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GOOD AFTERNOON.[PRESENTATIONS]
ASK EVERYONE TO TAKE THEIR SEATS.I'M MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN.
I'M CALLING THIS MEETING OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER, UH, MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER IS IN MEXICO.
I THINK HE'S PRESENTLY IN MONTEREY TODAY, UM, ON A TRIP WITH HOUSTON FIRST, UH, AS THIS IS HOUSTON WEEK IN MEXICO, IN MEXICO CITY AND IN MONTEREY.
SO BOTH OF THE PRESENTATIONS ARE BEING PRESENTED BY YOURS TRULY.
SO I'LL ASK VICE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM TO PLEASE CHAIR THIS MEETING.
OUR FIRST PRESENTATION WILL BE BY MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN, AND IT IS RECOGNIZING SAMANTHA CORTEZ FOR BEING AN OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR WITHIN THE DISTRICT E COMMUNITY MAYOR PRO TIM MAYOR, IF YOU'D JOIN ME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE SAMANTHA CORTEZ.
SO I HAVE TO READ MY, UH, USE MY SHEETERS.
BUT SAMANTHA IS A BILINGUAL KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT GENOA ELEMENTARY.
SHE HAS TAUGHT FIRST GRADE FOR THREE YEARS AND THIRD GRADE BILINGUAL STUDENTS FOR FOUR YEARS.
SHE GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON CLEAR LAKE WITH A BACHELOR'S OF SCIENCE AS AN EC SIX BILINGUAL GENERALIST IN EDUCATION.
SAMANTHA ALSO SERVED THREE YEARS AS A GRADE LEVEL TEAM LEADER, AS WELL AS A CO-CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL'S MATH AND ACTION COMMITTEE, AND LED OVER 13 CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS AT THE CAMPUS, THE DISTRICT, THE REGION, AND AT THE STATE LEVEL.
AMONG HER MANY AREAS OF EXPERTISE, SHE HAD BEEN FEATURED FOR HER EFFORTS RELATED TO DIFFERENTIATING WORKSHOPS, WORKSTATIONS TO SUPPORT YOUNG MATHEMATICIANS THROUGH HER USE OF DATA BINDERS TO MONITOR THE ACADEMIC GROWTH OF HER STUDENTS AND TO USE USE OF ESCAPE ROOMS TO ENGAGE A NUMBER OF STUDENTS DISTRICT LEVEL CURRICULUM WRITING PROJECTS.
SHE ALSO SERVED AS A MENTOR FOR THE COLLEAGUES, PARTICIPATED IN DISTRICT LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES SUCH, SUCH AS ASPIRIN, PEER FACILITATOR ACADEMY, AND EMERGING TEACHER LEADERS IN K THROUGH 12 MATHEMATICS.
AND AS A MODEL CLASSROOM FOR THE DISTRICT.
DURING THE 2023 SCHOOL YEAR, SAMANTHA WON THE DISTRICT DREAMBOX MATH CHALLENGE AND THE MONTHLY MATCH CHALLENGES FOR HER CAMPUS.
ONE OF HER GREATEST ACCOMPLISH ACCOMPLISHMENTS IS BEING CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR TO DR.
NIKKI NEWTON'S BOOK, MATHEMATIZING YOUR SCHOOL, WHICH HAS EXTENDED HER SPHERE OF INFLUENCE BEYOND THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SAMANTHA HAS ALSO CULTIVATED RESPECT AND ADMIRATION BY PARENTS THROUGHOUT NUMEROUS CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING METHODS.
SO IN RECOGNITION AND APPRECIATION OF HER DEDICATION AND LAW, SERVICE TO EDUCATION, AND FOR HER STUDENTS, THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMENDS SAMANTHA CORTEZ AND EXTENDS BEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS.
THEREFORE, I MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN ON BEHALF OF VESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 9TH, 2023.
AS SAMANTHA CORTEZ DAY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I I AM TRULY HONORED TO RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION, AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
THIS PROCLAMATION IS A TESTAMENT TO THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF EVERYONE INVOLVED, AND I FEEL PRIVILEGED TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MAYOR PROTON MARTIN FOR CONSIDERING ME FOR THIS HONOR.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO MRS. JANET NAZI FOR HER UNWAVERING SUPPORT.
THROUGHOUT MY JOURNEY, SHE HAS PLAYED AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN MY GROWTH AS AN EDUCATOR, AND I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR HER AS WELL AS MY COLLEAGUES, DISTRICT SPECIALISTS, AND PRINCIPALS WHO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ME IN MY EDUCATION JOURNEY.
I AM HUMBLED TO BE IN THE COMPANY OF SO MANY DISTINGUISHED INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS PROCLAMATION IS NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR ALL OF US WHO HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY PARENTS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME THROUGHOUT MY LIFE AND HAVE HELPED ME TO BECOME THE PERSON I AM TODAY.
I WOULDN'T BE WHERE I AM WITHOUT THEM.
FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO PLEDGE MY CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO THE WORK THAT HAS BROUGHT US HERE TODAY.
I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS TOGETHER, AND I AM EXCITED TO CONTINUE THIS JOURNEY.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS WONDERFUL HONOR.
I WILL ALWAYS CHERISH IT AND STRIVE TO LIVE UP TO THE EXPECTATIONS IT REPRESENTS.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN Q UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH, WE'LL START WITH YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND, UH, YOUR,
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YOUR COMMITMENT.AND IT'S LIKE A CALLING TO, TO BE A TEACHER.
AND, UH, OF ALL THE TEACHERS THAT I HAD IN SCHOOL, I CAN ONLY REMEMBER THE NAMES OF ABOUT FOUR OF THEM, AND ONE OF 'EM WAS MY FIRST GRADE TEACHER, MS. NOVO SIDE.
I REMEMBER HOW I WAS SO, UH, UH, COMMITTED TO, TO DOING EXACTLY WHAT SHE SAID, THAT SOMETIMES I WOULD CALL HER MOM
NOW,
DO THEY DO THAT TO YOU? THAT'S FINE, YES.
WELL, WELL, MAYBE IT'S A THING CHILDREN DO THEN.
'CAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER ANY OF THE OTHER KIDS DOING IT.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND REMEMBERING THOSE EARLY DAYS, UH, THAT, THAT I HAD A, A GOOD TEACHER THAT CARED FOR ME AND THAT TAUGHT ME.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR DOING THAT AND YOUR, YOUR BUILDING CHARACTER IN OUR CHILDREN.
THANK YOU, UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, AND I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR RECOGNIZING YOU, MS. CORTEZ, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, FOR DISTRICT E AND, UH, ACROSS THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, I KNOW, UH, TO COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH HAS THOUGHT.
SOME OF MY FAVORITE TEACHERS WERE MY SPANISH TEACHERS.
AND WHAT I'VE LEARNED FROM AN EARLY AGE IS THAT, UH, BEING BILINGUAL AND BEING ABLE TO SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE IS NOT ONLY HELPFUL IN LIFE, BUT IT'S A REAL JOY.
YES, IT BRINGS SO MUCH QUALITY AND ENJOYMENT TO ENRICH OUR LIVES.
AND, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD.
AND I KNOW SAMANTHA HAS A FEW FRIENDS THAT HAVE JOINED HER HERE TODAY.
SO IF I INVITE YOU UP TO THE PODIUM, TAKE A PICTURE WITH US, PLEASE FOR OUR NEXT PRESENTATION.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES MAYOR PRO TEM FOR HISS PRESENTATION TO MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER TO CELEBRATE THEIR 100TH ANNIVERSARY.
THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM.
FOR THIS, I'D LIKE TO, UM, WELCOME AND ASK COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS RIS TO PLEASE JOIN ME.
I, THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE SHE'S THE BETTER HALF OF THE CISNEROS RELATIONSHIP, AND HER HUSBAND TIM, IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD THIS YEAR, SO HOW APPROPRIATE IT WOULD BE.
SO, NICOLE IRVIN, THERE'S NICOLE, COME JOIN US, NICOLE MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY.
WHEREAS SINCE OPENING ON MAY 12TH, 1923,
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MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER IN HERMAN PARK HAS BEEN ONE OF HOUSTON'S MOST BELOVED CULTURAL TREASURES, A GATHER IN PLACE FOR MILLIONS OF HOUSTON HOUSTONIANS AND VISITORS, AND THE SITE OF THOUSANDS OF MEMORABLE FREE PERFORMANCES.WHEREAS A BEQUEST OF MINING ENGINEER AND COTTON BROKER JESSE WRIGHT MILLER, THE ORIGINAL MILLER MEMORIAL THEATER, WAS DESIGNED BY WILLIAM WARD WATKIN AND BUILT BY TOM EPSON AS A PERMANENT BANDSTAND TO BE USED FOR MUNICIPAL PURPOSES.
WHEREAS IN 1968, THE ICONIC AWARD-WINNING STRUCTURAL DESIGN BY EUGENE WORLAND AND ASSOCIATES THAT HOUSTONIANS KNOW TODAY OPENED SEPTEMBER 1ST WITH THE PERFORMANCE BY THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, THE UNDER THE STARS BEGAN A MORE THAN 50 YEAR TRADITION OF PRESENTING MUSICALS AT MILLER.
IN 75, THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON BROUGHT SHAKESPEARE TO THE MASSES WITH THE HUGHES SHAKE, HOUSTON SHAKESPEAREAN FESTIVAL AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS, WITH THEIR GREEN GLASSES
WHEREAS THE FREE SEASON OF PROFESSIONAL, ARTISTICALLY EXCELLENT AND CULTURALLY DIVERSE PERFORMANCES PROGRAMMED BY THE MILLER THEATER ADVISORY BOARD IS UNRIVALED IN THE UNITED STATES AND IS TRULY DESERVING OF RECOGNITION FOR THE ENDURING ROLE IT IS PLAYED IN THE CULTURAL LIFE OF THIS CITY.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON CONGRATULATES MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER ON ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY, CELEBRATING A CENTURY OF ENTERTAINING HOUSTONIANS AND VISITORS.
THEREFORE, THEREFORE, I'M MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN, ON BEHALF OF SYLVETA TURNER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 12TH, 2023 AS MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER, DAY 100TH ANNIVERSARY, SEAT MAYOR PRO TEM MARTIN, MR. CONTROLLER NOT HERE TODAY.
UH, ESTEEMED COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M SISSY SIEGEL DAVIS.
I'M THE MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR THE MILLER THEATER ADVISORY BOARD.
THAT'S THE ORGANIZATION THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1970 BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO PROGRAM MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER.
WHEN MINING ENGINEER AND COTTON BROKER, JESSE WRIGHT MILLER DIED AND LEFT A PIECE OF PROPERTY TO THE CITY TO BE USED FOR MUNICIPAL PURPOSES, I'M QUITE SURE HE NEVER ENVISIONED SOMETHING LIKE THE MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER THAT WE KNOW AND LOVE TODAY.
THE ORIGINAL THEATER WAS A CONCRETE BANDSHELL WAS DEDICATED MAY 12TH, 1923.
SINCE THEN, IT HAS BEEN ONE OF HOUSTON'S MOST FAVORITE SPOTS FOR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AND VISITORS TO OUR CITY TO GATHER, TO COME TOGETHER IN THIS BEAUTIFUL SETTING IN HERMAN PARK TO ENJOY MEMORABLE PERFORMANCES AND SHARED TREASURED EXPERIENCES.
SINCE 1968, THE CURRENT ICONIC STRUCTURE HAS HOSTED FREE PERFORMANCES FROM THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY THEATER UNDER THE STARS, HOUSTON BALLET, HOUSTON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, HOUSTON GRAND OPERA, BEST CHICANO WORLD, MUSIC AND DANCE, CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANIES, MUSICAL AND VOCAL ENSEMBLES, POP AND COUNTRY MUSIC, CONCERTS, AND SO MUCH MORE.
WITH THE UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND A TOP-NOTCH CREW UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF HOUSTON FIRST, AND WITH THE DEDICATED LEADERSHIP OF THE MILLER THEATER ADVISORY BOARD, THIS THEATER, THIS FACILITY, AND THE SERIES OF FREE PERFORMANCES IS ABSOLUTELY UNRIVALED IN THE UNITED STATES.
I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL JOIN US ON SATURDAY NIGHT JUST BEFORE HOUSTON BALLET'S PERFORMANCE OF GEORGE BALANCHINE'S JEWELS FOR SOME SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY ACTIVITIES, FESTIVITIES, AND A SLICE OF REAL CAKE.
AND WHILE YOU'RE OUT THERE, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CRAWL UP THE BACK, CLIMB UP THE BACK OF THE SEVEN FOOT TALL CAKE THAT WE HAVE AND HAVE HAS BEEN OUT THERE SINCE THE 17TH OF MARCH WHEN WE OPENED.
AND YOU CAN APPEAR TO POP OUT OF THE TOP OF A CAKE.
I KNOW THAT'S BEEN ON YOUR BUCKET LIST FOR YEARS, AND NO ICING IS INVOLVED, SO IT WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM.
MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER REALLY IS ONE OF HOUSTON'S BEST AMENITIES.
IT'S A GIFT OF IMMEASURABLE VALUE TO OUR CITIZENS.
AND BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE SEASON ON NOVEMBER 11TH, PLEASE JOIN US AS WE MAKE NEW MEMORIES AT THIS INCREDIBLY SPECIAL PLACE.
ON BEHALF OF THE MILLIONS OF HOUSTONIANS AND VISITORS WHO HAVE ENJOYED PERFORMANCES AT
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MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER SINCE 1923, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF YOU OUT AT MILLER SOMETIME THIS YEAR.THIS IS JUST THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF SPEAKERS IN QUEUE.
UH, UNRIVALED SPECIAL PLACE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE ONLY ONE IN THE COUNTRY THAT PROVIDES FULL PERFORMANCES, UH, PERFORMANCES ALL THROUGH THE YEAR, UH, FREE OF CHARGE TO PEOPLE, THE ONLY ONE IN THE COUNTRY.
SO WE REALLY HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL AT MILLER THEATER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ADDING THAT.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN Q COUNCIL, MEMBER ALCORN.
THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR PROTE, AND THANK YOU, SISSY.
YOU'RE JUST SYNONYMOUS WITH, UH, WITH MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER AND WHAT GREAT PROGRAMMING.
I MEAN, THROUGH THE YEARS, MY FAMILY AND I HAVE HAD THE BEST TIMES OUT THERE AND JUST THANK YOU.
SO PRETTY, SO BEAUTIFUL, SO MANY GREAT COMPANIES AND SHOWS, AND JUST THANK YOU.
I KNOW IT'S A TON OF WORK,
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING AT, AT MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER.
I WAS, I ACTUALLY TOOK AN ENTIRE SEMESTER OF SHAKESPEARE.
I STILL WONDER WHY I DID THAT
WHAT A GREAT JEWEL, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT LOCATION IS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE AND FOR THE HISTORY THAT YOU BRING WITH YOU.
SO I, I KNOW THE SHAPE IS SIMILAR TO THE ORIGINAL SHAPE.
IS THAT PRETTY ACCURATE? IT'S KIND OF A DOME LOOKING THING.
AND THE, THE FIRST WAS JUST LITERALLY A, JUST A CONCRETE BAND SHELL, TYPICAL OF THE 1920S PERIOD, RIGHT? THOSE COLUMNS THAT WERE THERE AND THE TWO, THE OAK TREES THAT WERE ON EITHER END OF THAT THEATER, RIGHT? THE COLUMNS STILL EXIST THERE WHERE FAN AND SAN JACINTO SPLIT THE MECCA ROCKWELL COLONNADE FOUNTAIN, RIGHT? AND THOSE TWO OAK TREES JUST GROW AND GROW, GROW AND GROW.
SO I, I APPRECIATE THE ARCHITECT INCORPORATING SOME OF THAT HISTORY.
JUST, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S, I'M GONNA AGE MYSELF.
I REMEMBER ROLLING DOWN THE HILL AT LIKE SIX YEARS OLD
LIKE, THOSE ARE THE MEMORIES, JUST LIKE MY COLLEAGUES.
I MEAN, WE ALL HAVE SUCH FOND MEMORIES, UM, OF MILLER OUTDOORS, SO THANK YOU FOR KEEPING IT ALIVE AND VIBRANT AND SO BEAUTIFUL.
I LIVE NOT TOO FAR, UM, AT THE CHELSEA, AND I LIVE REALLY CLOSE.
I WALK, I CAN WALK THERE VERY EASILY, AND IT'S JUST SO NICE SEEING FAMILIES AND KIDS DOING THE SAME THING THAT I DO WHEN I WAS A CHILD.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
OUR WEATHER, UM, IS, IS PROBABLY WHY WE'RE ONE OF THE ONLY PLACES IN THE NATION BECAUSE OUR WEATHER'S ALWAYS PERFECT ALL THE TIME, EVEN WHEN IT'S HOT.
EVEN WHEN IT'S HOT, UH, IT'S STILL, IT'S STILL NICE IN THE EVENINGS.
I I ALSO HAVE TO, I'M A BIG MICHAEL JACKSON FAN, AND SO
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL DO.
VICE MAYOR TIM
MR. CISNEROS, UH, A HUNDRED YEARS DESERVES TO BE CELEBRATED.
UM, WE ARE HONORED TO CELEBRATE ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING AT MILLER ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND I'LL JUST ADD THAT, UM, I HAVE WONDERFUL MEMORIES OF MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER, HERMAN PARK, HIPPIE HILL, UH, MY BROTHER AND SISTER AND I ROLL DOWN THAT HILL MANY A DAYS, UH, RACING DOWN THE HILL.
UH, BUT I DID WANNA SAY, UH, I REMEMBER WHEN, UH, WE HAD THE PROGRAM WITH, UH, WHITNEY HOUSTON AT MILLER, AND I SAW THE ADVERTISING AND I SAID, WHO IN THE WORLD THINKS THAT THEY ARE GONNA GET UP THERE AND SING LIKE WHITNEY HOUSTON? I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY BROUGHT SOMEBODY HERE TO TRY TO SING LIKE WHITNEY HOUSTON NOW THAT THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT.
THAT THAT IS JUST NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
I WANTED TO HEAR THE PERSON THAT THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA GET ON THE STAGE AND SING WHITNEY HOUSTON SONGS.
AND THE LADY THAT S WHEN SHE SANG THE FIRST NOTE, I WAS BLOWN AWAY.
IT WAS SO INCREDIBLE TO HEAR HER ON THAT STAGE AND SEE THE MAGNITUDE OF THAT PERFORMANCE.
UM, JUST ANOTHER TESTAMENT TO THE STELLAR, UH, PROGRAMMING THAT'S HAPPENING AT MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON A HUNDRED YEARS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A HUNDRED MORE.
WE DO HAVE ANOTHER COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE JOINED THE QUEUE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN GETTING IN RIGHT AT THE BUZZER.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, ADD MY APPRECIATION
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FOR ALL THAT MILLER, UM, HAS DONE FOR, I MEAN, GENERATIONS OF HOUSTONIANS AND VICE MAYOR PRO TEM.YOU SPOKE ABOUT ROLLING DOWN THE HILLS.
UH, IT JUST SUCH A PART OF PRETTY MUCH EVERY HOUSTONIAN CHILDHOOD THAT GROWS UP HERE, MILLER, UH, EVERY, YOU KNOW, DATE NIGHTS, UH, FOR SHOWS ALL THROUGHOUT.
AND I REMEMBER, UH, WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ, AND I FORGET WHICH PROCLAMATION WE DID THERE.
UH, IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC AND, RIGHT.
I MEAN, IT WAS SO SPECIAL THAT WE COULD OPEN THAT SPACE UP FOR PERFORMANCES.
BUT WE HAD, YOU KNOW, AND WE RECOGNIZED WE'RE RIGHT AT TMC AND THE ENTIRE CROWD DURING THE PANDEMIC JUST STARTED CHEERING FOR ALL OF THE MEDICAL WORKERS.
AND WE'RE RIGHT THERE BY RICE UNIVERSITY AND JUST WHAT A GIFT THAT YOU ALL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THERE.
UH, AND I, I WANNA SPOTLIGHT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS PERFECT TIMING, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE A HUGE ITEM UP ON AGENDA THIS WEEK RELATED TO ARTS.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE A FEW SPEAKERS, AND THE, THE ROLE THAT YOU ALL CONTINUE TO PLAY IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE OF HOUSTON AND OF TEXAS, UH, IS REMARKABLE.
SO THANK YOU AND DIRECTOR, THANK YOU AS WELL FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING.
COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS SHABAZZ, THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR PROAM, I TELL YOU, TALK ABOUT TIME, AND I'M SO GLAD TO GET HERE TO BE ABLE TO SAY SOMETHING.
UH, MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER, IT WAS CERTAINLY VERY MUCH A PART OF ME GROWING UP.
OF COURSE, I, I LIVED IN THE AREA, UM, GOING TO JACK GATES HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'D GO AND DO ALL VARIOUS UNDER SUNDRY THINGS THAT HIGH SCHOOL KIDS DO.
AND WE HAD SUCH A WONDERFUL TIME.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY LOOKED SO FORWARD TO THE MOTOWN REVIEW.
I WAS LOOKING ON HERE, GETTING NERVOUS.
I DIDN'T SEE IT BECAUSE THEY ARE WAITING EVERY YEAR FOR THAT WONDERFUL, STELLAR PERFORMANCE.
AND IT'S A, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DREAM ALSO TO STAND ON STAGE AND LOOK OUT AT ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ENJOYING THIS.
AND SO, CERTAINLY CONGRATULATIONS FOR A HUNDRED WONDERFUL YEAR, A HUNDRED YEARS, REALLY.
SO Y'ALL WERE CAME ABOUT BEFORE ME IF YOU A HUNDRED YEARS.
I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT I WAS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WAS THERE IN THE BEGINNING.
BUT CERTAINLY, UH, I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, WHAT YOU ALL BRING TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CANNOT TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT WHICH IS FREE AND THINK THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE WORTH YOUR WHILE, BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD OF NO PERFORMANCES THERE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FANTASTIC.
AND SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS, UH, FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION VENUE, THE OUT OUTDOOR THEATER, UH, AND MAYOR PRO TEM.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, AND WE HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL, UH, MOCHA DIRECTOR.
