[District E Town Hall: Edgebrook]
[00:00:20]
IT IS SIX 30, SO WE FIGURED WE'D GO AHEAD AND, AND GET STARTED.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO SAY, UH, DURING THE CAMPAIGN A YEAR AGO, UH, YOU KNOW, EVERYWHERE IN THE CITY, YOU TEND TO HEAR A SENTIMENT THAT, UH, YOU'RE NEGLECTED AS FAR AS FROM THE CITIZENS.
AND I ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE MORE TRUE HERE.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS, UH, THE TOWN HALLS THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN MARTIN DID, MY PREDECESSOR.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE COMPLAINT WAS, WELL, YEAH, YOU HAVE THOSE IN KINGWOOD, YOU HAVE 'EM IN CLEAR LAKE.
YOU DON'T EVER HAVE 'EM DOWN HERE.
SO WE ACTUALLY WANTED TO HAVE A TOWN HALL HERE WHERE YOU COULD KIND OF MEET THE FACES OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'VE ALSO GOT STATE REPS, CONSTABLES COUNTY.
SO WE'VE GOT, UH, QUITE A FEW PEOPLE HERE FOR, FOR YOU TO MEET AND TO, UH, SPEAK TO.
UH, WE'VE ALSO GOT A NUMBER OF THE DEPARTMENTS FROM THE CITY.
I THINK MOST OF YOU SAW THE TABLES ALL LINING, UH, THE AREA.
WE'VE GOT, UH, 3 1 1 PARTS, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS SOLID WASTE BARK, HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT TWO CENTER POINT ENERGY, THE GLO, PUBLIC WORKS POLICE DEPARTMENT, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HOUSTON PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
UH, I DON'T BELIEVE SENATOR ALVARADO MADE IT.
UM, STATE REPRESENTATIVE PEREZ IS OUT HERE, SO YOUR STATE REP IS, IS HERE AS WELL.
SO PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
UH, ALSO, UH, MY COUNCIL DISTRICT HAS A TABLE HERE, AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER.
UH, WE SEND IT OUT ONCE A MONTH.
WE DON'T BOMB YOUR EMAIL WITH, UH, EMAILS DAILY OR WEEKLY.
WE TRY AND MAKE IT AS INFORMATIVE AS POSSIBLE SO THAT, UH, YOU CAN FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE AREA, HOPEFULLY GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION TO, TO HELP YOU OUT QUITE A BIT.
UH, WHEN WE, WE GET DONE, WE'LL HAVE A, A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION.
AND, UH, GOT TWO MINUTES EACH FOR EACH PERSON OF OUR QUESTIONS.
UH, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY STAFF, MY CHIEF OF STAFF, DUSTIN HODGES, BACK IN THE CORNER OVER THERE.
WHERE'S DAMARI AT? AH, DAMARI PEREZ.
SHE'S A DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ALSO OUR NORTH SECTOR MANAGER, UH, SLOAN SWEENEY IS BACK THERE IN THE OTHER CORNER.
UH, SLOAN, UH, TAKES CARE OF THE SOUTH SECTOR, WHICH THIS IS A PART OF, UH, JOHN BRANCH WHO DOES COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR US.
AND WE'VE GOT, UH, MOHAMMAD BANNEY, WHO IS AN INTERN AT OUR OFFICE.
SO, UH, AND, UH, IF THIS GOES WELL, IT'LL BE ALL 'CAUSE OF THEM, I PROMISE YOU.
UH, ALSO, UH, RHONDA SATTER FROM THE MAYOR CITIZENS OFFICE IS HERE, AND SHE HELPED ORGANIZE THIS AS WELL.
NOW, UH, ON THE, UH, OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE, THEY'RE HERE TONIGHT.
UH, TILA CARTER IS HERE, ALONG WITH SALLY ALCORN TWILA, ONCE YOU STAND UP, TWA TILA IS AT LARGE.
AND THESE OUT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM, A COMPLAINT, MAKE SURE YOU CALL THEM INSTEAD OF ME.
OKAY? SO, NO, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE HERE AND GLAD THEY'RE HERE TO REPRESENT THE CITY AND, AND SHOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF YOU AS WELL.
UH, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARY ANN PEREZ IS HERE.
I DIDN'T KNOW YOU'D WALKED IN THE DOOR.
I THINK MOST OF YOU HAVE WORKED WITH CONSTABLE GARCIA ON A NUMBER OF ITEMS, AND I JUST REALIZED COUNCILMAN WILLIE DAVIS IS ALSO HERE.
AND SO YOU'VE GOT THREE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLUS YOUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER, MYSELF.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL HERE TO TRY AND MAKE SURE THAT THE AREA, YOU KNOW, FROM FREEWAY MANOR TO OAKBROOK TO MEADOWBROOK, UH, IT GETS TAKEN CARE OF THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
NOW, UH, WITH THAT, UH, WANTED TO, UH, HAVE THE POLICE CHIEF CHIEF DIAZ COME IN HERE AND SPEAK FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, THEY, THE, THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S STAFF WAS KIND ENOUGH TO MOVE ME AHEAD.
[00:05:01]
MY 10-YEAR-OLD SON'S BIRTHDAY, SO, UH, I'LL GO CELEBRATE THAT AS MUCH AS I CAN.BUT, UH, I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL, STATE REPRESENTATIVE, JUDGE, MY DEAR FRIEND JERRY.
I'VE KNOWN JERRY WHEN WE BOTH HAD JET BLACK HAIR
SO, UH, HE'S A GOOD MAN, A GOOD FAMILY MAN, AND I, AND I'M, I'M, I'M VERY PROUD TO CALL HIM MY FRIEND.
UH, BUT, UH, FOR ME, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A VERY, VERY FAST 62 DAYS CHIEF MUNOZ, 63 DAYS, NO DAYS OFF.
SO IT'S, THIS IS NOT A JOB FOR A QUITTER, RIGHT? SO, UH, NO, BUT WE'VE DONE REALLY, REALLY GOOD WORK.
UH, I WANNA RECOGNIZE THE TEAM AT THE BACK THAT'S ACTUALLY DOING THE HARD WORK EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
THIS EDGEBROOK COMMUNITY, THIS WHOLE AREA IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS IN IT.
I KNOW WE'VE RECENTLY SHUT DOWN A BIG BAR HERE WITH SOME, SOME STING OPERATIONS.
THESE BIG BARS THAT ARE THE AFTER HOUR COMPONENT THAT'S CREATING TROUBLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE FOCUSED ON IT, THAT WE'RE, WE, WE ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE JOB THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
YOU'VE HEARD OTHER PEOPLE SAY THAT, BUT WE'RE WORKING THE VERY BEST, UH, THAT WE CAN, THANKS TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE DONATING SOME OF THEIR, THEIR MONIES TOWARDS OVERTIME PROGRAMS AND THEY'RE STAYING INVOLVED.
AND THAT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR A COMMUNITY THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE HERE.
AND YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH US IS, IS CRUCIAL.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T KNOW FROM YOU WHAT YOU NEED, THEN WE, OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE JUST THE NORMAL DAY-TO-DAY CALLS FOR SERVICE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT WHEN YOU GET INVOLVED AND YOU'RE MAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE, SO COME IN HERE AND INTERACT WITH GOVERNMENT, IT'S A FANTASTIC THING.
AND I'M SO APPRECIATIVE OF IT.
UH, JUST, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT, WE'RE AT ABOUT 5,300 EMPLOYEES TODAY, UH, BECAUSE OF COUNCIL'S LEADERSHIP, THE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, OVER 225 CADETS IN THE ACADEMY NOW THAT ARE GONNA COME OUT IN DIFFERENT STAGES.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING STRIDES.
COUNSEL HAS BEEN FANTASTIC WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE FOR ALL THAT THEY DO.
UH, I KNOW HOW MUCH OF A STRUGGLE IT IS FOR FINANCES 'CAUSE YOU GUYS KNOW WE HAVE THE BIGGEST BUDGET, THE PD DOES, BUT ALSO KNOW THAT 90, OVER 92% OF OUR BUDGET GOES TO SALARIES, PENSIONS, HEALTH INSURANCE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THE $1 BILLION IN THE PAPER, I'M NOT GETTING ALL THAT.
SO, JUST TO, JUST, JUST TO BE CLEAR, UH, BUT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS, UH, PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL POLICE SERVICES TO THIS COMMUNITY AND POLICE EQUITY.
SO KNOW THAT EVERY PART OF THIS CITY GETS THESE SAME AMOUNT OF ATTENTION, THE SAME STAFFING.
I PROMISE YOUR FOLKS IN KINGWOOD LAST TIME I WAS THERE, THAT WE WERE GONNA ADD STAFF AND WE'VE, THE MAYOR'S APPROVED.
WE'RE GONNA ADD THREE PEOPLE TO KINGWOOD.
SO WE'RE GONNA DO THE SAME THING WITH CLEAR LAKE, THAT THAT'S IN THE WORK.
SO WE'RE JUST ADDING POLICE STAFFING OUT OF THE NEW PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING INTO OUR RANKS HERE PRETTY SOON.
SO, UH, THAT'S MY TWO MINUTES.
PLEASE, UH, VISIT WITH OUR STAFF.
VERY CAPABLE COMMANDERS, VERY SENIOR COMMANDERS.
UH, I THINK ONE OF OUR COMMANDERS IS GONNA HAVE A VERY NICE POWERPOINT FOR YOU.
SHE'S BEEN WORKING HARD ON IT.
AM I RIGHT? SO YOU'LL GET IT FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK, THE PEOPLE THAT I WORK FOR.
UH, SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU VISIT WITH US, LET US KNOW YOUR NEEDS.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WELCOME.
THANK YOU FOR BEING GREAT HOUSTONIANS, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY BETTER.
NEXT UP, STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARYANNE PEREZ.
I'M STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARYANNE PEREZ.
I REPRESENT HOUSE DISTRICT 1 44, WHICH INCLUDES ALL OF SOUTH HOUSTON AND PARTS OF HOUSTON, PASADENA, AND DEER PARK.
I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER FRED FLICKINGER FOR ORGANIZING THIS TOWN HALL AND BRINGING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND LEADERSHIP IN SERVING DISTRICT E.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING, I WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY INTRODUCE MYSELF AND SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT MY WORK.
I WAS FIRST ELECTED TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN 2012, AND I'M PROUD TO BE SERVING MY FIFTH TERM.
I CURRENTLY SERVE ON TWO KEY COMMITTEES, THE INSURANCE COMMITTEE AND THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
THE INSURANCE COMMITTEE OVERSEES MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE INSURANCE AND THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY, ALL INSURANCE COMPANIES AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, TEXAS HEALTH BENEFITS PURCHASING COOPERATIVE, AND THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC INSURANCE
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COUNSEL.THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE HAS JURISDICTION OVER MATTERS RELATING TO COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES, PUBLIC HIGHWAYS, RAILROADS, AIR TRAFFIC, WATER, TRANSPORTATION, AND THE REGULATION OF METROPOLITAN TRANSIT.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE MEETS EVERY TWO YEARS ON ODD NUMBER OF YEARS FOR 140 DAYS.
SOMETIMES OUTSIDE OF THE REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THE GOVERNOR WILL CALL A SPECIAL SESSION FOR SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS. SPECIAL SESSIONS CANNOT LAST MORE THAN 30 DAYS, BUT THE GOVERNOR CAN CALL AS MANY AS NEEDED.
AFTER THE 88TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDED IN MAY OF 2023, WE RETURNED FOR FOUR SPECIAL SESSIONS.
SO IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE ALREADY GETTING READY TO START THE 89TH LEGISL LEGISLATION IN JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
TIME REALLY DOES FLY WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN.
THE 89TH LEGISLATURE WILL COMPETE ON JANUARY THE 14TH, 2025.
WHILE IT IS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT EVERYTHING THE UPCOMING SESSION WILL BRING, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THERE WILL BE NO SHORTAGE OF IMPORTANT WORK AHEAD.
I PLAN TO CONTINUE FOCUSING ON TWO KEY AREAS.
ONE IS IMPROVING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND STRENGTHENING CONSUMER PROTECTION INITIATIVES, INCLUDING COMBATING FINANCIAL CRIMES.
AND TWO, ESTABLISHING A MORE EFFICIENT INSURANCE APPRAISAL PROCESS.
WITH THE RAPID GROWTH, OUR CITY, REGION, AND STATE ARE EXPERIENCING, IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE MUST BE A PRIORITY TO ENSURE LONG-TERM STABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.
MY DISTRICT INCLUDES PARKS OF THE PORT OF HOUSTON, ONE OF THE BUSIEST COURTS IN THE COUNTRY, AND A VITAL ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR THIS STATE.
BETWEEN THE MAKEUP OF MY DISTRICT AND SERVING ON THE HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, INFRASTRUCTURE REMAINS TOP OF MIND FOR ME.
CONSUMER PROTECTION IS, UH, IS ANOTHER KEY FOCUS.
OVER THE LAST THREE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, I WORKED ON LEGISLATION TO COMBAT FINANCIAL CRIMES IN TEXAS, FROM FILING CARD SKIMMERS OF GAS PUMPS TO ESTABLISHING THE FIRST OF ITS KIND FINANCIAL CRIMES INTELLIGENCE CENTER.
WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS AS A STATE.
NEXT, I PLAN TO TACKLE ISSUES LIKE CHECK FORGERY AT M SKIMMING.
'CAUSE NOW THEY'RE GIVING ATMS AND OTHER FINANCIAL CRIMES, WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN.
ADDITIONALLY, I HOPE TO REVISIT A BILL FROM LAST SESSION RELATING TO ESTABLISHING A STREAMLINED EFFICIENT APPRAISAL PROCESS FOR HOMEOWNERS.
MANY HOMEOWNERS HAVE EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH THE CURRENT SYSTEM, WHICH CAN BE OVERLY COMPLEX, TIME CONSUMING, AND COSTLY.
MY GOAL IS TO CREATE A PROCESS THAT IS MORE TRANSPARENT AND FAIR, ENSURING THAT HOMEOWNERS CAN RESOLVE APPRAISAL DISPUTES MORE EASILY AND WITH FEWER DELAYS.
THIS WILL NOT ONLY PROTECT CONSUMERS, BUT ALSO HELP FOSTER A HOUSING MARKET THAT IS MORE STABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL TEXANS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THIS SESSION UNFOLDS AND CONTINUING TO WORK ON THESE CRITICAL ISSUES.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU NEED, MY OFFICE IS ALWAYS OPEN.
YOU CAN REACH OUT TO MY CAPITAL OFFICE IN AUSTIN, OR MY DISTRICT OFFICE IN PASADENA AT ANY TIME.
LET ME QUICKLY INTRODUCE MY DISTRICT STAFF.
KENYA IS BY DISTRICT DIRECTOR, AND BIANCA IS THE DISTRICT LIAISON.
AND OF COURSE, WE CAN'T FORGET THE UNIVERSITY IN OF HOUSTON.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE OUR COMMUNITY FORWARD.
OKAY, UP NEXT WE WILL HAVE STATE SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO.
HOW ARE Y'ALL? I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKING JIM FOR INCLUDING, UH, THE LEGISLATORS FOR BEING HERE.
BECAUSE THIS, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
WE'RE ALL TRYING TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES BETTER, SAFER, CLEANER, IMPROVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND SO IT WE DO THAT HAND IN HAND.
UH, I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR WAS SCHEDULED TO BE HERE, BUT, UH, WE WILL BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH MAYOR WHITMEYER ADMINISTRATION, WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE.
IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE OUR AT LARGE.
WE'VE GOT OUR CONSTABLES, OUR JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO TACKLE SOME TOUGH ISSUES.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS EASIER WHEN YOU ARE IN A DEFICIT AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO SPEND.
'CAUSE YOU CAN JUST TELL EVERYBODY, NO, NO, NO.
BUT LAST SESSION WE HAD A SURPLUS RECORD BREAKING SURPLUS.
THIS SESSION WE'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER SURPLUS OF A LITTLE OVER $21 BILLION.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REALLY FUND SOME PRIORITIES.
I'M HOPING THAT WE REALLY PUT SOME SIGNIFICANT MONEY IN EDUCATION THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN THE LAST TIME.
YEAH, WE REALLY NEED TO DO THAT.
I KNOW WE HAVE A, A BOND REFERENDUM GOING ON NOW, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY NEEDS IN OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM AND OUR TEACHERS ARE
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LONG OVERDUE FOR A PAY RAISE.I WANNA JUST TALK ABOUT A FEW THINGS THAT I WAS ABLE TO WORK ON LAST SESSION AND WHAT WE'RE DOING ON THIS SESSION.
'CAUSE WE WANNA BUILD SOMETIMES, AS REPRESENTATIVE FETIS KNOWS, YOU DON'T GET YOUR BILLS PASSED THE FIRST SESSION YOU TRY, BUT YOU BUILD ON WHAT YOU WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE, MOVING THE BALL FORWARD AND TRY TO GET SOMETHING PASSED THE NEXT SESSION.
WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY, I TRY TO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH OUR CONSTABLES WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAD A LARGE, UM, CRIME, UH, SECTOR CRIME WITH, UH, THE THEFT OF CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AND WORKING WITH, UH, MEMBERS IN THE HOUSE.
I PASSED WHAT GAVE TEXAS THE TOUGHEST LAW WHEN IT COMES TO COMBATING, UH, CATALYTIC CONVERTERS.
WE INCREASED, UH, PENALTIES STIFF IN THE CRIMES.
WE GAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE GAVE THE PROSECUTORS WHAT THEY NEEDED SO THAT THIEVES WOULD THINK TWICE WHEN THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT GOING UP TO SOMEBODY'S CAR OR TRUCK AND SEALING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.
