* 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. [00:00:08] RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, WHO I'LL BE PLEASED TO JOIN AND ASK THE MAYOR PRO TIM CAS SIX TATUM TO RULE. OKAY. RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE, [PRESENTATIONS] THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS FOR A PROCLAMATION TO BURNETT SPECIALISTS TO RECOGNIZE THEIR 50 YEARS IN THE STAFFING INDUSTRY. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. UH, MR. MAYOR, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING THIS MOMENT. UM, AS YOU KNOW, JOBS IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IN OUR CITY, GETTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK, COLLEAGUES, YOU ALL KNOW THIS AND YOU WORK, UM, DILIGENTLY TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT HOUSTONIANS HAVE A PATHWAY TO ECONOMIC, UM, FREEDOM FOR THEMSELVES. AND SO BURNETT SPECIALISTS ARE NO STRANGERS TO THAT. UM, THEY HAVE A BOAST OF, UM, A, A HISTORY OF OVER 50 YEARS AND MAKING SURE THAT HOUSTONIANS HAVE A PATHWAY, UM, TO, UM, JOBS, WORKFORCE, A CAREER, UM, SO THEY CAN PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES, SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND BE A, THE BETTER CONTRIBUTION TO OUR CITY. UH, WHEREAS BURNETT SPECIALISTS HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY AND TEXAS STAFFING FOR OVER 50 YEARS, PROVIDING PERSONAL AND CARING ATTENTION TO STAFF APPLICANTS AND, AND CLIENTS. AND WHEREAS ON AUGUST 1ST, 1974, I WON'T TELL YOU WHAT I WAS DOING IN 1974 'CAUSE I WAS NOT HERE, UH, IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, SUE BURNETT ESTABLISHED BURNETT PERSONNEL, PERSONNEL CONSULTANTS WITH SIX STAFF MEMBERS AND A $10,000 BUSINESS LOAN. TODAY BURNETT'S SPECIALIST IS A LEADER IN STAFFING AND RECRUITING INDUSTRY WITH REVENUES OF 59 MILLION UNDER SUE BURNETT'S LEADERSHIP. GIVE IT UP FOR A WOMAN, Y'ALL. . WHEREAS BURNETT SPECIALIST HAS NINE OFFICES, ONE IN HOUSTON, AUSTIN, EL PASO, SAN ANTONIO, DALLAS, OPERATING AS CHOICE SPECIALIST. IT'S RECOGNIZED AS THE 10TH TOP WOMAN OWNED BUSINESS IN DIVERSITY BUSINESS.COM, THE FIFTH LARGEST WOMAN OWNED BUSINESS IN HOUSTON, AND THE NUMBER ONE DIRECT HIRE PLACEMENT FIRM. AND THE NUMBER ONE TEMPORARY SERVICE, TEMPORARY STAFFING SERVICE BY THE HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL AND ONE OF THE TOP 100 RECRUITMENT FIRMS IN THE US BY FORBES MAGAZINE. AND WHEREAS SUE BURNETT AND HER HUSBAND RUSTY, HAVE PIONEERED 100% EMPLOYEE OWNED ORGANIZATION. BURNETT SPECIALIST IMPLEMENT IMPLEMENTED AN EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN IN 2010 AND IS NOW TEXAS'S LARGEST EMPLOYEE OWNED STAFFING FIRM. AND WHEREAS BURNETT SPECIALIST GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WITH MANAGEMENT SERVING ON VARIOUS BOARDS SUCH AS GOODWILL JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, THE TEXAS DIVERSITY COUNCIL INSPIRE WOMEN, CHILD ADVOCATES, AND MORE STAFF PARTICIPATION IN FUNDRAISING AND SERVICE EVENTS LIKE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENTS, ACHIEVEMENTS, HON. CHILD ADVOCATES IS SUPERHERO RUN AND THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK. AND WHEREAS BURNETT SPECIALIST MISSION IS TO BE SYNONYMOUS WITH INTEGRITY AND PROVEN RESULTS WITH TEAM MEMBERS RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND DEDICATION. MR. MAYOR, WOULD YOU DO THE HONOR? THANK YOU, MA'AM. BEFORE I FINISH THIS PROCLAMATION, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS OUTSTANDING ORGANIZATION TO COUNSEL. UH, HOUSTON IS SUCH A STRONG EMPLOYMENT CENTER YEP. AND THE BURNETT SPECIALISTS KIND OF QUIETLY GO ABOUT FACILITATING THAT. SO ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE YOU'VE EVER HELPED IN OUR GREAT CITY, WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE. AND IT'S MY HONOR AS JOHN WHITMEYER, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON HERE BY PROCLAIM AUGUST 1ST IS BURNETT SPECIALIST DAY. SO CONGRATULATIONS. YAY. AND EITHER ONE OF Y'ALL. YEAH. AND SUE, PLEASE BRING UP YOUR GUEST IF YOU, UM, UM, SOME OF YOUR EMPLOYEE MEMBERS AND, UM, MADAM PROTI, UM, IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE, BUT YOU HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE. OKAY. WELL, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THIS PROCLAMATION AND RECOGNIZING OUR COMPANY'S 50 YEARS OF SUCCESS. AND ALSO I WANT TO THANK OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM WHO CAME WITH ME TODAY AND MY HUSBAND RUSTY, UH, WHO IS MY BUSINESS PARTNER, AND CERTAINLY A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE SUCCESS OF OUR COMPANY. UH, IT HAS BEEN A REAL PLEASURE TO HAVE, UH, FIVE OFFICES HERE IN HOUSTON FOR 50 YEARS AND TO HAVE PLACED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF HOUSTONIANS. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS AND, UH, WE, WE THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE, THE MAYOR IS DOING RIGHT NOW. SURE. SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ASH. WILL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE [00:05:01] YOUR STAFF? SURE. COME ON UP. COME, COME ON UP. COME ON ON. THIS IS Y'ALL'S MOMENT TOO. SO THIS IS ALL OF OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM. LEMME GET YO, COME ON IN. Y'ALL WORKING LIKE EACH OTHER. COME ON IN, COME ON IN. [2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] MEMBERS, I RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR THE INVOCATION. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE. AND JUST TO PROVIDE SOME QUICK CONTEXT FOR THIS, OVER THE YEARS I HAVE TRIED TO INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS DURING INVOCATION THAT REFLECT THE DIVERSITY, THE PLURALITY OF OUR CITY AS WE EMBRACE INCLUSIVITY. UH, MY FIRST TIME WE HAD A PASTOR REPRESENTING A LARGE PORTION OF THE L-G-B-T-Q-I-A COMMUNITY. IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH, I INVITED CAM FRANKLIN TO SING A SONG FOR US. WE'VE HAD HOUSTON'S YOUTH POET LAUREATE, ARIANA LEE, UH, AND LAYLA BUN AT MY INVITATION WAS THE FIRST WOMAN FROM THE AS SMILEY MUSLIM COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE AN INVOCATION. SO TODAY I AM PROUD TO INTRODUCE WILL JUDY. WILL, WILL YOU COME UP PLEASE? UH, WILL IS A FAMILY MEDICINE WILL IS IN FAMILY MEDICINE AND IS AN URGENT CARE DOCTOR. HE PRACTICES IN, HE HAS PRACTICED IN THE HOUSTON AREA FOR OVER 20 YEARS, AND HE'S ALSO A LOCAL ADVOCATE. UM, MANY OF YOU KNOW HIM FOR SECULAR GOVERNMENT, AND HE'S THE FOUNDER OF AN ORGANIZATION CALLED SECULAR HOUSTON. SECULAR HOUSTON IS A LOCAL NONPARTISAN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO RESPECTING ALL BELIEFS AND TO THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, FOCUSING ON INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS, EQUALITY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. UH, THEY, THIS ORGANIZATION, SOME OF THEIR MEMBERS ARE HERE, CONTRIBUTES A ROBUST VOICE FOR REPRESENTATION. UH, WILL AND MANY MEMBERS HAD EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR INVOCATION PROCESS, UH, AND I PROMISE THAT I WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THEY TOO WERE INCLUDED. SO WITH THAT, WILL, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU AND MEMBERS OF SECULAR HOUSTON TODAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND THE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL BODY. UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE OUR VOICE TO THIS INVOCATION TODAY TO SHARE IN THIS MOMENT OF PERSONAL REFLECTION. UH, WILLIAM JAMES SAID, ACT AS IF WHAT YOU DO MAKES A DIFFERENCE. IT DOES. THESE ARE GREAT WORDS TO OPEN AS WE ASSEMBLE TODAY. LET US REMEMBER THAT WHEN WE SHARE WITH THOSE AROUND US, THAT WHICH IS MOST IMPORTANT TO US LISTENING BEGINS WHEN WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONCERNS OF OTHERS. AND WHEN WE SAY THOSE CONCERNS MATTER TO US, ALL, COMPASSION BEGINS. WHEN WE STAND UNITED ON ISSUES WHERE OUR VALUES OVERLAP REGARDLESS OF OUR DIFFERENCES. COURAGE BEGINS WHEN WE EXPERIENCE THE FULL PRESENCE OF ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE OF OUR SHARED HUMANITY. AND IN SPITE OF OUR DISAGREEMENTS, UNDERSTANDING BEGINS TODAY. MAY THIS COUNCIL MEETING BE A TESTAMENT TO OUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERY VOICE IS HEARD AND EVERY CITIZEN FEELS REPRESENTED. LET US THINK OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IMPACTED BY THE CHOICES BEING MADE HERE. MAY OUR DECISIONS BE ROOTED IN EMPATHY, RECOGNIZING THE INHERENT DIGNITY OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL. WITH THIS INVOCATION, WE SET OUR INTENTIONS AND CREATE A SPACE THAT HONORS A DIVERSITY OF BELIEFS AND VALUES, UNIFYING [00:10:01] US IN OUR SHARED HUMANITY, GUIDED BY EMPATHY, REASON AND GOODWILL FOR ONE ANOTHER. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME. THANK YOU, SIR. WILL YOU PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE? I PLEDGE. PLEDGE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NATION. LIBERTY [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING] IAM. SECRETARY, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MAYOR WHITMEYER. PRESENT. COUNCILOR PECK. HERE, COUNCILOR JACKSON. COUNCILOR CAMAN. PRESENT. COUNCILOR EVAN BARS WILL BE ASKING, COUNCIL FLICKINGER PRESENT. COUNCIL THOMAS PRESENT. COUNCIL HUFFMAN PRESENT, COUNCIL CASTILLO WILL BE. COUNCIL MARTINEZ. HERE. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. COUNCILOR CASTEX TATUM. HERE. COUNCILOR RAMIREZ. HERE. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. HERE. COUNCIL MCC CARTER. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER HERE. AND CONSTABLE ALCORN. HERE READ A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 13TH AND 14TH. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE. SECOND. MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED TO NAY AYES HAVE IT. UH, PROCEDURAL MOTIONS. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY REACH OUT. NONE. OH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. COUNCIL [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] MEMBER PLUMMER? YES. I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD FRED WOODS AND SHARON VANCE AT THE TOP OF THE NON AGENDA. ONE MINUTE LIST. AND I'D LIKE TO MOVE LETICIA GUTIERREZ AND IDA TRAVINO TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST. SECOND. THANK YOU. A SECOND. MOTION. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR. CI OPPOSE NAY. I JUST HAVE IT. UH, ANYTHING ELSE MA'AM? SHARON. FRED WOODS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS FRED WOODS. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF NORTHWOOD MANOR CIVIC CLUB. I'D LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE COME OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY TO VIEW THE EFFECTS THE DEVASTATION CAUSED BY HURRICANE BURL. I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK OUR MAYOR, MR. JOHN WHITMEYER, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO VISIT WITH THE BENNETT FAMILY AND THEIR HOME AT THEIR HOME. YOUR PRESENCE IN A TIME OF GREAT NEED MEANT A LOT TO THE BENNETTS AND MY COMMUNITY. WE CONTINUE TO PROVE THAT WE REMAIN HOUSTON STRONG IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY. THERE ARE STILL MANY THAT NEED HELP AROUND OUR CITY, ESPECIALLY IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON. I'M ASKING FOR CONTINUED HEAVY TREE WASTE REMOVAL THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST HOUSTON AND ANY ASSISTANCE THAT CAN BE OFFERED FOR SENIORS AND THE DISABLED IN THE REMOVAL OF TREES OFF OF HOMES AND HELP WITH MOVING DEBRIS TO THE CURB. I ALSO WANNA TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK WEST STREET RECOVERY, NORTH NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE TEXAS GULF COAST, A-F-L-C-I-O, TREY, THE TRUTH, ANGEL BY NATURE, NORTHEAST HOUSTON REDEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, AND ALL THOSE, ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY THE VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE STEPPED UP AND SHOWED UP TO FILL ANY GAPS IN ADDRESSING THE OVERWHELMING NEED THAT WILL CONTINUE TO LINGER THROUGHOUT OUR PATH TO RECOVERY. MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS COUNCIL WITH WISDOM TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR GREAT CITY. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. GOD BLESS HOUSTON, OUR GREAT STATE OF TEXAS AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU FRED. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. UM, I WISH, I WISH EVERYONE COULD EXPERIENCE WHAT YOU AND I DID SATURDAY, THE COMING TOGETHER TO HELP, UM, A FAMILY THAT QUITE FRANKLY WAS DESPERATE AND, UH, WERE GETTING BACK ON THEIR FEET AND, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO. I CAN'T BELIEVE THE DAMAGE THAT THOSE PINE TREES WERE DOING ALL ACROSS YOUR COMMUNITY. SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT, SHARON VANCE. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME [00:15:01] IS SHARON VANCE AND I'M HERE ABOUT A COMPLAINT ABOUT AN OFFICER FOR AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED JULY 5TH. AND I WENT TO THE STATION ON LAY ROAD AND I DID MAKE A REPORT. I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING, SO I CALLED THE NUMBER. WHEN I CALLED THAT NUMBER, THEY GAVE ME ANOTHER NUMBER AND TOLD ME THAT THAT WASN'T THE CORRECT NUMBER TO MAKE A REPORT ABOUT HPD OFFICER. SO IT ENDED UP IT WAS THE CORRECT NUMBER. SO I JUST WONDER WHY I HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING. AND THE INCIDENT THAT WENT DOWN, UH, I WAS THE FIRST ONE THAT WAS TOUCHED. I DIDN'T GO TO JAIL. MY DAUGHTER AND MY HUSBAND DID, BUT THE PERPETRATOR DIDN'T GO AND THE OFFICER NEVER, HE ASKED TO USE MY, SEE MY PHONE, BUT HE NEVER SPOKE TO ME. AND THEN HE LEFT AND SOME ROOKIES CAME, WHICH WERE VERY NICE. AND A LADY CAME, BUT I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING BACK ABOUT MY CHARGES. I WENT TO THE STATION THAT NIGHT AND SAW THE OFFICER AND HE JUST LOOKED AT ME. I DON'T KNOW HIS NAME AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I DIDN'T MAKE THE FIRST CALL OR WHAT. WELL, I'M SORRY. WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON IT. WILL YOU TALK TO MS. WILSON, UH, LADY RIGHT THERE WITH MY STAFF AND GIVE HER, UH, ADDITIONAL DETAILS. OKAY. AND WE'LL DEFINITELY GET BACK WITH YOU. ALRIGHT, I APPRECIATE IT. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU ALL. NEXT BENJAMIN RISK. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY. MY NAME IS BENJAMIN RISK AND AS A STUDENT IN ATTENDANCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY, NOT JUST AS A CONCERNED HOUSTONIAN, BUT AS AN AMERICAN WHO SEES A SHELVING OF THE METRO UNIVERSITY LINE PROJECT BY THE METRO BOARD AS MORE THAN JUST A SMALL INITIATIVE BEING PUT ON THE BACK BURNER, BUT AS A PART OF A LARGER RESISTANCE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES FOR OUR CITIES TO EMBRACE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THAT WILL BETTER OUR NATION AS A WHOLE. MOST OF THE STUDENTS HERE TODAY HAVE COME WITH STATS, PERSONAL ACCOUNTS, AND STORIES OF HOW GUIDING THIS MUCH NEED AND INFRASTRUCTURE WILL IMPEDE THE GROWTH OF OUR CITY, AND ESPECIALLY DIMINISH THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION ACROSS ALL THE UNIVERSITIES OUR CITY IS HOME TO. HOWEVER, I'M HERE WITH A CALL TODAY OF ACTION FOR ALL OF YOU TODAY BECAUSE EVERY REPRESENTATIVE I SEND BEFORE TODAY SHOULD ALREADY KNOW BETTER WHAT I'VE LEARNED THROUGH MY TENURE, TENURE AS LAST YEAR STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT AT, UH, THROUGH ADVOCATING FOR AFFORDABLE PARKING AND SECURING SHELTER TRANSPORTATION FOR STUDENTS IN NEED IS THAT WE DID NOT GROW FROM BEING A CITY OF PARKING LOTS TO BEING MUCH BETTER OFF TODAY BY WAITING FOR THE RIGHT TIME TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM AT ITS SOURCE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPRESSED THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, RICK. A AHA L TO BE FOLLOWED BY SHAYLA RUSSELL. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M HANNU ALLALI. OH, SORRY. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM HANNU ALLALI OPINION, A DISABILITY ADVOCATE AND A STUDENT RESEARCHER AT, UH, AND I'M HERE OUT OF CONCERN AND FRUSTRATION FOR THE RECENT UNIVERSITY LINE CANCELLATION. IN LIGHT OF HOUSTON BEING ONE OF THE MOST UN WALKABLE CITIES IN THE NATION, WITH MANY SIDEWALKS BEING LITERALLY HAZARDOUS TO, UH, INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, THE CANCELLATION OF A BUS LINE DEMOCRATICALLY VOTED ON BY HOUSTONIANS IS A PROFOUND SETBACK FOR OUR COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY FOR DISABLED INDIVIDUALS. THIS DECISION UNDERMINES THE AUTONOMY OF THOSE WHO RELY ON ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION. TO NAVIGATE A CITY NOTORIOUS FOR ITS INACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS AND DECENTRALIZED PLANNING, THE UNIVERSITY LINE WOULD'VE CONNECTED OUR UNIVERSITY WITH NEIGHBORHOODS, JOB CENTERS, AND VITAL SERVICES. FOR DISABLED HOUSTONIANS. IT OFFERED INCREASED INDEPENDENCE, ENABLING MORE ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT ACROSS THE CITY. BY CANCELING THIS LINE, WE'RE NOT JUST REMOVING A TRANSPORTATION OPTION, WE ARE LIMITING THE AUTONOMY OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS. UM, THIS ACTION GOES AGAINST THE PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY AND INCLUSIVITY, WHICH WE AS A COMMUNITY SHOULD STRIVE TO UPHOLD. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU MA'AM. COUNCIL MARTINEZ. COUNCILOR MARTINEZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING YOUR VOICE. UH, ALONG WITH, UH, BENJAMIN, UH, MY OFFICE GONNA BE REACHING OUT TO BOTH OF Y'ALL. WE WE'RE CONTINUING TO SURVEY COMMUNITY, UH, TO SEE, UH, OUR BEST PATH FORWARD, UH, WITH THE RECENT NEWS ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY LINE. SO JUST EXPECT A CALL FROM MY OFFICE. OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT SAILOR RUSSELL, BE FOLLOWED BY SOLOMON NAY. [00:20:04] GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SHAYLA RUSSELL AND I'M A SENIOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON. I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUOUS EFFORTS TO MAKE HOUSTON A BETTER CITY. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT BUDGETING IS NEVER EASY AND YOU CAN'T MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY. BUT I URGE YOU TO PRIORITIZE THE UNIVERSITY LINE. YOU REACHED THIS GOAL WHERE 85% OF ITS STUDENTS ARE COMMUTERS. AND COMING FROM HARDWORKING FAMILIES WHO STRUGGLE WITH COLLEGE EXPENSES SUCH AS GAS AND CAMPING PRACTICE PASSES, THAT CAN BE UP TO $700 ONLY MAKING MATTERS WORSE. I KNOW OUR FRIENDS HAVE TRANSFERRED AND ENFORCED TO DROP OUTTA SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL STRAIN THAT COMES WITH LONG COMMUTES. THE UNIVERSITY LINE ISN'T JUST ABOUT CONVENIENCE, IT'S ABOUT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND EQUITY FOR ALL STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. WHILE I MAY NOT BE IN THE UNIVERSITY LONG ENOUGH TO WITNESS THE COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT, I'M ADVOCATING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF STUDENTS, FOR MY SIBLINGS, FOR YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR GRANDCHILDREN. I ASK YOU APPROACH WITH THE SAME FORWARD THINKING TO ENSURE THIS IS NOT STALLED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. NEXT, SOLOMON NA, FOLLOWED BY SLIK FASO. GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS SOLOMON NEE AND I AM A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE RICE UNIVERSITY STUDENT ASSOCIATION, SPEAKING IN SOLIDARITY WITH STUDENTS AT TSU AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON ON THE UNIVERSITY CORRIDOR PROJECT. UH, BEFORE I START, I WANNA THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR ALLOWING ME THE PRIVILEGE TO LIVE IN THIS VIBRANT COMMUNITY. BEING A CHINESE KID FROM RURAL ARKANSAS, THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY WELCOMING TO ME, UH, ESPECIALLY, UH, CHINATOWN AND THE ASIAN COMMUNITY THERE. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS NOT JUST A CONVENIENCE, IT'S AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE THAT HAS PROFOUND IMPACTS ON STUDENTS' LIVES. FOR MANY STUDENTS, THE COST OF OWNING AND MAINTAINING A VEHICLE IS PROHIBITIVE, RELIABLE, AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION LIKE THE BRT CAN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THESE FINANCIAL BURDENS BY PROVIDING HIGH CAPACITY, HIGH FREQUENCY SERVICE, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, INTERNSHIPS AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES ARE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO STUDENTS. MOREOVER, THE BRT WAS SLATED TO SERVE HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED NEIGHBORHOODS BY CONNECTING THESE NEIGHBORHOODS TO KEY EDUCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT HUBS. HOUSTON SHOULDN'T BE A CITY FOR THE WEALTHY AND WELL TO DO, BUT FOR EVERYONE, WE SHOULD GIVE ALL OF STUDENT HOUSTON STUDENTS A FAIR CHANCE TO SUCCEED. THANK YOU. NEXT, HOLD ON. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. SORRY. COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, SOLOMON, YOU SAID YOU'RE THE FORMER OR CURRENT PRESIDENT? FORMER, FORMER. AS THE FORMER PRESIDENT. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CURRENT PRESIDENT'S HERE TODAY, UM, SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS FROM UNIVERSITIES HERE. I'M ASSUMING THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OR REFLECTIVE OF A LARGER POPULATION OF STUDENTS. HAVE Y'ALL, I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO NUMBERS OF HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED RIGHT NOW OR LOOKING AT THIS, UH, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT INTO THAT. SO I THINK IN TERMS OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE, UH, INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT, IT IS MOSTLY STUDENTS THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THE PROJECT'S CANCELLATION. SO TSU, UH, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON. UM, RICE STUDENTS, UH, A LOT OF THEM LIKE DON'T LIVE IN HOUSTON PROPER DURING THE SUMMER TIMES OR OUT OUTTA STATE, BUT WE GREATLY BENEFIT FROM LIKE EASY PUBLIC TRANSIT, UM, ESPECIALLY BEING SO CLOSE TO THE RED LINE. SO THANK YOU. ONE MORE. COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER. THANK YOU MAYOR AND SOLOMON, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND JUST I THANK YOU TO EVERYONE, ALL THE STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR YOUR VOICES. I KNOW THE LEADERSHIP MADE A STATEMENT AND JUST SEEING Y'ALL HERE JUST SHOWS US THAT THERE'S A NOT AN ALIGNMENT IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT RECOMMENDATION IS. AND UM, IT'S REALLY JUST, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU ALL ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELVES. SO THANKS FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU. NEXT LIK FAISAL. HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS SLIC FASSEL AND I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS THE CHAIR OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON OVER THE PAST YEAR. TPAC, AS WE CALL IT, INCLUDES FACULTY, STAFF, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, STUDENT VOICES. I'M HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS MY DEEP CONCERN OVER THE SUSPENSION OF THE UNIVERSITY LINE PROJECT. AS CHAIR OF TPAC, I'VE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE OVERWHELMING DEMAND FOR BETTER TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS AMONG OUR STUDENTS. MANY ALREADY UTILIZE METRO'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY, BUT THE UNIVERSITY LINE PROMISED SOMETHING TRANSFORMATIVE AND OUR CITY HIGHWAYS TURN INTO PARKING LOTS AND COMMUTE TIMES TURN INTO MARATHONS. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COMMUTES ARE 70% LONGER THAN DRIVING THE UNIVERSITY LINE. WITH ITS RAPID BUS SYSTEM, HAVING ITS OWN DEDICATED LANE WAS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO MODERNIZE OUR TRANSIT NETWORK. IT WOULD CONNECT UNIVERSITIES AND KEY LOCATIONS ACROSS HOUSTON, OFFERING A LIFELINE TO STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS ALIKE. GOOD TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS. MOHE AWARD. [00:25:14] GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MOHI BAWAN AND I AM HERE TODAY AS BOTH A CONCERNED STUDENT AND A DEDICATED MEMBER OF HERBA COMMUNITY. I STAND BEFORE YOU TO EXPRESS THE COLLECTIVE DISAPPOINTMENT OF MY FELLOW STUDENTS AND COLLEAGUES. ALSO HERE, AN URGENT CONCERN REGARDING THE SUSPENSION OF THE METRO RAPID UNIVERSITY CORRIDOR PROJECT. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMIND OURSELVES THAT INVESTING IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE. IT IS ABOUT CREATING A HOUSTON THAT IS NOT ONLY ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT, BUT ALSO ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE AND SOCIALLY INCLUSIVE, HENCE TRANSITIONING INTO A MORE PROGRESSIVE METROPOLIS. TO PUT THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE, STUDIES SHOW THAT FOR EVERY 10 MILLION INVESTED IN PUBLIC TRANSIT BUSINESS SALES INCREASED BY 30 MILLION. THIS PROJECT ALONE WAS ESTIMATED TO GENERATE SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC RETURNS. FURTHERMORE, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICES SAVED THE UNITED STATES 6 BILLION GALLONS OF GASOLINE ANNUALLY, AND REDUCED CARBON EMISSIONS BY 63 MILLION TONS. AND IN TERMS OF SOCIAL EQUITY AND MOBILITY, PUBLIC TRANSIT ENSURES ESSENTIAL MOBILITY FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS. NOT ONLY US STUDENTS, BUT FOR EVERYONE, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE UNABLE TO OPERATE A VEHICLE. THIS CREATES SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY. THE SUSPENSION OF THIS PROJECT AFFECTS US ALL FOR STUDENTS LIKE ME. YOU MAYOR NEXT. THANK YOU. OH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUM. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I CAN GIVE UP MY TIME. SURE. YOU, YOU WANT. OH, OKAY. ARE YOU FINISHED? MY BAD. THE SUSPENSION OF THIS PROJECT AFFECTS US ALL FOR STUDENTS LIKE ME. IT MEANS LIMITED ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKING PROFESSIONALS. IT TRANSLATES TO LONGER COMMUTES AND INCREASED TRANSPORTATION COSTS FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT. IT MEANS CONTINUED RELIANCE ON CARS CONTRIBUTING TO POLLUTION AND TRAFFIC CONGESTION. MOREOVER, THE PROJECT HAD GARED SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY SUPPORT WITH 68% OF HOUSTON VOTERS APPROVING THE METRO NEXT, MOVING FORWARD, UH, FORWARD PLAN IN 2019. SO WITH THAT, I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO HEAR OUR COLLECTIVE GRIEVANCES OF THE CANCELLATION OF THIS PROJECT AND TO RE CONSIDER THE SUSPENSION OF THE METRO RAPID UNIVERSITY CORRIDOR PROJECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT ARCADE. DECASTRO. HELLO, MY NAME IS AR DECASTRO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY. I'M A CONCERNED, UH, STUDENT AND MEMBER OF STUDENTS FOR DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. WE ARE HERE TODAY TO DEMAND THAT THE UNIVERSITY CORRIDOR RECEIVES FEDERAL FUNDING. THIS LINE WOULD PROVIDE A VITAL CONNECTION BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS AND JOB CENTERS, LIKE U AND TSU, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL COMMUTER POPULATION AT 83% AND 77% RESPECTIVELY. SHELVING. THIS PROJECT IS A SLAP IN THE FACE, NOT JUST STUDENTS, BUT ALSO TO VULNERABLE AND MARGINALIZED PEOPLE IN HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT CANNOT AFFORD THE COST AND MAINTENANCE OF A PERSONAL VEHICLE. SOME OF YOU MAY SAY THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS DIFFICULT TO FUND AND UPKEEP. WE KNOW YET THIS HARDSHIP IS NECESSARY IN PROVIDING BETTER LIVES FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS. CUTTING SUPPORT FOR THE METRO LINE IS GOING TO KILL OUR COMMUNITIES. AND CUTS TO PUBLIC, PUBLIC AMENITIES WILL HARM THE CITY'S ECONOMY IN THE LONG RUN. IF YOU DON'T SUPPORT THE METRO LINE, WE WILL REMEMBER AT THE BALLOT BOX. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. NEXT, SAVANNAH BEVINS. SAVANNAH. HELLO EVERYONE. I'M A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND I'M HERE TODAY TO URGENTLY REQUEST THAT THE HOUSTON METRO'S EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP REVIVED THE UNIVERSITY CORRIDOR BUS RAPID TRANSIT LINE PROJECT. WHILE THERE HAS BEEN MUCH FOCUS ON HOW THE CANCELLATION OF THIS PROJECT WILL IMPACT COMMUTER STUDENTS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT STUDENTS WHO LIVE ON CAMPUS WHO DO NOT HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION ARE ALSO EFFECTIVE. I MYSELF AM A STUDENT THAT LIVES ON CAMPUS BUT DOES NOT HAVE A CAR. AND HOUSTON'S LACK OF A COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM HEAVILY IMPACTS MY DAY-TO-DAY FUNCTIONING ON CAMPUS. I HAVE TO RELY ON STUDENTS WHO HAVE CARS IN ORDER TO DRIVE ME TO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS OR THE GROCERY STORE, OR VIRTUALLY ANYWHERE DUE TO OUR POOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRT LINE WOULD IMMENSELY HELP EVERY STUDENT REGARDLESS IF THEY COMMUTE OR LIVE ON CAMPUS. IF WE WANT TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, REVIVE THE UNIVERSITY CORRIDOR BRT LINE PROJECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. UH, MAYOR PROTE CASTEX TATUM [00:30:01] PERSONAL PROGRAM. OH, OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT? YES, MA'AM. SECOND, YOU WANNA BE RECOGNIZED? YEAH. I'D LIKE TO, UH, SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE PAUL FAM TO THE TOP OF THE TWO MINUTE AGENDA. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY YESES. HAVE NEXT ZA. HELLO, MY NAME IS SPIRITAN HAA AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE YDSA AND STUDENTS FOR DISABILITY EQUITY. UH, I'M A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND MY COLLEAGUES AND I ARE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS ABANDONING ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN FAVOR OF BUILDING LANES ON TOP OF OTHER LANES AND SLOWLY KILLING THE SOLE OF THE CITY. IN THE PROCESS, OVER 60% OF THE CITY SUPPORTED THE NEW METRO PROJECT PROJECT, AND THAT'S BECAUSE EVERYBODY BUT CITY OFFICIALS UNDERSTAND THAT TRANSPORTATION IS A GOOD INVESTMENT INTO THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT IT PAYS FOR ITSELF. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF ON DISABLED STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A CAR BECAUSE OF LIMITATIONS PLACED ON US BY THE STATE OF TEXAS. WHAT YOU'D BE TELLING ME AND OTHER DISABLED STUDENTS IS THAT OUR ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION IS NOT A PRIORITY, AND THAT MEANS LESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS WHO, UH, DON'T HAVE THE INCOME OR WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO, UH, RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION. THAT MEANS LESS INTERNSHIPS. THAT MEANS, UH, LESS, UH, THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPLAINED JOB OPPORTUNITIES, ET CETERA. THANK YOU. UM, YEAH, I MEAN, Y'ALL HAVE HEARD THE REST OF US. I THINK THAT INVESTING IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS GOOD. UH, I'M NOT GONNA BEAT A DEAD HORSE. Y'ALL NEED TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION, OTHERWISE WE'LL REMEMBER IT. HOLD ON. THANK YOU. ONE SECOND, SIR. COUNCILMAN? I WAS GONNA GIVE HIM MY TIME IF THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT, ANHE ORTEGA. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ANNIE ORTEGA. I AM ALSO HERE ON BEHALF OF SGA AND THE ENGINEERING STUDENTS IN GENERAL. IN MY FIRST YEAR OF UNIVERSITY, I WAS MAKING MINIMUM WAGE AT 7 25 AN HOUR WITHOUT A VEHICLE TO TAKE ME OFF CAMPUS TO THE BETTER PAYING JOBS. I WOULD'VE BEEN DEPENDENT ON FRIENDS FOR TRANSPORTATION TO CLASS TO GET GROCERIES AND PARTICIPATE IN SOCIAL EVENTS THAT SUPPORTED THE LOCAL ECONOMY. THANKFULLY, THE CITY I LIVED IN HAD A COMPREHENSIVE, UM, HAD A COMPREHENSIVE CITY TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT ALLOWED ME TO PARTICIPATE IN SUCH ACTIVITIES. NOW THAT I'VE MOVED BACK TO HOUSTON, I'VE BEEN FORCED TO OWN A CAR, WHICH HAS PROVED COSTLY AND INCREDIBLY TIME CONSUMING. OVER THE PAST YEAR, I HAVE WORKED WITH THE PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT OF MY UNIVERSITY TO PROVIDE A VOICE FOR STUDENTS, NOT ONLY FOR PARKING PERMIT RATES, WHICH CAN RANGE ANYWHERE FROM 500 AND $900 ANNUALLY, BUT ALSO TO ADVOCATE FOR NEW AND SUSTAINABLE WAYS FOR OUR STUDENTS, PRIMARILY COMPOSED OF COMMUTERS TO GET TO CAMPUS FROM ALL OVER THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA. A LINE LIKE THE METRO RAPID UNIVERSITY CORRIDOR WOULD HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY BENEFITED OUR STUDENTS BY INCREASED SAVINGS, PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS COMMUTE SAFELY, AS WELL AS REDUCING OVERALL EMISSIONS. PLEASE RECONSIDER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. NEXT, CODY ZELL TO BE FOLLOWED BY PAUL FAM. GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM CODY ZELL, A JUNIOR AT, UH, AND THE DECISION TO CANCEL THE UNIVERSITY LINE WILL NOT ONLY HALT THE PROGRESS OF PROVIDING AN ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION OPTION TO MORE WORKING CLASS CUSTODIANS AND, UH, STUDENTS, BUT ALSO UNDERMINE THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO HAD ADVOCATED FOR THE LINES INSTALLATION IN THE FIRST PLACE. AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS DOWNTOWN AND HAS LIVED BOTH ON AND OFF CAMPUS, I'VE HAD TO USE THE BUS AND TRAIN TO GET TO WORK WHEN I COULDN'T AFFORD TO PUT GAS IN MY CAR. THESE EXPERIENCES HAVE FURTHER GROWN MY APPRECIATION OF THE SERVICES THAT METRO PROVIDES. UH, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION OF HAVING TO WALK GREAT LENGTHS ON HOUSTON'S ALREADY UNSAFE ROADS TO THE NEAREST STOP. THESE EXPERIENCES HAVE SHOWN ME THE PITFALLS OF HOUSTON'S PUBLIC TRANSIT, UH, BUT ALSO ITS POTENTIAL. I STRONGLY URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER THE PROJECT DEEMED NECESSARY BY HOUSTONIANS. AND, UH, STUDENTS DO NOT LET THIS PROJECT'S POTENTIAL BE STALLED INDEFINITELY AND FURTHER ALIENATE INDIVIDUALS WHO ALREADY FACE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES ACCESSING DOWNTOWN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, PAUL [00:35:01] FAM. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSEL. MY NAME IS PAUL FAM. I'D LIKE TO USE MY TIME TO ACTUALLY THANK MR. RENEE RUIZ FOR, UH, ALL OF HIS HELP THE LAST TWO MONTHS. UM, SO WHAT, WHAT I'M HERE FOR TODAY IS I'M REQUESTING, I'M ACTUALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE VEHICLES AT MY HOUSE, BUT I CAN'T PARK THEM ON THE STREET. SO I HAVE FOUR VEHICLES. UM, I HAVE A TWO CAR DRIVEWAY AND, UH, I HAVE NOWHERE TO PARK. THE ENTIRE STREET WHERE I LIVE ON IS COMPLETELY A TOW WAY ZONE. SO EVERY DAY I COME HOME AND I HAVE TO PARK ILLEGALLY OR, UM, MY NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN NICE ENOUGH FOR ME TO PARK AT THEIR HOUSE, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER THEY'RE GONNA ALLOW ME TO DO THAT. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO PARK AT THE WALMART, WHICH IS A BLOCK AWAY, OR AT THE DISCOUNT AUTO PARTS, WHICH IS A BLOCK AWAY AS WELL. AND IT'S KIND OF INCONVENIENT, UH, FOR MYSELF AND MY FAMILY. SO AGAIN, I'M VERY LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD A PROPERTY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, MY FAMILY, WE CAN'T PARK OUR VEHICLES. SO, UH, I WORK IN HEALTHCARE. I AND I TEACH, SO IN THE MORNINGS I'M AT CLASS AT 7:00 AM AND THEN I WORK AT THE HOSPITALS AT NIGHT. SO I HAVE TO BE PARKED ON THE STREET. I HAVE TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO LEAVE MY HOUSE AT FIVE 30 IN THE MORNING TO GET TO WORK. AND THEN WHEN I GET OFF MY SHIFT AT THE HOSPITAL AT 11 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, I, I HAVE TO PARK ON THE STREET. SO I'M REALLY ASKING FOR ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP ME. UM, THE HOUSES THAT ARE TO MY LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT OF ME, THEY WANT THE SAME THING THAT I DO. I KNOW THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE 10 YEARS AGO WITH THAT STREET, BUT THE 16 YEARS THAT I'VE LIVED THERE, I'VE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE BODY SHOPS THERE. UM, ALL FOUR OF OUR HOUSES CAN FIT IN THIS, UH, HALLWAY RIGHT HERE. SO WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PROPERTY. MY HOUSE, UH, IS ONLY 1000 SQUARE FEET FOR THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH, TWO CAR DRIVEWAY, FOUR CARS. SO I'M ASKING FOR ANY KIND OF HELP. UM, THERE ARE NO TOW WAY ZONE SIGNS IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, BUT ON RECORD IT SHOWS THAT IT'S A TOW WAY ZONE, SO I CANNOT PARK THERE. SO MY RESOLUTION, MY SOLUTION IS THAT IF YOU CAN JUST CHANGE IT ON RECORD TO SAY NO TOW WAY ZONE BETWEEN 83 0 8 AND 83 12, THEN THAT'S WHAT I'M SUGGESTING. I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO, UM, THE, UH, POLICE SUB, UH, SUB SUBSTATION AT 86 0 5 WEST PLACE DRIVE, AND, UH, THE STOREFRONT AS WELL. SO I, EXCUSE ME, I'VE DONE PUBLIC WORKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. UM, MAYOR PROAM, CAST STADIUM. THANK YOU MAYOR MR. FAM. I KNOW THIS IS A DREADFUL PROBLEM. UH, 10 YEARS AGO WE GOT A REQUEST IN OUR OFFICE AND I, I KNOW BECAUSE I WAS THE DIRECTOR OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES, I REMEMBER WHEN THIS ISSUE HAPPENED, THERE ARE SOME MECHANIC SHOPS ON THAT STREET ALSO, AND THE MECHANICS AND THE, THE BODY SHOPS WERE TAKING THE CARS THAT THEY ARE FIXING AND LINING THEM ALONG THE STREETS. AND SO THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVED THERE WERE VERY FRUSTRATED THAT EVERY DAY THEY HAD CARS, UM, PARKED ALL ALONG EACH SIDE OF THEIR STREET THAT DIDN'T BELONG TO ANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE. UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG YOU'VE LIVED THERE, BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO, TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE IS A WAY WE CAN, UM, GET SOME TYPE OF, UM, RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT FOR RESIDENTS TO PARK ON THE STREET AND NOT ALLOW THOSE BUSINESSES TO TAKE UP ALL THE SPACE ON THE STREET, BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THEY WERE TAKING THE CARS THAT WERE IN LINE TO BE REPAIRED, PULLING THEM OUT TO THE STREET EVERY DAY AND KEEPING THEM ON THE STREET AND MOVING THEM IN AND OUT. AND RESIDENTS WERE EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED. AND I REMEMBER THAT COUNCIL MEMBER GREEN HAD THOSE, UM, SIGNS ERECTED TO TRY TO ALLEVIATE THAT PROBLEM. SO THIS SEEMS LIKE NOW THAT THINGS HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE BETTER, UM, I'M AFRAID THAT IF WE PULL THE SIGNS UP, THOSE SAME BUSINESSES WILL GO BACK TO PUTTING THOSE CARS ON THE STREET. BUT I'M ALSO SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A PROPERTY OWNER AND, UM, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PARK YOUR CAR, YOU KNOW, IN FRONT OF YOUR PROPERTY. UM, SO WE'VE GOTTA FIND THE HAPPY MEDIUM, UM, SO THAT WE DON'T, UM, DESTROY THE QUALITY OF LIFE LIKE IT WAS BEFORE BECAUSE IT WAS BAD. THEY WERE PUTTING THOSE CARS ON THE STREET AND THEY, THEY KNOW HOW TO WORK AROUND THE RULES, WHICH IS THEY CAN'T STAY PARKED THERE FOR 24 HOURS. SO THE POLICE WOULD COME MARK THE TIRES, THEY'D MOVE THE CAR, THEN THEY'D MOVE THE CAR BACK. AND SO IT WAS A CONSTANT GAME OF MOVING THE CARS, BUT THE STREET STILL FILLED WITH VEHICLES THERE. SO, UM, I HAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION. WE HAVE A CALL IN TO A RA, UH, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO FIGURE OUT A, A A, A PLAN, UM, SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO HELP YOU AND ALSO NOT ALLOW THOSE, UM, MECHANIC SHOPS TO INVADE ON THE STREETS AND, AND TAKE OVER THOSE, THOSE AREAS. [00:40:01] OKAY. SO, UM, WHERE THOSE MECHANIC SHOPS ARE, THERE'S, THAT'S NOWHERE NEAR WHERE I LIVE THOUGH. SO, UM, SO THE STREET LOOKS LIKE THIS GUYS, IT'S A BIG U SHAPE. THE MECHANIC SHOPS ARE AT THE TOP OF THE U AND I'M AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE U. SO ME AND MY NEIGHBORS, WE DON'T, SO THAT WHEN LARRY GRAIN PUT THAT IN OFFICE, IT WAS 10 YEARS AGO, AND I'VE BEEN THERE FOR 16 YEARS. I'VE BEEN THERE SINCE 2007. SO, I MEAN, THAT HAS NEVER AFFECTED ME. UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF MY WORK SCHEDULE, I COULDN'T ATTEND THAT SESSION WITH THE RESIDENTS. THOSE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE, UH, CLOSEST TO THOSE BODY SHOPS, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, ONE ACRE OF LAND. THIS IS BEFORE PEOPLE COULD, PEOPLE COULD AFFORD A LOT OF LAND BACK THEN. SO THEY, UH, HAVE THREE CAR DRIVEWAYS. THEY HAVE EXTENDED DRIVEWAYS, THEY HAVE SO MUCH LAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD HAVE A HORSE THERE AND, UH, TRAILERS AND HAVE LIKE, THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY IS OVER. BUT RIGHT NOW, AFTER I GOT ELECTRICITY BACK FROM BARRELL, I COULDN'T EVEN INVITE MY FAMILY OVER, UM, TO COME TO MY HOUSE BECAUSE THERE'S NOWHERE FOR THEM TO PARK. IT'S, WE CAN'T HAVE FAMILY OVER, WE CAN'T HAVE FRIENDS OVER. IT'S, IT'S PRETTY, IT'S PRETTY EMBARRASSING. YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN'T HAVE FRIENDS OVER, WE CAN'T HAVE FAMILY OVER WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF BUYING A HOUSE, YOU KNOW, SO. RIGHT. SO I'LL REACH OUT TO YOU AND WE CAN, WE CAN TRY TO FIND A HAPPY MEDIUM, BUT I, I DO KNOW THAT THERE, THERE WAS A REASON THEY WERE PUT THERE, BUT I DO, I AM SENSITIVE TO YOUR CONCERNS AND WE WANT TO FIND THE, THE RIGHT SOLUTION FOR ALL OF THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE ON THE STREET. SO, ALRIGHT, LOOK, LOOK, LOOK TO HEAR FROM ME AND WE'LL, WE'LL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT. OKAY. UM, AND ONE LAST THING IS SURE. IF I COULD JUST FOR WITHOUT DOING THE RESIDENT PARKING, BECAUSE THE, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE CHOSE THAT AREA IS BECAUSE IT WAS AFFORDABLE FOR ME AND MY NEIGHBORS TO LIVE THERE. SO IF YOU ENACT THE, UH, RESIDENT PERMIT PARKING, THEN THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE THAT WE HAVE TO, TO PAY FOR THAT AREA. SO ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE CHOSE THAT AREA, ME AND MY NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE BEEN THERE AS LONG AS I HAVE, IS BECAUSE THERE'S NO HOA IN THAT AREA. IT'S, UH, KIND OF LIKE THE HEIGHTS WHERE IT'S RESIDENTIAL SLASH COMMERCIAL. UM, SO IF YOU ENACT THE PERMIT PARKING, THEN THAT ACTUALLY, UM, I MEAN, I GUESS IT'S BETTER THAN NOTHING, BUT IF, IF WE COULD JUST, UH, WHAT THE, THE POLICE STATIONS HAVE TOLD ME, BECAUSE I WENT TO TWO SUBSTATIONS, UH, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT SOME AREAS THAT ARE RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL, THAT THEY JUST HAVE SIGNS SAYING, GOING THIS WAY, UH, NO TOW WAY ZONES FOR THE, FOR THE BUSINESSES. RIGHT. AND THEN FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE THERE WITH THE SMALL, SMALL DRIVEWAYS, THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST SAYING THAT RESIDENTS CAN PARK HERE ONLY, OR JUST SAY TOW WAY ZONE SIGNS, LIKE NEAR THE PARKING LEADERS BECAUSE THOSE BODY SHOPS, I, MR. FAM, I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE GONNA FIND A SOLUTION. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I'LL REACH OUT TO YOU. ALRIGHT, THANKS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT MILLICENT HOLIDAY, BE FOLLOWED BY RODNEY UNDERWOOD. HI. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO SPEAK. UM, I WANNA START OFF BY, UH OH, OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO SPEAK. I WANT TO, UH, START OFF BY ASKING IF THERE ARE ANY, UH, PILOT PROGRAMS GOING ON IN INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS THAT ANYBODY KNOW OF. OKAY. IF NOT, THEN I'D LIKE TO KNOW. UM, AS IT RELATES TO CENTER POINT ENERGY, UH, IS THERE A, ARE THEY BUILDING PIPELINES IN INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS? AND SPECIFICALLY UNDER MY, MY MOTHER'S HOUSE, WHICH IS 8 0 3 EAST 38TH STREET, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY. WE'LL CHECK FOR YOU THOUGH. OKAY. I, I WOULD SPECULATE ON NO, BUT OH, OKAY. BECAUSE, UM, IF YOU GIVE, IF YOU'LL GIVE MS. WILSON YOUR ADDRESS, WE'LL UH, VERIFY THAT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, AND THEN, UM, AS FAR AS CENTER POINT ENERGY, UM, THERE'S AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH, UM, REQUESTS FOR SERVICES AS IT RELATES TO, UM, TREES BEING CUT FROM THE WIRES, UH, GOING INTO THE STREET. AND THEN ALSO, UM, MY MOTHER'S, UH, METER, ELECTRICITY METER IS NOT WORKING AND HAS NOT BEEN WORKING AND I'VE CALLED TO INQUIRE ABOUT THAT. BUT EACH TIME THEY HAVE TRIED TO, WELL THEY HAVE GAINED ENTRY INTO MY MOTHER'S PROPERTY, BUT THEY WENT TO HER, HER GAS METER AND THEY WENT TO THE GAS METER, UH, TO SWITCH IT OUT BECAUSE THEY HAD, BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN SAYING THAT THE GAS METER IS A SMART METER OR ELECTRICITY, UH, ELECTRIC METER. IT HASN'T, IT, IT WAS NOT, HER WATER METER IS NOT ELECTRIC HER AND, UM, THE ELECTRICITY METER IS SMART, BUT IT'S NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SO MY POINT IS, IS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SAYING THAT THEY HAVE BEEN READING THE METERS FROM THE STREET [00:45:01] AND NO ONE HAS BEEN COMING INSIDE THE, UM, PROPERTY TO READ THE METERS. AND SO, UM, BASICALLY THEY HAVE BEEN LYING ABOUT THE METERS AND SO TO, UH, COVER, TO COVER, UM, THEIR, THEIR STORY OR WHATEVER, THEY ENDED UP SWITCHING OUT MY MOTHER'S GAS METER AND PUTTING A SMART METER IN THERE. AND WHEN THEY DID THAT, THEY PUT OFF HER GAS, SHE IS BEING HARASSED, WE ARE BEING INTIMIDATED OUT THERE BECAUSE MM. OKAY. NOW YOU CAN FINISH YOUR STATEMENT. OKAY. UM, BECAUSE ACTUALLY, UM, WE ARE THE LAST PROPERTY, UH, IN THAT AREA, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE OTHER FAMILY THAT EXISTS. ALL THE OTHER PROPERTY, IT'S OWNED BY THE DEVELOPERS, INVESTMENT PROPERTIES, IT'S RENTAL PROPERTY, IT'S AIRBNBS, IT'S DRUG HOUSES, SAFE HOUSES, ALL OF THE ABOVE. AND NOW, UM, I HAVE UH, REQUEST, I HAVE PUT IN A REQUEST FOR, UM, OPEN RECORDS, BUT FOR SOME REASON THERE'S BEEN GLITCHES, MY PASSWORDS CHANGES, I CANNOT GET INTO THAT. SO IF SOMEONE CAN HELP ME, UM, OKAY. ALRIGHT. YEAH, WHY DON'T YOU CHECK WITH MS. WILSON. OKAY, WE'LL, WE'LL, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO GET THAT INFORMATION, BUT THERE'S, THERE ARE SOME FEES. I WANTED TO PAY THE FEES BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PAY THE FEES. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALRIGHT, NEXT, RODNEY UNDERWOOD, ISAIAH MONROE, LETICIA GUCCI, RANDY TREVINO VINO, KIMBERLY ALEXANDER TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOY FITZPATRICK. GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK THIS AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS KIMBERLY ALEXANDER AND I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR MOMS OF BLACK BOYS UNITED AND MOB UNITED FOR SOCIAL CHANGE. NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS FOUNDED EIGHT YEARS AGO, UH, FOLLOWING THE MURDERS OF PHILANDO CASTILE AND ALTON STERLING. THE MISSION AND PURPOSE OF EACH ORGANIZATION ARE AS FOLLOWS, MOMS OF BLACK BOYS UNITED, OR MOB UNITED IS DEDICATED TO CHANGING PERCEPTIONS AND ENCOURAGING SELF-CARE AND FOSTERING UNDERSTANDING OF THE PLIGHT OF BLACK BOYS AND MEN IN AMERICA BY TELLING THEIR STORIES, CELEBRATING THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND CONNECTING THEM TO OPPORTUNITIES. THE MISSION OF MOB UNITED A 5 0 1 C3 IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT TO MOMS OF BLACK SONS AND TO PROMOTE POSITIVE IMAGES OF BLACK BOYS AND MEN. MOB UNITED FOR SOCIAL CHANGE IS AN ADV, IS THE ADVOCACY ARM AND SISTER ORGANIZATION TO MOMS OF BLACK BOYS UNITED. THE MISSION OF M-U-S-C-A 5 0 1 C FOUR IS TO INFLUENCE POLICY IMPACTING HOW BLACK BOYS AND MEN ARE TREATED AND PERCEIVED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SOCIETY. THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, ADVOCACY, AND OUR DEDICATION TO SHARING THE JOYS OF RAISING OUR BLACK SONS MOB UNITED HAS SEEN INCREMENTAL CHANGE IN MANY AREAS AND REMAINS ENCOURAGED THAT MORE GREAT CHANGE IS NOT ONLY POSSIBLE, BUT NECESSARY FOR EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE. AT OUR CORE, WE ARE THE WOUNDED LEADING THE CHARGE MOTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED, WITNESSED, FELT, AND LIVED THE PAIN AND VICARIOUS GRIEF ASSOCIATED WITH WATCHING LIFE MURDERS BROADCASTED WORLDWIDE AND SUBSEQUENT GRIEF TO MANY FAMILIES EX, UH, THAT THE MANY FAMILIES EXPERIENCE DAILY. IT IS A PAIN WE KNOW NEVER GOES AWAY. ULTIMATELY, WE BELIEVE THAT ALL PEOPLE OF ANY PROFESSION, RACE, RELIGION, COLOR, OR CREED, DESERVE TO MAKE IT HOME SAFELY AND WHOLE. AS TIME HAS GONE ON, WE HAVE LEARNED HOW HARD IT IS TO FEEL WHOLE IN A COUNTRY THAT HAS NOT MADE YOU FEEL SAFE, WHICH IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT. THAT IS WHY I'M HERE TODAY AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, I AM COMMITTED TO BRINGING THE COMMUNITY AND DECISION MAKERS TOGETHER. SOMETHING I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE COMMITTED TO AS WELL. I ALSO KNOW THAT BEING AT THE TABLE AND FORGING HONEST RELATIONSHIPS WITH TRANSPARENT SOLUTION DRIVEN CONVERSATIONS IS WHAT THIS AND EVERY COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BEGIN TO HEAL THE HURTS WE'VE LIVED WITH FOR SO LONG. I'LL BE STAYING UNTIL THE END OF THIS MEETING AND LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING MY CONTACT INFORMATION TO CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER FOR CHANGE. WE HAVE ALL BEEN CALLED TO THE CHARGE AND I PARTNER WITH YOU IN THIS EFFORT. THANK YOU. RESPECTFULLY [00:50:01] SUBMITTED. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR POLLARD, MA'AM? YES, COUNCIL MAYOR POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD AND WHAT YOU AND OTHERS ARE DOING, UH, AS A PART OF YOUR ORGANIZATION. I WAS GONNA MENTION IF YOU WANT TO SEND US AN EMAIL, UM, WITH INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR PROGRAM AND MAYBE SOME WAYS IN WHICH YOU BELIEVE WE CAN HELP, UH, WE WILL REVIEW IT AND, UH, FOLLOW UP WITH YOU VERY MUCH. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT JOY FITZPATRICK. DANNY ASBERRY, L ALL RIGHT. GREETINGS, ESTEEMED MAYOR WHITMEYER, UH, COUNCILWOMAN COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, AND HONORED GUEST. MY NAME IS DANNY ASBERRY, EL PRESIDENT OF SOEL INTERNATIONAL, AND WE CAN BE FOUND AT S-O-L-E-L-I-N T.ORG. I'M THRILLED TO PRESENT THE FORGING A RESILIENT FUTURE, A VISIONARY PLAN FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE IN OUR VIBRANT CITY OF HOUSTON. DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SOEL INTERNATIONAL AND THE NORTHWOOD MANOR CIVIC CLUB. THIS COMPREHENSIVE 12 STEP PROPOSAL IS DESIGNED TO NOT ONLY ADDRESS THE PAST DISASTER RECOVERY, BUT TO ALSO ENHANCE OUR PREPAREDNESS FOR THE FUTURE. OUR PLAN INCLUDES CUTTING EDGE SOLUTIONS SUCH AS COMMUNITY POWER STATIONS AND NASA INSPIRED RES RESOURCE HUBS. THESE INITIATIVES ALIGN CLOSELY WITH CHAPTER 4 1 8 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FOCUSING ON DISASTER RESPONSE, DEBRIS, REMOVAL, AND RECOVERY EFFORTS. BY INVESTING IN THIS PLAN, WE CAN SAVE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FUTURE DISASTER COSTS, CREATE NUMEROUS JOB OPPORTUNITIES, AND POSITION HARRIS COUNTY. AS A NATIONAL LEADER IN URBAN RESILIENCE, I HUMBLY REQUEST THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT OUR FULL PROPOSAL, WHICH OUTLINES A ROADMAP FOR IMPLEMENTATION, FUNDING STRATEGIES, AND CONTRACT AND CONTRACT EXECUTION. THIS IS NOT ABOUT RECOVERING FROM PAST DISASTERS, BUT ABOUT FORTIFYING OUR CITY'S RESILIENCE FOR THE LONG TERM. MOREOVER, I URGE THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS PLAN IN ORDER TO POSITION HOUSTON AS A LEADER OF INNOVATION AND RESILIENCE, THUS FORGING A RESILIENT FUTURE, A REALITY. THE PLAN TITLE FORGING A RESILIENT FUTURE, ENCOMPASSES A RANGE OF INITIATIVES FROM AUGMENTED REALITY FOR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS TO URBAN FORESTRY AND FOOD SECURITY MEASURES. WE EMPHASIZE EDUCATION, DIGITAL RESILIENCE, INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES, COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE ENHANCEMENTS, AND FORGING PARTNERSHIPS FOR PROGRESS. OUR POLICY PATHWAYS AIM TO TURN VISION INTO REALITY, CULMINATING IN A CALL TO ACTION FOR A COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO SECURE HOUSTON'S RESILIENT FUTURE. INCLUDED IN OUR PRESENTATION IS A WHITE PAPER DISCUSSING SEWAGE AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, AS WELL AS THE VITAL ROLE OF HORTICULTURE IN PAST STORM RECOVERY EFFORTS. TOGETHER WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSFORM HOUSTON INTO A MODEL OF URBAN RESILIENCE THROUGH FORGING A RESILIENT FUTURE. I INVITE YOU TO JOIN US IN THIS CRITICAL, INNOVATIVE, UM, EXCUSE ME, INITIATIVE TO BUILD A STRONGER, SAFER, AND MORE PREPARED CITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. AGAIN, MY NAME IS DANNY ASBERRY EL PRESIDENT OF SOEL INTERNATIONAL, AND I CAN BE FOUND AT S-O-L-E-L-I-N T.ORG. AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND CONSIDERATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THIS DIALOGUE INDIVIDUALLY, COLLECTIVELY, OR THROUGH ANY COMMITTEE THAT YOU HAVE FORMED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THANK YOU. ONE SECOND. UH, COUNCILMAN CARTER. THANK YOU, DANNY. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. UM, CERTAINLY A, A GREAT, UH, PRESENTATION. I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH YOU THURSDAY AND CERTAINLY WE WILL HAVE YOU, UH, PRESENT TO THE RESILIENCY COMMITTEE, UH, AT A LATER DATE. BUT WE'LL SEE YOU THURSDAY AND, AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE AGAIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU DANNY WITH YOUR CREATIVE SELF. I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, REVIEWING THIS, UM, UM, PROPOSAL AND, UM, WORKING WITH YOU ON THIS IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER. THANK YOU MAYOR. THIS IS AWESOME. THIS IS REALLY GOOD. I LOOK FORWARD TO, I REALLY DO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND, AND HEARING YOUR IDEAS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR. I'M JUST GLANCING THROUGH HERE. UH, THIS IS VERY WELL PUT TOGETHER. UM, AND SO TO YOU AND, AND ALL YOUR COLLEAGUES, THIS IS, THIS IS THE TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT I THINK WE AS LEADERS, UH, WILL RELY ON AND LEAN ON. IT TAKES FOLKS COMING FROM THE COMMUNITY TO [00:55:01] BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH US THEIR EXPERIENCES AND THEIR IDEAS AND SEE HOW WE COULD WORK TOGETHER TO IMPLEMENT 'EM. SO LOOK FORWARD TO REVIEWING THAT AND HEARING MORE ABOUT IT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU. NEXT, CANDIDA, BATEMAN, CANDIDA BATEMAN, CYNTHIA B HELFER, GARY LYNN, LATOYA JONES. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M NOT HERE WITH ANY FANCY PAPERS OR OBJECTS. I'M JUST HERE AS A SPOKESPERSON FOR PEOPLE AND JUST LIKE DISASTERS LIKE WE JUST RECENTLY HAD, SOMETIMES YOU'RE NOT READY. SO I AM THE GET IT DONE LOCATED FOR HOUSTON, TEXAS. SO ANYTHING YOU GET DONE, I CAN GET IT DONE FOR YOU. IF NOT, I REFER TO A COMPANY OR SOMEONE THAT CAN. NOW MY COMPANY DON'T PRIDE ITSELF ON HOW MUCH MONEY WE GOTTA YOU, BUT WHAT GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE YOU SEE OUTTA ME AND THOSE COMPANIES. I PROMOTE LIKE TOYOTA, ITALIAN COUNTRY. I LOVE MOM AND POP'S ICE CHICKEN PLUSS ON NORTH RACE WINE. SO I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT A SOLUTION, NOT TO COMPLAIN SO MUCH. I HAVE GOTTEN WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE, LEFT MESSAGES AT DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S NUMBERS. LIKE GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S OFFICE. THEY HAVE NOT BACK, BACK WITH ME. I GOT WITH THOMPSON OFFICE, THEY FINALLY GOT BACK WITH ME OR THE OTHER DAY AND TODAY MS. JACKSON'S OFFICE GOT BACK WITH ME. AND SO I'M APPRECIATED FOR ANYTHING I GET. I'M STILL RECOVERING FROM HARVEY. I AIN'T SICK. THE FIRST ONE, HARVEY, WE HAVE MOLD IN OUR HOUSE. EXCUSE, THIS IS MY VOICE TONE BECAUSE WE HAVE MOLD IN OUR HOUSE STEAL FROM HARVEY AND I DIDN'T GET THE VOUCHER THAT I'M SUPPOSED TO GET. WHEN SYLVESTER TURNER WAS GAVE ME ON THAT FRIDAY WHEN I WAS BURIED, MY UNCLE LEON AND BERRYMAN, THEY WORKED FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON OVER 30 YEARS. BUT I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT SO MUCH. I'M TALKING ABOUT ACCIDENT THAT RECENTLY HAPPENED. BURLEY, WE HAVE ATTORNEY AFTERWARDS. FEMA'S REPRESENTATIVES MIS PUT THE INFORMATION IN THE COMPUTER SO THEY PROLONGED OUR APPLICATION AND EVERYTHING. THEY PUT ME AS THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE EVEN THOUGH MY MOTHER IS, THAT WAS MY FAULT. EVEN THE FIRST REPRESENTATIVE, MS. JENNIFER, SHE DIDN'T EVEN PROCESS IT. BUT I APPRECIATE MR. Z THAT HE DID IT AND MS. JENNIFER CAN DO IT. ANYONE CAN GET BETTER WITH TIME. ME GOING TO SEMINARS, LEARNING THAT IF YOU KNOW EVERYTHING, YOU DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING. SO I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS. SO I, I DO DO VOLUNTEER. I GET THE FOOD BANK HOUSTON, BILL HORN, I HAVE IN THE PAST AND WE WESLEY HOUSE BLACK MINISTRIES NO LONGER. AND I HAVE HEARD MS. S ACTUALLY LEE SPEAK AT TWO FUNERAL HOME GOINGS TOPPER, REVEREND TOPPING AND REVEREND SYDNEY. AND I APPRECIATE HER AND WHAT SHE DID AND WHAT SHE HAVE DONE FOR OUR COUNTRY. EVERYONE KNOWING ONE AND MR. BUSH, MY FAMILY COOKED FOR HIS FAMILY. SO I'M LATOYA FA JONES SHAW, I'M A BERRYMAN ALSO. AND SO WE DO WHAT WE CAN. UM, SO WELL I'M HERE FOR A SOLUTION. I HAZARD AND NEXT TIME I WILL HAVE MORE TO PRESENT AND THANK YOU FOR BEING ME TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU MS. JONES FOR COMING IN AND UM, I'M RIGHT OVER HERE AND SHARING, UM, THE, YOUR ISSUES AND WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW. I KNOW YOU SPOKE WITH SOMEONE IN MY OFFICE AND THEY DID, YOU DID GET ADDED TO A FEMA LIST. UM, YOU REFERRED TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT LED BASED HOME REPAIR PROGRAM AS WELL. UM, AND UM, YOU WERE ADDED TO THE AREA AGENCY FOR AGING HOME REPAIR, UM, LIST. UM, WE REFERRED YOU TO THE MEMORIAL AREA MINISTRIES FOR ASSISTANCE WITH YOUR INSULIN PRESCRIPTIONS AND UM, AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR SOME TEMPORARY, UM, HOUSING. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THESE CONNECTIONS FOLLOW THROUGH. UM, AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE, JUST REACH OUT TO OFFICE. WELL, [01:00:01] WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU, OKAY? AND I DO APPRECIATE IT AND I DO APOLOGIZE AND, AND THERE PEOPLE FOR MY SISTER GROUP THAT I'M IN TOUCH WITH, WE ARE GETTING SOME STUFF DONE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I UNDERSTAND Y'ALL HAVE A LOT TO GET TO AND I'M NOT HERE TO HOLD ONE ON ONE EARS. MM-HMM . BUT I DO APPRECIATE Y'ALL GETTING. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. THANK YOU SIR. OKAY. HAVE A BEST DAY. THANK YOU. NEXT, ALICE MARIN. ALICE MARIN, GEORGE LEBLANC, DANVILLE COLLINS, THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL. I'M DANVILLE COLLINS. I LIVE IN THE TRINITY GARDEN AREA. 7 3 0 6 WILEY. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHY I HAVE TO COME DOWN TO CITY HALL, BUT SAY THAT WHILE MY HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE HASN'T BEEN PICKED UP FOR OVER 15 DAYS, THAT'S JUST ONE ISSUE. BOTH. WE'VE HAD TWO STORMS THIS YEAR ALREADY. NONE OF THE DEBRIS FROM THE STORM, EITHER ONE OF 'EM HAVE BEEN PICKED UP. I TALKED TO SOME LADY ON THE PHONE TODAY ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE TIME FOR ME TO COME DOWN HERE. THE WANT TO KNOW IF I WAS GONNA COME TO THE MEETING TODAY TO EXPRESS MY GRIEVANCE. AND SHE TOLD ME AND I EXPLAINED TO HER WHAT HAD BEEN HAPPENING AND I HAD CALLED THE CITY OF HOUSTON, 3 1 1 NUMBER, TALKED TO THEM, ALL I GET FROM THEM AND JUST A REFERENCE NUMBER, BUT NO WORK HAS BEEN DONE. SO, UH, SHE ASKED ME IF, UH, I WAS COMING DOWN THERE AND I SAID, WELL SURE, YOU KNOW, BUT UH, ACTUALLY I FEEL LIKE I MUST BE IN SOME THIRD WORLD COUNTRY BECAUSE I'M BEING CHARGED EVERY MONTH FOR THIS SERVICE. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S BEING DONE FOR FREE. YOU KNOW THAT YOURSELF. AND ALSO KNOW THAT MAYBE NEXT MONTH OR SO OUR RACE GOING TO GO UP. BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I GOTTA COME DOWN HERE TO CITY HALL TO JUST SHINE A LIGHT ON WHAT HAPPENING WITH WHOEVER WAS RUNNING THAT DEPARTMENT. WHAT'S GOING ON? BECAUSE THE LADY I TALKED TO ON THE PHONE TODAY, SHE SAID, WELL WE'VE GOT A REPORT HERE SAYING THAT THIS WORK HAS BEEN DONE, WHICH IS NOT TRUE. SO YOU GOT PEOPLE TURNING IN FALSE REPORTS TO THE CITY SAYING THAT THEY'RE DOING WORK THAT THEY'RE NOT DOING. AND SO WE AS THE PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO SUFFER FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING. AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, IN BEING IN THE WORKFORCE, IF YOU TURN IN A FALSE REPORT, YOU FIND OUT WHO DONE THAT, THAT SHOULD COST THEM THEIR JOB. YOU SEE? SO, UH, THAT, THAT THAT'S THE PROBLEM I HAVE, YOU KNOW, AND UH, I JUST HOPE THAT BY ME COMING DOWN HERE TODAY, I'M ABLE TO TRY SOME SPOTLIGHT ON THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE. THIS NOT JUST HAPPENING WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION. THIS BEEN GOING ON MAYBE TWO OR THREE OTHER ADMINISTRATION, BUT IT'S GETTING WORSE. SO I JUST HOPE TODAY THAT BY ME COMING DOWN HERE, MAYBE GET TO TALK TO THE RIGHT PERSON AND THEY CAN GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS AND FIND OUT JUST WHAT'S GOING ON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WE'LL, UH, GET OUT AS SOON AS WE FINISH HERE IN A MOMENT AND BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU. THE ONLY ADVICE I'D GIVE IS DON'T WAIT TWO WEEKS. NEXT TIME CALL ONE OF US. WELL, I MEAN, I DIDN'T WAIT TWO WEEKS. I CALLED A WEEK AHEAD. I'M YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER OR MY OFFICE. WE'LL GET ON IT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BE SAFE MARTY. PAGE. LOUIS, PUT THAT ON MY DESK. GOOD AFTERNOON. I THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. MY NAME IS MARTY PAGE. I'M SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 13, UH, INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS AND THERE ARE SO MANY TOPICS, UM, THAT I NEED TO ADDRESS. BUT FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO GO ON RECORD AS THINKING MR. WOODS AND THE UM, DISTRICT 18 FOR ALL OF HIS HELP AND ALL OF HIS WORK. THE RECENT DISASTERS HAS LEFT OUR ALREADY DEPRIVED NEIGHBORHOOD HOODS AND DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS. HE'S PASSING YOU OUT NOW. UM, A PACKET THAT I MADE, INDEPENDENT HEIGHT HAS A DISASTER PLAN THAT HAS BEEN IN, UH, SINCE KATRINA. WE KNOW THE COMMUNITY LEADERS KNOW WHERE WE NEED TO SEND OUR WATER, OUR ICE, OUR FOOD. YET NO ONE BOTHERED TO COME TO THE FRONT DOOR. THROUGH THE COMMUNITY LEADERS, OUR MINISTERS, OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENTS, OUR SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES, OUR PRECINCT ONE CERT, THEREFORE CONFUSION AND DISORDER OCCURRED. NOW WE'RE LEFT WITH STREETS OF DEBRIS THAT, UM, IS TAKING UP MORE CONCERN AND WE CANNOT TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE [01:05:01] AND THE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE FIRST THING YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS, UM, WHERE THEY DESTROY THEIR DEBRIS AT. THIS IS AT THE CORNER OF NORTH MAINE AND CROSS TIMBERS. THIS IS WHERE THEY BRING ALL THE TO BE CRUTCHED UP. NOW THE SECOND THING YOU'RE LOOKING AT, THAT'S MY HOUSE. OKAY? NOW ON JULY THE FIRST RIGHT BEFORE, UM, THE HURRICANE HIT AND RIGHT AFTER THE HURRICANE HIT, WE CALLED SOLID WASTE. AND I SAY, WHAT ARE YOU PICKING UP? AT FIRST THEY WERE ONLY PICKING UP TREE LIMBS. SO AFTER THE HURRICANE HIT, THEY TOLD US ANYTHING, ANY HURRICANE DAMAGE, YOU PUT THAT IN ONE. AND I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE LISTENING AT THE TELEVISION AND THEY SAY, PUT ALL THE STUFF IN THIS ONE AND PUT THE TREE LIMBS OVER HERE. THIS IS WHAT WE DID. OKAY. BUT I JUST SEE THE DEBRIS HAS NOT BEEN PICKED UP. THE OTHER PICTURES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, ARE FROM OUR FIRST STORM. THIS IS DEBRIS THAT HAS NOT BEEN PICKED UP SINCE THE FIRST TORNADO, THE FIRST STORM, WHATEVER WE'RE CALLING IT, IT HAS NOT BEEN PICKED UP. SO HERE WE ARE LEFT WITH DEBRIS FROM THE FIRST STORM AND THEN WE HAVE DEBRIS NOW FROM BARREL. SO WE ARE CAUGHT BETWEEN A, A ROCK AND A HIGH HARD PLACE. I THANK YOU, UM, MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR GOING OUT TO THE NORTH SIDE, BUT IF YOU COULD GIVE IN PEN HEIGHTS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF LOVE RIGHT NOW, WE'D APPRECIATE IT. 'CAUSE WE WORKED TOGETHER FOR A LONG TIME. THANK YOU. WE'LL BE ON IT. OKAY, SO IT REMOVED, I NOTICED DAY. THE, UM, MOST OF THE DEBRIS THERE AT THE CORNER CROSS TIMBERS. YES. IT'S BETWEEN, UH, IT'S ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY THOUGH, BUT WE HAVE CROSS TIMBERS. I'M TALKING ABOUT WHERE THEY WERE GATHERING AND DROPPING IT AS, OH, THEY'RE AT NORTH MAIN AND CROSS TIMBERS. THEY'RE PICKING IT UP. THEY'RE EVERYBODY. I UNDERSTAND. EVERYBODY FROM OVER THE CITIES, THEY'RE PICKING IT UP. THEY'RE GROUNDING IT UP, BUT THEY'RE NOT PICKING UP OURS. YEAH. OKAY. WE'RE ON IT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE ON IT. THANK YOU MA'AM. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YOU GOT YOUR PICTURES OKAY. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . BRIAN SLATTERY. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. HURRICANE BARREL HAS UNDERSCORED THE NEED FOR HOUSTON TO DOUBLE DOWN ON ITS RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS. RESILIENT HOUSTON HOUSTON'S CLIMATE ACTION CLIMB CONTINUE TO OFFER COMPREHENSIVE ROADMAPS TO ENHANCE URBAN RESILIENCE, MITIGATE CLIMATE IMPACTS, AND BUILD A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. THESE STRATEGIES LAY OUT HOW WE CAN BUILD A CITY THAT CAN WITHSTAND AND RECOVER FROM SHOCKS AND STRESSES LIKE HURRICANES AND EXTREME HEAT. HOUSTON IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO ACCELERATE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, AND THE RESTORATION OF NATURAL FLOOD PLAINS AND WETLANDS TO MINI MINIMIZE THE IMPACTS OF DANGEROUS FLOOD WATERS. ADDITIONALLY, THE CITY CAN MEANINGFULLY CONSIDER STRATEGIES LIKE MICROGRIDS THAT CAN PROVIDE CRUCIAL ENERGY RESILIENCE. THESE LOCALIZED GRIDS CAN OPERATE INDEPENDENT OF THE MAIN SYSTEM, PROVIDING A RELIABLE POWER SOURCE DURING OUTAGES CAUSED BY EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS. IMPLEMENTING THESE MICROGRIDS TO POWER CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS HOSPITALS, CLINICS, EMERGENCY RESPONSE CENTERS, COMMUNITY SHELTERS, CAN ENSURE CONTINUOUS POWER SUPPLY DURING DISASTERS CAN GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS SAFEGUARDING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY. BOTH RESILIENT HOUSTON AND THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATING IN TRULY INCLUSIVE PLANNING THROUGH PRIORITIZING THE COMMUNITY IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CITY'S PRIORITY ACTIONS. THIS INCLUDES PROVIDING THESE COMMUNITIES WITH INFORMATION, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY TO THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WHO ARE OFTEN DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY DISASTER. WE CAN ALSO LEARN FROM COMMUNITIES LIKE SGAS TO WORKING WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE WEST STREET RECOVERY, WHO HAVE TAKEN IT UPON THEMSELVES TO BUILD THEIR OWN RESILIENCE HUBS, LEARNING FROM THEIR EFFORTS, AND BUILDING ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S EFFORTS. RESILIENCE, RESILIENCE HUB AT CASHMERE GARDENS, LEVERAGING RESILIENT HOUSTON AND THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN. THE CITY IS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF REPLICATING THESE PROGRAMS AND NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS HOUSTON. NOW, NONE OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE POSSIBLE WITHOUT MONEY. SECURING ADEQUATE FUNDING AND ADVOCATING FOR SUPPORTIVE POLICIES ARE CRUCIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THESE AMBITIOUS ACTIONS SET OUT IN THESE GUIDING DOCUMENTS. LEVERAGING FEDERAL AND STATE DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDS TO FINANCE RESILIENCE PROJECTS IS CRITICAL, BUT ALSO EXPLORING PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERSHIPS CAN PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND RELIABLE ENERGY PROJECTS. THERE'S ALSO PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO ADVOCATE FOR TRO STRONG LOCALS AND STATE POLICIES THAT SUPPORT RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY GOALS. THESE INCLUDE ADDING MORE FLOOD RESILIENT BUILDING PRINCIPLES, AS WELL AS PROVIDING INCENTIVES FOR THE ADOPTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES LIKE SOLAR AND BACKUP POWER. POLICY ADVOCACY CAN ENSURE THAT RESILIENCE AND [01:10:01] SUSTAINABILITY BECOME INTEGRAL PARTS OF HOUSTON'S URBAN PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT. INNOVATION IS ALSO A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF BOTH STRATEGIES. INVESTING IN SMART CITY TECHNOLOGIES THAT ENHANCE REAL-TIME MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT ENHANCES URBAN SYSTEMS AND ENSURES THAT THEY CAN MAINTAIN THEIR ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER SIGNIFICANT SHOCKS AND STRESSES. I'M HERE TO ASK CITY OF HOUSTON TO TRULY COMMIT TO RESILIENT HOUSTON HOUSTON'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IN THE WAKE OF HURRICANE BARRELL IS NOT JUST ABOUT RECOVERY. IT'S ABOUT BUILDING A MORE RESILIENT, SUSTAINABLE, AND EQUITABLE CITY. FOR HOUSTON, FOR FU FUTURE HOUSTONIANS HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. UH, JUST A SECOND. ALCORN. COUNCILOR ALCORN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU RYAN FOR COMING AND GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO. THANK, TOO. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK YOU DID FOR THE CITY AND THE RESILIENCE OFFICE. THANK YOU. AND ON THAT PLAN AND WITH STEVE COSTELLO AND YOUR WORK AT FLIGHT CONTROL DISTRICT, I THINK YOU'RE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR NOW, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM. I AM. UM, I LOVED YOUR COMMENTS AND PLEASE GIVE US A COPY OF THOSE COMMENTS BECAUSE YOU SAID A WHOLE LOT REALLY FAST. I NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MICRO BID STUFF, MICROGRID STUFF. YES, MA'AM. AND, UM, AND I LIKE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND PHILANTHROPIC, UM, PARTNERSHIPS, UM, TO INVEST IN THIS KIND OF STUFF. I MEAN, WE'RE A CITY KNOWN FOR ITS PHILANTHROPY AND KNOWN FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DO TRANSFORMATIVE THINGS, UM, TO BUILD A CITY FOR THE FUTURE. SO, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SPOT ON WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID. I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH YOUR, YOUR REMARKS AND YOUR EXPERTISE IN THE AREA OF RESILIENCE. AND SEND ME THOSE COMMENTS. 'CAUSE I'M GONNA RIP OFF A LOT OF WHAT YOU SAID. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CAME. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND RYAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AND YES, PLEASE CIRCULATE YOUR, YOUR REMARKS. UM, I ALSO ECHO THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED, NOT ONLY TO THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, BUT YOUR EXPERTISE IN THIS SPECIFIC FIELD. UH, TO THAT END ONE, UH, YOU MAY BE WATCHING AND MONITORING THAT, UH, BEFORE COUNCIL SOON. WE'RE GONNA HAVE HOPEFULLY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE GSI TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM. UH, WOULD LOVE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT, BUT ALSO AS YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AND RESILIENT HOUSTON PLANS, WHAT ARE THE LOW HANGING FRUIT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMPLEMENTED THAT COULD BE DONE TODAY THAT WE HAVEN'T CHECKED THOSE BOXES OFF ON? I, I, I TRULY THINK THAT SET AGHAST AND WHAT WEST WEST STREET RECOVERY WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, CREATING THESE VERY HYPER-LOCAL, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITIES TO RALLY, UH, IN TIMES OF NOT ONLY, UH, UH, SHOCKS, IMMEDIATE SHOCKS LIKE HURRICANES, BUT ALSO WHEN IT GETS REALLY HOT, UM, BEING ABLE TO, TO TO WORK WITH COMMUNITIES TO PROVIDE, UM, PROVIDE, UH, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO STAY COOL, TO CHARGE THEIR PHONES, TO, TO GET FOOD AND WATER AND THOSE RESOURCES. WE DON'T NEED REALLY BIG COMMUNITY CENTERS TO DO THAT. WE JUST NEED TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITIES TO IDENTIFY, UH, OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN, UM, CASHMERE, ENGULFING AND A LEAF. UM, AND USING SET IGAS AND WHAT WEST STREET RECOVERY HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO, I THINK PROVIDES A REALLY GOOD MODEL TO TO, TO GO BY. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS, THAT IS, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT RESILIENT HOUSTON AND THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN DOES REALLY, REALLY WELL, IS IT DOES IDENTIFY, UH, BOTH SHORT, MID, NOT BOTH. UM, IT PROVI IT, IT IDENTIFIES SHORT, MID, AND LONG RANGE, UM, ACTIONS THAT THE CITY CAN IMPLEMENT IN THE NEXT SIX TO 18 MONTHS, THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THE NEXT 25 YEARS. THANK YOU. DID COUNCILMAN CARTER? WELL, THANK YOU, RYAN. I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR, UH, COMMENTS, BUT, UH, MY OFFICE WILL REACH OUT. I'D LOVE TO VISIT WITH YOU FURTHER, ESPECIALLY ON THAT MICRO GRID. I'M WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. I'M VERY INTERESTED IN, IN TAKING A LOOK AT THAT AS WELL AS, UH, MANY OF THE, YOUR OTHER TOPICS. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT, THANK YOU, DEONTAY CHANDLER MACIA EGEN MARY. THE ENDING STATEMENT FROM OUR LAST MEETING DATED JANUARY 30TH, 2024, WAS TO STAY SAFE. AND THAT WAS SHORTLY AFTER I EXPRESSED MY GRIEVANCES REGARDING THE FBI SURVEILLANCE ABUSES FOR THE WAR ON TERRORISM, SOMETHING THAT AT A LARGE SCOPE IS NOT ONLY JUST AFFECTING ME, BUT ALSO THOUSANDS OF OTHERS FROM PRIVATE CITIZENS TO POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS. A TERM THAT I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH NOW BEING CALLED COHEN TELPRO TO 0.0, FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN CYNTHIA MCKINNEY BACK IN 2006, CALLED FOR A REINVESTIGATION INTO COINTELPRO FOR FIERCE. THE DEPARTMENT WOULD TRY TO REENACT THE SAME SURVEILLANCE ABUSES FOR THE WAR ON TERRORISM. BUT AFTER A REQUEST TO SEEK THIS INVESTIGATIONAL HEARING INTO THE FBI, IT WAS DENIED. LAST TIME I CAME, I EXPRESSED MY GRIEVANCES REGARDING THE HARASSMENT I'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS AND A HALF. AND MAYBE WHILST EXPLAINING THE TERMS USED SUCH AS AZI OPERATIONS OR ORGANIZED STALKING WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS TOO COMPREHENSIBLE IN THE MOMENT. BUT I JUST HAVE TO ASK YOU THEN, IS ANYONE [01:15:01] COMPLETELY AWARE OF THE EXTENT OF SURVEILLANCE POWERS AT THE FBI POSSESSES FOR THE WAR ON TERRORISM? MORE SPECIFICALLY UNDER THE DOJ GUIDELINES OF JOHN ASHCROFT AND MICHAEL MCCASKEY? WELL, I'LL JUST PROVIDE YOU WITH A BRIEF REMINDER, THE JOHN ASHCROFT GUIDELINES, WHICH IS STILL NOT AVAILABLE IN FULL PERMITTED THE ADOPTION OF COLD WAR TACTICS FOR THE WAR ON TERRORISM, ALONG WITH AUTHORIZING THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN BOTH THE FBI AND CIA FOR THESE NEW EFFORTS. AND THESE ARE ALL DOCUMENTS THAT I PROVIDED YOU HERE TODAY. BY THE WAY, IN ADDITION, THE GUIDELINES ALSO ADVOCATED FOR REDUCING GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT INTO THEIR PROCEDURES FOR THE WAR ON TERRORISM. THE ASHCROFT GUIDELINES STILL REMAIN UNDER THE FBI'S AUTHORITIES TODAY AND HAVE NEVER BEEN AMENDED. LASTLY, IN 2008, ATTORNEY GENERAL MICHAEL MCCAUGHEY GRANTED THE FBI, THE AUTHORITY TO FOLLOW A SUSPECTED CITIZEN AROUND DAY IN AND DAY OUT FOR AN UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME OPERATIONS THAT ARE CONDUCTED BY BOTH AGENTS AND INFORMANTS AND DON'T REQUIRE ANY CRIMINAL PREDICATION TO BE INITIATED A PRACTICE THAT'S OTHERWISE REFERRED TO AS AN ASSESSMENT. NOW, THERE ARE TWO SUBSETS WHERE THESE ACTIVITIES OCCUR. ONE THAT FALLS WITHIN THE DOJ GUIDELINES AND MANDATE, AND THE OTHER ONE KNOWN AS A NON INVESTIGATIVE SUBSET, A LIST THAT IS PRIVATELY OPERATED AND MANAGED BY THE FBI FOR THE WAR ON TERRORISM. NOW, THE REASON WHY THIS IS SO CONCERNING IS THE REASON WHY THE FBI GOT UNDER A DOJ GUIDELINE IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS BECAUSE OF THE PROFOUND ABUSES THAT WAS FOUND BY THE, THAT WAS FOUND BY THE CHURCH COMMITTEE. UH, GIVE ME ONE SECOND. SO SORRY. UH, UH, YEAH. WAS BECAUSE OF THE PROFOUND ABUSES THAT WAS UNCOVERED DURING THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION AND FOLLOWING THAT COHEN HILL PRO THAT PUT THE FBI SURVEILLANCE OPERATIONS UNDER THE REGULATION OF THE DOJ, THE GUIDELINES WAS SET TO NOT ONLY PROVIDE PROVISIONS FOR THE FBI, BUT ALSO OVERSIGHT AND REGULATION OVER THEIR SURVEILLANCE PRACTICES. NOW, NOT ONLY DOES THIS SUBSET OPERATE OUTSIDE OF THE DOJ GUIDELINES, BUT IT'S PRIVATELY MANAGED BY THE FBI FOR THE WAR ON TERRORISM. NOW, FOR SOME OF YOU WHO MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE SURVEILLANCE ABUSES CONDUCTED DURING THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION AND FOLLOWING THAT CO PRO, I WANNA FURTHER ELABORATE ON THE TYPES OF SURVEILLANCE TACTICS THAT WAS FOUND BY THE CHURCH COMMITTEE ON SUBSETS OF THE PAST THAT WAS EXCLUSIVELY MANAGED BY THE FBI FOR COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS. AMONG THE ACTIVITIES THAT WERE FOUND BY THE CHURCH COMMITTEE WERE THINGS LIKE INFILTRATING ORGANIZATIONS. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO CONCLUDE, I'M SO SORRY. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE FINISH. GO AHEAD. WRAP IT UP. UM, AMONG THE ACTIVITIES THAT WAS FOUND BY THE CHURCH COMMITTEE WERE THINGS LIKE INFILTRATING ORGANIZATIONS SPREADING DISINFORMATION, CAUSING ANTI-WAR ACTIVISTS TO BE EVICTED FROM THEIR HOMES SLASH APARTMENTS, DISABLING THEIR CARS, INTERCEPTING THEIR MAIL, WIRETAPPING AND BUGGING THEIR PHONE CONVERSATIONS, PREVENTING THEM FROM RENTING FACILITIES SO THEY WOULDN'T PROTEST EMPLOYMENT SABOTAGE AND INCITING LASTLY, OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO HARASS THEM. THESE WERE THE SURVEILLANCE OPERATIONS THAT PUT THE FBI SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES UNDER THE REGULATION OF THE DOJ. HOWEVER, THIS NEW EFFORT, THE WAR ON TERRORISM, WE'RE SEEING A REEMERGENCE OF NOT ONLY THE SAME SURVEILLANCE ABUSES, BUT ANOTHER PRIVATE SUBSET TO WHICH IT'S TAKING PLACE. OKAY. ONE, THE FBI WAS NEVER AUTHORIZED BY THE WAY TO CREATE FOR THE WAR ON TERRORISM. UM, AND I GUESS THE MISAL ALARMING ASPECT ABOUT IT ALL IS NOT ONLY THE FACT THAT FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REFER TO THE SUBSET AS A SILENT HIT LIST, BUT ALSO TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE ONLY SUBSET ON THE TSCB WHERE SURVEILLANCE OPERATIONS ARE CONDUCTED. OFF THE RECORD. OKAY, MA'AM, WRAP IT UP PLEASE. OKAY. YEAH. UH, THE ABUSES HAPPENING BEHIND THE SUBSET IS SOMETHING THAT THE FORMER HEAD OF FBI, TED GUNDERSON TRIED TO EXPOSE BACK IN 2011, WHICH WERE THE COURT DOCUMENTS THAT I PROVIDED YOU HERE PREVIOUSLY IN THE LAST MEETING. THAT'S IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. WHAT THE FBI IS ELICITING BEHIND THE SUBSET IS A GOVERNMENT HARASSMENT PROGRAM. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. BE SAFE. OKAY. NEXT. MICHELLE WILLIAMS, DURL DOUGLAS. TIFFANY WILSON. SANDRA EVANS. WELL, GOOD EVENING. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING. UH, MY NAME IS SANDRA EVANS. I'M A TWO-TIME CANCER SURVIVOR AND I'M A RECENT GRADUATE FROM UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON IN PSYCHOLOGY. AND THE REASON WHY I'M COMING TODAY, I'M ASKING FOR HELP IN MY HOME FOR 12 YEARS, I'VE BEEN TORTURED REPEATEDLY BY MY NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR, WHICH I BELIEVE ARE TRYING TO MAKE ME SELL MY HOME. I'VE BEEN TO THE POLICE [01:20:01] SO MANY TIMES ABOUT THIS, AND THEY STATED TO ME, SHORT OF HER PUTTING HER HANDS ON ME, THERE'S NOTHING THERE THEY COULD DO. HOWEVER, THEY DID GIVE ME AN AFFIDAVIT TELLING ME TO PUT THE TRESPASSING SIGN OUT. SO AS I WAS DOING THAT, I WAS THREATENED IN MY OWN YARD AND SHE WAS CHARGED WITH TERRORISTIC THREAT. THEN I WOKE UP ONE MORNING AFTER WORKING OUT AND I GOT WOKE UP WITH HER TEARING DOWN MY FENCE IN THE FRONT YARD. I CALLED THE POLICE, THE POLICE MADE HER PUT IT BACK UP. SO AFTER THAT, THINGS GOT WORSE AND WORSE. AND I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS FOR 12 YEARS. I CAN'T USE THE RESTROOM OR ANYTHING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE AROUND MY HOUSE, BUT THEY HEAR EVERY MOVE I MAKE IN MY HOUSE TO TALK ON MY PHONE, I HAVE TO GO INSIDE OF MY CAR IN THE GARAGE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO SPEAK BUSINESS. SO I'M HAVING A PROBLEM RUNNING TO THE DOCTOR REGULARLY BEHIND MY BLOOD PRESSURE. I'M JUST HERE ASKING FOR ANY TYPE HELP I COULD GET FROM ANYONE CONCERNING THIS SITUATION. MA'AM, MA'AM. COUNCILMAN CARTER. SO, SO YOU'VE HAD CONVERSATION WITH HPD ON THIS? YES MA'AM. SEVERAL TIMES THEY CAME OUT, THEY SPOKE TO HER, THEY SPOKE TO ME, AND LIKE I SAID, THEY GAVE ME THE AFFIDAVIT, BUT SHE WENT, STEPPED OVER THAT, THE TRESPASSING INSIDE, AND I WAS TAKING DOWN ON THE FENCE. I CALLED THE POLICE BACK OUT, THEY MADE A PUT BACK UP, AND SHE WAS GETTING WORSE AND WORSE. THEN I REALIZED SHE WAS WATCHING ME THROUGH THE WINDOW IN MY KITCHEN. YOU KNOW IT. AND IF I MOVE TO THE BACK OF MY HOUSE, THEY SP SLOT RIGHT BACK THERE AND LISTEN TO EVERYTHING I DO. IF I GO TO THE FRONT OF MY HOUSE, LIKE I DID THE OTHER NIGHT, SLEEP ON THE COUCH. THEY WERE THROWING THINGS AT THE FRONT WINDOW, YOU KNOW, SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS FOR 12 YEARS. THANK YOU. WHERE, WHERE DO YOU LIVE, MS. EVANS? WHERE DO, YEAH, WHERE DO YOU LIVE? YES. I'M OFF OF MLK BEFORE YOU GET TO EDA GENOA IN THE KINGDOM COM PLACE SUBDIVISION. OKAY. WILL YOU TALK TO MR. CARR, THE GENTLEMAN WITH HPD? YES, SIR. TO LET HIM REVIEW YOUR CASE. OKAY. DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE A FAVOR? YOU LIVE BY YOURSELF? WELL, I LIVE ALONE, YES. ALONE? YES. OKAY. WELL TALK TO THAT GENTLEMAN AND WE'LL REVIEW YOUR CASE. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. YES, MA'AM. BE SAFE. NEXT, MARVIN ANSLEY, DIANE ANSLEY, JACQUELINE BROOKS, ABBY, PAMELA, BLACK, KENISHA PRICE, BAYSHORE. GREAT AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, COUNCIL OFFICIALS AND EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE. I'M KENISHA PRICE BESHEAR, THE OWNER OF AND FOUNDER OF KOP CONSULTANT AND POP KNIGHT. KOP CONSULTANT SPECIALIZES IN MARKETING AND EVENT PROMOTION. AND POP KNIGHT IS A VIBRANT ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM, STANDING FOR POETRY, OPEN MIC, AND PAINT. THIS PLATFORM IS DEDICATED TO SHOWCASE AND TALENT COMPETITIONS AND HELPING UPCOMING ARTISTS BUILD THEIR FAN BASE. WE RECENTLY CELEBRATED POP NIGHT'S FIRST ANNIVERSARY, AND DURING OUR LAST COMPETITION, I PROUDLY AWARDED $2,500 TO WIN AN ARTIST WHO ALSO FEATURED ON CW 39 AND FOX 26. TODAY I AM HERE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. I'M NEW TO HOUSTON. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW CAN I COLLABORATE WITH CITY OFFICIALS AND GARNER LOCAL SUPPORT FOR POP KNIGHT, A COMMUNITY-BASED PLATFORM. MY NEXT EVENT IS, UH, INTERNATIONAL MULTICULTURAL SHOWCASE FEATURE AND A DIVERSE LINEUP OF ARTISTS FROM VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS. THIS EVENT WILL INCLUDE VENDORS, FOOD, MUSIC, AND BACK TO SCHOOL GIVEAWAYS, ALONG WITH A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO JAMAICA INDEPENDENCE. OUR, OUR EVENTS IS NOT, UH, JUST [01:25:01] ENTERTAINMENT, BUT ALSO NETWORK AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT ENCOURAGE LEADERSHIP AND THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP. MY GOAL IS TO OFFER WORKSHOPS AND MEMBERSHIP PACKAGES FOR ARTISTS, EQUIPPING THEM WITH SKILLS NEEDED TO SUCCESSFULLY MARKET THEMSELVES TO INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES. I BELIEVE THAT JOINING FORCES WITH THE CITY CAN CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL TALENT AND FOSTER A THRIVING ARTS COMMUNITY. YOUR SUPPORT WILL BE INVALUABLE TO ME, UH, AND ACHIEVING THIS VISION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING AND, UH, BUILDING RELATIONSHIP AND MAKING AN IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. MA'AM, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO ALREADY, UH, IF YOU COULD EMAIL OUR OFFICES INFORMATION ABOUT POP NIGHT, UM, AND, UH, WAYS IN WHICH YOU THINK WE CAN ASSIST. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO READING IT AND GETTING BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, STEVE WILLIAMS. SAVANT MOORE. GOOD AFTERNOON TO THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL. FIRST OF ALL, REST IN POWER TO SHEILA JACKSON LEE. SHE WAS MY CONGRESSWOMAN, THE DISTRICT I GREW UP IN AND WHERE I RESIDE. I'M GRATEFUL THAT I KNEW HER PERSONALLY. SHE TAUGHT ME TO BE EVERYWHERE BECAUSE EVERYONE MATTERS. SO THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR GOING TO NORTHEAST ON SATURDAY. I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT TODAY. I JUST WANT TO READ THE NAMES OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE LOST DURING HURRICANE BARREL. SO REST IN PEACE TO MARIA LAREDO, RUSSELL RICHARDSON, SARAH ELIZABETH, ELON, JOHNNY, COURTNEY J MICHAEL TAYLOR, CHARLES RICHARD ANDERSON, SENIOR CANDY YORK, OSCAR RODRIGUEZ, JAMES EDWARD BUTCHER. BRIAN, KEITH TAYLOR, PAMELA JARRETT, TEMA, FURMAN GERRA, WILLIAM CORRES, JUDY AGREE, LEROY LYONS, MICHAEL LAIR, DAVID SMITH, REBECCA SMITH, CHARLES YEZ, ETHEL CARTER, MICHAEL PREVE, AND RICHARD ROSS. SOME OF THOSE THAT WE LOST WERE FROM POWER LOSS. AND SO ON THURSDAY, WHEN I GO TO AUSTIN, THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION, I'M GONNA SAY THEIR NAMES AGAIN, PUBLIC SERVICE. YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T CHOOSE IT. IT SEEMED TO HAVE CHOSEN US. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. WE CAN'T, UM, FORGET THESE PEOPLE THAT LIVES THAT WERE LOST. WE GOTTA MAKE SURE US AS LEADERS THAT WE PREVENT THIS FROM EVER HAPPENING AGAIN. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THEIR NAMES. 'CAUSE OFTENTIMES WE FORGET THE PEOPLE THAT LOST IN THESE TYPE OF TRAGEDIES. SO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TODAY. THANK YOU. NEXT, DANA JONES. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSEL. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSEL. THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, MY NAME IS AMY JONES. LAST TIME I WAS HERE MAYOR, YOU TOLD ME, YOU SAID GO AND TALK TO SOMEBODY. I TOLD THE WHOLE HORSESHOE, I AM HOMELESS. I STILL AM. I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ANYONE UNTIL YESTERDAY AFTER 3:00 PM SO THAT MEANS ME, A 63-YEAR-OLD WOMAN HOMELESS. MY MAYOR TOLD ME TO GO AND TALK TO SOME LADY. I TOLD HIM I DIDN'T WANT TO TALK TO ANYBODY. I WANTED TO TALK TO HIM. AND THE HORSESHOE, NOBODY CONTACTED ME. THE LADY TOLD ME IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK ON TUESDAY. THERE'S NOBODY I CAN CALL. SO I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ANYBODY UNTIL YESTERDAY AFTER THREE O'CLOCK. SO THAT MEANS I HAD TO SURVIVE UNTIL YESTERDAY, THREE O'CLOCK. SO THAT MEANS THAT I JUST HAD TO DO WHAT I HAD TO DO IN ORDER TO SURVIVE. AND I THINK THAT IT'S ATROCIOUS. I APPRECIATE, I'M GONNA FINISH. I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT, OUT TO THE NORTH SIDE SIDE, MAYOR. I APPRECIATE THAT. I DO. I APPRECIATE YOU COMING. BUT I HAVE TOLD OVER AND OVER WHAT THE SITUATION IS. EVEN ME BEING HOMELESS, I STILL HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR MY NEIGHBORHOOD. WE HAVE A P TO BUY YOUR 1 11 32. THAT NEEDS TO BE CLEANED OUT BECAUSE WHEN IT RAINS, WE ARE GOING TO FLOOD MY HOUSE, WHICH IS NO LONGER OUR HOUSE. IT'S JUST A HUB TO HOLD MY THINGS UNTIL SOMETHING CAN BE DONE, IT IS GOING TO FLOOD. SO I HAVE HERE WHERE IT IS, HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO LOOK WHEN IT'S MAINTAINED. THIS IS HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO LOOK WHEN IT'S MAINTAINED. BUT THIS IS, IT HAS TREE, IT HAS FOUR TREES IN IT. FOUR. SO THE WATER, MY HOUSE, THE WATER'S GONNA BACK UP IN MY DITCH AND THEN BACK ALL THE WAY UP IN MY HOUSE. AND AGAIN, I HAVE ASS OVER AND OVER FOR HELP. I'VE ASKED DR. PLUMMER FOR HELP. HER [01:30:01] OFFICE TRIED TO HELP ME. I'VE ASKED, UM, COUNCILMAN DAVIS FOR HELP. I'VE ASKED MY COUNCILMAN FOR HELP. I AM A HOMELESS LADY. I NEED SOME HELP WITH THE SITUATION WITH MY HOUSE. THE WHOLE ENTIRE HORSESHOE IS AWARE OF IT. NOW, I HAVE TOLD YOU THAT MY PROPERTY, MY STORAGE HOUSE IS SINKING, IS SINKING IN ADDITION TO MY HOUSE IN ADDITION TO MY DRIVEWAY. OKAY? WHAT, WHAT CAUSED THAT IS THE CAUSE HAS BEEN MISAPPROPRIATION FUNDS. SIMPLE NEGLECT, SIMPLE, JUST PEOPLE NOT DOING WHAT THEY SUPPOSED TO DO. AND SO NOW HERE AM I AGAIN? YES MA'AM. A WHOLE WEEK WHEN YOU TOLD ME TO TALK TO SOMEBODY, I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T WANNA TALK TO 'EM. SO HERE I AM AGAIN. MAYOR. OKAY. REBECCA IN MY OFFICE. YOU SAID RESET. I RESET. SO I'M NOT FUSSING, I'M NOT HOLLERING, I'M NOT DOING ANYTHING. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MA'AM. SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SIT DOWN. IT MEANS KEEP WORKING WITH REBECCA IN MY OFFICE. SHE'S AWARE OF YOUR CASE AND SO, SO ME HOMELESS? YES, MA'AM. A WHOLE WEEK NOW. THANK YOU. WE CAN. AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO THE SECOND WEEK OF ME BEING LIKE THAT. THANK YOU. NEXT. THANK YOU, SIR. YOU'RE WELCOME. NEXT MARY, RIGHT? . HI. UM, OKAY, I HAVE TWO ASK TODAY. BOTH OF THEM ARE WITH PUBLIC WORKS. SO MONICA TILLEY, WHO LOST HER BUSINESS NOW ON 11TH BECAUSE NO ONE CAN GET INTO HER BUSINESS, IS ACTUALLY TRYING TO SELL THE REMAINING ITEMS THAT SHE HAS. SHE ASKED, SHE REACHED OUT TO ME BECAUSE HER COUNCIL MEMBER HASN'T REACHED BACK TO HER, REACHED OUT TO ME, WHICH I SENT, UM, AN EMAIL TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S OFFICE. AND JORDAN IS SUPPOSEDLY WORKING ON THAT. ALL SHE'S ASKING FOR IS IF Y'ALL ARE GONNA REMOVE THAT LITTLE SECTION SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY GET INTO HER PARKING LOT, THE MEDIAN THAT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET ON 11TH CLOSE TO SHEPHERD. IF Y'ALL CAN PLEASE PUT THAT IN WRITING OR GET THAT TO HER SO THAT SHE CAN TRY TO MITIGATE HER. DAMN YOU TALKING ABOUT THE DONUT? YOU TALKING ABOUT THE DONUT SHOP? NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE COFFEE SHOP THAT IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE DONUT SHOP. THEY'RE LOOK AT EACH OTHER ON 11. YOU KNOW THE DONUT REVOLUTION? COFFEE IS THE NAME. DONUT SHOP IS BARELY HANGING ON. I KNOW, I KNOW. WELL, REVOLUTION COFFEE THAT IS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 11TH. SAME ISSUES, SAME PROBLEMS, RIGHT. JUST DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE STREET. SHE CLOSED. SHE COULDN'T STAY OPEN. I'M SORRY. AND SO ALL SHE'S ASKING FOR AT THIS POINT IS IF Y'ALL CAN GIVE HER SOMETHING IN WRITING SO THAT SHE CAN TRY TO SELL, YOU KNOW, WITH STUFF THAT SHE HAS BECAUSE THE PERSON THAT'S LOOKING AT RENTING IT WILL BUY THE ITEMS IF THEY RENT IT LIKE HER TABLES AND HER EQUIPMENT. BUT SHE NEEDS SOMETHING TO SHOW THAT Y'ALL ARE REALLY PLANNING ON OPENING UP THE STREET. OKAY. SO JORDAN IS SUPPOSEDLY GETTING THAT FROM PUBLIC WORKS. I HAVE ONE OTHER ITEM FROM PUBLIC WORKS THAT IF YOU CAN GET IT TO ME, I'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION SAID THAT THE TEXAS CHAPTER, MAY I FINISH? SURE. OKAY. SAID THAT THE TEXAS CHAPTER AWARDED AN AWARD FOR THE 11TH STREET PROJECT AND THAT IT WAS THE TEXAS CHAPTER WHO DID IT? SO I GOT IN TOUCH WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND I'VE ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE MARCH. I'VE BEEN ASKING, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT INFORMATION WAS GIVEN TO THE TEXAS CHAPTER OF PUBLIC WORKS WHEN THEY VOTED ON THIS? SOMEONE NOMINATED THE PROJECT AND SOMEONE VOTED ON IT. I KEEP ASKING WHO NOMINATED IT. THE TEXAS CHAPTER WILL NOT RESPOND. SOMEONE IN PUBLIC WORKS HAS TO KNOW WHO NOMINATED IT AND WHAT INFORMATION WAS GIVEN, SAYING THAT THIS WAS A WORK IN PROJECT THAT WAS, I'D LIKE TO, BRIAN, WE'RE WE'RE ON TOP OF IT. IT'S BEING REVIEWED AS WE TALK. SO IF I CAN GET BOTH OF THOSE THINGS. AND THEN THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING THAT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF. UM, AT THE MEETING LAST NIGHT, THE TEARS, THE MONTROSE, UM, TEARS MEETING. THERE WERE HORRIBLE THINGS THAT WERE SAID ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HAD NOMINATED. THEY WERE ATTACKED. YEAH. YEAH. YOU, Y'ALL, YOU NOMINATED THEM. THEY WERE VOTED ON BY EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS HORSESHOE UNANIMOUSLY. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO, AND COUNCIL MEMBER KATHY CAME IN ACTUALLY IS ON TWITTER. YOU CAN LOOK AT IT. I JUST SENT Y'ALL SAYING THINGS ABOUT THE MEMBERS THAT WERE NOMINATED. YEAH, IT JUST, IT HAS TO STOP. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. DON'T WORRY. IT HAS TO STOP IN THE I'M IN THE QUEUE. ACTUALLY, PLEASE. [01:35:01] SO I JUST KNOW FOR THE RECORD, HANG ON. I, I SAID ON MY PERSONAL ACCOUNT, IF ANYONE TELLS YOU WE SHOULD NOT BE PUSHING HARDER THAN EVER FOR MORE FLOOD MITIGATION MM-HMM . MORE DRAINAGE OR MORE RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING BURYING POWER LINES, THEY ARE WRONG. YES. THAT'S SUPPORTING, AND THAT'S OFF OF A-K-H-O-U ARTICLE REFERRING TO THE SAME, THERE IS NOTHING REFERENCING THE TURS. THERE IS NOTHING REFERENCING ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT I HAVE SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR OVER FIVE YEARS THAT WE NEED MORE FLOOD MITIGATION, MORE RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE, MORE DRAINAGE, AND BURY THE POWER LINE. SO, SO THAT WHEN YOU COME AND SPEAK ON THE RECORD UHHUH, UH, AND YOU SAY THAT I HAVE SAID THINGS THAT I HAVE NOT SAID, WE WILL CALL THAT OUT. OKAY. SO THEN CAN I PLEASE THEN WILL WE, Y'ALL, Y'ALL NEED TO GET TOGETHER ON YOUR, SO I BELIEVE MR. STRICKLAND, YOU LITERALLY GAVE AN AWARD TO KEVIN STRICKLAND RECENTLY. NEXT SPEAKER. THANK YOU. WE'RE FINE. MM-HMM . JACOB CLEMENT, OFFICER, SHE DOESN'T POSE A REAL THREAT TO US. GO AHEAD. SERIOUS. THANK YOU. WE'LL TALK TO YOU LATER. ARE YOU SERIOUS? ARE YOU SERIOUS? GO AHEAD. WE'LL TALK LATER. JACOB, WHERE YOU BEEN? OH, PAUL, KAREN. OKAY. AND THEN, ANYWAY, GUYS, UH, ONE LAST THING. UH, WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE PLAYED WITH THE, UH, THOSE UNIVERSITY LINE BUS PEOPLE. BRT IS OMNIBUS BY THE WHO? YEAH. WHAT ON THE OMNIBUS? YEAH. YEAH, BECAUSE THAT'S A GOOFY SONG I LIKE A LOT. BY THE WHO? ANYTHING ELSE? OH, ABOUT WORK. OH, AND GUESS CHOIR WORK. UH, THIS, THEY, THEY HELP, UH, I DON'T WORK FOR THEM DIRECTLY, BUT THEY INDIRECTLY HIRE, HAVE HIRED ME. AND THAT IS NICE BECAUSE, UH, THEY'RE THE, UH, TEXANS AND HEY, THE TEXANS ARE GONNA GO ALL THE WAY TO THE SUPER BOWL THIS YEAR AND THEY'RE GONNA WIN. RIGHT. VERY GOOD. JACOB. THANK YOU. AND THE LAST SPEAKER WE HAVE ONE, ONE THAT WAS, UH, YOU WERE NOT PRESIDENT OF AND PRESIDENT RODNEY UNDERWOOD. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS. HOW ARE YOU DOING? PLEASE, SIR? SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE. CAN YOU HEAR ME BETTER? UH, I'M, UH, ROD UNDERWOOD UPLIFT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. WE DOING WORK IN THIRD WARD IN HOUSTON AREA. WE DOING CLEANUP SERVICES. WE LOOKING TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ANY ENDEAVORS. I WAS HOPING FOR A JOB, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN I FOUND OUT THAT MY COMPANY HAD JUST BEEN ELIMINATED FROM THE CONTRACTOR'S LIST. I'D BEEN DOING WORK, UH, FOR 20 YEARS AND FAR AS, UH, LOT CLEANUPS AND, UH, UH, COVERING JOB, UH, ROOFS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE WERE ALWAYS AVAILABLE AND IT WAS JUST KIND OF UPSETTING TO BE THERE. I SAID, HOW IN THE HECK I DONE EVERYTHING I'M SUPPOSED TO DO, BUT YET STILL NOBODY'S, UH, THEY TELL ME I'VE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE LIST FOR, FOR BASICALLY NO REASON. SO I JUST CAME TO SHARE THAT AND INTRODUCE MYSELF AND, UH, I DON'T WANT TIME YOUR TIME ANY FURTHER THAN THAT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? [RECESS] STAND RECESS. HI, FROM THE ANNA RUSSELL COUNCIL CHAMBER. I'M ABOUT TO READ THE CAPTION OR THE CAP DESCRIPTION OR CAPTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR THE WEEK. JULY 23RD AND 24TH, 2024. ITEM [01:40:01] ONE, PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE FIFTH AMENDED PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN FOR REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 14, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. FOURTH WARD ZONE. ITEM TWO. RECOMMENDATION FROM CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS TO APPROVE THE 2024 CITY OF HOUSTON WATERSHED MASTER PLAN. ITEM THREE, RECOMMENDATION FROM CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL A CONTRACT AMOUNT AND ACCEPTANCE WORK ON CONTRACT WITH HARPER BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION LLC. ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION FROM CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL, A CONTRACT MOUNT AND ACCEPTANCE WORK ON CONTRACT WITH PM. CONSTRUCTION AND REHAB L-L-C-D-B-A-I-P-R, SOUTH CENTRAL. ITEM FIVE, ASSOCIATED SUPPLY COMPANY INC. FOR AL LEE BOY AND CASE LOADER ROAD MACHINERY REPLACEMENT PARTS AND REPAIR SERVICES. ITEM SIX, ROB ROBS TOWN HARDWARE COMPANY DBA KING RANCH AG AND TURF FOR FOR JOHN DEERE AGRICULTURAL MOWERS AND AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT OEM REPLACEMENT PARTS AND REPAIR SERVICES. ITEM SEVEN, APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 1 91 600 AND NO SENSE FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF EFLEX PLEX. SIX BAY TOWER KITS, MAINTENANCE REPAIR EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES. ITEM EIGHT, APPROVED SPREADING AUTHORITY FOR FINAL PAYMENT FOR EMERGENCY CATERING SERVICES FOR THE HOUSTON EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER FOR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AWARDED TO THE FRENCH CORNER HAD IT INTEREST INC. ITEM NINE, CHASTAIN ENTERPRISES HOUSTON, L-L-C-D-B-H TAIN FORD FOR PURCHASE OF A CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION VAN. ITEM 10 APPROVED SPRINTING AUTHORITY FOR LEGAL NOTICE PUBLICATIONS FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE. ITEM 11, WALKER INC. TO FURNISH AND INSTALL ONE WALKER INDUSTRIAL DENOMINATOR. ITEM 12, APPROVED SPRINTING AUTHORITY FOR EMERGENCY REPAIR OF GROUNDWATER WELL MOTORS TO NORTH SIDE ELECTRIC MOTORS. ITEM 13 TRA TEXAS TRAFFIC LLC FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF TRAFFIC SIGNAL EQUIPMENT. ITEM 14, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ISSUANCE OF LETTER OF APPROVAL TO MERLIN E-M-S-L-L-C. ITEM 15, ORDINANCE APPROVING ISSUANCE OF BONDS BY HARRISBURG. WE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ITEM 16, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE DIOCESE OF GALVESTON HOUSTON. ITEM 17, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING COMPROMISE SETTLEMENT RELEASING INDEMNITY AGREEMENTS BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND RAMON PINEDA AND CITY OF HOUSTON AND MARIA PINEDA. ITEM 18 ORDINANCE FINDING AND DETERMINING PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY INTEREST IN CONNECTION WITH THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECT KNOWN AS THE GEORGIA BROWN PREVENTION CENTER TRANSFORMATION PROJECT. ITEM 19 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ACCENTURE LLP ITEM 20. ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 20 22 0 5 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT. APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND DELOITTE CONSULTING LLP AND A 21 ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 20 23 10 36 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM SPENDING AUTHORITY INVOLVING AND AUTHORIZING APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT TO PURCHASE ORDER. ADDENDUM WITH EVOLVE HOUSTON. ITEM 22, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND FRASER LLTD. ITEM 23. ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING 16 MILLION AND NO CENTS OUT OF AIRPORTS RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT FUND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING TWO DERIVATIVE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CHAMBERLAIN DALLAS, LLC AND D SEVEN ROOFING AND METAL LLC ITEM 24 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDING THROUGH THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT FOR THE URBAN INDOOR RECREATION GRANT PROGRAM. ITEM 25 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDING THROUGH THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT FOR THE URBAN OUTDOOR RECREATION GRANT PROGRAM. ITEM 26, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $250,228 AND NO CENTS OUT OF PARKS CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND. ITEM 27 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO UNTREATED WATER SUPPLY CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ONE OKAY HYDROCARBON LP ITEM 28, ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 91.7444 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 4 1 0 ITEM 29. ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING 3,195,000 NO CENTS. ITEM OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM WITH LADY CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARDING CONTRACT TO T CONSTRUCTION LLC. THIS IS THE END OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. A NON-CONSENT AGENDA. ITEM 30, SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE REGARDING THE AMENDMENT OF ARTICLE 16, CHAPTER 40 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES. ITEM 31, SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE REGARDING PROPOSED AMENDMENTS OF THE CITY'S TAX ABATEMENT ORDINANCE. [01:45:02] I'M SORRY TO SUGGEST HERE THAT THE NUMBER 30 WAS, UH, WEDNESDAY, 9:00 AM AUGUST 14TH. THIS JUST A HEARING DATE FOR ITEM 31. IT'S WEDNESDAY, 9:00 AM AUGUST 21ST, 2024 ITEM UNDER THE MATTERS HELD CATEGORY. ITEM 32 IS A WRITTEN MOTION BY CONST MEMBER PEC TO AMEND. ITEM 33, TAB BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS IS PASSAGE OF THE AMENDMENT IS CONTINGENT UPON PASSAGE OF ITEM 33. BELOW ITEM 33 IS AN ORDINANCE MADE IN CHAPTER TWO OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCE HOUSTON, TEXAS, TAB BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THIS IS ITEM THREE ON AGENDA OF JULY 17TH. ITEM 34 SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION NO OBJECTION FOR THE 4% TAX CREDIT APPLICATION. IT WAS SUGGESTED HEARING DATE 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, JULY 31ST TAB. COUNCILMAN THOMAS. THIS WAS ITEM 10 ON, ON AGENDA OF JULY 17TH. ITEM 35 IS A RESOLUTION OF ADOPTING RECOMMENDATION OF CITY ATTORNEY TO ASSIGN ACCOUNTS OVERLAPPING WITH HUMBLE CLEAR CREEK, SPRING BRANCH, PASADENA LEY, GALENA PARK, KLEIN, FORT BEND, AND ALDEN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THIS WAS TAB COUNCILMAN THOMAS. THIS WAS ITEM 13 ON AGENDA OF JULY 17TH, 2024. THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF JULY 24TH, 2024. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM I WANNA WISH A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR IT GUY AL BIAS. HIS BIRTHDAY IS TOMORROW. ALSO THE AGENDA OFFICE. KAREN KELLY. HER BIRTHDAY WAS JULY THE 10TH. THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE. LARRY BOROUGH. HIS BIRTHDAY WAS JULY 13TH. WE KNOW WE HAVE TOO MANY JULY BIRTHDAYS TO SAY. SO EVERYBODY IN THE BIRTH END, THE MONTH OF JULY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY. AND WITH THAT, IN THE WORDS OF THE CITY SECRETARY, PAT JEFFERSON. DANNY, 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. THANK YOU MADAM SECRETARY. YOU WELCOME MY NUMBER ONE FAN [RECONVENE] THIS MORNING. I KNOW WE'RE ALL BUSY, BUT THAT'S, UH, WHY WE'RE HERE. UH, [MAYOR'S REPORT] IN TERMS OF THE MAYOR'S REPORT, I WANT TO ACTUALLY, I WANT TO STOP RIGHT HERE AND HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN RESPECT. AND, UH, PLEASE PRAY FOR CONGRESSWOMAN JACKSON'S FAMILY AND, UH, RESPECT HER WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE. AMEN. I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN WILL LIE IN STATE IN THE, UH, CITY HALL ROTUNDA MONDAY FROM UH, 9:00 AM TO 7:00 PM IT'S BEEN DONE ONCE BEFORE FROM DR. MICHAEL DEBAKEY. UM, REFLECTING ON THE BEST WAY TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE HER PUBLIC SERVICE, I THOUGHT THAT CERTAINLY EVERYONE WOULD JOIN ME IN SAYING CONGRESSWOMAN JACKSON SHOULD LIE STATE. UH, THE PLANS WOULD BE, WOULD COUNCIL'S COOPERATION AND APPROVAL WOULD MEET IN THE LEGACY ROOM AT EIGHT 30 MONDAY. WE'LL HAVE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT AND GO AS A GROUP TO GREET THE FAMILY ON THE STEPS OF CITY HALL SHARPLY AT NINE O'CLOCK. THERE'D BE A SHORT SERVICE AND THEN WE CAN, UH, GO TO ROTUNDA AND PAY OUR RESPECTS. UM, THE FAMILY WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE. I THINK IT'S, IT'S CERTAINLY APPROPRIATE THAT SHE COME BACK TO CITY HALL WHERE SHE SERVED OVER 30 YEARS AGO. UM, I COULD GO AND SPEND A LOT OF TIME GIVING Y'ALL THE BACKGROUND OF THE CONGRESSWOMAN AND I WORKING TOGETHER OVER 30 YEARS. SHE RAN FOR JUDGE TWICE 86, 88, UH, OUTTA MY SENATE OFFICE. SOMEONE FROM INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS SAID, YOU'VE GOTTA MEET THIS DYNAMIC YOUNG LADY. SO WE DID. WE GAVE HER A PRIVATE PHONE AND A LITTLE PRIVATE LOCATION. PRIVATE MEANING IT WASN'T IN MY SENATE OFFICE, BUT ADJOINING. UM, SHE DIDN'T MAKE THE JUDICIAL RACES. THEN KATHY WHITMEYER PUT HER ON MUNICIPAL COURTS AND SHE GOT ELECTED TO COUNCIL. SO FOR OVER 30 YEARS, SHE AND I SERVED THE SAME COMMUNITIES. UH, SAME BANQUETS, SAME SCHOOL EVENTS, SAME CHURCHES. WE WERE ACTUALLY, UH, COLLEAGUES AND, AND SUPPORTED ONE ANOTHER. SHE ENDORSED ME, I ENDORSED HER. AND THEN, UM, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY HOURS I'VE SPENT MY LIFE WAITING FOR HER TO GET THROUGH SPEAKING, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS A LONG TIME. AND THEN, AND THEN, AND THEN MAYOR TURNER WAS OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE. SO WE, WE'D GO INTO ORDER OF, UH, [01:50:01] IMPORTANCE AND IT WOULD BE DUE TO OUR OFFICE THAT WE HELD. UH, THE CONGRESSWOMAN WOULD GO FIRST, THEN I'D GO AS THE SENATOR, AND THEN SYLVESTER TURNER WOULD GO AS THE STATE REP. SO, YOU KNOW, , SHE WOULD GO ON AND ON BECAUSE OF HER PASSION AND, UH, LOVE OF HER CONSTITUENTS. AND PEOPLE WOULD ASK ME, WHEN IS SHE GONNA BE THROUGH? AND I SAID, WELL, THAT'S SHEILA BEING SHEILA. AND THAT WAS IN A VERY, UH, FAVORABLE STATEMENT OF SHE'S GOING TO QUIT WHEN SHE GETS THROUGH BECAUSE SHE HAS SOMETHING TO DO. SO I JUST WAS LOOKING FOR THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO HONOR HER. I THINK WE CAN ALL DISCUSS GOING FORWARD. I THINK THE ONE IDEA I HAVE IS THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER IN AKER'S HOME WHERE SHE SPENT DAYS AND YEARS MEETING WITH HER. CONSTITUENTS COULD BE NAMED IN HER HONOR. BUT TODAY, UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR HER IN THE CITY ROTUNDA. AND I KNOW YOU JOINED ME. UH, MONDAY WILL BE A CHALLENGING DAY FOR ME. I'VE GOT TO LEAVE THAT SERVICE AND GET TO FORT BEND TO RES PAY OUR RESPECTS TO OUR CIVILIAN HPD EMPLOYEE RUSSELL RICHARDSON, WHO WILL BE LAID TO REST IN SUGAR LAND ON MONDAY AT 11. AND I'VE GOT TO LEAVE THAT SERVICE AND GET TO AUSTIN FOR A SENATE HEARING ON HOLDING CENTER POINT ACCOUNTABLE. I'LL PROBABLY ARRIVE IN AUSTIN ROUND TWO. THEY'RE GONNA ALLOW ME SPEAK WHEN I ARRIVE, SO I'LL DO MY BEST TO REPRESENT YOUR VIEWS THAT CENTERPOINT MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. MUST DO BETTER GET THEIR, UH, OUTAGE DETECTION SYSTEM UP AND GET READY FOR THE NEXT STORM. UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO MY COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE WHO HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE ON HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. THE PUC WILL BE THERE, SO, UH, THAT'LL BE A BUSY DAY. UM, WE'RE STILL IN A RECOVERY MODE FROM BURL. I WAS IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON, UH, SATURDAY. YOU CANNOT BELIEVE, AND I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN IT IN YOUR COMMUNITIES, BUT NORTHEAST WAS PARTICULARLY HIT HARD BY THE DESTRUCTION BROUGHT ABOUT BY TALL PINE TREES, 75 FOOT PINE TREES, 75 YEARS OLD, JUST COMPLETELY THROUGH. I KNOW THE BENNETTS WHO GOT COVERAGE AND EVERYONE WAS THERE TO ASSIST. UH, THEN I WAS TAKEN BY COMMUNITY LEADERS NORTH OF BELTWAY EIGHT, WHICH WAS NOT EVEN IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT PEOPLE WERE STILL DESPERATE FOR ASSISTANCE. SO WE WENT THERE. I'VE HAD SOLID WASTE GO BACK TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE WAS, WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THE TREES OFF SOME OF THE HOUSES OUT TO THE FRONT YARD FOR PICKUP. SO WE HAVE A LOT LEFT TO DO. BUT AS I SAID LAST WEEK, UM, I WANT TO GET THE DIRECTOR OF THE EMERGENCY CENTER HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR PREPARATION, WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHERE WE'RE GOING FORWARD. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE GET TO CENTER POINT EXECUTIVES OVER HERE IN A COMMITTEE HEARING OR THE ECONOMIC COMMITTEE, UH, MA'AM AND RESILIENCY AND MAYBE THE RESILIENCY COMMITTEE, UH, TO MEET TOGETHER. I THINK HOPEFULLY THE ECONOMIC COMMITTEE WILL ATTRACT EVERYONE. BUT, UM, I'LL LEAVE IT TO THE, UH, JUDGMENT OF THOSE CHAIRS. BUT THAT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HOLD AT LEAST GET INFORMATION FROM CENTER POINT AND, UH, HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AS WE GO FORWARD. WITH THAT SAID, UH, I WOULD ASK DIRECTOR MUNOZ TO COME FORWARD. UM, HE'S THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY. UM, I WOULD ALSO, BEFORE HE STARTS, ENCOURAGE ALL THE MEMBERS, UH, TO VISIT THE EMERGENCY CENTER. IN FACT, I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE GONNA DO A, UH, REVIEW THERE FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, TO SEE THE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT WORK AROUND THE CLOCK IN THE DISPATCH CENTER. AND, UH, EQUALLY IMPORTANT HOW PREPARED THEY ARE AROUND THE CLOCK. THEY DON'T WAIT FOR A STORM, UH, UNDER . IT WAS SUDDEN AND INTENSE AND THEY WERE PREPARED. SO EVERY STORM IS UNIQUE, HAS DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S A BETTER PERSON IN THE UNITED STATES TO HANDLE THESE CRISIS [01:55:01] THAN, UH, THE TOM MUNOZ THAT'S BEFORE US TODAY. TOM, I'LL YIELD TO YOU. UH, WOULD YOU START BY GIVING US AN INTRODUCTION OF YOUR BACKGROUND AND HOW YOU GAIN THE EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAVE TODAY? YES, SIR. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, SO BACKGROUND. I, I KNOW ABOUT RESILIENCY. I GREW UP IN THE AR GRANDE VALLEY AND, AND GOVERNMENT HOUSING. SO I'VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY, WHAT IT MEANS NOT TO HAVE ELECTRICITY AND, UH, NOT BY CHOICE SOMETIMES. 'CAUSE YEAH, WE COULDN'T, UH, I KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF ICE AND I THINK THAT'S WHY GOD PUT ME WHERE I AM TODAY. UM, I DID, UH, GRADUATE FROM UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE. I THEN GOT TWO MASTER'S DEGREES IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, HOMELAND SECURITY, AND WORKING ON A THIRD IN CRISIS COMMUNICATION OUT OF THE LOVE I HAVE FOR WHAT I DO. UM, MY CAREER WISE, HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT PROUD MEMBER ROSE UP TO THE RANKS OF ASSISTANT CHIEF OF HOMELAND SECURITY WHILE DOING MY WORK WITH THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, CAPTAIN OF THE HAZMAT TEAM, WHICH IS A, A PROUD ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR MYSELF, UH, BEING AS A SPECIALIZED TEAM. WITH THAT, ALSO AS MY POSITION AS AN ASSISTANT CHIEF, I WAS ABLE TO GET GRANTS. I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VULNERABLE COMMUNITY. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE LARGEST GRANT IN THE COUNTRY FOR SMOKE ALARMS FOR THE DEAF YEARS. WERE 24 YEARS, SIR, WITH THE FIRE. 24. YEAH. UM, 24 YEARS FROM THERE, RETIRED. UH, BUT DURING THAT PROCESS I WAS ALSO SELECTED AND ELECTED AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMITTEE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS. UM, AND SO I LEARNED A LOT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ON CRISIS IN THE CITY AND WHAT IT MEANS, THE, THE GREAT MEN AND WOMEN THAT WE HAVE WORKING FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, THE COAST GUARD EXPERIENCE. I WENT IN AS A PETTY OFFICER. I THEN, UM, WAS SELECTED FOR OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AND I DID 20, UH, FIVE YEARS WITH THEM. 21, EXCUSE ME. UM, AND I WAS ABLE TO, UM, GO AHEAD AND RETIRE AS A COMMANDER, UH, WITH THE US COAST GUARD. DURING THAT PROCESS, I WAS ACTIVATED TO SOME MAJOR STORMS. UH, MY LAST DEPLOYMENT WAS PUERTO RICO, WHERE I WAS THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS LIAISON OFFICER AS WELL AS OVERSEEING ST. CROIX IN SOUTH PART OF PUERTO RICO. SO A LOT OF THAT. UM, AND IN BETWEEN THAT I WAS ALSO APPOINTED AND I'M CURRENTLY APPOINTED, UH, TO THE FEMA NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHICH IS AN APPOINTMENT BY THE FEMA ADMINISTRATOR, UH, AND BLESSED BY THE WHITE HOUSE. SO THAT'S A, THAT'S BIG KUDOS TO WHAT THE CITY HAS PROVIDED. AND, UM, MY EDUCATION ALSO INCLUDED NAVAL POST GRADUATE SCHOOL, UH, EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, AS WELL AS, UH, EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP COMPLETION OF NOTRE DAME, UH, FOR THE EXECUTIVE PROGRAM AS WELL, AND THE NATIONAL, UH, INTELLIGENCE UNIVERSITY IN WASHINGTON. SO THAT SUMS IT UP. LET ME CUT TO THE CHASE. WHAT'S THE KEY TO PREPARATION? THE KEY TO PREPARATION MAYOR IS EXPERIENCING IT AND HAVING THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE, THAT I'VE DONE, NOT ONLY THROUGH THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHERE YOU SEE THE IMPACT OF WHAT GOES ON WITHIN THE CITY, BUT ALSO AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL OF SEEING HOW THE LOGISTICS WORK, SEEING THE IMPORTANCE OF, WE TALKED ABOUT COMMUNICATION ALL THE TIME. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I'VE GATHERED THROUGHOUT MY YEARS. AND I EVEN CONSIDER MY CHILDHOOD YEARS AS PART OF THE PREPARATION TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING AND WHY THAT COMPASSION COMES IN. SO THAT ALL THOSE COMBINED WITH FIRE COAST GUARD LIFE EXPERIENCES HAS REALLY GOT ME TO THIS POSITION AND, AND, UH, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MOVE FORWARD. SO YES SIR. NOW I'M GONNA HIT SOME HIGHLIGHTS ON THE ACTUAL TIMELINE. AS I MENTIONED TWO WEEKS AGO, WE WERE NOT, WE STARTED NOTICING THE, UH, TROPICAL STORM FORMED IN JUNE 28TH. THEN OF COURSE, IT INTENSIFIED JULY 2ND. WE HAD OUR FIRST TEEM CALL, UH, WITH WEATHER CALLS CITYWIDE DECISION MAKERS ON THE CALL ON JULY 2ND AS WELL. JULY 3RD, WE STARTED HAVING OUR TACTICAL DISCUSSIONS WITH O-E-M-H-F-D-H-P-D PUBLIC WORK SOLID WASTE. THE SAME DAY, JULY 3RD, WE STARTED HAVING TACTICAL HURRICANE PREPARATION DISCUSSIONS WITH US COAST GUARD AND THEIR AIR OPERATIONS DI DISCUSSIONS AS WELL. AT THE SAME TIME, WE WERE STILL MONITOR, WORKING JULY 4TH, FREEDOM FEST. WE WERE MONITORING, UH, THE COPA THAT SAME DAY. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WE CLOSED THAT DOWN AND WENT INTO THE NATURAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS THAT WE WERE DOING. UH, WE STARTED MONITORING THE, UH, THE STORM, OBVIOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS. JULY 5TH, THROUGH THE COORDINATION CALLS, UH, H-F-D-H-P-D, SPECIAL OPERATIONS OF WATER SIDE DIVISIONS, I WAS ALREADY STARTED PRESETTING THEIR, THEIR EQUIPMENT, COORDINATING THEIR ROSTERS, MAKING SURE THAT [02:00:01] THEIR MEN AND WOMEN WERE READY TO RESPOND SHOULD IT SHIFT. UM, JULY 5TH, WE ALSO STARTED SENDING OUT EMAILS, UH, TO COUNCIL AND, AND STAFFERS ABOUT THE TRACK OF THE STORM. WE STARTED DOING OUR FIRST MEDIA REQUEST ON JULY 5TH AS WELL. UH, JULY 6TH, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BRIEFINGS THAT WE HAD WITH OEM STAFF. ASSIGNMENTS WERE GIVEN, OEM UH, ASSIGNMENTS WERE THEN PRE DESIGNATED AND READY TO RESPOND. UM, THEN ON JULY 7TH, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE STILL GETTING INFORMATION, IT WAS GONNA BE HEADING MORE TOWARDS, IT WAS COMING TOWARDS THE EAST, WE STARTED GETTING READY FOR THAT. WE ACTIVATED, UM, ON, WE MADE THE DECISION TO ACTIVATE ON JULY 7TH. AND I MEAN, FULLY ACTIVATION, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT PRIOR TO THAT, WE STILL HAD THE VIRTUAL ACTIVATIONS HAVING THE MEETINGS, THE TEAMS CALLS THE MONITOR AND WE'RE HAVING UP TO THREE A DAY. UM, THE HECK WAS ACTIVATED, WHICH WHAT THAT MEANS, NOT ONLY FROM THE OEM SIDE, BUT NINE NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS WERE BOUGHT IN TO BE ABLE TO ABSORB THE FOLLOWING MORNING, SHOULD IT SHIFT. SO WE WERE, WE ALREADY HAD THEM IN PLACE. UM, PRIOR TO THE STORM ALSO ON JULY 7TH, WE WERE ALREADY IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE NGOS, WITH THE RED CROSS. WE WERE SALVATION ARMY, ALL THE VOADS, ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE AGENCIES THAT HELP IN THE EVENT. WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A DISASTER, COMES A SWING TOWARDS US. UM, ONCE ON LANDFALL, WE WERE ALREADY THERE READY TO RESPOND THAT SAME DAY. 