* 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.
          ONE. 
          [Transportation, Technology, and Infrastructure Committee on March 2, 2023.]
          [00:00:02]
MY NAME IS DAVID ROBINSON. 
          I CHAIR THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE. 
          TODAY IS THURSDAY, MARCH THE SECOND IN 2023. 
          IT'S 10:00 AM AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER, UH, AND, UH, NOTING THE DATE. 
          I'D LIKE TO WELCOME ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF WHO ARE IN ATTENDANCE WITH US TODAY. 
          WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN WITH US VIRTUALLY. 
          WE HAVE ALSO COUNCIL MEMBER MARY NAN HUFFMAN WITH US VIRTUALLY. 
          WE HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS OFFICE. 
          WE HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD POLLARD'S OFFICE. 
          WE HAVE, UH, STAFF FROM THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM'S OFFICE. 
          WE HAVE STAFF IN PERSON FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE KNOX'S OFFICE. 
          AND WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER'S OFFICE WITH US, AS WELL AS STAFF HERE IN THE CHAMBER FROM THE MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN. 
          AND I BELIEVE WITH THAT, WE, WE ALSO HAVE NOW BEEN JOINED BY STAFF FROM THE VICE CHAIR SALLY ALCORN'S OFFICE. 
          I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE HERE, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, SEEING THIS ONLINE AND WITH US HERE IN THE CHAMBER TODAY. 
          AND NOTE THAT THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD IN HYBRID MODE DUE TO THE DISCONTINUATION OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT. 
          CHAPTER 5 51 PROVISIONS THAT ALLOWED PUBLIC MEETINGS TO BE HELD SOLELY, VIRTUALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC. 
          THE MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND THE CHAIR. 
          AS PRESIDING OFFICER, I AM PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE CHAMBER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 51 0.1 27 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO A GOVERNMENTAL BODY THAT EXTENDS INTO THREE OR MORE COUNTIES. 
          ALL OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE THE OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS TODAY. 
          IN ADDITION TO, UH, A NUMBER OF AGENDA ITEMS, WE HAVE NINE ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA. 
          AND, UH, WITH THAT, WE HAVE ONLY ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, BUT HE IS A SPECIAL GUEST AS ALWAYS. 
          AND, UH, THE DEADLINE FOR SIGNING UP TO SPEAK IN PERSON IS 5:00 PM THE DAY BEFORE OUR MEETING, SO YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. 
          AND HOWEVER, ALL AS ALWAYS, ANY QUESTIONS THAT COME IN, UH, IN, IN, UM, FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATIONS TODAY CAN BE SENT TO THE AT LARGE2@HOUSTONTX.GOV EMAIL ADDRESS, AND WE'LL SHARE THEM WITH THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS FOLLOWING THE MEETING AND DISTRIBUTE THE RESPONSES, UH, TO ALL MEMBERS, UH, TO SEE. 
          AND WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY. 
          UH, UH, NUMBER OF THEM, THEM, AS I MENTIONED, THE 2022 EQUITY IN TRANSIT REPORT. 
          WE'LL HEAR FROM GABE CASRE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LINK HOUSTON, AS WELL AS PETER ECKLES, THE DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PLANNING FOR LINK. 
          WE'LL, WE'LL HEAR ABOUT METER READINGS AND WATER BILLS, UH, FROM LISA GARRISON, THE DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER ACCOUNT SERVICES FROM HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. 
          THIRD ITEM WE'LL HEAR IS THE FISCAL YEAR 2023, CITYWIDE CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT APPROPRIATION THAT WILL BE, UH, PRESENTED BY J GREENFIELD, OUR CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT DIVISION. 
          AND CALPANA PILAY, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING FOR THE HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT. 
          THAT'S HITS AS WELL AS SUMMER XO, OUR DEPUTY CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER FOR APPLICATIONS AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE, AND THAT'S ALSO WITH THE HITS DEPARTMENT. 
          AND THEN, UH, LAST FROM HITS, I BELIEVE WE'LL HEAR FROM THE COOPERATIVE PURCHASING ANNUAL ALLOCATION. 
          UH, THAT'S WILL BE PRESENTED BY OUR DIRECTOR LISA KENT FROM HITS. 
          AND, AND THEN PLEASE NOTE THAT, UH, PRESENTATIONS BEYOND THAT WILL BE HEARD FROM MIKE BELL, OUR CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER FOR THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S ASSISTANT CHIEF WYATT, MILTON MARTIN. 
          AND, UH, THAT WILL BE THE MOBILE DATA, COMPUTER REFRESH, THE RECORD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, CONTRACT EXTENSION, RECORD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PROCUREMENT, AND THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER PROCUREMENT UPDATE. 
          SO WE HAVE, I BELIEVE THAT IS EIGHT, UM, ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR PRESENTATION TODAY. 
          AND I'D LIKE TO REMIND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WE WILL BE TAKING QUESTIONS AFTER EACH PRESENTATION. 
          SO PLEASE, UH, REMAIN ON MUTE AND HOLD THE QUESTIONS TO THE END OF EACH PRESENTATION, AND WE WILL KEEP YOU IN MIND HERE IN THE QUEUE. 
          AND, UH, PLEASE SEND A MESSAGE IN THE CHAT FOR REQUESTING TO SPEAK. 
          WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON'S OFFICE FROM DISTRICT B. 
          SO I BELIEVE WITH THAT, WE ARE READY TO GET TO THE BODY OF THE MEETING. 
          WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY OUR CHAIR, UH, SALLY ALCORN. 
          IT'S 
          [00:05:01]
NICE TO SEE YOU, VICE CHAIR. 
          GLAD THAT YOU ARE HERE. 
          AND, UH, WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK. 
          WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          UM, AND I BELIEVE WITH THAT, WE ARE READY TO GO. 
          SO WE WILL CALL, UM, THE FIRST PRESENTATION UP, WHICH IS THE 2022 EQUITY IN TRANSIT REPORT. 
          WE'LL HEAR FROM GAB  IS, IS HAVING APPARENTLY SOME TECHNICAL CHALLENGES ONLINE. 
          OKAY, I BEG YOUR PARDON. 
          I BELIEVE WE ARE READY TO GO. 
          GA GABE IS HERE IN THE CHAMBER AND PETER ECKLES WITH HIM, UH, COMING FORWARD TO THE PODIUM. 
          NOW, I THINK WE'RE GONNA PAUSE FOR A SECOND AND, UH, WE ARE GOING TO PAUSE APPARENTLY FOR ONE MOMENT OR TWO, BUT A FEW GENTLEMEN WILL TAKE YOUR SEAT. 
          WE WILL BE WITH YOU MOMENTARILY. 
          AND, UH, WITH THAT, WE'LL TAKE A BRIEF RECESS. 
          PLEASE BEAR WITH US. 
          GENTLEMEN. 
          THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. 
          WE ARE READY TO GO LIVE WITH YOU NOW. 
          THANK YOU FOR, UH, PAUSING WITH US FOR A MOMENT. 
          AND AS SAID, WE ARE NOW GOING TO HEAR FROM GABE RES. 
          HE'S OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LINK HOUSTON AND PETER ECCLES, THE DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PLANNING FOR LINK HOUSTON ON THE 2022 EQUITY IN TRANSIT REPORT. 
          GENTLEMEN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS, CHAIR. 
          UH, HOLD ON ONE SECOND. 
          GO AHEAD. 
          CHAIR ROBINSON, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH YOU THIS MORNING. 
          AS, UH, OUR CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON, I MENTIONED, MY NAME IS GABE CASARES AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LINK HOUSTON. 
          WE ADVOCATE FOR A ROBUST AND EQUITABLE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK SO THAT ALL PEOPLE CAN REACH OPPORTUNITY. 
          WE MOVE IDEAS INTO ACTION THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT RESEARCH AND SHAPING PUBLIC POLICY. 
          OUR EQUITY AND TRANSIT REPORT SERIES PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN SUPPORTING OUR MISSION, EQUITY AND TRANSIT MEANS THE FAIR AND JUST DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS, BURDENS OF TRANSIT, SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS COMMUNITIES. 
          OVER THE SUMMER, WE PARTNERED WITH LEADERS, RESIDENTS, AND BUS RIDERS FROM GULFTON IN A COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH PROCESS THAT THE COMMUNITY RESEARCHERS HELPED US DEVELOP THE 2022 HOUSTON BUS RIDER SURVEY. 
          TODAY, WE'LL SPEND SOME TIME DESCRIBING OUR PROCESS AND DATA ANALYSIS AS WELL AS OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR METRO. 
          AND WHILE THIS PROJECT PRIMARILY FOCUSES ON METRO AS THE AGENCY RESPONSIBLE, PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, MASS TRANSIT IN OUR REGION, I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT OTHER ENTITIES LIKE THE CITY OF HOUSTON, PLAY AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN ENSURING A EQUITABLE AND ACCESSIBLE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION EXPERIENCE. 
          NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PLANNING. 
          HE IS ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF IN THE JOB, SO, UH, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO PETER ECHOS TO TAKE US THROUGH THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU, GABE, AND, AND WELCOME PETER. 
          NICE TO HAVE YOU IN YOUR NEW ROLE. 
          YEAH, GREAT. 
          THANK YOU GABE. 
          UH, GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR. 
          UM, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL AND TO ANY CITY COLLEAGUES LISTENING IN LONG TIME, NO. 
          SEE, UH, AS GABE MENTIONED, MY NAME IS PETER ECKLES. 
          I AM THE DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PLANNING FOR LINK HOUSTON, AND I AM VERY EXCITED TODAY TO PRESENT TO YOU SOME OF THE FINDINGS OF THE 2022 EQUITY AND TRANSIT REPORT. 
          UM, IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          SO, UH, AS THE NAME SUGGESTS, UH, EQUITY AND TRANSIT IS FOCUSING ON TWO PRINCIPLES, UH, EQUITY AND TRANSIT, WHICH IS THE FAIR DISTRIBUTION OF TRANSIT BENEFITS AND BURDENS AND CLIMATE JUSTICE, WHICH IS ADDRESSING THE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. 
          EQUITY IN 
          [00:10:01]
TRANSIT GENERALLY FOCUSES ITS RESEARCH AND RECOMMENDATIONS TOWARDS METRO, THE CITY'S MAIN TRANSIT PROVIDER. 
          BUT THIS REPORT IS STILL OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ITS RESIDENTS AND ITS DEPARTMENTS. 
          AS YOU CAN READ ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN RIGHT THERE, OUR REGION INCLUDES HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO RELY ON TRANSIT TO LIVE THEIR LIVES AND TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES. 
          WE BELIEVE THAT CENTERING EQUITY AND CLIMATE JUSTICE REQUIRES DECISION MAKERS AND ADVOCATES TO ACTIVELY LISTEN TO CURRENT BUS RIDERS AND THEN TO WORK TOGETHER ON SOLUTIONS. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          SO, IN SHORT, OUR RESEARCH CONTINUOUSLY IS DEMANDING A PERSISTENT DEMAND FOR BETTER EQUITY IN TRANSIT. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          THE BEDROCK OF THE EQUITY AND TRANSIT REPORT IS THE TRANSIT TRANSPORTATION EQUITY DEMAND INDEX, OR TEDDY LINK HOUSTON CREATED TEDDY IN 2018, AND IT COMBINES 15 DIFFERENT INDICATORS SUCH AS INCOME, VEHICLE OWNERSHIP, POPULATION OF JOBS AND DENSITY, UM, JOBS AND POPULATION DENSITY TO IDENTIFY PRIORITY LOCATIONS FOR BETTER TRANSIT. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          THIS YEAR WE HAVE FOCUSED ON GULFTON IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON. 
          I DON'T NEED TO TELL FOLKS ON THE SCREEN, UH, OR IN THE ROOM HERE THAT GULFTON IS HOUSTON'S MOST DENSELY POPULATED BY MANY MEASURES, ITS MOST DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD IN HOUSTON AND HAS THE HIGHEST RATE OF TRANSIT USAGE, BUT IT, IT'S A NATURAL FOCUS FOR OUR RESEARCH IN THAT SENSE. 
          BUT MORE THAN THAT, NOWHERE IN HOUSTON ARE THE CHALLENGES FACING TRANSIT USERS MORE APPARENT THAN ENG GULFTON. 
          THERE ARE STILL ISSUES AROUND FREQUENCY AND RELIABILITY ISSUES, ACCESSING TRANSIT, WHETHER BY FOOT, BY BICYCLE, BY WHEELCHAIR, UM, AND THEN ISSUES WITH THE STOPS THEMSELVES. 
          AND SOMETHING THAT IS A NEW FOCUS FOR US THIS YEAR IS HEAT. 
          WE WORKED WITH HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, WHO CONDUCTED A COUNTYWIDE, UM, ANALYSIS AND DETERMINED THE GULFTON IS THE HOTTEST NEIGHBORHOOD IN HARRIS COUNTY. 
          UM, OFTEN 20 DEGREES HOTTER THAN SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE REGION. 
          UM, AND THIS IS IN LARGE PART DUE TO THE LARGE EXPANSES OF CONCRETE ROADS, FREEWAYS, PARKING LOTS, UM, THROUGHOUT. 
          AND THE RELATIVE LACK OF GREEN SPACE ON THE SCREEN RIGHT HERE IS A HEAT MAP OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          UM, AND IT'S VERY EASY TO TELL WHERE BURNETT BAYLAND PARK IS. 
          IT'S THE COOLEST PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          IT THE HOTTEST NEIGHBORHOODS ARE GENERALLY AROUND, UH, THE SOUTHWEST FREEWAY, HILLCROFT AVE, UM, AND OTHER PLACES THAT PEOPLE ARE FREQUENTLY WAITING FOR, FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME FOR THE BUS AND ARE EXPOSED TO THOSE LARGE FACTORS OF HEAT. 
          UM, WE ALSO BUILT FROM THE GREENER GULFTON REPORT, WHICH WORKED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO RECOMMEND AND WAYS TO ADDRESS THESE DISPROPORTIONATE BURDENS FACED BY GOIN RESIDENTS. 
          ALRIGHT, UH, ONTO OUR RESEARCH PROCESS. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE LINK. 
          HOUSTON RELIED HEAVILY ON A COMMUNITY RESEARCH TEAM OF GOIN LEADERS AND RESIDENTS, SOME OF WHOM ARE HERE WITH US TODAY, TO GUIDE THE RESEARCH. 
          THE TEAM DEVELOPED QUESTIONS FOR THE 2022 HOUSTON BUS RIDER SURVEY. 
          THEY ADVISED US ON HOW TO REACH PEOPLE AND THEY ADVISED US ON HOW TO TAKE ACTION. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          MANY, MANY THANKS TO THIS DEDICATED TEAM OF CO-RESEARCHERS AND VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR WORK. 
          AND THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE METRO RIDERS THAT TOOK THE SURVEY. 
          EQUITY AND TRANSIT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEM. 
          UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT HERE TO TURN IT OVER TO NO FAIK, UM, WHO IS ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY RESEARCH TEAM AND HAS SOME WORDS TO SHARE. 
          THANK YOU MR. LES. 
          AND, AND WELCOME MS. FAIK TO THE CHAMBERS. 
          THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. 
          LET'S GET YOUR, UH, MIC ON HERE. 
