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MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND[PRESENTATIONS]
VICE MAYOR PRO TEM.IT IS INDEED AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE IN ABSENCE BY MAYOR.
IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE FOR US TO CELEBRATE AND TO RECOGNIZE, UH, THIS BEING A WONDERFUL, UH, PRESENTATION.
ANYTIME THAT THE ARMED FORCES RECEIVE ANYTHING, I'M ALWAYS GRATEFUL AND HONORED TO MAKE THOSE PRESENTATION THE 77TH BIRTHDAY OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, WHEREAS THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE WAS ESTABLISHED ON SEPTEMBER 18TH, 1947, FOLLOWING THE ENACTMENT OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT OF 1947.
THIS ACT LED TO THE CREATION OF THE NATIONAL MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT, WHICH WAS LATER RENAMED THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, ENCOMPASSING FOUR OF THE FIVE MILITARY BRANCHES, THE ARMY, MARINE CORPS, NAVY, AND NEWLY FORMED AIR FORCE.
AND WHEREAS PRIOR TO 1947, MILITARY AVIATION RESPONSIBILITIES WERE DIVIDED AMONG THE ARMY FOR LAND-BASED OPERATIONS AND THE NAVY AND THE MARINE CORPS FOR SEA-BASED OPERATION UTILIZING AIRCRAFT CARRIERS AND AMPHIBIOUS AIRCRAFT.
THE ARMY ESTABLISHED THE FIRST PER RE TO THE AIR FORCE ON AUGUST 1ST, 1907, WHICH THROUGH A SERIES OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES AND MISSION EVOLUTIONS ULTIMATELY LED TO ITS SEPARATION FOUR DECADES LATER.
AND WHEREAS THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE IS RECOGNIZED AS THE LARGEST, MOST CAPABLE AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCED AIR FORCE GLOBALLY, IT STANDS AS A SECOND LARGEST SERVICE BRANCH OF THE US ARMED FORCES COMPRISING OF 329,614, ACTIVE DUTY AIRMEN 172,857, CIVILIAN PERSONNEL 69,056 RESERVE AIRMEN 107,414 AIR NATIONAL AIRMEN.
AND WHEREAS THE AIR FORCE MOTTO, AIM, HIGH, FLY, FIGHT, WIN, AND ITS CORE VALUES OF INTEGRITY FIRST SERVES BEFORE SELF AND EXCELLENT IN ALL WE DO, UNDERSCORED THEIR UNWAVERING DILIGENCE AND READINESS TO DEFEND OUR NATION.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROUDLY HOST THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE 147 ATTACK WING AT ELLINGTON FIELD AND UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RECRUITING OFFICE, HOUSTON, THE DEDICATED MEN AND WOMEN OF THE ONE FORTY ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVEN ATTACK WING ARE VITAL TO SAFEGUARDING THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS AND MAINTAINING THE SECURITY OF OUR GREAT STATE.
AND WHEREAS THE AIR FORCE RECRUITING OFFICE IN HOUSTON SEEKS OUT OUTSTANDING MEN AND WOMEN FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, GIVE THEM HIGHLY TECHNICAL TRAINING TO EQUIP THEM WITH THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO BOLSTER THE US AIR FORCE COMBAT CAPABILITY AND ADAPTS TO THE CONS, CONSTANTLY SHIFTING LEADS OF THE AIR FORCE.
AND WHEREAS TEXAS HAS A RICH HISTORY OF SUPPORTING MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES, THE CITY OF HOUSTON EXPRESSES ITS GRATITUDE TO THOSE WHO SERVE AND HAVE SERVED IN THE UNITED AIR FORCE AND THEIR FAMILIES AND EXTEND ITS BEST WITCHES TO THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ON ITS SEVENTH, SEVENTH BIRTHDAY.
THEREFORE, I LEAVE IT UP TO OUR MAYOR, PRO TEM.
SO THEREFORE, I, MARTHA CASTEX TATU MAYOR PRO TIM ON BEHALF OF JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIMS SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2024, AS THE 77TH BIRTHDAY OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
ON BEHALF OF THE THREE 41ST RECRUITING SQUADRON AND, UH, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, WE SINCERELY THANK YOU FOR THE ENDURING SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND WE ALSO WILL STRIVE TO STRENGTHEN THAT SUPPORT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES, UH, NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, UM, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, THANK YOU VA, UH, VA VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
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AND ALWAYS ELEVATING THE VOICES OF OUR VETERANS AND OUR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL.UM, IT'S NO SECRET, AND I HAVE TO SAY IT ALL THE TIME, MY ONLY REGRET WAS THAT I DID NOT, UM, UH, GO TO OTC AND, AND, AND, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE AIR FORCE.
ELSIK REALLY SHAPED MY LIFE SHAPED LEADERSHIP.
ONE OF THE REASONS I'M HERE TODAY.
AND ALL OF OUR ROTC, UM, STUDENT CADET, I MEAN, THEY ARE EXCITED ABOUT SUPPORTING OUR COUNTRY.
UM, SO JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING IN THE CITY.
UM, AND WORD ON THE STREET IS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS IS JUMPING OUT OF A PLANE.
I KNOW YOU SAID YOU WASN'T DOING IT, BUT WE GONNA COUNT YOU IN THAT NUMBER.
SO IF Y'ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, ALLOW HIM TO JOIN WITH YOU.
UM, AS AN ARMY VETERAN, YOU KNOW THE WORD AND HE USED TO JUMP OUT A PLANE, SO GIVE HIM ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
NEXT CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN FOR A PROCLAMATION TO BILL CASE IN RECOGNITION, UM, FOR FALLS PREVENTION AWARENESS DAY.
HERE WE ARE AGAIN FOR DON'T FALL DOWN DAY.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR, UH, GOLLY, OVER 10 YEARS.
UM, FALLS PREVENTION AWARENESS DAY.
IT ALWAYS FALLS NEAR THE, NEAR THE FIRST DAY OF FALL.
FIRST DAY OF FALL IS THIS SUNDAY, UH, SEPTEMBER 22ND AND SEPTEMBER 24TH ON TUESDAY, WE ARE HAVING OUR ANNUAL PROGRAM UP IN KINGWOOD THIS YEAR, WE'VE MOVED IT ALL AROUND TOWN.
THIS YEAR WE'LL BE IN KINGWOOD.
THIS IS MY GOOD FRIEND AND PHYSICAL THERAPIST BILL CASE.
THIS WAS REALLY HIS BRAINCHILD BECAUSE HE WROTE THIS BOOK, STAND TALL, DON'T FALL.
EVERYBODY, UM, KNOWS THAT FALLING IS A BIG CRITICAL ISSUE FOR OUR, UM, SENIORS IN TOWN, THE LEADING CAUSE OF FATAL NON-FATAL INJURIES AMONG SENIORS.
WHEREAS FALSE PREVENTION AWARENESS DAY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2008 ON THE FIRST DAY OF FALL AS A NATIONAL EFFORT TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND SUPPORT AND EXPAND INTERVENTIONS THAT HELP OLDER ADULTS FIGHT BACK AGAINST FALLS.
THE NUMBER OF STATES OBSERVING FALLS PREVENTION AWARENESS DAY GREW FROM 11 AND 20 2008 TO 48 IN 2015.
WHEREAS FALLS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF BOTH FATAL NON-FATAL INJURIES AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES.
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ONE FOURTH OF PEOPLE 65 AND OLDER WILL FALL EACH YEAR.
I'M GETTING NEAR THAT AGE, SO I'M GRABBING THE HANDRAIL EVERYWHERE.
AN OLDER ADULT IS TREATED IN AN EMERGENCY ROOM FOR A FALL, AND WHEREAS FALLS CAN LEAD TO DEPRESSION, LOSS OF MOBILITY AND LOSS OF FUNCTIONAL INDEPENDENCE, THE FINANCIAL TOLL FOR OLDER ADULT FALLS IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE AS THE POPULATION AGES AND MAY REACH $101 BILLION NATIONALLY BY 2030.
AND WHEREAS INJURIES FROM FALLS ARE A LARGELY PREVENTABLE COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM PROBLEM, EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS REDUCE FALLS BY UTILIZING COST-EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES SUCH AS E EXERCISE PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE BALANCE AND STRENGTH, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, VISION IMPROVEMENT, REDUCTION OF HOME HAZARDS, AND FALL PREVENTION EDUCATION.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON JOINS THE NATION IN OBSERVING FALLS PREVENTION AWARENESS DAY TO HEIGHTEN AWARENESS OF THIS CRITICAL ISSUE, PROMOTE MULTIDISCIPLINARY STRATEGIES FOR FALL PREVENTION, AND ENCOURAGE CITIZENS TO TAKE PROACTIVE MEASURES TO PROTECT THOSE AT INCREASED RISK OF FOLLOWING.
THEREFORE, I, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ON BEHALF OF JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2024 AS FALLS PREVENTIONS AWARENESS DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UM, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I'M VERY TRULY HONORED TO ACCEPT THIS FALSE PREVENTION AWARENESS PROCLAMATION.
IT WAS ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO WHEN I PRE PRESENTED THIS IDEA OF FALSE PREVENTION AND WEAR AWARENESS DAY TO THEN COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, WHO WAS A STAFFER FOR MEMBER OF STEVEN COSTELLO.
AND THANKFULLY, THE CITY OF FUSION AGREED
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TO EXPAND ITS OLDER ADULTS' FALLS RESOURCES TO OUR SENIORS, THUS STARTING THE FIRST FALLS PREVENTION DAY ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO.TODAY'S PROCLAMATION ACKNOWLEDGES THE ALARMING OLDER ADULTS FALLING STATISTICS AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN OF OUR, OUR OLDER ADULTS, WHICH AFFECT EVERYONE, EVERY FAMILY, EVERY DAY.
SO MANY OF US KNOW SOMEONE THAT HAS FALLEN AN OLDER ADULT.
AND PERSONALLY, WHEN WE HEAR THAT SOMEONE HAS FALLEN WELL, WE JUST THINK ANOTHER OLDER PERSON FELL UNTIL THAT PERSON IS A FAMILY MEMBER OR A LOVED ONE, OR EVEN A FRIEND.
SO TODAY IS THE CALL TO ACTION WITH THIS PROCLAMATION BECAUSE OLDER ADULT FALLS ARE PREVENTABLE.
I BELIEVE EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO PREVENTING FALLS.
BASICALLY TO PREVENT FALLS, ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW IS ARE THE FALL RISK FACTORS SUCH AS HAVING YOUR EYES CHECKED ANNUALLY, HAVING YOUR MEDICATIONS REVIEWED WITH YOUR PHYSICIANS, MAKE YOUR HOME SAFE WITH MODIFICATIONS AND EXERCISE TO NAME A FEW.
EXERCISE NOT ONLY IMPROVES YOUR STRENGTH, BALANCE, FLEXIBILITY AND POSTURE, BUT ALSO KEEPS YOU MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND SOCIALLY ACTIVE.
SINCE THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS BEEN HOSTING ITS FALSE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS DAY, FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN SPONSOR PARTICIPATION AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT TO EDUCATE AND GROW FALL PREVENTION AWARENESS.
THIS YEAR, THE FALSE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS DAY WILL INCLUDE PLENTY OF FOOD AND DRINK, UH, EXERCISES AND LINE DANCING, FLU VACCINES, AND A DIVERSITY OF MANY LOCAL SPONSORS SHARING THEIR INFORMATION AND RESOURCES WITH A GOAL TO PREVENT FALLS.
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, CITY COUNCIL, LOCAL SPONSORS AND PARTNERS AND THE MEDIA HAVE BEEN A REMARKABLE ASSET FOR THIS EVENT WITH THEIR INFORMATIVE MARKETING, EDUCATIONAL INFLUENCE AND PROMOTION OF FALSE PREVENTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SPONSORS AND ORGANIZERS, WHICH WILL MAKE THIS YEAR'S FALSE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS STATE A HUGE SUCCESS.
I HAVE A PERSONAL SHOUT OUT TO SALLY, I'LL TAKE IT.
WHO HAS BEEN A COMMITTED SPOKESPERSON FOR FALLS PREVENTION? FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, SALLY'S COMPASSION AS AN ADVOCATE FOR THE OLDER ADULT IS EVIDENT AS SHE AND HER STAFF HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH THE CITY AND WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPLETE COMPREHENSIVE AND SUCCESSFUL FALLS PREVENTION EVENT.
IRONICALLY, BOTH SALLY AND I LOST OUR PARENTS DUE TO A FALL, AND BOTH, BOTH WERE TRAGIC AND AT LEAST FOR MY DAD, IT WAS PREVENTABLE.
MY TRUE PASSION AND FOCUS IS TO KEEP ONE PERSON FROM FALLING.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE GOAL IS TO REMAIN ACTIVE AND INDEPENDENT.
SO JUST REMEMBER THAT FALLING IS A NATURAL, IS NOT A NATURAL PART OF THE AGING PROCESS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILMAN RACO.
I KNOW THAT, UM, THE SEMINAR YOU PUT ON, UM, EVERY YEAR IS, UM, VERY IMPACTFUL TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, SO THANKS FOR GETTING THE WORD OUT THERE.
FIRST UP IS COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, UM, ALWAYS BRINGING THIS FORTH, EVERY YEAR.
UM, I WAS WATCHING SOMETHING ON INSTAGRAM INS, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, AND IT WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN, UM, PARTICULARLY WOMEN, THE, THE DETERIORATION AFTER THEY FALL IN TERMS OF HEALTH, IF THEY ARE NOT LIFTING WEIGHTS OR DOING STRENGTH TRAINING.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT ABOUT THE CONNECTION IN TERMS OF MOBILITY, AND SO I'VE BEEN MORE SENSITIVE TO THAT.
WOULD LOVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE SO WE CAN GET TO OUR NEWSLETTER, OUR A RP GROUPS, YOU KNOW, OUR NETWORK OF SENIORS THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, MY FATHER TOLD ME IT WAS MONTHS AGO, HE HAD FALLEN AT WORK, AND THEN MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS LIKE, OH, YOU'RE JUST, BUT THEN I REMEMBERED LIKE, NO, THIS COULD, YOU KNOW, SPEAK TO HIS MOBILITY AND COULD, UH, LIMIT HIM IF WE DON'T, UM, YOU KNOW, GET A HANDLE ON.
AND SO THIS INFORMATION IS, UM, GREATLY IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR BEING VOCAL ON THIS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THIS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS IMMEDIATELY.
COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.
AND SALLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND EVERY YEAR, RIGHT, FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS DOING THIS, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO DISTRICT I EVENTUALLY HAVING THIS EVENT AS WELL.
UM, WE ALL, OF COURSE, IN EVERY DISTRICT HAVE OLDER COMMUNITY AND, AND IT'S NOT JUST OLDER COMMUNITY, IT'S JUST IN GENERAL, RIGHT? PEDESTRIAN ACCESSIBILITY, ALL THAT IS IM IMPORTANT FOR US AS WELL.
AND SO, JUST THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE, UH, COMMUNITY ARE AWARE.
UM, AND JUST AGAIN, JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THIS IN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, COUPLE YEARS HOPEFULLY.
THANKS, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.
THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BRINGING THIS RECOGNITION TO US AND FOR THIS EFFORT.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT TOUCHES ALL OF US.
I THINK, UH, I THINK EACH ONE OF US KNOWS SOMEONE WHO HAS SUFFERED A FALL AND, UH, HAD SOME REALLY, REALLY AWFUL CONSEQUENCES RESULTING FROM IT.
AND I, I DON'T THINK I NEED TO SAY THIS, IS, THIS IS GONNA AFFECT ALL OF US, UH, ONE DAY AS WELL.
[00:15:22]
CHAIR RECOGNIZES, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ FOR A PROCLAMATION TO JESSE MARTINEZ IN CELEBRATING NATIONAL HISPANIC LATINO ENTREPRENEUR DAY.THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR TEM, MAYOR PRO TE.
UM, AS MANY OF Y'ALL KNOW, HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH STARTED ON THE RE WHICH IS THE 16TH OF SEPTEMBER.
AND SO I, I'M HAPPY TO BRING UP, UH, LATINO ENTREPRENEURS TO KIND OF KICK OFF WHAT, WHAT IS A MONTH LONG CELEBRATION.
I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR DIFFERENT, UH, EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, ATTEND AND, AND REALLY HELP, UM, BRING IN THIS COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, UH, HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AS YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST AS MUCH OF A FABRIC, UH, OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, AND, AND THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT TALENT, A LOT OF LEADERSHIP.
AND SO I'M, I'M HAPPY TO BRING UP, UM, JESSE GUSTAVO AND
MARK, MARK, I'M SORRY, MARK, UH, TO CELEBRATE HISPANIC AND LATINO ENTREPRENEUR.
AND SO, WHEREAS AS OF JUNE 24, HISPANIC TEXANS CONSTITUTE 39.7% OF THE STATE'S POPULATION.
WHILE HISPANIC REPRESENTS 40% OF HOUSTON'S POPULATION CONTRIBUTING SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE REGION'S RICH HISTORY ECONOMY, CULTURE COMM, AND COMMUNITY.
DURING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, WE HONOR AND CELEBRATE THE VAST CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISPANIC AND LATINO INDIVIDUALS TOWARDS FOSTERING A PROSPEROUS, INNOVATIVE, AND INCLUSIVE ECONOMY IN HOUSTON.
AND WHEREAS HISPANIC AND LATINO ENTREPRENEUR DAY IS DEDICATED TO HONORING THE, THE DRIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND POSITIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF HISPANIC AND LATINO ENTREPRENEURS IN HOUSTON, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS ENC ENCOURAGES ALL TO RECOGNIZE, HONOR AND CELEBRATE THE ENDURING CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISPANIC AND LATINO ENTREPRENEUR ECOSYSTEM.
THE CITY EXTENDS ITS BEST WISHES TO THE HISPANIC AND LATINO ENTREPRENEURS FOR THEIR CONTINUED GROWTH AND SUCCESS, COMMENDING THEM FOR THEIR RESILIENCE.
THEREFORE, I, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ON BEHALF OF JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2024 AS HISPANIC AND A LATINO ENTREPRENEUR DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO IT'S AN HONOR AND A BLESSING TO BE HERE TODAY.
AND THIS MOMENT IS, IS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME IN THE MAKING AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, WHY DIDN'T WE HAVE A DAY FOCUSED ON CELEBRATING LATINO ENTREPRENEURS, HISPANIC ENTREPRENEURS IN OUR UNITED STATES? AND SO TODAY, WITHOUT TAKING MUCH MORE TIME, WE HAVE SOME ENTREPRENEURS IN THE ROOM WITH US HERE, AND I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THEM BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY ABOUT THEM AND THE MOVEMENT THAT WE'RE CREATING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CELEBRATE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
SO WE HAVE ANDREA RANNA FROM LAS PEROS CAFE, ANDREA GOMEZ FROM AG COMMUNICATIONS, ALBATA FROM JULE A ALFREDO, RITA FROM KCI, DAVID CORDA FROM LUMBAR RADO, FROM JPG, ERIC HIBA FROM MAGNOLIA FUND.
WE HAVE FERNANDO MIGUEL FROM PENDULUM PRODUCTIONS.
JOEY SANCHEZ FROM KA, JOEY LENA MATTUS FROM DIGI CLICKS, ORIENTA
AND SO, WELL, NOW IT IS MY TURN.
I'LL BE VERY, VERY SHORT AND I'LL PROMISE I WILL NOT TAKE MORE THAN 45 MINUTES.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR MAKING TODAY A SPECIAL DAY OUT THERE, THE LATINO COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
IT'S BEYOND THE AGRICULTURAL WORKERS, THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, THE RESTAURANT WORKERS, THE HARDWORKING FAMILIES, AND, AND IT GOES INTO A DIVERSE GROUP OF NOT ONLY INDUSTRIES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME OF THOUGHT LEADERSHIP.
AND I'M HERE AS A TECH FOUNDER OF THE FIRST LATINO PAYROLL PLATFORM FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BECAUSE IT IS OUR JOB AND IT IS OUR COMMITMENT.
IT IS MY PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING ECONOMIC IMPACT.
TECH IS SOMETHING THAT HAS HELPED ECONOMIES ALL OVER THE WORLD.
AND I SEE A BEAUTIFUL FUTURE NOT ONLY FOR
[00:20:01]
LATINOS, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE ECONOMY OF THE UNITED STATES WITH THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF TECH AND LATINO TECH FOUNDERS.SO TODAY'S SPECIALS DAY, AND WE CELEBRATE.
THANK YOU TO OUR, TO THE HOUSTON MAYOR, OF COURSE, WHO I KNOW WELL, MAYOR, PRO TEM, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCILMAN.
AND IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
AND TO CELEBRATE THIS DAY AS A NATIONAL CHAMPION OF SMALL BUSINESS, MOST RECENTLY AS HEAD OFFICIAL FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.
AND HAVING BEEN IN HOUSTON FOR 10 YEARS, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS IS A MOMENT IN HISTORY THAT STARTED RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
THAT IS GOING TO BE A MOVEMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ANNOUNCEMENTS IN PROCLAMATIONS IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, AND ALSO KENNER, LOUISIANA, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEVADA.