'CAUSE OF THE PRE-PLANNING FINANCE WAS ABLE TO GIVE THE INTERNAL ORDER, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT IN OUR BUSINESS BECAUSE THAT, THAT FINANCE INTERNAL ORDER ALLOWS US TO START CAPTURING ALL THE, THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE INFORMATION THAT'S NEEDED FOR THOSE NUMBERS THAT THE STATE AND FEMA REQUIRE DOLLAR AMOUNTS, WHICH THAT SETS A TRIGGER FOR THE CATEGORIES THAT ARE ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE. UM, JULY 9TH TEEM WAS ALREADY SETTING UP WHAT WE CALL THEIR RESOURCE STAGING AREA, NRG. THAT'S THROUGH THE REQUESTS, THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT'S TAKEN PLACE. UM, AND THEN AT THE SAME TOKEN, THIS STORM WAS DEFINITELY WIDE IMPACT. WHAT WE LOOK AT IS THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WE HAD 29 HOSPITALS IN THE REGION THAT WENT INTO, INTO INTERNAL DISASTER. WHAT THAT MEANS IS EITHER THEY HAD LIGHT ISSUES, ELECTRICITY ISSUES, COMMUNICATION ISSUES. AND WHAT THAT DOES IS OBVIOUSLY BACKLOG THE PATIENTS. SO WE REQUESTED A MEDICAL SHELTER THAT CAME IN ON JULY 9TH, THEY STARTED SETTING UP AND THAT WAS AN INTAKE TO SET UP 250 MEDICAL BEDS FOR PATIENTS AT THE NRG. AND THAT, THAT WAS A, A VERY ROBUST RESPONSE FROM THEM. PART OF THAT PROCESS WAS ALSO GETTING THOSE TEAMS THAT WE HAD ALREADY BEEN TALKING ABOUT PRIOR TO LANDFALL. WE STARTED MEETING WITH OUR, OUR CATASTROPHIC MEDICAL OPERATION CENTER INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ABLE TO START TRACKING THOSE HOSPITALS. AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT THEY ARE NOW OUT IN OUR EOC. PRIOR TO THAT, THAT WE'RE IN ANOTHER COUNTY, THEY DECIDED TO COME OVER WITH US. SO NOW WE HAVE THEM. SO WE COULD BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT HOSPITAL COUNTS WE HAVE, WHAT TYPE OF DAMAGES, AND WE'RE ABLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE. UM, AS FAR AS TUM SETTING UP, I DID MENTION WE HAD 250 BEDS SET UP ONCE THE STORM HAPPENED. 'CAUSE OF THE PRE-STAGING ON THE FIRST NIGHT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF THAT, HFD WAS ABLE TO RESPOND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORM TO 3003 CALLS, WHICH INCLUDED, UM, 800, I MEAN 82 HIGH WATER RESCUES. THAT'S IN CONJUNCTION WITH HPD, WHO WAS ABLE TO DO 56 HIGH WATER RESCUES. BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN, BECAUSE OF THE PRE POSTURE THAT HAD BEEN TAKEN, HFD WAS ABLE TO RESPOND TO 747 LIVE WIRE CALLS. AND OUR NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS, THE NORMAL CALL VOLUMES, 10,000 PER DAY IN TWO DAYS. OUR NINE ONE ONE EMERGENCY CALL TAKERS TOOK 48,500 CALLS. AND THAT IS 'CAUSE OF THE PRE-POSITIONING THAT HAD ALREADY TAKEN PLACE IN ANTICIPATION WHAT COULD OCCUR. OBVIOUSLY WE COULD NOT HAVE SEEN THAT 2.1, ALMOST 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE ELECTRICITY, WHICH CHANGED THE, CHANGED THE INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT OUR PRE-STAGING, OUR PRE-PLANNING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ALLOWED US TO REACT, UH, THAT WAY. UM, THEN OF COURSE, NOW MOVING FORWARD JULY 16TH, WE STARTED THE RECOVERY PROCESS, WHICH WE'RE CO COORDINATING WITH NOW. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE OF THE CAPTURING THE PLANNING WE'VE DONE BEFORE, WE WERE ABLE, THE NUMBERS, THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO SET UP. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE STATE HAS A THRESHOLD OF 53 MILLION TO START GETTING THAT FEDERAL [02:05:01] AID. THE COUNTY HAS 21 MILLION US ALONE HAVE DONE $125 MILLION OF DAMAGE THAT WE CAPTURED. AND THAT INCLUDES A PREPAREDNESS, IT'S A CATEGORY A'S, OR DEBRIS. AND THEN CATEGORY B, WHICH IS THE BULK OF THE, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE PREPAREDNESS IS THE FIRST RESPONDERS. EVERYTHING THAT'S DONE TO PREPARE FOR THAT. SO THAT IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE, OF THE ACTUAL TIMELINE, SIR. UH, AND I'LL MOVE ON TO WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE NOW, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT OR IF ANY QUESTIONS. UM, SO AS I MENTIONED, 29 HOSPITALS, 19 CITY OF HOUSTON PROPER, UH, 2.2 WITHOUT ELECTRICITY. AND WE WERE HAVING TO START THE LOGISTICS. WE CREATED A OEM MC@HOUSTONTEXT.ORG AND THAT WAS OUR MASS CARE. 'CAUSE SO MUCH WAS COMING IN THAT IT WAS, WE WERE HAVING TO CAPTURE THAT. UH, WE HAD ALL HANDS ON DECK OBVIOUSLY, THAT WE'RE GETTING THAT INFORMATION. AT THE SAME TIME AS WE WERE HAVING TO DEAL WITH THIS STORM, WE HAD OUR HEAT ACTIVATION AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE HEAT COMPOUNDED WITH NO ELECTRICITY WAS A HUGE CONCERN FOR US. SO WE WERE ABLE, IN THE BEGINNING, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS WE HAD ALREADY PRE-DESIGNATED ONLY TWO HAD NO ELECTRICITY. I MEAN, YEAH, HAD ELECTRICITY, EXCUSE ME. SO THAT WAS LIKE WE HAD TO GO TO PLAN B. SO OBVIOUSLY WITH OUR NGOS AND OUR PRIVATE INDUSTRIES AND UH, THE, THE, THE YMCA AND SO FORTH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT. SO WE IDENTIFIED 61 SITES WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK. WE HAD 64,000 PEOPLE REGISTER FOR COOLING CENTERS. BUT THAT SUCCESS WAS ALSO BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE FROM A RA AND DIRECTOR PAEZ AND HER STAFF BILLY RUDOLPH. WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER THE Z TRIPS THROUGH THAT PROCESS. AND METRO WAS OBVIOUSLY HELPING. BUT AGAIN, THE, THE PRE DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS HAVE TO BE CLEARED. ROADS HAVE TO BE CLEARED. YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT LIVE WIRES. HOW DO WE GET TO POINT A TO POINT B? SO THAT WAS HELPFUL FOR US. Z TRIPS, 448 PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY, WHICH IS GREAT FOR US. UM, AND CENTER POINT, I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, UH, 3 1 1 SINCE WE HAD ALREADY SET UP SIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS ALREADY HAD THEIR STAFF AND THEY TOOK AN ADDITIONAL 3000 CALLS FOR PEOPLE JUST WANTING INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF CENTERPOINT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THEY EXPERIENCED. THE OTHER THING THAT THEY ALSO TOOK THE CALLS ON WERE WE, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS FOCUS ON FROM THE COMPASSIONATE SIDE OF THE HOUSE IS THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. AND HOW DO THEY GET THAT HELP? THEY WERE ABLE TO DO 10 TRANSPORTATION CALLS FOR MEDICALLY FRAGILE PEOPLE THAT NEEDED THAT COULDN'T JUST GET A NORMAL VEHICLE. UM, ICE AND WATER DISTRIBUTION. WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THAT AND I'LL HIT SOME HIGHLIGHTS. WE HAD FIVE STRATEGICALLY PLACED POINTS OF DISTRIBUTION. WHAT WE LOOK AT IS, LET'S LOOK AT THOSE. BUT I GOT, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE AXIS, RIGHT? WE HAVE, WE OFFERED Z TRIPS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE GET THAT? WE DID THE FLYERS, WE DID THAT. AND THE REASON FOR THAT, SIR, IS THAT ICE WAS A COMMODITY. THAT WAS IN, EVERYBODY WAS LOOKING AT, LOOKING AT TEEM, THEY HAD THEIR ISSUES AS WELL AS GETTING IT. WE WERE HAVING TO GET ICE FROM KENTUCKY WITH THAT. AND SOMEONE SAID IS THAT WE WERE TALKING IN, IN LATE IN THE EVENING, UH, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE STATE THAT DAY GOT HIT, 121 COUNTIES WERE IMPACTED AND FEMA HAS 13 CURRENT DISASTERS THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH, RIGHT? SO EVERYBODY WAS AFTER THAT SAME, THE HOT COMMODITY, WHICH WAS NO PUN INTENDED, WAS WAS ICE. SO WE WERE HAVING, NORMALLY WE WOULD GET IT FROM INTERNAL, BUT THEN THEY WERE GOING TO ALABAMA. AND THEN WE DECIDED TO MAKE THE DECISION AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR TO INSTEAD OF WAITING, 'CAUSE WE WERE IN THE WAITING LINE AND COUNCILMAN PECK, SHE EXPERIENCED US GETTING TOLD IT'S IN ROUTE. WE'D CALL HER, HEY, IT'S EN ROUTE. AND THEN, AND I WOULD GET THOSE FRUSTRATIONS. AND I GOTTA SAY THAT MAYOR, THE COMPASSION THAT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND EVERYONE HERE IN THE, IN THE COUNCIL MEMBER SHOW, IT'S SO IMPORTANT. 'CAUSE I COULD TELL THAT, THAT FRUSTRATION, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I, AT SOME POINT I EVEN HUNG UP AND I TOLD THE STAFF, WE GOTTA MAKE IT HAPPEN. AND I CALLED THAT VENDOR AND SAID, WHAT JUST HAPPENED? I, AND I SAW HER, I THINK SHE HAD TEARS IN HER EYES BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE WAITING. SO THAT'S WHEN I, WE TALKED TO THE STAFF, WE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO PURCHASE FIVE TRAILERS OF ICE. WHAT'S IT [02:10:01] COST? APPROXIMATELY 200,000, SIR, FOR FIVE TRAILERS, 18 WHEELERS, 30,000 AND HERE. AND WHY DON'T YOU PRE-POSITION THAT ICE BEFORE THE STORM? SO SIR, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. WE COULD PRE-POSITION THAT, RIGHT? THE QUESTION IS, WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT WE, I DON'T, WE, IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA TO PUT 'EM IN THE IMPACT ZONE. AND WHAT DO I MEAN BY IMPACT ZONE? SO A TRAILER WITH 40,000 POUNDS GOING TO THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT CAN BE TIPPED OVER WITH 50, 45 TO 55 MILE AN HOUR WINDS. AND, AND NOT TO MENTION THAT WHERE YOU POSITION IT, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THAT AREA IS NOT GONNA BE IMPACTED? HOW DO WE KNOW THAT DEBRIS OR TREES AREN'T GONNA FALL IN THAT TRAILER? WHO'S GONNA MAN THOSE TRAILERS? SECURITY ISSUES? SO THAT'S A PERFECT SCENARIO. BUT THE END RESULT, IF WE WERE, AND WE LOOK AT THE 11 DISTRICTS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OUR GOAL TO DO THAT. AND THE THING IS THAT WE RE WE DO WE PRE-POSITION AND THEN HAVE THAT STORM. 'CAUSE IF YOU RECALL, WE WERE GETTING, JUST LOOKING AT THE PERIMETERS OF THOSE WIND CONDITIONS BETWEEN 39 AND 65. HOWEVER, IN SOME AREAS WE WERE HIT WITH 75 TO 90, 98 MILE AN HOUR WINDS. SO THAT INVESTMENT THAT WE WOULD'VE MADE IF WE DO ALL SITES DOING THE MATH AND WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE, IS APPROXIMATELY 1.2 MILLION A DAY. AND TO HAVE THOSE PRE-POSITIONED, HOW DO WE DO THAT? AND HOW DO WE NOT GUARANTEE OR GIVE YOU THE GUARANTEE, NOTHING'S GONNA HAPPEN. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT, THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE CONTINUOUSLY IN EACH STORM AND, AND THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE AND MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE ON THE AVERAGE TWO TO THREE DAYS TO START GETTING THOSE LOGISTICS. RIGHT. AND SO THOSE ARE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE. NOT TO MENTION AS I, I HAD MENTIONED EARLIER THAT SOME OF THOSE SITES WERE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY. WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ACCESS TO THE ROADS AND TO THE AREAS. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT THE LONG TERM BULL MARROWS TO HAVE THAT. BUT WE HAD TO LOOK AT THAT. SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THOSE SCENARIOS AND WORST CASE SCENARIOS AND WHAT'S THE RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT AT THAT TIME. SO THAT'S THE HARD DECISIONS THAT HAD TO BE MADE. BUT WE DID GET THE ICE. UM, AND AS A RESULT OF WHAT WE DID, AND THROUGH ALL THE COORDINATIONS, ONCE THE BATTLE RHYTHM WAS ESTABLISHED INTO DAY FOUR AND FIVE, NOT ONLY THROUGH TEEM, BUT THROUGH OURSELVES AS FAR AS LOGISTICS. THIS MAY NOT EVEN BE FA NOT FOR TEUM. YOU WANT TO YES. THAT'S TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS THE STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, WHICH WE COLLABORATE WITH AND DEPEND ON. YEAH. OH, ABSOLUTELY, SIR. UM, YOU RECALL, YOU KNOW, AND THEM KID WAS IN OUR OFFICE WITHIN THIS THIRD DAY, ALONG WITH LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, ACTING GOVERNOR, TRYING TO SEE WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND, AND HOW DO WE GET THOSE NUMBERS RIGHT. SO, BUT AGAIN, EVERYBODY WAS GOING AFTER THE SAME SUPPORT, WHICH IS 121 COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE AREA. UM, 106,000, UH, RESIDENTS WERE, DID GET THE ICE. THAT'S WAS THROUGH THE SEA PODS THAT WE HAD, OR PODS AS I CALL 'EM. SO WE HAD THAT, WE HAD OUR FIVE PODS, WHICH WERE ACRES HOME, NORTHEAST SUNNYSIDE, DENVER HARBOR, AND KINGWOOD. BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT OUR TEAMS WERE ASSISTING SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD CALL SOME OF THE CHURCHES. LET'S DO THAT FORCE MULTIPLIER TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE LOGISTICS TO THEM AS WELL SO THEY COULD DISTRIBUTE TO THE RESIDENTS, UH, MASS FEEDING. WE COORDINATED THAT PRIOR. AND AS OF THIS, TODAY, 160,000 PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED MEALS FOR THAT. UH, THE RED CROSS OVATION ARMY HAD 34 THAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD TALKED ABOUT PRIOR TO THE STORM FEEDING SIDES. SO PEOPLE CAN GO AND GET THEIR FOODS. THE RED CROSS HAD FIVE SHELTERS THAT WE COORDINATED WITH 'EM, AND AS OF YESTERDAY, APPROXIMATELY 2100 PEOPLE, OVERNIGHT PEOPLE, UH, THAT THEY CALL OVERNIGHTS. WERE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THOSE, OF THOSE SHELTERS TO HELP THEM DURING THIS TIME OF CRISIS. I'VE TALKED ABOUT THE VULNERABLE POPULATION, THANKS TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND WHAT WE IDENTIFIED AT THE SHOW APPROXIMATELY EIGHT WEEKS AGO, SEVEN WEEKS AGO, THE YEAR PROGRAM, WHICH WAS A LOT OF YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE MAKING CALLS, RIGHT? WE GOT THOSE LESSONS LEARNED. OKAY. WHAT COULD MAKE IT RUN SMOOTHER? AS A RESULT, WE MADE APPROXIMATELY 3000 CALLS TO INDIVIDUALS LIKE WE DID LAST TIME. AND THEN AS PER THE PROCESS OF THE LAW, WE PERFORMED 1,517 WELLNESS CHECKS, WHICH MEANS KNOCKING ON DOORS. AND THAT WAS, AGAIN, THROUGH THE COLLABORATED EFFORTS IN THE PRE-PLANNING WITH HFD INSPECTORS, OUR CT PROGRAM. ALL THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE, [02:15:01] COULD EITHER MAKE CALLS OR DO THOSE CALLS, HFD PD WAS KNOCKING AT DOORS TO VERIFY THAT PEOPLE WERE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY. HOWEVER, WE TOOK THE STEP AS FROM LAST LESSONS LEARNED ON THE INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANT HOMES THAT WE HAD TO MAKE SURE WE WERE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT TIME AGAIN. AND THAT'S A VERY HOT TOPIC FOR US, FOR ME. UM, SO BECAUSE OF THE PROCESS, WE RECEIVED 64 INDEPENDENT HOMES, LIVING FACILITIES FOR SENIORS NOTIFYING US, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE DID WELLNESS CHECKS. WE COORDINATED WITH THE RED CROSS, THE SALVATION ARMY FOR MEALS THAT THEY HAVE TO JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE BEING TAKEN CARE OF, SET TRACK, UM, WHICH IS A PART OF THE, THE, UH, THE CATASTROPHIC MEDICAL OPERATIONS CENTER ALSO REACHED OUT TO 90. WE LOOKED AT THE LIST AND, AND I'LL TELL YOU THE MOVING, THE HARD PART WAS TRYING TO IDENTIFY WITHOUT THE, THE TRACKING, THE, THE, THE OUTAGE TRACKER. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE WHERE THINGS, WE WERE GETTING JUST A NUMBER, 2.3 MILLION. AND YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THAT? RIGHT? PRIOR TO IT HAVING CRASHED, WE WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE ZIP CODES AND, AND IT WILL TELL US. AND THROUGH OUR GIS TEAM, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY, OKAY, IN THIS ZIP CODE WE HAVE THIS NURSING HOME. HOWEVER, WE STILL WERE LOOKING IN THAT, FIGURING THOSE OUT BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY COMPILED ALONG WITH SETRAC LIST OF ALL THE NURSING HOMES. SO THEY MADE 97 CALLS TO THOSE NURSING HOMES WITHOUT ELECTRICITY TO ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS BEING TAKEN CARE OF, AND THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAD THE ASSISTANCE THAT THEY NEEDED. AND THEN OUT OF THAT, SO THAT WAS A TOTAL OF 183 CALLS THAT ALSO INCLUDED 22 INDIVIDUALS THAT NEEDED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, WHICH WAS OXYGEN, YOU KNOW, ANY TYPE OF ISSUES, MEDICAL, E ELECTRIC, MEDICAL EQUIPMENT THAT WAS NEEDED. SO WE USED ALL THAT DATA TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE DOING THAT ABOVE AND BEYOND THE PROACTIVE APPROACH. AS I MENTIONED, UM, INSIDE OUR, OUR, OUR EOC, WE HAD THE MEDICAL INCIDENT SUPPORT TEAMS FROM SETRAC THAT WERE ALSO DOING THOSE WELFARE CHECKS. THERE WERE OXYGEN TEAMS. PEOPLE WERE CALLING SAYING, I'M ABOUT TO GO LOW ON OUR OXYGEN BECAUSE OF MAN ELECTRICITY THAT WE'RE DELIVERING THOSE TO THEM. WE WERE MONITORING THOSE CONTINUOUSLY. UM, MOVING ON TO THE FEMA SIDE. NOW WE'RE IN, WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH, AND I SAY WE'RE, I WANTED TO SAY WE'RE FULLY INTO THE RECOVERY PHASE, BUT JUST YESTERDAY AND THANK, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER, WE'RE WORKING WITH DUSTIN AND ONE OF THE FACILITIES IN YOUR AREA THAT APPARENTLY HAD GOTTEN SOME TYPE OF EVICTION OR SOME NOTICE TO VACATE THE PREMISES 'CAUSE OF THE BUILDING STRUCTURE. WE WERE ABLE TO SEND OUR TEAMS OUT THERE, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT SUPPORT OF WORKING WITH OUR TEAMS TO MAKE SURE THAT, ONE, DO THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES NEEDED? DO THEY QUALIFY FOR SOME TYPE OF FEMA BENEFIT, WHICH OFTENTIMES INCLUDES THE TEMPORARY SHELTERING ASSISTANCE THAT HELPS THAT. AND THEN WE HELP COORDINATE WITH THE APARTMENT COMPLEX ON WHAT'S YOUR PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS AREN'T LEFT OUT IN THE COLD OR THE, OR IN THE ELEMENTS, I SHOULD SAY. SO WITH THAT, DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE MET THOSE THRESHOLDS, WE ALSO MET ALL OF THE SEVEN CATEGORIES FROM FEMA, WHICH IS THE DEBRIS REMOVAL, PROTECTIVE MEASURES, ROAD AND BRIDGES, WATER CONTROL FACILITIES, BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT, UTILITIES AND PARKS AND RECREATION. SO BECAUSE OF THE, THE, THE PRE-POSITIONING, WE HAD OUR FINANCE TEAMS READY TO GO TO START CAPTURING THAT SO THAT WAY WE COULD SUBMIT FOR REIMBURSEMENT WHEN THAT WHICH WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING. NOW, UM, TOM, I DON'T WANT TO CUT YOU OFF 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING WE ALL NEED TO HEAR. YOU'VE DESCRIBED THE PREPARATION AND THE REAL TIME CHALLENGES. SAVE SOME OF YOUR TIME AND TAKE WHAT YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER AND BETTER PREPARATION GOING FORWARD FROM WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THIS STORM. AND YOU CAN TOUCH ON GENERATORS. UH, YOU KNOW, I'M STILL DISTURBED THAT WE HAD 10 FIRE STATIONS WITHOUT BACKUP POWER THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD TO SHUT DOWN. UH, WHAT CAN WE DO? SO, SIR, TO PREPARE GOING FORWARD? YEAH, MOVING FORWARD IS OBVIOUSLY GENERATORS ARE GONNA BE THE BIG ONE, RIGHT? FOR US THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER. THE GENERATORS ARE OBVIOUSLY THE LIFELINE. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PRIORITIES. YOU KNOW, THE, THE GOAL IS OBVIOUSLY TO HAVE THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS WHERE WE COULD REACH OUT TO AND HAVE THAT HARDENED FACILITY THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT. IF THERE IS A STORM, HOW CAN WE, CAN WE ACTUALLY UTILIZE THAT FACILITY CENTER? AND OF COURSE, YOUR FIRE STATIONS AND YOUR POLICE STATIONS, THOSE AREAS THAT, WITHOUT THAT, THERE WAS A LOT OF LOGISTICAL MOVING WITH THAT. AND SO THAT [02:20:01] WAS A HUGE CONCERN FOR US AS FAR AS THAT MOVING FORWARD TOO, SIR, IS GETTING AT LEAST SOME TYPE OF LONG-TERM GOAL. A WAREHOUSE THAT ALLOWS US TO STORE EITHER OUR OWN ICE WITHOUT HAVING TO WAIT TO MAKE OUR OWN ICE. WE'VE BEEN THROWING ALL THESE IDEAS TO BE SELF RESILIENT FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST 72 HOURS. I WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE IS AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT GRANT THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT IN FOR, FOR JUST THAT INFRASTRUCTURE SO WE COULD BE READY TO GO, AT LEAST I KNOW WE HAVE OUR RESOURCES WITHOUT HAVING TO STAND IN LINE AS WE'VE SEEN. AND THAT'S ALWAYS, UH, UH, THE REALITY THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE WITHIN A THREE TO FIVE YEAR GOAL OF DOING THAT. THEN HAVING SOME GREAT DISCUSSIONS WITH CJ MESSIAH, DIRECTOR MESSIAH, ON WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES? YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE LOOK AT? AND WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE WANNA MEET WITH YOU AS WELL COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SEE ARE WE MISSING SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU ARE THE FORCE MULTIPLIER THAT WE NEED. SO WE COULD ALL HAVE OWNERSHIP ON THAT AND WE COULD START IDENTIFYING, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO COUNCILMAN PECK, I SEE HER DISTRICT AND IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WHAT ARE WE, LET'S THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. AND IF THERE ISN'T THAT, THAT MUNICIPAL CENTER OR ANY CITY PROPERTY, HOW DO WE WORK WITH THOSE PARTNERS TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, LET'S WORK TOGETHER AND HOW WE COULD STRUCTURE THIS. SO THOSE ARE THE, THOSE ARE THE, THAT'S THE LONG TERM PLAN FOR US. AND SOME OF THE GOALS THAT WE'VE MET IS COMMUNICATION, NOT ONLY THROUGH YOURSELVES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON ALWAYS IMPROVING, BUT THROUGH THE COMMUNITY. UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO, WE SEND OUT THE MESSAGE TO THE, ALL THE GENERAL CONSULATES OF THE CITY, 98 TO BE OUR FULLEST MULTIPLIERS. BUT IT'S STILL, THAT'S ALWAYS A, A CONCERN FOR US THAT ARE PEOPLE GETTING THAT MESSAGE THAT WE LOOK AT. AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA ON WHAT WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON, THAT'S THE LONG-TERM GOAL FOR US. BUT THE CURRENT PLAN FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY IS WE'RE WORKING ON, WE HAVE ALREADY SET UP THE DISASTER RECOVERY CENTERS. WE WANNA SPREAD THE WEALTH. AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY. SO I TALKED TO OUR FEMA REGION DIRECTOR LAST NIGHT ABOUT SET. WE HAVE THESE, WHAT THEY CALL DISASTER SURVIVAL ASSISTANT TEAMS, AND THEY JUST GO KNOCK ON DOORS. WELL, WE DECIDED, IS IT MORE BENEFICIAL TO ONE, IDENTIFY THOSE SHORT TERM RECOVERY SITES FOR LIKE TWO DAYS, THREE DAYS, AND GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY UTILIZING ZTRIP. AND AGAIN, THEY'VE SUPPORTED THAT, YOU KNOW, A RA AND JUST HELP PEOPLE GO OUT AND GET THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO MEET WITH THAT FEMALE REPRESENTATIVE AND HAVE THOSE SITES MOVING. 'CAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY'RE ALLOWING US FIVE TEAMS ALONG WITH THE FIVE DISASTER RECOVERY CENTERS. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. MAYOR, THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, UH, THE FEMA REGION DID THINK IT WAS A GOOD IDEA, AND THEY'RE GONNA FINALIZE THAT FOR US AS WELL. SO AS FAR AS UNMET NEEDS AS THAT MERIT GENERATORS, SO WE CAN HONESTLY, AND, AND WITH, UH, BEING A PROACTIVE, SAY, I KNOW THAT BUILDING'S NOT GONNA FAIL AND WE COULD REACT, OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'RE ASKING, GETTING THAT WAREHOUSE CAPABILITY, EVEN IF IT'S JUST AT THE MINIMUM, THE ICE MAKING CAPABILITY. SO WE COULD LOOK AT THAT AND HOW, HOW IS THAT GONNA HELP US, RIGHT. PRODUCE OUR ICE. SO WE CAN DEFINITELY HELP THE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF STANDING IN LINE, WHICH IS USUALLY WHAT THE, THE POSTURE THAT'S USUALLY TAKEN. SO WE LOOK AT THAT. UM, AND THEN AGAIN, US WORKING WITH OUR FEMALE PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GETS THE OPPORTUNITY. AS OF RIGHT NOW, UH, HARRIS COUNTY, WE HAVE 429,645 PEOPLE REGISTERED, WHICH IS RECORD NUMBER AND APPROXIMATELY AN INDIVIDUAL HOUSING PROGRAM ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN GIVEN IS 212 MILLION PEOPLE, OR DOLLARS I SHOULD SAY. SO LET ME, LET ME LET YOU, UH, YIELD SOME OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS. I WOULD POINT OUT THAT FINANCE HAS ALREADY APPLIED TO FEMA FOR EXPEDITED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE CITY, EMERGENCY EXPENSES FOR BOTH DIRETO AND BUR. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PRESIDENT WHO CALLED EMERGENCY CENTER. I SPOKE TO HIM ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON THE NINTH, ABOUT THREE O'CLOCK TO HELP FACILITATE THE DISASTER DECLARATION. WITH THAT SAID, I, I WILL YIELD TO, UM, OUR MAYOR, PROTE CASTEX TATUM. THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR ALL OF THAT INFORMATION. I THINK THAT, UM, WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THERE WILL BE MANY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS STORM AND THAT EVERY STORM IS DIFFERENT. YES, MA'AM. UM, WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WAS DONE. I THINK THAT, UM, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER OVER AN INDIVIDUAL DISTRICT, THAT WE TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT HOW WE ARE TOUCHING THE PEOPLE. ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS WE ARE THE CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE. ABSOLUTELY. AND [02:25:01] SO WITH THAT, UM, IT IS IMPORTANT, UM, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT A LOT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD INDIVIDUAL PLANS TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE MEETING THE NEEDS FOR THEIR CONSTITUENCIES. MM-HMM . UM, FOR INSTANCE, IN OUR DISTRICT, WE HAD A PLAN WITH A, UH, A CHURCH, UH, THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER. IT WAS VERY, UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID TO IN DERECHO IN THE DERECHO STORM. UM, AND WHAT WE LEARNED IS ABSOLUTELY EVERY STORM IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE WHAT WORKED IN THE DERECHO STORM, UM, FOR OUR RECOVERY PLAN WAS NOT ABLE TO WORK DURING THIS, UH, RECOVERY FOR BARREL. ABSOLUTELY. BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THE FOUNTAIN LIFE DIDN'T HAVE POWER. MM-HMM . UM, AND SO WHAT WE FOUND IS WE HAD THE FIVE PODS. UH, THERE WAS ICE AT THE PODS, THERE WERE RESOURCES AT THE PODS. UM, THERE ARE FIVE PODS. THERE ARE 11 DISTRICTS MM-HMM . UM, THE LOGISTICS FROM THE PODS TO THE ADDITIONAL SIX DISTRICTS. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ON HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE RESOURCES CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE. MM-HMM . UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, TO THE CITY, TO THE MAYOR FOR RESOURCES DURING, UH, POWER OUTAGES. AND WE RECOGNIZED THAT, YOU KNOW, OVER 2 MILLION FOLKS WERE WITHOUT POWER. AND, UM, CENTER POINT, UH, HELD THE KEY TO OUR QUALITY OF LIFE DURING THOSE 11, 12 DAYS. AND WE HAVE TO BE LOCK STEP, UH, WITH, UH, CENTER POINT, THE CITY, THE COUNTY, SO THAT WE ARE DOING WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON AND THE 21 COUNTIES THAT WERE AFFECTED. SO I THINK IT WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US TO NOT ONLY TALK ABOUT OUR PLAN FOR THE FIVE PODS, AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAD THOSE UP, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO TALK ABOUT LOGISTICS TO THE ADDITIONAL, UM, SIX DISTRICTS. SO THAT WHEN, UM, WE HAVE THESE TYPES OF WEATHER EVENTS, WE CAN GET THE RESOURCES TO THE PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY. AND NOT ONLY THE RESOURCES, BUT A SUCCINCT COMMUNICATION PLAN. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT AS A COUNCIL, UH, WE CAN DEFINITELY WORK ON SO THAT WE ARE PUTTING THE MESSAGE OUT TO OUR COMMUNITIES ON WHERE TO, WHERE TO REACH, UM, THE RESOURCES, WHERE TO OBTAIN THE RESOURCES AND HOW TO GATHER THAT INFORMATION. UM, AND THEN I, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR YOU IS, UM, WE'VE RECEIVED SEVERAL REPORTS THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR FEMA WERE DENIED. UM, AND THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE BEING DENIED, UM, THE FEMA, UM, RESOURCES. WHAT DO WE DO IN THE EVENT THAT PEOPLE ARE TELLING US, WE APPLIED FOR FEMA AND WE KEEP GETTING DENIED? GREAT QUESTION. COUNCIL MEMBER. 'CAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS A CONCERN. YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE FEMA APPLICATION IN ITSELF, IF THERE'S ONE WRONG ANSWER, ONE THAT ALWAYS JUMPS OUT IS YOU HAVE A SERIOUS NEED. RIGHT? AND THAT SERIOUS NEED, YOU KNOW, BY DEFINITION, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IS IT THAT YOUR HOUSE IS GONE? OR IS IT YOU NEED FOOD? RIGHT? IF SOMEBODY JUST PUTS THE WRONG ANSWER, IT TAKES AWAY EITHER THE WHOLE APPLICATION OR IS THERE HOUSE LIVABLE? SO THERE'S ALSO THAT PROCESS. ONE OF THE THINGS TALKING TO FEMA IS THAT, YOU KNOW, TALKING WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS PEOPLE. AND WHAT I, BY THAT I MEAN IS WHO'S DOING THE MESSAGING IS IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW. AND I'M TELLING FEMA THAT JUST 'CAUSE IT'S A REJECTION DOESN'T MEAN IS IT NOT? THAT'S A DONE DEAL. AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THAT ON EVEN HAVING WHAT THEY CALL THE NAVIGATORS, HAVING PEOPLE THAT GO OUT AS LIKE I'M TALKING ABOUT THESE DSA SITES THAT WE WANNA SET UP. IF THEY HAVE THAT QUESTION AND ENCOURAGING THEM, IF YOU GET DENIED, PLEASE GO OVER. LET'S DOUBLE CHECK THAT YOU DID NOT PUT THE A WRONG ANSWER. THAT TOTALLY KICKS YOU OUT BECAUSE YOU LOOK AT JUST THE BOXING ITSELF. AND I, AND I TRIED TO DO ONE JUST TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. AND THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I ASK, OKAY, DO YOU HAVE A SERIOUS NEED? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT COULD MEAN A LOT OF THINGS. SO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ARE SOMETIMES KIND OF VAGUE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DEFINITELY TALK TO THEM AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT IS THE NUMBER? 'CAUSE I'VE ASKED, GIMME THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DENIED, AND ARE WE FOLLOWING UP WITH THOSE PEOPLE? SAY, DO, WHY ARE YOU DENIED? AND IF YOU GOT DENIED, WE WANT TO, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO CRAFT A MESSAGE WITH THEM. THEY'RE SENDING IT TO BRENT TAYLOR, WHO'S OUR CHIEF COMMUNICATION OFFICER AND LET EDUCATE THE PEOPLE. AND JUST, THIS IS NOT A SOLID, NO. MAYBE IT IS A WRONG CHECK AND IT'S GONNA BE PART OF THE EDUCATION PIECE THAT WE REALLY, REALLY ARE GONNA BE WORKING WITH FEMA ON THAT AND JUST NOTIFY THAT. AND, AND I, I GET THAT. I UNDERSTAND THAT MOST OF THE TIME THAT PEOPLE APPLY AND THEN THEY HAVE TO APPEAL. UM, IF I LOST ALL THE FOOD IN MY REFRIGERATOR AND I'M TRYING TO FEED MY FAMILY, I'M NOT TRYING TO APPEAL TO FEMA. MM-HMM . I WANNA GET ON APPLY AND SAY, I LOST THE FOOD [02:30:01] IN MY REFRIGERATOR. IF THERE IS ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR BEFORE ME, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO FEEL LIKE I'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE I ANSWER IT CORRECTLY. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET ON AND SAY, I LOST THE FOOD IN MY REFRIGERATOR. IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FEMA TO REPLACE THO THAT FOOD, UM, WHAT DO I CHECK? HOW DO I MAKE THAT HAPPEN? I AGREE. AND I DON'T WANNA HAVE TO COME BACK AND FILL OUT AN APPEAL AND HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. I AGREE. BECAUSE I ALSO HAVE TO CUT THE TREES DOWN IN MY YARD AND FIGURE OUT WHO'S GOING TO REMOVE THE, THE, THE DEBRIS AND HOW SOON THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND SO WE'VE GOT TO SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES. ABSOLUTELY. I AGREE. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY THINGS WE'RE CONTINUOUSLY PUSHING WITH THEM, IS HOW DO WE SIMPLIFY THAT? YOU KNOW, IT, SOME OF THEM EVEN SAID THAT THE QUESTIONS ARE VERY VAGUE AND SO YOU'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT WHOLE PROCESS. SO I AGREE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE BACK TO THEM ACTUALLY, AS, AS I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO TONY ROBINSON LAST NIGHT, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I'LL DEFINITELY ADDRESS WITH THEM AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS ANOTHER EASIER PROCESS? 'CAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, PEOPLE ARE AN IMMEDIATE NEED, NOT THREE WEEKS FROM NOW OR A MONTH FROM NOW. IT'S IMMEDIATE NEED THAT WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. THE, UH, AND THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION QUESTION I HAD WAS, UM, I HAD SOME, SOME RESIDENTS THAT WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE STEER PROGRAM. THEY, THEY SIGNED UP FOR THE STEER PROGRAM, THEY MADE THE PHONE CALLS AND THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO GET THROUGH. I KNOW THAT SO MANY PEOPLE WERE MAKING THOSE CALLS. WHAT HAPPENS IN THE EVENT THAT YOU ARE SIGNED UP FOR THE STEER PROGRAM, YOU'VE CALLED AND CALLED AND CALLED AND CAN NEVER GET THROUGH, UM, FOR THOSE RESIDENTS? I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH THAT WE NEED TO BE LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT WHEN A STORM IS COMING, IF YOU ARE IN A REALLY TOUGH SITUATION AND YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF YOUR EL ELDERLY PARENT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW WE GET THAT MESSAGE TO FOLKS. SO IF THEY NEED TO EVACUATE A WEEK BEFORE THE STORM COMES, BECAUSE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE STEER THERE, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME ADDITIONAL LOGISTICS THAT HAPPENS FOR PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED THAT HELP THAT JUST COULD NOT GET THROUGH. UM, BECAUSE THE PHONES WERE DOWN, THE PHONES WERE, UM, SO MANY PEOPLE WERE CALLING AT THE SAME TIME. THERE, THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL LOGISTICS THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. AND, AND, AND THANKS FOR THAT COMMENT, WHICH IS PART OF THIS YEAR PROGRAM AND PROCESSES. IF WE'RE CALLING AND THERE'S NO ANSWER, WE HAVE TO GO, WHICH IS WHY WE DID THE 1,517 DOOR KNOCKS TO SEE OUR PEOPLE HOME. ARE THEY THERE? AND THEN WE HAVE TO FOLLOW UP 'CAUSE IT IS A REGISTRATION SITE. AND WE EVEN HAD TO CLEAN THAT UP. 'CAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE STEER IS UNDER THE STATE AND IT'S WHATEVER DATA WE GET AND WE HAVE TO CLEAN THAT. AND THAT'S THE DIFFICULT PART THAT EVEN OUR IT PEOPLE ARE NOW TALKING TO STATE. LIKE, LOOK, WE HAVE TO, YOUR PROCESS, YOUR, YOUR SYSTEM IS BOGGING DOWN. CASE IN POINT, COUNCIL MEMBER, IF YOU REGISTER EVERY YEAR, RIGHT, AND YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT PHONE NUMBER OR JUST REGISTER EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, THE SYSTEM KICKS OUT YOUR NAME SEVEN TIMES. SO WE HAVE TO CALL SEVEN TIMES. RIGHT. AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM. BUT AGAIN, THE 1,517 KNOCKS ON DOORS. THAT'S WHY WE DON'T GET AN ANSWER. WE HAVE TO GET THAT ON THE LIST AND GO OUT AND KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE SAFE, THOSE THAT ARE REGISTERED THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. NO, THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR PROAM PECK. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU CHIEF FOR EVERYTHING. YEAH, NO, THANK YOU. I KNOW HOW HARD YOU AND YOUR TEAM WORKED BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE STORM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. UM, I DO AGREE WITH MAYOR PRO TEMS COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS. I THINK MANY OF US HAVE, UM, PLANS FOR OUR OWN DISTRICTS THAT WE NEED TO COORDINATE WITH THE CITY AS WELL. UM, IN DISTRICT A, WE WERE, WE WORKED REALLY HARD TO OPEN A COOLING CENTER, GET THE, UM, ELECTRICITY THERE, GET THE RESOURCES, GET VOLUNTEERS, AND IT WASN'T EVEN RECOGNIZED AS AN OFFICIAL COOLING CENTER WITH THE CITY. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT WAS THERE UNLESS YOU GOT MY E-BLAST. AND SO, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME TWEAKS I THINK, THINK THAT WE CAN WORK ON. ABSOLUTELY. GOING FORWARD WITH THAT. UM, YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IN THE AFTERMATH HOW CENTERPOINT'S MAPS WERE, UM, PLAYING A ROLE IN HOW YOUR OFFICE WAS ABLE TO HELP IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE HURRICANE. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT? I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IN PREVIOUS STORMS, I KNOW THAT YOUR OFFICE HAS RELIED ON THOSE MAPS, UM, TO DETERMINE WHERE TO DEPLOY RESOURCES AFTERWARDS. AND SO HOW DID THAT IMPACT YOUR OPERATIONS? SO WE'RE BLESSED THAT WE HAVE A-A-G-I-S INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS DONE DISASTERS SO MANY TIMES, AND IT WAS, IT WAS PAINSTAKING TO WATCH, RIGHT? BUT AT THE END WE WERE GETTING ZIP CODES AND ASKING, WHAT IS THIS ZIP CODE LIT UP? NO, IT'S NOT. [02:35:01] HE WOULD PUT THAT ON THE GIS MAP. AND THEN FROM THERE WE WERE ABLE TO SEE HOW'S THIS ZIP CODE DOING? SO IT WAS PEN TO COMPUTER, YOU KNOW, NOTEPAD, GETTING THAT ADDRESS AND SETTING THAT. AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO TELL, OKAY, THIS PORTION IS NOW 80% RIGHT. THIS AREA IS STILL AT, YOU KNOW, ONLY 10%. SO THAT'S HOW WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT. BUT IT WAS, IT WAS TIME CONSUMING OBVIOUSLY, BUT THAT'S THE RESORT THAT WE HAD TO DO TO ENSURE. AND THEN AGAIN, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER, I, I, I SAY IT AGAIN, IS I ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU, THE CALLS THAT YOU DO, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, CONTINUOUSLY EVEN AFTER THE DICHOS, LIKE WHAT IS THE PROCESS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE CAN ALL SIT OR YOUR CHIEFS OF STAFF AND BE THAT VOICE FOR THAT DISTRICT. 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, THAT AREA, LIKE WHEN I WAS TALKING TO YOU, THERE'S MA'AM AND THERE'S WHITE OAK AND YOU KNOW, THAT WE, OKAY, WELL LET'S LOOK AT THAT. IS THERE ANOTHER FAITH BASE THAT WE COULD FOCUS ON? BUT THAT CENTER POINT WAS JUST THAT GETTING THAT JS AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO, BUT THEN IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S ONLY AS SUCCESSFUL AS THE INFORMATION THAT WAS BEING FED TO US. WE REALLY HAD TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND FORTUNATE THAT OUR OEM STAFF MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO IT WAS, IT WAS A PROCESS THAT WE REALLY WANNA CAPITALIZE ON. 