          VERY GOOD. 
          GO AHEAD. 
          OKAY. 
          GOOD MORNING, . 
          UM, WELL MY NAME IS NALIA FAIK AND I'M A PROUD RESIDENT OF THE GULFTON COMMUNITY. 
          UM, I ENJOYED WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LINK HOUSTON, UM, AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY RESEARCH TEAM FOR THEIR PUBLIC TRANSIT STUDY. 
          AS AN IMMIGRANT GIRL, I GREW UP EXPERIENCING STRUGGLES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS, IN MANY WAYS UNPRIVILEGED AND LIMITED WITH RESOURCES. 
          PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE AS A TEENAGER I RODE METRO TO MAKE IT TO AND FROM SCHOOL. 
          IT WAS THE MOST SAFE AND AFFORDABLE WAY OF TRANSPORTING. 
          SINCE MY MOTHER DIDN'T OWN A CAR, I WAS GLAD I COULD RIDE METRO AND AFFORD, UM, TO PAY TO GET HOME WITHOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. 
          IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN UNSAFE, DANGEROUS TWO MILE WALK ALONG ROADS WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC STREETS WITH NO SIDEWALKS OR CROSSWALKS WITH LITTLE SIGNAGE TO GUIDE THE WAY. 
          THE CHALLENGES ALONG WITH HOT OR RAINY WEATHER ARE JUST SOME OF THE BARRIERS ARE EXPERIENCED. 
          PEOPLE IN GOLFING DESERVE AFFORDABLE TRANSIT, UH, WORKING FAMILIES AND STUDENTS 
          [00:15:01]
ALIKE. 
          FOR MANY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, PUBLIC TRANSIT IS THE KEY TO REACHING DESTINATIONS LIKE WORKPLACES, SCHOOL PARKS, OR EVEN IN SAY, ESSENTIAL DAILY TRIPS LIKE GETTING GROCERIES. 
          UM, I ALSO SHARE THESE VIEWS AS A MOTHER BECAUSE OF MY CHILDREN AND FOR ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE GULFTON NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          I WOULDN'T WANT THESE BARRIERS I SPEAK OF TO BE THE PROBLEM FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS. 
          THERE ARE VOICES LIKE ME WHO FEEL OFTEN ARE, I'M SORRY, ARE UNHEARD OR FEEL THEY ARE FORGOTTEN AND DO NOT MATTER. 
          THIS IS WHY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME. 
          UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO SUPPORT METRO AND GULFTON RESIDENTS IN CREATING SOLUTIONS TO SOLVE PERSISTENT TRANSIT AND MOBILITY ISSUES. 
          THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          NO, MS. FAIG, THAT WAS EXCELLENT TESTIMONY. 
          THANK YOU FOR BRINGING YOUR VOICE TO THE CHAMBER TODAY. 
          GREAT, THANK YOU. 
          NO NALIA AND THANKS TO EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY RESEARCH TEAM FOR, FOR YOUR HELP. 
          ALRIGHT, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO, JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF WHO TOOK THE 22 HOUSTON BUS RIDER SURVEY. 
          THE VAST MAJORITY OF PARTICIPANTS ARE CURRENT METRO RIDERS, ABOUT 81%. 
          UM, ABOUT HALF OF THEM ARE NEAR DAILY RIDERS OF METRO WITH THE REMAINING USE IT SOMETIME BETWEEN ONE AND FIVE DAYS A WEEK. 
          AND FINALLY THREE QUARTERS OF THEM HAVE BEEN RIDING METRO FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. 
          26 FOR LESS THAN A YEAR. 
          AND THEN 1%, THIS WAS THEIR VERY FIRST TRIP ON METRO. 
          HOPEFULLY NOT THE LAST NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          ALRIGHT, ONTO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 2022 EQUITY AND TRANSIT REPORT. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          WE USED A SCORING SYSTEM THAT USES SORT OF TRANSIT FRIENDLY LANGUAGE. 
          IF WE'RE GENERALLY SATISFIED WITH THE PROGRESS ON THIS RECOMMENDATION, WE'RE ON ROUTE. 
          IF WE COULD BE MAKING BETTER PROGRESS HERE, IT COULD BE BETTER. 
          AND IF WE'RE NOT REALLY MAKING ANY PROGRESS AT ALL, UM, WE'RE ADVISING TO CHANGE ROUTE. 
          AND I'LL JUST NOTE THAT AGAIN, THIS REPORT WAS DIRECTED AT METRO, SO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THESE SCORES THAT YOU SEE ARE BASED ON METRO'S PROGRESS. 
          BUT I'LL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE CITY OF HOUSTON COULD BE BANKING BETTER PROGRESS TOWARDS THESE THINGS AS WELL. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          THE NUMBER ONE TOP PRIORITY THAT WE HEARD FROM METRO RIDERS WAS AROUND IMPROVING THE RELIABILITY OF THE SERVICE, THAT IT WOULD COME WHEN IT SAID IT WOULD, AND THAT THE VARIOUS TRACKING SOFTWARES THAT PEOPLE USE, UM, WHETHER SIGNS, SCHEDULES, OR PHONE APPS WOULD MATCH UP WITH THE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE BUS. 
          THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD FAR AND WIDE, AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE TESTIMONY IN GREEN ON THE SCREEN RIGHT THERE. 
          UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S ROLE IN THIS IS TO MOVE THE BUSES FASTER AND MORE RELIABLY. 
          UM, YES, METRO DRIVES THE BUSES, BUT EVERY ONE OF THOSE METRO SERVICES IS OPERATING ON A PUBLIC STREET, MANY OF WHICH ARE CONTROLLED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          UM, WE'VE SEEN SOME PROGRESS HERE AROUND TRAFFIC SIGNAL PRIORITY, SOME BUS ONLY LANES IN CERTAIN AREAS, BUT, UM, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS HELPS IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY FOR METRO AND IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY TO THE RIDERS. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          THE NUMBER TWO, UH, RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE IS TO INCREASE THE FREQUENCY OF THE BUS. 
          THE VAST MAJORITY OF RIDERS PREFER A 15 MINUTE FREQUENCY, WHICH WAS A LOT MORE WIDESPREAD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE, UM, METRO BUS NETWORK RE-IMAGINING. 
          BUT SINCE MANY ROUTES THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY 15 MINUTES HAVE GONE TO 30 OR EVEN LONGER, UM, THIS IS ESPECIALLY CRUCIAL IF YOUR TRIP INVOLVES TWO OR MORE BUS ROUTES BECAUSE THAT FREQUENCY MEANS THAT YOU HAVE A SHORTER TIME TO TRANSFER BETWEEN THE ROUTES. 
          AND IF IT'S LONGER, THEN YOU'VE EXTENDED YOUR TRIP. 
          UM, MUCH, MUCH MORE. 
          UM, AGAIN, THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS A ROLE HERE, A BUS THAT IS MORE RELIABLE FINISHES ITS TRIP FASTER, AND THEN THAT FREES UP ANOTHER BUS TO OPERATE THE THE ROUTE, UM, WITH MORE FREQUENCY. 
          SO WE'D LOVE TO SEE THE CITY PARTNER ON THIS NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          UH, NUMBER THREE, WERE BETTER STOPS. 
          UH, SO BUSES STOPS THAT ARE SHADED, SAFE, CLEAN AND COMFORTABLE. 
          UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD FAR AND WIDE FROM GULFTON RESIDENTS THAT FOLKS ARE HOT, UNCOMFORTABLE AT NIGHT. 
          THEY DON'T FEEL PARTICULARLY SAFE WAITING FOR THE BUS. 
          SO WE'D LIKE TO SEE METRO MAKE SOME PROGRESS HERE. 
          MANY OF THOSE BUS STOPS ARE WITHIN CITY OF HOUSTON, RIGHT OF WAY. 
          SO WE, UM, RECOGNIZE THAT THE CITY HAS A ROLE TO PLAY HERE AS WELL IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND IN IDENTIFYING LOCATIONS FOR, UM, BETTER STOPS. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          UH, TO ENHANCE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SAFETY, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE WANTED, UH, METRO TO BE A LITTLE EASIER AND FRIENDLIER TO USE. 
          UM, SOME FOLKS, UH, RAISE CONCERN AROUND, UH, YOU KNOW, CONFLICTING INFORMATION FROM METRO BUS RIDERS UP FROM, FROM METRO BUS DRIVERS. 
          UM, OFTEN NOT EASY TO USE THE WEBSITE AND 
          [00:20:01]
STUFF LIKE THIS. 
          UH, THIS ONE HAS LESS OF A ROLE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO TO NOTE THAT. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          BETTER ACCESS. 
          UH, SO METRO HAS MADE A VERY AMBITIOUS GOAL OF MAKING ALL OF THEIR 9,000 BUS STOPS MEET OR EXCEED ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS BY 2024. 
          AND THEY'RE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS ON THIS. 
          THEY'RE AT ABOUT 3,500 AT AT LAST METRIC. 
          SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE TAKING VERY SERIOUSLY. 
          THIS IS THE RECOMMENDATION FOR WHICH WE GAVE METRO THE HIGHEST MARKS. 
          UM, IF WE WERE MAKING THIS, UH, GIVING A GRADE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IT PROBABLY WOULD BE A DIFFERENT STORY. 
          WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY SEEING THE SAME SORT OF URGENCY TOWARDS UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY THAT METRO IS PUTTING ON THEIR STOPS. 
          AND WE KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS A LOT MORE MILES OF SIDEWALK THAN METRO HAS BUS STOPS, BUT STILL, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL. 
          EVERY BUS TRIP BEGINS OR ENDS WITH A WALK OR A ROLL, AND THAT HAPPENS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, RIGHT OF WAY. 
          WE'D LIKE TO SEE MORE PROGRESS ON THIS NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, TO EXTEND HOURS AND NETWORK COVERAGE OF THE METRO NETWORK. 
          UH, THE FREQUENT METRO ROUTES GENERALLY START TO TAPER OUT AROUND MIDNIGHT SOME ROUTE EARLIER THAN THAT. 
          THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOW EVERYBODY'S SCHEDULE. 
          WE KNOW THAT FOLKS GET OFF OF WORK LATE, START WORK EARLY. 
          UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME AMOUNT OF OVERNIGHT COVERAGE ON METRO THAT SO THAT FOLKS CAN GET TO THEIR ESSENTIAL DESTINATIONS AND JOBS. 
          THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OTHER CITIES ARE ABLE TO MANAGE AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE METRO MAKE SOME PROGRESS HERE. 
          AND THOSE CITIES THAT HAVE PULLED IT OFF GENERALLY HAVE BEEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEIR MUNICIPALITY IN, IN, IN SECURING THAT SERVICE. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          ALRIGHT, THAT WRAPS UP OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE ONE MORE MOMENT TO INVITE ANNE WHITLOCK, WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY RESEARCH TEAM UP TO SAY A FEW WORDS. 
          VERY GOOD. 
          THANK YOU MR. LES. 
          AND, AND WELCOME MS. WHITLOCK TO THE CHAMBER, YOUR CHAMBER. 
          GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US. 
          GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU TODAY. 
          MY NAME IS ANNE WHITLOCK AND I'M THE FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF CONNECT COMMUNITY, A PLACE-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION WORKING IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF GULFTON AND SHARPSTOWN IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON. 
          WE ALL KNOW THE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GULFTON IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE. 
          HIGH DENSITY FULL OF APARTMENTS WITH 93% RENTING. 
          22% DEPEND ON WALKING AND PUBLIC TRANSIT, LOTS OF HIGH SPEED, HIGH VOLUME STREETS, BIFURCATING THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. 
          BUT HOW DO THESE STATISTICS PLAY OUT IN THE DAILY LIVES OF REAL PEOPLE? THEY PLAY OUT WHEN A STUDENT HAS TO WALK TO WISDOM HIGH SCHOOL FROM HER GULFTON APARTMENT AND NAVIGATE MISSING OR BROKEN SIDEWALKS THAT OFTEN PUSH HER OUT INTO THE STREET, THEN NEGOTIATE, CROSSING A SPAGHETTI BOWL OF HIGH SPEED STREETS AT WEST PARK DRIVE, AND FINALLY WALK THE LAST HALF TREELESS MILE ALONG THE LITTER STREWN BEARING DITCH WITH UNSAVORY CHARACTERS AT EVERY TURN, ADD BAD WEATHER. 
          AND YOU SEE WHY SCHOOLS HAVE SUCH HIGH STUDENT ABSENTEEISM FROM WALKERS, LACK OF TRANSIT AND WALKABILITY OPTIONS HAVE REAL IMPLICATIONS FOR OTHER ASPECTS OF RESIDENTS LIVES. 
          CONNECT HAS HAD A LONG HISTORY OF WORKING WITH LINK HOUSTON TO ADVOCATE FOR SAFER STREETS. 
          WE FIRST PARTNERED WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND TOGETHER FOR SAFER ROADS TO REDESIGN A SECTION OF HILLCROFT TO MAKE IT SAFER AND MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR A VARIETY OF TRANSIT OPTIONS, WALKING, BIKING, AND BUS RIDING. 
          WE WORKED WITH LINK'S COMMUNITY RESEARCH TEAM TO DESIGN THE TRANSIT SURVEY AND PUBLIC WORKS AND MIG TO DESIGN A SIDEWALK SURVEY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ON THE GROUND EXPERIENCES OF PEDESTRIAN CYCLISTS AND BUS USERS. 
          WE COMPLETED OVER 350 SURVEYS IN SPANISH, ARABIC PASS TO AROMA AND SWAHILI BY SPEAKING WITH BUS RIDERS AND PEDESTRIANS OUT ON THE STREET. 
          THESE SURVEYS CONTAIN EXCELLENT INFORMATION ON PRIORITY AREAS FOR NEW AND IMPROVED SIDEWALKS, TRANSIT GAPS, AND SAFETY ISSUES. 
          WHILE METRO CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES, WE NEED THE CITY AS WELL AS ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LINK AND BY HOUSTON TO PARTNER WITH US TO MAKE SURE THE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR BUILDING THIS CRITICAL CONNECTIVITY. 
          GULFTON IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY WE WANT TO SEE MORE OF HIGH DENSITY, HIGH PEDESTRIAN TRANSIT USAGE, AND A GREAT CONCENTRATION OF HOUSING, SCHOOL, MEDICAL, AND RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS ALL NEARBY. 
          WITH ROBUST PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT, NONPROFITS AND PHILANTHROPY, WE CAN LEVERAGE THE ASSETS IN THE COMMUNITY TO BUILD THE 
          [00:25:01]
INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT WE CAN ALL GET TO SCHOOLWORK AND HOME SAFELY. 
          JUST LOOK WHAT OUR LITTLE PILOT PROJECT ON HILLCROFT HAS ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED. 
          THE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED PLANNING FEDERAL DOLLARS TO EXTEND THIS BIKE LANE THAT WE CREATED ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TRANSIT CENTER, A PLANNED GREEN LOOP THAT WILL ALLOW FOR MUCH MORE TREE PLANTING AND SAFE SIDEWALKS FOR BIKING AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AT METRO BUS STOPS AND SHADE STRUCTURES ALONG THE SIDEWALKS. 
          IT JUST TAKES A WILLINGNESS TO START AND CONNECT STANDS READY TO PARTNER WITH YOU. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. 
