[00:00:04]
I'M COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM THE ANNA RUSSELL COUNCIL CHAMBER.
I'M ABOUT TO READ THE DESCRIPTION, OUR CAPTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR THE WEEK, JANUARY 17TH, 2024.
ITEM ONE, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF THE BOTTOM INDIVIDUAL TO THE HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
ITEM TWO, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON AIRPORT ASSISTANT FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $1,034,017 AND 92 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH EASY DEMOLITIONS AND UNDERGROUND LLC.
ITEM THREE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON AIRPORT ASSISTANT FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $1,490,900 AND 35 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE WORK ON CONTRACT WITH ISI CONTRACTING INC.
ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM FOR APPROVAL OF FILING CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $4,103,003 AND 14 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH LEE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE COMPANY D-B-A-L-M-C CORPORATION.
ITEM FIVE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $12,338,303 AND 51 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH MAINLAND INDUSTRY LTD.
RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $29,316,226 AND 74 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE WORK ON CONTRACT WITH HARPER BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION LLC ITEM SEVEN.
RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $1,097,217 AND 43 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE WORK ON CONTRACT WITH THE JFT CONSTRUCTION INC.
ITEM EIGHT, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $8,654,392 AND 70 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH THE DCE CONSTRUCTION INC.
ITEM NINE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $16,734,245 AND 70 CENTS AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH FUSED INDUSTRIES LLC ITEM 10, DW IN INDUSTRIES INC.
ITEM 11 APPROVED SPENDING IN 30 IN THE AMOUNT OF $109,929 AND NO CENTS FOR PURCHASE INSTALLATION OF AN EQUIPMENT RACK AND AUDIO VISUAL SYSTEMS THROUGH THE BIBLE PURCHASING C AGREEMENT FOR THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AWARDED TO FORD AUDIO VIDEO SYSTEMS LLC ITEM 12, COBURN COBURN SUPPLY COMPANY INC.
FOR PURCHASE OF FIRE HYDRANT WRENCHES.
ITEM 13 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $9 MILLION AND NO CENTS FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF NUCLEAR POLYMER FLOCCULENT AWARD TOINE INC.
ITEM 14, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 20 23 11 53 SETTING A HEARING REGARDING JUST AND REASONABLE RETAIL GAS RATES OF CENTER POINT ENERGY, HOUSTON RESOURCES CORP DBA CENTER POINT ENERGY IN TEXAS CENTER POINT ENERGY, TEXAS GAS ITEM 15 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUB SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CAREER AND RECOVERY RESOURCES INC.
ITEM 16 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND SER JOBS FOR PROGRESS OF THE TEXAS GULF COAST INC.
ITEM 17 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $3,422,002 AND NO CENTS OUT OF AIRPORTS RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT FUND AWARDING CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO JLA CONSTRUCTION SOLUTIONS LLC.
ITEM 18 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $877,000 AND NO CENTS OUT OF PUBLIC HEALTH CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND FOR THE DESIGN BILL CONTRACT WITH ANSLOW BRYAN CONSTRUCTION, LTD ITEM 19 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $11,380,000 NO CENTS OUT OF POLICE CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AND $10,700,000 AND NO CENTS.
I CONTRIBUTED CAPITAL PROJECT FUND FOR THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK CONTRACT WITH CHRISTENSEN BUILDING GROUP LLC ITEM 20, ORDINANCE WINNING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 22 1 49 PAST FEBRUARY 23RD, 2022 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR CONTRACT FOR THE BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL INC.
ITEM 21 ORDINANCE SUBMITTING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 26 7 7 PAST AUGUST 5TH, 2020 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT BETWEEN FOR CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ACCURATE MEDIA AND BACKFLOW LLC ITEM 22 ORDINANCE SUBMITTING ORDINANCE 20 22 8 21 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND FORD AUDIO VIDEO SYSTEMS LLC ITEM 23.
ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 20 21 4 99 PAST JUNE 16TH, 2021 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT BETWEEN THE CITY OF FUSION AND DELL MARKETING.
LP ITEM 24 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE WEST SIDE OF THE 5,300 BLOCK OF CALHOUN ROAD BETWEEN RIVERSIDE TREE PARK LANE AND NORTH
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ROSE NEED DRIVE.ITEM 25, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 20 23 8 38 CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 20.229 ACRES OF LAND TO SPRING WEST MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT.
ITEM 26 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,824,246 90 CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND BLACK AND VE CORPORATION.
THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF JANUARY 17TH, 2024.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND THE WORDS OUR CURRENT CITY SECRETARY.
DANIEL, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED.
HAVE A BLESSED AND FANTABULOUS DAY.
[INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
I'M CALLING THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER THIS TIME.THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PECK FOR THE INVOCATION.
UM, CHAPLAIN PONTE, IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME UP.
RICHARD PONTE IS A 20 YEAR VETERAN OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT HOLDING THE RANK OF CAPTAIN AND CURRENTLY SERVING AS THE CHAPLAIN, A ROLE IN WHICH HE PASSIONATELY CARES FOR THE SPIRITUAL, EMOTIONAL, MENTAL AND PHYSICAL NEEDS OF ACTIVE RETIRED AND NON-CLASSIFIED MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
PRIOR TO JOINING HFD CAP CHAPLAIN PONCY SERVED AS AN ACTIVE DUTY UNITED STATES MARINE WITH THE MARINE AVIATION LOGISTICS, SQUADRON 39 AND THE MARINE LIGHT ATTACK HELICOPTER SQUADRON 1 69.
HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1999.
HE ENJOYS SPENDING TIME WITH HIS WIFE JENNIFER, AND THEIR AMAZING DAUGHTER HANNAH.
HE ALSO ENJOYS WORKING OUT IN HIS STEADFAST ON BEING A WELL-ROUNDED SERVANT LEADER.
CHAPLAIN PONTE HOLDS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN RELIGION AND IS A SEMINARIAN PURSUING A MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE IN CHAPLAINCY AND MINISTRY CARE.
FROM DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.
CHAPLAIN PONTE IS AN ORDAINED AND LICENSED MINISTER THROUGH THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION AND HOUSTON'S FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
HE IS ALSO CERTIFIED THROUGH THE FEDERATION OF FIRE CHAPLAINS AND HAS EXPERIENCED IN NUMEROUS CRISIS INTERVENTION OPERATIONS WHERE HE CONTINUES TO LEARN.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE PROCEED WITH THE INVOCATION.
ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR FIRE CHIEF, THANK FOR ALLOWING ME STEP THE MIC, GET IN FRONT OF A MIC.
SIR, ONE HIS PHONE RIGHT THERE.
ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR FIRE CHIEF, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE.
IF YOU'LL PLEASE JOIN ME IN PRAYER.
LORD, WE COME TO YOU WITH SOFT HEARTS AND OPEN ARMS. I ASK THAT YOU WOULD PROTECT ALL OF THOSE THAT ARE WORKING OUTSIDE IN THE ELEMENTS TODAY.
I ASK THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THIS BODY, LORD, AND THEIR FAMILIES.
WOULD YOU GUIDE THEM AND LEAD THEM? AND LORD, AS YOUR BUSINESS IS BEING DONE, FATHER GOD, MAY WE ALWAYS REMAIN FOCUSED ON YOUR COMMANDMENT, WHICH IS TO LOVE YOU WITH ALL OUR HEART, SOUL IN MIND, AND TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELF AND YOUR SON'S.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, PUBLIC SERVICE.
WILL YOU PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE FLAG, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO REPUBLIC, WHICH STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR MEMBERS.
IF I, UH, COULD TAKE A MOMENT TO REINFORCE WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW, HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE TO LIVE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, WE HAVE OUR CHALLENGES, BUT THE, UH, DISPLAY OF UNITY OVER THE LAST, UH, THREE DAYS.
THE SUPPORT OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, UH, WAS JUST REMARKABLE.
WE GOT THROUGH THE ARCTIC FRONT WITHOUT ANY TRAFFIC, WEATHER RELATED ACCIDENTS.
UM, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, INCLUDING MOST OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, JUST SHOWED REMARKABLE RESILIENCE AND COMMITMENT TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE.
UH, CERTAINLY FIRING POLICE, HOMELAND SECURITY, THE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, PARKS, HEALTH.
I'VE SPENT MANY HOURS WITH THEM AND THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE PUBLIC, UH, MAKES ALL OF US PROUD.
UH, A REPORT THIS MORNING, WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 2000 PEOPLE SHOWED UP AT OUR WARMING CENTERS, UM, THEIR DEBIL THIS MORNING AS WE TALK, BUT NO ONE WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE IF THEY DO NOT HAVE A, AN EXIT PLAN AND A SUPPORT SYSTEM.
[00:10:01]
UM, THE ISSUE NOW IS GONNA BE THE FROZEN PIPES.PUBLIC WORKS IS PREPARED TO ASSIST IN CUTTING OFF WATER, UH, TO PREVENT DAMAGE.
SO THEY'VE INCREASED THEIR PERSONNEL.
THEY'VE ALSO BEEN ASKED TO BE VERY SENSITIVE TO WATER BILLS, TO IF THERE IS SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF WATER THAT THEY WILL ASSIST AND GO FOR THE LOWEST BILL THAT, UH, RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES RECEIVED THIS YEAR.
THEY'RE REALLY DOING A GOOD JOB, AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR, UH, COMMITMENTS ON A REAL EXCITING MOMENT, WE NEED TO ALL BE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR TEXANS FOOTBALL TEAM.
THAT'S WHERE THE, WE'RE FORTUNATE TO LIVE IN HOUSTON.
WHEN YOU WATCH THE WEATHER UP NORTH, UH, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE AND NEED TO BRAG ABOUT OUR, OUR WEATHER, EXCEPT IN AUGUST AND PROBABLY JANUARY.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, HOUSTON FIRST WILL HAVE A FAN FESTIVAL AT ONE 30 SATURDAY.
KICKOFF IS AT THREE 30, BUT A WATCH PARTY WILL BE HELD BY HOUSTON FIRST AT THE PLAZA, AL THETE, UH, THERE AT THE GEORGE BROWN NEAR DISCOVERY GREEN.
SO LET'S ALL, UH, GET EXCITED ABOUT THE TEXANS.
UH, CERTAINLY CITY EMPLOYEES, I WAS ASKED, I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY NEED PERMISSION, BUT CERTAINLY THEY HAVE ALL OF OUR PERMISSION TO WEAR TEXAN, UH, CLOTHING, COLORS AND CLOTHING ON FRIDAY.
WITH THAT SAID, UH, LET'S GO COUNCIL MEMBER TALK.
UH, I JUST WANNA JOIN WITH YOU IN YOUR COMMENTS RELATED TO THE FREEZE, UM, ESPECIALLY, UH, THE LEVEL OF, UH, COMMUNICATION FROM YOUR ADMINISTRATION REGARDING THE WARMING CENTERS.
I WAS, UH, VERY PLEASED TO KNOW I APPRECIATE THOSE TYPE OF DETAILS IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF HOUSTONIANS WE'RE ABLE TO SERVE.
UM, SO I I, I APPRECIATE THAT, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PUT OUR HANDS ON A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS AND JUST AN AS, AS AN ASIDE, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE WARMING SITERS ON THE WEST SIDE, UM, FROM THE CITY.
I KNOW WE DO NOT, THE ALEY, UM, EXCUSE ME.
THE YMCA WAS SO, UH, GRACIOUS OPENING UP THEIR LOCATIONS.
UM, UM, WE HAD TWO IN, UH, IN AND NEAR DISTRICT F.
BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, UH, I JUST APPRECIATE, UH, THAT LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION.
MY NOTES WAS TO THANK OUR PARTNERS, THE FAITH COMMUNITY, THE A EAF YMCA LOCATION, UH, SALVATION ARMY.
YES, JUST REALLY, ONCE AGAIN, HOUSTONIANS CAME TOGETHER TO, UH, SERVE THE PUBLIC AND, UH, I DID THE VERY BEST I COULD TO CONTINUE, UH, TO INCLUDE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I'LL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT.
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF WARMING CENTERS OPEN AT THE REQUEST OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO THE STAFFING CONSIDERATIONS WERE A MAJOR IMPORTANCE.
BUT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, I WAS OUT AT THE ACRES HOME MULTI SERVICE CENTER LAST NIGHT, ABOUT SIX, AND THE EMPLOYEES HAD BEEN THERE SINCE SIX YESTERDAY MORNING.
BUT AT THE EMERGENCY CENTER, WE HAD PEOPLE WORKING, OBVIOUSLY, AROUND THE CLOCK, AND OUR LEADERSHIP WAS IN PLACE.
AND, UH, I, I WAS JUST REALLY PLEASED AND, AND LIKE I SAID, WE'RE FORTUNATE TO LIVE IN HOUSTON WHERE WE CAN, UH, DEAL WITH CHALLENGES AND PROTECT THE PUBLIC.
AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
AND I JUST WANNA, UH, ECHO, UH, WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS SAID, BUT ALSO, UH, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MAYOR, BECAUSE, UM, THERE WERE ONLY ABOUT A HALF A DOZEN, UH, WARMING CENTERS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE REACHING OUT TO YOU AND YOUR ADMINISTRATION, UH, ARE OPEN TO ENSURING THAT WE DOUBLED, ALMOST TRIPLED THE, THOSE WARMING CENTERS.
AND IF IT'S ONE LIFE THAT WAS SAVED, I THINK IT IS DEFINITELY WORLD WORTH IT.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND, UH, TO THE COLLEAGUES AS WELL.
JUST, YOU KNOW, WORKING TOGETHER.
I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT SAFETY IS THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND THE CITY IS, UH, IS ALWAYS LOOKED AT FIRST AND FOREMOST.
THE, THE REAL NEAT THING FROM MY VANTAGE POINT, THE LAST THREE DAYS WAS JUST WATCH PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER.
WE WERE ALL HOUSTONIANS SEPARATED, ANY PARTISAN DIVISION OR ANY OTHER DIFFERENCES THAT WE RESPECTFULLY HAVE.
WE WERE JUST WITH ONE VOICE OVER THE WEEKEND AND ASKING HOUSTONIANS TO
[00:15:01]
TAKE OUR ADVICE TO OFF THE ROADS.SO I WAS OBVIOUSLY PLEASED THAT HISD CLOSED.
UH, CAN'T BELIEVE IT BECAME A CONTROVERSY LAST NIGHT, BUT WE DID OUR JOB AND GAVE THE BEST ADVICE.
UH, WE, WE COULDN'T BE FROM A CITY STANDPOINT ASKING PEOPLE TO STAY OFF THE ROADS AND THEN OTHER, UH, ENTITIES ASKING THEM TO, TO SHOW UP.
SO ANYWAY, WE GOT THROUGH THIS ONE.
IT WAS, IT WAS CHALLENGING, BUT I SURE GIVE THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND, AND ITS COUNCIL AND, AND MAYOR PASSING GRADES ON THIS, UH, CHALLENGE.
WE, WE MET THE CHALLENGE AND WE OWE IT TO OUR CITY EMPLOYEES THAT WERE REALLY THE FRONT LINE OF PROTECTING THE PUBLIC.
UM, JUST TO PUT IT IN CONTEXT, IT WASN'T JUST THE FREEZE.
WE WENT FROM HAVING TO MANAGE, WHICH IS GREAT, A TEXANS PLAYOFF GAME TO THE MARATHON WHERE OEM, ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, FIRST RESPONDERS, UM, PUBLIC WORKS, YOU NAME IT, HAS ALREADY STOOD UP.
SO THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND, AND THEN WE ENTER THE FREEZE.
UH, WHEN I WAS AT OEM, WE HAD NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS THAT HAD BEEN THERE FOR OVER TWO DAYS, SLEEPING IN HALLWAYS THAT WERE STILL THERE, READY TO GET BACK TO WORK.
UH, BARK WAS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, ADDRESSING, QUITE FRANKLY, ABUSED ANIMALS THAT WERE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD.
UH, THEY WERE WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND ORGANIZATIONS MAY OR HOMELESS, UH, OUTREACH TEAMS. UH, AND MARK DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB AHEAD OF TIME REACHING OUT TO THOSE THAT MAY BE VULNERABLE TO GET THEM THE INFORMATION.
THE 3 1 1 COORDINATION WITH ZTRIP TO GET FREE RIDES FOR PEOPLE.
UM, EVERY DEPARTMENT STAFFED THE WARMING CENTERS.
SO IT WASN'T JUST PARKS, IT WASN'T JUST GSD.
EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT PITCHED IN AND HAD PERSONNEL, NOT WITH THEIR FAMILIES DURING THE FREEZE, BUT AT OUR WARMING CENTERS.
SO OUR APPRECIATION GOES TO ALL OF THEM.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY, I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT ALSO TO PUBLIC WORKS, BECAUSE THEY WERE OUT THERE WITH OUR PARTNERS AT TXDOT AND AT THE COUNTY, AND I WANNA THANK THE COUNTY FOR PARTNERING AS WELL.
UM, BUT PUBLIC WORKS WAS ADDRESSING ANY PIPE BREAK THAT WE REPORTED.
THEY WERE OUT THERE REPAIRING, UM, AND WE ARE JUST SO GRATEFUL TO THEM.
SO, AGAIN, A LOT OF EMPLOYEES OUT IN THE ELEMENTS AND BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ALL SAFE.
AND I WANNA, LASTLY, THANK ALL HOUSTONIANS THAT HEATED THE CALLS, UM, WHETHER IT WAS LISTENING TO FIRE DEPARTMENT AND CHIEF PENA ASKING TO BE SAFE WHILE HEATING.
I KNOW WE HAD A FEW CARBON MONOXIDE ISSUES, UM, AND FIRES, BUT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE, AND PEOPLE STAYED OFF THE ROADS.
SO AGAIN, TO ALL HOUSTONIANS, THANK YOU.
AND MAYOR, THANK YOU TO YOUR TEAM FOR THE LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT ON THIS ONE.
AND WE COULD SPEND THE REST OF THE MORNING WITH SHOUT OUTS, UH, TO THE COUNTY.
COMMISSIONER BRIANIS OPENING BAY WAS A REALLY GREAT PARTNERSHIP, AND I WANT TO GIVE HER A STRONG SHOUT OUT.
UH, YOU'RE RIGHT, BARK AND, UH, TO REMIND INDIVIDUALS.
'CAUSE WE STILL HAVE FRIGID WEATHER TODAY, THAT THERE IS A STATE LAW THAT YOU CANNOT LEAVE YOUR PETS UNATTENDED AND BARK MADE, UH, NUMEROUS RESCUES.
UH, THE, THE PER THE LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE THAT I OBSERVED FROM ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES WAS, WAS VERY SATISFYING.
AND IT JUST SHOWS, AGAIN, AS I START OUT, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO LIVE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, WHERE WE SAW A CHALLENGE WE PREPARED.
JUST, THERE'S SO MUCH GOING IN MY WORLD SINCE I WAS OUT THERE AT SIX O'CLOCK.
UH, AND, UH, WE'VE MADE A VERY TOUGH CALL.
AND, UH, LEMME GIVE SUSAN CHRISTIAN A SHOUT OUT.
I'VE WORKED WITH SUSAN IN HER CAPACITY FOR YEARS, BUT, UM, SHE IS AS TOUGH AS, UM, I THOUGHT SHE WAS, UH, WE HANDLED THE MARTIN LUTHER KING PARADES AND MADE RESPONSIBLE DECISION THERE AS, AS AS TIME ALLOWED.
SO, UH, I WAS, I WAS PLEASED I'D HAVE A HARD TIME TELLING YOU WHO COULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB.
WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER, WE KNOW THAT.
I THINK WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO LIVE IN HOUSTON.
AND I'LL RECOGNIZE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON AT THIS TIME.
UM, AND I JUST WANT TO JOIN MY COLLEAGUES IN COMMENDING YOU AND YOUR ADMINISTRATION ON THE, YOU KNOW, HIGH LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION WITH, UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, THERE WAS A, A OUTCRY OF, UM, FROM THE COMMUNITY
[00:20:01]
WANTING TO OPEN UP UP ANOTHER CENTER.UM, WE RECEIVED, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL NOS, BUT YOU GUYS REEVALUATED THE SITUATION AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE NORTHEAST MULTI-SERVICE CENTER OPEN.
AND SO JUST WANNA APPRECIATE YOU, UM, DIRECTOR WILLIAM, UM, UM, UM, CHIEF CENTER, YOU KNOW, FOR REACHING OUT AND JUST, YOU KNOW, COMING UP WITH A WAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
ALSO, WHY I'M, I'M GIVING THANKS.
I WANNA THANK, UM, PASTOR DECKER GREENHOUSE INTERNATIONAL CHURCH FOR OPENING HIS CHURCH AND, UM, PASTOR GENTRY WITH, UM, COMMUNITY WORK, CDC.
AND SO AGAIN, IT WAS A, A JOINT EFFORT WITH ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, UM, COMMUNITY, FAITH-BASED, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE, MAKE THROUGH THIS SITUATION, UM, FAIRLY.