AND WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.
YOU KNOW, THESE BUSINESS OWNERS REPRESENT AND EMBODY A FAMILY.
WE CALL IT FAMILIA, FAMILIA RESILIENCE, DETERMINATION, NOW STRATEGY.
AND WE SAY, WHEN LATINO AND LATINA ENTREPRENEURS DO WELL, OUR AMERICAN ECONOMY DOES WELL.
AND THE MOST RECENT RELEASE OF THE LATINO GDP REPORT JUST LAST WEEK IN SAN DIEGO FROM THE LATINO DONOR COLLABORATIVE, THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT FROM 2017 TO 2022, THE US LATINO COHORT GREW THE SECOND FASTEST AMONGST WORLD ECONOMIES ONLY SECOND TO CHINA.
AND A BIG DRIVER OF THAT IS LATINO.
LATINO ENTREPRENEURS LIKE THE ONES I'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM ANOTHER HAND SAID, SAID IN THE AUDIENCE, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
AND ALBA, WHO WAS IN THE AUDIENCE, I HAD SOME PERSONAL TIME WITH HER LAST NIGHT, AND SHE BROUGHT ME INTO HER NEW SPACE AD JOINING JULIP.
AND SHE SAID, I SAID, WHO CREATED THIS MASTERPIECE? SHE SAID, I DESIGNED IT.
AND JUST HER IMAGINATION, HER CREATIVITY, HER UNIQUE BRANDING, HAS NOW MADE HER A NATIONAL PERSONALITY.
AND JULIP IS NATIONALLY KNOWN.
IN FACT, JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION HAS RECOGNIZED JULE AND IT'S RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
SO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR RECOGNIZING THIS IMPORTANT DAY THAT WILL ALWAYS BE FROM THIS POINT FORWARD IN THIS SPACE ON HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
THANK YOU HOUSTON TEXAS, COUNCIL MEMBER.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ IN THE QUEUE.
THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I'M THE PRODUCT OF A LATINO ENTREPRENEUR.
UH, WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY, MY FATHER OPENED A SMALL GROCERY STORE TO HELP SUPPORT SEVEN KIDS.
AND THAT PUT ME ON THE ROAD TO GETTING A GOOD EDUCATION AND GETTING A GOOD START OUT ON LIFE.
ALL OF US, AS A MATTER OF FACT.
SO VERY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE EFFORTS THAT THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, TO SUPPORT YOURSELVES, TO SUPPORT FAMILIES, AND SUPPORT THE ECONOMY.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM.
CONGRATULATIONS, UH, COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ, JOAQUIN, AND TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND CERTAINLY THE LEADERSHIP AND ENTREPRENEUR, OUR CITY IS DIVERSE AND THAT EVERYONE OUGHT TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMPLETE ECONOMICS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, AND CONGRATULATIONS.
YOU CAN COME INSIDE IF YOU WANNA OPEN THAT UP.
[00:27:20]
THE[2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PECK FOR THE INVOCATION.UM, EARLIER TODAY, UNFORTUNATELY, A POLICE OFFICER WAS SHOT IN SPRING BRANCH.
UM, HE IS DOING OKAY, BUT IN LIGHT OF THAT, I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE, UM, TO THINK ABOUT HIM AND HIS FAMILY AND ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS IN THE CITY WHO HAVE TO DEAL WITH SITUATIONS LIKE THAT EACH AND EVERY DAY.
SO IF YOU'LL PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY, BE, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING]
HAVE THE ROLL CALL, MR. SECRETARY, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MAYOR WHITMEYER.COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS SHABAZZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
HERE A NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF MAY 21ST AND 22ND AND MAY 29TH.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? AND THE MOTION CARRIES ANY PROCEDURAL
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
MOTIONS? CASTILLO.UH, THE FIRST TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE JOHN BRANCH TO FOLLOW CELESTE LATONA ON THE THREE MINUTE AGENDA LIST.
AND THE SECOND IS TO ADD BRUCE JEFFRIES TO THE SPEAKER'S LIST TO FOLLOW LAURA RIDGE.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES ANY OTHER PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? WHAT HE HAS? COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER? YES.
I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD.
SORRY ABOUT THIS CA CRYSTAL CASEY TO THE TOP OF THE THREE
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MINUTE LIST AGENDA SECOND.ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE LOIS MEYERS TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST FOLLOWING, UM, ANYONE ELSE WHO'S ALREADY BEEN MOVED UP TO IS SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.
MR. SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER US.
CRYSTAL PETER ECKLES, ECKLES ECCLES.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PRO AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME'S PETER LES AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING.
DO I PRESS THIS? NO, YOU DON'T.
HI EVERYBODY, MY NAME IS PETER ECKELS AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING LINK HOUSTON.
I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE VOTE AGAINST ITEM 36 TOMORROW, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT CONCERNING SIDEWALKS.
I THINK THAT WE CAN ALL FIND SOMETHING THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE IMPROVED ABOUT THE CITY'S CURRENT SIDEWALK ORDINANCES.
BUT WE BELIEVE THAT REMOVING BOTH THE LONG STANDING SIDEWALK REQUIREMENT FOR NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION AND THE IN LIEU FEE WITHOUT A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF WHAT TO DO INSTEAD WILL HAVE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES CITYWIDE.
INSTEAD, LET'S HAVE A PUBLIC DIALOGUE AROUND THE STATE OF THE, OF HOUSTON SIDEWALKS, HOW TO MAKE THE CITY SIDEWALK ORDINANCES MORE EFFECTIVE AND WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS TOWARDS ADDRESSING HOUSTON SIDEWALK DEFICIT.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR 'CAUSE THERE'S A, THERE'S A WHOLE NARRATIVE ABOUT WHAT THIS IS AND WHAT THIS IS NOT.
AND SO THIS IS NOT A, UH, A PERMANENT FIX TO REMOVE THE SIDEWALK REQUIREMENTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE ACCOMPLISH INSTALLING SIDEWALKS IN VARIOUS WAYS IN, IN THE CITY.
UM, WHAT THIS IS, IS AN ATTEMPT TO CURE, UM, BASICALLY THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES TO THIS.
I VOTED FOR THE ORIGINAL ITEM BECAUSE I HAVE SUCH A NEED FOR REPAIR AND RECONSTRUCTION AND INSTALLATION, AND MOST OF MY CDSF GOES TOWARDS INVESTING IN THIS TYPE OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, HOWEVER, WHAT WE ARE LEARNING WITH THIS ORDINANCE AND WHAT'S NOT HAPPENING AT THE PERMIT AND PLANNING LEVEL IS THAT ONCE THESE PLANS, UM, ARE BEFORE THEM FOR APPROVAL, THE HOMEOWNER AND SOMETIMES THE DEVELOPER, THEIR HAND IS TIED.
SO THOSE SIDEWALKS ARE GOING INTO DETENTION, THOSE SIDEWALKS ARE RUNNING INTO TREES, AND IT'S CREATING A SCATTERED SITE OF SIDEWALKS AND NOT THE CONNECTIVITY THAT WE INTEND.
UM, AND SO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS PLANNING ON OFFERING UP, UM, A SERIES OF, UM, WAYS FOR THIS TO, BECAUSE THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ITEM AS WELL.
AND WHAT THIS ALLOWS US TO DO IS TO START FROM ZERO AND TO PUT A PAUSE ON THIS SO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT CAN COME BACK AND WE CAN WORKSHOP THIS IN A COMMITTEE HEARING, UM, SO THEY CAN PRESENT THEIR ITEMS. THIS IS IN NO WAY TO DEFUND SIDEWALKS.
THAT'S SINCE I HAVE LIKE FIVE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? I I HAVE SIDEWALKS ALL OVER ON THE WEST SIDE.
UH, ONCE, HOPEFULLY IF THIS COMES UP THROUGH COMMITTEE, WE'LL HAVE AN OPEN CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT'S WHAT.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WHAT WE HAVE TO CURE IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE CHURCHES AND HOMEOWNERS, AND I KNOW PEOPLE ARE SAYING THIS IS ABOUT DEVELOPERS.
IT'S NOT, IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, UH, IN CHURCHES AND INSTITUTIONS, THAT THEY'RE BEING ALMOST FORCED TO EITHER PAY OR HAVE THIS SIDEWALK WHICH DISRUPTS THEIR ENTIRE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO, UM, IN AN EFFORT FOR THEM NOT TO BE CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE, WE NEED SOME TYPE OF PAUSE SO THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WHAT, BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA TAKE THE BRUNT OF THIS ORDINANCE TO HAVE SOME BAD INTENDANT, SOME BAD INCIDENTS, UH, WHILE WE'VE CONTINUED TO WORK IT OUT.
SO HOPEFULLY LINK WILL CONTINUE TO BE AT THE TABLE FOR THAT.
UM, BUT I WANT TO, UH, BE CLEAR ABOUT THE INTENTION OF WHAT THIS IS AND WHAT THIS IS NOT.
'CAUSE SOME STUFF IS JUST AS TAKEN A WHOLE NOTHER FORM AND THAT IS NOT ACCURATE.
AND I UNDERSTAND, AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE RESOURCES AND ATTENTION THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT TOWARDS SIDEWALKS.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THOSE NEW PROPOSALS ARE.
BUT I THINK THE PUBLIC REALLY DESERVES TO SEE THOSE THINGS FIRST BEFORE WE REMOVE A REQUIREMENT THAT IS REALLY FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE PART OF THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF HOW WE GET SIDEWALKS BUILT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, THE COUNCIL
[00:35:01]
AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR LETTING ME TALK TODAY.I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT ITEM 36, THE, UH, SIDEWALK ISSUE.
I JOG, I RIDE MY BIKE AND I WALK MY DOG EVERY DAY ON SIDEWALKS, ROADS, AND TRAILS AROUND HOUSTON.
I AM THE FORMER BOARD CHAIR OF SCENIC HOUSTON.
I'M THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER HOUSTON BUILDERS ASSOCIATION.
AND WHILE I'M NOT HERE SPEAKING ON THEIR BEHALF, THEY DO KNOW I'M HERE AND SUPPORTIVE.
AND I HAVE THE PERSPECTIVE OF OVER 20 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THOSE ADVOCACY GROUPS.
I AM ON THE BOARD OF THE WEST HOUSTON ASSOCIATION AND THEY ARE IN SUPPORT OF ME BEING HERE TODAY ON THIS MATTER.
BUT I'M HERE PRIMARILY AS A PRIVATE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER.
THIS CALENDAR YEAR, MY COMMUNITIES WILL START AROUND 700 NEW HOMES.
WE WILL, WE REQUIRE THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE HOMES HAS A SIDEWALK BUILT BY THE BUILDER.
BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT A SIDEWALK IS APPROPRIATE IN EVERY CASE.
WE ARE AWARE THAT THERE'S A BIGGER PLAN IN THE WORKS, ONE THAT WILL ENCOMPASS SIDEWALKS AND TRAILS AND A HOLISTIC APPROACH, AND ONE THAT WILL ADDRESS WHERE SIDEWALKS ARE NOT APPROPRIATE.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY AND MULTIPLE ADVOCACY GROUPS AROUND HOUSTON EAGERLY AWAIT THIS NEW PLAN.
ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE IN A PIECE.
MAIL MANNER UNDERMINES THE PROCESS AND THE ULTIMATE USEFULNESS OF A MASTER VISION.
CLARITY OF REGULATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT CODES IS INCREDIBLY ATTRACTIVE TO BUSINESSES, INVESTORS, AND DEVELOPERS.
MY REQUEST IS THAT THIS MATTER GO BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND TO PLANNING WHERE IT CAN BE INCLUDED IN ONE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE, IN ONE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OR CODE.
IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT WELL, BEYOND MY INDUSTRY, UH, THERE IS A SENSE THAT HOUSTON IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS, THAT CITY HALL HAS ADOPTED A COLLABORATIVE MINDSET, AND THAT WE ARE ENERGIZED AND WE ARE ENERGIZED TO WORK TOGETHER.
PERSONALLY, YOUR TIME HAS THE MAKINGS FOR A TRUE RENAISSANCE FOR HOUSTON.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM, AND HARRY, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING YOUR V VIEWS.
I THINK WE SHOULD PASS, UH, A HOLISTIC APPROACH AND NOT DO THINGS PIECEMEAL.
I KNOW THE ADMINISTRATION IS WORKING ON THAT.
I'M EAGER TO SEE WHAT THEY HAVE, AT WHICH POINT IT WILL BE DEBATED AND DISCUSSED FULLY, UH, BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT.
I I WAS GONNA GIVE HIM TIME IF HE NEEDED THIS NEXT SPEAKER.
UM, OH, BOYS GET NERVOUS THERE.
UM, I'M CRYSTAL CASEY WITH UNICORN SERVICE SOLUTIONS, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD WITH A SIDEWALK.
SOMETHING TO HELP, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, ABOUT A STOP GAP.
WE WANT THE BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS THAT WE WORK WITH ON THE CO-CHAIR FOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR GHBA.
I ALSO SERVE ON SCENIC HOUSTON BOARD.
WE DO WANT CONNECTIVITY AND WE WANT UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS TO HAVE SIDEWALKS.
UM, ONE OF MY CLIENTS WILL BE SPEAKING TODAY, BUT THERE ARE, THERE ARE TIMES WHERE IT IS JUST COUNTERINTUITIVE TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, ESPECIALLY WITH AGAPE HOMES THAT WE ARE BUILDING IN, UH, EVAN SHABAZZ IN COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ SHABAZZ'S DISTRICT.
WE'VE GOT AFFORDABLE HOMES THAT ARE BEING SUPPORTED BY THE CITY, BUT THEN THEY'RE BEING PUNISHED WHERE THEY CAN'T BUILD A SIDEWALK WHERE THERE'S A MANHOLE AND THEY'RE HAVING TO PAY THE FUNDING FROM THE CITY TO TO, TO SERVICE THIS AGREEMENT.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF A HOLISTIC APPROACH.
UM, AND WE LOVE SIDEWALKS AND WE WANT MORE SIDEWALKS IN THESE AREAS.
BUT, BUT I APPRECIATE THERE BEING SOME, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, SOME KIND OF A STOP GAP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD.
I KNOW THAT YOU'VE HEARD US AND ALL OF YOU HAVE MET WITH US.
AND TO ME, YOU ARE ALL FRIENDS OF OUR INDUSTRY AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FROM PERMITTING TO SIDEWALKS.
AND YOU LISTEN TO US, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE US AT THE TABLE, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE DO SOME TYPE OF A STOP GAP WHILE THERE IS A HOLISTIC APPROACH BEING, BEING ADDRESSED AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND AT THE, THE, UH, THE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL.
THANK YOU MAYOR, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM.
UM, GREAT TO SEE YOU, CRYSTAL, AS ALWAYS.
YOU, YOU LEAD THE WAY ON THE DISCUSSIONS AND CERTAINLY OPEN TO, UH, SUGGESTIONS AND WORK AROUNDS WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S, IT'S EVIDENT THAT WE, AND WE'VE SEEN THE SIDEWALKS TO NOWHERE, BUT ALSO TOO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T PUNISH THE BUILDERS FOR SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO GOOD ON THE OTHER END.
AND, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN YOU START OUT AT $30 A SQUARE FOOT AND END UP AT NINE OR 12 OR, IT'S A PROBLEM.
AND I THINK THAT WE KNOW THE ORIGINAL INTENT, UH, WAS THE OUTCOME WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, THAT UNDER UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE THAT WE TALK ABOUT.
[00:40:01]
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I CERTAINLY TOO AM IN FAVOR OF SENDING IT BACK AND HAVING FURTHER DISCUSSION AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING BY ALL CITIZENS AND NOT JUST THE MORE VOCAL ONES.I'M DEXTER HANDY, LIEUTENANT COLONEL OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RETIRED.
CAN WE SPEAK TO THE MICROPHONE? HOW DO I DO THIS? RIGHT HERE.
JUST TALKING TO THE MICROPHONE.
I'M DEXTER HANDY, LIEUTENANT COLONEL UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RETIRED, AND I CHAIR THE CITIZENS TRANSPORTATION COALITION AND THE GREATER HOUSTON COALITION FOR COMPLETE STREETS.
I AM CONCERNED OVER THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO REMOVE THE MANDATORY SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION, ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND THE COMMENTS EXPRESSED EARLIER, SO I AM SYMPATHETIC WITH THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WITHOUT SOME TYPE OF A SIDEWALK PLAN, WE'RE DIRECTLY THREATENING THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I STRONGLY URGE YOU RIGHT NOW AT THIS POINT TO VOTE AGAINST IT, UH, UNTIL YOU COME UP WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UH, THE LACK OF CONTINUOUS SIDEWALKS FORCES RESIDENTS, INCLUDING CHILDREN, ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS, AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO WALK ON THE STREETS, N NAVIGATING AROUND PARKED CARS THROUGH TRAFFIC THAT OFTEN MOVES AT UNSAFE SPEEDS.
THESE CONDITIONS ARE NOT JUST INCONVENIENT, THEY'RE PERILOUS.
UH, A VOTE TO RESCIND DOES NOT SOLVE OUR WALKABILITY CHALLENGES IN HOUSTON.
I HAVE DIRECTED AND SPEARHEADED SEVERAL WALK AUDITS AROUND HOUSTON, ALONG WITH THE HOUSTON, UH, UH, UH, CITIZENS TRANSPORTATION COALITION AND THE, UH, COMPLETE STREETS COALITION AND THE LOCAL A A RP USING THEIR WALK AUDIT TOOLKIT, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
SEVERAL OF THEM NOW, UH, WITH OVER 200 CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS.
AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED SIDEWALK, CROSSWALK, INTERSECTION AND BUS STOP DEFICIENCIES THAT POSE WALKABILITY AND POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARDS FOR PEDESTRIANS, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF DEFICIENCIES.
SIDEWALK WIDTHS VARY BLOCK BY BLOCK.
CROSSWALK, STRIPING NEEDS, REPAINTING BUS STOPS, NEED SHELTERS, CROSSWALKS AND CONNECTIVITY AT INTERSECTIONS AND AT MIDBLOCK STOPS, ONE FIFTH OF THE SIDEWALKS AUDITED.
THESE WERE NOT PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY OR SAFE.
UH, THIRD OF THE AUDIT AREAS HAD MIXED, UH, UH, SIDEWALKS THAT WERE BLOCKED BY POLES, TREES, GRASS, DEBRIS, AND MORE.
HALF OUR SIDEWALKS NEED SOME SORT OF REPAIR, UH, WITH OBSTRUCTIONS OR EVEN UNEVEN SERVICES MAKING WALKING UNSAFE.
AND MANY INTERSECTIONS HAVE NO CROSSWALKS AT ALL, AND ONLY 15% HAVE CLEARLY VISIBLE SIDEWALKS.
SO, WHAT AM I SAYING HERE? WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, A SIDEWALK PLAN.
AND I RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY DOES THAT FORM A SIDEWALK COMMITTEE WITH VOLUNTEERS FROM THE CITY, UH, THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
RECRUIT CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PLANNING AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO CONDUCT WALK AUDITS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND MAJOR THOROUGHFARE STREETS.
THAT DATA FROM THIS STUFF CAN SUPPORT A SIDEWALK PLAN.
WE NEED TO RETRIP THE SIDEWALKS AND THE, THE CROSSWALKS WEATHER AND MAKE THEM ALL, UH, HIGH VISIBILITY CROSSWALKS.
LET'S RECRUIT CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS TO WORK WITH PUBLIC WORKS TO PAINT AND RETRIP THE HIGH VISIBILITY CROSSWALKS.
I SAID THAT ONCE, BUT I'M REEMPHASIZING IT.
LET'S INSTALL BUS SHELTERS EVERYWHERE, UH, AND CROSSWALKS AT MID BUS STOPS.
AND LET'S REPAIR THE POOR SIDEWALK AREAS TO THE MINIMUM A DA STANDARDS AND THE MINIMUM CODE FIVE FEET.
REMOVE THE DEBRIS, INITIATE AND ADOPT A SIDEWALK PROGRAM WHERE CIVIC CLUBS CAN MAINTAIN CERTAIN BLOCKS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, ER, THANK YOU, DEXTER.
JUST I WANNA GIVE YOU A FEW SECONDS OF MY TIME TO FINISH UP IF YOU WANTED TO.
LET'S GET COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS TO REPAIR THEIR SECTIONS OF THE PUBLIC REALM.
AND LET'S REMOVE AND RELOCATE, UH, OBSTRUCTION POLES, HYDRANTS, TREE ROOTS, ET CETERA, SO THAT WE CAN MEET THE A DA REQUIREMENTS.
WE DON'T PUT TELEPHONE POLES IN THE MIDDLE OF STREETS.
LET'S NOT PUT 'EM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALKS.
UH, AND FINALLY, IF WE CAN DO THIS, LET'S REDUCE THE SPEED LIMITS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO 25 MILES AN HOUR AND SAVE EVEN MORE LIVES.
I THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH.