AND YOU ALL, I'LL BE THERE TO, YOU KNOW, BE IN THE SHOW OR SOMETHING.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS WILL LET YOU HAVE THE FINAL WORD TODAY.
THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME KNOW I LOVE THE RODEO
I LOVE MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER MORE
AND IT'S BECAUSE, UM, UM, THEY SERVE THE CITY ALL YEAR LONG.
AND, AND, AND TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, VICE MAYOR PRO TIM ABOUT THE QUALITY, IT IS AMAZING.
IT IS SO PR YOU KNOW, THE, THE BEST THAT YOU KNOW, THAT YOUR EXPECTATIONS WERE EXCEEDED BEYOND, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU THOUGHT WAS POSSIBLE WITH THE WHITNEY HOUSTON PERFORMANCE.
EVERY PERFORMANCE THAT WAY IS THAT WAY AT, AT MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER.
AND IT'S REALLY THANKS TO, UM, THE, THE, THE WHOLE MILLER TEAM LED BY SISSY SIEGEL DAVIS AND THE MILLER BOARD WHO'S HERE, AND COULD BE, JUST RECOGNIZE THEM FOR A MINUTE.
THERE'S THE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE, THE, THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES AND ALSO SEAN HOFFMAN AND SEAN SEAN, FACILITY MANAGER EXTRAORDINAIRE.
AND JUST TO ADD MY OWN PERSONAL STORY, WE'VE HEARD EVERYONE TALKING ABOUT THEIR TIMES THAT, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP ED MILLER.
MY HUSBAND, TIM AND I, UM, WERE, WERE GRADUATE STUDENTS, AND THAT WAS OUR CHEAP DATE.
WE WALKED TO MILLER, OUR CHILDREN GREW UP ON THAT HILL, AND NOW OUR GRANDCHILDREN ARE ROLLING DOWN THAT HILL.
THIS IS NOT TIM'S FIRST TIME TO BE THE CHAIR.
AND HE'S BEEN ON, YOU KNOW, IN SERVICE.
AND, AND MANY OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ON THE, YOU KNOW, SERVING MILLER FOR DECADES.
YOU KNOW, JUST A REAL LABOR OF LOVE FOR THIS CITY.
AND, AND IT'S JUST WONDERFUL HOW THE CITY HAS EMBRACED MILLER AND, AND, AND, AND OFFERED CONTINUOUS SUPPORT TO, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
SO, OH, JUST ONE FINAL THING IS, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR ALL ABOUT, YOU
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KNOW, THESE, THESE AMAZING WORLD CLASS PERFORMANCES.YOU KNOW, WHAT DOESN'T GET AS MUCH ATTENTION IS THE, THE REALLY WORLD CLASS CHILDREN'S PERFORMANCES THAT HAPPEN DURING THE DAY.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING TO, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT DOESN'T GET QUITE AS MUCH ATTENTION.
BUT, BUT THOSE ARE ALSO AMAZING.
SO EACH OF YOU HAVE A, UM, A, A SCHEDULE, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, UM, LOOK AT IT, IT'S ONLINE.
YOU CAN SHARE IT IN YOUR NEWSLETTERS, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND, UM, THIS IS GONNA BE AN AMAZING YEAR FOR MILLER.
AND LAST WEEK, SPEAKING OF STUDENTS, WE HAD A GROUP OF YOUNG LADIES FROM CHIBA CITY, UH, IN JAPAN, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR CITY SISTER CITIES.
I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE FIRST SISTER CITY THAT WE'VE HAD.
THEY WERE HERE AND THEY HAD A PERFORMANCE, I THINK ON FRIDAY OR SATURDAY AT MILLER OUTDOOR.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS TAKING CARE OF US WHEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO THERE.
UM, YOU DO A GREAT JOB, YOU AND YOUR STAFF, AND, UH, IT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE, UH, TO SPEND AN EVENING, THAT'S FOR SURE.
[2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON FOR THE INVOCATION.THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR PRO TEM.
UM, THE FOLLOWING PRAYER IS A PRAYER, UH, FOR NATIONAL LIFE TAKEN FROM THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA.
AND THIS SPECIFICALLY IS A PRAYER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ALMIGHTY GOD AND HEAVENLY SPIRIT.
SEND DOWN UPON THOSE WHO HOLD OFFICE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, IN HARRIS COUNTY, AND ACROSS THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM, CHARITY AND JUSTICE, THAT WITH STEADFAST PURPOSE, THEY MAY FAITHFULLY SERVE IN THEIR OFFICES TO PROMOTE THE WELLBEING OF ALL PEOPLE WITH THANKS, WE PRAY.
AND PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF LEE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG STATES AMERICA, MR. REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER DENIED INDIVIDUAL
NEXT, WE'LL HAVE THE ROLL CALL.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING]
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL MAYOR, ATTORNEY WILL BE ABSENT.PRESENT, COUNCIL THOMAS PRESENT.
COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN? PRESENT? COUNCILMAN CISNEROS? HERE.
AND COUNCIL ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO DELAY THE MINUTES.
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KUBA.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
UM, I AM REALLY PLEASED TO RECOGNIZE SOME VERY SPECIAL GUESTS WE HAVE WITH US TODAY.
UM, WE HAVE THE WINNERS OF THE I RECYCLE FOR HOUSTON TRUCK ART CONTEST, SPONSORED BY THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE, UM, UH, VERONICA LAS LAMA FROM THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT AND OUR, OUR STUDENT ARTIST WINNERS TO COME TO THE PODIUM.
SO THIS PROJECT, UM, THE POINT OF THIS PROJECT THAT THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZED WAS, UM, TO MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO CONTINUE, UM, EDUCATION OF RECYCLING IN ELEMENTARY, UH, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, SO THAT BY ADULTHOOD, THAT HOPEFULLY IT BECOMES A HABIT.
HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
UH, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE STUDENTS.
YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR REPRESENTS THE YEAR THAT WE DID OUR FIRST INAUGURAL, UH, ARTS CONTEST.
AND WE OFFERED THE, UH, OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO OUR LOCAL HISD SCHOOLS TO PARTICIPATE.
AND WE RECEIVED ENTRIES FROM OVER 39 SCHOOLS, UM, AND OVER 170 ENTRIES WERE SUBMITTED.
NOW, THE CHALLENGE WAS WITH SO MANY GREAT SUBMISSIONS, NARROWING DOWN THE, UH, WINNERS TO JUST A, JUST A FEW WINNERS.
UH, AND, BUT WE ENLISTED THE HELP OF ALMOST ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES IN THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE TURNED OUR WORKSPACE, THE 12TH FLOOR OF WALKER STREET INTO AN ART GALLERY, AND WE HAD NON-ALCOHOLIC WINE AND CHEESE, SO WE COULD WALK AROUND ON OUR LUNCH BREAKS AND EVALUATE SOME OF THE TALENT, THE WORK THAT WAS SUBMITTED.
AND THEN, UH, AFTER WE NARROWED THEM DOWN, WE SUBMITTED THE FINALISTS TO A PANEL OF JUDGES, WHICH INCLUDED, UH, SOME OF OUR SPONSORS, UH, EXXON MOBIL, OUR PARTNERS AT, AT, UH, HISD, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE SUSTAINABILITY AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, SO THE PARTICIPATION INCLUDED, UH, SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN GRADES ONE THROUGH 12.
AND THIS YEAR'S THEME WAS, I RECYCLE FOR HOUSTON, WHERE STUDENTS WERE CHALLENGED TO SUBMIT ARTWORK, UH, TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THE SUPPORT AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AND FOCUS ON RECYCLING.
SO FOUR OF THE STUDENTS' ORIGINAL ARTWORKS HAVE BEEN SELECTED, AND THEY WILL BE DISPLAYED ON THE SIDES OF OUR, OUR BEST, UH, SOLID WASTE COLLECTION VEHICLES, UH, WHILE TRAVELING THROUGHOUT THE, THE, UH, COMMUNITIES AND PERFORMING THEIR SERVICES.
SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? THIS MEANS THAT THEIR WORK WILL ALWAYS BE ON PUBLIC DISPLAY.
AND THE REMINDER AND EDUCATION OF, UH, RECYCLING AND HOW TO RECYCLE RIGHT WILL ALWAYS BE ON DISPLAY THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITIES.
NOW, WE UNVEILED THE WINNING ARTWORK AT THIS YEAR'S EARTH DAY EVENT, AND WE RECEIVED A LOT OF POSITIVE COMMENTS AND SOME TREMENDOUS FEEDBACK ON IT.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR RUNNER UP IN OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION CATEGORY.
SO OUR, UH, WHILE WE'LL GET, WHILE WE GET THAT SITUATED, I ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR WINNER AS WELL, MR. TREMAINE EDWARDS.
MR. TREMAINE EDWARDS, IF WE CAN COME FORWARD.
AND I'M GONNA, UH, I'M GONNA DO A QUICK FLASH FOR YOU ALL UP HERE.
UH, SO YOU CAN SEE, UH, HIS WORK THAT WAS SUBMITTED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING THESE YOUNG STUDENTS.
BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, JUST A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, RICHARD WYNN.
UM, AND NOW FOR GRADES, UH, K THROUGH FIVE, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE
[00:35:01]
THE RUNNER UP AND SHE'S GONNA HAVE TO HELP ME WITH HER FIRST NAME.AND I UNDERSTAND HAVING A DIFFICULT LAST NAME, SO I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO HELP ME WITH THAT AS WELL.
SO IF YOU WOULD COME FORWARD, YES.
WILL YOU TELL US WHAT SCHOOL SHE GOES TO AND CAN WE SEE HER PICTURE? YEP.
SO I'M GONNA HAVE YOU SHARE THE MIC WITH ME.
YOU MIND TELLING 'EM WHAT SCHOOL YOU GO TO AND WHAT GRADE YOU'RE IN? I GO TO ADE DALEY ELEMENTARY AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE T.
AND TELL US YOUR NAME OF YOUR ARTWORK.
MY ARTWORK IS CALLED SAVE HOUSTON.
IN OUR, UH, GRADE SIX THROUGH EIGHT, UH, THE RUNNER UP HANDLING LEE, COME FORWARD.
AND IF YOU COULD, BEFORE WE TAKE THE PICTURE, IT'S GIVEN YOUR SCHOOL AND, UH, THE GRADE.
UH, I GO TO TH ROGERS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND I'M IN SEVENTH GRADE.
AND THE NAME OF YOUR ARTWORK, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE NAME? KEEP HOUSTON CLEAN
AND IN OUR, UH, GRADES NINE THROUGH 12, THE RUNNER UP, MS. CRYSTAL DEL TOTO.
I GO TO SHARPSTOWN INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M IN 10TH GRADE.
THE NAME OF MY PIECE IS A HELP KEEP OUR CITY CLEAN, HELP TAKE ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET.
AND OUR WINNER FOR OUR 12TH GRADE CATEGORY IS MS. ELIZABETH CHRIS AND CHRIS ANO.
US WHAT SCHOOL AND THE NAME OF YOUR PLEASE.
UM, I GO TO BOOKER T WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONS.
AND THE NAME OF MY WORK WOULD BE, I RECYCLE.
AND, UH, ABEL ALREADY KNOWS HIS INSTRUCTIONS ARE TO CROP ME A SIX PACK AND SOME GOOD HAIR.
SO, UM, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
OH, WE HAVE ONE MORE, I'M SORRY.
BLAME IT ON THE HEAD, NOT THE HEART.
OR CATEGORY TWO, GATE K THROUGH FIVE.
OH, COME ON UP AND SHARE THE MIC.
SHE ALREADY KNOWS WHERE TO GO.
UM, I GO TO TH ROGERS AND I'M IN SECOND GRADE.
WHAT US YOUR TITLE? KEEP HOUSTON CLEAN.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE AGAIN FOR THIS SUPPORT.
LIKE I SAID, THIS IS OUR FIRST, UM, ANNUAL ARTS CONTEST, AND WE CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE.
OUR ORIGINAL PLANS WERE TO, YOU KNOW, DO SOME PHOTO OPS DOWNSTAIRS, UH, BUT WITH THE INCLEMENT WEATHER, I DIDN'T WANNA MESS UP THE HAIRDO AND STUFF.
SO, UH, WE DECIDED TO DELAY AND WE, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA TAKE THE TRUCKS BY THE SCHOOL AND WE'RE GONNA DO OUR PHOTO OPS THERE
[00:40:01]
SO THAT THEIR WORK CAN BE ON PUBLIC DISPLAY WITH THEIR PEERS AND WHATNOT.SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THIS AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.
AND, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEARING WITH US.
YES, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR WILL FALK, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE TO ADDRESS THE LADIES AND GENTLEMAN.
MAYOR PROAM, DIRECTOR, THANK YOU, UH, TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE, UH, OUR YOUNG LEADERS.
HAVE I ANY OF YOU SEEN YOUR, THE TRUCKS YET? NOT YET.
WELL, IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY NICE SURPRISE WHEN THEY DRIVE BY, UH, YOUR SCHOOL SO THAT ALL YOUR FRIENDS GET TO SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND DIRECTOR, IF I'M MAY, IF YOU'RE A PARENT OF ONE OF THESE FABULOUS STUDENTS, COULD YOU PLEASE STAND? SO I, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT THIS WAS, I KNOW THAT THIS WAS ALL THEM, BUT THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT YOUR STUDENTS IN ART IN SCHOOL, IN EXPLORATION.
AND TO, I KNOW IT'S SPECIAL TO SEE THEIR ARTWORK NOW ON, ON DISPLAY FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
BUT THANK YOU ALL, AND CONGRATULATIONS, YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM DIRECTOR WILL FALK.
LET ME JUST SAY THAT, UM, WE NEED TO EXPAND THE ART PROGRAM TO GROWN PEOPLE.
UM, WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL CAMPAIGNS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO GET THIS MESSAGE ABOUT LITTERING AND DUMPING OUT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS ONE BY FAR, UM, IS MY FAVORITE.
THESE STUDENTS HAVE DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB.
AND ON EARTH DAY, WE SAW SOME OF THEIR ARTWORK YES.
UH, AND SO I THINK YOU WILL BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED WHEN YOU SEE YOUR ARTWORK ON THE SOLID WASTE TRUCKS.
UH, AND THEN PEOPLE WILL SEE THESE TRUCKS THROUGHOUT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND YOUR MESSAGE WILL HOPEFULLY RESONATE WITH EVERYONE, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE KEEP OUR CITY CLEAN.
SO THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING AND BEING AN ACTIVE, UM, PLAYER IN WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO AS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN OUR CITIES, UH, GET INVOLVED IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CIVIC CLUBS.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE EACH ONE OF YOU, UM, JOIN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CIVIC CLUBS.
TAKE YOUR ARTWORK TO YOUR CIVIC CLUB, SHOW YOUR CIVIC CLUB PRESIDENT, ASK THEM TO PUT IT IN THEIR NEWSLETTERS, AND CONTINUE TO LET THIS MESSAGE RESONATE THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF YOU.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR WILL FOLK FOR DOING THIS.
COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS.
I WAS GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, ONE OF MY PRESIDENT PREDECESSORS, BUT YOU BEAT ME TO IT.
UH, BUT NEVERTHELESS, UM, UM, HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBER NGUYEN.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS, THIS IS GREAT.
AND I REALLY ECHO EVERYTHING THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEM HAS SAID.
REALLY, IT'S CHANGING THE CULTURE WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, AND IT'S STARTING BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A HELL OF A JOB TRYING TO KEEP THIS CITY CLEAN AND SAFE AND ALL OF THAT.
AND SO WITH YOUR, UM, HELP AND SUPPORT AND ACTIVITY, IT'LL BE REALLY GREAT.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM, AND THANKS, DIRECTOR WILL FALK.
AND THANKS, COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS.
I REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE FIRST GETTING THE WORD OUT, AND THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM.
Y'ALL ARE REALLY VERY TALENTED, AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE GREAT ART IN THE WORLD.
SO KEEP IT UP AND, AND JUST THANK YOU FOR THIS.
IT WAS AT, Y'ALL WERE AT THE ART PARK PARADE, RIGHT? YES, TOO, BECAUSE I SAW, I SAW YOUR, YOUR, I MEAN, YOU GUYS WERE PART OF THE PARADE ALREADY THAT I SAW SOME OF THE TRUCKS ON, UM, AT THE ART CAR PARADE, AND IT WAS VERY COOL.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM DIRECTOR, AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PROGRAM.
UH, AND TO ALL THE ARTISTS, THANK Y'ALL FOR, UH, DOING THIS.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT, UH, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, YOU ARE ALSO TEACHING YOUR, YOUR CLASSMATES THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, RECYCLING AND, AND, AND, AND, AND KEEPING HOUSTON CLEAN.
AND, UH, THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING PROGRAM.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR.
NEXT IS THE CHAIRPERSON OF OUR CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH COMMITTEE, COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS SNES.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR TEM, UM, DIRECTOR.
I WANTED TO, TO GIVE SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU FOR SEEING THE, THE VALUE IN THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND COMMUNICATING SUCH AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE.
AND, UM, AND TO YOUR POINT, UM, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO THIS FOR THE ADULTS GOING THROUGH CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE AND CHILDREN ARE THE, THE COMMUNICATORS, ADULTS LEARN, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S REALLY A GOOD WAY TO, TO DELIVER A MESSAGE, AND I'M DELIGHTED TO HEAR YOU SAY YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING MORE OF THIS.
THANK YOU, AND THANKS AGAIN, DIRECTOR.
I'LL LEAVE THE LAST WORDS TO YOU.
[00:45:01]
IF I DID NOT RECOGNIZE MS. STEPHANIE WILLIAMS WITH HISD SUSTAINABILITY, UH, PORTION.UH, AND ALSO THE EDUCATORS WHO CAME ALONG WITH US, IF THEY COULD PLEASE STAND UP AND BE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH US AS WELL.
WE TRULY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU.
THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNSEL, AND THANK YOU.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN FOR PROCEDURAL MOTION.I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD CATHERINE MCNEIL TO THE SPEAKER'S LIST AND PLACE HER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE THREE MINUTE AGENDA.
SPEAKERS SECOND, SECOND MOTION.
AND A SECOND IN FAVOR OPPOSED MOTION GRANTED.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN FOR A PROCEDURAL MOTION.
UH, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD HARRISON GUY, UH, TO FOLLOW CATHERINE MCNEIL, UH, IN THE THREE MINUTE AGENDA LIST.
THOMAS SECOND MOTION AND SECOND, IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED MOTION GRANTED.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER, THE FIRST SPEAKER, CYNTHIA ALVARADO.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS PRO UH, COUNCIL.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND STRATEGIC PLANNING AT THE MIDTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, AND I'M ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING OUR CULTURAL ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
FURTHER, I'M PART OF A UNIFIED COALITION HERE TODAY THAT INCLUDES THE LEADERS OF OUR SEVEN HOUSTON STATE CERTIFIED CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
WE ARE UNIFIED TO HELP RESTORE HOUSTON ARTS ECOSYSTEM AND REINVIGORATE THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY AS AN IMPORTANT ECONOMIC DRIVER IN OUR CITY.
MIDTOWN OBTAINED THE ESTEEMED CULTURAL ARTS DE DESIGNATION IN 2012.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO OUR OVER 30 ART VENUES AND 90 90 ARTS ORGANIZATIONS LOCATED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE CONTINUING NEED FOR SUPPORTING THE ARTS.
AS AN ARTIST MYSELF, THE MOTHER OF AN ARTIST, AND A FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR THE HOUSTON ARTS COMMUNITY, I'VE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE DETRIMENTAL IMPACT THAT COD HAS HAD ON OUR HOUSTON ARTS COMMUNITY AND OUR CREATIVE ECONOMY, WHICH CONSISTS OF A DIVERSE POOL OF NOT ONLY HOUSTON ARTISTS, BUT ALSO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
THE INFUSION OF $5 MILLION TO OUR ECONOMIC, TO OUR ECONOMY IS CRITICAL TO MAKING OUR HOUSTON, HOUSTON ARTS ECONOMY STRONGER.
THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE AND THE FEDERAL TREASURY HAS SINGLED OUT THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY, WHICH INCLUDES THE ARTS AS THE HARDEST HIT ECONOMICALLY, BOTH IN TEXAS AND NATIONALLY.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR FAVORABLE CONSIDERATION ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 32, AN ORDINANCE THAT AWARDS THE SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH MIDTOWN ARTS ALLIANCE, WITH A MID-AMERICA ARTS ALLIANCE TO RECEIVE AND DISTRIBUTE $5 MILLION IN ARTS AND CULTURAL STABILIZATION GRANT FUNDS TO HOUSTON ARTS COMMUNITY.
BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL RESOURCES AS SET FORTH BY THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS, WE CONTINUE TO POUR INTO THE BEAUTY THAT MAKES HOUSTON HOUSTON AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, ASSESS AND ASSIST IN EQUITABLE RECOVERY.
MIDTOWN AND THIS COALITION UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ARTS AS A QUALITY OF LIFE INCENTIVE THAT SPEAKS TO THE DIVERSITY OF OUR TREMENDOUS CITY.
AND AT OUR HERITAGE AND CULTURE.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE ARTS ARE KEY ECONOMIC DRIVER AND REQUEST YOUR, UH, SUPPORT OF AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 32.
THANK YOU, UH, CYNTHIA, FIRST OFF, UH, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR THE MIDTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, INCLUDING PARTNERING WITH MY OFFICE ON BEAUTIFICATION AND GREEN WALLS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE WITH THIS ITEM AGENDA, ITEM 32.
UM, I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING FORWARD THE IMPORTANCE FROM AN ECONOMICS PERSPECTIVE.
A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT THESE DOLLARS WILL DO.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, THE EQUITY THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED IN TERMS OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF THESE DOLLARS AND HOW THAT WILL WORK? A LITTLE BIT.
I CANNOT SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO IT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT IT, IT, AS THE SEVEN CULTURAL DISTRICTS HAVE COALESCED TO DISCUSS, UH, PROJECTS, EQUITY IS DEFINITELY, UH, RISES TO THE TOP
[00:50:01]
EVERY TIME.YOU KNOW, WE, WE TALK, WE HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS AND IT IS IN OUR, IN OUR PLAN, RIGHT? AND I THINK THERE'S A VERY HISTORIC COMPONENT TO THIS OF THE, UM, COALITION THAT HAS BEEN BUILT, UH, AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND JUST THE HOLISTIC APPROACH THAT YOU ALL HAVE TAKEN TO THIS IN ADVOCATING FOR THESE DOLLARS.