'CAUSE I CAN'T GUARANTEE IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN WITHOUT THE OUTAGE TRACKER. AND THAT, THAT'S ALWAYS A HUGE, AND I'M HOPING THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE ARE HEARING THAT IT'LL BE UP IN AUGUST IS DEFINITELY VERY DETRIMENTAL TO THE PLANNING, TO THE RESPONSE AND TO THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE. IT IS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING. AND, UH, CHIEF TO YOUR ENTIRE TEAM, TO EVERYONE AT THE HECK, EVEN BEYOND OEM TO EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT. AGAIN. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . UH, THANK YOU. SOME OF OUR DISTRICTS WERE HARDEST HIT BY THE DERECHO AND THEN COMING INTO THIS, SO, UH, IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A WARMUP, BUT RECOGNIZING THAT IT'S THE STATE'S INABILITY RIGHT NOW TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON. THAT'S THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. THAT'S NOT UNIQUE TO HOUSTON, BUT WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED IT A LOT MORE. BUT I'M GONNA FOCUS ON, AS YOU SAID, AND MARY, YOU ASKED, WHAT CAN WE BE DOING? WHAT CAN WE BE FOCUSING ON? UM, I DON'T, SOME THOUGHTS THAT HAD COME UP AS WE LOOK AHEAD. UM, I HAD SPOKEN TO AN UNHOUSED INDIVIDUAL OUTSIDE OF WEST GRAY MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, UM, WHO BEFORE THE STORM, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE UNHOUSED POPULATION KNOWS THAT FACILITY. A LOT OF OUR DISABILITY COMMUNITY FAMILIES KNOW THAT FACILITY MAYOR, AN UNHOUSED INDIVIDUAL HAD ACTUALLY GONE THERE PRIOR TO THE STORM AND THE DOORS WERE LOCKED. AND HE WROTE OUT THE STORM OUTSIDE OF WEST GRAY. SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS LOOKING FORWARD IS WHAT WE HAD DONE SO IN THE PAST, BUT WHAT TYPE OF UNHOUSED POPULATION OUTREACH DID WE DO? OR CAN WE DO AHEAD OF A STORM TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE SAFE AND OFF THE STREETS? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR MASTER CARE COORDINATOR DOES IS OBVIOUSLY REACH OUT TO THE UNHOUSED, RIGHT? WE WORK WITH THEM. WHAT IS THE PLAN? ARE YOU PASSING OUT THE, AND THAT'S THE HARDEST PART IS PASSING OUT THAT MESSAGE, BUT WORKING WITH THEM, THE, THE HOMELESS COALITION, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITHIN OUR OWN CITY OF IDENTIFYING THOSE AREAS AND WHAT THE CHURCHES ARE DOING OR THOSE FACILITIES ARE, ARE FOR THAT. SO THAT'S ALWAYS THE ONE THAT WE REALLY, REALLY WORK HARD AT BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, HOW DO PEOPLE GET THE MESSAGE, RIGHT? RIGHT. AND SO WE HAVE TO USE THAT FORCE MULTIPLIER ON HOW DO WE GET THAT MESSAGE ACROSS AND THEN COORDINATE WITH THEM AND SEE WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE. AND I THINK THAT WAS THE OTHER CHALLENGE, IS THAT THEY HAD THEIR CAPACITY. AND THAT'S THE THING, REACHING WITH OUR CAPACITY. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW THAT THE SHELTERS REACHED CAPACITY MM-HMM . IN THE AFTERMATH. BUT AGAIN, MY QUESTION RELATES TO, AND MAYOR ALL WRITE MY MY QUESTIONS DOWN AND SUBMIT THEM AS WELL. YES. MM-HMM . UM, IS WHAT DID WE DO FOR OUTREACH AND WHAT CAN WE DO MOVING FORWARD? WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE CENTER POINT DATA SHARING. MM-HMM . UH, JUST SO IT'S CLEAR FOR THE PUBLIC. 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU HIT ON IT TO COUNCIL MEMBER PECK'S POINT ABOUT, UM, WHERE TO DIRECT OUR ASSETS, WHICH ARE LIMITED. UH, HPD WAS WORKING 12 HOUR SHIFTS EVEN PAST WHEN OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAD SCALED BACK DOWN. WE HAD, DURING THE DIRETO, CENTERPOINT DID NOT SHARE ANY DATA INFORMATION WITH US ABOUT POWER OUTAGES. AND THEY CONTINUED TO WITHHOLD THAT INFORMATION EVEN TO OEM. SO WE WERE WALKING BLIND THROUGH ALL OF IT. MM-HMM . THEN WITH THE HURRICANE, IT TOOK HOW MANY DAYS BEFORE Y'ALL WERE ABLE TO GET A GIS MAP UP? AND JUST SO THE PUBLIC WAS CLEAR, WHAT THAT MEANS IS CENTER POINT WAS NOT SHARING DIRECT INFORMATION WITH US. THEY GAVE US, PICKED OUT DATA THAT SAID, HERE IS A ZIP CODE THAT IS STILL OUT. THEN OEM STAFF, WHICH IS VERY SHORT STAFFED FOR THE SIZE OF OUR CITY, HAD TO PICK THAT DATA, INPUT IT, AND CREATE AN ENTIRELY NEW MAPPING PROGRAM. [02:40:01] SO EVERY FEW HOURS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO RETAKE THAT NEW DATA THAT CENTERPOINT WOULD GIVE THAT'S RAW, AND THEN CREATE A NEW MAP AND GO OFF OF THAT. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. SO IT WAS NOT AN EASY PROCESS AT, IT WAS NOT AT ALL, IT WAS BURDENSOME AND IT WAS NOT THE FASTEST WAY OR INDICATIVE OF DIRECT COMMUNICATION AND COOPERATION IN THAT WAY. NO, AND I THINK, AND AND TO ADD TO THAT LEVEL OF, UM, FRUSTRATION IS THAT WHEN I WOULD LOOK UP AND I'D COME IN OUTTA HABIT, JUST LOOK AT THE OUTAGE, RIGHT? IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE OUTAGE WAS CENTERPOINT CUSTOMERS, NOT CITY OF HOUSTON ONLY. SO THEN I HAD TO ASK THE QUESTION, GIVE ME CITY OF HOUSTON PROPER NUMBERS, RIGHT? AND THAT WAS ALSO A CHALLENGE. SO I HAD TWO SETS THAT WE HAD TO WORK WITH, HAD TO DO ASSESSMENTS, HEY, WHAT'S HIT? AND THEN I HEAR WHAT'S CITYWIDE. OKAY, WHAT'S, SO THEN IF THAT WERE THE CASE AND THE, AND THE CITY TRACKER WAS WORKING OR THE OUTAGE TRACKER, I COULD SAY, OKAY, WELL OUT OF THESE 2 MILLION I HAVE THIS AREA THAT'S GOT, YOU KNOW, 300,000 I, YOU CAN, AND WE HAVE ONE THAT'S 5,000, RIGHT? SO YOU CAN DO, YOU KNOW WHERE TO PUT YOUR RESOURCES AND START DOING THE, THE, THE GREATER IMPROVEMENT RIGHT OFF THE TOP. SO THAT WAS VERY DIFFICULT. AND WE ALSO DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS. EXACTLY. SO IF WE POSITIONED ASSETS IN ONE AREA AND LIGHTS CAME ON THAT DAY, THAT'S WE'RE SO RELIEVED THAT LIGHTS CAME ON, BUT THEN ALL OF OUR ASSETS ARE IN ONE LOCATION, THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSITIONED SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I WANT IT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT AS A CITY WE CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE EVEN IN THE RESPONSE EFFORT WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT WE NEED THAT IS CONTROLLED BY CENTER POINT. MM-HMM . UH, REGARDING WIC AND SNAP WAIVERS, MAYOR, PRO TEM POINT, YOU KNOW, POINTED OUT JUST THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF PEOPLE WHO'VE LOST WHAT THEY'VE LOST. AND THAT'S EXCLUDING ALL THE HOME DAMAGE MOTHER, UH, BOARDS THAT ARE FRIED BECAUSE OF THE POWER SURGES, ALL OF THAT. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE US TO GET THE, UH, SNAP WAIVER THIS TIME COMPARED TO THE DICHO? I THINK IT WASN'T TWO DAYS COUNCIL MEMBER, AND I'LL GET THAT NUM THAT DAY. BUT IT WAS WITHIN THE FIRST TWO TO THREE DAYS THAT THE, THAT THE GOVERNOR APPROVED IT. AND, AND ARE WE ABLE TO GET THAT WAIVER IN ADVANCE IF WE KNOW THAT A BIG STORM IS COMING, SORT OF LIKE WHEN THE STATE CAN SUBMIT TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN ADVANCE FOR AN EXPEDITED DECLARATION? I WANNA SAY THAT WE CAN, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE'S THOSE TRIGGERS, DOLLAR AMOUNTS, AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I'LL DEFINITELY TAKE BACK AND SAY, OKAY, CAN WE JUST HAVE THE PAPERWORK READY TO GO? OR DO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THAT TRIGGER DOLLAR AMOUNT TO SAY, YES, NOW YOU CAN DO IT. RIGHT. AND YOU RECALL IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY FOUR TO FIVE, EVEN AFTER WE KNEW, UH, WHAT THE NUMBERS WERE GONNA BE, IT TOOK ABOUT APPROXIMATELY FIVE DAYS. SO EVEN JUST GET THAT INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE. RIGHT. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS I'M LOOKING AT. OKAY. HOW DO WE SPEED UP THE PROCESS? AND I THINK WE HAVE SOME GOOD RELATIONSHIPS NOW TALKING TO FEMA AND, AND THE DIRECTORS THERE AND, AND 2, 1 1 IS STILL OPEN AND AVAILABLE FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR RESIDENTS, EVEN IF THEY'RE DENIED THROUGH FEMA, CORRECT? MM-HMM . MOVING FORWARD, WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT BACKUP GENERATION. AND TO GIVE CONTEXT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, UH, ALL, ALL FIRE STATIONS SHOULD HAVE RELIABLE BACKUP GENERATION. ALL POLICE STATIONS SHOULD HAVE BACKUP, RELIABLE BACKUP GENERATION FOR ONE STATION. IT CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM 350,000 TO A MILLION DOLLARS DEPENDING ON THE ELECTRICAL THAT IS NEEDED FOR THAT. THAT'S A VERY BIG PRICE TAG. AND THEN WE MOVE INTO, BUT IT'S NECESSARY WHEN WE MOVE INTO MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS THAT BALLOONS EVEN MORE. MY QUESTION IS, AND I SUPPORT MAYOR GETTING AS MANY BACKUP GENERATION GENERATORS IN AS POSSIBLE, BUT MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE DOING AN ASSESSMENT OF THOSE FACILITIES? BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING TO BE ABLE TO SAY, OH, GREAT, WE'VE PUT IN A BACKUP GENERATOR, BUT IN A CAT THREE WITH A OUT WITH A ROOF, THAT IS WAY PAST ITS LIFE EXPECTANCY, IS THE ROOF GONNA BLOW OFF? AND THEN WHAT GOOD IS THE FACT THAT WE HAD A BACKUP GENERATOR IN A BUILDING THAT WE CAN'T USE? SO YES, THE THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, RIGHT? TALKING TO DIRECTOR MESSIAH, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE STRUCTURES, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PRIORITIES, WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WHAT IS THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT, RIGHT? IS DO WE HAVE TO HARDEN THE BUILDING FIRST BEFORE WE PUT IT IN? SO THOSE, ALL THESE UNDERLYING FACTORS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS ON JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA PUT IT THERE AND THE BUILDING CAN'T WITHSTAND, YOU KNOW, CAT TWO, CAT THREE, THEN, YOU KNOW. SO THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT AS FAR AS THE MITIGATION IS CONCERNED. OKAY. AND REGARDING GEORGE R. BROWN, THAT'S OUR REFUGE OF LAST RESORT. AND FOR SOME OF US WHO EXPERIENCE KATRINA, WE KNOW, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING AN EFFECTIVE OPERATION [02:45:01] THAT CAN ACTUALLY TAKE PEOPLE IN IN TIME. UH, AS IT RELATES TO GRB, I KNOW THAT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN HOWEVER MANY DISASTERS THAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH WHERE WE LOST POWER, HAS THAT BEEN REMEDIED? AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, MOVING FORWARD, HAVE WE PRACTICED OUR TABLETOPS OR WALKTHROUGHS AS HOW WE STAND UP GEORGE R. BROWN, GIVEN THERE'S SO MANY, UH, PEOPLE THAT EITHER AREN'T AT THE CITY ANYMORE THAT HAD BEEN PRACTICING SETTING UP GRB, UH, OR NEW PEOPLE COMING IN. HAS THAT WORK BEEN DONE? AND THE SAME QUESTION GOES TO EVACUATION ROUTES. HAVE WE'VE DONE OUR TABLETOP AND MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL EXERCISES. SO THE ANSWER IS YES. RIGHT? WE DO HAVE AN EVACUATION PLANNER IN OUR OFFICE WHO'S CONTINUOUSLY WORKING ON THE EVACUATION ROUTES, WORKING WITH THE STATE, WORKING WITH THE REGION ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, RIGHT? THE G THE GEORGE R. BROWN IS OBVIOUSLY AN AREA THAT PEOPLE DO LIKE TO GO TO, BUT THEN AS WE EXPERIENCED THIS LAST TIME THAT WE'RE DOWN WITHOUT POWER FOR NINE AND A HALF HOURS, RIGHT? AND THEN THE OTHER LOGISTICS PIECE IS WHAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE PRIOR TO THAT. LIKE IN THIS SCENARIO, THEY ALREADY HAD 12,000 STUDENTS THAT WERE THERE THAT ARRIVED SATURDAY UNDER CONTRACT. AND SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CONTINUOUSLY HAVE TO LOOK AT IF WE ARE GONNA UTILIZE THAT. AND THEN OF COURSE, THERE'S THAT COST THAT COMES WITH IT, THAT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. BUT THE ANSWER IS YES, COUNCIL MEMBER, WE DO HAVE AN EVACUATION PLANNER WHO WORKS WITH ALL THE OTHER EVACUATION PLANNERS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT OF WHAT IS THE BEST PLAN FOR THEM, HOW ARE WE GONNA UTILIZE IT IF WE HAVE TO WORK WITH A GRB ON, ON AN EVENT THAT IS GONNA REQUIRE THAT. GREAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I HAVE A, A FEW MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I WANTED DEFER TO COLLEAGUES. UH, I'LL SUBMIT MY QUESTIONS IN WRITING TO YOU. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE HEARING OR CONCERNS ABOUT DEBRIS PICKUP, STILL GOING BACK ALL THE WAY AGAIN TO THE DERECHO AND THE TIMING OF ALL OF THIS, HOW LONG IT'S TAKING, UH, ISSUES OF MOSQUITOES AND WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE SPRAYING YES. UH, THE, AND AGAIN, I KNOW YOU TOUCHED ON IT RELATED TO THE PUC, BUT WHAT IS THE CITY DOING TO HOLD, UH, CENTER POINT ACCOUNTABLE? AND AS I'VE LOOKED INTO IT, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A STATE LAW EVEN GOING BACK FROM THE LEGISLATURE TO 2017 THAT PREEMPTS THE CITY FROM EVEN REGULATING VEGETATION AT THIS POINT. SO WHAT ARE WE ABLE TO DO TO HOLD CENTER POINT ACCOUNTABLE? WHAT ARE WE DOING AT THE STATE LEVEL? AND IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE AN A RA PRESENTATION ON THE HISTORY OF ALL OF THIS. SO AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE CAN UNDERSTAND AND CONVEY TO THE COMMUNITY THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, THIS SITUATION. THANK YOU. I AGREE WITH YOU, AND WE WILL PURSUE THAT. UH, IN TERMS OF SUBMITTING YOUR QUESTIONS AND WRITING, UH, THAT'S GREAT. BUT, UH, MR. MUNOZ WILL MAKE HIMSELF AVAILABLE TO YOU AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JUST ON THE MOSQUITO ISSUE THAT, UH, LAST WEEK WE DID DO A STAR REQUEST TO START HAVING MOSQUITOES. AND YOU KNOW, MAYOR, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S THAT EVERYTHING, ALL HANDS ON DECK ON A MOSQUITO CONCERN BECAUSE OF THE DRAINAGE ISSUES, OBVIOUSLY FROM THE PRE-STORM AND THEN WATER, THAT DEFINITELY MANIFESTS THE MOSQUITO PROBLEMS. SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE AND WORKING WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON THAT, AND WE'LL GET YOU THAT INFORMATION COUNCIL MEMBER. AND OBVIOUSLY, UH, DURING A CRISIS, WE LEARNED OF OUR VULNERABILITIES. UH, IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT A FIRE STATION WOULDN'T HAVE A BACKUP SYSTEM. AND IN FACT, I CAN GO AND TALK ABOUT OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS, GEORGE BROWN. I'M GONNA MAKE GENERATORS, PROBABLY ONE OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES. UH, I THINK WE NEED TO ALSO, IF WE HAVE GENERATORS, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME REQUIREMENTS OF TESTING AND BARK AS A GENERATOR, BUT IT WASN'T READY. LACK OF FUEL. I CAN GO ON AND ON. SO, UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF NEGLECT. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A GREAT CITY, GREAT PEOPLE, BUT WE HAVE CHALLENGES THAT, UH, WE'VE GOT TO ADDRESS AND WE WILL, AND IT'LL BE, IT'LL BE EXPENSIVE. WE KNOW THAT. SO THANK YOU. AND I THINK YOU GET FIRST PRIZE FOR BEING IN THE EMERGENCY CENTER DURING THE STORM IN TERMS OF, UH, YOUR INVOLVEMENT. SO THANK YOU. AND I, UH, I SHARE THAT OPPORTUNITY WITH EVERYONE. COUNCILMAN CORNER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, AND, AND THANK YOU CHIEF FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE. I KNOW IT'S IN AND INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT AND, AND YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, UM, IDEAS THAT I HAD ALONG THE WAY, UM, CERTAINLY WAS OUT AT KINGWOOD, UM, COMMUNITY CENTER AND WE CERTAINLY, WE, WE WERE ON THE NON RECEIVING END OF ICE MM-HMM . AND TURNING PEOPLE AWAY AFTER WE HAD, UH, ADVERTISED DIS DISTRIBUTIONS OUT THERE. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY, UH, PARTNER WITH THE AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE ALL GOT, OR MOST HAVE GENERATORS IN THE SCHOOLS AS FAR AS REFRIGERATION AND BEING ABLE TO, TO UTILIZE THE AREA DISTRICTS. WHEN I [02:50:01] LOOK AROUND THE ROOM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S ALDEN, SPRING, SPRING BRANCH, I THINK THAT CERTAINLY THERE ARE RESOURCES, UM, AVAILABLE. IN FACT, UM, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING TO PUT TO, UH, UTILIZE OUR ICE AND WATER THAT WE HAD LEFT, WHAT DO WE DO WITH IT? MY FIRST CALL WAS, YOU KNOW, CALL, CALL UMBLE, ISD, AND THEY ACTUALLY TOOK IT TO FOR US. SO I THINK THAT THE, THE, UM, AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE A GREAT RESOURCE OR SHOULD BE FOR OUR CITY ALSO. WE OBVIOUSLY THE CHURCHES. UM, THE OTHER OBSERVATION I'VE HAD, UM, DURING THE LAST STORM OUT AT CASHMERE AS WELL AS KINGWOOD, THIS TIME WE'VE GOT TO DO A, A, A BETTER JOB OF EDUCATING THOSE, UM, I GUESS THE STAFF THAT'S AT THE, AT THOSE CENTERS. I MEAN, I, IT IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE. UM, THE LACK OF, AT BOTH CASHMERE AND KINGWOOD, THE LACK OF, I'LL SAY INTEREST, THE LACK OF EDUCATION THAT, UM, AND I KNOW THOSE ARE, UH, PARKS, YOU KNOW, STAFFING, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS AN EMBARRASSMENT. I MEAN, AS FAR AS SIGNAGE OR ANY TYPE OF INFORMATION FOR THE RESIDENTS, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE COMING IN, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE FRUSTRATED, THEY'RE HOT, THEY'RE TIRED, THEY'RE COLD, WHATEVER THE SITUATION WOULD BE. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO CONNECTION TO FEMA AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN SO MUCH AS, AS SETTING UP THESE, THESE, UH, COOLING AND OR WARMING CENTERS IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO HAVE A LOCAL WAREHOUSE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME OF THESE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE THAT GO TOGETHER TO SIT SET THESE UP AND TO BE ABLE TO DEPLOY THAT IS ESSENTIAL. AND I, I REALLY THINK THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, AS FAR AS BUILDING, GETTING A WAREHOUSE AND ICE PRODUCTION AND THAT THAT TAKES TIME. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF LOW HANGING FRUIT THERE THAT I WOULD LOVE TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, AND THIS ISDS ARE ALWAYS A GREAT, I A GREAT APPROACH. AND THEN JUST HOPING THAT THERE'S NO INFRASTRUCTURE. I KNOW THE DERECHO SPRING WAS PRETTY MUCH WIPED OUT SPRING ISD THAT WE, WE HAD TO SET UP FEEDING JUST FOR THE CHILDREN, HISD CURRENTLY THAT WERE SHUT DOWN FOR LIKE THREE DAYS. AND THAT WAS ALWAYS A CONCERN FOR US, ARE THE CHILDREN THAT RELY ON THOSE MEALS, GETTING THOSE, AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WORKING WITH HIZ, LET'S PARTNER TOGETHER AND SEE WHAT YOU HAVE. BECAUSE THEY HAD 202 SCHOOLS THAT WERE SHUT DOWN. AND SO THAT WAS ANOTHER MASS CARE FEEDING THAT WE HAD TO REALLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION. AND WHAT PARTNERSHIP ARE WE GONNA HAVE? 'CAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER, THERE ARE CHILDREN THAT DEPEND ON THAT MEAL IF THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT'S DOWN. BUT THEN WHAT CAN WE WORK TOGETHER IN THOSE ASSETS AND DO SOME TYPE OF MOU AND SEE BE THE FORCE MULTIPLIER. SO YES, LIKE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO YOU. DEFINITELY. MR. DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, CHIEF, LET ME FIRST OF ALL BEGIN BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AT A VERY DETRIMENTAL TIME. THANK YOU. UM, THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT TASK THAT WAS FACING YOU ALL WAS JUST ENORMOUS. AND THAT WAS ONLY CAT ONE. UH, I'VE EXPERIENCED EVERY STORM IN HOUSTON IN MY LIFE TIME FROM CARLA ALL THE WAY UP TO THE PRESENT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE AND IKE WHEN I WAS OUT OF THE CITY AND IN ANOTHER CITY. UM, BUT LET ME JUST COMMEND YOU AND THE MAYOR FOR TAKING THE LEADERSHIP IN THIS PROCESS. IT'S EASY TO BE THE, THE QUARTERBACK ON MONDAY AFTER THE GAME ON SUNDAY. BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN, YOU KNOW, AND FOR YOUR SERVICE COAST GUARD AND YOUR GREAT EXPERIENCE IN THAT, WE NEED SOMEONE THAT COULD TAKE LEADERSHIP. AND A THINK IS ABOUT PLANS. UM, EVERYBODY CAN'T BE AT THE OEM ON A MERCH DAY. THESE DISTRICTS ARE WIDE. HOUSTON IS 660, YOU KNOW, SQUARE MILES OF CITY. AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT MANY COUNCIL DISTRICT LEADERS ARE IN THEIR DISTRICTS TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THE BUSINESS. ONE OF THE THINGS I DO WANT TO PUT UP OUT IS STRATEGICALLY, SOME OF THE POINTS ARE MADE SEVERAL WEEKS BACK. I TALKED ABOUT, I BROUGHT UP HERE ABOUT ICE. IT'S INTERESTING THAT THE CITY AND THE MAYOR HAD TO COME UP WITH WAYS TO GET ICE INTO OUR CITY. IT BECAME A VERY, VERY NEEDFUL COMMODITY. I BROUGHT UP IN COUNCILS ABOUT THE SUGGESTION OF HAVING PLACES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES TO INCLUDE CHURCHES. I BROUGHT IT UP AT THIS COUNCIL WHERE YOU HAVE ICE MACHINES MADE TO PROVIDE THAT. WE HAVE TO THINK STRATEGIC, YOU KNOW, I KNOW SOME OF MY THOUGHTS ARE MILITARY THOUGHTS BECAUSE ONE THING ABOUT BEING MILITARY, YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE A PLAN GOING IN AND A PLAN COMING OUT THAT THAT'S WHAT WE DO. AND SO WITH, WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE AND LEADERSHIP, MAYOR, I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO COME UP WITH PLANS TO [02:55:01] PROVIDE, WE HAVE CHURCHES IN ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES EVERYWHERE. WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE MAYOR THAT I BROUGHT PASTORS ON AND TALKED ABOUT. WE COULD HAVE PLACES AND PASTORS NOT ONLY FOR COOLING CENTERS PROVIDING ICE WITH GENERATORS, THEY HAVE VANS AND BUSES THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE. THERE SHOULD BE A HUMONGOUS LIST OF PEOPLE PROVIDED TO YOU AS TO WHAT CHURCHES NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST. AND WE DON'T HAVE TO STRUGGLE OR STRAIN THE CITY ON TRYING TO FIND PLACES. THE MULTIPURPOSE CENTERS CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH. YES, SIR. BUT WE COULD MASSIVELY DO THIS. NOW, HARVEY WAS WATER BARREL WAS WIND. SO WITH THE COMBINATION, IF IT WAS WATER AND WIND, LIKE WHAT WE GOT WITH HARVEY, IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO MOBILIZE. YOU CAN'T HARDLY GET PEOPLE AROUND. SO THEN YOU TALK ABOUT LINES BEING DOWN. YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR, ONE OF THE, I JUST RECEIVED A TEXT FROM ONE OF THE, UH, CITIZENS SAYS, WHEN ARE WE GONNA HAVE A TRAINING PROCESS OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATING IN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS? THIS IS, THIS AIN'T ROCKET SCIENCE. A LOT OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, JOAQUIN AND SO MANY OTHERS, WERE DOING WHAT THEY DO IN THEIR DISTRICTS. SO I'M HOPING GOING FORWARD WITH THE MINISTER'S GROUP THAT WE'VE GENERATED, AND WE MET WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT, UH, AT HISD TO TALK ABOUT THE FACT SCHOOLS COULD BE USED, TRANSPORTATION BY THAT. IT'S PICKED PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE SENIOR CITIZENS. THEY ARE, THEY'RE GENERALLY THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN TIMES LIKE THIS. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO US. I THINK IT'S ALL ON THE TABLE. SENATOR POINT. WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THAT AND THE MAYOR'S ADDRESSED THAT. AND HE WILL DO IT AGAIN ON IN AUSTIN, I'M SURE, BUT AS WELL AS OTHER COUNCILMEN. BUT I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND SAY TODAY THAT IT IS TIME NOW FOR US TO CREATE A STRATEGIC PLAN ABOUT WHAT COMES FOR WHETHER IT'S A 1, 2, 3, OR FOUR. LAST POINT. I WAS HERE AND PARTICIPATED WITH THE SALVATION ARMY AND RED CROSS DURING KATRINA. THE CHURCHES WERE INVOLVED WHEN IT WAS GEORGIA BROWN AND WHEN IT WAS AT THE ADON. SEE, WE, THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY OLD NEWS. IT REALLY IS. SO, BUT IF WE JUST GET THE PEOPLE AND ALL OF OUR FELLOW COLLEAGUES, WE ARE A COUNCIL. WE ARE NOT WORKING IN SILOS HERE. WE OUGHT TO WORK AS A COUNCIL, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE CALLED. AND THAT WAY, WHETHER SOMETHING HAPPENED ON THE WEST SIDE, ON THE NORTH SIDE, EVERYBODY OUGHT TO PARTICIPATE AND EVERYBODY OUGHT TO HAVE SOME EFFORTS IN DOING IT. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO PUTTING THIS PLAN TOGETHER. OKAY. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT TOO. COUNCIL MEMBER, I KNOW YOU REACHED OUT, YOU KNOW, A WHILE BACK ON JUST THAT AFTER RECHO AND LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR CHURCH EVENT THAT WE'RE GONNA BE GOING TO. AND I THINK THE OTHER THING, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR SAID WHAT OUR UNMET NEEDS IS DEFINITELY GROW THE OEM STAFF TO MORE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO JUST DO THAT, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF HAVING POSITIONS ON GRANTS THAT WE'RE LIMITED TO WHAT THEY CAN DO. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT TOO. SO THAT'LL BE PART OF STRATEGIC PLAN. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THAT. GOOD. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLICKINGER, FIRST OF ALL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID. UH, WE ALL KNOW HOW HARD YOU WORKED THROUGH THIS. I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT ELECTRICITY IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE. YES, SIR. UH, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE REDUNDANCY AND THE BACKUP GENERATORS, UH, CERTAINLY AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, THE COMMUNITY CENTERS, UH, THE LIFT STATIONS. YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF GOES ON AND ON. UM, I WAS, UH, MET WITH STEVEN DAVID YESTERDAY AND, UH, I ASKED HIM ABOUT GETTING A GENERATOR FOR THE KINGWOOD, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER, AND HE SAID THEY'RE ALREADY ON A PLAN WITH IT. SO THAT WAS HARD. NICE TO HEAR. YEAH. THE OTHER ISSUE I THINK WE'VE GOT TOO IS THE COMMUNICATIONS. 'CAUSE ONCE PEOPLE LOSE POWER, THEY LOSE INTERNET AND THE PHONE SERVICE, IT'S PRETTY DIFFICULT TO COMMUNICATE TO PEOPLE AFTER THE FACT, HEY, WE'VE GOT WATER AND ICE UP HERE AT THIS FACILITY. YET AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T NECESSARILY GUARANTEE THAT THE FACILITIES ARE GONNA BE IN GOOD ENOUGH CONDITION. SO IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE HAVING TO TRY AND THREAD THE NEEDLE TO, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE TELL 'EM IN, GET 'EM THE KNOWLEDGE BEFORE, BUT YET STILL MAKE SURE THAT THAT KNOWLEDGE, THAT INFORMATION IS CORRECT. SO I'M NOT SURE HOW WE GO ABOUT SOLVING THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN DAVIS BROUGHT UP, UM, AND I'VE GONE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITIES TOO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE WORKING ON OUR HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, COUNCILMAN POLL AND POLLARD HAD A A GREAT, YOU LOOK AT HIS COMMUNITY, RIGHT? YOU HAVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT THE FORCE MULTIPLIERS AND, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER IN YOUR DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE OUT THERE DOING HAZARD MITIGATION, [03:00:01] THE FORMAT, THAT TEMPLATE OF HAVING THOSE, THOSE COMMUNITY LEADERS THAT HE HAS AND, AND DOING THAT FORCE MULTIPLIER, COUNCILMAN, REMEMBER YOU MENTIONED THE CHURCHES, RIGHT? THOSE ARE THE PLANS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. 'CAUSE THERE'S THAT, THE, THE REALITY THAT THE PHONES ARE ALWAYS GONNA WORK. THAT THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A CYBER ISSUE THAT, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, RIGHT? SO THAT'S THE CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, WHICH I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN AWAY FROM THE GRASSROOTS OF WHERE DO PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE, RIGHT? AND MAKING THAT, THAT HUB AND WORKING WITH YOU ALL AND, AND HERE IN COUNCIL, AS YOU SAID, SIR, TO START DOING THAT. AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ON US THAT WE'RE GONNA START DEFINITELY LOOKING AT AND SEE WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS, HOW DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO WE COULD BE THAT UTILIZE YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOU AS, AS THAT FORCE MULTIPLIER. NO, AND I THINK EVERYBODY'S KIND OF MADE THE POINT OF THE COMMUNITY AND GETTING THE COMMUNITY MORE INVOLVED AND VOLUNTEERS, THAT TYPE OF THING. AND YEAH, I MEAN, WE REALLY NEED TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED AS AS POSSIBLE. THE OTHER THING WE'RE WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE PRIVATE INDUSTRY MENTIONED, THE MAYOR HAS MENTIONED THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT TO AT AND T, VERIZON, UH, T-MOBILE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT CAN WE UTILIZE FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE DISASTER RESPONSE TEAMS AND WE'RE MEETING WITH THEM. IT'S LIKE, WHAT CAN WE OFFER THE COMMUNITY WHEN WE WANNA PASS OUT? YOU KNOW, THEY GOT THOSE BURN PHONES, THEY GOT ALL THOSE THAT NOW WE'RE GETTING THAT CACHET OF UTILIZING THEM TO START NOT ONLY PUTTING UP THE TOWERS WHEN COMMUNICATION'S DOWN, BUT WHICH WE DID THIS TIME, BUT ALSO GIVING THOSE ASSETS. WE'RE WORKING WITH COMPUTE DATA TO GIVE COMPUTERS TO PEOPLE ALONG WITH THEIR HOTSPOTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT, THAT NOW A LOT OF THE, UH, THE NGLS ARE COMING FORWARD AND THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY AS WELL. SO THAT'S ANOTHER MODEL THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, CHIEF, UH, DEFINITELY WANNA JUST MAKE SURE THAT, UH, FROM ON BEHALF OF DISTRICT GUY, THAT WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE BEEN DOING AS WELL. UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT LOCALIZED RESPONSE. UM, DISTRICT I 45 BELTWAY PRETTY MUCH TO, YOU KNOW, WA UH, HIGHWAY 90 IN GREEN BAYOU. SO THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, AREA THAT WE COVER. UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY THE NORTHEAST PART AND THE HOBBY AREA, WE DON'T HAVE A MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. WE DON'T HAVE COMMUNITY CENTERS. AND SO, UM, I DEFINITELY WANNA CONTINUE TO LEAN ON OUR FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT, THAT WE DO PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF POINT OF DISTRIBUTION IN THE FUTURE. UM, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED POWER TO HAVE A POINT OF DISTRIBUTION. YOU SET UP SHOP OUTSIDE, AND WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT, AT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL. UM, AS I SAW SEVERAL OF THE MAPS FOR COOLING CENTERS, WHICH AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THAT ENERGY IS IMPORTANT, POWER IS IMPORTANT, BUT THERE IS A HUGE GAP IN DISTRICT EYE. AND THAT, THAT ARROW THAT WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME, UM, DISTRICT EYE IS A REALLY AT THE, AT, AT THE HEAD OF THAT ARROW MOVING, MOVING EAST. AND SO, UM, AGAIN, I'M SUPER INTERESTED IN WANTING TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM TO ENSURE THAT WE, WE FILL THOSE GAPS. UM, THANKFUL FOR HFD, THE VAL YANKEE, YES. FOR OPENING UP. IT'S A CITY FACILITY THAT, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY WE, WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IN DISTRICT. I, BECAUSE IT WASN'T IN DISTRICT I HISTORICALLY, BUT THAT NEEDS TO BE A POINT OF DISTRIBUTION, UM, AT THE VERY LEAST. UM, AND THEN WHEN POWER'S THERE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME OPERATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING, TRAINING AND WHATNOT, BUT IT SHOULD BE ALSO A LOCATION WHERE COMMUNITY IN THE SKYSCRAPER, SHADOWS IN THE GLENBROOK VALLEY, UH, GARDEN VILLAS, UH, NORTH HOBBY, UH, GULF, GULF MEADOWS, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO ALSO SEE IS, UM, SOMETHING WHERE, WHERE THERE ARE RESOURCES FOR THEM AS WELL. UH, IT'S JUST HARD TO SAY, HEY, DRIVE OVER TO SUNNYSIDE. YEAH, NO, I AGREE, SIR. AND I THINK, AND THANKS FOR THAT CONVERSATION THAT YOU AND I WERE HAVING ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT SITES TO LOOK AT, AND THAT'S WHEN I, WE DECIDED, YOU KNOW, I, I'M, I THREW OUT THERE AND I'M GLAD IT WORKED, YOU KNOW, THE FIRE ACADEMY. AND SO WE MADE IT HAPPEN FAST. AND, UH, AND MOVING FORWARD, THAT'S ONE OF THE AREAS NOW THAT WE HAVE IN OUR GI IS MAPPING SYSTEM FOR YOUR DISTRICT AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, JUST THAT FACILITY THAT HADN'T BEEN UTILIZED BEFORE THAT NOW. AND, AND THANKS FOR REACHING OUT. I APPRECIATE THAT. DEFINITELY. YEAH. AGAIN, UH, TO BE PREPARED FOR SOMETHING THAT'S SO UNPREDICTABLE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST GOTTA BE ON ALL, ALL CYLINDERS AND SO APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK Y'ALL ARE DOING 24 7, UH, KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. UH, MAYOR, I HAVE TWO THINGS THAT I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION. UH, WE STARTED HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, WHAT DOES A GENERATOR LOOK LIKE AT A SENIOR FACILITY, A SENIOR APARTMENT, UH, MAYBE SOME OF THESE NONPROFITS OR, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE EVEN CHURCHES. I I WOULD LOVE TO LOOK AT, UH, CHAPTER THREE 13, UH, THREE 12 AT THE STATE CODE TO SEE WHAT KIND OF TAX INCENTIVES, TAX ABATEMENTS WE CAN START GIVING FOR THE, THE COST OF, UH, PUTTING A GENERATOR IN SOME OF THESE FACILITIES. UH, SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, IF WE HAVE A NONPROFIT THAT HAS A COMMUNITY CENTER OR YOU KNOW, A CHURCH, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, UM, TO SEE SOME KIND OF, UH, INCENTIVE TO PLACE A GENERATOR AT THEIR LOCATION? UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS OF PREPARING FOR WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, THE STORM POST, THE STORM, [03:05:01] UH, RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH IS A LOT OF DEBRIS REMOVAL, AND I'D LOVE TO SEE SOLID WASTE COME HERE NEXT WEEK AS WELL TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. UM, SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO NOT JUST THE DEPARTMENT, I UNDERSTAND THAT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES ARE WORKING HARD, BUT WE HAVE, UH, CONTRACTORS THAT ARE GOING OUT THERE AS WELL. AND I WANNA MAKE SURE, UH, THAT, THAT THE DEBRIS REMOVAL IS, IS TAKEN ON THE SAME, SAME KIND OF PASSION AS WHEN IT COMES TO RECOVERY. UH, POSTED THE ACTUAL STORM. THERE WERE STILL DEBRIS THAT WAS OUT THERE. UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A REPORT THAT WE DID THE FIRST COMPLETION JUNE 30TH. THAT WAS DEFINITELY NOT THE CASE. I KNOW THAT FOR A FACT, UH, SEVERAL OF OUR, MY COLLEAGUES KNOW THAT AS WELL. AND SO, UM, NOT PUTTING THE, THE BURDEN ON OUR CITY EMPLOYEES NECESSARILY, BUT ON THOSE CONTRACTORS THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA GET SOME KIND OF REIMBURSEMENT, UH, BACK FROM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT DEBRIS REMOVAL IS JUST AS MUCH OF A PRIORITY WHEN IT COMES TO LIGHTS BEING OUT, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, POINTS OF DISTRIBUTIONS, YOU KNOW, DURING, DURING, UH, THE RECOVERY. AND SO, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOUR ADMINISTRATION AS WELL. MERIT, UH, AND YOUR STAFF TO, YOU KNOW, SEEING WHAT KIND OF INCENTIVES WE CAN HAVE FOR APARTMENTS, SENIOR APARTMENTS SPECIFICALLY, UH, TO BE, UH, READY WITH GENERATORS. BUT THEN ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS DEBRIS REMOVAL NEEDS TO BE A, A HUGE PRIORITY AT THAT RIGHT NOW AS WELL. WELL DONE. AND, UH, I COULD SHOW YOU A TEXT I SENT 10 MINUTES AGO WHILE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR ABOUT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. , UH, HE'S GOT TO BRING ON ADDITIONAL RESOURCES CONTRACTORS IN, IN VIEW OF BACK TO BACK STORMS. NOW, UH, I MIGHT POINT OUT THAT FEMA'S, UH, TREATING THOSE STORMS IS SEPARATE EVENTS. SO THAT'S OBVIOUSLY COMPLICATED, BUT THEY WERE BACK TO BACK, SO, UH, I'D BE GLAD TO BRING SOLID WASTE. I, I, I WOULD LOOK FORWARD. I TALKED TO, UH, MARK ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT, UM, IN THE LAST 10 MINUTES, I'VE TEXTED HIM. YOU'VE GOTTA GET ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS IN HERE. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. MORNING, UH, CHIEF, I CAN'T, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY ATTA BOYS TODAY OR ATTA GIRLS TODAY. UM, BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY CARE WHAT CENTER POINT DOES IN TERMS OF THEIR TRACKER, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE DATA FOR 11 DISTRICTS IN THE CITY. HOUSTON PLANNING HAS GIS MAPS. WE KNOW THE INCOME. AND ON THE WEST SIDE, FOR THE PEOPLE I REPRESENT, THEIR AVERAGE INCOME IS $47,000. 45% OF THE PEOPLE I REPRESENT ARE FOREIGN BORN IN THE PRACTICE OF HOW WE DO THIS WORK. IT SHOULD BE OUR INSTINCT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE COMMUNITIES HAVE A PLACE TO GO AND HAVE DIRECT RESOURCES. THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. IF I WAS NOT PREPARED ON THE WEST SIDE WITH WATER AND PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS, WE WOULD NOT HAVE A DAM THING. NO ONE FROM OEM SAID, WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE WEST? HOW CAN WE ASSIST NO ONE? IF I DIDN'T HAVE A LEAF, ISD, IF I DID NOT HAVE THE WEST HOUSTON CHAMBER IDENTIFYING A FORKLIFT SO I CAN GET 18 PALLETS OF WATER OFF A TRUCK, THOSE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE NOTHING. WE SERVED OVER 2,500 PEOPLE AND HAD TO TURN THEM AWAY. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING MORE ABOUT OUR GOALS. I HAD SENIORS CHARGING LIFE ALERTS IN THEIR CARS, VENTILATORS IN THEIR CARS, AND THERE WAS NO SUPPORT. THE WEST SIDE CANNOT BE FORGOTTEN. I NEED THAT COMMITMENT, NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR THE QUARTER MILLION PEOPLE I REPRESENT. THEY CANNOT BE FORGOTTEN. I GO ALL THE WAY TO HIGHWAY 99, CINCO RANCH. I GO ALL THE WAY. UH, METALS PLACE, THE EYE OF THE STORM CAME THROUGH THE WEST SIDE, AND THERE WERE NO RESOURCES DEPLOYED. YOU KNOW WHO OFFERED ME ICE? HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE LENA HILL GO OFFERED ME ICE. WE HAVE TO LEVERAGE THE CURRENCY WE HAVE IN THIS CITY, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE GROUND, THE CHURCHES TO ALL OF THESE POINTS. THESE ARE JUST, WE'RE ALL ECHOING THE SAME THING. IT HAS TO START SHOWING UP IN THE WORK THAT WE DO FOR THIS CITY. WE ARE NOT NEW TO THIS. I, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY, 'CAUSE WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH RECOVERY. MY DISTRICT F TEAM, WE HAVE OUR OWN TRANSLATION TEAM BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T, OH, EVERYONE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND ENGLISH. I REPRESENT NIGERIANS, I REPRESENT CHINESE, VIETNAMESE. THERE'S DIFFERENT DIALECTS WITH THAT. AND WE HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL, NOT JUST TALKING POINTS ABOUT DIVERSITY, BUT WHEN THE RUBBER READS THE ROAD, CAN THE PERSON THAT HAS FORMED BOARD UNDERSTAND WHERE TO GO? [03:10:01] THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FILL ANOTHER ICE BOX UP. IT WAS THE 4TH OF JULY. THEY SPENT THEIR EXTRA MONEY ON BARBECUE, ON CELEBRATIONS, AND THAT'S GONE. WE HAVE TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL. IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO SAY CALL 3 1 1 AND THEY'LL COME GET YOU. SO I'M SUPPOSED TO SIT WITH A SIX PACK OF WATER AND A PACK OF ICE AND WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO COME GET ME IN A HEAT ADVISORY AND THEN WAIT TO GET BACK TO HIGHWAY SIX. IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. SO ALL OF THOSE PLANS, IT'S INTERESTING TO HEAR THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE ALREADY HAPPENING, BUT YOU'RE, YOU HAVE A HUGE ASSET WITHIN THIS COUNCIL THAT CAN HELP COLOR IN THE LINES OF THAT AND HAVE A BETTER ACTIVATION. I WOULD'VE LOVED TO KNOW THAT YOU HAD PEOPLE KNOCKING ON DOORS OF SENIORS. WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE READY TO GO IN THEIR LANGUAGE, READY TO GO. WE CAN COMPLIMENT THAT WORK. AND NONE OF THAT COMMUNICATION WAS OFFERED. THAT OPPORTUNITY WAS NOT OFFERED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF A SENIOR NEEDED OXYGEN, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT WE CAN GET THAT TO YOU SO YOUR PEOPLE CAN GET THEM WHAT THEY NEED? THIS WAS A CATEGORY ONE, AND PEOPLE DIED ON A CATEGORY ONE. I HAVE SIX ROOF LEAKS IN MY HOUSE BECAUSE OF THIS, AND I STILL HAD TO BE OUT ON THE STREET. SO I THINK THAT HOPEFULLY THE NEXT TIME YOU COME HERE, WHICH IS HOPEFULLY SOON, WE HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT EVERYONE'S AWARE OF. WE HAVE MORE PARTNERS AT THE TABLE, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, CHURCHES, VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE READY TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY IMMEDIATELY AFTER DISASTER. BECAUSE FOR THE FOUR, IF YOU'VE MADE $47,000 A CATEGORY ONE ON PAPER TO SOME IS A CATEGORY THREE TO OTHERS, IT'S GOING TO TAKE THEM TIME TO, TO RECOVER FROM THIS. THEY DON'T HAVE MONEY TO GO TO GO TO DALLAS AND STAY IN A A, A HOTEL FOR WEEKS. THEY DON'T HAVE IT. THEY'RE LOSING WAGES. BUSINESSES SHUT DOWN. NONE OF THAT'S YOUR FAULT. BUT IN TERMS OF RECOVERY, THOSE ARE THE NUANCES THAT WE DEAL WITH ON THE GROUND. AND I JUST WANNA EXTEND TO YOU DIRECTLY ALLOW ME TO SUPPORT AND, AND WALK HAND IN HAND WITH YOU, PARTICULARLY ON THE WEST SIDE, BECAUSE WE NEED THAT HELP COUNCIL MEMBER. THANKS FOR THAT OFFER. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CONTINUOUSLY PUSH FOR IS WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. I KNOW THAT BRENT'S ALREADY SENT OUT TO YOUR STAFF AND TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE OPEN HOUSE THAT WE'RE HAVING, RIGHT? WE, WE HAVE TO WORK WITH YOU ALL ON THAT FORCE MULTIPLIER. THE OTHER THING TOO IS PART OF THAT IS GOING TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF ON THIS IS THE SITES THAT WE HAVE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 700 SQUARE MILES THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS, RIGHT? AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT. 'CAUSE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HERE UNDERSTANDS THE COMMUNITY. SEE WHAT THE NEEDS ARE. AND COUNCIL MEMBER, I I, I, I SENSE YOUR FRUSTRATION, BUT YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE COMPASSION THAT YOU HAVE BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS US TO LOOK AT THOSE AREAS, YOU KNOW, KNOW, I DO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, ME GOING THROUGH IT, THAT SOME, WHAT IS THE MESSAGING? WHAT IS THE COMPASSION PIECE THAT WE'RE DOING? AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER, AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT WE STRIVE VERY HARD, LIKE VERY HARD. AND TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING'S COVERED. BUT IT IS A PARTNERSHIP TO, AS A FORCE MULTIPLIER THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS. THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS. THERE'S ALWAYS THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE IT BETTER. AND WE STRIVE TO MAKE IT BETTER. I HAVE TEAMS THAT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE LOOK AT THAT I HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY, YOU KNOW, AND THE COMPASSION. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT THE UNDERLYING, THAT IS COMPASSION. 'CAUSE WE ARE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE BUSINESS AND THAT WE TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY. BUT THE COMPASSION THAT YOU SHOW, I I, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE, THE MEETINGS THAT YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE. I LOOK, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GET THOSE FORCE MULTIPLIERS, THE MESSAGING THAT WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE STORM, I SEE WHAT COUNCIL MEMBERS SENT EMAILS TO ME AND I LOOK AT AND SEE, AND THEN WHEN I DON'T SEE ONE, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, HOW DO WE OPEN THIS COMMUNICATION? WHERE, WHAT PROCESS SHOULD WE USE? 'CAUSE COUNCIL MEMBER, I GREW UP EXTREMELY POOR. AND I KNOW THAT IS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND PART OF THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND I, I'M GONNA GET ON THAT SOAPBOX, AS THEY SAY, GET YOUR KIT READY. I KNOW IT COSTS APPROXIMATELY $300, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER, WHEN YOU EITHER HAVE A CHOICE TO EAT OR BUY FLASHLIGHTS, I'M GOING TO EAT. WE NEED GAS EVACUATION ROUTES THAT WE LOOK AT STUDYING EVERY DISASTER. SOCIAL ECONOMICS DETERMINES WHERE YOU GO, WHAT YOU EAT, AND WHERE YOU STAY. AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I LOOK AT. AND I APPLAUD THE PASSION. 'CAUSE THIS IS THE THINGS THAT MAKE US BETTER. AND WHAT YOU JUST SAID RIGHT THERE, I I'M, I'M EXCITED TO BE MEETING WITH YOU ALL WITH OUR STAFF. ONE OF THE THINGS I'M GONNA PRESENT IS TO GROW THAT STAFF. I HAVE 16 PEOPLE THAT FOR 700, BUT NOW WE HAVE A MAYOR. WE HAVE LEADERSHIP THAT UNDERSTANDS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND WHAT IT [03:15:01] BRINGS, RIGHT? SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WORK AT EVERY SINGLE DAY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SITTING WITH, SITTING DOWN WITH YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BRENT'S GONNA SEND OUT AND HAS ALREADY SENT OUT. WE HAVE JULY 25TH WE MEETING WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS. I KNOW IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THAT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. THANK YOU. AND I WANNA JUST, YOU KNOW, COMMEND ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, ESPECIALLY WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS SAID. I, I KNOW, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW PERSONALLY BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A DISTRICT, BUT, UM, BUT I DO DEFINITELY ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. UM, I THINK THAT IT'S PAST TIME OF, OF SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO GET PREPARED. WE, WE ARE THE CITY OF STORMS. I MEAN, WE'VE EXPERIENCED THAT FOR YEARS, RIGHT? SO I THINK SAYING IN THAT AT THIS POINT IS, SHOULDN'T EVEN BE WORDS THAT WE UTILIZE. UM, WE DO HAVE A RESILIENCY PLAN IN PLACE THAT I UNDERSTAND THE ADMINISTRATION IS VETTING. WELL, WE NEED TO GET THAT DONE 30 DAYS. UM, LILY PADS HAVE TO BE, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE STORM IS GONNA HIT, BUT IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE LOCATIONS IDENTIFIED, AND I THINK WE NEED TO ADD LIBRARIES TO THE LIST BECAUSE I THINK LIBRARIES ARE IN A LOT OF LOCATIONS. YOU KNOW, ONE THING THE LATTER DAY SAINTS DO INCREDIBLY WELL IS CREATE BUNKERS. WE NEED TO NOT RECREATE THE WHEEL AND, UM, AND DUPLICATE RIGHT. WHAT THEY ALREADY DO. I MEAN, THEY ARE SO PREPARED. I DUNNO IF ANYONE'S BEEN TO UTAH TO VISIT, BUT THEY ARE READY FOR ANYTHING COMING OUR WAY. AND SO HAVING, WE DO MEET WITH THEM CONTINUOUSLY AND THEY WERE PART OF THIS, THIS ACTIVATION. OF COURSE. YEAH. NO, THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE THE ANSWER. SO I THINK IDENTIFYING THE LILY PADS, THE WAREHOUSE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVING THE LI PADS AS ACT AS MANY BUNKERS AND COMMUNITIES, WHATEVER THOSE LOOK LIKE, USING THE FAITH-BASED. UM, BUT I DO BELIEVE IT DOES HAVE TO BE SECURE. SO I RECOGNIZE THAT PIECE AS WELL. AND I DO THINK THE CITY HAS TO HAVE GOVERNANCE BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS PRIVATE PROPERTY. SO I THINK THOSE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO WORK OUT. UM, I'M GONNA FAST TRACK MY APARTMENT INSPECTION REFORM ORDINANCE, JUST LETTING EVERYONE KNOW. UM, AND I'M GONNA TACK ON SENIOR LIVING FACILITIES. UM, THERE HAS TO BE A MANDATE THAT IF YOU OWN A SENIOR LIVING FACILITY, AT A BARE MINIMUM, ONE FLOOR NEEDS TO HAVE A GENERATOR THAT COOLS EVERYTHING. LET THEIR SENIORS PLUG EVERYTHING UP, AND THE ELEVATOR NEEDS TO BE ATTACHED TO THAT GENERATOR. A REFRIGERATOR. SENIORS DON'T HAVE A TIME UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT DAYS ARE LOOKING LIKE, THEY DON'T REMEMBER IF THE BANANA'S BEEN IN THERE FOR TWO DAYS OR THREE DAYS. YOU'RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA. WE DON'T NEED SENIORS GETTING SICK AND THINGS OF THAT SORT. AT A BARE MINIMUM, A GENERATOR NEEDS TO BE COVERING FIRST FLOOR ELEVATORS. SO FIRE DEPARTMENT IS NOT TRYING TO GET OUR SENIORS FROM LIKE THREE THIRD AND FOURTH FLOORS THAT CAN'T GET DOWNSTAIRS AND THEY'VE GOTTA BE ABLE TO PLUG UP THEIR DEVICES. WE HAD TONS OF SENIORS THAT DIDN'T WANNA LEAVE BECAUSE THEY WERE SO SCARED THAT SOMEONE WAS GONNA STEAL THEIR PROPERTY. SO THERE'S, THERE'S AN UNDERSTANDING THERE. BUT, UM, I, I LOVE WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, JOAQUIN SAID REGARDING GETTING FUNDING FOR SENIOR FACILITIES. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TOO. 'CAUSE I THINK THAT THE GENERATORS DO GET TO BE EXPENSIVE, BUT IF WE JUST FOCUS ON ONE AREA, MAYBE IN THE BEGINNING, UM, AND MAKING THAT A REQUIREMENT, I THINK THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT LESS EXPENSIVE. AND WE DON'T HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, ENERGIZE THE ENTIRE BUILDING. BUT, UM, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP IMMEDIATELY. BUT I THINK IT'S DONE. I THINK WE'RE DONE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO GET READY. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN READY. YOU HAVE MEMBERS HERE THAT ARE READY TO WORK WITH YOU. YOU HAVE AN ADMINISTRATION THAT'S INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE. SO LET'S JUST KINDA GET THIS THING DONE AND LET'S IDENTIFY WHERE THESE LIP PADS ARE GONNA BE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T WAIT TILL HURRICANE SEASON. WE NEED TO STOCK THESE THING THINGS WITH SOLAR FANS. WE NEED TO STOCK THEM IN ADVANCE WHEN THEY'RE NOT THREE TIMES THE PRICE AND HAVE THOSE READY TO GO. SO THAT, AND, AND THE OTHER PIECE THAT I'VE HEARD IS THAT THE VOLUNTEERS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES WEREN'T EVEN ALLOWED TO HELP IN THE MULTI-SERVICE, UM, SERVICE CENTERS. THAT'S UN THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE. I I, I HAVE TO SAY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT I DON'T KNOW, AND I'LL TRACK DOWN THAT STATEMENT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE WERE UTILIZING CERT PEOPLE, WE WERE UTILIZING OUR NGOS, OUR AMERICAN RED CROSS TO DO THE FIVE SHELTERS, EVERYTHING ELSE. AND, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW READY, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S THAT LONG-TERM READY AS FAR AS THE HARDENING OF THE, OF THE SITES, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE AMOUNT OF RUNS, THE AMOUNT OF PREPAREDNESS THAT WENT IN, YOU KNOW, AND PART OF THAT READY THAT WE ALREADY DO IS WE HAVE OUR COOLING AND DISTRIBUTION CENTERS ALREADY PRE-IDENTIFIED. AND THEN ONCE THE STORM HITS, WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, WHERE DO WE GO? WHAT DO WE MOVE? WHAT CAN WE UTILIZE? SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I DO AGREE ON THE LONG-TERM READY, THE MITIGATION, THE HARDENING, THE STRUCTURES. THE OTHER PIECE YOU MENTIONED INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE THAT IS SO IMPORTANT. 'CAUSE ONE THING THAT'S ALSO PEOPLE FORGET IS THAT THE ELDERLY OR PEOPLE IN GENERAL MIGHT HAVE THAT, THAT MEDICINE THAT REQUIRES REFRIGERATION. AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I'M, I'M, I'M EXCITED THAT THAT'S ON THE RADAR [03:20:01] TO START MOVING FORWARD AND MAKING THAT, AS I SAY, AND, AND IF YOU SAY INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANT APARTMENTS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, NURSING HOMES ARE OBVIOUSLY REGULATED. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SAYING INSIDE, IF YOU GET THE CHECK, MAKE THE CHECK, MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE, ARE BEING CHECKED ON, THAT THERE IS THAT RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH A MORE, WHEN YOU SAY ASSISTED LIVING, I AGREE. AND, AND, AND THAT ONE THING HEB DID FOR US, BECAUSE I HEARD TONS OF PEOPLE HAD, DIDN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY ELECTRICITY, BUT THEY HAD MEDICATIONS. SO HEB GAVE US ABOUT 150 SMALL STYROFOAM COOLERS, AND WE CAN DELIVER THOSE TO SENIORS BECAUSE THEY HAD TO KEEP THEIR INSULIN COLD. I MEAN, THEY, THERE WERE SO MANY MEDICATIONS THEY HAD TO BE REFRIGERATED, UM, THAT WERE, THAT WERE CHALLENGED WHEN WE'RE GIVING OUT ICE, BUT WE'RE NOT GIVING THE ICE MELTED. I MEAN, MY GOD, BY THE TIME YOU LEFT ONE LOCATION, HA MY WHOLE, MY WHOLE CAR WAS LIKE DRIPPING WITH WATER BECAUSE IT WAS MELTING AS I WAS DRIVING. SO WE HAVE TO START NOW. AND I THINK THESE LILY PADS, WE CAN, WE CAN GET, YOU KNOW, STYROFOAM COOLERS AND PREPARE EVERYTHING FOR OUR SENIORS. SO THEY HAVE THEIR ONE LITTLE PIECE IN THEIR CORNER, EVERYTHING'S READY TO GO. AND THEN THEY'RE, THEY'RE PREPARED. BUT I, WE JUST HAVE TO STOP SAYING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING READY. YEAH, NO, THE, AND THE LILY PADS FOR US, IN OUR LANGUAGES WHERE THERE'S HIGH WATER, WE MOVE THEM THERE AS A POINTED COLLECTION SO PEOPLE COULD BE TAKEN TO THE LIVES OF SAFETY. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUOUSLY WORK WITH A HIGH WATER CREW AS TO WHERE WE'RE GOING, AND THEN WHAT NECESSITIES DO THEY NEED FOR THAT PERSON AND THE, THE MEDICALLY FRAGILE. SO YEAH, SO WHATEVER, WHATEVER WHERE WE WANNA UTILIZE. YEAH, NO, I GOT YOU. I GOT YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL FROM JACKSON. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU, UM, AND YOUR TEAM DONE, UM, DURING THIS RECENT STORM. UM, I ECHO MY COLLEAGUES. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WAS COMMUNICATION. UM, AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS MENTIONED THAT WE CAN'T BE AT THE, UM, HEADQUARTERS WHEN A STORM HAPPENED. UM, DISTRICT B IS BASICALLY REALLY SPREAD OUT. YOU KNOW, I HAVE ACRES HOMES, I HAVE WILLOWBROOK, I HAVE GREENSPOINT, I HAVE HUMBLE, I HAVE ALL THE NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOODS, PLEASANTVILLE FIFTH WARD, CASH MILL GARDEN. AND WHEN YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WITHOUT LIGHTS AND DON'T HAVE CELL SIGNAL, IT'S LIKE, WHAT DO YOU DO? ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE WITHOUT LIGHTS, YOU KNOW, AND YOU THINK YOU PREPARE, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE A FAITH-BASED ALLIANCE WHERE WE MEET MONTHLY TO PREPARE FOR STORMS LIKE THIS, RIGHT? BUT ALL MY FAITH-BASED ALLIANCE CHURCHES WAS WITHOUT POWER. AND SO THE CHALLENGE WAS, YOU KNOW, NOT BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH YOUR OFFICE, LIKE, WHAT DO WE DO? I WENT AND PURCHASE ICE, UM, TRYING TO PURCHASE ICE. I, THEY ACTUALLY DIDN'T GET WHAT I WANTED BECAUSE I KNOW THE CITY WAS PURCHASING ICE FROM THE EXPRESS, UM, COMPANY. BUT THE MAIN THING IS COMMUNICATION. YOU KNOW, WE HAD, UM, SENIOR SIT, UM, CENTERS, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS WERE STUCK, UM, THANK THANK YOU TO RED CROSS FOR DOING WELLNESS CHECKS AND GET THEIR, WE WERE ABLE TO TEXT THEM THE INFORMATION THEY WERE TO GET THERE, UM, UM, QUICKLY. UM, HOWEVER, COMMUNICATION WAS THE MAIN PROBLEM FOR US, YOU KNOW? AND RIGHT NOW WE STILL HAVE RESIDENTS WITHOUT LIGHTS. UM, AND I KNOW, UM, A-F-L-C-I-O WOULD BE THERE THIS WEEK DOING SOME, UM, REPAIRING WEATHER HEADS. UM, BUT WE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF, TO ME, A STORM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE WITHOUT LIGHTS AND PEOPLE ARE STILL TRYING TO RECOVER. AND SO ANY WAY WE CAN LIKE, IMPROVE COMMUNICATION, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I KNOW WE, WHEN WE WERE GETTING INFORMATION, IT WAS LIKE ACROSS THE CITY AS A WHOLE, BUT FOR ME, NOT DISTRICTS. SO ONLY WAY I KNEW THAT WE WERE WITHOUT, WITHOUT LIGHTS IS IF SOMEONE REACHED OUT TO ME TO LET ME KNOW, BECAUSE CENTERPOINT WAS SAYING, HEY, THIS AREA'S WITH, THEY HAVE LIGHTS NOW, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE LIGHTS. AND SO COMMUNICATION IS VERY CRITICAL. UM, AND OF COURSE, MY OFFICE WOULD DO A BETTER JOB. I, YOU KNOW, GOT SOME, UM, INSIGHT FROM SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ON WHAT THEY DID IN THEIR DISTRICTS. HOWEVER, WORKING WITH YOUR OFFICE, WE, UM, MAKE SURE IF WE ARE FACED WITH, WHEN WE'RE FACED WITH ANOTHER STORM LIKE THIS, THAT WE CAN RESPOND A WHOLE LOT BETTER. THANK YOU. NO, THANK YOU. AND, UM, AS FAR AS THE COMMUNICATION COUNCIL MEMBER, WE'RE SETTING UP AN AFTER ACTION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA DEFINITELY LOOK AT MEETING WITH YOUR STAFF, AND IF YOU COULD SEND US THAT NAME. UM, AND I'LL HAVE BRENT SENT OUT, AGAIN, THE OEM MC@HOUSTONTX.GOV, THE MASS CARE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE COULD UTILIZE AND GET THAT AND MAKE SURE IT'S ON OUR RADAR. ANYBODY MIGHT HAVE AN INDIVID JUST LIKE WE DID YESTERDAY WITH THE BAYOU APARTMENTS AND, AND, AND YOUR, YOUR, YOUR DISTRICT COUNT COUNCIL MEMBER. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT RESPONSE, PREPARATION, RECOVERY IN OPERATIONS THROUGH OEM. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED OR TOUCHED ON IS WHERE WE ARE NOT PREPARED WHEN IT COMES TO FLOOD MITIGATION AND DRAINAGE. WE'VE SAID THAT EVERY STORM LOOKS DIFFERENT. THIS WAS MORE WIND AND POWER LOSS. HARVEY SAT OVER US, AND IT WAS JUST A DELUGE OF RAIN. [03:25:02] WE KNOW THAT THE INVESTMENTS WE ARE MAKING IN INFRASTRUCTURE, IN DRAINAGE ARE WORKING, BUT EVEN I USE THE EXAMPLE WITH PROJECT BRAISE GRO DETENTION, AND EVEN THE BEACH NUT SWAT IT HELD, BUT WE WERE ALL HOLDING OUR BREATH BECAUSE HAD THAT STORM SAT OVER US, WATERS WOULD'VE BEEN OVER. THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T HAVE ANY INVESTMENTS YET. SO MAYOR, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE DO NEED TO PREPARE, I CONTINUE TO SAY WE ARE NOT READY FOR THE BIG ONE BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE THE SUFFICIENT INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND FLOOD MITIGATION THAT ARE NEEDED. I HAVE, UH, ASKED, AND I'LL AGAIN ASK AGAIN FOR A LIST OF WHAT PROJECTS THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS ARE ON HOLD. THERE ARE MANY PROJECTS THAT ARE SHOVEL READY THAT WE NEEDED TO GET IN THE GROUND THAT ARE READY TO GET GOING ON, AND WE NEED EVEN MORE THAN THAT. SO AS WE TALK ABOUT DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, INFRASTRUCTURE IS CORE TO THAT. AND WE HAVE TO START MOVING AS FORWARD AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE ON THE PROJECTS THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH. AND THAT, OF COURSE, IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY, WITH THE STATE, WITH, UH, UTILIZING THE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US. BUT WE ARE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS HERE. UH, AND AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING VERY SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE RECOVERY IN RESPONSE TO BARREL. BUT LOOKING AHEAD, THE BIG ONE CAN COME, IT WILL COME. WE'RE ON BORROWED TIME AND WE NEED, WE NEED THESE PROJECTS. YEAH. THANK COUNCIL MEMBER. OUR HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN WAS BLESSED BY, UH, FEMA IN JANUARY, WHICH IS A FIVE YEAR PLAN. UM, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, WE KEEP ON TALKING ABOUT PREPAREDNESS AND YOU ALL ARE GONNA BE THE FIRST TO HEAR, I THINK SOME OF YOU MIGHT. UM, HOW SERIOUSLY WE TAKE THAT. AND THE HAZARD MITIGATION IS HUGE PART IS LAST WEEK IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL, WE GOT NOTIFIED THAT, UH, THE CITY, THE EMER HAS, UH, OBTAINED THE, UH, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACCREDITATION PROGRAM. I GUESS GOLD STANDARD. IT'S GONNA BE OFFICIAL, BUT, UM, THAT MAKES US THE LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVE THAT, RIGHT? AND THAT'S PART OF THOSE PROCESSES THAT ENCOURAGE US TO SEE HOW WE CAN DIG DEEPER. AND I'LL DEFINITELY DISCUSS THAT HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN WITH YOU IF YOU'D LIKE. THANK YOU. THAT'S IT. UH, TOM, THANK YOU. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU. WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING IN CONTACT WITH YOU. I'D OFFER ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS RECOMMENDATIONS TO MEET WITH YOU AND, UH, VISIT THE EMERGENCY CENTER. YES, UH, EVERYONE'S MADE EXCELLENT POINTS. THE TRANSPARENCY IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN LACKING TO PUT OUR CHALLENGES OUT IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC. THE ONLY WAY THEY'RE GONNA BE WILLING TO HELP US SOLVE THEM IS THEY'VE GOTTA KNOW ABOUT 'EM. AND IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO GO AROUND THE SHOE AND SAY, WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT IN TERMS OF CITY SERVICES? AND I'LL JUST VOLUNTEER. WHAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT? ALL THE ISSUES WE HAVE ADDRESSED ARE SERIOUS. CERTAINLY THE DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE. IF YOU HAVEN'T VISITED THE EAST SIDE WATER PLANT, IT OUGHT TO BE A REQUIREMENT TO SIT AT THIS SHOE. I ASK MYSELF AND OUR TEAM, WHAT WOULD SHUT DOWN THE CITY. JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI WAS THERE LAST YEAR, TOTALLY SHUT DOWN THE CITY BECAUSE OF WATER SUPPLY. IF YOU VISIT THE EAST SIDE WATER PLANT, LITERALLY IT IS BEING HELD TOGETHER WITH BAILING WIRE AND TAPE. I DARE YOU TO GO VISIT IT. WE TALK ABOUT SO MANY NEEDS, SO MUCH NEGLECT OVER YEARS. WE'VE GOT TO ADDRESS OUR WATER SUPPLY AND OUR SOLID WASTE. WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED IT THIS MORNING. WE'LL GET PUBLIC WORKS IN HERE NEXT WEEK. 150,000 GALLONS OF WASTE WAS RELEASED INTO OUR VALUES WHILE WE'RE ACTUALLY UNDER A CONSENT ORDER. SO, WATER SUPPLY, WASTEWATER, OBVIOUSLY FIRING POLICE AND GO THROUGH THE LIST. BUT THE ONE THAT REALLY OUGHT TO KEEP US UP AT NIGHT, IF WE WAKE UP AND WE DON'T HAVE A WATER SUPPLY NOW, NO ONE'S EVER DISCUSSED IT IN PUBLIC. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW GREAT OUR CITY IS, IT'S THE CHALLENGES OF A NEGLECT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, DRAINAGE, STREETS, I CAN GO ON AND ON. THAT'S THE REASON I RAN FOR OFFICE. SO THE CHALLENGE IS OURS. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. CERTAINLY STORM RECOVERY PREPARATION. WE'RE UP AT THE TOP, CERTAINLY WHILE WE'RE IN HURRICANE SEASON, BUT YOU CAN'T CONTINUE TO GOVERN BY SPINS THAT EVERYTHING'S GREAT, THAT WE GOT A SURPLUS, WHICH EVERYONE KNOWS WE DIDN'T HAVE A SURPLUS. SO ALL I'M SAYING IS WE'VE [03:30:01] HEARD THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT THIS MORNING, BUT THERE'S A LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS THAT WE'VE GOTTA COME TOGETHER AND ADDRESS. AND YOU CAN'T FIX SOMETHING IF YOU DON'T ADMIT IT'S A PROBLEM. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH DISCUSSION IN PREVIOUS YEARS HAS BEEN ABOUT OUR WATER SUPPLY, BUT IT'S A REAL ONE. AND, UH, SOMEONE SAID, WHY DIDN'T WHITMEYER KNOW THAT THE FIRE STATIONS DIDN'T HAVE BACKUP POWER? THAT'S THE REASON I HAVE DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT DEPARTMENT HEADS. I'LL DEFINITELY GET SOLID WASTE IN HERE NEXT WEEK, BECAUSE DEBRIS PICKUP IS A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE. BUT THANK EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING. I THINK WE NEED MORE TRANSPARENCY. OPEN DISCUSSIONS. UH, SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN HERE LONGER THAN OTHERS THAT WE CAN BENEFIT FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE. AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO COMMITTEE HEARINGS WITH CHAIRED BY CARTER AND CAST THE MAYOR PRO TEM WITH CENTER POINT. EVERYTHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY REVOLVES AROUND ENERGY AND POWER, NOT A THING WE TOUCHED ON IS NOT CONTROLLED BY THE AVAILABILITY OF POWER, WHETHER IT'S ICE, PUBLIC SAFETY, TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, I CAN GO THROUGH THE LIST. SO ANYWAY, GREAT SESSION, TOM. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE. UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE. AND, UH, THANK YOUR TEAM. YOU ARE UNDERSTAFFED, NO QUESTION. YES, SIR. YOUR, YOUR, UH, EMERGENCY CENTER 9 1 1 CENTER HAS A LEAKING ROOF. THERE'S BUCKETS IN THE FACILITY ON NORTH. SHE, THE ONLY THING THAT ALMOST KEPT ME FROM GETTING TO THE EMERGENCY CENTER WAS THE, UH, FLOODING OF YOUR PARKING LOT. IT'S A HELL OF A NOTE THAT YOU CAN'T GET TO THE EMERGENCY CENTER AND OR LEAVE IT BECAUSE THE DRAINAGE ISSUES. AND WE'LL ADDRESS IT AND TALK ABOUT IT IN PUBLIC. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU [1.  9:00 A.M. - PUBLIC HEARING for the Fifth Amended Project Plan and Reinvestment Zone Financing Plan for Reinvestment Zone Number Fourteen, City of Houston, Texas (Fourth Ward Zone) - DISTRICT C - KAMIN ] MEMBERS. NEXT WE'LL MOVE TO A PUBLIC HEARING. MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL UP ITEM NUMBER ONE. ITEM ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE FIFTH AMENDED PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN FOR REINVESTMENT. ZONE NUMBER 14, CD HOUSTON, TEXAS FOURTH WARD ZONE. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY, EITHER ONE. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR COUNCIL. UH, MY NAME IS JENNIFER CURLEY. I'M WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THE PUBLIC HEARING TODAY IS REGARDING THE PROPOSED FIFTH AMENDED PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN FOR REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 14 FOURTH WARD ZONE. ON JUNE 4TH, 2024, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE FOURTH WARD ZONE AND THE FOURTH WARD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ADOPTED AMENDMENTS TO THE PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN FOR THE FOURTH WARD ZONE, AND TRANSMITTED A PROPOSED FIFTH AMENDED PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE PLAN, FINANCING PLAN TO THE CITY FOR CONSIDERATION BY CITY COUNCIL IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS 3 1 1 0.007 AND 3 1 1 0.011 OF THE TEXAS TAX CODE. THE CITY MUST HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE APPROVING THE AMENDED PLAN, BECAUSE THE AMENDED PLAN REDUCES THE SIZE OF THE ZONE AND UPDATES THE PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN. THE BOUNDARY REDUCTION WAS PRESENTED TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE ON MAY 29TH, 2024. NOTICE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING WAS PUBLISHED IN THE JULY 16TH, 2024 EDITION OF THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE. THE AMENDED PLAN PROVIDES FOR THE DE ANNEXATION OF APPROXIMATELY 90.74 ACRES OF LAND AREA, WHICH GENERALLY INCLUDES SAM HOUSTON PARK AND ADJACENT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES. THE BOUNDARIES OF EACH OF THE TRACKS OF LAND PROPOSED FOR DE ANNEXATION FROM THE ZONE ARE GENERALLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS, TRACT ONE AND AREA, GENERALLY KNOWN AS THE SAM HOUSTON PARK, BOUNDED BY BAGBY STREET ON THE EAST MCKINNEY STREET ON THE NORTH GULF FREEWAY ON THE SOUTH, AND WALKER STREET ON THE WEST TRACKS TWO, AN AREA GENERALLY BOUNDED BY TRAVIS ON THE EAST LAMAR CAPITAL AND RUST STREETS ON THE NORTH, BAGBY STREET ON THE WEST, AND BELL STREET AND CLAY STREETS ON THE SOUTH. IN CLOSING, CITY STAFF HAS WORKED WITH THE AUTHORITY ON THE AMENDED PLAN AND A RECOMMENDATION FOR CITY OF COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE AMENDED PLAN. NO ACTION IS REQUIRED TODAY. THE AMENDED PLAN WILL BE ON CITY COUNCIL'S AGENDA ON JULY 31ST. [03:35:01] COUNCILMAN ALCORN. THANKS, JENNIFER. UH, I REMEMBER IT WAS JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHEN WE ADDED, UH, WE TOOK THE, THE AREA AT SAM HOUSTON PARK AND THE HERITAGE SOCIETY OUT OFTS THREE PUT IT INTO THIS TOUR, UM, WITH THE, WITH THE, UM, DISTINCT FEELING THAT THAT WOULD HELP FUND SOME OF THE MAINTENANCE OF THE, THE BUILDINGS AND THE THINGS THAT THE CITY'S RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER AT SAM HOUSTON PARK. UM, I UNDERSTAND, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR MISSING THE COMMITTEE MEETING, BUT UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THERE'S A FEELING THAT NOT ENOUGH INCREMENTS GONNA BE GENERATED TO, UH, PROVIDE THAT. I MEAN THAT'S RIGHT, MA'AM. UM, I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD AND FINISH YOUR QUESTION. NO, NO, NO. I JUST, I JUST, WE JUST, WE JUST ADDED IT IN AND NOW WE'RE TAKING IT OUT. SO I JUST WANNA KIND OF BETTER UNDERSTAND, UM, UM, THAT, AND I, I MEAN, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY UNDER OUR AMENDED CONTRACT THAT WE, UH, TAKE RESPONSE THAT WE, UH, MAINTAIN. AND IN THOSE HISTORIC HOMES THERE, WHICH, UH, THE COST IS ABOUT $350,000 A YEAR, UM, ACCORDING TO ALL THE DOCUMENTS THAT I HAVE, WHEN THIS WAS WHEN WE DID THE LEASE AGREEMENT, THE AMENDED LEASE AGREEMENT. SO I UNDERSTAND WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER FUNDING SOURCES TO COVER THAT, BUT JUST WANNA, IS ARE WE TAKING THIS AREA OUT SO WE KIND OF LOWER OUR GETTING, BUMPING UP THE 25% THRESHOLD, OR, OR, BECAUSE WE DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA GENERATE ENOUGH INCREMENT TO HANDLE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES OR WHAT, BASICALLY, JUST SO IT'S NOT GENERATING ANY INCREMENT. SO WHEN WE ANNEX THE, NOT THIS AREA, BUT THE WHOLE TURS, IS IT NOT? NO. WELL, SO THIS, SO WHEN WE DID THIS ANNEXATION IN 2020, THE, THE INTENTION WAS FOR 2022, IT WAS JUST NO, WE DID THE ANNEXATION OF THE, OF THIS PARTICULAR AREA IN, IN 20 20 20. OKAY. SO THE LEASE AGREEMENT, I GUESS, WAS IN 22. DID. SO IN 2020 WHEN WE DID THIS ANNEXATION, AND WE DID SAMUELSON PARK AND ALONG WITH SOME OTHER COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, PROPERTIES DOWNTOWN. RIGHT. OUR INTENTION WAS FOR THOSE PROPERTIES TO FUND THE, UM, THE, UM, MAINTENANCE OVER IN SAM HOUSTON PARK. SO THE BROOKFIELD PROPERTIES OR THE, THE ALLEN YES, MA'AM. THE ALLEN CENTER PROPERTIES. OKAY. YES, MA'AM. AND THAT WAS COVID AND THEN, YEAH. AND SO AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME IN HISTORY, THAT AREA WAS ABOUT 3.9 BILLION, THAT VALUE OF THAT ENTIRE AREA. SO THAT CURRENT VALUE OF THAT AREA NOW IS 3.7. YEAH. IT'S NOT GENERATING ANY INCREMENT, AND IT HAS NOT GENERATED INCREMENTS SINCE 2020. OKAY. THAT AIN'T, SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE, THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THE DE ANNEXATION BECAUSE IT'S NOT GENERATING ANY INCREMENT. NOW, WITH REGARD TO THE REST OF THE ZONE, YES, THE REST OF THE ZONE GENERATES INCREMENT, BUT REMEMBER FROM THEIR PROJECT PLAN, FOURTH WARD'S ORIGINAL PROJECT PLAN MM-HMM . GUIDES THEM TO DO THE STREETS IN THEIR AREA. RIGHT. AND THEY'RE NOT DONE WITH THE PROJECT. RIGHT. AND REMEMBER, FOURTH WARD IS A CASH BASED TURF. IT HAS NOT ISSUED DEBT. AND SO THEY PAY FOR THEIR PROJECTS BY CASH. AND SO YOU HAVE THAT ISSUE WITH THEIR STREETS STILL THAT NEED TO BE, UM, THERE STILL NEEDS TO BE SOME CONSTRUCTION IN THEIR STREETS. THEY'VE DONE PHASE ONE AND TWO OF THEIR PLAN. THEY STILL NEED TO DO PHASE THREE, BUT THEY ALSO ARE PETITION TERMS. AND SOME OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOLLARS THE CITY TAKES IN ABOUT TWO THIRDS FROM THEIR PARTICULAR AREA, BUT THEY RETAIN ONE THIRD OF THEIR INCREMENT TO DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THEIR PARTICULAR, UM, BOUNDARIES. SO THOSE ARE THE ENCUMBRANCES, IF YOU WILL. OKAY, OKAY. ON THEIR PARTICULAR. I GOT IT. SO, SO WHEN WE DID THAT ANNEXATION, IT WAS BASICALLY THAT THOSE, UM, BROOKFIELD ALLEN CENTER PROPERTIES WERE GOING TO DO TAKE CARE OF THAT? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. GOT IT. THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR MARTINEZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I HAD SIMILAR QUESTIONS AS WELL. UM, ESSENTIALLY WHEN IT CAME TO THE PROJECT PLAN, WAS SAM HOUSTON, WAS THAT THE ONLY THING WITHIN DISTRICT GUY THAT WAS WHEN IT WAS EXPANDED INTO DISTRICT? I WAS THAT THE ONLY THING THAT WAS THOUGHT OF OR WERE THERE OTHER, OTHER, UH, UH, PROJECTS IN, IN THE PROJECT PLAN AS WELL? THE OTHER, UM, FUNDING SOURCE. SO IF THOSE PROPERTIES HAD GENERATED MORE THAN WHAT WAS NEEDED TO COVER SAM HOUSTON PARK, THEY WERE ALSO LOOKING AT THE NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR THAT SPECIFIC REVENUE SOURCE. BECAUSE AS YOU ARE AWARE, UM, PART OF THE NEW YORK, THE NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WILL AFFECT THAT FOURTH WARD CORRIDOR. CORRIDOR RIGHT THERE WHERE, UM, OH, I SAID IT, UM, THE FREEWAY IS RIGHT. SO THE NORTHEASTERN HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WILL AFFECT THAT AREA. AND SAY THEY WERE LOOKING AT TWO SOURCES. THE NUMBER ONE SOURCE WAS SAM HOUSTON PARK. THE SECONDARY SOURCE WAS FUNDING THE NORTHEASTERN HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT ANTI, UH, BAPTIST CHURCH IS STILL IN THE, IN THE, UH, TURS. UM, AND JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT, YEAH, THE CHURCH IS STILL, YES, WE DID NOT CHANGE OTHER AREAS. WE JUST BASICALLY ROLLED [03:40:01] BACK THE 2020 ANNEXATION. AND I DIDN'T ANSWER THIS QUESTION FOR COUNCILMAN ALCORN. SO WHAT, UM, THE DE THE DEDICATED SOURCE FOR REVENUE IS GONNA BE THE, UM, DIGITAL KIOSK REVENUE. UM, CHIEF OF STAFF NEWPORT MENTIONED THAT IN HIS, UH, BUDGET WORKSHOP A FEW MONTHS AGO. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW TO, TO AS A, FOR THE 300,000. AND THEN OF COURSE, WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDS FOR THE OTHER THINGS THAT SAM HOUSTON PARK IS LOOKING FOR. I APPRECIATE THAT, JENNIFER. 'CAUSE THAT WAS GONNA BE MY NEXT QUESTION, IS WHAT WERE THOSE THINGS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS LOOKING AT, UH, TO HELP SUPPORT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT SAM HOUSTON PARK AS WELL? SO, THANK YOU. YES, THANK, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING YOU. I'M SORRY. SORRY. THAT'S ALL. NO OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MS. MS. CURLEY. THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS. UH, ANYONE PRESENT WOULD LIKE TO TESTIFY ON ITEM ONE? WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP. IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING? THANK YOU, MS. CURLEY. WE WE'RE FINISHED. TEST. MOVE TO CLOSE THE PLUG. WE HEARING SECOND MOTION MADE AND SECOND TO CLOSE THE HEARING. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY? YES. HAVE IT. IAM [CONSENT AGENDA] SECRETARY, IF YOU WILL NOW PROCEED WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY. ITEM TWO HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE ACCEPTABLE CATEGORY. ITEMS THREE AND FOUR. NEED A MOTION, STATE A MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY YAYS. HAVE IT UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BS CATEGORY ITEMS. FIVE. UNDER THE ING INTERROGATION OF BID CATEGORY ITEMS FIVE THROUGH 13. NEED A MOTION TA MOVE ON THE SECOND. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY? YES. HAVE IT UNDER RESOLUTION CATEGORY ITEM 14 NEEDS A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. YESES. HAVE IT UNDER THE ORDINANCES. CATEGORY ITEMS. 