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OKAY.GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME BACK.
UM, WE ARE HERE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL FY 2025, PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTATION, AND I WELCOME TO THE HORSESHOE, OUR FAVORITE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, VENITA JONES.
MORNING, I WILL BE PRESENTING TO YOU CITY COUNCIL'S FY 2025 PROPOSED BUDGET.
BUT PRIOR TO DOING THAT, I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO MEET THE STAFF THAT WORKS WITH CITY COUNCIL EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY THEY ASSIST CITY COUNCIL.
HE DOES THE BUDGET FOR THE OFFICE AND FOR COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS, WE HAVE CARINA, GSD, IT ALL THE ISSUES THAT YOU NEED IN YOUR OFFICE.
WE HAVE LAURA NEWELL, SHE DOES T-P-I-A-P CARDS, PROCUREMENT, AND ALL OF YOUR REIMBURSEMENTS THAT YOU NEED.
THAT IS LAURA AND RA'S OUT ON VACATION.
SHE'S THE RECEPTIONIST THAT GIVES YOU A SMILE EVERY DAY.
HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL HAS 16 COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THERE ARE 11 DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS, DISTRICT A THROUGH DISTRICT K.
THERE ARE FIVE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS AT LARGE, ONE THROUGH AT LARGE FIVE.
AND I HAVE A PICTURE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS BECAUSE THEY'RE OVER THE CITY AND THEY LOVE THE CITY.
I WORK WITH THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS EVERY DAY AND I KNOW THEIR HEART IS FOR THE CITY, SO THAT'S WHY THEIR PICTURE IS OVER THE CITY.
THEIR VISION, AND AGAIN, THEY WERE OVER THE CITY.
THE VISION FOR THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS IS TO REFLECT THE PRIORITIES OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND ALL OF THOSE.
THEY ALIGN WITH THE MAYOR'S INITIATIVES.
THEY HAVE GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS COMPLETE COMMUNITIES INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEY HAVE, UM, QUALITY OF LIFE AND THEY HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
ALL OF THESE THINGS IMPACT THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY, AND THAT'S THEIR VISION AND IT IMPACTS THE CITY AND THAT VISION TURNS INTO ACTION WHEN THEY HAVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO MAKE HOUSTON A BETTER PLACE.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN FY 24, THERE WERE 77.4 FTES.
THE PROJECTED FOR FY 25 IS 84.6, AND YOU MAY ASK WHY THERE'S AN INCREASE.
UH, LAST YEAR WAS AN ELECTION YEAR AND DURING ELECTION YEAR, THE STAFF GENERALLY SEEKS OTHER OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE TERM LIMITED.
SO DURING THE YEAR OF FY 24, A LOT OF THE FTES WERE REDUCED.
THIS IS A NEW YEAR WITH NEW BEAUTIFUL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THEY ARE FULLY STAFFING THEIR OFFICES.
THE BUDGET FOR CITY COUNCIL THIS YEAR PROPOSES $15,276,283.
THAT IS SPLIT BETWEEN THE 16 COUNCIL MEMBERS.
ALL OFFICES HAVE A BUDGET OF $568,787.
BELOW THAT, YOU WILL SEE CITY COUNCIL GENERAL.
ALL OF CITY COUNCIL'S HEALTH BENEFITS ARE ALL ON ONE FUND CENTER AND THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL SEE THAT CAPTURED.
BELOW THAT IS CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT FUNDS $5,500,000.
THE GENDER AND DEMOGRAPHICS ON CITY COUNCIL ARE AS FOLLOWS.
THERE ARE 51 FEMALES AND 26 MALES.
WE HAVE 27 AFRICAN AMERICANS, 26 WHITES, 10 21 HISPANIC LATINOS, AND THREE ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS.
SO NOW I'M GOING TO GO OVER THE COMPARISON OF FY 24 THROUGH FY 25.
IN FY 24, THERE WAS A BUDGET THAT WAS ADOPTED OF $15,172,858.