          THANK YOU MS. WHITLOCK FOR BEING HERE AND FOR THAT IMPORTANT TESTIMONY. 
          UM, AND I BELIEVE WITH THAT, THE PRESENTATION HAS CONCLUDED. 
          UH, WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOU GENTLEMEN OR PERHAPS TO THE SPEAKERS. 
          AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN ONLINE. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          CHAIR. 
          Y'ALL ABLE TO HEAR ME A LITTLE BIT? TRY TO SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE THERE. 
          OKAY. 
          I'LL, I'LL TRY TO SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER. 
          I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO NOT ONLY ANN, UM, BUT PETER AND GABE, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU ALL BACK. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ADVOCACY IN THIS SPACE. 
          UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE USE OF, UM, THE HEAT MAPS AND MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS, UH, AS IT RELATES NOT ONLY TO TRANSIT, BUT OUR BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE IN WAYS THAT WE CAN BE IMPROVING THINGS, WHETHER THAT'S WITH SHADE, CANOPIES, UM, OR GETTING SMARTER WITH THE, UH, MATERIALS WE'RE USING. 
          SO AGAIN, THIS IS A REALLY, UH, UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S ADVOCACY. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT, WE'LL HEAR FROM OUR VICE CHAIR SALLY ALCORN. 
          THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU. 
          GREAT TO SEE YOU GABE. 
          AND PETER, WE MISS YOU HERE AT THE CITY AND NO, GREAT JOB, BEAUTIFUL JOB. 
          THANK YOU FOR PUTTING A FACE AND A STORY TO THIS. 
          AND ANN, THANK YOU FOR TA TAKING US THROUGH WHAT IT, WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO HAVE TO WALK TO, TO HIGH SCHOOL FROM THAT SITUATION. 
          I MEAN, THOSE ARE THE REAL LIFE PROBLEMS WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE. 
          THIS IS GREAT TIMING FOR ME AND, AND JORDAN, WHO, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING A LOT ON SIDEWALK AND GETTING MORE FUNDING TOWARDS OUR SIDEWALKS. 
          WE KNOW THAT OUR CURRENT POLICIES DON'T WORK BECAUSE WE DON'T SPEND ENOUGH AND WE LEAVE EVERYTHING UP TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND WE REALLY NEED TO MORE PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN SIDEWALKS. 
          UM, THAT MAY TAKE THE FORM OF A BOND. 
          THAT MAY TAKE, UH, WE'VE RESEARCHED A LOT OF OTHER CITIES AND, AND MOST OTHER CITIES HAVE BIG BONDS THAT HELP WITH THE SIDEWALK INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          WE'RE NOT GONNA GET THERE WITH OUR $3 MILLION A YEAR. 
          THAT'S NOT ALL WE SPEND. 
          WE DO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS WHERE WE DO SIDEWALKS, REHAB PROJECTS, T DO PROJECTS, COUNCIL DISTRICTS, SERVICE FUNDS DO PROJECTS. 
          THERE'S MORE MONEY BEING SPENT, BUT NOT NEARLY ENOUGH. 
          THIS IS ALL ABOUT GETTING THE RESOURCES TO THE SIDEWALKS. 
          WE ACTUALLY HAVE A MEETING WITH THE MAYOR TODAY TO TALK ABOUT SIDEWALKS LATER TODAY. 
          SO, SO HAPPY TO HAVE THIS, THIS PRESENTATION AS, AS JUST FURTHER EVIDENCE OF THE GREAT NEED FOR PUBLIC INVESTMENT. 
          AS A A BUS RIDER EVERY FRIDAY, MOST EVERY FRIDAY, SOMETIMES I, I WALK OR, OR RIDE THE BIKE, BUT A LOT OF TIMES ON THE BUS I HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT HARD WAY TO GET TO THE BUS. 
          I TRY NOT TO GO MORE THAN THREE. 
          IF I HAVE TO CHANGE THE BUSES MORE THAN THREE TIMES, I, I PICK ANOTHER PLAN. 
          BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME EXTRA TIME ON YOUR HANDS, AND THAT IS A REAL CHUNK OF YOUR DAY. 
          SO I APPRECIATE THE SURVEY AND, AND YOUR MESSAGES TO METRO AND HOW WE CAN PARTNER WITH THEM. 
          I HAVE, I, I DO SEE A LOT OF PROGRESS AT A LOT OF STOPS. 
          I MEAN, THEY'VE REALLY PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO A LOT OF STOPS. 
          I MEAN, I KNOW THERE'S A LONG WAY TO GO. 
          UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S ENCOURAGING. 
          THEY ALSO PAY FOR A LOT OF SIDEWALKS RIGHT THERE BY THE, BY THE STOPS. 
          UM, BUT I'VE EXPERIENCED THAT AND, AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY AND WHY DO YOU THINK I PICKED FRIDAY? FRIDAYS ARE A LITTLE MORE, UH, LAID BACK, BUT, UH, THE, THE PEOPLE THAT 53,000 THAT ARE RELYING ON IT EVERY DAY, THEY DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF A OF FRIDAY MORE LAID BACK SCHEDULE. 
          THEY'VE GOTTA BE PLACES ON TIME. 
          SO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS AND, AND YOU'VE BEEN AN IMPORTANT PARTNER FOR THE CITY. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          YES, UH, THE, WE FOCUS ON A SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THE SCALE OF THIS PROBLEM IS REALLY ENORMOUS. 
          IT'S HARD TO COMPREHEND. 
          SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE TAKING IT AT THE CITYWIDE SCALE AND THAT SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU GENTLEMEN, THAT THAT'S THE FINAL COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE QUEUE. 
          I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO SAY THANK YOU. 
          AND AS YOU SAID, UH, PETER, THE, THE CITY DOES HAVE AN ENORMOUS, UH, NUMBER OF MILES OF SIDEWALKS, BUT THAT'S REALLY NOT AN EXCUSE FOR US TO IGNORE THEM. 
          UM, WE HAVE SEEN PROGRESS AND I APPRECIATE, UH, YOU ALL ADVOCATING FOR THAT. 
          THE LINK HOUSTON GROUP HAS REALLY, UH, BROUGHT SOME IMPORTANT FOCUS TO THIS. 
          OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE RIGHT ON TARGET. 
          SOME OF US ARE VERY COMMITTED TO THIS, AND WE HAVE BEEN MAKING IMPROVEMENT FROM THE TIME WHEN THE 
          [00:30:01]
PREVAILING, UH, SIDEWALKS TO NOWHERE. 
          AND, UH, REALLY, UH, UH, A LACK OF POLICY HAS BEEN THE WAY OF THE LAND. 
          BUT, UH, I APPRECIATE WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE HERE TODAY. 
          AND, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          AND IF I MAY ADD VERY QUICKLY, UH, PLEASE CONSIDER LINK HOUSTON A PARTNER IN THIS ONGOING WORK COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE MANTLE AND, UH, REALLY PUSHING NOR NO CAR FRIDAYS. 
          I, UH, INVITE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR TURNER AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM TO JOIN YOU. 
          UH, I'D LOVE TO SEE THE MAYOR TAKE A RIDE WITH ME ON THE BUS OR COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON. 
          UM, AND ANYTHING THAT LINK HOUSTON CAN BE A RESOURCE TO, DON'T HESITATE TO CALL ON US. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT, GABE. 
          THAT'LL BE FUN. 
          LOOK FORWARD TO IT AND WE CAN DO IT. 
          MAKE IT A REGULAR EVENT. 
          THANK YOU AGAIN. 
          THANK YOU ALL. 
          OUR NEXT ITEM TODAY ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. 
          LISA GARRISON IS THE DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER ACCOUNT SERVICES FOR HPW. 
          AND WE'RE HERE FROM HER TODAY ON METER READINGS AND WATER BILLS. 
          THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE HEARD ON THIS SUBJECT, BUT IT'S A TIMELY UPDATE AND REFRESHER. 
          AND, UH, SOME OF THE LATEST, UM, HERE WILL BE PRESENTED TO US, INCLUDING SOME PROPS HERE IN THE CHAMBER THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT FORWARD, UH, WITH REAL LIFE, UH, DEMONSTRATIONS. 
          SO, MS. GARRISON, GLAD YOU'RE WITH US, UH, GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, AND THE FLOOR IS YOURS. 
          THANK YOU CHAIR COUNCILMAN ROBINSON FOR THAT INTRODUCTION. 
          AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. 
          I AM LISA GARRISON, THE DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER ACCOUNT SERVICES FOR PUBLIC WORKS, AND I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING TO SPEAK TO EACH OF YOU. 
          I'VE ALSO BROUGHT ALONG WITH ME, MEMBERS OF MY TEAM, UH, MY LEADERSHIP TEAM, UH, FROM METER OPERATIONS AND OUR CUSTOMER OPERATIONS. 
          I JUST RECENTLY JOINED PUBLIC WORKS AND CUSTOMER ACCOUNT SERVICES SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, 22. 
          SO I'M PRETTY NEW HERE, FIVE MONTHS. 
          HOWEVER, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN, JUMP IN SWIFTLY AND QUICKLY TO, UH, DIVE INTO OUR ORGANIZATION AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY MAKE A FEW, UH, SOME QUICK CHANGES FOR IMPROVEMENT, PARTICULARLY TO DELIVER, IMPROVE OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE. 
          SO I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU IN MY PRESENTATION THIS MORNING. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO MANY OF YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW ARE OUR PUBLIC'S WORKS PURPOSE, WHICH IS TOGETHER WE CREATE A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR HOUSTON TO THRIVE, AND WE DRIVE OUR FIVE THRIVE VALUES THROUGHOUT OUR ORGANIZATION EVERY DAY, WHICH ARE RESPECT, OWNERSHIP, COMMUNICATION, INTEGRITY, AND TEAMWORK. 
          WE DRIVE THIS EVERY DAY TO ENSURE WE ARE GETTING BETTER EVERY DAY AND TRYING TO BUILD A STRONGER ORGANIZATION FOR OUR CUSTOMER ACCOUNT SERVICES AND PUBLIC WORKS. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          CUSTOMER COUNT SERVICES. 
          WE PROVIDE BILLING AND COLLECTION SERVICES TO THE LARGEST WASTE AND WASTEWATER UTILITY HERE IN TEXAS. 
          WE READ AND MAINTAIN OVER 500,000 METERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHICH INCLUDES SERVING 2 MILLION PEOPLE, WHICH EQUATES TO US PROCESSING DAY MONTHLY MORE THAN 480,000 UTILITY BILLS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS. 
          IN ADDITION, OUR CONTACT CENTER ALSO MANAGES MORE THAN 400,000 CALLS PER YEAR. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO TODAY I WANTED TO SPEAK OR INTRODUCE OUR METER, OUR METER PROCESS, AND I BROUGHT ALONG A FEW ITEMS FOR DISPLAY. 
          TO MY RIGHT IS AN ACTUAL METER, UM, THAT YOU PROBABLY CAN'T SEE THIS FAR AWAY, BUT I ALSO BROUGHT A LIVE, UH, METER UP METER ITSELF THAT I'M SURE NO ONE MAY HAVE SEEN UNDER THE GROUND, BUT IT ALS IT ALLOWS YOU TO SEE, GET THE VISUAL OF HOW THE WATER FLOWS THROUGH AND HOW WE, UH, RECEIVE THE READINGS TO GET OUR BILLING. 
          SO I'D LIKE TO EXTEND THE INVITATION AT THE END OF MY, AT THE END OF THE SESSION. 
          IF ANY OF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN A LIVE DEMONSTRATION, UH, MY TEAM IS HERE TOO. 
          I WELCOME YOU TO STEP OVER TO THE SITE AND DO SO. 
          SO OUR WATER METERS MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT'S DRAWN THROUGH THE PRIVATE SIDE. 
          OUR ELECTRONIC READING DEVICES, THEY DO NOT MEASURE 
          [00:35:01]
THE WATER USE USAGE, HOWEVER, IT TRANSMITS THE METER READINGS TO OUR RADIO TOWERS AND WE HAVE 79% OF OUR METERS ARE READ THROUGH OUR ELECTRONIC REMOTE READING DEVICES. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          AS I STATED, WE MAINTAIN OVER 500,000, UH, WHICH, UH, WHICH REQUIRES US TO READ APPROXIMATELY 22 TO 25,000 METER READS DAILY. 
          THERE ARE THREE WAYS WE READ OUR METERS. 
          THE INITIAL ATTEMPT IS, IS DONE THROUGH OUR FIXED NETWORK, WHICH IS THROUGH OUR RADIO TOWERS. 
          AND THE SECOND IS THROUGH OUR MOBILE VAN RIDES THAT RIDE THROUGH YOUR COMMUNITIES EVERY DAY. 
          THE REMAINING IS LEFT TO BE READ MANUALLY, WHICH IS ABOUT 21% OF THOSE THAT HAVE TO BE READ MANUALLY. 
          THE DATA IS THEN SENT TO OUR SERVER, AND THEN THE DATA IS UPDATED IN OUR BILLING SYSTEM, WHICH ALLOWS US TO GENERATE A BILL DAILY TO OUR CUSTOMERS. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS ON THIS SLIDE SOME OF THE REASONS YOU HAVE POSSIBLY HEARD FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS CONCERNS RELATIVE TO THEIR WATER BILLS. 
          THREE WAYS OUR METER READING CAN BE IMPACTED BELOW. 
          AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR FIRST SCENARIO IS A DAMAGED DEVICE OR A CABLE, WHICH WILL CAUSE A STUCK METER READING. 
          IN THIS SCENARIO, THE DEVICE IS GOING TO REQUIRE TO BE REPLACED. 
          WE'RE ABLE TO GET A RELIABLE READING FROM THE REGISTER. 
          HOWEVER, WE WILL NOT, WE NEED TO GENERATE A MANUAL READ FOR BILLING. 
          IN THIS PARTICULAR SCENARIO, WE WILL SEND A CUSTOMER CATCHUP BILL IF THERE IS A DAMAGED METER, A DAMAGED DEVICE OR CABLE. 
          IN THIS SCENARIO, OUR SECOND TWO SCENARIOS, A DAMAGED REGISTER AND A DAMAGED METER. 
          THEY BOTH, UM, REQUIRE A REPLACEMENT TO TAKE PLACE FOR A REGISTER AND OR A METER. 
          THE WATER IS STILL FLOWING THROUGH THE METER. 
          HOWEVER, THE VOLUME IS NOT ABLE TO BE CAPTURED FOR A READING. 
          WE NEVER REPAIR METERS, WE ALWAYS REPLACE OUR SMALL METERS. 
          SO IN BOTH OF THE SCENARIOS, AGAIN, JUST UH, FOR YOUR AWARENESS, WE DO NOT BACK CHARGE ANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS WHEN THESE PARTICULAR ITEMS ARE FOUND TO BE DAMAGED FOR A CUSTOMER. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT OUR WATER QUALITY, OUR WATER BILL QUALITY REVIEW PROCESSES. 
          WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST DAILY QUALITY REVIEW PROCESS WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BILLS THAT COME THROUGH FOR PROCESSING AND BEING SENT TO OUR CUSTOMERS. 