WELL, LET ME THANK YOU AND OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR REACHING OUT TO ME.
AND, AND IT HAD RESULTS 'CAUSE WE DID OPEN ADDITIONAL WARMING CENTERS.
AFTER HEARING FROM YOU, I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW I'M A PHONE CALL AWAY.
WE REPRESENT THE SAME INDIVIDUALS.
SO, UH, DAY OR NIGHT, ROUND THE CLOCK YOU CALL ME.
I'M, I'VE, I'M STILL PUTTING A GREAT TEAM TOGETHER OF PUBLIC SERVANTS.
AND SO, UH, I'M, I'M PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME.
AND THE NORTHEAST WARMING CENTER WAS A DIRECT RESPONSE OF YOUR CALL AND A LEAVE AND MAGNOLIA.
UH, WE STARTED OUT LISTENING TO THE CHIEFS AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHAT WE THOUGHT WOULD COVER HOUSTON.
AND, UM, I THOUGHT WE CARRIED OUT A GREAT MISSION, BUT IT WAS FROM THE INPUT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL.
SPEAKING OF COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR PROTE, CASICK TATUM.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING TO THE CONVERSATION AS, UH, WHILE WE WERE LOOKING AT THE COVERAGE IN, IN DISTRICT K, I DO APPRECIATE THE YMCA MM-HMM.
UM, FOR OPENING UP THEIR FACILITIES TO, UM, GIVE US COVERAGE.
BUT ONE OF THE CONCERNS WITH THE MULTIPURPOSE CENTER IN, UM, DISTRICT K IS THERE WAS NOT A BACKUP GENERATOR ON THAT FACILITY.
SO THE, UH, RESIDENTS IN K COULD GO TO THE SUNNYSIDE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE A BACKUP GENERATOR.
I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW WHICH, UM, MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS ACTUALLY HAD OR HAVE, UM, BACKUP GENERATORS.
BECAUSE IF WE ARE GOING TO BE EXPERIENCING THIS TYPE OF EXTREME WEATHER MORE FREQUENTLY, UM, THIS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT.
UM, WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT BUDGETS, WE, UH, WE'LL HAVE A FOLLOW UP ACTION REPORT, AND THAT'LL BE INCLUDED.
ONE LAST THING WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND, AND, AND I'VE BEEN IN PUBLIC SERVICE MY WHOLE ADULT LIFE.
JUST HOW EXCITED PEOPLE ARE TO SEE THEIR PUBLIC SERVANTS IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND RESPONDING.
UH, WE HAD OUR PRESS CONFERENCE AND A STATUS REPORT IN DENVER HARBOR, WHAT DAY WAS IT?
TUESDAY, THE, WHEN WE WERE REALLY REPORTING TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THEY'RE JUST SO EXCITED THAT, THAT SOMEONE CARED ENOUGH TO GO INTO THE COMMUNITY AS, AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF.
SO IT'S JUST ALWAYS REFRESHER COURSE TO JUST SEE WHEN WE'RE IN THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE JUST WANT TO SEE THAT THEIR GOVERNMENT IS LISTENING TO 'EM AND WORKING.
AND, AND THAT MISSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED THIS WEEKEND.
BUT LIKE WITH THAT SAID, LET'S, LET'S GO TO WORK.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR THE, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAD.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAD AN HISTORICAL DAY ON MONDAY, WHICH WAS THE MARTIN LUTHER KING PARADE DAY.
AND, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE POSITION TO POSTPONE IT DUE TO THE SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS.
UH, WE KNOW THAT'S AN HISTORICAL EVENT THAT GOES ON EACH, YOU KNOW, YEAR.
AND HOPEFULLY, UM, THAT DECISION WILL BE MADE THAT WE COULD PROBABLY FIND AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMBINE THAT, YOU KNOW, INTO ONE.
AND HOPEFULLY WE GOING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, WE COULD COME TO SOME RESOLUTION ON THAT.
BUT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE POSITION, UM, IN, IN REGARDS TO THE, THE FIRST RESPONDERS, YOU KNOW, UM, CONCERNED FOR THE CITIZENS DUE TO VERY LOW TEMPERATURES AND THAT WE DID THAT.
BUT TO POSTPONE IT AND LOOK FORWARD TO THAT COMING UP IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.
AND CERTAINLY OUR HOPE THAT THE FACT THAT WE HAD NO FATALITIES ON THE HIGHWAYS IS A GOOD SIGN FOR HOUSTON IN THE YEAR 2024.
UH, PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF HOUSTONIANS WILL ALWAYS BE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.
AND I'LL BE GLAD TO DELEGATE, UH, THE ASSIGNMENT TO YOU TO TRY TO BRING THOSE PARADES TOGETHER BECAUSE PASTOR GOOD.
PASTOR
BUT LET ME JUST TELL YOU, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
WE'RE GONNA BE, WE'RE GONNA DELIBERATE ON THAT AND BRING THE STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER AND MAKE A SMART DECISION.
IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE, THE BABIES THAT WERE BEING ASKED BY SOME
[00:25:01]
TO GO OUT IN SINGLE DIGIT CHILL FACTOR, UH, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.AND QUITE FRANKLY, OVERALL CITY RESOURCES HAVE TO BE APPROPRIATELY USED.
IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, THE SMART THING TO DO, AND WE HAD THE RIGHT OUTCOME.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR CALL.
[9:00 AM - ROLL CALL]
GO TO WORK WITH A ROLL CALL.UH, CITY SECRETARY PASS FOR A MOTION ON THE MINUTES.
YOUR FIRST, LET'S DO A ROLL CALL.
COUNCILMAN EVAN SHABAZZ? HERE.
COUNCILMAN CASTEX TATUM? HERE.
[ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING]
TO DELAY THE MINUTES.[MISCELLANEOUS]
ITEM ONE, THE APPOINTMENT OF JAY ZEIDMAN TO CHAIR HOUSTON.FIRST ITEM ONE NEEDS A MOTION.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION? MOTION CARRIES.
JAY, UH, MR. ZIMAN, UH, I RECOGNIZE YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO, OR YOU CAN GO TO WORK.
WE RUN PROPERLY AND, UH, I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOUR, YOUR COMMITMENT, YOUR SKILL LEVEL.
UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, THANKS TO JAY.
I KNOW WE'RE A LOT OF THINGS WERE HAPPENING YESTERDAY, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE A TEAMS MEETING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CAST AS WELL.
UH, JUST WANNA WELCOME YOUR ENERGY, YOUR EXPERIENCE, UH, AND YOU, YOU KNOW, HOUSTON FIRST, JUST KNOW THAT, UH, DISTRICT I, UH, WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU SERVE AS WELL.
COUNCIL COUNCILMAN? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR CAMAN.
I'M, I'M GONNA SAY JAY, NOT MR. ZEIDMAN.
UH, JAY, YOU HAVE SERVED THE CITY IN MANY CAPACITIES, BOTH, BOTH FORMALLY, UH, BUT ALSO INFORMALLY BEHIND THE SCENES, WORKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS, WORKING WITH MAYORS, UH, WORKING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, I KNOW YOUR FAMILY COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, BUT I KNOW THAT A VILLAGE, UH, STANDS BEHIND YOU IN SUPPORT OF YOU.
UH, AND THEY ARE EVERYTHING TO YOU.
SO I ALSO WANNA JUST TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THEM, BUT TO THANK YOU, NOT ONLY FOR YOUR PRIOR SERVICE, YOUR PARTNERSHIP, YOUR FRIENDSHIP, BUT ALSO, UH, WHAT YOU'RE STEPPING INTO, UH, AT THE HELM OF HOUSTON.
I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CARE DEEPLY ABOUT, NOT JUST HOUSTON FIRST, BUT OUR CITY.
SO, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT, FOR YOUR PASSION, UM, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOU WHERE YOU ARE.
I KNOW THERE'S MORE TO COME, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP IN YOUR SERVICE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP.
UH, COUNCIL MAYOR, PRO MAYOR PROTI, CAST STATE, THANK YOU MAYOR.
UH, WE HAD A GREAT MEETING LAST WEEK, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE YOU STANDING HERE, UM, READY TO MOVE TO THE HELM OF HOUSTON.
UM, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF WHAT WE DO AT HOUSTON, FIRST ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS CRITICAL AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND I LOVED WHAT YOU SAID IN OUR MEETING THAT YOU'RE READY, UM, WITH BOLD IDEAS.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING FOR BOLD IDEAS, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL THAT WE DO FOR HOUSTON FIRST WILL REALLY, UH, BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL OF US IN HOUSTON.
AND I KNOW YOU'LL BRING THAT SEVEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ON THE BOARD NOW TO THE HELM.
UH, AND WE HAVE GREAT THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO AS YOU JOIN, UH, WITH, UH, THE TEAM AT HOUSTON.
FIRST, TO CONTINUE MAKING IT THE BEST FOR ALL OF US.
COUNCILMAN, UH, CASTILE, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND CONGRATULATIONS.
IT WAS GREAT TO VISIT WITH YOU YESTERDAY.
AND I, AND I WANT THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE HOUSTON IN THIS CAPACITY.
IT IS SO IMPORTANT, AND YOU BRING A GREAT SET OF EXPERIENCE AND SKILL SETS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, UM, DURING YOUR TIME,
[00:30:01]
AND I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA DO GREAT THINGS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.ANYONE ELSE? CERTAINLY I'M EXCITED ABOUT YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD AND, UH, THE, UH, POSSIBILITIES FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT DOWNTOWN BASED ON SENATE BILL 10 57.
AND WORKING WITH MICHAEL HECKMAN, WE, WE ALL JUST WISH YOU WELL.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY NEED TO GET AHOLD OF US, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE AVAILABLE TO YOU AS WELL.
BUT YOU HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND BEEN THERE AS THE MAYOR PRO TEM SAID, SEVEN YEARS, SO YOU KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO GET DONE.
AND IT IS SO VITAL TO OUR, OUR, UH, CONTINUING THE GREATNESS THAT WE, THAT WE ARE KNOWN FOR WITH OUR MAJOR EVENTS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
SO THANK YOU, AND WE'LL LET YOU GO TO WORK.
AND I'M EXCITED TO SERVE THE GREAT CITY.
UH, THE CITY MEANS A LOT TO ME.
AND, UH, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST AND CONFIDENCE AND, UM, LET'S GET TO WORK AS YOU SAID.
THANK YOU ALL, ALL, THANK YOU.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
UH, MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL NOW PROCEED WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY.ITEMS TWO THROUGH NINE HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF B IS CATEGORY.
NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS 10, 12, AND 13.
THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY, ITEMS 20 AND 23 HAVE BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEM REMOVE SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
R 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 24 AND 26.
THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 24, AND 26.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE, WHICH IS ONLY 17, 21, 22, AND 25.
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
I REMOVE SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
UM, FOR THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THE MWBE PARTICIPATION GOALS ON OUR, UH, AGENDA ITEMS, I TAKE A CLOSE WATCH AND LOOK OVER THOSE.
AND ON THIS AGENDA ITEM AND MANY OTHERS, UH, GOING FORWARD, WHERE YOU WILL SEE THAT, UM, THIS AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER THREE, UH, WITH THE APPROVAL OF A FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT, UH, FOR ROADWAY CONSTRUCTION RECONSTRUCTION AT ELLINGTON AIRPORT, YOU LOOK DOWN AT THE DBE, WHICH IS THE MWBE FOR THE AIRPORT SYSTEM.
UM, THIS PROJECT, UH, WAS AWARDED AT A 21% DBE GOAL, BUT THE VENDOR ONLY ACHIEVED A 14.3%.
NOW, THE OFFICE OF, UH, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY STATED THAT IT WAS RATED AT A UNSATISFACTORY DUE TO THE LACK OF DEMONSTRATING GOOD FAITH EFFORTS ON THIS.
UH, MY ISSUE WITH THIS MAYOR, AND MY ISSUE WILL ALWAYS BE THAT THE PRIMES THAT GET THESE CONTRACTS, UH, THEY LIST THESE MINORITY BUSINESSES TO GET THE CONTRACT.
THESE MINORITY BUSINESSES RELY ON THAT WORK.
AND, UM, WHEN IT IS SHOWN THAT IT IS, UH, A LACK OF GOOD FAITH EFFORTS TO UTILIZE THOSE MINORITY BUSINESSES, THAT IS A DETRIMENT TO THOSE CONTRACTORS.
AND MANY TIMES, UM, THESE SMALL BUSINESSES, THIS IS, THIS IS ALL THEY HAVE, RIGHT? THEY'RE, THEY'RE RELYING ON GETTING THIS WORK.
AND WHEN THEY DON'T GET IT, IT SETS THEM BACK, UM, TREMENDOUSLY.
SO, I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OBO ON LOOKING AT SOME OF THE POLICIES REGARDING DBES AND MWBES FOR THE CITY.
UM, BECAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE IS ROUTINELY, UM, VENDORS GETTING OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THEN BE SHOWN TO BE RATED AS AN UNSATISFACTORY, UH, DUE TO NOT DOING THEIR PART TO ENSURE THAT THE, UH, MINORITY BUSINESSES GET THE WORK.
SO, JUST WANTED TO FLAG THAT ON THIS, UH, ITEM.
AND, UH, I, I WANNA EXPLAIN WHAT, UM, THE D THE A DBA IS.
THE, THE TRANSPORTATION, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OF
[00:35:01]
DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO REMEDY ONGOING DISCRIMINATION AND CONTINUING EFFORTS OF PAST DISCRIMINATION IN FEDERALLY ASSISTED HIGHWAYS, TRANSIT AIRPORT.AND HIGHWAY SAFETY IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT MINORITY BUSINESSES ARE INVOLVED.
UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IF YOU HAVE TWO UNSATISFACTORIES ON YOUR LISTING, YOU ARE UNABLE TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE.
AND SO THE FACT THAT THE OBO HAS DONE THEIR DUE DILIGENCE HAS RATED THIS COMPANY, UM, UNSATISFACTORY, UM, WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
AND IT'S, AND, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT MINORITY BUSINESSES HAVE A SHOT AT DOING THIS.
AND, UM, TO COUNCILMAN POLLARD'S POINT, WHEN THEY APPLY FOR THIS AND THEY COMMIT TO THIS, THIS IS HOW THEY GET THE CONTRACTS.
SO I'LL BE VOTING NO ON THIS ITEM AS WELL.
AND, UM, I JUST ALERT ALL OF OUR, ALL OF US TO REALLY WATCH THESE ITEMS CLOSELY.
UM, AND JUST, I WANNA ECHO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE SAYING.
UM, WHEN YOU COME DOWN THE, UH, THE REST OF THE AGENDA, THERE'S SOME, UH, WBE THAT ARE NOT BEING MET AS WELL.
SO THERE'S SOME THAT ARE AT 7%, BARELY AT MAKING 2.5, CLOSE TO THREE.
AND SO I JUST, UH, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING A REALLY GOOD LOOK AT, AT, UH, GOOD FAITH EFFORTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TRUST IN, IN THESE PRIMES TO, TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
UM, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT, UH, CONSIST, IF THEY'RE CONSISTENTLY NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING, THEN, YOU KNOW, TO, TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD AND COUNCILOR PLUMMER'S, UH, UH, POINT, WE SHOULD REALLY BE PULLING THEM AWAY FROM, UH, THESE TYPES OF CONTRACTS.
COUNCIL, MAYOR PROM, KACH STADIUM.
I DO WANT TO, UM, THANK MY COLLEAGUES, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UM, POLLARD AND AND PLUM FOR THEIR DILIGENCE IN LOOKING AT OUR PARTICIPATION.
AND, UM, THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IS, UM, LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN, UM, MAKE SURE THAT OUR FORMULAS THAT WE'RE USING IS APPROPRIATE, UM, AND THAT WE ARE UTILIZING, UM, ALL OF THE SUBS THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, PUT ON THESE CONTRACTS TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
BUT THIS QUESTION IS FOR ATTORNEY.
UM, MICHELLE, UH, THE WORK FOR THIS HAS BEEN DONE.
UM, WE, WE ARE OBLIGATED TO PAY THIS PRIME.
THAT'S HOW OUR ORDINANCE READS, AND THAT'S HOW IT HAS TO READ UNDER THE LAW.
WE WE'RE FACING A LAWSUIT CHALLENGING THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF OUR OBO PROGRAMS. AND SO THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER CURRENT LAW.
BUT, UH, WE HAVE A STUDY UNDERGOING, WE WILL PROBABLY REVISE THIS ORDINANCE, AND THAT'S GONNA BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT, UH, BETTER WAYS TO, IN INSERT, UH, MORE ROBUST, GOOD FAITH EFFORTS.
RIGHT? AND I, AND I WANTED TO JUST MAKE SURE WE GET THAT ON THE RECORD AND THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOW THAT WE, WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN REVISE THIS ORDINANCE, UM, BUT THEN ALSO WANNA CONTINUE TO FLAG, UM, CONTRACTORS LIKE ISI CONTRACTING, UM, BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN REMOVED, UM, FOR POOR QUALITY INSTALLATION OF ITEMS FOR A SIX MONTH PERIOD.
UM, SO THIS IS A PARTICULAR ONE THAT WE NEED TO AMPLIFY THE MESSAGE THAT YOU DO NEED TO WORK VERY DILIGENTLY TO MEET YOUR GOALS, BUT THEN WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE OFFERING THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE CONTRACTORS, UM, TO UTILIZE THE, UH, DBE AND MWBE PARTNERS.
COULD YOU GIVE US A SNAPSHOT OF THAT LAWSUIT? UH, THE, THE, WHERE, WHERE WE ARE AT THE, IN THE, IT, IT'S IN ITS INFANCY.
THE INITIAL HEARING IT'S IN FEDERAL COURT, HAS NOT OCCURRED YET.
UM, WHEN I WAS HERE THE FIRST TIME, WE WERE SUED TWICE.
THEY WERE BOTH HANDLED BY JUDGE LYNN HUGHES.
I THINK HE WAS COGNIZANT OF BOTH THE CONSTITUTIONALITY AND ALSO THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROGRAM.
AND HE ALLOWED THE DIVERSITY STUDY TO GO THROUGH AND HAVE A REVISION TO THE PROGRAM, WHICH WAS ULTIMATELY UPHELD BY THE COURT.
ANYTHING WE NEED TO DO TO BETTER, UH, IMPROVE OUR POSITION, UH, I, I THINK AT, AT THIS POINT, UH, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A DISPARITY STUDY TO, TO SHOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS.
WE HAVE TO, UH, ADOPT A NEW, UH, NEW GOALS, UH, THROUGH THAT STUDY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING RIGHT NOW.
SO I THINK WHERE WE, WE ARE WHERE WE NEED TO BE RIGHT NOW, MAYOR.
WELL, AS THE MAYOR, PRO TEM, AS THE STATE MENTIONED, IT'S, IT'S, WE PROBABLY NEED TO REVIEW THE PROCESS TO EMPHASIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.
IT, IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE SOME OF THE EVALUATIONS ARE PRETTY SUBJECTIVE AS TO, I HEARD THAT DAY
[00:40:01]
ONE PRIME HAD GONE TO 31 POSSIBLE SUBS, AND THE ISSUE WASN'T RESOLVED AND THE FIRM WAS REJECTED.SO IT JUST SEEMS TO ME LIKE, UH, WE NEED TO REVIEW OUR PROCESS, SUPPORT IT, AND BE PREPARED TO GO TO COURT WITH OUR STRONGEST CASE.
AND IF A DISPARITY STUDY, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE FROM THE OUTSIDE READ ABOUT ONE THAT WASN'T EVER SHARED WITH US, AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER ONE.
SO THERE'S, IT'S ALWAYS THE REST OF THE STORY THAT IS PROBABLY CREATING SOME OF THE, THE LITIGATION AND, AND CHALLENGES.
BUT AS IMPORTANT AS IT IS, WE'VE GOT TO DO IT RIGHT AND HAVE A PLAN THAT WE CAN DEFEND AND, AND, UH, PERHAPS EVEN IMPROVE UPON.
AT THIS TIME, ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED, POLLARD, NO PLUMBER, NO ITEMS CARRIES WITH POLLARD PLUMBER, POLLARD PLUMBER, AND JACKSON VOTING, NO.
ITEM FOUR, ITEM FOUR NEEDS A MOTION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON IS TAGGING THE UNDER TAGS TAG.
THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
CASTEX TATUM, MOVE I A SECOND.
JUST, UH, WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE SWAP PROJECT, UH, THAT WE HAVE WITHIN DISTRICT.
I, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE BERRY, BERRY CREEK ONE.
