* 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. [Press Conference: "Inwood Forest Stormwater Detention Basin"] [00:00:20] UH, BEFORE WE GET GOING, I, I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK OUR HOST HERE, WHICH IS THE NEAR NORTHSIDE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, AND MANAGED BY PRESIDENT WAYNE NORDEN. THEY HAVE BEEN A TERRIFIC PARTNER IN ALLOWING US TO USE THIS VENUE AND ALSO HAVE MULTIPLE PUBLIC HEARINGS ABOUT THESE PROJECTS IN THIS PARTICULAR VENUE. AND WAYNE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. UH, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR MAYOR, OUR GREAT MAYOR, AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING AND HIS SUPPORT ON ALL THESE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON. AND TO BE ABLE TO KICK OFF THIS FIRST HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROJECT IS REALLY EXCITING. SO WITH THAT, MAYOR, I KNOW WE'RE PRESSED WITH TIME. PLEASE COME ON UP. LOOK, LET ME, LET ME START OFF BY, UH, UH, ACKNOWLEDGING STEVE COSTELLO SINCE, UM, EVEN BEFORE HURRICANE HARVEY. DURING HURRICANE HARVEY, STEVE HAS BEEN THIS CHIEF RECOVERY OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO STEVE COSTELLO. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. AND WE HAVE SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE. THE MAYOR, PRO TEM COUNCIL MEMBER DAVE MARTIN IS HERE. THANK YOU, DAVE. IN FACT, IN KINGWOOD IS ANOTHER HAZARD MITIGATION, UH, GRANT PROJECT THAT'S MOVING FORWARD. UH, WE ARE IN DISTRICT A, AND THAT'S COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK. COUNCILMAN AMY PECK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THAT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER, SALLY ALCORN. GIVE IT UP. COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN. AND THEN I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE STAFF HERE OF COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE KNOX, JUST RIGHT HERE AS WELL. THANK YOU. LOOK, TODAY IS A MOMENTOUS DAY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND FOR THIS AREA IN PARTICULAR. AND, UH, AND I'M HAPPY TO BE WITH EVERYONE. UH, AFTER A LONG WAIT, WE ARE FINALLY BREAKING GROUND ON THE INWOOD FOREST DETENTION FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECT. IT IS A PROJECT THAT WILL HOLD MORE WATER THAN THE ASTRODOME, UM, WHICH IS TRUE AND WILL HELP PROTECT HOUSTONIANS FROM FUTURE STORMS. INWARD FOREST IS THE FIRST OF FOUR HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROJECTS APPROVED BY FEMA FOLLOWING HURRICANE HARVEY IN 2017. IT IS A JOINT PROJECT WITH FEMA, UM, THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, ALSO, UH, HEAVILY INVOLVED IS THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEEM. I WANT TO THANK FROM THE VERY BEGINNING ALL OF THESE PARTNERS, BECAUSE WITHOUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM, UH, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. THE CITY ACQUIRED THE FORMER GOLF COURSE IN 2011 AS A POTENTIAL FLOOD MITIGATION FACILITY. THIS PROJECT WOULD'VE TAKEN, UH, SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS WITHOUT THE RECENT FEDERAL FUNDING. THANKS TO THIS FUNDING, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH TODAY'S GROUNDBREAKING AND CONSTRUCTION IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN LATER THIS YEAR. HOUSTON CAN NO LONGER AFFORD, UH, TO WAIT. IN THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, THE CITY HAS EXPERIENCED SEVEN FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTERS. AND AS WE ARE ALL AWARE, STORMS ARE COMING WITH GREATER FREQUENCY, GREATER INTENSITY, AND COSTING EVERYONE A LOT MORE. THE INWOOD PROJECT WILL PROVIDE FLOOD DAMAGE REDUCTION TO OVER 4,400 STRUCTURES IN THE WHITE OAK BAYOU AND BOGO CREEK WATERSHED. THE CITY AND COUNTY AIMED TO BUILD 12 FLOOD WATER DETENTION BASINS TO HOLD ABOUT 1200 ACRE FEET OF WATER, A ROUGHLY 592 OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOLS, OR TO CRYSTALLIZE THIS AMOUNT, EVEN MORE ENOUGH WATER TO FILL THE ASTRODOME. THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT IS APPROXIMATELY $80 MILLION. I WANT TO THANK