          IN AN EFFORT TO ENSURE WE'RE SENDING ACCURATE BILLS TO OUR CUSTOMERS, WE HAVE TWO STAGES OF OUR PROCESS THAT ALLOWS FOR A HUMAN REVIEW AND HUMAN INTERVENTION BEFORE A BILL IS SENT TO OUR CUSTOMER. 
          79% OF OUR READINGS ARE AUTO APPROVED WHERE THERE'S NO NEED FOR HUMAN INTERVENTION. 
          THE REMAINING 22% WILL REQUIRE OUR BILLING TEAM TO REVIEW OUR FIELD TO CHECK OR RE WE SEND OUR FIELD BACK OUT TO REREAD A UH, METER. 
          IN THE EVENT THE, WE SEE THAT THERE'S, UH, A DIFFERENCE IN REVIEWING THE CONSUMPTION AND CONCERNS THAT IT JUST MAY NOT BE AN ACCURATE READ RECEIPT. 
          OUR SECOND, UH, REVIEW THAT TAKES A HUMAN INTERVENTION, IF THIS, IT'S A HIGH BILL REVIEW AND OUR HIGH BILL REVIEW IS DONE TO ENSURE THAT THE BILL IS ACCURATE AND IT'S NOT OUT OF LINE WITH ANY OF THE HISTORICAL BILLS THAT THE CUSTOMER HAS RECEIVED. 
          AND BECAUSE OF THESE TWO STAGES OF THE REVIEW, OUR BILL ACCURACY IS 99.2% OF ALL THE COUNTS THAT WE BILL. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO YOU MIGHT MENTION, UH, YOU MIGHT ASK 99.2% BILLING ACCURACY. 
          SO I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT MAKES UP THE EIGHT 10TH PERCENT, WHICH ARE INACCURATE GENERATING OUR IN INCORRECT BILLS. 
          AND THERE ARE VARIOUS REASONS WHY OUR CUSTOMER MAY HAVE A CONCERN THAT MAY HAVE COME TO YOUR OFFICE RELATIVE TO THEIR BILL. 
          RARELY. 
          THE THREE AREAS AND MAIN AREAS, WHICH ARE OUR CHALLENGE WITHIN CUSTOMER ACCOUNT SERVICES RIGHT NOW ARE DUE TO OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR AUTOMATED READER READING DEVICES HAVE SURPASSED THE 20 YEAR LIFE EXPECTANCY. 
          WE 
          [00:40:01]
HAVE AN INCREASED NUMBER OF DAMAGE AND FAILED COMPONENTS, UH, DEVICES. 
          THIS REQUIRES US TO SEND MOBILE VANS OUT ONCE AGAIN TO GET READS. 
          THEN AS I MENTIONED PRIOR, WE HAVE HUMAN PERFORMANCE, HUMAN INTERVENTION THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE. 
          AND AS WE ALL KNOW, ANYTIME THERE'S HUMAN ASPECT TO ANYTHING, THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR ERROR. 
          SO WE SOMETIMES WILL HAVE OUR ERRORS IN VISUAL METER READING. 
          ANY OF OUR ACCOUNT ANALYSIS COULD POSSIBLY GENERATE AN INCORRECT READ, UM, INFORMATION AS WELL AS AN ERROR IN INSTALLATION OF A METER READING DEVICE OR COMPONENT. 
          AND THIRDLY, METER READING ESTIMATES THERE'S AN INCREASE IN DEMAND AND TIME RESTRAINTS. 
          IT COULD BE FROM IN CLIMATE WEATHER ENABLED TO GET THAT METER RED, OUR, OUR DAMAGE COMPONENTS. 
          AND WHEN THERE'S A DAMAGED METER REGISTER, UH, THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO GET THAT WATER USAGE. 
          ONCE AGAIN, THE CUSTOMER DOES NOT GET OVERBUILT IN THIS CASE. 
          THEY GENERALLY ARE UNDERBUILT FOR USAGE. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE INACCESSIBLE METERS SOMETIMES THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET TO, PERHAPS THAT'S BEEN COVERED BY LANDSCAPING FROM ONE OF OUR CUSTOMERS. 
          SO THESE ARE THREE PRIMARY, UH, ISSUES THAT BRING ABOUT SOMETIMES THE INACCURATE BILLING THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS MAY RECEIVE. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO BY NOW YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          I'D LIKE YOU TO FOCUS ON THE LEFT SIDE GRAPH, WHICH DEPICTS OUR READING DEVICE PLAN. 
          AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE YOU ALL AWARE, UM, WE ANTICIPATED THIS INCREASE IN OUR FAILURES. 
          MANY OF YOU HERE ON COUNCIL I'M SURE MAY BE AWARE THAT, UM, IN 2020, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED OUR A-M-R-A-M-I REPLACEMENT PROJECT. 
          IT WAS A 10 YEAR REPLACEMENT PROJECT TO REPLACE OUR 500,000 METERS WITHIN THE CITY. 
          THE PROJECT STARTED IN APRIL OF 21, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT GRAPH. 
          AND UNFORTUNATELY FOUR MONTHS INTO THAT PROJECT BEGINNING THE SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGE WAS ANNOUNCED. 
          DUE TO COVID AND OUR CHIP SHORTAGE. 
          WE WERE NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE WHAT WAS NECESSARY FROM OUR VENDOR. 
          WE HAD PLANNED TO INSTALL 50,000 ANNUALLY. 
          AND AS YOU TAKE NOTE, YOU CAN SEE WE ARE ALMOST APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS BEHIND IN OUR PLAN DUE TO THE, UM, SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGE. 
          THE GRAPH ON THE RIGHT, THIS IS OUR AVERAGE MONTHLY DEMAND FOR MANUAL METER READS. 
          IF YOU SEE THE SECOND BAR AROUND 46,402 YEARS AGO, THIS WAS OUR DEMAND TO ACTUALLY SEND OUR TECHNICIANS OUT TO READ METERS. 
          AND IF YOU LOOK AS OF TODAY, THAT HAS DOUBLED. 
          WE'RE AT 90,000, CLOSE TO 90,000. 
          SO THAT IS A RESOURCE DEMAND THAT WE HAVE, AND WE ARE, WE HAVE A SHORTAGE AND BECAUSE OF THAT, IT IT INCREASES THE FAILURE TO HAVE ALL THE READS MAY HANDLE WHERE WE REQUIRE ADDITIONAL MANUAL READS. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          THIS SLIDE, I WANTED TO BRING A CLOSER VISUAL TO YOU ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR CHALLENGES IN CUSTOMER ACCOUNT SERVICES AND THE EFFECT OF OUR AGING READING DEVICES. 
          THE GOAL LINE THAT YOU SEE REFLECTS OUR MONTHLY MANUAL READING DEMAND. 
          AND AS I STATED, WE ARE APPROXIMATELY 90 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND, UH, NEEDING TO READ MANUALLY ON A MONTHLY BASIS. 
          AND AT THE BLUE LINE REPRESENTS OUR CAPACITY OF 40,000. 
          WE WORK HARD TO MAKE UP THAT GAP BY, UM, BORROWING RESOURCES FROM OUR OTHER TEAMS AS WELL AS CONTRACTORS. 
          AND WE'RE TRYING TO SECURE A THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR TO ASSIST US. 
          BUT THIS ALONE DEPICTS ONE OF OUR LARGEST CHALLENGES TODAY IN WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH FROM A RESOURCE, UH, DEMAND, UH, TO GET READS EVERY DAY AND HAVE FEET ON THE GROUND TO DO SO. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO BECAUSE OF THE MANUAL READING, UH, THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE FROM OUR AGED INVENTORY, UH, WE DO HAVE CUSTOMERS THAT CONTACT US DAILY AND AS YOU'RE AWARE, UH, TO DISPUTE THEIR BILL OR EXPRESS CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR BILL. 
          THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE JUST WALKS YOU THROUGH WHAT OUR BILL DISPUTE PROCESS IS. 
          AND I WON'T READ THROUGH 
          [00:45:01]
EVERY, UM, AREA OF THIS PYRAMID, UM, BUT I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT. 
          BUT OUR CONTACT CENTER, WE RECEIVE 40,000 CALLS PER MONTH, AND THAT'S OUR CONTACT CENTER AND OUR COLLECTION STAFF. 
          HOWEVER, I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SPECIFICALLY, OUT OF THAT NUMBER OF MONTHLY CALLS, ONLY 269 OF THOSE GET ESCALATED BECAUSE OUR CONTACT CENTER DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB IN RESOLVING FIRST CONTACT AND, UH, THE CUSTOMER'S CONCERN AND OR COMPLAINT. 
          SO THAT'S ABOUT A THIRD THAT GETS ESCALATED. 
          AND THEN AFTER THAT ESCALATION, OUR CUSTOMER LIAISON TEAM DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB ON RESOLVING THOSE BEFORE THEY, THE CUSTOMER REQUESTS TO MOVE TO OUR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW. 
          74 OF THOSE PER MONTH. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE OUR EFFORTS THAT WE PUT TO, UH, IMPROVE AND SOLUTIONIZE OUR CUSTOMERS THAT COME THROUGH THE DISPUTE PROCESS. 
          AND AS WE GO UPWARD, ONLY EIGHT PER MONTH REQUESTS OR GO THROUGH OUR ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING PROCESS. 
          AND LASTLY, ONLY FOUR, APPROXIMATELY ABOUT FOUR MONTHLY, UM, GO THROUGH OUR WATER ADJUSTMENT BOARD PROCESS. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT GOING THROUGH THE DISPUTE PROCESS AND THE REASON YOU HEAR FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS, PARTICULARLY ABOUT HIGH BILLS, I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THE TOP SIX CAUSES OF HIGH USAGE. 
          AND AS YOU CAN SEE, LEAKY TOILET, LEAKY TOILET WATERING GARDEN OR GRASS, PRIVATE LINE BREAK HOLES LEFT ON JUST FOR ONE NIGHT, IRRIGATION SYSTEM LEAK AND OR POOL FILL. 
          IF YOU LOOK TO THE RIGHT, I'VE ADDED, UH, UH, EXTRA COSTS JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME IDEA ON WHAT IT, WHAT ADDITIONAL COSTS CAN BE ADDED TO YOUR CONSTITUENT AND OUR CUSTOMER'S BILL IN THE EVENT ANY OF THESE PARTICULAR, UH, ISSUES TAKE PLACE WITHIN THEIR HOME AND THROUGH OUR ORDINANCE, THERE ARE FOUR WAYS THAT WE WORK TO ASSIST CUSTOMERS WHEN THERE IS A CONCERN RELATIVE TO THEIR HIGH BILL AND GIVE THEM SOME TYPE OF RELIEF WHEN WE CAN AND STAYING COMPLIANT WITH ORDINANCE. 
          AND THAT IS THROUGH OUR LEAK ADJUSTMENT AND UNUSUALLY LARGE BILL ADJUSTMENT, AN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCE ADJUSTMENT AND A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SWIMMING POOL CREDIT. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO THIS IS THE PAGE I'M MOST, UH, SLIDE I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT TO SHARE WITH YOU. 
          AS I STATED IN MY FIVE MONTHS, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN AN AWESOME TEAM AND DIG INTO THE ORGANIZATION. 
          AND WE'VE WORKED TO MAKE SOME SWIFT OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS CUSTOMER SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS SPECIFICALLY AROUND OUR SERVICE LEVEL IMPROVEMENT. 
          WE'VE MADE CONTACT CENTER PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS INSTITUTED OUR CHAT FEATURE, UH, WHICH ALLOWS MORE CUSTOMERS TO BE, UM, TOUCHED EVERY DAY. 
          UH, AND WE'VE ALSO DID SOME REALIGNMENT FOR OUR ROUTING TO ENSURE THAT OUR CALL TIME IS REDUCED. 
          HIRING AND RETENTION IS OUR MOST CHALLENGING SPACE AS I'VE SPOKEN, BUT WE'VE IMPROVED OUR STAFFING LEVELS AND THINGS THROUGH THERE. 
          UM, AND WE CONTINUE TO RECRUIT BASICALLY WEEKLY. 
          WE'VE, AGAIN, WE'VE CHANGED IN SOME OF OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES. 
          AND LASTLY, UM, AS I'VE STATED, WE NOW HAVE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM OUR CURRENT VENDOR THAT WE SHOULD BE RECEIVING OUR, UM, OUR END POINTS TO BEGIN GETTING BACK ON TRACK WITH OUR 10 YEAR PROJECT. 
          SO WE'RE LOOKING TO CATCH UP TO WHERE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND REPLACEMENT LEFT. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO ACTUALLY THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. 
          I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND AGAIN, I WELCOME ANY OF YOU AFTER THE SESSION TO COME OVER FOR THE DEMO. 
          THANK YOU MS. GARRISON. 
          WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          UH, AND I SUPPOSE THAT'S REFLECTED WITH, UH, YOU ALL TAKING 43,000 QUESTIONS A DAY. 
          I THINK I HEARD A GASPER TWO HERE IN THE CHAMBER. 
          BUT WITH THAT, I SUPPOSE SINCE YOU DID BRING SOME PROPS, I THINK IF YOU COULD HAVE YOUR, WE COULD TURN THE CAMERA ON THE PODIUM IF THAT'S POSSIBLE. 
          WE HAVE SOME COUPLE OF GENTLEMEN FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT BRINGING FORWARD, UH, A DEMONSTRATION FOR US IN THE CHAMBER. 
          AND, UM, THERE IT IS. 
          UH, IF YOU COULD PERHAPS EXPLAIN WHAT THIS CONTRAPTION IS. 
          IS THAT A TECHNICAL WORD? IS THAT A CONTRAPTION? 
          [00:50:01]
 IT'S A DISPLAY BOARD. 
          OKAY. 
          IF YOU COULD, UH, INTRODUCE YOURSELF, UH, AT THE MICROPHONE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, MY NAME IS TELLY DENNIS. 
          I'M A DIVISION MANAGER WITH CUSTOMER ACCOUNT SERVICES OVER METER OPERATIONS. 
          THANK YOU MR. MCGINNIS. 
          WHAT YOU SEE HERE BEFORE YOU IS A METER ASSEMBLY DISPLAY. 
          WE'RE SHOWING HOW THE WATER IS SUPPLIED FROM THE CITY SIDE, WHICH TYPICALLY COMES OFF OF THE, UM, WATER MAIN TO THE SERVICE LINE. 
          AND HERE YOU HAVE IT WHERE IT'S THE CITY SUPPLY. 
          IT COMES TO THE METER BY MEANS OF THE, UH, WHAT'S CALLED A PRIVATE SIDE, THE CITY SIDE. 
          SP AT THIS POINT SHOULD WATER LEAK ON THIS SIDE OF THE METER, THE CITY SIDE, IT DOES NOT REGISTER ON THE METER, SO THE CUSTOMER IS NOT BEING CHARGED FOR THAT WATER LOSS AT THAT POINT. 
          HERE YOU HAVE A NORMAL DOMESTIC FIVE EIGHT INCH METER. 
          UM, YOU'LL SEE IT AT MOST HOMES THAT'S PROBABLY BUILT BEFORE LIKE 2010. 
          UM, FROM THAT POINT WE KIND OF BEGAN TO PUT OUT ONE INCH METERS, BUT FROM THERE YOU HAVE THE, UH, THE PRIVATE SIDE HERE IS WHERE THE CUSTOMER'S LINE IS RESPONSIBLE. 
