* 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. [City Pulse] [00:00:18] WELCOME TO CITY PULSE. I'M TRAVIS LEMONS AND HAVE WE GOT SOME STORIES FOR YOU TODAY? SINCE MAYOR TURNER'S ALL ABOUT COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, WE TAKE A TOUR OF A BRAND NEW COMMUNITY CENTER. METRO HOUSTON MAKES A SHOCKING FINE, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS KICKS OFF A FEBRUARY CELEBRATION THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR HEART, BUT WE START BY GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY WHILE ALSO SPREADING ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS. I HAVE A LOT OF ENERGY YOU HAVEN'T BEEN, AND I FEEL LIKE WE JUST NEED TO GET ALL THESE TREES IN THE GROUND. TODAY WE'RE CELEBRATING ARBOR DAY, AND WE'VE DONE THIS SINCE 1986. THIS MARKS THE 37TH ANNUAL ARB DAY CELEBRATION FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR JOBS AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TO ENSURE THAT OUR URBAN FOREST CANOPY IS PRESERVED AND TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE BENEFITS OF TREES SUCH AS CLEANER AIR, COOLER TEMPERATURES, AND HEALTHIER RESIDENTS. FOR 37 YEARS, HOUSTON HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS A TREE CITY USA, BY THE NATIONAL ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION. THERE WE GO. AND IT'S REALLY GREAT WHEN WE COME OUT ALTOGETHER, UH, TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT HEALTHIER. IT'S LIKE A TRADITION FOR US. WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR ABOUT 14 YEARS NOW WITH OUR SCHOOL. I GREW UP HERE AND I'M RAISING A FAMILY HERE, SO EXCITED TO BE PLANTING SOME TREES FOR THEIR FUTURE THAT THEY CAN ENJOY. MAYOR, IN HONOR OF YOU AND YOUR TENURE WITH THE CITY, WE HAVE PLANTED A 100 GALLON CATHEDRAL LIVE OAK TO COMMEMORATE YOUR EIGHT YEARS OF TENURE AND THE 62ND MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT REPRESENTS JUST STRENGTH IN A STRONG HOUSTON DURING CHALLENGING TIMES FOR THIS PAST SEVEN YEARS. NOW, WE KNOW THAT NATIVE TREES ARE CRUCIAL TO PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT THEY ARE ALSO ESSENTIAL TO MAKING SURE THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS OF HOUSTONIANS HAVE ACCESS TO GREEN SPACES SUCH AS GLENS SHIRE PARK. THE BEST TIME TO PLANT A TREE, AS THEY SAY, WAS 20 YEARS AGO, AND THE SECOND BEST TIME IS NOW. THEREFORE, I, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROUDLY PROCLAIM THIS DAY, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY THE FOURTH, 2023 AS ARBOR DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, ORIGINAL PAINTINGS BY LOCAL SCHOOL KIDS, HIGHLIGHT THE KICKOFF OF LOVE YOUR PET MONTH EACH FEBRUARY, COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS SUPPORTS A SERIES OF EVENTS TO HELP EDUCATE PEOPLE ON RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP. FEBRUARY'S THE BEGINNING OF PUPPY AND KITTEN SEASON, SO THAT'S A, A REALLY GOOD TIME TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO BE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS. HOW YOU DOING YOUR CHILDREN HAVE, ARE HELPING TO SPREAD THAT WORD BY, BY, UM, SHINING A LIGHT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A RESPONSIBLE PET OWNER. AND, UM, AND THEY DID BEAUTIFUL WORK. MY NAME IS, AND I DO THE SNEAK. WE'RE REALLY LEARNING ABOUT SNAKES IN OUR CLASS. I HAD AN IDEA, I WROTE SOME EGGS INSIDE. SEE, IT'S