UM, WE'RE ADDRESSING SOME, SOME, UH, DRAINAGE ISSUES, UH, YOU KNOW, FURTHER UPSTREAM, BUT DOWNSTREAM, THERE'S SOME COUNTY AREAS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AS WELL.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO WORK WITH YOUR ADMINISTRATION TO, UH, DEFINITELY SEE HOW FLOOD CONTROL CAN START ADDRESSING CLOSER TO THE, UH, TOWARDS, UH, SIMS BAYOU AREA WHERE IT ULTIMATELY, UH, COMES OUT AS WELL.
BUT THESE ARE ALL GREAT PROJECTS AND THEY ADDRESS NEIGHBORHOOD WATER CHANNELS THAT NEED TO BE, THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SEEN IN SOME TIME.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
CASTEX TATE A MOVE ON A SECOND.
AFTER, AFTER OR BEFORE, UH, WHAT WE GOT HERE.
I, UM, JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON THIS.
UM, I DO THINK THAT WE CAN ALWAYS IMPROVE ON OUR BEST.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE WHEN WE CONTINUE TO DO THESE PANEL REPLACEMENTS, WHICH I LOVE BY THE WAY, UM, IMPROVING OUR STREET MOBILITY IS, UM, THE ONE YEAR WARRANTY THAT WE HAVE ON THIS CONSTRUCTION.
WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON, UM, THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
AND I'D LIKE FOR US TO REEVALUATE, UM, JUST THESE ONE YEAR WARRANTIES ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND, AND PANEL REPLACEMENTS.
BECAUSE WHAT I'VE FOUND IS, UM, AS WE ARE DOING THESE PANEL REPLACEMENTS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, UM, YOU KNOW, BY YEAR TWO OR THREE, WE HAVE, UM, THE IMPERFECTIONS AT THE JOINTS, AND THEN WE, WE GET A LITTLE POTHOLE AND WE HAVE TO COME IN AND PUT SOME ASPHALT IN.
AND I FEEL LIKE IF WE'RE SPENDING THIS TYPE OF MONEY ON THESE PANEL REPLACEMENTS, WE SHOULD GET LONGER THAN A ONE YEAR WARRANTY.
SO I HOPE THAT, UM, WE CAN LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY OF INCREASING OUR WARRANTY ON THESE BIG PROJECTS LIKE THESE PANEL REPLACEMENTS TO LONGER THAN ONE YEAR, BECAUSE THOSE ROADS TAKE A LOT OF, OF, OF WEAR AND TEAR.
AND THAT WARRANTY SH I MEAN, I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS ONE, WE'RE PAYING FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE IN 2021 AND THE WARRANTY'S ALREADY GONE.
SO WE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN TRY TO GET A, A LONGER WARRANTY ON THESE PROJECTS.
UH, COUNCILOR THOMAS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I WANTED TO ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK OF THIS CONTRACT, UH, IN DISTRICT F UH, BEL AIR BOULEVARD IS A, A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE IN F AND UH, THE WORK THAT WAS COMPLETED WAS ON BEL AIR TO WIL CRESTON BOONE,
[00:45:01]
HIGH IMPACT, HIGH TRAFFIC, HIGH WEAR AND TEAR TO THE MAYOR, PRO TEMS POINT.UH, LOTS OF ACTIVITY ON THAT STREET, SO A LONG TIME COMING FOR THIS PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED.
UM, AND THIS WORK TO BE DONE, BUT, UM, ALSO SHARE THE SAME CONCERN IN TERMS OF, UH, UH, TRAFFIC AND WEAR AND TEAR.
BUT, UH, SHOUT OUT TO PUBLIC WORKS FOR GETTING THIS DONE.
UM, AND I AM GOING TO TAG THIS ITEM BECAUSE I WANNA HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND REVIEW THE WORK.
OKAY, NEXT TIME TO MOVE ON A SECOND.
AND I JUST WANTED TO BRING ATTENTION TO THIS ITEM AS WELL.
I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM, UM, BECAUSE THIS, THIS WORK ON HIRSCH AND HOMESTEAD IS INCREDIBLY ESSENTIAL TO THE DISTRICT.
UM, BUT I DO, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, WE DID FALL SHORT, SHORT AGAIN ON THIS.
UM, THEY FAILED TO PROVIDE GOOD FAITH EFFORTS FOR THE 1.8% SPE SHORTFALL AND DID NOT UTILIZE ALL LISTED GOOD CREDIT SUB, UM, SUBCONTRACTORS TO CAPACITY.
SO ONCE AGAIN, JUST BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UM, BUT I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM, UH, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT'S DEFINITELY NECESSARY IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND YEAH, IT'S ON THIS ITEM.
IT IS SHOW THAT WITH THE MWBE PARTICIPATION GOALS THAT THIS, UH, PARTICULAR VENDOR, AND THIS IS FOR A CONTRACT FOR, UH, PAVING AND DRAINAGE, UM, FELL SHORT 1% ACROSS THE BOARD, UH, M-B-E-W-B-E-S-B-E.
BUT TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT 1% MEANS WHEN IT'S ALMOST A $17 MILLION CONTRACT, THAT THAT'S THE ISSUE.
SO SOMETIMES IF YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, 1% HERE AND THERE, IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL.
BUT ON A SEVEN, ALMOST A $17 MILLION CONTRACT, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD BE A 300,000 PLUS PAYOUT FOR A SMALL BUSINESS.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALLY LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS.
AND THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE OVO LOOKED AT THIS AND SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT'S UNSATISFACTORY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT UTILIZE ALL THEIR GOLD CREDIT SUBCONTRACTORS TO CAPACITY.
UM, AND SO, AGAIN, UH, ATTORNEY MICHELLE, LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, WORKING WITH YOU AND OBO ON THIS BECAUSE I, I DO THINK THERE ARE SOME POLICY REVISIONS AND AMENDMENTS THAT CAN BE MADE TO STRENGTHEN THESE ORDINANCES THAT GIVE US MORE LEVERAGE AS A CITY SO THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO APPROVE THESE CONTRACTS, UH, WITH THE THREAT OF LITIGATION IF WE DON'T, WHEN THEY'RE NOT HOLDING UP THEIR END OF THE BARGAIN.
SO I DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT, AND I'LL BE VOTING.
UM, MAYOR PROTI, CASTER STATE.
I DID WANNA ASK, UH, ATTORNEY MICHELLE, UM, EVEN THOUGH THEY DID NOT MEET THEIR GOALS, OUR RESPONSIBILITY, EVEN THOUGH THIS PARTICULAR COMPANY IS OUT OF BUSINESS, IS WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE WORK THAT WAS DONE.
AND, AND THE COMPANY MAY STILL BE VIABLE AND WE'RE TRYING TO FULLY CONFIRM THAT, BUT WE STILL HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PAY.
BUT I DO THINK WHEN WE REVISE THE ORDINANCE, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO ALONG WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AS A CONTRACT IS, IS BEING DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ON TOP OF IT AND TAKING A CLOSE LOOK AT IT.
AND, AND WHAT I WANT TO MENTION IS THAT A LOT OF THESE COMPANIES, THEY BANK ON THIS, THEY, THEY KNOW THAT WE GET TO THE DAIS, WE HAVE TO VOTE ON IT BECAUSE OF THE LIABILITIES THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE TAX DOLLARS THAT WE'RE SPENDING AND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, OBO HAS WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD AND THEY'RE VERY DILIGENT IN MAKING SURE THAT WHO WE ARE ENGAGING WITH ARE REPUTABLE AND KEEP THEIR PROMISES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS THEY COME TO THE DIETS AND TO BE VOTED ON, WE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO VICE MAYOR, PRO TEMS POINT, WE'RE UNDER LEGAL OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE THESE ITEMS PASS.
OTHERWISE WE'RE SPENDING DOLLARS, UM, IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO FIGHT THESE.
AND SO WE DON'T WANT IT TO GET HERE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, WITH LEGAL, WITH VICE MAYOR, PRO TIM, UM, IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE BRING TO THE FOREFRONT, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, UM, IS THERE, I'D LIKE, MAYBE MY QUESTION IS TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, IS THERE SOME PROCESS BY WHICH, WHEN THESE CONTRACTS ARE SIGNED, BASED UPON THE MINORITY BUSINESSES THAT THAT APPLY, IS THERE SOMETHING IN PLACE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS CONTRACT TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HONOR WHAT THEY'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, REQUIRED TO DO? IS THAT ADULT, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD, THEY COULD START OFF, I GUESS MY CONCERN IS THEY COULD START OFF WITH MINORITY BUSINESSES AND THEN SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CONTRACT DROP THEM.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AT THE END
[00:50:01]
OF THE DAY, AS COUNCILMAN POLLARD SAID, AND IT DOESN'T MEET THE MWBE, SO IS THERE SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT THEY HAVE TO BE CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE? YEAH.UH, I DO THINK THERE ARE SOME PERIODIC REVIEWS, BUT OFTEN THAT THE SPEND VARIES AT TIMES.
SO SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO TELL HOW WELL THEY'RE DOING.
BUT I, I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE, AND MY DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN GUILTY OF FAILING THE DEPARTMENTS NEED TO DO, DO MORE TO MONITOR THE CONTRACTS COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM.
I DO THINK THAT IT WOULD BE PRUDENT FOR US TO DO AN UPDATE, UM, IN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETINGS SO THAT ALL OF THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN, UM, GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE M-W-B-E-D-B-E PROGRAMS. UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE DIRECTOR WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT WORK, ESPECIALLY AS WE ARE UPDATING OUR PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES AND, UM, OUR REQUIREMENTS AS A CITY AND WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO ADD THAT, UM, THE LAST COUNT THAT WE RECEIVED, UM, FROM THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, THAT, UM, THERE WERE ONLY 11 VENDORS, PRIME VENDORS THAT ACTUALLY HAD A SUBSTANTIAL PROBLEM AS FAR AS NOT MEETING THE ACTUAL LOOKBACK TIME OF TWO UNSATISFACTORIES IN A THREE YEAR PERIOD.
UM, AND AS A COUNCIL IN THE ADMINISTRATION, WE CAN DETERMINE IF THAT IS SUFFICIENT ENOUGH, IF WE WANNA BE MORE STRICT OR, OR OR LESS, UM, STRICT ON THAT.
BUT I DID WANT TO, UM, COMMEND MY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DILIGENT AND, AND HOLDING PEOPLE'S FEET TO THE FIRE, BUT ALSO WANNA, UM, LEVEL THAT WITH SAYING, OUT OF ALL THE CONTRACTS THAT WE DO IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ONLY 11 HAVE BEEN FOUND, UM, I GUESS IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY HAVE TRIED TO, UM, OR NOT MET THE REQUIREMENTS OF, UM, THE SATISFACTORY WITHIN A THREE YEAR PERIOD.
COUNCIL MEMBER SECONDER, DO ANY OF THE PRIMARIES QUALIFY IS OKAY.
JUST ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE.
POLLARD, JACKSON AND DAVIS? NO, SIR.
ITEM 11, ITEM 11 NEEDS A MOTION CAST.
ALL IN FAVOR? COUNCIL MEMBER MEMBER CAYMAN.
SHE WANTS TO COMMENT AFTER THE VOTE.
I WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT THIS ITEM.
UM, FOR THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE NEW, YOU'LL HEAR ME DISCUSS A LOT ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND AS MAYOR, WE TACKLE PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, AND INTRINSIC IN THAT IS ADDRESSING GUN VIOLENCE AND FIREARM SAFETY.
UH, THIS ITEM A TF HAS BEEN WORKING.
UM, HPD HAS PLAYED A TREMENDOUS ROLE IN THIS, AS HAVE OTHER LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENTS, BUT THEY ARE STANDING UP THE HOUSTON AREA, CRIME GUN INTELLIGENCE CENTER.
UH, I'M VERY BIG ON DATA AND ANALYTICS, UM, AND LOOKING AT FACTS AND HOW WE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE HEAD ON.
AND, UH, ROUGHLY 12,000 CRIME GUNS ARE RECOVERED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT EACH YEAR IN THE HOUSTON METRO AREA, BUT THAT DATA HAS NEVER BEEN, UH, COLLATED AND ANALYZED AS A WHOLE.
AND THIS ITEM IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPREHENSIVE DATA COLLECTION THAT WILL LEAD TO MORE USEFUL INFORMATION AND DATA TO COMBAT THE EPIDEMIC THAT IS GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO MAYOR, I WANNA, UM, COMMEND HPD FOR THIS ITEM, YOUR ADMINISTRATION.
UM, I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER DATA EFFORTS IN THE WORKS, UH, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP SPECIFICALLY WITH A TF ON THIS AND THE EFFORT THAT THEY'RE STANDING UP, UH, TO BE LOOKING AT THIS.
DISCUSSION COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
[00:55:01]
UH, I DID WANNA RECOGNIZE AND THANK CENTER POINT ENERGY FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP DURING THE FREEZE.THEY WERE IN CLOSE COMMUNICATION, UM, RELATED TO WHERE ERCOT WAS, AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THEY'RE DOING TO HARDEN, UM, OUR ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, THIS ITEM RELATES TO INCREASES IN GAS PRICES FOR RESIDENTS.
AND I WANTED TO CONFIRM ON THE RECORD THAT THIS ITEM SPECIFICALLY IS THAT THE CITY ONE HAS THE ABILITY TO CHALLENGE THE RATE INCREASE ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTS.
SO WE ARE FIGHTING FOR RESIDENTS.
AND TWO, UM, THAT THIS ITEM ACTUALLY AUTHORIZES AND WILL CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS, UM, AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTS TO LOWER THOSE RATES UNDER STATE LAW.
I GUESS THAT'S A QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
THE CITY HAS ORIGINAL JURISDICTION.
NEED A VOTE ON 14? THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
ALL IN FAVOR? OH, WE HAVE SPEAKERS.
JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, CAREER AND RECOVERY.
UH, BOTH DISTRICT B AND I, UH, HAS WORKED WITH THEM, UH, THIS PAST YEAR TO DO ABATEMENT OF PROPERTY.
THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE UNHOUSED, BUT ALSO SECOND CHANCE.
SO I KNOW YOU HAVE A, A PASSION FOR REENTRY AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE CAREER AND RECOVERY.
UH, I WAS ABLE TO SPEND LAST FRIDAY WITH THEM ON DAY OF SERVICE FOR MLK, AND WE WERE BOARDING UP HOMES, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WERE NEEDING, NEEDING ABATEMENT.
SO, UH, JUST, UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU CAREER AND RECOVERY AND HOPEFULLY WE CONTINUE TO, UH, FOCUS ON REENTRY, UH, FOR THOSE IN IN HOUSTON.
UM, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE OF THE GREAT NEED FOR, UM, SERVICES FOR OUR HOMELESS POPULATION.
HOWEVER, IN, IN THE FUTURE, UM, IF WE COULD INCLUDE IN THE BACKUP, ESPECIALLY WHERE A VENDOR HAS A HISTORY WITH THE CITY, INFORMATION PERTAINING TO COMPLIANCE, MONITORING, PERFORMANCE AUDITS, UH, REVIEWS, UM, ANNUAL REPORTS AND, AND SO FORTH, UH, WHICH I DID NOT SEE IN THE BACKUP FOR THIS.
UH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT IN, IN EVALUATING, UH, WHETHER OR NOT TO, UH, SUPPORT.
BUT AS I SAY ON THIS ONE, UH, MAYOR, I'M GONNA SUPPORT, UH, 15 BECAUSE OF THE GREAT NEED FOR THESE SERVICES.
AND MY COMMENTS ALSO WOULD APPLY TO ITEM 16 AS WELL.
UH, AND THEN COLLEAGUES, JUST A REMINDER, THIS ITEM ACTUALLY CAME BEFORE THE HOUSING COMMITTEE IN NOVEMBER.
UH, LOTS OF THAT INFORMATION WAS SHARED.
SO I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO, UH, MAKE A NOTE THAT ONCE IT COMES UP TO, UH, COUNCIL FOR A VOTE, THAT, UH, THE PUBLIC SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS PRESENTED ISSUES RELATED TO COMPLIANCE, AUDITING REPORTS AND ANNUAL REPORTS.
AND THE REQUEST IS CONSISTENT THAT THOSE ANNUAL REPORTS FROM THESE AGENCIES ARE SHARED WITH DISTRICT OFFICES AND AT LARGE OFFICES AS WELL.
UM, JUST WANNA UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF CAREER RECOVERY SERVICES IN OUR CITY.
UM, THE AMOUNT IS LITTLE, BUT THE IMPACT IS HUGE.
UM, AND SO I, I HOPE WE HAVE A UNANIMOUS SUPPORT ON THIS ITEM MOVING FORWARD 'CAUSE THEY'RE DOING YEOMAN'S WORK IN CRITICAL TIMES.
THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
ITEM 16 IS AN ORDINANCE, JUST NEED A VOTE.
JUST WANNA, UH, THANK CONGRESSWOMAN GARCIA.
UH, THIS IS, UH, COMMUNITY FUNDS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH, UH, HER SUPPORT AND, UH, THIS IS ACTUALLY, UH, UM, FECS THAT ARE COMING INTO THREE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
AND SO I KNOW YOU LEAN ON, UH, A LOT OF STATE AND FEDERAL SUPPORT AND, AND LEVERAGING THOSE DOLLARS.
SO THIS IS GREAT WORK THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING.
HAPPY TO MAGNOLIA MOTOR SERVICE CENTER.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN JACKSON.
I TOO WANNA, UM, HIGHLIGHT THIS, UM, ITEM, UM, JOBS IS A BIG, UM, PRIORITY FOR DISTRICT B, AND SO THIS IS JUST GONNA ADD TO THE WORK THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING.
UM, THIS IS, UM, DEDICATED TO THE ACRES, HOMES AND KME GARDEN AREA.
AND SO LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING WORKING WITH THIS, THIS ORGANIZATION.
THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
REAL QUICK, I JUST WANT TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, UH, BECAUSE IT'S FOR THE SOUTHWEST MULTIPURPOSE CENTER IN DISTRICT J IN THE GULFTON SHARPSTOWN AREA.
UH, WE'LL BE GETTING SOME ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FOR RENOVATION.
UH, THAT MULTIPURPOSE CENTER HAS NOT BEEN RENOVATED SINCE ITS EXISTENCE IN 2006.
[01:00:01]
UH, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT SOME CIVIC ART WAS ALSO ADDED TO, UM, THE ALLOCATION OF DOLLARS.AND SO THIS WILL END UP POSSIBLY BEING AROUND A $2.5 MILLION PROJECT FOR THE DISTRICT.
SO, UH, GLAD TO SEE IT ON THE AGENDA.
THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
AND CHAIR RECOGNIZES, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN.
I WANTED TO WAIT UNTIL THIS ITEM PASSES.
ONE TO CONGRATULATE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD.
UH, ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS NEED SOME LOVE.
UH, SO I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ITEM AND I'M REALLY PROUD TO SUPPORT IT.
UH, BECAUSE WE'RE ON THE TOPIC OF COMMUNITY CENTERS.
I DID WANNA RAISE AN ISSUE THAT WAS COVERED BY THE CHRONICLE RECENTLY ABOUT WEST GRAY MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
AND SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME DISCUSS IT PREVIOUSLY BECAUSE WHILE IT LIVES IN DISTRICT C, UM, AND SERVES AS THE LARGEST EARLY VOTE LOCATION FOR THE ENTIRE CITY, UH, WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT WEST GRAY IS THE FACT THAT IT SERVICES THE ENTIRE REGION AND IS THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND WHEN IT COMES TO DISABILITY SERVICES AND MAYOR.
UH, UNFORTUNATE, UNFORTUNATELY, OR FORTUNATELY, WHEN THE CHRONICLE CAME OUT, IT WAS RAINING AND THERE WERE LITERALLY BUCKETS, UM, TO CATCH WATER THAT WAS LEAKING THROUGH GYM EQUIPMENT IS RUSTED.
UH, WE'RE BURSTING AT THE SEAMS THERE.
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, YOUR OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, GSD AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
EVERYONE IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN RIGHT NOW, BUT I WANTED TO JUST BECAUSE THE ARTICLE CAME OUT, UM, LIFT THAT UP AND HOPEFULLY BUILD SOME MOMENTUM ON WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED THERE.
SO AGAIN, IT'S NOT A CRITICISM.
UH, I THINK EVERYONE THAT WORKS THERE COULD NOT BE MORE DEDICATED.
WE JUST, UH, HAVE OUTGROWN THE FACILITY AND IT'S AGED TO THE POINT WHERE, UH, WE NEED TO TAKE A VERY SERIOUS AND HARD LOOK AT THAT.
SO I, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S ATTENTION.
AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD.
I DIDN'T WANNA STEAL THE THUNDER.
UM, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ITEM IN YOUR DISTRICT AND, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP AT IT FOR THE CITY.
I, I, I TOTALLY AGREE AND THERE'S SO MUCH DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THAT WE SHALL ALL DRILL DOWN ON IT.
WE HAD FIRE STATIONS IN THE LAST 48 HOURS WITH SPACE HEATERS BECAUSE THERE'S CENTRAL AIR AND, UH, THE CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS WERE NOT WORKING.
