[00:00:01]
TRANSPORTATION, TECHNOLOGY AND[Transportation, Technology, and Infrastructure Committee on June 1, 2023. ]
INFRASTRUCTURE.CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER ON, UH, THE FIRST DAY OF JUNE, 2023.
IT'S 10:01 AM AND AS THE PRESIDING OFFICER, I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD IN A HYBRID MODE DUE TO THE DISCONTINUATION OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
CHAPTER 5 51 PROVISIONS THAT ALLOWED PUBLIC MEETINGS TO BE HELD SOLELY AND VIRTUALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC.
THE MEETING IS AND WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, UH, AS PRESIDING OFFICER.
I AM PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE CHAMBER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 51 0.127 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE APPLICABLE TO A GOVERNMENTAL BODY THAT EXTENDS INTO THREE OR MORE COUNTIES.
ALL OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE THE OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS. UH, AND I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, MY COLLEAGUES AT THIS POINT.
WE HAVE OUR VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN FROM THE AT LARGE POSITION, NUMBER FIVE.
AND WE HAVE, UH, WITH US VIRTUALLY DR. CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ OF THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION, DISTRICT D RIGHT HERE NEAR DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
WE HAVE, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON HERE FROM DISTRICT B.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK HERE.
GOTTA STOP FOR A SECOND VIRTUALLY.
AND WE ARE GOING TO STOP RIGHT NOW, UH, FOR TECHNICAL REASONS.
BEAR WITH US AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
UH, WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE MUTE GOING ONLINE.
SO WITH THAT, JUST TO REITERATE, WE ARE HERE LIVE FROM CITY HALL ON THE 1ST OF JUNE.
MENTIONING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE FOR US.
I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MY COLLEAGUE, THE VICE CHAIR SALLY ALCORN FROM THE AT LARGE POSITION FIVE.
WE HAVE DR. CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ, WHO'S WITH US VIRTUALLY FROM DISTRICT D.
WE HAVE, UH, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, AMY PECK, DISTRICT A, TARSHA JACKSON, DISTRICT B ABBY CAYMAN, DISTRICT C CARLOS CISNEROS, DISTRICT H.
WE HAVE IN-PERSON STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE KNOX IN THE AT LARGE POSITION ONE.
AND, UH, I BELIEVE WITH THAT WE CAN TURN TO THE BUSINESS AT HAND.
WE HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO'S SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY.
THE DEADLINE TO DO SO WAS 5:00 PM YESTERDAY ON THE 31ST OF MAY.
HOWEVER, AS ALWAYS, ANY QUESTIONS MAY BE SENT TO THE AT LARGE2@HOUSTONTX.GOV EMAIL ADDRESS, AND WE WILL SHARE THEM WITH THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS FOLLOWING TODAY'S MEETING AND DISTRIBUTE RESPONSES ACCORDINGLY.
TODAY'S PRESENTATIONS ARE, UH, FIVE IN NUMBER, AND WE WILL TAKE THEM IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER.
UH, FIRST WILL BE FROM OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IMPLEMENTING RESILIENT HOUSTON.
WE'LL HEAR FROM HEAR FROM JOANNA CLARK, OUR SENIOR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS LANI VARSI, OUR MANAGING ENGINEER FOR TDO, UH, DONALD BKU, WHO'S THE PLANNER MANAGER FOR MULTIMODAL SAFETY AND DESIGN BRANCH, UH, FOR TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS, AS WELL AS UMER KHAN, THE SUPERVISING ENGINEER WITH HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE MICROSOFT UNIFIED SUPPORT AND SERVER AND CLOUD ENROLLMENT PRESENTATION THAT'LL BE BROUGHT TODAY BY LISA KENT, OUR CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, FROM THE HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S HITS AND THE IT OPERATIONS AUTOMATION TOOL WILL PRESENTATION WILL BE THE NEXT ON THE AGENDA TODAY, BROUGHT TODAY BY MAY FUNG, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS WITH HITS, AS WELL AS DIRECTOR KENT.
AND NEXT ON THE AGENDA FROM THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEMS, THE PUBLIC WIFI MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT SERVICES CONTRACT WILL BE PRESENTED TODAY BY JEFF BREAM, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM DEPARTMENT.
AND FINALLY TODAY ON THE AGENDA WILL BE THE OCULUS IMMERSIVE MEDIA TECHNOLOGY PRESENTATION.
THAT'S A, UH, VIRTUAL REALITY INCLUDES A VIRTUAL REALITY COMPONENT, AND WILL
[00:05:01]
BE PRESENTED TODAY BY DIEGO PARRA, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM MANAGEMENT OFFICE AT THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SERVICE.SO YOU CAN TELL WE HAVE A ROBUST AND FULL AGENDA.
UM, CHECKING NOW TO SEE THAT WE'VE BEEN, UH, JOINED, UH, VIRTUALLY BY STAFF FROM THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM'S OFFICE IN DISTRICT K, AS WELL AS STAFF, UH, FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER IN THE AT LARGE FOR OFFICE.
SO, WITH THAT, AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'RE GONNA TURN TO OUR PRESENTATIONS.
I'D LIKE TO REMIND COUNCIL MEMBERS TO REMAIN ON MUTE AND HOLD THEIR QUESTIONS TO THE END OF EACH PRESENTATION.
NOTE THAT, UH, WE WILL BE MONITORING THE QUEUE AND SHOULD THEY HAVE A MESSAGE, UH, FOR THE CHAT, WE WILL MONITOR THAT HERE AS WELL FROM THE PODIUM.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, WE ARE GONNA TURN TO THE FIRST PRESENTATION, WHICH COMES FROM THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
IF THE FIRST PRESENTERS WILL COME FORWARD, WE LOVE TO GET STARTED.
AND FOR EACH PRESENTATION, WE'D LIKE TO ASK THE SPEAKER TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, ANY STAFF THAT'S PRESENT FOR THE RECORD.
AND, UH, MS. CLARK, GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU AND, UH, YOUR TEAM, IF YOU COULD INTRODUCE 'EM AND LET'S GET GOING.
GOOD MORNING FOR HAVING US TODAY.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US THIS MORNING HERE.
I'M A SENIOR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
I MANAGE OUR STORMWATER OPERATIONS IN THE CITY AND WITH US, WE HAVE DONALD BACO, WHO IS A PLANNER, MANAGER BAR, UH, ESH VARNEY, WHO IS AN ALSO A MANAGING ENGINEER, AND UMER KING, WHO IS A SUPERVISING ENGINEER ALSO WITH TRANSPORTATION AND OPERATIONS.
SO TODAY WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME INITIATIVES THAT HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN WORKING ON AND IMPLEMENTING.
IF WE RECALL, BACK IN FEBRUARY, 2020, RESILIENT HOUSTON PLAN WAS RELEASED.
AND THIS IS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE, VERY IMPORTANT PLAN THAT LINE UP THE VISION FOR HOUSTON TO BE A STRONGER, MORE SUSTAINABLE, MORE RESILIENT, AND READY TO ADAPT CITY.
THIS PLAN HAS A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF GOALS, 62 OF THOSE.
AND HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS PLAYS A KEY ROLE TO BE SURE THAT MANY OF THESE GOALS GET TO BE IMPLEMENTED AND MAKE THEM TANGIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITY, UM, TO ACHIEVE ALL THE BENEFITS THAT THE RESILIENT HOUSTON PLAN LINES UP.
UH, TODAY WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO SHARE WITH YOU THREE OF THE MAJOR INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED US YEAR AND IMPLEMENTED THAT ALIGN WITH VARIOUS OF THESE GOALS.
AND THEY INCLUDE PILOT PROJECTS WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GRAIN INFRASTRUCTURE.
ALSO, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESILIENT SIDEWALK PLAN FOR THE CITY WHO SETS A VERY IMPORTANT FRAMEWORK TO ACHIEVE WALKABILITY SAFETY WHILE MANAGING DRAINAGE PROPERLY.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, A VEGETATION ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PRACTICE THAT REPLACES OR CAN, UM, OPERATE IN PARALLEL TO THE TRADITIONAL MOWING PRACTICES.
SO WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA START WITH OUR FIRST PRESENTATION.
DON WAKU, UM, PLANNER MANAGER WITH TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE WILL WALK US THROUGH OUR RESILIENT, UH, SIDEWALK PLAN.
UM, AS JOHANNA SAID, MY NAME IS DONALD
SO I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE RESILIENT SIDEWALKS PLAN, AND, UM, THIS PLAN STEMMED FROM, UM, SOME OF THE STUDIES THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AS WELL AS AN OFFSHOOT, AS JOHANNA SAID, FROM RESILIENT HOUSTON.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE THESE VALUES THAT WE ASPIRE TO AS HPW, UM, WHICH ESPECIALLY FOR THIS PLAN, WE ARE LOOKING STRONGLY AT OWNERSHIP, OWNING OUR CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES AND MAKING SURE THAT, UH, WE TRANSLATE THAT TO THE CITIZENS WE SERVE.
SO, AS THE SLIDE COMES IN, UM, THE RESILIENCE S PLAN, UM, IS ONE THAT WAS STARTED, UH, ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO.
UM, IT CAME ABOUT AS A RESULT OF, UH, HURRICANE HARVEY.
UM, WITH TODAY BEING JUNE 1ST, WE KNOW THE HURRICANE SEASON IS STARTING AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN 2017 WITH HURRICANE HARVEY.
UM, THE CITY RECEIVED, UH, C-D-B-G-D-R 17 FUNDING TO DO SOME RESILIENT PLANNING STUDIES, OF WHICH THIS RESILIENCE SIDEWALKS PLAN IS ONE OF THOSE.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, UM, IT'S, UH, IT WAS AN 18 MONTH EFFORT.
[00:10:01]
UH, MAY OF 2021 TO TTI TO PRESENT THE INTENT AND THE SCOPE OF THE PLAN.AND WE KICKED OFF SOON AFTER THE SIDEWALK SUMMIT THAT WAS HELD IN FALL OF, UM, 2021.
UM, WE, WE RODE ON THAT MOMENTUM AND STARTED SOON AFTER, AND IT TOOK 18 MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
AND WE WRAPPED UP THE PROJECT IN APRIL, UM, UH, THIS YEAR, WHICH IS JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.
SO WHAT THIS PLAN IS, UM, THE CHARGE FOR THE PLAN WAS THREEFOLD.
UM, THE, THE FIRST WAS TO CREATE A CITYWIDE TOOLKIT THAT WOULD CREATE PRIMARILY A MENU OF MENU OF OPTIONS FOR ADDRESSING SIDEWALK, UM, CIRCUMSTANCES AND SITUATIONS, ESPECIALLY ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE.
AND THEN TO ALSO ZOOM INTO TWO COMMUNITY PLANS, KASHMIR GARDENS AND GULFTON, BOTH OF WHICH ARE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES AND KASHMIR GARDENS, BECAUSE IT'S PRIMARILY OPEN DITCH DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND GULFTON, BECAUSE IT'S A CURB AND GATHER, UH, SYSTEM.
AND THEN ALSO TO LOOK AT ADDRESSING SAFETY, DRAINAGE, ACCESSIBILITY, ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FUNDING AND THEN OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.
AND AGAIN, AS I SAID, THIS IS A QUICK FRAMEWORK THAT WE ARE PROVIDING WITHIN 10 MINUTES.
SO AT THE END OF THIS, I'LL PROVIDE A LINK THAT ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE PLAN CAN LOOK AT REAL QUICK.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS WHAT WE CALL SIDEWALK PERFORMANCE.
AS WE ALL KNOW, WE SEE SIDEWALKS TYPICALLY AS A MOBILITY, UM, ELEMENT IN THE ENVIRONMENT, PROVIDING SAFE ACCESS FOR PEOPLE, BUT SIDEWALKS ALSO PERFORM AS PART OF THE DRAINAGE ECOSYSTEM IN THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO ON THE HORIZONTAL SIDEWALKS ARE SUPPOSED TO PERFORM, PROVIDING GOOD MOBILITY FOR ALL PEOPLE, UH, ALL NON-MOTORIZED, UM, TRAFFIC.
BUT THEN ALSO BECAUSE IT'S AN IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, ANY RAIN WATER OR STORM WATER THAT GETS ON THE SIDEWALK HAS TO BE MITIGATED OR ACCOUNTED FOR SOMEHOW.
SO A VERY GOOD SIDEWALK SYSTEM SHOULD BE PERFORMING IN BOTH THE HORIZONTAL AND THE VERTICAL.
AND THEN WITH REGARDS TO RESILIENCY AS WELL, UH, FOR A SIDEWALK TO BE RESILIENT, IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO PERFORM AT ALL TIMES.
UM, WHETHER IT'S THE STRESSES OF THE TYPICAL POND OR IN VERY LARGE EVENTS, WHICH CAN DEVASTATE A WHOLE, UM, SYSTEM, THE SIDEWALK SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME CONTINUOUS, UM, USE TO THE RESIDENTS.
SO WITH THAT, GOING INTO THE STUDY, WE LOOKED AT WHAT, WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN CONTEXT FOR THE CITY.
UH, WE LOOKED AT, UH, THE VISION ZERO ACTION PLAN, WHICH HAD JUST THEN BEEN APPROVED.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE COMMUNITY COMPLETE COMMUNITY PLANS FOR KASHMIR GARDENS AND GULFTON.
UH, WE LOOKED AT, ESPECIALLY THE IDM, ANYTHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO WITHIN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY HAD TO BE GOVERNED BY THE INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN MANUAL.
SO ALL OF THIS WERE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND WE CHARGED OUR CONSULTANTS TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT, AS WELL AS OTHER PARTNER DOCUMENTS THAT WERE, UM, ON THE LANDSCAPE.
SO, AS I SAID, THIS IS JUST A QUICK SUMMARY OF WHAT THE PROJECT CHARGE WAS.
IT WAS A PLANNING LEVEL PROJECT, SO NO CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION OR NO CONSTRUCTION WAS DONE.
UM, ALSO WE'RE EXAMINING SIDEWALKS FOR MOBILITY AND DRAINAGE, CREATING A MENU OF OPTIONS FOR HOW TO ADDRESS THEM THROUGH THE TOOLKIT.
AND THEN AS WE WENT IN, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS CALLED A SIDEWALKS PROJECT, WE REALIZED THAT IT IS MORE ABOUT, UH, RESILIENT PEDESTRIAN NETWORK, WHICH INCLUDES SIDEWALKS, BUT ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING ALLEYS, TRAILS, AND OTHER SYSTEMS THAT, UH, CONTRIBUTE TO GETTING PEOPLE FROM POINT A TO B.