WE HAD WORKED ON THAT ONE SESSION BEFORE WE BUILT ON IT.
MOVING FORWARD, WE NAMED THE BILL AFTER DEPUTY DARREN ALMONDS.
HE WAS A SHERIFF DEPUTY THAT TRAGICALLY LOST HIS LIFE COMING OUT OF A STORE WITH HIS WIFE, CAUGHT SOME GUYS TRYING TO STEAL HIS CATALYTIC CONVERTER.
THEY SHOT AT EACH OTHER AND HE WAS KILLED.
AND SINCE THEN, I KNOW THAT HPD GAVE A BRIEFING TO THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, AND THEY, THEY DID MENTION OUR BILL.
IT'S NOT THE, THE ONLY REASON I'M NOT GONNA STAND UP HERE AND SAYS, YOU KNOW, WE DID IT ALONE, BUT IT WAS LAW ENFORCEMENT DOING THEIR JOB AND ALSO HAVING THE LEGISLATION TO GIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTORS WHAT THEY NEEDED AND MAKING SOME ASPECTS OF IT, A STATE JAIL FELONY.
SO AS A RESULT, WE'VE SEEN THEFT IN THAT AREA.
BAIL REFORM IS SOMETHING THAT WE STILL, WE JUST CAN'T, HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THAT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
UM, YOU KNOW, EARLIER THIS YEAR, I LEARNED OF A CASE WHERE A SUSPECT WAS FREED FROM HARRIS COUNTY JAIL ON A TOTAL OF 14 BONDS.
AND EACH TIME HE WAS BONDED OUT, HE BECAME A FUGITIVE AND WAS ARRESTED AGAIN FOR AUTO THEFT AND BONDED OUT.
WE HAVE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB IN THAT AREA, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, FLOOD INFRASTRUCTURE.
I KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT TO MANY FOLKS IN THIS AREA.
LOOK, I USED TO REPRESENT PART OF THIS AREA ON CITY COUNCIL.
I'M A GRADUATE OF MILBY HIGH SCHOOL.
AND WE, UH, WE'VE ALL BEEN WORKING ON THE, THE IKE D**E.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS STILL WORK IN PROGRESS.
I KNOW REPRESENTATIVE FETTI, SHE'S BEEN WORKING ON THAT AS WELL.
WE HAVE TO DO A, A BETTER JOB.
AND IT'S REALLY, IT'S, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
UH, AFTER COMING OUT OF THE CHE IN MAY, AND THEN SHORTLY AFTER THAT, WE HAD HURRICANE BERYL.
UH, WE ARE REALLY GONNA CRACK DOWN ON SOME THINGS.
LET ME GIVE, JUST RUN THROUGH A COUPLE OF THESE.
OUR LINEMEN, OUR UTILITY WORKERS, MANY OF THEM WERE HARASSED.
WE ARE FILING A BILL TO PUT THEM IN LINE AS FIRST RESPONDERS.
SO IF YOU ASSAULT OR HARASS ONE OF OUR LINEMEN UTILITY WORKERS, THERE WILL BE CRIMINAL CRIMINAL PENALTIES.
SO WE ARE HAPPY THAT, UM, I KNOW WE'RE GONNA GET SOME BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR THAT.
THE AREA OF SENIOR CITIZENS, IT BREAKS MY HEART THAT SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE ARE TARGETED.
THEY ARE MISTAKENLY TARGETED WHEN IT COMES TO HURRICANES AND DISASTERS.
I HAVE A, THERE WAS A FACILITY IN JACINTO CITY IN OUR DISTRICT, AND I WENT OUT THERE TO HELP GET SOME FOOD TO SENIORS.
AND THEN WE WENT TO THE LEASING OFFICE AND THE MANAGEMENT HAD LEFT.
NOW, THIS IS AN UNREGULATED SENIOR CENTER.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S REGISTERED WITH THE STATE, IT'S NOT AN ASSISTED LIVING, BUT IT'S A MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING UNIT THAT CATERS TO SENIORS.
AND THEY HAD SENIORS WHO WERE WHEELCHAIR BOUND.
THEY WERE HOME BOUND IN THEIR BEDS.
THEY WERE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, AND THE LEASING AGENTS HAD JUST HAD LEFT.
THE MANAGEMENT GONE, AND THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE ABLE TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES REALLY DIDN'T SEEM SURPRISED.
SO WE'RE GONNA CRACK DOWN THAT AND MAKE IT A CRIME IF YOU ABANDON SENIOR CITIZENS DURING A DISASTER.
ANOTHER ISSUE RELATED TO SENIORS IS OUR, UM, NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING CENTERS, MAKING IT MANDATORY THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE BACKUP GENERATORS AND A PLAN IF AN EVACUATION OCCURS.
I SEE OUR CHIEF HERE, I'M SURE HE'S HAD OR WILL HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH THAT.
[00:20:01]
WHEN YOU HAVE FOLKS THAT JUST, THEY CAN'T, THEY CAN'T GET OUT AND THERE'S NO TRUE EVACUATION PLAN FOR THEM.WE ARE ALSO, UM, GONNA BE WORKING ON, UM, SOME WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES.
MY DISTRICT, UH, COVERS A LOT OF THE, THE PORT OF HOUSTON, A LOT OF EAST HARRIS COUNTY, DEER PARK, PASADENA, AND I ALWAYS PASS A BILL EVERY SESSION THAT IS WORKFORCE RELATED, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE SKILLED WORKFORCE, NOT JUST FOR TODAY, TOMORROW, BUT FOR DECADES TO COME.
WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING, CONTINUING TO PROVIDE GRANTS.
LAST SESSION, I PASSED THE LONE STAR FOR THE FUTURE WORKFORCE GRANT PROGRAM, WHERE THERE ARE GRANTS AVAILABLE TO COLLEGES LIKE SAN JACK AND TO HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL TRAINING INSTITUTIONS TO GIVE TO THOSE ENTITIES SO THAT BUSINESSES MOVING TO TEXAS CAN TRAIN THEIR WORKFORCE.
AND WHEN THEY OPEN THEIR DOORS, THEY HAVE A SKILLED WORKFORCE READY TO GO.
WE HAVE TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE WHEN IT COMES TO RECRUITING BUSINESSES TO MOVE TO TEXAS WHEN IT COMES TO KEEPING OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE LOW.
AND IF IT COMES TO JOB GROWTH.
AND I THINK ALL OF THOSE TOOLS WILL HELP US TO DO THAT.
UM, I KNOW OUR TIME IS LIMITED.
I URGE Y'ALL TO COME TO AUSTIN, COME DURING THE SESSION.
UH, NEVER A DULL MOMENT THERE.
IF YOU WANT SOME ENTERTAINMENT,
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH OF OUR, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE HERE AND OUR DIFFERENT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY HERE AND OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
THAT JUST REMINDED ME OF, OF SOMETHING.
UM, THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE AND THE CITY HAS IMPROVED DRASTICALLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DEBATE WHOSE FAULT THAT WAS YEARS AGO, BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT NOW IS THAT THAT RELATIONSHIP HAS IMPROVED.
UH, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON DID NOT RAISE YOUR TAX RATE THIS YEAR.
UH, HARRIS COUNTY RAISED IT, I BELIEVE, EIGHT OR 10%.
UM, THE CITY WAS ABLE TO DO THE SAME THING BECAUSE OF THE DECLARED EMERGENCY.
OUR MAYOR WENT UP TO AUSTIN AND BASICALLY ASKED AUSTIN TO GIVE US THE FUNDS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR SHARE OF THE FEMA FOR THE HURRICANE, WHICH I BELIEVE THAT'S ABOUT $52 MILLION.
UH, SO FEMA'S PAYING FOR, UH, THE, THE OTHER 200 MILLION, THE CITY'S ON THE HOOK FOR THE 52 AND, UH, THE STATE CAME THROUGH AND, UH, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, A YEAR AGO.
UM, SO THE, THE MAYOR DID A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH THAT.
AND JUST, YOU KNOW, I LIKE MY TAXES NOT GOING UP.
I HOPE EVERYBODY ELSE DOES AS WELL.
BUT I DID WANNA MENTION THAT 'CAUSE I, I KIND OF, KIND OF, UH, MISSED THAT.
UM, BEFORE WE HAVE THE COUNCIL MEMBER SPEAK, I'VE GOT A, A PROCLAMATION FOR MR. MICKEY'S FAMILY.
AND NOW I DON'T THINK I NEED TO SAY A LOT ABOUT MR. MICKEY.
Y'ALL ALL PRETTY MUCH KNOW HIM.
UH, HE WAS A VETERAN, WORKED TIRES TIRE TIRELESSLY TO IMPROVE THINGS AT THIS COMMUNITY, UH, AND PASSED AWAY HERE JUST RECENTLY, THREE MONTHS AGO THIS SUNDAY.
SO IN FACT, UH, I WAS AT THE FUNERAL AS WELL OUT AT ST.
IT HAD BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN TO ST.
UH, THAT'S ACTUALLY THE CHURCH I GREW UP IN AS A KID.
BUT, UH, ANYWAY, WE WANTED TO GIVE THIS PROCLAMATION TO HIS SON AND DAUGHTER AND, UH, JUST WANNA READ THE END OF IT.
UM, JAMES WAS PROACTIVE IN ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS OF HIS FELLOW CITIZENS.
FOR INSTANCE, HE REACHED OUT TO HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS REGARDING THE URGENT NEED FOR A BRIDGE REPLACEMENT AND ENGAGED WITH THE CITY ON MATTERS PERTAINING TO SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD BEAUTIFICATION.
JAMES PROCEEDED IN DEATH BY HIS WIFE, VIRGINIA, SURVIVED BY HIS TWO ADOPTED CHILDREN, MELISSA BO AND HER HUSBAND DENNIS AND SON BRADLEY.
MICKEY GRANDDAUGHTERS, BRINA HO, BRENDA BRENA.
BRENA, WHOS WHO, AND HER HUSBAND.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON CAN MENDS AND APPRECIATES HIS COUNTLESS
[00:25:01]
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EDGEBROOK CORRIDOR AND THE BROADER HOUSTON COMMUNITY, EXTENDING ITS HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND LOVED ONES.THEREFORE, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIMS OCTOBER 22ND, 2024 IN MEMORIA.
I MEAN, UH, MR. MICKEY, I, I KNOW HE WAS INVOLVED IN ALMOST EVERYTHING, SO I THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY FITTING THAT WE DO SOMETHING THIS FOR HIM.
AND MAY I ALSO MENTION, MAY I ALSO MENTION MAY MY CHURCH HAD DONE A RELIGIOUS RETREAT, UM, ABOUT FOUR OR SO YEARS AGO.
AND, UM, UH, THIS GUY CAME ON AS A RETREAT AND, AND HIS NAME WAS, UM, UH, JERRY GARCIA.
AFTER I FIRST MET HIM, I IMMEDIATELY TOLD MY DAD ABOUT HIM.
AND I'M, UH, AND YOU KNOW, THE REST, LIKE, LIKE PAUL HARVEY WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE REST OF THE STORY.
COUNCILMAN TWAH CARTER, YOU WANT TO COME IN HERE AND SPEAK? WELL, THANK YOU FRED.
I AM TWILA CARTER, YOUR AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE THREE, AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT E, THE OTHER END OF DISTRICT E, BUT DISTRICT E.
SO CERTAINLY, UH, I AM HERE TO SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, BUT ALSO THE ENTIRE CITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, GREW UP AROUND HOUSTON, SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THIS AREA MANY YEARS AGO.
MY HAIR'S GOTTEN A LITTLE GRAYER, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY CERTAINLY MY, ONE OF MY BIGGEST PRIORITIES IS LAW ENFORCEMENT.
NOT ONLY MAKING SURE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO DO THE JOB THAT THEY DO BEST, WHICH IS PROTECT YOU AND ME.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IN DOING SO, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE AND SEE WHAT ARE THEIR, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THEIR, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THEIR BIGGEST NEEDS? AND CERTAINLY FUNDING IS ALWAYS A NEED.
BUT I, UH, ONE OF MY INITIATIVES THAT I WILL FOCUS ON FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A HUGE, HUGE PASSION FOR ME.
UM, I'M WORKING WITH THE HOUSTON DEPARTMENTS ASSOCIATION, WORKING WITH HARRIS COUNTY, WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, WITH HCC AND WITH LONE STAR COLLEGE TO, TO, UH, PUT OUT AN AWARENESS AND EDUCATION PROGRAM.
AND CERTAINLY IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT, UH, WANTS TO TALK ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HOW WE CAN BRING SOME OF THIS TO THE COMMUNITY, I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT.
LAST YEAR IN 2022 IN HARRIS COUNTY ALONE, OVER 65,000 CALLS WERE MADE.
THAT'S A LARGE PERCENTAGE IN ANY OF OUR POLICE.
OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN TELL YOU THAT'S WHERE THEY SPEND A HUGE CHUNK OF THEIR TIME.
AND SO TO REALLY FOCUS ON AWARENESS AND PREVENTION, UM, IT, IT'S A SOCIETAL EPI EPIDEMIC.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY ONE OF MY KEY PRIORITIES.
BUT ALSO TO MAKING SURE THAT, UH, ANYTHING MY NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS IN DISTRICT E NEED, I'M CERTAINLY HERE FOR.
AND, UH, FRED'S A NEIGHBOR ON THE OTHER END OF TOWN.
UM, BUT, UH, CERTAINLY REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE.
YOU HAVE FIVE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE GOT FRED'S BACK AND CERTAINLY ARE AT YOUR DISPOSABLE AT DISPOSAL.
UP NEXT WILL BE COUNCILMAN WILLIE DAVIS.
I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THESE, UH, MEETINGS COMING TOGETHER.
I CERTAINLY WANT TO LET IT BE KNOWN THAT WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK WHENEVER WE GO INTO THE COMMUNITIES.
UH, FRED HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB AND, UH, IN HIS AREA OF DISTRICT E UH, YOU DO HAVE SIX REPRESENTATIVE BECAUSE YOU HAVE YOUR DISTRICT COUNCIL AND FIVE AT LARGE.
UH, ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS THAT I TALKED ABOUT DURING CAMPAIGN WAS PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, UH, BECAUSE OF MY LONG LIFE, UH, HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I WAS BORN, UH, IN HOUSTON AND I GREW UP ON THE EAST END, KIND OF THIRD WARD.
I'M A GRADUATE FROM STEPHEN F. AUSTIN, UH, THE RIVAL OF SENATOR, YOU KNOW.
BUT NEVERTHELESS, WE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER.
[00:30:01]
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE ARE DOING FROM OUR OFFICE AT, AT LARGE TOO, UM, WORKING WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO, ALL OF THE AT LARGE PEOPLE, SALLY AND, AND, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, UH, TWILA, UH, MYSELF AND JULIAN LIDON, WE ARE REPRESENTING ALL OF THE CITY.SO WE HAVE A LARGE SPECTRUM TO, TO REPRESENT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DECIDED TO DO WAS TO PUT TOGETHER WITH SOMETHING THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, BUT THAT WAS A MINISTRY ADVISORY BOARD IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT OPERATED FOR 20 YEARS.
AND, UH, IT WENT ALL THE WAY FROM KATHY WHITMEYER ALL THE WAY UP TO BILL WHITE.
AFTER THAT, THE ADMINISTRATION DIDN'T WANT IT, IT DIDN'T EXIST, BUT I RESURRECTED IT.
IT WILL BE KICKED OFF NEXT MONTH.
AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MULTICULTURE, MULTI-DENOMINATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD.
WHY? BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EMERGENCY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT BETTER WAY TO DO IT THAN THROUGH OUR CHURCHES AND THROUGH OUR PASTORS.
THEY ALL OVER, THEY'RE IN EVERY COMMUNITY.
SO IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR OUR FIRE CHIEF, FOR OUR HOMELAND SECURITY DIRECTOR, AS WELL AS OUR POLICE CHIEF AND THE MAYOR FOR ALL OF US TO HAVE PLACE OF DISTRIBUTION, COOLING CENTERS AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, WHICH WE RAN INTO, UH, IN THIS LAST STORM.
BUT HOPEFULLY WHEN THE ADVISORY BOARD KICK OFF, WE ARE GONNA KICK OFF.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE SCHEDULED TO HAVE OVER 200 PASTORS IN ONE ROOM, AND WE ARE GONNA DO THIS ALL ACROSS THE CITY.
AND WE WANNA REACH OUT TO EVERY PASTOR IN EVERY DISTRICT TO HELP THEM TO KNOW THAT WE ARE THERE TO SUPPORT YOU.
SO PLEASE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FRED, FOR ALLOWING THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BY AND JUST SAY HELLO.
NEXT UP IS COUNCILWOMAN ALCORN.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER.
IT'S GREAT TO BE OUT HERE IN THIS AREA.
I'VE BEEN TO THE FREEWAY MANOR CIVIC CLUB MANY TIMES, SO IT'S GREAT TO, I MISS MR. MICKEY SO MUCH.
HE WAS JUST SUCH A GREAT, GREAT HUMAN BEING FOR THIS AREA.
I CHAIR THE CITY'S BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, AND SO I SPEND A LOT OF TIME WORRYING ABOUT MONEY AT THE CITY.
UH, SENATOR ALVARADO TALKS ABOUT HER $21 BILLION SURPLUS
THE STATE'S $21 BILLION SURPLUS.
YOUR SURPLUS, AND THE CITY'S LOOKING AT A $230 MILLION DEFICIT THIS JULY.
SO LET ME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
OUR, OUR OVERALL BUDGET IS $6.7 BILLION.
THE TAX SUPPORTED PART OF THE BUDGET IS ABOUT $3.3 BILLION.
THAT'S YOUR PROPERTY AND SALES TAXES.