THE STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS FOR HELPING US TO THIS STAGE OF THE GRANT. SPECIFICALLY, I WANT TO THANK TONY ROBINSON'S REGION SIX FEMA TEAM REPRESENTED TODAY BY ROOSEVELT GRANT ROOSEVELT. THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH. AND I WANT TO GIVE A GREAT DEAL OF CREDIT TO FEMA AND TO TONY ROBINSON, WHO HIMSELF WAS PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS. WITHOUT FEMA'S ASSISTANCE, THIS PROJECT SIMPLY WOULD NOT BE MOVING FORWARD AT THE PACE THAT IS MOVING TODAY. ALSO, MANY THANKS TO CHIEF NIM KIDS, UH, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF E EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM REPRESENTED TODAY BY SEAN MILLER. SEAN, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. I REGRET THAT, UH, NIM IS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE, BUT AGAIN, WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF THE STATE AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WE WOULDN'T BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY. SO THANK YOU SO [00:05:01] VERY MUCH. I WANT TO GIVE A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT, THE COMMISSIONERS THEMSELVES WHO GOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT. COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELL IN PARTICULAR, UH, FOR HIS INCLUSION, FOR HIS INVOLVEMENT, AND THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, DR. TINA PETERSON. THANK YOU. UM, WE SAT, WE TALKED, WE MET, AND YOU ALL SAID YOU WOULD DO EVERYTHING YOU COULD TO MAKE THIS PROJECT HAPPEN. MADE THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING. AND I REALLY WANT TO APPRECIATE, UH, APPRECIATE THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, AND I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, I KNOW THE LEADERSHIP OF BETH WHITE. BETH, THANK YOU. UM, ON SO MANY MATTERS THAT WE'VE DONE, UH, IS DEVELOPING AN AMENITIES PACKAGE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE AREA WITH FUNDING TO COME THROUGH PRIVATE AND OTHER DONATIONS. AND SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT DIGGING A HOLE FOR DETENTION BASIN, IT'S ABOUT IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THIS AREA. THE PROJECT MAY INCLUDE FEATURES SUCH AS TRAILS, TRAIL HEADS, EXERCISE STATIONS, BENCHES, SIGNAGE AND LANDSCAPING, COMPLEMENTARY OF THE DETENTION BASIN. AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS EXCITING DESIGN IN A FEW MINUTES, AND SOMEONE WHO IS KIND OF OVERLOOKED AND SEEN THIS PROJECT FROM 0.1, UH, KEEPING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED. LET ME THANK THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, AMY PAT FOR HER DIRECT INVOLVEMENT, UH, AND IN OVERSEEING IT, BIRD DOGGING, TALKING ABOUT IT AT CITY COUNCIL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT, AND LET ME KNOW. YEAH, THIS PROJECT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT BENEFIT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. IT WILL SERVE A DUAL PURPOSE WITH DETENTION WHILE PROVIDING A MAJOR QUALITY OF LIFE ENHANCEMENT FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. SO, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAVE HELPED TO MAKE UP FOR US TO GET TO THIS POINT TODAY. AND MOST OF ALL, LET ME THANK THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE RIGHT IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA. THE PEOPLE IN THE INWOOD AREA THAT HAVE, UH, THAT HAVE FACED ONE STORM AFTER ANOTHER, AND SOME PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE LOST BECAUSE THEY HAVE MOVED AWAY, UH, NOT WANTING THEIR HOMES TO BE FLOODED. SO LET ME THANK THE PEOPLE IN THE INWOOD COMMUNITY UP AND DOWN ANTOINE, AND ALL OF THE SIDE STREETS, UH, FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND FOR YOUR DILIGENCE, UH, FOR HANGING IN THERE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR STAYING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND NOT LEAVING. SO, LET ME THANK YOU, MOST OF ALL, AND I WOULD SAY THIS PROJECT IS FOR YOU. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I, I, I COULDN'T SAY ANYTHING BETTER, AND I'VE ALWAYS TOLD EVERYONE THAT THE MAYOR IS GOING TO BE A PREACHER AFTER LEAVING, BEING MAYOR, SO, AND THAT'S REALLY TRUE. SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, PLEASE. COUNCIL MEMBER CAN. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I'M SO HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY, AND I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT. I CANNOT EVEN TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I AM ABOUT THIS PROJECT. UM, IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, AND WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY WITHOUT THE WORK OF SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE PUT THIS TOGETHER. UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANNA THANK MAYOR TURNER FOR MOVING THIS PROJECT FORWARD. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A PROJECT THAT TOOK EVEN LONGER THAN IT'S TAKEN, IF NOT FOR HIS LEADERSHIP IN MOVING THIS PROJECT FORWARD. SO THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR DOING THAT. UM, AND THEN THIS PROJECT ACTUALLY FIRST STARTED IN 2007 WHEN THE GOLF COURSE, UM, CLOSED. AND THE NEIGHBORS HERE ACTUALLY SUED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WASN'T GOING TO BE APARTMENT COMPLEXES. SO I REALLY WANNA THANK THE NEIGHBORS, JULIE MARINUCCI, ESPECIALLY FOR HER LEADERSHIP IN THIS AND FILL UP THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. RON, ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE NEIGHBORS IN THIS AUDIENCE TODAY THAT HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO PUSH THIS FORWARD, WE WOULD DEFINITELY NOT BE HERE. IF NOT FOR EVERYONE PUSHING FOR THIS, ALSO FORMER DISTRICT, A COUNCIL MEMBER, BRENDA STAR, SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE CITY PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY IN 2011. AND IF NOT FOR THAT PURCHASE, WHO KNOWS WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN HERE. SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER STAR. THIS IS GOING TO REALLY BE THE GAME CHANGER IN THE INWOOD AREA, THIS, UM, DETENTION BASIN, THE RECREATIONAL COMPONENT. THERE'S ALSO THE ANTOINE PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO COMPLETELY REDO ANTOINE, AS WELL AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD INWOOD FOREST PROJECTS THAT WILL TIE IN ALL OF THE FLOODING MITIGATION. SO THIS IS GOING TO BE SO EXCITING FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, AND I'M REALLY THANKFUL TO EVERYONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. AND, AND YOU'RE [00:10:01] RIGHT, THIS IS REALLY GONNA SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR SURE IN THE FUTURE. SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, CAROL HADDOCK, WHOSE DEPARTMENT HAS WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH RECOVERY OFFICE, AS WELL AS WITH FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. UH, IT IS TRULY MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND REPRESENTING HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, I, I CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU, I MOVED INTO THE WHITE OAK BAYOU WATERSHED IN 1998, IN AUGUST OF 19 98, 3 WEEKS BEFORE TROPICAL STORM FRANCIS, UM, REALLY HIT, UH, THIS, THIS WATERSHED HARD. AND IT HAS BEEN, UH, ALMOST 25 YEARS. AND IF YOU REALLY STOP AND THINK ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE IN THOSE 25 YEARS, IT'S A LOT. THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT HAS DONE, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, SIGNIFICANT CHANNEL IMPROVEMENTS, LARGE DETENTION BASINS, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECTS, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, BUYOUT OF HOMES THAT HAVE FLOODED REPEATEDLY. UM, IT HAS BEEN A, A, A PIECE HERE, A PIECE THERE. AND TO BE ABLE TO BRING THIS TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FEMA, UH, TO, TO REALLY TAKE THIS, ALMOST CATAPULT IT FORWARD, AND THE, THE PROGRESS THAT'S GONNA BE MADE BY CONVERTING THIS GOLF COURSE, UM, INTO AN OPEN SPACE INTO DETENTION FACILITY, IS TRULY, TRULY AN, AN AMAZING EVENT. AND IT, AND IT TRULY IS A TESTAMENT TO THE, TO THE TENACITY OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD TO STAY ON US, UH, THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, TO KEEP THESE, THESE, THESE ITEMS MOVING FORWARD. UM, THE FINAL DESIGN OF THIS PROJECT WAS ACTUALLY NEARING COMPLETION WHEN HURRICANE HARVEY, UM, HIT AND, AND GOT THIS, THIS, THIS AREA ALL OVER THE CITY AGAIN. AND SO, IT, IT TRULY IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES THAT WE CAN PAUSE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT DOES TAKE TIME, BUT WHEN WE, WHEN WE CHIP AWAY AT IT ONE PIECE AT A TIME, AND WE WORK VERY COLLABORATIVELY AND COHESIVELY WITH OUR PARTNERS, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS, THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN. AND I HOPE THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY WILL LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, OKAY, I DON'T WANNA LOSE HOPE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY AS WELL. WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE CITY. WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO BRING THESE OPPORTUNITIES FORWARD, AND WE'RE GONNA DEMAND THEY NOT JUST LOOK AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT THEY LOOK AT THE, THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT THEY LOOK AT THE, THE PARKS AND THE RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST IN THAT. AND WE ARE DELIGHTED TO BE PARTNERS IN THAT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO TURNING DIRT, BUT WE ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO USING IT WHEN THIS IS DONE. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. UH, JUST BY A SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HERE? OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. UH, YEAH. SO BEFORE I INVITE UP THE, UH, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC, UH, UH, FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, I WANT TO ECHO WHAT THE MAYOR SAID ABOUT COMMISSIONER'S COURT. UH, WITHOUT THE HELP OF COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND SPECIFICALLY WITH COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS, THIS PROJECT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE FUNDED BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH AN EXPENSIVE PROJECT. AND I WANNA, I WANNA WELCOME MARK CROSSLAND FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE. MARK, STAND UP, SAY HELLO. NOT MANY PEOPLE HERE ABOUT HIM. AND, YOU KNOW, HE'S QUIETLY WITH, WITH THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, BUT I WANT TO THANK HIM PERSONALLY FOR THAT. UH, MARK IS ACTUALLY THE PROJECT COORDINATOR AND DEVELOPMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, SO IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POSITION WITH THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE. BUT COME ON. I'M DIRECTOR TINA PETERSON, DIRECTOR OF HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT. BEFORE SHE SPEAKS, I, I DO WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP THAT THE CITY HAS WITH HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT. MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW MUCH WORK THESE AGENCIES DO WORK TOGETHER, AND, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF TIMES WHERE PROJECTS GET A LITTLE HICCUP. THIS ONE HAD A VERY BIG HICCUP, MEANING ABOUT $30 MILLION WORTH, AND TINA WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US TO BRIDGE THAT GAP TO GET THIS PROJECT FUNDED. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT. DIRECTOR PETERSON. ALL RIGHT, WELL, GOOD MORNING. UM, I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE ON BEHALF OF THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT TODAY TO CELEBRATE SUCH AN IMPORTANT PROJECT. UM, THIS IS TRULY A MILESTONE IN THE WIDE OAK BAYOU WATERSHED. LOWER THIS A LITTLE MORE. SO WHILE WE CAN NEVER ELIMINATE THE RISK OF FLOODING IN OUR COMMUNITY ENTIRELY, THIS PROJECT, THE INWOOD FOREST STORMWATER DETENTION BASIN IS TRULY AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF FLOODING AND ALSO INCLUDE THESE RECREATIONAL COMPONENTS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY. A