UM, WE ALSO DID COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, ROBUST COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
AGAIN, IT WAS AT THE TAIL END OF COVID, SO WE WERE STILL TRYING TO FIND DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO DO COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
WE DID SOME ONLINE TEAMS AS WELL AS ZOOM MEETINGS.
BUT AGAIN, TO BE EQUITABLE, WE DECIDED TO GO INTO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AND DID A LOT OF OPEN AIR, UM, MEETINGS AS WELL.
PIGGYBACKING ON EXISTING COMMUNITY EVENTS BETWEEN THE TWO COMMUNITIES OF KASHMIR GARDENS AND GULFTON, WE GOT OVER A THOUSAND RESPONDENTS.
AND ALSO TO BE EQUITABLE, ESPECIALLY WITH GULFTON, WE HAD TO GO BEYOND JUST ENGLISH AND SPANISH, UM, TO INCLUDE OTHER LANGUAGES SUCH AS DU AND ARABIC TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE, UM, INPUT FROM MORE PEOPLE.
SO WITH THAT, WHAT YOU SEE AS SOME OF THE EXISTING IMAGERY FROM THE, UM, TWO COMMUNITIES,
[00:15:01]
UM, THERE WERE PLACES WHERE THERE WERE NO SIDEWALKS OR WHERE THERE WERE SIDEWALKS.THEY WERE IN NOT A VERY GOOD STATE OF, UH, REPAIR.
UM, AND THIS WAS ALSO TYPICAL ACROSS THE CITY, BUT FOR THE PILOTS WE FOCUSED IN ON KASHMIR GARDENS AND GULFTON.
SO YOU SEE SOME OF THESE TYPICAL SCENARIOS.
AND THEN WHAT WE ALSO DID, LIKE I SAID, UM, WE WERE LOOKING AT THINGS ESPECIALLY ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE AND, UM, WE LOOKED AT THE OPEN DITCH DRAINAGE SYSTEMS AS WELL AS THE CURB AND GATHER DRAINAGE SYSTEMS. AND WHAT WE REALIZED WITH, EVEN FOR EACH SYSTEM, THERE WERE SEVERAL PERMUTATIONS THAT WERE WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY WHERE THERE WAS ACTUALLY NO SIDEWALKS OR WHERE THERE WERE SIDEWALKS.
ALSO, THERE WERE IN SOME STATES OF DISREPAIR, AND WHERE THERE WERE DRAINAGE DITCHES, THEY WERE EITHER ADJACENT TO THE ROADWAY OR ADJACENT TO THE EDGE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO ALL THESE WERE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS WE WENT INTO THE PLAN.
SO WHAT THE SLIDE SHOWS, AND THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT FROM THE DOCUMENT, THERE ARE SEVERAL OF THESE IN THE DOCUMENT SHOWING SEVERAL DIFFERENT RIGHT OF WAY CROSS SECTIONS.
WHAT IT DOES IS IT SHOWS ALL THE POSSIBILITIES WHEN YOU HAVE THE TYPICAL RIGHT OF WAY.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBILITIES FOR BRINGING AN IMPERVIOUS SURFACE? AND ONCE YOU BRING AN IMPERVIOUS SURFACE FOR WALKING, WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MITIGATING, UH, THE DRAINAGE WITH THAT? UH, WHERE THERE ARE OPEN DITCHES, HOW DO WE BRING IN SOME GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, SUCH AS BIOSWELLS OR RAIN GARDENS, TO START VEGETATING SOME OF THESE OPEN DITCHES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THE DRAINAGE.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS AND ALTERNATIVE CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGIES.
UM, THIS ONE JUST LOOKS AT SOME EXAMPLES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY AROUND THE REGION FOR WHERE SOME OF THESE HAD BEEN, UM, INSTALLED SUCCESSFULLY, AS WELL AS SOME IDEAS FOR HOW WE COULD APPROACH SOME OF THESE, UM, INCLUDING VERY INNO INNOVATIVE AS WELL AS SOME THAT WERE NOT SO INNOVATIVE BUT WORKED FOR OUR REGION.
AND SO ONE WOULD ASK, HOW DOES THIS BENEFIT THE TYPICAL COMMUNITY? OR HOW, HOW ARE WE GOING TO USE ANY OF THIS INFORMATION? SO ONE THING THAT WE DID, WHICH WE HAVE IN THE, UM, DOCUMENT IS A DECISION MATRIX WHERE A TYPICAL COMMUNITY, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, OR EVEN A CITY DEPARTMENT TRYING TO, UH, INSTALL NEW SIDEWALKS, WILL START FROM A POINT AND WORK THEIR WAY THROUGH.
UM, LOOKING AT THE SIDEWALK NEED, LOOKING AT THE DRAINAGE NEED THAT WILL BE DETERMINED, AND THEN WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE AN OPEN DIGITAL SYSTEM OR CURB AND GATHER SYSTEM, AND THEN THE KIND OF MATERIALITY THAT WILL BE USED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS MORE EFFECTIVE.
AND THEN LOOKING AT SOME OF THE POTENTIAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAN BE USED TO ACHIEVE THAT.
WITH THAT ONE THING WE FOUND, UM, AS WE ARE GOING IN, WE ARE LOOKING MOSTLY AT MOBILITY AND DRAINAGE.
THAT IS THE MINDSET WITH WHICH WE WENT INTO THE PLAN.
BUT WHAT WE SOON REALIZED IS FUNDING OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE IS THE THIRD LEG OF THE STOOL.
UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SUCCESSFUL WITH DOING RESILIENCE SIDEWALKS, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING, ESPECIALLY AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE.
WHAT WE REALIZED AS WE INTERACTED MORE WITH THE COMMUNITIES, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A SIDEWALK PROGRAM IN PLACE, THERE WASN'T MUCH AWARENESS AS TO HOW PEOPLE COULD EVEN, UM, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
AND THEN ALSO AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE, WE REALIZED THAT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH COVERAGE FOR, UH, ALL TYPES OF FUNDING, DIFFERENT SIDEWALKS NEW AS WELL AS MAINTAINING EXISTING SIDEWALKS.
AND SO WITH THAT, WHERE WE ARE HEADED WITH THIS IS WE ARE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT FUNDING STRATEGIES AND WE APPLAUD THE, UM, SIDEWALK FEE LIE THAT WAS APPROVED BACK IN JANUARY.
THAT WILL BE A GOOD PILOT FOR FURTHER ENGAGING COMMUNITIES TO FUND, AS WELL AS ALSO TARGETING A LOT OF THE GRANT FUNDING THAT IS AVAILABLE ON THE HORIZON.
AND THEN, UH, CONSULTANTS ALSO GAVE US SOME OPTIONS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, WHICH I'VE LISTED ON THE SCREEN HERE, WHICH WE CAN EXPLORE MORE AS A COMMUNITY TO FUND SOME OF THESE IDEAS FOR SIDEWALK INFRASTRUCTURE.
ONE THING THAT WE DID FOR ALL THE COMMUNITIES WAS PRIORITIZATION.
WE THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO SET OURSELVES UP READY, UH, FOR NEAR TERM AS WELL AS LONGER TERM SOLUTIONS.
UM, SO THAT IF EVEN WE ARE GOING FOR GRANT FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO KNOW WHERE IN THE COMMUNITIES TO START OR WHERE TO APPROACH, UM, WITH IN INFRASTRUCTURE TO AT LEAST SERVE THE GREATEST GOOD TO THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A QUICK EXAMPLE OF AN EXERCISE WE DID FOR KASHMIR GARDENS, WHERE WE LOOKED AT, UM, COMMUNITY DESTINATIONS AND BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT, UH, WHERE PEOPLE WANTED TO WORK MOST SAFELY.
[00:20:01]
AND THAT HELPED WITH THE PRIORIT PRIORITIZATION EXERCISE.SO WITH THAT, THIS IS MY FINAL SLIDE.
WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH ALL THIS? UH, WE ARE PLUGGING INTO CITY DOCUMENTS LIKE THE IDM WHEN THERE'S AN IDM UPDATE, INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN MANUAL TO SEE WHICH OF THESE IDEAS COULD BE IMPLEMENTED OR WHICH COULD BE ABSORBED INTO THE IDM.
WE ARE ALSO CREATING A WORKING DOCUMENT, THINKING OF SETTING UP A COMMITTEE THAT WOULD BE MOVING THIS FORWARD, ALMOST LIKE BUILDING ON THE SIDEWALK SUMMIT TO REGULARLY MEET TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
AND THEN ALSO LOOK AT THE, UM, INFORM CERTAIN CITY PILOTS PROJECTS, WHICH YOU'LL BE HEARING ABOUT IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION AS PILOTS ARE GOING ON TO LEARN FROM THESE LESSONS THAT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS PLAN.
AND ALSO TO CREATE, CREATE SOME OFFSHOOT PROJECTS.
ONE PROJECT THAT WE CONSIDERED WAS EVEN A SHADE NETWORK.
UM, IT'S EASY TO TALK ABOUT SIDEWALKS, BUT WHEN IT'S AUGUST, NOBODY WOULD WANT TO WALK IF WE ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT A SHADE NETWORK AND LIGHTING AS WELL.
'CAUSE RESILIENCY IS ALSO AT NIGHT.
SO WE ARE THINKING ABOUT ALL THESE AND SETTING UP ALSO FOR GRANT FUNDING.
SO MY FINAL SLIDE, WHICH IS THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, PROVIDES YOU ALL AN OPPORTUNITY, A QR CODE.
YOU CAN SCAN THAT AND THAT WILL TAKE YOU TO THE FULL PLAN.
AGAIN, I SPED THIS UP BECAUSE I HAD 10 MINUTES, BUT YOU'LL SEE THE WHOLE, UM, PLAN AND, UM, WE ARE OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU MR. BOKU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE, DONALD.
UH, AND I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT.
QUICKLY, UM, GIVEN THE AGENDA TODAY, WE DO HAVE ONE COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE QUEUE, THAT'S THE VICE CHAIR, MS. SIDEWALK HERSELF, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
AND I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS, DONALD.
AND REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
WHEN DO YOU EXPECT THE, THE THINGS FROM THE TOOLKIT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE IDM? UM, SO WE HAVE THE IDM UPDATES REGULARLY.
MAY, UM, EVERY YEAR WE LOOK AT THEM.
UM, THIS YEAR WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE ALREADY IN THE SYSTEM, UM, FOR UPDATING IT, BUT POTENTIALLY NEXT YEAR WE'LL START LOOKING AT WHERE WE CAN INCORPORATE SOME OF THESE IDEAS.
AND ON YOUR RESILIENCY, UH, FUTURE FUNDING STRATEGIES? YES.
UM, I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING ON A BIGGER PICTURE, UM, LONG-TERM FUNDING SOURCE FOR YES.
AND ALSO WHAT I'VE ASKED, SINCE YOU USE CDBG MONEY FOR THE THIS PLAN, UH, UM, LEGAL HAS CONCURRED THAT IT IS AN ELIGIBLE USE OF CDBG MONEY TO ACTUALLY DO SOME OF THE SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION.
NOT MAINTENANCE, BUT CONSTRUCTION.
UM, UH, NOT FROM THE DR SIDE, BUT FROM THE, UH, PUBLIC FACILITIES YES.
SO THERE'S, IT'S NOT A HUGE POT OF MONEY, BUT IT'S ABOUT $5 MILLION.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD HOPE THAT TO BE CONSISTENT.
AND CERTAINLY THESE ARE TWO, UM, COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.
AND DEFINITELY WOULD MERIT FUNDING.
UH, I WOULD ASK THAT PUBLIC WORKS WHEN THE NOFA S GO OUT FOR THE PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT MONEY THAT PUBLIC WORKS WOULD APPLY FOR THAT FOR SOME OF THAT FUNDING TO FUND THE SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION WHILE WE, UM, CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR A LONGER TERM, UM, UM, BIGGER POT OF MONEY.
WE KNOW THAT OUR $3 MILLION A YEAR THAT WE PUT INTO OUR THREE PROGRAMS IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH TO, TO COVER, UH, ALL THE SIDEWALK NEEDS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
I ACTUALLY WENT, I KNOW IT'S PART OF THE OTHER PART OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT I WENT TO LOOK AT THE ONE OVER OFF HICKORY STREET YESTERDAY AND REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE, THE ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS THAT YOU'RE ALLOWING WITH ALL OUR TREE ROOT SITUATION GOING ON.
I WALKED THE SHEPHERD DURHAM PROJECT YESTERDAY AND SAW THE TREE BOXES AND THE, AND THE VERY WIDE SIDEWALKS ALONG DURHAM THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IN.
AND, AND ALL THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR THAT.
PEOPLE THAT WANT, WANT TO GET AROUND AND, UH, BY FOOT IN THIS TOWN.
SO APPRECIATE YOUR GOOD WORK AND, AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
UH, MR. BROCKWELL, NEXT IN QUEUE IS STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX.
ON THE PAGE WITH THE PROPOSED, UM, SCENARIO WITH THE SIDEWALKS.
SO THIS ONE, UM, WOULD IT, DID Y'ALL LOOK AT HAVING THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING THE SIDEWALKS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DITCH FOR SAFETY PURPOSES? UM, SO WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS FOR EXISTING SITUATIONS WHERE SOME OF SOMETIMES THE SIDEWALK THEMSELVES THAT THE DITCH THEMSELVES OR OCCUR EITHER NEXT TO THE PAVING OR TO THE EDGE OF THE, UH, RIGHT OF WAY.
SO BASED ON THE EXISTING CONDITIONS, WE RESPONDED TO THAT.
SO WHERE YOU HAVE IT NEXT TO THE, UM, PAVEMENT, WE RESPONDED WITH, UH, A SOLUTION FOR THAT.
AND WHERE WE HAVE IT NEXT TO THE EDGE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY, WE RESPONDED WITH A SOLUTION FOR THAT.
AND FOR EACH OF THOSE SCENARIOS, WE LOOKED AT SAFETY, FOR INSTANCE, WHERE
[00:25:01]
WE WERE PUTTING IN THE SIDEWALKS RIGHT NEXT TO THE PAVEMENT.WE INTRODUCED SLOTTED CURBS LIKE WE HAVE ON MEMORIAL TO PROVIDE THAT SAFETY BUFFER, UM, FOR THE PEDESTRIANS THAT WILL BE ON THERE.
SO WE WENT LOOKING AT COMPLETELY, UM, RECONSTRUCTING THE WHOLE CROSS SECTION, BUT THEN USING WHAT WE HAD AT LEAST FOR NEAR TERM SOLUTIONS.
IF WE HAVE MORE, UM, MONEY FOR A LONGER TERM CIP PROJECT WHERE WE CAN REDO THE WHOLE CROSS SECTION, THEN WE COULD PROBABLY PLACE, UM, THE, THE SIDEWALK AWAY FROM THE DITCHES, UH, FROM THE PAVEMENT.