AND LET ME JUST GIVE YOU AN, THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY FOCUS ON BECAUSE LIKE PUBLIC WORKS IS PAID FOR WITH THE WATER BILLS AND WITH THE DRAINAGE FEE THE AIRPORTS ARE PAID FOR WITH THE PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGE, YOU PAY WHEN YOU GET A TICKET.
SO THEY KIND OF SUPPORT THEMSELVES.
THE GENERAL FUNDS, WHAT YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK OF THE CITY BUDGET POLICE, A BILLION DOLLARS FIRE, 636 MILLION TRASH, 99 MILLION PARKS, 89 MILLION LIBRARIES, 52 MILLION.
NOW THANKFULLY, WE HAVE A PRETTY HEALTHY RESERVE BECAUSE OF THE MONEY WE RECEIVED DURING, UM, THE, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC.
WE HAVE A PRETTY HEALTHY RESERVE.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE SPENDING MORE THAN WE'RE BRINGING IN, WE'RE ABLE TO RELY ON OUR RESERVES.
THE DICHO, LIKE THE, LIKE THE COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, WOULD COST THE CITY.
WE ESTIMATE $211 MILLION, UH, 40 OF THAT WILL HAVE TO COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
THANKFULLY, THE STATE CAME THROUGH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, STATE REPRESENTATIVES WITH THAT MONEY.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ONGOING DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CITY FINANCES BECAUSE, UH, CHIEF MUNOZ WILL TELL YOU THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS SHORT, 600 FIREFIGHTERS.
UM, CHIEF DIAZ WILL TELL US WE ARE SHORT 1500 TO 2000 POLICE OFFICERS.
WE HAVE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OF CITY FACILITIES OF $500 MILLION SOLID WASTE.
WE'VE GOT WORKERS OUT THERE WORKING 16, 18 HOURS A DAY.
PARKS HAVE AN IMMEDIATE, IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF $72 MILLION OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
I'M JUST TELL, I'M JUST TA UM, I'M JUST TELLING YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CITY'S FINANCIAL PIC PICTURE.
WE HOPE TO BE GETTING MORE AND MORE AND
[00:35:01]
MORE FROM THE STATE AND THE FEDS AND THE COUNTY.YOU PAY COUNTY TAXES, THEIR TAXES ARE GOING UP.
WE WANT THAT COUNTY TAX MONEY SPENT WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, RIGHT NOW, SOME ONGOING EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THIS.
THE MAYOR HAS GOT, UM, ERNST AND YOUNG COMING IN TO KIND OF SCRUB EVERY DEPARTMENT, LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT, SEE WHERE HE CAN FIND WASTE AND OVERLAPPING SERVICES AND DUPLICATIVE SERVICES, ANYTHING HE CAN FIND, ANY ABUSE.
HE'S LOOKING AT THE TAX INCREMENT ZONES MONEY THERE.
HE'S LOOKING AT, UM, BASICALLY EVERY TURNING OVER UNDER, LOOKING UNDER EVERY ROCK FOR MONEY.
BUT JUST WANNA, I'M, I TRY TO GO AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND TOWN, JUST GIVING YOU A REALISTIC PICTURE OF THE CITY FINANCES.
SO, SO EVERYBODY'S WELL EDUCATED ON WHERE WE STAND.
UM, BUT, AND I DO A BUDGET SURVEY EVERY YEAR, SO I'LL, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT MEMBER FLICKINGER PUTS THAT IN HIS NEWSLETTER.
YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER.
UM, WE WANNA KNOW WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE.
THEY'RE USUALLY INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND, AND TRASH.
THAT'S USUALLY HOW IT COMES OUT THIS YEAR.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU LIKE A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND YOU'RE GONNA SPLIT IT UP INTO ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, SO LOVE TO HEAR MORE FROM YOU ABOUT WHAT YOUR BUDGET PRIORITIES ARE.
AND I ALWAYS SAY, WHEN YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM WITH THE CITY, DON'T JUST, DON'T JUST EMAIL OR CALL YOUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS.
'CAUSE IF WE GOT SIX PEOPLE YELLING AT A DEPARTMENT, CHANCES ARE THINGS ARE GONNA GET DONE A LITTLE FASTER.
COUNCILMAN ALCORN KIND OF REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING ELSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT AN ELECTION THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT FOOD FIGHT NATIONALLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, OUR POLITICS HERE LOCALLY, AND I THINK MOST OF Y'ALL ARE AWARE I'M RIGHT A CENTER, UH, COUNCILMAN ALCORN'S LEFT A CENTER.
YET WHEN WE LOOK AT A PROBLEM THAT WE'RE SPENDING MONEY WE SHOULDN'T BE SPENDING, THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING BETTER.
WE, WE ARE HAPPY WE WORK TOGETHER.
SO I, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF NICE TO KNOW GIVEN THE, THE, YOU KNOW, ACRIMONY THAT GOES ON NATIONALLY, THAT AT LEAST YOUR LOCAL PEOPLE CAN, CAN WORK TOGETHER ON PROBLEMS AND, AND GET 'EM FIXED.
WANTED TO INVITE CONSTABLE GARCIA.
IT'S ALWAYS SO GOOD COMING OVER HERE.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, AND OF COURSE ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND I WAS, AS I WAS SITTING THERE AND I'M LISTENING.
UH, I'M A BABY IN POLITICS COMPARED TO THE, THE OTHER ELECTEDS.
BUT, UH, WHAT I SEE NOW IN THE FEW, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TWO MONTHS THAT, THAT, THAT THEY'VE BEEN AROUND, UH, I SEE SOME POSITIVE CHANGES COME AND I SEE SOME REALLY GOOD PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITIES, WHO ARE HERE DOING THINGS FOR THE RIGHT REASON.
OF COURSE, WE'VE GOT LEADERS LIKE MARIANNE PEREZ, CARDO, UH, WHO'VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE, BUT IT'S GOOD TO SEE THE NEW BLOOD COMING IN.
THE GUYS AND GALS ARE AMAZING.
UH, SALLY ALCORN, I SEE HER EVERYWHERE, ALL ACROSS MY PRECINCT.
UH, JUDGE DELGADO, OF COURSE, SHE'S, SHE'S, UH, SHE'S MY JP.
AND, UH, AND I'M, I'M PROUD TO CLAIM HER 'CAUSE I THINK WE HAVE THE BEST JP IN, IN THE COUNTY.
AND I'M NOT JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE SHE'S HERE, SHE'S BEEN AROUND, SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING.
BUT, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL.
UH, LOOK AT ALL THESE POWERFUL PEOPLE YOU HAVE HERE.
AND, UH, THE REASON THEY'RE HERE IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND YOU'VE DEMANDED MORE.
I KNOW BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE, LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN HERE FOUR YEARS AND YOU ALL KNOW I COME TO ALMOST EVERY SINGLE, UH, MEETING, AND I'VE SEEN IT GROW IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT THE MORE YOU COME TOGETHER, THESE POWERFUL PEOPLE ARE GONNA COMING AND THEY LISTEN.
AND, AND I WANT YOU TO SEE THAT THERE ARE HERE.
AND BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UH, I'VE HEARD THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, UM, HOW PEOPLE DON'T LISTEN.
WELL, WE'VE GOT A GROUP OF PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT.
AND, UM, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, THAT WE DO PAY ATTENTION.
UH, WE HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM AT HPD.
LIKE HE SAID EARLIER, I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR 26 YEARS.
FIRST, GREAT POLICE OFFICER, VERY COMMUNITY ORIENTED.
AND, AND, UH, HPD LIKE YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ME SAY IN THE PAST.
THEY HAVE NEVER SAID IT, BUT I'VE ALWAYS TOLD YOU THEY'RE OVERWORKED AND THEY'RE UNDERSTAFFED, BUT WE'RE CHANGING THAT.
WE'VE GOT A GREAT NEW MAYOR, UH, CHIEF DIAZ IS WORKING ON THAT.
WHAT I WANNA OFFER YOU AND LIKE I HAVE OFFERED YOU IN THE PAST IS YOU
[00:40:01]
HAVE TWO POLICE DEPARTMENTS.YOU GOT HPD, UH, MOST PEOPLE CALL THEM, BUT AS SOON AS YOU HANG UP, GIVE US A CALL.
WE'RE ALWAYS DOING THINGS TOGETHER.
WE'VE HAD GREAT RESULTS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, AS YOU ALL KNOW, BY WORKING TOGETHER.
SO REMEMBER, YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS.
CALL HPD AS SOON AS YOU HANG UP, GIVE US A CALL.
AND, UH, AND I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU AND THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE CREDIT TO CONSTABLE GARCIA AS WELL.
UH, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT I WAS INVOLVED WITH OUT HERE AFTER GETTING ELECTED WAS THE, UH, SQUATTER HOME ON HIND STREET.
UM, WE TOOK A TOUR ON A BUS THAT WAS ACTUALLY FROM THIS CHURCH, AND WE GOT TO THAT STREET AND THERE WAS TWO POLICE CARS THAT WERE ALREADY AT THAT HOUSE.
AND AS SOON AS THEY OPENED UP THE DOOR ON THE BUS, THIS STENCH FROM THAT HOUSE JUST FILLED THE BUS.
BUT CONSTABLE GARCIA WAS ABSOLUTELY INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THAT PROBLEM RESOLVED.
SO WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN GET THIS STUFF DONE.
UH, NEXT WE'VE GOT UP CENTER POINT, BRAD, AND, UH, I WOULD TRY AND PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME, BRAD, BUT I'M NOT GONNA DO THAT.
HELLO, I'M BRAD TN WITH CENTERPOINT ENERGY HERE TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE DOING POST BARREL.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE WE HAVE SOME OF OUR FOLKS IN THE BACK THERE, IF YOU GUYS HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
ROBERT AND TIM, THERE ARE LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES HERE FOR THIS AREA.
THEY JUST WORK DOWN THE STREET ON, UH, SHAVER ROAD, AND THEY CAN HELP WITH ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE AS WELL.
BUT I THINK WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT IS FOR EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT WE'RE DOING A LOT OF THINGS AT CENTER POINT ENERGY TO HELP RE-EARN YOUR TRUST.
AND WITH THAT, WE ARE DETERMINED FROM ALL THE LESSONS THAT WE LEARNED FROM HURRICANE BARREL TO BUILD THE MOST RESILIENT COASTAL GRID IN THE COUNTRY.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE, WE'VE BROUGHT UP IN PHASES, AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SLIDE, BUT, UH, WE STARTED WITH THE GREATER HOUSTON RESILIENCY INITIATIVE, AND THAT WAS THE FIRST PHASE THAT WAS IMMEDIATELY AFTER POST BARREL.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE RECOGNIZED WITH ALL THE WORK THAT WE HAD WHEN WE HAD A STORM IN JULY, WE'RE STILL ABOUT TO HIT PEAK HURRICANE SEASON.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS AND RESERVATIONS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AHEAD OF US WHEN WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET THROUGH THIS SEASON.
SO WE MADE A LOT OF COMMITMENTS TO THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA DO, UH, STARTING IN JULY, END OF AUGUST, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD GET OUR SYSTEM RESILIENT AND PREPARED THROUGH THE REST OF THE SEASON.
AND THEN AFTER THAT IS A SECOND PHASE.
SO TO KIND OF HELP, UM, PUT THAT INTO PERSPECTIVE, I WAS GONNA TOUCH BASE ON THE FIRST PHASE.
AND THIS WAS WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT DOING AT THE, UH, IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO HURRICANE BARREL AT THE END OF AUGUST.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE, UH, OBSERVED AFTER BARREL WAS A LOT OF VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ISSUES.
AT TIMES, I WOULD REFER TO IT AS A CATEGORY TREE.
IT WAS A, IT WAS A PRODUCT OF, FROM AT LEAST WHAT WE SAW, REALLY, REALLY COLD WINTERS THAT HAD DAMAGED TREES.
AND THEN AFTER THAT WE HAD DROUGHTS.
AND THEN PRIOR TO THE STORM, WE HAD A LOT OF RAIN THAT SATURATED THE SOIL.
AND SO THAT AFFECTED A LOT OF THE TREES, UH, COMPLETELY UPROOTING THEM FROM THE GROUND, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR EASEMENT, JUST WRECKING HAVOC ON OUR FACILITIES.
AND SO WE KNOW, AND WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH CITY COUNCIL ABOUT MAKING SURE WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
SO WE COMMITTED TO GET, UH, 2000 MILES OF TREES TRIMMED BY THE END OF AUGUST.
WE ACTUALLY GOT 2026 TO HELP ON THE RESTORATION EFFORT.
WE WANT TO DO A LOT TO MODERNIZE OUR GRID.
THAT'S WHERE WE WANTED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL, UH, 300 AUTOMATED DEVICES INSTALLED TO HELP WITH THE RESTORATION PROCESS TO HELP EXPEDITE TO GET OUR CUSTOMERS UP.
BECAUSE PART OF BEING RESILIENT IS UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN YOU HAVE AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS, IT'S LIKE DRIVING IN A CAR AT 70 MILES AN HOUR, YOU GET INTO AN ACCIDENT, YOUR CAR'S GONNA GET DAMAGED, THEN THE QUESTION IS HOW LONG IS IT GONNA BE IN A SHOP TO GET REPAIRED SO YOU CAN GET BACK UP ON THE ROAD? AND HOW CAN YOU MINIMIZE THAT DAMAGE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE? HOW CAN YOU TAKE THAT PUNCH AND THEN GET BACK UP? AND SO THAT'S THE AUTOMATION PIECE WILL HELP ON THAT RESTORATION EFFORT.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD STARTED IN 2021 USING MORE MANUFACTURED POLES THAT ARE A LOT MORE RESILIENT.
[00:45:01]
MORE DEGREE OF, UH, WIND VARI, UH, VARIABILITY WHEN THEY CAN MOVE.AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY, THE, THE STRENGTH IS RATED FOR HIGHER WINDS.
AND SO WE MADE SURE THAT WE GOT AT LEAST A THOUSAND OF THOSE INSTALLED BY THE END OF AUGUST.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HEARD FROM EVERYONE.
SO WE HAD A COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM, THAT'S WHERE WE HAD 19 OPEN HOUSES THROUGHOUT THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
UH, 600, UH, PLUS RESIDENTS PARTICIPATED, GAVE US FEEDBACK.
UH, I EXPRESSED A LOT OF THE CONCERNS AND THE ISSUES AND THE THINGS THAT THEY OBSERVED DURING BARREL.
AND I CAN TELL YOU I PARTICIPATED IN A LOT OF THOSE.
AND SOME OF THE APPRECIATION THAT I HAVE IS LEARNING THAT THE COMMUNICATION PIECE IS NOT JUST IMPORTANT FROM WHAT WE FAILED AS FAR AS OUR EFFORTS WITH HURRICANE BERYL, BUT THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT CAN HELP US AS WELL.
AND SO I HAD A MUCH GREATER, STRONGER APPRECIATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS AND HOW WE CAN HELP THEM WITH THE COMMUNICATION TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT, NOT ONLY JUST ABOUT THE RESTORATION EFFORT, BUT BUT ALSO ABOUT HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS, OTHER INFORMATION THEY HAVE ABOUT THE REPAIRS THAT NEED TO BE DONE OR CAN BE DONE.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY THERE TO HELP US.
AND WHAT I SAW AND LEARNED WAS THAT THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL COME TO US ASKING FOR HELP AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL 'EM.
AND IF I JUST HAD THE INFORMATION, WE COULD ACTUALLY HELP THIS GREAT COMMUNITY BE MORE RESILIENT.
SO, UM, THAT WAS ALSO VERY, UH, HELPFUL.
UM, IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THAT FEEDBACK, WE GOT A LOT OF, UH, IDEAS AND, UH, UH, I GUESS FEEDBACK ON OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, IMPROVED RELIABILITY, HOW TO MAKE A MORE RESILIENT GRID, ACCURATE AND TIMELY COMMUNICATIONS AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT.
SO PART OF THAT PHASE ONE, WE HAD, UH, 42 COMMITMENTS FOR THE GOVERNOR THAT WE WERE GONNA HELP ADDRESS.
UM, OUR HURRICANE BARREL RESPONSE BY THE END OF AUGUST, WE GOT 40 OF THOSE IN.
UH, ONE OF THOSE IS, WHICH IS THAT WE HAVE, UH, AUTOMATED GRID, UH, DEVICES THAT WE'RE GONNA STALL BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
SO WE WEREN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE, I BELIEVE IT WAS 350 COMPLETELY FULLY AUTOMATED GRIDS UP AND RUNNING BY THE END OF AUGUST.
BUT WE COULD DO THAT BY DECEMBER 31ST.
THE OTHER ONE IS, IS WE WANT TO GO OUT AND WE'RE SEEKING TO HAVE A EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, OFFICER COME TO CENTER POINT ENERGY.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING SOMEBODY EXTERNALLY THAT HAS YEARS AND YEARS OF THAT TYPE OF EXPERIENCE TO HELP BRING BOARD, BRING ON BOARD SOME OF THAT OUTSIDE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE HERE.
BUT THE BULK OF THOSE THINGS ARE REALLY BROKEN DOWN INTO THREE CATEGORIES.
I WOULD SAY THE STRENGTHENING THE RESILIENCY OF OUR GRID, IMPROVING THE COMMUNICATIONS, AND STRENGTHENING THE PARTNERSHIPS.
AND OBVIOUSLY I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH THE FAILURE THAT WE HAD ON THE PART OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
WE RELIED TOO MUCH ON OUR OUTAGE TRACKER THAT WENT DOWN DURING THE DERECHO.
WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET IT REPAIRED.
WE FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS NOT SALVAGEABLE.