UM, I, I DID WANT TO ALSO JUST GIVE YOU A SHOUT OUT AS SUCH A, UM, IMPORTANT LEADER, UM, IN MANY OF OUR DISTRICT C NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, BUT THE WALK AUDITS THAT YOU AND OTHERS HAVE HELPED TO CHAMPION, UM, BOTH ALONG THE WASHINGTON AVENUE CORRIDOR, ALONG MONTROSE AND OTHER AREAS AROUND THE CITY, HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL TO US GATHERING THAT DATA, UM, ABOUT THE NEED FOR SIDEWALKS.
SO REALLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT WITH MOST OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE PUT FORWARD.
I THINK, UH, WE NEED THOSE IMPROVEMENTS IN ADDITIONS ALL OVER THE CITY.
UM, THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, UH, THAT IS BEFORE US, UM,
[00:45:02]
IS REGARDING NEW BUILD RESIDENTIAL HOMES ONLY.AND THERE'S ALREADY AN OPTION FOR A FEE IN LIEU.
THE FEE IN LIEU WAS PUT IN PLACE BECAUSE THE CITY ALREADY DETERMINED THAT IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES IT DID NOT REALLY MAKE, UH, AS MUCH PRACTICAL SENSE TO PUT THE SIDEWALK.
SO IN AN EFFORT TO NOT HAVE TO PUT IT THERE AS A FEE IN LIEU SO THAT HOMEOWNERS OR DEVELOPERS CAN PAY THAT FEE, AND THEN THOSE DOLLARS WILL GO INTO A DESIGNATED FUND FOR SIDEWALKS ELSEWHERE.
THE, THE ISSUE IS THE FEE HAS BEEN SO EXPENSIVE THAT YOU'RE STILL CREATING THE SIDEWALK TO NOWHERE.
SO THERE IS NO CONNECTIVITY, UH, THERE'S NO SAFE PATHWAYS.
UM, THE COMMUNITIES DON'T, AREN'T REALLY RECEPTIVE TO HAVING BROKEN, UH, CONNECTIVITY OR RANDOM SIDEWALKS IN FRONT OF A, A HOUSE OR GOING INTO A DITCH OR A GATE.
AND SO THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO SAY WE HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT THE POLICY JUST IS NOT TURNING OUT TO MEET ITS INTENDED PURPOSE.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE NEED TO, UH, REVISIT IT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO PUT IN PLACE.
AND I THINK BASED ON THESE CONVERSATIONS, YOURS AND OTHERS, UH, THE CONVERSATION IS NOW ROLLING FASTER, WHICH I LIKE BECAUSE I THINK THINGS WORK WAY TOO SLOW HERE.
AND HOPEFULLY TOGETHER WE CAN COME UP WITH AN A SOLUTION THAT MAKES SENSE FOR, FOR EVERYONE.
SO, UH, YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELL NOTED AND WELL TAKEN, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR ALL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING YOU SAID.
I JUST BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO NOT TAKE TOO MANY STEPS BACKWARDS.
WE HAD NO SIDEWALKS AND WE HAD A, A PLAN TO PUT THEM IN AND WE HAD A PLAN TO SAY, HEY, PAY A FEE INSTEAD OF THAT, NOW WE'RE TAKING THAT AWAY.
AND WHAT DO WE HAVE IN ITS PLACE? WE NEED A SIDEWALK PLAN.
IT'S PART OF VISION ZERO'S GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
AND LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THESE DISCONNECTS IN THE FUTURE, SIR.
THANK YOU MAYOR PROTI AND DEXTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
UM, YOU HAVE PUT IN SO MUCH WORK AROUND THIS ISSUE AND YOU ARE CLEARLY VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, UH, SIDEWALKS AND WALKABILITY AND MOBILITY.
I SAW IT FIRSTHAND, UM, AT THE WALK AUDIT THAT I PARTICIPATED IN.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT, UH, SPECIFIC THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP WITH THE BROADER ISSUE OVERALL.
UH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE OFTENTIMES WILL, WILL HEAR FROM FOLKS THAT ARE PASSIONATE, UH, WHEN THEY COME WITH SPECIFIC TAKEAWAYS.
IT, UH, IT, IT'S A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE.
AND SO THANKS FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS AND ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE AROUND, UH, THIS ISSUE.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, UM, YES, UH, LIEUTENANT COLONEL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION AND, UM, EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE SAYING IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
SO TODAY WE HAVE A LITTLE LESS THAN A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO WHEN YOU SPEAK OF JOB, UM, THE SIDEWALK PLAN MM-HMM
I HAVE ONE SIDEWALK IN BROOKFIELD NORTH OFF OF COOK ROAD THAT'S GONNA COST ME CLOSE TO $280,000 ON ONE SIDE TO BRING IT FROM THREE FEET TO 88, 5 FEET PLUS RAMPS.
SO THEN WHAT'S THE METHODOLOGY TO DRAW DOWN ON THE 700,000? RIGHT? SO IF, IF I, IF IT'S ONLY 700,000, 'CAUSE WE'RE NICKING, DIMING, NICKELING AND DIMMING NEIGHBORHOODS THAT NEED REPAIR AND NEED RECONSTRUCTION WITH THIS FEE.
AND SO NEIGHBORHOODS CAN'T WAIT 30 YEARS IN ORDER TO HAVE ONE SIDEWALK FIXED BECAUSE IT'S VERY COSTLY.
SO THIS ITEM DOES NOT ADDRESS ANY OF THE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT INTERSECTIONS AND WALKABILITY, THAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN.
RIGHT? WE'VE INVESTED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE SAFE SIDEWALKS PROGRAM, CDSF, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF DISABILITIES, THAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN.
THIS IS ATTEMPTING TO CURE A VERY NARROW ISSUE THAT, UM, IS OVERLOOKED IN THAT ORDINANCE, RIGHT? WHEN IT'S HAPPENING AT A DE GOING INTO A DETENTION POND, RUNNING INTO TREES, THOSE KIDS ARE STILL GONNA HAVE TO GET OFF THAT SIDEWALK AND WALK IN THE STREET, RIGHT? JUST TO SAY FOR THE SAKE TO SAY WE HAVE IT.
AND IT DOESN'T ACCOMPLISH THE GOAL.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY GOOD POLICY, RIGHT? AND IT DOESN'T WORK FOR NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT DOESN'T WORK FOR THE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND CLEARLY THERE'S A DEMAND AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN.
SO I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR THAT THIS IS ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS JUST A, A SLIVER OF THE OVERALL THAT IT DOES NOT DISRUPT.
BUT AS YOU CONTINUE TO ENGAGE VARIOUS OFFICES, UM, I THINK IF WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO KEEP THE FEE, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW HOW THAT FEE IS GONNA BE DISPERSED EQUITABLY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
BECAUSE IF I HAVE TO LOBBY AND FIGHT FOR A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS FOR ONE SIDEWALK, IS IT REALLY WORTH IT? MM-HMM
AM I GONNA REALLY GET THAT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD? AND THEN LIKEWISE FOR, FOR OTHER, UM, UH, PART NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO IF WE CAN JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU CAN CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE, I THINK YOU'LL HELP US, UM, HAVE BETTER POLICY.
I'M JUST LOOKING FOR A HOLISTIC, UH, SOLUTION.
WE NEED SIDEWALKS, LET'S FACE IT.
[00:50:01]
I SAID EARLIER, WE DON'T NEED TO KEEP GOING BACKWARDS.WE DON'T NEED TO PENALIZE CERTAIN HOMEOWNERS OR CERTAIN COMMUNITIES, BUT WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH.
COUNCIL
I'VE BEEN ON THOSE SIDEWALK AUDITS TOO IN THE HEAT.
UM, BUT APPRECIATE IT AND I REALLY APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES BRINGING THIS MATTER TO THE FOREFRONT BECAUSE IT DOES KIND OF PUSH THE CONVERSATION.
I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SIDEWALKS A LONG TIME, AND I'LL SAVE MOST OF MY REMARKS FOR TOMORROW.
BUT DID WANNA ADDRESS ONE THING YOU SAID, UH, ABOUT, UM, GETTING A GROUP TOGETHER? SO LAST YEAR, UM, MAYOR TURNER ENCOURAGED ME AND MY INTEREST IN GETTING MORE SIDEWALKS TO PUT TOGETHER A TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP.
AND IT WASN'T WITH THE PUBLIC YET, BUT WE WERE LOOKING, UM, TO DO KIND OF THE PRE-WORK BEFORE POSSIBLY DOING A, A SIDEWALK BOND TO GET THE REAL MONEY THAT WE NEED TO BUILD SIDEWALKS, TO REPAIR SIDEWALKS, TO CONNECT THE CITY WITH SIDEWALKS.
AND WE DID LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
WE LOOKED AT HOW IF WE GOT A, A BIG CHUNK OF MONEY, HOW WE WOULD SPEND THAT MONEY AND, AND WE LOOKED AT THINGS LIKE STREET CLASSIFICATION, WHETHER THERE WAS THE PRESENCE OF SIDEWALKS OR NOT MAJOR TRIP GENERATORS, SCHOOLS, PARKS, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS, PUBLIC FACILITIES, CRASHES INVOLVING PEDESTRIANS, UM, DEMOGRAPHIC DEMANDS, POPULATION DENSITY, CAR OWNERSHIP, MEDIUM HOUSEHOLD INCOME, UM, EXISTING ON-STREET FACILITIES, DEDICATED ON-STREET BIKE LANES.
WE HAD KIND OF A METHODOLOGY AND THE, THE, THE SMART PEOPLE AT PLANNING ECO CAN LAY LAYER OVER, LAYER OVER LAYER OF GIS AND KIND OF MAKE A PLAN WITHOUT HIRING A CONSULTANT AND DOING SOME HUGE SIDEWALK PLAN THAT'S GONNA TAKE FIVE YEARS OR TWO YEARS OR WHATEVER TO DEVELOP.
WE HAVE THE, THE KIND OF THE BONES OF A PLAN.
SO I LIKE YOUR IDEA OF GETTING A GROUP TOGETHER.
IT NEEDS PUBLIC INPUT OF GETTING REALLY A MORE OF A COMPREHENSIVE, UM, APPROACH TO THIS.
I APPRECIATE THIS DISCUSSION VERY MUCH.
THIS ALL, A LOT OF THIS STARTED WHEN I WAS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ABSOLUTELY DID NOT WANT SIDEWALKS.
AND I'M LIKE, WHY ARE WE FIGHTING FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD TO HAVE A SIDEWALK? THEY DON'T EVEN WANT 'EM.
WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO DO.
IF WE'RE MAKE, WE'RE FORCING SOME PEOPLE TO BUILD SIDEWALKS AND OTHER PEOPLE KIND OF GET A PASS ON SIDEWALKS.
SO THE FEE, THE FEE WA IN LIEU OF WAS A SOLUTION TO THAT ISSUE.
AND, AND WE WORKED HARD ON FINDING THE RIGHT NUMBER FOR THAT FEE.
IT WAS A LOT HIGHER AS PROPOSED.
UM, SO THE IDEA IS IT OF THE FEE WAS TO COLLECT FUNDS.
IT WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE A HUGE AMOUNT OF FUNDS.
I THINK THE MAYOR PREDICTED IT WOULD BE ABOUT A MILLION.
WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S ABOUT 1,000,004 IN IT RIGHT NOW.
UM, IT'S NEVER MEANT TO BE THIS WHOLE SOLUTION, BUT IT WAS MAKE TO MAKE PEOPLE REALLY GIVE CONSIDERABLE THOUGHT TO WHETHER, UM, YOU BUILD A SIDEWALK, IF YOU REALLY DON'T WANT IT, YOU PAY THE FEE.
BUT I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND MY COLLEAGUES CONCERN ABOUT A, A MISMATCH OF, OF, OF, OF, UM, SIDEWALKS THAT DON'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, VERY QUICKLY, ONE QUESTION AND UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, I THINK YOU'RE SPOTLIGHTED IN THE PICTURES ON THE BACK AS WELL.
UM, NOW I, I AGREE WITH, YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUE SAID IT BEAUTIFULLY.
AND AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE ALL COMMITTED TO COMING UP WITH A HOLISTIC APPROACH.
DEXTER, AS YOU SAID, TWO SIDEWALKS WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT ENGAGEMENT.
YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THIS ONE QUESTION.
WHEN THE CITY WAS LOOKING AT THIS PROGRAM TO BEGIN WITH, THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK THAT WENT INTO THAT, INCLUDING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? UM, CAN YOU SPEAK TO, AND I KNOW WE HAVE SOME OTHER CIVIC LEADERS THAT CAN SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANY INSIGHT INTO THERE THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT THERE WAS AND, UH, WE, WE WERE CONCERNED AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ENOUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THERE DEFINITELY WAS NOT ANY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH THIS DECISION TO SAY, LET'S PULL IT BACK.
OKAY, WE GOT CAUGHT OFF GUARD LAST WEEK, SO MAYBE WITH MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, PUBLIC DISCUSSION, I WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY LIKE THIS.
I AM THE PRESIDENT OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 22, WHICH IS THE WASHINGTON AVENUE COALITION, MEMORIAL PARK.
I DO REPRESENT THE CORRIDOR BOARD, BUT TODAY I AM HERE, UH, SPEAKING, UM, YOU KNOW, AS MYSELF, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOLD A MEETING AND HAVE THIS DISCUSSION IN OUR OWN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POSITION.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, UH, JUST MENTIONED, THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION AND ENGAGEMENT WHENEVER WE TALKED ABOUT THE FEE IN LIEU OF, IN FACT, MYSELF AND SEVERAL OTHER SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENTS WERE WORKING
[00:55:01]
WITH, UH, FORMER DIRECTOR BROWN.UM, AND WE SAT IN HER OFFICE FOR SIX HOURS DISCUSSING WHAT THIS WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS, NOT JUST OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS AND NOT JUST OUR PART OF THE CITY.
WE WERE WORKING AND TALKING AND DISCUSSING ABOUT WHAT WOULD WORK FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS.
SO WE ALL KNOW THAT HOUSTONIANS WANT CONTIGUOUS SIDEWALKS AND WE NEED A NETWORK, WE NEED TO START SOMEWHERE.
AND I THINK THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE DID THAT AND WAS WORKING.
IT'S THIS FEE IN LIEU OF THAT I DISAGREE WITH BECAUSE YOU'VE GIVEN THE OPTION FOR BUILDERS TO OPT OUT OF IT.
WITH THAT SAID, I DO AGREE WITH YOU COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, THAT THERE ARE AREAS, THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS, THERE ARE COMMUNITIES, THERE ARE PLACES WHERE SIDEWALKS DON'T MAKE SENSE.
AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A VETTING PROCESS, A ROBUST DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE, THE BUILDER ABOUT, AND THE HOMEOWNER OR WHOEVER, OR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, WHOEVER'S INVOLVED.
BUT WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER HERE.
THE BUILDERS NEED TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THE NEIGHBORHOODS NEED TO WORK WITH.
THE BUILDERS COUNCIL NEEDS TO WORK WITH ALL OF US.
AND I'M NOT GETTING THAT FEELING HERE.
SO WHAT I AM RECOMMENDING TODAY IS THAT WE GET RID OF THE FEE IN LIEU OF, AND GO BACK TO REQUIRING THE BUILDERS TO, UM, TO PUT IN THE SIDEWALK.
BUT WHEN IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, IT TRIGGERS A PROCESS BY THE ADMINISTRATION THAT REQUIRES A NUMBER OF PARTIES TO COME TOGETHER AND DISCUSS THAT AND COME UP WITH A COMBINED OUTCOME THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE OR THAT WE CAN LIVE WITH.
SO THAT, UM, THAT'S ONE THING.
THE OTHER THING THAT'S DISHEARTENING AND CONCERNING TO ME IS THAT THIS MADE IT ONTO THE AGENDA WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
THERE WAS PUBLIC COMMENT LAST WEEK, BUT THE PUBLIC COMMENT WAS IN OPPOSITION TOO.
AND RIGHTFULLY SO, BECAUSE THE PUBLIC WASN'T ENGAGED, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT SHOULD TAKE AN ITEM LIKE THIS.
FIRST AND FOREMOST EV EVALUATE IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN, MAY I HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME? YEAH, A LITTLE BIT, BUT I, I GO AHEAD STATE.
I JUST, AND THEN I'LL, I'LL COMMENT AFTERWARDS.
EVALUATE THE PLANNING AND DEPARTMENT SHOULD EVALUATE IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS SHOULD BE, SHOULD EVALUATE THE ITEM, DO FURTHER WORK, DO THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE FEE IN LIEU OF, THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION AROUND THAT, LOTS OF MY TIME AND OTHERS.
AND IF IT REQUIRES MORE DISCUSSION, TAKE IT TO THE PROPERTY COMMITTEE OR THE INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE, WHICH WE NO LONGER HAVE OR WHATEVER APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AND VETTING.
AND THEN IT SHOULD GO ONTO THE AGENDA FOR A VOTE AND FURTHER DISCUSSION BY COUNSEL, BECAUSE ALL OF YOU ARE SMART, YOU'RE REPRESENTING US, AND I HAVE THAT EXPECTATION THAT YOU DO THE PROPER PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AS IT PERTAINS TO AN ITEM THAT AFFECTS ALL HOUSTONIANS.
AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, HOUSTON WANTS, THEY HAVE MADE IT VERY CLEAR.
NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE MADE IT VERY CLEAR IN PARTICULAR, WE WANT A NETWORK OF SIDEWALKS.
AND IF WE CONTINUE TO TAKE, IF WE GO BACK AND FORTH ON THIS SIDEWALK, IF WE CONTINUE TO MODIFY IT, WE'RE NEVER GONNA GET ANYWHERE.
IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE JUST WHAT YOU SAID, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD.
IT'LL BE SIDEWALKS TO NOWHERE IF WE KEEP CALLING IT THAT.
AND, UM, I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT RESIDENTS PUT IN THE FIRST GO ROUND LAST YEAR.
UM, AND I THINK WITH THIS ITEM THAT'S BROUGHT BEFORE US, IT'S PUSHING THE DEPARTMENT TO MOVE FASTER AND TO GET THIS GOING SO THAT WE DO HAVE A PLAN AND WE DO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION THAT WORKS FOR ALL OF HOUSTON.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU RECOGNIZING IN DISTRICT C.
WE DESPERATELY NEED SIDEWALKS AND THE MAJORITY WANT 'EM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE GARDEN OAK, OAK FORESTS MM-HMM
UM, BUT TO YOUR POINT, YOU, YOU CAN, I CAN COMMIT TO YOU WITH WHATEVER THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS DOING.
I'M GONNA BE ADVOCATING NOT JUST FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN WORKING GROUPS SO THAT IT'S THE COMMUNITY AT THE TABLE AS WELL, AND IT'S OTHER GROUPS, OUR BUILDERS AS WELL.
BUT AGAIN, NOT JUST PUBLIC COMMENT AND I'M, MY REMARKS NOW ARE FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEY'RE PRESENTING THEIR PLAN, IT'S
[01:00:01]
NOT JUST A PRESENTATION.AND LAST TIME WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE FEE IN LIEU OF DIRECTOR BROWN WAS GOING ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE, UM, THAT SHE WAS ALLOWED TO GO IN THE, IN, YOU KNOW, IN PUBLIC MEETINGS AND JUST PUTTING THINGS ON THE CALENDAR TO, YOU KNOW, HOPING THAT PEOPLE WOULD COME.
AND IN THAT PROCESS, UH, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS TAKING THE FEEDBACK AND UPDATING, YOU KNOW, THE WEBSITE AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
UM, AND IT WASN'T FAST ENOUGH BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH ENGAGEMENT.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I GO BACK TO WHENEVER WE HAVE AN ITEM THAT IMPACTS ALL HOUSTONIANS, WE NEED TO DO EVERY BIT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
AND THAT'S JUST A GOOD EXAMPLE, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, OF OF, OF WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.
SO, AND I, AND I AGREE WITH YOU THAT WE NEED TO BE, CONTINUE TO BE BUSINESS FRIENDLY COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDLY AND WE HAVEN'T.
THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM.
WE DO NEED TO BE NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDLY.
THERE ARE MANY NEIGHBORHOODS WHO CHOP OUR HEADS OFF IF WE TRY TO BRING A SIDEWALK TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND WE HAVE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT HOUSTON IS A DYNAMIC CITY AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
AND EVERY, THIS IS A UNIQUE, UH, DESIGN OF A CITY.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I DON'T THINK WE CAN TAKE A COOKIE CUTTER APPROACH.
THIS IS RECOGNIZING, IN MY OPINION, THIS ITEM IS RECOGNIZING THAT THERE ARE SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THE POLICY THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
SO THIS ITEM TAKES YOU BACK TO SQUARE ONE AND SAYS, OKAY, IF YOU WANT A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH OR YOU THINK SOMETHING ISN'T QUITE RIGHT OR THE FEE IS SHOULDN'T HAVE A FEE OR A FEE SHOULD BE LOWER, WE CAN HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, IF WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE POLICY IS, IS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, DO WE CONTINUE IT WHILE WE HAVE ALL THESE STUDIES AND THESE MEETINGS AND, AND, AND AND PLANS? OR DO WE KIND OF PUT A PAUSE TO IT TO SAY, OKAY, IT'S NOT REALLY WORKING AS CURRENTLY CONSTRUCTED, NO PUN INTENDED, AND GO BACK TO, UM, GROUND ZERO AND BUILD IT UP FROM THERE.
BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS ALL THESE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN.
BUT WHAT I'M FINDING IS PEOPLE ARE HAVING A LOT OF HEADACHES BASED ON WHAT IS ACTUALLY CURRENTLY BEING PUT FORTH.
AND SO THIS ITEM LOOKS TO REVISIT THAT.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU AND MANY OTHERS WHO PUT IN A LOT OF TIME.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVEN WITHIN THOSE DISCUSSIONS, THERE WERE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ON THE FEE IN LIEU OF, BUT ULTIMATELY WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE, THERE IS A SIDEWALK TO NOWHERE ISSUE.
AND WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY COMMUNITY IS DIFFERENT.
SO WHAT CAN WE PUT IN, WHAT CAN WE PUT ON THE BOOKS? THAT MAKES SENSE? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I DON'T THINK THIS PARTICULAR MEASURE MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
AND I THINK THIS ITEM, AND THE REASON IT GOT TO THE AGENDA SO FAST IS TO START THIS DISCUSSION.
AND, BUT FOR THAT, WE WOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT IN EVERYONE ELSE'S, UH, BECAUSE IT'S NEEDED.
I WOULD JUST REITERATE THAT WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.
WE ARE NEVER GOING TO HAVE A SIDEWALK NETWORK IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IF THE BUILDERS DON'T BUILD THEM.
SO THEY NEED TO BE A PART OF THIS.
UH, I DO LIKE DEXTER'S SUGGESTION IN HAVING A SIDEWALK COMMITTEE.
HE SHOULD BE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GIVEN HIS ENGAGEMENT AND KNOWLEDGE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING, BEING HERE OF YEARS.
SO, UM, THIS, THIS IS GREAT DISCUSSION.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
'CAUSE IT'S TAKEN ME A LOT OF TIME.
I'M A HOMEOWNER TRYING TO BUILD A HOME.
UM, WE ALREADY LIVE IN OUR EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE BOUGHT SOME PROPERTY AND WE'RE IN THE PERMITTING PHASE AND IT'S TAKEN A WHILE.
SO THE LAST PART OF OUR, OUR PHASE WAS THIS SIDEWALK PERMIT, UM, THAT TOTALLY CAUGHT US OFF GUARD.
UM, OUR CURRENT NEIGHBORHOOD, I'LL JUST STEER MY STORY REAL QUICK, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HOPEFULLY APPLY IN YOUR DECISION MAKING.
UM, IT'S ENTITY RESTRICTED SO THEY DON'T ALLOW US TO HAVE SIDEWALKS.
I BOUGHT A LETTER FROM OUR DEVELOPER, UM, WITH CITY OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS SAYING YOU CANNOT PUT SIDEWALKS IN.
SO NO ONE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS SIDEWALKS.
THERE'S OVER 1300 HOMES AND WE PROBABLY WOULD BE THE ONLY ONE WITH A SIDEWALK.
SO, UM, KNOWING THAT IT WAS TAKING A WHILE, I SAID, LET'S JUST PUT A SIDEWALK IN.
LET'S GET OUR ENGINEERS, LET'S DEVELOP A SIDEWALK.
THEY CAME BACK TO US AND SAID, THERE'S NO PLACE TO PUT THE SIDEWALK.
UM, YOU'RE IN A DITCH COMMUNITY.
SO OUR ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ALL FULL OF DITCH FOR DRAINAGE AND FLOOD CONTROL.
UM, SO THERE REALLY WAS NO PLACE TO PUT IT.
UM, EXCEPT WE WOULD BE BEHIND OUR GATE.
WE'D HAD TO CREATE AN EASEMENT, TAKE AWAY 65 FOOT OF OUR PROPERTY, AND IT WOULD BE BEHIND OUR SECURITY GATE.
UM, SO IT JUST GOT REAL DIFFICULT.
I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS EQUITABLE.
[01:05:01]
DEFINITELY NOT FAIR IN OUR CASE.UM, WOULD HOPEFULLY YOU WOULD, WE WOULD CONSIDER THAT IN THIS CASE IT WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE AMENDMENTS WHERE THIS WOULD APPLY.
UM, I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT THIS MUCH, BUT I DID SOME OTHER RESEARCH BECAUSE I WENT TO OUR OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT AREN'T RESTRICTED.
UM, AND THEY'RE ALREADY DEVELOPED AS WELL.
AND THOSE ARE THE SIDEWALKS TO KNOW WHERE I FOUND.
I MEAN, JUST DIDN'T KNOW THIS EXISTED IN THE CITY.
UM, SO OUR, OUR, I BROUGHT SOME PICTURES AND I CAN LEAVE THEM WITH YOU.
I SENT SOME EMAILS OUT BEFORE LAST MEETING, AND I HAVE A COPY OF SOME OF THOSE DITCHES, MEANING THE SIDEWALKS TO NOWHERE THAT MAYBE CAN HELP IN YOUR PROCESS OF YOUR NEXT MEETING.
WHEN Y'ALL MAKE YOUR DO YOUR VOTE, IS THAT TOMORROW? SO I WANTED TO JUST BRING THIS INFORMATION AND SHARE MY STORY WITH YOU AND HOPE YOU GUYS WOULD CONSIDER THIS WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION.
WE APPRECIATE YOU SHARING YOUR STORY.
AND WE CAN, UM, HAVE RENEE TO SHARE THOSE PICTURES IF YOU HAVE THOSE FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT DURING ALL OF OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SIDEWALKS.
UH, LAST COUNCIL DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WHEN I CAME IN AND TALKED ABOUT MICHAEL COOPER CALLING ME A N****R.
SAM PIA TEASING ME ABOUT MY PROSTHETIC KNEE.
BUT YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA GET ON SIDEWALKS BECAUSE I'VE HAD DISABILITIES FOR OVER 15 YEARS AND THE DISABILITIES HAVE GOTTEN WORSE.
NOW, I'M A STAGE FOUR LUNG CANCER AND I USE THIS MOBILITY SCOOTER A LOT.
AND I THOUGHT FOR SIDEWALKS AND INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS, PROBABLY ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO WHEN MY MOTHER WAS ALIVE, AND NOW I'M IN THE SAME POSITION SHE IS NOW.
I TAKE THE RAIL DOWN TO THE VA FOR MY TREATMENTS AND A LOT OF PLACES I HAVE TO RIDE IN THE STREET TO GET AROUND SIDEWALKS.
IF THE MILITARY, AND I'M A VETERAN, IF THE MILITARY HAD TO MARCH DOWN THESE SIDEWALKS, WE WOULDN'T HAVE A MILITARY.
AND NOT ONLY FOR ME, I'M GONNA MAKE SOME BIKERS MAD, BUT BIKES DON'T BELONG ON SIDEWALKS.
THE STATE OF TEXAS SAYS A BICYCLE IS A VEHICLE.
NOW, WHEN I WAS A KID IN THE SIXTIES, WE HAD TO BUY A LICENSE FOR OUR BICYCLE.
WE GOT OVER 250,000 BIKES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WHY DON'T THEY HAVE A LICENSE? THEY DRIVE IT IN THE STREET.
Y'ALL TALK ABOUT Y'ALL NEED MONEY TAX TO BIKERS.
THEY DID IT WHEN WE WERE KIDS.
IF YOU DID EACH BIKE, $10, THAT'S OVER TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT CAN GO TOWARDS SIDEWALKS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WALK.
LAST COUNCIL, LAST MAYOR, Y'ALL SCREWED UP SOME STREETS JUST FOR BIKES.
IF THEY WERE VEHICLES, THEY DIDN'T NEED ALL THAT STUFF.
PEOPLE THAT WALK ON THE SIDEWALK NEED NEW SIDEWALKS.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE AGENDA ITEM.
I KNOW Y'ALL TALKING ABOUT AGENDA, BUT I'M GONNA TEAR UP MY SCOOTER, GOING TO THE HOSPITAL TO GET CHEMO TREATMENTS AT THE VA HOSPITAL YESTERDAY, CONSTRUCTION CREW WAS WORKING ON THE SIDEWALK.
NOT TO SAY THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN COME OUT AND TRY TO HELP ME.
I HAD TO CROSS OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE.
I WOULD LIKE DEXTER HANDY TO BE THE THE DRUG STAR, BECAUSE I KNOW HIM.
I KNOW I MADE HIM MAD ABOUT THE BICYCLES BECAUSE HE'S A BICYCLIST ALSO.
THEY DID IT IN THE SIXTIES AND IT WORKED.
INSPECT THE BIKES, MAKE SURE THEY GOT LIGHTS ON THEM.
I MEAN, WHEN THEY RIDE IN THE STREETS, DON'T, DON'T THE POLICE PULL 'EM OVER AND GIVE 'EM TICKETS.
THEY NEED LIGHTS, THEY NEED TAILLIGHTS.
SO THAT'S ONE WAY TO GET SOME MONEY.
BUT PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE BIKES AND PUT DEXY ON THE SIDEWALK COMMITTEE SO HE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT 'EM.
CAN I RAISE THIS UP A LITTLE BIT? COOL.
[01:10:01]
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, GENTLEMAN OF THE AUDIENCE.YASMIN PEDRAM WAS A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT IN CALIFORNIA.
AFTER INTERVIEWING, UH, AND PANEL INTERVIEWS FOR THREE MONTHS, SHE RECEIVED A JOB OFFER FROM TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
SHE PULLED HER 12-YEAR-OLD CHILD OUT OF SCHOOL.
SHE AND HER HUSBAND BREACHED HER LEASE CONTRACT, PACKED UP EVERYTHING THEY OWNED, PUT IT INTO BOXES, AND MOVED HALFWAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SPENDING 20 TO $30,000 IN THE PROCESS TO GET TO HOUSTON, TEXAS.
WHEN SHE GOT HERE, SHE WENT THROUGH DRUG SCREENINGS, HEALTH SCREENINGS, AND MORE BACKGROUND CHECKS.
A WEEK BEFORE SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO START, TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL CALLED HER AND SAID, SORRY, WE'RE HAVING A HIRING FREEZE.
SHE'S LEFT IN A CITY THAT SHE DOESN'T KNOW ANYBODY WITHOUT ANY SUPPORT, FRIENDS OR FAMILY.
A WEEK AND A HALF LATER, SHE AND HER FAMILY WEATHERED THROUGH, UH, HURRICANE BARRELL.
SHORTLY AFTER THAT, TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL TERMINATED 1000 EMPLOYEES, 5% OF THEIR WORKFORCE WITHOUT ANY RHYME OR REASON.
THE HOUSTON MEDICAL CENTER IS THE BIGGEST IN THE WORLD.
IT IS A SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IS A STAIN ON THAT REPUTATION.
INDEED, NOT ONLY FOR THIS MESS, THEY CONTINUOUSLY HAVE DONE TRANSGENDER SURGERIES ON MINORS AGAINST THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AND THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS.
MY NAME IS JACOB SCH AND I'M AN ATTORNEY.
I REPRESENT THE PEDRAM FAMILY.
I SPEAK HERE, UH, IN, IN PURSUIT OF THIS COUNCIL'S HELP.
WE WERE INTERVIEWED BY FOX NEWS.
I THINK FOX NEWS IS RECORDING RIGHT NOW.
THE NEW YORK POST AND THE DAILY MAIL GOT OVER 350,000 VIEWS.
MY CLIENT AND HER FAMILY HAVE BECOME A SYMBOL, A BEACON OF HOPE TO FIGHT AGAINST TEXAS CHILDREN'S AND THEIR BUREAUCRACY, THEIR LACK OF EMPATHY FOR THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, FOR THE WORKERS AND THE FAMILIES.
I'M ASKING TODAY FOR THIS BOARD'S HELP IN ANY WAY, ANY ENGAGEMENT WHATSOEVER, UM, AND THE CONDEMNATION OF TEXAS CHILDREN'S ACTIONS AND ATTITUDE.
I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU MR. SHOAL, FOR BEING HERE.
UM, THIS IS A, A EMPLOYMENT MATTER BETWEEN THE, UH, FORMER EMPLOYEE AND TEXAS CHILDREN'S.
UM, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON? ANY SUCH ENGAGEMENT WHATSOEVER? I'M NOT SURE HOW, WHAT THE AUTHORITY OR POWERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS.
I JUST WANNA BRING AWARENESS TO THIS.
THIS DECISION AFFECTS NOT JUST THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT WERE LAID OFF, BUT THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AND THE REST OF THE MEDICAL CENTER AS WELL.
OKAY? I MEAN, THIS DECISION HAS AFFECTED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
AND WE'VE HEARD NOTHING FROM TEXAS CHILDREN'S.
NO APOLOGY, NO CONSIDERATIONS, JUST BUREAUCRACY.
OKAY, WELL, WE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND, AND RAISING AWARENESS OF THAT.
CAYMAN HAS A PROCEDURAL MOTION.
UM, I HAVE A PROCEDURAL MOTION.
I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE JACK VALINSKI.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? AND MOTION CARRIES.
JACK VALINSKY AFTER NANCY HIGGS, NANCY HIGGS.
UM, PLEASE DON'T LET HOUSTON GO BEHIND.
WE'RE ALREADY HAVING THAT WITH MASS TRANSIT.
WE'RE LETTING ATLANTA AND DALLAS PASS US BY WITH BUILDING BETTER TRANSIT SYSTEMS THAN US.
YOU KNOW, AND WE KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET THINGS DONE IN CITY HALL.
I CERTAINLY KNOW THAT IT TOOK US MORE THAN TWO YEARS ON THE NOISE ORDINANCE AND IT DIDN'T INCLUDE THE THINGS THAT IT NEEDS TO INCLUDE.
SO LET'S JUST LOWER THE FEE AND MOVE FORWARD INTO A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, JACK.
[01:15:01]
SEMINO DUREL FOSTER.NEXT SPEAKER, MAYOR, PRESENT, UH, NOR NORVILLE, DOD, UH, HI.
UH, MY NAME IS NORVILLE SHADA.
UH, I WAS THE, UH, YOUNGEST, UH, CANDIDATE FOR THE ELECTIONS IN PAKISTAN.
UM, I'M HERE TO CREATE, UM, I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT, UM, WE JUST STOOD HERE AND DID THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, UH, THAT WENT ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
TODAY, I REALIZE THAT THIS COUNTRY DOESN'T STAND FOR JUSTICE AT ALL, BUT WHEN IT'S ONLY CONVENIENT FOR POLITICIANS, BECAUSE WHEN THE TOPIC IS ABOUT JUSTICE IN PAKISTAN, IT SEEMS THAT UNITED STATES GOES COMPLETELY SILENT.
UH, DUE TO WESTERN INTERFERENCE.
PAKISTAN NO LONGER IS THE COUNTRY THAT WAS ENVISIONED BY ITS FOUNDING FATHERS.
IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE DEMOCRACY.
WELFARE, UH, BASED ON EQUALITY, UH, THAT MUHAMMAD ALI JNA ENVISIONED.
IT'S NOT THE COUNTRY THAT WAS ENVISIONED FOR EQUAL SACRIFICE THAT CALLED FOR THE FAIRNESS AND DEVELOPMENT BY PRINCE ALCON III.
NOR IS IT THE COUNTRY THAT DULY K VISIONED FOR, UH, WITH THE CONCEPT OF CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.
TODAY IN PAKISTAN, THERE IS A UNDECLARED MARTIAL LAW THAT'S TAKING PLACE.
THEY RIGGED THE ELECTION TAKING THE LARGEST PARTY.
PTI CORONA FORM 45 DATA AND IS LEADER IRAN CON HAS BEEN JAILED FOR OVER A YEAR NOW.
THEY'RE ARRESTING ALL OPPOSITION LEADERS, UH, WHICH IS TEXTBOOK HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE.
THEY'RE ABDUCTING MEMBERS OF THE PARLIAMENT WITH THE ATTEMPT TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION WITH AN INCOMPLETE SENATE TO FINISH THE SUPREME COURT AND KEEP IRAN CON IN PRISON.
APPROXIMATELY 60% OF THE PAKISTANI JAIL, UH, THEY'RE ALL INNOCENT.
THE BIGGEST CRIMINALS IN THE COUNTRY ARE SITTING IN THE PARLIAMENT, ARE GIVING POLICE PROTOCOLS.
UH, AND HAN IS A VICTIM OF SELECTIVE PROSECUTION.
AND WE DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL RELEASE FROM PRISON.
UH, AND ALL THE PARTY MEMBERS, THE ONLY MAN WHO HAS THE POWER TO RELEASE HIM IS THE US PRESIDENT, UH, BIDEN, BUT HE'S JUST SEEMS TO BE SITTING ON HIS HANDS.
ONCE SAID THAT INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO INJUSTICE EVERYWHERE.
SO, UH, THE MAYOR IS NOT HERE, BUT HE WAS ACTUALLY A SITTING STATE SENATOR WHEN IRAN CON'S GOVERNMENT WAS OVERTHROWN BY THE ESTABLISHMENT IN PAKISTAN, UH, WITH THE OBVIOUS HELP OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND YET, THERE ARE NO STATEMENTS GIVEN TO THIS MATTER.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO REPRESENT THE PAKISTANI AMERICANS THAT LIVE IN HOUSTON.
AND IT IS A CLOSE ISSUE FOR THEM.
UH, PAKISTANI AMERICANS ARE THE FOURTH HIGHEST INCOME EARNERS IN AMERICA.
SO I'M NOT HERE TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP.
I'M HERE FOR YOU TO, I'M NOT EVEN HERE FOR YOU TO SIDE WITH ONE POLITICAL PARTY OR ONE MAN.
I'M HERE TO ASK FOR YOU TO STAND UP FOR DEMOCRACY, JUSTICE, AND HUMANITY.
IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO STAND UP FOR THE PAKISTANI COMMUNITY THAT LIVE IN HOUSTON.
OR AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, SPEAK FOR THEM.
THANK YOU MR. DOW FOR BEING HERE.
NEXT SPEAKER URI AARON KO MSIKA.
IT'S BEEN PRONOUNCED MANY WAYS.
MY NAME IS LAURA RIDGE AND I'M A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN AND A BUSINESS OWNER.
AND I'M GIVING Y'ALL A PERSPECTIVE FROM A BUS BUSINESS OWNERS, FROM A BUSINESS OWNER.
I REPRESENT FOUR 11 FANON, WHICH IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE OLD COURTHOUSE.
UM, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT SIDEWALKS.
I HAVE A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION ABOUT SIDEWALKS.
UM, MY COMMENT ACKNOWLEDGES, FIRST THAT AMAZING EFFORTS THAT HOUSTON HAS MADE AND CONTINUES TO MAKE FOR THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
MY COMMENT IS ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO DON'T WANT TO BE HOUSED AND WANT TO CONDUCT THEIR ILLEGAL BUSINESSES ON THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF OUR DOORS.
OUR AT TENANTS OPERATE BUSINESSES, AND THEY'VE BEEN OPERATING THOSE BUSINESSES FOR YEARS, AND THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE HOUSTON ECONOMY.
THE CONTINUED CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ENABLE THIS ILLEGAL ACTIVITY OUTSIDE OUR BUILDING, WHICH INCLUDES TRASH, FE REMNANTS, DRUG DEALING, PROSTITUTION, ET CETERA, NEGATIVELY AFFECT OUR TENANT'S ABILITY TO DO THEIR BUSINESS.
AND AS A PROPERTY OWNER, OUR ABILITY TO LEASE THE BUILDING, UH, THIS IS COME BECOMING A DAILY ISSUE.
UM, WE'RE CONFUSED AS BUSINESS OWNERS, OR I AM, I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF ABOUT WHETHER THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT IS
[01:20:01]
INTENDED TO BE A VIBRANT AREA FOR BUSINESSES IN TOURISM.OR IS IT AN AVENUE FOR ILLICIT SIDEWALK ENTERPRISES TO CONDUCT THEIR BUSINESSES.
SECTION 40 DASH 3 52 SITTING IN LINE DOWN ON SIDEWALKS.
CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT IS DESIGNATED AS AN AREA PROHIBITING PEOPLE TO SIT OR LIE ON THE, ON THE STREETS BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 7:00 AM TO 11:00 PM THE PROBLEM IS, IT APPEARS THAT IT IS OKAY FOR PEOPLE TO SLEEP, DEAL DRUGS, PIMP PROSTITUTION, LEAVE DANGEROUS AND TOXIC SUBSTANCES ON THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF OUR BUILDING FROM 11:00 PM TO 7:00 AM I DON'T THINK IT'S THE BEST IDEA TO MAKE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THEIR WAKE UP CALLS FOR THE PEOPLE SLEEPING ON THE SIDEWALKS IN FRONT OF OUR BUILDINGS.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO THEY GO DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS? YOU KNOW, UM, AGAIN, HOUSTON'S KNOWN FOR HOW AMAZING Y'ALL DONE AS FAR AS A HOMELESS POPULATION AND THE UNHOUSED POPULATION.
BUT THESE GUYS HAVE HAD OFFERS TO GO TO PLACES TO HAVE HOMES, AND THEY ARE CHOOSING NOT TO.