THE CURRENT BUDGET TODAY IS $18,710,038.
AND THE INCREASE FROM THE ADOPTED TO THE PRESENT BUDGET, IT SHOWS HERE WE HAD RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS INCREASE OF $1,437.
THERE WAS A DECREASE IN THE HEALTH OF $28,071.
[00:05:01]
INCREASE YOU SEE FOR $3,563,814 WAS COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUND FY 23 CARRY FORWARD.AND THE CARRY FORWARD OF THAT 3 MILLION ARE PROJECTS THAT THE COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUND DID NOT COMPLETE.
AS YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE PROJECTS ARE VERY LARGE AND THEY'RE PURCHASES THAT NEED TO BE MADE.
THEREFORE, IF THOSE ITEMS ARE NOT COMPLETED BY THE END OF THAT FISCAL YEAR, THEY CARRY FORWARD THOSE FUNDS AND THAT IS THE 3 MILLION THAT HAS BEEN ADDED ON.
THAT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR $18,710,038.
I AM NOW GONNA BREAK DOWN THE NEW BUDGET, WHICH YOU SEE, WHICH IS $15,276,283.
THE INCREASE CAME FROM WORKERS' COMPENSATION $8,068.
THE PENSION IN FY 24 WAS UM, 8.48%.
THE LAST THREE ARE ALL SERVICES FROM IT, AND THOSE WERE GIVEN TO US FROM THE HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES.
AND THESE ARE ALL DUE TO THE METRICS AND ALL OF THE CHARGEBACK MODELS.
SO THE TOTAL INCREASE FOR COUNCIL WILL BE $63,846.
AND IT'S BROKEN DOWN AS YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE.
NOW I WILL GO OVER MY PROGRAM DETAILS.
THERE'S ONLY ONE PROGRAM WITH COUNCIL.
YOU HAVE ONE OPERATING BUDGET IN THE GENERAL FUND, AND THAT'S THE $9,776,000 THAT WE SPOKE ON EARLIER, AND THAT INCLUDES YOUR SALARIES, YOUR SERVICES, YOUR EQUIPMENT, AND YOUR SUPPLIES.
PROGRAM TWO WILL BE COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS.
AGAIN, THAT'S THE $5,500,000 THAT WE HAVE FOR THE DISTRICT OFFICES.
AND PRESENTLY, IF YOU WILL SEE QUARTER THREE, THERE ARE 346 PROJECTS THAT THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENTLY WORKING ON AS OF NOW.
AND WE'RE AIMING AT 383 POSSIBLY 400 PROJECTS THAT THEY WILL BE UTILIZING THOSE FUNDS TO DO.
PERSONNEL VERSUS NON-PERSONNEL.
YOU WILL SEE 91% OF CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET GOES TOWARD PERSONNEL.
THE OTHER 9% GOES TO THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNT, SUPPLIES, SERVICES, AND EQUIPMENT.
AND YOU WILL SEE IT BROKEN DOWN IN THE OTHER CATEGORIES WITH THE PERCENTAGE OF THOSE CATEGORIES THAT THEY SPEND THEIR FUNDS ON.
AGAIN, COUNCIL HAS ONE FUND THAT'S THEIR OPERATING FUND.
AND THIS JUST SHOWS HOW IT WENT FROM ACTUALS TO THE BUDGET TO THE TARGET TO WHERE WE ARE TO TODAY WITH PERSONNEL AT 8,000,400, $848,000.
IN FY 20 FEE, 25 COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GOING TO TRY TO DO PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
THIS IS A TASK THAT WE ARE READY TO ATTACK.
WE'RE READY TO START DOING THESE THINGS SO WE CAN SHOW, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE DIFFERENT ONES THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
CONSTITUENT SERVICES, NUMBER OF RESIDENTS, ASSISTED CASES, CLOSED ORDINANCE CREATED, COMMUNITY EVENTS, DIGITAL OUTREACH.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO HIT ON IN FY 25 FOR OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
SO THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND I HAVE LABELED ALL OF THESE WITH ALL OF THE DISTRICT OFFICES AND CITY COUNCIL.
