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MEETING OF THE CHILDHOOD[ Childhood and Youth Committee on April 12, 2023.]
AND YOUTH COMMITTEE.THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY, AND THANK YOU AS WELL FOR YOUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN SUPPORTING THE SUCCESS OF OUR YOUNGEST RESIDENTS.
THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD IN HYBRID MODE AS BOTH AN IN-PERSON AND A VIRTUAL MEETING ON MICROSOFT TEAMS AND HTV AS THE CHAIR AND PRESIDING OFFICER OF THE COMMITTEE.
I AM PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE CHAMBER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 5 1 0.127 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE APPLICABLE TO A GOVERNMENTAL BODY THAT EXTENDS, UM, INTO THREE OR MORE COUNTIES.
UM, ALL OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE THE OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS. UM, TODAY WE WILL HEAR ABOUT NEW YOUTH INITIATIVES FROM THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT.
I'M COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS, CHAIR OF THE CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH COMMITTEE.
I'M JOINED TODAY BY, UM, UH, ONLINE WITH, UM, OUR, UH, COMMITTEE, VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ, AND IN CHAMBER WITH US, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
UM, WE ARE ALSO JOINED BY STAFF OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK.
COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, ROBINSON.
UM, WE WILL HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
UM, WE WILL HEAR ABOUT YOUTH INITIATIVES THAT ARE UNDERWAY IN THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND WE'LL GET AN UPDATE ON, ON THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT'S PROGRAM TO ENGAGE CHILDREN IN RECYCLING.
AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON IS ONLINE.
UM, BEFORE WE GET GOING THOUGH, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE VICE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ TO, TO, UM, SAY A FEW WORDS.
UM, I AM ALWAYS EXCITED TO HEAR WHAT'S ON TAP FOR OUR, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THESE PRESENTATIONS.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS COMMITTEE, AND I'LL JUST WAIT AND LISTEN LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
UM, WE HAVE A FEW HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS FOR THIS HYBRID MEETING.
UM, SO COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT, PLEASE INDICATE THAT IN THE CHAT WINDOW IF YOU'RE ONLINE.
UM, COPIES OF TODAY'S AGENDA AND PRESENTATION ARE POSTED ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON WEBPAGE FOR CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
WE HAVE NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS WHO SIGNED UP, UM, BY NOON TODAY TO SPEAK AT THE MEETING.
UM, AS THE DEADLINE TO SPEAK UP TO SIGN UP WAS, UM, NOON.
TODAY, WE WILL NOT HAVE ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
UM, LET'S BEGIN BY REVIEWING THE FOUR GOALS OF THIS COMMITTEE.
THEY ARE TO BE A CATALYST FOR CHANGE BY INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND DIALOGUE ABOUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF A CHILD AND THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT KIND OF PERSON THAT CHILD WILL GROW UP TO BE FOCUSING ON DATA AND WELLBEING INDICATORS AS TOOLS FOR POLICY DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING AND ACCOUNTABILITY, SEEKING EQUITY AND WORKFORCE READINESS, BEGINNING AT BIRTH, AND SUPPORTING OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN CITY DEPARTMENTS TO STRENGTHEN AND ENHANCE THE, THE WEB OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, SCHOOLS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
I WANNA THANK OUR PRESENTERS FOR COMING TODAY AND FOR SHARING IMPORTANT INFORMATION WITH CITY COUNCIL.
OUR FIRST TOPIC, YOUTH INITIATIVES OF THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL BE PRESENTED BY GEORGE BUNICH, THE DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY, AND THOMAS MUNOZ, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR OF OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
UM, VLA IBARRA, WHO WAS ON OUR AGENDA, WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY, UM, BUT WELCOME, UM, CHIEF BUNI AND MR. MUNOZ.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR PRESENTATIONS.
UM, AND GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS STAFF.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I OVERSEE, UH, THREE MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES, THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER AT THE HOUSTON EMERGENCY CENTER, THE, UH, OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY, WHICH MANAGES THE TERRORISTS AND, UH, PREPAREDNESS GRANTS, AND THEN ALSO THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
UH, ROBERT MOCK IS THE DIRECTOR OF, OR IS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON EMERGENCY CENTER, WHERE THEY FACILITATE APPROXIMATELY 2.6 MILLION CALLS A YEAR.
UH, HE RUNS THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OUT THERE.
THE HOUSTON EMERGENCY CENTER HAS BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS
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TO TRAIN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO BECOME NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS.THEY START THEIR JUNIOR YEAR WITH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, AND THEN, AND THEN WHEN THEIR SENIOR YEAR COMES AROUND, WE ACTUALLY HIRE THEM AS PART-TIME EMPLOYEES THAT THAT CAN WORK UP TO 20 HOURS, UH, A WEEK IN THE HOUSTON EMERGENCY CENTER.
NOW, THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM IS SEVERAL OF THE PEOPLE EACH YEAR THAT COME THROUGH OUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM OR THROUGH THE SCHOOL PROGRAM, ONCE THEY BECOME, UH, ELIGIBLE, THEY, THEY, UH, WE, WE HIRE THEM AS, UM, AS NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS.
SO IT'S BEEN PRETTY, IT'S BEEN A REALLY SUCCESSFUL YOUTH PROGRAM.
UM, WITH ME IN THE AUDIENCE, WE HAVE JACKIE MILLER, JACKIE, UH, JACKIE, UM, OVERSEES OUR COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS GRANTS AND THE THE READY HOUSTON PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES SCHOOL READY, SCHOOL READY PROGRAMS. NOW WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT FOCUS ON, UH, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL.
WE ALSO HAVE TEENER COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE WHERE, UM, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE, ARE TRAINED, UH, IN VARIOUS SCHOOLS IN THE, IN THE FIVE COUNTY HOUSTON REGION.
TOM MUNOZ, SITTING TO MY LEFT IS THE DEPUTY, UH, DIRECTOR OF AND AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR FOR THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
HE'S GONNA BE CONDUCTING THE SLIDE PRESENTATION, AND HE'LL BE ASSISTED BY BRENT TAYLOR, WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE.
HE'S A HOUSTON'S CHIEF, UH, COMMUNICATION OFFICER.
UM, CHILDREN ARE INCLUDED IN OUR PREPAREDNESS PLANS.
LOOKING AT THE SEARCH, LOOKING AT THE SEARCH INSTITUTE'S 40 DEVELOPMENTAL, UH, ASSETS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD.