IT'S, IT'S JUST SHAMEFUL FOR ME TO GET A CALL FROM THE FIRE CHIEF THAT, UH, SEVERAL STATIONS HAD LOST HEAT AND THEY WERE GETTING BY WITH SPACE HEATERS.
SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
AND YES, WHEN, WHEN I SAW THIS ITEM, AND OF COURSE, HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM, BUT, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SINGING MY SONG.
UM, WE HAVE A HUGE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROBLEM IN THE CITY.
I ASKED FOR AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE ON THE FY 22 FACILITY CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT.
UM, HOW, HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE? HOW MUCH IS LEFT? I KNOW, UH, DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
$594 MILLION WORTH, $600 MILLION WORTH.
I'D JUST LIKE TO GET AN UPDATE ON WHERE EXACTLY WE ARE ON THE, UM, ON OUR FACILITIES CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT.
UM, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF, UH, IT'S NO FUN TO HAVE TO GO BACK IN AND DO THIS STUFF, BUT JUST LIKE YOUR HOUSE OR YOUR CAR, IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU DON'T KEEP UP WITH IT, IT'S JUST GONNA COST A LOT MORE.
AND WE SEE ON THE AGENDAS WEEK AFTER WEEK, UM, WE'RE HAVING TO PAY MORE FOR SOMETHING BECAUSE WE WAITED TOO LONG.
UH, NEXT ITEM 19 IS AN ORDINANCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN AFTER COUNCILOR CAYMAN.
I'M SPEAKING ON MAYOR, BUT I DID WANNA TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPOTLIGHT THIS ITEM BECAUSE IT'S THE, THIS WILL BE THE CITY'S FIRST PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR YEARS.
UH, IT'S COMBINING PROPERTY BOTH TO CREATE A NEW POLICE STATION, AND ALSO IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO, UM, THE FIRE STATION, FIRE STATION 84.
SO AGAIN, IT'S, THEY'RE GONNA BE SHARING AMENITIES.
UH, IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ITEM.
I KNOW IT HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
SO I BROUGHT TO THE ADMINISTRATION PREVIOUSLY, UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, WE'D NEVER HAD A BRIEFING ON THIS.
UH, SO IN THE FUTURE, AGAIN, IT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR SO LONG.
I THINK THERE WERE ASSUMPTIONS THAT PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND IT REALLY DOES GO TO ADDRESSING SO MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE HEAR IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO I THANK HPDI, THANK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE TURS, NORTH HOUSTON TURS, WHO'S GIVING MILLIONS TO THIS OVER 12 MILLION, UM, FOR LAND.
UH, BUT WE, WE NEED MORE INFORMATION SO THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHAT THE CITY IS DOING, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ITEM.
[01:05:01]
TO LIFT IT UP SO THAT WE ALL KNOW, AND THE PUBLIC KNOWS, UH, HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.NEED A VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
CARRIE, ITEM 24 IS AN ORDINANCE.
ALL IN FAVOR? UH, SHABA COUNCILMAN EVANS SHABA.
UH, I FULLY INTEND TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM, BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT TODAY'S DISCUSSION ON ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE BLOCK ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE 5,300 BLOCK OF CALHOUN ROAD REPRESENTS MORE THAN JUST A REGULATORY DECISION.
IT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE POWERFUL VOICE AND ENGAGEMENT OF THE RIVERSIDE TERRACE COMMUNITY.
THE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM NEARLY ALL PROPERTY OWNERS IN THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT AND NEIGHBORHOODS, EXCUSE ME, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD ESTABLISHED IN THE 1930S UNDERSCORES OUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING THE UNIQUE CHARACTER AND CULTURAL HERITAGE OF DISTRICT D.
AS WE CONSIDER THIS ORDINANCE IS VITAL TO BALANCE RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT WITH THE RESPECT.
YOU OKAY, JACOB? I'M, I'M, ARE YOU OKAY? I'M OKAY.
CAN SOMEONE JUST CHECK ON HIM MEDICALLY AND MAKE SURE THAT HE'S NOT HURT? UH, HPD WILL YOU VERIFY THAT HE'S OKAY, OR DO WE NEED TO CALL FOR ASSISTANCE? OKAY.
UM, AS WE CONSIDER THIS ORDINANCE, IT'S VITAL TO BALANCE RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT WITH THE RESPECT FOR HISTORICAL INTER INTEG INTEGRITY AND COMMUNITY DESIRES, DEMONSTRATING OUR DEDICATION TO A VISION OF GROWTH THAT IS INCLUSIVE, RESPECTFUL, AND REFLECTIVE OF THE RICH TAPESTRY THAT MAKES OUR CITY VIBRANT AND DIVERSE.
AND THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT MAINTAINING THE AESTHETICS OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT ABOUT UPHOLDING A LEGACY AND ENSURING THAT THE VOICES OF OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE HEARD AND HONORED IN THE DECISIONS THAT SHAPE THEIR LIVES.
AND SO, CERTAINLY, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM.
THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
NEXT, UH, NOW MEMBERS WILL GO TO PUBLIC SESSION.
ARE THERE ANY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? CHAIR RECOGNIZES.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND MOVE DAVE, FAILING TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST ON THE SECOND.
UH, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE BRAD GREER TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST.
UH, FOLLOWING DAVE PHELAN ON SECOND MOTION MAIDEN.
I, AND I APOLOGIZE I DIDN'T SUBMIT THIS EARLIER, UM, PER Y'ALL'S REQUEST, BUT I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE JACOB CLEMENTE IF HE'S ABLE TO, UM, UP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TWO MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST, GIVEN ANY MOTION HE MAY WANNA LEAVE AFTER MOTION.
[9:30 AM - PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
MA'AM.SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER GREGORY THOMAS TO BE FOLLOWED BY TAYLOR HICKS.
UH, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR MI WHITMEYER AS CONSTITUENTS, EVERYONE INVOLVED.
[01:10:01]
TALKING ABOUT, UH, MBAS AND WBS AND OBO, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.AND I, I'VE BEEN HEARING, YOU KNOW, A LOT, UH, OVER THE LAST 30 MINUTES AND I'M ENCOURAGED AND DEFINITELY, UH, UH, RELIEVED TO HEAR THAT THERE IS A LOT OF CHANGE THAT'S LOOKING TO TAKE PLACE, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
UH, BUT I WAS HERE RECENT ON THE, UH, LAST WATERLINE PROJECT.
I WAS ONE OF THE PRIMES, TNT CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND WE WERE, WE WANTED TO COME HERE TODAY.
I THINK THERE ARE OTHER, UH, PRIMES THAT ARE HERE AS WELL, AS WELL AS SUBS, UH, THAT WERE HAVING ISSUES WITH, YOU KNOW, GETTING COMPENSATED FOR THE WORK.
AND SO HERE I DO HAVE A PO FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT WAS SIGNED.
I DO HAVE THAT ON HAND IF, IF ANYONE NEEDS TO SEE IT.
AND, UH, AND LIKE I WAS SAYING, UH, WE, WE WORKED SINCE AUGUST, UH, OF LAST YEAR TO GET THESE REPAIRS.
EVERYONE KNOWS THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE REPAIRS WERE A MAJOR ISSUE IN THE CITY.
WE ALL HEARD IT, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE NEWS.
AND I KNOW THERE WAS A CALL TO ACTION.
AND SO, UH, AS WE WERE ISSUED, UH, THIS PO BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND I'LL JUST READ VERBATIM WHAT I HAVE WROTE IN MY NOTES.
ON, UH, AUGUST 15TH, 2023, WE ISSUED A PO FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO COMPLETE WATERLINE MAIN REPAIRS, WHICH INCLUDED EXCAVATION, TRAFFIC CONTROL, UH, WRAP CLAMP AND POINT REPAIRS, BACKFILL LANDSCAPING AND PAVEMENT RESTORATION BASED ON PRIOR STRUCTURE BEFORE DEMOING THE MAKE, UH, THE MAKE OF THE UNKNOWN REPAIR, UH, BACKFILL CONSISTED OF EXISTING, UH, GRADE, WHICH IS OF COURSE DIRT CRUSHED CONCRETE AND ASPHALT.
AND AS I MAY PAUSE, WE, I KNOW WE SPOKE ABOUT THE ASPHALT IN THE ROADS.
UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT AREN'T, YOU KNOW, UM, EXPERIENCED WITH THAT.
MOST PEOPLE DO COLD PATCHES ON REPAIRS AND, AND THAT'S NOT THE SOLUTION TO THESE ROADS TAKING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF, UH, WEAR AND TEAR.
YOU HAVE TO USE HOT PATCHES, WHICH, UH, REQUIRES CERTAIN AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, GET THE LENGTHY TIME.
SO AS WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOUR WARRANTIES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE ISSUES THAT, UH, EXIST AT HAND AND THE ITEMS THAT THEY'RE USING.
AND MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THESE PRIMES AND THESE CONTRACTORS ARE USING, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN TYPES OF EQUIPMENT THAT THEY'RE USING THE PROPER MODEL AND GETTING A LAB TO COME AND INSPECT AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'LL RESOLVE THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE.
UM, WE SET UP A VENDOR ACCOUNT WITH A CT, A CT PIPE AND SUPPLY CORE MAIN, WHICH CORE MAIN IS OUR BIGGEST DEBT TO DEBTOR.
AND, UH, CITY HOUSTON'S BIGGEST VENDOR, UH, MONTHS WITH OUR PAY.
PAY HAS BEEN CONSISTED OF OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER.
INVOICES US AND OUR CREWS HAVE GONE, UH, INTO SERIOUS DEBT FOR DOING THE JOB, YOU KNOW, AROUND THE CITY TO GET THESE REPAIRS.
WE SPENT OVER 12 HOUR PLUS DAYS GETTING THESE REPAIRS DONE, COME HOME ONLY TO FIND OUT WE'RE WORKING FOR FREE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, OUR FAMILIES COULDN'T EVEN REALLY EVEN TIME HAS EXPIRED.
UH, MAYOR, THIS IS A QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, I, WE, WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, VENDORS WITH THE WATER MAIN BREAKS, BUT WHAT IS A TIMELINE FOR THE OIG INVESTIGATIONS TO TAKE PLACE SO THAT THE VENDORS THAT ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE CAN GET PAID? BECAUSE IT'S UNFAIR FOR US TO ASK THESE VENDORS TO COME IN ON EMERGENCY PURCHASE ORDER AND PERFORM THE WORK AND THEN HAVE TO FLOAT THESE EXPENSES MONTH AFTER MONTH WHILE THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN DELINEATE FROM PEOPLE INVOLVED AND PEOPLE NOT INVOLVED IN AN EXPEDIENT MANNER? UH, I THINK PROBABLY TO SOME DEGREE.
I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S SOME OVERLAP, BUT I'LL MAKE THAT A PRIORITY SO WE CAN SEPARATE THOSE AND, AND GET THE VENDORS PAID.
I, I, I THINK THAT WE, WE SHOULD REALLY DO THAT BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE ONLY, UM, VENDOR WHO IS VERY, UM, CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO FLOAT THEIR EXPENSES MONTH AFTER MONTH WHEN THEY'VE PERFORMED THE WORK.
WE ASK THEM TO COME AND PARTICIPATE ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS BECAUSE WE HAD SO MANY WATER MAIN BREAKS.
AND RECOGNIZING THAT, UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE SOME, YOU KNOW, BAD ACTORS IN THE, IN THE GROUP, BUT I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO RESPONDED TO THE CALL AND REPAIRED THE WATER MAIN BREAKS FOR US IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION SHOULDN'T BE PENALIZED MM-HMM
TO CARRY THEIR EXPENSES IF THEY'RE NOT INVOLVED.
UM, SO MR. MAYOR, IF, IF YOU COULD ASK, UM, I GUESS OIG OR WHOMEVER CAN
[01:15:01]
BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT AREN'T INVOLVED, FOR THEM TO GET THEIR, THEIR PAYMENTS, WE'LL GET RIGHT ON IT.THANK YOU FOR RAISING THE ISSUE.
COUNCIL CHAIR, UH, COUNCILMAN, SECOND CHAIR.
SIR, JUST A SECOND, MR. DOES THE CITY INCUR LATE FEES ON THESE NON-PAYMENTS? SORRY, WHAT? DOES THE CITY INCUR LATE FEES FROM THESE NON-PAYMENTS? THERE'S A RECENT STORY IN THE CHRONICLE WHERE THE CITY PAID $1.1 MILLION IN LATE FEES OVER THE LAST MAYOR'S TENURE, WHICH GREW I I YIELD TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
YEAH, THERE IT, MOST OF OUR CONTRACTS HAVE IT, EVEN IF NOT THE, UH, THE GOVERNMENT CODE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIRES PROMPT PAYMENT, OTHERWISE, UH, THE, A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN BE PENALIZED.
AND THIS IS JUST TO, THESE ARE PAST DUE BILLS, SO JUST TO, YOU KNOW, EMPHASIZE, BUT THANK YOU.
I I ASSUME YOUR EXPERIENCE MAKES ONE CONSIDER WHERE THEY WANNA DO WORK WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I BEG PARDON? I'M SORRY, MAYOR.
I SAY, I ASSUME YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD RAISE THE ISSUE.
DOES SOMEONE WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON? CORRECT.
YEAH, WITH THE, WE DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU.
AND WE NEED TO FIX THAT FOR ALL OF OUR VENDORS.
NEXT TAYLOR HICKS TO BE FOLLOWED BY JACOB CLEMENTE.
HEY, HOW Y'ALL DOING? UH, SO LAST TIME I WAS UP HERE I WAS KIND OF STUCK ON THE PROBLEM, SO I HAVE MORE OF LIKE A FIX, I GUESS.
BUT I, I, I SPOKE WITH, UH, CASTILLIO AND ONE OF THE FIRST ISSUES THAT I HAD WAS KIND OF CHANGING THE TIMES OF THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
UM, SO I THOUGHT THAT'D BE KIND OF COOL TO CHANGE IT TO A TIME WHERE PEOPLE CAN SHOW UP SO THAT PEOPLE CAN BE MORE INVESTED AND KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
I THOUGHT A GOOD TIME WOULD BE LIKE MAYBE A THURSDAY AT FIVE O'CLOCK SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE A GOOD TIME TO LIKE CATCH IT IF THEY WANT TO.
UH, SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA.
UM, AND THE OTHER IDEA THAT I HAD, 'CAUSE I WAS STILL KIND OF LIKE STUCK ON THE FOOD, IS THEY SAID THAT TO CHECK THE FOOD GRADES ON THE FOOD, YOU GOTTA GO ONLINE.
BUT I'M THINKING A LOT OF PEOPLE KIND OF DON'T, AIN'T GONNA THINK TO GO ONLINE AND CHECK THE FOOD.
SO, UM, I THOUGHT IT'D BE KIND OF COOL TO LIKE, MAYBE MAKE IT MANDATORY FOR THE FOOD PLACES TO PRINT OUT THEIR FOOD GRADES AND PUT IT IN THE WINDOW SO PEOPLE COULD HAVE LIKE A BETTER WAY OF KNOWING LIKE HOW GOOD THE FOOD IS.
UM, SO YEAH, THOSE ARE THE TWO ISSUES THAT I GOT, UH, CURRENTLY.
AND THEN I HAD ANOTHER ISSUE ABOUT LIKE PERMITS AND THE CYCLE OF HOW TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET 'EM.
'CAUSE IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT AND SOMETIMES THE CITY PEOPLE BE TELLING YOU DIFFERENT THINGS ON HOW TO GET IT.
SO, UM, I'M STILL TRYING TO GATHER MORE INFORMATION FOR MYSELF ON IT, SO YEAH.
UH, THANKS FOR BEING HERE AGAIN AND, AND ALSO COMING AND OFFERING SOME IDEAS AND SOLUTIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR HAS SPOKEN ABOUT HIS INTEREST IN, IN MOVING SOME OF OUR TIMES TO ACCOMMODATE MORE OF THE PUBLIC.
UH, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I ALSO SUPPORT.
AND, UH, WE ALL KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN A HECTIC FEW DAYS AND, UH, JUST KNOW THAT, THAT I'LL ALSO BE, UH, LOOKING AT WAYS TO HELP FACILITATE THAT.
THANK YOU FOR RAISING AN ISSUE ON BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC.
OH, OKAY GUYS, WHAT I'M WANTING TO TALK ABOUT IS THAT, UM, THERE SHOULDN'T BE VIOLENCE IN THE MANY, ESPECIALLY BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HA AND, UM, WELL, HAMAS IS COMING, BUT, AND THEN MAY, UM, WHAT, WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THIS.
THE, THERE IS, UH, NO NEED FOR
[01:20:01]
THIS, UH, THIS, UH, FIRING BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES BECAUSE WELL, UM, S**T HAPPENED TO THE ISRAELIS SAID THAT OTS AND S**T HAS HAPPENED TO THE PALESTINIANS BY THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCE.AND THEN WENT, GO AHEAD AND FINISH.
OH, NOTICE I HAVE A KIAL, UH, UH, IN THE JEWISH SKULL CAP AND THIS, UH, UM, UH, ISRAEL, UM, PALESTINIAN THING I BOUGHT ON, UH, ISRAEL WHEN I WENT THERE IN 2017.
AND THEN I HAD THIS, UH, CRUCIFIX BY, BY THE US CATHOLICS.
AND, UH, WHAT WAS CHRISTIANITY? SO I, AND THEY'RE THE ABRAHAM ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS, UH, ISLAM, UH, JEWISH PEOPLE AND, UH, CHRISTIANS.
WELL, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
NEXT DAVE FILLING TO BE FOLLOWED BY BRAD GREER.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANKS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
I LIVE IN THE WOODLAND HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WANNA EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS MADE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE REDUCING MY RISK OF BEING HIT AND KILLED BY CARS WHEN I RIDE MY BICYCLE, WHICH I DO ALMOST EVERY DAY, ALTHOUGH NOT THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS.
I RIDE MY BIKE ABOUT 15 MILES A DAY THROUGH THE HEIGHTS ON NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS AND ON THE BIKE TRAILS ALONG WHITE OAK AND BUFFALO BAYOU.
IN PARTICULAR, I'M ELATED HOW THE 11TH STREET PROJECT HAS IMPROVED MY QUALITY OF LIFE.
IT WAS COMPLETED OVER A YEAR AGO AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY IMPROVEMENT FOR RIDERS LIKE ME.
NOT ONLY CAN I RIDE DOWN 11TH STREET IN A PROTECTED BIKE LANE, BUT JUST AS IMPORTANT I CAN CROSS 11TH FAR MORE SAFELY BECAUSE IT IS NOW JUST TWO LANES FOR CARS INSTEAD OF FOUR.
THE CROSSWALKS ARE NOW CLEARLY MARKED YIELD TO BIKES AND PEDESTRIANS.
THE DIFFERENCE IS NIGHT AND DAY BEFORE THE REDESIGN, DRIVERS USED TO BE CONFUSED.
SOME CARS IN ONE LANE WOULD STOP FOR YOU TO CROSS MORE CARS THAN THE OTHER THREE LANES WOULD CONTINUE SPEEDING THROUGH THE CROSSWALK.
BUT THAT IS NO LONGER THE CASE DRIVERS NOW KNOW TO STOP.
AND MOSTLY THEY DO ALLOWING RUNNERS, WALKERS, AND BIKERS TO SAFELY AND QUICKLY CROSS.
AND LET ME SAY THAT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS ADJACENT TO 11TH, I'VE NOTICED NO CHANGE IN THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC THAT IS CARS TRYING TO AVOID USING 11TH BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, I'VE NOT NOTICED ANY INCREASE IN THE SIDE STREETS.
LEMME ALSO COMMEND THE CITY'S TRANSPORTATION AND TRAFFIC ENGINEERING FOLKS FOR ASKING FOR OUR INPUT BEFORE THE 11TH STREET AND OTHER SAFETY PROJECTS WERE CONSTRUCTED.
ON ONE OCCASION, I EMAILED SUGGESTIONS TO ONE OF THE CITY ENGINEERS AND GOT A PROMPT REPLY.
IT SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE LISTENING.
BUT HERE'S WHAT I REALLY WANNA EMPHASIZE TO YOU.
THESE CHANGES NOT JUST ON 11TH AND NOT JUST IN THE HEIGHTS, BUT DOWNTOWN AND ELSEWHERE.
THESE CHANGES, I THINK, ARE IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE BIKE LANES, THE RAISED CROSSWALKS, THE PEDESTRIAN REFUGE ISLANDS, THEY ALL SEND A MESSAGE THAT WALKERS AND BIKERS HAVE A RIGHT TO BE ON PUBLIC STREETS.
AND THEY'RE BLOWING YOUR HORNET.
A BIKER TO GET OUT OF THE WAY IS NOT ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT DANGEROUS DRIVER BEHAVIOR IS CHANGING.
AND I THINK IT IS, HOUSTON IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK, AS ARE MANY OTHER CITIES MAKING SIMILAR CHANGES TO THEIR STREETS.