THE NEXT SLIDE WILL SHOW THAT AT LARGE, BUT THIS SHOWS WHAT I STATED EARLIER, HOW THE COUNCIL MEMBERS' GOAL AND VISION IS TO HELP THE CITY.
AND IF YOU SEE THIS PICTURE, YOU SEE ALL OF THEIR PRIORITIES.
NOT ALL, JUST SOME BECAUSE THEY GAVE ME LIKE 10, 15, WE COULDN'T PUT 'EM ALL ON HERE, BUT THESE ARE CONDENSED TO SHOW OVER THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THESE ARE THEIR PRIORITIES, THESE ARE THEIR INITIATIVES.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE ALIGNING WITH THE MAYOR TO MAKE HOUSTON A BETTER CITY.
THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THAT AT LARGE, AGAIN, THAT'S THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING WILL BE IMPACTING THE CITY OF HOUSTON 'CAUSE OF THEIR PRIORITIES, INITIATIVES THAT THEY HAVE TO MAKE HOUSTON A BETTER CITY.
I THEY ARE ALL LABELED HERE IN A BETTER VIEW FOR YOU TO SEE.
AGAIN, THESE ARE ALL OF THEIR PRIORITIES, INITIATIVES, I TAKE IT BACK.
NOT ALL THESE ARE CONDENSED LIST OF THEIR PRIORITIES AND INITIATIVES.
AND THESE ARE FOR THE AT LARGE PRIORITIES INITIATIVES.
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PLEASE.SO NOW I'M GONNA GO OVER THE COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUND.
IN FY 23 I STATED EARLIER THAT THERE WAS A CARRYOVER, AND THIS WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT ALL OF THE PROJECTS WERE NOT COMPLETED.
AND THAT WAS $3,563,814 THAT WAS CARRIED OVER FROM FY 23 TO FY 24.
THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR FY 24 WAS $500,000 SPLIT WITH, I MEAN $500 FOR EACH DISTRICT OFFICE.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS 500,000 FOR FY 24.
WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT WILL CARRY FORWARD UNTIL JUNE 30TH WHEN WE DETERMINE WHICH, WHICH PROJECTS WERE NOT COMPLETED.
THIS IS JUST A BRIEF OF THE 300 8400 PROJECTS.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR ONES THAT THE DISTRICT COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS ARE UTILIZING THEIR FUNDS FOR.
THERE ARE, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE HOW IT ALIGNS WHERE MOST OF THE MONEY IS GOING TO, INFRASTRUCTURE, QUALITY OF LIFE, THOSE THINGS YOU SEE IN PUBLIC WORKS.
THAT'S WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDS ARE GOING TO MAKE HOUSTON A BETTER PLACE.
AND AGAIN, PUBLIC SAFETY WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR INITIATIVES.
YOU SEE A LOT OF FUNDS GOING TOWARD THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN OVERTIME TO MAKE THE CITY SAFER PLACE.
THESE ARE JUST THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS THAT I SPOKE ON EARLIER.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH CITY COUNCIL, YOU CAN REVIEW THE EXPLANATIONS THERE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME AT THIS TIME? ALL RIGHT.
WE HAVE KATE LER FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE.
AND I JUST WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
Y'ALL ARE ANSWERING MY CALLS AT ALL HOURS.
MY COUNCIL MEMBER IS STILL ON THE GROUND COORDINATING DISASTER RESPONSE, SO SHE WOULDN'T, SHE WOULD NEVER ASK THIS, BUT I'M HERE FOR HER.
UM, WHEN IS THE LAST TIME THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS PAY HAS BEEN INCREASED? AND I CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE, I DON'T THINK THEIR VEHICLE ALLOWANCE HAS BEEN INCREASED IN QUITE A WHILE TOO.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
UH, THE LAST TIME VEHICLE ALLOWANCE WAS 1998.
SO THE VEHICLE ALLOWANCE FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IS $161 AND 54 CENTS MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT, REIMBURSEMENT AND INCREASES APPROXIMATELY EVERY YEAR ALMOST.
BUT THE MILEAGE FOR COUNCIL MEMBER, I MEAN THE VEHICLE ALLOWANCE HAS NOT BEEN INCREASED SINCE 1998 AND FOR THE SALARY IT HAS NOT BEEN INCREASED SINCE 2015.
VENITA, WE UM, I THINK JORDAN ASKED YOU A QUESTION ABOUT TERMINATION PAY.
THERE'S NOT A LINE ITEM IN THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET FOR TERMINATION PAY.
AND CAN YOU DESCRIBE KIND OF WHAT, UM, HOW THAT WORKS AND WHAT AMOUNTS ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO, UH, COUNCIL TERMINATION? I MEAN LIKE COUNCIL AND STAFF TERMINATION PAY, DEFINITELY COUNCIL'S TERMINATION PAY IS ALLOCATED TO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS YOU CAN SEE IN YOUR BUDGET, 91% OF YOUR BUDGET IS ALREADY ALLOCATED TO YOUR STAFF SALARY.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE A TERMINATED EMPLOYEE, YOU HAVE TO PAY THEIR SICK TIME, THEIR VACATION TIME, IF THEY HAVE OVERTIME AND THEY'RE SICK IF IT'S OVER THE AMOUNT, IF THEY HAVE VACATION AND IT CAN RANGE FROM 20 TO 30 $40,000, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE GIVEN.
AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT COUNCIL'S BUDGET DOES NOT ENCOMPASS THAT TO COVER IT.
THEREFORE GENERAL FUND PAYS FOR IT.
YOU MAY HAVE AN EMPLOYEE THAT WAS THERE A YEAR, SO IT IS HARD TO GIVE YOU AN EXACT NUMBER BECAUSE IF THEY WERE ONLY THERE A YEAR, THE AMOUNT'S GOING TO NOT GONNA BE LARGE.
YOU HAVE A PERSON THAT HAS BEEN WORKING FOR 25 YEARS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY 'EM 70, $80,000 AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD THAT WITHIN YOUR BUDGET.
SO I UNDERSTAND IT DOESN'T COME OUT OF THE INDIVIDUAL, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL OFFICE BUDGET, BUT, UM, IT, DOES IT COME TO GENERAL GOVERNMENT? I MEAN, IS THAT WHERE I CAN FIND THE AMOUNT IN GENERAL GOVERNMENT YES.
FOR EACH, FOR THE COUNCILS? YES.
AND SINCE THERE IS KIND OF HIGH TURNOVER, UM, THAT IS CORRECT.
YOU KNOW, TRANSITIONS AND NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS COMING AND EVERYTHING, THAT IS CORRECT.
THAT, THAT, UM, IT'S A VERY HIGH TURNOVER, THEREFORE IT'S YEAH, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, IN, AND IF YOU COULD FIND THAT NUMBER.
THAT'S ATTRIBUTABLE TO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, DO YOU KNOW THE POLICY OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD OF ACCUMULATED SICK PAY AND VACATION PAY? I DO NOT KNOW THE, THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD IS THAT IT'S, IT'S ONLINE.
YOU CAN FIND IT WITH THE HR WEBSITE.
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THANK YOU.UM, JUST WANNA SAY A EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
I KNOW MY COUNCILMAN DAVIS WAS HERE.
HE WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
NOT ONLY YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH, UH, 16 DIFFERENT COUNCIL PEOPLE, BUT ALSO THE STAFF.
AND WE WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE STAFF FOR THE HARD WORK.
SO, SO AGAIN, WONDERFUL PRESENTATION AND UH, GOD BLESS YOU.