JOHN RNO, OR IS IT ARCHIE DIANO, BECAUSE I'VE MESSED THEY MESSED.
NO, THERE ISN'T, BUT IT'S ITALIAN, SO THERE IS AN H IN THERE.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME HERE AND SPEAK AGAIN.
MY NAME'S JOHN ARCHIE DANO, I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE HEALTH MUSEUM HERE IN HOUSTON.
UM, I'M HERE THOUGH ON BEHALF OF HOUSTON MUSEUM DISTRICT ASSOCIATION, UM, WHICH IS PART OF THE SEVEN CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS.
THANK GOODNESS CYNTHIA CAME UP AND GAVE YOU ALL THE DETAILS.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM A RP.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
UM, WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT ARTS AND CULTURE IS HERE IN HOUSTON.
ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS ABOUT OUR CITY IS OUR ARTS AND OUR CULTURE, BUT IT ALSO IS AN ECONOMIC DRIVER.
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE SPENT EACH YEAR ON ARTS AND CULTURE HERE IN THE CITY.
IN ADDITION, IT GENERATES A LOT OF, UH, STAFFING, A LOT OF EMPLOYMENT FOR PEOPLE IN OUR CITY AS WELL.
SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS KIND OF SUPPORT FOR THESE ARTS AND CULTURE.
BUT I THINK THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT IS WE HAD TWO VERY INTERESTING, UH, EXHIBITS EARLIER.
ONE IS MILL OUTDOOR THEATER, WHO'S BEEN AROUND FOR A HUNDRED YEARS, WHO HAS AFFECTED SO MANY PEOPLE IN HOUSTON, FROM MYSELF AND HIPPIE HILL.
TWO, THESE YOUNG STUDENTS THAT WERE HERE.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THIS FUNDING WILL SUPPORT.
MILL OUTDOOR THEATER, THE HOUSTON MUSEUM DISTRICT ASSOCIATION, THE OTHER THEATER, THE ARTISTS.
THESE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THIS FUNDING WILL SUPPORT.
SO WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT, WE ASK FOR YOUR HELP.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
HE'S A GOOD FAMILY FRIEND AND GREAT TO SEE YOU.
AND THE HEALTH MUSEUM IS INCREDIBLE.
IF YOU GUYS EVER WANNA TAKE HIM UP ON A TOUR, THAT PLACE IS AMAZING.
I NEED TO PROBABLY RE-UP MY MEMBERSHIP.
UH, BUT THANKS FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK YOU'RE DOING, AND CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS AND, AND GETTING MONEY.
WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT ARTS AND CULTURE AND OUR, AND OUR INSTITUTIONS LIKE YOURS, UM, BRING VISITORS TO HOUSTON, HAVE PEOPLE SPEND MONEY, BIG ECONOMIC DRIVERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PROAM, I'M NOT GONNA TRY TO PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME.
I'M JUST GONNA, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GONNA CALL YOU JOHN.
AT ANY RATE, I AM SO VERY GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE AT HERE ADVOCATING.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM DISTRICT D WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY BE WILLING TO, UM, GET THAT TO YOU IF YOU REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN THE ARTS.
AND I MEAN, THAT'S HOW SOME OF THEM STAY IN SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S THEIR INTEREST.
AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE ADVOCATING.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT MY OFFICE CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOU, UH, IN MAYBE IN THE FORM OF A LETTER OR SO, PLEASE REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE.
NEXT SPEAKER, CATHERINE MCNEIL TO BE FOLLOWED BY HARRISON GUY.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME UP AND SPEAK.
I'M AN ADVOCATE AND A PATRON OF THE ARTS.
UH, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR CONSIDERING AN ALLOCATION FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN TO HOUSTON'S CULTURAL SECTOR.
IT IS AN UNPRECEDENTED EFFORT.
A UNITED COALITION OF ARTS LEADERS ACROSS THE CITY, INCLUDING THE LEADERS OF ALL SEVEN OF HOUSTON STATE CERTIFIED CULTURAL DISTRICTS, CAME TOGETHER ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO TO ASK FOR HELP TO RESTORE HOUSTON'S ARTS ECOSYSTEM AND REINVIGORATE THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY.
ELIGIBILITY FOR FUNDING THE ARTS AND CULTURAL SECTOR FITS SQUARELY WITHIN THE GUIDANCE SET FORTH BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS, THE US FEDERAL TREASURY AND TEXAS COMPTROLLER SINGLE OUT TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY, WHICH INCLUDES THE ARTS AS HARDEST HIT ECONOMICALLY, BOTH IN TEXAS AND NATIONALLY.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED MID-AMERICAN ARTS ALLIANCE, A TRUSTED REGIONAL PARTNER WITH A TRACK RECORD OF PARTNERING WITH THE CITY
[00:55:01]
OF HOUSTON TO DISTRIBUTE FEDERAL FUNDS.THESE FUNDS WILL ASSIST THE SECTOR IN A STRONG AND EQUITABLE RECOVERY, AND IT'LL BE A GRANT MAKING PROCESS THAT IS OPEN TO THE CULTURAL DISTRICTS AND ART ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS TO APPLY THROUGH MID-AMERICAN ARTS ALLIANCE.
I ALSO WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO'S MET WITH US OVER THE PAST SEVEN, UH, SEVEN YEARS TO TWO YEARS TO HELP MAKE
AND, UM, THANK YOU AND I HOPE WE'LL HAVE YOUR SUPPORT TOMORROW ON ITEM 32.
UM, CATHERINE, YOU, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, HAVE LEFT OUT A LOT ON YOUR RESUME REGARDING YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ARTS, UH, INDUSTRY AND CULTURE IN HOUSTON, BUT I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING AT THIS.
UH, SO I WANNA THANK YOU AND RECOGNIZE YOU.
YOU ANSWERED WHAT I HAD BEEN ASKING ABOUT, UM, THE COLLABORATIVE AND COALITION THAT HAS BEEN BUILT, THE GRANT FUNDING PROCESS TO HIT BIG AND SMALL.
UM, BUT I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE HOW LONG THIS WORK HAS BEEN GOING.
I MEAN, TWO YEARS OF ADVOCATING, UH, I'M SO APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT THE DIRECTOR AND MAYOR TURNER ARE PUTTING FORWARD IN THE FUNDING ALLOCATION.
UH, BUT I DID WANNA RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL AS A COALITION HAVE PUT INTO THIS, UH, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT THIS MEANS FOR HOUSTON.
THANK YOU CATHERINE, FOR ALL YOUR ADVOCACY.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE MID-AMERICAN WHAT MID, WHAT, WHAT IS IT CALLED? THE, THE THAT'S MID AMERICAN ARTS ALLIANCE.
JUST I, I I BELIEVE IT'S A LOT LIKE OUR OWN HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE.
IT'S AN UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION.
THAT WORKS THROUGHOUT DIFFERENT REGIONS AND ART ORGANIZATIONS.
SO IT'S MORE OF AN UMBRELLA AND IT'S A GRANT MAKING ORGANIZATION.
SO IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GO TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT ALREADY HAD THAT TYPE OF SYSTEM SET UP SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO REINVENT IT.
UH, AND SO THEY DO, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
THEY GIVE OUT GRANTS AND THEY DID IT FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITH THE CARES MONEY.
THANK YOU CATHERINE, FOR ALL YOU DO.
AND THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO TOOK OUR PHONE CALLS AND ANSWERED YOUR DOOR.
NEXT SPEAKER, HARRISON GUY AFTERNOON.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF ARTS AND CULTURE FOR THE FIFTH WARD CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT.
SO I BRING WITH ME THE AWESOME PEOPLE OF FIFTH WARD.
I AM ALSO AN ARTIST, AND I SIT AT THE INTERSECTION OF UNDERSTANDING POLITICS AND ART AND HOW THEY INTERSECT BECAUSE I SERVED AS CHAIR OF THE MAYOR'S L-G-B-T-Q ADVISORY BOARD.
I WAS ON THE MAYOR'S TRANSITION COMMITTEE.
I SERVED ON THE POLICING TASK FORCE.
UM, AND SO I GET IT OFTENTIMES IN THIS SPACES WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS CONVINCE PEOPLE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF ART.
AND IN LISTENING TO YOU TALK ABOUT MILLER AND THESE AWESOME STUDENTS, I'M GLAD WE CAN SKIP THAT PART BECAUSE YOU GET IT
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE IT COVERS THE GAMBIT? WE DO THAT BY FUNDING THINGS LIKE THIS.
THIS CONVENING THAT HAS COME TOGETHER INCLUDES ALL SEVEN DISTRICTS.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A LATIN-BASED DISTRICT.
AND THAT IS JUST THE DIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
SO I BELIEVE THAT DIVERSITY IS OUR STRENGTH, BUT ART AND CULTURE IS OUR SOUL.
AND SO BY SUPPORTING THIS, YOU ARE SUPPORTING A LOT OF ARTISTS, A LOT OF ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, AND YOU ARE GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A LOT OF US TO BE AROUND A HUNDRED YEARS LIKE MILLER.
LIKE HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE MY DANCE COMPANY URBAN SOULS IS AROUND? WE'RE CELEBRATING 20 NEXT YEAR, BUT HOW DO WE MAKE IT TO A HUNDRED? WE MAKE IT TO A HUNDRED WITH YOUR SUPPORT.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THE FIFTH WARD CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT THAT'S ONLY A COUPLE YEARS OLD, LAST A HUNDRED YEARS LIKE MILLER, WE DO THAT BY SUPPORTING THEM, ESPECIALLY IN A MOMENT OF RESCUE.
YOU KNOW, THOSE THAT ARE MOST MARGINALIZED AND ARE OUT ON THE FRINGES, THEY NEED RESCUE THE MOST.
AND SO I'M EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS CONVENING.
I'M EXCITED TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF FIFTH WARD.
I'M EXCITED TO REP REPRESENT ARTISTS OF HOUSTON.
I'M EXCITED TO REPRESENT THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY.
SO EQUITY IS A BIG PIECE OF THIS IN AND OF ITSELF.
I BELIEVE THAT MIDAMERICA, UM, DOES GREAT WORK.
[01:00:01]
TRUSTED.UM, I, I I, I'VE BEEN A PART OF THEIR PANEL IN DECISION MAKING FOR SEVERAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.
THEY'RE REGIONAL, SO THEY UNDERSTAND IT FROM A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE.
UM, SO I THINK THIS WOULD BE, UM, AWESOME TO SUPPORT AND JUST WANTED TO REASSURE YOU THAT YOU WOULD BE HELPING A LOT OF HOUSTONIANS TO GET BACK AND HELPING OUR ART SECTOR TO SURVIVE.
UM, HARRISON, I MEAN, YOU SPOKE BEAUTIFULLY AS ALWAYS AND YOU MOVE BEAUTIFULLY.
IS THESE ARE ARPA DOLLARS, UH, FEDERAL DOLLARS RELATED TO RECOVERY AFTER COVID AS AN ARTIST PERSONALLY AND AS SOMEONE THAT OWNS AND IS INVOLVED IN THE WAY YOU ARE, CAN YOU JUST SPEAK BRIEFLY FROM YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE? MUSIC, ART, UM, WAS THE FIRST TO CLOSE MM-HMM
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THESE DOLLARS MEAN TO YOU PERSONALLY? YEAH.
AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THAT? FOR SURE.
UM, I THINK THAT PERSONALLY I CAN SAY THAT MANY OF MY DANCERS LOST A LOT OF WORK DURING COVID AND ACTUALLY HAD TO SHIFT TO DOING OTHER THINGS, THINGS THEY DON'T LOVE AND PROBABLY THINGS THEY'RE NOT THAT GREAT AT, RIGHT? BUT THEY HAD TO GO INTO SURVIVAL MODE.
UM, IN THE ARTS SECTOR, I SAW THAT HAPPEN OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WE MOST THRIVE IN THOSE SPACES OF EXPERTISE.
WE MOST THRIVE IN THOSE SPACES OF PASSION AND LOVE.
AND SO WHAT COVID DID WAS MOVED A LOT OF OUR SECTOR OUT OF THAT TO GO BACK TO TEACHING.
AND WE WANT TEACHERS TO BE IN A CLASSROOM WHO NOT ONLY CAN TEACH, BUT WANT TO TEACH.
UM, AND SO I SAW A HUGE DEFICIT, UM, HAPPEN WITHIN OUR SECTOR BECAUSE PEOPLE REALLY DID HAVE TO SHIFT TO SURVIVAL.
AND THE BAD NEWS IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STILL IN THOSE SPACES AND ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COME UP OUTTA THAT SURVIVAL.
NEXT SPEAKER RODNEY UNDERWOOD TO BE FOLLOWED BY CRYSTAL NGO.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. UNDERWOOD.
I'M A DIRECTOR OF UPLIFT HOUSE.
WE ARE IN THE, UH, BELFORT MACAU ROAD AREA.
WE ARE COMMUNITY SERVICE AS WELL AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'VE WORKED WITH THE LANDLORD TENANT PROGRAM WITH, WITH, UH, AFFILIATED WITH THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS.
AND WE ALSO ARE DOING A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE COMING OUT SUCH AS OUR VETERANS THAT NEED TO FIND A PLACE TO STAY AND LEARN JOB SKILLS.
BUT THROUGH THE, UH, PROCESS, WE'VE RUN INTO A LOT OF PROBLEMS AND DIFFICULTIES WORKING WITHIN THE SYSTEM THAT HAS A HARD TIME, UH, UH, WORKING WITH, UH, THE LANDLORDS AS FAR AS US GETTING, UH, REIMBURSED OR KEEPING OUR PRO OUR PROPERTIES OPEN AND AVAILABLE.
WE'VE GONE TO THE COURT SYSTEM.
WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT WAS TOLD TO.
WE GETTING STILL, I HAVE OVER A YEAR OF PROBLEMS. AND THE COURT, AND ALSO MOST RECENT, THE MONEY THAT WAS GIVEN, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE, WELL, AFTER I DID ALL THE PAPERWORK AND SENT IT AND GOT READY TO BRING IT IN TO, UH, THE AGENCIES THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH, WE GOT, UH, DENIED FUNDS.
THEY SAID THEY RAN OUT OF FUNDS BEFORE WE CAN RECEIVE ANYTHING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GET A CHANCE TO MEET PEOPLE FACE TO FACE BECAUSE THE WAY IT IS NOW WITH THE COVID AND ALL THESE OTHER TYPE OF PROJECTS, IT'S HARD TO COMMUNICATE AND IT'S HARD TO GET EVERYTHING RIGHT ON POINT AND FIND OUT WHY.
EVEN THOUGH WE WERE, UH, UH, ABOVE THE TIME BEFORE THE MONIES RAN OUT, WE WERE ALREADY PUT ON THE, I GUESS DO NOT DISTURB LIST BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T TALKING TO ME AT ALL.
SO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE SOME TIME TO MEET THE PEOPLE THAT MAYBE, UH, WE CAN HAVE A BETTER RELATIONSHIP.
'CAUSE WE'RE DOING OUTREACH AND WE'RE STILL DOING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND TRYING TO ASSIST THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING OUT AND IN NEED OF SERVICES.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ.
HELLO, UH, MR. UNDERWOOD, I THINK, UH, YOU MAY HAVE BEEN MY NEIGHBOR BEHIND ME WHEN I LIVED ON BLOT 2218 BLOT
[01:05:01]
FOR, FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT I, I, YOUR FACE LOOKS QUITE FAMILIAR.BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I HAVE LOOKED OVER YOUR INFORMATION AND I, I DO SEE THAT YOU ALL DO HAVE SOME COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES.
UH, BUT WHAT I FOUND OUT IS THAT THE PARTICULAR COMPLEX IS IN DISTRICT I, AND I BELIEVE THAT, UM, COUNCIL, I'M GONNA PUNT THIS OFF TO COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, WHO I HAVE SPOKEN TO BRIEFLY.
HE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR CHALLENGES REGARDING THIS.
AND SO I KNOW MY STAFF HAS ENGAGED WITH YOU, BUT, UM, BECAUSE THE PRO YOU LIVE IN, DISTRICT D, CERTAINLY NOT FAR FROM ME, BUT THE PARTICULAR, UH, COMPLEX THAT YOU ARE OFFERING FOR SERVICE IS IN DISTRICT.
I, SO COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOUR OFFICE.
WE ALSO HAVE A PROPERTY RIGHT BEHIND YOU ON BLOT, UH, ON WENTWORTH.
AND WE HAVE PEOPLE IS IT, IS THE 22, 20 SOMETHING IS NOT WHERE YOU LIVE? 2021.
WE'VE, UH, WE, UH, WE HAVE, UH, CLIENTS THAT STAYING THERE THAT'S IS CLOSE TO THE MEDICAL CENTER MM-HMM
ARE YOU HAVING CHALLENGES WITH THAT UNIT AS WELL? YES.
WELL, ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION THAT I GOT, I THINK IT'S A, A PROBLEM WITH INSPECTIONS.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, I WILL ENGAGE WITH YOU REGARDING THE WENTWORTH PIECE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS WILL ENGAGE WITH YOU CON CONCERNING THE HOG PIECE.
AND MAYBE BETWEEN THE TWO OF US, WE CAN GET TO A RESOLUTION, UH, THAT YOU ARE, UH, ACCEPT.
THAT YOU WILL ACCEPT OR, YOU KNOW, WHEREVER IT FALLS.
SO ANYWAY, THIS JUST CAME TO MY ATTENTION AND I CERTAINLY JUST TOOK IT TO HIM SO HE WASN'T AWARE OF IT AS WELL.
UH, GOOD, THAT GOOD THAT BOTH OF US IS ABLE TO MEET FACE TO FACE, BECAUSE WE'RE MAKING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE COMMU, UH, FOR THE HOUSTON AREA.
AND WE, UH, DO HAVE A PROPERTY ON, UH, WENTWORTH, WHICH, UH, IS DEALING WITH KIND OF A GROUP HOME ASPECT THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE GUYS THAT NEEDS TO TRANSITION OUT.
THEY NEED ASSISTANCE AND THEY NEED HELP.
BUT MY PROBLEM IS THAT THE WAY THE SYSTEM THAT IS SET UP, IT'S HARD TO ACCESS AND, AND, UH, GET THE FUNDING BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND AFTER, AFTER, AFTER I DID EVERYTHING I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO, WELL, WE, THEY TURNED AROUND.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT.
IF YOU DID EVERYTHING YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DO EXACTLY, THEN YOU MIGHT GET A DIFFERENT OUTCOME WITH SOME INTERVENTION.
BUT CERTAINLY FROM THE INFORMATION I'VE GOTTEN, I'VE, I'VE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE GUIDELINES, OF COURSE, WE APPRECIATE PEOPLE PUTTING THEIR PROPERTIES UP, UH, TO ASSIST THOSE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE NEED TO BE GUIDELINES BECAUSE WE WANNA HOUSE THEM IN APPROPRIATE HOUSING AS WELL, SAFE AND SECURE HOUSING AS WELL.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU MAY HAVE FALLEN OFF IN REGARDS TO THE INSPECTION, BUT I CERTAINLY WOULD BE WILLING TO HAVE MY STAFF TO LOOK FURTHER INTO THE, THE WENTWORTH PROPERTY.
UH, AND AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS WILL ENGAGE WITH YOU WITH THE WHOLE PROPERTY, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
AND LIKE I WAS SAYING, WE DID, UH, PASS THE INSPECTIONS.
WE ARE WITH COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS.
WE ARE, UH, DESIGNATED A FACILITY AND IT WASN'T THE PROBLEM WITH THE PROPERTY.
THEY HAVE SENT LETTERS TO THE CLIENTS TELLING THEM THAT THEY WERE APPROVED AND THEN THEY TURN AROUND LATER AND APPROVE ME FOR FUNDING.
BUT YET STILL, WE NEVER GET FUNDED.
OKAY, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK INTO IT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PROTI, UH, UM, IN THE AUDIENCES ELI WITH THE HOUSTON HOUSING DEPARTMENT, AND HE'LL BE ABLE TO ASSIST YOU BEHIND YOU IN THE, IN THE BLUE BLAZER.
AND, UH, HE CAN GET YOU A FOLLOW UP WITH YOU WITH SOME OF THE PENDING QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
NEXT SPEAKER, CRYSTAL, LAST NAME SPELLED NGO.
I AM THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE OUTREACH COORDINATOR AT AIRLINE HOUSTON, AND AN ALLY OF NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
I'M FROM ALE, GREW UP THERE MY WHOLE LIFE.
SO I DO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY HI TO COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE IN DISTRICT F.
BY THE TIME I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, FLOODS BECAME A REGULAR SIGHTING THAT I FEARED AS I WATCHED IT RISE TO THE MIDDLE OF MY DRIVEWAY IN THE UNDERGROUND DRAINAGE SYSTEM THAT I HAVE.
WHEN IT RAINED, I FEARED THAT IT WOULD FLOOD MY HOME, BEING IN A LOW INCOME COMMUNITY WHERE MY FAMILY STRESSED ABOUT WHAT WOULD WE DO IF WE ACTUALLY DID FLOOD.
[01:10:01]
I REALIZE THAT MY FEAR IS MINUTE COMPARED TO THE TREMBLES THAT FAMILIES WITH OPEN DRAINAGE SYSTEMS HAVE ALL, WHICH IS ALL OF NORTH, NORTH OF HOUSTON.AND WITH EV EVEN IN TODAY, THE 30 MINUTES, THE 30 MINUTES THAT THERE WAS A DOWNPOUR THIS MORNING, THEY ALREADY BEGAN TO FLOOD.
THESE, THESE COMMUNITIES ARE FORCED TO BE RESILIENT BECAUSE THEY DEAL WITH THE REPERCUSSIONS OF HOUSE REPAIR DAMAGES AND RECONSTRUCTION FROM NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.
BUT FROM HISTORIC HISTORICAL REDLINING, THERE WAS A STUDY CALLED JUSTICE IN THE SEWERS, DEVELOPED BY MAYOR BY BAYOU CITY WATER KEEPERS AND RICE UNIVERSITY'S SPATIAL STUDIES LAB.