SO WE ACTUALLY WENT OUT AND GOT A THIRD PARTY TO START, UH, WORKING AND, AND DEPLOYING A BRAND NEW OUTAGE TRACKER TO HAVE IT READY BY THE 1ST OF AUGUST.
IT'S UNFORTUNATELY THAT THE HURRICANE CAME IN JULY.
SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE WERE NOT PREPARED.
AND WE ARE REGRETFULLY APOLOGETIC FOR THAT.
I AM SORRY THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT AVAILABLE.
AND THE RESULTS OF THAT AND THE COMMUNICATION AND THE CONFIDENCE THAT WE LOST TO OUR CUSTOMERS BECAUSE OF THAT, IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING TO TRY TO REBUILD.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE DO HAVE AN OUTAGE TRACKER.
IT'S BEEN WORKING VERY SUCCESSFULLY.
THE REASON WHY THE ORIGINAL ONE WENT DOWN IS BECAUSE IT WAS ACTUALLY A SERVER BASED TYPE PLATFORM.
SO BASICALLY IT WAS THE COMPUTERS THAT WE HAD IN-HOUSE.
AND WHEN YOU SAW THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC DURING THE DO DIRECT SHOW OF A NATIONAL TYPE OF EVENT LIKE THAT, IT DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY.
I THINK IT EXCEEDED, UH, 10 TIMES THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE HITTING THAT THING THAT WE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED BEFORE.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, COMPANIES, MEDIA, NATIONAL MEDIA, PUTTING BOTS AND DATA SCRAPERS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT BASICALLY START TYING IT UP AND CAUSE THAT SYSTEM TO CRASH.
SO NOW WE HAVE A CLOUD-BASED PLATFORM.
IT HAS THE VOLATILITY WHERE IT CAN GO UP AND DOWN AND MEET THAT DEMAND.
SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF.
THE OTHER THING IS THE STRENGTHENING OF THE PARTNERSHIPS.
WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE 19 MEETINGS THAT WE HAD.
WE ALSO, UM, MET WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND WE ALSO RECOGNIZED AND HEARD THAT THERE WAS A
[00:50:01]
NEED FOR BACKUP GENERATION AT UH, UH, AFTER, UH, DURING THE, UH, THE STORM.AND SO WE COMMITTED TO DONATING 21 GENERATORS ACROSS THE, UH, GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
WE WORKED WITH THE, UH, OFFICES OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TO IDENTIFY THE AREAS WHERE THEY THINK THE GREATEST NEEDS ARE.
AND SO WE HAVE, UH, ORDERED 21 GENERATORS THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO PUT THROUGHOUT THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
SO OUR PHASE TWO, NOW THAT THAT PART IS COMPLETED, THE MESSAGE THAT WE SHARED IS THAT YES, WE WERE DOING A LOT OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT TO HELP GET US THROUGH THE REST OF THE HURRICANE SEASON, BUT AGAIN, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO RE RE-EARN YOUR TRUST THAT WAS NOT JUST ONE THING THAT WE WERE DOING.
AND THAT'S HOW WE GET INTO THE SECOND PHASE OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND SO, AGAIN, WE'RE ADDRESSING A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUES WHEN IT COMES TO STRENGTHENING RESILIENCY, HOW WE'RE REBUILDING AND HARDENING OUR GRID REFINING RISK-BASED VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
SO WE'RE GONNA USE AI AND ACTUAL, UH, SATELLITE AERIAL IMAGERY TO HELP MAKE SURE WE CAN BETTER IDENTIFY AND RECOGNIZE AREAS THAT NEED TO BE TRIMMED.
AND WE'RE INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF AUTOMATED DEVICES THAT WE'RE INSTALLING.
WE'RE STILL ON A PATH TO IMPROVING OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
IT WAS HELPFUL THAT WE HAVE THE, UH, OUTAGE TRACKER UP AND RUNNING, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S THE FIRST 1.0 MODEL.
WE FEEL LIKE THERE'S EVEN IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT.
SOME OF THE THINGS SPECIFICALLY ARE, UM, I BELIEVE, UH, SPANISH COMMUNICATIONS.
LET'S SEE IF I HAD A NOTE ON HERE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, OUTAGE TRACKER WITH A PREMISE LEVEL SO I CAN GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AND GRANULAR INFORMATION AS TO SPECIFIC OUTAGES.
A SPANISH OUTAGE TRACKER, WHICH WE THINK, UH, IS DEFINITELY A NEED WE HAVE IN THIS AREA.
AND A STRONGER, MORE ROBUST MOBILE WEB PLATFORM BECAUSE AGAIN, EVERYBODY'S OUT AND ABOUT.
YOU GOTTA BE ABLE TO ACCESS THIS STUFF FROM YOUR PHONES.
AND THEN THE THIRD PEER THAT, UM, THAT WE'RE ARE LOOKING AT IS OUR STRENGTHENING OUR PARTNERSHIPS, CONDUCTING JOINT STORM PREPAREDNESS EXERCISES, WORKING WITH OEM TO MAKE SURE HOW WE CAN PARTNER AND WORK TOGETHER TO COLLABORATE ON OUR RESTORATION EFFORT, IMPLEMENTING STORM MANAGEMENT TOOLS TO INCREASE, UH, MUTUAL ASSISTANCE EFFICIENCY AND UH, AGAIN, THE DONATING OF THE, THE, THE GENERATORS THAT WE HAD.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS, MORE SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DETAIL OF HOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE OUR GRID MORE RESILIENT ON THIS SECOND PHASE, WHICH IS GONNA LAST ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL JUNE ONE, WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF HURRICANE SEASON.
WE'RE COMMITTING TO INSTALLING 25,000 MORE HIGH IMPACT POLES.
THESE ARE MORE, UH, POLES THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR EXTREME WINDS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT INSTALLING AUTOMATED RELIABILITY DEVICES TO REDUCE THE OUTAGES AT A TUNE OF 4,500 MORE GRID SWITCHING DEVICES.
ANOTHER 350 OF THOSE TO MAKE OUR INTELLIGENT GRID MORE, UM, UH, SMART SO THAT WHEN YOU HAVE CERTAIN SECTIONS ARE DOWN, IT CAN ACTUALLY AUTOMATICALLY REROUTE AND ADJUST AND, AND, AND, AND BASICALLY DIRECT THE ELECTRIC TRAFFIC IN AREAS TO HELP GET TO AREAS WHERE IT WAS DOWN.
AS FAR AS TREE TRIMMING, WE'RE LOOKING AT AN ADDITIONAL 4,000 MILES.
SO, UM, TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, AND JUST THIS YEAR ALONE, OUR NORMAL TREE TRIMMING IS SOMEWHERE AROUND SOMEWHERE AROUND 4,000 MILES OF TREE VEGETATION MANAGE THAT WE'RE DOING.
WE DID THE ADDITIONAL 2000 MILES ON TOP OF THAT.
AND UNTIL JUNE 1ST, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA DO ANOTHER 4,000 MILES.
'CAUSE WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, UNDERGROUNDING POWER LINES.
WE FEEL THAT WHEN IT COMES TO UNDERGROUNDING, THE POWER LINES, THERE ARE PLACES WHERE IT MAKES SENSE.
I, I USE THE TERM STRATEGIC UNDERGROUND.
IT DOESN'T ALWAYS MAKE SENSE, BUT WHEN AREAS THAT IT DOES WHERE IT'S ECONOMICAL, IT'S FEASIBLE, AND IT'S A WAY TO HELP MAKE OUR SYSTEM MORE ROBUST AND RESILIENT.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
I THINK WE'VE IDENTIFIED ABOUT 400 MILES THAT WE COULD UNDERGROUND BY THE END OF, UH, OR BEFORE THE END OF THE, OR BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE HURRICANE SEASON.
AND INSTALLING NEW WEATHER MONITOR STATIONS.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THE SMART GRID AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO AUTOMATE OUR SYSTEM, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO START UTILIZING AI.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO START USING ANALYTICS.
WE ON, WE ON, UH, BE ABLE TO GET REALTIME INFORMATION.
SO WHEN WE HAVE THESE LARGE SCALE WEATHER EVENTS, WE CAN GET REAL TIME DATA.
[00:55:01]
WE CAN COMPARE THOSE RESULTS, WE CAN IMPLEMENT INTO THAT, INTO OUR SYSTEM.SO THAT CAN HELP US PLANNING FOR OTHER STORMS THAT HELP US GIVE US A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT TO WHAT WE'RE GONNA ANTICIPATE.
UM, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAD ABOUT THIS IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE.
WHY WAS IT SO DEVASTATING? I CAN TELL YOU THAT EVEN HERE AT CENTER POINT, JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, WE WENT THROUGH HURRICANE NICHOLAS.
THERE'S A LOT OF SPECIFICS THAT GO INTO IT SPECIFICALLY WITH THIS ONE.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT.
AND IT'S HARD FOR US TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT THAT IMPACT IS GONNA BE UNTIL THE DAMAGE IS DONE.
WE'RE HOPING WITH THIS INFORMATION WE CAN START GETTING BETTER DATA AND START BEING ABLE TO HAVE BETTER PREDICTIVE MODELS.
SO WE COULD SHARE EXACTLY WHAT TYPE OF IMPACT THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE FOR THE COMMUNICATION PIECE AND OUR PARTNERSHIPS.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO YEAR ROUND COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN WHERE WE'LL HAVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS SUCH AS THIS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, WEBINARS, AND DIRECT CUSTOMER OUTREACH.
SO WE COULD SHARE ALL THE INFORMATION TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS, AGAIN, PLANNING FOR THE HURRICANE.
WHAT ABOUT THE, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO IN CASE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE DAMAGE? WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO TO HELP TRACK THE, THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE? GET AN IDEA OF THE ETA ON THE RESTORATION PIECE OF IT? UH, OUR OUTAGE TRACKER IMPROVEMENTS ARE THE THINGS THAT I HAD MENTIONED BEFORE REGARDING THE PREMISE LEVEL INFO, SPANISH OUTAGE TRACKER AND THE MOBILE WEST, UH, MOBILE, UH, BASED ABILITY TO REPORT HAZARDS AND EXPANDED EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
SO WE HAVE, UH, LIKE I SAID, BACKUP GENERATORS DONATED TO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS MEETINGS AND EXERCISES THAT WE HAVE WITH THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND A STORE MANAGEMENT TOOL TO APPROVE THE MUTUAL, UH, EFFICIENT, UH, MUTUAL UH, RESPONSE EFFICIENCY WHEN WE'RE BRINGING OTHER FOLKS IN TO HELP RESPOND TO THE AREA.
SO THAT KIND OF GETS US TO THE END OF PHASE TWO, WHICH WOULD BE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE HURRICANE SEASON NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN ONCE THAT IS CONCLUDED, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE A THIRD PHASE.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST ENDS THERE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A LONG-TERM, UH, COMMITMENT TO HELP, UH, ADDRESS OUR CONCERNS AND BEING ABLE TO RESPOND TO THESE HURRICANES.
'CAUSE WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR THE EXPECTATION ON WHAT IT TAKES TO RESTORE POWER IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT USED TO BE IN THE PAST.
THERE'S A LOT OF MORE, AND AT LEAST WHAT I'VE SEEN, RESILIENCY ON, UH, RELYING ON ELECTRICITY, UH, MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, ALL OF OUR PHONES, EVERYTHING THAT WE TRY TO ACCESS MORE AND MORE IS BECOMING, UH, IMPORTANT.
AT ONE POINT OUR VEHICLES ARE ALL GONNA BE ELECTRIC.
SO FOR THAT BEING THE CASE, WE HAVE TO HAVE A STRONGER, MORE ROBUST GRID.
AND THAT'S WHY IN THE PHASE THREE PIECE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WITH THOSE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE OUR GRID, HARDENING OUR KEY INFRASTRUCTURE, ENHANCING THE SECURITY OF THE GRID AND BUILDING A SMARTER GRID THAT CAN COMBAT EXTREME WEATHER.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT WE'RE BEING ABLE TO DO THAT IS THE, UH, BY THE END OF JANUARY COMING UP, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A RESILIENCY FILING WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A ROBUST PLAN ON HOW WE CAN HELP STRENGTHEN AND REBUILD, UH, AND HAVE OUR GRID WHERE IT'S MORE RESILIENT OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
UM, AT LEAST FOR THAT PERIOD OF IT.
SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE ACTUALLY LONGER THAN THAT.
WHEN YOU KEEP IN MIND WE HAVE A 5,000 SQUARE FOOT AREA THAT WE'RE REACHING, UM, BUT SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN THE TUNE OF, UH, $5 BILLION TO HELP MAKE OUR SYSTEM MORE ROBUST AND RESILIENT OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY ALL I HAVE TO SHARE.
UH, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO COME OUT AND TALK ABOUT IT.
WE ARE VERY SINCERE WHEN IT COMES TO DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO HELP REBUILD THE TRUST AND THAT WE'VE HAD AND BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE ELECTRICITY THAT YOU GUYS APPRECIATE SO MUCH.
SO WITH THAT, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU.
WE'LL BE STICKING AROUND AND WE'LL HAVE A TABLE IN THE BACK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, ALSO, UH, FORGOT TO MENTION, WE, ALTHOUGH JULIAN RAMIREZ WAS GONNA BE HERE, UH, HE WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT.
HIS CHIEF OF STAFF IS HERE, LEAH, AND WE'RE LEAH WHERE THERE SHE IS BACK IN THE BACK.
SO YOU'VE GOT REPRESENTATION FROM THAT OTHER AT LARGE MEMBER AS WELL.
ADDITIONALLY, JOAQUIN MARTINEZ HAS MADE IT IN HERE.
[01:00:01]
IN HIS DISTRICTS, UH, DISTRICT E THEY CHANGED THE, THE BOUNDARIES JUST RECENTLY.DISTRICT E IS JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD, JUST NORTH OF THE ROAD.
SO ALL THE HOMES ARE ACTUALLY IN DISTRICT E UH, THIS PROPERTY.
AND, UH, THERE'S A NEW LOW INCOME HOUSING PROJECT JUST DOWN THE STREET THAT'S IN HIS DISTRICT AS WELL.
JOAQUIN, DO YOU WANNA COME UP HERE AND SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS OR, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER.
JUST, JUST BRIEFLY AS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER MENTIONED, UH, WE'RE NEIGHBORS, UM, AND, AND WE DO TACKLE A LOT OF THESE ISSUES, UH, CITY, CITY RELATED, WHETHER IT'S, UM, YOUR TRASH, WHETHER IT'S DRAINAGE, YOU KNOW, TDOT, SOMETIMES ALONG THE FREEWAY.
UM, AND JUST KNOW THAT, UH, AS A, AS A COUNCIL, UH, YOU KNOW, COLLEAGUE, WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
AND SO AS COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER MENTIONED, I'M, I, I AM PART OF, UH, UH, WHAT WAS PART OF DISTRICT I, WHICH IS HERE AT THIS CHURCH.
AND THEN WE GO, UH, SOUTH AS FUQUA TO GALVESTON ROAD AND 45.
AND SO IF YOU LIVE WITHIN THAT, THAT AREA, UH, KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S HERE TO REPRESENT AND SUPPORT YOU AS WELL.
AND JUST WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER FOR INVITING ME TONIGHT AS WELL.
KIND OF THREW ME OFF WITH THE MAYOR NOT BEING HERE.
UH, THE POLICE CHIEF WENT UP EARLIER.
SO WE ARE GONNA HAVE THE COMMANDER, UH, COMMANDER, OR TELL WHAT IN FRONT OF BEFORE THAT, UH, FIRE CHIEF MUNOZ.
YOU WANNA COME UP HERE AND GIVE A COUPLE WORDS? WELL, THANK YOU.
UH, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THE BUDGETS, SO WE'LL JUST MOVE ON, RIGHT? UM,
I GOT A LITTLE DEPRESSED ON THAT ONE NOW.
SO THE PRIORITIES, RIGHT? WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE FREE FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? COMPASSION, COMMITMENT, DEDICATION TO SERVICE, UM, CARING, RIGHT? THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
THOSE ARE THE LOW LINE FRUITS WE CAN DO.
UM, BUT THE BIG THING FOR US TOO IS FOCUSING ON, YOU KNOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU ALWAYS FOR THE SUPPORT MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, UH, WORKPLACE OR, OR VIOLENCE, RIGHT? UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
JUST IRONICALLY TODAY WE HAD A, A MEETING ON HOW TO EDUCATE ON BASED VIOLENCE.
HOW TO, WHAT TO DO, HOW TO RECOGNIZE HUMAN TRAFFICKING, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ALWAYS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT.
UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SUCH AS EVENTS LIKE THIS, THAT IS ONE BIG THING FOR US, THAT WE WANT TO BE THAT TRUSTED SOURCE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN, UH, YOU WOULD WALK INTO A FIRE STATION AS A SAFE HAVEN.
WE'RE BRINGING THAT BACK WITH OUR MEMBERS.
I JUST HAD OUR, AS CHIEF DIAZ MENTIONED, OUR 63RD DAY.
AND WE, WE MAKE A JOKE, BUT WE'RE SERIOUS.
I THINK WE'VE ONLY HAD TWO DAYS OFF SINCE THEN.
BUT THAT'S A COMMITMENT THAT WE HAVE TO THE CITY AND THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE SET THAT EXPECTATION TO BE A WORLD CLASS CITY, WORLD CLASS FIRE DEPARTMENT.
ALONG WITH THAT PIECE, WE HEARD THE SENIORS, RIGHT? THAT IS A CONGRESSWOMAN.
THAT IS A BIG, BIG TOPIC FOR US AT TOO, THAT OUR MEMBERS NOW ARE GONNA BE WORKING.