VENITA ON THE, UM, ON THE COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUND KIND OF, UH, PAGE WHERE YOU LIST ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT, THAT ARE BEING, I THINK IT'S, UH, SLIDE 19.
I'D BE INTERESTED, I KNOW YOU NOW, I KNOW YOU FURTHER BREAK THIS DOWN, BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY LANE MILES OF SIDEWALKS ARE, ARE BEING DONE, HOW MANY PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS HAVE BEEN ASSISTED? I MEAN, A LITTLE MORE, UM, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE MORE, YOU KNOW, DETAIL ABOUT, UH, THE, THE GOOD WORK THAT, THAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE DOING WITH OUR DISTRICT COUNCIL FUNDS.
AND I, I APOLOGIZE, I SKIPPED SOMETHING.
IF YOU LOOK ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, THERE'S A LINK AND THAT LINK WILL GIVE YOU EVERY PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
AND YOU CAN GO ON THERE AND IT WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.
AND THAT, BUT TO, BUT TO, TO LIKE KIND OF COMPILE IT.
AND THIS MIGHT BE A JOB, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO IN OUR OFFICE TO KIND OF COMPILE LIKE WHAT, WHAT KIND OF IMPACT IT'S HAVING.
UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AN OVERALL IMPACT IN THE CITY IS WHAT KIND OF I'M LOOKING FOR.
AND THAT COULD, THAT'S A, THAT'S A PERFORMANCE MEASURE TO ME.
YOU KNOW, CITY COUNCIL IMPROVED X LANE MILES OF THINGS.
WE BOUGHT X NUMBER OF THE LIBRARY BOOKS.
UH, WE IMPROVED SO MANY BICYCLE STATIONS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, I THINK ALL OF THOSE WOULD BE GOOD, GOOD PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
WELL, UM, YOU KNOW, TRY AS WE MADE TO PUT YOU IN THE HOT SEAT, YOU GUYS JUST DO WAY TOO GOOD OF A JOB OVER THERE AT THE, AT THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, YOU'RE GREAT SUPPORT TO US AND WE ARE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL, UM, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
AND EVERYTHING YOU DO TO MAKE OUR LIVES EASIER AND THANK YOU.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYBODY.
OH, WE DO HAVE PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
SO IN YOUR TALKING POINTS, OKAY.
OH, I HOPE EVERYONE SURVIVED THE STORM.
MY NAME IS TERRY CHEN AND I'M THE ORGANIZING AND POLICY ASSOCIATE FOR WOODY JUNTOS.
UM, I THINK THAT AS HOUSTONIANS, WE ALL CELEBRATE THE VIBRANCY AND THE CULTURE THAT THE IMMIGRANT POPULATION BRINGS.
HOWEVER, THE CITY IS PREVENTING A LOT OF FOLKS FROM HAVING A SAY AT THE TABLE AT THESE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, UM, BY ONLY HAVING THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA IN ENGLISH.
AND I KNOW THAT THE AGENDA COMES OUT AND IT'S VERY RUSHED.
HOWEVER, I DO THINK WE SHOULD TRY, SHOULD TRY TO PRIORITIZE OTHER LANGUAGES AS WELL.
UM, PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AT THESE MEETINGS, SO THEY CAN'T HAVE ANY INPUT AS TO WHAT THE, UH, TAX PAYING PEOPLE, UM, THAT WE ALL, YOU KNOW, LOVE AND RESPECT.
UH, BUT THESE PEOPLE CAN'T COME BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, THEY'RE OVER 433,000 SPANISH SPEAKING PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND OVER 52% ARE LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT LEP OF THE VIETNAMESE SPEAKING POPULATION IN HOUSTON, 63% ARE LEP AND 53% FOR CHINESE SPEAKERS AND 50% FOR PERSIAN LANGUAGE SPEAKERS, INCLUDING FARSI AND DARI.
