* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:03] CALL TO ORDER. RECOGNIZE COUNCIL, [PRESENTATIONS] COUNCIL, COME TO ORDER. I RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. UH, STEVE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING UP HERE, MAYBE IF YOU WANT YOUR FAMILY TO JOIN YOU. OF COURSE. UH, GOOD TO SEE YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU, SIR. MAYOR, COLLEAGUES, IT'S MY ABSOLUTE PRIVILEGE. THIS, UH, AFTERNOON TO BE RECOGNIZING STEVE LOUGHBOROUGH. UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW STEVE THROUGH GOODWILL, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS IN DECEMBER, CORRECT? THAT, UH, YOU FORMALLY RETIRED. THAT IS CORRECT. AND SO WE ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE, UH, OVER FOUR DECADES OF SERVICE. UH, STEVE ACTUALLY WORKED FOR GOODWILL FOR 43 YEARS, 37 OF THOSE AS PRESIDENT AND CEO. AFTER SUCCEEDING, HIS FATHER AS CEO IN 1986, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS TENURE, UH, THERE WAS 9 MILLION IN REVENUE AND 350 EMPLOYEES. AND I BELIEVE, UH, WHEN HE LEFT, UH, AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, 135 MILLION IN REVENUE AND OVER 2000 EMPLOYEES THAT REMAIN TODAY. SO, UH, WE ALL KNOW THE EXTRAORDINARY WORK THAT GOODWILL DOES, IMPROVING THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND OUR COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL WHILE SPECIALIZING IN ASSISTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AT YOUTH RISK VETERANS, AND THOSE WITH OTHER BARRIERS TO EMPLOY EMPLOYMENT. SO IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TODAY, UH, WITH YOUR GRANDSON, FRONT AND CENTER, YOUR FIRST TIME AT CITY HALL, RIGHT? YEAH. UH, TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION, STEVE LOUGHBOROUGH HAS SERVED GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF HOUSTON FOR 43 YEARS, 37 OF THOSE SERVING AS PRESIDENT AND CEO AT THE REQUEST OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. IN 1981, STEVE OFFICIALLY JOINED GOODWILL HOUSTON AND WENT THROUGH GOODWILL INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, DESIGNED TO TRAIN AND CERTIFY GOODWILL EXECUTIVES. UNDER STEVE'S LEADERSHIP GOODWILL, HOUSTON GREW QUICKLY EXPANDING ITS RETAIL FOOTPRINT AND AVAILABLE PROGRAMS BY OPENING JOB CONNECTION CENTERS ALL OVER OUR CITY TO PROVIDE FREE JOB TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES. LUFF BRO'S PASSION FOR NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP EXTENDS BEYOND HIS DECADES OF SERVICE. HE HAS SERVED AS BOARD MEMBER OF THE GALLERIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, VP OF THE HOUSTON CLUB, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, PRESIDENT OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HOUSTON, PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF GOODWILL, A MEMBER OF THE ST. LUKE'S UMC FOUNDATION BOARD, HOUSTON CLUB BOARD OF GOVERNORS. I'M RUNNING OUT OF BREATH, THE ROTARY CLUB OF HOUSTON FOUNDATION, AND IS A MEMBER OF THE LEADERSHIP HOUSTON'S CLASS OF 2011. CURRENTLY, STEVE SERVES ON THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON'S ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND SUPERVISION ADVISORY BOARD, THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU'S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, AND SERVES AS VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. STEVE HAS RECEIVED VARIOUS AWARDS, INCLUDING THE PAUL HARRIS FELLOW AWARD, THE CITATION OF MERIT AWARD, AND AN HONORARY MEMBERSHIP TO BETA GAMMA SIGMA FROM ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY. IN 2014, HE RECEIVED THE HIGHEST HONOR GIVEN TO A GOODWILL CEO, THE KENNETH K. KING FELLOWSHIP, CEO OF THE YEAR. IN 2016, STEVE RECEIVED THE GEORGE WASHINGTON DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD FROM THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. IN 2022, HE WAS HONORED BY HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL. AS ONE OF HOUSTON'S MOST ADMIRED CEOS, THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMENDS STEVE LOUGHBOROUGH FOR HIS PASSION FOR NONPROFIT SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. HIS SERVICES HAVE CHANGED THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS PEOPLE AND CEMENTED A SPOT AS ONE OF HOUSTON'S PREMIER NONPROFIT BUSINESS LEADERS. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. AND, UM, I HAD THE HONOR OF, UH, WORKING WITH STEVE'S FATHER AND CERTAINLY THE DNA AS PRESENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE. UH, I REGULARLY SAY HOUSTON'S A GREAT CITY, WHICH WE KNOW AND GREAT PEOPLE AND THEIR OWN EXHIBIT TODAY. SO STEVE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE PROVIDING A SAFETY NET FOR [00:05:01] SO MANY HOUSTONIANS THAT NEED THAT, UH, SUPPORT. SO IT'S MY HONORS, THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 16TH, IS STEVE BROCK TODAY IN HOUSTON. SO, CONGRATULATIONS AND I'LL IN, I'LL INVITE STEVE, UH, TO SAY A FEW WORDS AND INTRODUCE NOT ONLY HIS FAMILY, BUT HIS GOODWILL FAMILY, UH, BUT ON BEHALF OF ALL OF COUNCIL, UH, STEVE, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO, NOT ONLY IN DISTRICT C, BUT FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, I WOULD SAY, IF NOT MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUALS, UH, AND IMPROVING THEIR LIVES AND MAKING OUR CITY WHAT IT IS. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. SO, AFTER HEARING ALL THAT, IT MAKES ME, UH, WONDER WHY I RETIRED. BUT I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE MAYOR, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, COUNCIL AND OUR FRIENDS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AS A LONG TIME, HOUSTONIAN, SINCE THE TIME I WAS SIX, UM, I'M SO HONORED TO BE UP HERE IN THE PAST. I'VE BEEN UP HERE ARGUING ISSUES, AND TODAY IS JUST PEACE AND LOVE AND HARMONY. AND SO I'M SO HAPPY AND THANKFUL. AND WHAT A WAY TO TOP OFF A, A, A, A REALLY STRONG, GREAT CAREER. THAT HAS NOT BEEN EASY. BUT MY, UH, RETIREMENT DAYS RIGHT NOW ARE A LOT OF FUN. SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO VERY QUICKLY INTRODUCE, UH, SOME OF MY FAMILY THAT'S WITH US TODAY. FIRST OFF, MY WIFE, UH, JOAN HAS PUT UP WITH THIS SINCE, UH, IN 1981 WHEN WE WERE MARRIED. WE STARTED DATING, UH, IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND SHE STILL LOVES ME AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. . UM, ONE OF MY SONS, UH, STEVE JUNIOR IS HERE AS WELL. STEVE IS HERE WITH HIS WIFE, UH, SARAH, AND THEY ARE, AND, AND THEN ONE OF THEIR CHILDREN IS GRAHAM. AND GRAHAM IS ONE OF OUR YOUNGEST GRANDSONS. UH, WE HAVE, UH, SIX GRANDCHILDREN. WE'RE VERY BLESSED. AND THEN I HAVE SOME OF GOODWILL FAMILY HERE AS WELL. ANDRE TURNER. ANDRE IS A, IS A BOARD MEMBER, UH, OF, OF GOODWILL. AND ONE OF MY DEAREST FRIENDS, HE AND MY SON BECAME FRIENDS IN HIGH SCHOOL. AND SO I, I KIND OF GOT TO BRING, UH, ANDRE UP A LITTLE BIT AND HE BROUGHT ME UP AS WELL, AND JUST A WONDERFUL GUY. AND THEN WE HAVE, WE HAVE BETTY HANDY, BETTY HANDY'S, ONE OF MY DEAREST FRIENDS, AND THE LONGEST SERVING EMPLOYEE OF GOODWILL, HOUSTON AND BETTY'S BEEN THROUGH THICK AND THIN. AND THEN, UH, WE HAVE OTHERS THAT ARE IN THE BACK. UH, BARBIE PARKER IS HERE, UH, BARBIE'S, OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF, OF DEVELOPMENT AND SPECIAL PROJECTS. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE DAVID MEANS, AND I THINK I'VE COVERED EVERYONE RIGHT OVER HERE. SO THANK YOU ALL. WHAT AN HONOR AND WHAT A GREAT WAY TO CAP OFF, UH, A WONDERFUL CAREER. AND I'M SO HONORED TO BE WITH YOU ALL TODAY. AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT'S NOT EASY WHAT YOU DO. AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. BE PROUD OF YOU. THANK WELL, THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. STEVE, WE APPRECIATE, UH, ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE IN THIS NONPROFIT SPACE. 43 YEARS DEFINITELY DESERVES TO BE CELEBRATED. SO ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN THIS NEXT SEASON OF LIFE. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GIVE CHAIR [2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN FOR THE INVOCATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO, UH, BRING UP JULIAN HILDAGO. JULIAN'S A SENIOR AT WEST SIDE HIGH SCHOOL. HE'S INVOLVED IN SEVERAL CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND HELPS LEAD THE [00:10:01] NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY AS PRESIDENT AND THE BATTALION S ONE OF THE JUNIOR, ROTC. HE ALSO HELPS LEAD AND TEACH LESSONS WITH THE CHRISTIANS ON CAMPUS CHAPTER THAT MEETS BIWEEKLY AT WEST SIDE. HE'S BEEN ACCEPTED TO TEXAS A AND M TO STUDY BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE, UH, IN THE FALL, AND HE'S HERE TO DO OUR INVOCATION. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. UM, I JUST WANTED TO START BY AGAIN SAYING THIS IS A GREAT HONOR TO BE UP HERE. UH, THANK YOU, UH, MS. HUFFIN FOR ALLOWING ME TO GIVE THE INVOCATION TODAY. IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE JOIN ME IN PRAYER TODAY. ALRIGHT, FATHER, GOD, AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY AND YOUR PURPOSE FOR IT. RESET OUR AGENDAS AS WE SIT IN YOUR PRESENCE FOR YOU. ASSURE US THAT WHEN TWO OR MORE GATHERED IN YOUR NAME, YOU ARE HERE. LORD KRAN US WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT TODAY, LET YOUR NAME BE HELD IN REVERENCE AS THIS MEETING IS CONDUCTED TODAY. FOR YOURS IS THE POWER, THE KINGDOM, AND THE GLORY. IN THE NAME OF JESUS WE PRAY. AMEN. THANK YOU. UH, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE. JUSTICE. [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING] I'M SECRETARY OF YOU. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL, MAYOR WHITMEYER. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN PECK HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL CAYMAN, PRESENT, COUNCILOR EVAN SHABA. HERE, COUNCIL FLICKINGER WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS PRESENT. COUNCIL COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO? HERE. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ? HERE. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. COUNCILMAN CASTEX TATUM? HERE. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ? HERE. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. HERE. COUNCILMAN CARTER. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER HERE. AND CONSTABLE ALCORN HERE DID THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF OCTOBER 24TH AND 25TH. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE THOMAS. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. NOW FOR PROCEDURAL MOTIONS. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO, UH, SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD MARISSA HANSEN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE THREE MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST. AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD VIRGINIA SMITH TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST. IS THERE A SECOND? YES. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE JACK VALINSKY TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON-AGENDA LIST AS WELL. FOLLOW UP. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. AND THEN I DUNNO WHAT EVAN SHABAZZ HAS. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE CENTRA REED AND LILY GRANDVILLE TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA AFTER SECOND. THE OTHER SPEAKERS, YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION MEMBERS MADE AND SECONDED. UH, ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. PLUMMER PLUMMER HAS A POINT OF PERSON PRIVILEGE. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, MAKE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AND WELCOME BOMA LEADERSHIP. LYCIAN, IF Y'ALL COULD ALL STAND UP, PLEASE. THIS IS YOUR FUTURE IN TERMS OF REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT. UM, I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF HAVING LUNCH WITH THEM TODAY AND, UH, THEY'RE BEING, UM, MENTORED RIGHT NOW. AND I WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL TO YOUR CITY HALL. VERY GOOD. THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING PRESENT. COME BACK SOON. UH, NEXT. [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] FIRST SPEAKER. FIRST SPEAKER, MADAM SECRETARY BIANCA FI FIGUEROA. VIRGINIA SMITH. VIRGINIA SMITH. JACK VALINSKI. I'M SORRY. I TOLD [00:15:01] YOU WRONG. HI, I'M JACK VALINSKI, AND EVEN THOUGH I WORKED FOR THE CITY UNTIL RECENTLY FOR 15 YEARS, IT'S STILL IMPRESSIVE TO BE HERE. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE BUILDING, AN INCREDIBLE BODY OF PEOPLE. AND THANK YOU FOR SERVING AND COUNCIL MEMBER. I WOULD'VE WAITED MY TURN, BUT THANK YOU. I MOVED HERE TO HOUSTON IN 1981 AND I REALLY HATED IT. I WANTED TO GET OUTTA HERE AS SOON AS I COULD BECAUSE THE CITY WAS DIRTY, TRAFFIC WAS TERRIBLE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, UNTIL I FOUND COMMUNITY. AND ONE OF THOSE COMMUNITIES WAS WORKING WITH THE PRIDE PARADE. AND OVER THE YEARS, I SERVED MANY DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS IN THE PRIDE COMMITTEE FROM BEING PARADE CHAIR TO BEING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TO BE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR. AT ONE POINT I WAS EVEN MINISTER OF PROPAGANDA. AND OVER THE YEARS THE PARADE GREW AND I WAS REALLY PROUD OF THAT. IN 1997, WE MOVED IT TO A NIGHT PARADE WITH THE CHANGE OF THE ORDINANCE THAT MAYOR AND EAST PARKER DID AS COUNCIL AT THE TIME. AND WE GREW THAT PARADE TO BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST PARADES, IF NOT THE BIGGEST, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND AT ONE TIME, WE ACTUALLY DID AN UNOFFICIAL POLL, AND WE FOUND OUT THAT ABOUT 30 OR 40% OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO SEE THE PARADE CAME FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY. TO BRING PEOPLE IN IN JUNE IN THE HOT WEATHER WAS JUST AMAZING THAT WE COULD DO THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF TOURISTS COME TO THE TOWN. THE NIGHT PARADE BROUGHT US A WHOLE DIFFERENT THEATER. IT REALLY SHOWED OFF WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WAS ABOUT WITH THE FLOATS, THE LIT, LIT FLOATS, AND THROWING THE BEADS AND ALL THAT WONDERFUL STUFF. I STAYED WITH THE PRIDE COMMITTEE TILL ABOUT 2006 OR OH SEVEN AND LEFT BECAUSE IT WAS TIME TO LEAVE. SINCE THAT TIME, UNFORTUNATELY. AND I WAS ACTUALLY FOUNDER OF THE ACTUAL 5 0 1 C3 PRIDE HOUSTON, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE AFTER I LEFT, I THINK IT'S LOST ITS WAY. IT LOST ITS WAY IN COMMUNITY. IT'S LOST ITS WAY WITH WORKING WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS, WORKING WITH THE SPONSORS AND SO FORTH AND SO FORTH. AND A LOT OF US TRIED TO HELP THAT COMMITTEE, BUT THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO BE INTERESTED. THEY DIDN'T HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS. THEY WEREN'T TRANSPARENT WITH THEIR FUNDS. SO LAST YEAR, A PERSON NAMED BRIAN COTTON AND A NUMBER OF FRIENDS STARTED A NEW ORGANIZATION CALLED THE NEW FACES OF PRIDE. I'M PRESENTLY ON THE BOARD, BUT THESE PEOPLE ARE WORKING REALLY HARD TO BRING THIS PARADE BACK TO WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE. AND SO ON JUNE 22ND, THE PARADE WILL COME DOWN, THE TRADITIONAL ROUTE AND THE FESTIVAL, WE WILL BE AT THE WORTHHAM THEATER. IMAGINE THAT HAVING A FESTIVAL AT THE OPERA HOUSE INSIDE AND OUT. SO THEY'VE WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD TO MAKE THIS AN OPEN, TRANSPARENT ORGANIZATION, AND I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU ALL TO BE PART OF THAT PARADE IN ANY FORM. YOU HAVE MY NUMBER ON THAT LIST THERE. YOU CAN CALL ME AT ANY TIME. UM, AND I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU HELPED MOVE THIS ORGANIZATION SO THIS CITY CAN BE REALLY PROUD AND WE CAN MAKE THE CITY VERY PROUD OF HAVING THIS GREAT, GREAT PARADE AND FESTIVAL. YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK, BUT IT'S INCREDIBLY REWARDING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT OVER THE YEARS. WE HAD AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE MAYOR, TO BE IN OUR PARADE. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. COUNCILOR CAYMAN, JACK, UH, FIRST OFF, THANK YOU FOR SHARING ALL OF THIS INFORMATION WITH US. UH, AND ALSO FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO IN THE LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITY. UH, YOU HAVE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF SO MANY EFFORTS, SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS ORGANIZING, UH, NOT JUST TALKING THE TALK, BUT WALKING THE WALK. UH, YOU MAKE PHONE CALLS, YOU RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS, BLOCK WALKING, YOU BLOCK WALK, YOU DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING AND MORE. UH, BUT I DID HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL. THE REASON COLLEAGUES, I MOVED HIM UP WHEN I SAW HIM ON THE SPEAKER'S LIST TODAY. UM, I HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLICLY, PUBLICLY THANK YOU AND RECOGNIZE YOU FOR YOUR OVER A DECADE'S WORTH OF SERVICE, SPECIFICALLY TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, SO AS A DISTRICT C RESIDENT, I HAVE A SPECIAL CERTIFICATE FOR YOU HERE. UM, AND I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE OUT OF THE ORDINARY, WHICH HAS COME DOWN TO PRESENT IT TO YOU. BUT ON BEHALF OF, I BELIEVE EVERYONE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. AND DAWN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY. UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO, AND WE'LL BE RIGHT THERE TO CHEER YOU ON. WELL, I'M NOT MOVING BECAUSE NOT ONLY MY FRIENDS ARE HERE, MY ENEMIES ARE STILL IN UNION. , GO FOR IT. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. COUNCILOR CASTILLO, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND JACK, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN HERE AND, UH, TALKING ABOUT THIS NEW ORGANIZATION. UH, WE NOW HAVE TWO OPPORTUNITIES AS A CITY TO CELEBRATE PRIDE IN JUNE. UM, AND IT'S ALWAYS GREAT THAT, UH, SO MANY COME TOGETHER THAT WEEKEND. AND NOW WE HAVE TWO WEEKENDS, [00:20:01] UM, FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, FROM ALL ORGANIZATIONS, FROM ALL FAITHS TO COME TOGETHER AND CELEBRATE. UM, AND IT'S ENCOURAGING TO HEAR, UH, THE STEPS THAT Y'ALL ARE TAKING WITH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, WITH TRANSPARENCY. UH, THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I I WANNA ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. YOU HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. AND, UM, AS SOMEONE WHO'S HAD A TIME, UH, ON BOARDS AND SERVED, UH, TO DO IT YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT, UH, DECADE AFTER DECADE, THAT IS COMMITMENT. AND THAT IS WORK. THANK YOU. UM, AND, AND IT HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR SO MANY. UM, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, BEING OUT THERE WITH Y'ALL, UM, BOTH WEEKENDS. JACK, LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING QUICKLY. FIRST OF ALL, AS YOU I KNOW I WAS IN THE FIRST PARADE AND BEEN THERE EVER SINCE. I DO WANNA RAISE THE CONCERN THAT WE HAVE COMPETING PARADES. THAT'S THE LAST THING WE WANTED TO DO LATER. WELL, LET'S, LET'S DISCUSS IT PUBLICLY FOR A MOMENT. BECAUSE IF YOU GONNA REALLY BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND CELEBRATE OUR PRIDE, HOW THE, WERE WE GONNA HAVE A PARADE ONE SATURDAY AND ANOTHER PARADE ANOTHER SATURDAY? I'M AFRAID THAT'LL DILUTE THE ENTHUSIASM. UH, I JUST THINK IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT, THAT THE GROUPS COULDN'T GET TOGETHER. I UNDERSTAND THE POLITICS, THE TURF, THE ECONOMICS, BUT WE TRY SO HARD. WE HAVE COMPETING PARADES. WE'VE EXPERIENCED THAT WITH THE MLK. YES. CELEBRATION AND RECOGNITION. UH, FIRST IT DILUTES THE CITY'S RESOURCES. CERTAINLY PUBLIC SAFETY. I TOTALLY AGREE. BUT HOW, NOW THAT YOU'RE BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION, I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY MEMBERS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE CHALLENGE, BUT HOW DID IT COME TO BE TWO WEEKENDS IN A ROW CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITY? WE TRIED TO WORK WITH PRIDE HOUSTON, WE TRIED SO MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS. DID WE TRIED EVERY PERSON I TALKED TO ORGANIZATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND I CAN NAME NUMBERS OF THEM THAT WERE IN THE PARADE PREVIOUSLY. OH, YEAH. AND THEY WEREN'T RESPONSIVE. I WAS STILL GETTING CALLS FROM THE PRESS 10 YEARS LATER BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET CONTACT WITH THEM. THAT'S, WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT, BUT WE HAD NO CHOICE. UM, SO WE'RE HOPING THAT NEW FACES OF PRIDE WILL BE THE ORGANIZATION GOING FORWARD AFTER THE SHIFT. WHAT'S IT ACTUALLY CALLED? NEW FACE OF PRIDE. NEW FACES OF PRIDE. YES. I'M NOT CRA CRAZY ABOUT THE NAME, BUT, BUT IT'S, IT'S THE SCRIPTED, WELL, OBVIOUSLY I HAVE FRIENDS IN BOTH ORGANIZATIONS AND, UH, I THINK THEY WERE COMPETING BUSINESS INTEREST, ECONOMIC CONCERNS. I TOTALLY AGREE. AND, AND I THINK IT REALLY DILUTES, I'M THE FOUNDER OF THAT ORGANIZATION AND I, I DIDN'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN, BUT IT HAPPENS. WELL, WE'LL GO FORWARD. BUT IT'S, IT IS JUST, THAT CONCERNS ME. AND I THINK AT SOME POINT, COUNCIL NEEDS TO TAKE A POSITION ON THE SAME SUBJECT AND SAME COMMUNITY, UH, ON COMPETING WEEKENDS. OUR MLK'S AT PRETTY MUCH THE SAME DAY, OBVIOUSLY. UH, I JUST THINK WE CAN DO BETTER AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH, WITH SUSAN. UH, SHE'S BEEN A GREAT HELP, AS USUAL. SURE. SO WE WILL DO EVERYTHING TO, TO MOVE FORWARD AFTER THIS YEAR. SAME LOCATION. SAME LOCATION. YES. ISN'T THAT INTERESTING? UH, NO SERIOUS DISCUSSION ABOUT, I'M NOT SURE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD NOW WOULD SUPPORT THE IDEA, BUT IT WAS PRETTY SPECIAL TO COME DOWN THROUGH MONTROSE IN WESTHEIMER IN TERMS OF WHEN THE PARADE WAS OVER. THERE WAS A LOT OF ENTERTAINMENT, A LOT OF RETAIL RESTAURANT BARS, I TELL YOU, LINING UP THE PARADE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ALL DAY LONG ON A SATURDAY AND WATCHING THE FAMILIES BRING THEIR KIDS OUT TO SEE THE FLOATS BEING BUILT SURE. WAS REALLY SPECIAL. WE LEFT THAT AREA CLEANER THAN WHEN WE FOUND IT WHEN THE PARADE STARTED. AND I WASN'T CRAZY ABOUT MOVING THE PARADE DOWNTOWN, BUT WE OUTGREW MONTROSE. THERE'S NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT. OKAY. THERE WAS NO PLACE TO HAVE A FESTIVAL. WELL, DOWNTOWN WAS IS SPECIAL EXPERIENCE AS WELL. BUT BOY, IT REALLY WAS NEAT. IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY NEAT WHEN PEOPLE WOULD JUST WALK OUTTA THE HOUSES AND, UH, COME FORWARD. AND THAT'S, THANK WELL, THANKS FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION. I'M SURE MANY OF US WILL BE THERE. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD ONE. NEXT. CAN WE DO A PROCEDURAL MOTION POLLARD FOR PROCEDURAL? THAT'S, THAT'S FINE. WHO, WHO WON'T RECOGNIZE SHE'S A, OH, SHE'S DOING A PHOTO. SHE'S DOING I WAS JUST GONNA COUNCILMAN CAMAN. GO RIGHT AHEAD. YEAH. AND WE HAVE [00:25:15] PROCEDURAL MOTION. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADD CYNTHIA REEVES ROADS, UH, TO THE END OF THE THREE MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST. SECOND. VERY GOOD. MOTION IS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. COUNCILOR EVAN SHAVA. THANK YOU MAYOR. I WANT TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD ELVA TO TREVINO BEHIND CENTRA REED, UH, ON THE NON AGENDA. THREE MINUTE LIST. SECOND MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. I DIDN'T HEAR WHO SHE SAID SHE ADDED. ED, WHO? OKAY. YEAH. MOVE. OKAY. CENTRE REED RE, REED. OH, I THOUGHT YOU SAID CYNTHIA. NO, SORRY. . GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE HONOR TO COME AND SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. UM, GREETINGS TO OUR MAYOR, OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS RE REED AND I'M THE OWNER OF C CREEK GLOBAL MEDIA AND CREEK GLOBAL MEDIA TELEVISION. AND TODAY I AM HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERSHIP. AND IT IS A 5 0 1 C SIX ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, JOBS, FINANCE, AND THE ABILITY TO BUILD OUR ENTERTAINMENT WORKFORCE HERE IN HOUSTON. NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF DOING LAST YEAR WAS COMING RIGHT HERE TO CITY HALL AND TO MAKE, UH, AN ASK. AND THE ASK WAS FOR YOU TO GET MORE INVOLVED AND TO BE AMBASSADORS AND SUPPORT. WELL, THE ASK TODAY IS VERY SIMILAR, YET WE'RE IN 2024 AND WE HAVE A NEW MOMENTUM. LAST YEAR WE STARTED OUR ANNUAL CELEBRITY ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS SORE, WHICH WAS MET WITH CITY COUNCIL, UM, PARTICIPATION AS WELL AS THE ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS COMMUNITY. WHAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON IS CONTINUING TO BUILD THE HOUSTON ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE OF MAKING SURE THAT TV, FILM, ART, MUSIC, FASHION, THEATER AND PHOTOGRAPHY ARE FRONT AND CENTER. WHEN WE CONSIDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT COME WITH THOSE AMAZING AREAS, WE HAVE RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ, EDWARD POLLARD, MARTHA CASTEX, TATUM MAYOR, PRO TEM, AS WELL AS, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR MORE SUPPORT AS WELL AS WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOUR VISIBILITY THIS YEAR. SO THE ASK IS FOR ONE US TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER COLLABORATIVE MEETINGS, AND WE DO HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT. AND THAT PLAN DOES INCLUDE OUR BUSINESS LEADERS COMING TOGETHER, OUR ENTERTAINMENT ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY AND OUR GOVERNMENT SITTING AT THE TABLE AND DOING THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE ENTERTAINMENT AS A MAJOR INDUSTRY INPUT. AND THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE COLLABORATIVELY WORKING TO BRING REVENUE INTO THE CITY, PROJECTS INTO THE CITY AND JOBS TO OUR ENTERTAINMENT WORKFORCE. AND THAT, FOR ME IS THE BIGGEST ASK. THE SECOND ASK IS FOR YOU TO JOIN US AT OUR ENTERTAINMENT AND ART SOIREE, WHICH WILL BE COMING UP ON SEPTEMBER THE 28TH. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BIGGER EVENT FOR FUNDRAISING FOR OUR ORGANIZATION, AS WELL AS WE'VE ATTRACTED THE, UM, ATTENTION OF A NUMBER OF STUDIOS THAT ARE CONSIDERING HOUSTON AS A SATELLITE OFFICE AND POTENTIAL FOR THEIR ENTERTAINMENT PROJECTS. AND THEN OF COURSE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE YOU AS SUPPORTS FROM THE DEPARTMENTS THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS. AND THAT'S CULTURAL ARTS. UM, IT COULD BE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS BECAUSE OF COURSE WE HAVE MULTICULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING ENTERTAINMENT INTO THE CITY FROM COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD. OUR BIGGEST THING IS THAT THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE BEFORE US HAVE BEEN BEFORE US FOR YEARS. I AM A LEADER IN THIS SPACE AND WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR IT. AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU BY OUR SIDE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY TOGETHER WE CAN DO MUCH MORE. MAYOR PRO UH, MAYOR PROTE, CASTEX TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, CENTRE, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN TODAY. I KNOW WE'VE HAD A COUPLE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE, UM, ENTERTAINMENT, UH, COMMUNITY AND THE PARTNERSHIPS. AND UM, I KNOW WE ARE, UH, SCHEDULED TO MEET WITH HOUSTON FIRST AND [00:30:01] THEY ARE ALSO WORKING ON SOME MORE FILM INCENTIVES WITH THE STATE AND ADVOCATING FOR THAT. UH, THERE'S A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT SPACE. SO WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING A, A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THAT. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU AND OTHERS WHO ARE VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT, UM, TV, FILM AND ART ALL PLAY A, A REAL SERIOUS ROLE IN THE ECONOMICS AND JOB CREATIONS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON SO MUCH OF THIS WORK. ABSOLUTELY. AND THANK YOU. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO STATE THAT WITH THE INCENTIVES THAT WE DID RECEIVE IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH WAS A LITTLE OVER 200 MILLION, IT WAS A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THOSE INCENTIVES EVERY TWO YEARS. WE WANNA MAKE IT SO THAT OUR ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY THRIVES. WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE INCENTIVES SET IN THE BUDGET SO THAT WE'RE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER PLACES LIKE GEORGIA, LOUISIANA, THOSE THAT ARE NEIGHBORING TO US, AS WELL AS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMERCIAL AS WELL AS THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS. THANK YOU. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN CHABA. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU CENTRE FOR COMING. I BELIEVE YOU MAY HAVE COMPLETED YOUR PRESENTATION. I WAS GONNA GIVE YOU MY TIME. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, PARTICULARLY AS THE ARTS, ARTS AND CULTURE CHAIRMAN, UH, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILOR POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU CRE FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS SPACE. UH, AS WE'VE SEEN THE STATE IS NOT, THE STATE IS NOT AS COMPETITIVE AS SOME OF I WAS GONNA SAY THAT THE, OUR STATE IS NOT AS COMPETITIVE AS SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS WHEN IT COMES TO FILM INCENTIVES AND UH, AND WE HAVE TO DO MORE AT THE, AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. YES. AND I THINK YOU ARE CONTINUING TO AMPLIFY THAT, THAT DIALOGUE AND THAT CONVERSATION. I KNOW THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN HOUSTON FIRST'S BUDGET THAT THEY PUT INCENTIVES. UM, BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE. SEE IF WE CAN ADD ON TO THAT. AND WHAT CAN THE CITY DO, EVEN FROM A DEPARTMENT LEVEL, UH, TO BRING INCENTIVES. SO LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU IN THAT SPACE. THANK YOU. AND WE DO REALIZE THAT THE CITY IS NOT BASED TO FOCUS ON ENTERTAINMENT. WE REALIZE IT IS A COLLECTIVE EFFORT. SO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE DO COME FOR THIS, WE HAVE SPENT FIVE YEARS AS THE IEP SINCE 2019 AND WE UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE FACING. WE WANNA COLLABORATE SO THAT WE'RE NOT WORKING IN SILOS AND WE HAVE POWER TOGETHER. THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU. NEXT ELVA. TREVINO. YEAH. HEY EVERYONE, MY NAME IS ELVA TREVINO. I'M REALLY JUST HONORED TO BE HERE AGAIN TODAY AND TO SEE SO MANY FAMILIAR FACES. SO JUST IN ADVANCE. UM, THANKS SO MUCH FOR EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED A LOT OF THE CAMPAIGNS THAT WE BROUGHT FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON OR ALONGSIDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN REGARDS TO HEALTH AND ENTERTAINMENT THE LAST FEW YEARS COMING TO YOU TODAY AS A MOM. UM, NOMINATED LAST YEAR FOR THE COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AWARD. THANK YOU TIFFANY THOMAS FOR THAT, FOR THE HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDS. BUT I KEEP FINDING MYSELF IN NEW LEADERSHIP ROOMS, UM, WITH MY COMPANIES BOTH IN HEALTH AND ENTERTAINMENT CHAMPIONS CLUB THAT'S BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR COMMUNITY WORK. I JUST KEEP SEEING THESE GAPS IN THE COMMUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO UNITY, TRUST, AND WORK, REALLY WORKING TOGETHER. LAST YEAR I FOUND MYSELF DOWNSTAIRS AT THE LEGACY ROOM HEARING CENTRA REED, SPEAKING ABOUT HER VISION, GETTING ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE CITY FOR 10, 20, 30 YEARS TOGETHER AND SAYING, WHAT CAN WE DO TOGETHER TO BRING IN OUR RESOURCES AND TO BRING IN SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES THAT HAVE COME FROM HOUSTON. AS MY DAUGHTER, UH, IS 14 YEARS OLD, A VIOLINIST IN SPRING BRANCH, ME GROWING UP IN ALE, I SEE SOME OF THE LIGHTS THAT ARE IN THOSE LITTLE KIDS. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH THE BUDGET CUTS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH EDUCATION RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THE LEADERSHIP, THE RESOURCES, THE KNOWHOW TO KEEP COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE PROGRAMS THROUGH THE IEP CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN. WHEN I HEAR THE, UM, ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT COMING AROUND AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING, MAYOR, I LOOK AT HOW SOME OF THOSE VACANCIES CAN BE FILLED WITH SOME OF THOSE CHILDREN'S DREAMS IF WE JUST KEEP COMING TOGETHER AND WORKING TOGETHER ON A PLAN. SO WITH THIS CELEBRITY EVENT, WE HAVE SO MANY ICONS FROM THE CITY, CITY AND ALSO ARE PAVING THE WAY FOR THE FUTURE. PATRICK SWAYZES RUNNING INTO ONE OF MY CLIENTS FROM THE GYM AM MOBY HERE FROM THE TEXANS. THERE'S SO MUCH ROOM FOR GROWTH THAT WE CAN GET ALL OF THESE CELEBRITIES TOGETHER, NOT JUST FOR THE HYPE, BUT TO ADD THAT POWER AND VELOCITY THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT HOUSTON IS HEARD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO FILM. AND THE ARTS. THE ARTS HELP HEAL PEOPLE THROUGH HARD TIMES IN HISTORY. WE KNOW THIS, WE'VE SEEN IT THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, BUT WE CAN KEEP FIGHTING AND DOING MORE FOR OUR KIDS. AND SO THE ASK TODAY IS JUST TO REALLY CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH US, TO THINK ABOUT THESE CHANGES AND SEE HOW WE CAN KEEP IMPACTING THEM ON THINGS THAT ARE NOT WITHIN EDUCATION. THINGS THAT ARE NOT JUST WITHIN THE CITY, BUT ARE RUNNING ALONGSIDE IT. SO COUNCILOR THOMAS. THANK YOU MR. MAYOR [00:35:01] ELVA, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU. YOU ARE REMARKABLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH MY OFFICE. UH, AND MAYOR WHITMEYER, I THINK YOU'RE SPOT ON WITH THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS, UM, ON THE MAP. UH, WE KNOW MO AMER FROM UH, ALE PRODUCED HIS NETFLIX SERIES. NETFLIX IS BACK, THEY'RE FILMING LOCAL, WHICH GENERATED $24 MILLION IN ECONOMIC SUPPORT IN THE CITY. SO I THINK THAT WE DO HAVE SOME LOCAL TALENT THAT COULD HELP ELEVATE THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND THEN ALSO ACCOMPLISH, UH, OF BRINGING INDUSTRY TOGETHER. DISTRICT DEV HAS A, A SOUND STUDIO THAT'S OPENING, UM, NEAR FONDANT SOMEWHERE OVER THERE. AND SO RIGHT WHEN THOSE OPPORTUNITIES COME ACROSS AND PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN DOING BUSINESS AND, UM, FILMING MOVIES AND ALL TYPES OF THINGS IN THE CITY, WE HAVE WONDERFUL SPACES THROUGHOUT. SO HOWEVER MY OFFICE CAN SUPPORT THAT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, COUNT ME AS A FRIEND AND A PARTNER WITH THAT. I LOVE THAT. THANK YOU. UM, YOU KNOW, AND JUST LOOKING AT SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME FROM HERE, I MEAN, THE MARCO WOODS, I WAS AT HIS EVENT ON SUNDAY, BUILT 50 MUSIC SCHOOLS, CAME FROM HOUSTON ALL OVER THE WORLD. BUT THESE PEOPLE NEED TO KEEP BEING CONNECTED. AND WE HAVE RESOURCES WHERE WE CAN LEARN FROM IN OUR DISTRICTS TOO. WE JUST, WE NEED TO GET THEM ALL TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING NEXT. LILY GRANDVILLE DENNIS BUNICK, HOW YOU DOING? MY NAME IS DENNIS BUNICK. I'M HERE TO SPEAK AND ASK COUNCIL WHAT'S BEING DONE ABOUT A DRAINAGE PROBLEM I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR GOING ON TWO YEARS. CITY ALLOWED A PROPERTY OWNER TO FILL IN A CITY GULLY AND THE CITY HAVE NOT DID ANYTHING TO GET 'EM TO DIG IT OUT, NOR HAVE THE CITY COME TO DIG IT OUT. IT FLOODS THE STREET, IT FLOODS THE PROPERTY AND IT'S A NUISANCE TO THE WHOLE STREET. 'CAUSE WHEN THE HEAVY RAIN COME, EVERYBODY GOTTA GO ALL THE WAY AROUND 'CAUSE IT FLOODS THE STREET. I BROUGHT PICTURES, I SHOWED THEM, I SPOKE WITH A SUPERVISOR IN DRAINAGE OF MR. LAFAYETTE. HE TOOK PICTURES, HE TURNED THEM OVER TO MS. JACKSON OR HER OFFICE. BUT THERE'S NOTHING BEEN DONE. IT'S GONE ON TWO YEARS. STREET'S BEEN FLOODED, MY PROPERTY STAY FLOODED, HEAVY RAIN CARS CAN'T EVEN GO THROUGH. BUT IT'S A CITY GULLY AND I KNOW IT'S AGAINST THE LAW TO FILL IN A CITY GULLY. I LIVE IN GER HOME AREA. THAT'S OUR DRAINAGE DITCHES AND GULLIES. TWO YEARS CITY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING. I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL STILL REMEMBER ME OR Y'ALL STILL THE SAME ONES, BUT I COME, SPOKE BEFORE CONCERNING A CITY GULLY, TWO YEARS PROPERTY STAY FLOODED. I HAVE PICTURES I BROUGHT 'EM BEFORE. AND LIKE MR. YES. AND LIKE MR. UH, LAFAYETTE TOLD ME HIS HANDS ARE TIED TO YOU HEAR FROM YOU ALL. SO WHEN HEAVY RAIN COME, I JUST SEE HIM SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD MONITORING THE WATER TO SEE HOW HIGH IT'S GONNA COME UP THIS TIME. BUT IT FLOODS THE STREET AND IT'S A NUISANCE TO THE WHOLE STREET. TWO YEARS WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS. SO I COME TO SEE WHERE ARE, WHERE IS THE CITY STANDING NOW? 