15, 21, 22, 24, 25, AND 26. THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 15, 21, 22, 24, 25 AND 26 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. YES, HIS HAVE IT. [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] I REMOVE SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM NUMBER TWO NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATE A. MOVE SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? MEMBER CAMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN. AFTER, AFTER THE VOTE. MAYOR PROTON. AFTER THE VOTE OR BEFORE? NO, BEFORE. BEFORE. MAYOR PROTO. MAYOR PROTE. CAST STADIUM. THANK YOU. MAYOR, I HAD A QUESTION FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY. I, I KNOW THAT THIS, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION OF THIS PLAN, UM, IMPROVES OUR CLASS RATING. UM, IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GIVE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON, UH, A PERCENTAGE OR A DISCOUNT ON THEIR FLOOD INSURANCE, HOW DOES THAT TIMELINE ROLL OUT? AND WHEN WOULD WE KNOW, UM, THAT RESIDENTS WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO RECEIVE A DISCOUNT ON THEIR FLOOD INSURANCE? BECAUSE FLOOD INSURANCE HAS DEFINITELY, UM, GONE UP. AND IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LET PEOPLE KNOW, I MEAN, HOW, HOW WOULD THAT WORK IF WE, HOW, HOW CAN, CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD WORK? I, I, I'M NOT SURE MAYOR PRO TEM, BUT LET ME LOOK INTO IT AND EMAIL ALL OF COUNCIL MEMBERS ON VOTE. MAYOR, I, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT COULD PROBABLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION IF IT, IF IT'S OKAY TO, TO HAVE HIM ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. YES, MA'AM. UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US, UM, PRIOR TO THE VOTE THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ALLOW RESIDENTS TO RECEIVE A REDUCTION IN THEIR FLOOD INSURANCE. AND I WANNA MAKE SURE WE KNOW ABOUT IT AND WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION. TO HOUSTONIANS. STATE YOUR NAME PLEASE. WHO YOU REPRESENT. YES SIR. MY NAME IS RICHARD SMITH. I'M THE INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR PUBLIC WORKS. AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WHAT THIS DOES, BY PASSING THIS AND GETTING THIS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL, IT IS A PREREQUISITE FOR US TO MOVE ANY FURTHER DOWN. WE'RE CURRENTLY A CLASS FIVE FOR US TO MOVE BELOW OR EVEN BE CONSIDERED TO MOVE BELOW THAT CLASS FIVE RATING [03:45:02] IS, THIS IS A PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENT BY FEMA. AND IF WE GET THIS ADOPTED BY COUNSEL, THEN THAT WOULD PUT US, WE'RE CURRENTLY UNDER AUDIT AND THIS WOULD THEN GO TOWARDS OUR AUDIT AND WE WOULD PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT REDUCTIONS IN THE NEXT YEAR. SO WHEN YOU SAY WE'LL BE LOOKING AT REDUCTIONS IN THE NEXT YEAR, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UM, THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS GOING TO SAY, HEY, WE SEE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS MET THESE PARAMETERS. UH, CONSUMER, WE ARE LOWERING YOUR FLOOD INSURANCE? OR IS THIS SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE TO SAY, HOUSTONIANS, WE DO HAVE THIS INFORMATION. YOU NEED TO CONTACT YOUR FLOOD INSURANCE FOR YOUR REDUCTION. SO CURRENTLY, IF YOU ARE UNDER THE FEMA, FLOOD INSUR, NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE, OUR CLASS RATING, AS I SAID, IS OUR, UM, COMMUNITY SERVICE RATING. OUR RATING SERVICE LEVEL IS FIVE. WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER AUDIT. WHEN THAT AUDIT IS COMPLETED, WE ARE HOPING TO MOVE DOWN TO A MINIMUM OF CLASS FOUR RATING, WHICH WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL 5% REDUCTION TO THEIR INSURANCE. THAT WOULD THEN BE COORDINATED AND COMMUNICATED TO THE INSURANCE AGENCIES AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON CRS RATING AS A CLASS FOUR RATING. WHICH WOULD THEN THOSE, UM, INSURANCE COMPANIES WOULD KNOW THAT THEY WOULD ADD THAT ADDITIONAL DISCOUNT TO THOSE RATING OR TO THEIR INSURANCE DISCOUNT. SO WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY WOULD IT BE TO ACCESS THAT DISCOUNT? IF I HOLD THAT INSURANCE, I NEED TO CALL MY INSURANCE AGENT AND SAY, I UNDERSTAND THE CITY'S RATING HAS BEEN LOWERED. I'M, LOOK, I'M LOOKING FOR MY 5% DISCOUNT. THAT WOULD BE FEMA WOULD THEN COMMUNICATE THAT INFORMATION TO THE INSURANCE AGENCIES. WE SHOULD NOT. YOU SHOULD NOT, AS AN INDIVIDUAL WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HAVE TO REACH OUT TO YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY TO ASK FOR THAT ADDITIONAL DISCOUNT. NEVER IN THE HISTORY HAS INSURANCE UNDERSTAND, REACHED OUT TO A SINGLE PERSON AND SAID YOUR INSURANCE HAS BEEN LOWERED 5%. UH, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMMUNICATING WHEN WE RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION SO THAT PEOPLE CAN KNOW THAT THAT IS AVAILABLE AND REACH OUT TO THEIR INSURANCE COMPANY. YES, MA'AM. WE DO, WE ACTUALLY MAKE THAT AS PART OF OUR FLOOD MANAGEMENT OFFICE, WHICH IS UNDER THE CITY ENGINEER'S OFFICE WITHIN THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. WE DO MAKE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE. WE DO CONTINUOUS OUTREACH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR AND GET NA FLOOD INSURANCE THROUGH THE NATIONAL PROGRAM. BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT YES, WE ARE A CLASS FOUR C IF THAT, IF WHEN OUR AUDIT IS COMPLETED THAT THEY DO MOVE US TO A CLASS FOUR, WHEN DO WE EXPECT THE AUDIT TO BE COMPLETE? THE AUDIT? RIGHT NOW, THIS IS ONE OF TWO ITEMS THAT WAS LEFT IN THE AUDIT. THAT AUDIT, WE'RE HOPING, AGAIN, I CANNOT SPEAK FOR THE FEMA REVIEWERS BECAUSE THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS LOOKING AT THIS. WE HAVE A REVIEWER LOOKING AT THE MASTER FLOODPLAIN PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOW, AND, UM, A MOTION TO, TO ADOPT THAT. IT'S SEPARATE FROM THE ACTUAL REVIEW OF OUR CLASS RATING. SO ONCE THIS GETS, THIS WILL BE PUT INTO THAT CLASS RATING. WE ARE HOPING THAT THE CLASS RATING WOULD BE DONE MID-AUGUST, BUT I CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT IT'S RIGHT. AGAIN, IT'S NOT UNDER MY CONTROL, BUT WE WERE HOPING TO KNOW WHERE OUR STANDING IS. BUT YOU WILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION WHEN IT'S DONE. YES, MA'AM. WE WILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION. AND SO CAN WE DEPEND ON YOU TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION TO GET IT TO THE PEOPLE? ABSOLUTELY. WE WILL BE POSTING IT ON OUR, ON OUR FLOOD MANAGEMENT OFFICE WEBSITE. AND IT WILL ALSO BE ON THE PERMITTING WEB, THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER WEBSITE. SO CAN WE DEPEND ON YOU TO MAKE SURE? YES, MA'AM. WE GET IT NOT NECESSARILY ON THE WEBSITE, BUT IN ADDITION TO THE WEBSITE. TO THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL OFFICES? YES, MA'AM. OR TO THE ADMINISTRATION. SO IT CAN BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL OFFICE. SO WE CAN INCLUDE IT IN OUR NEWSLETTERS. WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT GETS TO HOUSTONIANS. ABSOLUTELY. AS SOON AS WE GET THAT, WE WILL MAKE SURE TO MAKE, SEE THAT IT IS DISTRIBUTED TO EACH OF THE COUNCIL OFFICES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE THAT. NO PROBLEM. HAS A COMMENT. ARTURO, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? UH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. I THINK YOU'RE ASKING IN PART MAYOR PRO TEM, WOULD IT APPLY FOR THE SUBSEQUENT TERM OF INSURANCE OR, OR FOR THE EXISTING TERM OF INSURANCE IS PART OF, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ALSO. CORRECT. I'M ASKING IF WE INCLUDE THIS IN OUR AUDIT MM-HMM . WILL THIS IMPACT HOUSTONIANS FLOOD INSURANCE? AND IF WE GET TO A REDUCTION, WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT? BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY QUALIFY FOR REDUCTION AND, AND WHEN IT WOULD TAKE EFFECT ALSO. OKAY. WE, WE WILL MAKE SURE YOU GET THAT WITH, WITH PUBLIC WORKS. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CAMAN. COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, SINCE WE HAD THE DIRECTOR HERE, I DID WANT TO, UH, ONE THANK YOUR TEAM [03:50:01] FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AND SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE ENGINEER'S OFFICE CHOICE TOMORROW, AND SANDRA DEEL THE ENTIRE TEAM THOUGH. 'CAUSE THIS IS A LONG PROJECT, UH, THAT TAKES A LOT OF TIME. AGAIN, MOVING FROM THE CLASS WE'RE IN DOWN TO THE CLASS WE'RE GOING FOR, I THINK WE'RE THE ONLY CITY THAT MAY ACCOMPLISH THAT. IS THAT CORRECT? WE ARE CURRENTLY, IF WE GET TO A CLASS FOUR, WE WOULD BE ONE OF A FEW. WE'RE THE LARGEST CITY THAT IS ACTUALLY CURRENTLY IN THE CRS SYSTEM, THE COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM WITHIN THE FEMA'S NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM. UM, AND WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST RATINGS FOR A CITY THAT'S ANYWHERE COMPARABLE TO OUR SIZE OR EVEN CLOSE AND LOWEST RATING BEING GOOD. USUALLY WE THINK OF LOWEST MA'AM RATING. MA, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE REVERSED THIS TIME. UH, MAYOR, I PROTIME TO YOUR QUESTION. I I WAS GOING BACK THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND WE'RE AIM, I BELIEVE THE CITY IS HOPING THAT FEMA WILL CLOSE ITS FINAL REVIEW BY AUGUST 15TH. THAT'S GOING OFF OF HISTORICAL. AND THEN IF THEY'RE ABLE, AGAIN, IT RELIES ON FEMA, IF THEY ARE ABLE TO CLOSE OUT BY THE END OF AUGUST THE REVIEW, THEN THE DISCOUNTS WOULD GO INTO EFFECT BY APRIL 1ST OF NEXT YEAR. UH, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE DISCLAIMER THAT WE'RE SOMEWHAT AT THE MERCY NOW OF A, OF THE FEDERAL AGENCY REVIEW PROCESS. HOWEVER, WE'RE HOPING FOR SPRING OF NEXT YEAR. YES, MA'AM. AND THERE IS A SHOT THAT WE WOULD GET, UH, A I THINK WE'RE AT 25 RIGHT NOW, PERCENT A 30 TO 35% REDUCTION. SO WE'RE INCREASING BY APPROXIMATELY 10% FOR RESIDENTS. SO THE WAY THIS WORKS IS FEMA RATES, THUS FROM A, FOR THE CRS, IS FROM A CLASS ONE TO A CLASS 10. CLASS 10 WOULD BE NO DISCOUNT. WE'RE CURRENTLY AT A CLASS FIVE, WHICH IS A 25% DISCOUNT FOR THOSE THAT HOLD THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE. AND THEN FOR EVERY CLASS POINT THAT YOU MOVE DOWN, IT'S AN ADDITIONAL 5% DISCOUNT. SO THIS IS WHERE, LIKE I SAID, WE ARE AT A CLASS FIVE. WE'RE CURRENTLY, THAT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO WITH THE ADOPTION OF THIS. WE ARE NOW ELIGIBLE TO MOVE UNDER THAT CLASS FIVE. SO IF WE GOT TO A CLASS FOUR, WE'D THEN BE THE CITIZENS WOULD WHO HAVE THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE WOULD THEN BE ELIGIBLE FOR A 30. IF WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE DOWN TO CLASS THREE, WE'D BE ABLE TO ELIGIBLE FOR A 35% DISCOUNT. OKAY. AND WE'VE ALREADY MET, I THINK YOU TOUCHED ON IT, THE OTHER PREREQUISITES. SO GOING BACK, THIS HAS TAKEN SEVERAL YEARS, BUT WE'VE MET THE FLOOD WARNING AND RESPONSE, UH, THE BUILDING CODES AND THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN. SO THIS IS THAT LAST ONE THAT COUNSEL'S APPROVING TODAY. THIS IS THE LAST PIECE THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE UNDERNEATH OUR LAST FIVE RATING. YES, MA'AM. AGAIN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. ANY, ANYONE ELSE? UH, ITEM TWO. ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVORS SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NO. MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 15 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH MY COLLEAGUES. UH, APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS ITEM. UH, THIS ITEM IS TO, UH, UM, HAVE BOND CAPACITY FOR THE HARRISBURG TOURS, WHICH LIES WITHIN DISTRICT I AND DISTRICT H. UM, AND BOTH MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILOR MAYOR CASTILLO HAVE, UH, BEEN VERY, VERY MUCH IN, IN CONVERSATION WITH THE HARRISBURG TOURS. UH, THIS, THIS IS GONNA, UH, ALLOW US TO REALLY SEE, SEE THROUGH SOME OF THE, THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE EASTWOOD PARK, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT H AND MASON PARK AS WELL. AND SO, UM, AS, AS WE, UM, VOTE ON THIS, JUST, UH, WANTED TO SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, THANK TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR WORKING WITH THE, WITH THE TOURS AS WELL, TO TO SEE, UM, THESE PROJECTS, WHETHER IT'S, UM, PAVEMENT CONDITIONS, SIDEWALKS, UM, GREEN SPACE, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, BUFFALO BAYOU EAST SECTOR AS WELL, IMPROVEMENTS. AND SO APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FROM MY COLLEAGUES. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. YAY. HAVE IT. ITEM 21 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. COUNCIL PLU. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I AM INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE OF MICRO TRANSIT. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO GET ANSWERED. CAN I DO A FRIENDLY TAG ON THIS ITEM? I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO HAVE SOME TIME BEFORE THE CONTRACT ACTUALLY EXPIRES. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. FINE WITH ME. TAG BY PLUMMER. THAT'S ALL. COUNT ITEMS. TAG BY COUNCILMAN PLUM. THOMAS JOINS. TAG. OKAY? MM-HMM . ITEMS. ITEM 22 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY YESES. HAVE IT. ITEM 24 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. MARTINEZ. COUNCILOR MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THIS ONE SPECIFICALLY FOR MASON PARK, WHICH IS, [03:55:01] UH, LONG AWAITED. UH, WE, THE MASTER PLAN, UM, UH, WAS ABOUT 2017, BUT EVEN PRIOR TO THE MASTER PLAN, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UH, NEEDS THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, UM, REQUESTED BY RESIDENTS AROUND MASON PARK AND THE, UH, EAST LAWNDALE MAGNOLIA PARK AREA. AND SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS GRANT OPPORTUNITY. UH, LOOK FORWARD TO MY COLLEAGUE SUPPORT AS WELL. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR JACKSON? COUNCIL MEMBER NEXT ONE. NO ONE? YEAH. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY YESES. HAVE IT? MM-HMM . ADAM, ITEM 25 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. NO. JACKSON. COUNCILOR JACKSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS. UM, ITEM, THIS ITEM IS A GRANT. WE'RE GOING AFTER A $1.5 MILLION GRANT WHERE THE CITY IS GONNA MATCH IT, AND WE'LL HAVE $3 MILLION TO UPGRADE THE TRINITY GARDEN PARK. SO, UM, WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO, UM, HUEY GERMAN WILSON, WHO'S WORKED REALLY HARD, UM, TIRELESSLY, UM, AND HER TEAM, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROJECT WILL FORWARD. AND DIRECTOR WILLIAMS, I MEAN, DIRECTOR ALLEN. UM, FOR EVERYTHING HE'S DONE, UM, WE'RE GONNA GET A NEW PLAYGROUND. IN FACT, MY OFFICE HAVE CONTRIBUTED A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, NOT A HUNDRED MILLION, A HUNDRED THOUSAND. I WISH I DID HAVE 1 MILLION, BUT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS SPEAKING INTO EXISTENCE. WE, OH, DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS IS GONNA INCREASE Y'ALL A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, UM, TO THIS, UM, PROJECT. BUT WE'RE GONNA GET A NEW BASKETBALL BALL PAVILION, UM, A WEALTH TRAIL WITH LEAD LIGHTS. AND SO JUST REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE. SO, UM, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS GRANT. DON'T TAG NOTHING, COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU. LOOK FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU. YOU NEED A VOTE? YES, SIR. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. YES, ITS HAVE IT. ITEM 26 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. MARTINEZ. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I FEEL LIKE IT'S CHRISTMAS IN, UH, JULY. UM, SO THIS IS THE, THE TAIL END OF, OF, UH, WHAT THE TEXAS PARK AND WILDLIFE GRANT. UM, NOW THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WHICH I APPRECIATE THEIR SUPPORT, UH, DUE TO THE PARKS CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND, UH, WILL BE CONTRIBUTING DOLLARS TOWARDS CHARLESTON PARK, WHICH IS IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF, UH, DISTRICT. I, UH, ALSO SUPPORTS, UH, OR SERVICES, THE HOBBY AREA. AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, PARK PLACE, UM, MEADOWBROOK, UH, METAL METAL CREEK, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT E TO BE ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THESE, UH, UH, IMPROVEMENTS AT CHARLESTON PARK. AND SO I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUE SUPPORT AS WELL. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 30 [NON-CONSENT - MISCELLANEOUS] IS A MOTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE. CASTEX TATUM. MOVE TO SET THE HEARING DATE FOR WEDNESDAY. 9:00 AM ON AUGUST THE 14TH, 2024. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 31 IS A MOTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE. CAST EXT MOVED TO SET THE HEARING DATE FOR WEDNESDAY. 9:00 AM ON AUGUST THE 21ST. 2024 ON THE SECOND MOTION'S MADE THE SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. OKAY, THIS IS THE PECK AMENDMENT. ITEM 32, [MATTERS HELD] PECK AMENDMENT. VICE MAYOR. PROTON. VICE MAYOR PROTE BECK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, FIRST I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN FOR HER WORK ON, UM, THE, THE CHANGES TO THE PROPOSITION, A CHARTER AMENDMENT TO ALLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. I KNOW SHE WORKED REALLY HARD ON, ON THIS. UM, AND I THINK ULTIMATELY IT'S GOOD THAT IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO EITHER, UM, JUST GO TO COUNCIL IF IT'S SOMETHING SIMPLE, OR TAKE IT TO COMMITTEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DISCUSS FURTHER WITH OUR COLLEAGUES WITHOUT VIOLATING ANY OPEN MEETINGS, ACT RULES. SO THE CONCERN THOUGH, THAT I HAD IS SINCE IT IS A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE NINE COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THE COMMITTEE TO TAKE A VOTE ON SOMETHING, MY CONCERN WAS THAT WE SOMETIMES JUST WOULDN'T HAVE A QUORUM AND COULDN'T GET ITEMS TO GET OUT OF COMMITTEE. AND IF SOMETHING WAS REFERRED TO COMMITTEE FROM THIS BODY, IT WOULD JUST KEEP DYING IN COMMITTEE. AND SO THIS AMENDMENT AIMS TO CHANGE THAT. SO IT JUST REITERATES THE FACT THAT IF THERE WASN'T A QUORUM PRESENT TO VOTE ON AN ITEM AND COMMITTEE, WE CAN STILL THEN TAKE IT BACK TO COUNCIL FOR THE VOTE. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, UH, COUNCILOR PECK BRINGING THIS, UH, ITEM UP. UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AND WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT QUORUM LOOKS LIKE AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS. AND SPECIFICALLY TO THIS, I DON'T THINK THE INTENTION WAS EVER TO KILL A PROP, A ITEM. WHAT IT, WHAT IT, [04:00:01] WHAT WE WANTED TO SEE, OR WHAT I WANTED TO SEE WAS ESSENTIALLY A CONVERSATION AROUND, UH, THE, THE DIFFERENT, UM, IDEAS THAT THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE. MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A FISCAL NOTE ATTACHED. MAKE SURE THAT LEGALLY WE CAN DO THAT. AND I THINK THAT CONVERSATION NEEDS TO BE HAD, UH, SOMEWHERE WHERE WE'RE ALL, UH, AVAILABLE TO, TO, OF COURSE BRING OUT OUR IDEAS OR SUPPORT FOR. UM, AND SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ITEM. YOU KNOW, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OF COURSE, NOTHING DIES AT THE END OF THE DAY. THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN BRING SOMETHING TO, TO THE, TO THE AGENDA. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, TO COUNCIL MEMBER PECK'S POINT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ANYTHING THAT'S BROUGHT, UM, TO THE PROP A COMMITTEE, UH, JUST SEE SEIZE, UH, ENGAGEMENT AND, AND, UH, FOLKS BEING AT THE TABLE TO HAVE THESE, UH, IN-DEPTH CONVERSATIONS THAT ULTIMATELY IMPACT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES. AND SO I'M, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF, OF COUNCIL MEMBER PECK'S, UH, UH, AMENDMENT, UH, FOR THIS. AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH, WITH WHITE COLLEAGUES AT THE PROP, A COMMITTEE TO, TO HAVE GOOD CONVERSATIONS. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, MAYOR PROTO. MAYOR PROTE, CAST SIX TATUM. THANKS, MAYOR. I WANTED TO, UM, ASK COUN COUNCIL, UH, VICE MAYOR PROTE PECK, A COUPLE QUESTIONS. SO, UM, I, I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT IS FOR US TO, IF THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, SUBMIT SOMETHING AND IT GOES TO THE PROP A COMMITTEE AND WE DON'T GET A QUORUM IN THE COMMITTEE MEETING, ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT IT JUST COME BACK TO COUNCIL TO BE ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA? SO THIS, UM, WOULD NOT AUTOMATICALLY GO BACK TO COUNCIL, BUT ALLOWS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SUBMIT THE ITEM AGAIN AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING RATHER THAN WAITING, UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS 90 DAYS, UM, TO HAVE IT HEARD. AGAIN, THIS ALLOWS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO JUST PUT IT BACK ON THE AGENDA OF THE FOLLOWING MEETING. I GUESS, I GUESS I'M, I'M, I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE INTENT IS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AREN'T PLAYING A GAME OF CAT, CAT AND MOUSE WHEN PEOPLE HAVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT THAT THEY WANT TO PUT ON THE AGENDA. MM-HMM . UM, THE CONCERN IS IF WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM AT THE PROP A COMMITTEE, I WOULD THINK IF WE, IF THE ISSUE WAS ONE WHERE, WELL, I'M GOOD WITH IT, , COUNCILOR MARTINEZ, THE WHOLE THING. OH, IF, IF, WELL, IT, IT, IT CERTAINLY BOTHERS ME. AND IN ALL DUE RESPECT, I JUST WOULD ADVISE EVERYONE, YOU'RE MAKING A RECORD AND I DON'T KNOW OF ANOTHER BODY, AND I'VE BEEN IN THE LEGISLATURE 50 PLUS YEARS. YOU JUST DON'T START WITHOUT A QUORUM. I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF FUNDAMENTAL. SO, UH, EVERYBODY CAN VOTE THEIR DISTRICT AND THEIR CONSCIENCE, BUT THERE'S A REASON YOU HAVE A QUORUM AND, UM, IT'S KIND OF STRATEGIC. BUT ANYWAY, YOU CAN CERTAINLY OFFER UP ANYTHING YOU WANT TO. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. MARTINEZ. MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, MAYOR PRO TAM'S, UH, COMMENT, AND, AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK THE ATTENDANCE TO KILL ANYTHING IN A PROP, A COMMITTEE, UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, QUORUM IS NEEDED, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN SEVEN AND A HALF, UH, MONTHS ALREADY IN, UH, AROUND THE HORSESHOE. AND, AND THERE'S, UH, SOMETIMES WHERE WE LACK QUORUM OR MAYBE YOU MIGHT SEE, YOU KNOW, FIVE, SIX COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SOME STAFF AND DOESN'T ALLOW US TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF IN ORDER TO, UM, TO POSSIBLY STOP SOMETHING INSTEAD OF SAYING THAT WE NEED TO PUSH IT FORWARD, UH, IN ORDER TO STOP SOMETHING AND MAYBE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT WOULD BE, UH, YOU NEED TO HAVE, UH, A QUORUM TO BE ABLE TO STOP SOMETHING FROM GOING TO THE AGENDA. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S THE CONVERSATION WE SHOULD BE HAVING, BUT ANYTHING THAT COMES TO PROP A COMMITTEE, UH, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S A OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A GOOD CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THE INTENT IS, UH, MAKE SURE FOLKS HAVE DONE THEIR HOMEWORK, UM, AND THEN IT SHOULD MOVE FORWARD TO, TO THE AGENDA AFTERWARDS. UM, AND SO IF, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, YOU DON'T WANNA SEE HAPPEN, THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE QUORUM AND BE ABLE TO KILL THE ITEM, I GUESS, IN THAT SENSE. UH, BUT TO KILL SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE QUORUM, I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA BE IT'S DUE DILIGENCE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT SOME OF THE, MY COLLEAGUES ARE TRYING TO PUT PUT FORWARD AS WELL. SO I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S SOMETHING WHERE WE, IF YOU DON'T WANNA SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN, THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE QUORUM AND FOLKS NEED TO BE SHOWING UP TO YOU. VOTE NO UH, BUT PLENTY OF TIMES WHERE, YOU KNOW, [04:05:01] PEOPLE JUST WON'T SHOW UP. AND IT'S HAPPENED HISTORICALLY. UM, AND I VERY CLEAR MEMORY WHERE AN ETHICS COMMITTEE WAS TRYING TO BE HELD AND NOBODY SHOWED UP. SO THAT WAY NO BUSINESS WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF. COUNCILOR, I RESPECT YOU, BUT THE SOLUTION IS TO SHOW UP. YEAH, DEFINITELY. COUNCILOR DAVIS. I MEAN, AND THEN YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE GONNA WATCH WHETHER YOU CARE ENOUGH ABOUT THE CITY'S BUSINESS TO SHOW UP OR NOT. SO WE'LL SEE YOU IN A MINUTE. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I, I, I SEE THE, UM, THE, THE ISSUE AT HAND IN TERMS OF COUNCIL MEMBER PECK'S OFFERING, BUT I'M, I'M CONCERNED WITH THOSE. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A, IN A STATEMENT SAID, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH COMMITTEE, UH, MEMBERS FOR A QUORUM AT THE BEGINNING. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. CORRECT. COUNCILMAN PECK? IS THAT IN THE WORDING? COUNCILMAN PECK WAS THE WORDING AT THE BEGINNING. SO THOSE, SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ON THE ATTENDING BY, BY ZOOM OR, AND THAT'S NOT COUNTED, CORRECT? IT IS. SO WOULDN'T THAT COUNT AS A COURTROOM? WHAT'S YOUR INTENTION? YOU WANT PEOPLE TO VOTE BY ZOOM? MAYOR, I BELIEVE THAT'S, UM, LEFT UP TO THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO DO THAT BY VIRTUAL, I'M SORRY. VOTES OR NOT COMMITTEE. THE QUESTION. THE COMMITTEE CHAIR WOULD DECIDE IF YOU CAN VOTE. OH, THE COMMITTEE CHAIR. OKAY. YEAH. GOT IT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK. SO, NO, HE'S NOT DONE. OH, I'M SORRY. YEAH, NO PROBLEM. I'M, I'M, I'M JUST, SO IF IT'S NOT A QUORUM, THEN IT GOES BACK TO COUNCIL. AND THAT'S THE PROPOSAL, I BELIEVE. OH, BACK TO THE, YEAH. OH, OH, YOU START OVER. OKAY. ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND SO, JUST TO CLEAR UP SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT. SO BEFORE PROPOSITION A WENT INTO EFFECT, THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD CALL A SPECIAL CALLED COUNCIL MEETING. AND EVERY TIME THAT HAPPENED, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE 10 PLUS YEARS I'VE WORKED AT THE CITY, WHENEVER THAT'S HAPPENED, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A QUORUM FOR A VOTE. AND THAT'S WHY IN, FROM WHAT I CAN UNDERSTAND, THE VOTERS WANTED THE ABILITY FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE VOTES WERE NEVER TAKEN IN THESE SPECIAL CALL MEETINGS. SO, TO FULFILL THE WILL OF THE VOTERS, IN MY OPINION, IS TO ALLOW US TO PUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, EVEN IF, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO QUORUM AT THIS COMMITTEE MEETING. SO THIS ITEM, EVEN IF THIS AMENDMENT DIDN'T PASS, COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO THEN PUT ITEMS BACK ON THE AGENDA. IF THERE'S NO QUORUM, THIS JUST SOLIDIFIES THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO A MOTION TO RECONSIDER OR THEN TAKE IT UP IN 90 DAYS. SO THAT'S ALL THIS CHANGES. THIS, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD, IF THERE'S NO QUORUM, A COUNCIL MEMBER COULD STILL GET TWO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SIGN ON AND PUT SOMETHING BACK ON THE AGENDA. AND WE COULD EITHER DO A MOTION TO, UM, RECONSIDER OR THEY COULD BRING IT BACK UP IN 90 DAYS. SO ALL THIS DOES IS MAKE IT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT EXTRA MOTION EACH TIME. SO IT JUST KIND OF CLEARS THAT UP. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I APPRECIATE, UH, THE VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM, UM, TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO EXPEDITE ITEMS COMING TO THE BODY THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, I'M, I'M ALREADY ON RECORD OF STATING THAT I DON'T THINK THE PROP A COMMITTEE IS NECESSARY. 'CAUSE WE HAVE ALL THESE OTHER COMMITTEES THAT IF SOMETHING WANTED TO GET REFERRED TO A COMMITTEE, THERE'S A MECHANISM FOR THAT. UM, BUT WHAT WE DID WHEN WE PASSED THIS FIRST PROPE, UM, ITEM IS WE BROUGHT THE ITEM BEFORE COUNCIL WITH, WITH THREE SIGNATURES A HOWEVER MEETING WE HAD, AND THEN IT GOT REFERRED TO THE PROP A COMMITTEE, AND THEN IT SAT THERE FOR LIKE THREE MONTHS BECAUSE EITHER WE DIDN'T HAVE A QUORUM OR A STORM CAME AND WE HAD TO CANCEL OR WHATEVER. SO WE JUST RESUBMITTED IT. UM, BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION, THEY ACCEPTED IT, THEY PUT IT ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA, AND YOU ALL VOTED FOR IT UNANIMOUSLY. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S MY INTENT. AND I WOULD THINK THAT THAT PRECEDENT HAS BEEN SET, THAT ANY THREE [04:10:01] COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN BRING FORTH WHATEVER THEY WANT THAT IS LAWFUL AT ANY TIME, BASED ON THE CITY CHARTER THAT SAYS AT A DESIGNATED, ANY DESIGNATED TIME. AND THE ADMINISTRATION WILL CONSIDER PUTTING IT ON THE AGENDA. NOW, I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE A CONSIDERATION, I THINK IT SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY GO, BUT THE PRECEDENT HAS BEEN SET THAT WHEN WE RESUBMITTED IT, IT AUTOMATICALLY WAS PUT BACK ON THE AGENDA. SO I'M ALL FOR EXPEDITING ANYTHING THAT ALLOWS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GET THEIR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. UM, THIS BODY AND THE WAY THIS LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL. WELL, COMMITTEES ARE OF HIGH IMPORTANCE AND EVERYONE IS THERE ALL THE TIME. MANY TIMES AT OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS, SOMETIMES WE'RE THERE, SOMETIMES WE'RE NOT. WE SEND OUR STAFF SOMETIMES IF WE CANNOT MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS TECHNICALLY A PART-TIME JOB ON PAPER. SOME OF US HAVE OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES OUTSIDE OF THIS, AND YOU SEND STAFF OR YOU WATCH VIRTUALLY AND CHIME IN, RIGHT? UM, SO THERE'S GOING, THERE'S VERY GONNA BE A LOT OF DIFFICULTY GETTING NINE MEMBERS ON A CONSISTENT BASIS TO SHOW UP FOR SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S ONLY ONE ITEM ON THE CALENDAR. BECAUSE PROP A IS ONLY FOUR COUNCIL BROUGHT ITEMS, RIGHT? AND IF, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT 17 COUNCIL, IT'S JUST ONE ITEM, WHO KNOWS HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GONNA SHOW UP. NOW I KNOW THAT'S, THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN IT, THAN WHAT'S DONE AT OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND NOT UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT YOU KNOW, THERE, FOR US TO GET NINE PEOPLE THERE CONSISTENTLY IS GONNA BE A TALL TASK. SO I, I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, LOOKING INTO THAT AND I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE BRINGING THIS AMENDMENT. THANK YOU. AND, AND ALL DUE RESPECT, IT WOULD BE SO EASY FOR ME TO JUST GO ALONG, GET ALONG, BUT WE GOT 16 COUNCIL MEMBERS AND IF SOMETHING IS IMPORTANT, A MATTER OF THE PUBLICS, AND WE CAN'T GET NINE MEMBERS OUTTA 16, OFTENTIMES BREAKING QUORUM IS ACTUALLY A PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE THAT IS WELL RESPECTED. I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT'S WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT. ALTHOUGH THAT IS ALWAYS A TOOL. UH, IT'S ABOUT GOING TO A COMMITTEE, NOT VIOLATING PROP A. THERE'S A PROCEDURE REAL SIMPLE TO GET IT BACK BEFORE THE COUNCIL, BUT IT WAS DISCUSSED TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO HAVE INPUT AT A COMMITTEE. UH, I HATE TO BRING UP THE PARKING FEE, BUT WE HAD STAKEHOLDERS SAYING THEY HAD NO OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT, WHAT IT WOULD DO TO THEIR WORKERS IN THE EVENING, WHAT IT WOULD DO TO THE RETAIL BUSINESS. SO IT OCCURRED TO MANY OF US. WE NEED THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT JUST BRING A SUBJECT TO COUNCIL, BUT TO VET IT IN A COMMITTEE FOR PUBLIC INPUT. SO IT IS DISCUSSED IN A COMMITTEE, IS THE PURPOSE OF A COMMITTEE SYSTEM, AND THEN MEMBERS VOTE TO BRING IT BACK TO THE FLOOR. SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T WANNA BE A POLITICAL CONSULTANT UP HERE, BUT IT'S KIND OF PRETTY FUNDAMENTAL TO EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, SUBDIVISIONS OF GOVERNMENT THAT YOU DON'T PROCEED WITHOUT A QUORUM. AND I WOULD JUST SAY MAYBE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK HARDER, BUT HAVING A QUORUM IS PRETTY BASIC TO EVERYTHING WE DO. IT'S WHY WE HAVE A ROLL CALL WHEN WE GET HERE IN THE MORNING. BUT ANYWAY, I'LL VOTE. NO, BUT I CERTAINLY RESPECT PEOPLE THAT WANT TO CREATE A EASIER PROCESS TO QUOTE A COUPLE OF FOLKS. UH, I THINK COUNCILMAN CAYMAN'S, THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I THINK WE'RE COLLAPSING TWO ISSUES. I THINK THE FIRST ISSUE IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE PROPOSITION A, WHICH THE VOTERS PUT FORWARD AND SAID, AS A COUNCIL BODY, THREE MEMBERS CAN ADD SOMETHING TO THE AGENDA. WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT NEEDS FURTHER DISCUSSION AND DEBATE AT COUNCIL. AND THE COMMITTEE THAT YOU STOOD UP FOR THAT IS FOR THAT PURPOSE. BUT AGAIN, WHAT WE ARE ADDRESSING IS THE VOTER INTENTION OF PROPOSITION A SURE. AND ALLOWING IT UNDER VICE MAYOR PROM'S LEADERSHIP, UH, CLARIFICATION LANGUAGE THAT WHAT MAKES SURE THAT IT DOES NOT GET BOGGED DOWN BASED ON THE REALITIES OF WHAT CITY HALL IS. AND I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE I DO TAKE ISSUE WITH THE FACT THAT NOT ATTENDING A COMMITTEE MEETING IS CHARACTERIZED AS NOT CARING OR NOT WORKING HARD ENOUGH. THERE ARE 16 OF US, AND YOU HAVE CREATED 12 COMMITTEES TO GO TO EVERY SINGLE COMMITTEE, WHETHER WE ARE ASSIGNED TO THAT COMMITTEE OR NOT. [04:15:01] PLUS TUESDAYS PLUS WEDNESDAYS, PLUS BEING IN OUR DISTRICTS, PLUS MEETING WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS, PLUS MEETING WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, PLUS MEETING WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND ENTITIES THAT HAVE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, LET ALONE OUR OWN POLICY ISSUES THAT WE ARE DRIVING TAKES AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF TIME AND COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION AROUND THIS HORSESHOE. AND EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THIS BODY WORKS HARD AND TIRELESSLY, UH, ON THE ISSUES THAT THEY WERE ELECTED TO ADDRESS AND ON ISSUES, AT LEAST AS A DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER RELATED TO OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT THEY RAISE. AND THAT INCLUDES THE OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF CONSTITUENT OUTREACH THAT OCCURS IN CONSTITUENT SERVICES. SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING VERY CLEAR WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW, AND THAT IS TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE NEED TO HAVE A DEBATE AT A COMMITTEE, THAT THAT OPPORTUNITY IS AFFORDED TO US, AND THAT A DEPARTMENT CAN COME FORWARD AND ELABORATE AND THAT THE PUBLIC HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADD ADDITIONAL COMMENT IF SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE WORKED. BUT WE ALSO HAVE, AS A COMMITTEE, THE OPPORTUNITY, EXCUSE ME, AS THE COUNCIL, AN OPPORTUNITY AT PUBLIC SESSION FOR PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD. SO I I I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE VERY CLEAR THAT THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS FORWARD. AND ALSO THAT, UH, I, I DON'T WANNA TAKE THE WORDS OUT OF YOUR MOUTH. MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS IS IT'S CLARIFICATION LANGUAGE TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMETHING DOESN'T GET BOGGED DOWN. BECAUSE UNLIKE THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT MEETS IN A CONCENTRATED AMOUNT OF TIME FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, EVERY OTHER YEAR, WE ARE HERE EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE LEGISLATURE AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES AREN'T WORKING IN THEIR DISTRICTS AT OTHER TIMES, BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT FORMAT. AND AT CITY HALL, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE. AND WITH 12 COMMITTEES, THERE IS A PRACTICALITY FACTOR HERE THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION. SO AGAIN, UH, CHAIR, I APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS AND YOUR VICE CHAIR'S HARD WORK ON THIS AND ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR, YOUR TEAM COMING TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO IMPLEMENT WHAT WAS A VERY, QUITE FRANKLY, VAGUE PROPOSITION ON THE BALLOT WHILE RESPECTING THE INHERENT, UH, INTENTION BEHIND THAT. WELL, IF YOU'RE TROUBLED BY THE TOO MANY COMMITTEES, WE OUGHT TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AS WELL. I'LL RESPECT THAT. UH, BUT WE HAVE A RULE AND WE'RE FIXING TO ADJUST IT TO WHERE WE CAN CONDUCT BUSINESS WITHOUT A QUORUM. AND I JUST THINK IT SENDS A BAD MESSAGE. BUT, UH, NO, I UNDERSTAND YOU WORK HARDER THAN ANYONE, BUT THIS IS ONE MORE, UH, SOMEWHAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET SOMETHING BACK BEFORE COUNCIL AND WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER ON THAT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I, AND I DON'T THINK IT IS FOR US TO CONDUCT BUSINESS WITHOUT A QUORUM. UM, I THINK IT IS TO PREVENT AN IMPORTANT ITEM THAT THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE TRYING TO GET ADDRESSED FROM SITTING FOR THREE MONTHS. UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, YOUR EXAMPLE WAS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE ITEM TOOK THREE MONTHS TO GET ON THE AGENDA. IT SEEMS THIS AMENDMENT WOULD ALLOW US TO GO TO COMMITTEE IF THERE WAS NOT A QUORUM. IT DOES NOT PREVENT US FROM HAVING THE DISCUSSION WITH OUR STAFF PRESENT, UH, ANY PRESENTATIONS THAT DIRECTORS NEED TO BRING FORWARD. UM, IF THERE IS NOT A QUORUM, UH, THAT ITEM WOULD THEN, WITHIN THE NEXT 30 DAYS OR THE NEXT MONTH, BE BACK ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA. SO THAT THAT IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT THE THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BROUGHT FORTH WOULD NOT BE WAITING IN SPACE OR IN BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS FOR THREE MONTHS. SO I THINK THAT, UM, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MAKE SURE MM-HMM. THAT WHEN SOMETHING IS IMPORTANT TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT DOES NOT GET STALLED. OBVIOUSLY, IT'S WAITING IN COMMITTEE, NOT NOT SOMEWHERE. AND, UH, RESPECT. WE CAN SAY IT'S WAITING IN COMMITTEE. WE RESPECT THE THREE MEMBERS, SIGN IT. IN FACT, I'VE HAD Y'ALL SAY MORE THAN ONE OF YOU THAT IF I WAS MAYOR, YOU WOULDN'T EVEN NEED A PROP A, RIGHT? SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WAS OF RESTRICTING COUNCIL INVOLVEMENT. I DON'T EXPERIENCE THAT. RIGHT. UH, HAVING BEEN A MEMBER OF A LEGISLATIVE BODY, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE WHEN THE PRESIDING CHAIR WILL NOT EVEN RECOGNIZE YOU. AND I WILL REPEAT. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY MORE THAN ONE COUNCIL MEMBER, WE WOULDN'T NEED A PROP A UNDER WHITMEYER. SO I TRULY THINK YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO GET ANYTHING BEFORE COUNCIL. I WAS LOOKING FOR AN EFFECTIVE SYSTEM TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO HAVE MORE INPUT, GET SOME FURTHER EXPERTISE INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSION. AND YES, THREE [04:20:01] MEMBERS CAN BRING ANYTHING TO COUNCIL UNDER PROP EIGHT. BUT THE FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES, THE IMPACT ON ONE DISTRICT VERSUS ANOTHER DISTRICT NEEDS TO BE HEARD IN A COMMITTEE. AND THE WAY TO GET IT OUT OF COMMITTEE IS BE CONCERNED ENOUGH AND ALLOCATE YOUR TIME ENOUGH TO COME MAKE THAT VOTE. SO, UH, IF YOU WANNA BE ABLE TO KICK IT OUT WITHOUT HAVING A QUORUM, UM, REPRESENT YOUR DISTRICT. BUT I UNDERSTAND THE, UH, COMPETING INTEREST HERE, RIGHT? OF HAVING AND I HAVING PARTICIPATE, RESPECT, AND I'M SAYING THE SAME THING. I DO THINK THAT WE ARE ALSO SAYING, SAYING THE SAME THING. WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT GOOD GOVERNMENT COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, WE'RE FIXING TO VOTE ON THIS VICE MAYOR PROTE PECK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, AND I AGREE YOU HAVE PUT ITEMS THAT I'VE BROUGHT TO YOU, UM, ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA BEFORE, BUT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHO THE NEXT MAYOR IS GOING TO BE AFTER YOU. AND WE NEED TO DO, WE NEED TO PUT FORTH ITEMS THAT ARE GOOD ORDINANCES, NOT BECAUSE BASED ON WHO IS THE MAYOR, BUT BASED ON POLICY AND GOOD POLICY. AND SO, AGAIN, THIS DOESN'T, ALL THIS CHANGES THE, THIS AMENDMENT, ALL IT CHANGES IS TO MAKE IT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO A MOTION TO RECONSIDER WHEN THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS BRING IT BACK. SHOULD THERE NOT BE A QUORUM AT THE COMMITTEE. THIS DOESN'T CHANGE WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD HAVE A QUORUM AT THE COMMITTEE. ALL IT CHANGES IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER. SO AGAIN, BEFORE THIS, UM, PROPOSITION WENT INTO EFFECT, THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD CALL A SPECIAL CALL MEETING, BUT PEOPLE DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR THE VOTE. AND THAT IS THE WHOLE REASON WHY PEOPLE BROUGHT THIS FORWARD. THEY WANTED US TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT ITEMS AND BRING THEM UP FOR AN ACTUAL VOTE. AND SO IF THINGS ARE JUST STUCK IN COMMITTEE, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM THERE, WHETHER THAT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT, OR BECAUSE IT'S A POLITICAL MANEUVER NOT SHOWING UP, WE STILL NEED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ITEMS TO THIS COUNCIL BODY FOR A VOTE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, NOT SHOWING UP IS ONE THING, BUT I WANNA BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT THREE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO BRING FORTH. AND, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S SOMETHING I DON'T AGREE WITH, THEN I NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR VOTING NO. AND NOT JUST SHOWING, NOT NOT SHOWING UP FOR THE COMMITTEE. I RESPECT THAT. AND WE CAN VOTE. I WOULD JUST SUGGEST UNDER, BEFORE WE ADOPT THIS AMENDMENT, YOU JUST HAVE TO WORK THE COMMITTEE AND THE COUNCIL TO GET YOUR VOTES THERE. THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. TELL 'EM HOW IMPORTANT THE ISSUE IS TO THE PUBLIC. WOULD YOU PLEASE SHOW UP AND VOTE? BUT IF YOU DON'T WANNA DO THAT, UH, I'M PREPARED TO VOTE ON, UH, COUNCIL VICE MAYOR PRO TEMS PECS AMENDMENT. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED YES, THIS HAVE. ALRIGHT, NEXT 33 AS AMENDED. ITEM 30. ITEM 33 IS AN ORDINANCE AS AMENDED. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NATE POLLARD. NO. THOMAS? NO. OKAY. SHOW THOMAS AND POLLARD. NO. MM-HMM . UH, MOTION PASSES. GOT IT. NEXT ITEM 34 IS A, NEEDS A MOTION. ALL IN THOMAS IS IN THE QUEUE. I'LL SECOND. GO AHEAD. OKAY. CASTEX TATUM. MOVED TO SET THE HEARING DATE FOR 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, JULY 31ST. 20. 2024. ALL SECOND. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED. A ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NO. MOTION PASSES. THOMAS. COUNCILMAN THOMAS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THIS IS JUST A REMINDER TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. AS THESE FOUR PRESENTS, THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS COME UP, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMITTEE IS BRIEFED ON THESE ITEMS BEFORE THEY SHOW UP TO THE AGENDA. UH, WE ARE CONSISTENTLY MONITORING THE AREA MEDIUM INCOMES. THERE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED WITH PREVIOUS DEVELOPMENTS, NOT PARTICULARLY WITH THESE, BUT JUST TO REMEMBER TO STAY IN PRACTICE OF THIS AS WE CONTINUE TO BRING 4% DEALS TO THIS BODY. I'M IN SUPPORT OF BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS. ITEM 35 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. COUNCIL ALCORN COUNCILMAN ALCORN? UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I WAS PREPARED TO VOTE ON THIS WEEKS AGO, BUT AT THE REQUEST OF THE ADMINISTRATION, I WILL REFER THIS TO THE BUDGET EPISCOPAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES MIGHT HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, THIS, IT'S VERY CLEAR IN THE CONTRACT THAT THIS IS A, THIS IS A, A CHAMPION CHALLENGER CONTRACT SAYING THAT OUR DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS ARE TO BE REASSIGNED BASED ON THE, UH, THE, TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ADDITIONAL COLLECTION AREAS OR REASSIGNED ACCOUNTS. THE CONTRACTOR'S AGGREGATE COLLECTION PERCENTAGE MUST EXCEED [04:25:01] THAT OF ANY OTHER TAX COLLECT COLLECTION SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE THEN CURRENT AGREEMENT YEAR THROUGH JULY 31ST. I READ, UM, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE PERCENTAGES OF THE TWO FIRMS PROVIDED TO ME BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UM, IN WHICH ONE FIRM OUTPERFORMED THE OTHER. EACH OF THOSE YEARS THERE WERE REASSIGNMENTS. AND EVERY YEAR, UP TO FOUR YEARS AGO, THEN THEY STOPPED. I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AT BFA. SO I WILL MOVE TO REFER THIS TO B-F-A-I-I DO PLEASE ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO HAVE A QUORUM THERE. 'CAUSE I DO WANNA VOTE THIS OUT OF COMMITTEE AT ON TUESDAY, JULY 30TH. SO IF I COULD GET A SECOND, HOPEFULLY ON THAT. ALL SECOND. THERE'S A SECOND MOTION. SECOND MOTION MADE AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR? YES. MAYOR PRO CAST SIX TATUM, BEFORE OR AFTER? DO YOU WANNA BE RECOGNIZED? UH, WE CAN VOTE ON, UH, MOVING IT TO BFA, BUT I DO HAVE A, A, A COMMENT, UM, ABOUT THE ITEM. OKAY, SO VOTE SO WE CAN VOTE. AND THEN AFTER ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSING A MOTION PASSES. RECOGNIZE MAYOR PROM CASTING STATE. MY QUESTION IS FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY. UM, WE HAVE RECEIVED THE FORMULA THAT, UH, IS USED. UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE ALLOCATIONS OR THE ASSIGNMENTS, UM, FOR THE COLLECTIONS, UM, ARE MADE THROUGH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. UM, MY CONCERN IS IF, IF THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO COLLECT MORE DOLLARS, UM, AND WE HAVE THE HISTORY OF, UH, EACH OF THE COLLECTION A, UH, ATTORNEYS AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE, UM, IF WE MOVE THIS TO COMMITTEE, WILL THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO NOT ONLY INCLUDE ALDEN ISD, BUT SOME OF THE OTHERS THAT SHOW, UM, WHICH ORGANIZATION IS DOING THE HIGHEST COLLECTION? FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE GOAL IS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO COLLECT MORE MONEY. UM, IF THERE IS ONE, UH, ATTORNEY'S GROUP COLLECTING MORE DOLLARS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHEN WE GO TO COMMITTEE, IF WE SEE THAT ONE PARTICULAR AGENCY IS COLLECTING MORE MONEY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WILL WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MORE ASSIGNMENTS TO THAT ACTUAL, UM, ORGANIZATION? YEP. THE ITEM IS SUBJECT TO AMENDMENT. I'M SORRY, THE ITEM IS SUBJECT TO AMENDMENT. HE WOULD HAVE THAT ABILITY. SO WHEN WE GO TO COMMITTEE, IF IT SHOWS THAT ONE AGENCY IS DOING A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF COLLECTION, WE COULD AMEND TO NOT ONLY INCLUDE ALDI, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, AGENCIES THAT THEY ARE COLLECTING FOR US. BECAUSE THAT WE'VE ALL SAT AROUND AND TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR DOLLARS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY TO COLLECT MORE MONEY. AND BASED ON THE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, UM, IF WE CAN AMEND FOR THE AGENCY THAT IS MAKING THE MOST COLLECTIONS, WE CAN DO THAT FOLLOWING THE, UH, BFA MEETING. YES. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? COUNCIL [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] MEMBER DAVIS. POP OFF. POP OFF. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I DO WANT TO, UM, DO WANT TO SAY THAT I HOPE THAT WE ALL PARTICIPATE ON MONDAY, UH, AS THE MAYOR'S ACTS REGARDING THE SERVICE FOR CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE. UH, I THINK IT IS CERTAINLY HONORABLE IN RESPECT, UH, WHO I'VE KNOWN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. UH, WORKED WITH HER, UM, PERSONALLY AND UP CLOSE, UM, IN A LOT OF THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY AS A PASTOR, AND HAVE, UM, A DEDICATION TO HER DISTRICT, TO HER, TO THE CITY, TO THE STATE. AND, UH, CERTAINLY IN RESPECT AS WE SHOULD GIVE THAT WE WOULD TRY TO, I KNOW MY PLANS IS TO BE PRESENT AND, UM, THANK THE MAYOR FOR, FOR TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY AND RECOGNITION OF CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE. I ALSO WANT TO, UM, SAY THAT SOME OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE ARE GOING TO DO FROM THAT LARGE POSITION, I WAS HAPPY TO BE IN, UH, DISTRICT F UH, ON, UH, YESTERDAY, UH, IN THE CENTER TO KIND OF ANNOUNCE ABOUT OUR TOWN HALL MEETING COMING UP AUGUST 12TH. UH, WAS JUST IMPRESSED AND GRATEFUL TO ALL OF THE PARTICIPANTS. UH, THE YOUTH VOTE, UH, A LEE VOTE GROUP WAS THERE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS TREMENDOUSLY IMPRESSIVE. [04:30:01] THAT'S MY SECOND TIME SEEING THEM. AND, UM, THAT WAS BEEN CREATED BY, UH, COUNCILMAN THOMAS, I THINK WAS HONORABLE. AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. I CERTAINLY WOULD HOPE THAT MANY OF US WOULD PARTICIPATE, UH, IN OUR TOWN HALL MEETING BECAUSE WE GOING TO HAVE A THIRD ONE, WHICH WILL BE, UH, THE SOUTH SIDE AT THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER. UH, AND, UH, WE'LL CONCLUDE DISTRICT K AND D. AND, UH, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO BRING THAT INFORMATION TO THE CITY AS A WHOLE AND WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT COUNCIL PEOPLE. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO ASSIST IN THAT. I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT AND WE CERTAINLY INVITE EVERYONE TO COME 'CAUSE IT'S OPEN TO ALL. AND, UH, CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT EFFORT, UH, ON THE BEHALF OF OUR STAFF AND PUTTING IT TOGETHER. AND WE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING SOME GREAT PARTICIPATION. FEMA HAS AGREED TO BE WITH US. A LOT OF QUESTIONS CAME UP TODAY CONCERNING FEMA AND THEY'VE AGREED TO COME. AND, UH, WE'RE SO HAPPY THAT, UH, WE'LL EVEN HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF POSSIBLY HAVING OUR MAYOR TO COME THROUGH, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU MAYOR FLICKINGER. PASTOR. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. THANK YOU. UH, AS THE TRIBUTES CONTINUE TO COME IN, UH, RECOGNIZING, UH, THE LEGACY, THE LIFE OF, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN JACKSON LEE, UH, I THINK WE ALL HAVE OUR STORIES TO SHARE BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A SINGLE THING THAT SHE MISSED WHEN IT CAME TO HER DISTRICT. UH, SHE SHOWED UP FOR ALL OF US. SHE SHOWED UP FOR EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT. UH, BUT IT'S, I'M SO PROUD. I WAS LOOKING AT AN ARTICLE AND THEY SAID EVERYONE KNEW HER AS THE CONGRESSWOMAN. IF YOU SAID THE CONGRESSWOMAN, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHO YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT. BUT TO ME, SHE WASN'T JUST THE CONGRESSWOMAN, SHE WAS MY CONGRESSWOMAN. AND TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH HER, BUT ALSO TO LIVE IN HER DISTRICT, UH, AND SEE EVERYTHING FIRSTHAND. I'LL SHARE ONE ANECDOTE. DURING HARVEY, WHEN MANY OF US WERE VOLUNTEERING AND HELPING AT GRB, UH, SHE WAS, SHE WOULD SHOW UP FOR EVERY SINGLE BRIEFING, BRIEFING, BOTH THE MIDDAY AND SOMETIMES AT 2:00 AM SHE WAS THE ONLY ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT DID NOT MISS A SINGLE BRIEFING. AND EVERY HOUR IN BETWEEN, SHE WAS OUT IN THE DISTRICT HELPING, DOING ANYTHING SHE COULD. AND WE ALL HAVE THOSE STORIES, BUT I THINK THAT ONE FOR ME STANDS OUT, UH, BECAUSE SHE WAS KNOWN FOR SO MUCH, BUT SHE ALWAYS SHOWED UP AND SHE ALWAYS FOUGHT FOR HER DISTRICT. SO, UM, I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD HER, UH, FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, UH, HERE WITH US IN HOUSTON. ON THAT NOTE, UH, I DO HAVE A FEW THANK YOUS. UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, UH, THE YATES MUSEUM TEAMED UP WITH THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS. A FT IS HERE FOR THEIR NATIONAL CONVENTION, AND THEY ACTUALLY VOLUNTEERED WITH YATES MUSEUM IN FRIEDMANS TOWN OVER THE WEEKEND WORKING TO RESTORE FIVE DIFFERENT PROPERTIES. SO, UH, TO ALL OF OUR TEACHERS, THANK YOU, BUT TO A FT, UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT IN DISTRICT C AND AS, UH, THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR NATIONAL CONVENTION HERE IN HOUSTON, WE SAY WELCOME AND A VERY EXCITING WELCOME, UH, TO, UH, VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS, WHO WILL BE JOINING US IN THE CITY TODAY THROUGH TOMORROW FOR, UH, THE CONVENTION AS WELL. SO WE WELCOME HER TO HOUSTON AND ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HER. LASTLY, UH, IF RESIDENTS ARE STILL INTERESTED, THE MONTROSE WALK AUDITS ARE CONTINUING. THEY HAVE HAD A FEW ROUNDS AND THEY HAVE BEEN VERY WELL ATTENDED, BUT THERE'S STILL MORE GROUND TO COVER. UH, THESE WALK AUDITS ARE DONE WITH A A RP. THE FRIENDS OF MONTROSE BOULEVARD IS PARTNERING WITH THE CITIZEN TRANSPORTATION COALITION, THE HOUSTON CHAPTER OF A A RP AND URBAN PATHS. AND THESE WALK AUDITS GO FROM MANTRAS BOULEVARD, UH, EXCUSE ME, MANTRAS BOULEVARD FROM ALLEN PARKWAY TO 59, AND THEN RICHMOND AVENUE FROM SHEPHERD, UH, TO THE SPUR. AND THEY'RE LITERALLY GOING FOOT BY FOOT MARKING ALL OF THE ISSUES WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, MOBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY ON OUR SIDEWALKS. UH, AND THEY DO THE A A RP DOES THIS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SO REALLY ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO PLUG IN TO GET THEM IN OTHER AREAS. BUT YOU CAN, UH, VOLUNTEER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO JOIN IF YOU'RE INTERESTED. UH, BUT YOU CAN LOOK AT MORE INFORMATION. THERE'S A LINK HERE, BUT IT IS NOT GONNA MAKE SENSE SAYING IT. SO WE WILL POST IT, UM, TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. UH, AND ON OUR OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, A BIG THANK YOU TO ALEX SPIKE, UH, WHO HAS DONE TREMENDOUS WORK TO GET THIS OFF THE GROUND, AS WELL AS DEXTER HANDY, UH, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTNERS IN THE AREA. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU. UM, MAYOR PROAM. UM, AND I WANNA START OFF BY SAYING I'M STILL IN DISBELIEF, UM, THAT [04:35:01] CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, UM, WOULD NO LONGER BE WITH US. UM, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT HER, HER LEADERSHIP, YOU KNOW, HER PASSION, HER ENERGY. YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF WORKING WITH CONGRESSWOMAN, GOING DATING BACK 20 YEARS, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE ALWAYS ADMIRED HER. UM, IN THE PAST, SINCE I'VE TOOK TAKEN OFFICE, YOU KNOW, SHE SHOWS UP, YOU KNOW, MY, WHEN I FIRST TOOK OFFICE, IT WAS THE, UM, COVID VACCINES. AND SHE WAS RIGHT THERE MAKING SURE THAT MY DIS DISTRICT HAD THE VACCINES THAT THEY NEEDED TOCO, UM, TO MAKE IT THROUGH, UM, COVID. AND SO, UM, IT'S GONNA BE A HUGE VOID, UM, IN MY LIFE, IN MY CONSTITUENTS LIFE. I MEAN, MY CONSTITUENTS ARE GRIEVING RIGHT NOW. EVERYONE IS GRIEVING. I KNOW THE, THE COUNTRY IS GRIEVING. UM, BUT WE'RE GRIEVING PARTICULARLY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS PART OF OUR LIFE, YOU KNOW, UM, FROM A LITTLE KID. YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST REMEMBER CONGRESSWOMAN, AT LEAST. SO MY HEART GO OUT TO THE FAMILY. UM, I WISH THEM, YOU KNOW, GOD GIVE, KEEP THE SPIRIT CALM. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, THAT WE GET THROUGH THIS HARD, DIFFICULT TIME, UM, WITH THE LOSS OF OUR LEADER, OUR LEADER, CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, MISS REST IN PEACE. UM, ALSO, I WANT TO, ON ANOTHER NOTE, UM, UM, THIS SATURDAY FOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE STILL DEALING WITH POWER OUTAGE. UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A-F-L-C-I-O AND IBEW, UM, LOCAL 7 1 6 AND FIFTH WARD IN DENVER HARBOR. UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE FIXING WEATHERHEAD. AND SO IF YOU STILL NEED SOME ASSISTANCE, WE KNOW THAT IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE, UM, TO HIRE A, A ELECTRICIAN TO HANDLE THAT. AND SO I'M THANKFUL TO THE UNIONS WHO'S STEPPING UP TO, UM, SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY, UM, AND GET THEM BACK ON TRACK, GET THEM BACK ONLINE. SO IF YOU STILL WITHOUT POWER, IF YOU WITHOUT POWER, YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT HEARING THIS MESSAGE. SO IF YOU HAVE A NEIGHBOR STILL WITHOUT POWER, UM, REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THEM. UM, PHONE NUMBER (832) 393-3009. UM, ANY OTHER THINGS THAT YOU NEED, JUST REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE AND OF COURSE, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER TO STAY INFORMED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT. UM, THAT'S DISTRICT B@HOUSTONCX.GOV. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU. AND I KNOW WE TOUCHED ON THIS EARLIER WHEN OEM WAS HERE TODAY, BUT I FEEL LIKE THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON, WE ARE GETTING TIRED OF BEING HOUSTON STRONG EVERY TIME SOMETHING HAPPENS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE HOUSTON STRONG AFTER HARVEY OR HOUSTON STRONG AFTER RECHO. AND UNTIL THERE IS RECOVERY IN PEOPLE THAT HAVE THEIR POWER AND NOT JUST THAT, THE DEBRIS PICKUP. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THE MAYOR IS PUTTING PRESSURE, UM, AND MOBILIZING MORE TRUCKS FOR THAT DEBRIS PICKUP, BECAUSE AS LONG AS WE SEE IT, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY IN OUR YARDS AND THROUGHOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, IT'S A REMINDER. UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THIS. SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THE, UH, DEBRIS PICKUP MAP, DISTRICT G UH, WHILE OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY HAD BEEN TOUCHED, DISTRICT G WAS ONE OF THE DISTRICTS THAT, UH, THEY HADN'T EVEN STARTED DEBRIS, UH, COLLECTION. AND I KNOW IT TAKES A LONG TIME, BUT THE FASTER WE CAN GET THIS STUFF PICKED UP, I KNOW THE RESIDENTS WILL APPRECIATE IT. ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE'RE SEEING TOO, IS, UM, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN MENTIONED WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THE MOSQUITOES. WE'VE HAD SOME POSITIVE CASES OF WEST NILE AND DISTRICT G. WE HAD ANOTHER CONFIRMED CASE IN 7 7 0 7 9 OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY OF WEST NILE. UM, AND THERE'S A FEMALE WHO'S CURRENTLY IN THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW WAITING RESULTS TO SEE IF SHE HAS WEST NILE. SO WE ARE GOING TO, UM, WITH THE WATER, WITH ALL THE EXCESSIVE RAIN, AND PEOPLE BEING OUTSIDE AND REBUILDING FENCES AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING THEIR HOMES BACK TOGETHER, PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE EXPOSED TO THESE MOSQUITOES. SO PLEASE PROTECT YOURSELF. UM, AND THE CITY, I KNOW THAT WE RELY ON THE COUNTY FOR MOSQUITO ABATEMENT TO HELP, BUT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING MORE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU MUCH. I, UH, WANNA START WITH MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, UM, TO OUR CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE. I, UM, DID NOT EXPECT TO, I'M STILL VERY NUMB AND MELANCHOLY ABOUT THIS 'CAUSE SHE HAD RESPONDED TO A TEXT MESSAGE RECENTLY. UM, I MET HER IN 1998 AT THE GEORGIA R BROWN CONVENTION CENTER. FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER CAROL ROBINSON, HOSTED A TEEN IN YOUNG ADULT SUMMIT. THE GEORGIA R BROWN WAS NEW, SHE WAS NEWLY ELECTED, PROBABLY IN HER SECOND TERM, AND SHE WAS A STAR. EVERYONE, ALL OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE LINED UP TO TAKE PHOTOS WITH HER. AND FROM WATCHING HER AS A YOUNG PERSON TO NOW IN MY ROLE AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, YOU KNOW, SHE WASN'T A TRADITIONAL MENTOR WHERE SHE WOULD TAKE YOU TO BREAKFAST OR LUNCH OR COFFEE. SHE GAVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ELECTED OFFICIAL AND A PUBLIC SERVANT. AND THOSE ARE TWO DISTINCT THINGS. AND SHEILA JACKSON LEE DEFINED WHAT THAT WAS IN THE CITY. [04:40:01] I CAN SPEAK TO SOME OF THE WORK RECENTLY, UM, WITH HURRICANE BERYL, BECAUSE I WATCHED WHAT SHE DID IN WINTER STORM 2021, THAT WHEN THE POWER CAME BACK ON IN THE CITY, ONLY SHEILA JACKSON LEE WAS ABLE TO COME THROUGH WITH AN 18 WHEELER FULL OF WATER BEFORE THE CITY. IT WAS THE PANDEMIC. AND IT WAS ONLY SHEILA JACKSON LEE THAT OPENED UP THE HUNDRED TESTING SITES BEFORE THE CITY. AND I WATCHED THAT AND I SAID, THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO DO. SO I WAS PREPARED BECAUSE SHE GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HER WORK. 'CAUSE SHE WAS SERIOUS ABOUT HER WORK. AND I REMEMBER ONE TIME I CALLED TO VENT TO HER AND I WANTED CREDIT FOR SOMETHING, AND I FELT LIKE THEY DIDN'T GIVE ME CREDIT. AND I DID ALL OF THIS WORK. AND SHE SAID, THIS AIN'T THE PTA , YOU A PUBLIC SERVANT. SHE SAID, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I'VE DONE AND I'VE NEVER GOTTEN CREDIT FOR? AND IT MADE ME SWITCH A GEAR IN TERMS OF BEING, TAKING MYSELF OUT OF IT AND LOOKING AT THE PEOPLE, TAKING MYSELF OUT OF IT ABOUT CREDIT AND LOOKING AT THE WORK AND THE RESULT AND THE IMPACT. AND FOR THAT, I'M TRULY GRATEFUL. I, UM, SHE'S ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHO CAN BYPASS MY DO NOT DISTURB 'CAUSE SHE CALLS YOU AT MIDNIGHT. UM, ALWAYS WILLING TO PROP YOUNG WOMEN, YOUNG MEN, EVERYONE UP IN, IN PRIVATE AND IN PUBLIC. I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF ROOMS I'VE BEEN IN WHERE SHE'S ELEVATED ME. UH, WELL, I FELT LIKE AN IMPOSTER THAT I SHOULD NOT BE THERE. BUT SHE GAVE ME THE CONFIDENCE, UM, TO SPEAK. SHE GAVE ME THE CONFIDENCE TO INSERT. UM, AND I HOPE THAT, UM, MY SERVICE IN IMPACT IN THIS ROLE COULD ONLY MIRROR A PORTION OF HER CONTRIBUTION. CONTRIBUTION. MY HEART IS STILL WITH HER FAMILY. UM, AND THEN I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT I'LL BE READY FOR MONDAY AND BE READY FOR THIS WEEK. UM, AS WE HEAR COUNTLESS STORIES ABOUT WHO SHE IS, UM, SHE'S THE QUEEN OF DISASTER RECOVERY. AND SO WITH THAT, I WANNA CONTINUE THE STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS ABOUT RECOVERY IN THE CITY AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE DISTRICT. AND JUST OVERALL, UM, WE HAVE A, A, A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON TOOL BANK. WE'VE INVESTED, UH, $15,000, UM, IN TERMS OF RESPONSE. AND WE'VE PARTNERED WITH, UH, CLEAR CHANNEL FOR A BILLBOARD. WE ARE NOW ON WESTHEIMER HONK. IF YOU SEE US, THIS IS UP. UM, AND IT CLEARLY SAYS WE HAVE A PLAN. DO YOU, UM, AND IT'S APROPOS BECAUSE WE ARE IN RECOVERY. BARREL WAS A CATEGORY ONE. AND AS WE ANTICIPATE HURRICANE SEASON HAVING A 2, 3, 4, OR FIVE, WE WANNA REMIND OUR NEIGHBORS TO CRITICALLY THINK ABOUT THEIR PLAN. IF YOU NEED TO EVACUATE, IF YOU NEED TO SIGN UP FOR SOME TYPE OF SERVICE SO WE CAN ANTICIPATE YOUR NEEDS AND RESPOND TO YOU. THE HOUSTON TOOL BANK AND MY OFFICE HAVE BEEN IN PARTNERSHIPS TO SINCE 2021, SINCE AFTER WINTER FREE SIRI. WE HAVE PURCHASED EQUIPMENT SUCH AS GENERATORS, TOOLS, LAWNMOWERS, AND MORE ON THE WEST SIDE. WE HAVE A, A DEBRIS TEAM THAT IS WORKING TO GET TREES AND LIMBS, ALL OF THAT IN THE MEDIAN. AND EVEN WORKING WITH SOME OF OUR HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE OF 75 PLUS, UM, AND HAVE TREES IN THEIR BACKYARD. AND SO I JUST WANNA SHOUT OUT THE HOUSTON TOOL BANK, UM, FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. I KNOW THE TOOL BANK IS WORKING WITH MANY DISTRICT OFFICES, UM, BUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ON THE WEST SIDE WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT PARTNERS SUCH AS THE TOOL BANK. AND WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO THE DISTRICT TO TALK ABOUT OUR DISTRICT F PLAN THAT WE ESTABLISHED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND WITH BERYL, HOW WE CAN, UM, AUDIT THAT PLAN WITH YOUR FEEDBACK IN MIND ON MONDAY. UM, I AM JOINING WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, UH, WHERE WE HAVE FRANCISCO SANCHEZ JR. THE ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE U-S-S-B-A. WE'RE GONNA LEARN MORE ABOUT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND DISASTER LOANS. WE, OUR BUSINESSES IN THE AREA, WE ARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SOUTHWEST AND WESTCHASE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND THE WEST HOUSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THIS WILL BE ON MONDAY, JULY 29TH AT SIX 30 AT THE CHURCH WITHOUT WALLS AT ELDRIDGE. MORE INFORMATION TO COME. UM, IF YOU ARE A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, YOU WERE IMPACTED BY THE STORM 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT SEPARATE FROM THAT. WE HAVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, DIRECT RESOURCES IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES. UM, WE'RE GONNA BE THERE FOR ABOUT A GOOD HOUR. WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THIS INFORMATION AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE IT. I WANT TO APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, OUR MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, OUR CHAMBER FOR WORKING WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BUSINESSES CAN STABILIZE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL FEDERAL RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM. UM, IN CLOSING, I ALSO WANNA GIVE MY REGARDS TO JACKIE ALTON. JACKIE ALTON IS THE, UH, UH, FOUNDER OF ALAMEDA TRAVEL, AND SHE PASSED AWAY YESTERDAY. AND SO THEY SAY THEY COME IN THREES. AND WE ALSO LOST FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER FELIX FRAGA. UM, AND JUST THE, THE CONTRIBUTION THAT HE MADE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND SO, UM, UM, FORGIVE ME IF FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, UM, SOME, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WRONG WITH WITH ME IF I'M QUIET. SO THE MADAM SECRETARY SAYS SOMETHING WRONG, YOU'RE QUIET. AND SO I AM REALLY JUST, UM, UM, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A SHIFT HAPPENING AND I'M LOSING PEOPLE THAT I ADMIRED AND I'M LOSING PEOPLE THAT I LOOKED UP TO, [04:45:01] UM, AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION NOT ONLY IN THE CITY, BUT IN THE LIVES OF THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY. SO, UM, MAY WE ALL JUST BE KIND TO OURSELVES AND EACH OTHER DURING THIS TIME, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S DEFINITELY A LOT GOING ON. IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, IF YOU WANNA REGISTER, UM, FOR ANYTHING THAT I, UH, MENTIONED TODAY, PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 3 0 0 2, OR DISTRICT F@HOUSTONTX.GOV. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, WE'LL MOVE TO VICE MAYOR PRO TEPEC. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. UM, I ALSO WANNA SHARE MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE. UM, I'LL NEVER FORGET WHEN, JUST RIGHT AFTER TAKING OFFICE FOR THE FIRST TIME, THERE WAS THE, UM, EXPLOSION AT WATSON GRINDING, AND SHE JUST CAME OUT OF NOWHERE. IT WASN'T EVEN IN HER DISTRICT, BY THE WAY. THERE WERE A FEW SECTIONS OF HER DISTRICT THAT WERE IMPACTED, BUT THE EXPLOSION AND THE MAIN IMPACT WASN'T EVEN HER DISTRICT. AND SHE JUST SHOWED UP OUT OF NOWHERE WITH RESOURCES. AND THERE WEREN'T CAMERAS, THERE WERE NO TV CREWS. SHE JUST WALKED THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH ME AND GOT EVERYONE WHAT THEY NEEDED. SHE DIDN'T EVEN SAY, OH, WHAT DO YOU NEED? LET ME KNOW. IT WASN'T EVEN THAT. SHE JUST SAID, HERE'S WHAT I'M GETTING YOU WITH A WHOLE LONG LIST OF THINGS AND WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED PAST THAT? AND I MEAN, SHE HAD IT ALL COVERED. SO WE'LL NEVER FORGET THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T ALWAYS SHARE EYE TO EYE ON EVERYTHING, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY, THAT WAS REALLY WHERE WE AGREED COMPLETELY. SO, UM, ALSO, YOU KNOW, SHE HAS A REPUTATION, OF COURSE, OF AT EVERY NEWS CONFERENCE, TRYING TO STAND IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS. BUT AT MOST OF THE, UM, CONFERENCES THAT SHE AND I WERE AT TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, I TEND TO LIKE TO HIDE IN THE BACKGROUND. SHE WOULD ALWAYS PULL ME UP AND SAY, NO, YOU STAND UP HERE WITH ME. AND SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT, BUT SHE WAS JUST SO NICE, UM, TO ME ALWAYS. AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT. SO, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROAM. UM, AS WE, UH, CONTINUE THROUGH POST BARREL RECOVERY, I WANNA GIVE SHOUT OUTS TO TWO ORGANIZATIONS, UH, AIRBNB, WHO PARTNERED WITH THE HANO CENTER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HOUSE, UH, SENIORS AND, AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN. UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES, WE ALWAYS SEE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS STEP UP. AND SO I WANNA THANK AIRBNB FOR STEPPING UP ON THAT ASPECT. AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A-F-L-C-I-O DOING A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, CLEANUPS. UH, I WANNA THANK UNION PACIFIC. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THEY'VE CONTRIBUTED TO THEIR, UH, TO THEIR CLEANUP EFFORTS. UM, WHEN I HAD REQUESTED THEM, UH, POST DICHO, UH, THEY STEPPED UP UNION PACIFIC AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE A-F-L-C-I-O. THEY ALSO CONTRIBUTED MORE RECENTLY WITH, WITH, UH, BAR. AND SO JUST WANT TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT. I ALSO WANNA THANK THE SEVERAL, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM OEM SOLID WAYS 3 1 1 PUBLIC WORKS FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, PNC CONGRESSWOMAN GARCIA'S OFFICE AND CAREER AND RECOVERY FOR ATTENDING OUR, UH, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, UM, UH, EVENT. THIS PAST WEEKEND IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE DISTRICT, UH, NORTHEAST HCC, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE OUT DISASTER PREPAREDNESS KITS, UM, AND, AND MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITIES CONTINUES TO STAY INFORMED. UM, AND LASTLY, UH, AS, AS FOLKS ARE SPEAKING TO CONGRESSWOMAN, UH, SHEILA JACKSON LEE'S, UH, PASSING, I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY, UM, IT'S HEARTFELT, UM, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, UH, WE'VE LOST TWO PILLARS OF OUR COMMUNITY. UH, SO ALONG WITH CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, COUNCIL MEMBER, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER FELIX FRAGA, UH, MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCE TO THE FAMILY, UM, TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WILL DEFINITELY MISS THEM. UM, YOU KNOW, THIS SPACE IS DEFINITELY NOT THE EASIEST ALL THE TIME. AND SO TO, TO BE IN THESE SPACES AND, AND BE LOOKED AT AS A RESOURCE, AS A, UH, SENSE OF HOPE, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THOSE SPACES WILL DEFINITELY BE, UH, BE MISSED BY BOTH OF THEM. UM, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE FRAGA FAMILY JUST RECENTLY, AND, UH, UH, AS I GET DETAILS I'LL SHARE WITH THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES AND THE MAYOR, UH, THEY ARE LOOKING AT A FUNERAL ON MONDAY AS WELL, SO IT'S GONNA BE A BUSY MONDAY. UM, THEY, THEY ARE AWARE OF CONGRESSWOMAN, UH, UM, SHEILA JACKSON LEE, UH, BEING HERE AT THE ROTUNDA. AND SO THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS SO THAT WAY IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T OVERLAP AS MUCH, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST AGAIN, WANT TO, FOR A DISTRICT AGE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WAS REALLY SEEN AS A EAST END COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER TIMES WHERE I WAS AT RIPLEY HOUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, MR. FAGA WAS THERE. HE MANAGED THAT COMMUNITY CENTER BACK IN THE EIGHTIES, UH, NINETIES. AND SO, UM, AGAIN, JUST WANT TO SEND MY, UH, HEARTFELT CONDOLENCE TO BOTH FAMILIES. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. UH, I TOO WANT TO GIVE MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE. UM, I THINK SHE WAS THE HARDEST WORKING ELECTED OFFICIAL, UM, MAYBE IN THE COUNTRY. I MEAN, SHE WAS EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME. SHE WAS AT BAR [04:50:01] MITZVAHS, SHE WAS AT GRADUATIONS, SHE WAS AT FAMILY REUNIONS, SHE WAS AT BARBECUES. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE MADE IT TO SO MANY PLACES, UM, IN A DAY. UH, BUT IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE, UH, HOW HARD SHE WORKED ON BEHALF OF HER CONSTITUENTS. THE FIRST TIME I MET HER WAS, UM, ALMOST 15 YEARS AGO, I WAS ASSIGNED AS AN INTERN TO GO PICK HER UP AT THE AIRPORT IN AUSTIN. AND PEOPLE WERE TELLING ME THAT SHE'S KIND OF TOUGH ON INTERNS AND, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, TO BE ON POINT, DO NOT MESS UP. SO I, I PULL UP, I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS, AND, UM, AS I PULL UP TO THE CURB, I SEE HER COMING OUT OF THE, UH, BAGGAGE CLAIM. SHE HAD HER SHAWL AND, YOU KNOW, HER HAIR DONE AND EVERYTHING. AND, UH, I HOP OUT THE CAR AND I GREET HER AND GET HER BAGS. AND, UM, I GO TO OPEN THE TRUNK AND THE TRUNK DOESN'T OPEN, AND THEN I START TO PANIC. AND THEN I WALK AROUND TO MY, UH, DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, AND I TRY TO OPEN THE DOOR AND IT WON'T OPEN. AND SO I LOOK IN THE CAR AND I SEE THAT I LOCKED MY KEYS IN THE CAR. AND SO I'M STARTING TO PANIC FOR REAL. SHE'S STARING AT ME WHILE SHE'S JUST STANDING ON THE CURB IN A, IN A HOT AUSTIN HEAT. AND SHE JUST HAS THIS STARE. AND I WALK AROUND AND SAY, CONGRESSWOMAN, UM, I ACCIDENTALLY LOCKED THE KEYS INSIDE OF MY CAR. AND SHE SAID, THAT'S OKAY. LET'S GET IT OPEN. SHE WENT AND SAT NEAR THE, THE, THE DOOR OF BAGGAGE CLAIM. UM, AND I'M FRANTICALLY TRYING TO GET A MAINTENANCE PERSON TO COME AND UNDO THE DOOR. THEY, THEY OPENED THE DOOR IN ABOUT 20 MINUTES, BUT IT FELT LIKE FOREVER. AND I FINALLY GOT HER BAGS IN THE CAR, AND WE WENT TO THE HOTEL. SHE DID NOT HAVE AN ATTITUDE WITH ME FOR WHATEVER REASON. SHE KEPT IT COOL. SHE WAS VERY UNDERSTANDING. UH, NOW FROM THAT MOMENT ON FOR LIKE THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WHENEVER I WOULD SEE HER, IT WAS VERY KIND OF LIKE, HOW YOU DOING TO KEEP IT MOVING? SO I WAS LIKE, . BUT, UM, BUT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE BECOME VERY CLOSE. AND I KNEW SOMETHING WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT WHEN I SAT NEXT TO HER AT THE, UM, FUNERAL FOR REVEREND LAWSON. WE SAT RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER FOR SIX HOURS STRAIGHT. AND SHE'S USUALLY VERY BUSY DOING A LOT, HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAS A MILLION PROCLAMATIONS IN HER HAND. UM, AND EVERY TIME SHE NEEDED SOMETHING, SHE WOULD NOT, UH, SHE WOULD NOT STOP ME FROM HELPING HER. AND USUALLY SHE WOULD ALWAYS WANT TO DO THINGS ON HER OWN. BUT WHENEVER I WANTED TO ASSIST HER WITH HER BAG, OR WITH HER PROS FINDING HER PHONE AND MOVING AROUND, SHE WAS, SHE WAS VERY OPEN TO ME DOING THAT. AND, AND, AND LEANING ON THAT ASSISTANCE AND SAYING SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SO INDEPENDENT. AND, UM, WE HAD A LOT OF GOOD LITTLE CONVERSATION OVER THAT SIX HOURS ABOUT LIFE, ABOUT TRANSITION, ABOUT DEATH, ABOUT LEGACY. UM, AND I WILL MISS HER VERY MUCH. AND SO TO HER ENTIRE FAMILY, UM, MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU ALL. SHE WAS A GREAT WOMAN. AND IT'S UP TO ALL OF US TO CONTINUE HER LEGACY OF SERVICE. GOD BLESS YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THANK YOU ALL. JUST TO ADD MY VOICE TO ALL OF YOU, UM, WHO ARE SAYING SUCH KIND WORDS ABOUT SHEILA JACKSON LACE, SHE WAS NOTHING BUT WONDERFUL TO ME THROUGHOUT MY PUBLIC SERVICE, EVEN BACK IN THE EARLY NINETIES WHEN I WORKED IN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. I REMEMBER SHE WAS RIGHT THERE AND, AND I WAS JUST A LOWLY STAFFER, BUT SHE WOULD TALK TO ME AND TELL ME THINGS, AND THEN SHE'S JUST, SOMEBODY TOLD ME ONCE, YOU KNOW, IN PUBLIC SERVICE, WHEN YOU'RE TOO TIRED TO DO ONE MORE THING, DO ONE MORE THING. AND SHE REALLY JUST EPITOMIZED THAT. I, UH, EVERYBODY WHO'S NOTICED THAT SHE WAS EVERYWHERE PLUS IN WASHINGTON ON VOTES, YOU KNOW, YOU'D SEE HER IN WASHINGTON JUST LIKE RIGHT NEXT TO YOU IN HOUSTON. UM, PRETTY INCREDIBLE LIFETIME OF SERVICE. AND I'LL JUST ADD MY VOICE TO ALL OF YOU THAT, UM, WE WILL REALLY, WE DON'T EVEN, WE DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE A HOUSTON WITHOUT, UM, HER POWERFUL, UH, PRESENCE IN IT. UM, ALSO FELIX FRAGA ANOTHER PERSON WHO JUST THAT BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE AND ALWAYS HAD A KIND WORD AND WORDS OF ADVICE, AND HE AND HIS FAMILY HAVE LEFT SUCH A GREAT LEGACY IN HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY THE EAST END. SO A SAD WEEK FOR SURE, AND, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO HONORING THEM NEXT WEEK. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER. AND I'LL JUST ADD MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY, THE, THE, UH, LEE FAMILY AS WELL AS AS THE FROGGER FAMILY. I FIRST MET THE CONGRESSWOMAN ON A FLIGHT, A UNITED FLIGHT BACK IN ABOUT 2008 OR OH NINE. AND, UH, I HANDED HER MY CARD AND THE NEXT MORNING SHE CALLED ME ASKING FOR SOMETHING . SO OVER THE YEARS WITH THE ASTROS, I GOT TO, TO WORK WITH HER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. AND, UH, THE WORD THAT COMES TO MIND WHEN [04:55:01] I THINK OF HER IS FORCE. SHE WAS A FORCE. HOWEVER YOU SAW THAT WHATEVER YOUR, WHATEVER YOUR DEAL OF THE DAY WAS, SHE WAS THERE. AND WE USED TO, WE ALL WONDERED HOW DOES SHE GET WHERE SHE'S GOING? I MEAN, SHE MUST HAVE HAD WINGS OF A DIFFERENT TYPE, BUT, UH, UH, SHE WILL LIVE ON, AND CERTAINLY IN THIS CITY, IN THIS NATION, SHE, SHE WAS A FORCE. AND, AND CERTAINLY I, I KNOW SHE WORKED FOR HER CONSTITUENTS AND, BUT SHE WORKED FOR EVERYBODY AND SHE WORKED EVERYBODY TOO. I'LL SAY SHE WAS A FORCE . THANK YOU COLLEAGUES. AND I'LL, UH, END MY POP OFF WITH SOME THANK YOUS FROM, UH, THE RECOVERY EFFORTS. I DO WANT TO THANK THE DISTRICT CASE STAFF AND OUR INTERNS, THE FOOD BANK, KOREAN RECOVERY, BRANDON WASHINGTON, THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER, AND THE FOUNTAIN APPRAISED CHURCH, THE FORT BEND CHURCH, UM, FOR EXTENDING SUCH GRACIOUSNESS AND PROVIDING, UH, WIPES AND TRASH BAGS, UH, FOR RESIDENTS WHO HAD TO EMPTY OUT THEIR REFRIGERATORS. UH, HOW WAHA HENRY, UH, MEGAN, THE STALLION FOUNDATION DONATED GIFT CARDS TO RESIDENTS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, HNTB, WHO I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT. WE HAVE, UM, RAISED $20,000 FOR GIFT CARDS TO RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT A, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH KROGER, UH, IKE, UH, UNITED WAY, HEB, UH, CRUZ AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE AND DELIVERY, UH, ONE WORLD, UH, FOUNDATION, UM, ALPHA PHI, ALPHA RIDGEMONT, CIA, ALL OF THE PARTNERS THAT HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN OUR RECOVERY. I DO WANT TO THANK YOU. IT HAS BEEN A HEAVY WEEK FOR US IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, NOT ONLY WITH RECOVERY, UH, BUT WITH THE LOSSES THAT WE ALL FEEL THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY. UM, AND I'D LIKE TO, UM, END OUR COUNCIL MEETING WITH, YOU KNOW, HONORING THE CONGRESSWOMAN. UH, WE ALL KNOW HER AS THE CONGRESSWOMAN. UM, SHE WAS, UH, MY SORORITY SISTER, UH, MY LINK SISTER. AND QUITE FRANKLY, SHE WAS A CHAMPION FOR THE PEOPLE. WE ALL HAVE SO MANY STORIES ABOUT THE CONGRESSWOMAN, BUT I WILL TELL YOU ONE OF THE THINGS SHE SAID TO ME WAS, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR WORK ON THE RECORD. AND EVERY TIME I WOULD STAND NEXT TO PEOPLE AND THEY WOULD SAY, WE KNOW THE CONGRESSWOMAN IS GONNA BE TALKING FOR A LONG TIME, I WOULD SAY SHE IS GETTING HER WORK ON THE RECORD. AND I'M SO GLAD THAT SHE TOOK THE TIME TO GET HER WORK ON THE RECORD, BECAUSE SHE LEAVES A LASTING LEGACY AND SHE WILL ALWAYS BE THE PEOPLE'S CHAMPION. SO TODAY, COLLEAGUES, WE WILL ADJOURN IN HONOR OF COUNCIL MEMBER FELIX FRAGA AND THE HONORABLE CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE. WE STAND ADJOURN. * 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.