE UNIVERSITY AND GAMES. SO THE BIKERS WOULD BE HAPPY, THE MOTORISTS WOULD BE HAPPY, THE RESIDENTS WOULD BE HAPPY. IT IS A WIN, WIN WIN. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. NOW LEMME JUST SAY THAT THE CHAIRMAN OF YOUR BOARD OF REGENTS SUPPORTS THE PROJECT. YEAH. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF MEETINGS DIDN'T REACH OUT TO US, UH, MAYOR. BUT THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT. BUT THEY HAVE NOT REACHED OUT TO US. YOU FINISHED ARE WELL, NOT YET. IF MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW. THANK YOU. YOU ARE FINISHED. THANK YOU MAYOR. MM-HMM . NOW LET ME SAY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SUPPORTS THE PROJECT NEXT SPEAKER, ARVA HOWARD. ARVA HOWARD TO BE FOLLOWED BY LYNE HOWARD. GET RIGHT BEHIND THAT MIC. STAND BEHIND THE MIC. RIGHT BEHIND. THERE YOU GO. OKAY. I'M SORRY. WELL, AGAIN. GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ARVA HOWARD AND FOR ALL OF MY 71 YEARS I'VE LIVED WITHIN 50 YARDS OF TSU, INCLUDING GROWING UP ON ROSEWOOD AT TIA WESTER, AND NOW LIVING ONE BLOCK OFF OF BLOT. THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT DIMINISHES OUR COMMUNITY RATHER THAN IMPROVES IT. THE AGREEMENT INCLUDES MONEY FOR TSU, IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS, FLOATING BUS STOPS AND BIKE LANES TO NOWHERE, IMPROVEMENTS TO DEAD END STREETS AND OTHER ITEMS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH US AND HOW WE LIVE AND OUR MOBILITY. THE NARRATIVE THAT THIS PROJECT IS ALL ABOUT SAFETY, IMPROVING OUR MOBILITY AND TREATING US EQUALLY IS NOTHING MORE THAN COMMUNITY GAS LIGHTING. IF THIS WAS ABOUT SAFETY, THEN BLOT AND TEAR WESTERN'S LANES WOULD NOT BE CUT IN HALF AND RED, RED LIGHTS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REMOVED. IF IT WAS BASED ON ACCESS, THEN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHO IS ALREADY LOST HUNDREDS OF HOUSES, CHURCHES, BUSINESSES AND MOBILITY ON, ON WHEELER T WESTER, ROSEWOOD, RUTH, BLOT, COBB, AND SAMPSON STREETS TO ACCOMMODATE TSU WOULD NOT BE FURTHER DISRUPTED. IF THIS PROJECT WERE TRULY ABOUT EQUITABLE TREATMENT, THEN WHY WERE WE TOTALLY EXCLUDED FROM THE TABLE? WHILE BY HOUSTON WAS GIVING A SPECIAL SEAT, THERE IS AN EXISTING BIKEWAY ON TS U'S CAMPUS, LESS THAN 200 YARDS FROM BLOT CONNECTED TO THE COLUMBIA TAP THAT GOES STRAIGHT DOWN. WHAT USED TO BE WHEELER AVENUE CONNECTS TO THE BIKEWAY NEAR UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND ACCESS TO THE RAIL AND ALSO TO THE BIKEWAY ALONG BRAISE BAYOU. THIS IS A DDU DUPLICATE EFFORT AND IT'S UNNECESSARY AND IT'S UNJUST. AND TO GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER KUBOSH, THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED. SO I'M CURIOUS AS TO HOW THE COUNTY IS JUMPING THE GUN AND STARTING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE BIKE LANES. WHEN THEY SAID THEY WOULD PAUSE IT AND IN THEIR WORDS PAUSE MEANS WORK ON MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY AND SATURDAYS TO HURRY UP TO GET IT COMPLETED BEFORE YOUR VOTE. HARRIS COUNTY, UH, HAS BEEN COLLECTING FLOOD CONTROL TAXES FROM US SINCE 2009. THIS IS NOT CHARITY. THIS IS THEIR DUTY. THEY OWE THIS TO US. I HAVE SERVED AS PRECINCT CHAIR AND ELECTION JUDGE FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS BECAUSE I LOVE MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I LOVE THIRD WARD. MY HUSBAND IS A TSU GRADUATE. I'M A GRADUATE OF TSSU LAW SCHOOL. MY THREE SISTERS GRADUATE FROM TSU. MY FAMILY HAS LIVED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR OVER, FOR OVER 80 YEARS. BUT THIS IS NOT A GOOD PROJECT. WE CAN DO BETTER. WE DESERVE BETTER. YES. TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MAY I, MARTIN, MAY I JUST WAIT TO GIVE UP? MAYOR I MARTIN? YES. THANK YOU MS. HOWARD AND, UH, A GOOD FRIEND OF YOURS AND I'S CALLED ME TODAY AND, UH, OKAY. THANK YOU. AND GAVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF A HEADS UP. I THINK I'M MORE CONFUSED TODAY THAN I EVER HAVE BEEN BECAUSE [02:05:01] YOU HAVE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT LOVES TO DO PROJECTS LIKE THESE. AND WHEN HE DOES 'EM, HIS MASTER PLAN INCLUDES BIKE TRAILS. YOU HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WE ALWAYS DEFER TO THAT SAYS, I DON'T WANT ANY BIKE TRAILS. I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS COMMISSIONER 'CAUSE HE HAS NO INFLUENCE IN MY AREA. BUT WHAT I DO WORRY ABOUT IS THAT HE STOPS AND DOESN'T DEDICATE PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD TO THESE AREAS WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE OF SPITE. IT'S A FACT. THAT'S WHAT I WORRY ABOUT. SO IF I WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT HAS THIS PARTICULAR COMMISSIONER, I WOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT NOT GETTING SOME PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ON THE PLAN FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. SO TOMORROW WE'RE GONNA DEAL WITH A $399,000 ISSUE. AND PROBABLY THE TOTALITY OF THIS PROJECT, THE COMMISSIONERS PROBABLY SPENDING $2 MILLION ON IT. WW MS. HOWARD DO, WHAT WOULD MS. HOWARD DO? I WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING. UH, I, AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, LISTEN, WHAT THE RIGHT THING IS. LET ME FINISH. YES MA'AM. I WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING. I WOULD USE THOSE FLOOD CONTROL TAX DOLLARS IN THEIR INTENDED USE. IT'S FLOOD CONTROL, NOT BIKE LANE CONSTRUCTION. AND I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PUT THOSE TAX DOLLARS TO USE IN MY PRECINCT TO SERVE MY CONSTITUENTS, TO PREVENT THEM FROM FLOODING AFTER HAVING THEM PAY THAT MONEY FOR 15 YEARS. MM-HMM . YEARS. HOW LONG ARE WE SUPPOSED TO WAIT? JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THIS BIKE PLAN. NO ONE HERE HAS SAID NO BIKES. WE'RE JUST SAYING THIS PLAN IS NOT GOOD. RIGHT. IT IS DUPLICATIVE. IT'S EXPENSIVE. YOU'RE GONNA SPEND $12 MILLION FOR A THREE MINUTE RIDE. YOU DON'T HAVE THAT MONEY. HE WON'T HAVE THAT MONEY VERY LONG IF THAT'S HOW HE'S GONNA SPEND IT. SO I WOULD DO WHAT MS. HOWARD WOULD DO WOULD BE THE RIGHT THING. SERVE MY CONSTITUENTS, USE THAT MONEY FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE, WORK WITH OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND CURB MY APPETITE FOR SPITEFUL BEHAVIOR. MM-HMM . AND, AND, AND I SIT HERE AND I GO, OKAY, I'M, I'M GONNA, I'M A I'M NOT A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT HAS AN ADJACENT AREA, BUT SOME OF THESE FOLKS DO, AND I LIKE THE COUNTY SPENDING THEIR MONEY IN THE CITY. I ENJOY THAT. SO IS THAT GONNA CONTINUE OR IS THE COMMISSIONER GONNA SAY, I OFFERED YOU MY MONEY? YOU KNOW, MY MODEL, MY MODEL IS TO BUILD THESE STREETS WITH PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE, DRAINAGE, AND BIKE PATHS. THAT'S A PART OF HIS MISSION. SO FROM NOW ON, I'M SPENDING MY MONEY ELSEWHERE AND WE DON'T HAVE GOOD PROJECTS COMING TO US. WHERE ELSE WOULD YOU SPEND THE MONEY? WELL, SAY HE DON'T HAVE TO ABOUT ME. WELL, HE DOESN HAVE ANY INFLUENCE IN MY AREA, AND I APPRECIATE THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT YOU, BUT MAYBE HE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT MORE COOPERATIVE IF HE HAS TO WORRY ABOUT AUSTIN. BECAUSE IF HE NEEDS A REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT HIS RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO HIS CONSTITUENTS AND WHAT HE WAS ELECTED TO DO, AND IF SPITE TAKES PRIORITY OVER PERFORMANCE, THEN MAYBE AUSTIN CAN GIVE HIM A REFRESHER COURSE AND TEACH HIM HOW TO BE A GREAT REPRESENTATIVE AND NOT A SPITEFUL ONE. AND SPITE IS YOUR TURN. YES, MA'AM. IT WAS. I TALKED TO RODNEY COMMISSIONER ELLIS. YES, I SPOKE BEFORE THE COUNTY, UH, COMMISSIONER'S COURT, AND HE CALLED ME AND WE DO KNOW EACH OTHER. SURE. I DON'T HAVE A PERSONAL GRIPE AGAINST HIM AT ALL, AND HE KNOWS THAT. GOT IT. BUT RIGHT IS RIGHT, WRONG IS WRONG. AND I WOULD NOT LIKE TO, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE HEARING PEOPLE GOVERNING OUT OF FEAR OR NEGLECTING THEIR DUTIES OUT OF FEAR OF RETALIATION. THAT'S A LITTLE UPSETTING TO ME, BUT, OKAY. I'M NOT JUDGING YOU, BUT I, YOU ASKED ME WHAT WOULD I DO, AND I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU WHAT I WOULD DO. I WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING. MOTION TO EXTEND. SECOND OBJECTION CHAIR. AND GRANTED COUNCILWOMAN POLL. UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I, I, I, YOU KNOW, MS. HOWARD, THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. UH, I, I KNOW THE PA I ALWAYS HAVE A SIGN OF HEALTH. I KNOW THE PASSION THAT YOU HAVE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. I THINK THIS, THIS IS JUST A GENERAL COMMENT. I THINK WE HAVE TO REFRAIN FROM, UH, DESCRIBING TAXPAYER DOLLARS AS SOMEONE'S MONEY OR THANK YOU OR, OR WHAT THEIR VISION IS BECAUSE WE'RE ALL EMPLOYEES. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT SHOULDN'T MATTER WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THE MONEY. IT'S NOT REALLY OUR MONEY. IT'S, IT IS YOUR MONEY AND YOU TELL US WHAT YOU ARE LIKE. [02:10:03] HONESTLY, THESE DISCUSSIONS, UH, THEY'RE GOING IN A WAY IN WHICH I THINK ARE MORE STRENUOUS THAN THEY NEED TO BE. BECAUSE THE EASIEST THING FOR ME TO DO IF THIS WAS MY DISTRICT, AS I BELIEVE THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS DOING, IS JUST LISTEN TO WHAT HER CONSTITUENTS ARE TELLING HER REGARDLESS OF WHAT SHE WANTS OR DOES NOT WANT. THE EASIEST THING TO DO IS DOES THE TAXPAYER WANT IT OR NOT? AND THEN ADVOCATE WHATEVER THEIR RESPONSE IS. UM, AND SO THESE PROJECTS WOULD, WOULD FLOW MUCH MORE SMOOTH WITH I THINK A, A LOT LESS FRUSTRATION IF WE JUST GAVE THE, THE TAXPAYERS WHAT THEY ASKED FOR. AND IF WE CAN, WE CAN ALWAYS AGREE TO DISAGREE ON THAT, YES. BUT WE SHOULDN'T FORCE THINGS THAT OBVIOUSLY ARE CONTROVERSIAL IF THE TAXPAYER DOES NOT WANT 'EM. NOW, IF IT'S A 50 50 OR WHATEVER, THEN MAYBE WE HAVE TO REALLY FIGURE OUT THE PROS AND CONS. BUT IT SEEMS AS IF THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE AREA HAVE SPOKEN, OR AT LEAST THE ONES THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM. AND THAT NEEDS TO BE WEIGHTED THE HEAVIEST. AND WE ALSO HAVE TO JUST ALWAYS BE MINDFUL THAT IT'S NOT OUR DOLLARS, IT'S THEIR DOLLARS. AND WE HAVE TO, UM, CATEGORIZE THEM AND DESCRIBE THEM AS SUCH. THERE'S NO ONE ELSE'S VISION. YOUR, YOUR INDIVIDUAL VISION CANNOT OVERWEIGH THE PEOPLE'S VISION BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY LIVE AND THAT'S WHERE THEY WORK. AND SO I THINK WE HAVE TO KEEP ALL THAT IN CONTEXT, UM, WHEN DISCUSSING THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. CAN I MAKE SOMETHING CLEAR? ONE SECOND. YOU ALSO HAVE TO KEEP IN CONTEXT THAT WE ALL HAVE, WE REPRESENT DIFFERENT UNITS OF GOVERNMENT. WE ARE THE CITY COUNCIL. THERE ARE THE COUNTY, THERE IS THE STATE, THERE IS THE FEDS. THE STATE IS HOLDING ON TO $4.3 BILLION THAT THEIR CONSTITUENTS WON'T SPEND IN HOUSTON. SO COME ON, LET'S NOT GET INTO THAT. NOW. WE ARE THE CITY COUNCIL. THE COUNTY HAS EVERY RIGHT TO DO WHAT THE COUNTY WANTS TO DO. THAT'S THEIR BUSINESS. THAT'S THEIR BUSINESS. SO LET'S, LET'S BE VERY CLEAR WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, AND THEN LET'S BE VERY CLEAR ON HOW WE GOT STARTED ON THIS ROAD IN THE FIRST PLACE. LET'S BE VERY CLEAR. THERE'S HISTORY HERE AND FAIRNESS SHOULD BE PLAYED TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED. EVEN PEOPLE MAY DISAGREE TODAY, BUT IT DIDN'T JUST GET STARTED TODAY. IT GOT STARTED FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT IT COULD HAVE ON MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I ALWAYS SAY THEREBY THE GRACE OF GOD, GO, I ONE DAY YOUR CONSTITUENTS MAY COME FORWARD AND THEY MAY SAY, WE DON'T WANT THIS. AND THEY EXPECT ME TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO STAND WITH THEM. AND MAYOR, I, I WASN'T GONNA BRING THIS UP, MAYOR, BUT I GUESS I MAY AS WELL GO ON AND PUT IT OUT HERE. MAYOR, FIRST AND FOREMOST ON TOMORROW, WE ARE ASKED TO ASK, WE ARE ASKING OUR COLLEAGUES TO VOTE FOR AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. WELL, MAYOR, I THOUGHT THAT THE PROJECT SHOULDN'T START BEFORE THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED. THEY STARTED THIS PROJECT IN JULY. WE ARE RIGHT HERE AT THE END OF JANUARY. SO WHAT ESSENTIALLY WE ARE SAYING IS THE COUNTY CAN GO AROUND THE CITY AND GET A PROJECT STARTED AND USE THE CITY'S RIGHT OF WAY WITHOUT CITY APPROVAL. THAT SETS A PRECEDENCE MAYOR TO SAY THAT NO LONGER DO COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO WEIGH IN ON PROJECTS BECAUSE THE COUNTY CAN MOVE FORWARD AND THEN ASK FOR FORGIVENESS. THAT MAY BE APPROPRIATE IN SOME SETTINGS, BUT NOT IN GOVERNMENT. AND SIR, IF I AM AFRAID TO STAND AGAINST ANYONE THAT'S COMING AGAINST MY DISTRICT, THEN I DON'T NEED TO BE IN THIS SEAT. SIR, YOU HAVE 11 MONTHS. I'M TRYING TO HAVE FOUR YEARS AND 11 MONTHS, AND IF I DON'T STAND FOR MY COMMUNITY, I NEED TO GO HOME AND NOT GET ON THE BALLOT. SO I'M JUST GONNA SAY THAT I HAVE TO TRUST GOD THAT HE'S GONNA MOVE THIS IN THE DIRECTION THAT IT NEEDS TO GO TO FOR THE CONSTITUENTS. TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER LIONELLE HOWARD. LIONELLE HOWARD TO BE FOLLOWED BY EDWARD PETTY [02:15:09] HOWARD. GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, AND MAYOR. MY NAME IS LIONEL HOWARD, AND I LIVE IN A 3,400 BLOCK OF ARB, WHICH IS TWO BLOCKS SOUTH OF TEXAS. SOUTHERN, YOU CAN'T HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, THAT'S BETTER. THANK YOU. OKAY. WHICH IS TWO BLOCKS SOUTH OF TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. WE'VE LIVED THERE, UH, SINCE 1984. I'M A GRADUATE OF TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. I AM A MEMBER OF THE CHILL WESTERN CIVIC ASSOCIATION. AND THE PAST PRESIDENT, MY KIDS WENT TO SCHOOL AT LOCKHART AND RYAN AND JACK YATES AND, UH, ST. JAMES. SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS I HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THE PROPERTIES THAT'S BEING AFFECTED BY THIS INTERLOCAL, UH, AGREEMENT AND THE ISSUES AND, AND THE, EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED. AND I CAME TO ASK CITY COUNCIL TO DISAPPROVE THE AUTHORIZATION OF THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BECAUSE WE DID NOT GET PROPER NOTICE. AND AS A CITIZEN, UH, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT IN OUR GOVERNANCE OF OUR PROPERTY. IN ADDITION, THE UH, PROPOSED USE OF THE LAND, I THINK IS A POOR USE OF LAND. WE HAVE A BICYCLE, UH, ROUTE ONLY A FEW HUNDRED FEET OR A FEW HUNDRED YARDS FROM WHICH TRAVELS FROM ENNIS TO TIERWESTER. WHEN YOU REDUCE THE LANES FROM FOUR LANES TO LOOP TWO LANES ON BLOT, IT'S GOING TO CAUSE TRAFFIC ISSUES. IT'S GONNA MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR OUR EMERGENCY VEHICLES TO COME DOWN THE STREET, WHICH WOULD AFFECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR, OUR CITIZENS. SO THAT'S MY CONCERN. THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU TO DISAPPROVE THE AUTHORIZATION OF THIS INTER, UH, LOCAL AGREEMENT. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM MARTIN. YES. AND, AND COUNCILMAN, I'M NOT SURE IF THOSE WERE COMMENTS WERE DIRECTED IN ME. I TOLD YOU EARLIER TODAY THAT I, I, I'M WITH YOU ON THIS. OH NO. OKAY, I GOT YOU. AND I ALSO TOLD YOUR A FORMAL COUNCIL MEMBER WHO I TALKED TO AT LENGTH TODAY THAT, UH, THIS IS, I'M LOOKING AT AN INTERLOCAL THAT HAS, UH, MAYBE A LEGAL QUESTION. IT'S NOT SIGNED BY THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT WAS FROM FEBRUARY 28TH, 2018. FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I'M ALSO LOOKING AT A UNANIMOUS VOTE THAT HAPPENED WHEN BEFORE YOU WERE ON COUNCIL AND MANY OF YOU WERE ON COUNCIL, UH, INCLUDING MYSELF AND EVERY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER. AND THAT WAS ON THERE THAT AGREED TO DO THIS. I ALSO LOOK AT THE INTERLOCAL FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT THAT SAYS THE COUNTY HAS OFFERED TO PERFORM ROAD BRIDGE STREET AND STORM SEWER, SIDEWALK AND TRAIL CONSTRUCTION AND REHABILITATION PROJECTS WITHIN THE CITY. AND THE CITY DESIRES TO CONTRIBUTE FUNDS TO SUPPORT THESE PROJECTS. AND IT GOES ON AND ON AND ON FILLED WITH LEGAL WORDS. AND I'D LOOK FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY TO SAY, CAN WE DO THIS TOMORROW? WE'RE GONNA HAVE A VOTE. GIVE 'EM THEIR THREE, $400,000 THAT WE'RE OBLIGATED TO GIVE THEM AND LET THEM DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO, BUT MAKE SURE THE $400,000 GOES TO TOWARDS THE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE NEED OUT THERE. AND IF HE DECIDES, IF THE COMMISSIONER DECIDES TO BUILD BIKE LANES, WE SUPPORT YOU. WE UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, WE'RE GONNA SUPPORT OUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER, AND YOU ARE ADAMANT ABOUT NOT DOING THIS. AND THEN THEY TAKE IT UP POINT OF ORDER. MAYOR, I BELIEVE THIS IS A DISCUSSION FOR TOMORROW'S MEETING. I MEAN, IF YOU DIRECT A QUESTION TO THE SPEAKER, BUT I'M ASKING THIS TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. I THOUGHT I SAID THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF MY COMMENTS. I DON'T LIKE WALKING INTO A MEETING WITH AN SUBJECT LIKE THIS TOMORROW AND HAVE A PIECE OF PAPER IN FRONT OF ME. AND WE HAVE TO DECIDE LIKE THAT, WHICH WE ALWAYS DO. SO MY QUESTION TO THE CITY ATTORNEY IS, CAN WE DO THESE THINGS? YOU KNOW, THE DOCUMENT WASN'T SIGNED BY THE MAYOR IN 2018. THE INTERLOCAL IS PRETTY VAGUE AS FAR AS BIKE PATHS. IT DOESN'T SAY BIKE PATHS, IT SAYS TRAILWAYS. SO ONE CAN INTERPRET THAT AS A BIKE PATH, ONE MAY NOT. SO FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS TOMORROW? AND CAN WE DO IT AND GIVE THEM $400,000? BUT YET, LEMME PUT ON, LEMME LET, UH, TO MICHELLE DO PINE ON THAT. OKAY. WHEN WE GET THERE. OKAY. I THINK IT'S, UH, TOMORROW. I THINK IT'S UNFAIR ON THAT, ON THAT, IN THAT, ON THAT POINT, UM, [02:20:03] I, I'D LOVE FOR HIM TO GIVE ME SORT OF A, IF HE CAN, MAYOR, GIMME AN OPINION TONIGHT SO I CAN STUDY THIS. I'M STUDYING THIS IN AND I LET READ THE INTERLOCAL PROBABLY FOUR TIMES AND I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT IT SAYS. ALRIGHT, JUST BEAR IN MIND, AS YOU INDICATED, WE DID VOTE ON IT UNANIMOUSLY, RIGHT? UNANIMOUSLY IN 20 FEBRUARY 28TH, 2018. I WILL, WE'LL DEAL WITH IT, WE'LL DEAL WITH IT TO TOMORROW. BUT LET ME ALSO SAY THIS. I DO NOT INTEND FOR TOMORROW TO BE, NO. UM, UM, I CAN'T HEAR YOU. I DO NOT INTEND TOMORROW. I'M NOT INTENDING TO SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TIME ON THIS ISSUE. I'M NOT GONNA DO THAT. NOT AT ALL. NOT GONNA SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS ISSUE. UM, GOT AN ENTIRE CITY TO RUN AND I'M NOT GONNA SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TIME ON THIS. UH, COUNCILMAN MELVIN SHABAZZ? YES, SIR. I JUST WANNA APOLOGIZE FOR THE SIR BECAUSE I WAS ACTUALLY, UH, ADDRESSING THE CHAMBER. SO PLEASE APOLOGIZE TO, TO YOU OR THE MAYOR FOR THE YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. I DON'T APOLOGIZE FOR THE COMMENTS, , BUT THE YOU NEXT SPEAKER, EDWARD PETIT, EDWARD PETIT TO BE FOLLOWED BY JERRY GOSS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ED PETIT. I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE THIRD WARD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. I'M ALSO A PHD STUDENT AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. IN FACT, TOMORROW I HAVE MY COMPREHENSIVE ORAL EXAM, SO I SHOULD BE HOME STUDYING. UM, BUT I THOUGHT COMING HERE TODAY WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK OUR CONVERSATION IS ABOUT MORE THAN BIKE LANES. IT'S EVEN MORE THAN DRAINAGE. IT GOES TO THE VERY CORE OF HOW OUR CITIZENS INTERACT WITH THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES. I WANT TO READ YOU A TWEET FROM JOE COFO ON DECEMBER 6TH AFTER WE STARTED SPEAKING OUT ABOUT THE BUDGET BIKE LANE. I WANNA REPEAT THAT AGAIN. IF ANYONE WANTS TO LOOK IT UP BEHIND ME. THIS IS HIS PERSONAL ACCOUNT ON TWITTER. DECEMBER 6TH, HE SHARED AN ARTICLE WITH THE HEADLINE, MOST PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IS WORSE THAN WORTHLESS. AND IN HIS TWEET, HE POSED THE QUESTION, IF YOU'RE HAVING THE PUBLIC DRAW BIKE LANES, THINK ABOUT WHY. WHAT EXPERTISE DO THEY HAVE THAT YOUR BIKE PLANNERS DON'T? WELL, I WANT TO ANSWER HIS QUESTION TODAY. WHAT THE CITIZENS HAVE THAT BIKE PLANNERS DON'T IS THEY HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HISTORY, KNOWLEDGE OF THE CULTURE, KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONTEXT, AND THEY HAVE THE LIVED EXPERIENCE. AND WHEN I FIRST MOVED TO THIRD WARD 12 YEARS AGO, I ASKED MY OLDER, WHY IS THERE MORE SEASONED NEIGHBORS? WHY AREN'T YOU INVOLVED IN THE CIVIC CLUB? WHY DON'T YOU GO TO SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS? AND THIS IS WHAT THEY TOLD ME THEY SAID, BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE PROBLEMS AND WE ASK THE CITY AND THE POWERS THAT BE FOR HELP, THEY IGNORE US. BUT WHEN THE CITY WANTS TO COME IN OR WHEN THE COUNTY WANTS TO COME IN AND DO PROJECTS, THEY DO WHAT THEY WANT REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE SAY. SO WHAT'S THE POINT OF GOING TO CIVIC CLUBS? WHAT'S THE POINT OF GOING TO SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS? AND UNFORTUNATELY, IN THE PAST 12 YEARS, UH, I FOUND THAT MY NEIGHBORS HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN RIGHT ON MANY OF THOSE ACCOUNTS. I ATTENDED MANY OF THESE BICYCLE ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS FOUR OR FIVE, SIX YEARS AGO. VERY BROAD ONES WHEN WE FIRST STARTED IMPLEMENTING THE BIKE PLAN. AND I NOTICED IT, PARTS OF THE BIKE PLAN DIDN'T MAKE SENSE. SO AT ONE OF THE MEETINGS, I ASKED THE CITY PLANNER, WHO NOW WORKS FOR COMMISSIONER ELLIS, I SAID, WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A BIKE LANE PLANNED ON MCGOWAN? THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THE CYCLIST VEHICULAR CRASHES ARE OCCURRING. AND IF YOU LOOK AT STRAVA DATA, THAT'S ACTUALLY THE STREET WHERE CYCLISTS USE TO GET BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN MIDTOWN THIRD WARD, THE UNIVERSITY. AND HE SAID, OH, WELL, IT'S AN ENGINEERING THING YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND. UM, WHEN THEY STARTED PUTTING IN BIKE LANES ON GRAY STREET, I ASKED THE CITY PLANNER, WHY ARE YOU DOING A TWO-WAY BIKE LANE ON A ONE-WAY BUSY STREET WITHOUT FIXING THE SIGNAGE FIRST AND WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING IT ABLE TO CONNECT TO COLUMBIA TAP, WHICH IS THE MAIN SPINE FOR BICYCLISTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD? HE SAID, WELL, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT. OUR CONSULTANTS FROM CANADA APPROVED THE DESIGN. SO THIS IS WHY WE'RE COMING HERE TODAY BECAUSE THERE'S A HISTORY OF RESIDENT VOICE NOT BEING HEARD. AND I CAN TELL YOU, I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH HOPE THAT COUNCIL'S MEMBERSHIP ADS WOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT THAN FOLKS THAT PROCEEDED HER. BUT SHE HAS PROVED ME WRONG. SHE HAS HAD THE BACKBONE TO STICK UP TO RICE MANAGEMENT COMPANY TO STICK UP TO THE COMMISSIONER, TO STICK UP TO ALL OF THESE GROUPS COMING IN, TELLING THE RESIDENTS OF THIRD WARD THAT THEY KNOW BEST WHAT THE RESIDENTS NEED. AND THAT IS NOT THE CASE. SO MY QUESTION TO EVERYONE HERE, INCLUDING YOU SIR MAYOR, IS DO YOU AGREE WITH JOE COFO THAT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IS WORSE THAN WORTHLESS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER PAM HAS EXPIRED. JERRY GOS. JERRY GOS, NEXT SPEAKER. ROBERT FINLAND. ROBERT FINLAND. ROBERT FINLAND. NEXT SPEAKER, SHEILA BAILEY. SHEILA BAILEY IS HERE, BE FOLLOWED BY JANE ABSHIRE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SHEILA BAILEY AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY SHELTER AND MY LARGEST INVESTMENT. SO [02:25:01] I'VE LIVED IN MY HOME NEXT MONTH FOR 27 YEARS. I'VE NEVER HAD A FLOOD ISSUE. I'VE NEVER HAD FLOODING IN MY BACKYARD. SO THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY, MY BACKYARD FLOODED BADLY. SO LAST YEAR WE HAD A DEVELOPER TO COME IN WANTING TO PUT IN 68 HOMES ON THE BACKSIDE OF MY FENCE ON A SMALL PIECE OF PROPERTY. AND SINCE HE'S BEEN THERE, WE'VE BEEN HAVING FLOODING IN OUR BACKYARDS. HE'S ALSO ELEVATED WHERE HE'S BUILDING THREE TO FOUR FEET ABOVE US. WE TRY TO MEET WITH HIM AND DISCUSS WHAT THAT WOULD DO TO US. HE IS NOT AN EASY PERSON TO APPROACH. SO I'VE COME ON BEHALF OF MY NEIGHBORS AND I HAVE SOMEONE HERE WITH ME AS WELL. WE DEFINITELY NEED HELP WITH THIS ISSUE. NOTHING'S BEING DONE. UM, WE HAVE DONE THE 3 1 1 SERVICES. I'VE REACHED OUT TO MY COUNCILWOMAN AND EMAILS 3 1 1. I'M MEETING WITH THE SUPER NEIGHBOR, NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT. SO WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN DO BEFORE HE TAKES IT TOO FAR. AND THEN OUR HOMES ARE FLOODING. UM, HE IS BUILDING A HOME LIKE 19 INCHES FROM MY NEIGHBOR'S FENCE. SO IF HE PUT THAT LAST HOUSE ON THAT ROW THERE, WHERE WILL THE, UH, DRAINAGE COME FROM? I WISH SOMEONE WOULD MAKE HIM PLACE A RETENTION POND WITH THAT MANY HOMES ON THAT SMALL AMOUNT OF LAND OR FRENCH DRAINS ON HIS SIDE BEFORE IT REACHES US. BUT WE DESPERATELY, DESPERATELY NEED HELP IN GETTING THIS RECTIFIED. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. COUNCILMAN PAT. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU SHEILA FOR COMING. UM, TODAY, UH, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SARAH AT MY OFFICE ON THIS AND UM, WE HAVE A SITE VISIT SCHEDULED ON FEBRUARY 10TH. AND SO I'LL BE THERE AS WELL AS ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN PUBLIC WORKS WHO CAN LOOK AT IT AND DETERMINE WHAT'S GOING ON. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE DON'T KNOW YET EXACTLY WHAT THE ISSUE IS. IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST BUILT INCORRECTLY ON THE DEVELOPER'S END OR IF IT, MAYBE THEY BUILT EVERYTHING CORRECTLY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT JUST MADE THE SITUATION ON THE CITY'S END WORSE. AND SO WHATEVER THE SITUATION IS, WE'LL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS RESOLVED BECAUSE I'M SO SORRY YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THAT. IT'S NOT WHAT WE WANNA SEE. SO WE HAVE ALL THE RIGHT PEOPLE COMING ON FEBRUARY 10TH, AND OF COURSE I'LL BE THERE TO ADVOCATE ON YOUR BEHALF. SO, UM, WE'LL GET IT ALL WORKED OUT. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, SARAH SINGLETON HAS BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL. AND SOMEONE I KNOW HERE, I REACHED OUT TO HER, SHE'S BEEN HELPFUL. RECEIVED THE EMAIL THIS MORNING TO CONFIRM THE MEETING. I AM SO WAITING ON YOU GUYS BECAUSE IT RAINS SO MUCH AND IT'S ALREADY SATURATED. I, UM, BOUGHT SOME OF THE BUOYS THAT YOU BUY TO KEEP THINGS FROM COMING UP, YOU KNOW, WATER. AND I SPENT LIKE ALMOST $300 AND I'M SURE THEY'RE OUT THERE FLOATING LIKE THE OTHER ONES I HAD. SO I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO MY PART, BUT I WISH SOMEONE WOULD, UH, MAKE HIM, UH, BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE TEXAS WATER CODE 11.086, WHICH IS OVERFLOW CAUSED BY DIVERSION OF WATER. SO I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S AWARE OF THIS TEXAS LAW, BUT HE NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF IT AND IT NEEDS TO BE ENFORCED. THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. BAILEY. AND, UH, I DO SEE THE MEETING ON FEBRUARY 10TH WITH COUNCILMAN PACK AND, AND PEOPLE FROM PUBLIC WORKS AS WELL. SO THEY'LL BE OUT THERE ON FEBRUARY THE 10TH. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER JANE SHAW. JANE ASHAW IS HERE. HAVE YOU FOLLOWED BY LINDA SCOTT AND ? WELL, UM, I LIVE ON THE LAKE GROVE. YOU PULL THE MICROPHONE DOWN, PULL THAT MICROPHONE DOWN. THIS ONE. MM-HMM . MM-HMM . OKAY. THERE YOU GO. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, MA'AM. . OKAY. I'M A RETIRED SCHOOL TEACHER FROM SPRING BRANCH DISTRICT, WHICH IS WHERE I LIVE IN A PATIO HOME. AND I'VE BEEN THERE FOR 31 YEARS NOW AT LEAST. AND, UH, IN APRIL OF 22, THE WATER CAME UNDERNEATH MY FENCE AND MUD CAME UNDERNEATH MY FENCE BECAUSE A BUILDER HAD STARTED DEVELOPING THE PROPERTY BEHIND ME. THIS IS ACTUALLY 19 FEET FROM MY BEDROOM DOOR. OKAY. I COMPLAINED TO THE CITY AND I ENDED UP FINDING OUT THERE WAS NOT A PERMIT FOR HIM TO HAVE DUMPED ALL THIS DIRT OR RAISE THE LEVEL OF THE DIRT, [02:30:01] THREE TO FOUR FEET, WHICH CAUSED THE MUD AND STUFF TO COME UNDERNEATH THE FENCE AND FLOOD MY BACKYARD. SO AS THE PROCESS WENT ON, MET UP WITH HIM, HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO BUILD THIS PROJECT ANYWAY, SO I KEPT ON COMPLAINING ABOUT WHERE I THOUGHT I COULD BECAUSE OF THE FLOODING. ANYWAY, AS IT WENT ON AND DIFFERENT THINGS I'VE RECORDED AND I KNOW I ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES. SO WHEN THE MEDIA GOT INVOLVED, WHICH HAS BEEN RECENTLY, FINALLY SOMEONE IS LISTENING AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH FOR THIS BUILDER TO PUT IN A DRAINAGE SYSTEM RIGHT BEHIND MY FENCE AND LET THE WATER DRAIN WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DRAINING ALL ALONG DOWN TO THE WATERWAY. ANYWAY, THAT'S WHY I NEED YOUR HELP, YOUR EXPERTISE. I REALLY JUST GOT TO THE POINT WHERE THERE WASN'T ANYTHING TO DO. AND THEN MY NEIGHBOR, SHEILA, BEGAN TO BE MY CHEERLEADER. SO BACK AGAIN, I'M SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I NEED YOUR HELP. I DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE TO GO TO. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR A BIG TIME LAWYER. I REALLY DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO START THAT PROCESS. SHEILA WAS THE ONE THAT GOT THE MEDIA INVOLVED. IT'S THE FIRST TIME I FELT LIKE THERE WAS HOPE. AND THE FACT I DON'T WANT THIS FLOODING TO HAPPEN TO MY HOUSE. RECENTLY, THE RAIN, IT CAME ALL THE WAY UP TO WHAT IS CONSIDERED A PATIO. ONE SECOND. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER P THANK YOU MAYOR JANE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT MEETING ON FEBRUARY 10TH. UM, IF WE DO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE DEVELOPER BUILT INCORRECTLY, THEN WE WILL DEFINITELY HOLD THEM RESPONSIBLE AND MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS CORRECTED. SO LET'S, YOU KNOW, GO TO THAT MEETING AND FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON AND WE'LL LOOK AT THAT FOR, UM, FUTURE STEPS AS FAR AS HOW TO CORRECT WHAT'S HAPPENING. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK COUNCIL COUNCILMAN P*****K. UH, MA'AM, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING IN THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER AND, AND I WANNA CHIME IN AS WELL, MAYOR, THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S NOT ONLY HAPPENING IN DISTRICT A, BUT IT'S, IT IS DEVELOPERS THAT'S DOING THIS ALL OVER THE CITY THAT'S IMPACTING, UH, THE WAY THAT THE WATER TRAVELS, ESPECIALLY THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS WITH, UH, DEVELOPMENT OUTSIDE OF, UM, PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON YOUR RADAR AS WELL, THAT, UM, I KNOW WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT A PARTICULAR PROJECT IN A BUT MY DISTRICT AND OTHERS, UM, ARE FACING SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THESE DEVELOPERS WHO ARE, UM, NOT FOLLOWING OUR RULES AND THEY'RE GOING AND THEY'RE BUILDING IN A WAY IN WHICH IT'S BENEFICIAL TO THEM, BUT IT NEGATIVELY IMPACTS THOSE WHO SURROUND THEM. AND SO TRYING TO FIND A WAY IN WHICH WE AS A BODY CAN HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND SEND A MESSAGE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW BY THE RULES AND YOU CAN DO THINGS TO THE DETRIMENT OF OTHERS, UH, THAT AREN'T PERMISSIBLE. SO JUST WANTED TO, UH, PUT MY 2 CENTS IN SO YOU'LL KNOW THAT I THINK IT SHOULD BE MADE A PRIORITY AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER. LINDA SCOTT ECWA. SCOTT, SHE'S PRESENT. YES. I DIRECT MY THREE MINUTES TO THE MAYOR OF HOUSTON AS MY PLEA FOR HELP FROM HIM. WHAT HAPPENED TO ME HAPPENED BEFORE YOU BECAME MAYOR, BUT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO FIX IT. AND I PRAY THAT YOU WILL. IN 2006, I DEVELOPED THE PROPERTY AT 88 24 BRANDON STREET, BUT MY HUSBAND HAD A STROKE AND WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR EIGHT MONTHS. WHILE I WAS AT THE HOSPITAL, A CREW VANDALIZED MY HOUSE, CUT OUT ALL THE NEW WINDOWS AND DOORS THAT WERE INSTALLED IN THE HOUSE, LEAVING IT OPENED AND EXPOSED. I FILED A POLICE REPORT AND IN 2007 I SAW A CHECK MARK ON THE HOUSE AND I CALLED NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION. AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CHECK MARK WAS LANGUAGE BETWEEN CITY WORKERS. I BELIEVE THAT AT THE TIME IN 2008, I FOUND THE HOUSE DEMOLISHED. I CALLED NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION AND INQUIRED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. AND I WAS TOLD THAT LARRY CARROLL HAD SIGNED OFF TO DEMOLISH MY HOUSE. LARRY CARROLL SERVED AS HEAD OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION AND AS JUDGE OF THE CASES THAT HE BROUGHT TO COURT AS THE HEAD OF NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION, I WAS INFORMED THAT JUDGE CARROLL HAD CLOSED THE CASE. I CALLED CARROLL NUMEROUS TIMES AND SENT [02:35:01] HIM EMAILS. HE PLACED LIENS ON 88 24 BRANDON, AS WELL AS ZERO MAGGIE. ANOTHER PROPERTY THAT I OWNED, LARRY CARROLL, AGREED TO MEET WITH ME ABOUT ZERO MAGGIE ONLY WHERE HE REVERSED THE LIENS ON THAT PROPERTY THAT DAY BECAUSE THEY HAD PUT LIENS ON PROPERTY WITH THE SAME ADDRESS AS MINE, BUT DID NOT BELONG TO ME IN MY EMAILS TO HIM, I HAD TOLD HIM REPEATEDLY THAT THE PROPERTY THAT THEY ATTACHED TO MY NAME WAS NOT MINE. HE SENT GREG MACKEY OUT TO O MAGGIE TO ZERO MAGGIE AND MACKEY TOLD MR. CARROLL THAT THEY HAD THE WRONG PERSON AT THAT MEETING, CAROL PROMISED ME HE WOULD OPEN THE CASE ON BRANDON. I ASSURED HIM THAT HE HAD NOT INVITED ME TO THAT HEARING. I HAD NO REASON NOT TO ATTEND A HEARING WHERE A JUDGE WANTED TO TEAR DOWN MY HOUSE. I AGREED TO MEET HIM THE NEXT WEEK. WHEN I CALLED TO MEET WITH HIM, I WAS TOLD THAT HE NO LONGER WORKED THERE. LARRY CARROLL HAD VANISHED. I CAME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL BEFORE, AFTER SENDING TENS OF EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS TO REGGIE HARRIS. THREE PEOPLE TOOK OVER THE JOBS THAT LARRY CARROLL HELD. REGGIE HARRIS, JUDGE MALDONADO AND GREG MACKEY, EACH ONE OF THEM SENT ME TO THE OTHER ONE. EVERY TIME I WROTE OR CALLED OR VISITED THEIR OFFICES, I GOT NOWHERE. LARRY GREEN HELPED ME TO STOP THE FORECLOSURE ON MY PROPERTY. WHEN LINEBARGER REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE PROPERTY TAXES FROM ME, UNLESS I PAID THE DEMOLISHED IN LIEN AT HIS DEATH, LARRY GREEN WAS STILL TRYING TO HELP ME TO GET AN OVERTURN OF LARRY CARROLL'S DECISION TO TEAR DOWN MY HOUSE WITHOUT NOTIFYING ME OF A HEARING. I HAVE CALLED MS. TATUM'S OFFICE REPEATEDLY, BUT NO HELP. I HAVE MY EMAILS TO AND FROM CARROLL HARRIS MALDONADO AND GREG MACKEY. I HAVE A LONG CALL LOG TO DAMIEN CRENSHAW THAT KEEPS SENDING ME BACK AND FORTH FROM ONE TO THE OTHER, BUT NO PROGRESS. IN 16 YEARS, THE LIEN DEBT HAS CONTINUED TO GROW. YES, MS. JUDGE, TIME HAS EXPIRED. I'M LOOKING, I'M LOOKING AT THIS, THIS MEMO AND IT SAYS THAT, UM, THERE WERE FOUR LANES PLACED ON THIS PROPERTY GOING BACK TO 2008. IS IT THE BRANDON PROPERTY? THERE IT IS. THE BRANDON STREET PROPERTY AT 88 24 BRANDON STREET HAS FOUR LIENS, ONE FOR DEMOLITION AND THREE FOR WEEDS. YEAH. AND THE AMOUNT OF THE LIENS, INCLUDING THE INTEREST, IS LIKE $21,000. AND THEN THE DANGEROUS BUILDING HEARING WAS HELD ON MAY 29TH, 2008. UM, THEY SAID THE REASON THAT YOU DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY NOTICE IS THAT YOU WERE NOT, YOU, YOUR NAME, UH, IS NOT ON ANY LISTED AS THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY OF RECORD. SO YOU DID NOT RECEIVE NOTICE BECAUSE NO, I DIDN'T. I HAVE THE DEED. MY NAME WAS ON. I I KNOW. LEMME LEMME JUST, OKAY. OKAY. THEY SAID, BECAUSE YOUR NAME IS, YOU'RE NOT ON THE PROPERTY OF RECORDS. YOU DIDN'T RECEIVE NOTICE. THEY SAID YOU RECENTLY REMO MOVED A BUILDING TO THE PROPERTY AND YOU'RE IN THE, IN THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING PERMIT. UH, BUT THE PERMITTING PROCESS HAS BEEN PLACED ON HOLD BECAUSE OF THE PENDING LIENS ON THE PROPERTY. UM, THE MATTER WAS REFERRED TO LEGAL AND, UH, AND HOWEVER, SINCE PROPER NOTICE WAS SENT, THE LEGAL PART DEPARTMENT HAS DECLINED TO REMOVE ANY OF THE LIENS. 'CAUSE THE LIENS REMAIN OUTSTANDING. UM, I'LL REFER BACK TO, UH, TO LEGAL FOR THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT. SO SPECIFICALLY, WHAT ARE WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU ASKING OF, OF US? OKAY. BECAUSE I OWN THE PROPERTY WHEN THEY TORE IT DOWN. UH, THAT'S A FACT. I HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION SHOWING THAT THE PERSON WHO OWNED THE PROPERTY BEFORE I DID, I HAVE THE POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR THAT PERSON. SO THEY DIDN'T NOTIFY ME OR THAT PERSON AND THEY TORE DOWN. THE ONLY PERSON AT THAT HEARING WAS MR. CARROLL, WHICH I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND HOW HE COULD GO FORWARD WITH NO REPRESENTATION. BUT LET'S DO THAT BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO RESOLVE IT HERE AT THE TABLE. IF YOU HAD THE POWER OF ATTORNEY, THE POWER OF ATTORNEY IS ONLY GOOD AS LONG AS THE PERSON IS ALIVE. STILL IS. THANK GOD HE IS STILL ALIVE. YES, HE IS. OKAY. WELL, LEGAL CAN TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THAT TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT, UH, YOU HAD ANY INTEREST IN THAT PROPERTY AT THE TIME THAT THESE LIENS WERE PLACED AND THE PROPERTY WAS TORN DOWN. I'LL REFER IT BACK TO LEGAL TO TAKE A LOOK AT. WE'RE JUST NOT IN A POSITION TO RESOLVE IT. UH, RIGHT NOW. MAY I SAY SOMETHING? PLEASE? YES, MA'AM. I HAVE THAT. ALL THOSE DOCUMENTS THAT I HAVE WERE SENT TO LEGAL MR. HARRIS CLAIMS HE FORWARDED THAT THEY REFUSE TO EVEN SIT TO THE TABLE WITH ME. OKAY. IT'S JUST NO, NO RETURN OF PHONE CALLS. OKAY. JUST COMPLETELY IGNORING ME FOR YEARS AS THE DEBT RISES, THEN, THEN LET ME ASK THEN, WHAT ARE YOU ASKING? WHAT [02:40:01] ARE YOU ASKING? IF, UH, I WANT, I WANT SOMEBODY I WAS HOPING THAT YOU, SOMEBODY YOU WOULD APPOINT WOULD LOOK AT THE DOCUMENT. I WOULD NOT STILL BE STANDING HERE IF I DID NOT HAVE PROOF. OKAY, THEN THIS IS THAT THEY DID NOT NOTIFY ME AND SHOULD HAVE. I UNDERSTAND. AND WHAT I'M INDICATING TO YOU IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T CARE WHO I APPOINT. I'M GOING TO SEND IT TO LEGAL FOR THEM TO, BASED ON WHAT WHATEVER INFORMATION YOU HAVE, MAYBE YOU HAVE SOME INFORMATION. I DO WHAT I'M GONNA SAY. MAYBE YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE SOME INFORMATION THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE. SO WHATEVER INFORMATION I WANT YOU TO GET WITH RHONDA, THAT PERSON RIGHT THERE OKAY. AND PROVIDE YOUR INFORMATION AND I'LL ASK THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AGAIN. UM, AND THEN WE CAN GO FROM THERE. ONE SECOND. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN MEMBER SHABAZZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, I, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT HE'S GONNA SEND IT BACK TO LEGAL AND THEN THEY CAN GIVE AN ASSESSMENT OF, UH, WHERE THIS STANDS AND CERTAINLY ENGAGE YOU WITH WHATEVER DOCUMENTATION YOU HAVE TO REFUTE WHAT IS GOING ON. AND, UH, I'M THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE BRANDON PROPERTY. I BELIEVE YOU SAID SOMETHING TO ME BACK THERE, BUT AT THE TIME I WAS NOT REALLY REALIZING THAT, UH, I AM THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT YOU NEED TO SPEAK WITH. SO I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I GIVE YOU A CARD BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO HELP YOU. MY CHIEF OF STAFF MAYBE COULD HELP TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE LEGAL PROCESS. AND I HEARD FROM YOUR PERSON YESTERDAY. UH, MS. INGRID MITCHELL CALLED ME YESTERDAY AND SAID THAT, UH, SHE WAS GOING TAKE MY INFORMATION TO GIVE TO YOU FOR SURE. SO, OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. KATHY GUNNER. KATHY GUNNER. KATHY GUNNER. NEXT SPEAKER. CHRISTOPHER JENKINS. CHRISTOPHER JENKINS. CHRISTOPHER JENKINS. NEXT SPEAKER. GABE CA. GABE CA. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER RANDALL CALL RANDALL CALLON IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARISOL TOBAR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. GET RIGHT BEHIND THE MIC. BEHIND THE MIC. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M HERE TODAY, UH, TO TALK ABOUT, UH, OVERCROWDING AT THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL. AND I KNOW THE FIRST THING THEY'LL SAY IS, THIS IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON. WHAT ABOUT HARRIS COUNTY JAIL? WELL, UM, WHAT I'VE FOUND, AND, UH, I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE, UM, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THE HEAD OF THE, UH, PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, AND MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, UM, OF COURSE WE PROBABLY ALL KNOW THIS, THAT THE MAJOR SUPPLIER, IF IT WERE OF INMATES INTO THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL IS THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AS THE LARGEST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. NOW ALSO, UH, GOING ALONG WITH THAT IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON ALSO IS THE LARGEST SUPPLIER OF VIDEO EVIDENCE, UH, IN CASES AS WELL. NOW, THE HARRIS OF, UH, THE, THE SHERIFF OF HARRIS COUNTY GONZALEZ RECENTLY STATED ON MPR THAT THE AVERAGE STAY IN THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL BY AN INMATE IS 200 DAYS. BUT THE REST OF TEXAS IS 60 DAYS. AND WHAT I'VE FOUND IN MY EXPERIENCE, AND FROM TALKING WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE OTHER CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS, AND MY OWN EXPERIENCE IS THAT THE VIDEO EVIDENCE IS NOT MAKING IT INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, WHICH GENERALLY MEANS THE, UH, DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN A TIMELY MANNER. I HAVE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE IN MY, IN, UH, BEING A CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER. I'VE HAD SEVERAL CASES WHICH LINGERED WITH THE ONLY THING WAITING WAS THE VIDEO EVIDENCE. AND WHEN IT CAME IN, IN TWO OF THE CASES, THE CASE WAS DISMISSED WHEN THEY SAW THE VIDEO EVIDENCE. SO THAT WAS A PART OF THE BACKLOG BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO THE NEWS, WHICH I KNOW ALL Y'ALL DO, UH, IT'S CONSTANTLY BLAMED THE BACKLOG OF CRIMINAL CASES, IS WHAT'S CAUSING THIS BACKLOG IN THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL. WHICH BY THE WAY, HAS RESULTED IN THE RECORD NUMBER OF DEATHS IN THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL. MOSTLY HU UH, HOUSTON CITIZENS, UH, IN THE LAST YEAR AFTER BEING GOING UP FOR SEVERAL YEARS. SO I'M HERE TODAY, UH, ONE OF, UH, WITH A COUPLE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO'S WHO, WHO, WHOSE LOVED ONES HAVE BEEN INJURED IN THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL. UH, ONE HAD TO LEAVE BECAUSE OF WORK. BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET IS QUICK RELEASE OF THE VIDEO EVIDENCE, BODY CAMERAS, DASH CAMS, AND SOMETIMES SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. THAT WAY THE, WHETHER THE PERSON IS GUILTY OR INNOCENT, THEY GO ALONG THEIR WAY. EITHER THEY'RE RELEASED OR IF THEY'RE FOUND GUILTY OR THEY DECIDE TO TAKE A PLEA BARGAIN, THEN THEY GO TO THE PRISON, BUT THEY'RE OUT OF THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL. SO I'M HERE TODAY TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE A POLICY OF QUICK RELEASE OF THE VIDEO EVIDENCE TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FROM THE HOUSTON POLICE [02:45:01] DEPARTMENT MEMBER KASH. SO WHAT IS THE CURRENT PROCEDURE THAT YOU GO THROUGH TO GET THE, UH, THE VIDEO DOCUMENTATION FROM THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT? WELL, IF YOU'RE A CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY, IT'S GIVEN TO YOU, UH, GENERALLY, MOST OFTEN BY THE, UH, DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. BUT, UH, THEY HAVE TO RECEIVE IT FIRST. SO IT GOES FROM HPD AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE FINE INTRICATE DETAILS, BUT IT GOES FROM HPD TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS A PART OF THE EVIDENCE. 'CAUSE IN EVERY CASE WHERE AN OFFICER ARRESTS SOMEONE, UH, YOU HAVE TO HAVE, THEY EVENTUALLY HAVE TO GIVE THE EVIDENCE WHETHER IT'S A VIDEO. AND IN MOST CASES, THE, THE VIDEO, IT COULD BE IT, SUCH AS IN A CASE I HAD WHERE SOMEBODY WAS STOPPED FOR EVADING IN A MOTOR VEHICLE AND, UM, IT TOOK ABOUT THREE MONTHS TO GET THE VIDEO. BUT WHEN THE VIDEO WAS, WAS SHOWN, OR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY DISMISSED IT IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THE VIDEO SHOWED THERE WAS NO EVADING IN A MOTOR VEHICLE AND THAT PERSON THEN EXITED THE BACKLOG. AND SO THAT'S ALL WHAT I'M HERE TODAY, IS TO TRY TO GET, UM, ENCOURAGE THE QUICK RELEASE OF VIDEO EVIDENCE TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SO THAT MORE CASES CAN EXIT THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL, EITHER BY CONVICTION, PLEA BARGAIN OR RELEASE. MR. COWEN, I'M, UH, I'M SURE YOU KNOW AS AN ATTORNEY THAT, THAT WE HAVE A, A GENERAL ORDER, UH, WE DON'T HAVE A POLICY THAT'S BEEN VOTED ON BY COUNSEL WHEN THIS CAME INTO PLACE BACK IN 2000, I THINK IN 16. IT WAS DURING MAYOR PARKER'S ADMINISTRATION THAT, THAT WE GOT THE CAMERAS RIGHT AT THE END OF HER TERM. AND THE, UM, UH, THERE NEVER WAS A VETTED POLICY BY COUNSEL. IT, IT'S A GENERAL ORDER BY CHIEF MCCLELLAN. NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BEEN UPDATED, UH, SINCE THEN BY THE OTHER CHIEFS. I I NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT. BUT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO ACTUALLY KEEPS THOSE, UH, DIGITAL RECORDS. UH, AND, AND MAYBE THERE'S A SLOWDOWN THERE, BUT IF, IF, IF, IF SPEEDING UP, GETTING THE RECORDS WILL CAUSE PEOPLE TO EITHER BE DISMISSED OR ONCE THEY SEE IT, THEY MAY REALIZE THEY, THEY DID IT, AND THE THE JURY WILL SEE THEY DID IT AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL TAKE A PLEA BARGAIN. BUT WHATEVER IT IS, WE NEED TO GET IT TO YOU AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AND, UH, I'M, I'M FOR EXPEDITING THAT IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCILWOMAN. COUNCILMAN MIN KNOX. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I WAS A POLICEMAN IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR A LONG TIME. AND, AND I KNOW THAT POLICE OFFICERS DON'T WITHHOLD EVIDENCE. IN FACT, IT'S A REQUIREMENT BEFORE THE END OF THEIR SHIFT. THEY HAVE TO TURN THAT EVIDENCE OVER TO THE EVIDENCE ROOM, WHICH IS AVAILABLE TO THE INVESTIGATORS AND THE DA'S OFFICE AND EVERYBODY ELSE. I'LL BE INTERESTED TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON MINE AND FIND OUT WHAT THE HOLDUP IS THERE, BECAUSE I, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE WITHHOLDING VIDEO EVIDENCE ON PURPOSE OR WITH ANY INTENT. UM, AND I SUSPECT IT'S MORE LIKELY THAT THE DAS AREN'T REQUESTING IT UNTIL THEY FEEL LIKE THEY NEED IT. AND, UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, BEING MAINTAINED IN OUR PROPERTY ROOM UNTIL IT'S REQUESTED. IT'S, THE ONUS IS NOT ON THE OFFICER TO GIVE THE EVIDENCE TO THE DA SIMPLY TO LET THE DA KNOW THE EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE. WE MAINTAIN, I MEAN, WE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MAINTAINS THAT EVIDENCE FOR TRIAL UNTIL REQUESTED BY THE DA TO DELIVER IT TO THE COURTROOM. MM-HMM . RIGHT. SO I I, I'M PRETTY SURE THE DA'S OFFICE, IF THERE'S VIDEO AVAILABLE AS SOON AS THEY GET THE ORIGINAL REPORT IS AWARE THAT VIDEO IS AVAILABLE. IT'S JUST UP TO THEM TO, TO ASK FOR IT. SO IT MAY BE A PROBLEM IN THAT, IN THAT AREA. OH, THANK YOU. WHICH IS AGAIN, IS OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL AS AS A C WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, COUNCIL, UH, MEMBER KNOX. AND WE ARE NOT BLAMING ANY INDIVIDUAL, UH, POLICE OFFICER. WELL, I KNOW. AND, UH, IN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AS A, AS A LAWYER WHO DOES SOMETIMES AS CRIMINAL DEFENSE, THOUGH, I HAVE BEEN IN THE ROOM WHERE, UM, THE DAS, THE ADAS HAVE STATED, OH, WELL, WE ASKED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THEM, THEM, AND WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THEM. BUT IT IS A, UM, IT IS A PROBLEM. AND I, AND, AND IT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS FOR CAUSING OVERCROWDING IN THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL. AND MOST EXPERTS, INCLUDING THE SHERIFF HIMSELF, SAYS THIS OVERCROWDING IS CAUSING THE INJURIES AND DEATH. SO IF WE COULD JUST GET THAT LOG JAM, WHEREVER IT IS, FIND OUT WHERE IT IS, 'CAUSE IT'S SOMEWHERE, AND THEN, WELL, YOU'VE GOT MY INTEREST ON THIS, AND I'LL, I'LL TAKE A LOOK INTO IT AND SEE WHAT I, I'LL COMMUNICATE WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND SEE WHAT THE POLICIES ARE, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND, AND SEE ABOUT THAT. BECAUSE OF COURSE, MY HISTORY WITH HPD ENDED IN 1995. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME. IT'S WAYS. SO THINGS HAVE CHANGED, I'M SURE. BUT, UH, BUT YOU'VE GOT MY INTEREST ON THAT. I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, MARISOL TOBAR. MARISOL TOBAR IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAYDEN PHILLIPS. [02:50:01] MY NAME IS MARISOL TOBAR, AND I WANT THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO RELEASE THE VIDEO EVIDENCE TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN A TIMELY MANNER. THAT WAY THE INMATES WHO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED BY THE HOUSTON POLICE CAN PROVE THEIR INNOCENCE OR GUILT AND BE RELEASED FROM THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL. IT'S BEEN STATED THAT THE OVERCROWDING OF THE JAIL HAS BEEN CAUSING DEATH AND INJURY, BOTH TO INMATES AND GUARDS. MY MOM'S LIVE-IN BOYFRIEND ADE GONZALEZ. GARCIA WAS INJURED IN THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL THANKSGIVING OF LAST YEAR, AND HE WENT INTO A COMA, AND STILL TO THIS DAY, HE CANNOT SPEAK AND IS STILL IN THE HOSPITAL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. OKAY. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER. JAYDEN PHILLIPS. JAYDEN PHILLIPS. JAYDEN. NEXT SPEAKER. ZA PAGE. ZA PAGE. SZA PAGE. NEXT SPEAKER, PASTOR JAKE WALTON. PASTOR JAKE WALTON. PASTOR JAKE WALTON. NEXT SPEAKER. MICHAEL SIMS. MICHAEL SIMS. MICHAEL SIM. NEXT SPEAKER. JACOB CLEMENT. JACOB. JACOB HERE. I DIDN'T SEE JACOB NEXT. EARLIER. EARLIER. OKAY. TETT. RIGHT. ATTACH ATTACHE. RIGHT. ATTACHE WRIGHT. I ASSUME IT'S HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEVE WILLIAMS. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSEL. HOW YOU DOING? UH, GOOD. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE, UM, I'M NEEDING Y'ALL HELP WITH, UH, HELPING ME STAY WHERE I JUST RECENTLY MOVED. UH, I HAD BEEN HAVING SOME ISSUES, UH, JUST TRYING TO, UH, MAINTAIN MY, UH, CITIZENSHIP HERE, UH, IN, UH, HOUSTON, TEXAS. I AM FROM NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE I WAS 18. I HAVE A CLEAN RECORD. I'M NOT A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER. I AM BILLING CREDIT. I'M TRYING TO ENROLL IN SCHOOL FOR MY BACHELOR'S IN PSYCHOLOGY. AND RIGHT NOW I HAVE MANAGEMENT, UH, HARASSING ME AT THE PROPERTY, UM, WHERE I JUST MOVED AT, UM, COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS. THIS IS JBL, WHICH HAS A REAL GOOD SOUND, BUT IT'S NOT THUMPING OR CAUSING ANY DISRUPTION TO, UH, ANYBODY IN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX. UH, SHE MOVED ME NEXT DOOR TO HER ON PURPOSE, I BELIEVE, TO, UH, COMPLAIN CONSTANTLY. UH, I MAKING ME, UH, VERY PARANOID, MEANING THAT I WOULD HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF HER BECAUSE SHE WORKS AT THE OFFICE. HER ROOM IS NEXT TO MY ROOM. SHE TOLD ME SHE HEARD ME, UH, TALKING IN MY SLEEP. I DON'T EVEN SLEEP IN MY ROOM. I'M IN THE LIVING ROOM ON THE AIR MATTRESS. I AM VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. UM, SHE HAS A CER UM, SHE HAS A CERTAIN RACE OF PEOPLE THAT THEY WANT TO KEEP AT THAT COMPLEX. UH, IT TOOK THEM 60 DAYS TO GET ME AN APPROVAL TO GET IN THE COMPLEX WITH MY LITTLE SERVICE DOG. AND WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR THAT APPROVAL, I HAD A SITUATION THAT, UH, WENT ON WITH MY, UH, REMOTE CONTROL CARD. THEM, UH, PUSH START CARDS THEY HAVE NOW. I HAD JUST BOUGHT A BATTERY THAT COST ME $138 FOR THAT CAR. AND COMES TO FIND OUT, IT'S THE ALTERNATOR THAT'S DRAINING THE BATTERY. SO THE CHEAPEST ALTERNATOR RIGHT NOW IS $120. AND I'M ON A FIXED INCOME AND I'M ALONE BY MYSELF. MY MOTHER IS DECEASED. UH, THE FATHER THAT I HAVE, UH, HE DOES NOT TALK TO ME. HE'S IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA. AND I'M JUST LIVING MY OWN LIFE RIGHT NOW. AND I AM DEPENDING ON Y'ALL TO HELP ME KEEP MY APARTMENT. THE AIM TO FAME IS TO MAKE ME MOVE. THAT'S ALL THEY'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SINCE I'VE BEEN TRYING TO APPLY FOR THE APARTMENT WHERE I NEED TO RELOCATE SOMEWHERE ELSE. UH, FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE RIGHT NOW THAT IS, UH, REALLY IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE NOBODY IS WORKING WITH, UH, HOUSTON HOUSING. UM, VOUCHERS. I WAS HOMELESS AND THAT'S HOW I RECEIVED ONE TO GO INTO THE HOME BUYERS PROGRAM. AND I WOULD LIKE THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, STAY IN APARTMENT COMPLEX WITHOUT BEING, UH, HARASSED THERE OFF THE PROPERTY. UH, CAUSE MY VOUCHER. UH, SO I DON'T MOVE ON, YOU KNOW, IN MY LIFE. I KNOW WHAT I SAY I WANNA SAY AND WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. I'M VERY STRESSED. I'M SCARED RIGHT NOW. THIS MAY EVEN CAUSE RETALIATION FOR THEM TO GET THE APARTMENT OUTTA ME. UM, WHEN THEY, UH, DID WHAT THEY DID WITH THE 60 DAY WEIGHT OF THE APPROVAL, MADE ME KIND OF SUSPICIOUS OF THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT THEY HAD LIVING ON THE PROPERTY, WHAT THEY WERE OFFERING. AND I CAME ACROSS, UH, TWO CUSTOM MADE, UH, UH, PHOTO ALBUMS OF THE PEOPLE THAT THEY WANT TO KEEP IN THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX. Y'ALL MORE THAN WELCOME TO LOOK AT THIS PHOTO ALBUM THAT I THINK IS VERY RELEVANT, UH, TO WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. UM, THEY HAD A LOT OF AVAIL AVAILABILITY AT THAT PROPERTY. SHE COULD HAVE MOVED ME ANYWHERE ON THAT PROPERTY EXCEPT FOR NEXT DOOR TO HER COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU MS. WRIGHT FOR COMING FORWARD. I, I BELIEVE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE OF [02:55:01] MY OFFICE, UH, SPOKE WITH YOU EARLIER, UM, REGARDING YOUR SITUATION AT THE APARTMENT COMPLEX. WE'RE GONNA WORK, UH, REACH OUT TO THE PROPERTY MANAGER OURSELVES, UM, BASED ON THE ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT YOU PRESENTED. HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND SOME TYPE OF RESOLUTION THAT WILL WORK FOR YOU AND TO MAKE YOU STAY THERE MORE COMFORTABLE. UH, SO, UM, MY OFFICE WILL REACH OUT TO YOU AGAIN, UH, TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE TO DO THAT. AND, UH, ONE MORE THING BEFORE I GET OFF. I AM A VERY RATIONAL PERSON. I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MANAGEMENT STAYING ON A PROPERTY. I JUST WOULD RATHER NOT HER LIVING RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO ME SO I COULD HAVE MY PRIVACY, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IT COULD HAVE BEEN AN OLDER PERSON. SO IT IS NOT A BIG DEAL ABOUT THE MANAGEMENT STAYING THERE. 