SO THEY BECOME STAKEHOLDERS ON THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF OUR BUILDINGS.
UM, THERE'S ABOUT 16 TO 17 HOMELESS OUTREACH PROGRAMS IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, UH, ALONE.
AND IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.
UM, THE MESSAGING TO THE BUSINESS OWNERS, UH, LIKE US IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE BECOMING AN AFTERTHOUGHT.
UM, I, I AGREE WITH MAYOR WHIT MEYER'S PLAN AND A LOT OF Y'ALL'S TO OPEN NAVIGATION CENTERS TO GIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO MOVE, UH, PEOPLE INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.
HOPEFULLY IT'S A GREAT HOPE, AND I DO HOPE THAT, UM, BUT IN THE PROCESS, THE CITY NEEDS TO DECENTIVIZE, CAN I JUST FINISH THIS ONE? THANK YOU.
YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED TO DECENTIVIZE, GIVING THE ENTITLEMENT TO TRESPASSERS AND LAWBREAKERS ON THE STREETS IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT BETWEEN 11:00 PM AND 7:00 AM.
AND I BELIEVE THE CITY NEEDS TO CHANGE THE CODE AND ALLOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST, WHICH IS TO ENFORCE THE LAWS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY.
UH, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE DAVID GODWIN TO FOLLOW LEAH ENG.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.
WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN DOWN TO YOU.
WE STILL HAVE TWO PEOPLE IN FRONT NAME.
I SAID YOUR NAME IN A PROCEDURAL ORDER.
WE'LL GET RIGHT TO YOU IN A FEW MORE PEOPLE.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING ON HER.
MY NAME IS LEAH ANGLE, AND I'M BRINGING THE SITUATION OF ME AND MY SON BEING HOMELESS UP.
I STAYED ON ZELENSKY AND I WAS AWARDED SOME MONEY FROM HISD TO HOUSE ME AND MY SON.
BUT I BUMPED INTO A SLUM, LORD.
SHE ASKED ME TO CLEAN MY OWN APARTMENT UNIT BEFORE ME STAYING THERE.
AND I CALLED THE CITY IN REGARDS TO THE DAMAGES THAT WERE THERE.
UM, I HAD TO SPEND MY OWN $350, THE REMAINING BALANCE TO MOVE IN AND STILL CLEAN UP.
WHEN I CALLED THE CITY, I WAS AT WORK AND THEY DID NOT LET ME KNOW THAT THEY WERE COMING IN.
SO I TOOK PICTURES OF THE WATER COMING FROM THE REFRIGERATOR.
AND IT WAS NO WEATHER PROTECTOR AT THE BACK DOOR.
UM, MY SON SLIPPED, BUT HE DID NOT FALL GOING TO JACK GATES HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, THE CONCRETE ON THE OUTSIDE HAD A LOT OF HOLES BECAUSE A LOT OF THE GUYS THERE SHOT EVERY NIGHT AT THE CONCRETE.
[01:25:01]
THAT I COULD NOT DO HAIR.I HAVE NOT BEEN CERTIFIED YET, BUT I HAVE COMPLETED MY HOURS.
I HAVE 114 HOURS, SO I'M OVERQUALIFIED.
AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR ME TO STUDY.
BUT TO BRING IT BACK, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE WAS RACIST, BUT SHE MADE A RACIST REMARK.
SHE SAID HER DAUGHTER DATED BLACK MEN.
OKAY, I'M BRINGING IT BACK ONE MORE TIME.
ME CLEANING MY OWN APARTMENT UNIT MADE NO SENSE.
UH, I FOUND A DIRTY FILTER FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER AND I HAVE BRONCHITIS AND MY SON HAS ASTHMA.
SHE GAVE ME A BRAND NEW FILTER TO PUT IN MYSELF.
SO NO MAINTENANCE WAS ON PROPERTY AND NOBODY WAS THERE TO CLEAN THE APARTMENT UNIT.
AND THEN NOW, BY ME HAVING KNOWLEDGE OF ALL OF THE THINGS BEING DAMAGED AT THAT PROPERTY, AND THIS HAPPENED IN 2021, BY ME HAVING KNOWLEDGE, I WENT TO COURT BECAUSE I WITHHELD MY RENT.
I DID THAT BECAUSE I'M A HARDWORKING WOMAN AND I'M A SINGLE MOTHER.
AND I DO NOT GET ANY CHILD SUPPORT AT ALL.
AND I WITHHELD MY MONEY AND I ASKED THE JUDGE IF I COULD PRESENT THE FOOTAGE AND THE JUDGE SAID NO.
SO THE WOMAN LIED UNDER OATH IN REGARDS TO ALL THE DAMAGES.
AND NOW ME AND MY SON HAVE BEEN HOMELESS GOING ON FOUR YEARS.
IF YOU WANTED TO WRAP UP YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS, THEN I'LL MAKE A COMMENT.
I'M ASKING THE CITY TO ASSIST BECAUSE HOUSING, UM, THEY WON'T PUT ME BACK ON THE WAITING LIST.
AND THEY HAVE SENT ME TO THE EXTREME IN REGARDS TO, UM, IGNORING THE FACT THAT I AM ABLE TO, I'M ELIGIBLE FOR HOUSING.
AND IT IS, IT MAKES NO SENSE THAT ME AND MY SON NEEDS TO BE HOUSED.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? THANK YOU FOR COMING MS. ENGLE.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO DO, YOU SEE THE YOUNG LADY IN THE CORNER OVER THERE, INGRAM MITCHAM.
SHE IS HERE TO REPRESENT DISTRICT D.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT YOUR LAST LOCATION WAS ON ZELENSKY, RIGHT? WHICH IS IN DISTRICT D.
SO IF YOU WILL MEET WITH HER, WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO ASSIST YOU.
AND YOU CERTAINLY CALL THE NAME OF THE JACK GATES HIGH SCHOOL OF WHICH I'M GRADUATE.
AND I, AND I WANNA SAY THAT MY SON HAS PARTICIPATED IN J-R-O-T-C.
HE IS NOW EMPLOYED AT UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, JUST AS WELL AS ME.
SO GET WITH THAT INGRAM OVER THERE.
INGRAM MUTUAL COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS DOES HAVE.
WE'LL SEE HOW WE CAN ASSIST YOU IN ANY WAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, WANNA EVERYBODY FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR CONCERN AND YOUR EARS MAY GOD BLESS.
UH, MS. ANGLE, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
UM, I'M GONNA WORK WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, AS CHAIR OF HOUSING.
AND SO, UM, UH, I WANTED TO ASK IF YOU WERE ON A VOUCHER, BUT YOU, THEY WON'T PUT YOU ON THE, ON THE WAIT LIST.
UH, THE FEDERAL REGULATION REQUIRES THAT ANY LANDLORD RECEIVING SUPPLEMENT, UM, FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AS A LANDLORD, THEY MUST MAINTAIN THOSE, THOSE, UH, THOSE UNITS MUST BE INSPECTED PRIOR TO SO WE'LL, BIRD DOG THAT HER, UM, UH, SENIOR STAFFER, SHE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU.
AND WE'LL WALK HAND IN HAND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET YOU STABLE.
THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE, UH, GOOD STUDENTS THAT ARE UNSHELTERED, RIGHT, UH, WORKING, UH, HOUSTONIANS THAT ARE UNSHELTERED AND CONTRIBUTING TO OUR ECONOMY.
AND WE CAN DO BETTER AND WE WILL AND ALLOW US TO WORK WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ON YOUR BEHALF.
I HAVE GOD BLESS SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
SHE WAS VERY, VERY, VERY HELPFUL WITH THE PRIVACY ACT.
SO I DO HAVE KNOWLEDGE ON THAT AND I JUST WANT TO THANK GOD FOR HER.
AND I'M BRINGING HER UP BECAUSE SHE WAS OUTSTANDING WHEN IT COMES TO ME AND MY SON AT ANY TIME.
THANK YOU FOR ADDING THAT COMMENTARY.
YOU MAY APPROACH EMMA AND COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK THANKS TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ADVOCATE KINGMAN.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT, WE AT OUR PROPERTY AT 1615 SANDMAN.
WE GOT A SEWER AND WATER LEAK.
[01:30:01]
CAME FIRST THEN, UH, BUT THIS HAPPENED ABOUT A MONTH AGO.I CALLED IN 3 1 1 ON LIKE A TUESDAY.
HE SAID, WELL, I'M OFF TODAY, BUT I'LL GET SOMEONE OUT THERE COME UP MONDAY.
SO TUESDAY OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK, I CALLED HIM BACK.
HE SAID, WELL, THEY DIDN'T COME OUT THERE.
SO THEY SENT SOMEONE OUT AND THEY JUST DID LIKE A TWO FOOT BY TWO FOOT HOLE.
DIDN'T TELL US ANYTHING, BUT THE WATER WAS STILL LEAKING OUT OF IT.
SO LET THAT GO FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, SEE IF THEY COME BACK.
THEN I CALLED MICHAEL AGAIN AND I SAID, MICHAEL, WHAT'S GOING ON? HE SAID, WELL, LEMME GET SOMEWHERE OUT THERE.
WELL, TUESDAY BEFORE THE HURRICANE CAME IN AND ALL THE RAIN, THEY CAME OUT THERE, 10 TRUCKS AND 10 PEOPLE CAME OUT THERE FOR THIS ONE HOLE.
AND IT WAS JUST, I MEAN, WE COULDN'T EVEN GET IT.
WE IN THE SHEPHERD AND I 10 AREA AND THERE'S NO PARKING THERE THAT WAS IN OUR DRIVEWAY.
SO THEY, THEY TOOK UP THE WHOLE STREET.
WE HAD TO PARK TWO THINGS AWAY.
AND THIS HAPPENED IN OUR DRIVEWAY.
THEY DUG THIS BIG HOLE AND THEN THEY LEFT IT.
SO WE WENT OUTTA TOWN, CAME BACK ON FRIDAY, AND THERE WAS ANOTHER CITY GUY THERE.
AND HE SAID HE WAS JUST CHECKING IT OUT.
SAID THEY HAD BUSTED A A SEWER LINE WHEN THEY WENT IN.
WELL, WHEN THEY BUSTED THE SEWER LINE, THEY FILLED IT BACK IN.
OKAY? NOW, THIS WAS LAST FRIDAY WHEN WE SAW, TALKED TO THIS GUY.
SO THEY BUSTED THE SEWER LINE AND I'M HOPE THEY FIXED THE WARRIOR LINE, BUT THEY FILLED IT BACK IN.
NOBODY'S GOT IN TOUCH WITH US WHEN THEY'RE GONNA BE BACK OUT THERE.
AND THE OTHER THING IS, DO YOU NEED 10 GUYS TO DO ONE TO DO A JOB? THAT WOULD TAKE TWO OR THREE, BECAUSE LITERALLY THESE PEOPLE WERE STANDING AROUND JUST SHOOTING THE BREEZE.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? NOT TO BE PAYING ATTENTION AND BREAKING THAT SEWER LINE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S ANOTHER THING.
I'D LOVE TO SEE PUBLIC WORKS OR ANY DEPARTMENT IMPROVE THE COMMUNICATION WITH THE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE PUBLIC AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
'CAUSE WE'RE WITHOUT A DRIVEWAY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH OUR AREA.
I UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE SIDEWALK.
WE DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKS AND YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WE'RE HAVING TO PARK AWAY FROM THE HOUSE.
THANK YOU MR. GODWIN FOR COMING.
UM, AND I'M, I'M SO GLAD YOU DID BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT THIS.
AND NOW WE, WE CAN BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH YOU, UM, TO WORK THIS WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, I, I SAW A BRIEFING HERE FROM PUBLIC WORKS, BUT THIS, UM, IS ONLY PERTAINING, IT LOOKS LIKE TO WATER BILL ISSUE.
UM, NOT THE ISSUE YOU'RE RAISING TODAY.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU ON IT.
UM, ABOUT THE LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
'CAUSE RESIDENTS JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE WANNA KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE AND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
UM, SO WE WILL, WE WILL WORK WITH YOU ON THAT TO GET SOME, UH, RESPONSIVE ANSWERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND I KNOW IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT DIRECTLY BY YOU, WE'VE HAD TWO VERY LARGE SINKHOLE, UM, THAT HAVE ALSO OPENED UP.
SO A LOT GOING ON IN THIS AREA RIGHT NOW.
AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY.
I'VE REACHED OUT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT NUMEROUS TIMES.
TALKED TO PEOPLE MAYBE TWO OR THREE TIMES.
THIS PAST SATURDAY WAS HIS HOMECOMING ANNIVERSARY.
WHEN I PUT MY NAME ON THE DOCKET TO COME HERE, I HAD SIX PEOPLE CALL ME FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ASKED ME WHY WAS I COMING.
[01:35:02]
NOBODY'S CALLED ME.ONE OF THE MEN THAT WAS INVOLVED IN MY SON'S MURDER JUST GOT ARRESTED FOR MURDER A MONTH AGO.
WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WOULD, UM, LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU AND WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS IF YOU ARE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO, UH, HEAR THOSE TODAY.
I HAVE BEEN LIED TO SO MUCH THAT I DON'T WANT NOBODY TO TELL ME ANYTHING.
BUT WE JUST WANT TO EXPRESS OUR CONDOLENCES TO YOU.
UH, THIS IS THE FIRST I'M HEARING OF THIS AND MAYBE MANY OF US.
BUT IF YOU'RE OPEN TO IT, I WILL SHARE WITH YOU MY CONTACT INFORMATION.
SO YOU AT LEAST HAVE A POINT OF CONTACT HERE, UH, SO THAT YOU WON'T BE LEFT IN THE DARK ON THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE AWARE OF.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.
UH, SIMILARLY, UM, PLEASE ACCEPT MY CONDOLENCES.
UM, AND I DON'T BLAME YOU, UM, AFTER 11 YEARS, UH, THE AMOUNT OF DISTRUST THAT IS PROBABLY BUILT.
UM, BUT IF YOU ALLOW, UH, ME TO EXTEND, HOPEFULLY WE CAN START OVER.
WE HAVE OFFICER ERIC CARR HERE.
UM, OFFICER ERIC CARR WILL BE ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU DIRECTLY AND TO GET YOU WHATEVER INFORMATION AND ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WILL BE AVAILABLE.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE WHEN I GO TO MEETINGS.
THEY TELL ME THEY'RE GONNA CONTACT ME AND YOU DON'T HEAR NOTHING.
ME AND MY FAMILY GO TO THE MEETINGS WHEN THEY CALL US, THEY PROMISE US THINGS AND IT NEVER HAPPEN.
I MOVED OUTTA THE SUBDIVISION WHERE MY SON WAS KILLED AND BOUGHT A HOME.
BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I DID.
BUT THE REASON WHY I'M HERE IS BECAUSE OF MY OTHER SONS THAT ARE LIVING.
MY DAUGHTER GOES TO HIS GRAVE SITE EVERY OTHER DAY.
THE MORE I TELL HER, THE MORE SHE FEEL LIKE SHE HAVE TO PUT FLOWERS ON HIS GRAVE.
MY SON WAS KILLED OVER A BASKETBALL GAME.
A UNCLE OF THE CHILD HE HAD A FIGHT WITH.
SHOT MY SON IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD.
MS. DOY, OUR, OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES.
BUT I WOULD ASK IF YOU WOULD SPEAK WITH SERGEANT CARR, UH, IF, IF THERE IS SOME INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE.
UM, I KNOW THAT THEY HAD RECENTLY SAID THAT IT WAS, IT WAS A, A COLD CASE.
BUT, UH, SERGEANT CARR CAN DEFINITELY, UM, HELP, HELP WALK YOU THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND OUR CON SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
WOULD YOU SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE? EITHER ONE.
AND I'M HERE, UH, REPRESENTING MYSELF AND THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON UNITED STATES.
AND MOST OF ALL, I WAS, I'M ACCOUNTED FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
NOW I KNOW THEY HAVE WHAT PEOPLE THERE NOW IN PLACE FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
MY JOB IS TO INVESTIGATE THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
EVERY PERSON, PLACE AND THING.
OR I FAILED DOCTRINE, MASTER'S DEGREE AT THE US ARMY MILITARY TERMS ACADEMY, CAMP BULL, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.
TODAY I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UH, HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER.
I HAVE INVENTED FORENSIC SCIENCE.
THIS FORENSIC SCIENCE WILL SOLVE ANY TYPE OF PROBLEM IN THE WORLD.
UH, THIS CRIME PROBLEM THAT YOU SAY YOU'RE HAVING.
I'VE SOLVED, UH, YEARS AGO I WAS WITH THE HPD, THAT WAS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WITH MAYOR LEE P.
WE WENT TO, UH, COURT, NOT COURT.
WE TRIED TO GET TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR THEM TO TAKE MY TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION AND THEY WOULDN'T TAKE IT.
SO I SPENT THAT NUMBER OF YEARS DEVELOPING MYSELF FOR
[01:40:01]
THE US CONGRESS, US SUPREME COURT AND OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED NATIONS AND ALL THE OTHER INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENTS.'CAUSE THEY GOT INTO IT AT CAM BULLIS.
SO I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE THE CHILDREN IN HOUSTON, HOUSTON, TEXAS, HAS A HOT WIRE HOOKUP.
JUST CONGRESS PUT EVERY CITIZEN IN THE UNITED STATES WITH AMERICA ON A HOT WIRE HOOKUP SO THAT WE COULD DO NATIONAL SECURITY.
THE NATIONAL SECURITY, UH, REASON HERE, UH, IS BECAUSE OF COMMUNICATIONS.
SO THIS IS A NEW POLICE COMMUNICATION AND INVENTED.
SO THE INVENTING IS NEW POLICE COMMUNICATIONS, UH, IS DATABASE AND I'M THE PERSON DATABASES.
AND I'M WITH THE US ARMY AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE ACADEMY.
SAM, UH, CAMPBELL BULLIS, WHO OF GENIUSES.
AND MY TEACHERS ARE LIEUTENANT CONTRERAS AND, UH, CHARLES WALLACE.
AND I'M SITTING HERE BY SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, UH, OF WASHINGTON, DC SO I'M HERE TO SEE IF I CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE TO YOU.
I'D LIKE TO TALK TO MRS. AZZ AND HER DISTRICT, AND I'M HERE TO HELP THOSE CHILDREN.
AND I, HOW DO I HOOK? HOOKUP HAS CONTACTED ME SAYING THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER IN THE HOT WIRE HOOKUP.
CONGRESS SAYS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, THEY HAVE TO BE IN THAT HOT WIRE HOOKUP, BUT WE CAN'T ACCOUNT FOR THOSE CHILDREN IN THAT SECURITY.
I'M THE INVENTOR AND DEVELOPER OF THAT DATABASE.
I KNOW THAT DATABASE WILL RUN AND THAT DATABASE IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE ME, UH, LIFE SUPPORT OF THOSE CHILDREN, THAT DATABASE.
AND, UH, PER YOUR REQUEST, WE WILL MAKE THAT HAPPEN REGARDING A CONVERSATION WITH THE TWO OF US.
CERTAINLY IF YOU COULD MEET WITH THE LADY IN THE CORNER OVER THERE.
SHE CAN MAKE SURE THAT SHE GETS YOUR INFORMATION TO MY OFFICE SCHEDULER, UM, UH, COREY GLENN, SO THAT WE CAN, UH, MEET EITHER VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON.
STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS. HE IS NOT.
LINK AND, UH, COMPLETE STREETS AND DEXTER HANDY HAVE, UH, SAID, WELL, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? AND WE CERTAINLY, THE ORDINANCE WAS A LOT OF WORK PUT FORTH ON IT.
AND A LOT OF WORK CAME TO A CULMINATION OF HAVING, UH, THESE PLACES.
NO ORDINANCE IS GOING TO FILL THE WHOLE CITY.
WE DO NEED TO PROCESS FOR DOING ALL OF THIS.
AND WE, BUT WE DO NOT NEED TO GO BACKWARDS AT THIS POINT ON ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
WE'RE NOT GOING, NO, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING BACK.
AND I DON'T WANNA WALK IN THE STREETS, NOT GOING BACK.
I DON'T WANNA WALK IN THE STREETS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY, MY FRIEND.
NEXT SPEAKER, MILLICENT HOLIDAY.
THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
[RECESS]
STAND IN RECESS UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00 AM THANK YOU.WELCOME TO ALL COUNCIL CHAMBER.
I COME TO YOU TO READ THE CAPTIONS OF THE AGENDA.
SEPTEMBER 17TH AND 18TH, 2024.
ITEM NUMBER ONE, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE HOUSTON SPACEPORT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
ITEM TWO, RECOMMENDATION FROM CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $2,981,773 86 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH DL GLOVER, INC.
ITEM THREE APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED SIX MILLION FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY EIGHT THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY THOUSAND SIX MILLION FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY EIGHT THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY DOLLARS FOR PURCHASE OF FIRE APPARATUS EQUIPMENT, PARTS AND SUPPLIES AWARDED TO METRO FIRE APPARATUS SPECIALIST INC.
