* 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. [00:00:03] OFF [PRESENTATIONS] TO A, A LATE START. SO LET'S, UH, IT'S NOW 1 43 ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 12TH, 2023. I MAYOR S TURNER. I'M CALLING THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO WATER THE FIRST PRESENTATION. THE CHAIR WILL RECOGNIZED, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER FOR A PROCLAMATION TO THE FERRIS FOUNDATION, FOREST FOREST, UH, UH, FOUNDATION BOARD, UH, MEMBERS, UH, IN HONOR OF CANCER AWARENESS MONTH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND IF I COULD, WHILE MAYORS WALKING UP, IF I COULD ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, SOME OF OUR SPECIAL GUESTS THAT ARE IN THE ROOM RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE GUESTS FROM THE CITY OF, UH, CITY OF SUGARLAND, MAYOR PRO, TIM NISHA KAMALI. WE HAVE KRISTA BEIN FROM THE FOREST FOUNDATION, TEXAS CHILDREN'S CANCER CENTER, MD ANDERSON CHILDREN'S CANCER CENTER, THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE IS HERE, HISD, THE VISUAL ARTS LEADERSHIP, MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION, AT AND T PRIME COMMUNICATIONS, SUNCOM CRICKET, FIRST HORIZON, WALLACE BANK, WENDY'S, AILINGS RESTAURANT, AND INLIGHT. EVERYONE IS HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THIS. AND WE HAD A BEAUTIFUL RECEPTION, UH, THIS, THIS, UM, LUNCHEON THIS AFTERNOON, AND EVERYONE'S HERE. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT THEY DO TO SUPPORT THE FOREST FOUNDATION. AND IF I COULD INVITE ASHA, DO YOU WANNA COME UP WITH THE, WITH THE KIDS WHILE I READ THIS? OKAY. THESE ARE OUR BABIES. THESE ARE, THIS IS WHO WE'RE FIGHTING FOR. YES, THAT'S RIGHT, . ALRIGHT. LET THERE BE GOLD CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH. WHEREAS SEPTEMBER IS RECOGNIZED AS CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, A DEDICATED TIME TO SPOTLIGHT THE STARK REALITIES OF CHILDHOOD CANCER AND URGENT NEED FOR LIFESAVING RESEARCH. AND WHEREAS ANNUALLY IN THE UNITED STATES, APPROXIMATELY 15,780 CHILDREN, AGE ZERO TO 19 RECEIVE A CANCER DIAGNOSIS, SIGNIFYING THAT ROUGHLY ONE IN 285 AMERICAN CHILDREN WILL CONFRONT THIS DISEASE BEFORE REACHING THEIR 20TH BIRTHDAY. WHEREAS A STAGGERING REVELATION OCCURS EVERY THREE MINUTES SHATTERING A FAMILY'S PEACE WITH THE WORDS THAT ARE, THAT THEIR CHERISHED CHILD HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER. AND WHEREAS THE GOLD RIBBON, A SYMBOL OF INVALUABLE NATURE OF CHILDREN AND THE RESILIENCE OF YOUNG CANCER WARRIORS STANDS AT THE NATION'S EMBLEM FOR THE CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS. AND WHEREAS FIRE THE FIRES FOUNDATION UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ITS CHIEF ANGEL OFFICER, FARRIS D ANI, ENDEAVORS TO ELIMINATE THE LIES OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER THROUGH THE TRANSFORMATIVE CREATIVE ACT ARTS PROGRAM, AND ACTIVELY RAISES AWARENESS AND PROVIDES CARE PACKAGES TO THOSE IN NEED. AND WHEREAS FORESTS DE RONNIE, DURING HIS BRAVE THREE YEAR BATTLE WITH EWING SARCOMA EXPRESSED HIS PRO PROFOUND BEWILDERMENT AT THE LIMITED PUBLIC, A PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SEPTEMBER AND ITS SYMBOL AND THE GOLD RIBBON. AND WHEREAS ECHOING THE SENTIMENTS OF OTHERS, FERRIS POIGNANT POIGNANTLY INQUIRED, DON'T KIDS MATTER? AREN'T WE IMPORTANT AND MADE THE ISH WISH OF DECLARING WHEN I GROW UP, I WILL LET THERE BE GOLD. THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH COUNCIL MEMBER. AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SAYING, UH, THEREFORE, I, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROUDLY PROCLAIMED SEPTEMBER, 2023 AS LET THERE BE GOLD CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND URGE EVERYONE TO SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE FOR THE SIGNIFICANT CAUSE IT REPRESENTS AND RECOGNIZE THE UNWAVERING DEDICATION OF THE FAREST FOUNDATION. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. MY HEART IS SO FULL. NO, NO, NO. ON BEHALF, UH, HONORABLE MAYOR TURNER, OUR MOST BELOVED MAYOR TURNER, OUR VERY GOLDEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMBER, OUR ESTEEMED COUNCIL MEMBERS [00:05:01] AND LEADERS, OUR GOLDEN LEADERS, UM, ON BEHALF OF OUR CHIEF ANGEL OFFICER OF THE FOREST FOUNDATION, FOREST IANI ON BEHALF OF MACY AND AMELIA AND JULIANA AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY RESIDE ON BEHALF OF EVERY CHILD AND EVERY FAMILY DIAGNOSED WITH CHILDHOOD CANCER, ON BEHALF OF THE 500,000 ADULTS WHO HAVE LIVED AND SURVIVED CHILDHOOD CANCER, ON BEHALF OF THE AUDIENCE THAT IS HERE WITH US TODAY, AND ON BEHALF OF THE ANGELS WHO REMIND US TO BE BRAVE IN OUR HEART, TO BE STEADFAST AND FAITHFUL IN OUR SPIRIT, BECAUSE THROUGH IT ALL, ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE VALLEYS GRACE, ABIDES AND GRACE ABIDES, HOPE ABIDES. SO ON BEHALF OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, MAYOR TURNER, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, TO OUR LEADERS OF OUR GREAT CITY OF HOUSTON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING THIS VERY AUSPICIOUS OCCASION, UM, OF CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH. I WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK OF THE FOREST FOUNDATION, WHAT WE DO THAT'S SO PROVOCATIVE AND BOLD IN CHILDHOOD CANCER RESEARCH. BUT I WANNA SHOW YOU THE FOREST FOUNDATION. IT'S THE HEARTBEAT. IT'S THE HEART OF GOLD. IT'S OUR VOLUNTEERS, IT'S THE INSTITUTIONS, IT'S OUR SPONSORS, MAYOR, THEY ARE SPARKS OF LIGHT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. NAY, THEY ARE BEAMS OF LIGHT. AND I AM IN AWE AND IN REFERENCE OF THE COMMUNITY. THEY ARE OUR GLOWING COMMUNITY, NOT THE GROWING COMMUNITY. SO IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE FOREST FOUNDATION, YOU MUST BECOME PART OF THIS GLOWING COMMUNITY. AND FINALLY, UM, SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY, WELL, IT'S JUST A PROCLAMATION AND IT'S CEREMONIAL AND IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL AND WE GET TO HANG ON IN THIS REALLY COOL PLACE, UM, AND BE IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL OF YOU LEADERS. UM, BUT WORDS ARE POWERFUL, WORDS ARE TRANSFORMATIVE. AND I BEAR WITNESS THAT WORDS REVERBERATE THROUGH ETERNITY BECAUSE FORESTS, WHEN HE WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD, SAID THE WORDS, DON'T KIDS MATTER? AREN'T WE IMPORTANT WHEN I GROW UP, I WILL LET THERE BE GOLD TODAY. THOSE WORDS THAT RESONATE FROM HEAVEN ARE BEING MANIFESTED TODAY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND IF I COULD PLEASE HAVE EVERYONE SAY THOSE FOUR MAGICAL WORDS, IF WE CAN ALL SAY, LET THERE BE GOLD SO HEAVEN CAN HEAR, UM, THAT A WISH OF AN ANGEL HAS BEEN FULFILLED IN THIS MIGHTY CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL, AND I PRAY THAT, UM, ANGELS ALWAYS STAY CLOSE TO YOU, ALL OF YOU. SO IF WE CAN SAY THE FOUR WORDS, MAYOR TOGETHER, 1, 2, 3, LET GO. I'D LIKE TO ALSO, UM, I'D LIKE TO ALSO THANK HOUSTON FIRST. THEY PUT A REALLY BEAUTIFUL GIFT PACKAGE TOGETHER FOR OUR CHILDREN. SO I'M GONNA PASS THOSE OUT. AND THEN THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER. UM, AND THE ADMINISTRATION, NATIONAL CANCER AWARENESS AWARENESS MONTH IS THIS MONTH, AND, UH, CITY HALL WILL BE LIT GOLD FROM SEPTEMBER 22ND TO THE 24TH. AWESOME. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS STARTING OFF WITH COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO OUR OWN, UH, CHAMPION MAYOR TURNER. SO IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO BE STANDING WITH THESE YOUNG CHAMPIONS, OUR GOLD AWARD WINNERS TODAY. LET THERE BE GOLD. THANK YOU. AND WELL SAID. UM, I WILL, I WILL TELL YOU THAT AS A YOUNG ARCHITECT, THE FIRST PROJECT I COMPLETED WAS THE BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT UNIT AT TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL. AND, UH, HAVING WORKED ON THE, THE MEDICAL CENTER AND THE MASTER PLAN FOR TCH, I KNOW WE'RE HERE TOGETHER, UH, TO CELEBRATE NOT ONLY THE FACILITY AND THE GREAT CARE THAT IS BROUGHT, BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS IMPORTANT FOUNDATION, THE FOREST FOUNDATION AND ALL THAT YOU STAND FOR. THIS REALLY IS ABOUT THE KIDS AND, UH, THE, THE GREAT STRIDES THAT WE'RE MAKING IN COMBATING CANCER IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. WE ARE PARTNERS FOR YOU IN THAT. I KNOW MAYOR TURNER IS LEADING BY EXAMPLE. WE'RE SO PROUD OF HIM, AND, UH, WE JUST LOVE THE WORK YOU DO. SO THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS COUNT, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR PERAM. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, THANK [00:10:01] YOU. AND I LIKE WE'RE ALL SITTING HERE TRYING TO NOT CRY BECAUSE WE'RE SO MOVED, UM, BY ALL OF THE MOMS AND DADS AND THEIR STRENGTH, BUT ESPECIALLY, UH, MACY, AMELIA, JULIANA, AND ANY OTHER KIDS THAT ARE IN THE AUDIENCE. UM, BECAUSE THEIR STRENGTH AND THEIR ABILITY TO THRIVE, UH, IN UNIMAGINABLE CIRCUMSTANCES IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE. UM, AND I LOVE HOW YOU PUT IT, UM, FOR FERRIS IS OUR, OUR CHIEF ANGEL OFFICER. MM-HMM . AND WHAT A BEAUTIFUL GIFT, IF I COULD FOR A MOMENT. UM, I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH LET THERE BE GOLD SHIRTS IN THE AUDIENCE, IF YOU COULD JUST STAND IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN OR HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THIS ORGANIZATION. SO IT, IT IS, IT IS UNQUESTIONABLE THE IMPACT THAT, UM, YOU ALL ARE HAVING ON COUNTLESS LIVES, NOT JUST IN THE CITY, BUT IN THE STATE AND IN THE NATION. AND I DID WANNA ALSO RECOGNIZE, I KNOW IN THE BACK WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AS WELL. UM, AND MY APPRECIATION TO ALL OF THE DOCTORS, NURSES, VOLUNTEERS IN OUR MEDICAL COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU ALL AND COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER REALLY THANK YOU FOR LIFTING THIS UP. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR BRINGING THIS GREAT GROUP TO US. YOU KNOW, THIS MORNING I WOKE UP REAL EARLY AND WENT OUTSIDE WITH MY WIFE AND OUR LITTLE DOG. AND, UH, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL MORNING. SO I KNEW THIS DAY WOULD BE REALLY BLESSED. I SENT A VIDEO TO THE MAYOR, I HOPE HE WATCHED IT. IT'S REVELATIONS CHAPTER THREE, VERSE 20 WON'T GET INTO THE ENTIRE STORY, BUT IT'S THE STORY OF A MAN WHO PLAYS PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL. AND ON FRIDAY THEY LOST THEIR DAUGHTER TWICE. AND ON SUNDAY HE PLAYED IN THE GAME AND HIS DAUGHTER WAS IN BETTER SHAPE ON SUNDAY THAN SHE WAS ON FRIDAY. AND IT WAS A MINOR MIRACLE. AND, UH, I WATCHED IT ABOUT THREE OR FOUR TIMES AND IT REALLY TOUCHED MY HEART. AND SO THE MESSAGE IN THREE 20 WAS, HERE I AM, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK. IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS THAT DOOR, I WILL COME AND EAT WITH THAT PERSON AND THEY WITH ME. SO YOU BRING THAT MESSAGE BACK TO US IN SPADES. SO APPRECIATE THAT. AND FOR ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT FIGHT EACH AND EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO LIVE ON THAT SUNDAY, THE DAY OF THE LORD, THEN WE'RE ALL BLESSED IN MANY, MANY WAYS. SO GOD BLESS YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO, AND GOD BLESS YOU, YOUNG PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO FIGHT THIS DREADED DISEASE EACH AND EVERY DAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANKS FOR BRINGING THIS TO US. IF WE COULD HAVE EVERYONE, AS MANY PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT CAN COME BACK, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BIG GROUP PHOTO. AND WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT, I'M GONNA PASS OUT THE GIFTS TO THE KIDDOS. AND I ALSO WANTED TO LET MY COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOW THERE'S A PEN, A METAL PEN THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR DECK THAT IS, THAT IS SEVEN, THE SEVEN THE STARS STAND FOR THE SEVEN YEARS THAT FARES FIRES LIVE WITH US. AND SO IT'S REALLY SIGNIFICANT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES. OKAY. ALRIGHT. [00:19:39] HERE PRO TIM MARTIN FOR A PROCLAMATION TO NDA IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR 30TH ANNIVERSARY. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. [00:20:03] I HAD LIKE TO INVITE THE ESPARZA FAMILY UP HERE. GABRIEL, MS. LILIA MICHAEL, COME ON UP. THIS IS A PROCLAMATION TO KNDA FOR THEIR 30TH ANNIVERSARY. SINCE 1993, KDA MAGAZINE HAS SERVED THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY BY BRINGING EVENTS AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES INTO ONE PLACE. WHEN THE ESPARZA FAMILY STARTED THE PUBLICATION IN 19 8 93, THEIR GOAL WAS FOR K KDA TO BECOME THE LARGEST HISPANIC PUBLICATION IN THE HOUSTON AREA. THEY NOW SERVE OTHER PARTS OF TEXAS, INCLUDING DALLAS, SAN ANTONIO, AND AUSTIN, AS WELL AS MONTEREY, MEXICO MAKING THEIR PRESENCE INTERNATIONAL. IT IS FITTING TO CELEBRATE NDAS 30TH ANNIVERSARY ON THE SAME DAY AS ELTO DAY INIA. AS THAT DAY HOLDS GREAT IMPORTANCE TO MEXICAN AMERICANS AS IT CELEBRATES THEIR CULTURE, THEIR HERITAGE, AND SERVES AS A REMINDER OF THE MEXICAN FLIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE. THE ANNUAL CELEBRATION HELPS STRENGTHEN THEIR SENSE OF IDENTITY AND CONNECTS THEM TO THEIR ROOTS IN THE SAME WAY THAT KNDA SEEKS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS ON A DAILY BASIS. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO YOU, GABRIEL, THE ENTIRE ESPARZA FAMILY AND ALL THE WONDERFUL EMPLOYEES AT KNDA FOR ALL THAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN THE LAST 30 YEARS. WE ARE EAGER TO SEE, EAGER TO SEE THAT KNDA DOES IN SEVERAL YEARS TO COME. SO 30 MORE YEARS. SO THEREFORE, THEREFORE, NOT YOU. NOT YOU, YOU AIN'T THE MAYOR . THERE WE GO. SO THEREFORE, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, DO HEREBY PROBABLY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2023 SK UNDER MAGAZINE DATE. THE 30TH YES. ANNIVERSARY. YES, SHE IS. THAT WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING. CONGRATULATIONS EVERY ONE OF YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, BASICALLY, UM, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF YOU AND MR. MAYOR, MR. MR. PROTE, UH, FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE WITH YOU GUYS. IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR THE ESPARZA FAMILY, UH, ACHIEVING 30 YEARS ON, ON, ON THE NEWSPAPER BUSINESS. I KNOW IT'S BEEN HARD BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES OF THE DIGITAL AND THE NEW ERA THROUGH HARVEY AND THROUGH A PANDEMIC WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO, TO STAY, UH, UH, ABOVE WATER. SO HONESTLY, WE'RE ALSO DOING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AND WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 30TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY THIS FRIDAY. SO ALL OF YOU'RE WELCOME, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, I ALSO WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU FOR SERVING, UH, EIGHT YEARS, UH, SERVING THE CITY FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND HAVING, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALSO, UM, THE, THE CITY HAVE CHANGED FOR THE BETTER. AND YOU ARE A GREAT LEADER FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH ALL OF YOU. AND ON BEHALF OF THE ESPARZA FAMILY GRACIA, THANK YOU, WE, WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER IN Q COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS, CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS 30TH ANNIVERSARY. IT'S 30 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY. UM, AND, UH, IT'S, YOU'VE, UM, YOU'VE HAD SUCH AN IMPACT HERE AND I, AND I KNOW THERE'S EXCITING PLANS FOR THE FUTURE, BUT I SEE THAT YOUR BROTHER'S STANDING HERE AND IT'S MY RECOLLECTION THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY THE FOUNDER. YES. CAN YOU, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT, PLEASE, PLEASE? WELL, UH, I, UH, WE STARTED THIS BUSINESS WHEN I WAS 59 YEARS OLD. I RETIRED AT 79, 20 YEARS, AND THEN NOW HE'S IN CHARGE AND HE'S DOING GREAT . THANK YOU. HE'S DOING GREAT. AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS AWARD OR RECOGNIZE AND, UM, WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP, UH, DOING WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO FOR THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT. [00:25:20] CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX FOR A PROCLAMATION TO THE US AIR FORCE TO CELEBRATE THEIR 76TH BIRTHDAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO, UM, CELEBRATE THE AIR FORCE. AS, AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, I'M AN AIR FORCE VETERAN. HOW MANY AIR FORCE VETERANS DO WE HAVE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY? GREAT. ALRIGHT, SO THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT IS EVERY YEAR ON NOVEMBER THE 11TH, I HAVE A FRIEND OF MINE WHO'S AN, UH, AN EX ACTIVE MARINE WHO REMINDS ME THAT NOVEMBER 11TH IS THE MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY. CALLS ME UP EVERY NOVEMBER 11TH AND SAYS, HEY MIKE, DO YOU KNOW WHAT DAY IT IS? AND I GO, IT'S TUESDAY. I DON'T KNOW. HE GOES, IT'S A MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY. I SAID, YOU KNOW, KWII, UH, I'M NOT A MARINE, I DON'T CARE WHEN THE BIRTHDAY IS, BUT I DO CARE ABOUT THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE. WHERE'S OUR, WHERE'S OUR COLONEL? RIGHT HERE. OH, THERE IT IS, RIGHT . OKAY, SO I'VE GOT A LOT OF WAREHOUSES TO GO THROUGH HERE, SO WE'RE GONNA GET ON WITH IT. WHEREAS THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE WAS ESTABLISHED ON SEPTEMBER 18TH, 1947 WITH THE PASSING OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT OF 1947. THE ACT CREATED THE NATIONAL MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT LATER RUN, UM, RENAMED THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, WHICH WAS COMPOSED OF FOUR AND FIVE BRANCHES, THE ARMY, MARINE CORPS, NAVY, AND A NEWLY CREATED AIR FORCE. WHEREAS PRIOR TO 1947, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MILITARY AVIATION WAS DIVIDED BETWEEN THE ARMY FOR LAND-BASED OPERATIONS AND THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS FOR SEA-BASED OPERATIONS FROM AIRCRAFT CARRIERS AND AMPHIBIOUS AIRCRAFT. THE ARMY CREATED THE FIRST, UH, ANTECEDENT OF THE AIR FORCE ON AUGUST 1ST, 1907, WHICH THROUGH A SUCCESSION OF CHANGES OF ORGANIZATIONS TITLES, ADMISSIONS, UH, ADVANCED TOWARD EVENTUAL SEPARATION 40 YEARS LATER. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS PROUD TO HAVE THE US AIR FORCE 1 47 ATTACK WING ASSIGNED AN ELLINGTON AIRFIELD, THE ONE 47TH ATTACK WING EXEMPLIFIES A STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO OUR NATION'S SECURITY AND PREPAREDNESS. AS IF Y'ALL REMEMBER ON NINE 11, ALL THESE JETS FLYING AROUND. THAT WAS OUR AIR FORCE THAT WERE PROTECTING US FROM, FROM THAT, UM, WITH THE UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARDING THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE ONE 47TH ATTACK WING PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN MAINTAINING SECURITY AND PROTECTING THE LIVES OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS. AND WHEREAS THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE IS THE LARGEST, MOST CAPABLE, AND MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED AIR FORCE IN THE WORLD, IT IS THE SECOND LARGEST SERVICE BRANCH OF THE US ARMED FORCES WITH 329,614 ACTIVE DUTY AIRMEN, 172,857, CIVILIAN PERSONNEL, 69,056 RESERVE AIRMEN AND 107,414 AIR NATIONAL GUARD AIRMEN. AND WHEREAS THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE MOTTO, AIM HIGH FLIGHT, UH, UH, FLY FIGHT WIN. I ALWAYS LIKE THAT ONE FLY FIGHT WIN, THEN GET BACK HOME. THERE YOU GO. UM, INTEGRITY FIRST SERVICE BEFORE SELF EXCELLENCE IN ALL WE DO REPRESENTS THE CONTINUED COMMITMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE TO REMAIN EVER VIGILANT AND ALWAYS READY TO SAFEGUARD IN THE DEFENSE OF OUR NATION. AND WHEREAS TEXAS HAS A LONG, PROUD HISTORY OF SUPPORTING OUR MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEIR COMMUNITIES, WE SEEK TO DEMONSTRATE OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION TOWARDS THOSE WHO SERVE AND HAVE SERVED IN THE US AIR FORCE AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE CITY OF HOUSTON EXTENDS SINCERE THANKS TO THOSE WHO SERVE AND TO THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED AND RECOGNIZES SEPTEMBER 18TH AS THE 76TH BIRTHDAY OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE. WOO. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER. SO THEREFORE, I, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, DO HEREBY PROBABLY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2023 AS THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE DAY 76 BIRTHDAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. CONGRATULATIONS. ALRIGHT, WELL, FIRST OFF, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE, DISTINGUISHED LEADERS AND, AND COUNCIL, MEN AND WOMEN. WE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE INCRE. INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL. UM, REALLY ON BEHALF OF COLONEL WALTERS AS WELL. AND THE REMAINDER OF THE ONE 47TH ATTACK WING, ALL 1,114 OF US THAT ARE OUT THERE. IN ADDITION, I DON'T WANNA LEAVE OUT THE REST OF THE AIR FORCE AS WELL. UM, WE'RE, WE'RE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL, UM, FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE HERE, SPECIFICALLY IN HOUSTON AND THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA, [00:30:01] ABSOLUTELY TOP NOTCH. UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, WE'RE BRINGING IN SOME OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD RIGHT OUT OF HERE IN HOUSTON. AND WE HAVE ALL THE RECRUITERS THAT ARE TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO TAKING CARE OF THOSE AIRMEN AS THEY COME IN. I NOTICED UP HERE WHERE IT SAYS THE PEOPLE ARE THE CITY. AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, WELL, THE PEOPLE ARE THE, UH, TEXAS INTERNATIONAL GUARD TOO, AND THE, AND THE PEOPLE ARE THE AIR FORCE TOO. AND, UH, THERE'S NO BETTER PLACE THAT WE'RE GETTING THOSE PEOPLE THAN FROM HERE IN HOUSTON. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU ALL PROVIDE TO US EVERY DAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KOSH. JUST, JUST A LITTLE SIDE NOTE, Y'ALL REMEMBER HURRICANE HARVEY, RIGHT? YES. YEAH. WE WERE SCRAMBLING AROUND LOOKING FOR MATERIAL VEHICLES TO RESCUE PEOPLE OUT OF VARIOUS PLACES. AND SO, UH, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO, TO CONTACT THE ONE 47TH ATTACK WING, AND THEY PROVIDED A LOT OF, UH, HIGH WATER VEHICLES THAT HELP, PARTICULARLY ON THE WEST END OF TOWN, UH, WHERE THEY WERE CALLING FOR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TO GET HELP. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL, NOT ONLY DO YOU SERVE OUR COUNTRY, BUT YOU SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH. COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX, UH, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THESE WONDERFUL, UH, SOLDIERS, MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO PROTECT US. UH, ONE OF MY STAFF MEMBERS, MAYOR, UH, SHIRLEY KING IS A VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, AND, AND I'M SO PROUD OF HER AND, UH, SHE'S BEEN WITH ME EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL AND, AND WHAT A WONDERFUL PERSON, UH, SHE IS. AND I, I JUST PRAY THAT WE NEVER HAVE TO SEND ANY OF YOU INTO COMBAT, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE READY. AND, UH, GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY. AND, AND THANK YOU. I, AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO REPRESENTS THE ONE 47TH THAT ELLINGTON, WE WERE AT BAY A WHEN YOUR COMMANDER MADE A PHENOMENAL PRESENTATION, TALKED ABOUT THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED IN AND AROUND THE ONE 47TH. SO THANK YOU, WHAT FOR WHAT YOU DO EACH AND EVERY DAY. AND, UH, I WAS AMAZED AT THE DRONES AND, AND HOW THE TACTICAL UNITS, UH, THAT WERE USED NOW THAT ARE UNMANNED AND, AND OPERATED BY COMPUTERS ARE GONNA MOVE US INTO A, A DIFFERENT SPHERE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DEFENDING OUR COUNTRY AND DEFENDING OUR NATIVE LAND. SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO EACH AND EVERY DAY, AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO MORE THINGS HAPPENING IN AND AROUND. UH, ELLINGTON AND SPACEPORT, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN. WELL, MAYOR PRO TEM REALLY SAID IT, BUT WE WERE AT THE BEHE EVENT, AND I MEAN, WE KNOW A LOT ABOUT ELLINGTON 'CAUSE WE HEAR ABOUT THE SPACEPORT AND WE HEAR ABOUT ELLINGTON, BUT WE, I DID NOT KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE ONE 47TH ATTACK WING, AND, AND HE WAS SUCH A GOOD SPEAKER. YES. AND REALLY JUST LAID OUT EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO. AND THEN, THEN REMEMBER AT THE END, THEY ENCOURAGED US TO MEET SOMEBODY FROM THE ONE 47TH AND TALK TO HIM. SO I DID, I TALKED TO THIS GUY AND HE TOLD ME ABOUT THE, THERE WAS AN AIR AIRPLANE HEADED TOWARDS THE STATE CAPITOL, AND IT WAS JUST A GUY THAT FELL ASLEEP OR SOMETHING. AND YOU KNOW, THE AIR FORCE IS THERE. I MEAN, THE ONE 47TH ATTACK, THEY LIKE FIGURE STUFF LIKE THAT OUT. SO I'LL REMEMBER THAT STORY FOREVER. YOU GUYS ARE JUST WORKING 24 7 TO PROTECT US AND, AND EVERYONE IN HOUSTON AND IN OUR STATE. SO THANK YOU. AND AROUND THE COUNTRY. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND, AND THE COMMANDER'S PASSION, HIS PASSION THAT HE SPOKE WITH, UM, WAS UNBELIEVABLE. WE REALLY HAD A GOOD TIME LISTENING TO HIM. SO GOD BLESS. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, [00:36:12] PROCLAMATIONS FOR TODAY. [2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] AND SO WE, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILMAN ROBINSON FOR THE VOCATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, UH, IT IS MY GREAT HONOR. AND, UH, FOR THE LAST TIME ON THIS HORSESHOE, I WILL, UH, CALL MY FRIEND FATHER PEDRO LOPEZ, UM, TO THE PODIUM. IT IS MY LAST TIME, UH, OF THE 10 YEARS THAT WE'VE SERVED ON COUNCIL MAYOR. AND, UH, THIS IS MY DEAR FRIEND FATHER PEDRO LOPEZ, WHO I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. UH, HE IS, UH, A NATIVE OF COLUMBIA, SOUTH AMERICA, AND, UH, CURRENTLY INSTALLED AT ST. PEDRO, ST. PETER'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN PASADENA, TEXAS. AND FORMERLY MAYOR, I'LL NOTE OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. SO HE'S COME TO THE RIGHT CITY. WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU HERE. YOU'VE BEEN, UH, IN HOUSTON AREA SINCE 2011. YOUR LOVELY WIFE, ESTELLA IS WITH YOU IN A FELLOW MISSIONER WITH THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF TEXAS. AND, UH, HAS SINGLE-HANDEDLY IN MANY WAYS, BUT WITH OBVIOUS, UH, GRACE FROM ABOVE, UH, TURNED THE PARISH IN, UH, PASADENA AROUND, UH, WITH WONDERFULLY VIBRANT MINISTRIES, THE FOOD PANTRY, UH, SOME LUNCHES THAT HAPPEN ON FRIDAYS THAT WE GET TO ATTEND. AND, UH, A NUMEROUS, UH, SET OF EVENTS AND CLASSES TURNING THE COMMUNITY AROUND. SO IT IS OUR HONOR, UH, TO HAVE YOU, FATHER PEDRO, IF YOU COULD LEAD US IN PRAYER, WE'D BE HONORED. THANK YOU. SO WE BEGIN OUR PRAYER TODAY. I'LL INVITE YOU FOR A MOMENT OF PRAYER AND SILENCE AS WE, UH, REMEMBER THE VICTIMS OF, UH, THE NINE 11 ATTACKS. WE PRAY FOR ETERNAL REST OF THEIR SOULS. AND FOR THE FAMILY MEMBERS, THE MY FAITH, FIND HEALING AND STRENGTH, COURAGE AND FAITH. I INVITE YOU TO, UH, PRAY FOR OUR NATION. GRACIOUS GOD BLESS THE LEADERS OF OUR LAND. WE MAY BE A PEOPLE AT PEACE AMONG OURSELVES AND A BLESSING TO OTHER NATIONS ON THE EARTH. TO OUR PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE CABINET. TO GOVERNORS OF STATES, MAYORS OF CITIES, AND TO ALL IN ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY, GRANT WISDOM AND GRACE IN THE EXERCISE OF THEIR DUTIES, SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES AND THOSE WHO MAKE OUR LAWS IN STATES, CITIES AND TOWNS, GIVE COURAGE, WISDOM, AND FORESIGHT. PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDS OF ALL OUR PEOPLE TO FULFILL OUR OBLIGATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY OF NATIONS. THE JUDGES AND OFFICERS OF OUR COURTS GIVE UNDERSTANDING AND INTEGRITY THAT HUMAN RIGHTS MAY BE SAFEGUARDED AND JUSTICE SERVED. WE PRAY FOR THE LEADERS OF OUR CITY OF HOUSTON, MIGHTY GODS, AND DOWN UPON THOSE WHO HOLD OFFICE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY ON MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER AND ALL THE DISTINGUISHED CITY OF HOUSTON. CONS, MEMBERS THE SPIRIT, WISDOM, LOVE AND JUSTICE, THAT WITH STEADFAST PURPOSE, THEY MAY FAITHFULLY SERVE IN THEIR OFFICES TO PROMOTE THE WELLBEING OF ALL THE CITIZENS. FINALLY, I LIKE TO PRAY FOR ALL OF US, UH, CITIZENS LOVING GOD, TEACH ALL OF US, [00:40:01] ALL CITIZENS TO RELY ON YOUR STRENGTH, TO ACCEPT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO OUR FELLOW CITIZENS. THAT WE ALL MAY ELECT TRUSTWORTHY LEADERS AND MAKE WISE DECISIONS FOR THE WELLBEING OF OUR SOCIETY THAT WE MAY SERVE YOU FAITHFULLY IN OUR GENERATION AND HONOR YOU. FOR YOURS IS THE KINGDOM GOD. AND YOU ARE EXALTED AS HEAD OF ALL. AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU. IF YOU PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE OF, OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN. [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING] THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. UH, IF YOU'RE NOW PREPARED FOR THE ROLL CALL, MADAM SECRETARY, MAYOR TURNER. HERE. COUNCIL PECK. HERE. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. HERE. COUNCIL MCMAN. PRESENT. CONSTABLE EVAN SHABAZZ WILL BE ABSENT. CONSTABLE MARTIN PRESENT. CONSTABLE THOMAS. PRESENT. COUNCIL HUFFMAN. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN CISNEROS? HERE. COUNCILMAN GALLEGOS. CONSTABLE POLLARD. HERE. CONSTABLE CASTEX TATUM. HERE. COUNCIL KNOX. HERE. CONSTABLE ROBINSON. HERE. CONSTABLE ASH. HERE. CONSTABLE PLUMMER HERE. AND CONSTABLE ALCO HERE NEED A MOTION TO DELAY THE MINUTES MOVE. SECOND. ROBINSON MOVED. AND SECOND TO DELAY THE MINUTES. ANY OBJECTION, CHAIR? NONE. MOTION IS GRANTED. I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE, THE COHORT FROM THE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE, UH, INTERPRETING PROGRAM FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON. UH, THAT'S WITH US TODAY, SO PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THEM AS WELL. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. OKAY, THEN, UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZ W COUNCILMAN KNOX FOR A PROCEDURAL MOTION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND MOVE MR. CLYDE BRYANT, UH, TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND, ANY OBJECTION? CHAIR IS NONE. THE MOTION IS GRANTED. SHE RECOGNIZES. COUNCILMAN MCCAIN FOR A PROCEDURAL MOTION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE BARBARA EXOME TO THE, UH, BOTTOM OF THE TWO MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST. AND MIKE BERGER, UH, TO FOLLOW LAURA GALLAGHER ON THE THREE MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST. SO, AGAIN, THAT'S, UH, BARBARA TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TWO MINUTE NON AGENDA. AND MIKE BERGER TO FOLLOW LAURA GALLAGHER TOWARDS THE TOP. OKAY. YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION BEEN SECOND. ANY OBJECTION, CHAIR? NONE. THE MOTION IS GRANTED. CITY SECRETARY, UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? HEARING SCENE? NONE. MADAM [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] SECRETARY, YOU PROCEED TO CALL THE SPEAKER'S LIST. MIKE YOUNG. MIKE YOUNG IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY RICKY JOHNSON. OOPS. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, MAYOR TURNER, UH, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH, HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY. UH, WE HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM. UH, I SPEAK, I'M MIKE YOUNG, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF CITYSIDE HOMES, AND WE HAVE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOME DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT HITS THE AGENDA THIS WEEK. AND JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO LET YOU KNOW ON BEHALF OF ME AND MY TEAM. WE'RE EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY. I KNOW IT'S A SPECIFIC INITIATIVE TO DELIVER, UH, 3000 AFFORDABLE HOMES. AND WE, UH, ARE A LONGSTANDING DEVELOPER AND BUILDER WITHIN THE CITY. WE'VE DONE ALMOST A HUNDRED COMMUNITIES NOW, ALL WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. SO WE'RE VERY ACCUSTOMED, UH, TO DELIVERING COMMUNITIES AND HOMES. AND WE, UH, ALREADY TRY TO DELIVER AFFORDABLE PRODUCT. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A REAL CHALLENGE IN ACHIEVING THAT GOAL IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE. UH, BUT WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY. UH, WE ARE GOING TO BE BUILDING IN DISTRICT H UH, IN NORTHSIDE VILLAGE AND IN THE NORTHLINE AREA. TWO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES TOTALING 59 LOTS, 40 OF WHICH WILL BE AFFORDABLE. UH, AND THERE WILL BE, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR AN INDIVIDUAL THAT MEETS THE A MI INCOME GUIDELINES TO, UH, PURCHASE A HOME, EVEN DOWN TO A LEVEL OF IF THEY CAN ONLY AFFORD UP TO 170,000. UM, SO WE ARE TRYING, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP AGAIN, UM, WITH, WITH THE, UH, HOUSTON, UM, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, TO, TO HELP MEET THOSE GOALS. AND WE'RE, WE'RE HONORED TO BE A PART OF IT. SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE IN CASE THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS. UM, SO I THINK YOU'RE GOOD FOR TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NO QUESTION. NEXT SPEAKER. RICKY JOHNSON. RICKY JOHNSON. RICKY JOHNSON IS HERE TO FOLLOW BY BARBARA . I WANNA SAY GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, MAYOR ALL Y'ALL, TASHA [00:45:01] AND EVERYBODY, I'M, I WAS UP HERE. I'M A, UH, VOLUME IN THE PLEASANTVILLE COMMUNITY. BEEN IN THE PLEASANTVILLE COMMUNITY ABOUT 23 YEARS. UH, WE HAD A CIVIC LEAD MEETING, UH, SEPTEMBER 5TH, UH, 2023. AND THEY HAD SOME INTERESTING STUFF GOING ON. AND WE SUPPOSED TO, I GUESS IT'S A GRANT THAT'S COMING UP. AND, UH, A LADY FROM ALLIED THAT WAS REPRESENTED AND TALKING ABOUT THE GRANT HAD PASSED OUT. THE PIECE OF PAPER HERE, UH, I HAVE IT, UH, WITH ME, BUT IN THE, UH, PAPER, IT HAD THE N WORD ON THERE. AND SHE PASSED IT OUT IN FRONT OF ALL OF US, INSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS PRESENT, UH, INSIDE JESSE ROBINSON. AND, UH, THE DEROGATORY, UH, LANGUAGE THAT WAS ON THERE, IT WAS TALKING ABOUT AN AFRICAN AMERICAN IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND IT WAS JUST A SLAP IN THE FACE. IT WAS, UH, IT WAS DISAPPOINTING AND SUPPOSED, AND THEY SUPPOSED TO HAVE INSIDE INFORMATION ABOUT A GRANT THAT'S COMING UP OR WHATNOT. AND THEY HAVE A BUNCH OF INFORMATION HERE, AND IT HAD TO HAVE COME FROM THE INSIDE SOURCE. BUT THIS, IF THIS HOW THEY REPRESENT, I MEAN THIS HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICAN, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO, UH, A VALUE JOB IF THEY GET THE, THE, UH, GRANT, UH, OF THEM. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FIVE OF THEM ANYWAY. THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO BE AWARDED THE GRANT WHEN THE GRANT COMES AVAILABLE. BUT, UH, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO TAKE THEM OFF OF THE VENDORS LIST IF POSSIBLE, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY DISTASTEFUL AND IT'S WRONG. AND IT'S A SLAP IN THE FACE TO NOT JUST MYSELF, BUT TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. WE ARE STRONG VOTERS IN THE PLEASANTVILLE COMMUNITY. UH, WE, WE, UH, WE STAND BEHIND EACH OTHER AND WE LOVE PLEASANTVILLE AND IT'S DISTASTEFUL TO THE PLEASANTVILLE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SOMEBODY, UH, UH, SENT IT TO ME. I SAW, I DID SEE IT. YES, SIR. AND WE ARE TRYING TO, UH, TRACK DOWN WHERE SPECIFICALLY IT CAME FROM AND, AND, UH, WHO PUT IT OUT. YES, SIR. UH, BUT I, BUT I AM AWARE OF IT. OKAY. WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. NO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU MR. JOHNSON FOR COMING IN AND BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION. THIS IS THE FIRST THAT I'VE HEARD ABOUT, UM, THIS LETTER AND THE MEETING I SPOKE WITH, UM, UM, BRIDGET MARY AND MARY ON, ON TUESDAY AND ON ON THURSDAY. AND THEY DIDN'T BRING IT TO MY ATTENTION. BUT NOW THAT I KNOW, I'LL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE MAYOR AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOUR WISHES, WHOEVER THIS IS, IF IF THEY'RE A VENDOR OF THE CITY YES, MA'AM. UM, WE CAN'T TOLERATE THAT, UM, THAT PREJUDICE AND THAT TYPE OF LANGUAGE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. AND SO, YES, MA'AM. UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING IN AND BRINGING IT. I HAVE A COPY AS WELL. YES. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A COPY OF IT. OKAY. I GOT IT. THANK, CAN I GIVE IT TO YOU? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT SPEAKER, BARBARA M BARBARA CHIEF, FOLLOWED BY CLYDE. BRYAN GOT MOVED FROM THE BOTTOM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I'M REALLY HERE TO SAY THANK YOU TO, UM, TO YOU, MR. MAYOR. UM, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THE ATTENTION OF HAVING A HOTEL IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH THE, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T EXPERIENCE IT, LIKE THE REST OF MY NEIGHBORS AND I DO EVERY DAY, I MEAN IT, IT'S A GAME CHANGER. AND FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, WHAT USED TO BE, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR VERY MIXED, VERY OLD, VERY ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S NOW SORT OF AN HOURLY RENTAL. AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I'M, I WALK BY IT, I SEE IT. WE TALK TO EACH OTHER, WE WATER OUR, YOU KNOW, WE WALK OUR DOGS. SO ALL THAT TO SAY I'VE PASSED OUT, UM, SOME INFORMATION THAT WAS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND, UH, WRITTEN BY MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, TRUMAN EDM MINSTER. AND, UM, JUST SO THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND, UM, ENFORCING AN ORDINANCE THAT'S ON THE BOOKS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT DOESN'T FIT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THIS HOTEL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MAYOR QUINN. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU BARBARA FOR COMING. I DID MAYOR MEET WITH TRUMAN AND BARBARA AND A BUNCH OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT, UM, ARE BY 1116 BANKS. YOU, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS AT COMMITTEE, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES AT PUBLIC SESSION AND WHAT IS PASSED OUT, SOMETHING THAT TRUMAN WORKED ON AND SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS, IS WHETHER THIS FITS THE DEFINITION OF A HOTEL, BECAUSE RATHER THAN TRY TO GO TO START A WHOLE NEW SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE, WHICH EVERYONE KNOWS WOULD TAKE A LONG TIME, AND A LOT OF THESE ARE BEING CHALLENGED IN THE COURTS, UH, THERE, THAT WE DO HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT GOVERNS HOTEL CHAPTER HOTELS CHAPTER 28. AND [00:50:01] I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, BUT I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD OUTLINE. WHAT'S PUT TOGETHER OF THE DEFINITION OF A HOTEL, WHICH THIS, THIS GUY WENT AND BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY, UH, WHICH WAS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF HOUSTON. HE IS TURNED IT INTO SHORT TERM RENTALS. THERE'S BUNK BEDS IN UNITS. IT'S DEFINITELY VIOLATING THE THREE PERSON PER ROOM CODE 'CAUSE THEY'RE RUNNING IT TO MULTIPLE PEOPLE. THERE'S ALL KINDS OF CALLS FROM POLICE THAT HAVE BEEN OUT THERE. I KNOW LEGAL'S LOOKING INTO IT, MAYOR, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, IF THERE IS A WAY THAT IF WE NEED TO TWEAK CHAPTER 28 TO BETTER CLARIFY THE DEFINITION OF A HOTEL, BUT IF WE DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS FULLY MEETS IT, UM, BECAUSE AIRBNB IS, AND, AND SHORT TERM RENTERS ARE NEW THINGS, AND WE DID CHAPTER 28, UM, I'D REALLY LIKE US TO TAKE A LOOK AT CHAPTER 28 AND SEE IF WE CAN GET AT IT THAT WAY WITHOUT KIND OF STARTING FROM SCRATCH ON A WHOLE NEW SHORT TERM RENTAL KIND OF REGULAT NEW REGULATION OR NEW ORDINANCE. THERE MIGHT BE A WAY TO LOOK AT THIS HOTEL ORDINANCE AND TRY TO GET AT IT THIS, GET AT IT THAT WAY BECAUSE, UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WE'VE HEARD ABOUT. AND THIS, THIS PARTICULAR OWNER OWNS MANY IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE REALLY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HAMPERING AND, AND, AND, UH, NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON THE, THE, THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. LOTS OF PARTIES, LOTS OF COMING AND GOING, LOTS OF DRUGS, LOTS OF POLICE CALLS, ALL THAT KIND OF THING. SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO, UM, USING THE EXISTING ORDINANCE WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A QUICKER WAY TO GET AT THESE, UH, AT THESE, UM, THESE RENTALS. BARBARA, IF YOU CAN JUST DESCRIBE SOME OF THE WAYS IN WHICH YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS CHANGED SINCE THIS OWNER A COUPLE YEARS AGO TOOK OVER THIS APARTMENT. I MEAN, I USED TO BE ABLE TO WALK, THIS IS A BLOCK FROM MY HOME, SO I WALKED TO BELL PARK, WHICH IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, AND I USED TO, IT WAS JUST A LOVELY WALK. NOW YOU CAN SMELL THE FECES. YOU, I DON'T MIND PICKING UP A HAMBURGER WRAPPER CUP, BUT WHEN I'M, YOU'RE PICKING UP WOMEN'S UNDERWEAR AND FEMININE PRODUCTS AND BROKEN BOTTLES AND DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, AND YOU SEE, YOU CAN SMELL THE FECES AS YOU GET CLOSE TO THE, THIS IS IN THE MUSEUM DISTRICT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN ROBINSON. MAYOR, JUST WANT TO ADD, UM, MY, UM, SUPPORT FOR BARBARA AND, UH, THANK YOU. JUST, UH, WHAT A GREAT CITIZEN SHE IS. SHE, UH, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS HOSTS THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AT HER PLACE. AND YOU KNOW, THIS, UM, I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU, THIS IS IMPORTANT NOT JUST FOR SOME OF OUR SIGNATURE DISTRICTS, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, BARBARA, I WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS FOR PUTTING UP WITH ALL THIS. WELL, AND I WANNA THANK YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE MOST AMAZING PROGRAM CONNECTED COMMUNITIES, AND IT KIND OF TAUGHT ME ENOUGH TO BE SOMEWHAT DANGEROUS. NOT REALLY, BUT I LOVE THAT PROGRAM. I LOVE, AND I'M SO APPRECIATIVE TO HAVE GONE THROUGH IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. POLLARD. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. BARB, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DILIGENCE, . UM, SOMETIMES IT TAKES, UH, FOR RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO EDUCATE US ON THE ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT ARE AFFECTING YOU BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD MUCH BETTER THAN WE DO. AND A LOT OF TIMES THE SOLUTIONS COME FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CLOSEST TO THE ISSUE. AND BUT FOR YOUR DILIGENCE, WE WOULD NOT BE AS, UH, INFORMED ON NOT ONLY WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, BUT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN TRY TO HELP. SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS AND, UM, UH, WE APPRECIATE IT. WELL, IT'S A TEAM. I HAVE REALLY SMART NEIGHBORS, , THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WILL TELL YOU THAT LEGAL HAS 100, 100% OF MY SUPPORT. I KNOW WE'VE LOOKED AT, UH, THE CITY OF ARLINGTON. THEY'VE BEEN ONE OF THE FEW CITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT'S BEEN, BEEN, BEEN ABLE TO WITHSTAND A CHALLENGE. AND THAT IS BECAUSE THEY, IT WAS VERY WELL STUDIED BEFORE THE ORDINANCE CAME INTO EXISTENCE. IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU DON'T PUT THE TIME AND THE EFFORT TO REALLY DOCUMENT AND SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO IN THIS SPACE, EVERY OTHER SHORT TERM RENTAL HAS BEEN STRUCK DOWN WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ARLINGTON. SO WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT THAT MODEL BECAUSE THAT IS A SUCCESSFUL MODEL, UM, IN THE MEANTIME, AND WE'LL TRY TO CRACK DOWN ON, UH, ON OCCUPANCY, UH, LOOK AT IT IN THAT WAY. UM, BUT THERE ARE CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, EVEN NEW YORK THAT'S DEALING WITH SHORT TERM RENTAL ISSUES, SO MM-HMM . UM, AND IT DOES IMPACT ON AFFORDABILITY, UM, OF UNITS WHEN YOU, WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO CONVERT, UM, THESE SORT OF SPACES, UH, THE WAY THEY'RE DOING IT. SO, UM, BUT LEGAL, I CAN ASSURE YOU, IS TAKING A GOOD LOOK AT IT AND WHAT I'VE SAID TO THEM, UH, WHATEVER THEY BELIEVE [00:55:01] THAT THEY CAN LEGALLY SUPPORT, UH, THEY HAVE MY 100% SUPPORT. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING, WE'RE GONNA FIGURE THIS ONE OUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BARBARA. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER. CLYDE BRYANT. CLYDE BRYANT, WE FOLLOWED BY LAURA GALLIER. THANK YOU MAYOR AND DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. I COME TO YOU TODAY WITH A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE THAT I WANNA MAKE YOU AWARE OF. UH, I RECENTLY TESTIFIED AT THE TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ON AUGUST 24TH. UM, AND, UH, THERE'S A HANDOUT COMING AROUND THAT, UH, WAS ACTUALLY PRODUCED, UH, BY SOME BUILDING OFFICIALS, CAROL HADDOCK, UH, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, CHRIS BUTLER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, AND BYRON KING OF BUILDING OFFICIAL AND THE PERMITTING OFFICE. UM, I'M A MASTER ELECTRICIAN AND I'VE BEEN IN THE TRADE SINCE 1973. UH, I CURRENTLY, UM, I'M CURRENTLY THE MASTER OF RECORD AT HIGHLIGHTS ELECTRICAL, BUT I ALSO SERVE AT THE INDEPENDENT ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ON THEIR GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW WITH THIS PROPOSAL, AND I UNDERSTAND WE WANNA MODERNIZE THE ELECTRICAL CODES, AND I'M ALL ABOUT MODERNIZING ELECTRICAL CODES. BUT WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING IS ALLOWING, UH, LIGHTING AND LIGHTING CONTROLS TO BE OPERATED WITH LOW VOLTAGE WIRING. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WIRING, LIKE DATA CABLING AND, UH, WIRING THAT'S NOT IN A PLENUM, UH, I MEAN NOT IN A CONDUIT. UM, AND IF, UH, IF YOU DO THIS WITHOUT PERMITTING IT AND WITHOUT INSPECTIONS AND THE WRONG CABLE GETS INSTALLED AND THERE'S A FIRE IN THE BUILDING, YOU CAN HAVE POISONOUS GAS THAT WOULD BE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THAT BUILDING. UH, THE CEILING ABOVE YOU IS WHAT WE REFER TO AS A LIFT OUT CEILING. ABOVE THAT IS NORMALLY A PLENUM OR A RETURN AIR CHASE FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING SYSTEM. AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT RUNNING THESE CABLES THROUGH THAT PLENUM, WHICH THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW FOR DATA CABLING AND OTHER LOW VOLTAGE APPLICATIONS. BUT IF YOU DON'T DO IT WHERE YOU HAVE INSPECTIONS AND YOU ALLOW PEOPLE TO INSTALL CABLE AND, AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT INSTALLING LIGHTING AND LIGHTING CONTROLS WITH, WITH NO CONDUIT, SO NO, NO CONDUIT JUST RUNNING CABLES ACROSS THE CEILING. AND IF THEY USE THE WRONG TYPE OF CABLE, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE. NOW, THIS PROPOSAL HAS BEEN REJECTED, UH, BY THE INDEPENDENT ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS, BY THE IBW LOCAL UNION SEVEN 16 BY THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY COUNCIL. IT'S BEEN REJECTED FOUR TIMES BY THE TASK GROUP, THE MEP TASK GROUP. AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, UH, I GUESS IT'S GONNA BE VOTED ON ANYWAY, UH, AT THE NEXT, I GUESS NEXT MONTH. SO THE HANDOUT I'VE, I PRODUCE TALKS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH, AND THIS HERE, AGAIN, THIS WAS A, THIS IS A SLIDE THAT WAS PREPARED BY THE BUILDING OFFICIALS. UH, AND BY THE WAY, YOUR CHIEF ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR, UH, ALSO HAS RE HAS REJECTED THIS PROPOSAL, BUT AMENDMENT ONE, THE PROPOSAL FALLS BELOW BASE CODE REQUIREMENTS AND REDU AND WOULD REDUCE LIFE SAFETY. POE, WHICH IS POWER OVER ETHERNET, WHICH IS BASICALLY LOW VOLTAGE CABLE PROPOSALS, WOULD PROHIBIT THE CITY FROM ENFORCEMENT OF STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS AND THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE, THE TEXANS ELECTRICAL AND SAFETY LICENSING ACT, THE STATE LAW, UH, DOES NOT EXEMPT CLASS TWO AND CLASS THREE WIRING FROM PERMITTING. SO THIS LOW VOLTAGE CABLING THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING IS NOT EXEMPT FROM PERMITTING. NO OTHER CITY IN TEXAS HAS DONE, HAS EXEMPTED THIS. AND, AND THE BULLET 0.4 IS LOW VOLTAGE ISSUE CAN ONLY BE ADDRESSED AT THE STATE LEVEL. SO IF YOU WANTED TO DO THIS LEGALLY , YOU WOULD'VE TO GO TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND AND AMEND STATE STATUTES. UH, SO MY POINT IS, I THINK WE NEED TO STEP BACK, TAKE A DEEP BREATH, LOOK AT THIS IN A SERIOUS MANNER, AND REALIZE THAT IF THE CITY PROCEEDS WITH THIS AND THERE IS A FIRE IN SOME BUILDING AND CITIZENS ARE, ARE, GOD FORBID, INJURED IN ANY WAY, THEY COULD BE OPENING UP CITY TO LAWSUITS AND LITIGATION. [01:00:01] AND, UH, THE OTHER POINT I WANNA MAKE, 'CAUSE I TALKED TO THE CHIEF ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR TODAY, RIGHT NOW THEY GET A DOLLAR 22 FOREVER LIGHT FIXTURE THAT IS PERMIT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THEY GET A DOLLAR 22 FOR LIGHT SWITCH IT'S PERMIT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. BY FOLLOWING THIS PROPOSAL, YOU WOULD ELIMINATE THAT REVENUE, WHICH WOULD BE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR IN LOST REVENUE AND NO INSPECTIONS. SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE COMPANIES MAY BE REPUTABLE, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM ARE. AND IF YOU, IF YOU ALLOW THIS WITHOUT ANY INSPECTIONS, YOU'RE, YOU'RE OPENING YOURSELVES UP TO A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN ROBINSON. UH, MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, TAKE A SECOND TO RECOGNIZE, UH, MR. BRIAN, THANK YOU FOR COMING. YOU, AS YOU MENTIONED, YOU WERE IN ATTENDANCE AT OUR SPECIAL CALLED MEETING FOR THE CODE MODERNIZATION PROCESS. CAN YOU AGAIN TELL ME THE ORGANIZATION OR IF YOU ARE SPEAKING AS AN INDIVIDUAL? NO, UH, THE INDEPENDENT ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS. OKAY. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND, UH, JUST AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, WERE YOU A STAKEHOLDER ON ONE OF THE TASK FORCE GROUPS? NO, I WAS, I WAS NOT. YEAH. OKAY. SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A VERY ROBUST ENGAGED PROCESS. YEAH, AND YOU DID SPEAK UP AT THE MEETING, SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. WELL, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER, LAURA GALLIER TO FOLLOWED BY MIKE DISH BERGER. LAUREN GALLIA IS HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS LAURA GALLAGHER AND I'M THE FOURTH OF SIX GENERATIONS TO CALL HOUSTON HOME. I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU BEFORE ABOUT A COMPLAINT I FILED WITH THE OFFICE OF POLICE REFORM AND ACCOUNTABILITY BACK IN JUNE OF 2022. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE HANDLING OF THAT MATTER AND WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY. SINCE I SUBMITTED MY AFFIDAVIT, I'VE REGULARLY CHECKED IN WITH OPRAH. ALTHOUGH THE INVESTIGATION WAS REQUIRED TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN SIX MONTHS, IT WASN'T IN MOST INSTANCES, I COULD NOT GET A RESPONSE FROM OPRAH UNLESS COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE INTERVENED. AFTER NINE MONTHS, DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL OKRA FOUR SENT ME A LETTER SAYING THE INVESTIGATION WAS COMPLETE ALLEGATION SUSTAINED AND OFFICERS DISCIPLINED. SHE COULDN'T TELL ME ANYTHING ELSE TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT I SAW. WHAT ABOUT IT WAS IMPROPER POLICING? SHE SUGGESTED I FILE AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST. SO I DID. SIX WEEKS LATER AFTER INTERVENTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S OFFICE, I RECEIVED THE DOCUMENTS. I HAD REQUESTED THESE DOCUMENTS CLEARLY RELATED TO MY COMPLAINT AND CORROBORATED SOME OF MY EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT, BUT SHOWED NO EVIDENCE THAT MY COMPLAINT HAD BEEN INVESTIGATED. AFTER I CONTINUED TO PRESS THE ISSUE, THE DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL CALLED ME ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO TO TELL ME THAT INDEED MY COMPLAINT HAD NOT BEEN INVESTIGATED. SHE THEN SUBMITTED MY COMPLAINT TO H-P-D-I-A-D WHERE IT SIT SITS AT THIS MOMENT. ONE YEAR LATER. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW MY COMPLAINT DIDN'T GET INVESTIGATED. I DON'T THINK IT'S A SERIOUS ENOUGH COMPLAINT THAT IT REQUIRED A COVERUP, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE EVASIVE AND MISLEADING ANSWERS. FOR EXAMPLE, JUST YESTERDAY, MS. OKRA FOR TOLD ME THAT MY AFFIDAVIT HAD BEEN FORWARDED TO HBD LAST HPD LAST SUMMER WHEN I SUBMITTED IT. IN ALL THE RECORDS I'VE SEEN, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT IT WAS SUBMITTED UNTIL JULY OF THIS YEAR, ONE YEAR LATE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW IT ESCAPED LAST YEAR. AND WHILE I'M, WHILE I'M STILL GETTING EVASIVE ANSWERS AND I'M CONCERNED, I CAN'T TRUST WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED IF I HAD COMPLAINED ANONYMOUSLY. THE DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL HAS TOLD ME NUMEROUS TIMES THAT SHE IS SHORT STAFFED. CAN YOU GIVE HER A MORE APPROPRIATE BUDGET? SHE ALSO TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM. CAN YOU TELL ME WHY HER OFFICE IS GIVEN RESPONSIBILITIES UNRELATED TO POLICE REFORM AND ACCOUNTABILITY IF HER OFFICE IS ALREADY UNDERSTAFFED? I HOPE YOU ARE CONCERNED THAT OPRAH NEEDS TO BE GIVEN BETTER RESOURCES AND TO HAVE STRONGER PROCEDURES IN PLACE AS, AS WELL AS A STRONGER COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL GET AN UPDATED STATUS ON THE, ON YOUR, ON THE COMPLAINT. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, MIKE BERGER. MIKE BERGER IS HERE. HELLO. HELLO MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, MY NAME IS MIKE BERGER. I'M PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER HOUSTON BUILDERS ASSOCIATION AND OWNER OF SAND CASTLE HOMES HERE IN HOUSTON. [01:05:01] UH, I'M HERE TO TODAY TO BEGIN TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST, UH, CHAPTER 42 NARROW LOT PROVISIONS BEING CONSIDERED SOON BEFORE COUNCIL. UM, I'M GONNA, IF YOU LOOK AT, GO ON THE WEBSITE AND READ WHAT THE CHARTER OF THE LIVABLE PLACES ACTION COMMITTEE IS. IT IS, I'LL QUOTE, LIVABLE ACTION COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S EFFORT TO UPDATE THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S DEVELOPMENT CODE TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WALKABILITY, AFFORDABILITY, AND EQUITY. FOLLOWING THE WALKABLE PLACES AND TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE'S WORK, THE LIVABLE PLACES COMMITTEE WILL FOCUS ON RULES THAT ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION OF QUALITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ALL. IT'LL FOCUS ON CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASED INFILL DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL STRENGTHEN HOUSTON'S CORE. THIS EFFORT IS THE NEXT STEP THE DEPARTMENT WILL TAKE TO REALIZE COMMUNITY'S PREFERENCE IDENTIFIED IN THESE PREVIOUS PLANNING EFFORTS. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYWHERE IN THIS WHOLE DOC IN THE WHOLE WEBSITE WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT NARROW LOTS AT ALL. NARROW LOTS IS A NEW CONCEPT WAS THROWN IN AT THE END OF THE LIV PLACES COMMITTEE, WHICH I WAS ON. UM, PLANNING IS OFFERED UP NEW TYPES OF BUILDING MU ADUS COURTYARDS, BUT IT'LL ONLY BE USED PROBABLY IN LIMITED SCOPE AND NOT FOR SINGLE FAMILY OWNERSHIP. THESE CHAPTER 42 CHANGES WE CAN AGREE WITH AS AS A BUILDER ASSOCIATION AND COMPRISED ABOUT 90% OF THE WHOLE PACKAGE. SO WHILE THESE GREAT IDEAS TO FURTHER TYPES OF BILLING, THEY WILL NOT ON THEIR OWN PRODUCE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE PLANNING DIRECTOR SAID THESE IDEAS ARE CARROTS FOR THE BUILDERS BUSHELS OF CARROTS, I BELIEVE. BUT IN REALITY, THEY WILL HELP ONLY SOME OF THE CITIZENS OF TECHS OF HOUSTON DO THE LARGER SIZED LOTS REQUIRED TO BUILD THE MU R IN COURTYARDS. THE NARROW LOT PROVISIONS WILL BE TAKING AWAY ONE OF THE MOST COMMON FORMS OF BUILDING IN HOUSTON, FRONT LOADING HOMES THAT WERE INTRODUCED IN HOUSTON MANY YEARS AGO TO ALLOW MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES ON SMALLER SUBDIVIDED LOTS. AND SINCE THEN, WE HAVE REDEVELOPED MANY PARTS OF HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY INSIDE THE LOOP, BRINGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN HOUSTON IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME. SECOND, THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF THESE PROPOSAL WILL BE TO LOSE TWO ONSITE PARKING PLACES AS THE DRIVEWAY GOES AWAY. A TOTAL OF FOUR ON A 50 FOOT LOT FORCING SHARED DRIVEWAYS A RESULT IN THE LOSS OF THOSE SPACES. AND MAYBE YOU'LL GAIN A ONE SPACE ON THE STREET, BUT MORE THAN LIKELY TO BE A NO PARKING SIGN PIT ON THAT SIDE, OR BOTH SIDES. I DON'T THINK OUR, I DON'T THINK OUR CITIZENS KNOW THAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS CHANGE IS REALITY. TO PUSH GUEST PARKING ONTO THE STREETS OF HOUSTON. SHARED DRIVEWAY PROJECTS ALSO HAVE LESS GREEN SPACE AND MORE CONCRETE THAN THE TWO UNITS THAT WE PUT ON THERE. THIRD, YOU'RE ASKING BILLERS TO BUILD A NON-MARKETABLE HOME. THE BUYERS DO NOT WANT SHARED DRIVEWAY LOTS WILL BE THREE STORY HOMES WITH NO YARDS. SECOND FLOOR LIVING MORE CONCRETE THAT NEEDS TO BE DETAINED. THIS IS NOT WHAT THE MARKET WANTS. IF IT WAS, WE'D BE BUILDING 'EM ALL DAY LONG. THEY'RE SHARED DRIVEWAY PROJECTS MAKE SENSE ON LARGER TRACKS. THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE MOST OF THEM NOW TODAY ON HALF ACRE OR LARGER LOTS. FOURTH, ALL SHARED DRIVEWAY PROJECTS NEED AN HOA, THEY NEED CIVIL ENGINEERING AND DEVELOPMENT WORK, WHICH CAN RUN OVER $50,000 FOR THREE UNITS, NOT TO MENTION AN ADDITIONAL SIX TO NINE MONTHS TO GET THROUGH PERMITTING THROUGH THE ENGINEER DEPARTMENT. FURTHER INCREASING THE COST OF BILL WITH INTEREST AND PROPERTY TAXES. MANY OF THE BUILDERS, SMALLER BUILDERS WILL GO OUT OF BUSINESS WAITING OR LEAVE THE CITY FOR HARRIS COUNTY WHERE IT DOES NOT BEAT THIS ORDINANCE. CAN I HAVE ONE LAST SENTENCE? OKAY. SO MY ASK IS, PLEASE CONSIDER REMOVING THE BAN ON FRONT LOADERS. SEPARATE THE QUESTION AND ADDRESS THE MISSING NEEDLE. MISSING MIDDLE WITH WITHOUT CONTENTIOUS NARROW LOT REVISIONS. MME. MARTIN? YES. THANK YOU MIKE. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. IT SEEMS LIKE, I THINK THIS IS COMING TO US IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PROGRESS MADE, ESPECIALLY ON ALLEYWAYS, FOURPLEXES COURTYARDS AND THAT MISSING MIDDLE SECTION. THAT CORRECT. UH, THAT WE WERE, UH, BROUGHT UP TO SPEED IN. UH, IT SEEMS LIKE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THE ONLY CONTENTIOUS, THE LARGEST CONTENTIOUS PART IS THE FRONT LOADER. YES. AND I, I WAS LOOKING AT A COMPROMISE DOCUMENT THAT, THAT HAD, I REMEMBER THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TALKING ABOUT, WELL, YOU'RE TAKING UP THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S PROPERTY WHEN YOU TAKE THAT GARAGE DRIVEWAY AND PUT IT STRAIGHT UP, BOTH SIDES RUNNING PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER. THE COMPROMISE SEEMED TO BE ONE WHERE ON THE CITY'S LAND, YOU GO IN AT 12 FEET AND THEN WHEN YOU GO INTO THE RESIDENCE LAND, IT EXPANDS TO 16 FEET GOING INTO THE GARAGE DOOR AND THE OPENING OF THE HOUSE. IS THIS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN YOUR PROPOSAL? AND WHERE DOES, WHERE DO WE STAND WITH THE DISCUSSION RELATED TO PLANNING DEPARTMENT? WE, WE BROUGHT THIS FORWARD TO PLANNING AS A COMPROMISE. CURRENTLY WE CAN BUILD A 16 FOOT WIDE APPROACH ON TWO LOTS. SO WE SAID, OKAY. WE SAID, OKAY, WE'LL COMPROMISE, WE'LL GO TO A 12, 12 WILL WORK. WE CAN SEND IT ON OUR GARAGE, WE CAN EXPAND IN OUR OWN YARD. THAT CUTS DOWN A TON OF CONCRETE. AND WE'VE EVEN GREETED MAYBE ON GETTING THE BILLING LINE A LITTLE FURTHER BACK THAN, THAN IT WAS PROPOSED JUST TO MAKE THIS WORK. UH, WE PRESENTED THIS TO PLANNING SEVERAL TIMES. THE LAST TIME WAS IN, UH, MARCH, MAYBE EARLY APRIL OF THIS YEAR. AND WE'RE FLATLY, NO, NOT , IT'S [01:10:01] BANNED FRONT LOADERS. IT'S, THERE'S, THERE'S NO COMPROMISE. SO THE LAST TIME WE SAW THIS WAS PROBABLY A MONTH OR TWO AGO. JUNE, I THINK JUNE. OKAY. IS IS THIS THE ONLY PIECE THAT WE'RE MISSING TO THIS ENTIRE PLAN? YES. THIS IS THE PIECE. WE COULD SETTLE THIS WE'LL SIGN. WE WILL, WE AGREE WITH MOST OF CHAPTER 42 CHANGES AND THERE'S SOME PARTS IN THERE THAT ARE NOT GOOD TO BUILDERS. WE WILL, YOU KNOW, SIGN OFF ON IT. BUT WE NEED TO KEEP THE FRONT LOADERS. THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE WANT. AND THIS IS, AND AGAIN, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE ADDING CONCRETE AND AND LOSING GREEN SPACE, OUR BUYERS WANT A BACKYARD ON THOSE THREE PLEXES, THOSE SHARED DRIVEWAY. IF YOU DO A THREE PLEX ON A 50 FOOT WIDE LOT, YOU GET NO YARD, YOU GET THREE FOOT OF BACKYARD, THAT'S ALL YOU'RE GONNA GET. BARELY, BARELY ROOM FOR AN AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR. OKAY, THANK YOU. YES, YOUR HONOR. VICE MEMBER TEMP. OKAY. THANK YOU MIKE. UM, HOW, HOW MANY CARS WOULD ACTUALLY FIT ON THE DRIVEWAY YOU HAVE? UM, IF, IF WE DID THE, UM, COMPROMISE PLAN THAT YOU PRESENTED, WE CAN STILL GET TWO ON THERE. IF WE CAN CENTER ON THE, ON THE GARAGE, IT'S 12 FEET. GARAGES ARE 16 FOOT WIDE, WHICH MEANS IT GONNA FLARE IS LIKE 2 52 FEET EACH SIDE. IT'S NOT MUCH OF A TURN. IT'S A VERY, YOU KNOW, SMALL TURN. WE KIND OF DO A LITTLE BIT OF THIS RIGHT NOW. SOMETIMES WE BUILD 15 FOOT WIDE DRIVEWAY, UH, INTERNS OR APPROACHES. 