WE WERE ACTUALLY DISCUSSING ON MODELS TO USE, SUCH AS WE ALL CAME TOGETHER AFTER HURRICANE BARREL AND DIRETO, AND YOU, AND THANK YOU SENATOR POINT FOR EVEN JUST WORKING WITH US, IDENTIFYING THOSE AREAS.
THAT'S A BIG CONCERN FOR US THAT NOW ARE WORKING WITH OUR MEDICS AS WE START STAFFING UP THAT COMPASSION PIECE ON HOW TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.
SO THAT'S, UH, WHAT TO DO, HOW TO WORK WITH THE STATE ON ASSETS PRIOR TO A STORM ARRIVING 120 HOURS OUT, WE'RE COORDINATING.
SO IT'S ALL COLLABORATED EFFORTS.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE PRIORITIES FOR US INTERNALLY, AS THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN TALKING, THAT I'M VERY, VERY FORTUNATE WE ARE, THAT WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE MAYOR THAT ACTUALLY LOOK AT WHAT COULD BE FIXED.
SO OUR APPROACH NOW IS THE STATUS QUO.
IF IT'S NOT WORKING, WHY IS IT NOT? AND HOW DO WE MAKE IT BETTER? STAFFING COUNCIL MEMBER MENTIONED 600 SHORT, RIGHT? I LOOKED AT THE TRENDS THE LAST THREE TO FOUR YEARS, ACTUALLY THREE AND A HALF ON THE AVERAGE.
WE WERE GETTING 60 PEOPLE SIGN UP FOR A CIVIL SERVICE TEST.
[01:05:01]
THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR'S APPROACH ON BUSINESS MODEL.'CAUSE I TOLD OUR, OUR STAFF, OUR COMMAND STAFF, IT IS A BUSINESS MODEL THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
I COULD TURN AROUND AND SAY, WELL, THE NATIONAL TREND SHOWS THAT PEOPLE AREN'T APPLYING TO FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
I'M NOT A BIG PROPONENT IN NATIONAL TRENDS NECESSARILY POSITIVE.
THE GOOD NEWS IS WE STARTED A VERY AGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGN ON WHY SHOULD PEOPLE WANT TO WORK FOR OUR BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
HAPPY TO SAY THAT NOW WE HAVE 200 PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR THE FIRST CIVIL SERVICE TEST UNDER OUR COMMAND IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.
AND I'M FINDING OUT THAT NOW THERE'S, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FIVE YEARS, WE ACTUALLY HAD ALTERNATES, MEANING IF SOMEBODY DROPPED OUT OF CURRENT CLASSES, I GOT SIX CLASSES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE.
WE HAD ALTERNATES, WHICH IS GREAT.
AND I FOUND OUT THAT THE NEXT THREE CIVIL SERVICE TESTS ARE CAPPED OUT.
AND SO WE HAVE A GOOD PROBLEM BECAUSE PEOPLE NOW WANT TO COME AND WORK FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
BUT THAT'S 'CAUSE OF, WE'RE BRINGING BACK THE PRIDE THAT WE USED TO HAVE.
UM, BOTH, UM, STATE SENATOR RADO AND STATE REP MARIA EZ DO SO MUCH FOR US, AND THANK YOU.
AND THAT'S WHEN YOU HAVE SOME, A SON IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO I'M ALWAYS HEARING ABOUT IT, RIGHT? THANK IT WAS LIKE, MAN, I CAN'T GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING.
AND SO, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BRINGING BACK, THE COMPASSION.
UH, AND THAT IS 'CAUSE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR EXPECT THAT FROM US.
THAT IS AN UNDERLYING THING THAT IF YOU SEE THE STORMS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I, I SAW FIRSTHAND EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER SITTING HERE WHEN WE WERE DOING OUR, OUR CALLS AS WE GET OUR MODEL, UH, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT NEEDED HELP, JUST NEED YOU TO KNOW WHAT WE SEE BEHIND THE, THE DOORS.
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF 'EM WAS MAKING CALLS ON A LIST THAT THE STATE HAS.
IT'S CALLED THE STEEL REGISTRY.
THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAN'T EVACUATE OR HAVE MEDICAL ISSUES, WHICH WE'RE REALLY WORKING, AND WE WERE THE FIRST CITY IN THE STATE TO HAVE THAT PLAN.
ALMOST 3000 CALLS WERE MADE, YOU KNOW, TO THAT.
AND SO THAT'S THE COMMITMENT THAT THE CITY HAS.
THE OTHER THING, THE SECOND PRIORITY IS STATIONS THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO WE HEAR ABOUT THE BUDGETS, RIGHT? TODAY, THANKS TO THE SUPPORT THAT WE GET, UM, WE'RE ABLE TO SIGN A GRANT MANAGEMENT COMPANY THAT'S GONNA WORK FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO IS GOING TO, UM, SEEK GRANTS FOR US TO START WORKING ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE MITIGATION STAFFING, RIGHT? AND, UM, THE STRUCTURE THAT WE WORKED OUT IS, IS VERY GOOD FOR US, RIGHT? WE GET A GRANT, THEY GET PAID.
WE DON'T, THEY DON'T, IT'S A GREAT PROCESS.
BUT THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
HOW DO WE WORK BETTER? AND THE NEXT THING IS APPARATUS, WHICH GOES OVER TO THE GRANT PROCESS.
THE GOOD THING NOW IS THAT WE'RE SEEING, UM, IS THAT, AGAIN, WE HAVE AN ADMINISTRATION THAT ENCOURAGES THAT THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX.
PRIVATE INDUSTRY NOW IS REALLY WANTING TO PARTNER UP WITH THE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY'RE WANTING TO SHOW THAT THEY CARE.
JUST TODAY WE RECEIVED A CHECK FOR 70,000 TO BUY CAMERAS, INFRARED CAMERAS FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS THAT WHEN THEY GO INTO BUILD BURNING BUILDINGS OR, UH, SMOKE FILLED ROOMS, WE GET THE TEMPERATURE READING AND WE CAN GET, YOU KNOW, WE COULD SEE THROUGH IT.
SO IT'S PRETTY STATE OF THE ART, BUT THAT'S THE DEPARTMENT THAT IS COMING BACK TO THE CITY, DEVELOPING A WORLD CLASS DEPARTMENT FOR A WORLD CLASS CITY.
OTHER THING IS PREPARATIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING HARD.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, UH, IN TWO YEARS WE GOT THE WORLD CUP COMING, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA.
THAT IS GONNA BE THE SINGLE LARGEST SPORTING EVENT IN WORLD HISTORY.
SO, UH, IT'S THE EQUIVALENCY OF 30 SUPER BOWLS WITH PEOPLE ON STEROIDS AND, WHAT DO I SAY THAT SUPER BOWLS, YOU KNOW, TWO CITIES AND YOU KNOW, EACH OTHER, WORKING WORLD COUNTRIES.
AND WITH THAT, WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THE COMMUNITY? WE'RE REACHING OUT TO OUR GENERAL CONSULATES, WHICH WE HAVE 98 IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO BE THAT FORCE MULTIPLIER.
SO OUR, WE, I TOLD THE COMMAND THAT WE, THAT I SELECTED AT 60 DAYS, WE'RE LOOKING BACK, LEAVING THE PAST BEHIND AND MOVING, MOVING TOWARDS THE FUTURE,
[01:10:01]
WHICH TODAY IS OUR 63RD DAY.AND I HAD A LOT OF GREAT MEETINGS.
BUT WITH THAT SAID, THE FUTURE FOR US IS WORKING HARD.
BUT THE BIG THING IS THAT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE HAVE A FIRE DEPARTMENT, A STAFF, A COMMAND STAFF MYSELF, THAT I, UM, THE, WHY DO I GET UP IN THE MORNING, RIGHT? MY TWO SONS IN THIS CITY, AND OBVIOUSLY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT'S THREE THINGS, BECAUSE IF I TAKE CARE OF THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEY TAKE CARE OF THE COMMUNITY, WHICH YOU ALL DESERVE AND EXPECT.
SO MOVING FORWARD, FULL TRANSPARENCY, COUNCIL MEMBERS HAS TALKED ABOUT IT, RIGHT? BUT I CANNOT USE THAT AS AN EXCUSE NOT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
UM, WE HAVE A STAFF THAT FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY FOR Y'ALL.
I JUST GOT A, NOT TO BE RUDE, BUT I WAS, I GOT A DING AND IT HAD YOUR NAME, YOUR STATION, FIRE STATION 1 0 1, WHICH YOU PUSHED REALLY HARD FOR.
THE PERMIT GOT APPROVED TODAY.
SO
SO, I DON'T KNOW, I, I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW, PUBLICLY, HE WORKED REALLY HARD.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THING THAT THE, THAT THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS EXPECT, RIGHT? AND ONE OF THE KEY THING THAT WE'RE TAKING AWAY, AND THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT, YOU'RE ONLY AS GOOD AT WHAT YOU INSPECT INSTEAD OF WHAT YOU EXPECT.
I THINK IT'S WITHIN TWO WEEKS.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS REFERRING TO, UH, STATION 1 0 1 IS IN KINGWOOD.
UH, WHEN KINGWOOD WAS ANNEXED, THE CITY TOOK OVER ALL THE EXISTING VOLUNTEER FIRE STATIONS THAT WE HAD.
AND THE VOLUNTEER STATIONS WERE NOT REALLY SET UP TO HOUSE PEOPLE FOR 24 HOURS A DAY.
AND WHAT THEY DID IS THEY PUT A MODULAR UNIT IN AT THAT STATION.
AND, UH, DURING THE CAMPAIGN, I MET WITH THE, THE FIREFIGHTERS OVER AT 1 0 2.
AND, UH, THEY SAID, YOU GOTTA COME SEE THIS AND GO OVER TO 1 0 1.
AND THERE IS A HOLE IN THE CEILING, PROBABLY ABOUT A FOOT AND A HALF IN DIAMETER.
THERE'S RAW PLYWOOD THAT'S ON THE FLOOR.
AND I'M LIKE, WHAT EXACTLY IS THIS? AND THEY SAID, WELL, ONE OF THE FIREFIGHTERS HAD A CALL, JUMPED OUT OF BED, HE WENT THROUGH THE FLOOR.
SO THE WAY THEY FIXED IT WAS TO TAKE A SHEET OF RAW PLYWOOD, CUT IT IN HALF, AND PLOP IT ON THE FLOOR.
I MEAN, IT, IT WAS REALLY BAD.
UM, SO WE HAD THE, UH, KIND OF FLOOD EVENT BACK IN MAY, AND, UH, THE MAYOR WAS AT 1 0 2 AND HE WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THE WAY IT LOOKED.
I SAID, MAYOR, YOU GOTTA SEE 1 0 1.
AND HE WENT OVER THERE, SAW THE SAME THING WE DID, BUT, UH, WE JUST GOT A NEW MODULAR UNIT AND IT HAS BEEN HUNG UP IN PERMITTING FOREVER.
AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF Y'ALL HAVE DEALT WITH PERMITTING AND HAD ISSUES.
THE CITY KIND OF HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS. UM, BUT YEAH, SO WE'RE JUST GETTING THAT ON BOARD NOW.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WENT THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR CONTRACTS.
WE JUST COMPLETED THEM WITH THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES UNION HOPE.
AND I THINK YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, ARGUE OVER MONEY BACK AND FORTH.
BUT WHEN THAT'S DONE, THE FACILITIES THESE PEOPLE WORK IN NEED TO BE UP TO EXPECTATIONS.
UH, I MEAN, CERTAINLY NOBODY WANTS TO GO WORK IN A DUMP.
UH, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THESE AND, AND GET THEM THERE.
SO ANYWAY, SORRY ABOUT THE SIDEBAR.
UM, BUT, UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, HERBERT SIMS, DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT AND NEIGHBORHOODS UP NEXT.
HOW'S EVERYONE DOING? APPRECIATE YOU FOR BEARING WITH ME.
DO I HAVE SLIDES UP THERE? ALRIGHT, SO I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, WHAT WE DO, AND A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE DON'T DO, SO THAT YOU CAN BE BETTER SERVED AS A COMMUNITY SO THAT YOU'RE ROUTED TO THE RIGHT PLACE TO TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU NEED TAKEN CARE OF IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO THE DEPARTMENT IS MADE UP OF FIVE DEPARTMENT DEPRIVED DIVISIONS, INSPECTIONS, WHICH WE HAVE BRIAN RICE AND SEAN DAVISON HERE, MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE.
WE HAVE RHON DE SODA AND JAMES RUN HERE.
WE ALSO HAVE THE, UH, OFFICE OF
[01:15:01]
INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION, GANG INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION.WE ALSO HAVE THE OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.
SO I JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE.
WE'RE MORE THAN INSPECTION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT INSPECTIONS IS WHAT WE GET CALLED FOR THE MOST, THOSE DANGEROUS BUILDINGS.
AND WE DID LOTS WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE DANGEROUS BUILDINGS.
AND WE DID LOTS, WE WANT YOU TO CALL 3 1 1.
I KNOW A LOT OF CITIZENS, LIKE, WHY DO I NEED TO CALL 3 1 1? THAT'S THE WAY WE TRACK THOSE COMPLAINTS OR REQUESTS THAT YOU SEND INTO THE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT 3 1 1.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S BEEN SITTING THERE, WHO REQUESTED IT, HOW MANY PEOPLE REQUESTED IT.
IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE WITH 3 1 1 OR ANY OTHER ASSISTANCE, THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE, WHO'S HERE TO HELP YOU.
OR IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT ADDRESS TODAY, YOU CAN SEE THEM FOR ASSISTANCE.
BUT WHEN YOU CALL 3 1 1 ABOUT A WEEDED LOT OR A DANGEROUS STRUCTURE, THE INSPECTORS GO OUT TO INSPECT THE PROPERTY.
WE HAVE TO GIVE THE PROPERTY OWNER AN AMOUNT OF TIME TO ABATE SAID REQUEST.
'CAUSE WITH OWNER COMPLIANCE AS COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN POINTED OUT, IT SAVES YOU TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
IF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS COMES OUT TO ABATE A WEEDED LOT OR A DANGEROUS STRUCTURE, WE USE TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO DO SO AND LIEN THE PROPERTY.
BUT WE WANT THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
WE WANT OUR NEIGHBORS TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS.
AND SO THAT'S YOUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE.
ONCE WE HAVE TO COME BACK OUT, A CITATION MAY BE ISSUED TO THE VIOLATED PROPERTY OWNER, WHICH YOU MAY NOT SEE.
I KNOW WE GET A LOT OF CALLS TO THE OFFICES SAYING, UH, WE WANT THEM CITED.
WELL, WE'RE NOT GONNA COME KNOCK ON YOUR DOOR AND SAY, HEY, WE CITED YOUR NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR.
BUT A CITATION IS NOT A MAGIC WAND.
IT DOESN'T MAKE SOMEONE COMPLY.
SOME BUSINESSES, AS YOU MAY NOT KNOW, ARE, HAVE BUSINESS MODELS WITH OUR CITATIONS IN THEM, AND THEY JUST PAY 'EM AND MOVE ON ABOUT THEIR THEIR WAY.
SO, BUT WE DO CITE AFTER CITATION.
IF THE, IF THE WEEDED LOT IS NOT ABATED, WE SEND IT THROUGH MANY MILESTONES, WHICH I'M SKIPPING HERE TODAY FOR A TIME.
BUT EVENTUALLY WE MAY MOVE IT INTO AN ABATEMENT MILESTONE, WHICH THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD COME OUT AND ABATE AND LEAN THAT PROPERTY OWNER DANGEROUS STRUCTURES IS A MUCH DIFFERENT MONSTER AND A LONGER TIMELINE.
AND WE MUST ABIDE BY THE TEXAS LOCAL CODE AND THE CITY OF ORDINANCE.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE ASKED, WELL, WHY DON'T WE TAKE THIS SO WE CAN GET THIS PROCESS SPEEDED UP? AND MY FIRST RESPONSE TO THAT IS, IF YOU'RE A PROPERTY OWNER IN, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, I DON'T WANT TO ERO YOUR RIGHTS BECAUSE JUST USING YOU AS AN EXAMPLE, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER IS NOT A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
SO WE KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN WORKING WITH THEM.
WE KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT WE WORK WITH PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS.
WE'RE ALL CALLED OUT WHEN THEY'RE NEIGHBORS NOT BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS FOR AS THEIR PROPERTY OR THEIR STRUCTURE.
NOW, ONE THING THAT WHEN I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER ELKHORN, I THINK ABOUT, BECAUSE WE DID A PRESENTATION ON DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, UGLY BUILDING IS NOT A DANGEROUS BUILDING
SO I, I JUST WANT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT AN ABANDONED BUILDING IS NOT NECESSARILY A DANGEROUS BUILDING FOR US TO ENACT THE CODE IN WHICH WE HAVE AUTHORITY.
THE BUILDING HAS TO BE STRUCTURALLY DANGEROUS.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO OUR BEST TO WORK WITH HPD TO WORK WITH HFD, TO WORK WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND SOLID WAYS TO COME UP WITH BETTER WAYS TO DEFINE WHAT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY AND A PUBLIC HELP HAZARD TO A COMMUNITY.
AND SOMETIMES THAT GOES BEYOND THE STRUCTURE.
AND I CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING A LOT WITH THOSE OTHER DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT OUR AUTHORITY DOES STOP SOMEWHERE AND WE WANT THOSE OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO BE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO IF IT'S NOT DON AND YOU SEE THAT 3 1 1 TICKET CLOSED, WE GET A LOT OF CALLS LIKE, THEY CLOSED MY TICKET, YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.
WE CLOSED THE DON TICKET, BUT WE PASS IT ON A SOLID WASTE SO THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF, WE CLOSED THE DON TICKET, BUT WE PASS IT ON HPD 'CAUSE THEY TAKE CARE OF THE CARS IN THE YARD.