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY DO HAVE MANAGEMENT SOMETIMES TO LIVE ON THE PROPERTY, BUT THAT PROPERTY IS VERY SMALL. AND SHE'S ALSO ASKED THE OTHER LADY TO JOIN HER AT THE PROPERTY. AND I BELIEVE THAT'S TO KEEP AN EYE ON ME AND TO CONSTANTLY STALK AND COMPLAINT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT ME TO GET ME OFF THE PROPERTY. I JUST WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE. BUT, WE'LL, WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH IT, UM, WITH YOUR PROPERTY MANAGER AND WE'LL TALK, AND I HAVE CALLED THE CORPORATE MANAGER TOO, AND WE'LL, WE'RE GOING, WE'RE GONNA FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AS WELL, OKAY? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY. IF YOU WOULD, IF YOU WOULD GIVE WITH HIS REPRESENTATIVE. OKAY. NO PROBLEM. THANK NICE MEETING YOU, MAYOR TURNER FOR THE FIRST TIME. THANK YOU. IT'S A PLEASURE. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS. NEXT SPEAKER. GAY HART. GAY HART. GAY HART. NEXT SPEAKER. ANGEL CORTEZ. ANGEL CORTEZ. ANGEL CORTEZ. NEXT SPEAKER. LAFAYETTE. RICKS LAFAYETTE RICKS IS HERE. GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL. MAYOR SYLVESTER. MY NAME IS LAFAYETTE RICK. I'M AN AGITATOR. BEEN ONE EVER SINCE I WAS OLD, UP TO VOTE. SO YOU GET WHAT I MEAN WHEN I SAY THIS? BEEN A PREACHER, STILL IS ADVOCATE. BEEN ON THE SIDE OF JUSTICE, CATCH HELL SOMETIME BECAUSE I SPEAK THE TRUTH AND REALLY DON'T CARE. I'M 72 YEARS OLD NEXT MONTH, SO I'M GONNA LIVE UNTIL GOD TAKES ME OUT. WHETHER YOU LIKE ME OR DON'T LIKE ME, IT DOESN'T MATTER. MY DADDY ALWAYS SAID, STAND UP FOR THE PRINCIPLES. IF YOU DON'T HAVE NO PRINCIPLE, YOU DON'T STAND FOR NOTHING. NOW I HAD, I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD OVER THERE ON SUNNYSIDE. SOMEBODY DISTRIBUTED A HORSE NEXT TO MY HOUSE WHERE I LIVE. REALLY? THREE DOORS DOWN. THAT HORSE WAS THERE, APPARENTLY HAD TO COME INTO EFFECT ON THAT SATURDAY NIGHT. AND I CONTINUED TO CALL VARIOUS AGENCIES TRYING TO GET THAT REMOVED. I CAME DOWN YESTERDAY ACROSS THE STREET TO ANNEX AND GOT THIS APPOINT, I BELIEVE IN HEALTH, WHETHER Y'ALL BELIEVE THAT OR NOT, IT'S AN ISSUE. DEAD HORSES, IT COULD CARRY ALL KIND OF BACTERIA SPREADING DISEASE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. APPARENTLY THE HORSE WAS HIT. I BELIEVE I COULD SEE TWO BROKEN LEGS ON IT. AND AS I WAS COMING IN TODAY, UH, THEY WERE THERE PICKING IT UP AROUND ABOUT 1130. SO THAT HORSE LAND THERE TWO DAYS GOING ON THREE DAYS. IT'S IN A COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, PAY TAXES SHOULD VOTE. REALLY? I DON'T LIVE, I LIVE THERE. I DON'T OWN THE PROPERTY, BUT I RENT, UH, SOMETHING NEEDED TO BE DONE. WHEN I CALLED SEVERAL TIMES, THEY WAS GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND, OH, WELL IT MAY BE A WEEK, IT MAY BE TWO WEEKS. I SAID, AND THE PEOPLE COULD DIE AS A RESULT OF THIS. WHO DID YOU CALL? 3 1 1. MR. RICKS, IS THAT WHERE YOU CALLED? YES, I DID. I CALLED 3 1 1. I CALLED 9 1 1. I GOT I GOT YOU. IF I, IF I COULD, IF I COULD GET THE POLICE TO COME OUT THERE JUST TO VERIFY THAT I'M TELLING THE TRUTH. NO, NO. I, I I BELIEVE YOU. I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THEM. AND WHEN DID YOU CALL, SIR? WHEN, WHEN DID YOU, WHEN DID YOU MAKE YOUR FIRST CALL? SUNDAY. SUNDAY. AND WHEN DID THEY COME OUT? UH, WHEN DID IT COME OUT? THEY CAME OUT TODAY. WELL, THE PEOPLE PUBLIC WORK CAME OUT TODAY. YOU PICK IT UP. THEY CAME OUT TODAY. I TALKED TO TWO REPRESENTATIVE, FINALLY GOT THROUGH SOMEBODY CALLED, TWO PEOPLE CALLED ME EARLY THIS MORNING AROUND ABOUT EIGHT O'CLOCK. AND I THINK THEM BEFORE THAT, ABOUT THE TIME YOU CALLED THEM SUNDAY, ABOUT WHAT TIME? UH, I TALKED TO SOME, UH, WORKERS THERE. UH, I WOULD SAY MAYBE AROUND ABOUT, UH, ONE O'CLOCK ON SUNDAY? YES, SIR. OKAY. WELL, LET ME APOLOGIZE THAT WE DIDN'T GET OUT THERE SOONER, SO I APOLOGIZE TO YOU ON THAT. UH, THAT WE DIDN'T GET OUT SOONER. UM, IDEALLY WE WOULD, WE WOULD'VE COME OUT IF, UM, ON SUNDAY, PROBABLY THAT VERY NEXT DAY. UM, BUT THEY DID COME [03:00:01] OUT THIS MORNING. THIS MORNING. OKAY, WELL, LET ME APOLOGIZE TO YOU THAT THEY DIDN'T COME OUT SOONER. OKAY? AND ALSO YOU NEED TO GET THAT TRASH UP OUT THERE OFF OF AND EVERYTHING. TRASH PILE UP LIKE THIS. HOW DO YOU EVER EXPECT THE CITY TO BE RIDDEN? A RODENTS WITH ALL OF ITS TRACK, TRASH NOT BEING PICKED UP? YES, I'M A HA RAISER, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD LIVE HALFWAY DECENT. OKAY. UH, UH, COUNCILMAN EVAN SHIOBBAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, WAS THIS OFF OF HOLMES ROAD SOMEWHERE? BECAUSE I'M CURIOUS BECAUSE THE MAYOR DID SEND, UH, BARK OUT THERE TO TRY TO EVEN SAVE THAT HORSE. IF IT'S THE SAME ONE, I'M NOT SURE. BUT ANYWAY, UM, IN, IN REGARDS TO THE TRASH, PLEASE REPORT IT TO THREE ONE ONE AND THEN CALL MY OFFICE AS A FOLLOW UP AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE NUMBER AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT IT IS PICKED UP. NOW, COULD I JUST SAY ONE THING? I DON'T MEAN TO INFER THAT THE POLICE, I HEARD THAT A POLICEMAN SHOT THAT ANIMAL AND LEFT IT THERE. THAT'S SPECULATION. I DID NOT SEE IT WITH MY EYES, SO I'M NOT GOING TO SAY, BUT IF HE DID OR SHE DID THAT, THAT'S DOWN GOING INHUMANE AND THIS INCONSIDERATE OF THE COMMUNITY. I, THAT'S JUST A SPECULATION. I DID, I DIDN'T WITNESS THAT. WELL, LET'S NOT, LET'S NOT GO ON SPECULATION. OKAY. COUNCILMAN KASH? MR. RICKS, YOU'RE MY AGE. YES, SIR. AND, UH, I WAS ON A CULLEN AT SHERMER STREET, UH, LAST ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, AND THAT'S OUTSIDE THE CITY. I I, I HAD GONE DOWN CULLEN AND PASSED, UH, UH, PASSED, UH, INTO THE, INTO THE COUNTY AND THERE WAS A DEAD HORSE IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER THERE. UH, AND, AND SO I, I CALLED IT IN AND I KNEW IT WAS OUT OUTSIDE THE COUNTY CITY, SO IT WAS IN THE COUNTY AND I NOTIFIED, UH, RODNEY ELLIS'S OFFICE AND THEY HAD THE ANIMAL CONTROL. UH, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TRY TO GET THROUGH THAT MAZE. AND I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU FELT PERPLEXED, BUT UH, I KNOW MY STAFF'S BEEN LOOKING INTO TO MAKE SURE THAT DEAD HORSE IS GONE. THAT'S NOT THE ONE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. IT. APPARENTLY NOT. OKAY, THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU MR. RES. THANK YOU. THIS WAS FALLING APART THIS MORNING AS THEY WAS HING THAT HORSE UP. AND, AND, AND ALL S RATS AND INFEST. OKAY. EVERYTHING THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. NEXT SPEAKER. BEVERLY, WHERE THEY, EMILY WHERE, WHERE IS HERE. THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, SO AS YOU GUYS MAY BE AWARE ALREADY, I SPOKE LAST WEEK WHEN I WAS, OR TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN I WAS HERE, SO I'LL JUST KIND OF KEEP IT BRIEF. BUT UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE INTRODUCED OUR AZ KOREAN MEMBERS, UM, AS THEY CAME OUT TO HOUSTON TO WORK WITH OUR AZ HOUSTON CHAPTER. WE CARRIED OUT A FEW INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT THE FOLLOWING OR PREVIOUS WEEKS WHILE THEY WERE HERE. UM, LIKE WE HAD, UM, A SEMINAR AT THE U OF H AND AT TEXAS A AND M HELPING US ESTABLISH CLUBS. BUT OUR MAIN MISSION WAS TO HELP BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE INITIATIVES THAT THEY CARRIED OUT IN SOUTH KOREA WITH OUR HOUSTON CHAPTER. UM, WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR A FEW YEARS, BUT WE'VE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH SUCCESS WORKING WITH THE CITY IN PARTNERSHIP OF OUR PROGRAM, REDUCING CRIME TOGETHER. UM, I'VE HANDED YOU MAYOR, UH, TURNER, OUR, UH, SUPPORT SIGNATURE, WHICH KIND OF HIGHLIGHTS AND EXPLAINS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IT IS EXACTLY THAT WE'RE SEEKING FROM OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND FROM OUR MAYOR. UM, WE ARE A GLOBAL ENTITY WITH ALL THE RESOURCES BODIES SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE BEEN GARNERING FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS. UM, AS WELL AS THE RECOGNITION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM A LOT OF, UM, CENTRAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. UM, BUT WHILE WE'VE BEEN HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IT'S BEEN TIME. ONE SECOND YOUR TIME. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. OH, SORRY. UH, MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE HER SOME OF MY TIME TO, TO FINISH AND ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU COUNSEL. UM, SO YES. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UM, PROVIDING A DIFFERENT, UM, LIKE VOLUNTEER SERVICES, LIKE CLEANUPS. WE ACTUALLY DONATED 2000 HOURS WHEN WE WERE WORKING WITH ONE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, DIRECTORS, I BELIEVE HIS PAUL GREEN. UM, WHEN WE WERE WORKING TOGETHER TO CARRY OUT THOSE INITIATIVES, WE HAVE THE MEMBERS, WE HAVE THE BODIES. WE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR CARRYING OUT ONE OF THE LARGEST BLOOD DRIVES IN TEXAS UP IN DALLAS. WHEN WE HELD IT AT THE COWBOY STADIUM, IT WAS THE LARGEST VOLUNTEER EVENT. WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED THE HIGHEST VOLUNTEER AWARD FROM THREE SITTING PRESIDENTS, UM, ON BOTH SIDES. SO, UM, WE REALLY WANNA WORK WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AS WE SEE THERE'S A LOT OF NEED EVEN SITTING HERE AS WE ARE THE LAST, YOU KNOW, TO SPEAK, WE'VE GOTTEN TO HEAR A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THE CITY SEEMS TO NEED HELP WITH WHEN IT COMES TO CRIME PREVENTION, WHEN IT COMES TO CLEANING UP THE CITY. AND WE WANNA PROVIDE AND VOLUNTEER THOSE PEOPLE. WE HAVE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WHO ARE READY AND ACTIVE TO WORK. WE HAVE MEMBERS AS AS OLD AS ELDERS 65 AND UP WHO ARE WILLING AND READY TO WORK ALL [03:05:01] REGISTERED WITHIN OUR NETWORK. BUT WE WANT THE SUPPORT FROM OUR CITY COUNCIL AND OUR MAYOR TO RECOGNIZE OUR EFFORTS AND HOPEFULLY THANK YOU. WORK WITH US TO PARTNER WITH THOSE EVENTS. AND, UH, JUST WANT THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. AND I, I WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL YES TO, TO CITY HALL HAS EXPIRED. MAYOR, MAYOR, I PROTE CASH. TATUM. THANK YOU. MY NOT MY NO, YOU GAVE HER YOUR TIME. YOUR TIME EXPIRED. MAYOR CAST T SO CASH TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR. I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE WELCOME YOUR ORGANIZATION, UM, FOR BEING HERE AND THE WORK THAT YOU'LL DO IN HOUSTON. IF YOU COULD, UM, I KNOW YOU PASSED AROUND ONE, UM, FLYER FOR THE ENTIRE COUNCIL. YES, MA'AM. WE WOULD LOVE TO PUT YOU IN OUR VOLUNTEER DATABASE. WE JUST HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL SHRED EVENT OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKENDS AND WE HAD QUITE A FEW VOLUNTEERS. THERE WE'RE, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS, SO IF WE COULD HAVE YOUR INFORMATION, THAT WOULD BE QUITE HELPFUL FOR US TO CONNECT WITH YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES. I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME TO COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE SENT OUT ALL OF OUR CREDENTIALS AND INFORMATION. ONE SECOND. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. OKAY. YES. THANK YOU MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND I JUST WANT TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO CITY HALL AND HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT VISIT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING MORE INFORMATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER. WE HOPE THAT WE CAN RECEIVE OUR SIGNATURE SUPPORT FROM YOU. THANK YOU, UH, BEFORE THEY LEAVE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . NEXT SPEAKER. THIS COMPLETES THE LIFT OF SPEAKER STAND [RECESS] IN RECESS UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING OR NOT. AGENDA FOR THE WEEK. FEBRUARY 1ST, 2023. WE HAVE THE FINANCIAL REPORT REPORT FROM CITY CONTROL AND THE CITY ADMINISTRATION REGARDING THE CURRENT FINANCIAL STATUS OF THE CITY. ITEM ONE, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE REAPPOINTMENT OF ROLAND GARCIA TO POSITION ONE OF THE BOARD OF PILOT COMMISSIONERS FOR HARRIS COUNTY PORTS. ITEM TWO, RECOMMENDATION FROM MAYOR'S OFFICE OF GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS FOR RENEWAL AND MEMBERSHIP IN THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL. ITEM THREE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR APPROVAL TO FINAL A CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $1,825,364 AND NO CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE. WORK ON CONTRACT WITH MILLIS DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION LLC. ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL TO FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $2,441,527 AND 19 CENTS. AND THE ACCEPTANCE WORK ON CONTRACT WITH PM CONSTRUCTION AND REHAB LLC. ITEM FIVE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL TO FIND A CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $3,114,589 AND 17 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH THE JAY RIVAS CONSTRUCTION, LLC ITEM SIX. COMMUNITY WORKS CDC FOR APPROVAL OF SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF CREDIBLE MESSENGER SERVICES. ITEM SEVEN ORDERS APPROPRIATED 14 MEANS $223,850 IN NO CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED A CONSTRUCTION FUND AS AN APPROPRIATION TO HARPER BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION, LLC ITEM EIGHT, HARPER BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION LLC FOR PAYMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES FOR EMERGENCY ST CO REPAIR AND RESTORATION SERVICES FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. THIS SHOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER PASSAGE OF ITEM SEVEN ABOVE ITEM NINE. SHANK PROCESS LLC FOR APPROVAL TO REPLACE THE HEAT EXCHANGER FOR 69TH STREET SLUDGE PROCESSING PLANT FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM 10, FERGUSON WATER WORKS FOR PURCHASE OF GATE VALVES THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENT WITH THE NATIONAL COOPERATIVE PURCHASING ALLIANCE FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM 11, COBURN SUPPLY COMPANY INC. ITEM 11, COBURN SUPPLY COMPANY INC. FOR PURCHASE OF GATE VALVES FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM 12, PATRICIA TECH SUPPLY AND SERVICES FOR PURCHASE OF SAFETY VEST FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM 13 PKJ INTERNATIONAL LLC FOR PURCHASE OF TRAFFIC CONTROLLED EQUIPMENT. ITEM 14, TJ COLE ENTERPRISES, LLC FOR EMERGENCY WATERLINE REPAIRS. ITEM 15, TEXAS CO ENTERPRISES LLC FOR EMERGENCY WATERLINE REPAIRS. ITEM 16, NERI BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION LLC FOR EMERGENCY WATERLINE REPAIRS. ITEM 17 SAGE, USA INC. DBA KIN TECH COMPOSITES FOR EMERGENCY REPAIR PORTS. ITEM 18 RESOLUTION APPROVING ISSUANCE AND SALE BY HOUSTON HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, [03:10:01] A MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING GOVERNMENTAL NOTE, CARPENTRY VILLAGE SERIES 2023 A AND MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING REVENUE NOTE CARPENTRY VILLAGE SERIES 2023 B ITEM 19 FOR ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING A LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND SER JOBS FOR PROGRESS OF THE TEXAS GULF COAST INC. TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS. ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS. ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING A FULL AND FINAL SETTLEMENT CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT AND RELEASE BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES. ITEM 22 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING IN LOCAL CORPORATION CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES. ITEM 23 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATED $155,000 AND NO CENTS OUT OF GENERAL IMPROVEMENT. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND $650,000 AND NO CENTS OUT OF EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION. CONSOLIDATED FUND $3,340,000 IN NO OUT OF POLICE CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND, $750,000 IN NO CENTS OUT OF FIVE. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND $500,000 IN NO CENTS OUT OF PUBLIC CON LIBRARY. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND $39,000 OUT OF CONTRIBUTED CAPITAL PROJECT FUND $378,000 IN CENTS OUT OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND $1,525,000 IN CENTS OUT OF PARKS AND RECREATION DE DEDICATION FUND AND $1,663,000 IN CENTS OUT OF PARKS AND RECREATION. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND FOR TASK ORDER AND JOB ORDER CONTRACTING PROGRAM. ITEM 24 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATED $150,000 IN NO CENTS OUT OF PARKS. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND $100,000 IN NO CENTS OUT OF OUR CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND. $150,000 IN NO CENTS OUT OF POLICE CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND, $50,000 IN NO CENTS OUT OF PUBLIC LIBRARY. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND $100,000 IN S OUT OF PUBLIC HEALTH CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND $150,000 IN S OUT OF SOLID WASTE CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AND $50,000 IN S OUT OF GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND FOR TASK ORDER CONTRACTING PROGRAM. APPRO AND AUTHORIZING FOR TASK ORDER CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS WITH INLAND ENVIRONMENTS L-T-D-R-N-D-I COMPANIES, INC. A A R INCORPORATED AND TRT ABATEMENT INC. ITEM 25 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON. CT B COLLEGE OF BUSINESS INSTITUTE. ITEM 26, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2022 DASH 20 PAST JANUARY 5TH, 2022 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT, A CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND SPOT CHARTER INC. ITEM 27 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CAMPBELL HILL AVIATION GROUP LL ITEM 28 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. ITEM 29 ORDINANCE RELATED TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF MAIN STREET MARKET SQUARE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. DBA DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER THREE, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS MAIN STREET MARKET SQUARE ZONE ITEM 30 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF UPPER KIRBY REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENTS LOAN NUMBER 19, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, UPPER KIRBY ZONE ITEM 31 ORDINANCE, REPEALING AND RESENDING CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. ORDINANCE NUMBER 2016 DASH 2 84. ITEM 32, ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 8.358 ACRES OF LAND TO WEST THEOR MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT. ITEM 33 ORDERS CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 15.998 ACRES OF LAND TO SPRING CREEK UTILITY DISTRICT. ITEM 34 ORDERS CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 16.05. FOUR ACRES OF LAND TO SPRING CREEK UTILITY DISTRICT. ITEM 35 ORDERS CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 9.811 ACRES OF LAND TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY EDITION NUMBER 67. ITEM 36. ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 0.6277 ACRES OF LAND TO SUNBELT FRESH WATER SUPPLY DISTRICT. ITEM 37 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATED IN $2,324,356 NO CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARDING CONTRACTOR EQU INTER INTEGRITY SOUTHEAST INC. ITEM 38, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5,107,617 AND 40 CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEW SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AND CONTRACT TO INC. ITEM 39 SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE RELATIVE TO THE CREATION OF A CONSERVATION DISTRICT. ORDERS HEARING DATE WEDNESDAY 9:00 AM FEBRUARY 22ND, 2023. ITEM 40 ORDINANCE RELATED TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF SOUTHWEST HOUSTON. REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF ZONE [03:15:01] NUMBER 20, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS SOUTHWEST HOUSTON ZONE. MR. TAB BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THIS WAS ITEM 24 ON THE AGENDA OF JANUARY 25TH, 2023. ITEM 41, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING THREE HUNDRED NINETY SIX THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY ONE THOUSAND SIXTY CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEW SYSTEM, CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING IN THE LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, AND TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. THIS WAS TAPED BY COUNCILMAN JACKSON, EVANS SHAVAR, THOMAS POLLARD AND CASTEX TAYLOR. THIS WAS ITEM 30 ON AGENDA OF JANUARY 25TH, 2023. THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF FEBRUARY 1ST, 2023. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF CITY COUNCIL. SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM IN THE WORDS LAW, FORMER CITY SECRETARY WHO WILL BE HONORED TODAY. MS. ANNA RUSSELL. SHE ALWAYS SAID, DRIVE SAFE AND DRIVE FRIENDLY IN THE WORDS LAW CURRENT CITY SECRETARY, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED. HAVE A BLESSED AND FANTABULOUS DAY. AND HELLO FATHER, WHO WILL BE HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. STARTED. HEY, THANKS. GOT IT. COUNCILMAN, WE CAN'T GET INTO THE GARAGE. I JUST SAID GSD. OH, THE GATE MALFUNCTION. GIMME TWO MORE SECONDS, MAYOR. TALKING POINTS FOR OKAY, THANKS. IMPORTANT TODAY. IS THAT LEGAL TO PUT MONEY IN? Y'ALL GET ALL THIS MONEY TOO? WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE YOU USED TO RECEIVING IT IN A BAG? YES. OKAY. CAN YOU JUST GIVE THIS ONE RIGHT TIFF? SAY YES. NOT SHE NOT GONNA SAY YES. SHE'S GONNA DO HER HOMEWORK. THAT'S WHY SHE FLUNKS ALL OVER HER KIDS. YOU GONNA PUT THEM SOMEWHERE FOR ME? YOU'RE THE BEST. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. OKAY. LIKE WE KNOW, GOT YOUR BOX BACK. THANK YOU CARLA. AND YOU. OH, NICE. COOL. THIS IS NICE. SO IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT, TRACY'S HERE. ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS GOT ONE. OKAY. UM, I'M HERE. WE CAN GO. OKAY. THANKS. THANKS. I WAS WAITING ON YOU. AND EVEN BEFORE I GET STARTED, I CERTAINLY, TRACY, THANK YOU FOR THE, FOR THE TOP CHEF ITEM. THIS IS VERY NICE. DID HEAR IT. THANK YOU, TRACY. THANK YOU. DON'T EVEN AGREE. AND I'LL HAVE A NOTE FROM MICHAEL. [RECONVENE] OKAY. I HAVE BY 9 0 5 ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY THE FIRST, 2023. I'M MAYOR S BEST TURNER. I'M CALLING THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL OF THE WATER. THE [ADMIN REPORT] FIRST ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA WILL BE THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT. UH, THE [03:20:01] CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONTROLLER CHRIS BROWN AND FINANCE DIRECTOR WILL JONES, UM, FOR THEIR PRESENTATION THIS MORNING. UM, COMPTROLLER FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2022. IN THE GENERAL FUND. THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS PROJECTING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF 283.6 MILLION FOR FY 23. THIS IS 38 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PROJECTION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. BASED ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS, THE FUND BALANCE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 108.9 MILLION ABOVE THE CITY'S TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% IN RESERVES. OUR REVENUE PROJECTION INCREASED BY 2.2 MILLION FROM THE NOVEMBER 22 REPORT, AND THAT IS FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS. MIXED BEVERAGE TAX INCREASED BY 700,000 AND THAT WAS DUE TO HIGHER TAX RECEIPTS. DIRECT INTER FUND SERVICES INCREASED BY 1.5 MILLION AND THAT WAS DUE TO POLICE SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM. LOOKING AT THE EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES, THESE INCREASED BY 18.4 MILLION FROM THE NOVEMBER 22 REPORT, AND THAT WAS DUE TO THE FOLLOWING. CITY COUNCIL INCREASED BY 3.3 MILLION DUE TO PRIOR YEAR ROLLOVER ALLOCATION. FINANCE DEPARTMENT INCREASED BY 2 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER PERSONNEL COSTS. POLICE INCREASED BY 1.6 MILLION DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE AIRPORT SYSTEM. UH, SOLID WASTE INCREASE BY 2.9 MILLION DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL COST AND CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAM COSTS RELATED TO ILLEGAL DUMPING. GENERAL GOVERNMENT INCREASED BY 5.3 MILLION DUE TO RAFINO STORMWATER DETENTION PROJECT IN THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS. THE MAJOR CHANGES IN THE PROJECTION FOR THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS ARE AS FOLLOWS, THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM ONGOING OPERATING REVENUES INCREASED BY 97.3 MILLION. NON-OPERATING REVENUES INCREASED BY 43 MILLION. FEE REVENUES INCREASED, UH, FROM BUILDING DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. OPERATING EXPENSES INCREASED BY 36.1 MILLION AND THAT WAS A RESULT OF INCREASED EMERGENCY REPAIRS AND HIGHER CHEMICAL COSTS. AND FINALLY, NON-OPERATING EXPENSES DECREASED BY 59.2 MILLION. THE STORM STORMWATER FUNDS OPERATING REVENUES DECREASED BY 325,000 AND THAT WAS DUE TO LOWER SPECIAL PROJECT COSTS THAN WERE BUDGETED. OPERATING EXPENSES DECREASED BY 1.7 MILLION AND THAT WAS DUE TO DELAYS IN FILLING VACANT POSITIONS IN THE DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL METRO FUND. THE OPERATING REVENUES DECREASED BY 1.8 MILLION AND THE OPERATING EXPENSES DECREASED BY 2.9 MILLION DUE TO THE TRANSFER OF THE MOBILITY PERMITTING GROUP. AND THAT WAS IN THE, UM, METRO FUND. UH, AS WELL, OUR REVENUE AND PROJECTIONS FOR THE AVIATION OPERATING FUND AND THE CONVENTION AND ENTERTAINMENT OPERATING FUND REMAINED UNCHANGED. IF YOU LOOK AT ALL OF OUR COMMERCIAL PAPER AND BONDS, ALL OF OUR VARIABLE RATE DEBT IS BELOW THE 20% THRESHOLD. UH, AS THIS IS A QUARTERLY REPORT, I'LL MOVE ON TO THE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT AND SWAP REPORT. AS OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2022, THE CITY HAD $5.07 BILLION INVESTED IN THE GENERAL INVESTMENT POOL. UH, THE CHARACTER OF THIS POOL IS OUT OF A SHORT TERM BOND FUND THAT HOLDS INVESTMENTS OF VERY HIGH CREDIT QUALITY. FITCH REVIEWED THIS POOL AND ASSIGNED ITS HIGHEST RATING THAT OF AAA UH, INVESTMENTS ARE 58 MILLION HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR. UH, THIS IS PRIMARILY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE COMMERCIAL PAPER ISSUANCE AND REIMBURSEMENT OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT ARPA FROM AVIATION DEPARTMENT. AS OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2022, THE GENERAL INVESTMENT POOL WAS YIELDING 1.787%, WHICH IS UP FROM THE 1.379% YIELD IN THE PRIOR QUARTER. UH, MOVING ON TO THE SWAP REPORT, ALONG WITH OUR INVESTMENT REPORT, WE INCLUDE THE QUARTERLY SWAP REPORT, UM, THAT INCLUDES OUR TWO COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTIONS OF OUR TWO SWAP POSITIONS. THE CITY HAD POSITIVE RECEIPTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31ST FROM ITS SWAPS OF $497,256 AND 93 CENTS. THE FAIR VALUE FOR THE SWAPS AS OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2022 WAS NEGATIVE 99 MILLION, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 14 MILLION LESS THAN LAST QUARTER. THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN, UH, STEADILY DECREASING, WHICH IS GOOD AS RATES INCREASE. AND THIS CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, FINANCE DIRECTOR WILL JONES. GREAT. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS THE SIX PLUS SIX FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2022. FISCAL YEAR 2023. PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON SIX MONTHS OF ACTUAL RESULTS AND SIX MONTHS OF PROJECTIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND. THE REVENUE PROJECTION IS 6 MILLION LOWER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND 2.5 MILLION HIGHER THAN PRIOR MONTH. THE VARIANCE FROM PRIOR MONTH'S PROJECTION IS PRIMARILY DUE TO 1.5 MILLION INCREASE IN DIRECT [03:25:01] INTER FUND SERVICES DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED REIMBURSEMENT FOR POLICE AIRPORT SERVICES. AND 935,000 INCREASE IN CHARGES FOR SERVICES, PRIMARILY DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED AMBULANCE FEES. UM, ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, OUR PROJECTION IS 20.9 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND 18.4 MILLION HIGHER, UH, THAN LAST MONTH. AND THE VARIANCE FROM PRIOR MONTHS, PRIMARILY DUE TO ABOUT 5.3 MILLION FOR THE REFU STORMWATER DETENTION PROJECT. 3.3 MILLION INCREASE IN CITY COUNCIL TO REFLECT PRIOR YEAR. UNUTILIZED, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUND 2.9 MILLION IN SOLID WASTE DUE TO HIGHER, UH, TEMP PERSONNEL SERVICES. UM, AND, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENTS, UH, TO SUPPORT THE ILLEGAL DUMPING PROGRAM. UM, 1.8 MILLION IN PARKS, UH, FOR THE 50 50 PARK INITIATIVE. 1.5 MILLION IN FINANCE FOR PROCUREMENT RESTRUCTURING, AND 1.5 MILLION IN POLICE TO REFLECT THE, UH, INCREASE OVERTIME THAT'S REIMBURSED BY THE AIRPORT. UM, ANOTHER 1.1 MILLION IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, PRIMARILY FOR THE CENTER FOR TRANSFORMATIVE HEALTH THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL LAST MONTH. UM, MOVING ON TO THE FUND BALANCE, WE ARE CURRENTLY PROJECTING THE ENDING FUND BALANCE OF 321.6 MILLION, WHICH IS 16 MILLION LOWER THAN PRIOR MONTH, AND 13.8% OF EXPENDITURES, LESS DEBT SERVICE THAN PAY AS YOU GO. THE FUND BALANCE IS 147 MILLION ABOVE THE TARGET AT 7.5%. SO WE'RE, WE ARE IN LINE WITH THE CONTROLLERS ON THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS. SO I'LL MOVE ON TO THE OTHER FUNDS. SO LOOKING AT THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION FUND, OPERATING REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY 966,000 DUE TO PERSONNEL SAVINGS. BUILDING INSPECTION FUND REVENUES INCREASED BY 1.4 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO THE MOBI MOBILITY PERMIT REVENUES TRANSFERRING FROM, UH, THE D-D-S-R-F METRO FUND, UM, AND THE HEALTH SPECIAL FUND, THE REVENUES INCREASED BY 1 MILLION, UH, DUE TO THE TRANSFER FROM GENERAL FUND FOR THE CENTER FOR TRANSFORMATIVE HEALTH. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, COUNCILMAN KASH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE THE MEETING AS DAVID, I WATCHED IT ON HTV AND I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION, UH, TO THE CONTROLLER CONCERNING YOUR REPORT. YOU SAID THE CITY COUNCIL INCREASED 3.3 MILLION DUE TO PRIOR YEAR ROLLOVER ALLOCATIONS. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, IS THIS A DISTRICT COUNCIL'S FUNDS THAT WE HAVE APPROPRIATED FOR THEM TO USE IN THEIR DISTRICTS? YES. UM, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE DISTRICT COUNCIL FUNDS A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS, UH, STRADDLE A FISCAL YEAR. UH, SO, UH, THOSE FUNDS ARE ROLLED OVER SO THAT THEY CONTINUE TO FUND A PROJECT THAT MAYBE WAS STARTED, UH, LET'S SAY, UH, THIS FISCAL YEAR. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A, UM, MORE TIME INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. SO, SO IT IS THOSE FUNDS. YES, SIR. IT WASN'T AN INCREASE IN OUR BUDGET. . NO, UNFORTUNATELY NOT UNFORTUNATELY. UH, I, I'D LIKE TO ASK THE, UH, UH, DIRECTOR JONES, UH, WHERE ARE WE ON THE OPEN FINANCE? UH, AND, AND, UH, WHEN DO YOU SEE IT GOING LIVE? OKAY, SO OPEN FINANCE. WE'VE ALREADY GONE LIVE WITH TWO OF THE, THE PROGRAMS IN THE OPEN FINANCE, OPEN BUDGET, AND OPEN PAYROLL. WE ARE, RIGHT NOW, MY TEAM IS TESTING THE OPEN CHECKBOOK, UH, WITH AN ANTICIPATION OF, UH, A GOING LIVE BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, DEPENDING ON HOW THAT TESTING, UH, PANS OUT. UM, IF THE TESTING IS ALL GOOD, WE'LL, WE'LL GO LIVE AT THE END OF FEBRUARY IF WE HAVE SOME THINGS TO CORRECT. IT MAY PUSH A LITTLE BIT TO MARCH, BUT, UH, WE ARE FULLY UNDERWAY AND HOPE TO HAVE IT GO LIVE, UH, PRETTY SOON. SO WE'VE MET OUR TARGET TIMES THAT WE'RE PROJECTED. YEAH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE STILL BASED ON THE, THE, UM, THE SCHEDULE THAT DIRECTOR KENT'S OFFICE SENDS OUT. WE ARE STILL ON TRACK BASED ON THAT SCHEDULE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT, CHAIR, RECOGNIZE TWO SEVEN MAY PRO TIME FOR A MOTION? YES. MAYOR. MOTION TO ACCEPT THE SIX PLUS SIX MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT DATED DECEMBER 31ST, 2022 AS PRESENTED. SECOND CAST. NEXT THERE A MOTION, ANY, UH, DISCUSSION? ANY DISCUSSION, AND THEN MOTION GRANTED. THANK YOU COUNCIL. CHRIS BROWN. THANK YOU. FINANCE DIRECTOR. WILL JONES APPRECIATE IT. UM, IF YOU WILL, IF WE WILL TURN THIS, TURN TO ITEM NUMBER ONE OF THE APPOINTMENT. UM, MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL CALL ITEM NUMBER ONE, WILL DO THAT BEFORE THE MAYOR'S REPORT. ITEM ONE NEEDS A MOTION CAST. STATE MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND ON ITEM ONE, DISCUSSION ON ONE DISCUSSION IN FAVOR, OPPOSED GRANTED ON ONE. UH, AND THIS IS THE REAPPOINTMENT OF ROLAND GARCIA. ROLAND, ARE YOU HERE? YES. OKAY. IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD OF ROLAND GARCIA TO POSITION ONE OF THE BOARD OF PILOT COMMISSIONERS FOR HARRIS COUNTY PORTS, UH, AS WELL. LET ME, LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN, ROLAND, FOR SERVING. IN FACT, IT WAS CREATED THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE. YOU WERE ONE OF THE FIRST TO SERVE ON IT, UH, IN THIS UNDER THE NEW STRUCTURE. AND THEN, UH, WE WERE [03:30:01] ALL AT THE PORT MEETING, UH, WHEN WE, UH, RENOMINATED, UM, REGINALD MCCAMEY YEAH. RE MCC ME AS WELL AS VERY COMPOUND. AND THEN THERE WAS CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT, UM, THIS, UM, PILOT COMMISSION IS, UH, TO OUR BOARD AND THE NEED FOR MORE, THE NEED FOR MORE DIVERSITY. ALL OF THOSE THINGS CAME UP. SO LOOK FORWARD TO, TO WORKING, UH, WITH YOU. UH, BEFORE I RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU WANNA MAKE JUST SOME GENERAL, UH, COMMENTS FIRST. WELL, I WANNA, I WANT TO THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE AND SUPPORT AND, UH, RECOMMENDING ME. I WANNA THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR VOTING. I MEAN, IT'S BEEN A REAL, IT'S BEEN A REAL PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THE LAST FOUR YEARS. UM, WE STARTED THE AGENCY FROM SCRATCH, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, $0, ZERO BUDGET, ZERO INFRASTRUCTURE, ZERO EMPLOYEES, NO OFFICE, NOTHING. CAN YOU IMAGINE ? AND THEN YOU, AND THEN, AND THEN YOUR DUTY IS TO ACTUALLY RUN THE WATERWAYS OF THE BUSIEST PORT IN THE COUNTRY. SO IT WAS A REAL CHALLENGE. WE ROLLED UP OUR SLEEVES. I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE TRANSITION TEAM, SO WE ACTUALLY BUILT THAT AGENCY FROM SCRATCH. I'M PLEASED TO REPORT IT'S RUNNING GREAT. WE'VE GOT FULL FUNDING, WE'VE GOT A NEW TARIFF, WE'VE GOT OFFICES, WE'VE GOT EMPLOYEES ALL WITHOUT A, A DOLLAR FROM THE TAXPAYERS. SO, UH, UH, IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A, A HONOR FOR ME TO SERVE. AND I THANK YOU FOR THIS REAPPOINTMENT. THANKS. UH, LET ME START OFF WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN MAGOS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU ROLAND. UH, THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE THIS MORNING. AND, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALWAYS BEING WILLING AND ABLE TO SERVE THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND I, EVERYTHING YOU DO AT THE, UH, THE, UH, UH, ALL, ALL THE BOARDS THAT YOU'RE SITTING ON. UH, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR OUR CITY OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. COUNCILMAN MCCAIN DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS UP NEXT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, ROLAND. UH, WE APPRECIATE IT. AND ALSO, AGAIN, MAYOR, AS YOU ALLUDED TO, UM, IT WAS BROUGHT TO AT LEAST MY AWARENESS AT THE LAST JOINT MEETING. UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ROLE THAT YOU PLAY IN THIS COMMISSION ACTUALLY PLAYS, ESPECIALLY, WE WERE, I WAS REALLY SHOCKED AT A LOT OF THE NUMBERS AS IT RELATES TO DIVERSITY, UM, WHETHER THAT'S, UH, FROM MINORITY REPRESENTATION, BUT ALSO MALE VERSUS FEMALE, UM, AND THE REPRESENTATION THERE. SO A LOT OF WORK TO DO. AND, UH, I THINK YOU'RE IN ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT POSITION TO, TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH THAT. SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. ROLAND, JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON THIS, UH, APPOINTMENT. UH, NOT FOR THIS, JUST THIS, BUT I MEAN, YOU SPREAD YOURSELF ALL OVER THIS CITY AND YOU REALLY CONTRIBUTE A LOT TO, UH, BENEFIT AND IMPACT THE LIVES OF OTHERS. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS. APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CISNEROS. CONGRATULATIONS ROLAND, ON THIS REAPPOINTMENT. UM, I KNOW YOU'VE HAD AN INTEREST IN THE PORT LONG BEFORE THIS. YES. YOU PROFESSIONALLY AND JUST PERSONALLY. SO I'M, YOU KNOW, I, IT'S NICE TO HAVE PEOPLE WITH, WITH YOUR CREDENTIALS SERVING THIS WAY. UM, YOU KNOW, AT THAT MEETING ALSO, THAT WAS, IT WAS SHOCKING TO HEAR HOW MANY OF THE PILOTS ARE ABOUT TO AGE OUT AND THAT, UM, IT'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, COULD CREATE A, AN ECONOMIC CRISIS HIT THE PORT IF WE'RE, IF WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE TO, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO PILOT THE SHIPS THAT COME IN THERE. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATED THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE ABOUT REACHING OUT TO YOUNGER PEOPLE TO ENCOURAGE THEM. UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT I, I WENT HOME AND TALKED TO MY 7-YEAR-OLD GRANDSON WHO, UM, IS VERY INTERESTED IN, IN FREIGHT AND TOLD HIM, 'CAUSE HE THINKS HE WANTS TO WORK FOR THE RAILROAD. AND I SAID, I THINK THERE'S MORE OF A FUTURE, YOU KNOW, IN, IN, UM, IN, IN THE OCEAN AND IN THE, ALL THE SHIPPING. THAT THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE, I SEE GROWTH HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE. AND HE WAS SO FASCINATED. AND, UM, SO I MAY HAVE ONE FOR YOU. HE'S, HE'S JUST SEVEN. BUT , SEND ME HIS RESUME. WOLF , GET HIM PLUGGED IN EARLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ROLAND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ROLAND. AND, AND I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN. THANK YOU, ROLAND. UM, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY REASON THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS SO SUCCESSFUL IS BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO ARE WILLING TO SERVE. SO THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. AND IT'S AN HONOR TO BE IN YOUR DISTRICT. SHE'S MY COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU. WELL, LOOK, LET ME, UH, LET ME AGAIN ECHO EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE HAS SAID. LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU AND RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PILOT COMMISSION. AND GLAD THAT YOU ARE GLAD THAT YOU ARE THERE. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, ROLAND. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, A FEW [MAYOR'S REPORT] COMMENTS. UM, UH, STARTING ON, I MEAN, THIS PAST SUNDAY, UM, HOUSTON FIRST HOSTED THE, UH, THE JAMES BEARD, UH, FOOD SUMMIT. UH, THEY HAD A, UM, COUPLE HUNDRED OR MORE PEOPLE, UH, IN TOWN FROM 42 DIFFERENT STATES, UH, THAT WERE, UH, THAT [03:35:01] WAS HERE. A NUMBER OF THE TOP CHEFS, UH, WERE HERE AND CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS, UM, UH, YOU NAME IT, FROM ALL, FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. UH, AND IT WAS HOSTED AT THE, UH, THE POST, WHICH IS VERY, VERY NICE. AND SO I WANT TO REALLY GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO KIRBY LOU AND, UM, AND THAT WHOLE TEAM. UM, AND THEY LOVE BEING OVER AT THE, AT THE POST. UH, BUT THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A GREAT MEETING. AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE DISCUSSING FOOD INSECURITY. UH, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY, SUSTAINABILITY. UH, AND QUITE FRANKLY, THERE WAS NO BETTER PLACE TO HOST IT, UH, THAN RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THIS WAS THEIR SECOND, UH, FOOD SUMMIT. AND HOUSTON WAS HOSTING IT AT THIS TIME. SO, UH, HOUSTON FIRST, UH, DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB, AND I THINK MANY OF THEM, SOME MAY HAVE LEFT YESTERDAY EVENING, OR THEY MAY BE LEAVING TODAY. SO IT WAS GOOD. I APPRECIATE, UH, HOUSTON FIRST NURTURING THAT RELATIONSHIP, UH, WITH, UH, JAMES BEARD. AND SO THAT'S A PLUS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO, SPECIAL THANKS TO HOUSTON, FIRST MICHAEL HECKMAN AND HIS ENTIRE TEAM. UH, AND THIS MORNING I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS AWARDED THE CITY OF HOUSTON, A $28.7 MILLION SAFE STREETS FOR ALL GRANT THAT WILL REHABILITATE A SEVEN MILE STRETCH OF BISSONNET BETWEEN SOUTH DAIRY ASHFORD AND HILLCROFT. UM, THIS COMPETITIVE GRANT, UM, UM, PROGRAM WAS FUNDED BY THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW AND CAME IN AS THE LARGEST SINGLE AWARD FOR ANY ENTITY IN TEXAS. SO, WOW. UM, YEAH. AND ONE OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES IN HOUSTON'S HIGH INJURY NETWORK. UH, THIS NEW PROJECT DIRECTLY SUPPORTS, UH, OUR VISION ZERO PLAN AND THE SUCCESS APPLICATION, UH, WAS, UH, SPEARHEADED BY TWO CITY DEPARTMENTS, PLANNING AND HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. SO, CONGRATULATIONS TO DIRECTORS CAROL HADDOCK AND MARGARET WALLACE BROWN AND THEIR TEAMS, ESPECIALLY VERONICA DAVIS, CATHERINE SUMMERLIN, DAVID FIELDS, AND PETE , UH, FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR WORK IS IT ECHOS FOR THEIR WORK. AND THEN I WANT TO GIVE A, A BIG SHOUT OUT TO CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN, UM, 'CAUSE HE, UH, WROTE LETTERS AS, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THIS GRANT. AND SO, UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE HIS SUPPORT. SO, CONGRESSMAN AL GREENER THE NINTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. I KNOW YOU'RE IN DC BUT, BUT THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH, UH, FOR YOUR SUPPORT. UH, UH, WHO ADVOCATED FOR THIS PROJECT. AND THEN A SPECIAL THANKS TO SECRETARY BUTT AT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. SO, REALLY WANT TO THANK THE SECRETARY, UH, FOR HIS SUPPORT. UM, SEVERAL OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WROTE SUPPORT LETTERS FOR OUR APPLICATION, INCLUDING COUNCIL MEMBERS CAYMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, AND COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. SO THANK ALL OF YOU, UH, FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION. AND TO PUT IT INTO CONTEXT, THE ENTIRE STATE OF OHIO HAD AWARDS ADDING UP TO 15.4 MILLION. BUT BECAUSE OF HOUSTON'S ADOPTION OF THE VISION ZERO, WE WERE ABLE TO PULL DOWN ALMOST TWICE AS MUCH. AND THIS COMES AFTER HOUSTON WON A RAISE GRANT, IF YOU CAN RECALL, FOR $21 MILLION FOR TELEPHONE ROAD LAST YEAR UNDER THE IAJA. AND SO MY THANKS TO PRESIDENT BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS, AND THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP, AND TO THOSE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, AGAIN, ESPECIALLY CONGRESSMAN GREEN, WHO SUPPORTED THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL. AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO, UM, TRY TO DRAW DOWN AS MANY OF THOSE DOLLARS AS POSSIBLE. UM, BUT I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING. UH, BE PLA VERY MIND BARK MI MICROCHIPPING. HOUSTON DOG AND CAT OWNERS ARE NOW REQUIRED BY CITY ORDINANCE TO MICROCHIP THEIR PETS. UH, THE YEAR LONG GRACE PERIOD FOR ENFORCING THE CITY'S NEW MANDATORY MICRO CHIPPING REQUIREMENT ENDS TODAY, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY THE FIRST AND BARK IS OFFERING LIMITED FREE MICROCHIPS FOR PETS OWNED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON RESIDENTS. SO FREE MICROCHIPS WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM EIGHT TO 10:00 AM AT 3 3 0 0 3300 CAR STREET WHILE SUPPLIES LINE LA LASTS. AND MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ONLINE ABOUT THE DATES AND THE HOURS TO GET YOU A PET, A MICROCHIP, AND GET IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE NEW ORDINANCE. SO PLEASE MICROCHIP YOUR DOGS AND PETS AND LET'S MOVE FORWARD. AGAIN, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PAST SATURDAY, UH, WE JOINED THE COMMUNITY TO CUT THE RIBBON OF THE NEW SUNNYSIDE HEALTH AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. UH, THE STATE OF THE ART FACILITY WILL BETTER SUPPORT THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY, AND IT OFFERS MORE THAN 57,000 SQUARE FEET OF COMBINED COMMUNITY SERVICE ORIENTED, MULTI-SERVICE CENTER AND HEALTH CENTER PROGRAMS IN ONE FACILITY. UH, SO, UH, [03:40:01] THAT WAS THE SECOND MAJOR OPENING THE CITY HAD IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY. MONTH OF JANUARY WAS JUST AN INCREDIBLE MONTH, UH, FROM THE A LEAVES, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER TO THE SUNNYSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, TO THE CHEVRON MARATHON, UH, TO, UH, THE MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY PARADE. UM, JUST WAS JANUARY WAS JUST AN INCRE. THE, UH, POLICE ACADEMY, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, THATS BECOMING POLICE OFFICERS. SO JANUARY WAS JUST A, WAS JUST A HUGE MONTH. AND SO, UM, WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD. BUT I JUST WANNA UNDERSCORE THE SUNNYSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, UM, BECAUSE, UH, IT TOO IS IN ONE OF THOSE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. UM, THOUGH IT DID NOT GET MUCH ATTENTION, UM, UH, IN, IN THE MEDIA, IT'S STILL SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO HIGHLIGHT. AND I'VE TOLD MY TEAM, UM, WE HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW YOU CAN BUILD IT. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW, UM, THE THINGS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OTHER DISTRICTS, OTHER OUTSIDE OF THE AREA TO KNOW THE THINGS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE. UM, SO I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT. UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE TEXANS HAVE A NEW COACH. UH, AND SO CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, DEMICCO, UH, DKO RYANS, UH, WHO WILL BECOME THE NEW COACH. UH, THE TEXANS AND OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AND SUPPORT WILL BE WITH HIM. UM, SUPER BOWL, HERE WE COME. OKAY. UH, WE'LL PUT IT OUT IN THE ATMOSPHERE. YEAH, YEAH. WE GONNA PUT IT IN THE ATMOSPHERE, YOU KNOW. YEAH. SUPER BOWL TEXANS IN THE ATMOSPHERE. AND THEN LAST I WANNA NOTE, YOU'LL SEE ON THE, ON THE AGENDA TODAY, THERE ARE, THERE ARE FEW ITEMS THAT ARE SMALL ITEMS. THEY MAY BE LIKE $7,000 ITEMS OR 20, UH, $2,500 ITEMS. I, I, AND I WANT TO UNDERSCORE, UH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD QUESTIONS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE TRACKING PAYMENTS TO VENDORS UNDER 50,000. OKAY. UH, WHETHER THE REASON WHY YOU HAVE THOSE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, 7,500 OR 2,500 IS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN TRACKING PAYMENTS TO THOSE VENDORS IN THE YEAR. AND IF THE AMOUNT, UH, ITEMS 11, 12 AND 13, YEAH. ITEMS 11, 12, AND 13 ON THE AGENDA, IF THE AMOUNT THAT WE ARE APPROPRIATING TAKES THEM OVER 50,000, THEN THAT AMOUNT IS ON THE AGENDA. SO I JUST WANT, I WANT TO UNDERSCORE, 'CAUSE PEOPLE WILL SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, UH, CITY MAY BE HANDING OUT, UM, MULTIPLE DEALS, LET'S SAY 25,000 HERE, $25,000 HERE, $25,000 A YEAR, 49,000. AND WE ARE NOT TRACKING ALL OF THE, ALL OF THOSE APPROPRIATIONS ARE BEING TRACKED. AND IF, FOR EXAMPLE, IF A, IF, IF A CONTRACT IS GETTING 7,500 AND IT, IT PUTS THAT CONTRACT OVER THE $50,000 MARK, THEN THAT MATTER SHOWS ON CITY COUNCIL FOR YOUR APPROVAL. SO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT ARE TRACKING ALL OF THE EXPENDITURES, UH, BEING MADE, UH, HERE. UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, AND I WANT TO THANK THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND OTHERS FOR TRACKING EVERY DOLLAR, UH, THAT'S LEAVING THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND GOING FORTH. UH, HAVING SAID THAT, UH, WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT. OH, BEAR IN MIND TODAY, UH, IS THE RENAMING OF THE CHA OF THIS CHAMBER, UH, TO THE ANNA RUSSELL CHAMBER. AND I WANT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE IT'S GONNA GO, IT'S GONNA TAKE PLACE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE POPOFF MM-HMM . SO WHEN THE POP-OFF IS OVER, WE GO IMMEDIATELY IN, IN, INTO THE RENAMING. AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I KNOW SOMETIMES YOU MAY HAVE OTHER THINGS YOU NEED TO DO, BUT IN CASE YOU, UM, WOULD'VE STAYED, HAD YOU KNOWN, UH, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE POP-OFF, WE'LL GO DIRECTLY INTO THE CHAMBER AND HER DAUGHTERS AND OTHER MEMBERS WILL BE HERE, UH, TO WITNESS THE RE THE RENAMING OF THE HOUSE THAT ANNA RUSSELL BUILT, , UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, JUST TALKING ABOUT MICROCHIPPING. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. YES. IT'S, IT'S A CITY, UM, LAW NOW, AND, AND IT'S GOING INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY. SO IN ADDITION TO WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, THAT BARK IS OFFERING FREE MICROCHIPPING ON MONDAY THE 20, UM, ON MONDAY THE SIXTH, AND TUESDAY, THE THE SEVENTH. IF YOU ARE A DISTRICT H RESIDENT EVERY SUNDAY, UM, I'M, I'M SPONSORING, UM, FREE PET WELLNESS DAYS, WHICH INCLUDE VACCINATIONS AND MICROCHIPPING SUNDAY, THE, THE, THE FIFTH, THE 12TH, THE 19TH, AND THE 26TH. YOU HAVE TO REGISTER, MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. UM, AND THIS IS IN ADDITION TO ALL THE ANIMALS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN REGISTERED FOR THE EMPTY SHELTER PROJECT THAT'S THIS SATURDAY IN, IN DENVER HARBOR THAT HAS NOW FILLED UP. 600 PETS HAVE BEEN REGISTERED. THEY THINK THAT THERE'S USUALLY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE SOME THAT DON'T SHOW, BUT, BUT, BUT I THINK THEY'RE REALLY ANTICIPATING TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SPAY, NEUTER, MICROCHIP, VACCINATE, UM, OVER 500 ANIMALS ON SATURDAY. [03:45:01] THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO TWO MORE THINGS THEN BE DONE. UM, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, I THINK THIS, UH, COUNCILMAN POLL'S CHIEF OF STAFF, PAUL YOUNG, UH, WHOSE WIFE GAVE BIRTH TO A BABY BOY THIS PAST WEEKEND. SO DEPAUL AND HIS WIFE, YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS. UM, I THINK THIS IS NUMBER TWO. UH, SO, UH, HE GAVE BIRTH TO A BABY, TO A BABY BOY. UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD AT SOME POINT TO MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF MYSELF AND, UM, NOT ABOUT ME. , ABOUT THE COUPLE THAT GOT MARRIED, UH, LAST YEAR. WOW. I SAID AT SOME POINT, AT SOME POINT AT, AT SOME POINT CONFUSED SOME POINT AT SOME POINT IN YOU WERE ALREADY IN TROUBLE. YOU IN TROUBLE. OH MY GOD. YOU IN TROUBLE? OKAY, PULL THAT BACK. LEMME PULL IT BACK. LEMME PULL THAT BACK. LET, LET ME CHANGE SUBJECTS QUITE A BIT. TOBY, TOBY, TOBY PRONOUNCE TOBY'S LAST NAME. NICK IWE. IWE IWE. I CERTAINLY WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO HIM. I KNOW CBS HIGHLIGHTED HIM THIS MORNING FROM A LEAVE ON HIS WAY TO THE, TO THE GRAMMY'S. AND, UH, HE'S UP FOR A GRAMMY. YES. SO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT HOUSTON'S OWN. YEAH. UH, SO, UH, SHOUT OUT TO TOBY AND WISH HIM, WISH HIM THE, THE VERY, VERY BEST. OKAY. HAVING SAID THAT, NOW IT'S TIME [CONSENT AGENDA] TO TURN TO THE AGENDA. YOU IN TROUBLE? YEAH. THIS MORNING, BUT I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T PULL, I DIDN'T PULL THAT BACK. NO. YOU, YOU IN TROUBLE. NO, NO. NAH. NOTHING THERE, YOU KNOW. OKAY. UH, I JUST WISHFUL THINKING FROM A, FROM A DAD. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. OKAY, LET'S GET BACK TO THE, UH, MADAME SECRETARY OF THE AGENDA. SAVE ME ON THIS ONE. , YOU'RE UNSAFE. , UH, ITEM UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY. ITEM FOUR NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON BEEN MOVED IN AND SECONDED. UH, DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? AND GRANTED, I'M SORRY. COUNCILMAN MCCAIN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, ON THIS H GAC ITEM, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT, UM, WE WE'RE NOT ON THAT. DID I STIR IT UP? ALL RIGHT. RETRACT, RETRACT. YOU CAN GET THAT BACK TOO. LIKE MEREDITH? YEAH. OKAY. SORRY. OH, NUMBER TWO SQUARE. OKAY, I GOT IT. OKAY, NEXT. NUMBER ONE WAS DONE EARLY UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY. NUMBER ONE WAS DONE EARLIER. NUMBER TWO WAS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE ACCEPT WORD CATEGORY. NUMBERS THREE AND FIVE WERE REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. WE VOTED ON NUMBER FOUR UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BS CATEGORY. I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS. MY MOM IS SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE, SO I DON'T WANNA MESS UP. GRANDMA, SECRETARY. ACKNOWLEDGE FROM THERE SHE IS. SHE JUST CELEBRATED HER BIRTHDAY NOT TOO LONG AGO. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGAIN. YOU KNOW, GOOD TO SEE YOU. OKAY, WELL, PAT, GO AHEAD ON. YOU SHOULD BE NERVOUS. UNDER , UNDER , UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TRIBULATION OF BID CATEGORY ITEMS REMOVED, SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT 13 THROUGH 16. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS 9, 10, 11, 12, AND 17. CASTEX TATUM MOVED. SECOND ROBINSON HAS BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND IN DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF POST GRANTED UNDER THE RESOLUTION CATEGORY. ITEM 18 HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEVERAL CONSIDERATION UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY. ITEMS 21 HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED AND WILL BE CONSIDERED IF IT IS RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING. ITEM 28 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEVERAL CONSIDERATION ARE 19 20, 22, AND 26. THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 19, 20, 22, AND 26. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE. DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED [03:50:04] ITEMS. [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] REMOVE, ACCEPT CONSIDERATION. ITEM TWO NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX SAY A MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON REMOVED. SECOND ITEM TWO. COUNCILMAN CAMAN ON ITEM TWO. ALL RIGHT, NOW WE'RE BACK. UM, I JUST WANTED TO RAISE MAYOR I, I SUPPORT THIS ITEM. I CONTINUE TO BE CONCERNED AS WE SIT AND I THINK CHAIR ROBINSON IS DOING A GREAT JOB. I SAY CHAIR OF TPC, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF INVOLVED AND THE STAFF OF HGA INVOLVED ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB. AND THE DISPARITY CONTINUES IN TERMS OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT HOUSTON, AS OUR SIZE IS BRINGING IN FOR HGA VERSUS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE RECEIVE FROM HGAC FOR SPENDING. UH, SO WHILE WE CONTINUE TO PAY THESE MEMBERSHIP FEES AND ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE, I JUST WANNA ELEVATE THE ISSUE, UM, ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE CHALLENGES AND THE DISPARITY THAT WE'RE SEEING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO, AS COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN WAS SO INVOLVED, UM, IN THE FLOOD MITIGATION DOLLARS, THOSE HARVEY DOLLARS AND WHAT THE CITY IS GETTING. UH, VERY, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON, UH, AFTER THE VOTE MAYOR. OKAY. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER. ASH. YOU KNOW, I GUESS MY QUESTION THEN IS, SO WHY ARE WE SUPPORTING THEM IF THEY'RE NOT SUPPORTING US? YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW I FELT WHEN I SEEN THIS. AND, UM, UH, DO, DO WE GET THE BENEFIT? MAYOR, DO YOU FEEL LIKE WE GET THE BENEFIT THAT, THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY PAYING IN FROM, FROM HGC? ARE THEY IGNORING US? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I'M SURE YOU WERE IN THE LEGISLATURE WHEN ALL THIS WAS CREATED. WELL, WE, UM, WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO CREATE A MORE, UH, ENCOURAGE A MORE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION. UM, WE ARE CONTINUING TO SHOW THAT, UH, WE ARE PART OF THE REGION AND WE WANT TO BE A PARTNER IN THIS ECOSYSTEM. UM, AND I WILL AGREE, UH, THAT ON BALANCE, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY ARE USED TO DRAW DOWN THE BIG DOLLARS. UH, BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY OUT OF HG, YOU DON'T DRAW DOWN THE BIG DOLLARS. UH, SO WE ARE BEING USED TO DRAW DOWN THE BIG DOLLARS. UH, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO HGA MAKING THE DISTRIBUTION, UH, WE ARE HAVING TO FIGHT HARD JUST TO GET A MUCH SMALLER PROPORTIONAL SHARE. UM, LOOK, I, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE IN COLLABORATION AND I BELIEVE IN WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM. AND SO WE HAVE CONTINUED TO BE MEMBERS, UH, WITH THE HOPE THAT, UH, AT SOME POINT THE LIGHT WILL TURN ON AND THERE WILL BE, UH, EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION AT SOME POINT. UH, I THINK HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY WILL SIT DOWN COLLABORATIVE, YOU KNOW, TOGETHER AND DECIDE WHAT IS THE, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO, TO MOVE FORWARD. UM, BUT WE ARE IN THERE WITH, YOU KNOW, FORT BEND AND, UH, MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND, UM, UM, ALL OF THESE SURROUNDING AREAS. UM, AND YOU NEVER WANT TO NECESSARILY COME ACROSS AS BEING THE, THE BIG PERSON IN THE ROOM AND DA DA, DA DA. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU DON'T WANT TO BE USED TO GET THE DOLLARS. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE DISTRIBUTION, YOU ARE ALWAYS ON THE SHORT END. SO THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT WE ARE ELEVATING IN A PUBLIC WAY, AND HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE SOME CHANGES. AND IF NOT, UH, THEN HARRIS COUNTY AND HOUSTON WILL HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT THE NEXT STEPS WILL BE. WELL, MAYOR, YOU KNOW, UH, AND I'D LIKE TO RECLAIM JUST A LITTLE BIT OF MY TIME, THE WAY THAT THE, THAT IT'S STRUCTURED AND THE WAY WE HAVE TERM LIMITS, UH, WE CAN NEVER BE, UH, THE DRIVING FORCE INSIDE OF IT. SO, UH, AND I'M SURE THAT WAS DONE IN THE LEGISLATURE YEARS AGO. SOMEHOW ALL THAT GOT PUT TOGETHER. SO IT, IT, IT WORKS AGAINST US EVEN, ESPECIALLY WITH THREE, TWO YEAR TERMS VERSUS TWO FOUR YEAR TERMS. YEAH, I, I AGREE. IT PUTS US AT A DISADVANTAGE. AND, AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, UM, I KNOW WHEN I CAME IN, I PUT MEMBERS ON HCA WHO WERE COMING IN FOR THE FIRST, IN THEIR FIRST TERM. THAT'S RIGHT. UH, SO THAT THEY COULD BUILD UP AND HAVE SOME, UH, SENIORITY, SO TO SPEAK, AND THERE WOULD BE SOME CONTINUITY INSTEAD OF ONE YEAR OVER AN EIGHT YEAR PERIOD. UH, AND I THINK THAT HAS, UH, PROVIDED SOME, SOME HELP. BUT THE WAY IT IS STRUCTURED FROM A NUMERICAL POINT OF VIEW, UH, HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY, UM, KIND OF GETS OUT VOTED. UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT INEQUITY AT SOME [03:55:01] POINT WOULD HAVE TO BE, WILL HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED. NOW, WHAT'S THE MOST CONSTRUCTIVE WAY OF DOING THAT? I THINK THE JURY IS STILL OUT, BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY ELEVATING OUR CONCERNS AND HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY, UH, HGA AS A WHOLE, WE'LL RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY IN THE, IN THE ORGANIZATION, AND WE'LL MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. AND THAT'S WHY I MADE THESE STATEMENTS. MAYBE THAT WILL ELEVATE IT. THANK YOU. YEAH. YEAH. UH, VICE MAYOR TIM CASTEK. TATUM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, I ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF THE, UM, DISTRIBUTIONS, BUT I DID WANT TO AMPLIFY, UM, SOME OF THE WORK THAT HGAC, UH, DID SPECIFICALLY IN DISTRICT K WITH, UM, THE INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS ON US 90, UM, THAT WAS SPONSORED BY T DOT, THE BRAY OAKS MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, LIVABLE CENTER STUDY, UM, THE SOUTH POST OAK RECYCLING CENTER TRAININGS, WESTBURY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD WORKSHOP TRAINING. SO I THINK WE GET A LOT OF SOFT, UM, SERVICES FROM HGAC THAT ARE, ARE BENEFICIAL TO OUR COMMUNITIES. BUT, UM, I THINK THE COOPERATIVE PURCHASING IS ALSO VERY BENEFICIAL TO US AND REASON FOR US, A GOOD REASON FOR US TO MAINTAIN THIS COLLABORATION. BUT WE HAVE TO DO, UM, A BETTER JOB AS OUR REPRESENTATIVES, UM, WITH MAINTAINING THAT TENURE AND, AND REALLY BEING ACTIVE ON, ON THAT BOARD SO THAT WE CAN PULL THAT MONEY INTO, UM, HARRIS COUNTY. UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THEY DO A GOOD JOB WITH THE TRAINING AND THE STUDIES AND, AND WE GET THOSE, THOSE SOFT, THOSE SOFT DOLLARS. UM, BUT WE NEED TO ADVOCATE FOR, UH, BIGGER DOLLARS FOR THOSE SUBSTANTIAL PROJECTS TOO. AND WE, WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO WORK TO BUILD, UH, POSITIVE, MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS. UM, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE TO SEE THE VALUE. UM, AND THEN WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF, OF, AND RESPECTFUL OF WHERE THEY ARE. SO, BUT I AGREE. UM, I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE IT, IT IS WITHOUT VALUE. THERE IS VALUE. UM, I THINK IT'S, I THINK THE BIG ISSUE FOR ME IS JUST A, A, A RELATIONSHIP WHERE THERE'S AN EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCO, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND GREAT DISCUSSION COLLEAGUES. OF COURSE. YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN FOREFRONT AND, AND, UH, I, I WILL SAY THAT I JUST, UH, YOU'RE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KUBA, YOU SAID THAT WE REALLY AREN'T BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE A, A DENT IN IT. I THINK AS COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON IS CHAIR OF THE, THE MPO, THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY COUNCIL, HE'S, HE'S LEADING THAT GROUP. AND I WAS JUST ELECTED, I DIDN'T EVEN THINK THEY LIKED ME, MAYOR, BUT THEY JUST ELECTED ME CHAIR ELECT TO HOUSTON, GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL, BECAUSE I MADE SUCH FUSS OVER THE FLOOD MONEY. UM, THE, THE, SO WE ARE TRYING HARD TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT WITHIN THE EXISTING SYSTEM. MOST OF THE MONEY OVER THE $400 MILLION THAT THE, THAT HGAC GETS IS, IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. MM-HMM . THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE BIG MONEY. AND THAT WHEN WE HAD, UM, WHEN A LOT OF THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT PROPORTIONAL AND EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION CAME UP, THERE WAS A BOARD COMPOSITION COMMITTEE CREATED AT HGAC, AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND I SAT ON THAT COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT POSSIBLY CHANGING THE BOARD COMPOSITION, MAKE IT MORE PROPORTIONAL TO POPULATION. AND, AND, AND OF COURSE, AS THE NATURE OF HVAC IS, WE WERE OUT VOTED ON THE COMMITTEE ITSELF. SO THEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM. BUT DURING THE DISCUSSION OF, OF THE BOARD COMPOSITION, THERE WAS A, I I REQUESTED A SERVICE ANALYSIS OF, OF ALL THE MONIES THAT COME AND, AND IT, AND THE MONIES, THE BULK OF THE MONIES THAT DO COME THROUGH, BOTH ON THE TRANSPORTATION SIDE AND ON THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HGAC ARE DISTRIBUTED PROPORTIONALLY. I MEAN, WE DO GET MONIES PROPORTIONATE TO OUR POPULATION. THIS HAS COME TO A HEAD, AND, AND LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, THIS HAS ELEVATED TO, TO OUTSIDE, UM, ORGANIZATIONS OUT THE PUBLIC. THIS DISCUSSION HAS ELEVATED, UH, ABOUT BOARD COMPOSITION BECAUSE OF THE FLOOD MITIGATION MONEY AND SOME OF THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES THAT HAVE ARISEN ALONG I FOUR, UM, THE N-H-H-I-P. SO, UH, I THINK THAT THIS IS A PEOPLE BUSINESS, JUST LIKE THE BUSINESS. WE'RE ALL IN, HDAC IS A PEOPLE BUSINESS. YOU HAVE TO GET TO KNOW OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS AND, AND, AND REALLY PULL TOGETHER AS A REGION. WE'RE WORKING IT AS HARD AS WE CAN. UM, KNOWING THAT, UH, THE IMPORTANCE OF, OF, UM, BEING THE BIG, YOU KNOW, PLAYER IN THE ROOM AND PLAYERS AND, AND JOINED WITH, WITH, WITH THAT, UM, THE COUNTY AND A LOT OF FORT, YOU KNOW, OTHER, OTHER ENTITIES. [04:00:01] SO WHAT I'LL SAY IS, IS MEMBERSHIP IN THESE, OR IF YOU'RE ON A BOARD OF THESE, AND, UH, IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY COMES AND SHOWS UP EVERY SINGLE TIME. YOU CAN'T MISS THESE MEETINGS. WE CANNOT MISS THESE MEETINGS. THE COUNTY REPS CAN'T MISS 'EM. WE CAN'T MISS THEM BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO MAKE A BOARD COMPOSITION ARGUMENT IF THE, IF, IF PEOPLE AREN'T THERE. SO, UH, AND IT'S, I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR CITY, JUST I'M SPEAKING FOR COUNT. I I, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO COME TO GET YOUR VOICE AT THE TABLE, BUT WE ARE, WE ARE, UH, THE, THE LARGER, YOU KNOW, WE'RE 60% OF THE POPULATION AND 20% OF THE BOARD COMPOSITION. SO IT, IT, THERE IS A, THERE IS AN ISSUE THERE, WHICH, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID IS BEING ELEVATED, BUT WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN THERE, AND WE'RE GONNA KEEP WORKING AT IT. THANK YOU. YEAH. AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE, ON BEING CHERRY LACKED, YOU KNOW, UM, COUNCILMAN KAON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST TO ADD TO VICE MAYOR PRO TEMS COMMENT, YOU KNOW, MY COMMENTS AS COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, YOU POINTED OUT, RELATE TO THE DISPARITY WITH FLOOD MITIGATION DOLLARS IN SOME OF THESE BIGGER CHUNKS. COUNCIL MEMBER KUBOSH, JUST FOR YOUR AWARENESS THOUGH, UH, AND WE HAD BEFORE COUNCIL A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR GRANT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO LEVERAGE FOR DURHAM SHEPHERD THROUGH HGAC, THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETE THAT CORRIDOR, BUT FOR THOSE DOLLARS. SO I THINK THAT THE CITY IS DOING A TERRIFIC JOB THROUGH NOT ONLY COUNCIL REP, UH, REPRESENTATION, BUT STAFF REPRESENTATION IN HARNESSING ALL OF OUR ABILITY AND RELATIONSHIPS TO BRING DOWN THOSE DOLLARS. AND WE'RE WORKING AT IT. UH, BUT AGAIN, MAYOR, UH, THERE IS CERTAINLY MORE WORK TO DO, AND THAT'S NOT A REFLECTION ON H G'S STAFF, JUST THE DYNAMICS IN WHICH HA AS A POLITICAL ENTITY OPERATES. OKAY. ALRIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU, MISS I, I'LL, YOU KNOW, I'LL FREQUENTLY SAY IT IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. EACH SIDE HAS TO SEE VALUE IN EACH, EACH ONE, AND IT'S ABOUT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND, UM, AND WORKING IN THEM. I MEAN, YOU JUST HAVE TO, YOU JUST HAVE TO WORK THEM. UM, SO, UM, I KNOW WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE LEGISLATURE, WHETHER YOU'RE AT THE CITY, HG IN ANY ORGANIZATION, YOU JUST HAVE TO, TO WORK IT. WHAT YOU CAN DO IS THAT YOU JUST CAN'T GO TO YOUR SEPARATE CORNERS. YEAH. MM-HMM . AND, AND FIRE. SO, SO YOU HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO BREAK THE ICE. UH, I WILL SAY THAT, UH, HG UM, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THE NEW AND THE CHAIR CURRENT, THE CHAIR HAVE BOTH BEEN IN MY OFFICE SITTING DOWN TALKING WITH ME. IT WAS VERY FRUITFUL, PRODUCTIVE, UH, RELATIONSHIP. AND SO THAT HAS BEEN, THAT HAS BEEN POSITIVE. SO THERE'S VALUE IN, IN THE UNION, AND NOW WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE THE UNION WORK FOR ALL OF US. OKAY. UH, BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, WE NEED TO HAVE THE STRONGEST REGION ANYWHERE. AND THAT CAN ONLY BE WHEN WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER. ALRIGHT. I THINK WE DID, WE, WE DID NOT VOTE YET, DID WE NOT? OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM TWO? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OPPOSED GRANTING ON ITEM TWO NOW ROBINSON, NOW COUNCILMAN ROBINSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I THINK, WELL, YOU KNOW, THE COMMENTS HAVE REALLY SUMMED UP MOST OF WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS ABOUT BUILDING COALITIONS. IT IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HELPING OUR NEIGHBORS. UM, MAYOR, I'VE LIKE TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT THE FLOOD, BUT IT'S THE TIDE THAT IS NEEDS TO RISE ALL THE BOATS TOGETHER. AND AS YOU JUST MENTIONED, IT IS, I THINK LIKE UNTO THE LEGISLATURE, IT IS LIKE, I THINK, UH, BEING AN AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, YOU GET TO HELP ALL THE DISTRICTS, OR AT LEAST THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE COLLABORATIVE NATURE OF THE MPO AND THE COG IN 13 COUNTIES FOR THE PLANNING REGION AND EIGHT FOR THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY COUNCIL. AND LAST FRIDAY, I WAS REELECTED FOR THIS LAST YEAR THAT WE WILL SERVE TOGETHER, MAYOR. AND AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S TONS OF THINGS GOING ON THAT REQUIRE THE COLLABORATION OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITH OUR PARTNERS. AND THAT GOES IN THE TRANSPORTATION CATEGORY WITH THE EIGHT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE EIGHT COUNTIES. AND I WANT TO COMMEND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN FOR HER GREAT WORK. GETTING TO CHAIR, UM, THE HGAC BOARD IN A COUPLE OF TERMS IS REALLY GONNA BE A BIG DEAL FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SHE HAS DONE HER HOMEWORK, NOT JUST AS AN AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT SHE AND I HAVE REALLY MADE A COMMITMENT TO GET OUT TO THE COUNTIES TO ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS AND GO TO TALK ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS WHEN THEY NEED IT WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE ARE THE BIG, UH, UH, PERSON AT THE TABLE OR NOT, I THINK REALLY DEPENDS HOW YOU CARRY THAT WEIGHT. AND IF YOU CAN DO IT WITH THE THOUGHTS AND, AND, UH, CONSIDERATIONS OF ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS, [04:05:01] WE DO IT BETTER. MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE JUST ONE POINT OF PRIVILEGE. RICK GUERRERO IS IN THE AUDIENCE. RICK, IF YOU COULD RAISE YOUR HAND. RICK IS, UH, WITH HJAC. HE'S HERE THIS MORNING, NO DOUBT TO SEE HOW THAT VOTE JUST WENT. HE'S ALSO OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN FOR THE TPC AND WHERE I WOULD BE WITHOUT THIS MAN, I'M NOT SURE WHERE, BUT WE, UH, DO NEED TO KEEP, UH, TRACK OF HOW THE MEETINGS GO. AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, THERE'S 27 OR SO VOTES, I THINK ON A GOOD DAY WITH THE SUN IN THEIR EYES, THE WIND AT OUR BACK AND GOING DOWNHILL. WE'VE GOT 12 OR MAYBE 13 OF THOSE, UH, 27 VOTES. SO TO THE POINT THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO SHOW UP, AND I'M NOT GONNA NAME NAMES NOW, BUT, UH, OUR ALLIES AND FRIENDS, UM, WE, WE DO COUNT VOTES AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY TO BE THERE. SO ALL HANDS ON DECK AS THE TIDE RISES FOR THE REGION IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE ARE WELCOME. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT ITEM. ITEM THREE NEEDS A MOTION CAST. NEXT ITEM, MOVE SECOND, ROBINSON ON ITEM THREE. COUNCILMAN MAGO ON ITEM THREE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. FIRST OF ALL, AGAIN, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THIS PROJECT. THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, BEEN LONG OVERDUE. UH, IN REGARDS TO, I KNOW THAT A FEW YEARS AGO WE HAD A LENGTHY DISCUSSION, UH, IN REGARDS TO TACKLING THIS PROJECT. I MEAN, WE WERE HAVING RESIDENTS, UH, HOUSTONIANS COMING IN, UH, YOU KNOW, COMPLAINING ABOUT THE, UH, THE, THE, UH, THE DISREPAIR OF THE SIDEWALKS, UH, HERE AROUND CITY HALL. UM, AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH DISABILITIES. OF COURSE, THEY WERE REALLY HAVING ISSUES. UH, THIS, AGAIN, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING FOR SOME TIME. GOOD TO SEE THAT IT'S, UH, UH, THIS IS THE FINAL CONTRACT, THE PAYMENT FOR THE FINAL CONTRACT. UH, WE NOW HAVE A BEAUTIFUL, UH, AREA AROUND HERMAN SQUARE THERE, UH, REGARDING THE SIDEWALKS. AND GOOD TO SEE THAT, UH, WE'VE KEPT THE TREE CANOPY. YES. UH, AND OF COURSE, UM, THE IMPROVEMENTS ON THE LIGHTING AROUND, UH, THE, UH, THE SQUARE AS WELL. SO I KNOW THIS PAST, UH, CELEBRATION FOR THE LIGHTING OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT WAS, IT JUST LOOKED REALLY NICE, REALLY NICE FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS TO ENJOY. SO, UH, GLAD THAT THIS IS, UH, FINALLY TAKEN CARE OF. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU, MAYOR. YEAH, THANK YOU ENEMY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOU KNOW, ON IT. YOU WERE VERY VOCAL ON IT, SO THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM THREE, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR, OPPOSED GRANTED ON THREE ITEM FIVE NEEDS A MOTION, CASTEX, TA MOVE SECOND, ROBINSON. UH, WE ON ITEM FIVE, DISCUSSION ON ITEM OH FIVE, DISCUSSION ON FIVE DISCUSSIONS IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED ON 9 0 5. ITEM SIX NEEDS A MOTION AND SIX, TATUM MOVED SECOND. ROBINSON MOVED IN, SECONDED ON ITEM SIX, DISCUSSION ON SIX DISCUSSION. THOSE COUNCILMAN AFTER DISCUSSION ON ITEM SIX, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OPPOSED GRANTED ON ITEM SIX. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON ON ITEM SIX. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU MAYOR. I KNOW I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ITEM. UM, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR, YOU KNOW, JUST GETTING THIS ON THE AGENDA. I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR WILLIAMS AND JUST EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH, UH, MY OFFICE AND INCREDIBLE MESSENGERS TO GET OUR PEOPLE CHA TRAINED. YOU KNOW, UM, THIS IS A, A IMPORTANT INVESTMENT INVESTING IN OUR YOUTH. UM, AND NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, UM, HELP THE YOUTH, BUT IT MAKES OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE, INVESTING IN THESE CREDIBLE MESSENGERS. AND SO, UM, JUST AND GIVING INDIVIDUALS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE AND OPPORTUNITY TO USE THEIR EXPERIENCE TO HELP CHANGE THE LIVES OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THAT'S ON THAT TRACK. UM, THAT, THAT THEY WERE ON, AS YOU SAW YESTERDAY, THE CREDIBLE MESSENGERS WHO CAME IN AND SPOKE. THEY'RE AMAZING YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN AND THEY'RE DEDICATED AND COMMITTED, UM, TO MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY DO WE MAKE THIS, UM, CITY SAFE, BUT THEY DON'T WANT OTHER YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, UM, EXPERIENCING AND GOING THROUGH EXPERIENCING WHAT THEY EXPERIENCING AND GETTING CAUGHT UP, UM, IN THE SYSTEM. AND AS YOU KNOW, CREDIBLE MESSENGERS, THEY BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, HELP IMPROVE, UM, THE OUTCOMES FOR YOUTH. THEY, THEY ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET INVOLVED WITH PROGRAMS THAT'S AVAILABLE. A LOT OF TIMES THE YOUTH DON'T KNOW THAT THESE PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE OR THEIR FAMILIES DON'T KNOW. AND SO THEY IMPROVE THAT AS WELL AS, UM, PREVENT REAL REST. AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT EXPANDING THIS PROJECT. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE RFP THAT'S GONNA BE COMING OUT WHERE WE CAN REALLY GET THEM, UM, MOVING, UM, IN THE CITY. AGAIN, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR YOUR COMMITMENT PARTNERSHIP. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO AND CONTINUING THIS [04:10:01] WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LET ME THANK YOU FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE WORK AND YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS EFFORT. I WILL TELL YOU, THIS IS AN EPO BECAUSE AS THEY FINALIZED THIS MEASURE IN, IN, UM, IN PROCUREMENT, UM, THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR FOR, TO GET THIS BALL ROLLING. AND AS WE HAVE, UM, UM, PUT MORE DOLLARS, FOR EXAMPLE, INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE SAME, WE WANNA ALSO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNITY AND PARTICIPATION. AND, AND WHAT WE HEARD YESTERDAY FROM, FROM THOSE SPEAKERS, UM, I THINK TELLS THE, TELLS THE STORY THEY ARE READY TO GO OUT AND ASSIST. SO AS IS COMMUNITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT WORKING TOGETHER AND NOT WORKING IN ARTS ONE ANOTHER, AND WE NEED EFFECTIVE, IMPACTFUL MESSENGERS OUT THERE WHO CAN RELATE, UM, TO, TO THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. SO, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, AND LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING THE REMAINING ITEM, UH, ONCE IT HAS MADE ITS WAY THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. OKAY, SO, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, UH, NEXT ITEM, ITEM SEVEN IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. I'LL BE ON ITEM SEVEN. DISCUSSION ON SEVEN. DISCUSSION ON SEVEN. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR. OPPOSED? GRAND ON SEVEN. ITEM EIGHT IS AN OR IS A MOTION? NEEDS A MOTION CAST. STATE A MOVE. SECOND. ROBINSON MOVED. AND SECOND ON ITEM EIGHT. DISCUSSION ON EIGHT. DISCUSSION ON EIGHT. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED, CERTAINLY. COUNCIL MEMBER KASH MICROPHONE. WE RECEIVED A, UH, REPORT ABOUT TWO OR THREE WEEKS AGO FROM, UH, UM, FROM PUBLIC WORKS THAT, THAT WE HAD ABOUT 780, UH, LEAKS. AND WHEN I GET CALLS, UH, FROM PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY HAVE A LEAK, YOU KNOW, UH, SOMETIMES THEY SAY IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR WEEKS. AND, UM, UH, I ASK 'EM HOW LARGE IT IS AND, AND THEN WHEN I TELL 'EM HOW MANY LEAKS WE HAVE GOING ON, THEY'RE, THEY'RE STUNNED. UH, WHEN 16% OF OUR WATER IS THAT WE'RE PURIFYING IS NOT MAKING IT TO THE END USER. UM, SO CAN, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR PUBLIC WORKS TO SEND US MAYBE A WEEKLY, UH, OR EVEN A MONTHLY STATEMENT ON YEAH, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF LEAKS, UH, AND WHAT PERCENTAGE ARE WE NOT GETTING TO THE END USER? AND I THINK WE, WE NEED TO TAKE SOME, AND I KNOW WE, WE'VE HIRED SOME OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS TO HELP PUBLIC WORKS, BUT WE, WE'VE GOTTA PLUG THESE LEAKS BECAUSE WE'RE THE, IT, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT WE'RE LOSING SO MUCH WATER. WELL, THERE, THERE ARE THREE ITEMS THAT WE WILL SOON BE GETTING TO 14, 15, 16 THAT DEAL WITH THESE OUTSIDE VENDORS THAT WE ARE USING TO CLOSE THE, TO CLOSE THE LEAKS. ON AVERAGE, WE HAVE ABOUT 400 LEAKS, UH, A DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT ARE ACTIVE, THAT ARE ACTIVE, UM, AFTER THE WINTER STORM OR THE KIND OF LEADING UP TO THE WINTER STORM. CERTAINLY AFTER THE WINTER STORM IN DECEMBER, UH, THAT NUMBER SHOT UP AGAIN TO OVER 900. I REMEMBER. YEAH. AND SO, UM, WE ARE UTILIZING OUTSIDE VENDORS AND WE ARE PAYING, YOU KNOW, QUITE A BIT TO THESE OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS ALONG WITH OUR OWN INTERNAL CREW TO BRING THOSE NUMBERS TO THOSE NUMBERS DOWN. AND THEY PRIORITIZE THE LEAKS BASED ON HOW MUCH WATER IS BEING PUT OUT. AND SO, YEAH, THERE MAY BE SOME THAT MAY BE GOING ON FOR, LET'S SAY FOR TWO OR THREE WEEKS. SO THEY PRIORITIZE, BUT THEY SAY IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SEE THE, THE LEAKS, UH, THE WATER MAIN BREAKS, PLEASE REPORT THEM AND THEN WE ASSESS THEM. BUT WE ARE PAYING QUITE A BIT THE INFRASTRUCTURE UNDERGROUND SHIFTS. SO WHEN THERE'S DROUGHT CONDITIONS THAT WE HAD LIKE LAST SUNDAY, LAST SUNDAY, LAST SUMMER, LAST SUMMER, THE GROUND WILL SHIFT. AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE THESE COLD SPELLS LIKE WE HAD IN DECEMBER, THE GROUND SHIFTS AGAIN, AND THEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE UNDERNEATH SHIPS. SO WHAT WE ARE DOING ON TWO MAJOR FRONTS, UH, EVEN AS WASTE RELATES TO OUR, UH, WATER PURIFICATION SYSTEM AS WELL AS TO THESE MAIN LEAGUES, AS WE ARE LOOKING AT, TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A MAJOR GRANT REQUEST, UH, TO PULL DOWN FEDERAL DOLLARS TO ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. UH, BUT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF WATER MAIN LEAKS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UNFORTUNATELY. UM, OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, DID WE VOTE? YEAH, WE VOTED ON THAT. YES, SIR. NEXT ITEM, ITEM 13 IS AN ORDINANCE. I MEAN, IT NEEDS A MOTION. SORRY, CAST X TATUM, MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON MOVED IN SECOND ON ITEM 13. DISCUSSION ON 13. DISCUSSION ON 13TH. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR. OPPOSED GRANTED ON 13. ITEM 14 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX STATE A MOVE. SECOND. ROBINSON MOVED IN, SECONDED ON 14. DISCUSSION ON 14TH, DISCUSSION ON 14TH IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED. AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ITEMS FOR THOSE FOR THAT OUTSIDE BEND DOOR [04:15:01] TO ADDRESS THE WATER MAIN LEAK AS WELL AS THE NEXT TWO. NEXT ITEM. ITEM 15 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TAYLOR, MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON MOVED IN SECOND IN ITEM 15. DISCUSSION ON 15 IN FAVOR OF POST GRANTED ON 15. ITEM 16 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATEM MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON MOVED IN SECOND ON ITEM 16, DISCUSSION ON 16 IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED ON 16. ITEM 18, THIS RESOLUTION TO THE VOTE. WE ARE ON ITEM 18, DISCUSSION ON 18. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS ON 18. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COLLEAGUES. SO I SQUARED THIS ITEM ONE TO JUST REALLY HIGHLIGHT. I HAD A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION WITH, I BELIEVE IT'S THE OWNER AND HIS COLLEAGUE ON MONDAY. AND, UM, WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT THIS IS THEIR CORE BUSINESS AND WE KNOW THAT, UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL DISTRESSED PROPERTIES IN THE CITY THAT WE'VE HAD ISSUES WITH PROBABLY OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS, AND IT'S BEEN A PRIORITY. AND MAYOR, YOU'VE CREATED A STRIKE TEAM JUST TO FOCUS ON THAT. SO I WAS EXCITED THAT THIS WAS THEIR CORE BUSINESS AND THEY'RE ALREADY MASTERS IN THIS WORK, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY'RE DOING THIS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO MODEL WHAT TO COME IN OTHER DISTRICTS. SO I WANTED TO SAY THAT. AND THEN SECONDLY, UM, WHEN, AS A SUGGESTION, WHEN THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, UH, RECOMMENDS BOND DEALS, WHEN WE DO, UM, UH, GLO RELATED ACQUISITIONS AND TRANSFER OF A PROPERTY TO CREATE DETENTION, WE OFTEN HAVE THE TIMELINE ENGAGEMENT PLAN, UM, HOW RESIDENTS ARE COMMUNICATED WITH. SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, I'M ACCUSTOMED TO KNOWING WHAT THAT INTERNAL PLAN IS. IT WILL BE HELPFUL IF THEY ALSO HAVE THE SAME BACKUP. SO WE'RE NOT AGAINST THE WALL HAVING CONVERSATIONS. SO WE CAN KNOW SIMILAR AS WE DO IN OUR BRIEFING WITH OUR OWN MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTIES. AND I THINK THAT WILL JUST BE, IF WE CAN BE CONSISTENT WITH THAT PRACTICE, THAT WILL BE HELPFUL. UM, EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT COPPER TREE, UM, AND THEIR INVESTMENT IN THAT PROPERTY. 'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A HUGE TARGET ISSUE. THANK YOU. GOOD. MAKES GOOD SENSE. WE CAN DO THAT. OKAY. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UM, I ALSO, I'M ALSO EXCITED ABOUT THIS, UM, PROJECT. UM, AS, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I LIVED IN CARPENTRY, UM, BACK IN 91. AND SO IT'S ALL HISTORICALLY BEEN A PRETTY BAD PROP. UM, UM, UM, PROPERTY, UM, THAT'S NEEDED. NEEDS SOME REHABILITATION AND SOME UPGRADING. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT, UM, FAIRFIELD FAIRED HAS COME IN, UM, TO REHAB IT, UM, BUT ALSO IS COMMITTED TO, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, REHABBING, BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LOCAL HIRE. I'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM THAT THEY'RE GONNA ALLOW FOLKS WITHIN THE AREA TO APPLY FOR JOBS TO, UM, TO WORK THERE AS WELL AS INCREASE, UM, OUTREACH, UM, TO THE RESIDENTS, UM, TRANSPARENCY AND OTHER GREAT THINGS. AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, THE TEAM. AND YEAH, JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE OVERALL COMMUNITY BENEFIT, UM, FROM THIS INITIATIVE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST APARTMENT COMPLEX, BUT WE HAVE A SURROUNDING AREA, UM, THAT, UM, THIS, UM, UM, COMPLEX IMPACT. AND SO AGAIN, LOOKING FORWARD TO ONGOING RELATIONSHIPS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND EXCITED ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE. THANKS. THIS PROJECT, VICE MAYOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. FIRST, LET ME, UH, SAY THANK YOU TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON FOR HER ADVOCACY FOR HER CONSTITUENTS. UM, AS A COUNCIL, WE HAVE TALKED TIRELESSLY ABOUT APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT HAVE, UM, PROMISED THINGS TO RESIDENTS THAT HAVE NOT HAPPENED. WE'VE HAD THIS COURTROOM, UM, NOT THIS COURTROOM, THIS CHAMBER FILLED WITH CONSTITUENTS HOLDING SIGNS SAYING THEY NEED HELP, THEY NEED HELP. UM, AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOPE FOR RESIDENTS THAT HAVE HEARD IT ALL BEFORE. UM, I THINK IT WAS EXTREMELY POWERFUL WHEN THE MANAGER WAS HERE YESTERDAY AND SHE SAID THE BIGGEST CONCERN THAT THOSE RESIDENTS HAVE IS THAT THIS REALLY WON'T HAPPEN. UH, AND SO FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT AN ITEM LIKE THIS, UM, IS HOPE FOR THOSE RESIDENTS. UH, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE BRIEFED BY, UH, FAIR STEAD. AND I WILL TELL YOU THE COMMITMENT THAT THEY ARE MAKING TO REHAB THIS PROPERTY AND TO STAY IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL, THEY ARE OWNER OPERATORS. UM, AND I LIKE OWNER OPERATORS. I THINK WE ALL LIKE OWNER OPERATORS, UM, BECAUSE THEY'LL BE AROUND THROUGH THE ACQUISITION, THROUGH THE RENOVATIONS, THROUGH THE REHABS, AND WE KNOW WHO WE CAN REACH OUT TO WHEN IF THINGS GO AWRY. WE HAVE A CONTACT PERSON THAT IS ON THE GROUND HERE AND OPERATING, UH, THEIR FACILITY. SO WE'VE SAID TIME AND TIME AGAIN, EVEN IN HOUSING, UM, COMMITTEE MEETINGS, WE LOVE REHABS. UH, YOU KNOW, WE DID THE REHAB AT BELFORD PLACE IN, IN DISTRICT K, AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT DISPLACED BECAUSE IT'S SO DIFFICULT [04:20:01] FOR US TO FIND ADDITIONAL PLACES FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED THIS TYPE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO BE. IF THOSE PLACES GO AWAY, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU SEE BIG, YOU KNOW, $500,000 TOWN HOMES AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE DISPLACED WITH NOWHERE TO GO. SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, THE GREAT COMMITMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY FAIR STEAD. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, AGAIN, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, THANK YOU FOR RAISING OUR AWARENESS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, THESE PROJECTS. AND TO FAIR STEAD. I'VE GOT ABOUT THREE COMPLEXES IN DISTRICT K THAT ALSO NEED REHABS, AND I WOULD LOVE TO, UM, HAVE A PROJECT LIKE THIS IN MY DISTRICT AS WELL. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN KNOX, PLUG? MM-HMM . THANK YOU, MAYOR. I NEVER DID GET AN ANSWER, A DEFINITIVE ANSWER TO MY QUESTION YESTERDAY REGARDING THE TAX ROLL ISSUE. OH, I FORGOT. I FORGOT. YEAH. UH, DO WE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THAT? I, I APOLOGIZE. COUNCILMAN MAG. I SIMPLY FORGOT. WE WILL GET THAT. UM, CAN WE DELAY THE VOTE TILL I GET THAT ANSWER? YES, WE CAN. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, WHY WE, WE'LL COME BACK TO THIS ITEM. MOTION TO DELAY THE VOTE UNTIL THE END OF THE MEETING. END OF THE AGENDA. END OF THE AGENDA. UH, END OF THE AGENDA. YEAH. MOTION TO DELAY UNTIL THE END OF THE BEEN SECOND. ANY OBJECTION HERE? DONE. OKAY. THANK YOU. WE'LL COME BACK AT IT. MY APOLOGY. OKAY. NEXT ITEM. ITEM 19 IS AN ORDINANCE. NEED A VOTE? ITEM 19. COUNCILMAN MEEGOS ON 19. THANK YOU, MAYOR. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS GREAT PROJECT, UH, THAT WILL ALLOW SET OF JOBS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCORPORATE A RONALD MCDONALD CHILDREN'S HEALTH EDUCATION RICHMOND RESOURCE ROOM AT THE NEW WORKFORCE TRAINING CENTER, WHICH YOU AND I MAYOR. NEXT THURSDAY, ON FEBRUARY 9TH, WE WILL BE THERE TO OFFICIALLY OPEN THE NEW WORKFORCE TRAINING CENTER. THIS, THIS ROOM WILL PROVIDE A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT SO CHILDREN CAN EXPERIENCE PLAY WITH A PURPOSE WHILE THEIR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS ARE RECEIVING CAREER COACHING, JOB READINESS TRAINING, RESUME BUILDING INTERVIEW SKILLS, EMPLOYMENT SERVICES AND PLACEMENT, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES ON SITE AT THE SET OF JOBS. WTC LOCATION. WE ALL KNOW THE COST AND LACK OF CHILD CHILDCARE BRINGS ABOUT BARRIERS THAT A TIMES CAN PROHIBIT ADULTS FROM GAINING IMPORTANT WORKFORCE SKILLS THAT ULTIMATELY PROVIDE MORE FOR THEIR FAMILIES. UH, SO THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT THAT WILL BENEFIT ALL HOUSTONIANS HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 19? DISCUSSION? DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF POST GRAND ON 19? ITEM 20 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST SAY THE VOTE. WE ON ITEM 20, DISCUSSION ON 20. DISCUSSION ON 20 DISCUSSION. IN FAVOR. IN FAVOR. OPPOSED? GRANTED ON 20, COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS ON 20. UM, I KNOW THIS IS A DISTRICT A ITEM IN THE, AND THE PREVIOUS ONE WAS TWO, BUT, BUT BOTH OF THESE, THESE AGENDA ITEMS WILL BENEFIT OUR WHOLE CITY. AND I'M JUST REALLY, REALLY PLEASED TO SEE, UM, THIS MONEY GOING TO, UM, FOR A, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR YOUNG ADULTS, AGING OUTTA FOSTER CARE. WE KNOW THAT, THAT THOSE ARE, THAT'S AN EXTREMELY VULNERABLE POPULATION. SOME OF THEM ARE ALSO YOUNG PARENTS, AND THEY REALLY, THEY REALLY DESPERATELY NEED THIS SUPPORT. SO THIS IS A, THIS IS A, A GREAT, A, A GREAT THING TO BE HAPPENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THIS IS A COUNTY, CITY COLLABORATIVE COUNTY PUTTING IN MOST OF THE MONEY. CITY HOUSTON IS PUTTING IN, UM, I THINK UP TO $5 MILLION OR $5 MILLION ON THIS PROJECT. THEY'RE DOING 20, WE'RE DOING FIVE. YEAH. UH, COUNCILMAN MEGOS ON ITEM 20. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, YES. THIS, THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT, A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, UH, WITH THE FEW 50 UNIT, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, FOR YOUNG ADULTS, AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE. UH, THE, THE, UH, AND, AND, AND THIS IS JUST A, ANOTHER PROJECT, UH, NEARBY IS THE SUNRISE LOFT SMEAR THAT THEY'LL BE DOING RIBBON CUTTING SOON. THAT'S A HANNO, UH, UH, UH, CENTER FOR TA, A PROJECT WHICH IS GONNA BE 89 UNITS. UH, ALSO FOR YOUNG ADULTS AGE, AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE. SO, UM, A A AS YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN THESE, THESE, UH, YOUNG ADULTS ARE AGED OUT OF FOSTER CARE, I MEAN, THEY'RE JUST SENT OUT, UH, WITHOUT ANY TRAINING, UH, WITHOUT ANY SKILLS OR JOB TRAINING. AND, UH, MANY OF THEM END UP LIVING ON THE STREETS AND WHAT HAVE YOU. SO THIS IS SO IMPORTANT, UH, PROUD TO HAVE THESE TWO PROJECTS IN [04:25:01] DISTRICT. AYE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, NEXT ITEM, ITEM 21 HAS BEEN RECEIVED. ITEM 21 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST BE A VOTE BILL. ITEM 21, DISCUSSION ON 21. DISCUSSION ON 21. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF POST GRAND ON 21. ITEM 22 IS AN ORDER. JUST NEED A VOTE ON ITEM 22. DISCUSSION ON 22, DISCUSSION ON 22. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRAND ON 22. ITEM 26 IS AN ORDER. JUST NEED A VOTE. WE ON ITEM 26, DISCUSSION ON 26. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS ON 26. THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT THIS IS ESSENTIALLY AN ADMINISTRATION CHANGE. ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE. IT'S TECHNICAL, BUT I JUST WANNA RAISE THE POINT. WHEN, WHEN, WHEN I INITIALLY SUPPORTED THIS ITEM PART OF THE DISCUSSION, AND I WAS A HUGE PROPONENT OF SPOT SHOTTER BECAUSE WE HAD THE PILOT TEST AND ALL OF THE RESIDENTS WANTED IN DISTRICT F AND THERE WAS DISCUSSION THAT THIS WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO OTHER DISTRICTS, THIS WOULD MOVE AROUND. SO FOR A YEAR, I'VE COLLECTED LOCATIONS CONSISTENTLY ASKING CAN, HOW DO I SUBMIT THIS FOR CONSIDERATION WITHOUT MUCH RESPONSE. UM, AND SO I FEEL LIKE I'M OUT OF INTEGRITY WITH RESIDENTS BECAUSE I'VE PUT IT IN NEWSLETTER, COMMUNICATED AT COMMUNITY POPUPS THAT THIS TECH TECHNOLOGY WE VOTED ON, BUT YET IT'S STILL NOT AVAILABLE, UH, TO, TO THE WEST SIDE. AND I THINK THE ALTERNATIVE IS FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PURCHASE, WE WOULD HAVE TO CONTRACT OUR OWN SIMILAR TO LPR CAMERAS. SO I SUPPORT THE TECHNOLOGY. I'M JUST LOOKING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S EQUITABLE THROUGHOUT. UM, AND I GET IT, IT'S BASED ON CALL FOR SERVICE DISTRICT F OUR CRIME IS DOWN 14%. LIKE, ALL RIGHT, I GET RIGHT, I UNDERSTAND PRIORITIES, BUT JUST IN TERMS OF, UH, THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS COMES BACK AROUND HOW WE CAN, DO I NEED TO DESIGNATE FUNDS TO THIS CONTRACT? OR WHAT'S THE PATHWAY FOR THIS? DON'T YOU, LEMME TALK TO CHIEF NER. I APPRECIATE THAT. I, THERE'S THESE THINGS, THEY'RE TOO, THEY ARE MOBILE, SO, RIGHT. THEY'RE RIGHT. AND NOT FOR, FOR A YEAR. I'VE WORKED WITH HPD. LEMME JUST, OKAY, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE DEALING WITH A FIVE YEAR PERIOD, RIGHT? SO LEMME JUST TALK TO CHIEF. OKAY. THANK YOU. I THINK WE, I THINK WE CAN, CAN ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBER MC CAMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO ALL OF OUR ATTENTION. UM, ADDITIONALLY, MAYOR, UM, I'VE REQUESTED A, UH, UPDATE FROM HPD SIMILAR TO LIKE WE JUST HAD LAST WEEK AS IT RELATES TO SITE AND RELEASE AND HOW OUR PROGRESS IS THERE, WHAT IS THE EFFECTIVENESS? I'VE ASKED FOR A REVIEW AND AN UPDATE ON SHOT SPOTTER AS WELL. SO I HOPE THAT THAT WILL BE AT THE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING FOR FEBRUARY. BUT I WILL KEEP Y'ALL POSTED ON THAT. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE'RE MAKING THESE INVESTMENTS, TRYING NEW THINGS THAT WERE BEING INFORMED ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS SO THAT WE CAN DECIDE AS COUNCIL, UM, HOW TO MOVE FORWARD FOR THE SAFETY. SO AGAIN, MAYOR, I WAS JUST HOPING THAT WE CAN HEAR THAT BEFORE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ITEM 26? JUST ANY OTHER DISCUSSION IN FAVOR? OPPOSED NU SIX. OPPOSED FOR, I'M SORRY, GRANDON 26 SHOW. COUNCILMAN MINOX VOTING NO. AND COUNCILMAN MIN SAID IT'S NOT A PFC PROJECT. IT IS NOT, IT IS NOT. SO WE THAT BACK UP OR WAIT UNTIL THE, YEAH, IT REMAINS ON THE TAX ROLL. OKAY, GREAT. OKAY. OKAY. AND NEXT ITEM, ITEM 39 IS A MOTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE. AND THE HEARING DATE IS FEBRUARY 22ND, 2023. MOVE ROBINSON SECOND AND MOVED AND SECOND ON THE HEARING DATE FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND AT 9:00 AM. DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF POST GRANT. YOU DO ITEM [MATTERS HELD] 40 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. WE ON ITEM 40, DISCUSSION ON 40. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS ON 40. THANK YOU. LAST WEEK I TAGGED THIS ITEM AND I'M GLAD I DID. I HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH MS. GWEN AND, UM, REALLY UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIMING OF THE BUDGET. SO THE, I'M COMPLETELY CLEAR ABOUT THIS BUDGET AND ACTUALLY IT WAS A GOOD CONVERSATION FOR US TO GET PREPARED FOR THEIR NEXT BUDGET AND SOME POSSIBILITIES TO LEVERAGE SOME CAPITAL PROJECTS IN DISTRICT F. SO THIS IS ALL GOOD FOR ME. THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM FIVE 40? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION IN FAVOR? OPPOSE. AND GRANTED, ITEM 41 IS AN ORDINANCE. THIS NEED A VOTE CHAIR. RECOGNIZE THIS MAYOR PRO TIM ON 41 FOR A MOTION. YES MA'AM. I'D LIKE TO REFER ITEM NUMBER 41 BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION. SECOND. ROBINSON. BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF POST GRAND RULE 41. NOW WE CAN GO BACK TO THE OTHER ITEM. THANK YOU. [04:30:01] ITEM 18 IS AN ORDINANCE. YOU NEED A VOTE BILL ON 18. DISCUSSION ON 18. DISCUSSION ON 18 IN FAVOR. OPPOSE GRANTED ON 18. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I BELIEVE CHRIS MANNING IS CHRIS. CHRIS MANNING IS HERE THIS MORNING. MM-HMM . THAT'S CHRIS? MM-HMM . YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY, I'M SET THERE PLEASE. THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. OKAY. THIS MORNING WE WILL START WITH THE PAPA, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX? NO. COUNCIL KNOX. UM, I'LL PASS. I'M READY TO GET TO THE PARTY. OKAY. UM, MAY I PRO TEMP IN THE SPIRIT OF MS. ANNA RUSSELL. I WILL PASS SO WE CAN GET TO THE CELEBRATION AS WELL. AND VICE MAYOR PROAM? WELL, WE HAVE STUFF HAPPENING IN DISTRICT A, SO Y'ALL JUST SIT TIGHT. AND, UH, . THE PARTY'S COMING. SETTLE DOWN. ALL RIGHT, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME JUST SAY HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH. AND I ENCOURAGE, UM, EVERYONE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EVENTS AROUND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, CELEBRATING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS. UH, WE HAD ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SHRED DAY THIS PAST SATURDAY AT RIDGEMONT COMMUNITY CENTER. UH, THANK YOU TO REGGIE LEWIS AND STAFF, UH, HPD SOUTHWEST COMMAND STAFF, THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON STUDENT VOLUNTEERS THAT ALSO HELPED ALONGSIDE OUR RESIDENTS. ON FEBRUARY THE FOURTH AT 9:00 AM WE ARE CELEBRATING THE 37TH ANNUAL ARBOR DAY AT GLENS SHIRE PARK. UH, MAYOR TURNER WILL BE THERE. WE'VE, UM, UH, PLANTED 100 TREES IN GLENS SHIRE PARK. SO THANKS TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGER, KELLY ANDRE SEC AND STAFF FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN PLANTING THESE TREES. UM, AND WE HOPE THAT EVERYONE WILL JOIN US FOR THE ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION ON FEBRUARY THE FOURTH. THIS SATURDAY AT 9:00 AM UM, I'M ALSO A COLLEAGUE, HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES HAS APPOINTED ME TO SERVE AS A MEMBER OF THE NLC TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES COMMITTEE. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR CITIES. UM, YOU MAY HAVE REMEMBERED THAT I TESTIFIED, UM, BEFORE CONGRESS COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE LAST YEAR ON THE LEGISLATION FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE SAFETY. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING MY WORK WITH THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES ON THE TIS COMMITTEE. UH, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO THE SOUTH HOUSTON CONCERNED CITIZENS COALITION. ON THEIR 30TH ANNIVERSARY, UH, WE GAVE OUT SOME GREAT AWARDS TO LARON WILSON, THE ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE HIRE, CLARK FORT BEND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. ELISE COFFEY, WHO IS THE RETIRED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY OUTREACH MANAGER, ALSO RECEIVED AN AWARD AT THE BANQUET. VERY EXCITED FOR HER, UH, NEXT SEASON OF LIFE. AND THEN, UH, VIVIAN HARRIS, THE SOUTH HOUSTON CONCERNS CITIZENS COALITION. ALSO, UM, IF YOU ARE NOT RECEIVING OUR DISTRICT K NEWSLETTER, MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP FOR IT. WE PUT OUT A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION, UM, AND LOVE TO SHARE THAT WITH OUR COMMUNITIES SO THAT THEY CAN REMAIN ENGAGED, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND STAY SAFE. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TIM. UH, THIS PAST WEEK ATTENDED THE, UH, TRIPOLI PARK, UH, DEDICATION RIBBON CUTTING. UH, THIS WILL BE A MANAGED AND PROGRAMMED DOWNTOWN, UH, NEW PARK MANAGED BY THE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. SO THANK YOU TO THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL PARK, UH, WHICH WILL BENEFIT. AND, AND, UH, THE SOUTH DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS WHO CAN PLAY, INTERACT, AND RELAX AND ENJOY THE TASTY DESSERTS AND FOOD, UH, PROVIDED BY TOOT SUITE. IT'S THE NEW BRICK AND MORTAR, UH, RESTAURANT THERE IN THE PARK. UH, THERE'S ALSO A DOG RUN, SO DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS CAN BRING THEIR FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS, UH, TO ENJOY THE NEW BEAUTIFUL PARK, UH, ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF, UH, DOWNTOWN. UH, I ALSO ATTENDED THE, UH, SUNNYSIDE HEALTH AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. UH, CONGRATULATIONS CO COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ AND MAYOR. UH, THE RESIDENTS WERE THRILLED AND PROUD TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY THAT WILL PROVIDE VARIOUS SERVICES, UH, TO A COMPLETE COMMUNITY, UH, THAT HAS BEEN LONG NEGLECTED. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO DIRECTOR BUGS, UH, FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL NEW HEALTH AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTER THERE IN SUNNYSIDE. UM, ALSO ATTENDED THE HOUSTON BOTANIC GARDEN. UH, ENJOYED OPEN THE OPENING RECEPTION OF ARTISTS, STEVE TOBINS, UH, INNER WIND EXPLORING NATURE'S NETWORKS. A MUST SEE, UH, ART INSTALLATION THAT WILL BE ON DISPLAY THROUGHOUT THE BOTANIC GARDEN FOR THE NEXT NINE MONTHS. SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO, TO GO SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK [04:35:01] ON DISPLAY, UH, THERE AT THE HOUSTON BOTANIC GARDEN. I ALSO ATTENDED THE, UH, BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP ANNUAL MEETING AND RECEPTION. THANK YOU TO THE OUTGOING BOARD MEMBERS AND BOARD CHAIR SEAN CLONAN, UH, FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICE WITH THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP BOARD. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, UH, FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE ON THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP BOARD. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND TRANSFORMING THE EAST SECTOR OF BUFFALO BAYOU INTO A BEAUTIFUL, VIBRANT AMENITY FOR HOUSTONIANS AND VISITORS TO ENJOY. I ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE AND INVITE RESIDENTS, UH, TO A PUBLIC MEETING THIS SATURDAY. UH, IT'S BEING HOSTED BY THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. UH, THEY ARE HOSTING THIS PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN. UH, IT'S THIS SATURDAY FEB, FEBRUARY 4TH AT 11:00 AM IT'LL BE HELD AT THE HARTMAN PARK AT 93 11 EAST AVENUE P. AGAIN, THAT'S THIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH AT 11:00 AM AT HARTMAN PARK AT 93 11 EAST AVENUE. P THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON. UM, I JUST WANTED TO ANNOUNCE TOMORROW MORNING'S, UH, TTI COMMITTEE MEETING. IT IS A BRIEF AGENDA. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS FROM THE HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM, ONE ABOUT THE DATA CENTER LEASE AGREEMENT AND THE FISCAL YEAR, UH, 2023. CITYWIDE PC REPLACEMENT IS THE SECOND ITEM ON THE LIST. SO, UH, SHOW UP ON TIME OR YOU MIGHT MISS IT. AND I THINK WITH THAT, DRIVE SAFE, DRIVE FRIENDLY. AND MADAM SECRETARY, HAVE A GREAT DAY. ALWAYS TREAT EVERYBODY ELSE LIKE YOU'D WANT THEM TO TREAT YOU. RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANNA RUSSELL, WE LOVE YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KOSH. WE CERTAINLY MS. ANNA RUSSELL. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DEDICATION THIS MORNING. THANK YOU. MORNING OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER JERRY DAVIS IN THE AU AUDIENCE. GOOD TO SEE YOU JD. COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS. THANK YOU MUCH. UM, WE HAD A TREMENDOUS TIME LAST WEEKEND. MAYOR JOINED MAYOR TURNER. JOINED MYSELF AND A FEW OTHERS AS WE CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE LUNAR NEW YEAR, THE YEAR OF THE CAT FOR OUR VIETNAMESE BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT VIE WALL. UM, I DID NOT GET ANY LUCKY, UM, RED ENVELOPES WITH ANY CASH THIS YEAR, SO I KNOW I GOTTA GET MY BLESSINGS, HUH? THE LA THE LINES WAS SNAPPING AT MY FINGERS AND I WAS, I WAS KIND OF NERVOUS ABOUT THAT. UM, BUT, UH, ALWAYS A GOOD TIME. AND THEN I WANNA CONGRATULATE THE 14 NEW BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNITIES OF HOUSTON AND VICINITIES, UM, ORGANIZATION. UH, THEY ARE A LONGSTANDING COMMUNITY, CIVIC ORGANIZATION IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAD A TIME FRIDAY NIGHT EIGHT COURSE MEAL. IT WAS FANTASTIC AT OCEAN PALACE. AND SO WE'RE ALREADY WORKING TOGETHER FOR PARTNERSHIP FOR THE UPCOMING HEALTH FAIR AND THE E EAF COMMUNITY CENTER IN MARCH. SO EXCITED ABOUT THEIR WORK. UH, AND THEN LASTLY, I WAS ALSO APPOINTED TO A NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITY COMMITTEE, THE COMMUNITY, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, INFLUENCING SOME OF THE FEDERAL POLICIES THAT WE, UM, WILL ADVOCATE FOR FROM CDBG FUNDS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, HUD DOLLARS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO, EXCITING TIMES. THANK YOU MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS. COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY C ALCORN. CHEERS TO ANNA RUSSELL. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, MISS SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK. I PASS DAY COUNCIL MEMBER TASHA JACKSON. UM, I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE CONSTITUENTS TO SIGN UP FOR OUR DISTRICT B NEWSLETTER. UM, EMAIL DISTRICT B@HOUSTONTX.GOV OR CALL US (832) 393-3009. HAVE A BLESSED DAY. COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CA IN. THANK YOU. UH, HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH. UH, WE HAD A GREAT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP MEETING YESTERDAY. UM, DRAINAGE AND OVERDEVELOPMENT WITHOUT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF THE TOP ITEMS OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS ARE RAISING RIGHT NOW. UM, I WANTED TO THANK ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, UH, AND SPOTLIGHT AGAIN AS THE MAYOR DID. UH, THE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR GRANT WE'VE RECEIVED FOR BINETTE AND PARTS OF DISTRICT C. AND LASTLY FOR, UM, RESIDENTS, WE DIDN'T SQUARE IT TODAY, BUT WE DID APPROVE BUDGETS FOR OUR MARKET SQUARE TOURS AND OUR UPPER KIRBY TOURS. AND TWO OF THE PROJECTS THERE INCLUDE, UM, THE MONTROSE BRIDGE AT ALLEN PARKWAY, IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE MARKET SQUARE TOURS IS BRINGING AS WELL AS UPPER KIRBY. UM, MAYOR, THIS IS A BIG DEAL. THE WEST ALABAMA, UH, AGREEMENT TO REMOVE IT FROM THE CIP. UH, WE HAVE THREE TSAS GOING INTO COMPLETELY REHAB AND RECONSTRUCT WEST ALABAMA, UM, ALONG THAT CORRIDOR. SO WE'RE GRATEFUL TO THE TS FOR, UH, MOVING THAT BURDEN OFF OF THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON OTHER PROJECTS. THANK YOU. AND BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, LEMME DO THIS. UM, COUNCIL COUNCILMAN MIN KN, LET ME GO BACK TO THIS, THIS, UM, CARPENTRY, OKAY. 'CAUSE I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR AND VERY, UH, TRANSPARENT [04:40:01] WITH YOU. IT IS NOT A PFC UNDER THE TRADITIONAL ARRANGEMENT, BUT UNDER THE HOUSTON FINANCE CORPORATION, THEY DO HAVE MEASURES THAT KIND OF OPERATE SIMILAR TO. SO THOUGH THEY ARE PAYING TAXES NOW UNDER THIS ARRANGEMENT THAT'S BEING SET UP, THEY WOULD BE TAX EXEMPT. OKAY, WELL I WISH I WOULD'VE DONE THAT. WELL, AND THAT'S, AND, AND LET ME, LET ME APOLOGIZE. LET ME APOLOGIZE. SO, UM, WELL, CAN I CHANGE MY VOTE? YES, YOU CAN. AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO CHANGE? SO LET ME, LET, LET ME APOLOGIZE. SO UNDER THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE HOUSTON FINANCE CORPORATION, OKAY, THEY WOULD BE TAX EXEMPT UNDER THE ARRANGEMENT UNDER THE HOUSTON FINANCE CORPORATION. THE WAY IT IS PUT TOGETHER, 100. SO I, I NEED TO MAKE A MOTION THEN TO RE RECONSIDER ITEM 18. YES, YOU CAN. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER ITEM TO RECONSIDER ANY OBJECTION, CHAIR. IT'S NOT IN THE MOTION IS GRANTED. NOW WE ARE BACK ON ITEM. IS IT 18? 18, SIR? WE ARE NOW BACK ON ITEM BE 18. SO LEMME BE VERY CLEAR. IT'S NOT A PFC, IT'S NOT UNDER THE, IN THE TECHNICAL SENSE, BUT IN THE FINANCING, UM, PACKAGE OF THIS ARRANGEMENT UNDER THE HOUSTON FINANCE CORPORATION, IT DOES RECEIVE A TAX EXEMPTION AND IT WOULD BE TAX EXEMPT. MAY I TALK ON THE SURE. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. SO, UH, I I THINK IT'S A GREAT PROJECT AND I'M, UH, I EXPECT IT WILL PROBABLY PASS. BUT I, I AM ALSO AWARE THAT WE HAVE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS ALLOWED PROPERTIES THAT ARE VALUABLE PROPERTIES TO GET OFF THE TAX ROLL FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT. AND I JUST THINK WE NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT THAT. SO I'LL BE, UH, VOTING AGAINST THIS ISSUE ON THAT ITEM. BUT GENERALLY I SUPPORT THE PROJECT. AND, AND, AND WHAT I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IS THAT IT IS 100% AFFORDABLE, 50%, UH, I THINK, UH, 50%, UH, A MI AT 50%, AND THEN 50% AT 6:00 AM I. BUT COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, CAN YOU CLARIFY THE, UH, TAX EXEMPTION? IS IT THE A HUNDRED PERCENT OR IS IT, UM, IT WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT 4% OF THE OKAY. UNDER THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE HOUSTON FINANCIAL CORPORATION AND THE WAY IT'S SPLIT AWAY, IT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT TAX EXEMPT. UH, VICE MEMBER TIM CASH. TATUM, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT IF THERE IS EVER A PROJECT THAT NEEDS THIS EXEMPTION, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A PROJECT THAT NEEDS THIS EXEMPTION. UM, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS HAVE GOTTEN TAKEN OFF OF THE TAX ROLES THAT WERE VERY VALUABLE. UM, THESE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR HOPE IN THEIR HOUSING OPPORTUNITY. AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHEN, IF IT IS TAKEN OFF THE TAX ROLLS, A COMPANY IS PUTTING IN TWICE AS MUCH AS THE VALUE OF THE TAXES TO MAKE SURE THESE PEOPLE HAVE QUALITY OF LIVING AND A SAFE, CLEAN PLACE TO LIVE. SO I STILL WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THIS. I DO THINK THAT AS WE DO THESE PROJECTS, THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE TAKING OFF THE TAX ROLLS. THAT'S A, A CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE STARTED WITH, UM, UM, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. UH, BUT THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT BECAUSE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS AND WHAT IS HAPPENING FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THESE RESIDENTS WITH THIS PROJECT. AND IN FACT, I'VE OBSTRUCTED MY TEAM ANYTIME ANY OF THESE PROJECTS COME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, THEY WILL INDICATE IN THE RCA WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE TAX EXEMPT OR NOT. AND TO WHAT DEGREE. THANK YOU. FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, MAYOR PER, UM, UH, MAYOR PROAM MARTIN? YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I THINK LAST WEEK WHEN WE FIRST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS PROJECT, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT HOUSTON, HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY. AND I THINK THAT DISCUSSION WAS REVOLVED AROUND, WE DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT. SO WHEN YOU STARTED LOOKING AT THEIR WEBSITE, THERE WERE OVER 30 PROJECTS SIMILAR TO THIS, THAT ARE IN THE QUEUE WITH HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY. AND AT THAT TIME, WE THOUGHT IT MADE SENSE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY TO HAVE THEM COME TO THIS BODY THROUGH A HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETING TO TALK TO US ABOUT THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS. AND I KNOW THAT WE WERE GEAR IN FOR FEBRUARY, SO I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT HOUSTON HOUSING, WE WELCOME YOU TO COME HERE, EXPLAIN THE PROCESS, HOW IT WORKS, INCLUDING THE TAX CREDIT COMPONENT OF IT. AND, UM, IT GIVES US A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ON EACH AND EVERY PROJECT AS IT COMES TO US ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. [04:45:01] SO, THANK YOU. THANK NOW BEAR IN MIND, THIS IS NOT THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY. RIGHT. AND WHAT I'VE DISCOVERED, AND SINCE WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION LAST WEEK, THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS THAT A DEVELOPMENT CAN GET FULLY TAX EXEMPT. HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY IS ONE ENTITY. HOUSTON FINANCE CORPORATION IS ANOTHER ENTITY. AND THEN THE STATE HAS ALLOWED, FOR EXAMPLE, ANOTHER ENTITY. IT COULD BE IN AUSTIN, THEY CAN SELF-IDENTIFY. SO IF A PROJECT COMES IN AND SAYS 51% OF MY PRO OF MY UNITS ARE AFFORDABLE, THEN THEY CAN, THEY QUALIFY WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE HOUSTON HOUSING, WITHOUT GOING THROUGH HOUSTON FINANCE CORPORATION, THEY CAN SELF-IDENTIFY. OKAY. SO THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS THAT THE, THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS ALLOWED PEOPLE TO GET THESE EXEMPTIONS. SO THIS ONE IS HOUSTON FINANCE, OKAY? BUT THEY'RE SAYING IT'S NOT A PFC, BUT THE WAY IT IS BEING PACKAGED, IT QUALIFIES FOR AN EXEMPTION. SO I JUST WANTED TO BE, BE VERY CLEAR. BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, I DO WANT THE HOUSING, WHOEVER IT IS WHEN IT'S PLACED IN GENERAL, TO IDENTIFY WHETHER THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE EXEMPT, TAX EXEMPT OR NOT. WHETHER OR NOT IT'S PFC OR WHATEVER THE MECHANISM IS. ALL OF THAT INFORMATION SHOULD BE ON THE SHEET. SO YOU WILL HAVE UPFRONT AT THE VERY BEGINNING. OKAY. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I TOO WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS, UM, DEAL WAS NOT RECEIVING ANY TAX INCENTIVES. I MEAN, I SUPPORTED A HUNDRED PERCENT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, IS NEEDED WITHIN THE DISTRICT. UM, I DID HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, FAIR STEAD, AND WE HAVE A LETTER HERE THAT THEY COMMITTED TO, YOU KNOW, DO MAINTAIN TRANSPARENCY AND SOME OTHER THINGS. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS LETTER. I MEAN, HAVE IT BINDING. 'CAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S NONE BINDING. UM, THEY HAVE COMMITTED TO COME BACK AND HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS AND CREATE A COMMUNITY BENEFITS. UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S BINDING. YOU KNOW, LIKE RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST A LETTER, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN MY OFFICE AND, UM, THE DEVELOPER. BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE, THEY FOLLOW THROUGH ON THEIR COMMITMENT BECAUSE IT IS A TAX THAT THEY DO GET A TAX CENTER. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN DO THAT. A COUNCIL MEMBER. 'CAUSE THIS IS THE RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT. MM-HMM . THIS PROJECT IS COMING THROUGH THE HOUSTON FINANCE CORPORATION, BUT WE ARE BEING ASKED TO PROVIDE US A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT. SO I'M NOT ABLE TO TAKE YOUR, TAKE THE AGREEMENT AND THEN JUST ATTACH IT TO THE RESOLUTION. I'M NOT ABLE TO DO THAT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER. KOSH MAYOR. THE, UH, THE FACT THAT ALL OF THESE APARTMENTS ARE GONNA BE, UH, REDUCED AND MADE AFFORDABLE. THIS IS GOING TO GREATLY IMPACT, UH, THE CITIZENS, UH, TO KEEP THEM FROM BEING HOMELESS. AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE GO HOMELESS, IT COSTS US A LOT OF MONEY. AND, UH, WE HAVE OTHERS THAT ARE, THAT ARE RECEIVING, UH, TAX CREDITS AND, AND BENEFITS THAT, THAT ARE NOT THAT WE HAVEN'T MONITORED THEM FULLY TO SEE IF THEY'RE ACTUALLY GIVING A, A REDUCED UH, RENT. BUT SINCE THIS ONE IS A HUNDRED PERCENT AND THEY'RE COMING OUT SAYING IT, I HIGHLY SUPPORT IT. AND, UH, I'LL BE VOTING FOR IT. COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND, AND YOUR, UH, YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR GOING BACK AND, AND, AND GETTING US TO ANSWER ON THIS. I I DO THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, FOR US TO KNOW THESE THINGS UPFRONT. UM, I, I THINK THIS IS THE BIGGEST AND MOST CRITICAL ISSUE OF ANY OF THESE, UH, DEVELOPMENTS THAT COME BEFORE US. 'CAUSE WHEN YOU REMOVE SOMEONE FROM THE TAX ROLE, AND OUR PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE ARE PROPERTY TAXES, AND THAT'S HOW WE PROVIDE SERVICES. WE, WE HAVE TO REALLY BE MINDFUL OF, OF THOSE DECISIONS. I DO THINK IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE FOR THIS PARTICULAR COMPLEX, UH, THIS WILL BE A BENEFIT TO THEM AND TO THOSE PEOPLE. AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. UH, BUT AS WE LOOK INTO THE FUTURE BRINGING THESE FORWARD TO US, WE REALLY HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF, UM, THE DECISIONS WE MAKE REGARDING TAKING PROPERTIES OFF THE TAX ROLL. AND I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A BIG TOPIC OF DISCUSSION IN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION. UM, BUT AS A BODY, UM, WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT IN THE LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES THAT COME WITH IT. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, MAYOR. WELL, I'M GONNA ASSURE YOU ON ANY DEAL THAT COMES BEFORE THE CITY, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO AFFECT OUR TAX ROLE OR REMOVING THINGS FROM TAX ROLE, IT WOULD BE IDENTIFIED AND FLAGGED, AND THEN YOU CAN MAKE THE DECISION ACCORDINGLY. SO, OKAY, BUT AGAIN, MY APOLOGY, COUNCILOR OCK FOR THE, FOR THE CONFUSION. COUNCILMAN ME. COUNCILMAN MAGOS. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU. MAYOR SAYS YOU'RE SAYING THAT THIS IS BASICALLY JUST A RESOLUTION. I MEAN, I TOO JOINED, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON IN REGARDS TO, I MEAN, SHE [04:50:01] PROVIDED US WITH A LETTER HERE. BUT, UH, I MEAN, WHAT RECOURSE DO WE HAVE IN THE FUTURE? UH, THOSE THAT ARE GONNA BE HERE ON COUNCIL AT THAT TIME, IF YOU HAVE RESIDENTS COMING IN AT THAT TIME SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEIR APARTMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN RENOVATED, THEIR APARTMENTS ARE NOT UP TO PAR, LIKE THEY WERE TOLD IT WAS GOING TO BE UP TO PAR. I MEAN, W WE DON'T HAVE ANY RECOURSE, I MEAN, AT ALL AS A CITY IN REGARDS TO FORCING THE, UH, DEVELOPER TO ACTUALLY DO WHAT THEY CLAIM THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. WELL, CERTAINLY IT IS. I MEAN, IT'S A PART OF THE RECORD. COUNCILMAN JACKSON THROUGH, UH, EXCELLENT WORK, UH, HAS PROVIDED ALL OF US WITH COPIES OF THE, OF THE, WHAT THEY HAVE AGREED WITH IS IT IS ON THE RECORD. UH, SHE RECITED IT IN PART. UM, I WISH THERE WOULD BE SOME WAY WHERE, YOU KNOW, AND CONGRESSMAN, THEY CAN SAY INCLUDED. UM, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN ATTACH IT TO THE, CAN WE ATTACH IT TO THE MINUTES? WE CAN ATTACH IT TO THE MINUTES. WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT. ATTACH IT TO THE MINUTES SO IT'S RECORDED AND, AND THEN WE'LL ALWAYS BE THERE. AND WE CERTAINLY CAN DO THAT. AND WE, AND WE WILL DO THAT. AND THEY ARE OWNER OPERATORS. YEAH. AND THEY ARE OWNER OPERATORS, UH, HERE. UM, AND IS THIS WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS CHRIS? WHAT'S MANNING, MR. MANNING? MR. MANNING, WHY DON'T YOU COME? WHY DON'T YOU COME UP? CHRIS MANNING. MR. MANNING. THANK YOU. AND WHAT, WHAT, TURN, TURN OFF. WHY DON'T YOU JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE FLOOR. SURE. CHRIS MANNING. I'M VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR FAIR STEAD. OKAY. AND, AND, AND MR. MAN, I'M LOOKING AT, I'M LOOKING AT THIS DOCUMENT THAT, UH, I GUESS IT, IT, IT BEARS YOUR NAME. MM-HMM . UH, COMING, UH, COMING FROM, UH, FARAD. THAT'S CORRECT. UH, IN REFERENCE TO THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL AGREEING THAT YOU ALL WOULD DO, UH, I GUESS DURING THE LIFE OF THIS COMPLEX IS THAT'S CORRECT. UH, AND WHY DON'T YOU TELL US WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THIS DOCUMENTS? SURE. SO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UM, WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS A LETTER STATING THE COMMITMENTS THAT FAIR STEAD, UM, HAS WORKED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, UM, FOR, ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. I, I DON'T HAVE MY COPY OF OF IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THERE ARE PROBABLY EIGHT POINTS, UM, THAT SPEAK TO A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON AND AND OUR TEAM DISCUSSED AND THAT WERE IMPORTANT TO HER. UM, THEY SPEAK TO RESIDENT COMMUNICATION, THEY SPEAK TO TRANSPARENCY WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE. THEY SPEAK TO COMMUNITY IMPACT, UM, PROGRAMS. THEY SPEAK TO DETENTION AND FLOOD MITIGATION. SO ALLOW ME, JUST TO GO BACK. SO THERE ARE SEVERAL POINTS HERE. THESE ARE OUR COMMITMENTS. THE FIRST IS WITH RESPECT TO MAINTAINING TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNICATION WITH OUR RESIDENTS. UM, THAT IS KEY. UH, ME, SEVERAL OF YOU DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, THE POTENTIAL FOR, OR THE, THAT THAT RESIDENTS WILL REACH OUT. WE WANT TO DO OUR PART TO MAINTAIN THAT TRANSPARENCY, SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN SECURITY, BOTH DURING THE RENOVATION AS WELL AS AFTERWARDS. WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT YESTERDAY. AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT, NOT JUST THROUGH THE RENOVATION, BUT ALSO BEYOND. UM, WE KNOW THAT FLOODING IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA IS ALSO OF CONCERN. AND SO WE'VE COMMITTED TO DOING WORK ON THE SITE WITH DETENTION AND FLOOD MITIGATION. SO WE'VE INCLUDED THAT AS WELL. UH, COMMUNITY IMPACT PARTNERSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT TO US. UM, AND SO WE'VE COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING A PLAN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, UH, TO JUST TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE BEST APPROACH TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS, AS WELL AS THE SURROUNDING COM UH, COMMUNITY. AND WE'LL DO THAT IN PARTNERSHIP. UH, WE'VE COMMITTED TO SCHEDULING REGULAR MEETINGS WITH BOTH COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON AND THOSE OTHERS WHO MAY BE INTERESTED. AGAIN, NOT JUST ABOUT THE RENOVATION, BUT ALSO ABOUT ONGOING OPERATIONS AT THE COMMUNITY. UM, THAT IS IMPORTANT. UM, WE TALKED ABOUT CONDUCTING, WE INCLUDE A COMMITMENT TO CONDUCTING OUTREACH INTENDED TO INCREASE THE LOCAL HIRING AS COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON TALKED ABOUT, AS WELL AS THE USE OF N-M-W-B-E BUSINESSES DURING THE RENOVATION. UM, OBVIOUSLY IT WILL BE IMPORTANT, UM, AND, AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO COMPLYING WITH ALL APPLICABLE CITY, STATE, FEDERAL LAWS, BOTH DURING THE RENOVATION AND BEYOND. THAT'S OBVIOUSLY AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE DO. AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AS YOU KNOW, IS A HIGHLY REGULATED AREA. SO THERE ARE LAYERS TO ALL OF THIS. AND WE WILL, WE WILL COMPLY WITH ALL OF, ALL OF THOSE. ALONG WITH THAT GOES THE AUTHORITY FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT REGULATORY AGENCIES TO INSPECT THE PROPERTY, AGAIN, DURING THE RENOVATION, AS WELL AS ON AN ONGOING BASIS AFTERWARDS. AND WE'VE COMMITTED TO MAKING OURSELVES AND THE PROPERTY AVAILABLE FOR THOSE AS WELL. AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE INTEREST OF, UM, SORT OF THE LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THESE COMMITMENTS, DEVELOPING A MORE FORMALIZED MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S [04:55:01] OFFICE SO WE CAN MEMORIALIZE THESE BEYOND THE LETTER, WHICH I KNOW IS SORT OF THE CRUX OF THE QUESTION AT, AT HAND IS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE, BUT I CAN, YOU KNOW, SAY FOR FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, THAT, UM, THESE COMMITMENTS ARE IMPORTANT TO US, THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO OUR RESIDENTS. WE WOULD NOT, I WOULD NOT BE SAYING THEM NOW. I WOULD NOT BE PUTTING THEM IN A LETTER. WE WOULD NOT BE COMMITTING TO DEVELOPING, UM, YOU KNOW, AN AN MOU IF THEY WERE NOT. SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR FOR THE RECORD, AND, AND APPRECIATE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR SUPPORT FOR THAT. AND I AND I APP AND I APPRECIATE THAT, MR. MANNING. I THINK THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. UH, SO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. SURE. WHAT I WOULD ASK FOR YOU TO DO, SINCE WE'RE JUST GONNA INCLUDE IT IN THE, IN THE, UH, IN THE MINUTES, IF YOU DON'T MIND PUTTING YOU YOUR SIGNING. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO, TO SIGN A COPY BECAUSE I'M, I MADE SOME DO THAT. I MADE SOME NOTES ON MINE, SO YEAH. YEAH. I CAN SIGN THIS ONE, THIS AND HAVE SOME NOTES ON IT TOO. IS THIS, IF YOU'LL SIGN A CLEAN COPY. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. AND THEN SO WE CAN ATTACH THAT TO THE RECORD. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THAT. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. ONE SECOND. ONE SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER KASH. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR COMING UP. SURE. AND FOR THAT EXPLANATION. SO YESTERDAY, WHEN THE QUESTION CAME UP ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS A TAX EXEMPT STATUS, YOU ALREADY KNEW THAT I SAID MY, I BELIEVE MY RESPONSE YESTERDAY IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT IS A TAX EXEMPT. I WASN'T CLEAR ON THE MECHANISM BY WHICH LEGALLY THAT TAX EXEMPTION, BUT IT WA ACQUIRES. BUT, BUT THE, THE, WHEN YOU WENT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, DID YOU TELL 'EM IT WAS A TAX EXEMPT STATUS? MY, MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT WE DISCUSSED THAT IT WAS THAT THE PROPERTY WOULD HAVE A TAX EXEMPTION. OKAY. 'CAUSE I, I REALLY DON'T KNOW YOU, I KNOW YOUR CONSULTANT THAT'S HERE, AND I HAVE HIGH RESPECT FOR HIM, BUT I, I THINK FULL DISCLOSURE'S ALWAYS BEST 'CAUSE IT WIND. IF IT DOESN'T, IT WINDS UP LIKE THIS. AND, AND SO, UH, UH, I'M STILL STILL SUPPORTING IT. I, BECAUSE I, I BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER LES. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION. AND UH, AGAIN, WE JUST GOT THIS LETTER FROM COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON NOT TOO LONG AGO, SO I'M TRYING TO GO OVER IT. UM, IT, ON THIS LETTER, DOES IT STATE HOW MANY UNITS YOU'RE GOING TO BE? THERE ARE 364 UNITS IN THAT PROPERTY, BUT I, I DON'T SEE IT ON THE LETTER. THIS LETTER JUST SPEAKS TO THE COM, THE COMMUNITY COMMITMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH REGARD TO THE, TO THE PROPERTY. IT DOES NOT SPEAK TO THE DETAILS OF THE RENOVATIONS. YEAH, I MEAN, I, I, I PERSONALLY WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE YOU STATING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO RENOVATE 364 UNITS. YEAH. I MEAN, I, I THE CASE MAYOR. YEAH. WE'RE RENOVATING ALL OF THE UNITS ON THAT PROPERTY. BUT THE RES THE RESOLUTION SPECIFICALLY STATES, CORRECT? IT DOES, YES. THE NUMBER OF UNITS IT DOES. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. OKAY. THANKS. UH, VICE PP CAST. THANK YOU MAYOR. MR. MANNING, THANK YOU FOR, UM, COMING FORTH AND EXPLAINING THIS, UH, AS WE HAVE LEARNED MORE ABOUT HOW THESE HOUSING PROJECTS ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE. UM, IT IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, FOR ME, IT IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL WHEN WE HAVE THE BRIEFINGS WITH, UH, THE OWNERS AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING TO DO THESE PROJECTS. AND I KNOW IN OUR BRIEFING, WE DID TALK ABOUT HOW THE BONDS WORK AND THE, UM, TAX EXEMPTIONS AND HOW IF THE STATE HAS THIS PROGRAM IN PLACE SO THAT THE FINANCING COULD ACTUALLY WORK. UM, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW MANY COMPANIES THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO COME INTO A PROPERTY LIKE THIS PUT IN TWICE AS MUCH MONEY WITHOUT GETTING THE TAX EXEMPTION TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR RESIDENTS. SO IT'S A CYCLICAL PROCESS AND ALL PARTIES NEED TO BE INVOLVED. AND MAYOR, I THINK THAT THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE DEVELOPER, THE STATE, THE CITY, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE ADVOCACY FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, AND IT, AND IT IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF HOW WE ARE MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS, PROVIDING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND GOVERNMENT IS DOING WHAT IT INTENDS TO DO, WHICH IS PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR RESIDENTS THROUGH THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO MAKE IT WORK. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ACTIONS AND BEING WILLING TO REHAB THIS PROPERTY. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR UPDATES FROM THE MEETINGS. 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU WILL BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH THEM. AND BECAUSE YOU ARE OWNER OPERATORS, UM, WE, WE HAVE THAT CONTACT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT'S, IT'S A, A WELL PLAYED OUT PROGRAM FOR US TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO RESIDENTS. SO THANK YOU FOR HELPING US TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE PROCESS, UM, AND UNDERSTANDING HOW IT WORKS. 'CAUSE EVERY DAY WHEN YOU GET IN THESE SEATS, THERE'S NO HALO THAT MAKES YOU AWARE OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE CITY. AND IT, IT IS A CONTINUOUS LEARNING PROCESS. AND THE [05:00:01] MORE WE DO IT, THE BETTER WE GET AT IT. AND YOU'RE HELPING US TO BE BETTER AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, WITH THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND COUNCILMAN KOSH, THANK YOU FOR YOU BROUGHT UP THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND, UM, FOR THE CITIZENS LISTENING, UH, MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING ARE, ARE NON-BINDING AGREEMENTS. IT'S NO BETTER THAN THE PEOPLE THAT SIGN IT. IT'S, IT'S THEM KEEPING THEIR WORD. SO, UH, IT'S NON-BINDING. I DON'T EVEN BELIEVE YOU CAN SUE OVER IT, BUT OF COURSE YOU CAN SUE ANYBODY OVER ANYTHING. BUT BY THE TIME WE THAT WOULD EVER BE BREACHED, UH, MOST OF US WOULD ALREADY BE GONE FROM HERE, UH, AT LEAST HALF OF US. BUT, UH, I, I DO THINK THAT THAT'S A GOOD THING TO HAVE THOUGH, JUST, JUST TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. UH, UH, I'LL JUST RESTATE, OUR COMMITMENT IS TO OUR COMMUNITY. OUR COMMITMENT IS TO DO THE THINGS THAT WE SAID WE'RE GONNA DO BOTH WITH THE RENOVATION AS WELL AS WITH THESE OTHER COMMITMENTS LISTED HERE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. MM-HMM . IF YOU QUESTION, OH, THAT'S, THAT'S IT. ALL. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I'M READY TO VOTE IN FAVOR. AND WE ON ITEM 18 IN FAVOR. OPPOSED? OPPOSED. SO COUNCILWOMAN, NO VOTING, NO ITEM PASSES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. NOW [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] WE, LET ME PICK BACK UP WITH COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. MM-HMM . THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, JUST WANT TO, UH, ALERT THE DISTRICT J RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS THAT MY OFFICE WILL BE HAVING A PRE VALENTINE'S DAY SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY EVENT WITH FREE FOOD, UH, MUSIC AND UPDATES ON THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITHIN THE DISTRICT J OFFICE. THAT'S GONNA BE ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH AT SIX 30 TO 8:30 PM UH, AT THE BAYLIN PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, LOCATED AT 6 4 0 0 BINET. UH, PLEASE COME OUT FOR SOME FUN AND ENGAGEMENT. WE'LL HAVE RAFFLES AND THE ATTIRE IS VALENTINE CASUAL. SEE YOU THERE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EMMAN SHABA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND YOU'VE ALREADY HIGHLIGHTED, UH, THE SUNNYSIDE MULTI, UH, SERVICE CENTER, AND IT WAS A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO CAME OUT TO SUPPORT THIS HISTORIC SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY. JUST A WONDERFUL EVENT. THANK YOU. ALSO, UM, MS. BJ HOLMES IS RETIRING TODAY. SHE'S THE SUPERVISOR, WELL, EXCUSE ME, YESTERDAY ACTUALLY. SHE'S THE SUPERVISOR AT JUDSON ROBINSON. SHE HAS SO MANY ACCOLADES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT I WILL NOT BE TODAY, UH, BUT JUST A WONDERFUL PERSON AND I CERTAINLY WISH HER WELL. UH, ALSO TODAY, THERE WILL BE THE GROUNDBREAKING AT 3,300 CAROLINE, WHICH IS MAGNIFICAT OF THE ROSEMARY PLACE APARTMENTS. UH, THAT WILL BE AT 1130 TODAY. AND THAT WILL CERTAINLY BE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR HOMELESS POPULATION. ALSO, I WANT TO GIVE CONDOLENCES TO A THIRD WARD MATRIARCH AND JACKIE ACE GRADUATE MEOLA DONAHUE LAWS, WHO WAS THE MOTHER OF THE FAMOUS LAWS FAMILY, THE MANY MUSICIANS AND SINGERS. AND SO I CERTAINLY GIVE MY CONDOLENCES. AND THEN I WANT TO WISH MY CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, STEPHEN JAMES, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AND PLEASE JOIN ME. IT'S HIS HAPPY OF 20TH BIRTHDAY. AND WE ARE JUST SO VERY HAPPY THAT HE CONTINUES TO THRIVE FOR THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME, FOR THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME. RIGHT? ANYWAY, UH, I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. YOU ALL STAY DRY AND STAY SAFE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN. THANK YOU. SO MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR APRIL 13TH BECAUSE DISTRICT G WE'RE HOSTING A CONVERSATION ON CRIME. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CHIEF FINNER AND ALL THE LEADERSHIP FROM CENTRAL, MIDWEST AND WEST SIDE POLICE DEPARTMENTS COME OUT. CITIZENS CAN SUBMIT THEIR QUESTIONS ONLINE AHEAD OF TIME, UM, JUST TO KIND OF KEEP EVERYBODY UPDATED WITH WHAT'S GOING ON OUT WEST. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM, UH, VERONICA CHAP GOSKY, WHO'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE EAST EASTERN, UM, DISTRICT NOTIFYING US THAT, UM, THAT THE EAST END DISTRICT HAS ALSO WON A SAVE STREETS ALL, UM, PLANNING GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF, UM, $603,000. AND SO DIS YOU KNOW, EASTON DISTRICT SERVES BOTH DISTRICT H AND ALSO DISTRICT I. BUT THIS IS VERY GOOD NEWS. UM, SUPPORT FOR THE GRANT CAME FROM MANY DIRECTIONS, INCLUDING THE TRAFFIC INJURY RESEARCH, UM, FOUNDATION, TEXAS A AND M TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE, AND THE ROADWAY SAFETY FOUNDATION. SO, GOOD NEWS FOR MORE GOOD NEWS FOR EAST END. [05:05:01] EXCELLENT. UM, ALSO THERE IS A, A NUMBER OF OF LOVE YOUR PET MONTH EVENTS. I WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT THAT THERE WAS A PROCLAMATION ABOUT YESTERDAY THAT WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS ABOUT RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP THIS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD FROM FOUR 30 TO SIX, THERE'LL BE A RECEPTION FOR ANOTHER STUDENT ART EXHIBITION THAT WILL BE AT THE CITY HALL ANNEX YOUNG ARTISTS IN EAST TEX JENSEN WORKING, UM, THROUGH HTX ART AND THE HOUSTON HUMANE SOCIETY TO CREATE ARTWORKS ABOUT RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP WILL BE ON DISPLAY IN THE ANNEX ALL MONTH LONG. UM, ALSO THIS FRIDAY IN SECOND WARD, THERE WILL BE, UM, A PET FOOD PANTRY ON, UM, 25 16 NAVIGATION WITH, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON HUMANE SOCIETY. AND THEN, UM, EARLIER IN THE MEETING TODAY, I SPOKE ABOUT THE EMPTY SHELTER PROJECT THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE IN DENVER HARBOR THIS SATURDAY. AND THAT ABOUT 500 ANIMALS WILL BE RECEIVING FREE SPAY NEUTER, SURGERIES, FREE MICROCHIP, AND FREE VACCINATIONS. AND THAT THOSE APPOINTMENTS ARE ALREADY ALL FILLED UP. BUT I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING THAT DAY THAT I HAVEN'T SPOKEN ABOUT. UM, THERE, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL INITIATIVE THAT I'M SPONSORING OUT THERE THAT DAY TOO. I'M HOSTING, UM, 16 VETERINARIAN STUDENTS FROM TEXAS A AND M WHO ARE JOINING ME FOR A TOUR OF THE EMPTY SHELTER PROJECT AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE LUNCH WITH SHELTER VE UM, VETERINARIANS TO TALK WITH THEM AND ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, THEIR CAREER CHOICE AS A SHELTER VETERINARIAN. UM, IT IS, IT'S, THERE'S A, A, A CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF, OF VETERINARIANS THAT, UM, THAT GO INTO SHELTER MEDICINE. SO WE'RE, THIS IS A, A RECRUITING EFFORT. UM, AND THEN STARTING THIS COMING SUNDAY, UM, FEBRUARY 5TH, HOUSTON PET SET WILL BE OFFERING FREE SPAY NEUTER SURGERIES IN EAST TEX JENSEN. THEY WILL BE THERE FOUR DAYS A WEEK EVERY WEEK, THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY. THEY'LL BE THERE EVERY SUNDAY, MONDAY, TUESDAY, AND WEDNESDAY. SO, UM, I'M EXCITED THAT THEY'VE COME BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR TO DO THAT FOR US. AND THEN ALSO ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH, UM, WE'LL BE THE FIRST OF FOUR BARK DISTRICT H WELLNESS DAYS. SO IF YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, A, A DISTRICT H RESIDENT, UM, UH, FREE VACCINATIONS, MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FREE MICROCHIPPING ARE AVAILABLE, YOU MUST MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. AND THEN JUST ONCE AGAIN, THE, THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED FREE CITY OF HOUSTON BARK, UM, MICROCHIPPING IS WILL BE ON ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. UM, I THINK THAT CONCLUDES THE, UM, THE, THE, THE POPOFF SESSION. MM-HMM. AND SO IF YOU'LL JUST GIVE US LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES, KRISTY, TO POP OFF . I THINK COUNCILMAN CHRISTIE IS GONNA PASS ON THE POP OFF TODAY, . SO, UM, GIVE US, UH, JUST FIVE MINUTES AND THEN WE, AND YOU CAN EITHER STAY OR TAKE A BRIEF BREAK. FIVE MINUTES. WE START AGAIN FOR, FOR THE RENAMING OF THE CHAMBER. FIVE MINUTES. YOU DOING ANY HERE? WE'RE GONNA DO IT RIGHT HERE. YOU COME BACK TO YOUR SEATS. OKAY. FIVE MINUTES. JUST A FIVE MINUTE BREAK. FIVE MINUTE BREAK. FIVE MINUTE BREAK. YOU ALL, WE'RE GONNA START AT 1115. WE'RE GONNA START. THERE ARE FEW, THERE ARE FEW PEOPLE, THERE ARE FEW PEOPLE THAT, UH, THAT ARE STUCK. THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE THAT ARE STUCK IN TRAFFIC. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO SIT DOWN. THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE THAT ARE STUCK IN TRAFFIC. AND SO, UH, AND, AND TO ALLOW PEOPLE TIME TO COME, I STARTED AT 1115. OKAY. AND I, AND I, AND I KNOW, AND I KNOW, UM, UM, UH, ANNA'S DAUGHTER'S TOLD SOME PEOPLE THAT IT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT LATER, COUNCIL KIND OF MOVE KIND OF SWIFTLY. SO WE'LL START AT 1115. 1115. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE BEEN, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MY TIME HAS EXPIRED AND SO IT'S SUSAN'S LIST, SO IT'S TIME TO GET STARTED. IT'S THE SAME. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL PARKING. SO LET ME, LET ME DO THIS. UM, AS WE PREPARE TO GET STARTED, CERTAINLY WANT TO RECOGNIZE, UH, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE. UH, JERRY DAVIS, JACK CHRISTIE, UH, SUE LEVEL, AND CLUTTERBUCK, AND ROB TODD. UH, SO RONALD GREEN AND FORMER COMPTROLLER, UH, RONALD GREEN. SO LET ME WELCOME, UH, YOU ALL TO THIS VERY SPECIAL CEREMONY. [05:10:04] AND LOOK, LET ME, UM, LET ME JUST SAY IT'S AN, IT'S AN HONOR TO, UH, TO BE, UH, TO BE, TO BE HERE ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY FOR THIS PARTICULAR OCCASION. AND AS WE START TODAY'S DEDICATION, UM, I WANT TO SAY, UH, WELCOME TO, TO THE ANNA ADAMS, RUSSELL, CITY OF HOUSTON, CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UM, THAT HAS A NICE RING TO IT. AND, UH, THIS IS THE, UH, THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT ANNA BUILT. SO, UM, SO WE ARE JUST, WE ARE JUST HONORED THE, UH, I KNOW I'LL MAKE REFERENCE TO THEM, UH, A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT I ALSO, UH, WANT TO CERTAINLY ACKNOWLEDGE HER DAUGHTERS, UH, WHO ARE HERE. AND, UH, JANET RUSSELL SPENCER, UH, KAREN MARIE DAVIS, AND LINDA CAROL LOPER. AND IN FACT, UH, I'M GONNA BE CALLING YOU A VERY, VERY, UH, SHORTLY, UH, AND THEN TO EVERYONE ELSE, UH, WHO SEE ALL OF THE, UH, CITY DIRECTORS, CURRENT DIRECTORS, FORMER DIRECTORS, AND THEN CERTAINLY TO ALL OF THE CURRENT MEMBERS OF CITY OF CITY COUNCIL. UM, YOU KNOW, FOR OVER SIX DECADES, UM, 60 YEARS PLUS, ANNA RUSSELL SERVED HOUSTON AS THE CITY SECRETARY. AND THEN OF COURSE, UM, SITTING, SITTING RIGHT THERE WHERE, WHERE PAT IS SERVED IN AND SAT IN THAT CHAIR FOR SOME 68 YEARS. I BELIEVE IT. THAT'S A, THAT'S A LONG TIME. UM, THAT'S, THAT'S OLDER THAN MOST OF YOU AROUND THIS CITY COUNCIL HORSESHOE. UM, SO SHE SAT IN, IN, UM, IN THAT CHAIR. UM, SHE SAT IN THIS VERY HORSESHOE, AND ALTHOUGH SMALL IN SIZE, HER BIG PERSONALITY MADE ANNA A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH. UM, AND THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF MAYORS WHO SAT IN THIS SEAT. UM, BUT ANNA RAN US ALL. UM, SHE WORKED ALONGSIDE NUMEROUS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND NINE MAYORS DURING HER TENURE, OR SHOULD I CALL IT HER REIGN. UH, SO SHE WAS, SHE WAS REALLY THE QUEEN OF CITY OF CITY HALL. UH, I WAS THE LAST MAYOR TO SIT ONE SEAT DOWN FROM HER ON THIS DIAZ. AND TODAY I'M PROUD TO BE THE MAYOR WHO DEDICATED THIS CHAMBER IN HONOR OF ANNA RUSSELL. IT IS A FITTING TRIBUTE TO THE WOMAN WHO TIRELESSLY PERSONIFIED PUBLIC SERVICE AND WHOSE TRADEMARKED SAYING, UH, THANK YOU. UH, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. UM, THAT WILL NEVER BE, THAT WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. UH, THE TRUTH IS, THOUGH THAT ANNA'S MEMORY WILL NEVER EXPIRE. UH, WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ANNA, AS SOMEONE WHO'S TOUGH EXTERIOR, CONTAINED A WARM PERSONALITY AND AN AMAZING SENSE OF HUMOR. I'M JUST TALKING WITH OUR DAUGHTER, LINDA. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, UH, HER PRESENCE IS VERY STRONG, UH, IN THIS CHAMBER. AND IF YOU GOT TO KNOW HER, UH, SHE MAY NOT BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT, BUT SHE IS VERY MUCH PRESENT, VERY MUCH ALIVE. AND AS I SAID ON THE SAD DAY, SHE LEFT US IN 2020. HOUSTON WILL HAVE OTHER CITY SECRETARIES, BUT THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER ANNA ADAMS RUSSELL. AND WHAT I LOVE MOST IS THAT WHEN FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYORS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ENTER THE DOORS, THEY WILL BE ENTERING CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS WITH THE ANNA ANNA RUSSELL'S NAME ON IT. ANNA'S LEGACY WILL ALWAYS BE ALIVE RIGHT HERE AT CITY HALL. AND IN FACT, THOUGH SHE'S NOT HERE, THOSE WHO SHE HELPED TRAIN AND DEVELOP LIKE PAT, UH, THEY STILL REMAIN. UH, SO HER INFLUENCE CONTINUES, UM, AND HOW SHE CONDUCTED AND PRESIDED REMAINS. UM, AND WE DO NOT MIND TELLING PEOPLE THAT YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. UH, THOUGH WE CAN'T [05:15:01] NOW, THAT WAS GOOD. I WAS ABOUT TO SAY. OKAY, ANNA. OKAY, , I HEAR YOU. SO, BEFORE I GO HOME, UH, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING, UH, JANET RUSSELL SPENCER, YOU ALL COME FORWARD. JANET, KAREN MARIE DAVIS AND LINDA CAROL LOPER, DAUGHTERS OF THE LATE ANNA RUSSELL. GIVE IT UP TO THEM WHILE THEY ALL COME. LOOK AS A, UH, AS A SINGLE MOTHER, ANNA OFTEN BROUGHT HER THREE, THREE DAUGHTERS TO CITY HALL TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK ON THE WEEKENDS. WHILE SHE SERVED THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON, UH, SHE WAS A PERSON WHO BELIEVED IN WORKING, UH, NO MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE, SHE WAS DETERMINED TO FIND A WAY TO CITY HALL SHE BELIEVED IN WORKING AND HAS INSTILLED THAT VALUE IN EACH ONE OF HER DAUGHTERS. SO WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE YOU BE, UH, WITH US, UH, TODAY. UH, THIS IS A SPECIAL MOMENT FOR, FOR ALL OF US. I KNOW IT'S A SPECIAL MOMENT FOR YOU ALL. UM, AND WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN MEMORIES, YOU KNOW, THAT. BUT I WILL TELL YOU, UM, SHE ALLOWED ME TO COME AND SEE HER WHEN SHE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL. AND, UM, UH, BUT SHE WAS SITTING UP AND, UM, SHE WAS VERY DIGNIFIED AND VERY MUCH IN CONTROL. MM-HMM . THAT'S TRUE, EVEN IN THAT HOSPITAL. UM, SCARED THE HELL OUTTA ME, BUT, UM, , BECAUSE YOU MIGHT, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT BE THE MAYOR, BUT, UM, YOU WERE STANDING IN THE PRESENCE OF ANNA RUSSELL, AND WHAT A BLESSING IT IS TO LEAVE A LIGHT, TO LIVE A LIFE IN SUCH A WAY, UM, THAT PEOPLE RESPECT YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, BECAUSE SHE WAS GONNA CALL A BALL A BALL AND A STRIKE A STRIKE, AND DIDN'T CARE WHO YOU WERE. SHE HAD NO RESPECT OF PERSONS. THAT'S TRUE. NONE. AND SHE WAS GOING TO RUN HER SHOP LIKE HER, LIKE SHE THOUGHT HER SHOP HAD TO BE RUN. I'LL CLOSE WITH THIS. I'LL NEVER FORGET, UM, A DOCUMENT CAME BACK FROM THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE TO ME, AND MY, UH, ADMINISTRATOR TOLD ME, ANNA RUSSELL SENT THIS DOCUMENT TO YOU, MAYOR. AND SHE PUT A NOTE ON IT, AND THE NOTE SAID, AND IT WAS A LEGAL DOCUMENT, BUT THE NOTE SAID, I KNOW LEGAL HAS REVIEWED THIS DOCUMENT, BUT I SUGGEST MAYOR, YOU TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT IT AGAIN, , BECAUSE I THINK THEY ARE WRONG. . THAT'S RIGHT. AND I, I LOOKED AT, I LOOKED AT THE, THE NOTE I KNOW, AND IT WAS SIGNED RUSSELL. AND, UH, I SAID, NOW, WHO IS THIS WOMAN? THIS WOMAN. AND I SENT IT BACK TO LEGAL AND I SAID, MS. RUSSELL, IN THE CASE THAT YOU, YOU ALL MAY NEED TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT THIS DOCUMENT, . AND THEY DID. AND SHE WAS RIGHT, EVERY TIME. SO WHAT A VERY SPECIAL PERSON. NOW LET ME, LET ME YELL TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, UH, WHOEVER WANTS TO SPEAK FIRST. WELL, SINCE I'M THE OLDEST , UM, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. YOU GAVE MOTHER SUCH A BEAUTIFUL, UM, GOING AWAY BEFORE, AND THIS IS JUST THE ICING ON THE CAKE. AND I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU HERE, MISS MOTHER, UM, I HEAR IT FROM FRIENDS AND PEOPLE THAT DEAL WITH THE CITY, LIKE, WHERE'S ANNA? AND, UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE. WE THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING AND JUST KEEP HER IN THIS ROOM. AND, UM, GO AHEAD. YEAH. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE JUST SO HONORED TO HAVE MOTHER'S NAME HERE. SHE SPENT MOST OF HER LIFE HERE. THIS IS HER ROOM. MM-HMM . AND EVERYWHERE I GO IN HOUSTON, WHEN I MENTIONED MY MOTHER, WHO MY MOTHER IS, EVERYBODY KNOWS HER. MM-HMM [05:20:01] . ESPECIALLY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND IT, IT IS JUST AN HONOR TO BE HER DAUGHTER. AND IT'S OKAY THAT EVERYBODY KIND OF FEARED HER. YOU KNOW, SHE DID THE RIGHT THING. AND DURING ONE OF THE RECENT STORMS, WELL BEFORE SHE GOT SICK, I FORGET WHICH ONE IT WAS. AND Y'ALL SET UP COUNCIL MEETING AT GEORGIA BROWN? YES. HARVEY AND HARVEY. OKAY. WE WERE CALLING HER AND CALLING HER, AND SHE WOULDN'T ANSWER. SO MY HUSBAND WAS UPSTAIRS, TURNED ON THE TV AND HE SAID, KAREN, SHE THERE'S YOUR MOM. I'M LIKE, OH MY GOSH. SHE GOT OUT. I DON'T KNOW IF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR WHOEVER, SOMEBODY BROUGHT HER THERE. SHE HAD THE POLICE COME AND GET HER. YES. OKAY. . AND SO THERE SHE WAS. AND I'M LIKE TAKING PICTURES OF THE SCREEN, TELLING OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, HERE'S SHE IS. YEAH. SO ANYWAY, YES, YOU'RE RIGHT. THE WEATHER, NOTHING STOPPED HER. AND WE'RE JUST PROUD TO BE HER DAUGHTERS. I'M JUST VERY HONORED TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'LL END THIS EMOTION. I'M THE EMOTIONAL ONE. IT'S OUR BABY. THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . MAYOR. THANK YOU. EVERYONE AROUND STANDING EVERYONE BACK HERE. THIS IS WHERE I GREW UP. AND ALSO ON 83 22, GLEN VALLEY HAS GREAT MEMORIES. MY MOTHER WAS ALWAYS RIGHT BACK TO YOUR COMMENT, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT. ALWAYS. I REMEMBER AT THE GEORGE R. BROWN AND SHE CALLS ME ON HER CELL PHONE AND SHE SAYS, I HEAR YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ME. AND I SAID, YES, WHY ARE YOU THERE? AND SHE GOES, IT'S OKAY, IT'S OKAY. I GOT, I TOOK, I TOOK CONTROL. I, THEY CAME TO PICK ME UP 'CAUSE I'M THE PANIC ONE , I PANIC ABOUT HER BEING OUT AND WEATHER AND EVERYTHING. ANYBODY OUT IN THE WEATHER. SO I'D LIKE TO SAY, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO SUE. LOVE SUSAN, THE TEAM THAT PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER. THAT WAS GREAT. THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE. EVERYONE WHO WORKED. YES. THE TWO PEOPLE THAT MOTHER SAW WHILE SHE WAS SICK WAS MAYOR AND SUE LOVELL. SUE LOVELL IS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE. AND WHEN SHE WAS AT THE SHOP, MOTHER WAS ALWAYS AT THE SHOP. ON SATURDAYS. THEY TALKED AND TALKED AND TALKED. MOTHER TALKED WITH ALL MY CLIENTS. THEY ALL TRIED TO GET THINGS OUT OF HER ABOUT THE CITY. WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE MAYOR? AND SHE'D SAY ALL OF THEM, THE ONE WHO PAID MY PAYCHECK, SIGN THE CHECK. THOSE ARE ALL MY FAVORITE. AND WE WOULD GO OUT TO DINNER WITH THE FAMILY, SHE'D HAVE A MARGARITA, GET A LITTLE TIPSY. WE'D SAY, MOM, WE'D ASK HER ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS. LET'S WRITE A BOOK. SHE SAID, I WOULD TAKE, I WOULD MAKE MORE MONEY TO TAKE DONATIONS TO NOT WRITE THE BOOK . THAT'S TRUE. AND SHE SAID, LINDA, WHEN I LEAVE CITY HALL, I LEAVE CITY HALL, I GO HOME AND IT'S FAMILY TIME. I DON'T THINK ABOUT IT. I DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. I COME HOME, PUT MY HOUSE SHOES ON, MAKE DINNER FOR YOU GIRLS. THAT'S WHAT I GREW UP WITH. EVERY DAY, THE WOMAN COOKED DINNER. BUT ON SATURDAYS WE WENT TO THE CAFETERIA. WHEN WE WERE YOUNG, SHE TOOK A BREAK. BUT THEN WHEN SHE GOT OLDER, SHE SAID, I WANNA GO OUT TO EAT. I DON'T WANT TO COOK ANYMORE. I DON'T COOK. AND I THANK MY HUSBAND FOR TAKING CARE OF MY MOTHER. HE COOKED FOR HER. HE, I DELIVERED THE MEALS, OR HE DID. HE LOVED MY MOTHER AND HE LOVED ME. AND HE SHOWED ME THAT HE LOVED MY MOTHER. AND I JUST THINK THAT LIFE IS TOO SHORT. TELL THE PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE, THAT YOU LOVE THEM, DO FOR THEM. DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING BACK. DO IT OUTTA YOUR HEART. 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I DO. I LIVED THROUGH, MY MOTHER IS IN ME. I LEARNED A LOT FROM THE WOMAN. SHE WAS THE QUEEN OF OUR HOUSE. [05:25:02] SHE WOULD CALL US ANNA'S ANGELS. AND WHEN SHE WAS, WHEN WE, ME AND KAREN LIVED AT HOME AND WE WERE TEENAGERS GOING OUT AND SHE SAID, YOUR CURFEW WAS 12 O'CLOCK. WELL, WE KNEW WE DIDN'T HAVE TO BE HOME AT 12. 'CAUSE ONCE MOTHER WAS ASLEEP, SHE WAS ASLEEP. , WE WOULD COME IN AT TWO O'CLOCK, TWO 30, SHE NEVER KNEW. THE NEXT MORNING SHE'D SAY, WHAT TIME DID YOU GET IN? OH, ABOUT 1205. SHE'D GO, OKAY. DO YOU HAVE FUN? YES. GOOD. THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERED. HAVE FUN IN LIFE. BUT BE CAREFUL AND LOVE YOUR SISTERS AND BROTHERS. , ALL OF THEM. THANK YOU. THANKS. DON'T LEAVE. DON'T LEAVE. DON'T LEAVE. DON'T LEAVE. DON'T LEAVE. DON'T LEAVE. YOUR TIME. HASN'T EXPIRED YET. OH, I DIDN'T HEAR THE BUZZER. . I DIDN'T HEAR THE DING. I GUESS WE SHOULD. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU ALL, UM, UM, FOR THOSE COMMENTS. AND LET ME INVITE ANY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT MAY WANNA MAKE ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, WHAT WE WERE VISITING EARLIER, AND LINDA, I BELIEVE YOU'RE WEARING YOUR MOTHER'S COAT, IS THAT YES. , WHICH I THINK IS UNIQUE. FIRST OF ALL, THE WEATHER COOPERATED WHERE YOU HAD TO WEAR A COAT. RIGHT? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU PICKED HERS. ANOTHER STORY LIKE A FAMILY. WHAT WE DIDN'T SEE VERY MUCH OF, OF ANNA RUSSELL WAS HER FAMILY LIFE. SO I'M VERY INTERESTED, UH, YOU WERE TELLING ME A STORY WHERE SHE RIGGED THE, I THINK MAYBE ONE OF YOU, I FORGET WHICH ONE TOLD ME THE STORY. THEY, SHE RIGGED THE BATHROOM DOOR. SO YOU DID GET CAUGHT COMING IN LATE AT NIGHT. HER. YEAH. CAN YOU RELATE THAT STORY? THAT WAS A FUNNY STORY. WELL, IT WAS REAL SIMPLE. I, I CAME IN AND I WAS AFTER 12 O'CLOCK AND HER, MY BEDROOM WAS THE FIRST ON THE HALL, THEN THE GIRLS AND THEN MOM AT THE END. BUT THE BATHROOM WAS DOWN THERE, SO YOU HAD TO GO AND RIGHT BY HER DOOR. AND SHE LEFT HER DOOR OPEN. SHE SHUT THE DOOR AND I'M SNEAKING IN AND IT WAS ALWAYS OPEN. BAM. I HIT THE DOOR AND SHE GOES, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED . AND I THOUGHT, OH, IT'S BUSTED. BUT WE NEVER TALKED ABOUT IT AGAIN. AND I NEVER DID IT AGAIN. NEVER LAID AGAIN. I'D LIKE TO SAY ONE MORE THING. UH, MOM'S OTHER FAMILY. IS IT THE CITY SECRETARY OFFICE? YEAH. SHE LOVED EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL. Y'ALL WERE HER KIDS. THIS WAS HER FAMILY. AND SO Y'ALL ARE ALL RELATED TO US AND IT MEANS A LOT. AND I SAW A BUNCH OF Y'ALL FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS BEFORE SHE PASSED, LIKE EVERY DAY. SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF MOTHER, ESPECIALLY CARRIE WHO HELPED IN THE SMOOTHIE MAKING. WE HAVE A FUNNY STORY ON THAT REAL QUICK. I WAS BRINGING HER SMOOTHIES AND THEN I, IT WAS JUST WEARING ME OUT 'CAUSE I HAD TO GO TO WORK. AND SO I SAID, CARRIE, IF I BUY A SMOOTHIE THING, WILL YOU MAKE SMOOTHIES UP HERE? AND IF I BRING THE FRUIT AND DA, DA DA DA DA. SHE SAID, YEAH. I SAID, BUT YOU CAN'T TELL HER, TELL HER THAT YOU BOUGHT THE THE NUTRI BULLET. DON'T TELL HER I DID IT. SO SHE CALLS ME, MOTHER CALLS ME AND GOES, YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHAT, CARRIE GOT A NEUTRAL BULLET. SHE'S REAL INTO SMOOTHIES. SHE'S MAKING ME SMOOTHIES SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME ANYMORE. AND I'M LIKE, BOOM. . SHE WAS FUN. AND THANK YOU CARRIE, MY SISTER. AND THANK YOU PAT FOR SITTING IN MOM'S CHAIR. LOVE ALL OF Y'ALL CHAIR. COUNCILMAN . THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. WHAT AN HONOR TO BE WORK WITH YOUR MOM FOR SO MANY YEARS. AS, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, I WAS HERE AS A STAFFER FOR A LONG TIME AND MAN, SHE SHOWED ME THE ROPES. AND I AL YOU ALWAYS HAD TO HAVE, WHEN YOU WENT TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE TO GET SOMETHING, I WAS LIKE, HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE? BECAUSE I, I GOTTA HAVE A LOT, LOT OF TIME BECAUSE I'M, YOU DON'T, YOU DIDN'T JUST RUN INTO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AND GRAB SOMETHING. YOU SAT DOWN WITH ANNA RUSSELL AND SO MUCH WISDOM WAS, WAS SHARED AND SO MANY GREAT STORIES. AND SHE TALKED ABOUT YOU GUYS ALL THE TIME AND THE GRANDCHILDREN. I MEAN, I, I FEEL LIKE I KNOW YOU. I MEAN, SHE TALKED ABOUT OUR FAMILY ALL THE TIME. UH, SHE WAS SO ETHICAL. I MEAN, THERE'S NOT ONE WRONG MOVE SHE WOULD'VE MADE. THERE'S NOT ONE CORNER SHE WOULD'VE CUT. SHE DID EVERYTHING RIGHT. ALWAYS DID THE RIGHT THING. AND I JUST GOT SUCH A, SUCH A GREAT KICK OUT OF HER. SHE WAS JUST A BLAST AND SUCH A GREAT PERSON. AND THIS, THIS WAS HER ROOM AND THAT CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, YOU COULD SEE THE LOVE THAT SHE HAD FOR [05:30:01] ALL THE, THE WORKERS THERE AND EVERYBODY LOVED HER RIGHT BACK. UM, SO YES, THANKS SUE LOVELL. YOU KNOW, YOU WERE LIKE A GREAT FRIEND TO HER AND REALLY GOT THIS BALL ROLLING AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT. AND, AND YOU GIRLS JUST MAN, I HAVE TWO SISTERS AND A BROTHER, AND I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS AND A SON. AND SEEING THREE GIRLS TOGETHER AND HOW CLOSE YOU ALL ARE, IT'S, IT'S THE BEST SISTERS ARE THE BEST. AND SHE OBVIOUSLY DID AN AMAZING JOB WITH YOU. AND GOSH, I MISS I MISS HER EVERY DAY I COME HERE. THANK YOU. EVERY TIME I WALK UP THOSE STAIRS AND GO UP BY THE OFFICE, I, I MISS HER. SO WE'RE SO HAPPY. IT'S GONNA BE THE ANNA RUSSELL CHAMBER. YEAH. AND JUST TO LET THE RECORD SHOW WE FOUGHT SOMETIMES . COUNCILMAN MCCAIN. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I DIDN'T HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH HER, UH, DIRECTLY. UH, WE CAME IN IN 2020, UM, AT THE START. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DID NOT KNOW WHO SHE WAS. UH, AND HER NAME, HER REPUTATION AND HER SPIRIT, I MIGHT DARE SAY, UH, LIVES ON, BUT, AND AN INFAMY. UM, I WANTED TO ALSO THANK YOU ALL, UH, FOR SHARING HER WITH THE CITY BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT FOR A FAMILY TO SUPPORT THAT TYPE OF WORK AND COMMITMENT FROM SOMEBODY FOR THAT MANY YEARS TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE THAT SHE MADE AT THE CITY. SO THANK TO YOU ALL AND YOUR SPOUSES AND YOUR CHILDREN FOR SHARING HER WITH US AND ESPECIALLY FOR SHARING HER WITH THE CITY SECRETARY FAMILY. MS. PAT HAS DONE A GRACEFUL JOB COMING IN. I DON'T KNOW ANYONE ELSE THAT COULD OR WOULD DARE TO. UM, AND I KNOW MS. PAT, YOUR MOM IS EVEN HERE TODAY AND I THINK THAT THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF JUST HOW MUCH OF A FAMILY AFFAIR THIS IS. SO AGAIN, UH, MY JUST SINCERE APPRECIATION TO YOU ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS, MAYOR. FROM JIM CAST TAYLOR. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. THIS IS SO EXCITING. I WILL TELL YOU THAT YOUR MOTHER WAS ICONIC IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. HER VOICE WAS ICONIC. HER PHRASE BECAME ICONIC. AND WHAT WAS SO INTERESTING TO ME WAS WHEN YOU WALKED INTO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, I ALWAYS THOUGHT, WHY DON'T THEY COMPUTERIZE ALL THESE FILES, ? AND I THOUGHT, SURELY THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE EVERYTHING IS IN THIS OFFICE. BUT IF YOU WENT INTO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AND YOU WERE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING FROM 1953, MS. RUSSELL COULD GO RIGHT TO IT AND PULL IT OUT AND FIND IT. ANY DOCUMENT THAT YOU NEEDED IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, SHE KNEW WHERE IT WAS. SHE WAS THE COMPUTER. UH, SHE KNEW EXACTLY WHERE EVERYTHING WAS. AND SHE WAS SO ORGANIZED WITH THE WORK OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, SO WE ARE SO HONORED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE HER NAME ON THIS CHAMBER BECAUSE HER INFLUENCE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WILL LAST FOREVER. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER. MR. SROS. YOU, THIS IS SUCH A SPECIAL DAY AND I'M, I'M SO GLAD THAT WE'RE GETTING TO DO THIS AND THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE ARE HERE TO, TO CELEBRATE, YOU KNOW, THE THE NAMING OF THIS, THIS ROOM FOR HER. UM, BUT I'M GLAD THAT IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HER, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, TO HONOR HER WHILE SHE WAS STILL ALIVE. AND SHE FOUGHT THAT SHE DIDN NOT WANT ATTENTION, SHE DIDN'T WANT THINGS SPECIAL FOR HER. AND, AND YOU THREE WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN. AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO COLLECTIVELY, WE WERE ABLE TO, TO SHOW OUR LOVE AND APPRECIATION TO HER WHEN SHE COULD STILL HEAR US. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IT CONTINUES. WE, WE, SHE'S STILL VERY MUCH ON OUR MINDS AND OUR HEARTS AND, AND, UM, AND AS, UM, AND YOU ARE TOO. YOU'RE PART OF, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE PART OF THE CITY AND OFF AND US AND HERE AT, UM, CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. I WANTED TO ASK, I MET A NIECE WHO'S HERE, WHAT OTHER THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS ARE HERE TODAY. THE FAMILY CAN STAND UP. IF YOU'RE A FAMILY MEMBER, WOULD YOU STAND PLEASE? Y'ALL JUST STAND UP AND SPOUSES AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK, THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE. AND UH, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR MOM WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR SO MANY YEARS. I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING YOUR MOTHER'S DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER. BEING THAT SHE'S A RE WAS A RESIDENT OF GLENBROOK VALLEY, UH, I KNOW THAT WE HAD A MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT GOING ON FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS THERE AT GLENBROOK VALLEY. AND I RE RECALL THE TIMES WHEN I WOULD COME HERE TO THE CHAMBER. SHE WOULD MAKE A POINT TO WALK OVER, UH, GIVE ME UPDATES ON WHAT WAS GOOD AND WHAT WAS BAD, UH, OR WHAT WE SHOULD DO. UH, SO I'VE ALWAYS, [05:35:01] UH, RESPECTED HER FOR THAT AND, UH, KNEW THAT WE, I WOULD GIVE MY STAFF AND KNEW WE HAD TO RESOLVE THE CONCERN OR ISSUE THAT SHE MAY HAVE. UH, SO BEING EXCITED TO BE PART OF THIS BODY, UH, IN, IN REGARDS TO OFFICIALLY NAMING, UH, THIS CHAMBER AFTER YOUR MOM. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I THINK IT'S ONLY FITTING, UM, AS WE CLOSE THIS PORTION OUT, UH, PAT, YOU WANNA HAVE SOME COMMENTS TODAY? I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT MS. RUSSELL WAS SOMETHING ELSE. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HER GETTING PLACES. MS. RUSSELL CALLED ME, I THINK IT WAS, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHICH HURRICANE IT WAS, BUT SHE SAID, I NEED YOU TO COME TO CITY HALL. I SAID, YOU NEED ME TO DO WHAT ? SHE SAID, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GONNA GET HERE, BUT I NEED YOU TO GET HERE. SHE SAID, THE MAYOR NEEDS ME TO GET SOME PAPERWORK DONE AND I NEED YOU TO GET HERE. AND I TRUDGE THROUGH ALL THAT WATER AND MADE IT DOWN HERE. SO, I MEAN, YOU LIVE AND YOU LEARN AND YOU JUST DO WHAT YOU'RE TOLD. SO I DID WHAT I WAS TOLD AND I MADE IT DOWN HERE AND I GOT THE PAPERWORK OUT AND GOT IT DONE. SO I, I THINK I'M, I'M, SHE'S GONNA ALWAYS BE A PART OF MY LIFE. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY BESIDES THAT LITTLE LADY SITTING BACK THERE ON THAT FRONT ROW. THAT'S, THAT'S TRUE. THEY WERE TWO OF A KIND, THEY WERE MADE FROM THE SAME PIECE OF CLOTH. 'CAUSE THEY WERE BOTH BORN IN THIRTIES, IN THE THIRTIES, SO I KNOW THEY WERE BORN FROM THE SAME THING. THEY BOTH TOUGH. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN ROBINSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. I LADIES, I JUST WANTED TO GET AN WORD IN AS WELL ABOUT HOW MUCH YOUR MOM MEANT TO ME AND, AND HOW PERSONALLY IT FELT SHE LOVED US ALL INDIVIDUALLY AND SHE DID SO IN SUCH A HUMBLE WAY, IN A QUIET WAY, BUT ALWAYS ASSERTIVELY AUTHORITATIVELY. SO MUCH HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT HER KNOWLEDGE. UH, SHE SET THE STANDARD FOR EVERYONE AT THIS HORSESHOE AND SHE DID SO FOR DECADES. AND, UH, UH, YOU, YOU, THEY BROKE THE MOLD WHEN THEY MADE YOUR MOM. AND, UH, WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE HAD HER AND YOU THREE AND, UH, THE STORIES ARE WONDERFUL TO HEAR TODAY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. AND PAT, I THINK SOMETHING ELSE, UH, THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, PLEASE STAND. THANK YOU. LOOK THE CITY OF. AND I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, MARTY STEIN, THE FORMER AGENDA, UH, DIRECTOR AND CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION. MARTY STEIN IS PRESIDENT AND THEN, THEN FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER. NOW JUDGE WANDA ADAMS IS ALSO PRESENT. OKAY. THE CITY OF HOUSTON WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL TO ANNA RUSSELL AND HER DEDICATION, COMMITMENT TO THE CITY. NOW LET ME, UH, INVITE ALL OF YOU, UH, TO JOIN US AS WE GO, UH, OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL, RIGHT OUTSIDE THOSE DOORS. AND, UH, UM, UH, JANET, UH, KAREN AND LINDA WILL LET THE WAY WE WILL FOLLOW, WE ARE GONNA GO RIGHT OUTSIDE SO WE CAN UNVEIL THE PLAQUE OFFICIALLY. SO LET'S GO OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE THE CHAMBER. [05:41:21] KIND OF JUST FEEL OUT WATER BACK. YOU READY HERE? OKAY. CAMERAS. ARE YOU ALL READY? YES. 3, 2, 1, UNVEIL. YES. ALRIGHT. THANK EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION. EVERYBODY VOTES UP. ANNA RUSSELL, COUNCIL CHAMBER. ANNA ADAMS. RUSSELL. AUGUST THE FIFTH, 1931 THROUGH FEBRUARY THE THIRD OF 2020. SERVED THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR 68 YEARS. WOW. APRIL 28TH, 1952 THROUGH FEBRUARY THE THIRD OF 2020. CITY SECRETARY FOR 48 YEARS DURING THE TERM OF NINE. HOUSTON MAYORS THIS CHAMBER NAMED IN HER HONOR BY THE HOUSTON COUNCIL. FEBRUARY THE FIRST, 2020. OKAY. UH, WE HAVE ANOTHER UNVEILING DOWNSTAIRS. WE'VE, UH, MOVED SOMETHING INTO THE RO ROTUNDA AND WE'LL FOLLOW THE MAYOR AND THE DAUGHTERS. UH, WE HAVE FOUR ELEVATORS, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO IS ABLE TO WALK TWO STAIRS DOWN, PRETTY SIMPLE WALK AND WE'LL JOIN AND JOIN US IN THE ROTUNDA MAYOR AND DAUGHTERS. SO PLEASE GO DOWN TO. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.