PROJECT LIKE THIS, AS WE'VE HEARD THE MAYOR SPEAK ABOUT, UM, AND WE'VE HEARD FROM THE LEADERSHIP OF COMMISSIONER ELLIS, THESE PROJECTS TAKE THAT TYPE OF LEADERSHIP TO REALLY COME TO FRUITION. IT ALSO TAKES PARTNERSHIPS FROM FEMA AND T DM, CITY OF HOUSTON AND PRECINCT ONE TO MAKE THESE OPPORTUNITIES FULLY REALIZED. IN FACT, IT TAKES A HUGE AMOUNT OF COMMITMENT TO TAKE A PROJECT AND A HUGE AMOUNT OF VISION TO MOVE A PROJECT LIKE THIS FROM THE YEARS AND YEARS THAT IT HAS BEEN DEVELOPING, AND OPPORTUNITIES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. BUT THEN WHAT IS REALLY NEEDED [00:15:01] IS TO HAVE THE COMMITMENT TO SHOW UP WITH FUNDING FROM OUR PARTNERS AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT TAKES OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THE HARD WORK, TO DO THE HARD WORK, TO PUSH THROUGH THE CHALLENGES, AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE COMMITMENT TO MAKE IT HERE TODAY. AND SO BECAUSE OF THIS, WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY AND OUR PARTNERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT. WE WORK EVERY DAY TO BRING FLOOD RESILIENCY TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FLOODING IN OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN ULTIMATELY IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE. AND SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP, FEMA AND T DM. WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT. AND WE'RE JUST SO EXCITED TO SEE THIS PROJECT MOVING OFF THE GROUND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. AND, AND I DO WANT TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR SPONSORS AND, AND FUNDERS TO COME UP AND SPEAK. AND SO I WANNA WELCOME ROOSEVELT GRANT FROM FEMA. WHY DON'T YOU COME ON UP. WE'LL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT. BUT AS THE MAYOR SAID, IF IT WASN'T FOR TONY ROBINSON IN REGION SIX, THE MAYOR HAD A NUMBER OF CALLS THAT I WAS ON. I WAS LISTENING. HE WAS TALKING LOUDLY TO TRY TO GET THIS PROJECT BUILT AND GET IT STARTED, AND TONY ROBINSON AND HIS TEAM WERE VERY HELPFUL IN GETTING THIS DONE. SO, ROOSEVELT, COME ON. I JUST WANNA START OFF BY SAYING IT'S A, A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE HERE TODAY AND TO HEAR ALL OF YOU SPEAK AND, AND JUST SEE HOW THIS PROJECT IS REALLY GOING TO HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT FOR ALL THAT ARE HERE TODAY. UM, I GOT SOME, UH, INTEL, UH, BEFORE I CAME HERE. AND I WAS TOLD ABOUT YOUR COMMITMENT, SIR, THE FACT THAT YOU ACTUALLY CONTACTED THE FEMA ADMINISTRATOR DIRECTLY, AND YOU ALSO CONTACTED MR. TONY ROBINSON. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WERE PRETTY CLEAR ABOUT YOUR EXPECTATIONS. HOPE I HAVE A JOB AFTER THIS, BUT , BUT I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BECAUSE IT TAKES LEADERSHIP AND VISION TO BE ABLE TO SEE A PROJECT LIKE THIS THROUGH. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STATE. UM, IN MY TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, I REALIZED HOW MUCH, HOW COMMITTED THEY ARE TO RESILIENCE AND ALSO IN PROVIDING LEADERSHIP AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. SO SIR, CHIEF MILLER, WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE TEEM AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SOME FOLKS HERE TODAY WHO REPRESENT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, REPRESENT THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD DISTRICT. SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE EVERYONE WHO'S A PART OF THIS BECAUSE THIS, THIS MATTERS. UH, AS HAS BEEN NOTED, FMA ADMINISTRATOR ROBINSON WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT HE WANTED ME TO PASS ALONG HIS BEST WISHES AND OFFER SUPPORT. AND SIR, JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT MITIGATION INVESTMENT MATTERS. I CAN'T TELL ANYONE HERE WHAT AN IMPACT FROM A FLOOD FROM A HURRICANE WILL HAVE ON YOUR COMMUNITY. AND THIS PROJECT WHERE IT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT 16,000 RESIDENTS IN HARRIS COUNTY AND THE CITY COMBINED. THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT THE ACRE FOOT STORAGE FOR THIS DETENTION BASIN. IT'S ABOUT 1300 SQUARE FEET, 1300 ACRE SQUARE FEET. NOW, HE WAS VERY ELOQUENT IN HOW HE DESCRIBED THAT, BUT I WOULD JUST SAY IT'S PRETTY BIG . ALSO, IN SOME AREAS, THERE'S GONNA, UH, PROVIDE A FLOOD REDUCTION OF PROFILE OF UP TO ONE FOOT. SO AGAIN, THAT IS VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT. AND AMIR SPOKE TO SOME OF THE OTHER SIDE, UH, IMPORTANT ASPECTS TO THIS PROJECT THAT WILL MATTER AS WELL. SO, AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF ADMINISTRATOR ROBINSON, JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU. THANK YOU. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP. THANKS. I DO WANT TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE FACT THAT THE MAYOR DID MEET WITH THE FEMALE ADMINISTRATOR. I WAS PRESENT AT THAT MEETING WHERE HE ADVOCATED FOR EQUITY, AND, AND THE ADMINISTRATOR SAID, WELL, I THINK I CAN MAKE THOSE CHANGES TO MEET THOSE GOALS BY ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE, WHICH HE DID TWO YEAR, TWO WEEKS LATER. AND AS A RESULT, EVERY ONE OF OUR HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROJECTS ARE NOW WILL BE FUNDED AS A RESULT OF YOUR FMA. THANK YOU. SO YES, INDEED, WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH A STATE AGENCY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, , THE TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. SEAN, COME ON OUT FOR A SECOND, BUT BEFORE I GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, WHAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IS AS FEDERAL FUNDS FLOW DOWN, THEY ACTUALLY GO TO THE STATE. THE STATE IS ACTUALLY THE GRANT RECIPIENT, AND THEN THEY ULTIMATELY FLOW TO THE SUBRECIPIENT, WHICH IS A CITY. SO THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE ARE, ARE ACTUALLY OUR ADVOCATES WHEN IT COMES TO OUR PROJECTS. THEY'RE HELPING US PUSH THESE PROJECTS THROUGH AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COMPLY WITH FEDERAL STANDARDS AND THEY HELP US. THEY'RE ON EVERY CALL THAT WE HAVE WITH FEMA, AND WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP. SO, [00:20:01] SEAN, WELL, GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU. AND ON BEHALF OF CHIEF NIM KID WHO, UH, REGRETFULLY WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND TODAY, UH, I JUST WANT TO, UH, SPEAK A FEW MINUTES ON BEHALF OF THE TEXAS DIVISION EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND JUST SAY HOW, HOW WONDERFUL WE ENJOY THAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH, WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT AT TEEM. OUR SLOGAN, UH, IS EVERY DAY IS RECOVERY DAY. UH, IT TRULY IS EVERY DAY. WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, OUR LOCAL PARTNERS, OUR COMMUNITIES, UH, MOVE FORWARD IN, IN THE RECOVERY FROM THAT, THAT DISASTER THAT HAPPENED, UH, PREVIOUSLY. OUR WORK SUPPORTING AND ASSISTING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN THE RECOVERY PROCESS AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN IMPACTED, UH, CAN TAKE SEVERAL YEARS. AND WE KNOW FROM, YOU KNOW, HAVING HURRICANE HARVEY IN 2017 TO THE POINT WE ARE TODAY, IT, IT DOES TAKE SEVERAL YEARS TO GET TO THAT POINT AT THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE HARVEY. UM, IT'S A CLEAR EXAMPLE HOW THE RECOVERY PROCESS COULD BE PROTRACTED. AND ONLY THROUGH THE JOINT EFFORTS BETWEEN THE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL ENTITIES, AS WELL AS THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND OUR VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS, OUR COMMUNITIES CAN SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE THE RECOVERY PROCESS AND BECOME THAT MUCH MORE RESILIENT. HARRIS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WERE AT THE EPICENTER OF THE DEVASTATING FLOODS OF HURRICANE HARVEY. UM, AND, AND NO MA NO MORE, UH, WAS IT FELT, UH, THAN RIGHT HERE. AND IN THE INWOOD FOREST COMMUNITY, UH, ALONG THE WHITE OAK BAYOU, THIS AREA AND THE SEVERE FLOODING THAT, UH, WE, WE SAW DAMAGE HUNDREDS OF HOMES. UH, WE, WE ALREADY HEARD, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF HOMES IN OR