* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Press Conference: "Langwood Park Ribbon Cutting"] [00:00:20] HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING? WELL, WELCOME TO LANEWOOD PARK. YOU KNOW, MY NAME IS KENNETH ALLEN. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND I WANT TO THANK, THAT'S MY FRIEND OVER THERE THAT'S TELLING ME HELLO. ROUGH, ROUGH, RIGHT BACK AT YOU, . NO, IT'S JUST A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER'S 50 50 PARK PARTNERS RIBBON CUTTING, UH, CEREMONY FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS INTO OFFICIALLY OPEN LANGWOOD PARK. HOW ABOUT A ROUND OF APPLAUSE? AND WE ARE SO EXCITED TO WELCOME STUDENTS JOINING US FROM BRYN BROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HOME OF THE MIGHTY BENBROOK BEARS. YOU GUYS ARE EXCITED. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I WANT TO EXTEND MY APPRECIATION TO DANA GARDEN, THE SCHOOL, UH, PRINCIPAL, AND ALSO THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR, MS. PR, MS. PATRICIA WARD MORRIS. THANK YOU GUYS FOR PARTICIPATING TODAY. YOU KNOW, AS DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, IT'S MY PLEASURE AND AN HONOR TO OVERSEE OVER 383 PARKS. AND GUESS WHAT? TODAY YOU GUYS GET TO CELEBRATE ONE WITH ME, AND THAT IS, AGAIN, LANGWOOD PARK. THIS PARK WAS ACQUIRED IN 1958 WITH 10 ACRES OF PARK LAND THAT YOU GUYS CAN ENJOY. SO, UH, THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR BEING HERE. YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST ONE OF 22 PARKS THAT WE WILL CELEBRATE THIS YEAR, AND IT'S ALL DUE TO THE LEADERSHIP AND THE VISION OF OUR NEXT SPEAKER. SO I'D LIKE TO CALL TO THE PODIUM OUR HONORABLE MAYOR, SYLVESTER TURNER. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR ALLEN. GIVE IT UP TO DIRECTOR KENNETH ALLEN. OKAY. GOOD MORNING TO BEN BROOK. GOOD MORNING. LOOK, I'M MORE EXCITED TO COME TO SEE YOU ALL, REALLY. UH, LOOK, LEMME JUST SAY GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. IT'S CERTAINLY GREAT TO BE HERE IN LANGWOOD PARK, WHICH SERVES NORTHWEST HOUSTON RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT A AND YOU KNOW WHO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT A IS. GIVE IT UP TO COUNCIL MEMBER AMY P AND LET ME RECOGNIZE A NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE, ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE WITH US AS WELL. UH, WE ALSO HAVE AN AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON. GIVE IT UP TO HIM. AND SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR THE LAST 140 DAYS. GIVE IT UP TO STATE REPRESENTATIVE PENNY MORALE SHARP FROM DISTRICT 1 48. I'LL ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE RASHAD CAVE, REPRESENTING SENATOR JOHN WHITMEYER FOR THIS DISTRICT 15 RASH. AND THEN ALAN RO ROMAN, THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR AT LARGE. COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE KNOX. GIVE IT UP FOR HIM. I DON'T SEE SHANNON BUGS, UH, HERE YET. UH, BUT UH, SHE'S THE DIRECTOR OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES AND I'M ALSO EXCITED TO BE TO, TO BE HERE TO CELEBRATE WITH COMMUNITY ON THE FOURTH, UM, PARK MAKEOVER THROUGH OUR 50 50 PARK, UH, PARK PARTNERS INITIATIVE. THIS COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO LEVERAGE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE DOLLARS TO UPLIFT NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS IS SUCH A CRITICAL PART OF THIS ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE THAT PARKS PLAY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS ARE WHERE WE GATHER AS FAMILIES, WHERE WE COME TOGETHER VERY CLOSE TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. WE'VE IDENTIFIED 22 PARKS IN COMPLETE COMMUNITIES AND OTHER CRITICAL NEED AREAS OF THE CITY TO RECEIVE THESE UPGRADES. THIS IS 22 OF 50. ALL GOOD