WE CLOSED THE THE TICKET BECAUSE YOU HAD A POOL IN THE BACK, AND THAT'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WELL.
UM, WHEN YOU SEE A TICKET CLOSED, YOU MAY CALL AND ASK, YOU KNOW, WHY WAS THIS TICKET CLOSED? JUST BECAUSE YOU SEE A TICKET CLOSED, THAT MEAN YOUR REQUEST IS CLOSED.
BUT WE'RE GOING AROUND AND WE'RE DOING FORMS. WE DID ONE IN DISTRICT E ALREADY IN OAK METALS.
UM, THE NEXT ONE WILL BE IN DISTRICT I, RIGHT HERE IN THE HOBBY AREA, UM, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
AND THE REASON FOR THOSE FORMS IS TO TALK ABOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT IN EACH DEPARTMENT TO MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU AS A CITIZEN TO KNOW WHAT THE CITY HANDLES AND WHICH DEPARTMENT DO I NEED TO CALL TO TAKE CARE OF THAT ISSUE.
SO YOU'LL SEE, UM, HPW DON SOLID WASTE HEALTH, UM, LEGAL, UM, AT THESE FORUM, AND YOU'RE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT CONCERNS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
BUT, UM, TO WRAP IT UP, IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT A PROPERTY OR A CONCERN IN YOUR AREA,
[01:20:01]
YOU MAY SEE OUR STAFF HERE, EITHER MR. RICE OR MR. DAVIDON, OR MS. DER OR MR. JAMES TO, TO DISCUSS THOSE SPECIFIC PROPERTIES.AND I'LL BE HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, BUT I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT AND I WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS.
UP NEXT, WE HAVE COMMANDER GARCIA WITH THE EAST SIDE DIVISION.
I'M THE COMMANDER FROM THE EAST SIDE DIVISION, UH, WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND FIRST OF ALL, JUST LET ME THANK, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, HERE FOR INVITING EAST SIDE.
UH, YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT, UH, UH, FRIEND AND SUPPORTER OF THE STATION.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE, UH, THE HELP THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US, UH, IN, IN, IN, IN, IN THE PAST AND, AND HOPEFULLY WE WORK TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE.
UH, ALSO, I THINK I SAW COUNCILMAN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MARTINEZ ALSO APPRECIATE YOUR WORK, UH, IN HELPING, UH, IN EAST SIDE.
AND SO HELPING, UH, THE SUPPORT, THE, THE STATION, UH, THERE THAT, WITH THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING THERE.
SO WITH APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE IT.
WHAT I WANTED TO DO THIS AFTERNOON OR THIS EVENING, IS JUST GO OVER A, A SNAPSHOT OF SOME STATS, UH, THAT PERTAIN TO THE EAST SIDE DIVISION.
UH, EAST SIDE IS COVERED, UH, MOSTLY BY DISTRICT I, WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER, MARTINEZ, UH, BUT COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER FLICKINGER, UH, WITH COUNSEL WITH, UH, DISTRICT I OR E UH, IS ALSO, UH, PART OF THE EAST SIDE.
SO I CAN'T SEE THIS, THIS, UH, THIS POWERPOINT.
UH, WHAT, WHAT SLIDES UP THERE? UH, LET ME SEE WHERE THE MAP APPEARS.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE MAP.
THAT JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT EAST SITE CONSISTS OF.
UH, THE SECOND MAP, UH, JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA ON WHAT, UH, COUNCIL OR DISTRICT, DISTRICT, UH, I LOOKS LIKE.
UH, THE NEXT SLIDE IS, IS, IS COUN, IS, UH, DISTRICT I, UH, WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
IF YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DISTRICT, UH, E UH, DOES HAVE EAST SIDE, UH, IT HAS SOME COVERAGE IN EAST SIDE.
UH, SO, UH, WE HAVE DISTRICT E AND DISTRICT I.
THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA ON HOW EAST SIDE IS, IS, UH, IS, IS IS FORMED.
EAST SIDE IS A ONE DISTRICT, UH, POLICE STATION.
UH, IT'S A ONE SIDE POLICE STATION WITH FIVE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT ARE DIVIDED INTO THAT ONE DISTRICT.
IT GOES FROM TENS, TWENTIES, THIRTIES, FORTIES, AND FIFTIES.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE WITH DISTRICT E IS WE PARTICULARLY, UH, IT'S GONNA BE FORTIES AND FIFTIES BEAT IS WHAT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE STATS HERE TONIGHT.
WITH REGARDS TO EAST SIDE AS A WHOLE, UH, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UH, PART ONE CRIMES YEAR TO DATE, UH, THE NONVIOLENT CRIMES HAVE GONE DOWN.
AND WHAT WE, WHAT WE DID HERE IS THERE'S A COMPARISON BETWEEN JANUARY 1ST, 2023 TO OCTOBER 21ST, 2023.
AND WE DID THE COMPARISON, UH, TO JANUARY 1ST OF THIS YEAR TO OCTOBER 21ST OF THIS YEAR ALSO.
SO THAT'S THE COMPARISON THAT YOU'RE SEEING THERE.
UH, THE VIOLENT CRIMES, UH, IT'S UP SLIGHTLY, UH, BUT IT'S KIND OF, IT, IT, IT'S STABLE FROM, FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT.
IF YOU CAN SEE THAT, IF YOU CAN SEE THAT SLIDE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NON-VIOLENT, UH, CRIMES, AND WE DRILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT, UH, FURTHER, UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE BURGLARY OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND THEFTS ARE WHAT'S DRIVING, UH, SOME OF OUR NONVIOLENT CRIMES.
UH, WE HAVE AN ISSUE, UH, WITH, WITH BURGLARY OF MOTOR VEHICLES.
UH, AND IT'S NOT JUST A SPECIFIC ISSUE TO THE EAST SIDE, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S AN ISSUE SPECIFIC TO, TO ACTUALLY THE WHOLE CITY.
UH, AND THE FACT THAT WHAT CRIMINALS ARE LOOKING FOR ARE VALUABLES INSIDE VEHICLES, UH, SHOPPING BAGS, CELL PHONES, DESIGNER, UH, SUNGLASSES.
UM, AND SO CRIMINALS ARE LOOKING FOR EASY TARGETS, AND WE'RE FINDING IS THAT, UH, A LOT OF THINGS ARE BEING STOLEN FROM THESE, FROM THESE VEHICLES.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH GUNS.
[01:25:01]
PEOPLE HAVE FIREARMS THAT THEY TAKE IN THEIR VEHICLES.THEY GO SHOPPING, OR THEY GO INTO A RESTAURANT TO A STORE, AND THEY LEAVE THOSE, THOSE GUNS IN THE, IN THE VEHICLE.
UH, WE'RE FINDING THAT'S A, THAT'S BECOMING AN ISSUE.
AGAIN, NOT, NOT JUST FOR, UH, EAST SIDE SPECIFICALLY, UH, BUT ALSO A CITYWIDE ISSUE.
IN TERMS OF THE VIOLENT CRIME, UH, IT'S UPTICK SLIGHTLY.
UH, AND WHAT'S DRIVING THAT, UH, IS THE AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS.
WE HAD ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WAS TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE FAMILY VIOLENCE, UH, THE AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS, UH, THE NEXUS THAT WE'RE FINDING WITH, WITH THOSE, WITH THOSE, UH, WITH THOSE INCIDENTS ARE GONNA BE FAMILY, FAMILY OF ALL FAMILY VIOLENCE RELATED.
UH, SO THERE'S GONNA BE A NEXUS TO THAT ON, ON, ON SOME OF THAT, UH, ON SOME OF THOSE AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS.
UM, THAT'S A, THAT, THAT'S AN ISSUE.
ALSO, THE DEPARTMENT HAS, UH, HAD A MESSAGING CAMPAIGN, UM, ABOUT ALL THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT REGARDING THE FAMILY VIOLENCE.
UH, BUT THAT, THAT IS LIKE THE COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN, UH, STATED, THAT IS A, THAT IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE.
UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE SERIOUSLY.
THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA ON THE ACTUAL FORTIES BEAT.
LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WE ARE, WE'RE DIVIDED INTO FIVE, UH, BEATS.
FORTIES BEAT, UH, CORRESPONDS TO, UH, DISTRICT E.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE IN FORTIES.
DOES THAT RING THE BELL WITH SOMEBODY? YES.
THERE WAS A MURDER THAT OCCURRED THERE, I THINK ABOUT A MONTH AGO OR A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO.
UH, IT WAS A RESIDENT THAT HAD COME OUT OF HIS, OF HIS HOUSE TO CONFRONT, UH, SOME SUSPECTS, UH, IN THE DRIVEWAY.
I DUNNO IF ANYBODY REMEMBERS THAT CASE.
UH, AN ARREST IN THAT CASE HAS BEEN MADE THAT THAT ARREST WAS MADE YESTERDAY, IN FACT.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S SOME GOOD NEWS THERE ON, ON LOOPER.
IF YOU LOOK AT, UH, THE LOOPER, WHERE THE, THE FORTIES BEAT, IT BREAKS DOWN WHAT EXACTLY IS OCCURRING IN FORTIES BEAT.
UH, AGAIN, UH, THE, THE VIOLENT OR THE NONVIOLENT, UH, IS TRENDING DOWN.
UH, BUT YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT WHAT'S DRIVING THAT IS GOING TO BE THE, THE, UM, THE THEFTS.
NEXT SLIDE IN REGARDS TO THE VIOLENT CRIMES, YOU CAN SEE THAT FOREY BEAT HAS AN UPTICK IN VIOLENT CRIME, ESPECIALLY WITH THE AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S GONNA BE A NEXUS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S A SUSPECT IN A COMPLAINT, OR THE COMPLAINANT, THE SUSPECT ARE KNOWN.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE PROBABLY A RELATIONSHIP THERE.
UH, WHEN YOU LOOK ALSO AT THE, UH, AT THE SEXUAL ASSAULTS, UH, WHAT WE'RE FINDING ALSO THAT THAT'S A, UH, KNOWN, UH, SUSPECT AND A KNOWN COMPLAINANT.
UH, AND UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'M SEEING IS, UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF JUVENILES INVOLVED, UH, WITH THAT.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE HAVE A, UH, A SERIAL, UH, RAPIST, OR WE HAVE A SERIAL CASE GOING.
IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE, UH, AGAIN, LIKE THE AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS, UH, A FAMILY NEXUS OR FAMILY VIOLENCE NEXUS.
UH, IT GIVES YOU, GIVES YOU AN IDEA ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UH, IN OUR DISTRICT, THE CREEKS, THE CREEK, UH, THE CREEK STREETS.
ANYBODY FAMILIAR WITH CROOKED, CROOKED CREEK.
COUPLE OF Y'ALL THAT GAINED A LOT.
I GOT A LOT OF CALLS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
GOT A LOT OF CALLS FROM SOME CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT, UH, COOK CROOKED CREEK.
UH, THAT'S WHERE ON PROBABLY THREE, THREE WEEKS NOW, OCTOBER 5TH, THE SIXTH, GOING INTO SATURDAY NIGHT, SUNDAY MORNING, UH, WE HAD A SERIES OF DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS.
IF ANYBODY, UH, RECALLS THAT IT WAS, UH, HAD MEDIA ATTENTION, UM, THAT HAPPENED WHERE YOU SAW THE, THE, THE, THE VIDEO THAT SOMEONE HAD, UH, UH, GIVEN THE, THE MEDIA, THE MEDIA OUTLETS, THAT'S WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM ON THAT CROOK, CROOKED, UH, CREEK, UH, LOCATION.
UM, I GOT INFORMATION TODAY, UH, WITH THAT, WITH THAT CASE.
UH, AND, AND LET ME TALK ABOUT THAT CASE HERE FOR A MINUTE.
UM, THAT CASE HAPPENED ON A SATURDAY NIGHT GOING INTO SUNDAY MORNING.
UM, AND BY TUESDAY OF THAT FOLLOWING WEEK, UH, OUR CRIME SUPPRESSION TEAMS FROM EAST SIDE HAD ALREADY ESTABLISHED THE IDENTITY, UH, OF THOSE SUSPECTS.
AND BY WEDNESDAY, WE HAD THE SEARCH WARRANTS AND ARREST WARRANTS, UH, SIGNED, UH, TO GO EXECUTE.
UH, SO THAT TEAM DID A VERY, VERY GOOD JOB OF GETTING ON TOP OF THAT.
[01:30:01]
FELT THAT THAT WAS A, A CASE TO GET ON, ON TOP OF IT REAL QUICK, UH, CONSIDERING, UH, THE WAY THAT THOSE DRIVE-BYS WERE OCCURRING.UM, SO WE'VE ARRESTED THREE SUSPECTS IN THAT CASE.
UH, ALL THREE HAVE BEEN CHARGED TWO TIMES WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT.
UH, AND THEY HAVE ONE COUNT EACH OF DEADLY CONDUCT, UH, LEARNED TODAY THAT, UH, JOEL, JUST BEFORE I GOT UP HERE, UH, WE'VE ARRESTED A FOURTH INDIVIDUAL, FOURTH SUSPECT, UH, AND THEN WE ARE EXPECTING MORE ARRESTS AND MORE CHARGES IN THAT CASE.
SO, UH, IF ANYONE WAS, WAS, WAS WANTING UPDATED INFORMATION ON THAT, UH, THAT'S WHAT'S OCCURRING ON CROOKED CREEK.
NEXT SLIDE IN FIFTIES B UM, YOU CAN SEE WE'VE BROKEN IT DOWN WITH NON-VIOLENCE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, IT'S PRETTY STEADY OF NOT GOING DOWN AS FAR AS VIOLENT CRIME IS, IS CONCERNED.
UH, AGAIN, THE BURGLARY, MOTOR VEHICLES AND THE THEFTS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE DRIVING THESE NUMBERS.
UH, AGAIN, STAYING CONSISTENT, UH, FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT.
ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT DOWN IN TERMS OF VIOLENT CRIME.
UH, BUT YOU CAN SEE ALSO AS WE, AS I STATED BEFORE, THE THE AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS ARE, ARE DRIVING, UH, ARE DRIVING THOSE NUMBERS.
THAT JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA, UM, ON WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS THE NONVIOLENT AND THE VIOLENT WITH THE PERCENTAGES FROM YEAR TO DATE, FROM ONE YEAR OF, OF, UH, STATS TO THE NEXT.
AND BEFORE I, I END HERE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THESE STATS, THESE STATS ARE GONNA BE UNOFFICIAL.
THEY'RE NOT VETTED, IN OTHER WORDS, THAT THEY DIDN'T GO THROUGH OUR GOVERN, UH, UH, DATA GOVERNANCE, UH, DIVISION, WHICH MEANS THAT, UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE PRETTY CLOSE, BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ACTUALLY CONFIRMED OR, OR VETTED, UH, UH, WITH, WITH THAT DIVISION.
BUT, UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR BEFORE, BEFORE I WOULD, BEFORE I LEFT HERE.
I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S ALL THE SLIDES THAT I HAVE.
I THINK, UH, I, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING US EAST SIDE.
HISTORICALLY, I THINK, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A SMALL AREA, UH, THAT THAT EAST SIDE HAS WITH, WITH DISTRICT E, UH, WE KIND OF MAYBE GET LEFT OUT A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UH, APPRECIATE YOU INVITING US AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
NEXT UP WE HAVE COMMANDER CRUZ, WHO'S OUTTA THE CLEAR LAKE DIVISION.
I AM THE DIVISION COMMANDER FOR CLEAR LAKE DIVISION.
TODAY I'M JOINED WITH, UH, MY STAFF, LIEUTENANT PERES IN THE BACK, UH, SERGEANT LAZANO AND OFFICER CASTILLO AND OCHOA.
UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER FOR HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT.
OH, I HOPE Y'ALL HEARD ALL OF THAT.
'CAUSE I TALKED A LOT,
UM, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT E OFFICE HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY GENEROUS WITH US FOR, UH, PROVIDING US OVERTIME FUNDS SO THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON OUR HOTSPOTS.
UH, THIS YEAR, WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO USE SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO PURCHASE, UM, SOME HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS STUFF SUCH AS INFLATABLE RAFTS AND, UH, LIFE JACKETS JUST IN THE EVENT.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S A FIRE DEPARTMENT'S JOB, BUT YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE REALLY CALLED TO DO IT, WE'RE GONNA BE AVAILABLE TO, TO HAVE THOSE RESOURCES AND WE CAN, UH, HELP, UM, SUPPLEMENT THEIR STAFF.
UM, ALSO, UH, HE PROVIDED US AN APEX MACHINE, WHICH ALLOWS OUR OFFICERS IN THE DIVISION TO TRAIN ON DIFFERENT SCENARIOS SUCH AS ACTIVE SHOOTER SCENARIOS FOR, IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE AN INCIDENT AT A SCHOOL, UH, THESE OFFICERS ARE ABLE TO GAIN THAT ADDITIONAL TRAINING.
UM, SO UP THE FIRST, UH, LET'S SEE, THE FIRST SLIDE THAT WE HAVE IS OUR HOTSPOT AREA.
THE FIRST ONE, UH, REPRESENTS BASICALLY THE REDFORD DEPARTMENTS AND THE, UH, EDGEBROOK SHOPPING CENTER.
UM, SO IN THOSE AREAS, AS WE TOOK A LOOK AT, UH, WHAT IS DRIVING SOME OF THE CALLS FOR SERVICE IN THAT AREA, IT'S GOING TO BE OUR AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS OR OUR FAMILY VIOLENCE INCIDENTS.
UM, AND THAT'S TYPICAL FOR AR AREAS THAT ARE, AND HAVE GOT A LOT OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
AND SO YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF FOLKS THERE.
