* 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. [00:00:04] MS. ATTORNEY, I'M CALLING THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. ORDER [PRESENTATIONS] CHAIR RECOGNIZES VICE MAYOR PRO TEM KA TATUM FOR A PROCLAMATION TO BRANDY HARLOW, CEO OF SOUTH POST OAK RECYCLING CENTER, TO RECOGNIZE HER FOR BEING NAMED SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS BY THE US SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ROBINSON. THE MAYORS GONNA COME RIGHT THERE, RIGHT THERE IN THE CENTER. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND, UH, COUNCIL. TODAY WE ARE JOINED, UM, BY BRANDY HARLOW, WHO IS THE CEO OF SOUTH POST OAK RECYCLING CENTER, LOCATED IN DISTRICT K. BACK IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, BRANDY HARLOW WENT TO THE WHITE HOUSE TO RECEIVE THE TEXAS SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN. SOUTH POST OAK RECYCLING CENTER IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF A SUCCESSFUL LOCAL SMALL, UH, SMALL BUSINESS IN HOUSTON. BRANDY HARLOW'S ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT HAS NOT ONLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY, BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY'S WELLBEING. THE RECYCLING CENTER PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN PROMOTING SUSTAINABILITY AND REDUCING THE ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT IN HOUSTON. BY SUPPORTING SOUTH POST OAK RECYCLING CENTER, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES CAN TAKE PRIDE IN KNOWING THEY ARE DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY. AND MAYOR, I DID HAVE A OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO BRANDY ABOUT OUR RECENT TRIP AND ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF RECYCLING AND TOLD HER I WANTED TO SHARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED WHILE WE WERE, UM, IN AFRICA WITH, UH, RECYCLING. SO, I'M HAPPY TODAY TO PRESENT TO BRANDY HARLOW, THIS PROCLAMATION, AND IT READS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR ECONOMY, PROVIDING JOBS AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY FOR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. BRANDI HARLOW IS THE SECOND GENERATION OWNER OF SOUTH POST OAK RECYCLING CENTER, AN AWARD-WINNING ENTERPRISE THAT HAS SERVED THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOR SEVERAL DECADES. BRANDI HARLOW HAS A PASSION FOR PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT AND EDUCATING OTHERS ON DOING THEIR PART TO HELP SAVE THE PLANET. HER ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY SPANS OVER 25 YEARS DURING WHICH SHE HAS EXEMPLIFIED EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP, INNOVATION, AND DEDICATION IN THE FIELD OF SUSTAINABLE RECYCLING. UNDER BRANDY'S, VISIONARY GUIDANCE, SOUTH POST OAK RECYCLING CENTER HAS BECOME A TRUSTED AND SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS, PROVIDING TRANSPARENT, SUSTAINABLE RECYCLING SERVICES, SOLUTIONS TO DIVERSE INDUSTRIES SUCH AS CONSTRUCTION, MANUFACTURING, ENERGY, AUTOMOTIVE, AND MORE, WHILE FOCUSING ON MATERIALS LIKE ALUMINUM, BRASS, COPPER, STAINLESS STEEL, IRON, AND ALLIES. BRANDI HARLOW'S CONTRIBUTIONS EXTEND BEYOND HER BUSINESS ENDEAVORS AS SHE SERVES AS A MAYORAL APPOINTED CHAIR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES ADVISORY BOARD. SHE'S A BOARD MEMBER FOR THE INSTITUTE OF SCRAP RECYCLING INDUSTRIES AND THE RECYCLING COUNCIL OF TEXAS. AMONG OTHER NOTABLE POSITIONS, THE US SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION HAS BESTOWED UPON BRANDY HARLOW, THE ESTEEMED HONOR OF BEING SELECTED AS THE 2023 TEXAS SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR. THE CITY OF HOUSTON APPLAUDS BRANDY HARLOW FOR HER EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS, INSPIRING LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM. SO THEREFORE, I, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JULY 25TH, 2023 AS BRANDY HALLOW DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU HONOR. WHAT AN HONOR. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. YES. I, I HAVE TO SAY, I AM TRULY GRATEFUL. UM, NEVER THOUGHT THAT BEING IN THE RECYCLING INDUSTRY, UM, AND FOCUSED ON SUSTAINABILITY AND JOB CREATION WOULD WARRANT SUCH A OPPORTUNITY AND AN HONOR. UM, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO BE IN DISTRICT K FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS. I'M GRATEFUL FOR EACH OF YOU THAT SIT UP HERE FOR CONTINUING TO GOVERN THIS GREAT CITY THAT WE'RE IN. AND I'M GRATEFUL TO YOU, MAYOR, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE. UM, BUT I, I HAVE TO SAY, I, I AM BUILDING ON THE BACKS OF THOSE WHO COME BEFORE ME. UM, I HAVE FREDDY ROBINSON AND ANGELA ROBINSON WHO STAND IN FRONT OF ME ON [00:05:01] SIDE ME AND BEHIND ME, AND WHO ACTUALLY STARTED THIS BUSINESS 30 YEARS AGO. SO FOR YOU GUYS, I'M VERY GRATEFUL. THANK YOU, MS. HARLOW. AND SHE DIDN'T SAY THAT, BUT THAT'S HER MAMA AND DAD WE'RE SO USED TO BUSINESS, BUSINESS AS USUAL. MS. HARLOW, LET ME, UH, SAY FROM THE, FROM THE CHAIR HERE, HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK. UM, THAT IS CITYWIDE. UH, AS AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER, LET ME TELL YOU THAT THAT'S EVERY SQUARE INCH OF THE CITY, BUT YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT DISTRICT, UH, TO BE RECYCLING WITH OUR VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM. THERE'S NONE OTHER AMONGST US WHO CARES MORE ABOUT THE WAY THE CITY LOOKS AND THE WOMAN YOU'RE STANDING WITH. AND AS A ROBINSON, LET ME TELL YOU HOW PROUD I AM TO BE HERE IN THIS ROOM WITH YOU ON THIS DAY. CONGRATULATIONS, THE SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR. UM, WELL DONE, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. AND THIS MORNING IS, UH, THE CHAIR WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KUBOSH FOR A PROCLAMATION TO CHEF WILLIE HOLMES TO RECOGNIZE HIM FOR HIS OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS, WILLIE HOLMES, AND TO RECOGNIZE HIM FOR HIS OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KUBOSH, COMING TO THE PODIUM, MAYOR WITH YOU. AND THE FLOOR IS YOURS. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER. GOOD TO SEE BACK, BACK TO HAVE YOU BACK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, IT'S MY HONOR TODAY TO HONOR CHEF WILLIE HOLMES. UH, CHEF HOLMES, WOULD YOU JOIN UP US UP HERE? CHEF HOLMES WAS, UH, BORN IN HOUSTON AND RAISED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. HE ATTENDED, UH, LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL AND STEVEN AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY, BECOMING THE FIRST IN HIS FAMILY TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE. CHEF WILLIE THEN ATTENDED THE PRESTIGIOUS LA CORDON BLUE COLLEGE OF CULINARY ARTS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. HE STARTED HIS CHEF JOURNEY AND ST. PETERSBURG, ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, WHERE HE ROSE FROM THE PASTRY COOK TO EXECUTIVE CHEF BY THE AGE OF 24, CHEF WILLIE OPENED, HELPED OPEN, UH, ST. PETERSBURG FIRST UNDERGROUND DESSERT BAR, AND BECAME, UH, A BEST OF THE BAY WINNER IN 2014. AND A BEST OF THE BAY, BEST CHEF, UH, NOMINEE IN 2015. IN 2016, HE RETURNED HOME TO HOUSTON AND STARTED HIS OWN BUSINESS, WHICH GREW TO INCLUDE CATERING SERVICES, COOKING CLASSES, AND POP-UP DINNERS. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, HIS BUSINESS WAS NOT ABLE TO SURVIVE AS THERE WERE LITTLE DEMAND FOR PRIVATE CHEFS, CATERERS, PASTRY CHEFS, OR HOME BAKERS. AS A RESULT, HE LOST EVERYTHING AND BECAME HOMELESS UNTIL A GOOD FRIEND HELPED HIM OFF THE STREETS. MAN, THAT'S A STORY THERE. STARTING, UH, STARTING OVER AGAIN. HE SERVES TABLES AT BAKERS BAKER STREET PUB. WORKED AT THE CORONARY CORNER BAKERY IN KATY AND SOLD HOT PLATES OF FOOD ON THE CORNER OF WILCREST AND BRIAR FOREST. WITH THE HELP OF A FRIEND, DEANDRE COLLINS, HE CREATED THE MASKED BAKER, UH, BAKING COMPETITION ON FOOD FOODIE TV, A DIGITAL MEDIA PLATFORM FOR CHEFS, CELEBRITIES, AND RESTAURANTER TO TEARS. FOR SIX SEASONS, HE HOSTED THE COMPETITION, WHICH HIGHLIGHTED BAKERS AND CHEFS OF COLOR TO HELP SMALL BAKERS STAY RELEVANT AND SEEN. HE THEN CREATED THE TEXAS BAKERS GUILD AWARDS TO HONOR HOUSTON'S CULINARY COMMUNITY. AS A CELEBRITY CHEF, HE COOKS FOR VIP CLIENTELE, SUCH AS CURTIS 50 CENT JACKSON, AND LA EL AND DON ROBERTS OF THE MIAMI DOLPHINS. CHEF WILLIE DONATES HIS TIME AND SERVICES TO VARIOUS CHURCHES AND ORGANIZATIONS, HOSTING TOY DRIVES WITH VICTORY AND CHRIST BAPTIST CHURCH, AND SERVING AS A MAJOR SUPPORTER OF A BIG BROTHER, BIG SISTERS, AS WELL AS OTHER WORTHY ORGANIZATION. CHEF WILLIE'S PURPOSE IN LIFE IS TO PROVIDE HAPPINESS, COMFORT, AND [00:10:01] POSITIVITY, UH, POSITIVE PERSONALITY THROUGH THE HIS FOOD, WHILE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. MAYOR, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. AND BASED ON ALL THAT YOU HAVE SAID AND MORE, UH, IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO SAY SO. THEREFORE, I SYLVESTER TURNER MAYOR CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROUDLY PROCLAIMS JULY 25TH, 2023, AS CHEF WILLIE HOLMES DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. CONGRATULATIONS. APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH. OH, MY GOODNESS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I, I WROTE A SPEECH. WELL, OKAY. YOU KNOW, AS I'M GONNA TAKE THIS TIME, YOU GUYS. UM, SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, FIRST I WANNA, I WANNA THANK GOD, UH, MASTER INVESTOR TURNER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KU AS WELL, AND CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, SANDRA STRONG, UH, FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. UH, I WANT TO THANK, UH, MY FRATERNITY, SNU, UH, MY TEAM, MY MANAGER, MARVIN, UM, MY PR MS. JUDY FOSTER AND STANFORD, UH, MY MENTOR, SERENA CASTELLI, AND MR. CLARK CUMMINGS. UM, AND THEN ALSO ALL OF THE MEDIA AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. UM, AND, AND LASTLY, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I WANNA THANK ME, YOU KNOW, UH, , SERIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, BABY . UM, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NO, UM, TODAY, I'M, I'M, I'M DEDICATING THIS AWARD TO, UM, MY BEST FRIEND, SHAY AGARWAL. SHE, UH, IS CURRENTLY FIGHTING IN ICU RIGHT NOW. SO THIS AWARD IS TO HER, YOU KNOW, HER STRENGTH, HER RESILIENCE, AND HER POSITIVE ATTITUDE, UH, HAS PLAYED SUCH IMPACT ON ME IN GETTING ME TO THIS MOMENT. AND I KNOW SHE WAS ABLE TO BE HERE. SHE WOULD BE HERE. UM, I'M TRULY HONORED TO STAND HERE AND REPRESENT THE HOUSTON CULINARY COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, AS, AS A LITTLE KID WHO GREW UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF HOUSTON, UH, YOU KNOW, SOUTH AKER'S HOMES STAND UP. UM, YOU KNOW, IT PROVES TO ME THAT THAT WITH A LOT OF HARD WORK, UM, DETERMINATION, PERSEVERANCE, AND, UH, JUST A LITTLE PIZAZZ, UM, YOU CAN REALLY MAKE IT OUT HERE IN THESE STREETS. YOU KNOW? UM, NOW, NOW, CARRIE WASHINGTON AS OLIVIA POPE, SHE WAS RIGHT WHEN SHE SAID, YOU HAVE TO WORK TWICE AS HARD TO GET HALF THE RECOGNITION AS OTHERS, YOU KNOW? AND IN THIS CULINARY WORLD, UM, US HOME BAKERS US PRIVATE SHELVES, US CATERERS, YOU KNOW, US PERSONAL CHEF, WE HAVE TO WORK TWICE AS HARD TO GET HALF OF THE RECOGNITION AS ANY URS TODAY. YOU KNOW? UM, FOR, FOR ME, IT'S LIKE, I WANT, I WANT A JAMES BEARD AWARD. YOU KNOW, I WIN A MICHIGAN STAR, TOO. YOU KNOW, WHY CAN, WHY CAN'T WE HAVE IT? YOU KNOW? UM, SO IT'S, IT'S MOMENTS LIKE THIS. WHEN, WHEN YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING ME TODAY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE STILL NOT ABLE JUST TO HIGHLIGHT ME, BUT YOU'RE STILL ABLE TO SHINE A COMMUNITY, A LIGHT ON THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. UM, AND, AND THAT'S WHY I CREATED THE MASS BAKER AND THE BAKER'S GUILD AWARDS, UH, TO DO JUST THAT, TO SHINE A LIGHT ON A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT TEND TO GO UNNOTICED TODAY. COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, I'VE INVITED A LOT OF CHEFS WITH ME, SO, BECAUSE THIS DAY COULD HAVE BEEN ANY OF OURS A DAY, YOU KNOW, UM, AND WHEN MS. SANDRA ASKED ME WHAT WOULD I WANT TO DO, I WANT TO SHOW YOU GUYS WHO, WHO ALL OF US ARE, YOU KNOW? SO WITH ME IN THE AUDIENCE, IF, IS THERE ANY CHEFS IN THE HOUSE, PEOPLE IN YOUR CHEF JACKETS, AND COME JOIN ME UP HERE AS WELL, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU GUYS TO THEM AS WELL. 'CAUSE LIKE I SAID, TODAY, IT COULD BE ANY OF OUR DAYS. YOU KNOW, UM, CHEF FROM CHEF MIA, KID BAKER M SHE'S ONLY 13 YEARS OLD. SHE MAKES SOME OF THE BEST BOLIVIA IN ALL OF HOUSTON. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CHEF SHAA ATKINS. SHE'S BEEN FEATURED ON SO MANY DIFFERENT SHOWS. WE HAVE CHEF CALEB P TWO TIME AWARD-WINNING PASTRY CHEF FROM HER D FRY CUPCAKE. WE HAVE CHEF TAMMY ALLEY, HOUSTON'S ONLY BLACK-OWNED WEDDING CUSTOM CAKE SHOP IN THE HOUSTON. WE HAVE CHEF CLINTON, A MULTI AWARD-WINNING CHEF. WE HAVE CHEF CASSIE. SHE'S ONE OF HOUSTON'S ONLY SIGNATURE BLACK-OWNED ITEMS INSIDE GROCERY STORES. FANIA, UH, AUSTIN. WE HAVE CHEF ELAINE BAILEY, WHO MAKES SOME OF THE BEST CHEESECAKE IN THE WORLD. WE HAVE AWARD-WINNING CHEF MIKE HORN. YOU KNOW, HE LITERALLY IS AN AWARD-WINNING CHEF, SEASON FIVE, WINNER OF THE MASS BAKER FROM HIS THIRD SNATCH, HIS CHEESECAKE. WE HAVE CHEF BRANDY, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO ONE OF HER COOKING WITH THE VIBE CLASSES, YOU ARE LITERALLY MISSING OUT. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CHEF SHANNON, TOO. HE IS HOUSTON'S FIRST CHOPPED CHAMPION RIGHT HERE IN THE HOUSE TODAY. AND WE HAVE CHEF REGINALD SCOTT, ONE OF HOUSTON'S TOP CHEFS, ALL THE WAY FROM MEMPHIS TO SHOW YOU GUYS WHAT HIS BARBECUE CAN DO. THIS IS THE MOMENT THAT I WANTED TO SHOW YOU GUYS. THIS IS WHAT THE CULINARY COMMUNITY DOES. WE ARE AFFECTED BY ALL, WE'RE ALL INFECTED. UM, YOU KNOW, TODAY, YOU GUYS, UH, I, IF I, IF I LEFT YOU GUYS WITH ONE THING THAT, THAT I'VE LEARNED, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING I LEARNED A LONG TIME AGO WITH MY FRATERNITY MEMBERS OF SNU, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S LOVE, HONOR, AND TRUTH. LOVE YOURSELF, HONOR YOURSELF, AND STAY TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE. YOU GUYS, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PLAYING SMALL IN THIS WORLD. THAT'S NOTHING FOR NO ONE, YOU KNOW. UM, BE BOLD, BE BRILLIANT. FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS AND NEVER GIVE UP. 'CAUSE ONE DAY YOU GUYS BE STANDING HERE AND GETTING YOUR OWN DAY AS WELL. COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU. I YIELD THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. [00:15:01] ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, CHEF. MY GOD, CHEF, JUST WANNA SAY, EVERYBODY IS INVITED TO THE RECEPTION AT FINN HALL, UH, RIGHT AFTER THIS. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. THIS IS CHEF WILLIE, YOU, UH, REALLY LEAVING YOUR MARK HERE. WE APPRECIATE IT. I THINK THERE'S SOME STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE CHEESECAKE YOU TALKED ABOUT JUST A MINUTE AGO. , LET ME TURN TO THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, UH, CHAIR ROBINSON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KUBACH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR AMPLIFYING THIS IMPORTANT CULINARY SCENE. UH, HOUSTON IS KNOWN FOR MANY THINGS, AND OUR CUISINE IS ONE OF THEM. AND WE CAN'T HAVE A CULTURE OF GREAT CUISINE WITHOUT GREAT CHEFS. AND SO WE ARE AMPLIFYING SOME OF THE GREATEST CHEFS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TODAY. UM, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR DAY. THANK YOU. AND GIVING A PLATFORM TO SO MANY OTHER CHEFS. AND I NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHICH ONE YOU SAID MAKES THE BEST CHEESECAKE, BECAUSE THAT'S MY THING, . I THINK WE ALL CONSECUTIVE CAN RAISE OUR HANDS, YOU KNOW, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING HOUSTON ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO GET THE BEST FOOD. UM, AND WE COULD NOT BE KNOWN FOR THAT WITHOUT PHENOMENAL CHEFS THAT ARE DOING INCREDIBLE WORK IN OUR CITY. SO, WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME AWAY FROM YOUR CRAFT TODAY TO BE HERE, BUT WE CELEBRATE EACH ONE OF YOU FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN OUR CITY, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR DAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, CHEF WILLIE. CHEF WILLIE. WE'RE ALSO GONNA HEAR FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE KNOX. THANK YOU. HEY, CHEF WILLIE. HEY, I JUST HAVE SOME, A SUGGESTION FOR YOU FOR THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU WIN A, A DAY. YOU MIGHT WANNA COME UP PREPARED NEXT TIME, , YOU KNOW, YOU MAY WANNA, YOU MAY WANNA BRING SOME SUPPORT WITH YOU OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SAYING. NO, CONGRATULATIONS. UH, WELL DESERVED. I LOVE YOUR STORY ABOUT BEING HOMELESS AND COMING BACK. I MEAN, THAT COVID HIT ALL OF US REAL HARD, THANK YOU. AND IT DAMAGED A LOT OF PEOPLE. AND, UM, YOUR STORY IS A COMEBACK STORY THAT'S WORTH TELLING. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. YOU BET. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, CHEF HOLMES, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN. CONGRATULATIONS, CHEF WILLIE, AND THANKS FOR HIGHLIGHTING PERSONAL CHEFS. MY, MY NEPHEW IS A PERSONAL CHEF AND HAS BEEN FOR, LIKE, THE LAST 10 YEARS, AND IT'S JUST SUCH A GREAT, IT IS GREAT FIELD. AND I WANT EVERYBODY'S CARD, . LET'S DO IT. LET'S MAKE IT. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. UH, THIS IS A TIME FOR YOU. IF YOU HAVE ANY FINAL COMMENTS. UH, JUST THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. I, I MEAN, I APPRECIATE THIS MOMENT. LIKE I SAY, EVERYBODY, GUYS, I'M DOING THE RECEPTION OVER AT FON HALL, UM, COME OUT, HAVE SOME APPETIZERS, DRINKS, AND WINE ALL ON ME. SO, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. SHOUT OUT TO MIRANDA. VERY GOOD. AND COUNCIL MEMBER, BACK TO YOU. WELL, CHEF WILLIE BROUGHT A LOT OF FOOD TO MY OFFICE, AND I BELIEVE I, I BELIEVE IT'S ALL EATEN. IT DON'T, FOR THE MOST PART. IT IS ALL GONE. IT'S ALL, OH, IT IS GONE. SO, SO, MARY, YOU WERE FLYING IN, SO YOU DIDN'T GET ANY OF IT, BUT, BUT, UH, IT, IT, IT, IT, WE HAD A WHOLE CROWD IN MY OFFICE TODAY, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING. THANK, THANK YOU. WHY DON'T WE DO THIS, UH, UH, Y'ALL STEPPED BACK. JUST, [00:24:43] I, I KNOW. I GOTTA STAY HERE. IT'S UP HERE. OKAY. [2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] LET'S PROCEED TO THE SECOND PORTION FOR TODAY. UH, THE CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, [00:25:01] UH, FOR THE INVOCATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. BOW YOUR HEADS. LORD, WE GIVE YOU OUR LAND, OUR HOMES, OUR LABOR, AND OUR CITY. LOOK WITH FAVOR ON OUR COMMUNITY, PROTECT OUR CITIZENS, AND ENRICH OUR LAND SO THAT WE MAY BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS. GOD, I PRAY THAT OUR LEADERS SEEK YOUR GUIDANCE IN ALL THAT THEY DO. PLEASE BLESS THEM WITH YOUR DIVINE WISDOM AND THE MIND OF CHRIST, SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE DECISIONS WITH UNDERSTANDING AND HUMILITY. AMEN. AMEN. PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FROM WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING] MADAM SECRETARY ON THE ROLL CALL, MAYOR TURNER. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER PEG HERE. COUNCIL JACKSON, COUNCIL CAYMAN. PRESENT, COUNCILMAN EVAN SHAVAS. COUNCILMAN MARTIN WILL BE ASKING, COUNCILMAN THOMAS. COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN? PRESENT? COUNCILMAN CISNEROS? HERE. COUNCILMAN GALLEGOS? HERE. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. COUNCILMAN CASTEX TATUM. COUNCILMAN KNOX. HERE. COUNCILMAN ROBINSON. HERE. COUNCIL KUBO. HERE. COUNCILMAN PALMER WILL BE ASKING COUNCILOR ALCORN HERE, NEED A MOTION TO DELAY THE MINUTES? MOVE ROBINSON. KUBOSH. SECONDS MOVED. AND SECOND ON THE DELAY OF THE MINUTES. ANY OBJECTION, CHAIR? NONE. MOTION IS GRANTED. [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILMAN MC CAMAN FOR A PROCEDURAL MOTION. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. WELCOME BACK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES, UH, TO MOVE KELLY ROSEN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE THREE MINUTE AGENDA LIST TO FOLLOW. EMILY NIPPER. THEY'RE ALL SPEAKING ON THE SAME ITEM. SECOND ROBINSON. OKAY. YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION BEEN SECOND? ANY OBJECTION, CHAIR? NONE. MOTION IS GRANTED. ARE THERE ANY OTHER PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN? UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO SPIN THE RULES AND ADD, UM, BILL LITTLEJOHN TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST. SECOND, ROBINSON. BEEN MOVED IN SECOND TO ADD BILL LITTLEJOHN TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST. ANY OBJECTION, CHAIR? NONE. MOTION IS GRANTED. ANY OTHER PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? HEARING SAYING NONE, MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL PROCEED TO CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER, JUSTIN, ROS ROWINSKI. JUSTIN ROWINSKI. JUSTIN IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY BILL LITTLEJOHN. THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA. OH, NON AGENDA. I'M SORRY. NON AGENDA. YEAH. GOOD. RIGHT BEHIND. RIGHT BEHIND THAT MIC. EITHER ONE. OKAY. THERE YOU GO. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JUSTIN ROWINSKI. I'M HERE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 32. THAT'S THE APPLICATION BY HEIGHTS PRESCHOOL. UM, I'M A FATHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS AT HEIGHTS PRESCHOOL. WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR JUST OVER A YEAR. WE LOVE IT. KELLY RUNS A TIGHT SHIP. YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM HER AND SOME OTHER NEIGHBORS, I THINK A LITTLE BIT LATER. UH, THIS AFTERNOON. UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE APPLICATION THAT'S BEEN MADE IS QUITE STRAIGHTFORWARD. IT'S A STATUTE ON THE BOOKS, UM, PROVISION THAT APPLIES IN A DIFFERENT PROVISION TO OTHER SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND HOSPITALS. THIS PROVISION APPLIES TO DAYCARE. SEEMS TO ME WE'RE SIMPLY ASKING THE COUNCIL TO APPLY THAT TO A DAYCARE. I THINK, AS WE ALL KNOW, CHILDCARE IS VERY IMPORTANT. UH, AND EVEN MORE SO COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, UM, ESPECIALLY IN THE HEIGHTS, ESPECIALLY WHERE IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WITHIN TWO TO THREE MILES OF THE HEIGHTS THERE ARE CHILDCARE DESERTS. IN FACT, UM, THIS PROVISION, UM, SHOULD HELP, UH, KELLY EXPAND, PERHAPS. UM, BUT REGARDLESS, I THINK IT'S JUST GOOD POLICY TO KEEP, UM, ESTABLISHMENTS SERVING ALCOHOL OUTSIDE OF 300 FEET FROM DAYCARE. THAT'S WHY THIS COUNCIL ENACTED. I THINK IT SHOULD BE APPLIED. UM, AND MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL IS THAT THERE IS NO, UH, EXISTING BUSINESSES THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED. UM, SO TO ME AS A PARENT, UM, IT, IT SEEMS STRAIGHTFORWARD. UM, I HOPE THE COUNCIL, UH, AGREES, UM, AND ADOPTS OR APPROVES THE APPLICATION THAT'S BEEN MADE BY HEIGHTS PRESCHOOL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, JUSTIN, I, WE HAVE A FEW OTHER SPEAKERS AND I WANNA MAKE SURE WE CAN GET TO THEM, BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING. UM, YOU, YOUR CHILDREN, YOU SAID GO TO THE SCHOOL, BUT YOU ALSO LIVE, DO YOU LIVE NEAR THE SCHOOL AS WELL? I DO. UM, I DON'T KNOW THE, THE EXACT, UH, FOOTAGE, BUT, UH, COLUMBIAN 16TH. SO QUITE CLOSE THERE IN THE HEIGHTS. GREAT. AND AGAIN, IF YOU COULD JUST RESTATE WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU AS A RESIDENT AND AS A PARENT. UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, UM, THE SAFETY, UH, OF THE CHILDREN. UM, I THINK THAT, UM, ENSURING, UM, THAT AGAIN, ANY NEW BUSINESSES COULD NOT BE SELLING [00:30:01] ALCOHOL WITHIN 300 FEET OF THE SCHOOL, UM, MAKES SENSE FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE, IT SEEMS PRUDENT. UM, AND I THINK AS A PARENT OF CHILDREN THERE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT DONE. UM, AND AS SOMEONE WHO LIVES NEARBY, UM, THERE ARE PLENTY OF GREAT ESTABLISHMENTS THAT WE LIKE TO GO TO. UM, BUT THEY CAN BE MORE THAN 300 FEET, UM, FROM THE DAYCARE. THANK YOU. AND JUSTIN, REALLY QUICKLY, UM, BECAUSE I'VE RECEIVED, IN MAY, I BELIEVE WE'VE ALL NOW RECEIVED A PACKET OF OVER 40 SIGNATURES FROM RESIDENTS, UM, THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE IN SUPPORT OF THIS, AS WELL AS, UH, SOME NEW LETTERS THAT HAVE COME IN FROM PARENTS OF THE SCHOOL. UM, BECAUSE YOU LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, DID YOU ATTEND ANY, WERE THERE MEETINGS ABOUT THIS? IS THERE, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SUPPORT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD? SURE. YEAH. UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT I PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN TO AN IN-PERSON MEETING, BUT I KNOW KELLY'S BEEN PRETTY ACTIVE IN SOLICITING. UM, SHE'S COMPLIED MY UNDERSTANDING WITH ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR POSTING. UH, AND I CERTAINLY CANVAS THE NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, I WALK MY CHILDREN WHEN IT'S A LITTLE BIT COOLER. UM, AND, UH, UH, I THINK I WAS TALKING WITH ONE NEIGHBOR A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE, THERE IS SUPPORT FOR IT. UM, I THINK THERE'S A BUSINESS OWNER WHO APPEARS TO BE OPPOSED, BUT IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME WHY. UM, BUT OTHERWISE, I DO THINK THAT THE RESIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE, UH, PARENTS WHO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO THE DAYCARE ARE, UM, ALMOST UNIFORMLY IN, IN, IN SUPPORT OF THIS APPLICATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER, CHAD MASON. CHAD MASON IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY SEAN LEE. GOOD, GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M CHAD BASIN, MY WIFE MICHELLE AND I LIVE AT 2024 COLUMBIA STREET. LOCATED INSIDE THE 300 FOOT BOUNDARY OF THE PROPOSED ALCOHOL FREE ZONE. AND WANNA PROVIDE OUR SUPPORT FOR IT. WE SUPPORT THE MISSION OF HEIGHTS PRESCHOOL AND THE TREMENDOUS WORK THEY'RE DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE MOVED TO OUR HEIGHTS HOME IN NOVEMBER OF 2010, AND HAVE BUILT A FAMILY IN THE PEACEFUL AREA FOR ALMOST 13 YEARS. OUR TWO GIRLS, EIGHT AND 10 YEARS OF AGE PLAY WITH APPROXIMATELY EIGHT OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN IN THE ALLEYWAY ON A NIGHTLY BASIS THAT WE NOW SHARE WITH THE CREEK GROUP THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY FOR THE LAST A HUNDRED YEARS. I'M HERE TODAY TO NOT ONLY SUPPORT PROTECTIONS FOR MY TWO GIRLS, BUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS AND THE KIDS OF HEIGHTS PRESCHOOL, WHO WOULD NOT WANNA FIGHT TO PROTECT CHILDREN AS BOTH OF US ARE FATHERS OF GIRLS. I BELIEVE MR. MOSLEY AND I PROBABLY AGREE ON MORE ISSUES THAN WE DISAGREE ON. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE MR. MOSELEY WANTED PEACE IN HIS FIGHT AGAINST DEVELOPERS BUILDING A 84 CONDO, BUILDING 84 UNIT CONDO BUILDING IN 2012 AS HOUSTON CHRONICLE ARTICLE FROM OCTOBER 11TH, 2012, READS THE FATHER OF THREE, AN AREA BUSINESS OWNER, SAYS HIS YARD WILL NO LONGER BE A SAFE PLACE TO, TO PLAY IF A BRIDGE IS BUILT RIGHT NEXT DOOR. THROUGHOUT THE ARTICLE, MR. MOSELEY ASKED, WOULD YOU BRING YOUR CHILD TO MY DAUGHTER'S BIRTHDAY PARTY? MR. MOSELEY WAS WORRIED ABOUT 84 AFFLUENT CONDO OWNERS MOVING NEXT DOOR TO HIS CHILDREN. I'M WORRIED ABOUT 84 DRUNKS IN MY BACKYARD EVERY NIGHT. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE NOISE? SEVEN DAYS A WEEK UNTIL 10:00 PM OR LATER WITH THE OUTDOOR SEATING? AS WITH 10 TO 15 YOUNG KIDS ON OUR BLOCK, TRY TO GET SOME SLEEP TO HAVE A GOOD DAY AT SCHOOL THE FOLLOWING DAY. IMPOSSIBLE. WE JUST WANT THE PEACE THAT WE HAD WHEN WE PURCHASED OUR HOME 13 YEARS AGO. HEIGHTS PRESCHOOL HAS BEEN A STELLAR COMMUNITY MEMBER FOR OVER 10 YEARS, PROVIDING AFFORDABLE DAYCARE FOR OVER A HUNDRED CHILDREN. WE NEED TO RESPECT, HONOR, AND CHERISH THE GREAT WORK THAT KELLY IS DOING FOR OUR HOUSTON HEIGHTS COMMUNITY. WE NEED TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT CHILDREN THAT SHE PROVIDES CARE FOR EACH DAY. COMMUNITY STARTS AND ENDS WITH KIDS. AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANOTHER WATERING HOLE. I'M ASKING EACH OF YOU AS COMMUNITY SERVANTS TO DO THE RIGHT THING. HOUSTON HAS BARS ON NEARLY EVERY OTHER CORNER, BUT FEW SAFE PLACES FOR CHILDREN. I'M ASKING FOR YOU TO VOTE FOR CHILDREN'S SAFETY AND VOTE FOR ALLOWING THE 300 FOOT ALCOHOL FREE ZONE. ALL SCHOOLS CURRENTLY HAVE THIS SIMPLE ORDINANCE. WHY SHOULDN'T A HUNDRED VULNERABLE CHILDREN OF HEIGHTS PRESCHOOL ALSO HAVE THE SAME? THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF, UH, THIS COUNCIL, AND I TRULY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MCC KAMAN. THANK YOU. UH, CHAD, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING. UH, AGAIN, CAN YOU JUST STATE, BECAUSE YOU LIVE ON THE STREET AND THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHETHER THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS INVOLVED OR NOT, CAN YOU JUST STATE WHETHER OR NOT YOU FEEL THAT NEIGHBORS WERE SPOKEN TO AND EVERYONE'S AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHAT THEIR POSITIONS ARE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD? SO THE PROBABLY FIVE FOOT BY FIVE FOOT SIGN HAS BEEN ON KELLY'S FENCE FOR I WOULD SAY ALMOST TWO MONTHS NOW. UH, THIS HAS BEEN A ONGOING ISSUE. WE HAVE, UH, SPOKEN WITH [00:35:01] MR. MOSELEY SEVERAL TIMES IN THE ALLEYWAY AND, UH, AND ADDRESSED OUR CONCERNS WITH HIM. UM, RIGHT, RIGHT NOW THE ALLEYWAY IS BEING USED BY, UH, HIS CONTRACT. YEAH. AND I, AND I DON'T WANNA GET INTO PERSONALITIES. YEAH, I JUST MEAN WHERE YOU LIVE AND YOU SAID YOUR ADDRESS ALONG COLUMBIA. HAVE YOU TALKED, YOU KNOW, OTHER RESIDENCE? WE'RE IN THE 300 FOOT ZONE, RIGHT? SO, BUT SO THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE THERE AS WELL THAT YOU'VE SPOKEN TO. UM, AGAIN, PERSONALITIES SIDE, I DON'T WANNA GET INTO THAT, BUT, UH, I HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO ONE RESIDENT THAT IS OPPOSED TO THIS. THANK YOU. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US ARE IN UNITY AND SUPPORT THE 300 FOOT ZONE. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, SEAN LEE. SEAN LEE IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY BENJAMIN NIPPER. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO, UH, SPEAK. UH, I WANT TO SUPPORT THE 300 FOOT EXCLUSION ZONE. UM, AS WITH CHAD, I LIVE OFF COLUMBIA STREET. MAYBE I'M IN THE 300 FOOT, MAYBE I'M NOT, BUT I'M RIGHT THERE. I'M AT 2035. UH, I HAVEN'T SPOKEN WITH ANYBODY OTHER THAN MY NEIGHBORS ABOUT IT, SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE PLANS WERE FOR THIS PROPERTY. HOWEVER, I CAN SAY THAT THE 300 FOOT EXCLUSION ZONE MAKES SENSE TO ME FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY BEING PRETTY SIMPLE. YOU HAVE A HUNDRED PLUS KIDS UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE YEARS OLD AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE NEAR ANY PLACE THAT SERVES ALCOHOL FOR CONSUMPTION. AND THEN PEOPLE CAN LEAVE AFTER THEY FINISH, UH, THEIR MEAL OR WHATEVER THE CASE IS, UM, IN THEIR VEHICLES. SO, AND LASTLY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, IS CONGESTED AS IS. YOU GUYS SHOULD TRAVEL UP 20TH, THE, UH, IN LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. UM, SO ALL FOUR SUPPORTING THE 300 FOOT EXCLUSION. UM, DON'T SEE WHY IT SHOULDN'T BE APPROVED. UH, UNANIMOUS. I GOTCHA. MCKAY. UM, SEAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN, AS A RESIDENT THAT LIVES IN THE AREA. UM, REALLY QUICKLY, 'CAUSE WE'RE TALKING, THE TITLE IS ALCOHOL FREE ZONE, BUT WE'RE ALL AWARE, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S CLEAR. IT WOULD RESTRICT BARS, BUT NOT RESTAURANTS THAT SERVE ALCOHOL AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SURE. OKAY. YEAH, I MEAN, WHATEVER THAT TECHNICAL DEFINITION IS, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE. 60, 70%, BUT YEAH. OKAY. GREAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEP. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. BENJAMIN NIPPER. BENJAMIN NIPPER IS HERE. I, EMILY NIPPER. I'M HIS WIFE. HE, UH, WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT, SO I BELIEVE I'M IN PLACE OF HIM. OR NEXT ON THE, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A MOTION TO, NO, SHE'S NEXT. SPEAKER. SPEAKER. MOVE THE, THE SPEAKER. SPEAKER. OH, YOU'RE THE NEXT SPEAKER. SHE'S NEXT SPEAKER. OKAY. OKAY. VERY GOOD. OKAY. CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER, NEXT SPEAKER. EMILY NIPPER. EMILY IS PRESENT. ALRIGHT. DO I NEED TO PRESS THIS? UM, I WANTED TO ALSO OFFER MY SUPPORT FOR THE, UH, ORDINANCE THAT THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT. I AM ALSO A NEIGHBOR, OR I'M ALSO IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON 26TH STREET. I'M NOT IN THE 300 FOOT ALCOHOL ZONE, BUT MY HUSBAND AND I FREQUENTLY WALK TO PICK UP OUR SON FROM HEIGHTS PRESCHOOL. SO WE FEEL IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS SAFETY PERIMETER. UM, AND I JUST WANTED, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE PRE PRIOR SPEAKERS HAVE GIVEN POINTS THAT YOU'VE ALL HEARD, SO I WON'T NECESSARILY REPEAT THOSE. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR SON IS 10 MONTHS OLD. WE'RE NEW PARENTS AND HEIGHTS PRESCHOOL IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ESTABLISHMENT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S, IT, UH, WE WANNA CONTINUE TO PROTECT IT. SO WE ASK YOU TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS ALCOHOL RESTRICTION ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER KELLY INE TO BE FOLLOWED BY BILL LITTLEJOHN. HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M KELLY INE. I'M THE OWNER OF HEIGHTS PRESCHOOL. I'M THE ONE WHO HAS APPLIED FOR THE ALCOHOL FREE ZONE FOR MY SCHOOL. MY NUMBER ONE CONCERN IS THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN. I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE AND I'M NOT GONNA TAKE UP TOO MUCH MORE OF YOUR TIME. UM, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE ALREADY AFFORDED. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT WE HAD TO APPLY. AND SO NOW SINCE I'VE BECOME AWARE THAT WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY APPLY FOR IT TO BECOME, UM, ENFORCEABLE, THEN I NEED, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. UM, LIKE, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID, WE HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE COMING AND GOING. WE'RE FIVE DAYS A WEEK, AND I JUST AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE KIDS' SAFETY. AND I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROTECTIONS THAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THAT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE WHEN THEY'RE COMING TO AND FROM SCHOOL. I COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. THANK YOU. KELLY, THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK. UM, I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, THE SCHOOL IS IN OPERATION FIVE DAYS A WEEK. LAST TIME YOU WERE HERE THOUGH, I THINK YOU ALSO MENTIONED SOME ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT YOU PROVIDE FOR FAMILIES. YES. AS WELL. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE TIME RANGES OF THOSE? OKAY. SO, UM, PRE PANDEMIC, WE WERE DOING PARENT NIGHT OUTS TWICE A MONTH. UM, WE HAVE NOT RESTARTED THAT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO RESTART. AND OCCASIONALLY WE DO BIRTHDAY PARTIES FOR OUR FAMILIES THAT ATTEND [00:40:01] OUR SCHOOL, THAT THEY CAN RUN OUT THE SCHOOL AND HAVE THE BIRTHDAY PARTY. IT'S KIND OF LIKE A CLASSROOM PARTY AT THE SCHOOL. UM, SO I THINK YOU RECEIVED ALL OF MY LETTERS. I SENT OUT NEW LETTERS, UM, WITH SUPPORT FROM BOTH PARENTS, FROM TEACHERS FROM, UM, ADDITIONAL, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS WELL. GREAT. YEAH, I I THINK OUR OFFICE RECEIVED IT. WE CAN, IF OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE INTERESTED, DO YOU KNOW ABOUT APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY PARENTS AND TEACHERS FROM THE SCHOOL? UM, SO I HAVE OVER 45 PARENTS, THREE ADDITIONAL NEIGHBORS AND 19 TEACHERS, ONE OF WHICH IS ALSO A PARENT AT THE SCHOOL. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MAY COY. THANK YOU. REMIND ME THE HOURS OF THE DAYCARE. SO WE OPERATE FROM 7:00 AM UNTIL 5:30 PM THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER BILL LITTLEJOHN TO BE FOLLOWED BY FAITH SPENCER. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL PERSONS. UH, THANK YOU MS. HUFFMAN. UH, I'M BILL C LITTLEJOHN. I'M RETIRED JUDGE, AND, UH, I'M IN SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR LAST JULY ELECTED ME TO THE BOARD INTERNATIONAL BOARD, WHICH WAS STARTED BY DWIGHT D EISENHOWER, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. UH, THIS, UH, JU JULY, TWO DAYS FROM NOW, WE'LL RETURN TO DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA FOR ANOTHER BOARD MEETING. AND, UH, JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU ALSO THAT LAST FEBRUARY WE WERE IN CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA. WE HAD OVER 500 PEOPLE REGISTERED THERE AND WE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD GET 500 NEW AFRICAN SISTER CITIES WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AND I'D APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL GOLDBERG, SHE'S A VERY GREAT SUPPORTER. AND MS. FAT BENZ, SHE'S RUNNING FOR THE BOARD ALSO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER 'EM. AND COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU JUDGE. IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU. AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN VERY WORKING VERY HARD AND BEEN INSTRUMENTAL. I KNOW WE WERE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING WITH MONROVIA, LIBERIA, AND WE'RE STILL WAITING TO, TO HEAR ABOUT THAT SISTER CITY. YES. BUT THANK YOU FOR, UH, WHAT YOU DO TO UPLIFT THE OTHER COUNTRIES SO THAT WE CAN ENGAGE WITH THEM. AND YOU'VE JUST BEEN STELLAR AND ON BOARD AND DILIGENT AND SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT SPEAKER. THANKS, SPENCER TO BE FOLLOWED BY HOUSE ZAMARIN. UH, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I, HOLD ON ONE SECOND. WE CAN. OKAY. OKAY, WE'RE FINE. YES, MA'AM. GO AHEAD ON. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I WANT TO THANK YOU IN ADVANCE. FIRST GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE TIME TO COME FORTH AND GIVE THE, UH, PETITION FOR, UH, THE NAME OF HOLLAND HEIGHTS PARK AT 33 16 DESOTA STREET. I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL CITY COUNCILMAN TO CONSIDER THAT PARK BEING NAMED ODESSA SPENCER PARK IN BEHALF OF HER HEART, UH, WORK AND UNDER DEVELOPMENT. THE DEVELOPMENT OF AC CHARM WAS UNDEVELOPED. SHE REACHED OUT TO SEE WHAT SHE COULD DO ALONG WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND THE COMMUNITY TO HELP DEVELOP ACREAGE HOME. AND THROUGH THAT, WE, I HAVE A FIRE, I CAN GIVE THAT FIRE TO THE COMMITTEE, AND I'M ASKING IF THAT BE CONSIDERED BECAUSE OF HER HARD WORKS AND DEDICATION THAT SHE PUT FORTH. BUT NOT ONLY JUST THE PARKS, BUT THE SCHOOLS AND THE SUPPORT OF, UH, THE TAXPAYERS PROTECTIVE LEAGUE. SO I JUST DON'T WANT HER LEGACY TO DIE BECAUSE IT'S BEEN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A WHILE. I KNOW THAT. BUT WE WANT SOMETHING OF ACRE HOME TO SHOW HER HARD WORK AND HER DEDICATION OF DEVELOPING ACRE HOME. AND THIS IS MY REASON FOR THANKING YOU FOR GIVING OPPORTUNITY. 'CAUSE THERE'S THREE SIBLINGS THAT ARE STILL LIVING WITH US TODAY OUT OF 10. SO I'M ASKING THAT IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED TO GIVE SOME RECOGNITION TO HARD WORK AND, UH, UH, AND CHARM. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER, MEMBER MS. SHABAZZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, MS. SPENCER, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING FORWARD. I KNOW YOU'RE A CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT D, UH, BUT THE PARK IS, IS IT IN THE FO FO IS THAT WHERE IT IS? IN KER HOMES? . SO ACTUALLY, UH, WE'LL GET YOU IN TOUCH WITH, WITH TARSHA JACKSON, UH, TO SEE HOW THAT PROCESS, UH, CAN POSSIBLY BE FACILITATED. BUT I THINK YOU'VE SPOKE, YOU SPOKE WITH INGRAM IN MY OFFICE AND, UH, CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, YOUR MOTHER WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN DOING THINGS IN THAT AREA. AND SO, UH, WE JUST WANNA GIVE YOU THE PROCESS TO SEE HOW [00:45:01] THAT COULD POSSIBLY MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. CAN I, ONE, ONE SECOND. YES, MA'AM. I ALSO WANT FORGOT THAT, UH, CONGRESSMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE HAS A REPRESENTATIVE HERE BECAUSE SHE GAVE ODESSA SPENCER A PROCLAMATION OF, UH, ODESSA SPENCER DAY, JULY THE 14TH. SHE, SHE ACKNOWLEDGED MY MOTHER'S HARD WORK, SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT IN SO WE HAVE THAT. BUT BE HOPING THAT A CH WILL CONSIDER GIVING HER THAT RECOGNITION ALSO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND GOD BLESS YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. . THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MM-HMM . NEXT SPEAKER. JOSE SUE ZAMARIN. I'M LOOKING AT I RIGHT. O SWAY. O SWAY. NEXT SPEAKER. STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS. NEXT SPEAKER. JOANNE SEL. JOANNE SEL. JOANNE SEL. NEXT SPEAKER. OTIS MILES. OTIS MILES IS HERE. CHIEF FOLLOWED BY PATRICK GAINES. YES SIR. I'M GONNA SAY GOOD AFTERNOON TO ALL OF YOU. ALL MY REASONS FOR HERE IS BECAUSE I RECEIVED A SPEAK RIGHT INTO THE MIC. THE REASON I'M HERE, I, ME AND MY NEIGHBOR RECEIVED A LETTER THAT THEY WAS PUTTING SPEED HUMPS IN IOWA NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT IS THE REGULATION ON THAT. DO WE HAVE TO REQUEST THAT OR THAT IT'S GOING TO DO IT? BECAUSE NOBODY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WANT THAT. BUT THEY SENT OUT THIS LETTER SAYING THAT THEY PROPOSED AND PUT THREE ON THIS ONE COMES ON THIS ONE BLOCK ON ONE AREA, TWO BLOCKS ON THE OTHER AREA. BUT THEY WANNA PUT SPEED HUMPS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND WE DO NOT WANT THAT UNLESS WE REQUEST IT LIKE WE DID THE ONE ON NIGHTWOOD. WE HAVEN'T REQUEST ANYTHING. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF CIVIC CLUB. I HAVEN'T REQUEST ANYTHING OR NONE OF MY STREET DIRECTORS REQUEST ANYTHING. BUT THEY SENT THIS FLAT OUT. ALRIGHT, HOLD ON ONE SECOND THEN VICEMAN. CAN SOMEONE GIMME THE REGULATION ON THAT VICEMAN TIM CASH TATUM MR. MILES, ARE YOU A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT B? YES, I AM. OKAY. SO TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD LIKE SPEED CUSHIONS OR SPEED HUMPS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD? THEY PUT IN A REQUEST TO THE OFFICE AND THEN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT SENDS OUT A FORMAL LETTER TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THEN YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE YES OR NO FOR THOSE SPEED HUMPS. SO I, LOOKING AT THAT LETTER FROM HERE AND I CAN'T SEE IT. THAT MAY BE THE LETTER. IS THAT THE LETTER THAT SAYS THIS IS THE, UH, REQUEST AND DO YOU WANT IT OR YOU DON'T? BECAUSE WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD MEAN, YES, PEOPLE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE WHETHER YOU WANT IT OR YOU DON'T. AND THEN ONCE THEY GATHER ALL OF THAT INFORMATION BACK, THEY'LL GIVE THAT INFORMATION TO THE, TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER. AND DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WANT THE SPEED CUSHIONS AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT THE SPEED CUSHIONS, UH, THE COMMUNITY CAN COME TOGETHER AND MAKE A DECISION. SO EVIDENTLY SOMEBODY WANTED THE SPEED CUSHIONS AND NOW PUBLIC WORKS IS DOING THE DUE DILIGENCE TO FIND OUT WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA THAT WANTED. SO MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU WOULD BE IF YOU DON'T WANT THE SPEED CUSHIONS TO MAKE SURE YOU VOTE NO AND GET THAT DOCUMENTATION IN BY THE DEADLINE. MA'AM? YES SIR. HAVE THE REGULATION CHANGED? NO, BECAUSE IT REQUIRES 51% OF THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO GET THAT SPEED DUMP. I DID IT BEFORE. SO IF THE REGULATIONS HAVEN CHANGED, WE HAVE NOT SENT IN A REQUEST FOR SPEED HUNT. OKAY. NOW YOU SAID THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT IT'S MR. TO MR. MILES RIGHT NOW. 51% OF THE PEOPLES HAVE TO SIGN A LETTER. I DID IT ON NIGHTWOOD THAT WE WANT THESE HERE. AND THE ONES ON NIGHTWOOD GOT THE SPEED HUMP. WHEN HAVE THE CITY START SENDING OUT NOTICE TO GET SOMETHING BECAUSE ONE PERSON DID IT. SO, MR. WHAT MR. MILES, WHAT IS HAPPENED IS THAT SOMEONE HAS MADE A REQUEST AND I KNOW I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND, AND YOU ALL HAVE UNTIL JULY THE 31ST TO LET, TO LET, UH, PUBLIC WORKS KNOW WHOEVER SENT OUT THE NOTICE THAT YOU DON'T WANT THEM MM-HMM . RIGHT NOW THEY'RE JUST GETTING COMMENTS, MA'AM. MM-HMM . WE HAD TO REQUEST THAT. BUT, BUT SOMEONE DID. I'M, DO ONE MORE PERSON [00:50:01] DECIDE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN THE PRESIDENT THEN YES, SIR. ONE PERSON CAN MAKE THE RE LEMME LEMME LET WALK YOU THROUGH THOUGH. ONE PERSON CAN MAKE THE REQUEST AND THEN IT TRIGGERS AN INQUIRY FROM THE CITY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT OTHER PEOPLE 51% OR MORE WANT IT. SO RIGHT NOW THEY'RE SIMPLY JUST ASKING EVERYBODY ELSE DO YOU WANT IT OR YOU DON'T WANT IT? WHAT? AND APPARENTLY YOU DON'T WANT IT. AND OTHER PEOPLE STANDING UP BEHIND YOU DON'T WANT IT EITHER. SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS JUST NOTIFY, NOTIFY THE, THE, THE CITY. MA'AM, EXCUSE THAT YOU DON'T WANT IT. EXCUSE. EXCUSE ME, MA'AM. I JUST ASKED HER HAVE THE REGULATION CHANGED? SHE SAID NO, YOU HAVE TO REQUEST THAT. I WOULD HAVE TO REQUEST IT IF THE REGULAR , I HAVE DONE IT. WHEN WE GOT NIGHTWOOD AND WE GOT TAX DONE, I HAD TO GET, GO AROUND AND GET A SIGNATURE OR EVERYONE TO REQUEST SPEED HUMP. NOW YOU TELL ME PUBLIC WORK CAN COME IN AND SEND OUT SOMETHING FOR MY NEIGHBORHOOD. NO, I'M NOT SIR. AND NO I'M NOT BECAUSE ONE PERSON DID IT. MA'AM. I I'M JUST BEING HONEST WITH YOU. RIGHT? I RE HOLD IT. I REQUESTED BY GETTING LITTLE Y'ALL CUT. HAVE IT GOT CUT? NO. NO. HE'S HOWEVER I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. LET ME ASK YOU TO, AND LET ME ASK YOU TO GIVE WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER. JUST GET, JUST GET, I TRIED TO GIVE WITH MY COUNCIL MEMBER. SHE DON'T ANSWER. I TALKED TO PJ, THE ONE, HER ASSISTANT. HE SAID HE GONNA GET ME ANY INFORMATION. HE HAVEN'T GOT BACK WITH ME. I TALKED TO PUBLIC WORK. THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I DID ALL THAT. AND NOW YOU ALL TELLING ME THAT ONE PERSON CAN DO THAT IS WHO? WHO'S HERE FROM PUBLIC WORKS? S SAL, ARE YOU HERE SAL? IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN, UH, GIVE WITH THEM, OBVIOUSLY SOMEONE HAS MADE A REQUEST AND MR. MILES, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS JUST FILL UP THAT FORM AND SAY YOU DON'T WANT IT. THAT'S ALL IT TAKES. IS THAT YOU DON'T WANT IT. DON'T WE HAVE TO REQUEST IT? HUH? DON'T WE HAVE TO REQUEST IT? SOMEBODY OUT THERE REQUESTED IT. YEAH, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING BUT I I'M JUST SAYING TO YOU. SHE SAID SHE HADN'T THE REGULATION. WE HAD TO REQUEST IT THE LAST TIME. I, I HAVE TO GET SIGNATURES OF PEOPLE. OKAY. I CAN TO SEND IT THROUGH MY CITY. COUNCILMAN, I GOT TO DO THAT. NOW YOU SAY ONE PERSON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAN REQUEST IT AND TELL THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO PUBLIC WORKS SENT OUT. NO ONE PERSON CAN INITIATE THE PROCESS. BUT THAT ONE PERSON CAN'T PUT THESE SPEED CUSHIONS IN. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. ONE PERSON CAN INITIATE THE PROCESS AND THEN IT, IT, IT FORCES, IT CAUSES US TO THEN TO INQUIRE. MAY I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? I REQUEST STUFF. I NEVER DO GET IT. HOLD IT. I I I REQUEST IT. I UNDERSTAND. I REQUEST AN OPEN RECORDS LAW. BUT THE BUILDING WHICH DIDN'T HAVE A PERMIT TO BILL RIGHT BY MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE, THEY REFUSED TO GIVE IT TO ME. OKAY. I'M WITH YOU. I DON'T THINK WE, WE ARE NOT, WE ARE NOT AT ORANGE. WE'RE NOT AT ORANGE WITH ONE ANOTHER. COUNCILMAN THOMAS. WELL, NO. HOW DO WE STOP IT BY SAYING NO, BY SAYING YOU DON'T WANT IT. THAT'S ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS JUST SAY HOW MANY SUDE DO WE HAVE TO GET ENOUGH TO PREVENT 51% OF THE PEOPLE FROM SAYING YES. HOW MANY, IF YOU, AND I ASSUME EVERYBODY ELSE IS OUT HERE OR OPPOSED TO IT, IF THEY SIMPLY SAY NO, IT, IT IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN. BUT I'M JUST WANT TO KNOW THE NUMBER BECAUSE 50 SAL, WHY DON'T YOU WALK THEM THROUGH. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. COUNCILMAN THOMAS? DID YOU MAYOR YOU ADDRESS IT? I'M GOOD. THANK YOU. YEAH, SO JUST GET, JUST GET WITH SOUND SAL AND UH, I I, I, YOU KNOW THE PROBLEM I'M HAVING MAYOR, EVERY TIME I COME DOWN HERE, I HAVE TO GET WITH SOMEONE. THEY NEVER GET BACK WITH ME. I'M TRYING TO GET AN ANSWER FOR YOU. HE'S, HE'S, HE'S RIGHT THERE. BUT HE DID THAT THE LAST TIME. THIS IS A, THIS IS A DIFFERENT ISSUE. MR. MILES, YOU JUST WANT US TO YOU . WE ARE NOT, WE ARE NOT, WE'RE NOT AT ODDS MR. MILES. I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER. PATRICK GAINES. PATRICK GAINES. PATRICK GAINES IS NOT PRESENT. BARBARA ESTIMATE. ASK ATE. BARBARA ATE BARBARA. NEXT SPEAKER. MAC HO MACK HO [00:55:01] MACK HOPE. NEXT SPEAKER SEMINAR. DURACELL FOSTER SEMINAR DURACELL FOSTER THREE FOLLOWED BY ALFRED JOHNSON. SEMI SEMINO. YES. HI MAYOR. HELLO. I SENIOR DANCING. YOU HAD ME DANCING ON THE, AT MY HOUSE, UH, TOO WHILE YOU WAS DANCING. OLD SCHOOL. WE STILL GOT IT, DON'T WE? ? YEAH, WE GOT IT. WERE YOU SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE? YEAH. RIGHT BEHIND THAT MIC. OH, SORRY. THERE YOU GO. YEAH, YEAH MA, WE GOT IT. BUT I'M DOWN HERE BECAUSE TIME IS, IT'S THE TIME FOR EVERYTHING. MY BIBLE TELLS ME IT'S THE TIME TO BE BORN AND IT'S TIME TO DIE. IT'S TIME TO PLANT. IT'S TIME TO HARVEST. IT'S MY TIME TO HARVEST. UM, PERTAINING THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, MEL, AND WE HAD A LITTLE CONVERSATION, I GOT SOME MORE DOCUMENTS WHERE YOU LOOK THROUGH IT AND I'M GONNA ASK YOU ONE QUESTION. I'M NOT GONNA ASK YOU TO GET OFF THE BOARD THIS TIME I'M GONNA ASK YOU, EVEN ME, IF I HAD AN ENEMY AND I DON'T THINK I HAVE ONE THAT I WANT TO WISH SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THEM. IF THEY FALL IN THE WATER AND I HAVE A, A LIFE JACKET TO THROW OUT TO THAT PERSON AND SAVE THAT PERSON LIFE, I WOULD SAVE THEIR LIFE BY THROWING IT OUT. I WANNA THROW AN ANCHOR TO SANK THEM. SO I NEED UPCOMING AND THIS PROBABLY THIS LIKE YOUR EIGHT YEAR. EIGHT YEARS. AND I ENJOYED YOU AS BEING MY MAYOR. I CHEERED YOU ON WHEN YOU CAME ON. AND I'M GONNA CRY WHEN YOU LEAVE 'CAUSE YOU'VE DONE A LOT FOR THE CITY. I'M LOOKING IN MY AREA. UM, MY HOUSE IS A VALUE AT OVER 300,000. BUT THEY HAVE UM, A PROGRAM OF PEOPLE THAT'S NOT FORTUNATE TO UH, FIX THEIR HOMES UP. THEY GO AROUND, BUT IT'S ALL DONE THROUGH THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND THOSE PEOPLE HAVE BEAUTIFUL HOMES. AND I'M GONNA BE TRYING TO FIGHT A SYSTEM THAT I CAN'T FIGHT BECAUSE ALL THE HOMES IN THE AREA IN MY BLOCK IS COMING UP. SO THAT'S APPRECIATING THE BLOCK. IT'S NOT GHETTO NO MORE. SO I'M PROUD OF MY AREA I LIVE IN NOW AND I'M PROUD TO SEE THAT WHAT THE CITY HAS DONE FOR THE SENIOR CITIZENS. YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE Y'ALL. I'M GONNA MISS YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PASS THIS HERE. I SOMEBODY, IF YOU GIVE IT, GIVE IT TO RHONDA RIGHT THERE. MAYOR. I NEED AN ANSWER. OKAY. IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU. YEAH. THANK TAKE CARE. ALRIGHT, NEXT. BLESS Y'ALL. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. ALFRED JOHNSON. ALFRED JOHNSON. ALFRED ALFRED IS NOT HERE. MICHELLE VINCENT. MICHELLE VINCENT IS PRESENT BE TO BE FOLLOWED BY LINDA GREER. I CAN START TALKING. YES MA'AM. WELL, I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT PROUD OF HOW THE CITY HOUSTON HANDLE THE PEOPLE THAT'S HAVE MENTAL DISABILITIES BECAUSE THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY AND SEARCH HAVE SOLD MY HOUSING VOUCHER. AND THIS IS MY SECOND TIME COMING HERE WHERE I LAY UP ON THE FREEWAY AND I KEEP ASKING YOU TO ASK THEM TO GIMME MY VOUCHER BACK. I SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER. I CAN'T GO TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S LIVING UP UNDER MY NAME AND IT'S TOO MANY TIMES THAT I DONE TRIED TO TALK TO YOU AND YOU IS NOT DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. SO I JUST WANNA KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. 'CAUSE THEY NEED TO GIMME MY HOUSING VOUCHER AND STOP SELLING IT AT SEARCH. SO PLEASE MAKE SEARCH, GIMME MY HOUSING VOUCHER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU MS. . NEXT SPEAKER, LINDA GREER. LINDA GREER. LINDA GREER IS PRESENT TO BE FOLLOWED BY NETTA TREHAN. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR TURNER. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS LINDA GREER. I AM THE PRESIDENT OF EAST HOUSTON CIVIC CLUB. I'M COMING BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ASK YOU TO ASSIST OUR COMMUNITY WITH ENFORCEMENT OF THE NEW TRUCK, NEW THROUGH TRUCK ORDINANCE. THE TRUCKS ARE TAKING AWAY THE QUALITY OF THE LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY AS PRESIDENT. I'M ASKING YOU THAT. WE ARE. AND I'M RECEIVING A LOT OF PHONE CALLS FROM PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE TRUCKS TEARING UP THE STREETS, TRUCKING LOTS POPPING UP NEXT DOOR TO THEIR HOMES, NOT BEING ABLE TO SIT OUTSIDE BECAUSE OF THE NOISE AND THE DUST. THE LIST GOES ON. SO I'M ASKING YOU, WOULD YOU PLEASE HELP US TAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BACK? [01:00:01] ONE SECOND. UH, COUNCILMAN MAYOR. ICO. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING. UH, MAYOR LAST WEEK WE HAD SEVERAL SPEAKERS ALSO COME ON THIS ISSUE AND WE DIRECTED THEM, MANY OF THEM TO THE FREIGHT, UM, PLAN THAT'S GOING ON. YOU KNOW, WE HIRED THE CONSULTANTS TO DO THAT FREIGHT PLAN. SO THE, YOUR FEEDBACK'S REALLY IMPORTANT ON THAT AND IT'S, IT'S ALL ON THE WEBSITE THAT WAS GIVEN OUT AND WE REALLY WANT YOU TO BE SPECIFIC ON WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE AND EVERYTHING. SO THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED BY OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENTS THAT, THAT'S CONDUCTING THIS FREIGHT PLAN, UH, SITUATION. UM, AS, AS WE ALSO DISCUSSED LAST WEEK WAS THE, WAS THE RULES THAT WE TIGHTENED UP ON ON THE ILLEGAL PARKING OF, OF VEHICLES ON THE STREETS. I UNDERSTAND WE STILL HAVE AN ISSUE WITH PARKING IN LITERALLY MAYOR, WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING OF BUYING UP THESE, BUYING LIKE A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY AND PULLING CAR, PULLING TRUCKS INTO IT INSTEAD OF HAVING A HOUSE THERE. OR MAYBE THERE'S A HOUSE THERE, THEY'RE JUST PULLING A BUNCH OF TRUCKS UP THERE ON THE PROPERTY. IT'S NOT REALLY, UM, COVERED BY OUR PARKING IN THE YARD, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S IN THE FRONT YARD OR ON THE SIDE YARD WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT. IF THEY'VE GOT 'EM BEHIND A FENCE OR SOMETHING, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF TRUCKS JUST THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE KEEPING THE TRUCK. IT'S LIKE A, A DEFACTO TRUCK LOT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THIS TRUCK. I'M, YOU KNOW, PEELING BACK THE ONION OF THAT. THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF WITH TRUCKS GOING ON IN A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. SO REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL COMING BACK. UM, AND KEEPING ON THIS, PLEASE PUT YOUR FEEDBACK IN ON THAT FREIGHT SURVEY AND WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO THE CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN DO, UH, THROUGH DEED RESTRICTIONS, THROUGH WHATEVER MEASURES TO UH, KIND OF GET AT THIS PROBLEM OF PEOPLE JUST PARKING TRUCKS AND WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BUYING THE LOT AND TURNING THE LOT INTO PARKING LOTS. RIGHT, RIGHT. IT'S, THEY'RE, THEY'RE MAKING 'EM INTO A PARKING LOT. I MEAN, PERHAPS, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE PUTTING ANY CONCRETE DOWN. THEY'RE JUST DRIVING IT RIGHT ON THE GRASS. SO THAT'S, I MEAN, I WOULD, I WAS THINKING MAYBE WE COULD GET 'EM ON THE PERMITTING SIDE WITH IMPERVIOUS COVER OR SOMETHING, BUT IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE JUST USING IT AND THE PARKING IN THE YARD THING DOESN'T, DOESN'T WORK. SO IT'S JUST AN ISSUE AND, AND REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING ORGANIZED AND COMING AND, AND AMPLIFYING THIS. AND I ASSUME, AND I ASSUME THAT THIS, UH, THERE ARE NO D RESTRICTIONS IN THIS AREA. I KNOW. ARE THERE DEED RESTRICTIONS ARE NOT OR NO DEED RESTRICTIONS? OKAY. THEY ARE. NO, NO. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. THAT'S ALL. WE'LL TAKE A LOOK. WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT. LET ME ASK TINA PIUS, UH, TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. OKAY. NETTA REHAN. NETTA REHAN IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY VICKI MARTIN. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I WANNA TAKE THIS TIME OUT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE I'M A VICTIM OF BIG TRUCKS. RIGHT BEHIND ME THERE'S TWO, I'M SORRY, MY NAME IS ANOTHER RE AND I AM WITH THE EAST HOUSTON CIVIC CLUB, BUT THERE IS, UM, I HAVE A NEIGHBOR BEHIND ME. HE RIPPED THOSE, HE PUT THOSE TRUCKS IN HIS YARD, HE PARK 'EM IN HIS YARD AND HE RIP 'EM UP ANY DAY OR TIME OF NIGHT. UH, LOUD NOISE, EMISSION POLLUTION. IT IS JUST, JUST NO RESPECT FOR ACTUALLY THE RESIDENT. THEY'RE USING EVERYTHING FOR, UM, THESE TRUCKS. AND ON SEVEN 11 AS WE WERE HERE, A LADY GOT KILLED, RUN OVER BY ONE OF THESE BIG TRUCKS. AND THEN WITH ME, I GOT RAN OFF THE STREET. IF IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN, UM, THE STORE PARKING LOT, I WOULDN'T BE HERE SPEAKING TO YOU GUYS TODAY. SO I'M HERE TO PLEASE ASKING YOU GUYS TO PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING US IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. 'CAUSE THESE TRUCKS AND PARKING LOTS, THEY JUST, THEY'RE COMING UP EVERYWHERE, EVERYWHERE. SO WE JUST ASKING FOR YOU GUYS TO HELP US. JUST PUT YOURSELF IN OUR PLACE THAT WE WANT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BACK. OKAY? THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. MM-HMM THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. VICKI MARTIN. VICKI IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY SABRINA PAUL. GOOD. A GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS VICKI MARTIN. I SERVE ON THE COUNCIL FOR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 49 50. THAT IS OUR PRESIDENT IS ARABIC COLEMAN. WE ARE COMPRISED OF EIGHT CIVIC CLUBS, WHICH ARE CLAREMONT PLACE, EAST HOUSTON, GLENWOOD FOREST, NEW PROGRESSIVE 34, SECTION ONE VERDE FOREST, SECTION TWO AND ONE HOA HAROLD PARK. I COME HERE TO SPEAK COLLECTIVELY REGARDING THE ISSUE OF KNOW THROUGH TRUCKS AND TRUCK YARD PARKING. THERE'S A LOT THAT'S BEEN SAID THIS MORNING [01:05:01] AND I'M NOT TODAY AND I'M NOT GOING TO BE REDUNDANT TO REPEAT IT. BUT THE ISSUES THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE, UH, EMPHASIZE THAT'S CLEAR IS PEOPLE ARE PURCHASING RESIDENTIAL LOTS. THERE IS NO ZONING. WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THEY'RE TAKING THE RESIDENTIAL LOTS THAT ARE RE RE RESERVED THE RESIDENTS AND THEY'RE CLASSIFIED IN HCA AS RESIDENTIAL AND THEY'RE PARKING TRUCKS ON THEM. NOW WE'VE ASKED FOR ENFORCEMENT FROM HPD AND THEY TOLD US THAT THEY CAN ONLY DO IT IF THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO IT BY EITHER THE CHIEF OR YOURSELF. THEY DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER. BUT WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE IF THEY WERE TO ISSUE TICKETS, PEOPLE ARE COMING DOWN THESE STREETS THAT CLEARLY HAVE SENT SOME PICTURES AROUND THAT CLEARLY HAVE NO THROUGH TRUCKS. AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY'RE NOT CONDUCTING BUSINESS AND THEY'RE NOT, UH, MAKING DELIVERIES. THOSE ARE THE TWO CONDITIONS THAT WE WERE TOLD WHEN, WHEN WE GOT THE SIGNS 21 YEARS AGO. AND AND BEYOND THAT, IF THEY'RE NOT CONDUCTING BUSINESS OR MAKING DELIVERIES, THEY SHOULD NOT BE ON OUR KNOW THROUGH TRUCK STREETS. OUR HEALTHY SUFFERING WE HAVE NOR WE NEED ABATEMENT. WE ARE, WE HAVE GOT, BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION, WE HAVE BEEN AFFORDED SIX TO SEVEN AIR MONITORS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND THEY'RE OUT OF RANGE. THEY'RE OUT OF RANGE BECAUSE OF THE EMISSIONS OF THE PM 2.5 THAT'S BEEN EXPELLED FROM THESE TRUCK ENGINES. SO WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR SOME RELIEF AND SOME UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GRANTED AND BLESSED WITH HOME OWNERSHIP AND THEY'RE NOT ENJOYING THEIR PROPERTY WHEN THEY CAN'T SIT OUTSIDE OR GO TO THEIR DOOR WITHOUT SMELLING TRUCKS, HEARING TRUCKS. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURES, THEY'RE DESTROYING OUR STREETS BECAUSE WE HAVE ASPHALT TOPPING ON OUR STREETS AND THEY'RE NOT BUILT TO SUPPORT THOSE TYPE OF TRUCKS. SO WE'RE ASKING FOR SOME RELIEF. AND IF I CAN HAVE ONE MORE REQUEST, IF YOU ALL CAN HUMOR ME AND JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES FOR ABOUT THREE TO FOUR SECONDS AND IMAGINE IF THIS WAS ON YOUR STREET OR BLOCK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I CAN ANSWER ANY, ANY QUESTIONS. LEMME MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND THOUGH. THEY'RE NOT, ARE THEY DRIVING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY OR ARE THEY DRIVING TO THEIR PROPERTY THAT THEY HAVE PURCHASED IN THE COMMUNITY? SO THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. NOW, IF THEY'RE DRIVING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY, THEN IT'S SUBJECT TO ENFORCEMENT. BUT IF THEY ARE DRIVING TO PROPERTY THAT THEY OWN IN THE COMMUNITY, THEN THAT'S A DIFFERENT DEAL. SO TELL ME WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING? WE HAVE BOTH, WE HAVE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE VIOLATING THE KNOW THROUGH TRUCKS BY DRIVING ON THE STREETS THAT'S DESIGNATED WITHOUT MAKING A DELIVERY OR CONDUCTING BUSINESS. THEY MAY BE GOING TO THEIR FRIEND'S HOUSE OR WHATEVER, BUT WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE PURCHASING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WHERE THERE'S A HOME NEXT TO IT AND THEY'RE PUTTING BIG LIGHTS UP TO, TO PROTECT THEIR TRUCKS WHERE THOSE LIGHTS ARE SHINING IN THE YARDS IN THE BOUNDARIES OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. SO I COLLECTIVELY APPEARED FROM ALL THESE CLUBS AS A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY WANT RELIEF AND THEY DESERVE RELIEF. THEY BUILT THESE HOMES TO HAVE RESIDENTIAL. I'M IN TOTALLY AGREEMENT WITH YOU. AND, AND AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER AREA WITHOUT DE RESTRICTIONS. SOME OF THE AREAS HAVE DE RESTRICTIONS, BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR UNIQUE COMMUNITY IS YOUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR OR YOUR BACKYARD NEIGHBOR CAN HAVE, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NEXT DOOR TO EACH OTHER, THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT DEED. SO THAT'S HOW THE COMMUNITIES WERE DESIGNED. SO WHEN YOU TRY TO GET THE DEED RESTRICTIONS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE 51% OF THE RESIDENTS. WELL, YOU HAVE DIFFERENT DEEDS. SO YOU, YOU ARE TRYING TO GET, YOU MAY GET FOUR PEOPLE UNDER ONE DEED, AND THE NEIGHBOR NEXT JUROR MAY HAVE LIKE, I'M CLEARMONT PLUS SECTION TWO AT 8 0 0 2 CLEARMONT PLACE. THAT'S WHERE MY DEED STANDS. BUT AT THE ADDRESS NEXT TO IT, 79 42 DE PARKERS. SO THEY'RE UNDER AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT DEED. SO IT MAKES IT A LITTLE CHALLENGING. CAN WE DO IT? YES. BUT IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT. SO WE'RE NOW LOOKING INTO THE, UH, CONSERVATION DISTRICTS, BUT TIME IS NOT ON OUR SIDE. WHEN THESE PEOPLE CONTINUE TO COME IN AND PUT CONCRETE TRUCKS, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE PURCHASED A LOT AND PLACE A COUNTRY CONCRETE TRUCK BUSINESS. SO YOU, AT 5:30 AM EVERY MORNING YOU HIT THE TRUCK HOVERING DOWN THE STREET. NO GOING TO ITS DESTINATION. I'M WITH YOU. NOW, IF IT'S, IF IT'S GOING THROUGH, WE CAN, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. YES. BUT IF THEY'RE GOING TO PROPERTY WHERE THEY HAVE PURCHASED TO PARK, THEN THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. COUNCILMAN P*****K. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. UNDERSTAND YOUR ISSUES. IT'S NOT MY DISTRICT, BUT SIMILAR, UH, ISSUES ARE HAPPENING I THINK [01:10:01] IN ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS. UM, REGARDLESS IF THERE'S DE RESTRICTIONS OR, OR NOT, MAYOR, I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO START LOOKING AT WAYS WE CAN BE CREATIVE WITH OUR OWN ENFORCEMENT WITHOUT HAVING PEOPLE HAVING TO TICKET FOLKS ALL DAY AND NIGHT, BUT LOOKING AT INFRASTRUCTURE, RIGHT? AND BARRIERS TO WHERE IF IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, UM, COMMUNITY, THEN THERE CAN BE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS CONSTRUCTED TO WHERE ONLY, YOU KNOW, REGULAR PEDESTRIAN CARS AND TRUCKS, NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLES COULD BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH, UH, ON CERTAIN STREETS. AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE BIG COMMERCIAL TRUCKS OR BIG 18 WHEELERS, IF YOU HAD CERTAIN TYPE OF INFRASTRUCTURE TO GET IN AND OFF OF THAT STREET, THEN THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO COME. AND THEN THEY MAY BE BASED ON DESIGN, SEE ONE STREET WHERE THEY MAY BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER, TO GET, UH, TO AND FROM. BUT IF WE ARE SEEING NEIGHBORHOODS THAT CONTINUOUSLY HAVE THESE COMMERCIAL TRUCKS COMING IN AND OUT, OR THEY'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF BEING ABLE TO BUY LOTS WITHIN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS TO PARK COMMERCIAL TRUCKS, THEN LET'S PREVENT THEM FROM EVEN HAVING THE ABILITY TO GO ON THOSE STREETS BY JUST CONSTRUCTING SOMETHING THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS THAT GIVES BARRIERS. AND, AND IT'S A PUBLIC STREET. IT CAN BE A PUBLIC STREET. JUST LIKE IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT HAVE WAYS IN WHICH PEOPLE HAVE, UM, THEY CAN ONLY GO IN A CERTAIN WAY, COME OUT A CERTAIN WAY. IT'S ONLY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ROOM FOR A, A CAR OR A TRUCK TO, TO BE ABLE TO GET TO AND FROM IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS. AND SO I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO START LOOKING AT THAT BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, THESE COMMERCIAL TRUCKS IN THESE BUSINESSES ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO FIND LOOPHOLES TO BE ABLE TO CUT THROUGH THE SYSTEM. BUT THIS IS PRIMARILY HAPPENING IN OLDER COMMUNITIES. SEE THIS FOR NEW, FOR NEW COMMUNITIES, YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE, BUT THIS IS HAPPENING IN OLDER COMMUNITIES AND IT'S PRIMARILY HAPPENING IN COMMUNITIES. UM, SO IF WE, IF WE DESIGN THE BARRIERS, I MEAN, WE ARE THE ONES THAT, THAT MAKE THE ORDINANCE. SO IF WE DESIGN THE BARRIERS TO WHERE ONLY, UM, NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLES CAN GO TO AND FROM, I THINK THAT WILL GIVE A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS PROTECTIONS. AND SO I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO START LOOKING IN THAT DIRECTION. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL, MAYOR ALCO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, AND ON THIS ISSUE, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THAT IF IT'S NOT DEED RESTRICTED, I MEAN, SOMEBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO COME IN AND DO WHAT THEY WANT WITH THAT PROPERTY, BUT IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE MAKING IT INTO A TRUCK LOT, BASICALLY, IT'S NOT JUST ONE TRUCK. I MEAN, IF THEY'RE MAKING IT INTO A KIND OF A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS, THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE PROBABLY CHARGING PEOPLE LESS THAN YOU'D GO TO IT OR THEY OR THAT TO, TO HAVE IT. DO YOU HAVE TO GET SOME KIND OF PERMIT TO DO THAT? UM, TO HAVE A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS THERE? I MEAN, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS WITHOUT DEED RESTRICTIONS. I MEAN, WE'D LIKE IT TO BE RESIDENTIAL, BUT WITH ABSENT DEED RESTRICTIONS, IT CAN BE A BUSINESS. BUT I WOULD THINK THERE MAYBE COULD BE SOME WAY THROUGH PERMITTING AND PLATTING OR SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD POSSIBLY, UM, LOOK AT THIS. 'CAUSE I DON'T, YOU KNOW, 18 WHEELERS OR BIG TRUCKS AREN'T REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE GROUND. I MEAN, I MEAN ON THE GRASS OR WHATEVER, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S RULES ABOUT THAT OR WHAT, BUT JUST ANOTHER, WE HAVE TRUCK YARD PARKING RULES. YOU DO HAVE THE PROVISIONS IN PLACE FOR THAT. THEY'RE ALSO VIOLATING THAT. SO THEY'RE NOT EVEN IN COMPLIANT WITH THE TRUCK YARD PARKING SINCE THEY'VE DEEMED THEMSELVES A TRUCK YARD. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PERMITS. AND WHEN WE CALL IN, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VERY DILIGENT WHEN THEY CALL THE THREE ONE ONE AND REPORT IT, THE INVESTIGATORS INSPECTORS COME OUT AND THE PEOPLE TELL THEM, OH, WE'RE GONNA GET OUR PERMITS. SO THEY'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE BUSINESS AS USUAL WITHOUT TAKING ANY ACTIONS. AND I'M SORRY, LEMME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. UM, MOTION TO MOTION TO SECOND. ANY OBJECTION? NO, GRANTED, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T HAVE A PERMIT FOR WHAT, AGAIN? THEY, THEY, THEY DO HAVE TOKYO PARKING IN THE CITY. HOWEVER, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THIS ARE NOT COMPLIANT WITH THE ROOMS FOR TRUCK YARD PARKING. THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TREES, THE DISTANCE OF THE TREES TO ABSORB FOR THE AIR, THE CLEAN AIR AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEY'RE TOLD WHAT KIND OF PAVEMENT THEY CAN HAVE. SO PEOPLE ARE WIDENING THEIR DRIVEWAYS BECAUSE OF, 'CAUSE IT WAS RESIDENTIAL FIRST. AND WE CALL IN AND THE INSPECTOR WOULD COME OUT AND SAY, OH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING THEIR PERMITS. THE DRIVEWAY IS NOT WIDEN. BUT I'M NOT HERE FOR THAT. BUT BASICALLY WHAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IS WHEN WE ASK FOR THE MAIL THROUGH TRUCK SIGNS, THE CITY SENT A SUPERVISOR OUT. THE SUPERVISOR SAID, IF WE DEEMED IT NECESSARY AND GRANT YOU THE SIGNS, HERE ARE THE PROTECTIONS THAT YOU WILL BE OFFERED. AND THOSE PROTECTIONS WERE TRUCKS COULD NOT COME THROUGH THOSE RESIDENTIAL STREETS UNLESS THEY [01:15:01] ARE MAKING A DELIVERY OR CONDUCTING BUSINESS. I STAND BEFORE YOU TO TELL YOU THEY ARE NOT MEETING THOSE CONDITIONS. WELL, THERE'S ONE OTHER NOT. BUT IF THEY'RE GOING TO THEIR PROPERTY, SEE THAT'S, THAT IS ALLOWED. IT'S NOT THEIR PROPERTY MAYOR THERE, IT'S THE PROPERTY OF SOMEONE THAT HAS CREATED A SITUATION FOR THEM TO PARK. IT'S NOT THEIR PROPERTY. IT WOULD BE THE SAME AS IF THEY'RE GOING TO THEIR COUSIN'S HOUSE OR FAMILY MEMBER. WHY DON'T WE DO THIS? 'CAUSE WE CAN GO BACK AND FORTH. UH, LET ME, LET ME AUTHORIZE LEGAL TO TAKE, TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. OKAY. SO WE ARE NOT, SO WE ALL SPEAKING THE SAME THING. I WANTED TO STOP. YES, SIR. WE JUST HAVE TO DO IT. THE, WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO DO IT. SO LET ME, LET ME AUTHORIZE THE CITY'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR, UH, ORDINANCES AS THEY PERTAIN TO TRUCKING. DRIVE THROUGH TRUCKING TRUCKS. NO, THROUGH TRUCKS. YES. NO, THROUGH TRUCKS. UH, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEBODY PURCHASES PROPERTY AND THEIR PARKING TRUCKS IN THESE COMMUNITIES? AND TO COME FORTH, UH, WITH WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, THAT WE CAN DO TO PLACE RESTRICTIONS OR TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING. I DO AGREE WITH YOU, ESPECIALLY IN EAST HOUSTON AND IN OTHER PLACES. IT IS GETTING OUTTA HAND. I WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE PAGE THERE. UM, THANK YOU. THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL BE THE TAXES BECAUSE THEY'RE PAYING RESIDENTIAL TAXES AND THEY'RE RUNNING. OKAY. OKAY. WELL, LET ME AUTHORIZE, LET ME AUTHORIZE THE LEGAL TO TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT IT AND, AND BRING, BRING US BACK SOMETHING FAIRLY SOON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. NEXT, NEXT SPEAKER. SABRINA PAUL. SABRINA PAUL SABRINA SABRINA'S NOT HERE. NEXT SPEAKER. RHONDA JONES. RHONDA JONES. RHONDA JONES. NEXT SPEAKER. PEARL TAYLOR. PEARL TAYLOR. PEARL TAYLOR. NEXT SPEAKER JIM TUCKER. JIM TUCKER IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY WILL HILL MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JIM TUCKER. GOOD AFTERNOON. I HOPE EVERYONE IS HAVING A SAFE, ALBEIT WARM PLASTIC AWARENESS MONTH AND DRINKING LOT OF WATER. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF THE NATIONAL 2021 BUILDING STANDARDS FOR HOUSTON. THIS IS THE FIRST VERSION OF THESE STANDARDS THAT EMPHASIZES INSULATION AND THE BUILDING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. THOSE OF US THAT WERE HERE DURING THE LATE 1970S AND EARLY 1980S WHEN THINGS WERE BOOMING, REMEMBER ALL THE CONSTRUCTION, INCLUDING LOTS OF TWO TO SIX FLOOR OFFICES, NOW, MOSTLY GRADE B. THESE OFTEN INCLUDED CAMPUSES WITH SIGNIFICANT SURROUNDING GREEN SPACES. AND I'VE WORKED IN A FEW OF THEM SINCE THE ADVENT OF THE PANDEMIC OVER THREE YEARS AGO. OFFICE WORK HABITS HAVE CHANGED, AND MANY OF THESE BUILDINGS ARE FAR FROM CAPACITY. AND LOCAL OFFICE SPACE IS IN SURPLUS, MUCH AS IN MY NORTHEAST MONTROSE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE DIRT IS MORE VALUABLE THAN THE BUILDINGS OCCUPYING THESE SPACES, AND WE CAN EXPECT MANY OF THEM TO BE REPLACED IN THE COMING YEARS, LIKELY WITH HIGHER DENSITY RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS. RESIDENCES ARE GENERALLY AROUND LONGER THAN OFFICE BUILDINGS. WHEN WE WORKED ON AND ADOPTED HOUSTON'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN OVER THREE YEARS AGO, IT NOTED THAT THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT CONTRIBUTED SOME 40% OF THE ATMOSPHERIC CARBON DIOXIDE CREATED WITHIN THE CITY. UH, DISCUSSED ON PAGES, UH, 59 FOLLOWING OF THAT, UH, DOCUMENT. SINCE BUILDINGS, PARTICULARLY RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS ARE AROUND FOR DECADES, IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE ENCOURAGE THE BEST LOWEST IMPACT BUILDING STANDARDS AS WE GO FORWARD INTO A WARMER FUTURE FOR OUR CITY. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY, INCLUDING APPROVAL OF THE NEW IMPROVED LOWER IMPACT BUILDING STANDARDS WHEN THEY'RE REVIEWED LATER THIS YEAR. ON A RELATED NOTE, I RECENTLY SAW A PROGRESS REPORT, INCLUDING THE CAP ONE ITEM MENTIONED WAS FUTURE WASTE TO ENERGY EFFORTS. ALL OF THESE SYSTEMS, WHICH I'M AWARE, INVOLVE INCINERATION WITH THE NON-ENERGY PRODUCTS EITHER VENTED TO THE ATMOSPHERE OR SENT TO A LANDFILL HOPEFULLY AFTER STABILIZATION. YOU MAY RECALL SEVERAL JULYS AGO WHEN WE WERE CONSIDERING THE CONTRACT FOR MANAGEMENT OF THE RECYCLABLE MATERIALS COLLECTED IN CITY RESIDENTIAL BIWEEKLY COLLECTIONS. THE CITY REJECTED INCINERATION AT THAT TIME, AND I HOPE WE DO. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU. BE SAFE AND DRINK YOUR WATER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. THANK YOU, JIM. I JUST WANTED TO SAY HELLO AND IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK AT COUNCIL. UM, AS ALWAYS, I APPRECIATE YOUR EXPERTISE, UH, AND YOUR, AND YOUR THOUGHTFUL [01:20:02] COMMENTS. UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AND I DEFER TO THE, UM, TO CHAIR ROBINSON AS WE'RE TAKING UP THE CODE. I, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING, YOU KNOW, YOU POINTING STUFF OUT TO US, EITHER IF IT'S A A, A JIM TUCKER CHECK OR AN EX. AND, UH, JUST PLEASE STAY TUNED AND STAY ENGAGED ON THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER, WILL HILL. WILL HILL, WILL HILL. NEXT SPEAKER. JOSHUA BULLARD. JOSHUA BULLARD. JOSHUA. NEXT SPEAKER. EMMANUEL THOMAS. EMMANUEL THOMAS IS HERE. THREE BE FOLLOWED BY DARL HARPER. IT WON'T BE LONG, BUT I WILL BE STRONG. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR, UH, ALL THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY. UH, SIX YEARS AGO. TODAY WAS MY FIRST TIME SPEAKING HERE, AND, UH, I HAD MY SON WITH ME. THREE MONTHS LATER HE WAS KILLED. AND A YEAR LATER ON THIS VERY DATE, WE PRESSED FORWARD AND HAD THE CITY PRESS THE CHARGES FOR HIS KILLER. AND SINCE THEN, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO PUSH JUSTICE FOR KING BLAKE, THE HONOR SOCIETY. 99, THE PAC PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE, GP TODAY I COME IN. THE NAME OF GERALD EVANS KNOWN TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS CRITICAL FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HE HAS DONE ON THE CRITICAL SHOW STREET 100, THE HEAT. A LOT OF THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL HAVE COME THROUGH THAT RADIO STATION TO REACH OUT TO THE PUBLIC FOR SOME OF THE POSITIONS THAT THEY ARE IN AUTHORITY OVER RIGHT NOW. I ALSO WANNA GIVE OUT A SHOUT TO THE HOUSTON HERO THAT HAS NOT BEEN HONORED PROPER, AND ASKED OUR CITY TO HONOR HIM. WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH HOW HE WAS PERSONALLY, HE STOOD FOR THE STUDENTS HE'S KNOWN IN THE STREETS AND TO EVERYONE AS THE FIVE STAR GENERAL JERRY MONROE. AND HE NEEDS TO GET A FUTURE CELEBRATION LIKE A GREAT CITIZEN OF THIS CITY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE WITH HIM PERSONALLY, BUT HE STOOD FOR THE BABIES. I WANT TO THANK LETICIA PLUMMER'S OFFICE FOR HONORING BABY TJ TASHA JACKSON'S OFFICE FOR HELPING HIM TO STOP THE VIOLENCE MARCH AND HER SECRETARY FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HE'D DONE PERSONALLY COMING OUT THERE FOR HONORING THE 85-YEAR-OLD SENTENCING OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. UH, MIKE KNOX'S OFFICE FOR ALSO GIVING INTERVIEWS AT STREET 100, THE HEAT, AND REACHING THE COMMUNITY AND BEING REAL WITH US, UH, FOR HONORING US AT THE VANESSA GUILLEN CRUISE, PELON VALDEZ AND EL LEAST THE SAINT'S MOTOR CLUB, FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK THEY DID TO HONOR OUR CITIZEN AND HER UNTIMELY DEATH. AND FOR HONORING US. WITH JULY 11TH, BLAKE THOMAS DAY WAS GIVEN BY THEN, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DWIGHT GAVE IT. ALTHOUGH WE HAD BEEN ASKING FOR THE LONGEST AND BY GOD'S HAND, THE NEXT YEAR, HORRIBLE THINGS WOULD HAPPEN TO VANESSA AND WE WOULD ALL JUMP IN TO HELP SUPPORT AND SAVE HER MEMORY AND BRING CLOSURE TO THAT SITUATION. AND BY COINCIDENCE, JULY 11TH, WE WANT TO THANK MAYOR TURNER FOR COMING OUT TO THE CREW THAT DAY AND MAKING JULY 11TH, VANESSA GUILLEN DAY. AND SO BY BEING THOSE TWO PEOPLE, MIKE KNOX, BEING A CAUCASIAN MAN, MYSELF, BEING A BLACK MAN IN PEON VALDEZ, BEING A HISPANIC BROTHER, THOSE THREE RACES CAME TOGETHER LIKE WE ALWAYS DO IN THE CITY TO HONOR OUR CHILDREN. AND WE'RE ASKING YOU, MAYOR TURNER, 'CAUSE ON SATURDAY AT YOUR PARK, SYLVESTER TURNER PARK FROM FOUR 30 TO SEVEN CRITICAL GERALD EVANS OF THE CRITICAL SHOW IS HAVING, ALONG WITH OTHER SPONSORS, A YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED IN THE PARK, IN YOUR PARK TO HONOR THE KIDS. AND WE WOULD LIKE FOR ANYBODY TO HELP THE RESOURCES FOR THAT. I COME IN THE NAME OF MY SON, IN THE NAME OF ALL OUR BABIES I HEAR THAT HAVE PASSED AWAY AND HAVE NOT GOTTEN IT JUSTICE. THEY SHOULD. AND EVEN THE ONES THAT HAVE GOTTEN IT JUSTICE, THEY SHOULD. AND I ASK OUR CITY TO HONOR THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. WILL YOU COME SATURDAY AND HELP? I, LET ME, LET ME CHECK. I LITERALLY JUST FLEW IN. I UNDERSTAND. CAN YOU SEND SOME RESOURCES? ANYBODY SEND SOME RESOURCES FOR THE CHILDREN AND FOR NOBODY PERSONALLY. THEY GONNA HAVE A LOT OF STUFF IN THE COMMUNITY IS DOING IT. THEY SELF, THEY PUTTING UP THEIR OWN MONEY. SO I KNOW ONE CALL FROM SOMEBODY TO MAKE SOME THINGS HAPPEN. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK MM-HMM . UH, COUNCILWOMAN THOMAS OFFICE [01:25:01] IN DISTRICT F FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE HELPING US WITH THE PACK, THE BUS STOPS. THANK YOU. AND PROTECTING THE KIDS AND THE FUTURE WORK THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO. COLLABORATED WITH US OKAY. OUT THERE. AND YOUR SECRETARY FOR PERSONALLY HELPING ME GET MY DAUGHTER DOWN HERE. YOU KNOW, WHEN SHE WAS GOING THROUGH HER PSYCHOLOGICAL SITUATIONS, WE HAVE TO SAVE OUR BABIES, BUT WE HAVE TO SAVE OUR OWN FIRST. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANKS, MAN. APPRECIATE IT. THANK Y'ALL. OKAY. THANK YOU. DARL HARPER DARL. HARPER DARL. NEXT SPEAKER LY MONTOYA. REVIS MONTOYA RES IS PERFECT, BE FOLLOWED BY KIMBERLY LEE. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR TURNER. UH, THE REASON WHY I'M HERE IS BECAUSE, UH, I'M OVERCOMING SOME, UH, DIFFICULTIES WITH, UM, LARES. UH, I'M WORKING FOR PETE'S COFFEE. THERE IS, UH, TE UH, TIME THEFT, SEXUAL HARASSMENT, UH, SLANDER. THEY CALL ME SNITCH, UH, BECAUSE I STOOD UP AND CALLED HPD. THERE IS A MEISTER IS, UH, ALL KIND OF, UH, ROTTEN IN THE AIRPORT SYSTEM. UH, THERE IS RETALIATION. THEY PUT ME IN THE AM PM SHIFT. I HAVEN'T CLOSING AN OPENING. AND THEN THEY, UM, RETALIATED WITH REMOVING, UH, SOME OF THE HOURS. AND I'M NOW, I'M WORKING FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY. I TOLD 'EM I'M WAY TOO BUSY TO PUT UP WITH BABYSITTING. I'M NOT THERE TO BABYSIT THEIR CHILDREN, TO TEACH THEM MANNERS. I ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH WITH MY TWO DAUGHTERS AND MY GRANDDAUGHTER TO BE ABLE TO STAND ALL DAY, UH, NONONSENSE. AND I'M NOT GONNA KEEP, UH, UH, TRACK OF THEIR WHEREABOUTS IF THEY BOARD A PLANE THAT'S, UH, AGAINST, UH, POLICY AND SECURITY. AND, UH, TSA WILL HAVE TO GET INVOLVED AS WELL AS THE MARSHALS AND HPD AND WILL HAVE A SECURITY SITUATION. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO WHO DO I NEED TO SPEAK WITH, UH, IN REGARDS TO THIS SITUATION, SIR? OH, THERE'S RHONDA'S ALWAYS GRACIOUS TO, TO VISIT WITH YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER. KIMBERLY LEE. KIMBERLY LEE. KIMBERLY LEE IS PRESENT TO BE FOLLOWED BY JASON CONWAY. ALL GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME BACK, MAYOR. SAFE AND SOUND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GLAD TO SEE YOU. WE MISSED YOU LAST WEEK. I JUST WANNA EXTEND MY, UM, APPRECIATION TO ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, ESPECIALLY TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE, A ALCORN. UH, THANK YOU FOR SENDING, UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL DO. UM, THANK YOU FOR SENDING YOUR, UM, STAFFERS TO OUR MEETINGS EVERY MONTH. UM, BUT WE, WE HAVE BEEN COMING BEFORE YOU GUYS ABOUT THE KNOW THROUGH TRUCKS. I SIGNED UP FOR THREE MINUTES, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY PUT ME DOWN FOR ONE MINUTE, BUT I, I'M GONNA KEEP IT VERY BRIEF. UM, WE DID GET IN TOUCH WITH LEGAL ABOUT THE KNOW THROUGH TRUCKS, UM, PARKING IN THE DIFFERENT PARKING LOTS. I DO AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, ABOUT THE ORDINANCE THAT MAYBE WE CAN ALL GET TOGETHER AND TRY TO CREATE SOME KIND OF ORDINANCE OR SOMETHING SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES. BUT I DO WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR SENDING US RESOURCES, FOR GETTING US IN TOUCH WITH THE RIGHT DEPARTMENTS AND THE LEGAL AND EVERYTHING. WE DID TALK TO, UM, ZAMORA TODAY. AND SO, UM, WE, UM, WE JUST WANNA THANK YOU GUYS, BUT YOUR TIME HAS SAID EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED TO SAY, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS, WELCOME FOR HEARING US. WELCOME. WE WILL BE BACK IF WE DON'T GET ALL OF OUR RESPONSE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN P*****K. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, AND THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR COMING. IF YOU WANTED TO FOLLOW UP OR FINISH YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS, YOU CAN HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MY TIME. THANK YOU. AND, AND I'M GONNA END IT RIGHT NOW. AND I DO THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY. JASON CONWAY. JASON CONWAY. JASON. NEXT SPEAKER. CHRIS PRATT. CHRIS PRATT. CHRIS NEXT SPEAKER. JACOB ASTROS. CLEMENTI. YEAH. HEY, DAVID ROBINSON, DO YOU WANT TO PLAY CATCH WITH THE WALL CHAMPIONSHIP AS BALL? UH, AND THEN WHEN I WANT TO TALK TO YOU, EDWARD, EDWARD, PAULA, I MEAN, I WAS SPEAKING WITH DOMINIC GARNER OF THE HUG WATER. ATKINSON CAN SAY, UM, A LAW FIRM. AND SHE SAYS YOU CAN DO A WELL MY WORDS KICK ASS JOB, UH, ON THAT VIETNAMESE, UH, MONUMENT. AND, UH, YOU ARE WILLING TO DOING WELL. CLEANING UP THE SCUM AROUND THE SOUTHWEST FREEWAY IN RESIDENT WHERE THOSE LADIES OF THE NIGHT GO AROUND. AND ANYWAY, I WANT TO SAY THAT I HAD THIS HERE CALLED BETTER. IT IS ABOUT THE ABILITIES EXPO FOR DISABLED PEOPLE AND ALL THE OTHER GUYS. Y'ALL CAN COME TO IT. [01:30:01] ALSO BECAUSE THIS EXPO IS, YOU CAN CONSULT EXPERTS ON DISABILITY ISSUES, ENGAGE IN ADAPTIVE SPORTS, LEARN HOW A SERVICE DOG CAN HELP YOU MEET YOUR FAVORITE COCO, PLAY SUPERHERO, FIND SOLUTIONS FOR ALL AGES AND ABILITIES. AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO. FIND SOLUTIONS FOR ALL AGES AND ABILITIES. EVEN OLD MEN LIKE MAYOR TURNER . OKAY. YEAH. I'M GONNA PASS THIS. YEAH. JACOB, REALLY QUICKLY, DO YOU WANNA SAY THE DATES AND WHERE THE EXPO IS? YES, IT IS. IT IS GONNA BE HERE IN HOUSTON, AUGUST 14TH TO SIXTH OF 2023 NRG CENTER, ALL E IT'S FRIDAY, 11:00 AM TO 5:00 PM SATURDAY 11:00 AM TO 5:00 PM AND SUNDAY, 11:00 AM TO 4:00 PM AND IT'S FREE ADMISSION. THANK YOU JACOB. SO THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR NOT COMING. YOU THAT GUYS. THANKS JACOB. OH, AND YOU WANT TO PLAY CATCH QUICKLY WITH THIS BALL? NO, NOT, NOT TODAY, JACOB. NO, NO, WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANNA GET THAT STARTED. JACOB . ALRIGHT, GO ASTROS. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER. YOU DO A GREAT JOB, DOMINIC. GAR, THAT, THAT COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS. THANK YOU OFFICER, VERY MUCH. WE STAND IN RECESS UNTIL [RECESS] TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00 AM JULY 25TH AND 26TH. 2023. ITEM ONE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR ADMINISTRATION REGULATORY OF AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF A RESIDENTIAL PERMIT PARKING AREA IN THE 1800 BLOCK OF PORTSMOUTH. ITEM TWO, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $3,007,778 AND 16 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH SPECIALIZED MAINTENANCE SERVICES, INC. ITEM THREE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $12,341,716 AND 50 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH RECOM INC. ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF THE PURCHASE PRICE FOR THE ACQUISITION OF PARCELS KY 22 0 2 3 A Y 22 0 1 8 AND TCY 22 0 0 8. LOCATED AT MILL FOREST ROAD, WEBSTER, TEXAS 7 7 5 9 8 FOR THE 42 INCH WATERLINE FROM CLEAR LAKE CITY WATER AUTHORITY PLANT NUMBER THREE TO THE LAKE CITY BOOSTER PUMP STATION PROJECT ITEM FIVE, APPROVAL OF EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF ONE MOBILE STROKE AMBULANCE UNIT FOR THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. ITEM SIX, APPROVAL OF FINAL PAYMENT IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $89,725 AND NO CENTS FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO TRAFFIC SIGNAL POSTS FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS ON A WARD TO FIGHT FOR AND SUN LTD ITEM SEVEN APPROVED FINAL PAYMENT IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF 1 0 100 AND 1080 7050 CENTS FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL CABLES FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS ON WATER TRAFFIC SYSTEMS CONSTRUCTION ITEM EIGHT, AUTODESK INC. DBA ENTERPRISE LLC FOR SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE FOR INFO MASTER AND INFO WORKS MODELING SOFTWARE FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER MODELING FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM NINE, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1 MILLION AND NO CENTS OUT OF AIRPORTS RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT FUND AND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TD INDUSTRIES INC. FOR THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE HEATING, VENTILATING, AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS AT GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT SLASH HOUSTON IAH WILLIAM P HIGHWAY AIRPORT AND ELLINGTON AIRPORT. ITEM 10, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TD INDUSTRIES INC. FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CENTRAL UTILITY PLANT AT WILLIAM P HIGHWAY AIRPORT FOR THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM. ITEM 11, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $3 MILLION AND NO CENTS OUT OF AIRPORTS RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT FUND AND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TD INDUSTRIES, INC. FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CENTRAL UTILITY PLANT AT GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT SLASH HOUSTON FOR THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM. ITEM 12 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT TERM BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND PERIDIUM SOFTWARE LLC ITEM 13, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING IN A LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY. ITEM 14, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,691,000 AND NO CENTS FROM EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION CONSOLIDATED FUND FOR THE PLAN, NETWORK AND FIREWALL REPLACEMENT PROJECT FOR HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES. ITEM 15, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $717,000 IN [01:35:01] NO CENTS FROM EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION CONSOLIDATED FUND FOR THE PLANNED PURCHASE OF MOBILE DATA COMPUTERS FOR HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. ITEM 16 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $2 MILLION IN NO CENTS FROM EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION CONSOLIDATED FUND FOR THE PLANNED PURCHASE OF COMPUTER HARDWARE PERIPHERALS AND SOFTWARE SERVICES FOR HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS. ITEM 17, ORDINANCE APPROVAL AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND UNDERGROUND PLANET ART STUDIO L-L-C-D-B-A UP ART STUDIO ITEM 18, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AWARDING CONTRACT BETWEEN C DIFF HOUSTON AND AIKEN GUMP STRAUS HOWARD AND FAILED LLP FOR FEDERAL LOBBYISTS AND CONSULTING SERVICES FOR OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS ITEM 19 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT BETWEEN C DIFF HOUSTON AND AIKEN GUMP STRAUSS HOWARD AND FAILED LLP FOR FEDERAL LOBBY SERVICES FOR THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM. ITEM 20, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020 DASH 1 47 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT WITH ONE AIDS FOUNDATION, HOUSTON INC. TWO FIO FOUNDATION, LATINO AMERICA DAY, AXION SOCIAL INC. THREE AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION, FOUR ST. HOPE FOUNDATION, INC. AND FIVE LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES INC. 21 ORDINANCE OF MANY. ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020 DASH 1 48 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR ONE HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT DBA HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM. AND TWO, BE BUSY WELLNESS CENTER. ITEM 22, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 2020 DASH 1 49 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE MONTROSE LEARNING CENTER. ITEM 23, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020 DASH 1 65 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT WITH B BUSY LEARNING ACADEMY. ITEM 24, ORDINANCE DESING FROM CITY OF HOUSTON. CIVIC ART COLLECTION FOUR ARTWORKS, ONE FUNDEE TOTEMS TWO CANCER. THERE IS HOPE THREE GEL BALL AND FOUR B VENITO, A ESRA MESA ITEM 25 ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 9.99 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 4 95 ITEM 26. ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 9.0698 ACRES OF LAND TO NORTH HAMPTON MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT. ITEM 27 MUNICIPAL SETTING DESIGNATION ORDINANCE PROHIBITING THE USE OF DESIGNATED GROUNDWATER BENEATH THE TRACT LAND CONTAINING 4.682, COMMONLY KNOWN AS 38 14 LYONS AVENUE, HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS SUPPORTING ISSUANCE OF A MUNICIPAL SETTING DESIGNATION BY THE TEXAS COMMISSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AT THE REQUEST OF FIFTH WARD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TURNS 18. ITEM 28, ORDINANCE SUBMITTING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 23 1 67 REGARDING THE ABANDONMENT AND SALE OF HOLLY HERT LANE FROM UPTOWN PARK BOULEVARD TO ITS TERMINALS OUT OF THE WM WHITE ONE. THIRD LEAGUE SURVEY ABSTRACT 8 36 HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS TO REPLACE THE EXHIBIT B. ITEM 29, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATED $199,500 AND NO CENTS OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND DRAINAGE CHARGE AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND UNITED ENGINEERS INC. ITEM 30 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5,029,000 IN NO CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARDING CONTRACT TO WEISINGER INCORPORATED. THAT IS THE END OF THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE MATTERS HELD. ITEM 31, IT'S AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE CHARGING AND FUELING INFRASTRUCTURE COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM. THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS CAYMAN AND ROBINSON. THIS WAS ITEM 10 ON AGENDA OF JULY 19TH, 2023. ITEM 32 IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS TO CREATE AN ALCOHOL FREE ZONE FOR HIGH PRESCHOOL AND EARLY LEARNING CENTER LLC AT 2064 OXFORD STREET, HOUSTON, TEXAS 7 7 0 0 8. THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THIS WAS ITEM 34 ON AGENDA OF JULY 19TH, 2023. THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF JULY 26. 2023. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM IN THE WORDS OF OUR CURRENT CITY SECRETARY, PAT JEFFERSON. DANIEL, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED. HAVE A BLESSED AND FANTABULOUS DAY FORWARD THERE. [RECONVENE] AND I'M MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER. IT'S WEDNESDAY, JULY 26TH, 2023. AND I'M CALLING THIS, UH, HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO WATER. UH, [MAYOR'S REPORT] [01:40:02] LEMME MAKE A FEW COMMENTS AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE A RE UM, A PRESENTATION BY A GROUP BEING LED BY, UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY ANGEL PONZI IN HONOR OF THE 33RD ANNIVERSARY OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, UH, ACT. UM, BUT IT'S, IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AFTER OUR SUCCESSFUL TRADE MISSION TO AFRICA COMING IN THE COUNTRIES OF NIGERIA, CORVO AND GHANA. UH, THE TRIP WAS WELL RECEIVED. UH, I WANT TO THANK, UM, THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEK TATUM FOR GOING, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS, COUNCIL MEMBER COS CALL THE SCENARIOS ALONG WITH ABOUT 27 OTHER PEOPLE, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER, THE AIRPORT, THE, UH, HOUSTON PORT AUTHORITY, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION SECTOR. UH, OTHER BUSINESS LEADERS REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR PRESENCE. I THINK ALL CAN ATTEST THAT, UH, UH, HOUSTON WAS WELL RECEIVED, UH, BY ALL THREE COUNTRIES, QUITE FRANKLY. THEY WERE GLAD THAT WE WERE, WE WERE THERE. UM, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT NUMBER ONE, TRYING TO RE REESTABLISH A DIRECT FLIGHT, UH, TO NIGERIA. AND SO THAT CONVERSATION HAS ALREADY STARTED IN COURT. DEVORE, THEY'RE BUILDING A 600 PERSON, UH, HOSPITAL. TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER WILL BE COORDINATING WITH, WITH THEM. UH, THEY'RE ALSO BUILDING AN INNOVATION HUB. AND PAT AZEL, UH, FROM THE EAST END MAKER HUB, UH, WILL BE COORDINATING WITH THEM IN COURT DEVORE. UM, AND THEN THEY WANT TO STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOUSTON, UH, AND THAT COUNTRY AND GHANA. UM, ALSO AGAIN, UM, WAS WELL RECEIVED THERE. UM, MINISTER, UM, THEY WANT US HOUSTON, UH, TO BE THE LEADING CITY, CITY AS AN AMBASSADOR FOR TOURISM. UH, SO THAT WAS A HUGE PLUS. UM, THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE COMMISSION, UM, ON THE, THE AFRICAN DIASPORA FORUM, UH, WANTS US TO BE A LEADING, UH, CITY IN ASSISTING ON THAT FRONT. UM, MET WITH THE MINISTRY OF TRADE AND IN AND INVESTMENT, UH, WHICH WAS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL. AND THEY WANT TO INCREASE TRADE BETWEEN HOUSTON, UH, AND GHANA. THEY ALREADY AT ABOUT 293 MILLION, BUT IT CAN BE EVEN, IT CAN BE A LOT, A LOT MORE. UH, AND THEN THERE ARE BUSINESS PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING THERE, WHO ARE ALREADY DOING BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND VICE VERSA. SO THEY WANT TO ENHANCE THAT. UM, SO IT WAS A, IT WAS A GREAT, IT WAS A GREAT TRIP. A LOT OF POSITIVE RELATIONS AND INTERACTIONS THAT TOOK PLACE. AND I WOULD, YOU KNOW, WELCOME, UM, YOU ALL TO VISIT WITH ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO I THINK HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON, ON WHAT TOOK PLACE ON THIS PARTICULAR TRIP. UM, AT THE SAME TIME, UH, STARTING TODAY, THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE CONFERENCE. UH, WE'LL BE MEETING, UH, IN HOUSTON. UH, THE CONFERENCE WILL INCLUDE SOME OF TODAY'S FOREMOST BUSINESS LEADERS, POLICY MAKERS, COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCATES, UM, WHO WILL BE IN TOWN. UM, UH, I HAVE BEEN INVITED AT THE REQUEST OF THE URBAN NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE TO INVITE, UH, MAYOR ERIC ADAMS OF NEW YORK, UM, MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON OF CHICAGO, AND MAYOR KAREN BASS OF LA UH, TO COME AND PARTICIPATE ON A FORUM ON FRIDAY. THEY'VE ACCEPTED MY REQUEST, ALL FOUR, UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME. ALL FOUR OF US WILL BE TOGETHER, UH, ON THE SAME STAGE THIS COMING FRIDAY, UH, TO TALK ABOUT VARIOUS ISSUES. BUT THE VERY FACT THAT THEY ARE ALL HERE, WE'LL ALL BE HERE IN HOUSTON, UH, SPEAKS VOLUMES. UM, AND THEN, UH, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PANEL DISCUSSION, UH, WITH ALL THE, THE THREE OF THEM, UH, KAREN BASS, MAYOR VALE, UH, UH, SPECIFICALLY HAS ASKED, UH, TO SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH US ON THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS AND HOW WE ARE ADDRESSING IT, AS SHE HAS SAID, UH, IN OTHER PLACES. HOUSTON IS THE, IS THE MODEL. AND SO MARK ACHENBAUM, , UM, DEALING WITH HOMELESSNESS AND MYSELF, UM, WE'LL BE HEADING OVER TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER AND THEN SITTING DOWN TO DISCUSS, UH, WITH HER TEAM, HER AND HER TEAM ON HOW TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, HOW IT CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE. UM, AND AS A A POINT OF COMPARISON, UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UM, HARRIS COUNTY, FORT BEND, MONTGOMERY COUNTY COMBINED, WE HAVE ABOUT 3000 PEOPLE TOTAL. UH, IN LA THEY HAVE ABOUT 47,000 JUST IN THE CITY OF LA. UH, SO THAT IS HER NUMBER ONE FOCUS. AND SO WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT. BUT IT'S A, IT'S AN EXCITING TIME. HOUSTON IS GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION AND ALL FOUR OF THEM, [01:45:01] UH, THAT PANEL DISCUSSION ON FRIDAY IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE, I THINK AT 9:00 AM. UM, AND, UM, UM, SHOULD BE VERY WELL ATTENDED BY EVERYONE. SO I, I WANTED TO PUT THAT ON EVERYBODY'S RADAR SCREEN, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF BRAZIL AND SUSTAINABILITY. UH, TODAY I'M PROUD TO RELEASE THE RESILIENT HOUSTON AND CLIMATE ACTION PLAN THREE YEAR REPORT. UM, UH, IN SUMMARY, BY THE END, UH, IS THAT, YEAH, THE THREE YEAR REPORT ON RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY, UH, PRIYA ZACHARIA IS THE DIRECTOR AS PRIYA. PRIYA ZACHARIA IS THE DIRECTOR, UH, OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF RECEIVING AND SUSTAINABILITY. IN FACT, YOUR WHOLE TEAM IS HERE. WHY DON'T YOU HAVE YOUR WHOLE TEAM STAND? I WANT TO WANT TO THANK THEM. UH, THIS STARTED IN FEBRUARY OF 2020. UH, IT WAS UNDERFUND UNDERWRITTEN BY SHELL. UM, SO A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE OVER THE LAST THREE, THREE YEARS. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO, UH, TO READ THE REPORT. UM, IN FACT, PRIYA, WHY DON'T YOU JUST, WHY DON'T YOU JUST COME FORWARD RIGHT QUICK. UM, AND INSTEAD OF ME JUST SUMMARIZING MYSELF, WHY DON'T YOU JUST BRIEFLY SUMMARIZE, UH, WHAT THEY WILL FIND AS THEY READ THROUGH THE REPORT. SO, UM, THANK YOU MAYOR AND, AND THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING OUR WHOLE TEAM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS. WHAT YOU WILL FIND ON THE REPORT IS A SUMMARY OF ACTIONS THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED ON BOTH THE RESILIENCE AND THE SUSTAINABILITY FRONT. SO THIS YEAR WE HAVE REPORTED FOR THE FIRST TIME, NOT JUST ON TARGETS MAYOR, BUT ALSO ON EVERY SUB ACTION. UM, WE HAVE MADE CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS IN MOVING FORWARD. A NUMBER OF KEY ITEMS, UH, WE HAVE, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW. WE HAVE FOR THE FIRST TIME THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS BEEN AWARDED THE LEAD FOR CITIES GOLD AS A CITY. UM, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. AND JUST TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS, WE HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS. UM, AS FAR AS SOME OF OUR RENEWABLE PROGRAMS ARE CONCERNED. FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE'VE HAD THE HIGHEST SUBSCRIPTION FOR THE SOLAR UNITED NEIGHBORS PARTNERSHIP AND THE COOPERATIVE PURCHASING, UH, UH, BUYING PROGRAMS. UH, AND WE CONTINUE TO MAKE, UH, PROGRESS ON A NUMBER OF FRONTS. AND I ENCOURAGE, UH, EVERYONE TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S IN THE REPORT AND DRILL DOWN INTO BOTH THE REPORT AS WELL AS THE TARGET TRACKER, WHICH IS ON THE KINDER WEBSITE. I'M THANKFUL FOR EVERYONE'S SUPPORT AND WE CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS AND MOVE EVERYTHING FORWARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. OH, HOLD ON ONE SECOND. COUNCILOR ROBINSON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE DIRECTOR FOR THE GOOD WORK SHE'S DONE. UH, COLLEAGUES, SHE PASSED OVER VERY QUICKLY AND LIGHTLY THE FACT THAT, UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS BEEN, UH, CERTIFIED AS LEAD GOLD. THIS IS A NEW CATEGORY FOR THE U-S-G-B-C AS A LEAD ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL MYSELF, THAT'S AP, WE CERTIFY BUILDINGS, AND THE NEW CATEGORY IS CITIES. AND THE FACT THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS BEEN CERTIFIED GOLD IS A REALLY BIG DEAL. UM, AND I KNOW A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK WENT INTO THAT. PRIYA, YOUR TEAM, UM, I'M THINKING OF RYAN, WHO'S NO LONGER WITH THE CITY, BUT A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO REALLY CONTRIBUTED TO THAT. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR INITIATIVE. AND MAYOR, THIS IS JUST CONSISTENT WITH EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE WITH THE CITY. I THINK IN PARTICULAR, SOME OF OUR WATER PROGRAMS, UH, HAVE REALLY ACCELERATED THE CITY FAR AHEAD OF OUR PEER CITIES. UH, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING TO BE AMAZING. IT'S AN AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT AND SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. AND, UH, AND WE'LL FOCUS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THIS AT ANOTHER DATE. I JUST WANTED TO, TO LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE THREE YEAR REPORT THAT IT IS OUT AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO KIND OF READ THROUGH IT. AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IT BECAUSE RESILIENCE IS NOT JUST BUILT IN ONE, IN ONE MAYOR'S TERM. AND THEN WHEN THE MAYOR'S TERM IS OVER, IT IS OVER. UH, RESILIENCE IS A ONGOING STRATEGY PROGRAM. CURRENTLY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON CHAIRS THE GLOBAL RESILIENCE CITIES NETWORK, AND WE'VE CHAIRED THAT FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS. UM, AND IN LARGE PART, IT'S BECAUSE OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE SEEING ACROSS THE GLOBE. UM, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ACRA, FOR EXAMPLE, ACRA GHANA IS A MEMBER OF THE GLOBAL BRAZILIAN CITIES NETWORK. SO SAO PAULO IN BRAZIL IS A MEMBER OF THE GLOBAL RESILIENT CITIES NETWORK. THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS CHAIRED THAT FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS. AND SO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF RESILIENCE RIGHT NOW. UM, THE OFFICE IS WORKING ON ESTABLISHING SEVERAL, UH, RESILIENT HUBS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. OKAY. AND, UM, AND I KNOW THAT THEY WILL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU ALL, UH, TO THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT THESE RESILIENT HUBS. UH, BUT IT IS AN ONGOING PROCESS AND IT'S MY HOPE, UH, FOR THOSE WHO WILL CONTINUE TO BE ON CITY COUNCIL, ON CITY COUNCIL NOW WOULD CARRY OVER FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING IN, UH, THAT WE DON'T [01:50:02] DEEMPHASIZE RESILIENCE AS WE MOVE FORWARD. 'CAUSE THE DO IT WILL BE DOING IT AT OUR, AT OUR PERIL. SO I JUST WANTED TO REALLY TO BRING IT TO THE FOREFRONT. AND, UM, AND THEN AT AN, AT AN, AT ANOTHER DAY OR TIME, UM, WE'LL COME BACK AND GIVE A MORE DETAILED RE OR DETAILED REPORT. UM, OR EVEN COUNCILMAN ROBINSON MAY WANT TO PROVIDE A DETAILED REPORT TO, TO THE COMMITTEE ON, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE ARE WE ARE DOING. WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO THAT AND WORK WITH, UH, DIRECTOR ZACHARIA. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I TOO WANTED TO JUST RECOGNIZE, UM, YOU DIRECTOR AND YOUR TEAM AND MAYOR, YOU, THE EMPHASIS ON THE, THE WORK HAS BEGUN AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE. AND THE REPORT THAT WE HAVE EMPHASIZES ALL THE WORK THAT IS A CITY WE HAVE BEEN DOING. AND, UH, DIRECTOR, I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE AT THE HELM AND THEN ALL THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE TO PLAY A ROLE. AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, MAYOR WITH FLEET, UM, THE ELECTRIFICATION OF OUR FLEET WE'RE LEADING THE WAY WITH THAT. UH, AND I THINK A, A PRESS RELEASE A FEW WEEKS AGO CAME OUT WITH THE UPDATES ON WHERE WE STAND IN THAT PROGRESS. SO THERE'S OTHER THINGS, DIRECTOR THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO TOUCH ON THAT I HOPE WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET INTO. UH, BUT MAYOR, YOU SPOKE ABOUT SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT AS A CITY. WE'RE LEADING THE WAY IN, LEADING BY EXAMPLE WITH OUR BUILDINGS, WITH OUR FLEET IN COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, WITH OUR URBAN SOLAR FARM THAT I KNOW IS COMING, UM, TO A JOINT COMMITTEE TO LATER TODAY, I BELIEVE. RIGHT? UH, AND THE WORK, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT YOU JUST DID THIS PAST WEEK THAT CONTINUES, OR WHEN SOME OF US HAVE GONE TO DENMARK LEADING THE WAY, IS THE ENERGY CAPITAL AND THE ENERGY TRANSITION IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR THAT IS TAKING PLACE AND THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO LEAD ON IF WE WANNA REMAIN THE ENERGY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT FOR OUR ECONOMY. SO I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT, THAT IT TAKES ALL OF US ESPECIALLY, UH, WE WERE SITTING HERE YESTERDAY DURING PUBLIC SESSION AND WE FINALLY HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN AND WE GOT VERY EXCITED. IT JUST THAT LITTLE BIT OF RAIN, BUT WE'RE SEEING EXTREME HEAT AND WE HAVE URBAN HEAT ISLANDS, AND WE'RE SEEING, UM, IN THE ATLANTIC, UNPRECEDENTED TEMPERATURES RISING. WE'RE HEADING INTO THE HEART OF HURRICANE SEASON WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RESILIENCY HUBS, WHICH WE'VE ALSO BROUGHT UP AT PUBLIC SAFETY. SO IT'S THIS WHOLE EFFORT THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP THE PRESSURE ON. AND AS I LOOK AROUND THE HORSESHOE, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR DISTRICTS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS IS ALREADY BEING IMPACTED IN SOME WAY. UH, AND IT, AND IT'S UNFORTUNATELY ONLY GETTING MORE INTENSE. SO WE APPRECIATE THE WORK AND, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO PRESS HARD ON IT. THANK YOU. THANKS, UH, DIRECTORS. I CRIED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, ON THURSDAY, UH, TOMORROW, THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY WILL INVE A COMMEMORATIVE MONUMENT HONORING THE LATE ROBERT ROBERT C. JORDAN. UH, YOU'RE INVITED TO BE AMONG THE FIRST TO SEE THE QUE STRUCTURE THAT IS ILLUSTRATIVE OF JORDAN'S DEDICATION, UH, TO PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, RACIAL JUSTICE, AND THE FULFILLMENT OF AMERICAN DREAMS. IDEAS. THE TWO ARTISTS WILL ALSO BE PRESENT. THE CEREMONY BEGINS AT 8:00 AM AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY RESEARCH CENTER AT THE GREGORY SCHOOL, 1300 VICTORY STREET. SO, UH, SO THAT IS THE UNVEILING OF THE LATE BARBARA, UH, JORDAN, UH, MONUMENT. AND I HOPE YOU WILL, UH, MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE BRIEF, UM, BRIEF MENTION OF THE PASSING OF HOUSTON ARTIST JESSE LOTT. HE WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF PROJECT ROW HOUSES. I JUST TOOK A PICTURE WITH HIM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. UH, AND, UH, HE WAS DESCRIBED AS A MENTOR TO A LOT OF ARTISTS. HE COMPLETED A QUOTE, THE DREAM CATCHER, UNQUOTE, A SCULPTURE THAT WAS SELECTED TO BE PLACED OUTSIDE THE NEW SUNNYSIDE HEALTH AND MULTI SERVICE CENTER. AND JESSE LOT WAS 80 YEARS OLD. SO REALLY WANT TO, UH, TIP OUR HAT OFF TO, UH, JESSE ARD INTO HIS FAMILY AND TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTION THAT HE'S MADE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, AS YOU'LL, UH, MAY ALSO KNOW DAVE FELDMAN, UH, THE FORMER CITY ATTORNEY HAS ALSO PASSED, AND WE CERTAINLY WANT TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE, ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HIS WORK, UH, AS PAST CITY ATTORNEY UNDER THE EAST PARK ADMINISTRATION TO THE CITY, TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, BEFORE I BRING UP, UH, UH, DIRECTOR PONZI, I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS, UH, AS IT RELATES TO HISD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT. UM, LAYING OFF 2300 EMPLOYEES WAS ONE THING. CLOSING LIBRARIES AND PRIMARILY COMPLETE COMMUNITIES IS ANOTHER. AND AS A KID WHO DIDN'T HAVE, UM, NEITHER, UM, PARENT DIDN'T GO TO, UH, GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE LIBRARY WAS MY DOMAIN. THAT'S WHERE I TRAVEL THE WORLD. [01:55:01] AND I HAVE ALWAYS, ALWAYS BEEN A STRONG PROPONENT OF LIBRARIES. YOU CANNOT EDUCATE KIDS AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO READ. AND ESPECIALLY KIDS WHO ARE TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGED. DON'T GO ON VACATIONS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT. FOR MANY OF THESE KIDS, THE LIBRARY, IF THEIR PORTAL TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD, AND I'LL NEVER FORGET, UH, I WAS IN THE FIFTH GRADE, CAME BACK FROM THE SUMMER AND THE TEACHER ASKED US TO WRITE A REPORT ON WHAT WE DID, UH, FOR THE SUMMER AND FOR VACATION. I DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE. I DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE. COULDN'T AFFORD TO GO. I WAS IN ACRE HOME. SO WHAT I DID DO IS THAT I WENT TO A BOOK AND I READ ABOUT ALL OF THESE PLACES IN TEXAS. AND SO I READ ABOUT SAN ANTONIO AND THE ALAMO, AND I WROTE THE REPORT BASED ON THE BOOK THAT I READ AS IF I HAD GONE. AND SO, UM, TEACHER READ ALL THE REPORTS. SHE SELECTED TWO THAT SHE THOUGHT WAS JUST EYE CATCHING. AND THEN SHE ASKED ME, SYLVESTER, COME UP AND GIVE FURTHER, ELABORATE ON YOUR FAMILY'S VACATION . AND I, I NEVER FORGET, I, I SAID, I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT. SO SHE SAYS, IT WAS A GOOD REPORT, IT WAS A GOOD REPORT, BUSTER COME AND ELABORATE. AND I SAID, I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT. SO SHE SAID, COME, COME, COME, COME. SO I GOT UP AND I SAID, UM, I PRETTY MUCH WROTE EVERYTHING THAT WE DID. AND, UM, IT WAS A GOOD TRIP. WE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GOING AGAIN. . AND SO SHE SAID, UM, ALRIGHT, I, I KNOW YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT SHY. AND UM, BUT THE REALITY IS I HAD PHYSICALLY GONE, BUT I HAD GONE TO THAT LIBRARY AND I FOR THAT BOOK, AND I READ IT AND I WROTE, BASED ON WHAT I READ, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A STRONG PROPONENT OF LIBRARIES, ESPECIALLY IN SCHOOLS, NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE KIDS ARE CHALLENGED FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. WHEN YOU CLOSED THE LIBRARIES, YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAR. AND THIS NOW BECOMES A TIME WHEN WE MUST ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS. THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD OF MANAGERS IN CLOSING LIBRARIES IN THESE COMMUNITIES, IN THESE SCHOOLS, HE'S GONE TOO FAR. AND HE IS DISMANTLING THE LARGEST EDUCATIONAL DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND YOU CANNOT EDUCATE THE KIDS AND CLOSE THEIR LIBRARIES AND THEN TURN THEM INTO DISCIPLINARY CENTERS. WHAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT YOU ARE TELLING OUR KIDS? WHAT IS THAT MESSAGE? I'M ASKING HIM TO REVERSE HIS POLICY. UNLESS YOU ARE GOING TO CLOSE EVERY LIBRARY IN HISD AND YOU SHOULDN'T DO THAT, PERIOD. BUT IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA CLOSE EVERY LIBRARY, EVERY LIBRARY, YOU CANNOT HAVE A SITUATION WHERE YOU ARE CLOSING LIBRARIES FOR ON, FOR SOME SCHOOLS IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS. AND THERE ARE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE ARE LIBRARIES FULLY EQUIPPED. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? MM, NO. AND I ASKED THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP AND ALL OF THESE OTHER NONPROFITS AND THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ELECTED OFFICIALS TO GET ENGAGED IN THIS CONVERSATION. THIS IS NOT A CITY WHERE WE ARE CREATING CITIES OF HAVE AND HAVE NOT. AND ESPECIALLY IN THE EDUCATIONAL SEC SECTOR. WHEN I CAME IN AS MAYOR, I SAID, I DID NOT WANT TO BE THE MAYOR OF TWO CITIES AND ONE OF CITIES OF HAVE AND HAVE NOTS. [02:00:01] IT SHOULD NOT BE SEEN IN A GLARING WAY IN OUR EDUCATIONAL ARENA. IT'S GOING TOO FAR. AND I'M ASKING THEM TO REVERSE IT POLICY. I'M ASKING THE BOARD OF MANAGERS TO REVERSE THEIR POLICY AND WE CANNOT ALLOW ANYBODY TO COME IN AND DISMANTLE OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, TEAR IT DOWN, AND THEN AFTER A FEW YEARS, PACK UP AND LEAVE. COUNCILMAN MCCAMMON? UH, MAYOR, THANK YOU. I WAS SIM I YOU HAD GOTTEN TO MY POINT, WHICH WAS THAT NOT ONLY ARE THE LIBRARIES BEING SHUT DOWN AND THEY'RE BEING SHUT DOWN IN CERTAIN AREAS, IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS, IT'S THE ASSUMPTION THAT THEY NEED MORE SPACE FOR DISCIPLINE IN CERTAIN AREAS AND NOT OTHERS. OR THE FACT THAT YOU WOULD ASSUME THAT YOU NEED TO BE DISCIPLINING A LARGE STUDENT POPULATION OR ANY STUDENT, SO TO SPEAK, VERSUS WORKING WITH THEIR STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. AND UH, MAYOR, I JOINED WITH YOU. I THANK YOU FOR LEADING ON THIS. UH, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, BUT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IS THE FOUNDATION IN BEDROCK OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. YOU CANNOT HAVE DEMOCRACY WITHOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT IS OF A CALIBER THAT IS WORTHY OF THIS COUNTRY AND WHAT IS HAPPENING. UH, I SAW A CLIP RECENTLY FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE 'CAUSE THEY'RE STILL HOLDING COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND THEY BROUGHT PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN AND ASKED THEM QUESTIONS. WELL, HOW DO YOU, UH, HOW DO YOU DO CREDENTIALING? HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THAT YOUR STUDENTS ARE PASSING, UH, AT THE LEVEL THAT IS REQUIRED OF OUR PUBLIC SYSTEM? AND IT'S NOT THE SAME LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY AND STANDARDS THAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE SET UP TO. AND THAT'S NOT A CRITIQUE ON PUBLIC PRIVATE SCHOOLS. BUT AGAIN, THERE'S A REASON WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND IT'S NOT LOST ON ME, THAT WHEN YOU'RE SHUTTING DOWN LIBRARIES, WHEN YOU'RE BANNING BOOKS ON AMERICAN HISTORY, WHEN YOU'RE DOING ALL OF THESE THINGS TO TARGET OUR CHILDREN IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AS YOU SAID, IT HAS GONE TOO FAR. SO I JOINED WITH YOU. I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONSTITUENTS JUST LAST NIGHT REACH OUT TO ME, WHICH IS WHY I'M SPEAKING OUT NOW. 'CAUSE THEY HAVE ASKED ME TO. UH, AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE, UH, VOICE WHAT IS HAPPENING, BRING ATTENTION TO IT AND SAY NO. UH, COUNCILMAN LES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS WAS SOMETHING I WAS GOING TO MENTION IN MY POP OFF, BUT NOW THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT, AND I'M JUST GONNA TAG ALONG HERE. I MEAN, I WAS TRYING TO GIVE THE SUPERINTENDENT MIKE MILES THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING AND BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT HISD NEEDED SOME ASSISTANCE AND HELP, BUT, BUT TO KNOW THAT HE IS CLOSING LIBRARIES. UM, I TOO MAYOR, WHEN WHEN, WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL OR BACK THEN, WE REFERRED TO IT AS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, I WOULD GO TO THE LIBRARY AND TRY TO FIND MY HISTORY. BECAUSE IN TEXAS HISTORY, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS STARTING IN 1836, RIGHT? AND TEXAS WAS HERE LONG BEFORE 1836. THE HANS WERE HERE FOR 200 YEARS BEFORE THE ANGS ARRIVED FROM THE CAROLINAS AND VIRGINIA, WHO WERE IMMIGRANTS AT THAT TIME TO TEJAS. SO I WENT TO THE LIBRARY 'CAUSE I HAD TO FIND MY HISTORY. AND AGAIN, I TRIED TO GIVE SUPERINTENDENT MIKE MILES THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW WHO HE IS TO IMPROVE OUR HISD. BUT THIS NEEDS TO BE CALLED OUT AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE CALLING IT OUT, MAYOR, WHEN YOU HAVE 62% OF THE STUDENT BODY IS HISPANIC. WHEN AUSTIN IS TELLING US WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T READ IN OUR HISTORY, AND NOW YOU'RE CLOSING LIBRARIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LEARN OUR HISTORY TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T GO OUT AND VOTE. WE NEED TO CALL IT OUT AND CALL IT OUT. WHAT IT IS IS THIS IS PART OF THE CULTURE WARS FROM AUSTIN TELLING PEOPLE WHAT THEY CAN LEARN AND WHAT THEY CAN'T LEARN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO STAY IN POWER IN AUSTIN. AND WE NEED TO SPEAK UP FOR US AND FOR OUR CHILDREN. AND THAT'S [02:05:01] WHY I JOINED YOU MAYOR AND CALLING OUT SUPERINTENDENT MIKE MILES AND TO SAY, DO NOT CLOSE THESE LIBRARIES. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN. OW. THANK YOU MAYOR. AS YOU WERE SPEAKING ABOUT HOW AS A CHILD YOU ON WENT ON VACATION THROUGH THE BOOKS SHE READ, IT REMINDED ME, I HEARD STORIES LIKE THAT FROM MY FATHER TOO, WHO GREW UP IN, IN EXTREME POVERTY AND, AND UM, HE, HE HATED HIS LIFE. AND, UM, HE, HE FOUND ESCAPE IN READING. HIS MOTHER WOULDN'T LET HIM GO ANYWHERE BECAUSE IT WAS, THEY WERE IN A DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOOD. AND HE SAID, SO HE SAT ON THE PORCH AND HE READ EVERY EDGAR RICE BOROUGH'S BOOK. AND IT WAS, IT TOOK HIM AWAY. IT, IT, HE, HE, HE, YOU KNOW, HE HE LIVED THROUGH THOSE BOOKS. YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW WE HAVE CHILDREN THAT, THAT, UM, THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE TRAPPED IN POVERTY AND DON'T HAVE THAT ACCESS. YOU KNOW, IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS IS SO UPSETTING, YOU KNOW, JUST SEEING THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE. UM, IT'S EVEN, EVEN SUCCESSFUL SCHOOLS, EVEN, YOU KNOW, A RATED SCHOOL LIKE PU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT HAS BEEN SWEPT UP IN THIS, YOU KNOW, IS, IS HAVING TO GO THROUGH THIS TOO. AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PRINCIPAL, THE SUCCESSFUL PRINCIPAL HAD BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB AND, YOU KNOW, AN A LEVEL SCHOOL THAT'S AS HIGH AS YOU CAN GET, SHE DID NOT REAPPLY FOR HER JOB. AND, AND I'VE BEEN TOLD, I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS REALLY VERIFIED, BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE TEACHERS HAVE ALL RESIGNED TO, UM, HOW IS THAT GOOD FOR THIS SCHOOL? YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW IS THAT GOOD FOR THIS SCHOOL? AND SO THIS IS A SCHOOL THAT WAS A RATED AND NOW THEY'RE ALSO CLOSING THEIR LIBRARY. YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S SO, IT'S SO AWFUL. WE KNOW, YOU KNOW HOW THIS, THIS IS UNDERMINING THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN. YOU KNOW, AN EDUCATED POPULIST IS REALLY THE BEDROCK OF SUCCESS. AND AND THIS IS DISCOUNTED TO THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND LEMME JUST SAY IN CLOSING, IT CANNOT HAPPEN ON OUR WATCH. OKAY? IT CANNOT HAPPEN ON OUR WATCH. THIS CANNOT HAPPEN ON OUR WATCH. YOU BAN BOOKS AND NOW YOU'RE CLOSING LIBRARIES AND YOU'RE DOING IT IN ELECTIVE SCHOOLS, IN SELECTED COMMUNITIES. IT CANNOT HAPPEN ON OUR WATCH. AND LET ME SPEAK TO THE BOARD OF MANAGERS, SOME OF THEM WHO WE ALL KNOW YOU CANNOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN ON OUR WATCH. IF YOU ARE A BOARD OF MANAGER, IF YOU ARE A BOARD OF MANAGER, YOU CANNOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. AND IF YOU REPRESENT THE CITY IN ANY WAY, AND YOU ARE A BOARD OF MANAGER, THIS CANNOT HAPPEN ON OUR WATCH BECAUSE IT DOES NOT REFLECT HOUSTON'S VALUES. SO LET ME BE VERY CLEAR. THIS CANNOT HAPPEN ON OUR WATCH. AND TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, YOU ARE IN HOUSTON. YOU DO NOT OPERATE IN A VACUUM. AND I INVITE YOU TO CITY HALL DURING THE MAYORS REPORT. COUNCILMAN PALMER. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. AND I JUST HAVE A, A SIMPLE QUESTION OR REQUEST. UM, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL IF THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD ASSIST US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE INFLUENCE OR HOW DO WE CHANGE? OR WHAT CAN WE DO TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS? UH, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A DIRECT, YOU KNOW, OVERSIGHT OVER THEM, BUT WHAT CAN WE DO? AND JUST GIVING US SOME GUIDANCE AND SOME DIRECTION. UM, I MEAN, I THINK ALL THE DISTRICT MEMBERS HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, GUIDANCE OVER THEIR SPECIFIC SCHOOLS AND THE LARGE MEMBERS, AND WE CAN ASSIST, BUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO SUPPORT, UM, THE STUDENTS? I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL AND WE'LL OUTLINE THAT. BUT WE ALL HAVE, WE ALL HAVE A VOICE. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. USING OUR VOICE, RIGHT? RIGHT. A HUNDRED PERCENT. AND I MEAN, I'M COMPLETELY AGAINST IT. I I'M DEPL I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S DEPLORABLE. YEAH. UM, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO COME UP WITH SOME ACTION. I AGREE. RIGHT? I AGREE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL DO THAT REAL SOON. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. UM, ANGEL DIRECTOR PONCY, COME FORWARD THIS SATURDAY. THE CITY OF HOUSTON MUST CELEBRATE THE 33RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES [02:10:01] ACT ENACTED IN 1990. THE CITY OF HOUSTON RECOGNIZES THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS CIVIL RIGHTS. AND BECAUSE OF THE A DA, UM, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES GUARANTEES THE PROTECTION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AGAINST DISCRIMINATION. I HAVE DIRECTED DIRECTOR ANGEL PONZI TO JOIN US AND DISCUSS MORE ABOUT THE ADA'S SIGNIFICANCE. UM, HE IS JOINED TODAY BY CARL JOE HART, UH, WITH PARTNER AGENCY, THE JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES, WHICH DOES A GREAT DEAL IN THIS CITY. AND RHONDA ABBOTT, UH, WITH, UH, TIER MEMORIAL, UH, HERMAN, WHICH ALSO BENEFITS AND HELPS A LOT OF, NOT JUST HOUSTONIANS, BUT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER. AND, UH, SO LET ME INVITE YOU ALL, UH, TO HIGHLIGHT AND BRING IT EVEN GREATER ATTENTION TO THE A DA DIRECTOR ANGEL PON. I TURN IT OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME BACK FROM AFRICA. I'LL, I'LL STOP BY YOUR OFFICE TO GET MY SOUVENIR LATER. . UM, THANK YOU MAYOR AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990. SO TODAY, JULY 26TH, 2023, THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT TURNS 33 YEARS OLD. LET THE SHAMEFUL WALL OF EXCLUSION FINALLY COME THUMBING DOWN, SAID PRESIDENT GEORGE HW BUSH WHEN HE SIGNED THIS VERY COMPREHENSIVE PIECE OF LEGISLATION. TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY THE A DA IS IMPORTANT, WE MUST FIRST UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT LED TO THIS SIGNIFICANT LAW. IN 1927, THE US SUPREME COURT IN BUCK VERSUS BELL RULED THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WERE NOT FIT FOR THIS NATION, AND THEREFORE THEY WERE FORCEFULLY STERILIZED. IMAGINE LIVING IN A NATION LIKE THAT AS A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY IN THE DECADES TO COME, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BEGAN TO FEEL, UH, BEGAN TO SEE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES DIFFERENTLY AND WANTED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE INJUSTICES AND ABOUT THE DISCRIMINATION. IN FACT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CREATED VALID LEGAL PROTECTIONS SUCH AS THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973, SECTION 5 0 4, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BY ENTITIES WHO RECEIVE FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND THE DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT IDEA OF 1975 THAT SUPPORTS CHILDREN AND, AND YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. YET ENTITIES THAT DID NOT RECEIVE FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS PRIVATE EMPLOYERS, STATE AGENCIES, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, DID NOT HAVE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973. SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE INJUSTICES AND THE DISCRIMINATION CONTINUED. THEN ON MARCH 12TH, 1990, DOZENS AND DOZENS OF PROTESTORS WITH DISABILITIES ABANDONED THEIR MOBILITY AIDS AND BEGAN TO CLIMB, BEGAN TO CRAWL, BEGAN TO GO UP STEP BY STEP TO THE TOP OF THE WEST CAPITOL ENTRANCE IN WASHINGTON, DC. THIS HISTORIC MOMENT IN TIME IS KNOWN AS THE CAPITOL CRAWL. THIS WAS THE RESULT OF A STALLED LAW. THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, , BUT CONGRESS WAS FORCED TO RESPOND, AND THE BILL PASSED THROUGH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE AND WAS SIGNED INTO LAW IN JULY, ON JULY 26TH, 1990, 33 YEARS AGO. TODAY, THIS FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS LAW PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES. THIS LAW ENSURES THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE PROVIDED WITH THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES EVERYONE HAS TO EMPLOYMENT, TO ACCESS TO GOODS AND SERVICES, AND THE EQUAL ACCESS TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS LIKE WE DO HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. BEFORE THE BE BECAUSE OF THE A DA, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION HAS NOW BECOME ACCESSIBLE. RAMPS AND SIDEWALKS ARE NOW REQUIRED TO BE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY, AIDS AND PERSONS WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION. PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE INDEPENDENT. THEY CAN DRIVE THEIR OWN VEHICLES AND THEY CAN FIND A PARKING LOT THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO THEM. [02:15:01] WE CAN NOW READ CAPTIONS ON TELEVISION AND LISTEN TO PRESS CONFERENCES, AND KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE AN AMERICAN SIDE LANGUAGE INTERPRETER OR CAPTIONING AVAILABLE. EMBRACING THE PRINCIPLES OF THE A DA SHOWCASES OUR CITY AS A LEADER IN PROMOTING EQUALITY AND ACCESSIBILITY. IT SAYS AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER CITIES TO FOLLOW, DRIVING PROGRESS AND POSITIVE CHANGE ON A BROADER SCALE. BY CHAMPION CHAMPIONING THE A DA, WE CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE, VIBRANT, COMPASSIONATE CITY WHERE EVERY RESIDENT HAS EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED AND PARTICIPATE FULLY IN ALL ASPECTS OF COMMUNITY LIFE. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT YOU. CREATING AN INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE CITY FOR ALL IS A DIFFICULT TASK. AND WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT AND THE SUPPORT OF PARTNERS LIKE CARL E SHART, CEO OF JFS, ALEXANDER INSTITUTE FOR INCLUSION, AND HIS TEAM, AND RHONDA ABBOTT, SENIOR VP AND CEO OF TIER MEMORIAL HERMAN AND HER TEAM, JFS ALEXANDER INSTITUTE FOR INCLUSION AND TIER MEMORIAL HERMAN HAVE BEEN LONGSTANDING PARTNERS OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. AND THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION, THERE ARE AGENCIES WHO ARE DEDICATED TO TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES. A MISSION THAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES SHARES MAYOR. THAT IS WHY WE HAVE ASKED CARL TO JOIN US TODAY, FOLLOWED BY RHONDA ABBOTT FOR A VERY SPECIAL PRESENTATION. YOU CAN STAY WHERE YOU ARE. CALL IT. YOU'LL TAKE, YOU'LL TAKE THAT MIC THERE, OF COURSE. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. EY, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS. THE MISSION OF THE ALEXANDER INSTITUTE FOR INCLUSION AT JFS IS TO LOWER STIGMAS AND INCREASE ACCESS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE WORKPLACE, PLACES OF FAITH, COMMUNAL ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH DIRECT SERVICE, EDUCATION, ARTS, AND ADVOCACY. I'M HONORED AND PRIVILEGED TO BE HERE TODAY WITH TWO LONGSTANDING ALLIES IN THE STRUGGLE FOR FULL INCLUSION AND ACCESS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. RHONDA ABBOTT, CEO OF TIR, MEMORIAL HERMANN, AND ANGEL EY, DIRECTOR FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. AS PARTNERS IN THIS WORK, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WORK CAN ONLY BE SUCCESSFUL WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO JOIN TOGETHER WITH ALLIES AND CHAMPIONS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR. IN PARTNERSHIP, WE SOUGHT TO CREATE AN AWARD TO HONOR THOSE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY TO BRING US CLOSER TO OUR VISION OF FULL INCLUSION. TODAY, WE ARE PROUD TO BE ABLE TO STAND TOGETHER AND TO RECOGNIZE YOU, MAYOR TURNER, AS THE FIRST HONOREE OF THE HOUSTON CIVIC AWARD FOR DISABILITY INCLUSION. MY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH MA WITH THE MAYOR BEGAN WHEN I WAS STILL CEO OF TIR. MEMORIAL HERMANN CONTINUED THROUGH MY TIME AS CHAIR OF THE HOLOCAUST MUSEUM HOUSTON, AND MOST RECENTLY THROUGH MY TRANSITION TO MY CURRENT ROLE AS CEO OF THE ALEXANDER JFS. IN EACH OF THESE ROLES, I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO EXPERIENCE MAYOR TURNER'S STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO THE VALUES THAT THIS AWARD EMBODIES, THE COMMITMENT TO CREATING AND FOSTERING A CULTURE OF VISIBILITY AND INCLUSION THROUGH ACTION. MAYOR TURNER, YOU ARE A MAN OF ACTION, AND YOU HAVE BEEN, HAVE DEMONSTRATED BEING AN ALLY TO THIS IMPORTANT WORK, NOT ONLY THROUGH YOUR WORDS, BUT THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS, THROUGH BEING PRESENT BY BRINGING OTHERS INTO THE CONVERSATION, AND ALWAYS LEADING BY EXAMPLE. YOUR EFFORTS HAVE ELEVATED THE IMPORTANCE, VISIBILITY AND INFLUENCE OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, WHICH HAS ENABLED THE OFFICE TO BECOME AN EVEN MORE POWERFUL ADVOCATE AMONG THE CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HOST A VERSION OF THE REAL ABILITIES FILM FESTIVAL. WE HAVE SECURED THE ENVIABLE POSITION OF BEING ABLE TO SAY WITH PRIDE THAT OUR MAYOR AND HIS ADMINISTRATION HAVE ACTIVELY EMBRACED AND SUPPORTED THIS FESTIVAL, AND THAT OUR MAYOR HAS MADE A PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT THE PRESS FESTIVAL WITH HIS PRESENCE. LASTING CHANGE IN COMMUNITIES HAPPENS WHEN DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS CHANGE THE WAY CITIES, COUNTIES, DEPARTMENTS, COMMISSIONS, [02:20:01] AND COUNCILS FUNCTION, AND THEY EMBED THESE VALUES INTO POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT GUIDE THEIR WORK. WE HOPE THAT THIS AWARD WILL ALLOW US TO SHINE A LIGHT AND CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THOSE THAT CHAMPION INCLUSION NOT ONLY AS A VALUE, BUT THE WAY OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY DOES BUSINESS. IT IS A GREAT HONOR AND PRIVILEGE ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND LEADERSHIP OF ALEXANDER JFS AND PERSONALLY AS SOMEONE WHO CONSIDERS YOU A FRIEND TO BE HERE TODAY, TO PRESENT THIS AWARD TO YOU WITH MY COLLEAGUES. UM, I'LL NOW ASK RHONDA ABBOTT, MY DEAR FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE FROM TIER MEMORIAL HERMAN, WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO BE WITH YOU ALL TODAY, MAYOR TURNER. YOU LOOKED SURPRISED, SO I HOPE THAT, I HOPE THAT WAS REAL , THESE, THESE COLLEAGUES. IT, IT'S JUST A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU ALL, AND IT TRULY, I CAN HEAR IT IN JUST THE STATEMENTS THAT WERE MADE PRIOR TO THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THE VALUES THAT YOU STAND FOR MAYOR TURNER, THE VALUES THAT OUR CITY IS REPRESENTING ALIGN SO WELL WITH WHAT WE DO AT TIR MEMORIAL HERMANN. SO I'LL TAKE JUST A FEW MINUTES TO SHARE SOME SENTIMENTS FROM TIR. WE TRULY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE ON THIS SPECIFIC DAY AS WE RECOGNIZE THE 33RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. THIS IS MEANINGFUL IN SO MANY WAYS TO ALL OF US. TIER MEMORIAL HERMANN OPENED AS A HOSPITAL IN 1959. WE WERE TAKING CARE OF PATIENTS WITH POLIO AT THE TIME, A PANDEMIC. WE'VE NOW LIVED THROUGH ANOTHER PANDEMIC EXPERIENCE, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT WHEN THE POLIO VACCINE WAS DEVELOPED IN THE SIXTIES, WE HAD TO PIVOT. WE'RE VERY INNOVATIVE. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS A REHABILITATION INNOVATION CENTER THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF, JUST HAPPENED THIS YEAR. BUT WE HAD TO DETERMINE THEN, WHAT ARE THE SKILLS OF OUR TEAMS GONNA BE ABLE TO DO. AND I THINK THIS JUST SPEAKS TO HOUSTON AND WHAT HAPPENS HERE, AND HOW WE'RE HERE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER. TODAY, WE STRIVE AND WE'RE ALWAYS LEARNING AS A LEARNING ORGANIZATION, BUT WE STRIVE TO IMPROVE LIVES AND OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS THAT WE SERVE, INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES THAT ARE COMING TO US FOR HOPE AND RECOVERY. WE HELP PATIENTS WITH SPINAL CORD INJURIES, BRAIN INJURIES, STROKE, CANCER, LIMB LOSS, MULTIPLE COMPLEX, CATASTROPHIC, FREQUENTLY TYPES OF INJURIES AND ILLNESS. WE HELP THEM TO RECOVER, AND IT'S A, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE ARE HERE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE. SOME SAY THAT HOUSTON WAS REALLY THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, LEX FRIEDEN, WHO HELPED TO, TO WRITE AND DRAFT THAT LEGISLATION. YOU ALL KNOW HIM WELL. HE FEELS THAT ONLY THAT COULD ONLY HAPPEN REALLY IN HOUSTON. AND HE BROUGHT, YOU KNOW, SO MUCH ENERGY AND STRENGTH TO PRESIDENT BUSH TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL. SO, JUST GOES BACK TO WHY I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO CELEBRATE THIS TODAY. AND, AND ALSO TO RECOGNIZE YOU, MAYOR TURNER. SO, ALTHOUGH THE PATIENTS THAT WE TREAT, THE TYPES OF INJURIES AND ILLNESS HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS, IT'S INCLUDED CO AND LONG HAUL COVID CARE. OUR COMMITMENT TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAS NOT CHANGED. AND, UM, I'M NEWER TO THIS, TO THE SEAT OF CEO. IT, IT CHANGES HANDS, BUT NOTHING REALLY CHANGES WITH OUR COMMITMENT AND THE WORK THAT HAPPENS AT TIER THROUGHOUT. IF OUR PHYSICIANS, I'M A PHYSICAL THERAPIST BY BACKGROUND, HAVE BEEN AT TIER FOR 22 YEARS THIS NOVEMBER, SO A REALLY GOOD LONG TIME. BUT IF, IF WE DO THE WORK THAT WE FEEL IS NECESSARY TO HELP PATIENTS RECOVER AND GET HOME, BUT SOCIETY IS NOT EMBRACING THE CAPABILITIES THAT THEY NOW HAVE, NOT ABLE TO CREATE AN INCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE PATIENTS THAT ARE NO LONGER PATIENTS, THEN WE, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO ACTUALLY BE SUCCESSFUL. SO THIS IMPORTANT PILLAR OF ADVOCACY IS JUST INTEGRAL TO EVERYTHING WE DO AT TIER MEMORIAL HERMANN. WITHOUT THE A DA, WE, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT EITHER. SO IT'S TRULY CRUCIAL TO OUR MISSION TO COLLABORATE WITH ALLIES AND CHAMPIONS, AS YOU'VE HEARD EARLIER, FROM ANGEL EY, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THAT HAS BEEN A STEADFAST SUPPORTER FOR THIS INCLUSION WORK WITH JFS ALEXANDER INSTITUTE FOR INCLUSION. JUST PHENOMENAL PARTNERS, CERTAINLY. UM, NOW I WANNA SPEAK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MAYOR TURNER SPECIFICALLY AND THINGS THAT HE HAS DONE. SO, AS CARL ALLUDED TO YOU, YOU REPRESENT THE CITY AND YOU REPRESENT SO WELL BECAUSE YOU ARE PRESENT AT REAL ABILITIES WHERE WE ARE. AND WE GET TO SEE THAT ENGAGEMENT AND, AND OUR TEAM MEMBERS AND PATIENTS THAT WE'VE SERVED THAT ARE NOW BACK IN THE COMMUNITY, HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU AND SEE THAT REPRESENTATION. IT'S SO IMPORTANT. WE ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO PARTICIPATE. WE SEE YOU [02:25:01] PARTICIPATING IN LEARNING WITH INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES WITH DISABILITIES. YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT SUPPORT FOR OUR SPORTS PROGRAM. AND AGAIN, AS MY ROLE HAS CHANGED, PEGGY TURNER, WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE HERE, SHE IS THE LEADER FOR OUR TIER SPORTS AND RECREATION TEAMS. SHE'S, SHE'S BEEN HERE A GOOD LONG TIME ALSO, UM, SUPPORTING THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S WORK. YOU HAVE SHOWN UP, AND NOT JUST DID HE SHOW UP, AND WE HAVE VIDEO, I THINK PROBABLY THAT SPEAKS TO THIS, BUT HE SAT IN A SPORTS WHEELCHAIR AND HE PLAYED A GAME WITH THESE ATHLETES THAT IS GETTING IN THERE AND TRULY LEARNING AND EXPERIENCING WHAT ATHLETES WITH DISABILITIES MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING. UM, TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE FOR OUR, OUR TEAMS AND OUR PROGRAMS AND OUR, AND OUR TEAMS THAT SEE THAT IT'S SO MEANINGFUL. NOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO THE DETAILS OF WHO WON THE GAME AND HOW THAT TURNED OUT , BUT IT, IT WAS, IT TRULY A PHENOMENAL EXPERIENCE. SO, UM, WITH THAT, I JUST WANNA SAY ONE FINAL THANK YOU FOR THE INCLUSION FOR ALL THAT WE SEE AND INCLUSION FOR ALL ABILITIES THAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO, TO OUR COLLABORATIVE MISSION. NOW, IT'S MY PRIVILEGE, WHICH IS PROBABLY NOT THE BEST IDEA SINCE FUMBLING IS, UH, IS IN MY EXPERIENCE, BUT IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU MAYOR TURNER, THE AWARD ITSELF. AND ON, ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, JFS ALEXANDER INSTITUTE FOR INCLUSION, AND HERE MEMORIAL HERMANN, WE ARE REALLY PROUD TO PRESENT MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER WITH THE FIRST, THE INAUGURAL CIVIC AWARD FOR DISABILITY INCLUSION. HI. WHILE MAYOR TURNER, UH, COMES UP, I JUST WANNA MENTION THAT THE AWARD ITSELF WAS CREATED BY EMPLOYEES WITH DISABILITIES AS PART OF OUR CELEBRATION COMPANY. UM, AND THEY HAVE, UH, SIGNED IT ON THE BACK TO THE MAYOR. THANK, THANK YOU, . UM, THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF SURPRISES THAT TAKE PLACE AT CITY HALL , UH, UM, THIS ONE DID CATCH ME BY SURPRISE. SO DIRECTOR PONZI, THANK YOU, CARL AND, AND RHONDA FROM TIER AND THE JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES AND MAYOR'S OFFICE WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY. UM, WHAT I CAN TRULY SAY, AND I THINK WE CAN ALL ATTACH, IS THAT THIS IS A TEAM SPORT, SO TO SPEAK. UM, I ACCEPT IT AS MAYOR, BUT I ACCEPT IT ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND ALL OF THE STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE OUT THERE ON THE GROUND. UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE WHO'VE BEEN SUPPORTIVE, ALL OF THE DIRECTORS OF THESE DEPARTMENTS, [02:30:02] UH, WHO GET IT, UNDERSTAND IT, UH, YOU KNOW, AND THE DIRECTORS AND THOSE WHO WORK IN EACH ONE OF THESE DEPARTMENTS. SO IT'S REALLY A RECOGNITION OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE. AND SO, UM, VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. UH, TULES FRIED, WHO WAS RIGHT THERE IN 1990 BEFORE AND CHAMPIONING THIS, AND, UH, TO SEE HIM OVER ON THE METRO BOARD AND THE WORK THAT HE'S DOING. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING TO BUILD A VERY INCLUSIVE SOCIETY WHERE WE DON'T LEAVE ANYBODY, ANYBODY OUT. AND THAT'S THE KEY WHERE EVERYBODY FEEL AS THOUGH THEY BELONG AND EVERYBODY FEELS AS THOUGH THEY HAVE ACCESS TO OUR SERVICES. WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. OKAY. BUT I THINK WE ARE MOVING IN DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR DIRECTION. SO, UH, THANK YOU ALSO VERY, VERY MUCH, UH, FOR THE ABOARD AND REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. OKAY, THANKS. COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO, TO THANK, UM, DIRECTOR PONTE FOR TELLING THE STORY OF THE CAPITOL CRAWL. I'D NEVER HEARD ABOUT THAT. AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW IT MARKED A TURNING POINT IN THE PASSAGE OF THE A DA AND, AND I WANTED TO THANK HIM IF HE'S STILL HERE. THERE HE IS. OKAY. THANK YOU. I, UM, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR ADVOCACY, BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. AND I HAVE TO REALLY SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT THE DIRECTORS WHO PROCEEDED YOU AS WELL. UM, GABE KA KAZAR AND, AND MARIA TOWN MAYOR, YOU'VE TAPPED SOME AMAZING LEADERS TO LEAD THIS EFFORT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. AND, UH, DIRECTOR PONZI. UM, AND THANK YOU. YOU, YOU WERE A PART OF THIS OFFICE AND YOU STEPPED UP NOW AS THE DIRECTOR, AND WHAT AN AWESOME JOB, UH, YOU, YOU'VE DONE. WE'VE BEEN BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN LAID AND, AND YOU ARE REALLY DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB. SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU. I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD TODAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, AND, AND THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS AND, UM, EVERYONE THAT IS HERE TODAY THAT HAS, UM, GREATLY APPRECI, UH, CONTRIBUTED TO THE EFFORTS OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. I KNOW THAT SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU MAY RECEIVE SOME EMAILS FROM ME AND OR SOME PHONE CALLS ABOUT SOME ACCESSIBILITY CONCERNS, AND YOU MAY NOT ALWAYS LIKE IT, OR YOU MAY NOT ALWAYS BE HAPPY WITH ME, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I'M DOING THIS FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND I THINK THAT IS WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT HERE. AND SO, UM, I'VE THROUGH, I'M THROUGH MY TIME HERE AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW WHO I AM AND, AND WHERE MY, WHERE MY BACKGROUND IS. I STARTED AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A, AS AN INTERN, UH, BACK IN 2008. AND THEN I MOVED UP SLOWLY THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF, OF NEIGHBORHOODS MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION, THEN MOVED OVER TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. AND ALTHOUGH I WAS A PE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, I DID NOT KNOW DISABILITY REALLY UNTIL I WAS IN THIS ROLE. I REALLY SAW THIS COMMUNITY FOR WHAT IT IS. AND WHEN I TALKED TO MAYOR TURNER ABOUT MY INTEREST IN BEING THE DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, I TOLD HIM THAT THIS IS THE SPOT WHERE I NEED TO BE AT TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING. I'VE GROWN THIS TEAM FROM, UM, THREE TO FOUR PEOPLE TO ALMOST EIGHT NOW. UH, WE'VE INCREASED THE, THE, THE COMMUNITY THAT WE REACH BY ALMOST 75% SINCE I'VE BEEN DIRECTOR. AND WE'RE WORKING TO INCREASE SIDEWALK ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE HELP OF COUNCIL MEMBER R CORN AND ALL THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND YOU MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER. AND SO I'M JUST GONNA CONTINUE ROLLING HOW I DO IT, . AND, UH, YOU'RE GONNA SEE ME COMING KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR, AN EMAIL OR A PHONE NUMBER OR A PHONE CALL, BUT THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE I CARE. SO, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND, AND THANK ALL OF, THANK ALL OF OUR PARTNERS. YEAH, I DO GOTTA SAY THAT, THAT MY TEAM AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH, WORKING WITH TO CONTINUE OUR MISSION HAVE BEEN SO GREAT. AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GROWING THAT AND CONTINUING THE GOOD WORK. THANKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR. THANKS, CARL. THANKS RHONDA. APPRECIATE Y'ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THAT WRAPS UP A, A VERY BRIEF MAYOR'S REPORT. AND, UM, [CONSENT AGENDA] WE NOW, WE NOW TURN THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY. ITEM ONE NEEDS A MOTION. CA [02:35:01] TATUM MODE. SECOND ROBINSON. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED ON ITEM ONE. DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANITE UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY. ITEMS TWO AND THREE HAVE BEEN REMOVED. SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY. ITEM FOUR, NEEDS OF MOTION. CASTEX MOVE. SECOND ROBINSON, IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND ON 9 0 4. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION BID CATEGORY. ITEM FIVE HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT. CASTEX TAYLOR, MOVE. SECOND. ROBINSON MOVE. AND SECOND. AND ON SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY ITEMS REMOVE SEPARATE CONSIDERATION ARE 13, 17 THROUGH 21, 24, 27, AND 28. THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 27, AND 28. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE. DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF THOSE GRANTED [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] HAD IS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM TWO NEEDS A MOTION CAST. SECOND STATE MOVE SECOND, ROBINSON, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED ON ITEM TWO, DISCUSSION ON TWO. DISCUSSION ON TWO, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED ON TWO POLLARD, NO. SO POLL VOTING, NO. ITEM THREE NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND ON ITEM THREE. I WILL NOTE ON ITEM THREE, UH, THEY RECEIVED AN UNSATISFACTORY, UH, RATING BY THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OF OPPORTUNITY. UH, I THINK THIS IS THEIR FIRST AND THREE AND THREE, YEAH, THEY FELL FAR SHORT OF THEIR MWBE GOAL. UM, AND THEY DID NOT WORK WITH OBO ON THIS ITEM, ON THIS ITEM. THAT'S THE REASON WHY THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN AN UNSATISFACTORY RATING, UH, BECAUSE IT'S THEIR FIRST AND THREE. UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE STILL OBLIGATED TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA TO GO FORWARD, BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT, UH, THAT THEY DID RECEIVE AN UNSATISFACTORY RATING. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, IS IT A CITY ORDINANCE? THAT IS THE POLICY THAT STATES THAT THE, IF IT'S YOUR FIRST TIME IN THREE YEARS, THEN YOU KNOW, YOU JUST GET AN UNSATISFACTORY AND NO PENALTY. THAT'S CITY ORDINANCE, CORRECT? I BELIEVE THAT'S MY, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING COUNCIL. I MEAN, COUNCILMAN, CITY ATTORNEY ARTURA, MICHELLE, THAT THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S OUR ORDINANCE. YEAH. ALRIGHT. SO IF IT'S A CITY ORDINANCE, THAT MEANS THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN AMEND. I, I, I, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO DO ON OUR WATCH BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CONSISTENTLY SEE. WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE CULTURE OF HOW THESE PRIMES SOMETIMES OPERATE WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHEN IT COMES TO THE MWBE PROGRAM. AND IF IT SHOWS THAT WE FIND YOU TO BE UNSATISFACTORY BASED ON ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CRITERIA THAT OBO LOOKS INTO, WELL THEN YOU'RE OUT. THERE IS NO FIRST IN THREE YEARS. THERE IS A ONE TIME, YOU KNOW WHAT THE DEAL IS? YOU SIGNED UP FOR THE CONTRACT, YOU WANTED TO DO THE WORK THE WAY THAT WE PRESENTED IT TO YOU. EITHER DO IT OUR WAY OR WE'LL FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT FOR YOU. AND I THINK IF WE CAN DO THAT AS A BODY, THEN WE WON'T SEE THIS AS, AS CONSISTENT AS WE DO EVERY THREE WEEKS OR SO. I'M ON THIS MICROPHONE SPEAKING OUT ABOUT SOMETHING WITHIN ONE OF THESE PRIMES. WE MIGHT NOT ALWAYS AGREE ON THE REASONS WHY, UH, EITHER I SAY CERTAIN THINGS ON THESE TOPICS OR REASONS WHY THE PRIMES DO IT. SOME OF THEM DO. WE MAY NOT AGREE ON THE DEVIATION PROCESS. WE MAY NOT AGREE ON GOOD FAITH EFFORTS OR A LOT OF THINGS, BUT I THINK WE ALL CAN AGREE ON IF WE SEE THAT A PRIME BLATANTLY DISREGARDS OUR POLICY AND CRITERIA, THEN WE MOVE ON AND WE DON'T ALLOW THEM TO GET CITY WORK ANYMORE. AND ONCE WE SEND THAT MESSAGE AND THAT BECOMES THE NEW STANDARD, UH, I THINK WE WILL SEE MUCH MORE PARTICIPATION FROM, UH, MINORITY FIRMS, UH, WHEN THEY ARE RELYING ON THESE CONTRACTS AND RELYING ON THIS WORK PRESENTED BY THE PRIMES AND THE BIDS. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PUT FORWARD. I THINK THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING, UH, TO REALLY CELEBRATE AS A PART OF YOUR LEGACY, [02:40:01] UH, THROUGH YOUR ADMINISTRATION. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK YOU WILL FIND VAST SUPPORT AROUND THE HORSESHOE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. UM, LET ME TURN, UH, TO ATTORNEY. I JUST WANT TO SAY, UH, IT'S A VALID CONCERN AND YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF PEOPLE TRYING TO GAME THE SYSTEM. LET ME SURVEY WHAT BEST PRACTICES ARE HERE BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS A BALANCING ACT. I'LL DO THAT EXPEDITIOUSLY AND COME BACK TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN MCCAMMON? YEAH, MAYOR, I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION. 'CAUSE YOU NOTED THAT, AND SOMETIMES I UNDERSTAND WHEN, UM, A, A PRIME CAN'T BECAUSE OF A SPECIALIZED SITUATION OR A SCENARIO WHERE THERE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT RIGHT. UH, SUB THAT IS AVAILABLE. BUT YOU HAD SAID THEY DIDN'T WORK WITH OBO. SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THAT MEANS? 'CAUSE THAT TO ME, CROSSES A THRESHOLD BEYOND WHAT WE NORMALLY SEE. CAN YOU EX AND IT, AND IT DOES. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE, IN THE ONE THAT WE JUST VOTED ON BEFORE, WHAT, THEY DIDN'T MEET THEIR GOALS. THEY WORKED WITH OBO, IT WAS, IT, UM, IT REQUIRED MORE SPECIALIZED WORK. AND EVEN IN THAT CASE, UH, THE MWBES WANTED TO BE PULLED, WANTED TO BE LET OUT, RIGHT? AND SO THE PRIME FELL BELOW THE GOAL, BUT THEY WERE WORKING WITH OBO, EVERYBODY WAS FULLY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE. AND SO THAT WAS A VERY, UH, COLLABORATIVE PROCESS IN THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. UH, THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY CONVERSATIONS. THEY WERE NOT RESPONDING TO OBO. SO OBO OUT PROACTIVELY WAS REACHING OUT, DID WAS DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE. AND WHAT WE HAVE ASKED OBO TO DO, AND THEY WERE NONRESPONSIVE, THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIVE. OKAY? AND THAT TO ME, I MEAN, COUNCIL MEMBER PAUL, TO YOUR POINT, I THINK THAT'S A, A LEVEL ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT REACHES, IT'S NOT JUST A FIRST STRIKE, RIGHT? IF YOU'RE NOT COOPERATING OR WORKING WITH THE CITY ON OUR OBJECTIVES, THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR ME. RIGHT? AND SO, BASED ON, UM, OUR ORDINANCES, YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT JUST NOT PUT THEM ON, YOU KNOW, WE SAY UNSATISFACTORY, BUT YOU GOT ONE IN THREE YEARS. SO IT IS WHAT IT IS. UM, I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO WHAT COUNCILMAN POLL HAS SAID, AND THEN, UH, CITY ATTORNEY TO MICHELLE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND THEN WE'LL SEE HOW WE CAN RESPOND. BUT YEAH, THEY WERE NONRESPONSIVE. UH, VICE MAYOR PROTE CAST. K. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DO WANT TO, UM, JUST KIND OF SHARE THE BRIEFING NOTES THAT I RECEIVED FROM OBO. UM, THE PRIME CAME WITHIN 1% OF THE WBE AND S UH, BE GOALS. THE ISSUE CAME IS THAT THEY DID NOT SUBMIT A REQUEST TO ADD FOR THE GOAL CREDIT PARTICIPATION UNTIL NOVEMBER 21ST. SO, UM, WHILE OBO APPROVED THEIR DEVIATION, IT WASN'T DONE IN TIME. AND SO THEY, THE SUBCONTRACTOR ACTUALLY DID GET THE WORK TOTAL IN $1.7 MILLION. BUT THE PAPERWORK AND THE DEVIATION WASN'T SUBMITTED IN TIME. AND SO OBO DID NOT GIVE THEM CREDIT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FOLLOW THE CITY'S PROCESSES. BUT I ALSO, IN THE SPIRIT OF WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD HAS SAID, UM, I DEFINITELY THINK THAT WE CAN LOOK AT, UM, THE POLICY OF THE, THE THREE YEARS. BUT I ALSO WANT US TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THOUSANDS OF CONTRACTS. THERE'S NOT A, A FEW CONTRACTS, THERE ARE LOTS OF CONTRACTS. SO THE PERCENTAGE ACTUALLY IS VERY SMALL, UM, OF PEOPLE THAT AREN'T MEETING THE MWBE, UH, THRESHOLD. AND SO THOUGH WE SEE ONE OR TWO EVERY WEEK, IT'S STILL A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE. AND I DON'T WANT US TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE HIRED CONTRACTORS TO AUGMENT THE STAFFING THAT ARE THOROUGHLY VETTING THESE CONTRACTS NOW. AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE GETTING MORE INFORMATION AND MORE THOROUGH DETAIL OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING ON EACH OF THESE CONTRACTS. SO I TOTALLY AGREE THAT IF THERE ARE BAD ACTORS OUT THERE THAT NEED TO BE VETTED, UM, AND THAT ARE REPEATEDLY, UM, NOT MEETING THE THRESHOLD, THERE NEEDS TO BE A SEVERE, UM, DISCIPLINE ACTION. BUT WHAT WE'LL FIND, AND I THINK ARTURO, MICHELLE, UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO ADDRESS THIS EXPEDITIOUSLY FROM MY CONVERSATIONS WITH DIRECTOR MURRAY. THERE'S A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF CONTRACTORS THAT THIS HAPPENS, EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT, BECAUSE WE MAY SEE ONE OR TWO EVERY WEEK IN COMPARISON TO THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT IS A SMALL PERCENTAGE, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY GET THOSE NUMBERS. BUT IT'S GREAT THAT EVERYBODY HAS EYES ON IT AND PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE CITY. UM, AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO WATCH IT. BUT I'M, I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THE CONTRACTORS THAT ARE THOROUGHLY VETTING THESE CONTRACTS. THANK YOU. [02:45:01] OKAY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER THREE? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION IN FAVOR, OPPOSE GRANTED ON NUMBER THREE, PLUM NO. SHOW COUNCILMAN PLUM VOTING? NO POLL. POLL, NO SHOW. COUNCILMAN POLL VOTING? NO, [MATTERS HELD] THE ITEM PASSES. ITEM FIVE NEEDS A MOTION. SECOND ROBINSON, WE ITEM FIVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN ON ITEM FIVE. UH, JUST SPOTLIGHTING THIS ITEM, UH, FOR, IT'S AN ADDITIONAL UNIT FOR OUR MOBILE STROKE UNITS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THESE ALLOW, UM, EMS TO GET IN VERY, VERY QUICKLY IN RESPONSE TO STROKE AND STABILIZE, UH, SOMEONE IN NEED VERY QUICKLY. WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH IT, SO I JUST WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT THAT ITEM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMAN GALLS ON ITEM FIVE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. INITIALLY WHEN I SAW THIS ITEM, I HAD CONCERN IN REGARDS TO, I WAS HOPING THIS WOULD NOT INTERFERE OR IMPACT THE, UH, EMS, UH, AMBULANCES THAT, UH, CHIEF PENA HAS BEEN ASKING FOR, FOR SOME TIME. AND I, I DID REACH OUT TO CHIEF PENA AND HE DID ASSURE ME THAT, UH, RIGHT NOW THERE ARE SIX NEW AMBULANCE UNITS ARE NEARING COMPLETION OF THE BUILDING PROCESS. PLUS THEY'RE AWAITING AN ADDITIONAL 21 CHASSIS FROM FORD. UH, ONCE ALL THAT'S DONE, THEN THAT WILL BRING, UH, 27 NEW UNITS, UH, TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND THEN, UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE APPROVED, UH, FOR 16 MORE UNITS, UH, IN FISCAL YEAR OF 24. UH, SO, UM, SO DID, CHIEF BEYA DID SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, HIS VISION IS HOPEFULLY ONE DAY WE WILL HAVE FOUR MOBILE STROKE AMBULANCE UNITS, UH, ONE IN EACH QUADRANT. UH, AND I UNDERSTAND THIS FIRST ONE THAT THEY HAVE, THEY ACTUALLY GET LIKE 10 CALLS A DAY. UH, SO, UH, THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE SAVED MANY LIVES. UH, SO THIS IS A GOOD PROGRAM AND GLAD TO SEE THAT WE ARE ALSO ADDRESSING, UH, THE EM EMS AMBULANCES THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS AS WELL. SO I SUPPORT THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM FIVE, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED ON FIVE? ITEM 13 IS AN ORDINANCE YOU NEED TO VOTE. WE ON ITEM 13, DISCUSSION ON THIRD. COUNCILMAN CAMAN ON 13. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ATTENTION, RIGHTFULLY SO ON, UM, THE NEEDS IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS AS IT RELATES TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE. UM, WE'RE SEEING CONSTANTLY, UH, CHALLENGES WHEN IT COMES TO OVERDOSING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. UH, SO THIS IS A GRANT THAT WILL ENABLE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO UTILIZE AND ANALYZE DATA TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE OVERDOSE PROBLEM THAT WE ARE SEEING, AND THEN MONITOR THOSE EMERGING TRENDS, DIRECT PREVENTATIVE ACTIVITIES, UM, AND HAVE SUCCESSFUL INTERVENTIONS. SO ANOTHER EXAMPLE, UH, OF THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA IN DIRECTING HEALTH INTERVENTIONS, UH, THAT WE ARE UTILIZING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 13? DISCUSSION IN FAVOR, OPPOSE GRANTED ON 13, ITEM 17 IS AN ORDINANCE, JUSTINA VOGUE ON ITEM 17, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM CAST TATUM ON 17. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, UM, WHEN DISTRICT A WAS CREATED, THERE WAS ONE PIECE OF CIVIC ART IN THE ENTIRE DISTRICT. UH, AND UP ART STUDIO HAS BEEN SUCH A STELLAR PARTNER FOR NOT ONLY DISTRICT K, BUT THE ENTIRE CITY, RIGHT? THE VERY FIRST MINI MURAL WAS, WAS PAINTED AT WEST BELFORT. UM, AND THEY HAVE REALLY TRANSFORMED A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT JUST LOOKS LIKE CONCRETE AND UH, METAL BOXES INTO BEAUTIFUL PIECES OF ART THROUGHOUT THE CITY, REALLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE FABRIC OF THE CULTURE OF OUR CITY AND, UM, IMPROVING, UM, SPACES THAT TRADITIONALLY JUST LOOK LIKE REGULAR CONCRETE. UM, SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT AND ASKING THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM BECAUSE, UH, UP ART IS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB OF BEAUTIFYING OUR CITY. WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE TRAILS AND, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE ALONG THE BAYOU THAT NOW IS BEAUTIFULLY PAINTED WITH COLORFUL FLOWERS AND, UH, THE BIG WALLS, BIG DREAMS, MURALS THAT THEY HAVE WORKED ON, UH, THE IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY IS JUST UNMATCHED. UM, SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT SUPPORTING, UH, THIS ITEM SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SEE SPACES THAT CAN USE SOME IMPROVEMENT IN BEAUTIFICATION. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS, I ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT THIS TOO. UH, YOU KNOW, UM, UP ART HAS, HAS REALLY, UM, HELPED DEMOCRATIZE ART, YOU KNOW, TO GET IT, UM, TO, TO SO [02:50:01] MANY PARTS OF OUR CITY THAT WHERE THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOTHING LIKE THAT. AND, AND, UM, AND, AND I REALLY APPLAUD, YOU KNOW, THE, THE STABLE OF ARTISTS THAT THEY HAVE EMPLOYED TO, TO, UM, CREATE THESE ART PIECES. THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THAT'S A VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE TOO, THAT, THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, A WONDERFUL REFLECTION OF WHO THIS CITY IS. AND, UM, IT'S JUST SUCCESSFUL ON SO MANY LEVELS AND THE, AND, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITIES LOVE THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN HOFFMAN. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THESE, THIS IS FOR A HUNDRED MURALS, CORRECT? YES. OKAY. AND, UM, HAVE THE LOCATIONS ALREADY BEEN CHOSEN OR HOW MM-HMM. HOW IS THAT GONNA HAPPEN? NOT YET. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN CHOSEN. AND HOW WILL THEY CHOOSE THEM? THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, UH, NICOLE URBAN MS. SPEARHEADING THAT. AND IF THERE ARE SUGGESTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, JUST PLEASE GET DIRECTLY WITH HER. OKAY. BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN CHOSEN. OKAY. UH, COUNCILMAN MAGOS? YEAH, MAYOR, IN, IN REGARDS TO THESE, UH, MINI MURALS. ARE, ARE THEY THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY OR THEY'RE JUST IN COMPLETE COMMUNITIES? THEY'RE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY. THEY, ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . HUFFMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER, HUFFMAN. AND DOES THIS PRICE, DOES IT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT OF MAINTENANCE OR WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING SEPARATE OVER THE YEARS? THAT I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'LL FIND OUT. OKAY. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 17? DISCUSSION IN FAVOR. OPPOSED? GRANTED ON 17. AND WE'LL GET THAT ANSWER TO YOU. MM-HMM . NEXT ITEM. ITEM 18 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. WE ON ITEM 18. DISCUSSION ON 18. DISCUSSION ON 18 IN FAVOR. OPPOSED? OPPOSED ON GRANTED. 18. HUSBAND, NO SHOW. HUFFMAN AND KNOX VOTING? NO. SHOW IMPACT. VOTING? NO. OKAY. NEXT ITEM. ITEM 19 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. WE ON ITEM 19. DISCUSSION ON 19. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? OPPOSED? SHOW. UH, COUNCILMAN KNOX VOTING NOTE. AMAN VOTING NOTE SHALL COUNCILWOMAN PER VOTING NOTE. OKAY, UH, ANYONE ELSE? UH, ITEM PASSES. ITEM 20 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. WE ON ITEM 20. ITEM 20. DISCUSSION ON 20. DISCUSSION ON 20. IN FAVOR. OPPOSE GRANTED ON 20. ITEM 21 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. WE ON ITEM 21. ITEM 21. DISCUSSION ON 21. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR. OPPOSE GRANTED ON 21. ITEM 24 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. WE ON ITEM 24. DISCUSSION ON 24. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR. OPPOSE GRANTED ON 24. ITEM 27 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE TAG COUNT. UM, ITEM 27 BEING TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER. YEAH, AND I'M AND I'M SUPPORTIVE. MAYOR. IT'S JUST THE COMMUNITY. WANTED MORE TIME. ALSO THE DISTRICT. COUNCILMAN, I GOT YOU. NO PROBLEM. 27 IS BEING TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALCO. ITEM 28. AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE ON ITEM 28. DISCUSSION ON 28. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR. OPPOSE GRANTED ON 28. [MATTERS HELD - NUMBERING] ITEM 31 IS AN ORDINANCE YOU NEED TO VOTE ON ITEM 31. COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO TAG ITEM 31. 31 IS BEING TAGGED BY VICE MAIL PRO. TIM CATECH. TATUM. OKAY, NEXT ITEM. ITEM 34 IS A MOTION. 34. 32 I 32. I'M SORRY. 32. 30. WELL, ITEM 32. ITEM 32. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE DO NEED A MOTION ON 32. YES SIR. WE NEED A MOTION ON 32. MOVE ROBINSON SECOND, THEN MOVED AND SECONDED ON ITEM 32. COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN ON 32. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, JUST TO FLAG FOR EVERYONE, 'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ATTENTION ON THIS. THIS IS THE PROPOSAL, UM, IN DISTRICT C FOR A ALCOHOL FREE ZONE, UH, AT, AT WITHIN 300 FEET OF A DAYCARE. UM, TO CLARIFY, MAYOR AND I JUST HAD SOME CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS 'CAUSE THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION LAST TIME. THERE WAS SOME PERCENTAGES THROWN OUT, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT JUST FOR THE HORSESHOES BENEFIT AND FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT, UM, COULD THE CITY ATTORNEY OR YOU JUST EXPLAIN WHERE WE CAME DOWN IN TERMS OF WHAT THE ACTUAL REQUIREMENT WILL BE, WHAT THE THRESHOLD IS FOR, UM, SOMEONE TO OPERATE WITHIN THESE 300 FEET? FOR EXAMPLE, AND ARTURA CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE APPLYING THE SAME STANDARD, UH, THAT THE TABC IS [02:55:01] USING WITH RESTAURANTS AND ALL OF THE OTHER ALCOHOL FREE ZONES, UM, THAT WILL APPLY TO THIS PARTICULAR ZONE AS IT RELATES TO DAYCARES. AND THAT PERCENTAGE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IS 60%. THAT'S CORRECT. I'M SORRY. 60. 60. CORRECT. 60%. SO THEY CAN HAVE, LET'S SAY A RESTAURANT ALCOHOL SALES CAN BE 60%, UH, AND THEY'RE STILL VIEWED AS A RESTAURANT. OKAY. AND SO THAT'S THE STANDARD THAT'S BEEN USED IN ALL OF THE OTHER ALCOHOL FREE ZONES, UH, SCHOOLS, UH, CHURCHES, YOU NAME IT. AND SO THE SAME, UH, UH, DEFINITION THAT'S BEING USED IN THOSE ALCOHOL FREE ZONES WILL BE THE SAME DEFINITION THAT WILL APPLY, UH, IN THIS ALCOHOL FREE ZONE AS IT RELATES TO RESTAURANTS. AND YOU NAME IT. THANK YOU. SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THERE'S, UH, STATEWIDE, IF YOU'RE IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL AREA OR A CHURCH OR A HOUSE OF WORSHIP, UM, IT'S CALLED AN ALCOHOL FREE ZONE, WHICH ACTUALLY ISN'T ALCOHOL FREE. IT MEANS, UH, IF YOU, YOU NEED TO HAVE A FOOD AND BEVERAGE LICENSE. THAT'S RIGHT. MEANING YOU'RE A RESTAURANT, UM, FROM TABC AND IF YOU'RE WITHIN 300 FEET OF THAT, IT AUTOMATICALLY APPLIES. AS THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE PASSED AN ORDINANCE TO FILL A GAP WHEN IT COMES TO DAYCARES WITH YOUNGER CHILDREN, UH, THEY HAVE AN ADDITIONAL STEP OR HURDLE, IF YOU WILL, THAT THEY HAVE TO OVERCOME SINCE IT DOESN'T APPLY UNDER STATE LAW, UM, WHERE THEY HAVE TO FILE AN APPLICATION. AND IT HAS TO BE MY UNDERSTANDING, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S CORRECT OVER 75% RESIDENTIAL OR MAYBE IT'S 70% IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. SO YOU CAN'T JUST DO IT IN A COMMERCIAL ZONE, IT HAS TO BE A HEAVILY RESIDENTIAL AREA FOR THIS TO APPLY. IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT. AND THE ALCOHOL FREE REFERS TO ON-PREMISE CONSUMPTION. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS IN THE STATUTE AND IN OUR ORDINANCE. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. AND SO THE KEY IS THERE WILL BE CONSISTENCY ACROSS THE BOARD. OKAY. EVERYONE WILL BE TREATED THE SAME IN ALL OF THESE ZONES. THANK YOU. AND I, AND I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED OVER 40, UM, LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ITSELF, NOT JUST PARENTS AND TEACHERS OF THIS DAYCARE, BUT THE ACTUAL RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA. UM, WE, WE HAVE, I HAVE A, I BELIEVE A WHOLE STACK RIGHT HERE. AND IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT, UH, Y'ALL ARE WELCOME TO. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MIN KNOX. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST, AGAIN, WE'RE JUST TALKING, THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THE NEWS AS AN ALCOHOL FREE ZONE, AND THAT'S PROBABLY A MISNOMER. WHAT IT IS, IS AN ALCOHOL RESTRICTED ZONE. UM, RESTAURANTS WHO HAPPEN TO SELL ALCOHOL CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT. ALSO, UH, THE NEWS IS NOT CLEAR ON THIS AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS APPLIES TO NEW BUSINESSES COMING IN, RIGHT? IT HAS NO IMPACT ON EXISTING, UH, FACILITIES OR, OR BUSINESSES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ENACT. AND, AND IN THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION, THERE ARE NONE, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS TARGETED AT BARS AND LIQUOR STORES ESSENTIALLY. UH, SO RESTAURANTS WILL STILL BE ABLE TO COME INTO THE AREA. IF THEY WANNA OPEN A RESTAURANT NEARBY, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SELL ALCOHOL ALONG WITH THEIR FOOD. SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE ANY IMPACT ON THAT. UH, SO, UM, I'M GONNA BE IN FAVOR OF THIS 'CAUSE THIS IS WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WANTS AND BY GOLLY, WE DO WHAT THE PEOPLE SAY AROUND HERE. SO THANK YOU VERY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UM, IN MOST CASES THAT'S TRUE. , ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 32? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? PARDON? UH, COUNCILMAN CAMAN? NO, I APOLOGIZE, MAYOR. UM, I KNOW I MENTIONED THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE STACK OF SUPPORT LETTERS, BUT I, I, I DID WANNA RECOGNIZE AND THANK THE RESIDENTS FOR THEIR ENGAGEMENT ON THIS. THEY HAVE BEEN, UM, NOTHING BUT, UH, DILIGENT IN FOLLOWING THE CITY'S PROCESS, BUT INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, COMING FOR WEEKS TO SPEAK TO US, TO HAVING NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS. SO I DID WANNA RECOGNIZE THEIR EFFORTS IN THIS AS WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 32? DISCUSSION IN FAVOR I OPPOSE GRANTED ON ITEM 32? OKAY, LET ME NOW GO JUST BACK TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HOFFMAN ON YOUR, UH, QUESTION ON THOSE, UM, UM, MURALS, AND IT DOES INCLUDE MAINTENANCE AS WELL. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UH, NEXT ITEM THAT COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. OKAY, [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH. AND TODAY WE START OFF WITH COUNCILMAN MAYOR ALCO. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND WELCOME BACK EVERYBODY. UH, UM, MAYOR, YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR MAYOR'S REPORT ABOUT THE, THE BIG CITY MAYORS COMING IN AND THE DISCUSSION ON HOMELESSNESS. AND I WAS REALLY [03:00:01] HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT STEPPING UP WITH $15 MILLION. UM, THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT HAS ANNOUNCED $15 MILLION, 10 MILLION TO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, I BELIEVE THREE FOR SEARCH, AND THEN FOR SOME OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, A MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH IS A BIG GRANT INTO THE HOMELESSNESS SPACE. UM, RECOGNIZING THAT THESE COVID DOLLARS ARE GOING AWAY AND THE EMPHASIS BEING THAT THE, THE DOLLARS ARE GOING TO GO AWAY. SO IT'S REALLY UP TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR, NONPROFITS, EVERYBODY TO, TO KEEP THE, KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING. SO REALLY HAPPY TO READ ABOUT THAT, UH, EXCITING GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT TODAY. AND AGAIN, THE BULK OF THAT GOING TO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, WHICH IS REALLY LEADING THIS EFFORT. SO ALL GOOD NEWS THERE. UM, THERE IS A, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WILL BE GOING, I THINK TOMORROW NIGHT, I'M GONNA GO ON SUNDAY TO SEE, UH, TINA AND TAM'S, YOU KNOW, THE PET SET GROUPS FOR THE ANIMALS DOG DOCUMENTARY, THEY'RE CALLING IT, UM, REALLY, UM, HIGHLIGHTING THE, THE STRAY DOG POPULATION IN OUR CITY. AND, AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO TRY TO GET OUT THERE DOING A SHOWING ON SUNDAY, UH, UM, AT THE MEMORIAL CITY CINEMA. AND I BELIEVE THERE'S ONE FOR THAT. COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO ON WHEN, ON THURSDAY NIGHT. I'LL BE GOING ON SUNDAY. AND, UM, ANYWAY, JUST TO FURTHER, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT THAT ISSUE. AND IT'S GONNA BE IN LA THEY'RE DOING A SCREENING HERE AND ALSO ONE IN LA, AUSTIN, DALLAS, AND MINNEAPOLIS. AND THEN IT WILL BE, UH, AVAILABLE TO STREAM ON AMAZON PRIME. AND LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO, UM, INTRODUCE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE IN MY OFFICE NOW. IT'S LOOKING FULL OVER THE AT LARGE FIVE OFFICE THESE DAYS. UM, MY MOST RECENT HIRE IS JUSTICE COIE. JUSTICE STANDUP, A RECENT RISE GRADUATE COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON AND TRACK STAR. SHE RAN TRACK FOR RICE AND WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE HER AND SHE'S WRITTEN THIS, SO I'M GONNA WRITE IT AS SHE, AS SHE WROTE IT. JUSTICE FOCUSES ON BUILDING AND MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE AT LARGE FIVE TEAM AND NEIGHBORHOOD CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS, AS WELL AS HELPING ADDRESS CONSTITUENT CONCERNS. BEFORE SHE JOINED AT LARGE FIVE, SHE WORKED ON RESEARCH PROJECTS RELATED TOTS 18 IN THE FIFTH WARD, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THE FORT BEND JUVENILE MENTAL HEALTH COURT UNDER JUDGE JULIE MATTHEW, OUTSIDE THE OFFICE, JUSTICE IS A TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE AND A PROUD DOG MOM. SHE HOLDS A BA IN POLITICAL SCIENCE AND SOCIAL POLICY ANALYSIS FROM RICE UNIVERSITY. ALL RIGHT. YAY, JUSTICE. OKAY, WELCOME. AND NEXT, ALE ALE'S AN INTERN AND SHE GRADUATED FROM H-S-P-V-A, UM, WITH A VOICE. WE'RE GONNA GET HER TO SING A SONG ONE DAY HERE SOON IN 2021. SHE'S NOW A RISING JUNIOR AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY STUDYING POLITICAL SCIENCE AND ECONOMICS. SHE'S DONE A WHOLE LOT OF RESEARCH IN MY OFFICE SO FAR, MAYOR. AND, UM, IN HER FREE TIME, SHE STILL SINGS CLASSICAL MUSIC AND PLAYING WITH HER THREE LITTLE SIBLINGS ALE HAS A GOAL TO ATTEND LAW SCHOOL. MIGHT WANNA RETHINK THAT. ALE. NO, I'M JUST KIDDING. UH, SORRY TO ALL THE LAWYERS ON, ON HERE. SORRY TO ALL THE LAWYERS. UM, SHE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT LEGISLATION AND PUBLIC POLICY. AND THEN WE HAVE STOCKTON, LORD STOCKTON. LORD WAS BORN IN HOUSTON, TEXAS LIFE. HE'S ALSO AN INTERNING THIS SUMMER. UM, YEAH, SOME OF YOU MIGHT KNOW HIS PARENTS. AND, UM, HE'S A RECENT GRADUATE OF THE KINCAID SCHOOL. AS AN UPCOMING FRESHMAN AT TRINITY UNIVERSITY, HE PLANS ON MAJORING IN HISTORY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE AND HIS TIME AS A SUMMER INTERN. STOCK STOCKTON HAS SERVED AS A DILIGENT NOTE TAKER AND ANALYST FOR MY OFFICE AFTER COLLEGE. STOCKTON PLANS ON GOING TO LAW SCHOOL AND WITH AN INTEREST IN, IN ANTITRUST LAW. SO LAWYERS TO BE OUT THERE IN THE CROWD. WELCOME TO AT LARGE FIVE EVERYBODY. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. COUNCILWOMAN PLUMMER. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. UM, I WANTED TO JUST KIND OF REPORT, UH, I HAD AN AMAZING TRIP. I WENT TO WASHINGTON DCI WAS, UM, THERE TO REPRESENT THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS PUT FORWARD, UM, BUT THE BEST WAY IS TO GROW THE ECONOMY IN THE, YOU KNOW, FROM THE MIDDLE OUT TO BOTTOM UP. ITS ECONOMIC VISION CENTERED AROUND THREE, THREE PILLARS, MAKING SMART PUBLIC INVESTMENTS IN AMERICA, EMPOWERING, EDUCATING WORKERS TO GROW MIDDLE CLASS. AND SO I WAS ABLE TO GO, UM, TO THE WHITE HOUSE AND REPRESENT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BASICALLY, UM, WITH OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS, COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS, UM, AND NONPROFITS TO DISCUSS HOW WE'RE USING ARPA MONEY AND HOW WE USE IRA MONEY. AND, UM, AND OF COURSE WE TALKED ABOUT THE CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAMS. WE TALKED ABOUT THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. UM, I SPOKE ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING, UM, AND, AND ORIGINAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AS WELL AS MANY AS YOU OF, YOU KNOW, UM, BIDEN'S PUT FORWARD A BILL OF RIGHTS FOR TENANTS SINCE, OF COURSE I'VE BROUGHT UP AIR AND DISCUSSED THAT. AND I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT WE'RE EXPRESS TO THEM THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON AIR AND REALLY, UM, WANTING TO SUPPORT OUR TENANTS AND TENANT RIGHTS. UM, THIS IS AN ACTIVE WORKING GROUP, AND SO WE NOW HAVE A DIRECT, UM, THIS GROUP, ABOUT 45 OF US NOW HAVE A DIRECT, UM, RELATIONSHIP AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE FULLY AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. [03:05:01] AND ONE PIECE THAT CAME UP THAT THEY'RE GONNA ASSIST US WITH IS AS THE ARPA MONEY GOES AWAY AND AS WE FUNDED, UM, SPECIFIC PROJECTS, HOW DOES THE ADMINISTRATION ASSIST US WITH KEEPING THOSE PROJECTS GOING? AND WHAT IS A LONG-TERM GOAL OF MAKING SURE THE, UM, THAT THOSE, THOSE, UM, IMPORTANT, UM, INITIATIVES ARE ARE MOVED FORWARD. SO THANK YOU MAYOR FOR SUPPORTING ME ON THAT. YOU, IT WAS AN AMAZING, AMAZING TRIP AND I'M HONORED TO BE A PART OF THE WORKING GROUP. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THE REPRESENTATION. COUNCILMAN PECK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, TODAY, UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE SOME SAD NEWS TO SHARE. UM, JAMES LATHAN, WHO WAS MEMBER OF THE DISTRICT, A HOT TEAM, UNFORTUNATELY PASSED AWAY RECENTLY. HE DIED ONE DAY SHY OF HIS 83RD BIRTHDAY. SO AT 82 YEARS OLD, HE WAS STILL OUT THERE PICKING UP ALL THE LEGAL DUMPING IN DISTRICT A HE WORKED UNTIL THE DAY HE WENT INTO THE HOSPITAL. I MEAN, HE WAS JUST SO DEDICATED. EVERY TIME I SPOKE TO HIM. HE WAS JUST SO THANKFUL FOR HIS JOB. HE LOVED WHAT HE DID, UM, AND WE SENT HIM INTO SOME REALLY BAD CONDITIONS AND HE NEVER HAD A COMPLAINT, EVER. HE JUST DID THE WORK AND WAS HAPPY TO DO IT. AND, UM, HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE JOAN. HE, THEY HAD 12 CHILDREN, 13 GRANDCHILDREN, EIGHT GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, AND ONE GREAT-GREAT GRANDCHILD. SO I JUST WANTED TO HONOR HIM AND THE WORK THAT HE DID FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, AND OUR CONDOLENCES, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, UH, I THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT. UM, OUR LATEST, UH, RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT THIS TIME FOR RICHMOND PLACE WAS JUST PASSED AT COUNCIL MAYOR. THIS IS AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN PLAGUED BY CONSTRUCTION ISSUES. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON KNOWS, UH, I MEAN, PARKING IS GOING OUT THERE EVERY SINGLE WEEK AND CITATION AFTER CITATION, AND YET PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION, THEY'RE STILL PARKING ALONG THOSE STREETS. HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP FOR SOME OF THAT. UM, I ALSO WANTED TO LET RESIDENTS KNOW WE HAVE A WORK AUTHORIZATION, UM, FOR NEW SIDEWALKS AND, UM, A DA ACCESSIBLE RAMPS ON LOO ON THE NORTH SIDE FROM ELLA TO OAK FOREST. UH, WORK IS GONNA BE STARTING JULY 24TH AND SHOULD BE, UH, OVER BY THE END OF AUGUST. I WANNA THANK MICHAEL WALL, COLIN LOOP AND OTHERS, UH, FOR THAT PROJECT. OUR RESIDENTS ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT. UH, TWO FINAL THINGS, MAYOR. UH, WE HAVE ONE CONSTITUENT ISSUE IN CAMP LOGAN RIGHT NOW. SO WE INVESTED ALL THIS MONEY IN THE ROUNDABOUT, AND IT'S LOOKING GREAT. UH, IT, THE ROUNDABOUT IS FOUR IS WHERE FOUR CORNERS OF EACH NEIGHBORHOOD MEETS, INCLUDING CAMP LOGAN. AND EACH OF THEM HAS A, A WALL SIGN, RIGHT? LIKE MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES DO THAT. THE RESIDENTS PAID FOR A DRUNK DRIVER PLOWED INTO IT, AND THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT, ALL OF THAT. THE CIVIC CLUB HAS TRIED TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE IT'S CITY OF HOUSTON PROPERTY. SO WORKING WITH LEGAL AND PUBLIC WORKS, UH, YOU KNOW, IS THE CITY GONNA PRESS CHARGES TO RECOUP THOSE COSTS? NO. UH, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THEY'RE NOT NOW, UM, THEY'VE, THE RESIDENTS THEN SAID, OKAY, THEY'LL FUNDRAISE FOR IT, BUT THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT ALL OF THIS DOCUMENTATION ABOUT RIGHTS OF OWNERSHIP. BUT IT'S THE CITY'S AND THEY'VE JUST FOR MONTHS BEEN STUCK IN THIS LOOPHOLE, UM, WHERE THEY, THEY JUST WANNA REBUILD THE WALL. IT'S CURRENTLY DAMAGED. IT'S BEEN SPRAY PAINTED WITH GRAFFITI NOW, BUT THEY DON'T WANNA TOUCH IT BECAUSE IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE TO REMOVE THE WHOLE THING THAN TO REPAIR AS IS. SO, UH, I'M RESPECTFULLY ASKING FOR SOME ADDITIONAL HELP ON THIS BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS ARE KIND OF AT, AT WIT'S END AT THIS POINT. UM, I THINK THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS ARE DOING WHAT THEY CAN, BUT BE, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF CONFUSION AND WE NEED TO KIND OF CUT THROUGH THE RED TAPE. SO, UH, JUST TRYING TO ELEVATE THAT ISSUE TO GET SOME, UH, PROGRESS DONE SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. I'M STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE WITH, I DON'T EVEN FULLY UNDERSTAND IT MYSELF BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SO COMPLICATED. FIRST, THERE WAS A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY OF HOUSTON OWNED THE PROPERTY OR NOT. THEN IT WAS WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO REPAIR IT OR NOT? UH, NOW IT JUST GOES BACK AND FORTH. THEY WERE TOLD MAYBE THE TURS DOES, IT'S NOT THE TURS AND AGAIN, THEY JUST WANNA FUND THE REPAIRS TO GET IT FIXED. SO I NEED HELP CUTTING THROUGH A LOT OF THAT. OKAY. UM, THANK YOU FOR JUST YOUR EYES ON IT. OKAY. UH, LASTLY, ON A BRIGHT NOTE, UH, WE JUST HAD JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES HERE AND I WANTED TO THANK THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MAYOR. WE HAD A SITUATION WHERE, UM, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, AND, AND TRYING TO BE CULTURALLY AND RESPECTIVE AND SENSITIVE TO OTHER FAITHS. FOR EXAMPLE, IN ISLAM AND IN JUDAISM, IF SOMEBODY DIES, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY BE BURIED EXPEDITIOUSLY. YOU DON'T WAIT ON THAT. BUT IF THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT HOW THEY DIED, IT HAS TO GO TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER, OR IF IT'S IN A HOSPITAL WITH A DOCTOR. AND THERE'S BEEN SO MANY DELAYS OVER WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS, UH, THAT IT HAS CAUSED A LOT OF CONCERN IN BOTH COMMUNITIES. SO WE HAD THIS REALLY BEAUTIFUL MEETING [03:10:01] WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND WITH, UM, HARRIS COUNTY CLERK, HUDSPETH HUDSPETH OFFICE TO CUT THROUGH A LOT OF THAT. AND MEMORIAL HERMANN HAS STEPPED UP. THEY'VE NOW DESIGNATED A NEW PROCESS. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS GONNA BE WORKING WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE ON A NEW SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT FAMILIES THAT ARE GRIEVING DON'T HAVE TO, UM, CALL ME OR SOMEONE ELSE AND TRACK SOMEONE ELSE DOWN AND GO DOWN THE CHAIN. AND IT CAN TAKE DAYS. SO A SPECIAL, SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, TO COUNTY CLARK HUDSPETH AND HER OFFICE, TO EISEL HOUSE, THE MINETTE FOUNDATION, ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF GREATER HOUSTON, JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES, AND SOME OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS ALL CAME TOGETHER TO SORT THROUGH THIS. AND IT WAS A REALLY KIND OF BEAUTIFUL COMING TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCILMAN P*****K. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT A COMMUNITY MEETING THAT, UM, MY OFFICE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH VICE MAYOR PRO TIM, AND DISTRICT K, UH, THAT WILL BE AT THE INDIA HOUSE THIS THURSDAY, JULY 27TH AT 6:00 PM. UH, THE INDIA HOUSE IS A, A COMMUNITY CENTER THAT BORDERS J AND K. AND WE HAVE, UH, ALL OVER THE CITY, A LOT OF PRIVATE COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT PROVIDE FREE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. BUT MANY TIMES THE COMMUNITY MAY NOT BE AWARE OF ALL THE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT THEY DO PROVIDE, AND THEY RIDE BY THESE FACILITIES EVERY SINGLE DAY, NOT KNOWING THAT IT'S OPEN TO THEM AND HAS A LOT OF, UM, RESOURCES FOR THEM. SO WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THE RESIDENTS AND DISTRICTS, J AND K THAT LIVE AROUND THE INDIA HOUSE, UH, KNOW THAT THE INDIA HOUSE IS OPEN TO THEM AND THAT THESE, UH, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE. THEY HAVE, UM, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES SUCH AS LEGAL CLINICS, ENGLISH CLASSES, YOGA CLASSES, ART CLASSES, SOCCER TRAINING. THEY GIVE A, UM, FOOD DISTRIBUTION OR FREE FOOD DISTRIBUTION, UM, TWICE A MONTH. AND, UH, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE. MANY TIMES WE, UH, TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS AND OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES, BUT, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT PRIVATE PARTNERS OUT THERE THAT NEED OUR HELP AND PROMOTING THEIR SERVICES AS WELL. AND SO, UH, THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEM AND I WILL BE DOING THAT. WE WANT TO INVITE OUR RESIDENTS AND CONSTITUENTS TO COME OUT ON THURSDAY. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE INDIA HOUSE, THEY CAN GO TO INDIA HOUSE.ORG AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SENDING THEM ON THURSDAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND WELCOME BACK TO YOU AND MY COLLEAGUES. AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. UH, YESTERDAY DISTRICT D WAS ALIVE WITH PROGRESS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AT THE ION. IT WAS AN HONOR TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GREATER HOUSTON BUSINESS PROCUREMENT FORUM, WHERE WE DISCUSSED KEY TOPICS SUCH AS PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENTS, COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES. THIS WAS A GREAT EVENT, AND I APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION OF BEING AWARDED THE HUMANITARIAN AWARD, AND IT IS A TESTAMENT TO OUR SHEER COMMITMENT TO BUILDING A STRONGER, MORE INCLUSIVE DISTRICT. D UH, ALSO MAYOR, I WANT TO JOIN YOU IN MY CONDOLENCES, UH, FOR THE PASSING OF MR. JESSE LOT. BUT AS WE CELEBRATE THESE MILES MILESTONES, UH, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT HE, UH, WAS A GREAT SOUL IN OUR COMMUNITY. HE'S THE CO-FOUNDER OF PROJECT ROWHOUSE IS AN A STALWART IN THE HOUSTON ART SCENE. AND HIS ART EMBODIED THE SPIRIT OF OUR DISTRICT THROUGH HIS TRANSFORMATIVE ARTWORK AND MENTORSHIP. HIS PIECE, THE DREAM CATCH CATCHER, SITUATED AT THE SUNNYSIDE HEALTH AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTER STANDS AS A TESTAMENT TO HIS LEGACY. AS WE CONTINUE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE AT THE CENTER, HIS ART INSPIRES US, REMINDING US OF THE STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE INHERENT IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND MAYOR I TOO WAS WITH YOU TWO WEEKS AGO AT PROJECT BOWHOUSE, WHERE WE HAD THE HONOR OF HAVING A PICTURE WITH HIM. UH, JUST HE'S GONNA BE SORELY MISSED, BUT HIS LEGACY WILL LIVE ON. UH, TODAY I LOOK FORWARD TO THE URBAN LEAGUE CONFERENCES. WELCOME, WELCOME SESSION, HOSTED BY MY ESTEEM COLLEAGUES, MIA TURNER AND COUNCILWOMAN TIFFANY THOMAS. AS WE ENGAGE IN IMPORTANT DIALOGUES ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY AND DISTRICT D. AND WE CARRY THE INSPIRING LEGACY OF COMMUNITY LEADERS DRIVING US TO TURN OUR VISIONS FOR PROSPEROUS DISTRICT INTO A REALITY. AND I'M GONNA INVITE MY COLLEAGUES ON TOMORROW NIGHT. UM, I'M CALLING ALL BIKERS AND WALKERS TO JOIN US AT THE LIGHT THE NIGHT ALONG THE COLUMBIA TAP TRAIL, UH, WITH SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 67 AND THE FRIENDS OF COLUMBIA TAP. THERE WILL BE A BIKE RIDE STARTING AT THE CUNY HOMES. UM, YOU'RE ENCOURAGED TO BRING YOUR OWN BIKE. THE RIDE [03:15:01] ACTUALLY STARTS AT SEVEN 30, SO HALLELUJAH TO THAT BECAUSE IT IS TOO HOT BEFORE THAT TIME TO RIDE ANYTHING OR EVEN WALK THROUGH ANYTHING IN THE CITY. BUT CERTAINLY THERE WILL BE A PRE-PARTY, UH, FROM FIVE TO 7:00 PM AT THE BASKETBALL COURT AT THE CUNY HOMES. AND THEN WE WILL TAKE A RIDE, UH, DOWN THE COLUMBIA TAP. AND OF COURSE, I WILL HAVE MY ELECTRIC BIKE. I'M, I DON'T TRY TO PERPETRATE, BUT I ENJOY THE RIDES AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IT. SO THANK YOU, AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN JOIN US TOMORROW EVENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, COUNCILMAN MC, ROS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THERE'S TWO THINGS I WANNA TALK ABOUT. ONE OF THEM IS, UM, TECH CONNECT. UM, IT'S THE, THE PROGRAM THAT BRINGS, UM, UH, RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, FOR TECHNOLOGY AND STEM OPPORTUNITIES TO CHILDREN THROUGH THE PUBLIC, UM, PARKS, UM, SUMMER RECREATION PROGRAMS. SO THIS IS OUR, OUR LAST WEEK, UM, FOR TECH CONNECT FAIRS THAT THERE ARE TWO, UM, FAIRS THIS WEEK. ONE OF THEM IS THIS AFTERNOON AT NOON TILL TWO AT INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS, AND THE SECOND ONE WILL BE AT MOODY PARK, UM, FROM NOON TO TO TWO. AND, UM, JUST REALLY BRIEFLY, I WANTED TO JUST SAY THAT THIS SUMMER'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL, UM, THAT WE HIRED 30 INTERNS THROUGH THE HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH PROGRAM THAT ARE WORKING AT 15 DIFFERENT PARK SITES. UM, THREE OF THOSE SITES ARE, ARE, ARE NEW FOR TECH CONNECT. WE'VE MOVED INTO, UM, TO LINCOLN PARK, UM, LINCOLN CITY COMMUNITY CENTER IN, IN, IN ACRES HOMES AND DISTRICT B, UM, TO HARTMAN COMMUNITY CENTER IN MANCHESTER AND DISTRICT I AND SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY CENTER AND DISTRICT D. THEY'VE ALL GONE REALLY WELL. WE'VE, WE'VE SERVED, UM, OVER 500 CHILDREN THIS SUMMER. UM, WE'VE HAD 11 TECH CONNECT FAIRS, UM, WITH, UM, 14 DIFFERENT PROVIDERS THAT, UM, THAT OPERATE STATIONS THAT THE CHILDREN ROTATE THROUGH, INCLUDING, UM, AND I WON'T NAME THEM ALL, BUT JUST A COUPLE. SO WE'VE HAD CITY DEPARTMENTS PARTICIPATING, YOU KNOW, TEACHING CHILDREN HOW A WATER METER WORKS OR ABOUT RECYCLING OR WATER CONSERVATION. WE'VE HAD COMMUNITY MEMBERS, FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSTON HUMANE SOCIETY HAS BEEN TEACHING CHILDREN ABOUT MICROCHIPS AND, UM, THE, THE, THE ARCO DEPO, UM, THAT THE NEW, UH, SCULPTURAL INSTALLATION COMING TO SECOND WARD THAT CELEBRATES THE SUN AND CAPTURES THE ENERGY. UM, THEY WERE TEACHING CHILDREN, UM, HOW TO CREATE THEIR OWN SUNDIALS. UM, WE'VE HAD CORPORATE SPONSORS LIKE STORYHIVE, A VIDEO PRODUCTION COMPANY IN SECOND WARD THAT, UM, WAS TEACHING THEM ABOUT VIDEOGRAPHY AND, AND, UM, AI. UM, WE'VE HAD, UM, AND ALSO, UM, APPLE COMPUTER, A BIG THANK YOU TO APPLE COMPUTER. THEY'VE HELPED IN SO MANY WAYS WITH BOTH MATERIALS AND, AND FINANCIAL AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, HANDS ON APPLE PROFESSIONALS WORKING WITH OUR INTERNS AND WITH OUR CHILDREN. IT'S BEEN A GREAT PROGRAM. AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR THIS SUPPORT. UH, YOU KNOW, THIS AND, AND, UH, IT WILL CONTINUE TO, TO, TO SERVE AND, AND, AND UPLIFT CHILDREN THAT, THAT HAVE VERY LITTLE. UM, NEXT, BEFORE I RUN OUTTA TIME, I, I, I KNOW I'M THE FIRST ONE TO, TO, UH, OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO GETS TO SPEAK. YOU'LL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE VERY SUCCESSFUL, VERY PRODUCTIVE TRADE MISSION TO WEST AFRICA. BUT, BUT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UM, UH, IT'S ONE PART OF IT. SO, UM, THIS TRADE MISSION, UM, FOLLOWED TWO DIFFERENT VISITS FROM DELEGATIONS FROM THE, THE COVO, UM, THIS SPRING THAT I HELPED FACILITATE ON BOTH OF THOSE VISITS. THERE WAS GREAT INTEREST IN CONNECTING WITH THE EAST END MAKER HUB. IN FACT, ON THEIR SECOND VISIT IN MAY ON THE COTE DEIR AND THE EASTERN MAKER HUB, AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON SIGNED AN MOU TO COLLABORATE WITH EACH OTHER ON MUTUAL MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIPS. UM, THIS TRADE MISSION WAS QUITE SUCCESSFUL IN, UM, TAKING CONCRETE STEPS IN MOVING FOR MOVING THAT RELATIONSHIP FORWARD. BUT IT WAS MORE THAN THAT BEYOND THE NOW FORMALIZED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COTE VO, UM, LEADERS WE MET WITH ALSO IN, IN GHANA AND IN NIGERIA, WERE ALSO EAGER TO LEARN ABOUT AND CONNECT WITH THE EASTERN MAKER HUB. I WANNA THANK PATRICK ZEL, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE EASTERN MAKER HUB FOR JOINING THE DELEGATION, UM, THAT WILL UNLOCK NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENTREPRENEURS IN THE EAST END. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, AND THANKS FOR GOING ON THIS TRAIL. VICE MAYOR PROTE MONTE, CAST STATE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THINGS HAPPENING, UM, IN THE CITY AND IN DISTRICT K TODAY. THE JOINT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AND QUALITY OF LIFE WILL MEET THIS AFTERNOON AT 2:00 PM UH, CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, ANDY IKEN WOOL AND SENIOR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY JENNY WYNN, WILL PRESENT ON THE SUNNYSIDE SOLAR FARM LEASE AGREEMENT. UM, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ATTENDING AND THIS WEEK, MAYOR, I'M VERY EXCITED [03:20:01] THAT, UH, FORT BEND COMPLETE COMMUNITY, ONE OF OUR 50 50 PARKS WILL HAVE THEIR UNVEILING, UH, MAYFAIR PARK IN FORT BEND, HOUSTON, UH, ON TOMORROW AT 11:00 AM UH, I THINK THAT RESIDENTS ARE GOING TO REALLY ENJOY THE IMPROVED LIGHTING, THE NEW PARK FURNITURE, NEW DRINKING FOUNTAINS, AND ALL OF THE IMPROVEMENTS MADE AT THIS COMMUNITY PARK, RIGHT? SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE LITTLE POCKET PARKS THAT NEEDED SOME LOVE. AND BECAUSE OF THE, UH, 50 50 PARK PARTNERS, WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT IN OUR FORT BEND COMPLETE COMMUNITY. UM, THEN WANT TO ENCOURAGE, UM, EVERYONE AS COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, POLLARD STATED THAT WE WILL BE JOINING HIM ON TOMORROW AT 6:00 PM TO 7:30 PM AT THE INDIA HOUSE TO DISCUSS THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS, UM, NEAR, UH, J AND K. UH, THE INDIA HOUSE IS A TREMENDOUS PARTNER IN OUR CITY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING MORE ABOUT THIS GYM. UM, THEN WE'VE GOT LOTS OF BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS HAPPENING. GRISSOM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS HAVING A BACK TO SCHOOL BASH ON JULY 29TH, FROM 10 TO TWO, UH, ALAMEDA PLAZA MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, ALSO HAVING A COMMUNITY FAIR ON SATURDAY, JULY 29TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM. UM, AND THEN I WANNA HIGHLIGHT AGAIN, IN OUR COMPLETE COMMUNITY IN BRIARGATE, WE'LL HAVE NEW SIDEWALKS, UM, ON LOGAN ROCK ROAD. WE HAVE LOTS OF REQUESTS FOR NEW SIDEWALKS, AND WE ARE CHIPPING AWAY AT IT, UM, SLOWLY BUT SURELY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE, UM, SIDEWALKS THAT ARE IN REALLY BAD CONDITION GET IMPROVED. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE IMPROVED PATHWAYS IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, JUST, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, THE NATIONAL BATTLE OF THE BANDS IS BACK IN DISTRICT K AT N NRG STADIUM. SO, UH, TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED EVENT HAPPENING AUGUST 25TH THROUGH 26TH. AND YOU CAN GO TO NATIONAL BATTLE OF THE BANDS.COM FOR ME, MORE DETAILS OR CONTACT THE DISTRICT K OFFICE. AND OF COURSE, I WANT TO, UM, AMPLIFY WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CIRO SAID. WE HAD AN INCREDIBLE TRIP ON THE AFRICA TRADE MISSION. I THINK WE MADE SOME REALLY IMPACTFUL CONTACTS. UM, IT WAS A PRODUCTIVE TRIP. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ON, UH, MAKING SURE WE HAVE THAT DIRECT FLIGHT, UH, TO NOT ONLY NIGERIA, BUT OTHER PLACES WITHIN AFRICA, UM, ADVANCING THE DIASPORA. WE REALLY WERE LOOKING TO, UM, BRING A CONSULATE OFFICE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. BUT ONCE WE SPOKE WITH THE DIASPORA STAFF AND TEAM, THEY, THEY REALLY ARE INTERESTED IN HAVING ONE OPEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT WOULD BE THE FIRST ONE IN THE COUNTRY. SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT POTENTIAL PROGRESS. AND ALL OF THE CONTACTS THAT WE MADE WITH THE US EMBASSY AND THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE, AND ALL OF, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT JUST, IF HOSPITALITY, UM, COULD BE EXPLAINED, IT WOULD BE EXPLAINED ON THE TRIP THAT WE TOOK, UH, TO AFRICA THIS TIME. SO, UM, THERE IS AN AFRICA EXPO HAPPENING AT THE ION IN SEPTEMBER. UM, SO I HOPE THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL PARTICIPATE IN THAT. THE CONTACTS WE MADE IN, UM, GHANA WILL BE HERE, UH, FOR THAT EXPO AT THE ION IN SEPTEMBER, AND WE'LL GET MORE INFORMATION TO EVERYONE ABOUT THAT. BUT, UM, PARTNERSHIPS WERE DEFINITELY FORGED. AND, UH, MAYOR TURNER, UH, YOUR PRESENCE THERE SPOKE VOLUMES. ONE OF THE MAYORS IN A BOBO, UM, SHE SAID, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT ANY MAYOR HAD EVER VISITED THEIR CITY. UM, AND IT MADE A REALLY HUGE IMPACT ON OUR RELATIONSHIPS. SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL OF THE FRUITS THAT WILL COME FROM THAT TRADE MISSION COURSE. YOU DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE MY TITLE, SO, OH, AND LET ME JUST TELL Y'ALL, THE PEOPLE IN AFRICA, THE FIRST MEETING WE WENT TO, THEY CALLED THE MAYOR, THE MODERN DAY MOSES AND COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS AND I WERE LIKE, OH, MY . THE SECOND, THE SECOND MEETING THAT WE WENT TO, THEY GAVE HIM A MEDAL AND NAMED HIM THE COMMANDER . THE NEXT MEETING WE WENT TO, THEY GIFTED HIM WITH THE TRADITIONAL KENTE CLOTH. AND I HAVE VIDEOS OF THIS THAT I'D LOVE TO SHARE, THE TRADITIONAL KENTE, AND THEY NAMED HIM THE, UH, CHIEF CHIEF CUOMO, UM, SIMILAR TO A CHIEF IN THE VILLAGE. NOT ONLY DID THEY DRAPE HIM WITH THE KENTE, BUT THEY ALSO GAVE HIM THE MEDALLION OF A COCOA THAT THEY WEAR AROUND THE NECK. THEY ALSO GAVE HIM THE HEADGEAR AND THE SHOES TO BE AN OFFICIAL CHIEF OF THE VILLAGE. THEY ALSO MADE HIM A CITIZEN, AN HONORARY CITIZEN. UH, DID I MISS ANYTHING? SO THERE WAS THE MODERN DAY MOSES COMMANDER, CHIEF CUOMO, [03:25:01] AMBASSADOR, HONOR, HONORARY CITIZEN, AND AMBASSADOR, AMBASSADOR OF THE PARADE. HE'S THE AMBASSADOR. AND THERE WAS A PARADE, Y'ALL , IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO WATCH, BUT IT SPOKE VOLUMES FOR HOW MUCH THEY REALLY APPRECIATED THAT. SO MANY TIMES, PEOPLE FROM AFRICA COME TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THEY COME TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS IN OIL AND GAS AND AGRICULTURE AND TOURISM. AND THEY COME TO THE CITY, WE GIVE THEM A KEY, WE CELEBRATE THEM WITH THE DIPLOMATIC COINS, BUT NOT MANY TIMES DO WE GO THERE. AND FOR US TO TAKE A, A VERY DIVERSE, STRONG DELEGATION OF BUSINESS PEOPLE FROM THE OIL AND GAS SECTOR, TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER FROM THE PORT, UM, THEY HAVE A PORT. THERE, THERE WAS, THERE WAS SO MANY SYNERGIES. UM, BUT THE, OUR PRESENCE SPOKE VOLUMES TO THEM IN AFRICA. SO I DO ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF RELATIONSHIPS. THEY WANT TO DO SISTER CITIES. UM, SO I, I HOPE THAT WE CAN MAKE THE, UM, SISTER CITIES HAPPEN, UM, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF TRADE THAT CAN HAPPEN BETWEEN OUR, OUR, THEIR COUNTRIES AND OUR, AND OUR CITIES. UM, IT WAS INCREDIBLE. AND, UM, ALL OF THE NEWSPAPERS HAD US ON THE FRONT PAGE BECAUSE IT WAS THAT, UM, IMPACTFUL FOR US TO HAVE SUCH A LARGE DELEGATION THERE. AND THE MODERN DAY, MOSES DID A GREAT JOB. HE WAS, HE WAS PHENOMENAL. THANKS, COUNCILMAN MEMBER COUNCILMAN ROBINSON. WELL, COMMANDER IN CHIEF , THAT'S, THAT'S GOT A LITTLE RING TO IT THERE. AMEN. GOTTA OWN THAT THING. WELL, I'M, I'M SO PROUD OF YOU ALL FOR DOING THAT AND WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UM, TAKING OUR CITY THERE. I KNOW HOW MEANINGFUL THESE MISSION TRIPS CAN BE AND ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS, ENFORCING THEM, AND WHAT YOU BRING BACK. I KNOW I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE REPORTS AND, UH, THE PHOTOGRAPHS I'VE ALREADY SEEN, THE STORIES THAT THE DELEGATION HAS TOLD THIS MORNING BEHIND CHAMBERS ARE JUST INCREDIBLE. SO, UH, LOVING TO HEAR THAT. UM, UM, JUST CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR MORE, MAYOR, AND, UH, THANK YOU. UM, I, I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE, JUST THE DEEP AND PROFOUND LOSS OF JESSE LOT. UH, PROJECT ROJAS FOUNDER, MY DEAR FRIEND, REALLY FROM BACK WHEN, UH, ROJAS WERE SAVED IN THE EARLY NINETIES. I WAS ONE OF THE YOUNG ARTISTS THAT WORKED WITH HIM AND, UH, RICK LOWE TO SAVE THOSE BUILDINGS. AND JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT HE DID ON A DAILY BASIS AS A MENTOR, UH, OT, A TEACHER. UM, HE WAS PHENOMENAL, BUT HE WAS EVER PATIENT AND, UH, BRILLIANT AS, UH, HIS ARTWORK SHOWS. AND, UH, THE OBITUARY IN THE NEWSPAPER THIS MORNING IS REALLY A, A WONDERFUL TRIBUTE TO HIM. SO HE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED AND, UH, I'M SO, SO, UH, SO HURT BY HIS LOSS. BUT I WANTED, I WANTED TO HOLD HIM UP FOR ALL OF OUR CONSIDERATION AND PRAYERS. UM, I DO WANT AT, TO ANNOUNCE ONE THING, MARY. YOU KNOW, THAT FOR TTI, WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UH, FOR MONTHS NOW, LITERALLY, I THINK NINE MONTHS. UM, AND AFTER A COMPREHENSIVE NINE MONTH REVIEW, UH, OF THE, UH, BUILDING CODE, THE, UM, CONSTRUCTION CODE MODERNIZATION PROCESS IS, UH, I THINK COMING COMPLETE. LAST MONTH, TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE PROCESS TO DATE THE TASK FORCES THAT HAVE BEEN MET THROUGH, UM, AND REALLY, UH, IT FOLLOWED EXACTLY HOW THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD WITH A VERY ROBUST STAKEHOLDER PROCESS. AND IT HAS BEEN, I THINK, PRETTY UNIFORMLY, UH, PRAISED FOR ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION. UM, AND WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, UM, NEXT MONTH ON, UH, AUGUST 24TH. THAT'S A THURSDAY AFTERNOON AT 2:00 PM AND THAT'S GONNA BE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING TO REVIEW THE BUILDING CODE AMENDMENTS. THOSE ARE THE LOCALLY PREFERRED AMENDMENTS. SO AFTER THIS, UH, NINTH MONTH REVIEW PROCESS, TASK FORCE COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES, INDUSTRY GROUPS, AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, UH, HAVE LED THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL. THIS WILL PRECEDE THEIR PRESENTATION TO US. AND, UH, WE CAN ALL, I THINK, LOOK FORWARD TO LIVING INTO WHAT YOU HOPED WOULD BE THE PASSAGE OF, UH, THE SECOND PART OF THE CODE. SO, WITH THAT, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU MUCH. UM, I'M STILL, UH, SITTING WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST 10 DAYS, UM, BUT I KNOW MY HEART IS DEFINITELY FULL. UM, OFTENTIMES I THINK IT'S LOST ON HOUSTONIANS HOW GLOBAL OUR CITY REALLY IS, UM, [03:30:01] BECAUSE WE ARE FOCUSED ON OUR SIDEWALK OR THE TREE OR DELAYED RECYCLING, RIGHT? BUT ON A NATIONAL SCALE, HOUSTON IS A LEADER. UM, HOUSTON IS CAN MODEL, UM, WHAT THOSE SUBNATIONAL POLITICS AND THEN INFLUENCE CAN BE. AND I THINK FROM JUST THE EXPERIENCE IN, IN ABBI, JEAN AND QVO, WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING, UM, WE ARE IN THE VERY BEST, BEST POSITION TO MODEL TO THE GLOBE ON HOW WE PARTNER WITH THE CONTINENT. UM, PARTICULARLY OIL AND GAS, CONSTRUCTION, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, HOUSING, UH, RETEN DETENTION WHEN WE WERE IN A BOBO. AND THERE ARE PARTICULAR LOTS WHERE THEY CANNOT, THEY HAVE 400 BIRTHS A DAY IN A BOBO. THEY ARE IN NEED OF 150,000 UNITS OF HOUSING TODAY, RIGHT? AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PREFABRICATED HOUSING IMMEDIATELY. LIKE THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE MODELING IN THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED IN THIS CITY THAT COULD TRANSFORM, LIKE HOW THEY LIVE. UM, SO WE ARE IN THE VERY BEST POSITION, UM, TO DO THAT. AND IT WAS REALLY HUMBLING TO, UM, TO BE REMINDED, RIGHT, THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST AMERICAN CITIES. UM, AND WE ARE REALLY IN A, IN A, IN A FORTUNATE POSITION. AND AS THE VICE MAYOR MENTIONED, UM, TALK ABOUT A STELLAR DELEGATION. UM, I THINK THERE WAS ONE GROUP THAT WAS THE MOST STELLAR, WHICH WAS YOUR OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL NATIONAL TRADE, UM, UH, LED BY, UH, DIRECTOR CHRIS OLSON, JESSICA MAZDA, JOSE EXCEPTIONAL, UM, TO MANAGE THAT TYPE OF AGENDA, AGENDA TO GET US THERE TO, YOU KNOW, UM, SECURE THOSE MEETINGS. UH, AND THEN ALL THE ADDITIONAL MEETINGS. THERE WERE PEOPLE, ONCE THEY HEARD WE WERE THERE, WE HAD ADDITIONAL MEETINGS THAT WERE NEVER EVEN ON THE AGENDA, UM, BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST SO EXCITED TO GET IN FRONT OF US. AND SO, UM, UH, I, I WISH THIS WOULD'VE HAPPENED IN 2020. I THINK WE WOULD SEE AT THIS POINT, UH, MAGIC, UH, OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. AND SO THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT, THAT'S KIND OF SAD. BUT WHEN I TELL YOU, UM, UM, I DON'T WANNA HEAR ANOTHER COMPLAINT ABOUT A SPEED BUMP. OKAY, , I DON'T WANNA HEAR ANOTHER COMPLAINT. UH, THOSE SPEED BUMPS ARE HIGH AND THEY ARE BUMPY. UH, WE GOT IT. GOOD. , UH, UH, WE GOT IT. GOOD. UH, I DON'T WANNA HEAR ANOTHER ONE. UM, BUT OPEN DRAINAGE SYSTEM. AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS REALLY REMARKABLE TO ME, THAT WHEN WE SAT IN FRONT OF THE MAYOR OF, UM, ACCRA AND HER TEAM, HOW WE DO OUR BUDGET HEARINGS, THEY'RE DOING IT THE SAME WAY. UM, THE PLANNING DIRECTOR, WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITY, WE DO IT THE SAME WAY. UH, AND SO IT, IT JUST, AGAIN, CEMENTED WHY THIS TRIP WAS SO IMPORTANT. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY AND ALSO TO YOUR SECURITY DETAIL AND EVERYONE THAT FULLY PARTICIPATED AND DIDN'T MISS OUT ON A MOMENT, IT WAS, UM, EXCEPTIONAL. I ALSO WANT TO, UH, BRING ATTENTION TO A, ANOTHER CONSTITUENT ISSUE THAT'S HAPPENING. I KNOW I, I BROUGHT THIS TO YOU A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. UH, 9 6, 6 9 RICHMOND. THAT HOME HAS BEEN INSPECTED. IT'S IN THE TANGLE TANGLEWOOD COMMUNITY. AND, UM, THERE ARE NO DEEP RESTRICTIONS. THE DEEP RESTRICTIONS DO NOT RESTRICT A LODGING FACILITY. AND THEY HAVE BEEN IN, UM, CONVERSATION WITH A RA AND THEY'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE PROTOCOLS. SO I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE THE RESIDENTS, UM, THAT THERE IS, UM, A, A A, YOU CAN APPLY FOR THE PARKING ORDINANCE TO LIMIT PARKING ON YOUR YARD FOR 20 YEARS. THAT IS WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO YOU. I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND ENCOURAGE YOU AND REMIND YOU TO DO THAT. THAT WAS IN THE NEWSLETTER AS AN OFFERING BECAUSE WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY BE UPSET ABOUT THIS ONE HOME, BUT A PRIVATE OWNER, UM, CAN DO THAT TO THEIR HOME IF THEY'RE FOLLOWING THE CITY ON ORDINANCE. AND I THINK THAT'S ALL SOMETHING, SOMETIMES THERE'S A RUB BETWEEN THAT, RIGHT? UM, AND I KNOW OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN TPI AED, UM, REGARDING THE PROCESS OF THAT OVER A YEAR. AND SO THE, I MEAN, IT'S STILL THERE AT THE END OF THE DAY. THE DE RESTRICTIONS HAVE TO RESTRICT IT. UM, AND THERE'S NO ORDINANCE AGAINST IT. SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT PUBLICLY THAT, AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET THAT APPLICATION IN SO YOU CAN, UM, RESTRICT PARKING ON YOUR YARDS FOR 20 YEARS. UM, AND THEN LASTLY, UM, JUST TO SHOUT OUT THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION THIS MORNING. BUT I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UM, SUSAN NGUYEN, UM, SHE HAD A, A WORKSHOP AT THE ALE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER ON JULY 15TH, TALKING ABOUT HER STORY. UM, SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A TRAUMATIC CAR ACCIDENT AND EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF HER DOMINANT ARM. UM, ALTHOUGH SHE'S RESILIENT AND HAD SUPPORT AROUND HER, SHE'S EMERGED AS A THOUGHT LEADER, A TEDX SPEAKER, A HAPPINESS COACH, AN AUTHOR AND INSTRUCTOR. AND I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER FOR HER, UM, WORK. UM, SHE HAS, UH, PROMISED HERSELF TO BE BITTER AND NOT BETTER. AND I JUST WANNA THANK HER FOR BEING WHO SHE IS AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE CONVERSATION. AND A, UH, AND PARTICULARLY ON THE, UM, AMERICANS DISABILITY ACT DAY. THANK YOU MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. YEAH, MAYOR, REALLY QUICKLY, 'CAUSE I, I SAW SOME OF THE COMMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, ABOUT Y'ALL'S TRIP. AND AS SOMEONE THAT DIDN'T GO ON THE TRIP, BUT HAS [03:35:01] TRAVELED ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL BECAUSE I DON'T THINK PEOPLE, SOME PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH WORK YOU ARE DOING. THE BACK TO BACK, TO BACK TO BACK TO BACK MEETINGS, THE EARLY MORNINGS, I MEAN, IT'S A, NOT ONLY THE SCHEDULE IS RIGOROUS, BUT THE BENEFIT TO THE CITY, UH, THAT PEOPLE DON'T SEE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MAYOR, ONE OF YOUR PRIORITIES WITH THE, UM, DIRECT FLIGHT FROM NIGERIA AND THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF THAT TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THERE'S AN IMPORTANT FOCUS ON WHAT, UM, MANY OF OUR LOCAL COMPANIES ARE DOING IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES, AND THE NEED FOR THEM TO BE INVESTING IN THOSE COMMUNITIES AS WELL. UH, VICE MAYOR PROM, CASTEX TATUM WAS RAISING THAT ISSUE, AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. BUT THE, ALSO THE BENEFIT TO US AS A CITY, WHETHER IT'S THE TRAVEL, WHETHER IT'S THE BUSINESS, WHETHER IT'S FOR OUR ENERGY SECTOR AND THE GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITIES THERE, UH, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IS AGAINST SOMEBODY THAT WASN'T ON THAT TRIP. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING THAT IS DIRECTLY BENEFITING THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON. UH, AND I, I, I THINK THAT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT KIND OF ASTERISK AND EXCLAMATION MARK THE END OF THIS, BECAUSE SO MUCH GOES INTO IT, AND I KNOW HOW HARD Y'ALL MUST HAVE. WERE AS SPECIAL AS IT WAS AND AS MEANINGFUL AS IT IS, AND THAT NO ONE CAN TAKE AWAY. BUT WHAT YOU DID FOR PEOPLE IN HOUSTON IS ALSO VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, THAT'S ALL. WELL, WE ARE, WE ARE A DIFFERENT CITY FROM 30 YEARS AGO. MM-HMM . WE ARE A GLOBAL INTERNATIONAL CITY. AND IF, UM, AND WE ARE COMPETITIVE CITY, SO IF WE WANT TO COMPETE WITH, IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH THE NEW YORK, THE LA, THE SAN FRANCISCOS, UH, THE WASHINGTON DCS, UM, THEN WE HAVE TO COMPETE AND WE HAVE TO COMPETE ON A GLOBAL SCALE, IF YOU WANT, UH, LIKE THE FIFA CUP TO COME TO YOUR CITY. AND YOU DO, THEY HAVE TO SEE YOU ON THE GLOBAL SCALE. AND HOUSTON HAS TO COME BE FRONT OF MIND AS WE HANDED OUT THOSE FIFA SCARFS THAT WAS PICKED UP BY THE FIFA ORGANIZATION. OKAY? SO YOU CAN'T WANT ALL OF THESE THINGS TO COME TO YOUR CITY IF YOU ARE NOT PRESENT AND COMPETITIVE. YOU CAN'T, WE ARE NOT THE CITY OF 30 YEARS AGO. WE ARE DIFFERENT. UM, AND SO LASTLY, WHAT I WOULD SAY, LOOK AT, LOOK AT THE PEOPLE LIVING IN OUR CITY, IN THE REGION AND WHERE THEY COME FROM. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THEM BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE PLACES FROM WHICH THEY COME. AND IF YOU WANT THEM TO BE STRONG AMBASSADORS, THEY HAVE TO FEEL AS THOUGH YOU SEE THEM, HEAR THEM RESPONDING TO THEM. I MEAN, THAT'S JUST THE REALITY. AND SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO AFRICA, IT IS THE NEW FRONTIER. IT IS THE FUTURE. 40% OF THE MINERAL RESOURCES ARE IN AFRICA, 40%. YOU EITHER COME NOW OR YOU COME LATE, AND OTHER COUNTRIES ARE HAVING A PRESENCE THERE NOW. SO I READ SOME OF THE COMMENTS. I TELL YOU, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S DISHEARTENING. I MEAN, IT'S, IT IS WHAT IT IS, BUT WE ARE HAVING TO EDUCATE PEOPLE. PART OF IT'S EDUCATION. SO THEY'LL BE OKAY. UM, MAYBE NEXT TIME WE CAN TAKE THEM TO, UH, COUNCILMAN OMA. I JUST WANNA CLOSE WITH THIS. UM, THERE WAS ONE MEETING, UM, WHEN WE WERE IN NIGERIA AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYOR TURNER'S EXPRESSING LIKE THE IMPORTANT NEED OF A CONSULATE, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE LARGEST NUMBER OF NIGERIANS IN HOUSTON. MANY ARE RESIDING IN DISTRICT F. AND ON THEIR TOP LIST OF A COUNCIL, IT WAS SAN FRANCISCO, HOUSTON WASN'T EVEN ON THEIR RADAR. AND THEY SAID, OH, BECAUSE WE RAISED THE POINT, RIGHT? WHEN WE HAVE THE DEMAND, WE HAVE THE POPULATION. UM, SO BECAUSE WE WERE IN THAT ROOM, WE WERE ABLE TO SHIFT THEIR PRIORITIES. AND BECAUSE OF THAT CONVERSATION, THEY SAID, WE WILL PUT THIS ON THE LIST. LIKE, THIS IS NOW A PRIORITY BECAUSE WE WERE IN THE ROOM IN SAN FRANCISCO WAS NOT. SO, UM, WHICH WOULD, IT'S GOING TO EASE UP ALL OF, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BARRIERS RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE EMBASSY THAT THEY'LL HAVE, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. WE HAVE THAT PATHWAY FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. UM, THANK YOU ALSO VERY, VERY MUCH. UM, SEEING NO OTHER BUSINESS. WE STAND ADJOURNED. [03:40:24] . * 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.