ITEM FOUR APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $8,216,000
[01:45:02]
FOR PURCHASE OF OEM AUTOMOTIVE PARTS, SUPPLIES AND REPAIR SERVICES AWARDED TO CHASTAIN ENTERPRISES HOUSTON, LLC ITEM FIVE, CHASTAIN ENTERPRISES HOUSTON, LLC DOING BUSINESS AS CHASTAIN FORD FOR PURCHASE OF FORD F TWO 50 AND FORD F THREE 50 TRUCKS.ITEM SIX APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $162,026 21 CENTS FOR PURCHASE OF A BIORAD WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM AND VARIOUS COMPONENTS FROM BIORAD LABORATORIES INC.
ITEM SEVEN APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 100 HUNDRED $13,325 FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF INSTALLATION OF FENCING, GATE LOCK AND THE BOARDING UP OF WINDOWS AND DOORS AS A PREVENTATIVE SECURITY MEASURES AT THE MON MONTICELLO SQUARE APARTMENTS FROM LMC CORPORATION.
FOR PURCHASE OF VIDEO STREAMING SERVICES.
ITEM NINE, DIVERSIFIED FOR PURCHASE OF ONSITE EVALUATION SERVICES.
ITEM 10, PATRICIA TECH SUPPLY AND SERVICE FOR PURCHASE OF METER PEDESTALS.
ITEM 11, CLEAN EARTH ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS INC.
FOR PURCHASE OF HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION, TRANSPORTATION AND DISPOSAL SERVICES.
ITEM 12, WORLDWIDE POWER PRODUCTS LLC FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF TRAILER MOUNTED GENERATORS.
ITEM 13, ORDINANCE ACCEPTING PROPOSAL FROM EVANSTON INSURANCE COMPANY, MARKEL.
ITEM 14, ORDINANCE SUPPLEMENTING CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS MASTER ORDINANCE NUMBER 2004 DASH 2 99 SUPPLEMENTING CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2004 DASH 300.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2008 DASH 2 52.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2010 DASH TWO 15.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2013 DASH 200.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2016 DASH TWO 13.
AND ORDINANCE NUMBER 2019 DASH 3 77 AUTHORIZING SUBSTITUTION OF CREDIT FACILITY, THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF A DIRECT PAY LETTER OF CREDIT BANK, BANK FEE LETTER AND REOFFERING MEMORANDUM FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM.
FIRST LIEN REVENUE REFUNDING BONDS SERIES 2004 B DASH FIVE AND APPROVING REOFFERING MEMORANDUM FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM.
FIRST LIEN REVENUE REFUNDING BONDS SERIES 2004 B DASH TWO SERIES 2004 B DASH THREE SERIES 2004 B DASH FOUR 2004 B DASH SIX SERIES 2012 A SERIES 2012 B AND SERIES 2012 C ITEM 15, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CAREER AND RECOVERY RESOURCES INC.
TO EXTEND TERM OF AGREEMENT FOR CONTINUING ADMINISTRATION, PROVIDING RAPID REHOUSING CASE MANAGEMENT AND HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES.
ITEM 16 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THIS SUBMISSION OF SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO 2024 ANNUAL ACTUAL PLAN TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
ITEM 17, ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING DIRECTOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO APPLY, ACCEPT AND EXPEND GRAND AWARD FROM ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE COMMUNITY CHANGE GRANTS PROGRAM.
ITEM 18 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $310,000 OUT OF FY 25 EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION CONSOLIDATED FUND FOR CITYWIDE PHONE SYSTEM UPGRADE PROJECT ITEM 19.
ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $282,000 FROM CONTRIBUTED CAPITAL PROJECT FUND FOR FIRE STATION ROOM ACCESS CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE PROJECT ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $50,000 OUT OF GENERAL IMPROVEMENT.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND $150,000 OUT OF PARTS.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND $150,000 OUT OF FIRE CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND, $150,000 OUT OF POLICE CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND, $150,000 OUT OF SOLID WASTE CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OUT OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AND $50,000 OUT OF PUBLIC LIBRARY.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING 20 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING AND TASK ORDER CONTRACTS.
ITEM 21 ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2019 DASH 7 22 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT AND APPROVE IT AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO EXTEND CONTRACT TERM FOR CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND OCHIN INC.
ITEM 22, ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND QUEST MARK INFORMATION MANAGEMENT INC.
ITEM 23, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SOLE SOURCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THANKS AGAIN.
LLC DOING BUSINESS AS GLIDE PATH CX ITEM 24, ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION
[01:50:01]
OF ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR AND ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR THE 20, UH, FY 2024 HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESCUE ALLIANCE OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS.OKAY, ITEM 25, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,500,000 OUT OF EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION CONSOLIDATED FUND FOR NEW WORKFORCE SCHEDULING APPLICATION ITEM 26 ORDINANCE RENEWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES OF THE 1000 AND 1000 THROUGH 1100 BLOCKS OF EAST 16TH AND PETTY STREETS BETWEEN STUDIO WOOD, MISHAW AND NORTH MAIN STREETS.
ITEM 27 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 1.856 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS FORT BEND COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER ONE ITEM 28 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 350.75 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER FOUR 18 ITEM 29 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF EIGHT POINT 21 ACRES OF LAND TO PORTAL SPECIAL UTILITY DISTRICT ITEM 30 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 9.459 ACRES OF LAND TO FAY GULLY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT ITEM 31 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 54 INCH WATERLINE ALONG BELTWAY EIGHT D LANE PERIMETER ROAD AND HIGHWAY THREE FROM GRAYSON STREET TO H-C-F-C-D.
CHANNEL NUMBER B 1 0 4 DASH FIVE DASH ZERO PROJECT ITEM 32, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATE IN $2,536,177 92 CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZED AND FIRST AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND AMANI ENGINEERING INC.
ITEM 33 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5,250,000 OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVE AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND STANTEC CONSULTING SERVICES INC.
ITEM 34 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $4,440,000 OUT OF WATER AND SEW SYSTEM.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND ORDINANCE CONTRACT TO GRAVA LLC ITEM 35.
IT'S ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,720,791 56 CENTS OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND AT VALOREM TAX APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND LIQUIDITY ENGINEERING LLC ITEM 36 ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTIONS 40 DASH 5 53 AND 40 DASH FIVE 60 OF THE COURT OF ORDINANCES, HOUSTON, TEXAS RELATING TO THE REQUIRED APPROVAL OF A SIDEWALK PLAN OR PAYMENT OF A FEE IN LIEU THEREOF FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL USE OTHER THAN A SECONDARY UNIT.
THIS CONCLUDES THE READING OF THE CAPTIONS OF THE AGENDA SEPTEMBER 17TH AND 18TH 2024.
AND AS I CLOSE ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I LIKE TO WISH MYSELF A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY.
AND WITH THAT I WISH EVERYONE A VERY BLESSED AND FANTABULOUS DAY.
[RECONVENE]
CAN WE DO NUMBER ONE FIRST? YOU WANNA DO NUMBER[CONSENT AGENDA]
ONE, MR. SECRETARY? NUMBER ONE FIRST PLEASE.ITEM ONE, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING IN INDIVIDUALS TO THE HOUSTON SPACEPORT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENTS TO THE HOUSTON SPACEPORT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
AND, UH, I KNOW MS. FLICKINGER WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING.
UH, ALL, ALL OF OUR APPOINTEES ARE WELCOME TO COME UP FRONT, SO I'LL LET Y'ALL GET BACK TO WORK.
MAYOR, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU.
I WILL TELL YOU, I HAD NEVER MENTIONED IT TO ANYBODY, BUT I HAD THOUGHT FOR SOME TIME THIS WOULD BE A COMMITTEE I WOULD LOVE TO WORK FOR.
AND AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH AND KEEP UP THE FANTASTIC JOB YOU'RE DOING WITH THE CITY.
AND, UH, I KNOW ALL OF OUR APPOINTEES, BUT CERTAINLY YOU FROM, UH, YOUR INVOLVEMENT, UM, MS.
[01:55:01]
FLICKINGER ON THE OPPORTUNITIES AND THE FUNDING SUPPORT OF THE SPACEPORT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.I THINK IT IS A WHOLE NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR HOUSTON AND, UH, SOUTH BELT AREA AND NASA.
AND ANYWAY, YOU GET SO MUCH CREDIT FOR BRINGING IT TO THE WORLD, UH, ATTENTION AND CERTAINLY AUSTIN AND, AND THIS LED SLAVE BODY.
YOU'RE NO STRANGER TO, UH, THE IMPORTANCE OF IT, BUT YEAH, SO WE'RE, YOU GET AN OP YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SOME LEADERSHIP, UH, YOU'VE GOT A TOUGH JOB, BUT I'M, YOU KNOW WHAT, I DO GET CALLS.
SO DURING THESE PEAK TRAVEL TIMES, YOU GETTING PEOPLE IN NOW THE AIRPORT, UH, MOBIL MOBILITY IS STILL A REAL CHALLENGE.
THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT WE DO HAVE, UM, PIECES OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DELIVERING PRIOR TO THE HOLIDAYS.
UM, SO PRIOR TO THANKSGIVING, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO OPEN THE, UH, INBOUND LANE THAT'S CURRENTLY BLOCKED COMING INTO THE, INTO BUSH.
UM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO OPEN THAT PRIOR TO THANKSGIVING.
AND THEN PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO OPEN, UM, THE, THE INTERNATIONAL CURB.
UM, SO THAT CURB THAT RIGHT NOW IS, IS THAT ONE LANE.
UH, BY CHRISTMAS WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET RID OF THAT AND OPEN THE, THE NEW LANES THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE THERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA SEE SOME TREMENDOUS CHANGES THAT ARE GONNA COME PRIOR TO THE HOLIDAYS.
AND THEN JUST AFTER THE HOLIDAYS IN THE FIRST PART OF, UH, FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR, UNITED AIRLINES IS GONNA BE MOVING INTO THE INTERNATIONAL PROCESSOR.
UM, SO THAT WILL GET RID OF THE WHOLE TWO TERMINALS, CHECK IN AT C WE'LL HAVE NOW TERMINAL E WILL BE ABLE TO GO INTO TERMINAL E AND THEN TERMINAL C WILL BE IN ITSELF.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE ON THE HORIZON.
NOW, FOLLOW THROUGH IS IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO WOULD YOU COLLABORATE MORE WITH HPD? BECAUSE I KNOW CHIEF DIAZ IS REALLY MOTIVATED TO GET HIS OFFICERS NOT ONLY PROVIDING SECURITY, BUT DURING PEAK TIME DOING SOME TRAFFIC, UH, CONTROL.
YEAH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE KEY TO WHAT WE DO RIGHT NOW.
UH, THEY'RE THE, THE, WE USE THE, UH, POLICE OFFICERS, HPD AND THEN WE ALSO USE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME CONSTABLES AND SOME FOLKS THAT WE HIRE TO WORK TO THE CURVES AND THE ROADWAY TRAFFIC.
SO THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY A HUNDRED PERCENT FUNDAMENTAL TO WHAT WE DO ON A DAILY BASIS OUT THERE.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION FROM OUR MAYOR PRO TEM EVAN SHABA.
NO, STRIKE COUNCIL, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER.
I CERTAINLY WANNA THANK EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UH, BUT I'M, I'M REALLY, REALLY PARTIAL TO A PERSON THAT'S STANDING THERE.
UH, WE, AT THE TIME I WAS THE BOARD CHAIR, UH, AT THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND OF COURSE SHE WAS THE LONGTIME CHAIR OF THE BOARD AT SAN JACINTO.
BUT SHE IS JUST SUCH A AMAZING PERSON.
UH, THE SOUTH BELT ELLINGTON, UH, WHERE SHE, UH, IS THE EDITOR, UM, CERTAINLY, UH, HAS BEEN A WEALTH OF INFORMATION, NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR THAT AREA OF TOWN.
AND SO I KNOW SHE'S GONNA DO AN AMAZING JOB.
UM, YOU KNOW, SHE JUST HAPPENS TO KNOW SOMEBODY UP HERE, BUT, UM, CERTAINLY HE HAS, UH, BIG FOOTSTEPS TO FILL BECAUSE HIS MOTHER CREATED A LEGACY THAT, UH, IS REALLY, REALLY HARD TO MATCH.
AND SO OF, YOU KNOW, I LOVE HER DEARLY AND I'M SO VERY GLAD THAT SHE HAS TAKEN UP HER TIME TO GIVE THIS, UH, THIS NEW ENDEAVOR A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND, AND THE, UH, AND YOUR WISDOM, WHICH WILL SERVE THIS VERY WELL.
UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE.
IT'S, UH, AN HONOR AND, UH, UH, TAKE, UH, THIS APPOINTED VERY SERIOUSLY.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO, TO WORKING WITH YOU.
UM, THE SPORT THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED TO THE HOUSTON SPACE BOARD FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN CRUCIAL TO WHAT'S GOING ON, UH, TODAY, THIS MORNING.
UH, JUST LAST NIGHT, I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD THE CHANCE TO, UH, SHARE THIS WITH, UH, WITH MY BOSS, JIM.
BUT, UH, LAST NIGHT, UM, INTUITIVE MACHINES, A HOUSTON SPACE FOR BASED COMPANY, A HOUSTON LOCAL COMPANY, RECEIVED ANOTHER CONTRACT, UH, FOR $4.8 BILLION TO WORK ON COMMUNICATIONS AND, AND, UH, NAVIGATION SERVICES.
SO, UH, TODAY THE, THE HOUSTON SPACE BOARD ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT $10 BILLION IN CONTRACT WORK FROM, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.
UH, MS. INGER MARIE, UH, YOU'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD
[02:00:01]
CITY COUNCIL PERSON REPRESENTING YOU, BUT UNDERSTAND, SO I KNOW YOU'RE PROUD OF HIM.I'VE CERTAINLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH HIM AND SOMEBODY YOU DID WELL, YOU DID WELL ELECTING YOU'RE REPRESENTATION.
SOMEBODY ASKED RECENTLY IF I, HE WAS MY, IF I WAS HIS MOTHER, AND ACTUALLY THEY WANTED TO KNOW IF HE WAS MY, I WAS HIS CHILD.
AND, AND I'M GONNA WRITE THAT DOWN IN MY BOOK AND KEEP THAT, THAT'S FINE.
AND HIS WIFE ALSO IS HERE, AND SHE DID A WONDERFUL JOB.
FRED WENT THROUGH A REAL BAD PROBLEM WITH, UH, UH, BEYOND BERET, AND THEY THOUGHT HE'D BE PARALYZED FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
WITH THE HELP OF HIS WIFE AND HIS DETERMINATION, HE TOOK CARE OF THAT IN FOUR MONTHS.
UH, AND WE WE'RE ENJOYING THANK YOU.
HAVING HIM AS A COLLEAGUE AND MS. FLICKER AND SURE.
WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
SHE WAS HERE WHERE SHE WAS HERE.
BACK CORNER, LEFT
WHAT IS THAT JACOB? HERE? WHAT IS YOU AT? NO, COUNSELOR.
JUST WANNA SAY GOOD MORNING, MOM.
UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THREE OF YOU, DIRECTOR.
REMEMBER, ARE YOU STILL IN THE, TAKE THE PICTURE.
KEN RAMIREZ IS STILL IN THE QUEUE.
WE'RE WAITING FOR THEM TO COME BACK.
WE, WE CAN'T HAVE AN OCCASION LIKE THIS WITHOUT PHOTOGRAPHS.
ANYWAY, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THREE OF YOU AND, UH, TO YOU MARIE.
UH, WE CAN SEE NOW WHERE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER GETS IT FROM.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE DOWN THERE IN, IN THE SOUTH, SOUTHEAST PART OF THE CITY.
YOU'VE BEEN A FORCE THERE FOR A LONG TIME AND YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF GOOD, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE YOU'LL BE DOING SOME MORE GOOD ON THE SPACEPORT.
SO THANK YOU ALL AND TO JIM AND ARTURO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE IN AN UNPAID POSITION.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY.
OKAY? OH, AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, I THINK I'M HER COUNCIL MEMBER.
I WAS JUST CHECKING, JUST, JUST CHECKING.
SHE GOT, SHE HAS AN OUTSTANDING COUNCIL MEMBER THAT I KNOW SHE'S PROUD OF.
YOU GOTTA BE FLEXIBLE IN THIS BUSINESS.
THANK YOU MA'AM FOR MAKING THAT REAL CLEAR THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU.
UNDER THE ACCEPT WORD CATEGORY ITEM TWO HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE PURCHASE AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY ITEM EIGHT HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A MOTION ON THE BALANCE? CASTEX TATUM, MOVE.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY.
ITEM 23 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEMS 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 24, 25, 28 AND 34 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 24, 25, 28, AND 34.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? JUST A VOTE.
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
TWO NEEDS A MOTION CAST.[02:05:01]
ITEM 14 IS AN ORDINANCE.COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, AFTER PLEASE.
MARTINEZ, AFTER BOTH AFTER VOTE, PLEASE.
UM, I OF COURSE SUPPORT, UM, NUMBER 15.
AND I JUST REALLY WANNA UNDERSCORE NOT ONLY THEIR SUCCESS AROUND THE RAPID REHOUSING AND CASE MANAGEMENT, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY AS WE, UM, MOVE FORWARD, YOU KNOW, OUR NAVIGATION SERVICES.
BUT I JUST REALLY WANNA UNDERSCORE THEIR CON CONTRIBUTION TO DEBRIS PICKUP DURING POST BARREL.
UM, CRR HAS BEEN AN AMAZING SUPPLEMENT ON THE WEST SIDE AND I'M SURE OTHER DISTRICTS.
AND SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN EXPAND THEIR WORK, UM, BEYOND RAPID REHOUSING TO ALSO INCLUDE, UM, SUPPLEMENTING OUR ILLEGAL DUMPING AND, UM, BLIGHTED, UM, ISSUES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I JUST ECHO, UH, WHAT MY COLLEAGUE JUST MENTIONED.
UM, CAREER RECOVERY HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK.
UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN WE, UH, DISTRICT I AND DISTRICT, UH, B WERE WORKING ON A, UH, MOU WITH THEM TO GET THEM TO DO EVEN MORE WORK WHEN IT CAME TO ABATEMENT.
UH, THE, THE POPULATIONS THEY'RE SERVING IS SECOND CHANCE, UH, THOSE THAT ARE IN SHELTER AS WELL.
AND SO THEY'RE DOING GREAT WORK.
UH, SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, THIS AS WELL.
AND I'LL JUST QUICK PLUG THAT THEY'RE, UH, FUNDRAISING THROUGH A GOLF TOURNAMENT ON OCTOBER THE 17TH.
PLEASE SUPPORT THEM OUTSIDE OF JUST THIS, UH, THIS ITEM AS WELL.
AND I ALSO WANNA ECHO THE SENTIMENT TO MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, CERTAINLY CAREER AND RECOVERY RESOURCES AS ONE OF THE JEWELS AND GENS IN DISTRICT D.
AND THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED A WEALTH OF RESOURCES, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY AND CERTAINLY AS FAR AS WE CAN GO TO SUPPORT THEM, I AM CERTAINLY IN FAVOR.
NEXT ITEM, NEXT ITEM 16 IS AN ORDINANCE.
CAN WE RELEASE FOR DISCUSSION? YES, RELEASE FOR RELEASE FOR DISCUSSION.
COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN, THEN PLEASE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COLLEAGUES FOR RELEASING YOUR TAG MOMENTARILY.
UM, I'M NOT, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WAS TAGGED AND LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TOGETHER WITH YOU.
I DID THOUGH WANNA SAY THAT WITH THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS, UM, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IF IT PLEASES THE CHAIR FOR THESE TYPES OF THINGS TO BE PRESENTED TO THE RESILIENCY COMMITTEE OR ANOTHER PERTINENT COMMITTEE SO WE GET MORE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE THIS SOUNDS SO INNOVATIVE.
SO MY MY ASK IS MOVING FORWARD AND INCLUDING THIS ONE THAT, THAT'S BROUGHT TO COMMITTEE.
UH, BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT MOVING FORWARD.
AND JUST TO RESPOND BACK TO YOUR, THAT'S ONE OF THE, SO THERE ARE MULTIPLE GRANTS.
IT'S, IT IS ONE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER ALSO OTHER ONES.
AND I'M GOING TO ASK, I'M GOING TO ASK THE ADMINISTRATION IF MY COMMITTEE, UM, IN COMBINATION WITH, UM, THE RESILIENCY COMMITTEE CAN GET TOGETHER AND PRESENT THIS BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT COUNCIL NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND NOT ONLY HOW THIS MONEY'S BEING UTILIZED, BUT ALSO THE OTHER TWO GRANTS AS WELL.
SO, BUT NOT, THAT'S HOW THE ASK RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TAGGING IT.
WE'LL HAVE THE CONVERSATION AND UM, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND, AND MAKE A DECISION.
NO, I, I TAGGED COUNCILOR RAMIREZ.
YES, I TAGGED TO GET MORE INFORMATION.
THERE WAS VERY LITTLE INFORMATION PROVIDED BEFOREHAND.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE TAG.
ADAM 17 IS TAGGED BY COUNCILMAN PLUMMER AND RAMIREZ.