AND, UH, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING MOST OF OUR AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS.
UM, OUR SECOND HOTSPOT IS THE EDGEBROOK APARTMENT, SO THAT'S GONNA BE BASICALLY EAST OF HIGHWAY THREE, UH, EDGEBROOK APARTMENTS AND THE ALCOVE APARTMENTS.
[01:35:01]
UM, AND WHAT WE'RE FINDING THERE IS MOSTLY PROPERTY CRIME, UM, CALLS FOR SERVICE.SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT MY STAFF GETS OVER THERE AND TALKS TO BOTH OF THOSE APARTMENT COMPLEXES SO THAT WE CAN DO SOME KIND OF EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT IN THAT AREA.
AND WE, WE REMIND EVERYBODY EVERY MONTH ON PIT MEETINGS, MAKE SURE YOU JUST DON'T LEAVE ANYTHING IN YOUR VEHICLE BECAUSE THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE TEMPTING TO CRIMINALS.
IT'S, IT'S AN EASY WAY OF GETTING SOMETHING WHAT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN PAWN IT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, THEY CAN GET MONEY OUT OF THAT.
AH, SORRY, WHOEVER STUFF THAT WAS, UM, UH, OUR THIRD HOTSPOT IS OVER THERE OFF OF 45 AND EL DORADO.
AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THOSE, UH, CALLS FOR SERVICE, IT'S BASICALLY, UH, A LOT OF VEHICLE CRASHES IN THAT AREA.
SO I THINK, UH, WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE TO MAYBE DO A TRAFFIC STUDY AND DETERMINE WHY WE'RE HAVING SO MANY VEHICLE CRASHES.
AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY, UM, SERVICE ROAD, IT'S GONNA BE A COMBINATION OF BOTH FREEWAY AND SERVICE ROAD AND THE FACT THAT IT'S PRETTY CONGESTED OVER THERE WITH THE NEW HEB AND THE HOME DEPOT AND ALL THAT.
UH, BUT DEFINITELY THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO.
AND THE FOURTH HOTSPOT IS GOING TO BE AT BAYBROOK MALL.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A CONSTANT, UH, JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF VEHICLES OF BUSINESSES.
AND SO THAT MAKES IT A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR CRIMINALS TO GO OVER THERE AND JUST TO, YOU KNOW, TO BREAK INTO VEHICLES OR STEAL VEHICLES.
SO JUST MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU'RE BEING VERY SAFE AND LIKE I SAID, DON'T LEAVE ANYTHING IN YOUR VEHICLES.
UM, SO THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OF OUR VIOLENT AND NONVIOLENT CRIME.
UM, THE ONE THING THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT ON THIS SLIDE IS OUR MURDERS FOR THE RANGE OF SEPTEMBER, 2023 TO JUNE OF 2024 WAS ONE.
I AM VERY, VERY PROUD OF THAT WHEN I GOT HERE IN 2022, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MURDERS WE HAD THAT YEAR WAS 23.
AND THIS YEAR WE HAVE A TOTAL OF FIVE.
SO I'M REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THE HARD WORK THAT THE OFFICERS AT THE CLEAR LAKE DIVISION HAVE DONE TO, TO BE ABLE TO REDUCE THOSE NUMBERS IS IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, SO THIS IS OUR OVERTIME STATS.
UH, THE BIG THING ON HERE IS, UH, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF, WE DID A LOT OF CRIME INITIATIVES.
WE HAD A LOT OF CITIZEN CONTACTS.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO ARREST 24, UH, WE HAD 24 FELONY CHARGES.
UH, WE HAD JUST UNDER 900 CITATIONS ISSUED.
AND IF YOU THINK THAT WE'RE NOT NICE PEOPLE, LOOK, WE DID 123 WARNINGS, SO WE'RE NICE SOMETIMES
UM, SO WE DO GET THINGS OUT THERE.
UH, WE ALSO DID, UH, $5,000 WORTH OF MONEY SEIZED, AND WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE SIX GUNS OFF OF THE STREET.
AND SO THIS, UH, LAST SLIDE IS OUR PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER DISCUSSED THE, UM, THE INITIATIVE THAT WE DID AT THE HEIN STREET.
UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT MY FOLKS GET CREDIT FOR A LOT OF THAT BECAUSE THEY SURE DID A WHOLE LOT OF WORK.
THEY PUT A LOT OF MAN HOURS INTO, UH, YOU KNOW, ADDRESSING THIS, THIS LOCATION AND WORKING WITH THE OTHER AGENCIES LIKE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO COME IN AND HELP US.
UH, EVEN SOLID WASTE WENT OUT OF THEIR ROUTE TO HELP US, UH, PICK UP SOME OF THIS GARBAGE IN THAT AREA.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET, UM, THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT, UH, FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND EFFORT THEY PUT INTO IT.
UH, THE PICTURES ON THE BOTTOM, THOSE ARE THE PICTURES OF OUR, UH, WHAT I CALL THE PROBLEM, UH, BAR, WHICH IS BASICALLY WORKING AS AN AFTER HOURS CLUB.
UH, WE, THIS, THE PICTURES THAT YOU SEE IS BACK IN MAY WHEN WE HIT IT THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE WE WERE HAVING A LOT OF SHOOTINGS AND CALL FOR CALLS FOR SERVICE IN THAT AREA, IN THAT SHOPPING CENTER IN PARTICULAR.
SO WHEN WE WENT IN, WE DID A, BASICALLY A HARD CLUB CHECK, AND WE ENDED UP ARRESTING EIGHT OF THE SECURITY GUARDS BECAUSE THEY WERE OPERATING UNLICENSED AS SECURITY GUARDS.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO SEE SEVERAL GUNS FROM THAT.
AND I KNOW IT'S KIND OF A SMALL PICTURE, BUT IT'S SEVERAL GUNS, SEVERAL TACTICAL VESTS.
WE FOUND NARCOTICS, WE FOUND JUST THE GAMBIT OF EVERYTHING.
AND WE WERE ACTUALLY OUT THERE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING, WE WERE OUT THERE TILL FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING DOING THE EXACT SAME THING.
AND AGAIN, WE WERE ABLE TO ARREST SIX FOLKS, UH, THREE OF WHICH WERE SELLING, UH, ALCOHOL AFTER HOURS.
WE HAD ONE JUVENILE IN THE PARKING LOT WITH A WEAPON, WITH AN EXTENDED MAGAZINE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HIT THESE, THESE PLACES THAT ARE OPERATING AFTER HOURS OR, AND MAKING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR MY OFFICERS AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS KNOW AND COUNCILMAN, COUNCIL
[01:40:01]
MEMBER FLICKINGER, THAT WE ARE PUTTING YOUR, YOUR MONEY TO GOOD USE.UH, WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, UM, TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
AND WITH THAT, THAT IS ALL I HAVE.
OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE, UH, SOLID WASTE, MARK WILLOCK PUBLIC.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR HAVING US.
I'M WITH HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, THE CAPITAL PROJECTS DIVISION, AND TODAY I'M TALKING TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THE, UH, ENGAGE HOUSTON.ORG.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT ARE IN, UH, THIS DISTRICT.
THE FIRST IS GOING TO BE THE ARLINGTON HEIGHTS AREA SUB-PROJECT ONE.
AND, UM, THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IS A DRAINAGE PROJECT, AND THE COST IS 21 MILLION.
THIS PROJECT STARTED IN THE SPRING OF 2024, AND IT'S ESTIMATED TO BE COMPLETED IN, UH, SPRING OF 2026.
AND THIS IS A DRAINAGE PROJECT, UH, WITH STORMWATER DRAINAGE, PAVING IMPROVEMENTS, AND NECESSARY UTILITY UPGRADES.
THE ARLINGTON HEIGHTS AREA SUB-PROJECT TWO IS, UH, CURRENTLY IN DESIGN.
SO WE HAVEN'T STARTED CONSTRUCTION ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT YET.
THIS IS ALSO JUST A CONTINUATION OF ARLINGTON HEIGHTS SUB-PROJECT.
COST IS 13 MILLION, AND, UH, IT'S ANTICIPATED TO START IN FALL OF 2025 AND ANTICIPATED TO BE COMPLETED IN SPRING OF 2027.
THIS IS ALSO, UH, GOING TO ADDRESS DRAINAGE PAVEMENT IMPROVEMENTS AND NECESSARY UTILITY UPGRADES PRIOR TO THE START OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
WE WILL HOST A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING ON HOW TO PREPARE FOR CONSTRUCTION.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE THE FREEWAY, MANOR, AND GULF WAY TERRACE AREA WITH ATLAS 14 RAINFALL IS NOTED THAT IT'S A CHANNEL HERE.
UH, AND THEN THE CHANNEL IS C 1 0 6 10, WHICH IS LIMITING THE DRAINAGE BENEFITS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, UM, A STUDY FOR THE TRIBUTARY SHOWED THAT IN CLOSING THE SYSTEM AND CREATING ADDITIONAL CAPACITY TO REDUCE FLOOD DAMAGES TO THE AREA AS WELL.
THE ORIGINAL PLAN PROJECT FOR THIS AREA HAS BEEN CONSOLIDATED INTO THIS TRIBUTARY AND DIVERSION WORK IS UNDER, UH, THE CIP, THIS IS THE NUMBER THERE.
UH, M DASH 410 0 43 DASH 1 0 6 CHANNEL AND PARTNERSHIP WITH H-C-F-C-D HOUSTON PUBLIC WORK IS DESIGNING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CHANNEL WITH A BOX SYSTEM AND CREATING ADDITIONAL STORM TRUNK DIVERSION VIA HEART SILK ROAD.
ALL RIGHT, SO THESE ARE THE PROJECT SEASONS.
UM, WE HAVE TO DO THE PROJECT SEASONS BASED ON THE CALENDAR YEAR.
SO WINTER IS JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, SPRING IS APRIL, MAY, JUNE, SUMMER IS JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER AND FALL IS DECEMBER.
UH, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER.
PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES, UH, REPORT THE PROBLEM TO 3 1 1 THROUGH EITHER GIVING THEM A CALL OR THE WEBSITE.
UH, THAT'S THE WAY WE CAN, WE CAN TRACK IT.
UH, AND YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL US AT ENGAGE@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
UM, THAT'S PROBABLY THE EASIEST WAY TO DO IT.
OR IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE WEBSITE, ENGAGE HOUSTON.ORG, YOU CAN REGISTER AND, UH, YOU CAN HAVE YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED ON ANY PARTICULAR PROJECT ON THE PAGE.
SO, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, THANK YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR HAVING US.
SO, UH, WE'LL GET INTO THE, UH, ANSWER IN QUESTION SECOND, UH, SESSION
[01:45:01]
IN JUST A SECOND.UM, WANTED TO THANK THE CHURCH OUT HERE FOR HOSTING THE EVENT.
UH, WE ALSO HAD A WATER OR DISTRIBUTION HERE DURING HURRICANE BARREL.
UH, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID OUT HERE WAS, UH, WE TOOK A TOUR THROUGH THE BUS FROM THE CHURCH.
SO THE CHURCH HAS BEEN A, A HUGE HELP, UH, PASTOR DR.
VARNER AND HIS WIFE, FIRST LADY VARNER.
SO PLEASE GIVE THEM AROUND AND THANK THEM FOR, FOR HOSTING THIS.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE CERTAINLY LOOKING TO USE THIS FACILITY MORE OFTEN FOR, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY EVENTS IF WE HAVE TO HAVE 'EM.
HOPEFULLY WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THOSE, BUT UH, WHEN WE HAD THE HURRICANE, WE WERE EVEN KIND OF STRUGGLING TO FIND A PLACE TO ACTUALLY DISTRIBUTE THE WATER.
AND SO I THINK THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHURCH HAS, HAS REALLY HELPED OUT QUITE A BIT.
UH, I THINK IT ALSO KIND OF GOES BACK TO COUNCILMAN DAVIS TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE MINISTERS.
I THINK THAT MAKES OUR COMMUNITY MUCH STRONGER.
SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S A GOOD THING.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THE CHURCH HAS DONE.
SO IF ANYBODY'S GOT ANY QUESTIONS COME UP, APPROACH THE MIC AND, AND WE WILL ANSWER 'EM.
SO IF YOU COULD STATE YOUR NAME.
MY NAME IS TOM COM AND I LIVE IN, UH, IN THE CLEAR LAKE AREA.
AND I WAS JUST WONDERING, I'VE HEARD ALL THESE PEOPLE TALK AND EVERYTHING AND GOT GOOD PROGRAMS AND STUFF, AND OF COURSE WE'RE MISSING SOME PEOPLE NOW, BUT HOW DOES THE RAINY DAY FUND WORK? I MEAN, DO YOU KNOW, CAN WE GET MONEY FROM THE STATE, UH, FROM THE RAINY DAY FUND AND STUFF LIKE THAT? WELL, AND WE SPOKE ABOUT IT A LITTLE EARLIER.
WE JUST GOT MONEY FROM THE STATE.
AND I ASSUME I UNDERSTAND THEY, THEY HAVE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND I THINK YOU ONLY SAID WE HAD 47 MILLION.
YEAH, UH, NO, WE GOT, UH, 40 MILLION, I BELIEVE FOR SURE.
I THINK THERE'S STILL SOME DISCUSSIONS.
52 PROBABLY WE'LL GET ABOUT 32 FOR RETURNS.
AND AND THEY HAVE A HOW MANY BILLION DOLLARS? 21.
WELL, THAT'S MORE OF A QUESTION FOR THE STATE REP AND STATE SENATOR THAT JUST LEFT.
MOST OF 'EM ARE GONE ALREADY, SO, SO PLEASE GIVE CAROL'S NOT HERE.
AND, UH, MARY GIVE THEIR OFFICE A CALL AND THE MORE MONEY WE CAN GET, THE BETTER.
HAVE YOU BEEN, HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON ANYTHING LIKE THAT? I'M SORRY? HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON ANYTHING LIKE THAT? ACTUALLY, THE MAYOR IS, AND THE MAYOR BEING CONSIDERED THE DEAN OF THE SENATE FOR YEARS AND DECADES, UM, HAS GOT A RELATIONSHIP SUCH THAT I THINK YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOME MORE MONEY FROM THE STATE ON THAT AS WELL.
HE'S, HE'S WORKING HARD AT IT, I PROMISE YOU.
HE'S, HE'S, I THINK HE SPENT ALMOST AS MUCH TIME IN AUSTIN LATELY AS WHAT HE HAS IN HOUSTON.
YEAH, HE WAS THERE, REPRESENTED US FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS.
SO HE SHOULD HAVE, HAVE SOME TIES OUT THERE.
HE'S, HE'S GOT SOME, SOME SWAY THERE, SO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? HI, COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, MY NAME IS VOICE AND I ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD UP THE STREET ON TOLMAN.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, WELL, AND INQUIRE ABOUT A FEW THINGS.
UM, YOU HAVE BROUGHT OUT A LOT OF PEOPLE TODAY WHO HAVE GIVEN US A WHOLE LOT OF INFORMATION, UM, THAT HASN'T DEEPLY SATISFIED.
UM, SOME OF THE VERY GLARING ISSUES THAT WE SEE, UM, CROPPING UP CONSTANTLY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ONE, UM, WHO GETS LEFT BEHIND WHEN WE ARE TREATING, UM, THE DEALINGS OF OUR CITY AS A BUSINESS, RIGHT? YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS AND THEREFORE YOU ARE IN SERVICE TO US.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE VERY POOR FOLK IN THE AREA WHO AREN'T WELL, WHO GETS LEFT BEHIND WHEN YOU VIEW ALL THIS AS A BUSINESS AND NOT AS, UM, BEING IN SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY? UM, THAT SENTIMENT REALLY, REALLY FRUSTRATES THE CRAP OUTTA ME WHENEVER I'M SEEING ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE NOT BEING PRIORITIZED.
UM, I APPRECIATE SO MUCH THE SLIDES THAT CAME THROUGH FROM ESPECIALLY LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT WEREN'T OFFICIAL BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T VETTED.
UM, BUT THOSE SLIDES DIDN'T TELL US WHERE MONEY IS BEING PRIORITIZED.
THEY DIDN'T TELL, THEY SCARED THE CRAP OUTTA ME.
UM, BECAUSE NOW I AM WORRIED ABOUT MY, YOU KNOW, MY HOME PROBABLY BEING BROKEN INTO AND ME BEING ASSAULTED.
[01:50:01]
$1 BILLION ARE BEING SPENT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, UM, ESPECIALLY AS IT PERTAINS TO OUR AREA.UM, WHEN, I MEAN, I'VE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE IN A CONVERSATION WITH YOU A WHILE BACK, THAT WHEN I THINK OF SAFETY, I DON'T THINK OF A SINGLE HOME BEING BUSTED.
I THINK OF HOW OUR STREETS DO NOT HAVE COMPLETE SIDEWALKS AND THEREFORE WE HAVE TO BRAVE LIKE GOING INTO THE STREET AND MAYBE GETTING RUN OVER BY A CAR.
I THINK WELL THINK ABOUT, WELL, LEMME, LEMME TRY AND START ASKING THIS 'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA SAY SO MUCH THAT I'M NOT EVEN
SO IF IT'S OKAY, CAN I GO AHEAD AND COMPLETE EVERYTHING OKAY.
JUST SO I CAN PROVIDE ALL THE CONTEXT.
UM, AND SO I WOULD LOVE, LOVE, LOVE FOR THERE TO BE A REFRAMING OF SAFETY, ESPECIALLY ON WHO IS GETTING TO BE PRIORITIZED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, AND IF IT IS LAW ENFORCEMENT COMING OUT, IF THEY COULD GIVE US AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE, AGAIN, 1 BILLION AMERICAN DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
WHEN I SEE THAT NUMBER, BY THE WAY, WHEN I HEAR THAT NUMBER, I'M THINKING ABOUT HOW PUBLIC WORKS JUST TOLD US THEY'RE SPENDING LIKE 70 SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
AND HOW HPDS ANNUAL BUDGET CAN COVER THAT A HUNDRED TIMES.