SO AGAIN, I COMMEND THE CITY FOR WHAT IT'S DOING, AND I HOPE IT'LL DO MORE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
NEXT, BRAD GREER TO BE FOLLOWED BY LYNN SEAN.
GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ELECTIONS AND REELECTIONS.
UH, TODAY WE'LL TALK ABOUT, UH, UH, CONVERSE ABOUT TRAFFIC LIKE SYNCHRONIZATION.
MAYOR BILL WHITE CARED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND MADE CONCRETE RESULTS IN THIS CITY, UH, WITH TRAFFIC LIGHT SYNCHRONIZATION, UH, PUN INTENDED ON THE CONCRETE.
MAYOR LANIER, THE SAME OTHER ADMINISTRATIONS DON'T KNOW.
UH, MEMORIAL DRIVE IS, UH, WHERE I LIVE, WEST OF SAM HOUSTON TOLLWAY.
I KNOW THOSE INTERSECTIONS, THE LIGHTS ARE NOT
[01:25:01]
SYNCHRONIZED.THEY'RE SYNCHRONIZED TO FAVOR, UH, SMALL STREETS LIKE BATESWOOD AND TULLEY.
NOW, TULLEY DRIVE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE BECAUSE THAT LIGHT SHOULD BE TIMED FOR MORE GREEN ON TULLEY WHEN STRATFORD IS GOING INTO SCHOOL AND GETTING OUT, BUT NOT ON CHRISTMAS BREAK AND NOT ON, UH, DURING THE SUMMER.
SO MEMORIAL DRIVE, EXCLUDING THE VILLAGES FROM THE WEST LOOP TO HIGHWAY SIX, IS A JOKE.
UH, KIMBERLY AT KIRKWOOD IS A JOKE.
IT CAUSES, UH, MASSIVE TRACK TRAFFIC BACKUPS.
UH, THE SAN HOUSTON TOLLWAY AT MEMORIAL DRIVE IS A JOKE AND DANGEROUS PEOPLE ARE RUNNING RED LIGHTS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
NOW, WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID IN HOUSTON IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES, THERE WAS ANALOG TRAFFIC LIKE SYNCHRONIZATION DOWNTOWN AND WORKED BEAUTIFULLY.
DALLAS DOES A GOOD JOB AT THIS WASHINGTON DC WITH STREETS GOING IN EVERY DIRECTION, DOES A BETTER JOB THAN WE DO NOW.
I TALKED TO CHRIS SANDOVAL AND ABDUL MAZEN AT PUBLIC WORKS.
THEY WERE KIND ENOUGH TO DO A TEAMS MEETING WITH ME YESTERDAY.
UH, MR. MAZEN SAYS HE HAS EIGHT ENGINEERS ON TRAFFIC LIGHT SYNC SYNCHRONIZATION.
THERE ARE 2,400 LIGHT, UH, TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN THE CITY.
UH, HE NEEDS, UH, HE SAYS HE DOES HAVE SOFTWARE.
IT'S EVERYWHERE, AND IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS.
UH, BUT HE SAYS HE NEEDS, UH, ABOUT A HUNDRED ENGINEERS.
SO IF WE DO THE MATH ON 2,400 TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND A HUNDRED ENGINEERS, THAT'S ABOUT 24 TRAFFIC LIGHTS.
SO OUR IS EACH 100, UH, ENGINEER GONNA SPEND, UH, 10 MINUTES A DAY AT WORK ON A TRAFFIC LIKE INTERSECTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MAT MATH ADDS UP, BUT THEY KNOW OVER THERE ON WALKER STREET, BETTER THAN ME.
UH, SO AGAIN, SAFETY, LET'S MAKE THIS, UH, A SAFER, BETTER CITY.
AND, UH, UH, AGAIN, WHEN I TALK TO MR. SANDOVAL AND MR. MOEN, UH, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE PROBLEM, MORE MONEY, MORE BUDGET, MORE PEOPLE, AND THAT'S THE GOVERNMENT RE RESPONSE.
AND MR. MAYOR, I THINK, USED THE WORD WORK ABOUT, UH, UH, UH, 20 TIMES THIS MORNING.
SO I THINK HE'S OFF TO A GOOD START HERE.
WE NEED TO GET TO WORK AND FIX THESE PROBLEMS AND, UH, MAKE THE, YOUR TIME CITY YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
AND THANK YOU MR. GREER FOR COMING TODAY.
UM, I ALSO LIVE, UH, ON THE WEST SIDE AROUND MEMORIAL AND WILCREST.
AND, UM, THE TIMING OF THE LIGHTS, THAT INTERSECTION RIGHT THERE, IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WITH PEOPLE RUNNING RED LIGHTS.
AND I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT IT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS, UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, NOBODY KNOWS THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD BETTER THAN THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS TO TRY TO GET A PROTECTED LEFT GREEN ARROW DURING CERTAIN TIMES AT A SCHOOL ON MEMORIAL, UM, BECAUSE THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET ACROSS THE STREET FOR THE CROSSWALKS.
SO ALL OF THIS YES, NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INTERSECTIONS ARE SAFE, THAT OUR KIDS ARE SAFE.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION RIGHT IN PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, MR. SANDOVAL, WHO'S BACK HERE, WAS VERY KIND AND COURTEOUS, AND MR. MO AND THE PUBLIC WORKS SAID HE'D ADDRESS A FEW OF THESE INTERSECTIONS THIS WEEK.
SO I COMMEND THEM IN ADVANCE FOR THAT.
AND LET'S GET THAT TERMINAL BB DEAL DONE WITH UNITED.
IT'S GOOD FOR UNITED, IT'S GOOD FOR THE UNITED STATES, AND IT'S GOOD FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE,
DEAR MAYOR WHITMEYER AND VENERABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, I'M SHARMA SARKAR REPRESENTING THE W UH, WESTRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD OF, UH, HOUSTON.
LYNN WAS UNABLE TO BE HERE BECAUSE OF WEATHER, UH, RELATED ISSUES.
SHE ASKED ME TO SPEAK ON HER BEHALF BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT BE PRESENT.
SECOND, HE'S, HE'S NOT LYNN SHORE.
WOULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME? WHAT'S YOUR NAME? SARKAR, THE TREASURER OF THE WESTRIDGE CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
I, I DON'T THINK IT WAS QUITE YOUR TURN YET.
WE, WE WANTED, IT'S NOT ON HERE AT ALL.
UH, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADD MR. SARKAR SARKAR.
UM, SECOND TO, TO THE LIST IN, INSTEAD OF LYNN SEAN, THE MAYOR PROTE CAST TATUM HAS MADE A MOTION.
PROCEED, SIR, GO AHEAD, AHEAD.
STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
YEAH, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT CONFUSION THERE.
I'M REPRESENTING THE WESTRIDGE CIVIC ASSOCIATION, UM, WHICH IS PART OF THE WEST RIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD IN HOUSTON.
UM, AS A RESIDENT OF WESTRIDGE, MY NEIGHBORS AND I HAVE BEEN WAITING 13 YEARS NOW FOR THE CITY TO UPDATE OUR 1940S AND FIFTIES STREETS, DRAINAGE AND SIDEWALKS AND LIGHTING IN 2010.
AS PART OF THEN MAYOR ANISE PARKER'S REBUILT HOUSTON CAMPAIGN WESTRIDGE, ALONG WITH THE ADJOINING NEIGHBORHOODS WERE ON THE WORST FIRST LIST, EXCUSE ME, OF NEIGHBORHOODS NEEDING IMMEDIATE UPDATING.
[01:30:01]
THE ADJOINING NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, WERE COMPLETED IN 2013 AND 2014, BUT WESTRIDGE, WHICH WAS PART OF THE LAST PHASE, WAS NEVER COMPLETED.THE CITY PROMISED TO COME BACK IN 2014 TO COMPLETE IT, BUT DIDN'T.
INSTEAD, A NEW CIP WAS CREATED IN 2016 WITH A PROJECT UPDATE IN 2017 WITH THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF UPGRADING THE STREETS, THE DRAINAGE, AND THE SIDEWALKS, AND THE LIGHTING.
SOMEHOW IN 2022, THE CIP WAS DESCOPED TO NOT INCLUDE ANY OF THAT, AND THE FUNDING WAS INSTEAD REDIRECTED TO A SINGLE TRUNK LINE TO AN ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOOD.
WITH THE HELP IN SUPPORT OF MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM, WHO SPOKE ON THIS ISSUE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL BACK IN OCTOBER, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET OUR STREETS BACK INTO THE CIP.
HOWEVER, THEY'RE NOT SLATED TO BE COMPLETED, OR, SORRY, NOT SLATED TO BE STARTED UNTIL 2028 WITH A POSSIBLE COMPLETION OF 2030.
MAYOR WHITMEYER DE OUR, OUR STREETS WERE DEEMED THE WORST OF THE WORST 13 YEARS AGO IN 2010.
AND NOW WE'RE CRUMBLING AND BUCKLING BENEATH OUR FEET BECAUSE OF THIS OPEN CIP.
THERE'S BEEN NO MAINTENANCE AT ALL ON OUR STREETS FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, AND THEY'VE BECOME DANGEROUS FOR THE ONE QUARTER OF THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE SENIORS, UH, A LOT OF WHOM ARE PERMANENTLY DISABLED AND CAN'T REALLY USE THE STREETS, UH, AS THEY SHOULD BE USED.
MAYOR TURNER, YOU AGREED TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD, OR, SORRY.
MAYOR TURNER AGREED TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS BEFORE HE LEFT.
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO THE CITY AGAIN, HAS PROMISED TO DO THIS UPDATE.
WE'VE HEARD THESE PROMISES BEFORE IN 20 10, 13, 16, 17, AND 21, BUT WE FEEL LIKE WAITING UNTIL 2030 UNTIL ANYTHING IS DONE SEEMS CRAZY.
20 YEARS AFTER IT WAS SUPPOSED TO ORIGINALLY BE DONE, 80 YEARS AFTER THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT.
SEEMS, UH, A LITTLE HARD TO SWALLOW.
MAYOR WHITMEYER, ONE OF YOUR FOCUSES FOR THE CAMPAIGN WAS INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WE'RE HOPING YOU CAN MAKE THIS RIGHT.
WILL WE PLEASE HELP US GET OUR STREETS UPDATED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE? GET US BACK IN THE QUEUE WHERE WE WERE IN LINE ORIGINALLY.
FIRST, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY I GOT HERE AS QUICK AS I COULD.
I UNDERSTAND PUBLIC WORKS IS GONNA BE AT YOUR JANUARY 23RD.
SO WE'LL MONITOR, UH, THE OUTCOME OF THAT DISCUSSION, BUT I YIELD TO, UH, MAYOR PROTE, CAST TATUM.
THANK YOU MR. SARKER, FOR BEING HERE.
WE'VE HAD, UM, EXTENSIVE, UH, COMMUNICATION FROM YOUR, YOUR NEIGHBORS VIA EMAIL.
AND MAYOR, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THOSE COME THROUGH BECAUSE I, I NOTICED THAT THEY'VE STARTED SEND THEM TO YOUR OFFICE AS WELL.
UM, SO WE APPRECIATE THE ENGAGEMENT FROM YOUR NEIGHBORS.
UM, FROM WHAT WE WERE TOLD WHEN THE CHANGE ORIGINALLY HAPPENED, UH, PUBLIC WORKS HAS CHANGED THE WAY THAT THEY WERE MOVING FORWARD WITH THOSE CIP PROJECTS.
UM, AND WE KNOW THAT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAD BEEN WAITING ON THAT PRIOR TO ME EVEN BEING IN OFFICE.
UM, AND SO THE CHANGE IN THE PROCESS, MAYOR, IS WHAT TRIGGERED THIS CHANGE.
SO INSTEAD OF, UM, FIXING THE DRAINAGE UNDERNEATH THE STREETS, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE US TO ALSO REPAIR STREETS, UM, THE DRAINAGE IS BEING FIXED, REALIGNED A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND SO NOW THE STREET REPAIR IS BEEN MOVED TO A PHASE TWO OF THE PROJECT.
AND IT SEEMS VERY UNFAIR FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN RAISING MONEY TO PUT IN IMPROVED STREETLIGHTS AND ALL OF THE REPAIRS THAT YOU ARE ANTICIPATING, UM, TO CONTINUE WAITING FOR, TO NOW HAVE TO BE PUSHED BACK TO 2028.
UM, I HAVE SPOKEN WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
WE ARE PLANNING TO BE AT YOUR, UM, MEETING ON THE 23RD.
WE'VE EXPRESSED THAT TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT.
SO I'M BRINGING THE, UM, TEAM WHO MADE THE DECISION SO THAT THEY CAN EXPLAIN TO YOU WHY THESE CHANGES HAPPENED AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND HOW WE CAN TRY TO REMEDY THIS AND GET THIS PROJECT DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE I AGREE, UM, WE HAVE NOT IMPROVED THAT AREA BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN ON THE CIP.
AND SO FOR YEARS WE'VE WORKED AROUND THE AREA AND IMPROVED THE AREA BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN ON THE CIP.
AND FOR NOW THAT THE TIME IS HERE, UM, TO BE, HAVE TO WAIT AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING WITH, AND WE'LL WORK WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION TO TRY TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE, UH, THE RESIDENTS AND IMPROVE THIS, THESE STREETS IN, IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, UM, I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE MEETING ON THE 23RD WHERE WE CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IN DEPTH AND REALLY TRY TO DEVISE A PLAN WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WORK WITH THE, UM, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION TO TRY TO EXPEDITE WHAT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR FOR 13 YEARS.
WE'LL KEEP IT ON THE FRONT BURNER.
AND, UH, ALSO GOOD WORK ON KEEPING US ALL SAFE DURING THE FREEZE.
[01:35:02]
BERNARD JOHNSON.WE, UM, MAYOR, UM, WITH MY CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU ON, UH, YOUR ELECTION.
AND CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL THE REST OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, WANT TO JUST CONGRATULATE YOU ALL.
UM, WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, WE WANT YOU TO HELP US HELP YOU BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT EDUCATION IN ITS TOTALITY IS A QUINTESSENTIAL ELEMENT FOR ALL HUMAN PROSPERITY AND FOR WITHOUT IT, WHAT CAN ONE DO? WHAT CAN ONE DO? MY NAME'S BERNARD JOHNSON.
I'M THE CREATOR OF, UH, TRP, THE REACHING PROJECT.
UH, WE'RE HERE TO INVITE YOU TO PARTNER WITH US AND HELP US TO, UM, EXERCISE FINANCIAL LITERACY TO HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, UH, AND TO OUR CONS, CONSTITUENTS SHARING AND RESOURCES WITH US, AND INFORMATION THAT CAN ASSIST US WITH EDUCATING THE YOUNG ADULTS, THEIR PARENTS, AND POSSIBLY THE GENERAL POPULATION.
WE BELIEVE THAT EDUCATION IS KEY TO ALL AROUND HEALTHY CITIZENRY.
HENCE, WE ARE, HENCE WHEN A GOVERNING BODY INVEST IN ALL AROUND HEALTH OF A CITY'S CITIZENRY.
THROUGH EDUCATION, GOOD RESULTS HAPPEN, SUCH AS REDUCTIONS OF CERTAIN TYPES OF CRIMES, BETTER MORALE, HEALTHIER LIVES, AND THE LIKE.
WE EMPLOY YOU TO HELP US HELP YOU HELP US.
AND BY THE TIME YOUR TWO YEAR TERM TENURES ARE COMPLETED, YOUR LEGACY WILL SHOW COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS OF SUCCESS FOR OUR CITY CITIZENRY.
AND FOR THE NEXT MERRILL TEAM, LET'S MAKE HOUSTON A SHINING STAR AMONG MAJOR CITIES OF HOW WORKING TOGETHER CAN RESULT IN OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRUE PROSPERITY FOR ALL CITIZENS.
THANK YOU FOR APPEARING AND SURE.
AND WE ARE LEAVING SOME LITERATURE FOR YOU.
THAT'S MAYOR PLUMBER AS, UH, THANK, THANK YOU MAYOR.
AND, UM, MR. JOHNSON, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, UM, DEPARTMENTS OF CHASE AND WELLS FARGO.
UM, AND THEY HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST TO ME IN TERMS OF BRINGING, UM, FINANCIAL LITERACY TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO I WILL, UM, MAKE SURE THAT MY OFFICE GETS IN TOUCH WITH YOU MM-HMM
UM, I'M AT LARGE FOR, FOR THE CITY.
AND SO I'LL, UM, LOVE TO ENGAGE WITH YOU AND SEE HOW WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
DO I LEAVE IT WITH YOU AS WELL AS THE MAYOR? ABSOLUTELY.
HOW IS EVERYBODY DOING? UH, MY NAME IS, UH, TAN CLIFTON.
I'M THE CEO OF, UM, TAN CARES FOUNDATION.
I GO OUT AND I HELP THE HOMELESS PEOPLE, BUT I'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 2018.
UM, UM, KIND A LITTLE NERVOUS, BUT, UH, MY THING IS ABOUT THE HOMELESS IS, UM, MY ORGANIZATION GOES OUT AND HELP ALL VETERANS, ANY TYPE OF HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT'S ON THE STREETS.
WE HELP, WE FEED THEM, WE PROVIDE BLANKETS, UM, HYGIENE BAGS, EVERYTHING.
I'M ASKING TODAY THAT WE NEED MORE HELP FROM THE CITY ORGAN ORGANIZING MY, UM, FOUNDATION ON, LIKE, TRYING TO DEVELOP HOUSING.
I LIVE IN FIFTH WARD AREA, AREA, AND WE HAVE HOUSING THAT'S REALLY LIKE RUN DOWN THAT I'M TRYING TO RAISE MONEY FOR, TO HELP THESE HOMELESS PEOPLE TO GET INTO THEIR, INTO THESE HOMES.
[01:40:01]
RAISED ENOUGH, I RAISED, LIKE NOW I RAISED LIKE $10,000 IN MY SAVINGS ACCOUNT TO TRY TO DEVELOP THESE DUPLEXES.UM, IT'S KIND OF HARD WHEN YOU WANNA GO TO THE BANK OR DO ORGANIZING FUNDRAISERS.
IT IS HARD PEOPLE TRYING TO SCAM OR TRYING TO REALIZE WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE MONEY TO PROVIDE FOR THESE DUPLEXES.
AND I TRY MY BEST TO GIVE OUT MORE INFORMATION AS I CAN AND SHOW PICTURES TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT I'M DOING FOR THE HOMELESS PEOPLE AS WELL.
BECAUSE WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE HOMELESS.
AS Y'ALL SEE AS WE HAD THE BAD COLD, I HAD 10 PEOPLE LIVING IN MY TWO BEDROOM HOUSE.
UM, AS YOU LOOK, AS YOU SEE DOWNTOWN, IT'S SO MANY PEOPLE UP ON THE TENTS, UP ON THE FREEWAYS IN TENTS.
EVERYWHERE YOU GO IS LIKE, IT'S RISING.
AND WHEN I GO OUT AND FEED THESE PEOPLE, IT'S LIKE, YOU WONDER HOW THEY GOT HERE.
THE QUESTION IS HOW WE GOING TO HELP THEM AND PROVIDE FOR THEM TO GET OFF THE STREETS? SOME OF 'EM DON'T WANT US TO GET ON OFF THE STREETS.
SO MY PROBLEM IS WHAT CAN WE ALL DO TO TRY TO HELP THEM TO GET HOUSING? UM, SOME OF 'EM MENTAL HAVE MENTAL CHALLENGES.
WE HAVE VETERANS THAT'S HOMELESS THAT FOUGHT FOR US, SO WE NEED SOMETHING TO GIVE BACK TO THEM AND HELP THEM.
SO THAT IS MY ORGANIZATION, THAT'S ABOUT MY ORGANIZATION IS ABOUT TO HELP THE HOMELESS.
SO I'M HERE TODAY IN FRONT OF YOU ALL TO SEE HOW CAN Y'ALL PROVIDE ME YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THANK YOU MS. ANGELO FOR COMING DOWN AND SHARING YOUR, UH, CONTRIBUTION TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND THE CITY IS, UH, FORTUNATELY LEADING IN THAT AREA.
UM, I WANT TO POINT OUT MS. ROXANNE LAWSON IN THE BACK WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
AND SHE, THERE ARE, UH, VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME A PART OF THE, UH, SYSTEM TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S EFFORTS AROUND VETERAN SUPPORT, UH, HOMELESS COUNT, UH, PROVIDING, UH, CASE MANAGEMENT.
AND SO SHE CAN WALK YOU THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AND THEN ALSO PROVIDE INFORMATION WITH AGENCIES THAT WERE ALREADY IN BUSINESS WITH.
SO YOU CAN SHARE THAT INFORMATION TO THE STREET AND THEN TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE PROCESS OF GETTING YOUR ORGANIZATION A PART OF THAT PIPELINE AS WELL AS WE EXPAND OUR REACH THROUGHOUT EVERY CORNER OF THE CITY.