NUMBER SEVEN, THE COMMUNITY CHERISHES AND VALUES CHILDREN.
NUMBER EIGHT, CHILDREN ARE SEEN AS RESOURCES.
NUMBER 10, SAFETY AND NUMBER 32, PLANNING, UH, AND DECISION MAKING.
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE PAST PROGRAMS WITH CHILDREN HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN PROVEN EFFECTIVE WHILE NOT NECESSARILY LET OUT OF OUR OFFICE.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE, UM, THE SEATBELT COMPLIANCE PROGRAM, ONCE CHILDREN WERE, WERE INSTRUCTED ABOUT THE SAFETY AND, AND SECURITY OF WEARING SEAT BELTS, WHAT WOULD THEY DO WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY'D GET IN THEIR CAR WITH THEIR PARENTS? MOM, DAD, GRANDPA, YOU KNOW, PUT YOUR SEATBELT ON THE WARNING, UH, OF THE DANGERS OF SMOKING.
ONCE CHILDREN WERE EDUCATED ON THE DANGERS OF SMOKING, THEY COME HOME AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE MAKE THE SAME COMMENTS OR ASK THE SAME QUESTIONS.
MOM, WHY ARE YOU SMOKING? YOU KNOW, WE LEARNED THAT IT, THAT IT'S DANGEROUS.
AND THEN IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, PREPAREDNESS, I GOT THE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS GUIDE, UH, WHICH TALKS ABOUT MAKE A PLAN, BUILD A KID, STAY INFORMED, AND KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS.
WE EVEN HIGHLIGHT CHILDREN, UH, IN HERE, SITTING DOWN WITH THEIR PARENTS TO TALK ABOUT, UM, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND MAKING A PLAN.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN WHEN A STORM COMES THROUGH? BUT NOW I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR TOM MUNOZ, WHO'S, WHO'S ACTUALLY GONNA GO OVER THE SLIDE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY, AS CHIEF MENTIONED.
UM, SOME OF THE, UH, INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON ARE THE CHILDREN'S CONTENTS AS YOU SEE THERE.
AND I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THAT, WHICH IS READILY AVAILABLE.
UH, KID, KID-FRIENDLY INFORMATION, COUNSEL IT PARTNERSHIPS, WHICH WHEN WE DO OUR PLANNING, WE INCLUDE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH THAT INCLUDES THE CHILDREN AS WELL, PART OF THE BIG COMMUNITY THAT WE DEAL WITH, ALONG WITH THE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS GUIDE, AS CHIEF MENTIONED, AND THE TEEN CERT PROGRAM.
SO, WITH THE CHILDREN'S CONTENT, WE GOTTA REMEMBER THAT WE TAKE THE APPROACH THAT CHILDREN ARE SAFETY AMBASSADORS IN SOME OF THE HOMES.
WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY, WHERE WE'VE SEEN STUDIES TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT WHEN YOU PREPARE THE CHILD, THEY OFTENTIMES AND NUMEROUS TIMES GO HOME AND RELAY THAT INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY IN SOME OF THOSE COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE MIGHT BE A LANGUAGE BARRIER.
SO THEY HELP IN THAT SAFETY PIECE.
ALONG WITH THAT, YOU DO SEE THAT WE HAVE SOME ACTIVITY GUIDES THAT ARE PREPARED FOR CHILDREN IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, AND THEY'RE ALSO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE APPLICABLE TO WHAT WE'RE DOING AS FAR AS WHAT THE SAFETY MESSAGE.
NOW, THIS IS FOR OBVIOUSLY A GENERAL OR A CERTAIN AGE GROUP, BUT HOWEVER OUR PROGRAMS ARE INCLUDED TO GO INTO THE MORE, THE, THE JUNIOR HIGH, THE LEVEL, UH, AND THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, WHICH WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT AS A GOOD EXAMPLE, WOULD BE THE TEEN, THE, THE CERT PROGRAM.
SO, ALONG WITH THAT, THIS INFORMATION WE DO GET FROM THE AMERICAN RED CROSS, AND OF COURSE, OUR READY.GOV, WHICH IS A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE GET THERE, THAT'S IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES.
AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE ELDER POPULATION
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AS FAR AS CHILDREN AGE IS CONCERNED.SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL.
THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL FIND IN OUR WEBPAGE, UH, HOUSTON O.ORG.
WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION THAT WE CONTINUOUSLY BUILT WITH BRENT TAYLOR AND OUR TEAM, UH, THROUGHOUT THE C YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT VARIOUS PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT WE GET THIS INFORMATION CONTINUOUSLY.
AND HOW DO WE PASS THAT INFORMATION ALONG, UTILIZING THE COMPONENTS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE CITY TALENT POOL, ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERSHIPS.
SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF IS THAT WHEN WE TAKE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH AND DO THE ALL-INCLUSIVE APPROACH AS WELL, THAT INCLUDES EVERY AGE GROUP THAT WE COULD ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THROUGH THE YEAR.
THIS LAST YEAR, WE'VE HAD SOME PARTNERSHIPS WITH THAT HAVE BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL AND VALUABLE TO US.
UH, SOME EXAMPLES ARE THE MEXICAN COUNCIL AT COSTA RICA, GUATEMALA, COLUMBIA, EL SALVADOR, ARGENTINA.
LAST NIGHT WE HAD A DINNER WITH, UM, SOME OF THOSE COUNCILS FROM THOSE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS TO DISCUSS IDEAS ON WHAT WE DO AND HOW TO DO THAT DURING TIMES OF DISASTER, AS WELL AS BLUE SKY DAYS LIKE TODAY.
HOW DO WE PREPARE THAT? AND ALONG WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES, WE'RE ALSO ESTABLISHING COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE CHINESE COMMUNITY, VIETNAMESE AND JEWISH COMMUNITIES, AND THE DNE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
ALL OUR PLANS THAT WE'RE DOING INCLUDE EVERY CORNER STONE OF THE COMMUNITY.
AS CHIEF MENTIONED, UM, WE DO HAVE TEEN CERT.
WELL, UH, I'LL GO BACK TO THE, THE PREPAREDNESS GUIDES WITH CHIEF MENTIONED JACKIE MILLER.
SHE'S DONE AN AMAZING JOB IN MAKING SURE THAT THOSE GUIDES ARE AVAILABLE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IN THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES THAT YOU SEE HERE.
UM, ENGLISH, SPANISH, FRENCH, VIETNAMESE, CHINESE, MANDARIN, AND ARABIC TO MENTION THAT.