AND LET ME JUST, IF I CAN MISS, I KNOW WE ALREADY VOTED.
CAN I MAKE A COMMENT JUST REALLY QUICKLY? OKAY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF GOES BACK TO JUST NOT DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF MWB GOALS WHEN WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE GOALS ARE MET.
UM, THIS PROJECT IS 83% COMPLETED.
UM, THEY WERE AWARDED 11% GOAL.
UM, AND THEN ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
[02:10:01]
UM, DEFINITELY A NO VOTE ON THIS.AND, UM, I THINK IT'S OUR, OUR JOB AND, AND WE NEED TO DO THE DUE DILIGENCE TO ENSURE THAT, UM, THAT WHEN WE ARE REISSUING FUNDS, THAT THESE, THESE COMPANIES ARE DOING THEIR PART AND THEY'RE MAKING THEIR COMMITMENT.
YOU WANNA BE SHOWN VOTING? NO, I'M A NO.
I THINK THAT, UM, MAYOR PRO, WE ARE EXTENDING FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS ON THIS ONE BECAUSE IT'S GOING OUT FOR ANOTHER BID FOR SOME OF THOSE REASONS.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE HAVE THIS ONE ON THE AGENDA IS BECAUSE IT'S, UM, THEY ARE PREPARING TO GO OUT FOR ANOTHER BID ON THIS ONE.
THIS IS A GRANT FOR, UH, TO APPLY FOR A GRANT FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESCUE ALLIANCE, UH, FOR FUNDING.
AND I THINK THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND WHEN WE HAVE THINGS COMING TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, LIKE THE WORLD CUP, UM, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEE ISSUES, UM, RELATING TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
AND SO, UM, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
THIS, UH, ITEM PERTAINS TO IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THE WESTHEIMER CORRIDOR, SPECIFICALLY IN DISTRICT C.
UH, I'M GONNA BE TAGGING THIS ITEM TO MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENTS IN METRO, BUT WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS, UH, TO ENGAGE ON THIS AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR, UH, UPDATES ON THE PROJECT.
MOTION IS, UH, THE ITEM IS TAGGED BY CAYMAN.
[MATTERS HELD]
35 IS AN ORDINANCE.VICE MAYOR, PRO TEPEC, VICE VICE MAYOR.
UM, THIS IS THE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT FOR AN FUND DRIVE FROM TWO 90 TO ACORN STREET THAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK.
I SUPPORT THIS ITEM, BUT JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THE REQUEST FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT KEEPING IT FOUR LANES INSTEAD OF SIX LANES.
UM, MARY, I KNOW IN THE PAST YOU'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH PROJECTS WHERE, YOU KNOW, HALF THE PEOPLE WANT ONE THING, HALF THE PEOPLE WANT ANOTHER THING, I THINK THIS IS AN EASY ONE BECAUSE PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE WANTS FOUR LANES, AND THAT INCLUDES THE BUSINESSES ALONG ANTOINE TWO.
WE'VE TALKED TO THE NEAR NORTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
THEY'VE EXPRESSED THAT THE BUSINESSES WANNA KEEP IT AT FOUR LANES JUST AS MUCH AS THE HOMEOWNERS.
UM, YOU MENTIONED A ACRES HOMES LAST WEEK I DID TALK TO PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE A ACRES HOMES AREA.
THEY SUPPORT FOUR LANES AS WELL.
SO I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT THE DATA AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, DOING WHAT THE DATA SUPPORTS.
UM, BUT WE HAVE TO FACTOR IN THAT THIS ROAD IS IN PEOPLE'S FRONT YARDS.
UM, I SPOKE WITH THE ENGINEERS WHO DESIGNED THIS PROJECT AND THEY DID FACTOR IN, UM, TRAFFIC INTO THEIR DESIGN.
UM, THEY SAID THAT THERE ISN'T A CAPACITY ISSUE ON ANTOINE.
THAT'S NOT WHY THERE'S TRAFFIC.
IT'S REALLY, UM, A, A STACKING ISSUE AT INTERSECTIONS.
AND SO THEY'VE OPTIMIZED THE INTERSECTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CARS ARE MOVING THROUGH, UM, PROPERLY, EVEN WITH ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THAT MIGHT COME TO ANTOINE.
SO I SUPPORT THIS ITEM AND READY TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD WITH THE FOUR LANES.
AND I SECOND, UM, THE COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUE AND AGAIN, WANTED TO RE REITERATE SOME NUMBERS.
UH, WHEN SURVEYS WERE DONE, IN ADDITION TO THE TRAFFIC STUDIES AND THE TRAFFIC STUDY, UH, COST THE CITY APPROXIMATELY $61,000.
UH, OVER 90.8% OF RESIDENTS WANT TO MAINTAIN THE FOUR LANES, UH, WHICH IS, AGAIN, IN, IN OUR DISTRICTS, UNHEARD OF THAT YOU HAVE THAT MUCH, UH, UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR SOMETHING.
UH, MY OTHER CONCERN, MAYOR, THAT I RAISED LAST WEEK RELATING TO THE COST IS WHEN WE WERE SECOND GUESSING THESE STUDIES, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO REVIEW AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE DID THEIR DUE DILIGENCE.
BUT, UH, IT WAS, IT COSTS THE CITY.
EVEN IF WE DO AN ADDITIONAL STUDY IN-HOUSE, IT COSTS THE CITY, UH, SO US NOW REVIEWING AND GOING BACK AND DOING AN ADDITIONAL STUDY, EVEN THOUGH, AND I APPRECIATE THE DEPARTMENT WORKING WITH US TO NOT FARM THAT OUT.
SO IT WILL BE IN-HOUSE WITH A $0, BUT THAT'S STAFF TIME THAT COULD BE FOCUSED ON SOMETHING ELSE.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, IF THE NUMBERS DON'T NOW ALIGN
[02:15:01]
COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS STUDY IN THIS, WE WILL HAVE TO THEN GO BACK OUT AND DO AN ADDITIONAL STUDY THAT WOULD COST US APPROXIMATELY, I BELIEVE, $25,000.UH, I ALSO INQUIRED WITH THE DEPARTMENT AS TO WHAT OTHER PROJECTS AND DISTRICTS SEE SPECIFICALLY HAD BEEN PAUSED TO REDO OR, UH, DO ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC STUDIES THAT WOULD COST THE CITY.
AND I KNOW OF AT LEAST TWO, UH, INCLUDING BOTH ALONG WEST ALABAMA FOR TWO TSS.
UH, BUT WE ALSO HAVE OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE JUST PAUSED.
AND I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE, I'VE ASKED SEVERAL TIMES FOR UPDATES, WEST ALABAMA, MONTROSE, WA, PATTERSON, MANDEL, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT I KNOW OF.
BUT I HAVE YET TO SEE A LIST OF WHAT'S BEEN PAUSED FOR REVIEW AND WHAT THOSE TIMELINES ARE.
AND THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR US AS DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HAVE.
THANK YOU AND I WELCOME YOU YOUR INQUIRIES.
AND I WOULD OFFER PUBLIC WORKS, UH, THE SPECIFIC ANTOINE, UH, PROJECT IN AN EFFORT TO DO IT CORRECTLY.
UNLIKE THE FIRST NUMBERS THAT WERE DONE DURING COVID, UH, IT'S, UH, DOING YOUR DUE DILIGENCE ON MY PART AND ON BEHALF OF THE CITY THAT WE, THAT IT'S BEEN COMPLETED.
AND, UH, THE NUMBERS DO REFLECT THAT FOUR LANES WOULD BE SUFFICIENT.
SO THE DELAYS ARE NOT DELAYS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DELAY.
THEY'RE GOOD GOVERNANCE TO NOT ONLY, UH, LISTEN TO THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THE TRANSIT SYSTEM, UH, IS USED BY MANY.
SO THIS WAS JUST, UH, TO DO IT RIGHT AND TO REVIEW THE NUMBERS, UNLIKE THE FIRST NUMBERS THAT WERE DONE IN COVID.
SO, UH, GOOD, GOOD WORK ON THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S PART, BUT, UM, YOU CAN ALWAYS ACCESS PUBLIC WORKS.
AND MAYOR, I HAVE SUBMITTED THOSE INQUIRIES TO PUBLIC WORKS.
SO BEG PARDON? I, I HAVE SUBMITTED THOSE INQUIRIES TO PUBLIC WORKS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW.
WELL, I, I JUST CHECKED WITH 'EM BEFORE WE GOT TO THIS, THIS MORNING, AND THEY WERE, UH, MAYBE IT'S A MISCOMMUNICATION.
UH, THE INFORMATION I GOT, THEY WERE WAITING TO BRIEF ANYONE ABOUT THE RECENT STUDY.
SO ANYWAY, IT'S WORKING OUT FINE FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR YOUR DISTRICTS.
AND, UH, TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY IS BEING SERVED.
THOSE OPPOSED NAY AYES HAVE IT.
THOMAS TAG ITEM 36, TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER P*****K.
WELL, I WAS, I WAS GETTING YOU SOME HELP
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS TACK, AND I ASSUME THAT GETS THE JOB DONE.
ITEM 36, TACK BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
THIS, THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
[NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
MEMBER RAMIREZ FOR POPOFF.WELL, LET ME START BY, UM, WISHING A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THOMAS, OUR SECRETARY, TROY TODAY.
UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER IS, BUT I HOPE YOU HAVE A BIRTHDAY.
HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT, GREAT BIRTHDAY TODAY.
YOU READY? YOU READY? YES, MA'AM.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, I APPRECIATE I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
UM, SO I DO HAVE SEVERAL HIGHLIGHTS THAT I WANNA BRING, UH, TO THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION AND ALSO TO THIS BODY.
UM, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE'VE HAD TWO FIRES IN DISTRICT F1 IN ALE AND THEN ONE IN CARVER CREST.
AND, UH, ONE LOST HIS LIFE IN ALE, AND THEN THERE WAS A, A FIRE AT AN AUTO, UH, REPAIR SHOP.
AND SO, ALTHOUGH WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS, UH, OF HOUSTON FIRE, UM, I HAVE TO RETURN TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AGAIN BECAUSE MANY OF THE AUTO SHOPS ARE ON.
I CAN'T DO POP OFF WHEN IT'S ALL THIS CONVERSATION GOING ON.
I, I CAN'T DO IT, SO I JUST WANT IT TO ALLOW ME THE COURTESY.
SO IN CARVER CREST, I'VE GONE BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION BEFORE BECAUSE MANY OF THE AUTO DEALERS ARE DEVELOPED ON RESIDENTIAL LAND, NOT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN
[02:20:01]
RELA.AND SO THE ISSUE BECOMES IS THAT WHEN THE NEXT AUTO SHOP CATCHES ON FIRE, IT MAY CATCH A HOME AS WELL, AND WE MAY LOSE, UM, ANOTHER LIFE.
UM, WITH THAT, WE DID A CALL OUT TO THE DISTRICT, UM, ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS IF THEY DO NOT HAVE A SMOKE DETECTOR, UM, TO ALLOW US TO REPLACE THAT.
HOUSTON FIRE, UM, HAS RECEIVED THAT LIST.
SO ANY RESIDENT AND DISTRICT F ALLOW US TO REPLACE THOSE SMOKE DETECTORS AT NO COST.
HOUSTON FIRE WILL, UM, BE IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH YOU IF WE SENT THAT OVER.
UM, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS OCTOBER 1ST IN TEXAS.
UM, WE ARE ACTIVELY SECURING LOCATIONS ON THE WEST SIDE.
UH, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY TOOL, AND SO IN ORDER FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR NEIGHBORS ARE SAFE, WE MUST GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND, AND KNOW OUR NEIGHBORS.
AND SO, UH, I WANNA APPRECIATE, UH, CHIEF DIAZ FOR EXTENDING, UM, EXTENDING HIMSELF TO COME OUT TO THE WEST SIDE, UM, TO VISIT OUR COMMUNITIES, UH, ON NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
IF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS INTERESTED, WHEN WE WANNA REALLY ENCOURAGE YOUR, YOUR HOA YOUR CIVIC CLUB, UM, TO HAVE A NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, IT IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS AND ALLOWS US TO COME AND TALK TO YOU AND OFFER YOU UPDATES.
I WANNA SHOUT OUT MIDWEST HOUSTON AND DISTRICT F, PARTICULARLY THE TANGO WILD CIVIC CLUB.
UH, THIS CIVIC CLUB HAD DISBANDED, UH, DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND THEY ARE BACK AFTER MUCH ENCOURAGEMENT.
I WANNA THANK MORGAN SHELDON, SETH, BRUCE, AND OF COURSE KEVIN, UM, FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND COMING UP ON THE AGENDA SHOULD BE SLATED FOR NEXT WEEK AS A PROHIBITED YARD PARKING ORDINANCE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
UH, THE GENESIS OF THIS COMES, UM, AFTER AN INCIDENT WITH THE HOME, UM, AND UPDATING THEIR DEED RESTRICTIONS AS WE WORK THROUGH DEED RESTRICTION UPDATES, UM, IN DISTRICT F.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU, AND THEN I'LL SEE YOU AT YOUR NEXT CIVIC CLUB MEETING ON TOMORROW.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING WITH YOU AND OFFERING YOU UPDATES PARTICULAR TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I ALSO HAVE GOOD NEWS FOR WEST TIMER CONTEMPORARY GREEN COMMUNITY ON WHOLE SMITH AND WESTHEIMER.
YOU KNOW THAT THEY LIVE NEXT TO A FOOD TRUCK PARK ON WESTHEIMER, AND IT IS ALL, IT IS VERY ACTIVE.
AND SO THANK YOU TO IAN IN PUBLIC WORKS FOR OFFERING SOME MEANINGFUL UPDATES.
WE PLAN ON VISITING THE COMMUNITY DURING NATIONAL NIGHT OUT TO SHOW YOU EXACTLY THE, THE SOLUTIONS TO THE PARKING, THE UPDATES TO THE OPEN DITCH DRAINING, AND SOME OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR PUBLIC WORKS FOR WORKING WITH OUR OFFICE ON THAT.
I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UM, THE DEBRIS IN THE SECOND PICKUP, UH, OF DEBRIS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
ACCORDING TO THE, UH, DASHBOARD SOLID WASTE, THEY HAVE COMPLETED THEIR SECOND PASS.
UM, WHERE WE'RE SEEING ISSUE, UM, AROUND DEBRIS ARE HOMES THAT ARE ABANDONED OR IN UNDER BLIGHT IN SOME TYPE OF WAY.
THEY'RE DANGEROUS AND NO ONE HAS REMOVED THE BLIGHT OR THE TREES FROM THE BACKYARD TO BRING IT TO THE FRONT YARD.
AND IT'S CREATING, UM, ADDITIONAL NUISANCE FOR, UM, ITS NEIGHBORS.
WE'RE WORKING WITH CAREER AND RECOVERY SERVICES, UM, TO ASSIST US WITH THAT.
AND SO, JUST WANNA KEEP YOUR EARS OPEN.
IF YOU DO HAVE THAT INSTANCE HAPPENING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, NOTIFY OUR OFFICE AND WE'LL GET WITH S SOLID WASTE.
THEY'VE BEEN, UM, INCREDIBLY RESPONSIVE TO DISTRICT F MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE CLEARING UP, UM, ON THOSE ROUTES.
SO I WANNA JUST APPRECIATE THAT AND BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
UM, SHOUT OUT TO THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY.
LAST WEEK, UM, HUD UM, AWARDED THE, UM, AGENCY AN ADDITIONAL $500,000, UM, FOR, UH, CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING GRANT FOR NEAR NORTH SIDE.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE CELEBRATED MONTHS AGO WITH THE $50 MILLION CHOICE GRANT FROM CUNY HOMES IN DISTRICT D.
AND SO HOPEFULLY THE $500,000 WILL GO TO A, A LARGER GRANT.
AND LASTLY, I WANT TO ANNOUNCE THE INAUGURAL FAITH AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUMMIT ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12TH.
HOSTED IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT F IN WESTCHASE AT FIRST METHODIST HOUSTON.
UM, I WANT TO THANK OUR, OUR SPONSORS, HAR, UH, THE REALISTS, UH, GHBA AND SO MANY OTHERS FOR WORKING WITH OUR FAITH COMMUNITY THAT HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO, UH, MEET US WITH THEIR MISSION AND LOOK AT CREATING ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVENTORY.
AND SO THE, THE REGISTRATION LINK IS OPEN.
WE ARE EXCITED, WE PLAN ON HAVING A FULL HOUSE.
IF YOU ARE A FAITH LEADER, UH, REGARDLESS OF DENOMINATION OR FAITH PRACTICE, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU IF YOU HAVE A LAND AND YOU'RE INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING YOUR LAND FOR MULTI-FAMILY, SINGLE FAMILY, OR MIXED USE.
UH, PLEASE JOIN US ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12TH.
UM, THE INFORMATION IS ON OUR WEBSITE.
IT'S IN OUR NEWSLETTER, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A FULL HOUSE.
AND THEN AS I CLOSE WITH THE FUN FACT, UH, MOST CHURCHES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON ARE THE LARGEST REAL ESTATE HOLDERS, AND SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, UM, WORK WITH THEM AS WE ADDRESS OUR AFFORDABILITY GOALS IN THE CITY, AND THEN THEY CAN MEET THE MISSION OF THEIR CONGREGATION AND ALSO HOUSTONIANS.
UM, ANY INFORMATION THAT I MENTIONED TODAY, REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 3 0 0 2.
UH, MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM.
[02:25:01]
TO START BY THANKING UNITED AIRLINES, UM, FOR THEIR SPONSORSHIP OF WORLD YOUTH FOUNDATION, WHICH IS ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I, UM, FEEL SO STRONGLY ABOUT.UM, SPECIFICALLY TO DARREN HALL, WHO HAS MADE YEAR AFTER YEAR THE AVAILABILITY OF THE FLIGHTS FOR THOSE STUDENTS IN WORLD YOUTH FOUNDATION PROGRAM TO ATTEND THE CBC, UM, FOR SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS, IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME ON AN AIRPLANE.
IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME IN DC UM, AND THEY SPONSORED, UH, 15 STUDENTS TO GO TO CBC.
SO I DO WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO UNITED AIRLINES FOR CARING ABOUT THE STUDENTS IN OUR GREAT CITY.
UH, THEN I, UM, WANNA REMIND COUNCIL AND EVERYONE IN THE CITY THAT WE ARE TWO YEARS OUT FROM THE FIFA WORLD CUP LAST NIGHT, MAYOR HOUSTON FIRST.
AND, UM, OUR SPORTS AUTHORITY HELD A GREAT EVENT, UM, TO MAKE SURE OUR HOUSTON BUSINESS OWNERS ARE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OVER THIS, THESE NEXT TWO YEARS.
UH, WE ARE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE AND BUY HOUSTON BY HOUSTON, UH, AND IT IS ENCOURAGING OUR BUSINESS OWNERS TO GET ON THE VENDOR LIST.
UH, THERE WILL BE SEVEN MATCHES HAPPENING HERE.
IT IS THE LARGEST SPORTING EVENT IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, THE ECONOMICS THAT WILL PLAY A PART IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON DURING THIS, UM, WORLD CUP IS INCREDIBLE.
UM, WE TALK ABOUT THE SUPER BOWL AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT THE SUPER BOWL HAD ON HOUSTON.
WE WILL HAVE SEVEN OF THOSE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE ARE ESTIMATING A BILLION DOLLARS OF ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, OUR MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESS, IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS OWNER, YOU MUST ENGAGE WITH THE HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY AND PARTICIPATE IN THOSE VENDOR OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THEN ALSO TONIGHT, UM, IS OUR WESTBURY CIVIC CLUB, UH, ANNUAL MEETING AT 7:00 PM AT WESTBURY BAPTIST CHURCH.
I THINK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND I'LL BE AT THAT MEETING TONIGHT.
LOOKING FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH THOSE RESIDENTS.
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AGAIN, IS OCTOBER THE FIRST.
IF YOU ARE A DISTRICT K NEIGHBORHOOD HOSTING AN EVENT, PLEASE EMAIL THAT TO JOE GATSON IN OUR OFFICE SO WE CAN MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND.
UM, AND OF COURSE, DELIVER THEIR CERTIFICATES AND ENGAGE WITH THE CONSTITUENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
MAKE IT A GREAT DAY AND BE KIND TO EACH OTHER.
AND I MIGHT SAY THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING OF, UH, PREPARATIONS FOR THE WORLD CUP, CERTAINLY AS IT REGARDS TO BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, BUT ALSO I WILL ECHO THAT THE, UH, SPORTS AUTHORITY AND ALL RELATED, UH, STAKEHOLDERS, CERTAINLY CITY AND COUNTY, THE, UH, COUNTY SPORTS FACILITY CORPORATION, ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO BE AS READY AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
AND, UH, WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THAT AS WE GO FORWARD.
AS THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT, COURT VICE MAYOR PRO TEMPE.
I WAS GOING TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR HIS STANCE ON THE TAX RATE, UM, HE JUST MENTIONED IN THE NEWS.
I WAS GOING TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR STANCE ON THE TAX RATE TO, I JUST HAD, JUST SIT DOWN.