AROUND, UH, ANTOINE, UH, JUST IMPACTED BY THOSE DEVASTATING HOMES, UH, DEVASTATING FLOODS, BUT ALSO BUSINESSES AND OTHER ASSOCIATED STRUCTURES. UH, AS WAS MENTIONED TODAY, THE RISK OF FLOODING CONTINUES. UH, WE SEE TIME AND TIME AGAIN AS WE, WE HAVE, UH, MORE DEVASTATING DISASTERS THAT HAPPENED TO THIS AREA AND TO TEXAS. BUT THE URGENCY OF ACTING TO INCREASE THE RESIDENCY OF THE EDWOOD FOREST COMMUNITY, UH, BRINGS US THAT STEP CLOSER TO THE END WITH THIS GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY. TINA HAS BEEN WORKING AT EVERY STEP ALONG THE WAY WITH HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AS WELL AS OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS FROM REGION SIX, WHICH WE SHARE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE. THIS CONSTRUCTION, UH, FOR THE DETENTION BASIN, AS WAS MENTIONED, UH, TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. UH, JUST A, A GIGANTIC AMOUNT OF, UH, FEDERAL FUNDING BEING PROVIDED, BUT NOT ONLY FROM THE FEDERAL SIDE, BUT FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL. BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE FUNDING TO HELP WITH THIS CONSTRUCTION, UH, THAT WILL BEGIN SHORTLY. PARTICIPATING EVENTS LIKE THIS IN THIS GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY IS REWARDING. IT SEES THE FRUIT OF OUR LABORS COMING TO A CLOSE, UH, AND TAKE US TO THAT MUCH MORE CLOSER TO FULFILLING OUR MAIN OBJECTIVE AS, UH, SERVANTS, UH, TO REDUCE THE LOSS OF, OF LIFE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. UH, TODAY, WE START THAT PATH TO A BETTER FUTURE FOR THIS COMMUNITY. UH, THEY WILL BENEFIT FROM THE MITIGATING ACTIONS THAT WILL PROTECT THE PROPERTIES AND REGISTER ENVIRONMENT AND JUST AS THE OTHER SOCIAL ECONOMIC VALUE THAT, UH, THE PROJECT WILL BRING TO THEM. AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF TM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, FOR INVITING US. THANK YOU, SEAN. AND, AND PLEASE GIVE OUR REGARDS TO CHIEF NIM KID. AND AGAIN, WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE OUR WORK RELATIONSHIP. SO OUR LAST SPEAKER IS BETH WEIDEN. BEFORE I ASK BETH TO COME UP FROM THE PARKS BOARD, UH, I ALWAYS SAY THIS ABOUT MY CAREER. SO I'M, I'M A LONG-TERM FLOODING AND DRAINAGE GUY, AND WHEN I FIRST STARTED MY CAREER, WE FOCUSED ON MOVING WATER. SO WE CONCRETE LINE DITCHES, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERYONE WANTED THINGS TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY. SO I ALWAYS FIGURED, WELL, IT'S PAINTED GREEN AND IT'S ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY . SO, BUT OVER THE YEARS, THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND THE PARKS BOARD HAS BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN SHOWING US THOSE CHANGES. SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME BETH WHITE FROM THE PARKS BOARD. THANK YOU, STEVE. WELL, IT IS SUCH A DELIGHT TO BE HERE TODAY WITH ALL OF YOU TO CELEBRATE THIS INCREDIBLE PROJECT THAT'S GONNA DO SO MUCH GOOD FOR THIS COMMUNITY. AND AS STEVEN SAID, I AM PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HOUSTON PARKS BOARD. WE HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE 1976, CREATING, IMPROVING, ADVOCATING, AND UM, REALLY TAKING CARE OF OUR PARKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MAYORS. AND, UH, MAYOR TURNER HAS BEEN SUCH A STRONG ADVOCATE WITH US. SO WE ARE ALSO VERY APPRECIATIVE TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN THANKED HERE TODAY. UM, DIRECTOR HADDOCK'S COMMENT ABOUT COLLABORATION, THIS REALLY IS A MODEL PROJECT FOR THAT. AND I JUST WANNA SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE MAYOR TURNER PUBLIC WORKS AND FLOOD CONTROL FOR THINKING HOLISTICALLY ABOUT FLOOD DETENTION. IT CAN ALSO BE BEAUTIFUL AND IT CAN CREATE RECREATION AMENITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND I SO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO INNOVATE WITH THIS PROJECT, INCLUDING RECREATION AS YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT DETENTION, AND ALSO INNOVATING WITH US WITH A PILOT PROJECT AT BASIN KAY, WHICH I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY. WE'RE