AND AS I MENTIONED, THAT IS A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM, UH, THAT IS VERY, UH, HELPFUL TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND ALONG WITH THAT, AS, AS WE TALK TO THESE COUNSELORS WHERE PEOPLE COME, WHICH IS A TRUSTED SOURCE, INCLUDING THE CHILDREN, WE'RE GETTING THIS INFORMATION TO HAVE THOSE CHILDREN BE THE INITIATIVE, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE SAFETY AMBASSADOR TO THAT HOUSEHOLD AS AS TO WHAT WE'RE PASSING.
AND OF COURSE, TEEN CERT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE CORNERSTONES, IS GROWING THE FUTURE LEADERS OF THE CITY AND THE COUNTRY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE OP OPERATE IN PARTNERSHIP, OR JACKIE'S GROUP DOES WITH HARRIS COUNTY, UM, ALONG WITH OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
BUT THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO EMPOWER TEENS WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FOSTERING LEADERS, FUTURE LEADERS SKILLS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW TO CULTIVATE THAT CARE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITY AND FAMILIES.
AND THAT IS THE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAVE ON WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON, ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY, HOW TO MAKE IT BETTER, HOW TO EDUCATED, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, USING THAT, THAT, THAT THE CHILDREN TO BE THAT SAFETY AMBASSADOR, AS LONG AS WELL AS THE TEENS.
UM, BUT BEFORE WE MOVE TO QUESTIONS, I WANTED TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE STAFF FROM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CAYMAN'S OFFICE WITH US TOO.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
AND, UM, AND, UM, I'M CAN'T TELL YOU HOW, HOW DELIGHTED I, I AM CHIEF TO HEAR YOU REFERRING TO THE SEARCH INSTITUTE'S FOR DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS.
I LOOK AT THOSE ALL THE TIME, AND, AND THERE'S SO MANY THINGS ON THERE THAT, THAT THE CITY REALLY DOES HAVE SOME TOUCH OVER.
IT'S, AND, UM, UH, LET'S MOVE NOW TO, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN WITH THE QUESTION.
THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
THE, THE CHAIR IS ALWAYS SAYING HOW IT'S THE KIDS THAT BRING THE INFORMATION HOME NO MATTER WHAT THE TOPIC IS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE DEMONSTRATING TODAY.
I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE, THE 9 1 1 CALLERS, THE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM.
HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THAT? THEY, THEY'VE HAD IT FOR ABOUT THE LAST 15 YEARS.
WE, WE USUALLY GET, UH, ABOUT 20 STUDENTS, UM, EACH YEAR.
AND THEN THEY DO AS SENIORS, THEY WORKED UP TO 20 HOURS A WEEK.
AND, AND DO SOME OF THEM COME BACK AND GO FULL TIME? YES, MA'AM.
SO, UM, GREATER HARRIS COUNTY 9 1 1 ACTUALLY PURCHASED EQUIPMENT THAT'S IN THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO DURING THEIR TRAINING SESSION, THEIR JUNIOR YEAR, THEY'RE ACTUALLY DEALING WITH THE EQUIPMENT.
SO BY THE TIME THEIR SENIOR YEAR COMES AROUND AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY IN THE HOUSTON EMERGENCY CENTER, THEY'RE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH THE COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND THE PROCESSES.
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AND, AND ON THE MR. MUNOZ, THE, THE CERT PROGRAM, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT? WELL, AND I'M GONNA, WHAT DOES IT STAND FOR? I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT STANDS FOR.SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE JACKIE MILLER.
AND IT'S COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMS. RIGHT.
AND, AND THAT IS A, THE PROCESS, AND CORRECT ME JACKIE, BUT THE, IT'S A, IT'S A, THE VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION FIRST THAT WE WORK WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO GET, NOT ONLY THROUGH THE ADULT POOL, BUT THE, THE TEENAGE POOL AS WELL, THAT WORK WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE, THEY'RE MONITORED, THEY'RE SUPERVISED, BUT JUST TO, DURING TIMES OF DISASTER WHERE THERE'S SO MUCH COMMUNITY NEED THAT WE COULD UTILIZE THE TEAM POOL AND WORK WITH THEM, BUT TEACH 'EM ON LEADERSHIP, YOU KNOW, HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THE COMMUNITY AND, AND THEN HOW TO HELP DURING THOSE TIMES.
ONE THING I WANT TO ADD THAT WE ALSO HAVE AT THE HEC IS HCC RECENTLY HAS REACHED OUT ON THAT AGE GROUP ON, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THE NOW LIKE PROGRAMS, NOW SAFETY PROGRAMS THAT WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH HEC.
SO CHIEF BUNI IS AN AMAZING JOB AND, AND HELPING WITH THAT LEADERSHIP AND GETTING THAT AGE PULL TO, TO COME AND CONTRIBUTE AND, AND GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH, WITH THE HEC CENTER.
I WANTED TO ASK, UM, DO YOU HAVE, UM, OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO DO THAT, UM, THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, CONNECT TO CHILDREN AND YOUTH THAT YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO YET? OR EVEN THE PROGRAMS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? IS THERE, ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND THOSE? YOU KNOW, SO, GO AHEAD.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF, THAT'S BEEN, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE IT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
SO THERE'S UNIVERSITIES NOW THAT WANNA DO INTERNSHIPS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON ESPECIALLY.
HECK, YOU KNOW, IT'S A MATTER OF FACT.
WE HAVE ONE OF THE STUDENTS, UH, RIGHT BEHIND US WHO HAS BEEN VERY, UH, SUCCESSFUL IN, IN WHAT SHE'S DOES.
AND, AND IT ALLOWS US, NOT ONLY ALLOWS THEM TO SEE THE COMPONENT OF THE HE, BUT HOW, HOW THE FUSION CENTER WORK, HOW 9 1 1 CENTER WORKS.
AND IT HELPS, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY EXPAND ON THE EDUCATION, BUT TO GET A FIRSTHAND LOOK OF HOW THAT WORKS.
SO IT'S BEEN VERY, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THAT MOVING FORWARD.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE GET MORE INFORMATION, UH, HOW DO WE GET THAT CLEAR INFORMATION TO THE TEENAGE GROUP? 'CAUSE WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE, WE'VE SHOWED YOU WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH, WITH THE, THE CHILDREN AGE, YOU KNOW, THE COLORING BOOKS AND THE INFORMATION, BUT WE'RE FOCUSING ON HOW TO DO THAT WITH THE TEENAGE GROUP THAT COULD ALSO BE A CONTRIBUTOR INTO DURING TIMES OF DISASTER AND SO FORTH.