SHE'LL BE YOUR BEST RESOURCE TODAY.
OKAY? THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. THOMAS CARTER.
WELL, MS. CLIFTON, THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE TODAY.
I SEE YOUR SHIRT SAYS TANGY CARES, AND, AND OBVIOUSLY YOU DO.
UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING, YOU KNOW, THIS TO THE FOREFRONT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE ENTIRE CITY IS AWARE OF THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE.
I WAS, YOU KNOW, I ECHO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS'S STATEMENT, BUT ALSO TOO CHECK WITH SOME OF THE LOCAL NONPROFITS.
I STRONGLY SUGGEST REACHING OUT TO THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS.
THEY'VE GOT THE COUNT COMING UP NEXT WEEK AND, AND REALLY WORKING THROUGH WHAT IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR NONPROFIT CAN DO TO GET SOME SUPPORT.
UM, WHETHER IT BE IN GRANT WRITING OR SUCH, BUT CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
THERE'S A NEED AND GOD BLESS YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
AND MS. CLIFTON, THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, JUST YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITY.
UM, ONE OF THE VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, WHICH IS THE HOMELESS.
UM, I, I REPRESENT FIFTH WARD.
AND SO LOOKING FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, DOING WHAT WE CAN TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS ISSUE AND OTHER ISSUES.
UM, JUST LAST YEAR WE ACTUALLY OPENED THE, UM, HOMELESS TRANSFER CENTER, WHICH IS OFF OF JENSEN.
AND SO A LOT OF WORK HAS WENT INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE HOMELESS.
AND SO, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE SAID, WE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL WORK WITH YOU TO CONNECT YOU WITH THE HOUSING AND, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO GET YOU PLUGGED IN, UM, INTO THE POOL OF ORGANIZATIONS' ALREADY DOING SOME GREAT WORK.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH YOU AND, UM, LET'S TALK SOON.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND EXPRESSING YOUR CONCERN.
AND CERTAINLY WE COMMEND YOU FOR THE EFFORTS THAT YOU'RE DOING IN TERMS OF HOMELESS AND VETERANS.
OF COURSE, I'M ONE MYSELF AND VETERANS CARE IS ONE OF MY, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS, DEEP CONCERNS FOR HELPING VETERANS.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK OF YOU IS THAT IF YOU WOULD, TODAY I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU, UH, MY INFORMATION.
[01:45:01]
I'D LIKE TO TALK WITH YOU OKAY.AND HELP YOU IN THAT BECAUSE SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU CAN GET COME FROM ALSO, UH, PARTNERSHIPS, PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO COME FROM THE CITY, BUT THERE ARE OTHER PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HELP YOU IN THAT RESPECT, PARTICULARLY TO VETERANS.
SO I LIKE TO MEET WITH YOU AFTER.
KEEP UP ISABEL KANE TO BE FOLLOWED BY A SIMS. GOOD MORNING.
I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING MAYOR JOHN WHIT, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS EXPRESSING GRATITUDE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE MY CONCERNS TODAY.
I'M A FORMER HU HOUSTON, CITY OF HOUSTON EMPLOYEE WITH THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
MY PURPOSE OF SPEAKING WITH YOU ALL TODAY IS TO SHED LIGHT ON THE INJUSTICE AND THE, AND ON THE INJUSTICE THAT LED TO MY WRONGFUL TERMINATION.
I WAS HIRED JANUARY 28TH, 2023.
I HAVE OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR.
I WAS TERMINATED JANUARY 9TH, 2024.
MY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CONSISTED OF EVALUATE CONTRACTORS COMPLIANCE FOR SECTION THREE REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMEND FINAL CLEARANCE, PREPARE, UH, STATISTICAL ANALYSTS OF UTILIZATION PLANS AS REQUIRED TO CONFIRM SECTION THREE, COMPLIANCE WITH THE GLO AND HUD I.
THE FIRST, THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF I WAS PRAISED FOR DOING A GREAT JOB BY MY JOB, BY MY SUPERVISOR, AND RECEIVED A SATISFACTORY HEAR REPORT.
AFTER QUESTIONING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WITH CONCERNS, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES.
THE WORK ENVIRONMENT CHANGED AND THE ATMOSPHERE STARTED MOVE SHIFTING NEGATIVELY DUE TO CONSTANT COMPLAINTS DUE TO CONSTANT CONFLICTS IN THE DIVISION.
THE STAFF HAD A ONE-ON-ONE MEETING WITH THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR KENISHA LONDON, WHERE SHE EXPRESSED SHE HAS AN OPEN DOOR POLICY TOWARDS THE END OF AUGUST.
A MEETING WAS SET UP WITH, WITH, UM, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR WHOM BROUGHT TO LIGHT INACCURACIES IN MY EVALUATION AND ME BEING BULLYING SOON AFTER A PID PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT.
DISCUSSION WAS FO WAS TO FOLLOW PROBLEMS INSURED, REFUSAL OF COLLABORATION, ACTIONS OF BULLYING, TOXIC AND HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT, AS WELL AS RETALIATION EFFORTS ULTIMATE LEADING TO MY TERMINATION LESS THAN 30 DAYS PRIOR TO MY YEAR TENURE.
I'M HERE TO LEAN ON THE ROLE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS IN ADVOCATING FOR FAIR WORKPLACE POLICY PRACTICES AND HOLDING ORGANIZATIONS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.
I WANT TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE NEED FOR THE CITY TO SET AN EXAMPLE OF UPHOLDING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE IN EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES.
I WANT TO GIVE MY SINCERE GRATITUDE FOR THE COUNCIL'S ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER AND HOPE FOR COLLECT AND HOPE FOR COLLECTIVELY EFFORTS TO CREATE A CITY WHERE FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE PREVAIL IN EVERY WORKPLACE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER.
UM, ISABELLE, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
UM, YOU LIVE IN DISTRICT A, SO, UM, IF YOU COULD PLEASE CONTACT MY OFFICE AFTERWARDS.
WE CAN, UM, FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE AND GET YOU TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO FIGURE THIS ALL OUT.
SO PLEASE CONTACT US AND, UM, AND WE'LL REACH OUT TO YOU AS WELL.
WE HAVE YOUR NUMBER HERE, SO WE WILL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU TOO.
NEXT AMA SIMS BE FOLLOWED BY AMANDA LUNA.
UH, GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I'M HERE THIS MORNING SEEKING YOU ALL ASSISTANCE.
I HAVE A MAJOR IDENTITY THEFT THAT IS AFFECTING MY FINANCES AND MY LIFE.
IT HAS CAUSED ME TO BE HOMELESS AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT IT IS ORGANIZED CRIME WITH HISPANICS AND HOMOSEXUALS FOR A FACT.
ON JANUARY THE THIRD, 2023, ALL OF MY PROPERTY WAS PICKED UP BY THE CLEANING CREW UP UNDER 50, UH, UH, ON CONGRESS STREET AND 59 AND PUT IN THE HOMELESS STORAGE.
I WENT TO THE HOME TO PICK IT UP AND IT WAS SAID THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAD PICKED IT UP.
ALL OF MY PERSONAL INFORMATION, LIKE MY BIRTH
[01:50:01]
CERTIFICATE, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, AND BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER, AND ALL OF MY, ALL OF THE COPIES OF MY ID CARD, A COPY OF MY ID CARD WHEN I WENT TO RENEW IT.NOW THAT I HAVE A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION WITH MY IDENTITY, I CANNOT LIVE.
I CAN'T OPEN A CHECKING ACCOUNT, AND MY DISABILITY CHECK HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD.
I WAS BARRED FROM ALL OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICES.
I HAVE BEEN, I HAVE BEEN TO, TO FIND OUT THAT THE STATUS OF MY DISABILITY CHECK.
I HAVE IN FACT MADE MANY OF, UH, UH, OFFENSE REPORTS ABOUT MY IDENTITY, THEFT, FRAUD, AND ASSAULT.
I HAVE EVIDENCE TO, TO AS WELL FOR, FOR MY PROOF.
I HAVE MADE MANY ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND ATTORNEY FARRIS HERE IN HOUSTON ON THE 1200 TRAVIS STREET.
AND I HAVE BEEN IN MY, UH, WHAT WAS I SAY? I HAS, IT HAS SAID, SAID, DUE TO THIS SITUATION, MY 14TH AMENDMENT HAS BEEN VIOLATED BY THE CITY AS HOUSTON.
THE SAME EQUAL RIGHT OF PROTECTION UP UNDER THE LAW.
UH, IF I CANNOT GET ANY HELP, I WILL FILE A LAWSUIT TODAY.
IF I DON'T GET ANY KIND OF COOPERATION FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON, I AM ENTITLED TO PERIOD.
I AM ENTITLED TO THE SAME EQUAL RIGHT OF LAWS OF PROTECTION AND FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO HEAR MY EVIDENCE.
I HAVE BEEN HERE, THIS IS MY FIFTH TIME BEING HERE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
I HAVE TALKED TO MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER MORE THAN FIVE TIMES.
I DONE WENT TO HIS OFFICE AND I HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN.
I HAVE WENT TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
MATTER OF FACT, I HAVE ALL THE EVIDENCE RIGHT HERE TO SHOW.
THIS IS A DIFFERENT NAME TO WHERE THEY CHANGED MY NAME TO WHERE I CANNOT BE IDENTIFIED AS THE PERSON THAT I GAVE THEM.
THIS IS AT 1200 TRAVIS LOBBY ESCORT REQUESTS.
YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED AND THIS ONE IS THE SAME THING.
MY NAME WAS CHANGED WHEN I CAME TO TALK TO THE, UH, TO THE MAYOR RIGHT BEFORE THE NEW ELECTION.
OKAY, MR. SIMS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UM, HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO ANY OF THE AGENCIES LOCALLY, LIKE SEARCH HOMELESS? ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH SEARCH? YES, MA'AM.
THAT'S WHERE ALL MY IDENTITY WAS TAKEN FROM.
UM, WE'VE GOT YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION.
WE'LL TRY TO CONNECT YOU WITH ONE OF THE NONPROFITS IN THE CITY TO HELP YOU WORK THROUGH THIS A LITTLE BIT.
OKAY? BUT THAT'S NOT THE SITUATION.
I NEED TO SPEAK TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND INTERNAL AFFAIRS BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE TWO ATTEMPTS.
WHY? I'VE BEEN ATTACKED BEHIND MY IDENTITY THREE TIMES WHILE SOMEBODY TRIED TO KILL ME.
AND I HAVE, I HAVE FIVE, WE'LL REACH OUT, 10 POLICE REPORTS.
SO HOW DO I GET THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO GET THE CHIEF OF POLICE OR ATTORNEY AFFAIRS TO TALK TO ME TODAY? THIS, THIS SHOULD TO BE SOLVED.
WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA CHECK WITH HPD.
RECENTLY I BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN USED HER INSTAGRAM AND HER CAPACITY AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, INCLUDING CONTENT RELEVANT TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND A DIRECT LINK TO HER CAMPAIGN PAGE.
SHE HAS BLOCKED ME FROM THIS ACCOUNT.
AND THERE ARE SEVERAL, SEVERAL SUPREME COURT RULINGS THAT DIRECTLY STATE THAT DIRECTLY OUTLINE.
THIS IS A CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION.
UM, ABBY CAME IN AS A CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY.
UH, I WOULD THINK THAT YOU WOULD BE PRIVY TO THESE SORTS OF PRECEDENTS.
SHE'S NEVER HERE WHEN I SPEAK.
UH, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE DISCOURSE WITH ME ABOUT THIS AFTER MY STATEMENT, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN, YOU'VE BEEN COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE TO MY CALLS AND EMAILS TO YOUR OFFICE.
OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CONSTITUENTS THEY REPRESENT.
ABBY CAYMAN IS UNFORTUNATELY REPRESENTATIVE OF A MUCH LARGER ISSUE OF CENSORSHIP AND SUPPRESSION OF AMERICAN VOICES THAT SUPPORT A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA.
I, ALONG WITH MEMBERS OF HOUSTON FOR PALESTINIAN LIBERATION, AS WELL AS OTHER INDIVIDUALS ADVOCATING FOR CEASEFIRE IN GAZA, HAVE BEEN COMING HERE SINCE OCTOBER.
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OUR CRIES HAVE FALLEN ON DEAF EARS.NO CONDOLENCES, REASSURANCES PRAYERS.
CLOSED DOOR MEETINGS OR INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS ARE A SUFFICIENT SUBSTITUTE FOR A PUBLIC STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF A CEASE FIRING GAZA.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER FOR BEING A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHAT OUR LEADERSHIP SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
SHE RELEASED A STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF A CEASEFIRE BECAUSE SHE LISTENED TO HER CONSTITUENTS.
TODAY I COME HERE AS A CONSTITUENT OF DR. CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZ COUNCIL MEMBER.
YOUR DISTRICT HAS A HIGHER POVERTY RATE AND UNEMPLOYMENT RATE THAN THE OVERALL RATES FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WITH APPROXIMATELY ONE IN FOUR CONSTITUENTS LIVING IN POVERTY, THESE CONSTITUENTS ARE PAYING TAXES THAT ARE DIRECTLY FUNDING THIS GENOCIDE.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS INVESTED OVER $10 MILLION IN OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND ISRAELI WAR BONDS.
BUT OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A JOKE AND WE CRIMINALIZE FEEDING THE HOMELESS AND IMPOVERISHED.
APPROXIMATELY 49% OF THE CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT D ARE BLACK AMERICANS.
A RECENT STUDY PUT OUT BY THE CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR PEACE SHOWED THAT 71% OF BLACK AMERICANS SUPPORT A CEASEFIRE AND AN END TO CIVILIAN DEATHS.
24% BELIEVE THAT THE UNITED STATES SHOULDN'T BE INVOLVED AT ALL, AND ONLY 5% SHOW UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL.
SO I HAVE TO ASK, WILL YOU AS A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT D STAND WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND PUT OUT A STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF A CEASE FIRING GAZA? THANK YOU, SIR.
ELISE KIRK BE FOLLOWED BY STEVE WILLIAMS. GOOD MORNING.
UM, SO I DON'T WANNA TARNISH MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY.
UM, I AM A PRIME CONTRACTOR WITH THE CITY.
UM, I'M A MINORITY CONTRACTOR AND MY COMPANY HAS 75% MINORITIES WORKING FOR THEM ALL CERTIFIED.
HOWEVER, I AM THE OWNER OF ST.
WE SPECIALIZE IN RAW LAND DEVELOPMENT, COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL, ALONG WITH MAJOR UNDERGROUND UTILITIES.
WE HAVE BEEN VENDORS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR OVER THREE YEARS.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH VARIOUS PRIME CONTRACTORS ON CITY OF HOUSTON PROJECTS.
HOWEVER, MAJORITY OF OUR PROJECTS ARE PRIVATE CLIENT BASED.
WE WERE CONTACTED IN THE SUMMER OF 2023 WITH ASSISTING THE WATERLINE REPAIR ISSUES AS COMPLAINTS FROM HOMEOWNERS BUSINESS OWNERS AND NEWS OUTLETS WERE RISING.
WE WERE AWARDED AN EPO CONTRACT.
WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY, TO WORK WITH OUR MINORITY CERTIFIED SUBCONTRACTORS, AND ASSIST WITH THE RISING LEAD COUNT AND BECOME A MINORITY PRIME CONTRACTOR FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE WERE SADLY MISLED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND PUBLIC WORKS AS THEY HAVE FAILED TO PAY OUR COMPANY FOR THE WORK THAT WE HAVE A WERE ASKED TO DO AND DID FOR FIVE MONTHS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY OWED OVER $1.4 MILLION IN COUNTING BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE THE CITY HAS NOT PAID THE PAST DUE INVOICES FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER.
THIS HAS CALLED PAYMENT ISSUES WITH VENDORS SET UP DIRECTLY BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THIS SPECIFIC EPO.
THE SUBCONTRACTORS AND LENDERS HAVE ALL THREATENED TO SUE ALONG WITH THE BOOKKEEPERS.
SINCE WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PROPERLY CLOSE OUT OUR BOOKS FOR 2023, CUSTOMERS ARE THREATENING TO SUE BECAUSE MY COMPANY, ALONG WITH OTHER CONTRACTORS FOR NONPAYMENT, MY COMPANY USED 75% MINORITY SUBCONTRACTORS FOR THIS PARTICULAR EPO PROJECT, WHICH HAS NOW BEEN, WE HAVE NOW BEEN PUT OUT OF WORK DUE TO THE SUDDEN STOP OF THE EPO CONTRACT WITHOUT WARNING, I DIRECT MY LAST STATEMENT AT EDWARD POLLARD.
UM, I SPOKE, YOU SPOKE ON THE MWBE AND THE DBE CERTIFIED VENDORS.
THE REASON THE PRIMES CANNOT PAY THE 15% REQUIREMENTS OR CANNOT MEET THE 15% REQUIREMENTS FOR MINORITY CONTRACTORS, BECAUSE THE CITY OF HOUSTON TAKES TOO LONG TO PAY AND THE MINORITY CONTRACTORS CANNOT RISK FLOATING A PROJECT THAT LARGE UNCERTAINLY OR WORKING UNCERTAINLY WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE YOU GUYS TAKE TOO LONG TO PAY BECAUSE YOU GUYS DO NOT TAKE CARE OF YOUR PRIME CONTRACTORS.
YOU DON'T SUPPORT, YOU DON'T BACK UP, YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING FOR THE PRIMES.
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WE HAVE TO TAKE ON THE LOAD FOR THE MINORITY CONTRACTORS.AND AS A FEMALE BLACK-OWNED BUSINESS, YOU GUYS HAVE TO DO BETTER.
UM, AND SO I WOULD JUST WANT TO EXTEND MY, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
AND IF YOU WANNA TAKE A FEW MOMENT, MOMENTS OF MY TIME AND THEN I'LL, UH, RESPOND TO YOU TO FINISH YOUR STATEMENT.
UM, IT WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO WORK MORE WITH THE CITY ON HELPING WITH GETTING THE 15%, UM, FOR THE MINORITIES.
AND IT'S NOT JUST, UM, HISPANICS, IT'S ALL ACROSS THE BOARD.
UH, WE HAVE CHINESE, ASIAN, THE WHOLE SPECTRUM ON OUR TEAM, AND WE NEED TO DO BETTER WITH PAYING.
UM, THE CITY NEEDS TO DO BETTER WITH PAYING THEY'RE MINORITIES.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD.
UH, WE'VE HEARD THAT, UH, BEFORE.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU, THE CITY HAS TO FIND WAYS TO STRENGTHEN AND IMPROVE THOSE PRACTICES.
UM, I'M GONNA ENSURE THAT MY OFFICE, UH, STAYS IN TOUCH WITH YOU.
UH, BECAUSE I WOULD NEED, UH, YOUR INSIGHT AS A PERSON WHO'S ACTUALLY A PART OF THE PROCESS AND BOOTS ON THE GROUND TO GIVE US FURTHER CLARIFICATION ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT TO AMEND AND CHANGE THOSE ORDINANCES.
UH, AS YOU HEARD EARLIER TODAY, WE'RE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT, UH, THE MWBE PROGRAMS, BUT WE NEED A HOLISTIC AND COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO HOW WE CAN STRENGTHEN IT, ESPECIALLY FOR, UH, PAYOUTS.
SO, UH, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, I'LL GET YOUR INFORMATION AND I THANK YOU FOR COMING.
THANK YOU MS. UH, MAYOR PRO TEM STEINHAM.
CAN, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE NAME OF YOUR COMPANY IS AGAIN? I, I DIDN'T ST.
AND, AND YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE A PART OF THE EMERGENCY PURCHASE ORDER FOR THE WATER MAINS.
SO, UM, UH, ATTORNEY MICHELLE, WE TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER WITH MR. THOMAS.
UM, CAN WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT IF, UM, WHILE WE ARE LOOKING AT WHO'S INVOLVED AND WHO'S NOT INVOLVED, THAT WE CAN EXPEDITE THE PAYMENTS? BECAUSE WHAT I HEARD HER SAYING IS SHE'S AT THREAT IN A THREAT OF BEING SUED BECAUSE OF THE NON-PAYMENT THAT SHE'S WAITING FOR, UM, FROM, FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AREN'T THE CAUSE OF THESE, UM, MINORITY CONTRACTORS AND VENDORS BEING SUED, UM, BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT'S TAKING US TO, TO PAY THESE VENDORS.
THANK YOU ALL AND CONGRATS MS. MEYER.
STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS IS NOT PRESENT.
I'M SHARON, SARAH CHANTEL BELL EDWARDS.
AND MY, MY, UH, ISSUE TODAY IS CONTROL WHO CONTROLS SOCIAL SECURITY.