'CAUSE IT'S THE CITY GULLY COUNCIL MEMBER. UH, MAYOR PRO TATUM. I I KNOW THAT YOUR, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER'S NOT HERE TODAY. I, I WANNA BE CLEAR, ARE YOU ASKING US TO, TO CLEAN OUT THE, THE DRAINAGE I'M ASKING YOU? THAT'S OUR DRAINAGE. IT'S A GUNNY DOG IN ACRES HOME AREA. OKAY. AND WE CAN, WE CAN DEFINITELY, I HAVE PICTURES OF THE BACKSIDE, RIGHT? WE HAVE THE PICTURES HERE. WE, I I WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER TO TRY TO GET THAT, THAT CLEANED UP. UM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT, UM, LAST BUDGET CYCLE, WE HAD A LOT OF ADVOCACY FROM, UH, DISTRICT B IN THE AREA. AND THE COUNCIL DID WORK TO, UM, REINSTATE THE DITCH, UM, PROGRAM SO THAT WE, THE CITY WILL TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY NOW TO CLEAN OUT THOSE DITCHES. UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE LARGEST, UM, DITCH DRAINAGE IS IN, IN DISTRICT B. UM, SO WE, WE HAVE ALLOCATED MORE DOLLARS FOR THOSE PROGRAMS TO TAKE PLACE. UM, BUT WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER TO TRY TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF. AND I, I APOLOGIZE THAT YOU HAD TO COME DOWN AGAIN. UM, BUT THANKS FOR KEEPING IT ON OUR RADAR. YES MA'AM. AND WE WILL TRY TO FOLLOW UP TO GET IT CLEANED UP FOR YOU, SIR. THEY HAVE DUG THE DISHES OUT, BUT I'M SPEAKING OF A GULLY THAT TAKES THE WATER RIGHT TO THE BIO AND WE CAN TRY TO GET THAT DREDGE FOR YOU. THANK YOU. HAVE YOU REPORTED [00:40:01] IT TO 3 1 1 BY CHANCE? I YOU HAVE. OKAY. WE GOT YOU TWO YEARS OLD. I GOT YOU. I KNOW. DON'T I? YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT. I GOT YOU. THANK YOU. I GOT YOU. YOU ALL HAVE A NICE DAY. YES SIR. YOU HAVE A NICE DAY TOO. THANK YOU. NEXT, CYNTHIA WALES. WE FOLLOW BY TIMOTHY WHALE. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR LISTENING TO ME THIS AFTERNOON. UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS FACING A CRITICAL ISSUE THAT IS AFFECTING THE LIVES OF ITS RESIDENTS. POOR SEWAGE SYSTEM MAINTENANCE LEADING TO THE FLOODINGS IN VARIOUS AREAS. AS A RECENT VOLUNTEER OF THE NAC NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE, I HAVE WITNESSED THE FIRSTHAND STRUGGLES OF HOUSTONIANS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF FLOODING. DESPITE THE EFFORTS MADE BY HOUSTON TO PROGRESS THE CONS TO PROGRESS, THE CONSEQUENCES OF PAST NEGLIGENCE ARE STILL HAUNTING OUR COMMUNITIES. LOW INCOME FAMILIES, MANY WHO ARE LIVING ON AN INCOME OF $60,000 A YEAR, WHICH IS CONSIDERED LOW INCOME NOW ARE BEARING THE BURDEN OF THIS CRISIS. THEY ARE LOSING THEIR HOMES DUE TO FLOOD DAMAGE, UNABLE TO AFFORD REPAIRS AND FACING FINES FOR FAILING TO ADDRESS ISSUES CAUSED BY POOR SEWER MAINTENANCE. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND ELECTIVE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE TAKE ACTIONS TO ADDRESS THESE PET PRESSING ISSUES AND SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE WORKING HARD TO MAINTAIN OUR CITY. THE REPERCUSSIONS OF POOR SEWAGE SYSTEMS MAINTENANCE IN HOUSTON ARE FAR REACHING AND SEVERE. FAMILIES LIVING IN LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO THE EFFECTS OF A FLOODING CAUSED BY INADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE. THEIR HOMES ARE BEING DAMAGED AND THEY LACK THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO MAKE NECESSARY REPAIRS. AS A RESULT, THEY FACE THE THREAT OF DISPLACEMENT, HOMELESSNESS, COMPOUNDING THE CHALLENGES THEY ALREADY FACE DUE TO ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS. THE CYCLE OF POVERTY IS PERPETUATED AS THESE FAMILIES STRUGGLE TO RECOVER FROM THE DEVASTATION CAUSED BY FLOODING. FURTHERMORE, THE PHYSICAL TOLL OF DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF FLOODING IS SIGNIFICANT. ELDERLY RESIDENTS, DISABLED INDIVIDUAL, UH, INDIVIDUALS AND EVEN CHILDREN ARE OUTSIDE PHYSICALLY CLEANING UP THE STREETS OURSELVES AND ENGAGING IN LABOROUS TASKS. AS DIGI DIGGING DITCHES IN THE SCORCHING SUN, THIS BURDEN SHOULD NOT FALL ON THE SOLDIER, ON THE SHOULDERS OF THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY VULNERABLE AND IN NEED OF SUPPORT OF IT. IT IS RESPONSE, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT NECESSARY, NECESSARY RESOURCES AND ASSISTANCE ARE PROVIDED TO ALLEVIATE SUFFERING OF ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS AND PREVENT FURTHER HARM. TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE FLOODING IN HOUSTON, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO FOCUS ON THE IMPROVING SY SEWAGE SYSTEM AND MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE. THE ACCUMULATION OF GREASE DEBRIS AND OVERGROWN VEGETATION IN THE BAYOU RETENTION PONDS AND DRAINS IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE CLOGGING THAT LEADS TO FLOODING. THIS ISSUE REQUIRES A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH THAT INCLUDES REGULAR MAINTENANCE, PROPER WASTE DISPOSAL PRACTICES, AND EFFECTIVE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS BY INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES AND IMPLEMENTING STRICTER REV REGULATIONS TO PREVENT POLLUTION. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. COUNCILOR CAMAN? YES. MEMBER CAMAN. YES. YES MA'AM. THANK YOU. I I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A FEW SECONDS TO WRAP UP, BUT I HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU. YES, MA'AM. UM, FIRST OFF, THANK YOU ALL. I KNOW WE HAVE A FEW SPEAKERS TODAY, SO I'M NOT GONNA ASK THIS QUESTION OF EVERYONE. SURE. BUT YOU BROUGHT UP SEWAGE SYSTEMS, YOU BROUGHT UP MAINTENANCE. ARE YOU ALSO ADVOCATING, OR IF SOMEONE COULD SPEAK TO, AS YOU COME UP, WHETHER OR NOT Y'ALL ARE ALSO ADVOCATING FOR EXPANDING, UM, OUR SUIT, OUR WATER AND WASTEWATER DETENTION CAPACITY? YES. SO BRINGING UP TO STANDARDS, OLDER INFRASTRUCTURE. YES MA'AM. UM, TO AT LEAST ATLAS 14, RIGHT? YES. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT COMES NEXT 'CAUSE WE KNOW THE FLOOD MAPS, BUT IF YOU ALL, IF SOMEONE COULD BE SPEAKING TO, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I DON'T WANNA PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH. NO, MA. THE IMPORTA OF REPLACING AND UPSIZING. YES. YES. AND HONESTLY, UM, I DID WRITE THIS WITH THE CONSIDERATION THAT THESE ARE NEW COUNCIL PEOPLE AND WE HAVE A NEW MAYOR AND EVERYTHING. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE A LOT OF WHAT MAYOR WHITMEYER HASS BEEN DOING. I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CONS, A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION AND A LOT OF BUILDUP. SO I DO, WE DO SEE THE PROGRESS. IT'S JUST THAT IN LOWER INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS THERE'S NOT AS MUCH PROGRESS AS WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE. AND I HAVE LITERALLY GOTTEN OUT IN THE SUN WITH ELDERLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO DIG OUT CANALS SO THAT THEIR STREETS DO NOT FLOOD. AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DIG OUT CANALS WHEN THERE'S ABLE [00:45:01] BODIED CITY WORKERS THAT WE ALL EMPLOY WITH OUR TAXES TO HELP US DIG ALL THAT OUT. AND OF COURSE, WE ARE WILLING TO HELP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND LOOK OUT AND PICK UP THE EXTRA WORK WHEN IT IS HARD FOR US BECAUSE CITY WORKERS ARE PEOPLE TOO. AND WE KNOW THEY CANNOT CO COVER EVERY PART OF HOUSTON. BUT WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR SOME MORE HELP TO MAINTAIN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND YES, NOT EVERYONE HAS THE MONEY, LIKE THE RICH NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF, BUT WE ARE ALL HOUSTONIANS AND WE ALL JUST WANNA BE TREATED AS SUCH. WELL, I APPRECIATE THE COLLABORATION. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANK YOU MA'AM. NEXT TIMOTHY, WHERE TIMOTHY, WHERE WILL HILL? HOW YOU DOING MAYOR AND COUNCIL BOARD? HOW YOU DOING MAYOR AND COUNCIL BOARD? I WAS SPEAKING POLITELY TO YOU ALL. UM, I CAME IN NOT TOO LONG AGO. I'M SURE YOU KNOW ME. UH, WILL HILL. AND UM, I'VE BEEN A MASTER PLUMBER IN THE HOUSTON AREA, WHICH I'VE TOOK MY, MY TIME. I WAS A PIPING TRADES PRESIDENT AT SAM HOUSTON. I ALSO ORDAINED MINISTER VERY YOUNG. YOU KNOW, THERE'S TWO PATHS IN LIFE. ONE IS WORKING AND THE OTHER IS SERVING GOD. AND IF YOU GO AND YOU SERVE GOD, YOU'RE GOING DOWN A, A DIFFERENT PATH THAN JUST WORKING. UH, YOU KIND OF LIKE IN THE MINISTRY. WELL, IN MY LIFE, I STARTED OFF ON THE MINISTRY ROAD. UM, MY SISTER SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION PUT ME ON A DIFFERENT ROAD. AND I WAS ASKING, SINCE Y'ALL HAVE, UH, 256,000 INCIDENTS THAT WAS UN UH, DOCUMENTED OR HIDDEN AND POLICE TROY WAS, UH, SUPPOSED TO BE PULLING THOSE FILES UP. OKAY, WELL I GOT ONE FOR YOU. THIS IS A HOMICIDE THAT THEY FILED ON ME INVESTIGATION. AND THIS IS WHERE I FILED IT IN FEDERAL COURT. UH, I ALSO EMAILED, UH, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE LIKE I SAY, IT HAS, UH, AFFECTED MY KIDS, MY FAMILY, MY BUSINESS, YOU KNOW. YES. THE GOVERNMENT WAS USING MY BUSINESS, SOLICITING MY BUSINESS WITH MY SISTER, EUGENIA HILL. THEY DID IT VERY YOUNG. I LET 'EM MAKE IT FOR YEARS UNTIL AT ONE POINT I GOT TIRED. THEY WENT TO WORKMAN'S COMP, THEY FIRED HEAT EXHAUSTION, THEY SWITCHED, SWITCHED IT TO SOME KIND OF SEXUAL HEAT AND WAS TRYING TO GET ME CAUGHT UP IN THEY RIFF RAFF. SO NOW THEY HAD HE HEAT MEANT ANYTHING, YOU KNOW. SO, UM, I WANTED TO HAVE THESE CASE FILES PULLED UP AND THEN ALL THIS INFORMATION IS RIGHT HERE. IT IS IN YOUR BOOKS. YOU GOT IT. INCIDENT REPORTS, EVERYTHING. I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS. LIKE I SAID, YOU GO ON TWO PATHS AND ONE IS RELIGION AND THEN ONE IS WORK. MY PATH WAS MINISTRY. OKAY. MY SISTER GOT MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. I, MY IDENTITY, IT WAS IDENTITY THEFT. THEY MARK MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OUT, WHICH I GAVE THAT TO S SYLVESTER ATTORNEY IS 4 5 4 6 1 5 9 2 7. IT'S THE SAME. SO I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, WELL DON DON'T GET IT OUT, BUT IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS IN MY PLUMBING COMPANY AND THEY BEEN DOING IT, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? THEY MESS WITH MY WIFE AND MESS WITH MY GIRLFRIEND. MY ENGAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, BEST FRIEND WAY MALONE, THEY BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS. I JUST NOW DECIDED FOR, FOR SYLVESTER TURNER TO KNOW ABOUT IT. AND I, IT'S JUST BEEN GOING ON. COULD HAVE BEEN WRAPPED UP IN THEIR L-B-K-G-Q OR WHATEVER, BUT THEY HAD BEEN GETTING ME LOCKED UP TRYING TO GET ME ON THE CHILD SUPPORT CASE, CALLING MY KIDS MAMA OR TELLING THEY'LL GIVE THEM, BRIBING HER WITH MONEY. IT'S JUST BEEN ONGOING, YOU KNOW. SO I WANT TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL. AND I WOULDN'T BE UP HERE. I'M A MASTER PLUMBER. I COULD MAKE MY OWN MONEY. I'VE HAD VANS ROLLING. THEY MESS WITH THEM. SO, UH, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THIS BEEN DEEP. SO THIS IS WHAT I'M SAYING. I HAD GIRLFRIENDS WHEN I WAS YOUNGER AND MY SISTER WANTED THEM WITH THE, UH, WORKING WITH THE SOCIAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT. THEY WAS RUNNING SOME KIND OF ORGANIZATION. SO IT'S BEEN GOING ON IN YOUR CITY. SO HPD YOU KNOW, I WENT DOWN THERE. I, I TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT IT AND IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN IT. SO I WANT TO GET IT CLEARED UP AND MAYBE GOD SEND ME THE TO, TO MAKE THAT CALL ON YOUR CITY TO GET YOUR CITY BACK. HOLY. OKEY DOKE. OKEY DOKE. THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. YOUR CITY IS CORRUPT. SO I'LL BE TALKING TO MR. NER ABOUT THAT. BUT YOU LOOKING TO THE HOMICIDE CASE AND I DO HAVE THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS FROM FEDERAL COURT. THEY GAVE 'EM TO ME TO GO TO THE POST OFFICE. I STILL GOT 'EM. YOU KNOW THE CHURCH GOT 'EM. SO I'M PASTOR ANDREW, GINA GOES TO THAT CHURCH. SO THANK YOU SIR. ALRIGHT. HAVE A [00:50:01] GOOD ONE. PERVIS. CHANNEL TWO MOVES. THEY SAID WE NEED TO REPORT THESE ANSWERS. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT PERVIS ROBERTON. PERVIS ROBERTSON. JENNY DUNSTON, VERONICA RAMIREZ. COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. I HAD A QUICK PROCEDURAL MOTION. UM, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD MS. TRACY RILEY TO FOLLOW LORI FLORES. I BELIEVE SHE MAY HAVE TO GO PICK UP HER KIDS IN A BIT. THANK YOU. SECOND. MOTION MADE IN SECOND. ALL FAVOR. THOSE OPPOSED MOTION PASSES. ALRIGHT, I'M IN. SHE ASKED ME TO INTERPRET FOR HER. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, THE CHILDREN DEPEND ON ADULTS WHO ARE CONSCIOUS. I'M ASKING THAT PLEASE. YOU MAKE A CHANGE IN THE LIFE OF A LITTLE GIRL OF SIX YEARS OLD THAT REQUIRES ATTENTION, UH, MEDICAL ATTENTION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPY. WHO SEEKS TO BE RESCUED FROM HER SEXUAL AGGRESSORS. SO ON APRIL 2ND, 2024, WE DENOUNCED, UH, IN FRONT OF YOU ALL THAT MY DAUGHTER, WHO IS BEING A VICTIM OF A BRUTAL INJUSTICE BY CPC AND THE HOUSTON POLICE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE CASE OF MY DAUGHTER. WE GAVE EVIDENCE, ELECTRIC EVIDENCE, UH, OFFICIAL EVIDENCE TO THE, UH, EMAIL THAT WAS GIVEN TO US. MY DAUGHTER, UH, MADE A FORMAL DENOUNCEMENT OF THIS THROUGH AN INTERVIEW. A A FORENSIC INTERVIEW THAT TOOK, THAT TOOK PLACE IN CAC. MY OBJECTIVE TODAY, I WOULD LIKE AN INTERVENTION OF AN INVESTIGATION, UH, JUST INVESTIGATIONS ON BEHALF OF CPC AS WELL AS THE HOUSTON POLICE. HAVING A DIGNIFIED LIFE, IT'S IS, IS A FOCUS AND A RIGHT, A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT FOR MY DAUGHTER. PLEASE DON'T ALLOW HER TO BE ACCUSTOMED TO HAVING FEAR AND TO BE, TO BE SILENT WITH WHAT SHE ALREADY FORMALLY DENOUNCED. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I WANT TO THANK HER FOR COMING FORWARD AND WE HAVE A FILE HERE WITH SOME INFORMATION FROM THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WE'RE ALL GONNA REVIEW IT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE THROUGH OFFICER HENDRON WHO IS, WHO IS HERE PRESENT. AND WE'LL SPEAK WITH YOU FURTHER ABOUT THE MATTER. WHEN WOULD YOU BE COMMUNICATING? [00:55:01] EXCUSE ME? WHEN WOULD YOU BE COMMUNICATING? SHE'S GONNA SPEAK TO OFFICER HENDRON. RIGHT HERE. RAISE YOUR HAND OFFICER TODAY. THANK YOU. YES. OKAY, NEXT. BENJAMIN CALHOUN. BENJAMIN CALHOUN, JENNA WILEY, JENNA WILEY. JOSEPH SMITH. JOSEPH SMITH. AND UM, THAT'S MY, I'VE BEEN UP THERE SEVERAL TIMES ON MY IDENTITY THEFT. I WORKED FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHEN I REALIZED SOMEONE WAS HAVING KIDS, PUTTING THEM IN MY NAME AND, AND THEY NAME ON MY KIDS' NAME. I GOT MY KIDS' BIRTH CERTIFICATES AND EVERYTHING. I CHANGED MY NAME BECAUSE THE WOMAN KEPT DOING IT. I GOT THE PAPER SHOWING THAT MY CASES WAS DISMISSED NUMEROUS OF TIMES. SO NOW THE WOMAN IS GETTING SOCIAL SECURITIES IN MY NAME. NOW I CAN'T GET A SOCIAL SECURITY. SOMEBODY GETTING DISABILITY IN MY NAME. SOMEONE THAT, UH, GETTING UNEMPLOYMENT NOW. I ALREADY SHOW, LET Y'ALL HEAR THE RECORDINGS IF I'M CALLING UNEMPLOYMENT AND THEY SAY THAT DUE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, I HAVE TO APPEAL THROUGH THE CITY. I SAID I WASN'T WORKING FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHEN I DID. WHEN Y'ALL SAY I WAS. AND I GOT ALL THIS DOCUMENTED AND COME TO FIND OUT THEY GARNISHING A LOT OF MY ACCESS. THEY DONE TOWED DOWN THE HOUSE OF MINE WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. AND I WANNA KNOW HOW THE CITY GIVE SOMEBODY PERMISSION TO THAT ON MY PROPERTY. AND THIS IS A SEPARATE PIECE OF PROPERTY. THEY DONE IT TO. SO, AND I YET TO HEAR OF ANYTHING FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THE IDENTITY THEFT WHEN I'M SHOWING THEM EVERYTHING, ALL THIS DOCUMENTATION I GOT WHERE THE SOCIAL SECURITY PEOPLE GAVE ME LETTERS WITH PEOPLE HIRING LAWYERS TO GET DISABILITY IN MY NAME AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVEN'T DID ONE POLICE REPORT ON IT YET. I'M SHOWING WHERE MY CASES WAS DISMISSED, BUT YET THE WOMAN STILL HAVING KIDS PUTTING THEM IN MY NAME. AND THEY, SINCE I DON'T SHOW UP FOR COURT 'CAUSE THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW MY NAME, THEY GOT MY SOCIAL. SO SINCE THEY HAVE MY SOCIAL, THEY MY KIDS BY DEFAULT. SO THEY GOT ME COMMON LAW MARRIED TO THE ONE I'VE BEEN WITH MY WIFE 33 YEARS. BUT NOW I'M MARRIED TO KA LAW, MARRIED TO SOMEBODY AND THE POLICE WON'T DO ANYTHING. IF I'M KARMA LAW MARRIED TO ALL THESE PEOPLE, WHY THEY WON'T LOCK NOTHING FOR BIGGER ME AND I GOT EVERYTHING. I BUY THE PAPERWORK SHOWING ALL THESE CASES DISMISSED. THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW MY NAME, BUT THEY GONNA, MY WHOLE RETIREMENT. SO I'M TRYING TO DIVORCE MY WIFE. SO THIS STUFF WON'T HAPPEN TO HER. BUT COURT 2 47 KEEP KICKING US OUT. TALKING ABOUT THEY CAN'T LOCATE ME NOW I'M HERE IN FRONT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALL THE TIME. THEY DIDN'T. SO I HAD TO PAY ANOTHER 80 BUCKS TO REINSTATE THE, THE, UH, DIVORCE PROCEEDING. THEY KEEP KICKING OUT SAYING THEY CAN'T LOCATE ME. I HAD MY CARD VAN LIE, I HAD MY CAR DAMAGE. HOME DEPOT SAY THEY GONNA PAY FOR IT. THEY ADMITTED TO DOING IT. BUT CHILD SUPPORT GARISH THE LAWSUIT. SO I'M ASKING WHERE THE KIDS AT? WHO, WHO THESE I HAVE WHO? THE KIDS. I HAVE TIME EXPIRED. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHISO. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU MR. SMITH. I I DO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOWN HERE A FEW TIMES, BUT I WANNA ASK YOU, HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO GET ANY LEGAL COUNSEL SUCH AS, UM, THE SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW OR TEXAS SOUTHERN THURGOOD MARSHALL? THEY OFFER FREE SERVICES OR THE NAACP HOUSTON BRANCH. YOU CAN GET FREE LEGAL SERVICES. WELL, BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF, THAT SEEMS THE DIRECTION YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO IN TO GET THIS RESOLVED. WELL, TEXAS SOUTHERN IS INVOLVED IN THIS OR RODNEY ELLIS IS INVOLVED IN THIS. [01:00:01] IT'S HIS NEPHEW. KIDS. YES. WE ALL KNOW WHO IT IS. OKAY, WILL IT, IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T TRUST THEM, THEN WHY DON'T YOU TRY TO GO TO ONE OF THE OTHER? BECAUSE THEY WON'T GIVE THE, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WON'T DO THE REPORTS. THEY WON'T DO THE REPORTS. IF YOU, IF SOMEONE OPENED UP A, A BANKING ACCOUNT IN MY NAME AND THE BANKS KNOWING THAT THAT'S NOT ME. WHY THE POLICE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. BUT CAN'T THE BANK GIVE YOU DOCUMENTATION TO SHOW THAT THIS IS DOWN? THE POLICE WON'T DO A REPORT ON YOU. OKAY. BUT BUT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET YOUR NAME CLEARED SO YOU CAN GET YOUR YES MA'AM. SO WHATEVER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES IS NOT WELL THEN CASE, CASE DETERMINE WHAT CASE YOU NEED TO DO TO GET YOUR OWN IDENTITY BACK. CASE. WHY SOMEBODY HIRING A LAWYER TO GET DISABILITY IN MY NAME? THEY TRIED TO ARREST ME. JUST SO HELP THE MAN THAT THEY USED TO ARREST ME. AUNTIE IS MY SISTER GODMOTHER. SO HE SAYING HE TELLING THEM THIS IS HIM, BUT THEY WON'T GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION. 'CAUSE I'M THE THIRD PARTY. I, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU GET YOU SOME LEGAL COUNSEL, MR. SMITH, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO AS A BODY TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE RELIEF THAT YOU NEED. WELL, EVERYBODY I WENT TO THE, UH, I WENT TO HARRIS COUNTY, UH, DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S, THEY SAY IT START WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SEE, I BUY ALL THIS STUFF. THIS IS ALL CERTIFIED CASES DISMISSED. THEY GOT ME MARRIED TO SOMEONE ELSE. I GOT POWER OF ATTORNEY OF MY FATHER WHILE I, I GOT SICK. I'M REAL SICK. AND IN 2019, MY F MY BROTHER DIED. I TOOK A LOT OF TESTS AND REALIZED I WAS SICK. THE TREATMENT THEY HAD ME OFF HAD ME OUTTA THERE FOR TWO YEARS. SO I'M TRYING TO REGAIN ALL MY STUFF, TRYING TO REGAIN EVERYTHING. BUT I FOUND OUT WHILE I WAS SICK, THE CITY HAS TOOK TWO OF MY HOUSES AND, UH, THEY GOT ME MARRIED. ALL THIS STUFF BEEN DISMISSED. ALL THIS IS COURT PAPERS SAYING IT'S DISMISSED. I GET IT. I GET IT MR. SMITH. BUT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET YOU SOME LEGAL COUNSEL. YES, MA'AM. CAN I ASK YOU THAT YOU TRUST THAT'S GONNA NAVIGATE YOU THROUGH THIS BECAUSE THE COUNSEL, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT ANY OF THAT. SO IF YOU WANNA GET IT RESOLVED, GO TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP YOU TO GET IT RESOLVED, WHICH ARE THE LEGAL ENTITIES. AND I I'M, I I GET IT. I UNDERSTAND. AND IT'S, I'M SURE IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING, BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO CONTINUE TO JUST, CAN I ASK YOU THIS? BEAT YOUR HEAD UP AGAINST THE WALL? NO MA'AM, I'M NOT. AND IT'S WEEKEND. I DIVORCED MY WIFE AND LET ALL, BECAUSE I GOTTA BE A HORRIBLE HUSBAND TO HAVE ALL THESE KIDS ON MY WIFE. AND THEY GOT ALL THESE KIDS. NO, NO, BUT I, I GOT THE PAPER SHOWING THAT, UH, DISMISSED IT. THEY NOT MY KIDS. I TOOK THE BLOOD TEST. I ALREADY SHOWED THAT THEY'RE NOT MY KIDS. SO NO MA'AM, I'M NOT, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM DEALING WITH WHAT I DO. AND ANOTHER THING, I WANNA KNOW HOW MY, HOW I GOT POWER OF ATTORNEY OVER MY FATHER AND WHY I'M SICK. HE PASSED AWAY AND NOBODY DON'T TELL ME ANYTHING. AND HE BEEN DEAD TWO YEARS AND I STILL DON'T KNOW WHERE HIS BODY LOCATED AT HARRIS COUNTY, ONE OF MR. TELL ME AND I GOT POWER OF ATTORNEY OVER MR. CRAZY. BUT WHERE I GO THROUGH FOR THAT, WHY NO ONE CAN'T TELL ME WHERE MY FATHER BURIED IT. MAYOR, A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE VOTED FOR YOU BECAUSE THEY KNOW HARRIS COUNTY IS DOING A WHOLE LOT OF CORRUPTED THINGS AND WE NEED SOMEBODY HERE TO DEAL WITH HARRIS COUNTY FROM THE FAMILY COURTS TO THE DISTRICT COURTS. WE GO THROUGH EVERYTHING WE SUPPOSED TO DO. SIR, I GOT ALL THIS PAPER FILED AND EVERYTHING. HAVE YOU, UH, USED AN ATTORNEY? SIR? DO YOU HAVE AN ATTORNEY? WHEN I, WHEN I GET AN ATTORNEY, THEY SAY THE CASE DISMISSED, THEN A WOMAN HAVE ANOTHER BABY OPEN UP THE CASE AND THEY PUT THE SAME CASE NUMBER. THEY PUT THE SAME. SO SHE HAVE A BABY 98 CASE DISMISS. SHE HAVE A BABY 99. THEY REOPEN IT UNDER THE SAME CASE NUMBER. YOU CAN LOOK AT ALL THESE PAPERS AND THEY KEEP, EVERY TIME I DISMISS IT, SHE HAVE ANOTHER BABY. AND THEY REOPEN IT UNDER THE SAME CASE NUMBER. YEAH. AND I HAD MY OWN BUSINESS. SO NOW THEY TELLING ME, UH, THEY MY KIDS FOR DEFAULT BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO CONTACT ME. SO I DON'T SHOW UP FOR COURT. OKAY. I YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO YOUR ATTORNEY. THE CASE WAS JUST DISMISS THE CASE. DISMISS. THEY REOPEN IT. UH, THEY REOPEN IT UNDER ANOTHER CHILD. OKAY. I WOULD CONSULT AN ATTORNEY IF I WAS YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT LAURIE FLORES. NO. WILL YOU STAND BEHIND ONE OF THE MICROPHONES? [01:05:01] GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS LORI FLORES. I, UH, EMAILED MOST OF YOU YESTERDAY, UH, BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS OF WHAT I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. I WILL BE EXPLAINING WHAT CAUSED, UH, UH, BEFORE WE HAD DITCHES. TODAY WE HAVE DETENTION PONDS. I'LL BE EXPLAINING WHAT CAUSED THIS DRAINAGE OVERHAUL TO HAPPEN. BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU WHO WE ARE. BONITA GARDENS PRECINCT 5 74 IS A PREDOMINANTLY BROWN COMMUNITY OF US CITIZENS OF PREDOMINANTLY MEXICAN DESCENT. WE WERE FOUNDED IN 1936. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNCIL DISTRICTS REDISTRICTING, AND HAVE ENDURED UNDERDEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL ECONOMIC DEPRIVATION WITH OUR NEIGHBORS TRINITY AND CASHMERE GARDENS. FOR NEARLY A CENTURY SINCE THE LATE TWO THOUSANDS, I HAD REPORTED A PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE THAT HAD A DEFECTIVE CULVERT THAT WAS CAUSING WATER TO STAGNATE IN THE DITCH. PUBLIC WORKS AND NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION CAME OUT MANY TIMES. SOMETIMES RICH HAD THE PROPERTY BUT THEN DIDN'T FOLLOW THROUGH CITY ORDINANCE. 40 84 SETS THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE CITY HANDLES DRIVEWAYS NEEDING REPAIR. THAT PROCESS IS VERY SIMILAR TO HOW THE CITY HANDLES OVER WHEATED. LOTS OTHER RESIDENTS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR NEIGHBORING DRIVEWAYS AND CULVERTS. DURING VERY RAINY SEASON, SEASON, WATER WOULD STAGNATE THOSE DRIVEWAYS AND START BACKING UP INTO THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES. COUNCIL MEMBER CARLA CISNEROS WAS, WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. SHE ARRANGED FOR PUBLIC WORKS TO UNCLOG THE PUL PROBLEMS, CULVERTS AND DO SOME MINOR GRADING TO IMPROVE THE FLOW OF WATER. FORTUNATELY, WHEN HURRICANE HARVEY ARRIVED IN 2 20 17, WE HAD NO DRAINAGE BACKUP EXCEPT FOR THE PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE AT 73 0 1 LOS ANGELES. WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT A STUDY HAD BEEN ORDERED TO DETERMINE THE DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. BECAUSE THIS IS A JOINT PROJECT WITH DISTRICT B, PERHAPS COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON CAN EXPLAIN WHY THIS PROJECT WAS FINANCED FROM DISASTER RELIEF FUNDS THAT REQUIRED MAXIMIZING THE DITCH CAPACITY STORAGE AND CONVEYANCE RATHER THAN AS A CAPITAL AND MAINTENANCE INVESTMENT, SIMILAR TO WHAT IS PLANNED FOR HOUSTON HEIGHTS PING AND DRAINAGE PROJECT. THAT PROJECT INCLUDES CONSTRUCTION OF CONCRETE, CONCRETE PAVING WITH STORM DRAINAGE, CURBS, SIDEWALKS, DRIVEWAYS, STREET LIGHTING, AND NECESSARY UNDERGROUND UTILITIES. ULTIMATELY, BONITA GARDENS WANTS A CAPITAL INVESTMENT INTO OUR COMMUNITY SIMILAR TO WHAT IS BEING DONE IN HOUSTON HEIGHTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I HOPE THAT YOU'LL STOP THIS ENVIRONMENTAL UNSAFE PROPERTY, DEVALUE AND REGRESSION IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND INSTEAD PRIORITIZE MOVING DISTRESSED NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE OURS THROUGH THE 21ST CENTURY COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, LORI, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. DO YOU NEED A FEW SECONDS TO WRAP UP RESPECTFULLY? SURE. THAT WAS IT. . OH, OKAY. . UM, WELL, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE HAVE, UH, BEEN IN CONTACT WITH YOU ABOUT THIS SPECIFICALLY. UM, ONE THING THAT IS AVAILABLE AS AN OPTION IS FOR PUBLIC WORKS TO GO OUT AND MEET WITH YOU AT THE LOCATION ITSELF, UH, SPECIFICALLY WHERE YOU HAVE CONCERNS. UM, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU KNOW YOU'D BE WILLING TO DO, IS TO MEET THEM ON SITE? I HAVE MET WITH PUBLIC WORKS ON SITE AND AFTER AFTER THAT THEY CAME BACK AND THEY GRADED MY DITCHES EVEN WIDER. SO NOW MY DITCHES FROM THE STREET ALL THE WAY TO THE FENCE LINE, SO THAT DIDN'T CREATE THIS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT. THAT, AND, AND IT'S, I I, I'VE ACTUALLY SPOKEN TO, UH, MR. ROBERT MILES AT MM-HMM . PUBLIC WORKS, UH, SEVERAL TIMES. AND, UM, HE SAID THAT IT WAS ABOVE HIS, YOU KNOW, HIS, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO ABOVE HIM TO MAKE THE CHANGES THAT WE WANTED, AND HE, HE, THEY JUST HAD TO FOLLOW THE PLANS THAT WERE, UH, ASK FOR THEM TO DESIGN. YEAH, IT'S A HUD FUNDED PROJECT. HUD HAS THEIR RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR DOING THIS, UH, UH, AND, AND, UM, THEY'RE FOLLOWING THOSE HUD GUIDELINES. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT WAS FUNDED BY HUD. WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS PROJECT SPECIFICALLY IS NEAR COMPLETION. UM, AND SO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THIS SPECIFICALLY AREN'T GOING TO HAPPEN. UM, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE CAN'T BE FUTURE PROJECTS [01:10:01] THAT INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, MORE INVESTMENT, UM, IN THE DRAINAGE BEYOND WHAT THIS IS. AND THAT MAY BE, YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. BUT THIS IS A GOOD START TO BRINGING AWARENESS, UH, TO WHAT IS IMPACTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, HOPEFULLY THIS PROJECT WILL IMPROVE DRAINAGE, UM, IN THE BENEATH THE GARDENS AREA. AND I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON ISN'T HERE, BUT, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO, UH, COLLABORATE WITH HER OFFICE AS WELL, UH, SINCE THIS PROJECT DOES IMPACT BOTH DISTRICTS. OKAY. BUT DID YOU HEAR ME? I WE DIDN'T HAVE A DRAINAGE ISSUE. WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH CLOGGED UP, UH, CULVERTS, BROKEN OR MISALIGNED THAT NEEDED MAINTENANCE, AND THAT WAS THE, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS TO REPAIR THEM, OR THE CITY COULD GO RIGHT BEHIND THEM, REPAIR THEM, UH, AND, AND, UH, PUT A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY JUST LIKE OVER WEEDED LOTS. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN FUNDED AS A DISASTER RELIEF BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT IT WAS. AND NOW WE HAVE THESE LARGER, WIDER DITCHES. I CAN'T EVEN, IT WAS DIFFICULT ENOUGH TO CUT THE GRASS BEFORE, AND NOW IT'S EVEN MORE DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS, AND THERE'S NO SPACE, THERE'S NO WALKWAY. THEY CARVED AWAY ALL OF THE WALKWAY. SO IT WASN'T A JUSTICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE'RE, AND, AND I, THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN THINK OF FOR THEM BUILDING THEM THIS WIDE IS BECAUSE THE PLAN IS TO ACTUALLY CARRY WATER FROM OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THAT'S A VERY GROSS ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE TO US. THE WATER'S CONTAINED POLLUTANTS, TOXINS, BACTERIA, AND THEN, THEN IF THEY SIT, SIT IN THE DITCH FOR A WHILE, UH, THEY'RE GONNA GROW MORE BACTERIA AND MOSQUITOES. YEAH. SO I DON'T SEE THE JUSTICE THAT WAS DONE TO US BY DOING THIS. WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE ACTUAL CITY PROGRAMS OUT THERE THAT DO REPAIR CULVERTS THAT ARE COLLAPSED, UH, STORMWATER INLETS, DITCHES THAT ARE NOT DRAINING, REGRADING, UM, THROUGH DIFFERENT MECHANISMS LIKE THE STORMWATER ACTION TEAM. UM, AND SO WE HAVE TAKEN MORE OF THAT BACK IN TERMS OF MAINTAINING DITCHES AND, AND LOOKING AT REPAIRING THOSE THINGS SPECIFICALLY. YES. UM, BUT I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE TO VISIT WITH YOU, UH, ABOUT YOUR CONCERNS. AND WE DO HAVE PUBLIC WORKS HERE AS WELL, UM, SPECIFICALLY ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE. UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I ALSO WANT TO BE ASSURED THAT THERE ARE NO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS TO THE AREA, UM, INTENDED OR UNATTENDED. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DISCUSS, UH, STARTING TODAY. OKAY. I, I, I REALIZE THAT THERE ARE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE THIS WORK DONE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY NEED IT VERY, VERY BADLY. UM, SO, UM, IT'S NICE. WE DO HAVE ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEMP. UM, MS. FLORES, WE HAD THE DISCUSSION, YOU WERE BRINGING THIS TO OUR, MY ATTENTION ON SATURDAY WHEN WE MET. I GUESS I HAVE TWO ASK OF YOU. FIRST OF ALL, YOU'RE ASKING, WAS YOUR ASK WAS THAT IF YOUR DITCH COULD HAVE REMAINED WHAT IT WAS? IS THAT WHAT YOU SAY? BECAUSE YOU SENT OUT THE PICTURES, WHICH WAS THE BEFORE AND THE AFTER. RIGHT. SO IS YOUR ASK THAT YOU WOULD RATHER SEE YOUR, THE DITCHES IN YOUR COMMUNITY NOT CHANGED TO THE WIDENING? IS THAT THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. SECONDLY, HAVE YOU HAD A DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON IS NOT HERE TODAY, BUT HAVE YOU AND YOUR COMMITTEE HAD A CHANCE TO DISCUSS THAT IN THE PROJECT THAT'S WITH UNDER HER? HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO REACH OUT TO HER AND HAVE THAT DISCUSSION? UH, YOU KNOW, I SENT THE, UM, I INCLUDED HER ON ALL OF MY EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE WHEN I WAS DISCUSSING THIS WITH MY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MEMBERS. AND, UM, UH, SHE, SHE DIDN'T RESPOND. OKAY. WHAT I, I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, AND MAYBE AS COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, STILL WAS SAYING, STILL WAS SAYING THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COULD MAKE THE CONNECTION BY WAY OF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER AS WELL AS WITH COUNCILMAN JACKSON. AND I THINK THERE'S A RESOLUTION TO IT BASED ON WHAT'S ON RECORD. AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE, THE BETTER PROCESS TO GO. I LIKE TO SEE IT RESOLVED FOR YOU BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUSLY A GREAT CONCERN OF YOURS. YOU KNOW, IT IS ALL THE, ALL THE, UH, THE, THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD IS UPSET ABOUT THIS. UNFORTUNATELY, I WASN'T THAT AWARE OF IT UNTIL IT GOT TO MY STREET AND WE WERE AT THE TAIL END OF THE, OF THE, OF THE CON [01:15:01] OF THE PROJECT. AND YES, YOU'RE RIGHT. WE WOULD RATHER HAVE HAD OUR, THE SAME DITCHES THERE. WE COULD HAVE ACTUALLY ADDED WALKWAYS. NOW I DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO WALK. I HAVE TO HOLD ONTO MY FENCE LINE TO GET ACROSS THE DITCH, SO THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, TRACY WILEY. TRACY WILEY, ARE YOU HERE? YES, SHE'S, THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS TRACY RILEY. UM, I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A PARENT OF HISD STUDENTS AND A RESIDENT OF THE TIMBER GROVE COMMUNITY. I'M ALSO PRESIDENT OF THE TIMBER GROVE MANOR CIVIC CLUB. UH, TODAY THOUGH, I WANTED TO SPEAK TO YOU AS A PARENT, UM, IN THE NEWS LATELY, ALL THE THINGS HISD, UM, HAVE BEEN WILD, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE SEEING IT ALL. THE REASON I WANTED TO COME TODAY, MY COUNCIL MEMBER HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE. I AM A DISTRICT C RESIDENT. MY STUDENTS ATTEND LOVE ELEMENTARY AND THE HEIGHTS SINCLAIR ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS MY ZONE SCHOOL. AND I ALSO HAVE A STUDENT THAT ATTENDS PRIVATE SCHOOL IN SPRING BRANCH. MY FAMILY IS VERY, VERY, VERY BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE LUXURY, TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO SEND MY KIDS OUT OF THEIR ZONE, THAT I HAVE A CAR WITH GAS IN IT TO DRIVE THERE, AND THAT I CAN SEND A STUDENT TO PRIVATE SCHOOL. THAT'S A VERY GOOD ONE. THE MOST RECENT NEWS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS, THAT I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD, BUT IT'S ABOUT THE TAKING AWAY OF ZONES FROM HELMS ELEMENTARY AND FROM WHARTON ELEMENTARY. MY STUDENTS AT LOVE ARE THERE BECAUSE I VALUE SPANISH SCHOOL LANGUAGE EDUCATION FOR THEM. HERRERA ELEMENTARY COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, HAS COME TO THE HISD BOARD MEETINGS AND SPOKE. I MYSELF SPOKE RECENTLY AT A BOARD OF MANAGERS MEETING, NOT THE GENERAL MEETING BECAUSE IT WAS ABOUT PLANNING. AND THE THING THAT I THINK WE'RE MISSING THAT I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL PAY ATTENTION TO AND LEND YOUR VOICE TO IS WE'RE PUTTING THE CARD BEFORE THE HORSE IN HISD. OUR CONSTITUENTS WERE DISENFRANCHISED WHEN THE ZONE WAS REMOVED. AND IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD EMAILS, YOU MAY NOT BE EXPERIENCED IT LIKE DIS DISTRICT C HAS. BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, YOU'RE NEXT ON THE LIST. AND WHILE I KNOW THAT THE BOARD OF MANAGERS ARE TRYING TO DO THEIR BEST TO OPERATE UNDER A GOVERNANCE STRATEGY THAT THE STATE HAS DICTATED TOWARD US, IT'S NOT EFFECTIVE, YOU GUYS, AND IT'S HAPPENING. IF YOU'RE IN SPRING BRANCH, YOU MAY NOT BE EXPERIENCES AS MUCH, BUT WE DO HAVE THINGS COMING DOWN THE PIPE. I AM A REAL WORKING, NOT SLEEPING, COMING HERE TO TALK TO YOU, PARENT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT EMAILS GET LOST, JUST LIKE THE LADY SAID, SPEAKING TO YOU, PERSON TO PERSON TO KNOW. IF I CAN ANSWER A QUESTION FOR YOU TODAY AND JUST ASK OF YOU, PLEASE LEND YOUR VOICE, I KNOW THAT IT'S A STATE ISSUE AND WE'RE GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THOSE THAT WE NEED TO, BUT I HOPE THAT YOU ALL HAVE REALIZED IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THAT LIVES IN A ZONE THAT'S HISD, AND WE TAKE IT AWAY AND WE TELL 'EM, HEY, IN 60 DAYS WE'RE GONNA LET YOU KNOW WHERE YOU CAN GO TO SCHOOL. THAT IS NOT OKAY. AND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REACH OUT TO BOARD OF MANAGERS, PLEASE DO. AND I'M HAPPY TO SEND ANY OF YOUR STAFF THE EMAIL FOR ALL OF THEM, AND THAT WAY YOU CAN AT LEAST OFFER MAYBE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU. AGAIN, I KNOW THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN DO, BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO, PLEASE DO IT. AS A PARENT OF DUAL EDUCATED STUDENTS, I AM FROM SOUTH LOUISIANA. I CAN ASK NOTHING MORE, BUT THANKS FROM YOU GUYS AND GRATITUDE FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT MY KIDS HAVE TO ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOL IN HOUSTON. I AM SO PROUD OF THAT FOR THEM. AND I WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW UP HERE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR SUPPORT YOU IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN. UM, ON THAT NOTE, I THINK I STILL HAVE ENOUGH TIME I WANTED TO SHARE TOO, AS SOMEBODY WHO CROSSES TC JESTER AND SHEPHERD IN DURHAM FIVE DAYS A WEEK, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. COUNCIL MEMBER TRACY, PLEASE JUST WRAP UP. AND THEN I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS JUST TO EXPLAIN FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS SOME OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE ON THE SHEPHERD DURHAM PROJECT, AND MAYOR SPEAKING TO YOU SPECIFICALLY, NOW THAT YOU'RE BACK, I CROSSED THAT STREET. MY CHILDREN ARE 6, 8, 10, AND 12. IT IS A GAUNTLET, YOU GUYS, AND I, I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT A CONTROVERSIAL PROJECT UNTIL PEOPLE BRING IT UP. IT'S BEAUTIFUL ON SHEPHERD DURHAM. NOW THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THAT PROJECT AND I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU, INCLUDING YOU MAYOR, PLEASE LET THAT PROJECT MOVE FORWARD. A BLIGHTED CORRIDOR THAT I KNOW IS A VERY DIVERSE, UH, WHETHER IT WAS BUSINESSES OR PEOPLE, RESIDENTS, IT'S AMAZING NOW AND NEIGHBORING IT IN TIMBER GROVE. I DON'T MIND GOING OVER THERE SO MUCH. AND I KNOW THAT I COULD WALK AND GO TO BUSINESSES WITH MY KIDS THAT I COULDN'T BEFORE. SO I HOPE WE KEEP MOVING THAT ONE FORWARD IN COLLABORATION WITH ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE ALONG THAT CORRIDOR FOR SAFETY. TRACY, THANK YOU. UM, GOING BACK TO THE HISD ISSUE, 'CAUSE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS, AGAIN, EVERYONE'S JUGGLING SO MUCH RIGHT NOW, MAY NOT BE AWARE, RIGHT? WHAT I KNOW SPECIFICALLY AROUND SOME DISTRICT C SCHOOLS IS PARENTS MAYOR AND, UH, SPECIFICALLY WHARTON, FOR EXAMPLE, WERE INSTRUCTED, UM, TO NOT [01:20:02] ENTER, UH, ZONING BASED REGISTRATION UNTIL A FEW MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD THAT THE LOTTERY FOR MAGNET, UH, ALWAYS HAPPENS FIRST ALWAYS HAPPENS TO NOT APPLY FOR THAT, TO WAIT FOR THE ZONING POOLING, RIGHT? THEY WERE THEN INFORMED, I BELIEVE LAST WEEK, THAT THERE WOULD BE NO ZONING REGISTRATION AND THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE APPLIED FOR THE LOTTERY REGISTRATION. THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, WE HAVE BEEN INUNDATED WITH EMAILS. WE ARE TRYING TO WORK WITH OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES. I HAVE REACHED OUT TOD'S GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAM. SO I THINK AS WE FIND THE BALANCE, AGAIN FOR SOME PLACE LIKE A WHARTON DUAL LANGUAGE OR OTHERS, WE WANT CHILDREN FROM ACROSS THE CITY TO EXPERIENCE THE CALIBER OF EDUCATION. AND THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, TO BE TELLING PARENTS THAT ARE ZONED, THAT HAVE EVEN MOVED TO THESE AREAS SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS, YOU'LL GET YOUR TURN TO REGISTER, HANG ON, AND THEN ARE THEN TOLD, NOPE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET A CHANCE. AND BY THE WAY, I THINK YOU MAY HAVE MISSED LOTTERY REGISTRATION. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT IS PANNING OUT. YEAH, IT'S OVER. THERE'S, IT'S STILL ON HOLD, BUT THAT'S WHAT PARENTS ARE NOW BEING TOLD THROUGHOUT MAYOR, NOT JUST DISTRICT C, BUT I THINK IT MAY ALSO BE HAPPENING IN OTHER DISTRICTS AS WELL. SO I HOPE COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT EXPLAINS A LITTLE BIT OF IT, TRACY, HOPEFULLY I DID IT JUSTICE. BUT YOU ARE HERE, I BELIEVE, TO RAISE AWARENESS AND TO SAY THAT THERE ARE PARENTS, UM, THAT ARE VERY CONCERNED, BUT I DON'T WANNA PUT WORDS IN YOUR MIND. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND I LOOK AT THE DIVERSITY ON OUR COUNCIL THAT I'M ALSO VERY PROUD OF, AND THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN REELECTED AND COME BACK, UM, YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE YOU CARE TOO. AND PART OF THIS IS DESTRUCTION OF COMMUNITIES. WE BUILD THESE COMMUNITIES AND WE LIFT OUR CITY UP, AND THEN WE TAKE AWAY THIS ZONE AND WE TELL PEOPLE, SORRY, YOU LIVE IN HOUSTON, AMAZING CITY, AND YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO GO TO SCHOOL FOR THE NEXT 60 DAYS. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY UNNECESSARY AND RIDICULOUS TO ACCEPT THAT THAT HAPPENED. AND I THINK ALL OF YOU SHOULD BE UPSET AS MUCH AS WE ARE. AM I AFFECTED BY IT? NO, NOT TECHNICALLY. AM I DISAPPOINTED? ABSOLUTELY. AND I WANTED TO BE HERE TODAY TO INFORM YOU THAT OUR COMMUNITIES MATTER. WE WORKED HARD TO BUILD UP COMMUNITIES, CROSS BRIDGES, BE TOGETHER, AND WE JUST GOT THAT TAKEN AWAY IN ONE FAILED SWOOP BECAUSE SOMEBODY DIDN'T PLAN WELL, PEOPLE ARE LEFT IN LIMBO. IS THAT THE BEST? NOBODY WITH A 5-YEAR-OLD NEEDS TO BE IN LIMBO. WE, A LOT OF PARENTS ARE NOW HEARING MIXED MESSAGES. THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY STAND. AND AGAIN, IT'S THE POINT THEY WERE TOLD ONE THING NOW THAT'S COMPLETELY CHANGED WITH NO OPPORTUNITY OR NOWHERE TO POTENTIALLY GO. YEAH, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. NEXT, JASON RY. JASON NERI. AMBI KO. RIGHT? DOES IT MATTER? YOU'RE GOOD. ALRIGHT. UH, MOB COLLIER HERE. UM, FORMER HOUSTON TEXAN. WOO. GO. TEXANS AM BY THE ONLY ONE. OH, OKAY. OH, YOU NOT A TEXAN FAN. WHAT'S SUPER BOWL? MAYOR? YOU SUPPOSED TO WAIT. MAYOR, MAY YOU NOT A TEXAN FAN MAYOR. HE TALKING TO YOU. . OBVIOUS, OBVIOUS, OBVIOUS. YES, SIR. GOOD, GOOD. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. THANKS. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. UM, SO, UH, I, MY MIND WAS IN DEEP THOUGHT, I WAS STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADDRESS THAT LADY'S HISD ISSUE. SO I'M SORRY, I I I I'M SURE YOUR MIND, I'M LISTENED. YOU, BUT I WAS, I WAS IN A LOT PLACES, WAS STILL TRYING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM. GO AHEAD. I GOT YOU. YEAH. UH, SO I GOT DRAFTED HERE IN OH SEVEN, UH, STARTED MY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, THE MOBILE CO FOUNDATION. AND, UM, THEN, UM, THE FORMER MAYOR, MS. ANISE PARKER, HAD GIVEN ME A, A A A DAY. UM, UNFORTUNATELY I HAD A BRAIN ILLNESS IN 2013 THAT CUT MY CAREER SHORT. AND, UM, THAT'S THE, UH, AND I HAD TO TAKE, TAKE A STEP BACK FROM MY FOUNDATION STUFF, OBVIOUSLY, TO ADDRESS MY PHYSICAL NEEDS AND, AND, AND WHATNOT AND BE HEALTHY AGAIN. AND, UM, SO I TOOK A STEP BACK FROM THE FOUNDATION, BUT I RELAUNCHED IT LAST, THIS LAST, UM, JUNE, UM, JUNE OF 20, UH, UH, 2023 BECAUSE IT MARKED THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF ME BEATING THE BRAIN ILLNESS THAT CUT MY CAREER SHORT. AND, UM, WHAT I'M HERE FOR IS, UH, LIKE I SAID, I HAD A, I HAD A DAY THAT MR. DENISE PARKER HAD TO GIVE TO THE FOUNDATION BACK THEN, AND I KIND OF WANTED TO, UM, GET THAT DAY BACK. [01:25:02] STILL, THERE IT IS. YOURS. SEE, I, I NEVER, I DON'T KNOW THIS STUFF, SO I, I, I OBVIOUSLY DONE, UM, I FOCUSED ON MY HEALTH, SO I DON'T, I DON'T REMEMBER THE DATE. I DON'T REMEMBER ALL OF THAT, SO I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO COME BACK AND, UH, GET THAT GOING. I, UH, EVERY, UH, SECOND WEEKEND IN JUNE, MY FOUNDATION, UH, THIS IS DURING MY BIRTHDAY, WE DO A FUNDRAISER FOR THE FOUNDATION. AND, AND SO I THINK THAT WAS WHEN IT WAS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET THAT DATE BACK. COUNCIL, MAYOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I BET THAT IF YOU, UM, TALK TO REBECCA WHO USED TO WORK IN THE PROCLAMATION OFFICE, THEY CAN LOOK UP THE DATE AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT DATE THAT WAS GIVEN TO YOU TO RECOGNIZE YOUR FOUNDATION AND THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. BUT JUST KNOW THAT WHEN YOU ARE ISSUED A PROCLAMATION AND THAT DATE IS PROCLAIMED AS YOUR DAY, IT IS ALWAYS YOUR DAY. SO BEST WISHES TO YOU. MM-HMM . THANKS. THANKS. YEAH. SO THANKS FOR THAT. AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNCIL AND, AND FURTHERING DOING ALL THE WORK I I DO IN REGARDS TO ALL KIDS, ESPECIALLY AT-RISK KIDS, AND, UH, KIDS THAT ARE FAMILIES THAT I HAVE DEALT WITH AND ARE DEALING WITH THE OLDER IMMUNE ILLNESS THAT I BE COUNSELOR CAYMAN, UH, THE VICE MAYOR PROTON BEAT ME TO IT. I WAS GONNA SAY, IF YOU CAN'T FIGURE OUT THE DATE, WE'LL HELP YOU FIGURE OUT THE DATE, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU CONTINUE TO DO IN THE COMMUNITY, AND IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, I GET EXCITED WHEN I SEE A TEXANS PLAYER COME ON THROUGH. SO, YEAH, THE, THE, THE, THE GLORY DAYS ARE COMING BACK. THERE YOU GO. IN CJ'S TRIBE, WE TRUST . . THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. NEXT. DANIEL ARCHIBALD. DANIEL ARCHIBALD. MAL BIRTH. MOSES MAL BIRTH MOSES. ANITA GUEVARA. ANITA GUEVARA. YES. WHAT SHE SAID. OH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR SPEAKING. SPEAKING OF THE MIC, MA. OH, YOU CAN PULL IT DOWN. THERE YOU GO. PERFECT. IS THAT BETTER? ? MY NAME IS ANITA EVARO AND I AM A PROUD CO-FOUNDER OF NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE. UH, SO IT LEAKS OR A PROBLEM CITYWIDE, BUT THE IMPACT IS WORSE IN BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR COMMUNITIES. MY MESSAGE IS SIMPLE. WE NEED TO CREATE A FUND TO HELP HOMEOWNERS STRUGGLING WITH SEWER PROBLEMS. UM, WE NEED THE CITY'S HELP BECAUSE PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO REPAIR THE SEWER. LEAKS CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR ENTIRE BLOCKS IN NEIGHBORHOODS. I LIVE IN LAKEWOOD AND EVERY HOUSE ON MY STREET WITH A SEWER, UH, PROBLEM. I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY ONE, UH, NO ONE ON CONSOLE LIVES WITH A SEWER MENTAL HOLE IN THE BACKYARD. WELL, I DO, AND IT STINKS. IN ALL MY 46 YEARS OF LIVING IN LAKEWOOD, MY COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS HAD FIGHT TO CONVINCE THE CITY TO TAKE CARE OF ITS OWN PROBLEMS. WHEN I STRUGGLED WITH THE CITY LAST ABOUT THIS ISSUE, I WAS TOLD PARTLY IT WAS MY FAULT. I DIDN'T AGREE. I HIRED A PLUMBER TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE, AND THEY TOOK PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGED LINES. IT ENDED UP BEING IN CITY SITE. THIS IS NOT EQUITY. I AM 83 YEARS OLD AND I CARE FOR MY BLIND, UH, BLIND SI SON AND MY AILING SISTER. MY COMMUNITY IS TIRED OF PUTTING UP [01:30:01] A FIGHT EVERY TIME WE NEED THE CITY TO DO THEIR JOB. I AM HERE TO URGE THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE DRAINAGE DEMANDS OF THE NAC, INCLUDING THEIR REQUEST TO CREATE A FUND OF $20 MILLION TO REPAIR SEWERS IN COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE, WHICH HAVE FACED CONSTANT NEGLECT. AN INVESTMENT INTO SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE IS AN INVESTMENT INTO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PEOPLE, AND ANY OF US NEED TO BE HEALTHY AND SAFE. I THANK YOU FOR THE TIME, FOR ME, UH, FOR ALLOWING ME THE TIME TO COME AND SPEAK TO YOU. THANK YOU. NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MA'AM. NEXT, MARSHALL SMITH. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS MARSHALL SMITH. I LIVE IN THE NORTHWOOD MAN SUBDIVISION IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON, AND I HAVE LIVED IN THAT DIVISION FOR OVER HALF OF MY LIFETIME IN 2019 AND 2020, I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YEAR, MY FAMILY HAD A BLOCKAGE THAT BROKE OUR SEWER LATERAL LINE THAT LED TO THE CITY MAIN LINE. WE WERE ABLE TO FIX THAT PROBLEM OURSELVES, BUT JUST LIKE THE LADY THAT WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS IN MY COMMUNITY ARE NOT AS FORTUNATE. AFTER FIXING OUR LINE, ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCED FLUSHING THEIR TOILET AND HAVING TO COME BACK UP THEIR TUB DRAIN ANOTHER NEIGHBOR, TWO DOORS DOWN IN THE HOUSE BEHIND THEM, ALSO HAD BLOCKAGES. THERE IS NO WAY THAT WE CAN ALL LIVE SO CLOSE, HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS, AND THE ISSUE IS ENTIRELY ON US. WHEN WE CALL THE CITY, THEY PROVIDE US NO PERMANENT RELIEF. IT FEELS LIKE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUS GOING ON IN MY COMMUNITY, SOMETHING THAT IS UNHEALTHY FOR ALL OF US, AND THE CITY IS REFUSING TO ADDRESS IT. WE ARE TIRED OF HEARING THAT IT IS OUR FAULT, TIRED OF BEING TOLD TO STOP FLUSHING IMPROPER ITEMS DOWN THE TOILET. WE'RE NOT KIDS. I HAVE WATCHED SEWER LINES IN OTHER COMMUNITIES BE REPLACED WITH LARGER AND MORE MODERN PIPING. WHY AREN'T RESIDENTS IN NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS NORTHEAST HOUSTON IN GETTING THE SAME TREATMENT AS OTHER AREAS IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY? WHY ARE WE, WHY ARE WE NOT GETTING WHAT WE NEED? WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT LUXURIES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE CLEAN WATER TO DRINK AND BATHE IN ROOF OVER OUR HEADS, FOOD ON OUR TABLE, AND A SANITARY WAY TO TRANSPORT WASTEWATER AND SEWAGE AWAY FROM OUR HOMES AND OUR COMMUNITIES. IF SOMEONE HAS ISSUES WITH WASTEWATER AND SEWAGE REMOVAL, THAT PERSON NEEDS HELP. THE CITY SHOULD SET UP A FUND TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE MY NEIGHBORS, SO THAT WE CAN LIVE HEALTHY AND IN PEACE OF MIND. I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES RIGHT NOW, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE PERSISTENT PLUMBING PROBLEMS AND DON'T HAVE THE AVENUES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CITY OF HOUSTON DEMANDS US TO PAY OUR TAXES, ASK US TO SUPPORT CANDIDATES AND THEIR REFERENDUMS. BUT ON THE SAME TOKEN, THE RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO MEET SOME OF OUR BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE. A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON DON'T SPEAK UP ON THE ISSUES BECAUSE WHEN THEY DID SO IN THE PAST, THEIR, THEIR CRIES FOR HELP, EXCUSE ME, WERE PURPOSELY IGNORED. THIS IN TURN, MAKES US FEEL EXCLUDED AND IGNORED. IT IS AN INSULT TO OUR DIGNITY AND IT NEEDS TO END. MAYOR WHITMEYER, I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, AND WHEN I TRAVEL TO OTHER AREAS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, YOUR TIME AHEAD, GO AHEAD. IN MY LAND, MIDTOWN, SOUTHEAST HOUSTON, AND EVEN ON NORTHWEST, THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF TOWN, I DON'T SEE OR SMELL ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS. AND THAT DIFFERENCE, THAT INEQUALITY IS NOT OKAY. THIS IS A DISSERVICE TO PEOPLE WHO PROUDLY CALL NORTHEAST HOUSTON HOME, MYSELF INCLUDED. WHY ARE WE FEELING LIKE WE ARE IN LAST PLACE? OR THE LOW MAN ON THE TOTEM POLE? I'M FRUSTRATED THAT WHEN I TURN ON MY TV, I'M CONSTANTLY BOMBARDED WITH FUNDING FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS IN THE CITY. AND THE, I MEAN, THE POLICE OFFICERS, EXCUSE ME, UH, DON'T GIVE, DON'T MISINTERPRET ME. THESE ARE KEY ELEMENTS TO OUR CITY'S FUNCTIONING. WE [01:35:01] NEED THOSE SERVICES, BUT JUST AT THE SAME TOKEN, WE NEED ADEQUATE DRAINAGE AND SEWER SYSTEMS FUNCTIONING IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE A CITY THAT'S RATED AS ONE OF THE HIGHEST ONES IN THE COUNTRY, THAT WHEN IT WE GET HEAVY PRECIPITATION, WE'RE MORE APT TO HAVE HEAVY FLOODING. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THERE'S AN INCREASED CHANCE OF PEOPLE'S HOMES BEING DAMAGED DUE TO THESE FLOODINGS AND INCLUDING IN THOSE FLOODS, YOU HAVE THE ELEMENT OF HUMAN WASTE. I'M HERE TO REQUEST THAT THE CITY CREATE A PRIVATE SEWER FUND TO HELP POOR AND WORKING CLASS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND THAT THE CITY INVEST $20 MILLION TO LAUNCH IT, ALONG WITH ELIMINATING THE AVALARA DRAINAGE TAX DIVERSION. AND BEING THAT MY COUNCIL MEMBER TULSA JACKSON IS NOT PRESIDENT, I WANTED TO APPLAUD HER FOR THE THINGS THAT SHE HAS DONE FOR DISTRICT B. AND I'M JUST ASKING MAYOR MEYER, THAT YOU HELP US WITH OUR PROBLEM SO THAT WE CAN LIVE AND BE PROUD OF BEING TAXPAYING RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO MY PLIGHT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR POLLER POLLY. THANK YOU MAYOR. MR. MOSES, I WANT, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD AND FOR SPEAKING UP AND KNOW THAT WE DO HEAR YOU AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE FRUSTRATED. UH, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. GO AHEAD. UH, THE FIRST IS REGARDING THE BLOCKAGE. WHEN YOU CALL TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, DO YOU GET SOMEONE FROM PUBLIC WORKS TO ACTUALLY COME OUT TO THE SCENE AND BE ABLE TO EVALUATE THE BLOCKAGE WITH YOU AND YOUR RE AND YOUR NEIGHBORS? HAS THAT HAPPENED? YES, I HAVE. OKAY. I HAVE. AND, UH, AT THE SAME TIME, IS THERE A, UH, MAYBE A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR OR A PLUMBER OR SOMEONE ELSE TO BE ABLE TO, UH, DIAGNOSED TO SEE IF IT'S, UH, A CITY ISSUE OR A PRIVATE ISSUE? OKAY. THE INSTANCE THAT I SPOKE ON EARLIER, I WAS AT MY NEIGHBOR'S HOME WHEN THE PLUMBER CAME. OKAY. AND SAID THAT IT WAS NOTHING WRONG THAT HE COULD FIX OKAY. THAT WE NEEDED TO CALL THE CITY TO CALL THE CITY WORKER. THE CITY WORKER JUST TOOK THE, UH, THE CAP OFF OF THE, UH, THE CLEAN OUT IN THE BACKYARD, LOOKED DOWN IN THERE AND SAID, HEY, YOU, YOUR WATER'S MOVING. IT'S NO PROBLEM. BUT GOT IN HIS TRUCK AND WENT TO THE HOUSE DIRECTLY BEHIND THAT HOUSE AND STAYED THERE FOR HOURS. SO THAT TELLS ME THAT IT'S SOMETHING GOING ON THAT IS NOT CONNECTED TO MY NEIGHBOR'S HOMES THAT IS CITY AFFILIATED OR CITY RELATED. YEAH. ALRIGHT. I HAVE YOUR NUMBER ON HERE. I'M GONNA WORK WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER TO TRY TO DOUBLE TEAM THIS ISSUE FOR YOU. YES, SIR. I, I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN GET SOME RESOLUTION, BUT WE NEED SOMEONE TO DO A MORE COMPREHENSIVE LOOK FROM THE CITY ON WHAT THE ISSUE MAY BE. OKAY. I APPRECIATE IT, SIR. ALL RIGHT. I'LL FOLLOW UP. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU ALL. GREAT AFTERNOON. LET ME ASK SOMETHING, SIR. SIR, WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME? THE LAST TIME YOU DEALT WITH THE CITY? THIS WAS, THIS IS 20, 24. APRIL. THIS WAS MAYBE THE JANUARY OF 2024. YES. OKAY. IT WAS, IT WAS STILL KIND OF COLD OUTSIDE WHEN THIS INSTANCE HAPPENED. I'LL CHECK WITH PUBLIC WORKS, SEE WHAT THEIR REPORT SAYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. YES, SIR. NEXT, BILLY GUEVARA. INTERESTING. RIGHT HERE. RIGHT HERE. OKAY. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS BILLY AVARA, LONGTIME RESIDENT OF THE LAKEWOOD SUBDIVISION 7 7 0 7 8 TASHA JACKSON DISTRICT. AND I AM TOTALLY BLIND, BUT WHAT I'M NOT TOTALLY BLIND TO IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SEWER ISSUES FROM THE MAIN LINES AND AS WELL AS RESIDENTS SEWER LINES AS WELL. IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE YOU CAN TAKE YOUR KIDS OUT TO THE SWING SET, HAVE YOUR DOG RUNNING LOOSE WITH YOUR FAMILY IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD, AND YOU HAVE TO, WE WORRY ABOUT SEWAGE BUBBLING UP FROM EITHER [01:40:01] THE MAIN LINE OR THE PRIVATE LINE OF YOUR RESIDENCE. THAT'S THE PROBLEMS THAT FACE NORTHEAST HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY IN HISTORIC BLACK AND HISPANIC BIPOC COMMUNITIES. WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS THE DEMAND IS A DEMAND FOR A PSEUDO, UH, PS SEWER, PRIVATE SEWER LATERAL FUND TO ASSIST THOSE WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO, UH, PAY FOR IT ON THEIR OWN. IN 1996, I HAD A SEWAGE LEAK LEAK FROM MY PRIVATE LINE THAT WENT INTO THE CITY THAT COST ME $1,600. I WAS IN COLLEGE AND I WAS ON A FIXED INCOME. THANK GOD I HAD MY FAMILY SUPPORT TO HELP ME. NUMBER TWO, MY MOTHER IN 2019 HAD A SEWAGE ISSUE. SHE PAID. SHE IS CURRENTLY PAYING OVER $25,000 FROM ABACUS PLUMBING TO GET HER WHOLE LINE FROM UNDER THE FOUNDATION TO THE MAIN CITY LINE, AND REPLACED THE REPLACEMENT COST, APPROXIMATELY $25,000, WHICH IS IN A 10 YEAR INSTALLMENT PAYMENT. MY MOTHER IS 83 YEARS OLD. THAT COULD MEAN THAT MY MOTHER WILL NO LONGER BE ON THIS EARTH, AND THE BILL WILL BE LEFT UPON, UH, HER KIDS, INCLUDING MYSELF AND MY TWO SISTERS, TO PAY THE BRUNT OF THE COST TO HAVE THAT WORK DONE. THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THE CITY THAT THE PLUMBER TOOK PICTURES OF WHERE THE, UH, THE MAIN LINE WAS REPLACED, I MEAN WHERE, UM, WHERE OUR RESIDENTIAL LINE WAS REPLACED AND HOW THIS, HOW HE HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE CI THE FAULT LIES WITHIN THE CITY LINE, WHICH IS IN THE BACKYARD. THE CITY HAD THE NERVE, THE CITY PUBLIC WORKS HAD THE NERVE TO SAY THAT THEY COULDN'T ACCEPT THOSE PHOTOS, THAT THEY'LL TAKE PICTURES OF THEIR OWN AFTER INS AND OUTS AND CALLS TO 3 1 1 AND EVERY OTHER RESOURCE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CITY. THEY FINALLY CAME OUT AND REPLACED THAT SECTION OF LINE THAT WAS DONE, THAT WAS DAMAGED, NEEDED TO REPLACE. THAT'S THE ONGOING THING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON. THE TIME HAS EXPIRED. VERY GOOD. DO YOU NEED MORE TIME? UH, JUST THREE. SURE. OKAY. SO MY MOTHER IS, AND I ARE FORTUNATE TO PAY FOR IT ENOUGH, BUT WE, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS. WE BELIEVE AT THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE, AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE ALSO AGREE THAT LIVING COMFORTABLY IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD, IN YOUR OWN RESIDENCE, THAT YOU PAY TAXES FOR, AND YOU PAY MAINTENANCE IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN AND LIVING COMFORTABLY. AND, AND FOSTER PROSPEROUS SHOULD BE AN INALIENABLE, RIGHT, AS THE RIGHT TO HAVE CLEAN WATER AND CLEAN DRAINAGE AND CLEAN, UH, DECENT SEWAGE. THANK YOU. ONE, ONE SECOND, SIR. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF RESIDENTS COMING TO SPEAK ABOUT SEWAGE OVERFLOW AND WASTEWATER ISSUES, AND I DID JUST WANNA BRING TO THE DIALOGUE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY, I'M SURE MEMBERS ARE AWARE, UNDER A CONSENT DECREE NATIONALLY WITH THE EPA, UM, WITH A REQUIRED AMOUNT OF SPENDING, UM, I BELIEVE TO THE TUNE OF, SORRY, HOW MUCH? TWO. 2 BILLION. 2 BILLION. THANK YOU. UM, DOLLARS. SO I BELIEVE THERE'S ALREADY A SPECIFIED FUND, BUT I WOULD, I'M LOOKING OVER AT OUR CHAIR OF FINANCE, NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY IS WORKING ITS WAY THROUGH, UM, THOSE SEWER AND WASTEWATER REPLACEMENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW IN MANY OF OUR DISTRICTS, UM, WE CONTINUE TO GET CALLS ABOUT SEWAGE OVERFLOWS, UM, AND EVERYONE IS WORKING DILIGENTLY. THAT DOESN'T EXCUSE IT. RIGHT. IT'S NOT JUST A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE, IT'S A HEALTH SAFETY ISSUE. YES. WHEN YOU HAVE SEWAGE BACKUP. YES. UM, BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FUNDING, UH, BILLIONS ARE BEING PUT TOWARDS THIS, IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THE STATUS OF THAT IS. HOW IS THE PROGRESS OF THAT LOOKING AND IN WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, THOSE REPAIRS ARE TAKING PLACE. BUT I DO WITHOUT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDITIONAL FUNDING, WHICH IS IMPORTANT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. SO I DID WANNA BRING TO THE CONVERSATION THE FACT THAT WE ARE UNDER A CONSENT DECREE TO THE TUNE OF SEVERAL BILLION DOLLARS THAT IS BEING INVESTED THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN I BELIEVE, [01:45:01] ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS. AND THAT'S NOT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE FACT THAT IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS, SO MUCH MORE IS NEEDED. AND I, I WANNA GIVE GRACE TO THAT AS WELL, BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE WORK THAT IS CURRENTLY ALSO BEING DONE BECAUSE THERE IS WORK BEING DONE. UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT. UH, JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE CITY COULD BE FINED BY THE GOVERNMENT. AND WITH ALL THAT MONEY THAT WAS, THAT THE CITY HAD TO PAY FOR THE FINE, THAT MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN INVESTED INTO SEWER LATERALS AND OTHER ISSUES CONCERNING DRAINAGE FOR YEARS. NOW, IT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE, BUT THIS IS WHAT IT TOOK, I GUESS, A NEW MARRIAGE ON WHITMEYER AND NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE REALLY GOING TO GET THE BALL ROLLING. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THANK YOU FOR COMING, SIR. AND, AND YES, WE ARE INVESTING $2 BILLION OVER 15 YEARS IN, IN ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM. YOU KNOW, THIS SEEMS TO BE LIKE, THIS IS LAKEWOOD, I GUESS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE BACKYARD SEWERS. YOU KNOW, WE DO, WE ARE ALWAYS APPROVING THINGS ON COUNCIL TO MOVE, YOU KNOW, THE BACKYARD SEWER TO THE FRONT YARD. AND, AND I GUESS WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHERE LAKEWOOD IS ON THAT LIST. 'CAUSE I'M ASSUMING IT'S ONE OF THE ONES THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO EVERYWHERE WE CAN TO MOVE IT TO THE FRONT YARD. YES. SO I'LL, I'LL ASK PUBLIC WORKS. DO YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IS THERE ANY PLANS TO COME TO, OKAY, WELL, WHAT I CAN ASK ABOUT WHERE THAT FALLS IN THE, IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS. OKAY. THANK Y'ALL. THANK YOU. BE SAFE. OKAY, NEXT. ANDREW PATTERSON. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYOR. UM, I REALLY FEEL THAT YOUR GUYS ARE AT A DISADVANTAGE IN THAT THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATION HAS BASICALLY JUST PASSED THE HOT POTATO AND IT'S IN YOUR LAP. SORRY FOR THAT, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES IN QUESTION. THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I WAS EXPLAINING HOW THE CONSTRUCTION AND SIX 10 I DROVE BY THIS LAST WEEKEND, AND IT WAS ABOUT A MILE OR TWO BACK UP, GOT UP TO IT. ONE GUY WAS SITTING THERE WITH A SHOVEL CLEANING OR DOING WHATEVER HE WAS DOING. THE BACKUP OCCURRED. I EXPLAINED THAT $1,100 A YEAR ANNUALLY, EVERY PERSON PER VEHICLE IS ACTUALLY HAVING TO PAY. THAT WOULD GENERATE APPROXIMATELY $385 BILLION BEING SPENT ANNUALLY BY CITIZENS IN BUSINESS BECAUSE OF BACKUP. IF BY CHANCE, WHICH I DOUBT SINCERELY IT GOT CLEANED UP, GOT CLEARED UP, THEN THAT WOULD GENERATE THREE BILLION ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY SIX THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS IN TAX REVENUE FOR THE CITY ITSELF. OKAY? THE CITIES GET THE BUSINESSES WORK, WE ALL WORK RETAIL, MAKE IT A, A PERCENTAGE OF 10 TO 20% OF WHATEVER THEY SELL TO GO BACK TO THEIR EMPLOYEES. RULE OF THUMB IS 48, 80%, WHICH DOESN'T OCCUR. AND THEN WE HAVE ANYWHERE WHICH IS STANDARD 15 TO 30% OF WHAT'S BEING SOLD GOES BACK TO EMPLOYEE'S POCKETS. SO THE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING MONEY BACK INTO PEOPLE'S POCKETS SO THEY COULD SPEND IT AS THEY WISH, AS OPPOSED TO, AND AS WELL AS HAVING TIME WITH OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO, YOU WANNA PLAY GOLF, GO FISHING, PLAY WITH THE KIDS, GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO, IT'S YOUR TIME. SO THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM. AND I WISH WE COULD ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF CONGESTION HERE IN THE CITY WHEN WE'RE CURRENTLY, AND WE DO. I THINK THAT THESE CONTRACTORS CAN DO THE WORK AT A TIME PERIOD WHERE IT'S NOT GONNA BE IMPACTING OUR TRANSPORTATION. THEY CAN DO IT AT NIGHT, AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, TWO OR THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, THERE'S NO TRAFFIC. LET THEM DO THE WORK, BE DONE WITH IT. DOESN'T IMPACT MONEY GETTING AROUND. I LIKE THAT. THE OTHER ISSUE WE TALKED ABOUT, EMPLOYEES, OUR LAST PRE UH, ADMINISTRATION DECIDED THEY WANTED TO REDUCE THE, UM, SALARIES OR THE BUDGET FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO THEY CUT APPROXIMATELY 1600 CIVIL SERVANT JOBS AND THEY PUT POLICE OFFICERS IN CHARGE DOING THAT. THE JOBS OF CIVIL SERVANT, WHICH COST A BACKLOG OF THE CASES THAT WERE HANDLING, WHICH UNFORTUNATE AS IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN ISSUE. WE ALL WANNA SOLVE CRIME AND DO THE BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, CUTTING BACK AND PUTTING POLICE OFFICER BEHIND DESK, DOING CIVIL SERVICE AT WORK THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE DOING, IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA. THEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE WATER DEPARTMENT, THE SOFTWARE PROGRAM, I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN USING MOST DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN WHAT THEY'RE REFERRED TO AS A HOMEGROWN PRO, UH, SOFTWARE PROGRAM. MEANING THAT YOU DON'T HIRE CISCO OR A LARGE CORPORATION, MICROSOFT TO GET THEIR SOFTWARE PROGRAM ON A LEASE. YOU GO AHEAD AND DEVELOP YOUR OWN AND YOU PUT IT IN PLACE. AND THAT HAS A TENDENCY TO HAVE GLITCHES AND BREAKS DOWN, WHICH IT HAS. THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT THE [01:50:01] WATER DEVICES USED TO CALCULATE USAGE, THE TIME HAS EXPIRED. OKAY, MAY I JUST SAY ONE THING, PLEASE FINISH UP. THAT REALLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS. I WANTED TO SAY THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S POPULATION CURRENTLY IS AT 40.3, WHICH IS THE WHITE POPULATION IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. ON THE OTHER HAND, HISPANIC POPULATION CURRENTLY IN HOUSTON IS 40.3. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT ZLA GARDEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MY NAME IS SOLA AND I AM A NAC MEMBER, PEOPLE I LIVE IN LAKEWOOD. I AM HERE BECAUSE I WANT TO ASK AND DEMAND THAT YOU CONTINUE TO FUND DRAINAGE PROJECTS THAT REALLY DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN IMPROVING OUR LIVES AND HEALTH. SO IN MY HOME, I HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH SEWER THAT EXISTS IN, UM, IN MY BACKYARD. UM, EVERY TIME THAT IT RAINS, IT BECOMES A MAJOR PROBLEM WHERE THE SEWAGE OVERFLOWS. TODAY WE HAVE ASKED THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO CREATE A $20 MILLION FUND FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM SEWER PROBLEMS. THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT ONLY IMPACTS ME, BUT SEVERAL PEOPLE ON MY STREET AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IN ADDITION TO THE BAD DRAINAGE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, MYSELF AND MANY OF MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BROUGHT THIS COMPLAINT SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THE FLOODING PROBLEM THAT HAS LEFT US ISOLATED A PROBLEM THAT HAS, UM, NOT JUST LEFT US ISOLATED, BUT POTENTIALLY HOMELESS AND WITHOUT A SECURE FUTURE. WE HAVE BROUGHT THIS COMPLAINT TO MAJOR TURNER AND TO SOME OF YOU AND VERY LITTLE HAS CHANGED. MAYOR WHITMEYER, YOU HAVE PROMISED CHANGES TO THE DRAINAGE. SO WE ARE ASKING FOR A SEWER FUND TO HELP RESIDENTS THAT ARE BLACK, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND LOWER, UH, TO MODERATE INCOME COMMUNITIES THAT WOULD HELP ADDRESS THE HISTORICAL DISINVESTMENT IN COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE. WE EXPECT, UM, THE CHANGES AND THE PROMISES THAT [01:55:01] MAYOR WHITMEYER HAS MADE. THANK YOU. THAT IS ALL. THANK YOU. NEXT, STEPHANIE VALDEZ. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MAYOR WHITMEYER. MY NAME'S STEPHANIE VALDEZ AND I'M THE WATER JUSTICE ORGANIZER WITH SR. THE COALITION FOR ENVIRONMENTS EQUITY AND RESILIENCE. TODAY I AM HERE WITH NAC, THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE AND PIO CITY WATERKEEPER TO ADVOCATE FOR A CRUCIAL INVESTMENT IN OUR CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE THAT INTERSECTS WITH CLIMATE JUSTICE, WATER JUSTICE, AND PUBLIC HEALTH. WE URGE THE CITY TO COMMIT 20 MILLION TOWARDS ESTABLISHING A PRIVATE SEWER, SEWER LATERAL REPAIR FUND TO BE MANAGED BY HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS OR HOUSTON WATER. THIS FUND IS NOT JUST ABOUT ADDRESSING INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S ABOUT SAFEGUARDING PUBLIC HEALTH, ENSURING EQUITY, AND MITIGATING THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. BY INVESTING IN THIS FUND, WE CAN TAKE SIGNIFICANT STEPS TOWARDS ALLEVIATING THE BURDEN OF SEWAGE ISSUES THAT PLA OUR COMMUNITIES. SO FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON THE PUBLIC SYSTEM THROUGH THE CONSENT DECREE, ALLOCATING JUST ONE PENNY TOWARDS PRIVATE SEWER LATERALS COULD HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL RIPPLE EFFECT, ENHANCING THE OVERALL EFFECT EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR EFFORTS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE MUST RECOGNIZE THE BROADER HEALTH IMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH SWITCH PROBLEMS SWITCH IN OUR STREETS. DITCHES AND DRAINS IS JUST, IT'S NOT JUST A NUANCE, IT'S A SEVERE COMMUNITY HEALTH ISSUE. IT AFFECTS THE AIR WE BREATHE, THE WATER WE DRINK, AND THE OVERALL WELLBEING OF OUR RESIDENTS. THEREFORE, WE MUST ENSURE THAT THE FUNDING ALLOCATED IS FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF SEWAGE INVESTING IN THIS PRIVATE SEWER LATERAL REPAIR FUND. IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE, IT'S A MATTER OF JUSTICE. IT'S A MATTER OF EQUITY AND RESILIENCE. AS WE CONFRONT THE CHALLENGES POSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE PRIORITIZE INVESTMENTS THAT SAFEGUARD OUR COMMUNITIES, ENSURE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR ALL. AND LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE AND ENCOURAGE THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION TO DO BETTER WITH LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY. THERE'S JUST NO REASON WHY THERE IS NOT AN INTERPRETER AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT TAKE TIME OFF TO COME HERE AND TALK TO Y'ALL. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT HOUSTON AND MY FAVORITE PART IS THAT IT'S SO DIVERSE AND WE NEED TO EMBRACE THAT. THANK YOU COUNCILOR P*****K. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD AND FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR, UM, BRINGING US YOUR ISSUES AND CONCERNS. I DO WANNA NOTE THAT WE HAVE RENEE THAT SERVES RIGHT HERE WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT DOES A GREAT JOB OF INTERPRETING FOR THOSE WHO NEED THE, UH, THE HELP. SO WE DO HAVE THAT SERVICE AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE WHO MAY NEED IT. THANK YOU. PERFECT. THANK YOU. IT'S JUST THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS DID REQUEST IT, BUT AS YOU SAW, WE HAD TO HAVE SOMEBODY COME DO IMPROMPTU. WELL, IF ANYONE, IF, IF ANYONE NEEDS IT GOING FORWARD, PLEASE LET US KNOW. HE'S SITTING RIGHT HERE ON THE FRONT ROW. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. CASTER CAMAN. JUST LOGISTICALLY I WAS GONNA SAY IS IF THEY COME UP AND JUST SAY WE NEED TRANSLATION SERVICES, RENEE IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP. OR AS YOU ENTER THE CHAMBER, YOU CAN LET SOMEBODY TO KNOW. YEAH. YEAH. SO THANK, THANK YOU FOR RAISING THAT. THANK YOU. SO WE CAN ADDRESS THE CONFUSION 'CAUSE WE ABSOLUTELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S HEARD. THANK YOU. AND I REALLY WANNA ADVOCATE THAT LIKE, MAYBE WHENEVER THEY SIGN IN, WE CAN HAVE LIKE THAT AS A QUESTION OR SOMETHING. 'CAUSE IT'S A LITTLE EMBARRASSING TO PUT PEOPLE ON THE SPOT AND BE LIKE, HEY, LIKE, I NEED AN INTERPRETER ONCE I'M UP HERE. BECAUSE THEY DID LET SOMEBODY KNOW AND IT DID SAY LIKE BY HER NAME TRANSLATOR NEEDED. SO THAT, THAT'S GREAT FEEDBACK. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. NEXT. THANK YOU, ANA JOVE MCLEOD. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, MY NAME IS AYANA JOETTE MCLEOD. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BAYOU CITY WATERKEEPER. UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF PRIVATE SEWER LATERAL FUNDS AS OTHERS HAVE, UM, BEEN DOING AS WELL. IN THE SIX YEARS. MY ORGANIZATION HAS FOCUSED ON THE ISSUE OF SEWAGE IN THIS CITY. UM, AND WE'VE LEARNED THREE KEY POINTS. FIRST, THAT SEWAGE DISINVESTMENT OVER DECADES HAS CREATED A C CITYWIDE PROBLEM. SECOND, THE BURDENS OF SEWAGE DISINVESTMENT FALL HARDEST ON HOUSTON'S LOWER WEALTH, BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES. THIRD, WHEN YOU EXCLUDE THE SEWAGE PROBLEMS THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE CITY'S CONSENT DECREE, YOU ARE LEFT WITH PRIVATE SEW LATERAL PROBLEMS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE PROBLEMS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN PEOPLE'S HOMES, THE BURDEN FALLS EVEN HEAVIER ON HOUSTON'S LOWER WEALTH BIPOC COMMUNITIES. WE KNOW THIS BECAUSE EVERY MONTH THE CITY RELEASE RELEASES DATA OF SEWAGE PROBLEMS IN THIS CITY, WHICH OUR TEAM AT BAYOU CITY WATERKEEPER ANALYZES AGAINST US. [02:00:01] CENSUS TRACK DATA, THE DATA WHICH UNDERREPRESENTS PRIVATE SEWER LATERAL PROBLEMS, SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT SEWAGE INJUSTICES IN THE CITY. IF YOU ARE POOR OR BLACKER OR BROWNER, YOU'RE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE A SEWAGE PROBLEM IN HOUSTON. I APPLAUD THE CITY'S $2 BILLION INVESTMENT IN SEWAGE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS ONGOING. BUT YOU, THE CITY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS INVESTMENT DOESN'T LEAVE BEHIND SOME COMMUNITIES, THE SAME COMMUNITIES THAT ARE LEFT BEHIND, OVER AND OVER THE LOWER WEALTH, BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES. THE THE SOLUTION IS SOME SOMEWHAT SIMPLE. UM, AND, AND, AND I WOULD SAY THE ONE THING THAT I WANNA POINT YOU TO IS MONEY CREATING A FUND TO HELP THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT. MOST FOUR YEARS AGO, THE CITY EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN DOING JUST THAT, BUT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION STOOD IN THE WAY THOSE TRUMP ERA BARRIERS ARE NOW GONE AND NOW UNPRECEDENTED FEDERAL FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THIS INVESTMENT. I SPENT THE LAST WEEK IN DC MEETING WITH THE WHITE HOUSE COUNCIL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND WHITE HOUSE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INTER-AGENCY COUNCIL, AND I LEFT WITH ONE CLEAR MESSAGE. UNPRECEDENTED MONEY IS HERE THROUGH THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW. WE HAVE INCREASED FUNDING, THE LARGEST, LARGEST INVESTMENTS IN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IN US HISTORY VIA THE STATE REVOLVING FUNDS, INCLUDING CLEAN WATER SRF THAT PRIORITIZE WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING SUCH AS PRIVATE LATERAL FUNDS. AND YOU, THE CITY ARE IN THE BEST POSITION TO PULL THAT DOWN AND MAKE SURE RESIDENTS ACROSS OUR CITY RE RECEIVE THE FULL EQUAL BENEFIT OF THE CITY'S ONCE IN A GENERATION SEWAGE, UH, INVESTMENT. THE MONEY IS THERE WHETHER THROUGH EA, UM, OR IIJA, UM, OR OTHER FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES, THE NEED IS THERE. THE CITY, UM, OUR, UM, WATER CITY, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BAYOU CITY, UM, KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM AND YOU HAVE THE POWER AND RESPONSIBILITY TO, TO SOLVE IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO. JIM CASTEX, TATUM, MS. UH, JAVE MCLEOD, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. THANK YOU. UM, I RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ARE A DISTRICT, A RESIDENT YES. WANTED TO ADDRESS YOU AND LET YOU KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY. UM, ANYTHING WE CAN DO IN OUR, IN OUR OFFICE TO ASSIST YOU. UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS ON CITY COUNCIL WHO ALSO SERVE ON THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITY CITIES AND HAVE ALSO BEEN ADVOCATING AND THANKING OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION FOR THE APPROPRIATION OF THE FUNDING THAT WE'VE RECEIVED. A LOT OF THESE PROBLEMS CAN BE SOLVED WITH MONEY AND THEN ALSO PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THESE PROJECTS DONE ON THE GROUND. SO WE NEED MORE ADVOCATES LIKE YOU. WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM, UH, CONTINUES TO DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT ON BEHALF OF THE DRAINAGE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY. UM, AND AGAIN, IF WE CAN BE OF ANY DIRECT ASSISTANCE, I ALSO WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME OF THE, UM, THE DATA THAT, THAT Y'ALL COLLECT, UM, SO THAT WE LOOK AT IT IN COMPARISON TO, UM, WHERE WE ARE WITH THE PROJECTS ON THE GROUND. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. YEAH, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO. AND I'LL SAY THAT, UM, BAYOU CITY WATERKEEPER, THERE'S DATA THAT EXISTS. AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, UH, GOTTEN, UM, THE MANDATED DATA THAT'S REQUIRED AS PART OF THE CONSENT DECREE. WE PAIRED THAT DATA WITH US, UH, CENSUS TRACK DATA. WE'VE CREATED A MAP CALLED A JUSTICE IN THE SEWERS, UM, MAP. UM, THIS IS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THIS CONSENT DECREE. UM, THAT WAS, UM, CREATE THE CONSENT DECREE WAS, UM, DUE TO OUR ANALYSIS, UH, FROM 20 20 11 TO 2017, WHICH PROMPTED THE, UM, THE INTENT TO SUE. UM, AND WE HAVE A CONSENT DECREE, SO WE HAVE THAT DATA AND I WELCOME, UM, BEING ABLE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU. BAYOU CITY WATERKEEPER HAS WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE AND ALSO, UM, WITH WEST STREET RECOVERY TO, UM, TO, UH, SEE THAT THERE'S ADDITIONAL WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, UM, THROUGH OUR INTERVIEWS AND JUST, UM, THAT, UH, FOLKS ARE STILL HAVING ISSUES AROUND THIS BEYOND THE CONSENT DECREE, WHAT FOLKS ARE BEING LEFT BEHIND BECAUSE OF PRIVATE SUR LATERS. AND SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS TO, UM, INCLUDE THAT IN THE CITY BUDGET AND THEN TO PULL DOWN THAT MONEY BECAUSE THE MONEY IS THERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE IT. YES, THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU MS. CLARK FOR COMING IN. I'M CERTAINLY INTERESTED IN ALL THAT YOU WERE SAYING. I LOVE THE, AS WELL AS MAYOR PRO TEMP TO GET THE DATA THAT YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, COLLECTED IN REGARDS TO THIS. AND YOU, YOU MENTIONED SIX YEARS, YOU SAID SIX YEARS THAT AGO. I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU PRESENTED THIS ISSUE SURROUNDING THE SEWAGE IN PARTICULAR AREAS, RIGHT? IS THAT CORRECT? YES. UH, WELL, TO, UH, BE CLEAR COUNCIL MEMBER, WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS, UH, WE, THROUGH OUR ANALYSIS FROM 2011 TO 2017 MM-HMM . WE IDENTIFIED, UM, OVER 13,000 OVERFLOWS, UM, IN [02:05:01] VIOLATIONS OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT. UM, AND THEN OF THOSE NINE, 9,300 OF THOSE WERE, UM, RESPONSIBLE FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO, UM, THROUGH THAT ANALYSIS THAT RESULTED IN A, THE CONSENT DECREE THAT WE HAVE NOW, BUT WHAT WAS LEFT BEHIND IN THAT, UM, IS PRIVATE LATERALS SO THAT THE PRIVATE LATERALS HOMES, PEOPLE'S HOMES ARE STILL, UH, BEING AFFECTED BY SEWAGE THAT IS NOT COVERED IN THE CONSENT DECREE. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, UH, THAT THE CONSENT DECREE, WE INCLUDE THAT IN THE BUDGET AND WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO PULL DOWN THAT THOSE FUNDS SO THAT HOMES ARE NOT AFFECTED BY SEWAGE. UM, UM, UM, SPECIFICALLY, AND YOU WERE SAYING THAT THERE ARE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT'S BEEN DESIGNATED? YES. THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW. THE INFRASTRUCTURE MM-HMM . INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT. UM, AND THEN THAT MONEY COMES THROUGH OUR WATER UTILITIES SHOULD BE APPLYING FOR THIS MONEY. AND SO BAYOU CITY WATERKEEPER HAS BEEN WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO ANALYZE THIS, UM, THE MONEY THAT MONEY GOES THROUGH THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD. AND THEN IN ORDER FOR US TO THAT ACCESS THAT MONEY, OUR WATER UTILITIES NEED TO APPLY FOR THIS MONEY IN, IN TEXAS, UM, OF THE $50 BILLION THAT WE HAVE THROUGH THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW NATIONALLY, TEXAS HAS $2.5 BILLION, AND THEN THAT IS DISPENSED THROUGH CLEAN WATER SRF. WE HAVE A, A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY NOW WE ONLY HAVE TWO AND A HALF YEARS REMAINING FOR THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE AND JOBS INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT IN THAT, UM, THE PRIORITIZATION AROUND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. UM, WE HAVE MORE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, UM, UH, UH, LOAN FORGIVENESS, 49% OF LOAN FORGIVENESS. AND SO THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY, NOT ONLY AROUND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT AROUND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. AND SO WE, WE WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, WE, WE NEED THAT, UM, THE, THAT THIS, THE CONSENT DECREE INCLUDE THIS $20 MILLION, BUT WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THE MONEY IS THERE THROUGH THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW. OUR WATER UTILITIES NEED TO PULL THIS MONEY DOWN. UM, AND IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO STICK WITH THIS $2 BILLION IN THE CONSENT DECREE. IT IS NOT PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU. NEXT SADE HOAG TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALEX PAUL, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SADE HOAG AND I AM OUT OF CITY GAS TEXAS. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ME AND MY FAMILY HAS BEEN FACING FOR DECADES. THE PROBLEM IS SEWAGE OVERFLOW. FOR YEARS NOW, I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH WHAT I BELIEVED IS TO JUST BE A PLUMBING ISSUE, OR FOR BETTER WORDS, AN EXPLODING TOILET. NOW LET ME TRANSPORT YOU TO THE SUMMERS IN MY HOME. NOW, YOU KNOW, SUMMERS ARE VERY, VERY HOT HERE IN HOUSTON, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A SEWAGE ISSUE, IT SMELLS USUALLY IN THE SUMMERTIME, YOU SEE VAPORS THAT ARE CLEAR. THE VAPORS IN MY YARD WERE BROWN. I CALLED THOSE THE POO POO VAPORS, THE VAPORS THAT WERE COMING FROM MY SEWER. THIS WAS EXUBERATED BY HURRICANE HARVEY AND LATER THE WINTER STORM, YURI SHOWING THAT CLIMATE FURTHER IMPACTS OUR SEWAGE OVERFLOW PROBLEMS. THIS HAS COST ME AND MY FAMILY AND OUR HEALTH AND BILLS OVER $25,000, WHICH WE COULD NOT AFFORD. AND IF IT WASN'T FOR WEST STREET RECOVERY, MY HOUSE WOULD'VE BEEN CONDEMNED AND POSSIBLY LOST. THIS HOUSE WAS INHERITED IN MY FAMILY FROM THREE GENERATIONS OF WORKING CLASS FAMILIES IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY. WHAT WE KNOW AND LOVE IS CITY GAS. MY HOME ALSO SITS ON A FENCE LINE OF GOLD STAR METAL, INC. A REPURPOSING PIPE COMPANY THAT LEAKS, GOD KNOWS WHAT, INTO OUR YARD. MY MOTHER-IN-LAW KEPT A GUARDING ALONGSIDE THE FENCE FOR YEARS THAT JUST WOULDN'T GROW. SO NOT ONLY DO WE NOT KNOW WHAT THE CHEMICAL RUNOFFS ARE AND THE AFFECTING OF OUR HEALTH, BUT IT'S ALSO AFFECTING OUR ECOSYSTEM. I DON'T EVEN HAVE EARTHWORMS IN MY YARD. ON TOP OF THAT, WE SEE ANIMALS WALKING AROUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH LUMPS ON THEIR BACKS. SO IF THIS IS HAPPENING TO THE ANIMALS, JUST IMAGINE WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS. A LOT OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WAS RAISED UP IN THIS HOME HAVE SUFFERED FROM P-C-O-P-D, CANCER HEALTH IMPACTS AND ANGUISH FROM THE, FROM DUE TO THE SEWAGE OVERFLOWS. UM, THE SEWAGE OVERFLOWS HAS CORRODED AND DESTROYED PARTS OF MY HOME TO THE POINT TO WHERE I'VE FALLEN THROUGH THE FLOOR. MY FOUNDATION HAS SUNK IN. MY ENTIRE BACK PATIO IS COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED. PARTS OF MY HOME HAS BEEN RENDERED UNUSUAL. THE WORST PART OF THIS EXPERIENCE IS WHEN MY FAMILY MEMBERS REFUSE TO STAY AT MY HOME DUE TO THE SEWAGE SMELLS AND THE IMPACTS THAT HURTS, I WAS NOT RAISED TO LIVE IN, IN THESE CONDITIONS. AND IN CLOSING, ALL I WANT IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO HELP ME AND MY FAMILY WITH SUPPORT. [02:10:01] THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN THOMAS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MS. HOAG IS ONE OF MY GRADUATE STUDENTS, AND SO, UM, SHE'S IN MY COMMUNITY RESEARCH CLASS AND I'M SO PROUD OF YOU. ONE, YOUR COMMAND OF THE ISSUE, UM, YOUR WORK AROUND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, UM, AND YOUR ABILITY AND CONFIDENCE TO COME BEFORE US TODAY, UM, TO DO THIS. AND SO, UH, SHE ALSO PRESENTED THIS DURING PRAIRIE VIEW'S RESEARCH WEEK, UM, ELEVATING THE ISSUES IN CITY GAS IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON, UM, AND RECEIVED LOTS OF SUPPORT FROM HER, HER CLASSMATES THAT ARE DEEPLY INTERESTED IN THIS WORK. AND I'M SURE SHE'LL CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO OFFER YOU MY TIME AND, AND TELL YOU HOW, HOW PROUD I AM OF YOU AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING AND ADVOCATING. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY IN CLOSING? I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS GONNA TAKE CARE OF ITS COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, ALEX PAUL. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M A, I'M A THIRD YEAR LAW STUDENT AND A LEGAL INTERN AT THE BAYOU CITY WATERKEEPERS. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE HOUSTON, CREATING A PRIVATE SEWER LATERAL FUND, AND I'M HERE TO ASK THE CITY TO ADDRESS RESIDENTS CONCERNS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY. THREE YEARS INTO THE CONSENT DECREE'S IMPLEMENTATION, MORE RESIDENTS HAVE BECOME AWARE OF THE CONSENT DECREE, BUT RAPPORT, FEELING IN THE DARK ABOUT ONGOING PLANNING AND HOW THE CITY'S ADJUSTING ITS PLANNING BASED ON THE DATA THAT IS BEING COLLECTED. FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY'S WEBSITE INCLUDES MONTHLY REPORTING OF SEWAGE OVERFLOWS AND HIGH LEVEL TECHNICAL INFORMATION. BUT THE WEBSITE LACKS ANY INFORMATION TO AID RESIDENTS UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE CONSENT DECREE IS AFFECTING THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOW THEY CAN GIVE THE CITY CITY FEEDBACK. DESPITE THE CONSENT DECREE REQUIRING ONGOING EVALUATION AND PLANNING, SHARING MORE INFORMATION WILL ENABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE INPUT AND ADVOCATE MORE EFFECTIVELY FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR NEIGHBORS. SOME DATA ABOUT WHERE THE INVESTMENTS IS ARE OCCURRING IS NOW EMBEDDED IN THE SEPARATE REBUILD HOUSTON WEBSITE, BUT ISN'T REFLECTED ANYWHERE IN THE CONSENT DECREE WEBSITE. THIS IS A GOOD START, BUT MORE IS NEEDED. AT MINIMUM, THE CITY MUST ALSO SHARE INFORMATION TO HELP RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND WHERE INVESTMENT IS OCCURRING AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS TO WEIGH IN ON FUTURE INVESTMENTS. FURTHER, THE CITY'S ANNUAL REPORT SHOWS PRIVATE SEWER LATERAL PROBLEMS OCCUR 4,434 TIMES SINCE THE CONSENT DECREE WENT INTO EFFECT AND WERE RESOLVED IN ALMOST ALL THE CASES. BUT THIS IS AT ODDS WITH WHAT THE RESIDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING, MANY OF WHOM ARE LIVING WITH RAW SEWAGE IN THEIR HOMES. WORSE RESIDENTS HAVE TOLD US THAT THEY'VE HEARD CONFUSING MESSAGES FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS STAFF ABOUT WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IT IS TO ADDRESS THE SEWAGE PROBLEM. EVEN PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES RESPONDED TO 3 1 1 CALLS WERE UNCLEAR ABOUT THIS TELLING RESIDENTS THE PROBLEM WAS THEIR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY ONLY TO SAY THE OPPOSITE LATER ON. AND TYPICALLY ONLY AFTER A LOT OF FOLLOW-UPS. HAVING SEWAGE IN YOUR HOME IS A BASIC QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE. THIS REQUIRES TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION FROM THE CITY, AND RESIDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK TOWARDS A PROMPT RESOLUTION WITH THE CITY'S SUPPORT WITHOUT HAVING TO RELENTLESSLY ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT, ERIC ROSS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, MY NAME IS ERIC ROSS. I RESIDE IN DISTRICT H. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE THE RESIDENTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SPEEDING TRAFFIC ON OUR RESIDENTIAL STREETS OF TORREON AND KAPLAN. UH, JUST RECENTLY, WITHIN THE LAST, UH, 24 HOURS, TWO AUTOMOBILE COLLISIONS OCCURRED AND RESULTED IN PROPERTY DAMAGE. AND AN ELDERLY WOMAN ALMOST, UH, BEEN FATALLY INJURED. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL RESIDENTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY ARE WORRIED THAT SOMEBODY COULD GET FATALLY INJURED. I CONTACTED 3 1 1 [02:15:01] AND PUBLIC WORKS IN AUGUST, 2023 ABOUT THE ISSUE AND REQUESTED ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS TO GET SPEED BUMPS. I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET APPROVED, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT. THAT'S THE REASON WHY I'M HERE TODAY. TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THIS COUNCIL HELP PREVENT A POTENTIALLY FATAL ACCIDENT IN THE HUNTINGTON PLACE NEIGHBORHOOD AT AND NEAR KAPLAN AND TORREON STREET. WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE APPROVE A BUDGET AND AUTHORIZE THE RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENTS TO INSTALL SPEED BUMPS ON OUR STREETS. IN CLOSING, I WANT TO THANK THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS SOLID WASTE, AND ALL OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS FOR THE WORK THEY DO EVERY DAY TO KEEP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND STREETS SAFE AND HABITABLE. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, ERIC, FOR COMING DOWN HERE TO, UH, SHARE YOUR CONCERNS AND, AND SPEAK ON BEHALF OF YOUR NEIGHBORS AS WELL. UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SPEED BUMP APPLICATIONS, SPEED CUSHION APPLICATIONS THAT, THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT. UH, WE'VE ALSO HELPED OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, ALONG WITH THIS PROCESS, AND WE WILL ABSOLUTELY DO THE SAME, UH, WITH YOU. UM, SO I WILL HAVE MY CONSTITUENT SERVICES DIRECTOR COME AND VISIT WITH YOU, UM, ONCE YOU'RE DONE HERE AT THE PODIUM. UM, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT APPLICATION, UH, GETS TO YOU AND WE WILL, UH, WORK WITH YOU IN PUBLIC WORKS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS FILLED OUT AND TURNED IN AND, AND THEN CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT. HOW SOON CAN WE GET THAT DONE? BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO, I STARTED WORKING ON THIS BACK IN AUGUST, AND THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. MM-HMM . REALLY WHAT REALLY MADE ME COME FORWARD IS THE, UH, ELDERLY LADY ALMOST GOT FATALLY INJURED. SO, UH, HOW SOON CAN WE GET THE SPEED BUMPS IN? WELL, YOU KNOW, ONCE THAT APPLICATION COMES BACK, UM, THERE IS A REVIEW. THEY'LL LOOK AT IT, UH, THEY'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE EDIT AREA. UM, THE SIGNATURES MAY COME FROM ONE STREET OR TWO STREETS. THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT IT FROM A BROADER PERSPECTIVE AND SEE HOW THE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, COULD BE BENEFITED FROM SPEED CUSHIONS. UM, AND THEN WE WILL ALSO GET WITH THAT A COST ESTIMATE. UM, SO ONCE WE SEE THAT ESTIMATE, SEE IF THERE'S FUNDING AVAILABLE, UM, THEN THAT CAN MOVE FORWARD. AND THEN THERE'S SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT'S DONE AROUND THAT PROPOSED MAP. UH, NEIGHBORS ARE MAILED, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO PUT COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK IN, AND THEN SOME POTENTIAL CHANGES ARE DONE BASED ON THAT, COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK. AND THEN WE HAVE A FINAL VERSION AND, AND IT MOVES FORWARD. I MEAN, WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, IT, IT DOES VARY. UM, YOU KNOW, ESTIMATES I'VE HEARD IS SIX TO NINE MONTHS, UH, FROM SOME OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE'VE, UH, INITIATED BEYOND JUST THE, UH, INITIAL MAP PHASE. SO, UM, WE WILL GET YOU THE APPLICATION, UM, YOU'VE GOTTA FILL IT OUT, YOU'VE GOTTA GET SOME NEIGHBORS TO, TO SIGN IT AS WELL TO SHOW THE SUPPORT, UM, AND THEN WE CAN, UH, TAKE THAT BACK, GET ITS PUBLIC WORKS AND, AND GO FROM THERE. BUT WE WILL STAY ENGAGED WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. LIKEWISE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT ARD JOSEPH DARA HARPER, DANIEL PEREZ. GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS DANIEL PEREZ. I'VE BEEN IN HOUSTON ALL OF MY LIFE. WILL YOU STEP OVER BEHIND THE, I'VE BEEN IN HOUSTON ALL OF MY LIFE. I WORKED AS A BILINGUAL CUSTOMER SERVICE HERE IN DOWNTOWN FOR SEVERAL FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES. I'M COMING FORWARD TODAY BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET, UM, OF THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE THAT WE'RE UNABLE TO MEET. DEREGULATION OF ENERGY HAS STOLEN OVER HALF A BILLION DOLLARS, OVER HALF A TRILLION DOLLARS FROM HOUSTON SINCE, SINCE IT TOOK EFFECT IN 2002. HOW DO I KNOW? I'VE WORKED FOR BOTH RELIANT ENERGY AND CENTERPOINT ENERGY. I'VE SEEN THE ACCOUNTS WHEN THEY LEAVE CENTER POINT ENERGY AND THEY ARRIVE AT RELIANT ENERGY. I SEEN THE MARKUP ON THE ELECTRICITY MYSELF FROM THEN, FROM 2002 TO NOW, ALL THIS MONEY THAT HAS LEFT HOUSTON, THE HALF A TRILLION DOLLARS THAT HAD, THAT HAS LEFT HOUSTON SHOULD HAVE BEEN WASTED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, SHOULD HAVE BEEN WASTED IN OUR COMMUNITY, BY US, BY THE PUBLIC. THIS WOULD'VE ALLOWED US TO GENERATE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN REVENUE. DEREGULATION OF ENERGY IS STEALING MONEY FROM THE HOUSTON PUBLIC. THIS [02:20:01] IS HIT THROUGH ALGORITHMS AND THE SYSTEM AND THE BILLING COMPANIES. AND I'VE EXPERIENCED MYSELF BECAUSE I WAS THERE. I TOOK THE CALLS FROM ELDERLY MOTHERS THAT COULDN'T PAY FROM DAUGHTERS THAT WERE CRYING BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T PAY THEIR BILL BECAUSE THEIR MOTHER WAS, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, ON OXYGEN. THEY CAN'T PAY THE BILL. I COULDN'T OFFER EXTENSIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO THIS IS MY, MY COMING FORWARD HERE, NOT JUST WITH THIS, BUT I'VE WORKED IN THE TELECOMMUNICATION INDUSTRY AS WELL. AND I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, FOR MANY A YEAR SHOULD HAVE HAD A WIRELESS SERVICE NETWORK FOR THE PEOPLE WE COULD HAVE TAX THE PEOPLE. AND WE WOULDN'T, WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN THIS DEBT CRISIS. BUT WE'VE, UH, WE'VE BEEN BLIND BY THIS, UM, ADVERTISEMENT FROM THESE COMPANIES. AND WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE WHO JUST WON'T REPRESENT US IN THE RIGHT WAY. AND I'M ASKING ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY IS TO LOOK INTO THE DEREGULATION OF ENERGY HERE IN THE CITY, HERE IN THE STATE, AND SEE HOW IT'S DETRIMENTAL TO OUR COMMUNITIES. YOU KNOW, ALL THESE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, LIKE I SAY, I WOULD SAY IT AGAIN, IT'S OVER A TRILLION DOLLARS THAT HAVE STOLE FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THIS MONEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN SPENT ON, YOU KNOW, ON CHILDREN ON SHOES, WHATEVER THE SALES TAX, BUT THEN WOULD'VE HELPED US TO PAY WHAT WE NEED TO PAY SEWER LINES AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE HERE. AND IT'S AFFECTING THE POOR PEOPLE MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE. I CAN TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE I WAS A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. I SEEN THE ACCOUNTS, AND I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, MAYOR, THAT I HAVE PEOPLE THAT WILL BRING OVER DOCUMENTS AND SHOW YOU THE PROOF. THIS IS WHY I'M HERE. THIS IS, THIS IS, UH, MY FIRST, I'M BECOMING AN ACTIVIST AT THE AGE OF 39. MY BIRTHDAY'S NEXT WEEK. AND I'VE, LIKE I SAID, I'VE WORKED IN THIS FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES AND I CAN, UM, TELL YOU SOME MORE THINGS ON WHERE WE CAN GO MOVE FORWARD AND AS A CITY AND START COLLECTING THESE FUNDS BACK FROM THESE CORPORATIONS THAT HAVE MADE THE LOBBYIST COME AND LOBBY TO Y'ALL. AND THEN Y'ALL GO AHEAD AND MAKE THESE LAWS AND HELP THEM TAKE THIS MONEY AWAY FROM THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, SIR. THANKS. NEXT. JONATHAN BUSH, HONORABLE MAYOR WHITMEYER COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY. MY NAME IS JOHN BUSH AND I'M HERE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THE CURRENT DESIGN OF 11TH STREET IN THE HEIGHTS. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE HEIGHTS AND A RUNNER, HAVING RECENTLY RUN MY THIRD MARATHON. BEFORE LIVING IN THE HEIGHTS, I LIVED IN A NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDED BY THE BUSY STREETS OF SOUTH POST OAK AND HIGHWAY SIX 10. I RARELY RAN AND IT NEGATIVELY AFFECTED MY PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. I MOVED TO THE GREATER HEIGHTS IN 2016. THE JOGGING TRAIL ON HEIGHTS BOULEVARD, MKT TRAIL, WHITE OAK BAYOU, AND NICHOLSON STREET TRAIL MADE IT EASY AND FUN TO RUN LONG DISTANCES. MY HYPERTENSION AND DEPRESSION VANISHED. UM, EASY ACCESS TO TRAILS AND BIKE LANES WAS TRANSFORMATIVE IN MY LIFE. I LOVED LIVING IN THE HEIGHTS SO MUCH. UH, MY SPOUSE AND I BOUGHT A HOUSE THERE IN 2020. THE ACCESS TO WALKING AND BIKING TRAILS IS WHY I LIVE IN THE HEIGHTS. IT'S WHY MANY PEOPLE CHOOSE TO LIVE IN THE HEIGHTS. AND I TRULY BELIEVE EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN HOUSTON DESERVES TO HAVE THE SAME NICE TRAILS, BIKE LANES, AND SAFE STREETS. I SUPPORT THE SAFETY MEASURES TO 11 STREET BECAUSE IT MAKES THE HEIGHTS MORE HEIGHTS. LIKE BEFORE THE PROJECT 11 STREET HAD SPEEDING TRAFFIC ACROSS FOUR LANES, DESPITE RUNNING THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD. 11TH STREET EAST OF SHEPHERD HAS 19 PEDESTRIAN STREET CROSSINGS WITHOUT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. WITHIN TWO BLOCKS, THERE ARE FOUR SCHOOLS AND SIX CHURCHES. THERE ARE 22 RESTAURANTS ON THAT STRETCH OF 11TH STREET. THE NICHOLSON STREET AND HEIGHTS BOULEVARD INTERSECTIONS ARE BUSY, PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE CROSSINGS. CROSSING AT THE NICHOLSON TRAIL USED TO BE PROBLEMATIC. WHILE OUT RUNNING, UH, I WOULD SEE FAMILIES WITH STROLLERS TURN AROUND AT 11TH STREET INSTEAD OF TRYING TO CROSS. BEFORE THE PROJECT, THAT CROSSING HAD THE MOST SAFETY CONCERNS PINNED ON HOUSTON'S VISION ZERO MAP. THE PROJECT ADDED SAFER PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS FOR HOG MIDDLE SCHOOL, HARVARD ELEMENTARY, AND OF COURSE AT NICHOLSON. NOW, DRIVERS ACTUALLY SLOW DOWN AND STOP FOR PEDESTRIANS. IF YOU'VE, IF YOU'VE EVER MET A HOUSTON DRIVER, YOU KNOW, THAT IS NOTHING SHORT OF MIRACULOUS . UM, IT'S SO MUCH NICER NOW TO BE OUT ON 11TH STREET AND BE ABLE TO WALK TO SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS. DRIVING ON 11TH STREET IS LESS STRESSFUL NOW TOO. DATA IS ALREADY SHOWING SPEEDING ACCIDENTS AND SERIOUS INJURIES ARE DOWN. MAYOR WHITMEYER, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE REVIEWING 11TH STREET, BUT IN YOUR REVIEW, REMOVING SAFER CROSSINGS FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AT HOG MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HARVARD ELEMENTARY SHOULD NEVER BE UNDER CONSIDERATION. REMOVING THE PEDESTRIAN ISLAND AT NICHOLSON SHOULD BE A NON-STARTER. [02:25:01] IF YOU TURN ONE OF HOUSTON'S BUSIEST TRAILS BACK TO CROSSING FOUR LANES OF SPEEDING CARS, YOU, YOU'LL NEVER HEAR THE END OF THE 11TH STREET ISSUE. I HOPE THAT IN YOUR REVIEW, YOU PRIORITIZE PUBLIC SAFETY AND CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THE CURRENT DESIGN IS SAFER FOR DRIVERS, FOR WALKERS AND RUNNERS, FOR BIKERS, FOR FAMILIES, AND FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. VERY GOOD, THANK YOU. NEXT, KIARA . UM, WELL, WE HAVE KIND OF LIKE A DUAL SPEECH, SO I GUESS I'LL JUST HAVE HIM WALK UP IF ONLY ONE PERSON WALK UP AT ONE TIME. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM RA ANI, NONPROFIT ATTORNEY AND FORMER MS. BLACK TEXAS USA. I'M HERE WITH MY HUSBAND, ATTORNEY ANI AS WELL OF THE ANI LAW FIRM. WE ARE REPRESENTING OUR CLIENTS, A COAP OUTREACH CORPORATION, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT'S DEDICATED TO THE HOMELESS. THEY HELP VETERANS, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE FORMERLY INCARCERATED AS WELL AS RELEASED FOSTER CARE YOUNG ADULTS, AS WELL AS FORMERLY INCARCERATED JUVENILES. AND SO WE'RE HERE TODAY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL ABOUT PARTNERING WITH THIS ORGANIZATION, PROVIDING, UM, PROPERTY DISTRESSED PROPERTIES OR FUNDING FOR HOMELESSNESS. AND THE ISSUE. I'LL PASS IT ON TO MY HUSBAND. AND THIS IS OUR LEGAL INTERN, SO THAT'S WHY HE'S WITH US RIGHT NOW. NOW. SO HE SEES A LITTLE BIT KNOCKED OUT AND YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T, DO WE NEED A CAN STILL SWITCH? DO WE NEED A MOTION? AMEND THE RULES. I'M SO SORRY. I'M SORRY, WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR NAME? I THINK IF NOBODY SAYS ANYTHING, HE CAN GO RIGHT AHEAD AND DO IT. MIKE, MIKE ANI. I'M SORRY. WHAT? DR. MIKE ANI. MAYOR, MY APOLOGIES FOR US, UH, NOT KNOWING THE RULES. OKAY, MIKE, MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD THIS GENTLEMAN TO THE AGENDA. WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. SECONDS, MOTION MADE. AND SECOND, THANK COUNSEL OVERWHELMINGLY PASSED . THANK YOU, MAYOR. I LIKE THIS GUY ALREADY. APPRECIATE YOU, APPRECIATE YOU. AND SO JUST AS MY WIFE, HE SAID, UH, YOU KNOW, FOOD, SHELTER, AND PARTICULARLY JOBS, THOSE ARE THREE ISSUES THAT CUTS ACROSS RACE, RIGHT? AND SO IT'S REALLY WHAT OUR FOCUS SHOULD BE ON. UM, REALLY, UH, JUST TO PROVIDE SOME OF THE NUMBERS. RECENT DATA PAINTS A PICTURE OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE. SO IN 2023, TWO, OVER 22,600 INDIVIDUALS IN HARRIS, FORT BEND AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY SOUGHT SOME FORM OF HOMELESS SERVICE. WHEN WE INCLUDE PREVENTION AND OTHER VITAL SERVICES LIKE CLOTHING AND FOOD ASSISTANCE, THIS NUMBER SKYROCKETS OVER TO 52,000 PEOPLE. SO JUST FOR CONTEXT, 20 TH 20,000 MORE. AND YOU HAVE NRG STADIUM, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE A, A STADIUM FILLED OF PEOPLE LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE. AND SO WHAT IS OUR, AS OUR AS IS TO HAVE A HOMELESSNESS FUND, RIGHT? THE FUND IS TO ULTIMATELY PUT TOGETHER AND, AND TACKLE THOSE THREE ISSUES, FOOD, SHELTER, AND JOBS. AND AS WE ARE, EVEN JUST HEARING DREW DRAINAGE AND SEWAGE BEING A MAIN ISSUE, THAT COULD BE ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES THAT THIS PARTICULAR FUND A ATTACKS, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO ARE NEEDED OF JOBS, AS WELL AS ALSO PEOPLE AT PROPERTIES THAT ARE DISTRESSED, AS WELL AS WE'RE HEARING SEWAGE DRAINING BEING A MAIN ISSUE. SO I THINK WE CAN REALLY COLLABORATE ALL THREE OF THESE, THESE MAIN THINGS TOGETHER AND, AND REALLY MAKE A BIG WIN FOR THE CITY. UM, SO IN PARTICULAR, AS WE STAND IN THIS CRITICAL JUNCTURE, WE URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION, URGENT NEED FOR ACTION. WE CANNOT TURN A BLIND EYE TO THE THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO FIND STABLE HOUSING AND REBUILD THEIR LIVES. SO I HUMBLY REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT AND FUNDING TO ADDRESS THIS PRESSING ISSUE. BY INVESTING IN PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE HOUSING ASSISTANCE, SKILLS TRAINING, AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, WE CAN MAKE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT IN THE LIVES OF THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO BY PROVIDING PROPERTY MULTIFAMILY UNITS, WE CAN HELP THIS ISSUE. WE APPRECIATE CAP COUNCILMAN ABBEY FOR REALLY REACHING OUT TO US BECAUSE REALLY, UH, A LOT OF PARENTS HAVE ISSUES EVEN JUST BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY COME OUT AND MAKE A LOT OF THESE REQUESTS, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE EITHER HAVE TO GET DAYCARE OR WE EITHER HAVE TO, UH, NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THE SHELTERED NEEDS. SO THIS IS VERY MUCH WHAT ACROSS THE CROSS WITH MANY OF THE CITIZENS THAT ARE STILL SO HOMELESS AS WELL. SO WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. NO, I, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING AND SITTING THROUGH ALL OF THIS WITH YOUR LITTLE BABY WHO IS PRECIOUS, BUT I THINK THAT'S REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL OF THE WORKING PARENTS THAT ARE, UH, NOT JUST TRYING TO SUPPORT YOUR OWN FAMILIES, BUT HELP OTHERS. UH, SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING AND, UH, I'M, I'M GLAD SHE'S SLEEPING RIGHT NOW, BUT APPRECIATE YOU. APPRECIATE YOU. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU. UM, Y'ALL ARE SUCH PIONEERS. UM, APPRECIATE YOU. I WISH YOU WOULD'VE JOINED US EARLIER TODAY. WE HAD A, A HOUSING MEETING WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE INVESTMENT THE CITY IS MAKING AROUND OUR UNSHELTERED BROTHERS AND SISTERS, UH, SUPPORT AROUND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THOSE EXPERIENCING HIV AND AIDS. UM, AND IF I MAY ASK RENEE, UM, TO GET YOU, 'CAUSE I KNOW I THINK YOUR WIFE MENTIONED [02:30:01] THAT Y'ALL WERE PART REPRESENTING A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FROM TIME TO TIME, THE CITY ISSUES NOTICES OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY, AND WE HAVE A DIVISION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT THAT AWARDS NONPROFITS PERFECT. THAT ARE QUALIFIED TO ISSUE SUCH WORK IN TERMS OF JOB READINESS, UM, UH, SHORT TERM RENTAL ASSISTANCE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE. AND SO IF I CAN DIRECT YOU TO RENEE, AND THEN HE CAN, UM, CONNECT YOU TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY COULD, UM, FACILITATE THE INFORMATION FOR THE, THE NONPROFIT TO GET REGISTERED. SO WHEN FUNDING IS MADE AVAILABLE, THEY'LL BE IN THE QUEUE TO RECEIVE, IN ORDER TO APPLY. AMEN. UM, AND SO THERE'S SOME STEPS THAT MUST BE TAKEN, BUT FROM TIME TO TIME, UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF RECEIVING, UM, UH, DOLLARS FROM HUD FROM TEXAS WINTER STORM URI, THAT WAS IN 2021. SO THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WHO ARE STILL IMPACTED FROM THE STORM TO PARTICIPATE. AND WE DO THAT OFTENTIMES THROUGH NONPROFITS. THAT'S PERFECT, MAN. WE'LL FOCUS THERE FIRST. APPRECIATE IT. SURE. RENEE COULD BE OF GREAT ASSISTANCE TOO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR STANDING THE RULES. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, DID YOU SAY YOU ALSO HAVE A NONPROFIT? YES, SIR. FREEDOM OF FAITH FOOD BANK. GOOD. WONDERFUL. I'D LIKE TO CERTAINLY GET MORE INFORMATION. HOMELESSNESS IS CERTAINLY AN ISSUE THAT I'M VERY, VERY INTERESTED IN, IN HELPING TO REDUCE, WE'LL PROBABLY NEVER, EVER SOLVE IT 100%, BUT WE CAN REDUCE IT. UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I RODE ALONG WITH THE HOT TEAM, UH, HPD HOT TEAM ON LAST WEEK, UH, BOTH OUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES GOT, WE RODE WITH THEM ALL DAY AROUND TO THESE HOMELESS PLACES. AND CERTAINLY WITH THE BEACON WE WENT THERE, SPENT TIME THERE ALSO WITH THE, UM, UH, HARRIS HEALTH IN REGARDS TO THAT, LOOKING AT ALL OF THE AREAS BY WHICH THIS IS CONNECTED. AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T OVERLOOK A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. AND I'M THINKING, I, I KNOW EVERYBODY AROUND THIS HORSESHOE HAS THE SAME COMPASSION ABOUT THE HOMELESS, BUT WE GOTTA GET BEYOND IT AND START LOOKING AT IT FROM A VERY REALISTIC PERSPECTIVE, UH, IN REGARDS TO THAT AND THE FUNDS THAT WE CAN BECOME AVAILABLE, EVEN IF WE HAVE TO PERSONALLY DONATE. I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, I THINK IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO COME OUT OF THE OWN, YOU KNOW, UH, OWN INCOME TO DO IT SO THE CITY CAN MEET THE NEED. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS. WE APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING. WE, WE APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. BLESS YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. BE CAREFUL. YES, SIR. NEXT JUANA VILLA TORO ARRU. BEON RAJI. HELLO. UM, I ACTUALLY WANNA JUST SAY SOME BRIEF FIGURES HERE GOING INTO THIS SUBJECT OF HOMELESSNESS AND SEWAGE PROBLEMS THAT THE CITY HAS. UM, HOUSTON, TEXAS PSL PUT TOGETHER THIS INFOGRAPHIC THAT SAYS, UM, ON AVERAGE THE CITY OF HOUSTON EVERY YEAR SPENDS $32 MILLION TO ISRAEL. AND WITH THOSE FUNDS, INSTEAD, WE COULD FUND, UM, 3,822 HOUSEHOLDS WITH PUBLIC HOUSING FOR A YEAR. 11,188 CHILDREN COULD RECEIVE FREE OR LOW COST HEALTHCARE, AND 850 STUDENTS WITH THEIR LOAN DEBT COULD BE CANCELED. UM, BUT INSTEAD WE'RE SENDING MONEY TO A, UM, OCCUPYING POWER THAT IS MURDERING AND MASS OCCURRING PEOPLE, UM, IN GAZA AND THE OCCUPIED PALESTINE. UM, SO MAYOR WHITMEYER, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT YOU ACTUALLY LIED, UM, AFTER I WAS KICKED OUT OF THE BAKER INSTITUTE EVENT FOR INTERRUPTING YOU A COUPLE OF WEEKS BACK. YOU SAID YOU FELT TORN BETWEEN TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE IN HOUSTON, BUT YOU'RE NOT TORN. THAT'S ACTUALLY A LIE. WHEN ONE OF MY COMRADES ASKED FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AFTER ISRAEL MURDERED 90 FAMILY MEMBERS OF THEIRS IN GAZA, YOU REFUSE. YOU DID NOT, UM, ACCEPT THAT MOMENT OF SILENCE. CAN YOU IMAGINE SOMEBODY SAYING NO TO A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR VICTIMS OF THE SEPTEMBER 11TH TERRORIST ATTACK? HELL NO. YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT FOR WEEKS ON END. WHEN MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY HAVE ASKED YOU TO CHANGE THE CITY'S INVESTMENT POLICY THAT GIVES AN EXCEPTION TO ISRAEL, YOU'VE IGNORED US FOR MONTHS. WE'VE ASKED YOU AND YOUR PREDECESSOR TO GIVE US THE BARE MINIMUM, A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION. YOU'VE IGNORED US MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL HAVE CALLED FOR A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION, BUT FOR SOME REASON, WHITE PRIVILEGE, YOU CONTINUE TO IGNORE THOSE SETTING A HIGHER STANDARD. PALESTINIANS LIKE MYSELF AND PEOPLE OF CONSCIENCE IN GENERAL, CANNOT IGNORE AND PRETEND THIS GENOCIDE IS BEING DONE TO THE PALESTINIANS IN GAZA AT THE HANDS OF THE TERRORIST ISRAELI OCCUPATION [02:35:01] DOES NOT EXIST. IT EXISTS. WE CAN'T IGNORE IT. WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO COME HERE. WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DISRUPT Y'ALL'S EVENTS. AND ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, UM, MS. SHABAZZ, I SAW YOU OVER THE WEEKEND WHEN MY SON WAS VOLUNTEERING AT A NEIGHBORHOOD PICKUP, UM, EVENT, CLEANING UP TRASH. AND, UM, AROUND OST, MY KID IS WORRYING ABOUT COLLECTING VOLUNTEER HOURS. MRS. UH, MS. CAYMAN'S CONSTITUENTS ARE COMING UP HERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THEIR SCHOOLS THAT THEY CAN OR CAN'T SEND THEIR KIDS TO. AND GUESS WHAT? THE PARENTS IN LEFT IN LIMBO IN HOUSTON. THAT'S THEIR BIGGEST CONCERN. AND YEAH, AS A PARENT, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT HOW MANY PARENTS IN GAZA HAVE LOST THEIR CHILDREN? HOW MANY 17,000 CHILDREN IN GAZA ARE ORPHANED? HOW MANY, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE DEATH COUNT IS FOR THE CIVILIANS OF THE CHILDREN IN GAZA. DON'T, AREN'T YOU MOVED WHEN YOU SEE THE FACES OF BLOODY CHILDREN? ARE THOSE JUST POTENTIAL? WHAT TO YOU? THAT'S COLLATERAL DAMAGE. Y'ALL SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF. YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF. YOU IGNORE OUR PLEAS FOR CALLING FOR A CEASEFIRE. NEXT, GEORGE LE BLANCHE. GREETINGS, MAYOR. GREETINGS CITY COUNCIL. GREETINGS TO ALL OF YOU. UH, MY NAME IS GEORGE LE BLANCHE, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER. UH, THERE IS A COMPLAINT AND EVIDENCE I FILED PENDING IN YOUR OFFICE AT THIS TIME. AND MAYOR, I RESPECTFULLY, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR ATTENTION REGARDING THIS COMPLAINT, UM, ALLEGING NEGLECT, DISHONESTY, AND MISINFORMATION BY SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR WOOLFOLK AND SUPERINTENDENT RICHARDSON. MAYOR, WILL YOU PLEASE FOLLOW UP ON THIS COMPLAINT WITH YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF AND EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS WHO MIGHT THANK VERY MUCH FOR THEIR DILIGENT ASSISTANCE. UH, THERE ARE ALSO, UH, A DOCUMENT, UH, TWO COPIED EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS, UH, THAT YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE IN YOUR POSSESSION. THE FIRST EMAIL COMMUNICATION IS FROM, UH, MR. ABEL, UH, FERNANDEZ, WHO IS THE OPEN RECORDS DIRECTOR FOR THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT. THE SECOND EMAIL IS A COMMUNICATION FROM SHABAZZ'S OFFICE FROM HER CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, CONFIRMING THAT MR. WIL FALK AND MR. UH, RICHARDSON INFORMED ME AFTER I FILED A COMPLAINT THAT THEY HAD DISCIPLINED EMPLOYEES WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR NEGLECTING MY COMMUNITY AND REFUSING TO PICK UP HEAVY TRASH. UH, AFTER MR. WIL FALK INFORMED ME OF THAT, UH, MR. SHABAZZ'S OFFICE AND MAYOR YOUR OFFICE, UH, THROUGH YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, THE OPEN RECORDS REQUEST THAT YOU ALL SEE AND THAT COMMUNICATE BEARS RECORD, THAT THERE ARE NO DOCUMENTS TO, UH, UH, UH, IN REFERENCE TO, UH, WHAT WAS INTIMATED TO ME AND TO, UH, THE OFFICERS THAT I JUST RE UH, MENTIONED. AND, UH, YOUR OFFICE THROUGH, UH, YOUR, UH, CHIEF OF STAFF THAT, UH, THERE WERE NO DOCUMENTATION OF THESE EMPLOYEES BEING, UH, REPRIMANDED. AND SO I'M ASKING YOU, SIR, TO PLEASE, UH, LOOK INTO THIS ON MY BEHALF AND ALLOW ME TO GET BACK WITH YOU PERHAPS NEXT WEEK. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, MR. LANGE. I BELIEVE THE COMMUNICATION, UH, WAS IN, I THINK YOU WERE TRYING TO FIND OUT SPECIFICALLY IF THAT EMPLOYEE WAS REPRIMANDED. AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU WERE TOLD THAT THEY CANNOT GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE IT'S CONFIDENTIAL. AND THAT IS WHY THEY'RE, I THINK THEY RESPONDED THAT THERE ARE NO RECORDS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T SHARE THOSE RECORDS WITH YOU BECAUSE WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THAT EMPLOYEE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE PRIVY TO. SO I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S WHAT, THAT I'M NOT SAYING THAT THEY'RE SAYING HE WAS NOT REPRIMANDED MM-HMM . THEY'RE JUST SAYING THEY CAN'T GIVE YOU THE DOCUMENTATION OKAY. THAT HE WAS REPRIMANDED. IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING? UH, I'M JUST GONNA CORRECT YOU ON THAT. UH, YOU, YOU CLOSE. UH, BUT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED WAS, UH, WHEN I REQUESTED, UH, WHO WAS DISCIPLINED, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WAS, UH, THE DISCIPLINE, YES, I WAS INSTRUCTED THAT THE CITY AND THAT DEPARTMENT COULD NOT GIVE ME THOSE RECORDS BECAUSE, UH, AND THE ONLY WAY THAT I COULD [02:40:01] GET THOSE RECORDS IS THAT I WOULD HAVE TO FILE AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST. UH, AND I FILED THAT OPEN RECORDS REQUEST. YOU HAVE A COPY OF THAT, OF, OF THAT RETURN, UH, FROM MR. AERO, MR. AERO, UH, FERNANDEZ. AND HE, AND THEY WERE GOING TO GIMME THE RECORDS, BUT HE SAID THAT THERE WERE NO RESPONSIVE RECORDS, MEANING THERE WERE NO RECORDS OF AN EMPLOYEE OR EMPLOYEES BEING DISCIPLINED. SO I WAS, UH, ENTITLED TO THE RECORDS, UH, THROUGH OPEN RECORDS. AND, UH, BUT WHEN HE SEARCHED FOR THE RECORDS, THE, THE LETTER, THE, THE, THE EMAIL SAID THAT THERE WERE NO RECORDS, WHICH MEANS TO ME IT SAID, NO, EXCUSE ME. IT SAID NO RESPONSE, NO, NO RESPONSIVE RECORDS. YES, MA'AM. ABSOLUTELY. WHICH MEANS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE RECORDS THAT THEY CAN RESPOND TO YOU WITH. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THERE ARE NO RECORDS. YES, MA'AM. IS THAT KEY WORD RESPONSIVE, WHICH I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT. YES, MA'AM. AND WHAT I DID WAS I CONTACTED, UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND SPOKE WITH HIS CHIEF OF STAFF TO GET THAT CLARIFICATION. 'CAUSE LIKE YOU, I WAS NOT SURE THAT THAT'S WHAT THAT MEANT. MM-HMM . SO THAT'S WHEN I CONTACTED THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND TO GET THEIR INPUT ON IT. AND, UH, HIS CHIEF OF STAFF INFORMED ME THAT INDEED THAT MEANS THAT THERE WERE NO RECORDS. SO TO ME, THAT MEANS THAT, UH, THAT THERE, THAT THEY DID NOT, THAT THEY, UH, MISINFORMED ME, YOUR OFFICE AND, UM, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THAT THESE PERSONS WERE DISCIPLINED AND THAT IT WAS THAT OFFICE SALVATION DEPARTMENT WHO SAID THAT I HAD TO FILE. THEY INSTRUCTED ME, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT SECOND EMAIL TO YOUR OFFICE TO MR. STEVEN JAMES, THAT I COULD GET THE RECORDS, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO FILE AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST. AND THAT'S WHAT I DID. AND THE INFORMATION IN THE DOCUMENTATION IS NOT THERE. OKAY. SO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT DISCIPLINARY ACTION WAS TAKEN? UH, NO. FROM, FROM WHAT, WHERE WE'RE ARE RIGHT NOW, IT SEEMS THAT I WAS MISLED. YOUR OFFICE WAS MISLED. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WAS MISLED BY MR. WIL FALK. AND MR. RICHARDSON TO ME, INTIMATED OVER THE PHONE AND BY EMAIL THAT WE DID IT. WE DISCIPLINED THIS PERSON, BUT WE CAN'T GIVE YOU THE RECORDS. AND THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN GET THEM, YOU HAVE TO FILE AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST. THIS IS WHAT THEY TOLD ME, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND YOUR OFFICE. AND WHEN THE REQUEST WAS MADE, THERE WERE NO DOCUMENTS, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT, UH, THEY WERE NOT, UH, BEING FORT WRIGHT AND THAT HE MISINFORMED ME AND YOUR OFFICE AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. OKAY. I STILL STAND WITH NO RESPONSIVE RECORDS, MEANS THAT THERE ARE NONE THAT THEY CAN RESPOND WITH. THAT TO ME DOES NOT SAY THAT THERE ARE NO RECORDS, BUT WE CAN GO HERE AND THERE ABOUT IT. BUT CERTAINLY, I'M JUST CURIOUS, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH THESE RECORDS? OR YOU JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THIS PERSON WAS DISCIPLINED? BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT THE TRASH WAS PICKED UP AND IT WASN'T MR. WILL FOG AND MR. RICHARDSON, UH, AFFIRMED TO ME OVER THE PHONE AND THROUGH DOCUMENT, UH, EMAIL COMMUNICATION THAT MR. LEBLANC, WE FOUND THE PERSON AND THE PERSONS WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NEGLECT, WE HAVE DISCIPLINED THEM. THIS IS WHAT MR. WIL FALK TOLD ME, AND MR. RICHARDSON TOLD ME. SO BECAUSE OF THE WAY I WAS TREATED BY THEM, I DID NOT TRUST THEM. SO I SAID, WELL, OKAY, WELL LET ME SEE THE DOCUMENT OF THE DISCIPLINE EMPLOYEE, WHO WAS THE EMPLOYEE AND WHAT WAS THE DISCIPLINE? AND THEY SAID, OKAY, WELL, WE CAN'T GIVE IT TO YOU. YOU HAVE TO FILE AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST TO GET IT. THEY NEVER SAID THAT THERE WAS NO DOCUMENTS AND THAT NO ONE WAS NOT DISCIPLINED. CAN, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? YES. WHY DOES IT MATTER SO MUCH TO YOU, WHETHER THEY WERE DISCIPLINED OR NOT? IF MR. WILFORD SAID, SO WHAT'S THE, I HAVE PROCEED. WHAT'S THE ISSUE? YES, SIR. OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE PERCEIVED, UH, A CULTURE OF NEGLECT BY THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT. I, AND, AND, UH, MS. SHABA IS MY COUNCIL MEMBER. MY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE, AND I FILED COMPLAINTS FOR YEARS ABOUT THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT. YOU, UH, 3 1 1. AND SO I, I, UH, THEY DID NOT PICK UP MY TRASH, UH, HEAVY TRASH AS IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, OFF AND ON, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HAPPENING. AND I FILED COMPLAINTS. AND SO, UH, I ASKED THEM, YOU ALL FORGOT TO PICK IT UP, PLEASE COME PICK IT UP. UH, WAITED A WEEK. AND WHEN I CHECKED, THEY SAID, I SAID, WHAT HAPPENED? NO ONE PICKED UP THE TRASH STILL OUT THERE. AND, UH, THEY SAID, WELL, UH, WE PICKED IT UP AND SOMEBODY SIGNED OFF ON IT. MR. WILLIAMS SIGNED OFF ON IT AND SAID IT WAS PICKED UP. AND I SAID, NO, IT'S STILL SITTING OUT THERE. AND THEY SAID, OKAY, WELL WE'LL SEND SOMEBODY ELSE OUT AGAIN. YEAH. AND THE CREW CAME OUT, DROVE PAST MY HOUSE. MM-HMM . LOOKED AT THE TRASH AND DROVE PAST HOUSE AND, AND DROVE OFF. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. AND THEN THERE, YEAH, WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T WE LOOK INTO IT? OKAY. OKAY. I MEAN, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING BACK AND FORTH. WE'VE GOT YOUR ADDRESS. MM-HMM . WE'RE GONNA CHECK WITH SOLID WASTE. OKAY. AND SEE THAT ACCURATE REPORTS ARE FILED. IS YOUR GARBAGE BEING PICKED UP? [02:45:01] IT WAS PICKED UP, BUT THE ISSUE IS, SIR, DID THEY, IS THERE A CULTURE? I KNOW THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE AND WE'RE GONNA GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT. YEAH. YES, SIR. RIGHT? OKAY. AND I WANT TO KNOW IF I WAS LIED TO, IF I WAS LIED TO. I THINK NO. THAT, THAT SHOULD BE AN ISSUE. UH, WITH, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. EXCUSE ME. I SAID THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YOU'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB. OKAY. THANK YOU SIR. ALRIGHT, I'LL CHECK WITH YOUR OFFICE AND YOU NEXT WEEK. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. BE SAFE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MARISSA HANSON , MAYOR MEYER, I'LL YOU HERE AND I'M GLAD, I'M GLAD TO HAVE SOMEONE WITH COMMON SENSE. NOW, RUNNING OUR CITY, 264,000 CRIMINAL CASES WERE PUT INTO SUSPENSE DUE TO LACK OF PERSONNEL AND DEFUNDING OF THE POLICE. 4,017 OF THEM WERE SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES. ONE OF THE GIRLS HAS COMMITTED SUICIDE. LAST YEAR, THE CITY OF HOUSTON SPENT 35.6 MILLION ON MURALS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS. WHILE YOU, ABBY CAYMAN LIED TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS OVER MANIPULATED DATA AND CRIME STATS FROM THE ONE SAFE PROGRAM, CLAIMING POLICE RESPONSE TIME WAS A MISNOMER. I URGE YOU TO RESIGN FROM YOUR POSITION FOR DERELICTION OF DUTY AND SHOWING FEEL, FEEL TO YOUR PARTY INSTEAD OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS SAFETY. SECONDLY, MAYOR WHITMEYER, I IMPLORE YOU TO, UH, START AN INVESTIGATIVE, UH, COMMITTEE INTO THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. I AUDITED THE PRO, THE GUIDEHOUSE AUDITED THE PROGRAM. UM, THE FIRST SIX MONTHS IT FOUND, THEY FOUND THAT OVER A MILLION DOLLARS HAD BEEN MISAPPROPRIATED. I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE FINAL REPORT, BUT THEY CONTINUE TO, UH, GIVE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THIS PROGRAM TO BAKER RIPLEY. AND THEN WHEN I WENT INTO THEIR NINE 90, I FOUND THAT THEY HAD AN OFFSHORE BANK ACCOUNT IN THE GRAND CAYMAN ISLANDS. WHY DOES AN NGO HAVE AN OFFSHORE BANK ACCOUNT IN THE GRAND CAYMANS RAISING NEW ISSUES? AND IT WAS TIFFANY, WEREN'T YOU PART OF THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM? COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS? YES. UM, YES. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. OKAY. AND THE NGOS THAT I HAVE SEEN FROM WERE ALL HANDPICKED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THEY WERE ALL TRANSFERRING THE MONEY BACK AND FORTH TO THESE NGOS AND CHARGING ADMIN FEES. SO BY THE TIME IT GOT TO THE PEOPLE, THEY ARE GETTING 1 CENTS, LIKE 10 CENTS TO THE DOLLAR OF WHAT THEY WERE REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE GOING TO. AND THEN, LET'S NOT MENTION ALL OF THE PFM GROUP CONSULTING GROUPS THAT WERE HAVING DEI STUDIES THROWN OUT THIS AND NOW YOU GUYS WANNA RAISE OUR TAXES, THE MONEY IS THERE AND IT WAS STOLEN AND MISAPPROPRIATED. AND THERE SHOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION LOOKED INTO THESE NGOS AND TO THE MEMBERS THAT HEADED THESE, THESE PROGRAMS BECAUSE WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S FIRE, AND I HAVE ALL OF THE PROOF FOR IT. I HAVE THE NINE 90, I HAVE THE FIVE OH ONES. I HAVE, I HAVE ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS, I HAVE IT ALL. I'VE BEEN INVESTIGATING THIS FOR FOUR YEARS. AND THIS IS NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS DO OVERSEAS. AND IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU GUYS, DEFUNDING MY, THE POLICE, MY BEST FRIEND WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN MURDERED AND LEFT IN A POLICE. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN LEFT IN A PREVIOUS, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED IN POUND LAW FOR FIVE DAYS. THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. ALRIGHT, BE SAFE. NEXT SPEAKER. CYNTHIA RHODES. GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S A LITTLE TOUGH TO ACT, TO FOLLOW, SORRY. BUT, UM, THANK YOU, UH, THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL TO LET ME HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK. AND THE REASON WHY I'M HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M NOT FROM HERE. OF COURSE, YOU COULD PROBABLY TELL BY THE WAY I TALK. I'VE HAD MANY PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF ME BECAUSE OF WHERE I'M FROM. SO ST. LAVIE IS WHAT I SAY. BUT ANYWAYS, IT'S ABOUT THE ROADS HERE. THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND I'M FROM A BIGGER CITY THAN HOUSTON. UM, THE ROADS REALLY NEED SOME WORK ALONG WITH, OF COURSE, WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE IS THE WATER FLOW OFF THE ROADS. SO I NOTICE THAT IMMEDIATELY AND I STILL HAVEN'T AFTER, LET'S SEE, IT'S GONNA BE MY ANNIVERSARY NEXT YEAR, 30 YEARS HERE. SO I HAVE BEEN WATCHING A LOT GOING DOWN AND A LOT GOING UP AND SOME [02:50:01] PROGRESS AND NO PROGRESS. AND I SURE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME PROGRESS ON THE ROADS AT LEAST. AND I KNOW SINCE I'VE HAD A FEDERAL JOB TEMPORARILY, THAT THE FUNDS ARE HERE TOO, FOR THE ROADS. SO I HAVE ALSO NOTICED FROM MY RESEARCH THAT I DO A LOT OF, THAT A LOT OF THE FUNDS ARE MISAPPROPRIATED ALSO FROM THE FUNDS THAT ARE SENT HERE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FOR CERTAIN REASONS THAT ARE GETTING SENT OFF OR ONTO OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE NO CONCERN OF WHAT THE FUNDS WERE FOR. SO THAT'S LIKE MISAPPROPRIATION AS THE OTHER WOMAN SPOKE. THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED. AND I HAVE SEEN IT OVER AND OVER AND AND OVER. SO IT'S NOT JUST YOU MR. WHITMAR, WHILE YOU'RE IN OFFICE OFFICE. I'VE SEEN IT FOR MANY YEARS IN OFFICE. SO YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS TO DEAL WITH ALL THESE CRAZY PROBLEMS IN HOUSTON. BUT, YOU KNOW, SINCE I AM A PUBLIC MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER AND A MENTAL HEALTH SPEAKER, I HAVE TO TRAVEL A LOT. SO I HAVE TO TRAVEL ON THESE ROADS A LOT. I HAVE HAD DESTRUCTION ON MY TIRES THAT ARE BRAND NEW. I HAVE HAD FRONT END PARTS BECAUSE OF THE HUGE POTHOLES. I MEAN HOLES, NOT JUST A LITTLE POTHOLE, BUT DEEP HOLES ON THE ROADS. I JUST TEAR APART MY CAR. SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO PAY FOR A NEW CAR FOR ALL THE DAMAGE THESE ROADS HAVE DONE? THAT'S WHAT I LIKE TO KNOW BECAUSE IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY FOR CAR REPAIRS AS WE ALL KNOW, RIGHT? SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? PLEASE? THE MONEY THAT YOU GOT FUNDED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, USE IT TO FIX THESE ROADS. 'CAUSE IN THE SOUTH OF HOUSTON, SOUTHEAST OF HOUSTON, ALL ALONG HOLMES ROAD, ESPECIALLY SINCE I GO TO LOTS OF CONFERENCES AND EVENTS TO SPEAK AND TO ATTEND, UH, THOUGH THAT ROAD IS THE WORST, GESNER, BEL AIR, ALL THOSE ROADS HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS AND JUST TRYING TO GO WITH SPEED LIMIT, I CAN'T EVEN GO BECAUSE IT HURTS MY NECK AND MY BACK TO EVEN DRIVE ON THESE ROADS HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. NEXT. JACOB CLEMENT. HELLO? WHAT DOG? WELL, ANYWAY, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, UH, WHAT HAPPENED TWO DAYS AGO? WELL, I'M GONNA PLAY FOR YOU RIGHT NOW. WELL, YOU KNOW, BIRTHDAY AND SO IT SPRING, BLACK FRIDAY SAVINGS ONLY AT THE HOME DEPOT. AT DONNA'S YOU CAN GET MORE THAN JUST AMAZING, DELICIOUS PIZZA. THERE'S ALSO LAVA CAKES, BREAD BITES AND MORE. GO, GO TAKE THAT BOOT BIRTHDAY. IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. WELL, YOU KNOW, IT CAME OUT OF THE YEAR THAT I WAS BORN AND SO I, I'M A, I'M A LITTLE BIT OLDER THAN STILL 55. I'M 56. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY COUNCIL. CAYMAN, JACOB. THANK YOU JACOB. WE ALL WISH YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BIRTHDAY. IT'S ALL RIGHT. JACOB, THANK YOU FOR SPENDING YOUR BIRTHDAY WITH US. YES, WE ALL WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY. NEXT SPEAKER, EDUARDO DURAN. THE LAST TIME THAT I CAME, I TALKED TO Y'ALL ABOUT, ABOUT, UH, GEOENGINEERING WASH.ORG AND NCBI.GOV. UH, ENGINEER NANO MATERIALS AND FOOD, WHICH IS FULLY VERIFIABLE BY NCBI.GOV AND PUBMED. UM, WHICH SHOWS ITSELF THAT THESE ARE ACTUAL MATTERS, WHICH ARE IN OUR FOOD AND HAVE NOT EVEN SO MUCH AS BEEN HAD MENTIONED TO THE PUBLIC ON ALMOST ANY PLATFORM BESIDES PEOPLE WHO ARE IN UNIVERSITIES STUDYING PHYSICS, ADVANCED CHEMISTRY, AND NANO NANOTECHNOLOGY. SO HERE I HAVE TO FOR YOU TODAY, A PRESENT OF TWO BOOKS, [02:55:01] ONE OF THEM THAT CAME OUT A MONTH AGO AND ANOTHER ONE THAT CAME OUT ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS, EIGHT YEARS AGO. UM, THEY'RE GENERALLY A UN UNCENSORED, UH, HISTORY OF THE WORLD, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU. UM, AND, UH, GENERALLY IF YOU FIND IT INTERESTING, IF YOU ENJOY IT, IF YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, ARE INTRIGUED BY IT, IF YOU WANT TO RECOMMEND IT TO OTHERS, UM, BY ALL, BY ALL MEANS DO SO. UM, IT'S, UH, GARY WAYNE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. GENESIS SIX, CONSPIRACY, PART TWO AND GENESIS AND GARY WAYNE, THE GENESIS SIX CONSPIRACY, PART ONE, CERTAINLY IT HAS EXTENSIVE, UH, CITATION, REFERENTIALS AND, UH, BACKLOG OF FOOTNOTES, WHICH ARE ESTABLISHING A WELL-ROUNDED, UH, HISTORICAL VIEW OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY HA WHAT HAS HAPPENED. SO, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU CAN GIVE THOSE TO RENEE. THOSE ARE FOR THE MAYOR. WE'LL MAKE SURE HE GETS THOSE. OKAY? UH, UH, BY ALL MEANS, IT'S, IT'S FOR ALL OF YOU OKAY? IF ANYONE ONE WANTS TO READ IT. THANK YOU. YOU, UH, ONE LAST THING, 10 MORE SECONDS. UM, THE, THE, THE WEATHER ENGINEERING OR CLIMATE, THE WEATHER ENGINEERING WILL BE LIKELY USED, BE USED FOR WEATHER WARFARE AND TO SHOOT SI FALSE SIGNS AND WONDERS LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS. AND, UH, ENGINEERED NANO MATERIALS AND FOODS, UH, COULD LIKELY BE USED AS, AS PART OF A CONTROL SYSTEM OR A BEE SYSTEM, WHICH AS I, AS I TOLD YOU BEFORE, IT IS BEING USED UP IN PRACTICE. IT'S NOT THEORETICAL, IT HAS BEEN USED IN PRACTICE. AND THE, THE MOLECULE, THE MOLECULES, THE MOLECULAR SIZE OR COMPLEXITY OF THESE MOLECULES IS INCREASING COMPLEXITY. WE, WE GOT IT. THANK YOU. AND APPLICATION, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY, AND WE'LL DEFINITELY SHARE THOSE BOOKS WITH THE MAYOR AND ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO READ 'EM. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AS, AS THE TIMES ARE COMING, CERTAINLY I'M HERE, UH, TO GO AHEAD AND, AND MAKE US ALL AWARE THAT CERTAINLY WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. LET'S, LET'S SEE SOME PRAGMATISM TO, TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF, OF WHAT HAS BEEN TOLD STORY. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. NEXT SPEAKER, SOPHIA SAGER. OH, SORRY. DIDN'T PUT A BLAZER ON TODAY. UH, I KNOW YOU TAKE US MORE SERIOUSLY WHEN WE DRESS WELL, BUT I JUST DROVE FROM THE OUTSKIRTS OF HOUSTON WHERE MY WAITRESSING JOB IS WHERE I GET PAID TWO 13 AN HOUR, WHICH WASN'T ENOUGH TODAY TO EVEN COVER THE PARKING THAT IT TAKES TO COME AND SPEAK HERE. SO RIGHT NOW, THE R OF BORDER IS CLOSING AND THE GROUND INVASION OF A REFUGEE CAMP THAT HOLDS 1.9 MILLION PEOPLE IS IMMINENT. THEY'RE DESPERATE FOR A CEASEFIRE, A LITERAL CEASE OF BOMBS RAIDING OVER THEIR HEADS. DO YOU KNOW HOW RIDICULOUS IS RIDICULOUS? IT IS THAT WE HAVE TO SCRAPE TOGETHER SENSE TO COME HERE EVERY WEEK SO YOU CAN MAKE SIX FIGURES TO LISTEN TO US. BEG OUR GOVERNMENT TO STOP BOMBING CIVILIANS. WE TALK A LOT ABOUT OUR TAXES. THIS IS WHY. BUT I'M RUNNING OUTTA THINGS TO SAY, I'M BEGGING YOU FOR MERCY. I'M BEGGING YOU TO AT LEAST CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT BECAUSE I'M DOING MY PART. BUT RAFA BORDER IS CLOSING AND THE GROUND INVASION WILL START SOON. MY BODY IS HERE, BUT MY MIND AND HEART WRAP AROUND THE WORLD, I STAND BEFORE YOU TO TESTIFY TO YOU THAT YOU ARE WRONG AS IT'S, YOU ARE WRONG IN THE DEEPEST WAY, THE THE HUMAN BEING CAN BE WRONG. CALL FOR A F*****G CEASEFIRE, MAN. CALL FOR A F*****G CEASEFIRE. JUST DO A CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE. IT'S NOT HARD. THANK YOU, MA'AM. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY TO THAT? THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD DAY. SPEAKER CALLS FOR A F*****G CEASE FIRE. OLIVIA OLIVERAS. HI, UH, NEWS FLASH. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME IN HISTORY WHERE THE GOOD GUYS HAVE KILLED AND INJURED OVER 30,000 WOMEN AND CHILDREN. NEVER. SO HONESTLY, IF YOU'RE STILL SITTING THERE BELIEVING THAT BOMBING MOSQUES, SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS BOMBING BAKERIES AND WAREHOUSES, KILLING JOURNALISTS, AID WORKERS, AND ENTIRE GENERATIONS OF FAMILY, IF YOU STILL BELIEVE ALL OF THAT IS SELF-DEFENSE, LIKE YOU'RE DERANGED, LIKE AS OUR REPRESENTATIVES, YOU ARE GIVING THE IMPRESSION THAT Y'ALL REPRESENT HYPOCRISY, THAT Y'ALL REPRESENT SILENCE, ATTEMPTING TO SILENCE THE CRIES FOR FREEDOM BECAUSE IT'S EVIDENT YOU THRIVE ON THE STILLNESS OF OPPRESSION. Y'ALL ARE REALLY WAITING FOR THEM TO BOMBARD THE LAST CITY CIVILIANS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO EVACUATE TO IN ORDER TO USE YOUR VOICE AND SPEAK UP. DO Y'ALL PLAN ON SPEAKING UP OR ARE Y'ALL BEING SILENCED AS WELL? BECAUSE THE SILENCE IS VERY QUESTIONABLE AND JUST GETS MORE AND MORE DISAPPOINTING. HOW CAN YOU BE GIVEN A HEART AND YET NOT BE ABLE TO FEEL ANY HEARTACHE IN REGARDS TO THE [03:00:01] TERRORS BEING EXECUTED AGAINST THOUSANDS OF ORDINARY CITIZENS? UM, YEAH, YOUR VOICES. YEAH, WE NEED TO OPEN UP YOUR THROAT A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE A VARIETY OF PEOPLE HAVE SAID THE SAME THING. THAT YOUR SILENCE IS DEMEANING, IT'S QUESTIONABLE, IT'S STILL NOTHING. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. LEE MERCER AFTERNOON EVENING. MY NAME IS LEE, EITHER MIKE, ONE OF THE TWO. ALRIGHT, CLAIM IS LEE MERCER AND I'M A CITIZEN HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. UH, UH, UH, CAME TO HOUSTON, TEXAS 1969, STARTED TO A TRADE SCHOOL, WENT TO THE NAVY, 1970, CAME OUTTA THE NAVY IN 1970. I WENT TO TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY FROM TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY TO THE BANKING INDUSTRY HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. VICE PRESIDENT OF MAJOR LARGEST BANK HERE IN T IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. AND FROM THERE I WENT TO THE UNITED STATES OR TEXAS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD. I'M IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY, TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD IN THE US ARMY, MILITARY INTENSE ACADEMY CAPTAIN BURLEY, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS FOR MY MASTER'S IN BUSINESS AND, AND, UH, MASTER'S IN THEOLOGY RELIGION. SO, UH, I'VE COMPLETED THAT COLLEGE. IT'S A 30 YEAR COLLEGE POLICE ACADEMY IN SAN ANTONIO. I WENT IN THERE TRYING TO GET A MASTER'S AND BUILD BUSINESSES HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. I'M A BLACK BUSINESSMAN. SO THE ARMY TOOK AN INTEREST IN ME AND SENT ME TO COLLEGE AND I'M, UH, GOT INTO THE COLLEGE AND THEY NEEDED A POLICEMAN, AN EXECUTIVE POLICE TO UH, MONITOR BUSINESSES. SO I BECAME AN AN INVEST. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. OKAY. IF YOU WILL TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT I GAVE TO YOU. JUST LOOKED AT IT. COUNCILOR POLLARD. THANK YOU SIR FOR COMING FORWARD. YOU CAN HAVE MY MINUTE. OH, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU. YOU, YOU CAN HAVE MY MINUTE. YOU CAN HAVE MY ONE MINUTE. OKAY. I APOLOGIZE. OKAY. BUT ANYWAY, UH, WHAT I DID WAS I, I THIS IS A 30 YEAR COLLEGE. I MASTERED THE 30 YEAR COLLEGE. I DID WORLD HONORS AND ACADEMICS. SO IN WORLD HONORS HAVE, UH, UH, WORLD TREATY, I'VE DEVELOPED A WORLD TREATY, WORLD PEACE TREATY AND I'M AMERICA'S ACADEMIC STUDENT. I'VE INVENTED A NEW POLICE EDUCATION, A NEW POLICE SYSTEM, AND THAT'S WHAT I BRING TO HOUSTON, TEXAS. I'M, UH, WITH THE HOUSTON, TEXAS POLICE DEPARTMENT AT POWER WITH THEM. SOME YEARS AGO WITH MAYOR LEE P. BROWN AS A MAYOR, LEE P. BROWN STUDENT, I TRIED TO GET A DEBRIEFING AND WE COULDN'T GET THE DEBRIEFING. SO, UH, MY SERGEANT WAS OUT THERE OFF OF SOUTHWEST STATION, SO I HAD TO GO BACK INTO UNDERCOVER AND FROM THERE I HAD TO GO TO COLLEGE AND BECOME AN ATTORNEY. SO I HAD TO INVENT A WAY TO, UH, TO BE DEBRIEFED A WAY TO, UH, FOR POLICE TO UH, WORK THEIR WAY THROUGH PROBLEMS. AND I'VE DONE THAT. SO I'VE INVENTED AN UNDEFEATABLE POLICE SYSTEM, WHICH SYSTEM, JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND ANY WAY YOU CAN DO IT, ANY TYPE OF PROBLEM, YOU CAN SOLVE ANY TYPE OF ISSUES THAT NEEDS SOLVE. AND I CAME TO MAYOR SLEEP, UH, THE MAYOR WHIT'S ANSWER, UH, ANSWER HIM IN REFERENCE TO ANY OF THE RESOURCES. I HAVE RESOURCES, IF YOU WANNA TALK TO ME ABOUT RESOURCES, I'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT RESOURCES. OKAY, THANK YOU SPEAKERS. THANK YOU. NEXT. COURTNEY REBELS. HEY Y'ALL. GOOD TO SEE Y'ALL AGAIN. UM, MY NAME IS COURTNEY REBELS. I'M THE WATER JUSTICE ORGANIZER WITH BA UCD WATERKEEPER AND A MEMBER OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE. AND LIKE ALL OF US HAVE SAID BEFORE, TODAY WE ARE ASKING THAT THE CITY, UM, INVEST $20 MILLION INTO THE CREATION OF A PRIVATE SEWER LATERAL FUND. THIS FUND WILL ACTUALLY ADDRESS THE GAPS THAT ARE IN, IN THE CONSENT DECREE. WE'VE SEEN OTHER CONSENT DECREES SET ASIDE FUNDING FOR THE PURPOSE OF, UM, REPAIRING THESE PRIVATE SEWER LATERALS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE HERE IN HOUSTON. YOU SAW SADE, YOU SEE THOSE KIDS BACK THERE. THOSE ARE THE FACES THAT ARE OF IMPACTED BY THIS SEWAGE ISSUE AND IT DOESN'T JUST IMPACT THEM AND IMPACTS EVERYBODY THAT LIVES ON THEIR OPEN DITCH STREET. YOU KNOW, WE SPOKE WITH ANITA, SHE HAS A MANHOLE IN HER BACKYARD. THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN'T FIX ON OUR OWN AND TOGETHER WITH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, CREATING THAT FUND AND LIKE AYANA SAID, PULLING DOWN MORE FUNDS, IT WILL ACTUALLY JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE PROBLEM THAT'S EXISTING ON THE, ON THE PRIVATE SW LATERAL FUND DOES NOT LIKE IT'LL, IT'LL HELP THAT PROBLEM. 50% OF THE PROBLEM [03:05:01] IS ON THE PRIVATE SIDE, SO IF WE ONLY FOCUS ON THE CITY SIDE, WE ONLY FIX HALF THE PROBLEM. THANK Y'ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT ROSE AL S MICROPHONE ROSE ALMA, SHAR, WHAT'S THE NAME WAS LEFT OFF THAT COMPLETES THE LIST [RECESS] OF SPEAKERS. VERY GOOD. WE STAND IN RECESS TO NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. THANK Y'ALL FOR THE WEEK. APRIL 16TH AND 17TH 2024 ITEM ONE, APPROVED SPINNING AUTHORITY IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF 5,613,003 $834 AND 49 CENTS FOR PURCHASE OF AUTOMOTIVE AND HEAVY DUTY TIRES AWARDED TO THE GOODYEAR TIRE AND RUBBER COMPANY. ITEM TWO APPROVED SPIN AUTHORITY AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $66,451 AND 80 CENTS FOR PURCHASE OF A 2024 CANYON FLAT TOP BULLNOSED GOOSENECK TRAILER AWARDED TO NATIONWIDE TRAILERS LLC ITEM THREE, APPROVED SPINNING AUTHORITY AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $812,064 AND 40 CENTS FOR SOCIAL MARKETING SERVICES FOR THE CONGENITAL SYPHILIS PRENATAL CARE CAMPAIGN AWARDED TO GIVE BREATH COMMUNICATIONS INC. ITEM FOUR, UNITED RENTALS NORTH AMERICA INC. FOR PURCHASE OF CLIMATE CONTROL SHIPPING CONTAINERS. ITEM FIVE, SAFE WEAR INC. FOR PURCHASE OF SAFETY RISK BASED EXERCISE TRAINING. ITEM SIX APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $118,500 IN THOSE CENTS FOR PURCHASE OF L THREE HARRIS BINOCULAR NIGHT VISION DEVICES AWARDED TWO RULES OF ENGAGEMENT TACTICAL LLC ITEM SEVEN, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $4,400,000 AND NO CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AS AN APPROPRIATION TO SUPPORT THE ITCHING OF THE EMERGENCY PURCHASE ORDER FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO A SANITARY SEWER LINE. ITEM EIGHT. APPROVED SPRINGING AUTHORITY AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 4,000,404 $4,400,000 IN NO CENTS FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO A SANITARY SEWER LINE FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AWARDED TO PM CONSTRUCTION AND REHAB LLC THIS ITEM SHOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER PASSAGE OF ITEM SEVEN ABOVE ITEM NINE. MANTECH USA INC. AND WATER TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION TO FURNISH INSTALL TEST, PROVIDE TRAINING AND MAINTENANCE FOR VARIOUS LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS. ITEM 10, LEVEL ONE LLCA DOUM COMPANY FOR THE SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE OF MAIL AND PRINT SERVICES. ITEM 11, APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY AND THE AMOUNT NOT EXCEED $2,753,217 AND 60 CENTS FOR PORTABLE RESTROOMS, RENTAL AND RENTALS AND SERVICES AWARDED TO UNITED RENTALS NORTH AMERICA INC. ITEM 12 RESOLUTION CONFIRMING NO OBJECTION TO PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES AS AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING. ITEM 13 RESOLUTION CONFIRMING NO OBJECTION TO PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES AS AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING EACH LOCATED IN THE EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. ITEM 14, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING SIX MILLION NINE HUNDRED THIRTY FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED NINETY TWO THOUSAND FIFTY CENTS OUT OF AIRPORTS IMPROVEMENT FUND AWARDING CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO MARK GANTI, TEXAS INC. ITEM 15 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 22 9 6 7 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND SCHIFFER HICKS JOHNSON PLLC. ITEM 16 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING DIRECTOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO ACCEPT THE GRANT AWARD FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. ITEM 17, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $326,000 AND NO CENTS OUT OF GENERAL IMPROVEMENT. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND 3,000,278 AND NO CENTS OUT OF EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION CONSOLIDATED FUND $2 MILLION AND NO CENTS OUT OF POLICE CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND $1,350,529 AND NO CENTS OUT OF FIRE CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND $526,000 AND NO SENSE OUT A PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND $3,700,000 AND NO CENTS OUT OF PARKS AND RECREATION DEDICATION FUND AND $1,997,000 AND NO CENTS OUTTA PARKS AND RECREATION. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND FOR TASK ORDER AND JOB ORDER CONTRACTING PROGRAM. ITEM 18, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $47,637 AND 19 CENTS I A CONTRIBUTED CAPITAL PROJECT FUND TO TASK ORDER AND JOB ORDER CONTRACTING PROGRAM. ITEM 19, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $7,917,000 AND NO CENTS OUTTA RECRUITMENT ACQUISITION CONSOLIDATED FUND FOR A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK CONTRACT WITH TIMES CONSTRUCTION INC. ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING DERIVATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND SIERRA DIGITAL INC. ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPRO AN AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CNA CORPORATION. [03:10:01] ITEM 22, ORDINANCE RENEWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE OF THE 700 TO 900 BLOCKS OF FEW GATE STREET BETWEEN MISHAW STREET AND THE END OF FEW GR FEW GATE WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. ITEM 23 ORDINANCE RENEWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE 400 TO 500 BLOCKS OF BURN STREET BETWEEN NORTHWOOD STREET AND FLORENCE STREET WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. ITEM 24 ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITIONAL OF 26.197 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUD 2 0 2 ITEM 25. ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF SEVEN 6.851 ACRES OF ATLANTA HARRIS COUNTY MUD 4 6 5 ITEM 26 ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 8.21 ACRES OF LAND TO PORT OF MUD FOR INCLUSION IN THE DISTRICT. ITEM 27 ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING SELLER FOR 25 SQUARE FEET. GAS METER EASEMENT OUT OF CITY FEE OWNED LAND LOCATED THE INMATE CALLAHAN AND ALLEN VINCE LEAGUE, ABSTRACT NINE. HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS SELLING THE EASEMENT TO CENTER POINT ENERGY OUT OF 28. ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $4,212,262 AND 95 CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CALUORI GROUP INC. ITEM 29 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATED 1,000,990 $199,995 90 CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM, CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND NEIL SAFER INC. ITEM 30 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5 MILLION. I KNOW SINCE I HAVE CONTRIBUTED CAPITAL PROJECT FUND AWARD CONTRACT TO DL GLOVER UTILITIES LLC ITEM 31. ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 9 12 2 12 I'M SORRY, PAST FIRST READING APRIL 10TH, 2024. ORDINANCE GRANTED TO BIO CITY WASTE SYSTEMS LLC SECOND READING ITEM 32, ORDINANCE 20 24 2 13 PASS. FIRST READING APRIL 10TH, ORDINANCE GRANTED TO BRUMFIELD SANITATION SERVICES SECOND READING ITEM 33, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 2 14 PASS FIRST READING ORDINANCE GRANTED TO EIO CARRYON DBA GREASE TRAP MAINTENANCE. THIS IS THE SECOND READING ITEM 34. ORDINANCE 20 24 2 15 PASS. FIRST READING ORDINANCE GRANTED TO HAMILTON ALLIANCE INC. AND INDIANA CORPORATION. SECOND READING ITEM 35, ORDINANCE 20 24 2 16 PAST FIRST READING ORDINANCE, GRANITE TO NORTHWEST CASCADE INC. FOREIGN FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION. SECOND READING. ITEM 36, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 2 17 PASS. FIRST READING ORDINANCE, GRANITE TO PHOENIX, POLLUTION CONTROL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, INC. A TEXAS CORPORATION. THIS IS THE SECOND READING. THIS IS THE END OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEM 37, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING DERIVATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TD INDUSTRIES INC. THIS WAS TAGGED BY CONSTABLE POLL. THIS WAS ITEM 12 ON AGENDA OF APRIL 10TH, ITEM 38, ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING DERIVATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TD INDUSTRIES INC. THIS WAS TAB BY CONSTABLE POLLARD. THIS WAS ITEM 13 ON AGENDA OF APRIL 10TH, ITEM 39, ORDINANCE SUBMITTING ORDINANCE 20 21 2 6 6 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT AND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE SOCIAL JUSTICE LEARNING INSTITUTE. ALSO TAG BY CONSTABLE POLLARD. THIS WAS ITEM 15 ON AGENDA OF APRIL 10TH, 2024. ITEM 40 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $53,255,453 AND NO CENTS OUT AWARD AND SEW SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND, AWARDING CONTRACT TO LI CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC. THIS IS TAGGED BY CONSTABLE POLL. THIS IS ITEM 30 ON AGENDA OF APRIL 10TH, 2024. AND ITEM 41 WAS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING A MARKETING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND CUSHMAN AND WAKEFIELD OF TEXAS, INC. THIS WAS DELAYED BY MOTION. 20 24 2 65 ON APRIL THE 10, 20 24. THIS WAS ITEM 39 ON AGENDA OF APRIL 10TH, 2024. THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF APRIL 17TH, 2024. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM IN THE WORDS OF THE CURRENT CITY SECRETARY PAT JEFFERSON. DANIEL, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED. HAVE A BLESSED AND FAN FABULOUS DAY. THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU MADAM SECRETARY. YOU'RE WELCOME. MY NUMBER ONE FAN. ALL RIGHT, HONEY. [RECONVENE] AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE'LL RECOGNIZE VICE MAYOR PROTE PECK ON THE MATTER OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION'S 2024 LEADERSHIP LYCEUM PROGRAM IN THE CHAMBER TODAY. IF YOU COULD STAND, UM, THE HAA CREATED THIS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN 2008 TO IDENTIFY HIGH CALIBER WELL-INFORMED INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AND EDUCATE THEM ON THE MISSION AND STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION. OVER 100 [03:15:01] HAA VOLUNTEERS HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM AND ARE SERVING IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS FOR THE ASSOCIATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE. UH, MADAM SECRETARY. OH, FIRST MEMBERS. I'M GONNA DO THE MAYOR'S REPORT IN ABOUT AN HOUR. SO WE CAN HAVE, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL OFFICIALS HERE AT THIS TIME THAT ARE GONNA PARTICIPATE IN A DISCUSSION. BUT AT THIS TIME, I'D ASK MADAM [CONSENT AGENDA] SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL PROCEED WITH A CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS. ITEM 6, 7, 8, 9, AND 10 HAVE BEEN REMOVED. SEPARATE CONSIDERATION NEEDED. MOTION FOR ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE AND 11. CAST TAYLOR A MOVED ALL SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED MOTION PASSES UNDER THE RESOLUTION CATEGORY. ITEM 12 HAS BEEN REMOVED. SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM 13 JUST NEEDS TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY I REMOVE SIMPLE CONSIDERATION. 16, 17, 21, 28 AND 30. THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 16, 17, 21, 28 AND 30. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] ITEM SIX PLEASE. ITEM SIX NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX SAY A MOVE. CALL A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. SEVEN. ITEM SEVEN NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX. I'M SORRY. ITEM SEVEN IS AN ORDINANCE. THIS NEEDS A VOTE. THIS NEEDS A VOTE. FINE. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. ITEM EIGHT NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX. TATU MOVED. COMMON. SECOND. ALL MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. ITEM NINE NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE SECOND. MOTION MADE AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 10 NEEDS A MOTION CAST. TATUM, MOVE THOMAS SECONDS. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THANK YOU COLLEAGUES. SOME OF YOU'LL REMEMBER LAST YEAR WHEN WE DID THE, THE, SOME OF THE WATER BILL THINGS, WE, WE WERE GIVING PEOPLE 50 CENTS BACK ON THEIR BILL IF THEY WENT OUT, GOT RID OF THE PAPER SO WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON PAPER AND MAILING BILLS. AND WE ASKED. AND ABOUT 4,700 NEW CUSTOMERS WENT TO THE DIGITAL BILL. SO LET'S KEEP ADVERTISING THAT AND GET PEOPLE TO DO THE DIGITAL BILL. IT SAVES US MONEY. THANKS. VERY WELL SAID. NO OTHER DISCUSSION. JUST NEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 12 IS THE RESIDENT. ITEM 12 IS THE RESOLUTION. JUST NEED TO VOTE. COUNCILOR MARTINEZ. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. UM, IT'S A 4% TAX CREDIT, UH, ABOUT 120 UNITS, SENIOR, SENIOR UNITS IN THE MAGNOLIA PARK AREA. WE DID SEVERAL, UH, COMMUNITY OUTREACH MEETINGS, CIVIC CLUBS, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, AND ALSO OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY SUPPORT FOR THIS MAYOR. AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET, UH, SHUFFLE IN THE GROUND EARLY NEXT YEAR ONCE IT GETS APPROVED FROM T-D-H-C-A. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. ITEM 16 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED MARTINEZ Q. BACK UP. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS ITEM, UH, WITHIN THE OFFICE AND, UH, DEFINITELY SUPPORTIVE OF, OF REENTRY. UM, AND WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WHEN IT COMES TO GREYHOUND AND TDCA, TDCJ, UH, DROPPING OFF FOLKS THERE AT THE GREYHOUND STATION. SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS, UH, TO THE HE, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT WAS WHAT DOES THAT OUTREACH LOOK LIKE? THEY SHARED A NUMBER, WHICH IS 8 3 2 3 9 3 5 5 4 6 7 FOR ANY SERVICES. BUT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT CASHIER GARDEN IS, IS WHERE, WHERE THE LOCATION IS. WE CAN HAVE FOLKS ON THE GROUND. UH, FOLKS ARE LITERALLY GETTING DROPPED OFF THERE AT HARRISBURG. UM, SO WELL, LET ME, UH, GO AHEAD. EXCUSE ME FOR INTERRUPTING. NO, I HAVE A LOT OF PASSION FOR THIS PROGRAM. YEAH, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, TAKING YOU TO THE REENTRY PROGRAM IF YOU'LL JOIN ME BECAUSE DEFINITELY. BUT FINISH YOUR COMMENTS. I, I'LL BASICALLY WHAT I, WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR MAYOR, IS, UM, FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, AGAIN, I'M SUPPORTIVE AS WELL. UM, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO DOING OUR [03:20:01] BEST TO SERVICE THESE CLIENTS THAT ARE COMING INTO, UH, INTO HOUSTON. UM, AND THAT WAS, I I WAS MENTIONING THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING DROPPED OFF GREYHOUND THERE ON HARRISBURG. SO, UH, PRESS YOUR FEARS, WHICH ARE LEGITIMATE. BUT THE FOLKS IN THE REENTRY PROGRAM THROUGH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ARE ALREADY RESIDING IN HOUSTON. MANY OF THEM ARE WORKING MOST LIVE ACROSS HOUSTON. IT'S NOT ANY CONCENTRATION. UH, IT'S A VERY IMPRESSIVE PROGRAM. UH, I'VE BEEN AT THEIR GRADUATION NUMEROUS TIMES. YEAH, IT'S, IT'S ONE WE OUGHT TO EXPAND ON, BUT IT'S NOT CONCENTRATED IN CASHMERE GARDENS. THAT'S JUST WHERE WE HAVE THE PROGRAM, THE, THE COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS AND THEY ATTEND SOME CLASSES. BUT, UH, I'M VERY SENSITIVE ALSO TO THE GREYHOUND LOCATION ON HARRISBURG. TDCJ HAS PAROLE OFFICERS THERE PRIMARILY TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT IF YOU'RE PAROLED TO CORPUS, FOR INSTANCE, BECAUSE WE DO PAROLE BACK TO WHERE YOU WERE CONVICTED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOU DON'T GET OFF THE BUS IN HOUSTON. RIGHT? MOST, MOST OF THE DESTINATIONS COME THROUGH HOUSTON. WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO CORPUS AUSTIN, THEY'RE RELEASED IN HUNTSVILLE PLACED ON THE BUS COMING THROUGH HOUSTON. AND AT ONE TIME THERE WAS A PROBLEM OF THEM GETTING OFF THE BUS AND NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THEIR PAROLE PLANS. SO WE HAVE TDCJ PAROLE OFFICERS THERE TO MONITOR THE STATION. BUT I WOULD EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS REALLY KIND OF UNRELATED TO OUR REENTRY PROGRAM. OUR REENTRY PROGRAM IS FOR HOUSTONIANS THAT HAVE COME BACK TO HOUSTON, AND IT'S IN ALL OF OUR INTEREST TO GIVE THEM THE TRAINING, THE COUNSELING, AND THE MOTIVATION TO, UM, GET A RESTART IN LIFE. AND IT REALLY WORKS. AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S THE REASON, UH, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF IT. I STILL THINK WE COULD DO A LOT BETTER. WE SHOULD NOT RELEASE PEOPLE FROM HUNTSVILLE WITH NO MONEY AND NO PLACE TO GO. AND THEY END UP IN HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY. WE'RE JUST NOT GIVING THEM THE REENTRY THAT, THAT WE ALL WOULD BENEFIT FROM. AND I WILL ADD OUT OF THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL, SAME WAY MEMBERS, THEY'RE STILL RELEASING FOLKS AT MIDNIGHT OVER THERE BECAUSE THEY GET CREDIT FOR THE NEXT DAY, WHICH ADDRESSES THEIR OVERPOPULATION. BUT WHEN YOU RELEASE SOMEONE ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON AT MIDNIGHT WITH NO FAMILY, NO MONEY, IT'S JUST NOT GONNA BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE, IN THE, IN THE MID OF WINTER. THEY GET ON THE METRO RAIL TO GET OUT OF THE, THE WEATHER AND THEY GET REARRESTED FOR BEING VAGRANT. AND WELCOME TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THESE ARE LOW LEVEL NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS FOR THE MOST PART THAT JUST NEED SOME ASSISTANCE, RIGHT? SO I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THE CITY WOULD TAKE THE LEAD IN THAT REENTRY PROGRAM. NOW, BACK TO SPECIFICALLY THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA, IT'S, UH, THEY'LL USUALLY GRADUATE ABOUT 30 INDIVIDUALS. IT OUGHT TO BE EXPANDED, BUT THEY ARE HOUSTONIANS AND HAVE NOT JUST BEEN RELEASED. AND I, I LOOK FORWARD, IN FACT, I'M GONNA GET YOU INVITED TO THEIR, NOT ONLY THEIR PROGRAMMING, BUT TO THEIR GRADUATION. IT'S A VERY MOVING EXPERIENCE TO WATCH THE FAMILIES SUPPORT THESE INDIVIDUALS GET A CERTIFICATE, SOME OF THEM GRADUATING FROM A PROGRAM OF ANY TYPE FOR THE FIRST TIME. SO, NO, DEFINITELY. AND I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO NATE COBRA. UH, SHE WORKS THROUGH THAT PROGRAM. SURE. NATE DOES A GREAT JOB. SHE DOES AN AMAZING JOB. UH, I THINK FOR ME, WHAT, AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT THIS ITEM IS ABOUT, WHAT I WANNA DO IS HAVE A GOOD SURE. LARGER DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, I, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AT, AT THE GREYHOUND INTERSECTION. WE'RE WAITING FOR PAROLE OFFICERS. UM, THE, THE BUS GETS THERE, BUT THE PAROLE OFFICERS AREN'T THERE MAYBE FOR ABOUT THE 15, 20, 30 MINUTES. SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IS HOW CAN WE AS A CITY PROVIDE THAT GAP, RIGHT? TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE SUCCESSFUL. AND WE DON'T LOSE ANYBODY, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THE GAP. SO, WELL, IT CERTAINLY ADDRESSES PUBLIC SAFETY THAT I KNOW WE MAKE A PRIORITY, BUT IT ALL FITS TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, THESE FOLKS HAVE BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE, THEY'VE SERVED THEIR TIME, AND THEY DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE. IT JUST SERVES OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP PEOPLE GET ON THEIR FEET AND GO AWAY FROM CRIME. AND THIS TRAINING PROGRAM DOES THAT. COUNCILOR JACKSON, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, AND THANK YOU. UM, COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. UM, I WAS JUST TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUE OVER HERE AND SHE WAS EXPLAINING TO ME, UM, THE ISSUE. I HEAR YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE GREYHOUND, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PROGRAM, IT'S ABOUT THEM BEING DROPPED OFF AT THE GREYHOUND STATION AND NO ONE THERE TO CONNECT THEM, RIGHT. TO WHATEVER RESOURCES. AND SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE OUR CREDIBLE MESSENGER PROGRAM, UM, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, THE REENTRY PROGRAM ON THE JOB COM SIDE. UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, CONNECTING, MAKING SURE WE HAVE CREDIBLE MESSENGERS THERE WITH COORDINATING TO WHAT THEY'RE [03:25:01] HANDING THEM OFF WHEN THEY GET AT THE BUS STATION, AND THEN THAT CREDIBLE MESSENGER HELP NAVIGATE THEM TO WHATEVER RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. 'CAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THEY WERE JUST GETTING DROPPED OFF AT ONE, YOU KNOW, AT ONE PARTICULAR TIME. SO THAT'S A, THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAXIMIZE OUR EFFORTS THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING. DEFINITELY. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. OBVIOUSLY WE ALL KNOW HOUSING IS, UH, A GREAT NEED OF THIS POPULATION. AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, A JOB OPPORTUNITY AND HEALTHCARE. CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING RELEASED AND YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM. IN FACT, YEARS AGO, THE INMATES WERE ON HIV DRUGS AND THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO FOR THAT POPULATION IS TO TAKE THEM OFF THOSE DRUGS DURING TRANSITION. SO NOW WE ALIGN THEM UP THAT PHARMACY SERVICE, UH, BEFORE THEY'RE RELEASED, AND IT'S A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO THE HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM. SO I JUST THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE OUGHT TO GET EXCITED ABOUT TO HELP THESE FOLKS BECOME SUCCESSFUL. WITH THAT SAID, ANYONE ELSE? NO OTHER DISCUSSION. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. 17 ITEM ITEM 17 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. 21 IS THE ITEM. 21 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, COUNCILOR KAMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING. UM, I WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT THIS ITEM BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF IT. UM, THESE ARE RISK ASSESSMENTS DONE IN TRAININGS RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, EXTREMISM AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, TERRORISM. AND SO I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WORK TOGETHER AT EVERY LEVEL FROM O-E-M-H-P-D AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY ON THE GROUND AT THE CITY THROUGH THE COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL THAT COLLABORATE IN THIS. I DID WANNA SHARE SOME STATISTICS. UM, HPD SHOULD BE COMING OUT. I'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT, UH, WITH THEIR, UH, MOST RECENT HATE CRIMES REPORT. I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS READY YET. UM, BUT LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE, UM, HPD REPORTED THAT THE LARGEST INCREASE, UM, IN HATE CRIMES WAS RELATED TO SEXUAL ORIENTATION RELATED BIASES. SO ATTACKS AGAINST THE LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITY. OF COURSE, THERE WERE OTHER TYPES OF ATTACKS, RACE-BASED, UM, ATTACKS BASED ON RELIGION. BUT I DID WANNA TALK ABOUT THE, UM, IMPACTS THIS IS HAVING AND OUR, THE IMPORTANCE, MAYOR OF ALL OF US SPEAKING OUT AGAINST HATE. UH, WHILE HPD TRACKS SOLELY HATE CRIMES, THERE ARE ALSO HATE BASED INCIDENTS. THEY DON'T NECESSARILY MEET THE THRESHOLD OF A HATE CRIME, WHICH IS, UH, A MUCH, MUCH HIGHER LEVEL TO, UH, REACH TO BE PROSECUTED AS SUCH. BUT FOR EXAMPLE, THE ANTI-DEFAMATION, WHICH FOCUSES ON EIGHT HATE INCIDENTS, UH, DID THEIR 2023 AUDIT. IT WAS JUST RELEASED YESTERDAY. AND IN THE SOUTHWEST REGION, WHICH ENCOMPASSES HOUSTON, UM, THERE WAS A 45% INCREASE IN ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS ALONE. UH, SO WE ARE SEEING HATE CONTINUING TO RISE, AND WE ALL, UH, NEED TO DO OUR PART TO MEET THAT CHALLENGE. BUT MAYOR, I DID WANNA SPOTLIGHT THAT HOUSTON IS STEPPING UP, UH, TO DO ITS PART. AND I APPRECIATE THE DILIGENCE OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS IN TRAINING, UH, TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. THAT'S ALL. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. ADAM. 21. JUST NEED A VOTE. THOSE IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 28 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 30 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 31, [MATTERS HELD] UH, 37 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. MORNING. UH, I TAG ITEMS 37, 38 AND 40 LAST WEEK. UH, THE REASON BEING, UH, THESE WERE BIG TICKET ITEMS. I THINK THEY IN TOTAL ADD UP TO ABOUT $140 MILLION. AND I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE MWBE PARTICIPATIONS ON THOSE AND WANTED JUST TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION TO KNOW HOW WE GOT TO THOSE NUMBERS AND WHAT WAS THE METHODOLOGY FOR THOSE PARTICIPATION GOALS. AND SO, OBO WORKED WITH MY OFFICE TO KIND OF WALK ME THROUGH THOSE, UH, PARTICIPATION GOAL LEVELS AND WHY THEY WERE [03:30:01] SET THERE. AND, UH, I WAS SATISFIED WITH IT. BUT WITH THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, UH, THAT'S GOING OUT, UH, FOR THE VENDORS, I WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE MINORITY SUBS GOT THEIR FAIR PIECE OF THE PIE AS WELL. AND SO I WAS SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWERS THAT I RECEIVED. THANK YOU MAYOR. COUNCILMAN AL ALCORN. COUNCILMAN ALCORN. I I ALSO ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE THESE ITEMS WHEN THEY FIRST CAME ON THE AGENDA. JUST 'CAUSE THEY ARE SUCH BIG NUMBERS. I, I UNDERSTAND THIS. TD INDUSTRIES WAS KIND OF MODELED AFTER WHAT WE DID. WE DID A $75 MILLION CONTRACT WITH THEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS FACILITIES. AND BEFOREHAND WE WERE KIND OF PIECEMEALING IT LIKE WE HAD TO WORK THROUGH GSD. THEY HAD A CONTRACT WITH SOME HVAC PERSON, THEN THEY HAD ANOTHER CONTRACT WITH SOME, YOU KNOW, PLUMBING PERSON. AND, AND IT GOT TO BE REALLY TEDIOUS AND TAKE UP A LOT OF STAFF TIME. UM, I TALKED TO THE PERSON IN PUBLIC WORKS WHO, WHO DOES THE TD INDUSTRIES CONTRACT? AND HE SAYS IT IS SO STREAMLINED NOW. YOU LITERALLY HAVE A PROBLEM AT A FACILITY. YOU CALL ONE PERSON, IT'S DONE. THEY'RE THERE. UM, SO THEY HAVE A, A PROVEN TRACK RECORD, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE KIND OF STREAMLINING ALL THAT. AND THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING A COMBINATION OF BOTH. UH, YOU KNOW, REGULAR, REGULAR OPERATING MAINTENANCE ON ALL OUR FACILITIES, PLUS, UH, DEFERRED MAINTENANCE. IT'S GONNA BE KIND OF A MIXTURE OF BOTH. SO WE NEED THIS ADLY, BUT IT WAS A BIG NUMBER. SO, YEAH, WE DID SOME DIGGING INTO THAT TOO. THINK I, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY BECAUSE OF THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF IT, MOST OF US HAD QUESTIONS THAT WERE SATISFACTORILY ANSWERED. YES. ANYONE ELSE? NO, SIR. NOT. YOU NEED TO VOTE ON 37. NEED TO VOTE ON 37. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. ITEM 38 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 39 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, UM, I WANNA FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, AND STAFF THAT CAME AND SUPPORTED THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING YESTERDAY REGARDING MY BROTHER'S KEEPER. I WANTED TO JUST KIND OF CREATE SOME BACKGROUND ON THIS. DURING THE MEETING YESTERDAY. THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS, SOME REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS ASKED BY COUNCIL. I LOVED THE PLATFORM THAT WE WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE, UM, AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WEREN'T PROBABLY ANSWERED, UM, TO SATISFY MANY OF THE MEMBERS. WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I BRING TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION ON THIS VOTE IS THAT, NUMBER ONE, THIS IS NOT COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND. UM, THIS MONEY IS, UM, A WAIVER THAT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH I THINK THIS MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LOOK AT THE PROGRAM DEEPER WORK TOGETHER AS A COUNCIL TO MAKE IT BETTER. BUT I WOULD URGE MY COUNCIL TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M A MOTHER OF THREE BLACK BOYS, AND IF I WAS NOT IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM, THIS WOULD BE A PROGRAM THAT I PROBABLY WOULD NEED FOR THEM. SO IT'S A VERY, IT'S VERY SENSITIVE TO ME BECAUSE BLACK AND BROWN BOYS HAVE MORE CHALLENGES, TWO TIMES MORE CHALLENGES THAN ANY OTHER RACE. AND EVEN THOUGH THIS, THIS PROGRAM MAY NOT BE PERFECT RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE THERE'S A POTENTIAL TO MAKE IT PERFECT. AND I WOULD URGE MY COUNSEL TO PLEASE GIVE ME, GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS, TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT BETTER SO THAT EVERYONE FEELS COMFORTABLE ABOUT HOW WE'RE SPENDING THIS MONEY. BUT IF WE LOSE THIS PROGRAM, WE ARE REALLY LOSING AN OPPORTUNITY TO MITIGATE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE THAT WE'RE NEEDING TO MITIGATE THESE BLACK BOYS. THESE BROWN BOYS ARE GONNA, ULTIMATELY, PROBABLY 90% OF THE TIME, ARE GONNA END UP IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. SO, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND WE'RE PUTTING MONEY AND RESOURCES INTO, UM, ADDITIONAL OFFICERS ON THE GROUND AND WORKING WITH OUR, OUR PARTNERS, UM, OUR SEC, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS, THIS HELPS THEM. THIS ALLOWS THESE YOUNG BOYS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE IN A VERY HOPELESS ENVIRONMENT WITH OUR HSD SYSTEM, WORKING THE WAY THAT IT IS, WHETHER IT'S NOT ENABLING US TO BE AS ENGAGED AS WE ARE WITH OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM, WITH US LOOKING AT COMMUNITY COMMUNITIES TO WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE TUTORING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FREE OVER THE SUMMER TO GET THESE, UM, HSE SCHOOLS BACK ON TRACK SO THE PRINCIPALS ARE NOT FIRED, LOSING AN INTEGRAL PROGRAM, IT REALLY WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL. SO I JUST WANNA PUT THAT ON EVERYONE'S MIND TODAY. I AM BEGGING YOU TO PLEASE [03:35:01] RECONSIDER AND TRUST THAT I WILL WORK WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM THE BEST POSSIBLE. SO AS WE VOTE ON THIS, PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT AND THINK ABOUT THAT, AND KNOW THAT I'M COMMITTED TO THIS, AND I PROMISE I WILL MAKE SURE EVERY SINGLE ANS EVERY SINGLE QUESTION IS ANSWERED, DATA IS GIVEN TO YOU, MISTAKES HAVE BEEN POSSIBLY MADE THAT WE WILL FIX. SO PLEASE, I'M ASKING FOR EVERYONE TO VOTE ON THIS ITEM. THANK YOU, CARTER. COUNCILMAN CARTER, THANK YOU. AND, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER FOR YOUR PASSION FOR THE PROGRAM AND, AND FOR CALLING THE MEETING YESTERDAY FOR THOSE WHO ATTENDED. I, I THINK WE HEARD A LOT. AND, AND YOU'RE RIGHT. MANY QUESTIONS WENT UNANSWERED. UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD EXTENSIVE CONVERSATION YESTERDAY. PROBABLY ONE OF THE, THE PRIMARY FOCUSES, UM, ASIDE FROM ANSWERING THE DIRECT QUESTIONS, WAS THE, UH, CONVERSATION ABOUT EXPANSION OF THE PROGRAM. AND SO IN LIGHT OF THAT, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO, I AGREE WITH YOU, IT'S A NECESSARY PROGRAM. I THINK THE INTENT, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THE PATH THAT IT WAS SET OUT ON DIDN'T QUITE SOLVE, YOU KNOW, OR HAS HISTORICALLY KIND OF GONE ALONG THE WAYSIDE AND, YOU KNOW, ISSUES WITH THE DISTRICT. AND WE CAN LOOK AT ALL OF IT, BUT REALLY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS OVERSIGHT. MM-HMM . RIGHT? IT COMES DOWN TO OVERSIGHT. UM, I WOULD, UH, I, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR EFFORTS AND, AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE. BUT I ALSO WANT TO CALL OUT THE VALUE OF BEING, YOU KNOW, ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS SOMETHING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK I WOULD'VE, YOU KNOW, CUT IT OFF AT THE KNEES BECAUSE IT, IT'S CLEAR THERE ARE PROBLEMS, BUT I WOULD URGE, YOU KNOW, I WOULD URGE YOU, I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU ON THIS, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T GO GUNS BLAZING TRYING TO EXPAND ON SOMETHING THAT'S NOT RIGHT AT THE VERY BASIC LEVEL. AND SO I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH YOU AND TO SUPPORTING IT AND, AND TRYING TO DO, AND MAYBE THIS IS A GREAT RESET FOR THE ORGANIZATIONS. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY GREAT ORGANIZATIONS AROUND DOING, YOU KNOW, AS I ALWAYS SAY, DOING GOOD WORK WELL, AND WE NEED TO LEAN IN TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT OVERSIGHT IS THERE AND THERE'S SOME ACCOUNTABILITY. BECAUSE WHEN YOU START THROWING MONEY AFTER SOMETHING AND YOU DON'T HAVE A SOLID PLAN, THE END RESULT IS, IS NOT THERE. SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO, TO PUSH THEM THROUGH. WE'VE RECEIVED ANY VERY MANY EMAILS SINCE YESTERDAY. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I I, I'M, I'M WITH YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND MAYOR, IF I COULD COMMENT TO COUNCIL. SURE. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I ACTUALLY HAD THAT SAME FEELING AFTER THE MEETING, AND I DID SPEAK WITH, UM, THE PARTNERS OF THE PROGRAM, AND I SAID, LISTEN, UNTIL WE GET THIS PERFECT EXPANSION SHOULD BE OFF THE TABLE. WE NEED TO GET THIS COMFORTABLE FOR EVERYONE SO THAT WE MAKE IT SO PERFECT THAT OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO BRING THEIR SCHOOLS AND THEIR DISTRICTS IN THE FOLD. BUT RIGHT NOW, LET'S FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT WE FILL THE HOLES AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS AND MAKE EVERYONE FEEL COMFORTABLE. THIS IS, UM, HAS THE METRICS IT NEEDS TO HAVE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER FOR YOUR PASSION AND FOR HAVING THE HEARING YESTERDAY CALLING THE, UH, MEETING WHERE WE COULD, UH, ASK QUESTIONS AND, AND SEEK TO GET ANSWERS. I DON'T THINK ALL OUR QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED, UNFORTUNATELY. AND THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER. UH, FOR THOSE WHO WEREN'T PRESENT OR HAVEN'T WATCHED THE, UH, THE RECORDING COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER AND OR HER OFFICE REACHED OUT TO A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS TO INQUIRE HOW WAS THE PROGRAM WORKING IN THE SCHOOLS, AND WAS TOLD SEVERAL BY SEVERAL OF THE SCHOOLS THAT, UH, THE PROGRAM WAS NOT IN FACT IN EXISTENCE AT THOSE SCHOOLS. AND WHEN I MET WITH THE, UM, REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SOCIAL JUSTICE LEARNING INSTITUTE AFTER THE MEETING YESTERDAY, HE SAID HE WOULD SEND ME, UH, CONTACT INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE AT THE SCHOOL WHO COULD VERIFY THAT IN FACT, IT WAS IN OPERATION. AND I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM HIM YET, UNFORTUNATELY. UM, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS, THIS ITEM, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE SOME SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, I, I ADMIRE YOUR DESIRE TO PERFORM, UH, SOME OVERSIGHT OF THIS PROGRAM ONCE, ONCE IT'S APPROVED, BUT I, I DON'T THINK IT'S EASY FOR COUNSEL TO HAVE IT PROVIDE ANY OVERSIGHT ON ANY OF THE ITEMS WE PASS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ADMINISTRATION WILL HAVE SOME OVERSIGHT AND, AND I INVITE THE MEDIA TO, UM, PROVIDE SOME, UH, SCRUTINY TO THIS PROGRAM GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT IN FACT, IT DOES SERVE, UH, THE YOUTH OF COLOR IN, IN OUR CITY WHO DO NEED, UM, THE HELP. UH, AND I, I, I RESPECT THAT AND I SUPPORT THAT. I THINK TOO OFTEN OUR YOUNG MEN GET LOST IN OUR PRIORITIES THESE DAYS. AND, AND I TOTALLY SUPPORT, UM, THE IDEA BEHIND THE PROGRAM, EVEN THOUGH ONE OF [03:40:01] THE REPRESENTATIVES ADMITTED IT'S NOW A CO-ED PROGRAM. IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO OUR YOUNG MEN, BE THAT AS IT MAY, UM, I HAVE SERIOUS QUESTIONS. I HOPE THAT GOING FORWARD, THESE WILL BE TAKEN TO HEART AND THIS PROGRAM WILL BE OPERATED IN THE, IN THE WAY THAT WE INTEND FOR IT TO BE. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. LET ME SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT, UH, I, MY QUESTIONS I HAD ON YESTERDAY WAS STRICTLY BASED UPON THE FACT I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM, BUT MY CONCERNS AND QUESTION WAS HOW DO WE GET EXTRA DOLLARS? MY, MY, MY QUESTION WAS, HOW DO WE HELP TO GET MORE DOLLARS? AND AFTER SPEAKING WITH MS. VINCENT AND, UH, AND THERE AT HHD, IT ALLOWED ME IN ORDER TO GIVE ME INFORMATION THAT I NEEDED, AND I GOT IT. AND SO MY THING GOING FORWARD IS THAT ALL OF US ARE NOT CONCERNED. LET'S TRY TO GET THIS ORGANIZATION MORE MONEY. I HAVE TWO SONS, AND, UH, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE AND I'M SURE OLDER THAN YOUR SONS COUNCILMAN. SO, AND I'M INVOLVED IN THOSE CITIES, IN THESE COMMUNITIES, UH, AND HOLD TWO SCHOOLS WITH THESE ISSUES. SO MY QUESTION ON YESTERDAY WAS STRICTLY THE CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO AROUND THIS TABLE, THE DIRECTOR WAS CLEAR ON THE FACT THAT WE NEED MORE MONEY. IF THEY HAD MORE MONEY, THEY COULD ADD MORE TO THE SCHOOLS. AS COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR PRO TEM TATUM SAID SOME OF HER SCHOOL, MADISON AND HER DISTRICT, I HAVE STERLING IN MY DISTRICT. SO THERE ARE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT NEED IT. SO I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM. I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO EVERYBODY. AND, UH, AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION IN IT. AND SO MY CONCERN IS I WANT TO HELP TO GET SOME PUBLIC PARTNERS TO HELP THIS ORGANIZATION AND ADD TO THE DOLLARS. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER FOR, UH, HOLDING THE MEETING, UM, ON YESTERDAY. UM, I THINK THAT A LOT OF THOSE, UH, QUESTIONS, UM, WERE ANSWERED. AND I GUESS I FEEL LIKE WE HEARD TWO DIFFERENT THINGS BECAUSE WHAT I HEARD WAS A PROGRAM THAT IS STRUGGLING TO WORK WITH, UM, BLACK AND BROWN BOYS IN NEED OF MORE DOLLARS, UM, DOING GOOD WORK. UM, A PROGRAM THAT IS BEING PAID FOR OUT OF CALIFORNIA, THAT AN ORGANIZATION FROM CALIFORNIA IS PROVIDING SERVICES, PROVIDING THE STAFF, UH, AND THAT WE ARE, UM, GETTING THE BENEFIT OF THAT. ALTHOUGH IT MAY NOT BE PERFECT. UM, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD SACRIFICE THE GOOD FOR THE GREAT, BECAUSE MANY OF THESE STUDENTS DON'T HAVE OTHER ALTERNATIVES. WE SIT AROUND THIS DAYS WITH, UM, RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOUNDATIONS THAT WE HAVE ALL, UM, YOU KNOW, SOUGHT FUNDING FOR. UM, AND I THINK THAT WE, WE DEFINITELY HAVE CONNECTIONS THAT COULD HELP TO MAKE THIS ORGANIZATION BETTER. AND WE SHOULD SCRUTINIZE, UM, ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT, THAT COME THROUGH THIS, UM, COUNCIL AGENDAS WITH THIS, WITH THIS SAME ENERGY. MM-HMM. UM, NOT JUST, UH, THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM. SO I HOPE THAT THE CONNECTIONS THAT WE HAVE AROUND THE TABLE WILL UTILIZE THOSE WITH THE ASTROS FOUNDATION. UM, ANY OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH TO TRY TO PUT MORE FUNDING IN PROGRAMS LIKE MY BROTHER'S KEEPER, THIS IS A NATIONAL PROGRAM. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE JUST STARTED IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, AND THESE SERVICES CAN BE UTILIZED ACROSS, UH, THE NATION. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATION SPARKED A LOT OF INTEREST, UM, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF NEED. UH, SO I HOPE THAT AS A COUNCIL WE WILL AGREE THAT OUR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS CAN BE EXPANDED SO THAT WE CAN ALL PLAY A, A VITAL ROLE IN MAKING THIS PROGRAM BETTER. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON WANTING OVERSIGHT, BUT I HOPE THAT THE, UM, COUNCIL COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE THESE CONNECTIONS WITH THESE FOUNDATIONS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE DOLLARS THAT THEY CAN, UH, UTILIZE FOR PROGRAMMING IN OUR CITIES, THAT THEY WILL ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THIS PROGRAM. NOW THAT YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM BETTER. VERY WELL SAID. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, UM, I, I TOO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM, BUT THE ONE ISSUE THAT I HAVE WITH THE PROGRAM, UM, IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE USING AN ORGANIZATION OUTTA CALIFORNIA. UM, WE'VE HAD, WHEN WE STARTED, YOU KNOW, THIS TABLE WITH THE, UM, MY BROTHERS KEEPER, INCREDIBLE MESSENGER, UM, THE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT FUND, THERE WAS A, A ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 30 ORGANIZATIONS AT THE TABLE AND SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS FOUGHT TO BE THE LEAD [03:45:01] FOR THIS PROGRAM. AND THESE ARE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. AND SO THE FACT THAT WE WENT OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, THEY GAVE US MONEY. I KNOW THEY GAVE US, THEY MATCHED IT. I KNOW THEY MATCHED THE MONEY. I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW. BUT THEY STILL NOT HERE. SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT THEY PARTNER WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ON THE GROUND DOING THE WORK, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT PARTNER WITH A LOT OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I WORK WITH. AND SO MAYBE WE CAN LIKE, PUT THAT AS A STIPULATION THAT YOU LITERALLY COLLABORATE, UM, WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WORKING AROUND SOCIAL JUSTICE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. I KNOW THAT THEY GAVE US SOME RESOURCES TO RUN THIS PROGRAM, AND THAT'S WHY DIRECTOR WILLIAMS, UM, PARTNER WITH THEM. BUT HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE QUITE A FEW ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO GREAT WORK HERE IN HOUSTON THAT I FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD BE COLLABORATING WITH. AND THAT WAY, UM, AS WE ARE HERE ON THE GROUND, WE'RE AT THE SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, THAT THE PROGRAM IS MOVING, AND THAT'S HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT IT'S BEING, UM, IMPLEMENTED PROPERLY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CARTER? JUST IN RESPONSE TO COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S CONCERN, TO BE HONEST, THAT WAS ONE OF THE, SORT OF THE RED FLAGS FOR ME, THAT CALIFORNIA. BUT YES, THEY DID COME TO GIVE US MONEY. SO, YES, CHECK. BUT YOU'RE CORRECT. THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW, THE FUNDING IS, UH, THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR IS, THAT CARRIES THE PROGRAM THROUGH THE END OF 2025. SO MAYBE OUR, MY BROTHER OVER AT, UH, THE URBAN LEAGUE, JUDSON ROBINSON, COULD, COULD, UH, WE'LL HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM TO SEE HOW LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS CAN BE INVOLVED. BUT YES, THE, THE, UH, SJLI, YOU KNOW, CAME TO THE CITY WITH MONEY. SO I, I AGREE WITH YOU THOUGH, COUNCILMAN PLUMMER, AND I JUST WANNA JUST MENTION A COUPLE OF THE PARTNERS THAT ARE PARTNER ON THIS, THAT ARE LOCAL, BUT THE HARRIS COUNTY JUVENILE SYSTEM, THE, UM, HOUSTON LIBRARY, HISD, TEXAS SOUTHERN RICE UNIVERSITY, URBAN LEAGUE, U OF H, UM, AND THE SOCIAL JUSTICE GROUPS. SO THESE ARE LOCAL COMMITTEES, I MEAN, LOCAL GROUPS THAT WORK, UM, WITH, TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM WHAT IT IS. AND, UM, AND WE NEED TO LEAN ON THEM A BIT HEAVIER. OBVIOUSLY WE CAN, YOU KNOW, INCLUDE MORE COMMUNITY GROUPS. BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE SOME REALLY, REALLY NICE PARTNERS, UM, THAT ARE, THAT ARE HERE ON THE, ON THE GROUND. AND I, I LOVE THE URBAN LEAGUE AND HAVING THEM TAKE A A HEAVIER LEAD ON THIS WOULD BE PHENOMENAL. UM, BUT AS YOU'VE HEARD AROUND THE TAAS FUNDING IS EVERYTHING. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR JACKSON. AND JUST WANNA JUST WANT TO ADD ONE MORE THING. I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE GREAT, BUT THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS ON THE GROUND COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR YOUTH PER JUSTICE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT THAT ARE WORK IN THIS, IN THIS ARENA. I ACTUALLY CHAIR THE JDI JUVENILE DETENTION ALTERNATIVE INITIATIVE WITH, UM, HARRIS COUNTY JUVENILE PROBATION. SO I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE. ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT THEY NEED TO COLLABORATE WITH THE GRASSROOT ORGANIZATIONS, NOT THE UNIVERSITIES, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THESE KIDS. SO THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. SO WE'RE GIVING THEM MONEY THAT'S PUT PRESSURE ON THEM TO COLLABORATE WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PLU. AND, AND ONE FINAL, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT NO, GO AHEAD. COUNCILOR PLUMMER, I'M AGREEING WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. AS A MATTER OF FACT, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, I WAS AT THE PEER JUSTICE MEETING, AND MOST OF THE EMAILS THAT YOU RECEIVED TODAY ARE PEOPLE THAT WERE AT THE MEETING THAT WERE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS. AND SO, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. AND, AND I WOULD, I, I'M, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THEY HAVE A GOOD, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THEY'RE ADVOCATES FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE. SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP, THAT A LOT OF THE EMAILS THAT YOU RECEIVED ARE FROM MEMBERS OF PEER JUSTICE. UM, AND, AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, SO I AGREE WITH YOU. I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT, FIRST OF ALL, THINK THE DIALOGUE IS VERY BENEFICIAL. YOU CAN'T IMAGINE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR ME TO SIT HERE AND BE PATIENT ABOUT A SUBJECT THAT I CARE SO MUCH ABOUT. UH, TO REACH OUT AND HAVE A PROGRAM FOR AT RISK YOUNG MEN IS SO VITAL TO PUBLIC SAFETY. AND I HAVE SUPPORTED MY BROTHER'S KEEPER FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AS CHAIRMAN OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. WRITTEN LETTERS, MADE PHONE CALLS. IT CAN BE BETTER, IT CAN BE A LARGER PROGRAM. BUT, UH, ITS RESULTS ARE IMPORTANT. AND, AND, AND I'LL EMPHASIZE THIS, AND THE REASON WHY WE SHOULD SUPPORT, YOU EITHER PAY NOW OR YOU PAY LATER, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. AND YOU COULD PAY WITH YOUR LIFE AS SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN ROBBED AT GUNPOINT. YOU LEARN A TOUGH LESSON THAT YOU'VE GOT TO GET INVOLVED AND BE PROACTIVE, WHICH IS COUNCIL'S DOING THIS MORNING. I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO EMPHASIZE THE BENEFIT OF A COMMITTEE HEARING COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR RAPID RESPONSE TO A ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DIVISIVE HAS BROUGHT US TOGETHER THIS MORNING. SO I THINK NOT EVERY ISSUE NEEDS TO GO TO COMMITTEE, BUT WHEN WE SEE ONE THAT, UH, MORE INFORMATION WOULD BENEFIT EACH AND EVERY MEMBER, I THINK WE OUGHT TO GRAB IT. SO THANK YOU [03:50:01] FOR DOING THIS. I THINK WE'RE FIXING TO SEE A STRONG CONSENSUS, MAYBE EVEN UNANIMOUS AT THIS TABLE THAT DIDN'T EXIST LAST WEEK. SO IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF LEADERSHIP AND, UM, THE BENEFIT OF A, OF A COMMITTEE HEARING AND HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC AND ALL THE LIST OF OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE INVOLVED. THIS CAME ABOUT BY YOUR HEARING, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I'M EXCITED TO CALL THE VOTE ON THIS ISSUE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED. WHO PASSES? ANYBODY OPPOSED? I DIDN'T HEAR ANYONE. . NO. CONGRATULATIONS. MEMBERS UNANIMOUSLY DONE. GREAT JOB. ITEM 40 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 41 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THIS ITEM WAS TAGGED AND THEN DELAYED AT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, 10 ACRES IN HARDY YARDS, WHICH WAS AN OLD RAIL YARD THAT WAS REMEDIATED, UH, IN A PRIME SPOT IN THE NEAR NORTH SIDE. AND THIS IS THE LAST VACANT, UH, TRACK OF LAND WE HAVE. THERE WAS GONNA BE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. UH, WHAT WE'VE SEEN DEVELOP ON HARDY YARDS HAS BEEN, UH, A NUMBER OF MULTIFAMILY, UH, DEVELOPMENTS. NOTHING WRONG WITH MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS. UH, SOME ARE MIXED INCOME, SOME ARE, UH, AFFORDABLE MARKET RATE. UM, BUT WE DO HAVE A STRONG DESIRE FROM THE COMMUNITY FOR, UH, SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD FEEL AS A, YOU KNOW, UH, AN ENHANCEMENT ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, ON THE MIXED USE SIDE. AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH HOUSING, WITH THE, YOUR OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LEGAL, UH, A LOT OF INFORMATION HAS BEEN, UH, FOUND THAT, UH, I THINK WOULD BE GOOD TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, UH, KNOWING THAT WE COULD GET, UH, AN ENHANCEMENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A COMMUNITY THAT IS MOSTLY LATINO. UH, IT'S GONNA BE HEAVILY IMPACTED BY THE I 45, UH, REBUILD. UM, IT'S GONNA BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE HARDY TOLL ROAD CONNECTOR PROJECT, WHICH IS GONNA BRING THE HARDY TOLL ROAD STRAIGHT THROUGH THE NEAR NORTH SIDE. UM, IT'S BEEN, UH, IMPACTED BY THE LIGHT RAIL LINE. ECONOMIC CORRIDORS HAVE BEEN, UM, STRESSED AND, UM, A LOT OF QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES HAVE BEEN, UM, HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE AREA. SO THIS IS ONE THING THAT, THAT THEY HAVE A STRONG DESIRE FOR, FOR A, A BENEFIT AND ENHANCEMENT. AND, AND I DO HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THERE, UH, MOVING FORWARD. AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE, THE DEPARTMENTS THAT, UH, WORKED WITH ME ON THIS ONE. VERY GOOD. AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST THE LISTING OF THE PROPERTY TO HELP US DETERMINE THE BEST USE AND THE MARKETABILITY, AND CERTAINLY LISTENING TO THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE COMMUNITY. SO JOB WELL DONE ON YOUR PART AND, UH, WE WILL STAY ENGAGED. UH, ALL IN FAVOR MEMBERS SAY, AYE. THOSE OPPOSED MOTION PASSES. THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. WHAT ABOUT, IT'S NOT EVEN VERY GOOD SESSION. IT'S NOT EVEN 10. I'D LIKE TO [MAYOR'S REPORT] GET BACK TO THE MAYOR'S REPORT. UH, WE'VE ALL BEEN WORKING AND LAST WEEK, UH, I SAW THE LEADERSHIP OF THE MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, WHEN THERE WAS AN ITEM SIMILAR TO THE, UH, PROPERTY THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO JUST SPOKE TO, THAT WE WERE GONNA MARKET, UH, TO SEE WHAT WE COULD, UM, RECEIVE IN VALUE TO PAY DOWN A DEBT AT THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE FOR MONIES THAT WE OWED 'EM. 