          UM, AS FAR AS CHECKING YOUR PLUMBING, SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY TYPE OF ISSUE, UM, A LOT OF TIMES WE SEE IT IN OLDER HOMES WHERE IT'S OLD GALVANIZED PIPING THAT BEGIN TO RUST AND CORRODE. 
          SO YOU'LL SEE SMALL LEAKS POP UP THERE AND REGISTER ON THE METER BEHIND THAT. 
          YOU HAVE, UM, WHAT WE CALL OUR SMART POINT, WHICH IS OUR READ DEVICE THAT, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, GARRISON SPOKE TO. 
          THIS DEVICE HERE, UM, OPERATES. 
          IT BROADCASTS AT, UH, TWO WATTS, WHICH IS PRETTY STRONG FOR A READ DEVICE IN, IN THIS DAY IN TIME IN THE INDUSTRY. 
          UM, IT, UM, HAS 950 MEGAHERTZ IN WHICH, UH, THE FREQUENCY OF BROADCAST AT. 
          SO IT'S A VERY DEPENDABLE, UM, DEVICE. 
          AND AGAIN, IT COMMUNICATES WITH OUR FIXED NETWORK PRIMARILY SECONDARILY OUR MOBILE VAN. 
          AND IF ALL FAILS, WE STILL GET A VISUAL READING FOR BILLING. 
          SO THIS IS BASICALLY THE NORMAL SETUP AT A DOMESTIC SETUP AND IN MOST INSTANCES, EVEN SMALL COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE LARGER METERS. 
          BUT THIS IS JUST TO GIVE YOU ALL A GOOD VISUAL. 
          UM, WE DO HAVE A PUMP SET ON IT. 
          IT'S, IT HAS A LITTLE VOLUME TO IT, SO THAT'S WHY DIRECTOR GARRIS IS SAYING AFTERWARDS, IF Y'ALL WANNA STAY BEHIND AND SEE IT FOR A FEW MINUTES, WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO INTO GREATER DETAILS AND POWERED UP FOR Y'ALL. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT MR. MCGINNIS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE DEMONSTRATION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I SEE THE VICE CHAIR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HAS GOTTEN UP CLOSE TO, UH, PUT HER EYEBALLS ON THIS THING. 
          AND, UH, I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN IN THE QUEUE. 
          SHE, SHE JUMPED RIGHT IN AND, UH, LOOKS EAGER TO INQUIRE. 
          UH, DIRECTOR GARRISON, IF YOU COULD FIND YOUR WAY BACK TO THE MICROPHONE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, YOU'RE UP. 
          THANK YOU CHAIR. 
          EXCUSE ME. 
          UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, DIRECTOR GARRISON TO YOU AND THE ENTIRE TEAM IN YOUR DIVISION, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK, UH, FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          I ENCOURAGE YOUR TEAMS. ONE OF THE FIRST TOURS I EVER DID WHEN I CAME ONTO COUNCIL WAS ACTUALLY, UH, DIRECTOR WITH YOUR DIVISION, TOURING THE FACILITIES HANDS-ON WITH THE METERS, HOW YOU TEST 'EM, ALL OF THAT STUFF. 
          SO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THAT AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT EVERYONE DOES. 
          UM, YOU ALL ARE DEALING WITH A LOT RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, ONE QUESTION I HAD, AND IF I MISSED IT, I APOLOGIZE. 
          UM, A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT WITH SUGGESTIONS, INCLUDING THE NEED AND THE UPGRADED METERS, UM, FOR ALERT CAPABILITIES. 
          AND WHEN I SPOKE WITH, UM, YOUR DIVISION, THEY SAID THE NEW METERS, UM, THAT ARE PLANNING TO BE INSTALLED WILL HAVE ALERT CAPABILITIES, BUT I WAS HAVING TROUBLE HONING IN ON WHAT THOSE ACTUAL ALERT CAPABILITIES WILL BE. 
          AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, UM, WAY BACK WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS WOULD GET AN ALERT IF THEY, UM, WATER IT LOOKED LIKE HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR OVER 24 HOURS OR IF THEIR USAGE WAS ABOVE AVERAGE. 
          THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT MAY HELP IDENTIFY ISSUES, UM, SO THAT WE DON'T SEE THESE MASSIVE BILLS THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE ON THE HOOK FOR. 
          SO ONE, IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT AND KIND OF THE TIMELINE FOR THAT. 
          UM, AND THEN, UH, I HAD A SEPARATE ISSUE ABOUT REPORTING FOR METERS. 
          UM, IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE METER ON YOUR PROPERTY, I'M BEING TOLD THAT THOSE BILLS ARE BEING COMBINED RATHER THAN SEPARATED OUT. 
          UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ACCURATE, BUT IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THOSE TWO THINGS, JUST ONE MULTIPLE METERS ON A PROPERTY AND HOW THOSE ARE GIVEN TO CONSTITUENTS AND THEN THE ALERT SYSTEMS. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN. 
          I'LL ADDRESS YOUR SECOND QUESTION FIRST. 
          THE MULTIPLE ME METERS ON A PROPERTY, IF THEY ARE COMBINED, IT IS AT THE CUSTOMER'S REQUEST. 
          GENERALLY THEY WILL BE SEPARATE BILLS TO THAT CUSTOMER. 
          UM, BUT IF THEY REQUEST THEM TO BE COMBINED, THEY 
          [00:55:01]
WILL RECEIVE A SINGLE BILL. 
          AND TO ADDRESS YOUR SECOND QUESTION RELATIVE TO NOTIFICATIONS OR ALERTS, UM, I, I CAN'T SPEAK 100% ON A TIMING ON WHEN WE WILL BE FULLY ACTIVATING AND MOVING IN THAT DIRECT. 
          I KNOW IT'S ON THE TABLE FOR US TO HAVE ALERTS AND A, A PART OF THE, UH, DEVICES THAT WE ARE WAITING TO INSTALL. 
          YES, THEY WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE THAT PARTICULAR BENEFIT TO OUR CUSTOMERS. 
          BUT I CAN'T SPEAK, UM, 100% ON THE TIMEFRAME RIGHT NOW. 
          AGAIN, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF US GETTING THESE DEVICES FROM OUR VENDOR AND JUST RAMPING BACK UP TO RECEIVE THOSE AND WHILE THEY UNDERSTOOD, COMMITTED TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT, UH, WE HAVE, WE WAIT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE THAT AMOUNT COMMITMENT COMMITTED TO. 
          YEAH. 
          SO, SO, BUT THEY WILL HAVE THOSE ALERT CAPABILITIES. 
          YES. 
          GREAT. 
          AND AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND MS. GARRISON FOR YOUR RESPONSE. 
          NEXT IN THE QUEUE WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK. 
          THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          UM, MY FIRST QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE EXACTLY THE SAME THING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAME AND ASKED ABOUT, UM, BEING ABLE TO HAVE THOSE ALERTS. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, IN DISTRICT, I MEAN THAT HAS BEEN A HUGE ISSUE AS WELL, THAT PEOPLE GET THEIR BILL AT THE END OF THE MONTH AND HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH, UM, WATER WAS BEING USED ALL THROUGHOUT THE MONTH. 
          SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO EXPEDITE THAT, TO GET THOSE METERS OUT TO PEOPLE, I THINK WOULD BE VERY, UM, HELPFUL AND BENEFICIAL. 
          UM, FOR THE 0.8% OF THE INCORRECT BILLS THAT YOU MENTIONED, HOW OFTEN ARE THOSE BILLS ADJUSTED? I MEAN, I KNOW YOU HAVE THE PERCENT FOR LIKE THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS AND ALL OF THAT, BUT IF IT'S JUST AN INCORRECT BILL, LIKE THEY JUST, THE AMOUNT IS WRONG FOR WHATEVER REASON, UM, THAT DOESN'T FALL INTO SOME OF THOSE OTHER CATEGORIES. 
          HOW OFTEN IS THAT JUST BEING ADJUSTED? HOW OFTEN IS AN INCORRECT BILL BEING ADJUSTED? RIGHT. 
          ANYTIME WE IDENTIFY THAT IT IS NOT CORRECT, WE MAKE THAT CORRECTION, UH, AND REBUILD THE CUSTOMER. 
          OKAY. 
          'CAUSE WE'VE SEEN SEVERAL INSTANCES THAT SEEM TO FALL INTO THOSE CATEGORIES WHERE IT, IT DOESN'T GET ADJUSTED. 
          SO, UM, WELL I, I WILL GO BACK TO WHAT I MENTIONED IN MY PRESENTATION. 
          WHEN YOU SPEAK ADJUSTMENT, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW ORDINANCE AND THERE ARE ONLY CERTAIN, UM, CRITERIA OR QUALIFICATIONS THAT ALLOW US TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS. 
          SO WHILE EVERY CUSTOMER MAY HAVE A ISSUE, IF THEIR ISSUE DOESN'T ALIGN WITH WHAT ALLOWS US TO MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT AND ITS ACTUAL USAGE USED, SOMETIMES THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT. 
          UM, AND FOR THE LEAK ADJUSTMENT EXCEPT EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES ADJUSTMENT AND THE UNUSUALLY LARGE BILLS, HOW OFTEN ARE THOSE, ARE THE CUSTOMERS SUCCESSFUL GOING THROUGH THOSE PROGRAMS? DO YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION OR CAN GET IT TO US? I DON'T HAVE THE A A A PERCENTAGE OF HOW OFTEN, BUT I WILL SAY IF THEY QUALIFY AND THERE IS A TIMELINE ALSO TIED TO WHEN THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT AND REQUEST, UM, FOR THOSE ADJUSTMENTS. 
          SO IF A CUSTOMER IDENTIFIES THAT OR IF THEY'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE'S A LEAK ON THEIR PRIVATE SIDE, UM, AND NOTHING IS DONE ABOUT THAT AND WE'RE DOWN THE ROAD, UM, THERE'S A WINDOW OF SUBMISSION TO REQUEST AN ADJUSTMENT FOR THAT. 
          ONCE IT'S BEEN REPAIRED AND THEY SEND US THE DOCUMENTATION, WE IMMEDIATELY TAKE CARE OF THOSE ADJUSTMENTS. 
          UM, AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION IS, UM, THE WAIT TIME FOR PEOPLE'S CALLING WHEN THEY HAVE A CONCERN AND I SAW THE, UM, CHANGES THAT ARE BEING MADE, THE IMPROVEMENTS. 
          I THINK THAT'S ALL GREAT, BUT AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, UM, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE WAIT TIME IS? BECAUSE THAT'S LIKE THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT THAT WE GET? YES, I DO. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          , ONE OF THE THINGS I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT AS I MENTIONED, ARE THE, THE IMPROVEMENTS WE MADE AT OUR CONTACT CENTER. 
          UM, CLEARLY, UM, COMING ON BOARD THERE WERE SOME CHALLENGES, BUT AS I MENTIONED, THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES THAT BROUGHT ABOUT SOME OF THE WAIT TIMES. 
          AND OUR BIGGEST IS OUR RETENTION, UH, FROM COVID ON TO THIS POINT, UM, BEING ABLE TO RETAIN, UM, STAFFING. 
          UM, SO I AM AWARE OUR CALL WAIT TIME THAT MANY OF YOUR CUS CONSTITUENTS MAY HAVE MENTIONED WAS EXTREMELY LONG. 
          UM, I WILL SAY TO DATE, OUR CALL WAIT TIME IS 10 MINUTES AND OUR STAFFING WHEN I CAME ON BOARD WAS OUR RETENTION WAS 35%. 
          AS OF END OF JANUARY WE'RE AT 95% STAFFING. 
          SO WITH THAT SAID, IT HAS ALLOWED US TO IMPROVE OUR CUSTOMER'S WAIT TIME AND GET TO OUR CALLERS SOONER HERE. 
          CAN I JUST ASK ONE QUICK QUESTION, FOLLOW UP ON THAT FOLLOW UP? YES MA'AM. 
          UM, AND SO IN THE, IT WAS 10 MINUTES, THAT 43,000 CALLS PER MONTH THAT YOU MENTIONED, DOES THAT INCLUDE THE PEOPLE 
          [01:00:01]
WHO ARE CALLING AND THE WAIT TIME IS SO LONG THAT THEY'RE JUST HANGING UP? IT DOES. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER AND THANKS AGAIN. 
          DIRECTOR GARRISON. 
          UH, NEXT ONLINE IS COUNCIL MEMBER MARY ANNE HUFFMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UM, LAST MONTH I HAD AN UNUSUALLY HIGH WATER BILL. 
          UM, IT WAS $896, WHICH IS A LOT. 
          AND YOU KNOW, WE SUBMITTED THE REQUEST THROUGH THE SYSTEM LIKE ANY OTHER CONSTITUENT AND IT WAS HANDLED SO FAST AND UM, THE BILL WAS CORRECTED AND IN RECORD TIME I FEEL LIKE, UM, I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH HOW, HOW THAT TURNED OUT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, OUR OFFICE CONTINUES TO GET A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT THE HIGH WATER BILLS AND BECAUSE OF THE WATER RATES, BUT DO YOU KNOW HOW THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HOW WE COMPARE TO OTHER CITIES OF SIMILAR SIZE IN WATER RATES? UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION. 
          I CAN, UH, WORK TO GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU IF YOU LIKE, HAVE THAT AND SHARE THAT ALSO WITH THE COUNCIL. 
          I THINK THAT WOULD BE SURE. 
          THAT'D BE GREAT. 
          BE HELPFUL DIRECTOR GARRISON. 
          IT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AND PERHAPS IF YOU CAN PROVIDE THAT TO THE COMMITTEE. 
          WE WILL CIRCULATE IT FOR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE ARE WITH RESPECT TO OTHER CITIES. 
          CERTAINLY. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER, UH, PART OF YOUR QUESTION? UH, ONE MORE QUESTION. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS REALLY, UM, THE TIME TO ASK IT, BUT, UM, AT THE END OF NOVEMBER, PUBLIC WORK SAID THAT THEY WERE GONNA UPDATE US WHEN THEY GOT THE DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, KINDA WHAT THE EXACT FAILURES WERE WITH THE BOIL WATER NOTICE. 
          UM, DO WE HAVE ANY UPDATES ON THAT OR COUNCIL MEMBER? LET ME ANSWER THAT FOR YOU. 
          I COULD DIRECTOR GARRISON, THAT THAT IS AN ITEM THAT IS ON OUR AGENDA OF FORTHCOMING ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE TTI COMMITTEE COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          SO WITHOUT COMMITTING TO A SPECIFIC DATE, UH, WE ARE AWARE OF IT AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING THAT TO YOU, UH, VIA THIS COMMITTEE IN, UH, ONE OF THE UPCOMING MONTHS. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND I BELIEVE WITH THAT WE HAVE A FINAL QUESTION OR TWO. 
          WELL, UH, SOMEONE JUST GOT IN THE QUEUE, BUT WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM THE MAYOR PRO TEMS STAFF. 
          MS. BEAMER, GO AHEAD. 
          THANK YOU CHAIR. 
          UH, DIRECTOR GARRISON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY. 
          JUST A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS. 
          UH, HOW COMMON ARE DAMAGED WATER METERS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON? HOW COMMON? MM-HMM . 