THAT RE REDLINING CONTRIBUTED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE THAT SPECIFICALLY, PREDOMINANTLY BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES AND LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES.
FACE, FOR INSTANCE, NORTHEAST COMMUNITIES DID NOT GET SEWAGE SYSTEMS IN PLACE UNTIL THE 1960S.
THERE'S A SEWAGE INJUSTICE THAT CAUSES WATER TO LINGER AND POOL IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AFTER A, A FLOOD THAT CONTAINS HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS.
LAST YEAR IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON, EIGHT DIFFERENT TYPES OF PFAS WERE TESTED FOR, TESTED FOR IN SOIL, AND AT LEAST SOME WERE FOUND IN ALL SAMPLES TAKEN.
PFAS CAN CAUSE LIVER DAMAGE, THYROID DISEASE, FERTILITY ISSUES, AND CANCER.
NORTHEAST HOUSTON HAS SEWAGE LEAKS, AC ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE CITY AND IN THE EPA CONSENT DECREE.
AND SCHOLARS AT A AND M HAVE FOUND LEAD AT REALLY HIGH LEVELS ON A PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO WHEN WATER THAT COULD BE MOVED SAFELY BY DRAINS HAS NOWHERE TO GO, IT PUSHES THESE CHEMICALS AROUND AND POSES A PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT, WHICH IS WHY I HOPE THAT THE CITY WILL WORK TO INCREASE THE LOCAL DRAINAGE PROJECT BUDGET BY 20 MILLION AND INCREASE WHAT BUDGET BY 20 MILLION ON A PERMANENT BASIS.
IT DIRECTLY MEETS MAYOR TURNER'S BUDGET PRIORITIES FOR INITIATIVE FIVE.
TO IMPROVE SWAT AND PRIORITY FIVE INITIATIVE, ONE.
AT RESILIENT HOUSTON, WE CAN BE A STRONG HOUSTON, WHERE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ARE NO LONGER BEING DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM.
WE ASK FOR BETTER EJ IMPLEMENTATION.
EJ IMPLEMENTATION, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IMPLEMENTATION THAT INCLUDES A HEALTH AND SAFETY PLAN THAT TESTS THE WATER AFTER A FLOOD, A DRAINAGE PROJECTS GET RESOLVED, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
NEXT SPEAKER, MICHELLE, ALWAYS AWAI TO BE FOLLOWED BY CAROLYN RIVERA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
MY NAME IS ASHA LEWIS AND I'M THE COMMUNITY SCIENCE MANAGER AT BY U CITY WATERKEEPER.
OUR WORK FOCUSES ON ENSURING CLEAN WATER FOR THE LOWER GALVESTON BAY WATERSHED.
WE PARTNER WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE COMMUNITY EXPERTISE GUIDES AND INFORMS OUR WORK.
TODAY I'M HERE TO SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE AND THEIR EFFORTS TO ENSURE DRAINAGE JUSTICE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I WAS PRESIDENT ONE OF KNACKS FIRST MEETINGS A FEW YEARS AGO AND HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THEIR COMMUNITY STREET CLEANUPS.
OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE SEEN PICTURES AND PICTURES OF FLOODED STREETS, HOMES, AND ALL THE VARIOUS WAYS INADEQUATE AND POORLY MAINTAINED INFRASTRUCTURE CAN FLOOD COMMUNITIES AND THEIR HOMES FOR COMMUNITIES IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS COUPLED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION, SEWAGE OVERFLOWS, ILLEGAL DUMPING AND CLIMATE CHANGE BASED RAIN, EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.
NORTHEAST HOUSTON CONTINUES TO SEE AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF ISSUES WITH NO NEAR TERM SOLUTION.
FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, I HAVE VISUALIZED THE CITY'S MONTHLY SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOW DATA AND WE SEE THAT THE HIGHEST REPORTED NUMBER OF OVERFLOWS ARE IN 7 7 0 2 3, WHICH IS GULF GATE EAST WAYSIDE.
AND IN 7 7 0 2 6 KME GARDENS NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
THESE ARE THE ZIP CODES WHERE MAJORITY LOW INCOME, BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES RE RESIDE.
WHEN WE OVERLAY THIS DATA WITH MAPS ALONGSIDE OPEN DRAIN DITCHES, FLOOD MAPS, HISTORIC REDLINING, WE SEE A CORRELATION.
THESE INFRASTRUCTURE INJUSTICES, OVERBURDEN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
THIS IS WHAT DECADES OF UNDERINVESTMENT LOOKS LIKE USING A ONE WATER APPROACH.
I URGE THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO DETERMINE AND PRIORITIZE INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR USING METRICS LIKE THE C-D-C-S-B-I, ALICE MEDIAN INCOME AND RACE.
TO DETERMINE WHERE COMMUNITIES ARE IMPACTED FROM THE, UH, POOR DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE.
I URGED THE CITY TO PERMANENTLY INCREASE SWAT AND LDP ANNUAL FUNDING FROM 20 MILLION EACH BY 20 MILLION EACH.
INCREASE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT STAFF, AND MACHINERY FOR MAINTENANCE AND SELECT DRAINAGE PROJECTS USING EQUITABLE CRITERIA.
LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE KNOW THAT MANY CITY COUNSELORS AND THE MAYOR HAVE DRAINAGE AS A HIGH PRIORITY.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO EXPRESS A PROBLEM AND SHARE COMMUNITY'S PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH FLOODING AND DRAINAGE, BUT TO SHARE PROPOSED SOLUTIONS THAT WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER.
WE HOPE TO SHOW PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR INVESTING
[01:15:01]
IN OUR DRAINAGE SO THAT YOU AS OUR REPRESENTATIVES, UM, HAVE THE BACKING TO MAKE THE CHANGES WE KNOW WE NEED.UH, MAYOR, UH, TIM MARTIN, THANK YOU.
UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR MEETING WITH US TWO WEEKS AGO.
WE KNOW THAT YOU WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN INCREASING SWAT FUNDING LAST YEAR.
WE WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE NAC TO SUPPORT YOU IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET CYCLE.
WE FEEL THE NEED TO KEEP COMING HERE BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, UNLESS, UNTIL WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT THE NEEDS ARE BEING ADDRESSED THROUGH ACTUAL BUDGET CHANGES.
IF THERE ARE ALREADY AMENDMENTS IN THE WORKS WITH COUNCIL SUPPORT, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I'M A NEAR NORTHSIDE RESIDENT PROPERTY OWNER.
AND TAXPAYER, A GOOD FRIEND, TOLD ME THAT IN HOUSTON, WE TELL TIME THROUGH NATURAL DISASTERS, BUT WE DON'T ALL EXPERIENCE NATURAL DISASTERS THE SAME.
SOMETIMES WHAT'S CONSIDERED RAIN IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD IS CONSIDERED A DISASTER IN ANOTHER, AND MANY TIMES THE DIFFERENCE COMES DOWN TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
MANY NAC MEMBERS WHO LIVE IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON TODAY ACTUALLY COULD NOT COME SPEAK TODAY BECAUSE OF THEIR, BECAUSE THEIR STREETS ARE FLOODING.
AS MY FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS HAVE SHARED, WE DESPERATELY NEED MORE DRAINAGE INVESTMENT IN THE MOST MARGINALIZED PARTS OF OUR CITY.
HOUSTON CAN TAKE A VERY IMPORTANT STEP IN THIS YEAR BY INCREASING THE LDP BUDGET BY 20 MILLION.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT BOTH SWAT AND LDP ARE FUNDED BECAUSE SWAT IS DISTRIBUTED EVENLY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICTS.
BUT LDP ALLOWS THE DEPARTMENT OF DRAINAGE TO TAKE A WORSE FIRST APPROACH.
CITYWIDE INCREASING SWAT IN LDP BY 20 MILLION EACH IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE REAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IMPACTS RIGHT AWAY AS WE WORK ON BIGGER SOLUTIONS.
AND LOGICALLY, THE CITY ASKS WHERE WILL THIS MONEY COME FROM? I HAVE SOME RECEIPTS.
THE 20 MILLION FOR THE LDP CAN COME FROM THE MONEY THAT IS MANDATED BY THE CITY ORDINANCE TO FUND DRAINAGE, BUT IS CURRENTLY NOT BEING USED THAT WAY.
IN 2010, HOUSTON VOTERS PASSED AN ORDINANCE ALLOTTING 11.80 CENTS PER $100 OF PROPERTY OF HOUSTON'S PROPERTY TAX TO BUILD HOUSTON FORWARD.
THIS WAS 18.47% OF THE TOTAL PROPERTY TAX GOING TO DRAINAGE SINCE THEN, A REVENUE CAP WAS PASSED FORCING HOUSTON TO LOWER ITS OVERALL PROPERTY TAX RATE, AS THE MAYOR HAS STATED TO CONTINUE TO PUT 11.8 MILLAGE RATE OF PROPERTY TAX TO DRAINAGE WOULD BE TO PUT A LARGER AND LARGER TOTAL PERCENTAGE OF PROPERTY TAX TO DRAINAGE, WHICH WOULD CAUSE SERIOUS CHALLENGES.
TO BE CLEAR, WE ALL AGREE THAT THE FULL 11.80 CENTS CANNOT GO TO DRAINAGE DUE TO THE REVENUE CAP.
HOWEVER, THE ORDINANCE MANDATES AN EQUIVALENT AMOUNT GO TO DRAINAGE, WHICH MUST MEAN A PROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OR 18.447 OF THE TOTAL PROPERTY TAX EVERY YEAR.
AND THAT IS NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN 2018.
ONLY 15.73% WAS TRANSFERRED IN 2019, ONLY 16 POINT 59% IN 2020, ONLY 16.08% IN 2021, ONLY 15.67%.
AND IN 2022, ONLY 15.96% IN JUST THESE FIVE YEARS, WE ELIMINATED THE SMALL CHANGES IN PERCENT IN PERCENTAGE.
THAT ACTUALLY MEANT OVER $22 MILLION LESS MONEY TO DRAINAGE EACH YEAR OR 11 18 MILLION TOTAL.
EARLIER TODAY, MATT EMAILED COUNCIL MEMBERS A MEMO THAT EXPLAINS HOW WE CAME TO THESE NUMBERS WITH A LIST OF CITY RESOURCES.
CAN ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE TODAY COMMIT TO ENSURING THAT THE WILL OF THE VOTERS IS HONORED AND THAT OUR COMMUNITIES WILL GET NEEDED FUNDING FOR DRAINAGE? WE WANT TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU AND WE KNOW THAT YOU ALL CARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING.
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER ED POLLARD.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
THANK YOU MA'AM FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND, AND TO YOUR COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UH, AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALL COMING WEEK AFTER WEEK.
UH, IT KEEPS IT IN THE FOREFRONT AND WE'VE HAD SOME MEETINGS, UH, PRIVATELY WITH OUR OFFICE.
ON, ON YOUR, YOUR ASK WITH THE INCREASED FUNDING THAT YOU ARE PROPOSING.
WALK ME THROUGH THE CAPACITY ISSUE OF ALRIGHT, IF YOU GET THE MONEY, HOW ARE YOU GONNA DO THE PROJECTS? HOW ARE YOU GONNA INCREASE THE, THE, UM, THE AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WITHIN PUBLIC WORKS TO ENSURE THAT THE PROJECTS AREN'T JUST, UM, STALLED BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ENOUGH, UH, WORKFORCE TO PUT IT FORWARD.
[01:20:01]
UM, ANY ANY TALKS WITH PUBLIC WORKS ON HOW THEY WOULD, UH, MAYBE CONTRACT OUT SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS.'CAUSE WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS FOR THERE TO BE MONEY SITTING THERE FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS, BUT THEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ACTUALLY DO THE PROJECTS BECAUSE EITHER PUBLIC WORKS IS OVERWHELMED OR THERE IS A BOTTLENECK WITHIN TRYING TO FIND THE APPROPRIATE CONTRACTORS THAT CAN ACTUALLY DO THE WORK OR THE BID PROCESS THAT TAKES, YOU KNOW, UH, SOMETIMES A LENGTHY AMOUNT OF TIME TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO, UH, CONTRACT OUT AND THEN ACTUALLY PERFORM THE WORK.
SO TELL ME YOUR INSIGHT ON ON THAT.
YEAH, SO, UM, I'M A MEMBER OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
IT'S A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION.
WE ACTUALLY DON'T DEAL WITH THE NUMBERS LIKE THAT, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND COMPILE THEM AND GET ALL THOSE PERCENTAGES.
SO WE DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING AND SEEING HOW WE CAN HELP THE CITY BE MORE EFFICIENT AT BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY USE THIS MONEY SO THAT IT'S NOT SITTING THERE AND GOES TOWARDS DRAINAGE JUSTICE.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN, JUST A POINT OF REFERENCE.
NEXT WEEK WE WILL, THE MAYOR WILL PRESENT HIS BUDGET.
I THINK IT'S ON TUESDAY, SO, UM, I THINK EVERYONE WILL BE VERY IMPRESSED AND I KNOW THAT A NUMBER OF US HAVE MET WITH THE MAYOR ON DIFFERENT PROJECTS, UH, THAT WOULD LIKE TO GET FUNDING FROM.
BUT I THINK, UM, EVERYONE WILL BE, AS WE KNOW, PLEASANTLY SUPPLIED PRIZE WITH THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE COLLABORATIVELY, UH, TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON DEBT AND TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE.
SO, UH, ONCE AGAIN, I THINK IT'S NEXT TUESDAY THAT THEY HAVE AN, UH, MAYOR WILL HAVE HIS PRESS CONFERENCE.
NEXT SPEAKER, TALA TRISTAN, MS. TRISTAN TALA OR TALA TRISTEN.
NEXT SPEAKER COURTNEY RES TO BE FOLLOWED BY WILL HILL.
COURTNEY, AS YOU APPROACH, WE ONLY ALLOW ONE PERSON AT THE PODIUM, BUT IF YOUR DAUGHTER COULD STAND THERE FOR SUPPORT, WE WOULD SURELY APPRECIATE IT.
I JUST WANTED Y'ALL TO MEET HER SINCE I'M ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT HER, SO, GOOD AFTERNOON Y'ALL.
UM, SO AS YOU GUYS ARE AWARE, UM, SO HER NAME IS JUDITH, UM, SHE'S IN THE SECOND GRADE.
HER SCHOOL IS LOCATED AT 8208TH STREET.
RIGHT? UM, THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT ME INTO THIS WORK, BUT AS YOU GUYS ARE AWARE, I AM HERE WITH THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE AND WE ARE HERE TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF COMMUNITIES IN PREDOMINANTLY IN THE NORTHEAST HOUSTON, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
SO THAT'S WHY IT WOULD BENEFIT YOU GUYS TO MOVE FORWARD THESE DEMANDS AND THESE INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR TODAY.
RIGHT? AND, UM, SO ONE THING, ONE THING I'VE NOTICED IS THERE A LOT OF DEVIL IN THE DETAILS AROUND THIS AVALOR TAX THING.
WE KNOW THAT THE THINGS ARE BEING DIVERTED.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE, WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHERE EVERY DOLLAR, EVERY CENT IS GOING, BUT WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO DRAINAGE THE WAY THAT WE AS TAX PAYING CITIZENS WOULD LIKE IT TO BE GOING TO, RIGHT? SO WE'RE ASKING THAT OUR REPRESENTATIVES, PEOPLE THAT WE VOTE FOR WOULD STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH US AND SPEAK UP FOR US, SPEAK OUT FOR US, AND MAKE SURE THAT THE NORTHEAST THE MOST IMPACTED IS GETTING THE UPGRADES AND FLOOD MITIGATION THINGS THAT WE NEED.
I DID NOT THINK I WAS GONNA MAKE IT HERE TODAY BECAUSE I DID NOT THINK I COULD GET FROM WHERE I WAS WORKING AT TO MY DAUGHTER AND BACK TO COUNCIL.
WE HAVE A LOCAL DRAINAGE PROJECT GOING ON BY MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL THAT'S ONLY TAKING CARE OF HALF THE STREET.
I WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE THE OTHER HALF OF THE, OF EAST HOUSTON TO MESA THAT IS FLOODED RIGHT NOW BY HILLIARD, ANOTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ONE OF THE ONLY TWO REMAINING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN MY AREA THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
SO WE HAVE TO TRAVERSE ALL THIS FLOOD WATERS.
AND SO WE ARE GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL THAT YOU GUYS ARE HEARING US AND ARE HEARING OUR DEMANDS, BUT DEMAND NUMBER FOUR MIGHT BE OUR MOST IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT TAX MONEY IS GOING TO THE PROPER AREA WHERE WE WANT IT TO GO AS CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, AND WHERE WE, WHERE WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT SHOULD GO WHERE, WHERE IT'S BEEN ALLOCATED FOR.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A LIST OF THINGS THAT, THAT, THAT Y'ALL SAY THIS MONEY SHOULD GO TO.
WE'D LIKE TO SEE IT GO THERE AND FLOOD MITIGATION IN THE NORTHEAST IS A PLACE WE'D LIKE TO SEE IT GO.
WE ARE SO THANKFUL THAT Y'ALL ARE HEARING US OUT AND WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT YOU GUYS PUBLICLY SUPPORT US.
WE'D LIKE TO, WE'D LIKE TO GET THE PUBLIC SUPPORT, WE'D LIKE TO GET HELP WITH ORDINANCES.
WE'D LIKE TO GET HELP WITH WHATEVER YOU GUYS CAN OFFER HELP, BUT REMEMBER THAT THE CITIZENS ARE FIRST Y'ALL'S JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOOD.
IT'S NOT TO SIT UP HERE AND REPRESENT Y'ALL'S
[01:25:01]
OWN INTERESTS.AND I'M NOT SAYING Y'ALL ARE, BUT I'M JUST SAYING OUR INTERESTS ARE WHAT'S IMPORTANT AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE YOU GUYS JUST TAKE THE FOREFRONT OF THAT AND BE THE BIG CITY HANDLING THEIR CITIZENS THE RIGHT WAY.
AND I KNOW THE NEXT SPEAKER'S HERE.
DUDE, YOUR, YOUR TEAM IS LOSING EVERY GAME THEY PLAY.
HAVE A BETTER RECORD THAN THAT.
SOX GOLD LAKERS, YOU THEN THEY AUSTIN RED SOX HAVE A BETTER RECORD THAN US RIGHT NOW.
JACOB, WHAT'S GOING ON? I WASN'T GONNA SAY ANYTHING.
THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO ASK ABOUT MY CAP.
AND WELL, TO BEGIN WITH JACOB HERE, I SPEAK BEFORE CITY COUNCIL TOMORROW, ANYTHING
UH, UH, I I HAVE ANOTHER COPY FOR YOU.
AUTOGRAPH MY TEETH, FALL TEETH FILL UP, AND I'M GOING TO THE DENTIST COME ON TO GET 'EM REPAIRED.
AND, AND THEN MY, UM, I, MY FATHER, UH, COUNSEL NUMBER J UM, I'M SURE THAT, UH, UH, WAR V WOULD ALSO AGREE WITH, UH,
UH, LET US REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE ASTROS STARTED OFF WHAT, LAST YEAR? I THINK THEY WERE 11.
11 AND THEY WENT ON A PRETTY GOOD WINNING STREAK.
SO WE'LL BE OKAY, RIGHT? OH, I'M GONNA PRAY.
OH, OH, GOOD LUCK AT YOUR DENTIST APPOINTMENT TOMORROW.
THIS COMPLETES TO THIS, THE SPEAKERS.
[RECESS]
IN RECESS UNTIL 9:00 AM TOMORROW MORNING.NOW THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR THE WEEK MAY 9TH AND 10TH, 2023 ITEM ONE, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF DONNA MCINTOSH TO POSITION FIVE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER FIVE, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS MEMORIAL HEIGHTS ZONE ITEM TWO, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF DONALD MCINTOSH TO POSITION FIVE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MEMORIAL HEIGHTS REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
ITEM THREE, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE REAPPOINTMENT OF THE OF JEFFREY NIELSEN TO POSITION TWO OF THE REINVESTMENT ZONE.
NUMBER 10, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS LAKE HOUSTON ZONE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
ITEM FOUR, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION REAPPOINTMENT OF JEFFREY NIELSEN EXCUSE TO POSITION TWO OF LAKE HOUSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
ITEM FIVE, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE RE OF THE APPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT.
ZONE NUMBER 24 GREATER HOUSTON ZONE.
RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $17,680,312 AND 12 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH VOYA INC.
ITEM SEVEN, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVE A FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $3,404,991 AND 35 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH ALLSTATE INCORPORATED.
ITEM EIGHT, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $6,888,483 AND 88 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH ANGEL BROTHERS ENTERPRISES INC.
ITEM NINE, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $2,687,256 AND 33 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH REPORTING UTILITIES CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LLC ITEM 10 AND RECOMMENDATION FROM CITY ATTORNEY TO DEPOSIT THE AMOUNT OF THE AWARD OF SPECIAL COMMISSIONS INTO THE REGISTRY OF THE COURT TO PAY OUR COST OF COURT IN CONNECTION WITH NT DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS STYLE, CITY OF HOUSTON VERSUS TEXAS PETROLEUM GROUP LLC AT ALL.
ITEM 11, ADVANCED RESCUE SYSTEMS FOR SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE
[01:30:01]
OF FIRE AND RESCUE EQUIPMENT.ITEM 12 WEST SIDE CHEVROLET, INC.
$2,488,739 AND 10 CENTS CLASSIC CHEVROLET CENTRAL $2,488,739 AND 10 CENTS J SUPER INVESTMENTS, L-L-C-D-B-A MONARCHY CAR CARE SYSTEM.
CAR CARE CENTER, $829,579 AND 70 CENTS FOR GM CAR AND TRUCK OEM REPLACEMENT PARTS AND REPAIR SERVICES.
ITEM 13, HOUSTON FREIGHTLINER INC.
DBA HOUSTON FREIGHT LINER AND WESTERN STAR FOR FREIGHTLINER CAB AND CHASSIS REPLACING PARTS AND REPAIR SERVICES.
ITEM 14, FERGUSON WATERWORKS 2 MILLION 906 5 0 3 55 AND COBURN SUPPLY COMPANY INC $2,601,041 AND 50 CENTS FOR PLASTIC METER BOXES AND COVERS.
ITEM 15 HMT SERVICES CORPORATION FOR PURCHASE OF AN ALCOM PRESSURE PUMP.
