* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] UH, THE FIRST [PRESENTATIONS] PROCLAMATION, UH, WILL BE DONE BY COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS, UH, ON CODE ENFORCEMENT. THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON. COUNCILMAN CHAIR. LEMME LIFT THAT HERE. ARE WE ON? THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND AS, UH, MAYOR TURNER GETS DOWN TO THE FLOOR, UH, COLLEAGUES AND TO EVERYONE THAT'S WATCHING, UM, ONLINE AND TO EVERYONE IN THE CHAMBERS, WE GIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT A HARD TIME. AND I THINK, UH, ALL OF THEM WOULD, UH, AGREE WITH THAT. BUT I, I WILL TELL YOU THAT TODAY WE ARE HERE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR WORK. UH, WE GIVE 'EM A HARD TIME BECAUSE WE CARE SO DEEPLY ABOUT THEIR WORK IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND WE KNOW THAT THEY EXEMPLIFY THAT SAME LEVEL OF EXCELLENCE. THEY GO IN ALL ELEMENTS, MAKING SURE THAT WEEDS ARE ABATED, UH, GRASS IS CUT, TRASH IS PICKED UP, UH, YOU KNOW, DUMPING AND ALL OF THE LIKE, AND MAINTAINING ALL TYPES OF, UH, RESOURCES IN THE CITY, UM, AND KEEPING OUR CITY CLEAN. AND SO WE WANNA APPRECIATE, UM, THEM TODAY. SO, WHEREAS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ENSURE THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF THE UNITED STATES CITIZENS BY ENFORCING LOCAL CODES AND ORDINANCES RELATED TO BUILDING, ZONING, HOUSING, ANIMAL CONTROL, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, AND LIFE SAFETY. AND WHEREAS THESE DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS OFTEN FACE THE CHALLENGES AND DEMANDS OF THEIR ROLE WITHOUT RECEIVING THE RECOGNITION THEY DESERVE FOR IMPROVING THE LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES. AND WHEREAS THE ROLE OF MANY CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HAVE EXPANDED DUE TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF INCREASED FORECLOSURES AND ABANDONED HOMES IN COMMUNITIES. AND WHEREAS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND COMMITTED INDIVIDUALS THAT SHARE THE GOALS OF PREVENTING NEIGHBORHOOD DETERIORATION, ENHANCING SAFETY, AND PRESERVING PROPERTY VALUES BY ENFORCING HOUSING ZONING NUISANCE CODES AND ORDINANCES. WHEREAS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS PLAY A PROMINENT ROLE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES REGULARLY INTERACTING WITH STATE AND COUNTY OFFICIALS, FIRST RESPONDERS, LEGISLATIVE BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AGENCIES, AND OTHER BODY, OTHER BODIES, WHEREAS THEY ARE ENTRUSTED WITH PROVIDING TOP-NOTCH CUSTOMER SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. AND WHEREAS THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CODE ENFORCEMENT URGES COMMUNITIES TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE VITAL WORK OF CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND RAISE AWARENESS OF THEIR SIGNIFICANCE, AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON ENCOURAGES MUNICIPALITIES AND COMMUNITIES TO JOIN IN RECOGNIZING AND EXPRESSING APPRECIATION FOR THE DEDICATED SERVICE OF OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, AND THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, MAYOR TURNER. THANK YOU, MEMBER THOMAS. SO THEREFORE, I, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, DO HEREBY PROBABLY PROCLAIM OCTOBER, 2023 NATIONAL CODE COMPLIANCE MONTH IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, AND THEN I'M GONNA, LET ME ASK ALL OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO PLEASE STAND TO HERE TODAY. JUST STAND, AND THEN LET ME ASK WHO'S SPEAKING FOR THE GROUP? I KNOW, UH, DIRECTOR ASHA FRANCIS. THIS IS, UM, BUT ARE THERE, WHO'S, WHO'S REPRESENTING WHOM I KNOW IT. IT'S A, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, HIS ASSISTANT CHIEF, MICHELLE MLE, PUBLIC WORKS. ANYONE ELSE? IS THERE ANYONE FROM, UH, ANIMAL CONTROL OR BARK? OKAY. WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS AND MAYOR TURNER FOR THIS AMAZING DISTINCTION BEFORE COUNCIL. LOOK, I THINK IT'S NO SECRET THAT WE HAVE THE BEST DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN THIS ENTIRE COUNTRY, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THE HARD WORK THAT OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DO EACH AND EVERY DAY TO MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE AND CLEAN FOR THEM. I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE APPRECIATED. YOU ARE NOT UNDERAPPRECIATED, YOU ARE OVER APPRECIATED. AND WE THANK OUR COLLEAGUES AND HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, AS WELL AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO ALSO IN BUILDING INSPECTIONS AND FIRE HAZARDS TO MAKE SURE THAT HOUSTON IS SAFE. BUT DAWN, FROM MY HEART, I LOVE YOU DEEP. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. HI, GOOD AFTERNOON. I'D FIRST LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXCELLENT WORK THAT ALL OF OUR HFD FIRE INSPECTORS, AS WELL AS THE OTHER CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS THROUGHOUT [00:05:01] THE CITY DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. UH, NONE OF YOU SEEK THE SPOTLIGHT. YOU, YOU'RE NOT IN THE SPOTLIGHT. BUT IN SEEKING CODE COMPLIANCE, UH, YOU PLAY THE MOST CRUCIAL ROLE IN KEEPING OUR CITY SAFE FOR ALL THOSE WHO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, AND I KNOW THAT YOU DO A LOT. YES. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, MAYOR TURNER COUNCIL, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE HONORED AND GRATEFUL FOR YOUR RECOGNITION OF THIS. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I ECHO MY COLLEAGUES AND THANKING ALL OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. IMPORTANTLY, I WOULD NOTE THAT ALTHOUGH THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS ARE FULL TODAY, THIS IS BUT A FRACTION OF THE GOOD PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE TRYING TO KEEP OUR CITY SAFE. AND SO WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU. YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THIS COUNCIL MEMBER ON YOUR BEHALF. AND ON BEHALF OF CITY COUNCIL, I KNOW AS MENTIONED, THIS IS REPRESENTATIVE OF FIRE DEPARTMENT PUBLIC WORKS, THE DON THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, THE PERMITTING CENTER I SEE REPRESENTED TODAY. AND OF COURSE, CODE CODE ENFORCEMENT. WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT ALL OF YOU. SO THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF THAT. AND I THINK THERE'S SOME PHOTOS SOMEHOW WE HAVE COUNCIL, UH, LEMME SEE, UH, COUNCIL, AND WE DO A MAYOR. BEFORE WE START, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE THAT'D LIKE TO SAY SOME WORDS HERE. UM, WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN. THANK YOU. UM, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU FOR THE PROC. I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SPECIAL OCCASIONS WHERE, UM, SO MANY DEPARTMENTS ARE INVOLVED, RIGHT? IN CODE ENFORCEMENT, AND IT TAKES EACH ONE OF YOU, UM, AS THE DISTRICT C COUNCIL MEMBER, WE TALK WITH Y'ALL A LOT. UM, WE SO APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK, WHETHER IT'S DAWN, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, DIFFERENT DIVISIONS. AND, UM, AS ASSISTANT CHIEF SAID TO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, YOU ALL WEAR SO MANY DIFFERENT HATS, THIS BEING ONE OF THEM. SO OUR APPRECIATION TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR MAKING OUR CITY SAFE, UM, IT TAKES ALL OF US, RIGHT? AND I KNOW THAT EVERYONE IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN, UM, TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE IN THAT RESPECT. SO MY HEARTFELT APPRECIATION, THANK YOU. NEXT IS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. CERTAINLY WANNA HONOR YOU AND THE GOOD WORK YOU DO FOR THE RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON. UM, AND I ALWAYS PUT IN A PLUG, WE JUST HAD A, A AN RNA COMMITTEE MAYOR, UM, WITH DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS SPECIFIC TO DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, AND HOW REALLY YOU GUYS ARE DOING THE WORK, UM, THAT DALLAS GETS 260 OF, OF INSPECTORS LIKE THAT. WE HAVE 56. UM, WE ARE WOEFULLY, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A FRACTION OF THE PEOPLE, I'D LIKE TO SEE MANY MORE FRACTIONS OF CODE ENFORCEMENT. I KNOW THAT ALL COSTS MONEY, BUT REALLY JUST THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU DO COVERING THIS 670 SQUARE MILE, UM, CITY. THAT'S A, IT'S A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WORK. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. AND WITH THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, WE HAVE, HOLD ON. WE HAVE ONE MORE COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE QUEUE. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST WANTED TO JOIN THE THANKS. I MEAN, HONESTLY, THIS IS A BIG CITY AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. IT'S A BIG CITY, AND I KNOW A LOT OF YOU OUT THERE FEEL UNDERAPPRECIATED IN MANY WAYS. AND, UM, AND I WANT ALL OF YOU TO KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE MAY NOT SAY THANK YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY, WE REALLY ARE GRATEFUL BECAUSE WE HEAR THAT WE, OUR OFFICES HEAR IT, RIGHT? AND, AND WHEN YOU GET OUT THERE AND YOU GET IT DONE, AND OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS Y'ALL ARE OVERWORKED. AND SO, UM, AND SHORTHANDED IN MANY WAYS. AND SO JUST THANK YOU. SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS. COUNCIL MEMBER AND CHAIR THOMAS, WOULD YOU LIKE THE FINAL WORD? NO, I, I THINK THIS IS SO APPROPRIATE. UM, THANK YOU TO DIRECTOR FRANCIS. UM, OUR HOUSTON FIRE REP, AND OF COURSE PUBLIC WORKS. THEY'RE DOING YEOMAN JOB IN THE CITY. AND SO THANK YOU ALL. UM, I WAS TAKING A, A WALK, UM, SATURDAY MORNING, AND I WAS WALKING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I SAW YELLOW PLACARD AND SOMEBODY YARD, AND I WAS LIKE, GOT 'EM. SOMEBODY GOT 'EM. SO, SO THE, SO THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING, IT IS DEFINITELY NOTICED. UM, UM, INSPECTING OUR DRAINS, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE CLEAN NEIGHBORHOODS. WE COULD NOT, WE GET THE CREDIT FOR A LOT OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO, ESPECIALLY IN 110 AND 12 DEGREE HEAT DURING THE SUMMER. MM-HMM . UM, AND SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE Y'ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. WHY DON'T WE DO IT THIS WAY? UH, EXECUTIVE CHIEF, IF YOU GET RIGHT THERE IN THE CENTER, RANDY, IF YOU GET THE UNDERSTANDING COUNCIL MEMBER, IF I CAN HAVE EVERYBODY THE STAND, WELL, THAT'S GONNA COVER SOME PEOPLE UP. JEFF CAN KNOW. WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT WORK, SIR. YEAH, WE MAKE IT WORK. JEFF CAN STEP. YEAH. JEFF [00:11:01] GROUP. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. ALRIGHT, MAYOR, GIVING A MOMENT FOR THE CHAMBER TO CLEAR. WE'LL NEXT HEAR FROM COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. SO MAYOR, WHILE THE CHAMBER CONTINUES TO CLEAR, WE WILL AGAIN TURN TO COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, THIS TIME TO RECOGNIZE HER FOR A PROCLAMATION TO BREAKING BREAD SATURDAYS TO RECOGNIZE HISPANIC ENGAGEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY, ADDRESSING FOOD SECURITY AND COMMUNITY BUILDING THROUGH MUSIC COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON, MY FAVORITE VICE CHAIR. UH, AND THANK YOU COLLEAGUES AGAIN FOR INDULGING ME. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ASK RESIDENTS TO DO IS TO JOIN WITH US IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. OFTENTIMES WE'RE SAYING GET INVOLVED, LEAD, YOU KNOW, HELP US WITH THESE ISSUES. WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE. AND I'M SO HONORED AND GRATEFUL THAT, UH, MANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN DISTRICT F HAVE TAKEN UP THAT MANTLE, UH, BREAKING BREAD. SATURDAYS, UH, WE HAVE TWO FOUNDERS IN THE AUDIENCE. Y'ALL JOIN ME. JOIN, JOIN. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I WAS GOING OFF AND Y'ALL NOT EVEN UP HERE. WANNA GIVE? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. SO, UM, THEY APPROACHED THE OFFICE. THEY SAID THEY, THEY WANNA GIVE BACK. THEY WANTED TO SERVE FOOD, THEY WANTED TO SERVE HOPE, THEY WANTED TO CONNECT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT RAISED THEM AND HAVE INVESTED IN THEM. AND SINCE DAY ONE AND MAYOR TURNER, YOU, YOU'VE MET THEM AT THE OPENING OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER, BUT IT WAS MILLIONS OF PEOPLE THERE. YOU PROBABLY DO NOT REMEMBER, BUT EVERY ACTIVATION WE'VE HAD IN DISTRICT F, THEY'VE BEEN FLANKED WITH US SIDE BY SIDE, UM, SERVING IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES. THEY'RE ALSO IN ENTERTAINMENT. UH, WHEN SOLID WASTE DONATES A BIKE IN THE DISTRICT F WE WORK WITH THEM AND THEY IDENTIFY, UH, IDENTIFY THE FAMILY. SO I'M VERY HONORED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, OUR HISPANIC COMMUNITY JUST IN ONE MONTH, BUT ALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT. SO, WHEREAS BREAKING BREAD SATURDAYS IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH A HEARTFELT MISSION TO UPLIFT COMMUNITIES IN NEED. DURING THESE EVENTS, THE COMMUNITY GATHERS FOR A DAY FILLED WITH JOY AND TOGETHERNESS, FAMILY FRIENDLY GAMES, DJ PERFORMANCES AND LIVE MUSIC CONTRIBUTE TO THE FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE ACCOMPANIED BY SPONSOR BOOTH, AND ENGAGING ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN. WHEREAS OPERATING ACROSS VARIOUS PARKS IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON, BREAKING BREAD SATURDAYS PROVIDES A VITAL SUPPORT TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES BY OFFERING ESSENTIAL RESOURCES SUCH AS WATER, NON-PERISHABLE ITEMS, CLOTHING, SHOES, BIBLES, AND WARM MEALS DURING THEIR EVENTS. AND WHEREAS THE FOUNDERS PERIL, BCEO OF HIGH VIDA RECORDS AND JOHN GUEVARA, CEO OF LATIN TOUCH RECORDS SHARE A DEDICATION TO MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON [00:15:01] THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH LED THEM TO CREATE AN INITIATIVE THAT RESONATES DEEPLY WITH THE COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS BOTH OUR ACCOMPLISHED MUSICIANS WITH THE FLARE FOR PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, THEY GENEROUSLY VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME DURING EVENTS PERSONALLY ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND DISTRIBUTING FOOD. AND WHEREAS BREAKING BREAD SATURDAYS STAND AS A TESTAMENT OF POWER OF COLLABORATION, COMPASSION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMENDS BREAKING BREAD SATURDAYS FOR THEIR UNWAVERING DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO NOURISHING SOULS, FOSTERING UNITY, AND MAKING A LASTING DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES THEY TOUCH. MAYOR TURNER. SO THEREFORE, I, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROUDLY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 24TH, 2023, THAT BREAKING BREAD SATURDAY DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK ALL YOUR HELP. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US BEFORE ANYTHING ALL PRAISE US TO THE MOST HIGH BEFORE ANYTHING. WE ARE THANKFUL. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE AMONGST Y'ALL TODAY AND HONOR TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US, SIR. JUST EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE. WE JUST WANT TO SHOW THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER AS ONE WE CAN GIVE OURSELVES AS UNITY, AND WE CAN DO MORE THAN JUST WAIT. AND THAT'S THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING. I'M HONORED TO BE HERE WITH MY BROTHER . WELL, MR. BRIAN HAS PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS AND COMING UP WITH THIS AND JUST BEEN AN HONOR TO BRING IT TO LIFE. WE THANK Y'ALL FOR SUPPORTING IT HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALL PRAISE US TO THE MOST HIGH, ALWAYS ALL GLORY TO THE MOST HIGH. I JUST WANT TO THANK Y'ALL, THANK EVERYBODY, THANK TIFFANY D. THOMAS FOR BELIEVING IN US AND SHOWING US, UH, WHEN WE DIDN'T KNOW A LOT OF THE ROPES AND JUST TRYING TO GET BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. WE JUST HAD A LOT FROM THE HEART AND A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT CAME TO US AND WE'RE JUST READY TO GIVE BACK. AND YOU SHOWED US THE WAY AND YOU SHOWED US A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR. AND WE WANT TO GIVE A GREAT, UH, THANK YOU TO YOU AND THANK YOU TO, TO THE MAYOR, AND THANK YOU TO JOHN GDA AND EVERYBODY WHO HAS HELPED US. AND WE'RE HERE TO GIVE A LOT MORE TO THE COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND INFORMATION AND FOOD AND WATER AND EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN THAT WE'RE, WE'RE BLESSED WITH. SO THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY. WE'VE ALWAYS REMEMBERED THIS. THANK YOU. WONDERFUL. WONDERFUL. VERY GOOD. WE DO, WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE QUEUE FOR NOW. LET'S SEE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, YOU'RE KILLING IT TODAY, . GOSH, CONGRATULATIONS. SERIOUSLY, I MEAN, AS SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS AND SEES WHAT THE NEEDS OF FOOD INSECURITIES IN COMMUNITIES AND JUST WHAT DEFICITS WE SEE IN OUR CITY, THANK YOU FOR BRIDGING THAT GAP AND THANK YOU FOR BEING AN EXAMPLE FOR EVERYONE ELSE TO SHOW THEM HOW THEY CAN BE INVOLVED TO CURE, TO CURE THE SOULS OF HOUSTON. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, . VERY GOOD. THANK YOU, UH, GENTLEMEN SO MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, A FINAL WORD. I'M JUST HONORED THAT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY CAN SEE THEMSELVES IN THIS WORK AND THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST DEPENDING ON OTHER PEOPLE, BUT THEY'RE JOINING WITH THEM AND THEN THEY'RE CREATING, CO-CREATING WITH US ON SOLUTIONS AND NOT JUST IN DISTRICT EFFORT THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MORE WORK THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THANK YOU MUCH. WONDERFUL. I KNOW WHO I THINK OF WHEN I BREAK BED AND NOW ON SATURDAY, IT'S, WE'RE GONNA BE THINKING OF YOU ALL AS WELL. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. [00:20:23] IN THIS CASE FOR A PROCLAMATION TO HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, AS YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, BRING FORWARD YOUR TEAM. THANK YOU SO MUCH, EMILY. HEY, GOOD TO SEE YOU, SONIA. HOW ARE YOU? ALL RIGHT. SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, IT'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH AND, UH, WE'VE BROUGHT SEVERAL PROCLAMATIONS FORWARD, BUT I ALSO FELT THAT IT WAS CRITICAL, UM, TO LIFT UP AND RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER IS DOING, NOT ONLY AS AN EXTRAORDINARY PARTNER, UH, WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE REGION. UM, AND NOT ONLY BEING VOCAL, BUT PROVIDING, RESPONDING TO THE PREVALENCE OF VIOLENCE, INCREASING ACCESS TO SAFETY RESOURCES THROUGH SURVIVOR EMPOWERMENT HUBS, SAFETY PLANNING, SHELTER AND RESOURCE EXPANSION. AND, UH, I WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT ALL OF THEIR SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY FREE, UH, FOR FREE, EXCUSE ME AND MAYOR, UH, EVEN THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, THE MILLIONS THAT THE CITY HAS, UM, PARTNERED WITH HAWK TO PROVIDE IN TERMS OF RESOURCES, EXPANDED HOUSING, WE'RE VERY EXCITED FOR. SO, UM, IT'S MY HONOR TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION. AND THEN EMILY, I'LL LET YOU INTRODUCE EVERYONE IF THAT WORKS FOR YOU. OKAY, WONDERFUL. THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER IS IN ITS FIFTH DECADE OF A PASSIONATE DRIVE TO DEVELOP TRUE SOLUTIONS TO DOMESTIC ABUSE, SEXUAL VIOLENCE, AND SEX TRAFFICKING. NOT ONLY HAS HAWK SUPPORTED COUNTLESS WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND FAMILIES THROUGH THEIR SHELTER AND PROGRAMS, THEY'RE THOUGHT LEADERS IN THEIR FIELD. HAWK WORKS WITH POLICYMAKERS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO ENACT CHANGE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. IS OUR CITY, STATE AND NATION WRESTLE, WRESTLE WITH THE ALARMING RISE IN GUN VIOLENCE. HAWK IS WORKING EVERY DAY TO TURN THE TIDE OF THE SURGE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOMICIDES BY A FIREARM AS STATED IN THEIR RECENT AMICUS BRIEF TO THE SUPREME COURT. 75% OF INTIMATE PARTNER HOMICIDES IN 2021 IN TEXAS ARE COMMITTED WITH A FIREARM. HAWK IS WORKING TO ENSURE POLICY MAKERS SUPPORT ESSENTIAL LIFESAVING PROTECTIONS FOR SURVIVORS. AS AN ORGANIZATION STEEPED IN A PUBLIC HEALTH AND EQUITY FRAMEWORK, HAWK ANTICIPATED THE GROWING NUMBERS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE CASES AND THE RISING NEED FOR EMERGENCY SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN OUR CITY. WITH SUPPORT FOR THE REGION'S PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS, HAWK IS EMBARKING ON A TRANSFORMATIVE EXPANSION THAT WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT. HAWK'S NEW FLAGSHIP CAMPUS WILL PROVIDE A MORE STABLE LIVING ARRANGEMENT FOR RESIDENTS AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE REGION'S TURN AWAY RATE BY TRIPLING CAPACITY TO SUPPORT WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN NEED OF REALTIME SAFETY. TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO HAWK'S LIFESAVING SERVICES. HAWK HAS ALSO ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOOD BASED SURVIVOR EMPOWERMENT HUBS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH THESE HUBS AND THE CONSISTENT COMMUNITY PRESENCE THEY AFFORD, HAWK IS DEEPENING ITS COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH WORK AND EXTENDING SERVICE OFFERINGS THROUGHOUT THE REGION. ON OCTOBER 24TH, 2023, THE CITY OF HOUSTON HONORS HAWK FOR ITS DECADES OF WORK, PROVIDING LIFESAVING SERVICES TO SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE, EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES TO TRANSFORM TRAUMA, ACHIEVE INDEPENDENCE, AND STOP ABUSE BEFORE IT HAPPENS. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. SO THEREFORE, I, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROBABLY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 24TH, 2023 AS HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER TODAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, SO JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I AM HONORED TO STAND HERE WITH THE CHAIR OF OUR BOARD, JESSICA BERTUCCIO AND HER DAUGHTER BACK THERE. UH, OUR DEPUTY CEO, SONYA CORRALES, WHO'S BEEN AT THIS MOVEMENT FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND REALLY IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER, IKA BLUE, OUR CHIEF QUALITY OFFICER, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE, THAT CODES ARE HONORED, AND THAT WE ARE DOING EXCELLENT WORK BY OUR CLIENTS. AND THEN PAM HUME HEWITT, OUR CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER. UH, WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON ON THE EXPANSION OF OUR EMERGENCY SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FACILITY. WE HAVE GOT THE FOURTH FLOOR ALREADY UP. UH, [00:25:01] IT'S A BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF DOWNTOWN. I KIND OF WISH I'D PUT MY OFFICE UP THERE, BUT INSTEAD IT'S GONNA BE FOR RESIDENTS 360 AND WE EXPECT TO CUT THAT RIBBON AT THE END OF NOVEMBER, 2024. IN THE MEANTIME, UH, WE ARE WORKING EVERY DAY TO SUPPORT SURVIVORS AND ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU, ABBY, AND FOR YOU MAYOR, AND FOR EACH ONE IN OF YOU FOR OUR, UH, LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP TO END DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL ABUSE FOR ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TODAY, SO YAY. REALLY? OH MY GOODNESS. THANK Y'ALL. ARE DOING THIS ALSO FOR MY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SCORPIO. VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT. I, I BELIEVE THAT'S IT. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE FIVE DECADES COUNCIL MEMBER THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED, LADIES FOR YOUR WORK, MAYOR, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAWK DOES. UH, WE'RE SO GRATEFUL AND COUNCIL MEMBER CAY IN THE FINAL WORD FOR YOU. UH, I, EMILY, DO YOU MIND SHARING REALLY QUICKLY YOUR WEBSITE? SURE. THE HOTLINE AND THE PETITION THAT RESIDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE IN RIGHT NOW. OKAY. YEAH. SO, UH, IF YOU WOULD GO, WE WOULD LOVE IT TO OUR, UH, WEBSITE, WWW.HAC.ORG. UH, AND THERE YOU'LL FIND OUR HOTLINE INFORMATION. YOU CAN LIVE CHAT, AND THERE IS A PETITION THERE THAT WE ARE ENCOURAGING EVERYBODY TO SIGN. UH, THE SUPREME COURT IS GONNA BE HEARING A CASE, UH, EARLY NEXT WEEK, WHICH COULD, UH, MAKE NATIONALLY, UH, UH, THE CASE FOR WHAT IS ACTUALLY ALREADY HERE IN TEXAS. AND THAT IS THAT THEY WOULD INSIST THAT AN ABUSER, EVEN IF THEY ARE UNDER A PROTECTIVE ORDER, STILL HAS A RIGHT, A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO A GUN. THIS IS AN ALARMING, UH, PROSPECT FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE WE KNOW DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, INCIDENTS ARE CONNECTED WITH MASS SHOOTINGS AND ARE LEADING CAUSE OF HOMICIDES, UH, IN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. UH, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT SAFETY MEASURE THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO LOSE, AND WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO SIGN THE PETITION TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDER A PROTECTIVE ORDER FOR ABUSE DO NOT HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO A FIREARM. LET'S HEAR THE, UH, URL ONE MORE TIME, WWW.HAC.ORG. THANK YOU FOR THE PETITION. THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR BEING HERE. AND WITH THAT, I BELIEVE IT'S YOUR TURN, MAYOR. AND Y'ALL MAY WANNA TAKE MAYOR. AND THE FINAL, UH, PROCLAMATION TODAY WILL BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER FOR, UH, MR. AKTAR ABDULLAH, THE PRESIDENT OF TEXAS GRAND MALID, UH, IN RECOGNITION OF PROPHET MOHAMMAD'S, PEACE BE UPON HIM BIRTHDAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO, UM, OUR PROPHET MOHAMMED, UM, PEACE B UPON HIMS BIRTHDAY WAS ACTUALLY SEPTEMBER 27TH. SO, UM, THIS PROCLAMATION, UH, IS DATED THAT, UM, WHEREAS THE PROPHET MOHAMMED PEACE B UPON HIM HAS A SIGNIFICANT PLACE IN THE HEARTS OF ALL MUSLIMS AS THE LAST AND FINAL MESSENGER OF ALLAH. AND WHEREAS MA ALI, THE COMMEMORATION OF THE BIRTH OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD, PEACE BE UPON HIM, IS OBSERVED BY SO MANY MUSLIMS AROUND THE WORLD AS A TIME TO REFLECT UPON HIS LIFE TEACHINGS AND EXEMPLARY CHARACTER. AND WHEREAS ALI OCCURS ANNUALLY ON THE 12TH OF RABBI AL OF THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR, A DAY THAT IS CONSIDERED THAT THE PROPHET'S BIRTHDAY AND DAY OF HIS DEPARTURE FROM THE WORLD. AND WHEREAS THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD PEACE BE UPON HIM, PROVIDED A MODEL OF PATIENCE, HUMILITY, CHARITY, AND DEDICATION TO THE CAUSE OF JUSTICE, EQUALITY, AND UNITY. AND WHEREAS THE HADIST OF THE HOLY QURAN FREQUENTLY EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVE, COMPASSION, AND SERVICE OF ALL HUMANITY. AND WHEREAS THE PER THE IMPORTANCE OF UNITY, UNDERSTANDING, AND MUTUAL RESPECT AMONG DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AS EXEMPLIFIED BY THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD, PEACE BE UPON HIM, BE THE CENTRAL THEME FOR MUSLIMS IN THEIR INTERACTIONS ALL DAY. AND WHEREAS THE MUSLIMS WORLDWIDE ENCOURAGED TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE, INTERFAITH [00:30:01] DIALOGUE, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE PEACE, UNDERSTANDING MUTUAL RESPECT, DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM THE PROPHETS, PEACE BE UPON HIMS TEACHINGS. THE CITY OF HOUSTON RECOGNIZES THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND LEG LEGACY OF MAID, THE THAT HAS HELPED ENHANCE THE HOUSTON COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. SO THEREFORE, I, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROBABLY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2023, AS MOLLY DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. WE HAVE, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN IN THE QUEUE. COUNCIL LADY. OH, PARDON, PLEASE. HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, HONORABLE MAYOR OF HOUSTON . THIS IS A GREETING OF A MUSLIM, WAS THE FIRST THING WHICH WAS TAUGHT BY US, BY THE MUSLIMS TO, BY PROPHET MUHAMMAD, PEACE AND BLESSING OF ALLAH BE UPON HIM. IT MEANS PEACE AND BLESSING BE UPON YOU ALL FOR 1,460 YEARS. UH, THE CELEBRATION, THE OBSERVANCE OF THE BIRTH OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD, PEACE BE UPON HIM, HAS BEEN OBSERVED BY THE MUSLIM ALL OVER THE WORLD. AND WE THANK, UH, THE MAYOR OF HOUSTON AND MS. LETICIA PLUMBER TO GIVE US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE. IT WAS A MARVELOUS, WONDERFUL OCCASION IN THE SUGARLAND, UH, THOUSANDS, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ATTENDED THAT. AND WE, THE CELEBRATION OF THE PROPHET MOHAMMAD IS WE THANK ALLAH, THANK OUR CREATOR THAT HE SENT, AND HE MENTIONED HIM AS A BLESSING TO THE MANKIND. HE'S A, ALL THE PROPHETS, ACCORDING TO THE MUSLIMS BELIEVE THEY CAME AS A TEACHER, AS A GUIDE TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THE WORLD. AND, UH, RESPECT OF EVERY PROPHET IS A MANDATORY ESSENTIAL FOR THE MUSLIMS TO RESPECT THE PROPHET JESUS, PROPHET MOSES ABRAHAM AND DAVID NOAH. GOD SENT 125,000 PROPHETS TO TEACH GUIDE AND LEADERS. AND, UH, THE, THE 5 25 NAMES ARE MENTIONED IN THE QURAN AND THE HOLY BOOK OF THE MUSLIMS AND THE JESUS AND PEACE BE UPON HIM. MOSES, PEACE BE UPON HIM. ABRAHAM, NOAH, AND ABE AND PROPHET MUHAMMAD ARE THE MOST REWARDED, MOST VENERATED PROPHETS OF GOD. GOD, YOU KNOW, A SLIGHT DISRESPECT OF ANY OF THESE HOLY PERSONALITIES IS A BLASPHEMY ACCORDING TO THE MUSLIM BELIEF, YOU KNOW, SO WE REVERT THEM. WE BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST AS A MESSENGER OF ALLAH, MESSENGER OF GOD, TO SEND TO THE MANKIND. WE BELIEVE IN HIS TEACHINGS. WHATEVER TEACHINGS, TRADITIONS WE GET FROM THE BOOKS. WE BELIEVE IN BIBLE. WE BELIEVE IN TORAH. WE BELIEVE IN THE OLD TESTAMENTS AND NEW TESTAMENTS AND THE HOLY QURAN. ALL THESE NAMES ARE MENTIONED. MY PURPOSE IS NOT TO DO THE PREACHING, BUT I CAME HERE, WE CAME HERE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE, UH, MS. PLUMMER. SHE GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY AND WE ARE HONORED TO BE HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. VERY GOOD. AND WE'LL HEAR NOW FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. UM, REALLY QUICKLY, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER AND MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THIS IMPORTANT DAY YESTERDAY, MAYOR, YOU, ME AND SEVERAL OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, GOT TO CELEBRATE WITH THE AS SMILEY MUSLIM COMMUNITY. AND TODAY WE HAVE THIS IMPORTANT RECOGNITION, AND I APPRECIATE IN THE PROCLAMATION, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER THAT THE CORE TENANTS WITHIN THE KORAN AND THE, UM, MESSAGE OF PEACE AND, UH, NOT JUST COEXISTENCE, BUT BROTHERHOOD AND SISTERHOOD AND AT A TIME, UH, IN WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD. I THINK IT SENDS SUCH A STRONG MESSAGE, UH, THAT OUR CITY STANDS UNITED. AND I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT, ESPECIALLY AS SOMEONE WHO'S JEWISH, THAT, UM, WE ARE A CITY WELCOMING TO ALL AND OF LOVE. AND, UH, I REALLY, REALLY JUST APPRECIATE AND RESPECT THAT WE HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, I THINK FITTING IN THE NAME OF, UH, ALLAH OF GOD, ALMIGHTY AND YAHWEH, WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU TO BE HERE TODAY. AND THANK YOU FOR THIS, UH, THIS HONOR. THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. IT'S TIME, MAYOR. OKAY, Y'ALL COME. [00:35:01] THANK YOU, MS. CENTER, OF COURSE, , UH, STANDING IN. AND, UH, [2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] AS WE TURN TO THE SECOND PART OF THE DAY, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON FOR THE INVOCATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, TODAY I'VE, I'VE INVITED ONE OF THE DISTRICT B, UM, FAITH-BASED ALLIANCE MEMBERS, UM, PASTOR CEDRIC FRANCIS TO, UM, PROVIDE US WITH THE, UM, INVOCATION. UM, PASTOR C CEDRIC FRANCIS IS A VIBRANT AND HIGHLY MOTIVATED MILITARY VETERAN WHO SERVES AS THE LEAD PASTOR OF THE NEW DIRECTION COMMUNITY CHURCH IN CASHMERE GARDEN AND FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY. THIS CHURCH PROVIDES RESOURCES SUCH AS WEEKLY COMMUNITY FEEDING, SERVING OVER 1400 HOUSTONIANS EACH WEEK. HE'S COMMITTED TO PROVIDING RESOURCES TO LOW INCOME AND POVERTY STRICKEN COMMUNITIES. HE LEADS WITH COMPASSION GUIDING HIS CONGREGATION TOWARDS SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND PERSONAL DEVELOP. PASTOR CEDRIC, UM, LEADERSHIP STYLE, COUPLED WITH HIS DEDICATION TO THE BETTERMENT OF OTHERS, HAS MADE HIM A BELOVED FIGURE IN THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY. PASTOR FRANCIS HAS OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERTISE IN LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND COACHING LEADERS IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY. HE CONTINUES TO MAKE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS ALIKE. HIS EXPERT EXPERTISE, PASSION, AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE, TO MAKE HIM A TRUE ASSET TO ANY TEAM OR ORGANIZATION SEEKING TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP, HE CONTINUES TO MAKE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS ALIKE. PASTOR FRA FRANCIS EXEMPLIFIES WHAT IS ME, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A COMMUNITY LEADER, ENTREPRENEUR, AND PASTOR. HE CONTINUES TO MAKE A LASTING IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS AND EVERYONE IN DISTRICT B AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THANK YOU. ALL HEADS ABOVE FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU AND WE BLESS YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE. WE THANK YOU GOD FOR YOUR POWER. GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US BEING HERE ON TODAY. AND GOD, WE ASK RIGHT NOW, GOD, A, A SPECIAL PRAYER GOD FOR OUR MAYOR RIGHT NOW. GOD, YOU'LL CONTINUE TO BLESS HIM WITH LIFE, HEALTH AND STRENGTH. GOD, THAT YOUR ANOINTING WILL CONTINUE TO FLOW UPON HIS LIFE, UPON HIS FAMILY, UPON HIS CHILDREN. GOD, WE SPEAK RIGHT NOW, GOD, EXCELLENCE RIGHT NOW. GOD, AS WE MOVE IN HOUSTON, GOD, WE ASK RIGHT NOW, GOD, THAT YOU WOULD BLESS RIGHT NOW, GOD, THIS, THIS, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS RIGHT NOW, GOD, YOU WOULD BLESS THIS SETTING. GOD, WE ASK RIGHT NOW, THE BUDGETS AND THE RESOURCES AND EVERYTHING. GOD WILL FALL INTO PLAY RIGHT NOW. GOD, WE THANK YOU. WE BLESS YOU, AND WE LOVE YOU. GOD. WE SPEAK PEACE RIGHT NOW, GOD. GOD, AS WE FIGHT AGAINST GOD, DRUGS AND, AND, AND ALL THE THINGS GOD DOES NOT LIKE YOU, GOD, ALL THE THINGS, THE VIOLENCE AND THE GUN VIOLENCE, GOD, WE ASK RIGHT NOW, GOD, THAT YOU WOULD SEND YOUR WISDOM AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT WOULD DWELL RIGHT NOW IN THIS SETTING. WE THANK YOU. WE BLESS YOU. IN JESUS' NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. BLESS YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE, IGI, THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH . JUSTICE FOR ALL. [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING] MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MAYOR TURNER. HERE. MEMBER PECK HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABA. HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT. COUNCILMAN [00:40:01] CISNEROS. HERE. COUNCIL GALLS. COUNCIL POLL WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL KNOX. HERE. COUNCILMAN ROBINSON? HERE. COUNCILMAN KASH? HERE. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER HERE. AND COUNCILMAN ALCORN HERE. WE NEED A MOTION TO DELAY THE MINUTES MOVE. ROBINSON MOVED. THEN SECOND TO DELAY THE MINUTES. ANY OBJECTIONS? HERE IS NONE. AND THE MOTION IS GRANTED. ARE THERE ANY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? COUNCIL CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILMAN JACKSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I MOVE TO SUSPENDED RULES TO MOVE JOSEPH BOLLARD. MANFRED HUM. AND HUMARA MILLER TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NONE. AGENDA LIST. SECOND. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND. ANY OBJECTION, CHAIR? NONE. THE MOTION IS GRANTED. COUNCILMAN KNOX. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A, UH, SUSPEND THE RULES AND, UH, MAKE A MOTION THAT SEMINOLE T DEAR R FOSTER, BE ADDED TO THE THREE MINUTE LIST, UH, IN POSITION NUMBER FOUR. I GUESS THE FOURTH PERSON, SECOND ROBINSON, YOU HAVE HEARD THE MOTION? ANY OBJECTION, JERRY? TO NONE. AND THE MOTION IS GRANTED. OKAY, [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] MADAM SECRETARY, YOU PROCEED TO CALL THE SPEAKER'S LIST. JOSEPH BALLARD. JOSEPH BALLARD. JOSEPH BALLARD IS HERE. IF YOU GET RIGHT BEHIND THAT MIC E EITHER ONE. EITHER ONE. YEAH. TAKE ONE. THERE YOU GO. THERE YOU GO. HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY? LIFE IS GOOD. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN TASHA JACKSON. MIKE, HOW YOU DOING MR. KNOX? I JUST WANT TO COME IN AND, UH, TALK WITH, UH, TALK WITH Y'ALL ABOUT ORGANIZATION THAT MY NEPHEWS HAVE. UH, THEY GO OUT, THEY FEED THE KIDS AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT WE NEED. WE, WE WE'RE TRYING TO PREPARE FOR THIS COMING SUMMER, BUT YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE A LOT OF, YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY KIDS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO EAT. YOU KNOW? THIS IS WHAT THEY DO. THIS IS WHAT I DO. I DON'T TRY TO BE IN THE CAMERAS. I TRY TO STAY BEHIND THE SCENE, BUT I TRY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. 'CAUSE I DON'T LIKE RECOGNITION. I JUST WANT TO DO FOR THE KIDS, DO FOR THE ELDERLY AND, AND KEEP IT MOVING. LIKE WE USED TO HAVE MAYOR BACK IN THE DAY AND WHEN THEY HAD USED TO HAVE THE, THE PROGRAMS WHERE THEY, WHERE THEY GET A LITTLE SACK LUNCH, APPLE, ORANGE, YOU KNOW, YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW FOR THAT GO WHERE THE KID DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO EAT. AND I'VE SPENT MONEY PROBABLY FOR A HUNDRED KIDS, YOU KNOW, TO FEED THEM. AND WHEN I RUN OUT, WHEN THE FOOD RUN OUT, YOU KNOW, JUST LOOK AT THOSE FACES. SO WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO PUT SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE OR WHAT NEED TO BE DONE. I KNOW SOMETHING, SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE FOR THIS COMING UP SUMMER. YOU KNOW, WE HAD A REAL SUMMER, IT WAS HOT, YOU KNOW, JUST IMAGINE KIDS NOT HAVING NOTHING TO EAT. YOU KNOW, SPOIL, I, I HEAR IT ALL THE TIME. SPOILED MILK IN SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN YOU, YOU KNOW, FEED A KID. SMART SPOIL MILK, SPOILED ORANGE JUICE, YOU KNOW, SANDWICHES THAT STILL HAVE, THIS IS IN SCHOOL, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. THIS IS, THIS IS IN SCHOOL RIGHT NOW, TODAY. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA LET LET MY GUYS, MY NEPHEW, THAT CAN EXPLAIN A LITTLE BETTER THAN I CAN. I'M NOT A GOOD SPEAKER, BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST LIKE TO MAKE STUFF HAPPEN, YOU KNOW? AND THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO FOR THE SUMMER THAT'S COMING UP. AND THE SUMMERS BEFORE OR AFTER, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD. 'CAUSE MAN, THEY NEED IT. I'M TELLING YOU, THEY, THESE KIDS IS HUNGRY OUT HERE, MAN. THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO, YOU KNOW, TO DO. LIKE MY, MY SON, HE, HE JUST GOT TEACHER OF THE YEAR OVER IN, IN, IN, IN HUMBLE IN KINGWOOD. AND THEY, THEY HAD A THING WHERE, UH, WHAT TEACHER KIDS WANNA BE LIKE. AND MY SON WAS, WAS, WAS NUMBER ONE. AND YOU KNOW, YOU'D BE SURPRISED. KIDS PAY ATTENTION TO US IN THE COMMUNITIES, BUT WHO THEY WANNA BE. LIKE, YOU WANNA BE A A, A DOPE DEALER, YOU WANNA BE A ROBBER, YOU WANNA SMOKE WEED OR YOU WANNA BE LIKE YOUR TEACHER. THEY GOT A CHOICE. I'M TRYING TO CHANGE THEIR CHOICE AS BEING LIKE THE TEACHER INSTEAD OF LIKE THE FELLAS ON THE CORNER. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN THERE. I I DID IT, YOU KNOW. BUT IT'S, IT'S TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE. 'CAUSE BELIEVE ME OR NOT, THOSE KIDS WATCH YOU WHEN YOU IN THE STREETS OR WHEN YOU AT HOME. THEY, THEY PAY ATTENTION TO. YES. LOT OF STUFF. THANK YOU. THANK JACKSON, COUNCILMAN JACKSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UM, THANK YOU MR. BALLARD FOR COMING IN AND SHARING, UM, THIS PROGRAM. [00:45:01] I KNOW OUR DISTRICT OFFICE SUPPORT QUITE A FEW NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE DISTRICT WITH DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS. AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE CURRENTLY APPROVING APPLICATIONS TO CASE CONNECTION, UM, WHERE THO THEIR APPLICATIONS ARE OPENED EVERY YEAR. AND SO I WILL MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THIS ORGANIZATION KNOW ABOUT, UM, THESE OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THEY ARRIVE. I KNOW WE PUT IT IN THE NEWS NEWSLETTER, BUT I WILL COMMUNICATE WITH YOU LIKE ONE ON ONE. MM-HMM. I KNOW WE TALK ALL THE TIME MM-HMM . UM, BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE. BUT THANK YOU FAVORITE WE NOT, WE NOT BEGGING. WE, WE, WE HAVE STATS TO SHOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WE DID IN 90 DAYS, UH, FROM JANUARY TO TO FEBRUARY OR MARCH, WE HAVE STATS. MM-HMM . WE TRY TO KEEP UP WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE DONE AND, AND, AND WHAT THE PROGRESS IS. AND WE TRYING TO, WE, WE TRYING TO GET A THING LIKE I HAD YEARS AGO OF, OF KIDS THAT'S FAILING GRADES. AND I, I BRING IN TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A PLACE WHERE I CAN BRING IN TEACHERS TO HELP KIDS THAT'S, THAT'S FALLING BEHIND, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR GRADES OR, OR YOU KNOW, SPEAK SPANISH. YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A WHOLE LOT OF PROGRAMS, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED FUNDS FOR THAT. YOU KNOW. COUNCILMAN KNOX? THANK YOU MAYOR. MR. BALLARD. HOW YOU DOING? I JUST, I LISTENED TO YOU AND IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU GOT A REAL GOOD PROGRAM GOING ON THERE. I'M JUST NOT CLEAR WHAT, WHAT YOU, WHAT IS YOUR ASK HERE? WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU ASKING US TO DO? AND I NOTICED ALSO YOU, YOU DIDN'T MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT A TOY DRIVE. YEAH, WELL THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY NEPHEW. THEY, THEY, THEY EXPLAINED OKAY. HE'S GONNA DO THAT. OKAY. YEAH. YEAH. SO WHAT IS IT, WHAT IS YOUR ASK FOR COUNSEL? WHAT, WHAT IS IT SPECIFICALLY YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO DO? FOR YOU? WELL, I WAS JUST, I WAS JUST INTRODUCING THEM TO, TO, TO COUNSEL. OKAY. I ALREADY DO A LOT, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I DON'T NEED, I I I'M TRYING TO STAY BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. WHAT IS, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY SAY WHAT YOU WANTED US TO DO. SO, OH, I, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THINK I SAID IT. I'VE SAID IT, YOU KNOW. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, MANFORD BER MANFORD NUMBER. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE DMF GROUP NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. AND I'M GONNA JUST KIND OF PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT MY UNCLE WAS EXPLAINING. FIRST OF ALL, THE REASON THAT WE ARE HERE, BECAUSE WE ARE HOSTING A TOY DRIVE ON DECEMBER THE 16TH, AND WE ARE TARGETING 500 CHILDREN IN AT-RISK AREAS. AND WE NEED SPONSORSHIP TO MAKE THIS EVENT SUCCESSFUL RIGHT NOW OUR ORGANIZATION, AND THAT'S AGAIN WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN. WE ARE IN TWO SCHOOL DISTRICTS SERVING MILL AT, WE DO A AT-RISK MILL PROGRAM AND WE ARE IN, UM, SHELDON SCHOOL DISTRICT AND UM, CHANNELVIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE SERVING 800 MEALS A DAY. BUT ALSO, AS HE WAS SAYING, WE, SUMMERTIME, WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING AND THAT'S THE MAIN TIME THAT THESE CHILDREN NEED TO EAT. AND SO PRETTY MUCH THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER. YAMAR MILLER YAMAR. MILLER YAMAR IS HERE. HOW YOU DOING? UH, MY NAME IS JAMIRA MILLER. I AM THE PROGRAM MANAGER AT DMF GROUP AND WE ARE HOSTING THE TOY DRIVE DECEMBER 16TH. AND AS HE MENTIONED, WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOME SPONSORSHIP TO MAKE THE EVENT SUCCESSFUL. WE ARE LOOKING TO PROVIDE GIFTS FOR OVER 500 CHILDREN OR MORE IF POSSIBLE. UH, WE'RE LOOKING TO GET THE EAST ALDING AREA, THE ENVOY AREA, AREA. ANY COMMUNITY ISN'T AT RISK, SO ANY FUNDING WOULD BE APPRECIATIVE OR ANY SPONSORSHIP TO MAKE THIS EVENT SUCCESSFUL WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER SEMINAR. DURACELL FOSTER SEMINAR. DELLE FOSTER. THANK YOU MR. KNOX. UM, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I GOT MY SHIRT ON MY DISTRICT IN MAYOR. COME ON. THIS THE LAST TIME. COME ON THIS. THE LAST TIME. AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN PUT MY NAME ON THE LIST. AND I CALLED LAST WEEK AND THEY, THEY DIDN'T, THAT MAN WAS GENEROUS TO PUT IT ON TO ASK YOU FOR, FOR PERMISSION. I KNOW YOU KNOW MY NAME. I GOT THIS FOR YOU. MISS THIS IT. HOW YOU DOING MS. FOSTER? MAY GOD I'M FINE. HUH? NO, I'M SAYING HOW ARE YOU DOING? I'M DOING GREAT. 'CAUSE I GOT A CHANCE TO COME HERE TO SEE [00:50:01] YOU. YEAH, I'M DOING GREAT. ALMOST. YEAH. I ALMOST ADMIT. YEAH, HE DID THOUGH. UH, MS. TIFFANY THOMAS. YES, HE DID. COME ON. YOU GONNA MAKE IT. YOU ALREADY MADE IT. YOU WAS A GREAT MAIL IN THE CITY AND YOU GOT I HAVE LOTS OF MEMORIES HERE. I'VE BEEN LIKE 52 YEARS HERE AND I HAD A BIRTHDAY ON THE 17TH. AND GUESS WHAT I PROUD TO SAY, I'M 72 YEARS OLD. OH NO. WHEELCHAIR MINE AND RIGHT. EVERYTHING EXCEPT WHAT I NEED RIGHT NOW FROM YOU. COME ON. I GET THIS. I AIN'T PUTTING IN NOBODY ELSE HANDERS. YOU ALREADY KNOW. YEAH. I I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M FAMILY WITH HIM. UHUH. NO WAY. NO WAY. OFFICER USED TO SIT DOWN. SIT DOWN, SIT DOWN'S HERE. . YOU GONNA MISS ME? I'M GONNA MISS YOU TOO. AIN'T NOBODY MADE YOU LAUGH LIKE I DID IF YOU WAS CALM DOWN. I KNOW HOW TO BRING YOUR SPIRITS UP. THAT'S A BLESSING. THAT'S A BLESSING. IT REALLY IS. BECAUSE I'M NOT COMPLAINING. I'M ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX. HUH? WOULD YOU MIND, UH, MS. MICHELLE FOSTER FOR ME TO COME DOWN AND GET THAT AND HAND THAT AROUND? WOULD THAT BE OKAY? YEAH. LET HIM COME. NO, NOT YOU. HIM. OH, NO, I DIDN'T CATCH THAT. I'M, I'M PERSISTENT. SHE MY MALE RIGHT NOW. UNLESS YEAR HE AIN'T GONNA BE MY MALE. I AIN'T GOING TO SQUEEZE YOU TIGHT. OKAY. COME ON HERE. YEAH, Y'ALL MIGHT AS WELL PULL Y'ALL CHAIRS UP. YOU NEED TO . OKAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. IT IDIOT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU MS. FOSTER. ALL RIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER. K DESILVA. K DE IL IL K DESILVA IS NOT PRESENT. KATHY CHENEY. KATHY CHENEY IS HERE TO BE FILED BY SYLVIA LUMPKIN. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. UH, MY NAME IS KATHY CHENEY AND I'M THE REPRESENTATIVE OF CROSSVIEW COURT APARTMENT. IT'S LOCATED AT 29 29 CROSSVIEW, UM, THAT'S LOCATED AT WESTHEIMER AND FONDER DRIVE. CROSSVIEW COURTS IS AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY. IT WAS PURCHASED FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN 1995, AND IT'S BEEN CONTINUOUSLY OWNED BY CROSSVIEW PARTNERS LIMITED. UM, WE EMAILED ALL OF CITY COUNCIL ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18TH REGARDING THE ISSUE THAT MY APARTMENT COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ATTEMPTING TO SOLVE WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON WATER BILLING DEPARTMENT SINCE MARCH OF 2023. UM, WE HAD NO RESULTS UNTIL THIS PAST WEEK. UH, OUR PROPERTY WATER BILL HAS NOT BEEN PHYSICALLY READ SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2022. WE HAVE CONTINUOUSLY RECEIVED ESTIMATED BILLS FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE DEPARTMENT THAT MAKE NO SENSE. THE BILL IN MARCH OF 2023 WAS MORE THAN $36,000. OUR JULY BILL WAS OVER 29,000, AND OUR AUGUST BILL WAS OVER, UM, 35,000. IT'S 167 UNIT PROPERTY. UM, ALL OF THESE HUGE BILLS ARE ALL ESTIMATED BILLS. THEY WERE NOT ACTUALLY RED METERS. OUR COMPLAINT IS AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY AND HOW ARE THE NUMBERS CALCULATED WHEN THE METERS ARE ESTIMATED VERSUS ACTUAL READINGS? HOW IS THIS A FAIR ASSESSMENT OF USAGE? DOES WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ESTIMATED READING JUST SAY, OH, LET'S CHARGE THIS BUILDING 30, 36,000 AND LET'S CHARGE THIS BUSINESS 3000. THAT IS OUR ARGUMENT. UM, THIS IS AN ADDRESS, THAT ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. WE UNDERSTAND BEING SHORT STAFFED, UH, BUT TO TRIPLE THE BILL 'CAUSE SOMEONE THINKS THIS IS A REASONABLE BOUT, IS UNFAIR WHAT OF THOSE BUSINESSES WHO DO NOT NOT HAVE THE TIME TO FIGHT. WE FEEL THIS IS AN INJUSTICE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD INVESTIGATE. I, I'M SHAKING . I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. UH, DISTRICT B, UM, TASHA JACKSON'S OFFICE, WHO TOOK THE TIME TO ACTUALLY CONTACT ME PERSONALLY TO DISCUSS OUR CONCERNS AND FRUSTRATIONS, SHE SUBMITTED A 3 1 1 TICKET FOR US ON OUR BEHALF, WHICH I WAS NEVER TOLD TO DO BY THE WATER [00:55:01] COMPANY, THOUGH MONTHLY PHONE CALLS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BILLING DEPARTMENT. SHE ANSWERED SO MANY OF OUR QUESTIONS. I LIVE IN DISTRICT B, SHE HAS MY VOTE. AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS, I'M LIVID IN HUMBLE. I ALSO SPOKE TO ISAAC, WHO'S THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF CANCEL F AND HIS ASSISTANT STEPHANIE, THE WIFE, CALLED ME AGAIN THIS MORNING. SO THEY'RE WORKING WITH ME AS WELL. AND I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. ON, ON SEPTEMBER 20TH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON WATER DEPARTMENT FINALLY CAME OUT SEVEN MONTHS, UM, AND DETERMINED THAT THE ELECTRONIC ELECTRONIC WATER REGISTER WAS BROKEN. WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WAS BROKEN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS INFORMED YESTERDAY ON 10 23 THAT WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE METER IS READ AGAIN IN NOVEMBER TO DETERMINE WHAT CREDITS WE MAY OR BE ABLE TO RECEIVE. THAT IS A FULL YEAR SINCE THE METERS WERE PHYSICALLY READ. WE HAVE BEEN CHARGED 9 0 90 $100 IN YOUR TIME. TIME HAVE EXPIRED. OKAY. AND IT IS TRUE THAT, UM, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE METER WAS, UM, BROKEN. MM-HMM . AND IT IS YOUR ACCOUNT IS CURRENTLY ON, IN A, IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW. CORRECT. AND IT WON'T BE UNTIL NOVEMBER UNTIL THEY CAN TO READ IT. RIGHT. AND UNTIL THEN, YOU NEED NOT PAY ANYTHING BECAUSE IT'S UNDER ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW. I UNDERSTAND. I UNDERSTAND. IT'S JUST THAT IT SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE ON THIS LONG. THAT'S OUR, I UNDERSTAND. THAT'S OUR FIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK, I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN THOMAS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS MS. CHENEY FOR COMING TO CHAMBERS. UM, I, I AND MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS IS, UH, HELPFUL FOR YOU TO KNOW. UM, WE FIRST BECAME AWARE, I THINK YOU SENT AN EMAIL LAST WEEK, THE CROSSVIEW APARTMENTS. UM, AND IT IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING AS PRACTICES TO RECEIVE THE LAST TWO BILLS SO WE CAN SEE THE JUMP AND, UM, UH, YOU OR SOMEONE ON YOUR TEAM DID SEND THAT IN INVOICE. YEAH, I'VE SEEN ALL OF THEM SINCE NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR. YEAH. SO WE CAN, THIS MORNING CAN SEE THE, UH, WE CAN SEE THE CHANGE. AND SO, BUT THERE IS A, A PROBLEM THAT WE'VE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH THE ELECTRONIC METER READINGS AND THEN THE MANUAL ONES. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL ARE WORKING THROUGH. BUT WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW, THAT GIVES US TIME TO SELF-CORRECT ON OUR, ON, ON OUR END. AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THE METER WAS REPAIRED. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN SEE SOME ADJUSTMENTS WITH THAT. AND SO WE'LL BE, DEFINITELY BE MAINTAINING AND WATCHING THIS CASE. 'CAUSE $36,000 IS ASTRONOMICAL. YEAH, IT'S RIDICULOUS. MY, MY TWO BEDROOMS WATER BILL LAST MONTH IN OCTOBER THIS MONTH THEY PAID WAS $247 FOR A TWO BEDROOM AND 141 FOR A ONE BEDROOM. THAT'S RIDICULOUS. AND I HAVE LOW INCOME AND VERY LOW INCOME AND SENIOR CITIZENS ON MY PROPERTY, THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT. SO THAT'S, THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN MAYOR, I HAD A PROCEDURAL MOTION. UH, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE, UH, BILLY BRODY AND RONALD BRODY, UM, TO FOLLOW MS. HOUSE L UH, UNDER THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. ANY OBJECTION CHAIR'S? NOT A MOTION GRANTED. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER. SYLVIA LUMPKIN. SYLVIA LUMPKIN. SYLVIA LUMPKIN. NEXT SPEAKER, ADMIRE KADEN. ADMIRE KADEN ADMIRE IS HERE. AND GREETINGS, UH, IF YOU GET RIGHT BEHIND. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. GREETINGS EVERYBODY. I THINK, UM, THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, UM, THIS WAS, I THINK IT WAS, UH, NOVEMBER, UM, AROUND NOVEMBER 18TH OF LAST YEAR. OKAY. THE REASON I CAME HERE LAST TIME WAS I, I CAME TO REQUEST TRANSPARENCY FROM THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR RECORDS OF THE INVESTIGATIONS THAT THEY DID ON MY CAR. OKAY? SO, UH, SINCE THAT TIME, OKAY? THEY ASSIGNED TWO PEOPLE. OKAY? THOSE TWO PEOPLE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING. I NEVER GOT ANYTHING. OKAY? WHAT I FOUND OUT WAS THAT THEY WERE HIDING A LOT OF STUFF. PART OF IT IS THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN READ THE LAW, WHICH IS RIGHT HERE. YOU SEE THIS LAW ACTUALLY, WHEN IT WAS WRITTEN, IT IS A MECHANICAL LIENS LAW THAT PROTECTS PEOPLE FOR BOTH MECHANICS AND, AND, UH, CUSTOMERS. YOU KNOW, WHEN A CAR IS SUPPOSED TO BE TAKEN OR SOLD, YOU SEE? SO AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED RIGHT NOW, AS WE SPEAK RIGHT NOW, UM, I FOUND OUT THAT THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY, UH, THE REASON THEY DENY, THEY DENIED ME TO WRITE A STOLEN REPORT ON MY CAR AND ALLOWED THE PERSON, THE MECHANIC THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT HIS POSSESSION OF MY CAR TO WRITE THIS, YOU KNOW, FALSE REPORT. SO IF I'M, IF I MAY, YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE. NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M HERE FOR IS THIS LAW ENFORCEMENT IS GOOD, [01:00:01] OKAY? AND THE REASON, THE REASON FOR, FOR LEGISLATION IS TO PROTECT PEOPLE, OKAY? AND TO FOLLOW THE LAW. BUT IF THE LAW IS NOT WRITTEN RIGHT, IN FACT, THERE ARE SOME THINGS HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN TERMS OF PUNISHMENT THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO, UH, THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DONE BY A MECHANIC. BUT THERE IS NO PUNISHMENT IF A MECHANIC TAKES THE CAR AND IT DISAPPEARS. AND I MEAN, IN KENYA OR, OKAY? AND YET, ACCORDING TO THE, ACCORDING TO THE, YOU KNOW, TO THE REPORT, HE LITERALLY ACTUALLY WENT AND, AND CONFESSED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN WRITING. AS YOU CAN READ ON THE SECOND PAGE, YOU SEE WHAT HE DID WITH MY CAR, OKAY? AND, AND, AND TOOK, UM, PAINS TO, TO CRASH MY CAR EVEN IN THE COURT BECAUSE I HAD TO GO TO THE CIVIL CA TO THE CIVIL CASE. OKAY? THE REASON THEY DID IT IS BECAUSE ONE OF THE VICTIMS THAT IS WRITTEN IN, IN THIS IS A, IS A, IS A PASTOR THAT I TOOK THE HEAD CAR OVER THERE TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, THAT I TOOK A CARD OVER THERE TO THANK YOU. TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. NO SPEAKERS. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. TOM MATTICK. TOM MATTICK. TOM MATTICK. NEXT SPEAKER. SANDRA FRANCIS. SANDRA FRANCIS. SANDRA. SANDRA FRANCIS. NEXT SPEAKER GLADYS HOUSE ALE. GLADYS HOUSE ALE. PEACE. RENEE. YES, MA'AM. I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU TO GIVE TO THE MAYOR. NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU. I'VE BEEN HAVING SOME ISSUES, MAYOR WITH THE, UM, 3 1 1 AND DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS FOLLOWING UP ON, UM, SECURING DANGEROUS BUILDINGS AND WHAT, UH, RENEE HAS GIVEN YOU. UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 1519 VICTOR STREET, AND IT WAS SET A FIRE LATE JULY THIS YEAR. AND I BEGAN TO COMPLAIN TO DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS EARLY AUGUST SINCE I SAW NO ACTION HAD BEEN TAKEN ON THE PART OF THE CITY TO SECURE THE BUILDING. AND THIS IS THE NOTICE THAT WAS POSTED BACK IN AUGUST, BUT NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. AND SINCE THEN, THIS IS A PICTURE OF ALL THE TRASH AND HOW THE REAR OF THE BUILDING IS STILL OPEN. THIS IS A PICTURE OF WHERE THE DOOR WAS BROKEN IN TO AND, UH, STILL OPEN. SO THE FRONT AND BACK DOOR OPEN AND THE, UH, TRASH THAT HAS ACCUMULATED ALL ON THE PROPERTY AND A BROKEN WINDOW PANE THAT TRESPASSES HAVE GONE INTO. AND THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR TO THAT 1 15 17 VICTOR, UH, IS ALSO UNDER ATTACK. WHEN I CONTACTED THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS REPEATEDLY ABOUT IT, THEY ENDED UP GOING TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AC ACRES HOME. THEY WENT TO SOUTH VICTORY STREET INSTEAD OF 1519 VICTOR STREET. AND, UM, I ASKED, WELL, WHY IS IT STILL TAKING SO LONG AFTER THE ADDRESS CORRECTION? AND THEY SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GET A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR TO DO THIS AND THAT IT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM PUBLIC HOUSING WHERE CHILDREN LIVE AND ANY CHILD COULD BE PULLED IN. THERE'S VERY DANGEROUS. AND I'VE SEEN CRACK ATTICS IN THERE. AND THE SECOND CONCERN IS WITH FOUNDERS MEMORIAL CEMETERY, WHERE THE FOUNDERS OF HOUSTON'S, UH, REMAINS ARE. AND A TREE FELL ALMOST A MONTH AGO. THIS IS A PICTURE OF IT. AND THIS IS A, A WIDER RANK, UH, SHOT OF IT. AND THE TREE CONTINUES TO JUST BE, UH, IN THE WAY OF THE SIDEWALK. AND IT'S A GOOD THING NO ONE WAS WAITING ON A BUS. 'CAUSE IT'S A BUS SHELTER, JUST A FEW FEET FROM THERE, BUT IT'S JUST NO, UH, CORRECTIVE ACTION ON THE PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. AND, UH, CALLED AND CALLED. AND I WANT TO THANK RENEE WHO TRIED HELPING ME BECAUSE I'M THINKING THAT IT WAS ON [01:05:01] FILE ABOUT THE FALLEN TREE, AND IT HAD NOT SOMEHOW BEING RECORDED. UH, AND WE JUST NEED SOME IMMEDIATE MAYOR. IN FACT, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS WAS JUST HERE ABOUT, UM, YEAH, I SAW THE, AND EVERYTHING. WELL, THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF HAS ALREADY COME AND PICKED UP THE FILE. WE'LL PASS IT ON TO, UM, TO DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY'LL GET ON TOP OF IT. UH, AND I DO KNOW YOU SAID THEY MADE A MISTAKE GOING TO THE WRONG ADDRESS. UH, BUT, UH, UH, WALTER, IF YOU'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THAT AND THEN, AND THEN GET BACK WITH, UH, WITH, WITH GLADYS. I APPRECIATE IT. IS THE DEPUTY HERE NOW? MAYOR, THE DEPUTY OF DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS? THEY MAY BE DOWNSTAIRS. OH, OKAY. OH, HAVE THEY FINISHED? YEAH, THEY'RE DONE. OKAY. THEY'RE DONE. BUT, BUT WALTER HAMRICK, IF YOU'LL GET WITH WALTER, WALTER WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW UP. OKAY. OKAY. ONE, ONE SECOND. UH, COUNCILMAN MCCAIN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, UM, GLADYS, YOU'RE NOT WRONG WITH THE, THE NEEDS AND THE, UM, HAZARDS THAT THESE HOMES, UH, ARE PRESENTING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT NOW. I DID HAVE AN UPDATE, UM, MAYOR, THAT 1519 VICTOR, WHERE THE FIRE WAS, HAS A MAKE SAFE ORDER, UM, THAT DON RELAYED TO US AND THAT DON IS SUPPOSED TO BE BOARDING UP THE BUILDING. THAT'S THE HIGHEST ESCALATION THAT DON HAS. UM, BUT I, I WOULD APPRECIATE, UM, DEPUTY DIRECTOR HAMBRICK JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THAT TO MAKE SURE IT MOVES QUICKLY. UM, AND THEN 1517, VICTOR DOES HAVE NUISANCE REPORTS. UM, DON'S AWARE, BUT AGAIN, THIS IS A PRIVATE PROPERTY. UM, I WANNA ENCOURAGE THE PROPERTY OWNER TO, UM, MOVE SWIFTLY TO, UM, NOT ONLY MAKE THIS AREA SAFE, BUT TO ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD ON THE REPAIRS AND PRESERVATION THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. RIGHT. WELL, WALTER, IF YOU'LL FOLLOW UP WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN AS WELL AS WITH GLADYS. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT, NEXT SPEAKER. BILLY BRODY. BILLY BRODY. BILLY IS HERE. BILLY? YES. YOUR TURN. OKAY. IF YOU DON'T MIND TAKING A SEAT, JUST ONE PERSON AT A TIME. RIGHT BEHIND THEM. RIGHT BEHIND THAT MIC. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, I'M HERE BECAUSE WE WERE, WERE LIVING IN, UH, UH, THE 2100 MEMORIAL THAT, UM, HURRICANE HARVEY. WE HAD A FLOOD AND IT WAS 14 STORIES TALL, AND WE WERE MOVED BY, UH, MYSELF, BY THE HUD BASH, UM, ON, ON A VOUCHER TO BAYOU PARK. AND WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS NOW, NEARLY. AND WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT BUILDING TO BE FINISHED, BEING REPAIRED, UH, AT 2100, UH, WHICH IS AT SAWYER END MEMORIAL. AND NOW THE NEW OWNERS WANT US. THERE WERE SIX OF US THAT ARE JUST MYSELF AND MY BROTHER NOW, AND THEY WANT US TO GO, THEY, THEY WON'T REDO OUR, OUR LEASE. THE BUILDING IS NEARLY BEING FINISHED AND IT IS AT SAWYER MEMORIAL, AND THEY WANT US TO MOVE OUT AND, UH, JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH, UH, UH, HHA. AND SO THEY, THEY WANT US TO MOVE OUT. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE FINISHED IT IN DECEMBER. UH, WE'VE BEEN AT A MEETING ABOUT IT, AND IT IS, THEY SAY IT'S GONNA BE WITHIN DECEMBER OR JANUARY, AND NOW AS LATE AS JUNE, THEY, THEY KEEP RUNNING BEHIND. AND THE THING IS, I CAN'T AFFORD TO BE MOVING. UH, AND NO ONE'S GONNA TAKE ME WITH ONLY A, A MONTH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA WANT ME TO, UH, SIGN AT LEAST A SIX MONTH LEASE. THIS PLACE IS SUPPOSED TO BE READY FOR US TO MOVE IN, UH, IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY. AND WE JUST DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE EVICTED [01:10:01] JUST BECAUSE WE'RE, UH, UH, I GUESS WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT AM I TRYING TO SAY? HUH? ON HHA WELL, YEAH, ON, ON HHA AND WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP FROM BEING MOVED OUT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT US THERE. UH, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE THING IS ABOUT. I'M, I DON'T, I'M A, I'M A LITTLE, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED. I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED BECAUSE, UH, ALL OF THE TENANTS IN 2100 MEMORIAL HAVE, ARE NO LONGER THERE. THEY'RE NOT, THEY HAVE BEEN PLACED SOMEPLACE ELSE. RIGHT. SO THERE'S NO ONE RIGHT NOW AT 2100 MEMORIAL, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN TOTALLY REDONE, RIGHT? SO THEY'VE TORN IT DOWN AND, AND REBUILDING IT ALL. SO WHERE, SO WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW? AT BAYOU PARK, WHICH IS, UH, NEAR SHEPHERD AND MEMORIAL, JUST ABOUT A, A MILE OR TWO FROM THAT LOCATION NOW. RIGHT. SO, AND WE'RE SO CLOSE TO BEING OUT. WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO, UH, MOVE OUT? BECAUSE THESE NEW OWNERS DON'T WANT US THERE. ARE YOU SAYING THE BAYOU? THE, YEAH, THE, THE BAYOU BAYOU PARK. BAYOU PARK IS TRYING TO MOVE YOU OUT? YES. OH, OKAY. OKAY. I'M, THAT'S, OH YEAH. THAT, THAT'S WHAT WAS THROWING ME OFF. IT'S WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW THAT'S TRYING TO EVICT YOU. RIGHT. I GOTCHA. AND THEY'RE TRYING TO EVICT YOU, SAYING, I'M SORRY, . NO, NO. WE, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO EVICT YOU SAYING THAT YOU ARE, THEY JUST DON'T WANT HHA ALL THE VOUCHER. OKAY. I GOT, GOT, THESE ARE NEW, UH, OWNERS I GOT, I GOT YOU. MAYOR. I MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME. SURE. COUNCILMAN MCCAIN. YEAH. UM, MR. BRODY, THANK YOU, UM, FOR COMING. I KNOW MY OFFICE SPOKE WITH YOU TODAY. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD LEARNED OF THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION AND I'M, I'M VERY CONCERNED, MAYOR. WHAT I UNDERSTAND, AND I'M GONNA GIVE IT BACK TO YOU AND THEN YOU TELL ME IF WE HAVE IT RIGHT. Y'ALL WERE AT 2100 RIGHT? WITH AN HHA VOUCHER. RIGHT? THEN THE HURRICANE HIT MAYOR, THE CITY PARTNERED WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS TO RELOCATE RESIDENTS WHILE THEY, UM, REPAIR AND REBUILD 2100. THEY'VE RESIDED AT THIS LOCATION ON MEMORIAL DRIVE, RIGHT. FOR FOUR YEARS. UM, AT THE BAYOU PARK APARTMENTS, YOU WERE RECENTLY INFORMED DUE TO YOUR VOUCHER STATUS, YOU'RE REQUIRED TO VACATE. RIGHT. UM, YOU ALSO KNOW OTHERS FACING SIMILAR CHALLENGES. UM, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN PAYING ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS WITHOUT A FORMAL LEASE. UM, THE NEW MANAGEMENT THAT TOOK OVER HAS MANDATED THAT YOU ALL LEAVE BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. RIGHT. UM, ALTHOUGH YOU BENEFIT FROM SECTION EIGHT MILITARY STATUS. YES. UM, YOU'VE LOOKED, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE WAIT LISTS OF OVER A YEAR. UM, THERE HAVE, YOU'VE ALWAYS MADE TIMELY PAYMENTS. RIGHT. UM, IT'S SIMPLY THAT THE NEW MANAGEMENT IS FORCING EVICTIONS, UM, AT THEIR CURRENT APARTMENT COMPLEX. IS THAT BASED ON, DID I SUMMARIZE IT PRETTY WELL? THE NEW MANAGEMENT IS FROM OVERSEAS. UH, I GOT YOU. I GOT IT. AND, UH, THAT THEY WERE NOT THE ONES WHO ORIGINALLY LET US IN. I REMEMBER. AND, AND, AND THE EUNICE AT 2100 MEMORIAL, THEY'RE SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED WHEN, WHAT'S YOUR UNDERSTANDING? IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE FINISHED, UH, THAT THEY WERE TELLING US IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR, AND NOW THEY'RE TELLING US JANUARY. AND WE WENT TO A MEETING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND, UH, WE'RE NOW TOLD THAT IT COULD BE JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH. ALRIGHT. SO IT'S, IT'S WORKING OUT THIS TRANSITION BECAUSE YOU CAN RETURN TO 2100 MEMORIAL RIGHT. ONCE IT'S UP AND RUNNING. OKAY. ALRIGHT. WELL, LET'S SEE WHAT, LET'S SEE HOW WE CAN HELP YOU. OKAY. OKAY. LET'S SEE HOW WE CAN HELP YOU. I, I GOT YOU. I UNDERSTAND. SINCE COUNCILMAN CISNEROS. THANK YOU. SO, SO YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING BACK TO 2100 MEMORIAL TO THE NEW FACILITY. YES. UM, I WANTED TO ASK YOU HAD, HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO, UH, THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY? HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO THEM FOR HELP? YES. HOW HAS THAT GONE? UH, WE'VE EVEN, UH, CONTACTED, UH, LONE STAR LEGAL AND, UH, THEY ARE, ARE BEHIND US. THEY, UH, RECOMMENDED, UM, UH, THAT, THAT WE CONTACT THE CITY COUNCIL. MM-HMM . AND LUCKILY WE, THE MEETING WAS COMING UP RIGHT ABOUT THAT TIME. AND I HAVE, UH, [01:15:01] A LOW BACK SURGERY TO DEAL WITH, UH, IN THE NEXT, UM, MONTH. AND, UH, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO ANY LIFTING, UH, FROM WHAT THE DOCTORS AT THE VA TOLD ME, UM, FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. AND I JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO TRY TO MOVE OUT. IT'S, IT'S COSTLY. I'M ON, I I'M, I I'M ON, UH, UH, SOCIAL SECURITY, UH, AND I JUST, I I'M GOING THROUGH A LOT RIGHT NOW, UH, ON TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THIS WELL, BETWEEN, BETWEEN HHA AND THE APARTMENT COMPLEX WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW. UM, WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION. OKAY. I WOULD. SO, UH, LET US, I HOPE SO. LET US REACH OUT TO HHA, UH, TO SEE HOW, UH, WE CAN MAKE IT AS SMOOTH AS A TRANSITION AS POSSIBLE. BECAUSE EVERY, EVERY TENANT THAT WAS IN 2100 MEMORIAL RIGHT. UH, HAS ESSENTIALLY BEEN SAID THAT YOU CAN RETURN AND LET'S SEE WHAT THE CONSTRUCTION IS AT 2100 MEMORIAL. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO SPEED UP. UH, COUNCILMAN MCCAMMON? NO, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY BILLY AGAIN, THANK YOU. UM, AND I KNOW YOUR BROTHER, UH, RONALD IS ABOUT TO SPEAK, SO MAYOR'S GONNA HOLD MY, MY COMMENTS UNTIL, UM, BOTH BROTHERS GOT TO SPEAK. LEMME LET HIM COME UP NOW AND JUST AS SOON AS YOU FINISH OKAY. YOU CAN COME UP NOW. OH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. I ASSUME THIS THE SAME ISSUE. SAME ISSUE. OKAY. SAME ISSUE. I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT 'CAUSE HE JUST ABOUT SUMMED UP EVERYTHING. OKAY. SO, UH, OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY. NO, I MAYOR AGAIN. I, MY CONCERN BEING NOT ONLY FOR THE BRODY BROTHERS, BUT IF OTHER RESIDENTS, UM, THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNDER, I WOULD SAY VOUCHER PROTECTION, UM, ARE BEING FORCED OUT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BE APPRISED OF THE SITUATION AND WHAT THE CITY CAN DO, UM, TO ADDRESS IT, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA SEE ANYBODY GOING THROUGH WHAT Y'ALL ARE HAVING TO GO THROUGH RIGHT NOW. I WILL SAY ONE, I'LL ADD ONE THING TO THAT. UM, IT'S ACTUALLY NOT JUST US THAT'S GOING THROUGH THIS WITH, UH, HHA, I'M HEARING AT LEAST, UH, A FEW OF THE PEOPLE OR, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR COMPLEXES DO NOT WANT TO EXTEND A LEASE TO THEM BECAUSE OF HHA, BUT YET I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IF THE APARTMENTS, I MEAN, IF, IF, UH, APARTMENTS EVER HAVE VACANCIES AND THEY WANT TO TRY TO PUT PEOPLE IN 'EM, THEY WILL COME BACK TO HHA AND ASK THEM, DO YOU HAVE ANY PEOPLE TO PUT IN THERE? WHICH I THOUGHT WAS STRANGE. WHY DON'T WE, WHY DON'T WE TRY TO WORK IT OUT? OKAY. OKAY. CHAIR THOMAS. I'M THOMAS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. ATTORNEY. THIS IS, UM, MORE SO FOR THE BODY'S INFORMATION. UH, WE HAD AN UPDATE OF 2100 MEMORIAL AT THE LAST HOUSING COMMITTEE THERE AT 71% COMPLETION WITH THE MARCH 24 OPENING DATE A WEEK AGO TODAY. SO AS OF THEN, SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. SO THE MARCH TIMELINE IS AN ACCURATE ONE, THAT THEY'RE WE'RE PUBLICLY SHARING ALL THINGS CONSIDERED WEATHER CONSTRUCTION. BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. 71%. OKAY. SO ARE YOU SAYING MARCH, UH, MARCH OF 24? NO. OKAY. SO NOW IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S NOW IT'S ABOUT TRYING TO, TO TO, TO GET WHERE YOU CURRENTLY ARE, TO GIVE YOU, TO GIVE YOU FIVE MORE, FIVE MORE MONTHS UNTIL 2100 MEMORIAL IS READY. CORRECT. SO WE, WE, WE JUST HAVE SOME NEGOTIATIONS. THAT'S CORRECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKERS. CHARLENE DIXON. CHARLENE DIXON. CHARLENE DIXON. NEXT SPEAKER. DARRELL WARE. DARRELL WARE. HELLO TURNER. UH, MY NAME IS DARREL RAY, WE II AND I'M THE FOUNDER OF THE CONGLOMERATE THINK CHIEF, WHICH IS WORTH $15.7 BILLION. THAT INCLUDES THINK CHIEF HOTELS, WHICH PROVIDES THE, UH, SOLUTION TO END HOMELESSNESS IN THE UNITED STATES AS WE KNOW IT, AS WELL AS THINK CHIEF PUBLISHING, WHICH PROVIDE STORIES OF TRUE FAITH AND LOVE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR WOMEN OF COLOR. I CAME TO HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS TODAY BECAUSE I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY THAT I WOULD LIKE, THAT I WOULD LOVE TO USE AND PROVIDE TO HOUSE THOSE WHO HAVE BECOME HOMELESS AS A RESULT TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. UH, 3D PRINTED HOUSING IS A NEW TECHNOLOGY. I ACTUALLY INVENTED THIS BUSINESS MODEL BACK IN 2019 WHEN I WAS A GRADUATE STUDENT AT THE VETERINARY MEDICINE SCHOOL AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY ON THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO GRADUATE WITH A MASS IN PUBLIC HEALTH WITH A CONCENTRATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY FROM THE CORNELL UNIVERSITY. NOW, HOW DID THINK CHIEF HOTELS COME ABOUT? I SUFFERED, UH, AS A HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL IN SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA. AS A RESULT OF RUNNING FOR MAYOR, I WENT UNDERFUNDED. [01:20:01] BUT NOW WHAT IS THE ISSUE NOW? 582,000 AMERICANS ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AND THAT ALSO INCLUDES VETERANS WHO ARE OUR MOST IMPORTANT CITIZENS BECAUSE THEY PRESERVE OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. NOW, HOW CAN THINK CHIEF SOLVE THAT PROBLEM? 3D PRINTED HOUSING WITH A CONTRACTOR THAT I'M WELL FAMILIAR WITH. I'VE DONE MY DUE DILIGENCE AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ENOUGH, UH, WITH DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES TO WHERE IF THEY DID A PLAN A OR UH, AB TESTING, UH, WE CAN ROLL BACK AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAYS THAT WE CAN FURTHER IMPROVE THEIR TECHNOLOGY AS A MANUFACTURER. UH, BUT LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THINK CHIEF WILL PROVIDE AS A RESULT OF PARTNERING, UH, WITH THIS MANUFACTURING. I'M GONNA USE MY NOTES HERE, WHICH I DO NOT ENJOY DOING, UH, BECAUSE I LITERALLY CREATED THIS, UM, $7 BILLION, UH, THINK CHIEF HOTEL FOR THE HOMELESS, UH, WHILE SLEEPING IN MY CAR. I'VE BEEN SLEEPING IN MY CAR FOR SIX DAYS SINCE I MOVED TO HOUSTON. UH, THAT IS A RESULT OF ME UPDATING ONE OF YOUR HOUSTON TEXANS CHEERLEADERS, UH, WHO IS BASICALLY GIVING ME DISCIPLINE FOR MY FORMER BEHAVIOR. , UH, THINK CHIEF HOTEL PROVIDES, UH, FREE TEMPORARY HOUSING OPTIONS IF ELIGIBLE, UH, PERMANENT HOUSING OPTIONS IF ELIGIBLE, NO DEPOSITS OR DOWNTOWN PAYMENT, UH, DOWN PAYMENTS NECESSARY. FREE HOUSING VOUCHER, FREE HOUSING VOUCHER SIGNUPS, FREE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANT ENROLLMENTS WALK-INS, WELCOME FREE PUBLIC SHOWERS AND RESTROOMS, UH, FREE HYGIENE KITS, FREE FOOD BANK, FREE CLOTHING CLOSET FREE WIFI AND INTERNET FREE BUSINESS SUITE FREE. ONSITE CLINIC, FREE CHILDCARE ON SITE, 600 TO 800 SQUARE FEET. UNITS, UH, TEMPORARY RESIDENTS MUST REGISTER FOR HOUSING VOUCHERS THE NEXT DAY FOR PERMANENT HOUSING, UH, TEMPORARY RESIDENCE. SUCH AS IF SOMEONE, UM, IS LEFT OUT, UH, BECAUSE, UH, UH, A GREEDY LANDLORD HAS DECIDED TO LEAVE THEM OUT, THEY CAN SHOW UP TO THINK CHIEF HOTELS AND RECEIVE TEMPORARY RESIDENCY, UH, FOR UP TO THREE WEEKS, UH, WITHOUT SIGNING A WAIVER. UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, ALL UTILITIES ARE INCLUDED. ALL UNITS ARE FURNISHED, PRIVATE BEDROOM AND SHOWER IN EACH RESIDENTIAL UNIT. JOB FAIR CONFERENCES FOR THOSE SEEKING EMPLOYMENT, UM, EACH 3D PRINTED HOUSING UNIT WILL COST 10,000 OR LESS TO BUILD, AND THEY CAN BE BUILT WITHIN 48 HOURS. UM, MY GOAL IS FOR EVERY HOTEL TO BE LEAD CERTIFIED SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE AND FRIENDLY FOR EVERYONE. AND HERE'S THE KICKER, $1,000 FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL PER MONTH IN RENT. ONE BILLIONAIRE HAS BECOME A BILLIONAIRE BY PROVIDING AND DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR EVERYBODY. I GOT YOU. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO SAVE THE KICKER FOR COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABBAT. OH, GO FOR IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. GO. YOU ARE SO IMPRESSIVE. THANK YOU. I I HEARD YOU SAY THAT YOU RAN FOR MAYOR. I DID. I DID. OH, OKAY. I WAS 28 AND I WAS ENDORSING WHEN I WAS 28 AND I WAS ENDORSING WHEN I WAS 29. YOU ARE GOING PLACES YOU COULD SELL SAND ON THE BEACH, RIGHT? OH, YEAH. I I DIDN'T GET YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE CHEERLEADER THOUGH. WHAT DID YOU SAY? IS THAT, IS THAT SO OF SOMETHING YOU CAN REPEAT ONE OF ONE OF Y'ALL HOUSTON, TEXAS CHEERLEADERS, UH, WHO IS MY COLLEGE SWEETHEART. RIGHT. UH, I'VE SLEEPING IN MY CAR FOR ABOUT SIX DAYS. I DESERT IT, BUT NOW IT'S TIME FOR ME TO MOVE IN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. GOT IT. OKAY. IF YOU WANTED JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES, A COUPLE OF SECONDS TO FINISH YOUR COMMENT. YEAH, YEAH. I, I'LL I'LL GIVE YOU MY TIME. SURE, SURE, SURE. I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT CLARITY. HERE'S THE KICKER. AND HERE'S WHAT MAKES ME DIFFERENT FROM THESE OTHER TECH BILLIONAIRES IN THE UNITED STATES. I'M ONLY CHARGING THE 582,000 AMERICANS AS OF DECEMBER, 2022, A THOUSAND DOLLARS IN RENT PER MONTH. WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A NEED. IT IS NECESSARY. HOUSTON IS GROUND ZERO, UH, FOR HOMELESSNESS AS A RESULT OF PEOPLE BEING LEFT OUTTA THE ECONOMY. AND WHO AM I NOT? TO STEP UP AND PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND GIVE PEOPLE EVERYTHING THEY NEED SO THAT WHEN THEY'RE OUT OF LUCK AND THEY'RE BAD ON THEIR TIME, THEY CAN JUST WALK IN THE THINK CHIEF, WHEN I WALK DOWN BAGBY STREET, I WALKED PAST A, A FEW HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND I SAID, I GOT A PLACE FOR YOU AT THINK CHIEF HOTELS, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING BUT BRING YOUR BODY. WE'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU FOR THREE WEEKS. IF WE DON'T HAVE YOU A JOB BY THEN, SIGN YOU UP, SIGN UP FOR YOUR VOUCHER, AND YOU STAY AS LONG AS YOU NEED TO. AND WE'RE GONNA SAVE THE US GOVERNMENT BILLIONS TO DO EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO. 'CAUSE WE WON'T BE EXPORTING, UM, ANY OF OUR LABOR OR ANY OF OUR RESOURCES TO PEOPLE WHO EXPLOIT THE GOVERNMENT AND EXPLOIT PROGRAMS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO SUPPORT ALL US CITIZENS, INCLUDING ME. I DON'T LIKE THAT. THANK YOU. VERY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND LET ME ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW UP WITH, UM, COUNCILMAN SHABAZZ, UH, IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. OKAY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. PEACE. BEST BY EVERYBODY. PEACE. AND LEMME JUST SAY, UH, COUNCILMAN SHA BASS. I THOUGHT I WAS THE SAND ON THE BEACH. . I SAID I SAID IT WAS, I THOUGHT I WAS THE SAND ON THE BEACH. OH, COME ON, . I SAID HE COULD SELL SAND ON THE BEACH. OH, OKAY. HE WAS SAND ON THE . OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT SPEAKER. BELINDA. WHERE? BELINDA? WHERE? BELINDA. BELINDA, WHERE NEXT SPEAKER? [01:25:01] CARTER WARE. CARTER WARE. CARTER WARE. NEXT SPEAKER. MARION SCOTT. MARION SCOTT. MARION SCOTT. NEXT SPEAKER. ALVIN PINON. ALVIN PINON IS HERE. UH, HELLO. JUST BEHIND THE, IS THE MICROPHONE? STAND BEHIND THE MIC. HELLO. UH, I'M, I'M COMING HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR, UM, SOME PARAMETER CHANGES TO THE CHARITY CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR AMBULANCES. UM, I RECENTLY HAVE TRIED TO APPLY AND WAS DENIED EVEN THE APPLICATION OF SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION FOR THE AMBULANCE CHARITY. UM, I AM DISABLED. I RECENTLY HAVE BEEN OFF OF OUTTA WORK FOR ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS AND JUST GOT MY SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY, UM, INSURANCE, UH, APPROVED. AND, UM, WHEN I APPLIED, THEY TOLD ME I HAVE INSURANCE AND I CAN'T APPLY BECAUSE I HAVE INSURANCE. AND THAT WAS THE ONLY REASON MY INSURANCE IS PAID BY LEGACY. UM, I CANNOT AFFORD MY OWN INSURANCE. AND THE DIFFERENCE, IT, MY COPAY OF THE AMBULANCE BILL IS ABOUT $1,200. SO I'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT FALLS INTO THESE PARAMETERS. MM-HMM . AND I WAS GONNA ASK IF THAT CAN BE CHANGED ACCORDINGLY FOR ANYONE THAT IS IN THE SAME PREDICAMENT THAT I AM IN. LET ME, LET ME PASS YOUR, A SITUATION ON TO, UM, TO DR. PER WHO'S OUR CHIEF MEDICAL, UH, OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND HE DEALS DIRECTLY IN THIS AREA. SO I'VE ALREADY ASKED THAT YOUR SITUATION BE PASSED ON TO HIM AND, UH, AND, UH, LET ME ASK HIM TO REACH OUT TO YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT, UHHUH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, WILL HILL. WILL HILL, WILL HILL. NEXT SPEAKER. STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS. NEXT SPEAKER. SHEILA IAN. SHEILA GLA BEYOND IS PRESENT. HELLO, HOW Y'ALL DOING? GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I'M GOOD. GREAT. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY SISTER WHO LIVES IN CORY APARTMENTS. ALTHOUGH I DON'T LIVE IN CORY APARTMENTS, I'M A ADVOCATE FOR HER AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU GUYS ARE GIVING ME TODAY. I AM HERE ON THE REDEVELOPMENT OF, UH, RY AND TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THE MATTERS AND CONCERNS THAT ARE GOING ON OVER THERE IN CARPENTRY WHERE MY SISTER RESIDES, UM, AND THE EXPERIENCES THAT SHE HAVE, UH, THAT SHE'S RECEIVING, UM, DUE TO HER DISABILITIES AND, UH, THE REVAMP OF CARPENTRY AND THE CONDITIONS THAT SHE'S LIVING IN, IN THE APARTMENTS. UM, AND THE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS, UH, TO SAY THAT SHE'S HANDICAPPED, UM, WHICH MAKES IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR HER TO MOVE AROUND AND GET AROUND IN HER APARTMENT. SO SHE'S STILL, UM, AFTER HER REVAMP, UM, IS STILL NOT ACCESSIBLE FOR HER. SHE'S STILL HAVING TROUBLE, UH, GETTING AROUND IN HER APARTMENT. SHE, UM, SHE'S ALSO, UH, HAVING TO FACE, UH, NOT BEING ABLE TO GET OUT OF HER FRONT OR HER BACK DOOR DUE TO THE FACT THAT, UM, THE DOOR WAS SUPPOSEDLY BEEN FIXED AND HER KEY IS STUCK IN IT, SO SHE CAN'T GET OUT. UM, ALSO THERE'S NO, UH, HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE, UH, PLACARD FOR HER TO PARK FOR THE AMBULANCE TO PICK HER UP TO GO TO HER DI DIALYSIS. AND ONE PARTICULAR DAY, SOMEONE WAS THERE FOR 30 MINUTES IN HER AREA AND THEY WERE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO IT WAS SO THAT THEY CAN GET HER TO DIALYSIS. AND IT TOOK THEM 30 MINUTES TO FIND OUT WHO IT WAS. UM, ALSO, UM, SHE'S ALSO FACING LIKE, UH, SHE WAS DISPLACED. SHE WAS PUT INTO A HOTEL FOR SEVERAL WEEKS [01:30:01] WITH NO, UM, HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE. SHE HAD TO SLEEP IN A CHAIR FOR SIX WEEKS IN A HOTEL. SHE ALSO HAD TO WAIT 30 MINUTES FOR SOMEONE TO EVEN PICK HER UP TO, UH, BRING HER TO THE HOTEL WHEN SHE GOT THERE. THERE WAS NOTHING FOR HER TO EAT, NO PLACE FOR HER TO GO EVEN GET SOMETHING TO EAT. UM, THERE'S NO GROCERY STORE. THERE WAS NO GROCERY STORE. THERE WAS, UH, NOTHING ACCESSIBLE FOR HER AT THAT TIME. ALSO, SHE, UM, WAS ONLY, UM, PROVIDED A HUNDRED DOLLARS OF EXPENSES. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. OKAY. AND YOU'RE TELLING ME SHE STILL LIVES IN THE COPPER TREE? YES, SIR. SHE WAS PLACED BACK THERE, UM, ABOUT A MONTH AGO. AND WHO AND WHO PUT HER IN THE HOTEL? I'M SORRY? WHO PUT, WHO PUT HER IN THE HOTEL? UM, THE PEOPLE AT CORY WHILE, WHILE HER PLACE WAS BEING, WHILE WAS BEING YES, SIR. BEING REDONE. YES, SIR. OKAY. ALRIGHT THEN. ALRIGHT, ONE SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU MS. G GLADIN FOR, UM, COMING IN AND SHARING THE CONDITIONS OVER AT COPPER TREE. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME REHABS THAT'S HAPPENING. WE JUST RECENTLY, UM, VOTED ON, UM, GETTING RESOURCES TO FAIRFIELD. IS IT FAIR, FAIR STEAD. SO THAT THEY CAN RE REHAB, UM, COPPER TREE APARTMENTS. AND SO I HADN'T BEEN OVER TO INSPECT OR GET THE UP, HAVE YOU BEEN OVER? UM, YEAH. AND SO, BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND, UM, PJ, WHICH IS MY CONSTITUENT SERVICE REP, WILL FOLLOW WITH YOU. SO WE CAN GO OVER AND CHECK ON YOUR, UM, YOUR RELATIVE, MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE WHAT OKAY. BECAUSE HER, HER APARTMENT HAS BEEN REDONE RIGHT. BUT IT'S STILL NOT HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE FOR HER. WELL, I KNOW IT'S STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION. YES. THAT, THAT, THAT DEVELOPMENT IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION. YES. BUT HERS IS FINISHED. WELL, SUP I'M SORRY. IT'S SUPPOSEDLY FINISHED. YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT. 'CAUSE THAT'S A, THAT'S A $40 MILLION REHAB. YES, SIR. SO THAT'S NO SMALL AMOUNT. SO YES, SIR, IT IS STILL UNDER, UH, CONSTRUCTION. UM, AND, UH, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT, UH, TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE FOLLOWING THROUGH. YES, SIR. UH, WHAT IT'S BEING PROMISED, BUT IT IS CURRENTLY UNDER THAT IS A $40 MILLION REHAB PROJECT. YES, SIR. OKAY. UH, AND IF YOU NEED AN INSPECTOR TO INSPECT THE INSPECTOR, I'M HERE. NO, WILL I? OKAY. WELL, I I, I, I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THAT. COUNCILMAN PLUM. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU FOR COMING. CAN I GIVE YOU MY PHONE NUMBER TO MY OFFICE? YES, PLEASE. AND YES, IF YOU WANT ME, I CAN WRITE IT DOWN FOR YOU. YES. UM, AND IF YOU KNOW OF ANY OTHER CONCERNS THAT ARE HAPPENING OVER THERE, UM, THERE, THERE IS STILL CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING. THERE ARE ABOUT HALF, HALF THE WAY FINISHED. BUT IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE WE JUMP ON IT. YES. UM, AND TO, TO GET IT FIXED, I IMMEDIATELY, ESPECIALLY TO MAKE SURE SHE CAN, YOU KNOW, BE ACCOMMODATED PROPERLY. SO I'LL GIVE YOU MY PHONE NUMBER AS WELL. CAN YOU WANNA WRITE IT DOWN OR SHOULD I JUST YES, MA'AM. OKAY. I'LL WRITE DOWN FOR YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, DOES ANYONE I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD. NO, NO. UM, YEAH, SO JUST THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN THOMAS. THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. THANKS FOR COMING UP. AND, UM, MAYOR TURNER'S, UM, ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT. WE, UM, HAVE BEEN VERY FOCUSED ON TAKING CARE OF OUR REHAB. SO INDIVIDUALS JUST LIKE YOUR SISTER THAT NEED A DA COMPLIANCE THAT CHOOSE TO, UM, AGE IN PLACE, WE'LL HAVE ADEQUATE HOUSING. A PART OF THAT DEAL. AND THE NEGOTIATION WHEN THEY CAME BEFORE COUNCIL WAS TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT RESIDENTS WOULD BE, UM, TRANSFERRED EITHER IF THEY WANTED TO STAY WITH FAMILY YES. OR IF THEY WANTED TO GO TO A HOTEL AND IT WOULD BE COMPENSATED. I BELIEVE EVERY RESIDENT RECEIVED A HUNDRED DOLLARS STIPEND AND THEN A, AN ADDITIONAL $750 STIPEND FOR COST OF LIVING, TRANSPORTATION, LIGHT BILLS AND, AND ALL OF THAT. MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S 17, UM, A DA UNITS ON THAT PROPERTY. UM, AND SO IS YOUR REQUEST THAT SHE NEEDS ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE AND ACCESS TO HER UNIT THAT'S ALREADY COMPLETE. OKAY. SO INTO THE, UM, HER APARTMENT, THE MIC PLEASE. TO THE MIC. GET TO THE MIC TO MIC. I'M SORRY. HER SUPPO, HER APARTMENT HAS SUPPOSEDLY BEEN REVAMPED. UH, BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE AND SHE'S IN A WHEELCHAIR, SOMETIMES NOT, GRANTED SHE CAN WALK WITH HER WALKER, BUT, UM, HER DOORS ARE STILL SMALL. SURE. WHEN SHE HAS TO USE THE WHEELCHAIR, SHE CAN'T GET THROUGH HER APARTMENT IN HER WHEELCHAIR, SO IT'S STILL NOT HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE FOR HER. SURE. THEY OWN, THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE A RAIL FOR HER TO EVEN HOLD ON TO GO DOWN HER RAMP. UM, THE RAMP IS JUST BASICALLY THERE, SO IT'S JUST LIKE NOTHING IS THERE. SO YOU, YOU REPLACE A DOORKNOB INSTEAD OF A DOOR AND HER KEY IS IN THE DOOR. SURE. SURE. WELL, I'M SURE REPRESENTATIVES FROM FAIR STEAD THAT ARE LEADING THIS, UM, UH, [01:35:01] PROJECT THAT ARE LISTENING AND WATCHING TO YOUR COMMENT, WATCHING YOUR COMMENTS RIGHT NOW. OKAY. AND I'M SURE IF, UM, THEY WILL, UH, MEDIATE ALL OF THE ISSUES RELATED TO A DA COMPLIANCE IN THAT UNIT. WE, WE HAVE, THE CITY HAS A, AN INVESTMENT IN THIS DEAL. SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ON THEIR, IT'S TO THEIR BENEFIT THAT THEY DO THIS SPEEDILY. YES. UM, AND, AND THEN AS YOU COMMUNICATE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER AND GET SOME DETAILS, I'M SURE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GET YOUR SISTER IN AN A DA UNIT QUICKLY. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND I WOULD DEFINITELY KEEP YOU GUYS A BRUSHED ON THE CONDITIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN CARPENTRY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY WELCOME. MM-HMM . NEXT SPEAKER, ERICA BOWMAN. ERICA BOWMAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEPHANIE WYNN. UM, I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH A SENSE OF GRATITUDE. GRATITUDE FOR THE POSITIONS YOU HOLD, WHERE TRUST, BELIEF, AND FAITH ARE INVESTED IN OUR ABILITY TO HEAR THE PROBLEMS OF THE PEOPLE. THE TASK AT HAND IS UNDENIABLY UNCOMPLEX, YET WE TRUST THAT OUR VOICES RESONATE WITH YOU. AND YOUR INTENTIONS ARE GENER, ARE GENER ARE GEARED TOWARDS CRAFTING SOLUTIONS. YOU'VE BEEN GRANTED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF POWER AND AUTHORITY, THE KIND THAT CAN FACILITATE CHANGE. I'M HERE TODAY TO SHED LIGHT ON THE CRUCIAL SUBJECT THAT WARRANTS MORE ATTENTION, NAMELY, REDEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY LOW INCOME TAX, LOW INCOME TAX REDEVELOPMENTS DEVELOPERS SEEKING YOUR LETTER OF SUPPORT, POSING ESSENTIAL QUESTION. WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES DO YOU AS MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS BEAR IN ENSURING THE, JUST THAT, NOT JUST THE INTENT, BUT ALSO THEIR AC ACCOUNTABILITY WHEN THEY RECEIVE SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND CREDITS? THE COMMUNITY RELIES ON YOUR OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE YOU GRANT ACCESS TO ARE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. THESE FAMILIES ARE, IN MANY CASES, VULNERABLE, SUSCEPTIBLE. AND WHAT, AND WHATEVER TREATMENT IS METED IS MET OUT. SADLY, THE COMMUNITY'S VOICE OFTEN GOES UN HEARD IN THESE DECISION MAKING SPACES, PLACING A HEAVILY RELIANCE ON YOUR SHOULDERS. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IMMEDIATE ACTION IS NEEDED AS PO AS PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING. WE TRUST THAT. WE TRUST THAT THE DEVELOPERS WILL DELIVER ON THEIR PROMISES, BUT WE ALSO CONFRONT A STARK REALITY, ONE THAT ACKNOWLEDGES NOT ALL DEVELOPERS HAVE THE COMMUNITY'S BEST INTERESTS AT HEART. FINANCIAL GAIN IS THEIR DRIVING FORCE. IT'S NO SECRET THAT NUMEROUS APARTMENTS STILL LANGUISH IN TERRIBLE CONDITIONS AFTER REDEVELOPMENTS, WHILE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS VANISH INTO THIN AIR, THE MENTAL, PHYSICAL, AND SPIRITUAL HEALTH ATTENDANCE CONSTANTLY DETERIORATES WHEN THE REDEVELOPMENT PLANS FALL SHORT DUE TO LACK OF OVERSIGHT. I STOOD BEFORE YOU IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, REPEATEDLY RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONDITIONS, TREATMENTS, AND NEED FOR SUPPORTED CARPENTRY. I'VE ENGAGED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER AND TARSHA REGARDING THE CONDITIONS OF COPPER TREE. BOTH HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THE NEED FOR CHANGE AT COPPER COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER HAS EVEN TAKEN THE, HAS EVEN TAKEN THE TIME TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE NEW OWNERS, ASSURING US THAT SHE WILL DO EVERYTHING IN HER POWER TO ENSURE THAT THIS REDEVELOPMENT AT CARPENTRY IS DONE THE RIGHT WAY. THIS TIME. REGRETTABLY, THE REDEVELOPMENT AS A WHOLE IS BEING POORLY EXECUTED AND TENANTS CONTINUOUSLY RAISE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEIR TREATMENT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. WE'VE MET WITH OWNERS AT STEAD PROVIDING THEM WITH SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO OFFER ATTENTION AND CARE. UH, A COMMUNITY FACING SEVERE HARDSHIP REQUIRES FAIR STEAD RELOCATION PLAN, HOWEVER, DEMONSTRATES A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS. PLACE COMMUNITY TO NEXT TO SAM'S CLUB. A MEMBERSHIP ONLY STORE REVEALED THE DISCONNECT FROM THE FINANCIAL REALITIES OF THE TENANTS. THE ABSENCE OF ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC TRANSIT ALSO REFLECTS A LACK OF INSIGHT. WHILE I COULD DIVE DEEP, MORE IN DEEP DIVE, DEEPER DIVE DEEPER INTO MORE INSTANCES OF CUTTING CORNERS, IS OUR TENANTS WHO CAN BEST SPEAK IN THESE INJUSTICES, THEY CAN ALSO PROVIDE FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS OF THE UNFAIR TREATMENT THEY HAD FACED THROUGHOUT THESE PROCESSES. I STAND HERE TODAY URGING YOU. AM I ABLE TO FINISH? YEAH. THANK YOU MUCH. I HAVE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE LEFT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER. I'M JUST HOPING THAT YOU GUYS CAN DO A LITTLE MORE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BECAUSE WE NEED THE OVERSIGHT MANNER. THANK YOU MAYOR STEPHANIE WYNN . HI. HI, MAYOR. UM, I'M ATTEND. GOOD AFTERNOON. HI, HOW ARE YOU DOING? I'M ATTENDING THE, HERE AT, UH, COT TREE VILLAGE APARTMENTS. AND BEFORE I START, I JUST WANT TO ASK FOR, UM, I GUESS, HOW CAN I SAY THIS? I DON'T WANNA BE RETALIATED FOR SPEAKING MY MIND ABOUT THE SITUATIONS THAT'S GOING ON INTO CARPENTRY VILLAGE APARTMENTS. SO I ASKED IF YOU GUYS COULD TRY AND HELP ME WITH THAT. BUT AS A SINGLE MOTHER IN CARPENTRY VILLAGE APARTMENTS, UM, I STRUGGLE EVERY DAY. I HAVE A HAVE A DAUGHTER OF MY OWN AND IT'S HARDSHIP THAT'S HIT, THAT'S HIT ME. I'VE BEEN TIED TO CARPENTRY FOR EIGHT YEARS, UNABLE TO TAKE MY VOUCHER ELSEWHERE BECAUSE IT'S A PROJECT BASED PROPERTY. I TOO HAVE FOUGHT YEARS TO GET HELP AND WAS HOPEFUL THAT THIS REDEVELOPMENT WOULD ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING AND UNSAFE CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, WHAT I'M SEEING, SEEING IS MERELY A [01:40:01] COVERUP, THEIR PAINTING OVER THE ISSUES AND IN THE PROCESS TREATING US UNFAIRLY. IN MANY WAYS, MOLD IS ALREADY COMING BACK THROUGH THE PAINTS ON THE WALLS AND THE PAINTS AND THE PAINT IS PEELING FROM THE BATHTUBS. IT'S CLEAR THAT CORNERS HAVE BEEN CUT AND I'VE EVEN BEEN CHARGED FOR REPAIRS THAT I THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REDRESSED BEFORE THE RE REDEVELOPMENT. WHILE I'M UNFORTUNATE, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE ONE OF MY STIPENDS, MANY OTHERS HAVEN'T. UM, AS WELL AS CARPENTRY HAS BEEN THROUGH DECADES OF FAULT, EAC UNITS. THIS LEFT US WITH HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED URGENTLY. AND ADDITIONALLY, WE'VE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE PIPELINES RUNNING UNDER OUR COMPLEX THAT CARRIES HA HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS THAT WE IMPLORE THAT Y'ALL GUYS INVESTIGATE. OUR LIVES ARE AT RISK AND WE CANNOT TAKE ANY CHANCES WITH OUR SAFETY OR WELLBEING. IN CONCLUSION, MY JOURNEY AS A SINGLE MOTHER IS STRIVING TO PROVIDE FOR MY DAUGHTER, HAS ALREADY BEEN INCREDIBLY TOUGH. OUR COMMUNITY STRUGGLES AND, AND HAS BEEN COMPOUNDED BY THE SUBPAR CONDITIONS. AND IN JUST TREATMENT DURING THE RE REDEVELOPMENT, I URGE YOU TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION AND ENSURE SAFETY AND WELLBEING TO HOLD THE RESPONSIBLE PARTIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. WE LOOK FOR YOU TO SUPPORT, UNDERSTAND, AND UNDERSTAND OUR COMMITMENTS IN MAKING OUR LIVE LIVING CONDITIONS BETTER AND SAFER FOR ALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND DEDICATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, LANGTON DIXON. LANGTON DIXON. LANGSTON LANGSTON. NEXT SPEAKER SHAY SHARP. SHAY SHARP. SHAY SHARP. UM, WANT TO SAY SOMETHING FIRST? UM, I WANNA PUT OUT THERE, SINCE I HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE IMPERSONATING ME ON THE INTERNET, I AM NOT AN ACTIVIST. I DO NOT WISH TO BE. NO OFFENSE, NO OFFENSE, BUT I DO NOT WISH TO BE. BUT I WILL SAY THAT I DON'T LIKE THAT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT MY SITUATION. I'VE LITERALLY TOLD YOU GUYS LIKE THREE WEEKS IN A ROW, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. NOTHING HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED. I LITERALLY SAID THAT I HAD SOMEBODY STEAL MY IDENTITY AND MY INHERITANCE. AND I'M LITERALLY SPEAKING OUT ABOUT THIS. AND ALL I GET IS SOCIAL MEDIA HACKING AND SOMEBODY POSING AS ME AND THEN I'M REACHING OUT FOR HELP. AND THEN MY EMAILS ARE GETTING INTERCEPTED. YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WOMEN ADVOCATES OUT HERE THAT'S ACTUALLY GONNA HELP. THEY ONLY HELP WHO THEY WANNA HELP. AND I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR EVERYBODY. 'CAUSE I KNOW EVERYBODY IS NOT THE SAME. AND I KNOW THAT. BUT YEAH, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER. LY MONTOYA REVIS. ELLIE, WHAT DO YOU HAVE FOR US TODAY? UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, I WAS WORKING WITH NEELY MCNEELY, UH, WITH THE PRIMERICA OFFICE LOCATED IN CYPRUS. I WANNA APOLOGIZE TO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY. I TRANSFERRED MY BUSINESS TO, UH, THE LOUIS CARLOS MUIR PRIMERICA, LOCATED IN 1 5 3 5 5 VANTAGE PARKWAY IN PRIMERICA. I KNOW THAT THEY WERE IN COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR, UH, BODYGUARD BECAUSE HE'S, UH, POWER PER AMERICA. IT'S NOTHING PERSONAL, IT'S JUST, THEY TOLD ME I WAS TOO WHITE TO HISPANIC, SO I JUST MOVED MY BUSINESS TO A HISPANIC OFFICE AND I'M STILL WITH PRIME AMERICAN LEGALSHIELD. SO I JUST WANNA APOLOGIZE PUBLICLY TO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY. IT IS NOT SEGREGATION, BUT THEY JUST HAVE LIKE THE HISPANIC, UH, TEAM, AFRICAN AMERICAN TEAM AND THE WHITE TEAM IN PRIMERICA. I'M STILL PROMOTING PRIMERICA, UH, UNEMPLOYMENT. I'M NOT REALLY COLLECTING UNEMPLOYMENT BECAUSE A HUNDRED DOLLARS A UH, A WEEK IS NOT ENOUGH FOR MY EXPENSES. I'M WORKING MY OWN SCHEDULE AND I'M STILL COMING HERE JUST TO SUPPORT YOU UNTIL YOU LEAVE, UH, OFFICE. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAJOR. UM, WHEN CAN WE TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU NEXT WEEK? THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, ELLIE. NEXT SPEAKER. JACOB CLEMENT. JACOB CLEMENT THAT, HOW CAN IT GO? OH NO, I, A BLUE. OH, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT KNOWLEDGE NOW. SHE 70 TO SOME PEOPLE HERE. AND THAT IS A PERSON I KNOW INVITED ME TO [01:45:01] HAVE ATTENDED WITH HIM. AND, UH, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY THE CLOSEST, THE FASTEST WAY TO A MAN'S HEART IS THROUGH HIS STOMACH. OH, THAT MAN WAS, UH, TONY BUSBY. HE GAVE ME SEPARATE ONE DAY. AND SO, OH, I TOLD HIM, HEY, I'M GONNA MENTION YOU AS CITY COUNCIL. I MENTIONED TONY BUSBY. HE'S A GOOD MAN. AND SO NOW I'M GOING TO SAY THIS ABOUT ELECTIONS. I HAVE MY ELECTION CARD, SO ALL OF Y'ALL NEED TO GO VOTE. AND OUT RIGHT HERE, I HAVE THIS THING FROM THE TEXAS CATHOLIC HERD WHERE, UM, THE BISHOP ET ORAL CRS, UH, IT SAID, UH, ON THE NOVEMBER HARRIS COUNTY BALLOT, UH, THE HARRIS HEALTH BOND SHOULD BE APPROVED. THANK YOU, JACOB. YOUR TIME HAS, ITS FINE. WE'LL PICK IT UP AGAIN. THANKS, JACOB. OKAY. ART SMITH. ART SMITH. HELLO, MAYOR. I'M HERE TODAY. UM, ON YESTERDAY, THIS BUILDING RIGHT HERE, VOTING L I'M PRETTY SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT. IT WAS IN FIFTH WARD ACROSS THE STREET FROM FINNEGAN PARK. THE, THE CASE IS STILL IN THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT. IT'S IN THE COURT OF APPEALS. UM, THE HOUSTON PERMIT CENTER ALLOWED SOMEONE TO COME OUT AND DEMOLISH THE BUILDING WITHOUT ANY PROPER DUE CREDIT. AS I MEAN THE, THE CORRECT INFORMATION, THE PROPERTY IS IN MY WIFE'S NAME IN ADVERSE POSSESSION OF PROPERTY. IT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN TOUCHED IF THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE HOUSTON PERMANENT DEPARTMENT WOULD'VE RESPECTED THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM OF THE, UM, TEXAS COURT OF APPEALS, THEY WOULDN'T EVEN BEEN OUT THERE AT ALL THIS BUILDING. THIS IS A PICTURE THAT THIS PICTURE WAS ON HILLARY CLINTON'S OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE WHEN SHE RAN FOR PRESIDENT. SPEAKING ABOUT THAT, THAT BUILDING. AND THEN WHEN BETO CAME OUT THERE, THIS IS ACTUALLY HIS NAME, BUT HE PUT IT UP ON HIS SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE TO ALL HIS MILLION FRIENDS. THE BUILDING THAT'S UNDER COFFEE, SCHMID BAY NAME. IT WAS ILLEGALLY. YEAH. TIME HAS EXPIRED. IT WAS, IT WAS ILLEGALLY TO SPEAKER. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, COFFEE SCHMID BAY COFFEE. SCH SMITH IS HERE. HELLO. AS A HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE FOR DISTRICT B COFFEE SMITH BAY, MYSELF, UH, THEY PICKED EARLY VOTING THE FIRST DAY TO DEMOLISH MY BUILDING VOTING LIVE. AND, UM, I AM AN INDIGENOUS WOMAN, MORRIS AMERICAN, NATIVE AMERICAN. AND SO THE PROPERTY THAT SITS ON THE SMITH L BAY TRIBAL TRUST LAND HAS BEEN DISRESPECTED AND MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED. OKAY. AND THE HOUSTON PERMANENT CENTER IS CONTINUOUSLY GIVEN OUT PERMANENCE TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T OWN THE PROPERTY. THIS PROPERTY IS IN A VARIETY OF COURTS RIGHT NOW, UH, SUPREME, UH, COURT OF TEXAS COURT OF APPEALS, AND IT'S BEEN IN JIM KOVAC COURT. HE'S INCOMPETENT WHEN IT COMES TO ADVERSE POSSESSION. HIS DECISION HAS BEEN APPEALED. SO I HAVE BROUGHT VARIOUS THINGS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE COUNCIL AND THE LEGAL TEAM, ET CETERA, AND THEY HAVE VIOLATED MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS ON YESTERDAY. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, JASON POTTERS. JASON POTTER IS HERE, MAYOR TURNER AND DISTINGUISHED COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'D LIKE TO FURTHER EXPLAIN MY COMMENTS FROM LAST WEEK. I FEEL THE CCMC PROCESS FAILED TO GIVE INTEGRATORS AN EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITY TO RESOLVE OUR ISSUES. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT THE SHORT VERSION HERE AT THE END, ELECTRICIANS WERE GIVEN FAR TOO MUCH POWER AND INFLUENCE IN THE PROCESS. THEY HAD A SIGNIFICANT CONFLICT OF INTEREST BECAUSE IF THEY COULD DEFEAT OUR AMENDMENT, THEY COULD PREVENT INTEGRATORS FROM DOING THE WORK THEY WERE ALREADY DOING SAFELY AND CAPTURE THIS WORK FOR THEMSELVES. A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE DEVIATIONS OF THE PROCESS INCLUDE ALLOWANCE OF MULTIPLE IEC ELECTRICIAN REPRESENTATIVES ON TASK GROUP FOUR WERE THE RULES LIMITED OTHER GROUPS TO A SINGLE ATTENDEE DEVIATION FROM THE PUBLISHED PROCESS BY ROUTING THE RESOLUTION COMMITTEE'S, BROAD ACCEPTANCE OF OUR AMENDMENT BACK TO THE TASK FORCE GROUP SO THE ELECTRICIANS COULD VOTE IT DOWN. AGAIN, PREVENTION OF THE CCMC FROM HEARING THE RESOLUTION COMMITTEE'S DECISIONS THAT SUPPORTED OUR AMENDMENT. AND WHEN DIRECTLY ASKED, THE FACILITATOR STILL DID NOT PROVIDE THIS FEEDBACK. AN IEC ELECTRICIAN WAS ALLOWED TO MAKE A MOTION TO THE CCMC, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS NOT A MEMBER OF THE CCMC TO REJECT OUR AMENDMENT AND IN THE DISCUSSION PREMATURELY. THOSE ARE TWO THINGS THAT ARE AGAINST THE RULES FOR THE CCMC. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. RYER. UH, COUNCILMAN [01:50:01] ROBINSON. MAYOR, JUST IN FULL TRANSPARENCY, MR. PATAR FOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO FINISH YOUR COMMENTS? SURE. IT'S, IT'S VERY BRIEF AND I'M CIRCULATING A LETTER THAT HAS THE DETAILS. YEAH, WE'VE GOT IT. THANK YOU. AND GO AHEAD. UH, THANK YOU. AND, UH, FINALLY THERE WERE REPORTED DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN THE CCM C'S SECRET BALLOT VOTE COUNTS REPORTED IN THE MINUTES FOR THE FIR THE MEETING WHERE THE VOTE OCCURRED. AND THEN AGAIN, IN THE MEETING AFTER THE VOTE, TALLY CHANGED. THERE'S SIGNIFICANT CONFUSION ABOUT THE VOTING PROCESS. SOME PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW IF FOUR WAS TO PASS IT OR REJECT IT. UH, AND THEN IN THE END, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE MINUTES WERE SAID TO NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LODGE THEIR VOTE IN THAT MATTER BECAUSE OF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. SO IN, IN CONCLUSION, WE'LL JUST NEVER KNOW WHAT THE CCMC WOULD'VE DECIDED. MM-HMM IF THE VOTING HAD BEEN HANDLED BETTER. BUT I DO KNOW THIS BODY KNOWS HOW TO VOTE. SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, UH, FOR OUR AMENDMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. POTTER OF THANK YOU VERY MUCH. RE JUST RE UH, NEXT SPEAKER. THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS. THANK YOU. WE SEND [RECESS] RECESS THERE TOMORROW MORNING AT NINE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL SIX D SEVEN ROOFING AND METAL LLC FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE FOR INSTALLATION OF A TEMPORARY ROOFING SYSTEM. ITEM SEVEN APPROVED THE SPENDING AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $30,000 FROM EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO EXHAUST REMOVAL SYSTEMS. ITEM EIGHT APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $148,000 FOR PURCHASE OF HOLIDAY LIGHTING SERVICES FOR HERMAN SQUARE. ITEM NINE APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $394,103 85 CENTS FOR SOFTWARE UPGRADES, MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT SERVICES. ITEM 10, OUTDOOR POWER SALES AND SERVICE LLC FOR PURCHASE OF FOUR HARVEY REPLACEMENT ZERO TURN MOORES ITEM 11, APPROVE SPENDING AUTHORITY IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $136,142 10 CENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL HELICOPTER TRAINING SERVICES. ITEM 12 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $40,002 40 CENTS FOR A ONE TIME PURCHASE OF PRESSURE PIPE THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE PURCHASE AND AGREEMENT WITH NCPA. ITEM 13, PATRICIA TECH SUPPLY AND SERVICES SERVICE FOR PURCHASE OF GUARDRAILS. ITEM 14 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $11,490,956 9 CENTS FOR EQUIPMENT RENTALS AND RELATED PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THROUGH THE MASTER INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENT. ITEM 15 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER FIVE OF AMENDING ARTICLE FIVE OF CHAPTER 47 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, HOUSTON, TEXAS, RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RULES REGULATING INDUSTRIAL DISCHARGES TO THE CITY'S WASTEWATER SYSTEM. ITEM 16 ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING FOURTH AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS OF HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY. ITEM 17 ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE WOMEN'S HOME. ITEM 18 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CATHOLIC. CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF GALVESTON HOUSTON ITEM 19 ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND WESLEY COMMUNITY CENTER INC. OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PURCHASE SALE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND BUFFALO BIO PARTNERSHIP ITEM 20 E ONE ORDINANCE APPROV AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS AND BUFFALO BIO PARTNERSHIP. ITEM 22, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $13,970,315 IN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDS TO SUPPORT HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACTIVITIES. ITEM 23, ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT TO ENTER LOCAL AGREEMENT FOR PAYMENT OF MONTHLY FULL SERVICE GROSS RENT FOR A LEASE SPACE LOCATED AT 100 GLEN BURRO BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS AND NORTH HOUSTON. DISTRICT ITEM 24 ORDINANCE APPRO APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT TO LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN A MG THE OAKS APARTMENTS LLC ITEM 25 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $680,084 79 CENTS OUT OF PARKS CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CLARK CONDO ASSOCIATES, INC. ITEM 26, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2013 DASH 0 9 2 5 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TYLER TECHNOLOGIES [01:55:01] INC. ITEM 27 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO SUBMIT APPLICATION FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR RELATING TO THE GENERAL VICTIM ASSISTANCE DIRECT SERVICES PROGRAM. ITEM 28 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF GULF GATE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER EIGHT, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS GULF GATE ZONE ITEM 29 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF CITY PARK REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 12, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. ITEM 30 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF FOURTH WARD. REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 14, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS FOURTH WARD ZONE ITEM 31 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF SOUTHWEST HOUSTON. REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 20, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. ITEM 32, ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF GRANT APPLICATION FOR AND ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS THROUGH THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT FOR FY 24 LOCAL PARK DIRECTED GRANT FUNDS. ITEM 33 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE OF THE 200 TO 400 BLOCKS OF CANADIAN STREET BETWEEN FULTON AND ER'S STREETS. ITEM 34 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 23.3141 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 3 6 6 ITEM 35, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZED IN FULL AND FINAL SETTLEMENT INDEMNITY AGREEMENT AND RELEASE BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND BREN TAG SOUTHWEST INC. ITEM 36 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF GRANT APPLICATION TO THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE REGIONAL MITIGATION PROGRAM FOR THE SUNNYSIDE AREA DETENTION PROJECT. ITEM 37, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $423,231 OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND AT VALOREM TAX AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND GC ENGINEERING INC. ITEM 38 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $3,587,604 OUT OF THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARDING A CONTRACT TO CSI CONSOLIDATED LLC DOING BUSINESS AS A IMS COMPANIES. ITEM 39 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $11,258,900 OUT OF THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND, AWARDING CONTRACT TO INDUSTRIAL TEXAS CORPORATION FOR EAST WATER PURIFICATION PLANT ONE SLASH TWO REPLACEMENT OF VALVES, HALF REPLACEMENT OF VALVES AND ACTUATORS AT HIGH SERVICE PUMP STATION. ITEM 40 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $3,161,663 82 CENTS OUT OF METRO PROJECTS CONSTRUCTION D-D-S-R-F AWARDING CONTRACT TO TOTAL CONTRACTING LIMITED ITEM 41 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $6,900,000 OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL. RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND AVALOR TAX AWARDING CONTRACT TO DL GLOVER UTILITIES LLC ITEM 42 SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE ON THE PROPOSAL TO USE APPROXIMATELY 31,838 SQUARE FEET. 0.7309 ACRES OF BLACK HAWK PARK, EAST OF BLACK HAWK BOULEVARD FOR A 30 FOOT WIDE UTILITY CORRIDOR FOR THE NEW 16 INCH NOMINAL DIAMETER GRAVITY SANITY, SANITARY SEWER DIVERSION LINE, AND TWO PROPOSED MANHOLE INCLUDING VENTS. SUGGESTED HEARING DATE 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6TH, 2023. ITEM 43, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $3,131,000 OUT OF EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION CONSOLIDATED FUND AND $900,000 OUT OF CONTRA CONTRIBUTED CAPITAL PROJECT AND APPROVE AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON IN VERSA TERM PUBLIC SAFETY INC. FOR RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. AND THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS CASTEX, TATUM, AND ROBINSON ON THE OCTOBER 18TH. I'M SORRY, THIS WAS ITEM 25 ON THE OCTOBER 18TH AGENDA. ITEM 44 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF MEMORIAL HEIGHTS REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENTS ZONE NUMBER FIVE, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS MEMORIAL HEIGHTS ZONE. THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS AND WAS ITEM 30 ON THE OCTOBER 18TH, 2023 AGENDA. ITEM 45 ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE ADOPTION OF CONSTRUCTION CODES FOR THE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION [02:00:02] OF LIVES AND PROPERTY FROM FIRE AND OTHER PERILS ADOPTING AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON CONSTRUCTION CODE AND CONTAINING OTHER PROVISIONS RELATING THROUGH THE FOREGOING SUBJECTS. THIS WAS TAGGED BY ITEM, THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER AND WAS ITEM 35 ON THE OCTOBER 18TH, 2023 AGENDA. THIS CONCLUDES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF OCTOBER 24 AND 25, 2023 IN THE WORDS OF THE CITY SECRETARY PAT JEFFERSON, DANIEL ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED AND HAVE A BLESSED AND FANTA DAY. THANK YOU, SECRETARY. OKAY, LET'S GET STARTED. [RECONVENE] IT'S, UH, IT'S NINE O'CLOCK ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25TH, 2023. UM, UH, MAYOR PROFESS TURNER, I'M CALLING THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER. UH, THE FIRST ITEM TODAY [1.  