          WELL, WHEN WE SAY DAMAGE, I DON'T HAVE, UH, A PARTICULAR NUMBER FOR YOU, BUT I WILL SPEAK CLOSER TO THE AGING OF IT. 
          BUT THE DAMAGE CAN HAPPEN FOR VARIOUS REASONS. 
          AGAIN, IT DEPENDING ON WHAT PART OF THE METER'S DAMAGED, AND IT MAY NOT BE THE METER, AGAIN, IT CAN BE THE COMPONENT OR A CABLE CAN BE CUT. 
          SO, UM, IT VARIES, BUT IT HAPPENS OFTEN AND WE DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE THE STAFFING TO GET OUT IMMEDIATELY TO CORRECT THOSE AS I'VE ALREADY STATED. 
          BUT AGAIN, AS WE CONTINUE TO, UM, INCREASE OUR STAFFING, UM, THE REDUCTION IN TIME FOR GETTING OUR DAMAGE METERS AND ITEMS, UM, TAKING PLACE IS IMPROVING. 
          UNDERSTOOD. 
          HOW MANY WATER METERS ARE REPLACED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS? HOW MANY WATER METERS ARE REPLACED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS? WATER METERS ARE REPLACED. 
          OH, DAMAGED. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA INFORMATION FOR YOU, BUT I'LL BE GLAD TO GET THAT AND SHARE THAT WITH YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          DO YOU KNOW HOW, WHAT THE COST IS TO REPLACE A DAMAGED WATER METER TO THE CITY IS AGAIN, IT'S NOT THE METER THAT IS DAMAGED. 
          SO WHEN WE GO AND REPLACE IT, 'CAUSE YOU MENTIONED THAT WE'RE NOT JUST FIXING IT, WE'RE NOT REPAIRING IT. 
          WHEN WE GO OUT TO FIX A DAMAGED, IT'S, WE'RE COMPLETELY REPLACING IT, WE'RE REPLACING THE METER. 
          RIGHT. 
          WE, UH, WE WILL REPAIR THE COMPONENT OR A CABLE ATTACHED TO THE METER. 
          THESE ARE STILL WHERE WE DON'T HA WE WON'T, THESE DON'T GET DAMAGED, BUT OKAY. 
          ALL THE OTHER COMPONENTS WE WILL REPAIR. 
          OKAY. 
          I GUESS I MISUNDERSTOOD YOU IN YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND WATCH IT AGAIN JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD YOU EARLIER. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THEN HOW LONG DOES IT USUALLY TAKE TO DIAGNOSE A DAMAGED WATER METER? IF WHEN A TECHNICIAN GOES OUT MM-HMM . 
          THEY CAN DETECT THAT IMMEDIATELY. 
          OKAY. 
          SO IT'S IMMEDIATE. 
          YES. 
          PERFECT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. 
          UH, AND NOW NEXT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE KNOX'S OFFICE, UH, STAFF, UM, MR. MOSS. 
          THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          UM, JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON SLIDE 10 WHERE YOU HAVE EFFECTS OF AGING READING DEVICES MM-HMM . 
          UM, TYPICALLY PER MONTH, HOW MANY BILLS OR METERS ARE ESTIMATED? CURRENTLY WE ARE ESTIMATING AROUND 10% PER MONTH. 
          ABOUT 50,000? YES. 
          AND SO 
          [01:05:01]
HOW LONG DOES THAT GO ON? LET'S JUST SAY ONE MONTH. 
          YOUR BILL IS ESTIMATED. 
          HOW LONG DOES THAT CONTINUE? SO, UH, I'VE RECENTLY, WE'VE RECENTLY MADE SOME CHANGES TO OUR OPERATIONAL PROCESS, WHICH ALLOWS US TO DO SO VIA ORDINANCE. 
          UM, AGAIN, GIVEN SOME OF OUR CHALLENGES, I'M FULLY AWARE SOME OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE HAD, YOU'VE MAYBE HEARD SOME OF THEIR, UM, BILLS WERE ESTIMATED A FEW MONTHS IN A ROW. 
          UM, WHAT WE DO NOW, WE DO NOT ALLOW, WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE SURE BILLS ARE, UH, A ESTIMATE. 
          BILL IS NOT GIVEN TO A CUSTOMER CONSECUTIVELY PAST THREE MONTHS. 
          IF THERE IS AN ESTIMATE BILL IN ONE MONTH, WE WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT SECOND BILL IS READ AND THEY GET AN ACTUAL READING. 
          UH, BUT IF IT'S NOT IN THAT SECOND MONTH, WE DEFINITELY WORK TO MAKE SURE, UM, IT'S READ BY THAT THIRD MONTH. 
          AND AND WHAT CRITERIA DO YOU USE TO ESTIMATE THEIR BILL? THE CRITERIA THAT WE USE TO ESTIMATE IS BASED UPON THEIR AVERAGE USAGE, CONSUMPTION OF THEIR HISTORICAL PRIOR MONTHS. 
          SO YOU WOULD LOOK, SAY IT'S, THIS IS MARCH, YOU WOULD LOOK MAYBE FOR LAST YEAR'S MARCH AND HOW MUCH? NO, THE PRIOR, PRIOR MONTH PRIOR, 12 MONTHS OF, OF USAGE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU AGAIN, MS. GARON. 
          THAT DOES CONCLUDE THE QUESTIONS FOR TODAY AND THIS ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA. 
          SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND ALL YOUR EQUIPMENT FOR, UH, BRINGING IT FORWARD HERE IN THE CHAMBER AND, AND FOR YOUR STAFF AND TEAM. 
          UM, WE'LL MENTION IT AGAIN AT THE END OF THE MEETING, BUT THIS, UH, PRESENTATION WILL BE ON THE, UH, WEBSITE SHORTLY, SO OTHERS CAN BE REFERRED HERE FOR THE INFORMATION YOU'VE PROVIDED. 
          SO AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK, WITH THAT WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH, UH, NOW WILL BE THE FISCAL YEAR 2023, THE CITYWIDE CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT APPROPRIATION. 
          AND TO PRESENT THIS TO, TO YOU ALL TODAY IS OUR CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER J GREENFIELD. 
          HE'S WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT DIVISION, ALONG WITH HIS ASSOCIATES, CALPANA PILLAI. 
          UM, THAT'S ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING WITH THE HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS SUMMER SHALL HERE, UH, AS OUR DEPUTY CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER FOR APPLICATIONS AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE. 
          ALSO WITH HITS, UH, DIRECTOR GREENFIELDS. 
          GOOD TO SEE YOU IN THE CHAMBER TODAY. 
          THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. 
          AND WITH THAT YOU ALL HAVE THE FLOOR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON FOR THE INTRODUCTIONS. 
          AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE HERE PRESENTING THE CHAMBER. 
          AND FOR EVERYONE JOINING, WE ARE TEAMS. MY NAME IS KALPNA . 
          I WORK FOR THE HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING APPLICATIONS. 
          AND I HAVE HERE WITH ME, MR. GREENFIELD. 
          YEP. 
          JUDIAH GREENFIELD, CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER. 
          VERY WELL. 
          WE ALSO HAVE, UH, SUMMER J DEPUTY CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER FOR ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE, ALSO WITH THE HOUSTON IT SERVICES DEPARTMENT. 
          THANK YOU FOR GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT HERE THIS MORNING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 23 CITYWIDE CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROJECT APPROPRIATION. 
          THE PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST IS TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FROM CAPITAL CONTRIBUTION PROJECT FUND 4, 5 1 5, AND APPROPRIATING THESE FUNDS WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO PROCEED WITH THE PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT THAT WILL PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE CONTRACT AND PROCUREMENT SOLUTION TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ADMINISTERING THE CITY'S CONTRACTS, PROCUREMENT BUSINESS PROCESSES, AND INVOICE PAYMENTS. 
          THIS IMPLEMENTATION OFFERS THE CITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPLACE MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS AND INTERNALLY DEVELOPED SOFTWARE WITH A SUSTAINABLE CLOUD-BASED SOLUTION THAT WILL PROVIDE OPERATIONAL FIC EFFICIENCIES. 
          THE TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS REQUESTED ARE $1,250,000, AND THE PRIMARY DEPARTMENT USERS ARE CITYWIDE DEPARTMENTS, AND THE MINORITY WOMEN BASED ENTITY IS AT 24% FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES UNDER MANAGED APPLICATION SERVICES CONTRACT. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO HAND OVER TO MR. GREENFIELD TO TAKE OVER THIS SLIDE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU 
          [01:10:01]
CHAIR AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF. 
          UH, SO JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, THE BENEFITS AND WHAT WE'RE GETTING WITH THIS, THE PURCHASE IN TERMS OF THE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AND PROCUREMENT. 
          SO YOU'LL SEE HERE ON THE SLIDE, IT LISTS THE MODULES THAT WILL COME AS PART OF THE SAP ARIBA, UH, IMPLEMENTATION. 
          I'LL JUST BRIEFLY MENTION THOSE. 
          AND THEN ON THE NEXT SLIDE I'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL BENEFITS THAT THESE WILL BRING TO, UH, THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. 
          SO WE'LL BE, UH, IMPLEMENTING THE SUPPLIER LIFE, UH, CYCLE PERFORMANCE. 
          THAT IS OUR VENDOR ONBOARDING SYSTEM. 
          SO AS YOU REGISTER TO BECOME A VENDOR AND WORK WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, YOU'LL GO THROUGH THAT, UH, THAT MODULE. 
          THE VENDOR BUSINESS NETWORK. 
          THIS IS A GREAT SPACE, UH, WHICH AUTOMATES A LOT OF THINGS FOR OUR VENDOR COMMUNITY AND WORKING WITH THE CITY. 
          AND THEN THE, UH, SOURCING, WHICH IS OUR SOLICITATION SPACE. 
          SO THIS WILL REPLACE THE CITY'S CURRENT, UH, EBI SYSTEM, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR SOME TIME. 
          AND THEN THE CONTRACTING, UH, LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT, UH, WHICH WILL MANAGE THE CONTRACTS THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE. 
          AND THEN FINALLY THE MODULE FOR, UH, COMMERCE AUTOMATION, WHICH WILL ENABLE, UH, VENDORS WHO UTILIZE THAT TO RECEIVE AN ELECTRONIC PURCHASE ORDER AND INVOICING. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO NOW JUST TO MENTION BRIEFLY SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF THIS, I KNOW, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO SEVERAL PEOPLE IN AUTOMATING SOME OF THESE PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY. 
          SO THIS SYSTEM ALLOWS US TO DO THIS. 
          SO IN THE SOLICITATION SPACE ITSELF, SO CURRENTLY TODAY WE SPEND A LOT OF RESOURCE AND TIME ON DEVELOPING THROUGH MULTIPLE WORD DOCUMENTS AND MERGING TOGETHER, UH, WORKING THROUGH FORMATTING. 
          THIS WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE THAT ALL AUTOMATED WITHIN THIS SYSTEM, HAVE ALL OF OUR TEMPLATES AUTOMATED WITHIN THE SYSTEM. 
          SO IT'S EASY FOR US TO INSERT SCOPES OF WORK SPECIFICATIONS, OTHER THINGS RIGHT WITHIN THE SYSTEM, VERSUS WORKING WITH OUTSIDE DOCUMENTS AND HAVING SEVERAL VERSIONS. 
          UH, IT ALSO, SO THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT. 
          AND THEN THE CURRENT EBI SYSTEM, WHICH REALLY IS, UH, IT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, REALLY IS JUST A LANDING PLATFORM. 
          THIS ALLOWS US REALLY THE MUCH MORE, UH, ROBUST, UH, E BIDDING PROCESS, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, THAT WILL ALLOW US TO GO THROUGH THAT, UH, THAT PROCESS AND REPLACE THAT. 
          BUT IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE BENEFITS TOO, AS I MENTIONED WITH SOME OF THOSE MODULES, IS TO THE VENDOR COMMUNITY. 
          SO ONE THING THAT I HEAR MANY OF YOU MAY HEAR FROM, FROM POTENTIAL VENDORS OR, UH, THOSE WHO ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY IS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WORKING WITHIN OUR SOLICITATION PROCESS, GETTING US, UH, THROUGH THEIR INVOICING THROUGH THE PO PROCESS. 
          SO THIS GIVES US SPACE FOR ALL OF THEM TO DO THAT. 
          AGAIN, AUTOMATING A LOT OF THAT PROCESS, WHICH IS REALLY DONE MANUALLY. 
          AND THEN ON THE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT SIDE, THIS ONE OF THE BENEFITS THAT WE'LL GET, UH, IN IMPLEMENTING THIS IS MORE OF A REAL, UH, PICTURE OF, OF WHERE WE'RE AT IN TERMS OF THE CONTRACT TERM DOLLARS REMAINING, WHERE NOW WE HAVE TO DO, AGAIN, A LOT OF MANUAL UPDATING AS WE'RE LOOKING AT SPEND ON THOSE CONTRACTS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE STAYING WITHIN THOSE, IT'S NOW ALL PART OF REAL TIME WITHIN THE SYSTEM. 
          SO IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT AUTOMATION PROCESS. 
          IT'S GONNA REALLY HELP US IN BEING MORE EFFICIENT ON OUR SIDE IN, IN DEVELOPING THESE. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          THANK YOU MR. GREENFIELD. 
          ON THIS SLIDE, WE HAVE THE PROJECT SCHEDULE AND THE PROJECT PLANNING TIMELINE. 
          INITIAL DISCUSSIONS WITH, UH, TTI ON MAJOR ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SYSTEM PROJECTS WAS PRESENTED IN OCTOBER, 2020, AND THE SOFTWARE PURCHASE WAS COMPLETED IN DECEMBER, 2020. 
          AND A SYSTEM ASSESSMENT AND INITIAL DESIGN WAS COMPLETED IN DECEMBER, 2022. 
          AND APPROPRIATIONS, UH, WILL FUND THE DESIGN FINALIZATION AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN TO END LATE 2023. 
          AND THE ESTIMATED, UH, PROJECT PLAN START DATE IS MARCH 13, TWO THOU 2023. 
          AND THE ESTIMATED PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION DURATION IS 33 WEEKS WITH A PLAN GO LIVE TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          UH, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2023. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          THAT CONCLUDES, UH, OUR PRESENTATION, UH, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 23 CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT, UM, MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, CIP APPROPRIATION. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. PALLE. 
          AND MR. MR. GREENFIELD, THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          WE DO NOT HAVE ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE, SO I BELIEVE, UM, YOUR PRESENTATION MUST HAVE BEEN THAT CLEAR AND AND THOROUGH. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY. 
          WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. 
          AND, UH, WITH THAT WE'LL TURN TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA WITH WHICH WE'LL HEAR FROM DIRECTOR LISA KENT FROM OUR HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, UH, SYSTEMS DEPARTMENT. 
          UH, GOOD MORNING DIRECTOR KENT, TODAY I UNDERSTAND YOU'LL PRESENT ON COOPERATIVE PURCHASING ANNUAL ALLOCATION. 
          SO WITH THAT, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. 
          THAT IS 
          [01:15:01]
CORRECT, SIR. 
          SO I AM HERE TODAY. 
          UH, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I AM HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE YOU SOME DETAILS ABOUT AN UPCOMING COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST. 