ITEM 16, ABACUS QUALITY SYSTEM SERVICES INC.
FOR PURCHASE OF FLAME FITTINGS.
ITEM 17, CONSOLIDATED TRAFFIC CONTROLS INC.
FOR PURCHASE OF TRAFFIC CONTROL EQUIPMENT THROUGH THE IN LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL.
ITEM 18, PATRICIA TECH SUPPLY AND SERVICE FOR PURCHASE OF ASPHALT CLEANER.
ITEM 19, REACH, GRAB AND GO DEBRIS REMOVAL CODE FOR EMERGENCY ILLEGAL DUMPING SERVICES.
ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT TO LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND T-X-Z-N-H-L-L-C ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FOURTH AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND SEARCH HOMELESS SERVICES.
ITEM 22, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE DIOCESE OF GALVESTON HOUSTON.
ITEM 23 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND A CARING SAFE PLACE INC.
ITEM 24 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERTS, INC.
ITEM 25 ORDINANCE APPROVING ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CREATION AND EXECUTION OF FORM INTERNATIONAL FACILITIES AGREEMENTS BY AND BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND VARIOUS TERMINAL D AIRLINES.
ITEM 26 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEM 27, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 22 DASH 3 0 4 PAST APRIL 20TH, 2022 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND OLSON AND OLSON LLP ITEM 28.
ORDINANCE APPROPRIATED IN $212,000 IN NO CENTS OUT OF PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT BETWEEN PAUL RIVERA AND ANGELA RIVERA.
ITEM 29 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $106,000 IN NO CENTS OUTTA PUBLIC LIBRARY.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT BETWEEN MARIA G DEION SELLER ITEM 30 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATE AND $1,206,663 AND 20 CENTS OUT OF POLICE CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND TO RENT A TEMPORARY CHILLER AND TO REPLACE THE EXISTING CHILLERS AT WESTSIDE COMMAND STATION.
ITEM 31 ORDINANCE APPRO AN AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND DRC EMERGENCY SERVICES LLC ITEM 32 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AWARDING SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE MID-AMERICA ARTS ALLIANCE.
ITEM 33 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE 800 BLOCK OF RIDGE STREET NORTH AND NORTH SIDES.
ITEM 34 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE WEST SIDE OF THE 2,700 BLOCK OF JULIAN STREET.
ITEM 35 ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 19 7 34 TO INCLUDE THE ACQUISITION OF 26 PARCELS FOR THE 54 INCH WATER LINE ALONG GALVESTON ROAD PROJECT ITEM 36, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 22 8 61 TO INCLUDE THE ACQUISITION OF NINE ADDITIONAL PARCELS FOR THE NORTH CORRIDOR CONSOLIDATION PACKAGE THREE, FLOW DIVERSION 36 INCH FROM IMPERIAL VALLEY WWTP TO NORTHGATE REGIONAL LIFT STATION PROJECT ITEM 37, ORDINANCE SUBMITTING NUMBER, ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020 DASH 9 46 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO ENTER A LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY TEXAS.
ITEM 38 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $78,750 AND NO CENTS OUTTA DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND DRAINAGE CHARGE AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND INSPECTION SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND AVI'S ENGINEERING CORPORATION.
ITEM 39 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5,066,044 AND 20 CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEW SYSTEM.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND LOCKWOOD ANDREWS AND NEWHAM INC.
ITEM 40 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $2,779,754 AND 25 CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING
[01:35:01]
SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND RC US INC.ITEM 41 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATED $1,198,292 AND 55 CENTS OUT WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM, CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND PARSONS WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE INC.
ITEM 42 ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING $9,838,670 AND 89 CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM, CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING A NEW ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
ITEM 43, MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON TO RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVED FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF 3,034,000 9897 28 AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH SPECIALIZED MAINTENANCE SERVICES, INC.
THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POLL AND
THIS WAS ITEM NINE ON AGENDA OF MAY 3RD, 2023.
ITEM 44 IS RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER TO AMEND 20 18, 6 16 PAST 11 28 20 18 TO INCREASE SPENDING AUTHORITY.
THIS WAS ITEM 11 ON AGENDA OF MAY 3RD, 2023.
ITEM 45 WAS A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN CASTEX TATUM, SECONDED BY CONST MEMBER ROBINSON TO ADOPT RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER ON WARDS, MIDDLETON AND BROWN LLC.
THIS WAS TAB BY COUNCILMAN KUBOSH.
THIS WAS ITEM 14 ON AGENDA OF MAY 3RD, 2023.
ITEM 46 WAS A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING NOMINATION OF AT ATILL FORMER CORPORATION.
THIS WAS TAB BY CONST MEMBER JACKSON.
THIS WAS ITEM 19 ON AGENDA OF MAY 3RD, 2023.
ITEM 47 IS AN ORDINANCE SUBMITTING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 22 5 0 3 PAST JUNE 22ND, 2022 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND IMPACT STRATEGIC CONSULTING LLC.
THIS IS TAB COUNCIL FROM LA KUB WATCH.
THIS IS ITEM 26 ON AGENDA OF MAY 3RD, 2023.
ITEM 48 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 22 5 0 4 PAST JUNE 22ND, 2022 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HILL DAY PUBLIC RELATIONS.
THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCILMAN KUB BOSS.
THIS WAS ITEM 27 ON AGENDA OF MAY 3RD, 2023.
ITEM 49 IS AN ORDINANCE AWARDING CONTRACT TO T GROUP, INC.
THIS WAS TAGGED BY CONST MC KOSH.
THIS WAS ITEM 30 ON AGENDA OF MAY 3RD, 2023.
ITEM 50 WAS AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $2,107,698 AND NO CENTS.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARDING CONTRACT SPECIALIZE IN MAINTENANCE SERVICES INC.
THIS IS ALSO TABLE COUNCILMAN COOPER BOSS.
THIS IS ITEM 31 ON THE AGENDA OF MAY 3RD, 2023 AND ITEM 51, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING SEVEN $2,737,627 NO CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARDING CONTRACTOR SPECIALIZED MAINTENANCE SERVICES INC.
THIS IS ALSO TAB BY COUNCILMAN KBA.
THIS WAS ITEM 32 ON AGENDA OF MAY 3RD, 2023.
THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE WEEK MAY 9TH AND 10TH, 2023.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND IN THE WORDS RIVAL CURRENT CITY SECRETARY PAT JEFFERSON.
DANIEL, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED.
HAVE A BLESSED AND FANTABULOUS DAY.
[RECONVENE]
OKAY, MAY 10TH, 2023.I'M MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN, SITTING IN FOR MAYOR SYLVETA TURNER.
AND I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER.
[MAYOR'S REPORT]
UH, FIRST PART OF OUR MEETING WILL BE BEGIN WITH A FEW COMMENTS AND, UH, THE MAYOR IS IN MEXICO.THIS IS HOUSTON WEEK IN MEXICO, UH, PARTICULARLY MONTEREY AND THEN MEXICO CITY.
UH, MAYOR WILL BE BACK THIS AFTERNOON, BUT THE DELEGATION WILL RETURN ON FRIDAY AS THEY'RE MOVING FROM MONTEREY TO MEXICO CITY TODAY.
JUST A QUICK NOTE AS WE HEAR THE RUMBLING, UH, OUTSIDE OF US.
ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WE ARE IN VERY GOOD SHAPE, AS WE ONLY HAD APPROXIMATELY ONE INCH OF RAIN OVER THE PAST FOUR HOURS.
THE HEAVY RAIN MOVED TO THE EAST AND THERE IS NOT MUCH RAIN COMING IN FROM THE WEST AFTER THE MORNING RAINS, WIND DOWN.
THE DOWNTOWN AREA RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY ONE INCH OF RAIN IN THE PAST HOUR.
MOST OF THE OTHER SECTIONS RECEIVED BETWEEN ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH AND THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH.
HEAVIEST RAIN COMING ALONG THE COAST FROM FREEPORT TO GALVESTON ALL BY USING CREEKS ARE IN GREEN OR IN GOOD RANGE.
VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, THE WILLOW WATERHOLE WAS THE HIGHEST LEVEL WITH TWO FEET OF TOP OF BANK.
TRANS STAR AT THIS TIME IS NOT REPORTING ANY HIGH WATER LOCATIONS.
AND CURRENTLY THERE ARE 19 ACCIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED THROUGH TRANS STAR CENTER.
[01:40:01]
IS REPORTING ONLY 9,500 OUTAGES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.SO THAT IS YOUR WEATHER REPORT BROUGHT TO YOU FROM DAVE BILLINGSLEY, FRANK BILLINGS, LEE'S YOUNGER BROTHER,
[CONSENT AGENDA]
SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL NOW PROCEED WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY.ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE NEED A MOTION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ONE THROUGH FIVE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION GRANTED.
UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY, ITEM SEVEN AND EIGHT HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM SIX AND NINE? CASTEX TITLE, MOVE SECOND ROBINSON MOTION.
AND A SECOND ON ITEM SIX AND NINE.
ANY DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OPPOSED SIX AND NINE.
GRANTED UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY, ITEM 10.
AND SECOND ON ITEM NUMBER 10 IN DISCUSSION.
IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION GRANTED UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BS CATEGORY.
ITEMS 14, 18 AND 19 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A MOTION ON THE BALANCE? CAST TATUM, MOVE.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION GRANTED UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY.
ITEM 26 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEM 20 HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED AND WILL BE CONSIDERED IF IT IS RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE AGENDA.
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
ITEMS REMOVED, SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.I'M SORRY, 24, 27, 31, 32 AND 38.
THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 24, 27, 31, 32 AND 38.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? JUST ANY, UH, DISCUSSION ON THOSE ITEMS? ANY DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OPPOSED? ITEMS CARRIED.
I WAS THROWN OFF BY ED COLLAR'S.
I KNOW I RECEIVED A TEXT MESSAGE FROM, UH, SOMEONE WHO WAS ON HIS WAY AND HE WAS CAUGHT IN THE RAIN AND CAUGHT IN THE TRAFFIC.
BUT, UH, ITEM, UH, NUMBER ONE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE REINVESTMENT ZONE.
NUMBER FIVE, TEXAS, UM, MEMORIAL HEIGHTS ZONE.
MS. MCINTOSH, IF YOU WERE HERE, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE MEMORIAL HEIGHT ZONE AND, UM, UH, CONGRATULATIONS.
WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU A PART OF THIS COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN.
DONNA, I JUST WANTED TO WELCOME YOU AND SAY THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP TO SERVE, UH, IN ONE OF OUR, UH, LARGER TURS, RIGHT? THAT'S WORKING ON PROJECTS LIKE THE NORTH CANAL IN DURHAM SHEPHERD, BUT ALSO THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD DRAINAGE AND, UH, ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE'RE WORKING ON IN THAT REGION.
YOU BRING A REALLY EXCITING BACKGROUND, UH, NOT JUST LEGAL AND FINANCE, BUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT YOU HAVE YOUR HANDS IN.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THIS IS A NEW APPOINTMENT, SO CONGRATULATIONS.
I'M SURE YOU'LL BE JOINING A GROUP OF DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE MEMORIAL HEIGHTS ZONE.
SO GOOD LUCK AND APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR ENDEAVORS AS WELL.
ON ITEMS NUMBER THREE AND FOUR, MR. JEFFREY NIELSEN IS NOT IN, SO I'LL WAIT TILL HE ARRIVES AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO, UM, CONGRATULATE MR. NIELSEN, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY VOTED ON.
SO NUMBER FIVE WAS THE DIRECTORS OF TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT, ZONE NUMBER 24, THE GREATER HOUSTON ZONE, UM, YIN KENNEDY, SHARIF, LA PRINCE, HARRIET RAMON, CREIGHTON RAMONA, RAMONA CREIGHTON, OLGA LAMAS RODRIGUEZ, AND CHRISTINE S WILLIE.
AND I BELIEVE MS. CREIGHTON AND MS. RODRIGUEZ ARE HERE TODAY.
SO IF YOU HAD STEPPED FORWARD,
[01:45:07]
CONGRATULATIONS LADIES.UM, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR BACKGROUND AND THEN WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS OLGA YAMA RODRIGUEZ.
I AM A THIRD GENERATION HOUSTONIAN WHO GREW UP IN, UH, HOUSTON'S EAST END, NEAR THE SECOND WARD.
I WANNA TAKE A MINUTE AND ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS FOR HIS, UH, PRESENTING HIS NOMINATION OF ME FOR THIS.
UH, FOR THIS TS UH, I HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC AGENCY EXPERIENCE HAVING WORKED FOR THE PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHORITY, A COUNTY COMMISSIONER, AND NOW AT HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM.
SO MY INTENT IS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST AND HIGHEST USE OF THESE TURS DOLLARS.
MY NAME IS HARRIET RAMONA CREIGHTON, AND I AM SO HONORED TO BE, UH, SELECTED TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD.
I'M A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN AND I'M A PROUD RESIDENT OF DISTRICT K.
AND, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE YOUR FAMILY WITH YOU, MS. RAMONA CLAYTON.
SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND INTRODUCING THEM.
I HAVE WITH ME TODAY MY NEPHEW GRAYSON.
FATHER TRISTAN AND HIS WIFE, KEISHA.
THANKS FOR BEING A PART OF THIS.
THANKS, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE ON THIS IMPORTANT TURS.
THIS IS A, UM, COMBINATION TURS WITH HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, THERE IS SOME GREAT WORK TO BE DONE IN THESE AREAS AND WE KNOW WHEN WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE ON THESE BOARDS, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, FOR OUR BUSINESS OWNERS, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THOSE AREAS.
AND WE HAVE TO HAVE GOOD PEOPLE ON THESE BOARDS.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING YOUR FAMILIES.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD THAT COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, BUT I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE SOME GREAT SYNERGY ON THIS BOARD AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE GREAT WORK YOU'LL DO TOGETHER.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK MS. CREIGHTON AND MR. RODRIGUEZ FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE AND EVERYONE THAT'S WILLING TO SERVE ON THIS IMPORTANT BOARD.
UM, LIKE IT WAS JUST STATED, IT WAS INITIALLY A COUNTY, UH, T UH, AND NOW THE CITY HAS REPRESENTATIVES ON, ON THIS CHARGE, AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE REALIGNMENT OF I 45, AND I BRIEFLY MENTIONED IT TO YOU, OLGA, UH, THE, UH, TEXDOT IS LOOKING AT DOING A CAP PARK THERE BEHIND THE GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER, UH, ABOUT 10 BLOCKS.
UH, AND, UH, BUT THEY MADE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR THAT THEY WILL NOT BE SPENDING ANY MONEY OR PROVIDING ANY AMENITIES ON THIS PROPERTY.
IT'S GONNA BE UP TO US, THE CITY.
UH, AND THAT'S WHERE THE TURS IS GONNA COME IN.
UH, SO THIS TUR AND THE IDO TURS, UH, TO PROVIDE THE AMENITIES, UH, IT'S GONNA BE SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT BEAUTIFUL GREEN SPACE ON THE BACK OF THE GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER FOR CONVENTIONEERS, UH, AND THOSE VISITING OUR CITY.
SO, UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S A CONTINUOUS GREEN SPACE.
'CAUSE INITIALLY THEY WERE GONNA PUT STREETS THAT CUT THE 10 BLOCKS, UH, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT'S A CONTINUOUS GREEN SPACE FOR SAFETY PURPOSES.
SO, UH, I, I JUST ASK THAT Y'ALL, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOES HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
YOU HAVE GREAT EXPERIENCE IN COUNTY AND CITY MATTERS, SO YOU'LL BE GREAT ON THIS TOURS.
I KNOW YOU'RE BOTH DOING A GREAT JOB.
SO GLAD THAT COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS BROUGHT UP THE CAT PARK.
THAT IS GONNA BE SUCH AN IMPORTANT, UH, SUCH AN IMPORTANT PROJECT.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I KNOW WE DON'T PAY YOU GUYS FOR THIS,
THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY IN PARTICULAR TO, UH, TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT, ZONE NUMBER 24, THE GREATER HOUSTON ZONE.
MADAM SECRETARY WILL RETURN TO THE AGENDA.
WE'LL GO BACK TO THREE AND FOUR.
SO WE'RE RECOGNIZING MR. JEFF NIELSEN, WHO HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS THE CHAIR, UH, TO THE REINVESTMENT ZONE.
AND MANY OF YOU KNOW JEFF FROM HIS LONGTIME SERVICE.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR TAKING UP THIS ROLE, JEFF, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK IN THE PAST AND LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT THE FUTURE HAS.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR PROTE.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR TRUST IN ME AND IN ACTING AS THE CHAIR FOR THIS, UH, FOR THIS TUR.
I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR EIGHT YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON ONE, ONE PROJECT FOR PRETTY MUCH THE ENTIRE TIME.
IT'S THE EXTENSION TO NORTH PARK.
UH, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THAT PROJECT HAS FINALLY COME TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE, HAVE DONE THE, YOU KNOW, TURNING OF THE EARTH.
WE'RE READY TO BREAK GROUND ON IT.
UH, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE OVERSEEING THE PROJECT.
UNFORTUNATELY, MY PREDECESSOR, UH, YOU KNOW, PASSED AWAY.
[01:50:01]
AND I AM HAPPY TO, AND I SEE IT AS A DUTY TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO FILL IN HIS SHOES, TAKE OVER THE PROJECT, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE SEE THIS TO COMPLETION.SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST IN ME.
UH, I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE AND DO IT.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU, PLEASE LEMME KNOW.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE ATTORNEYS IS AN EXTENSION OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, SO WE ARE VERY COGNIZANT OF THAT AND, AND TREAT IT WITH THE RESPECT THAT IT'S DUE.
WE'LL BE GLAD ONCE WE GET AWAY TO GET OVER THAT, UH, RAILROAD TRACK GETTING INTO KINGWOOD, YOU KNOW, SO ANY HELP WE GET WITH THAT, IT WOULD BE GREAT.
UH, I KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE OF, A COUPLE OF HICCUPS RIGHT NOW.
I THINK WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH, UH, MONTGOMERY COUNTY SLOWING US UP.
IT'S GONNA GET PUSHED THROUGH.
WE'LL BE, I'LL TELL YOU, THAT TRAIN REALLY MOVES FAST.
IT'S, WHICH IS GOOD IF YOU'RE HAVING TO WAIT ON IT, WHICH IS BAD AS IF YOU GET HIT BY IT.
YOU KNOW, THE, I HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE, YOU KNOW, TO PEOPLE WHO CAME BEFORE ME, THE FORESIGHT THAT THEY HAD, THAT THAT COULD BE A POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR THOSE WHO KNOW, THE, THE MAJOR TWO MAJOR EXITS THAT COME OUT OF KINGWOOD ARE NORTH PARK AND KINGWOOD DRIVE.
AND THERE'S A POTENTIAL FOR, IF THERE'S EVER A TRAINED DERAILMENT SUCH LIKE THAT HAPPENED UP IN OHIO, UH, BOTH EXITS OUTTA THAT NEIGHBORHOOD COULD BE BLOCKED.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, 60,000 PLUS RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA, UH, WITH NO WAY OUT.
SO AGAIN, TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER, TO THE FORESIGHT OF OUR, OF MY PREDECESSORS, TO SEE THAT THAT WAS AN ISSUE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT ROAD PROJECT'S GOING IS A, IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
IT IS AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION ROUTE.
IT'S NOT JUST A, YOU KNOW, A TRAFFIC ISSUE.
IT'S, IT'S GOT A LOT OF, UH, POSITIVE ISSUES FOR US.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE A PART OF IT.
YOU'VE BEEN AN EXCELLENT BOARD MEMBER.
YOU'VE BROUGHT A LOT OF, UH, GOOD CONSTRUCTION EXPERTISE TO THIS BOARD.
UM, WE ALL MISS OUR GOOD FRIEND STAN SARON, WHO, UH, IS IN HEAVEN WITH HIS LORD AND SAVIOR.
SO, UH, WE MISS STAN EACH AND EVERY DAY.
HE KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT KINGWOOD.
HE WAS THERE FROM THE BEGINNING IN THE LATE FIFTIES, EARLY SIXTIES, UNTIL THE, HIS VERY LAST MOMENT THAT HE BREATHED, UH, FRESH AIR.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I FOUND VERY IRONIC IN APROPOS IN MANY REGARDS, STAN WAS A, A STRONG CHRISTIAN.
MARTHA'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, DID A LOT OF VOLUNTEERING THERE.
AND THE DAY WE DID THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY, I THINK WE STARTED ABOUT EIGHT IN THE MORNING.
AND WE WRAPPED UP IN, UH, A COUPLE OF OUR MEMBERS WENT TO THE MASS AT 10 O'CLOCK.
AND THE MASS, IRONICALLY, WAS IN MEMORY OF STAN SERMON.
SO I KNEW FROM THAT MOMENT, UH, THAT WE WERE THERE AT EIGHT, THAT STAN WAS WITH US, AND HIS PRESENCE WAS FELT, AND IT WILL ALWAYS BE FELT.
WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I THINK WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL TO HONOR STAN, UH, WHETHER IT'S, UH, SOMETHING IN THE RENAMING SOMETHING OR WHATEVER WE DO, BECAUSE HE WAS THE, THE, THE FATHER OF THIS, UH, TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE, AND THEN REDEVELOPMENT BOARD.
SO, UH, EVERYTHING WE DO IS WITH LOVE AND RESPECT FOR OUR FRIEND STAN HARM.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU AND HE WERE VERY CLOSE AND, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
SO THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND LOOK FORWARD TO OUR MEETING TOMORROW AT EIGHT O'CLOCK.
OKAY, NOW WE'LL RETURN TO THE AGENDA.
ITEM SEVEN NEEDS A MOTION ASPECTS ITEM MOVE.
COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD POLLARD.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO, TIM, AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE.
UH, LOOKING AT ITEM SEVEN, UM, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU GLANCE DOWN AT THE M-W-S-B-E PARTICIPATION ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, UM, THE APPROVED MBE PARTICIPATION WAS 8%.
THIS PARTICULAR VENDOR ACHIEVED 2.89%, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO SUBSTITUTE, UH, SOME OF THEIR PARTICIPATION OVER TO THE SBE AND THE WBE, UH, TO TRY TO MAKE UP FOR IT.