WHO CONTROLS THE MEDIA? WHO CONTROLS WORK, LABOR LAW, UH, OVERSEES WHO, UH, THE HARASSMENT WITH E-E-E-O-C.
WHO CONTROLS CITIZENS, RIGHT? WHO CONTROLS THE BOOK THAT I ASKED FOR FOR CITIZENS? UH, HANDBOOK.
WHO CONTROLS, UH, VITAL STATISTICS MOTOR VEHICLE WHEN I STEP INTO THE DOOR OF DRIVER'S LICENSE AND GUN REFORM? WHO CONTROLS IDENTITY HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS ON THE COUNCIL WHO CONTROLS THE MONITORING OF HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY? WHO CONTROLS THE MONITORING OF MY EVERYDAY LABEL OF MY EVERYDAY BODY MOBILITY DUE TO MEDICAL ABUSE WITH AN ECTOPIC FALLOPIAN TWO PREGNANCY.
EVEN MY WORK BENEFITS FROM 13 TO 55 YEARS OLD.
I ONLY CAN GET A FEW DAYS OF GOVERNMENT INSURANCE.
AND THEN WHEN MY APPOINTMENT COME, I CAN'T SEE THE DOCTOR BECAUSE Y'ALL ALLOWING THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON OF IMMIGRATION, A GIRL TO STEAL MY IDENTITY AND MY INSURANCES.
WHO CONTROLS EVERYTHING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON? WHO'S THE PLANNER? I'M A LAW ABIDING CITIZEN.
MY INTELLIGENCE WAS TESTED WITH MR. KEN TON WITH CHILD SUPPORT, TON MATERNITY RIGHTS FROM A GENTLEMAN THAT I BE FREED WITH.
SOME CHILDREN HE TOOK CARE OF WANT ME AND MY CHILD DEAD.
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FACEBOOK DATA? HE IN HOUSTON.SOMEONE PUTS THEY FACE ON HIS NAME AND I KNOW HIM.
WHO CONTROLS WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SON, BRANDY AND DESHAUN BROOKS, WHO SERVED IN HAITI WHO CONTROLS VA SPOUSAL MOTHERS NIECE OR BENEFITS THAT I QUALIFY FOR WHO CONTROLS, UH, UH, COVID TESTING FUNDS THAT I DID NOT GET? THAT'S SHOWING THAT I GOT WHO CONTROLS EMERGENCY FUNDS.
THAT'S SHOWING THAT I GOT THAT I DID NOT GET.
WHO CONTROLS EVERYTHING? WHO MONITORS THAT? WHO TOOK THAT OFF THE BOARD IN HOUSTON, TEXAS? 'CAUSE WE HAVE MONITORS THAT MONITOR EVERYTHING THAT GOING IN THE CITY, INCLUDING TRISTAR WHO CONTROLS WHEN THEY SEE ME DRIVING MY JEEP THAT I DON'T HAVE ANYMORE.
WHO CONTROLS THE INSURANCE THAT THE PEOPLE DIDN'T CO DIDN'T COPPED OUT ON MY INSURANCE THAT I CANNOT GET? WHO CONTROLS STATE FARM? WHO CONTROLS THAT? WHO LETS THEM KNOW OUR CITIZEN? MS. BELL EDWARDS HAVEN'T GOTTEN HER PAYMENT BECAUSE FRAUD GOING ON IN HER NAME.
WHO CONTROLS THE MAIL OF THE UNITED STATES POSTAL WHEN I PUT MY MY MAIL TO MY POST OFFICE BOX AND THEY'LL ALIGN THE CITIZENS TO MAIL MY MAIL TO MY HOUSE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MR. EDWARDS.
AND, UM, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANNA LEAVE WITH US SO YOU CAN LEAVE IT WITH RHONDA AND SHE'LL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU.
DANA, NEXT SPEAKER ARE YOU DANA? OH, I'M SORRY.
I WAS BORN IN HOUSTON, BUT I'M A PALESTINIAN AMERICAN FROM REDA.
AT LEAST 200 MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY WERE KILLED LAST MONTH.
TO SAY IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT FEW MONTHS FOR MY FAMILY AND I IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT AND CERTAINLY IT HAS BEEN A SCARY TIME FOR PALESTINIAN AMERICANS LIKE ME.
SOME ARE AFRAID TO WHERE THEIR KOFI OR SPEAK ARABIC IN PUBLIC BECAUSE WE SEE AND HEAR ABOUT OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN VERBALLY OR PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED.
SOME ARE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR PROTESTS BECAUSE WE SEE OUR LEADERS IN CONGRESS BEING CENSURED OR OUR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS GETTING DOXED AND LOSING OPPORTUNITIES.
SOME ARE AFRAID TO WEAR THEIR HIJAB OR DRESSED LIKE ME BECAUSE OF RISING HATRED IN AMERICA.
THIS IS WHY YOUR WORDS REALLY MATTER TO PEOPLE LIKE ME.
I ASK THAT HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE TYPE OF LANGUAGE USED IN PUBLIC AND THE LEGAL POLICIES THAT ARE MADE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT REALLY MATTERS.
THAT'S WHAT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR MINORITIES AND HOW WE ARE VIEWED AND TREATED BY SOCIETY.
IT REMINDS ME OF THE WORDS OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
WHO SAID INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE.
WHEN OUR LEADERS SUPPORT POLICIES OR INVEST FUNDS TO INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE HARMFUL FOR PALESTINIANS ACROSS THE WORLD, THEN THIS HAS CONSEQUENCES FOR ALL OF US HERE AT HOME AND NOT JUST PALESTINIANS.
PLEASE CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES FOR US HERE IN HOUSTON WHEN YOU REFUSE TO CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS TODAY.
GOOD MORNING DEAR HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS TALIA AND I AM A PALESTINIAN AMERICAN, BORN IN HOUSTON.
MY GRANDPARENTS HAIL FROM A TOWN IN THE WEST BANK CALLED RAMAH.
TODAY I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A SPECIAL GIFT THAT I BROUGHT FOR ALL OF YOU.
ONE THAT COMES STRAIGHT FROM THE LAND OF MY FAMILY.
IN PALESTINE, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE BEST OLIVE OIL COMES FROM THE WEST BANK IN PALESTINE, OLIVE OIL IS A BIG DEAL FOR US PALESTINIANS.
IT IS OUR HISTORY, OUR MEDICINE, OUR FOOD, OUR CULTURE, AND OUR LIFE.
SADLY, THE OLIVE OIL THAT I, THAT I WILL SHARE WITH YOU TODAY HAS BEEN ON A DIFFICULT JOURNEY.
THE, THE INDIGENOUS PALESTINIAN FARMERS THAT GREW AND HARVESTED THE OLIVES IN YOUR OIL HAVE RISKED THEIR LIVES DUE TO THREATS AND VIOLENCE FROM ARMED SETTLERS IN THE WEST BANK.
SINCE THE YEAR 2000, MORE THAN 3 MILLION FRUIT TREE TREES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED IN PALESTINE, THESE TREES HAVE BEEN UPROOTED, POISONED, BURNT, OR BOMBED.
THESE TREES PROVIDE A WAY OF PROSPERITY, CULTURE, AND HISTORY TO THE INDIGENOUS PALESTINIANS.
THAT SAID, ANYTIME MY FRIENDS AND I BUY CLOTHING, WATCH A MOVIE, EAT AT A RESTAURANT,
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OR SPEND ANY MONEY AT A SHOP, THE FIRST THING WE DO IS CHECK TO SEE IF WE ARE MAKING AN ETHICAL PURCHASE OR NOT.IF THAT PURCHASE SUPPORTS ANYTHING HARMING PEOPLE OR THE ENVIRONMENT, THEN WE WILL BOYCOTT IT IS PART OF OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO BOYCOTT.
AND SO I ASK YOU TODAY, HOUSTON, WILL HOUSTON REQUIRE MY FRIENDS AND I TO WHO WANT TO WORK FOR THE CITY OR GO TO A UNIVERSITY TO SIGN AN OATH OF LOYALTY TO ISRAEL, WHOSE MILITARY IS DESTROYING MY PEOPLE AND MY HOMELAND? PLEASE CONSIDER THIS OATH AND HOW ITS LANGUAGE IS TAKING AWAY FROM MY PEOPLE AND MY COMMUNITY'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
I HOPE YOU ENJOY AND REMEMBER THAT ALL OF OIL IS A SYMBOL OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY FOR PALESTINIANS.
JUST AS CALLING FOR CEASEFIRE IS A SYMBOL OF PEACE AND LOVE BY HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS TODAY.
NEXT SPEAKER, PRISCILLA RAMIREZ.
NEXT SPEAKER, REVEREND COLIN BASSAN.
AND OH, ONE OF THESE, OKAY, SORRY.
UH, GOOD MORNING AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR REELECTIONS AND ELECTIONS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
COLIN BOEN, SENIOR MINISTER OF THE FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF HOUSTON.
LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE MUSEUM DISTRICT, WE ARE JOINED BY AN AVERAGE OF 400 PEOPLE EACH WEEK FOR WORSHIP AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT.
WE HOLD DEMOCRACY AS A RELIGIOUS PRACTICE AND EVERY ELECTION.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE METROPOLITAN ORGANIZATION, WE ORGANIZED DOZENS OF VOLUNTEERS TO CONTACT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO GET OUT THE VOTE AND IN VOTER REGISTRATION EFFORTS.
TODAY I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THREE THINGS, ENDING THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE ANTI FOOD ORDINANCE, DROPPING ALL CHARGES AGAINST VOLUNTEERS FOR FEEDING PEOPLE, AND REPEALING THE ANTI FOOD ORDINANCE AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE ANTI FOOD SHARING ORDINANCE.
ACCORDING TO FEEDING AMERICA, THERE ARE OVER 600,000 PEOPLE IN HOUSTON OR IN HARRIS COUNTY WHO ARE FOOD INSECURE.
MANY OF THEM ARE CHILDREN, SOME OF THEM ARE UNHOUSED.
MOST OF THEM LACK THE RESOURCES TO EASILY MOVE AROUND OUR COMMUNITY.
WITH ITS UNDERDEVELOPED MASS TRANSIT AND LACK OF WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOODS, EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
PUBLIC FEEDING SITES SUCH AS THE CENTRAL LIBRARY SERVE AS AN SERVE AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN HELPING THESE PEOPLE GET ACCESS TO FREE HEALTHY MEALS.
OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS DOZENS OF PUBLIC FEEDING SITES, NOT THE SINGLE ONE THE CITY HAS ALLOCATED IN A POLICE PARKING LOT, DROPPING ALL CHARGES AGAINST THE VOLUNTEERS.
SINCE MARCH, 2023, THE CITY HAS ISSUED OVER 85 CRIMINAL CITATIONS PER SHARING FOOD.
THIS IS AN UNCONSCIONABLE WASTE OF RESOURCES.
IT'S IMMORAL TO PERSECUTE THOSE WHO ARE DEVOTED TO SERVING OTHERS.
THEY SHOULD BE CELEBRATED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS SUCH AS YOURSELVES, NOT CITED.
THE CITY'S MONEY IS BETTER SPENT PROVIDING SERVICES LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING RATHER THAN PERSECUTING VOLUNTEERS REPEAL THE ORDINANCE.
TEXAS IS WELL KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY FOR PRACTICING THE POLITICS OF CRUELTY.
OUR STATE GOVERNMENT DEMON DEMONIZES AND DEF FRANCHISES, THE POOR AND MARGINALIZED IT REFUSES PUN, PUBLIC SERVICES ONLY JUST THIS WEEK REJECTING 30 350 MILLION FROM FEDERAL, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR FOOD, FOR POOR CHILDREN.
AND IT DOES A TERRIBLE JOB OF TAKING CARE OF MANY OF ITS RESIDENTS HERE IN HOUSTON.
WE CAN DO BETTER BY MAKING IT EASIER TO FEED PEOPLE AND REPEAL THE ORDINANCE AND DEMONSTRATE THAT WE ARE A COMPASSIONATE CITY.
REPEAL THE ORDINANCE, DROP THE CHARGES, AND SHOW THAT HOUSTON IS AN ISLAND OF COMPASSION.
IN THIS SEA OF COMPLEXITY AND CR CRUELTY, I IMPLORE YOU TO USE OUR RESOURCES FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD NOT TO PUNISH THOSE WHO GOOD, DO GOOD IN PUBLIC.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICE.
THANK YOU, REVEREND, FOR BEING HERE.
WHILE THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF MANY OCCASIONS ARE MEANS FOR CELEBRATION, WE HAVE JUST CROSSED THE 100TH DAY SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE WAR ON GAZA, A HUNDRED DAYS OF RELENTLESS VIOLENCE THAT HAS RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF OVER 23,968 LIVES.
10,000 OF WHICH ARE INNOCENT CHILDREN.
A HUNDRED DAYS THAT HAVE WITNESSED THE TRAGIC DEMISE OF 337 HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND 117 JOURNALISTS.
IN THESE PAST 100 DAYS, OVER 60,000 INDU INDIVIDUALS
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HAVE LEFT IN, BEEN LEFT INJURED, AND 355,000 HOMES HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO RUBBLE.THESE 100 DAYS HAVE BECOME BENCHMARKS NOT OF ACHIEVEMENT OR PROGRESS, BUT OF A HARROWING GENOCIDE THAT DEMANDS OUR ATTENTION AND ACTION.
MAYOR WHITMEYER, IN YOUR FIRST 100 DAYS IN OFFICE, I PLEAD WITH YOU TO HELP PUT THIS WAR TO AN END.
HOW CAN WE UPHOLD OUR LEGISLATIVE PRINCIPLES AND MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH BOASTS THE PROMISE OF HEALTH AND SAFETY? SAFETY? 13 TIMES WHEN WE REMAIN SILENT ABOUT THE LACK OF HEALTHCARE AND SAFETY IN GAZA, AS ATTACKS ARE APPROACHING THE LAST FULLY FUNCTIONING HOSPITAL THAT'S LEFT, WE CANNOT SPEAK.
WE CAN'T, THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE IS A HOUSTONIAN CAUSE WE ARE ONE AND THE SAME.
JUST AS HOUSTONIANS STRIVE TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS.
SO DO THE THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS WHOSE HOMES HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED AS HOUSTONIANS DESIRE MORE PARKS.
SO DO THE PALESTINIAN CHILDREN WHO ARE SLIDING DOWN CRATERS LEFT BEHIND BY AIRSTRIKES AS HOUSTONIANS SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR EDUCATION.
SO DO THE PALESTINIANS AS THEIR HOPES AND DREAMS CRUMBLE ALONG WITH THEIR SCHOOLS IN YOUR FIRST 100 DAYS.
AS WE STRIVE TO SERVE HOUSTONIANS, LET US ALSO COMMIT TO SERVING OUR BRETHREN IN GAZA.
IT IS OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO DEMAND A CEASEFIRE TO STAND AGAINST INJUSTICE AND TO WORK TOWARDS A WORLD WHERE THE CRIES OF PAIN AND LOSS ARE REPLACED BY THE HOPES OF REBUILDING IN THESE NEXT 100 DAYS.
AND WHILE I HAVE EXTRA TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE THE SENTIMENTS OF MR. BERNARD JOHNSON.
ACCORDING TO THE UNITED NATIONS, PALESTINE HAS A LITERACY RATE OF 97.7%.
MEANWHILE, 33% OF HOUSTONIANS ADULT HOUSTONIANS ARE FUNCTIONALLY ILLITERATE, UNABLE TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT.
AND MEANWHILE, 73% OF THIRD GRADERS ARE AT A BELOW THIRD GRADE READING LEVEL.
SO INSTEAD OF INVESTING OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, UH, FUNDS INTO ISRAELI BONDS, WE SHOULD BE INVESTING INTO IMPROVING OUR CITY'S EDUCATION AND IMPROVING LITERACY RATES.
THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL OF YOUR CON UM, POSITIONS.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS TODAY.
AND SARAH DARE TODAY YOU HEARD THE PERSPECTIVES OF PALESTINIAN AMERICAN CHILDREN AND WHILE I'M SO PROUD OF THEIR COURAGE, IT'S BITTERSWEET THAT IN 2024, MY MINORITY CHILDREN HAVE TO PROVE THEIR HUMAN HUMANITY, PROVE THAT PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE THEM ARE WORTHY OF BEING SEEN AND HEARD.
AND WHILE IT WOULD BE PRETTY HONORABLE IF HOUSTON WOULD MAKE A UNIFIED CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE, THERE ARE SOME TANGIBLE ACTIONS HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL COULD TAKE TODAY, BEGINNING WITH THE REMOVAL OF THE ANTI BDS OATH IN HOUSTON CITY CONTRACTS.
THAT KIND OF LANGUAGE GOES AGAINST EVERYTHING I'VE EVER TAUGHT STUDENTS ABOUT IN THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
AND ULTIMATELY IT'S THAT TYPE OF LANGUAGE AND POLICY THAT HAVE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR CHILDREN LIKE MINE AND YOURS, ESPECIALLY BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND CHILDREN OF COLOR.
IF YOU STAY SILENT ON MATTERS SUCH AS THESE, MAYBE YOUR LIFE WILL BE EASIER, BUT NOT YOUR CHILDREN'S.
LAST WEEK, COUNCILMAN POLLARD, YOU LISTENED TO US AND YOU SAID THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON THE INVESTMENTS AND BONDS INTO ISRAEL, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US WHEN WE CAN EXPECT UPDATES FROM YOU POLL? UM, THANK YOU MA'AM FOR COMING.
THANK, AND IF YOU WANNA FINISH YOUR STATEMENT, THEN I'LL RESPOND TO YOU.
YEAH, I I JUST WANTED TO ASK, UM, LAST WEEK YOU MENTIONED TO US THAT CITY COUNCIL IS TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE BONDS GOING TOWARDS, UM, ISRAEL.
UM, WE WANTED TO KNOW OUR, OUR COMMUNITY WANTS TO KNOW WHEN WE CAN EXPECT UPDATES FROM YOU AND HOW CAN WE HELP YOU WITH THAT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, AND YES, I HAVE INQUIRED INTO THE ADMINISTRATION INTO GETTING CLARIFICATION ON THOSE BONDS TO, TO MY KNOWLEDGE THROUGH OUR INVESTMENT POLICY.
IN THE PAST, WE HAVE INVESTED IN THOSE BONDS, UM, BUT IN OUR CURRENT INVESTMENT POLICY, UH, THOSE BONDS HAVE NOT BEEN CERTIFIED.
I AM LOOKING TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT AND AS SOON AS I DO, UH, EITHER MYSELF OR THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, WILL PUT OUT A STATEMENT, UH, WITH FEEDBACK ON THAT.
SO CONTINUE TO, UH, PRESS ON THAT BECAUSE I TOO WANT TO, UH, GET FURTHER INSIGHT AS WELL.
EVERYTHING'S BEEN NOTED AND, UM, WE'LL KEEP LOOKING OUT FOR UPDATES.
TODAY I WANT TO TEACH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY PALESTINIAN CULTURE AND THE IMPORTANCE
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AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COFI.THE COFI IS A TRADITIONAL PALESTINIAN SCARF THAT PEOPLE WEAR TO SHOW RESISTANCE AND LOYALTY.
THE FISHNET PATTERN REPRESENTS THE CONNECTION OF THE PALESTINIAN SAILOR TO THE SEA, WHICH IS, UM, THIS PATTERN.
UNFORTUNATELY, MOST PALESTINIANS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE SEA.
THE STRAIGHT LINES ON THE KAFI REPRESENT THE TRADE ROUTES IN PALESTINE.
WHICH, UH, ARE THESE LINES? UNFORTUNATELY, PALESTINIANS CANNOT TRAVEL FREELY IN OR AROUND PALESTINE.
THE SQUIGGLY LINES, UH, UH, REPRESENT OLIVE TREES, WHICH ARE A SYMBOL OF RESILIENCE.
IT'S, UM, IT'S THIS PATTERN OVER HERE.
CAN I FINISH IT? COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, YOU CAN HAVE MY TIME.
UNFORTUNATELY, THOUSANDS OF OLIVE TREES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED NO MATTER WHAT WE WEAR ARE KAFIS PROUDLY.
AND I WANT TO SHOW YOU HOW I WEAR MINE.
SO BASICALLY YOU MAKE IT IN THE TRIANGLE SHAPE AND THEN YOU PUT IT LIKE THIS AND YOU TAKE THESE TWO SIDES, FLIP IT OVER, AND THEN JUST KEEP IT LIKE THIS.
OR YOU CAN EVEN PUT THE STRAPS UNDER HERE AND WEAR IT LIKE THIS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT WITH US TODAY.
CAN I PLEASE HAVE MY FULL THREE MINUTES? I HAVE NEVER SPOKEN HERE BEFORE.
Y YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
GOOD MORNING, DEAR HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS HAMZA AND I AM A FIFTH GRADER.
I WAS BORN IN HOUSTON AND I AM A PALESTINIAN AMERICAN.