          THAT WILL BE A MOTION FOR SPENDING AUTHORITY CITYWIDE FOR COOPERATIVE PURCHASING. 
          YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE FIVE VENDORS LISTED. 
          THESE ARE THE FIVE. 
          THE FIRST ONE IS A STATE OF TEXAS COOPERATIVE, THAT'S TEXAS DIR. 
          THE REMAINING FOUR ARE ALL NATIONAL COOPERATIVE CONTRACTS. 
          THE FIRST BEING THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS MANAGED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ALSO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE PROCUREMENT OFFICIALS OR NASPA VALUE POINTS, OMNIA PARTNERS. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, THE INTERLOCAL PURCHASING SYSTEM OR TIPS. 
          AND SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS MOTION IS TO APPROPRIATE OR OR TO AUTHORIZE A MOTION FOR ANNUAL SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES UP TO $300,000 PER PURCHASE ORDER. 
          THE TOTAL APPROPRIATION REQUESTED IS 24.475 MILLION. 
          AND AGAIN, THIS IS CITYWIDE THE ANTICIPATED TERM THAT WE WOULD UTILIZE THIS SPENDING AUTHORITY WOULD BE FOR ONE YEAR, APRIL OF 2023 THROUGH APRIL OF 2024. 
          IN TERMS OF MWBE, ALL PURCHASES WILL COMPLY WITH THE CITY PURCHASING GUIDELINES. 
          AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT ON A FOLLOWING SLIDE. 
          AND AGAIN, THIS IS FOR ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO THIS SLIDE SUMMARIZES THE POLICY CONTROLS THAT ARE IN PLACE AND THE TRANSPARENCY THAT EXISTS FOR ANYTHING RELATED TO A COOPERATIVE PURCHASING, UM, TRANSACTION. 
          AND SO STARTING WITH EXECUTIVE ORDER, ONE DASH 59, WHICH IS TITLED TECHNOLOGY RELATED PURCHASES FROM COOPERATIVES. 
          THE FIRST THING IS THAT ALL TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES THROUGH A COOPERATIVE MUST BE PROCESSED BY THE STRATEGIC PURCHASING DIVISION. 
          THEY ARE NOT PROCESSED BY INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT PURCHASING UNITS. 
          SECONDLY, ALL PURCHASES FROM COOPERATIVES SHALL REQUIRE A FORMAL FORM, WHICH IS THE REQUEST TO PURCHASE FROM COOPERATIVE SLASH INTO LOCAL. 
          THAT'S A JUSTIFICATION FORM THAT DEPARTMENTS FILL OUT, AND IT IS REVIEWED AND SIGNED BY MR. GREENFIELD, THE CITY'S CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER. 
          THIRDLY, ANY DEPARTMENT THAT IS CHOOSING TO UH, REQUEST STAFF AUGMENTATION SERVICES IS REQUIRED TO FIRST LOOK FOR EXISTING CITY OF HOUSTON CONTRACTS, UM, TO PURCHASE THAT WAY RATHER THAN TO GO THROUGH COOPERATIVES. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, MY DEPARTMENT HITS PUBLISHES MONTHLY REPORTS REGARDING CITYWIDE TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES THROUGH COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS THAT RANGE BETWEEN THE $50,000 NORMAL COUNCIL LIMIT UP TO THE $300,000 LIMIT THAT IS AUTHORIZED BY, UM, YOUR ACTION. 
          WE POST THOSE REPORTS ON THE CITY'S INTRANET NO LATER THAN THE LAST DAY OF EACH MONTH FOR THAT FOLLOWING REPORTING PERIOD. 
          AND, UM, THOSE ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO REVIEW. 
          FINALLY, THE LAST TWO CATEGORIES. 
          IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT ANY MATERIAL GROUP PURCHASED, UH, PERTAINING TO TECHNOLOGY RELATED ITEMS REQUIRES RELEASE BY MY DEPARTMENT. 
          AND SO THERE ARE DESIGNATED HITS PERSONNEL WHO REVIEW THOSE REQUESTED TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES. 
          WE LOOK FOR THINGS LIKE STANDARDS, UM, FOR COORDINATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS AND HITS ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SAID TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, ANY PURCHASE THAT IS OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IS REQUIRED TO COORDINATE THROUGH THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY TO EITHER COORDINATE PARTICIPATION GOALS OR TO, UH, OBTAIN A GOAL MODIFICATION. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO AS A REMINDER, WE BRING THIS TO CITY COUNCIL FOR YOUR REVIEW AND APPROVAL EVERY YEAR. 
          UM, THIS ITEM IS, UM, THIS SLIDE IS DEPICTING THE FORECASTED UTILIZATION OF THE SPENDING AUTHORITY THAT YOU APPROVED STARTING LAST YEAR IN EARLY FEBRUARY THROUGH APRIL 30TH OF THIS YEAR. 
          THE FIRST COLUMN SHOWS YOU ALL FIVE OF THE COOPERATIVE PURCHASING VENDORS, UH, THAT WE USE THEIR AGREEMENTS. 
          THE SECOND COLUMN SHOWS YOU THE CURRENT ALLOCATION. 
          THAT MEANS THE ALLOCATION THAT YOU APPROVED LAST FEBRUARY AND THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO USE THROUGH APRIL. 
          THE THIRD COLUMN SHOWS THE CURRENT UTILIZATION. 
          THAT MEANS FUNDS ALREADY SPENT AGAINST THAT ALLOCATION THAT YOU APPROVED LAST YEAR. 
          AND THEN THE FOURTH IS THE FORECASTED UTILIZATION BETWEEN FEBRUARY 8TH OF THIS YEAR, 2023 THROUGH THE END OF APRIL. 
          AND THAT'S BASED ON NOT ONLY HITS FORECAST, BUT ALL OF THE FORECASTED SPENDING THAT WE ARE RECEIVING THROUGH 
          [01:20:01]
ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS. 
          AND SO FINALLY THAT LAST COLUMN SHOWS YOU THE REMAINING ALLOCATION. 
          SO, SO LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          LOOKING FORWARD, THIS CHART DEPICTS THE PROPOSED ALLOCATION BY DEPARTMENT AND BY COOPERATIVE CONTRACT, YOU'LL NOTE THAT THE, UM, ALLOCATION THAT WE ARE REQUESTING YOUR APPROVAL FOR SPENDING AUTHORITY IS FLAT FROM THE YEAR GOING FORWARD COMPARED TO THE YEAR THAT WE'VE JUST BEEN THROUGH AT 24.475 MILLION. 
          WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO THIS CHART DEPICTS EXACTLY THE SAME INFORMATION. 
          IT'S SIMPLY SORTED FROM HIGHEST ALLOCATION PER DEPARTMENT BUCKET TO LOWEST. 
          AND SO YOU'LL NOTE, IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE FIRST, SAY, SEVEN OR SO DEPARTMENTS, IT SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISING TO YOU THAT HITZ HAS THE LARGEST ALLOCATION. 
          AGAIN, WE PROVIDE ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES THAT ALL DEPARTMENTS CONSUME. 
          AND SO EVERY PURCHASE THAT WE MAKE, EITHER PRODUCT OR SERVICE, IS GOING TO SERVICE EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          IN ADDITION, WHEN YOU GO TO NUMBER TWO, THAT'S HPD AT $4.17 MILLION. 
          THIRD WOULD BE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM AT 3.47. 
          UM, FOURTH IS HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AT 3.1 5000005TH HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT AT 1.77 MILLION. 
          UM, SIX IS THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND I WILL CLARIFY THAT IS LARGELY UTILIZED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY. 
          UM, AND THEN FINALLY AT NUMBER SEVEN IS THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AT 71 7,000, SORRY, 771,600. 
          AND YOU'LL SEE THEN THAT TOTALS UP AGAIN, THE FORECASTED, UM, SPENDING AUTHORITY THAT IS NEEDED IS THE 24.475 MILLION. 
          AND I BELIEVE THAT'S MY LAST SLIDE, BUT LET'S GO TO THE NEXT ONE. 
          SO I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR KENT. 
          THAT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION AND, UH, A LOT OF FINE PRINT, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU, UH, KEEPING TRACK OF ALL OF THAT. 
          THERE ARE NO COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          SO AGAIN, I THINK, UH, EXCELLENT PRESENTATION, THOROUGH AND CONCISE. 
          UM, SO MUCH APPRECIATED. 
          AND, UH, BELIEVE WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO FOUR ITEMS THAT WE WILL BRING TO YOU TODAY, ALL BY THE SAME TEAM IN THIS CASE. 
          UH, MR. MIKE BELL, THE CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER FOR THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, ALONG WITH WYATT MARTIN, THE ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR HPD WILL PRESENT ON, UH, FOUR DIFFERENT ITEMS, MOBILE DATA, UH, COMPUTER, THE MDCS, AND THAT'S THE REFRESH. 
          WE'LL HEAR ABOUT THE REC RECORD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, THE RMS CONTRACT EXTENSION, THE RMS PROCUREMENTS AND THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER, RTCC PROCUREMENT UPDATE. 
          UH, CHIEF BELL FLOOR IS YOURS, SIR. 
          THANK YOU, CHAIR ROBINSON. 
          COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, AS MENTIONED, MY NAME IS MIKE BELL, I'M THE CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER FOR HPD, AND ACCOMPANYING ME TODAY IS ASSISTANT CHIEF WYATT MARTIN. 
          UH, WE WANNA PRESENT TO YOU FIRST OFF, UH, ON OUR MOBILE DATA COMPUTER REFRESH. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO, HPD HAS ABOUT 1800 OF THESE RUGGEDIZED LAPTOPS, MAINLY IN OUR PATROL VEHICLES. 
          UH, THEY'RE WITH OUR OFFICERS USE TO TAKE REPORTS AND, AND TO GET DISPATCHED. 
          APPROXIMATELY 55% OF THOSE IN OUR INVENTORY ARE 10 YEARS OR OLDER. 
          UH, SOME OF THIS AGING IS DUE TO SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES THAT WERE EXPERIENCED DURING COVID AND MODEL CHANGES BY THE MANUFACTURER. 
          BUT THESE OLDER UNITS ARE FAILING AT A HIGH RATE. 
          UH, OUR TEAM DOES A GREAT JOB OF CANNIBALIZING OLD HARDWARE. 
          THESE ARE LONG OUTTA WARRANTY AND, AND KEEPING, UH, THE ACTIVE INVENTORY ALIVE, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY COMING UP ON THE END OF THAT CAPABILITY. 
          AND A FAILURE OF ONE IN THE FIELD WILL TAKE AN OFFICER OUT OF SER THE CALL FOR SERVICE LOOP WITHOUT TO COME BACK TO THE STATION OR POSSIBLY A CENTRAL LOCATION TO PICK UP ANOTHER MDT BECAUSE THEY REALLY NEED THESE TO GET DISPATCHED, UH, IN THE COURSE OF THEIR SHIFT WORK. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO WITH SIP FUNDS, WE PLAN ON REPLACING 554 OF THE MDCS THIS YEAR AND GETTING THAT LARGE PERCENTAGE OUT OF OUR, UH, AGED INVENTORY. 
          THE FUNDING, AS I SAID, IS FROM SIP AND IS ALREADY APPROPRIATED, UH, THIS PROJECT. 
          WE WILL TARGET THE OLDEST OUT OF THOSE 10 YEAR PLUS OLD UNITS, KNOWING THAT WE'LL STILL THEN HAVE ABOUT 440 LEFT TO REPLACE NEXT YEAR. 
          BUT WE ALREADY HAVE APPROVED CIP FUNDS FOR THAT REFRESH, AND THAT GETS THESE MDCS BACK ON A FIVE YEAR REFRESH CYCLE, WHICH WE FEEL IS MUCH MORE APPROPRIATE FOR, UH, FIELD EQUIPMENT THAT IS USED, UH, THIS HEAVILY. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO THE NEXT STEP IS WE WILL BE COMING, UH, TO COUNCIL FOR AN ACTION FOR THE SPINNING APPROVAL, HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          [01:25:02]
I'LL PAUSE THERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. 
          CHAIR. 
          THANKS, CHIEF. 
          UH, THERE ARE NO COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE, SO I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE GOOD TO GO ON THAT ITEM AND YOU CAN PROCEED TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU, SIR. 
          BEAR WITH US. 
          WE'RE CALLING UP THAT PRESENTATION NOW. 
          THERE WE GO. 
          THANK YOU SIR. 
          UH, SO AS YOU MENTIONED, THIS IS A PRESENTATION FOR OUR CURRENT RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, CONTRACT EXTENSION. 
          UM, RMS, AS WE CALL IT, IS A CORE SYSTEM FOR HPD FOR INCIDENT REPORTING. 
          IT'S INTERFACES WITH OUR CITY CAD AND IT ALSO INTERFACES WITH OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY FROM HARRIS COUNTY SO THAT WE CAN FILE CHARGES. 
          UH, THE CURRENT RMS, WE ENTERED INTO A MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT IN 2009. 
          WE HAD A LENGTHY IMPLEMENTATION. 
          IT WENT LIVE IN FY 14. 
          THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS FOR EIGHT YEARS AT A COST OF ESTIMATED BETWEEN 35 AND $40 MILLION. 
          THE CURRENT CONTRACT WILL EXPIRE ON MAY 14TH OF THIS YEAR, AND SO WE WILL BE SEEKING A ONE YEAR EXTENSION. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          WE ARE AND RFP. 
          RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A QUIET PERIOD, BUT WE ARE GOING FORWARD WITH THE PROCUREMENT OF A REPLACEMENT. 
          WE FEEL THIS EXTENSION WILL ALLOW US SUFFICIENT TIME TO ALIGN THE NEW REQUIREMENTS WITH THE NEW CITY CAD PROCUREMENT THAT'S PLANNED. 
          WE ALREADY HAVE FUNDING FOR THIS ONE YEAR EXTENSION THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT IT WILL GIVE US THE TIME TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW RMS AND DO THE DATA CONVERSION FROM OUR CURRENT RMS INTO THE NEW SYSTEM. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          SO THE NEXT STEP IS WE WILL BE SEEKING COUNCIL ACTION FOR AN APPROVAL OF A ONE YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION ON THE CURRENT CONTRACT. 
          AND I'LL PAUSE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. 
          ONCE AGAIN, CHIEF BELL, THERE ARE NO COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF IN THE QUEUE, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AS WELL. 
          AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO YOUR NEXT PRESENTATION, GIVING OUR TEAM A CHANCE TO SHIFT GEARS. 
          GO AHEAD. 
          YES, SIR. 
          SO AS I MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PROCUREMENT FOR A NEW RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OR RMS. NEXT SLIDE. 
          UH, TO RECAP, THE CURRENT CONTRACT WITH TRON, UH, STARTED IN 2009. 
          IT'S SCHEDULED TO END OF 2023. 
          WE ARE ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL ONE YEAR EXTENSION IN APRIL OF 2022. 
          WE PUBLISHED AN RFP FOR REPLACEMENT RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM BASED ON THE IG STANDARD FUNCTIONS, UH, FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE PUBLISHED NATIONALLY IN MAY OF 21. 
          THE BIDS CLOSED IN JULY OF 22. 
          AND SINCE THAT TIME IN AUGUST THROUGH JANUARY, WE'VE BEEN RESPONDING, UH, WE'VE BEEN EVALUATING THE BID RESPONSES. 
