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ALL[PRESENTATIONS]
RIGHT, WE'RE GOING.UM, IT'S 1 35 ON TUESDAY, APRIL 18TH, 2023.
I'M HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO WATER.
UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX FOR A PROCLAMATION.
TWO MIRACLES ARE A REAL TO RECOGNIZE THE OUTSTANDING ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.
I'M HAPPY TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY.
UM, I MISS YOLANDA GALE FORD, WHO IS THE FOUNDER WHO FOUNDED THIS ORGANIZATION 10 YEARS AGO.
IT IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES IN THE HOUSTON AREA.
OUR REAL'S MISSION IS TO INSPIRE CONFIDENCE IN PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING LIFE'S CHALLENGES AND WHO HAVE THOSE WHO OF US IN HERE HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED SOME OF LIFE CHALLENGES.
YOLANDA FORD RECENTLY RECEIVED THE PRESIDENT'S LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN RECOGNITION OF HER LIFELONG AND ONGOING COMMUNITY SERVICE.
HER ASPIRATION IS TO ENCOURAGE AND INSPIRE OTHERS TO SEE THEMSELVES THROUGH GOD'S EYES AS WORTHY, LOVABLE, AND LOVED.
SO I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION REAL QUICKLY.
WHEREAS MIRACLES, OUR REAL OUTREACH HAS SPENT OVER A DECADE EMPOWERING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND WHEREAS THEIR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE HOPE, CREATE OPPORTUNITIES, AND TRANSFORM LIVES THROUGH LOVE, INTER EMPOWERMENT AND LIBERATION.
AND WHEREAS MIRACLES ARE REAL, OUTREACH IS COMMITTED TO BUILDING PARTNERSHIP AND RELATIONSHIP WITH HOUSTON LEADERS TO ENHANCE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITIZENS THEY SERVE.
AND WHEREAS THIS OUTSTANDING OUTREACH INITIATIVE INCLUDES ENRICHMENT, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, SELF-ESTEEM BUILDING, AND CLOTHING AND HYGIENE DISSEMINATION THAT WAS SPONSORED THROUGH COMMUNITY SPONSORS.
AND WHEREAS MIRACLES, OUR REAL OUTREACH HAS IMPROVED THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR SO MANY PEOPLE THROUGH VOLUNTEERISM ASSISTANCE WITH HURRICANE HARVEY RELIEF AND PROVIDING THOUSANDS WARM APPAREL ITEMS TO THE HOUSTON HOMELESS POPULATION.
AND, UH, MAYOR, YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THAT LAST PARAGRAPH, NOT THANK YOU.
IT'S NOT DONE UNTIL HE SAYS SO
AND SO THEREFORE, I SUGGEST TURNER MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY HEREBY PRODUCT PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 27TH.
YEAH, I ASKED THE QUESTION EARLIER.
NOVEMBER 27TH, 2023 AS MIRACLES ARE REAL OUTREACH STATE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND LET YOU SAY SOME, A FEW WORDS AND YOU WANNA INTRODUCE YOUR VOLUNTEERS.
FIRST OF ALL, IT IS SUCH AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE FOR US TO BE A PART OF HOUSTON, UM, CITY, UM, HALL BUILDING TO BE HERE TO ACTUALLY, UM, BE A PART OF THIS IS OVERWHELMING, EXCITING, TO KNOW THAT I HAVE PARTNERED WITH SUCH AMAZING COMMUNITY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING EFFORT.
I MEAN, JUST MAKING SURE PURPOSELY THAT OUR COMMUNITY KNOW THAT WE LOVE THEM, MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW AND BE COURAGE, UM, JUST TO SHOW THAT LOVE ON THIS DAY.
AND THE REASON THAT WE CHOSE 1127 IS BECAUSE IT'S OUR FOUNDER'S DAY.
AND SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WERE FOUNDED ON THAT DAY.
SO EVERYBODY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WILL KNOW IT, AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT GIFTS ARE GENERAL.
THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE DO AT GENEROSITY.
SO JUST KNOW THAT YOU HAVE PARTNERED WITH AN ORGANIZATION EXCITED ABOUT PARTNERING WITH YOU, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO GREAT THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO, JUST SO YOU KNOW, MAYOR, UM, I'VE KNOWN MS. FORD HERE FOR SOME TIME, AND I, SHE'S ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT AREN'T, SHE NEVER WAITS TILL THE LAST MINUTE, YOU KNOW, SO SHE'S A FEW MONTHS AHEAD ON THE NOVEMBER 27TH, BUT SHE WANTED TO MAKE SURE, GET IT DONE BEFORE IT GOTTA BE TOO LATE.
UM, ANY, ANYBODY FROM THE CUBE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE HAVE A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS IN CUBE BEFORE I GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER OR VICE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX.
I WILL SAY MIRACLES ARE INDEED REAL.
YES, BECAUSE TODAY, NOVEMBER 27TH IS MY BIRTHDAY AGAIN.
SO TIFFANY D. THOMAS, SEND THE FLOWERS.
LETICIA PLUMMER, I LOVE CANDY.
VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM MONEY, ESPECIALLY TODAY ON TAX DAY.
BUT CONGRATULATIONS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, VICE MAYOR,
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PRO TEM.TATUM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR PRO TEM UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX, THANKS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UM, ANYTIME WE CAN TALK ABOUT, UH, OUR CHRISTIANITY AND OUR FAITH AND THE, THE REALNESS OF MIRACLES, I, I DEFINITELY COULDN'T LET YOU COME AND RECEIVE YOUR PROCLAMATION TODAY WITHOUT STANDING AND AGREEING WITH YOU AS A BELIEVER.
SO, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
WE SAY THIS ALL THE TIME, THAT GOVERNMENT CANNOT DO THIS WORK ALONE.
AND WE NEED PARTNERS LIKE YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION TO HELP US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALL WORKING TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR HOUSTONIANS AND OTHERS.
SO, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU DO IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I AGREE WITH YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS.
I READ A BOOK IN 2013, AND THE, THERE'S A LINE IN THERE THAT I REPEAT ALL THE TIME, AND IT SAYS, MIRACLES ARE FOR EVERYONE.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I REPEAT AND I REMIND MYSELF, AND I'M JUST SO EXCITED.
AND, UH, IT WARMS MY HEART TO KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING THIS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND OFFERING MIRACLES TO EVERYONE.
AND, UM, BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES.
SO NOVEMBER 27TH, WE'LL, UM, EAT HIS CAKE, BUT WE'LL BE CELEBRATING YOUR MISSION,
WE'LL CELEBRATE YOUR MISSION AND YOUR VISION, AND JUST CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF YOUR, UH, VOLUNTEERS HERE WITH US TODAY? YES.
I WOULD LOVE TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH.
OKAY, LET'S GET YOU IN THE MIDDLE RIGHT THERE.
NEXT, MAYOR PRO TEM, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM FOR A PROCLAMATION TO THE HOUSTON BLACK REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION TO CELEBRATE THE ASSOCIATION, REALIST WEEK.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS IS, UH, REALTY WEEK, AND SO I AM VERY EXCITED TO HAVE, UH, THE PRESIDENT, UH, FELICIA GUIDRY AND HER LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON BLACK REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION WITH US HERE TODAY.
MS. MARLEY, YOU WANT TO COME ON UP TO, UH, EVERY YEAR IN APRIL, NARE, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REAL ESTATE BROKERS CELEBRATES NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING THIS YEAR, HBRA COMMEMORATES THE 55TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT.
SO I'M EXCITED TO HAVE THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND MEMBERS OF HBRA HERE TODAY AS PART OF THEIR WEEK LONG CELEBRATION TO RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION AND THE PROCLAMATION READS, WHEREAS THE HOUSTON BLACK REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION IS A LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REAL ESTATE BROKERS, A TRADE ASSOCIATION THAT UNITES REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE HOME OWNERSHIP FOR ALL AMERICANS, AS WELL AS TO IDENTIFY AND SECURE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR ITS MEMBERS WHO ARE DESIGNATED AS REALTORS.
AND WHEREAS HBRA, SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1949, HAS MAINTAINED A LONGSTANDING COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING VARIOUS AGENCIES IN HOUSTON AND SUSTAINED AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY BY OFFERING SCHOLARSHIPS, TRAINING, HOME OWNERSHIP ASSISTANCE, AND COUNSELING FOR LOW TO MODERATE INCOME INDIVIDUALS.
IT HAS PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THOSE IN THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS REALTORS SERVE THE HOME BUYING NEEDS OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND OTHER MINORITY GROUPS THROUGH NETWORKING ACTIVITIES AND COOPERATION BETWEEN APPRAISERS, DEVELOPERS, FINANCIAL SERVICES PROFESSIONALS, ASSET MANAGERS, HOUSING COUNSELORS, MORTGAGE BROKERS, REAL ESTATE AGENTS AND BROKERS, ALL OF WHOM WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE HOME OWNERSHIP AFFORDABLE, SUSTAINABLE, AND ATTAINABLE TO OUR NATION'S HOME BUYERS.
AND WHEREAS EVERY YEAR IN APRIL, NAB CELEBRATES REALIST WEEK
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DURING THE COMMEMORATION OF NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING MONTH.THIS YEAR MARKS THE 55TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT.
THE HOUSTON BLACK REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION HELPED LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR THE PASSING OF THESE MOMENTOUS LAWS THAT PAVED THE WAY FOR EQUITABLE HOUSING IN HOUSTON.
REALTORS WEEK WILL BE CELEBRATED THROUGH AN ADVOCACY DAY, YOUTH FINANCIAL LITERACY DAY, FAIR HOUSING DAY, AND A COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING DAY.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMENDS HOUSTON BLACK REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION FOR ITS DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND ITS MANY CONTRIBUTIONS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED BY THE MANY LIVES IT HAS IMPACTED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SAYING SO THEREFORE, EYES INVESTOR TURNER MAYOR, CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROUDLY PROCLAIM APRIL 16 THROUGH THE 22ND, 2023 AS HOUSTON BLACK REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION, REALTORS WEEK IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
OH, WELL GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.
I FIRST HAVE TO GIVE IT UP TO OUR MAYOR BECAUSE HOME OWNERSHIP MATTERS, DOESN'T IT? WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU AND YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE CITY IS DOING FOR HOUSING, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR VICE PRO, TIM, MARTHA, KASEK, TATUM, WE APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH.
EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, EVERY TIME WE CALL UP UPON YOU, YOU'RE SO READILY AVAILABLE TO HELP US AND TO SERVE.
AND TO ALL OF YOU, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR US BECAUSE IT'S SO VITALLY IMPORTANT, OUR FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY AND HOUSING.
AND WE APPRECIATE YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO TAKE THE ACTIONS THROUGH THE STREETS BY SHOWING THAT DEMOCRACY MATTERS AND BY ALLOWING US, AGAIN, TO BE ABLE TO COME HERE AND LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT HOME OWNERSHIP AND BLACK HOME OWNERSHIP MATTERS AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND TAKING ACTION IN THE CITY.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS.
THANK YOU VICE MAYOR FOR ALL OF THIS.
AND I DON'T SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR, BUT Y'ALL KNOW HE HAS 3000 HOMES HE'S TRYING TO DO.
SO WE NEED Y'ALL TO GO AHEAD AND PUT SOME PEOPLE IN THOSE HOMES.
UM, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
UM, COURTNEY JOHNSON ROSE, WHO IS A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZATION, SOLD ME MY HOME.
SHE'S MY REAL ESTATE, UH, AGENT.
AND Y'ALL ARE MORE THAN REAL ESTATE AGENTS AND FACILITATING TRANSACTIONS.
Y'ALL ARE HOLDING PEOPLE'S HANDS, UH, LISTENING TO THEIR LIFE STORIES AND WALKING THEM TO THEIR LEGACY.
UH, MY HOME HAD TO BE APPRAISED TWICE BECAUSE WHAT THE OFFER WAS, THE VALUE WASN'T THE SAME.
UM, AND BECAUSE SHE WAS SENSITIVE TO THOSE PRACTICES, I WAS ABLE TO SAVE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY ON MY HOME.
SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, THANK YOU FOR PRESERVING WEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO Y'ALLS INFLUENCE AND MAKING SURE THAT FAIR HOUSING PRACTICES CONTINUE IN THE CITY.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT YOUR REALTOR, COURTNEY JOHNSON ROSE IS IN DC NOW WITH NAB, UM, COMMEMORATING WOW.
I SPOKE TO HER TODAY, SO GREAT, GREAT.
SHE'LL PAY EVERYBODY'S DOWN PAYMENT.
NOW RECOGNIZES THE HONORABLE MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER FOR A PROCLAMATION TO RECOGNIZE THE HOUSTON CHILDREN'S OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
CAN I HAVE THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS PLEASE COME FORWARD, EVERYBODY.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US HERE TODAY.
MY NAME IS OLIVER KO CANADA, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE ON BEHALF OF THE, UH, COHORT BOARD COMMITTEE CHILDREN ELDER BILL OF RIGHTS COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS ALL THE YOUTH WHO PARTICIPATED
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IN THIS INITIATIVE FOR LAUNCHING OUR NEWEST INITIATIVE OUT OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF EDUCATION AND YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, THE HOUSTON CHILDREN OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS.THIS IS PART OF THE CITY'S CONNECTING CHILDREN TO NATURE NATIONAL PROGRAM.
WITH THIS MAYORAL PROCLAMATION, HOUSTON BECOMES THE LARGEST CITY IN THE NATION TO ADOPT A BILL THAT ADVOCATES FOR EQUITABLE NA NATURE ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL CHILDREN AND YOUTH.
THIS MARKS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO LEAD THE WAY IN IMPROVING THE RIGHTS AND WELLBEING OF SOCIETY'S MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION ARE CHILDREN.
I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE LEADER OF THIS INITIATIVE, MS. FERNANDO MARRERO.
HE WHO IS NOT HERE TODAY WITH US, SHE'S IN HARVARD.
HOWEVER, SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN FINISHING THE CHILD CHILDREN OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS AND LEADING THE 34 COMMITTEE MEMBERS AS WELL AS THE YOUTH WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS INITIATIVE.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN ONLINE PLEDGE CIRCULATING AROUND TO SUPPORT THE HOUSTON'S CHILDREN OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS.
IT IS AVAILABLE WITH A QR CODE AS YOU EXIT.
PLEASE DO TAKE A MOMENT TO SIGN OUR PLEDGE.
UM, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT, AS OF THIS MORNING, WE HAVE 53 ORGANIZATIONS, UH, THAT HAVE SIGNED THE PLEDGE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
OF COURSE, THEY SUPPORT US AS WELL, THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, UM, OF, OF HOUSTON, YMCA GREATER HOUSTON NATURE CONSERVANCY, AND THE PERSONAL ENDORSEMENT FROM OUR LEGEND, DR.
BOB BULLARD, WHO WE HEARD JUST AT EARTH DAY KEYNOTE SPEAK, UH, SPEECH.
I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE BILL HAS OVERWHELMINGLY BEEN LED BY YOUTH FROM DAY ONE IN MAYOR'S OFFICE OF EDUCATION AND YOUTH ENGAGEMENT SUPPORTED BY MAYOR TURNER.
WE ARE LEADING IN ENGAGING YOUTH IN EVERY SINGLE INITIATIVE THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY, INCLUDING THE CHILDREN, THEIR BILL OF RIGHTS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE LANIER MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHO HAVE TAKEN THIS INITIATIVE TO THE NEXT STEP AND HAVE TAKEN EACH ONE OF THE 12 RIGHTS AND DEMONSTRATED HOW OUR BELOVED MAYOR AND CITY OF HOUSTON HAS ACTUALLY DEMONSTRATED THAT WE ARE DEDICATED TO EQUITABLE, UM, ACCESS TO, TO NATURE, TO ALL CHILDREN ENTIRE, UM, CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WITH THAT, I PASS IT OVER TO MAYOR TO ACTUALLY PROCLAIM THIS DAY.
AND THE PROCLAMATION READS AS FOLLOWS, UH, WHEREAS CHILDREN ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE LOSING THEIR CONNECTION TO NATURE, A SEPARATION THAT THREATENS THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE, HEALTH, AND FUTURE BIBLE CITY'S NATURAL RESOURCES.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CHILDREN TO CONNECT WITH NATURE AT AN EARLY AGE AND BUILD UPON THAT CONNECTION THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS LAUNCHED A CHILDREN'S OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS, AN INITIATIVE LED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF EDUCATION AND YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CITIES CONNECTING CHILDREN TO NATURE TO DEMONSTRATE ITS COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING THE WELLBEING OF CHILDREN AND INCREASING THEIR ACCESS TO NATURE.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON WAS RECOGNIZED AS THE FIRST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES TO BECOME A CANDIDATE FOR THE UNICEF CHILD FRIENDLY CITIES INITIATIVE, REAFFIRMING HOUSTON'S DEDICATION TO PLACING THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN FIRST, LISTENING TO USE CHALLENGES AND RECOMMENDATIONS, AND ADVOCATING FOR AND PROTECTING, UH, CHILD'S RIGHTS.
AND WHEREAS THE HOUSTON CHILDREN'S OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN TO HAVE SAFE, CLEAN, AND SHADED OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS FOR SOCIAL EDUCATIONAL USE THROUGH EQUITABLY FUNDED PARKS, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION AND ACCESSIBILITY, THE YOUTH OF HOUSTON CAN FLOURISH MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY.
AND WHEREAS GREEN SPACE EXPOSURE, WILDLIFE, HEALTHY AIR QUALITY, AND FREE OR LOW COST OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS PRODUCE OVERALL HEALTH BENEFITS IN CHILDREN THAT CAN BE PER PERPETUATED FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
AND WHEREAS ON APRIL 18TH, 2023 WILL BE A DAY OF COMMITMENT FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO ESTABLISH BEST PRACTICES AND STRATEGIES TO CREATE A SAFER, MORE INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT FOR HOUSTON'S CHILDREN.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMANDS THE CHILDREN'S OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS AND ALL WHO HAVE WORKED TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THIS GREAT CITY.
THEREFORE, I SUGGEST TURNER MAY OF CITY OF HOUSTON HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 18TH, 2023 AS CHILDREN'S OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
THANK YOU, SYLVESTER MAYOR, VESTER TURNER.
GOOD, GOOD, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS CASSANDRA LYNN BROWN, BUT I'M HIGHLY REFERRED TO YOU AS CASSIE.
AND FOR THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS, I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF BEING THE LEAD INTERN OVER THE HOUSTON CHILDREN'S OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS, ALSO FORMERLY KNOWN AS CITY OF HOUSTON CO WAR.
AS A HOUSTON NATIVE WHO GREW UP IN SOUTH PARK, I PERSONALLY WITNESSED INEQUITIES THAT
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EXIST IN ASSESSING NATURE AND THE OUTDOORS.GROWING UP, MY COMMUNITY DID NOT HAVE EASY ACCESS TO ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES, SAFE TRAILS, EQUITABLY INVESTED PARKS, OR OTHER OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL AREAS LIKE OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
HOWEVER, THIS BILL GIVES OUR GENERATION AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE HOPE FOR A MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE BY SHINING A LIGHT ON THESE ISSUES AND ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE.
INITIATIVES LIKE THE COLD WAR RAISE, AWARENESS OF THE INEQUITIES THAT EXIST IN ASSESSING NATURE AND THE OUTDOORS AND SPIRIT ACTION TO CHANGE THEM, INCLUDING YOU.
VOICES LIKE MINE IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO ISSUES RELATED TO THE FUTURE OF NATURE.
ACCESSIBILITY AND THE IMPACT IMPROVING THE OUTDOORS WILL BE FOR ALL YOUTH IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS THE NEXT GENERATION.
WE'LL BE THE ONES WHO INHERIT THE PLANET.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT OUR VOICES ARE HEARD WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING DECISIONS THAT WILL AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND OUR ACCESS TO NATURE.
ALL OF HOUSTON'S CHILDREN AND YOUTH DESERVE TO ENJOY THEIR PLANET AND THE MANY BENEFITS THAT THE NATURE AND THE OUTDOORS HAS TO OFFER REGARDLESS OF ZIP CODE, RACE OR INCOME LEVEL.
WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE HOUSTON CHILDREN'S OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS TODAY, APRIL 18TH IS A HISTORIC DAY FOR OUR CITY'S YOUNG PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GREATER HOUSTON AND HONORING THEIR RIGHTS TOWARDS THE FUTURE OF NATURE ACCESSIBILITY.
THANK YOU MAYORIA TURNER FOR CHAMPIONING THIS EFFORTS AND RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS CAUSE THROUGHOUT YOUR MAYORAL SIGNING AND SUPPORT FOR THE HOUSTON CHILDREN'S OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE IN THE QUEUES.
START OFF WITH COUNCIL MEMBER LETICIA PLUMMER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR, DIRECTOR, THIS IS AMAZING.
AND MAYOR TURNER, THIS WEEK'S THE VOLUMES OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO TRANSFORM HOUSTON.
AND ARE YOU, IF YOU, MY GOSH, YOU'RE LIKE OUR FUTURE.
I'M SO PROUD OF YOU AND ALL OF THE, IF I COULD TAKE A, A NOTE OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AND HAVE ALL MY PURPLE PUPS STAND UP.
I'M A GRADUATE OF LANIER AND
I HAD, I GRADUATED LIKE FIVE YEARS AGO, UM, FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL.
BUT, UH, BUT JUST CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL OF IT.
I THINK COVID TAUGHT US HOW IMPORTANT THE OUTDOORS WAS, RIGHT? 'CAUSE WE HAD TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME OUT THERE.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, WE HAVE REALLY MESSED A LOT OF THINGS UP FOR Y'ALL.
AND IT IS TIME FOR Y'ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT WE DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND, UM, AND Y'ALL ARE GONNA BE THE ONES THAT HAVE, THAT HAVE ADOPTED THIS EARTH.
AND I'M JUST SO PROUD OF ALL OF YOU AND MAYOR TURNER AND DIRECTOR, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US FORWARD.
ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE VOLUNTEERS.
AND WHAT A NICE WAY TO CELEBRATE EARTH DAY.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO, TEMAN MAYOR.
THIS IS, I THINK, THE ICING ON THE CAKE.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT MORE TO COME WITH EARTH DAY CELEBRATIONS, BUT, UH, ALL OF IT CULMINATES IN HONORING AND RESPECTING AND LIFTING UP THE VOICES OF OUR FUTURE.
AND CASSIE, WHOA,
AND WHILE YOU WERE TALKING, I KNOW YOU WERE FOCUSED ON GIVING YOUR SPEECH, BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY PHONES WERE UP WATCHING YOU.
UH, SO OUR EYES ARE ALL ON YOU AND ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOICES, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT PRESERVING OUR NA, YOU KNOW, NATURE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
IT'S PROTECTING OUR EARTH AND TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE HEAD ON.
SO THANK YOU ALL, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT, BUT HUGE CONGRATULATIONS, AND YOU DID A REALLY GOOD JOB.
VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM.
UH, I, I ECHO WHAT BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, BUT I WANT TO JUST AMPLIFY THIS YOUNG LADY WHO STOOD AND SPOKE AT THE, AT THE PODIUM TODAY.
AND I WANNA KNOW YOUR ENTIRE NAME.
I KNOW YOUR FIRST NAME IS CASSIE.
UM, MY FIRST NAME IS CASSANDRA LYNN, BUT I, OH, SORRY, LEMME CASSIE BROWN.
MY FIRST NAME IS CASSANDRA LYNN, BUT I'M TO AS CASSIE CASSANDRA, LYNN BROWN.
UM, THE OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS IS SO IMPORTANT, UH, AS WE HAVE ALL GONE THROUGH COVID AND WE'VE ALL BEEN SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE OUTDOORS.
EVERY SINGLE PERSON DESERVES A SAFE, CLEAN PLACE TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS.
NEXT MONTH IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS, UH, MONTH.
AND WE LEARNED, UH, THROUGH COVID HOW IMPORTANT THE OUTDOORS HAVE BEEN FOR OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND OUR MENTAL WELLNESS.
UM, SO THIS BILL OF RIGHTS IS SO IMPORTANT AS WE, UM, LIVE OUR, OUR DAILY LIVES FOR OUR MENTAL WELLNESS AND FOR US TO ENJOY.
UM, I THINK ABOUT THE TIMES THAT MY FAMILY ENJOYED GOING TO HERMAN PARK AND MY MOTHER WOULD COOK, UM, UH, CHICKEN AND, AND SHE WOULD BRING GRAPES AND SHE WOULD JUST MAKE A PICNIC FOR US, UM, BECAUSE WE COULD GO TO
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HERMAN PARK AND ENJOY THE OUTDOORS AT NO COST.AND IT WAS SOME OF THE BEST MEMORIES THAT WE HAD AS YOUNG CHILDREN IN OUR FAMILY.
SO I HOPE THAT ALL CHILDREN GET TO ENJOY THOSE TYPES OF, UM, MEMORIES AND HAVE THOSE EXPERIENCES WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
BUT YOU HAVE JUST DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB REPRESENTING YOUR PEERS.
UH, YOU ARE LEGISLATION IN ACTION, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
SO CASSIE, CASSIE, IF, IF YOU WOULD ALLOW YOUR GUESTS OR EITHER INTRODUCE THEM OR LET THEM INTRODUCE YOURS THEIRSELVES, GO AHEAD, INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
I WORKED ON THE, UH, CHILDREN'S OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS, UH, DURING THE SUMMER.
I'M WITH HOUSTON AUDUBON, AND WE WERE ONE OF THE PARTNERS WORKING ON THE COMMITTEE FOR THIS.
AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE BILL AND THE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP.
I'M A TEXAS MASTER NATURALIST AND A MEMBER OF THE GALVESTON BAY AREA CHAPTER.
AND OUR CHAPTER SUPPORTS THE, UH, CHILDREN'S OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS, UH, AND, AND WE PLAN TO PARTNER WITH THEM FOR FUTURE EVENTS.
I WAS THE REGIONAL BOARD FOR THE TEXAS CHILDREN IN NATURE NETWORK.
BLESSED TO BRING THE CITY'S CONNECTING CHILDREN TO NATURE TO HOUSTON, AND BLESSED TO NOW SEE THIS COME TO FRUITION.
I'M THE COMMUNITY AND EQUITABLE CONSERVATION DIRECTOR FOR THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN TEXAS.
LONG LIFE LIFELONG, UH, RESIDENT HERE IN HOUSTON.
THIS IS REALLY EXCITING AND IT'S GONNA HELP US TACKLE A LOT OF THINGS.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND OF COURSE, MR. MAYOR.
I'M HERE WITH LANIER MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND WE MADE VIDEOS FOR ALL THE 12 BILL OF RIGHTS.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR INCLUDING US IN OUR FUTURE.
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LET'S GO.HOW YOU DOING TOO? GOOD PICTURES, MAN.
THE KIDS
OKAY, IT'S TIME TO GET STARTED BACK, UH, TO THE, UH, COMMUNITY SESSION.
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UH, THE CHAIR NOW[2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
RECOGNIZES MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, MARTIN FOR THE INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE.IT'S AS THE CLOCK LINES DOWN FOR MANY OF US, IT'S ALWAYS NICE AND REFLECTIVE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAVE THIS BODY IN PRAYER.
AND I ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A PRAYER AROUND THE HORSESHOE.
SO TODAY IS APRIL'S 18TH, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS TAX DAY.
AND IF YOU WERE LIKE ME, YOU FINISHED YOUR TAXES LATE LAST NIGHT, AND YOU DROPPED OFF YOUR CHECK IN THE MORNING BECAUSE YOU HATE TO GIVE THE GOVERNMENT A PENNY MORE OR A DAY EARLIER THAN YOU SHOULD.
I'M DROPPING MINE OFF AT 1159.
I'LL BE THERE WITH YOU, MAYOR.
BUT
AND IN THOSE DAYS, TAX COLLECTORS WERE THE MOST HATED.
AND DESPITE PEOPLE IN BIBLICAL TIMES, AND THEY WERE REGARDED AS SINNERS, THEY WERE PREDOMINANTLY JEWS WHO WORKED FOR THE ROMANS.
SO THIS MADE THEM TRAITORS TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE.
SO PEOPLE RESENTED PAYING TAXES AS WE DO TODAY, AND FOR FORGIVENESS OVER THE PEOPLE THAT HAD TO COLLECT THE TAXES.
SO LITTLE KNOWN FACT, APOSTLE MATTHEW WAS A TAX COLLECTOR.
HE WAS FORMERLY KNOWN AS LEVI IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE BIBLE.
AND THEN JAMES, THE BROTHER OF JESUS, WAS ALSO A TAX COLLECTOR, BUT THEN BECAME A FISHERMAN LIKE MOST OF THE DE DISCIPLES, UM, IN THE, IN THE BIBLICAL DAYS.
AND THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW CHAPTER NINE, VERSES NINE THROUGH 13 IS STATED AS JESUS WENT OUT, HE SAW A MAN NAMED MATTHEW SITTING AT THE TAX COLLECTOR'S BOOTH.
AND MATTHEW GOT UP AND FOLLOWED HIM.
THUS, THE TAX COLLECTOR BECAME A DISCIPLE.
THE BIBLE ALSO TELLS OF THE GREAT BANQUET THAT LEVI OR MATTHEW, AS HE WAS CALLED LATER, GAVE FOR JESUS AT HIS HOUSE, WHERE A LARGE GROUP OF TAX COLLECTORS WERE GATHERED.
SEVERAL PHARISEES AND TEACHERS OF THE LAW WERE ALSO AT LEVI'S BANQUET AND COMPLAINED TO JESUS, WHY DO YOU EAT AND DRINK WITH THE TAX COLLECTORS AND THE SINNERS? AND JESUS ANSWERED THEM.
IT IS NOT THE HEALTHY WHO ASKS FOR A DOCTOR BUT THE SICK.
I HAVE NOT COME TO CALL THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT TO CALL THE SINNERS TO REPENTANCE.
SO IF YOU'LL BOW YOUR HEAD, I'LL LEAD US IN A PRAYER FOR TAX DAY.
MAY THOSE WHO HAVE WAITED UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE BE SWIFT AND SAFE ON THEIR WAY TO THE POST OFFICE BOX OR TO THEIR FINGERS ON THE KEYBOARD.
MAY THOSE WHO TURNED IN THEIR FORMS WEEK AGO RESIST THE URGE TO BE SMUG.
FOR THOSE WHO FEEL TAXED BY THE WORK THAT COMES THEIR WAY DURING THIS SEASON, FIND SOME RELIEF.
MAY THOSE WHO RECEIVE A REFUND, SPEND IT WISELY.
AND MAY THOSE COUNTING ON A REFUND THAT NEVER QUITE MANIFEST, FIND OTHER SOLUTIONS TO THEIR FINANCIAL NEEDS.
NOTHING IS FOR CERTAIN EXCEPT DEATH AND TAXES, EXCEPT PERHAPS THE REALITY THAT LIFE ITSELF IS VERY TAXING.
MAY ALL WHO ARE TAXED BY THE INS AND OUTS OF EVERYDAY LIFE FIND SOME REST AND RELIEF.
MAY ALL WHO ARE TAXED BY THE DECISIONS OF OUR WORLD LEADERS AND OUR LOCAL LAWMAKERS FIND A WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND USHER IN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PEACE.
MAY ALL WHO ARE TAXED WITH THE STRUGGLES OF FIGURING OUT HOW TO GIVE GOD WHAT IS GOD'S.
AND TO CAESAR, WHAT IS CAESAR'S? FIND WISDOM BY CULTIVATING A SPIRIT OF GRATITUDE.
MAY ALL WHO GRUMBLE ABOUT WHERE OUR TAX DOLLARS GO.
FIND SOME CHEER WHILE DOUBT, DRIVING DOWN A PAVED ROAD OR OVER A BRIDGE, PULLING OVER FOR A FIRETRUCK, DROPPING A CHILD OFF AT A PUBLIC SCHOOL, SENDING A CARE PACKAGE TO SOMEONE SERVING OVERSEAS OR HIKING A TRAIL AT THE LOCAL PARK.
WHILE WE JUST HEARD FROM THOSE YOUNG LADIES AND MEN, MAY GOD'S HAND GUIDE OUR HEARTS AND MINDS OF THOSE WHO DECIDE WHERE THE MONEY GOES AND HELP US ALL TO BE GOOD SERVANTS OF ALL THAT WE HAVE AND ALL THAT WE OFFER IN THE NAME OF GOD TO WHOM WE ALL BELONG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY OF JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[00:40:03]
THANK YOU, SIR.[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING]
MAYOR TURNER.CONSTABLE CISNEROS WILL BE ABSENT.
CONSTABLE KUAT WILL BE ABSENT.
HERE WE IN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 14TH AND 15TH.
CASTEX TATUM MOVED SECOND ROBINSON.
AND MOVE TO SECOND OBJECTION CHAIR.
ARE THERE ANY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS FOR TODAY? ANY CHAIR IS NONE.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
SECRETARY OF YOU, PROCEED.WE'RE CALLING THE SPEAKER'S LIST.
NEXT, NEXT SPEAKER, DAPHNE SCARBOROUGH.
DAPHNE IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY SAMMY FORD.
YOU'LL GET RIGHT BEHIND ONE OF THOSE MICS.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT METRO THIS AFTERNOON.
AND I HAVE A LITTLE HANDOUT WITH, UH, BULLET POINTS, POINTS JUST TO MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER WRITTEN COPY.
UM, AS I, I'M SURE ALL OF YOU KNOW, METRO'S HAD A NUMBER OF MEETINGS AND HAS TRIED TO REACH OUT TO THE PUBLIC, BUT THOSE OF US ON RICHMOND AVENUE, MY FRIENDS ON, UM, THE OTHER ALIGNMENTS ON, ON THE OTHER END OF WHEELER.
AND THEN I HAVE FRIENDS THAT ARE HERE FROM THE MEYERLAND AREA FOR THE GULFTON PART.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE, UH, BRIDGE THAT THEY WANT TO BUILD, UH, ON LOCKWOOD.
AND ALL OF THOSE ARE BIG ISSUES BECAUSE TO ME, HISTORICALLY YOU'RE BIFURCATING THE NEIGHBORHOODS AGAIN.
AND YOU'VE JUST PASSED THIS CONSERVATION ORDINANCE WHERE YOU'RE TRYING, TRYING TO SAY YOU'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE NEIGHBORHOODS TOGETHER.
BUT THERE'S NOTHING THAT WILL KEEP NEIGHBORHOODS TOGETHER WITH, UH, BUS LANES RUNNING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND SEPARATING THE SIDES OF THE STREETS AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE YOU CAN'T CROSS OVER.
SO I HAVE LISTED ON THE BULLET POINTS WHAT METRO HAS PROPOSED.
SO JUST IN CASE YOU'VE MISSED A FEW MEETINGS WITH THIS AND THAT YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY ON RICHMOND AVENUE, BECAUSE I HAVE, UM, HAD MY BUSINESS AND LIVED ON RICHMOND AVENUE SINCE 1983.
SO I GOT TO GO THROUGH THE FIRST REDO IN 83 WHERE THEY M IT FOUR LANES.
PRIOR TO THAT IT HAD BEEN TWO, AND THEN SOMEHOW SOMEONE FORGOT TO PUT IN THE 66 INCH WATERLINE AND THE 24 INCH GAS LINE.
SO WE HAD TO GO THROUGH CONSTRUCTION AGAIN WHERE THEY RIPPED IT ALL UP.
SO THAT 66 INCH WATER LINE FEEDS WATER TO 500,000 HOUSES.
AND A 24 INCH GAS LINE IS ONLY PART OF THE ELECTRONICS DOWN THERE.
THE FIBER OPTICS ARE IMMENSE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET.
AND SO NOW METRO IS TELLING US THEY WANT TO PUT 10 FEET OF CONCRETE, TAKE AWAY ALL OF OUR GREEN SPACE.
AND I WAS THERE WHEN METRO RIPPED UP WHEELER AVENUE BEHIND U OF H AND ALL OF THE HISTORIC OAK TREES CAME DOWN AND IT WAS HORRIBLE.
WHEN YOU ASK A U OF H STUDENT WHY THEY DON'T TAKE THE LIGHT RAIL, THEY SAID IT'S TOO FAR, IT'S NOT CLOSE TO US IN CAMPUS.
SO METRO IS TRYING VERY HARD TO GET THE 30% OF THE PLANS TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY ARE IN COMPETITION WITH THREE OTHER PROJECTS NATIONWIDE.
AND I AM NOT AGAINST A PROJECT, BUT I AM AGAINST NOT BEING THE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL WON CAMERA.
UM, DOES HE, IF YOU WANTED TO FINISH UP JUST VERY QUICKLY, VERY QUICKLY, YES.
BECAUSE THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES.
NO ONE HAS STUDIED, UH, TAKING THESE BUSES DOWN THE HOV LANE WHERE THEY COULD TRAVEL AT THE SAME SPEED AS A CAR.
AND THAT WOULD BE MUCH FASTER BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL PARTICIPATE IN TRANSIT
[00:45:01]
WHEN IT IS TIMELY AND WHEN IT IS SAFE.AND THEY JUST TOOK AWAY HALF THE BUS RIDES ON RICHMOND AVENUE TWO WEEKS AGO.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE DISINGENUOUS THAT THEY WANNA SPEND $1.2 BILLION ON YET MORE BUSES GOING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET BECAUSE IT'S HURTS MY FRIENDS THAT ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT.
'CAUSE A BUS EVERY HALF A HOUR IS A BIG DIFFERENCE.
AND OTHER BIG CITIES, THE BUSES RUN EVERY EIGHT MINUTES.
AND DAPHNE, REALLY QUICKLY, UM, THIS IS VERY HELPFUL.
I KNOW OUR OFFICE, AGAIN, METRO NEXT AND THE EXPANSIONS DON'T FALL WITHIN THE CITY'S JURISDICTION, BUT AS WE MEET WITH THEM AND ADVOCATE, I'VE BEEN COLLECTING LISTS FROM RESIDENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WHEN I GO BACK TO MEET WITH, UM, METRO AGAIN, I WILL PRESENT THIS LIST.
THAT WAS MY ONE QUESTION TO YOU.
HAVE YOU BEEN, WELL, ONE LAST LITTLE PHOTO FOR YOU.
THIS IS RICHMOND AND SHEPHERD JANUARY 24TH.
AND METRO IS NOT ADDRESSING THE FLOODING.
WE ALWAYS FLOOD BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE SOUTHWEST FREEWAY IS CONSTRUCTED.
THAT WATER IS, IT'S JUST AN AFTERNOON RAINSTORM.
IT DRAINS OFF IN A FEW HOURS, BUT THAT IS NOT PRACTICAL.
SAMMY FORD IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY PHIL KANUKA.
I ARRIVED AT METRO LIFT, UH, PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY.
AND I'M JUST HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE ILL TREATMENT THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO ME AND ONLY TO FIND OUT, UH, FROM ONE OF THE METRO DRIVERS.
UH, AS WE, I'VE BEEN BADLY TREATED, I'VE REPORTED IT, UH, DOCUMENTED THAT I HAVE FOOTAGE OF ALL THE ILL TREATMENT AND THINGS THAT'S GOING ON.
AND ONE OF THE DRIVERS TOLD ME, SHE SAID, WELL, MS. BOARD, YOU KNOW WHY THIS IS GOING ON? AND I SAID, UH, YES, I'D LIKE TO KNOW.
AND SHE TOLD ME, UH, MY DAUGHTER AND ANOTHER, UH, PASSENGER.
SHE SAID, WELL, EVER SINCE YOU REPORTED THE YOUNG MAN THAT HAD, UM, UH, GOT HARASSED YOU LAST YEAR, UH, THIS IS RETALIATION.
I HAVE BEEN TREATED VERY UGLY AND I'VE TALKED TO THE PRESIDENT, UM, ABOUT IT.
MR. JACKSON, THEY OFFERED TO DO SOME THINGS, BUT THEN THEY STARTED GIVING ME A CERTAIN LITTLE, UM, ATTITUDES THAT SAID THAT THEY REALLY WEREN'T TRYING TO HANDLE THE SITUATION UNTIL I SAID THAT I WAS COMING HERE.
TODAY, I HAVE, I SUFFER WITH CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE.
I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE, UH, EXTRA STRESSED OR STRAIN.
I SUFFER WITH ASTHMA AND, AND, UM, ARTHRITIS.
AND I, THEY, UM, DID SOME THINGS THAT WAS VERY NASTY, SPITEFUL AND UGLY.
BUT LIKE I SAID, I HAVE THE FOOTAGE, I HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION OF HOW I'VE BEEN TREATED.
I TALKED TO MR. JACKSON MORE THAN ONCE ABOUT IT.
AND ONLY WHEN I SAID I WAS COMING HERE, UM, THEY, UH, LET ME KNOW, WELL, WE GOING TO JUST SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
WELL, THAT WAS THREE WEEKS AGO.
THE DRIVERS WENT BACK TO DOING THE SAME THING.
THEY DON'T WANNA PULL IN MY YARD OR WHEN THEY PULL IN MY YARD AND I COME OUT WITH MY BACK, THEY BACK OUT AND PULL IT TO THE STREET TAKING MY LAUNDRY.
UM, THE DRIVER ONE, IT, IT'S NOT ALL OF THE DRIVERS, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN ONES.
AND SO, SO FAR THEY HAD DID ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
UH, THEY PARK ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET, EVEN ACROSS IN THE BUSY STREET AND ASKED ME TO CROSS THE STREET WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC TO GET INTO THE VAN.
AND I SAY, YOU DON'T, UH, TELL PEOPLE TO CROSS IN BUSY TRAFFIC.
I SAID, YOU CAN PULL IN MY YARD AND, UH, PICK US UP, OR YOU CAN PULL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
THEY LIED DIFFERENT TIMES AND SAID THEY COULDN'T.
BUT I SHOWED THE FOOTAGE THAT SAID THAT THEY COULD.
SO I WANTED TO LET THIS, THAT YOU ALL KNOW THAT, UH, THIS WAS PURPOSELY AND DONE INTENTIONALLY AS RETALIATION AND, UH, BRING IT TO THE FOREFRONT AND SEE IF SOMETHING CAN OR WILL BE DONE ABOUT.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UH, DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC REQUEST OF US? I HAVE A SPECIFIC REQUEST IS THAT THEY, UH, MAKE THEM DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AS TREATING ME LIKE THEY DO OTHER PASSENGERS AND NOT TRYING TO RETALIATE BECAUSE I REPORTED SOMETHING THAT I KNEW WAS ILLEGAL AND AGAINST THE LAWSUIT.
I'VE BEEN CONTINUALLY HARASSED, BUT, UH, AT DIFFERENT INTERVALS BECAUSE OF THIS.
[00:50:01]
PHIL CONKA.PHIL CONKA IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY KAREEM RANKINS.
I'M PRESIDENT OF MAPLEWOOD CIVIC CLUB.
I'M VERY ACTIVE IN THE GREATER MEYERLAND MAPLEWOOD AREA.
UH, I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ALSO AGAINST THE METRO NEXT PROJECT, THE MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR METRO NEXT PROJECT, UH, METRO NEXT.
UH, WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT IT SAID THEY WANTED PUBLIC INPUT.
I'M THE LEADER OF THE AREA WHERE I AM.
I NEVER HEARD ABOUT IT UNTIL IT'S ABOUT TO BE VOTED ON.
SO I'LL LET YOU DETERMINE WHAT KIND OF INPUT THAT IS.
THE METRO NEXT IS DESIGNED TO BE, UH, LARGELY A BRT BUS RAPID TRANSIT, WHICH WOULD SHUT DOWN LANES OF TRAFFIC IN MAJOR STREETS TO ONE LANE, UH, ON RICHMOND AND ALSO ON HILLCROFT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE IT WOULD TERMINATE.
AND WE THINK THAT'S A BAD IDEA.
YOU CAN ASK THE BUSINESSES THAT AREN'T IN BUSINESS ANYMORE ON MAIN STREET.
YOU CAN ASK THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING OUTTA BUSINESS ON, UH, HARRISBURG, AND YOU CAN ASK THE PEOPLE IN RICHMOND WHAT IT'S GONNA MEAN TO THEM.
IT'S JUST NOT A GOOD SYSTEM AND IT'S EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.
90 TO 95% OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SERVED BY METRO ARE NOT NEAR THE SINGLE LANE PROJECT.
UH, WE COULD TAKE A FRACTION OF THAT MONEY FROM METRO NEXT AND HAVE THE WORLD'S GREATEST BUS LINE SERVING MORE PEOPLE WITH MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH ELECTRIC AND NATURAL GAS BUSES.
BUT WE'RE USING THIS MONEY FOR A VANITY PROJECT THAT SIMPLY DOES NOT SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
IN 2013, I WAS PART OF A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN AND I RECEIVED BRIEFINGS ABOUT THE SILVER LINE THAT GOES THROUGH THE GALLERIA.
WE WERE PROMISED 14,000 RIDERS A DAY AFTER IT WAS BUILT.
I'VE DONE, I DID RESEARCH SITTING AT STATIONS IN THE PARKING GARAGE, UH, ON WEST PARK IN THIS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, WITHIN THE MARGIN OF ERROR, NO ONE RIDES THE SILVER LINE, NO ONE AT ALL.
AND THAT'S 200 TO $300 MILLION.
AND THAT'S THE MODEL THAT THEY WANT TO USE FOR THIS METRO NEXT, UH, PROJECT.
THESE PROJECTS ARE POLITICAL VANITY PROJECTS.
THEY DO NOT SERVE THE FEDERAL, FEDERAL TAXPAYERS OR LOCAL TAXPAYERS.
THERE'S SIMPLY SOMETHING THERE FOR THE POLITICIANS, THE CONSULTANTS, THE VENDORS, AND THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO GET MONEY OUT OF GOVERNMENT SITUATIONS AND CONTRACTS.
AND THE TRUTH IS, WE NEED TO STAND HERE.
AND THE REASON I'M HERE TODAY IS TO TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, TO LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT IT METRO MARKETS, WHAT THEY BELIEVE.
WE DON'T HAVE A TOOL OR AN ORGANIZATION TO GET OUR SIDE, WHICH WE THINK IS TRUTH OUT.
AND THIS IS TOO EXPENSIVE OF A PRODUCT.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT DOESN'T SERVE THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY DO NEED TRANSIT.
AND WE NEED TO SHOW TRUE AND REAL
BILL, I WAS GONNA LET YOU FINISH YOUR COMMENTS IF YOU NEEDED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
AND I'M SPEAKING ALSO FOR THE ENTIRE MA UH, MEYERLAND GENERAL AREA.
BOTH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THAT AREA.
I CAN TELL YOU ACROSS THE BOARD, NOBODY WANTS IT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
I CAN TELL YOU IN RICHMOND IN THAT AREA, NOBODY WANTS IT.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THESE THINGS, THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THE PROJECTS THAT ALREADY EXIST, THEY DON'T COME ANYWHERE NEAR HAVING A REAL VALUE OF COST RATIO VALUE TO SERVE ANYTHING.
AGAIN, WE THINK AN UPGRADED BETTER BUS SYSTEM RATHER THAN A A SINGLE FOCUS PROJECT WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER USE OF THE MONEY, WOULD SERVE MORE PEOPLE.
AND AND I KNOW WE GET FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR THIS, BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THIS, THIS PANACEA OF FEDERAL DOLLARS, THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS ARE MY TAX DOLLARS AND YOURS.
SO IT'S SOME GUY IN BILLINGS, MONTANA SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T TRANSIT PEOPLE.
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR INVOLVEMENT.
I'M, I'M INTERESTED IN KNOWING, UM, WHEN YOU SAY AN UPGRADED BETTER BUS SYSTEM, WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE AN UPGRADED, BETTER BUS SYSTEM? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THE BUSES HAVE BECOME SECONDHAND CITIZEN COMPARED.
WE'VE PRIORITIZED THE RAIL AND THE BRT WITH OUR THINKING THAT YOU LOSE FOCUS ON WHAT'S MAYBE SHOULD BE MORE IMPORTANT.
[00:55:01]
IT'S SHIFTING AND PRIORITIZING THAT.CERTAINLY WE COULD UPGRADE WITH SMALLER, IN MY MIND, I'M, I'M NOT THE EXPERT, BUT I WOULD THINK SMALLER, MORE FLEXIBLE BUSES, MORE FREQUENT, UH, ELECTRICAL PERHAPS NATURAL GAS.
AND ALSO JUST A WHOLE DIFFERENTLY DONE GRID SYSTEM.
I REMEMBER SOMEBODY ONCE TELLING ME THAT THEY SAT DOWN WITH A, UH, UH, WHEN THEY WENT INTO THE RODEO TO GET THEIR BOOTS POLISHED, THEY SAT DOWN AND THE PERSON WAS POLISHING HIS BOOTS, SAID HE WAS SAVING MONEY SO HE COULD BUY A CAR.
'CAUSE THE BUS DIDN'T RUN LIKE IT USED TO.
SO I'M NOT THE EXPERT ON WHAT IS A BETTER SYSTEM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT HAS BECOME THE SECOND FOCUS AND THAT THERE ARE BETTER PHYSICAL ASSETS AND THERE'S BETTER MANAGEMENT AND PROCESSES THAT IF IT BECAME OUR PRIORITY, IF WE TOOK JUST A FRACTION OF ALL THOSE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND PUT THAT INTO A BETTER BUS SYSTEM, WE COULD HAVE THE BEST ONE IN THE UNITED STATES AND A LOT MORE PEOPLE WOULD BE SERVED.
90 TO 95% AREN'T ANYWHERE NEAR THESE LINES THAT ARE GOING IN WITH METRO NEXT.
AND, AND PART OF THE METRO NEXT PER UH, PART ALSO DOES INCLUDE, UM, SMALLER, UH, VEHICLES BECAUSE THEY'VE ALSO INSTITUTED USING VANS, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE MORE DRIVERS AVAILABLE THAT WOULDN'T NEED AN ACTUAL CDL.
SO, UM, HAVE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE METRO MEETINGS AND EXPRESS YOUR CONCERNS AS WELL? I'VE BEEN TO ONE.
I'VE SPOKEN AT THE METRO BOARD.
I'M PRESIDENT MAPLEWOOD FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.
I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS COMING UP FOR A VOTE.
AND NO ONE CAME TO ANYBODY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND SAID, HEY, WHAT WILL WORK IN THIS HILLCROFT MEYERLAND AREA? OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY.
KAREEM RANKINS TO BE FOLLOWED BY RYAN ALGO.
Y'ALL DOING TODAY? HEY, MY NAME KAREEM RANKIN.
LIKE A FEW MONTHS AGO I WAS RIDING A RED ON THE METRO.
I'VE BEEN ASSAULTED, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING NOW, LIKE THE METRO POLICE.
YOU TRY TO TAKE ME TO JAIL 'CAUSE I'M BLACK AND LIKE I'VE BEEN HAVING PROBLEM WITH LIKE, I'VE BEEN HAVING LIKE ASSAULT CHARGES WITH BLACK.
LIKE I, AND I DON'T WANT TO HURT NOBODY.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M COMING TO Y'ALL.
I I CAN'T EVEN SPEAK ABOUT IT.
JUST NEXT SPEAKER, RYAN HIDALGO.
RYAN HIDALGO TO BE FOLLOWED BY LARRY NORMAN.
I AM A, UM, OUTREACH MEMBER FOR THE VOICE OF HEALING MINISTRY, UH, WHICH IS ALSO FIVEFOLD IS ALSO PART OF THE, UH, UH, THE MINISTRY AS WELL.
UM, I CURRENTLY AM RE UH, RELOCATED FROM CHICAGO, ILLINOIS TO HOUSTON, TEXAS.
AND, UH, THE REASON FOR MY VISIT TODAY IS THE TREATMENT BY THE, UH, OF MY CASE BY THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THERE'S A FAILURE BY THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO FOLLOW THEIR OWN POLICIES AND MANUALS, UH, OR, OR MANUALS, PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING AN INCIDENT CASE INVOLVING AN ASSAULT THAT TOOK PLACE AT, UH, THE LITTLE DIPPER, UH, BAR IN, UH, IN THE DOWNTOWN DIVISION.
UM, WHICH OCCURRED, UH, APPROXIMATELY, UH, A MONTH AGO.
UH, THERE WAS NO INCIDENT REPORT, UH, PROVIDED TO ME AFTER I REPORTED, UH, THE CASE TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE CASE NUMBER FOR YOUR RECORD IS 4 3 4 8 3 4 DASH 23.
UM, I SPOKE WITH AN HPD INVESTIGATOR, UH, WHO DID NOT INITIALLY KNOW MY CASE NUMBER WHEN I ASKED HIM WHAT IT WAS.
UH, I WAS INFORMED BY THAT INVESTIGATOR THAT UNLESS I WAS IN A VEGETATIVE STATE, MY CASE WOULD NOT BE ASSIGNED TO ANYONE.
UM, THIS ASSAULT ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY RIGHT FOOT, WHICH REQUIRED SURGERY.
UM, I EMAILED COUNCILMAN GALLEGOS, UH, REGARDING MY CASE AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE.
UH, PART OF, UH, THE MAYOR'S INITIATIVE, NUMBER TWO IS TO REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME.
UM, I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING AT THIS POINT.
UM, I'VE ALSO BEEN A PART OF THE, UH, VET PROGRAMS IN, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, ONE, UM, UH, VETS USAI BELIEVE.
UM, THE TREATMENT I RECEIVED BY THE VETS PROGRAM, UH, THE VETS AT THE VET FACILITY LOCATED IN, UH, MIDTOWN IS JUST TERRIBLE.
[01:00:01]
THE SIDEWALKS AND STREETS HERE, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, THE DAMAGE THAT WAS CAUSING MY FOOT CAUSED ME TO ALSO BE IN A WHEELCHAIR.AND WHEN I HAD TO MOVE AROUND IN THE WHEELCHAIR, I JUST NOTICED THE SIDEWALKS AND STREETS HERE ARE NOT VERY, UM, CONDUCIVE TO, UH, SOMEONE WHO HAS TO MOVE AROUND IN A WHEELCHAIR.
SO AT THIS POINT I'M ASKING, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR AS TO HOW SHOULD I RESOLVE, UH, MY ISSUE.
'CAUSE AGAIN, I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE FROM THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, REGARDING AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED OVER A MONTH AGO.
AND IF I'M NOT GOING TO GET ANY RESOLUTION, I PLAN ON SUING THE CITY AND THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I WILL SAY TO YOU IF, UH, WHAT I'M SHOWING IS THAT THEY HAVE HPD HAS REACHED OUT TO YOU BUT WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT YOU, BUT THEY LEFT THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION, I WOULD SUGGEST, UH, CALLING THEM BACK.
WHO SHOULD I CALL BACK? WHOEVER I TELL YOU WHAT, IF YOU TALK TO THAT GENTLEMAN RIGHT OVER THERE, THEN OKAY.
BUT THEY DID REACH OUT TO YOU AND THAT'S THE INFORMATION.
TO BE FOLLOWED BY SEMINOLE DURACELL.
FOSTER, I HAVE YOU, MS. BURNETT, YOUR TIME IS RUNNING.
UM, I'M RHONDA BURNETT AND I AM USED FOR AN EXPERIMENTATION WITHOUT CONSENT PROJECT.
I'M USED FOR TECHNOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL ADVANCEMENTS.
IT WAS MANDATED TO END IN 73, BUT THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER AND UNETHICAL DOCTORS DECIDED TO KEEP ME.
I'VE ATTEMPTED OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO REACH OUT FOR HELP.
BUT SOMETHING IS GOING ON WHERE EVERYTHING I DO IS INTERFERE WITH IT'S MIND CONTROL, MIND CONTROL EXPERIMENTATION.
UH, THERE ARE THREE PACKETS, SO MAYBE THEY CAN BE ONE IN THREE DIFFERENT SECTIONS.
UH, BUT IT BEGAN WITH, UH, HARRIS COUNTY PROBATE COURT.
OUR MOTHER TRUBY HARRIS HAD VALUABLE PROPERTY.
AND WHEN I WITNESSED WRONGDOINGS IN, IN THE PROBATE COURT, I CONTACTED THE CHIEF DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL THAT WAS CONTINUOUSLY BEING INTERRUPTED.
UM, BUT AS A BACKUP, I WAS ALWAYS TOLD TO GET POLICE REPORTS.
SO I CONTACTED HPD AND THEN WHEN I STARTED TALKING ABOUT WHAT WAS OCCURRING, I HEARD A HARSH SCRATCH OVER MY PHONE.
I START EXPERIENCING FEEDBACK.
MY COMPUTER, UM, I'M NOT COMPUTER SAVVY, THE LIBRARIAN HAD PLACED THE COMPLAINTS ON THE DESKTOP.
AND UH, AND THEN THEY TOOK THE COMPLAINTS OFF THE DESKTOP.
THEN MY COMPUTER WOUND UP HA GOING TOTALLY OUT.
SO, UM, IF YOU SEE THE PACKETS, YOU'LL SEE MY MOTHER, UM, WHERE, WHERE THE TEMPORARY GUARDIAN HAD PLACED HER.
IT LOOKS LIKE SHE'S SKIN BONES.
YOU'LL SEE LEVEL FOUR BEDSORES.
I WAS RECEIVING ONE IN TWO DAY NOTIFICATIONS FOR HEARINGS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
THE TEMPORARY GUARDIAN THREW SOMETHING DOWN AND CALLED THE JUDGE BY HER FIRST NAME.
THERE WAS TOO MUCH WRONGDOINGS GOING ON, SO I WAS TRYING TO REACH OUT FOR HELP AND I COULDN'T GET HELP.
BUT WHEN I SAID OVER THE PHONE, SEE, WHEN YOU'RE HACKED, THEY TAKE INFORMATION FROM YOU BITS AND PIECES SO THEY CAN LATER MANIPULATE IT AND EVERYTHING I SAID, THEY TURNED AND PLAYED IT AGAINST ME WHEN I SAID I WONDER IF I'M IN SOME KIND OF HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION.
THEY DID NOT WANT ME TO GET OUT BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I HAD A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE WHEN I WAS ABOUT 14 OR 15.
AND PART OF THEIR RETALIATION, THEY, THEY KNEW THAT I WAS MISDIAGNOSED.
THEY KNEW MY CORRECT DIAGNOSIS FELL INTO MAJOR DEPRESSION BECAUSE THEY HEARD EVERYTHING I WOULD EVER SAY AND IT'S IN THEIR MAJOR DEPRESSION.
BUT THOSE DOCTORS BOTH UNETHICAL
[01:05:01]
DOCTORS IN, IN THIS EXPERIMENTATION AND THEN TEXT AND THEN THEY WOULDN'T CHANGE MY DIAGNOSIS.UM, I'M GONNA ASK MY CONSTITUENTS, UH, DIRECTOR TO REACH OUT TO YOU.
IT HAD 7 7 0 7 4 US SO I THINK SHE MISSED YOU WHEN SHE WAS GOING DOWN THE LIST.
THAT'S A PREVIOUS, I DIDN'T HAVE MY UH, OTHER LICENSE BUT, OH, YOU DON'T LIVE ON RIVERSIDE.
I HAVE TO DO THE VAN LIFE BECAUSE THE TEMPORARY GUARDIAN IS STILL, MOTHER DIED LAST YEAR, BUT HE WOULDN'T RELEASE IT BACK TO US.
WAS THIS YOUR PHONE CONTACT AND DO YOU LIVE ON RIVERSIDE IN THE VAN? I'M DOING THE VAN LIFE.
THEY ENTER MY HOTEL ROOMS WITH DRUGS.
I'LL GET HER TO GIVE YOU A CALL AND SEE IF WE CAN GIVE YOU SOME ASSISTANCE.
BUT YES, I'VE TRIED TO REACH OUT TO MANY, BUT THEY HAVE TAKEN OVER MY PHONE.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, FBI, THEY MADE IT INTO A MOVIE, PERHAPS EVEN A APP.
DURACELL FOSTER, SEMI DURACELL FOSTER TO BE FOLLOWED BY GINA WALLY, MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER.
I'M BACK AGAIN AND ALWAYS PUT GOD IN IT.
HE SENT ME BACK FOR THE LAST TIME HE TOLD ME, IT'S THE LAST TIME I GOT TO COME AND TALK TO YOU.
AND I'M, I HAVE TO FOLLOW HIS DIRECTIVE.
AND I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DAVE MARTIN WAS SPEAKING ABOUT GOD.
PEOPLE DON'T WANNA HEAR ABOUT GOD, BUT IT'S TRUE.
AND TOMORROW IS, IS GROUND DAY.
ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE, HE CREATED MAN FROM THE DIRT IN HIS IMAGE.
AND HE BRED THE LIFE OF LIFE INTO HIS NATURALS.
OKAY, I HAD TO SAY THAT, BUT I GOT THIS HERE, MAYOR, AND I NEED YOU TO SEE IT.
AND I STILL WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT MEETING WITH YOU BEFORE YOU GET OUT.
HE TOLD ME THIS IS MY LAST ROLL ROUND THAT HE HAS, HE HAS TO TOUCH YOUR HEART TO MAKE TIME FOR ME.
IT WON'T TAKE LONG BECAUSE OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
YOU KNOW, I GAVE YOU A LOT OF INFORMATION.
CAN SOMEBODY TAKE THIS FROM ME AND GIVE IT TO THE, TO THE MAYOR? IT IS.
THIS WAS WHEN I WAS WORKING AT THE AIRPORT.
I, I AM BY, BY OCCUPATION A SECURITY GUARD.
I GOT THE HIGHEST AWARD THAT ANY EMPLOYEE HAS EVER RECEIVED AS A SECURITY GUARD.
AND EVERYWHERE I GO, I'M FAVORED BY GUARD.
EVEN THOUGH I WORKED FOR THE POST OFFICE 25 YEARS, 24 OF THEM WAS SUPERVISING AT THE POSTAL SERVICE IN, IN THE AREA THAT YOU LIVE IN.
I SUPERVISED THAT POST OFFICE ALL AROUND.
AND I WAS YOUNG AND I HAD MY SUPERINTENDENT TELL ME, YOU WOULD NEVER BE A SUPERVISOR.
AND I LOOKED AT HIM, I SAID IN MY HEAD, THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK.
I WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO BREAK THE MONOPOLY OF WOMEN'S GETTING PROMOTED IN, IN, IN THE AREA.
I CAME FROM THE LORDS OF THE LORD FROM BUILDING SERVICES AND I WAS ABLE TO BE SUPERVISOR OVER CUSTOMER SERVICE, POSTAL SERVICE.
THEN I CAME TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THAT'S WHERE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING HAPPENED.
BUT MAYOR, I NEED YOU TO LOOK AT IT.
LOOK AT IT FOR WHAT IT, WHAT IS, AND I REALLY NEED TO TALK WITH YOU AT LEAST 15 MINUTES.
I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO GET OFF OF COUNCIL AGAIN 'CAUSE I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE GOT OTHER PEOPLE THAT NEEDS TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT WHATEVER PROBLEMS THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT MINE IS, YOU KNOW I SPOKE WITH YOU, SO YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
AND I'LL TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT IT.
WILL YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? THE LAST WORDS? UM, I'LL TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT.
I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE PAPERS YOU BROUGHT.
BUT WHAT ABOUT GETTING THE MEETING SET UP FOR ME AT LEAST? LET ME, LET ME LOOK AT THE PAPERWORK FIRST, OKAY.
[01:10:01]
HELLO, COUNSEL.HELLO? UH, MS. LAST TIME I HAD A VERY BAD THAT MORNING.
COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS. UH, HOW MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS? 16.
THIS WAY, THIS IS FOR EACH ONE OF THE COUNCILORS.
IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS FOR ANYTHING THAT I PUT ON THE MAYOR'S FACEBOOK PAGE, EMAILS, PHONE CALLS, UH UH, I ALSO HAD A VERY UNFORTUNATE MORNING DEALING WITH MEMORIAL.
MEMORIAL HERMANN MEMORIAL CITY.
AND WHO IS THE COUNCIL MEMBER OVER THAT DISTRICT? WHAT DISTRICT IS THAT? MEMORIAL CITY.
WHO WHO ARE YOU POINTING TO? RIGHT THERE.
CAN I, CAN I STRESS OFF IT? I NEED A FAVOR FROM COUNSEL.
I HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT ITEM THAT NEEDS TO GET TO MY DOCTOR.
IT'S A GIFT, BUT IT'S ALSO, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CARDS, IT'S A PROJECT THAT I'M ON.
YOU HEARD OF NAMI THAT I HATE NAMI NAMI'S NOT DOING ANYTHING.
WHAT IS NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL? I'M NOT ILL, I'M NOT SICK AND I'M NOT GONNA HAVE AN ALLIANCE WITH SICK PEOPLE.
THE NEW THING YOU SEE OF THE CAR, THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATES.
AND I'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DELIVERED, UH, TO THE DOCTOR OVER THERE AT MEMORIAL CITY.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO TAKE IT IN FOR ME? I'VE GOT INSTRUCTIONS THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW AND TWO CARDS I'LL SHOW YOU.
AND IT'S JUST, IT'S A SIGN ABOUT A HUNDRED DOLLARS COST ME.
I I DON'T, I'M JUST SAYING, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT GETS TO HER.
THEY'RE TELLING ME PUT IT IN THE MAIL.
NO, MY UPS BOXES RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
I ASKED THESE PEOPLE, OKAY, LOOK, JUST THIS ONE TIME, CAN YOU ESCORT ME DOWN THE HALLWAY TO HER OFFICE TO DELIVER IT? AND NOBODY'S BEING REASONABLE OVER THERE.
MEMORIAL CITY MALL, COPS NOT TO CLOSE CERTIFICATE BY.
PROBABLY COULDN'T PASS THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT FOR HPD BULLYING AND HARASSING ME.
ISSUING BOGUS TRESPASSING WARNING.
AND THEN MEMORIAL HERMAN SECURITY.
AND I HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE THEY'RE NOT THE CLOSE CERTIFIED AND I TOLD 'EM I DON'T THINK THEY COULD PASS THE HPD PSYCHOLOGICAL ANYWAY, WHICH IS YOU.
COULD YOU DELIVER THIS ONE SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER
IF YOU WANNA LEAVE THOSE, UH, THINGS WITH THE BAILIFF, THEN YOU'LL GET 'EM.
AND DO YOU, UM, HAVE THE ADDRESS AND THE PERSON WHO GOES TO WAIT A MINUTE.
IT'S, IT'S, THE ADDRESS IS HERE.
I WANNA SPEAK ON A TOPIC THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER.
HEY, THEY JUST BEEFED UP THE BUS SYSTEM.
MY RECOMMENDATION, WHAT MONEY YOU HAVE PUT IT IN MORE BUSES.
IT'S TOO BIG FOR RAIL OR WHATEVER ELSE.
PETER PETER, TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTINA ROTENBERG.
MY NAME IS PETER ECKLES AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PLANNING FOR LINK HOUSTON.
WE ADVOCATE FOR AN EQUITABLE AND ROBUST TRANSPORTATION NETWORK SO THAT ALL PEOPLE CAN REACH OPPORTUNITY.
AND WE ENVISION A HOUSTON WHERE IT'S POSSIBLE TO BE A FIRST CLASS RESIDENT WITHOUT OWNING A CAR.
THAT VISION MIGHT SEEM LOFTY, BUT IT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE WILL OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES POSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE.
EMISSIONS FROM TRANSPORTATION, LARGELY FROM THE TAILPIPES OF CARS AND TRUCKS, MAKE UP 47%, NEARLY HALF OF ALL OF THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS PRODUCED IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
TO REDUCE THESE EMISSIONS AND TO AVERT THE DISASTROUS EFFECTS
[01:15:01]
OF CLIMATE CHANGE, WE MUST REDUCE THE DOMINANCE OF CARS AND DRIVING AS THE ONE AND ONLY WAY TO GET AROUND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MOBILITY, JUSTICE, AND CLIMATE.AND I WANNA COMMEND YOU, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, BECAUSE YOU ALREADY RECOGNIZE THIS.
IT'S WOVEN ALL THROUGHOUT YOUR CITYWIDE PLANS AND STRATEGIES.
THERE'S A REASON THAT THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN CALLS FOR A 20% REDUCTION IN VEHICLES, MILES TRAVELED PER CAPITA BY 2050.
THERE'S A REASON THAT IT ECHOES THE CALL FOR ZERO TRAFFIC RELATED FATALITIES AND SERIOUS INJURIES ON HOUSTON STREETS BY 2030 FOR 500 MILES OF HIGH COMFORT BIKE LANES FOR MORE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.
THERE'S A REASON THAT ALL OF THESE ACTIONS ARE INTEGRATED WITHIN THE RESILIENT HOUSTON STRATEGY.
SO THIS EARTH WEEK, I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL, WHETHER THIS WEEK OR IN THE FUTURE, WHETHER YOU'RE VOTING ON THIS PROGRAM OR THAT PROJECT, TO KEEP IN MIND THE LARGER PICTURE, WHAT WE'RE ALL WORKING TOWARDS HERE.
WE HAVE MADE VERY AMBITIOUS PROMISES AROUND CLIMATE JUSTICE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY, BUT WE WILL ACHIEVE THEM BIT BY BIT, VOTE BY VOTE.
LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD A CITY WHERE ALL CAN REACH OPPORTUNITY, NO MATTER HOW THEY MOVE, AND WHERE ALL NEIGHBORHOODS ARE RESILIENT FROM THE DISASTROUS EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
UH, COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN? WHO WAS THAT THE LAST, UH, THAT WAS FOR THE LAST ONE.
I, I JUST WANNA SAY THERE'S ANOTHER REASON FOR ALL THOSE THINGS, UM, BEING SO EFFECTIVE IN OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IN RESILIENT HOUSTON.
AND THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE YOU HELPED WRITE THEM, PETER.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD SERVICE TO THE CITY AND, UH, CONGRATULATE LINK HOUSTON FOR MAKING SUCH A AWESOME HIRE.
I'VE HEARD YOU LECTURE BEFORE, LARGE CROWDS IN BOSTON AT THE TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE FOR NATO, AND I HEARD YOU YESTERDAY AT THE JULIE IEN.
YOU'RE, UH, A PERSON WE'RE VERY PROUD OF AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
THANK YOU, CONGRESSWOMAN KAMAN.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PETER, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UH, ESPECIALLY, I KNOW WE'VE HAD A FEW SPEAKERS TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON THIS AND LINK, AND YOU HAVE, UH, REALLY BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS AND LAYING OUT THE REASON WHY ALL OF THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.
SO, ESPECIALLY FOR EARTH DAY, BUT EVERY DAY, THANK YOU AND THE ENTIRE TEAM AT LINK, UH, FOR PUSHING THE CITY TO, TO KEEP THE WORK GOING.
NEXT SPEAKER CHRISTINA BERG, TO BE FOLLOWED BY FRED WOOD.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME'S CHRISTINA ROTENBERG.
UM, I'M ALSO HERE TO HELP PUSH US FORWARD, UM, TO TRY TO REDUCE ADMISSIONS.
AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF EARTH DAY.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE ON, IT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A SAFE AND HEALTHY PLACE WHERE ALL HOUSTONIANS CAN LIVE, WHICH STARTS WITH OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND EARTH.
AND WHAT AN INCREDIBLE PLACE THIS IS.
WE HAVE PRAIRIES, BAOS, WE'VE GOT THE OCEAN.
HOUSTON REALLY IS A SPECIAL PLACE.
UM, AND I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE TREAT IT AS SUCH.
I RECENTLY BECAME FAMILIAR WITH THE SEVEN GENERATION PRINCIPLES, SO THIS IS PART OF ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE THAT HAS DECISION MAKERS.
THINK ABOUT WHAT IMPACTS, WHAT HARMS AND BENEFITS ARE YOU GONNA SEE WHEN YOU MAKE A PLAN SEVEN GENERATIONS INTO THE FUTURE, SEVEN GENERATIONS IN THE FUTURE.
YOU CAN ALSO THINK OF THAT AS 150 YEARS FROM NOW.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT THINKING 150 YEARS OUT IN THE FUTURE TAKES QUITE A LOT OF MENTAL GYMNASTICS.
MORE SO ONE 150 YEARS FROM NOW.
IT'S REALLY SCARY TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT HOUSTON WILL EVEN BE A HABITABLE PLACE.
YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS I DO THAT BASED ON ALL THE CLIMATE MODELS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT HEAT AND PRECIPITATION.
THE FUTURE FOR HOUSTON DOES NOT LOOK GOOD, ALL TO SAY THAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO SOMETHING RADICAL TO CHANGE HOW WE ARE LIVING ON THIS PLANET.
AND IF YOU CAN'T THINK OF 150 YEARS IN THE FUTURE, YOU CAN THINK OF 20 YEARS OR YOU CAN THINK OF 10.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT LIKE THE PLANS THAT, UM, MR. ECKLES JUST MENTIONED, WE HAVE THOSE PLANS.
I HOPE YOU HAVE ALL READ THE CITY'S CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY PLANTS BECAUSE THEY ARE IMPRESSIVE DOCUMENTS.
AND THEY OUTLINE THE BLUEPRINT FOR WHAT ACTIONS NEED TO BE TAKEN TODAY.
UM, AND I'D ARGUE THAT ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES TO FO OUR FOCUS, OUR ATTENTION IS ON TRANSPORTATION.
SO WE, IT IS 47% OF ALL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS COME IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, COME FROM THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR.
AND THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF WAYS THAT WE CAN MOVE AROUND THE CITY IN WAYS THAT PRODUCE LESS EMISSIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, I TOOK THE BUS TODAY.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE, I LOVE METRO.
I TAKE THE BUS, I TAKE THE RED LINE, I THINK IS A GREAT WAY TO GET AROUND.
[01:20:01]
A LITTLE BIT LONGER AND I RISKED GETTING WET.BUT IT WAS ALSO A WAY FOR ME TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THAT I AM PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER.
I'M PART OF THIS CITY, I'M PART OF OUR ECOSYSTEM, AND I ASK ALL OF YOU WHO ARE THE STEWARDS OF THIS CITY TO DO THE SAME, ESPECIALLY SINCE CITY OF HOUSTON MIGHT JUST BE ONE CITY ON THE MAP.
BUT WE ARE THE CAPITAL OF THE ENERGY, UM, OF THE, OF THE ENERGY SYSTEM OF THE WORLD, AND WE HAVE AN OUTSIZED IMPACT ON THE WORLD'S EMISSIONS.
CHRISTINA IS A DISTRICT C RESIDENT.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN, JUST LIKE PETER FOR, UM, KEEPING THE ISSUE AT THE FOREFRONT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THE, UH, CHRONICLES, UH, ARTICLE THAT CAME OUT, I THINK IT WAS EARLIER THIS WEEK, ABOUT THE LATEST MODELS WITH FLOODING COMBINED WITH SEA LEVEL RISE AND THE, UH, RISK THAT IT PUTS FOR HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY AS WELL.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS, AND IT ALL COMES BACK TO FLOODING AND DROUGHT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER, FRED WOOD.
FRED WOOD IS BE FOLLOWED BY JEANETTE SMITH.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF NORTHWOOD MANOR CIVIC CLUB.
I'M HERE AS AN ALLY, ACCOMPLICE AND MEMBER OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE TO ECHO OUR REQUESTS PERTAINING TO FUNDING FOR FLOOD MITIGATION, INTENTIONALLY DIRECTED TOWARD NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
ONE PERMANENT INCREASE OF 20 MILLION FOR STORMWATER ACTION TREATMENT, PROJECT FUNDING, AND AN ADDITIONAL 20 MILLION TO LOCAL DRAINAGE PROJECTS.
TWO, INCREASE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS IN-HOUSE STAFF AND MACHINERY TO SUPPORT PROACTIVE SCHEDULE, DITCH MAINTENANCE AND REHABILITATION.
THREE, MAKE ALL DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE GOVERNANCE EQUITABLE AND MORE TRANSPARENT.
FOR ANY AD VALOREM TAX MONEY COLLECTED FROM OUR PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DIVERTED AT PRESENT OR IN THE PAST BE ALLOCATED TO DRAINAGE PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE.
YOU HEARD NAC DURING THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE BY ADDING 20 MILLION TO THE CURRENT BUDGET TOWARD FLOOD MITIGATION.
REGRETTABLY, IT WAS DIVIDED EQUALLY AMONGST ALL CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
AS WE KNOW, ALL DISTRICTS ARE NOT EQUAL, NOR HAVE THEY BEEN MAINTAINED, INVESTED IN, OR TREATED WITH EQUALITY.
I'VE WORKED WITH THE NORTHEAST SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD UNITED LEADERS AND BAYOU CITY INITIATIVE INITIATIVE TO IDENTIFY, BRING AWARENESS AND PROPOSE EQUITABLE SOLUTIONS TO ISSUE RES, UH, RESULTING TO ISSUES RESULTING FROM INADEQUATE INFERIOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND HISTORICAL UNDERINVESTMENT.
IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON, WE HAVE OUR UNFAIR SHARE OF OPEN DRAINAGE DITCHES THAT ARE FREQUENTLY IMPEDED BY DEBRIS MADE WORSE BY THE EFFECTS OF ILLEGAL DUMPING.
ONE BLOCK CULVERT'S IMP IMPEDIMENT TO STORM WATER FLOW CAN CAUSE CATASTROPHIC EFFECTS UP AND DOWNSTREAM.
NOW, I I, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A MINOR COURSE CORRECTION, UH, TO THE CITY'S DITCH MAINTENANCE POLICY DIRECTED TOWARDS SENIORS AND THE DISABLED.
YET IT STILL PUTS AN UNDUE BURDEN ON LOW INCOME RESIDENTS ALSO ON ABANDONED UNMAINTAINED AND VACANT PROPERTIES.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND FLOOD MITIGATION CANNOT BE SOLVED SOLELY BY THE CITY ALONE.
SO I URGE FOR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO SEEK MATCHING PROJECT FUNDING AND WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE SAME.
FOR FUNDING PARTNERSHIPS FROM THE COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, WE MUST WORK TOGETHER CONTINUE TO DO YOUR PART BY MEETING NATS REQUESTS AND ENSURING THE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDING FOR FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECTS INTENTIONALLY DIRECTED TOWARDS NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU MR. WOODS, FOR YOUR CONTINUED ADVOCACY FOR THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN AND JUST YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
JEANETTE SMITH TO BE FOLLOWED BY WILL HILL.
UH, 77-YEAR-OLD PROUD NATIVE HOUSTONIAN RESIDING IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON IN NORTHWOOD MANOR SUBDIVISION SINCE 1971.
UH, I COME THIS EVENING TO SPEAK IN BEHALF OF THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO ENCOURAGE ADEQUATE FUNDING
[01:25:01]
FOR FLOOD PROJECTS FOR NORTHEAST HOUSTON.THAT WE CAN BE INCLUDED NOT ONLY IN VERBAL CONVERSATION, BUT ACTUAL PROJECTS IN FLOOD MITIGATIONS, THE SWAT PROJECTS, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE YOU AS, AS CITY OFFICIALS IN THE POSITION OF DETERMINING WHICH PROJECTS ARE SELECTED, HOW THEY'RE SELECTED AND FUNDED DURING THE PROCESS OF THAT SELECTION.
WE IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON ARE STILL FLOODING.
WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT LIKE MANY OTHER LOW INCOME AND MINORITY COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, THE NORTHEAST COMMUNITY SUFFERS WITH POOR INFRASTRUCTURE RESULTING FROM HISTORICAL UNDERINVESTMENT.
THESE PATTERNS SHOW WHY EQUITY MUST BE IN THE DISCUSSION OF FLOODING SOLUTIONS IN HOUSTON.
OUTDATED INFRASTRUCTURE, POOR DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES, CHRONIC LACK OF MAINTENANCE COMBINED WITH NATURAL FLOODING.
GEOGRAPHY HAS LED TO FLOODING ISSUES IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
NO ONE THINKS THAT PROTECTING THE PUBLIC FROM FLOODING IS EASY.
WE DIDN'T DEVELOP THE PROBLEM JUST TODAY.
IT WILL NOT BE SOLVED OVERNIGHT.
BUT IN ORDER TO SUCCEED, BETTER COMMUNICATION AND TRUST MUST BE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THOSE WHO ARE WORKING ON THESE PROBLEMS AND THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM THE FLOODING.
TRUTH MAY HURT, BUT IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO REMOVE THE SCARS FROM THE PAST ACTIONS AND MOVE US FORWARD.
UH, MS. SMITH, YOU CAN FINISH YOUR COMMENTS.
I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO LOOK WITHIN YOUR HEART.
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD MAY NOT BE FLOODING TODAY OR TOMORROW OR WITH THE NEXT HURRICANE, BUT YOUR HEART GOES OUT WHEN YOU SEE ON TV.
OUR NEIGHBORS AND I AM A PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER INCREASING THE FUNDING FOR THE FLOODING PROJECTS.
AND UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, I MET WITH NOC FOLKS ON YESTERDAY AND WE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION AND I UPDATED THEM ON THE SWAT PROJECTS AND SO I AGREED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO NEED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND, UM, I WILL CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH YOU ALL AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
MS. SMITH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I WAS GOING TO, UM, ALSO, UH, COMMENT ON A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WE DID HAVE ALLOCATIONS GOING TO SEVERAL SWAT PROJECTS AND THE LION SHARE OF THOSE PROJECTS WERE IN YOUR AREA.
SO I KNOW THAT YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER HAS, UM, REVIEWED THOSE WITH MEMBERS OF KNOCK MM-HMM
UM, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON OUR FLOODING ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU, THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY AND ADVOCATING FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE SHOULD NEVER STOP, UM, PETITIONING OUR GOVERNMENT AND ADVOCATING FOR THE PLACES THAT WE LIVE IN.
NEXT SPEAKER COLA KIMBLE COLA.
GAY HEART IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANGEL CORTEZ.
AND THANK YOU, UH, DAVE MARTIN FOR BRINGING UP THE LORD.
WELL, I WAS GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT PRAYER
[01:30:01]
IN SCHOOL, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT WHERE I LIVE.SO, UH, IT'S CRENSHAW ROAD AND THERE'S TWO STREETS ON CRENSHAW ROAD.
THERE'S SHAVER AND THEN THERE'S ALLEN GENOA.
AND SO FIRST STREET AND SECOND STREET, BOTH DEAD END STREETS, THEY'VE BUILT A, A YES PREP SCHOOL AND RECENTLY AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THE ONLY WAY, IF WE HAD AN EMERGENCY, THERE'S NO WAY TO GET OUT.
IF THEY'RE OUT PICKING UP, CHILDREN ARE DROPPING THEM OFF.
AND I APPRECIATE THE HPD THAT Y'ALL HAVE ENLISTED, BUT IF WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY, THEY'RE STILL BLOCKED US BECAUSE WE HAVE NO WAY OUT.
IT'S A RETENTION POND BEHIND US.
SO IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY, WHICH I KNOW IF I GO SHOPPING, I CAN'T BUY ICE CREAM
BUT IT'S JUST A LOT OF THINGS.
AND THAT'S MINOR COMPARED TO AN EMERGENCY.
SO THERE WAS A TIME I NEEDED TO GET OUT AND THEY'RE BLOCKED AND THEY'RE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN, BUT STILL, THEY'RE, I THINK FIRST AND SECOND STREET.
UH, AND AGAIN, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE I HAVE A PASADENA ADDRESS, 7 7 5 0 4.
BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD ALAN GENOA IS THE CROSSLINE.
AND IF I HAD A FIRE, WHICH IS THEY'RE JUST ACROSS THE STREET, THEY CANNOT COME OVER AND PUT OUT A FIRE IN MY HOUSE OR SAVE MY LIFE FROM AMBULANCE IN THE PASADENA AREA.
SO I NEED TO, I GUESS SOMEONE EXPLAINED TO ME ABOUT ANNEXED.
I HEARD IT WAS SOMETHING ABOUT ELLINGTON, DON'T KNOW, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
BUT TO REMEDY THE FIRST AND SECOND RESIDENCE HAVE BEEN THERE.
WE DID NOT HAVE THOSE SCHOOLS.
WE HAD A TWO LANE, WHICH IS STILL A TWO LANE.
AND ALL THE NEW RETENTION POND Y'ALL HAVE JUST ADDED TO THE RETENTION POND WE HAD AT SHAVER IN CRENSHAW.
WHEN WE BOUGHT 1995, IT WAS A NO FLOOD ZONE.
SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEEDED A, AN ADDITIONAL RETENTION POND ADDED TO THAT.
IT'S A NICE WALKWAY NOW AND A NICE PARK.
BUT STILL, I'M NOT SURE WHY ALL THE DIGGING NOW, WE'RE NO LONGER A, A HIDDEN DEAD END.
WE'RE BEEN, ALL THE TREES ARE GONE.
SO NOW WE'RE OPEN TO, UH, HIGHWAY THREE AND UH, SHAVER STREET.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW I END UP WITH A 7 7 5 0 4 PASADENA ADDRESS, BUT THEY CAN'T COME SAVE MY LIFE IF NECESSARY OR HAD TO GET OUT OF THIS LITTLE TWO LANE STREET THAT THEY KEEP REPAIRING.
'CAUSE THE TRUCKS KEEP TEARING IT UP,
SO IF ANYONE COULD CALL ME OR GET WITH ME AND HELP ME UNDERSTAND ABOUT US BEING ANNEXED IN CRENSHAW AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL SYSTEM IS A WHOLE NOTHER THING.
BUT YOU'VE GOT THIS STREET HERE, SHAVER AND, AND, UH, ALLEN GENOA AND UH, WE JUST HAPPEN TO BE IN THE MIDDLE AND DEAD END STREETS.
AND AGAIN, IF TRAFFIC IS THERE FOR SCHOOL PICKUP, I CAN'T GET OUT.
AND SO WE HAVE TO TIME OUR TIME TO GET IN AND OUT OF OUR RESIDENTS.
AND THERE'S SOMETHING NOT RIGHT ABOUT THAT, I WOULD THINK.
ESPECIALLY I HAVEN'T HAD AN EMERGENCY.
SO, BUT I'M CONCERNED IF THERE IS ONE.
UM, I KNOW THE AREA VERY WELL AS WE'VE BEEN DOING A NUMBER OF, UM, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ON CRENSHAW.
AND I KNOW SPECIFICALLY THAT DETENTION FACILITY THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NEXT TO YES.
WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON SHAVER ROAD AND GETTING THAT ROAD IN, IN BETTER SHAPE THAN IT WAS.
AND, AND BEFORE WE LEAVE, BEFORE I LEAVE OFFICE, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO GET CRENSHAW TAKEN CARE OF.
BECAUSE CRENSHAW IS A LIKE SHAVER.
IT'S A ROAD THAT HASN'T BEEN TOUCHED IN MANY, MANY YEARS.
YOU HAVE THE OPEN CANALS THAT WE HEARD ABOUT, OPEN DITCHES THAT WE HEARD ABOUT, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT.
AND, UH, WE'LL TRY AND DO SOMETHING AND POSSIBLY PUT SOMETHING INTO THE, IF IT'S NOT ALREADY, I THINK IT'S ABOUT FIVE YEARS AWAY, IT'S IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PLAN.
MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
BUT, UM, I'M 75, 5 MORE YEARS.
I, BUT YEAH, THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT, THAT ARE IN, HAVE A PASADENA ZIP CODE, BUT YET RESIDE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO I'M ASSUMING THAT, UM, THAT'S, AND IT ACTUALLY SAYS PASADENA, TEXAS, YOUR TECH CASE.
BUT, BUT THEY, IF, IF, IF WE CAN HAVE SOMEONE FROM OUR OFFICE CALL AT THE NUMBER THAT YOU GAVE US, THAT ENDS IN 8 9 2 MM-HMM
WE'LL DO THAT AND WE'LL GET THE INFORMATION.
THANK VERY THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANGEL CORTEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY JACOB CLEMENTE.
AND, UH, TALKS ABOUT LAWS AGAINST SEX CHANGES.
WE'RE ON THE PINK STATES WITH PENDING LEGISLATION THAT'S LIKELY TO PASS OUR TEXAS, WE'RE THE LAST DEFENSE FOR THIS UNITED STATES.
AND WE'RE NOT HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST YOU.
[01:35:01]
WE'RE HERE TO REMEMBER THAT WE HAVE AN ORDER WE ARE SPOKEN TO.DON'T LOSE HIS ORDER OF TRUTH IN YOU.
'CAUSE THE WORLD IS NOW WORLD, WORLD W-H-I-R-L-D ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN OBVIOUS TO ALL FOR MILLENNIA BEFORE.
WE'RE LIVING IN THE IGNORANCE OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING BEFORE OUR EYES.
AND WE NEED TO CONNECT AGAIN WITH WHAT WORD WAS.
AND I WANTED TO THANK MR. DAVE MARTIN FOR BRINGING CONTEXT TO WHAT GOD'S WORD WILL BRING US.
STILL IS PEACE 'CAUSE WE CAN OPERATE FOR RULES AND WANT OUR PROPERTIES TO BE GREAT.
BUT NONE OF THIS WAS TO BE REMAIN.
NOW ALL THIS WAS TO BE TRANSIENT.
WE ARE TRANSIENT BEINGS AND WITHOUT HIS WORD, WE'RE GONNA WANT TO STAY HERE.
AND WHAT AGENDA IS GOING ON ABOVE OUR, ABOVE US IS, UH, BEYOND WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON ASTRO ARENA, WHEN THEY HAD THAT SACRIFICIAL SA SATANIC SACRIFICE OVER AN ASTROWORLD AREA WHERE TRAVIS SCOTT WAS GIVEN A DAY TO CELEBRATE BECAUSE HE BROUGHT A SATANIC RITUAL TO OUR OWN.
AND WE KNOW NINE OF THEM DIED.
THE LAST ONE'S NAME WAS EZRA, BECAUSE WE KILL OUR OWN PROPHETS.
THIS COMES FROM THE APOCRYPHA, ALMOST 2000 YEARS OLD, SECOND OF CLEMENT, CHAPTER ONE.
BROTHERS, WE SHOULD SO THINK OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, AS OF GOD, AS OF THE JUDGE OF THE QUICK AND DEAD, THOSE THAT ARE STILL BREATHING AND WE SHOULD NOT THINK LIGHTLY CONCERNING OUR SALVATION FOR IF WE THINK LITTLE CONCERNING HIM, WE ALSO EXPECT THAT WE WILL RECEIVE LITTLE.
AND IF WE LISTEN TO IT AS THOUGH IT WERE A SMALL THING, WE ERR NOT KNOWING FROM WHERE WE ARE CALLED NOR BY WHOM, NOR TO WHAT PLACE, NOR WHAT GREAT THINGS JESUS CHRIST HAS ENDURED TO SUFFER ON OUR BEHALF.
WHAT REPAYMENT, THEREFORE WILL WE GIVE TO HIM OR WHAT FRUIT WORTHY OF THAT WHICH HE HAS GIVEN TO US.
HOW MANY THINGS THAT HELP TO HOLINESS HAS HE GIVEN TO US FOR HE HAS GIVEN US THE LIGHT.
HE HAS CALLED US SONS AS THOUGH HE WERE OUR FATHER.
HE HAS SAVED US WHEN WE WERE READY TO PERISH, WHEN PRAISE, THEREFORE WE, WE GIVE TO HIM.
OR WHAT? REPAYMENT OF REWARD FOR THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED.
WE WERE NAMED IN THE, WE WERE MAIMED IN OUR UNDERSTANDING, WORSHIPING STOCKS AND STONES AND GOLD AND SILVER, AND IRON.
THE WORK OF MEN AND OUR WHOLE LIFE, IT WAS NOTHING BUT DEATH.
WE THEREFORE, WHO WERE SURROUNDED WITH DARKNESS AND WHO HAVE HAD OUR SIGHT FILLED SUCH YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
OH, MR. POLLARD, THE OTHER ONE I WANTED TO ADDRESS.
LET US REMEMBER THERE IS AN ORDER THAT IS STILL ESTABLISHED AND THIS IS IN OUR FRONT LINE.
ABBY, YOU IN THE BED ON THAT END SUNDAY.
UM, I'M TALKING TO Y'ALL ABOUT A FUNDRAISER.
THE FUNDRAISER OCCURS AT SANTA ANOS BREWERY IN 2009.
AND THEN IS WHERE THE, I NEVER GOT HOUSES INC.
IS GOING TO RAISE MONEY FOR MEMBERS AND HEY, I'M A MEMBER.
AND, UM, WELL, AND I THAT, UM, WHAT I WANT TO SAY IN THIS IS, HEY, DAVID ROBINSON, WHAT ABOUT THE BOSS AND RED HOUSE, THEN THE LAST PLACE, HUH?
CAROLYN, UM, WHEN YOU SAY THAT, UH, UH, NAN'S
I WANT TO MAKE A, I WANT TO QUOTE SOMETHING FROM, UM, NOT JUST MAC FOR Y'ALL.
WHY DOESN'T HARRIS COUNTY RELEASE 2022 ELECTION INFORMATION AS REQUIRED BY THE TEXAS OVEN RECORDS OF LAW? THANK YOU, JACOB.
SO WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE GAME TONIGHT.
HEY, UH, I SOMETIMES DO, WELL MY RESTROOMS I DO ARE
[01:40:01]
THREE 15 AND THREE, UH, UH, 19.AND HAVE FUN ON THE UPPER, UH, UPPER LEVEL.
MAYBE WE CAN GET IT BACK TO 500.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN.
JACOB, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING.
WELL IT'S GREAT SEEING YOU, ABBY.
THE, UH, UM, UH, JUSTIN FRIEDMAN, I MEAN KEN FREEMAN ON THE BOARD OF THE HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY.
I THINK HE USED TO BE THE BOSS OF ABEY.
REVIS THREE, FOLLOWED BY SIR ROSA.
UH, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, I'M HERE, UH, TO SPEAK ABOUT THE BULLYING THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVING IN DISTRICT EI MET WITH, UH, MAYOR FOREMAN, UH, FEW NIGHTS AGO AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, AND BASICALLY IS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE SITUATIONS.
CURRENTLY I'M PROMOTING THREE BUSINESSES.
UM, HA I HAVE AN OFFICE IN CYPRUS WITH PRIMERICA.
I HAVE AN OFFICE IN, UH, GREENSPOINT.
UM, I GIVE, UH, PROTECTION FOR IN CASE OF A DEATH OF A LOVED ONE.
AND THE THIRD OFFICE IS ELLA, BUT UNFORTUNATELY CARLOS VASQUEZ AND, UM, VICTOR RIVER BARRA THAT ASSOCIATED WITH THE MEXICAN CONSULATE.
BASICALLY WHAT THEY DID IS THEY STOLE TWO CONTRACTS FROM ME THAT WERE GONNA PAY ME 2002 $3,000.
SO, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO WORK, UH, IN GOOD TERMS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY CARLOS IS, UH, TARGETING DIFFERENT, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND HOUSTON WITH THE, UH, COMMUNITY WATER TEST PROMISING, UH, ALSO ROOF.
HAVE YOU, UM, SOUNDS LIKE, UH, YOU'RE WORKING FOR PRE RIGHT NOW, CORRECT? AND WHAT YES, I DO.
HAVE YOU REGISTERED WITH THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AS A CERTIFIED MWBE FIRM COMPANY? OR COULD YOU DO THAT? I HAVE TO TAKE MY, UH, RVP IN CONSIDERATION ON MY TEAM.
I CANNOT JUST MAKE A DECISION ON MY OWN.
SINCE I'M THERE ARE STILL TRAINING ME IN SOME OTHER PRODUCTS, UH, WITH, UH, PRE-NEED, BASICALLY I WORK WITH CARLOS CRUZ.
UH, HE, HE'S AN EXPERT IN, IN THE FIELD.
WE GO TO DIFFERENT CHURCHES, FUNERAL HOMES, AND WE HOST FREE BINGOS FOR THE ELDERLY.
AND WE GIVE, UH, FREE GIFTS AWAY.
IT COMES OUTTA OUR POCKET BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE FUNDING FROM AN ORGANIZATION AND WE HAVE HAD PEOPLE HAT ON US AROUND THE COMMUNITY, BUT I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANY FUNDING.
I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING, BUT FOR THEM TO LEAVE US ALONE SO WE CAN WORK SO I CAN GENERATE INCOME AND THE HUSBAND A BUNCH OF HATERS, UH, ACTUALLY ASKING WHOSE FUNDING? I SAID, NOBODY'S DOING IT, SIR.
I, AND I'M JUST CONCERNED BECAUSE CARLOS, THERE'S TO CARLOS, IT'S CARLOS VASQUEZ FROM, UH, THE WATER FILTERS AND CARLOS CRUZ FROM, UH,
SO I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN TALK TO YOU AFTERWARDS.
ANNIE LEE TO BE FOLLOWED BY KATHY GUNNER.
HI, HOW ARE YOU? HI, EVERYONE.
UM, I'M STILL HERE, UM, HOPING THAT THE POLICE CAN DO THE PEN, PEN CODE FOR CASEY LEE, MY GRANDDAUGHTER THAT'S MISSING.
I DON'T WANT HER TO BE A STATISTIC BECAUSE HER MOM GOT MURDERED LAST YEAR, JULY 11TH, AND THEY WILL HAVE HER COURT DATE ON THE SAME DAY THAT SHE WAS MURDERED.
THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE BABY IS CRIMINALS.
AND I DO NOT WANT MY BABY, MY GRANDBABY TO BE DECEASED, UH, STATISTIC BECAUSE THEY USED TO RUNNING FROM THE LAW AND I NEED HELP.
PEN CODE 25.03 SAYS, ANYONE WHO INTERFERED WITH CHILD CUSTODY WILL GET SIX MONTHS TO TWO YEARS STATE JAIL FELON A $10,000 FINE.
I HAVE PRIMARY CUSTODY, BUT I CAN'T LOCATE THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE RUNNING AND NO ONE WOULD WANT, UH, PUT ON THERE THAT THEY WILL GET KIDNAPPING CHARGES IF THEY WANT, IF THEY BRING THE BABY.
[01:45:01]
I'M ASKING FOR HELP TO GET MY GRAND BABY.SHE'S SAD AND SHE NEEDS TO COME HOME.
SHE THINKING WE DON'T LOVE HER.
SHE DON'T KNOW THAT HER MOM IS DECEASED.
IF THERE ARE ANY SAINTS IN HERE, PLEASE HELP ME.
IT'S, IT, THE NOTES WE RECEIVED THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS STILL WORKING WITH YOU CONCERNING THE WELLBEING OF YOUR GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER.
OKAY, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOES HAPPEN.
THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
[RECESS]
WE'LL MEETING RECESS UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00 AM SHARP.SECONDARY EDUCATION ITEM 22, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $350,000 FROM EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION CONSOLIDATED FUND FOR MANAGED CONTRACT SERVICES.
PROJECT ITEM 23 ORDINANCE, FINDING AND DETERMINING PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY.
INTEREST IN CONNECTION WITH THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECT KNOWN AS THE H-P-A-R-D, FUTURE JENSEN PARK PROJECT ITEM 24, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2018 DASH 0 4 2 5 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TIMES CONSTRUCTION INC.
ITEM 25 ORDINANCE, AWARD AND CONTRACT TO SIT ON'S.
ITEM 26 ORDINANCE ARE AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING AMENDMENTS TO EXTEND THE TERMS OF THE SAFE, CLEAR FEE RATE, TOWING AND EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALLY COLLISION CENTER, INC.
DOING BUSINESS AS CAR KING TOWING.
DWIGHT CANNON, DOING BUSINESS AS DC WRECKER HOUSTON AUTO TECH, INC.
DOING BEST BUSINESS AS HOUSTON AUTO TECH.
DOING BUSINESS AS SAFE TOW LEWIS MATTHEW TILL DOING BUSINESS AS HUMBLE TOWING SERVICE.
MILAM STREET, AUTUMN'S AUTO STORAGE, INC.
DOING BUSINESS AS FAST TOW CORPORATE AUTO SERVICES, INC.
DOING BUSINESS AS MILLER'S AUTO AND BODY BODY REPAIR.
DOING BUSINESS AS NORTH HOUSTON MOTORS, RBEX INC.
DOING BUSINESS AS APPLE TOWING INC.
CO COMPANY, I'M SORRY, SIBERIA.
HOUSTON, L-N-A-L-L-C, DOING BUSINESS AS EX PRO AUTO UNIFIED AUTO WORKS PAINT AND BODY DOING BUSINESS AS UNIFIED AUTO WORKS AND ACTION TOWING INC.
ORDINANCE OF ITEM 27 ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT BETWEEN CITY AND SUPERIOR VISION BENEFIT MANAGEMENT, INC.
TO EXTEND CONTRACT TERM FROM APRIL 30TH, 2023 TO APRIL 30TH, 2024 FOR ADMINISTRATION OF GROUP VISION INSURANCE PLAN UNDERWRITTEN BY NATIONAL GUARDIAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY.
ITEM 28 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE 800 BLOCK OF WALTON STREET EAST AND WEST SIDES BETWEEN JUT STREET AND WEST PATTON STREET.
ITEM 29 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEM 30 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 99.28 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTIL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 5 7 2 ITEM 31 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 25 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 4 1 6 ITEM 32, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT SWMD FOR ASPHALT ART PROJECT ITEM 33, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $264,000 OUT OF METRO PROJECT CONSTRUCT CONSTRUCTION D-D-S-R-F FOR AN ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
ITEM 34, ORDINANCE OR APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
ITEM 35, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $280,862 OUT OF THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROPRIATING $5,246,677 OUT OF H-P-W-S-E-T-L CAPITAL CON CONTRIBUTION FUND AND APPROPRIATING 1,871,606 TO $1 OUT
[01:50:01]
OF THE H-P-W-S-E-T-L CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING FOURTH AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND LOCKWOOD ANDREWS AND NEWMAN INC.ITEM 36 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEM 37 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $550,000 OUT OF METRO PROJECTS CONSTRUCTION, D-D-S-R-F APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND KIMLEY HORN AND ASSOCIATES, INC.
ITEM 38 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,204,600 OUT OF THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND RG MILLER ENGINEERS INC.
ITEM 39, MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS TO ADOPT RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $10,038,710 6 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH SER CONSTRUCTION PARTNERS.
MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON TO ADOPT RECOMMENDATION FROM CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER TO AWARD FERGUSON ENTERPRISES LLC $2,906,503 55 CENTS AND COBURN SUPPLY COMPANY $2,601,041 50 CENTS FOR PLASTIC METAL BOXES AND COVERS.
DELAYED BY MOTION NUMBER 2023 DASH 2 43.
THIS WAS ITEM 34 ON AGENDA OF APRIL 12TH, 2023.
THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF APRIL 19 AND 20 2023.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND IN THE WORDS OF THE CURRENT CITY SECRETARY PAT JEFFERSON, DANIEL, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED.
OFFICE OF SECRETARY, PAT JEFFERSON, DANIEL.
[RECONVENE]
IT IS 9 0 5 ON, UH, WEDNESDAY, APRIL THE 19TH, 2023.AND I'M CALLING THIS MEETING OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER.
DO WE HAVE A CODE? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
[MAYOR'S REPORT]
JUST A FEW COMMENTS.UM, UH, THE LEGISLATURE IS, UH, STILL IN SESSION, UNFORTUNATELY, UM,
UM, IT IS A, UM, IT'S A BILL THAT, UH, CERTAINLY WILL PREEMPT THE CITY ON A LOT OF MEASURES LIKE NOISE, OKAY? INSURANCE MATTERS, LABOR MATTERS, UH, FINANCE MATTERS.
UM, UM, LET ME ENCOURAGE, UM, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
IF YOU HAVE AN INFLUENCE WITH MEMBERS IN THE SENATE, LIKE SENATOR CREIGHTON, UH, HE'S CARRYING THE BILL, HE'S CARRYING THE BILL IN THE SENATE.
UM, SO LEMME JUST, LEMME JUST SAY BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND, JUST LIKE ON THE, UM, THOSE BIG, UM, UTILITY POLES.
UTILITY POLES, THOSE ARE HORRIBLE.
BUT PEOPLE, PEOPLE STILL THINK THAT IT'S THE CITY THAT'S ALLOWING THESE UTILITY COMPANIES TO PUT UP THESE BIG UTILITY POLES, SIDEWALK.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE CAN DO, AND WHAT WE HAVE SAID TO, TO CENTER POINT IS THAT YOU MUST PROVIDE US WITH NOTICE, OKAY? AND GIVE US, PROVIDE US WITH NOTICE, AND THEN WE'LL LET THE PEOPLE KNOW.
WE'LL LET YOU ALL KNOW SO YOU CAN LET YOUR CONSTITUENTS KNOW.
BUT IN, BUT IN TERMS OF STOPPING IT, SAYING NO, WE HAVE BEEN PREEMPTED.
SO, AND IT'S NOT JUST CENTER POINT, IT'S TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANIES.
IF THEY WANNA DROP SOMETHING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE'S HOMES IN THE CITIES RIGHT AWAY, WE CANNOT STOP IT.
[01:55:01]
UM, SO IT'S NOT ABOUT WHY IS PERMITTING ALLOWING IT TO HAPPEN.WE HAVE BEEN PREEMPTED IN THIS AREA AND THE SUPER PREEMPTION BILL THAT'S MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, WE'LL PREEMPT US IN OTHER AREAS.
SO WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW, PEOPLE ALL DOWN WASHINGTON AVENUE CLUBS, BARS, ILLINOIS AND STUFF.
WE HAVE TO SEND 'EM TO AUSTIN, TEXAS, YOU KNOW? RIGHT.
SO IT'S, UM, SO I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M, UM, IT'S DISAPPOINTING.
UM, BECAUSE THE REALITY IS, FOR EXAMPLE, IF A HURRICANE SHOULD COME AND THE DAMAGE IS WIDESPREAD, PEOPLE ARE GONNA CALL, THEY CALL ON THE CITY TO RESPOND, OKAY? AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS.
UM, HADN'T BEEN, YOU KNOW, PASSED THE SENATE YET.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY PULL WITH ANY OF THE SENATORS, UM, UH, ASK THEM TO, IF NOT VOTE AGAINST US TO SOFTEN THE BILL IN SOME SHAPE FASHION.
BUT IT IS A SUPER PREEMPTION BILL.
UM, AND IT'S A, WHAT'S THE COMPANION BILL IN THE SENATE? OH, IT'S SENATE BILL EIGHT SOMETHING.
8 14, 8 14, I THINK IS THE, YEAH, IT'S THE COMPANION BILL.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, LOCAL CONTROL DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, WHEN THE SUPER PREEMPTION BILL PASSED IN TECH, WELL, ON THIRD READING, IT WILL PREEMPT CITIES ON, UH, EIGHT SECTIONS OF THE CODE, INCLUDING OUR RECENTLY PASSED PUPPY MILL ORDINANCE, OUR PAYDAY LENDING ORDINANCE.
AND EVEN WORSE, THE BILL ALLOWS FOR LAWSUITS, NOT THE LEGISLATURE, TO DETERMINE WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT PREEMPTED.
WHICH MEANS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT IF A COMPANY SHOULD SAY YOU ALL PASSED AN ORDINANCE, UH, BUT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN PREEMPTED, YOU DON'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY.
COMPANIES CAN GO AND SUE THE CITY, SUE THE CITY, AND IF WE, SO ANYTIME WE PASS AN ORDINANCE, ANYTIME WE PASS AN ORDINANCE, IF THERE'S SOME ENTITY OUT THERE THAT SAYS, NO, Y'ALL SHOULDN'T, WE DON'T AGREE WITH Y'ALL, Y'ALL, Y'ALL, YOU ALL DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY, THEY CAN SUE THE CITY.
AND I GUARANTEE YOU, THERE ARE GONNA BE MANY PEOPLE WHO WILL SAY, BASICALLY, Y'ALL ROAD, Y'ALL ROAD IS TO PICK UP TRASH, UM, AND STOP.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT IS JUST, AND THEN TO DEFEND THE CITY, UH, IT WOULD BE SUBSTANTIAL COST COSTON LITIGATION.
AND AS THE, AS THE HOUSE SPONSOR SAID, THE CHAIRMAN OF THIS BILL, WHEN PEOPLE BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT THE BILL WAS AMBIGUOUS, VAGUE, UNCLEAR, HIS RESPONSE WAS, THIS IS A LIVING, UH, BREATHING DOCUMENT.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME LEGAL ISSUES ON THIS BILL IN TERMS OF AMBIGUITY.
I DO THINK THERE ARE SOME LEGAL ISSUES.
I DO THINK THAT IF THIS BILL SHOULD PASS, IT WILL BE CHALLENGED BY MANY CITIES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS BECAUSE, UH, YOU, YOU WON'T KNOW HOW TO GOVERN.
AND WHEN YOU ARE PASSING ON THIS, YOU ARE PASSING ON, ON THIS SUBJECT TO, UM, THE CITY CITY'S NOT BEING SUED.
SO IT NOW, IT'S GONNA BE A FEEDING FRENZY FOR LAWYERS BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY DIDN'T GET THEY WISH HERE AT CITY COUNCIL, THEY'RE GONNA GO, THEY'RE GONNA FIND THEM SOME LAWYERS.
SO IT'S A, IT IS GONNA BE A FEEDING FRENZY.
IT'S GONNA BE, IT IS GONNA CREATE LITIGATION ALL THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT TORQUE REFORM, AND, YOU KNOW, HB UH, 2127 WILL BE A FEEDING FRENZY FOR LAWYERS.
UM, SO ANYWAY, THAT'S ON, THAT'S ON THAT BILL.
AND THERE ARE OTHERS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE AS WE SPEAK.
SO IT IS, THEY NEED TO SIGN AND DIE TODAY.
SO JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO KIND OF GO OUT AND TAKE A LOOK.
THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS HAVE COME TOGETHER AND, AND PUT UP SOME THINGS.
UM, UH, ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE OUTSIDE, UM, BUT THEY HAVE REALLY WORKED FOR MONTHS ON THE
[02:00:01]
EXHIBITS THAT ARE OUTSIDE.SO WHEN, IF YOU GET A CHANCE, JUST KIND OF GO OUTSIDE AND, AND, AND TAKE A LOOK, UM, BETWEEN HERE AND ACROSS THE STREET AND THE LIBRARY THAT THOSE, UH, THAT IS UP.
THE FESTIVAL WILL GO FROM 10 UNTIL TWO.
UH, TODAY, UM, THE MEMORIAL PARK CENTRAL CONNECTOR, THE KINDER LAND BRIDGE HAS BEEN SELECTED, THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATIONS PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT OF THE YEAR AND STRUCTURES, UM, UM, WHICH IS TREMENDOUS NEWS.
THIS ELECTION PUTS MEMORIAL PARK CONSERVANCY AND HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, UH, IN A VERY ELITE GROUP OF WINNERS.
SO, UH, CERTAINLY WANT TO GIVE A LOT OF, UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE WHO WORKED ON THAT.
THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS WATER LAST WEEK, THE CITY OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, EAST WATER PURIFICATION PLANT, ONE BEST TASTING DRINKING WATER IN TEXAS.
WATER SAMPLES WERE RANKED BY A PANEL OF JUDGES ON, ON SEVERAL CATEGORIES.
AND THE JUDGES DID A BLIND TASTING OF 18 DRINKING WATER SAMPLES FROM ALL OVER THE STATE.
UH, AND HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS THAT NORTHEAST WATER PURIFICATION, NO EAST WATER PURIFICATION PLANT, UH, CAME OUT ON TOP.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THEM.
UH, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THE CITY AROUND THE WORLD.
UM, UH, TAYLOR SWIFT, UH, IS COMING THIS WAY.
AND SO THE TAYLOR SWIFT FANS, THE SWIFT TEES, UM, SEE SHE'S PLAYING THREE SOLD OUT HOUSTON SHOWS AT NRG BEGINNING FRIDAY NIGHT.
SHE IS SIMPLY INCREDIBLE BACK THERE.
UH, LOOK, I'M NOT EVEN GOOD ENOUGH.
UM, WHOA, WHOA, WORKING ON SOMETHING.
WELL, YOU KNOW, UNLESS I'M SINGING DIRECTLY WITH HER, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW.
BUT, UM, BUT NOW IT'S, UM, SHE'S INCREDIBLE.
I MEAN, SHE'S JUST INCREDIBLE.
SO SHE'S IN TOWN AND THE SWIFTIES, UM, ASKING FOR VERY SPECIAL THINGS FOR TAYLOR SWIFT.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE GONNA END UP, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SEE, UH, WE WORKING.
ANYBODY GOING TO THE TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERT AROUND HERE? ARE YOU GOING? HECK YEAH.
WITH, WITH HIS DAUGHTER, A BUNCH OF GIRLS.
BUT YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA HAD FREE TICKETS.
AND SHE DOES HAVE A HOUSTON CONNECTION 'CAUSE TAYLOR'S TAYLOR SWIFT MOTHER GRADUATED FROM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, UM, ACCORDING TO OUR FRIENDS AT HOUSTON, FIRST AND TAYLOR DONATED TO THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK AFTER HARVEY.
UM, SO WE WISH HER THE VERY BEST AND KNOW HER CONCERN WOULD BE, UH, IN INCREDIBLE AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
ON A SIDE NOTE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT IS SADDENED BY THE PASSING OF FIREFIGHTER WILLIE C. NELSON, JR.
HE WAS A 50, HE WAS 50 YEARS OLD AND A 16 YEAR VETERAN OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE SENT OUR MOST OUR CONDOLENCES TO FIREFIGHTER, UH, NELSON'S FAMILY.
AND PLEASE KEEP THE NELSON FAMILY, HFD AND FRIENDS AND YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
AND THEN, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, UH, THERE WAS ANOTHER EMPLOYEE OF CITY OF HOUSTON, OUT PARKS AND REC, ONE OF OUR RANGERS, UM, I THINK HE WAS RESPONDING TO HIS DAUGHTER WHO HAD A FLAT TIRE AND WAS HIT AND AN EMPLOYEE FOR 30 YEARS.
HE WAS A SUPERVISOR IN THE, FOR THE OF THE PARK RANGERS.
SO, UM, UM, OUR THOUGHTS AND, AND WE'LL GET HIS NAME AS WELL, BUT OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH, UM, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEIR COWORKERS, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND HIS COWORKERS AND, UH, INTO THEIR FAMILIES.
ALRIGHT? I THINK THAT, UM, OH, I'M SORRY.
COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH MAYOR, CAN YOU GIVE US A, A HIGH LEVEL VIEW OF, OF THE, THERE THERE'S A LAWSUIT INVOLVING THE, THERE, THE CONCESSIONS, UH, CONTRACT THAT WE RECENTLY PASSED.
CAN YOU GIVE US ANY UPDATE ON THAT? UM, THEY, THERE WAS A LAWSUIT FILED SEEKING A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER.
UH, THE TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER WAS DENIED BY THE JUDGE, AND NOW THEY'RE PROCEEDING TO THE REGULAR LAWSUIT.
I THINK THE NEXT, UH, DATE, HEARING DATE IS, UH, IS UH, UM, LATTER PART OF THIS MONTH, SOMETIME IN APRIL.
MAYOR, WHAT, WHAT STEPS ARE WOULD BE TAKEN IF, IF THEY DIDN'T LEAVE THE AIRPORT? OH, THEY'RE GONNA LEAVE THE AIRPORT
[02:05:01]
TO GO THROUGH EVICTION.NO, THEY NEED TO START PACKING NOW, BUT THEY ARE LEAVING
BUT, BUT HOW WOULD YOU GET 'EM OUT? BUT BEAR IN MIND, TWO THINGS, BEAR TWO THINGS THAT THEIR CONTRACT FOR THE AIRPORT IS EXPIRING.
SO EVEN IF WE DIDN'T ELECT ANYBODY, THEIR CONTRACT HAS ENDED AND THEY MUST VACATE.
EVEN IF THERE WAS NOT, THEY MUST VACATE.
UH, AND NUMBER TWO, UH, THEY SOUGHT A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER TO PREVENT HAVING TO PREPARE TO LEAVE.
AND THAT TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER WAS DENIED.
BUT WE HAVE TO GO TO MEDIATION.
WELL, THEY'RE GOING TO MEDIATION.
AND, UH, HOW WOULD YOU MEDIATE THAT? WELL, I, I'VE BEEN A LAWYER FOR 40 PLUS YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU MEDIATE A PROCUREMENT, BUT THEY'LL GO TO MEDIATION.
SO, SO THAT'S, UM, THAT'S ON THAT FRONT.
UM, AND SEE, I'M TRYING TO THINK IF, IS THERE SOMETHING, OH, I'M SORRY.
JUST TO GO BACK, UM, IN ADDITION, AS YOU RECOGNIZED, UM, THE LOSS OF, UH, IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF NELSON, UM, THE NAME OF THE URBAN PARK RANGER WAS DAVID LEWIS.
DAVID LEWIS, DAVID LEWIS, DAVID LEWIS.
AND, UH, AGAIN, HE WAS, UH, WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR ALMOST 32 YEARS.
UH, IT WAS NOT AN, UH, CITY RELATED, UH, DEATH.
IT WAS, AS YOU SAID, WHEN HE WAS RESPONDING TO HIS DAUGHTER TRYING TO FIX A FLAT TIRE FOR HER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, WHICH AGAIN, BRINGS UP, UM, A LOT OF THE SAFETY ISSUES AND ENCOURAGING DRIVERS JUST TO BE VERY, VERY AWARE OF, OF OTHERS ON THE ROAD.
AND SO WE WANNA LIFT UP HIS FAMILY AND, UH, HIS COWORKERS OVER IN PARKS AND REC.
ALRIGHT, HAVING SAID THAT, UM, LET'S
[CONSENT AGENDA]
NOW TURN TO THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE ACCEPT WORD CATEGORY.ITEM ONE IS TO REMOVED SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM TWO, CAST.
ROBINSON MOVED AND SECONDED ON ITEM TWO.
DISCUSSION IN FAVOR, OPPOSE, AND GRANTED UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY.
SECONDED ON ITEM THREE, DISCUSSION ON ITEM THREE IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED PASS GRANTED UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BS CATEGORY.
ITEM SEVEN AND EIGHT HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM FOUR THROUGH SIX AND NINE THROUGH 12 AS SEX.
ROBINSON BEEN MOVED IN SECOND IN DISCUSSION.
DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF POST GRANITE UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY.
ITEMS 29 AND 36 HAVE BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED ITEMS REMOVED.
THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 15, 16, 20, AND 26.
DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED? GRANTED I
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
REMOVE A SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.ITEM NUMBER ONE NEEDS A MOTION.
JUST WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT THIS ITEM.
IT'S THE, UH, APPROVING OF THE FINAL CONTRACT FOR AN OVERLAY PACKAGE BETWEEN DISTRICT C AND G.
UH, I WANTED TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN FOR HER PARTNERSHIP, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO TACKLE WHAT WE CAN ALONG WESTHEIMER, UH, WHICH WE BOTH, WE BOTH SHARE THAT ROAD AND IT NEEDS A LOT OF, UH, ATTENTION.
BUT I DID WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE OVERLAY PROGRAM, THE ALLOCATION OF LANE MILES FOR DISTRICT MEMBERS IS GOING VERY WELL.
SO I WANTED TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION AND, UH, ENCOURAGE US TO CONTINUE TO UTILIZE TOOLS LIKE THAT.
UH, MAYBE EVEN GETTING MORE LANE MILES.
IT'S, IT'S GOING VERY, VERY WELL AND WE THANK THE DEPARTMENT TOO.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM ONE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED GRANTED ON ONE.
ITEM SEVEN NEEDS A MOTION CAST T MOVE.
SECOND ROBINSON, WE ON ITEM SEVEN? WE ON ITEM SEVEN.
COUNCIL, MOVE PASS ON ITEM EIGHT.
[02:10:01]
THIS IS FOR THE MARKETING, UM, FOR THE GIVE THE WATER OR BREAK CAMPAIGN AND LOOKING AT THE BACKUP MATERIAL.UM, AS FAR AS HOW THEY'RE ADVERTISING THIS, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S, UM, JUST TRADITIONAL WAYS OF ADVERTISING.
GOOGLE ADS, UM, TV, RADIO, THAT KIND OF THING.
IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE CONSTANTLY PASSING, UM, CONTRACTS LIKE THIS WHERE THEY'RE DOING ADVERTISING FOR SOMETHING THAT THE CITY'S TRYING TO GET OUT THERE.
AND IT NEVER COMES BACK TO COUNCIL WITH ANY KIND OF DELIVERABLES TO SEE IF ANY OF THIS ACTUALLY WORKED OR IF THERE'S OTHER AVENUES OF MARKETING THAT MAYBE THE CITY HASN'T TAPPED INTO TO SEE IF THAT WOULD WORK BETTER.
ALMOST SEEMS LIKE THERE'S NO KIND OF PLAN FOR HOW THE CITY ADVERTISES THESE KIND OF THINGS.
SO IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE, UM, TOWARDS THE END OF THIS CAMPAIGN IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF STATISTICS THAT THEY HAVE AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY SAW THESE ADS, IF IT WORKED, THAT KIND OF THING.
WHY DON'T I HAVE THEM TO GIVE US A, THEY GIVE A REPORT, UM, BACK IN 90 DAYS.
YEAH, IF YOU'LL HAVE THEM COME BACK AND REPORT TO Y'ALL IN, IN 90 DAYS, THAT'D BE GREAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERTS? YEAH, JUST, UH, TO SAY OUT LOUD, MAYOR, WE, SINCE WE HOSTED THE PREVIEW TO, UH, AND I KNOW YOU WERE THERE, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, IT WAS REALLY ROBUST AND GREAT LOOKING PRESENTATION.
SO TO MAYBE GET BACK AT THE METRICS OF HOW WELL IT DID, I THINK THAT'D BE, UH, CONSTRUCTIVE FOR EVERYBODY.
ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON ITEM EIGHT IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? GRANTED ON A ITEM 15 IS AN ORDINANCE.
I I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE OPPOSED.
THIS IS TO ENSURE THAT CITIES HAVE ADEQUATE, UH, TIME TO COMPLETE THE REVIEW PROCESS AND PARTICIPATE IN THE APPEALS PROCESS, CORRECT? YES, THAT IS, THAT IS CORRECT.
AND, AND THAT BRINGS UP FOR ME ANOTHER CONCERN OR QUESTION I HAVE BECAUSE DON'T, ISN'T THERE ALSO LEGISLATION, UH, BEING CONSIDERED RIGHT NOW AT THE STATE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY LIMIT OUR ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND DO WE KNOW WHAT THE STATUS OF, OF THOSE, THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION IS RIGHT NOW? WE'RE TRYING, WE ARE TRYING TO SOFTEN THE IMPACT IT WOULD HAVE.
UM, AND ONE OF THE WAYS TO DO THAT IS TO ALLOW CITIES TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, UH, A VOICE THROUGH THEIR OWN REPRESENTATION.
SO WE ARE WORKING TO MODIFY THE BILL TO INCLUDE THAT FACTOR.
UH, IF THAT OCCURS, UH, THEN THAT WOULD BE A BIG, THAT'D BE A BIG PLUS.
UM, THE OTHER THING TOO IS WHAT THE UTILITIES ARE SEEKING.
I THINK THEY, THEY'RE WANTING TWO, THE ABILITY TO HAVE THAT NOT JUSTIFY 1D CRF, BUT TWO, UM, AS LONG AS THE CITY'S ABLE TO HAVE REPRESENTATION WHERE WE CAN REVIEW IT AND THEN OFFER OUR ASSESSMENT, UM, THEN, THEN I'M GOOD WITH THAT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 15 IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? GRANTED ON 15? ITEM 16 IS AN ORDER.
LEMME JUST SAY HELLO TO CHIEF PENON OUT THERE.
I'M TRYING TO BREAK MY RECORD.
NEXT ITEM, ITEM 26 IS AN ORDINANCE.
STATUTE ON 26 IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? GRANTED ON 26.
ITEM 39 IS A MOTION WE JUST, WE ALREADY HAVE A MOTION FOR.
VICE MAYOR PROTE, UH, CAST TATUM ON 39.
UH, COUNCILMAN POLL FOR TAGGING THIS LAST WEEK.
I WANTED TO, UM, SHARE THE, UH, EXPERIENCE WE HAD, UM, WITH THIS PROJECT.
THIS WAS WOOD SHIRE DRAINAGE AND PAVING IMPROVEMENT.
IT WAS A TOTAL RECONSTRUCTION.
IT INCLUDED, UM, CONCRETE ROADWAYS, CURBS, SIDEWALKS, DRIVEWAYS, STREET LIGHTS, UNDERGROUND UTILITIES, UM, TOWNHOUSE MANOR AND WOODSIDE.
HOA WOOD SHIRE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE VERY ENGAGED IN THIS PROJECT.
I MEAN, THE MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY WOULD ATTEND THE ACTUAL,
[02:15:01]
UH, CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS MEETINGS.UH, THE CONTRACTOR WAS VERY ATTENTIVE TO EACH OF THEIR CONCERNS.
AT THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT, THE COMMUNITY HELD A PARTY.
THEY HELD A SUMMER FIESTA AND THEY INVITED THE COUNCIL OFFICE, THE CONTRACTORS AND EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE THE COMPLETION OF THIS CIP PROJECT.
AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY EXTRAORDINARY.
SO I WANTED TO AMPLIFY SER CONSTRUCTION PARTNERS, UH, LLC BECAUSE THE PROJECT WAS RATED OUTSTANDING, THE PRIME EXCEEDED THE MBE, THE WBE AND MET THE SBE GOALS WHILE UTILIZING ALL OF THE GOLD CREDIT SUBCONTRACTORS.
SO, UM, THERE WERE A FEW LITTLE HICCUPS IN THE PROJECT.
WE HAD THE WALKTHROUGH, THE PUNCH LIST, AND EVERYTHING WAS ADDRESSED.
UM, THE SOD UH, THE REPAIRING OF PEOPLE'S BRICKS, IT JUST WORKED THE WAY IT, IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK AND THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WERE ELATED AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOKS AMAZING.
SO I WANTED TO JUST, UM, SHARE THAT WITH THE COUNCIL AND WITH THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THIS IS THE TYPE OF WORK THAT WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE FROM ALL OF OUR CONTRACTORS SO THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT WE REPRESENT ARE EXCITED ABOUT THESE CIP PROJECTS THAT WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON.
AND UM, AND THIS WAS A PROJECT THAT WAS WELL DONE.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 39 IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTING ON 39? ITEM 40 WAS A MOTION.
MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO REFER ITEM 40 BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
IT MOVES, IT SHALL SECOND, SECOND.
AND SECOND TO REFER THE MATTER BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
UH, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OPPOSED GRANTING.
UH, I'M SORRY THERE ANYTHING ELSE? THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
DOESN'T THAT BREAK YOUR RECORD? NO, IT'S A TIE.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TALKED SO LONG.
YOU KNOW, I WAS GONNA ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT THAT
UM, I WANNA GIVE YOU PLENTY OF TIME SO YOU CAN KIND OF GO TO YOUR OFFICES AND GET YOURSELF READY.
SO, BECAUSE I KNOW Y'ALL GONNA BE OUT THERE IN THE EXHIBIT, SO, YOU KNOW, UM, 'CAUSE I MEAN THE PEOPLE ARE SO PROUD OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND THEY SHOULD BE, UH, IN TERMS OF THE EXHIBITS OF THURSDAY.
[NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
WE START OFF WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.UM, I JUST WANNA START OFF BY THANKING THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR COMING OUT AND ATTENDING OUR, UH, MONTHLY, UM, DISTRICT B BRIEFING.
GOT A CHANCE TO UPDATE THE COMMUNITY ON THE PROGRESS WE MAKING, UM, ON THE 50 50.
UM, LOVE OUR PARKS INITIATIVES AND JUST UPDATING THEM ON JUST THE MOVEMENT, UM, TO IMPROVE THE PARKS AND DISTRICT B.
AND SO I JUST WANNA THANK THEM FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME OUT.
UM, ALSO WANT TO, UM, JUST UPDATE THE RESIDENTS AND DISTRICT B ABOUT THE, UM, HOMEGROWN CELEBRATION FOR PASTORAL RC BELL, WHICH WILL BEGIN ON TOMORROW APRIL THE 20TH.
UM, FROM FOUR TO 7:00 PM AT THE F FOREST.
LN MBC, UM, CHURCH LOCATED AT 50 12 WEAVER ROAD.
AND HIS HOMEGROWN CELEBRATION WILL BE AT THE COMMUNITY OF FATE CHURCH AT 11:00 AM WHICH IS LOCATED AT 10 24 PINE MOUNT.
UM, SO IF YOU WANTED MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT OUR OFFICE.
AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE BIRTHDAY WISHES.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN.
UH, FIRST, VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
UH, WE HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE MEETING TOMORROW AT 2:00 PM UH, THERE'S GOING TO BE SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS.
FIRST, OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS DOING TWO PRESENTATIONS.
ONE IS ON THE ALERT HOUSTON SYSTEM.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS AS TO HOW THAT WORKS, WHAT QUALIFIES FOR ALERTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THEY'LL ALSO BE PRESENTING ON THE STATUS OF THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN.
UH, FOR DISTRICT MEMBERS, THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO GET PUBLIC INPUT ON THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN.
AND THEN THEY'LL, THEY'RE PROVIDING AN UPDATE FROM THERE ON THAT.
UH, AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON, WE ARE GOING TO BE SEEING A RANGE OF GRANT APPLICATIONS COMING BEFORE COUNCIL SOON, I THINK CLOSE TO A DOZEN MAYOR.
UH, SO WE'RE GONNA BE RUNNING THROUGH THOSE AND HOW HPD IS DOING AND SUCCESSFULLY, UM, BRINGING DOWN MORE DOLLARS FOR THE CITY.
AND THEN LASTLY, UH, IT IS EARTH MONTH.
[02:20:01]
MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, BRINGING HOUSTON AGAIN TO THE FOREFRONT.UH, MAY I THINK I READ THE LARGEST, UH, EARTH DAY FESTIVAL, UH, AT LEAST IN THE STATE, MAYBE THE COUNTRY, UH, BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO TODAY.
AND DISTRICT C UH, AT THE, UH, AT MEMORIAL PARK AND THE HOUSTON ARBORETUM AND NATURE CENTER, THEY'RE HAVING A CELEBRATION ON SATURDAY.
IT'S FREE, AND THERE'S A FULL LIST, UM, FOR ALL THINGS IN HOUSTON RELATED TO EARTH DAY AT 3 365 THINGS IN HOUSTON.ORG.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMAN POLLARD.
AS WE, UH, CELEBRATE EARTH DAY, UM, I WANT TO INVITE EVERYONE TO JOIN MY OFFICE IN THE SHARPSTOWN PARK ALLIANCE IN THE URBAN HARVEST FEST, UH, FOR THE EARTH DAY PLANT SWAP.
THAT WILL BE THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 22ND FROM 9:00 AM TO 11, AND IT WILL BE AT THE MONKS HERE.
BILL PICKARD PARK, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 8 2 0 1 RUSE ROAD IS RUSE AND MARY BATES, UH, IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT J.
AND THIS IS AN ANNUAL PLANT SWAP, UH, THAT WE DO IN THE SHARPSTOWN AREA.
SO INVITING EVERYONE OUT TO THAT.
AND MAYOR ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, THIS PAST WEEKEND YOU AND I ATTENDED THE, UH, WALK TO SAVE BLACK MEN'S LIVES AT TSU.
UH, THAT WAS THE FOCUS ON THE, UM, HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF AFRICAN AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES AND THE DISPARITIES, UH, WITH SOME OF THE HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING.
SO I WANTED TO THANK PASTOR JAY DARNELL COOPER, UM, IN THE ENTIRE TSU ADMINISTRATION FOR HELPING PUT THAT TOGETHER.
THAT WAS A GOOD TURNOUT AND SOMETHING I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO DO EACH YEAR HERE.
I WANNA FIRST, UH, LIFT UP JOANNE JOHNSON WHOSE RETIREMENT IS TODAY, AND SHE HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT SINCE 1989.
HER MOST RECENT SERVICE WAS AT THE EMANCIPATION PARK, THE HISTORICAL EMANCIPATION PARK FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS.
AND WE CERTAINLY WISH HER WELL AND HOPE THAT SHE ENJOYS HER RETIREMENT.
ON A SAD NOTE, I WANT TO, UM, LIFT UP THE FAMILY OF ALVIN HOLMES WARDLAW, WHO, UH, WAS A 62 YEAR, UH, EMPLOYEE WITH THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
HE'S ALSO THE FATHER OF ALVIA WARDLAW, WHO IS A MUSEUM CURATOR AND THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, JOY WARDLAW FITZGERALD.
AND SO, UH, THE WAKE IS TONIGHT FROM FOUR TO SEVEN AT MABRY, AND THE MASS WILL BE TOMORROW AT ST.
MARY'S CHURCH AT 10:00 AM UH, ALSO EARTH DAY WILL BE CELEBRATED IN DISTRICT D, OF COURSE, AT THE BLUE TRIANGLE COMMUNITY CENTER ON SATURDAY FROM 9:00 AM TO NOON, WHICH IS 3005 MCGOWAN.
THERE WILL BE A DRIVE THROUGH SHREDDING E RECYCLE AND TREE GIVEAWAY.
AND ALSO AT THE YOUNG WOMAN'S COLLEGE PREPARATORY, THERE WILL BE A TREE PLANTING CEREMONY IN HONOR OF OUR SORROW OF VICE MAYOR PRO TEM.
AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, DR.
AND SO THAT WILL BE THIS SATURDAY FROM 10:00 AM TO NOON.
AND THE YOUNG WOMAN'S COLLEGE PREPARATORY IS LOCATED AT 1906 CLEBURNE STREET AND COME OUT AND COMMEMORATE THE WONDERFUL LIFE OF SARO, DR.
MAY I PRETEND MARTIN? YES, MAYOR.
AND, UH, I AM A SWIFTY AND I WILL BE AT THE CONCERT.
SO IN HONOR OF HER 44 SONGS THAT SHE WILL SING, UH, I'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, A LOT OF PEOPLE SOMETIMES SAY TO YOU, YOU ARE THE MAN.
AS I ALWAYS TELL THEM, YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN.
THAT'S A SONG AS, THAT'S A DELICATE SUBJECT.
AND SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO SHAKE IT OFF.
THAT'S A SONG, A REMINDER TO ALL THE SWIFTIES THAT AS THE HEAT ROLLS IN, IN AUGUST, IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL HAVE A CRUEL SUMMER.
THAT'S A SONG AND IT DOES NOT GET ANY HOTTER.
AND IF IT DOES, PEOPLE SHOULD BE FEARLESS.
OR JUST CATCH SOME SHADE FROM A WILLOW TREE OR JUST TOLERATE IT.
THAT'S THE SONG OR THE CITY FOR THE HEAT.
JUST BE PREPARED TO TOLERATE IT.
THAT'S THE SONG, AND I WILL BE READY FOR IT.
JUST REMEMBER
YEAH, I TRIED TO GET ALL 44 SONGS IN, BUT
[02:25:01]
I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME.'CAUSE HE DID HIS MEETING IN 29 MINUTES.
WELL, SO YOU'RE GONNA BE THERE FRIDAY NIGHT OR SATURDAY NIGHT? I'M NOT TELLING ANYBODY BECAUSE I'M JUST GOING TO BE READY FOR IT.
ME AND ME AND, UH, A COUPLE OF MY DAUGHTER AND SOME FRIENDS.
I'M WELL FOR FATHER OF THE YEAR, BUT HEY, WELL, YOU ARE ON, YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY.
WELL, I DON'T HAVE ANY SONGS IN MY, UH, REMARKS TODAY.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE,
I GOT NOTHING, UH, SWIFTY IN MY COMMENTS TODAY, BUT ENJOY THE CONCERT.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WILL COMMENCE.
UH, TODAY AT 2:00 PM WE WILL HAVE A, UM, STAFF ANALYST, ANDREW BUSKER OF THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WILL PRESENT ON A TZ PROGRAM PROPOSAL.
AND DIRECTOR MURRAY IN OBO WILL PRESENT THE, UM, DBE TRIENNIAL GOALS.
AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE AIRPORT SYSTEM, UH, STAFF ON PASSENGER JOURNEY SCORECARD APPLICATION IN THE AIRPORT.
A DA FEATURES FOR PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES.
I'VE HAD A BRIEFING ON THAT, AND IT IS PHENOMENAL.
I THINK IT'S REALLY GOING TO TAKE OUR PASSENGER EXPERIENCE, UM, AT OUR AIRPORTS TO A TOTALLY DIFFERENT LEVEL.
UM, TONIGHT WE'RE ALSO, UM, JOINING THE HI CLARK FORT BEND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FOR THE SECOND DEVELOPER'S NETWORKING EVENT.
UH, AT THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER.
UH, WE WILL HAVE PRESENTATION BY REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER TJ TANI.
AND WE'VE GOT GUEST PANELISTS TO INCLUDE SOCIAL IMPACT REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER CHRISTOPHER SENEGAL AND KRISTA STONEHAM, THE CEO AND PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON LAND BANK WILL ALSO BE ON THE PANEL.
SO HOPE TO SEE PEOPLE OUT AT THAT EVENT.
ALSO, MAYOR, VERY EXCITED THAT OUR, UM, PART OF THE 50 50 PARK PARTNERS INITIATIVE, SIMON MENTIONED PARK, UH, CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN.
UH, WANT TO THANK THE SOUTH POST OAK REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TURNS NINE FOR THEIR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION OF $500,000.
UM, THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD AND, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION RELEASE THAT WORK AUTHORIZATION FOR THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND WE'RE GETTING A NEW PLAYGROUND, A NEW WALKING TRAIL, NEW PARK ENTRANCE, AND IMPROVED BASEBALL FIELD AND MORE.
SO RESIDENTS ARE EXPECTING THIS PHENOMENAL PARK TO BE COMPLETED AT THE END OF 2023.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL CUT THE RIBBON TO SIMON MENTIONED PARK BEFORE, UM, YOU LEAVE OFFICE.
YEAH, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS.
SO, AND THEN FINALLY, I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CASE FOR KIDS CONNECTION, UH, DISTRICT K AWARD RECIPIENTS.
WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY GOOD, HAD SOME GREAT APPLICANTS THIS YEAR.
UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS AND REALLY POURING INTO OUR COMMUNITIES TO, UM, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STUDENTS IN DISTRICT K, UH, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY.
I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON ALL THE EARTH DAY, UM, SPECTACLE THAT'S GOING ON TODAY, THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS.
THE, UH, SPEAKER SERIES HAS BEEN EXCELLENT, INCLUDING, UH, SOME OF THE, UH, PANELS THAT YOU'VE BEEN A PART OF, MAYOR.
SO REALLY WE HAVE ENJOYED THAT.
I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATELY BRINGING LIGHT, AS YOU'VE POINTED OUT TO THE ENERGY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO LEAD THE TRANSITION OF ENERGY ON THIS IMPORTANT DAY AND EARTH WEEK BETTER THAN EARTH DAY.
IT'S A GREAT WAY TO EXPAND THE CELEBRATION.
AND, UH, JUST WANNA CELEBRATE ALSO OUR, UH, COLLEAGUE TARSHA JACKSON'S BIRTHDAY.
I KNOW I WAS OUTTA TOWN FOR HER ANNOUNCEMENT OF HER ENGAGEMENT AND, UH, VERY, VERY PLEASED AND, AND HAPPY FOR HER IN THAT REGARD.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS, UH, SOME GOOD STUFF.
UM, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TURNAROUND JOB FAIR AT THE A LEAVE COMMUNITY CENTER.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE ONSITE EMPLOYERS, AND SO WE ARE ENCOURAGING, UH, RESIDENTS TO TAKE, UM, A FULL ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
UH, AND I APPRECIATE THE, UH, OBO OFFICE FOR, UM, TAKING LEAD AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO PARTNER.
WANNA REMIND RESIDENT RESIDENTS ABOUT OUR DEED RESTRICTION WORKSHOP ON SATURDAY, APRIL 29TH.
AND MAYOR, TO THE POINT ABOUT THE HOUSE BILL THAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE INUNDATED AROUND, UH, GROUP HOME VIOLATIONS.
I MEAN, JUST SO MANY THINGS THAT THEY RELY ON THE CITY TO DO WHEN WE LEGALLY WITH PRIVATE PROPERTY ARE UNABLE TO DO SO.
HOPEFULLY THIS WILL ASSIST US, UM, WITH EDUCATING RESIDENTS ON WHAT THEY CAN DO.
AND A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH RESIDENTS IS THAT THEY HAVE TO TALK TO THEIR STATE REPRESENTATIVES.
OUR HANDS ARE TIED BECAUSE OF STATE STATUES.
AND SO EVEN WITH ABATEMENT, RIGHT, THE
[02:30:01]
ABILITY TO REMOVE BLIGHT AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.AND SO I WANNA ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS, IF YOU'RE NOT JUST IN DISTRICT OF THROUGHOUT THE CITY, IF THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU, UM, HAVE SOME BAD NEWS.
THE HISTORIC BLAKE'S BARBECUES CLOSING DOWN, UM, ON, AND I KNOW MR. BLAKE IS DECIDING HE WANTS TO SELL, AND HE'S TASKED ME WITH THROWING HIS PARTY.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW I GOT THAT JOB.
HE CALLED COVE 1 1 3 TIMES AND SAYS, I CANNOT TALK TO Y'ALL.
AND THEN, SO I HAD TO GO ON DOWN THERE AND DRIVE.
AND SO WE ARE GONNA DO SOMETHING IN MAY.
EVERYONE'S GONNA BE INVITED, MAYOR, I'LL MAKE SURE IT'S ON YOUR CALENDAR.
UH, BLAKE'S BARBECUE IS A HISTORIC, UH, LANDMARK IN THAT AREA AND HAS SERVED, I MEAN, AT ONE POINT THEY WERE THE LARGEST AFRICAN AMERICAN CONTRACT WITH THE NFL FOR SUPER BOWLS.
UH, THEY, UH, SERVE RODEO COMMITTEES.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY GETS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOVE ON HIM AND TELL YOU THANK YOU AND, AND GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO EAT ONE OF THOSE BURGERS.
UH, AND I SAID, MR. BLAKE, ALL THAT STUFF I DID FOR THESE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS AND YOU BOUGHT THE SALE, LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON?
OKAY, SO I NEED TO LOOK INTO THE CAMERA FOR THIS ONE.
SO, COMMS SYSTEMS AT 8 3 2 6 2 0 3 4 7 5.
PLEASE STOP DUMPING TRASH AT THE OLD LONG JOHN SILVERS AT BELAIRE AND KIRKWOOD.
YOU'VE BEEN REPORTED TO CRIME STOPPERS AND 3 1 1 AND A RESIDENT IS IN PROCESS OF COLLECTING THEIR $5,000.
SO, UM, NO, WE HAVE TO DO THAT.
SO WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ONE, UH, CLEAN HOUSTON PLAN, THAT LOCATION IS AN EYESORE.
IT'S DIRECTLY NEXT TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND WE'VE ASKED RESIDENTS TO KEEP THEIR EYES AND EARS OPEN FOR THESE HOTSPOTS.
AND A RESIDENT DID EXACTLY THAT.
AND ON THE WAY TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER SAID, I NOTICED AS I WAS GOING TO OUR BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY CENTER, THAT THIS, THIS TWO MEN WERE DUMPING BAGS OF TRASH.
NOW I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH YOUR OFFICE OF, UH, ASSISTANCE AND THEY'VE BEEN ESCALATING THAT AND WORKING AND TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, PUT A HAND ON THE OWNER.
WE, THEY HAVE BUSTED THROUGH THE OAT LONG JOHN SILVERS.
IT'S, IT NEEDS TO BE TORN DOWN.
AND SO WE'RE PUTTING THEM ON BLAST, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU PLAY DUMB GAMES, YOU GET STUPID PRIZES.
ISN'T THAT THE QUOTE? I THINK SO.
WHAT'S THE NAME OF THE COMPANY? IT'S COM SYSTEMS AT 8 3 2 6 2 0 3 4 7 5.
AND SO WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, LETTING PEOPLE KNOW, DON'T DUMP ON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
QUALITY LIFE IS REALLY IMPORTANT NO MATTER IF YOU'RE THERE BY CIRCUMSTANTIAL CHOICE.
UM, AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THAT WORK, BUT I WAS EX I WAS PLEASED TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE TAKING TO THE MESSAGE OF ONE CLEAN HOUSTON EXCELLENT.
AND THEY'RE TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THAT.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE FEELING GOOD ABOUT SHARING THAT INFORMATION AND REPORTING IT.
SO WE'RE DOING WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
AND I TOLD PEOPLE ON, ON TWITTER, I SAID, WE GOT EYES FROM HIGHWAY SIX ALL THE WAY TO HILLCROFT, RIGHT? SO YOU DUMP, WE'RE GONNA GET YOU AND WE'RE GONNA PUT IT IN THE SYSTEM.
AND SO, UM, UH, A TURN IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
NEVERTHELESS, I WANNA ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO COME ON OUT, UH, TO OUR DEED RESTRICTION EVEN ON APRIL 28TH.
THANKS, COUNCILMAN MAYOR ALCO.
WHILE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CAMERA, TEXAS JUNK REMOVAL,
I MEAN, GET RID OF THOSE SIGNS.
UH, MAYOR, I WAS ONE OF THE JUDGES IN THE WATER CONTEST AND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.
AND WE DRANK 18 LITTLE GLASSES OF WATER.
AND WE HAD ALLISON COOK, THE FOOD CRITIC FROM THE CHRONICLE WAS ONE.
WE HAD THE GUY THAT STARTED ST.
I MEAN, THERE WERE LIKE LEGIT JUDGES BESIDES ME AND, AND MAYA.
ANYWAY, SO WE, WE WENT THROUGH, WE DRANK ALL THIS WATER AND, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S CLARITY AND SMELL AND ALL THESE CATEGORIES.
I MEAN, THEY ALL SEEMED PRETTY GOOD TO ME.
A COUPLE OF 'EM DIDN'T, BUT I WAS NOT A CONNOISSEUR, BUT I WAS SUPER NERVOUS BECAUSE THE THIRD PLACE WENT TO LIKE DENTON, TEXAS.
AND THE SECOND PLACE WENT TO LEWISVILLE.
AND I WAS LIKE, I'M GONNA BE SO EMBARRASSED IF HOUSTON DUN, BECAUSE HOUSTON HAD A LOT OF ENTRIES.
THEY HAD SOUTHEAST PLANT AND WAY TO GO EAST, EAST PURIFICATION PLANT CAME WITH TOP HONORS AND THEY WERE ALL THERE.
AND I GOT TO MEET THE PEOPLE FROM THAT PLANT.
AND ONE OF THEM'S MARRIED TO A GUY WHO WORKS IN ANOTHER PLANT.
SO HE WAS ALL MAD 'CAUSE HIS PLANT DIDN'T GET IT, BUT THEY MET AT THE WATER PLANT.
SO IT WAS LIKE LOVE IN THE WATER PLANT AND IT WAS ALL, AND, AND, AND SPEAKING OF LOVE, UM, UM, I'M A SW WE'RE A HOUSE FULL OF SWIFTIES TOO.
BUT, UH, TAYLOR SWIFT HAD THE GALL TO BOOK HER CONCERTS THE SAME WEEKEND AS MY DAUGHTER'S WEDDING THIS WEEKEND.
OH, SHE'S GETTING MARRIED SATURDAY.
SO IN, UH, ALONG WITH, UM, THE MAYOR PRO TEM WILL JUST SAY HE KNELT TO THE GROUND AND PULLED OUT A RING AND SAID, MARY, MEET JULIET.
YOU'LL NEVER HAVE TO BE ALONE.
AND THAT'S ALL I REALLY, I TALKED TO YOUR DAD.
[02:35:01]
RENDITION.BUT THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT GOES.
NOW SHE IS, I CAN'T, I CAN'T SING.
SHE PUT, SHE PUT A LITTLE RHYTHM BACK WITH HERS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO WISH THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY A VERY HAPPY ED.
MUBARAK E WILL BE EITHER ON FRIDAY OR SATURDAY, DEPENDING ON THE LUNAR, UH, CALENDAR.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO MENTION MAYOR, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE, UH, THE SPEAKER SERIES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THE CANCER CLUSTER YES.
AND ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
UM, I'M GOING TO KIND OF TAG TEAM WITH YOU ON THIS.
UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, THE MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE FOR OVER A YEAR.
UM, THEY HAVE AGREED TO COME TO HOUSTON.
UM, DR. MILES RICHARDSON IS OVER THE ONCOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND SHE WORKED FOR THE EPA.
SHE'S GONNA BE OUR GUEST SPEAKER.
WE ARE HAVING, UM, I CREATED A CANCER CLUSTER COLLABORATIVE, UM, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, KINDA WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES.
OUR PARTNERS ARE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S OFFICE, SHEILA JACKSON LEE, UM, REPRESENTATIVE, MY SENATOR MILES RODNEY ELLIS, UM, THE NAACP, CUSH EE, UM, HAROLD DUTTONS AND, UM, COUNCIL AND LORD, UH, ST.
ROSE DUTTON IMPACT, COCO, LONE STAR LEGAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FUND, MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, AND, UM, THE BULLARD SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CLIMATE JUSTICE.
IT WAS JUST SOME OF THE PARTNERS WE'RE HAVING A SUMMIT FROM APRIL THE 24TH TO APRIL 27TH.
IT'S GONNA BE A LEADERSHIP LUNCHEON, A PRESS CONFERENCE RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF, UM, UP ON LAVENDER ROAD, UM, COMMUNITY SITE TOUR WHERE, UM, WE CAN TAKE DR. MILES RICHARDSON AND 14 OTHER MEMBERS ALL AROUND TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT WE CAN DO, UH, DIFFERENTLY TO DEAL WITH THIS.
OUR TOWN HALL IS GONNA BE THAT EVENING.
THEN ON TUESDAY WE'LL HAVE A LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST AND SHOUT OUT TO FIRST, UM, HOUSTON FIRST JUST LETTING US USE THEIR FACILITY.
UM, THEN WE'LL HAVE A, UM, A PROCLAMATION, UM, ON TUESDAY, ON WEDNESDAY, A STAKEHOLDER MEETING WE'LL HAPPEN.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A COMMUNITY BREAKOUT SESSION BECAUSE THIS GOAL IS TO BRING ALL THESE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH THE COMMUNITY TO REALLY COME UP WITH SOME ACTION PLANS TO MOVE FORWARD TO FIGURING OUT HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IN THE CANCER CLUSTER IN CASH GARDEN AND IN FIFTH WARD.
I HOPE ALL OF YOU CAN STOP IN, POP IN IF YOU CAN.
UM, IT'S GONNA BE REALLY INFORMATIVE AND JUST MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT AND EVERYTHING AND REALLY FOR THE COMMUNITY, UM, FROM GETTING BEHIND THIS PROJECT.
ALTHOUGH I AM THE BIGGEST TAYLOR SWIFT FAN, I'M SURE AT THIS TABLE, MY STAFF SENT ME A TEXT SAYING, PLEASE DON'T.
SO INSTEAD I'LL ANNOUNCE, I'LL ANNOUNCE MY FOOD DISTRIBUTION INSTEAD.
THIS SATURDAY, 10:00 AM UM, AT THE RL AND CORA JOHNSON PARK, CARDALE COMMUNITY CENTER, 9 9 2 0 PUERTO RICO ROAD.
UM, THERE'LL BE A FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND PET FOOD WILL BE AVAILABLE AS WELL.
SO HOPE THAT IN NEED CAN JOIN US ON SATURDAY.
UH, MAYOR, I PRO TELL YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT? YES.
OH, MY COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, YOU SANG WITH STYLE.
THAT'S THE SONG AS I DO NOT WANT TO BE THE ANTI-HERO.
AS, I JUST WANNA BE LIKE TIM MCGRAW, AS YOU KNOW, ALL TOO WELL.
I WANTED THE MAYOR TO DO IT, BUT YOU KNOW, HE'S WAITING FOR BEYONCE AND, UH, HE'S IN THE BEEHIVE.
UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
KINDA WALK AROUND AND, AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE EXHIBITS TODAY IF YOU CAN.
WE ARE, WE ARE, UH, WE ADJOURNED.
IN A GOOD MOOD WHEN WE HAVE A SHORT MEETING YOURSELF.