OBO DID, UH, RANK IT AS A SATISFACTORY CONTRACT BASED ON GOOD FAITH EFFORTS.
BUT MY ISSUE WITH THESE ITEMS IS WHEN THESE PRIMES ARE ABLE TO SHIFT THEIR PARTICIPATION TO OTHER, UH, CLASSES OF SUBCONTRACTORS, THE INTENT OF THIS WAS TO ENSURE THAT, UH, MINORITY VENDORS GOT FAIR OPPORTUNITY AND STARTED OFF AS AN MBE PROGRAM, THEN AN MWBE PROGRAM, NOW A-M-W-S-B-E PROGRAM.
AND WHEN YOU'RE ABLE TO SUBSTITUTE FROM ONE CLASS TO ANOTHER, YOU'RE DIMINISHING THE ABILITY FOR CERTAIN, UH,
[01:55:01]
MINORITY CONTRACTORS TO HAVE A FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO GET A FAIR AMOUNT OF WORK.AND SO I JUST WANT US TO BE VERY COGNIZANT OF THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BACKGROUND.
IF YOU'RE SUBSTITUTING WORK AND NOT ACHIEVING YOUR INITIAL GOAL, I THINK THAT'S AN ISSUE.
UH, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO REVISIT AS A, AS A BODY TO SEE IS THAT A POLICY THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE HAVING? UM, BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS PEOPLE TO BE FOR, FOR MINORITY VENDORS TO BE RELYING ON A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PARTICIPATION.
THE CONTRACT STARTS AND THEN THEIR PARTICIPATION GETS SHIFTED TO ANOTHER CLASS, UM, OR ANOTHER DESIGNATION, AND THEN THEY DON'T GET THAT WORK.
SO, UM, FOR, FOR THAT REASON, JUST OFF PRINCIPLE, I'M GONNA BE A NO ON THIS ONE, BUT, UH, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO, UH, REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO GOING FORWARD.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR PERAM AND I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE.
UH, THERE, THERE ARE MULTIPLE ITEMS FROM, UM, PUBLIC WORKS ON THIS, ON THIS, UM, AGENDA TODAY, AND THERE ARE JUST HUGE RED FLAGS WHEN IT COMES TO THE LACK OF INVOLVEMENT AND, UM, IN FAIRNESS AND ENGAGEMENT WITH MWBES.
UM, AND SO I'M ALSO GONNA BE A NO ON THIS ITEM.
YOU KNOW, ON ITEMS LIKE THIS, WE ALWAYS HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY WEEK WE HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT NOT HITTING MWBE PERCENTAGES AND PEOPLE, WE GO BACK OR I GO BACK TO OBO AND SAY, GIMME THE RATIONALE BEHIND IT.
AND WHY DID YOU RATE THEM SATISFACTORY? I'M OKAY WITH THE SATISFACTORY RATING, BUT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, IT WAS THE LIMITED NECESSITY FOR WORK UNDER THE TWO ANTICIPATED DIVIS ELEMENTS OF THE CONTRACT AND LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF CERTIFIED FIRMS TO PERFORM THE SCOPES REQUIRED UNDER THE WORK ORDERS.
AND THE WORK ORDERS DID CHANGE ACCORDING TO OBO.
SO THAT'S WHY THEY WERE UNDER, THAT'S WHY OBO RATED THEM SATISFACTORY.
SO, UM, BUT APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS AS WE ALWAYS HAVE WRAPPED AROUND THIS, AND I KNOW THAT YOU LEAD THE CHARGE ON THIS EACH AND EVERY WEEK, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? VICE MAYOR PRO TEM? MARTHA CASTEX.
I DO WANT TO, UM, MAKE NOTE THAT OBO HAS, UM, WE HAVE HIRED SOME CONTRACTORS THAT ARE, UH, LOOKING NOT YET.
THAT, THAT'S AN EXTENSION OF THEIR CONTRACT.
YEAH, WE HAVE CONTRACTORS MM-HMM
THAT ARE, ARE, UM, REVIEWING EACH OF THESE CONTRACTS.
AND NOW THAT WE HAVE THOSE CONTRACTORS IN PLACE, THERE IS A, UM, BETTER WATCH ON THESE CONTRACTS AND WE CAN REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE ARE RATING THESE CONTRACTORS AS SATISFACTORY, UM, THEY ARE ACTUALLY REALLY MEETING THE SATISFACTORY LEVEL.
AND THERE WILL BE INSTANCES WHEN, UH, THE SCOPES WILL CHANGE.
UM, AND WE WILL HAVE TO MOVE, UM, PEOPLE FROM MBE TO MWBE, UM, BASED ON AVAILABILITY AND THE SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT.
SO I HAVE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH DIRECTOR MURRAY.
I'M VERY CONFIDENT IN THE CONTRACTORS WHO ARE LOOKING AT THESE CONTRACTS.
UM, THEY KNOW THAT, UH, WE MUST, UM, INSPECT WHAT WE EXPECT AND THEY HAVE BEEN DOING THAT MM-HMM
AND SO I'M CONFIDENT, UM, WITH THE SATISFACTORY RATINGS.
AND I SECOND YOUR COMMENTS ON THAT.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON ITEM SEVEN? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? POLLARD? NO.
NO KOSH, NO MO AND PLUMBER? NO.
ITEM EIGHT NEEDS A MOTION MOVE ROBINSON.
ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION GRANTED.
ANY DISCUSSION ON 14? COUNCIL MCCLUM.
COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER? YES.
THIS ITEM HAS GONE BACK AND FORTH AND, UM, ONCE AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO BRING UP THE SITUATION THAT WE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ENGAGE WITH MWBES.
I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A SPECIAL PROJECT.
UM, THERE ARE MULTIPLE SPECIAL PROJECTS THAT CONTINUE TO OCCUR AND, AND SHOW UP ON OUR AGENDAS.
UM, I KNOW THIS IS A SENSITIVE ITEM, UM, JUST BECAUSE OF, OF, UM, OF WHAT THESE METER BOXES ARE BEING USED FOR, BUT I JUST WANNA BRING IT TO OUR ATTENTION AGAIN, THAT WE NEED TO ENGAGE MWE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE FAIRNESS IS THERE.
[02:00:01]
FROM, UM, FROM SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, MWBES, THAT ARE JUST NOT TREATED FAIRLY.ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON ITEM 14? SEEING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? POLLER? NO.
PALM, NO HUFFMAN? NO POLLARD, HUFFMAN AND PLUMBER? NO.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN.
SORRY, A LITTLE WONKY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AND THINK PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT THEY'RE MOVING TOWARDS IS AN ASPHALT CLEANER THAT IS BIODEGRADABLE.
AND AGAIN, LIKE WE SAW DURING EARTH DAY AT THE MAYOR'S FESTIVAL, PUBLIC WORKS IS LITERALLY STARTING TO CREATE DIFFERENT MATERIALS FOR SIDEWALKS THAT ARE PERMEATE.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST EXCITING WHAT THE DEPARTMENT IS DOING.
SO I WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT IT 'CAUSE YOU DON'T OFTEN GET TO TALK ABOUT BIODEGRADABLE ASPHALT CLEANING SOLUTIONS.
UH, BUT HERE IN HOUSTON, WE'RE DOING IT.
ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 19? COUNCIL MEMBER MARY NAN HUFFMAN.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PERAM, UM, ON THIS ONE, UM, I KNOW THAT WE ARE EMPLOYING, UM, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES FOR EMERGENCY LEGAL DUMPING.
UH, WE HAVE A HUGE AREA IN DISTRICT G, UM, AT OLD FARM ROAD WHERE THERE IS ILLEGAL DUMPING, SO MUCH TRASH WE VISITED LAST WEEK AND IT'S JUST, IT'S A MESS OUT THERE AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF PROPERTY.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S TOTALLY BEING TRASHED, SO I HOPE THAT SOME OF THAT MONEY COULD GO TO THIS.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 19? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
ITEM 24, COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS THAT HAVE YET TO BE ANSWERED.
ITEM 24 IS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE KNOX.
ITEM 27 HAS BEEN TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KOSH.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD POLLARD.
ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 31? MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN? YES, THIS IS A GREAT ITEM.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, TO THANK, UH, MY FRIEND, STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAN HUBERTY AS DAN, UH, PROVIDED $50 MILLION FOR US.
IT WENT THROUGH THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD, AND IT'LL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE DREDGING IN AND AROUND THE LAKE HOUSTON AREA.
SO, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR VERY MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, DAN HUBERTY, CONTINUE TO DO GOOD WORK FOR US.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON ITEM 31? SEEING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? ITEM 31 CARRIES.
ITEM 32, COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS.
UM, AFTER THE VOTE, AFTER THE VOTE, COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE IT BEFORE THE VOTE, IF THAT'S JUST, JUST A COMMENT.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT SPOKE YESTERDAY.
UH, REGARDING THIS ITEM, THE PANDEMIC WAS DEVASTATING, UM, TOWARDS THE IMPACT OF THE, UM, ART INDUSTRY.
ARTISTS CREATED PROFESSIONALS SUFFERING SUFFERED GREATLY FROM CANCEL PERFORMANCES, CLOSE VENUES, DECREASED OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK, AND MANY OF THESE ARTISTS TO RELY ON THE FREELANCE WORK AND ON LIVE PERFORMANCES TO MAKE A LIVING ENCLOSURE OF THESE VENUES AND CANCELLATIONS OF EVENTS, UM, DEVASTATED THEIR INCOME.
ADDITIONALLY, THE PANDEMIC HAD, UH, CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION TO THE CREATIVE PROCESS, WHICH ARTISTS FACING, UM, CHALLENGES SUCH AS LIMITED ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND REDUCE OPPORTUNITIES OF COLLABORATION.
SUPPORTING ARTISTS THROUGH GRANT FUNDING IS CRUCIAL IN HELPING ALLEVIATE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN THAT THEY FACED DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO VOTE ON THIS ITEM.
COUNCIL MEMBER MARY ANNE HUFFMAN.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS ITEM PROPOSES UTILIZING 5 MILLION IN FEDERAL COVID RELIEF FUNDS FOR ART, WHICH I AM A, I'M A HUGE AND SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS.
UM, BUT I THINK IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE CITY'S NOT GIVING THIS MONEY DIRECTLY TO
[02:05:01]
THE ARTISTS.INSTEAD, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OUTSOURCING THE ADMINISTRATION OF THIS TASK WITH THIRD PARTY, UH, THE MIDAMERICA ARTS ALLIANCE, UM, WHICH WILL BE PAID $400,000 TO DISTRIBUTE THE GRANTS FROM, UM, JUNE THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER MONTH, UM, FOR FOUR MONTHS OF WORK.
AND I KNOW THAT I'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS AND THAT THAT SEEMS PRETTY STANDARD, UM, OR EVEN LESS THAN WHAT SOME OF THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WANTED.
BUT THAT'S STILL A LOT OF MONEY.
I MEAN, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH FOR FOUR MONTHS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS $5 MILLION ROUGHLY AMOUNTS TO 25% OF THE POLICE OVERTIME THAT WAS AUTHORIZED IN THE ONE SAFE HOUSTON PLAN, WHICH IS FUNDED BY THESE EXACT SAME FEDERAL FUNDS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH I DO SUPPORT THE ARTS, UH, THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY AND I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO LOOK AT AND DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, THE BEST USE FOR THESE COVID DOLLARS.
UM, I, I WANNA SPEAK TO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE STRUGGLES OF THE PANDEMIC AND A INDUSTRY THAT, AGAIN, WAS THE FIRST TO CLOSE ITS DOORS AND THE LAST TO REOPEN.
UM, ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF OUR CITY IS OUR ARTS AND CULTURE.
AND I'M LOOKING AT A LETTER THAT, UH, MYSELF, IF YOU'LL CALL VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU SENT, UH, CHAIR GALLEGOS AS, UH, CHAIR OF QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON, UM, ALL SENT ADVOCATING FOR THESE DOLLARS ALL THE WAY BACK IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR WITH THE MAYOR.
AND WE WERE IMPRESSED BY THE DIVERSITY AND THE COMING TOGETHER OF THIS ARTS COALITION.
UH, IT'S RATHER HISTORIC IN NATURE.
UH, THEIR PROPOSAL THAT THEY HAD PROVIDED IS SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF NON-TRADITIONAL AND SMALL LOCAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE IN SPACES OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES FROM THE HOUSTON BALLET, THE MANIL, THE ENSEMBLE, BUT ALSO PROJECT ROW HOUSES FIFTH WARD AND OTHER CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICTS, THE SOCIETY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS IN SO MANY MORE.
THEY ALL, FOR THE FIRST TIME, BIG AND SMALL, CAME TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE FOR THESE DOLLARS IN A WAY THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY HOLISTICALLY.
SO, UH, I WANNA THANK THE ADVOCATES.
UH, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE THAT COME, CAME TOGETHER.
I WANNA THANK DIRECTOR IRVING.
I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR, UH, AS WELL AS BILL KELLY AND EVERYONE THAT'S LOOKED AT THESE ARPA DOLLARS TO SPEND.
AND I, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, YOU AND I ARE FULLY ALIGNED IN SUPPORTING AS MUCH AS WE CAN IN TERMS OF RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, BUT THESE ARPA DOLLARS ARE ALSO FOR RECOVERY IN ALL THE DIFFERENT SECTORS RELATED TO COVID, INCLUDING OUR ECONOMY.
SO AGAIN, UM, I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THE WORK AND THE THOUGHTFULNESS AND THE EFFORT THAT HAS TAKEN YEARS TO PUT THIS TOGETHER, UH, AND RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE DOLLARS IN THAT WAY.
I KNOW HE IS NOT HERE TODAY, BUT FOR LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY ON HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.
UH, MY QUESTION IS, UH, DID THESE ORGANIZATIONS, UH, QUALIFY FOR P YOU KNOW, FOR PPP? THE, THE, UH, DID THEY RECEIVE FUNDS? YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, THERE'S LAW FIRMS THAT DID, AND THERE WAS EVEN, UH, THERE WAS EVEN CHURCHES THAT, THAT DID.
I'M, I'M JUST WONDERING, UH, IF, IF THEY ALSO QUALIFIED FOR THAT.
SHE'S GONNA GO AHEAD AND SPEAK NOW.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY I'M, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S, IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC THAT THE ARTS WERE THE FIRST TO SHUTTER AND THE LAST TO REOPEN.
AND I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE EVERYONE WHO'S, WHO'S BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN CREATING THIS AND BRINGING THIS TO US TODAY.
THE, AND THE, UM, THE $5 MILLION INFUSION OF GRANT FUNDS TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS WILL GO A LONG WAY TO ASSIST IN THE RECOVERY AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE ARTS.
ONE OF HOUSTON'S, UM, IMPORTANT ECONOMIC DRIVERS AND I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
AND FIRST OF ALL, LEMME START OFF BY THANKING MAYOR TURNER FOR, UM, ALLOWING SOME ARPA RECOVERY FUNDS TO GO TO THE ARTS GROUPS HERE IN HOUSTON.
UH, I KNOW THAT THE ARTS GROUPS HAVE APPROACHED COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING MYSELF SINCE I REPRESENT DOWNTOWN WITH THE MAJOR VEN ARTS
[02:10:01]
VENUES HERE IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.UH, AND THEY'VE BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED, UH, DUE TO COVID FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
UH, YOU HAD ACTORS, YOU HAD PEOPLE WORKING ON THE STAGES AND WHAT HAVE YOU THAT WERE JUST NOT GETTING PAID.
AND ACTUALLY THEY WERE ASKED FROM ARPA FUNDS WAS A LOT MORE THAN $5 MILLION.
BUT I'M GRATEFUL THAT THEY'RE AT LEAST GETTING SOMETHING.
'CAUSE HERE IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, WITH THE ARTS VENUES BEING CLOSED, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UH, FOR THESE ARTISTS, FOR THE ACTORS, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WORKING ON THE STAGES FOR MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THEY'RE STILL, THEY WERE STILL THERE, BUT THEY WERE NOT WORKING.
AND THEY, MANY OF 'EM ARE SOMEWHAT IN THE RED DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE NOT GETTING ANY REVENUE FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS.
AND AGAIN, I WANNA THANK MAYOR TURNER.
'CAUSE I KNOW THIS IS AN ASK THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR, FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS, AND THIS IS GOING TO HELP.
SO I'M ASKING COUNCIL MEMBERS TO POLICE APPROVE THIS.
JUST TO ADD TO WHAT EVERYONE'S SAYING, THE THE AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER SAYS, THIS WAS A $15 MILLION ASK, UH, UH, DITCH AT THE BEGINNING, OR, OR EVOLVED INTO A $15 MILLION.
AND I JUST WANTED TO, TO TELL EVERYBODY, I KNOW IT'S BEEN SAID THAT EVERYBODY BANDED TOGETHER, BUT LET YOU KNOW ABOUT THE GROUPS THAT DID BAND TOGETHER.
IT'S THE MIDTOWN CULTURAL ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, THE ARTS DISTRICT, HOUSTON, WASHINGTON AVENUE, ARTS DISTRICT, HISTORIC THIRD WARD, ARTS, ARTS DISTRICT, EAST END CULTURAL DISTRICT THEATER DISTRICT, HOUSTON FIFTH WARD CULTURAL DISTRICT, HOUSTON MUSEUM DISTRICT ASSOCIATION, ARTS ACCOUNTABILITY, HOUSTON MILLER THEATER ADVISORY BOARD.
A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY CAME TOGETHER FOR THIS REQUEST.
SO THIS IS AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS.
THIS IS A RESCUE, AND IF ANYTHING NEEDED RESCUING DURING THIS TIME, DURING TWO YEARS PLUS OF PRETTY MUCH ENDING PROGRAMMING.
IT'S, IT'S THIS, IT'S THE ARTS INDUSTRY AND THE ARTS INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR CITY.
SO PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS COUNCIL MEMBER, DAVID ROBINSON.
UM, IT SEEMS KIND OF OBVIOUS, WE DO HAVE AN EXPERT IN THE CHAMBER HERE WITH CATHERINE MCNEIL AND MEG BOOTH.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW, MAYOR PRO TEMA, IF IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO CALL INTO THE, UH, PODIUM FOR A BRIEF SECOND TO TALK.
UH, I, I, I WANNA TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE PPP THAT WAS JUST BROUGHT IN.
IF THERE'S A QUICK RESPONSE OR IF WE'RE GOOD TO GO.
SO I THINK WE'RE, WHAT I'M HEARING IS WE'RE GOOD TO GO.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY, I I'VE BEEN GOOGLING THAT AS WE TALK IT.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE A, UH, A GLOBAL, UM, ORGANIZATION, AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MANY YEARS.
THEY PROVIDED, UH, $1.8 BILLION THAT THEY RECEIVED, UH, OUT TO THE ARTS ASSOCIATION.
NOW, REMEMBER, ON THE PPP SIDE, THIS IS ORDINANCE IS JUST FOR ONE COMPANY.
WE'RE JUST AWARDING IT TO MIDAMERICA ARTS.
THEY HAVEN'T SELECTED THE DIFFERENT GROUPS YET.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT PPP, UH, IT'S JUST FOR A MIDAMERICA ARTS ALLIANCE, BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT ANNOUNCED ANY OTHER PARTIES THAT ARE GONNA BE RECIPIENT AS THEY PUT IN THE APPLICATION AND THE GRANTS TO MIDAMERICA.
SO, UH, FOR P FOR PPP FOR MIDAMERICA, IT, IT APPEARS THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED SOME FEDERAL FUNDS DURING COID, WHICH MANY ARTS ASSOCIATIONS HAD, AND THEN THEY DISTRIBUTED TO MANY INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE IN NEED.
OKAY, SO COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT, UM, BUT REGARDING WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH WAS SAYING, SO THESE COMPANIES, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, MOST OF THEM, THE ONLY WAY THAT COMPANIES GOT PPP MONEY, AND I'M A SMALL BUSINESS, SO I'M SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE, IS IF YOU HAVE W2 EMPLOYEES, A LOT OF THE ARTISTS ARE 10 99.
A LOT OF THEM ARE NOT FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
AND SO IF THEY ARE NOT, IF THEY'RE 10 99 EMPLOYEES, THEN THE, THE COMPANIES, THEY, THEY DIDN'T GET PPP MONEY.
AND SO A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES REALLY STRUGGLED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEIR LARGER FIRMS, UM, FIRMS DID.
AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY, UM, THESE GROUPS STRUGGLED SO HEAVILY.
AND THEN IN REGARDS TO THEIR REPUTATION, I SPOKE WITH A LOT OF THE ARTISTS.
I'VE BEEN SUPPORTING THIS, THIS, UM, FOR A LONG TIME.
I MET WITH ALL OF THEM, AND THEY ARE VERY, THEY, THEY LIKE WORKING WITH THIS COMPANY, THIS ENTITY, UM, HAS HISTORY AND HAS THE AVAILABILITY TO CHOOSE PROPERLY AND TO DELEGATE AND TO MONITOR EFFECTIVELY.
AND SO, UM, I'M READY TO VOTE AS WELL.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 32? SEEING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED HUFFMAN? NO.
[02:15:01]
GRANTED.COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A, A QUICK COMMENT.
UM, AND I'M EXCITED TO, UH, TO SAY THAT WE, WE, OUR OFFICE WILL BE WORKING WITH MIDAMERICA ARTS ALLIANCE, UM, AND DIRECTOR IRVING'S OFFICE TO CO-HOST A GRANT WORKSHOP.
UM, AND THIS WORKSHOP WILL BE OPEN TO ARTISTS OF ANY TYPE OF ACROSS ALL DISTRICTS.
UM, AND THE DETAILS ARE, ARE WILL BE COMING UP SOON.
NEXT ITEM, ITEM 38 IS AN ORDINANCE.
ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX.
UH, SO I SUBMITTED A QUESTION TO HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS REGARDING THIS ISSUE REGARDING THE USE OF DRAINAGE FEE FUNDS FOR TESTING EQUIPMENT.
UM, THEY ANSWERED A QUESTION, BUT THAT WASN'T THE QUESTION THAT I ASKED.
THEY ANSWERED WHY WE NEED TO PAY FOR TESTING, AND MY QUESTION WAS, WHY ARE WE USING THE D THE DRAINAGE FEE PORTION OF THE D-D-S-R-F FUND FOR THIS? SO I'M GONNA TAG THIS ITEM.