UH, WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN STAFF.
WELL, UH, HI, MY NAME'S YUKARI RAMIREZ WITH THE COUNCILMAN RAVI CAYMAN'S OFFICE.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I DID WANT TO SHARE A COMMENT.
UM, I ACTUALLY GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
I ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH THE PROGRAM, SO THAT'S HOW I STARTED MY CAREER.
UM, THERE'S A SUCCESS STORY RIGHT THERE, AND IT WAS, THANK YOU.
I JUST WANNA SHOW MY APPRECIATION AND IT OPENED SO MANY DOORS.
UM, IT WAS REALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND WE LEARNED SO MUCH.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS THAT YOU'RE WORKING, YOU'RE PARTNERING WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S NOT ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE CITY, BUT IT'S THROUGH THE SCHOOLS.
BUT IF THERE'S, IF YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO, YOU KNOW, THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD PROMOTE OR SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, WE COULD PUT THOSE IN NEWSLETTERS.
YOU KNOW, MOST OF US HAVE NEWSLETTERS THAT GO OUT AND IT WOULD JUST HELP SPREAD THE WORD, JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE 9 1 1 OPERATORS EITHER.
YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT, UM, THAT THERE WOULD BE INTEREST IN OTHERS AND MAYBE PARTICIPATING, MAYBE EVEN IF THEY LEARNED ABOUT IT AND, YOU KNOW, HAD AN INTEREST, THEY WOULD ASK THEIR SCHOOLS, WHY CAN'T WE DO THAT TOO? SO, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT TO EXCEED YOUR CAPACITY, BUT, BUT IF, IF THERE WAS, IF WE COULD DO MORE, I THINK THERE WOULD BE A CERTAINLY A, A WAY TO YEAH, YOU LET US HELP YOU.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE BIG CITIES IS, SO RIGHT NOW IN OUR FIELD, IT IS A, IT IS HARD TO FIND EMERGENCY MANAGERS.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS.
YOU KNOW, IT, VERY RARELY DO YOU HEAR A CHILD SAY, I WANNA BE AN EMERGENCY MANAGER WHEN I GROW UP.
YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE PUSHING HARD FOR THAT AND, AND SHOWCASE WHAT WE DO AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BIG CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IN TAKING CARE OF THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN WONDERFUL.
AND, AND, UM, YEAH, LEAVE ON US.
OH, WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, QUESTION.
IT'S, UM, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM HAS JOINED US.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR JOINING US.
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THE STAFF, STAFF FROM THEM.DID YOU HAVE ANY FINAL COMMENTS? YEAH, MA'AM.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT OUR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS GUIDE.
IT'S AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD IN THE VIEW ONLINE HOUSTON OEM.ORG.
UH, IT JUST A'S GREAT DOCUMENT TO HAVE TALKS ABOUT PREPARATIONS FOR ALL KINDS OF DISASTERS, INCLUDING, UH, TERRORIST INCIDENTS.
SO HOUSTON OEM.ORG, YOU CAN SEND THAT OUT IN THE NEWSLETTER.
I'D LIKE TO JUST SAY ONE MORE THING, AND I'M SORRY,
UM, CHIEF, YOU AND I HAD ABOUT A, A, A FAMOUS CASE THAT HAPPENED, UM, OF, OF A TSUNAMI THAT WAS COMING, THAT WAS UNRECOGNIZED BY EVERYONE WHO WAS AT THE BEACH.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE DETAILS OF WHERE IT WAS, BUT THERE WAS A CHILD WHO WAS ON VACATION, WHO WAS FROM ENGLAND, WHO HAD STUDIED TSUNAMIS IN SCHOOL, THAT A YOUNG CHILD, AND RECOGNIZED THE, ALL THE, THE CLUES, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE WATER SUDDENLY RECEDING AND GOING FAR OUT.
AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ON THE SHORE WERE AMAZED AND STARTED IMMEDIATELY WALKING OUT INTO, YOU KNOW, THIS NOW SHALLOW LAND.
AND, AND SHE, SHE KNEW IT MEANT THAT THERE WAS A TSUNAMI COMING AND STARTED SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF HER LUNGS.
YOU KNOW, RUN FOR THE HILLS,
THERE'S A BIG WAVE THAT'S GONNA WIPE EVERYONE OUT.
AND SHE SAVED LOTS AND LOTS OF LIVES BECAUSE THEY, THEY BELIEVED HER.
SHE, SHE KNEW WHAT SHE KNEW, AND SHE SAVED LIVES BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO, SO WHEN, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT THE, THE CHILDREN ARE SAFETY AMBASSADORS.
THERE'S SO MUCH INFORMATION THAT, THAT CHILDREN CAN, CAN AND ALREADY DO KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO EMPOWER THEM.
AND IT'S, IT'S SUCH A GOOD WAY TO GET INFORMATION INTO FAMILIES.
WE'VE, THIS HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
OUR SECOND TOPIC IS AN UPDATE ON A NEW INITIATIVE FROM THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT ON RECYCLING ENGAGEMENT, UM, FOR, UH, CHILDREN.
AND THAT WILL BE PRESENTED BY MARK UCK, WHO'S THE, UM, THE DIRECTOR OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, AND VERONICA LIMA, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
SO, WELCOME DIRECTOR, UM, WILL FALK, AND, AND, UM, MS. LIMA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
I'M, UH, DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, MARK WILL FALK, SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, AND I'M, I'M BLANKED BY MY RIGHT BY OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION, VERONICA LAMA.
AND, UH, WE JUST KIND OF WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT WE'RE DOING AS FAR AS OUR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS TO REALLY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UH, IN INCREASE THE MOMENTUM, THE, UH, THE CONCEPTS OR MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THE CONCEPTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO RECYCLING.
SO WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
ALRIGHT, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO WORK AND WE, WE, THE TEAM HAS BEEN DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OF REALLY TRYING TO INCREASE OUR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH TO, TOWARDS OUR STUDENTS AT THE GRADE LEVELS.
UM, AND SO THAT AS, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE PRIOR PRESENTATION AS, UH, WE GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE, THEY'RE CHILD, WHILE THEY'RE IN THAT YOUTH STAGE.
AND WHEN THEY, UH, BECOME ADULTS, IT BECOMES MORE OF A HABIT.
AND THOSE HABITS THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO ENFORCE OR REALLY DEVELOP RIGHT NOW FOCUS AROUND WASTE MINIMIZATION AND WASTE WASTE REDUCTION.
SO THAT, UH, REALLY EDUCATING PEOPLE BEYOND THE, THE, UH, BASICS OF RECYCLING, BUT THEN ALSO, HOW CAN YOU REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WASTE THAT WE PRODUCE? AND THEN IF YOU HAVE TO DISPOSE OF IT, BEING ABLE TO DISPOSE OF IT IN A MORE, UM, UH, FASHION THAT'S GONNA BE SUPPORTIVE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.
ALRIGHT, SO EDUCATION AND AWARENESS, THAT'S GONNA ALWAYS BE THE KEY.
UM, SO SOME OF WHAT WE HAVE PLANNED THUS FAR INCLUDES, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL REALLY ALWAYS BE FOCUSING ON, IN, ON THE FUTURE OF RECYCLING.
UH, WE WILL, UH, YOU KNOW, FOCUS IN AS WELL ON INCREASING OUR PROGRAM FOR COMMUNICATIONS.
UH, SOMETHING THAT I'M CONSTANTLY CHALLENGING OUR STAFF ON.
SAY, HEY, LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE OUT THERE, WE'RE BEING SEEN.
LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE EDUCATING OUR, OUR POPULATION.
BUT THEN ALSO TAKING A PROACTIVE APPROACH IS WHAT YOU'LL SEE US DOING NOW, UH, WITH DOING OUTREACH WITH THE COMMUNITIES.
UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, A, UH, COMMUNITY CLEANUP PLAN COMING UP, PLAN COMMUNITY CLEANUP COMING UP SOON, UH, DURING THE MONTH OF MAY WITH DISTRICT D.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
AND THAT'LL GIVE US EVEN, UH, ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO EDUCATE FOLKS ABOUT THE, UH, DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF OUR PROGRAM.
AND, UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, SINCE I'VE ARRIVED TO HOUSTON,
[00:25:01]
WHAT WE'VE HEARD MOST IS, YOU KNOW, WHY CAN'T WE RECYCLE THIS? AND WHY CAN'T WE RECYCLE THAT? AND WHAT ABOUT OUR COMPOSTING? SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO DIVERSIFYING OUR PROGRAM AS FAR AS THE AMOUNT AND TYPES OF MATERIALS THAT WE TAKE.SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, GETTING BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL PAPERS, CANS, BOTTLES AND PLASTICS, AND GETTING INTO THOSE HARD TO RECYCLE PLASTICS, AND ALSO EXPLORING SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR COMPOSTING.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU, YOU'LL SEE LATER ON IN THIS PRESENTATION WHERE WE'VE ACTUALLY STRENGTHENED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH HISD AND, UM, SO THAT WE CAN AGAIN, KIND OF GET FURTHER INTO THOSE SCHOOLS WORKING WITH THE HOUSTON RECYCLING COALITION.
UM, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AS WELL, UH, TO REALLY KIND OF GET THAT MESSAGE OUT AND INCREASE THAT EDUCATION AND AWARENESS AT OUR, AT OUR GRADE LEVELS.
SO, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO DEPUTY DIRECTOR LIZAMA, TALK ABOUT THE TRUCK ART CONTEST.
AND PART OF EDUCATING OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FOR YOUR OFFICE'S PARTICIPATION IN, UM, THE TRUCK ART CONTEST THAT WE LAUNCHED IN JANUARY.
IT CLOSED UP AND WRAPPED UP IN FEBRUARY ON THE 28TH.
WE WERE, UM, WE DID GET GREAT PARTICIPATION.
WE HAD 39 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS PARTICIPATE, AND WE HAD 170, UH, SUBMISSIONS.
SO THERE WAS LOTS OF EXCITEMENT BUILT AROUND THAT.
WE, UH, WENT OUT TO SCHOOLS AS WELL TO, TO RALLY FOR THIS.
SO IT, WE WERE REALLY HAPPY WITH THE PARTICIPATION.
THERE WAS, UM, PARTICIPATION FROM SPECIAL EDUCATION, UM, KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE, SO ALL GRADE LEVELS AS WELL PARTICIPATED IN THIS.
SO WE WERE VERY HAPPY TO, UM, TO GET THAT.
YOU WILL SEE ON THE SLIDE, UH, THE THREE WINNER, I'M SORRY, THE FOUR WINNERS.
UH, THESE WILL BE DISPLAYED ON EARTH DAY NEXT WEEK.
UH, THE 19TH IS THE EARTH DAY FESTIVAL.
THAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING RIGHT HERE AT HERMAN SQUARE.
AND YOU WILL GET THE UNVEILING RIGHT.
THIS IS JUST A SMALL PIC, A SMALL, SMALL SNIPPET OF IT, UH, BUT YOU'LL GET IT UNVEILED ON THE TRUCKS.
AND, UM, AND THE, AND THE WINNERS WILL BE DISPLAYED THERE.
SO HOPEFULLY EVERYONE WILL COME OUT AND, AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
ADDITIONALLY, WE'VE BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, PARTIC THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF PARTICIPATION FROM OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEAM AT DIFFERENT CAMPUSES TO EDUCATE ON, UH, RECYCLING SERVICES.
UH, THE, UH, HRC, THE HOUSTON RECYCLING COLLABORATION HAS RECENTLY PUT IN, UM, BINS FOR PLASTIC COLLECTIONS, UM, AT 20 DIFFERENT PILOT SCHOOLS.
SO THIS HAS BEEN, UH, AS WELL PART OF ONE CLEAN HOUSTON INITIATIVE, THE HRCS PARTICIPATION IN HISD CAMPUSES.
YOU WILL SEE SOME PHOTOS HERE OF, UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, EDUCATIONAL, UM, EVENTS AT DIFFERENT CAMPUSES.
WE ARE LOOKING, UM, SO AGAIN, THE DIFFERENT WASTE STREAMS THAT ARE BEING COLLECTED RIGHT NOW, UM, THEY'RE DOING PAPER, WHICH HAS BEEN THE TRADITIONAL, UH, HISD PARTICIPATION, BUT NOW INCREASING THAT TO PLASTICS.
UM, AGAIN, HRC HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, TRAINING AND INFORMING, UH, THESE 20 SCHOOLS, UM, ON HOW TO PROPERLY DISPOSE OF PLASTICS.
UH, AGAIN, THEY DID GET A GRANT RECENTLY AS WELL FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO GET THOSE BINS PUT IN.
WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD ON THAT, UH, SAME MOMENTUM WITH, YOU KNOW, THE TRUCK ART CONTEST THAT JUST ENDED.
AND THEN, UH, THE PARTICIPATION OF THE NEW PLASTICS ACCEPTANCE.
UM, AND WE LIKE TO TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER AND TO CREATE, UH, CAMPUS RECYCLING AMBASSADORS NOW THAT WE'VE GOT SO MUCH PARTICIPATION IN THE TRUCK ART CONTEST, JUST TO CONTINUE, UH, NOT JUST AS AN ANNUAL, UH, YOU KNOW, CONTEST, BUT TO BRING IN AMBASSADORS AT THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND TO CONTINUE TO EDUCATE AND HAVE SOMEONE AT THE SCHOOL TO, TO REALLY, UH, PARTICIPATE WITH OUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR ABOUT THE AMBASSADORS, THEY WILL BE KEY, YOU KNOW, TO HELPING US GROW AND INCREASE OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE RECYCLING PROGRAM.
UM, AGAIN, EARLIER YOU HEARD ME SPEAK EARLIER ABOUT JUST BASICALLY DIVERSIFYING THE TYPES AND COMMODITIES OF MATERIALS THAT WE ACCEPT IN THE PROGRAM.
SO IT WAS JUST A BRIEF ILLUSTRATION.
MANY PEOPLE ARE ALL OFTEN FAMILIAR WITH RECYCLING BOTTLES AND, UH, THAT HAVE PLASTIC BOTTLES THAT HAVE, WHAT IS IT, ONE THROUGH SEVEN ON IT.
UM, BUT PROBABLY THE MOST FREQUENTLY QUESTION THAT'S ASKED IS, WELL, WHAT ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER PLASTICS THAT ARE HARD TO RECYCLE? THE PLASTIC BAGS, THE PLASTIC FORKS IN THE PLASTIC SPOONS? AND TRADITIONALLY, THAT ANSWER HAD ALWAYS BEEN, WELL DISPOSE OF THAT IN THE, IN THE GARBAGE CAN, AND IT'LL BE TAKEN CARE OF.
BUT THANKS TO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON RECYCLING COLLABORATION, EXXON MOBIL, CYCLICS, DALE BASSELL, AND, UH, AND THE OTHER BRILLIANT MINDS AT THE TABLE, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, COME UP WITH WAYS TO REUSE THAT MATERIAL.
BASICALLY, THEY PUT IT THROUGH THEIR, THEIR PROCESS AT THEIR PLANTS AND, AND GET IT BACK DOWN FROM A, WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD FROM A POLYMER STATE TO A MONOMER STATE, AND BASICALLY
[00:30:01]
CR UH, CREATE A WHOLE NEW, UH, PIECE OF VIRGIN MATERIAL OUT OF IT SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE A WHOLE ENTIRE NEW PRODUCT.SO, UH, NOW THAT WE HAVE THAT TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH AT OUR FINGERTIPS RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON'S BACKYARD, UH, WE'VE LAUNCHED THE PLASTICS RECYCLING PROGRAM IN KINGWOOD, WHICH HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.
AND, UH, EACH MONTH, I BELIEVE THE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO INCREASE REGARDING THE AMOUNTS OF AND TYPES OF MATERIALS AND PLASTICS THAT ARE BEING, UH, ACCEPTED FROM THAT LOCATION.
IN FACT, WHAT I'VE BEEN RECENTLY INFORMED BY OUR STAFF IS THAT THIS PROGRAM IS SO POPULAR NOW THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO STOP PEOPLE FROM CLIMBING IN THOSE CONTAINERS TO REMOVE THE MATERIAL OUT OF IT.
SO SOMETHING IS GOOD IN THERE, RIGHT? UH, SO WE, WE, UH, SINCE WE'VE HAD SUCH TREMENDOUS, SUCH TREMENDOUS SUCCESS WITH THE KINGWOOD LOCATION, WE'RE GONNA BE EXPANDING THAT TO OTHER DEPOSIT DEPOSITORIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND, UH, AS EARLY AS THE 19TH OF THIS MONTH, WE WILL BEGIN AT THE NORTH MAIN, UH, LOCATION, OFFERING THAT SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE TO THOSE RESIDENTS IN THAT COMMUNITY.
SO THEY WILL NOW HAVE THE ABILITY TO BRING THOSE HARD TO RECYCLE PLASTIC, UH, MATERIALS THAT WE DO NOT ACCEPT IN OUR CURBSIDE COLLECTION PROGRAM TO THAT DEPOSITORY, AND THAT MATERIAL WILL BE RECYCLED AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HOUSTON RECYCLING CO UH, COLLABORATION HAS BEEN, UH, INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US TARGET THESE LOCATIONS.
AND, UH, WE'RE HOPEFUL BY THE END OF THE YEAR THAT WE WILL HAVE COVERED ALL OF OUR DEPOSIT DEPOSITORIES AND BASICALLY BE ABLE TO OFFER THAT SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE TO EVERYONE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
NOW, ALONG WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING OUR WASTE DIVERSION PROGRAM.
THERE ARE ALSO TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE TO START UP SOME, UM, MAYBE GRASSROOTS OR, OR LOW LEVEL COMPOSTING PROGRAMS. SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.
UH, IN FACT, AT EARTH DAY, I BELIEVE WE PARTNERED WITH A COMPOST, UH, UH, VENDOR WHO IS GOING TO ACTUALLY SET OUT COMPOSTING STATIONS NEAR ALL OF OUR TRASH RECEPTACLES AND RECYCLING RECEPTACLES TO CONTINUE TO EDUCATE FOLKS ON, ON, UH, WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT COMPOST.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THAT'S GONNA TAKE OFF.
SO HOPEFULLY WHEREVER YOU SEE A TRASH RECEPTACLE, YOU'LL SEE A RECYCLING RECEPTACLE, AND WHEREVER YOU SEE A RECYCLING RECEPTACLE, YOU'LL SEE A COMPOSTING RECEPTACLE AS WELL.
SO, UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
UM, ALL OF THIS IS, UM, REALLY BEING MADE POSSIBLE BY ONE CLEAN HOUSTON THAT DEFINITELY WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE EFFORTS, UH, THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN, UH, LENDING TO MAKING THAT WHOLE PROGRAM A SUCCESS.
IF OUR RECYCLING PROGRAM IS GONNA BE A SUCCESS, THEN THAT MEANS ONE CLEAN HOUSTON IS GONNA BE A SUCCESS.
IT REALLY HELPS US REDUCE THE LITTER, UH, REDUCE THE DEBRIS THAT'S OUT THERE, AND HOPEFULLY EVENTUALLY SAVE SPACE IN OUR LANDFILLS UNTIL WE CAN FIND AN ALTERNATIVE MEASURE FOR ALL OF OUR SOLID WASTE THAT WE HAVE.
SO, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE MAY HAVE.
DIRECTOR, WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR.
YOU PUT COMPOSTING RIGHT THERE ON THE SLIDE AND EVERYTHING
UM, WHO'S HELPING YOU? CAN I ASK WHO'S HELPING YOU IN THE, FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR? WHO IS IT? ZERO WASTE.
WELL, I'M, I'M, SO THEY WERE ONE OF OUR PARTNERS IN THE PILOT.
SO GLAD THAT THEY'RE PARTICIPATING MM-HMM
AND, UM, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND, AND, AND I KNOW WE'RE MEETING ON ANOTHER GRANT OPPORTUNITY YES.
SO FOR COMPOSTING, SO APPRECIATE THAT.
ON, ON THE RECYCLING EDUCATION MM-HMM
ARE WE SEEING AN, AN IMPACT? ARE WE SEEING THOSE CONTAMINATION, UH, LEVELS GO DOWN? YES.
UM, IN, IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT WE CONCENTRATE ON, WE ARE SEEING WHERE THE RESIDENTS ARE BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE RESPONSIVE TO OUR EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS.
NOW, WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO, YOU KNOW, OVERALL, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PROBABLY STILL TRENDING IN THE UPPER THIRTIES.
UH, AS FAR AS CONTAMINATION GOES.
AND, AND HOW ABOUT THAT? SO THE, THE UPPER THIRTIES ON CONTAMINATION, AND WHAT ABOUT PERCENTAGES OF OUR, UM, OF OUR, THE, THE WASTE THAT WE PICK UP, THE HOUSEHOLDS WE GO TO, WHAT PERCENTAGE RECYCLE, UH, AS FAR AS PARTICIPATION RATES? RIGHT.
I, I THINK THE PARTICIPATION IS PRETTY HIGH.
AND, AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, BUT I'M GONNA SAY IT'S ABOVE 60%.
YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE CLOSER TO 70% TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
BUT NOW, ONCE WE GET THAT DOWN, THAT MEANS THEY'RE USING THE GREEN BIN.
BUT NOW WE NEED THEM TO USE IT CORRECTLY, YOU KNOW, IN MORE INSTANCES.
UH, SO THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO CONCENTRATE OUR EFFORTS ON, AND THAT'S WHERE THAT EDUCATION AND AWARENESS COMES IN HANDY.
AND, AND WHAT'S THE SITUATION WITH THE MONEY? UM, I MEAN, FOR A LITTLE WHILE WE WERE MAKING A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY MM-HMM
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A, IN A WHILE ON RECYCLING.
WHAT'S THE SITUATION NOW? YEAH.
WE HAVE BEEN TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE WANTED TO GO.
AS FAR AS, UH, GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF REVENUE IN FROM THE SALE OF MATERIALS.
BUT THE MARKET IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S,
[00:35:01]
UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT VARIES SO OFTEN, AND RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE ACTUALLY HAVING TO PAY BECAUSE OF THE, THE TURN IN THE MARKET RIGHT NOW.I THINK LA WAS IT LAST YEAR WHEN WE MADE A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS OR, YEAH, JUST A LITTLE BIT.
BUT IT, ANYTHING HELPS TO HELP OFFSET THE COST.
AND, AND, AND THE KINGWOOD AND THE SOON TO BE NORTH MAINE MM-HMM
UH, DEPOSITORIES WHERE YOU CAN BRING OTHER TYPES OF PLASTIC.
HOW, HOW, AND YOU, YOU JUST GOT THE WORD OUT.
HOW'D YOU GET THE WORD OUT ON ALL THAT? UM, WE DE DEVELOPED SOME COMMUNICATION PIECES, AND THEN WE WOULD GO OUT TO THAT LOCATION, UH, AND HAND IT OUT TO, YOU KNOW, HAND THE FLYERS AND COMMUNICATION PIECES OUT.
WE WORK WITH SOME OF THE, UM, THE, UH, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS IN THOSE AREAS TO REALLY CHAMPION THE WORK.
SO THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT LAUNCH, THAT PREPARATION WAS ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS THAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY.
SO, AND, AND NOT ON THE RECYCLING TOPIC MM-HMM
CHAIR, IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME ON THE REGULAR SOLID WASTE MM-HMM
UM, AND ALL YOUR, ALL YOUR OTHER HEAVY WASTE AND, AND JUNK WASTE AND ALL OF THAT.
HOW, HOW IS IT GOING NOW? ARE WE, UH, THE, THE ONE CLEAN HOUSTON MONIES, AND I KNOW WE'VE HIRED SOME ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS, ARE WE STILL, UM, DOING LARGE AMOUNTS OF OVERTIME AND YEAH.
IS THE SITUATION KIND OF THE SAME AS FAR AS, OR IS IT IMPROVING, OR Y YEAH, SO IN THE, IN THE HEAVY TRASH LINE OF BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT AREA.
UM, SO AGAIN, THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, ONE CLEAN HOUSTON INITIATIVE IS REALLY, UH, LEAPS AND BOUNDS.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S HISTORICAL FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THANKS TO MAYOR TURNER.
SO I'M KIND OF DOING MY RESEARCH AND I JUST HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OTHER PREVIOUS INSTANCES WHERE THIS LEVEL OF DEDICATION HAD BEEN, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT LEVEL OF ATTENTION HAD BEEN PLACED ON IT.
SO WE'RE SEEING SOME POSITIVE RESULTS IN THAT AREA.
AGAIN, WE'RE SEEING OUR, UH, THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF SERVICE, UH, DAYS OPEN FOR SERVICE REQUESTS DECREASE.
UM, THERE, THERE ARE JUST SOME AREAS THAT WE'RE TRADITIONALLY USED TO SEEING GARBAGE IN AND, YOU KNOW, MOUNDS OF TRASH THAT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THERE AND IT'S, IT'S A CONCERTED EFFORT.
WE'RE TRYING TO STEP UP THE ENFORCEMENT COMPONENT THAT SEEMS TO BE WORKING WELL.
WE'VE, UH, GOT PEOPLE IN TRAINING RIGHT NOW TO BE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
SO THEY'LL GET, WE EXPECT THEM TO GET THEIR CERTIFICATION SOON, AND THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH AND WHATNOT.
SO THAT LINE OF BUSINESS IS GOING PRETTY WELL.
WE STILL GOT SOME WORK TO DO ON OUR RECYCLING SIDE.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA BE SATISFIED UNTIL, YOU KNOW, ALL THREE SERVICES ARE DELIVERED ON THE DAYS THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE SCHEDULED TO BE.
SO WE, WE'VE STILL GOT SOME WORK TO DO IN THOSE AREAS.
WELL, I JUST WANNA SAY ON RECYCLING, I MEAN, DESMOND, I GO TO MEETINGS ALL OVER THE CITY, AND MAN, HE IS SO GOOD.
HE KNOWS THE ANSWER TO EVERY QUESTION.
HE KNOWS TRASH, HE KNOWS WHEN
SO I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE PAYING HIM, BUT PAY HIM MORE.
HE, WE SEND HIM OUT TO TALK TRASH FOR IT.
SO
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I WANTED TO, UM, TO GO BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE TREK ART MM-HMM
AND, UM, AND I KNOW WE'LL GET TO SEE THE TREKS, YOU KNOW, FOR ON EARTH DAY.
WILL THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THE ARTISTS, THE STUDENT ARTIST WHO CREATED THOSE, THOSE PIECES? YEAH.
YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT? SURE.
DUE TO THE STATE TESTING THAT THEY HAVE, I THINK IT'S STAR TESTING, THEY COULDN'T ATTEND THE EARTH DAY EVENT.
UM, ACTUALLY THAT'S THE WHOLE MONTH.
AND OUR PLAN IS TO REALLY BRING THEM BACK ON A TUESDAY RIGHT BEFORE PUBLIC SESSION SO THEY CAN BE RECOGNIZED AND EVERY, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN BE HERE.
UM, BUT THEY'RE REAL EXCITED FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO COME.
SO WE'LL BE SCHEDULED RIGHT NOW, TENTATIVE DATE IS MAY 11TH, BUT WE'LL BE BRINGING A FIRM DATE WITH, WITH DEFINITELY SOME COMMUNICATION TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT THEY'LL BE HERE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, UM, AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH SCHOOLS TO GET THIS INFORMATION, UM, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER PLACE THAT THE CITY HAS SOME, UM, CONNECTIONS WITH IS THROUGH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT INTO THE CHILDREN THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE ENROLLED IN THE PARKS PROGRAMS. THAT'S ANOTHER, UH, CAPTIVE AUDIENCE THAT, YOU KNOW, WOULD, WOULD, WOULD LOVE SOME OF THIS INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, UM, AND, AND MAYBE EVEN, YOU KNOW, UH, HOW TO COMPOST.
THAT WOULD BE A GREAT ACTIVITY TO DO AT A PARK.
UM, AND, UH, AND I, AND I THINK THAT, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, EDUCATING CHILDREN ON, ON SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I THINK ALL OF US ARE GONNA HAVE ABOUT RECYCLING THE, THE HARD TO RECYCLE PLASTICS, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M SEEING HERE, YOGURT CUPS AND KETCHUP BOTTLES.
DO THEY NEED TO BE LIKE SQUEAKY CLEANED IF THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF KETCHUP IN THE BOTTOM? I MEAN, CAN YOU STILL RECYCLE IT? DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTELY FREE OF FOOD OR, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND, AND YOU KNOW, HOW,
[00:40:01]
HOW DO YOU PACKAGE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT A BUNCH OF, UM, LIKE A PLASTIC GROCERY BAGS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO, HOW DO, HOW DO PEOPLE TURN THAT IN? I SEE THERE'S A BIG BLUE BAG HERE.DOES IT HAVE TO GO IN A BIG BLUE PLASTIC BAG OR, YOU KNOW, ARE HOW, I THINK THERE'S A, A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW, HOW DO YOU DO THIS? YEAH.
AND THE, THE BAG JUST MAKES IT, YEAH, RIGHT.
THE BAG MAKES IT MORE CONVENIENT FOR EVERYBODY TO JUST BRING ALL THE MATERIALS AT ONE TIME.
SO, UM, I BELIEVE, UH, THE COMPANY CYCLICS HAS A TAKEBACK PROGRAM WHERE IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU BAG IT AND BRING IT, AND THEY'LL TAKE CARE OF THE REST.
WHEREAS NOW, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IN SOME REGIONS OF THE US THEY, THEY, THEY ACTUALLY PROHIBIT THE BAGS.
THEY DON'T WANT 'EM IN AS PART OF THE SYSTEM.
SO, UM, IT, WHAT THE PART OF THAT EDUCATION WILL INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, INFORMING RESIDENTS AND PARTICIPANTS ON HOW TO PROPERLY PACKAGE THAT MATERIAL.
THE BAG MERELY JUST INDICATES, YEAH, I HAVE A LOT OF PLASTIC IN HERE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT THAT MEANS.
SO, UM, AND THIS NEW ORGANIZATION THAT, THAT I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN MEETING WITH REGULARLY, THE MM-HMM
HOUSTON RECYCLING COLLABORATIVE.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW FOCUSED, YOU KNOW, UM, YOUR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN TO EDUCATE, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN AND YOUTH.
DO YOU HEAR THEM TALKING ABOUT THAT TOO? YOU KNOW, ARE THEY THINKING ABOUT REACHING YOUNG PEOPLE? OH, YES.
YEAH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE A LOT GREAT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN STEP WITH US.
UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE EAGER TO SUPPORT, AND, UM, BUT YES, WE, WE GET TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF SUPPORT FROM THEM.
I, I, I THINK THAT'S ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS.
UM, REALLY APPRECIATE THIS INFORMATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S IT FOR OUR QUESTIONS.
UM, SO THANK YOU, UH, DIRECTOR.
UM, WE HAVE NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS THAT ARE SIGNED UP TODAY.
UM, SO I, AT THIS TIME, I JUST WOULD, YOU KNOW, LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR PRESENTERS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF, AND, UM, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR TUNING IN AND PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S MEETING.
UM, TODAY'S PRESENTATIONS, AS WELL AS, UM, THE LAST MEETING IS EVERYTHING'S POSTED ON THE COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE.
SO, UM, I HOPE YOU ALL PLEASE JOIN US FOR NEXT MONTH'S CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH COMMITTEE MEETING ON MAY 10TH.
THIS CONCLUDES TODAY'S SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH COMMITTEE.