I HAD A HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER WANT TO TALK TO ME ABOUT A MAJOR PROJECT FOR ALL OF US, BUT I JUST PUT HIM ON HOLD.
WELL, MAYOR, YOU, UM, TALKED IN THE NEWS YESTERDAY ABOUT KEEPING THE TAX RATE LOW FOR HOUSTONIANS AND NOT RAISING THE TAX RATE.
I THINK THAT, UM, WE NEED TO KEEP THE TAX RATE AS LOW AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN OTHER ENTITIES ARE RAISING THE TAX RATES.
AND SO, UM, LOOKING AT WASTE, LOOKING AT THOSE AUDITS THAT WILL BE COMING OUT SOON BEFORE WE MAKE ANY KIND OF DECISION.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT POSITION.
YOU YOU NEED MORE TIME,
IT'S A SERIOUS MATTER THAT ALL OF US WILL BE INVOLVED, UH, MAYOR, UH, MERIT.
UM, FIRST, LET ME, IT IS GOING TO MESS UP ALL MY POP OFF NOW.
SO THE TAX RATE, UH, TO SPEAK ON THAT, UM, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE DOING, BUT ALSO, UM, WORKING HERE FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS, KNOW THAT WE HAVE ISSUES AND WE'VE BEEN, UM, STRUGGLING.
TAX RATE HAS DECREASED THE LAST NINE YEARS.
UH, WITHOUT JUMPING TOO MUCH IN DETAIL, UH, MY HOPE IS THAT EVERYONE AROUND THIS HORSESHOE IS HAVING CONVERSATION
[02:30:01]
WITH STAKEHOLDERS.AND THE STAKEHOLDERS ALSO ARE THOSE RESIDENTS.
AND I'VE BEEN, I'VE SAID THIS LAST WEEK, I'VE, I'M GOING INTO NEIGHBORHOODS.
I WAS AT MANCHESTER, AND I'M HAVING A REAL SERIOUS, HONEST CONVERSATION WITH FOLKS.
AND ONCE THEY HEAR WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND WHERE WE NEED TO GO, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF HESITATION.
UM, I THINK WE ARE AT A IMPORTANT TIME TO REALLY, UM, BE RESPONSIBLE, RIGHT? UH, WITH MAKING SURE THAT, THAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE COMING IN AT THIS MOMENT.
UM, AND WE SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON OTHER TAXING ENTITIES ON, UH, WHAT IS IT THAT WE DO? UH, UNFORTUNATELY, WE, WE, WE DO THAT A LOT OF TIMES AND THESE FOLKS GET AWAY WITH, UM, INCREASING THEIR TAX RATE, BUT THEN THEY DON'T SEE THE, WE DON'T SEE THE SERVICES HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE IT'S HISD OR THE COUNTY OR ANY OTHER ENTITY, RIGHT? UH, BUT THE FOLKS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WANNA SEE SERVICES AND THAT THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
AND SO, UM, MY HOPE IS THAT BEFORE OCTOBER 28TH, UH, WE ARE ABLE TO, UH, SEE AN INCREASE IN THAT TAX RATE.
AND I'LL SAY IT, AND I'VE SAID IT AGAIN, UH, UH, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, UM, IN COMMUNITIES, I'M GONNA CONTINUE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION OVER THE NEXT MONTH.
UM, IT'S NOT ABOVE PEOPLE'S HEADS.
UM, WHEN WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, SERVICES, INCREASED SERVICES IN SOLID WASTE, PARKS, POLICE, UH, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED 10 YEARS AGO.
UM, WE'RE STILL UNDERSTAFFED NOW, AND WHEN YOU HAVE THESE HONEST CONVERSATIONS, FOLKS ARE READY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL.
UM, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT SALLY HAS SOME MORE TO SAY ON THAT, BUT I'M GONNA JUMP INTO MY POP-OFF NOW.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS THAT, UM, WE'RE GETTING READY TO, UH, START THE CMC FUNDRAISING OCTOBER 1ST, AND I'M HAPPY TO BE THE SPONSOR THIS YEAR FOR, UH, CITY COUNCIL.
UM, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING, UH, PLEASE REACH OUT TO KARINA VELA VELASQUEZ, WHO'S WITH THE A-A-A-O-C FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY AT CITY COUNCIL TO CONTRIBUTE, UH, TOWARDS A, UH, NONPROFIT, UH, THAT, THAT IS DOING GOOD WORK.
UH, ALSO, UM, IF YOU ARE AVAILABLE THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND AT 9:00 AM I AM HOSTING A FALL BIKE RIDE AT MASON PARK.
I'M GONNA HAVE MY KIDS OUT THERE, MY WIFE, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE ON BIKES.
UM, AND IT STARTS, UM, EARLY IN THE MORNING.
MASON PARK IS AT 51, UH, UH, 5 41 SOUTH 75TH STREET.
UM, ALSO WANNA WELCOME NALEO, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LATINO ELECTED OFFICIALS.
UH, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, WE'RE HAVING A POLICY INSTITUTE HERE, HERE IN HOUSTON ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
UM, I WANNA THANK HOUSTON FIRST FOR WORKING WITH THEM.
UH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I THINK NAO HAS NOT BEEN IN HOUSTON, AT LEAST FOR 10 YEARS THAT I KNOW OF.
UM, AND SO THE WORK THAT HOUSTON FIRST, UH, HAS DONE, WE'RE GONNA BE WELCOMING OVER 70 ELECTED OFFICIALS, LATINO ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, ACTUALLY EXCITED TO SHOW THEM AROUND HOUSTON, MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE WELCOME FOR LARGER CONVENTIONS AS WELL.
AND THEN LASTLY, I WANNA WELCOME, UH, UH, NEW TEAM MEMBERS IF THEY CAN STAND.
UH, PRISCILLA HERNANDEZ IS OUR NEW COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT MANAGER.
UH, PRISCILLA HAS A DEGREE IN MARKETING FROM UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, AND IS EXCITED TO KEEP DISTRICT GUY CONNECTED AND ENGAGED.
AND WE ALSO HAVE JUAN PAOLO, UH, VEO, UH, CONSTITUENT SERVICE DIRECTOR.
JUAN HAS A DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY FROM TEXAS A AND M.
LOOKS FORWARD TO HELPING OUR, OUR CONSTITUENTS RESOLVE ANY ISSUES THEY MAY HAVE.
JUST QUICK BACKGROUND FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS.
UH, WE'RE ABOUT THREE AND A HALF STAFF, INCLUDING MYSELF, AND SO I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THEM ON AND JOIN THE TEAM AND READY TO GET TO WORK AS WELL.
AND, AND I THINK YOU KNOW WHERE I STAND ON THE, ON THE TAX RATE.
UM, WE, WE SAT, I WENT TO EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY BUDGET WORKSHOP THIS YEAR AS WE REVIEWED THE BUDGET.
THERE WAS NOT FIVE YEARS, THERE WAS NOT, YEAH.
UM, AND THERE'S NOT A DEPARTMENT, UM, THAT COMES IN HERE AND SAYS THAT THEY HAVE ALL THEY NEED, HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE THEY NEED TO CREATE THE, TO, TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
UM, THERE IS, THERE ARE ENDLESS NEEDS, UM, NEEDS IN MY OPINION, THAT WILL FALL WAY BEYOND WHAT WE CAN FIND IN AN AUDIT, ALTHOUGH I APPRECIATE THAT, AND WE NEED TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ROOT OUT ANY CORRUPTION OR, OR, UM, WASTE OR FRAUD OR ABUSE OR DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S MORE LIKE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WE, THAT WE WILL NEED.
SO, UM, I DO FEEL LIKE IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS, AS CITY LEADERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES NEEDED TO THIS, TO THE, TO THE RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON.
AND I KNOW YOU AGREE WITH THAT, AND I RESPECT YOUR OPINION ON THIS, AND I RESPECT YOUR, YOUR, UM, KNOWLEDGE OF THIS AND WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON TO HELP US IN THIS SITUATION.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE UP AGAINST THIS DEADLINE.
I HOPE WE CAN HAVE SOME MORE CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.
AND, UM, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATED,
[02:35:01]
UM, HOUSTON FIRST AND, AND GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP YESTERDAY AT THE STATE OF THE CITY.BUT NEXT YEAR, WE GOTTA CUT THAT THING SHORT.
MANY PEOPLE HAD TO LEAVE AND DIDN'T GET TO HEAR FROM YOU.
THE, THE, THE SPEECHES LEADING UP TO YOURS.
I DON'T KNOW WHO'S LISTENING OUT THERE, BUT LET'S GET STRAIGHT TO THE MAYOR NEXT YEAR,
IT WAS TOO LONG, BUT REALLY ENJOYED HEARING ABOUT, I GOT TO HEAR AT LEAST ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD AND THOUGHT THAT WAS ALL GREAT.
AND, UM, BUT I HOPE NEXT YEAR WE CAN, UM, MAKE THAT MORE OF A, OF A, A, A, SOMETHING THAT WE HEAR FROM YOU.
I, I, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU, MS. CARTER CLARK, COUNCIL MEMBER.
WELL, I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
I WOULD'VE LIKED TO HAVE HEARD THE REST OF YOUR, UH, SPEECH.
I DID LEARN A LOT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY, THOUGH, WHICH IS ALWAYS GOOD.
UM, I DON'T HAVE MUCH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO COMMEND HPD ON GETTING THAT THIRD SUSPECT YESTERDAY EVENING IN THE SHOOTING, UH, THAT INJURED OUR OFFICER SCOTT, UH, DURPHY.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST THINK ABOUT, UH, A MOTHER AND TWO CHILDREN CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRES OF ALL OF THAT AND LISTENING TO THE REVIEW THIS MORNING.
YOU KNOW, I, I AGAIN SAY, WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING OUR OFFICERS WITH WHAT THEY NEED TO KEEP OUR CITIZENS SAFE.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN EVAN CHABA.
AND CERTAINLY, UM, I WOULD'VE LIKED TO STAY TO HAVE HEARD THE MESSAGE AS WELL.
AND PERHAPS IF THEY WOULD'VE CUT THAT, UH, RECEPTION A LITTLE AND STARTED EARLIER, MAYBE AROUND 1130 AS AS OPPOSED TO NOON, WE COULD HAVE MAYBE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO HEAR THE ENTIRE SPEECH.
UH, BUT CERTAINLY I WANNA HIGHLIGHT LAST WEEK, I HAD THE HONOR OF ATTENDING THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS FOUNDATION'S ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON DC.
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK WITH COLLEAGUES FROM ACROSS THE NATION AND EXCHANGE IDEAS TO HELP ADVANCE OUR DISTRICTS AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I WAS VERY PROUD THAT MY OFFICE HOSTED A PANEL, UH, FOCUSED ON THE CRITICAL ISSUE OF FOOD INSECURITY, ESPECIALLY HOW IT AFFECTS HBCUS AND BROADER COMMUNITIES.
HAD A GREAT PANEL DISCUSSION, UH, AT THE CAPITOL, AND I BELIEVE THAT SOME GREAT THINGS ARE GONNA COME OUT OF THAT BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO GET A FOOD DISTRIBUTION, UH, FOOD BANK IN DISTRICT D.
AND CERTAINLY WE NEED THE PARTNERSHIPS OF, UH, OTHERS.
AND I WANNA THANK, UH, HOUSTON URBAN, UH, LEAGUE, UM, JUDSON ROBINSON IN PARTICULAR, WHO ATTENDED THEN WE HAD TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, UM, REGENT, UM, RICHARD JOHNSON, AND ALSO THE OFFICE OF THE 18 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
AND IT MADE THIS SUCCESS, THIS EVENT A GREAT SUCCESS.
I CERTAINLY HAVE TO, TO THANK MY STAFF, PARTICULARLY MY CHIEF OF STAFF, STEVEN JAMES, WHO FACILITATED THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS PANEL DISCUSSION.
AND SO CERTAINLY WE ARE WORKING TO ADDRESS THE DISPARITIES FACED BY STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHO STRUGGLE TO ACCESS NUTRITIOUS FOOD.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS IMPORTANT WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS.
AND ON TOMORROW NIGHT, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 19TH, THERE WILL BE A TDOT PUBLIC MEETING AT THE YOUNG WOMEN'S COLLEGE PREPAR PREPARATORY ACADEMY, FOCUSING ON THE SEGMENT THREE DOWNTOWN PORTION OF I 45, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON PROPOSED DESIGN CHANGES IN SEGMENT THREE.
UH, THIS WILL BE FROM FIVE TO 7:00 PM AGAIN AT THE YOUNG WOMEN'S PREPARATORY, AND THIS WILL INCLUDE SOME IMPORTANT UPDATES.
UH, THE THIRD WARD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE HISTORIC EL DORADO BALLROOM ON TOMORROW EVENING AT SIX, AND AT SIX 30, THE MCGREGOR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE GOOD HOPE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH AT SIX 30.
SO TOMORROW NIGHT WILL BE A VERY BUSY MEETING, INCLUDING MY OWN, UH, ENGAGEMENT WITH THE HOUSTON BRANCH OF THE NAACP, WHICH STARTS AT SIX 30 AS WELL.
SO, FORTUNATELY, THEY'RE ALL IN CLOSE PROXIMITY, AND I MAY BE ABLE TO, UH, DO RUN BYS OF EACH OF THEM, BUT CERTAINLY, UM, YOU KNOW, I DEEPLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT MAYOR, UM, IN, IN, IN ENDEAVORS THAT ARE GOING ON IN DISTRICT D.
AND THAT CONCLUDES, AND YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK.
UM, OUR DISTRICT IS GOING TO BE HOLDING AT LEAST THE FIRST TOWN HALL FOR ME THURSDAY IN KINGWOOD.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE TWO SCHEDULED THE FOLLOWING MONTH, UH, ONE IN CLEAR LAKE, AND THEN ONE, I THINK FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN THE MIDDLE PART OF THE DISTRICT, WHICH KIND OF GETS IGNORED BETWEEN KINGWOOD AND CLEAR LAKE.
SO, UH, I PROMISE THOSE PEOPLE THAT WE'D HAVE ONE THERE BEFORE THE ELECTION AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE ONE.
UM, SINCE EVERYBODY'S KIND OF TALKING ABOUT TAXES, ONE OF THE THINGS I HOPE WE WOULD DO IS TO REMEMBER THAT THE TAXES ARE A MULTIPLICATION PROBLEM.
[02:40:01]
THERE'S TWO FACTORS.WE SEEM TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THE TAX RATE AND VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE APPRAISAL.
I UNDERSTAND WE DON'T CONTROL THE APPRAISAL.
THAT'S NOTHING THAT WE DO YET.
AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK MOST EVERY RESIDENT VIEWS THEIR TAXES AS WHAT IS THE SIZE OF THE CHECK I HAVE TO WRITE OUT.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE CAN DO TO MAYBE MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY IS TO REALLY PROMOTE BUSINESSES AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY SO THAT WE BROADEN THE TAX BASE AND ALLOW US TO KEEP TAXES LOW, YET AT THE SAME TIME, GENERATING MORE REVENUE TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE ALL KNOW NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
UH, WANTED TO START OFF MY REMARKS TODAY, UH, RE RELATING TO THE DEER PARK ENERGY, CHANCE FOR PIPELINE FIRE.
UM, WE THINK THE FIRE'S SLOW GOING OUT, AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS, BUT, UH, MAYOR, AS YOU'LL RECALL, UM, THE CITY AND OTHERS HAD REALLY BEEN PUSHING MULTIPLE, UM, SESSIONS AT THE STATE FOR, UM, TIER TWO REPORTING, UH, ALLOWING RESIDENTS INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN THERE IS A FIRE, WHAT CHEMICALS ARE BURNING OFF, AND HAVING PUBLIC ACCESS TO THAT.
AND THERE'S A WAY TO DO THAT WITHOUT, UM, HINDERING PUBLIC SAFETY OR HOMELAND SECURITY.
BUT I, I BRING THAT UP NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE YET, AGAIN, ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHERE RESIDENTS REALLY NEED TO KNOW AND DESERVE TO KNOW WHAT IS BURNING OFF IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THEM.
AND WITH SESSION AROUND THE CORNER, I HOPE THAT WE'RE LOOKING ABOUT, UH, LOOKING AT THAT REGARDING, UH, SEVERAL PUBLIC MEETINGS.
WE JUST HAD, UH, THE TOURS AND MONTROSE JUST HELD A SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PUBLIC MEETING FOR THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING TO, UH, SECURE FUNDING IN THE VICINITY OF WHARTON, CARNEGIE VANGUARD, AND GREGORY LINCOLN.
UH, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE, I BELIEVE, ANOTHER MEETING ON THAT, BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE REBUILDING OVER 6 MILLION IN SIDEWALKS BETWEEN TURS AND HG.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY WORKED ON, SOMETHING OUR OFFICE WORKED ON, AND THE TOURS WORKED ON ALTOGETHER.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UH, COLLEAGUES, I HOPE EACH OF YOU HAS RECEIVED THE INVITATION, BUT ON OCTOBER 1ST, UM, AT 1130 IN THE LEGACY ROOM, UM, ABDA AND CLEAR CHANNEL WILL BE HAVING THEIR, UH, ANNUAL PRESS CONFERENCE RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
UH, SO ALL OF YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED INVITATIONS, BUT IF NOT, LET OUR OFFICE KNOW.
UH, THIS THURSDAY, TDOT IS HAVING A PUBLIC MEETING RELATING TO N-H-H-I-P REGARDING SEGMENT THREE A.
THAT SEGMENT IS ACTUALLY MORE 59 69, THE SPUR TO 2 88.
SO IT HAS AN IMPACT ON DISTRICT C AND DISTRICT D.
UH, THIS IS AN IN-PERSON OPEN HOUSE AGAIN THIS THURSDAY FROM FIVE TO SEVEN AT THE YOUNG WOMEN'S COLLEGE PREP ACADEMY GYMNASIUM, 1906 CLEBURNE.
UH, VERY IMPORTANT THAT RESIDENTS QUEUE IN.
THERE MAY BE SOME CHANGES COMING THAT RESIDENTS NEED TO BE AWARE OF AND NEED TO BE PROVIDING THEIR FEEDBACK ON.
SO PLEASE ATTEND, UM, AND STAY INFORMED ON THAT.
THE, UH, THE SECOND PHASE, MAYOR, THANK YOU, OF DURHAM SHEPHERD, UH, IS MOVING FORWARD, UH, WITH CONSTRUCTION.
THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME LANE, UH, CHANGES DURING CONSTRUCTION.
THOSE ARE TO START, UM, SEPTEMBER 18TH.
SO FOR RESIDENTS IN THE AREA, PLEASE REMAIN AWARE, UM, OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON ALONG THAT CORRIDOR.
UH, THAT'S IT FOR DISTRICT C TODAY.
HUFFMAN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, THANK YOU.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK, UM, IN DISTRICT G THERE WAS SOME POLICE ACTIVITY AROUND ONE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, JUST AS THE SCHOOL WAS BEING RELEASED, AND, UM, WHICH CAUSED THE STUDENTS TO, UM, BE HELD, UH, IN THE SCHOOL FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO S-B-I-S-D, POLICE, HPD, AND THE OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT MADE IT SAFE FOR EVERYONE, THE SCHOOL, THE PARENTS, THE COMMUNITY, UM, EVERYONE IS WORKING TOGETHER IN THESE KIND OF SITUATIONS, AND IT COULDN'T HAVE GONE BETTER.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR ALL OF THAT.
UM, ALSO, DISTRICT G WILL BE HOSTING OUR CONVERSATION ON CRIME OCTOBER 23RD.
WE ARE GONNA HAVE THE NEW CHIEF OF POLICE OUT THERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
THE COMMAND STAFF, UM, COMMANDERS FROM WEST SIDE, MIDWEST, AND CENTRAL, UM, STATIONS.
SO PLEASE JOIN US ON OCTOBER 23RD.
UM, WE WILL RELEASE MORE INFORMATION SOON, BUT IT'S GONNA BE FROM SIX 30 TO EIGHT 30, UM, OFF OF I 10.
[02:45:01]
COUNCILOR MARTINEZ.UH, BUT SOMETHING JUST, UM, OH, BUT I HADN'T GOTTEN TO HER MARRIAGE EITHER.
WOULD YOU, YOU STARTED WITH, CAN YOU YELL TO HE STARTED, HE STARTED, HE STARTED YOU'RE FINE.
HE SAID, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TROY.
UM, LAST WEEK WE HAD, UH, LITTLE LEAGUE COME OUT FOR MASON PARK LIGHTS.
THEY'RE MOVING ALONG QUICKLY, BUT I'M DEFINITELY NOT HAPPY ON HOW THEY'RE, THE, THE TIMELINE THEY'RE FIXING LIGHTS.
WERE FOLKS AREN'T REALLY DOING ANYTHING.
A HORSESHOE, A TENNIS COURT WHEN THERE'S 200 KIDS THAT ARE PRACTICING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BAYOU.
AND SO YOUR HELP TO HELP SWITCH THAT TIMELINE WOULD BE HELPFUL.
YOU DON'T WANT SAY ANYTHING TIME WITH THAT.