THE SEA STAR, THE SEA STILL, AND THE SEA. S THERE ARE SOME AMAZING YOUNG ARTISTS RIGHT HERE, AND QUITE FRANKLY, ART REPRESENTS THE SOUL OF OUR CITY. WE NEED TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF, OF OUR PET, QUITE FRANKLY, THE EXTENSION OF OUR FAMILY. WE JUST ALL NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF EDUCATING PEOPLE, MAKING PEOPLE AWARE, BEING RESPONSIBLE. MICRO, WE'RE CHIPPING OUR, UH, OUR ANIMALS, OUR PETS. IT IS IMPORTANT SO WE MAKE SURE THAT ANIMALS WON'T GET ABUSED AND HURT. THEY'RE IMPORTANT PIECE IN THE FAMILY AND FOR A CHILD, ESPECIALLY WITH SAY THEY, TO HAVE SOMEONE TO CUDDLE WITH, TO LOVE, AND, UM, JUST ALSO LEARN RESPONSIBILITIES. SHE'S SUPER PROUD OF HER AND SHE'S, UH, SHE'S SUPER EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY AND SHE'S, UH, VERY EXCITED FOR EVERYONE TO SEE HER HEART. I'M, I'M SPONSORING, UM, A, A WELLNESS CLINIC AT BARK EVERY SUNDAY IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY WHERE YOU CAN, YOU CAN REGISTER AND GET YOUR, YOUR PET MICROCHIP FOR FREE AS WELL. THE CHILDREN'S ART EXHIBIT WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT CITY HALL THROUGH THIS MONTH. AS A REMINDER, FEBRUARY IS ALSO INTERNATIONAL WORLD SPAY MONTH, HELP CONTROL PET POPULATION AND HAVE YOUR PET SPAYED OR NEUTERED. SWITCHING GEARS, HERE'S A PREVIEW OF PODCAST ARCHITECTS, A NEW SEGMENT THAT WILL BE FEATURED ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF CITY PULSE. HOW HAS YOUR CORPORATION AIDED [00:05:01] IN, SAY, THE ECONOMIC, UH, RECOVERY AND AND DEVELOPMENT HERE IN THE CITY AS RECENTLY? REALLY IT WAS TO GET PEOPLE BACK MOVING AGAIN ONCE, ONCE THE, THE AUTHORITIES AND GOVERNMENT SAID THAT PEOPLE COULD MOVE AROUND AGAIN AND START GATHERING AGAIN. THE PANDEMIC REALLY DID HAVE DEVASTATING EFFECT ON WHAT WE DO. WE'RE ABOUT PEOPLE GATHERING, TRAVELING, HOTEL STAYS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT REALLY THE VISITOR ECONOMY FOR HOUSTON'S A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR ENTERPRISE FOR THIS CITY. IT EMPLOYS THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, NOT NOT ONLY AT HOTELS, BUT AT RESTAURANTS, THE WHOLE HOSPITALITY COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. AND SO OUR JOB AT HOUSTON, FIRST TO CREATE VALUE IS TO BRING PEOPLE HERE, HAVE THAT RIPPLE EFFECT THROUGHOUT THE ECONOMY OF CREATING ECONOMIC IMPACT, UH, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, UH, UH, AN EVEN HEALTHIER ECONOMY THAN WHAT WE HAVE. WE'LL HAVE MORE OF THAT INTERVIEW WITH HOUSTON FIRST PRESIDENT AND CEO MICHAEL HECKMAN NEXT TIME. BUT WHEN WE RETURN, METRO COMES ACROSS A GRAVE MISTAKE AND SUNNYSIDE GETS A DESTINATION VENUE, GREASE AND WIPES, CLOG PIPES. IN FACT, CLOGS FROM THESE ITEMS ARE THE MAIN CAUSE OF SEWER OVERFLOWS IN HOUSTON. OUR PIPES ARE DESIGNED TO TRANSPORT WATER, PEE POO, TOILET PAPER, AND SOAP. HERE ARE A FEW ITEMS TO KEEP OUT OF TOILETS AND DRINKS IN THE KITCHEN. PUT GREASE IN ITS PLACE THE TRASH. SIMPLY POUR IT INTO A HEAT RESISTANT CONTAINER. COOL IT, THEN TOSS IT IN THE TRASH. THIS INCLUDES FOOD ITEMS SUCH AS MEAT, FATS, BUTTER AND CREAM OILS, AND EVEN DOUGH AND BATTER. ALL FOOD SCRAPS SHOULD BE TOSSED IN THE TRASH IN THE RESTROOM. ONLY FLUSH THROUGH THREE PS, PEE POO AND TOILET PAPER. TOGETHER WE CAN PROTECT OUR PIPES FROM CLOGS AND OVERFLOWS. LEARN MORE@PROTECTOURPIPES.ORG. WELCOME BACK. RECENTLY METRO WAS IN THE PLANNING STAGES TO IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM AT TIDWELL AND MARKET, BUT THEY MADE A RATHER SHOCKING DISCOVERY. 33 GRAVES WERE FOUND UNDERNEATH THE ESPLANADE AND CREWS DISCOVERED THE REMAINS OF THREE PEOPLE IN THOSE GRAVES. UH, EVERGREEN NEGRO CEMETERY IS THE THIRD OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN CEMETERY IN HOUSTON. AND AT ONE TIME THE SITE WAS OWNED BY ONE OF THE FOUNDERS, FIFTH WARD, RESIDENT BUSINESSMAN AND FORMER SLAVE AK KELLY IN 1960. CITY OF HOUSTON, FIRST EXPANDED LOCKWOOD DRIVE WITH THE INSTALLATION OF THIS XPLAN AND THE WORK SPLIT THE CEMETERY. AND THEN WHEN LOCKWOOD WAS EXPANDED, THE CITY AGREED THAT ALL OF THE CASKETS, THOSE WHO WERE BURIED HERE AND TURD HERE, WOULD BE RELOCATED IN THE CEMETERY ON BOTH SIDES OF LOCKWOOD. RECENTLY BY METRO, UH, DURING THE PLANNING PHASE OF THIS NEW PROJECT, WHAT WAS DIS UH, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT NOT ALL OF THOSE BODIES HAD BEEN REMOVED IN THEON. THE DISCOVERY OF HUMAN REMAINS IN THIS MEDIAN ALONG LOCKWOOD DURING THE PLANNING PHASE OF THIS PROJECT NOW GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROPERLY HONOR ALL THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US AND BEAR WITNESS TO THE EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO ONCE CALLED THIS AREA HOPE. WE ARE HERE BECAUSE THIS MAYOR, SYLVESTER TURNER, FULLY COGNIZANT OF THIS BEING BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND FULLY COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BURIED HERE WERE DISRESPECTED WHEN THEY WERE ALIVE. SAM MAYOR TURNER, THANK YOU FOR BEING THE PERSON THAT YOU ARE. [00:10:02] NRG STADIUM HAS BEEN HOME TO SEVERAL EPIC SPORTING EVENTS, INCLUDING THE SUPER BOWL FINAL FOURS, AND IN 2026 THE FIFA WORLD CUP, BUT IN LESS THAN 10 MONTHS AWAY WILL BE THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, HOUSTON, HOW TO PUT ON A BIG EVENT. THERE IS NO OTHER CITY THAT CAN COMPETE WITH US AND PUTTING ON BIG EVENTS. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WE ARE JUST A FRIENDLY CITY. HOUSTON MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER IS MET WITH A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AS HE ADDRESSES A ROOM FULL OF LEADERS WHO ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING THE 2024 COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TO HOUSTON. AND LET ME TELL YOU, WE'LL HOST IT RIGHT, BILL, IT WILL BE LIKE NONE OTHERS. SO MUCH SO THAT BILL, YOU ALL WILL JUST WANT TO COME AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. ALTHOUGH THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WILL BE THE HUGE DRAW. HOUSTON COMMITTEE CHAIR JUNE DEDRICK SAYS THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO CAPITALIZE ON THIS OPPORTUNITY BY STIMULATING HOUSTON'S ECONOMY AS WELL. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO CONTRACT WITH DIFFERENT SUPPLIERS FOR THE GAME. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THE GAME, FOOD VENDORS, SECURITY, PRINTING, ALL KINDS OF THINGS. AND SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESSES TO COME IN, LEARN ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND ACTUALLY GET SOME SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES HERE DURING THIS PERIOD. IN ADDITION, THE EXTRA YARD FOR TEACHERS PROGRAM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED TO HELP SERVE AREA EDUCATORS. POST COMMITTEE PRESIDENT CHRIS MASSEY SAYS $1.5 MILLION HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO HELP ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA. AND SO WE'RE VERY MUCH ALONG THE LINES OF COMING UP WITH A STRONG STRATEGIC PLAN TO CREATE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ENRICHMENT IMPROVEMENT AND RETENTION OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND TEACHERS THAT MAY VERY WELL WANT TO COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY TO TEACH. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE, ARE SETTING FORTH TO DO WITH THE FOUNDATION FOR A MAYOR WHO'S HOSTED MANY NATIONAL SPORTING EVENTS. THIS PROCESS IS JUST THE LATEST FOOTPRINT UNDER HIS ADMINISTRATION. WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN PUTTING TOGETHER GREAT EVENTS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE JUST TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN BEING HOSPITABLE. UH, THAT'S JUST A HOUSTON WAY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, OFFICE OF THE MAYOR. I'M SIOBHAN HERNDON. THAT'S GONNA DO IT FOR ME IN STUDIO, BUT THE BEST WAY TO PUT A BOW ON THIS EPISODE AND CALL IT COMPLETE IS BY CUTTING A RIBBON AND TOURING SUNNYSIDE'S NEW HEALTH AND COMMUNITY CENTER. IT'S A GOOD MORNING TO BE IN SUNNYSIDE. WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY TO WELCOME THIS COMMUNITY TO THE RIBBON CUTTING, GRAND OPENING FOR THE NEW SUNNYSIDE HEALTH AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. IT'S A GREAT DAY IN SUNNYSIDE. THIS IS THE PRIDE OF SUNNYSIDE. THIS FACILITY IS GOING TO BE A FACILITY THAT THIS COMMUNITY WILL ENJOY. I THINK IT'S BEAUTIFUL. I THINK IT'S AN AMAZING ESTABLISHMENT AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT SORT OF OPPORTUNITIES ARE GONNA BE COMING UP. UH, YOU'RE HERE FOR WIC, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NEXT DOOR IS OUR IMMUNIZATION CLINIC. RIGHT NEXT DOOR IS OUR DENTAL CLINIC. YOU CAN GET A MULTITUDE OF SERVICES HERE. OH, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR DESTINATION VENUES. JUST SO VERY, VERY EXCITED. THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY ARE SO WORTHY OF THESE SERVICES. I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY WILL COME OUT AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM, ESPECIALLY OUR SENIORS, BECAUSE THEY REALLY, REALLY NEED PLACES TO CONGREGATE AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GET HEALTH SERVICES. WE BELIEVE IN WHAT'S RIGHT. THIS HEALTH DIRECTOR WILL HELP YOU. THAT'S WHAT SUNNYSIDE IS ABOUT. IT GIVES PLACES FOR FOR CHILDREN TO COME WHERE BUSINESSES CAN COME, WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME AND, AND HAVE COMRADERY AND HAVE COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD THING TO HAVE. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT GATHERING SPACE, VERY WELCOMING AND BEAUTIFUL COMMUNAL SPACE. UH, IT'S JUST GONNA BE PHENOMENAL FOR THE COMMUNITY. KIND OF A ONE-STOP SHOP. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE SENIOR DANCE PARTIES. THAT WAS REALLY FUN. WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD OF WHAT'S TAKING PLACE IN THIS BUILDING. THE ARCHITECT, THE DESIGNS. THIS BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OF SUNNYSIDE. SO IF YOU ARE A MEMBER, IF YOU ARE A PART OF SUNNYSIDE, GIVE YOURSELVES A HAND. * 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.