TESTING ALTERNATIVES TO TRADITIONAL SOIL PREPARATION AND VEGETATION, AND IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL WITH THE SPRING BLOOMS HAPPENING. UM, WE'RE PROUD TO BE A PARTNER IN THIS. AND [00:25:01] WE HAVE DEVELOPED AN INWOOD FOREST RECREATION PLAN, WHICH STUDIED ADDING RECREATIONAL ELEMENTS TO THE DETENTION BASIN PROJECTS TO ADD ADDITIONAL BENEFITS TO THIS IMPORTANT DUAL PURPOSE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT. WE BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT RECREATIONAL ELEMENTS BRING NEW LIFE TO SHARED GATHERING SPACES, CREATE A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORS CAN CONGREGATE AND ENJOY TIME OUTDOORS. AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD TO BE A PART OF MAKING THIS HAPPEN. I AM REALLY EXCITED TO SAY THAT PHASE ONE OF THE RECREATION PLAN WILL BEGIN IN JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS. UH, WE'RE CREATING, WE'RE CREATING A ONE MILE LONG STRETCH OF GREENWAY AND PAR LITTLE PARK POCKET PARKS ALONG VOGEL CREEK SOUTH OF THE DETENTION BASIN PROJECT. WE WILL BE STARTING CONSTRUCTION SOON, AND WE HOPE YOU'LL BE THERE WITH US. THE GREENWAY WILL CONNECT LONE STAR COLLEGE ON VICTORY DRIVE NORTH TO COUNCIL GROVE LANE AND FEATURE NEW TRAILS, TRAILHEAD, EXERCISE STATIONS, BENCHES, SIGNAGE AND LANDSCAPING. AND OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT A YEAR, THE PARKS BOARD WORKED WITH THE COMMUNITY DIRECTLY TO GET IDEAS THROUGH COMMUNITY MEETINGS, SURVEYS, IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES TO ENSURE THAT THE GREENWAY MEETS THE NEED OF THE COMMUNITY. AND I WANNA CALL OUT A FEW FOLKS IN PARTICULAR, LINDA CARPER. LINDA, IF YOU WOULD WAVE, PLEASE. UM, LINDA IS OUR COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR. UM, SHE CONVENED A GROUP OF COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS THAT CONTINUE TO PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE ENGAGING COMMUNITY. UM, AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE FOLKS AND ASK THEM TO PLEASE STAND CHERYL BURTON, RON DELANEY, CIA COLLINS, ERICA HARRIS, ALONZO MIMS, AND JULIE MARINUCCI WHO, UM, HAS BEEN SUCH A CHAMPION FOR THIS PROJECT. PLEASE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE. YES, PLEASE. DID EVERYONE STAND? I DIDN'T SEE EVERYBODY STAND. OKAY, GREAT. . THANK YOU RON. UM, AND UH, AND FINALLY I'D LIKE TO THANK SOME OF OUR PRIVATE DONORS WHO HELPED MAKE THIS HAPPEN. THE MICHAEL AND SUSAN DELL FOUNDATION AND COLLABORATION WITH ONE STAR FOUNDATION WERE EARLY SUPPORTERS OF THE RECREATION PLAN, MATCHING THE FUNDING FROM PUBLIC WORKS, PART OF THE REBUILD TEXAS FUND, CREATED TO SUPPORT TEXAS COMMUNITIES DEVASTATED BY HURRICANE HARVEY. I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE BROWN FOUNDATION WHO PROVIDED $3 MILLION TO MATCH THE PUBLIC FUNDING FROM THE CITY, CITY AND PRECINCT ONE TO BUILD THIS GREENWAY. AND THANK YOU AGAIN, MAYOR TURNER, FOR ASKING US TO BE PART OF THIS IMPORTANT WORK. IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE THINGS HOLISTICALLY AND WE OWE YOU THAT. THANK YOU. GO. DON'T GO. SO I WANNA INVITE EVERYBODY UP. WE'VE GOT THE SHOVELS HERE. LET'S, UH, MAYOR, YOU WANNA COME ON UP? YES. I THINK WE WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO MENTION THE NORTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN OUT HERE WORKING ON THIS. UH, AND THEN JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, ROB BIRCHFIELD PASSED. SO I CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIM. HE WON'T BE HERE, BUT ALL THE MEMBERS, BOARD MEMBERS OF THE NORTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, UH, PLEASE STAND UP. 'CAUSE I WANT TO PERSONALLY, I WANNA PERSONALLY THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, UH, FOR KEEPING, KEEPING ALL OF THIS GOING, SERVICING THE PEOPLE IN OUR AREA. SO A PERSONAL THANKS TO THE NORTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, THE BOARD, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND LET'S CONTINUE TO REMEMBER ROB BIRCHFIELD. OKAY. SO THIS IS TODAY IS FOR HIM. OKAY. THANK YOU. * 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.