AND AGAIN, UH, THANK YOU MR. BARAKU.
UM, AT THIS POINT, SINCE WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER SPECIFICALLY IN THE QUEUE TO SPEAK AND ASK ABOUT SIDEWALKS, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A QUICK BREAK FOR YOU TO, UH, STAND BACK FROM THE PODIUM AND ASK FOR MR. DOMINIC MAZA TO, UH, COME FORWARD AND ENGAGE YOU ALL.
UH, WE THINK THIS IS GOING TO TAKE LESS TIME THIS WAY.
SO BEARING WITH US, UM, LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKER, THE ONE SIGNED UP FOR TODAY, OUR FRIEND MR. DOMINIC MAZAK.
I AM HERE IN, IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
I WAS LOOKING LIKE YESTERDAY WHEN I SIGNED UP.
AND, AND AGAIN, AS ONE THAT USES SIDEWALKS AS AS LONG, LONG AS YOU COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN.
UH, I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS THOUGH.
NUMBER ONE, UH, IF YOU PUT SIDEWALKS INTO, SAY, CASHMERE GARDENS, IS THAT GONNA CAUSE PROPERTY TAX INCREASES? THO THAT'S AN AREA OF TOWN THAT THE PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD ANY MORE TAX INCREASES.
WE GOT METRO NEXT PROJECTS IN TERMS OF THE BOOST ROUTES LIKE THE 56 AND THE 54, AND THEN THE, UH, UNIVERSITY BRT LINE.
UH, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE COORDINATION BETWEEN THIS BODY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND THE METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY ABOUT A DAI DO AGREE WITH YOU THAT THE SIDEWALKS ALONG THE SHEPHERD DURHAM CORRIDOR NEED TO BE WIDENED.
UH, WE DO HAVE THE GENTLEMAN WHO BASICALLY WROTE THE A DA ON THE METRO BOARD, WHICH BE DR.
I THINK HIS INPUT WOULD BE VERY VALUABLE IN THIS.
AND LASTLY, UH, NOW I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE, I REMEMBER AT RICE UNIVERSITY, THE, THE, THE, THE SIDEWALKS GETTING CRACKED WITH THE LIVE OAK TREES.
AND I THINK WITH THE THING ABOUT THE, UH, GREEN SIDEWALKS, I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
WELL, HOW DO WE HAVE THESE GREEN AREAS AND SIDEWALKS WHERE THE TREE IS ACTUALLY BREAKING UP THE, THE, THE, THE PAVEMENT? I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE ALSO DISCUSSED.
BUT AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, I, I REALLY AM AGAIN, UH, PLEASED THAT, UH, FOOT TRAFFIC AND ROLLING TRAFFIC USING SCOOTERS AND WALKERS AND THAT SORT OF THING IS BEING ADDRESSED.
UH, I THINK THAT IS A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY, AND PARTICULARLY IF WE CAN GET THIS BUILDING IN 1900 MAIN METRO WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS.
WE DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU FROM OUR VICE CHAIR.
AND WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE, THE SIDEWALKS ON DURHAM, THEY, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE SOME STRUCTURED SOIL UNDERNEATH THE SIDEWALKS FOR THE TREE ROOTS.
IT'S LIKE, IT LOOKS LIKE ROCKS, BUT IT'S THE STRUCTURED SOIL THAT, AND THE OTHER THING ROOTS CAN GET THROUGH IS TO, TO, TO HELP WITH THAT CRACKING OF THE SIDEWALKS OF THE TREE ROOTS.
I THINK THE OTHER ISSUE IS TOO, AND I SAW THIS NEW MATERIAL, IS I THINK YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THIS NEW MATERIAL.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE PLACES IN THE CITY WHERE IT'S TESTED TO MAKE SURE IT'S DURABLE AND MAYBE TO WORKING WITH METRO OR AROUND SURE.
UH, SOME, SOME OF THE STOPS TO MAKE SURE, SO WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER.
SO WE HAVE A GOOD RESILIENT THANK YOU GREEN PRODUCT.
APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH MR. MEZE, FOR BEING HERE AND YOUR, UH, PAYING ATTENTION AS USUAL.
UH, NEXT ON THE AGENDA, WE WILL HEAR THE NEXT PRESENTATION FROM THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
MS. CLARK IS BACK AND, UH, WILL BE JOINED BY UMER.
UM, UMER KHAN IS THE SUPERVISING ENGINEER, LANI.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MS. CLARK, WHY DON'T WE TEE UP THE NEXT PART OF THE PRESENTATION? YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO AS WE TALK ABOUT RESILIENCE, UH, WE, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IS A BIG COMPONENT OF THAT.
AND FOR US TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND MAKE OUR CEILING MORE CITY, MORE RESILIENT, MORE SUSTAINABLE, WE NEED TO START CONSIDERING ALL THESE OPTIONS.
AND WE'RE, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
WE THREE PILOT PROJECTS, TWO OF THOSE ALREADY BUILT AND, UH, READY TODAY
[00:30:01]
TO SHOW YOU.UM, AGAIN, THESE ARE PILOT PROJECTS FOR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ARE GOOD TECHNIQUES FOR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT.
THEY HELP WITH STORMWATER QUALITY AND DRAINAGE CAPACITY.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE THREE PILOT PROJECTS BECAUSE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS NEEDS TO LEARN ABOUT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, ABOUT HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS ON OUR SOILS, ON OUR TOPOGRAPHY WITH OUR VERY SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS, AND ALSO LEARN ABOUT THEIR MAINTENANCE DEMANDS AND OPERATIONS.
SO WITH THAT, I WANNA INTRODUCE LIKE NEH BARNEY MANAGING ENGINEER WHO WILL BE WALKING US THROUGH THESE THREE PILOT PROJECTS.
UH, I'M, I'M GLAD TO DO THIS PRESENTATION HERE FOR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
AS WE ALL KNOW, WHY GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE? I THINK COUPLE OF YEARS, FEW YEARS AGO, MAYOR, UM, THIS MAYOR INTRODUCED THIS CITY AS A 1 0 1 CITY FOR RESILIENCY AND, AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IS A PART OF THE RESILIENCE PROGRAM.
SO THERE IS A VISION FOR A RESILIENT HOUSTON, AND IF YOU SEE THERE'S A HIGHLIGHTED PART WHERE WE ARE GONNA BE HAVING SOME GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN NEXT FEW YEARS.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE? THE INTENT OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IS TO MANAGE THE STORM WATER RUNOFF, PROVIDE SOME KIND OF A TEMPORARY RETENTION, REDUCE STREET PONDING THAT CAN ALSO REDUCE FLASH FLOODING AND MINIMIZE CONSTRUCTION FOOTPRINT.
IT PROMOTES GROUND GROUNDWATER RECHARGE AND CONTAMINANT REMOVAL AS WATER MOVES THROUGH LAYERS OF SYSTEM, WHICH I'M GONNA SHOW YOU.
AND OF COURSE, IT'S VERY AESTHETICALLY PLEASING.
AS WE ARE MOVING INTO GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, UH, INSTALLATION OF THOSE ITEMS, THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES.
IT'S A VERY HIGH CONSTRUCTION COST RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S A VERY LIMITED FLEXIBILITY TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO ACCOMMODATE VARIOUS UTILITIES, POWER POLES AND ALL THOSE.
THERE ARE VERY LONG LEAD ITEM TO DELIVER THOSE ITEMS BECAUSE WE HAVE VERY LIMITED SUPPLIERS.
THERE ARE VERY LIMITED CERTIFIED INSTALLER IN CITY OF HOUSTON, AND IT REQUIRES RECURRING MAINTENANCE TO GET THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT OF THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND WE HAVE TO PROVIDE TRAINING TO OUR CITY MAINTENANCE TEAM, WHICH WE ARE DOING AS OF NOW.
RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANY PERFORMANCE AND MAINTENANCE DATA.
ONCE WE INSTALL, ONCE WE COMPLETE THOSE, THEN WE WILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH ALL OF YOU.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE LOOKING INTO, OR WE ARE DOING, UH, THREE ELEMENTS.
ONE IS CONCRETE SIDEWALK CONCRETE PAVERS, WHICH WE ALREADY INSTALLED ON TWO PROJECTS, AND BIOSWALE IS GONNA BE ON THIRD PROJECT.
AND I DO HAVE ONE, UH, UH, ONE CONCRETE SIDEWALK TO SHOW YOU LIVE DEMONSTRATION.
SO THIS IS THE POOREST CONCRETE SIDEWALK WHERE WE HAVE FOUR INCH OF SIDEWALK ON TOP.
THERE IS A, THERE IS A FILTER MEDIA AT THE BOTTOM AND THERE IS A, A SMALL PIPE WITH A, UH, UH, TO COLLECT ALL THE WATER.
AND THAT IS CONNECTED TO OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM, EITHER EITHER'S, OPEN CHANNEL, OPEN DITCH, OR THE CLOSED SYSTEM.
LANI, YES, WITH THE ONGOING PRESENTATION HERE IN CHAMBERS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOUR ASSISTANT? YES.
UH, JACK CORTES, WHO'S OUR PROJECT MANAGER FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND, UH, WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU A LIVE DEMONSTRATION OF OUR PORTES SIDEWALK.
UH, JACK, WOULD YOU PLEASE DO THAT? JUST A SAMPLE SIZE OF THE ACTUAL SIDEWALK? THIS IS, UH, THIS IS ACTION REALITY TV HERE,
JUST, WELL, WE'RE SEEING THIS EXCITING, UH, DEMONSTRATION.
LET ME, UH, WELCOME TO THE CHAMBER, OUR MAYOR PRO TEM, DAVE MARTIN, AS WELL AS STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, MICHAEL KOSH IN THE AT LARGE POSITION THREE, AS WELL AS, UH, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MARY NAN HUFFMAN IN DISTRICT G UH, LA NSH.
SO THIS IS THE PORUS PAVER, WHICH WE RECENTLY FINISHED ON WINTER STREET.
THERE ARE PORUS PAVER ON TOP, AND THERE IS A FILTER MEDIA, UH, CLOSE TO TWO FEET AT THE BOTTOM, WHICH PROVIDES A
[00:35:01]
TEMPORARY RETENTION.AND THERE'S A PIPE IN THE MIDDLE, WHICH COLLECTS ALL THE WATER AND ULTIMATELY DISCHARGES TO THE, UH, EITHER OPEN SYSTEM OR CLOSED SYSTEM.
THIS IS A BIOSWALE, WHICH WE HAVEN'T INSTALLED, WHICH WE ARE PLANNING TO STALL ON WINDOR PARK.
AND I WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE MORE INFORMATION ONCE WE, ONCE WE DO THAT, WE ARE STILL EVALUATING WHERE BIOSWALE OPTIONS.
THIS IS THE COST COMPARISON WE JUST DID.
AS I MENTIONED, IT'S KIND OF DOUBLE AT THIS TIME.
ONCE WE HAVE MORE PROJECT, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE MORE AND GET, UH, UH, LOW DOWN THE PRICE.
UH, ONCE, ONCE WE GET THOSE BENEFIT, THEN WE CAN DO SOME KIND OF A CALCULATION BETWEEN COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS.
AT THIS TIME, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION.
WE WILL HAVE, AND WE'LL DO THAT IN UPCOMING YEARS.
THIS IS THE STORAGE VOLUME OR DETENTION, TEMPORARY DETENTION.
WE ARE, WE ARE DOING, AS OF NOW, YOU CAN VERY WELL SEE THE MALONE PARK, WHICH I'M GONNA DESCRIBE LATER.
WE HAVE 102,000 GALLON OF WATER, WHICH WILL BE STORED BEFORE IT GOES TO THE SYSTEM, WHICH MEANS THAT IT CAN MINIMIZE THE PONDING, IT CAN MINIMIZE THE FLASH FLOODING.
AND I'M COMPARING IT WITH SOME KIND OF, UH, COKE CANS, WHICH IS MILLION COKE CANS AND 816,000 OF COFFEE CUP.
SAME WITH WINTER STREET, OUR SIDEWALK AND PAVERS.
THEY'RE ALSO PROVIDING A TEMPORARY STORAGE OR TEMPORARY RETENTION, ALMOST HALF A MILLION COKE CAN AND, UH, 300,000 COFFEE CUPS.
THIS IS THE MALONE PARK WHERE WE INSTALL SIDEWALK.
PROJECT IS COMPLETE, AND THIS IS VERY NEXT TO UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
IF, IF ANY, AND WE DID PROVIDE KEY MAP AND ALL THOSE DIRECTIONS, I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE TO VISIT THAT LOCATION AND JUST SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS AND, AND THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE.
AND, UH, WE ARE GLAD TO, TO DO THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU HOW IT WAS AND HOW IT IS NOW.
SOME, UH, PRE-CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS AND AFTER CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE, WE DID IMPROVE THE ROADWAY IN THAT AREA WHILE FINISHING THE, WHILE DOING THE SIDEWALKS.
THIS IS THE WINTER STREET PROJECT VERY CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN WHERE WE DID WINTER, UH, POOREST PAPER ON WINTER STREET, AND WE DID IMPROVE DRAINAGE.
THERE'S A SIDEWALK ON HICKORY STREET AND, UH, UH, I HEARD, UH, GOOD THING FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UH, RESIDENT CALLED ME AND THANK, THANKED US FOR THIS PROJECT.
AGAIN, IT'S PROVIDING A GOOD STORAGE VOLUME, UH, MINIMIZING THE FLOODING, FLASH FLOODING, AND MINIMIZING THE GUT BONDING.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE PHOTOS I JUST WANTED TO SHARE, UH, PRE AND POST.
THIS IS, AGAIN, SOME PRE AND POST PHOTOS FOR, FOR THE SAME AREA.
UH, WE HAVE THIS DEMO, AND WOULD YOU PLEASE CLICK THAT SO WE CAN SEE HOW THE WATER IS GOING THROUGH POROUS PAVERS ON WINTER STREET? YEAH, THIS IS A VIDEO.
WOULD YOU PLEASE CLICK THAT VIDEO? YES.
NOW YOU CAN VERY WELL SEE THAT CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT IS POURING A LOT OF WATER ON THOSE PAVERS.
AND IT'S JUST GOING IN A MINUTE.
IF YOU'LL BEAR WITH US ONE MOMENT.
I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO BRING UP THAT VIDEO.
WE SAW THE, THE FIRST CLIP, AND THERE'S THE SECOND ONE, WHICH WE'D LIKE TO SEE ONLINE
[00:40:01]
IF POSSIBLE.UM, THERE IT IS, THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE CLEANING AND THE, IF YOU WANT TO DESCRIBE IT,
SO, UH, SO THIS IS THE CLEANING, WHICH, UH, UH, WHICH WE ARE PROPOSING TO CLEAN EVERY THREE MONTHS.