SO MY REQUEST TODAY IS TO PLEASE ALLOCATE FUNDS, UM, TO MAKE THE AGENDA IN OTHER LANGUAGES BESIDES ENGLISH.
I AM SUGGESTING SPANISH, VIETNAMESE AND CHINESE OR ANY OTHER LANGUAGE THAT PEOPLE PROPOSE, UM, SO THAT, UH, OUR COMMUNITIES CAN HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE, CAN VOICE THEIR OPINIONS.
ONE IDEA THAT WAS FLOATED LAST WEEK, UH, WAS HAVING HTV BE TRANSLATED.
AND I THINK THAT IS A WONDERFUL SUGGESTION.
UM, HOWEVER, THAT'S LIKE, THAT WAY PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WHILE IT IS HAPPENING OR AFTER, IT DOESN'T GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK UP DURING AND BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.
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ALL GOOD POINTS.HI, MY NAME IS ANYA PATEL AND I'M 14 YEARS OLD.
UM, WHEN MY GRANDPARENTS CAME TO AMERICA IN THE SIXTIES, THEY WERE LUCKY THEY SPOKE ENGLISH, BUT THEY WERE IN THEIR TWENTIES AND I LEFT EVERYONE IN EVERYTHING THEY KNEW TO COME HERE.
THEY WENT TO THE MALL ONE DAY AND HEARD ANOTHER FAMILY SPEAKING T AND MY GRANDFATHER MADE A BEELINE TO THEM.
T HE ASKED MEANING, ARE YOU GUYS TUM TOO? WHEN THEY RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY, MY, THE FAMILIES BECAME FAST FRIENDS.
LANGUAGE IS A CONNECTION TOOL.
THE BOND MY GRANDFATHER FELT THAT DAY IN THE MALL WAS INTENSE BECAUSE HE DID NOT KNOW ANYONE ELSE IN HOUSTON WHO SPOKE HIS LANGUAGE.
BUT LANGUAGE IS NOT JUST A CONNECTION TOOL, IT'S AN ESSENTIAL PART OF COMMUNICATION TOO.
LAST WEEK WE HAD A TORNADO SWEEP THROUGH OUR CITY.
I WAS SO EXCITED WHEN SCHOOL WAS CANCELED THE NEXT DAY, BUT WAS SHOCKED AND SADDENED TO HEAR THAT MUCH OF HOUSTON LOST POWER FOR MANY DAYS.
MY MOM RECEIVED AN AUTOMATED CALL FROM ALERT HOUSTON THE NEXT DAY, LETTING US KNOW THAT COOLING CENTERS WERE OPENING ALL OVER THE TOWN.
MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, THAT'S GENIUS.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO CAN USE THE HELP, BUT THEY COULD ONLY USE THESE CENTERS IF THEY KNEW ABOUT THEM.
AND THEY WOULDN'T KNOW ABOUT THEM IF THEY COULDN'T UNDERSTAND THE AUTOMATED MESSAGE.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING THESE CENTERS IF MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAN USE THEM DON'T KNOW THAT THEY EXIST? LANGUAGE ACCESS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO HAVE ACCESS TO IMPORTANT HOUSTON EMERGENCY SERVICES.
I WAS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES WHOSE GRANDPARENTS COULD UNDERSTAND ENGLISH WHEN THEY CAME HERE.
BUT WHAT IF I WASN'T? CAN YOU COMMIT TO FUNDING ALERTS, UM, AVAILABLE IN UNDER OTHER LANGUAGES AND MAKING LANGUAGE ACCESS A PRIORITY? THANK YOU.
AND, AND WE DO HAVE WORD THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON LANGUAGES FOR ALERT HOUSTON, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS? WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS US? SEEING NONE.
WE WILL PAUSE NOW AND OUR NEXT PRESENTATION IS AT 11:00 AM AT 11.
SO YOU HAVE A HALF HOUR TO GET SOME OTHER WORK DONE, COLLEAGUES.