UM, AND THIS IS FOR FLOOD FLOOD MITIGATION THAT IS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN EVERY SINGLE YEAR WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, WHICH ALSO IS KIND OF CRAZY.
NOBODY HAS MENTIONED THE WORDS CLIMATE CHANGE CENTER POINT SHAME ON YOU 10TH, A HUNDRED TIME OVER BECAUSE YOU ARE MAKING IT SEEM AS IF WE ARE THESE GRATEFUL, WE SHOULD JUST BE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE ENERGY WHEN IN FACT WE ARE ACTUALLY PAYING Y'ALL AND WE ARE ACTUALLY Y'ALL'S CUSTOMERS.
UM, YOU ALL NEED TO REMOVE EVERY SINGLE BARRIER FOR US TO GENERATE OUR OWN ENERGY, UM, WHEN TALKING ABOUT RESILIENCE.
OKAY, WHEN YOU GENERATE, SORRY, I THINK YOU'VE GOTTEN, SORRY, SORRY, I THINK YOU'VE THE THREE MINUTES.
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND START ANSWERING NOW.
COUNCIL MEMBER MA'AM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND START ANSWERING NOW, MA'AM.
IS, UM, LASTLY, UH, YEAH, IF YOU ALL COULD PLEASE JUST GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT ON HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY IMPROVE OUR, Y'ALL ARE COMING DOWN FROM, UM, UH, PENWOOD, WHICH IS SHADED BY BEAUTIFUL FOREST, BY THE WAY.
UM, WOULD YOU ALL HAVE TOLD US WE DO NOT WANT, WE DON'T HAVE GREENWAY, WE DON'T HAVE HEARTS, WE DON'T HAVE AND ALL THAT JAZZ.
THAT'S WHAT WE LIKE IN OUR MA'AM, PLEASE TELL US HOW TO GET TO THAT POINT.
FIRST OF ALL, UM, CITY HALL HAS, UH, MEETINGS EVERY TUESDAY WHERE THE COMMUNITY IS WELCOME TO COME IN AND MAKE A SPEECH.
SO IF YOU WANNA COME IN AND MAKE A SPEECH EVERY TUESDAY, YOU CAN DO THAT.
UH, I'LL TRY AND ANSWER SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
YOU COMPARED THE SPENDING FOR DRAINAGE IN THIS COMMUNITY TO THE SPENDING ON THE POLICE IN THE ENTIRE CITY.
NOW WE'RE SPENDING A LOT MORE IN PUBLIC WORKS AND DRAINAGE IN THE ENTIRE CITY THAN THESE PROJECTS.
UH, IN FACT, UH, THE WATER DEPARTMENT IS SPENDING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONSENT DECREE THAT HAS BEEN REACHED, UH, HERE, WHAT, LAST YEAR? A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
SO, I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA BE SPENDING, I THINK THE NUMBER'S UP TO ABOUT $10 BILLION NOW, UH, OVER THE NEXT 10, 20 YEARS.
SO YES, THAT MONEY IS BEING SPENT.
UM, WHAT WAS ANOTHER ITEM YOU MENTIONED? CAN WE REFRAME, CAN WHATEVER PUBLIC, WHENEVER HPD COMES THROUGH, AND THEN PLEASE TELL US WHERE THE MONEY IS BEING PRIORITIZED.
OKAY, WELL, AND BREAKING IT DOWN AS, AS FAR AS WHERE THE HPD DEPLOYS RESOURCES, IT'S WHERE THE CRIME IS.
UH, THEY, YOU KNOW, YOU TALKED OR THEY JUST TALKED ABOUT THE HOTSPOTS THAT THEY HAD, THAT'S WHERE THEY DEPLOY THE RESOURCES.
THE THING THAT WE DO NOT HAVE CONTACT.
SO IT'S JUST LIKE I, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY ACTUALLY BREAK DOWN DOLLARS PER CALL OR THAT TYPE OF THING.
THEY HAVE THE DOLLARS BY, UH, PERSONNEL.
THEY, THEY IN THE AUTOMOBILES, THEY CAN BREAK IT.
BUT ITS POWERFUL, IMPORTANT FOR US.
AND I THINK HPD HAS THAT STUFF AVAILABLE.
I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY ELSE ASK FOR THAT BEFORE, BUT I I'M SURE THAT, UH, THEY, THEY HAVE IT AVAILABLE CAN MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO YOU.
WHAT'S, WHAT WAS ONE OF THE OTHER POINTS YOU ASKED ABOUT? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO REFRAIN US AS NOT A BUSINESS AND MORE OF YOU ALL BEING CONSERV? OKAY.
UM, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY LOOKS AT IT AS A BUSINESS.
I THINK THEY LOOK AT IT AS YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE USE GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICES TO SPEND THAT MONEY APPROPRIATELY.
UH, THE IDEA OF THE CITY IS THAT WE ARE THERE TO TRY AND MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CONSTITUENTS THAT LIVE IN THE CITY.
AND WE DO WANNA USE GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICES IN MANAGING MONEY BECAUSE THERE IS NOT AN ENDLESS POT OF MONEY AVAILABLE TO SPEND ON EVERYTHING.
SO WE WANT TO USE THE MONEY AS WISELY AS POSSIBLE.
[01:55:01]
THE OTHER THINGS YOU MENTIONED WAS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT SPENDING ON THE POOR? WELL, TOMORROW WE'RE GONNA BE VOTING ON A NEW HOUSING PROJECT THAT WILL GIVE MONEY TO LOW INCOME RESIDENTS AND WE VOTE ON THESE TYPE OF THINGS PRETTY MUCH EVERY WEEK.UH, COME DOWN THERE ON WEDNESDAY AND YOU CAN SEE THE STUFF WE VOTE ON.
THERE IS MONEY SPENT ON LOW INCOME, LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC AREAS EVERY SINGLE WEEK, USUALLY TO THE TUNE OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
SO IF, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEATED, IT'S 'CAUSE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN DOWN THERE.
I PROMISE YOU THAT IS THE WAY IT IS EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
WAS THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT, THAT I NEEDED TO HIT ON, COUNSEL? YOU KNOW, THAT IS CORRECT, BUT OKAY, GO AHEAD.
NO, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
TOMORROW AT NINE O'CLOCK, SHOW UP AND YOU'LL SEE IT.
YOU CAN SEE IT FOR YOUR OWN EYES, OKAY? IF YOU DON'T WANT TO COME DOWN, YOU DON'T WANNA SEE IT, THEN YOU'RE NOT GONNA SEE IT.
BUT IF YOU COME DOWN THERE TOMORROW, NINE O'CLOCK, YOU'RE ABLE TO COME IN THERE.
IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, YOU WILL SEE THE DIFFERENT ITEMS WE VOTE ON, AND WE'RE GONNA VOTE TO SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON LOW INCOME PEOPLE AND WE DO EVERY SINGLE WEEK, UM, IN PRIORITIZING INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO DOESN'T HAVE WE HAVE SAFE, DO WE PRIORITIZE INFRASTRUCTURE AGAIN EVERY WEEK? NOW WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DOLLARS TO FIX EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE.
NO DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DOLLARS TO DO EVERYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO IN, IN YOUR LIFE.
SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES AND WE MAKE THOSE CHOICES AND WE, WE, AGAIN, WE MAKE THEM EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
COME DOWN WEDNESDAY AND YOU'LL SEE, OKAY, COME DOWN TOMORROW AT NINE O'CLOCK AND YOU'LL GET TO SEE IT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME'S ESTELLA ONCE AND I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ABOUT, OH, I'M A CIVIC CLIP MEMBER.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 44 YEARS AND OF COURSE IN EVERY ELECTION WE VOTE.
UM, I KNOW MAYOR WHITMEYER IS NOT HERE THIS EVENING, BUT I STILL LIKE TO ADDRESS ON SOME THINGS THAT I LIKE TO POINT OUT TO HIM.
AND AS WELL AS YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER, WE SEE THAT YOU'RE CLEANING THE HOUSE FOR THE CITY OF OF HOUSTON.
PLEASE DON'T FORGET ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'RE OLDER COMMUNITY AND FACE MANY, MANY CHALLENGES.
ALSO, THANK YOU BIBLE WAY FOR ALLOWING US TO USE THEIR FACILITIES.
OVER 40 YEARS, WE HAVE SLOWLY WITNESSED OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DECAY AS A RESULT OF THEFT, DRUG DEALERS AND VAGRANT TAKING OVER ABANDONED HOMES.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS THE DISTRIBUTION OF DRUGS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD? FOR EXAMPLE, A HOME KNOWN AS DRUG DEALERS OCCUPY THEM AND QUEENS MART LOCATED ON 99 39 BESSEMER STREET, WHERE THERE HAS BEEN TWO MURDERS AS WELL AS STOLEN ABANDONED VEHICLES AT THE SAME LOCATION.
AND CURRENTLY ENS APPEAR TO BE DISTRIBUTING DRUGS.
SECOND POINT IS WHEN A BUSINESS GOES OUT OF BUSINESS, WHY CAN'T THE OWNERS KEEP IT CLEAN UNTIL THEY'RE SOLD? ALSO, WHY DOESN'T THE PERMIT AND OR HEALTH DEPARTMENT HOLD THESE BUSINESSES BUSINESS OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE IF VAGRANTS FIND THAT THERE'S NO CARE FOR THE PROPERTY, THEY BUILT ENCAMPMENTS IN SOME CASES DUMP JUNK.
IT IS, IS IT POSSIBLE TO INCREASE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR AREA AT THIS POINT? IT SEEMS LIKE CRIMINALS OUTNUMBER THE POLICE IN OUR AREA.
AGAIN, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR BRINGING THIS TOWN HALL TO OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR SUPPORTING US.
UM, AS FAR AS THAT ADDRESS ON BESSEMER STREET, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT.
UM, THAT OBVIOUSLY IS AN HPD ISSUE, UM, THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THE KEEPING UP THE BUSINESSES WHEN THEY VACATE A FACILITY.
UH, OBVIOUSLY AT THAT POINT IN TIME THERE'S ONLY THE LANDLORD OR THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE AT THAT TIME.
UH, THAT IS SOMETHING THE DEPARTMENT AND NEIGHBORHOODS IS ABLE TO DO AND UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE LIMITED IN WHAT WE CAN DO BECAUSE TEXAS IS A STRONG PROPERTY RIGHT? STATE AS WELL.
UM, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT HE WAS REFERRING TO WITH, YOU KNOW, DEMOLISHING THESE HOMES.
UM, I KNOW A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO THERE WAS AN, UH, AN INCIDENT THAT CAME UP WHERE THE CITY ACTUALLY DEMOLISHED A HOME, COME TO FIND OUT THE OWNER SHOWED UP LIKE THE NEXT DAY OR SOMETHING AND LIKE, WHERE'S MY HOUSE? UH, SO THERE'S A LOT OF STEPS THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO, TO DO THAT, BUT I I ALSO THINK THE FACT THAT, I MEAN WE'RE ALL HERE TODAY SHOWS THAT WE DO CARE ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND THERE AND THERE ABSOLUTELY ARE PROBLEMS. I MEAN, I WON'T SUGARCOAT IT AND TELL YOU THAT NO, THEY DON'T EXIST.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ARE WORKING HARD TO TRY AND MAKE THESE PROBLEMS DIMINISH AND GO AWAY.
UH, IT DIDN'T GET THIS WAY OVERNIGHT.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE RESOLVED OVERNIGHT.
IT'S GONNA TAKE QUITE A FEW YEARS.
UH, SO I PROMISE YOU THAT, UH, WE'LL WORK ON IT JUST AS
[02:00:01]
HARD AS WE CAN.HPD IS WORKING ON IT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I MEAN, ALL OF US ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.
SO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I JUST HAVE SOMETHING REALLY QUICK.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE FREEWAY MANOR CIVIC CLUB, AND I HAVE A CONCERN AS TO IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF ROAD STUDY OR SOMETHING THAT IS GONNA BE DONE ON HEARTSICK BECAUSE WE'VE GOT LIKE FIVE, SIX CHURCHES RIGHT HERE.
WE'VE GOT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THEY'RE BUILDING ANOTHER SCHOOL FURTHER DOWN BY ST.
AND WE'VE GOT THE LITTLE APARTMENTS THAT WERE BUILT THERE BEHIND THE LITTLE STORE ON THE CORNER AT FRAY 18 WHEELERS, APPARENTLY YEARS AGO WHERE GRANDFATHERED IN WHERE THEY CAN PARK ON, UH, HART SUKUK, WHICH ACCORDING TO CITY ORDINANCE, YOU CAN'T PARK VEHICLES LIKE THAT ON THE STREETS OVERNIGHT.
BUT APPARENTLY BEFORE MY TIME THEY WERE ALLOWED TO PARK THERE.
AND I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE FLOODING ON HART AND THE TRAFFIC BECAUSE WITH THAT SCHOOL GONNA BE RIGHT THERE, BROADWAY THAT COMES FROM ALAMEDA, GENOA IS ONLY TWO LANES.
THERE'S NO, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY SIDEWALKS.
THEY'RE JUST LIKE DRAINAGE DITCHES.
AND OF COURSE WE'VE ALL BEEN IN THE TRAFFIC HERE AT THE ELEMENTARIES WHEN THE PARENTS LINE UP, YOU KNOW, AN HOUR BEFORE SCHOOL'S OUT AND BLOCKS THE TRAFFIC AND STUFF.
SO IS, IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE PLANS OR COULD THERE BE SOMETHING IN THE PLANS TO KIND OF RELIEVE SOME OF THE ISSUES ON HART SOUK? I DON'T KNOW OF ANYTHING THAT ARE IN THE PLANS.
WE CAN CERTAINLY DO A TRAFFIC STUDY AND SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND FIGURE OUT WHERE WE NEED TO GO FROM HERE.
SO, BECAUSE I MEAN, AND THAT I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE, THE TRACTOR TRAILER PARKING THAT YOU MENTIONED.
WE WILL CHECK INTO THAT AS WELL.
AND SEE WE FIND OUT BACK YEARS AGO, MR. MICKEY HAD TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE I HAD MADE, BROUGHT IT UP ABOUT THE 18 WHEELERS THAT PARKED ON HEARTSICK.
HE SAYS THEY WERE GRANDFATHERED IN BECAUSE HART SICK WAS SUCH A LARGE, A WIDE STREET.
THAT THEY ALLOW 'EM TO, OKAY, LET ME, BUT I MEAN, SOME NIGHTS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S FIVE AND SIX TRUCKS PARKED HERE ON THE STREET.
WE'LL, WE'LL ABSOLUTELY CHECK INTO THAT AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO WITH IT.
IT, AND THEY JUST FIXED OUR ROADS, SO WE DON'T WANT 'EM COMING TO THINKING THIS SHOULDN'T BE GRANDFATHERS THAT, THAT YOU CAN'T PARK.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT HE TOLD ME BECAUSE THERE, THERE ARE 18 WHEELERS THAT PARK HERE OVERNIGHT, ESPECIALLY ON HOLIDAYS ON THAT LAST YEAR, PEOPLE WE WORKED WITH NEVER MENTIONED.
WE'LL CHECK INTO IT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
THAT, THAT'S FIRST I HEARD OF THAT.
UH, MY NAME IS ALANDRA ROMANO AND I LIVE OFF OF BESSEMER STREET.
UM, I GUESS WITH THE RECENT FIRE IN DEER PARK, UH, WITH THE PIPELINE THAT WAS HIT, UM, MY CONCERN WAS THE PIPELINES THAT RUN THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND ARE THERE ANY EFFORTS TO ASSESS POTENTIAL DANGERS THAT RESIDENTS NEED TO BE AWARE OF? UM, OR ARE THERE ANY EFFORTS FROM THE DISTRICT OR THE CITY TO REVIEW AND, UM, ANY POTENTIAL DANGERS, UM, WITH CARS BEING SO CLOSE TO THESE POTENTIAL EXPOSED PIPELINES? I DON'T REALLY KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
UM, AGAIN, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS CITY HAS DONE ANY STUDIES OF THE PIPELINES.
SALLY, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH NO, WE, BUT WE DO OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT ENVIRONMENTAL CERTAINLY ASK THEM WHAT'S GOING ON THAT.
AND, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY WOULD BE LOOKING AT PIPELINES AND, AND ACTUALLY I HAVE SEEN SOME MAPS OF THE PIPELINES IN THE CITY AND YOU WOULD BE AMAZED AT HOW MANY PIPELINES THERE ARE IN THE CITY.
I MEAN, IT, IT IS KIND OF UNBELIEVABLE.
UM, AND TYPICALLY THEY WORK VERY WELL.
I MEAN, IN FACT, IT'S THE SAFEST, MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO TRANSPORT ANYTHING RATHER THAN RAILROAD CAR OR TRUCK OR WHATEVER.
BUT TO YOUR POINT, THERE CAN BE AN ISSUE.
UH, WE'LL GO BACK AND, AND TAKE A LOOK AND SEE IF ANYBODY'S ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THAT OR WHETHER IT'S A STATE AGENCY OR, OR WHAT.
I WOULD THINK PROBABLY THE RAILROAD COMMISSION WOULD, WOULD HAVE, HAVE AUTHORITY OVER THAT.
BUT LEMME GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND OUT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL GUYS, APPRECIATE Y'ALL COMING OUT.
UH, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS THE FIRST ONE WE HAD OUT HERE.
HOPE TO HAVE SOME MORE AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.