9:00 A.M. PUBLIC HEARING to provide a Resolution of No Objection for the 4% tax credit application of EMLI HOUSTON MESA TCI, LP ] IS A PUBLIC HEARING. UH, MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL PLEASE CALL ITEM NUMBER ONE, ITEM ONE, A PUBLIC HEARING TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR 4% TAX CREDIT APPLICATION OF EMLI, HOUSTON MESA, T-C-I-L-P. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER THIS MORNING SIGNED UP, ARB LYONS A LYONS IF YOU COME, IF YOU WANT. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR. GOOD MORNING. TO HONORABLE MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, UH, TO THE REST OF, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, HEY, HOW YOU DOING? DR. PLUMMER AND DR. ALCO AND MS. THOMAS? UH, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE EMILY MESA PROJECT AND SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT, BUT I'M NOT HERE TO SPEAK ON MYSELF, BUT THE COMMUNITY, THE EAST HOUSTON COMMUNITY, UH, MR. MR. TURNER KNOWS THIS, THIS HAS BEEN AN EIGHT YEAR JOURNEY FOR US AND WE'VE ALWAYS COME TO THE CITY WITH GOOD PROJECTS. UH, THE LAST TIME I SPOKE, IT WAS ON THE EXPANSION OF THE LELAND TURS, WHICH THE EAST HOUSTON COMMUNITY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR OR PLAYED AN INTRICATE ROLE IN. AND SO, UM, ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY, MS. THE LATE MS. MARILYN WHITAKER, WHO WOULD'VE BEEN HERE WITH ME THIS MORNING, BUT SHE PASSED AWAY, UH, AND OTHERS THAT COULDN'T MAKE IT BECAUSE THEY'VE GOTTEN UP IN AGE. BUT THEY ASKED ME TO COME TO REPRESENT IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT. AND THE REASON WHY WE SUPPORT THIS PROJECT IS THAT THE DEVELOPERS LISTEN TO US. THEY, THEY GAVE US WHAT WE ASKED FOR. UH, WE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT COMMUNITY CENTER WITH OFFICE SPACE, UH, A COMMERCIAL KITCHEN THAT WOULD BE OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY 24 7, 7 DAYS A WEEK. IT WOULD BE SEPARATE FROM THE OFFICE. AND WE COULDN'T ASK FOR A BETTER DEAL WITH THE DEVELOPER. NOT ONLY DID THEY DO THEY DO THAT, BUT THEY ALSO AGREED TO WORK WITH ANYONE WHO IS QUALIFIED IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO, TO, TO BUILD OUT ON THIS PROJECT. SO THE DEVELOPERS HAVE BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE, UH, WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY. UH, AND SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS COMING TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE, IT'S TIME FOR NEW LOOK IN THESE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THAT GET OVERLOOKED, UH, PERIODICALLY. AND WE HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL WILL SUPPORT THIS PROJECT BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET RID OF THE SLUM LORDS THAT ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE, MAKE A CHANGE. SO WE HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL WILL SEE FIT TO SEE THAT THIS PROJECT GO FORWARD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON, UM, THIS AGENDA? ITEM ITEM NUMBER ONE? ANYONE ELSE SAYING? NO ONE, IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING CAST STATE TO MOVE TO CLOSE THE HEARING? SECOND, ROBINSON BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED ON, UM, THERE ANY OBJECTION TO CLOSING THE HEARING CHAIR? NONE. AND THE HEARING IS CLOSED. UH, MADAM SECRETARY, [2.  PUBLIC HEARING to provide a Resolution of No Objection for the 4% tax credit application of WP INVESTORS, LP ] IF YOU'RE NOW CALLED, UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO. ITEM NUMBER TWO, A PUBLIC HEARING TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR THE 4% TAX CREDIT APPLICATION OF WP INVESTORS LP. AND IF YOU'LL CALL THE FIRST, UM, WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER, LEGISLATIVE, YOU'LL CALL THE, THE, UH, THE SPEAKER. JEREMY BMU. MR. BATAL WAS HERE. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. COUNCIL, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL. JEREMY BARTOLO. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE PURCHASER, UH, FOR WELLINGTON PARK. THIS WILL BE AN ACQUISITION REHAB. IT'S LOCATED IN, UM, HARRIS COUNTY, HOUSTON, ETJ. AND I'M HERE JUST TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. UH, AND THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SIR. VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. IS THERE ANYONE, UH, ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, HEARING, [02:05:01] SEEING NUMBER ONE, IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING? CASTEX TATUM, MOVE TO CLOSE THE HEARING. SECOND. ROBINSON MOVED IN SECOND TO CLOSE THE HEARING. ANY OBJECTION? SHERRY'S NONE. AND THE HEARING IS CLOSED. UH, MADAM SECRETARY NOW, IF YOU WILL PROCEED TO CALL, UH, ITEMS, UH, AGENDA ITEMS THREE THROUGH FIVE ONE BY ONE MOTION. UH, YOU CAN CALL 'EM EACH AT ONE TIME, THAT'S FINE. IF YOU'LL CALL ITEM THREE. [MISCELLANEOUS] ITEM THREE IS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND ON ITEM THREE, DISCUSSION ON THREE. DISCUSSION ON THREE IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED ON THREE. AND GO AHEAD AND DO, UH, FOUR AS WELL. ITEM FOUR IS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON MOVED IN SECOND. AND ON ITEM FOUR, DISCUSSION ON ITEM FOUR, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSE GRANTED IN LINE FOUR AND NUMBER FIVE. ITEM FIVE IS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM MOVE. SECOND ROBINSON MOVE. AND SECOND ON ITEM FIVE. DISCUSSION ON ITEM FIVE. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSE GRANTED IF YOU ARE HERE, UH, ON THE REINVESTMENT ZONE. NUMBER FIVE, THE MEMORIAL HIKE ZONE. WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME, PLEASE STAND AND COME FORWARD. POSITION ONE IS ROBERT STEIN. POSITION TWO IS ANN N. POSITION THREE IS MATTHEW Z OF Z. POSITION FOUR IS JANICE HILL HARRIS. POSITION SEVEN IS NIKKI KNIGHT. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH OTHER AND EVERY ONE OF THEM, UH, ON THE MEMORIAL HEIGHTS STREET DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. THAT'S THE SAME ONES. UH, NOW GOING TO THE NUMBER FIVE, THE AIRPORT BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT. IF YOU'RE HERE, PLEASE STAND AND COME FORWARD. POSITION ONE IS THOMAS SMORE. POSITION TWO IS BRIDGET HORTON. POSITION THREE IS JOHN MARTINEK. POSITION FOUR IS LEE ALLEN. CROSS POSITION ONE A IS BENJAMIN CHARLES MCCRAY POSITION. ALTON POSITION TWO IS GARY REESE. POSITION THREE IS RAY JONES. POSITION FIVE IS ANN COLLINS. POSITION THREE IS TRACY D WHITEHEAD. I SECOND AND POSITION FIVE. UH, BA IS ROBERT BROWNING. UH, GOOD MORNING TEACHING EVERY ONE OF YOU SINCE I CALL DOWN A LOT OF NAMES, IF YOU'LL REINTRODUCE YOURSELVES. GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE MAYOR, SYLVESTER TURNER, MY AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS BRIDGET HORTON. I AM NATIVE SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA. BEEN HERE IN HOUSTON FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR APPOINTING ME TO THIS POSITION. THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING. THANK YOU. YES, SIR, THANK YOU. THIS MORNING, THIS IS BEN MCCREE BENJAMIN CHARLES MCCREE, UM, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING STARTED. THANK YOU. WELL, LOOK, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ON THE AIRPORT BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE AND, UM, AND, UM, UM, AND I'M SURE WE WILL MEET AGAIN. OKAY. SO THANKS A LOT FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU. WITH REGARDS TO THE MAYOR'S REPORT, UH, LAST WEEK WE HEARD FROM CHIEF, UH, CENTER, UH, WITH HPD. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TODAY TO HEAR AND GET AN UPDATE FROM CHIEF PINARD WITH THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. SINCE COLLECTIVELY, THESE TWO DEPARTMENTS REPRESENT ALMOST 60% OF OUR, OF OUR GENERAL FUND, UH, AND FIRST RESPONDERS. UH, SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD AT THIS POINT, UH, TO GET AN UPDATE FROM CHIEF, UH, PENA. SO CHIEF PENA, UM, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO YOU, NUMBER ONE. LET ME THANK YOU. YES, SIR. YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR YOUR SERVICE AND, AND FOR ALL OF THE FIREFIGHTERS AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE IT. BUT IF YOU'LL PROVIDE US WITH THE GENERAL UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE. YES, SIR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU, FIRST OF ALL FOR ALLOWING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT A HIGH LEVEL BRIEF SUMMARY UPDATE ON THE INVESTMENTS AND AND RESOURCES FOR THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. I ROUTINELY MAKE THIS PRESENTATION TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE MEETING CHAIRED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. BUT, UH, I DO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO COUNCIL AND TO OUR PUBLIC DIRECTLY. UM, BUT BEFORE I BEGIN, MAYOR, LET ME, LET ME JUST SAY THIS. I WANNA, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND YOUR SUPPORT IN ADDRESSING DECADES LONG CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE WHEN WE ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS RESPONSIBILITY. UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP, THE SUPPORT OF THIS COUNCIL, SUPPORT OF THE TAXPAYERS, AND THE INCREDIBLE WORK OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MEET THOSE CHALLENGES AND, AND MAKE GREAT STRIDES IN THAT RESPECT. WE STILL HAVE SOME CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AND, AND CERTAINLY THERE ARE, THERE'S AN URGENCY TO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. BUT I WANNA MAKE CLEAR THAT IN SPITE OF ANY NARRATIVE TO THE CONTRARY OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS THAT HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS MADE IN THE HOUSTON FIRE [02:10:01] DEPARTMENT THAT HAVE HELPED US DELIVER SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS. SO IT IS WITH GRATITUDE THAT I WANNA PRESENT THIS, UH, THIS SUMMARY. UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. BUT, UH, AND I'LL DO THIS IN, IN THREE PARTS. WE'LL TALK ABOUT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE, UH, YEAR OVER YEAR BUDGET ALLOCATIONS, AND WE'LL DISCUSS THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND EQUIPMENT THAT HAS THE INVESTMENTS IN, IN THOSE AREAS. BUT BEFORE I BEGIN, I DO WANT TO BRAG ON THE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY FOR, FOR A LITTLE BIT. THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS, HAS ACHIEVED AND THEY'VE MAINTAINED CERTAIN IMPORTANT DESIGNATIONS IN THE INDUSTRY AND THAT ARE ALSO IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. FIRST, UH, IS IN 2022, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT OBTAINED AN ISO CLASS ONE PUBLIC PROTECTION CLASSIFICATION THAT'S FROM THE INSURANCE SERVICES OFFICE. THEY RATE THE COMMUNITY'S, UH, WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S EQUIPMENT AND MANPOWER, THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS AND OTHER ASPECTS. AND THEY GIVE A RATING FROM ONE TO 10, ONE BEING THE BEST, 10 BEING NO PROTECTION. THE, UH, CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT ACHIEVED A CLASS ONE PUBLIC PROTECTION CLASSIFICATION, WHICH IS HUGE FOR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THE SECOND THING IS THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO AN ACCREDITED AGENCY AND AN AGENCY RECEIVES ACCREDITATION AFTER, UM, A PEER REVIEW OF THE ACCREDITATION DOCUMENTS. THEY HAVE AN ONSITE VISIT FROM, FROM PEER ASSESSORS, AND THEY DO A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE COMMISSION BEFORE THEY, THEY'RE ACCEPTED AS A, AS AN ACCREDITED AGENCY. WE ARE ONE OF 117 FIRE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE US AND CANADA THAT HAVE BOTH OF THESE DESIGNATIONS. SO THAT IS, UH, THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT. I'M VERY PROUD OF THOSE ACHIEVEMENTS BECAUSE IT REPRESENTS THE COMMITMENT FROM THE CITY AND THE WORK OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO I WANTED TO PRESENT THAT UP FRONT. BEFORE WE GET INTO THE, UM, THE SUMMARY, UM, AS I MENTIONED, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL FACING SOME, SOME CHALLENGES AT TOP OF MIND IS THE INCREASE IN SERVICE DEMAND THAT WE'RE SEEING YEAR OVER YEAR. UM, BUT JUSTICE PRESSING IS THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ASPECT. THE MATTER OF FACT, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IS THE BIGGEST C CHALLENGES, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACED BY THE AMERICAN FIRE SERVICE ACROSS THE NATION. AND, AND WE'RE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES FOR US EACH YEAR. APPROXIMATELY 24% OF OUR WORKFORCE IS ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT. UM, OUR NORMAL ATTRITION IS ABOUT 170 FIREFIGHTERS PER YEAR. WE'VE BEEN AVERAGING THAT YEAR OVER YEAR, EXCEPT FOR 2017 AND 2019 WHEN WE HAD HIGHER THAN NORMAL ATTRITION. CURRENTLY OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD COUNT IS 3,894. THAT'S, UH, WITH 36 75 CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL. WE HAVE 95 CADETS IN THE CLASS RIGHT NOW AND 124 CIVILIAN PERSONNEL. OUR OPTIMAL STAFFING FOR CLASSIFIED PEOPLE IS 3,894, UH, I'M SORRY, 3,945, WHICH PUTS US ABOUT 270 FIREFIGHTERS SHORT OF OUR OPTIMAL AT THIS AT THIS MOMENT. WE FELL BEHIND IN 2019 AND 2020. UH, IN 2019 WE HAD TO CANCEL FOUR ACADEMY CLASSES AFTER PASSING PROPOSITION B, UM, WHICH PUT US, UH, MADE US MISS OUR RECRUITMENT TARGET BY 280 THAT YEAR. IN 2020, THE RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC, UH, MADE IT CHALLENGING TO RECRUIT AND TRAIN FIREFIGHTERS. SO THERE WAS ALMOST A 20 MONTH PERIOD WHERE WE WERE OFF TRACK AND BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO GRADUATE OUR FIRST CLASS. BUT EVERY YEAR, MAYOR, YOU AND THIS COUNCIL HAVE APPROVED THE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES. YOU ALL HAVE APPROVED RECRUITING AND HIRING 350 CADETS PER YEAR. YOU ALL HAVE, UH, SO THAT'S A HUNDRED RECRUITS ABOVE THE NORMAL ATTRITION TO TRY TO MAKE UP FOR WHAT WAS LOST IN 2019. ADDITIONALLY, YOU ALL HAVE APPROVED AND MAYOR, YOU APPROVED THIS IN 20, ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, THE FIRST PAY RAISE FOR CADETS IN OVER 20 YEARS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU'VE ALLOTTED A $5,000 INCENTIVE PAY FOR CADETS, WHICH, UH, IS HELPING IN THE RECRUITMENT EFFORT. SO, A CADET NOW MAKES $40,000 WHILE THEY'RE IN TRAINING. YEAR ONE, WHEN THEY GRADUATE, THEY JUMP TO 52 AS A BASE PAY FROM THERE. IN ADDITION, UH, AN 18%, UH, PAY RAISE FOR ALL FIREFIGHTERS WAS APPROVED. AND THE LAST, THE LAST, UH, IMPLEMENTATION, THE LAST 6% WAS IMPLEMENTED THIS FISCAL YEAR. SO THE FULL EFFECT IS, IS, UH, IS IN PLACE THIS YEAR. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. IN TERMS OF OUR BUDGET, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS SEEN AN INCREASE OF, UH, NEARLY 25% IN OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS. UH, THE INCREASE HAS BEEN SUPPLEMENTED BY GRANTS AND OTHER NON-TRADITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES THAT, UH, THAT [02:15:01] WE'VE PURSUED IN EACH ONE OF THOSE CASES. AND ON TOP OF THE, UH, BUDGET ALLOCATION, YOU ALL HAVE APPROVED THE GRANT MATCH ALLOCATIONS THAT WE NEED FOR THESE GRANTS, WHICH HAVE HELPED US PROVIDE SEED MONEY FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT, PRIMARILY FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS. THAT BEING THE EXHAUST SYSTEMS THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED IN EVERY ONE OF OUR FIRE STATIONS, UM, THE GEAR WASHERS, THE, THE, UH, PUBLIC, UH, OR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, THE ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT THAT, UH, THAT WE'VE PURCHASED AND THIS YEAR, WHICH IS A, A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT, IS WE HAVE CANCER SCREENINGS AND PHYSICALS FOR ALL OUR FIREFIGHTERS FREE OF CHARGE, UH, THROUGH A GRANT. AND THE MATCH THAT WAS PROVIDED, MAYOR APPROVED, UH, THROUGH YOUR OFFICE. SO THOSE ARE GONNA GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS ADDRESSING THE PRIMARY CONCERN, WHICH IS THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS, SPECIFICALLY THE CANCER REDUCTION INITIATIVES. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO, IN TERMS OF EQUIPMENT MAYOR, THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS INVESTED MORE TAXPAYER DOLLAR INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AT ONE TIME THAN ANY OTHER, UH, ADMINISTRATION IN RECENT HISTORY. WE'VE, UM, ESPECIALLY, UM, WITH THE FACT THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE BUY IS SO EXPENSIVE, WE'RE, WE'RE, EACH ONE OF OUR FIRE TRUCKS IS ABOUT $600,000. OUR AERIAL, UH, TRUCKS ARE RUNNING BETWEEN 1.4 TO $1.7 MILLION. BUT, UM, DESPITE THOSE HEAVY COSTS, THE INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THIS COUNCIL HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE. UM, THIS IS A HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY THAT, UH, OF THOSE INVESTMENTS SINCE 2017, OVER $155 MILLION HAVE BEEN INVESTED INTO THE DEPARTMENT. SOME OF THOSE THINGS HAVE ENABLED, UH, ENABLED US TO PROTECT, UH, NOT ONLY OUR RESIDENTS, BUT, BUT OUR FIREFIGHTERS AS WELL. UM, OF COURSE, THIS IS NOT THE ENTIRE LIST. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHER ITEMS THAT WE'VE, UH, THAT WE'VE PURCHASED, UM, IN SUPPORT OF, OF OUR MISSION. BUT, UM, THIS COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTS, I THINK, THE COMMITMENT, NOT ONLY FROM THE COUNCIL, BUT EACH ONE OF YOU HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME AND OFFERED YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICT FUNDS, UM, TO SUPPORT THE, THE NEEDS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO THAT SUPPORT AND THAT COMMITMENT TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE SAFETY OF, OF THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE. UM, AND FINALLY, MAYOR, LET ME JUST SAY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, AS YOUR FIRE CHIEF, I THINK IT'S, IT HAS BEEN IMPORTANT FOR, FOR ME TO, TO, YOU KNOW, MAINTAIN THE TRUST THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BESTOWED ON ME. AND THIS COMMUNITY HAS BESTOWED ON ME, AND WE'VE TRIED TO MAKE PROPER DECISIONS, UH, PROPER PLANNING, AND BE RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY. I THINK THEY, THEY DESERVE THAT. UM, VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THESE LAST SEVEN YEARS. VERY PROUD OF THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN, UH, RELATIONSHIPS AND, AND, UH, AND BE ABLE TO GIVE OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND THIS COMMUNITY THE SERVICE THAT, UH, THAT THEY DEMAND. SO, WITH THAT MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. YOU KNOW, WITHOUT THEM, THEY DO INCREDIBLE WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY, AND VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING. YOU KNOW, DESPITE A NUMBER OF, OF NATURAL DISASTERS, A PANDEMIC AND SOME VERY CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT, UH, THEY'VE ALWAYS STEPPED UP. AND I THINK THAT'S THE STORY, THE STORIES OF THE CITY, THAT, AND THE DEPARTMENT RISING UP TO MEET THOSE CHALLENGES. SO, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL. I WANNA THANK THE COUNCIL, AND, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT FOR THE SAFETY OF EVERYBODY IN THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHIEF, UH, PENU. NOW, LET ME THANK, UH, LET ME THANK YOU, UM, AGAIN, FOR JUST INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP MM-HMM . YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST SIX AND A HALF YEARS, AND YOUR COMMAND TEAM. UM, I WANT TO THANK THEM, UH, FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR SERVICE, FOR THEIR WORK, UM, AND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE FIREFIGHTERS, UH, THAT I, THAT'S OUT THERE, UH, PROTECTING OUR CITY AND THE PEOPLE AND THE VISITORS WHO COME TO OUR CITY, UH, EVERY DAY. SO THAT'S VERY APPRECIATIVE. ALSO, WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE FOR THE ACCREDITATIONS AND THE HONORS, AND I'M GLAD YOU STARTED OFF WITH THAT. MM-HMM . UM, BECAUSE THAT SPEAKS TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, EVERY SINGLE PERSON, UH, THAT HAS HELPED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. UM, AND, AND IT'S, UM, IT BENEFITS THE CITY AS A WHOLE. SO I CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. I DON'T WANT US TO PASS OVER TOO QUICKLY. UH, WITH RESPECT TO, UM, WHAT HAS BEEN INVESTED AND PUT INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. UM, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE, DEALING WITH THE BUDGET. WELL, YEAH. UM, BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT FROM FISCAL YEAR 2018 MM-HMM . WHERE THE BUDGET WAS AT 481,000 FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR FISCAL [02:20:01] YEAR 2024, THE BUDGET IS NOW 593 MILLION. UH, AND THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE FROM WHERE IT STARTED. UM, AND THAT'S BASED ON THE NEEDS THAT EXISTED WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ITSELF. UM, SO I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, UM, UH, FOR, UH, PUTTING THE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, UH, INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. AND THEN IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YEAH. AND THEN I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, THE $155 MILLION INVESTMENT THAT HAS BEEN MADE. NOW, ALMOST ALL OF THOSE DECISIONS ARE, ARE BASED ON WHAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE BROUGHT TO US AND SAID THAT WE, THAT THAT WAS, THAT WE NEEDED. I KNOW WHEN I CAME IN, UM, NEARLY EIGHT YEARS AGO, A LOT OF THE TRUCKS WERE JUST BREAKING DOWN MM-HMM . BUT IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, AS NOTED, WE HAVE REPLACED OVER 50% OF THE FLEET. AND I THINK THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. AND THE HEALTH AND SAFETY, UH, OF THE FIREFIGHTERS IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. UH, AND WE TRY TO ADDRESS THAT. UH, THERE'S STILL MORE TO BE DONE. SURE. YOU KNOW, I, I CERTAINLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AND NOTE THAT, UH, BUT WHETHER IT'S TO THE HATCHBACK UNITS, ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN, THAT ARE LISTED THERE, UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION. AND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, WE HAVE TRIED TO RESPOND, BUT, UM, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. UM, AS I'VE SAID TO MANY PEOPLE, MANY TIMES, UH, YOU'LL STEADY AS SHE GOES. YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN YOU GO UP, UH, AND I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU GO LOW, UM, UH, EVER SINCE I'VE COME TO KNOW YOU. UH, YOU'VE JUST BEEN STEADY AS SHE GOES. AND THAT, UH, THAT HAS BENEFITED, UH, UH, THE DEPARTMENT, BUT IT'S BENEFITED THE CITY AS WELL. AND I THINK IT IS REFLECTED, UH, IN THE, UH, UH, ACCOLADES AND THE, THE TRIBUTES THAT, THAT YOU AND OTHERS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS RECEIVED FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SO, UH, THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR, UH, INCREDIBLE SERVICE. WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, AND, AND IF I MAY, I JUST WANNA MAKE, UH, AN ADDITIONAL POINT OR STRESS THE FACT THAT THE BUDGET REPRESENTS OUR ADOPTED BUDGET. UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS AT YOUR, AT YOUR OFFICE ASKING FOR, FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THINGS BEYOND THE, UH, THE BUDGET. AND VERY RARELY DO I GET A FLAT OUT NO, UH, ON THOSE REQUESTS. SO AGAIN, THESE $155 MILLION IS, IS, UH, IS ON THE LOW END OF THE, OF THE ESTIMATE, BECAUSE WHAT, UH, THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU'VE MADE TO ME CERTAINLY WAS THAT WE WERE GONNA ADDRESS THE FLEET, THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS, AND TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE, UH, SERVICE DEMAND INCREASE. YOU MADE THAT COMMITMENT TO ME, UH, WHEN I ACCEPTED THIS RESPONSIBILITY. AND I THINK THAT, UH, THAT CERTAINLY THIS ADMINISTRATION, THIS COUNCIL HAS LIVED UP TO THAT. UM, THE ADDITIONAL HAZMAT UNIT, FIRST ONE THAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE IN OVER TWO DECADES, WE'VE ADDED FIVE PEAK TIME AMBULANCES ON TOP OF THE, THE, THE, UM, NORMAL DEMAND. AND THOSE INVESTMENTS, THOSE COMMITMENTS ARE, ARE HUGE. UM, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S LISTED HERE, MAYOR, GOES DIRECTLY TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS. AND, AND THAT'S A, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR, BECAUSE WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE THEY BOOTS ON THE GROUND, AND, UH, WITHOUT THEM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN'T RUN A EFFICIENT DEPARTMENT. THANKS VERY MUCH. UH, VICE MAYOR, PRO TE CAST TATUM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT WE'RE SPENDING TODAY, UH, ON THIS UPDATE, BECAUSE WEEK AFTER WEEK, WE APPROVE THESE ITEMS IN PIECES. BUT TO SEE IT ALL COMPREHENSIVELY, UM, SPEAKS VOLUMES. NOT TO MENTION, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR BUDGET IS A REFLECTION OF OUR PRIORITIES, RIGHT? AND WE KNOW THAT, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. AND I THINK THAT, UM, AS A COUNCIL AND, UM, A CITY, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO TELL THE GOOD STORY OF WHAT WE ARE DOING AS A CITY FOR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE FACE SOME CHALLENGES AND THERE ARE A LOT OF STORIES BEING TOLD ABOUT HOUSTON AND THE, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. UM, BUT WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF TELLING OUR, OUR REAL STORY ABOUT HOUSTON AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE DONE COLLECTIVELY AS A COUNCIL IN THIS ADMINISTRATION MM-HMM . IS EXTRAORDINARY. AND WE TALK TO FIRE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE STATE. UM, AND WHEN PEOPLE SEE WHAT WE DO IN HOUSTON, I MEAN, EVEN THE DONATING OF OUR EQUIPMENT TO OTHER CITIES WHEN WE NO LONGER USE IT, THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE IN OUR CADETS, UH, THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT THAT WE'VE MADE IN OUR [02:25:01] FLEET, AND MAKING SURE OUR, OUR, OUR FIREFIGHTERS HAVE SAFETY EQUIPMENT, UM, IT'S, IT'S A GOOD STORY. AND PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING WEEK AFTER WEEK. AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND GIVING THE UPDATE TO US, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING THIS, UM, DOCUMENT SO THAT WE CAN SHARE IT AND PUT IT IN OUR NEWSLETTERS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE A COMPREHENSIVE YES, MA'AM. LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE DOING IN EFFORTS FOR KEEPING PEOPLE IN HOUSTON SAFE. SO CHIEF PENA, YOU HAVE, UM, DONE A YEOMAN'S JOB AS OUR CHIEF. UM, WE HAVE DEPENDED ON YOU SPECIFICALLY IN DISTRICT K WHEN WE'VE HAD ISSUES AND CONSTITUENTS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, THINGS HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY. YOU WERE THERE STANDING BESIDE ME, UM, AND STANDING UP FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND MAKING SURE CITIZENS FELT SAFE IN OUR COMMUNITY. CORRECT. SO, I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, CONTINUING THE WORK TO KEEP OUR CITY SAFE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER ROS. UM, THANK YOU. I I WANNA BEGIN BY THANKING THE, UM, UH, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND THANK YOU, CHIEF FOR YOUR EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP. UM, YOU ARE NOT JUST, UM, A, A LEADER OF THE DEPARTMENT. YOU ARE A RECOGNIZED, UM, UH, LEADER OF THIS, OF THE CITY AND, AND, UM, UH, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SEE YOU AND THEY, AND THEY KNOW THAT YOU, YOU, UM, YOU ARE LEAVING HOUSTON ALSO. AND, AND I, I APPRECIATE HOW AVAILABLE YOU'VE MADE YOURSELF TO BE OUT IN THE PUBLIC AND WHEN, AND PEOPLE ARE, ARE, UM, ARE ALWAYS GLAD TO SEE YOU AND, AND, UM, ASSURED BY YOUR PRESENCE. UM, THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR THE, UM, THE, THE, THE MAJOR AND VERY IMPRESSIVE INVESTMENTS YOU'VE MADE, UM, IN, IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO, UH, TO, TO DESPERATELY, I MEAN, TO MEET THE DESPERATE NEEDS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT IMPROVE THE, THE LIVES AND SAFETY OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS. UM, I HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE, THAT WHEN THE, WHEN SO MANY NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL BE SITTING HERE, THAT, UM, THAT THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO GO THROUGH THE, UM, THE, THE FIREFIGHTER 1 0 1 CLASS THAT, THAT WAS OFFERED. UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU STILL DO THAT, BUT I WENT THROUGH THAT AND IT WAS EYEOPENING TO ME TO GET TO, UM, GO THROUGH JUST A, A, A SAMPLE OF, OF THE TRAINING AND THE EXPERIENCES THAT FIREFIGHTERS GO THROUGH TO EXPERIENCE A REAL FIRE, TO, TO SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO, UM, WITH A, WITH A, A, A DUMMY, YOU KNOW, TO SOMEONE MAYBE WHO'S HAD A DRUG OVERDOSE, YOU KNOW, TO GO WALK THROUGH SMOKE AND BE CARRYING HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND YOU CAN'T SEE. UM, THOSE ARE ALL REALLY EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCES. AND ANOTHER THING I, THAT I, THAT WOULD, THAT REALLY HELPED GIVE ME SOME INSIGHT INTO, UM, YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE, THE WORK THAT'S DONE IS, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO, TO RIDE ALONG WITH FIREFIGHTERS AND TO VISIT THE STATIONS AND TO TALK WITH THEM AND, AND REALLY HEAR AND UNDERSTAND. SO, I MEAN, I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, ALL OF THAT. AND, AND JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. AND I, I APPRECIATE THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. UM, BUT REALLY THE WORK IS, IS DONE BY A MEN, MEN AND WOMEN OF, OF THE DEPARTMENT. I GOT SOME OF MY COMMAND STAFF SITTING BACK HERE. UM, CHIEF WALKER, CAPTAIN PICKNEY, I THINK CHIEF SPOT IS BACK THERE WORKING THE CONTROLS, BUT, UM, AND THEN I HAVE THE REST OF 'EM, MAYOR, WE'RE DOING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHT NOW, SO THE REST OF THE COMMAND STAFF IS OUT THERE, UH, TRYING TO SECURE A CONTRACT FOR FIREFIGHTERS AS WELL. SO, BUT IT'S, IT'S THEM THERE DOING THE WORK, AND THAT'S ALL TRUE. THAT'S ALL TRUE. BUT, BUT LEADERSHIP MATTERS AND, AND YOU ARE A RECOGNIZED LEADER WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT AND WITHIN THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU MUCH. UH, GOOD MORNING, CHIEF PENA. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ONE OF MY FAVORITE, UH, DIRECTORS. DID, UM, I SAID THAT TO EVERYBODY. NO, I'M JUST PLAYING. I, UM, BUT I WANNA THANK YOU. UM, THE, THE RECORD OF OUR INVESTMENT, THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING, BUT I REALLY WANT TO, UM, THANK YOU AND ALL OF THE STATIONS FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO PARTNER WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ALL TYPES OF ACTIVATIONS AND PUBLIC SAFETY EVENTS. HOUSTON FIRE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE CANVASSED TOGETHER 400 HOMES AND THIS SUMMER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HEAT TO EDUCATE RESIDENTS ABOUT FIREWORKS, SMOKE SAFETY, FIRE SAFETY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. EVERY TIME WE POP UP AT A STATION THAT WE'RE ALWAYS GREETED WELL, YEAH. UH, THE PARTNERSHIP IS THERE. AND AS YOU MENTIONED WITH OUR COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS, BEING ABLE TO DIRECTLY TO DIRECT FUNDS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY THERE SO THEY CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH THEIR WORK, UM, HAS BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. I KNOW, PARTICULARLY IN DISTRICT F. SO JUST THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THEN THANK YOU FOR EVERY, YOU KNOW, SHIFT COMMANDER, RIGHT? EVERYONE THAT'S ON THE GROUND THAT'S, UM, WILLING TO PARTNER WITH COUNCIL OFFICES AND ALSO THE COMMUNITY AT THE SAME TIME. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. THEY DO GREAT WORK. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN KINGMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, YOU KNOW, CHIEF, UH, WITHIN I THINK THREE WEEK WEEKS OF OUR TERM, WE HAD THE WATSON PLAN EXPLOSION, RIGHT? IF YOU REMEMBER. UM, SO AS A NEW CHAIR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND [02:30:01] SECURITY, WORKING ALSO WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND COUNCIL MEMBER PECK MM-HMM . UM, VERY QUICKLY WE GOT TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE. UM, AND MAYOR, AS YOU SAID, I THINK STEADY AND INTENTIONAL, UM, AND VERY FOCUSED, UM, IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN, UM, AND CARRYING US THROUGH, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE WORK WE DID, UM, AROUND WATSON AND PROTECTING NEIGHBORHOODS, AND YOU WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN THAT AND THE ADDITIONAL HAZMAT UNIT, UM, BUT ALSO THE THINGS THAT YOU DON'T ALWAYS SEE, BUT YOU PRESENT ON, FOR EXAMPLE, THE FOCUS ON DIVERSITY MM-HMM . UM, BRINGING MORE INTO THE FOLD WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, THE EMPHASIS ON RECRUITING DESPITE ALL ITS CHALLENGES, UM, WATER RESPONSE. SO LOOKING BEHIND ABOUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN TERMS OF TRAINING, BUT ALSO INCREASING EQUIPMENT AND PARTNERING WITH OUR OFFICES, RIGHT? WHETHER IT'S HIGH WATER RESCUE VEHICLES OR THE PROGRAMMATIC SHIFTS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ABLE TO RESPOND TO ANY TYPE OF DISASTER, WHETHER IT'S, UM, EXTREME HEAT, AND, YOU KNOW, THE WILDLAND DIVISION I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT, AND NOW WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS CONTROLLED BURNS AND THE WORK THERE, AND WE'RE SUPPORTING NOT JUST THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT OUR STATE AND THE COUNTRY, AND SOMETIMES EVEN BEYOND THE BORDERS OF OUR OWN COUNTRY, RIGHT. UM, THE, WE HAVE ON THIS AGENDA MEANT, YOU KNOW, THE EXAMPLE WE'RE DOING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR EXHAUST REMOVAL SYSTEMS, BUT THE FOCUS ON FIREFIGHTERS SAFETY AND HEALTH. UH, THE ABILITY AS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO WORK WITH OUR, OUR INDIVIDUAL STATIONS, UH, WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WANNA DO, LIKE A MURAL THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING OR FUNDING, UM, LIGHTING, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, PIPES AND PLUMBING AT THE STATION TO HELP THEM OUT, OR THE PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT THEY'RE DOING. UM, BUT AS MUCH AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHERE WE HAVE TO, UH, MOVE AHEAD BASED ON PRIOR YEARS, AND I BELIEVE YOU SAID, BUT CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, UM, RELATED TO THE PAY INCREASES, WE HADN'T SEEN A PAY INCREASE PRIOR TO THAT IN HOW MANY YEARS? WELL, BY THE TIME THIS WAS IMPLEMENTED, IT WAS ALMOST 20 YEARS SINCE, UH, THE CADETS HAD HAD A PAY RAISE. RIGHT? SO, AND, UH, YOU APPROVED THE 25% PAY RAISE IN THAT, IN THAT ASPECT, RIGHT? SO MOVING AND ADDRESSING THAT, BUT ALSO LOOKING AHEAD AND YOU HAVE BEEN A STAUNCH ADVOCATE AND PARTNER IN ADVOCATING FOR THE NEEDS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY. RIGHT. UM, AND IT IS, I'LL, I'LL JUST SAY IT ONE LAST TIME WHILE YOU'RE UP HERE, OUR COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH SYSTEM. ABSOLUTELY. UM, AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S IN THE WORKS, AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT. BUT YOU HAVE BEEN A STAUNCH ADVOCATE LOOKING EVERY WHICH WAY FOR HOW WE CAN NOT ONLY SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT AND ITS WOMEN AND MEN, BUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON FROM A SAFETY, UM, PERSPECTIVE AS WELL. SO IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE WITH YOU. UM, I WILL, UH, ENCOURAGE EITHER THE PUBLIC OR OTHERS IN OFFICES TO REVIEW THE ADDITIONAL PRESENTATION THAT YOU DID BRING TO PUBLIC SAFETY MM-HMM . BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH MORE INFORMATION IN THERE, RIGHT. ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE, UM, THE PAST FOUR YEARS. AND IT'S, UH, IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLE. I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE AND HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS. THANK YOU. MAYOR. CHIEF. UH, SEVEN YEARS AGO, I WAS THERE IN THAT ROOM WHEN, UH, THE MAYOR WAS MAKING HIS ANNOUNCEMENT AS TO WHO WAS GONNA BE THE, UH, NEXT POLICE CHIEF. UH, AND BACK THEN, AS YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF ISSUES IN REGARDS TO FUNDING AND, AND, AND MORALE AND, AND WHAT HAVE YOU IN THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. UH, AND HERE WE ARE TODAY. UH, YOU'RE REPORTING ALL, ALL THESE GREAT THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED. UH, AND, AND THANK YOU MAYOR, UH, FOR CHOOSING, UH, CHIEF PENA, UH, BECAUSE HE HAS, HAS BEEN ABLE TO LEAD THIS DEPARTMENT AND MOVE IT FORWARD. UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT, IT'S DISHEARTENING WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, IN PUBLIC, AND PEOPLE CLAIM THAT WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING IN REGARDS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR PUBLIC SAFETY. UH, AND, AND THIS IS SHOWING THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE. RIGHT. UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DONE A LOT IN SEVEN YEARS, UH, AND OF COURSE, IT'S TO YOUR LEADERSHIP, IT'S TO YOUR STAFF, UH, IT'S TO THE FIREFIGHTERS OUT THERE AS WELL. YEAH. UH, SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT MADE THIS POSSIBLE. UH, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR CHOOSING CHIEF BENOS, THE CHIEF FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL. UM, YOU KNOW, AT ANYTIME WE, WE NEED ANYTHING FOR THE FIRE STATIONS IN YOUR DISTRICT, YOU'RE THE, I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO CALL. YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S REACHING OUT. SO, UH, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND, UH, AND, UH, EVERYTHING THAT YOU AND YOUR OFFICE AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE DOING FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. MM-HMM . MAY APPROACH. TIM MARTIN, CHIEF, I ECHO EVERYONE'S STATEMENTS, BUT MY FAVORITE PENA IS NOT YOU, IT'S CAROLINA [02:35:01] PENA. SO SHE'S MAKES TWO OF US. SHE IS THE BRAINS OF THE OPERATION IN THE PENA FAMILY. BUT YOU DO A PHENOMENAL JOB. YOU KNOW, THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SILLY SEASON, AND, UM, A LOT OF THINGS BEING SAID OUT THERE THAT ARE JUST NOT TRUE IN FABRICATIONS. UM, I WONDER IF ANYBODY KNOWS THAT THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROCESS BEGAN ON MONDAY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND FIREFIGHTERS. I HAVEN'T SEEN IT ANYWHERE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S PUBLIC NOTICE. I HAVEN'T SEEN IT PICKED UP BY ANYONE. UH, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYONE TALK ABOUT THE REDUCTION IN PENSION DEBT OF 75% WHILE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS THAT WE JUST HEARD. PENSION DEBT REDUCTION OF 75% SINCE 2016, AND WHEN WE LEAVE THIS COUNCIL BODY WILL LOOK DIFFERENTLY ON JANUARY 1ST. THERE IS A FUND BALANCE THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO KEEP 7.5, AND WE'RE AT 19%. SO ALL CITIES ARE JUDGED BY NUMBER ONE, THEIR CASH ON HAND AND THEIR DEBT DEBT REDUCTION, 75% FUND BALANCE FROM 70.5% TO 18 19%. AND THE CREDIT RATE RATING AGENCIES ARE IN LOVE WITH THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. BUT YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE THAT IF YOU HEAR THE RHETORIC. UM, THE THIRD THING I'D LIKE TO REFERENCE IS SINCE 20 FY 2018, WE HAVE INCREASED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET BY ALMOST 25%. SINCE 2018, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET HAS BEEN INCREASED BY ALMOST 25%. MY LAST COMMENT COMES FROM THIS REPORT THAT EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE REFERENCING THE INFAMOUS PFM REPORT, WHERE WE'RE HEARING, AND MANY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IMPLEMENT THE COST CUTTING INITIATIVES OF THE PFM REPORT. THESE ARE COMING FROM PEOPLE WHO PROBABLY HAVEN'T READ IT. I DUSTED IT OFF, AND I READ IT AGAIN, PROBABLY FOR ABOUT THE 10TH TIME, BECAUSE IN 2017 WHEN WE HAD THIS PRESENTATION FROM DAVID EAL FROM PFM 10 COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE NOT HERE AT THAT TIME. SEVEN OF US WERE HERE. BUT THE PFMS NUMBER ONE RECOMMENDATION, AND LET ME READ IT TO YOU SO THAT EVERYBODY IS PERFECTLY CLEAR ON THIS, BECAUSE YOUR HEAD COUNT OF 38 94 INCREASE IN UP TO ROUGHLY 4,200. THE PFM REPORT THAT EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE REFERENCING STARTS WITH THIS COMPARED TO OTHER MAJOR CITIES. THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST RATES OF FTES PER CAPITA BASED ON 2015 FBI DATA. HOUSTON HAS 289.1 POLICE FTES PER A HUNDRED THOUSAND CAPITA HIGHER THAN AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO, BUT TRAILING EVERY OTHER MAJOR US CITY. NOW, LET ME READ YOU THE STATEMENT THEY MADE ON COST CUTTING INITIATIVES THAT NO ONE SEEMS TO BE TALKING ABOUT. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, BASED ON DATA FROM BENCHMARKING CITY BUDGETS, HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES PER FTE PER CAPITA AT 18.9 FTE PER 10,000 RESIDENTS. HOUSTON IS SECOND BEHIND NEW YORK. HOUSTON HAS MORE FTES PER CAPITA THAN CHICAGO, DALLAS, PHILADELPHIA, AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO, AND LOS ANGELES. IF HOUSTON HAD THE SAME NUMBER OF FTES PER CAPITA AS PHILADELPHIA, IT WOULD REDUCE HEAD COUNT BY NEARLY 600. LET ME REPEAT THAT. IF HOUSTON HAD THE SAME NUMBER OF FIRE FTES PER CAPITA AS PHILADELPHIA, IT WOULD REDUCE HEAD COUNT BY NEARLY 600. SO WHILE CANDIDATES AND PEOPLE RUNNING FOR OFFICER OUT THERE SPOUTING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FTE RECOMMENDATIONS, I WARN YOU, BASED UPON YOUR COMMENTS, THAT THAT PROBABLY WOULD GO COUNTER TO WHAT WE'RE HEARING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU REFERENCE A REPORT THAT YOU'VE NEVER READ, READ, BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU REFERENCE A REPORT THAT PROBABLY DOESN'T GET US THE RIGHT INFORMATION. I TRUST YOU MORE THAN FTE AND I THINK I WAS THE ONE WHO ACTUALLY MADE THE COMMISSION TO THE MAYOR AT THAT TIME BEFORE WE IMPLEMENTED IN 17, TO IMPLEMENT, NOT TO IMPLEMENT, TO HAVE A FIRM COME IN AND LOOK AT THE ANALYZATION OF OUR EXPENDITURES. SO I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT OUT BECAUSE YOU'RE HEARING A LOT OF THINGS FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT QUITE FRANKLY, AREN'T TRUE. SO IF YOU LISTEN TO CHIEF PENA, HE NEEDS APPROXIMATELY 270 MORE FIREFIGHTERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROTECTED. IF YOU LISTEN TO A CONSULTANT AND REPORT THAT EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE GLOWING ABOUT, YOU WOULD ELIMINATE 600 FIREFIGHTER POSITIONS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. YES, SIR. WELL, MAYOR, UH, MAYOR PRO, TIM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AND, AND, UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF, OF THE [02:40:01] DEPARTMENT AND ESPECIALLY IN YOUR DISTRICT. UM, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE AS FAR AS WHAT THE STATUS, UH, OF THE DEPARTMENT IS IN TERMS OF, OF PERSONNEL. UM, THERE ARE AREAS WHERE WE CAN MAKE MORE EFFICIENCIES AND, AND LOOK, IT'S INCUMBENT ON US, THE WE'RE THE SECOND LARGEST DRAW ON YOUR, ON YOUR GENERAL FUND. AND IT REALLY, I THINK, I BELIEVE THE TAXPAYER WANTS US TO, TO DELIVER A, AN EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE FIRE PROTECTION SERVICE. AND IN DOING THAT, WE HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT IN HOW WE DELIVER THAT SERVICE, AND THAT INCLUDES, UH, APPROPRIATE USE OF OUR PERSONNEL AND PROPER STAFFING. SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AND I, I APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR, YOUR SUPPORT. AND I HAVE COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAITH IN YOU, SIR. I THANK YOU'RE AMAZING. THANK YOU. UH, CHIEF PENA, I APPRECIATE THE, UM, THE UPDATE, UM, AND GIVING US, UM, UM, WHAT WE HAD DONE AND WHERE WE ARE WHEN IT COMES TO FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT. MM-HMM . HEALTH, UM, OVERALL PAIN. UM, SO I WANT TO, I WANT, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU, UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER GGO SAYS, SEVEN YEARS, UH, INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP, UM, THE COMMAND STAFF, UM, AND ALL OF THE FIREFIGHTERS, UH, YOUR SERVICES VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. I DO AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS. LEADERSHIP DOES MATTER. OKAY. LEADERSHIP DOES MATTER. AND THE TONE THAT'S SET IS OFTEN SET AT THE TOP. AND, UM, UM, YOU'VE DONE THAT. AND AS A RESULT, THE CITY AS A WHOLE, UH, HAS BENEFITED. AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE DEPARTMENT HAS BENEFITED QUITE A BIT. SO YOU HAVE NOT HESITATED TO COME TO ME, AND YOU'VE NOT HESITATED TO ASK. UH, AND SO, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JUST BEING REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT SERVED THERE. UH, COUNCILMAN PLUMMER. AND THEN WE WILL THANK, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND ALL THAT, ALL THE, THE WOM THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DO AS WELL TO PROTECT OUR CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL, TAKE CARE OF OUR CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A PERSON OF FAITH, BECAUSE YOU ARE CERTAINLY A PERSON OF FAITH, UH, AND GOD HAS HELD YOU AND KEPT YOU STEADY. MM-HMM . AND AS A RESULT, THE CRUISE SHIP CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD. YES, SIR. SO, UH, LET US JOIN IN THANKING THE CHIEF. THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR SOME INCREDIBLE SERVICE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP. THANK NICE JOB, MR. MAYOR, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT. UH, JUST, UH, I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT, [MAYOR'S REPORT] UM, UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AND, UH, AND THE THOMPSON RULERS. THIS WEEK ANNOUNCED A NEW ONLINE RESOURCE, UH, TO FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING. PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN TACKLING HUMAN TRAFFICKING. AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S CAMPAIGNS ARE RECOGNIZED AS A MODEL OF BEST PRACTICES. IN FACT, UH, WE WERE PICKED UP NATIONALLY BY, BY ROUTERS. UM, AND THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THROUGHOUT THIS PARTNERSHIP, THOMPSON ROUTERS WILL MAKE THE CITIES, THE CITY'S WORLD CLASS ANTI-TRAFFICKING TOOLKITS, READILY ACCESSIBLE ONLINE TO OTHER CITIES AND PUBLIC AUTHORITIES. OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, OUR EFFORTS HAVE FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT THE LOCALLY ACCOMPLISHED MITIGATING WORK WAS SHARED NATIONALLY AND GLOBALLY THROUGH IMMERSION PROGRAMS TO WELCOME US MUNICIPALITIES AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS TO HOUSTON, AS WELL AS INTERNATIONAL FORUMS WHERE WE WERE INVITED TO SHOWCASE THE MODEL. SO, UH, I WANT TO THANK MEN PATEL, PATEL, DAVIS, UH, AND HER TEAM FOR SOME INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP. AND WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE IN THE CITY HAS NOW BEEN PICKED UP NATIONALLY. ME, ARE YOU HERE? JUST MS. MELO HERE. I THOUGHT I SAW HER. WELL, WHEN YOU SEE MELO, PLEASE EXTEND, UH, BEST TO HER. AND CONGRATULATIONS. UH, YOU KNOW, THE VOTING HAS ALREADY STARTED, SO PLEASE VOTE. UM, THE ISANI CENTER HOUSTON WAS A HUGE, HUGE, UM, SUCCESS. THE TOPPING. AND, UH, THAT CENTER WILL BE, THAT CONSTRUCTION WILL BE COMPLETED, I GUESS, SOMETIME IN 24. UM, BUT THAT WAS AMAZING. UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, WE ARE APPROACHING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, AND THERE'S SO MANY OTHER THINGS, AND I'LL PICK IT UP NEXT TIME. UM, UM, I, I'LL ASSUME AUR I'LL BE WEARING THE JERSEY OF THE, UM, UM, OTHER, THE TEXAS RANGERS, THE, THE MAYOR, JIM, UH, ROSS, UH, REACHED OUT TO ME, UM, UH, YESTERDAY. UM, WE HAD A VERY GOOD CONVERSATION AND HE SAID HE WAS SENDING ME THE JERSEY AND, UH, METO, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE YOU. OKAY. [02:45:01] UH, MAYOR ROSS, UH, SAID THAT HE HAD REACHED OUT TO THE RANGERS AND ASKED THE RANGERS TO SEND, SEND HIM A, A, A, A GOOD JERSEY TO SEND TO, TO ME. HE WANTED TO KNOW MY SIZE. UM, SO, UM, I SHOULD WEAR, I SHOULD WEAR THIS, UH, RANGER JERSEY. UM, BUT I DO WANNA THANK THE ASTROS, UH, FOR, UH, JUST AN INCREDIBLE, AN INCREDIBLE RUN. UM, UH, JUST AMAZING, UM, THREE TIMES THEY'VE BEEN IN THE WORLD SERIES IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, TWO TIMES. THEY HAVE WON SEVEN TIMES, BEEN THE DIVISION CHAMPS. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, UM, THEY'VE DONE SO WELL. YOU JUST EXPECT THEM TO CONTINUE TO, I MEAN, THEY'VE JUST DONE WELL. AND SO, UM, WE, YEAH, WE HAVE BEEN SPOILED. HOUSTONIANS HAVE BEEN SPOILED. SO EVEN WHEN THEY GO TO THE, THEY'RE THE DIVISION CHAMPS SEVEN TIMES IN A ROW, WE WANT MORE. AND EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE GONE TO THE WORLD SERIES THREE TIMES IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS AND WON IT TWICE, WE STILL WANT MORE. SO, UM, I DON'T WANT US TO LOSE SIGHT. I WANT US TO BE VERY APPRECIATIVE AND VERY THANKFUL, UH, BECAUSE, UM, SO MANY OTHER TEAMS DIDN'T GET THAT FAR. OKAY? AND THEY DID. AND, UH, AND THEY HAVE MADE US ALL PROUD. AND SO, UM, I DON'T WANT US TO GET TO THE ATTITUDE WHERE IT IS ALL, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY? OKAY. LET'S REMEMBER WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY HAVE DONE, AND HOW WELL THEY DID IN THIS SEASON. UM, AND CONGRATULATE THEM AND BE VERY PROUD OF THEM. AND, UH, AND THEN, UH, I SHALL, UH, WEAR THE RANGER, UH, JERSEY. UM, YEAH. YOU KNOW, IT'S OKAY. IT'S OKAY. IT'S ALL RIGHT. IT'S STILL TEXAS. YEAH. IT IS A, YEAH, IT IS A TEXAS TEAM. I, I SHOULD, I, I SHOULD. YEAH. I, I SHOULD WEAR IT. AND, UM, I MAY BE AT HOME, BUT I'LL BE HAVING IN THE CLOSET, BUT NOW I'M GONNA HONOR THE BET. AND, AND, AND MAYOR ROSS AND ARLINGTON, CONGRATULATIONS. YOU ARE A GREAT MAYOR AND GREAT SPIRIT, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HIM AND LOVE HIM AND, AND, UM, AND WISH HIS CITY THE VERY, VERY BEST. ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH FOR ME. UH, MADAM SECRETARY, LET'S GO TO THE AGENDA. CONSENT. CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY I, OH, ONE LAST THING, ONE SECOND. I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, UM, I KNOW THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP PUT OUT A RE A FINANCIAL REPORT ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IT. UH, BUT THEY HAVE REC, THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY MADE SOME MISTAKES IN THEIR REPORT, AND THEY ARE REVISING THEIR REPORT. SO IF ANYBODY HAS PUT THAT REPORT ONLINE, LIKE THE COMPTROLLER, YOU NEED TO PULL IT DOWN BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT SOMETHING ONLINE. FALSE WITH FALSE AND WRONG INFORMATION. SO THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEIR INFORMATION, UH, IS NOT CORRECT, UH, AND THEY ARE REVISING IT, AND I APPRECIATE THEM FOR THAT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. OKAY. [CONSENT AGENDA] NOW, MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS, CATEGORY ITEM SEVEN AND EIGHT HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SECOND CONSIDERATION. JUST NEED A VOTE ON THE, UH, MOTION ON THE VIOLENCE CASTEX. EIGHT A, MOVE SECOND. ROBINSON BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED, UH, ON THE SIX, NINE AND 10 DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTING. AND 11 AND 11, I'M SORRY, 11 THROUGH 14. OH, AND 11 THROUGH 14, I'M SORRY, UNDERNEATH THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY, ITEM 16, 18, 22, 25, 27, 31, 36, AND 37 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. JUST NEED A VOTE ON A BALANCE. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR, OPPOSE, AND GRANTED, ITEM SEVEN IS A MOTION. CASTEX, TATU, MOVE. SECOND. ROBINSON BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED ON ITEM SEVEN. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR. OPPOSED? GRANTED. ITEM EIGHT IS A MOTION. CASTEX, TATU, MOVE. SECOND ROBINSON. AND MOVED. AND SECOND ON ITEM EIGHT. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED, GRANTED. ITEM 16, JUST NEED A VOTE. KAS, SEX TATU MOVE. OH, OH, WE JUST NEED A VOTE. JUST NEED VOTE. OKAY, WE ON ITEM 16, DISCUSSION ON 16. DISCUSSION ON 16 IN FAVOR. OPPOSE GRANTED ON 16. ITEM 18 IS THE ORDINANCE. YES. NEED TO VOTE. COUNCILMAN THOMAS ON 18. THANK YOU MUCH. UH, MAYOR TURNER, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AT PUBLIC SESSION, UH, THERE WAS SOME RESIDENTS FROM THE NORTH SIDE THAT CAME TO, UM, IT CAME TO PUBLIC SESSION, UM, ABOUT A FORCED [02:50:01] EVICTION. AND ONE OF THEM HAD MENTIONED THAT THEY WENT DIRECTLY TO CATHOLIC CHARITIES, AND THEY WERE MET WITH THE RESPONSE OF, WE DON'T HAVE STAFF. RIGHT? WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF FOR THAT. SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, BECAUSE WE ARE DOING A LOT, YOU KNOW, ITEM 16, 17, 18, DOING A LOT TO PUT THIS MONEY ON THE STREET FOR RESIDENTS. AND SO I JUST WANT THE REASSURANCE THAT WHEN WE, WHEN CLIENTS AND HOUSTONIANS ARE BEING SERVED, THAT THEY'RE NOT MET WITH THAT. 'CAUSE THERE'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE THAT WE, THAT THEY DO CHARGE US. I AGREE. RIGHT? SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, THIS HAS COME THROUGH COMMITTEE. I RAISED THE SAME POINT AT THE COMMITTEE WITH ALL OF THE AGENCIES THAT, UM, THAT'S NOT AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE WHEN WE HAVE A VERY AGGRESSIVE, UH, UH, AGENDA WITH THE CITY. SO I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT REASSURANCE FROM YOU THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE SETTLED, HOUSED, AND THEY HAVE A SEAMLESS PROCESS WITH THESE AGENCIES. I RE I REMEMBER THAT, UH, DURING THE PUBLIC SESSION MM-HMM . AND THE PERSON SPOKE. AND, UH, I WOULD TELL YOU WHAT WE CAN DO IS THAT IN ADDITION TO, UH, VOTING ON THIS ITEM, UH, WE CAN FOLLOW UP AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, UH, WITH, UH, CATHOLIC CHARITIES. HUFFMAN, COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, ON THIS ONE, I HAD A DISTRICT G RESIDENT WHO WAS AT HER WITSON TRYING TO FIND HOUSING, HAD CALLED A MILLION DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND HAD BEEN TURNED AWAY. AND CATHOLIC CHARITIES WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT COULD, UM, MAKE THIS HAPPEN FOR HER. AND SO I'VE JUST BEEN SO APPRECIATIVE GETTING TO WORK WITH THEM AND CATHOLIC CHARITIES. IT'S A GREAT ORGANIZATION AND I'M EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO SEE THEIR GOOD WORK. OKAY. GOOD DEAL. GOOD. ALRIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 18 IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? GRANTED ON 18? ITEM 22 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. WE ON ITEM 22, DISCUSSION ON 22. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR. OPPOSE GRANTED ON 22, ITEM 25 IS AN ORDINANCE, YOU JUST NEED TO VOTE. WE ON ITEM 25, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON ON 25. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THIS, UM, ITEM, WE'RE ACTUALLY APPROVING DOLLARS TO, UM, PAY FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FOR THE TIDWELL PARK. AGAIN, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UM, THIS PARK. WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON IT. UM, THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE POOL, AS YOU KNOW, THIS POOL WAS, UM, ACTUALLY SLATED TO BE PULLED UP AND A SPLASH PAD PUT IN PLACE. BUT INSTEAD, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE RESOURCES TO MOVE THIS, UM, PROJECT FORWARD AND GET A NEW POOL FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. AGAIN, THANK YOU TO, UM, STATE REP NIA THOMPSON FOR SECURING THESE DOLLARS AS WELL AS DIRECTOR, UM, ALLEN. AND YEAH, WE, AND IN FACT, WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING A GROUNDBREAKING ON SATURDAY. SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, MOVING. THIS IS, UM, THIS IS STEVE. THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROJECT. UM, AND, AND AGAIN, I WANT TO GIVE A GREAT DEAL OF CREDIT TO THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE. YES. SO FROM YOUR THOMPSON, THE DEAN, THIS WILL BE AN INDOOR POOL. IN FACT, SHE SECURED, UM, I WANNA SAY BETWEEN 10 AND $15 MILLION. YES. YES. FOR THIS, FOR THIS ITEM FROM THE STATE. SO, UH, UH, SO THE FIRST OF ITS TIME, YEAH. SO THIS WILL BE, THIS WILL BE A, THIS WILL BE A HUGE PLUS, UH, FOR DISTRICT B IN THAT, IN THAT AREA. SO THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING IT. AND AGAIN, UH, TO STATE REPRESENTATIVES, NIA THOMPSON. THANK YOU, SIR. VERY MUCH FOR THE COLLABORATION. LET ME ENCOURAGE OTHER LEGISLATORS TO DO THE SAME. MM-HMM . YES. OKAY. BECAUSE, UH, AND THIS IS NOT THE ONLY ONE. THERE'S ANOTHER ITEM, UH, DON CONSENT ALREADY. HERNAN, THE PASSED ON CONSENT. REPRESENTATIVE FERNAND, UH, ANNA HERNANDEZ, UH, SECURED THEM A MILLION DOLLARS MM-HMM. UH, FOR A PARK, UH, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HIDALGO PARK, BUT IN HER DISTRICT COMING FROM THE STATE. MM-HMM. SO THAT'S THE COLLABORATIVE APPROACH. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, WE ARE LOOKING AT DOING SOMETHING. UM, THERE'S A POOL NEEDED ON THAT NORTHWEST SIDE, AND, UH, AS WE GET READY TO, UH, TO BUILD A NEW REGIONAL LIBRARY, UH, SECURING ENOUGH LAND. BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A POOL ON THAT SIDE. AND, UM, I'M ENCOURAGING THE LEGISLATURE WHAT REPRESENTING THAT DISTRICT, UM, TO, TO DO THE SAME. SO THE COLLABORATION WORKS. SO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND SINCE COUNCIL MEMBER EZ? YES. YES. THERE WAS ALSO A, UM, A GRANT, A MILLION DOLLAR GRANT THAT CAME, UM, FROM THROUGH ANNA HERNANDEZ FOR THE DENVER HARBOR PARK. AND, AND ANOTHER ONE, UM, UH, FROM ARMANDO WALLY FROM MELROSE PARK. YEAH. AND I, I CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE ARMANDO WALLY, UH, FOR HIS INCREDIBLE, UH, LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT, UH, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO AGAIN, THE COLLABORATION, UH, BETWEEN THE, THE STATE AND THE CITY IS REALLY BENEFITING THE PEOPLE IN, IN THE CITY. COUNCILOR JACKSON. AND SINCE WE GIVEN SHOUT OUTS, SOMEONE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO, UM, STATE REP HARTON, HE SECURED 3 MILLION [02:55:01] FOR HESTER HOUSE. UM, SO FOR THAT, FOR THAT, YEAH. FOR THAT FACILITY AS WELL. YES. ALRIGHT. GOOD DEAL. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON, ON ITEM 25? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 25 IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? GRANTED ON 25? ITEM 27 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. WELL, ITEM 27, DISCUSSION ON 27TH. DISCUSSION ON 27TH. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR. OPPOSED? GRANT ON 27, ITEM 31 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. WE ON ITEM 31, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, ON 31. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, MY COLLEAGUE IS OUT TODAY, SO HOPEFULLY I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF BOTH OF US. UH, WITHIN THIS BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE A REFLECTION OF PROJECTS, UM, SUPPORTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN DISTRICT J AND PORTIONS OF DISTRICT F. I'M EXCITED TO, UM, HAVE SOME SIDEWALK PROJECTS WITHIN THIS ITEM THAT'S GONNA COMPLETELY, UM, ENHANCE THE BEL AIR CORRIDOR. A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WE EXPANDED THE BOUNDARIES OF THIS TURS TO ALLOW FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, WHERE MY COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS MAY HAVE BEEN LIMITED OR THE ADMINISTRATION SO EXCITED TO, UH, SUPPORT THIS ITEM WITH THE HOPES OF NEW PROJECTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND YES, COUNCIL, VICE MAYOR, CAST TATUM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I, I'D LIKE FOR US TO ALSO INCLUDE DISTRICT K IN THE, UM, IN THE ITEM BECAUSE THE GSMA PROJECT FROM, FOR THIS TURS IS IN DISTRICT K. AND SO IF WE CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND, UM, NOTE THAT IN THE CAPTION. YES. YEAH, THAT WAS AN OVERSIGHT ON OUR PART. THANKS. THANK YOU. SECOND. OKAY. GOT IT. GOT IT. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 31 IN FAVOR? OPPOSED GRANTED ON 31? ITEM 36 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE ON ITEM 36. DISCUSSION ON 36. DISCUSSION ON 30. COUNCILMAN GALLS ON 36. I'M, I'M SORRY, YOU SAID 36 OR 32? 36. 36. NEVERMIND. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BARR SHA SURVIVE ON. OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION ON 36? ON 36 IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? GRANTED ON 36. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, EVANS ON 36. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES FOR ACCEPTING THIS GRANT FUNDING FOR THE SUNNYSIDE RETENTION PROJECT, WHICH WILL INCREASE RESILIENCE FOR FUTURE FLOODING IN SUNNYSIDE. ELIMINATE LONG-TERM, UH, RISK OF LOSS OF LIFE, INJURING INJURY AND DAMAGE AND LOSS OF PROPERTY, AND CERTAINLY SUFFERING AND HARDSHIP. AND ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE SUGGESTING THAT, UH, MONEY BE USED, UH, $3.5 MILLION FROM THE SWAT TDO TO ADDRESS THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM IN SUNNYSIDE AS WELL. AND SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, THOSE FUNDS BEING RECEIVED AT, AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME IF THEY ARE AWARDED. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 30? WE ALREADY VOTED. OH, WE VOTE. WE ALREADY VOTED. OKAY. YES. OKAY. I'M SORRY. ALRIGHT, NEXT ITEM. ITEM 37 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. VOTE ITEM 37. DISCUSSION ON 37. DISCUSSION ON 37 IN FAVOR. OPPOSED GRAND ON 37 [NON-CONSENT - MISCELLANEOUS] UNDER THE NON-CONSENT MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY. ITEM 42 IS A MOTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE. CAST MOVED TO SET THE HEARING DATE, UH, FOR 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6TH, 2023. SECOND, ROBINSON BEEN MOVED IN SECOND IN DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED GRANTED ON THE MOTION [MATTERS HELD] UNDER THE MATTERS HELD. CATEGORY 43 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. I'M 43. DISCUSSION ON 43. DISCUSSION ON 43. DISCUSSION IN FAVOR. OPPOSED? GRANTED ON 43, SHE'D LIKE TO COMMENT. UH, COUNCILMAN MCCAIN? I'M 43. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THE ITEM WE JUST PASSED, UH, IT HAS BEEN ONE OF MY TOP PRIORITIES AS CHAIR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH WAS THE RECORD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM UPGRADES FOR THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM, WE'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE, BOTH TTI AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE PREVIOUSLY, BUT I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE 'CAUSE YOU HEAR RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND, UH, IT SOUNDS VERY BASIC, BUT THIS IMPACTS PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING. SINGLE THING IN TERMS OF OPERATIONS FOR HPD AND IS GOING TO NOT ONLY IMPROVE, UM, EFFICIENCY, BUT IT TOUCHES, IT'S NOT ONLY THE PRIMARY SYSTEM OF RECORD FOR INCIDENT REPORTING, UH, DOCUMENTATION AND TRACKING FOR INVESTIGATIONS. UH, IT ALLOWS US TO BE IN THE NEXT GENERATION WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN WHEN IT COMES TO TRACKING THE TYPES OF DATA AND INFORMATION THAT WE NEED. THE OLDER SYSTEM, UM, YOU COULD NOT CUSTOMIZE THE TYPES OF FIELDS THAT YOU WOULD BE TRACKING. NOW WE WILL HAVE THAT ABILITY. SO WHATEVER THE ISSUE MAY BE THAT THE CITY IS FACED WITH, THAT, THAT IS THE [03:00:01] NEXT PRIORITY. AND THE NEXT, UM, ISSUES THAT ARISE, WHATEVER THAT IS, WE WILL BE ABLE TO, UH, NOT ONLY TRACK, BUT RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO THAT THROUGH DATA, THROUGH INFORMATION. UH, BUT THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT TRACKING. IT LITERALLY IS THE OPERATIONAL SYSTEM FOR HPD. SO I WANNA, UM, THANK YOU. I WANNA THANK HPD AND I WANNA THANK, UM, EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN WORKING ON THIS ITEM BECAUSE, UH, THIS IS GOING TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO POLICE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THE BETTER. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN ROBINSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANNA AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, UH, FOR WHAT, UH, THIS CONTRACT MEANS TO THE CITY, BOTH FROM, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT AS WELL AS FROM A TECHNOLOGY STANDPOINT. IT WAS VETTED BEFORE BOTH, UH, COMMITTEES THIS PAST SPRING. AND I THINK, UM, IN THE WAY THAT WE'VE CAREFULLY REVIEWED THIS OVER THE PAST WEEK, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAD ARISEN, UH, SINCE THAT TIME INVOLVED, THE INTEGRATION AND THE TRANSITION FROM OUR CURRENT TECHNOLOGY TO WHAT IS, UH, BEFORE US NOW PASSED. SO THAT'S ALL GOOD. I THINK IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO IMPLEMENT THIS TECHNOLOGY, MAYOR. IT'S NEXT SPRING IN APRIL AND MAY WHEN WE WILL ACTUALLY COME TO SEE HOW THIS IS, UH, SWITCHED ON, UH, AFTER CAREFUL TRANSITIONAL STEPS. BUT I THINK THAT'S GOOD. WE WILL NEED TO EXTEND THE CURRENT TERM OF OUR CONTRACT, WHICH, UH, WILL BE ANOTHER ACTION. BUT, UM, WE'RE IN GREAT SHAPE AND I'M PLEASED TO BE A PART OF SUPPORTING THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 43? NO, WE'LL BE VOTED ON THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM. ITEM 44 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE BILL. ITEM 44, DISCUSSION ON 44. DISCUSSION ON 44 IN FAVOR. OPPOSED? GRANTED ON 44. ITEM 45 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE BILL. ITEM 45, DISCUSSION ON 45. COUNCILMAN GALLEGOS? I'M 45. THANK YOU MAYOR. OO OVERALL, I SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT. I'M JUST CONCERNED. I DID HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT CAME IN MY OFFICE FOR THE PAST YEAR OR OVER A YEAR, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE LOW VOLTAGE, UH, REQUIRING THAT IT WILL REQUIRE LICENSED ELECTRICIANS. I MEAN, MY CONCERN IS THAT IF WE'RE WANTING, WE'RE, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, IF, IF IT'S GONNA BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN TO DO MINOR LOW VOLTAGE, UH, WIRING, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST GONNA INCREASE THE COST OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. UH, SO I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WE'RE DOING THIS IN REGARDS TO THE, UM, LOW VOLTAGE. I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, PUTTING IN A DOORBELL. UH, I MEAN, I HAVE A, UM, SOMEONE THAT CAME IN AND PUT IN A, UH, MY DRIVEWAY GATE, UH, AND THEY HAD IT, YOU KNOW, DID THE WIRING ON THE DRIVEWAY GATE. UH, BUT BUT, BUT IF I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE GONE TO A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN, THAT OF COURSE WOULD'VE BEEN A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE. UM, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE NOT, UH, SUBMITTING AN AMENDMENT IN REGARDS TO LOW VOLTAGE. WELL, WHAT WE, WHAT WE ARE DOING COUNCIL MEMBER IS CONTINUING WITH THE ESTABLISHED LOW VOLTAGE REQUIREMENT THAT EXISTS. WE ARE MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO. THAT'S RIGHT. AND, UM, UM, CERTAINLY COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON CAN SPEAK TO IT. UH, THIS ISSUE CAME BEFORE THE TASK FORCE NUMBER ONE. UM, I'VE HEARD NOTHING BUT PRAISE FROM THE PROCESS THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE. THIS ISSUE CAME BEFORE THE TASK FORCE AND THE TASK FORCE VOTED IT DOWN OKAY. MULTIPLE TIMES. UH, AND THEN I KNOW I'VE HEARD FROM SOME, AND IBEW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON VOTED IT DOWN, AND THERE'S A LETTER FROM IBEW AS WELL AS OTHER GROUPS SAYING THAT WHAT'S ON THIS AGENDA IS WHAT THEY SUPPORT, BUT THEY, IBEW IS OPPOSED TO ANY CHANGE OTHER THAN WHAT'S ON THIS AGENDA. SO THERE MAY BE SOME MISINFORMATION OUT THERE, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY SHOW YOU WHERE IBEW IS SAYING, REJECT ANY AMENDMENT ON THIS ITEM. BUT WHAT WE ARE DOING IS MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO. WE ARE MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO. ANY DEVIATION IS A CHANGE FROM THE STATUS QUO. AND THIS VERY SAME ISSUE THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AMENDING OUR, THOSE, I THINK IT WAS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM CISCO AFTER MIKE, THEY RAISED THAT ISSUE BEFORE THE TASK FORCE AND THE TASK FORCE REPEATEDLY VOTED IT DOWN. SO IF THERE'S ANY AMENDMENT COMING, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT, I'M NOT HEARD OF ANY AMENDMENT OTHER THAN WHAT'S ON THIS AGENDA ITEM. UH, BUT I WOULD ASK FOR YOU TO, UH, STAY WITH WHAT'S BEFORE US, BEFORE US AND TO CONTINUE ON THIS ISSUE WITH THE STATUS QUO. [03:05:01] COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON. THANK YOU, MA. MAYOR, I THINK, UH, YOU'VE REALLY TOUCHED ON THE IMPORTANT POINTS OF, UH, TRUSTING IN THE PROCESS, WHICH YOU'LL RECALL LAST YEAR WAS NOT NEARLY AS SMOOTH OR AS HIGHLY PRAISED AS THIS YEAR HAS BEEN, UH, VETTED WITH, UH, A TRULY REMARKABLE NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDER GROUPS. WE ARE BOILED DOWN IN THIS INSTANCE, I THINK, TO ONE ISSUE THAT HAS RISEN TO THE SURFACE. AND THAT IS THE MATTER OF LOW VOL VOLTAGE ELECTRICITY, WHICH OF COURSE, OUR VICE CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN WILL RECALL THAT THAT IS WHAT CAME UP LAST YEAR AS A SIMILAR ISSUE. AND, UH, MAYOR, IF I COULD, I'D LOVE TO CALL DIRECTOR HADDOCK, UH, FORWARD. I KNOW SHE HAS GOT SOME INFORMATION, UM, RELATED TO THE STATUS QUO TO WHICH YOU'RE REFERRING. AND, UM, THERE ARE IN FACT, UH, LEGISLATIVE ISSUES WITH THE STATE CODE THAT CONDITION OUR SITUATION TO THAT OF BEING, UM, UH, SUBJECT TO WHAT WE, WE HAVE CONSIDERED CAREFULLY. AND THE, THE STAKEHOLDER GROUP THAT YOU REFERENCED IS, UH, HAS BEEN IN PLACE AND VETTED THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD REPEATEDLY AND BROUGHT TO THE COMMITTEE. I THINK WHAT YOU HAVE NOW RECEIVED BEFORE BRINGING IT FORWARD TO COUNCIL HAS BEEN A VERY CAREFULLY CONSIDERED SET OF CONSIDERATIONS. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT WE AS A COUNCIL EMBRACE THAT FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH WITH THE PROCESS FOR THE INTEGRITY OF WHAT WE ARE EMBRACING AND EMBARKING UPON. AND THIS IS AN EXCELLENT SET OF CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US. BUT I THINK, UH, I KNOW THAT DIRECTOR HADDOCK STANDS READY TO PRESENT, IF YOU SHOULD. SO WILL THAT WELL, LET'S, LET'S PROCEED, UH, FOR RIGHT NOW. UH, I DO KNOW THAT ON AUGUST THE 10TH OF THIS YEAR, UM, THERE WAS A LETTER SENT TO, WELL, IT SAYS, IT SAYS, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN ROBINSON AND MADAM VICE CHAIR ALCORN AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, WE REPRESENT IEC NCA AND IBEW, AND WE ARE THE ASSOCIATIONS IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA THAT SPECIALIZE IN ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS AND TRAINING OF A QUALITY WORKFORCE. AND IT GOES ON TO SAY IEC NCA AND IBEW, ALONG WITH NUMEROUS OTHER STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSION OF THESE PROPOSAL AMENDMENTS, ALL AGREE THAT THE LOAD VOTE PROPOSALS SHOULD BE REJECTED. AND THEY INCITE MANY REASONS. SO IT IS CLEAR FROM THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS, UM, UH, THAT THEY ARE REJECTING ANY RE THIS, UH, REQUEST, UH, TO CHANGE THE LO OF THE, THE VOLTAGE FROM WHAT IT IS TODAY. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, THANK YOU MUCH. UM, I ATTENDED THE, UH, MEETING, THE HEARING, UH, WHEN, UH, PERMITTING CENTER, UH, PRESENTED THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. AND SO I'M CURIOUS, UH, SIMILAR TO COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS POINT, WHAT WAS, WHAT IS THE PROBABILITY IN THE FUTURE OF HAVING, UH, A LOW VOLTAGE, THEM HAVING THEIR OWN DESIGNATION, UM, OR PATHWAY FOR A PERMITTING? I KNOW SOME OF THE STICKING POINT WAS ABOUT THE INSPECTION PIECE AND UM, UH, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S VALIDATED, RIGHT? SO IN THE FUTURE, SINCE THE, THE ITEM IS TO MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT PROCESS MOVING FORWARD, WHAT'S THE PROBABILITY OF, UM, THAT PORTION OF LOW VOLTAGE, UH, BEING ACCEPTED IN THAT PROCESS? YOU MEAN IN THE FU IN THE FUTURE? IN THE FUTURE MM-HMM . WELL, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S ANY, I MEAN, I MEAN IT IN PERMITTING WHERE THERE'S A, UH, A PATHWAY FOR THE, THE WORK TO BE VALIDATED, UM, SEPARATE OF HAVING A MASTER ELECTRICIAN TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S A, WHAT SOME MAY CONSIDER A MINOR JOB LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS GARAGE. WELL, CERTAINLY COUNCIL AT ANY POINT CAN MAKE ANY, CAN MAKE ANY CHANGE THEY SO DESIRE. UM, AND THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE PURVIEW OF, OF, OF STATE OF COUNCIL. SO RIGHT. BUT WAS THERE FEEDBACK FROM THE DEPARTMENT AS TO WHY THAT WASN'T OFFERED IN THE STATUS IN, IN THE RECOMMENDATION OR IS THAT A, A QUESTION FOR THE COUNCILLOR ROBINSON YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THAT CAME, I DO THINK THAT IS SOMETHING FOR THE DIRECTOR THAT SHE COULD HANDLE HEAD ON, YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK THERE'S A PARALLEL THERE THAT I'D, I'D DRAW JUST IN THE WAY THAT I AM A LICENSED ARCHITECT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, IN GOOD STANDING. I KNOW YOU AND I BOTH APPRENTICED AS ELECTRICIANS WHEN WE WERE YOUNG MEN AND WORKED WITH, UH, LICENSED ELECTRICIANS. YOU FAMOUSLY UNDERNEATH A HOME ONE TIME. I REMEMBER WITH SOME I WAS, I WAS AN, I WAS AN ELECTRICIAN APPRENTICE WITH SOME CRISP BLUE JEANS AND MAYBE A WHITE SHIRT. CORRECT. I REMEMBER THE STORY. THAT'S CORRECT. IT, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE WORKING IN AN APPRENTICESHIP OR AS A JOURNEYMAN. AND WHEN YOU ARE, UH, [03:10:01] RISING THROUGH THE RANKS THAT YOU SOMETIMES CAN DO THINGS UNDER THE LICENSE OF ANOTHER PROFESSIONAL'S SUPERVISION. AND IN THIS CASE THERE IS STATE LAW THAT IN SOME WAYS IS WHAT WE ARE OPERATING UNDER. UM, AND IN THE CASE OF A DRAWING PACKAGE THAT I PUT TOGETHER FOR A PERMIT FOR A CLIENT OF MINE, I AM NOT GOING TO BE DRAWING EVERY LINE ON EVERY SHEET OF EVERY PACKAGE OF BUILDINGS THAT I DESIGN AND WILL CARRY MY SIGNATURE AND SEAL. AND I THINK SIMILARLY, A BUILDING IS PERHAPS NOT TO BE WIRED BY A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN IN EVERY INSTANCE. IN EVERY CASE. BUT THE POINT IS THAT THAT SUPERVISORY ROLE, THE OVERSIGHT, THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE CODE, THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE DANGERS INHERENT IN WIRING A BUILDING AND BEING THERE TO UNDERSTAND BOTH, UH, FIRE, UM, CONDITIONS AND WAYS IN WHICH LIFE SAFETY ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE SAFETY OF THOSE WHO ARE WORKING ON BUILDINGS AND THOSE WHO WILL LATER OCCUPY THEM, THAT IS WHERE I DRAW THE PARALLEL. AND IN THIS CASE, I THINK THOSE WHO ARE WIRING WITH LOW VOLTAGE DON'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS HAVE TO BE A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN. AND IN THIS CASE THAT THEREIN LIES SOME OF THE NATURE OF THE RUB BETWEEN, UM, THE STATE AND THE LOCAL CODES. BUT THAT PERHAPS IS AN IMPERFECT, UH, PARALLEL OR METAPHOR, BUT I OFFER IT NOW FOR SOME COMPARISON. AND LEMME JUST ADD, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, OH, EXCUSE ME, CAN I RECLA SOME OF MY TIME? I'M SORRY, THAT DOESN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION. SO IT, UM, CAN DIRECTOR HADDOCK ANSWER IT AND BRING IT FORTH? I, 'CAUSE I, WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS I, UNDER, I, I'M VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE ELECTRICIAN, THE CODE, ALL OF THAT, BUT FOR A LOW VOLTAGE UP HERE, IS THERE A PATHWAY FOR THEM TO HAVE THEIR OWN DESIGNATED PATH AND IT'S VALIDATED AND PERMITTING CENTER, UM, SEPARATE OF A, A, A BUILDING OR SEPARATE OF MASTER DRAWINGS? SEPARATE OF THAT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MINOR LOW VOLTAGE VOLTAGE PROJECTS. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN LICENSE, THEIR OWN PATHWAY, THEIR OWN PERMITTING TRACK, THEIR OWN GUIDELINES. LET ME HAVE, FOR IT TO BE MANAGED. LET ME, LET ME HAVE DIRECTOR HA HAR UH, CAROL HADDOCK TO COME BEFORE US, RIGHT. BUT I DO WANT US TO BEAR IN MIND THAT WHEN IT COMES TO LOW VOLTAGE, HOUSTON IS THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE NOW OF ANY MAJOR CITY WHEN IT COMES TO LOW VOLTAGE. UM, AND QUITE, AND, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAD THE TASK FORCE. UH, AND THAT'S WHY THEY WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH THE TASK FORCE. I THINK WE, WE ARE ON A VERY SLIPPERY SLOPE. WE TRY TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE CODE AROUND THE TABLE. DIRECTOR HENICK, IF YOU'LL COMMENT AND IF, UH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THOMAS, IF YOU'LL, IF YOU'LL SURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, AND IS THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. SO JUST TO, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD MY QUESTION, JUST TO CLAR, JUST TO CLARIFY THE FUTURE PROBABILITY, BECAUSE THE ITEM IS JUST TO ACCEPT OUR CURRENT PROCESS. UM, BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE KNOW THAT LOW VOLTAGE IS BECOMING A THING. WHAT IS THE PATHWAY? IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OR THE, A PATHWAY IN THE FUTURE FOR, BECAUSE WE HAVE NO REGULATION OR, OR MANAGEMENT OF THAT FOR THE CITY TO MANAGE THAT INTERNALLY SO WE CAN VALIDATE AND INVESTIGATE AND INSPECT AND SAY THAT THIS IS CLEAR. SO, SO I WANNA START BY CLARIFYING. WE DO CURRENTLY HAVE A 50 VOLT, 50 WATT LIMIT THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE YOU TO GO THROUGH PERMITTING THAT EXISTS TODAY. IT IS IN THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE AND IT WILL EXIST MOVING FORWARD. THE CLARIFICATION THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR NEEDS TO HAPPEN AT THE STATE LEVEL, AT THE STATE OF TEXAS BECAUSE THE, THE STATE EXEMPTS, UM, INSTALLATION OF THESE ITEMS FROM LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS IN THE OCCUPATIONAL CODE, BUT IT DOES NOT EXEMPT THE CITY FROM REQUIRING, PERMITTING AND ENFORCING THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE. AND SO WE ARE MEETING OUR OBLIGATION UNDER STATE LAW, AND THERE IS ALSO A, A STATEMENT UNDER STATE LAW THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE LICENSURE FOR INSTALLATION, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE LICENSURE FOR PULLING PERMITS. SO THERE IS AN INCONSISTENCY THERE THAT THE STATE IS GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH. OKAY. UM, VICE MAYOR, CAST. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I WANNA BE CLEAR, BECAUSE I RECEIVED A, A MESSAGE FROM A CONSTITUENT ON LAST EVENING ABOUT POWER OVER ETHERNET. SO I'M, I'M NOT CLEAR ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE POWER OVER THE ETHERNET AND THE 50 VOLT. UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME, SO ASK WHAT THE COMPANIES WANT. SO, SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 50 VOLT EXEMPTION, WHICH WE CURRENTLY HAVE, THAT INCLUDES EVERYTHING THAT FITS IN THE LOW VOLTAGE CATEGORY. AND WE ARE THE HIGHEST LIMIT OF ANY OF THE MAJOR CITIES IN TEXAS. CLASS TWO AND CLASS THREE DOES NOT LIMIT ITSELF TO LOW VOLTAGE. IT ALSO INCLUDES THINGS THAT INCLUDE HIGHER VOLTAGE, [03:15:01] WHICH COULD CREATE A SAFETY, UM, ISSUE FOR PEOPLE. AND THAT'S WHY WE DO NOT EXEMPT CLASS TWO AND CLASS THREE. WE KEEP THE 50 VOLT, WHICH ALLOWS ALL LOW VOLTAGE INSTALLATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING DONE. IT ALLOWS 'EM TO CONTINUE TO BE DONE. SO IF YOU ARE AN INTEGRATOR, YOU CAN CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING WITH THE POWER OVER ETHERNET, AS LONG AS YOU'RE LESS THAN 50 VOLTS. OKAY. OTHERWISE, IT GETS HOT AND DANGEROUS COUNCIL MEMBER. AND, AND I DO, I DO WANNA SAY THAT, UH, WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON JUST SAID WAS OTHERWISE IT GETS HOT AND DANGEROUS. AND, AND THAT, THAT IS THE REASON FOR THIS, THIS LIMIT IS, IS BECAUSE ABOVE THAT IS WHENEVER WE WIN THE, THE LIFE SAFETY ISSUES AND WHAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO UNDER THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE AND UNDER STATE LAW, DO KICK IN. AND, AND I WOULD ADD, BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION AND THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AT THE TTI COMMITTEE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS SOME OF THAT COULD BE. WE HAVE EXAMPLES JUST WITHIN THE CITY, IN FACT, WITHIN THE PERMITTING CENTER ITSELF, WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS OF A COUPLE OF LOW VOLTAGE SENSORS THAT CAUGHT FIRE. SO THE REALITY IS THE RECOMMENDATION AS, AS THE MAYOR HAS CLEARLY STATED, IS THAT WE STAY, AND LEMME CLARIFY, POWER OVER ETHERNET CENSOR POWER OVER ETHERNET CENSOR. THAT'S RIGHT. NOT LOW VOLTAGE. SPECIFIC TO YOUR QUESTION, VICE MAYOR. UM, SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS WE STAY THE STATUS QUO UNTIL THE STATE COMES IN TO MAKE SOME SORT OF CLARIFICATION TO WHAT THEY HAVE. THERE WOULD BE NO REASON FOR THE CITY TO CHANGE EXACTLY WHAT IT'S BEEN DOING AT THIS POINT AND AND TO GO FORWARD. AND I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION AS WELL. WHAT DO WE DO GOING FORWARD? WE WAIT UNTIL WE GET FURTHER INSTRUCTION. RIGHT NOW, HOUSTON IS THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE, AND SO THERE'S NO PURPOSE OR INCENTIVE FOR US TO MAKE A CHANGE AT THIS TIME. COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS. THANK, THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO, SO, AND I KNOW YOU ALREADY SAID IT, DIRECTOR, BUT JUST ONCE MORE, ONE MORE TIME IN, IN, IN, IN REGARDS TO THE LOW VOLTAGE, UM, AN ECOM ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED HOUSEHOLD, IF YOU KNOW THEY WANT TO PUT DOORBELLS OR SOMETHING LOW VOLTAGE, THEY STILL CAN DO IT WITHOUT GOING THROUGH AND HIRING A CERTIFIED ELECTRICIAN, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. AND THEN MAYOR, TO YOU, UH, QUESTION YES. IN REGARDS TO HOUSE BILL 21, 27, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THE STATE CAN COME BACK AND SAY, OKAY, YOU, YOU, CITY OF HOUSTON, YOU DID THIS, BUT YOU DIDN'T MEET OUR GUIDELINES, AND NOW YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND READ THROUGH THIS ALL OVER AGAIN. AND IN 21, 27, THEY CAN ALMOST DO ANYTHING. UM, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S, IT'S ALL BEEN LEGALLY CHALLENGED MM-HMM . BUT ON THE 21, 27, THEY CAN ALMOST DO ANYTHING. BUT, BUT, BUT IF THE COURT'S RULED THAT THE LEGISLATURE CAN DO THAT, THEN THE STATE CAN POSSIBLY COME BACK AND SAY, OKAY, THAT IS TRUE. YOU DID THIS, NOW YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING. THAT IS TRUE. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TO, TO THESE TWO? ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OPPOSE GRANTED ON ITEM 25? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ITEM, THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. COUNCILMAN MCG GGO. THANK YOU. [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] COUNCIL MAGOS. I'M SORRY. SORRY. I DIDN'T KNOW YOU CALLED MY NAME THERE. YEAH, I, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, IT'S, UH, EARLY VOTING HAS STARTED. IT STARTED ON MONDAY, UH, AND IT'LL GO THROUGH NOVEMBER THE THIRD, UH, OPPOSE ARE OPEN UNTIL SEVEN. UH, ELECTION DAY IS ON NOVEMBER THE SEVENTH. UH, SO MAKE SURE YOUR VOICE IS HEARD AND GO OUT AND VOTE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN ROBINSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. YES, INDEED. VOTE. LET'S ALL VOTE. UM, UH, AND I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED, MAYOR, I KNOW, UH, YOU AND I ARE CO-TERMINUS IN JUST A LITTLE UNDER 70 DAYS AT THIS POINT, BUT, UH, THERE'S SOME GREAT CANDIDATES OUT THERE REALLY ENCOURAGED BY WHO WILL COME TO REPLACE US. AND, UH, I WANNA SAY THAT I'VE, UH, BEEN THINKING, UH, AND WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS ON CIVIC RELATED FORUM. THERE WAS ONE THIS PAST WEEKEND, THE RICE DESIGN ALLIANCE HELD A FORUM THAT WAS REALLY, UH, QUITE INTERESTING ABOUT ZONING IN THE CITY. A LACK OF ZONING EXCEPT FOR TS. AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, THE LEADERSHIP FROM, FROM RICE FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. TROY S SHAM IS A PROFESSOR THERE WHO LED A REALLY LIVELY, UM, CONVERSATION WITH CITIZENS AND EXPERTS ON A PANEL. ANDY ICKEN, OUR CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, AS WELL AS BARON WALLACE, WERE EMPANELED, UH, AS WERE MANY OTHER EXPERTS FROM THE FIELD. SO THAT'S EXCITING. I THINK, UH, WHAT YOU HAVE STARTED WITH COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, UH, WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO CLARIFY THE MISSION OF OUR TOURS. AND FOREMOST, MAYOR, WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY TO REALLY HELP THOSE AREAS OF TOWN THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED. I'M, UH, A GREAT BELIEVER, AND, UH, AS YOU KNOW, I WAS IN WASHINGTON DC THIS PAST THURSDAY AND FRIDAY FOR A REGIONAL URBAN DESIGN COMMITTEE, SYMPOSIUM AND CONFERENCE BY THE A I A AND, UM, IT WAS CALLED CITIES IN TRANSITION. [03:20:01] REALLY EXCITING. HOW MUCH ATTENTION IS BEING PAID TO HOUSTON RIGHT NOW? I KNOW YOU ARE A MUCH SOUGHT AFTER SPEAKER AND, UH, VERY EXCITED, UM, TO SERVE WITH YOU. AND AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF WORK TODAY, BUT VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE JUST DID WITH THE CODE MODERNIZATION PROCESS, MAKING HOUSTON ALL THE BETTER A CITY WITH THE 2021 SET OF, UH, CONSTRUCTION CODES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH. MAYOR, I WON'T BE HERE NEXT WEEK. I'VE GOT SOME MEDICAL PROCEDURES TO GO THROUGH. SO, UH, COVER Y'ALL'S PRAYERS. YES, IT, IT'S BEEN A REAL TOUGH, UH, TWO OR THREE MONTHS. WE SHALL BE PRAYING FOR YOU. AND, UM, AND WISHING YOU THE VERY BEST. THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THOMAS. THANK YOU. UH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF I MISSED IN YOUR MAYOR'S REPORT, FRIDAY WE'LL BE AT TANGO WILD TOGETHER FOR THE 50 50 PART. THAT IS RIGHT. YES. WE ARE, UM, CELEBRATING AND, UH, DOING OUR RIBBON CUTTING. IT WILL BE NUMBER 14, 22. NUMBER 14, YES. WE'RE, THE COMMUNITY IS EXCITED AND WE'VE PERSONALLY SENT OUT, UH, THE INVITATION TO REGISTER. IT'S GONE OUT TO HOA, SO WE LOOK FOR A, A PACKED HOUSE. SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR NUMBER ONE, HAVING TANGLED OUT ON THAT LIST. THANKS. UM, IT'S A VERY SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, AND THE, THE INVESTMENT'S BEEN INCREDIBLE, AND I WANNA THANK ALL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT SERVED ON THAT COMMUNITY TEAM, UH, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. UM, SO IT'S ALL COMING TO FRUITION. UM, SO, BUT MAYOR TURNER, I REALLY, I WANTED TO, UM, SHARE THIS IN THE HORSESHOE. I, I KNOW, UH, MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SHARED THAT YOU OFFERED A AMAZING REMARKS, UM, TO OUR JEWISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT THE LAST COUPLE OF, OF, OF VIGILS THAT WERE SHARED. BUT I, I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ALSO INCLUDE OUR PALESTINIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS. YES, I REPRESENT A LARGE PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY. AND, UM, I REMEMBER MY CHILDHOOD FRIEND WHO FLED FROM IRAN, AND HER FATHER WOULD OFTEN TALK ABOUT WAR. AND I WAS HAVING, UM, A CONVERSATION WITH MO AMER AND HOW EMOTIONAL HE WAS BECAUSE HE IS ALSO FLED FROM WAR. AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHILE WE TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY, THAT WE DON'T LEAVE OUT ANOTHER GROUP BECAUSE, UM, UH, PEOPLE ARE IN UPSET ON BOTH SIDES. AND I, I THINK THAT, UM, WE'RE LOSING THE VALUE OF HUMANITY THAT WE CAN WITNESS THIS STUFF ON THE INTERNET, AND WE'RE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE SO DESENSITIZED. AND SO I JUST WANNA JOIN WITH EVERYONE CALLING FOR A CEASEFIRE. UM, AND I WANT MY COLLEAGUES TO DO THAT AS WELL AND TO CONSIDER THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A WHOLE COMMUNITY OUT THERE, UM, THE ENTIRE HOUSTON COMMUNITY THAT'S, THAT'S, UM, UM, IN TURMOIL. UM, AND THEY'RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING, LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS. AND SO, UM, HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE ABLE TO LEND YOUR VOICE TO, UM, THAT COMMUNITY THAT CALL HOUSTON HOME AS WELL. UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, THANK YOU THAT THAT WAS ON RECORD. UH, MANY OF MY FRIENDS AND AND RESIDENTS WITHIN THE, THE CONSTITUENCY, THERE'S IL AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. UH, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT, UM, AT LEAST WITHIN THIS BODY, THERE'S A SAFE SPACE AS WELL. THANK YOU. AND I'VE ALSO, UM, UH, SPOKEN FOR EXAMPLE, BEFORE THE ARAB CULTURAL COMMUNITY GALA AND RAISED THOSE SIMILAR, UH, CONCERNS. ALL OF EVERY KID THAT YOU SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, ON TELEVISION, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY ARE, THEY ARE OUR CHILDREN. AND, UH, AND THE CHILDREN ARE INNOCENT. OKAY? SO THEY'RE OUR CHILDREN. WHEN YOU SEE MOTHERS AND FATHERS, UH, CIVILIAN MOTHERS AND FATHERS WHO, UH, DID NOT CAUSE THIS CONFLICT, THEY ARE, THEY'RE INNOCENT MOMS AND DADS. UH, SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT GET, THAT WE NOT BLAME EVERYONE FOR THE HEINOUS ACT OF ONE GROUP OR TWO GROUPS, OR WHOEVER IT MAY BE. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T, WE DON'T, WE DON'T BLAME EVERYONE. AND THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ALL INNOCENT PEOPLE AND FAMILIES, AND ESPECIALLY THE KIDS. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. ABSOLUTELY. AND SO, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND FOR ME, JUST IN AND WITNESSING THIS, UM, I REMEMBER, UM, GEORGE FLOYD AND I REMEMBER THE PROTESTS THROUGHOUT THE NATION AND HOW PEOPLE WERE DISRUPTING PEACEFUL PROTESTS, BUT BLACK LIVES MATTERS WAS BLAMED AND HOW THEY WERE CALLED TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS, RIGHT? BECAUSE SMALL GROUPS, LARGE GROUPS WERE CHOOSING TO, UM, HIJACK THE INTEGRITY OF WHAT THE MISSION WAS. AND I THINK TO YOUR POINT, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING MM-HMM . AND I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE AN ELEVATED APPROACH TO THIS AND WHERE WE CAN SUPPORT, UM, OUR JEWISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND INVEST, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PALESTINIAN BROTHER, SISTERS ARE JUST AS SAFE. AND LET ME BE EVEN MORE CLEAR, UM, WHAT HAMAS HAS DONE IS INFLICTED PAIN AND [03:25:01] SUFFERING ON THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. AND WHAT HAMAS HAS DONE HAS HELD HOSTAGE MILLIONS OF PALESTINIANS. OKAY? AND, UM, AND, AND YOU HAVE TO CALL THEM OUT AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, . UM, BUT WHAT HAMAS DID, UM, HAS LED TO ALL OF WHAT WE ARE SEEING TODAY. SO I DO WANNA BE VERY SPECIFIC IN THAT. AND HAMAS IS, UH, IS NOT THESE KIDS, THESE INNOCENT CHILDREN, BUT THEY ARE HOLDING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN GAZA, UH, HOSTAGE AND HIDING BEHIND THEM OR IN THEIR HOMES OR, UH, CLOSE TO THESE HOSPITALS. UH, SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US ALL TO CALL THEM OUT. BUT, UM, THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PALESTINIANS AND OTHERS, UM, WHO ARE VICTIMS OF MOUTH INSIDIOUS ACTS OF HATRED, UH, AND ANTISEMITISM. SO, UM, THAT'S HOPE. I'M HOPING WE CAN WORK, WE CAN NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS AND THAT WE DON'T BECOME, UM, UM, WE DON'T BLAME INNOCENT PEOPLE FOR THE DEVES OF AN ORGANIZATION LIKE AMASS. THAT'S MY, THAT'S MY HOPE. OKAY. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER. ALCON. ALCON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. MAYOR, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE RECENTLY PASSED, UM, MANY T BUDGETS AND THERE'S MORE TO COME. AND, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE SCOURING THESE BUDGETS AND ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS. UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN CHAMPION CHAMPIONING SIDEWALK, UM, PUBLIC INVESTMENT AND SIDEWALK. SO WE'RE ASKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT LANE MILES OF SIDEWALKS WITHIN EACH TURS. AND FROM ABOUT SIX TUR IS THAT WE GOT RECENT, UM, RECENT DATA FROM, UH, THROUGH QUESTIONS. IT'S ABOUT 24 LANE MILES, 24 MILES OF SIDEWALKS. AND THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A WHOLE LOT, BUT IF YOU'VE RUN A MARATHON AS I HAVE, IT'S A REALLY LONG WAYS, UM, 24 MILES. SO THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DEDICATED TO PUTTING MORE OF OUR REVENUE INTO SIDEWALKS AS WELL, MAYOR, AND JUST WANT EVERYONE TO JUST WANNA APPRECIATE WHAT THE TOURS ARE DOING TO IMPROVE OUR PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE. THANK YOU. AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, AND WILL JONES CAN CORRECT ME. UH, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT. I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT NEEDED CITY COUNCIL FRUIT, BUT WE WILL FIND OUT. YEAH, I WAS GONNA ASK ABOUT THAT. YOU MENTIONED A $5 MILLION NUMBER, RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S, I'LL, I'LL GET WITH WILL. OKAY. BUT, UM, BUT UM, THAT MAY HAVE ALREADY GONE DIRECTLY TO PUBLIC WORKS, BUT WE WILL FIND OUT. IN FACT, IT MIGHT BE GOOD JUST TO HAVE IT COME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL SO WE CAN ALL OFFICIALLY VOTE ON IT. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, PAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, WE HAVE TWO HPD TRUNK OR TREAT EVENTS COMING UP ON FRIDAY. IS THE NORTH DIVISION'S TRUNK OR TREAT AT THE, UM, NORTH DIVISION 9 4 5 5 WEST MONTGOMERY. UM, THAT'S FROM THREE TO 6:00 PM AND THEN ON MONDAY IS THE NORTHWEST DIVISION'S TRUNK OR TREAT FROM FOUR TO 8:00 PM UM, AT THE, UM, SPRING SPIRIT CAMPBELL ROAD LOCATION. SO WE HOPE EVERYONE COMES OUT AND BRINGS THE KIDDOS FOR THOSE TWO EVENTS. UM, THIS SATURDAY FINAL REMINDER THAT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TOWN HALL MEETING, OUR ANNUAL MEETING, UM, WILL BE AT 11:00 AM AT THE SPRING SPIRIT CAMPBELL ROAD LOCATION, STARTING AT 11:00 AM WE'LL HAVE FREE BARBECUE LUNCH THANKS TO THE SPRING BRANCH MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE FREE GUN SAFES AS WELL WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. SO WE HOPE EVERYONE COMES OUT FOR THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMAN JACKSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, SO LAST NIGHT I ATTENDED THE EPAS MEETING ON WHERE THEY UPDATED THE FIFTH WARD AND CASHIER GARDEN, UM, RESIDENTS ON THE INVESTIGATION. UM, STARTING IN THE INVESTIGATION ON THE CRESTO PLANT, STARTING IN NOVEMBER, UNION PACIFIC. UNDER THE DIRECTION, UM, EEPA WILL BEGIN TESTING SOIL, UM, THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD. ACTUALLY, THEY'RE GONNA BE TESTING 342 PROPERTIES. AND SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS, UM, TO SIGN THE PER PERMISSION, GIVE, UM, UP PERMISSION, UM, TO DO THE TESTING. UM, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE PERMISSION, THEN, UM, EPA AS WELL AS TCEQ CANNOT COME ON THEIR SITE. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROGRESS. UM, WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR EPA TO KIND OF STEP IN AND START, YOU KNOW, DIRECTING THIS WHOLE, UM, UM, UM, PROCESS. AND SO, UM, WE'RE ON THE MOVE, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. UM, WE ALSO THIS MORNING VOTED TO FUND THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE TIT, TIT WELL, UM, AQUA POOL. AND SO AGAIN, THIS SATURDAY WE WILL HAVE A GROUNDBREAKING AT 10:00 AM UM, UM, ON THE CONSTRUCTION. REALLY EXCITED. I INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO JOIN US. IT'S GONNA BE AT 97 20 SPALDING AT 10:00 AM THIS SATURDAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN [03:30:01] KAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I'M GONNA READ THE STATEMENT I JUST READ, UH, THIS WEEKEND WITH FAMILIES, UH, RELATED TO THE OCTOBER 7TH ATTACK, BECAUSE FOR SO MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY, IT IS NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL RIGHT NOW. UH, I KNOW WE HAVE THE NORMAL OPERATING BUSINESS OF THE CITY, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT THIS, FOR SO MANY OF US IS NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL. I WAS RAISED IN A HOME WITH A LOVE OF ISRAEL AND THE BELIEF IN PEACE IN A TWO-STATE SOLUTION. MY FATHER HAS DEDICATED HIS ENTIRE LIFE TO THIS, AND I HOLD FIRMLY TO THAT. I WAS RAISED IN THE SHADOW OF THE HOLOCAUST UNDER AN EXPECTATION OF NEVER AGAIN MY GENERATION. AND NOW THOSE YOUNGER THAN ME ARE CONFRONTED WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAVE JOINED OUR ANCESTORS, OUR GREAT GRANDPARENTS, OUR GRANDPARENTS IN THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF OUR PEOPLE'S HISTORY, BEARING WITNESS TO A HORRIFIC MODERN DAY POGROM. AND I NEVER THOUGHT THAT THAT IS A CLUB THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO JOIN. THERE'S NO WAY TO ARTICULATE THE PAIN OF OUR JEWISH COMMUNITY. BUT WITH THAT PAIN COMES STRENGTH. OCTOBER 7TH, FOR ALL OF YOU, IN TERMS OF A POPULATION COMPARISON, WOULD BE CLOSE TO 40,000. 40,000 AMERICANS TORTURED AND KILLED IN A SINGLE DAY. WE HEAR HOW FAMILIES FLED TO SAFE ROOMS. FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T FAMILIAR, HOMES ARE BUILT WITH SAFE ROOMS BECAUSE OF HOW FREQUENTLY THEY FACED HAMAS ROCKET ATTACKS. JUST THINK ABOUT THAT. WE HOLD OUR CHILDREN TIGHTLY. OFTEN THEIR FACES TRANSPLANTED BECAUSE WE KNOW IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANY OF US. WHEN WE HEAR REPORTS THAT OVER 20 CHILDREN WERE TIED TOGETHER IN A FIELD AND BURNED, OH, THAT 15 OR SO YOUNG GIRLS WERE PUT INTO A ROOM TOGETHER BEFORE TERRORISTS THREW A GRENADE IN. A PARENT AND CHILD WERE FOUND BOUND TOGETHER, BRACING ONE ANOTHER AS THEIR BODIES WERE BURNED. PARENTS AND CHILDREN WERE FORCED TO WATCH EACH OTHER, TORTURED AND BUTCHERED BEFORE THEY WERE MURDERED. THEIR PAIN, THEIR STORIES. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE THEIR VOICE. AND I SAY THIS TO MEMBERS OF MY DISTRICT, IN WHICH THE LARGEST POPULATION OF JEWS IN HOUSTON RESIDE. MANY OF THEIR OWN FAMILIES ARE NOW OVERSEAS IN ISRAEL. I STAND WITH ISRAEL AND TO DEFEND THE RIGHT OF ISRAEL TO EXIST IN PEACE DOES NOT PRECLUDE OTHER NUANCED DEBATES. BUT THERE ARE THOSE THAT BELIEVE ISRAEL SHOULD NOT EXIST. AND THAT IS NOT UP FOR DEBATE. ISRAEL DOES EXIST AND THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL LIVE. BY THE SAME TOKEN, THERE ARE LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCES THAT THOUSANDS OF ISRAELIS THEMSELVES HAVE BEEN PROTESTING EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND FOR EIGHT MONTHS STRAIGHT IN THE NAME OF THEIR DEMOCRACY, BUT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING EXCUSES THE DEAFENING SILENCE OF OTHERS TO ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE YET TO CONDEMN THE ATROCITIES COMMITTED BY HAMAS. IT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. ANTISEMITISM IS NOT WELCOMED HERE TO ALL WHO HAVE SPOKEN OUT. FROM OUR PRESIDENT TO OUR MAYOR, WE SAY THANK YOU. I STAND WITH MY PRESIDENT AND MY COUNTRY. THIS WAS AN UNPRO UNPROVOKED ATTACK BY A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION THAT HIDES AND SHIELDS ITSELF BEHIND INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO ARE ALSO IN PAIN AND SUFFERING. FOR ANY JEW TO BE GLAD OF THE DEATHS OF INNOCENT CHILDREN IN GAZA IS ALSO UNACCEPTABLE. AND I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR THAT THIS FIGHT IS NOT WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY. MAYOR, I TOO WAS ON THE PHONE WITH OUR MUSLIM SCHOOLS, WITH OUR RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS, SPEAKING WITH THEM AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY FEEL SECURE. AND I APPRECIATE HPD AND YOUR SUPPORT IN THAT. THIS FIGHT IS AGAINST AN EVIL THAT HIDES BEHIND CHILDREN AND EMBEDS OPERATIONS IN SCHOOLS AND HOUSES OF WORSHIP. ISLAMOPHOBIA IS NOT WELCOMED HERE. AN ANTI-ARAB HATE IS NOT WELCOMED HERE. OVER 200, INCLUDING CHILDREN, ARE BEING HELD HOSTAGE IN THE NAME OF TERRORISM AND THAT EVIL IS SPREADING. A FEW DAYS AGO, MY LITTLE SISTER HELPED PUT UP POSTS IN, IN NEW YORK OF KIDNAPPED JEWISH CHILDREN IN HER FAMILIES. SHE WALKED 12 MILES AROUND THE CITY OF NEW YORK. A FEW DAYS LATER, EVERY SINGLE POSTER OF A CHILD HAD BEEN RIPPED DOWN. THEY CAN TRY TO ERASE THEIR NAMES OR TURN THIS ATROCITY ON ITS HEAD AS IF THIS IS SOMETHING TO BE CELEBRATED. BUT I HAVE ONE THING TO SAY TO THOSE WHO REFUSE THE BASIC HUMANITY OF CONDEMNING, TORTURE AND BUTCHERING, DRIVEN BY HATE, UM, YES, ISRAEL [03:35:01] HIGH. WE WILL NOT LET THE WORLD FORGET AND WE WILL NOT GIVE UP. WE WILL NOT ABANDON LITTLE BABIES, CHILDREN, MOTHERS, FATHERS, HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS WHO HAVE BEEN TAKEN HOSTAGE. WE WILL ALSO NOT GIVE INTO FEAR. WE WILL ALSO NOT GIVE INTO HATE, BUT WE WILL NOT GIVE UP, AND WE WILL BRING THE HOSTAGES HOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BEFORE WE TURN TO, UM, CAMERON, UH, COUNCILMAN SHABAZZ, I'M GONNA HAVE TO STEP OUT. I HAVE SPEAKING AT A PROGRAM AT 11 AT INDIA HOUSE, UM, UH, THIS MORNING. AND, UH, I WILL NOT BE HERE NEXT WEEK. UM, BUT IF YOU MISS ME, UM, YOU KNOW, SHE GONNA BEAT ME UP, MAN. SHE GONNA BEAT ME UP, YOU KNOW, BUT JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL, YOU KNOW, IF YOU MISS ME. . ALRIGHT, COUNCILMAN ELLEN AZZ, THE CITY SECRETARY . THANK YOU. MAYOR'S KINDA KINDA HARD TO GO AFTER COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. UM, MY HEART IS JUST VERY, VERY HEAVY, AS I'M SURE EVERYONE ELSE'S IS. UM, I WANNA THANK YOU MAYOR AND DIRECTOR ALLEN, UH, FOR THE 50 50 RIBBON CUTTING AT GRIMES PARK. CERTAINLY, IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT, UH, AND SO NEEDED TO UPGRADE THAT PARK. THIS IS A TRUE MODEL, HOW COLLABORATION IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY COMING FORWARD TO HELP DESIGN THE PROJECT, BUT WE CERTAINLY, AND WE ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO ALWAYS LET US KNOW WHAT IS NEEDED AND SUBMIT APPLICATIONS THAT IS WHAT WE DEPEND ON THE COMMUNITY FOR, SO THAT WE WILL, WE CAN MEET THEIR NEEDS. BUT CERTAINLY, UH, I'M VERY MUCH HA VERY HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THAT, UH, IDENTIFICATION OF THE PARK, AS WELL AS BEING THERE TO GIVE WORDS, UH, OF, OF JUST JOY REGARDING WHAT HAS COME TO FRUITION. AND AGAIN, I CANNOT THANK THE COMMUNITY MORE FOR THE ADVOCACY, UH, FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS, THEY HAVE WAITED ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND FINALLY HAS COME TO FRUITION. SO THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY. CERTAINLY. UM, I WAS A PART OF THE PAY IT FORWARD SCHOLARSHIP GALA, UH, FOR, UH, THE HBCU STUDENTS. I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THINGS THAT HELP OUR STUDENTS TO MOVE FORWARD. UH, ON THE 28TH OF OCTOBER, ST. JOHN'S CHURCH LOCATED AT 2019 CRAWFORD, WE'LL HAVE A DAY PARTY WITH A PURPOSE IS TO CELEBRATE AGING WELL FOR MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT. THANK YOU TO PASTOR TIFFANY CHANDLER AND REVEREND STEPHANIE WILKINS. THIS WILL BE ON SATURDAY FROM NOON TO TWO. THEN ON SATURDAY NIGHT, WE ARE GONNA HAVE A HALLOWEEN MOVIE NIGHT AT THE RIVERSIDE PARK, STARTING AT 6:00 PM WHICH IS 2,600 CALUMET. COME OUT WITH THE GULS AND THE GOBLINS, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME, UH, ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE MOVIE AND EATING UNTIL OUR STOMACH HURT. STOMACHS HURT PROBABLY IN ALL IN MOST INSTANCES. THEN ON TUESDAY THERE WILL BE A TRUNK OR TREAT, UH, CELEBRATION AT THE SOUTH CENTRAL SUBSTATION, WHICH IS 2202 SAINT EMANUEL, STARTING AT 6:00 PM SO COME OUT AND JOIN US ALSO ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER THE 29TH. THE ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY MERIT COMMUNITY FALL FESTIVAL. IT'S THEIR, UH, INAUGURAL FALL FESTIVAL WITH FOOD TRUCKS, THEME PARK RIDES, KID ZONES, MUSIC AT THE HISTORIC EMANCIPATION PARK, 30 18 EMANCIPATION. CERTAINLY, UH, COME OUT AND ENJOY THAT EVENT ON SUNDAY. UH, THEN THE SUNNYSIDE SOLAR FARM PROJECT. WE WILL HAVE A MEETING ON THURSDAY, SEP NOVEMBER THE SECOND. I GUESS I COULD WAIT TILL NEXT WEEK ON THAT TO REMIND PEOPLE. IT'S FROM SIX TO 7:30 PM AT ST. JAMES BAPTIST CHURCH. 34 0 7 BELFORD AVENUE. ALSO, WE WANNA CONTINUE IN, UH, ASK PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CAREER WORKER TRAINING PROGRAM, UH, WHICH WILL BE AT TEXAS SOUTHERN. THESE PROGRAMS WILL START TRAINING JANUARY THE 16TH. SO PLEASE REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE TO GET FURTHER INFORMATION. IT WILL HELP PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GET JOBS, AND THAT'S WHAT'S SO VERY IMPORTANT TO GET LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS. SO, THANK YOU. AND THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. I'M SORRY, THE TIME FOR THE COMMUNITY FALL FESTIVAL IS FROM NOON TO FOUR ON SUNDAY, AGAIN AT THE EMANCIPATION PARK. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS. UM, THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM. UM, THIS SATURDAY, ALL ACROSS THE CITY, UM, AT PARKS DEPARTMENT, RECREATION CENTERS, THERE WILL BE FAMILY FUN DAYS. AND, UM, ALIGNING THIS WITH, UM, THE, THE TECH CONNECT PROGRAM AT, AT FIVE OF THESE PARKS, UM, THAT WE'LL HAVE A TECH CONNECT [03:40:01] FAIR THAT WILL BE RUNNING FROM, UM, 11 TILL ONE O'CLOCK. THAT WILL BE HAPPENING AT CLARK COMMUNITY CENTER, INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY CENTER, LINCOLN PARK, UH, CENTER, MELROSE COMMUNITY CENTER, AND MOODY COMMUNITY CENTER. SO, UM, FIVE SIMULTANEOUS TECH CONNECT FAIRS, UM, FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY, UM, WHERE, UH, KIDS AND ADULTS WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, EXPERIENCE SOME REAL HIGH TOUCH HANDS-ON, UM, EXPERIENCES WITH, WITH, UM, SOME POOL, UH, TECH DEVICES. PLEASE COME. IT'S FREE AND IT'S FUN, AND IT'S THIS WEEKEND. UM, AND THEN I, I ALSO WANTED TO JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, HOW PROUD I AM OF THE ASTROS. YES, THE LOSS WAS, WAS DISAPPOINTING, BUT, BUT I'M PROUD OF THEM FOR REACHING, UM, GAME SEVEN IN THE, OF THE A LCS FOR THE SEVENTH TIME IN A ROW. IT'S AMAZING. UM, AND I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, BUT NEXT SPRING I'M GOING TO SPRING TRAINING AND I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CHEERING FOR THEM AND SUPPORTING THEM THERE. NO, JUST SPRING TRAINING, NOT EVEN THE BEACH I'M GOING TO, I'M GONNA GO TO, UH, GAMES EVERY DAY. , THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. AND, UH, I STAND WITH MY FRIENDS AND COHORTS, AMY AND ABBY ON THIS ISSUE, AND ALSO MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, DAVID AND JAY, AND FRED AND BARBARA AND JEFFREY AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. I GET TO DO THE COOLEST THING THAT I'VE DONE IN A WHILE THIS WEEK. AND THAT IS I WAKE UP MY LITTLE GRAND BABIES, TWO OF 'EM AT AROUND SIX O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, AND MY WIFE AND I GET 'EM DRESSED AND FEED THEM AND PLAY WITH THEM. AND, UM, MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW'S OUT OF TOWN. SO WE'RE THE BABYSITTERS FOR THE WEEK. AND THEN AT FOUR 15 I GO HELP HER PICK 'EM UP AND GET 'EM HOME AND FEED 'EM AND BATHE THEM. AND IT'S WONDERFUL. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT MOMS AND DADS DO. 'CAUSE I'M A GRANDFATHER AND A DAD IN SITUATIONS LIKE THAT WHERE THEIR BABIES ARE RIPPED FROM 'EM. THEY'RE THE MOST INNOCENT OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE WORLD. ALL THEY DO IS SMILE. ALL THEY DO IS LAUGH. ALL THEY DO IS LOVE. KIDS, CHILDREN. WHAT A TRAVESTY. VICE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR PROTI. I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS HAPPENING, UM, IN DISTRICT A ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER THE 28TH FROM 11 TO 7:00 PM UH, WE WILL BE HOSTING OUR 11TH ANNUAL WILLOW WATER HOLE MUSIC FEST. UM, SO IF YOU ARE AVAILABLE ON SATURDAY, UM, YOU WON'T WANNA MISS, UM, SOME OF THE GREAT BANDS, UM, EVEN, UH, SOME OF OUR WESTBURY HIGH SCHOOL, KINDER H-S-P-V-A, MEYER MIDDLE SCHOOL, UM, JAZZY B INTOUCH, UM, SANTANA BRAXTON FEATURING MARK TOWN. SO THERE'LL BE SOME PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS AS WELL AS, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO HIGHLIGHT OUR, UM, SCHOOL MUSICIANS AS WELL. AND AGAIN, THAT'S SATURDAY FROM 11 TO 7:00 PM DO WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE ABOUT THE POSE AND PINK EVENT THAT IS HAPPENING ON MONDAY, OCTOBER THE 30TH FROM 6:30 PM UNTIL 8:00 PM AT THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER. THIS IS OUR SALUTE TO SURVIVORS. UM, WE'LL BE, UM, HAVING A POSE IN PINK YOGA CLASS. AND I HOPE THAT, UM, YOU WILL REGISTER AND ATTEND. THERE'LL BE LOTS OF SURPRISES. IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF FUN. UM, AND JUST A, A REMINDER OF THE IMPORTANCE OF, UM, OUR MAMMOGRAMS AND, UH, BREAST HEALTH. UM, THEN I WANT TO CONGRATULATE LONGTIME RESIDENT ALAMEDA CRAWFORD, THE MOTHER OF, UH, RHONDA ARNOLD. SHE'S A LEGENDARY EDUCATOR. SHE'S, UM, TAUGHT, UH, IN FORT BEND ISD FOR 30 YEARS. SHE HAD A SCHOOL NAMED IN HER HONOR THIS PAST WEEKEND. UM, I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT A PROCLAMATION IN HER HONOR, UM, IN FORT BEND, ISD UH, SHE TAUGHT FOR 30 YEARS, AND THE PRINCIPAL SAID THAT SHE HAS PROBABLY TOUCHED THE LIVES OF OVER 8,000 STUDENTS OVER THOSE 30 YEARS, WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO 11% OF THE POPULATION OF STUDENTS THAT ARE REGISTERED IN FORT BEND, ISD. SO, UM, WE CONGRATULATE ALAMEDA CRAWFORD ON THE NAMING OF THE HIGH SCHOOL IN FORT BEND, ISD AND THEN MARK YOUR CALENDARS. DECEMBER 16TH WILL BE THE GRAND OPENING OF THE DR. SHANNON WALKER, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY. WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE SPECIFIC TIME, BUT WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT ON EVERYONE'S CALENDARS. AND THEN FINALLY, WANT TO CONGRATULATE, UH, SPARK PARK'S OWN KATHLEEN TINSLEY OBE. IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE DEDICATION AT THE WILLOW WATER HOLE, IT'S [03:45:01] ENTITLED FLOWERS FOR A LADY. UM, THE ARTIST, UH, THAT CREATED THIS PIECE DID A PHENOMENAL JOB. UH, WANT TO, UH, THANK HER FOR HER GREAT WORK. UH, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL GET TO THE WILLOW WATER HOLE SOON TO SEE THIS NEW INSTALLATION. IT IS SIMPLY PHENOMENAL AND WE ANTICIPATE IT IS GOING TO BE, UM, INSTAGRAM PHOTOS ALL OVER, UM, FOR EVERYONE TO SEE. SO, UM, GO TO THE WILLOW WATER HOLE MUSIC FESTIVAL, AND NOT ONLY WILL YOU ENJOY GREAT MUSIC, BUT YOU'LL ALSO GET TO SEE FLOWERS FOR A LADY, UM, BY HER LAST NAME IS, UH, TORO. I'M SORRY, I FORGOT THIS. ROSE TORO. ROSA. LINDA ROSA. LINDA ROSE TORO. YES. ROSE TERO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS WAS THERE WITH US AT THE, UM, DEDICATION OF THAT INSTALLATION. AND IT IS JUST AN HONOR OF, UM, KATHLEEN OSBY FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT SHE DOES WITH SPARK PARK, UM, FOR US THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY, AND THANK YOU. AND WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR, UM, OUR COHORTS, UM, ED AND, UM, CARLA ON THE PASSING OF THEIR RESPECTIVE MOTHERS. AND WE PRAY FOR A SUCCESSFUL SURGERY FOR MICHAEL KUBOSH AND SPEEDY RECOVERY. AND WITH THAT, WE'LL ADJOURN THIS MEETING. * 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.