'CAUSE MONIES WERE NOT PROPERLY USED IN TIMELY FASHION. UM, I THINK I REMEMBER A COUNCIL MEMBER OR TWO COUNT CHALLENGING ME AND OR REQUESTING OF ME WOULD BE THE BEST TERM. NO, A GENTLE NUDGE, NO CHALLENGE, A FRIENDLY SUGGESTION THAT I REACH OUT TO MY FRIEND AT THE LAND COMMISSIONER OFFICE, WHICH WAS A CORRECT CHARACTERIZATION. SOMEONE THAT I SERVED, UH, EIGHT YEARS WITH IN THE SENATE. SOMEONE WHO CALLED ME THE FIRST DAY IN OFFICE AND SAID, WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON. WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE HAD BEEN IN THE PREVIOUS LAND COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE AND PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION IN OVERTON COUNTY, THERE HAD JUST BEEN A BREAKDOWN IN COLLABORATION AND DISCUSSION OF HOW WE COULD ALL SERVE HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY. SO I TOOK THAT REQUEST SERIOUS LAST WEEK. [03:55:01] WE PAUSED ON THE LISTING OF THAT PROPERTY TILL WE COULD SEE IF WE COULD GET MORE FAVORABLE TERMS FROM THE LAND COMMISSIONER OFFICE IN HER CONTACT WITH HUD, WORKING WITH OUR NEW, UH, DIRECTOR OF HOUSING, WHICH I CAN'T APPLAUD ENOUGH BECAUSE HE HAS THE SAME ATTITUDE THAT I HAVE. LET'S JUST GET IT DONE AND MAKE HOUSTON THE MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, COMMUNITY IN THE NATION. NOT JUST LARGE CITIES, BUT ANY COMMUNITY. SO WE'RE ON THE RIGHT FOOTING AND MOVING FORWARD. SO I'M NOT ONLY REACHED OUT TO THE LAND COMMISSIONER, I INVITED HER TO COUNCIL THIS MORNING, AND I'M GONNA YIELD MY TIME TO MIKE NICHOLS, OUR DIRECTOR, AND THE HONORABLE DON BUCKINGHAM, OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER, COUNTY COMMISSIONER, LAND COMMISSIONER, AND SEE WHO I WORK WITH A LOT. UM, TO, TO GET A REPORT ON THE STATUS OF THE, UH, TIMEFRAME. IF WE COULD GET AN EXTENSION, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, AND MOSTLY JUST TO REINFORCE THE COLLABORATION THAT I WANT, THAT THE CITY WANTS WITH COUNCIL AND THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE. WE WILL SERVE HOUSTON BETTER IN HARRIS COUNTY IF WE'RE TALKING TO EACH OTHER, NOT AT EACH OTHER. AND THIS OUGHT TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY CELEBRATE TODAY, THAT IT'S THE WAY YOU SHOULD GOVERN WHEN YOU ALL REPRESENT THE SAME PEOPLE. AT THIS TIME. I'D ASK, UH, HONORABLE DON BUCKINGHAM, OUR LAND COMMISSIONER TO COME FORWARD. AND MIKE, YOU CAN COME FORWARD AND I'LL YIELD MY TIME TO YOU. BUT AT FIRST I WANNA RECOGNIZE OUR MAYOR PROTE AFTER CASTEX TABLE AFTER, AFTER SHE, SHE WOULD LIKE TO, TO TALK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO HER DISTRICT. BUT, BUT FOR OUR DISCUSSION LAST WEEK, MEMBERS THAT PROPERTY WOULD'VE BEEN ON THE AGENDA TO DO SIMILAR TO THE RAIL YARDS, FIND OUT WHAT'S THE BEST USE AND VALUE, BUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING INDIVIDUAL HOMES BECAME OUR PRIORITY. IT WAS OUR PRIORITY. BUT NOW WE HAVE A MISSION STATEMENT, AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE GONNA GET GOOD NEWS THIS MORNING AND I'LL YIELD TO, UH, EACH ONE AT THIS TIME. UH, MIKE, YOU WANNA SET THE STAGE? I'LL START WHAT, WHAT YOU'VE DONE SINCE LAST WEEK. I, I'LL START THEN I'D LIKE MR. BUCKY AND TO MAKE HER REPORT, THEN I'LL FINISH UP. WELL, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE. AND WE YIELD AT THIS TIME. WHEN JOHN WHITMEYER RAN FOR MAYOR, ONE OF THE THINGS I HEARD CLEARLY WAS HE RAN ON THE PROMISE THAT HE WOULD END THE UNNEEDED POLITICAL BICKERY BETWEEN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, HE SPECIFICALLY WANTED TO BUILD A NEW AND POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE AND THE CITY. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE SCOPE IS SO IMPORTANT TO HOUSTONIANS BECAUSE OF ITS ROLE IN DISASTER RESPONSE. AND REALLY, I THINK ON THE FIRST DAY OF YOUR TERM, YOU, UH, SENT OUT A LETTER ABOUT THAT YOU WERE GOING TO BE WORKING MORE CLOSELY WITH COMMISSIONER BUCKINGHAM. UM, I THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BUCKINGHAM FOR BEING HERE. UM, THE POTENTIAL OF A SUCCESS FROM A TRUE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GLO AND THE CITY WILL PAY BOTH IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM DIVIDENDS TO THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON IMMEDIATELY. THE AGREEMENT THAT WE ARE WORKING ON AND THE END OF THE CYCLE OF DISPUTES BETWEEN THE CITY AND GLO WILL MEAN, WILL BE MEAN THAT THE CITY WILL BE ABLE TO SEND FUNDS THROUGH OUR DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDS, PROPERTY SALES, AND TRANSFERS OF SOME OTHER FUNDS THAT ARE NOT USABLE BY THE CITY TO THE GLO. SO THAT THE PROGRAM TO RELOCATE INDIVIDUALS TO PLACE FROM THE APARTMENTS PROPERTIES THAT WERE IN THE FLOODPLAINS PURCHASED WITH DISASTER FUNDS CAN BE FULLY FUNDED. FURTHER, THE GLOS CONSIDERING THE, THE COMPLETION OF DEVELOPMENT, UH, THE GLOS CONSIDERING ALLOWING US TO USE ONE PARCEL ON STELLA LINK AND COMPLETE THE DEVELOPMENT OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND GIVING US ENOUGH TIME TO AUGUST OF 20 OF 28. UM, AND THEY'RE CONSIDERING THIS TO WORK THROUGH, UH, BUILDING THOSE HOMES, HAVING THOSE HOMES OCCUPIED AND USING SOME OF THE UNUSED FUNDS ON THAT PROGRAM. AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T HAVE DETAILS OF THE NUMBER OF HOMES TO BE BUILT OR THE AFFORDABILITY, BUT THIS WORKING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND GLO ARE AN IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT FIRST STEP IN BENEFITING HOUSTONIANS AND ASSURING THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT DISASTER RELIEF FUNDS ARE USED OFFICIALLY AND EFFECTIVELY. AS WE KNOW, WE FACE DISASTERS ONGOING, AS WE KNOW THERE'S OTHER MONIES THAT GO THROUGH THE GLO. AND THIS IS THE FIRST STEP OF A REALLY IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP. [04:00:01] AND MAYOR, I THANK YOU FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD AND USING YOUR PERSONAL AND POLITICAL RELATIONSHIPS TO DO THIS. I'M INDEBTED, COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVITATION. COUNCIL MEMBERS. IT IS A JOY AND A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. IN FACT, LISTENING TO YOUR, UH, DISCUSSIONS BACK AND FORTH, I WAS FLASHING BACK TO MY SCHOOL BOARD DAY. SO BLESS YOUR HEARTS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. UM, IT IS WONDERFUL TO ACTUALLY BE INVITED HERE. AS LAST TIME I TRIED OUTREACH, I WAS DISINVITED. SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK TO YOU. I AM SO EXCITED. WE HAVE GREAT NEWS THAT HAPPENED TO COINCIDE WITH THIS APPEARANCE. AND I JUST WANNA SAY MY GOAL FOR THIS AGENCY IS TO SERVE THE PEOPLE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SERVE AND DO IT WELL. AND IT DOESN'T MATTER THEIR POLITICAL BELIEFS, THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, WE SHOULD ALL COME TOGETHER AND SERVE THOSE THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO SERVE. AND THAT IS MY ENTIRE GOAL FOR THIS AGENCY. AND I THINK HOUSTONIANS IN PARTICULAR, THROUGH EVERYTHING THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH WITH THE HURRICANE HARVEY RECOVERY, THEY JUST WANT THEIR GOVERNMENT TO WORK. THEY WANT THE TARPS OFF THEIR ROOFS OVER SIX YEARS LATER. AND SO WITH THAT, UM, I HAVE REALLY EXCITING NEWS TO BREAK TO Y'ALL. UM, AND THROUGH A COALITION OF ADVOCACY, I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU WERE PART OF IT, BUT JUST TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT, NOT JUST TO THE MAYOR, BUT TO HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RAMSEY, BRIAN AND GARCIA AND CONGRESSWOMAN FLETCHER, THEY REALLY ALL STOOD UP AND TOGETHER WE WENT TO HUD WITH UNITED VOICE TO SAY, WE NEED MORE TIME. WE'VE GOTTA GET THIS, THESE DISASTER DOLLARS DELIVERED. AND WE HAVE GOTTEN THAT EXTENSION. SO WE HAVE A TWO YEAR EXTENSION FROM HUD. HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BRING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GET ALL OF THESE DOLLARS DELIVERED LIKE WE NEED TO GET THEM DELIVERED. AND WE ARE, OF COURSE GOING TO BE IMMEDIATELY PARTNERING WITH HOUSTON, WITH HARRIS COUNTY, GETTING IN THE TRENCHES AND GETTING THIS DONE. AND I JUST WANNA RUN THROUGH A COUPLE THINGS. THAT'S MY GREAT NEWS. I HAVE GREAT NEWS TODAY. I HAVE GOOD NEWS TODAY, AND I HAVE A SMID OF BAD NEWS, BUT THE SMID OF BAD NEWS IN THE MIDDLE IS PART OF OUR GOOD NEWS THAT WE'RE GONNA GET ACCOMPLISHED. SO, UM, AND I'M GONNA READ IT JUST 'CAUSE WE HAVE STATISTICS HERE. I GENERALLY DON'T READ MY STUFF, BUT MY STAFF WILL BE HAPPY. I ACTUALLY READ WHAT THEY WROTE FOR ME FOR ONCE. SO ANYWAY, UM, AND JUST SO Y'ALL KNOW, UM, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE GLO HAS MADE INCREDIBLE PROGRESS IN HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY IN REBUILDING THE LIVES OF THOSE AFFECTED BY HURRICANE HARVEY. THE GLO HAS REBUILT MORE THAN 2300 HOMES FOR FAMILIES AND SENIOR CITIZENS IN HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY. WITH ANOTHER 900 APPROVED FOR CONSTRUCTION, WE HAVE ALLOCATED MORE THAN 1 BILLION IN FUNDING FOR FLOOD AND DRAINAGE PROJECTS IN HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY TO MAKE COMMUNITIES STRONGER AND MORE RESILIENT TO FUTURE STORMS. THE GLO IS WORKING WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY TO ENSURE THAT ALL DISASTER RECOVERY AND MITIGATION FUNDING IS SPENT EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY TO BENEFIT YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES HERE IN HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY. SO HERE'S THE SLIGHTLY BAD NEWS. UM, IN 2021, THE CITY OF HOUSTON USED FEDERAL DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDS TO BUY OUT FOUR APARTMENT COMPLEXES. UNFORTUNATELY, UNDER FORMER MAYOR TURNER'S LEADERSHIP, APPROXIMATELY 900 HOUSEHOLDS WERE DISPLACED, IE PUT OUT ON THE STREET. AND THE CITY FAILED TO PROVIDE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE AS MANDATED BY FEDERAL LAW TO THE DISPLACED TENANTS. BY LAW, MONEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THESE HOUSTONIANS TO PAY FOR MOVING EXPENSES, DEPOSITS, AND RENT INCREASES AFTER THEY WERE DISPLACED BY THE CITY'S PROGRAM, IT WAS NOT. NOW WE MUST FIND THESE TENANTS FROM THESE FOUR DEVELOPMENTS AND PAY THEM THE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE THEY WERE OWED. THE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE WILL PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR THESE FAMILIES WHO ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING TODAY. THIS IS, WE'RE GETTING BACK INTO THE GOOD NEWS. WE'RE ANNOUNCING A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND HARRIS COUNTY LEADERS, WITH THE HELP OF FAITH LEADERS AND INFLUENTIAL COMMUNITY ADVOCATES TO REACH OUT TO HUNDREDS OF HOUSTONIANS WHO ARE LIVING IN THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES. AND THANK YOU TO MANY OF YOU WHO HAVE ALSO VOLUNTEERED YOUR SUPPORT IN HELPING LOCATING THESE FAMILIES BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THEM FOR A WHILE. WE'LL BE CONDUCTING OUTREACH THROUGH SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND FAITH ORGANIZATIONS, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, FOOD BANKS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. PLEASE, THIS IS MY ASK. JOIN US IN SPREADING THE WORDS SO THAT WE CAN LOCATE THESE DISPLACED FAMILIES. I KNOW MY TEAM HAS VISITED YOUR OFFICE OFFICES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE. UM, AND FOR RESOURCES AT RECOVERY.TEXAS.GOV/RA HOUSTON, THEY CAN CALL THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE OR EMAIL US AS WELL. AND I WANNA THANK MAYOR WHITMEYER AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL FOR WORKING WITH THE GLO TO HELP HOUSTONIANS. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE HERE TODAY. [04:05:01] THANK YOU, UH, . THANK YOU COUNCILOR. UH, MAYOR PROTE, CASTEX TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER. I DO WANT TO SAY, UM, COMMISSIONER BUCKINGHAM IS VERY NICE TO MEET YOU. UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, WHEN WE GOT THIS ITEM, UH, ABOUT STELLA LINK ON THE AGENDA A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, UM, IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO REACH OUT TO THE MAYOR BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND SO MANY OF OUR CONSTITUENTS WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A AFFORDABLE SINGLE FAMILY HOME IN THE, IN THE CITY. UM, THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY IS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM THE MEDICAL CENTER. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, YOU KNOW, TECHNICIANS AND PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE MEDICAL CENTER HAVING A CLOSE PLACE TO RESIDE AND WORK SO THAT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE CAN BE, UM, IMPROVED. SO MANY TIMES, THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR CITY HAVE TO MOVE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY IN ORDER TO BECOME A HOMEOWNER. UM, WE HAVE LOTS OF APARTMENTS AND THAT THEY CAN LIVE IN THAT NOW ARE AFFORDABLE OR MORE AFFORDABLE, LET ME SAY THAT. UM, BUT THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FOR MY DISTRICT IN PARTICULAR, JUST IN IN THE AFFORDABILITY RANGE, IT'S, IT'S JUST MOVING, UM, YOU KNOW, HIGHER AND HIGHER. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE PROPERTY NEAR WHERE WE ARE LOOKING TO BUILD THESE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, WE JUST TALKED TO THAT DEVELOPER AND THEY ARE BUILDING A SIMILAR PRODUCT, STARTING AT $450,000. AND NOT MANY, YOU KNOW, YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES CAN REALLY AFFORD A, YOU KNOW, TOWN HOME AT $450,000. SO WE APPRECIATE THE EXTENSION AND EVERYONE WHO WORKED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS EXTENSION COULD HAPPEN. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, UM, HAPPEN IN THE TIMELINE THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US BY HUD. UM, SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE WILL DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS. I DO WANT TO AMPLIFY, UH, DIRECTOR NICHOLS ON YESTERDAY IN THE HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETING. HE PRAISED THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TEAM, UH, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S, UH, STAFF ON THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROGRAM. AND SO I, I WAS GRATEFUL TO HEAR HIM SAY THAT BECAUSE HE'S BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM OVER THE LAST SIX WEEKS AND, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE A KNOWLEDGEABLE GROUP. UM, BUT SOMETIMES THERE ARE LOTS OF HURDLES THAT HAPPEN. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOUR STAFF, UM, HEATHER, BRITTANY, SUMMER, JENNIFER AND CLARISSA AND CARLA HAVE BEEN MAKING THE ROUNDS TO OUR, OUR CITY COUNCIL OFFICES, PROVIDING US WITH, UM, SOME INSIGHT INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN HELPFUL FOR US. UM, BUT THE BIGGEST THING I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU IS HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO WORK ACROSS OUR AGENCIES, ACROSS, UH, GOVERNMENT, UM, ACROSS, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL LINES AND MOVING FORWARD IS THE WIN FOR HOUSTONIANS. AND THE PEOPLE ELECT US, AND THE PEOPLE HAVE US IN THESE SEATS TO WORK ON THEIR BEHALF. UM, I'M HONORED TO WORK ON BEHALF OF MY CONSTITUENTS JUST AS YOU ARE, BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WE HAVE SHARED CONSTITUENTS AND THEY DEPEND ON US TO WORK TOGETHER, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, UM, FOR THEIR BEST BENEFIT. AND SO, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO MEET YOU. UM, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE, UM, THE CONVERSATIONS TO MAKE THESE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR CITY MORE AVAILABLE FOR MORE PEOPLE. UM, STELLAR LINK IS JUST ONE PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT I THINK WE CAN REALLY, UM, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. THE MAYOR MADE A BOLD STATEMENT WHEN HE SAID HE WANTS THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO BE THE MOST AFFORDABLE CITY IN THE COUNTRY. HE AND, UH, DIRECTOR NICHOLS, THAT THAT'S A BOLD STATEMENT, AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE BOLD DECISIONS AND BOLD MOVES BY ALL OF US TO WORK TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU AND YOUR INCREDIBLE TEAM AND TO DELIVER THESE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO REALLY, UM, IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND, AND MANY OF THIS PROBABLY, OR MANY OF Y'ALL PROBABLY DON'T KNOW THIS ABOUT ME. I, I GREW UP UNDER THE POVERTY LINE, UM, THE MAJORITY OF MY LIFE UNTIL I WAS 35. I'M VERY CLEAR AND I'M A MEDICAL DOCTOR BY TRAINING, SO I'M VERY CLEAR ON HOW HARD IT IS WITH GOOD HOUSING. IN FACT, THE HOU, OUR FIRST HOUSE WE BOUGHT WAS $50,000. NOW THAT WAS NOT YESTERDAY, I'LL BE HONEST, IN GALVESTON WHEN WE WERE IN MEDICAL SCHOOL. UM, BUT I CHECKED THE OTHER DAY, THAT HOUSE IS NOW ALMOST $400,000. SO, SO AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ESPECIALLY [04:10:01] OUR WORKFORCE, OUR PEOPLE, OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR OUR ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, OUR TEACHERS. THAT IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE THINGS I'M WORKING ON ACROSS THE STATE OUTSIDE OF DISASTER DELIVERY. SO WE'RE HAPPY TO PARTNER WITH YOU IN THAT WAY AS WELL BECAUSE IT IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR FOLKS WHO WANNA SERVE OTHERS CAN, CAN AFFORD TO LIVE NEAR WHERE THEY WORK. THERE. THERE'S ONE MORE THING THAT I, I I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T BRING UP, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF FRUSTRATION INITIALLY WITH, UM, GLO BECAUSE IN, IN MY PARTICULAR DISTRICT, WE ARE A BEDROOM COMMUNITY. WE'VE GOT 95 CIVIC CLUBS AND HOAS. AND SO WHEN GLO WAS, UH, REBUILDING HOMES, UM, AND WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT MOST FAMILIES HOMES ARE, UH, WHERE THEIR BIGGEST IN, IT'S THEIR BIGGEST INVESTMENT. UM, THE ISSUE THAT I HOPE THAT WE CAN RESOLVE IS, AND THEN IT MAY HAVE, WE MAY HAVE TO GO AND PETITION HUD AGAIN TO, TO HELP RESOLVE IT. BUT I, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A, A, A DREAM TEAM THAT WENT AND, AND DID THIS. LET'S GO BACK, UM, WHEN A FAMILY HAS A THREE BEDROOM OR A FOUR BEDROOM HOME AND THEY QUALIFY FOR THE GLO TO REBUILD THEIR HOME, BUT BE BECAUSE THEIR CHILDREN HAVE NOW GRADUATED, THEY GET A TWO BEDROOM HOME WITH NO GARAGE, UM, WE, I FEEL LIKE WE ARE TAKING AWAY THEIR INVESTMENT, THE VALUE IN THEIR INVESTMENT AS WELL AS IMPACTING, UM, THE VALUE IN THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS TO CHANGE. UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT FAIR. UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE REALLY ARE GOING TO HELP PEOPLE, WE CAN'T DEVALUE THEIR INVESTMENT. AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF THAT IN SOME OF THE HOMES THAT WERE REBUILT. PEOPLE ARE GRATEFUL THAT THEIR HOME HAD, WAS ABLE TO BE REBUILT, BUT I, I STILL FEEL LIKE WE TOOK A LOT OF THAT VALUE AWAY. SO I THINK WE STILL NEED TO WORK ON, ON LEGISLATION AND, AND HOW WE FIX THAT PROBLEM BECAUSE WE WANNA BE HELPFUL AND NOT HURTFUL. YES, MA'AM. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I JUST REALIZED I DIDN'T THANK HUD. SO I WANNA SAY HUGE THANK YOU TO HUD FOR THIS EXTENSION. OF COURSE. UM, AND YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. UM, I SAY THIS WITH LOVE, WE ARE LITERALLY THE UMPIRE ON THE FIELD. I HAVE A BASEBALL PLAYER BY THE WAY. UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE UMPIRE ON THE FIELD, WE DON'T GET TO MAKE THE RULES, WE GET TO ENFORCE THEM. AND SO I, I DO HEAR THAT A LOT. UM, JUST TO PUT THAT OUT THERE, THE AVERAGE HOME THAT WE REBUILT, EVEN IF IT WAS SMALLER, WAS INCREASED BY VALUE ON AVERAGE OF $80,000. BUT I HEAR YOU. AND UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I'M HAPPY TO, TO ADVOCATE WITH HUD AND SEE HOW WE CAN BETTER HELP THE PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP. COUNCIL CASTILLO, VERY GOOD. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO? NO. NO. OKAY. THOMAS, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. UH, WELCOME COMMISSIONER. UH, AND THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD NEWS. I TEASED THE MAYOR EARLIER THIS MORNING AND I SAID, UH, YOU PUT ON YOUR GOOD SUIT 'CAUSE YOU GOT SOME GOOD NEWS, UH, TO SHARE. . UH, HE STEPPED IT UP THIS, THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR US AND FOR APPROPRIATE REASON, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS A GOOD DAY FOR HOUSTONIANS. AND IT GOES TO, UH, ONE, HIS BOLD STATEMENT, BUT ALSO THE RELATIONSHIP. UM, AND THEN ONE, HAVING CONFIDENCE IN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TO EXECUTE THIS, THIS LARGE TRACK DEAL WILL BE SIGNIFICANT 'CAUSE IT WILL MODEL WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IN OTHER COMMUNITIES. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO EXTEND THAT TO THE CITY. MAYOR PRO TEM IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. UH, OF, YOU KNOW, I AS WELL PURCHASED MY HOME FOR $60,000 . UM, UM, I COULD FIND MY MORTGAGE UNDER A MATTRESS IF I NEEDED TO, RIGHT? UH, BUT THAT'S NOT A REALITY FOR MANY HOUSTONIANS. UM, AND, AND THE VALUE IN MY HOME, I COULD SELL IT, BUT WHERE COULD I GO? 'CAUSE I COULDN'T AFFORD MANY PLACES TO GO. UM, UH, SO TWO POINTS AROUND, UH, YOUR TEAM, PARTICULARLY CARISSA AND HEATHER. I KNOW MAYOR PRO TIMM HAS LISTED ALL OF THEM SINCE YOUR ADMINISTRATION. THERE'S BEEN A SHIFT IN TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT. UM, UH, REGARDLESS IF WE WERE IN AGREEMENT WITH THE DECISION, THE WILLINGNESS TO COMMUNICATE AND THE LINES HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN OPEN. AND FOR THAT, I'M DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE TO HAVE THEM AT THE TABLE. AND THEN SECONDLY, WITH THE DIRECTOR, THE NEW HOUSING DIRECTORS LEADERSHIP, THE DEPARTMENT, UM, HAS A NEW ENERGY AROUND THE POSSIBILITIES, UM, OF CONTINUING WORK WITH THE GLO AND THEIR CREATIVE RESPONSE TO THIS. I, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN YOU TURN, COME BACK TO HOUSTON TO TURN THE DIRT, UH, WHEN YOU COME BACK TO HOUSTON TO DO THE RIBBON CUTTING. UM, SO THEN WE CAN MAKE, UH, THIS VISION A REALITY. SO THANKS AGAIN FOR, UM, EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTS YOU, AND THEN ALSO MAYOR FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS, UH, TO ACCEPT THAT GENTLE NUDGE, UH, TO CALL YOUR FRIEND, UH, AND, AND MAKE SOME THINGS HAPPEN, UH, FOR HOUSTONIANS. THANK YOU MUCH. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. THANK YOU MA'AM. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. COMMISSIONER, WELCOME. UH, IT IS SO WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU AND I WANNA THANK YOU, UH, FOR MAKING THE VISIT, FOR COMING DOWN IN PERSON. AND I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TEAM. I'M LOOKING AT A FEW OF THEM. AND, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT, AND I THINK I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, UM, [04:15:01] HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US TO MEET WITH YOUR TEAM HERE IN HOUSTON, SOME ALSO FROM AUSTIN, BUT THE HOUSTON BASED TEAM. AND SO IMPRESSIVE THAT IT WAS AN ALL FEMALE TEAM THAT CAME AND MET WITH US. , UH, LOVE THAT. UH, BUT I ALSO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE PARADIGM SHIFT THAT WE'RE SEEING. UM, AND DIRECTOR NICHOLS, THANK YOU FOR REALLY STEPPING UP AND MOVING THE BALL FORWARD FOR US TO FIND SOLUTIONS. I HAD TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU, COMMISSIONER. ONE YOU SAID, UH, REGARDING THE BAD NEWS, WHICH WE ALL TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY. UM, AND WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING WAYS THAT AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WE CAN HELP WITH THIS OUTREACH TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON IS TAKEN CARE OF. UH, YOU SAID YOU HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR THEM FOR A WHILE. ABOUT HOW LONG HAS THAT OUTREACH BEEN GOING ON? WE STARTED THIS SUMMER AS SOON AS WE LEARNED ABOUT THESE FAMILIES. UM, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE CAMPAIGN WE DIDN'T WANNA POLITICIZE IT UNNECESSARILY, SO WE JUST KEPT PUT OUR HEAD DOWN AND STARTED DOING OUR WORK. UM, WE'VE HAD TROUBLE FINDING THEM, SO WE'VE DECIDED WE NEED TO REALLY THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. SO, UH, IN A LITTLE BIT WE'LL BE, UH, DOING A PRESS CONFERENCE WITH, UM, SOME OF THE FAITH LEADERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS IN THE CITY. SO WE'RE DROPPING, UM, PAMPHLETS IN, IN SCHOOL FOLDERS. WE'RE GOING TO OUR CHURCHES. WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNITY CENTERS. WE'RE REALLY, REALLY TRYING TO, TO THINK, UM, USING SOME SOCIAL MEDIA . YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST TO, TO FIND THE FOLKS. AND, AND WE WILL BY LAW, AND, AND WE HAVE TO, AND WE WANT TO, WE'LL HOLD THAT MONEY UNTIL WE FIND THEM. SO PERFECT. AND AGAIN, COUNT ON ALL OF US AS PARTNERS IN THAT EFFORT. UM, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER QUESTION, UH, DIRECTOR YOU MENTIONED, UH, AND THIS GOES RIGHT TO THE NEXUS OF WHY WE'RE ALL HAVING THIS CONVERSATION TO BE BEGIN WITH, WHICH IS DISASTERS. UM, AND HERE IN HOUSTON, WE'VE HAD DROUGHTS, WE'VE HAD FREEZES, BUT BY AND LARGE IT'S FLOODING AND IT'S STORMS. UH, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS AS WE TALK ABOUT HOME OWNERSHIP, THE ISSUE OF INSURANCE, AND IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, HOME INSURANCE RATES ARE SKYROCKETING. UH, WE HAVE PRIVATE COMPANIES PULLING OUT ENTIRELY IN THE STATE. UH, WE HAVE, AGAIN, SINCE THERE'S A SMALLER MARKET, THOSE RATES ARE SHOOTING UP AND PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD IT. UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO FLOOD INSURANCE. YES, UNDER FEDERAL PROGRAMS, IF YOU'RE IN A FLOODPLAIN, UM, YOU HAVE A CERTAIN RATE AND YOU ARE REQUIRED TO GET FLOOD INSURANCE. BUT IN MY OPINION, EVERY SINGLE HOUSTONIAN WHO IS A HOMEOWNER SHOULD HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE, AND EVERY SINGLE RENTER SHOULD HAVE RENTAL INSURANCE. UH, I RAISED THAT, NOT TO PUT IT ON THE GLO, BUT AS WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS AND THE COMPONENT OF RESILIENCY AND MAKING SURE THAT RESIDENTS CAN STAY IN THEIR HOMES, UH, I'M POSING THE QUESTION, UH, TO ALL OF US AS WELL AS AT THE STATE LEVEL. WHAT CAN WE BE DOING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? BECAUSE YES, WE ARE BUILDING AND THERE'LL BE MORE REQUIREMENTS, RIGHT? RAISED IN ELEVATED HOMES, BUT AT SOME POINT WE ALSO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE PROTECTION SO THAT WE'RE NOT IN THIS SITUATION TO BEGIN WITH, AND THAT FAMILIES CAN REBUILD, UM, AND STAND ON THEIR OWN TWO FEET. DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? I, I HAVE A TON OF THOUGHTS. WE COULD TALK ABOUT THIS FOR FOUR DAYS. UM, BUT, BUT HONESTLY, IT'S, IT'S A COMBINATION. 'CAUSE YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. AND IT, AND IT SPEAKS TO THE MAYOR POT TIM'S KIND OF QUESTION EARLIER, WHEN YOU HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE, YOU GET A REBUILT HOME LIKE YOU HAD BEFORE, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE AND YOU HAVE A HOUSE THAT'S BASICALLY CONDEMNED AND UNLIVABLE THAN THE GOVERNMENT COMES IN AND SAYS, THIS IS WHAT WE THINK YOU NEED AND THIS IS WHAT WE WILL BUILD FOR YOU, WHICH ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS. HOPEFULLY THE BILLION DOLLARS PLUS THAT WE'RE DOING IN FLOOD MITIGATION IS REALLY GONNA HELP WITH THAT. HELPING THE PROJECTS TO GET, UM, GET THE WATER MOVING THROUGH. UM, I GREW UP ROUGHLY UNTIL SEVENTH GRADE IN LEAGUE CITY, SO, UH, CLEAR CREEK VILLAGE, BY THE WAY, WHICH, IF YOU WANNA SEE IT FLOOD, IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE HOW IT FLOODS THERE. AND IT'S STILL FLOODING. I STILL DUNNO HOW THOSE HOUSES ARE STILL THERE WHEN I GO DOWN 45. BUT ANYWAY, UM, AND THEN, AND THEN PART OF IT TOO IS, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE, IT'S FORECASTED TO BE A PRETTY BIG HURRICANE YEAR. I, THAT'S, SO I WAS GONNA SPEAK ABOUT THAT WAY. YES. SO THINK GOD WAS SMILING ON ME MY FIRST YEAR AS LAND COMMISSIONER. WE DIDN'T HAVE A BIG HURRICANE, BUT, BUT IT'S LOOKING, IT'S LOOKING ROUGH. BUT THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALSO TAKING VERY SERIOUSLY THE COASTAL SPINE PROJECT, WHICH IS THE LARGEST INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT THAT THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS HAS EVER TAKEN ON. AND WE'RE STARTING IN AT THE LOUISIANA BORDER AND COMING THROUGH AND CREATING A BARRIER SYSTEM OF DUNES, LEVIES, POTENTIALLY BIG FLOODGATES. SO WHEN THOSE BIG STORMS COME, WE CAN MINIMIZE THEIR IMPACT WHEN THEY HIT. AND YOU'RE, BUT YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK ON THE COST OF FLOOD INSURANCE. UM, AND A LOT OF THAT IS, IS CREATING RESILIENCY WITHIN WHAT WE BUILD AND REBUILD. AND TO THE COASTAL SPINE POINT MAYOR, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK, UM, WE HAD SEVERAL COMMITTEE HEARINGS THROUGHOUT THE LAST TERM ON UPDATES TO THAT, YOU KNOW, AND THE MID BAY BARRIER. AND I WON'T GET INTO THE POLITICS OF ALL OF THAT, BUT, UM, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY [04:20:01] ASK THAT WE HAVE A RESILIENCY COMMITTEE UPDATE ON WHERE THAT STANDS AGAIN, STANDS AGAIN, THAT'S A DECADE OUT. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING RIGHT NOW TO MAKE SURE THAT HOMEOWNERS ARE PROTECTED? AND WE APPRECIATE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO AND OF COURSE, DIRECT OR THE PARTNERSHIP THROUGH THE CITY, UM, TO GET AS MANY HOUSTONIANS PROTECTED AS POSSIBLE. 'CAUSE IT, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT, ESPECIALLY THIS UPCOMING SEASON. MM-HMM . COUNCILWOMAN, I'D LIKE TO RESPOND ON, ON TWO POINTS. UM, FIRST OF ALL, ON COLLABORATION. AND I WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSIONER BECAUSE WHAT SHE SAID TODAY, WHEN SHE, YOU HEARD ABOUT THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN HUD, THE COUNTY, THE CITY CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, THE STATE, THE GLO, THAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO US. AND ONE OF THE EXAMPLES ON THIS COLLABORATION IS THE BILLION DOLLARS YOU SPOKE OF IS GOING TO HARRIS COUNTY'S FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICTS FOR USE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE KIND OF COLLABORATION WE'RE WORKING ON, ON INSURANCE. WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT EVERY TIME THAT WE LOOK AT A PRI AT A PROPOSAL. UM, INSURANCE HAS BECOME A MAJOR, MAJOR FACTOR, ESPECIALLY IN AFFORDABILITY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF BOTH MULTIFAMILY AND SINGLE FAMILY APARTMENTS. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. AND I, AGAIN, IT'S GONNA TAKE THE STATE, IT'S GONNA TAKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT THIS KIND OF COLLABORATION CAN BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR TEXAS COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, AND COMMISSIONER, JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, YOU ARE NO STRANGER TO THE COMMUNITY. YOU'VE BEEN INVITED SEVERAL TIMES BY LULAC COUNCIL TO COME AND VISIT, UH, HOUSTON, AND I'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO BE AT, AT SEVERAL OF THOSE INVITATIONS AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY. UM, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE AT CITY HALL AS WELL. UH, DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO THE RELATIONSHIPS, THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT, THAT, UH, CONTINUE TO, UH, INCREASE. 'CAUSE AFFORDABILITY IS DEFINITELY, UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST PRIORITIES IN DISTRICT AS WELL, NOT JUST IN THE EAST END, BUT AS THINGS CONTINUE TO BUILD OUTSIDE INTO THE HOBBY AIRPORT AREA. UH, PERSONALLY I'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, MY, MY VALUE GO 20,000 EVERY YEAR. AND SO WE NEED TO START THINKING, THINKING, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, FORWARD THINKING AS FAR AS HOW WE START GETTING AHEAD OF THAT CURVE AS WELL. UH, AND WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO CLARISSA. SOME FOLKS MIGHT KNOW SHE WAS A STAFFER AS WELL. AND SO SHE WAS, SHE WAS WITH, UH, GLO BEFORE YOU GOT THERE, SO THANK YOU FOR KEEPING HER. SHE'S A HUGE ASSET. SHE'S A HUGE A ASSET. UH, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS, UH, OVER THE PAST YEARS, BUT THEN EVEN, EVEN MORE RECENTLY THIS YEAR, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH, WITH YOUR TEAM TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE, THE, THE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE, WE'VE HIT. UH, ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT I, I WOULD LOVE FOR, UM, JLO TO, UH, YOU KNOW, GO BACK WITH THAT DREAM TEAM TO HUD IS, AS YOU WERE REBUILDING, AS WE WERE REBUILDING SOME OF THESE, UH, HOMES, A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS BEING PUT ONTO THE HOMEOWNERS. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A NEW BUILDING, SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, PER CITY ORDINANCE, WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO CONNECT BACK TO THE CITY SERVICES. AND SO, UH, HOW, HOW WE CAN WORK WITH THE HOMEOWNERS, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA BURDEN THEM WITH ANOTHER 20, 30, 40,000 FOR, FOR THOSE CONNECTIONS. SO IT'D BE A, A GREAT CONVERSATION TO HAVE WITH, WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM AS WELL. SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP, FOR CONTINUING TO STAY IN THE COMMUNITY AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. VERY GOOD. COUNCILOR ALCORN. THANK YOU. WELCOME COMMISSIONER. AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SUCCESS, YOU AND OTHERS. GOING TO HUD AND GETTING THAT EXTENSION, THAT'S BIG NEWS. UM, ON THE, UH, THE RELOCATION MONEY. I'M TRYING TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE, OF THE MECHANICS. HOW MANY FAMILIES ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? AND YOU, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE STATS, THAT'S FINE. IT WAS 900 HOUSEHOLDS, 900 HOUSEHOLDS. THERE'S FOUR APARTMENT COMPLEXES. AND SO HOW MUCH MONEY WAS DUE? IT IS 45 MILLION. 45 MILLION. 45 MILLION. SO WHAT, HOW'S THE MECHANICS OF THAT? HOW, HOW DOES THIS WORK? SO THEY, THEY REACH OUT TO US. WE, OF COURSE, VERIFY THAT THEY ACTUALLY LIVED IN THE APARTMENTS, , AND THEN, AND THEN WE CAN MAKE THAT ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO THEM. OKAY. AND THEN IS THAT MONEY THAT THE CITY HAS THAT WE PAY? OR IS THAT MONEY, HOW, HOW DOES IT'S, IT'S PART OF THE MONEY THAT, UM, WHEN IT WASN'T LOOKING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BE, UH, DEPLOYED APPROPRIATELY BY THE END DATE, IT CAME BACK TO THE GLO. SO IT'S MONEY. I THINK I'M RIGHT. DO WHAT? THE SELL DIRECTOR YOU THE SALE OF THE TWO PROPERTIES. RIGHT. AND THERE'S $11 MILLION AND OTHER EXCHANGES. THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM CLARISSA. AND THEN THAT CAME TO MEET WITH ME, THAT, THAT THE SALE OF THE PROPERTIES, YES, WILL HELP WITH THAT RELOCATION. THAT'S VERY, THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA BE USED FOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND WELCOME TO CITY HALL COMMISSIONER, IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. UM, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF BRING UP A COUPLE OF THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, CLARISSA IS LIKE THE DREAM TEAM. I MEAN, I KNOW SHE PROBABLY SHOULD BE SITTING UP THERE WITH YOU. SHE'S SO AMAZING, AND WE LOVE WORKING WITH HER. UM, WE'VE WORKED WITH MULTIPLE FAMILIES. ONE, UM, ISSUE THAT'S NOT YOURS, IT'S MORE HUD. SO WHEN YOU GO BACK TO THEM TO ASK FOR MORE, UM, LET'S HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. BUT WE, WE SEE THAT OUR DEED RESTRICTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITIES ARE REALLY NOT VERY CLEAR. AND SO IN A [04:25:01] LOT OF, UM, GARAGE CONVERSIONS HAPPEN. AND SO, UM, WHEN THEY'RE MAKING THE DECISION ON HOW TO BUILD IT, THEY KIND OF, IF THEY CAN'T LOOK AT THE DEED, RIGHT, THEN THEY GO AND THEY LOOK AT HOW MANY GARAGES ARE ON THAT STREET, OR, AND OFTENTIMES THEY'RE CONVERTED SO THEY DON'T GET GARAGES. I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW JUST ADVICE, YOU KNOW, FROM YOU, NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT IN THE FUTURE, HOW, IF THERE'S A WORKAROUND THERE OR WHAT WE CAN DO, BECAUSE A LOT OF FAMILIES, UM, ARE SO GRATEFUL TO GET THEIR HOME REBUILT, BUT THEY DO WANT THAT GARAGE. SO, UM, AND THEN WE WE'RE WORKING AS A COUNCIL TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN, A LOT OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE, UM, DEED SEMINARS. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, UM, HAS SOME GREAT ONES IN HER COMMUNITY. UM, AND SO JUST KIND OF STRENGTHENING THAT PIECE OF IT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD ASSIST AS WELL. BUT ANY, ANY ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE US, UM, LET US KNOW. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, AND WELCOME. THANK YOU. I'M, I'M BLESSED WITH A GREAT TEAM, AND CLARISSA IS DEFINITELY PART OF THAT. SO, COUNCILLOR CARTER. WELL, MAYOR, YOU'VE BEEN SAYING IT'S A NEW DAY IN HOUSTON. IT'S NOT ONLY A NEW DAY IN HOUSTON. IT'S A GREAT DAY IN HOUSTON. UH, COMMISSIONER, WELCOME TO CITY HALL. YOU'RE WELCOME BACK HERE AT ANY TIME, . I DO WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR TEAM BECAUSE BEING NEW TO THE HORSESHOE, THEY WERE ONE OF THE FIRST GROUPS I MET WITH, AND I WAS OF COURSE, DRINKING THROUGH A FIRE HOSE AT BEST, BUT THEY WERE VERY THOROUGH BECAUSE I HAD MANY QUESTIONS. AND GREAT, GREAT TEAM. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HIM. AND ALSO TO, UH, DIRECTOR NICHOLS LAST WEEK WE SAT DOWN AND I'VE ASKED ALL THE QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UH, URA AND, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. AND, UM, I'M EXCITED FOR OUR CITY. UH, YOU KNOW, I LIVE UP NORTH IN KINGWOOD, SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HARVEY, IT'S PTSD UP THERE FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE REFER TO IT AS BEFORE AND AFTER. AND IF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND SO I CAN IMAGINE THE REST OF THE CITY, AND I JUST REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO, TO TURNING THE PAGE. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST THAT, AGAIN, A RESET ON THE RELATIONSHIP AND THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR REACHING OUT. AND IT'S, IT TAKES A VILLAGE. IT'S THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS THAT MAKE OUR, OUR CITY AND, AND OUR, AND OUR COUNTY A BETTER PLACE. SO THANKS FOR BEING HERE. COME BACK TO SEE US ANYTIME. COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS SHEBA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M THE LAST SPEAKER, BUT I THINK THAT I MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT CHALLENGE, QUOTE UNQUOTE. UH, BUT CERTAINLY I AM SO VERY GLAD THAT YOU TOOK THAT CHALLENGE. UM, BUT ACTUALLY IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO DISPLAY YOUR LEGENDARY SKILLSET. AND SO I THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. UH, I'VE HAD SOME VERY GOOD ENGAGEMENTS WITH GLO. WE'VE HELPED PEOPLE TO GET FROM CONFLICT TO KEYS AND YOUR STAFF HAS, HAS JUST BEEN WONDERFUL AND WELCOME, CERTAINLY, AND CERTAINLY, UM, DIRECTOR NICHOLS, UH, RIGHT NOW. UH, IN FACT, I HAD A MEETING A COUPLE OF NIGHTS AGO WITH A LADY WHO'S SOMEWHAT AT AN IMPASSE. UM, SHE'S GETTING A HOME, HOPEFULLY REBUILT. SHE HAS A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD, BUT WE'RE KINDA AT AN IMPASSE ON THE SLAB AND THESE PEERS. UH, AND SO HOPEFULLY I CAN TALK TO SOMEBODY BACK THERE THAT CAN HELP US TO NAVIGATE TO THAT. BECAUSE I MEAN, AS I SAID, SHE'S BEEN OUT OF HER HOME FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW. I CAN SEE THE FRUSTRATION IN HER FACE. UH, SHE HAS SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD. I DON'T KNOW IF I MENTIONED THAT. AND SO I JUST WANNA TELL YOU, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN. UH, THANK YOU FOR, UM, HELPING US TO GET TO THIS POINT. AND I'M VERY, VERY HOPEFUL, UH, FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL DO TO HELP THE PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY IN MY DISTRICT. I MEAN, THAT'S WHO I KNOW ABOUT. AND I, UM, JUST REALLY, REALLY THANKFUL THAT THIS RELATIONSHIP IS, IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO SAIL FROM THIS POINT FORWARD. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR COMING DOWN AND TAKING THE TIME TO SPEND WITH US. OH, MY, MY PLEASURE. AND WE, WE, LIKE I SAID, WE ARE COMMITTED, UH, TO DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN WITHIN THE LINES THAT WE HAVE TO COLOR WITHIN, UM, TO, TO HELP THE PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS AND THAT GARAGE PIECE TOO. , I KNOW I HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE GARAGE AND THE BEDROOMS. DEFINITELY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, LET ME JUST FIRST OF ALL SAY TO OUR MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR ABILITY OF PAST FOR COLLABORATION AND RELATIONSHIP TO TACKLE ON THIS SITUATION AND YOUR BOLDNESS IN IT. I WANT TO COMMEND YOU OF THAT PUBLICLY. ALSO, I WANT TO SAY TO OUR COMMISSIONER, WHO I HAVE MET SO MANY TIMES, I CAN'T COUNT THEM BECAUSE MANY OF THE MINISTER ADVISORY GROUPS OF OUR CITY, WHAT I LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR, BECAUSE THIS LADY IS NOT ONLY A TALKER, SHE'S A DOER. AND THE RELATIONSHIP, I HAVE BEEN WITH HER WITH MANY MEETINGS IN THE LATINO PASTORS AND CHURCHES, THE BLACK PASTORS AND CHURCHES, WHICH SEVERAL OF THEM I AM A MEMBER AND A PARTICIPANT IN. AND PARTICULARLY YOUR ACTIVE ROLE IN BRINGING IT TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE [04:30:01] THE PASTOR, THE CHURCHES ARE THERE. YES. THE TOOLS THAT YOUR TEAM, I'VE MET WITH THEM SEVERAL TIMES. AND THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE AS A MEMBERSHIP OF LULAC, ANOTHER ORGANIZATION, YOU ARE TRUE TO YOUR WORD. AND I HOPE THAT WE AS THIS HARSH, YOU WOULD TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY. AND LOOK AT WHAT THE MAYOR'S DONE, THIS RELOCATION OF THESE 900 PEOPLE, MANY OF US KNOW. WE HEAR FROM THOSE PEOPLE EVERY DAY. IF YOU OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, THEN YOU HEAR EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON THE MATERIAL. A LOT OF THAT YOU GAVE, I USE THEM IN MY CHURCH NOW, ESPECIALLY THE ONE WITH THE FLOOD. I PASSED THE BAGS OUT. . WE'LL, YOU MORE OF THOSE. IT'S THOSE LITTLE ITEMS LIKE THAT THAT HELPS PEOPLE TO GET THERE. SO I WANT TO COMMEND OUR MAYOR AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR COMING. WE'VE CREATED A MINISTRY ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR. WE'VE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT IT. LET'S GET THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED. WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT IN HERE, BUT IT'S THE, IT IS THE MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE SUFFERING, AND WE HAVE TO GET IT ON THE GROUND. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE MINISTRY ADVISORY BOARD THAT WE PERFORMING RESURRECTING WITH HELP TO DISTRIBUTE THAT INFORMATION ON THE DISLOCATION OF THESE MANY PEOPLE. AND WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO ASSIST YOU IN THAT. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING TO CITY COUNCIL, AND IT HAS REALLY BEEN A, UH, WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY AND A GREAT DAY FOR THE CITY ON THE EFFORTS OF OUR MAYOR AND YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. WE SHOULD UTILIZE THE NATURAL NETWORKS THAT ALREADY EXIST INSTEAD OF TRYING TO, I MEAN, ALWAYS FORGE NEW NETWORKS, BUT THERE'S SOME NATURAL NETWORKS THAT ARE VERY EASY TO REACH THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH ONE CALL. ABSOLUTELY. AND WE OUGHT TO BE TRYING TO RIGHT THE WRONG WHATEVER IT WAS. IT'S PASSED. LET'S MOVE ON TO WHAT MAKES IT BETTER. YES, SIR. I APPRECIATE, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND WELCOME COMMISSIONER BUCKINGHAM. I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE. UH, WE'VE GOT A GREAT HOUSING DIRECTOR AS YOU KNOW NOW, AND I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE, THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE RESET THAT WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT, WHERE THE GLO AND OTHER STATE AGENCIES BECOME PARTNERS WITH THE CITY. AND I KNOW THE MAYOR'S GONNA BE A BIG PART OF THAT AS WELL. SO, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, INSURANCE COSTS AND HOW THAT DRIVES UP THE COST OF HOUSING AND MAKES A LOT OF HOUSING UNAFFORDABLE, WHICH IS NOT WHAT WE WANT. AND SO THAT'S AN ISSUE I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE ADDRESSING. MIKE AND I HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THE IDEA OF IDENTIFYING THE INSURERS THAT HAVE LEFT OUR MARKET AND PITCHING TO THEM WHAT WE HAVE DONE, WHAT WE ARE DOING, UH, TO REDUCE, UH, FLOODING, TO MITIGATE FLOODING IN THE CITY IN THE HOPES OF GETTING THEM BACK. AND WHAT OUR PLANS ARE FOR THAT GOING FORWARD. I HOPE THE GLO WILL WILL BE INVOLVED IN THAT, AND THAT WE CAN SEE A DECREASE IN INSURANCE COSTS, UH, THAT WILL, THAT WILL RESULT IN HOUSING BEING MORE AFFORDABLE. SO, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. LET ME JUST SAY, THIS MIGHT BE THE BEST ALL TIME MAYOR'S REPORT THAT, UH, THAT CERTAINLY THAT I'VE WITNESSED SINCE I'VE BEEN PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO CITY HALL. AND IT'S ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, NOT ONLY BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE STATE, BUT THE PEOPLE AROUND THIS HORSESHOE. I CAN ECHO EACH AND EVERY WORD OF YOU, BRING SUCH A PERSPECTIVE TO THE TABLE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THOSE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ON STELLA LINK, UM, AT LEAST 126 BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP OF COUNCIL MEMBERS, THOMAS AND OUR, IN THE DISTRICT OF OUR MAYOR, PROTE CASTEX TATUM. IT IS JUST WHY WE RAN FOR OFFICE TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. UH, IF YOU ALLOW ME FOR A MOMENT JUST TO SAY HOW PROUD I AM TO BE THE MAYOR OF HOUSTON TODAY, I SAID I COULD DO IT DURING A CAMPAIGN TO BRING AUSTIN AND HOUSTON TOGETHER TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY. AND, UH, IT'S HAPPENING. AND IT WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE LAND COMMISSIONER'S WILLINGNESS TO, TO GO FORWARD. UH, IT EMPHASIZES THAT ELECTIONS MATTER. YOU KNOW, THE PRESS DID SUCH A CRITICAL JOB, AND I'LL SAY PROPERLY, RIGHT? BUT WITH THE OLD PROCESS, THE BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION, UH, HOUSTON DIDN'T GET ITS SHARE. HARRIS COUNTY DIDN'T GET ITS SHARE. WELL, I HOPE THEY'LL PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THIS SUCCESS TODAY AND THIS COLLABORATION. AND AS WILLINGNESS, AS MUCH AS THEY CRITICIZE THE OLD PROCESS, I HOPE THEY'LL RECOGNIZE THE NEW PROCESS. 'CAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK THIS IS BEGINNING OF SOME REALLY BIG THINGS. I THINK THE REST OF THE STATE, CERTAINLY, I THINK HUD IN THE, IN THE WASHINGTON, UH, LEADERSHIP WILL SEE HOW IT'S A NEW DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA MAKE EVERY DOLLAR COUNT. WE'RE GONNA REACH DOWN AND HELP THE LEAST AMONG US. AND, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, THIS IS WHY WE RUN FOR OFFICE. AND PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY, MEMBERS [04:35:01] HUNGRY TO SEE THAT GOVERNMENT'S WORKING AT EVERY LEVEL. AND SO IT'S A GREAT DAY TO BE A PART OF CITY GOVERNMENT. IT'S A, IT'S AN EXCELLENT DAY FOR HOUSTONIANS TO SEE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE AFFORDABILITY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, UH, A SYSTEM THAT DOESN'T WORRY ABOUT WHO GETS THE CREDIT. ALTHOUGH TODAY, WE'RE SURE EMPHASIZING WHO'S GETTING CREDIT, AND THAT'S OKAY. WE NEED DAYS LIKE TODAY. SO ANYWAY, I'M EXCITED. THANK YOU FOR, UH, DON BUCKINGHAM FOR BEING HERE. THOSE LONG HOURS THAT YOU AND I SPENT ON THE, ON THE SENATE FLOOR ARE CERTAINLY STILL PAYING OFF. YOU REPRESENTED YOUR DISTRICT. I REPRESENTED MINE SOMETIME. WE GOT CRITICIZED FOR WORKING ACROSS THE AISLE, BUT YOU AND I ARE JUST, CAN DO PEOPLE. AND MIKE, YOU JUST EVERY DAY REINFORCE THE REASON THAT YOU WERE ONE OF THE SMARTEST DECISIONS THAT I MADE. AND I KNOW THE BEST IS YET TO COME BECAUSE OF YOUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE. WITH THAT SAID, UH, I'M READY TO GO TO WORK MEMBERS . WITH THAT SAID, THANK YOU. AND, UH, WE CAN STAND AT EASE IF ANYONE, UH, WOULD LIKE, IN FACT, WE'RE FIXING TO, GOING TO POP OFF. IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TAKE A MOMENT. TAKE A MOMENT TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH OUR, OUR GUEST, UH, FOR FIVE OR 10 MINUTES, AND THEN WE'LL DO OUR POP OFF. SURE. THANK YOU. [04:41:10] ARE YOU BEING A NO, I'M NOT DOING NOTHING. YOU ARE? I'M BEING NICE. IF WE COULD GET STARTED ON THE POPOFF, UM, THE, THE, UH, LAND COMMISSIONER WILL BE BACK IN THE MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM BEHIND US. IF COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO HER, IF I COULD HAVE SOME LITTLE BIT OF ORDER IN THE CHAMBER. A LITTLE BIT OF ORDER, A LITTLE BIT OF ORDER. NOT A WHOLE LOT, JUST A LITTLE. VERY GOOD. UH, LIKE I SAID, COMMISSIONER WILL BE IN THE BACK CONFERENCE ROOM, UH, [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] AT THIS TIME, COUNCILMAN CAYMAN FOR POPOFF. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. I'LL BE AS QUICK AS I CAN FIRST TO THOSE CELEBRATING IN AND AROUND DISTRICT C, I WANNA WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY PASSOVER, A HAG PE IT IS THIS MONDAY. AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT JOINED, UH, JEWISH FEDERATION'S INTERFAITH SEDER, UH, THIS PAST WEEK AS A REMINDER TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO ALL CITY STAFF MAYOR. AFTER YOUR PRESSER TODAY, UM, IN THE LEGACY ROOM, THE LGBT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS DOING THEIR SHOW, YOUR PRIDE CAMPAIGN. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AND FOR STAFF TO TAKE A PICTURE. IT WILL BE DISPLAYED AS PART OF THEIR SHOW, YOUR PRIDE CAMPAIGN THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, DURING PRIDE MONTH. SO PLEASE JOIN THEM TO GET YOUR PICTURE TAKEN, UH, AND SHARE WHAT PRIDE MEANS TO YOU. MAYOR. UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WORKING AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE THE STATE HERE TODAY, I DID WANNA SPOTLIGHT. UM, THE HOUSTON WOMEN'S COMMISSION, UH, HAS BEEN INVITED TO BE A SPEAKER. SO THE CHAIR, BETH MURPHY, IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE PRESENTING AS PART OF A WEBINAR WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR THIS FRIDAY FROM FOUR TO 6:00 PM UH, TO SPOTLIGHT THE WORK THAT OUR CITY HAS DONE, UH, THAT RELATED TO PRENATAL AND PAID PARENTAL LEAVE. SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOW RECOGNIZING THE WORK THAT THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION HAS DONE AND THAT THIS COUNCIL PASSED. UH, AGAIN, IT'S FROM FOUR TO SIX, AND ANYONE CAN REGISTER BY EMAILING ASHTON, A-S-H-T-O-N DOT JILL J ILL DO E@DOL.GOV. UH, AND WE CAN ALSO SHARE A LINK OUT THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA. BUT A BIG CONGRATULATIONS, I THINK, TO THE CITY THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR IS RECOGNIZING. OUR PAID PARENTAL LEAVE POLICY IS AN EXAMPLE FOR THE NATION. UH, THIS WEEKEND THROUGH NEXT WEEK, WE ARE ALL CELEBRATING EARTH DAY. THERE ARE LOTS OF EVENTS AROUND DISTRICT C UH, AND MAYOR AGAIN WITH THE LAND COMMISSIONER HERE. WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF RESILIENCY. UH, EARTH DAY IS ABOUT THAT. I'M SO APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT THE CITY WILL BE DOING, UH, THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. BUT I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT WITH EARTH DAY COMES THE IMPERATIVE, UM, NEED TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE OUR PLANET. AND WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, UH, WE ARE NOW LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AWAY FROM HURRICANE SEASON. UH, JUST THIS WEEK WAS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE TAX DAY FLOOD. UH, AND AS THE COMMISSIONER HERSELF SAID, THE FORECAST FOR THIS HURRICANE SEASON, UH, IS NOT LOOKING GOOD BY ANY MEANS. UH, SOME ARE PREDICTING ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE HURRICANE SEASONS SINCE TRACKING STARTED. UH, AND AT LEAST THE MOST INTENSE SINCE 2017 WHEN WE DID HAVE HARVEY, IRMA, MARIA, THE LIST GOES ON. UH, I RAISE THAT BECAUSE THE IMPORTANCE OF PREPAREDNESS FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS. I'M ASKING RESIDENTS TO START PLANNING THEIR, UH, KITS NOW, MAKING SURE THEY HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLIES TO GET THROUGH THE STORM, ENOUGH MEDICATIONS, KNOWING WHO, UH, YOUR [04:45:01] NEIGHBORS ARE THAT MAY HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS TO CHECK IN ON THEM, CHECKING YOUR GUTTERS, CHECKING YOUR DRAINS. UH, WE'RE WORKING ON DITCH CLEAR OUTS, MAYOR, WE JUST PASSED THE ITEM, UH, RELATED TO DITCH REHABS AS THAT PROGRAM CONTINUES TO EXPAND. UH, BUT I'M ALSO CONCERNED BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL THAT AS A CITY, WE ARE AS PREPARED AS WE SHOULD BE. UH, WE NEED MANY, MANY, MANY MORE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT IMPROVE DRAINAGE, EXPAND CAPACITY, AND DIVERT WATER AWAY FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO I WILL CONTINUE TO HAMMER HOME ON THAT. BUT WE NEED MORE SHOVELS IN THE GROUND. WE NEED MORE PROJECTS. WE NEED NORTH CANAL, WE NEED MONTROSE. WE NEED ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN QUEUE TO GET GOING SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE DRAINAGE. AND AGAIN, THIS TAKES YEARS, BUT WE MUST DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO PREPARE FOR THE STORMS THAT HA ARE COMING, THAT WE KNOW WILL COME, THAT WILL BE BIGGER, THEY WILL BE HARDER, UM, AND THEY WILL BE MUCH MORE INTENSE. SO, MAYOR, I CLOSE. WISHING EVERYONE AGAIN A HAPPY PASSOVER, A HAPPY EARTH DAY. UH, BUT AS YOU ALWAYS SAY, LET'S GET TO WORK. BUT WE MUST, MUST BE PREPARED FOR THE UPCOMING HURRICANE SEASON, AND WE'RE NOT THERE YET. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN SAID, UH, EARTH DAY'S COMING UP. SO COME CELEBRATE WITH DISTRICT G AT TERRY HERSHEY PARK FROM ONE TO 4:00 PM ON SUNDAY. THERE'S GONNA BE, UM, A LOT OF GREAT ACTIVITIES OUT THERE. I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE A FASHION SHOW MADE OUT OF RECYCLED MATERIALS, UM, ART, UM, EDUCATION, UH, EDUCATIONAL AND SUSTAINABLE, UH, FIND ZONES. UM, AND SO THERE'S GONNA BE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES JUST TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, COMPANIES IN HOUSTON ARE DOING TO HELP PROTECT THE PLANET. ALSO, ON TUESDAY THE 23RD AT 10:00 AM IS GOING TO BE THE FIRST PROPOSITION, A COMMITTEE MEETING. I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO ATTEND. THIS IS A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, AND SO WE NEED A QUORUM TO TAKE ACTION. UM, SO IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT, I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL REALLY BUSY AND A LOT OF US HAVE, YOU KNOW, OTHER JOBS OUTSIDE OF CITY COUNCIL, BUT PLEASE LET ME KNOW IN ADVANCE JUST SO WE CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY. UM, TOMORROW WE'LL BE RELEASING THE AGENDA FOR THAT COMMITTEE, UH, MEETING. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON TUESDAY AT 10:00 AM I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON THE, UH, EVENT THAT I HELD MY OFFICE HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ AND THEIR STAFFS THIS PAST SATURDAY AT THE SITE OF THE HISPANIC RESEARCH CENTER AND ARCHIVES. WE HAD ABOUT 175 FOLKS OUT, ACTUALLY MORE THAN THAT. UH, 'CAUSE NOT EVERYBODY WAS COUNTED. IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT WHERE THE COMMUNITY GOT TO ASK QUESTIONS. WE HAD A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE LIBRARY THERE TO ANSWER THEM. AND, UM, JUST A GREAT EXAMPLE OF OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY, SOMETHING THAT WE NEED MORE OF. AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL CONTINUE AS THAT PROJECT, UH, CONTINUES, MAYOR. BUT LET ME COMMENT AND COMMEND YOU ON YOUR LISTENING TO THE EAST END COMMUNITY AND THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY AT LARGE. UM, THERE'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. IT HAS BEEN NOTICED AND APPRECIATED BY THE FOLKS OUT THERE. AND, UM, LET'S JUST KEEP THAT UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THOMAS. THANK YOU. UH, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, MR. MAYOR. UM, UH, BASED ON OUR, UH, GOOD NEWS WITH THE GLO, UH, WE HEARD HOW DEEP RESTRICTIONS ALSO INFLUENCE RECOVERY. SO I JUST WANNA REMIND DISTRICT F RESIDENTS AND RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT I'M HOSTING, THE SECOND ANNUAL DEED RESTRICTION WORKSHOP ON SATURDAY, APRIL 27TH AT TRACY G IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT F IN WEST CHASE, OUR PARTNERS, RICE AND RICE, UH, FROST BANK, THE HARRIS COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR AND MORE ARE JOINING US. COME BRING A COPY OF YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS, BRING A NEIGHBOR, AND WE'RE GONNA GET DOWN TO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, UM, IN COMMUNITY, ALSO WITHIN THE HORSESHOE RELATED TO SHORT TERM RENTALS, CIVILITY, ORDINANCE, PROHIBITED YARD PARKING AND MORE. AND ALSO, THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD WILL BE THERE. YOU DO NOT NEED TO REGISTER, BUT WE WOULD LIKE THAT, UH, REGISTRATION SO WE CAN HAVE SOME INFORMATION SO WE CAN POST CHECK ISSUES OF PRIORITIES AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT MY OFFICE AT DISTRICT F@HOUSTONTX.GOV. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. MAYOR PRO, TIM CASTEX TATUM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AGAIN. CONGRATULATIONS ON TODAY. VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE WAY WE ARE PROGRESSING AND MOVING FORWARD. DO WANT TO REMIND COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING WILL MEET THIS AFTERNOON AT 2:00 PM HERE IN THE CHAMBERS, UH, DIRECTOR TILLSON WILL BE PRESENTING ON THE TEXAS ENTERPRISE ZONE NOMINATIONS AND INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH MONTGOMERY COUNTY ON THE TAX ABATEMENT [04:50:01] ORDINANCE, UH, AND THEIR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. SO WE HOPE TO SEE YOU IN CHAMBERS HERE TODAY AT 2:00 PM AND THEN ALSO WANT TO THANK PUBLIC WORKS. UH, WE HAD A, A FLOODING INCIDENT IN KESWICK PLACE, UH, LAST WEEK, AND THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM AND, UH, TDO MEMBERS, MIKE WILSON AND MIKE WALL WERE INCREDIBLE. UH, THE RESIDENTS WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE. WE HAD TO BRING IN PUMPS TO GET WATER OUTTA THE STREET, AND THEY MADE IT HAPPEN. UM, THEY EVEN BROUGHT FOOD FOR THE FOLKS THAT COULDN'T GET OUT OF THEIR DRIVEWAYS TO GO BUY FOOD. SO, UM, THE RESIDENTS WERE VERY HAPPY. I APPRECIATE THAT WORK, UM, IN THE, UH, KESWICK NEIGHBORHOOD AND MAKING SURE THAT RESIDENTS CAN GET IN AND OUT OF THEIR HOMES SAFELY, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE EXPERIENCING FLOOD INCIDENTS. AND THEN WANT TO DEFINITELY SAY THANK YOU TO THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, DIRECTOR NICHOLS, AND EVERYONE THAT PLAYED A PART IN, UH, WE HAD ANOTHER FIRE AT THE SPRING VILLAGE APARTMENTS. UM, WE HAVE WORKED TO GET THAT BUILDING SECURED, AND THERE IS A NO TRESPASSING AFFIDAVIT, AND WE ARE EXPEDITING THE DEMOLITION PROCESS. SO EVERYONE THAT'S PLAYING A ROLE ON THE SENSE OF URGENCY THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN THERE, WE'RE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE SIX ACRES OF DETENTION THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE. WE'RE JUST ASKING EVERYONE TO BE PATIENT BECAUSE GOOD THINGS ARE AHEAD ON THAT SIX ACRES IN THE WESTBURY AREA. AND THEN SOUTH GESNER HPD COMMAND STATION IS HOSTING THEIR MONTHLY PIP MEETING, UH, THIS EVENING AT 6:30 PM AT WEST PLACE. ON THE WEST PLACE DRIVE. UH, THE GUEST SPEAKERS ARE HPD FORENSIC ARTISTS, B BRADLEY AND T JOHNSON FROM THE HPD VICTIM SERVICES. AND YOU DON'T WANNA MISS THIS MEETING. AND THEN, ON BEHALF OF THE ION DISTRICT, UH, EVERYONE IS INVITED TO ION FAMILY STEAM DAY, SATURDAY, APRIL THE 20TH, 2024 AT 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM. UH, THE EVENT IS TAILORED FOR YOUTH NINE TO 14 YEARS OF AGE. JOIN IN FOR A HANDS-ON LEARNING EXPERIENCE ABOUT ELECTRONICS AND ROBOTS, AND GAIN INSIGHT INTO PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND CONCEPTS NEEDED TO EXCEL IN AN ENGINEERING CAREER. HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AT THE EYE ON, ON SATURDAY FROM, UH, 10 TO ONE. BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY, . SOUNDS GREAT. UH, VICE MAYOR PROTE PECK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH AN ISSUE FOR A WHILE IN DISTRICT A. UM, OUR CONSTITUENTS ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS FOR OVER TWO YEARS. UM, WE JUST RECENTLY HEARD ABOUT IT, BUT, UM, OUR CONSTITUENTS WHO LIVE ALONG NEIMAN'S CREEK, UM, THEY ARE TRYING TO GET A PERMIT TO PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY FROM EROSION. UM, IT'S A PRIVATE CREEK. THE RESIDENTS PAY PROPERTY TAXES ON THIS CREEK. I'M NOT SURE WHY THE CITY IS EVEN INVOLVED IN THIS AT ALL. UM, BUT IN THESE TWO YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN TOLD TO GO TO THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. THEY'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY NEED EXPENSIVE ENGINEERING REPORTS, UM, FOR THE CITY IN ORDER TO DO A PERMIT. THEY BASICALLY, THEY'VE BEEN TOLD ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT THINGS EVERY SINGLE TIME. UM, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS INVOLVED IN IT NOW. AND SO, MAYOR, I'M HOPING THAT YOU CAN HELP US GET AN ANSWER FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS FOR TWO YEARS. UM, AND ALSO THAT WE WORK ON CLEARING UP OUR ORDINANCE WHEN IT COMES TO THESE PRIVATE CREEKS. WE DON'T HAVE A TON OF THEM IN THE CITY, BUT THEY DO EXIST. AND WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO, UM, REBUILD BULKHEADS OR, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, UM, WE NEED TO KNOW IF THEY NEED PERMITS FROM THE CITY AND WHAT THAT PERMIT ENTAILS, BECAUSE THEY'RE WILLING TO GET A PERMIT, BUT THE CITY CAN'T EVEN TELL THEM WHAT THAT PERMIT MIGHT BE, OR YOU KNOW HOW TO GO ABOUT IT. SO WE NEED TO CLEAR THAT UP FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN ALCORN. THANK YOU. UH, YESTERDAY AFTERNOON I RELEASED MY ANNUAL, UH, YOUR 2 CENTS BUDGET SURVEY. WOO-HOO. SO I'LL BE SENDING THAT TO EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER YOU CAN PUSH. HELP ME PUSH THAT OUT. WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN CLOSE TO 200 RESPONSES. UH, I I'M GONNA TAKE SOME TIME AT POP OFF TO READ SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE WRITE IN. UM, AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET. MAYOR, UM, ONE PERSON SAID, I WOULD LIKE ALL, YOU KNOW, I LIST ALL THE SERVICES, AND YOU PICK LIKE EVERYTHING THE CITY DOES, AND THEN YOU PICK YOUR TOP HIGH THREE HIGHEST PRIORITIES AND YOUR THREE BOTTOM PRIORITIES. SO ONE PERSON SAYS, AND THEN I GIVE THEM TIME TO WRITE COMMENTS, WHICH IS THE BEST PART OF THIS SURVEY FOR ME. I WOULD LIKE ALL THE LISTED SERVICES, BUT THE CITY BUDGET IS NO DIFFERENT THAN MY PERSONAL BUDGET NEEDS FIRST THAN ONLY THE ONES I CAN AFFORD. UM, THE WATER RATES NEED TO BE REIGNED IN. THEY'RE APPROACHING THE PROPERTY TAX AMOUNT, TOO MANY ESTIMATED BILLS WHICH WE'RE TACKLING, EVEN THOUGH SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT WOULD BE MY FOURTH HIGHEST PRIORITY CHOICE. THE MAIN ISSUE IS THAT THE JUNK AND TREE WASTE WAY TRASH ARE NOT BEING PICKED UP TIMELY. UH, THE LIBRARY AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, OPERATE COMPETING COMMUNITY CENTER FUNCTIONS. INTERESTING. PLEASE ADD A GARBAGE FEE. I LIKE THAT ONE. AND THEN MY FAVORITE IS SALLY FOR THE CITY IS THE BEST. THAT WAS MY FAVORITE ONE. . UM, WE ARE GONNA BE [04:55:01] HOLDING A, A, UM, ANOTHER BUDGET LABOR COMMITTEE ON APRIL 30TH. UH, YOU'LL GET, UM, UM, ARTURO MICHELLE AGAIN AND MELISSA DEBOWSKI GIVING ANY UPDATES SINCE OUR LAST MEETING ON THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF, OF THE FIREFIGHTER AGREEMENT. ALSO, UM, THE UNION HEAD, MARTY LANGTON WILL HAVE A, WILL MAKE A PRESENTATION AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO ASK HIM QUESTIONS. SO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON APRIL 30TH. ALONG ALSO ON THE BUDGET COUNCIL MEMBER, MY VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND I WILL BE HOLDING FOUR, UH, TOWN HALLS. WE CAN'T GET TO EVERY DISTRICT, BUT WE TRY TO DO NORTHEAST, NORTHWEST. SO THOSE DATES HAVE ALL BEEN SENT TO YOU GUYS, AND THEY WILL START MAY 16TH THROUGH MAY 28TH, UM, TO, AGAIN, GAIN MORE PUBLIC INPUT INTO THE BUDGET. SO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO ATTEND. THANKS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, COUNCILMAN CARTER. WELL, I WAS GONNA PASS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT I'M GONNA GO BACK AND, AND POP THAT BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE WITH COMMISSIONER BUCKINGHAM, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WE'VE SEEN TODAY IS ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES IN A LONG TIME AROUND THIS HORSESHOE OF WORKING ACROSS THE AISLE. SO, GOTTA GO. THANK YOU. WELL SAID. I WOULD ALMOST THINK IT'S A HISTORIC DATE. MM-HMM . NOT ALMOST FIRST IN MY HISTORY. OF 50 PLUS YEARS IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND WATCHING THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO HAVE THE INTEREST COME TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE PUBLIC IS, IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. AND WITH THAT SAID, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ, EVAN SHABBAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO JOIN YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN FOR THE GRAND OPENING OF THE COMMONS. THIS NEW 26 ACRE SPACE PROMISES TO ENHANCE OUR COMMUNITY'S COHESION AND THE ENJOYMENT OF HERMAN PARK. CERTAINLY, UH, HEARTFELT THANKS TO THE CONSERVANCY AND DOREEN STOLLER, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO ON SUNDAY. THE CIGNA DAY IN THE PARK WAS MAGNIFICENT. IT WAS AT GRIMES PARK WITH A VIBRANT CELEBRATION FILLED WITH MUSIC, DANCE, AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT, UH, LINE DANCING, AND CERTAINLY THANKS TO THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF CIGNA AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS. IN PARTICULAR, SUSAN CHRISTIAN AND HER TEAM. AND I AM JESSE IMMENSELY THANKFUL FOR ALL THE ATTENDEES AND ORGANIZERS WHO CONTRIBUTED. AND CERTAINLY WE HAD THE HONOR OF HAVING THE HONORARY MAYOR, SANDRA MASSEY HINES PRESENT. UH, ON YESTERDAY, THERE WAS A TAX OFFICE APPRECIATION LUNCHEON AT THE SUNNYSIDE HELTON HEALTH AND MULTI SERVICE CENTER. WE CELEBRATED THE TIRELESS EFFORTS OF OUR TAX OFFICE TEAM, AND THANKS TO BAKER RIPLEY NEIGHBORHOOD TAX CENTER ACHIEVE REMARKABLE RESULTS THIS TAX SEASON, COMPLETING 36,000 TAX RETURNS, REGIONWIDE AND SECURING 45 MILLION IN REFUNDS AND 2 MILLION DIRECTLY BENEFITING SUNNYSIDE. UH, MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE, CERTAINLY, UH, FOR ALL OF THE, THE TAX PREPARERS WHO VOLUNTEERED, UH, THEIR SERVICES ON, UH, SATURDAY, THERE WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP WITH THE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED, UH, AT, AT THE SUNNYSIDE PARK. AND THAT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT WITH THE MANY VOLUNTEERS IN SUPPORT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE WAS ALSO THE DITCH NEGLECT, OST, SOUTH UNION COMMUNITY CLEANUP, AND I MEAN, PEOPLE WERE CLEANING UP ALL OVER DISTRICT D THIS WEEKEND, AND I WANNA TELL THEM THANK YOU. UH, ALSO, UM, THE KOREAN RECOVERY RESOURCES, WHICH IS LOCATED IN DISTRICT D, WILL HAVE A PICNIC AT THE POLO CLUB, WHICH IS NOT IN DISTRICT D, BUT . BUT IT'S THE ORGANIZATION THAT'S GOING TO, UH, GO THERE ON SUNDAY, APRIL 21ST FROM FOUR TO SEVEN 30. IT'S AN AFTERNOON OF NETWORKING, ENTERTAINMENT, AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT. AND THIS EVENT SUPPORTS THE HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES PROGRAMS OF THE CAREER AND RECOVERY RESOURCE CENTER. AND ALSO, UH, ON TUESDAY, APRIL THE 24TH, THE HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE SPRING 2024, OPEN HOUSE WILL BE FROM FOUR TO 6:00 PM AT THE HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE, 52 80 CAROLINE STREET. AND SO, THIS OPEN HOUSE IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH THE ARTS COMMUNITY, INCLUDING HAA STAFF, BOARD MEMBERS, AND OTHER DISTRICT LEVEL CONSTITUENTS. APPROXIMATELY 250 INDIVIDUALS ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND THIS FREE EVENT, UNDERSCORING ITS SIGNIFICANCE WITHIN OUR CITY. AND SO, UH, THIS CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT DESTINATION. AND AGAIN, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT, UH, FOR THIS GREAT VICTORY FOR THE CITY THIS MORNING. WELL, LET ME JUST EMPHASIZE, THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION WAS ON EXHIBIT CLEAR FOR EVERYONE TO SEE SATURDAY MORNING. EVERYONE NEEDS TO TAKE THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN TO HERMAN PARK BECAUSE IT IS ON THE LIST NOW OF [05:00:01] MUST SEE WHEN YOU COME TO HOUSTON, AND CERTAINLY HOUSTONIANS ENJOY IT. SO YOU, YOU SHOULD BE PROUD. AND ALL THE, EVERYONE THAT PLAYED A ROLE, UH, YOU GOTTA SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT. AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THEY HAVE A CAROUSEL AND EVERYTHING. OH, YEAH. YEAH. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, YESTERDAY WE HAD A SPEAKER COME AND INVITE US TO PARTICIPATE IN, UH, ONE OF THE TWO PRIDE PARADES THAT ARE GONNA BE TAKING PLACE HERE IN THE CITY. UM, AND I'M GLAD THE L-G-B-T-Q CHAMBERS HERE. THANK YOU COUNCIL COUNCILMAN KAMAN FOR BRINGING THEM FOR THE SHOW YOUR PRIDE EVENT. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING TWO PARADES, I THINK, UH, I THINK WE'RE EXPERIENCING A LITTLE BIT OF, OF A LEADERSHIP GAP IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I WANT TO ASK YOU, UH, FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LG, THE MAYOR'S L-G-B-T-Q ADVISORY BOARD, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THAT? UH, WHEN, WHEN WILL THEY BE MEETING? BECAUSE I, I DO THINK THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM, UH, AND MAYBE SOME, SOME NEW FOLKS TO BE, UH, APPOINTED, BUT TO PROVIDE SOME LEADERSHIP AND SOME GUIDANCE AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN REPAIR THE RIFT THAT HAS OCCURRED. UM, BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE TWO PARADES, WE, WE REALLY DO DO A DISSERVICE TO THE UNITY, UM, THAT WE SEE DURING PRIDE AND, AND ALL THE COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S, THERE'S WAYS I CAN HELP, LET ME KNOW. UH, BUT I DO THINK THAT YOUR ADVISORY BOARD COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO HELP IN THAT SITUATION. WELL, I'M PRETTY GOOD. . YOU'RE FEELING GOOD TODAY? THAT, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD. I'M, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD. YOU, YOU MIGHT HAVE MORE, YOU MIGHT BE MORE QUALIFIED THAN I AM TO BRING ALL THE PARTIES TOGETHER, BUT I'LL DO MY PART BECAUSE I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, UH, COMPETING PARADES. IT'S JUST NOT WHAT WE SHOULD BE ABOUT. UH, SO I WILL BRING THE PARTIES TOGETHER. UH, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AGAIN AT OUR PERMITTING PROCESS AND SEE IF WE COULD USE OUR GOVERNANCE AS, AS ONE WAY TO DISCOURAGE COMPETING PARADES. I MEAN, A WEEK APART. IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE PARTICIPANTS. UH, OUR CITY RESOURCES, PUBLIC SAFETY, I MEAN, IT'S JUST NUTS TO HAVE THE SAME PURPOSE PARADE DONE WITHIN A WEEK OF EACH OTHER. AND I WOULD ALSO EXTEND THAT SAME MESSAGE TO THE MLK PARTICIPANTS BECAUSE SOMEBODY JUST HAS TO USE SOME GOOD JUDGMENT AND SAY, IN THIS DAY AND TIME, WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND CELEBRATE AND HONOR MLK AND CERTAINLY OUR PRIDE COMMUNITY, BUT NOT DO IT WITH COMPETING INTERESTS. SO, WELL SAID. OH, I WOULD JUST HAVE JUST A COUPLE MORE THINGS, BUT I WANTED TO START OFF WITH THAT. THAT'S ALL YOU CAN DO. UM, GO AHEAD. WE WILL BE HOSTING A EAST END INFRASTRUCTURE MEETING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EAST END MANAGEMENT DISTRICT ON MAY 9TH, UH, 6:00 PM THE FELIX FROG, HCC, TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND UPDATES ON ALL PROJECTS WITHIN THE EASTERN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT'S, UH, BOUNDARIES THAT WE, THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE. UM, WE'LL SHARE OUT MORE INFORMATION ON THAT IN THE NEWSLETTER. UM, I ALSO WANT TO, UM, WISH MY CONSTITUENT SERVICES DIRECTOR, TY K COA A HAPPY BIRTHDAY. TODAY IS HIS BIRTHDAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. VERY GOOD. ONE MORE MAYOR, I'M SORRY. COUNCILOR CAMAN? NO, REALLY QUICKLY. I THINK IT'S PERFECT. YOU KNOW, ONE WITH UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, BUT ALSO TA TAPPING COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO TO HELP, UM, AS A LEADER IN THE COMMUNITY, BRIDGING THAT GAP. EVERYONE CAN STILL COME TO FAMILIES WITH PRIDE ON JUNE 1ST. WE JUST RELEASED THAT DATE. UH, BUT MAYOR, BACK TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, EXCUSE ME, WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING. UM, I, I DID WANT TO AGAIN, ASK RESPECTFULLY, AND MAYBE THIS IS DIRECTED TOWARDS THE CITY ATTORNEY. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE STILL DON'T HAVE A DRAFT, EVEN A PROPOSED DRAFT COPY OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT. UM, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE THESE, THE COMMITTEE HEARING WITHOUT HAVING THAT. UM, I DO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS IN DRAFT FORM AND THERE ARE STILL THINGS BEING WORKED OUT. BUT IF WE COULD PLEASE SEE SOMETHING, UH, DAYS PRIOR TO THE COMMITTEE MEETING. SO, BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG DOCUMENT, I'M ASSUMING. SO, UH, WE, WE NEED TIME TO REVIEW IT. VERY WELL SAID AND WILL DO HERE, LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO ARTURO MICHELLE, CITY ATTORNEY, ARTURO, DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO ACCOMMODATE. WILL DO. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH MA'AM. WELL SAID. ALRIGHT. WE STAND AND ADJOURN ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.