HOPEFULLY PUBLIC WORKS CAN ACTUALLY ANSWER THE ACTUAL QUESTION THIS NEXT WEEK.
ITEM NUMBER 38 HAS BEEN TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX.
[MATTERS HELD]
YOU.NEXT ITEM, ITEM 43 IS A MOTION.
ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 43? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? ITEM 43 PASSES.
ITEM 44, COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK.
UM, THIS ITEM IS FOR WATER METERS AND WATER METER REPLACEMENT PARTS.
BUT WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WATER METERS, I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP AGAIN, THE NEED TO ALSO FOCUS ON, UM, THE END POINTS TO TRANSMIT THE WATER METER READINGS IN REAL TIME.
WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO CONTACT MY OFFICE WITH SOME KIND OF SPIKE IN THEIR WATER BILL, AND THE RESPONSE FROM PUBLIC WORKS IS JUST, WELL, YOU PROBABLY USE A LOT OF WATER AT SOME POINT DURING THE MONTH.
SO WITHOUT THAT REAL TIME BREAKDOWN, UM, PEOPLE, FIRST OF ALL ARE NOT, UM, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR BILL IS GONNA BE UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE SURPRISED, BUT ALSO IT DOESN'T HELP THEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE WATER AT THEIR HOUSE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WE ALSO NEED TO REALLY FOCUS ON THAT.
WE'VE HAD, UM, 45,000 OF THOSE ENDPOINTS INSTALLED 140,000 TO BE INSTALLED OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, WHICH IS NOT, I MEAN, IT'S A LOT, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT ALSO NEEDS TO BE INSTALLED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO FOCUSING ON THAT.
FIRST TIME BEFORE, YEAH, WE DID THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CALLS THAT I GET THE MOST OF IS ABOUT WATER BILLS.
UH, THEY'RE GOING OUTTA SIGHT.
PEOPLE COMING AND TESTIFYING AND, AND I, I GET THESE ESTIMATED WATER BILLS EMAILED TO ME, YOU KNOW, AND WHEN, WHENEVER, WHENEVER SOMEBODY DOES HAVE A LEAK, IF, IF IT'S ON THEIR SIDE, AND THEN WHEN WE ESTIMATE THEIR WATER, WE, WE DON'T, WE, WE TAKE IN CONSIDERATION THE FACT THAT THEY HAD A WATER LEAK.
NOW, THERE WAS A LADY THAT CAME HERE, UH, TWO WEEKS AGO TO, TO COUNCIL AND, AND HER COMMUNITY ON MUNICIPAL WAY.
UH, THE, THE, THE CITIZENS HAVE BEEN CALLING ME AND THEY HAVE, UH, A $70 WATER BILL THAT'S NOW A $400 WATER BILL.
AND, AND, UH, THAT, THAT'S JUST NOT SUSTAINABLE.
UH, FAMILIES CAN'T, CAN'T SUPPORT THAT.
UH, WE, WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO BETTER.
AND I KNOW THAT, THAT OUR WATER BILLS ARE, ARE, UH, SET UP.
UH, THE WAY, THE WAY THAT WE GOVERN OUR WATER IS, IS THROUGH THESE REVENUE BONDS AND CONTRACTS.
SO, BUT WE, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA GIVE THESE PEOPLE RELIEF WHEN THEY'RE, THEIR WATER BILL JUMPS FROM IN THE SEVENTIES TO $400.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE, I MEAN, I, WE NEED, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO, UH, TO, TO HAVE THESE WATER, WATER READERS, UH, ELECTRONICALLY, UH, WORKING.
I'M, I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE GETTING THESE METERS.
I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE METERS AND THEIR FUNCTIONALITY.
I HAVE SEVERAL, UM, RESIDENTS AND DISTRICT K THAT HAVE CALLED ABOUT THEIR WATER BILLS AND THE WATER METERS.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN ARTICLES IN THE NEWS ABOUT THE WATER METERS, UM, AND THE REALLY HIGH WATER BILLS THAT HOUSTONIANS ARE EXPERIENCING.
[02:20:01]
UM, ONE IN PARTICULAR, I HAD A CALL FROM A RESIDENT THAT OWNS A SIX UNIT APARTMENT COMPLEX.THEY TYPICALLY PAY ABOUT $250 A MONTH FOR WATER FOR THOSE SENIORS THAT LIVE THERE.
AND THEY GOT A WATER BILL LAST MONTH FOR $9,000.
UM, WHEN THEY WERE, WHEN THEY ASKED ABOUT HOW THE BILL GOT TO $9,000, THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE WATER METER, UM, WHEN THEY PUT IN THE NEW WATER METER, THE METER READ BACK FROM 2021 AND SAID THAT YOU WERE UNDERCHARGED FROM 2021.
AND SO NOW THEY WERE TRYING TO CAPTURE THAT, UM, AMOUNT OF WATER.
AND I, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE ARE BILLING FOLKS BASED ON THESE NEW WATER METERS.
THERE DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE SOME CONVERSATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING FAIR TO, UM, FOLKS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE PAYING FOR THE WATER THAT THEY USE, BUT NOT, UM, BEING CHARGED, UM, FOR ERRONEOUS WATER, I GUESS.
UM, SO LET, I THINK WE DEFINITELY NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
I KNOW I, I HAD A LENGTHY DISCUSSION THIS MORNING WITH, UH, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, RANDY, UH, MACHI, WHO'S BEEN ONLY BEEN HERE A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
HE'S OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER.
AND I KNOW THERE WILL BE A MEETING WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON FRIDAY MORNING, AND THEY WILL GO OVER STATUS REPORTS, STATUS REPORT, NOT ONLY ON NEW METERS, BUT ON EXISTING METERS THAT WE SEEM TO BE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH.
IF YOU'RE ANYTHING LIKE MY OFFICE, WE HAVE ABOUT A SIX INCH FILE THAT'S FILLED WITH WATER BILLS AND COMPLAINTS.
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ACTION ITEM THAT WE CAN SEE COMING OUT OF THIS IS WHAT IS THE RESOLUTION GONNA BE AFTER THE MEETING ON FRIDAY? HOW DO YOU HANDLE CUSTOMERS WHO ARE CALLING IN WITH NEW METER ISSUES, BUT YET GETTING ON THIS MORNING'S NEWS, A $24,000 WATER BILL FOR THE MONTH? AND ALSO, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH EXISTING METER PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE DOING, ESTIMATES WHEN WE CAN'T READ 'EM, UH, OFTEN ENOUGH? AND, AND HOW ARE THOSE ESTIMATES WORKING OUT AND MORE IMPORTANT TO CUSTOMERS OF WHAT HAPPENS TO THE ACCOUNTS PAYABLES THAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR? WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT THAT? SO I THINK WE'LL HEAR SOME RESOLUTION FROM THE MAYOR AFTER THE MEETING ON FRIDAY.
AND, UH, UH, WE'LL, HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A GOOD, UH, GOOD WORKING PAPER TO WORK OFF OF AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THESE ISSUES ADDRESSED BECAUSE, UM, I KNOW WE'RE ALL FEELING THE PAIN OF WATER ISSUES AND, UM, WE'LL BE GLAD WHEN BE PUT IT IN OUR REAR VIEW MIRROR.
SO, ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 44? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, OPPOSE.
ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 45? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? ITEM 45 PASSES.
ANY DISCUSSION ON 46? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, OPPOSED? 46 PASSES.
ANY DISCUSSION ON 47 IN FAVOR OPPOSED? 47 PASSES.
UH, I, I TAGGED SOME OF THESE ITEMS BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UH, LIKE, JUST LIKE ON, ON THIS ONE HERE, YOU HAD, UM, YOU HAD SOME BIDS WITHDRAWN AND, AND THEN, UH, AND THERE'S SOME OTHERS WHERE THAT, UH, COMING UP WHERE THE BIDS WERE NONRESPONSIVE AND YET THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY WERE ON OTHER, OR, OR, UH, ORDINANCES THAT WE LOOK AT WHERE THEY HAD BIDS.
SO IT JUST SEEMED REALLY CONFUSING TO ME WHY THEY WERE WITHDRAWING THEIR BIDS AND THEN BEING NONRESPONSIVE.
SO THAT, THAT WAS THE REASON THAT I HAD TAGGED IT.
FOR THOSE WHO KNOW, OKAY, I THOUGHT THIS ITEM WAS A CONTINUATION OF AN EXISTING AGREEMENT AND JUST ADDING ON SOME ADDITIONAL TIME FOR STAFF AUGMENTATION TO HILL DAY MONEY, MONEY AND TIME.
AND I DID TALK TO OBO AND ASKED ABOUT THE WORK THAT HILL DAY IS DOING, OR THEY SATISFIED, AND THEY SAID THEY'RE EXTREMELY SATISFIED.
THIS IS A CONTINUATION WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDS AND ADDITIONAL TIME TO BOTH, UH, IMPACT STRATEGIC AND HILL DAY.
I KNOW THAT, UH, ONE OF 'EM HANDLES IMPACTS STRATEGIC HANDLES, CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS, AND HILL DAY HANDLES NON-CONSTRUCTION CONTACTS FOR OBO.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX.
[02:25:01]
THIS IS THE CONTRACT THAT, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT EACH OF THE CONTRACTS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE MEETING OUR MWB GOALS.UM, AND THEY ARE, UM, DOING A, A GREAT JOB.
THEY'LL, THEY'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION BEFORE, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE SOON.
UM, THE OBO OFFICE IS ECSTATIC WITH THE SERVICE THEY HAVE PROVIDED.
THEY WERE, UM, REALLY STRUGGLING TO MEET THESE EXPECTATIONS WITH THE CURRENT STAFF.
THEY ARE SHORT STAFFED, AND SO THESE CONTRACTORS HAVE COME IN AND FILL THE VOID THAT WE WE'RE ALL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT.
UM, EVERY WEEK WE TALK ABOUT THE MWBE GOALS.
WE NOW HAVE PEOPLE IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONTRACTORS ARE UTILIZING THEIR SUBCONTRACTORS AND DOING WHAT WE EXPECT THEM TO DO TO MEET THEIR MWBE GOALS.
SO, UM, THEY'VE BEEN A TREMENDOUS HELP TO THE OBO OFFICE.
AND SO I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE THIS, UH, SERVICE.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 48 IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? 48 PASSES.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? 49 PASSES.
ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 50? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES.
ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 51? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? 51 PASSES.
[NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.WE'LL BEGIN TODAY WITH THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION COUNCIL MEMBER, CAROLYN EVANS SHABBAT.
UM, UH, FIRST WE HAVE COLLABORATION WITH FIRST TEE OF GREATER HOUSTON, AND IT IS THRIVING AND THE YOUTH FROM CRESTMONT EMANCIPATION AND SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY CENTERS ARE PARTICIPATING.
AND IT'S A PART OF THE REVOLUTIONARY STEM PROGRAM.
I WISH TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPORTERS WHO ARE THE CORNERSTONE OF THIS INITIATIVE.
I WANT TO THANK MY CHIEF OF STAFF, STEVEN JAMES.
HE SAYS HE'S A GOOD GOLFER, BUT YOU KNOW WHO, WHO KNOWS? UH, HE MIGHT BE AS GOOD A GOLFER AS YOU WERE A BASKETBALL PLAYER, RIGHT?
UH, NEXT WE HAD A VERY GOOD MEETING WITH, UH, FOR THE ALAMEDA, GENOA, AND FURMAN COMMUNITY, UH, PROJECT.
WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR PARTNERS AT HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE, WE HAVE SECURED $2 MILLION IN FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE ALAMEDA GENOA FURMAN ROAD, UH, INTERSECTION.
THIS FUNDING WILL FACILITATE SIGNIFICANT ENHANCEMENTS TO MOBILITY, DRAINAGE, AND SAFETY AT THIS VITAL INTERSECTION, LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR A SAFER AND MORE ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU KNOW, UH, THE AREA, THERE'S A LOT OF HOME CONSTRUCTION GOING UP, AND WE ARE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP PEOPLE TO NAVIGATE BACK AND FORTH AS SAFELY AND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
OUR WEEK WAS FURTHER MARKED BY THE SUCCESSFUL DEDICATION OF THE NEW CENTER POINT ENERGY FOOTBALL FIELD AT SUNNYSIDE PARK LAST FRIDAY.
UH, THIS E EVENT WAS A TESTAMENT TO THE POWER OF COLLABORATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK KENNETH ALLEN, REVEREND GUSTA, BOOKER II, THE MAYOR, SYLVESTER TURNER, SHANNON BUGS, SANDRA MASSEY HINES, AND ON OUR ETERNAL AT LARGE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN, AND ALL THE COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO PLAYED A ROLE IN THIS PROJECT.
AND THIS IS GONNA BE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND HAVE A GREAT TIME AT A BEAUTIFUL, UH, NEW PARK.
AND FINALLY, OUR SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY CLEANUP ON MAY 6TH WAS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS.
DESPITE THE CHALLENGE OF ILLEGAL DUMPING, OUR COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER IN A COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO CREATE A CLEANER, HEALTHIER, AND MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
AND MY GRATITUDE, CERTAINLY TO THOSE THAT PUT, THAT CAME IN AS VOLUNTEERS, BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO ANY OF THAT WITHOUT THEM.
UH, AGAIN, THANKS TO COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, DIRECTOR WILL FALK, UH, THE HONORABLE MAYOR, SANDRA MASSEY HINES AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS, UH, CHARLES CAVE, AND THOSE THAT CAME OUT, UH, TO SUPPORT US.
AND THIS SATURDAY, WE HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENT, A SMALL BUSINESS AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT SYMPOSIUM AT THE ION ON THIS SATURDAY FROM 9:00 AM TO 3:00 PM AND THIS WILL, UH, BE A DYNAMIC AND INFORMATIVE EVENT THAT OFFERS TWO TRACKS TAILORED TO MEET CIVIC COMMUNITY LEADERS AND SMALL BUSINESS UNIQUE NEEDS.
WE WANT SMALL BUSINESSES TO FIND OUT HOW THEY CAN ENGAGE IN, UH, GOVERNMENTAL CONTRACTS AND BUSINESS, AND WE WANT TO SEE THEM SUCCESSFUL.
[02:30:01]
SO IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE, PLEASE COME OUT.I'M INVITING MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL.
IF YOU WANNA COME TO THE ION OVER, UM, FROM 9:00 AM TO 3:00 PM ON THIS SATURDAY, PLEASE JOIN US AND WE'LL CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE YOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE, AND THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS.
UM, TODAY WE'RE HAVING AN IMPORTANT CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH COMMITTEE MEETING THAT WILL BE MEETING IN THESE CHAMBERS.
AT TWO O'CLOCK, WE'LL BE HEARING PRESENTATIONS FROM, UM, THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT, WHO WILL BE GIVING US AN UPDATE ON, ON HOW THIS LAST YEAR HAS GONE FOR WITH THE, THE PRENATAL PARENTAL AND INFANT WELLNESS LEAVE PROGRAM THAT, THAT STARTED A YEAR AGO.
UM, SO, SO PLEASE JOIN US TO HEAR THAT.
AND THEN ALSO WE'LL BE HEARING FROM THE HOUSTON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ABOUT, UM, A, A NUMBER OF YOUTH IN INITIATIVES THAT THEY HAVE UNDERWAY.
SO, SO, SO JOIN US IF YOU CAN.
IT'S TWO O'CLOCK TODAY AND, UM, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN.
THE CLEAR LAKE MONTHLY ELECTRONIC RECYCLING EVENT WILL HAPPEN THIS SATURDAY, MAY 13TH FROM NINE TO THREE, OR UNTIL THE TRUCKS ARE FULL AT THE ELLINGTON AIRPORT RECYCLING CENTER.
YESTERDAY EVENING, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE ARLINGTON HEIGHTS CIVIC CLUB MEETING, UH, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS.
WHEN YOU THINK OF DISTRICT E, EVERYBODY THINKS OF KINGWOOD, CLEAR LAKE, CLEAR LAKE KINGWOOD.
AND WHEN I TOOK OFFICE, I DISCOVERED REAL QUICKLY THAT THE LONG FORGOTTEN AREA WAS THE AREA IN ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, THE AREA IN FREEWAY MANOR, THE AREA IN ELLENDALE, THE AREA IN SOUTH BELT.
SO I MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO PUT PROJECTS IN THESE AREAS THAT PROBABLY HAD IN DISTRICT E THE WORST INFRASTRUCTURE THAN ANY AREA IN THE DISTRICT.
SO YESTERDAY WE DISCUSSED THE ARLINGTON HEIGHTS DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, A $31 MILLION PROJECT THAT'S GETTING UNDERWAY LATE LATER THIS YEAR.
IT'S BEEN SPLIT INTO TWO PHASES.
BOTH PHASES WILL BE UPGRADING THE STORM DRAINAGE, REDUCE THE FLOODING IN THE AREA, AND IMPROVING THE STREET CONVEYANCE AND SHEET FLOW.
PHASE ONE IS DESIGNED AND COMPLETED.
IT EXPECT TO START COMING THIS FALL, AND IT'LL END IN SPRING OF 2025.
WEATHER PERMITTING AND PHASE TWO IS CURRENTLY BEING DESIGNED AND IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IN FALL OF 2025 WITH FINISHING IN SPRING OF 27.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, TOTAL COST IS $31 MILLION, AND IT'S FUNDED THROUGH THE CITY'S D-D-S-R-F, THE DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUND.
SO PLEASE CHECK MY MONTHLY NEWSLETTER AND PRESS RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION AS THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE CLOSER TO THE FALL.
UH, ON MONDAY, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF LAUNCH.
AND, UH, WHILE SOME OF US WON'T BE HERE, OTHERS WILL BE HERE.
UH, HOPE WE ARE, WE ARE, WE GET THE INTI INVITATION AS YOUR PLUS ONE
UH, BUT AT THAT TIME, UH, WE HONORED, UH, UH, UNDER C UH, CEO AND PRESIDENT OF THE CFP, UH, HOUSTON, UH, MR. CHRIS MASSEY.
UH, THERE IS AN EVENT ON FRIDAY AT FOUR 30 AT ST.
ARNOLD'S HONORING THE CITY OF HOUSTON AREA TEACHERS.
SO I HOPE EVERYONE CAN MAKE IT ONCE AGAIN, FOUR 30 ON FRIDAY AT ST.
ARNOLD'S, BECAUSE IF WE HAVE A MOST VALUABLE ASSET IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IT IS OUR TEACHERS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND WE'LL SEE EVERYBODY ON FRIDAY.
VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM.
UH, WANT TO, UM, INVITE EVERYONE OUT FOR THE WILLOW MEADOWS AND WILLOW BEND, A CELEBRATION OF THE REOPENING OF THE WILLOW PARK TENNIS COURTS.
WE WILL CUT THE RIBBON TOMORROW ON MAY 11TH AT 5:30 PM AND THAT'S LOCATED AT 1 0 4 0 0 CLIFFWOOD DRIVE.
THERE WILL BE LIGHT REFRESHMENTS, AND WE'LL BE THERE, RAIN OR SHINE.
UM, THIS IS OUR SECOND TIME SCHEDULING THIS RIBBON CUTTING.
WE WANT TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT SO THAT THE RESIDENTS CAN ENJOY, UM, THEIR NEW TENNIS COURTS.
UH, ALSO WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE ABOUT THE FREE MENTAL WELLNESS AWARENESS, UM, AND ACCESS EVENT ON TOMORROW MAY IS, UH, MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
AND AS WE CONTINUE TO FOSTER A COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS THE CULTURE OF, UH, MENTAL WELLNESS, UH, TOMORROW FROM SIX 30 TO 8:00 PM I'M PARTNERING WITH, UH, DR.
JANICE BILL OF BILL COUNSELING ASSOCIATES, AND THE LINKS INCORPORATED THE MISSOURI CITY CHAPTER.
UH, WE WILL ALSO HAVE MENTAL RESOURCE GUIDES.
THERE'LL BE A PAN PANEL OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, UM, HPD WILL BE THERE, UH, AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE A YOGA INSTRUCTOR TO PROVIDE SOME UNIQUE EXERCISES FOR MENTAL WELLNESS, UM, THAT WE CAN USE IN OUR DAILY LIVES.
SO, WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU THERE FROM SIX 30 TO
[02:35:01]
8:00 PM AT THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER ON TOMORROW.AND THEN I ALSO PRINTED A COPY OF THE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE GUIDES, IF COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE A COPY OF THAT TO SHARE WITH, UM, PEOPLE THAT YOU MAY KNOW THAT MAY NEED, UM, ACCESS TO RESOURCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, ALSO, AIR PROJECT IS HOSTING A FREE AIR FUND, FOOD FEST SATURDAY, MAY THE 13TH AT BILLY REAGAN, K THROUGH EIGHT SCHOOL ON ANDERSON ROAD, COME OUT FOR A HEALTHY LIVING CELEBRATION AND ENJOY, UM, FOOD FUND GAMES AND PRIZES.
VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT, UM, THE ENCAMPMENTS ALONG SIX 10 FROM SOUTH BRASSWOOD TO ALAMEDA HAVE BEEN, UM, SUCCESSFULLY DECOMMISSIONED.
UH, 85% OF THOSE INHABITANTS HAVE BEEN HOUSED, UM, MAJORITY AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER, WHERE THEY ARE WORKING WITH COUNSELORS TO HELP THEM, UM, FOR PERMANENT PLACEMENT.
UH, WE HAD, UH, FOUR REFUSALS, SIX SELF RESOLVED.
UM, 16 WERE TAKEN TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER, UH, WHERE THEY WILL WORK WITH THOSE CASE WORKERS.
UM, BIG THANKS TO MARK EICHENBAUM AND HIS TEAM.
THE CONSTITUENTS IN THE AREA ARE VERY HAPPY TO SEE THE SPACE HAS BEEN CLEANED, UM, AND THAT THE, UH, HOMELESS RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN, UM, TAKEN CARE OF IN, IN A VERY, UM, HOLISTIC FASHION.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, I WANT TO INVITE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ON MONDAY, MAY THE 15TH.
WE, IT IS THE BEGINNING OF INFRASTRUCTURE WEEK, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE'LL BE HOSTING A PRESS CONFERENCE AT SEVEN 11 MILBY STREET AT 9:00 AM SEVERAL OF CO OF COUNCIL MEMBERS SIGNED ON TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL RAIL SAFETY LETTER.