IDEAS AND PROJECTS NEED AN EXECUTION TEAM. AND I ASK THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP AND THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD TO WORK WITH THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP AND CARRY OUT OUR PLAN. AND SO I'D LIKE TO THANK BETH WHITE WHO IS NOT HERE TODAY, BUT PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO BETH WHITE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD AND THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD TEAM AND BOARD, WHICH OVERSEES FUNDRAISING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT OF THIS INITIATIVE. AND WE CERTAINLY COULD NOT HAVE MADE THIS PROJECT POSSIBLE [00:05:01] WITHOUT THE RESOURCES AND THE SUPPORT OF THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP. PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP. AND SPECIAL THANKS TO HANNAH COBB WHO JOINS US TODAY FROM THE PARTNERSHIP. HANNAH. ALRIGHT, HANNAH. AS OUR CITY CONTINUES TO GROW, SO DO THE NEEDS OF OUR CITIZENS AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. IT IS WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR GREEN PARTNERS AND ADVOCACY GROUPS THAT WE CAN DO MORE TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS, WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD A STRONGER, EQUITABLE, AND MORE RESILIENT CITY. OUR COLLABORATION AT LANGWOOD PARK NETTED A BEAUTIFULLY REVITALIZED GREEN SPACE FOR RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES AND THEIR PETS, UH, WITHIN THE LANGWOOD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. TO ENJOY THE EXTENSIVE UPGRADES TO LANGWOOD PARK INCLUDE A RESURFACE WALKING TRAIL THAT CIRCLES THE PARK AND IMPROVE DRAINAGE AND DETENTION TO MITIGATE AGAINST ANY FUTURE FLOODING. ADDITIONAL UPDATES INCLUDE AN UPGRADED A DA COMPLIANT PLAYGROUND WITH NEW PLAY EQUIPMENT AND SURFACE IMPROVED PICNIC AREAS, NEW EXERCISE STATIONS WITH SHADE SHELL RESURFACE AND RETRIP PARKING LOTS NEW LED LIGHTING AND THE TOTAL PARK INVESTMENT FOR THIS PROJECT IS JUST UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS. I ALSO WANNA THANK DIRECTOR KENNETH ALLEN AND THE ENTIRE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TEAM FOR THEIR SUPPORT. IF YOU ARE WITH PARKS AND REC, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND WHEREVER YOU ARE. I WANT TO THANK THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR THEIR COMMITMENT. THEY'RE WORKING ON ALL 22 OF THESE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND WITH THEIR SUPPORT AND GETTING THIS PARK READY FOR TODAY'S EVENT, THEY PROVIDED A ADDED INSTALLATION OF NEW BENCHES, PICNIC TABLES, GRILLS, DRINKING FOUNTAIN AND TRASH CANS. WE ALL KNOW THAT ACCESS TO COMMUNITY GREEN SPACE IS ESSENTIAL TO PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELLNESS FOR OUR RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. IT GIVES US A GREAT SENSE OF JOY THAT THE STUDENTS OF BENBROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ARE JOINING US FOR TODAY'S CELEBRATION. COME ON, GIVE IT UP TO THEM AGAIN. IN FACT, LET ME TELL YOU, IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU LITTLE ONES. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO PROVIDE GOOD QUALITY GREEN SPACE FOR ALL OF YOU IN COLLABORATION WITH YOUR SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND SO FINALLY, I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS FOR PROVIDING INPUT AND IDEAS IN THE PARKS UPGRADE. THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN DO IN THE CITY, BUT PARKS AND GREEN SPACE GET MORE USAGE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. AND OUR KIDS ARE DESERVING OF BEAUTIFUL, UPGRADED GREEN SPACE. THIS IS WHERE YOU'LL SPEND A LOT OF YOUR TIME. IF YOU'RE NOT IN SCHOOL, YOU CAN COME RIGHT ON OVER HERE, UH, TO, TO THIS PARTICULAR PARK. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MATT NISSEN, THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER WITH THE HOUSTON PARK BOARD. PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO MATT. GOOD MORNING. WOW, WHAT AN AUDIENCE. WE'RE NOT GONNA MISS YOU ALL. HERE IN SIGHT AND ALL BEING IN RED, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. UM, SO GOOD MORNING. IT IS A WONDERFUL DAY TO BE HERE FOR THE CITY AND FOR ALL OF US TO CELEBRATE THE 50 50 PARK PARTNERS INITIATIVE. AS MAYOR TURNER SAID, I'M MATT NIELSEN WITH HOUSTON PARKS BOARD AND STEPPING IN FOR BETH WHITE WHO WAS UNABLE TO BE WITH US TODAY. UM, WE ARE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT CREATES, PROVES, PROTECTS AND ADVOCATES, PARKS FOR EVERYONE, INCLUDING HERE TODAY AT LANGWOOD PARK. WE ARE THRILLED TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY AT THIS BEAUTIFUL PARK, AMMAN. AMIDST ALL THE WONDERFUL IMPROVEMENTS WHICH THE MAYOR SPOKE OF THAT WERE A PART OF THIS INITIATIVE HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN SHARED. HOUSTON PARKS BOARD IS APPRECIATIVE OF ALL OUR PARTNERS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS HERE TODAY TO MAKE THIS TRANSFORMATIVE WORK HAPPEN. PARTICULARLY MAYOR TURNER WHO CHALLENGED US TO INVEST EQUITABLY IN NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS. THIS MEANINGFUL WORK IS DONE WITH THE, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE MAYOR, BUT ALSO WITH OTHER OFFICIALS WHO THE MAYOR, UH, NOTED, UH, HERE TODAY AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK, UH, AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON. AND THEN OUR, OUR PARTNERS AT THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, AND THEN ALSO OUR PARTNERS HERE WITH THE SCHOOL WHO ARE HERE WITH US TODAY. WE ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE TEAM THAT WENT INTO THIS, UH, IN ADDITION TO HARD, WHO, UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND HAVING US WORK WITH YOU ON THE EXCITING INITIATIVE AS WELL AS OUR, UH, MARY TALLON ASSOCIATES WHO WAS THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT FIRM THAT DID THIS, UH, WITH MARY ELIZABETH AND CARRIE AND [00:10:01] THEN FROM CRAFTSMAN, UH, MARK REYNOLDS AND KELLY JAMES, WHO I BELIEVE IS HERE TODAY. AND THEN ALSO LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST TO RECOGNIZE OUR TEAM FROM HOUSTON PARKS BOARD WHO ARE HERE TODAY ALONG WITH OUR BOARD MEMBERS. I THINK TOM FLAHERTY IS HERE, BUT ALSO I WOULD LIKE FOR EVERYONE TO GIVE IT UP FOR HOUSTON PARKS BOARD AND IF THE TEAM COULD RAISE THEIR HAND. THANK YOU. UM, LANGWOOD, AS THE MAYOR SAID, LANGWOOD PARK IS THE FOURTH NEIGHBORHOOD PARK OF 22 TO RECEIVE THESE TRANSFORMATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS. SO WE ONLY HAVE 18 MORE TO GO BY THE END OF THE YEAR. , UM, THIS INITIATIVE BEING LED BY THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR ALONG WITH HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, ALSO THE OFFICE OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY, THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, AND THEN THE PARKS BOARD. THIS IS REALLY DEDICATED TO IMPROVING NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS UNDER THREE GOALS, PARK EQUITY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE IMPACT. WE ARE PROUD TO BE A PRIMARY PARTNER IN THIS INITIATIVE AND SERVE AS PROJECT MANAGER FOR THIS INITIATIVE. OUR ORGANIZATION AND PARTNERS HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, PECK'S TEAM AND THE LANGWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY VOICES WERE INDEED HEARD. WE CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR THIS PROJECT, BOTH IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH, INCLUDING VISITS TO THE PARK TO GATHER FEEDBACK FROM THE PARK USERS ALONG WITH, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS. SOME HELP DURING THE PANDEMIC WHERE WE DID MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO REACH EVERYBODY POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD. THESE IMPROVEMENTS BRING NEW LIFE TO THIS COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE. IT'S A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN CONGREGATE TOGETHER AND ENJOY TIME OUTDOORS, EVEN IN HEAT LIKE THIS. AND WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE LANGWOOD COMMUNITY FOR ALLOWING 50 50 TO BE A PART OF THIS PARK. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A CONTINUED LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS COMMUNITY. AND WITH THAT, I AM VERY PLEASED TO INTRODUCE DISTRICT A COUNCIL MEMBER. AMY PECK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I'M AMY PECK. I REPRESENT DISTRICT A IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. BEFORE I START, I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE A FEW PEOPLE. UM, WE HAVE OUR NEW, UM, POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMANDER FOR THE NORTHWEST DIVISION, COMMANDER LEON OVER HERE, AND ALSO OUR PARK RANGERS. THEY WERE OVER THERE. I THINK THEY'RE STILL OVER THERE. UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR KEEPING US SAFE, KEEPING THE PARK SAFE. SO ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THEM. THIS PARK IS SO EXCITING. I'M JUST, JUST THRILLED THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO THIS. WE HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT PROJECTS COMING UP IN THIS AREA. SOME FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECTS WORKING WITH HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT. WE HAVE SOME STREET RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN THE AREA, BUT OUT OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN THE LANGWOOD AREA, IN THE LANGWOOD COMMUNITY, THIS PARK IS REALLY GOING TO BE THE GAME CHANGER IN THIS ENTIRE AREA. AND IT'S SO EXCITING. SO YES, SO SORRY ADULTS, BUT I NEED TO TALK TO THE STUDENTS HERE FOR A MINUTE. ARE YOU GUYS EXCITED? RAISE YOUR HANDS IF YOU'RE EXCITED. YOU'RE SO EXCITED. WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT THE MOST? THE SLIDES? YES. YES. THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, THE WALKING TRAIL. YOU EXCITED? YEAH. EVERYTHING. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I HEARD. THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT EVERYTHING. THAT'S GREAT. OKAY, LET ME TELL YOU. THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK PUT INTO THIS PLAYGROUND, INTO THIS ENTIRE PARK BY OUR OFFICE, THE PARKS BOARD, HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE HERE BECAUSE THEY SUPPORT YOU AND THEY SUPPORT, SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. SO I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW EVERY TIME YOU COME TO THIS PARK AND YOU LOOK AT IT, JUST REMEMBER HOW MUCH YOUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTS YOU IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING. NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UM, WHO AM I, AMANDA RE. SO SHE PUT IN SO MUCH TIME INTO THIS PARK, UM, WITH A, A NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE INTO MAKING SURE THAT THIS PARK IS EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO I REALLY WANNA THANK HER FOR HER WORK IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. I'LL HAVE TO RAISE THIS UP. AS WE ALL KNOW, AMY'S ON THE FLOOR LEVEL WITH THE KIDS. , I'M GONNA SPEAK FROM MY HEART. I ACTUALLY GREW UP IN THIS PARK 30 PLUS YEARS AGO. AND MOVING BACK, SEEING THAT IT HADN'T BEEN KEPT UP, AND THEN SEEING ALL THESE KIDS, ALL OF THEM HERE TODAY AND KNOWING THAT IF THIS IS GONNA BE A PARK WE WANT THEM TO ENJOY, JUST LIKE I ENJOYED IT, WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING. THIS IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY AGAIN TO BRING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TOGETHER FOR A NICE NEW, CLEAN, SAFE PARK. AND I SAY THAT WHOLEHEARTEDLY. I SAY, IF YOU SEE ME WALKING AROUND TAKING PICTURES, I'M [00:15:01] NOT BEING CREEPY. BUT , ANYTHING THAT YOU LIKE AS A COMMUNITY YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF. AND EVERYONE BEHIND ME HAS DONE SUCH AN AMAZING JOB FOR FUNDRAISING, GETTING THE MONEY ALLOCATED, GETTING THIS GOING. AND IT'S OUR JOB AS A COMMUNITY, AS A NEIGHBORHOOD, AS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS THIS WAY. MAKE SURE IT STAYS BEAUTIFUL, SAFE. 3 1 1. I THINK THEY HAVE MY NAME MEMORIZED. PLEASE CALL THEM AS INDIVIDUALS. IF YOU KNOW OF ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED, IT'S ALL FOR THESE KIDS. IT'S ALL TO KEEP THEM SAFE. AND WE WANT THEM TO HAVE A WONDERFUL PLACE TO GROW UP IN. THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU MRS. LERE. YOU KNOW, SHE'S RIGHT FOR US TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING WORKING ALONE. YEAH, WE COULD DO A LITTLE SOMETHING, BUT WORKING TOGETHER, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, THE COMMUNITY, INDIVIDUALS CALLING 3 1 1, CALLING MY OFFICE, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING, PLEASE REPORT IT. UM, WE COULD DO A LOT MORE TOGETHER THAN WE CAN AS ONE. SO WHY DON'T YOU GIVE YOURSELVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR US GETTING TO THIS DAY. I'D LIKE TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PARKS, THE H PARK TEAM FOR THEIR DAY-TO-DAY EFFORT. YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY HOT OUTSIDE. WE'VE GONE THROUGH STORMS, WE'VE GONE THROUGH A LOT TOGETHER. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A GROUP OF DEDICATED EMPLOYEES THAT WORK DAY TO DAY TO MAKE THINGS BETTER, I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE H PARK TEAM. THOSE THAT WERE OUT HERE YESTERDAY AND DAYS BEFORE THAT, YOU KNOW, DOING GRUNT WORK. UM, I CALL IT BOOTS ON THE GROUND GUYS, TRIMMING TREES, UH, MOOCH CUTTING THE, CUTTING THE LAWN, JUST MAKING THINGS BETTER. SO H PARK TEAM, COULD YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND ONE MORE TIME? YEAH, WE GOT REPRESENTATIVES FROM, UH, GREEN SPACE FROM FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM. UM, RANGERS, DEFINITELY FINANCE. I HEARD THAT IN THE CORNER OF MY EAR. . WITHOUT THEM WE DO NOTHING . SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. UH, AT THIS TIME ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR OF CJ MESSIAH AND LISA JOHNSON FOR THEIR DAY-TO-DAY EFFORT IN, IN ENSURING THAT WE HAVE QUALITY WORK DONE AND WORKING ON ALL OF OUR CIP PROJECTS AND PARKS. SO LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE PLEASE. SO NOW FOR A LITTLE FUN, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, ONE SECOND. YES, SIR. BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, I, I DO, UM, UH, THE LEGISLATURE IS, IS COURSE VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND LET ME BRING UP A FIRST REPRESENTATIVE SHAW, UH, TO, TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE, UM, THE LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS, UH, REPRESENTING THIS AREA AND THEN TO PROVIDE, UH, TRANSLATION IN SPANISH. OH, OKAY. YEAH, IF Y'ALL DON'T MIND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I MEAN, I WOULD DO IT, BUT YOU KNOW, TURNER, HOUSTON, WE, I DON'T THINK THEY NEED A TRANSLATION. [00:20:35] FEL . THANK YOU BOTH. OKAY. I DON'T THINK I'LL BE ABLE TO TRANSLATE, BUT GUESS WHAT? WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FUN. SO, SO AT THIS TIME, MAYOR, UH, DIGNITARIES COMMUNITY, IF YOU COULD MEET ME TO MY LEFT, YOUR RIGHT. JUST BEFORE THE PLAYGROUND. WE'RE GONNA RIBBON CUT, UH, THIS PART. THANK YOU ALL EVERYONE. 1, 2, 3. GO. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.