          NEXT SLIDE, JUST A HIGH LEVEL, UH, SUMMARY OF THE FUNCTIONAL GOALS, UH, OF THAT RFP. 
          UH, WE ASKED THE MARKETPLACE TO PROVIDE PROPOSALS FOR A TURNKEY RMS THAT SUPPORTS STATE AND FEDERAL COMPLIANCE REGULATIONS. 
          WE ALSO ASKED FOR A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF DEALING WITH LARGE AGENCIES. 
          UH, AS YOU KNOW, HPD HAS APPROXIMATELY 5,300 SWORN OFFICERS. 
          WE WANTED A HIGHLY CONFIGURABLE SYSTEM WITH USER-FRIENDLY INTERFACES AND WOULD HELP OUR OFFICERS THROUGH FIELD VALIDATION. 
          SMART SUGGESTED, UH, UH, CONTEXT HELP, UH, ON THEIR FIELDS THAT THEY'RE ENTERING DATA IN. 
          WE ALSO WANT TO UTILIZE THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE CLOUD STORAGE AVAILABLE IN THIS SOLUTION. 
          WE WANT TO ALSO PROVIDE FOR COMPREHENSIVE STATISTICAL AND USER DEFINED REPORTING. 
          AND THIS, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT LEAP FORWARD FOR OUR CURRENT RMS, UH, ALL OF THE REPORTING OUT OF OUR CURRENT RMS. WE HAVE TO GO IN AND MANUALLY, UH, SELECT THAT DATA AND CREATE A CUSTOM QUERY. 
          AND IT'S VERY LABOR INTENSIVE TO GET SOME OF THE DATA THAT, UH, OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE ASKING FOR. 
          YEAH, MIKE, WE ENDED UP TALKING TO COUNCIL ABOUT THAT QUITE OFTEN. 
          IS, UH, WHEN WE COME IN AND, AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS ASKED OR ADDITIONAL DETAIL IS ASKED ON REPORTS THAT WE'VE GENERATED QUITE OFTEN IT IS A MANUAL COUNTING PROCESS TO GO BACK AND TRY AND GATHER THE INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD OTHERWISE NEED. 
          UH, AND AS RMS SYSTEM, I MEAN, WE, WE CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH. 
          THE FACT THAT THIS TOUCHES EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WE DO ON A DAILY BASIS IS NOT JUST WHERE OFFICERS WRITE REPORTS, THE REPORTING PROCESSES, THE INTERFACE WITH EXTERNAL SYSTEMS. THOSE ARE CRITICAL. 
          AND, AND THIS IS GONNA BE A GENERATION, UH, A GENERATIONAL TYPE UPGRADE. 
          UH, AS OLD AS I AM. 
          I HAND WROTE REPORTS WHEN I STARTED MY, UH, MY CAREER AND WHEN WE WENT TO DOING 'EM ON COMPUTER, THAT WAS A, A, A GAME CHANGER. 
          AND NOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN THE POINT WHERE MOBILE TECHNOLOGY COMES INTO PLAY, IT'S GONNA BE A GAME CHANGER AGAIN. 
          YEAH. 
          THANKS CHIEF. 
          AND SO, UH, AS HE MENTIONED, UH, THE SYSTEM WE'RE ASKING FOR WILL INTERFACE WITH, UH, SEVERAL OF OUR OTHER PERIPHERAL SYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT OUR CURRENT RMS AND, AND THEREBY MINIMIZE DUPLICATE DATA ENTRY. 
          AND WE SHOULD IMPROVE OUR DATA QUALITY AND ENABLE DATA ACCESSIBILITY BETWEEN THESE DISPARATE 
          [01:30:01]
SYSTEMS. NEXT SLIDE. 
          AGAIN, SOME OF THE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AS MENTIONED BY THE CHIEF, IS WE ARE SEEKING, UH, A SYSTEM DESIGN THAT WILL ALLOW A MOBILE APPLICATION FOR OFFICERS TO USE ON THEIR SMARTPHONES. 
          WE WANT TO ADHERE TO CURRENT INDUSTRY STANDARDS. 
          UH, WE WANT THEM TO EMPLOY AN IT DESIGN THAT THAT USES NOT ONLY CURRENT TECHNOLOGY AND ADHERES TO OUR TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS, BUT ALSO WILL ACCOMMODATE IMPROVEMENTS AS, UH, THROUGH THE LIFECYCLE OF THE SYSTEM. 
          WE'RE SEEKING A, A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF RELIABILITY IN THE SYSTEM THAT IS FAULT TOLERANT. 
          AND AGAIN, WE WANT IT TO COMPLY WITH ALL STATE, LOCAL AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING THE FBIC JUST POLICY. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO THE NEXT STEP THEN WILL BE, WE'LL, WE'LL SEEK COUNSEL ACTION TO APPROVE THE NEW RMS CONTRACT WHEN IT'S READY FOR PRESENTATION QUESTIONS. 
          THANK YOU, CHIEF, I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          WE'RE, UM, WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY QUESTIONS ONCE AGAIN, BUT, UH, WHY DON'T WE PROCEED TO THE SECOND TO LAST PRESENTATION FOR YOU ON THE HPD RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND PROCUREMENT AS WE CALL THAT ONE UP. 
          ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE, SIR, THAT WAS THE REAL TIME PROCUREMENT THAT WE JUST FINISHED. 
          I BEG YOUR PARDON? YEAH, AHEAD. 
          THAT WAS WHAT THE, WE JUST DID REAL TIME NOW. 
          VERY GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MAYBE GOING THROUGH 'EM TOO QUICKLY FOR . 
          VERY EFFICIENT. 
          TOO EFFICIENT, MIKE. 
          SO OUR, OUR LAST PRESENTATION FOR TODAY AND APPRECIATE THE, THE TIME AND THE LATITUDE IS, UH, HPD IS SEEKING, UH, TO PROCURE A REPLACEMENT FOR OUR REALTIME CRIME CENTER. 
          UH, A LITTLE BACKGROUND. 
          WE UTILIZE A REALTIME CRIME CENTER TO IMPROVE RESPONSE OUTCOMES. 
          UH, THE CURRENT SYSTEM WAS PUT IN IN 2008. 
          YOU CAN SEE A PHOTO THERE OF THE OLD, UH, BLUE UNIFORMS THAT HPD HAD BACK THEN. 
          UH, THE REALTIME CRIME CENTER SERVES AS ONE OF OUR INTELLIGENCE CENTERS, UH, AND PROVIDES CRUCIAL INFORMATION FOR HPD OFFICERS WHEN THEY'RE RESPONDING TO CALLS OUR CRIME ANALYSTS. 
          LOOK UP LOCATION AND SUSPECT HISTORY AND RELAY THAT TO THE RESPONDING OFFICERS. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          AS I SAID, THE LAST UPGRADE THIS CRIME CENTER RECEIVED WAS IN 2008. 
          THE DISPLAY EQUIPMENT HAS OUT OF DATE AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. 
          AND THEN LAST 15 YEARS, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY, UH, IMPROVEMENTS IN REAL-TIME CRIME CENTER HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE. 
          AND, UH, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THERE'S, THERE'S THE, A VIDEO WALL OF A CURRENT OR REAL-TIME CRIME CENTER FOR MEMPHIS PD SHOWING ALL OF THE VARIOUS VIDEO FEEDS THAT THEY CAN INCORPORATE ON THEIR VIDEO WALL. 
          AND THEY TRY TO RESPOND TO, UH, SERIOUS CALLS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE CITY. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO WE'RE SEEKING TO MODERNIZE OUR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER SO THAT WE CAN EFFECTIVELY MANAGE SIT CRITICAL SITUATIONS IN PROG, UH, PROGRESS. 
          WE WANNA ACCELERATE OUR INVESTIGATIONS BY HELPING CONNECT THE DOTS FASTER, AND WE ALSO WANNA IMPROVE OFFICER SAFETY AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS FOR THOSE RESPONDING OFFICERS ON SCENE. 
          WE ALSO WANT TO INTEGRATE MULTIPLE CAMERA FEEDS INTO A SINGLE VIDEO PLATFORM, AS YOU SAW IN THAT PREVIOUS PHOTO OF THE VIDEO WALL. 
          AND WE WANNA OPTIMIZE OUR ANTI-GANG MULTI-AGENCY EFFORTS TO TRY AND DISRUPT AND DISMANTLE THESE CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE OPERATING IN THE AREA. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          NEXT STEPS. 
          UH, WE'RE WORKING WITH SPD TO RELEASE THE RFP FOR THE REAL-TIME CRIME CENTER REPLACEMENT OR REFRESH. 
          AND WE'LL BE EVALUATING THOSE PROPOSALS WHEN WE RECEIVE THEM. 
          AND I'LL PAUSE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. 
          CHIEF, UH, ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE NO COUNSEL MEMBERS NOR STAFF IN THE QUEUE, WHICH REFLECTS I BELIEVE YOUR EXCELLENT PRESENTATION, UM, AND YOUR INCREDIBLE KNOWLEDGE. 
          I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AS CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE TO SAY WHAT A PLEASURE IT'S BEEN TO WORK WITH YOU OVER THE YEARS. 
          AND, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME WITH HPD, UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU ARE SOON TO RETIRE. 
          I, UH, I LOATHE TO CLOSE, BUT I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR, UH, ALL THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT TO US AND FOR YOUR DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND UH, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM AND YOUR SUCCESSOR. 
          UM, THANK YOU AGAIN, CHIEF. 
          THANK YOU SIR. 
          APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT. 
          THANK YOU, HEALTH MEMBER. 
          AND WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY. 
          WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER WITH US TODAY. 
          HIS NAME IS DOMINIC MAZA. 
          DOMINIC IS HERE IN PERSON IN THE CHAMBER. 
          HE'S BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY TO SPEAK ON THE LINK. 
          HOUSTON, UH, ITEM AT THE TOP OF OUR AGENDA TODAY. 
          MR. MAZAK, YOU'RE HERE WITH US. 
          THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. 
          AND THE FLOOR IS YOURS. 
          OKAY. 
          I AM WEARING, THANK YOU. 
          MY NAME IS DOMINIC MAZAK. 
          I AM AT THE IN THE CHAMBER AND I'M DRESSED FOR BOTH, UH, GREAT LENT AND FAST WITH THE VIOLET AND RODEO. 
          SO I'M GONNA TAKE MY HAND OFF. 
          [01:35:01]
I DID RIDE METRO TODAY. 
          THAT'S MY Q CHORD AND I GOT SOME CONCERNS. 
          THIS PRESENTATION AT LINK HOUSTON DID WAS VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT DID WITH METRO LAST WEEK. 
          I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS, POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE. 
          I WAS OUT IN GULFTON ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO AT BAYLOR PARK, AND I SAW THE UNITED NATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE CITY, WHICH WAS A GOOD EDUCATION FOR ME. 
          BUT I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS WITH ALL THIS BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE DO NEED HELP. 
          THAT'S NOT ABOUT THE SITU, THAT'S, I'M NOT QUESTIONING THAT. 
          IT'S BE MY CONCERN IS WE DON'T HAVE PROPOSITION 19 IN TEXAS WHERE PROPERTY TAXES, IF YOU ARE OWNED A PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY, THE PROPERTY TAX DOESN'T GO UP. 
          THIS IS A THING IN CALIFORNIA IN THE LATE SEVENTIES. 
          MY CONCERN IS IF YOU START IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE IN THIS AREA, ARE YOU GONNA HAVE A SITUATION LIKE HAS OCCURRED IN PORTLAND, OREGON, WHERE CHINA HAD BUILT ALL THIS BEAUTIFUL LIGHT RAIL STUFF, BUT IF INCREASE THE PROPERTY TAXES AND IT FORCED THE PEOPLE OUT THAT THE VERY PEOPLE THAT NEEDED TO HELP. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S ONE THING THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT, BOTH FROM THE CITY, HOUSTON SIDE, HARRIS COUNTY SIDE, AND METRO AS FAR AS AS SOCIAL JUSTICE IS CONCERNED WITH FUTURE, UH, PROJECTS. 
          BECAUSE RIGHT THROUGH THAT AREA IS GOING TO BE THE NEW GULFTON, UH, BRANCH OFF THE, UH, WEST PARK UNIVERSITY BRT LINE. 
          SECOND OF ALL, THE CITY OF HOUSTON RECEIVES FROM METRO A QUARTER OF THE SALES TAX THAT METRO RECEIVES AS GULF FOR GENERAL MOBILITY. 
          I THINK SOME OF THESE PROJECTS THAT LINK HOUSTON BROUGHT UP, I THINK THE CITY OF HOUSTON NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB TAKING THAT GENERAL MOBILITY MONEY AND MAYBE WORKING WITH METRO TO SAY, OKAY, METRO, YOU DO THE STOPS. 
          WE DO, WE WE'LL DO SOME, SOME STREAMING IMPROVEMENTS. 
          'CAUSE I WAS ON THE 65 AND THIS AND THAT OUT THERE. 
          IT'S JUST FALLING APART. 
          HE IS RIGHT. 
          METRO IS RUNNING ON, UH, CITY STREETS. 
          AND PART OF THAT GENERAL MOBILITY IDEA WAS TO IMPROVE THE INFRAS, THE CITY AND COUNTY AND MULTI-CITY INFRASTRUCTURE SO THE BUSES COULD RUN ON TIME FOR BETTER. 
          MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT, UH, SIGNAL TIMING THAT WHAT WAS TRANS STORE WAS BUILT FOR. 
          PART OF IT WAS FOR FOR FOR THAT. 
          AND UM, LASTLY, SALLY, YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE TURDS, AND I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WITH THE TURDS THAT, THAT APPLIES WITH THIS UPTOWN BUILT THE BEAUTIFUL BRT SYSTEM. 
          UH, BUT, AND THEY'RE DOING SOME STUFF WITH MEMORIAL PARK, BUT WE HAVE SOMETHING AGAIN, GULFTON, TWO MILES WEST OF THERE THAT'S FALLING APART. 
          AND I THINK SOME OF THESE TURDS ARE VIOLATING THE SECTION SIX OF THE, UM, SOCIAL JUSTICE THING FOR EQUITY. 
          AND I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE TURDS TO MAKE THEM, MAYBE THEY CAN ADOPT AN AREA, MAYBE UPTOWN CAN ADOPT, UH, UH, GULFTON. 
          WELL, MR. MAZA, AS ALWAYS, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR BEING HERE. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR COMING DOWNTOWN AND, UH, AND LETTING YOURSELF BE HEARD. 
          WE'RE, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL. 
          AND WITH THAT, LET ME NOTE THAT THIS MEETING, UH, TODAY'S TT I COMMITTEE, UM, WILL BE POSTED. 
          ALL PRESENTATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE TTI WEBSITE. 
          THAT'S WWW.HOUSTONTX.GOV/COUNCIL/COMMITTEES/TTI.HTML. 
          OUR NEXT MEETING WILL OCCUR ON THURSDAY, APRIL THE SIXTH, 2023. 
          ONCE AGAIN, HERE, LIVE IN THE CITY HALL, CHAMBERS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AT 10:00 AM I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE ONCE AGAIN FOR BEING HERE AND YOUR PARTICIPATION AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* 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.