UM, WE WILL BE IN DISTRICT, I, WE'LL ACTUALLY BE AT A LOCATION THAT MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
UM, THERE ARE TWO TRAINS BLOCKING THAT AREA, AND FOLKS CAN'T GET IN AND OUT.
UM, WE WILL BE HOSTING THAT PRESS CONFERENCE ON MONDAY AT 9:00 AM THE MAYOR WILL BE THERE.
WE'VE INVITED OUR SENATORS AND OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS TO JOIN US.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE WILL JOIN US.
THIS IS JUST A, ANOTHER PUSH TO URGE CONGRESSIONAL ACTION ON RAIL SAFETY.
UM, THAT CONCLUDES OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR DISTRICT K.
Y'ALL BE SAFE OUT THERE IN THE RAIN AND BE KIND TO EACH OTHER.
COUNCIL MEMBER DEBBIE ROBINSON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR PRO TEM AND TO THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEMS POINTS THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON WITH RAIL SAFETY.
THERE'S A SUMMIT THAT'S BEEN CONVENED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOMELAND, UH, SECURITY, AND, UH, SPECIAL WORK BY OUR FRIEND JACK HRAF GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, GALLEGOS AND CISNEROS ARE VERY INVOLVED WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR, UH, TRAIN CENTRIC DISTRICTS.
AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN FOR HER ONGOING SUPPORT AS WELL, FOR THINGS GOING WITH, UM, THE TTI COMMITTEE.
AND, UM, GOT TO SPEAK AND ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ATTENDEES YESTERDAY AT THAT SUMMIT.
BUT TO THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEMS POINT, THAT, UH, ACTIVITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON MONDAY IS GONNA BE A REALLY IMPORTANT ONE.
AND IT'S A FITTING WAY TO START INFRASTRUCTURE WEEK.
I WANT TO SHOUT OUT, UH, TODAY TO PUBLIC SERVANTS ACROSS THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN HONOR OF PUBLIC SERVICE RECOGNITION WEEK, WHICH IS THIS WEEK FROM MAY THE SEVENTH TO MAY THE 13TH.
AND, UH, IT'S BEEN CELEBRATED SINCE 1985 TO HONOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE OUR NATION AS FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY, LOCAL, AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.
SO, WHILE THAT'S SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT, I WANT TO THANK ANOTHER GREAT PUBLIC SERVANT FRIEND OF OURS, AND THAT'S THE FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT B JERRY DAVIS, WHO PUT OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS INTO BROCK PARK, WHICH OPENED THIS PAST WEEKEND, AND CONGRATULATE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR A GREAT OPENING OF BROCK AT VENTURE PARK.
CERTAINLY HAD A GREAT TIME OUT THERE WITH MAYOR TURNER ON SATURDAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN WAS THERE, AND WE TOSSED SOME FRISBEE ON A NEW FIT FRISBEE GOLF COURSE.
UM, IT'S TRULY BEAUTIFUL IN TERMS OF FLORA AND FAUNA.
SO GET OUT AND USE THAT BROCK PARK FOR YOU.
AND, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO DISTRICT B, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
UM, I JUST WANNA HOLD UP IN CONCLUDING REMARKS.
OUR COLLEAGUE, TARSHA JACKSON, WHO WILL GRADUATE THIS WEEKEND FROM TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY WITH A BACHELOR OF ARTS FROM THE BARBARA JORDAN, MICKEY LELAND, COLLEGE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS.
DON'T FORGET THE D THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TIM.
UM, I HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS TO SHARE.
UM, DISTRICT F WE ARE OFFICIALLY A FULL HOUSE, THE PARTY OF FIVE.
UH, AND, UM, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE NEW STAFF MEMBERS THAT HAVE JOINED MY TEAM.
[02:40:01]
KATHY REESE, SHE'S OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, UM, EXCITED ABOUT HER CONTRIBUTION.SHE GETS TO KEEP ME IN ORDER AND ORGANIZED, SO SHE HAS, UH, A TASK AHEAD.
LET'S PRAY AND JOIN HANDS FOR HER.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, STEPHANIE NICOLE LEETA, UH, FORMERLY OF CONGRESSWOMAN FLETCHER'S OFFICE, AND SHE'S JOINED OUR TEAM.
SHE'S NO STRANGER TO THE WEST SIDE, SO I'M DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, HER CONTRIBUTION.
SO I WANNA RAISE YOUR ATTENTION TO, UM, SOME POKER CLUB ISSUES WE'VE BEEN HAVING.
AND I KNOW, UM, MADAM CHAIR FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, YOU AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS CO-CHAIR AT THAT EVENT AROUND THE BYOB, WHICH HAS BEEN REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
UM, BUT THERE'S SOME POKER CLUBS THAT ARE REALLY, UM, CAUSING SOME DISRUPTION, UM, CRIME AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND SO HOPEFULLY, HOWEVER YOU SET YOUR AGENDA, IF THAT CAN BE A CONVERSATION AS WELL.
UM, BUT PARTICULARLY ONE, UM, OFF OF RICHMOND AND JEANETTA, EVERYTHING FROM, UH, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT TO MURDER, ROBBERY.
THIS IS ALL THAT'S HAPPENING ON AT ONE LOCATION.
SO I JUST WANNA, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, CONTINUE TO RAISE THE POINT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS THAT YOU HAVE IN THE CITY, PATRONS AND COMMUNITIES SHOULD BE SAFE.
UM, AND THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
I ALSO WANNA RECAP, UM, SOME ITEMS THAT I DID NOT MENTION LAST WEEK BECAUSE I WAS SO CAUGHT UP WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH HOUSE BILL 2071 AND HOUSING.
UM, BUT WE DID HOST, UM, OUR VERY FIRST DE RESTRICTIONS WORKSHOP.
UM, THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND, UH, HER STAFF FOR, FOR JOINING.
UM, BUT DEFINITELY THIS IS A NEED.
AND MANY, UH, RESIDENTS ASKED FOR MORE TIME, AND THEY WANTED A WHOLE DAY, AND THEY SAID, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THIS.
UM, SO DEFINITELY THERE'S SOME ATTENTION WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO GIVE.
I ALSO WANT TO, UH, AND CONDOLENCES SHARE, UM, THAT MR. ALEX WANG PASSED AWAY FOR SOME OF Y'ALL.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL REMEMBER HIM.
HE HAS BEEN TO CHAMBERS SEVERAL TIMES, BUT HE'S ALSO, UH, THE PRESIDENT OF Z AND ZZ INTERNATIONAL, AND WAS THE FOUNDER AND EDITOR IN CHIEF OF WORLD HALL OF FAME NETWORK.
UM, VERY ACTIVE IN THE CHINESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY, UH, BUSINESSMAN AND WOULD OFTEN BE AT, UH, EVENTS WITH CAMERAS AND, AND, AND, AND DOING ALL THAT.
SO HE PASSED AWAY, VERY YOUNG MAN, 59 YEARS OLD.
SO, UH, MY CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY, UM, AND THEN ALSO FOR, UM, A API MONTH WE'RE, UH, SALUTING CATHERINE CHANG, A SHE HAS AUTHORED A BOOK.
WE WILL BE WITH HER ON MAY 20TH IN THE DISTRICT, UH, FOR HER EVENT.
I'LL SEND THAT INFORMATION OUT TO ALL OF YOU, SO IF YOU WANNA ATTEND.
BUT THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING, UM, IN DISTRICT F UH, AND I DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, UM, RESIDENTS KNOW, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON AND THAT WE'RE KEEPING OUR EYES ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR BY BS AND OUR POKE CLUBS.
AND THIS PROBABLY WAS ADDRESSED MAYBE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WHEN I WASN'T HERE, BUT I, I WAS DRIVING, UM, IN MY CAR AND THERE WAS MARK EICHENBAUM ON THE REAL NPR, LIKE, NOT JUST THE HOUSTON MATTER SHOW WE ALL GO ON, BUT HE WAS ON, UH, ONE A TALKING ABOUT HOUSTON'S ROLE IN HOMELESSNESS AND HOW WELL WE ARE DOING.
UM, BASED ON THIS LAST COUNT, UM, OUR UNSHELTERED HOMELESS HAS GONE DOWN LIKE 18% OVER LAST YEAR.
SO THANKS TO THE CHAIR OF OUR HOUSING COMMITTEE, MARK EICHENBAUM, EVERYBODY WHO'S WORKED ON THIS ISSUE, WE ARE REALLY MAKING STRIDES.
IT'S, IT'S SO GREAT TO HEAR, SO GREAT TO HEAR HIM IN THIS CONVERSATION WITH PEOPLE.
THE, THE HEAD OF THE NATIONAL COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS AND ANOTHER PERSON FROM ANOTHER CITY, AND REALLY TELL HOUSTON STORY, A STORY WHERE WE DON'T GIVE GENERAL FUND MONEY REALLY TO THIS ISSUE.
WE DON'T FUND IT, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REALLY LEVERAGE THOSE ARPA DOLLARS OF SINCE 20 11, 60 PLUS PERCENT DECREASE.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST UNHEARD OF FOR A BIG CITY.
SO SOME, UH, A REALLY GOOD STORY TO TELL.
I KNOW WHEN YOU SEE ENCAMPMENTS ARE STILL, I'M GLAD THAT ONE WAS CLEARED.
UM, WHEN YOU SEE HOMELESS PEOPLE, IT'S STILL FRONT AND CENTER IN YOUR, IN YOUR, YOU KNOW, HEAD AND HEART, HOW WE'VE FAILED AS A SOCIETY TO SEE PEOPLE OUT ON THE STREETS.
BUT WE ARE REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU JUDGED A CITY ON HOW WELL IT DEALS WITH THE MOST VULNERABLE.
WE, WE CAN ALL BE REALLY PROUD OF THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE THERE.
SO CONGRATS TO MARK EICHENBAUM AND EVERYBODY, UM, IN THE COALITION, OUR CREDIT MAYOR PARKER WITH REALLY SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO TREAT THIS AS A SYSTEM.
UM, THAT'S REALLY BEEN OUR STRENGTH.
WE'VE GOT A HUNDRED NONPROFITS, THE CITY, THE COUNTY, ALL PULLING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TACKLING THIS ISSUE.
SO KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK AND, AND I THINK THAT I, FOR ONE, WILL BE GOING AROUND TELLING THIS STORY, UM, BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF.
THANKS, COUNCIL MEMBER LETICIA PLUMMER.
UH, FIRST I WANTED TO ASCEND CONDOLENCES.
WE LOST, UM, A HUGE COMMUNITY LEADER.
UM, AND IF ANYONE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, KNOWS HER INVOLVEMENT WITH COMMUNITY, UM, UH, IT'S REALLY A LOSS, REALLY LOST FOR THE COMMUNITY.
[02:45:01]
HER HOMEGOING CEREMONY IS GOING TO BE ON MAY THE 12TH, WHICH IS FRIDAY FROM NINE TO 11.IT'LL BE HELD AT GOD'S GRACE CHURCH, 9 9 4 4 WEST MONTGOMERY ROAD.
AND, UM, IF ANYONE'S ABLE TO ATTEND, UM, AND PLEASE, THEY'LL KEEP HER FAMILY IN YOUR, IN YOUR PRAYERS.
UM, I WANTED TO, UM, ALSO MENTION THAT THERE WILL BE A, UM, FOR A API MONTH, THERE WILL BE A, UM, CELEBRATION, UM, A SAMPLE BLOCK, SEE A, A SHINE SAMPLE AND BLOCK PARTY WILL BE HELD ON MAY THE 13TH, UM, AT, UM, DUNHUANG PLAZA AT 9 8 8 9 AIRE BOULEVARD.
AND THIS WILL BE CELEBRATING THE, UM, A API HERITAGE MONTH.
AND THERE WILL BE UNVEILING, UM, EXCLUSIVE MURALS THAT'LL BE PAINTED BY A API, UM, ARTISTS.
SO, UM, SO THAT WOULD BE EXCITING IF YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO THIS WEEKEND,
UM, AND THEN, AND FINALLY, AS MENTIONED BEFORE, UM, AT OUR LARGE FOUR OFFICE, WE'LL BE JOINING MIDAMERICA ARTS ALLIANCE, UH, AND, UM, DIRECTOR IRVIN AT THE MAYOR OF OFFICE OF CUL CULTURAL AFFAIRS, UH, TO BE HOSTING A, UM, A GRANT WORKSHOPS WE ARE CALLING ALL POETS, RAPPERS, SONG WRITERS, PAINTERS, DANCER, EVERYTHING THAT DEALS WITH THE ARTS.
IT'LL BE ON THE, UH, THE 10TH OF JUNE AT 10:00 AM ON THE JU AT THE JULIA IEN BUILDING.
WE WOULD LOVE TO CALL EVERYBODY OUT, UM, TO, TO CELEBRATE THE ARTS AND TO, UM, TO SEE HOW WE CAN SUPPORT FINANCIALLY.
UM, I ALSO WANNA OFFER CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF MS. EDA CROCKETT, ALTHOUGH SHE LIVED IN DISTRICT B, SHE WAS SO INFLUENTIAL IN HELPING US WITH THE SECTION OF ACRES HOMES THAT, UM, FALLS INTO DISTRICT A AND SHE WAS ALWAYS SO WILLING TO HELP OUR OFFICE AND DISTRICT A AND JUST REALLY THANK HER FOR HER SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, NEXT I WANNA, UM, SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DISTRICT, A CHIEF OF STAFF, LIZ MIRANDA, WHOSE BIRTHDAY IS ON SATURDAY.
WE ARE JUST SO THANKFUL TO HAVE HER IN OUR OFFICE WORKING IN DISTRICT A.
THE LEVEL OF CARE AND THOUGHT THAT SHE BRINGS TO EVERYTHING THAT SHE DOES IS JUST SO AMAZING AND SO HOPE THAT SHE HAS A WONDERFUL BIRTHDAY ON SATURDAY.
AND THEN FINALLY, WANTED TO WISH A HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL OF THE MOTHERS HERE AT COUNCIL.
AND A VERY SPECIAL, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO MY MOM.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOM ABBY CAYMAN.
UH, IT TURNS OUT WE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND I BOTH HAVE STAFF WITH BIRTHDAYS ON SATURDAY.
SO I ALSO WANNA WISH A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR DIRECTOR OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES, UH, ARI RAMIREZ.
UH, I DUNNO WHAT WE WOULD DO WITHOUT HER, GIVEN THE, THE NUMBER OF CONSTITUENT CASES WE GET DAILY.
UH, SHE DOES AN AMAZING JOB AND WE'RE HAPPY TO CELEBRATE HER.
UH, I ALSO WANNA SAY I'M OFFICIALLY AN AUNT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS THIS WEEK TO MY SISTER-IN-LAW AND MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, UH, RACHEL AND ADAM HANSEL, WHO WELCOMED A BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL.
UH, SO VERY SPECIAL MOTHER'S DAY.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, TO ALL OF THE MOMS ON COUNCIL AND FOR ALL OF US COUNCIL MEMBERS, FOR ALL OF OUR MOTHERS.
AND THE LIST GOES ON, UM, AS WE CELEBRATE LIFE, UH, IT WOULD, I FEEL IT WOULD BE A DISSERVICE TO NOT, NOT ALSO RECOGNIZE THE LIVES THAT WERE CUT SHORT IN ALLEN, TEXAS.
UH, LAST WEEK I READ THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN CLEVELAND, AND YET ONE WEEK LATER WE ARE HERE AGAIN.
UH, AND THEIR LITTLE 3-YEAR-OLD BOY, JAMES CHO, THE ONLY SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBER OF THEIR FAMILY, IS A 6-YEAR-OLD.
AND HE WAS WOUNDED, UH, MR. AND MRS. MENDOZA LOST THEIR TWO LITTLE GIRLS, DANIELLA, WHO WAS 11, AND SOPHIA MENDOZA, WHO WAS EIGHT.
THEY WERE IN FOURTH AND SECOND GRADE, AND THEIR MOTHER WAS WOUNDED.
CHRISTIAN LAUR WAS THE SECURITY GUARD WHO WAS MURDERED.
UH, KUND WAS 26 ILIO KU ARIA RIVAS WAS 32.
IF THIS IS A NEW NORMAL, I AM ABSOLUTELY REFUSING TO ACCEPT IT.
THE SHOOTER WAS DISMISSED FROM THE MILITARY WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF INITIAL TRAINING AND WAS DEEMED UNFIT TO SERVE, YET HE WAS ABLE TO LEGALLY PURCHASE EIGHT FIREARMS.
[02:50:01]
THE MADNESS HAS TO STOP.AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED TO CELEBRATE WHEN A BILL THAT, UH, THE FAMILIES OF VALDI PASSED THROUGH COMMITTEE, AND YET IT COULDN'T EVEN MAKE IT OUT OF CALENDARS.
SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO SPEAK UP AND TO CON TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN SILENCED, BECAUSE WE ARE READING WAY TOO MANY HEADLINES OF MOTHERS DYING, SHIELDING THEIR BABIES FROM BULLETS.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAPPER ED POLLARD TODAY.
UM, EXCITING NEWS FROM THE DISTRICT J OFFICE.
UH, OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN PARTNERING WITH TURS 20 ON CONSTRUCTING A HOUSTON VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL.
AND WE'RE FINALLY ABOUT TO UNVEIL IT.
UH, LATER THIS MONTH ON MAY 26TH AT 11:00 AM WE'LL BE AT THE NEW CLUB CREEK PARK, WHICH IS AT 9 6 8 0 CLUB CREEK DRIVE.
AND MY FATHER, HE SERVED HONORABLY IN VIETNAM AS A MARINE.
AND I WOULD GROW UP LISTENING TO STORIES FROM HIM AND, UM, SOME OF HIS FRIENDS WHO SERVED ABOUT HOW WHEN THEY RETURNED BACK FROM VIETNAM, THEY WERE MET WITH, UH, HARSH CRITICISM, DISRESPECT, RIDICULE, AND NEVER FELT AS IF THEY RECEIVED A PROPER WELCOME AND THANK YOU.
AND THAT ALWAYS KIND OF SAT WITH ME.
AND SO WHEN I GOT ELECTED, I VOWED THAT I WOULD TRY TO DO WHAT I COULD TO CONSTRUCT A MEMORIAL THAT WOULD BE FITTING, UH, TO GIVE THEM THE APPRECIATION FOR THE SACRIFICE THAT THEY MADE.
AND SO, TOOK A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF MONEY, A LOT OF PARTNERSHIP, UH, BUT WE'RE PROUD TO BE ABLE TO FINALLY ANNOUNCE THE UNVEILING.
EACH OF YOUR OFFICES WILL RECEIVE AN INVITATION, UH, FOR THAT.
AND, UH, THE DETAILS WILL BE FORTHCOMING, BUT EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND IT WILL BE THE FIRST OF ITS KIND THAT NOT ONLY, UH, COMMEMORATES THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES, BUT WILL TELL A UNIQUE HOUSTON STORY ON THAT, ON THAT MEMORIAL.
SO, UM, LOOK OUT FOR THE DETAILS.
AND CONGRATULATIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS.
I WANTED TO JUST GO BACK AND ADD SOMETHING, UH, SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, THE, THE, THE REPORT THAT JACK GRAPH RECENTLY, UM, UH, PROVIDED THAT'S REALLY IN SUPPORT OF A REQUEST, YOU KNOW, FOR, UH, CONGRESSIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE THE BLOCK TRAINS.
UM, IT'S REALLY, UM, SHOCKING TO, TO LOOK AT THE, THE DATA IN HIS REPORT, YOU KNOW, THAT HOW THE EASTERN DISTRICT LEADS THE NATION IN STOP TRAIN EVENTS AND TO, TO REALLY TO, TO LOOK AT WHAT THAT MEANS THAT, UM, HE CITE, YOU KNOW, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS IN TEXAS, INDIANA, OHIO, ILLINOIS, ALABAMA, TENNESSEE, AND COLORADO.
AND IN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 29, WHICH INCLUDES THE EAST END, IT'S HOUSTON.
WE HAVE MORE THAN DOUBLE, MORE THAN TRIPLE THAN THOSE OTHER DISTRICTS.
SO, UM, HOUSTON HAD, IS SHOWING TO HAVE, UM, 1,353 BLOCK TRAINS IN HOUSTON AT, YOU KNOW, AT AT CROSSINGS.
AND IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, SO, IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN ANY, ANY PLACE ELSE.
IT'S, I MEAN, IT REALLY IS, UM, A, A VERY PERSUASIVE REPORT THAT I HOPE WILL HAVE A BIG IMPACT IN, IN HOW WE GET, UM, FUNDING FROM CONGRESS.
AND JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK REMINDERS, BUDGET WORKSHOPS, START WEDNESDAY, THE 17TH.
UH, PRESS CONFERENCE, MAYOR'S PRESS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE THE BUDGET IS GOING TO BE TUESDAY AT NOON IN THE LEGACY ROOM.
THERE'S GONNA BE SOME GREAT NEWS IN THE BUDGET.
WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB AND AWESOME JOB ON THE DEBT SIDE AS WELL AS THE REVENUE SIDE AND CONTROLLING EXPENSES.
SO I THINK IT'S ALL GOOD NEWS THAT WE'LL HEAR ON TUESDAY.
UM, AND HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, UH, TO ALL THE MOTHERS, NOT ONLY AROUND THIS HORSESHOE, BUT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND BEYOND.
MY MOTHER IS WITH ME EVERY DAY, EVEN THOUGH SHE'S NOT HERE PHYSICALLY.
AND, UM, I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A, A GREAT AND BLESSED MOTHER'S DAY THIS SUNDAY.
AND LASTLY, UH, WHEN I ALWAYS SIT IN THE CAPTAIN'S CHAIR, I ALWAYS GET A LOT OF HELP FROM THE LADIES THAT ARE ON MY RIGHT, MARTA, PAT, AND DANA.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP.
YOU'RE NEVER GET ENOUGH RECOGNITION AS YOU DESERVE.
SO THANKS FOR HELPING ME KEEP THE BALL DOWN, KEEPING THE BALL DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE FAIRWAY.
AND WITH THAT, UH, EVERYBODY HAVE A FANTASTIC DAY, FANTASTIC WEEK, AND GOD BLESS.