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN. SO WE KNOW THAT WORKS. WE'VE TESTED IT, TIME TESTED, AND YOU'LL STILL GET YOUR TWO IN THE DRIVEWAY PLUS YOUR TWO IN YOUR GARAGE. SO WHAT IF I HAD A CAR PARKED IN MY GARAGE AND THEN I HAD A CAR PARKED ON MY DRIVEWAY? WOULD I BE BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK? NO, YOU WOULD NOT. NOT WITH OUR PROPOSAL. WE WOULD, WE, WE SAID, LOOK, WE'LL GO TO 20 FEET BACK RIGHT NOW IT SAYS 19. I'M JUST TELLING YOU, WE'RE THROWING OUT IDEAS TO PLANNING AND WE JUST KEEP GETTING, YOU KNOW, KICKED BACK. 18. AND THEN WHAT WOULD BE THE AVAILABILITY FOR PARKING ON THE STREET? UM, THIS WOULD NOT ADD ANY PARKING TO THE STREET, BUT I CAN HAVE. BUT, BUT RIGHT NOW HE'S BUT A, A RESIDENT IN TWO FRONT LOADERS COULD HAVE FOUR CARS PARKED ON THE DRIVEWAY. YES, BUT NONE ON THE STREET. CORRECT. BUT YOU HAVE TO REALIZE, SOME OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, THERE IS NO STREET PARKING. RIGHT. IF YOU GO TO COTTAGE GROVE RICE MILITARY, THERE'S NO PARKING SIGNS ON BOTH SIDES ALREADY ANYWAY, WITHOUT ANY, WITHOUT ME BUILDING A SINGLE THING. PEOPLE, THE ROADS ARE NARROW. YOU DO NOT WANT PEOPLE PARKING ON THE ROADS. THEY'RE 18 FOOT WIDE ROADS. THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THE ROADS ARE, ESPECIALLY IN THE INNER CITY. AND EVEN OUTSIDE THE LOOP, YOU'LL START GETTING INTO THESE NARROW, NARROW ROADS. AND, AND AGAIN, I'D LOVE FOR, I, I HAVE A NATIVE ESTONIAN, I'D LOVE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE TO COME IN AND REBUILD ALL THE ROADS. IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN THOUGH. WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE OPEN DITCHES, 18 FOOT WIDE ROADS. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MARICO. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANKS MIKE FOR COMING. SO I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT YOU WITH UH, THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEMS QUESTION. I, I'VE SEEN A COMPROMISE DOCUMENT. THIS WAS A, A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN SOMEBODY CAME TO PUBLIC SESSION. I HAVEN'T, I'VE SEEN IT JUST AROUND MM-HMM . I THINK WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE MET WITH Y'ALL RECENTLY THAT IT DOES, I THINK IN THE CITY'S PROPOSAL, UM, THERE'S 10 AVAILABLE SPOTS ON THE STREET. BASIC, IF YOU ACTUALLY, A BLOCK. YEAH. THAT WAS JUST A DI AND THEN, AND THEN THIS COMPROMISE. 'CAUSE I THINK YOU GUYS ARE WILLING TO LIKE, SKINNY UP THE TOWNHOUSES AND PUT TWO, HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE SPACE IN BETWEEN, SO YOU CAN GET EIGHT CARS RIGHT ON THE STREET. SO YOU, YOU COULD HAVE EIGHT CARS ON THE STREET AS OPPOSED TO 10 IN THIS COMPROMISE. YES. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. SORRY TO EXTEND. SO, ANY OBJECTION ON THE MOTION TO EXTEND ANY OBJECTION, CHAIR? NONE. GRANTED, COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU, MAYOR. MIKE, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FLOODING? SO IF YOU HAVE WHAT YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS FROM A FLOODING PERSPECTIVE, UM, IT DOES LEAVE MORE GREEN SPACE ON THE PROPERTIES, CORRECT? CORRECT. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. AND SO IS THERE, IS THERE AN INCREASE IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU HAVE TO PUT IN PLACE ON, ON FRONT LOADERS? NO. ON SHARED DRIVEWAYS, YES. YOU HAVE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE THERE'S RULES UNDER CHAPTER NINE THAT PULLS IT INTO THE ENGINEERING GROUP. MM-HMM . I, LET ME SAY THIS. WHEN WE TAKE A LOT IN NEIGHBORHOODS, SOME OF THESE OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS NEXT DOOR TO US, THEY, THEY HAVE STILL A 12 INCH CULVERT. SO WE'RE DIGGING OUT THE DITCHES DOWN TO THE PROPERTY DEPTH, PUTTING IN 24 INCH CULVERT, CLEANING OUT THE DITCH ACROSS OUR ENTIRE PROPERTY. OKAY. SO WE'RE, WE'RE STARTING SOMEWHERE. WE'RE PUTTING THE SIDEWALK, ALL THESE SIDEWALKS PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, WE'RE THE ONES PUTTING 'EM IN THE CITY, PUTS IN A FEW, REALLY, THE BUILDERS ARE PUTTING SIDE, YOU KNOW, FIVE FOOT WIDE SIDEWALKS ALL DOWN THE STREETS. SO WE ACTUALLY HELP, BUT WE DO HAVE LESS CONCRETE WITH THIS DEAL. I'VE DONE SHARED DRIVEWAY BEFORE, BEFORE THEY CHANGE ALL THE DETENTION RULES. IT TAKES MORE CONCRETE. JUST NEED, YOU NEED A ROAD GALL ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK TO HIT THE HOMES. OKAY. THANK YOU, MIKE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS. UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. I, I DID WANNA JUST, UM, POINT OUT THAT, THAT EVERYTHING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE, WITH AN ASSUMPTION THAT, THAT EVERYONE WANTS A TWO CAR GARAGE. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT I [01:15:01] REPRESENT A LOT OF THE INNER CITY, AND WE HAVE NEW HOUSES THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION WITH NO CAR GARAGE. I MEAN, THEY'RE PARKING, YOU KNOW, IN, IN LIKE A PULL UP AND JUST PARK IT IN A DRIVEWAY. MM-HMM . AND THAT GIVES THEM MORE ROOM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE HOME ITSELF. NOT EVERYONE WANTS THAT. AND THERE'S A MARKET FOR THAT TOO. SO I JUST AS YOU'RE TALKING, I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE CONFUSION. I THINK ALSO IN WHAT, UM, PUBLIC, I MEAN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS COMMUNICATED IS THAT MANY OF THEIR DRAWINGS SHOW A TWO CAR GARAGE. LIKE IT'S A GIVEN THING FOR EVERYTHING. IT'S NOT NO. AND PEOPLE, IT'S NOT. AND SO I JUST WANT, I'M ONLY JUST MAKING, I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT REALLY LOOKING FOR A RESPONSE. I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE A POINT THAT, THAT THAT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT AND NOT EVERYONE WANTS THAT. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. OKAY. THANKS MIKE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER. MICHELLE EGEN BAR. MICHELLE EGEN BAR IS HERE. SHE FOLLOWED BY MIA MOORE. UM, I'M HERE REGARDING THE POLICE HARASSMENT AND STALKING. I'M SORRY, A BIT LOUDER. SORRY. , I'M HERE REGARDING THE POLICE STALKING AND HARASSMENT THAT I'VE BEEN FACING OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. IT STARTED BACK IN SAN MARCUS. I WAS ATTENDING TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY, UM, AND I REPORTED A PROFESSOR THAT WAS DISPLAYING VERY INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR TOWARDS ME AND ANOTHER STUDENT IN HIS CLASS. AFTER REPORTING HIM, MAKING THE INITIAL REPORT WITH THE DEAN. UM, A FEW OF MY OTHER PROFESSORS WENT INTO THE GRADE SYSTEM AND STARTED TO DROP MY GRADES AS IF AN INDIRECT THREAT THAT IF I WERE TO GO THROUGH WITH THE OFFICIAL REPORT, THAT THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING TO MY GRADES, UH, FOR THAT SEMESTER. UM, THAT SCARED ME SO MUCH THAT I WENT AHEAD AND I DROPPED THE REPORT AGAINST THE PROFESSOR. AFTER THAT, I WAS VICIOUSLY BULLIED BY THE STAFF AT THE SCHOOL. UM, AND THAT'S WHEN THE POLICE STALKING AND HARASSMENT BEGAN. THE POLICE AND THE TOWN OF SAN MARCUS WOULD TAILGATE ME, NOT STOP ME, FOLLOW ME ALL AROUND THE TOWN. UH, IF THEY WERE NOT FOLLOWING ME, THEY WOULD BE, UH, POSTED OUTSIDE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT WHERE I WAS. UM, THIS SCARED ME SO MUCH. YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN SO MANY THINGS IN THE MEDIA REGARDING THE POLICE AND WHAT THEY'RE CAPABLE OF, THAT I DECIDED TO MOVE OUT OF THE TOWN OF SAN MARCOS TO HOUSTON. UM, AFTER MOVING TO HOUSTON, THE SAME OCCURRENCE AS FOLLOWED ME THERE. UM, I EVEN TRIED MOVING OUT OF THE STATE. UM, THAT LED TO NO AVAIL AS WELL. UH, THE POLICE PROCEEDED TO DO THE SAME THING IN LA. UM, THIS STARTED TO TAKE A DRASTIC TOLL ON MY MENTAL HEALTH. UM, I, I TRIED TO FILE AN REPORT ONLINE WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, ALONG WITH THE POLICE INTERNAL AFFAIRS, BUT BOTH FORUMS LED TO NO AVAIL. UM, I HAD TO MOVE BACK HOME FROM LOS ANGELES TO HOUSTON BECAUSE OF THE HARASSMENT. AND AT THIS POINT, I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. I'VE TRIED ALL THAT I CAN. OKAY. WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, UM, IF YOU'LL VISIT WITH RHONDA THAT LATER, RIGHT? THERE'S HER BIRTHDAY TODAY. SO IF YOU'LL VISIT WITH RHONDA, I THINK SHE'LL BE, UH, SHE'LL DO EVERYTHING SHE CAN TO ASSIST. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. NEXT SPEAKER. MIA MOORE. MIA MOORE. MIA MOORE. NEXT SPEAKER. CHRISTINA MARTINEZ. CHRISTINA MARTINEZ. CHRISTINA. NEXT SPEAKER MARIAN SCOTT. MARIAN SCOTT. MARIAN SCOTT. NEXT SPEAKER UNINE BARNES. UNINE BARNES. UNINE BARNES. NEXT SPEAKER. JOSEPH VELAZQUEZ. JOSEPH VELAZQUEZ. JOSEPH. NEXT SPEAKER. JOYCE CHADMAN. JOYCE CHAPMAN. JOYCE. NEXT SPEAKER. MILES, WILBURN. MILES WILBURN, UH, MILES. NEXT SPEAKER. KAREN SIMS. KAREN SIMS IS HERE. SHOULD BE FOLLOWED BY JOE RADO. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. HI, ISHA. MS. MS. HOUSTON . HOW YOU DOING? UM, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF VILLE YOUTH AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM. UH, I BELIEVE IN ORGANIZING, UNDERSTANDING GREAT ENTREPRENEURS, WHICH IS, I DEVELOPED THIS PROGRAM IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA IN 96, IN WHICH I, UH, CONTRACTED AND, UH, EMPLOYED OVER 10 50 YOUNG TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS, UM, AND A FUNDRAISING CONTRACT WITH ARAMARK. WE HAVE THEN SUBCONTRACTED WITH, UH, TEENS IN MOTION IN NEW YORK CITY, UH, EMIGRATE CHARTER SCHOOLS IN MINNEAPOLIS. AND NOW WE'RE BACK IN HOUSTON. AND I SEE THE NEED FOR A SHELTER FOR CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. I HAD LOOKED AT A COUPLE OF, UM, SPOTS, AND I THINK I BROUGHT THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION. AND I WAS HERE LAST TIME DOWNTOWN LOCATION. AND I, MY HEART JUST GOT BROKEN WITH THE RIVERSIDE LOCATION THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE REMODELING THAT LOCATION FOR A HOSPITAL. SO I WAS HOPING THE CITY WOULD ASSIST ME INBOUND FOR YOUTH. WE ARE LEGAL HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON [01:20:01] TO CONDUCT AFTERSCHOOL AND PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN, YOUNG TEENS AND ADULTS. AND OUR FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS SHELTERS FOR CHILDREN, AGE OUT THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. SO I WAS HOPING THAT CITY COUNCIL WOULD LOOK INTO AND ASSIST ME IN GETTING, UH, SOME TYPE OF FACILITY THAT WOULD ASSIST THESE, UM, TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS THAT ARE AGING OUT THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. IT WOULD HELP, UH, COURSE WITH THE HOMELESS RATE IN HOUSTON AND WOULD BRING OF COURSE, OF COURSE, JOBS AND EMPLOYMENT TO HOUSTON ALSO. THANK YOU. LET ME ENCOURAGE YOU TO TALK TO ANY OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS, DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO THEY MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU. I'LL COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON. MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, UH, MA'AM, THANKS FOR COMING TODAY. I KNOW THERE'S SOME, UH, PROGRAMS THAT I'VE WORKED WITH BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AND TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL. YES. AGAIN, ABOUT, UH, PEDIATRIC, UH, PATIENTS TRANSITIONING OUT OF THE CARE SYSTEM. AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE REALLY TALKING ON. IF YOU DON'T MIND REACHING OUT TO MY OFFICE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAYBE POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I'M GLAD. TALK TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PERHAPS AND SEE WHAT OTHER IDEAS WE CAN BRAINSTORM TOGETHER. IT'D BE GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, JOE TODO. JOE TODO IS HERE. WE FOLLOWED BY STEVE WILLIAMS MATTER, WHICH LIKE I PICK. HELLO MAYOR. HELLO COUNCIL. UM, I AM, UH, JOE TODO. I AM GONNA CALL. UM, FIRST I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO PUBLIC WORKS. I DON'T KNOW WHO'S FROM PUBLIC WORKS. HELLO. UM, I HAD SOME TREES THAT NEEDED TO BE TRIMMED. THEY WERE CROSSING OVER THE STREET OF CROSS TIMBERS AND I DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO PUT A, UH, RED CONE OUT THERE. SO YOU GUYS CAME OUT CHOPPED 'EM OR YOU CONTRACTED. AND, UM, FOUR WEEKS LATER SOMEBODY CAME OUT FINALLY, UH, AND, AND MIRACULOUSLY CLEANED IT UP ON FRIDAY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, STILL HAVE, UM, A PROBLEM WITH HOMELESS FOLKS IN THE AREA. I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE DOING YOUR BEST. UM, JUST HAVE A PICTURE OF THIS GENTLEMAN. UH, THREE DAYS AFTER I HAD A TENANT MOVE OUT, THIS GENTLEMAN WALKED UP AND KICKED IN THE DOOR OF MY, ONE OF MY UNITS. UM, THIS IS THE SECOND APARTMENT THAT THEY'VE KICKED IN THE DOORS. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT HAPPY STUFF, BUT, UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY STILL IS AN ISSUE. THAT'S IT. UM, THANK YOU. THANKS JOE. IT'LL BE NICE. MY FRIEND IS HERE. SHE WAS HERE. . BUT ANYWAY, JOE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS. NEXT SPEAKER. STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS, STEVE. NEXT SPEAKER. KATHY GUNNER. KATHY GUNNER. KATHY. NEXT SPEAKER. BRO. AID BRO. AID BRO, BRO IS HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS, UM, ADE, AND UM, I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MY PALM COMPLEX. AND THE REASON WHY I'M HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE TWC, CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION IS INVOLVED WITH THIS. AND THE APARTMENT LOCATED IN KATY, TEXAS, UM, IS INVOLVED WITH THIS ISSUE. AND IT CONCERNS THE PUBLIC BECAUSE OF WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED, UM, SO FAR. ANYWAY, I COMMIT, I COMPLAIN ABOUT A HOUSING DISCRIMINATION 2021 AUGUST AND DIDN'T GET A RESPONSE ACCORDING TO THE LAWS WHERE YOU GET A RESPONSE AFTER YOU FILED A COMPLAINT 20 DAYS AFTER. I ONLY GOT A RESPONSE CLOSE TO TWO YEARS FROM TWC BECAUSE MY COMPLAINT WAS TRANSFERRED TO THEM FROM HUD. SO THE APARTMENT PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THIS IS, UM, OWNED BY MARC, SANDRA, KVV, AND THE SC AND THE MANAGING COMPANY. IT'S, UM, NIGHT VEST RESIDENTIAL, HAVING BEEN BRUTALLY HARMED WITH MY FA MY FAMILY TO WHERE, UM, AFTER I EXERCISE MY RIGHT GRANTED BY LAW, BY COMPLAINING ABOUT SOME VIOLATIONS AND EVICTIONS WAS FIRED, EVICTIONS FOR CONDUCT WAS FILED AGAINST ME IMMEDIATELY. SO DURING THE TIME I FILED MY COMPLAINT, I WAS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE, DIDN'T GET. SO THAT TIME THE HOUSING COMPLAINT BECAME BRUTAL TO WHERE THE MANAGEMENT, UM, MANAGER ASSAULTED ME AND MY HUSBAND WHEN WE WENT TO REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY LEAKING BOILER SYSTEM IN OUR APARTMENT AND NO WORKING FRIDGE. SO AFTER THE ASSAULT, THE POLICE WAS CALLED, HE CAME TO THE SCENE AND HE CITED THE MANAGER FOR ASSAULT. SO I DIDN'T HAVE WORKING FRIDGE FOR OVER A YEAR, UM, REMOTE ACCESS TO THE PREMISES, [01:25:01] DEACTIVATED LEAKING ROOF, UH, MOLDING APARTMENT. UM, LITERALLY IT WAS RENDERED ON INHABITABLE. SO I APPEALED THIS CASE TO THE COURT OF APPEALS PAID CASH, $12,480 IN CASH JUST TO APPEAL THIS WRONGFUL ACTION BEFORE FINALLY TWC GOT IN CONTACT WITH ME THIS YEAR. THIS WAS LIKE ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW. THEY GOT IN CONTACT WITH ME, I THINK IN, UH, MARCH OF THIS YEAR. AND THEN AN INVESTIGATION WAS SUPPOSED TO BE CONDUCTED IN MY APARTMENT WITH WHICH IT CAME OUT IN MAY. SO WHEN IT CAME OUT IN MY, I, I NOTICED LIKE, UH, THE APARTMENT PEOPLE STARTED WORKING ON THE AC, UM, THE KEY THAT WAS, UM, DENIED ME FOR OVER A YEAR THAT IT WAS GIVEN TO ME. AND I THINK THEY WORKED ON ONE OF THE SINKS THAT WAS LEAKING. SO I THOUGHT IT WAS PART OF THE INVESTIGATION. LITTLE DID I KNOW, IT WAS LIKE A COVER UP TO WHERE I SAW IN MY VIDEO CAMERA TO WHERE THE, UH, REGIONAL MANAGER WAS TELLING THE TWC PERSON. HE SAID, I WAS GONNA CLOSE IT OUT. HE SAID, OH, I THOUGHT WHEN I SIGNED THAT THING, THAT THAT WAS IT. UM, AND HE SAID, YES, IT IS, IT IS. I'LL CLOSE IT UP. I'VE NOT HAD TIME IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WORKING DAYS. I'M PULLED IN 17 DIFFERENT DIRECTION. AND SHE WAS LIKE, OH, UM, THANK GOD I DON'T WANT TO LOSE MY JOB. SO ANYWAY, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. I, I BELIEVE YOUR, I BELIEVE YOUR SITUATION IS, IS IT IN THE KAIA AREA? YES, IT'S THE K AREA. AND CURRENTLY I DON'T EVEN HAVE AC WORKING IN MY APARTMENT THAT NIGHT. AND, AND THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO REFER YOU TO ONE OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, RIGHT? WE DON'T HAVE ANY JURISDICTION IN KATY, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT IT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AND THEN HARRIS COUNTY SAYS, I'M NOT THERE. CT SAYS I'M NOT THERE. SO I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHERE I FALL IN RIGHT NOW. NO, THIS IN KATY, IT'S HARRIS COUNTY. MISS KATY IS HARRIS COUNTY. WE DON'T, WE DON'T GO UP TO KATY. I CALLED HARRIS COUNTY AND THEY SAID THEY ARE NOT, MY ZIP CODE IS NOT UNDER THEM BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO GET LIKE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO COME CHECK. YEAH, I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THE MEMO AND IT'S SAYING THAT IT IS NOT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. OKAY. I KNOW WHAT TO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO UNDERSTAND. SO I WOULD SAY KATIE, THAT WOULD BE COMMISSIONER BRIANIS. THAT WOULD BE PRECINCT FOUR. HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER PRECINCT FOUR. OKAY. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER. CHERYL WILLIS. CHERYL WILLIS. CHERYL. NEXT SPEAKER MARELLA RUIZ. MARCELLA RUIZ. MARCELLA. NEXT SPEAKER. MARSHA LISTER. MARCIA LISTER. MARCIA IS HERE, IS PRESENT. I IF YOU GET RIGHT BEHIND THIS. THERE YOU GO. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR TURNER COUNCILPERSONS. I AM TOTALLY SICKENING AND SADDENED BY THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS USED, UH, ON A MEMO PASSED OUT BY REPRESENTATIVE OF AIR ALIVE FOUNDATION ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE FIFTH, 2023 AT PLEASANTVILLE CIVIC LEAGUE MEETING. UH, AS RESIDENTS BEGIN TO READ THE MEMO, THEY START LEAVING THE ROOM AND GATHERED IN THE HALLWAY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE MEMO. I'M HERE TODAY TO SAY IN ECCLESIASTES THREE, ONE THROUGH FIVE, IT SAYS, THERE IS A TIME FOR EVERYTHING UNDER GOD'S HEAVEN. MAYOR TURNER AND COUNCIL TODAY, THE TIME HAS COME TO STOP, TO STOP IT NOW DOING BUSINESS WITH COMPANIES THAT DON'T HAVE SENSITIVITY AND DON'T HAVE COMMON MORALS. THE INTEGRITY AND THE PRIDE OF THE RESIDENTS OF PLEASANTVILLE WAS GROSSLY, GROSSLY DAMAGED AND CANNOT BE REPAIRED. WE ARE REQUESTING THAT ALLIED FOUNDATION BE REMOVED. THERE WAS A MEMO PASSED OUT AND I HOPE YOU READ IT. UH, HAVE READ IT. AND WE ARE, WE, WE, WE DON'T HAVE WORDS TO EXPRESS HOW WE FEEL AS A COMMUNITY. AND WE ARE ASKING THAT ALLIED FOUNDATION BE REMOVED FROM THE GRANT PROGRAM THAT'S COMING UP. I, UH, I REALIZE THIS IS 2023 AND THIS TYPE OF LANGUAGE SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING NOW. AND I ASK YOU THAT SOME TYPE OF ACTION, SOME TYPE OF ACTION THAT A MESSAGE, A STRONG MESSAGE BE SENT TO THEM AND OTHERS THAT THE CITY DOES BUSINESS WITH, THAT THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN. UH, AND WE ARE ALSO REQUESTING THAT THE YOUNG MAN THAT THEY, THEY SENT THE MESSAGE ABOUT, 'CAUSE HE IS A MAN, HE IS A CITY EMPLOYEE. HE IS A MAN, [01:30:01] OKAY? HE'S NOT JUST SOMEBODY THAT'S IN CHARGE, OKAY? HE IS A MAN, HE IS A CIVIL SERVANT AS THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND HE IS OVER THAT PROJECT AND HE NEEDS TO BE REFERRED TO AS A MAN. AND I HOPE THAT THE CITY WILL TAKE THIS EXTREMELY SERIOUS, EXTREMELY SERIOUS, THAT ALLIES GIVE HIM A APOLOGY AND THAT THE COMMUNITY IS REQUESTING THAT THEY GIVE US AN APOLOGY AND WE ARE REQUESTING THAT YOU SEND A MESSAGE TO ALLIED BEFORE THEY CAN COME BACK TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THAT THEY GIVE US AN APOLOGY AS WELL AS THEY GIVE THIS YOUNG MAN AN APOLOGY. AND, AND WE ARE JUST DEVASTATED. TODAY I HAVE WITH US, UH, OUR PRESIDENT OF THE, UH, VOTERS LEAGUE. MS. DEBORAH ADAMS IS HERE, OUR THIRD VICE PRESIDENT OF OUR, OUR CITY LEAGUE IS HERE. MS. PATRICIA LINDSAY IS HERE. MS. BRIDGET MURRAY WAS UNABLE TO BE HERE TODAY. YES, SHE OTHER COMMU. OKAY. SORRY. GO. WE HAD SOME OTHER COMMUNITY BUSINESS TO ATTEND TO. SO WE ARE, WE JUST DUMBFOUNDED WHAT HAPPENED? MAYOR, UM, MR. ROBERT GALLEGOS, I SENT THE MESSAGE TO HIM LAST THURSDAY. HE DID FORWARD IT TO YOU. AND I, I WANT TO THANK HIM. I ACTUALLY LIVE IN, I, BUT I HAVE PROPERTY IN PLEASANTVILLE. I ATTEND ALL THE, THE MEETINGS AND STUFF. SO BEFORE I TAKE MY SEAT, I WANT TO SAY THEY WERE ABLE TO RUSH TO CAPITAL, BUT THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO RUSH CITY HALL. ALRIGHT, COUNCIL, MAYOR, COUNCIL, I WANNA SAY TO YOU ONE LAST THING. ONE SECOND. ONE SECOND. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. OKAY. AND, UM, THANK YOU AND ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY REGARDING THIS ISSUE FOR COMING FORWARD. AND IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING TO SEE THIS, UH, WRITTEN ON A PIECE OF PAPER. IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING TO KNOW THAT, UH, THESE ARE COMPANIES THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING GOOD THINGS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. UH, MAYOR, I, I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA TAKE THIS EXTREMELY SERIOUS AS WE ALL WILL TAKE THIS EXTREMELY SERIOUS. I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY KNOW WHOEVER THIS COMPANY IS, IF, IF THAT INFORMATION COULD BE ROUTED TO MY OFFICE. SO I CAN PUT OUT SOME CORRESPONDENCE ON THIS AS WELL. UH, BUT AS YOU STATED, THIS SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED. IT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE COURAGE, UH, TO MAKE IT PUBLIC AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FROM THE COMMUNITY FOR STANDING UP AND ENSURING THAT YOU DO NOT ALLOW THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR TO GO ON WITHIN OUR CITY. WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT IT. I DON'T THINK THIS WAS A CITY OF HOUSTON, MEANING FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GATHER, THIS WAS NOT A CITY OF HOUSTON MEETING, BUT, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHAT MEETING, WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MEETING, UM, THE CONTENT ON THAT, ON THAT LETTERHEAD, UH, SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN. AND CERTAINLY IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED, BUT WE ARE TAKING, BUT WE'RE LOOKING INTO IT. OKAY. BECAUSE IT WAS, IT WAS DISTURBING. IT'S VERY INSENSITIVE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE YOUNG MAN THAT'S OVER THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, I I JUST THINK THEY OWE HIM AN APOLOGY, UH, MAYOR. I REALLY DO. I JUST THINK THAT WAS AND WHAT WAS, AND WHAT WAS, LEMME JUST ASK. WHAT MEETING WAS THIS? THIS WAS A REGULAR CIVIC CLUB MEETING, AND THAT WAS A SPEAKER ALLIED FOUNDATION CAME IN AND THEY, THEY WERE, UH, MAKING THE, THE, UH, COMMUNITY AWARE THAT THE UPCOMING GRANT PROGRAM ABOUT FOUNDATION WAS HAPPENING. AND THEY WERE JUST MAKING THE PERSONS THE, UH, COMMUNITY AND THE, UH, THE GLO PROGRAM AND ELEVATION WAS, UH, ONE OF THE, UH, THE, THE, UH, THE ELEVATION, UH, PROJECT WAS COMING UP AND THEY WERE TELLING THE, THE, UH, THE, THE ONES THAT WERE EL UH, ELIGIBLE FOR THAT PROGRAM THAT THEY COULD APPLY FOR THE GRANT, UH, UH, PROJECT. SO THEY WERE TELLING THAT THESE ARE THE PERSONS ON THAT, ON THAT FEED THAT THEY COULD CONTACT SO THEY COULD GET, YOU KNOW, INTO THAT, UH, PROJECT INTO THAT PROGRAM SAID APPLY. WAS THIS A CONTRACTOR FOR GLO? YEAH, THEY, FOR, THEY WERE ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS, IT'S FIVE CONTRACTORS AND ALLIED FOUNDATION WAS ONE OF THE FIVE. AND THEY WERE JUST GIVING US AN UPDATE AND TELLING THE, TELLING THE COMMUNITY WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO. THEY WERE JUST GIVING US AN UPDATE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT WAS LEFT ON THAT PARTICULAR FEED AND THEY PASSED IT OUT AND THEY DIDN'T SEE IT AND THEY PASSED IT OUT TO US AND IT WAS JUST, IT WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE. I GOTCHA. I'M A 36 YEAR RETIRED, EMPLOYED FROM THE CITY THAT I'VE BEEN GONE 14 YEARS AND IT WAS JUST MY BLOOD BALL AND I COULD NOT, NOT COME TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER LIZ HAN. LIZ, MS. MASSEN MASIN, THIS IS HERE BE FOLLOWED BY RUDY FRANCO. LEMME JUST [01:35:01] SAY THAT COMPANY, THAT COMPANY DOESN'T DO ANY BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SAY AGAIN? THE COMPANY DOESN'T DO ANY BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THEY STILL NEED TO BE, BUT WE STILL NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH. YEAH. YEAH. OKAY, LIZ. HI. I'M HERE BECAUSE THE CITY OF HOUSTON WANTS TO DEMOLISH MY HOUSE BEFORE THE END OF OCTOBER. THEY ARE SPECULATING THAT THERE'S A WARPING BEAM IN THE ATTIC. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN IN THE ATTIC. THEY HAVE NOT ACTUALLY SEEN A WARPING BEAM. I WAS TOLD BY PEOPLE WHO'VE PREVIOUSLY BEEN IN THE ATTIC THAT THERE ARE NO WARPING BEAMS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN ENGINEER COME OUT OR SOME KIND OF INSPECTOR COME OUT, INSPECT THE ATTIC AND NOTIFY THE CITY. AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT ONCE THEY MAKE THIS ORDER, THAT THERE IS NO TURNING BACK. AND, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE NO WARPING BEAMS HAVE BEEN SEEN BY THE CITY OR ANYBODY ELSE. I, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT VERIFIED. AND, UH, WHAT, WHAT I HAVE BEFORE ME, LIZ, IS THAT THE, UM, THERE WAS A HEARING HELD ON AUGUST THE SECOND OF THIS YEAR, CORRECT? FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER TO SECURE THE PROPERTY WITH 30 DAYS AND TO REPAIR OR DEMOLISH THE STRUCTURE WITHIN 90 DAYS OF THE HEARING. CORRECT. THE ORDER IS ACTIVE AND EXPIRES 90 DAYS FROM AUGUST THE SECOND. AND THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS WILL WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER, UH, AT THE EXPIRATION OF THE ORDER. SO IS THE PROP, YOU ARE THE PROPERTY OWNER? CORRECT. AND SO YOU, YOU HAVE TO, UM, SECURE THE PROPERTY AND OR REPAIR OR DEMOLISH THE STRUCTURE WITHIN 90 DAYS. SO SECURE IT OR DEMOLISH IT. UM, BUT THERE ARE NO WARPING BEAMS AND THERE'S NO RISK OF THE ROOF CAVING IN OR ANYTHING. WELL, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT OUT AT THE HEARING. I, I DID. WELL, THE, APPARENTLY THE JUDGE DID NOT AGREE WHAT THE JUDGE DID NOT AGREE. THERE'S A COURT ORDER ON THIS, ON THE PROPERTY. UHHUH EITHER THE, BASICALLY WHAT THE COURT IS SAYING TO YOU, SECURE YOUR PROPERTY OR IT WILL HAVE TO BE REPAIRED OR DEMOLISHED AND YOU HAVE 90 DAYS. UM, THEY HAVE NOT ACTUALLY SEEN ANY WARPING BEAMS THOUGH. WELL, AND THERE ARE PROBABLY NO WARPING BEAMS AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET THAT VERIFIED BY AN ENGINEER. WELL, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE, TAKE THAT UP WITH THE COURT. THE COURT IS THE ONE THAT HAS ISSUED THE ORDER. OKAY. AND SO BASICALLY, YEAH, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN RETURNING ANY OF MY PHONE CALLS OR ANYTHING. I UNDERSTAND THE COURT ESSENTIALLY SAYING TO YOU, UH, SECURE YOUR PROPERTY IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DEMOLISH IT, SECURE IT SO PEOPLE CAN'T COME IN AND OUT OF IT. SO NO ONE'S EVER BROKEN INTO THE HOUSE. AND I'VE HAD IT FOR ALMOST 28 YEARS. OKAY. UM, RHONDA, THAT'S, THIS IS THE BIRTHDAY GIRL RIGHT HERE, RHONDA, RIGHT THERE. RHONDA SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP YOU AND IF RHONDA CAN'T HELP YOU, THEN I'M GOING TO REFER YOU TO, TO THE SPECIALIST ON HOUSING ON CITY COUNCIL. UH, THE INSPECTOR WAS ALSO SAYING THAT THERE'S A BROKEN WINDOW AND HE SHOWED A PICTURE. THERE WAS NO BROKEN WINDOW IN THE PICTURE. I ASKED HIM IF THE WINDOW WAS CRACKED, HE SAID, NO, IT'S BROKEN. EVERY SINGLE WINDOW ON THE HOUSE WAS INSPECTED. THERE ARE NO BROKEN WINDOWS ON THE HOUSE. I UNDERSTAND. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, GIVE, GIVE WITH RHONDA AND RHONDA IF YOU, IF YOU CAN ASSIST, UH, REFER TO THE SPECIALIST ON CITY COUNCIL. UH, FROM DISTRICT F. YES. OKAY, BUT GET WITH, GET WITH RHONDA RIGHT THERE. IT'S HER BIRTHDAY, SO SHE'S IN A VERY GOOD MOOD. . NEXT SPEAKER. RUDY FRANCO. RUDY FRANCO. RUDY HERE? YEAH, HE SAID HE'S HERE, BUT OH, RUDY IS PASSING. RUDY IS PASSING. OH, OKAY. I GOT YOU. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER. JOSE DEGA. JOSE DEGA, THE LAST ONE. [01:40:05] HELLO. GOOD. HELLO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I COME HERE TO REPRESENT AN ICONIC, UH, A NEW FASHION, UH, CLOTHING LINE, AN ICONIC BRAND. AND HELLO. HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. TODAY'S SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2023. I PRESENT BEFORE YA THE NEW ORIGINAL A LEAF SHIRT STORE AND BRAND. I AM THE CEO OF THE ORIGINAL AILEY SHIRT STORE AND BRAND. I AM THE ARTIST AND DESIGNER OF THE NEW FASHION CLOTHING LINE LONG RUN A I CREATED THE A INSIDE THE LEAF APPAREL PRESENTED TO Y'ALL BY THE ORIGINAL, A LEAF SHIRT, BRAND AND STORE, ORIGINAL, A LEAF SHIRT STORE AND BRAND ALONG WITH THE FASHION CLOTHING LINE. LONG RUN A LEAF WILL CREATE JOBS THROUGHOUT HOUSTON AND THROUGH THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS. I'M, I'M HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO REQUEST THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON WILL FUND AND LEGALLY PAINT THIS POSITIVE FAMOUS DESIGN WITH HASHTAG HASHTAG PROVERBS TBT. LEGALLY THROUGH OUR HOUSTON. I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT MYSELF NOR THE ORIGINAL ALIEN SHIRTS NEVER WILL ENDORSE, PROMOTE ANY KIND OF CLONES, COPY, OR REPLICA OF ANY ILLEGAL GRAFFITI. THOSE THAT DO SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. ALSO, NO STORE OR SEPARATE CORPORATION CANNOT IMITATE OR SELL ANY FACE OF THE A INSIDE THE LEAVE WITHOUT THE OWNER'S CONSENT MYSELF TO CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF, IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO Y'ALL. I SAY THAT MYSELF NOR THE ORIGINAL A SHIRT STORE OR CLOTHING LINE WILL NOT ENDORSE THE ABUSE OF THE HISTORICAL DESIGN OF THE A INSIDE THE LEAVE. THE ORIGINAL AILEY SHIRTS WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THE DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY NOR ILLEGAL GRAFFITI NOR CHAOS. THANK YOU. YOU'RE TRULY MR. ALI. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, MAN. THANK, THANK YOU, SIR. IS THERE ANY QUESTION FOR ME? VERY LOOKS VERY NICE. THANK YOU, SIR. I, I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU ALL, ALL THE SHIRTS ARE GONNA BE ECO-FRIENDLY, UH, MADE TO LAST. OKAY, HOLD ON ONE SECOND. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU. MAYOR. WHERE, WHERE CAN WE FIND A SHIRT TO PURCHASE? OH, UH, RIGHT NOW IT, UH, I'M JUST, UH, I GOT A FEW THERE, BUT THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE JUST LIKE, THEY'RE NOT READY OUT THERE YET, BUT THEY WILL BE WITHIN A LIKE A MONTH. ALRIGHT. EMAIL OUR OFFICES. I, I WILL. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH SIR. THANK YOU MAN. APPRECIATE YOU. GOOD JOB. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER. STACEY FAIRCHILD. STACY FAIRCHILD. STACEY. NEXT SPEAKER RANDALL CALLANAN. RANDY CALLANAN. RANDALL. NEXT SPEAKER. THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS. OKAY. [RECESS] ALRIGHT, THAT UH, CONCLUDES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS FOR TODAY. WE WILL STAND IN RECESS UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00 AM SHARP FOR THE WEEK SEPTEMBER 12TH AND 13TH. 2023 ITEM ONE, PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 33 TO PROVIDE AN EXEMPTION TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON SIGN CODE TO ALLOW ROOFTOP SIGNS ON PROTECTED LANDMARK BUILDINGS AND TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS. ITEM TWO, PUBLIC HEARING TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR THE 4% TAX CREDIT APPLICATION OF BROOKSIDE GARDENS APARTMENTS. LLC. ITEM THREE. RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF 2,326,000 970 65 AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH ANGEL BROTHERS ENTERPRISES. LTD ITEM FOUR. RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $1,899,941 AND 40 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE WORK ON CONTRACT WITH DG MEDINA CONSTRUCTION LLC. ITEM FIVE. RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $26,781,754 AND 34 CENTS. AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH BRH GARVER CONSTRUCTION LP ITEM SIX GENERAL MOTORS, LLC CUSTOMER CARE AND AFTER SALES DIVISION FOR PURCHASE OF OEM AUTOMOTIVE PARTS AND SUPPLIES THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENT WAS SOURCED WELL FOR THE FLEET MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. ITEM SEVEN RNC DISTRIBUTORS DBA BLENDED [01:45:01] DIRECT FOR AUTOMOTIVE LUBRICANTS FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. ITEM EIGHT, APPROVED SPRING AUTHORITY TO PURCHASE GLOBAL R FOUR AIR SWEEPERS REPLACEMENT PARTS AND REPAIR SERVICES THROUGH THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR COOPERATIVE PURCHASING WITH THE TEXAS LOCAL COOPERATIVE BUYBOARD FOR THE FLEET MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT FROM THE BUYBOARD VENDOR ASSOCIATED SUPPLY COMPANY INC. ITEM NINE, SEAL VIEW TOYOTA FOR PURCHASE OF SIX HYBRID TOYOTA SIENNA VANS THROUGH THE TEXAS AND THE LOCAL PURCHASING SYSTEM. TIPS COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENT FOR THE FLEET MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. ITEM 10 PARA DI TRAFFIC SYSTEMS INC. FOR PURCHASE OF SCHOOL ZONE TRAFFIC PARTS THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENT WITH BOB BOARD FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM 11 FORD LINE FOR PURCHASE OF A PRESSURE PIPE THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENT WITH NORTH NATIONAL COOPERATIVE PURCHASING ALLIANCE FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM 12 RESOLUTION SUPPORTING DENOMINATION OF COUNCIL MEMBER MARTHA CASTEX TATUM AS THE CHAIR OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICE SERVICES COMMITTEE $112,000 AND NO CENTS FROM APPORTS IMPROVEMENT FUND TO ACQUIRE A BOND RESERVE FUND. SURETY POLICY PERTAINING TO OUTSTANDING AIRPORT SYSTEM. SENIOR LIEN NOTES APPROVING DEBT SERVICE RESERVE AGREEMENT RELATING THAT TO AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. ITEM 14, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CITYSIDE HOME LLC ITEM 15 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF A SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO 2023 ANNUALIZED AND PLAN TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. ITEM 16, ORDINANCE DE APPROPRIATING $93,266 93 CENTS. ITEM PAUL CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND 70 1002 678 85 OUTTA PUBLIC LIBRARY, CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AND 67,000 437 92 OUTTA PUBLIC HEALTH CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MATERIAL TESTING AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES AND APPROPRIATING 90 3002 66 9 3 OUTER PARKS CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND 71 6 78 85 OUT OF PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AND 67 437 9 2 OUT PUBLIC HEALTH CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND FOR TASK ORDER AND JOB ORDER CONTRACT CONTRACTING PROGRAM TO COMPLETE ADDITIONAL WORK AT THE NEW A LEAVE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER. ITEM 17, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 19 6 7 7 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR JOB AUDIT CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND BROWN AND ROOT INDUSTRIAL SERVICES LLC ITEM 18. ORDINANCE DE APPROPRIATING $204,000 AND NO CENTS. ITEM MISCELLANEOUS CAPITAL PROJECTS ACQUISITION CP SERIES E FUND PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED TO CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT GA WITH GAT BARRY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY INC. ITEM 19 ORDINANCE AGREEMENT AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN I-N-D-H-O-U-T-X-T-T-P LEGACY LLC AS LANDLORD ITEM 20 ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE DECEMBER, 2020 DASH 6 38 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT BETWEEN C DIFF HOUSTON AND GOLDWATER. PROJECT LLC ITEM 21 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. ITEM 22 ON THIS APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENTS BETWEEN CD HOUSTON AND ONE CDW GOVERNMENT, LLC AND TWO NETSY NETWORK SOLUTIONS INC. ITEM 23 ORDINANCE FINDING AND ATTORNEY THAT PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY NO LONGER REQUIRED THE CONTINUED USE OF A 10 FOOT WIDE PRESCRIPTIVE SANITARY SEWER EASEMENT. ABANDONING, ABANDONING THE EASEMENT TO RALLIES LLC ITEM 24 ORDINANCE FINDING AND DETERMINING THAT PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY NO LONGER [01:50:01] REQUIRED THE CONTINUED USE OF A THREE FOOT WIDE UTILITY EASEMENT OUT OF LOT ONE BLOCK THREE AVON PLACE SITUATED IN THE OBEDIENCE SMITH SURVEY ABSTRACT NUMBER 6 9 6 HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS. ITEM 25 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD. ITEM 26 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $3,647,048 AND NO CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARDING CONTRACT TO EQU INTEGRITY SOUTHEAST INC. ITEM 27 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $8,800,000 AND NO CENTS OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND DRAINAGE CHARGE AWARDING CONTRACT TO DO GLOVER UTILITIES LLC ITEM 28 UNDER THE NON-CONSENT CATEGORY, SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE TO PLACE A PROPOSED TAX RATE OF 0.5 1 9 1 90 ON EACH $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE, WHICH IS LOWERED THAN LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE ON THE SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2023 AT COUNCIL AGENDA SET. A PUBLIC HEARING DATE SUGGEST A HEARING DATE IS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2023 AT 9:00 AM ITEM 29 UNDER THE MATTERS SALE CATEGORY IS AN ORDINANCE OF MANY ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 21 3 9 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND STRYKER SALES. LLC. IT WAS TAGGED BY CONST KNOX. THIS WAS ITEM 12 ON AGENDA OF SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2023. ITEM 30 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,567,500 AND NO CENTS. ITEM METRO PROJECTS CONSTRUCTION, D-D-S-R-F AND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSOR ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HDR ENGINEERING INC. THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON. THIS WAS ITEM 20 ON AGENDA OF SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2023. ITEM 31 AS AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $2,304,000 AND NO CENTS OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND, DRAINAGE CHARGE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND INTECH CIVIL ENGINEERS INC. THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX. THIS WAS ITEM 22 ON AGENDA OF SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2023. THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2023. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM IN THE WORDS OF THE CURRENT CITY SECRETARY MYSELF, 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 PENTA DAY. OKAY, [RECONVENE] LET'S GET STARTED. IT IS, UH, IT'S 9 0 9 ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 13TH, 2023. I'M MAYOR SPECIAL TURNER AND I'M CALLING, UH, THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO WATER. UM, FIRST UP IS GOING TO BE A PUBLIC HEARING. UH, SO MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL PLEASE CALL ON ITEM NUMBER ONE. SHE WOULD IF SHE WOULD. HERE. OH, ITEM NUMBER . WE GOT WHOLE AGENDA NOW. NOW WE'RE READY. ALRIGHT, NOW WE'RE THE FIRST ITEM [1.  9:00 A.M. PUBLIC HEARING for an amendment to Chapter 33 to provide an exemption to the City of Houston Sign Code to allow rooftop signs on protected landmark buildings and to establish standards ] OF IS GOING TO BE, UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING. MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU COULD PLEASE CALL ITEM NUMBER ONE. ITEM ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 33 TO PROVIDE AN EXEMPTION TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON SIGN CODE TO ALLOW ROOFTOP SIGNS ON PARTICULAR LANDMARK BUILDINGS AND TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS. OKAY, IS THIS ? UM, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR TURNER. GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M JENNIFER OSLAND, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR IN THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. UH, THIS PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNS AN AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 33 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, SPECIFICALLY ARTICLE SEVEN, DIVISION FIVE, WHICH RELATES TO DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR DESIGNATED HISTORIC BUILDINGS. THE AMENDMENT ESTABLISHES AN EXCEPTION TO THE CITY'S PROHIBITION ON ROOFTOP SIGNS FOR CERTAIN HISTORIC BUILDINGS THAT PREVIOUSLY HAD ROOFTOP SIGNS. THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION DIVISION OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS A LONG HISTORY OF SUPPORTING THE REDEVELOPMENT OF OUR CITY'S HISTORIC STRUCTURES IN A WAY THAT HONORS THE HISTORY OF THOSE BUILDINGS. BY ESTABLISHING AN EXCEPTION TO THE SIGN CODE, THIS AMENDMENT WILL CREATE A PATHWAY FOR ELIGIBLE RESTORATION PROJECTS TO RECONSTRUCT SIGNS AS THEY WERE ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO QUALIFY. THE BUILDING MUST BE DESIGNATED AS A PROTECTED LANDMARK BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THE SIGN MUST HAVE EXISTED DURING THE HISTORICAL PERIOD THAT IS BASIS FOR THAT LANDMARK DESIGNATION, AND THE BUILDING MUST BE TWO STORIES TALL OR LESS, AND HAVE AN APPROVED CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS. [01:55:01] FOR EXAMPLE, OUR OFFICE, UH, OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE OWNER OF THE EL DORADO BALLROOM TO REDIRECT A SIGN ON TOP OF THE BUILDING. THE BUILDING IS LOCATED AT 2310 ELGIN STREET. SO, UM, HERE'S A PICTURE OF WHAT THE SIGN LOOKED LIKE IN THE 1940S. YOU CAN SEE THE ARROW POINTING. UM, AND THEN THE, THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT IS THE, A RENDERING OF WHAT THE NEW SIGN WILL LOOK LIKE. AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW THIS BUILDING HAS ALREADY BEEN, UH, REMODELED AND RESTORED APPROPRIATELY UNDER OUR HORSE HISTORIC PRESERVATION CODE. THE HISTORIC HOUSTON ARCHEOLOGICAL ARCHITECTURAL AND HISTORICAL COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS AMENDMENT ON JUNE 29TH, 2023, AND THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL AND FORWARDING OF THEIR RECOMMENDATION TO THIS COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN EVAN SHAVA. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR THIS REPORT. I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT AS I HAVE SPOKEN MANY TIMES ABOUT THE EL DORADO BALLROOM AND HOW IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A BEACON IN THE COMMUNITY BACK AT THE DAY WHEN MY PARENTS USED TO COME AND SHAKE A TAIL FEATHER. BUT CERTAINLY I THINK A, A QUEEN NEEDS A CROWN AND I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT. AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THIS IS A CROWN JEWEL IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THERE ARE TWO SPEAKERS, UM, UH, THANKS, UH, JENNIFER, UH, TWO SPEAKERS THIS MORNING. UM, MA'AM, SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER, ANDREA GREER. ANDREA GREER. GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MY ESCORT, THE CITY SECRETARY, MADAM SECRETARY. I APPRECIATE IT. UM, MY NAME IS ANDREA GREER. I'M A VOTER AND A RESIDENT IN THE WOODLAND HEIGHTS HISTORIC DISTRICT. AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY BOTH IN THAT CAPACITY AND AS THE SENIOR ADVISOR FOR STRATEGY AND RESEARCH AT PROJECT ROW HOUSES. WE ARE THRILLED TO SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT. UM, HAVING JUST COMPLETED THE EL DORADO BALLROOM PROJECT, WE APPRECIATE HOW NARROWLY TAILORED IT IS TO APPLY ONLY TO A VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF BUILDING, SO THERE WILL NOT BE A FLOOD OF ROOFTOP SIGNS. SO THIS EXEMPTION BE PASSED. UM, WE ALSO THINK IT'S A GREAT DECISION BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OVERALL OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT ALIGNS WITH THE CITY'S PRIORITIES IN THAT AREA. NUMEROUS STUDIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE POSITIVE IMPACT THAT HISTORIC PRESERVATION HAS, UM, ON TOURISM REVENUES, ON TAX REVENUES. IT HELPS LOCAL BUSINESSES. IT REALLY DRIVES THAT CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURISM, WHICH OUR CITI CITY BENEFITS SO GREATLY FROM AND COULD BENEFIT EVEN MORE. SO I AM GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. UM, MY COLLEAGUE IS HERE TO SPEAK MORE ABOUT THE EL DORADO, BUT WE KNOW THAT YOU CAN PROUDLY SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE AND SAY IT WILL MAKE A, THIS CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCE. IT'LL MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE, UM, TO THE CITY FISK, AND ALSO TO THE CHARACTER AND THE HISTORY OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. THANK YOU ANDRE. JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND LIBBY, AND I KNOW EUREKA GILKEY WAS, UH, HERE PREVIOUSLY TO SPEAK ON THIS AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR FEEDBACK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, ELIZABETH. THE ELIZABETH HIT IS HERE TURNING THINGS ON AND OFF. GOOD MORNING, UH, TO MAYOR TURNER AND CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US TODAY. UH, MY NAME IS LIBBY VIRA, BLAND, PROUD RESIDENT OF BAKERS HOMES DISTRICT B RESIDENT AND VOTER. UM, I ALSO SERVE AS A VOLUNTEER ON THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION APPEALS BOARD AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION. HOWEVER, TODAY I AM HERE IN MY CAPACITY AS THE DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT FOR PROJECT ROW HOUSES. UM, I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE NEITHER THIS MATTER HAS NOT COME BEFORE ME ON EITHER OF THOSE VOLUNTEER BOARDS. HOWEVER, UM, MY COLLEAGUE ANDREA GREER HAS ALREADY PRESENTED INFORMATION ON THE MATTER, BUT I WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON THE HISTORY OF THE EL DORADO BALLROOM. UH, HAS WELCOMED GENERATIONS OF THIRD WARD RESIDENTS FOR DANCING CELEBRATIONS AND SPECIAL OCCASIONS SINCE 1939. IN THE WORDS OF ONE OF THE FOUNDERS, ANNA DUPREE, FOR DECADES, THE BALLROOM WAS A SHOWCASE FOR THE GREAT BLACK ENTERTAINERS OF THE ERA AND THE LAUNCHING PAD FOR MANY SHOWBIZ CAREERS, EVEN IN THE NEXT PHASE OF LIFE FOR THE BALLROOM, IT REMAINED A VITAL GATHERING SPACE AND ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR THE THIRD WARD. UH, IT IS LOCALLY TREASURED AND NATIONALLY IMPORTANT. UM, WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE IT ADDED TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IN 2022 BECAUSE OF ITS SIGNIFICANCE AS HOUSTON'S LEADING ENTERTAINMENT VENUE FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS DURING THE SEGREGATION ERA. AND AS TEXAS'S BEST EXAMPLE OF THE MID 20TH CENTURY URBAN BALLROOM THAT REFLECTS AFRICAN AMERICAN ACHIEVEMENTS IN BUSINESS AND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT. THE NEWLY REOPENED EL DORADO BALLROOM IS ALREADY REINFORCING THE WORK THAT SO MANY HAVE DONE TO REVITALIZE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. IT HAS A CAFE, AN ART GALLERY, THE BALLROOM OF COURSE, [02:00:01] AS WELL AS A MEETING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS. WE ARE, WE HAVE BEEN OVERJOYED TO RE-INVITE THE COMMUNITY INTO THE RESTORED AND NOW SAFELY ACCESSIBLE SPACE. UH, THE ELEVATOR EDITION HAS BEEN VERY, VERY WIDELY PRAISED. UH, WE WANNA MAKE THIS A SHOWCASE BUILDING THAT BRINGS MORE PEOPLE TO THE THIRD WARD AND OUR CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT, AND HELP PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE HISTORY AND LEGACY OF THE BLACK RESIDENTS AND ENTREPRENEURS WHO BUILD OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHO HAVE BUILT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD INTO A PLACE WORTH PRESERVING. IN KEEPING WITH OUR CAREFUL RESTORATION OF THE BUILDING, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PAYING CAREFUL HOMAGE TO THE BALLROOM'S PLACE AS A BEACON FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE APPRECIATE YOUR CAREFUL ATTENTION. UH, WE APPRECIATE THE CAREFUL ATTENTION THAT YOU ALL ARE PAYING TO THE LEGACY OF THE BUILDING, AND WE ASK THAT YOU VOTE TO ALLOW US TO RESTORE THE HISTORIC EL HISTORIC EL DORADO BALLROOM'S. MARQUES SIGN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR PROTE TATUM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO, UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND TALKING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES AT THE, AND THE, UM, IMPORTANCE OF THE EL DORADO BALLROOM. I RECENTLY ATTENDED A, UH, BOOK SIGNING, UM, MY BOOK CLUB. WE READ HISTORICAL FICTION AND IT WAS A GREAT BACKDROP FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY ROOM AT THE EL DORADO BALLROOM, UM, FOR THE PERSONAL LIBRARIANS BOOK CLUB MEETING. AND, UM, IT IS DEFINITELY A G AND AN ECONOMIC DRIVER IN THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS, UH, ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? STAND HEARING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING? SO MOVED. SECOND ROBINSON MOVED. AND SECOND. AND CLOSE HEARING, UH, ANY OBJECTION. CHAIR IS NONE AND THE MOTION IS, IS GRANTED. UM, MADAM [2.  9:00 A.M PUBLIC HEARING to provide a Resolution of No Objection for the 4% tax credit application of BROOKSIDE GARDENS APARTMENTS, LLC ] SECRETARY, YOU'LL CALL ITEM NUMBER TWO. ITEM TWO IS THE PUBLIC HEARING TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR THE 4% TAX CREDIT APPLICATION OF BROOKSIDE GARDENS DEPARTMENTS LLC. NO PRESENTATION. UM, AND MADAM SECRETARY, THERE'S NO OFFICIAL PRESENTATION. SO WILL YOU CALL THE FIRST PUBLIC SPEAKER? TIM SMITH. MR. SMITH IS PRESENT. HI, UH, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS TIM SMITH HOPE WITH HOPE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. I'M A, UH, CONSULTANT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OWNER, UH, IN PURSUING THE FINANCING TO RENOVATE AND REHABILITATE, UH, BROOKSIDE GARDENS. UM, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS IN CONNECTION TO A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION, WHICH STATE LAW REQUIRES IN ORDER FOR, UM, TAX CREDIT DEVELOPMENTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITHIN THE CITY. AND WITH THAT, I WILL DEFER TO THE DEVELOPMENT OWNER GRIFFIN FROM, UH, DECO. OKAY. I TELL WHAT, WHY DON'T WE JUST CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER THEN. HE'S, HE'S THE NEXT SPEAKER. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS GRIFFIN ZEL. OKAY, MR. ZEL. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. UM, MY NAME IS GRIFFIN ZEL. I'M THE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER WITH, UH, DECO DEVELOPMENT. UH, WE ARE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER THAT OWNS THE BROOKSIDE GARDENS APARTMENT HERE IN HOUSTON. UH, I'M HERE TODAY TO REPRESENT DEV COHEN, PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND ON THE PROJECT AS WELL AS ASK THE CITY OF OF HOUSTON HERE. UM, TO PASS THE RESO PASSED THE RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION TO ALLOW TO PROCEED WITH THE RENOVATION OF THE PROJECT. BROOKSIDE GARDENS WAS, UH, BUILT UTILIZING THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM BACK IN 2005. IT'S A 240 UNIT, UH, PROJECT LOCATED AT 3 5 2 5 SOUTH SAM HOUSTON PARKWAY EAST IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. THE PROJECT CONSISTS OF ONE, TWO, AND THREE BEDROOM APARTMENTS, WHICH ARE SET ASIDE FOR TENANTS EARNING 60% OR LESS OF AREA MEAN INCOME. THE PROJECT IS ALSO RENT RESTRICTED TO 60% OF AREA MEDIA INCOME, PROVIDING QUALITY HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE RENTS FOR THE TENANTS. THE PROJECT WILL BE UNDERGOING A, UH, $10.8 MILLION RENOVATION EQUATING TO ABOUT $45,000 PER UNIT IN HARD COSTS. UH, SCOPE OF WORKS WORK INCLUDES SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES TO THE UNION INTERIORS, INCLUDING NEW FLOORING, PAINT AND APPLIANCES. MAJOR SYSTEMS AT THE PROPERTY, INCLUDING WATER HEATERS AND HVAC SYSTEMS, WILL ALSO BE REPLACED AND REHABBED AS WELL. TENANT AMENITIES SUCH AS THE POOL FITNESS CENTER AND BUSINESS CENTER WILL ALSO RECEIVE UPDATES AND REPAIRS. THIS REHAB WILL BRING NEW LIFE INTO THE UNITS AND THE PROJECT AND ALLOW DECO TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE AND PROVIDE QUALITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE FORESEEABLE FEATURE. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY ANSWER. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND OF COURSE, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO, UM, OUR CITY. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I ASK THIS OF ANY, UM, BUILDER, DEVELOPER THAT'S COMING IN SEEKING TAX CREDITS AS IT RELATES TO, UM, YOUR REHAB OF THE BUILDING. ARE YOU DOING LEAD CERTIFICATION? ANY GSI ARE YOU PROVIDING RECYCLING TO RESIDENTS? CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? YEAH, [02:05:01] ABSOLUTELY. UM, YOU KNOW, THE MAIN POINT THERE IS, UM, WITH THE SYSTEMS UPGRADES, THE HVAC AND, UM, LET'S SEE, HVAC AND THE WATER HEATERS AS WELL AS UPGRADING ALL THE FAUCETS, UH, TO LOW FLOW, UM, LOW TOILETS. THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE BIG AREA OF EMPHASIS FOR US ARE ARE YOU GONNA BE PROVIDING RECYCLING SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS? YES, WE CURRENTLY DO. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, SO THIS PROJECT IS ALREADY A, A LOW INCOME HOUSING PROJECT? THAT'S CORRECT. SO IT WAS BUILT IN 2005 AND CURRENTLY IS RENT RESTRICT RENT AND INCOME RESTRICTED. IT'S NOT NEW TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. HAVE Y'ALL HAD ANY PUSHBACK FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT THE RENOVATIONS? WE HAVE NOT. NO. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMBER. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM, WE'VE LOOKED ON THE REVIEWS OF THE TENANTS AT THE APARTMENT COMPLEX AND THERE'S SOME CONCERNING REVIEWS THERE. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THOSE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT'S BEING MANAGED CURRENTLY? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. OUR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY, AVENUE FIVE, UH, HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING MANAGEMENT SPACE. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH THEM ALONG WITH OUR INTERNAL ASSET MANAGEMENT AT DEVCO TO ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS THAT ARE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION. UM, WHETHER IT BE FROM A PHYSICAL PLANT PERSPECTIVE OR FROM A MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. OKAY. MAYOR, IF I COULD, IF I COULD MAKE A COMMENT PLEASE. UM, SO THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTIES IN THE ETJ, UM, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'RE HAVING TO VOTE ON THE NO OBJECTION. WE DID REACH OUT TO THE COUNTY, AND THE COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE AN OFFICIAL 3 1 1 SYSTEM. THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON IT, SO IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO FIND ANY DATA, UM, FROM THE ACTUAL TENANTS. BUT, UM, THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY DID TELL ME THAT THEY WOULD ENSURE THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING AN AUDIT, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, CONTINUALLY DOING AUDIT, UM, AS REQUIRED. UM, THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA BE CON, YOU KNOW, DOING THE COMPLIANCE AUDITS AND ENSURE THAT THE OWNERS ARE MAINTAINING AND UPGRADING ACCORDING. SO WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN THIS KIND OF COME BEFORE US AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WATCHING THIS CLOSELY, ESPECIALLY IF THE CITY'S GOING TO AGREE TO THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, CERTAINLY ALWAYS WELCOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. AND JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR, UH, WE ALWAYS KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON WHAT'S GOING ON AND SO CERTAINLY WELCOME YOU AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT RELATIONSHIP AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL DO SOME COMMUNITY OUTREACH AS WELL, UH, SO THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL BE AWARE OF ANY AMENITIES THAT YOU HAVE AND THEY CAN EXPRESS ANY CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. AND, UH, TO CLARIFY, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY ON THIS PROJECT. SO BACK TO YOUR POINT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH THE PROJECT AND AS WELL AS, UM, T-D-H-C-A, UM, YOU KNOW, THEIR AUDIT BOTH FROM A PHYSICAL PLANT AND AN OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVE. SO THERE ARE MULTIPLE LAYERS THERE. COUNCILMAN PALMER. WELCOME. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, AND ONE MORE POINT. SO WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT THE MANAGEMENT COMPANIES THAT YOU HIRE TO MANAGE THE PROPERTIES, THERE'S SOMETIMES IS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE DEVELOPERS, THE OWNERS, AND THE MANAGEMENT COMPANIES. SO I WOULD, YOU KNOW, REQUEST THAT YOU SAY VERY CLOSELY ENGAGE WITH THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO. WE, WE NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I MEAN, WE CLEARLY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM THERE. UM, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TENANTS ARE TREATED FAIRLY AND, UM, AND THAT THERE'S A, A, YOU KNOW, A VERY EVEN FLOW OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TENANTS AND THE CONCERNS, THE TENANTS AND THE MANAGEMENT. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER SHANNON HUNTER SHANNON. HUNTER SHANNON HERE. YES. UH, GOOD, GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR AND, UH, CITY COUNCIL. UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND DILIGENCE THIS MORNING. I REALLY AM HERE AS THE LEGAL COUNSEL TO THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY TO ANSWER ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. IF YOU LIKE, I CAN HAVE PREPARED A MEMO THAT WAS SENT TO DIRECTOR BYUM EARLIER THIS WEEK EXPLAINING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PFC DEAL, THE ONES THAT ARE HOT AND IN THE NEWS, AND WERE JUST, UH, UH, THE STRUCTURE WAS CHANGED UNDER HOUSE BILL 2071 AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS DEAL, WHICH IS A EQUITABLE OWNERSHIP DEAL, UM, THAT WILL BE OWNED IN FEE BY THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE TAX EXEMPTION ARISES UNDER, UM, A STATUTORY AND, UH, JUDICIAL INTERPRETATION OF THE, OF TEXAS LAW. I CAN GO THROUGH THOSE. NO CHANGES FOR YOU SUGGEST SHOULD WE NOT DO THAT. OKAY. SO DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ARE WE, IS EVERYBODY SETTLED THAT THIS IS NOT A PSC DEAL? YEAH. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY QUE ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, DR. SHANNON? ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, SHANNON. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. . YOU THINK THAT THAT'S TOO MUCH? UH, [02:10:01] IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON, UH, THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? ITEM NUMBER TWO, HEARING AND SIN? NONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING CAST TATUM MOVED TO CLOSE THE HEARING. SECOND ROBINSON BEEN MOVED AND SECOND TO CLOSE. ANY OBJECTION, CHAIR? NONE. AND THE MOTION IS GRANTED. THANK YOU ALSO VERY, VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT, UH, [MAYOR'S REPORT] A FEW, A FEW POINTS I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT. START OFF, UH, CHARITY WAS A GREAT DAY IN DISTRICT. I AT THE HIDALGO, UH, PARK, UH, RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE 50 50 PARKS. UH, IT'S A GREAT PARK, UH, GREAT ENHANCEMENTS AT HIDALGO PARK. IT WAS NUMBER THE, IT WAS THE NINTH PARK OF THE 22 PARKS THAT WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY UPGRADED BEFORE THE YEAR IS OUT. SO, UM, THAT WAS NUMBER NINE, WHICH MEANS THAT, UH, WE HAVE, YEAH, 1313 TO GO. SO 13 PARKS, NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY UPGRADED, UH, BEFORE DECEMBER THE 31ST. SO, UM, SO KUDOS TO STATE REP, UH, TO COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS AND, UH, HIS, THE ENTIRE OPERATION ON HIDALGO PARK, UM, ON THE WATER LEAKS, WE CONTINUE TO BATTLE THEM, BUT WE OFTENTIMES TALK ABOUT HOW MANY WATER LEAKS THERE ARE. I WANT TO GIVE A PERSPECTIVE ON HOW MANY WATER LEAKS THAT HAVE BEEN FIXED. UH, SO, UH, FROM THE BEGINNING OF JUNE, AND THIS IS JUST FROM JUNE OF THIS YEAR, THROUGH THE END OF LAST WEEK, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AND CONTRACTORS HAVE COMPLETED AND CLOSED OUT 3,956 WORK ORDERS. 3,956 OF THAT NUMBER 3,140 WERE COMPLETE, COMPLETELY REPAIRED. 816 WERE INVESTIGATED AND DETERMINED TO EITHER NOT BE A LEAK OR WAS A LEAK ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. UM, AND THEY CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ABOUT 12 CONTRACTORS. UM, AND ON AVERAGE THEY'RE COMPLETING ABOUT, LET'S SAY 400 WATER LEAKS IN A WEEK'S TIME. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE WATER MAIN LEAK BREAKS, AND THEN YOU HAVE WATER MAIN LEAKS. BUT, UM, 3,140 HAVE BEEN COMPLETED SINCE JUNE OF THIS YEAR. JUST JUNE OF THIS YEAR. AND I WANNA SAY THAT BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE, UM, THERE WATER MAIN LEAKS. AND LEMME JUST SAY, IF YOU LOOK AND READ THE TEXAS MONTHLY MAGAZINE, UM, UH, UH, TEXAS MONTHLY, UH, UH, HOUSTON IS NOT THE ONLY CITY DEALING WITH THIS. EVERY CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IS DEALING WITH WATER WINGS. SAN ANTONIO'S GOT A HOUSTON NUMBER. AUSTIN. SO, BUT I, I DO WANT, I DO WANNA, UH, GIVE CREDIT TO EASTERN PUBLIC WORKS TO ALL OF THE CONTRACTORS THAT ARE WORKING, UH, FEVERISHLY, UH, TO ADDRESS THESE WATER MAIN LEAKS. NOW LET ME ALSO SAY, THERE ARE SOME OLD PIPES THAT ARE UNDERNEATH, BEEN THERE A HUNDRED YEARS, OKAY? BUT WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, EXTREME HOT WEATHER AND DRYNESS DROUGHT, IT AFFECTS NOT ONLY THE OLD PIPES, IT'S NOT THE OLD PIPES THAT ARE JUST BREAKING. YOU HAVE THE NEW PIPES THAT ARE BREAKING AS WELL. 'CAUSE THE GROUND IS SHIFTING. SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO THEM AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY TO GET TO THEM AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. WE ARE USING A LOT OF, UH, CONTRACTORS TO DO THAT. IT IS A CONSTANT VENTURE. UH, WE DO NEED TO REPLACE THE OLD PIPES. ALL OF THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. UM, BUT IF YOU SEE A WATER MAIN LEAK, PLEASE REPORT IT AND WE'LL GET TO IT. AND I KNOW PEOPLE GET AGGRAVATED WHEN THEY SEE WATER MAIN LEAKS FOR TWO, THREE WEEKS. I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT YOU CAN ONLY GET TO AS MANY. I MEAN, YOU CAN, YOU CAN ONLY DO WHAT THEY CAN DO. AND, UH, I'M PUSHING THEM VERY, VERY HARD. I KNOW DIRECTOR HADDOCK WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND RANDY, THE CHIEF OF STAFF, PUSHING THEM VERY, VERY HARD. WE ARE MONITORING THE WORK OF THE CONTRACTORS THEMSELVES, SO WE'RE JUST NOT TRUSTING THE CONTRACTORS TO GO AND FIX IT AND SEND US A BILL. WE ARE OUT THERE MONITORING, UH, THEIR WORK AS WELL. UM, BUT I DID WANT TO AT LEAST SAY THAT SINCE JUNE OF THIS YEAR, UH, 3,140 HAVE BEEN COMP, UH, COMPLETELY, UH, FIXED. UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE NEW INSPECTOR GENERAL CRYSTAL LA GORE FOR, IF YOU CAN RECALL, AFTER POLICE REFORMS WE PUT IN PLACE, I APPOINTED CRYSTAL LEGGO FOR A TH GRADUATE OF THURGOOD MARSHALL TO BE THE DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL. SHE HAS DONE AN AWESOME, AWESOME JOB. AWESOME. UH, I COULD NOT [02:15:01] HAVE ASKED MORE OF, OF CRYSTAL. UM, BUT, UM, PEOPLE SEE THAT YOU HAVE GOOD PEOPLE AND PEOPLE COME AND GET THEM. AND PEOPLE HAVE COME AND GOT HER . YES, YOU GOT GOD . I MEAN, A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR HER MAKING MORE MONEY FOR HER AND HER FAMILY. AND I'M NOT THE ONE TO TRY TO HOLD PEOPLE WHEN OPPORTUNITIES COME. THAT'S, THAT'S JUST NOT MY NATURE. BUT I DO WANNA THANK HER BECAUSE SHE'S, YOU KNOW, DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL, SHE OVERSEES THE, THE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM. SHE WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND DA'S OFFICE, AND SHE PROVIDES HER INTERNAL REVIEWS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE, UM, UH, DASHBOARDS, ALL OF THAT. SHE, SHE HAS THAT OFFICE OVERSEES. SO, SO, UH, I WANT TO THANK HER FOR THAT. UH, AT THE SAME TIME, UM, WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE THAT, UH, SOMEONE WHO'S FROM HOUSTON, WHO THEN WENT OFF TO NEW YORK FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND DURING COVID COVID BROUGHT HER BACK TO HOUSTON. AND SHE'S BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT IN O UH, OT G'S OFFICE. UM, AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY, BY CRYSTAL AS WELL AS ARTURO, UH, HAS OFFERED HERSELF. AND I'VE TALKED TO CHRISTINA NOVA NOACK, UH, AND VERY IMPRESSED. AND I'VE, UM, I'M NOW APPOINTING HER, UH, TO BE THE DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL. UM, AND I WANT TO INTRODUCE, UH, CHRISTINA NOACK TO YOU ALL. CHRISTINA. CHRISTINA, UH, NOACK IS THE NEW DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL WHO WILL HELP TO OVERSEE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ONE SAFE HOUSTON AND WORK WITH THE INDEPENDENT POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD. UH, SHE IS REPLACING CRYSTAL LAGO FOR WHO I NAMED DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL IN 2021. UH, CHRISTINA IS A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN. UH, SHE WAS RAISED IN ALE. OH, . SHE WAS RAISED IN A LEAVE AND OBTAINED HER BACHELOR OF ARTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN, AND HER DOCTOR OF JEWISH PRUDENCE FROM SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW. UH, SHE STARTED HER CAREER AS AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN BRONX COUNTY IN NEW YORK CITY, PROSECUTING NARCOTIC CASES AND SPECIALIZING IN THE PROSECUTION OF GANGES AND HOMICIDES. AND AFTER A DECADE LONG CAREER AS A PROSECUTOR, SHE JOINED THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR TASKED WITH OVERSEEING INVESTIGATIONS OF COMPLAINTS FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY. FROM THERE, SHE JOINED THE NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT AS DEPUTY INSPECTOR OF THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY OFFICE, ACTING IN AN OVERSIGHT CAPACITY PURSUANT TO A FEDERAL MONITOR FOR THAT DIVISION. UPON MOVING BACK TO HOUSTON IN 2021, SHE JOINED THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE ATTORNEY IN THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, WHERE SHE FOCUSED ON INVESTIGATING COMPLAINTS WITH THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. UH, LET ME JUST TELL YOU, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO, UH, MS. NOAC. I WAS VERY IMPRESSED. SHE IS A SOMEONE WHO'S NOT, DOESN'T WAIT TO, UM, BE INSTRUCTED WHAT TO DO. UH, SHE IS SOMEONE WHO IS VERY, UM, OUTGOING, RECOGNIZES WHAT THE ROLE IS, AND IS VERY SELF-ASSERTIVE, WHICH I, WHICH I LIKE. AND SO I HAVE NO DOUBT, UH, THAT, UH, THAT WILL BE A SEAMLESS TRANSITION, UM, BETWEEN CRYSTAL'S WORK AND IN THE WORK THAT CHRISTINA NOACK WILL BE DOING, UH, MOVING FORWARD. SO I WANTED TO PRESENT HER TO YOU ALL TODAY. NOW, WE JUST FORTUNATE, UH, IN THIS, IN THIS CAPACITY, UH, THAT WE HAD SOMEONE WHO WAS READY TO GO, UH, WITHOUT, WITHOUT HESITATION. SO, UH, CHRISTINA, WELCOME, WELCOME ABOARD, AND, UH, WE ALL LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO WORKING WITH YOU, UH, IN FACT, THE WHOLE CITY. 'CAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THOSE AROUND THE HOE. IT'S NOT JUST HPD, UH, BUT PEOPLE WHO FILE COMPLAINTS, UH, PEOPLE WHO FEEL AS IF THEY'VE BEEN VICTIMIZED, AND PEOPLE WHO WANT, UM, UH, US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE EXERCISING TO DO OVERSIGHT. UH, SO THEY FEEL AS THOUGH THAT THEY, IF THEIR VOICES HAVE BEEN HEARD AND WHEN NEEDED, WE HAVE TAKEN THE NECESSARY ACTION. SO, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, TO YOUR CONTINUED, CONTINUED WORK. NOW, HOLD ON ONE SECOND AND THE [02:20:01] NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE. AND, UH, AND LEMME JUST START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER P*****K. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, FIRST OFF, CRYSTAL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, UH, IN THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE. UH, WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER SINCE LAW SCHOOL. WE ARE LAW SCHOOL, UH, CLASSMATES AT THURGOOD. AND, UH, I'VE SEEN YOUR GROWTH AND, UH, I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN YOUR NEXT ENDEAVORS. AND TO CHRISTINA, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL, UM, UNDER CRYSTAL'S LEADERSHIP IN, IN FACT, WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T EVEN SEE CRYSTAL WORK FOR . I WAS TALKING ABOUT HER. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW SHE WAS CRYSTAL, WHY DON'T YOU JUST COME UP AS WELL. MR. BATON HAS BEEN HANDLED FROM ONE TO THE OTHER. OKAY. CONTINUE. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, UNDER CRYSTAL'S LEADERSHIP, WE ARE ABLE TO PUT FORTH MAYOR THE, UH, POLICE TRANSPARENCY DASHBOARD. AND I WOULD LIKE, UH, CHRISTOPHER YOU TO INTRODUCE THAT TO CHRISTINA AND SEE HOW WE CAN EXPAND UPON THAT AND CONTINUE TO GROW THAT. UM, AND SO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL. AND THEN SECONDLY, MAYOR, UH, REGARDING THOSE WATER MAIN LEAKS, IF YOU COULD SEND THOSE NUMBERS OUT TO US SO THAT WE CAN GET THOSE OUT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, UH, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD INFORMATION, UH, TO SHARE. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND CRYSTAL. I'M SURE WE'LL BE SEEING EACH OTHER SOON. BUT, UH, BEST OF LUCK IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I CERTAINLY WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. IS IT SOMETHING TO THE CEASE OF THIS CRYSTAL TO CHRISTINA? I'M GETTING A LITTLE TONGUE TESTED, BUT CERTAINLY WE, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO BRING TO US, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND, AND I WANTED TO JUST GO BACK TO THE, UH, WATER MAIN BREAKS. I WANTED TO THANK YOU, MAYOR. YOU HAVE RESPONDED TREMENDOUSLY. UH, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW THAT SONG, YOU COULD REACH ME BY RAILWAY TRAILWAY. PEOPLE REACH ME HOWEVER THEY CAN. AND THEN I REACH OUT TO YOU. AND YOU HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY WEREN'T GONNA GET DONE UNTIL IT'S ON A FRIDAY. THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET DONE TILL A MONDAY. AND YOU HAVE STEPPED IN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN RESTORED. AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO DIRECTOR HADDOCK. I SENT HER TEXTS ALL THROUGH THE WEEKENDS, AND SHE RESPONDS, THEY GO OUT AND THEY GET THESE THINGS DONE. AND I WANNA THANK THE CITIZENS AS WELL FOR REPORTING THESE, UH, INCIDENTS. AND I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GOT YOUR FLOWERS AS WELL, MAYOR, BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN A TREMENDOUS PARTNER IN, UH, ALL OF THE DISTRICT D ENDEAVORS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND BEFORE WE PICK UP ON THAT, LEMME ASK YOU DO THIS. 'CAUSE LET ME, LET ME NUMBER ONE QUESTION OUT YOU IN FRONT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR WORK. AND, UH, SO I'VE SAID TO YOU, BEF, WHEN WE SAT DOWN, UM, I COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR THE CITY COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR MORE. AND SO YOU'VE BEEN EXCEPTIONAL. UM, AND, UH, OPPORTUNITIES COME, YOU GRAB THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND YOU GO FORTH. SO, UM, UM, WITH NO WAY TRY TO KEEP YOU HERE. AND THEN, UH, CHRISTINA, UH, I MEAN, YOU WERE JUST RIGHT THERE, UM, READY TO GO. SO THERE'S NO NEED TO ME TALK ABOUT BEING INTERIM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. YOU ARE SET, READY TO GO, AND, UH, AND YOU'LL PICK THE BALL UP. I HAVE NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. AND WE'LL GO SEAMLESSLY, UH, INTO THE FUTURE. SO ON THAT END, ANY ANY QUESTIONS TO THESE TWO JUST ON THIS SUBJECT BEFORE WE SHIFT BACK? GUIDANCE? UH, COUNCILMAN GS ON THIS, ON, ON, ON THE, OKAY, WE'LL COME BACK. UH, COUNCILMAN KAMAN ON THIS ITEM? YES, THESE TWO BOTH, BUT I WANTED TO, AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THE OTHERS. YEAH, I GOT IT. UM, FIRST OFF, CRYSTAL, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE. UH, AND MAYOR, ALSO, I WANNA RECOGNIZE YOU, I ADVOCATED PRETTY STRONGLY ON THE CREATION OF THIS POSITION, UH, AS CHAIR PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE OPPORTUNITY THAT, THAT, UM, PREVENTED IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING THE CITY WAS GRAPPLING WITH IN THE COMM WITH THE COMMUNITY. UM, SO CRYSTAL, YOU JUST CAME IN, UM, TOOK THE BULL BY THE HORNS AND HAVE REALLY BEEN A TRUE PARTNER. UH, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR REALLY STEPPING INTO LEAD IN CREATING THIS POSITION TO BEGIN WITH. AND, UH, CHRISTINA, WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD. UH, IT'S A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY, UH, WORKING WITH NOT ONLY THE DEPARTMENTS AND THE MAYOR AND OUR OFFICES, BUT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND GIVING THEM A BRIDGE AND A VOICE, UH, WHEN SOMETIMES THEY FEEL LIKE THEY MAY NOT HAVE ONE. SO, VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP. AND CRYSTAL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCILMAN THOMAS. THANK YOU, UH, CRYSTAL, WE MADE HISTORY TOGETHER, , UM, UH, I, I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE THE LAST FOUR YEARS, SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED IN THIS HORSESHOE AND IN THE CITY. UM, POLICE REFORMS, GEORGE FLOYD, UM, AND YOU WERE, UM, WITH [02:25:01] US TO SHEPHERD US TO ONE SAFE HOUSTON, UM, A GUN BUY BACK PROGRAM. UH, UH, THE ONE IN ALE, UH, WAS HISTORY. WE LED THE NATION IN IN, IN THE GUN BUY BACK 1,208, UM, RIGHT THERE IN SOUTHWEST ALEY, TEXAS. AND SO I, I WANT TO APPRECIATE YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THAT. UM, THE DASHBOARDS, UH, REALLY, UM, BEING WILLING TO THINK OF LIKE INNOVATIVE, UH, WAYS IN ORDER TO REACH. AND THEN ALSO WITH YOUR LEGAL PROFESSION, COUPLING THAT TOGETHER. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION. I WISH YOU MUCH SUCCESS. UM, THANK YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU. BACK TO THE CITY. AND I ONLY HAVE ONE QUESTION. WHAT HIGH SCHOOL DID YOU GO TO? I WENT TO ELSAC. ALRIGHT, SO WHO WENT IT? ALL VOTE. IT'S GREAT. IT'S PROUD. WONDERFUL. SO WE ALREADY KNOW THAT SHE'S A SOLID PLAYER ON THE TEAM. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MUCH. ALRIGHT. UH, I TELL YOU WHAT, UM, COURSE YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING FIRST AND THEN I, YEAH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. IT WAS AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME. I DON'T KNOW, WHEREVER I GO, I DON'T THINK IT'LL EVER BE WHAT THIS WAS TO ME AT THIS TIME. I TALKED ABOUT IT WHEN I TOOK THIS POSITION. MY BOYS MEAN THE WORLD TO ME. AND THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE FOR MY TWO BLACK BOYS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE AS THEY GET OLDER. AND SO I AM JUST FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU AROUND THE HORSESHOE. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AGAIN LATER. YOU KNOW, MAYBE IN THE FUTURE OR SOMETHING, BUT FOR SURE, SEEING ALL THE PROGRESS THAT CHRISTINA WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE IN THIS POSITION. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHRISTINA. WELL, FIRST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ME. I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UM, THIS OPPORTUNITY. I KNOW I HAVE VERY BIG SHOES TO FILL, BUT SHE'S ONLY A PHONE CALL AWAY. SHE'S NOT GONNA ESCAPE ME SO EASILY. I'VE ALREADY TOLD HER THAT. UM, IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK HOME. IF YOU'RE FROM A LEAF, YOU'RE ALWAYS FROM A LEAF. SO, UM, IT IS VERY EXCITING TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND, AND KNOW THAT I'M GONNA BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. AND I REALLY, THAT'S MY GOAL HERE, IS JUST TO CONTINUE THE GROUNDBREAKING WORK THAT CRYSTAL'S DONE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING EACH ONE OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND WORKING WITH YOU, UM, IN THE FUTURE. SO THANK YOU AGAIN, MAYOR, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS. I FEEL REAL GOOD ABOUT THAT. UM, SO THANK YOU ALL. THANKS FOR SERVICE. THANKS FOR WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO, AND, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO STAYING IN TOUCH. OKAY. THANK Y'ALL. GIVE IT UP TO BOTH OF THEM. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UH, WHERE DID THE CHURCH SECRETARY GO? . ALL, ALL RIGHT. SO WE'RE BACK WITH, BACK THEN WITH WATER MAIN LEAGUES OR WHATEVER. SO, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN POLL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I THINK THE, UH, THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SHARED IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE VALUABLE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PUT OUT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS. THEY NEED TO, UH, BE AWARE OF THE AMOUNT OF WATER, MAIN LEAKS THAT WE HAVE, WHAT WE'VE RESTORED, HOW MUCH MONEY IT HAS COST US, AND KIND OF THE STRATEGY THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAS, UH, TAKEN WITH THE 12 OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS AS WELL. UM, I, WE, I THINK BEING ABLE TO, UH, CONVEY THE BIG PICTURE OF HOW VAST THIS ISSUE IS AND WHAT THE CITY IS DOING TO ADDRESS IT, UH, WILL AT LEAST GIVE PEOPLE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW REGARDING THESE WATER MAIN LEADS. 'CAUSE ALL OF US ARE GETTING THESE CALLS ALL DAY, EVERY DAY AND JUST DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, BEING ABLE TO SEE THEM, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PUT OUT A GOOD PICTURE. SO A GOOD MEMO WITH THOSE NUMBERS THAT YOU, UH, THAT YOU PUT OUT, UH, WOULD BE GREAT FOR US TO SHARE. WE'LL PROVIDE A DETAILED LISTING OF THE NUMBERS SINCE JUNE OF THE WATER LEAKS THAT, UH, BEEN REPAIRED, UH, THE, UM, UH, THE RESPONSES THAT MADE TO 3 1 1, THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTORS, THE AMOUNT THAT IT HAS CAUSED. YEAH, ALL THAT WE'LL PROVIDE, WE'LL PROVIDE ALL OF THAT DATA. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS. THANK YOU, MAYOR AGAIN. IN REGARDS TO THE, THE WATER MAIN LEAKS THAT WE'RE HAVING IS PRIORITY BEING GIVEN TO THE, UH, FIRE HYDRANTS. I MEAN, I KNOW THAT, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN CALLS FROM RESIDENTS WHERE EITHER THE FIRE HYDRANT IS LEAKING OR THERE'S A LEAK NEAR THE FIRE HYDRANT, AND GOD FORBID THERE'S A FIRE AND THERE'S NO WATER TO BE USED. UH, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I I I'M JUST CONCERNED. LET ME, LET ME FIND, WANT HER TO COME OUT. WHY OUT? WHY DON'T WE, WHY DON'T WE DO THIS? UM, JUST LIKE WE HAVE THESE FREQUENT, THESE PERIODIC REPORTS FROM, FROM POLICE, UH, NER LEMME JUST ASK, UH, CAROL AND, AND RANDY, THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO COME OUT. THANK YOU. OKAY. BECAUSE THE REALITY IS, IS KNOW, UH, THANK GOODNESS, [02:30:01] THANK GOD WE HAVE NOT HAD A HURRICANE OR ANY MAJOR TROPICAL STORM, BUT FOR THE CITY. BUT FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IT'S BEEN EXTREME HOT WEATHER IN THE DROUGHT. THAT'S BEEN OUR DILEMMA FOR THIS SUMMER. HADN'T BEEN A HURRICANE, HADN'T BEEN A TROPICAL STORM, A SYSTEM THAT EMERGED. BUT FOR US THIS SUMMER, UH, IT'S JUST BEEN HOT WEATHER. AND, UH, AND, AND, AND I JUST WANT THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY TO KNOW. AND I KNOW IT'S FRUSTRATING WHEN PEOPLE, WHEN THEY SEE, UH, WATER, YOU KNOW, FLOWING DOWN THE STREET, AND THEY, AND THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN'T WATER THEIR LUNGS WHEN THEY WANT TO WATER. I, I GOT IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT THAT NOBODY IS AT HOME AND NOBODY IS WORKING. AND WE, AND, AND I SAID TO, TO, UH, TO CAROL AND TO RANDY. WE'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT HOW MANY WATER LEAKS THERE HAVE BEEN OR OUTSTANDING, BUT WE NEVER TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT THE EMPLOYEES AND THE CONTRACTORS ARE DOING. AND SOMETIMES IT HAS TO BE THE HIGH. SO WHY DON'T, LET ME JUST BACK UP. LEMME JUST BACK UP. AND SO, UH, DIRECTOR HANOCK, WHY DON'T YOU MAYBE GIVE US SOME, SOME CONTACTS IN TERMS OF HOW MANY ONE LEAKS OUR OWN TEAM, SEPARATE AND APART FROM THE CONTRACTORS, WHAT OUR OWN EMPLOYEES ARE DOING, AND THEN THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTORS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE THAT ARE WORKING TO FIX THESE WATER LEAKS. UH, ABSOLUTELY. SO THANK YOU MAYOR FOR, FOR ALLOWING US TO COME OUT FOR JUST A MINUTE. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO JUST START OFF WITH IS OUR TEAM IS STAFFED, UM, TO HANDLE UP TO BETWEEN 102 HUNDRED WATER LEAKS A A WEEK. THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE STAFFED TO HANDLE. UM, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE STAFFED THROUGH THE YEARS TO HANDLE BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR US TO HAVE A HUNDRED TO 150 ACTIVE LEAKS IN A NORMAL YEAR, UM, AT ANY GIVEN TIME. AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE STAFFED FOR. OUR TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AROUND THE CLOCK IN DIFFERENT SHIFTS. I MEAN, WE HAVE PEOPLE ON 24 HOURS A DAY, UH, IN, IN THE, IN THE TEAM THAT'S, THAT'S RESPONDING TO THE WATER LEAKS. AND, UH, BY THE END OF MAY, WE HAD ACTUALLY GOTTEN THE NUMBER DOWN TO A HUNDRED ACTIVE WATER LEAKS. AND SO IT WOULD BE MUCH WORSE IF WE HAD NOT HAD THAT CONCERTED PUSH, UM, TO, TO GET US BACK INTO A NORMAL STATUS BEFORE THIS MICRO DROUGHT TOOK OFF AGAIN. UM, WHICH IS, WHICH IS NOT WHAT ANYBODY WANTS TO HEAR, BUT IT IS. BUT IT IS HOW WE GOT OURSELVES PREPARED FOR THIS. UH, AND SO THEY ARE, THEY ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK. UH, WE ARE, WE ARE AVERAGING OUR CREWS THAT, THAT ARE STAFFED FOR BETWEEN 100 AND 200, UH, WITH OVERTIME ARE, ARE ROUTINELY FIXING MORE THAN 200 WATER LEAKS A LEAK A WEEK. UM, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THAT'S THE EXTRA OVERTIME, THE EXTRA EFFORT, THE PASSION. THESE ARE OUR PEOPLE, THESE ARE OUR PEOPLE, OUR EMPLOYEES, THESE ARE OUR EMPLOYEES. THE CONTRACTORS THAT WE BROUGHT IN, UM, HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN THE MORE COMPLEX, THE BIGGER PIPES. UH, THEY'VE BEEN THE ONES THAT, THAT, UH, MAY BE A, AN EMERGENCY STATUS 'CAUSE IT'S SERVING A HOSPITAL, A DIALYSIS CENTER, A NURSING HOME. AND SO THEY HAD BEEN AVERAGING AROUND A HUNDRED A WEEK AND THEY ARE, WE ARE PUSHING THAT NUMBER UP NOW. UH, THEY'RE GETTING CLOSE TO 200. AND OUR GOAL IS TO GET THEM UP TO THREE TO 400 A WEEK UNTIL WE GET OUT OF THIS BACKLOG. UH, AND THAT'S WHY WE WENT FROM FOUR CONTRACTORS TO EIGHT TO 10 AND NOW, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO BRING TWO MORE ON, UH, TO, TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THOSE, THOSE NUMBERS HAPPEN. THIS IS, AND, AND, AND, AND I WILL, I WILL ECHO WHAT THE MAYOR SAID. UM, I, I HEAR, AND I FEEL YOUR FRUSTRATION, UM, THAT, THAT THERE IS WATER RUNNING DOWN THE STREET WHEN WE ARE TELLING YOU NOT TO WATER YOUR YARDS. IT IS, IT IS A REAL SITUATION. OUR SYSTEM IS UNDER STRESS. IT IS UNDER SIGNIFICANT STRESS. AND WE NEED THE, THE PRESSURES TO BE THERE FOR FIREFIGHTING. WE NEED THE PRESSURES TO BE THERE FOR THE NURSING HOMES AND THE DIALYSIS CENTERS AND THE SCHOOLS AND, AND, AND ALL THOSE THINGS. AND SO WE'RE ASKING FOR THE PUBLIC TO DO YOUR PART AS WELL, UH, BY HELPING US REDUCE THAT USE, UH, WITH, WITH THE OUTDOOR WATERING. UH, AND, AND WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT ASK. RANDY, DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBERS? I, I KNOW I'VE GIVEN OUT THE NUMBERS ABOUT, UH, YEAH, MAYOR, SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE CONSISTENTLY ABOVE MORE THAN 500 LEAKS A WEEK RIGHT NOW ACTIVE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS AS WE GO ALONG. AS YOU MENTIONED BEFORE, SINCE JUNE, WE'VE, WE'VE COMPLETED OVER 3000 REPAIRS OF THOSE 3000 REPAIRS. BY THE WAY, 2000 OF THOSE WERE DONE BY OUR CITY CREWS. AND SO ONE OF THE BIG PUSHES FOR US TO BRING IN ALL THESE EXTRA CONTRACTORS IS SO FRANKLY WE COULD FLIP THAT SIDE OF IT. ONE, SO THAT WE COULD HONESTLY GIVE OUR OWN PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK WORKING 24 7 AROUND THE CLOCK IN THESE CONDITIONS, RIGHT? THIS HAS BEEN, I MEAN, THE MOST BRUTAL SUMMER THAT I CAN REMEMBER. AND SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO BRING [02:35:01] A LOT OF THAT EX UH, THAT OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE TO COME IN. BUT THE OTHER THING IS, I'D ALSO HIGHLIGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE COMPLETED OVER 3000 REPAIRS, BUT WE'VE ACTUALLY ADDRESSED MORE THAN 4,000 WORK ORDERS THEMSELVES BECAUSE ALMOST A THOUSAND CALLS SINCE JUNE 1ST HAVE BEEN FROM PEOPLE CONCERNED ABOUT A LEAK WHERE EITHER IT WAS A LEAK ON PRIVATE PROPERTY OR IT WASN'T ACTUALLY A LEAK AT ALL. IT WAS SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. WE STILL HAVE TO EXPEND THE RESOURCES AND THE PERSONNEL TO GO OUT THERE AND INVESTIGATE AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE RESOURCES ARE ALLOCATED THE WAY THEY NEED TO BE. AND SO WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY DILIGENTLY, BUT THIS IS OUR PUSH RIGHT NOW. WE ARE ASKING THESE CONTRACTORS TO COME IN AND KIND OF SHIFT THE LOAD A LITTLE BIT SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THE QUICKER, THE EASIER THINGS WE CAN DEAL WITH THE COMPLEX ITEMS AND, AND WE NEED THE ASSISTANCE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD ECHO MAYOR, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING, PLEASE REPORT IT. DON'T ASSUME THAT SOMEBODY ELSE HAS ALREADY REPORTED IT. WE'RE NOT AFRAID FOR YOU TO SEND IN MULTIPLE REQUESTS FOR THE SAME LEAK. BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY THIS, THAT IF YOU SEE SOMETHING GET WORSE, PLEASE CALL AGAIN BECAUSE WE DO HAVE PRIORITIZATION ON THIS. COUNCILMAN GALLEGOS, YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE FIRE HYDRANTS, THAT'S ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES AS THE DIRECTOR MENTIONED. ANY, ANYTIME THAT A HOSPITAL OR A SCHOOL OR A DIALYSIS CENTER IS GONNA BE INVOLVED, THAT'S GONNA BE A PRIORITY. CERTAINLY IF SOMETHING IS GUSHING WATER, THAT'S GONNA BE A PRIORITY FOR US. AND WHEN OUR CREWS SHOW UP TO DO THAT WORK, THEY DON'T LEAVE UNTIL IT'S DONE, UNLESS WE DETERMINE THAT THERE IS A HIGHER PRIORITY SOMEWHERE NEARBY AND ADD TO THAT. OR WE WORK WITH THE ADJACENT SCHOOL DIALYSIS CENTER AND, AND ARRANGE A TIME FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CUT THE WATER THAT WILL NOT IMPACT THEIR OPERATIONS. IF THEY HAVE SOMEBODY, UM, IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING, WE CANNOT CUT THE WATER OFF AT EXACTLY THAT MOMENT. AND SO SOMETIMES WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM, UH, TO, TO ARRANGE A TIME TO COME BACK TO DO THAT REPAIR. AND I SAID, RANDY, UH, AS A CHIEF OF STAFF, I MEANT THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER. SO LEMME CORRECT THAT. ALRIGHT, LET GO TO THE QUEUE. COUNCILMAN MGO. I WAS WITH YOU. WELL, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT IN REGARDS TO FIRE HYDRANTS. 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT, THAT WE'VE HAD RESIDENTS THAT CALL IN AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY REPORTED, UH, A LEAK EITHER AT THE FIRE HYDRANT OR NEAR THE FIRE HYDRANT AND, YOU KNOW, IT HAD BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. BUT I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S JUST SO MANY OUT THERE THAT THEY, THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON. SO FIRST OF ALL, LEMME START OFF BY THANKING PUBLIC WORKS AND ALL THE EMPLOYEES FOR, FOR BEING OUT THERE. I MEAN, Y'ALL ARE OUT THERE ON THE WEEKENDS. Y'ALL ARE OUT THERE DURING THE HOLIDAYS. UH, Y'ALL ARE, ARE, YOU KNOW, TAKE OF COURSE, TAKING THIS VERY SERIOUSLY AND TRYING TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. GLAD THAT WE DO HAVE CONTRACTORS. UH, BUT AGAIN, DUE TO THE WEATHER, I MEAN, IT'S JUST BA BASICALLY, UH, SHIFTING THE SOIL LIKE Y'ALL HAVE BEEN STATING AND BREAKING OUR PIPES. I KNOW THAT DISTRICT DIE, WE HAVE 35 MILES OF OLD INFRASTRUCTURE PIPES. UH, SO THEREFORE WE, WE WE'RE THE OLDEST DISTRICT. UH, AND THAT'S THE OTHER REASON I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT ITEM 15, MAYOR. UH, BUT, UH, YEAH. UH, SO WE, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONCERNED, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CAMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, RANDY AND DIRECTOR HADDOCK. THANK YOU BOTH. AND PLEASE EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION TO THE CREWS. UM, WE, WE REALLY MEAN THAT ONE. UH, IS THERE A WAY TO QUANTIFY THE COST OF ALL OF THIS? SO ONE, WE HAVE THE ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS, BUT JUST THE LOSS OF WATER ALONE IS A COST. THE COST OF REPLACEMENT PIPES IS A COST. THERE'S ALL OF THIS THAT I'M ASSUMING IS HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT GOES DIRECTLY BACK TO THE COST OF DROUGHT AND EXTREME WEATHER. UM, IS THERE A WAY TO QUANTIFY THAT? THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION. SO WE CAN CERTAINLY QUANTIFY THE DIRECT COST OF PERSONNEL STAFF, UH, MATERIALS. UH, THE, THE, THE, THE VALUE OF THE WATER, UH, IS REALLY THE, THE, THE COST THAT WE SPEND TO TREAT THE WATER AND DISTRIBUTE IT. AND SO THERE, THERE IS A, AN INCREMENT THAT WE COULD ATTRIBUTE BACK TO THE VALUE OF THE LOST WATER. IT IS NOT NECESSARILY DIRECTLY THE SAME AS A PER GALLON COST. UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, SINCE THERE IS A STATEWIDE DISASTER DECLARATION FOR DROUGHT, IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE WILL LOOK AT AND SEE IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO SUBMIT. UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, RIGHT NOW WE'RE FOCUSED, UM, ON THE GETTING THE, THE FIXES IN PLACE, BUT, BUT WE'RE ALSO DOING ALL THE DOCUMENTATION THAT MIGHT BE NECESSARY SHOULD WE BE ABLE TO SUBMIT FOR ANY SORT OF REIMBURSEMENT. ABSOLUTELY. AND AGAIN, MAYOR, I'VE ADVOCATED NOW FOR TWO SESSIONS FOR A STATEWIDE JUST A STUDY ON THE FUTURE COSTS AND IMPACTS OF DROUGHT AND WILDFIRE FOR CITIES. AND SO AGAIN, THIS ALL GOES BACK TO WE ARE GOING TO SEE MORE OF THIS. THERE'S A COST AFFILIATED AND DO WE HAVE THE RESOURCES? UM, IT, HOW DO WE COMPARE TO LAST YEAR? I KNOW WE HAD A WAVE OF PIPE BREAKS. ARE WE AS BAD? ARE WE SEEING MORE? WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT? OH, WE'RE ACTUALLY STILL LESS. UM, WE'RE STILL LOWER THAN WE WERE IN AUGUST, SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR. UM, [02:40:01] BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, UH, THE PERCEPTION IS THAT IT'S WORSE THIS YEAR. AND PART OF THE REASON THE PERCEPTION IT'S WORSE IS LAST YEAR WE WERE STILL GETTING RAIN. AND SO PEOPLE WERE NOT HAVING THE IMPACT TO THEIR YARDS AND THEIR, THEIR, THEIR LANDSCAPING THAT, THAT YOU'RE SEEING. UM, THE, THE, I THINK I HEARD THE, THE MEDIA REFER TO IT AS KIND OF A MICRO DROUGHT THAT WE WENT FROM ABNORMALLY DRY TO MODERATE TO EXCEPTIONAL IN SIX WEEKS. UM, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT LAST YEAR. AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING, UM, IT'S A COMBINATION OF THE TWO THINGS, BUT OUR NUMBERS ARE STILL LOWER THAN WE WERE LAST YEAR. AND IF, AND IF I CAN ADD ONTO THAT, PART OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THE REALITY IS THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF THE SUMMER, JUNE, JULY, WE WERE DOING REALLY RATHER WELL IN TERMS OF WATER LEAKS. WE WERE SEEING KIND OF NORMAL CONSISTENT NUMBERS. IT WAS REALLY JUST THESE LAST THREE TO FOUR WEEKS IN THIS MICRO DROUGHT KIND OF CLIMATE WHERE THE EARTH KIND OF JUST GAVE UP ON US. AND, AND, AND I THINK WE'VE SEEN THAT AS YOU WALK JUST DOWN THE STREET AND YOU LOOK DOWN AND YOU SEE THAT THE SOIL HAS SPLIT, RIGHT. DONE. AND YOU JUST THINK ABOUT THAT ANYTIME THE GROUND IS GONNA SHIFT, ANYTHING INSIDE OF IT'S GONNA SHIFT WITH IT. AND SO THAT'S KIND OF BEEN THAT THE PROBLEM THAT WE'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH IS WE WERE DOING OKAY AND IT JUST, IT JUST GOT TOO MUCH. GOT IT. AND, UM, YOU SAID OLD PIPES ARE BREAKING AND MAY OR NEW PIPES ARE BREAKING. I KNOW THAT THERE WAS AN ARTICLE THAT POINTED OUT DISTRICT CINH HAVE THE OLDEST PIPES IN THE CITY, UM, AS WE'RE REPLACING THEM. AND BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT EVEN NEWER PIPES WE'RE SEEING THIS BREAK, DO WE HAVE ANY TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE NOW OR NEW TYPES OF MATERIALS THAT ARE GOING TO BE MORE RESISTANT, UM, TO THE SOIL SHIFTING IN THAT? SO, SO FIRST OFF, I REALLY DO WANNA JUMP IN AND SAY THE, THE ARTICLE IDENTIFIED THAT 1%, 1% CITYWIDE OF THE PIPES WERE EITHER DIDN'T HAVE DATA OR SHOWED BEYOND THEIR SERVICE LIFE. THAT, THAT IS, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THAT IS AN ASTOUNDINGLY GOOD NEWS STORY. YEAH. THAT MEANS THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, CITYWIDE EXCEPT FOR, FOR THESE SMALL AREAS IN, IN RELATIVELY GOOD SHAPE. AND I THINK THAT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THESE LEAKS, EXACTLY WHAT YOU DESCRIBED, UM, IT IS THE, THE, THE CLOSER TO THE SURFACE, THE MORE THIS SOIL SHIFTS, THE DEEPER DOWN THAT YOU GET, THE LESS THAT YOU SEE THIS HAPPEN. AND SO, UM, SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD PIPES ARE TYPICALLY WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THIS. WE'RE NOT SEEING THIS IN THOSE LARGER, DEEPER TRANSMISSION LINES THAT ARE GOING FURTHER DISTANCES. WHERE YOU'RE SEEING IT IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. AND IF YOU LOOK BACK TO HOW OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WERE BUILT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FORTIES, FIFTIES, SIXTIES, THE SEWER LINES WERE SHALLOW, THE WATER LINES WERE SHALLOW. UH, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT WE PUT IN, UH, WAS THE LEAST COST THAT WE COULD PUT IN TO SUPPORT THAT DEVELOPMENT. AND I SAY WE, THE COLLECTIVE WE, IT WAS, IT WAS, UH, THE DEVELOPERS AND THE CITY AT THE TIME. AND SO TODAY WE ARE PUTTING IN PIPES THAT ARE DEEPER, UM, SIMILAR TO HOW YOU HAVE UP NORTH, WHERE THEY HAVE A CERTAIN DEPTH OF PERMAFROST. WE HAVE A, A CERTAIN DEPTH THAT THIS, THIS DROUGHT IN, IN SHIFTING SOIL IMPACTS US MORE. UM, PVC IS A BETTER MATERIAL FOR ABSORBING A LITTLE BIT OF FLEX, BUT EVEN IT GETS BEYOND ITS ABILITY TO WITHSTAND IT ONCE IT GETS BEYOND THAT. UM, I RECENTLY PARTICIPATED IN THE KICKOFF OF A NEW, UM, UM, I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT TERM. I SHOULD, I, I SHOULD REMEMBER IT, BUT BASICALLY A NEW RESEARCH GROUP AT RICE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY ASKED ME WAS, SHOULD WE BE LOOKING AT NEW, MORE FLEXIBLE MATERIALS FOR PIPES? AND MY RESPONSE WAS, WITHOUT EVEN BREATHING. YES. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, SO WE, WE WELCOME THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. BUT TODAY ON THE MARKET, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE. WE'RE USING THE BEST PRACTICES. WE'RE USING THE BEST PRACTICES. AND LASTLY, AND I, I KNOW I'VE TAKEN A LOT OF TIME, UM, MAYOR ON AGENDA TODAY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN ITEM ABOUT, UH, THAT'S A NEW SOFTWARE FIRST ON THE MARKET RELATED TO, UM, WATER USAGE AND LIVE UPDATES AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR I BELIEVE UTILITIES. I KNOW WE HAVE THINGS I BELIEVE ARE BACKORDER AS IT RELATES TO INDIVIDUAL WATER METERS, UM, FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY USERS. WHERE DO, CAN WE GET AN UPDATE IF IT'S NOT TODAY ON WHERE THAT STANDS? BECAUSE RANDY, AS YOU MENTIONED, WE HAVE A LOT OF LEAKS ON THE PRIVATE SIDE AND RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW NECESSARILY, UH, RIGHT AWAY. SO I'D, I'D LOVE TO GET AN UPDATE ON THAT. 'CAUSE IT'S A COST TO THE CITY, IT'S A COST TO THE RESIDENTS. UH, EVERYONE'S KIND OF, UH, SO THAT IS ON OUR LIST WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON, UM, TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE AUTOMATED METER READING, UM, SYSTEM, THE DEPLOYMENT AND WHERE WE ARE. AND SO, UH, WE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK IF, IF THE AGENDA'S TWO FULL, WE'LL, WE'LL TALK TO NEIGHBORHOOD'S QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT, OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UM, THANK YOU DIRECTOR HADDOCK AND, UM, RANDY FOR EXPLAINING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE SITUATION OUT THERE. I KNOW LAST WEEK WE HAD A MAJOR, UM, LEAK IN PLEASANTVILLE WHERE [02:45:01] THE RESIDENTS WAS REACHING OUT, UM, WITHOUT WATER. AND I KNOW THE CREWS, THEY, THEY WORKED THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT TO REPAIR THE PIPES AND THEN EVENTUALLY THEY BUSED AGAIN. AND SO, UM, BUT JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSIVENESS. I KNOW I TEXT YOU WHILE YOU WERE AT YOUR ANNIVERSARY PARTY ANNIVERSARY PARTY, AND YOU RESPONDED, BUT THANK YOU. UM, AND IT'S GOOD TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHY THESE PIPES ARE BUSTING AND SO THAT WE CAN EXPLAIN IT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND THEY CAN BE, YOU KNOW, JUST PREPARED, UM, AND, AND, AND UNDERSTAND IF WE RUN INTO THOSE TYPE OF SITUATIONS AGAIN. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, SO GUYS, REMEMBER YOU BROUGHT UP SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW AS WELL. UM, ON, ON THE, THE NEWER PIPES, THE PVC, WHENEVER WE RUN INTO THIS AND WE PATCH IT, TYPICALLY WE PATCH IT AND WE MOVE ON, ON SOME OF THESE OLDER PIPES WHERE WE HAVE THE DUCTILE IRON OR THE CAST IRON, UH, WE'LL PATCH IT, AND THEN YOU MAY ACTUALLY SEE WITHIN A WEEK OR 2 25 FEET DOWN A NEW BREAK BECAUSE PART OF, OF DEPRESSURIZING IT, PUTTING THE COUPLING ON IT AND BRINGING IT BACK UNDER PRESSURE ACTUALLY EXPOSES ANOTHER WEAK SPOT IN THE PIPE. UH, AND SO, SO WE ARE SEEING THAT. AND SO, UM, PLEASE CALL US BACK IF, IF YOU, IF YOU DO SEE THATAM. THANK YOU MAYOR, UH, DIRECTOR HADDOCK. AND RANDY, I WANTED TO THANK YOU, UH, LAST WEEK, MAYOR, YOU MAY REMEMBER I CALLED YOU AT 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT. I REMEMBER, UM, BECAUSE THERE WAS SUCH A BIG BREAK AT WEST BELFORT AND CHIMNEY ROCK, AND THE ISSUE WAS, UM, 500 TO A THOUSAND HOMES WERE WITHOUT WATER. THEY HAD TO DRAIN THE WATER ALL AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SO NOBODY HAD WATER. THE RESIDENTS WERE GOING OUT TO THE SITE, TALKING TO THE EMPLOYEES. SOME WERE NICE, SOME WERE NOT SO NICE. AND THEN I GOT A CALL, I DROVE BACK AROUND THERE, AND I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE HOW SOME RESIDENTS WERE TALKING TO THE EMPLOYEES. AND SO I HAD TO STEP IN AND SAY, YOU KNOW, GO, GO HOME. AND THEY ARE WORKING, BECAUSE WHAT THEY SAW WAS THE EMPLOYEE STANDING THERE WAITING FOR THE WATER TO DR TO DRAIN, BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT GO IN THAT GIGANTIC HOLE UNTIL THE WATER WENT DOWN. AND THEN WHAT WE SAW WHEN THE WATER FINALLY WENT DOWN WAS HOW THE SOIL FELL INTO THAT HOLE. SO HAD THEY GONE DOWN INTO THAT HOLE WITH THAT WATER IN IT, ALL, THAT SOIL WOULD'VE FALLEN ON THOSE PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES. UM, SO I WANTED TO PUBLICLY THANK YOUR TEAM BECAUSE THEY WERE SO PROFESSIONAL, UM, AND HANDLED EVERY, UM, RESIDENT THAT CAME AND ASKED QUESTIONS WITH, UM, GRACE, UH, AND PATIENTS, MORE PATIENTS THAN I HAD. UH, BUT THEY, THEY DID SUCH A, A STELLAR JOB, AND THEY STAYED OUT THERE UNTIL IT WAS FIXED. AND THEY SENT UPDATES, UH, WHEN IT WAS FIXED AND HOW LONG IT WAS GOING TO BE FIXED. AND, UM, THEY, THEY, THEY DID A REMARKABLE JOB. AND THEIR STAMINA, UH, IS, IS INCREDIBLE. SO I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THEY ARE WORKING 24 HOURS BECAUSE THEY WERE THERE IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING. UM, I WENT HOME AND WENT TO SLEEP, AND I, I DIDN'T, I WOULDN'T HAVE HEARD A, A CALL IF THEY WOULD'VE CALLED ONCE I WENT TO SLEEP. BUT WHEN I WOKE UP THAT MORNING, I SAW LOTS OF MESSAGES SAYING, WE HAVE WATER. WE HAVE WATER AROUND FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, 3:46 AM THREE 6:00 AM. SO, UH, KUDOS TO THAT ENTIRE TEAM AND ALL THE GREAT WORK THEY'RE DOING, MAYOR FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE LATE NIGHT CALLS AND, AND YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE RESIDENTS ARE FRUSTRATED. THE KIDS GOTTA GET A BATH SO THEY CAN GET UP AND GO TO SCHOOL IN THE MORNING. SO I REALLY JUST WANNA ENCOURAGE THE RESIDENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, TO BE NICE AND LET THEM GET THE WORK DONE, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN EX EXPEDITIOUSLY, UM, GET US ALL BACK IN WATER. SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING OUT THERE ON THE GROUND, AND PLEASE SEND OUR, OUR REGARDS TO THE CREWS BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY ARE DOING THE REAL HEAVY LIFTING, UM, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THEM STAYING SAFE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PAK. THANK YOU. SAFETY IS HUGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR LIVE STREAMING. THAT ONE, THAT WAS ACTUALLY FUN FOR OUR TEAM TO SEE. COUNCILMAN PAK. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE. UM, ONE FRUSTRATION THAT WE'RE HAVING IN DISTRICT A THAT IN ADDITION TO SEEING THE WATER SPILLING OUT ON THE STREET, IS THAT WE'VE HAD TO ADD THE WELL WATER. UM, AND SO PEOPLE, EVEN LAST NIGHT AT CIVIC CLUB MEETING PEOPLE WERE SAYING, WELL, IF YOU JUST FIX THE PIPES, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THIS. WELL WATER. I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT, BUT, UM, THE FRUSTRATION IS THE WELLS SPECIFICALLY IN SPRING BRANCH, IT'S CAUSING THE ODOR ISSUES, THE DISCOLORATION ISSUES. WE LOOKED AT THE 3 1 1 NUMBERS AND THREE FOURTHS OF ALL THE WATER QUALITY CALLS ARE COMING FROM DISTRICT A RIGHT NOW. SO, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN'T PREDICT WHEN THE DROUGHT IS GOING TO END, BUT DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON MAYBE WHEN WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH BACK FROM THE WELL WATER? SO, UH, WE CAN, WE CAN [02:50:02] PROBABLY GET TO YOU DIRECTLY AND TALK ABOUT THAT. UM, IT IS, UM, NOT IN THE FORESEEABLE DAYS, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO ESTIMATE WEEKS OR MONTHS. UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, GETTING SOME RAIN, GETTING SOME RELIEF IN TEMPERATURES, I MEAN, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE EVEN JUST FIVE DEGREES RELIEF IN TEMPERATURES FEELS LIKE A, I, I DON'T KNOW. IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE HEADING INTO FALL EVEN THOUGH IT'S STILL 97 IF YOU GET, IF YOU GET DIRECTLY WITH COUNCILMAN P. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN ROBINSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, UH, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND, UM, THINKING MAYOR, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CONTEXT OF ALL THIS, AND OBVIOUSLY THIS WEEK CELEBRATING NINE 11 MAYOR, THINKING ABOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP HERE, THE SEVEN FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTERS, AND EARLIER THIS SUMMER WE WERE THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE HEAT DOESN'T GET COUNTED AS ONE OF THAT SOCIAL UNREST. DOESN'T GET COUNTED LIKE THAT WITH OUR DISCUSSION THIS MORNING ABOUT THE GREAT WORK FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT THAT. AND APPARENTLY, YOU KNOW, THIS, AS YOU POINT OUT, IS NOT UNIQUE TO TEXAS CITIES, UH, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO ELSEWHERE. WE, WE DEAL WITH THESE THINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS. I, I FIND IT, YOU KNOW, FASCINATING IN OUR STUDY AND PURSUIT OF THINGS RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE. AND, UH, DIRECTOR TO YOUR POINT, I MEAN, WE JUST EARLIER THIS SPRING IN MARCH HAD A TTI COMMITTEE, UM, AGENDA ITEM THAT WAS METER READING AND WATER BILLS. AND THAT WAS BEFORE REALLY THE DROUGHT HAD ANY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. BUT THERE WAS A SLIDE FEATURED IN THAT PRESENTATION THAT WAS LOOKING AT THE, THE THIRD COST OF A HIGH METER READING AND IT WAS LEAKS, UM, THAT WAS THIRD AFTER A LEAKY TOILET AND WATERING THE GARDEN. SO HERE WE ARE TRYING TO MANAGE A DROUGHT. WE'RE TRYING TO MANAGE, UH, THE SIFTING, SHIFTING EARTH AND ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT ARISE FROM IT. UM, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER CAME AND ASKS A REALLY GOOD POINT ABOUT THE DOLLARS AND CENTS IMPACT THAT'S FROM THE PHYSICAL COST OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS, BUT IT'S ALSO PERSONNEL. AND WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT RELATED TO THE TEAM. UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT TYPICALLY, AND AGAIN, GIVE ME A TYPICAL YEAR, UH, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT, BUT WHEN IT'S 150 LEAKS PER, DID YOU SAY MONTH, WELL, THAT ARE JUST ACTIVE AT ANY GIVEN TIME, AT ACTIVE, AT ANY GIVEN TIME, AND YOUR CREW WORKING ON THAT WITHOUT ANY ADDED CONTRACTORS OR ANYTHING ELSE? HOW BIG IS THAT TEAM? HOW MANY PERSONNEL? YOU KNOW, FTES, YOU GOT AN ESTIMATE FOR ME, A COUPLE HUNDRED ALTOGETHER. COUPLE HUNDRED. BUT THAT'S GONNA INCLUDE EVERYONE FROM THE FOLKS OUT IN THE FIELD THEMSELVES TO CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION, TO INVESTIGATORS, TO EVERY, EVERYTHING. SO RELATIVELY HONESTLY, SMALL, IT'S GOOD. IT'S ALMOST A ONE-TO-ONE, BUT HERE WE ARE WITH THE CURRENT CRISIS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AS THE DIRECTOR'S POINTING OUT, THIS IS AMONG THOSE THINGS THAT NOT ONLY DO WE NEED GOOD INFORMATION FOR THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT WE NEED TO STAY ON TOP OF IT. AND MAYOR, WE HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF BRINGING SOME MEASURE OF THE IMPACT OF THE CURRENT CRISIS. AND FOR THE RECORD, I WOULD ADD THIS TO YOUR LIST AND I WILL TOO. YEAH. UM, CRISES IN THIS, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO. AGAIN, FOR ALL THE PERSONNEL AND PUBLIC WORKS, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. HOPEFULLY WE'VE GOT A LITTLE RAIN ON THE FORECAST, A LITTLE RELIEF IN SIGHT, AND, UH, GOD WILLING WILL PREVAIL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, TWO MORE SPEAKERS. UH, COUNCILMAN THOMAS. THANK YOU. UH, AND QUICKLY, WE KNOW A ROUTINE WATER LEAK IS BETWEEN 10 AND 14 DAYS. Y'ALL HAD A, A, A WONDERFUL POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT Y'ALL SHARE WITH STAFF, AND WE'VE BEEN COMMUNICATING THAT OUT JUST TO LEVEL SET WITH CONSTITUENTS. BUT IN THIS CONTEXT, WHAT ARE Y'ALL EXPERIENCING? AND DO WE NEED TO, UM, LEVEL SET WITH CONSTITUENTS AND SAY, WE'RE AVERAGING 15 DAYS DEPENDING ON SEVERITY? 'CAUSE I THINK ONCE WE SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH THEM, THEN THE TENSION RELEASES, BECAUSE THEN THEY KNOW, OKAY, WE'RE LOOKING AT 14 DAYS, 20 DAYS, DEPENDING IF THERE'S UNDERGROUND UTILITY, ALL THIS TYPE OF STUFF. SO LISTEN, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA LET RANDY GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS, BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT IT IN TWO DIFFERENT, UM, SURE. BUCKETS, WHICH IS THE EMERGENCY BUCKET, AND THEN THE NON-EMERGENCY BUCKET BECAUSE THEY HAVE TWO DIFFERENT TIMELINES. YEAH. AND COUNCIL MEMBER, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, UH, MAYBE A LITTLE CHEEKY, BUT I, THE, THE FIRST THING THEY TEACH US IN LAW SCHOOL IS THAT YOUR ANSWER TO MOST THINGS IS, IT DEPENDS, RIGHT? THIS IS, THIS IS ONE WHERE IT REALLY KIND OF DOES DEPEND BECAUSE WE'RE LOOK AT THE SEVERITY AND, AND THEN WE LOOK AT WHAT IT'S GOING TO IMPACT ON THE OUTSIDE. SO EVEN THOUGH A LEAK MAY NOT NECESSARILY LOOK SUPER SEVERE, IF GOING OUT TO REPAIR THAT LEAK IS GOING TO REQUIRE US TO CUT WATER TO SIGNIFICANT OTHER PLACES, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE IN TERMS OF SCHEDULES AND MAKING SURE THAT IF IT'S A BUSINESS OR IF IT'S A SCHOOL OR A HOSPITAL, WHAT'S THE IMPACT GONNA BE AND WHAT'S THE RIGHT TIME TO DO IT. UM, ROUTINE LEAKS. SO WE'RE TALKING PROBABLY A SMALL TRICKLE OR [02:55:01] SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THINK OF MAYBE LIKE A, A BROKEN SPRINKLER HEAD, BUT WHERE THERE'S NOT ACTIVE PRESSURE FLOWING, BUT STILL WATER KIND OF COMES OUT. THAT'S DEFINITELY GONNA TAKE US LONGER. TWO WEEKS IS PROBABLY A VERY REASONABLE EXPECTATION FOR THAT. RIGHT NOW, WITH THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. IT COULD TAKE THREE, IT COULD TAKE FOUR DEPENDING ON WHAT POPS UP IN FRONT, BECAUSE IF SOMETHING SEVERE COMES IN FRONT, IT IS GONNA JUMP THE LINE AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF THOSE FIRST. NOW, COUNCILMAN MCCAIN, I'M SORRY. LASTLY, I WAS FOCUSING SO MUCH ON COSTS AND NUMBER OF BREAKS AND ALL OF THE ISSUES, BUT I, I REALLY JUST WANTED MAYOR, I THINK WHAT YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING IS IMPORTANT TO LIFT UP AND FOR US TO COMMUNICATE TO RESIDENTS THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE BEEN FIXING. UH, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T HAVE LOW WATER PRESSURE ISSUES. I, I'VE HAD RANDY ON THE PHONE DEALING WITH ENTIRE COMPLEXES WITHOUT WATER. I MEAN, IT, IT IS A CHALLENGE, BUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE FIXING AS MANY AS WE ARE, UM, I THINK IS SOMETHING TO RECOGNIZE AND EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO ALL OF THE TEAMS, UH, FOR WHAT THEY ARE DOING. THANK YOU. OKAY. IF YOU ALL WILL, UH, UH, PREPARE A REPORT ON THE NUMBER OF, YOU KNOW, TAKING JUNE, JUNE 1ST, THE NUMBER OF CALLS WE'VE RESPONDED TO, THE NUMBER OF LEAKS THAT'S BEEN REPAIRED, THE NUMBER OF, UH, A, UM, LEASE THAT ARE NORMALLY DONE BY OUR CITY PERSONNEL, THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTORS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, THE ESTIMATED COST OF THESE REPAIRS, THE AMOUNT THAT WE ARE EXPENDING ON THIS, JUST AS, UH, INFORMATION THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO EACH ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS SO THEY CAN PROVIDE TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS. ABSOLUTELY BE, AND IF YOU'LL EXTEND, UH, OUR BEST TO ALL OF THE, UH, ESPECIALLY TO OUR CITY WORKERS WHO ARE WORKING SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, AND I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING ALL THROUGH THE DAY INTO THE NIGHT. 'CAUSE I WAS ON THE PHONE FROM BY CALL WITH VICE MAYOR PROM CA TATUM. THE EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN OUT THERE SINCE NOON, AND THEY STAYED THERE UNTIL LIKE FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AM SO THEY ARE WORKING. I JUST WANT PEOPLE IN THE CITY TO KNOW. WE UNDERSTAND THEIR FRUSTRATION. I GOT THAT. BUT I ALSO WANT PEOPLE IN THE CITY TO KNOW IS THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE WORKING. THEY, THEY ARE WORKING AND WE ARE SUPPLEMENTING OUR FORCE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. UH, NO ONE WANTS TO SEE WATER JUST STREAMING DOWN THE STREET, BUT IF YOU CAN PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION, I THINK THAT WILL GIVE PEOPLE A PERSPECTIVE AND, UH, AND WHERE WE ARE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT HOW MANY LEAKS ARE OUTSTANDING, BUT HOW MANY LEAKS WE HAVE CLOSED. YES, SIR. SO IF YOU'LL DO THAT, IT'D BE VERY APPRECIATIVE. OKAY. YES, SIR. CAN I, CAN I PUT ONE MORE TOPIC THAT'S RELATED TO THIS, UM, SINCE EVERYBODY'S PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS RIGHT NOW, UM, JUST AS THE WATER LINES ARE SHIFTING IN THE SHALLOW SOIL AND, AND BREAKING AND THE WATER'S COMING OUT, OUR WASTEWATER LINES ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING THIS SHIFTING, BUT IT'S NOT AS OBVIOUS. SO IF YOU ARE NOTICING THAT, UM, BATHTUBS ARE DRAINING SLOWER, TOILETS ARE DRAINING SLOWER, PLEASE CALL US AS WELL AT THREE ONE ONE SO THAT WE CAN SEND OUT OUR WASTEWATER GUYS TO LOOK FOR THESE, THESE SHIFT BREAKS POSSIBLE COLLAPSES ON THE WASTEWATER SIDE BEFORE IT BACKS UP AND GETS OUT OF THE SYSTEM. UH, YOU'LL NOTICE IT THROUGH. SLOW DRAINING. THANKS. UH, COUNCILMAN ASSISTANT ALICE. UM, JUST ONE FINAL COMMENT REALLY IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, I KNOW IT'S AN ALL HANDS ON DECK KIND OF THING RIGHT NOW DEALING WITH THE, THE, THE SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT TODAY. BUT I HOPE THAT YOU ARE ALSO THINKING TO THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AND LEARNING AND, AND, UM, STRATEGIZING FOR WHAT WE NEED TO DO. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TOO. AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY KNOW THAT, THAT WE HAVE SOME VERY OLD, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE PIPES, IN IN DISTRICT H AND IN DISTRICT C AND OTHER PLACES. BUT, BUT, UM, I HOPE THAT THOSE, THAT OUT OF THIS ALSO COMES RECOMMENDATIONS AND A PLAN AND, YOU KNOW, SOME THINKING ABOUT HOW, HOW WE ADDRESS THAT MOVING FORWARD. AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECTS CURRENTLY IN DESIGN THAT ARE PLANNED FOR CONSTRUCTION. AND, AND NEARLY TWO THIRDS OF THOSE ARE C AND H AND I, UH, BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED THE MOST IN NEED, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE AGE MM-HMM . BUT BECAUSE OF THE MATERIAL, BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF LEAKS, BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE, BECAUSE OF THE, THE WATERCOLOR. I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S 16 PARAMETERS WE USE TO ESTIMATE TO DETERMINE, UH, WHERE PRIORITIES ARE. UH, AND THOSE PROJECTS ARE ACTIVE IN DESIGN AND MOVING RAPIDLY TOWARDS CONSTRUCTION. WHICH REPLACEMENT REALLY IS THE, THE BEST SOLUTION, PARTICULARLY FOR THE OLDER, UM, LESS, UH, THE, THE, THE CAST IRON, THE DUCTILE IRON, UH, THE ASBESTOS CONCRETE, NOT THE PVC REPLACEMENT REALLY IS THE BEST OPTION BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, THOSE RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE THAT INFORMATION TOO. YOU KNOW, THANK YOU AS MUCH AS I LOVE YOU, YOU GOT TO GO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, . UM, UH, JUST A COUPLE MORE THINGS. I DO WANT [03:00:01] US TO BE MINDFUL OF THE MOROCCAN, UH, EARTHQUAKE, UH, THE EARTHQUAKE IN MOROCCO AND THE DONATION DRIVE. SO LET'S, UH, BE MINDFUL OF ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO. THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS PARTNERING WITH THE MOROCCAN SOCIETY OF HOUSTON TO HOST A DONATION DRIVE THIS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY TO HELP SURVIVORS OF A MASS EARTHQUAKE. MORE THAN 2000 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND HUNDREDS MORE WERE INJURED. AND YOU CAN DROP OFF NEEDED ITEMS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FROM 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM AT THE ARAB AMERICAN CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY CENTER. 10,005. FIVE FIVE STANCLIFFE. THAT'S THE ARAB AMERICAN CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY CENTER THIS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FROM 10 TO 3:00 PM AND THEY'LL REQUEST REQUESTING ITEMS LIKE TENTS, SOCKS, AND SHOES, FLASHLIGHTS, BLANKETS, AND FIRST AID KIT. AND IF YOU HAVE NEED ANY INFORMATION, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO JANICE WEAVER, UM, MY COMMUNITY SERVICE DIRECTOR WHO'S WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THEM. BUT THIS IS FOR MOROCCO, THE EARTHQUAKE DONATION DRIVE THIS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. PLEASE BE RESPONSIVE. UM, AND WE'LL SEND THE FLYER TO U AS WELL. THE MAYOR'S ADULT LITERACY BREAKFAST IS TOMORROW MORNING AT 8:00 AM UH, THE THEME IS KEEPING THE TORCH LIT AND THE BREAKFAST WILL HONOR NEIL AND MARIA BUSH FOR THEIR LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO LITERACY, THE LITERACY COMMUNITY HEALTH FOR THEIR LITTLE READERS INITIATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL JANITORIAL SERVICES FOR THEIR INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS TO HELP THEIR EMPLOYEES LEARN ENGLISH. UH, HOUSTON ASTRO MANAGER, DUSTY BAKER, IS THE HONORARY CHAIR FOR THE ADULT LITERACY. THE BREAKFAST AND PROGRAM BEGIN AT 8:00 AM THAT'S TOMORROW MORNING, THE STATE OF THE CITY. IT HAPPENS TO BE ON MY BIRTHDAY, UH, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M GIVING THEM MY BIRTHDAY FOR THAT. UM, THAT'S WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 27TH AT THE HILTON AMERICAS. UH, AND SEE. AND HOUSTON FIRST, UH, IS, IS, UH, THE KEY PRODUCER OF THIS EVENT. AND SO IF YOU CAN, IF YOU HAVE TIME, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A BUSY SCHEDULE, BUT IF YOU CAN GIVE ME ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AND STOP BY, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. JUST FIVE, UH, JUST FIVE MINUTES. YOU CAN JUST GIMME JUST FIVE MINUTES. SEPTEMBER THE 27TH, UH, STATE OF THE CITY, AND THEN IT'S A PARTY ON THE PLAZA, AND IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, WHICH BEGAN SEPTEMBER THE 15TH. THE PARTY ON THE PLAZA RETURNS SATURDAY AND WILL OFFER FREE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT FEATURING LATIN AND MEXICAN REGIONAL MUSIC ON THE AVES DAYLIGHT AMERICA STREETS IN FRONT OF THE GEORGE R. BROWN. THE STREET WILL BE CLOSED TO TRAFFIC AS HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION PARTNERS WITH DISCOVERY GREEN. THAT'S TRACY, I THOUGHT I SAW TRACY. SHE PARTNERS WITH DISCOVERY GREEN TO BRING, UH, FLEA BY NIGHT AND OPEN AIR MARKET FEATURING LOCAL ARTESIANS AND SMALL BUSINESSES SELLING A VARIETY OF GOODS. SO THIS TAKES PLACE SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH FROM SIX TO 9:00 PM PRESENTED BY HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION PARTY ON THE PLAZA. IT WAS OPEN, IT'S FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AS PART OF THE ORGANIZATION'S RECOGNITION OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF HISPANIC AMERICANS. AND THEN LASTLY, IN 2017, DURING HURRICANE HARVEY, THE ASTROS CARRIED US ON THEIR BATCH AND ON THEIR JERSEYS AND IN THEIR HEARTS, AND BROUGHT US A WORLD SERIES. UM, THE ASTROS CARRIED US IN DURING HURRICANE HARVEY AND AFTERWARDS, WELL, LET US NOW CARRY THE ASTROS. MM-HMM . THEY, THEY NEED US. Y'ALL. THE ASTROS NEED US. OKAY. IT'S, IT'S LIKE, UH, SOMETIMES YOU WIN AND IT SEEMS EASY. SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE IN FIRST PLACE. SO, UH, LET ME ASK YOU TON AND TO, UH, STEP UP AND, UH, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S CARRY THE ASTROS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. SO SEND 'EM A TEXT OR SEND 'EM A TWEET OR LIGHT A CANDLE. GET ON YOUR KNEES, GET ON, SAY A PRAYER, GET ON YOUR KNEES, UH, WEAR A JERSEY SHIRT, UH, WHATEVER, WHATEVER. BUT LET'S CARRY THE ASTROS, UH, IN THIS LAST STEP TO GET THEM PAST THE MARINERS AND GET THEM PAST THE TEXAS RANGERS AND GET THEM INTO THE PLAYOFFS. OKAY? SO THEY WERE THERE FOR US IN 2017. LET US BE THERE FOR THEM IN 2023. HAVING SAID THAT, THAT'S MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR TODAY. TOOK MORE TIME ON THE WATER MAIN LEAPS, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS NEEDED. NOW MOVING TO THE CONSENT AGENDA [CONSENT AGENDA] ON THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY. ITEM THREE THROUGH FIVE HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF B CATEGORY [03:05:01] ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. SIX EIGHT THROUGH 11. WE NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM SEVEN, CAST SIX. ITEM MOVED SECOND. ROBINSON BEEN MOVED IN SECOND IN DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED AND GRANTED UNDER THE RESOLUTION CATEGORY. ITEM 12 HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY. ITEM 21 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. R 15, 20 THROUGH 22 THROUGH 24 AND 27. THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 15, 22, 23, 24, AND 27. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE. DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANT, I IS [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM THREE NEEDS A MOTION CAST. NEXT STATE MOVE. SECOND ROBINSON MOVE. AND SECOND ON 9 0 3. DISCUSSION ON THREE. DISCUSSION ON THREE IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED ON THREE. POLLARD, NO. SO POLLARD, UH, QUIETLY VOTING NO. ITEM FOUR NEEDS A MOTION CAST. EXT MOVE. SECOND ROBINSON, MOVE TO SECOND NINE. FOUR. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED. POLLARD, NO SHALL POLL QUALITY VOTING NO. ITEM FIVE NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX. SAY A MOVE. SECOND, ROBINSON. MOVE THIS SECOND IS ITEM FIVE. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION. POLL A QUIET MAYOR. NUMBER FIVE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. THIS, UH, THIS FOUND VIEW LIFT STATION IS A, WAS A BIG CIP, UH, FOR DISTRICT J. UH, UH, TOOK A COUPLE YEARS TO ACTUALLY BE COMPLETE AND IT, UH, HAS BEEN COMPLETED. THE BIGGEST THING I WANT TO, UH, REALLY STRESS TO, TO PUBLIC WORKS IN SOLID WASTE IS IT'S, IT'S ON THE CORNER OF FOUND VIEW IN RICHMOND AND VERY PROMINENT AREA, UH, THAT, THAT HAS A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND IT NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED PROPERLY. A A LOT OF TIMES IT, IT'S NOT MAINTAINED. THE GRASS IS NOT CUT OR THERE'S A LOT OF TRASH AND IT'S HARD FOR US TO TELL THE RESIDENTS AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO KEEP UP THE PROPERTY AND THEN OURS LOOKS A CERTAIN WAY. SO I'VE CONTINUED TO PUSH ON THAT. GREAT TO SEE THAT THE, UM, PROJECT IS COMPLETE, BUT THE MAINTENANCE HAS TO, UH, HAS TO BE BETTER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME. UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION IN FAVOR? OPPOSE? NO . EVERYBODY ELSE? YEAH. THIS IS IN HIS DISTRICT, SO YOU KNOW, IT IS ALL RIGHT. IT SAYS IS IN HIS DISTRICT. YEAH. YEAH. YOU KNOW, , I PASS THE FIRE. NO, BUT TRACY, I WAS JUST MAKING MENTION OF THE PARTY ON THE PLAZA THAT, UH, THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTING THAT HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION IS DOING, SO, OKAY. ALRIGHT, NEXT ITEM. ITEM SIX NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TA MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON MOVE. AND SECOND ON ITEM SIX. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUM ON ITEM SIX. YES, MA'AM. I, I'LL, I'M PLAYING ON TAGGING THIS ITEM, BUT, UM, I'LL RELEASE MY TAG FOR, FOR CONVERSATION. UM, I JUST WANNA BRING A POINT I DON'T WANNA MENTION ON EVERY SINGLE ITEM, BUT THE COUPLE OF ITEMS MOVING FORWARD, WE'VE GOT ABOUT SIX OVER $6 MILLION OF CO-OPS. AND ONCE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE MENTIONED EVERY TIME WE DO A CO-OP MAYOR TURNER, WE BOX OUT FOLKS FROM BEING ENGAGED. THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO CERTIFIED MWBE, UM, IN CONVERSATIONS WITH PROCUREMENT TO SEE IF WE CAN DO SOME LEVEL OF CARVE OUT. WE'LL PROBABLY WANNA HAVE A MEETING WITH YOU JUST TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS TOO, BUT WE'RE GONNA SEE THESE COMING FORWARD OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND THE NUMBERS ARE ASTOUNDING. OKAY. THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER. FAIR ENOUGH. UH, ITEM SIX HAS BEEN TAGGED WITH COUNCILMAN PALMER. NEXT ITEM, ITEM EIGHT NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM MOVE. SECOND. ROBINSON MOVE. AND SECOND ON ITEM EIGHT. COUNCILMAN PLUM TAG. ITEM EIGHT IS BEING TAGGED BY COUNCILMAN PLUM. ITEM NINE NEEDS A MOTION CAST A MOVE. SECOND, ROBINSON, I WE ON ITEM NINE, COUNCILMAN CAMAN ON ITEM NINE. ALRIGHT, ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NINE? DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF POST-PLANNING. COUNCILMAN MCC CAMAN ON ITEM NINE. THANK YOU MAYOR. JUST SPOTLIGHTING THIS ITEM. UM, MORE HYBRIDS COMING THIS TIME FOR HPD, SO THAT'S REALLY EXCITING. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT ITEM. ITEM 10 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TAYLOR, MOVE. SECOND ROBINSON, MOVE TO SECOND LIEUTENANT. AND COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN ON ITEM 10. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, THIS IS FOR THE PURCHASE OF SCHOOL ZONE TRAFFIC PARTS. UM, MY OFFICE PUT IN A REQUEST FOR ONE, [03:10:01] UM, TO HAVE INSTALLED A WHILE BACK AND PUBLIC WORKS IS SAYING THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS TO GET THE PARTS. HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T TAKE THAT LONG TO, UM, GET THE TRAFFIC PARTS THROUGH THIS ONE. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO GET THIS, UM, TRAFFIC, UM, SCHOOL ZONE LIGHT INSTALLED. UM, I KNOW THE PEOPLE IN DISTRICT G HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR IT FOR A LONG TIME, SO WE'RE JUST REALLY EXCITED TO SEE IT COMING. WE DISCUSS IT THIS MORNING. I THINK WHAT DR. DIRECTOR HARRIS SAYS IT SHOULD SPEED IT UP. OH, GREAT. THANK YOU. YEAH. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUM 10. I WAS GONNA TAG THIS ITEM, BUT I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET IT DONE. I'M NOT GONNA TAG IT, BUT I AM SAYING THAT AS WE MOVE WITH CO-OPS, WE'RE GOING TO ONE PARTICULAR TYPE PERSON. WE'RE NOT BIDDING IT OUT, IT'S NOT GOING TO GENERAL, GENERAL POPULATION. UM, AND SO I'M NOT GONNA TAG IT FOR OUR KIDS, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS WHAT CO-OPS DO. IT BOXES INTO ONE PARTICULAR VENDOR. VICE MAYOR BROUGHT DOWN CA TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I DID WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT FOR THE COUNCIL THAT, UH, THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IS WORKING, UM, WITH SOME OF THESE SMALL VENDORS TO, UM, SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE ON HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CO-OPS. UM, THERE ARE SOME PROGRAMS SCHEDULED, SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF THESE VENDORS WHO, UM, ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THE CO-OP THAT THEY HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE ON HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CO-OP. UM, AND WE WILL BE HAVING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING NEXT MONTH, UM, WHERE THEY WILL SHARE WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO, UM, GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE CO-OP AND HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CO-OP SO THAT EVERYONE WILL HAVE A FAIR SHOT AT, UM, BEING A PART OF THE PROGRAMMING. UM, WE KNOW THAT IT'S EASIER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO BE BROKEN OUT INTO MWBE PROJECTS, BUT SOME OF THE, UH, PROJECTS LIKE THESE CO-OPS, WHICH IS NOT NECESSARILY A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, BUT JUST A PURCHASE, UM, IT'S HARD TO DIVIDE UP TO BE AN MWBE. I THINK THE BIGGER ISSUE IS THE KNOWLEDGE ON HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CO-OP. UM, AND THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IS MAKING AN INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO OFFER THOSE TYPES OF CLASSES AND THAT TYPE OF PROGRAMMING SO THAT ALL VENDORS WHO CAN PROVIDE THIS TYPE OF PURCHASE KNOWS HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CO-OP AND CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT SO EVERYONE CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAMMING. OKAY. BUT WE ARE HAVING THE MEETING NEXT, NEXT MONTH IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THEY CAN SHARE THOSE UPDATES. COUNCILMAN PLUMER. YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO OBO CONSISTENTLY ABOUT THIS, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH US PROVIDING A, UM, A CARVE OUT. BUT IN THAT POINT, THE EBIT SYSTEM IS ALSO A VERY FUNCTIONAL SYSTEM TO CREATE EQUITY. AND SO IT'S NOT ONE OR THE OTHER. IT'S, IT'S, YES, WE WANT PEOPLE TO GET ENGAGED WITH CO-OPS, WE WANNA TEACH 'EM HOW TO DO IT, BUT THERE'S A LARGE, UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, THERE'S A VERY LARGE AMOUNT. JUST TODAY IT'S $6 MILLION. RIGHT? AND SO, UM, AS WE PUT, AS WE UTILIZE MORE CO-OPS, WE ARE NOT PUTTING 'EM ON THE EBIT SYSTEM, WHICH IS A VERY FUNCTIONAL SYSTEM. IT'S THE WAY THAT EVERY SINGLE, NOT EVERY SINGLE, BUT MANY OF OUR MINORITY VENDORS ARE ABLE TO BE ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS. AND SO AS YOU BOX THAT OUT, UM, UNTIL WE CAN GET MORE MINORITIES IN THE CO-OPS AND AS CO-OP VENDORS, UM, WE NEED TO FILL THAT GAP IN SOME WAY. AND, UM, AND OBO, JUST TO BE VERY, VERY CLEAR, THEY'RE DOING AN AMAZING JOB. BUT THE WAY THAT CO-OPS ARE WRITTEN, OBO DOESN'T EVEN PLAY A PART IN IT. IT'S NOT, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO MINORITY ENGAGEMENT IN THAT AT ALL. SO, UM, WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PLUG ALL THE HOLES THAT WE CAN. OKAY. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 10 IN FAVOR APART, OPPOSED, UH, ITEM PASSES? I DO WANT ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, MY FORMER PRESS SECRETARY, TANYA RIVERA, UH, WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, SHE'S NOW THAT WITH, UH, AT AND T. UH, SHE, SHE LEFT ME FOR MORE MONEY. UM, . YEAH. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEAL IS, YOU KNOW, GOOD TO SEE YOU TONIGHT. ALRIGHT, NEXT ITEM. ITEM 11 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX SAINT A MOVE. SECOND ROBINSON. MOVE TO SECOND ITEM 11. COUNCILMAN PLUM ON 11 TACK. UH, I, I EVEN KNOW. BEEN TIME BY COUNCILMAN PLUMER. SORRY. I'M SORRY. RELEASED COUNCIL MEMBER MCCAIN. I MEAN, WAS SHE RELEASED FOR DISCUSSION? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMER, WERE YOU RELEASED? YES, ABSOLUTELY. TEMPORARILY. COUNCILMAN MCCAIN? THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND I, I FULLY RESPECT THE TAG. I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, BECAUSE THIS IS PVC [03:15:01] PIPE, UM, THAT THIS WILL NOT DELAY OR IMPACT WATER ISSUES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY HAVING. I CANNOT SPEAK TO THAT. I DON'T KNOW. OKAY. OKAY. UH, ITEM 11, MS. VAN TAG BY COUNCILMAN PLUMBER. ITEM 12 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A RESOLUTION. JUST NEEDS A VOTE. ITEM 12 BEEN TAGGED. , WE GOT QUESTIONS. COUNCIL MEMBER, LET'S HEAR. , WE'RE GONNA BE BUSY NEXT WEEK. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUM ON ITEM 12. YES, MAYOR, ATTORNEY. IF, IF WE COULD MAYBE AT THE END OF THE MEETING COME BACK AND CIRCLE BACK IF IT IS CREATING ANY DELAYS ON ITEM NUMBER. I KNOW WE'RE, WE'VE NUMBER 11. I GOTCHA. IF THAT HAS, OBVIOUSLY I DON'T WANNA DO THAT. UM, WILL CHECK. YOU CAN CHECK FOR ME, PLEASE. WE'LL CHECK. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. OKAY. NOW ON ITEM 12, COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN ON 12, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRAG ON MY COLLEAGUE, UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, WHO HAS, UH, NOT ONLY JUST DEMONSTRATED STELLAR LEADERSHIP, UM, THROUGH TML. SHE'S ROLLING HER EYES AT ME, UH, BUT ALSO HAS REALLY STEPPED INTO HER ROLE AT, UH, NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES. AND, UH, AS SOMEONE THAT HAS BEEN SERVING FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITH NLC, UM, IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU IN THIS SPACE AS WELL. UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING YOU, BUT ALSO JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU'VE HAD, NOT JUST WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, NOT JUST WITH OTHER CITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT ON A NATIONAL LEVEL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND LEMME JUST SAY, YOU ARE KILLING IT. SO THE FEEDBACK THAT I GET ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF YOUR REPRESENTATION, THE NATIONAL LEAGUE CITY, HAS JUST BEEN STELLAR. SO, UM, PROUD TO SUPPORT, UH, THIS RE RESOLUTION. I MEAN, DID AN EXCEPTION JOB AS HEAD OF TML AS COUNCILMAN MCKEON HAS SAID. UH, BUT ON THE NATIONAL LEAGUE CITY, YOU'VE JUST STEPPED IN AND YOU'VE JUST BEEN A NATURAL. SO THANK YOU. UM, GO AND SERVE US WELL. BUT YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T LEAVE US FOR MORE MONEY. . ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 12? DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED ON 12. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. ITEM 15 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. WELL, ITEM 15, DISCUSSION. OH, WE NEED A VOTE, UH, ON COUNCIL MEMBER PECK ON 15, I'M SORRY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THIS IS TO REMOVE CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS FROM THE TARGETED AND SERVICE AREAS, INCLUDING FAIRBANKS AND NORTHWEST CROSSING, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT A. AND I UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE DOING IT, YOU KNOW, AS THE NUMBERS CHANGE, WE HAVE TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES TOO. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT PART OF IT. BUT JUST WANTED TO BRING UP, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS SUBJECT, AGAIN, THE TOPIC THAT WE TALKED ABOUT DURING THE BUDGET, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING INSPECTORS MAYBE, UM, ONE PER DISTRICT OR SEVERAL PER DISTRICT, A CERTAIN NUMBER PER DISTRICT, OR BREAKING IT UP IN SOME KIND OF EVEN WAY WHERE, YOU KNOW, AS THESE NUMBERS CHANGE AND WE TAKE NEIGHBORHOODS OUT OF THOSE, UM, TARGETED SERVICE AREAS, THAT WERE NOT LEFT NOW WITH A HOLE THAT'S CREATED. WELL, LEMME JUST SAY, LEMME JUST SAY TO YOU IN RESPONSE TO THAT, AND I, I I HEAR YOU. UM, WE'RE SIMPLY MAKING IT COMPLIANT WITH HUD, RIGHT? BUT I'VE TALKED TO DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, THE INSPECTIONS WILL CONTINUE. YES. WE'RE JUST GONNA BE PAYING FOR IT. SO THE, THE WORK WILL NOT STOP. RIGHT. MAYOR AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SUBJECT, JUST WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION AGAIN, THE TOPIC THAT WE HAD DURING THE BUDGET TIME ABOUT CHANGING THE STRUCTURE THERE SO THAT IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE EVENLY BASED AS FAR AS HAVING AN INSPECTOR IN EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT. OH, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. UH, I'M SURE THE NEXT MAYOR WOULD LOVE TO ENGAGE IN THAT CONVERSATION. BUT, BUT I DO WANT TO ASSURE YOU, IN TERMS OF THE WORK HERE, KEEP GOING IN THOSE 50 SOMETHING SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICTS, THE WORK WILL CONTINUE. IT, YOUR DISTRICT IS NOT GOING TO BE IMPACTED. SAME THING. OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, GALLUS BROUGHT IT UP. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE IMPACTED AT ALL BY WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, OKAY? MM-HMM. NOW, IF I WERE AROUND NEXT YEAR, I WOULD BE VERY RECEPTIVE TO WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, , YOU STILL HAVE A FEW MONTHS, MAYOR, WE CAN GET THIS DONE. OKAY. COUNCILMAN GALLS. MAYOR. MAYOR, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I HAVE TO DISAGREE. THERE, THERE, THERE'S 54 COMMUNITIES, SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, THERE'S EIGHT THAT ARE BEING TAKEN OUT. OUT OF THE EIGHT, THERE'S, THERE'S 1, 2, 3, 4 IN DISTRICT. I, THERE'S ONE IN DISTRICT H, WHICH IS IN THE EAST END SECOND WARD. SO WHAT WE'LL SAY, THERE'S 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 THAT ARE BEING TAKEN OUT OF THE EIGHT. IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP OF DISTRICT, I, MOST OF THE MAP HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT IN REGARDS TO POSSIBLY CDBG FUNDING. IT'S, AND THEN [03:20:01] WHAT REALLY IRRITATES ME IS THE CITY OF THE, UH, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO REACH OUT TO ME TO EXPLAIN WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO DO. IT'S BASED ON JUNE, 2023, REVIEW OF CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT WERE ELIMINATED FOR ELIGIBILITY OF CODE ENFORCEMENT WITH CDBG DOLLARS ARE NOT PRIMARILY RESIDENTIAL. THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES WILL STILL, WILL STILL BE PERFORMED JUST NOT WITH CDBG FUNDS. RIGHT? DON WOULD IDENTIFY OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDS FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES. AND WITH MY 10 YEARS IN OFFICE, I HAVE CONSTANTLY CALLED DON TO FIND OUT WHY THEY'RE NOT OUT THERE INSPECTING MY NEIGHBORHOODS IN DISTRICT. I, AND I'M BEING TOLD, WELL, DUE TO LACK OF FUNDING, WELL, WE'RE CONSTANTLY, LEMME JUST SAY I, I I OUTTA THIS A WELL, CAN, MAY I, MAY I, YEAH, UNDERSTAND. I'M SORRY. SO LOOK, LOOKING AT THIS, AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AN AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO SUBMIT THE 2023 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THE FOLLOWING ENTITLEMENT OF GRANTS AND BUDGETS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS IN THE AMOUNT OF NEARLY $25 MILLION HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS, GRANTS, AND THE AMOUNT OF ALMOST $12 MILLION. THIS ALSO IMPACTS FUNDING PRIORITIES. UNDER THE PLAN WILL INCLUDE AFFORDABLE HOUSE DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, INFRASTRUCTURE, NEIGHBORHOOD FACILITIES, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND THE GOAL OF THE PLAN IS TO PROMOTE STRATEGIES THAT WILL PRESERVE AND EXPAND THE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, EXPAND HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO PERSONS AFFECTED BY HIV AND AIDS, REDUCE HOMELESSNESS, IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE, REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES, PROMOTE HEALTH AND SAFETY, FOSTER COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND PROMOTE FAIR HOUSING. AGAIN, WHEN YOU SEE THE, THE MAP OF DISTRICT, I, MOST OF IT'S COVERED BY THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN OUT. LET'S SHARE THE WEALTH. WE HAVE 11 COUNCIL DISTRICTS. LET'S SHARE THE WEALTH, RIGHT? AND WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M SAYING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TO YOU AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER PAC, IS WHAT THIS ITEM DOES, IS THAT IT MAKES US COMPLIANT WITH HUD RULES AND COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. AND WHEN ME, YOU CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IT DID GO TO COMMITTEE. WE WENT TO COMMITTEE, AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH HUD GUIDELINES. SO ALL WE ARE DOING IS BEING COMPLIANT, UM, BECOMING COMPLIANT WITH HER GUIDELINES. NOW, WHAT I HAVE SAID TO HOUSING AND WHAT I'VE SAID TO DON IS THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THESE INSPECTORS AND OTHERS TO PUT TOGETHER THE PLAN TO BE ABLE TO DRAW DOWN AS MANY RESOURCES AS WE CAN FOR THIS AREA. SO WHAT I HAVE SAID TO THEM IS THAT I WILL MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE NECESSARY INSPECTORS TO COVER YOUR DISTRICT, TO COVER COUNCIL MEMBER P'S DISTRICT, UH, THE DISTRICTS THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED, THAT WE WILL EAT THIS COST SO THAT YOUR DISTRICTS, YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NOT ADVERSELY EFFECTIVE. SO THE WORK THAT THE WORK WILL CONTINUE IS NOT GOING TO STOP. BUT WE ARE GOING TO, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO, THERE WILL BE A MEASURE COMING BEFORE YOU TO PAY FOR THE ADDITIONAL COSTS. AND YOU'RE REFERRING TO CODE ENFORCEMENT. MAYOR, AND, AND AGAIN, MY 10 YEARS IN OFFICE, I HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS WANTING TO KNOW WHY THEIR INSPECTORS ARE NOT IN MY NEIGHBORHOODS INSPECTING. LIKE THEY SHOULD BE INSPECTING. AND I'VE BEEN TOLD FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES. I DON'T KNOW WHY, YOU KNOW, THE 11 DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHY WE DON'T HAVE AN ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN OUR DISTRICT WHERE WE CAN SEND OUT THAT ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO, TO AREAS THAT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S CONCERNS FROM RESIDENTS. SO I NEVER CAN UNDERSTAND WHY WE DON'T HAVE OUR OWN ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN OUR OFFICE. AND IT'S NOT JUST CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICE, UH, MAYOR, LIKE I READ, LIKE I READ, IT'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING. UH, IT'S, IT, IT IS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. IT'S INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT. THERE'S $26 MILLION AND MOST OF DISTRICT GUYS BEING TAKEN OUT. LET ME, LET ME COME BACK. COUNCILWOMAN THOMAS. UM, THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO, UH, THIS ITEM DID COME BEFORE COMMITTEE. AND, UM, UM, I RAISED A QUESTION ONCE THEY PRESENTED THE ITEM AND THEN THE METHODOLOGY FOR HOW THEY SELECTED IT, BECAUSE I KNEW, UM, COUNCIL STAFF AND COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD HAVE CONCERN. WHY MY NEIGHBORHOOD? BECAUSE I THINK ALL OF US CAN DRIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND CAN POINT TO AREAS THAT NEED ENFORCEMENT. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SERIES OF INVESTMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE IN THESE COMMUNITIES, IT'S TELLING US THAT IT WORKS [03:25:01] BECAUSE THESE NEIGHBORHOODS NO LONGER MEET THE LMI THRESHOLD TO, TO RECEIVE THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS, WHICH MEANS THE REVITALIZATION, THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, IT'S WORKING, RIGHT? THE END GOAL WOULD BE THAT THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD LIFT OFF. HOWEVER, TO COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS POINT AND COUNCIL MEMBER PECS POINT, YES, WE NEED THAT. AND WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THAT. AND HOPEFULLY THE PLAN THAT IS PRESENTED OFF THE GENERAL FUND OR THE FUND BALANCE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. BUT THERE WILL BE NO INTERRUPTION IN CODE ENFORCEMENT. THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN INCLUDES MAJORITY OF THE WORK, ESG, EMERGENCY, UH, SOLUTIONS FOR HOMELESSNESS, UH, PUBLIC FACILITIES, PUBLIC SERVICES, ALL THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT SUPPORT, UM, OUR HOUSING EFFORTS. AND SO THOSE ITEMS ARE NOT REMOVED FROM YOUR DISTRICTS. THAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. SO WHEN YOU THINK OF EVERY, UM, SINGLE FAMILY PROJECT, 9% TAX CREDIT, EVERY INVESTMENT WE'VE MADE IN THESE COMPLETE COMMUNITY FOOTPRINTS, IT SHOULD START, YOU SHOULD START SEEING THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS RESHAPE AND COME OFF AND NO LONGER MEET THOSE BASELINE, UM, REQUIREMENTS FOR, FOR INVESTMENT. AND SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE ABLE TO WATCH, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS, THE TIPPING POINT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, REVITALIZING ON THEIR OWN. SO NO NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD BE WITHOUT YOUR CAUSE FOR CONCERN IS VALID. AND I THINK THAT, UM, HOPEFULLY THE DIRECTORS AND DEPARTMENTS OF BOTH NEIGHBORHOODS ARE LISTENING AND THEY'RE FOCUSED AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO GET THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT. BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BRING BACK TO YOUR REMEMBRANCE. A LOT OF TIMES, UH, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THAT YOU'RE ASKING TO COME ARE RESTRICTED. 'CAUSE THEY'RE RESTRICTED TO THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY CAN'T COME OUT OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS BASED ON THE FEDERAL, UM, UM, DESIGNATION OF THE FUNDS AND THEIR TIME. SO THIS GIVES MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR THE CITY TO BECOME MORE STRATEGIC INVESTING IN ALL OF THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS. SO HOPEFULLY THAT GIVES SOME CLARITY, UM, TO THIS ITEM. UM, AND I ENCOURAGE DAWN IN, IN, IN HOUSING TO, TO REACH OUT TO ALL OF Y'ALL'S OFFICES TO REASSURE Y'ALL ON THAT PLAN AS WELL. ROS. UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IT, IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE, UM, THE, THE, THE NEW LMI, UM, DATA, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE, UH, REACHING THOSE THRESHOLDS ANYMORE ON THESE, THESE PARTICULAR AREAS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, TO BE COMPLIANT WITH, WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. BUT MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR, FOR UNDERSTANDING AND REALIZING THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT FUNDED CODE ENFORCEMENT IS STILL A REALLY, I IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, THING THAT, THAT, UM, THE CITY NEEDS TO DO. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMITMENT THAT YOU, YOU YOU'RE MAKING TO US. YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY BECAUSE IT, IT, UM, THE NEED, THE NEED REMAINS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GEICOS. THANK AGAIN, WHAT I'M READING HERE, IT STATES THAT THIS FUNDING, WHICH IS NEARLY $26 MILLION, IS FUNDING FOR PRIORITIES. UNDER THE PLAN WILL INCLUDE AFFORDABLE HOME DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, INFRASTRUCTURE, NEIGHBORHOOD FACILITY, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THE GOAL OF PLAN IS TO PROMOTE STRATEGIES THAT WILL PRESERVE AND EXPAND AND THE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, EXPAND HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO PERSONS AFFECTED WITH HIV AND AIDS, REDUCE HOMELESS, HOMELESSNESS, IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE, REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES, AND PROMOTE HEALTH AND SAFETY. SO IF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS OR COMMUNITIES ARE TAKING OUTTA THIS ACTION PLAN, THEN THE WAY I'M READING IT IS THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GET THESE OTHER, UH, UH, RESOURCES AND SOURCES, UH, FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHICH IS ALMOST 26 MIL, OR 20, ALMOST $25 MILLION AND CRITERIA. AND COUNCIL MEMBER AND, AND, AND, AND CHAIRWOMAN, UM, THOMAS, AGAIN, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TAKE YOU TO SMITH EDITION TO HARRISBURG AND TO MANCHESTER TO NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE GULF GATE, PINE VALLEY AREA IN EL DORADO. AND, AND SEE THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. SEE THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE NEEDING THESE RESOURCES AND CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, AGAIN, WE HAVE 11 COUNCIL DISTRICTS. WHY AM I OR WHY IS DISTRICT I BEING IMPACTED, INCLUDING SECOND WARD, WHICH IS PART OF THE EAST END, FIVE COMMUNITIES OUT OF THE EIGHT. WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU, COUN, I'M SAYING TO YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, IS THAT THOSE ARE, ARE BEING FEDERALLY COMPLIANT IS THESE ARE NOT, THIS IS NOT THE CITY. THIS, THESE ARE THE, THE GUIDELINES BY HUD. WE ARE SIMPLY BEING COMPLIANT. IT'S NOT THAT YOUR DISTRICT IS GONNA LOSE $25 MILLION. WE HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER THE PLAN. WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU, COUNCILMAN, MR. CISNEROS, COUNCILMAN P AND OTHERS, WHATEVER YOU WOULD HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE LOCAL LEVEL, HAVING REMAINED, LET'S SAY IN THIS DEAL, I'M INURING YOU, WE WILL MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE. SO YOU'LL STILL, YOU'LL STILL HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PUT TOGETHER WHATEVER THE PLANS YOU NEED FOR DISTRICT A, DISTRICT I, AND DISTRICT A WHAT, [03:30:01] WHAT HAVE YOU. SO, UH, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT GONNA LOSE ANYTHING. MAYOR, WITH ALL RESPECT. IF I'M, IF I'M NOT, MAYBE I'M NOT BEING CLEAR. I'M, YEAH. WITH, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU STATED YOU LEAVE AT MIDNIGHT ON DECEMBER 31ST. NO, WE'RE BRINGING FORTH MEASURES BEFORE I LEAVE, I'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO, AND I LEAVE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER AT THAT TIME TOO. YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT WAITING TILL I LEAVE ON THIS ONE COUNCIL MEMBER. I'M SAYING WHATEVER YOU WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IN WITH THE, WHATEVER YOU WOULD BE LOSING AS A RESULT OF THIS ITEM, WE ARE GOING TO STEP UP AND MAKE SURE THAT IF THE PLAYING FIELD REMAINS LEVEL, THAT'S WHAT I'M ASSURING YOU. WELL, WELL, WELL, STARTING OFF WITH REMOVING FIVE COMMUNITIES OUTTA DISTRICT I OR THE EAST END, IN MY OPINION, IS NOT A, A FAIR PLAYING FIELD OUT OF THE EIGHT AND, AND THEREFORE I'M TAGGING IT. I WANT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TO EXPLAIN THIS TO ME MORE. UH, WISH WE COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS IF THEY WOULD'VE REACHED OUT TO ME TO BEGIN WITH. OKAY, WELL, LET'S, LET'S TAG IT AS, UH, I, I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THAT. UH, COUNCIL, UH, ITEM 15 IS BEING TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GALLICO. OKAY, NEXT ITEM. ITEM 22 IS AN ORDINANCE JUSTINA VOTE. YOUR ON ITEM 22. DISCUSSION ON 22. DISCUSSION ON 22 IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED ON 22. ITEM 23 IS AN ORDINANCE. YOU SEE THE VOTE. ITEM 23, CAN COUNCILMAN MCCAIN ON 23 CAYMAN TAG? ITEM 23 HAS BEEN TAGGED BY COUNCILMAN MCCAIN. ITEM 24, AN ORDINANCE YOU NEED TO VOTE ON. ITEM 24, COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. ITEM 24 HAS BEEN TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCMAN. ITEM 27 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE ON ITEM 27. DISCUSSION ON 27TH. COUNCILWOMAN KNOX ON 27. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THIS DRAINAGE FEE CHARGE IS BEING USED FOR ITS ACTUAL PURPOSE, WHICH IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF ACTUAL WORK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I'LL BE COMPARING THIS TO ITEM 31 IN A LITTLE WHILE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A POINT THAT WE MADE A POINT OF SEPARATING THE DIFFERENT BUCKETS IN THE DRAINAGE FUND SO THAT WE COULD KEEP TRACK OF HOW THAT MONEY WAS SPENT AND WHERE IT WAS SPENT AND THAT IT WAS SPENT ON THE PROPER PURPOSE. SO, CONGRATS ON THIS ONE. I'M SUPPORTING THIS ONE. THIS DRAINAGE FEE IS GOING FOR WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE GROWING FOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WELL, LET'S TAKE IT ONE AT A TIME, OKAY? OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 27 IN FAVOR? OPPOSED GRANTED ON 27. ITEM 28 [NON-CONSENT - MISCELLANEOUS] NEEDS A MOTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE FOR THE PROPOSED TAX RATE CAST NEXTT MOVE. SECOND, ROBINSON, BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED BY, UH, UM, BY COUNCILMAN ROBINSON ON 28TH. COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN ON 28TH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WAS JUST WONDERING ON THIS ONE, DID THE CITY CONSIDER A TAX RATE AT OR BELOW THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE? WELL, IT JUST THE HEARING DATE IN THIS CASE, DEPENDING ON WHAT WE END UP DECIDING, WE WILL BE LOWERING THE TAX RATE AGAIN, NINE OUT OF NINE OUT OF THE LAST, NOW IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. BUT IT'S NOT LOWER THAN THE NO TWO, THE NO NEW TAX RATE THAT THE STATE IMPOSES. NO, IT DOESN'T GO THAT LOW. NO, IT'S LOWER THAN WHERE WE ARE, BUT IT'S NOT AS LOW AS THE NO NEW TAX RATE. AND AGAIN, ALL THAT WOULD BE A PART OF THE PUBLIC PUBLIC HEARING. SO WE'LL HAVE A LOT MORE CONVERSATION ON THIS ONE. OKAY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 28? DISCUSSION TO SET THE HEARING DATE IN FAVOR OPPOSE GRANTED. AND THAT SETS IT FOR SEPTEMBER 27TH, SEPTEMBER ON MY BIRTHDAY. LOT THINGS HAPPEN ON YOUR BIRTHDAY. I DON'T WHY THIS YOUR BIRTHDAY THIS HAPPENING IS ON MY BIRTHDAY, . ALRIGHT, ITEM PASSES THE CITY. NEXT ITEM. [MATTERS HELD] ITEM 29 IS AN ORDINANCE. COUNCILMAN KNOX ON 29. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I TAGGED THIS ITEM LAST WEEK 'CAUSE IT STRUCK ME ODD THAT A DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO SPEND HALF A MILLION DOLLARS MORE THAN WE HAD AUTHORIZED THEM TO SPEND. UM, I WAS, UH, HAD A MEETING AND, UH, I'VE GOT A GOOD EXPLANATION FOR THIS. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC. SO THE ORIGINAL, UH, ITEM THAT WE VOTED ON WAS THE TOTAL AMOUNT WAS ACCURATE. THE AMOUNT THAT WAS ENTERED IN THE SAP WAS ACCURATE. BUT WHEN THE ITEM WAS, WHEN THE AMOUNT WAS WRITTEN ON THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE, THEY USED, THE FIRST YEAR EXPENDITURE [03:35:01] WAS A TECHNICAL OR, OR BASICALLY AN ERROR, OR SOMEBODY WROTE THE WRONG NUMBER DOWN THAT WAS NOT DISCOVERED FOR TWO YEARS AFTER THEY'D ALREADY SPENT THE $500,000 AND THEY WANT SOME MORE COMING UP FOR, TO, TO FINISH THE PROJECT. SO, UH, I'M SATISFIED THAT IT WAS A, AN ERROR, NOT, NOT ANY KIND OF MISCHIEF. UH, ALSO DURING THAT MEETING, UH, WE DISCUSSED THAT THERE ARE NOW PROTOCOLS IN PLACE TO PREVENT THAT SORT OF ACTIVITY FROM THE FUTURE. THERE'S SOME CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT ARE GONNA BE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NUMBERS THAT WE VOTE ON ARE ACTUALLY ENTERED IN THE ORDINANCE. SO HOPEFULLY THIS HAS BEEN CORRECTED AND I WILL SUPPORT THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 29 IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? GRANTED. THAT'S GOOD. NOW WE HAVE TWO FOR TWO WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX. NO, WE HAVE ONE MORE. WELL SAY YESTERDAY. WRITTEN TWO OR THREE THAT RAN SOME GAMES. NEXT ITEM, ITEM 30 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE ON ITEM 30. COUNCILMAN ROBINSON. COUNCILMAN ROBINSON ON ITEM 30. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS IS THE ONE I TAGGED LAST WEEK, HAVING TO DO WITH SIGNAL TIMING PROJECTS. YES, PRIMARILY DOWNTOWN. I WANTED TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A CLOSER LOOK OUT OF IT FOR, UH, UH, PREVIEWING WHAT WILL BE COMING TO TT I LATER THIS YEAR, WHICH IS A MORE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH, LOOKING AT ALL SIGNALS ACROSS THE CITY. THAT'LL BE COMING IN A COUPLE MONTHS. SO WE'RE READY TO GO AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ITEM 30? ANY OF THIS, UH, CONVERSATION IN FAVOR OF POST GLAND ON ITEM 30? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ITEM 31. ITEM 31 IS AN ORDINANCE. YOU NEED TO VOTE, MOVE UNANIMOUS CONSENT. UH, . I'LL OBJECT TO THAT. COUNCIL MEMBER MONO ON 31. OKAY, MAYOR, I TAGGED THIS ITEM LAST WEEK 'CAUSE YOU WEREN'T HERE AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HEAR ME ON THIS. ALRIGHT, UH, THIS DRAINAGE FEE CHARGE BEING USED FOR ENGINEERING, BUT EVEN WHEN I'M NOT HERE, I'M LISTENING, I KNOW THAT, BUT I LIKE TO SEE YOU WHEN I'M LISTENING OR WHEN YOU'RE LISTENING. SO, UM, UH, ANY RATE. SO LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THE PREVIOUS ITEM THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT GOING IN THE GROUND, AND THAT'S THE DRAINAGE FEE. THERE IS MONEY AVAILABLE IN THE OTHER THREE BUCKETS IN THIS DRAINAGE FUND. UH, THE VALOREM, THE CONTRACTORS, AND THE METRO FUND, WHICH COULD BE USED FOR STUFF LIKE PREPARATION WORK TO PUT THE DRAINAGE WORK IN. AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE ENGINEERING AND DESIGN. SO I'M GONNA BE VOTING NO ON THIS ONE. I KNOW Y'ALL ARE GONNA DO WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO, BUT, UH, I WANNA MAKE THIS POINT. THE PURPOSE FOR SEPARATING THOSE FOUR ITEMS OUT OF THAT FUND AND, AND MAKING A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THEM WAS SO, SO THAT WE COULD ASSIGN THE MONEY TO THE, FROM THE PROPER POT TO DO THE PROPER WORK TO GET READY TO PUT THE, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE REPAIR, REPAIR WORK DOWN ON THE GROUND AND DO THAT, THAT FLOOD MITIGATION WORK. SO I JUST WANT TO BE, UH, TRANSPARENT ON ALL OF THAT. AND I'M VOTE NO. THANK YOU. AND I, I APPRECIATE YOUR POSITION, UH, COUNCIL MAN, YOU'VE MADE YOUR POSITION VERY CLEAR, SO I, I APPRECIATE IT AND RESPECT IT. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, GLAD TO SEE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THIS ITEM TODAY. THIS IS FOR, UH, A BIG FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECT IN THE BRAEBURN GLEN AREA. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR SOME TIME. MAYOR, YOU AND I DISCUSSED THIS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WHEN WE FIRST CAME INTO OFFICE. UH, THE BRA BRANDAND GLEN AREA, WHICH IS NEAR, UM, BINETTE AND GESNER, UM, IS AN AREA THAT HAS REPEATEDLY FLOODED, UH, YEAR AFTER YEAR HEAVY RAIN STORMS. UM, SEVERAL OF THE HOUSES HAVE, ARE, ARE, ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO BE LIVED IN. AND THE RESIDENTS HAVE LONG SAID THAT THEY NEED SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL TO, UM, TO MITIGATE THE, THE FLOOD RISK THAT THEY, THAT THEY, UH, EXPERIENCE. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, MAYOR, I TOLD THEM THAT WE'RE GONNA DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO GET, UH, A MAJOR PROJECT IN THEIR AREA. AND THIS WILL EVENTUALLY BE ABOUT A $15 MILLION FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECT. SO, UH, IT'S THEIR TAX DOLLARS AT THE END OF THE DAY. UH, I DON'T THINK THEY CARE WHAT BUCKET IT COMES OUT OF BECAUSE IT'S THEIR MONEY, WHETHER IT'S THE SAVINGS ACCOUNT, WHETHER IT'S THE CHECKING ACCOUNT, WHETHER IT'S THE, THE SIDE ACCOUNT, IT'S THEIR TAX DOLLARS AND THEY WANT THEIR TAX DOLLARS TO GO TOWARDS PROJECTS TO, UM, MITIGATE THE FLOOD RISK THAT THEY EXPERIENCE. AND THEY'RE EXCITED TO SEE THIS COMING. THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, US MOVING FORWARD ON THIS PROJECT, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT IT'S ON THE AGENDA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND LEMME JUST SAY THERE'S $2.3 MILLION IS A SMALL AMOUNT PORTION OF THIS TOTAL PROJECT. UH, IT'S MUCH, MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT. THIS IS A TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECT FOR THAT AREA WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR FLOODING PROBLEMS. UM, THIS WILL MAKE A HUGE, A HUGE DIFFERENCE, [03:40:01] HUGE DIFFERENCE TO THAT BRAVE RAYBURN GLEN, UH, UH, AREA. SO, UM, I, I RESPECT WHAT COUNCIL MINOX HAS TO SAY, BUT I I AM VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE SPENDING THE DOLLARS AS INTENDED, UM, AND CONSISTENT WITH THIS PURPOSES. UH, BUT THIS 2.3 MILLION IS A SMALL SUBSET OF THEIR TOTAL AMOUNT OF THAT WILL BE SPENT IN THAT, IN THAT AREA. COUNCILMAN ALCO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, AND I AGREE WITH YOU. THIS IS THE PROPER SPENDING OF THE, OF THE DRAINAGE FEE FUNDS AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX, I'LL ALWAYS GIVE YOU CREDIT FOR DEMANDING THAT WE SEPARATED OUT BECAUSE THERE WAS CONFUSION WHEN WE WERE PAYING FOR STREETLIGHTS OR WHEN WE WERE PAYING FOR A BIKE WAY OR, OR A HEIGHT, A PATH OUT OF THE METRO FUNDS OR SOMETHING. SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE DRAINAGE FEE IS BEING SPENT ON DRAINAGE, BUT I WILL ARGUE ALL DAY LONG THAT THE ENGINEERING FOR A DRAINAGE PROJECT IS PART OF THE DRAINAGE PROJECT. WE'LL, WE'LL ARGUE ALL DAY TOMORROW, ARGUE ALL DAY LONG. BUT I'M GONNA ALWAYS, WE'RE GONNA DEFEND THAT. I'M GONNA DEFEND BECAUSE IS THE PROPER SPENDING OF THE DRAINAGE FEE DOLLARS. WE'LL START TOMORROW MORNING. CAMAN POLL. OKAY, WE GOOD? YEAH, IT COULD BE, NO, IT COULD, IT COULD DEFINITELY BE UP FOR INTERPRETATION, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE MONEY IS FOR THE PROJECT. SO REGARDLESS IF IT'S ENGINEERING, STUDYING, DRILLING A HOLE, HAVING SOMEBODY GO OUT THERE TO DO SOME TYPE OF, UH, WORK ON THE, ON THE PROJECT IS ALL BUILT INTO THAT PROJECT. YOU CAN'T DO ANY OF THIS WITHOUT ENGINEERING. WITHOUT THE ENGINEERING, YOU CAN'T DO ANY OF THIS WITHOUT THE STUDY. I MEAN, IT'S ALL, IT ALL COMES TOGETHER. SO IT COULD BE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION, BUT THE POINT IS THAT THE PEOPLE WANTED TO SEE A PROJECT GET DONE, THEIR TAX DOLLARS ARE PAYING FOR IT TO GET DONE, AND NOW WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON IT TO GET DONE. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU ALL. UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 31 IN FAVOR OF POST GRANTED ON 31 SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX VOTING? NO. UH, A QUIET NOTE. , UH, PLEASE TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO ITEM 11. GO TO ITEM 11. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER? YES, I'M RELEASING MY TAG. IT'S RELEASING THE TAG ON ITEM 11. ITEM 11. WE HAVE A MOTION, WE JUST NEED A VOTE. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION ON ITEM 11, DISCUSSION ON 11, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR. OPPOSED GRANTED ON ITEM 11. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THAT. MM-HMM . ALRIGHT. UH, [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] THE FIRST ONE UP TO DATE. EVAN SHABA, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU ALSO VERY MUCH. OH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, CERTAINLY I, I'M REALLY CONCERNED BECAUSE THE, THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION HAS BECOME THE, A PLACE OF A LOT OF DEATH IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, AND I'M REALLY, REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. CERTAINLY I HAVE ENGAGED WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO GIVE THEM RESOURCES AS WELL AS WITH, UM, A GANG INTERVENTION PROGRAM THAT IS ABLE TO MEET AT THE SUNNYSIDE, UH, POLICE STOREFRONT, THE FORMER STOREFRONT. SO WORKING ON ALL ANGLES TO TRY TO SEE IF WE CAN'T GET THIS UNDER CONTROL. BUT CERTAINLY I WANT TO GIVE MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO PASS TO THE FAMILY. AND CERTAINLY THE SERGEANT AND SON OF PASTOR GLORIA COLLINS, WHO WAS KILLED, UM, AFTER SOME SUSPECTS STOLE A VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO HER CAR. I WENT OUT TO THE SITE. IT WAS JUST, IT WAS, IT WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE TO SEE ALL THE GLASS. AND THE CAR WAS ALMOST DECIMATED. AND SO MY, MY CONDOLENCES GO OUT TO THAT FAMILY AND ALSO THE TRAGIC LOSS OF A 12-YEAR-OLD, UH, FREDERICK JOHNSON, UH, WHO WAS, UH, KILLED, UH, BY, UH, ALLEGEDLY AN 18-YEAR-OLD. UM, DON'T KNOW ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY TRAGIC TO SEE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, UH, HAPPEN. AND SO I WANT TO GIVE CONDOLENCES, AND I ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE PRINCIPAL OF PROVISION WHERE THIS YOUNG MAN WAS A STUDENT. UM, I SPOKE WITH JANELLE JAMES, WHO'S A LONG TIME FRIEND. AND CERTAINLY THE, THE SCHOOL IS DEVASTATED BY THE LOSS OF THIS LIFE. AND SO, UM, ANYWAY, JUST STARTING OUT ON THAT. AND THEN I WANT TO, FOR A BRIGHTER NOTE, I WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE APOS, AN ANNUAL FAMILY PICNIC AT THE EMANCIPATION PARK. UH, I THINK YOU SENT ME A VIDEO, UH, MAYOR OF ME JUST KIND OF SINGING FOR ABOUT TWO SECONDS UP THERE ON THE STAGE. , OH, LENA HORNE . I WON'T BE NEGLECTED. ANYWAY, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND IT'S ALWAYS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO, TO BE WITH OUR, UH, AFRICAN AMERICAN POLICE OFFICERS AND POLICE, POLICE OFFICERS, PERIOD, RIGHT, FOR THE SERVICE THAT THEY GIVE THE CITY. ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT NRG WITH THE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE [03:45:01] SCHOLARSHIP RECEPTION WHERE THERE WERE SCHOLARSHIPS GIVEN TO THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AS WELL AS THE PRAIRIE VIEW, A AND M UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. AND THANK YOU TO NRG AND STARLET DAVIS FOR MAKING THIS EVENT POSSIBLE. THERE WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT AT, UH, WITH DR. LASHANDA JONES ON, UM, LAST WEEK FOR OUR VETERANS, UH, THE VETERANS STAND DOWN EVENT AT EMANCIPATION PARK. I HAD A CONFLICT AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE THERE, BUT SHE DOES SUCH FINE WORK. UH, THAT DEPARTMENT DOES SUCH FINE WORK IN GIVING KUDOS TO OUR VETERANS. UM, CERTAINLY THERE WAS THE HISTORIC BLUE TRIANGLE COMMUNITY CENTER LUNCHEON AS WELL ON, UH, SATURDAY. IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO, UH, COMMEMORATE THE BLUE TRIANGLE. THEY'VE DONE SUCH TREMENDOUS WORK, AND I'M ACTUALLY A MEMBER, AND FROM TIME TO TIME I GO AND PARTICIPATE IN THEIR, UH, WATER AEROBICS. UH, YOU CAN'T TELL BY LOOKING, BUT I DO GO FROM TIME TO TIME. BUT CERTAINLY I WANT TO ALSO, UH, GIVE KUDOS TO JANICE WEAVER, UH, WHO AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR WONDERFUL EVENT AT THE YOUNG WOMEN'S COLLEGE PREPARATORY THIS WEEKEND. THE BLOOD DRIVE CELEBRATION, THEY GAVE SCHOLARSHIPS. UH, WE HAD CONSTABLE MAY WALKER AND OTHERS, AND, AND, AND SENATOR MILES WAS REPRESENTED AS WELL. AND SO THAT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE ON THIS WEEK. ON TOMORROW, UH, THURSDAY THE 14TH, WE HAVE A JOB FAIR AT THE WORLD HARVEST OUTREACH CAREER EX, UM, CHURCH CAREER EXPO. TOMORROW FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM WHICH IS 1 0 8 0 0 SCOTT STREET. PLEASE COME OUT BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE JOB, UH, PEOPLE WHO CAN GIVE YOU JOBS, PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES THAT CAN CERTAINLY HELP YOU TO BE ABLE TO GET TO BECOME GAINFULLY EMPLOYED. ALSO, ON TOMORROW THERE WILL BE A ONE HOUSTON, ONE BOOK BLOCK PARTY AT THE YOUNG NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY, UH, TOMORROW FROM 5:00 PM TO 7:00 PM AND THEN ALSO ON THIS SATURDAY THERE, THIS IS SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH. AND ON THIS SATURDAY AT, UH, THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, DR. JANICE BE WILL HAVE A WORKSHOP FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION THAT'S AT TEXAS SOUTHERN AT THE HOME ECONOMICS BUILDING, UH, FROM 11 TO TWO. AND THEN ON NEXT WEEK, THERE WILL ALSO BE ANOTHER JOB FAIR IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION FOR JOB SEEKERS AT THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ON THURSDAY, THE 21ST FROM 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM AT THE EMANCIPATION CULTURAL CENTER, 30 18 EMANCIPATION AVENUE. SO THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. CERTAINLY IF YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, I WELCOME YOU TO GET IT TO MY OFFICE SO THAT WE CAN DO THAT, UH, AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. SO THANK YOU AND YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU. UM, I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT TOMORROW NIGHT WE'RE HAVING THE CONVERSATION ON CRIME AT ST. MARTIN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH. THAT'S AT 7 1 7 SAGE ROAD. IT STARTS AT SIX 30. CHIEF NER WILL BE THERE, ALONG WITH ASSISTANT CHIEF BASHIR AND SOME OF THE OTHER COMMAND STAFF FROM MIDWEST, WEST SIDE AND CENTRAL. SO WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS. THANK YOU. I HAVE AN UPDATE FOR THE DENVER HARBOR COMMUNITY. UM, AS WE SPEAK, EMERGENCY REPAIRS ARE UNDERWAY FOR WATER MAIN BREAKS, UM, THAT HAVE OCCURRED, UH, AT I 10 AND CREST, UM, CAUSING WATER OUTAGES FOR SEVERAL NEARBY STREETS IN DENVER HARBOR SINCE LATE LAST NIGHT. UM, REPAIR CREWS ARE WORKING AND, UM, SERVICE SHOULD BE RESTORED SOMETIME TODAY. UM, ALSO I WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE ARE STILL IN HURRICANE SEASON, AND THAT TODAY, 15 YEARS AGO, EARLY THIS MORNING, HURRICANE IKE HIT US AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH DEVASTATING STORM SURGE AND, AND, AND VERY DANGEROUS DAMAGING WINDS, UM, MY HOUSE, UH, WE HAD A TREE THAT, THAT LANDED ON THE ROOF AND CRUSHED OUR HOUSE. AND SOMEHOW WE WERE ONE OF THE FEW HOMES ON OUR BLOCK THAT HAD ELECTRICITY AND WE WERE RUNNING, UM, POWER LINES TO NEIGHBORS AND JUST HOW PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW RESILIENT HOUSTON WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, AND PEOPLE HELPING EACH OTHER THROUGH, THROUGH THAT. SO WE, WE, WE, UM, WE'RE NOT OUTTA HURRICANE SEASON YET, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, KNOCK ON WOOD, IT'S, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THAT THIS YEAR, BUT, BUT WE ARE STILL VERY MUCH IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. UM, AND THEN I WANTED TO INVITE EVERYONE TO THE CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH COMMITTEE MEETING THAT WILL BE HAPPENING HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS TODAY AT TWO O'CLOCK, UM, WHERE WE ARE HAVING A PRESENTATION FROM DR. RAY LAWSON ON HOW THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, UM, UM, IS SO INSTRUMENTAL IN, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEIR ROLE IS IN THE SUCCESS OF EARLY LITERACY AND SCHOOL [03:50:01] SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES, CHILDREN, AND YOUTH. SO JOIN US HERE TODAY AT TWO O'CLOCK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I FEEL YOUR PAIN. WE ALSO LOST, UH, FIVE HOUSES IN A ROW IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, LOST FENCES AND TREES. I THINK WE HAD OUR TORNADO HIT US ABOUT TWO TH WEEK AGO, TWO WEEKS AGO, THURSDAY. SO IT WAS PRETTY INTENSE. EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT, WE'RE HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF ACTIVITY IN THE TROPICS. UM, THE INTENSITY OF SOME OF THESE STORMS ARE, UH, ARE SOMETHING THAT WE HADN'T WITNESSED IN A WHILE. SO I FEEL YOUR PAIN. UH, FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO DO IS RECOGNIZE MS. ARIANA SILVA. ARIANA, STAND UP. ARIANA IS OUR, UH, HOUSTON FIRST APPRENTICE WORKING WITH TRACY PRINCE, AND HOPEFULLY ARIANA WILL SEE YOU TONIGHT AT THE, UH, CELEBRATION THAT WE'RE HAVING AT GIOS. SO WE'LL SEE YOU TONIGHT. THE ARLINGTON HEIGHTS DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT SUB-PROJECT HAS PUT OUT A NOTICE ADVERTISING FOR BIDDING, WHICH BEGINS SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2023. THIS PROJECT WILL INCLUDE STORM DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ADDRESS AND REDUCE THE RISK OF STRUCTURAL FLOODING IN THE AREA BY IMPROVING STREET CONVEYANCE SHEET FLOW, PROVIDING DETENTION AS NEEDED FOR MITIGATION. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS SUBJECT, PLEASE VISIT ENGAGE HOUSTON.COM. AGAIN, ENGAGE HOUSTON.COM. I WANTED TO LET THE DISTRICT E RESIDENTS KNOW THE SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR UPCOMING TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN OCTOBER. IT'LL BE MY LAST, UH, TWO TOWN HALL MEETINGS THAT I'LL DO, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION, UH, TO PRESENT BEFORE WE RIDE OFF INTO THE SUNSET. THE KINGWOOD TOWN HALL MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17TH AT THE KINGWOOD COMMUNITY CENTER AT 6:30 PM AGAIN, THE KINGWOOD TOWN HALL MEETING. OCTOBER 17TH AT SIX 30, WE'LL PRESENT THE LATEST AND GREATEST ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF NORTH PARK DRIVE, THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LAKE HOUSTON SPILLWAY DAM GATES, DREDGING ACTIVITY, AND OTHER THINGS IN THE AREA. CLEAR LAKE TOWN HALL MEETING WILL BE HELD OCTOBER 19TH, WHICH IS A THURSDAY AT SPACE CENTER HOUSTON AT 6:30 PM AGAIN, CLEAR LAKE WILL BE HELD, CLEAR LAKE AND SOUTH BELT ELLINGTON FREEWAY MANOR, ALL THAT AREA WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19TH AT SPACE CENTER HOUSTON. BOTH MEETINGS WILL INCLUDE UPDATES FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS ABOUT SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND EFFORTS HAPPENING IN EACH AREA OF DISTRICT E AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS AT THESE MEETINGS. AND, UM, HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, A FAREWELL TOUR. COUNCIL MEMBER, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. UH, DID WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE NOMINATION AS A CHAIR OF NLC TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES COMMITTEE. AND THEN ALSO, UM, LET YOU KNOW THAT NEXT WEEK, SEPTEMBER 18 THROUGH 24TH IS NATIONAL RAIL SAFETY WEEK. UM, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES ASKING, UM, FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON A CALL TO ACTION OF THE BIPARTISAN RAILWAY SAFETY ACT. UM, SO IF YOU CAN CLICK ON THAT, UM, EMAIL AND SEND THAT LETTER TO SENATOR CORNYN AND CRUZ, THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL AS WE ARE EXPECTING CONGRESS TO VOTE ON THIS LEGISLATION IN THE NEAR FUTURE. UM, RESIDENTS WHO TRAVEL ALONG STATE HIGHWAY 2 88, UM, SHOULD BE ADVISED OF UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION TO REPAIR THE SIMS BRIDGE ABUTMENT WALL. AND THAT WILL BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER THE 16TH. AND THIS PROJECT WILL REQUIRE THE CLOSURE OF TWO RIGHT NORTHBOUND LANES AND THE CLOSURE OF WEST ORM DRIVE NORTHBOUND ENTRANCE RAMP. UM, ALSO DURING THE MORNING PEAK TIMES THE CLOSURE OF ALAMEDA GENOA NORTHBOUND ENTRANCE RAMP AND THE BELTWAY EIGHT ENTRANCE RAMP INTO THE EXPRESS TOLL LANE. SO CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO LAST ABOUT FOUR WEEKS. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN CALL OUR OFFICE OR YOU CAN CONTACT, UM, OR YOU CAN LOOK UP WWW.DRIVETWOEIGHTYEIGHT.COM. UH, FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT ON YOUR MORNING COMMUTES, UH, THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT WILL HOLD A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING ON THE TRIBUTARY C 1 43 DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IN THE SIMS BAYOU WATERSHED. SO, RESIDENTS IN THE HI CLARK AREA MAY BE INTERESTED ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 26TH AT 6:30 PM YOU CAN JOIN AND GET A STATUS OF THAT PROJECT. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN CONTACT THE DISTRICT K OFFICE, UM, OR GO TO THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT WEBSITE. UH, ALSO WANT TO WISH MELVIN HOPKINS, OUR DIRECTOR OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES, A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON YESTERDAY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING HIM BACK IN THE OFFICE VERY SOON AFTER HIS SUCCESSFUL KNEE SURGERY. SO KEEP UP WITH [03:55:01] DISTRICT A. IF YOU'RE NOT RECEIVING OUR NEWSLETTERS, PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL US IN THE DISTRICT, A OFFICE, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS. THANK YOU MAYOR PRAM. TODAY MORE THAN EVER, WE HAVE TO SPEAK UP. THEY TRY TO TELL US WHAT WE CAN, WE, WELL, WE CAN OR CAN'T READ. THEY'VE TAKEN OUT OUR, THEY'VE TAKEN OVER OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THEY'VE CLOSED SOME OF OUR LIBRARIES. WHAT THEY CAN DO IS TAKE AWAY OUR RICH AND PROUD HISTORY AND OUR DREAMS AND PRIDE FOR THE FUTURE. ON OCTOBER 12TH, 1492 IN THE MORNING, A SAILOR ON BOARD THE P UH, THE PINTA, ONE OF THREE SPANISH SHIPS, THE NINA, THE PINTA, AND THE SANTA MARIA CITED LAND. THIS MARKED THE EUROPEAN DISCOVERY OF THE AMERICAS, WHICH BEGAN EUROPEAN EXPLORATION AND EXPLOITATION AND ENSLAVEMENT OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ON THEIR LANDS. GREAT CIVILIZATIONS OF THE AZTECS, THE MAYAS, AND THE INCAS WERE DISCOVERED AND DESTROYED BY THE COLONIZERS. EUROPEAN COLONIZATION OF THE NEW WORLD ALSO CREATED A MIXED RACE IDENTITIES AMONG HISPANICS, MAINLY BETWEEN NATIVE AMERICANS, SPANIARDS, AND AFRICAN SLAVES. THESE NEW PEOPLE WOULD BE KNOWN AS MESTI AND MULATTO. TODAY, MESTI REPRESENTS A RACIAL MAJORITY IN MEXICO, MOST OF CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE INDIAN COUNTRIES OF SOUTH AMERICA. THE FIRST RIGHT RECORDED EUROPEAN IN THE PRESENT US WAS THE SPANIARD LEON WHO SET SOUTH ON PUERTO RICO, MARCH OF 1513 TO EXPLORE AREAS TO THE NORTH. LANDING A MONTH LATER ON THE COAST OF TODAY'S FLORIDA, THE OTIS CITY, CITY IN THE US SAN AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA WAS FOUNDED BY SPANIARD DON MENENDEZ DE IN SEPTEMBER OF 1565. TODAY, HISPANICS ARE THE LARGEST ETHNIC GROUP IN TEXAS. IN HOUSTON. HISPANICS ARE 45% OF THE POPULATION. HOWEVER, ONE THIRD OF HISPANICS ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, WHICH LEADS TO MISCONSTRUED BELIEFS AND INFORMATION BASED ON DEMOGRAPHICS FOR EDUCATION, INCOME, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND POLITICAL PROCESS AND OTHER CONDITIONS. IN HOUSTON TODAY THERE ARE 17 LATINO OWNED BUSINESSES FOR EVERY 100 WHITE OWNED BUSINESSES. LATINOS ARE THE FASTEST GROWING SUBGROUP OF AN ENTREPRENEURS IN THE COUNTRY. THERE ARE 11,354 LATINO OWNED BUSINESSES IN HOUSTON. I SAY ALL THIS TO WISH YOU ALL HAPPY HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH FROM SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH. THERE WILL BE VARIOUS CELEBRATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. PLEASE GO OUT AND ENJOY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, WE'LL MOVE NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR, PRO TE UH, FEL AND, UH, HAPPY HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. THAT DOES BEGIN THIS FRIDAY. THAT'S A, A GREAT RECITATION OF SOME IMPORTANT HISTORY AND, UH, TO GET IT RIGHT IS CRITICAL. UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, WE ARE ALSO CELEBRATING NATIONAL LITERACY MONTH. AND I THINK TO COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS TO TALK ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON'S, UH, TO CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH COMMITTEE MEETING WITH, UH, DR. RAYA LAWSON IS A WONDERFUL WAY TO NOT ONLY TOUCH BASE ON THE IMPORTANT WORK GOING ON IN OUR HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM, BUT ALSO TO CELEBRATE WHAT MAYOR TURNER SPOKE ABOUT THIS MORNING WITH TOMORROW MORNING'S BREAKFAST, THE MAYOR'S ADULT LITER LITERACY BREAKFAST. I KNOW, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. UH, THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS, UH, PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING STATISTIC, AND THAT'S NAMELY THAT 32 MILLION ADULTS IN THE US CAN'T READ. IT'S ABOUT ONE IN 10 OF US, AND IT'S REALLY SO VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR EDUCATION. AND COUNCIL MEMBER, I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING ON THAT. UH, BOTH OF OUR, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT I'VE JUST REFERRED TO WORKING ON SO MANY IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT EDUCATION AND HISTORY. I WANT TO ALSO ADD THAT IN ADDITION TO, UH, THE BEGINNING OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, AS COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGO SAID, FROM SEPTEMBER 15TH TO OCTOBER 15TH, THIS FRIDAY MARKS THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF JFK'S VISIT WITH LULAC, UH, IN HOUSTON. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME, AND HE WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO ADDRESS AND CELEBRATE A LATINO ORGANIZATION. AND THAT HAPPENED 66, 60 YEARS AGO THIS FRIDAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. WE HAVE SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE, SO MUCH TO, UH, UH, FOSTER IN TERMS OF LEGACIES AND MEMORIES. AND FOR THAT, I'M [04:00:01] VERY GRATEFUL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON. WE'LL MOVE NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR. UM, FIRST I WANT TO ANNOUNCE SOME ONGOING AND UPCOMING PROJECTS IN DISTRICT A TO HIGHLIGHT THEM FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS. UM, THE FIRST IS THE PINE VILLAGE DRIVE, OUTFALL LOCAL DRAINAGE PROJECT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE LAST TIME IT RAINED, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT THE LAST TIME THERE WAS A REGULAR RAIN EVENT, UM, THE STREET STARTED FLOODING. THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. UM, ON THAT STREET AND PUBLIC WORKS, FOUND THAT THERE IS AN OUTFALL THAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. JUST WANTED TO THANK LIKE NSH FOR, UM, FOR WORKING ON THIS AND GETTING THIS EXPEDITED AND HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT ALSO FOR, UM, APPROVING IT VERY QUICKLY. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT PROJECT. NEXT IS THE CONCRETE PANEL REPLACEMENT PROJECT IN INWOOD. IT IS STARTING NOW, WILL TAKE ABOUT 90 DAYS TO COMPLETE, AND THAT IS, UM, LIBON IN WEST LILY YORK, UM, AREA. SO ALSO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT CONCRETE PANEL REPLACEMENT. VERY MUCH NEEDED IN INWOOD. AND THE LAST PROJECT, ONE THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS PARK ROW EAST OF HIGHWAY SIX WILL FINALLY, UM, BE OPEN THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 18TH, SO NEXT WEEK. AND THEN PARK ROW WEST OF HIGHWAY SIX WILL BE PARTIALLY OPEN, ALLOWING FOR EAST WEST TRAFFIC UNTIL THE COMPLETION OF THE PARK 10 WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. SO, AND THAT, UM, PROJECT WILL BE DONE IN JANUARY. SO FINALLY SOME MOVEMENT IN THAT AREA FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO GET TO WORK . UM, AND THEN FINALLY, I JUST WANTED TO ANNOUNCE OUR, UM, COFFEE WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND COPS EVENT. THIS IS ON MONDAY AT 9:00 AM IT WILL BE AT TRINITY MINDENHALL COMMUNITY CENTER, 1 4 1 4 WT ROAD. WE WILL HAVE OUR NORTHWEST HPD COMMANDER THERE TO TALK ABOUT CRIME, ANYTHING CITY RELATED WE'RE HAPPY TO ADDRESS. ALSO, WE WILL HAVE FREE GUN SAFES THAT ARE GOING TO BE DISTRIBUTED FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AND, UM, WE HAVE LIMITED SUPPLIES. SO FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED ON THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, WE WILL MOVE NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, WE WILL BE HAVING A VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. UH, THE MAYOR WILL BE JOINING ME TOMORROW MORNING, AS WILL FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT FOR A MAJOR FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECT THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON, UH, PRETTY MUCH THE PAST FOUR YEARS. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. UH, AND I WANTED TO ALSO ANNOUNCE THAT, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS SAID THAT THERE WILL BE EXTENDED POOL HOURS, UM, FOR THE TC JESTER AQUATIC CENTER. UH, THEY WILL REMAIN OPEN ON SATURDAY, SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS THROUGH THE END OF OCTOBER, OR UNTIL THE WATER TEMPERATURE IS LESS THAN 72 DEGREES. UM, THIS WAS ONE OF THE POOLS THAT WAS HIGHEST ATTENDED IN THE NORTHERN, UH, SECTOR OF THE CITY. UM, SO WE'RE REALLY THRILLED THAT, UH, THE COMMUNITY WILL CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO, UH, ENJOY THAT. AND LASTLY, UH, I WANNA WISH ALL RESIDENTS, NOT ONLY IN DISTRICT C BUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, VERY HAPPY, HAPPY, SWEET AND HEALTHY JEWISH NEW YEAR. UH, WE BEGIN TO CELEBRATE ROSH HASHANAH, UH, THIS FRIDAY. SO, UH, LASH TOVA, UM, TO ALL THAT ARE CELEBRATING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY. UH, WE WILL MOVE LASTLY, BUT OF COURSE NOT LEAST TO THE INCOMPARABLE COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD P*****K. WELL, THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT INTRO. VICE MAYOR PRO TIM. THANK YOU. UM, JUST WANT TO INVITE EVERYONE, UH, TO COME OUT THIS SATURDAY FOR THE FIRST ANNUAL, UH, DIA DE LA INDEPENDENCIA PARADE, WHICH WILL BE IN, UH, THE GULFTON AREA. IT WILL BE IN HONOR OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTHS. AND, UH, THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE SUCH A PARADE IN THE, IN THE, IN NOT ONLY DISTRICT J, BUT IN THE GULFTON AREA. I AM PROUD TO BE SERVING AS CO GRAND MARSHALL OF THE PARADE ALONGSIDE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CONSULATES OF MEXICO AND EL SALVADOR. UH, THE ENTIRE EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM IT WILL START AT GULFTON STREET IN WESTWARD AND WILL CULMINATE AT BURNETT BAYLEN PARK. UM, THE PARADE WILL START AT 10 AND THEN WE'LL HAVE FESTIVITIES AT THE PARK AFTER THAT, UH, DIPLOMATS AND FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL AS LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS WILL ALSO BE IN ATTENDANCE. THIS CELEBRATION SERVES NOT ONLY AS A TESTAMENT TO THE RICH HISTORY AND DIVERSE CULTURES WITHIN OUR HISPANIC COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO UNITE US ALL IN APPRECIATION AND FESTIVITY. SO PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS, BRING OUT THE WHOLE FAMILY TO CELEBRATE AND HONOR THE INCREDIBLE LEGACY AND CONTRIBUTION OF OUR HISPANIC COMMUNITY. I WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE GULFTON MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, THEIR CHAIR, TAMMY RODRIGUEZ FOR HELPING ORGANIZE THIS. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL ON SATURDAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR POP-OFF FOR TODAY. AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE FOR STAYING AND WE ARE ADJOURNED. THERE YOU GO. DIDN'T [04:05:01] EVEN NEED ME. * 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.