* 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. [00:00:01] PROGRAM FOR THE GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ON AWARD TO BROWN AND ROOT INDUSTRIAL SERVICES. SIX. MARK BALLERS SCUBA FOR PURCHASE OF OPTIMA CM REBREATHERS AND TRAINING. ITEM SEVEN, MIDWEST LIBRARY SERVICE FOR PURCHASE OF CHINESE AND SPANISH LANGUAGE BOOKS THROUGH THE BUYBOARD PURCHASING COOPERATIVE. ITEM EIGHT, DATA MAX SOFTWARE GROUP, INC. D-B-A-R-F-G-N FOR SO SOURCE PURCHASE OF SOFTWARE LICENSES. ITEM NINE, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS INC. FOR PURCHASE OF CHAIN OF FLIGHTS PARTS. ITEM 10, ADDENDUM TO PURCHASE ORDER IN FULL AND FINAL SETTLEMENT AND CON CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT AND RELEASE AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS INC. FOR A SPROCKET SHEAR PEN ITEM 11, DC EXPORT LLC FOR PURCHASE OF GATE VALVES. ITEM 12 APPROVED SCREENING AUTHORITY AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED, UH, 51,500 1875 FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR DEVELOPMENT IMPLEMENTATION OF A DISASTER READINESS OUTREACH CAMPAIGN FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS OF WATERTON, NEWMAN AND NEWMAN INC. ITEM 13 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. ITEM 14, ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT OF $650 MILLION BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOUSTON PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION. ITEM 15, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $23 MILLION AND NO SENSE OUT OF BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND TRANSFERRING THAT FUND TO THE DISASTER RECOVERY FUND. ITEM 16, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 22 53 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT FOR DISASTER RECOVERY AND CONSULTING SERVICES BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND WIT O'BRIEN'S LLC. THIS ITEM SHALL ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER PASTOR OF ITEM 15 ABOVE ITEM 17 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO LOAN AGREEMENT AND OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TE HANO CENTER FOR COMMUNITIES CONCERNS INC. ITEM 18 ORDINANCE ACCEPTING PROPOSAL FROM TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE INTERGOVERNMENTAL RISK POOL ITEM EIGHT 19 ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING AIR SERVICE AND SENDING PROGRAM IX FOR HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM PROVIDING A MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT, MAXIMUM PROGRAM AMOUNT. ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FORTY NINE THOUSAND FORTY NINE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED TWELVE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED FIFTY SEVEN DOLLARS AND NO CENTS OUT OF AIRPORTS IMPROVEMENT FUND AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO PARK OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND SP PLUS GLOBAL IMS ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROVE CAN AUTHORIZING THIRD AMENDMENT TO LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS LANDLORD AND PRIORITY TRUST CREDIT UNION. ITEM 22 ORDINANCE APPROVE. WE CAN AUTHORIZE AN INCREASE IN SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF SALE AGREEMENT BETWEEN FULLER CRAIGHEAD LLC AS SELLER ITEM 23 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO PARKING LICENSE AGREEMENT BETWEEN SP PLUS CORPORATION AS LICENSED SIR AND CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS AS LICENSEE. ITEM 24 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING FOURTH AMENDMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND GREATER HOUSTON HEALTH CONNECT INC. ITEM 25, ORDINANCE OF MANY ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 21 2 19 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND BAKER AND TAYLOR, LLC ITEM 26 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING TWO SUB AWARD AGREEMENTS BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ONE BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AND TWO, THE MEADOWS MENTAL HEALTH POLICY INSTITUTE. ITEM 27 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE EAST AND WEST SIDES OF THE 2000 BLOCK OF DE DEATH JORDANS STREET BETWEEN SANDERS STREET AND GO FREEWAY. ITEM 28, ORDINANCE DECEPTION. THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE OF THE 900 BLOCK OF MERRILL STREET BETWEEN MISHAW STREET AND JULIAN STREET. ITEM 29 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $4 MILLION IN NO CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AND $2 MILLION IN NO CENTS OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE. STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND DRAINAGE CHARGE FOR DEVELOPER PARTICIPATION CONTRACTS FOR WATER, SEWER, SANITARY SEWER AND STORM DRAINAGE. ITEM 30 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $550,000 IN NO SENSE OUTTA METRO PROJECTS. CONSTRUCTION D-D-S-R-F APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY HOUSTON AND CONOR. ENGINEERS LLC ITEM 31 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5,605,631 AND NO CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEW. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARDING CONTRACTOR LOPEZ UTILITIES CONTRACTOR LLC ITEM 32. ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $10,979,808 AND 80 CENTS OUT OF METRO PROJECTS CONSTRUCTION. D-D-S-R-F AWARDING CONTRACT TYCON GROUP, INC. FOR FY 2023. ASPHALT OVERLAY REHAB PACKAGE NUMBER TWO, ITEM 33, ORDINANCE, I GUESS APPROPRIATING $3,044,525 NO CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARDING CONTRACT TO SWEEPING CORPORATION OF AMERICA LLC ITEM 34. ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5,802,883 AND NO CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARD AND CONTRACT TO AVOID CHECKS [00:05:01] SERVICES. LLC ITEM 35. ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $9,348,300 AND NO CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEW SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND, AWARDING CONTRACT EROX LLC ITEM 36, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 4 0 4. PAST SECOND READING JUNE 12TH, AWARDING ORDINANCE GRANTING TO EQU INTEGRITY SOUTHEAST INC. A FOREIGN FOR PROFIT CORPORATION. THIRD AND FINAL READING. ITEM 37, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 4 5. PAST SECOND READING JUNE 12, ORDINANCE GRANTED TO POO RENTALS, LLCA, TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. THIRD AND FINAL READING, ORDINANCE 38. ORDINANCE 20 24 4 6. PAST SECOND READING JUNE 12, ORDINANCE GRANTED TO DUMPSTER GUIDES, LLCA, TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. THIRD AND FINAL READING, ORDINANCE 39, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 4 7. PAST SECOND READING JUNE 12TH. ORDINANCE GRANTED TO LEADS ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, LLC AT TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY THIRD PASS. THIRD AND FINAL READING ORDINANCE 40 20 24, 4 8. PAST SECOND READING JUNE 12TH. ORDINANCE GRANTED TO HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY SEPTIC TANK SERVICE LLCA TAKES LIMITED LIABILITY. COMPANY. THIRD AND FINAL READING, ORDINANCE 41. ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 4 9. PAST SECOND READING JUNE 12TH, ORDINANCE GRANTED TO SOTOS TRUCKING INC. A TEXAS CORPORATION. THIRD AND FINAL READING, ORDINANCE 42. ORDINANCE 20 24, 4 10. PAST SECOND READING JUNE 12, ORDINANCE GRANTED TO PERFORMANCE CONTRACTING INC. A TEXAS CORPORATION. THIRD AND FINAL READING. ITEM 43. ORDINANCE 20 24, 4 11, PAST SECOND READING JUNE 12, THIRD AND FINAL READING. ORDINANCE 44. ORDINANCE 20 24, 4 12. PAST SECOND READING JUNE 12, ORDINANCE GRANT TO ARCON COMPANY'S LLCA, TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 30 AND FINAL READING ITEM 45, ORDINANCE 20 24 4 13. PAST SECOND READING JUNE 12, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO WASTEWATER TRANSPORT SERVICES, LLCA, TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. THIRD AND FINAL READING, ITEM 46, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 4 14, PAST SECOND READING JUNE 12, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO SPECIALIZE WASTE SYSTEMS INC. A FOREIGN FOR PROFIT CORPORATION. THIRD AND FINAL READING, ITEM 47, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 4 15, PAST SECOND READING JUNE 12TH, 2024. ORDINANCE GREENWICH TO SAN MARCOS, GREASE SERVICES, LLCA, TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. THIRD AND FINAL READING, ITEM 48, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 4 16, PAST SECOND READING JUNE 12, ORDINANCE GRANITE TO SOUTHWEST DISPOSAL, LLCA, TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. THIRD AND FINAL READING. THE END OF THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE MATTER IS HELD. ITEM 49, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND PURDUE, BRANDON FELDER, FELDER, COLLINS, AND MOTT, LLP AND GREENBURG. TARIG, LLP TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THIS WAS ITEM 33 ON AGENDA OF JUNE 12TH. ITEM 50 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND LINEBARGER, GOGGIN, BLAIR AND SAMPSON, LLP TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS AND ALCORN. THIS WAS ITEM 34 ON AGENDA OF JUNE 12TH, ITEM 51, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND BREAD OF LIFE, INC. THIS WAS TAKEN BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THIS IS ITEM 38 ON AGENDA OF JUNE 12TH, 2024. THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF JUNE 18TH, 2024. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM IN THE WORDS OF THE 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 FANTABULOUS DAY COUNCIL. PLEASE [INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] COME TO ORDER. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER FOR THE INVOCATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PRESENCE AND YOUR GUIDANCE, LORD, AS WE GO THROUGH OUR PROCESSES OF TRYING TO CREATE A BETTER COMMUNITY. WE PRAY, LORD, THAT YOU GUIDE US TO MAKE THE DECISIONS FOR THE BEST FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED. LORD, KEEP OUR MILITARY SERVING OUR COUNTRY AT HOME AND ABROAD IN OUT OF HARM'S WAY. AND IN YOUR GRACE, IT'S IN YOUR HOLY SON'S NAME I PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE NEXT WITH [9:00 AM - ROLL CALL] THE MADAM SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL THE ROW MAYOR WHITMEYER. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER PEG HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. HERE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL EVAN SHABA HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER [00:10:01] FLICKINGER PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN. PRESENT. COUNCILOR CASTILLO WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. COUNCILMAN CASTEX TATUM. HERE. COUNCIL RAMIREZ. HERE. COUNCILOR DAVIS. HERE. COUNCILMAN CARTER. PRESENT. CONSTABLE PLUMMER HERE. AND CONSTABLE ALCORN. HERE NEED A MOTION TO [ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING] DELAY THE MINUTES? CASTEX TATUM. MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NO. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT WE'LL MOVE TO [1  9:00 A.M. - PUBLIC HEARING to provide a Resolution of No Objection for the 4% tax credit application of THE TIDWELL - DISTRICT H - CASTILLO ] THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING. MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL ITEM NUMBER ONE. ITEM NUMBER ONE IS THE PUBLIC HEARING TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR THE TAX 4% TAX CREDIT APPLICATION OF THE TIDWELL. WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY. IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THAT WE HAVEN'T RECOGNIZED SEEING? NO ONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING? MY HAND? OH, HERE'S A HAND. YES, SIR. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? YES, SIR. COME DOWN FRONT. WHY DON'T YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND I ALMOST SAID WHO YOU REPRESENT, BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU DO IN AUSTIN. WE DON'T . WE WE DON'T DO THAT HERE. UH, BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD IF YOU'D GIVE US YOUR NAME. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. COUNSEL INTO I'M, UH, MINISTER TROY DAVIS. SPEAK INTO YOUR MIC, PLEASE. THERE YOU GO. MINISTER TROY DAVIS FROM BEACON OF LIGHT CHRISTIAN CENTER. UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WE WE'RE A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT, UH, GOT TOGETHER IN THE LIVING ROOM AND DECIDED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD NO LONGER ALLOW OUR COMMUNITY TO DEPRECIATE. AND, UH, WE CAME TOGETHER AND STARTED DOING SOME THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY, LIKE FIVE PEOPLE STARTED THIS OFF. WE DECIDED TO CHANGE A BLOCK. WE WAS 7 7 0 2. ONE WAS RECOGNIZED AS BEING, UH, AN EDUCATIONAL DESERT, A FOOD DESERT. SO WE DECIDED TO CHANGE THAT. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE FED OVER 2 MILLION KIDS AND ADULTS, HOT DOGS, KIDS MEAL DONE GIVEAWAYS. WE DOING A BACKPACK GIVEAWAY HERE SOON. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE CHANGED THE, THE CRIME. WE'RE RIGHT ON THE CORNER OF YELLOWSTONE IN LONDON. UH, EXCUSE ME, IF MY HEART GETS IN THE WAY. 'CAUSE IT MEANS SOMETHING TO ME FOR THAT COMMUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE HAVE CHANGED THE OUTSET OF IT. THE, THE OUTLOOK OF THAT COMMUNITY, JUST WITH A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE. AND WHAT I'M HERE TODAY IS I'M TRYING TO FIND SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO GATHER WITH US TO HELP US GALVANIZE, TO HELP US CHANGE A NEIGHBORHOOD INTO A COMMUNITY. SO ENOUGH NEIGHBORHOOD, WE NEED SOME COMMUNITY IN OH TWO, ONE IN 7, 7 0 3 3. WE NEED, ALL WE CAN DO, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL WE CAN DO IN OUR COMMUNITY. 'CAUSE THE THINGS THAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY, IT COULD BE MIND BOGGLING, BUT YET IF YOU LOOK AT IT, THE CHILDREN HAVE NOTHING TO DO. OKAY. THEY SAY THEY GOT THE PARKS AND THE, BUT WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO DO? SOMETHING TO ENTERTAIN THE KIDS. AND ALL WE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE A DIFF MAKE AN IMPACT. I GREW UP IN THAT COMMUNITY. I DID 30 YEARS OF CRACK COCAINE IN THAT COMMUNITY. I'M 20 YEARS CLEAN AND I FEEL LIKE I OWE THAT COMMUNITY 'CAUSE I HELPED IT BE DARK AS IT IS. SO I GIVE MY ALL, AND WE'VE GOT THUS FAR ON OUR OWN. AND I, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND. THIRD WARD TO ME IS THE GLITZ AND GLAMOUR OF THE HOOD, BUT OH 2 1 7 7 0 3 3. IT, IT'S PRETTY ROUGH OVER THERE. YES, SIR. AND, AND WE, WE DO ALL, WE DO ALL WE ONCE OR TWICE. OKAY. ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH. JUST, JUST WRAP IT UP. I, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. MM-HMM . YEAH. ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH I TRY TO GO BY THE SOUTHEAST COMMAND CENTER AND DROP OFF PIZZAS. YES, SIR. JUST A SHOW APPRECIATION. THANK YOU. UH, JUST A MOMENT. COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS SHABBAT. THANK YOU PASTOR, AND GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. UM, CERTAINLY I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO SEE SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO PARTNER. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE REACHED OUT TO MY OFFICE, UH, BUT WE DO OCCASIONALLY HAVE, UH, PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO ENGAGE IN NOW, BUT I AM GONNA HAVE TO DIFFER WITH YOU ON SOMETHING. ALL PARTS OF THIRD WARD ARE NOT GLITZ AND GLAMOR. THERE'S A PART OF THIRD WARD CALLED THE BOTTOM, AND, AND IT'S AS ROUGH AS ANY PLACE IN 7 7 0 2 1 OR 7 7 0 3 3. BUT MY CONCERN IS ALL OF DISTRICT D, BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT MY [00:15:01] HEART IS HERE JUST AS YOURS. AND IF MY OFFICE CAN BE OF ANY SERVICE TO YOU. WHEN I FIRST CAME INTO OFFICE, I, I MET WITH, UH, SEVERAL PASTORS AND ASKED THEM TO ADOPT BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY CHURCHES. RIGHT. UH, WHICH IS AMAZING THAT WE HAVE SO MANY, BUT YET WE HAVE SO MUCH CRIME AND DISRUPTION. AND I ASKED THAT THEY ADOPT THEIR BLOCKS, ADOPT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, UH, PERHAPS IT WAS, UH, WELL, I WON'T GO INTO WHAT THE REASONS MAY HAVE BEEN, BUT CERTAINLY WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET PAST THAT SO THAT WE CAN RECAPTURE OUR COMMUNITY. I WAS, I'VE LIVED IN DISTRICT D ALL OF MY LIFE, SO I'M NOT LIVING IN A GLASS HOUSE. AND SO I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND I APPRECIATE YOU COMING EARLY THIS MORNING TO, TO BRING THIS TO US. BUT CERTAINLY MY OFFICE IS ALWAYS READY, WILLING, AND HOPEFULLY ABLE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. SO I BELIEVE, I DON'T KNOW IF MY OUTREACH DIRECTOR, IF NOT, I WILL GIVE YOU MY BUSINESS CARD BEFORE YOU LEAVE AND I WANT YOU TO REACH OUT BECAUSE I WANT TO WORK WITH YOU. YEAH. I JUST WANNA SEE SOME THINGS DONE DIFFERENT OVER THERE. THAT'S ALL. I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S, IT'S ROUGH. FASTEST. IT'S JUST ROUGH. SO MUCH THAT COULD BE DONE. AND WE LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE CONVERSATION. IT AIN'T GONNA HAVE TO JUST BE OUR DISTRICT, DISTRICT DEAL, JUST ACROSS THE BOARD. LET'S SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT SOME. SURE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION TODAY WITH A PERSON THAT IS AT THE HELM OF THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. I BELIEVE THAT EDUCATION IS THE KEY, NOT JUST FOR OUR KIDS, BUT FOR THE PARENTS, SO THAT THEY CAN HELP TO CHANGE THE QUALITY OF LIFE. VERY GOOD. SO WE AS A CITY, WE ARE WORKING TO, UH, TO WORK WITH THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENCE SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR REACHING OUT TO THEM, UH, SO THAT WE CAN START THERE. AS LONG AS WE HAVE THEM AND WE HAVE THE CHURCHES AND WE HAVE GOD AND PEOPLE AS YOURSELF, I THINK WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT VERY GOOD. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, Y'ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. THANKS, SIR. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO'D LIKE TO TESTIFY ON THE HEARING? IF NOT, UH, PUBLIC TESTIMONY IS CLOSED. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. WE NEED A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING. YES, MA'AM. CASTEX STATE A MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION IS MADE AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER TWO, [2  PUBLIC HEARING regarding just and reasonable Retail Electric Rates of CENTERPOINT ENERGY HOUSTON ELECTRIC to be observed within the City of Houston, Texas ] MADAM SECRETARY. ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING JUST REASONABLE RETAIL ELECTRIC RATES OF CENTER POINT ENERGY HOUSTON ELECTRIC. I'M CALLING TO ORDER THE HEARING REGARDING THE STATEMENT OF INTENT OF CENTER POINT ENERGY ELECTRIC TO CHANGE RATES. TODAY IS JUNE 18TH, 2024. IS A REPRESENTATIVE HERE FROM CENTER POINT? IF THERE IS, PLEASE COME DOWN, STATE YOUR NAME AND MAKE YOUR STATEMENT. MORNING MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS PATRICK PETERS. I'M HERE REPRESENTING CENTERPOINT ENERGY, HOUSTON ELECTRIC. I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY. I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A LOT ON YOUR BUSY AGENDA TODAY. I WAS LAST BEFORE YOU IN MARCH TO DISCUSS OUR GAS RATE CASE FILING. AND TODAY I'M HERE TO DISCUSS OUR ELECTRIC RATE CASE FILING. WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE 1 MILLION METER ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS HERE IN THE CITY AND 2.8 MILLION IN THE BROADER HOUSTON REGION. AND I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT THIS AREA IS A VERY SPECIAL, UNIQUE, AND IMPORTANT AREA IN OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTRY. HOUSTON IS OF COURSE, THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY. THE LARGEST MEDICAL CENTER IN THE WORLD IS HERE, ONE OF THE LARGEST PETROCHEMICAL COMPLEXES IN THE WORLD, ALONG WITH ONE OF THE BUSIEST PORTS IN OUR NATION. IN FACT, UM, WHILE OUR TERRITORY IS ONLY ABOUT 2% OF THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE SERVE 25% OF THE ELECTRIC LOAD IN IN ERCOT. ON TOP OF THAT, WE'RE GROWING. WE'VE ADDED ABOUT 300,000 ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS SINCE OUR LAST RATE CASE IN 2019. AND TO PUT THAT IN CONTEXT, THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF ROUGHLY ADDING THE CITY OF WACO TO OUR SERVICE TERRITORY EVERY YEAR. WHILE WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF STRONG CUSTOMER GROWTH, WE ALSO HAVE SOME CHALLENGES, INCLUDING SEVERE WEATHER, WHICH WE'VE RECENTLY SEEN AS OUR CUSTOMERS RELY MORE AND MORE ON ELECTRICITY FOR MORE AND MORE ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS BOTH RELIABLE AND RESILIENT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE OUR CUSTOMERS EXPECT. THIS HAS REQUIRED SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO GOING FORWARD. AND AS WE THINK ABOUT THE RATE CASE FILING BEFORE YOU TODAY, THAT'S REALLY HOW WE THINK ABOUT IT. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY, FOR THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS AND OTHER PARTIES TO REVIEW THE INVESTMENTS WE HAVE MADE OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND TO POSITION THE COMPANY WELL TO CONTINUE TO MAKE INVESTMENTS ON BEHALF OF OUR CUSTOMERS. GOING FORWARD FROM HERE NOW, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO RECOVER SOME OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS THROUGH INTERIM REC [00:20:01] MECHANISMS. AND THAT'S ALLOWED US TO GRADUALLY INCREASE RATES WITHOUT THE NEED FOR AN EXPENSIVE AND TIME CONSUMING RATE CASE PROCESS. SO YOU MAY BE ASKING YOURSELF, WHY ARE WE HERE TODAY ASKING FOR A RATE INCREASE THROUGH THIS RATE CASE? WELL, REALLY THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS THE RESULT OF THE SETTLEMENT. WE, WE REACHED WITH THE CITY, WITH THE COMMISSION STAFF AND OTHER PARTIES IN 2019 WHERE WE ALL AGREED THE COMPANY WOULD COME BACK IN FOUR YEARS AND PRESENT OUR INVESTMENTS, OUR NEW COSTS, AND AGAIN, POSITION THE COMPANY WELL TO INVEST GOING FORWARD. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE DID IN MARCH. WE FILED THE RATE CASE HERE WITH THE CITY, WITH OUR OTHER MUNICIPAL REGULATORS AND WITH THE PUC. IN TERMS OF BILL IMPACT, THE REQUEST THAT WE'VE MADE WOULD RESULT IN AN INCREASE TO A TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER BILL OF ABOUT A DOLLAR AND 21 CENTS PER MONTH. AND AFFORDABILITY IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IMPORTANT TO THE COMPANY. WE KNOW WE HAVE TO INVEST TO PROVIDE SAFE AND RELIABLE SERVICE, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT OUR BILLS MUST BE AFFORDABLE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS. AND THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN FRONT OF MIND FOR US. AND SO WE THINK ABOUT THE BROADER CONTEXT OF OUR RATES. HISTORICALLY, ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, OUR RATES WERE ABOUT $49 TO, TO THE CUSTOMER BILL. NOW THERE'S ADDITIONAL PARTS OF THE BILL THAT COME FROM RETAIL AND GENERATION, BUT OUR PART WAS ABOUT $49 AND IT'S ABOUT $49 A MONTH TODAY. SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HOLD THOSE RATES RELATIVELY FLAT OVER TIME. ONE OF THE REASONS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT IS BECAUSE OF THAT GROWTH. AS NEW CUSTOMERS COME ONTO THE SYSTEM, WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO INVEST WITHOUT PUTTING TOO MUCH U UPWARD PRESSURE ON THE BILL. SO THESE ISSUES AND OTHERS ARE IN THE PROCEEDING CURRENTLY PENDING BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION, WE RESPONDED TO COUNTLESS DISCOVERY REQUESTS FROM THE PARTIES, INCLUDING YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS GOING FORWARD. IN THAT CASE, WE GET THE TESTIMONY FROM THE CITY AND FROM OTHER PARTIES. UH, TOMORROW, NEXT WEEK, THE COMMISSION STAFF WILL FILE ITS TESTIMONY AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING TO A HEARING IN LATE JULY BEFORE THE STATE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS. NOW AT THE SAME TIME THAT THAT LITIGATION PROCESS IS PROCEEDING, WE'VE ALSO BEGUN SETTLEMENT DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY'S REPRESENTATIVES AND OTHER PARTIES. AS YOU MAY KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY SETTLE OUR GAS RATE CASE FILING, AND THAT'S UP FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE RAILROAD COMMISSION NEXT WEEK. AND THE COMPANY IS HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO REACH A SETTLEMENT IN THIS CASE AS WELL THAT MEETS THE INTERESTS OF THE COMPANY, THE CITY, AND ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS AND OTHER PARTIES. SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ENGAGED ALTON SMITH WITH THE FIRM OF ADAMS REESE TO REPRESENT THE CITY IN THIS MATTER. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ASK MR. ALL TO COME FORWARD AND PRESENT OUR STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. MR. HALL. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR WHITMEYER, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, ALTON HALL WITH THE LAW FIRM OF ADAMS AND REESE. AND AGAIN, IT IS MY HONOR TO REPRESENT THE CITY IN THESE UTILITY MATTERS AND TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU ONCE AGAIN. UH, WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE COUNSEL IS THE FIRST ELECTRIC RATE CASE SINCE 2019 BY CENTER POINT. UH, BUT AS MY COLLEAGUE ALLUDED TO IN THE INTERIM, BETWEEN 2019 AND NOW, THE, THE RAPES HAVE NOT BEEN STAGNANT. CENTER POINT HAS CONTINUED TO CHARGE FOR VARIOUS ITEMS. THERE ARE VARIOUS ISSUES THAT THEY COULD COME IN FOR, FOR, UH, ABBREVIATED RATE CASES, ESSENTIALLY, WHERE THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF REVIEW, UH, UNTIL YOU GET TO THE RATE CASE TO THE TUNE OF $400 MILLION. SO THIS HASN'T BEEN A FIVE YEAR PERIOD WHERE THERE'S BEEN NO CHANGE IN RATES. UH, IN FACT, THEY, THEY'VE, UM, HAD SIGNIFICANT RATE INCREASES. UH, JUST TO PUT THIS CASE IN PARTICULAR, IN CONTEXT, THEY'RE ASKING FOR A TOTAL INCREASE OF ABOUT 56 MILLION OF THAT DISTRIBUTION, WHICH IS THE, THE RETAIL, THE LOCAL CUSTOMERS. RESIDENTIAL IS A AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 14.6 MILLION. BUT THE IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THAT IS THAT FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, IT'S A $73 MILLION INCREASE. AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE RATES AND THE COSTS ARE ALLOCATED AMONG THE CUSTOMERS. SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ESSENTIALLY IS A $73 MILLION INCREASE, NOT A $14 MILLION INCREASE, NOT A $56 MILLION INCREASE. AND, UH, MY COLLEAGUE POINTED OUT THAT THE IMPACT TO AN AVERAGE BILL IS ABOUT ONE POINT A DOLLAR 21 CENTS. THAT THAT'S TRUE. BUT THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT ONE ASPECT OF THE BILL, A SIGNIFICANT ASPECT OF THE BILL CALLED TC FIVE OR A TRANSITION COST FIVE DROPPED OFF THE BILL. [00:25:01] AND THAT'S NOTHING THAT CENTERPOINT DID HERE. THAT WAS DONE WHEN IT WAS FIRST PUT ON THE BILL SEVERAL YEARS AGO. SO IT JUST RAN ITS COURSE AND IT DROPPED OFF THE BILL IF YOU JUST LOOKED WITHOUT THE TC FIVE DROPPING OFF AT THE RATES, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A $3 AND 8 CENTS INCREASE PER MONTH FOR THE AVERAGE CUSTOMER. UM, SO, SO THAT'S PUTTING IT IN THE PROPER CONTEXT. NOW. WE HAVE, UH, THE CITY RETAINED ME AND WE RETAINED SOME EXPERT CONSULTANTS WHO HAVE DONE A, A VERY, VERY, UH, DETAILED LOOK AT CENTERPOINT'S RATE PROCEEDING AND THEIR RATE APPLICATION. AND BASED ON WHAT WE'VE LOOKED AT, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A CASE THAT COULD MERIT A RATE DECREASE, NOT A RATE INCREASE. AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY DENY THE APPLICATION, LET IT PLAY OUT AT THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION. AS, AS MY COLLEAGUE STATED, WE ARE TALKING SETTLEMENT. OBVIOUSLY THAT IS A BETTER RESULT, UH, BECAUSE IT, WE NEVER KNOW. IT WILL END UP AT THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION. UH, AND SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO TALK SETTLEMENT AND SEE IF WE CAN GET, GET THIS CASE RESOLVED IN A WAY THAT'S THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO OUR RECOMMENDATION, MAYOR, IS THAT THE RATE APPLICATION BE DENIED AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. MAYOR PRO TEM TATUM. THANK YOU, UH, MR. HALL FOR YOUR INFORMATION. THIS IS, UM, GOOD, GOOD TO HEAR THAT. UM, THERE IS A MERIT OF POSSIBLY A, A DECREASE, UM, FOR MOST CONSUMERS. UM, WE RARELY HEAR THAT. UM, BUT I WILL, UM, ASK MY QUESTION. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE TC FIVE. I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH HOW THAT WORKS. YOU SAID IT DROPPED OFF. IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY, HOW DOES THAT GET BACK ON? UM, BECAUSE IF, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT A DOLLAR AND 21 CENTS INCREASE, BUT THERE WAS A POTENTIAL FOR A $3 INCREASE, IF THAT HAD NOT FALLEN OFF, WHAT IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT TO GO BACK ON? IT WILL NOT. I MEAN, THAT'S A PERMANENT, BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED IS BACK WHEN WE TRANSITIONED FROM, UM, MORE OF, UM, AN UNREGULATED INDUSTRY TO A REGULATED INDUSTRY, THERE WERE CERTAIN COSTS THAT WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, THAT THE UTILITY WAS ALLOWED TO CHARGE, BUT IT WAS PHASED IN OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. AND THAT COST HAS BEEN FULLY INCURRED BY CENTER POINT. SO THAT COST WILL NOT SHOW UP AGAIN. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THANK YOU. YOU, UH, THE CENTER POINT REP SAID THAT THE, THE RATES HAD BEEN STAGNANT AT $49, NOTWITHSTANDING RETAIL AND TRANSMISSION OR I, HE, HE NAMED A FEW THINGS. CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT ELSE IS INVOLVED AND WHAT WENT UP? I MEAN, YOU SAID THERE WERE NOT, THERE WERE, THERE HAVE BEEN INCREASES THROUGHOUT TIME. DESCRIBE WHAT THAT $49 IS AND WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. WELL, THE $49, IT, IT'S A LOT OF THINGS THERE. THERE WERE, LIKE I SAID, THAT WAS A TC FIVE THAT DROPPED OFF. THERE'VE BEEN OTHER TC CHARGES THAT HAVE DROPPED OFF AS WELL. SO YOU HAVE ITEMS LIKE THAT THAT WERE PUT ON, YOU KNOW, YEARS AND YEARS AGO THAT HAVE DROPPED OFF THE BILL. BUT IN TERMS OF BASE RATE INCREASES, IN TERMS OF DISTRIBUTION, COST RECOVERY FACTOR, WHICH IS WHAT ALLOWS THEM TO COME IN AND INCREASE THE RATES IN BETWEEN RATE CASES, THOSE HAVE ALL CONTINUED TO GO UP. OKAY. THOSE HAVE NOT GONE DOWN. OKAY. AND, UM, THE GENTLEMAN ALSO MENTIONED A SETTLEMENT ON THE GAS SIDE. ARE YOU ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO THAT? UM, WHAT HAPPENED THERE? THAT'S BEFORE THE RAILROAD COMMISSION. I CAN DESCRIBE, UH, WHAT THE RESULT IS WHERE WE KIND OF ENDED UP THE SETTLEMENT. THAT'S BEFORE THE, THE RAILROAD COMMISSION. YES. UH, AS YOU MAY RECALL, WHEN WE CAME AND DISCUSSED THIS PREVIOUSLY, CENTER POINT WAS REQUESTING ABOUT A $38 MILLION RATE INCREASE, UH, FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS. THAT WAS AROUND $60 MILLION INCREASE. WE SETTLED THE CASE AND HOPE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THE RAILROAD COMMISSION WILL APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT NEXT WEEK. AND IN THIS SETTLEMENT, THE INCREASE IS 5 MILLION. THANK YOU. UH, SO IT'S A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION FROM WHAT THEY REQUESTED AND IT'S 5 MILLION FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS AS OPPOSED TO 60 MILLION AS HAD BEEN PROPOSED. GOT IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU FOR THE, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. UM, THE QUESTION IS, SO OBVIOUSLY HEARING THERE'S A DECREASE IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING FOR THE CITY. UM, MY QUESTION IS, WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON, JUST IN TERMS OF THE STORMS THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED, ALL THE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN NECESSARY. DO [00:30:01] YOU BELIEVE THAT, UM, THE LEVEL OF IMPROVEMENTS OF INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE ABLE TO BE MAINTAINED, UM, IF THERE IS A DECREASE, DECREASE ON CENTRAL PORT SIDE, IF THERE'S A BASE RATE INCREASE OR SLIGHT INCREASE DECREASE? YES. I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THOSE ITEMS. UH, THE, THE, THE OBJECTIVE CLEARLY IS NOT TO DO ANYTHING THAT SOMEHOW COMPROMISES THE QUALITY OF SERVICE OR SAFETY. AND KEEP IN MIND THAT, AS I SAID, CENTERPOINT IS ALREADY RECOVERED BETWEEN CASES OVER 400 MILLION AND MOST OF THAT WENT TOWARDS RELIABILITY, UPGRADES, UH, RESILIENCY UPGRADES, UM, BASICALLY BUTTRESSING THE SYSTEM. SO YES, THE SYSTEM WILL REMAIN INTACT AND THE QUALITY WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE. AND ONE MORE QUESTION. IS THIS INCLUSIVE OF THE LAST STORM THAT WE JUST HAD? THIS WINS THE, THE DIRETO. IS THIS IN, IS THAT, IS THAT INCLUSIVE OF DIRETO? I'M, I'M SORRY, I'M NOT SURE MA'AM. YOU MEAN THE COST? THE YEAH, THE, THE COST, RIGHT. THE RECOVERY COST? NO. OKAY. NO, THE COST OF THIS MOST RECENT STORM IS NOT IN THIS RATE CASE. IN FACT, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING I'LL LET MY COLLEAGUE, UH, RESPOND TO THAT FROM CENTER POINT. BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEIR INTENT IS TO RECOVER THAT IN A FUTURE PROCEEDING. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UH, CAN I ASK IF YOU WOULD GIVE A SPECIFIC, YOU WERE SAYING THAT YOU WOULD, THAT WE DENY THE RATE, THE INCREASE THAT'S YOUR, IN YOUR INVESTIGATION RESEARCH. SO SPECIFICALLY, CAN YOU GIVE US BACK, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE REASONS WHY. CAN YOU NAME ME ONE OF THE, THE REASONS WHY YOU THINK THE RATE SHOULD BE DENIED? 'CAUSE I WANNA DO A FOLLOW UP QUESTION WITH IT. WELL, WHEN THEY FILE A RATE APPLICATION, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE THE BURDEN OF PROOF TO ESTABLISH THAT THE RATES THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING RIGHT ARE, ARE, ARE REASONABLE, JUST AND REASONABLE REVIEWING THE FILING. AND AFTER THE DISCOVERY THAT WE'VE DONE, WE ARE NOT CONVINCED THAT THEY'VE MET THAT BURDEN. UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL ASPECTS OF, OF THE CASE, A LOT OF DETAIL THAT I CAN'T GET INTO TODAY. BUT SOME OF THE ISSUES RELATE TO, UH, ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT THAT THEY MAY HAVE MADE THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN WARRANTED. UH, DIFFERENT TYPES OF COSTS. UH, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT ALL THEIR COSTS WHEN WE'RE EVALUATING THE RATE PROCEEDING. SO BASED ON THE COSTS THAT THEY'VE PROPOSED, IT DOES NOT, BASED ON OUR REVIEW, APPEAR TO JUSTIFY A RATE INCREASE. OKAY. SO DOES THAT, DID, WAS THAT CAUSE CONSIDERED BASED ON INFLATIONARY NUMBERS IN, IN REGARDS TO THE NATIONAL INFLATION RATE FOR COST OF EQUIPMENT AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS? IS THAT, WAS THAT PART OF YOUR RESEARCH? I MEAN, THAT'S ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE LOOKED AT MM-HMM . BUT IT'S ALSO, WAS IT NECESSARY TO, TO BUILD THIS PARTICULAR, UH, INVESTMENT OR WAS IT NECESSARY TO, TO PAY THESE PARTICULAR, UH, SALARIES OR PENSIONS? WE LOOK AT ALL OF THAT, NOT JUST COST OF LIVING INCREASES OR INFLATION, BUT ALSO WHAT EXACTLY THEY DID AND WHAT IT WAS USED FOR, AND WHETHER IT'S JUSTIFIED AS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE PUT IN THE BILLS TO RATE PAYERS. OKAY. WOULD THAT BE, UH, MADE AVAILABLE TO US MAYOR, IF THEY WERE GIVING OUT, I MEAN, THE SPECIFICS AS TO THAT, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE PROVIDED TO US IN TERMS OF THEIR APPLICATION? THAT INFORMATION? IS THAT PRIVY? YES, SIR. THANK YOU. WE, WE WILL BE FILING, UH, UM, TESTIMONY. WE FILE OUR TESTIMONY IN WRITTEN FORM OKAY. WITH THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION, BUT THAT DEADLINE IS NOT YET UPON, IT SAYS TOMORROW, AND THEN PART OF IT'S ALSO FRIDAY. AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY I'M NOT GETTING INTO MORE DETAIL BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FILED IT YET. I GOT IT. UH, AND I'M NOT NECESSARILY GONNA GIVE MY COLLEAGUE A PREVIEW. SURE. I UNDERSTAND. SO , I'M NOT, ONCE THAT'S FILED, IT'S PUBLIC RECORD. YEAH. OKAY. AND CERTAINLY WE CAN PROVIDE SUMMARIES AT THAT POINT. OKAY. GOOD. OKAY. NOT ADVOCATING FOR INCREASE, I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING WE, WE VOTE NEXT WEEK. UH, WHAT'S THE EXPOSURE WE'D HAVE WHEN WE GO BACK TO THE PUC? IS IT YOUR DESIRE TO HAVE A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT OR DO WE WE'VE HEARD THEIR PROPOSAL. IF WE GO TO THE PUC, UH, WHAT'S BEEN OUR TRACK RECORD THERE? YOUR YOUR TRACK RECORD? YEAH. , IF WE GO TO THE PUC, UH, THERE'S ALWAYS A CHANCE [00:35:01] THAT THEY'LL GET A RATE INCREASE. YES, SIR. AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHY, AS I SAID, UH, IN RESPONSE TO ONE OF THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, I THINK THAT THE BEST RESULT, IF WE CAN ACHIEVE ONE IS A SETTLEMENT. YES, SIR. UH, AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON. WE'VE ALREADY HAD SOME MEETINGS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE OTHERS BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER SETTLEMENT THAN WE DO PRESENTING THE CASE TO THE COMMISSION AND HAVING THEM DECIDE IT FOR US. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU FOR THE JOB. THANK YOU. UH, CENTER POINT. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND MR. PETERS? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. JUST A COUPLE BRIEF RESPONSES TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HEARD REGARDING THE DIRECTION EVENT. MR. HALL IS CORRECT. WE'LL EXPECT TO BE REQUESTING, UM, RECOVERY OF THAT BEGINNING TOWARD THE END OF THIS YEAR. WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE COSTS THAT WERE SPENT ON THAT EVENT YET, BUT ONCE WE DO, WE'LL MAKE AN APPLICATION WITH THE PUC TO BEGIN RECOVERING THOSE. IN TERMS OF THE TC FIVE CHARGE THAT'S ON THE BILL, MR. HALL IS CORRECT, THAT IS COMING OFF THE BILL, AND THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT, UM, WHEN WE COME TO THE COMMISSION AND TO THE CITY WITH A RATE INCREASES, WHAT, WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN TERMS OF OUR RATES? DOES THAT GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THESE SAFE AND RELIABLE INVESTMENTS WHILE NOT PUTTING TOO MUCH UPWARD PRESSURE ON THE BILL IN ADDITION TO THE CUSTOMER GROWTH, THAT ALSO HELPS WITH THAT. SO THAT'S REALLY OUR THINKING AROUND MAINTAINING INVESTMENT IN HIGH QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT ALSO NOT PUTTING UNDUE PRESSURE ON THE BILLS. GOOD. ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE PRESENT THAT WOULD LIKE TO TESTIFY? WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE SIGN UP. NO ONE SIGNED UP. UH, THIS CONCLUDES THE HEARING. IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING CASTEX TO MOVE TO CLOSE THE HEARING ON THE SECOND MOTION MADE AND SECONDED TO CLOSE THE HEARING? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. MEMBERS, UH, QUICKLY [MAYOR'S REPORT] ON THE MAYOR'S REPORT, I'M GONNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT, UH, LARGE AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL SUPPOSED TO START AROUND 10 O'CLOCK TONIGHT, ALTHOUGH IT'S KIND OF CONTINUING, UH, THIS MORNING TO MOVE TO THE SOUTHWEST, BUT WE HAVE TO BE ON HIGH ALERT. UM, I'M PLEASED TO SAY ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE, UH, IN THE, UH, POSITION TO BE READY. WE MET YESTERDAY AT THE EMERGENCY CENTER, RAN THROUGH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, CERTAINLY OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, H-F-D-H-P-D. I'LL INCLUDE THE, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SOLID WASTE PARKS. EVERYONE IS, UH, PUBLIC WORKS. PUBLIC WORKS, HAS POSITIONED THEMSELVES, UM, NOT EXPECTING LARGE WINDS, BUT, UM, STARTING LATE TONIGHT, EIGHT TO 10 INCHES OF RAIN AS IT CURRENTLY IS FORECAST. AND, UM, CITY GOVERNMENT IS POSITIONED READY. I THINK WE NEED TO ADVISE HOUSTONIANS TO BE READY NOT DRIVING THOSE CONDITIONS IF POSSIBLE. AND, UM, IF YOU'RE OUT ON THE ROAD, DO NOT DRIVE IN FLOOD CONDITIONS, SO WE'LL STAY IN COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR OFFICES AND, AND THE PUBLIC. I THINK WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN TO BE READY FOR THE HIGH WATER. UH, TOMORROW IS A CITY HOLIDAY. JUNETEENTH. WE SHOULD, UH, REMEMBER THE PURPOSE OF THIS HOLIDAY TO REMEMBER OUR HISTORY AND THE, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN OUR, IN OUR COUNTRY'S RECORD. UH, I WILL STRONGLY SUGGEST WE'VE COME A LONG WAYS, BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO. SO LET'S RECOGNIZE THIS. MAKE SURE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE KNOW OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS HISTORIC DAY. ON A MORE SOMBER NOTE, I WAS BROUGHT INTO HPD YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WITH NOTICE THAT, UH, A FAMILY NIGHT BEFORE LAST LOST THEIR 12-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER FROM APARTMENTS ON RANKIN ROAD. MOTHER LAST SAW HER DAUGHTER AT 10 O'CLOCK WHEN SHE PUT EVERYBODY TO BED. SOMETIME BETWEEN 10 AND 12, SHE LEFT, UH, WAS TALKING TO HER BOYFRIEND'S OR 13-YEAR-OLD BOYFRIEND ON THE PHONE. IT APPEARS THAT HE LAST TALKED TO HER AT A CONVENIENCE STORE AROUND MIDNIGHT. HER, HER TALKING TO TWO GROWNUPS. THEY FOUND HER BODY YESTERDAY MORNING AT 6:00 AM THERE WILL BE A REPORT ISSUED SHORTLY WITH VERY, VERY BAD, HORRIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES. [00:40:02] SO LET'S KEEP THE, UH, MS GUN RAY, N-U-N-G-A-R-A-Y IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. SHE LOST HER 12-YEAR-OLD DURING THE NIGHT. AND, UH, IT'S A REMINDER HOW BLESSED WE ALL ARE. AND ALSO A REMINDER THAT THERE ARE VIOLENT OFFENDERS ON OUR STREET THAT, UH, WE MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. PUBLIC SAFETY HAS TO CONTINUE TO BE OUR, MY, OUR, I'LL INCLUDE EVERYONE. OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY, UM, TO, TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH, WITH CRIME. UM, THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES. HPDS ARRESTED OVER 400 INDIVIDUALS WANTED FOR FELONY OFFENSES, A WARRANT FOR THEIR ARREST, AND HPD AND OTHER AGENCIES ARRESTED THEM. OF THAT 400 HALF OF THEM HAVE ALREADY BEEN RELEASED. SO WE KNOW WE NEED ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES, WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT. BUT ONCE LAW ENFORCEMENT DOES ITS JOB, APPREHENDS REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDERS, AND THEN THEY'RE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY, WE'RE NEVER GONNA BE AS SAFE AS WE NEED TO BE. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. PUBLIC SAFETY OBVIOUSLY INVOLVES OUR FIREFIGHTERS, ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. SO, UH, BUT THAT SAD NOTE, UM, HPD HAS DONE A, AN AMAZING, I WATCHED THEM IN THEIR INVESTIGATION PULLING INFORMATION OFF SOCIAL MEDIA AND, UH, VIDEO CAMERAS PINGING THE YOUNG PERSON'S PHONE AND ARE GONNA RELEASE EVEN MORE FACTS, UH, INCLUDING THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S REPORT SHORTLY. SO, UH, LET JUST KEEP THE FAMILY IN OUR PRAYERS. NOW WE'LL MOVE TO, UM, THE PUBLIC SESSION PART OF THE MEETING. ARE THERE ANY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? NO MOTIONS. JUST FOR SPEAKER, MA'AM. [9:30 AM - PUBLIC SPEAKERS] SECRETARY, WILL YOU CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER? STEVE DUNBAR. YOU STEP BEHIND ONE OF THE MICROPHONES. EITHER ONE, A LONGER ONE. HERE WE GO. MORNING, MY NAME IS STEVE DUNBAR. I'M AN AN ATTORNEY, GOOD STANDING WITH STATE BAR OF TEXAS. I'M ALSO A RETIRED DISTRICT CHIEF FOR THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. 27 YEARS. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT THINGS. A GREAT THING WHEN IT WAS SIGNED IN MARCH, HOWEVER, NEARLY 200 FORMER MEMBERS OF HFD WERE LEFT OFF PURPOSELY BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE UNION, SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT MAKE 10 YEARS IN THE DEPARTMENT AN ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS REASONING. UH, I REACHED OUT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY NINE TIMES SINCE MARCH. MR. MICHELLE, NO RESPONSE. I REACHED OUT TO THE MAYOR, NO RESPONSE. BASICALLY, I'M HERE AGAIN. THIS IS A GREAT SETTLEMENT. HOWEVER, UM, IT SPECIFICALLY LEFT OUT, I BELIEVE IN SECTION 30 OR 31 OF THIS AGREEMENT, THESE NEARLY 200 MEMBERS WHO ARE NOW MY CLIENTS. SO THIS SETTLEMENT, ACCORDING TO THE MAYOR, IS GONNA PUT ALL THIS BEHIND US. NO MORE PAYING ATTORNEYS ARE GONNA PAY OUR FIREFIGHTERS. THAT'S ACTUALLY, IT'S FACTUALLY NOT CORRECT. THE CASES, MR. MICHELLE CAN TELL YOU THE CASES WERE SEVERED. THERE IS STILL AN ACTIVE CASE WITH THESE NEARLY 200 FIREFIGHTERS AND THE ASSISTANT CHIEFS, OF WHICH I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH, BUT THIS CASE IS STILL ACTIVE. I'M NOT TRYING TO BLOW UP THE SETTLEMENTS. IT'S A GREAT THING YOU OWE THESE FIREFIGHTERS FOR YEARS OF MISTREATMENT. AND THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. MISTREATMENT OF MY PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS. THEY'RE WAY BEHIND ON THE SALARY CURVE. AND ACTUALLY, I DON'T BELIEVE THIS AGREEMENT BRINGS THEIR RAISE UP, BUT IT DOES PROVIDE SOME SORT OF COMPENSATION FOR 10 YEARS OF MAYBE ONE RAISE WHERE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WERE GETTING THEIR RAISES. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS THE TOP SERVICE IN THE CITY YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR. UH, MR. MAY, YOU SAID YOU VETTED THIS, THIS SETTLEMENT EXCLUDED THEM WITH YOUR SIGNATURE ON IT. SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU JUST READ OVER IT, MISSED IT, OR IF YOU READ IT, SAW IT AND PURPOSELY SAID, OKAY, IT'S ALL RIGHT. WE'LL JUST IGNORE IT. UH, THE CITY CONTENDS, HEY, WE'RE GONNA TRY THIS. IT'S SETTLED, IT'S DONE, EXCEPT HERE'S THE ORDER OF SEVERANCE AND HERE'S THE 14TH [00:45:01] COURT OF APPEALS OPINION SAYING YOU CAN CONTINUE ON WITH THIS CASE. MR. MICHELLE, YOU RECEIVED IT WITH AS PART OF THE E-FILING. SO THIS CASE IS STILL GOING. I'M NOT, AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO HAVE MR. HOLLANDS DELAY THIS. I BELIEVE HIS ONLY PART IN THIS THIS MORNING IS TO SIGN ATTORNEY'S FEES. THAT'S FINE. LET'S MOVE ON WITH THE SETTLEMENT, BUT REALIZE THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS. THERE IS AN EXHIBIT A AS PART OF THIS SETTLEMENT WAS MENTIONED IN THE FILING, BUT IT WAS NOT PRESENTED TO ANYONE EXCEPT THE UNION HAS IT. I WOULD ASSUME MR. MICHELLE HAS IT. AND WHAT I'M GONNA URGE YOU, UH, MR. MAYOR, IS TO HAVE YOUR CITY ATTORNEY RELEASE IT TO MY OFFICE. AGAIN, I'M ON RECORD FOR THESE NEARLY 200 FIREFIGHTERS, FORMER MEMBERS OF HFD, WHO RAN THE STREETS, ROLLED UP LIVE WIRES ON TWO 90, MADE FIRES IN SOUTHWEST, CARDIAC ARRESTS IN SOUTHEAST, AND WORKED FLOODS IN KINGWOOD. WHAT I WOULD URGE YOU TO DO IS RELEASE EXHIBIT A. IT'S THE CALCULATION FORM WHO'S GETTING PAID, HOW MUCH THEY'RE GETTING PAID, AND HOW THEY CAME UP WITH THOSE NUMBERS. UH, WE GET THAT INFORMATION. I'LL GO OVER IT. IF YOU GIVE IT TO ME TONIGHT, I'D NON-SUIT THE CITY BY FRIDAY. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. NEXT, DONNA RICKENBACKER. GOOD MORNING. DONNA, RICK AND BACKER WITH, UH, DWR DEVELOPMENT. SPEAK INTO THE MIC, PLEASE. I'M SORRY. EXCUSE ME. DONNA, RICK AND BACKER WITH DWR DEVELOPMENT. I'M REALLY HERE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BE CONSIDERING. IT'S IT'S AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 17. SO THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THAT AGENDA ITEM. I'M CERTAINLY HERE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO IT. IT'S IN CONNECTION WITH A, AN AMENDMENT TO A LOAN THAT THE CITY HAS MADE TO OST LOFTS DEVELOPMENT. AND IT'S, UH, IN CONNECTION WITH THE, UM, ARPA DOLLARS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM HARRIS COUNTY TO OFFSET SOME OF OUR CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. THIS PARTICULAR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IS MY THIRD. THAT INCLUDES A STANDALONE PRE-K SCHOOL COMPONENT. AND I'LL BE WORKING WITH THE TEJANO CENTER. SO OBVIOUSLY IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS WITH REGARDS TO THE AMENDMENT, UM, I'M, I'M AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY. AND MAYOR WHITMEYER, IF I'M ALLOWED TO SPEAK ON ANOTHER ITEM, IT'S REALLY, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU. UH, THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN FREQUENTLY, I'M SURE, UH, TO CITY COUNCIL AND YOU MAYOR, UH, WHITMEYER IN CONNECTION WITH THIS LAST STORM. YOU ALL WERE SO PROACTIVE TO SEND OUT DAILY, UM, UPDATES ON CENTER POINT TRASH PICKUP AND EVERYTHING ELSE. IT REALLY WAS IMPACTFUL TO KEEP US ALL INFORMED. I HAD A DEVELOPMENT. IT DID LOSE POWER. UM, IT ALSO LOST, UNFORTUNATELY, WATER AND THE UPDATES THAT YOU ALL PROVIDED REALLY HELPED TREMENDOUSLY GET US BACK ONLINE. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY, VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS, MA'AM. A SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER CAN SUSTAIN THEM. NO. EVAN SHABAZZ, IT'S ME. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I KNOW Y'ALL ARE WORKING LIGHTS. YOU GOT A LOT ON YOUR MIND. UH, DONNA, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. I DID WANT TO, UM, LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, I'M DEFINITELY IN SUPPORT OF, UM, THIS NEXT DEVELOPMENT. UH, WE HAVE FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO WITH THE EDISON LOSS. IT WAS THE, UM, FIRST, UM, DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU'VE DONE WITH THE STANDALONE PRE-K CENTER. THE LAST REPORT WE GOT THAT, UM, SEVERAL OF THOSE STUDENTS LEFT PRE-K TO GO TO KINDERGARTEN AND THEY WERE READING. ABSOLUTELY. UM, AND WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS, UH, FOR US TO HAVE PRE-K SERVICES AND THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THOSE PROPERTIES ARE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN GO TO THE PRE-K CENTERS WITH AT NO COST. CORRECT. UM, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE SERVICE. UH, SO I WANTED YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH THE RESIDENTS ARE. UM, SO VERY APPRECIATIVE TO THE PIANO LESSONS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THESE DEVELOPMENTS THAT MANY OF THESE STUDENTS WOULDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO. SO I'M WHOLEHEARTEDLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING ITEM 17. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, NOW COUNCILMAN EVAN SHABA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, DONNA. I HAVE TO CONCUR WITH, UH, MAYOR PROAM. UM, WE HAVE THE REGENCY LOSS AND IT IS A TREMENDOUS ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE SCHOOL INVOLVED. AND SO I TOO WILL BE SUPPORTING IT AND, UH, JUST LOOK FORWARD TO IT. AND THAT'S RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF DISTRICT D. SO I'M GONNA TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THAT AS WELL, SO TO SPEAK. BUT CERTAINLY IT WILL PROVIDE PEOPLE IN DISTRICT [00:50:01] D THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO ACROSS THE STREET BASICALLY AND, AND FIND, UH, GREAT HOUSING AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CHILDREN. AND SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND WHAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU MA'AM. NEXT SPEAKER. JACKIE CHOP NEXT PLEASE. HE'S, I'M SORRY, MS. YOUR TAKE YOUR TIME. THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU. IT'S CHOPPY. S-C-H-O-P-P. PUT THE E ON IT. PUT DOWN. YES MA'AM. GOT IT. PERFECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. MAYOR WHITMORE AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JACKIE SHOPPY. I'M A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN AND WE HAVE LIVED IN OUR HOME IN MAPLEWOOD NORTH DISTRICT C FOR 51 YEARS. WE ARE ASKING FOR A CIP PROJECT FOR MAPLEWOOD NORTH TO SOLVE OUR DRAINAGE PROBLEM AT THE INTERSECTION OF DALE AND PONTIAC. I SENT TWO SEPARATE EMAILS TO EACH OF YOU ON JUNE THE 10TH DESCRIBING OUR PROBLEM. THE PAGES IN YOUR NOTEBOOK ARE NUMBERED FOR YOUR REFERENCE, AND SOME OF THE MAIN POINTS ARE PAGE ONE HAS SIX PICTURES OF FLOODING AT THAT INTERSECTION FROM 2008 TO 2023. PAGE SEVEN HAS A MAP OF THE STREETS IN MAPLEWOOD NORTH. OUR STREETS ARE USED AS CUT THROUGHS FROM HILLCROFT, NORTH BRAYWOOD, BEACH NUT, AND RENWICK. AND OUR ENTRY STREETS ALL HAVE ASPHALT OVERLAYS. PAGE FIVE SHOWS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VEHICLES THAT COULD DRIVE THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION. OVER 3000 FROM NEARBY CHURCHES, SCHOOLS. GALE REEVES PARK, IT'S A CITY PARK AND HISD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, HAROD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ADJACENT TO THE PARK. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE RESIDENCE OF MAPLEWOOD NORTH MEYERLAND WEST, AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS OFF MULLINS FROM BEECHNUT TO NORTH BRASSWOOD. PARENT VEHICLES WRAP AROUND JASON PONTIAC AND DALE TO DROP OFF IN PICK UP THEIR CHILDREN. WE HAVE SEEN WRECK TOW FLOODED CARS FROM THAT INTERSECTION, BUT WE COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE OWNERS. PAGE 14, 15, AND 16 SHOWS A TIMELINE OF OUR REQUEST FOR OUR CIP AT THAT INTERSECTION FOR EIGHT YEARS AND CONTACTS I MADE WITH THE CITY IN HARRIS COUNTY AT THE TOP OF PAGE 14. IT STATES THAT WE ATTENDED THE BRAZE BAYOU ASSOCIATION MEETING ON JUNE THE 20TH OF 2016. THE SPEAKER WAS ERIC DARGAN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING STREET AND DRAINAGE DIVISION. HE DISCUSSED THE CURRENT POTHOLE PROGRAM AND THE CIP PROGRAM FOR STREETS AND DRAINAGE. A FEW DAYS LATER HE CALLED AND SAID HE WAS AT THE CORNER OF DALE AND PONTIAC EVALUATING THE WATER DRAINAGE. HE SAID THE FOUR WATER INLETS AT THE INTERSECTION OF PONTIAC AND DALE ARE TOO SMALL FOR THE DRAINAGE PROPER, AND THE NEXT INLETS ARE 1500 FEET AWAY OR MORE. HE RECOMMENDED THAT ADDITIONAL INLET INLETS BE INSTALLED AND HE WOULD TURN IN A REPORT TO MR. SAMUELS AND SUGGESTED WE SHOULD CONTACT OUR CITY COUNCILWOMAN TO SEE WHEN AND IF OUR AREA LOCAL DRAINAGE ASSESSMENT WILL BE FORTHCOMING. ON PAGE THREE, TUESDAY, JULY THE EIGHTH, 2023, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF MAPLEWOOD SOUTH NORTH ASSOCIATION VOTED UNANIMOUSLY IN FAVOR OF SUPPORTING A PETITION TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF ADDING TO THE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. YOU CAN FINISH. LET ME ASK YOU SOME, UH, SURE. I'M LOOKING AT YOUR CORRESPONDENCE. APPARENTLY YOU'VE BEEN TALKING TO OR WITH THE CITY SINCE 2016. NO, SIR. IF YOU LOOK AT THE TIMELINES, ALL THE PEOPLE I TALKED TO, THE 3 1 1 COUNCIL. NO, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. I'M, IT IT REFLECTS HERE THAT THIS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME. YES, SIR. SINCE I STARTED IT IN 2016, THAT'S WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO. YES. AFTER WE LEFT THAT MEETING, THAT WAS MY START. AND I'M STILL HERE. WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE WILL ADDRESS IT. UH, IT'S A CITYWIDE ISSUE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT YOU'VE DOCUMENTED YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT AS WELL AS ANYONE I'VE EVER SEEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO YOU CAN, YOU CAN FINISH, BUT OKAY. I'D LIKE TO FINISH 'CAUSE THERE'S SOME GOOD POINTS. NO, GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. OKAY. UM, I I BACK AT ON TUESDAY, JUNE 8TH, JULY THE EIGHTH. LAST YEAR, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF MAPLEWOOD SOUTH NORTH ASSOCIATION VOTED UNANIMOUSLY IN FAVOR OF SUPPORTING A PETITION TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF ADDING TO THE CITY CIP PROJECT FOR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT AND NECESSARY ANCILLARY WORK AT THE INTERSECTION OF PONTIAC AND DALE. [00:55:01] THE ASSOCIATION IS IN FAVOR OF ANY PAVING, DRAINAGE, SIDEWALKS, LANDSCAPING, OR OTHER IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON RIGHT OF WAY AND WITHIN THE ASSOCIATION'S BOUNDARY NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT. IT WAS SIGNED BY KYLE CASPER, PRESIDENT OF MAPLEWOOD, SOUTH NORTH. PAGE 12 SHOWS THE PICTURES OF RESIDENTIAL DRAINAGE INLETS, THE WAY THEY WERE IN THE PAST AND THE, THE LARGER THAT THEY ARE NOW. HERE IS THE TIMELINE OF LAST WEEK, MONDAY, JUNE THE 10TH, I SENT TWO EMAILS TO THE MAYOR AND EVERYONE ON CITY COUNCIL WEDNESDAY COUNCILMAN CAME AND SENT AN EMAIL TO ME. PLEASE KNOW THAT I AM IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT REGARDING THIS CIP PROJECT, AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW AS SOON AS I HEAR BACK FRIDAY. CHRIS SANDOVAL, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS CALLED AND SAID HE GOT A COPY OF MY EMAILS FROM COUNCILWOMAN CAYMAN AND WAS SHARING WITH, UH, JOHANNA, UH, JOHANNA CLARK AND JODY PEREZ. HE THOUGHT HE WOULD SPEAK, HE THOUGHT HE WOULD GET A MESSAGE FROM MAYOR WHITMEYER ON THE SAME. I TOLD CHRIS, YOU'RE GONNA LIKE THIS MAYOR. I TOLD CHRIS THAT THE EMAILS TO THE MAYOR WERE NOT BEING DELIVERED, BUT EACH OF THE CITY COUNCIL RECEIVED THEIRS. I DID A RETURN RECEIPT, GOT ONE FROM EVERYONE BUT YOU. BUT I HAD ALREADY TALKED TO YOUR SECRETARY ON JUNE 1ST. TOLD HER I COULDN'T GET THROUGH TO YOU. SO I INFORMED VERONICA WEATHERSPOON OF THAT PROBLEM ON JUNE THE FIRST, AND SHE PASSED IT ON TO THE IT DEPARTMENT FOR REVIEW AND INVESTIGATION. WE AGREED THAT I WOULD SEND MY EMAILS TO HER UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. JUNE THE 11TH, AN EMAIL FROM VERONICA SAID SHE WOULD BE OUT OF THE OFFICE UNTIL MONDAY. YESTERDAY, I CALLED VANESSA GRAHAM MORGAN AND TOLD HER OF THE DELAY IN THE MAYOR GETTING MY EMAILS OF JUNE 10TH. I SENT TWO EMAILS TO HER AND SHE SAID SHE WOULD DIRECT THEM TO THE RIGHT PERSON IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. CHRIS SANDER FALLS SAID HE WOULD BE AT CITY COUNCIL MEETING TODAY, AND HE IS, I MET HIM. NOTHING WOULD BE DONE PENDING THE MAYOR'S DECISION ON JUNE THE 16TH, 2023. JEREMY, I I CALLED IT, I ASKED WHAT JEREMY'S LAST NAME WAS. THERE'S 17 JEREMY'S, THEY COULDN'T TELL ME WHO HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS SUGGESTED. WE CONDUCT A NEIGHBORHOOD PETITION AND SUBMITTED TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. WE HAVE DONE THAT. RECEIVED A, A RECEIPT FROM THE CITY SECRETARY AND NOW WE ARE AT CITY COUNCIL ASKING FOR ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN GIVE US IN SOLVING OUR DRAINAGE PROBLEM. THANK YOU. WELL, LET, LET ME JUST SAY YOU'VE DONE YOUR PART. I HAVE YOU'VE DONE YOUR PART. NOW THE CITY NEEDS TO DO IT PART WE'LL, UH, AND I'LL FUSS AT SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T SHOW ME THAT EMAIL . BUT, BUT YOU'VE DONE YOUR JOB AND LET US, UH, ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MAYOR . MAYOR PROTE, CAST STATE, THANK YOU MS. SHOP FOR BEING HERE. WE DID RECEIVE YOUR, UH, EMAIL IN DISTRICT K, UM, RESPONDED BACK AND COMMUNICATED WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER. AND UNFORTUNATELY SHE'S NOT HERE TODAY. YES, SIR. BUT I DO KNOW IF SHE WAS HERE, SHE WOULD ADDRESS YOU AND SAY THAT SHE IS DEFINITELY GOING TO, UM, FOLLOW UP, UH, WITH PUBLIC WORKS. BUT MY POINT TO YOU IS SURE. THERE ARE THESE SITUATIONS ALL ACROSS THE CITY. MM-HMM . UM, THERE ARE NOTEBOOKS AND CORRESPONDENCE FROM CONSTITUENTS FROM PRIOR TO 2016 IN CON WITH CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR DRAINAGE. WE ALL AGREE THAT WE HAVE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INLETS AND WE HAVE MORE WATER COMING INTO THE CITY OF HOUSTON TRYING TO ROLL DOWNSTREAM SOMEWHERE. AND WE WANNA PREVENT IT FROM GETTING INTO PEOPLE'S HOMES, CARS, BUSINESSES, UM, ALL ACROSS THE CITY. SO I KNOW IT'S FRUSTRATING. YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB LAYING OUT THE CONCERNS, UM, IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. UH, DISTRICTS A BUTS DISTRICT K. AND SO WE'VE GOT SOME, UM, BIG WORK THAT WE ARE DOING THAT WILL IMPACT BOTH OF OUR DISTRICTS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE WATER DOESN'T STOP AT THE, THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES. RIGHT. UM, SO WE WILL DEFINITELY BE LOOKING AT, UM, THIS IN A, IN A REGIONAL ASPECT BECAUSE THERE'S SOME ALSO SOME AREAS IN, IN WESTBURY AND CLOSE TO, UM, THOSE AREAS THAT NEED ADDITIONAL DRAINAGE. SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS YOU AND LET YOU KNOW THAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE VALID. UM, AND WE HAVE THESE TYPES OF CONCERNS, UNFORTUNATELY, ALL ACROSS THE CITY. AND WE WILL HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT OUR, OUR CIP. UM, WE DID A, A BUDGET WORKSHOP, UM, YESTERDAY AND TALKED ABOUT CIP. THERE WILL BE MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CIP PROJECTS. YOU HAVE DE DEFINITELY AMPLIFIED THE NEED IN YOUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. CAN I MAKE ONE MORE POINT? SURE. WE HAD THE PROBLEM BEFORE 2016. I KNOW. THAT'S JUST WHEN I JUMPED ON THE BANDWAGON, I SAW THAT AND I THOUGHT THIS IS OUR ANSWER. WELL, IT WASN'T, BUT THE OTHER THING IS WE CALL 3 1 1 PUBLIC WORKS COMES OUT. THEY ALL TELL ME THERE'S NO PROBLEM. THERE'S NO PROBLEM. BUT YOU'VE GOT WHAT DARGAN [01:00:01] SAID, YOU'VE GOT MY PICTURES. THERE IS A PROBLEM. RIGHT. IT'S JUST THEY'RE NOT LOOKING AT IT. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. SURE. JUST A SECOND. COUNCILMAN ER GOT A QUICK QUESTION. I'VE SEEN THE PICTURES. OBVIOUSLY THE STREETS FLOODED. IS IT LIMITED TO THE STREETS OR IS IT GETTING INTO THE HOMES DURING THESE EVENTS AS WELL? WE FLOODED, WE OUR STREET CALLED EL OKAY. FLOODED EXCEPT FOR THREE HOMES IN HURRICANE HARVEY. OKAY. THIS COMES, WE'RE THE FOURTH HOUSE FROM THAT INTERSECTION. THE WATER, WHEN IT FLOODS DOWN THERE, COMES BACK ALMOST CHARGE DRIVEWAY. SO FOUR AFTER THAT. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO PENETRATE THAT. IT DOES NOT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IT DOESN'T GO INTO THE HOMES. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA. COUNCIL RAMIREZ? YES. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU JACKIE FOR BEING HERE. UH, WE, WE HAVE HEARD WHAT, WHAT YOU'VE SAID AND WE APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'VE DONE FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD OVER THE YEARS. I KNOW YOU'VE SPOKEN TO MY CHIEF OF STAFF, JOHN MOSS, A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS. AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, YOUR TIMING IS REALLY GOOD BECAUSE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, UH, PROJECTS, UH, PROCESS RIGHT NOW. SO THANK YOU AND WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. SARAH FRAZIER. SARAH FRAZIER. NANCY HIGGS. NANCY HIGGS. MICHELLE BOUCHARD, IT. GEORGIA HITCHCOCK. JOHNNA HITCHCOCK. EBA E BAR. GEORGE LEBLANC. EUGENE REDDICK. AM I ON THE RIGHT LIST? , I'M IN, YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT LIST. TRACY TIMMONS. TRACY TIMMONS. TRACY. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR HER. HELLO. MS. TIMMONS. HI. HOW YOU DOING? IF YOU'LL GET RIGHT BEHIND THAT MICROPHONE. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. UM, MY NAME IS TRACY TIMMONS. UM, I'M GLAD THAT YOU ALLOWED ME TO SPEAK, UM, CENTER POINT LEFT AND THE PUC LEFT. BUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE AFFECTS ME AND MY DISABILITY. I BOUGHT MY HOUSE NOVEMBER 31ST, 2006. AND HARVEY, I LOST POWER FOR TWO WEEKS. UM, DURING THE ICE STORM, MY HOUSE WAS DAMAGED FOR OVER SIX MONTHS. YOU KEPT TURNING THE POWER OFF AND ON. AS YOU CAN SEE, I HAVE A DISABILITY. I WAS BORN WITH THIS DISABILITY. DISABILITY WILL BE WITH ME FROM LIFE AND IT CANNOT BE FIXED. BUT I'M ALSO A DIABETIC. SO IMAGINE BEING IN YOUR HOME, YOUR KITCHEN IS DESTROYED. MY HOUSE IS THE SMALLEST HOUSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I HAD TO GUT MY WHOLE KITCHEN WITH MOLD. SO CENTER POINT, WHEN YOU MAKE DECISIONS, WHEN YOU TURN OFF MY POWER, WHEN YOU TURN IT BACK ON AND THE WATER IS SLOWLY DRIPPING, AND I HAVE TO GO INTO MY RETIREMENT ACCOUNT AND TAKE OUT $60,000 BECAUSE THE INSURANCE COMPANY ONLY OFFERED ME 6,000 TO REPAIR MY KITCHEN. AND I TOOK IT TO HOME DEPOT AND SHOWED THEM THE CHECK. THEY SAID, MS. TIMMONS, YOU CANNOT GET THIS KITCHEN FIXED FOR $6,000. THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO WITH $6,000. SO I'M ANGRY THAT THEY LEFT. I'M ANGRY THAT THEY WANT A RATE INCREASE BECAUSE WHEN I GOT MY HOUSE FINISHED, I PURCHASED A BACKUP GENERATOR. I PURCHASED A WHOLE HOUSE BACKUP GENERATOR. WHEN THIS NEW DICHO, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, HIT YOU, KNOCKED DOWN THE MY BOX. SO I COULDN'T EVEN HA UM, TURN ON MY GENERATOR. SO I WAS OUTTA POWER FOR 30 HOURS. I AM IN ALSO, NOT ONLY A DIABETIC, BUT MY DISORDER. BUT NOW I FOUND OUT I HAVE HEART DISEASE. I WAS IN THAT HOUSE FOR 30 HOURS WITHOUT POWER. [01:05:01] I LOST ALL THE FOOD IN MY HOUSE BECAUSE OF MY DEDUCTIBLE. YOU KNOW, THE PRICES GO UP. THEY SAY, OH, YOUR HOUSE IS WORTH $250,000. YOUR DEDUCTIBLE IS 2,500. MS. TIMMONS, YOU CANNOT GET YOUR FOOD REPLACED. BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE $2,500 WORTH OF FOOD. I'M SINGLE. I WOULD NEVER GO TO THE STORE AND BUY $2,500 WORTH OF FOOD. SO WHAT YOU DO HAS GREAT IMPACT ON ME. RIGHT. AND ALSO YOU ALLOW A DEVELOPER TO BUILD IN FRONT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO ETHAN ALLEN. ETHAN ALLEN'S DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD. WE HAVE A ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT. THERE'S 144 HOMES. BECAUSE MY SISTER WENT THROUGH KATRINA. I PURCHASED FLOOD INSURANCE. I KEPT FLOOD INSURANCE. I SAID, I WOULDN'T BUY THIS HOUSE WITHOUT FLOOD INSURANCE, BUT I CANNOT SAY THAT EVERYBODY WOULD YOU ALLOW ME TO FINISH? PLEASE GO AHEAD, WRAP IT UP. BUT HIS ELEVATION SITS HIGHER THAN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT MAN IS NOT ONLY GONNA FLOOD OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT HE FLOODS THE STREETS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HE PLANTS THOSE BIG OAK TREES ALL DOWN UPPER WEST, LITTLE YORK. SO WE LOSE POWER. HE NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. ETHAN ALLEN NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. HE CANNOT BUILD A HIGHER ELEVATION IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND FLOOD OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND HE CANNOT PUT THOSE OAK TREES DOWN WEST LITTLE YORK. AND THEN WE LOSE POWER FOR TWO WEEKS ON END. HE NEEDS TO GET WHEN WAS THAT PROPERTY BUILT? WHEN WAS THAT? ETHAN ALLEN PROPERTY BUILT. OH, IT'S BEING BUILT RIGHT NOW. OH, IT'S BEING BUILT RIGHT NOW? YES, RIGHT NOW. OKAY. HE OKAY. YEAH. IT'S, IT'S HORRIBLE. SO, SO THE, OUR, OUR NEW REQUIREMENTS, UM, STATE THAT IF A NEW DEVELOPMENT IS BEING BUILT, THEY HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE WATER ON THEIR PROPERTY. UM, AND THE WAY OUR PERMITTING WORKS, THEY SHOULD NOT ALLOW THE BUILDING TO, UM, ALLOW RUNOFF TO AFFECT THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE AROUND IT. IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT THAT IS HAPPENING, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM EITHER, UM, PUBLIC WORKS OR, OR SOMEONE GO OUT TO DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT RUNOFF IS BEING CAPTURED ON THEIR PROPERTY AND NOT AFFECTING THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES. WHAT, WHAT DISTRICT ARE YOU IN? UM, IF I'M RIGHT, I'M IN AMY PECK'S DISTRICT. OKAY. THEN, THEN I, I WON'T SPEAK FOR YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT SHE'S IN THE QUEUE TO ADDRESS YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, VICE MAYOR PROAM PECK. THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING TOO. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU SAID THAT YOU LIVED IN A HOUSE. YOUR, UM, ADDRESS ON THIS, THAT YOU USED TO SIGN UP WAS ON THE CAMERA. I UPDATED. IT'S 72 38 JIM COLE DRIVE. OKAY. HOUSTON, TEXAS 7 7 0 4 0. NOVEMBER 31ST, 2006. OKAY. JUST TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT. NO FLOOD INSURANCE. IT, IT . BUT MY WHOLE THING IS I'VE BEEN IMPACTED BY CENTER POINT. I LOST POWER FOR TWO WEEKS. MY HOUSE FACES THE SOUTH. WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN DURING THE WINTER STORM, I PURCHASED A BACKUP GENERATOR. I PURCHASED A FULL HOUSE BACKUP GENERATOR FOR $1,000 FROM HOME DEPOT. THAT GENERATED SO HEAVY, THEY HAD TO DELIVER IT, BUT IT DOES NOT WORK IF YOU LOSE THE BOX, YOU KNOW, ONCE THAT BOX GOES OUT, YOU CAN'T PLUG IT UP. I HAVE IT'S FUEL AND PROPANE AND BECAUSE IT GOT SO HOT IN MY HOUSE, BECAUSE I DO FACE THE SOUTH, BECAUSE I WENT TO GARDEN. SO IT WAS A REASON FOR ME BUYING A HOUSE ON THE SOUTH SIDE. BUT I'M SAYING THEY SHOULD NOT GET A RATE INCREASE TWO WEEKS DURING HARVEY. ONE WEEK. WELL, NO ICE STORM. I DON'T LET, KEEP GOING UP AND DOWN, UP AND DOWN. BUT THIS WEEK IT WAS 30 HOURS BECAUSE CENTER POINT, I GET THOSE EMAILS. RIGHT. SO I KNOW I LOST POWER FOR 30 HOURS AND I KNOW I HAD TO GO GET A HOTEL ROOM. SO WHAT HAPPENED TODAY WAS THE PUBLIC HEARING. UM, SO THEY MADE THEIR PRESENTATION TO US DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING. UH, THAT ACTUAL ITEM WILL BE ON OUR AGENDA NEXT WEEK AND THEN WE WILL TAKE THE VOTE NEXT WEEK. SO YOUR TESTIMONY IS, EVERYONE'S HEARING YOUR TESTIMONY. UM, WE APPRECIATE YOU SHARING WHAT'S HAPPENING. I KNOW YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER WILL FOLLOW UP TO SEE IF WE CAN HAVE SOMEBODY GO OUT AND CHECK, UM, ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S HAPPENING. UM, BUT THE VOTE FOR THE INCREASE THAT WAS, UM, ASKED FOR WILL TAKE PLACE NEXT WEEK. CAN I VOTE? MAYOR TIMM? I'M GOING MS. TIMMONS, I'M GONNA COME GIVE YOU MY CONTACT INFORMATION. CAN I SO WE CAN DO I GET THE VOTE? WE, WE GET TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS. I COME BACK. I CAN COME BACK AGAIN. YOU, YOU CAN COME BACK NEXT WEEK. OH, I'LL COME BACK AGAIN WITH DOCUMENTATION BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT I LOST. I KNOW I HAD TO SEW. AND THE OTHER THING I WAS GONNA TELL YOU, IF YOU CALL 2 1 1, UM, THERE IS A PROGRAM THAT WE SENT OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO LOST FOOD IN, UM, THE LAST STORM. UH, THE HOUSTON HOUSING [01:10:01] DEPARTMENT AND SOME OTHER AGENCIES ARE WORKING WITH RESIDENTS. AND YOU CAN, UM, THERE'S SOME, UM, GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE FOR RE IT'S NOT A MONEY ISSUE BECAUSE I WENT TO FEMA, I WENT TO THE FUND. IT'S NOT FE IT'S NOT FEMA. I'M JUST SAYING IF YOU LOST FOOD IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO POTENTIALLY AT LEAST GET A COUPLE OF HUNDRED DOLLARS ON A GIFT CARD SO YOU CAN HELP REPURCHASE THAT FOOD. WELL, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, WE HEAR YOUR COMMENTS. UM, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER WILL GIVE YOU HER CARD, UH, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT WEEK. IF YOU COME BACK BECAUSE, OH, I COMING. WE WILL VOTE ON IT NEXT WEEK. I'LL BRING THE PICTURES, THE DOCUMENTATIONS, POWERPOINT, WHATEVER YOU WANT. BUT COUNCIL MEMBER, VICE MEMBER TIM PECK, ARE YOU? YEAH, I'M MS. TIMMONS. I'M GONNA COME GIVE YOU MY CONTACT INFORMATION. YES. WE DIDN'T HAVE YOUR PHONE NUMBER ON THIS. WE TRIED REACHING OUT ON A NUMBER THAT WE FOUND, BUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT ONE. SO I'LL GIVE YOU MY CONTACT INFORMATION SO WE CAN WORK WITH YOU ON THIS. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. NEXT SPEAKER. PATRICK HORN. PATRICK HORN. PATRICK HORN. NEXT SPEAKER. SPEAKER. IS THIS PATRICK HORN? HI, MR. HORN. I'M DOING ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD. NO, I'M JUST, I'M HERE TO, UH, SPEAK FOR THE HOMELESS PEOPLE AND I'M COMING A A, A HOMELESS PERSON MYSELF. NOW WHAT I SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE HOMELESS PEOPLE OUT HERE. I UNDERSTAND Y'ALL WORKING ON TO GET THE HOMELESS PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS. 'CAUSE I KNOW IT. JUST TAKING SLOW PROCESS, GET 'EM ON HOUSING AND I KNOW WHO WAS HOUSING STORAGE OR WENT OUT PHONE, WENT OUT PHONE AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO WHAT I, WHAT'S, WHAT'S, WHAT'S CAME ACROSS MY MIND AND I I WAS DEMANDING TO THE MAYOR. IT DOES ANY WAY Y'ALL COULD TRY TO SEE IF Y'ALL COULD BUILD AN EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS PEOPLE. 'CAUSE SEE, ON, ON WAY BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S A SLOW PROCESS GETTING OFF THE STREET. 'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE IF THEY COULD BUILD THE EMERGENCY SHELTER, IT COULD GET THEM OFF THE STREETS QUICKER AND UNTIL THEY GET ON HOUSING. BECAUSE I KNOW THAT HOUSING IS, IT'S, IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME AND YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT IT BEEN FOR YEARS TRYING TO GET THE HOMELESS PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND YOU CAN'T HELP SOMEBODY THAT DON'T WANT NO HELP BECAUSE I KNOW YOU GOT SOME HOMELESS PEOPLE OUT THERE CAN'T HELP THEYSELF. AND I, AND I, WITHOUT SEEING THAT THEY TRY TO PASS THE LAW IF THE HOMELESS PERFECTLY ASLEEP ON THE SIDEWALK, YOU KNOW, THEN OTHER, OTHER STUFF ON THE SIDEWALK OR ANY OTHER PUBLIC PLACES, THEY TRY TO GIVE 'EM A TICKET. AND ONLY, ONLY THING I CAN SAY A HOMELESS PERSON CAN HAVE. RIGHT. JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE. NOW I CAN UNDERSTAND THEY CAN'T BE IN PUBLIC PLACE, BUT JUST SAFE THING AIN GOT NOWHERE TO GO. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? BECAUSE I COULD SAY LIKE, LIKE AT NIGHTTIME, I FEEL LIKE THEY CAN SLEEP SOMEWHERE. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND I JUST HOPING EVERYTHING, JUST GET IT DONE WITH 'EM. THANK YOU MR. HORNE. UM, I I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE WAITING FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE WAY HOME PROGRAM. YES. RENEE, IS THERE ANY WAY, OH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS IS IN THE KEY. OH, YOU CAN GO AHEAD, RENEE. IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN GIVE HIM AN UPDATE ON WHERE HE STANDS IN THE, IN THE PROCESS? MR. HORN? WE KNOW THAT IT IS, IT IS DIFFICULT. YEAH. UM, THE CITY IS DEFINITELY WORKING WITH, UM, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS, UM, WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO ALL WE CAN TO HOUSE OUR UNHOUSED, UM, RESIDENTS. UM, IT, AND, AND IT'S COMPLEX. AND I, AND YOU KNOW, I WISH, I WISH WE COULD JUST DO IT RIGHT AWAY. UM, BUT I DO THINK WE CAN GET YOU SOME INFORMATION TO SEE HOW, HOW MUCH LONGER, JUST LIKE ME BEING A YOUNG MAN JUST SAID, JUST LIKE, JUST SAY IF I'M BEING OUT ON THE STREETS, RIGHT? I AIN'T GOT NO DRUG PROBLEMS, SO IT SHOULDN'T BE NO EXCUSE TO GET NO JOBS. SO I AGREE. IF I WOULD HAVE TO SAY I GET A JOB, I COULD AT LEAST GET A JOB UNTIL I WAIT ON HOUSES. RIGHT. SO IF I'M OUT HERE AND I GOT A JOB AND AIN'T, AND I AIN'T, AND I AIN'T PUTTING NO EFFORT TO IT, I JUST, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY ABOUT THAT THOUGH. RIGHT. I, I CAN SEE IF I HAD DRUG PROBLEMS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. RIGHT. THAT MAY WHOLE LOT OF SENSE. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, UH, MR. HORNE, THANK YOU FOR, UH, COMING THIS MORNING. UH, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. WE DO HAVE CHALLENGES WITH THAT. IT'S AN INVENTORY CHALLENGE HAVING THE UNITS AVAILABLE. UM, THE TEMPORARY TRANSITIONAL FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE, THEY ARE MAXED OUT. UM, AS RENT PRICES CONTINUE TO INCREASE, EVERY TIME WE HAVE A DISASTER, PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY ON THE FRINGE ARE IMPACTED MORE. YOU KNOW THIS BY, UH, BEING IN THAT COMMUNITY. UM, AS CHAIR OF THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING THROUGH POTENTIAL PROJECTS ON HOW TO CONTINUE TO FORTIFY OUR, UH, COORDINATED CARE SYSTEM WITH ADDING NEW AGENCIES. UM, BUT OUR MODEL IS HOUSING FIRST. SO, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PROGRAMS OUT THERE THAT CAN ASSIST WITH JOB READINESS TO, YOU KNOW, SO YOU CAN GET BACK INTO THE WORK SOURCE, UH, WORK FIELD, UM, WHILE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE STABILIZED. AND SO, UM, SINCE YOU'RE ALREADY IN THE SYSTEM, AND THEN WE HAVE A COLLEAGUE FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE [01:15:01] OF, UH, UH, HOMELESSNESS THAT CAN ADVISE YOU AS WELL. AND THEY CAN GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AND THEN DIRECT YOU TO ANY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES YOU NEED IN ORDER TO TRANSITION TO PERMANENT HOUSING. I APPRECIATE IT. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU. AND, UM, I ECHO MY COLLEAGUE. UM, I MEAN, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN. I MEAN, YOU COMING IN HERE TODAY IS TO ME IS A CR FOR HELP. YOU, YOU WANT SOME HELP. UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE HAVE SOME ROOM. I KNOW WE HAVE THE, UM, HOMELESS TRANSFER CENTER OVER IN OFF OF JENSEN TO SEE IF THERE'S SOME SPOTS THERE, UM, THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, GET YOU IN UNTIL YOU CAN FIND A JOB AND GET PERMANENT HOUSING. AND SO I WISH YOU THE BEST. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU MR. HORNE. NEXT SPEAKER. COUNCIL MEMBER. OH, COUNCIL MEMBER. NEXT SPEAKER. MARINA CORAK. MARINA CORAK. NEXT SPEAKER. VICTOR SUAREZ. VICTOR SUAREZ. YES. HELLO, MR. SUAREZ. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU TO THAT. YOU CAN PULL THAT MICROPHONE DOWN. YOU CAN PULL THAT MICROPHONE DOWN. YOU CAN, YOU CAN PULL IT DOWN. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME TO YOU. THE CITY MAYOR AND ALL THE COUNCILS. AND MY QUESTIONS IS, IF YOU, SOMETIME THEY WILL LISTEN NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT TO ALL THE SENIORS, CITIZENS. I'M 83 YEARS OLD AND I'VE BEEN RECUPERATED FROM MY BRAIN SURGERY. NOT ONLY ONE POOR OKAY. I LOST MY VISION. I LOST MY HEARING AID. I WAS PARALYZED FROM THE, THE WAIST DOWN FOR THREE AND A HALF MONTHS. THEY TEACH ME HOW TO SPEAK AGAIN LIKE A BABY. OKAY? SO IT LOOKS LIKE IT. WHATEVER I TURN AT OR OUT, PEOPLE DON'T HELP SENIORS ANYMORE. I'VE BEEN THROUGHOUT THIS PLANET, HALF OF THE PLANET, NORTH POLE, SOUTH POLE CENTER POLE, AND THE US MORE THAN 10 DIFFERENT STATES. AND HERE I'VE BEEN LIVING IN HOUSTON, TEXAS SINCE 1978. I HAVE MORE THAN 60 YEARS EXPERIENCE ON CUSTOMER SERVICE ADMINISTRATIONS. AND I'M TRYING TO OFFER MY SERVICES TO THE CITY, NOT ONLY TO HELP THEM, TO HELP THE PEOPLE TO HAVE MORE DECENCY FOR THE SENIORS, NOT FOR MYSELF. FOR OTHERS, AT LEAST I CAN WALK NOW WITH MY CANE. BUT SOME OTHER CITIZENS, THEY DON'T HAVE LEGS TO WALK. SO THEY PAINT ON THE WHEELCHAIR OR THE MOTOR CHAIRS, AND THEY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSPORTATION. THEY HAVE PROBLEMS TO WALK TO THE SIDEWALKS, TO THE CITY BUS STATION, UH, STOPS, NO ROOF FOR THE SUNSHINE TO CALM DOWN FOR THE RAIN. AND I CAN NAME YOU A HUNDRED DIFFERENT THINGS. OKAY? I CALLED THE CITY BUS METRO AND I TRYING TO GET SOMEBODY ELSE THAT CAN HELP NOT ONLY ME, BUT OTHERS TOO. OKAY. AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO MS. MS. GONZALEZ WAS. AND I FIND OUT THROUGH THE WEBSITE THAT THERE WAS A LADY ASSIGNED BY THE MAYOR WITH THE TRANSPORTATION WITH METRO. CORRECT. RIGHT. SO I KNEW DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC ASK OF US, MR. SUAREZ? I THINK, I THINK YOU MAKE SOME VERY VALID POINTS. OKAY. UM, WE, I LEARNED OVER 50 YEARS AGO IN BUSINESS RELATIONS, CUSTOMER RELATIONS, IF YOU DON'T KNOW, LET SOMEBODY KNOWS. RIGHT? WHY? [01:20:01] BECAUSE THAT PROBLEM, IT WILL CREATE MANY PROBLEMS AHEAD. RIGHT? SO THEY HAVE TO RESOLVE ONE PROBLEM BEFORE IT GOES ON. I I THINK YOU BRING UP SOME VERY VALID POINTS, MR. SU SUAREZ, WE WILL DEFINITELY, UM, TAKE YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS AND SHARE THOSE, UM, WITH, WITH OUR METRO BOARD. AND THEY ALSO HAVE, UM, PUBLIC MEETINGS IF YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE THOSE DIRECTLY. UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALL BE A LITTLE KINDER TO THE SENIORS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. UM, YOU DEFINITELY DESERVE THAT AND WARRANT THAT. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. UM, YOU, I'M SO HAPPY THAT, UM, YOU'VE RECOVERED FROM, UH, THE, THE TRAUMAS AND THE, THE TRIALS THAT YOU'VE GONE THROUGH. UM, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND TO BE OF ASSISTANCE TO OUR SENIORS IN THE COMMUNITY. BUT YOUR COMMENTS DEFINITELY WILL BE SHARED WITH METRO AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU MR. SPARS. I GOT PROOF OVER HERE SO THEY DON'T THINK THAT I'M MAKING IT UP. ABSOLUTELY. WE BELIEVE YOU. OKAY. SO THAT'S ME. YES. WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT WENT THROUGH FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS. YES, SIR. WELL, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE DOING AS WELL AS YOU ARE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND THANKS GOD, I'M BLESSED BECAUSE GOD GAVE ME A SECOND CHANCE YES. IN LIFE. YES. THANK YOU MR. SU SUAREZ. SO I WILL APPRECIATE IF Y'ALL DO SOMETHING FOR THE SENIORS. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER. EVELYN ROBERTS. EVELYN ROBERTS. EVELYN ROBERTS. NEXT SPEAKER. LOVELY WASHINGTON. LOVELY WASHINGTON. HELLO, MS. WASHINGTON. HI. AM I IN FRONT OF THE MIC? UH, TO YOUR LEFT. OKAY, THERE YOU GO. OKAY. UM, WHAT GAVE ME THE STRENGTH TO COME HERE TODAY IS, UH, BASED ON SECOND TIMOTHY ONE, SEVEN. GOD HAS NOT GIVEN ME THE SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT A POWER AND OF LOVE AND A SOUND MIND. I STAND HERE TODAY REPRESENTING THOSE WOMEN, MEN, BOYS, GIRLS WHO HAVE BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED, RAPED AND MOLESTED. SOME MAY BE IN THIS ROOM, SOME MAY BE AROUND A HORSESHOE, SOME IN THE WORLD. AND I HAD TO COME AND SHARE THIS INFORMATION. AND THEN I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR MAYOR WHITMEYER. I WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED ON NOVEMBER THE SIXTH AT ABOUT 8:30 PM AND RANDALL'S GROCERY STORE BY A MAN THAT CAME UP BEHIND ME AND PRESSED HIS PELVIS INTO MY BACKSIDE WHERE I CAN FEEL HIS MALE ORGANS. UH, IT WAS VERY DEGRADING. AND THE CLIMAX OF THIS SEXUAL ASSAULT WAS FROM A LONG-TERM HARASSMENT BY SOME OF THE SERVICE WORKER CONTRACTORS SLASH SECURITY GUARDS, AND THE WORK SITE. I CAN GIVE YOU THE WORK SITE WHERE THEY WERE WORKING ON BROMPTON, THE 7,000 BLOCK OF BROMPTON EIGHT TO THE 8,000 BLOCK OF BROMPTON, 27 27 WEST HOLCOMB BOULEVARD, WHERE THE KELSEY SIBO IS 31 0 1 WEST HOLCOMB BOULEVARD, WHERE THE CHICK-FIL-A IS. AND THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT ME HERE TODAY, THAT SEXUAL ASSAULT, THE OTHER HARASSMENT THAT I WAS GOING THROUGH, I TOOK THAT. BUT THEN WHEN YOU PUT YOUR HANDS ON MY BODY, GOD'S TEMPLE, NOW WE ARE AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL. UH, SOME OF THE HA HARASSMENT THAT I ENCOUNTERED WAS WHEN I WOULD WALK DOWN THE STREET AND I WOULD BE SINGING MY WORSHIP SONGS. YOU KNOW, LIKE, OH, FLY AWAY. THEY WOULD SAY, SHUT THAT NOISE UP. NOBODY DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT NOISE. SHUT THAT NOISE UP, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, LIKE THAT. AND THEN I WOULD BE LIKE, SEE, THAT WAS THE THINGS I TOOK THAT KIND OF HARASSMENT. OR WHEN I'M WALKING DOWN ON THE SIDEWALK WITH GRABS ONE OF 'EM, GRAB MY CANE WHILE I'M WALKING AND START PULLING IT LIKE [01:25:01] I'M SOME DOG ON A LEASH AND, UH, POKING FRONT OF ME WHILE I'M, UH, LIKE I MIGHT BUMP INTO SOMETHING ON AN ACCIDENT, YOU KNOW, MOST LEGALLY BLIND PEOPLE DO. CAN I PLEASE FINISH THIS, MS. MS. WASHINGTON? GO AHEAD AND, AND WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS. OKAY. SO WHAT I WANNA SAY IS I WANT TO KNOW THE THREE QUESTIONS. CAN I GET THESE THREE QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD WITH MY, OKAY. SO THE THREE QUESTIONS I WOULD LIKE ANSWERED IS, ONE, IF I'M SEXUALLY HARASSED OR ANY TYPE OF HARASSMENT OR BULLYING OR RETALIATION FOR SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THESE SERVICE WORKER CONTRACTORS SLASH SECURITY GUARDS, WHAT WOULD BE MY STEPS TO TAKE? THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS, WHO OWNS THE CONTRACT OF THESE SERVICE WORKER, CONTRACTOR SLASH SECURITY GUARDS FOR THE WORK SITE I JUST GAVE YOU? AND WHAT PERSON, WHAT DEPARTMENT OR DEPARTMENTS ARE THEY ACCOUNTABLE TO? AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE, WHAT TYPE OF REGULATIONS WILL BE PUT INTO PLACE SO THAT NOT ONLY WOULD I NOT BE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED OR HARASSED OR BULLIED OR INTIMIDATED BY THESE WORKERS AND OR ANOTHER WOMAN THAT YOU KNOW AND LOVE IN THE COMMUNITY. NOW, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS, AND I CAN TELL YOU THE WORK THAT THEY DID DO OKAY. BESIDES HARASSING ME. AND IT WENT ON FOR ABOUT, UH, TWO YEARS WITH THE SEXUAL ASSAULT, 2023 NOVEMBER 6TH AT RANDALL'S GROCERY STORE. THAT'S WHAT GOT ME UPSET. OKAY, MS. WASHINGTON, WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU MS. LOVELY FOR COMING FORWARD. UM, WE KNOW THAT, UM, I JUST WANNA COMMEND YOUR COURAGE TO BE HERE TODAY AND TELL YOUR STORY AND BRING AWARENESS TO THIS ISSUE. YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, UM, DON'T ALWAYS COME FORWARD, BUT MAYBE SOMEBODY LISTENING HERE TODAY WILL HAVE HEARD YOU AND IT'LL ALSO GIVE THEM THE STRENGTH TO, UH, REPORT THIS KIND OF ABUSE. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND THEN ALSO, UM, MS. WASHINGTON, I DO WANT TO, UM, HAVE YOU TALK TO SERGEANT CARR AND HE CAN KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR CASE. UM, ON NOVEMBER THE SIXTH, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AGAINST, UM, WOMEN IN SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT. UM, WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE. BUT SERGEANT CARR IS BY THE DOOR AND HE CAN GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR CASE. OKAY. BUT I, I DIDN'T GET THE QUESTION ANSWERED ON WHAT, WHEN YOU TALK TO SERGEANT CARR, HE'S GONNA, HE'S GONNA HELP YOU WITH THE, WITH THOSE QUESTIONS. SERGEANT CARR IS RIGHT THERE BY THE DOOR, AND HE WILL BE ON THE CONTRACTS. WE, WE CAN TRY TO FIND OUT ON WHO OWNS THOSE. THOSE ARE NOT CITY CONTRACTS. SO WE CAN TRY TO ASSIST YOU WITH THAT. YOU'RE, YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT'S NOT A CITY CONTRACT? YEAH. THOSE ARE PRIVATE BUSINESSES THAT YOU NAMED THOSE PLACES THAT YOU NAMED WERE, WERE, WERE PRIVATE BUSINESSES. UM, AND SO WE'RE GONNA ASK, UM, SERGEANT CAR TO HELP TO IDENTIFY THOSE PARTICULAR BUSINESSES AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING THERE SO WE CAN ASK THEM TO PLEASE NOT, UM, TO REFRAIN FROM THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES AGAINST YOU. EVEN THE ONES THAT PLANTED THE TREES ON BROMPTON AND MAINTAIN THE WATER MAINS THAT IS NOT THE CITY. SO, SO WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND TALK TO SERGEANT CARR BECAUSE YOU LISTED A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT SOUND LIKE PRIVATE BUSINESSES. I, I, I WAS, I WILL BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THOSE INDIVIDUALLY AND TRY TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE SOME CITY CONTRACTORS OUT THERE THAT ARE HARASSING YOU. WE WANNA PREVENT THAT FROM, UH, HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE. BUT THE MAJORITY SOUND LIKE THERE WAS SOME PRIVATE BUSINESSES AND SERGEANT CARR WILL BE ABLE TO HELP TO IDENTIFY THOSE FOR US. BUT I'M, I'M, I'M, WHAT I'M TRYING TO CLARIFY IS THESE, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE WORKING, THEY PLANTED TREES AT 7,000 BLOCK TO 8,000 BLOCK OF BROMPTON. OKAY. THEY WERE ADDRESSING THE WATER MAIN ISSUES, THE, THE OVERFLOW OF THE WATER MAIN AND WHAT, AND THEY DIDN'T, SERGEANT CARL BE ABLE TO LOOK INTO THAT TO DETERMINE IF THOSE WERE CITY WORKERS OR IF THAT WAS A PRIVATE COMPANY THAT WAS PLANTING TREES IN THAT AREA. UM, AND WE WILL DEFINITELY DO OUR BEST TO ASK THOSE CONTRACTORS TO REFRAIN FROM ANY, UH, HARASSMENT OF YOU OR ANY OTHER WOMEN. OKAY. SO HOW, SO THEN I'M GOING TO FIND OUT WHO THE CONTRACTORS ARE BECAUSE IF, IF SOME, WE, WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO FIND OUT WHO THOSE CONTRACTORS ARE. I MEAN, [01:30:01] I, I, WE, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO SOLVE THAT AROUND THE TABLE RIGHT NOW, MS. MS. WASHINGTON. BUT SERGEANT CARR CAN GIVE YOU AS MUCH HELP AS WE, AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. WE DEFINITELY WANNA PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO YOU AND ANY OTHER WOMEN, UM, THAT MAY BE WALKING IN THOSE AREAS. SO, IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE GONNA GO AHEAD AND AND DIRECT YOU TO SERGEANT CARR. OKAY. AND THEN IF, IF THIS DOESN'T GET RESOLVED WITH THE SERGEANT, THEN I'LL COME BACK. OKAY. 'CAUSE I NEED TO GET THIS RESOLVED. AGREE BECAUSECAUSE. I CAN'T HAVE NOBODY PUTTING A, YOU KNOW, RUBBING A PENIS UP AGAINST MY REAR END. THAT'S A DEVIL IS E LIAR THAT YES, HE IS. THANK YOU. SERGEANT CARR. TROY DAVIS. TROY DAVIS. TROY DAVIS. NEXT SPEAKER. DARRELL HARPER. DARRELL HARPER. NEXT SPEAKER. TAMMY REED. TAMMY RED. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME, SORRY. . MY NAME IS TAMMY REED AND I AM A FORMER HOUSTON ISD EDUCATOR. AND THE REASON THAT I'M HERE TODAY, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SPOKEN TO THE CITY COUNCIL. I'VE BEEN GOING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS OVER AND OVER AND OVER, AND WE'VE BEEN TELLING EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN HISD. WHAT? UH, WITH THE TAKEOVER AND MIKE MILES MISMANAGEMENT. UM, AND I THINK I GOT THE WRONG TIME. . I THINK I'M SUPPOSED TO BE SPEAKING THIS AFTERNOON INSTEAD OF THIS MORNING. THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME. OKAY. SO WHAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS, FOR THE LAST YEAR SINCE MIKE MILES HAS TAKEN OVER AS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS AT HISD, HE HAS BEEN ON A CAMPAIGN TO GET RID OF TEACHERS WHO HAVE ANY SORT OF EXPERIENCE AND TO BRING IN UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS AND TO PUT UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS IN CHARGE OF THE CLASSROOMS. AND HE'S GONNA COME AND TALK TO YOU GUYS TODAY AND GIVE YOU HIS DOG AND PONY SHOW THAT HE USUALLY DOES, BUT HE'S LYING. UM, THE, I'M SORRY, . I'M AN AWARD WINNING THEATER TEACHER. I HAVE BEEN FOR 25 YEARS. THIS YEAR, I GOT THE LOWEST SCORES THAT I HAVE EVER HAD IN THE HISTORY OF MY TEACHING PROFESSION. AND THOSE SCORES ARE BASED ON WEIRD STUFF THAT DOESN'T EVEN APPLY TO MY CURRICULUM, FOR INSTANCE, UM, I TEACH THEATER AND I GOT NOTES ABOUT HOW I WASN'T DOING MY HISTORY LESSON APPROPRIATELY. AND I GOT NOTES ABOUT HOW MY DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY WAS NOT BEING DONE TO THE CORRECT STANDARDS. I'VE GOT, I'VE GOTTEN YELLED AT IN MY CLASSROOM IN FRONT OF MY STUDENTS. AND THE WAY THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TREATING PEOPLE HERE THIS MORNING HAS BEEN GIVING ME SOME KIND OF, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HOPE, MAYBE THAT YOU GUYS ARE THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO TALK TO BECAUSE MIKE MILES IS TREATING US LIKE WE ARE A JOKE. HISD IS HEMORRHAGING EDUCATORS THIS YEAR HEMORRHAGING THEM. AT LEAST 50% OF THE TEACHERS AT MY SCHOOL AREN'T COMING BACK TO HISD NEXT YEAR. UM, THE MAJORITY OF US THAT ARE NOT COMING BACK HAVE BEEN LET GO FROM OUR POSITIONS BECAUSE OF THESE LOW SPOT SCORES. AND IT'S THIS, I'M SORRY. IT'S JUST THIS WHOLE THING. NES THE NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK. WHAT HE DID DO CORRECTLY WAS HE MADE THE CLASS SIZES SMALLER. HE DID MAKE THE CLASS SIZES SMALLER. HE HIRED ABOUT 15 EXTRA TEACHERS IN OUR SCHOOL, OUR NESA SCHOOL. HE HIRED ABOUT 15 EXTRA TEACHERS IN AND HAD THEM FLOATING ALL OVER THE PLACE TRYING TO GO AHEAD, TRYING TO, UM, MAKE THE CLASS SIZES SMALLER. HE ALSO HIRED TEACHING ASSISTANTS IN ALL OF THE TESTING SUBJECTS. AND HE HIRED TEACHER AIDES FOR ALL OF THE TESTING SUBJECTS THAT GOT TESTED IN THE STAR STANDARD TESTING. BUT THE CURRICULUM THAT HE BROUGHT IN IS SO BAD THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE TEACHERS AT MY SCHOOL SPENT HOURS EVERY NIGHT FIXING IT, TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK SO THAT WE COULD TEACH OUR KIDS WHAT THEY NEEDED TO BE TAUGHT SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE SOME CHANCE OF PASSING THE STARS. MY SCHOOL IS AT A 98%, [01:35:01] UM, UH, LOW ECONOMIC E ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SCHOOL. THE MAJORITY OF THE PRINCIPALS AT MY SCHOOL AREN'T COMING BACK NEXT YEAR. AND THEY HAVE BEEN HARASSING US AND THEY HAVE BEEN BELITTLING US IN FRONT OF THE KIDS. AND THEY'RE TRYING, HE'S DESTROYING HISD. MIKE MILES IS DESTROYING HISD. IF I COULD ASK YOU TO PAUSE AND LET SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS GET INVOLVED HERE. UH, MAYOR PROTE, CAST STATE MS. REED, THANK YOU FOR COMING. I KNOW THIS IS EMOTIONAL TOPIC FOR YOU. UM, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE TODAY AT 2:00 PM UM, WE ARE EXPECTING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO BE HERE WITH THE PRESENTATION, AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE TIME FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UH, THE PUBLIC TO ASK QUESTIONS. UM, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. WE HEAR YOUR COMMENTS. UM, WE WILL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, UM, TODAY WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AT, UH, 2:00 PM OKAY. I THINK THAT'S WHEN I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. I JUST, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HERE. NO, IT'S FINE. YOU CAN, YOU CAN SPEAK HERE AND IF YOU WANNA COME BACK AT, UH, THE TWO O'CLOCK MEETING, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO, UM, ATTEND AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING. JUST A MOMENT. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY AND TO THE CHILDREN. UM, I UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION. I'M A-H-I-S-D KID MYSELF AND I WANT TO THANK YOU AND ALL OF THE, UH, EDUCATORS FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. MM-HMM . UM, YOU SAID THEY HAVE BEEN BELITTLING US. SPECIFICALLY, WHO IS THEY? OKAY. THE WAY THAT IT'S SET UP IS THE LEARNING COACH, OUR ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL WHO'S ASSIGNED TO US, COME INTO OUR CLASSROOM AND STOP OUR LESSONS TO TELL US WHAT WE'RE DOING WRONG, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE KIDS OR WHAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE KIDS. IT'S CALLED LEARNING COACHING, THEY CALL IT. SO YOU'VE BEEN TEACHING FOR HOW LONG? 25 YEARS. AND, AND THEN THEY ASSIGN A LEARNING COACH TO YOU? NO, THEY ASSIGNED A LEARNING COACH TO EVERYONE IN THE SCHOOL. OKAY. ALRIGHT. AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS, DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US AS COUNSEL TO ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT WHEN HE COMES, CAN HE PLEASE TELL US WHAT ALL THE MONEY HAS BEEN BEING SPENT ON, BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE KIDS. HE SPENT $500,000 PAYING HIS SON TO WRITE A MUSICAL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR STOLEN FROM WEST SIDE STORY. HE HAS SPENT 20,000 PLUS IN EVERY SINGLE CLASSROOM IN EVERY SINGLE NES SCHOOL TO GIVE US A SMART BOARD, WHICH IS GREAT. EVERY KID IN HISD ALREADY HAS A CHROMEBOOK. BUT HE DECIDED EVERY CLASSROOM ALSO NEEDED A, UM, COMPUTER STATION THING THAT HAD, UH, 25 COMPUTERS IN EACH CLASSROOM. EVERY CLASSROOM NEEDED TO HAVE A NEW PROJECTOR, UM, SO THAT WE COULD SHOW WHAT WE WERE TEACHING ON OUR BOARDS AND PROJECT THAT. AND THEN EVERYONE HAD TO HAVE A CAMERA IN OUR CLASSROOM SO THAT WE COULD HAVE IT FOCUSED ON US SO THAT THEY COULD MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE TEACHING EVERYTHING CORRECTLY. AND THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT, AT ANY POINT IN TIME. IT'S BIG BROTHER THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT AT ANY POINT IN TIME. THEY SPENT $20,000 PER CLASSROOM, UM, EQUIPPING US WITH ALL OF THIS STUFF THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY NEED. OKAY. AND THEN THEY TOOK AWAY OUR WRAPAROUND SERVICES. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU FOR COMING. YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD GOTTEN REVIEWS AND THIS YEAR YOU GOT YOUR LOWEST REVIEW. WERE YOU GIVEN BEFOREHAND THE CRITERIA BY WHICH YOU'D BE REVIEWED OR WAS THAT SOMETHING YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THEY GAVE US THE CRITERIA AND WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE FROM US IS THAT WE STOP THE LESSON AT LEAST ONCE EVERY FIVE MINUTES TO DO A MULTIPLE RESPONSE STRATEGY, WHICH IS SAYING, OKAY, DOES EVERYONE GIVE IT, GIMME A THUMBS UP IF YOU GET IT. OR WRITE DOWN ON YOUR WHITEBOARD YOUR IDEA AND LIFT THAT UP OR WRITE DOWN, UM, THINK, PAIR SHARE. THERE THERE ARE, UH, ABOUT 15 LITTLE, UM, MULTIPLE RESPONSE STRATEGIES, BUT IT'S BASICALLY TEST PREP. THAT'S ALL WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH THE KIDS. BUT YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING LIKE YOUR, YOUR, YOU ARE TEACH, UM, THEATER AND YOU HAD TO BE YES MA'AM. TEACHING HISTORY, I GUESS. I MEAN, SO THAT KIND OF STUFF YOU WERE TOLD ABOUT YES. IN MY, WE GET THESE REPORTS SAYING, RIGHT, WHAT WE DID WELL AND WHAT WE NEED TO WORK ON. AND IN MY, IT'S A COPY PASTED THING. OKAY. BECAUSE IN MY REPORT I GOT TALKED TO ABOUT MY CHOREOGRAPHY AND I NEVER, I DON'T TEACH THAT. YEAH. I'M JUST, I'M JUST ASKING. 'CAUSE I, I'M ALSO VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOSS OF EXPERIENCED TEACHERS AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE GOOD QUESTIONS FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT. THIS, THIS, THIS AFTERNOON. AND I'M TRYING TO GET A BETTER HANDLE. UM, WE DON'T REALLY DEAL WITH, WITH [01:40:01] HISD MATTERS HERE, SO I'M TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON WHY THE TEACHERS ARE LEAVING AND IF, IF THEY'RE BASED ON THESE, THESE REVIEWS AND, AND ALL OF THAT. SO I GUESS I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE REVIEWS THAT I GUESS LEAD TO PEOPLE. UM, AND IS IT THAT YOU'RE NOT COMING BACK NEXT YEAR OR YOU'RE ALREADY GONE? I GOT A JOB AT CY-FAIR NEXT YEAR. OKAY. OKAY. UM, BUT THE MAJORITY OF US WHO ARE NOT COMING BACK HAVE LEFT THE DISTRICT. OKAY. UM, I PERSONALLY CAN'T GET A JOB IN HISD RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE I'M ON THE LIST BECAUSE I'M ALSO A UNION ORGANIZER AND I'VE BEEN SPEAKING OUT ABOUT THIS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. WELL, WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING THE COURAGE TO COME AND, AND LET US KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE. THANK YOU. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, MARIAN WRIGHT. SAVANT MOORE. GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. I HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT FATHER'S DAY. HEY, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. YOU GOT ME MOTIVATED FROM YOUR WEEKLY MONDAY MOTIVATION CALL. HAPPY JUNETEENTH. WE'RE STILL FREEISH MAYOR. AT YOUR LAST MEETING, YOU SAID SOMETHING I'LL REMEMBER FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. YOU SAID YOU'RE A CAN-DO ADMINISTRATION. WHEN A PROBLEM IS BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION, YOU SOLVE IT. HIGHER UTILITY RATES PROPORTIONATELY AFFECT LOWER INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, SENIORS AND OTHER VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. $1 INCREASE MAY NOT BE A LOT TO A CORPORATION, BUT IT'S DIFFERENT FOR ESTONIA ON A FIXED INCOME WHEN 44% OF AMERICANS LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. ENCOURAGED CENTER POINT TO LOOK FOR INTERNAL EFFICIENCIES AND COST SAVING MEASURES. WHETHER MY CHURCH IS BEING VANDALIZED NOW BECAUSE I'M SPEAKING OUT ON HISD ON MY FRIEND'S BUSINESS IN, IN MIDTOWN OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE I LIVE IN, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHEN I CALL HPD, WHY DOES IT TAKE FOUR TO FIVE HOURS FOR SOMEONE TO SHOW UP WHEN I GO TO SOUTHEAST DIVISION? WHY THE POLICE OFFICER SAY, HEY, WE NEED MORE POLICEMEN SENT TO MY DIVISION. UM, CAN YOU PLEASE HAVE A ACADEMY? THANK YOU. NO SPEAKERS NEXT. THAT'S FINE. AND ALSO THANK Y ALL FOR HAVING THE MEETING AT 2:00 PM OKAY. I'LL BE THERE FOR WHAT'S GOING ON. HISD. MM-HMM. SOUNDS GOOD. MS. FREEMAN WAS TELLING THE TRUTH. I'VE SEEN HER FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR SPEAKING AT THE HISD BOARD MEETING. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. UH, COMES FROM JACKSON. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU MORE TIME TO FINISH YOUR COMMENT, BUT I GUESS YOU FINISHED IT SO . I DID, I DID FINISH. OKAY. UM, I'M ALSO ASKING YOU, HOW CAN WE GET MORE POLICE OFFICERS? I OWN A LOGISTIC COMPANY. EVERY TIME WHEN I'M PICKING UP SPRING WATER TO BRING BACK TOWARDS ARCA OR PURE LIFE, THERE'S A SIGN, A BILLBOARD THAT PLANO, TEXAS IS SAYING, POLICE OFFICERS COME MOVE TO OUR CITY 'CAUSE WE'LL PAY YOU MORE THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE ECONOMIC ISSUES, BUT WHAT CAN I DO AS A COMMUNITY LEADER TO PARTNER TO GET MORE PEOPLE WHEN YOU HAVING A POLICE ACADEMY, FOR THEM TO GO PETITION FOR THAT JOB TO MAKE THAT CHANGE. BECAUSE I SHOULD, AS I'M PREACHING AND PEOPLE ARE VANDALIZING SOMETHING, I'VE, THE CHURCH IS 77 YEARS OLD AND I'M DEPENDENT ON YOU. I'M A YOUNG MAN. I LOOK UP TO YOU. I DON'T WANT MY COMMUNITY SAYING, HEY, HE'S JUST A CAREER POLITICIAN. HE LISTENS TO THE DONORS, BUT DO YOU ACTUALLY LISTEN TO US? THAT'S IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I GOTTA KEEP TELLING, HEY, NAH, HE'S A GOOD GUY. SO I REALLY HOPE YOU'RE THAT GUY FOR OUR CITY. YOU KNOW? SO I, I JUST APPRECIATE YOU DOING RIGHT BY US AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THAT EXTENSION OF TIME. AND I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN AT 2:00 PM WITH THE, UH, SUPERINTENDENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, JOSEPH ANO. HELLO. UM, YEAH, I'VE BEEN WANTING TO SPEAK TO, UH, MAYOR WHITMORE. UM, I, UH, ATTEMPTED TO PREVENT THE, UH, THE LAKEWOOD SHOOTING. I HAD A SITUATION, IT WAS A SENSITIVE COURT CASE. I ATTEMPTED TO GET HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PASTOR JOEL HOLSTEIN BEFORE THE SHOOTING. IT HAS TO DO WITH SOMETHING ELSE THAT IT'S TOO LONG. I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO SPEAK IN A MINUTE. AND THEY DIDN'T HELP ME. AND I HAD AN APARTMENT AND THERE WAS SOME PROBLEMS. AND I, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE GOVERNMENT WASN'T HELPING ME 'CAUSE THIS WAS EXTRA IMPORTANT. AND THEN I, I HAD AN EVICTION NOTICE COME BECAUSE I WAS SPENDING ALL THIS TIME TRYING TO GET HELP FROM THE US MARSHALS AND O OTHER, UH, THE FBI AND STUFF. THEY WOULDN'T HELP ME. SO THEN WHAT HAPPENED WAS I WAS EVICTED. AND THEN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT, THE [01:45:01] LAKEWOOD SHOOTING HAPPENED. THIS, THE KID GETS SHOT IN THE HEAD. HE'S NOT TALKING, HE'S NOT WALKING. AND I WORKED ON THINGS TO PREVENT THIS, AND I SPOKE TO THEM SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS, UH, UH, AND THESE THREATS THAT COULD HAPPEN, UM, TO OTHER, YOU KNOW, FACILITIES AND, AND THINGS THAT IS IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, THE, THE PUBLIC. AND I NEED, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SENSITIVE INFORMATION, I HAVE EVIDENCE, AND I HAVE ALL THIS EVIDENCE IN MY HOUSE, AND I'M TRYING IN MY APARTMENT. AND I TRIED TO GET HELP. THEY PUT IT IN A STORAGE SHED BECAUSE OF THE EVICTION. SOMEBODY BROKE INTO MY STORAGE SHED AND THERE'S PAPERS EVERYWHERE. I HAVE PICTURES AND STUFF. I DID A POLICE REPORT. IT'S, IT'S, THIS STUFF IS IMPORTANT. AND I NEEDED, UH, PROFESSIONALS IN GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, AGENCIES AND STUFF. I'M EVICTED. I'M SLEEPING IN MY CAR, HOMELESS BECAUSE OF THIS, AND IT'S NOT GOOD. CAN I ASK YOU, UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, DO YOU HAVE FAMILY? UM, NOT IN, UH, NOT IN TEXAS. SO YOU HAVE NO, MY NO, NO. WHY? I'M JUST TRYING TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF HELP WE COULD. UH, WELL, I TRIED TO CONTACT AN ATTORNEY, SO I'M JUST WONDERING, DO YOU HAVE FAMILY HERE? NO. NOT IN TEXAS. NO. WHERE, WHERE ARE THEY AT? UH, WELL, I MEAN, I, I, UH, I HAVE A, A GIRL THAT I MARRIED YEARS AGO THAT DOESN'T TALK TO ME, BUT, UH, UH, MY FAMILY'S IN MICHIGAN. . SHE PART OF YOUR PRO SHE PART OF YOUR PROBLEM. BUT, BUT THE WHOLE THING IS, THE WHOLE THING IS I'M NOT, I UNDERSTAND NOW, I'M A PROFESSIONAL, SO I'M NOT USUALLY HOMELESS AND STUFF, YOU KNOW, I HAVE ALL THIS DOCUMENTED AND, AND IT'S DISTURBING. YEAH, IT'S DISTURBING. I UNDERSTAND. AND I'M GONNA TRY TO GET MY STAFF TO SEE IF THERE'S A SOCIAL AGENCY THAT WOULD HELP YOU. BUT AS A STARTING POINT, I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE IF YOU HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WE MIGHT COULD ALSO WORK WITH. BUT NOW YOU TELL ME YOU GOT THAT WIFE. THAT'S A PROBLEM. WELL, SHE'S NOT, I SHE THINKS I'M THE PROBLEM. SHE WHAT? SHE SHE THOUGHT I WAS THE PROBLEM. YEAH, THAT'S, I UNDERSTAND. STAY OUTTA THAT PERSONAL BUSINESS. YEAH. I WISH THE CITY COULD HELP YOU WITH THAT. BUT, BUT WE WERE, BUT ON A SERIOUS NOTE, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO GET YOU SOME HELP. YOU'RE LIVING IN YOUR CAR NOW, UH, FOR A FEW MONTHS. SINCE JANUARY 29TH. SO I WAS EVICTED ON JANUARY 29TH. THE LAKEWOOD SHOOTING HAPPENED ON THE 11TH. WHERE DO YOU PARK YOUR CAR WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU'RE SLEEPING? UH, AND, UH, I USED TO HAVE A BUSINESS YEARS AGO AND BE, AND, UH, I'M IN THE PARKING LOT. I USED TO RENT AN OFFICE TO WORK. REALLY? I'M JUST PARKED THERE. PROBABLY FIRE DEPARTMENT. . YEAH. YEAH. SO I I THERE'S A WHOLE, THERE'S A WHOLE, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED. I HAD A SENSITIVE COURT CASE. IT'S A DISCRIMINATION CASE AND IT'S DANGEROUS. IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY THREAT TO THE COUNTRY. NO, I GOT YOU GOT A MULTITUDE OF ISSUES. YEAH. THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO HAVE SOMEBODY TALK WITH YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN CARTER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, SIR, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE ST. JOSEPH HOUSE OVER ON AUSTIN STREET? UH, I DON'T THINK SO. YOU HUGO, UH, WILL GET WITH YOU AND GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION AND, AND WELL, THIS ISN'T A, UM, A A, YOUR, THIS ISN'T YOUR TYPICAL HOMELESS SITUATION. RIGHT. BUT, BUT THEY DEAL WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE NON-TYPICAL SITUATIONS. SO I, I THINK IT'S CERTAINLY A GOOD RESOURCE. I ATTEMPTED TO, UM, THEY'RE NONPROFITS. OKAY? THERE'S A, THE GOVERNMENT SPENDING, UM, $305 MILLION TO HELP PROTECT THESE NONPROFITS, CHURCHES, MOSQUE, SYNAGOGUES. THEY, AFTER THE LAKEWOOD SHOOTING AND SOME OTHER THINGS, THEY ADDED AN ADDITIONAL 400 MILLION. I, I WENT TO THE GOVERNORS, I WENT TO THE SENATE, THE HOUSE, I WENT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PREVENT THIS. BUT THEY, BUT I'M BEING TORTURED FINANCIALLY NOW. SURE. YOU'VE GOT A FINE JOB THIS MORNING. OKAY? SO LET MY STAFF, MS. WILSON OR REBECCA TALK WITH YOU AND SEE IF MAYBE WE CAN REFER YOU TO SOME RESOURCES. COUNCILMAN CARTER HAD AN EXCELLENT IDEA. YOU NEED SOME ASSISTANCE. AND THE STORAGE. SOMEBODY BROKE INTO MY STORAGE. I HAD EVIDENCE IN THERE. IT'S A NOT GOOD BECAUSE THIS EVIDENCE IS SECTION. NO, YOU GOT A MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS. THERE'S NO QUESTION. SO WHY DON'T YOU TALK TO MY STAFF? ALRIGHT, SIR. AND LET 'EM SEE IF THEY CAN REFER YOU TO, UH, THE SOCIAL AGENCY. OKAY, SIR. ALRIGHT, HAVE A GOOD DAY. THANK YOU. BE SAFE, MADAM. [CONSENT AGENDA] SECRETARY, IF YOU I LIST OF SPEECH. PROCEED WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA. YEP. AGENDA UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY. ITEM THREE NEEDS A MOTION, SAY TO MOVE SECOND. MOTION MADE IN SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED MOTION PASSES, UH, UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY, ITEM FOUR HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION BIDS CATEGORY. ITEM 12 HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEEDS A MOTION FOR ITEM FIVE THROUGH 11. CAST MOVED SECOND. MOTION HAS BEEN MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNDER THE RESOLUTION CATEGORY ITEM ITEM 13 HAS BEEN PULLED AND IT WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. WHERE ARE [01:50:01] YOU HERE UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY ITEM 22 HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED AND WILL BE CONSIDERED IF IT IS RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING. ITEM 33 HAS BEEN RECEIVED, ITEMS REMOVED, SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. 14, 15, 16, 19, 22 AND 24. THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 14, 15, 16, 19, 22 AND 24. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] ITEM REMOVE SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM FOUR NEEDS A MOTION CAST. TATUM, MOVE COMMENT SECOND. MOTION MOTIONS. UH, MAYOR PROTE CASTING STADIUM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THIS IS AN ACCEPT WORK AND WE HAD A, A STREET REDONE IN DISTRICT A AND THE WORK WAS DONE, UM, AND JUST FINISHED IN 2022. AND SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF HAPPENING, UH, PERIODICALLY IS WHEN WE STRIPE THE STREETS. THE, THE LANE STRIPING SEEMS TO NOT LAST VERY LONG BECAUSE WE JUST STRIPED IT IN, UH, 2022. AND NOW IT NEEDS TO BE RES STRIPPED AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE USING SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN USING IN THE PAST. UM, BUT THE LATEST PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN, UM, HAVING DONE IN THE COMMUNITY, THE, THE LANE STRIPING, I, AND I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF CARS THAT RIDE OVER IT, BUT THEY JUST DON'T SEEM TO BE LASTING LONG. AND I'M GOING TO ASK IF WE CAN GET THAT STREET RES STRIPPED AND THEN ALSO MAYBE GET SOME FEEDBACK ON THE PRODUCT THAT WE'RE USING. IS THAT SOMETHING DIFFERENT? UM, CAN WE FIND SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO RETRIP EVERY TWO YEARS? OKAY. CONSIDER IT DONE. THANK YOU. BACK. YOU. AND I'LL GO WATCH IT. WE JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 12 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX. TATUM MOVED. SECOND. MOTION'S MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 14 JUST NEEDS A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED. NATE, YOU GOT PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE. OH, GUESS I GOTTA LOOK UP COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER. MAYOR, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE CBA. UM, CERTAINLY PUTTING THE RANDOM DRUG TESTING BACK INTO THE PROGRAM, I THINK IMPROVED THE AGREEMENT QUITE A BIT. UH, THE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE AROUND THE ADDITIONAL PAY RAISES, UH, HELPED QUITE A BIT AS WELL. AS YOU AND I HAD TALKED EARLIER, UM, I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT REMOVING THE CAP ON THE NUMBER OF DAYS OR SHIFTS THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE ABLE TO SELL. UH, I THINK THAT IF WE HAVE THAT CONTINUE AS IT IS, IT'S ACTUALLY GONNA HURT SOME OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO WITH NOT HAVING THESE OTHER FIREFIGHTERS WORK SO MANY SHIFTS. SO I I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS TOO, AND, AND I KNOW YOU'RE NOT A FAN OF THIS, BUT THE CATALYST FOR THIS ENTIRE THING WAS THE PENSIONS. I MEAN, WE CAN ARGUE ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE AND WHOSE FAULT AND WHATEVER ELSE, BUT THE CATALYST WAS THE PENSIONS. AND I THINK THE MISTAKE THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION MADE WAS IN CLAWING BACK WHAT THEY ALREADY HAD. UM, NOBODY LIKES TO GIVE UP WHAT THEY ALREADY HAD AND WHAT THEY FOUGHT FOR AND WHAT THEY THOUGHT THAT WAS THEIRS. BUT I DO THINK WITH NEW EMPLOYEES COMING INTO THE CITY, WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION RATHER THAN A DEFINED BENEFIT. I THINK IT'S GONNA BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR THE CITY TO PAY 30% OF THE SALARIES INTO PENSIONS. AND THIS ISN'T SOMETHING UNIQUE TO HOUSTON. I MEAN, EVERY GOVERNMENT ENTITY THAT HAS PENSIONS IS DEALING WITH THESE SAME ISSUES AND JUST THINK THAT WE, WE NEED TO TRY AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF MAYBE WE CAN DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR NEW EMPLOYEES VERSUS EXISTING EMPLOYEES. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT. P*****K, UH, COUNCILMAN P*****K. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I KNOW IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME TO GET PROVISIONS AND DETAILS OF THIS AGREEMENT, UH, PUT TOGETHER. AND AS I'M LOOKING THROUGH IT, I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS THAT HOPEFULLY YOU CAN GIVE ME SOME ANSWERS TO. UH, WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THE AGREEMENT, [01:55:02] IT LISTS, UM, A LOT OF SPECIAL INCENTIVE TYPE PAY, UH, LONGEVITY PAY, HAZARDOUS PAY DISTRICT TRAINING, PAY FIELD TRAINING, PAY PARAMEDIC PAY, BILINGUAL PAY, HIGHER CLASSIFICATION, PAY, EDUCATION PAY, COLLEGE TUITION REIMBURSEMENT, PAY RS AND INCENTIVE PAY. ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT INCENTIVE PAYS. DO WE KNOW THE TOTAL COST, UH, TO THE CITY, UM, REGARDING INCENTIVES PLUS SPECIAL PAY? AND WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPECIAL PAY AND INCENTIVE PAY? OBVIOUSLY I'LL YIELD TO ARTURO, BUT UH, ALL THAT WAS TAKEN IN CONSIDERATION TO MAKE US COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS. YEAH, I UNDERSTAND. I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT, WHAT THE TOTAL, WHAT THE TOTAL COST BE, THE TOTAL GONNA BE. WELL, OBVIOUSLY THE LOGICAL ANSWER IS DEPENDS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MM-HMM . INCENTIVES, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY CALCULATED, HOW MANY FOLKS WILL USE BILINGUAL EDUCATION OR SKILLS AS AN INCENTIVE. AND YOU CAN GO RIGHT DOWN THE LIST INDIVIDUALLY. IT DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE DEPARTMENT, HOW MANY RECRUITS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE. AND SO YES. AND THERE'S CAPS ON MOST OF IT TO PROTECT, WELL, I WAS LOOKING FOR THE CAP. I WAS LOOKING FOR THE CAP OF 10 MILLION WITHIN THE CBA. SURE. I DID NOT SEE A PROVISION FOR A CAP. SURE. IS IT LISTED IN THE CBA, UH, CITY ATTORNEY? UH, NOT IN THE CBA ITSELF, BUT ANOTHER, UH, VALID DOCUMENT THAT, THAT WAS PREPARED. WE HAD TWO TYPES OF AGREEMENTS, ONE IN WHICH WE HAD TO MAKE A CHANGE TO THE CBA BECAUSE WHAT WAS DECIDED LATER CONFLICTED WITH THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS THERE. IN OTHERS THERE WAS A CLARIFICATION. AND THAT'S WHERE THE $10 MILLION CAP EXISTS. SO THIS, THE $10 MILLION CAP IS NOT LISTED IN THE CBA? NO. BUT IT, IT'S AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE, UH, BETWEEN THE UNION AND THE CITY, UH, BECAUSE IT'S A CLARIFICATION OF, OF WHAT THAT IS GOING TO BE. AND THAT CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING OBVIOUSLY WAS A NEGOTIATION EVEN AFTER THE INITIAL SIGNATURES. AND, YOU KNOW, THE UNION WOULD VERY MUCH WANTED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT DIVISION OF WHAT WAS CONFLICTING WITH WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE. AND WHAT WOULD'VE, WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN BETTER CLASSIFIED AS A, UH, CLARIFICATION OF EXISTING LANGUAGE. SO WHY WOULDN'T WE ADD IT INTO THE ACTUAL CBA, LIKE WE CHANGED SOME OF THE TERMS REGARDING, UM, HIRING THE CHIEF OR THE DRUG POLICY AFTER THE FACT. UH, BECAUSE IT WAS A NEGOTIATION WITH THE UNION, THEY BELIEVED IT WAS MORE IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS CLARIFICATION VERSUS, UM, REPLACEMENT DISTINCTION. AND THAT'S WHY I, I DON'T, I DON'T FOLLOW THAT. I'M TRYING TO GET A SPECIFIC ANSWER ON WHY WE WOULD NOT INCLUDE THE CAP, WHICH IS A HUGE TERM CORRECT. WITHIN THE ACTUAL CBA ITSELF. UM, WE COULD HAVE, BUT THE UNION FELT IT WAS BETTER TO HAVE THIS DIVISION BETWEEN CLARIFICATION AND REPLACEMENT. AND THIS WAS A CLARIFICATION. THAT'S WHY IT IS NOT PART OF THE CPA, UH, CBA, BUT A SEPARATE AGREEMENT. BUT THE ONLY, BUT THE ONLY TERMS THAT ARE APPROVED AND FOLLOWED ARE WITHIN THE ACTUAL CBA, THE FOUR CORNERS OF THAT DOCUMENT. ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THAT CAN BE CONSTRUED NOT TO BE A BINDING TERM? WELL, UH, UH, WE BELIEVE IT IS BECAUSE IT, IT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT REFLECTS WHAT THE UNION IS AGREEING TO IS THAT, IS THAT PROVISION WITHIN THE CBA THAT SAYS IT STATES OR TO LOOK AT A DIFFERENT DOCUMENT FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION. IT DOES PROVIDE THAT THE PARTIES CAN AGREE TO, UM, CAN MAKE CHANGES THAT THEY AGREE UPON. AND THAT'S WHAT THE MOU REFLECTS. AND WHAT ABOUT THE, UM, THE ESCALATING CLAUSE? I KNOW THAT THERE IS A ASTERISK WITHIN THE CBA THAT SPEAKS TO THE ESCALATING CLAUSE OF HOW YOU JUMP FROM THREE TO SIX MM-HMM . BUT THE TERMS AREN'T SPECIFIED WITHIN THE ACTUAL CBA. IT'S JUST A, A, A ONE LINE ASTERISK THAT SAYS IF THE PARTIES JOINTLY AGREE AND IT'S FOR A PUBLIC SAFETY PURPOSE, RIGHT. NEW, NEW REVENUE WILL AUTOMATICALLY, UM, TRIGGER THESE ESCALATORS. MY QUESTION IS, WHY ISN'T THERE DETAILED SPECIFICS ON WHAT WOULD CONSTITUTE, UM, THE NEW REVENUE AND HOW THE ESCALATORS WOULD WORK? OKAY, WELL THE ANSWER TO THAT IS SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO WHAT I WAS SAYING. THERE IS A, A PROVISION IN THAT SAME DOCUMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT REQUIRES THAT [02:00:01] THE ADDITIONAL REVENUES BE SUFFICIENT TO FUND THE, UH, ADDITIONAL INCREASES IF THERE ARE SUCH IN A GIVEN YEAR. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CBA, THE OTHER TWO ELEMENTS ARE THERE, ONE, THAT IT BE A JOINT EFFORT AND THAT IT RELATE TO PUBLIC SAFETY. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THAT IS THE JOINT EFFORT, BECAUSE WE CAN CONTROL WHAT THAT IS. WE CAN IN WRITING, YOU KNOW, SEND TO THE UNION, WE CONSIDER THIS TO BE A JOINT EFFORT OR NOT. AND IF A COURT IS GONNA LOOK AT, SAY THERE'S A DISPUTE LATER, IF COURT IS GONNA LOOK AT WHAT'S A JOINT EFFORT, IF WE HAVE SOMETHING IN WRITING, UH, THAT'S AT ODDS WITH WHAT THE UNION IS SAYING, WELL THEN THERE'S NOT A JOINT EFFORT JUST, JUST AS A MATTER OF LAW REALLY. SO I, I THINK JOINT EFFORT IS THE MOST OPERATIVE ELEMENT OF THE THREE THAT WE HAVE. AND THAT'S IN THE CBA. SO IF YOU HAVE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT HAS SPECIFIC CLAUSES THAT SPEAK TO THESE ITEMS MM-HMM . IT WOULD SEEM AS IF IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO PUT THOSE EXACT CLAUSES WITHIN THE ACTUAL CBA SO THAT THERE IS NO DISCREPANCY OR AMBIGUITY. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK AT ANY OTHER DOCUMENT FOR A MEANING, BUT IT'S ALL WITHIN THAT, THAT DOCUMENT. BUT YOU HAVE NONE OF THIS LISTED WITHIN THE ACTUAL CBA WELL ON, ON, ON THE, ON, ON FUNDING, THE ADDITIONAL INCREASES. YOU HAVE TWO OF THE THREE ELEMENTS IN THE CBA. YOU JUST DON'T HAVE THE, THE LANGUAGE THAT, DO YOU NEED ALL THREE? WELL, ACTUALLY I THINK YOU JUST NEED THE FIRST TWO BECAUSE WE CAN CON CONTROL IT THROUGH A JOINT EFFORT. UH, BUT I THINK THE CLARIFICATION IN THE, IN THE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENT THAT THAT EXPLICITLY STATES THE INCREASE, THE INCREASED REVENUE HAS TO BE SUFFICIENT TO FUND THE ADDITIONAL, UH, SALARY INCREASE. I THINK THAT THAT, THAT CLARIFIES IT AND I, I THINK MAKES IT VERY CLEAR. BUT EVEN WITHOUT THAT, I THINK THERE'D BE SUFFICIENT CONTROL IN THE CBA. WELL, I HAVE THE DIRECTOR HERE. THANK YOU. DID WE HAVE A CALCULATION OF THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW? WHAT THE SPECIAL PAY AND INCENTIVE PAY TOTALED UP TO FOR THE, FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN FISCAL YEAR 24? YES. UM, AND WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 3% AND THE 6% IF THE, IF THE TRIGGER DOES OKAY. BECOME ACTIVE FOR THE FY 24 BUDGET AMOUNT FOR SPECIAL PAYS, I DON'T HAVE THOSE FIGURES RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AND I CAN PROBABLY HAVE SOMEONE TO PULL THEM RIGHT AWAY. UM, BUT THE, THE LANGUAGE THAT'S IN THE, IN THE DOCUMENT THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY REFERENCES PUTS THE CAP ON ANYTHING ADDITIONAL ABOVE THE FY 24 AMOUNT, THE CAP IS THE 10 MILLION EXCLUDING THE FRINGE. SO WHATEVER WE END UP PAYING FOR IN SPECIAL PAYS IN FY 24, THE SPECIAL PAYS THAT KICK IN AND FY 25 CANNOT GO ABOVE THE 10 MILLION. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST, UM, PERIOD OF TIME WITH HR, WITH PAYROLL, UM, BUILDING OUT CERTAIN, UM, I MEAN GETTING TECHNICAL BUT WAGE TYPES AND PAY CODES IN SAP SO THAT WE CAN TRACK ALL THESE SPECIAL PAYS AND MAKE SURE THAT ONCE WE HIT THAT POINT, THE 10 MILLION IS 10 MILLION. AND SO THE REASON I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS IS FROM, FROM A LAY STANDPOINT, IS TO UNDERSTAND THE TOTAL COST. LIKE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BASE PAY IS, YES. RIGHT? MM-HMM . BUT THERE'S ALL THESE OTHER PROVISIONS THAT SPEAK TO EITHER SPECIAL PAY, INCENTIVE PAY, EXTRA PAY THAT'S OUT THERE. IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR US TO KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS AND FOR, FOR, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND FINANCIALLY GOING FORWARD OVER THESE FIVE YEARS, WHAT THAT COST WILL BE TO THE CITY AND HOW IS IT GOING TO BE PAID, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS STILL UP IN THE AIR AT THE MOMENT. WE KNOW WE'RE HOW WE'RE GONNA PAY THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR BASED ON THE MONEY THAT WAS IN THE FUND BALANCE. BUT NOW THAT WE GO INTO A DEFICIT FOR ALL THE OUT YEARS OUT, WHAT HAPPENS THEN? NOTHING HAS BEEN CLARIFIED ON HOW DO WE PAY FOR THAT. AND THAT HAS BEEN MORE SO OF A WAIT AND SEE APPROACH, WHICH, UH, I DON'T THINK GIVES US REAL INSIGHT ON HOW ULTIMATELY WE CAN AFFORD THIS PACKAGE AND ANY OTHER PACKAGE THAT COMES BEFORE US. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'LL, I'LL INTERJECT MYSELF. FIRST OF ALL, WE CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO, WE DON'T HAVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT HOUSTONIANS NEED. I THINK WE CAN START FROM THAT STANDPOINT. SHORTAGE OF, UH, FIREFIGHTERS EMS. UH, HOPEFULLY YOU KNOW, THAT HAVING BEEN HERE FOUR YEARS, WE'VE BEEN RUNNING SHORT. THE, UH, DISAGREEMENT WITH THE CITY'S BEEN EIGHT YEARS. SO [02:05:01] WE'RE AT A POINT WITHOUT REPEATING OURSELVES FROM LAST WEEK AND EARLIER DISCUSSIONS, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THIS BEHIND US ON A SOUND FINANCIAL PLAN. THE TRIGGER MECHANISM, AS ARTURO MENTIONED TO YOU, HAS SEVERAL PROTECTIONS, THREE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE MET. SO, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S EXPENSIVE. IT WAS ALWAYS GONNA BE EXPENSIVE, BUT WE'RE NOT RECRUITING ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS. 31 IN THE LAST CADET CLASS, THEY USED TO BE A HUNDRED OR MORE VERY COMPETITIVE. SO IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. CERTAINLY FINANCES WILL DETERMINE THE OUTCOME. I HAVE SOME VERY STRONG IDEAS ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GONNA FIND THE FUNDING. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT? NO, BECAUSE YOU'D PROBABLY GO WORK AGAINST THEM, QUITE FRANKLY. . IT WOULD BE. IT WOULD BE. YEAH. AND, AND I DON'T, I DON'T MEAN THAT DISRESPECTFUL. NO. AND, AND, BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT AND ANYBODY THAT CAN HEAR MY VOICE, YOU'RE GONNA VOTE NO AND IF WE SATISFIED TODAY'S QUESTIONS, WELL, I, YOU'RE GONNA GET COACHING BY SOME OF THE FIREFIGHTERS ENEMIES TO ASK TOUGHER QUESTIONS. YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, NO, I'M GETTING VERY HONEST YOU, I EMOTIONAL STRONG IDEAS WHERE WE'RE GONNA GET SOME FUNDING. YOU'RE GETTING EMOTIONAL AND YOU'RE GETTING OUT. WE'RE GONNA GET FUNDING FROM AUSTIN. WE'RE GONNA GET PART OF THE HELP FROM THE STATE. WE'RE GONNA GET FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY. AND I COULD GO ON AND ON VERY SPECIFIC PROPOSALS, BUT YOU AND I KNOW YOU'D WORK AGAINST IT TO TRY TO GUT IT. THAT'S ALL YOU'RE DOING TODAY. I'M ASKING QUESTIONS. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING. YOU SAY THAT YOU, AND YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB TRYING TO GUT THE AGREEMENT. NO, I'M ASKING QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION. WELL HAVE AT IT. I I WILL. BUT IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT AS A BODY, IF WE'RE DISCUSSING A $650 MILLION DEAL, YOU'RE RIGHT. THAT TIES INTO A, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY PASSED, THAT TIES INTO A, A BILLION PLUS DEAL THAT YOU WOULD THINK THAT YOUR COLLEAGUES AROUND THE HORSESHOE WOULD HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. MY QUESTIONS AREN'T ADVERSARIAL. I'M ASKING ABOUT THE TOTAL PAY. I'M TRYING TO GET CLARIFICATION ON A, CBA THAT UP UNTIL MAYBE LAST WEEK JUST GOT FINALIZED. I JUST RECEIVED A COPY. THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. FINANCE. SO IF YOU, FINANCE DID SUCH A GREAT JOB OF HEARING ALL THIS. THEY HAD 22 MEETINGS MM-HMM . AND YOU WERE IN TWO OF THE MEETINGS. NO, I'VE ASKED SEVERAL QUESTIONS FOR, FOR MONTHS PRIVATELY. YOU KNOW WHAT? AND PUBLICLY I'M NOT GONNA DEBATE YOU. YEAH, I'M NOT. I'M, I'M GONNA MOVE ON TO FOLKS THAT ARE YEAH. MY QUESTIONS, MY QUESTIONS, MY QUESTIONS ARE APPROPRIATE. SURE. IN YOUR MIND, THIS IS, THANK YOU. COUNCILOR CASICK STADIUM. MA MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I, I ALSO HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE ESCALATOR. AND I, I, I DID TALK TO, UM, ATTORNEY MICHELLE EARLIER TODAY, AND I THINK THAT THE RESPONSE THAT YOU GAVE ME IS WORTH, UM, SHARING FOR THE ENTIRE BODY, UM, TO HEAR. UM, MY CONCERN WAS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE DETERMINE THE UP TO AMOUNT, UM, HOW DO WE LAY OUR ANXIETY ABOUT THE ESCALATOR, UM, YOU KNOW, FEEL BETTER ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT SEEMS OPEN-END BASED ON THE CBA. AND I THINK THE RESPONSE THAT YOU GAVE ME WOULD BE ONE THAT WOULD BE WORTH REPEATING FOR THE ENTIRE BODY TO HEAR. THE, UM, THIS IS IN LINE WITH, WITH WHAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT EARLIER TODAY. I THINK THERE WERE THREE ELEMENTS. IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT ADDITIONAL INCREASE YOU HAVE THE, THE JOINT EFFORT ELEMENT, UH, YOU HAVE THAT IT'D BE, UH, REVENUES DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY. AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE THE, UM, UH, UH, THE LIMIT, UH, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE, IN, IN THE OTHER AGREEMENT. I THINK THAT THE JOINT EFFORT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, BECAUSE WE CAN CONTROL THAT BY OUR WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE AND WHAT WE DO. AND EVEN THOUGH NORMALLY IN TEXAS CONTRACT LAW, YOU CAN HAVE AN ORAL AGREEMENT TO VARY A WRITTEN AGREEMENT WITH AFTER THE FACT. UM, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, WAIVER OF IMMUNITY PROVISIONS IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. IT HAS TO BE REDUCED TO WRITING IN ORDER FOR SOMEONE TO BRING A CLAIM THAT WE BREACHED AN AGREEMENT, SAY AN ORAL AGREEMENT. SO WE HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OVER WHAT WE ARE, UH, AGREEING IS THIS IS THE SOURCE DEDICATED FOR, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY. AND THIS IS, UH, WE CONSIDER THIS TO BE A JOINT EFFORT TO DO IT. AND WE WOULD PUT IN THERE ALSO THAT, YOU KNOW, PER THE AGREEMENT, IT HAS TO BE SUFFICIENT TO FUND [02:10:01] THE INCREASE IN A PARTICULAR YEAR. SO I THINK, GIVEN THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REVENUE SOURCES ARE, WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE, I THINK WE ARE ABOUT AS SPECIFIC AS WE CAN BE IN TERMS OF THE LANGUAGE IN, IN THESE, IN THIS DOCUMENT OR DOCUMENTS. AND THE PROBLEM THAT I HAD WITH THAT WAS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REVENUE SOURCES ARE. I DID. I, I PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE IF WE DO GET ADDITIONAL REVENUE, WE NEED THAT MONEY. WE WILL NEED THAT MONEY FOR OTHER, UM, MUNICIPAL GROUPS. WE WILL NEED THAT MONEY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE. WE WILL NEED THOSE DOLLARS, UM, TO OPERATE THE CITY. AND SO MY CONCERN WAS IF WE BRING IN ADDITIONAL DOLLARS AFTER THIS HAS PASSED, UM, I DON'T WANT THAT TO AUTOMATICALLY GO TO AN INCREASE TO THE FIREFIGHTERS AFTER WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE. I THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE BRING IN ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, WE HAVE MONEY TO OPERATE THE CITY BEFORE WE HAVE TO GO RIGHT BACK TO THE TABLE TO GIVE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO THE FIREFIGHTERS. NO, I, I, I THINK THAT'S THE RESPONSIBLE APPROACH. AND THAT COMPORTS WITH THE LANGUAGE, THIS LANGUAGE REQUIRES THE UNION AND THE CITY TO IDENTIFY A POTENTIAL NEW SOURCE, SAY THAT IT'S DEDICATED, UH, AND THEN DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT, UH, OF THAT DEDICATION. AND THAT HAS TO BE SUFFICIENT TO FUND THE INCREASE IN ANY YEAR. THERE WILL BE CERTAINLY OTHER ADDITIONAL REVENUE SOURCES THAT ARE GONNA BE EARMARKED FOR OTHER REASONS. BUT I THINK WE HAVE THE CONTROL HERE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE DO THROUGH THE JOINT EFFORT OF THE UNION AND THE CITY. OKAY. WELL, AND IF YOU'LL IN JUDGE INDULGE ME, MAYOR, I WILL TELL YOU THAT I HAVE, UM, LOST SLEEP OVER THIS VOTE. AND PART OF THE REASON IS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR SIX YEARS AND I'VE SEEN THIS PLAY OUT. I'VE SEEN, UH, THE FIREFIGHTERS DIG THEIR HEELS IN. I'VE SEEN THE ADMINISTRATIONS DIG THEIR HEELS IN, AND WE COULDN'T GET TO A NUMBER. WE HAVE A NUMBER HERE. UM, THE TOUGH PART FOR ME, AND I'M SURE FOR MY COLLEAGUES, IS WE DON'T GET TO NEGOTIATE. WE GET TO VOTE UP OR DOWN. AND THAT'S A HARD POSITION TO BE IN BECAUSE WE DIDN'T SIT IN THE NEGOTIATIONS THROUGH THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATION. WE DIDN'T SIT IN THE NEGOTIATIONS THROUGH THIS ADMINISTRATION, BUT THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON ARE DEPENDING ON US TO MAKE A DECISION. AND THAT'S A TOUGH POSITION TO BE IN BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET TO NEGOTIATE IT, BUT I GOTTA VOTED UP OR DOWN. BUT I'VE ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO KNOW HOW PEOPLE FELT ABOUT THIS. UM, YOU KNOW, THE VOTERS VOTED FOR PROP B, UH, THEY VOTED FOR PROP B. UM, THERE WAS NUMBERS FLOATING AROUND AT A HUNDRED MILLIONS A YEAR, $79 MILLION A YEAR. I MEAN, WE'VE HAD NUMBERS ACROSS THE BOARD, UM, HIGH NUMBERS, LOWER NUMBERS. UM, WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL NUMBER WAS GOING TO BE. BUT NOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF $650 MILLION PLUS WHATEVER THE RANGE IS. SO WE, WE ARE IN A POSITION THAT WE HAVE NEVER BEEN IN BEFORE. WE HAVE A NUMBER, WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO AN AGREEMENT. UM, WE VOTED ON THE ISSUANCE OF THE BOND. UM, IT IS, IT IS A TOUGH POSITION TO BE IN. UM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE TALKED TO OVER THE WEEKEND AND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, THEY WANT TO PUT THIS BEHIND US. UH, THEY ADMIT THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY. THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE CITY. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT INDEBTEDNESS FOR 25 TO 30 YEARS. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE ALL CALCULATED HOW OLD WE WILL BE SEVEN TWO WHEN, UH, WE PAY THIS OFF. I'LL BE 79. UH, I THINK THAT WE, WE DON'T TAKE IT LIGHTLY. AND MAYOR, I KNOW YOU'VE NEGOTIATED AND YOU HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, DID WHAT YOU FELT HAS BEEN BEST FOR THE CITY. YOU CAMPAIGNED ON IT. YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO PUT THIS BEHIND US. UM, AND I THINK WE ALL WANNA PUT IT BEHIND US, BUT WE ALSO DON'T WANT, UM, TO PUT THE CITY IN A FINANCIAL POSITION THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY. I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT YOU'VE GOT SOME PLANS TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL DOLLARS. UM, BUT IT DOES NOT NEGATE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ASK THE QUESTIONS. I DO WANT TO THANK CONTROLLER HOLLANDS FOR ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS. THAT ALL THAT INFORMATION HELPED ALL OF US BECAUSE WE WERE NOT IN THE NEGOTIATIONS. BUT THAT INFORMATION HELPS US TO MAKE THE DECISION THAT WE'RE TASKED WITH, WHICH IS THE UP OR DOWN. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I I, I, THIS MORNING I WOKE UP AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, MARTHA, MAKE ONE LAST DITCH EFFORT. MAKE ONE LAST DITCH EFFORT TO GO BACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW, DO WE REALLY HAVE TO PAY $650 MILLION? UM, I, I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, [02:15:03] WE ARE VERY CLOSE, BUT THIS IS STILL A LOT OF MONEY. AND THEN I WAS TOLD, WE GOTTA GO TO COURT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, IF WE DON'T PASS THIS, WE'RE GOING TO COURT. UM, WHAT IS THE VERSION THAT IF WE GO TO COURT THAT THIS WILL BE LESS THAN $650 MILLION? UM, AND I WAS TOLD THERE IS A BIG RISK IF WE GO TO COURT THAT THIS WILL BE HIGHER THAN THE $650 MILLION. WE RECEIVED THIS DOCUMENT THIS MORNING. UM, A LIST OF FAQS. AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT PUSHED ME CLOSER TO AN UP VOTE. UM, ON THIS FA QQ, IT SAYS, WHAT ARE THE RISKS TO NOT PASSING THE AGENDA ITEM ON 6 18 20 24 AND THE COST RISK? THIS IS A NUMBER THAT WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. IT SAYS THE NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT PAYS 650 MILLION IN UN PENSIONABLE COSTS. AND I REMEMBER US TALKING ABOUT UN PENSIONABLE COSTS, WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT OF 487 MILLION IN REGULAR BASE PAY. SO THAT WAS OUR NUMBER, OUR NEGOTIATED NUMBER THAT I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN ASKING FOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR IS $487 MILLION. BUT THAT WAS REGULAR BASE PAY. SO IF WE RISK GOING TO COURT, I WOULD ASSUME, AND, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, UM, ATTORNEY MICHELLE, THAT $487 MILLION REGULAR BASE PAY MM-HMM . IF THAT IS PENSIONABLE, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL $965 BILLION SETTLEMENT, NOT INCLUDING THE INCENTIVE PAY, THE EXTRA PAY, ALL OF JUST THE BASE PAY BASED ON OUR $487 MILLION NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT. MAY MAYOR PROTON, OR SORRY, THE 4 87 WOULD BECOME THE SIX 50 IF IT WERE PENSIONABLE, SAY IT AGAIN, THE 487 MILLION, IF IT WERE PENSIONABLE, IT WOULD BECOME 650 MILLION. SO THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY EXPLAINED TO ME EARLIER. I ALWAYS SAW THE, THE, THE VALUE OF THIS SETTLEMENT IN THAT IT WAS NEGOTIATED AS OVERTIME PAY, WHICH IS NOT SUBJECT TO PENSION. YES. SO IF I, I THINK WHAT THE FINANCE DIRECTOR IS SAYING IS IF YOU HAD THAT AMOUNT IN THE FOUR HUNDREDS, IF WE WERE TO GO TO COURT, HIGHLY LIKELY THE COURT WOULD AWARD IT AS BASE PAY ONTO WHICH YOU WOULD ADD PENSION AND FICA. RIGHT. AND THAT WOULD BRING IT UP TO THE SIX 50. IN FACT, WE, IN RUNNING A SCENARIO, WE RAN A SCENARIO AT A, LET'S SAY WE WENT TO COURT AND, UH, OBTAINED THE, WHETHER ARBITRATION PANEL OR THE JUDGE ULTIMATELY AWARDED 400 MILLION. IF YOU ASSUME THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE APPEALED BY ONE SIDE OR ANOTHER, OR BOTH, AND YOU HAVE A FIVE YEAR PERIOD OF, UH, OF APPEALS LIKE WE DID WITH THE PROP B PAY PARITY WITH PRE-JUDGMENT INTEREST, YOU'RE PAYING IN THE MID SEVEN HUNDREDS. YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU ADD ON TO THE, THE PENSION OBLIGATION, FICA AND PRE-JUDGMENT INTEREST. THAT'S WHY I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A GOOD SETTLEMENT. WE COULD DO BETTER, BUT WE COULD VERY EASILY DO WORSE. AND THAT, WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO BETTER? DO YOU, DO YOU THINK THERE IS ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT A COURT WOULD GIVE US A LOWER THAN THE SIX 50 SETTLEMENT? I THINK IT'S UNLIKELY THAT A COURT WOULD GIVE US A SETTLEMENT THAT WOULD BE LOW ENOUGH TO OFFSET THIS. PARTICULARLY WITH THE RISK. I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AN AWARD OF IN CLOSER TO 300 MILLION IN ORDER TO BE, HAVE SOMETHING MORE OR LESS COMPARABLE. AND I THINK WHEN YOU HAVE PARTIES, AND YOU HEARD AT THE PRIOR MEETING THE RANGES THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF WHAT WAS BEING OFFERED, I THINK IT'S VERY UNLIKELY THAT YOU'D GET A COURT OR AN ARBITRATION PANEL AWARDING THAT LOW. EVEN WITH THE INFORMATION THAT THE CONTROLLER LAID OUT, UM, WITH HIS, UH, NUMBERS. DO YOU THINK THAT, UM, HOW, HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT, UM, A, A JUDGMENT OR SOMETHING IN THE, AND I KNOW IT'S ALL SPECULATION, CORRECT? 'CAUSE IT WOULD TAKE THREE TO FIVE YEARS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. YEAH. MI MR. HOLLANDS RAN HIS NUMBER ON WHAT THE PARTY SAID, THE WAY THEY APPROACHED THE NEGOTIATIONS, WHICH WOULD BE, UH, PUBLIC SECTOR DATA. HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PARTLY WHAT THE PARTIES ARE SAYING. ULTIMATELY, WHAT THE PARTIES LOOK AT IS A STANDARD IN COURT. BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, UH, WORK OUT A DEAL, THAT'S WHERE YOU ARE. AND THAT IS A PRIVATE SECTOR STANDARD IN, IN, IN COURT. SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY A DIFFERENT STANDARD [02:20:01] THAN LOOKING AT COMPARABLE PUBLIC SECTOR. IF, IF YOU DON'T DO A DEAL AND YOU'RE, AND YOU'RE FORCED TO EITHER LITIGATE THIS BEFORE, UM, THE COURTS OR BEFORE AN ARBITRATION PANEL. SO THE BIG QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY, A ROUTE OR A PATH WHERE THE CITY'S OBLIGATION WILL BE LOWER THAN WHAT THE MAYOR HAS NEGOTIATED? UM, I THINK IT'S A BIG RISK. UH, I'M, I DON'T WANNA SPEND ANOTHER THREE TO FIVE YEARS IN COURT. UM, HOWEVER, THAT $650 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY. I THINK THAT WE DEFINITELY, IF, IF THIS DOES PASS TODAY, THAT WE AS A BODY HAVE TO BE VIGILANT ABOUT PAYING THAT DOWN SOONER THAN 25 TO 30 YEARS. I KNOW, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HAS SAID THAT SHE WOULD SUGGEST, OR, UM, WOULD SUPPORT US USING SOME FUND BALANCE SO THAT WE AREN'T TAKING OUT A $650 MILLION JUDGMENT BOND. UM, YOU KNOW, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY, LIKE A MORTGAGE TO PAY TWO BILLS A MONTH SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THIS LONG TERM, UH, DEBT? UM, HOW DO, HOW CAN WE USE OUR BOND REPAYMENT SO THAT WE AREN'T IN A 25 TO 30 YEAR PAYMENT PLAN? I, I THINK THAT EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE CAN PAY DOWN BEFORE THAT 25 TO 30 YEARS IS GONNA BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL OF HOUSTON. SURE. SO, UM, WHENEVER WE, UH, LOOK AT A BOND ISSUANCE, THERE ARE, UM, CERTAIN, UH, INDICATORS THAT WE CAN, UH, GIVE TO THE MARKET TO THE INVESTORS THAT WE WANT CERTAIN, WE CALL THEM CALL FEATURES ON THE BONDS, THAT WE WANNA BE ABLE TO REFUND THE BONDS IF THE INTEREST RATE IS LOWER OR IF WE WANTED TO FEES THE BONDS TO PAY THEM OFF SOONER. UH, SO THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE IN THE PAST AND WILL WITH THIS TRANSACTION, BUILD IN TO THE ISSUANCE. AND I GUESS FOR ME IS, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST. I WANT US TO AGREE THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT. YES. THAT WE ARE GOING TO PAY THIS DOWN. YES. UM, SOONER THAN THE 25 TO 30 YEARS AND WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PAY IT OFF BEFORE THE 25 TO 30 YEARS. YES. 'CAUSE IF WE JUST KEEP IT OUT THERE FOR 25, 30 YEARS, I MEAN, THE REAL COST OF, OF THE MONEY IS, IS GOING TO BE EVEN HIGHER. UM, CERTAINLY, UH, THAT'LL BE A PROVISION. IT'S BEEN A GOAL. IT'S LIKE IF YOU REFINANCING YOUR HOME, IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY BASED ON INTEREST RATES AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, YOUR CASH FLOW, CERTAINLY IT WOULD BE WISE TO PAY DOWN. AND THAT IS A COMMITMENT THAT WE'VE HAD FROM THE BEGINNING TO, UH, BE REALISTIC. THE REASON WE WENT THIS PROPOSAL, I MEAN, THE LAW ALLOWS THE SETTLEMENT BOND. UH, BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY IN THE WORLD THAT THERE'S MONEY ON HAND TO PAY THIS AMOUNT. IT WAS ALWAYS GONNA BE EXPENSIVE. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. UH, THE PARTNERSHIP AND OTHER BUSINESS GROUPS HAVE ESTIMATED THAT THIS COULD COST US A BILLION DOLLARS OR MORE, UH, IN A SETTLEMENT. UH, IT, WE NEGOTIATED DOWN TO SIX 50, WHICH MOST PEOPLE THINK WAS WAY SHORT OF WHAT ALL THE ESTIMATES WERE WHEN WE STARTED A NEGOTIATIONS. IN TERMS OF THE CITY'S FINANCIAL PICTURE, IF WE'D NEVER HEARD OF THE FIREFIGHTER SETTLEMENT, WE WERE 160 MILLION PLUS SHORT WHEN WE WERE SWORN IN IN JANUARY, SHORT, 160 MILLION. OF COURSE, WE'VE GOT SERIOUS FINANCIAL CHALLENGES. EVERYONE KNOWS IT. WE'VE ONLY PAID OUR BILLS WITH FEDERAL ONE TIME FUNDING. THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE BUDGET THAT WE PASSED RECENTLY ANTICIPATED THE BUDGET EXPENSES WERE GONNA BE COVERED BY THE REMAINDER OF THE A RP FUNDING. SO EVERYONE KNEW THIS WAS COMING. IF, IF THE CITY WOULD'VE HANDLED IT WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE EIGHT YEARS AGO, WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION. AND I WILL GET BACK TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY ELEMENT. OF COURSE, IT'S HUGE NUMBERS, HUGE CHALLENGES, BUT WE'VE GOTTA GET OUT OF THE COURTHOUSE AND WE'VE GOTTA GET BACK TO RUNNING A FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT FOCUSES ON PUBLIC SAFETY. WE'RE SHORT FIREFIGHTERS. WE CAN'T RECRUIT. WE GET 'EM THROUGH OUR ACADEMY AND THEY LEAVE FOR OTHER MUNICIPALITIES. AND THAT HAS TO BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION. YOU CAN'T HAVE AMBULANCES LEAVING FROM CENTRAL HOUSTON TO KINGWOOD OR CENTRAL HOUSTON TO CLEAR LAKE. IT WOULD SHOCK US IF YOU LOOKED AT A [02:25:01] COMPUTER PRINTOUT THIS MORNING, WHICH FEW AMBULANCES? I'M ACTUALLY TALKING, YOU TALK ABOUT FUNDING. I'M TALKING TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. I'VE HAD SEVERAL CORPORATIONS IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON SAID THEY'LL BUY US AN AMBULANCE, BUT YOU CAN'T RUN AN AMBULANCE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE STAFFING. WE'RE PAYING HUGE AMOUNTS OF OVERTIME BECAUSE THE NEXT SHIFT IS SO SHORT THEY'RE HOLDING OVER THE PREVIOUS SHIFT. SO WE'VE DEBATED THIS, IT'S SOUND, I'VE DISCUSSED IT WITH HOUSTONIANS FOR YEARS, AND THIS IS A SOUND FINANCIAL PICTURE, AND EVERYONE'S HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE INVOLVED. I UNDERSTAND NOT EVERYONE CAN BE AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE, BUT I WAS ELECTED TO BE THERE. I'LL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. I WOULD NOT PRESENT THIS IF I DIDN'T HAVE A VISION OR IN REAL TERMS, HOW WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR IT. NOT ONLY THE FIREFIGHTER SETTLEMENT, BUT THE 160 PLUS MILLION THAT JUST GENERAL SERVICES AND CITY SERVICES RE ARE GONNA REQUIRE. SO I ASK EVERYONE TO BE VERY REALISTIC ABOUT THE CITY'S FINANCES. YOU KNOW, I SAID TWO MONTHS AGO WE'RE BROKE. IT WAS ACCURATE, THEN IT'S ACCURATE NOW. UH, WE'VE SPENT MONEY ON ISSUES IN LAST WEEK'S BUDGET. THE, THE CASHMERE DRAINAGE, $8 MILLION IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON. WE CAN START GOING ON. SO I HOPE WE ALL REALIZE THAT, UM, WE WILL FIND ADDITIONAL MONIES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD REQUESTS THIS MORNING, THE LADY THAT HAS THE FLOODING IN THE MEYERLAND AREA. I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT MAYBE NOT PAY AS YOU GO IN THE FUTURE, UH, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE RESOURCES BROUGHT TO THE TABLE. BUT I, I APPLAUD YOUR QUESTIONS, YOUR LEADERSHIP, I CAN ASSURE YOU THE RISK ARE HUGE. IF WE WERE TO START OVER, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVEN'T EVEN TALKED ABOUT LEGAL FEES. YOU KNOW, WE'RE RUNNING UP A LEGAL BILL AS WE TALK RIGHT NOW WITH OUTSIDE COUNSEL. AND I THINK THE PUBLIC HAS DEMONSTRATED TIME AFTER TIME. THEY WANT TO PAY FIREFIGHTERS ADDITIONAL BENEFITS. AND QUITE FRANKLY, QUIT PAYING THE LAWYERS, GET OUTTA THE COURTHOUSE, HAS BEEN OUR OBJECTIVE. AND I THINK THIS IS A SOUND PROPOSAL, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. AND, AND IT, AND IT SHOULD KEEP US UP AT NIGHT. UH, IF YOU'LL LET ME KNOW YOUR HOURS, I'LL, MAYBE WE CAN TALK GOOD , BECAUSE CERTAINLY THESE DECISIONS, AND I'VE MADE TOUGH DECISIONS IN THE LEGISLATURE FOR 50 YEARS. IT COMES DOWN TO DOING WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT AND, UH, THE PUBLIC WILL APPLAUD IT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AS A DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND HOLDING MANY, MANY, MANY HEARINGS. THANK YOU. SURE. AND, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO THIS, THIS ITEM OVER THE LAST MONTH OR TWO. UM, UH, MY QUESTIONS WERE ALONG THE LINES OF THE MAYOR PRO TEMS, UM, REALLY TALKING ABOUT EXPOSURE. I THINK THE FAQ REALLY HELPS THAT $487 MILLION REALLY HELPS. IT GETS YOU TO THE SIX 50 PLUS YOU'VE GOTTA FIGURE ON, THERE'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, APPEALS AND MORE LEGAL FIELDS AND IT GETS YOU TO THE MID SEVEN HUNDREDS. UM, I'D LIKE TO TALK AND ASK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE FAQ'S MENTIONED THAT A CORE TENANT IS, AND THIS WAS DISCUSSED, IS TO BUNDLE THE BACK PAY ALSO TO USE THE PUBLIC SECTOR COMPARATIVE. UM, CAN, YOU, CAN, UM, SO ATTORNEY, CAN YOU ADDRESS HOW EACH OF THOSE, LIKE IF WE DIDN'T BUNDLE THOSE BACK YEARS, IF WE WENT YEAR BY YEAR, WHAT THE EXPOSURE WOULD BE THERE? AND ALSO ON THE, UH, PUBLIC SECTOR COMPARATIVE, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IF WE USED A PRIVATE SECTOR COMPARATIVE, WHATEVER THAT WOULD BE, YOU'RE ALSO LOOKING AT OVERTIME COSTS KICKING IN AFTER 40 HOURS, LIKE PRIVATE SECTOR OVER TIME. DOES, UM, AND SO THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL COST. CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO THAT, THOSE TWO THINGS? BUNDLING THE BACK PAY AND THE, UM, PRIVATE SECTOR, PUBLIC SECTOR COMPARATOR. I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT THE STATUTE CONTEMPLATES IS YOU LOOK AT AT YEAR BY YEAR. SO IF YOU GET A BIGGER HIT IN ONE YEAR, EITHER THROUGH THE ARBITRATION PANEL OR THROUGH THE COURT, IT COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS IN TERMS OF, OF INCREASING IT. UM, THERE, MOST OF THESE MATTERS ARE RESOLVED. SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF CASE LAW THAT'S DEVELOPING HERE. YOU KNOW, ONE THEORY IS THAT PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, OVERTIME KICKS IN OVER AT, AT, AT ABOVE 40. AND OF COURSE WE HAVE STATUTES HERE THAT PROVIDE FOR DIFFERENT ONES. BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A PRIVATE SECTOR COMPARISON, THERE IS SOME EXPOSURE THERE. AND EVEN IF THE ARBITRATION PANEL OR THE COURT DOESN'T FULLY BUY INTO IT, IT MAY AFFECT WHAT THEY GIVE, WHAT THEY GIVE AS THE ULTIMATE AWARD. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND DIRECTOR, UM, MELISSA DEBOSKY, UM, ON THE, I'M ALSO CURIOUS AS TO THE INCENTIVE [02:30:01] PAYS, WHAT KIND OF THAT THOSE ACTUALS HAVE BEEN? AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HIT THE CAP? LIKE SOMEBODY DOESN'T GET THEIR PAY. I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT, HOW WOULD THAT BE HANDLED IF WE HIT THE CAP? SURE. UM, SO I THINK IN CIRCLING BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, THAT HAD ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE FY 24 AMOUNT FOR THE SPECIAL PAYS. UM, SO THE PAYS THAT ARE IN THAT CATEGORY ARE BUDGETED AROUND 17 MILLION RIGHT NOW FOR FY 24. SO THE $10 MILLION WOULD BE ON TOP OF THAT 17 MILLION AND FY 25. THAT'S THE CAP. UH, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO CAP IT. SO WE'RE WORKING, UM, WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT ALL THOSE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES WITH SPECIAL PAYS. AND AS I MENTIONED, SET UP, UM, UH, EVEN MORE ELABORATE TRACKING THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE SAP SYSTEM SO THAT WE CAN SEE BASED ON THESE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, UH, WHERE ARE WE TRACKING IN RELATION TO THOSE PAYS. UM, AND WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WORKING WITH LEGAL BASED ON THE AGREEMENT OF THE $10 MILLION CAP THAT WE CAN, UM, WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY UNDER THAT CAP. AND IT IS GONNA MEAN VERY CLOSE TRACKING. SO TO YOUR QUESTION, DOES THAT MEAN YOU'RE JUST NOT GOING TO GET PAID AT A CERTAIN POINT? UM, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO LOOK AT, UM, THINGS LIKE THE IMPORTANCE OF PARAMEDIC ASSIGNMENT PAY VERSUS SOMETHING LIKE A TUITION REIMBURSEMENT PAY. UM, AND WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT TO PRIORITIZE HOW THAT WORKS ONCE WE GET TO THE CAP. SO IT'S $17 MILLION IN 24, YOU ADD 10 MILLION TO THAT. SO NEXT YEAR THE MOST WE WILL HAVE IS $27 MILLION. THE 10 MILLION PLUS, UH, FRINGE AND FICA. SO THE 10 MILLION BECOMES ABOUT 12.8 MILLION. OH. JUST, BUT YES, YOU'RE NOT ADDING TO, YOU'RE NOT ADDING TO THE RIGHT. SO IN FISCAL 25, IT WOULD BE THE, THE, THE SAME 17 MILLION WOULD BE COMING FROM 24 TO 25 IS THE BASE, AND IT WOULD BE 10 MILLION ON TOP OF THAT, PLUS THE, THE PENSION. SO YES. OKAY. AND, AND MAYOR, UM, I'M EXCITED ALSO ABOUT ALL OF YOUR DIFFERENT IDEAS TO BRING MONEY INTO THE CITY. UM, I DO THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOU CAN GET FROM STATE, FEDERAL, PRIVATE CITIZENS, WHEREVER WE CAN GET IT, IS GREAT. I DO THINK WE ARE ULTIMATELY, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN VERY, UH, JUDICIOUS ABOUT NOT WANTING TO PUT NEW TAXES IN THE BUDGET. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WANNA, YOU KNOW, LOOK UNDER EVERY ROCK FIRST AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. BUT ULTIMATELY, ULTIMATELY I FEEL WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO GO TO THE VOTERS. AND, AND I FEEL THE SOONER THE BETTER, UM, IN MY OPINION, UM, THERE WILL BE SOME AMOUNT THAT NEEDS TO BE, UH, TO, NEEDS TO BE GENERATED SO WE CAN CONTINUE HAVING, UM, THE QUALITY OF SERVICES THAT OUR RESIDENTS ENJOY. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THAT REGARD. AND THERE WILL BE A TIME THAT WE WILL ASK FOR ADDITIONAL REVENUE. I THINK, UH, WE'LL BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE WE'RE PASSING A VERY REASONABLE BUDGET. WE'RE TRYING TO COLLABORATE WITH THE COUNTY. WE'RE GETTING GREAT RESULTS THERE. THE STATE'S GOING TO ASSIST US. AND AFTER WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING CUTTING OUT, DUPLICATION, WASTE, AND THERE WILL BE OTHER CONFLICTS OF INTEREST EXPOSED LATER THIS WEEK, GETTING CLOSER TO HOME, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD GO TO THE PUBLIC AND ASK FOR ADDITIONAL FEES OR TAXES UNTIL WE CAN LOOK THE CITIZENS IN THE FACE AND SAY, WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN. WE'VE BEEN VERY PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE. THE FINANCIAL PICTURE IS DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN. AND, UH, WE'RE NOT KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD ANYMORE. WE'RE NOT SELLING ALL THE CITY PROPERTIES. THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE. I COULD GO ON AND OTHER ON AND ON, ON MEASURES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE IN PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS. BUT, YOU KNOW, I TOOK OVER WHEN FOLKS SIT HERE AND SAY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, OH, WE NEED MORE MONEY, BUT I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA LET THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION HANDLE THAT. WELL, THAT'S FINE. THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT PROBABLY BETTER THAN WE DO. SO I UNDERSTAND. I'M COMMITTED TO FINDING THE FUNDS. WE'RE HAVING VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS. AND THERE'S SOME CREATIVE WAYS THAT QUITE FRANKLY, UH, WILL BE FORTHCOMING. YOU'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO REALIZE WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. UM, I THINK EVERYBODY'S WORKED IN GOOD FAITH AND WE'RE GOING TO, UM, GET THE FIREFIGHTER ISSUE ONCE AND FOR ALL RESOLVED. AND IT'S GONNA BE FAIR TO THE FIREFIGHTERS AND FAIR TO THE TAXPAYERS. [02:35:01] THE TAXPAYERS ARE, HAVE ASKED US SEVERAL TIMES TO DEAL WITH THIS. AND IF WE DON'T ADOPT THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT, I PROMISE YOU IT'LL BE MORE EXPENSIVE. AND QUITE FRANKLY, UH, IT WAS TOUGH NEGOTIATIONS. THERE'S SOME NO, NO, NO. SETTLEMENT IS PERFECT. NO CONTRACT IS PERFECT. YOU GIVE AND TAKE AND YOU GIVE AND TAKE AS LONG AS YOU THINK IT'S REASONABLE. AND I STAYED AT THE TABLE AND I'VE GOT A GREAT TEAM. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO DEAL WITH MARTY FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS, , BUT, BUT, BUT HE'S TOUGH. AND HE WALKED AWAY FROM THE TABLE SEVERAL TIMES AND I DREW THE LINE SEVERAL TIMES. AND I JUST THINK YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THIS WAS A LONG TIME COMING. IT WAS ALWAYS GONNA BE A BIG NUMBER. AND I THINK WE'VE HANDLED IT AS RESPONSIBLY AS YOU WOULD EXPECT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, THANK YOU THOUGH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WE WILL GET TO THOSE, SOME OF THOSE SUGGESTED REVENUE SOURCES THAT YOU PUBLICLY MENTIONED, WHICH, WHICH I RESPECT. THANK YOU, MR. THOMAS. MAAM, MAY I ADDRESS THE CITY ATTORNEY? PARDON? MAY I ADDRESS THE CITY ATTORNEY? SURE. THANK YOU MUCH. UH, ATTORNEY. ATTORNEY MICHELLE, CAN YOU CLARIFY THE DEFINITION OF JOINT EFFORT? I KNOW IN THE CBA IT STATES THAT, UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON CANNOT ADVOCATE OR PURSUE LEGISLATION THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTS, UH, THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, SUCH AS ADDING A FORTH SHIFT OR LET'S SAY, WOULD THAT EVEN INCLUDE GOING TO AUSTIN TO CHANGE THE PROPERTY TAX, UH, RATE? UM, IF THEY ARE IN SUPPORT OF THAT, FOR US TO INCREASE OUR TAX CAP, BY DEFINITION, DOES IT MEAN THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE? LIKE WHAT'S THE DEFINITION OF JOINT EFFORT IN ADDITION TO PUBLIC SAFETY? THAT'S A VERY BROAD TERM. ARE WE SAYING PUBLIC SAFETY WHEN THEY ARE DIRECTLY IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE WORK OR PUBLIC SAFETY? BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INSTITUTION OF THE DEPARTMENT? UH, WELL, YOU'RE RIGHT THERE. THEY'RE PRETTY BROAD TERMS, BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE DEFINED IN THE CONTEXT OF A PARTICULAR EFFORT. SO I THINK THAT'S THE BIG BENEFIT HERE, IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO AGREE IN WRITING WHAT THAT EFFORT IS GOING TO BE. SO IF, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH SOME OF THE CONCERNS HERE, IF THERE'S A NEED FOR REVENUE FOR OTHER SOURCES, AND IT MAY BE COMING OUT OF THE SAME POT, WE'D HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY, UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS OR A DIFFERENT POT FOR ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTER REVENUE AND OR WE'RE, OR WE'RE SEGREGATING IT. AND THEN THERE'S THIS, UH, WE'RE LOOKING TO FUND OTHER THINGS THROUGH THE SAME EFFORT, BUT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT IN WRITING. AND I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST PROTECTION BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE EFFORT SPECIFIC. SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO DEFINE WHAT WE DO. SO EACH TIME, RIGHT? YES. SO HOWEVER THE ADMINISTRATION CHOOSES TO PURSUE ADDITIONAL REVENUE. SO IF GOING TO THE, UH, VOTERS IN NOVEMBER OR IN 25 OR 26 AND SAYING WE WOULD HAVE TO GET APPROVAL FROM THE ASSOCIATION TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE WE WANT TO DO IT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. YES. I MEAN, WE'D HAVE, WE WOULD, THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE AN AGREEMENT, A MEMORANDUM, UH, OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE UNION AND THE CITY ON WHAT CONSTITUTES A JOINT EFFORT, WHAT IS TRYING TO BE ACHIEVED, THE MONIES THAT WE GET FROM THAT, AND HOW THOSE MONIES, WHICH MONIES WOULD BE USED FOR, FOR, FOR PURPOSES OF THIS CBA, WHICH MONIES WOULD BE USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES. AND THEN THAT, THAT AGREEMENT THAT MOU ENDS, ONCE WE REACH THE 34%. 'CAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DELTA OF A 24% INCREASE TO A 34%, RIGHT? YES. SO IF WE'RE PURSUING ALL THESE REVENUE, REVENUE SOURCES AND WE REACH THE 34%, WE NO LONGER HAVE TO GO TO THE ASSOCIATION TO PURSUE ADDITIONAL SOURCE SOURCES. CORRECT. AND WE DON'T EVEN BEFORE THEN, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE UNION TO, UM, TO SEEK ADDITIONAL REVENUE SOURCES. IT IS ONLY WHEN WE ARE SEEKING ADDITIONAL REVENUE SOURCES THAT AT LEAST PART OF IT IS BEING TARGETED TOWARD PAYING THE ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION. IS THIS JOINT EFFORT REQUIRED? RIGHT. NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND THAT WAS, UH, THAT'S THE, THE CLARIFICATION, UM, THAT WE CAN'T MAKE THOSE DECISIONS ON, UM, OUR BEHALF AS A, A GOVERNING BODY THAT WE HAVE TO GO ASK FOR PERMISSION FOR THE BETTERMENT OF, UM, CITY EMPLOYEES AND OUR REVENUE SERVICES. THAT'S NUMBER ONE. UM, SO IF WITHIN THE CBA, BECAUSE IT DOES NOT STATE THERE'S A CAP, AND IF I'M A FIREFIGHTER AND I'M ASSIGNED TO ARSON DUTY, RIGHT? AND THE CAP IS ALREADY MET, HOW, HOW DO I THEN GO GET MY MONEY? BECAUSE THE CBA DOESN'T SAY THAT IT'S MM-HMM . FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE. IT DOESN'T SAY ANY OF THAT. AND SO BY THE AGREEMENT THEY'RE OWED, RIGHT? WELL, IT, UH, THE AGREEMENT IS, IS BETWEEN THE UNION [02:40:01] AND THE CITY. SO A FIREFIGHTER, A GRIEVANCE REGARDING THE INTERPRETATION OF THE CBA WOULD HAVE TO COME THROUGH THE UNION. SO THE UNION WOULD HAVE TO, OBVIOUSLY THE PARTIES COULD DIFFER ON INTERPRETATION, BUT THE, THE AGREEMENT WHERE WE DO HAVE THAT LIMITATION ON THE 10 MILLION ON THE CAP, THEN THAT BECOMES THE, UH, THE REPRESENTATION OF WHAT THE PARTIES INTENDED. THAT WOULD BE THE BEST EVIDENCE BEFORE. BUT IT'S NOT IN THE AGREEMENT. SO, BUT IF I'M A LAY MEMBER, AND ALL I KNOW IS, IS THAT THERE'S $10 MILLION OF SPECIAL PAY FOR ME, I'M ASSIGNED BIWEEKLY TO RECEIVE A AND A HAZARDOUS DUTY, AND THERE'S A CAP, IS THERE A NOTIFICATION TO THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE? BUT IF I'M MEETING THE EL THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE CBA, THEN WE OWE THAT MONEY STILL? NO, I WOULDN'T. THEY HAVE LIKE STANDING TO THEN CHALLENGE THAT. WELL, THEY, WHICH EXPOSES US, AGAIN, I MEAN, IF, IF IT'S A, IF Y'ALL HAVE A THIRD PARTY, A SEPARATE AGREEMENT, A SIGNATURE SAYING WE HAVE A GENTLE WOMAN'S AGREEMENT THAT THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE AS AN MOA, BUT THIS IS THE DOCUMENT WE'RE VOTING ON. WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THE THIRD PARTY DOCUMENT. WE'RE VOTING ON WHAT'S IN THIS RIGHT. AND WHAT'S IN THIS SAYS THAT THERE'S INCENTIVE PAY THAT'S DUE IF I QUALIFY AS A FIREFIGHTER, ARSON HA, HAZARDOUS, WHATEVER THAT IS MM-HMM . AND IF THERE'S A CAP, WHICH IS NOT STATED IN HERE MM-HMM . I'M STILL DUE THAT MONEY, WELL, IT, IT WOULD BE THE UNION THAT WOULD HAVE STANDING, NOT THE INDIVIDUAL FIREFIGHTERS. SO IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE UNION AT ODDS WITH THE CITY AS TO WHAT THAT WAS. AND IF A COURT IS GOING TO INTERPRET WHAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHO'S CORRECT IN THAT, IT WOULD LOOK TO THE AGREEMENT THAT THAT HAS THE CAP. SO THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S THE PROTECTION THAT'S PROVIDED THE CITY. SO THE COURT WILL LOOK AT THE AGREEMENT THAT HAS THE CAP AND NOT THE CBA. WELL, IT WOULD LOOK AT THE JOINTLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH EACH OTHER. I JUST THINK THAT'S PROBLEMATIC AND IT OPENS US UP TO, AGAIN, ANOTHER GAME OF INTERPRETATION AND WHO'S OWED WHAT, AND WE'LL FIND OURSELF IN ANOTHER SITUATION LIKE THIS ABOUT ING MONEY. ALL MY THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WAS GONNA WAIT TO MAKE MY COMMENTS AFTER THE VOTE, BUT I'M, I'M JUST WANNA SAY THIS. NO, NO, NO. I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO KINDA GET THIS OUT. UM, I, I WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF US HAVE NOT HAD DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE HORSESHOE, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE ALL DONE OUR DUE DILIGENCE. WE HAVE ASKED QUESTIONS BEHIND THE SCENES. WE HAVE SPOKEN TO ALL PARTIES. UM, ON MANY OCCASIONS IT'S BEEN INSINUATED THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO ASK OR HOW TO ASK OR WHO TO ASK. AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE. WE HAVE ASKED THE QUESTIONS. UM, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2016. UM, THIS IS THE EPITOME OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, WHICH IS A NEGOTIATION BETWEEN EMPLOYER AND A GROUP OF EMPLOYEES. WE HAVE TO TRUST THAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEES, UM, CAN COME TO AN AGREEMENT FAVORABLY. AND THAT IS WHAT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS. IT'S DONE IN ALL UNIONS. TEACHER, I MEAN, WHATEVER UNIONS ARE SPEAKING OF, THAT'S WHAT IT IS. AND WE HAVE TO TRUST THAT. I DO NOT BELIEVE FOR ONE MOMENT THAT ANYONE ON THIS HORSESHOE, ESPECIALLY THE MAYOR, WANTS TO BANKRUPT THE CITY. THAT IS NOT THE INTENTION. IT IS NOT OUR DESIRE. BUT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME. WE'VE GOTTA GET IT DONE. AND WE NOW NEED TO FOCUS ON AND TRUST THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO BE OPEN TO ALTERNATIVE REVENUE STREAMS FROM H FROM HFD, MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT INSPECTIONS OR SPACES THAT THERE, THERE CAN BE, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDS, UM, EVALUATING ALL DEPARTMENT EFFICIENCIES. YOU'VE SEEN WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON. UM, AND NOT ONLY EFFICIENCIES, BUT DEFICIENCIES, LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL REVENUE STREAMS OF HOW WE CAN RAISE MORE MONEY. AND REALLY, DEPENDING ON THE MAYOR'S STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE TO FIND OTHER FUNDING TO ASSIST US IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN. I MEAN, THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WE JUST HAVE TO TRUST THAT DOING THE RIGHT THING AND MOVING FORWARD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IS GOING TO BE OKAY. WE ARE GOING TO FIGURE THIS OUT BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS US TO BE A CITY WHERE EVERYTHING IS FALLING APART. WE MAKE DECISIONS EVERY SINGLE DAY OF HOW TO PAY FOR SOMETHING. IT RAINS A LITTLE BIT AND IT FLOODS THE ENTIRE CITY. WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR DRAINAGE, BUT WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT HAPPEN. WE'RE GONNA FIGURE IT OUT. SO I ASSURE YOU, I'M JUST TALKING TO THE PUBLIC. I ASSURE YOU, YES, WE ARE IN A FINANCIAL STRAIN. I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT WE'RE BROKE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT MAYOR. WE ARE GONNA FI WE, WE ARE, WE ARE A STRONG CITY. WE'RE GONNA COME TOGETHER. AND YES, THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS THAT WE ARE NOT SURE OF, BUT THAT'S WHAT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS. TWO PARTIES COME TOGETHER AND MAKE A DECISION, AND WE HAVE TO TRUST OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE NOT GONNA SCREW US. I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT GONNA COME BACK AND, AND SLAM US AND NOT HOLD. I MEAN, WE ARE ALL GONNA HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE WE ARE THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT'S WHAT WE DO. SO LET'S GET THIS VOTE DONE. LET'S TRUST THE PARTIES THAT CAME TOGETHER. LET'S SUPPORT OR DON'T SUPPORT. THAT'S YOUR CHOICE. BUT WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS TODAY. AND WE HAVE TO KNOW THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO SURVIVE. WE'RE [02:45:01] GOING TO BE OKAY, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE RECRUITMENT'S THERE. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE MORALE IS THERE. AS A BUSINESS OWNER, MY TEAM IS EVERYTHING. IF THEY DON'T FEEL THAT I RESPECT THEM OR APPRECIATE THEM, THEY'RE NOT GONNA STAND BEHIND ME AND SUPPORT ME. SO THIS IS A, THIS IS A LARGER PICTURE. YES, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THE FINANCIAL CONVERSATION. I AGREE. AS A BUSINESS OWNER, I WANNA ALWAYS KNOW HOW TO PAY FOR SOMETHING. WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE IT OUT. WE JUST HAVE TO DO IT TOGETHER. BUT THE FIRST STEP IS GETTING THIS VOTE DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELL SAID. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK, CITY COUNCIL, WE AUTHORIZED, UM, THE CITY TO ENGAGE IN THE BOND PROCESS IN ORDER TO, TO PAY THE 650 MILLION IN BACK PAY. AND I VOTED AGAINST THAT BECAUSE I WAS UNCLEAR ABOUT HOW THAT NUMBER WAS ARRIVED ON OR HOW THE CITY WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT. UM, AND I THOUGHT THE BOND ISSUE WAS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE GONE TO THE VOTERS. UM, HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE OWED MONEY AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED A CONTRACT. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, MAYOR, I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOU. I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOUR LEADERSHIP THAT YOU ARE GONNA IDENTIFY THESE REVENUE SOURCES TO PAY FOR THIS AGREEMENT AND KEEP OUR CITY RUNNING SMOOTHLY. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR DAVIS. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I'D LIKE TO OPEN BY SAYING THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, MY COLLEAGUES IN THE DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE ALL ASKED CONCERNING THE FUTURE OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, AS A VOTER, AS A CITIZEN OF THIS CITY, UM, I, I KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE INVOLVING BUDGET AND DOLLARS, BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE, AND INTERESTINGLY, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, PLUMMER SPOKE ABOUT TRUST. I WAS JUST SHARING WITH THOSE. I WROTE THAT WORD DOWN 10 MINUTES AGO. I WROTE IT DOWN. I'M GONNA SHOW IT TO EVERYBODY. THE REALITY OF THIS IS THIS. I THINK THE QUESTIONS ARE CLEAR, THEY'RE NEEDED, BUT ALSO ALONG WITH THIS BEING A BUDGET AND A DOLLAR ISSUE, THE MAYOR HAS SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND I THINK ALL OF US IN THIS, IN THIS CHAMBER AND OTHERS IN THE CITY, NO, IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. WE CANNOT AVOID OR EVADE THE FACT IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. WE HAVE, WE HAVE, AND NOT ONLY THAT, I'M GONNA THROW A COUPLE OTHER WORDS, WHICH IS PAINFUL AND SACRIFICIAL. IT IS PAINFUL TO SEE A DOLLAR AMOUNT LIKE THIS, BUT IT'S PAINFUL THAT THESE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS WORKED AND SACRIFICED SINCE 2016. AND I THINK ANY OF US THAT KNOW, WHEN YOU SACRIFICED YOURSELF AT THE EXPENSE OF PUBLIC SAFETY, THEY DIDN'T WALK AWAY FROM THEIR OBLIGATION, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY HAVE BEEN SHORT OF MANPOWER. BUT THOSE THAT DO IT, THEY DO THE JOB BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE COMMITTED TO DO. SO I THINK WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, RESPECTFULLY TO ALL OF THOSE THAT ARE AROUND THE TABLE, AS I SAID TO FOLKS, A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO DO OUT THE ISSUE. THOSE OF US THAT ARE NEW AT THE HEART SHOOT. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE ARE NOT NEW TO THE CITY. WE LIVE HERE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, AND WE ARE THE CONSTITUENTS BEFORE WE SIT ON THIS HEARTS SHOOT. AND WE MAKE DECISIONS HERE AS IT RELATES TO PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE CITY. SO IN MY PERSONAL VIEW, I WANT TO COMMEND THE MAYOR BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT IF WE CAN TALK DOLLARS TALK ISSUES BEING A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, THE PAIN THAT HAS CAUSED THE FIRE FIGHTERS, THE PAIN THAT HAS CAUSED THE CITY, BECAUSE LISTEN, WE HEARD A PERSON STAND HERE TODAY AND TALK ABOUT RESPONSE TIME THROUGH HPD. WELL, WE WANT TO GET TO A POINT WHERE WE HAVE RESPONSE PROBLEMS WHEN IT COME TO YOUR HOUSE BURNING DOWN OR SOMEBODY BUILDING BURNING DOWN OR OTHER ISSUES. I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO TRUST THIS ADMINISTRATION LIKE WE'VE TRUSTED OTHER ADMINISTRATIONS, AND I BELIEVE IN THIS CITY, AND I BELIEVE IN THE FACT THAT WE CAN DO BIG THINGS AND GREATER THINGS. SO I WOULD PRAY THAT ALL OF US WILL PRAY AS WE DO. WE SHOULD, IF WE DON'T, UH, THAT WE WOULD TRUST THE LEADERSHIP GOING FORWARD. AND, UH, AND CERTAINLY LET'S GET THIS DONE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PECK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, FIRST I WANNA THANK YOU FOR, FOR GETTING THIS ON THE AGENDA AND GETTING IT TO THIS POINT. THIS IS BIG. UM, YOU KNOW, I KEEP HEARING THAT WE MIGHT [02:50:01] OWE LESS MONEY IF WE GO BACK TO COURT AND I, YOU KNOW, THAT'S DEFINITELY A POSSIBILITY. BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE HAVE TO PAY LESS MONEY, IT'S LESS MONEY THAT THE CITY WOULD OWE, BUT THAT MEANS THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS WOULD THEN BE GETTING LESS MONEY. AND I'M NOT OKAY WITH GIVING THEM LESS MONEY. THEY ARE OWED THIS MONEY. THEY NEED THIS MONEY. WE NEED TO PAY THEM WHAT THEY'RE WORTH. AND THEY ARE WORTH A LOT TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO I'M READY TO MOVE FORWARD AND VOTE IN FAVOR. THANK YOU. UH, I UNDERSTAND YOUR, UH, YOUR INTEREST AND, UH, JUST TRY TO BE PATIENT WITH US AND HOLD BACK YOUR PUBLIC APPLAUSE. WE'LL, WE'LL DO THAT LATER. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABA. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE COMMENTS. I I JUST WANT TO DISPEL THE RUMOR THAT IT WAS THE ADMINISTRATION, THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, OR THE CITY THAT LED US TO BE HERE SOLELY. I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT WAS BOTH SIDES THAT HAD RESISTANCE AND WALKED AWAY. UH, AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I AM GLAD TO BE HERE TO TODAY SO THAT WE CAN MOVE, MOVE FORWARD TO GIVE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS THE COMPENSATION THAT THEY ARE DUE. I DO NOT HAVE ANY CONFIDENCE IN GOING BACK TO COURT THINKING THAT WE WILL COME OUT BETTER. AND SO I TOO AM READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH TAKING THE VOTE SO THAT WE CAN PUT THIS BEHIND US. I DON'T WANT ANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO SUFFER FOR THIS. BUT ONCE AGAIN, I CHALLENGE YOU BEFORE MAYOR, WHEN IT CAME TO GLO AND YOU DID CREATE A BETTER ENVIRONMENT. AND I'M GONNA TRUST YOU IN THIS AS WELL, TO SAY THAT YOU WILL BRING OTHER RESOURCES TO THE TABLE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT ANYONE AT THE END OF THE DAY TO FEEL THAT. WE FEEL THAT ANY CITY WORKERS ARE NOT DUE THEIR JUST COMPENSATION. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, COUNCIL MAYOR FLICKER. THANK YOU. AND I RESPECT YOU AND, AND APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS. AND, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL WORK TOGETHER AND MOVE FORWARD. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE GENTLEMAN WHO TESTIFIED ABOUT THE 200 FIREFIGHTERS AND THEIR LAWSUIT, IF THEY'RE GIVEN A JUDGMENT, WOULD THAT BE PAID OUT OF THE 650 MILLION WE'RE PAYING TO THE FIREFIGHTERS, OR WOULD THAT BE IN ADDITION TO THE, UH, WHAT THE STATUTE PROVIDES IS THAT THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT OR ANY SETTLEMENT IS BETWEEN THE UNION AND THE CITY. THAT CHALLENGE IS REALLY TO THE UNION AND IT'S BEEN SEVERED INTO A SEPARATE CAUSE OF ACTION. OKAY. SO THAT WOULD BE HIM SUING THE UNION, NOT HIM SUING THE CITY? THAT'S CORRECT. I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU, IT WOULD ULTIMATELY END UP, AND I THINK THE UNION IS VERY CONFIDENT IN ITS POSITION, BUT THE MONEY WOULD COME FROM THE UNION, RATHER FROM THE CITY. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER P*****K, GO AHEAD. THAT WAS MY QUESTION. THANK YOU. OH, OKAY. COUNCILOR THOMAS. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. UH, THANK YOU. JUST, UH, MORE SO A FOLLOW UP. I KNOW YOU'VE MENTIONED A LOT IN YOUR, IN YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, RESPONSE TIMES AND TRUCKS AND BUILDINGS, BUT I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR, THIS DEAL ADDRESSES NONE OF THAT. THIS IS JUST ABOUT MONEY, RIGHT? AND SO THE QUESTION IN THE HORSESHOE HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT IF THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE OWED, THEY ARE OWED, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THEIR 10%. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE FACT THAT WE THEY DESERVE A BACK PAY SETTLEMENT. UM, BUT THE REALITY IS, IS THAT AFTER WE ENCUMBER THIS DEBT, DISTRICT F FIRE STATIONS 83, 10 76, 73 AND 60 WILL STILL SHARE A MEDICAL UNIT. THEY'LL STILL NOT HAVE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR FACILITIES. ON THE CIP. THERE'S ONLY ONE FIRE STATION, I BELIEVE THAT'S THE MAIN PRIORITY LISTED. SO WE CAN PAY OUT FOR THEIR EFFORT, BUT WE'RE STILL OPERATING OUR DEPARTMENT LIKE IT'S 1992. AND THAT HAS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED. AND WE CANNOT DISTRACT THE POINT THAT THE FINANCIAL INVESTMENT THAT YOU WILL SEE TO YOUR PENSION, TO YOUR INCENTIVE PAY, YOU STILL WOULD HAVE TO WORK OVERTIME. YOU JUST MAY BE COMPENSATED FOR IT. AGAIN, THE FOURTH SHIFT THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS OFFERED HA NOW TIES OUR HANDS, AND PARTICULARLY FOR THE MINORITY FIREFIGHTERS IN HOUSTON. FIRE, I WANNA SPEAK TO YOU BECAUSE WHEN, UM, YOU APPROACH AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PROMOTIONS AND WANTING TO SUCCEED AND ADVANCE IN THE HOUSTON FIRE AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, THE FOURTH SHIFT WOULD'VE GIVEN YOU ANOTHER PASS PATHWAY FOR PROMOTION. OKAY? SO YOU CAN WHISPER AND AND MURMUR, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE REALITY IS. THIS CBA LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO DO THAT. I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, BECAUSE IT'S VERY CLEAR WITHIN THE HORSESHOE, LIKE [02:55:01] THIS IS GONNA PASS. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THIS PASSING, BUT PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ASSOCIATION HAS REPRESENTATION FROM ALL EMPLOYEE GROUPS WITHIN HOUSTON FIRE BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE STATES THAT ALL THREE MUST HAVE A UNANIMOUS DECISION OR IN ORDER TO MOVE, UH, UPPER OR DOWN. SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S PARODY AT THAT TABLE BECAUSE I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER EMPLOYEE GROUP WITHIN THE HOUSTON FIRE HERE PRESENT TODAY. SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME TO SEE AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS DEAL. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE PAYOUT, BUT WE HAVE TO INFUSE THE DEPARTMENT AND ADVANCE THAT SYSTEM AND HOW WE OPERATE WITH OUR TRUCKS, WITH OUR PARAMEDICS. AND THIS DEAL DOES NOT DO THAT. THAT'S BEEN MY ONLY ISSUE, IS THAT THIS DEAL DOES NOT DO IT. IT'S JUST THE MONEY. SO YOU CAN GO GET THE REVENUE, BUT THAT'S JUST TO PAY THE BILL. BUT THE REVENUE THAT WE GO GET DOES NOT IMPROVE OUR SERVICES. MR. RAMIREZ. WELL, I'M, I'M SO READY TO VOTE. BUT WE CAN, I RESPECT YOUR VIEWS, BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME REAL LIVE INFORMATION. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACILITIES. I'M SHOCKED WHEN I VISIT KINGWOOD DURING THE FLOODS. THEY'RE LIVING IN A TRAILER WITH MOLD HOLES IN THE FLOORS, HOLES IN THE CEILING. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ADDRESSING THAT. HOW ARE WE DOING IT? THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AT MEMORIAL HAS ALREADY AGREED TO BUILD US A FIRE STATION AND REPLACE THE ONE AT GESTER I 10. THAT'S CORRECT. THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS STEPPING UP TO HELP US PURCHASE AMBULANCES. WE HAVE A MULTIFACETED PLANT. IT STARTS WITH, YOU GOT TO HAVE STAFFING, YOU GOTTA BE ABLE TO RECRUIT PEOPLE, BUT, UH, WE WON'T STOP THERE. WE'LL STOP WITH WORKING CONDITIONS. THE MORALE IS AT THAT IS ON THE INCREASE. YOU, YOU SEE THESE MEN AND WOMEN, THEIR FAMILIES HERE TODAY, WE'RE GIVING THEM NOT ONLY HOPE, WE'RE GIVING THEM REAL TERMS. AND, UH, HOUSTONIANS BACKED THAT. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT. THE MONDAY AFTER THE KINGWOOD FLOOD, I CAME TO WORK AND WE GOT CITY OFFICIALS CRITICIZING, TAKING CARE OF THE FIREFIGHTERS. LITERALLY WHEN THEY PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE, THEY WATCH, THEY'RE WATCHING RIGHT NOW IN THE FIREHOUSES. AND IT'S ABOUT RECRUITING, IT'S ABOUT RETENTION, IT'S ABOUT SAFETY, PUBLIC SAFETY. AND I PROMISE YOU, THE FACILITIES ARE BEING REVIEWED RIGHT NOW. NOW YOU CAN BELIEVE THIS OR NOT, BUT THE DIRECTOR OF GENERAL SERVICES THREE WEEKS AGO ASKED ME FOR PERMISSION TO TALK TO THE UNION REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES OF THE RANK AND FILE, WHAT FACILITIES ARE IN THE WORST CONDITION. HE ASKED ME FOR PERMISSION. I SAID, WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME FOR PERMISSION? DO YOUR JOB. HE SAID, WELL, THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO TALK TO THE UNION. THAT'S HOW DEPLORABLE THINGS HAD GOTTEN. WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. WE CAN DISAGREE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S A GREAT CITY, GREAT PEOPLE, AND WE'VE GOT TO PROVIDE QUALITY OF SERVICES. THE RESPONSE TIME COUNCIL MEMBER IS INCREASING. IT'S ALARMING. SO WE'RE GONNA COME TOGETHER, WE'RE GONNA FIND THE RESOURCES. WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF THE FIREFIGHTERS LIVING CONDITIONS. YOU KNOW, LORD KNOWS I DON'T WANNA BRING UP TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE WE'RE FIXING TO VOTE. BUT I LISTENED TO 'EM WHEN THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T TURN DOWN HOUSTON AVENUE, COULDN'T MAKE THEIR CALLS. I LISTENED TO 'EM. I KNOW YOU CARE. AND ALL I CAN SAY IS THIS HAS BEEN A WELL NEGOTIATED. IT'LL GET US OUT OF THE COURTHOUSE AND OFF THE FRONT PAGE. SO WITH THAT SAID, I, UH, WE'LL YIELD MY TIME TO COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN GETTING US TO THIS POINT. I KNOW YOU RAN ON SETTLING THIS LAWSUIT, AND YOU WERE ELECTED OVERWHELMINGLY BY THE VOTERS. AND SO THAT TELLS ME THE VOTERS WANNA SETTLE THIS LAWSUIT AS WELL. I'M GONNA VOTE YES ON THIS, NOT BECAUSE I LIKE PUTTING US ON THE HOOK FOR $650 MILLION, BECAUSE THE RISKS OF GOING TO COURT AND CONTINUING TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD ARE SIMPLY TOO GREAT. THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP LAST YEAR PUT OUT A REPORT ON OUR FINANCES AND SAID THE GREATEST RISKS, OR ONE OF THE GREATEST RISKS TO OUR STRUCTURAL BUDGET DEFICIT TO INCREASING IT WAS A FAILURE TO SETTLE THIS LAWSUIT. AND SO I'M GLAD WE'VE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT. THE PARTNERSHIP, WHICH SUPPORTS THIS DEAL, UM, SUGGESTED THAT IF WE WENT TO COURT AND WE FOUGHT THIS OUT, WE'D BE ON THE HOOK FOR MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS. SO EITHER WAY, YOU SLICE IT. THIS IS, UM, NOT A HAPPY VOTE, [03:00:01] NOT AN EASY VOTE, BUT IT'S ONE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE. IT'S A FAIR DEAL FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS, AND, UH, I'M GLAD, UM, WE WILL FINALLY GET THIS BEHIND US AND WE CAN MOVE ON TO, UH, SOLVING SOME OF OUR OTHER ISSUES. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELL SAID, MADAM. SECRETARY, WILL YOU CALL THE ROLL PLEASE? MAYOR WHITMEYER. YES. COUNCILMAN PECK? YES. COUNCILMAN JACKSON? YES. COUNCIL, UH, EVAN SHABAZZ? YES. COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER? YES. COUNCILMAN THOMAS? YES. COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN? YES. COUNCIL POLLARD? YES. COUNCIL CASTEX TATUM? YES. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ? YES. CONSTABLE DAVIS. YES. CONSTABLE CARTER? YES. CONSTABLE PLUMMER. YES. CONSTABLE ALCORN. YES. UNANIMOUS VOTE. UNANIM. WE ASK. WE ASK UNANIMOUS VOTE. 14 VOTES. 14. THERE'RE BEING 14 YESS AND NO NOS. ADAM PASSES. AND NOW Y'ALL CONNECT ME. THANK YOU MEMBERS. AND, UH, THANK ALL THE NEGOTIATORS, BOTH TEAMS. BUT MOST IMPORTANT, WE THANK THE RANK AND FILE FOR, UH, HAVING FAITH IN YOUR CITY. AND, UH, Y'ALL BE SAFE OUT THERE. WE, WE CAN'T MAKE IT WITHOUT YOU. WE HAVE A GREAT CITY. AND YOU EXHIBIT IT EVERY DAY. THANK Y'ALL. UH, NEXT ITEM PLEASE. ITEM 15 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. TAG ITEMS TAGGED. MOVE TO TAXES. YES, PLEASE. ITEM 16 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. TAGGED. TAGGED BY THOMAS. TAGGED BY THOMAS. ITEM 19 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER. TAG. TAG. 19TH. GOT IT. ITEM 24 AS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR. JUST NEED A VOTE ON 24TH. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 49, HOLD. ITEM 49 IS ORDINANCE THIS NEED A VOTE. CHAIRMAN ALCORN, I MOVE TO DELAY THIS ITEM FOR ONE WEEK. SECOND. MOTION MADE. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NO. YES. HAVE IT. ITEM 50. COUNCILMAN ALCORN. I MOVE TO DELAY THIS ITEM FOR ONE WEEK ON THE SECOND. MOTION MADE. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 51 IS AN ORDER. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. OKAY, THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. VERY GOOD. POP [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] OFF. UH, COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANNA START THIS POP OFF JUST BY REALLY CLARIFYING THE NECESSITY FOR QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED AND ASKED AROUND THIS HORSESHOE. AND I'M SPEAKING TO YOU, MAYOR. THERE'S A REASON WHY WE'RE SITTING UP HERE AND THERE'S A REASON WHY THEY PUT MICROPHONES IN FRONT OF US IS TO ASK QUESTIONS. THERE'S NO POINT FOR US TO SIT HERE AND HAVE DISCUSSIONS OVER VERY IMPORTANT MATTERS IF WE'RE NOT TO ASK QUESTIONS. AND TO ASSUME THAT [03:05:01] JUST BY ASKING THE QUESTIONS, A PERSON'S GONNA GO A CERTAIN WAY ON A CERTAIN ITEM. THESE ARE BIG MATTERS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO HOUSTONIANS. THESE ARE BIG MATTERS THAT THE CONSTITUENTS ARE ASKING US TO ASK QUESTIONS ON THEIR BEHALF. SO I WOULD APPRECIATE THE ADMINISTRATION'S TONE NOT TO BE SO, UM, ANTI ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR CHAIR ASKING QUESTIONS. 'CAUSE I'M ALWAYS GONNA ASK QUESTIONS AND THEY'RE GONNA BE THOUGHTFUL, MEANINGFUL, AND PRUDENT. AND JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL ASK QUESTIONS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM, THIS CHAIR WILL ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. SO NO REASON TO GET TESTY WHEN IT COMES TO THIS CHAIR ASKING QUESTIONS. 'CAUSE THERE THIS CHAIR IS GONNA REMAIN ASKING QUESTIONS. UM, AS IT RELATES TO TOMORROW, IT IS THE JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY. I THINK WE ALL NEED TO REMEMBER THE TRUE MEANING OF JUNETEENTH AND REFLECT ON ITS SIGNIFICANCE. AND THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US AND SACRIFICED. AND WHERE WE HAVE GOTTEN TODAY AND WHERE WE HAVE GOTTEN TODAY IS A LONG WAYS. UM, BUT IT'S ALSO, UH, NOWHERE WHERE WE WANT TO EVENTUALLY BE. UH, BUT I WANT TO, UM, ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR GRANDCHILDREN ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JUNETEENTH. UM, AND TO TAKE TIME TO REFLECT ON THE MANY WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOW THIS IS OUR HOLIDAY, A TEXAS HOLIDAY, UH, THAT IS NOW BEING RECOGNIZED ALL THROUGHOUT THE NATION IN THE WORLD. AND A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO, UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE AL EDWARDS, WHO MADE IT A STATE HOLIDAY. AND A BIG SHOUT OUT TO OUR CONGRESSWOMAN, SHEILA JACKSON LEE, WHO HAS MADE IT A FEDERAL HOLIDAY. AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO, UM, RECOGNIZE THESE HOLIDAYS WITH THE IMPORTANCE THAT THEY, THAT THEY MEAN TO SO MANY PEOPLE. UM, BECAUSE FOR A LONG TIME, OUR, OUR HISTORY WAS NEVER TRULY REPORTED OR CHRONICLED. AND IT TOOK A LOT OF EFFORT FOR LEGISLATORS JUST AS US, JUST LIKE US, UH, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO HAPPY JUNE TEAM TO EVERYONE. UH, DON'T JUST USE TOMORROW AS A DAY OFF, BUT USE TOMORROW AS A DAY OF REFLECTION. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. WELL, CONGRATULATIONS, MAYOR. THIS IS A BIG DEAL. THIS IS A REALLY BIG DEAL. THERE'S A LOT OF US THAT DIDN'T, , WEREN'T SURE THIS WOULD EVER COME ABOUT. AND THIS IS A BIG, UH, THIS IS A BIG DEAL AND I THINK A BIG STEP FORWARD, UM, IN, IN HONORING PUBLIC SAFETY. AND SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TEAM, UM, COMING TO BFA REPEATEDLY. I APPRECIATE THE TWO PRIVATE BRIEFINGS THAT I HAD ON THE, ON THE MATTER. WE ALL TOOK THIS VERY SERIOUSLY. AND, UH, CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. I RESPECT YOU AS A, AS A MEMBER AND LONG TIME PUBLIC SERVANT EVEN BEFORE YOU WERE ELECTED. SO THANK YOU. I RESPECT YOU. I MEAN, COUNCIL CARTER, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU MAYOR. CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE AROUND THE HORSESHOE, BUT ALSO TO MOST IMPORTANTLY, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE OUR CITY IN THE WAY THAT, THAT WE CAN'T BEGIN TO IMAGINE. I'M SITTING HERE LOOKING OUT, AND I CAN'T HELP BUT BE REMINDED. THIS PAST WEEK, I SPENT, UH, UM, THE, THE MORNING WITH THE, UH, HPD, THEIR HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM. IF YOU'VE NOT EVER DONE THAT, YOU REALLY NEED TO DO IT. T GOOD OVER THERE. HIS NAME IS SHELDON THURGOOD, AND HE'S ONE OF THE GREATEST OF, UH, HE'S A GREAT OFFICER, KNOWN HIM FOR MANY YEARS. UM, I THINK WE SAW HERE TODAY A COUPLE OF ISSUES THAT TO ME IS, IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS THAT THIS CITY IS FACING. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, DRIVING AROUND, TALKING TO PEOPLE, PICKING THEM UP TO DROP 'EM OFF AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER. HE TALKED TO THIS ONE GUY AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU DO? AND HE SAID, WELL, I WAS IN THE MARINES FOR 25 YEARS. 25 YEAR VETERAN ON THE STREETS. SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN ANYWHERE. BUT AS WE DROVE ALONG, GOING AROUND, YOU KNOW, ASSISTING DOING HIS JOB, OUR FIREFIGHTERS WERE RIGHT THERE. THERE'S A FIRE TRUCK, THERE'S A LADDER TRUCK CHECKING SOMEONE WHO'S PASSED OUT ON THE DEAD END STREET THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAD CALLED ON. THESE FIREFIGHTERS MEN. AND THE WOMEN ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE, NOT ONLY PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT THE HEALTH OF THE CITY. AND SO, [03:10:01] I, YOU KNOW, I, I CAN'T, I CAN'T WAIT TO CELEBRATE THIS ONE BECAUSE I AM JUST RELIEVED AS I KNOW THE REST OF OUR CITY IS. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL. THANK YOU. UM, OBVIOUSLY THE, UH, SHOW OF SUPPORT THIS MORNING WAS JUST A, A SAMPLE. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY IDEA UNLESS WE'RE IN THEIR SHOES FOR EIGHT YEARS OR LONGER. THEY JUST HAVEN'T FELT APPRECIATED. NOW, CAN YOU IMAGINE DOING WHAT THEY DO AND WONDERING IF PEOPLE CARE? I MEAN, IT AFFECTS EACH AND EVERY PERSON WE REPRESENT, BUT THEY'VE MAINTAINED THEIR PERFORMANCE. THEY'VE, THEY'VE BEEN STRETCHED. UH, ONE OF OUR BEST RECRUITING TOOLS USED TO BE FIREFIGHTERS, WOULD RECOMMEND TO THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS TO BECOME FIREFIGHTERS. THAT JUST HASN'T BEEN THE PRACTICE IN RECENT YEARS. SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THEY REALLY, REALLY WERE PAYING ATTENTION. AND, UH, I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU ABOUT OUR HPD OFFICERS TO WATCH THEM SOLVE AND WORK ON THE CASE THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER TODAY. AND THEY'RE GONNA DISCLOSE HOW HORRIFIC THAT IS. WE HAVE A PREDATOR LOOSE WHEN REPORTERS ASKED US YESTERDAY, SHOULD, SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED? YES, IT'S GONNA BE AN ADULT THAT RAPED AND MURDERED A 12-YEAR-OLD. SO, IF THAT DOESN'T BRING HOME THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOTTA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO FIGHT CRIME AND GET REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDERS OFF THE STREET, I JUST CAN'T TELL YOU. 2 48 HOURS AGO, A MOTHER HAD HER 12-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER. ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS I'LL EVER DO IS HAVE TO CALL THAT, CALL THAT MOTHER LIKE I DID YESTERDAY. SHE JUST WAS HOLDING OUT HOPE THAT IT, IT WOULD NOT BE HER CHILD. IT IS. AND SHE DIED UNDER THE MOST HORRIBLE CONDITIONS THAT WE CAN IMAGINE. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR HOT SPOTS AND HOW WE WANT TO ADDRESS CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIONS, THERE'S PREDATORS OUT THERE THAT MOVE ACROSS OUR CITY. SO WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SUFFICIENT HOUSTON POLICE OFFICERS. SO ANYWAY, I'M, I'M SAD ABOUT THE LOSS OF LIFE, BUT, UH, I'M VERY PLEASED THAT, UH, WE'VE GOT THIS ISSUE BEHIND US. NOW, WE OBVIOUSLY WE'LL BE CHALLENGED BY THE FINANCES, BUT WE HAD THAT CHALLENGE BEFORE WE TOOK UP THIS ISSUE. SO THANK EVERYONE. UM, UH, Y'ALL GIVE ME HOPE AND STRENGTH AND ENERGY WITH YOUR SHOW OF SUPPORT TODAY. I, I WON'T LET YOU DOWN. COUNCIL MEMBER SHAVA, EVAN SHAVA, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER AND I BOTH REACHED FOR THE TISSUE BOX. SO WE GOT A LITTLE EMOTIONAL. JUST VERY GLAD THAT THIS IS BEHIND US. UH, WE HAVE AGONIZED ABOUT THIS AND THIS JUNETEENTH IS GONNA BE REALLY SPECIAL BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE THE FREEDOM FROM CONTINUING TO DEAL WITH THE CBA AND, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE CHALLENGES AND WE ARE ALL PREPARED TO TRY TO MEET THOSE CHALLENGES. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GETTING US HERE. I'M GONNA JUST KINDA GO BACK, UM, SINCE WE RAN OUT LAST WEEK, 'CAUSE WE WERE ALL TIRED. SOME OF THIS IS A LITTLE OLD INFORMATION. SO I JUST WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, WHO ALWAYS SHOWS UP IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION FOR THE UNIVERSITY VILLAGE PARK OPEN HOUSE, WHICH WAS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS ON LAST WEEK. UH, THANK, UH, BETH WHITE, UH, LISA CHANTEL FRAZIER FOR ALL THEIR HARDWORKING MAKING THIS PROJECT A REALITY. THIS PO PROJECT, UH, POCKET PARK MEANS A LOT TO THAT COMMUNITY 'CAUSE IT'S NOT A LOT OF GREEN SPACE THAT THEY CAN ENGAGE, AND THE CHILDREN CAN HAVE A GREAT TIME. SO THANK YOU. AND THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR DEDICATION. I ALSO HAVE THE HONOR OF GIVING THE GRADUATION SPEECH AT THE PROVISION ACADEMY GRADUATION, AND I ENCOURAGE THEM TO NOT JUST GO GET JOBS, BUT TO CERTAINLY MAKE SURE THAT THEY PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR A CAREER. AND, UH, I ALSO CHALLENGE THE PARENTS AS WELL. IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO GO OUT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND CHANGE THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE. AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS THROUGH EDUCATION. UH, THERE'S A COMMUNITY FORUM ON INFANT AND MATERNAL MORTALITY RATES ON JUNE 22ND FROM 10:00 AM TO 12 NOON AT THE SUNNYSIDE HEALTH AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, 44 10 REED ROAD ALSO. AND THE HOUSTON [03:15:01] ALUMNI CHAPTER OF THE DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED IS ORGANIZING THIS COMMUNITY FORUM. UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, UH, TIFFANY D. THOMAS. AND WE, UH, THEY WILL SHARE VITAL INFORMATION ON AND MATERNAL MORTALITY. I WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO DANIELLE PAGE FROM HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AND MR. STEVEN RALPH OF THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR TIRELESS EFFORTS IN ADDRESSING DEBRIS REMOVAL AND CLEANUP OPERATIONS IN DISTRICT D. YOU ARE SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. I KNOW WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT WE ARE GETTING THERE THROUGH YOUR HELP AND DEDICATION. AND THE DEPARTMENT. ALSO, THE JUNETEENTH FAMILY FUND DAY, UH, WILL BE CANCELED FOR TOMORROW, UH, DUE TO PROJECTED INCLEMENT WEATHER. SO I URGE EVERYONE TO GO OUT AND HAVE A JUNE HAPPY JUNETEENTH AND REFLECT ON HOW FAR WE HAVE COME AND REALIZE THAT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT WE CAN GET THERE TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. UH, THANK COUNCILOR DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND TO ALL, WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO, UM, TO THIS COUNCIL AND THE LEADERSHIP TO OUR MAYOR FOR GETTING THIS ISSUE DONE. UM, WE CERTAINLY APPLAUD ALL OF OUR EFFORTS AND CERTAINLY APPLAUD OUR PRAYERS. UM, I WANT TO, UM, ALSO ASK THAT WE WOULD KEEP, UM, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE IN PRAYER, UM, WHO HAS SERVED, UM, HER DISTRICT, THE 18 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OVER YEARS, AS MANY OF US KNOW, PRAY FOR HER AND HER FAMILY. AND, UH, AS WE PRAY FOR OURSELVES, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH, UM, AS, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD WAS, UH, EXERCISING THE, LIFTING THAT UP. UH, AND, UM, I DO WANT TO SAY ALSO, MAYOR, I'M PRAYERFULLY, I'M PRAYING FOR THE FAMILY OF THAT 12-YEAR-OLD, UH, YOUNG LADY, THIS GIRL, UH, I HAVE GRANDDAUGHTERS. UH, AND I, I, I MUST SAY IT'S A VERY PASSIONATE THING WITH ME. UM, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT AMONG MANY MINISTERS AND GROUPS, AND WE'RE TRYING TO COME TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THIS CRIME ISSUE, UH, AS PERSONALLY. 'CAUSE JUST A WEEK AGO, MY VEHICLE WAS BROKEN INTO IN UPTOWN. AND, UH, SO I, I UNDERSTAND IT. IT'S, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY IS PARTICULARLY CRIME HAS BEEN A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE WITH ME. AND SO, UH, WE CERTAINLY SUPPORT YOUR EFFORT IN DEALING WITH THE CRIME PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND OTHERS ON THAT MATTER. BUT IT'S A HEARTFELT SITUATION. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, MAYOR, I DID BRING THIS ISSUE UP AND I WANT TO BRING IT TO THE COUNCIL. I, I WANT TO REACH OUT TO OUR STATE LEADERS AND GOVERNOR. I THINK WE IN HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE RISE OF CRIME AMONG OUR TEENAGERS WITH SHOOTINGS AND GUNS. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, EVEN IF WE HAVE TO PUT SOMETHING AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT PARTICULARLY TARGETS HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY. 'CAUSE THE NUMBERS ARE GETTING UP THERE. WE CANNOT HIDE FROM THAT ANYMORE. AND WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S SERIOUS. 'CAUSE MANY OF OUR YOUNG, UH, PARTICULARLY OUR YOUNG BOYS AND MEN, ARE RUINING THEIR LIVES BY USING THESE WEAPONS. AND, UH, I'M GOING TO MAKE AN ASK OF THAT, THAT WE DO SOMETHING, WE HAVE TO BE DIFFERENT THAN THE REST OF THE STATE. FINE. BUT WE NEED TO REDUCE THESE WEAPONS AMONG TEENAGERS BECAUSE AS I EXPERIENCED IT IN CHICAGO, IT CAN BECOME A PROBLEM THAT'S VERY EXTENSIVE. AND I'VE SEEN IT FIRSTHAND. I'VE LIVED IT FIRSTHAND, AND WE GOTTA TAKE THAT SERIOUS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, THE MURDER OF A 12-YEAR-OLD LITTLE GIRL SHOULD MAKE US ALL ANGRY. YEP. I'M ANGRY. IT OUGHT TO MOTIVATE US TO COME TO WORK EVERY DAY, THAT WE HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER. IT'S, IT'S, NO DOUBT SHOULD BE AND IS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY. IF, IF YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE CONDITIONS, YOU CAN'T GET TO DRAINAGE AND SOLID WASTE AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT. UH, AND I DON'T CARE WHAT THE NUMBERS SHOW, UH, TOO MANY, TOO MANY INCIDENTS WENT UN REPORTED, INVESTIGATED, AND WE'VE [03:20:01] GOT TO GO FORWARD WITH ADEQUATE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL MEMBER GER. THANK YOU MAYOR. JUST WANTED TO MENTION THE TROPICAL SYSTEM THAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON NOW, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE AVOIDING THE WORST OF IT. SO KIND OF A GOOD THING FOR US, ALTHOUGH THERE'S STILL SUPPOSED TO BE A SIGNIFICANT RAIN EVENT, ESPECIALLY FOR SOUTH OF I 10. UM, TRY AND URGE EVERYBODY TO PLEASE GET PREPARED FOR HURRICANE SEASON AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO DO TO, TO BE READY FOR IT. UM, NOT SURE, I DIDN'T HEAR ANYBODY MENTION IT. I'M NOT SURE ANYBODY TOOK NOTE, BUT THE CENSUS DATA WAS RELEASED HERE LAST WEEK. UH, THE HOUSTON GREW BY 10,000 PEOPLE, UH, WHICH ISN'T A BIG NUMBER ESSENTIALLY. WE'VE KIND OF BEEN STATIC FOR ABOUT THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, BUT IT'S INTERESTING. YOU LOOK AT THE CITY'S LARGER THAN US, NEW YORK, LA, CHICAGO, ALL OF THEM LOST POPULATION. UH, SO I, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER ISSUES WE HAVE, WHETHER THE FINANCIAL OR OR WHATEVER ELSE WE SEEM TO DO BETTER THAN, THAN THE OTHER LARGE CITIES. SO SOMETHING TO, TO TAKE A LITTLE SOLACE IN. UH, AND THEN LASTLY, UH, LAST WEEK WE DIDN'T DO POP OFF. I WAS GONNA MENTION IT WAS MY WIFE'S BIRTHDAY AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY WIFE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU KNOW, UH, THE NUMBERS YOU MENTIONED THE GROWTH, WE HAVE TO PUT IT IN THE CONTEXT THAT 700,000 PEOPLE A DAY, OUR POPULATION, ANOTHER THIRD COME INTO HOUSTON EVERY DAY TO WORK. CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT? 700,000 ABOUT LIKE ATLANTA COMING TO WORK EVERY DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. WE WANT THOSE FOLKS TO FEEL INVITED TO MOVE TO HOUSTON. WE DON'T WANT FOLKS JUST TO WORK HERE. WE WANT 'EM TO LIVE AND WORK AND PLAY HERE AND GO TO SCHOOL. SO, SOMETHING I WANTED TO WORK ON AND WITH THE, THE COMMITTEES IS, UH, THE LYCEUM CAME OUT WITH A SURVEY HERE RECENTLY, AND I THINK THEY SHOWED 69% OF PEOPLE NOW ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRICE OF HOUSING. SURE. THIS ISN'T JUST A LOW INCOME THING ANYMORE. AND I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE EASIER FOR THE BUILDERS TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT INCREASING THEIR COST AND HOPEFULLY MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE TO THE, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, THE PEOPLE COMMUTING HERE. EXCELLENT POINTS, PUBLIC SAFETY AND, UH, AFFORDABILITY. AND THEN EDUCATION'S RIGHT UP THERE NEAR. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO, IF YOU'RE NOT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I'M CERTAINLY GONNA BE WATCHING, OBSERVING WE HOW HISD GOES IS HOW THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S GONNA GO. SO, UH, IT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A HEARING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SO THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN HEAR FROM, UH, MEMBERS DIRECTLY AND THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UH, I JOIN YOU IN YOUR SADNESS FOR THIS, UH, LATEST 12-YEAR-OLD VICTIM OF VIOLENT CRIME HERE IN HOUSTON. IT'S A REMINDER OF HOW IMPORTANT PUBLIC SAFETY IS TO OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW IMPORTANT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE. IT ALSO POINTS OUT THE IMPORTANCE MAYOR OF, UM, ELECTING GOOD JUDGES AS WELL. UH, THIS FALL WE WILL TURN OVER ABOUT HALF OF THE COURTHOUSE OR ALL, ALL THE COURTHOUSES. AND, UH, I HOPE VOTERS WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE CANDIDATES AND, UH, MAKE THEIR CHOICES ACCORDING TO THE JOB THEY'RE DOING CURRENTLY AND HOW HARD THEY'RE WORKING, HOW MANY CASES THEY'RE TRYING, AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE TRULY PRIORITIZING PUBLIC SAFETY. THOSE VOTES ARE IMPORTANT, AND THOSE, THOSE RACES CAN SOMETIMES GET LOST IN THE LARGE NUMBER OF, UH, RACES THAT WE HAVE ON THE BALLOT. ALSO, WANT TO, UM, WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY JUNETEENTH DAY, UH, TOMORROW, WHICH WILL BE A HOLIDAY. I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE A JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY, BUT IT'S A STARK REMINDER THAT, UH, WE ONCE WERE A COUNTRY THAT DID NOT TREAT EVERYONE EQUALLY, DID NOT STRIVE TO TREAT EVERYONE EQUALLY. AND, UH, IT'S A REMINDER OF OUR HUMANITY AND HOW WE SHOULD VIEW OUR, OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS. AND SO, UH, I I WILL OBSERVE IT AND I WILL REMEMBER IT AND, UH, THE IMPORTANCE OF IT TOMORROW. AND I HOPE ALL HOUSTONIANS DO AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELL SAID COUNCILOR THOMAS, ARE YOU LOST FOR WORDS? ? NO, YOU AIN'T GOT NOTHING TO SAY TO THAT. OKAY. JUST, OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, SO CONTINUING THE, THE CONVERSATION AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY. AS YOU KNOW, THE DISTRICT FA SUMMER SAFETY INITIATIVE IS IN FULL OPERATION. AND [03:25:01] ON SATURDAY WE HAD AN AMAZING TIME AT THE A LEAF AQUATICS CENTER. WE HAD TWO SWIM SAFETY EVENTS. IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. UH, RESIDENTS OF VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS, ETHNICITIES, CHILDREN OF VARIOUS AGES WERE AT THE POOL WITH THE HOUSTON PARKS DEPARTMENT, HOUSTON WAVES, AND COACH C-P-R-L-L-C FOR PROVIDING A CPR DEMONSTRATION. IT WAS GREAT AND MANY OF THE PARTNERS WERE FROM ALE. AND SO IT WAS GOOD. AND IT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF PEOPLE REALLY DO WANNA GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY. WE'RE GONNA HOLD A HOST, ANOTHER ONE ON JULY 13TH. WE DO HAVE A 50 PERSON WAIT LIST, SO PLEASE CONFIRM WITH OUR OFFICE IF YOU DO PLAN ON PARTICIPATING. AND THE GOOD NEWS IS, IF YOU CAN'T MAKE OUR SWIM SAFETY EVENT, THE HOUSTON PARKS DEPARTMENT IS HOSTING SWIM LESSONS AT NO COST AT VARIOUS POOLS ACROSS THE CITY, INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS, UM, ALE AND A AND A COUPLE OF OTHERS, YOU CAN, UM, VISIT THEIR WEBSITE, UM, FOR MORE DETAILS. UM, YESTERDAY I HAD A MEETING WITH ALE ISD, UM, WHEN I LEARNED THAT THERE WILL BE A DECREASE TO THE SUMMER JOBS PROGRAM AND INITIATIVE, UM, I IMMEDIATELY REACHED OUT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO CO-CREATE SOME SOLUTIONS AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY AND SUMMER JOBS. WE HAD IMMEDIATELY THEY RESPONDED AND WE HAD OUR, UH, PASTORAL NETWORK, THE HOUSTON PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, WEST SIDE HPD COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS, AND A HOST OF OTHERS. WE WALKED OUT WHAT THEY PLANNED, WE IDENTIFIED LIMITED FUNDING, UM, SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE BRIDGE PROGRAMS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. AND WE'RE ALREADY FORECASTING FOR SUMMER 2025, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENTS THAT OTHERWISE WOULD'VE PARTICIPATED, UM, IN A JOB PROGRAM, THEY WOULD AT LEAST HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS ON THE WEST SIDE. AND I DON'T WANNA LEAVE OUT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS. SO I AM, UM, I'M EXCITED THAT WE ARE MOVING AT A QUICK PACE, UM, TO COVER THE GAP AND PROVIDE, UM, RIGOROUS EXPERIENCES TO OUR STUDENTS ON THE WEST SIDE. UM, I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE JUNETEENTH, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT. UH, YOU KNOW, I, I REPRESENT, UH, PINEY POINT, WHICH WAS AT ONE POINT, UH, THERE WERE FIVE FREE, UH, UH, FIVE, FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE FREEDMAN TOWNS. AND WHAT RE WHAT REMAINS TODAY IS CLOSE TO 100 WOOD FRAME HOMES. IT WAS SETTLED IN 18, UH, 65 RIGHT AFTER EMANCIPATION. AND SO WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR, IN OUR, IN OUR, UH, WITHIN OUR REACH TO PRESERVE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS A CONSERVATION DISTRICT. UM, THE GOOD NEWS IS, IS THAT WE HAVE AN EARMARK FROM OUR CONGRESSIONAL MEMBER, UH, UH, LIZZIE FLETCHER TO REBUILD THE RASMUS HOUSE IN HONOR OF THE FOUNDERS OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SO WE ARE TRACKING TO SUCCESS WITH THAT. SO WE HAVE GOOD NEWS HAPPENING, UM, IN THAT COMMUNITY. AND THEN I JUST WANNA SHOUT OUT THE DISTRICT F TEAM FOR THEIR REMARKABLE, UM, WORK. AND, UM, WE ALSO HAD OUR DISTRICT F YOUTH LED CONFERENCE HOSTED AND POWERED BY ALEA VOTES. WE HAD OVER 120 YOUNG PEOPLE. WE HAD ELDERS PARTNERS, THEY WERE IN THE ROOM. UM, AND THERE WAS THIS OLDER COUPLE THAT ATTENDED AND THEY SAID THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE IS BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE THEIR AGE, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO VOTE. AND SO, UM, I JUST WANNA THANK TOMMY AND ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEER YOUTH, UM, FOR SUPPORTING THIS EFFORT. ALL OF OUR SPONSORS, WALMART ON SOUTH KIRKWOOD AND A HOST OF OTHERS. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE WEST SIDE. THE BEST SIDE. THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PROTE CASTEX STADIUM. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, JUST ANOTHER REMINDER, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE THIS AFTERNOON AT 2:00 PM UH, HERE IN THE CHAMBERS. AND, UH, THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL MAKE A PRESENTATION AND, UH, WE WILL, UM, ALLOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC TO ASK QUESTIONS. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO EVERYONE JOINING US ON THAT EVENT. AND THEN THE RESIDENTS AND SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 38 HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEGUN THE STREET REHAB PROJECT OF ASPHALT MILL OVERLAY ON CRAIGHEAD DRIVE FROM WILLOW BEND TO OLD MAIN STREET LOOP ROAD. WE'VE RECEIVED SOME CONCERNS FROM BUSINESS OWNERS, UM, ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THAT PROJECT. UM, SO WE WANTED TO SHARE THAT THE PROJECT MANAGER IS JOSE BARBOSA. UM, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS CAN CONTACT HPW DISPATCH OR THE DISTRICT K OFFICE, UM, IF THEY HAVE ANY FURTHER CONCERNS. AND THAT PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN AUGUST OF 2024. THE HPD SOUTH GASNER PIP MEETING TONIGHT AT 6:30 PM AT THE SOUTH GESNER STATION. UH, COME OUT AND HEAR HPD CRIME SUPPRESSION TEAM. THAT PRESENTATION WILL BE INFORMATION ON GANGS AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE. AND THEN THE SOUTHWEST COMMANDS PIP MEETING WILL BE TUESDAY, JUNE 25TH AT 7:00 PM AT THE HAROLD PRESTON SOUTHWEST POLICE STATION ON NATA, WHERE WE WILL TALK ABOUT EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. UM, WE ALSO HAVE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS KITS FOR CONSTITUENTS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE COMMUNITY ATTENDING. UH, TOMORROW IS JUNETEENTH. IT IS DEFINITELY A REMINDER OF THE JOURNEY AND IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HONOR THE RESILIENCE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND OUR CONTINUED EFFORTS TOWARDS EQUALITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU. WELL SAID. [03:30:01] UH, COUNCIL MAYOR, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, PAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON THE FIREFIGHTER CONTRACT. THAT WAS BIG. I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANYTHING MORE I CAN SAY OTHER THAN CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU EVERYONE. UH, BE SAFE TOMORROW. LARGE AMOUNTS OF RAIN STARTING THIS EVENING THROUGH TOMORROW, PROBABLY IN THE EARLY THURSDAYS. SO WE'LL TRY TO KEEP YOU POSTED IF WE SEE, UH, AN INCIDENT THAT THAT IMPACTS YOUR DISTRICT. THANK Y'ALL. BE SAFE. NICE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS. THANK YOU. BYE. * 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.