AND WE ARE TRAINING OUR CITY STAFF.
WE ARE LOOKING INTO BUYING THOSE EQUIPMENT ALSO SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN IT TO GET THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT OUT OF IT.
SO THIS IS THE WINDSOR PARK, WHICH IS THIRD PROJECT WE JUST, UH, RELEASED FOR CONSTRUCTION.
UH, WE ARE STILL LOOKING INTO BIOSWALE OPTIONS, AND WE HAVE, UM, WE ARE GONNA INCLUDE, UH, QUITE A BIT, UH, UH, LINEAR FOOTAGE OF SIDEWALK AND, UH, PLAN TO FINISH IN NEXT SIX TO NINE MONTHS.
SO, I'M GLAD TO SHARE THAT WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH U UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SERVICES.
THEY REACHED OUT TO US FOR THE SAMPLING, STORMWATER QUALITY SAMPLING.
WE SIGNED THE WRITE OFF ENTRY AGREEMENT RECENTLY, AND THEY WILL BE DOING THOSE SAMPLING AT WINTER STREET, UH, PROJECT.
THEY WILL SHARE THOSE RESULTS WITH US AT NO COST TO THE CITY, AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO EVALUATE THE BENEFIT OF THESE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURES.
THAT'S ALL, UH, FOR, FOR, FOR ME.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION, PLEASE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. VARSI, AND, UM, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF IN THE QUEUE, AND WE'LL START WITH OUR MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, DAVE MARTIN.
UH, INTEREST IN PRODUCT, UH, I WORRY ABOUT THE EXPENSE SIDE.
YOU SAID IT'S THREE TIMES AS MUCH.
SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND, HOW DO WE DO THIS GIVEN THE FACT THAT IT'S AN EXPENSIVE PROJECT AND, RIGHT.
CURRENTLY WE ARE LOOKING INTO TWICE THE COST OF REGULAR INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT, AND WE ARE STILL NEGOTIATING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE NUMBER OF PROJECTS AT THIS TIME.
IT'S A VERY LIMITED SUPPLIER, LIMITED, UH, PROJECTS.
ONCE WE GET MORE SUPPLIERS, THEN THERE WILL BE SOME KIND OF A COMPETITION AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE, UM, BETTER THAN BEFORE.
RECENTLY ON WINDSOR PARK, WE NEGOTIATED ALMOST 30 TO 40% DOWN WHAT WE PAID AT, AT, AT WINTER STREET PROJECT.
SO WE SEE SOME DOWNWARD TREND IN PRICING.
MORE PROJECTS, WE HAVE LESS MONEY WE WILL PAY EVENTUALLY.
AND, AND THE DURABILITY, I'M SORRY, JOANNA.
YEAH, YOU DON'T MIND ME ADDING TO THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, ONE OF THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THIS PILOT PROJECTS IS TO BE ABLE TO QUANTIFY BENEFITS MM-HMM.
WHICH WE HAVE NOT DONE YET YET.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INITIAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS BEING HIGHER.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE START COMPARING TO WHAT WILL BE THE EQUIVALENCY OF BUILDING AN OPEN OR AN ENCLOSED DRAINAGE SYSTEM TO STORE THIS AMOUNT OF WATER, THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING IN TOGETHER AND SHARING WITH YOU IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO, AGAIN, DO A VERY OBJECTIVE AND CLEAR BENEFIT COST ANALYSIS.
SO WE WANT IT TO BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE INITIAL CONSTRUCTION COST, WHICH IS, AGAIN, HIGHER BECAUSE THE DEMAND IN THE HOUSTON AREA IS VERY LOW.
BUT AS WE, AGAIN, THIS BC RADIO GETS TO BE CALCULATED, WE WILL PROBABLY, IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL OBVIOUSLY, AND POSITIVE WE WILL BE EXPANDING THESE PRACTICES THAT GOING TO LIKE'S POINT, THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND MATERIAL WILL BE PROBABLY BE GOING DOWN.
AND, AND A QUESTION REGARDING THE DURABILITY AND THE REASON WHY I ASK, IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I, I LOOKED AT THIS PRESENTATION, UM, AS MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING BACK FROM DESTIN, FLORIDA.
WE WENT THERE FOR MEMORIAL DAY.
IN A LOT OF THESE PAVERS ARE BEING USED WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION WHERE THEY PLACE 'EM IN SAND IN AREAS THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY HAVE CONDOMINIUMS AND MINIS AND PLACES LIKE THAT.
IT SEEMS LIKE, FROM WHAT I SAW JUST THIS WEEK, THAT THEY'RE NOT HOLDING UP TOO WELL.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE FORMING, THEY'RE GETTING AWAY FROM THE FREEFORM.
I LIKE THE ONES THAT ARE LINKED TOGETHER, SO MAYBE THEY STOP THE MOVEMENT, BUT THE ONES THAT ARE JUST PLACED, IT SEEMS LIKE ONCE CARS AND TRAFFIC GETS ON THEM, IT SORT OF MOVES 'EM PRETTY QUICKLY BECAUSE THESE ARE BRAND NEW HOUSES THAT, UM, REALLY HAVE ONLY BEEN THERE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
SO THE DURABILITY OF PRODUCTS LIKE THESE, WHEN YOU PUT TRAFFIC ON THEM, WE, WE COMPLETELY AGREE.
AND WE ARE STAYING WITH THE STANDARD RECOMMENDATION FOR VERY LOW LOTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, SIDEWALKS, PARKING LOTS.
WINTER STREET, FOR EXAMPLE, IS A STREET THAT WAS NOT NECESSARILY MARKED
[00:45:01]
IF YOU RECALL THE CASE AS A SERIOUS STREET, BUT IT DID HAVE SOME VERY LIGHT TRAFFIC PARALLEL TO RAILROAD TRACK.SO THAT'S WHY WE DECIDED THIS IS A GOOD PILOT LOCATION BECAUSE AGAIN, THE TRAFFIC THAT WE SEE THERE IS VERY, VERY LOW.
UM, WE ARE EXPLORING OPTIONS LIKE YOU'RE SAYING ON THE DIFFERENT PAVERS, THE INTERLOCK, THE INTERLOCK PAVERS OR OTHERS.
UM, THE APPLICATION WE HAVE ON WINTER STREET HAS A CURB THAT SURROUNDS ALL THE PAVERS TO AVOID THAT MOVEMENT TOO.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S PART OF THE SELECTION OF THESE PILOT LOCATIONS TO HAVE A SMALL CONTROL AREA TO EVALUATE AND DETERMINE WHAT IS SUITABLE.
WHY DON'T WE, UH, PROCEED IF YOU HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION? MAYOR PRO, ONE LAST QUESTION.
UH, SO HOW DOES THIS, UM, AFFECT THE, THE DRAINAGE FEE? BECAUSE IT'S, UH, IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SERVICE WHERE, SURFACE, WHERE I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE DRAINAGE FEE IF WOULDN'T APPLY TO THIS.
AND THE REASON WHY I ASK, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I LIVE IN, WE GET ASSESSED 80 MILES OF BIKE PATHS TOWARDS A DRAINAGE FEE.
SO IF WE TOOK UP AN INITIATIVE RELATED TO THIS TYPE OF A PRODUCT THAT'S USED FOR BASICALLY BIKES AND WALKING AND JOGGING, HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO THE DRAINAGE FEE THAT WE NOW PAY FOR, UH, TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR, TO THE TUNE OF 88 MILES OF TRAILS? I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFIC ANSWER FOR YOU ON THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, HOWEVER, I KNOW THIS TOPIC HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP DURING THE DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE ONGOING ABOUT REASSESSING THE DRAINAGE FEE OF HOW THESE PRACTICES MAY IMPACT THAT IN THE FUTURE.
YEAH, I'D APPRECIATE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T WE, UH, CONSIDER THAT THAT BECOME A PART OF THE PILOT IF NOTHING ELSE? I THINK THE QUESTIONS THE MAYOR PRO TEM ARE ASKING, OF COURSE, ARE, UM, REALLY RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION FOR MANAGING THE COSTS WITH THE COMPARISON THAT, UH, WE'VE SEEN IN THIS PRESENTATION, WHETHER IT'S DOUBLE OR TRIPLE, WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE PRICES WERE EXACERBATED BY THE SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES AND SOME OF THE, UH, INFLATIONARY COSTS THAT WE'VE SEEN RECENTLY.
AND, UH, IMPORTANTLY TO THE DURABILITY AND CONSTRUCTABILITY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RELATIVELY EMERGING, UM, TECHNIQUES AND PROCESSES WHERE YES, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DURABLE, THAT IT WORKS.
THAT, AND TO THE FINAL POINT THERE, UH, IT, WHETHER IT IS IN FACT ABSORBING OR ALLOWING, UH, A FULL PENETRATION FULL UH, NESS TO THE MATERIAL IS SOMETHING TO BE MEASURED FOR HOW IT WOULD RELATE TO OUR DRAINAGE, UH, PROGRAMS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO, VERY MUCH APPRECIATING WHAT YOU ALL ARE, UH, TASKED WITH.
WE HAVE ONE OTHER, UM, QUESTION IN THE QUEUE, AND THAT'S FROM STAFF, FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN'S OFFICE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR A GREAT PRESENTATION.
THE COUNCIL MEMBER WANTED ME TO LET YOU KNOW THAT SHE WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE POOR SIDEWALKS DEMONSTRATION THAT SHE JUST SHOWED WHEN SHE SAW IT AT EARTH TODAY.
SO, UM, SHE, THANKS PUBLIC WORKS FOR THEIR PROACTIVITY AND FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK.
UM, BUT CONCERNING OTHER AREAS OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS CONCERNED WITH, UM, THE PHENOMENON OF URBAN HEAT ISLAND.
UM, THAT'S LIKE A HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERN FOR, UM, ESPECIALLY HOUSTON AREA RESIDENTS.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN STUDIES DONE BY A SU AND MIT IN CITIES OF PHOENIX AND BOSTON RESPECTIVELY, UM, WHERE THEY APPLIED A GRAY COLORED EMULSION TO THEIR SIDEWALKS AND THEIR PAVEMENT.
UM, AND THAT RESULTED IN THE SUN BEING REFLECTED OFF THOSE SERVICES AND THAT RESULTED IN, I THINK, A 10 TO 12 DEGREE DROP, UM, OF THE HEAT THAT WAS BEING SUNK IN THOSE MATERIALS.
SO SHE WAS WONDERING IF THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAD SIMILAR SORT OF MITIGATION TACTICS TO REDUCE THIS PHENOMENON.
UM, AND THAT MIGHT NOT BE, UM, YOUR AREA OF EXPERTISE, BUT SHE DID WANT ME TO ASK THAT QUESTION CURRENT.
CURRENTLY, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE MENTIONED, THIS IS A PILOT PROJECT.
WE ARE TALKING TO A COUPLE OF CONSULTANTS ALSO WHO WILL BE DOING SOME RESEARCH ON ALL THOSE FACTORS.
ONCE WE HAVE THOSE, THEN WE CAN MODIFY OR WE CAN CHANGE OUR FUTURE GAME PLAN TO INSTALL OR TO DO MORE GAIN GAIN INFRASTRUCTURE.
AT THIS TIME, WE DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION TO SHARE, BUT WE WILL BE HAPPY TO SHARE IN FUTURE.
AND I ADD INTO THAT THE OFFICE OF RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY WORKS VERY CLOSE WITH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING PUBLIC WORKS, INCLUDING PARKS AND OTHERS THAT HAVE VERY SPECIFIC MEASURES AGAINST, UH, TO COMBAT THE URBAN HEAT EFFECT, INCLUDING, AGAIN, THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF TREES THAT IS ON THE RESILIENT HOUSTON PLAN TO BE IN PLACE BY 2025.
AND, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING IN THE FUTURE IS ABOUT COOL PAVEMENTS TOO.
SO THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF INITIATIVES THAT, AGAIN, IF, IF YOU CHECK DIRECTLY WITH THAT OFFICE, THEY HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING UP ON.
AND THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN ALSO, UM, PARTICIPATING ON.
[00:50:01]
VARSI, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.AND, UH, MS. CLARK, THANK YOU.
WITH THAT, I BELIEVE WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE THIRD AND FINAL, UH, PART OF THE RESILIENT HOUSTON PRESENTATION FROM PUBLIC WORKS.
IF YOU'D INTRODUCE, UH, UMER KHAN? YES, THANK COUNCIL MEMBER.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU, MARK KING.
HE'S GONNA WALK US THROUGH A VERY, VERY INTERESTING ECO-FRIENDLY VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PRACTICE THAT WE STARTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WHICH RELATES TO THE USE OF GOATS TO, UH, MITIGATE, REDUCE, ELIMINATE EMISSIONS PRODUCED BY MOWERS AND OTHER TYPE OF MACHINERY, NOISE CONTAMINATION, ASIDE FROM BEING A VERY COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR THE CITY, UH, WITH THAT BOOMER KING, MANAGING ENGINEERING, TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE WILL WALK US THROUGH OUR PROJECT.
UH, GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBER AND THOSE IN ATTENDANCE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE AWESOME PRESENTATIONS, DONALD AND, UH, GANESH.
UH, WITH THAT, LET'S, UH, JUMP INTO THE ECO-FRIENDLY VEGETATION MANAGEMENT USING GOATS.
HOUSTON PUBLIC WORK INTENDS TO USE GOATS AS A SUSTAINABLE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT FOR DETENTION AND, UH, DETENTION POND AND OFF-ROAD CHANNELS, UH, WHERE THERE IS ACCESS ISSUES FOR OUR PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT.
UH, WITH THE, WITH THE STEEP SLOPES WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTONS CONCERNS REGARDING THE DEGRADATION OF STORM WATER QUALITY, UH, WERE BROUGHT UP, UH, WITH, UH, WITH THE ESPECIALLY E COLI CONCENTRATION RESULTING FROM THE GOATS BEING BROUGHT ON SITE.
UM, SUBSEQUENTLY A PILOT PROJECT, UH, WAS PLANNED AND COMPLETED AT A TWO ACRE DETENTION POND TO, TO, TO DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS, OF THIS METHOD AND TO TEST, UH, UH, TEST AND DETERMINE THE STORMWATER QUALITY IMPACT, IF ANY, ON THIS DETENTION POND.
UH, SO WHY ECO, UH, WHY THE USE OF GOATS ON THESE DETENTION PONDS? UM, IT FACILITATES MAINTENANCE OF ASSETS, UH, WHERE ACCESS IS DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS FOR OUR, UH, PERSONNEL WITH STEEP SLOPES.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE WE HAVE EQUIPMENT LIMITATIONS, UH, WHERE THE, UH, MOWING AND CLEARING HAVE LIMITATIONS WITH, UH, OVERGROWN VEGETATION AND WITH STEEP SLOPES AND WET CONDITIONS.
UH, THIS METHOD IS ECO-FRIENDLY, GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE WITH MINIMAL CARBON FOOTPRINT.
IT IS MORE ECONOMICAL THAN HIRING A CONTRACTOR, AS YOU CAN SEE, $2,500 PER ACRE VERSUS A, VERSUS $8,000 PER ACRE, UH, IN CONSTRUCTION COST.
ADDITIONALLY, GOATS EAT ALMOST EVERY PLANT, UM, UH, INCLUDING PO INCLUDING PLANTS THAT ARE MORE POISONOUS FOR HUMANS.
SO, UM, UM, THE, THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM FOR A GOAT, UM, AID, UH, CAN AID AS A NATURAL HERBICIDE WHEN TRYING TO PREVENT THE, THE SPREAD SPREAD OF WEEDS.
UH, THE NEIGHBORHOODS LOVE THEM AS THEY'RE CUTE AND THEY MAKE NO LO LOUD NOISES DURING CONSTRUCTION AND IT CREATES FOR A POSITIVE PR.
DID YOU JUST SAY THEY'RE CUTE? YES,
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HEARD YOU RIGHT,
WE HAVE SOME PHOTOS TO DEMONSTRATE THE CUTENESS AS WELL.
UH, SO AS PART OF THE PILOT PROGRAM, THE FIRST DETENTION BOND THAT WAS CHOSEN WAS AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF PARKER AND NORTHLINE DRIVE, UM, IN DISTRICT H.
UH, WE, UH, WE HIRED OUR VENDOR, UM, RENTER ROOM IN TEXAS.
AND WE ALSO, UH, WE ALSO DID, UH, SOME ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING AND WE RETAINED HALF ASSOCIATES AS OUR CONSULTANTS.
UH, A SNAPSHOT OF THE TIMELINE OF HOW THE PROJECT PROGRESSED.
UM, UH, WE, WE DID SOME INITIAL STORM WATER, AND SO, UH, STORM STORMWATER SAMPLING AND SOIL SAMPLING BEFORE THE GOATS WERE BROUGHT ONTO THE SITE.
UM, AFTER THE INITIAL SAMPLING WAS DONE, THE GOATS WERE MOBILIZED TO THE SITE AND THEY WERE THERE FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 DAYS.
GRAZ, UH, GRAZING IN THE, ON THE POND.
WE WERE, UH, THERE WERE ALSO A MEDIA COVERAGE, UH, THAT, UH, THAT THAT HAPPENED, UH, WHEN THE GOATS WERE AT SITE.
UH, ONCE THE PROJECT WAS DONE AND THE GOATS WERE DEMOBILIZED FROM THE SITE, UH, OUR CONSULTANTS CAME IN AGAIN, UM, AND DID SOME FINAL SAMPLING ON THE STORMWATER AND SOILS.
THIS IS A SHORT VIDEO OF, UH, OF THE GOATS THAT WERE IN ACTION IN THAT DETENTION POINT IN DISTRICT AGE.
IS THERE ANY AUDIO ON THIS OR CAN WE ENCOURAGE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO IT'S VERY LOW
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY CAN, UM, THEY CAN ACCESS STEEP SLOPES, UM, UH, BECAUSE OF THEIR HOSE AND, UH, THEY CAN EAT, UM, ALMOST ANYTHING.
[00:55:04]
AND THESE, UH, THESE VENDORS THEY HAVE NAMED FOR THESE GOATS AS WELL.SO YOU WILL FIND ALSO OUTSIDE OF, UH, JASON AND D**E AND ALL THOSE GOOD NAMES.
IS THERE AN UMAR YET?
IS THAT A GOAT CAM OR DO YOU HAVE AN EMBEDDED, UH, MEDIA'S PIECE? IT WAS PART OF THE MEDIA COVERAGE.
NO, WHAT THIS VIDEO? YES, WE HAD SOME SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE, WE WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY WHAT WE WERE DOING, AND THIS WAS ONE OF IT.
THIS IS THE PRO, UH, PRO, UH, PRO PROJECT PROGRESS IN THAT DETENTION.
FRAN, YOU CAN SEE, UH, THICK VEGETATION WAS THERE IN THE DAY ONE, AND WHEN THE GOAT CAME IN AND STARTED WORKING, UM, THEY KIND OF MOWED THE ENTIRE CHA ENTIRE DETENTION POND.
SOME BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS OF THE GOATS IN ACTION.
UH, SO THEY WERE, UH, AS PART OF OUR PROGRAM, WE ALSO DID SOME SAMPLING OF, UH, OF THE SOIL AND WATER.
UH, TWO SAMPLINGS OF THE WATER WERE DONE AT THE INFLOW AND OUTFLOW, AND ALSO SOME SOIL SAMPLES WERE TAKEN WITHIN THE DETENTION POND, WHICH WE CHOSE A DETENTION POND, UH, FOR AS OUR PILOT PROGRAM BECAUSE IT OFFERS US A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE CAN FENCE OFF THE POND AND THE GOATS STAY WITHIN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
AND ALSO SAMPLING IS MADE EASY WITHIN THIS DETENTION POND.
OUR ENVIRONMENT AND CONSULTANT FOUND THAT THE ADDITION OF GOATS, UH, TO THE PROJECT AREA DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE TOTAL COLIFORM COUNT, UH, DURING THE SAMPLING PERIOD.
UM, AND THEY ARE OF THE OPINION THAT THE ADDITION OF GOATS, UH, FOR FORM A PURELY VEGETATION CONTROL MATTER OF SUCCESS.
SO, FOLLOWING THE PILOT PROGRAM, UM, UH, WE ALL, WE, WE DID A COUPLE MORE, UM, DETENTION POND AS PART, AS PART OF FISCAL YEAR 2023 SWAT PROGRAM.
UH, WE CHOSE TWO DETENTION PONDS, WHICH, UM, ABOUT TWO ACRES IN SIZE.
UH, ONE ONE DETENTION POND WAS ON THE INTERSECTION OF, UH, WEST ORUM AND BUFFALO SPEEDWAY IN DISTRICT K, AND THE OTHER ONE WAS ON THE INTERSECTION OF WEST ORUM AND SIMS BAYOU ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER.
BOTH WERE APPROXIMATELY TWO ACRES.
UM, WE RETAINED, UH, RENTER ANCE SERVICES AS OUR VENDOR, AND WE ALSO EMPLOYED, UM, HALF ASSOCIATES AS OUR EMPLOY, UH, AS OUR SAMPLING CONSULTANTS.
A SNAPSHOT OF THE, UH, TIMELINE OF THE, OF THE PROJECT.
IT FOLLOWS THE SIMILAR, UM, UH, THE PILOT PROJECT WHERE THE INITIAL STORMWATER SAMPLING WAS DONE IN THE WET WEATHER AND DRY WEATHER.
THE GOES FOR THEN EMPLOYED ON THAT DETENTION POND, AND THEY WERE LEFT THERE FOR, UM, FIVE DAYS EACH.
UM, ONE WEIS MAYOR, UH, PROTE GAS GASEX STADIUM ALSO VISITED THE PROJECT SITE.
AND, UH, THERE WAS, UM, THERE WERE SOME PHOTOS TAKEN AND UPLOADED ON THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FACEBOOK PAGE.
UM, ONCE THE PROJECT WAS COMPLETED AND THE GOALS WERE DEMOBILIZED, OUR CONSULTANT WENT IN AND, UH, TAKES, TOOK SOME SAMPLING, SAMPLING AS WELL.
PROGRESS OF THE WEST ORA MET ALAMEDA, UH, DETENTION POND.
NEXT SLIDE, BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS OF HOW THE DETENTION POND LOOKED LIKE.
ONCE THE, UH, GOAT WERE DONE, GOATS WERE DONE GRAZING ON THAT POND.
UH, PROJECT PROGRESS OF THE, UH, OF THE SECOND DETENTION POND.
YOU CAN SEE THE GOATS, GOATS IN ACTION AND HOW THEY CAN ACCESS, UM, SOME, UH, HARD TO REACH, UH, TREES AND SHRUBS AND BRUSHES.
BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS OF THE DETENTION POND AT BUFFALO SPEEDWAY AND WEST FORUM.
UH, THESE, UH, THIS DEPICTS THE SAMPLING LOCATION OF THE TWO DETENTION POND.
AGAIN, UM, TWO, TWO WATER SAMPLES, UH, WERE TAKEN AT THE INFLOW AND OUTFLOW AND INFLOW AND OUTFLOW, AND FOUR SOIL SAMPLES AT THE DETENTION POND.
UM, UH, THE SAMPLING RESULTS ARE PENDING FOR BOTH LOCATIONS, BUT, UH, WE AND OUR, UM, OUR, OUR CONSULTANTS ARE CONFIDENT THAT, UH, WE WILL HAVE, UH, THAT THE ADDITION OF GOLD WILL NOT CREATE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE STORMWATER QUALITY.
UM, OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO USE, UH, GOATS AS PART OF VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.
AND, UH, WE WILL NOT BE, UH, HOPEFULLY WE, ONCE THE SAMPLING RESULTS ARE BACK IN, WE WON'T BE DOING ANY MORE SAMPLING SINCE WE HAVE ALREADY CONDUCTED ALMOST THREE PILOT PROJECTS FOR THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE.
BOOMER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[01:00:01]
THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE, ALTHOUGH I'VE HEARD LOTS OF JOKES AND SIDEBAR COMMENTARY.UM, UNLESS I AM NOW BEING INFORMED OF ONE, UH, I GUESS WE ARE HEARING FROM, UH, LET'S SEE, A QUESTION ABOUT HOW THE GHOSTS ARE KEPT SAFE, UH, FROM, FROM PREDATORS, ARE THOSE WHO TRY TO STEAL THEM? ARE THERE ANY INSTANCES WHERE THEY'VE BEEN STOLEN OR ANYBODY THREATENING OUR GOAT CORE
UM, SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, BEFORE THE GOATS EVEN COME TO THE SITE, THE, THE VENDOR HE COMES IN, VISITS THE SITE, UM, UH OKAY.
AND THEN PUTS A FENCE AROUND THE, AROUND THE PROJECT AREA.
AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A SHEPHERD OR THERE IS SOMEBODY THERE YES.
AT ALL TIMES GOAT HERDER AND, UH, THEY'RE PROVIDED FOR
AND NOW WHAT, ONE MORE QUESTION, ONE MORE QUESTION COMING IN.
UH, WHAT IS THE COST OF, UH, RENTING THE GOATS? SO THE TOTAL COST PER ACRE IS ABOUT $2,500, GIVE OR TAKE.
AND THAT WAS THE COMPARISON YOU MADE WITH THE $8,000 TRADITIONAL COST FOR DOING IT WITH LAWNMOWERS AND PERSONNEL.
VERY INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
AND, UH, WE'RE MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT PART AGENDA AND THIS CASE, WE ARE GONNA MOVE DIRECTLY NOW TO, UM, ITEMS WITH THE HITS DEPARTMENT, THAT'S THE HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH OUR ESTEEMED DIRECTOR, MS. LISA KENT, TO SPEAK ABOUT THE MICROSOFT UNIFIED SUPPORT AND SERVER AND CLOUD ENROLLMENT PROGRAM.
UH, DIRECTOR, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE US THROUGH THAT, APPRECIATE IT.
AND I'M JUST, SORRY, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AS EXCITING AS GOATS, ALTHOUGH WE CAN ENABLE GOAT CAMS AND GOAT TEAMS MEETINGS AND SO FORTH, SO THAT'S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW.
SO, UM, WE ARE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT TWO SEPARATE AGREEMENTS, BUT THAT WILL BE, UM, BOTH SUPPORTING OUR MICROSOFT ENVIRONMENT.
UM, THE TWO VENDORS INVOLVED ARE MICROSOFT THEMSELVES, MICROSOFT CORPORATION, AS WELL AS ONE OF THEIR RESELLERS, WHICH IS SHI GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS.
AND SO THE PURPOSE OF THESE COUNCIL ACTIONS, AND WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THE, UM, PURPOSE OF THESE TWO ACTIONS IS TO AUTHORIZE SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR NEW TWO YEAR CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS.
FIRST DIRECTLY WITH MICROSOFT FOR UNIFIED SUPPORT, UM, WHICH SUPPORTS, UM, MICROSOFT PRODUCTS CITYWIDE.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND WOULD BE FOR THE SERVER AND CLOUD ENROLLMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH COVERS CITYWIDE SUPPORT FROM HITS TO ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, THE TOTAL AMOUNT BETWEEN THE TWO AGREEMENTS IS $2.7 MILLION.
THE TERM WOULD BEGIN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR, 2023, AND IT WOULD GO THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH OF 25.
UM, THIS IS THROUGH, UM, UH, DIR AND IS EXEMPT FROM MWBE GOALS AND THE PRIMARY DEPARTMENT USERS, AGAIN, THESE ARE SERVICES THAT HITZ PROVIDES TO ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS ON THE UNIFIED SUPPORT.
HPD DOES MAINTAIN THEIR OWN AGREEMENTS.
SO THEY'RE THE ONLY DEPARTMENT NOT INCLUDED IN THIS NUMBER.
AND FOR SERVER AND CLOUD ENROLLMENTS.
AND YOU'LL SEE ON A SUBSEQUENT SLIDE, THIS IS FOR THE MAJORITY OF CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT IT DOES EXCLUDE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
I DO WANNA ALSO NOTE THIS IS A, UM, THE FINAL WAVE OF CONSOLIDATION OF ALL THINGS MICROSOFT.
UM, THIS IS AN EFFORT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO PROVIDE BOTH THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS A MUCH CLEARER AND MORE TRANSPARENT VIEW OF HOW THE CITY SPENDS MONEY ON THINGS RELATED TO MICROSOFT PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.
SO THIS SLIDE SUMMARIZES THE VARIOUS AGREEMENTS THAT I WAS JUST REFERRING TO THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO CO TERMINATE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE CHART, THE BOTTOM THREE LINES ARE BOLDED.
THOSE ARE THE AGREEMENTS WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT TODAY, AND WE'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD FOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY EXPIRE AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
WE ARE SEEKING AGREEMENTS TO EXTEND THOSE AND CO-TERM WITH ALL THE OTHER MICROSOFT AGREEMENTS TO SEPTEMBER OF 25.
UM, ALSO OF NOTE RIGHT ABOVE THE BOLDED LINES, YOU'LL SEE THE ONE FOR HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT UNIFIED SUPPORT.
WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY COLLABORATING WITH HPD, AND THEY DO TEND, THEY DO INTEND TO BRING THAT FORWARD FOR THEIR UNIFIED SUPPORT AGREEMENT ALONG WITH OURS.
AND WE'LL ALSO CO TERMINATE IT TO THE 2025 DATE.
SO THIS IS THE FINAL MILE OF THIS
[01:05:01]
MARATHON JOURNEY OF GETTING ALL OF THESE EXPENSES LINED UP IN THE SAME TERM.AND YOU WON'T HEAR FROM US AGAIN ON THESE UNTIL 2025 ONCE THESE PASS.
SO WHAT DO WE USE UNIFIED SUPPORT FOR? THESE ARE SUPPORT SERVICES THAT INCLUDE THINGS LIKE 24 7, 365 SUPPORT FOR PROBLEM RESOLUTION.
UM, THIS DOES INCLUDE A DEDICATED INCIDENT MANAGER THAT HELPS US CITYWIDE RESOLVE ANY ISSUES WITH ANY MICROSOFT SOLUTIONS OR SERVICES.
IT ALSO IS FOR SERVICE DELIVERY MANAGEMENT.
SO THINK WHEN WE'RE IMPLEMENTING A NEW PRODUCT OR WE ARE TRANSITIONING SOMETHING FROM ON-PREMISE TO CLOUD THESE PROVIDE THOSE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES TO HELP US PLAN, IMPLEMENT, AND THEN SUPPORT THOSE GOING FORWARD.
IT INCLUDES ON DEMAND TECHNICAL ASSESSMENTS.
THESE ALLOW US ON OUR OWN TO USE TOOLS PROVIDED UNDER, UM, THIS AGREEMENT TO ASSESS HOW WELL DO WE HAVE THINGS CONFIGURED.
IT HELPS US MANAGE RISK, UM, REDUCE OR MINIMIZE DOWNTIME.
THIS ALSO COMES WITH A DEDICATED SUPPORT TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR OR AN ENGINEER TO HELP US USE THOSE OPTIMIZING TOOLS.
UM, IT INCLUDES EDUCATION SERVICES, SO NOT ONLY FOR TECHNICAL PEOPLE, BUT THERE ARE MANY CLASSES THAT ARE AVAILABLE EITHER ON DEMAND, UM, ON THE COMPUTER OR IN SOME CASES WITH INSTRUCTOR-LED TRAINING THAT ALL CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE ACCESS TO.
AND SO THERE'S OVER 1,880 CLASSES AS PART OF THAT, UM, TRAINING CURRICULUM THAT ALLOWS US TO DELIVER THOSE, UH, DIGITAL SKILLING SERVICES TO CITY EMPLOYEES.
SOME ADDITIONAL CATEGORIES, AND I'LL GO THROUGH THIS VERY QUICKLY.
IF ANY OF YOU HAVE INTEREST IN MORE DETAILED EXPLANATIONS OF WHAT'S UNDER THESE, I'M HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU OFFLINE.
BUT IN GENERAL, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE SELF-SERVICE TOOLS, WE ALSO HAVE ENHANCED DESIGNATED ENGINEERING SERVICES.
AND THOSE CAN BE APPLIED THINK CONSULTING.
UM, THEY CAN BE APPLIED TO OUR MICROSOFT 365 ENVIRONMENT.
SO THAT'S THINGS THAT EACH OF YOU USE EVERY DAY, LIKE, UM, EMAIL OR, UM, TEAMS, SHAREPOINT, ONEDRIVE, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
UM, WE ALSO USE IT FOR DEVICE MANAGEMENT.
SO, UM, HOW WE MANAGE END USER COMPUTING, UM, HOW WE UPDATE THOSE DEVICES, HOW WE MANAGE YOUR LOGIN IDENTITY, UM, AND VARIOUS SECURITY TOOLS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
IT ALSO INCLUDES DATA PROTECTION.
SO, UM, IN SOME CASES WHERE WE PUT RULES IN PLACE THAT CERTAIN KINDS OF DATA, UM, CAN'T BE FORWARDED OR CAN'T BE TRANSMITTED IN EMAIL IF IT'S NOT ENCRYPTED, THOSE KINDS OF SERVICES ARE PART OF THAT.
IT ALSO COVERS THINGS LIKE WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM, UM, SO HELPS US WITH PATCHING OR ENCRYPTION PC SET UP.
AND THEN FINALLY THE POWER PLATFORM.
SOME OF YOUR OWN COUNCIL STAFF MAY BE USING POWER BI, UM, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES THE POWER PLATFORM THAT WE USE TO DEVELOP APPLICATIONS TO AUTOMATE THINGS AND EVEN TO CREATE VIRTUAL AGENTS.
AND SO ALL OF THESE KINDS OF THINGS APPLY FOR THESE CONSULTING SUPPORT SERVICES THAT WE CAN GET FROM MICROSOFT, NOT ONLY FOR THAT ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO FOR THEIR AZURE CLOUD ENVIRONMENT.
SO LET'S SKIP FORWARD TO, UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH YOU'VE GOT.
UM, THE SECOND TYPE OF AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE SERVER AND CLOUD ENROLLMENT AGREEMENT, OR YOU'LL SEE US ABBREVIATED AS SCE.
AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT, OR THE PRODUCTS THAT WE SUBSCRIBE TO FROM MICROSOFT UNDER OUR ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT, THOSE ARE LICENSES THAT YOU, THE END USERS CONSUME AND USE.
OKAY? A SERVER AND CLOUD ENROLLMENT AGREEMENT PROVIDES SOFTWARE LICENSING FOR THINGS THAT ARE BACK OFFICE LIKE SERVERS, DATABASES, UM, PRODUCTS THAT RESIDE IN OUR DATA CENTER THAT YOU DON'T SEE, BUT IT IS REQUIRED TO KEEP ALL THE CITY SYSTEMS OPERATING.
OKAY? SO THIS AGREEMENT IS NOT FOR END USERS THINK DATA CENTER AND SERVERS.
UM, THIS AGREEMENT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO UPGRADE TO THE LATEST VERSION OF THAT SOFTWARE AS IT IS ISSUED FROM MICROSOFT.
I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT FROM SOME OF YOUR CYBER TRAINING, THAT ONE WAY TO MINIMIZE VULNERABILITIES IS TO STAY ON CURRENT, UM, VERSIONS OF SOFTWARE AND TO, UM, KEEP THOSE THINGS UP TO DATE.
SO, UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, THAT FIRST COLUMN TALKS ABOUT CORE INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO AGAIN, THINK SERVERS, THINK, UM, TOOLS THAT WE USE FOR PATCHING AND MONITORING THE HEALTH OF THOSE SYSTEMS
[01:10:01]
AND SO FORTH.IT ALSO INCLUDES THE LICENSING FOR SHAREPOINT.
UM, MANY OF YOU USE SHAREPOINT, IN FACT, I THINK FOR THE BUDGET, UM, QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE SUBMITTING, THAT'S ON SHAREPOINT.
SHAREPOINT'S, ALSO THE BACK OFFICE SOLUTION FOR TEAMS. AND THEN FINALLY, IT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE OUR DEVELOPER PLATFORM.
SO VISUAL STUDIO IS AN EXAMPLE OF TOOLS THAT A LOT OF APPLICATIONS FOLKS USE TO KEEP THINGS GOING.
AND THEN FINALLY IT INCLUDES MICROSOFT AZURE.
SO YOU HEAR US TALKING ABOUT OUR, UM, CLOUD FIRST STRATEGY WHERE IT MAKES SENSE.
UM, AZURE IS MICROSOFT'S BRANDED VERSION OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE AS A SERVICE THAT IS A DATA CENTER IN THE CLOUD.
AND SO THAT JUST MEANS THAT THEY PROVIDE THE HARDWARE AND SUPPORTING FOUNDATION, UM, WHEREAS WE WOULD CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE OPERATING SYSTEM AND APPLICATION LAYER.
SO LET'S MOVE FORWARD TO THE MONEY.
THIS SUMMARIZES FOR THE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF AGREEMENTS, THE SPENDING AUTHORITY THAT WE ARE SEEKING.
YOU CAN SEE, UM, IN THE TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
FOR THE MICROSOFT UNIFIED SUPPORT FOR THE TWO FISCAL YEARS, WE'RE REQUESTING THE $2.3 MILLION FOR SERVER AND CLOUD ENROLLMENT FOR THE HITS INFRASTRUCTURE AND AZURE CEES, THAT ADDS UP OVER THE TWO YEARS TO 403,000.
SO THE COMBINED TOTAL SPENDING AUTHORITY THAT THESE TWO COUNCIL ACTIONS WILL REQUEST IS 2.7 MILLION.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR KENT.
UM, THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE.
AND, UH, NOT ONLY, AS YOU MENTIONED, IS THIS A, UH, MARATHON JOURNEY, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT COMES WITH A FAIR PRICE TAG.
SO APPRECIATE THIS AND YOUR NARRATIVE ABOUT HOW IT RELATES TO THE, THE LONG, UM, TIME THAT THIS HAS BEEN COMING.
SO FOR YOUR SERVICE, WE'RE GRATEFUL, UH, WITH NO OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO YOUR NEXT PRESENTATION, UH, WHICH REGARDS IT OPERATIONS, THE AUTOMATION TOOL.
AND I BELIEVE, UH, JOINING YOU AT THE PODIUM WILL BE MY FUNG, YOUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS.
UM, SO I WILL GIVE MS. FUNG A CHANCE TO GET SETTLED AND THEN WE'RE GONNA TRANSITION TO HER AND LET HER PRESENT.
MY NAME IS MAI FUNG AND I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OVER ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS WITH THE HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES HITS.
WE ARE ASKING COUNCIL TO AWARD A NEW CONTRACT FOR AN IT OPERATIONS AUTOMATION TOOL WITH PRECISION TASK GROUP, INC.
THE CITY HAS ADOPTED THE IT OPERATIONS AUTOMATIONS TOOL USED FOR INCIDENT AND REQUEST MANAGEMENT.
THE MANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS ARE INTERACTING VIA THE CUSTOMER PORTAL TO ENTER REQUESTS AND CHANGE DEPART AND CHANGE REQUESTS.
SEVERAL OF ALL, SEVERAL OF THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE ALSO USED THIS TOOL FOR PROJECT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT.
THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS OVER 9.5 MILLION.
THE TERM IS AN INITIAL THREE YEARS TERM PLUS TWO ONE YEAR OPTIONS, BUT FOR A TOTAL OF FIVE YEARS, UM, THE MWBE GOAL IS ZERO.
THE DEPARTMENTS ARE USING THIS.
ALL THE DEPARTMENTS CITYWIDE ARE USING THIS TOOL.
PTG PROVIDES A NUMBER OF SERVICES INCLUDING CONSULTING SERVICES FOR DISCOVERY AND WORKSHOPS, IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES FOR PROJECT DELIVERY AND ON TIME AND WITHIN SCOPE.
THEY ALSO PROVIDE OPTIMIZ OPTIMIZATION SERVICES FOR PRO FOR MATURITY ASSESSMENT AND CONTINUE IMPROVEMENTS EDUCATION SERVICES SUCH AS TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION.
AND THEY ARE AN AUTHORIZED RESELLER VIA THE DIR.
SO THE MODULES THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY USING IS THE IT SERVICES MANAGEMENT, ALSO KNOWN AS I-T-S-M-I-T-S-M IS A COLLECTION OF POLICIES AND PROCESSES FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT OF IT SERVICES THAT HELPS TO AUTOMATE PROCESS WORKFLOW, TO IMPROVE COLLABORATION, AND ALSO TO HELP IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND INCREASE EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY.
THE PROCESS INCLUDES INCIDENT MANAGEMENT, PROBLEM MANAGEMENT, AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT FOR REAL INSIGHT
[01:15:01]
AND ANALYTICS ANALYTICS INTO SERVICE PERFORMANCE.WE ARE ALSO CURRENTLY USING THE PROJECT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT OR PPM TO MANAGE ALL IT PROJECTS AND FOR TECHNOLOGY CIP SUBMISSIONS AND REVIEW SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT, INCLUDE THEM TO HELP MANAGE THE OUTCOME AND TO CREATE VALUE TO ALIGN YOUR PORTFOLIO STRATEGIES, INVESTMENTS, AND TEAM STRUCTURES TO MEET YOUR BUSINESS GOALS.
SOME OF THE CURRENT USAGE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE CURRENT ITSM TOOL IS THE HELP DOT HOUSTON TX.GOV FOR REQUESTS SUCH AS ONBOARDING REQUESTS FOR HR ONE SUPPORT, APPLICATION ACCESS REQUESTS, NEW MAILBOX REQUESTS, OFFICE 365 APPLICATION REQUESTS AND PASSWORD RECESS.
JUST TO RESET, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE CITY HAVE USED AND IT HADN'T HAVE USED SERVICE REQUESTS.
OVER 121,000 SERVICE REQUESTS HAVE SUBMITTED, HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED.
SOME OF THE FUTURE PLAN MODULES THAT WE PLAN TO USE ARE HARDWARE ASSET MANAGEMENT TO HELP MANAGE HARDWARE ASSETS FROM THE ACQUISITION THROUGH DISPOSAL TO HELP CONTROL INVENTORY ACROSS STOCK ROOMS. AND THEN TO SIMPLIFY THE ASSET MANAGEMENT PROCESS WITH A PRESCRIPTIVE WORKFLOW, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT SOFTWARE ASSET MANAGEMENT TO GAIN GREATER COST AND USAGE VISIBILITY OF THE SOFTWARE AND SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE FOR SA.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO OPTIMIZE LICENSE USAGE OF OWN SOFTWARE, NOT TO BUY NOT ONLY WHAT YOU WANT, BUT WHAT YOU NEED.
AND THE LAST ITEM THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT IN THE FUTURE PLAN IS APPLICATION PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT TO HELP ANALYZE BUSINESS APPLICATION BASED ON COST, PERFORMANCE, AND RISK TO RATIONALIZE YOUR APPLICATION PORTFOLIO AND TO ELIMINATE DUPLICATE APPLICATION THAT PERFORMS SIMILAR FUNCTION TO CREATE DEMAND AND PROJECTS TO EXECUTE.
THE BENEFIT OF THE IT OPERATIONS AUTOMATION TOOLS TO HELP CONNECT THE ENTERPRISE ON A SINGLE PLATFORM TO REDUCE COSTS, TO HARVEST UNDERUTILIZED SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE AS WELL AS CLOUD SERVICES.
WE'RE LOOKING TO REDUCE RISK TO AVOID LARGE UNBUDGETED COSTS FROM COMPLIANCE AUDITS AND POLICY OBLIGATIONS.
ALSO LOOKING TO REDUCE RISK FOR PLAN TECHNOLOGY, REFRESH CYCLES FOR WARRANTY AND END OF LIFE PERIODS, AND RATIONALIZE LEGACY APPLICATIONS TO REDUCE TECHNOLOGY DEBT AND OPERATING EXPENSES, AND TO HELP AUTOMATE WITH WORKFLOW, TO DIGITIZE WORKFLOW, TO ACCELERATE LABOR PRODUCTIVITY AND TO INCREASE, UM, OUTCOME MORE FASTER AND TO ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR CONSTANT IMPORT AND EXPORT OF DATA FROM LEGACY ASSET SYSTEMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THE BUDGET, THE BUDGET NOTED HERE IS BROKEN DOWN BY THE THREE DEPARTMENTS FOR HITS, HOUSTON AIRPORTS AS WELL AS PUBLIC WORKS FOR THE NEXT FIVE FISCAL YEAR FOR A TOTAL OF OVER $9.5 MILLION.
THAT'S THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
AND, UH, DIRECTOR KENT FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE NO COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF IN THE QUEUE.
UM, JUST ONE POINT OF CLARIFICATION FROM THE CHAIR.
UM, LIKE MANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE'VE REVIEWED THROUGH OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP PROCESS THAT WE'VE BEEN, UH, ENJOYING THE LAST FEW WEEKS, UH, I KNOW THE HITS DEPARTMENT HAS, UH, UH, LIKE MANY REFLECTED THE RECENT PANDEMIC IN TERMS OF RECENT YEARS PRODUCTIVITY.
AND I NOTICED ON SLIDE FIVE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT OPERATIONS, THE AUTOMATION TOOL, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WAS A SIMILAR DROP OFF IN THE POST PANDEMIC TIME, UH, FROM 19 TO 20 AND THEN A SLIGHT UP CREEP.
BUT IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT WE'VE RETURNED YET TO THE NUMBER OF SERVICE REQUESTS IN 2019.
AND AND PERHAPS YOU, MS. FUNG OR OR YOU DIRECTOR COULD SPEAK TO THAT.
ARE WE THROUGH THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OF THIS CONTRACT? ARE WE PROJECTING TRENDS TO GO UP COMPARABLE TO, UH, OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S GROWTH OR WHAT, WHAT DO YOU ALL EXPECT FOR THAT FROM, FROM THIS ITEM?
[01:20:01]
SURE.AND WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OTHER APPLICATION AND SERVICES, WE DO EXPECT FOR, UM, THE SERVICE REQUESTS TO INCREASE, UM, RESPECTIVELY WITH ADDITIONAL IMPLEMENTATION, UM, TO CORRESPOND WITH THE REQUEST FOR HELP STAN SEN DIRECTOR, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN PLACE TO PREPARE FOR THAT? IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY? WHAT THE CONTRACT? YES.
I MEAN WE CERTAINLY EXPECT TO SEE SOME GROWTH AND, AND PARTICULARLY AS, UM, MS. FUNG HAD MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION, WE'RE ALSO EXPANDING HOW WE WILL BE USING THE TOOL.
UM, I THINK YOUR QUESTION ABOUT SERVICE TICKETS IS A TRICKY ONE BECAUSE THERE ARE ALSO THINGS THAT WE CAN DO WITH AUTOMATION THAT MAY REDUCE TICKETS, WHICH IS DESIRABLE, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT WILL GO UP IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTING MORE NEW THINGS AND THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE HOPE WILL GO DOWN, WHICH IS REDUCING, UM, EITHER REPEAT TICKETS OR MANUALLY ENTERING TICKETS FOR THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN USE SELF-SERVICE FOR, RIGHT? NOT NECESSARILY WORK HARDER, BUT WORK SMARTER, RIGHT? WE DO HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION FROM MR. MOSS IN COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX'S OFFICE.
UM, I HAVE TO ASK THIS QUESTION.
WILL ANY OF THESE CONTRACTS HAVE ANYTHING TO DO TO IMPROVE THE ONLINE 3 1 1 SYSTEM TO MAKE IT MORE CUSTOMER FRIENDLY? WELL, THE ANSWER TO THE, UM, PRESENTATION THAT MS. FUNG JUST DID IS NO.
UM, HOWEVER, THE 3 1 1 SYSTEM DOES SIT ON A MICROSOFT PLATFORM, AND WE DO HAVE A PHASE TWO PROJECT THAT WE ARE ACTIVELY SCOPING NOW WITH A RA THAT WILL FURTHER IMPROVE.
UM, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SEEKING IS THAT, UM, DOWNSTREAM COORDINATION WITH DEPARTMENTS WHO HAVE OTHER SYSTEMS THAT NEED TO INTERFACE BACK INTO THE 3 1 1 TICKET SYSTEM.
AND SO THERE ARE ACTUALLY PLANS THAT ARE MOVING FORWARD IN THE COMING FEW MONTHS.
UM, SO THE MICROSOFT UNIFIED SUPPORT AGREEMENT IS ONE THAT WE MAY LEVERAGE IN SUPPORT OF THAT PROJECT, BUT IT SITS ON A MICROSOFT PLATFORM AND WE USE THOSE SERVICES ALL THE TIME.
AND I THINK WITH THAT, LADIES, WE ARE, UH, DONE WITH THIS PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND ALL THAT YOU BRING TO THE TTI COMMITTEE.
AND WITH THAT, OUR FINAL TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY ARE BOTH, UH, BEING PRESENTED BY THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME MR. JEFF BREAM, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR TECHNOLOGY IN INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
UH, THIS MORNING'S FIRST PRESENTATION WILL BE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM, PUBLIC WIFI, MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
THAT CONTRACT, MR. BRE, I BELIEVE IS WHAT WE'LL BEGIN WITH NEXT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COUNCIL COMMITTEE, UM, TTI COMMITTEE, UH, AND GOOD MORNING.
UM, WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US TODAY IS, UH, THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WIFI MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT CONTRACT.
UH, WE COMMEND RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE AWARDING THE CONTRACT TO LAYER THREE COMMUNICATIONS.
PLEASE BEAR WITH US ONE MOMENT.
WE'LL GET THE PRESENTATION CALLED UP ONLINE AND SWITCHING OVER TO THAT NOW.
OKAY, SO THE VENDOR IS LAYER THREE COMMUNICATIONS INC.
UM, COUNCIL ACTION WE WOULD LIKE FOR THIS SOLICITATION, WHICH WAS L 3 2 5 55, APPROVE AN ORDINANCE FOR LAYER THREE COMMUNICATIONS FOR PUBLIC WIFI SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE.
THIS WAS AN ITB, IT WAS ADVERTISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS BID LAWS 25 PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS DOWNLOADED THE SOLICITATION DOCUMENTATION FROM SPDS EBI WEBSITE.
TWO BIDS WERE RECEIVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, AND TWO BIDS WERE NON-RESPONSIVE.
THEY SUBMITTED THEIR BIDS ONLINE BUT NOT, DID NOT SUBMIT 'EM TO THE SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
UH, THE CONTRACT AMOUNT IS $4,043,360 AND 50 CENTS.
THIS IS A THREE YEAR CONTRACT WITH TWO ONE YEAR OPTIONS, AND THE M-W-D-B-E GOAL WAS 0%.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE BIDDERS AND THE BIDS THAT WERE RECEIVED, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM, THE FOUR BIDDERS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO THE EBI SYSTEM, AND THEN TWO THAT WERE SUBMITTED TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
SO, THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR THIS, THE SCOPE OF WORK REQUIRES THE CONTRACTOR TO PROVIDE ALL EQUIPMENT, LABOR, MATERIALS, PARTS, TOOLS, SUPERVISION AND TRANSPORTATION NECESSARY
[01:25:01]
TO INSTALL, REPAIR, REPLACE AND MAINTAIN THE PUBLIC WIFI NETWORKS AND IAH AND HOU.AS PART OF THIS, WE'LL REPLACE OVER 600 ACCESS POINTS, WHICH ARE EITHER END OF LIFE OR END OF SUPPORT.
WE WILL REPLACE 4,500 BEACONS AT IAH AND HOU COMBINED.
WE ALSO SHALL INCLUDE 24 7 NETWORK MONITORING OF ALL HARDWARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PUBLIC WIFI NETWORKS.
THIS WILL REPLACE THE FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, WHICH WAS 2.446 MILLION WITH LAYER THREE COMMUNICATIONS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, AND I THINK PERHAPS THE MOST INTERESTING ITEM TO MY COLLEAGUES MAY BE THE, UH, MWB REQUIREMENT OF 0%.
AND CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT OR PUT A WORD TO IT? WELL, YES.
UM, SO, UH, THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, UH, CAME BACK TO US WITH THE ZERO ZERO GOAL ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.
UM, THE CONTRACTOR, UH, IS SELF PERFORMING, UH, FOR ALL ITEMS AS LISTED ON THE ITB.
SEEING NO QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF.
UH, THERE'S A SECOND PART, SECOND AGENDA ITEM, UH, TODAY FROM THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEMS, AND THAT WILL BE BROUGHT TODAY AT THE PODIUM FROM MR. DIEGO PATRA, UH, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AT THE OFFICE OF, UH, THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
AND TODAY'S PRESENTATION, THE OCULUS IMMERSIVE MEDIA TECHNOLOGY.
MR. PATRA, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME PRESENT THIS TO YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UM, AS WE PULL THE PRESENTATION UP, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES.
ONE IS, UH, OUR CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, MR. DALE O DANIELS.
THANK YOU FOR HIS SUPPORT IN ALL THESE ENDEAVORS.
AND THEN MY COLLEAGUE MICHAEL BURNS, HE'S OUR IT PROJECT MANAGER THAT WILL BE HELPING US WITH THIS TODAY.
SO AS YOU MENTIONED, MY NAME IS DIEGO PARRA.
I'M WITH THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM IT PROGRAM MANAGEMENT OFFICE.
SO GREAT TRAVEL EXPERIENCES START WHEN PASSENGERS LEAVE THEIR HOMES AND ARRIVE AT THE AIRPORT TO MAKE THEIR JOURNEY MORE MEMORABLE AND HIGHLIGHT THE ECONOMIC AND RESIDENTIAL GROWTH OF THE HOUSTON AREA.
HOUSTON AIRPORTS HAS EMBARKED IN THE GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL TERMINAL REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT TO PROVIDE AN OVERALL MODERN FAST FACILITY WITH ADDITIONAL GATES CAPACITY TO SUPPORT AIR SERVICE GROWTH, BETTER USE OF SPACE, ENHANCED CONNECT, AND AN IMPROVED PASSENGER EXPERIENCE.
TODAY I WOULD LIKE FOR TO, TO BRING YOUR FOCUS TO THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRAL PROCESSING, WHICH IS HIGHLIGHTED IN THE ORANGE AREA OF YOUR SCREEN.
IF, IF IT SHOULD PLAY AUTOMATICALLY.
WE HAVE A FILE LOADING, IF YOU'LL BEAR WITH US.
DO YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE? AS A LARGE IMPACT TO THE PASSENGER EXPERIENCE IS THE OCULUS, WHICH YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN, ONE OF THE MOST VISUAL, ENGAGING AND VISIBLE COMPONENTS OF THE ARCHITECTURE ENVIRONMENT IN THE NEW INTERNATIONAL CENTRAL PROCESSOR, WHICH IS THE ICP, THIS UNIQUE MEDIA FEATURE, WHICH WILL INCLUDE LARGE SCALE, UNIQUELY DESIGNED MEDIA FEATURES, A CENTRALIZED CONTROL SYSTEM, AND AN INVENTORY OF ORIGINAL MULTIMEDIA CONTENT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE NEW ICP PROPELLING THE HOUSTON AIRPORTS INTO THE FUTURE OF AIR TRAVEL AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES.
THE OCULUS MEDIA CONTENT WILL BRING LIFE TO CREATE VISUAL, VISUAL MESSAGES FOR THE HOUSTON AIRPORT.
THE SELECTED CONTENT PRODUCTION COMPANY WILL ENGAGE TO NOT ONLY COLLABORATE CREATIVELY, CREATIVELY WITH THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM, BUT ALSO DESIGN, PRODUCE, AND INTEGRATE THE CONTENT FOR THE OCULUS.
THE CONTENT PRODUCTION CO COMPANIES ARE QUALIFIED AND PROVIDE ORIGINAL CREATIVE CONCEPTS, DESIGN, PRODUCTION, AND INTEGRATION OF MEDIA ON A LARGE SCALE DIRECT VIEW, LED CANVAS.
SO I WANNA PAUSE HERE REAL QUICK AND I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY OF THIS, UH, COMPONENT, WE HAVE DIVIDED THE PROCUREMENT INTO THREE DIFFERENT RFPS, AND TODAY WE'LL BE PRESENTING TO YOU TWO OF THOSE THREE.
SO AS YOU SEE, OCULUS IS AN ELLIPTICAL SHAPED CYLINDER IN A FORM OF A TRUNCATED CONE MADE UP OF DIRECT VIEW LED PANELS.
[01:30:01]
IT WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE SPACE SEPARATING THE LOWER LEVEL ARRIVALS WITH THE UPPER LEVEL DEPARTURES OF THE ICP.THE SURFACE OF THE OCULUS IS APPROXIMATELY 2000 SQUARE FEET.
THE HEIGHT OF THE SCREEN IS APPROXIMATELY NINE FEET AND IS ANGLED DOWN AT APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREES.
THE OCULUS DESIGN IS BASED ON THREE DIFFERENT CONCAVE RADIO ICE.
THE CONTENT PRODUCTION COMPANY VENDOR WILL ENGAGE, LIKE I MENTIONED, COLLABORATIVE WITH THE HOUSTON AIRPORTS TO CREATE THE CONTENT.
THE INITIAL CONTENT DELIVERY THEY'RE, UH, SCHEDULED TO PROVIDE IS ABOUT SIX MONTHS WORTH OF CONTENT.
THEN WE HAVE A MID MIDTERM CONTENT INVENTORY THAT PROVIDES ABOUT SIX TO 12 MONTHS.
AND THEN A LARGE CONTACT INVENTORY, WHICH PROVIDES REFRESH GUIDELINES FOR INVENTORY OF THE THEMES, REFRESH TIMELINES, CONTENT DURATION AND TRANSITION PHASE TO PHASE OUT, PARTIALLY OR ENTIRELY INITIAL CONTENT REPOSITORY.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE CONTENT PRODUCTION COMPANY WOULD DO TO CONTINUE ON THE DESCRIPTION OF THE OCULUS, IT SUPPORTS VIDEO SOURCES WITH A MINIMUM SOLUTION OF 4K.
A CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CONTRACTOR TO BE CHOSEN, LIKE I MENTIONED THROUGH A SEPARATE RFP, WILL PROVIDE THE NETWORK AND MANAGEMENT EQUIPMENT REQUIRED TO CONNECT THE DISPLAY TE TECHNOLOGY TO THE OCULUS.
AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER RENDERING OF, UM, WHAT THE ARCHITECT AND THE DESIGN DESIGN LOOK HOW IT'S GOING TO BE.
SO, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE DIVIDED THE PROCUREMENT OF THESE, UH, THIS PIECE INTO THREE DIFFERENT PROCUREMENTS.
ONE IS THE OCULUS CONTENT MEDIA PRODUCTION.
THIS IS WHAT I LIKE TO CALL, IS WHAT IS BEING DISPLAYED IN THE OCULUS, IS THE CONTENT, THE VIDEOS, THE DIFFERENT IMAGES.
THE OCULUS LED DISPLAY PROVIDER IS WHERE IS GOING TO BE DISPLAYED IS THE LED SCREEN THAT WE'RE GOING TO PROCURE.
AND THEN THE THIRD ONE IS THE CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO CALL IS BASICALLY WHERE IT LIVES, WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE HOUSED AND IS GONNA BE PRODUCED TO THE SCREEN.
THE CONTENT PRODUCTION COMPANY WILL PROVIDE CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN CONTENT DEVELOPMENT, INTEGRATION TESTING AND COMMISSIONING DOCUMENTATION AND TRAINING COORDINATION AND PROJECT SCHEDULE WARRANTY AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
I DON'T THINK I HAVE TO MENTION IT, BUT ALL THESE THREE VENDORS, IT IS IN THEIR CONTRACT THAT THEY HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER THIS PRODUCT.
THE LED SYSTEM PROVIDER PROVIDES DIRECT VIEW LED TILES FOR A FLAT AND CURVED SURFACE, THE LED PROCESSORS AND CONTROLLERS, THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT, ACCEPTANCE TEST AND TESTING, OPERATIONAL TURNOVER, WARRANTY, AND MOST SPECIFICALLY OPERATIONAL MAINTENANCE.
I HAVE A SAMPLE HERE OF A DIRECT VIEW LED TILE.
WHAT IS GOING TO BE INSTALLED, AS YOU SEE IS A SQUARE.
THIS IS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ABOUT 2000 SQUARE FEET OF THESE TILES.
SOME OF 'EM ARE GONNA BE CUSTOM MADE.
IT IS A FLEXIBLE TILE THAT THEY COULD SHAPE HOW THEY WANT.
THE WAY THE MAINTENANCE FOR THESE OCCURS, IF YOU SEE ANY LARGE SCREENS, YOU SOMETIMES SEE THAT A PIXEL IS MISSING.
OR WHAT THIS TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES IS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO REMOVE THIS TILE MM-HMM
AND REPLACE IT WITH A SPARE THAT WE HAVE.
VERY GOOD, LET ME SAY FOR THOSE, UH, WATCHING ONLINE OR VIEWING THE PRESENTATION AFTER AND PERHAPS NOT SEEING THE TILE, IT IS IN MR. PARRA'S HAND AND HOLDING IT UP, I MIGHT SAY IT'S ABOUT WHAT, SIX INCHES BY 10 INCHES OR SO.
AND IF YOU HOLD IT UP IN PROFILE, IT'S TECHNOLOGY IS, UH, CONNECTED TO THE INTEGRATED SYSTEM.
AND, AND WE'LL PASS THAT AROUND FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF TO SEE.
SO THE WAY THEY MAINTAIN IT IS IF ONE OF THOSE PIXELS GOES OUT, THEY COME AT NIGHT WHEN THERE'S NO PASSENGERS, GET ON A LIFT, REMOVE IT, AND THEN WE HAVE SPARES IN STOCK.
WE'LL HAVE ABOUT 5% IN STOCK THAT WILL BE ABLE TO REPLACE HIM, PUT HIM BACK ON AND GET 'EM DONE WITH.
THE PIECE THAT IS BROKEN WILL BE SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR REPAIR.
AND THEN ONCE IT'S FIXED, THEN THEY'LL BRING IT BACK AND WE WILL GO BACK INTO OUR STOCK.
WE'LL KEEP ABOUT 5% SPARES AND THE, THE, THE, UM, MAINTENANCE CONTRACTOR WILL KEEP ANOTHER 5% IN THEIR STOCK.
[01:35:01]
THE CONTACT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PROVIDER WILL PROVIDE THE PLAYBACK AND CONTROL SYSTEM, THE DATA AND NETWORK SOFTWARE SERVERS, DESIGN AND INSTALLATION, INTEGRATION TESTING AND COMMISSIONING, AND THE OPERATION OF MAINTENANCE OF THE CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.SO, THE VENDOR THAT WAS SELECTED FOR THE CONTENT PRODUCTION COMPANY IS GENTLE HOME INC.
WE ARE ASKING FOR ACCOUNT SELECTION TO APPROVE IT, OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT TO GENTLE HOME FOR THE CONTENT OC CONTENT PRODUCTION SERVICES.
THIS WAS PROCURED THROUGH OR BID THROUGH AN RFP WAS ADVERTISED IN ACCORDANCE TO ALL THE STATE TEXAS BID LOSS.
WE RECEIVED FOUR RESPONDERS IN THE RFP.
THE TERMS RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING FOR IS A FIVE YEAR TERM.
THE CONTRACT AMOUNT IS 2.4 MILLION, AND THIS WILL COME OUT OF OUR CAPITAL FUND BUDGET.
THE MWBE FOR THIS SCOPE IS 10%.
THEY ALREADY SUBMITTED A PLAN TO THE OBO OFFICE TO USE A LOCAL VENDOR THAT WILL BE ABLE TO HELP 'EM IN THE PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MEDIA.
THE LED SYSTEM PROVIDER THAT WAS SELECTED WAS FOR AUDIO VISUAL SYSTEMS. WE'RE ASKING FOR ORDINANCE FOR AN INSTALLATION CONTRACT TO, FOR AUDIO FOR THE OCULUS LED DISPLAY SYSTEM FOR AUDIO IS NOT ONLY A WOMAN OWNED BUSINESS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO CERTIFIED AS A HIGHER HOUSTON FIRST LOCAL BUSINESS.
THERE, IT WAS PROCURED TO AN RFP ADVERTISED WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS BID LOSS.
WE RECEIVED FOUR PROPOSALS, UH, FOR THESE RFP.
THE AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE GOING FOR RIGHT AT THIS TIME, AND WE'RE STILL IN NEGOTIATIONS, IS BETWEEN SIX TO 10 YEARS.
THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT TOTAL IS 7.2 MILLION WITH 5.8 COMING OUT OF OUR CAPITAL FUNDS.
AND THEN 1.4, WHICH COVERS THE MAINTENANCE COMING OUT OF OUR O AND M FUND.
THIS, THIS, UH, PROGRAM, THIS CONTRACT WAS 0% GOLD WAVE DUE TO THE, UH, COMPLEXITY OF THE, UM, OF THE, AS YOU SAW OF THE TECHNOLOGY.
WE WORK WITH THE OBO OFFICE AND WE REALLY WRECKED OUR BRANCH TO TRY TO BRING SOMEBODY ON BOARD, BUT SINCE IT'S SO SPECIFIC TO ONE MANUFACTURER AND THEY'RE GONNA BE PROVIDING THOSE LED DETAILS, WE, UM, DIDN'T FIND ANY VENDORS THAT CAN PROVIDE SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT COULD HELP 'EM GET THAT MWBE GOAL.
AND THE THIRD ONE, IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, IS THE CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
IT WAS, IT HAS BEEN ADVERTISED.
RECEIVED, IT IS CURRENTLY UNDER PROCUREMENT CHOIR PERIOD.
TENTATIVE COUNCIL ACTION TO COME, UH, PRESENT TO COUNCIL IS 2023, AND THIS ONE DOES HAVE AN MWB GOLD OF 13%.
THEY WILL BE INSTALLING ALL THE NETWORK, ALL THE CABLING.
SO WE DO SEE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MWB COMPANIES TO WORK WITH THEM.
SO AT THIS POINT, THIS IS, UH, MY LAST SLIDE.
WE, YOU KNOW, HAD A REAL LIVE DEMONSTRATION.
NOW WE'RE INVITING YOU TO JOIN A VIRTUAL DEMONSTRATION OF WHAT WE THINK THE OCULUS IS GONNA LOOK LIKE.
I WOULD LIKE MY COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE SOME VIRTUAL REALITY, UH, GLASSES THAT WOULD SHOW YOU WHAT WE THINK THE OCULUS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
IT'LL SHOW YOU, UM, THE LOOK AND FEEL OF BEING IN THERE, UM, THE WAY THAT, UM, YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE, WHAT WE THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE FROM THE BOTTOM AND FROM THE TOP.
UM, WHILE WE ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
I THINK AT THE VERY LEAST, WE NEED OUR RANKING OFFICER, MR. DAVE MARTIN, OUR MAYOR, PRO TIM TO GET STRAPPED IN HERE.
AND, UH, OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I GUESS THE CHAIR IS GONNA GET ONE TOO.
AND, UM, WHILE WE DO THIS, AS EXCITING AS IT IS, WE HAVE, UH, ONE, UH, QUESTION IN THE QUEUE.
MR. MOSS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX'S OFFICE.
WHAT IS THIS FOR? SO THIS IS IS OUR ARTWORK, OR WHAT IS, WHAT IS THIS? IT'S GONNA BE, UH, MULTIMEDIA, UH, TECHNOLOGY AND IT'S BASICALLY, ONCE YOU ARRIVE, IT IS GONNA SHOW IMAGES, VIDEOS THAT IT MAKES YOU FEEL THAT YOU'VE ARRIVED IN HOUSTON.
IT MAKES YOU OF, IT'S GONNA SHOW IMAGES OF THE REGION AND GIVE YOU THAT SENSE THAT I FEEL LIKE I'VE, I'VE ARRIVED IN HOUSTON.
NOW, DO YOU HAVE TO WEAR THE, THE GOGGLES? THAT IS JUST AN EXAMPLE.
THIS IS TO SCHEDULED TO OPEN AROUND 20 24, 20 25.
BUT WE, UM, WANT TO GET THE CONTENT CREATED.
WE HAVE THE DESIGN, WE HAVE THE SPECS.
WE NEED TO GET THE CONTACT CREATED.
SO IT MIGHT BE LIKE COMMERCIALS FOR HOUSTON, LIKE, HEY, THE RODEO'S GOING ON, OR LIKE IN VEGAS WHERE THEY SHOW THESE ARE THE SHOWS GOING ON IN VARIOUS PLACES.
TO SHOW WHAT HOUSTON IS, SHOW, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PIECES THAT SHOWCASE
[01:40:01]
THE HOUSTON REGION.PERHAPS IF WE, UH, JOHN, WE CAN SHOW YOU THE VIDEO OF, UM, SO THERE, THERE WAS A VIDEO IN THE PRESENTATION AND I THINK THEY WERE ABLE TO GET IT UP AND ALONG WITH HAVING JUST DONE THAT VIRTUAL REALITY THING, IT, IT'S REALLY AMAZING, UH, TECHNOLOGY.
IT'S, IT'S AMAZING WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT INSIDE THE VIRTUAL AIRPORT WITH THAT TECHNOLOGY.
AND I THINK MR. MOSS, TO YOUR QUESTION, YES.
UM, IN THE WAY THAT I THINK FROM DIRECTOR DIAZ, EVERYONE AT THE AIRPORT SYSTEM, UM, THERE IS FULL ALIGNMENT WITH THAT SET OF CONVENTIONS AND ACTIVITIES THAT IS GOING AROUND, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN THE FUTURE.
SO THERE WOULD BE COORDINATION THEMATICALLY AND WITH, UH, THOSE WHO ARE PROGRAMMING THE CONTENT OF THE OCULUS SO THAT IT WOULD ALIGN NOT ONLY WITH, UH, THE HIGHEST AND NICEST VIEWS AROUND HOUSTON, BUT UH, FOR THOSE THINGS GOING ON AT GEORGE R. BROWN AT OUR STADIUM SUPER BOWL.
UH, FINAL FOUR, WORLD CUP, WORLD CUP, UM, AND ALL OF THOSE ACTIVITIES.
I THINK AS MUCH AS WE CAN SHOW THAT AND HAVE THAT PRESENT ON THE WEBSITE FOR, UH, FOLKS TO SEE, UM, THAT'LL BE GREAT.
SO, UM, I DO NOT SEE ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE.
UM, WHEN DO YOU THINK THIS WILL BE COMING BEFORE COUNCIL FOR VOTE OR OTHER CONSIDERATION? SO THE CONTENT PRODUCTION, UM, I'M GONNA DO A REALISTIC TIMELINE IS GONNA BE THE BEGINNING OF JULY.
AND THEN THE LED, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO SHOOT THE END OF JULY.
AND THE CONTENT PRODUCTION IS GOING TO BE 1ST OF AUGUST, SO THEY'RE GONNA BE ONE WITHIN, UH, THE OTHER.
WELL, I THINK WITH THAT, UM, NO OTHER MEMBERS OR STAFF IN THE QUEUE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU MR. PATA FOR THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
UM, WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO THE MEETING'S END, BUT I THINK BEFORE WE CONCLUDE, WE HAVE BEEN JOINED WITH ONE OTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO'S ASKED FOR A MOMENT TO BE RECOGNIZED AND CONSIDERED.
AND I'LL TURN NOW TO THAT, UH, WITH OUR FRIEND DOUG SMITH HERE TODAY.
DOUG, IF YOU'D APPROACH THE PODIUM, WE'LL RECOGNIZE YOU FOR THE ALLOTTED TIME AND, UM, THEN I THINK DRAW CLOSE TO THE MEETING.
DOUG SMITH FROM THE WEST SIDE, FROM A LEAF DISTRICT.
F GRATEFUL FOR YOU BEING HERE.
AND, UH, THE ALLOTTED TIME WILL BE VERY QUICK.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAVE.
I CAME TO SEE, I LEARNED ANYTHING NEW AND I HAVE, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THIS NEW OCULUS SYSTEM.
I THINK WITH THAT, UM, WE ARE TO CONCLUDE HERE MOMENTARILY, BUT PLEASE NOTE THAT THE PRESENTATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE TTI WEBSITE.
THAT'S WWW.HOUSTONTX.GOV/COUNSEL/COMMITTEES/TTI.HTML.
OUR AND OUR NEXT, UH, MEETING OF TTI WILL TAKE PLACE JULY 13TH.
NOTE THAT THAT IS THE SECOND THURSDAY OF THE MONTH BECAUSE OF THE JULY 4TH HOLIDAY, BUT THAT ALSO WILL BE AT 10:00 AM ON THURSDAY AGAIN, JULY 13TH.
WITH THAT, UH, EVERYONE, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR ATTENTION, AND UH, WE ARE ADJOURNED.