MY MOM AND DAD ARE FROM ES IN ZA.
TODAY I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY IN ZA LAST MONTH.
ABOUT 100 AUNTS, UNCLES, AND COUSINS ON MY MOM'S SIDE, AND 100 ON MY DAD'S SIDE WERE KILLED IN ISRAEL.
I KNOW THAT NUMBER SEEMS TOO HIGH TO BE REAL, BUT IN
AND IT'S NORMAL FOR EXTENDED FAMILIES TO LIVE IN THE SAME BUILDING.
AND NOW BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GETTING DISPLACED, DOZENS OF UNRELATED FAMILIES ARE LIVING TOGETHER IN SMALL TENTS OR APARTMENTS.
I AM TOO SCARED TO WATCH THE VIDEOS IN ZA, BUT I KNOW THAT, BUT I KNOW THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE FREEZING, STARVING AND DEHYDRATED.
I AM SAD THAT THERE'S LOTS OF PEOPLE GETTING HURT OR KILLED.
WHAT MAKES ME FEEL BETTER IS THAT IN OUR RELIGION, WE KNOW THOSE WHO WERE KILLED IN ZA ARE NOT DEAD, BUT THAT THEY ARE RAISED TO HEAVEN BECAUSE THEY WERE INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO WERE MARTYRED.
DEAR MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CITY COUNCIL, WOULD YOU PLEASE ALLOW ME TO RECITE A ONE MINUTE SUPPLICATION THAT I WROTE MYSELF TO HONOR MY FAMILY AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SUFFERING OR DIED IN ZA? THANK YOU.
MY SISTER WILL, WILL TRANSLATE FOR ME AND SAY THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION.
SINCE MY SUPPLICATION IS IN ARABIC, PLEASE EVERYONE PUT YOUR HANDS UP FOR THIS.
OH LORD, GIVE OUR LEADERS IN THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL THE COURAGE, STRENGTH, AND WISDOM TO CALL FOR AND THE IMIA CEASE FIRE.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME TODAY.
I'LL NOW READ TO YOU A TRANSLATION OF MY BROTHER'S SUPPLICATION.
OH LORD, GIVE TRIUMPH TO THE OPPRESSED
OH LORD, SEND UPON THEM YOUR PEACE AND SECURE THEM WITH YOUR SAFETY.
OH LORD, BE FOR THEM, A HELPER, A PROVIDER, AND A TRIUMPH.
OH LORD, HAVE MERCY UPON THEIR WOMAN.
OH LORD, HAVE MERCY UPON THEIR CHILDREN.
OH LORD, HAVE MERCY UPON THEIR ELDERLY.
[02:25:01]
HAVE MERCY UPON THEIR YOUTH.OH LORD, HAVE MERCY UPON THEIR WOUNDED, OH LORD, ACCEPT INTO HEAVEN THEIR MARTYRED.
OH LORD, GIVE OUR LEADERS IN THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL THE COURAGE, STRENGTH, AND WISDOM TO CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.
I APPRECIATE YOU FOR GIVING MY BROTHER THE OUTLET TO EXPRESS HIS FEELINGS.
AND THANK YOU FOR TRANSLATING FOR YOUR BROTHER AS WELL.
HOW OLD IS YOUR BROTHER? HE'S 11, 11TH.
HELLO, I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO PUSH FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS TO DIVEST FROM THE ISRAEL SOURCE BONDS.
IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER, THE STATE OF TEXAS PURCHASED MORE THAN $60 MILLION WORTH OF ISRAELI BONDS THAT ARE USED TO PROVIDE ISRAEL WITH THE FUNDS THAT IS USING TO PURCHASE WEAPONS THAT ARE GENOCIDED MY PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.
I AM HERE TO ASK YOU TO PUT PRESSURE ON OUR STATE AND CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND ON PRESIDENT BIDEN TO CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE AND ALLOW HUMANITARIAN AID TO FREELY ENTER GAZA.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON CLAIMS TO HAVE A HOMELESS POPULATION OF ABOUT 3,200 PEOPLE.
ACCORDING TO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE SEND IN TAX DOLLARS EVERY YEAR TO ISRAEL, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HOUSE MORE THAN 3000 PEOPLE IN THE, IN THE HOUSTON AREA.
WE COULD EFFECTIVELY END HOMELESSNESS IF WE ARE NOT SENDING OUR TAX DOLLARS TO ISRAEL SO THAT THEY CAN BUY WEAPONS THAT ARE BEING USED TO BOMB PEOPLE.
MS. HUFFMAN, I LIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT AND YOU HAVE BUILT YOUR CAMPAIGN ON FIGHTING CRIME.
THIS IS A HUGE CRIME TO KILL PEOPLE.
YOU WOULD NOT ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO GO ON A CRIME SCREEN.
OKAY, I WOULD LIKE TO PLEASE FINISH.
'CAUSE LAST WEEK I HAD THREE MINUTES AND IT WAS CUT DOWN TO ONE.
WHEN, WHEN YOU COME TO SPEAK AT, UM, PUBLIC SESSION, IF YOU COME BACK THE FOLLOWING WEEK, YOUR TIME DOES CHANGE FROM THREE MINUTES TO ONE MINUTE.
HOWEVER, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER IS IN THE QUEUE AND SHE WILL YIELD HER TIME.
YOU HAVE BUILT YOUR CAMPAIGN ON FIGHTING CRIME AND HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN PARTICULAR.
THERE IS NO WORLD WHERE WE WOULD ACCEPT THE INDISCRIMINATE KILLING OF INNOCENT MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN TO GO ON FOR MORE THAN A HUNDRED DAYS.
PLEASE, I IMPLORE YOU TO LEAD, LEAD, BE A LEADER AND CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE AND PUSH TO DIVEST FROM OUR ISRAEL SOURCE BOMB BONDS SO THAT WE CAN PUT AN END TO THIS KILLING.
HE NEXT SPEAKER MARIAN WRIGHT.
SO THANKS TO ALL OF Y'ALL WHO HAVE HAD THE LONGEVITY TO ACTUALLY STAY TILL THE END.
I WANNA POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AT LARGE THAT ARE STILL HERE, WHICH IT'S A TESTAMENT TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AT LARGE.
COUNCIL MEMBER COSTELLO, I'D ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU.
THE REASON THAT I'M HERE TODAY IS I WANTED TO SAY HOW PROUD I WAS OF ALL OF Y'ALL AND HOW PROUD I WAS TO BE A HOUSTONIAN WHEN I WATCHED WEDNESDAY'S MEETING.
Y'ALL CAME TOGETHER AND INSTEAD OF JUST VOTING ON SOMETHING BECAUSE A COUNCIL MEMBER SAID THAT WE SHOULD VOTE ON IT OR THAT IT WAS IN THEIR DISTRICT YELLOW L LIST AND, AND CAME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT'S GONNA HOPEFULLY BE BETTER THAN SPENDING $2 MILLION TO FACILITATE $5 MILLION WORTH OF MONEY.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, I REALLY APPLAUD YOU FOR LISTENING TO EVERYBODY AND AT THE END SAYING, THANK YOU.
LET'S LISTEN AND SEE IF MAYBE THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN DO THIS BETTER.
THAT WAS REALLY A BRAVE MOVE TO MAKE SO MANY TIMES.
CAN I FINISH? I'LL JUST BE QUICK.
SO MANY TIMES IN THE LAST ADMINISTRATION PROJECTS JUST DID NOT MOVE FORWARD.
THAT SHOULD HAVE MOVED FORWARD.
THIS IS ONE THAT REALLY NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL ARE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT
[02:30:01]
THE ONE THAT WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT DOES MOVE FORWARD.AND LET'S ALL TRUST EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT MORE AND LISTEN A LITTLE BIT MORE AND INSTEAD OF JUST QUESTIONING AND VOTING AND RUSHING THINGS THROUGH.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
AND I THINK IT'S A BIG LESSON FOR EVERYBODY.
LET'S ALL MAKE SURE THAT WE LISTEN AND KIND OF MAKE SURE THE PROJECTS MOVE THROUGH SMARTLY INSTEAD OF QUICKLY.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT WAS QUICK BECAUSE I KNOW THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR A LONG TIME.
MY NAME IS SARAH SAYED, CURRENTLY THE SENIOR COMMUNITY ORGANIZER FOR WOODY JUNTOS.
UM, ALSO SERVING ON THE A API ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, WE ARE NOW SURPASSED A HUNDRED DAY MILITARY CAMPAIGN MARKED BY DISPROPORTIONATE USE.
I BRING THIS UP JUST BECAUSE AS YOU APPROACH CITY OF HOUSTON BUDGET CONVERSATIONS HERE IN Q2, CONSIDER ALL OF THE RESOURCES BEING PUT INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE RECENT PASSING OF HOUSE BILL FOUR, SB FOUR, IT'S MAKING OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES FEEL LESS SAFE, RIGHT? AND SO AS WE, UM, LOOK AT AND VIEW THE SPENDING THAT WE ARE DOING, IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT OUR FOREIGN INVESTMENTS AND OUR INVESTMENTS INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND IN THE SAME BREATH, CONSIDER WHAT WE ARE PUTTING INTO COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, EDUCATION, LANGUAGE, ACCESSIBILITY, AND HOLISTIC APPROACHES TO ENSURING THAT OUR COMMUNITIES FEEL HEARD AND SAFE, UM, AND HEALTHIER.
UM, THE OTHER THING I WANT TO ADD IS JUNTOS.
LASTLY, UM, JUNTOS RECENTLY HAD A TRAIN THE TRAINER PROGRAM.
IT WAS WELL ATTENDED BY, IF I CAN HAVE ONE MINUTE YIELDED TO ME.
COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, YOU HAVE MY MINUTE.
WE RECENTLY HAD A TRAIN THE TRAINER PROGRAM ON HB FOUR AND SB FOUR AND HOW THAT'S IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS BECAUSE IT GOES INTO EFFECT IN FEBRUARY.
IT WAS WELL ATTENDED BY 150 PEOPLE.
MANY FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICES, FROM THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.
SO I HOPE THAT MEMBERS FROM CITY OF HOUSTON COME AND JOIN US AND HAVE INTENTIONAL OUTREACH AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, UM, WITH THIS NEW ADMINISTRATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. SAE, FOR BEING HERE.
THAT COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
[NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
POPOFF IF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, HAVE COMMENTS THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE, WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER.JUST LIKE TO WISH THE TEXANS CON UH, GOOD LUCK THIS WEEKEND.
THEY RAISED $272,000 ON THEIR 50 50, WHICH 50% OF THAT GOES BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, CERTAINLY LIKE TO THANK, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER, SENATOR WHITMEYER, THEN WHEN WE LOBBIED IN 2015 TO GET THAT PASSED IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
ALSO TOO, JUST A REMINDER THAT THE HOMELESS COUNT, UH, NEXT WEEK, JANUARY 23RD, INSIDE THE LOOP, JANUARY 24TH, HARRIS COUNTY OUTSIDE LOOP SIX 10 EAST OF 45 AND HIGHWAY 2 88.
AND THEN ON THE 25TH OUTSIDE LOOP SIX 10 I 45 AND 2 88.
UM, REACH OUT TO THE COALITION, GET SIGNED UP AND PARTICIPATE.
IT'S EYEOPENING AND IMPORTANT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS CHAVE.
UH, I WANT TO FIRST THANK ROMAN AGUILAR, PAUL GREEN, HERBERT SIMS AND THEIR TEAMS, AS WELL AS CAREER RECOVERY FOR THEIR INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR DISTRICT.
THEIR MARTIN LUTHER KING WEEK OF SERVICE, SAFE HOME PROJECT WHERE THEY, UH, BOARDED UP VACANT HOMES AND MANAGE THE LANDSCAPE.
AND I WANT TO TELL THEM THAT WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE THAT.
THE MCGREGOR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 83 MEETING WILL BE TOMORROW EVENING, THURSDAY, UH, FROM SIX 30 TO SEVEN 30 AT THE GOOD HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH, 30 15 NORTH MCGREGOR.
IF YOU NEED TO CONTACT, UH, SOMEONE, CONTACT TAMARA BELL, 7 1 3 8 2 5 8 4 4 9.
ALSO, THE SUNNYSIDE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WILL BE ON FRIDAY, JANUARY THE 19TH FROM SIX 30 TO EIGHT, UH, AT THE SUNNYSIDE HEALTH AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, 44 10 REED ROAD.
UM, AND CERTAINLY, UH, COME OUT FOR THOSE MEETINGS.
AND SO I WANT TO ACTUALLY, UH, MAKE A SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO DIRECTOR UNI AND HIS TEAM FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN CONNECTING OUR OFFICE WITH PARTNERS WHO PROVIDED PORTABLE HEATERS.
THESE HEATERS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS DURING THE RECENT WINTER FREEZE.
AND I WANT TO SPECIAL THANKS TO STEPHEN DAVID FOR KEEPING OUR, KEEPING OUR OFFICE UPDATED MULTIPLE TIMES DAILY WITH CRITICAL INFORMATION.
DURING THIS PERIOD, I ACTUALLY SPENT PART OF MY MARTIN LUTHER
[02:35:01]
KING DAY OF SERVICE DELIVERING SOME OF THOSE HEATERS TO, TO, UH, ORGANIZATIONS AND, UM, UH, VULNERABLE CITIZENS SUCH AS A GENTLEMAN WHO WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR WHO DIDN'T HAVE ANY HEAT.AND SO I WAS VERY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT.
AND SO CERTAINLY I I WISH THE TEXANS WELL AND CERTAINLY HOPE THAT WE WILL ALL STAY SAFE AND STAY WARM.
I WANNA START BY THANKING THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON DOWNTOWN AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS FOR A MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY SERVICE PROJECT.
THIS PAST SATURDAY AT MOODY PARK THAT MY OFFICE PARTICIPATED IN, UH, PERFORMING A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PARK.
WE, UH, FOCUSED ON THE TRASH PICKUP SIDE.
WE COLLECTED OVER A HUNDRED POUNDS OF TRASH THERE, AND THEY, UH, DID SOME MAINTENANCE TO THE FACILITIES AND TO THE PLAYGROUNDS AND THE BASKETBALL COURTS.
AND IT WAS A GREAT DAY TO BE OUT AND ACTIVE TO, UH, TO A AMENITY THAT A LOT OF FOLKS USE AS THEIR MAIN, YOU KNOW, SOURCE OF ACTIVITY IN GREEN SPACE.
UM, AND SO WE WANT TO THANK THEM FOR ALL THEIR COORDINATION AND THEIR HELP, UH, FOR THAT SERVICE PROJECT.
AND I WANNA ALSO THANK ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, UH, THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE EFFORTS TO KEEP HOUSTONIAN SAFE, UH, THROUGH OUR, OUR FREEZE.
AND, UH, WE SAW THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAND UP, UH, THE WARMING CENTERS QUICKLY AND ALL OF THE COORDINATION BETWEEN THOSE DEPARTMENTS AND THE CITY AND THE FIRST RESPONDERS.
UM, SO THANK YOU TO TO EVERYONE FOR STEPPING UP AND ENTERING THE CALL AS, AS PEOPLE FREQUENTLY DO.
UM, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND INTRODUCE ANOTHER MEMBER OF MY STAFF THIS WEEK.
MS. ELIA VALEZ, WHO IS MY SCHEDULER, WHO IS NO STRANGER TO CITY HALL.
SHE'S BEEN AROUND, UH, FOR NINE YEARS AS FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS SCHEDULER.
UH, SHE'S A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN AND ALUMNI OF UNIVERSITY OF ST.
THOMAS AND, UH, VOLUNTEERS QUITE A BIT WITH HER HOME PARISH.
UH, SHE'S THE SECRETARY OF THE PARISH FINANCE COMMITTEE THERE FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, AND SHE IS A SEVEN YEAR VOLUNTEER WITH THE ASTROS FOUNDATION AND 22 YEAR, UH, VOLUNTEER WITH THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICANS LULAC.
SO SHE'S VERY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, A RESIDENT OF THE DISTRICT AS WELL.
WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE HER ON THE TEAM.
AND, UH, FINALLY I WILL SAY, GO TEXANS.
NEXT WE'LL MOVE TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
UH, FIRST I DID WANNA JUST THANK AGAIN, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, ALL OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS, UM, EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT, UH, HELPED US STAY SAFE DURING THE FREEZE.
UH, AND I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU'VE TAKEN ON INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP ROLES WITHIN NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES.
AND, UH, IT'S NOW MY TURN TO ANNOUNCE SOME EXCITING NEWS, UM, THAT I HAVE BEEN APPOINTED AS VICE CHAIR OF THE LARGE CITIES COUNCIL FOR THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH WHAT IS A VERY DIVERSE GROUP, UM, OF MEMBER CITIES, UH, TO ENCOURAGE COLLABORATION.
UH, WE'RE READY TO GET TO WORK, BUT CONTINUES TO BE A PLEASURE TO SERVE, UM, AND REPRESENT HOUSTON AT NLC.
AND I KNOW WE'RE GONNA DO GREAT THINGS, UH, ON DISTRICT RELATED MATTERS.
UH, WE HAVE WORK THAT IS STARTED SOONER THAN EXPECT THAN EXPECTED AT THE INTERSECTION OF CHEROKEE AND SUNSET, WHERE WE HAVE, UM, SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IT'S, THAT IS GOING TO HELP MAKE OUR STOP SIGNS A LOT MORE VISIBLE.
SO I WANTED TO THANK PUBLIC WORKS FOR THAT.
AND THEN SOME VERY EXCITING NEWS AT PATTERSON AND KOHLER IN RICE MILITARY.
UM, STOP SIGNS ARE GOING UP THIS MORNING THAT THE RE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN ASKING FOR, FOR YEARS.
UM, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO AND HAPPEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PATTERSON IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THE CORRIDOR, BUT DUE TO SO MANY CAR WRECKS, UM, THEY'RE GETTING THOSE SIGNS IN A LOT EARLIER AND WE THANK THEM FOR THAT.
LASTLY, THERE WILL BE, UH, A COMMUNITY MEETING NEXT WEEK THAT WE'RE HELPING TO HOST, UM, FOR ELLA GROVE WOOD.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WE CAN DO ALONG THE CORRIDOR AND INTERSECTIONS AT SINCLAIR ELEMENTARY TO KEEP FAMILIES SAFE.
UH, SO PUBLIC WORKS WILL BE PRESENTING THEIR PROPOSAL FOR THAT.
UH, IT'S A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING ON JANUARY 23RD FROM FIVE TO 6:00 PM AND UH, THE LINK IN INFORMATION IS ON OUR DISTRICT C WEBSITE.
WITH THAT, UH, ECHOING ALL THE SPIRITED EXCITEMENT FOR THE TEXANS, UH, IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST GAMES I HAVE EVER SEEN, UM, AT NRG OVER THIS PAST WEEKEND, AND I KNOW WE'LL BRING IT IN BALTIMORE.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW APPOINTMENT ON NLC.
AND FINALLY, UH, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR DISTRICT K ON SATURDAY JANUARY THE 20TH.
[02:40:01]
OUR BACKED BY POPULAR DEMAND SHRED DAY, UH, ON UH, 9:00 AM TO 12:00 PM AT NEW FAITH CHURCH AT 43 15 WEST FUKE WAY AND ALSO AT WESTBURY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AT 5,200 WILLOW BEND BOULEVARD, RESIDENTS CAN BRING THEIR ITEMS THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE SHREDDED.AND ALSO AT WESTBURY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, IF YOU HAVE SMALL ELECTRONICS, UH, THERE WILL BE A WASTE COLLECTION EVENT THERE SIMULTANEOUSLY.
AND THIS IS A DRIVE-THROUGH EVENT AND VOLUNTEERS WILL BE ON SITE TO HELP MOVE THE DOCUMENTS FOR SHREDDING AND SMALL ELECTRONICS FOR RECYCLING TO THE RESPECTIVE RECEPTACLES.
SO COME ON OUT ON JANUARY THE 20TH FROM 9:00 AM TO 12:00 PM WITH THOSE DOCUMENTS IN SMALL ELECTRONICS.
ALSO WANT TO, UH, AMPLIFY, UH, THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR, UH, STREET OVERLAYS.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT WESTBURY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 37.
UH, WE FINISHED THE ASPHALT OVERLAY, UH, OFF OF GASSER NEAR THE WILLOW WATERHOLE.
UH, I KNOW THAT WE WILL ALL APPRECIATE THAT SMOOTHER RIDE IN THAT AREA.
AND THEN WE DISCUSSED IT EARLIER TODAY, BUT THE WESTWOOD WEST RIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD CIVIC CLUB MEETING ON JANUARY THE 23RD AT 6:30 PM WE'LL BE THERE WITH PUBLIC WORKS TO DISCUSS THEIR CIP PROJECT.
LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT DISCUSSION WITH ALL OF THE RESIDENTS THERE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION TODAY.
UH, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY.