* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:06] GOOD MORNING. I'M COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM THE ANNA RUSSELL COUNCIL CHAMBER. I'M ABOUT TO READ THE DESCRIPTION OR CAPTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR THE WEEK NOVEMBER 6TH, 2024. ITEM ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE DESIGNATION FOR THE T-P-M-S-D-A-L-L-C REINVESTMENT ZONE FOR TAX ABATEMENT PURPOSES. ITEM TWO, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF ANGEL TZO TO POSITION ONE OF THE BOARD OF THE METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY. ITEM THREE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR PAYMENT TO TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY FOR 2025 PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE FEES. ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CHIEF OF POLICE FOR EXTENSION OF INJURY ON DUTY TO SALARY CONTINUATION FOR POLICE SERGEANT MICHAEL BO STAIN. ITEM FIVE, RECOMMENDATION FROM CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH T CONSTRUCTION LLC. ITEM SIX, RECOMMENDATION FROM CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINDING CONTRACT AMOUNT AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH TV. CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION INC. ITEM SEVEN, RECOMMENDATION FROM CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINDING CONTRACT AMOUNT AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH BCAC UNDERGROUND LLC. ITEM EIGHT. HEATH CONSULTANTS INCORPORATED FOR PURCHASE OF REMOTE METHANE LEAK DETECTORS. ITEM NINE DEERE AND COMPANY THROUGH THE LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR, KING RANCH AG AND TURF FOR PURCHASE OF JOHN DEERE MOWERS AND GROUND MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT. ITEM 10 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF EXECUTIVE SEARCH FILM SERVICES FOR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT FROM THE GIDDINGS GROUP. ITEM 11, ILLA FIRE TRAINING FACILITIES INC. FOR PURCHASE OF RESCUE TOWER TRAINING STRUCTURE. ITEM 12 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR CONSULTING AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH SERVICES FOR THE READY HOUSTON INITIATIVE THROUGH THE HGAC PURCHASING COOPERATIVE FROM GIL BREATH COMMUNICATIONS INC. ITEM 13 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF LANGUAGE SERVICES WITH MASTER WORD SERVICES INC. ITEM 14, RESOLUTION OF CITY COUNCIL OF CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS CASTING ITS VOTES FOR APPOINTED POSITION ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF HARRIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT. ITEM 15 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ISSUES OF LETTER OF APPRA APPROVAL TO LMS INC. ITEM 16 RESOLUTION CONFIRMING NO OBJECTION TO PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES AS AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING. ITEM 17, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE FY 2022 COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT. ITEM 18 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING 4 MILLION 504 6 7 5 75 OUT OF AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT FUND AWARDING CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO GONZALEZ GROUP LP ITEM 19. ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 19 8 66 TO INCREASED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS TENANT AND PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY TEXAS. ITEM 20 ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 20 2009 917 TO INCREASE SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR TOWER LICENSE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS LICENSEE AND PINNACLE TOWERS ASSET HOLDING LLC LICENSE OR ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TETRA TECH INC. ITEM 22, ORDINANCE OF APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO EXTEND CONTRACT RETURN BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER. ITEM 23 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING A DERIVATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND SAMSARA INC. ITEM 24, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 1 18 FOR ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS FROM TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FY 2025 SELECTIVE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, COMPREHENSIVE MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANT. ITEM 25 ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 20 24 1 19 FOR ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FY 2025 SELECTED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANT. ITEM 26 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING CREATION OF PARK EIGHT WALKABLE PLACES AREA ITEM 27, ORDINANCE DESIGNATING AN AREA LOCATED IN THE VICINITY OF NORTH BE BOULEVARD AND WEST OF BELTWAY. EIGHT. ITEM 28 ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 6.1036 ACRES OF LAND TO BRIDGESTONE MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT. ITEM 29 ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 26.6199 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NUMBER ONE 19 ITEM 30, ORDINANCE $275,000 OUT [00:05:01] OF METRO PROJECTS CONSTRUCTION D-D-S-R-F APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND KIMBERLY HORN AND ASSOCIATES INC. ITEM 31 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING 15 MILLION FOR $544,346 52 CENTS. ITEM WATER AND SEWER CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARD AND CONTRACTOR EROX LLC ITEM 32. ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5,630,000 AND NO CENTS. ITEM WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARDING CONTRACT TO TEX CODER ENTERPRISES. LLC FOR MISCELLANEOUS SMALL DIAMETER WATERLINE FIRE HYDRANT. ITEM 33, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5,630,000 OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARDING CONTRACT TO TEX ENTERPRISES LLT FOR MISCELLANEOUS SMALL DIAMETER WATERLINE FIRE HYDRANT. THIS WAS WBS NUMBER S OH OH OH 7 0 0 0 8 3 DASH FOUR. THE OTHER ONE WAS S 0 0 7 0 0 0 82 DASH FOUR. ITEM 34, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO HIGHWAY ONE LLCA TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. THE FIRST READING ITEM 35 ORDINANCE TON NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION RENTALS, INC. A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION FIRST READING ITEM 36 ORDINANCE TON NEXUS DISPOSAL, LLCA, TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. FIRST READING ITEM 37, ORDINANCE GRANITE TO PEDRO CORDOVA COMPANY, A TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. FIRST READING ITEM 38, ORDINANCE GRINNING TO PUBLIC SANITARY WORKS INC. AT TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. FIRST READING ITEM 39, ORDINANCE GRINNING TO SELL PROSPER INDUSTRIES, LLC AT TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. FIRST READING ITEM 40. ORDINANCE GREENAGE TO SURE CAN SERVICES LLCA, TEXAS LIMITED TO LIABILITY COMPANY FIRST READING AND ITEM 41 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO TRENCH CORPS LLCA, TEXAS LIMITED TO LIABILITY COMPANY FIRST READING. THIS IS THE END OF THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE MATTERS IS HELD. ITEM 42, MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MCC CASTEX TATUM, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN PECK TO DOT REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR COUNCIL. CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF JUAN GARCIA AS CHAIR OF THE HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THIS IS ITEM FOUR ON AGENDA OF OCTOBER 30TH, 2024. ITEM 43, ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF AIRPORT SYSTEMS, SPECIAL FACILITIES REVENUE BONDS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. THIS IS ITEM 18 ON AGENDA OF OCTOBER 30TH, 2024. PROPOSITION EIGHT COUNCIL MEMBER ITEM NUMBER 44, ORDINANCE AMENDING RULE EIGHT, SECTION TWO DASH TWO OF THE CODE OF AVOID HOUSTON, TEXAS READ TO APPEARANCES BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE COUNCIL SESSION OF NOVEMBER 6TH, 2024. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM IN THE WORD TO THE CITY SECRETARY WHO COMPLETED 40 YEARS YESTERDAY. YAY ME. UM, I LIKE TO SAY THIS TO YOU. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED. HAVE A BLESSING FANTABULOUS DAY [INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] COUNSEL, PLEASE COME TO ORDER. UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ FOR THE INVOCATION, THEN WILL REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE YOUR VOCATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. IF WE EVER NEED PRAYER, WE NEED TODAY. EVERYBODY. EVERYBODY RISES. WE NEED A GOOD, STRONG PRAYER TODAY, . OH MY GOODNESS. PLEASE RISE FOR FOR THIS PRAYER. LEMME DO THIS AND THEN I'LL GET UP. OKAY. ALRIGHT. WELL CERTAINLY. GOOD MORNING, UH, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, AND IT IS MY HONOR TODAY TO INTRODUCE PASTOR LINDA DAVIS, A DEEPLY COMMITTED COMMUNITY LEADER AND FAITH ADVOCATE IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. PASTOR DAVIS CURRENTLY SERVES AS PASTOR OF BOYINGTON CHAPEL METHODIST CHURCH, WHERE HER LEADERSHIP HAS CREATED A STRONG AND WELCOMING SPACE FOR RESIDENTS WITH OVER 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW. COUPLED WITH HER DEDICATED SERVICE AS AN ASSOCIATE PASTOR AND PASTOR, PASTOR DAVIS BRINGS A UNIQUE BLEND OF CORPORATE AND PASTORAL EXPERTISE TO HER ROLE. HER COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE HAS TOUCHED COUNTLESS LIVES. SHE HAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON WHERE SHE'S WORKED TO ADVANCE EQUITY IN THE HISTORIC THIRD WARD. UH, I COULD GO ON AND AND SPEAK ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL WOMAN OF GOD. SHE'S ALWAYS READY, WILLING, AND AVAILABLE TO HELP THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I'M CERTAINLY VERY THANKFUL THAT YOU ARE HERE THIS MORNING. I HAD A HARD TIME MYSELF, BUT CERTAINLY I AM SO THANKFUL THAT YOU ARE HERE AND SHE'S HERE TO OFFER AN VOCATION. AND I, AGAIN, I AM GRATEFUL FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO THE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES OF [00:10:01] DISTRICT D AND PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING PASTOR REVEREND LINDA DAVIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT IS A PLEASURE AND AN HONOR TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY. SO LET US PRAY. CREATOR, GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER TODAY AS WE COME TODAY. WE PRAY FERVENTLY FOR PEACE AND PROTECTION OVER OUR CITY AND PROVISION FOR OUR CITY AS WE COME TODAY. WE PRAY FOR LEADERS WHO WILL SERVE WITH WISDOM, COMPASSION, AND INTEGRITY AS WE COME TODAY. WE STAND AT THE INTERSECTION OF ALLEVIATING HOMELESSNESS, STRENGTHENING LIVES, AND BUILDING COMMUNITIES. GUIDE MAYOR WHITMEYER AND OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, STRENGTHEN THEM TO BUILD AND TO BRIDGE, TO EMPOWER AND TO ENCOURAGE, TO INVITE AND TO IGNITE, TO LOVE AND TO LIFT. GIVE THEM PASSION TO SERVE, GIVE THEM PATIENCE, TO WAIT AND POWER TO LEAD IN THE NAME OF THE ONE WHO LOVES US ALL. AMEN. THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PLEASE JOIN US THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE DAY SHE UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. AND MAYOR, IF I COULD JUST IN CLOSING, YOU KNOW, UM, WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED AND I'M GONNA SAY THAT THE ELECTED PERSON HAS NEVER REALLY MADE ME CRY. IT'S THE CONDITIONS OF MY PEOPLE AND THAT I THINK EVERYONE HERE IS COMMITTED TO CHANGING AND HELPING PEOPLE TO HAVE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE. SO THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU MA'AM. UH, MADAM [9:00 AM - ROLL CALL] SECRETARY, YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MAYOR WHITMEYER. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN PECK HERE. COUNCILMAN JACKSON? HERE. COUNCILMAN CAMAN. COUNCILMAN EVAN CHABA. HERE. COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER? HERE. COUNCILMAN THOMAS. COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO? HERE. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. HERE. COUNCILMAN CASTEX TATUM. HERE. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. HERE. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. HERE. COUNCILMAN CARTER. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER AND CONSTABLE ALCO HERE [ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING] NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES. WE GOT QUITE A FEW OF THEM. THE MINUTES OF AUGUST 13TH AND 14TH. AUGUST 20 AND 21ST. AUGUST 27TH AND 28TH. SEPTEMBER 10TH AND 11TH. SEPTEMBER 17TH AND 18TH. SEPTEMBER 24TH AND 25TH. OCTOBER 1ST AND SECOND. OCTOBER 8TH AND NINTH. OCTOBER 15TH AND 16TH AND OCTOBER 22ND AND 23RD. CA STATE A MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT [MISCELLANEOUS] IS ITEM NUMBER TWO. ITEM NUMBER TWO NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TA MOVE. NEXT SECOND. MOTIONS MADE AND SECONDED TO APPOINT ANGEL PONTE TO THE METRO BOARD. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. AS OPPOSED NAY MOTION. OVERWHELMINGLY UNANIMOUSLY BY EVERYONE THAT CAN HEAR MY VOICE IS YES. MOTION PASSES. NOW LEMME JUST TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I AM. WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THINGS THAT WORK AND YOU HELP MAKE THIS A GREAT CITY AND YOU MAKE THIS ADMINISTRATION. AND QUITE FRANKLY, YOU'VE MADE THIS CITY WORK FOR YEARS. AND WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE THAT WOULD ACCEPT THAT RESPONSIBILITY, AND YOU'RE NOT THIS COMMUNITY REPRESENT THE DISABLED COMMUNITY ON METRO. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK VERY FAR. YOU AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE NEEDED IN THAT POSITION AND AT THE END OF THAT CONVERSATION, I SAID, YOU FIT THE DESCRIPTION, , WILL YOU DO IT? AND WE PRAYED ON IT, WE TALKED ABOUT IT. AND I AM HERE TO TELL YOU ONE OF THE MORE EXCITING THINGS I'VE BEEN BEEN ABLE TO DO SINCE MAYOR IS TO BRING NOT ONLY YOU, BUT OTHER COMMITTED, TALENTED PEOPLE THAT JUST WANT TO GET THINGS DONE. AND YOUR LIFE STORY IS ONE OF INSPIRATION FOR ALL OF US. YOU'VE OVERCOME CHALLENGES AND I'M JUST DARN PROUD. AND LET ME JUST TELL YOU, I COULD, I COULD YIELD TO SO MANY THAT ARE HERE TODAY, PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED WITH YOU FOR YEARS AND, UH, DEPARTMENT. IN FACT, A WHILE AGO I STARTED SEEING THE FIRE CHIEF HERE, THE PARKS DIRECTORS HERE, HOMELAND SECURITY. I SAID WHAT I ASKED MARTIN, WHY ARE THEY HERE? SO I HAD TO GO ASK HIM. [00:15:01] THEY'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU AND TO CELEBRATE THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO CONTINUE LEADING. AND I JUST THINK YOU HAVE UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES ACROSS THIS CITY TO SHOW YOUR LEADERSHIP. SO I, I JUST EXCITED AND I THINK ALEXA IS EVEN GOING TO KICK YOU TO THE NEXT, TO THE NEXT LEVEL. SHE'S GOING REALLY, SHE, SHE'S GOING TO BE YOUR PARTY AND YOU CAN ASK HER TO JOIN ME ANYTIME YOU WANT TO, BECAUSE I KNOW Y'ALL'S PARTNERSHIP, SHE'S A VITAL PART OF, OF MY ADMINISTRATION. SO THIS IS JUST A WIN-WIN FOR THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON AND CERTAINLY THE DISABILITY COMMITTEE. SO IT'S THE FLOOR IS YOURS. I KNOW EVERYONE ON COUNCILS EXCITED WITH, WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP. SO THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. UM, AND I, AND, AND I DON'T WANNA INTERRUPT YOU, BUT IT WOULD BE A SHAME IF YOU DON'T TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU GOT STARTED AND CHALLENGED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A YOUNG MAN. ABSOLUTELY. SO FOR SOME OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, UM, I STARTED AT THE CITY AS A, AS A CONSTITUENT IN NEED. UH, THE MAYOR'S GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION OFFICE TOOK ME UNDER THEIR WING, UM, AS A CHILD THAT NEEDED GUIDANCE AND I CAME AS A CONSTITUENT THAT NEEDED ASSISTANCE. I CAME THEN AS A INTERN WITH THE GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION OFFICE. AND, UM, I LEARNED SO MANY THINGS. UM, I STARTED OFF AS JUST DOING PRESENTATIONS AT SCHOOLS WITH THE GROUP. AND THEN THAT'S WHERE I LEARNED SOME OF THE SKILLS THAT I NEEDED TO PROPEL ME TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN, IN MY LIFE. AND, UM, EVENTUALLY I REMEMBER I HAD APPLIED FOR A POSITION AS A CASE MANAGER, WHICH I WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT QUALIFIED TO DO . AND, UM, THE MANAGER AT THAT MOMENT, UM, SAW MY APPLICATION. THEY PULLED ME IN AND SAID, ANGEL, WE CANNOT HIRE HIRE YOU FOR THIS POSITION, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY BRING YOU IN, UM, AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT. AND THEN THAT'S HOW I STARTED WITH THE CITY. I DO WANNA FIRST, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR, UH, WHITMEYER FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, AND, UM, I WANT TO THANK CHAIR ELIZABETH BROCK AND ALL THE METRO, UH, EXECUTIVE STAFF AND STAFF THAT ARE HERE WITH ME TODAY ALSO. UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY AND, UM, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU, UM, FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ME. I ALSO WANNA, AND, AND MAYOR, YOU BEAT ME TO THIS, BUT I WANNA, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE, ALEXA, BON, PLEASE, PLEASE STAND OUT. WHICH, UH, UM, ALSO HAS REALLY INSPIRED ME TO BE MY BEST SELF. UH, ACTUALLY NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THIS, BUT WHEN THE DIRECTOR POSITION CAME UP, I TOLD ALEXA, YOU KNOW, I'M PROBABLY NOT QUALIFIED FOR THAT POSITION. AND SHE SAID, BE QUIET, WE'RE GONNA WORK ON THAT RESUME, . AND UM, SURE ENOUGH, I BECAME DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BABY, FOR THAT ENCOURAGEMENT. I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, MY MOTHER MANELA AND MY SISTER WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY HERE, UM, WHO TRIED TO KEEP ME OUTTA TROUBLE. , I WANNA THANK MY UNCLE ESTEBAN AND MY AUNT LILIANA TSO, WHO ARE ALSO HERE SUPPORTING ME TODAY. AND MAYOR, LIKE YOU SAID, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIRECTORS HERE AND STAFF, UH, WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHICH WHO I HAVE KNOWN FOR SEVERAL YEARS. UM, I'LL ASK FOR THEM TO PLEASE STAND UP. UM, PLEASE STAND AS THE DIRECTOR. STAND STAND, RAISE YOUR HAND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. UM, ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN A, A BIG PART OF MY LIFE AND I COULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOU, SO I'M ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU. AS BACKGROUND, I AM A MEXICAN AMERICAN IMMIGRANT WHO GREW UP IN THE CITY, SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY OF GULFTON, AND THEN LATER IN ALE. AND IN THOSE DAYS, LIKE MANY RESIDENTS IN THESE SAME COMMUNITIES, METRO'S [00:20:01] BUS SERVICE SERVED AS AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN MY LIFE FROM GOING TO AND FROM SCHOOL TO THE GROCERY STORE, OR JUST VISITING A FRIEND'S PLACE. LATER WHEN I BECAME DISABLED IN 2004, I REMEMBER SITTING IN THE HOSPITAL HEALING FROM MY INJURY, THINKING TO MYSELF, THE WORLD OUT THERE IS NOT MADE FOR SOMEBODY LIKE ME, FOR SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY WITH A DISABILITY. AND SO, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, MY ABILITY TO DRIVE MY OWN VEHICLE WAS QUICKLY PUT ON PAUSE. BUT FORTUNATELY FOR ME AND OTHERS, JUST LIKE ME, METRO AND METRO LIFT WAS THERE TO HELP ME GAIN MY INDEPENDENCE BACK. METRO TOOK ME TO AND FROM MY COLLEGE CLASSES AND TO MY VERY FIRST JOB AS AN ADULT, WHENEVER I WORKED AT THE FRONT DESK AS A REPRESENTATIVE AT A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY. AND IN FACT, WHENEVER I WAS FIRST AN INTERN AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, METRO LIVED, PICK ME UP AT CITY HALL ANNEX EVERY WEEKDAY. METRO GAVE ME SOMETHING THAT I NEEDED AT A TIME. METRO GAVE ME A SENSE OF DIRECTION. AND JUST LIKE I HAVE GROWN IN MY OWN LIFETIME, SO HAS METRO, ITS FOOTPRINT, SERVES AS A LIFELINE TO SO MANY HOUSTONIANS JUST LIKE ME. SO I TRULY REALLY, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT'S COME, WHAT'S TO COME FROM METRO. AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT IS WITH GREAT HONOR TO SERVE MY FELLOW HOUSTONIANS WITH OR WITHOUT DISABILITIES. AS I TAKE ON THIS OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE HOUSTON METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS. TOGETHER, WE WILL FURTHER CONTRIBUTE TO THE DELIVERY OF EQUAL, SAFE, CLEAN, VIABLE, AND ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOR ALL OF HOUSTONIANS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU COUNCIL ANGEL, YOU MAKE ALL OF US VERY PROUD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, FIRST MAYOR PROM, CASTEX TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR ANGEL, WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD TO HAVE YOU SERVING ON OUR METRO BOARD. WE HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS IN THE CITY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR TRANSPORTATION. AND IN ORDER FOR US TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR ALL PEOPLE, WE MUST HAVE MEMBERS ON OUR BOARD THAT HAVE A DIVERSITY OF LIVED EXPERIENCES. AND I THINK THAT YOU WILL BE VALUE ADDED. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A HEART FOR SERVICE. UM, YOU ARE A PROBLEM SOLVER. UH, WE'VE SEEN YOU IN ACTION. WE'VE SEEN YOUR GROWTH, WE'VE SEEN WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF, AND I KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE AN EXTRAORDINARY MEMBER OF THE BOARD. WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST AND CONGRATULATIONS AND VERY GOOD APPOINTMENT FOR METRO. THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THIS APPOINTMENT. I THINK THAT, UH, ANGEL WILL DEFINITELY MAKE US ALL PROUD. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT'S MAYOR PRO TEM PECK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THIS IS SUCH A GREAT PICK, UM, FOR THE METRO BOARD, AND I THINK MAYOR PRO TEM SAID IT BEST THAT YOU ARE A PROBLEM SOLVER. WE'VE SEEN THAT DAY IN AND DAY OUT IN YOUR ROLE HERE AT THE CITY, AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU'LL DO THE SAME AT METRO. SO CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. UH, FIRST OF ALL, MOST OF THE WORK AT CITY HALL HAS COME TO A A HALT BECAUSE OF YOU TODAY BECAUSE ALL THE DIRECTORS ARE IN HERE, , AND I REALLY MEAN IT WHEN I SAY LET'S GO TO WORK. BUT BEFORE WE DO, LET'S TAKE OUR TIME TO CELEBRATE THIS MOMENT FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. I'LL, I'LL STAND AT EASE FOR 10 MINUTES TO, TO TAKE ALL THE PICTURES YOU'D LIKE WITH YOUR FRIENDS, THAT FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO I WOULD MOVE THAT WE STAND AT EASE FOR 10 MINUTES. THANK YOU FOR YOU, FOR YOU TO CELEBRATE AND TAKE AS MANY PICTURES AND THEN WE'LL GET BACK TO WORK. OKAY? ANY OBJECTION? ME? UH, UH, UH, MAYOR, IF I CAN, I DO WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE ALSO MY TEAM THAT IS HERE WITH ME TODAY. SURE. UM, JOHN SERRANO, [00:25:02] UH, RAY HERRERA. AMANDA BOYD, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR STAND UP. UM, I COULDN'T REALLY DO THE WORK THAT I DO WITHOUT THEM. AMANDA TELLS ME WHERE TO GO, WHO TO TALK TO, WHO NOT TO TALK TO . SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT SO VERY MUCH. AND I DON'T GET YOUR PERSONAL BUSINESS, BUT YOU NEED TO, TO GET ON THAT HONEYMOON THAT YOU'VE BEEN TELLING ALEXIS , YOU SAID, LET'S GET TO WORK. SHE CAME BACK. WORK. I'M WAITING FOR NEXT YEAR. Y'ALL GOT, MARY WAS IN THE OFFICE. I SAID, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ON A HONEYMOON, SHE SAID AFTER THE FIRST YEAR. SO I PROMISE I'LL TAKE YOU ON THAT HONEYMOON. YOU, YOU JUST, YOU JUST NEXT YEAR AFTER. SO WE SESSION. WE'RE RECESS FOR 10, FOR FIVE MINUTES. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LET'S COME BACK TO ORDER. MEMBERS, UH, CONTINUE ON [MATTERS HELD] OUTSTANDING APPOINTMENTS. FOLLOWING ANGEL IS DIFFICULT, BUT I KNEW THE NEXT APPOINTMENT WOULD HOLD HIS OWN, HIS CAREER, HIS COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE. UH, ITEM 42 IS THE APPOINTMENT OF JUAN GARCIA TO CHAIR THE SPORTS AUTHORITY. I COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE HIS LEADERSHIP, HIS COLLABORATION WITH ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND HIS CIVIC INVOLVEMENT. SO, UH, LET'S TAKE UP ITEM 42. MADAM SECRETARY, THE APPOINTMENT OF JUAN GARCIA TO CHAIR THE SPORTS AUTHORITY. ITEM 42, WE HAVE A MOTION. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY, OVERWHELMINGLY UNANIMOUSLY PASSED. THANK YOU, WANDA. YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO COME GREET US AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR LEADERSHIP. UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, FIRST OF ALL, ANGELS A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW, OBVIOUSLY , UH, BUT TO ADD TO HIS ALLURE, NOT THAT HE NEEDS IT. ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, UH, I JOINED A GYM, A CROSSFIT GYM, AND ANGEL WAS ALREADY WORKING OUT THERE. UH, BUT JUST LIKE HE'S DONE HERE, OBVIOUSLY IN THE CITY, INSTEAD OF CAUSING ME TO WALK OUT AND QUIT SEEING HIM, I'LL DO ALL OF US. HE ENCOURAGED US TO DO EVEN MORE. UH, AND SO I STUCK WITH CROSSFIT FOR MANY YEARS, AND I, AND I, I GOTTA SAY THAT AS A RESULT OF ANGEL AND HIS LEADERSHIP AND HIS PERSEVERANCE, UH, I WAS, UH, I WAS ABLE TO DO SO. CONGRATULATIONS TO ANGEL. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL ON A GREAT APPOINTMENT TO THE METRO BOARD. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UH, BUT ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. UH, I KNOW MANY OF Y'ALL DON'T KNOW ME. UH, I LIKE ANGEL. MY PARENTS ARE FROM MEXICO. THEY CAME HERE UNDOCUMENTED MANY YEARS AGO. I JOKE WITH THEM OFTEN THAT THEY GOT TO BROWNSVILLE JUST IN TIME TO HAVE ME. UH, AND SO I WAS BORN IN BROWNSVILLE, BUT I GREW UP HERE IN HOUSTON. I GREW UP OVER THERE IN THE HYM CLARK FUQUAY AREA. I WENT TO PETERSON ELEMENTARY, UH, AND IT'S, UH, AND I WAS ZONED TO DOWLING AND MADISON. ULTIMATELY MY MOM SAID, NO, YOU NEED TO GO TO WELCH AND WESTBURY. AND SO THAT'S WHAT I DID. UH, EVENTUALLY GRADUATING FIRST IN MY FAMILY, UH, ENDED UP GOING TO THE U OF H SYSTEM. I HIT ALL OF 'EM. I HIT DOWNTOWN. I HIT THE CENTRAL CAMPUS. I HIT THE CLEAR LAKE CAMPUS, ULTIMATELY GRADUATING FROM THERE. WORKED FOR THE KROGER COMPANY FOR MANY YEARS, UH, MADE IT TO STORE DIRECTOR. I STARTED WITH A, AS A SACKER WITH THEM. UH, AND I QUIT TO GO TO LAW SCHOOL. UH, JUST COLD, COLD, YOU KNOW, JUST WENT. AND SO GRADUATED FROM LAW SCHOOL AND, AND ULTIMATELY GOT JOBS IN SOME GREAT FIRMS AND OPENED MY OWN FIRM EIGHT YEARS AGO, HELPING PEOPLE THAT NEED ASSISTANCE. UH, AND SO, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AFFILIATED WITH THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO FOR MANY YEARS. UH, FIRST HISPANIC MEMBER IN THE 93 YEAR HISTORY TO SERVE ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. UH, I LOVE THE ORGANIZATION. I LOVE WHAT IT DOES, AND I LOVE TO MOVE IT FORWARD. BUT I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY HERE TO WORK BOTH WITH THE COUNTY AND THE CITY TO MOVE THE SPORTS AUTHORITY FORWARD. UH, I KNOW IT'S DONE GREAT THINGS. IT'S IMPACTED OUR CITY AND OUR COUNTY IN, IN IMMEASURABLE WAYS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO KIND OF MOVING THAT ALONG IN THIS NEW ERA OF, YOU KNOW, REDEVELOPMENT THAT WE NEED TO TAKE PLACE, BOTH FOR OUR MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS AND, AND THE FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE. SO AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK THE CONFIDENCE AND THE TRUST, MAYOR WHITMEYER, UH, THAT YOU'VE PLACED IN ME AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR GIVING ME THIS HUGE OPPORTUNITY. UH, I PROMISE YOU, UH, I'LL MAKE Y'ALL LOOK GOOD. THAT THAT'S MY GOAL. I'LL MAKE Y'ALL LOOK GOOD IN THIS APPOINTMENT. MAKE THE CITY LOOK GOOD AND MAKE THE COUNTY LOOK GOOD, AND IN THE, THE TRANSFORMATION THAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN BOTH WITH FIFA AND IN MOVING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN. THANK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BRING TO THE SPORTS AUTHORITY AND TO ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, THE COLLABORATION [00:30:01] THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. AND OBVIOUSLY, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY WE REALLY HAVE AS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY TO GET READY FOR THE WORLD CUP. IT IS, IT IS OBVIOUSLY HAS US ON THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE. SO, UH, MARSHALL, YOUR, YOUR TEAM, AND IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL WORLD CUP. YES, MAYOR AND I AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THE OFFICIALS WITH FIFA, AND I TOLD THEM WHEN WE'RE DONE, THEY'RE GONNA BEG US TO COME BACK. UH, THAT'S OUR GOAL. THEY'RE GONNA BEG US TO COME BACK AND THE WOMEN'S FIFA CHAMPIONSHIP OR AROUND THE CORNER, IT IS OUR GOAL THAT, THAT WE'RE HOSTING, UH, IF NOT AS MANY GAMES, BUT EVEN MORE GAMES OF THAT TO HIGHLIGHT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OUR COUNTY, UH, IN, IN THE YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. DO PUBLIC SESSION. OKAY, ADAM, NUMBER ONE, MADAM SECRETARY. WE'LL DO PUBLIC SESSION SINCE IT'S ALREADY NINE. OH, OKAY. WE'RE [9:30 AM - PUBLIC SPEAKERS] GONNA GO INTO PUBLIC SESSION. THAT'S FINE. I NEED THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. PROCEDURAL MOTION. PROCEDURAL MOTION. UH, MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES, MAYOR, TO MOVE JACOB CLEMENTI TO BE THE FIRST SPEAKER AT THE TOP OF THE AGENDA. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSING A JACOB WILL BE MOVED UP. ANYONE ELSE ON A PROCEDURAL VOTE MOTION? IF NOT, UH, CALL FIRST SPEAKER. JACOB CLEMENT, I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE DYMO. I MEAN, UM, HEY, THEY MIGHT HAVE LOST A FINAL GAME, BUT HEY, THEY GIVE A GREAT JOB. AND THEY DECIDED THAT. NOW I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, AUDACITY OF THE CHRONICLE THING THAT MAYOR WHITMEYER WAS ON, CREATING THAT TRAFFIC SIGNAL. AND WHILE TRAFFIC GLIDE AT WEST SCOTT AND BLOSSOM, WHERE THE THINK OF HIS NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN HE IS PURE BRO. I MEAN, UM, UH, THIS UNCLE, UH, CARTER, UH, I MEAN, MICHAEL WATERS SAID HE LIVES IN THE SAME AREA. AND, AND THAT IS VERY MUCH NEEDED. NEEDED. NOW WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT NOW IS VOTING AND HOLD ON A SECOND. HI. HI. HI. HI. HI. HI. HI. HI. HI. HI. OUTTA THAT TV SCREAM, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. NOW, NIGHT. WELL, UH, UH, I'VE BEEN RUNNING NOW. MY BELLA HAS BEEN WRONG. THANK YOU, JACOB. I WAS, I WAS ASKED GO. HOW'D YOU GET YOUR BLACK EYE? I FELL. I WAS WALKING FORWARD ON MY CONDO COMPLEX, AND I FELL ONTO THE CEMENT AND BAM, I SLID ONTO THE GROUND. BE CAREFUL. YEAH. I WAS WALKING JUST NORMALLY. AND BAM. OKAY. MY BALANCE. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. WELL, I NEED TO GO THROUGH THIS, UH, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? UH, UM, LOW INCOME MEANING, AND SO I'M GOING TO TAKE THE LIGHT WELL OF THE TRAIN AND THEN THE BUSES. OKAY. NAUSEA. ALRIGHT. BE SAFE, JOE. YOU HAVE A METRO LIFT. NEEDS TO BE MORE SENSITIVE. JACOB WAS OFF OF HIS MEDICINE A COUPLE WEEKS. TOOK TWO MONTHS AGO. JACOB, [00:35:01] HOW LONG YOU BEEN OFF METRO LIFT? ABOUT A MONTH. HE WAS OFF HIS MEDICINE ONE DAY AND HAD A RUN IN WITH THE, UH, METRO LIFT DRIVER AND SOLVING THE PROBLEM. HE'S BEEN, UH, KICKED OFF METRO LIFT FOR OVER A MONTH NOW THAT I FIND UNACCEPTABLE, IF YOU UNDERSTAND. THREE MONTHS. THREE MONTHS. I THOUGHT YOU TOLD ME. LONGER THAN A MONTH. THREE MONTHS. THEY MUST NOT BELIEVE IN SECOND CHANCE. WE'RE ON THE BOTTOM. WE'RE ON IT. JACOB. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND US THAT NEED OUR HELP. THAT, THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS RECOGNIZE. JACOB NEEDS TO, HE TOTALLY DEPENDS ON METRO LIFT AND HE CAN'T, HE CAN'T COME SEE US ON METRO LIFT FOR THREE MONTHS. ANYWAY, THANK YOU JACOB. WE'RE ON TOP OF IT, AND I THINK WE MADE AN EXCELLENT APPOINTMENT THIS MORNING. THAT'LL RESOLVE OUR CONDITIONS. NEXT. DONNA MURPHY. DONNA MURPHY. DONNA MURPHY. NEXT SPEAKER. ALEXANDRA OCHI. ALEXANDRA OCHI. NEXT SPEAKER. FELIPE WOODS. FELIPE WOODS. HELLO, MR. WOODS. HELLO. GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME'S LIPPE WOODS AND I HAIL FROM SPRING, TEXAS. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF PROPOSITION A THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THE PUBLICATION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION FOR THOSE PARTICIPATING IN PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS MEASURE PROTECTS PRIVACY AND ENCOURAGES MORE PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD POLLARD, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CHAS TATUM, COUNCIL MEMBERS TIFFANY THOMAS AND CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZ FOR BRINGING THIS PROPOSAL TO THE TABLE. PUBLIC COMMENT IS A VITAL CHANNEL FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON IMPORTANT ISSUES. HOWEVER, PUBLISHING PERSONAL INFORMATION LIKE ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS CREATE A SERIOUS BARRIER. MANY PEOPLE MAY BE HESITANT TO SPEAK IF THEY KNOW THEIR PERSONAL DETAILS COULD BECOME PUBLIC IN A TIME WHEN ONLINE HARASSMENTS AND THREATS ARE REAL RISKS. WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE PRIVACY TO MAKE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SAFER AND MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE. TAKE ME FOR EXAMPLE. I HAVE VERY STRONG VIEWS ON, ON ISSUES I DEEPLY CARE ABOUT AND ADVOCATE FOR. IF SOMEONE WERE TO DISAGREE WITH MY VIEWS THAT I WOULD EXPRESS HERE AND ARE MOTIVATED ENOUGH TO TAKE PERSONAL ACTION, THEY CAN THREATEN THE LIVES AND SAFETY OF NOT JUST MYSELF, BUT MY FAM, BUT MY FAMILY AS WELL. WE COULD BE SERIOUSLY HURT OR WORSE KILLED BY A BAD ACTOR BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT I SAID. NOW, I'M NOT ALONE IN FEELING THIS WAY. MANY PEOPLE THAT WILL SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE HAVE BEEN HARASSED OR HAD IN THEIR LIVES, OR HAVE BEEN IN THEIR LIVES. AND THE LI AND THE LIVES OF THOSE CLOSE TO THEM THREATENED AS A RESULT OF THEIR PERSONAL INFORMATION BEING MADE PUBLIC. THIS PROPOSAL IS NOT ABOUT REDUCING TRANSPARENCY, IT'S ABOUT STRIKING A BALANCE. WE CAN STILL HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE SAFETY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO PARTICIPATE. CIVIC PARTICIPATION SHOULD HAVE COME WITH THE RISK OF PERSONAL EXPOSURE OR FEAR OF RETALIATION. BY PASSING THIS MEASURE, WE CAN MAKE PUBLIC SPACES MORE WELCOMING AND SAFER FOR ALL VOICES. PROTECTING PRIVACY EMPOWERS PEOPLE TO SPEAK OPENLY, WHICH STRENGTHENS OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR DEMOCRACY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS PROPOSITION. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. NEXT SPEAKER, SARAH SAEED. SARAH SAEED, NEXT SPEAKER, IAN JOHNSON. IAN JOHNSON, NEXT SPEAKER, SUSAN TI. GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL. HELLO, SUSAN. SORRY. YEAH, GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL. GOOD MORNING. UM, SO I WAS BACK HERE. I WAS HERE BACK IN APRIL WHEN WE WERE SPEAKING ABOUT THE AIRBNBS AND THE SITUATION THAT WAS HAPPENING IN TANGLEWOOD, WEST HAVEN ESTATES. UH, AS RECENT AS THIS PAST WEEKEND, FRIDAY NIGHT, UM, WE AS A COMMUNITY OF SIX TO NINE HOMES HEARD GUNSHOTS FROM THE AIRBNB RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO WHERE WE LIVE. UM, WE CALLED POLICE AT ABOUT 3:39 PM BY FOUR 30, NO ONE HAD SHOWN UP. I CALLED AGAIN, I CALLED 9 1 1. AND THIS TIME THE DISPATCHER PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY UNITS AVAILABLE, [00:40:01] UM, WHICH I FIND ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE AN HOUR LATER AND NO UNITS AVAILABLE. HOW'S THAT POSSIBLE? AGAIN, I WAITED FIVE O'CLOCK, NO ONE CAME. FINALLY AROUND FIVE 30, THEY CAME, THEY WENT AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR. UM, AND THEY, PEOPLE WHO WERE STAYING THERE CLAIMED THAT IT WAS FIRECRACKERS, WHICH I'M SURE YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FIRECRACKERS AND GUNSHOTS ANYHOW, OR A GUN BEING DISCHARGED. I MEAN, I, SINCE APRIL, NOTHING'S BEEN DONE. NOTHING. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, WHAT ARE THE CITY'S PLANS? WHAT ARE YOU GUYS PLANNING TO DO? I MEAN, UNLESS THERE'S A BODY IN THE STREET OR SOMEBODY IS KILLED, IS THAT WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO ACTUALLY GET SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING? THE ONE PERSON THAT, OR THE ONE ENTITY THAT'S SUPPOSED TO PROTECT, TO SERVE AND PROTECT IS TELLING ME WE DON'T HAVE ANY UNITS AVAILABLE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PURAM. AND, UM, I HEAR YOU. UM, JUST TO UPDATE YOU, SINCE APRIL, THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN WORKING ON, UM, A PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH A PROGRAM WHERE SHORT-TERM RENTALS WILL HAVE TO BE REGISTERED WITH THE CITY. THAT SHOULD BE ROLLED OUT WITHIN A FEW WEEKS. UM, THE TOPIC OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS WILL AGAIN BE CONSIDERED BY THE QUALITY OF LIFE COM COMMITTEE NEXT MONTH. UH, REGARDING THE, UM, SLOW RESPONSE TIME BY THE POLICE, I AGREE WITH YOU, IT IS UNACCEPTABLE. WE SHOULD HAVE MORE POLICE OFFICERS PATROLLING OUR STREETS, UM, IN THAT REGARD. EARLIER THIS YEAR, I SPONSORED A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL POLICE ACADEMY CLASS. AND, UH, THIS COUNCIL APPROVED THAT WITH THE MAYOR'S SUPPORT. AND SO THIS FISCAL YEAR WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN ADDITIONAL ACADEMY CLASS. IN, IN ADDITION, UM, I HAVE EXPLORED WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT USING OUR HIGH SCHOOL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREERS, UH, BETTER TO MAKE THAT MORE OF A PIPELINE TO PROVIDE POLICE OFFICERS IN THE FUTURE. THESE MEASURES WILL NOT RESULT IN AN OVERNIGHT, UH, SOLUTION, BUT THIS IS GONNA TAKE A NUMBER OF YEARS TO HOPEFULLY GET THE CITY WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE IN TERMS OF PUTTING MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREETS. BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK, UH, ALL OF US ARE CONCERNED ABOUT AND THE ADMINISTRATION IS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND SHARING YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS. I'M, I'M SORRY TO HEAR THEM. UH, BUT, UH, WE, WE ARE WORKING ON IT. WE ARE LISTENING. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROTO. UM, SORRY. MR. ARDI, THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT TO MY OFFICE LAST WEEK. UM, I ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR MESSAGE. I WAS AWAY. MM-HMM . BUT CAN I, CAN I ASK YOU, BETWEEN THE TIME WHEN YOU CALLED AND THE TIME THAT THE OFFICER SHOWED UP, WHAT WAS THE TIME SPAN? I MISSED APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS. TWO HOURS? MM-HMM . OKAY. FROM THE FIRST CALL TO WHEN THEY ACTUALLY SHOWED UP AND WHEN THEY SHOWED UP, WAS THERE ANY JUST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF, OF THE DELAY OR? NOPE. JUST THAT FOR US TO STAY INSIDE. AND, UM, APPARENTLY THEY WENT AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR. THEN THEY CAME BACK AND SAID, THEY SAID IT WAS FIRECRACKERS, WHICH IS NOT TRUE. IT WASN'T FIRECRACKERS. WE ALL, I MEAN ALL THE, WE HAVE A GROUP TEXT FOR THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, A GROUP CHAT. WE ALL HEARD GUNSHOTS. IT WASN'T FIRECRACKERS. AND EVEN IF IT HAD BEEN FIRECRACKERS, THERE'S A CITY ORDINANCE FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, SO THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING. SURE. AND, AND SINCE YOU WERE, UM, WHEN YOU ALL WERE HERE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO MM-HMM . HOW HAS THE ACTIVITY BEEN IN YOUR AREA? IT SEEMS LIKE IT KIND OF DIED DOWN AND, AND IS IT BACK A BIT? IT'LL, IT'LL QUIET DOWN FOR A LITTLE BIT, UM, AND THEN IT'LL PICK UP. MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THAT THE, THE WOMAN WHO WAS DOING THESE TWO, THERE'S TWO UNITS THERE THAT ARE, WERE BEING UTILIZED AS AN AIRBNB. ONE OF THEM IS ON THE MARKET. SHE'S TRYING TO SELL THE SECOND ONE. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT OWNER ACTUALLY RENEWED THE LEASE WITH THAT TENANT, BUT EVEN IF HE DIDN'T, HE'S USING IT HIMSELF FOR AN AIRBNB, LIKE HE'S BEING OUT HIS OWN, UM, PROPERTY. SO IT'S [00:45:01] GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BUT AS SOON AS IT STARTS TO QUIET DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BAM, SOMETHING HAPPENS AGAIN. UM, KATHY YANG, WHO'S ANOTHER, UM, NEIGHBOR, SHE'S NOT HERE TODAY. SHE SHOWED, UM, A VIDEO OF PEOPLE. THEY GO TO THIS PLACE DOWN THE STREET AT CAMP, UH, WALKING OUT AT LIKE 4 30, 5 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, YOU KNOW, HALF NAKED, ESSENTIALLY. I MEAN, YOU GUYS SAW THE VIDEOS FROM BEFORE. IT'S THE SAME THING. IT'LL JUST QUIET DOWN FOR A LITTLE BIT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE A WHOLE WAVE COMES IN. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON A PHONE CALL LATER. I HAVE A COUPLE IDEAS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER P*****K. HELLO MA'AM. THANK YOU FOR COMING. AND, UH, SORRY ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE. UM, THAT'S NOT MY DISTRICT. NOT SURE WHOSE IT IS, BUT I KNOW YOU CAME HERE FOR SOME SOLUTIONS. MM-HMM . UM, I WILL MAKE SURE THAT MY OFFICE PROVIDES YOU WITH A CARD THAT YOU CAN CONTACT US AND I'LL WORK WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT WE'LL TRY TO GET YOU FASTER RESPONSE NEXT TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. TRUDY SAER. TRUDY SAER. NEXT SPEAKER. EUGENE SHERA. EUGENE SHERA. WHERE IS THIS? NICE TO MEET YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, MY NAME'S MICHAEL SHERA. I'VE LIVED HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS NOW. AND, UH, I WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT MY BROTHER AND I HAVE DEVELOPED NEW TECHNOLOGY HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. UM, WE STARTED A, UH, SOLAR AND HOME BATTERY COMPANY, UM, THAT ESSENTIALLY WE REINVENTED THE WAY EVERYTHING GETS INSTALLED. UM, WE, OUR SYSTEMS BACK FEED THROUGH STANDARD OUTLETS SAFELY AND MONITORED TO BRING POWER TO THE PEOPLE'S HOMES, WHICH NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME RENTERS CAN GO SOLAR. THIS IS A HUGE DEAL. UH, WE WERE SEMIFINALISTS AT THE AMERICAN MADE SOLAR, UM, PRIZE FUNDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. THE LAWRENCE BERKELEY LAB IS CURRENTLY TESTING OUR SYSTEMS FOR VALIDITY FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. I MEAN, I'VE LIVED HERE FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW, AND I'VE BEEN THROUGH HARVEY, I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, THROUGH BARREL. WE'VE TESTED OUR SYSTEMS. UH, WE KNOW THIS KIND OF TECHNOLOGY NEEDS TO BE AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE. YEAH, THIS WHOLE THING COMES AT A FRACTION OF THE COST OF TRADITIONAL SOLAR. IT STARTS AT $900 FOR THE FIRST INCREMENTS OF 400 WATTS, AND YOU CAN GO UP ALL THE WAY TO 2000 WATTS PER OUTLET. THIS IS SIGNIFICANT FOR PEOPLE THAT CAN NO LONGER AFFORD ELECTRICITY BILLS, UH, DUE TO RISING ENERGY COSTS, OR HAVE LOST POWER IN TIMES WHERE THEY REALLY NEED POWER. AND WE CANNOT ASSURE, UM, AS WE SAW DURING BARREL. UM, SO WE'VE BEEN FUNDED PARTIALLY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO GET THIS AS FAR AS WE HAVE. UH, BUT WE NEED, WE, WE WANT TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON A LOCAL LEVEL, AND THAT'S WHY I'M REACHING OUT TO YOU GUYS. UH, WE COULD DO WORKSHOPS, WE COULD EDUCATE PEOPLE ON HOW TO BEHAVE IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. UM, WE JUST WANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT'S EXCITING. TECHNOLOGY IS OUT THERE AND IT CAME FROM HOUSTON. YEAH. UM, WE ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE SOLAR FOR ALL INITIATIVE THAT'S BEING HANDLED BY, UM, HARRIS COUNTY ITSELF. UH, WE MIGHT HAVE MISSED THE DEADLINE THERE, BUT THERE'S THERE MORE TO COME THIS, THIS NEXT YEAR. I'VE REACHED OUT MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT I'VE NEVER RECEIVED EVEN AN ANSWER VIA EMAIL, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATING. SO I DECIDED TO TAKE A TOP DOWN APPROACH AND COME AND SEE YOU GUYS AND SEE IF WE CAN'T GET THE BALL ROLLING. IN THE MEANTIME, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU FOR COMING. SIR, I, I, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A CARD I WOULD LIKE TO CONNECT YOU WITH, UM, ANGELA BLANCHARD. SHE'S ON THE MAYOR'S STAFF AND SHE'S KIND OF AGGREGATING IT, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE. AFTER BARRELL AND THE DERECHO, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF INTEREST FROM VARIOUS COMPANIES AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS LIKE YOURS, AND SHE IS KIND OF GATHERING UP ALL OF THAT AND SORTING THROUGH IT. AND [00:50:01] I'M HAPPY TO CONNECT YOU WITH HER, UM, TO SEE HOW BEST YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO WORK FOR THE CITY. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR START FROM THE DOE AND, AND FOR BEING A HOMEGROWN HOUSTON COMPANY AND, AND WISH YOU ALL THE SUCCESS AND HOPE WE CAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, THANK YOU, SIR FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. MAY I ASK ONE QUESTION OF YOU? YOU SAID REFERENCE TO RENTERS? YES. SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AN OBJECT THAT CAN BE PLACED WITHIN A YES. YES. YES. SO WE, WE, WE'VE DEVELOPED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, UH, THE FIRST FLEXIBLE BIFACIAL SOLAR PANELS. WE, IT'S VERY TECHNICAL, BUT, UM, ESSENTIALLY THEY'RE SHEETS. THEY'RE VERY THIN. THEY'RE 16TH OF AN INCH THIN, AND YOU CAN ZIP TIE IN WITH METAL ZIP TIES TO ANY SURFACE BALCONIES. YOU CAN PUT 'EM ON FENCES, YOU CAN USE A GROUND MOUNT THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED AS WELL. WE'RE STAYING AWAY, UH, OFF OF PEOPLE'S ROOFS. UM, ALSO WE, THERE'S ONLY LIMITED ROOF SPACE IN, IN, YOU KNOW, DENSELY POPULATED AREAS. SO WE NEED AN ALTERNATIVE FOR, FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND EVEN PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT SOLAR ON THEIR ROOF. RIGHT. SO IT, IT CAN GO ALL THE WAY UP TO 4,000 WATTS. TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, AIR CONDITIONING RUNS AT 3000 WATTS. SO THIS COULD REALLY MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR PEOPLE'S LIVES. OKAY. UM, AND ENERGY INDEPENDENCE. AND ON TOP OF IT, IT COULD HELP AIRCRAFT, IT REALLY COULD. YEAH. ALLEVIATE GRID SPIKES AND ALL THAT STUFF. AND WHEN THEY'RE IN, INSTEAD OF TELLING US TO TURN DOWN OUR AC, WE COULD JUST USE THESE KITS. GOOD. OKAY. I'D LOVE TO SPEAK TO YOU LATER ABOUT IT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. SPENCER FARWELL. SPENCER FARWELL. MA'AM. HELLO, MR. FARWELL. HOW Y'ALL DOING? WE GOT NOTHING. GO AHEAD. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITIZENS OF HOUSTON, I DON'T HAVE ANY. I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SUBMIT A NOTICE OF CLAIM FOR DAMAGES ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY WHO HAVE ENDURED UNIMAGINABLE SUFFERING DUE TO HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. AT A HUD SUBSIDIZED PROPERTY OWNED BY PASTOR ISAAC LEE MATTHEWS ACQUIRED FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THIS PROPERTY SITS ATOP AN OLD LANDFILL, POSING HIDDEN ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS THAT HAVE HARMED MY FAMILY'S HEALTH AND CAUSED SEVERE PROPERTY DAMAGE. I MOVED MY FAMILY INTO THIS PROPERTY WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF ITS PAST, UNAWARE OF THE TOXINS BENEATH US QUICKLY. OUR HEALTH DETERIORATED WHAT BEGAN AS MINOR SYMPTOMS GREW INTO LIFE ALTERING CONDITIONS. FOR SEVEN YEARS, I'VE SOUGHT JUSTICE THROUGH THE HARRIS COUNTY COURTS, THE 14TH COURT OF APPEALS, THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT, AND EVEN THE FIFTH CIRCUIT IN LOUISIANA, ONLY TO FACE DENIAL AFTER DENIAL. IT WAS ONLY RECENTLY THAT I LEARNED ABOUT THE NOTICE OF CLAIM PROCESS, WHICH COULD HAVE SPARED US YEARS OF HARDSHIP. HAD THE CITY'S REPRESENTATIVES BEEN TRANSPARENT. IN ADDITION TO THESE HEALTH RISKS, I MUST BRING ATTENTION TO A DEEPER ISSUE. THE FRAUD PERPETUATED WITHIN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. DOCUMENTS CRUCIAL TO OUR CASE WERE ALTERED OR WENT MISSING, PREVENTING FAIR JUDGMENT. DISTURBINGLY, THE HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE UNDER CHRISTIAN MENEFEE, TASKED WITH UPHOLDING JUSTICE IS NOW DEFENDING THIS FRAUD. THIS LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY HAS ADDED AN AGONIZING BURDEN TO AN ALREADY HEARTBREAKING ORDEAL FOR MY FAMILY. DESPITE REACHING OUT TO CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES, INCLUDING TASHA JACKSON, LETICIA PLUMMER, AND OTHERS, THERE WAS NO GUIDANCE. NO ASSISTANCE. THEIR SILENCE AND MISINFORMATION HAVE NOT ONLY PROLONGED OUR SUFFERING, BUT COMPOUNDED IT. OUR FIGHT FOR JUSTICE SHOULD HAVE BEEN STRAIGHTFORWARD, YET WE WERE LEFT ISOLATED WITH CITY OFFICIALS ACTIVELY OBSTRUCTING OUR PATH FORWARD. TODAY, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT UNDER THE CITY CHARTER'S SAVING CLAUSE, OUR CLAIM BE PERMITTED TO PROCEED DESPITE ANY MISSED DEADLINES. MAYOR WHITMEYER, I URGE YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE WRONGFUL ACTS COMMITTED HERE, BOTH IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL HARM TO MY FAMILY AND IN THE JUDICIAL MISCONDUCT THAT FOLLOWED. PLEASE GRANT US THE FAIR RESOLUTION WE NEED AND THE JUSTICE WE ARE OWED. THANK YOU. I'M SURE ALL OF Y'ALL KNOW WHO I AM. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS SEVEN YEARS, AND TODAY I NEED SOME JUSTICE OR SOME UNDERSTANDING. AND MR. FALWELL, PARDON ME, BUT CAN YOU GIVE US A SYNOPSIS OF WHAT, WHAT THE ISSUE IS AND WHAT YOUR ASK IS? YES. I MOVED, SHE KNOW EVERYTHING. I MOVED MY FAMILY TO A APARTMENT COMPLEX, FOUND THAT TIDWELL 2303 WEST TIDWELL THAT WAS BUILT ON THE OLD LANDFILL. MY [00:55:01] WIFE HAS LUNG ISSUES AND MY DAUGHTER KIDNEYS FAILED. I'VE BEEN FIGHTING SEVEN YEARS. SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS GONNA HELP ME IN 2020. HERE IT IS, FOUR YEARS LATER, STILL DON'T GOT HELP. CHRISTIAN MANE, THAT THE HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS FIGHTING THIS FRAUD. BROOKLYN DANIELS COURT CLERK OF THE ONE 65TH. SHE TAMPERED WITH THE RECORD. SHE DESTROYED THE RECORD. SHE DESTROYED DOCUMENTS. AND I, LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN THROUGH ALL THESE COURTS. 14TH CLUB APPEAL TICKET, SUPREME COURT FEDERAL COURT, FIFTH CIRCUIT. RIGHT. ALL OF THEM DENIED MY CASE. SO NOW I FILED A NEW CASE BILL, A REVIEW THAT'S IN THE HA THAT'S IN THE STATE COURT RIGHT NOW. THEY STILL HAVEN'T EVEN PROCESSED IT. I FILED IT THREE MONTHS AGO. OKAY. AND IT'S JUST SITTING THERE. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TIM. UM, I TOOK OFFICE IN 2021 AND WHEN I CAME IN OFFICE, I CONTACTED THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. UM, MR. FAIRFIELD SAID HIS FAMILY FARWELL WAS, IS ILL, UM, BECAUSE OF THE CONTAMINATION OF THE FOUNTAINS OF TIDWELL. YOU, YOU KNOW THE NAME OF PASTOR, PASTOR? I'M TALKING PASTOR MATTHEWS. YEAH, PASTOR ISAAC MATTHEWS. YEAH. AND YOU, GRACE COMMUNITY CHURCH. HE SUED PASTOR MATTHEWS. I CONTACTED THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CAME OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT COMPLEX. THEY DID AN INSPECTION AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS, THEY CAME BACK WITH NOTHING. I GAVE YOU THE DOCUMENTATION. THAT WAS IN 2021. CAN YOU SEND IT TO ME AGAIN? YEAH, I SENT IT TO YOU AGAIN. SEND IT TO YOU AGAIN. AND YOU WANTED US TO REMOVE YOU TO ANOTHER APARTMENT COMPLEX. RIGHT? WHY IN MY OFFICE, BUT WHY? AND MY OFFICE GAVE YOU THE INFORMATION OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SO THAT THEY CAN GET CONNECTED WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. SO MY OFFICE HAS DONE WHAT WE CAN DO. HE'S IN THE MIDDLE OF LAWSUITS AND HE'S, AND I, I CAN'T GET INVOLVED WITH THE LAWSUITS, BUT WHAT I CAN DO, WHY, WHY DID YOUR OFFICE IS TRY WHY DID YOUR OFFICE, MR. MR. FALWELL AND RECENTLY HE CONTACTED OUR OFFICE. HANG ON THIS AGAIN. UM, AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE MANAGEMENT SAID THAT THEY'VE BEEN AT THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX FOR QUITE SOME TIME OVER ON TIDWELL. AND THE MANAGER SAID SHE'S NEVER GOT SICK, AND THEY ALSO SAID THAT HE WAS NOT ON THE LEASE. SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED, RIGHT. LEGALLY. BUT AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DISTRICT, I DID PUT YOU IN CONTACT WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. UM, MY STAFF IS WORKING WITH YOU TO TRY TO CONNECT YOU GUYS TO A JOB. WHAT ABOUT, WAS IT BUILT ON THIS LANDFILL AND PEOPLE SICK AND PEOPLE DYING THAT MR. MR. FARWELL? YES, MA'AM. LISTEN, THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN GO GOING ON IN COURT. YES. UM, WE AREN'T GONNA SOLVE IT HERE AT CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY TO BRING IT UP. HOW UP TO US AGAIN? WHAT DO I, WHAT DO I SUBMIT MY CLAIM TO THE CITY? YOU CAN GIVE IT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. OKAY. YOU JUST, JUST GIVE IT TO HIM. BUT WE AREN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO SOLVE IT IN THE THREE MINUTES THAT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO SPEAK TODAY. YES. BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN AND BRINGING THE AWARENESS OF IT AGAIN. YES. AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN GET SOME HELP THROUGH THE COURTS BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE I THINK YOU GONNA GET THE RESULTS YOU MAY BE LOOKING FOR. MS. JACKSON, COULD YOU PLEASE SEND ME THAT INSPECTION REPORT AGAIN? THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. FARWELL. NEXT SPEAKER. SHE, SHE JUST SHOWED UP, SO WE'RE GONNA CALL HER NOW. IS THAT OKAY? MM-HMM . ALEXANDRA OCHI. SHE WAS NOT PRESENT WHEN WE CALLED HER NAME. SHE'S PRESENT NOW. HELLO, MS. SOCHI. HOW ARE YOU? I'M WELL, THANK YOU FOR, UM, ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. I THINK THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER LEFT THEIR PHONE UP HERE. UH, THERE'S A PHONE HERE. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME. HANG ON ONE SECOND. REBECCA, CAN YOU LET HIM KNOW HE LEFT HIS SPEAK HIS PHONE UP UP HERE? THANK YOU. GO AHEAD MA'AM. UH, GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ALEXANDRA OCHI. I AM HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 44 TO URGE THE COUNCIL TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF AMENDING CHAPTER TWO OF ARTICLE ONE, SECTION TWO DASH TWO, RULE EIGHT. THIS AMENDMENT AIMS TO PROTECT AND THE PROFESSIONAL AND THE PERSONAL INFORMATION OF PRIVATE CITIZENS WHO WISH TO EXERCISE THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS WITHOUT THE FEAR OF THEIR PERSONAL INFO BEING MADE PUBLIC AND ESSENTIALLY BEING DOCKED BY THE CITY. I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF TEACHING HOUSTON'S YOUTH SINCE 2015 AS EDUCATORS. WE ACTIVELY ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS TO USE THEIR VOICES AND PARTICIPATE IN THE CIVIC PROCESSES. HOWEVER, THIS CURRENT REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT PRIVATE INFORMATION SUCH AS PHONE NUMBERS OR MAILING ADDRESSES WHEN SIGNING UP TO SPEAK, HAVE THAT INFORMATION BECOME PUBLIC RECORD POSTS A SAFETY ISSUE TO OUR STUDENTS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND TRULY ALL HOUSTONIANS. THIS PRACTICE VIOLATES MULTIPLE OF OUR NATURAL RIGHTS. THIS ACTION RAISES SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS REGARDING PRIVACY RIGHTS AS IT [01:00:01] CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS DOXING. A TERM THAT REFERS TO THE RESEARCH AND DISCLOSING OF PRIVATE INFORMATION OR IDENTIFYING INFORMATION ABOUT INDIVIDUALS ONLINE. SUCH ACTIONS POSE A SEVERE RISK TO THE SAFETY OF CITIZENS, ESPECIALLY IN THE CURRENT DIGITAL LANDSCAPE. OR A SINGLE POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA CAN GO VIRAL AND REACH A GLOBAL AUDIENCE. STUDENTS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE COURSES AND LEARN ABOUT DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP AND SAFETY TO UNDERSTAND THAT ANYTHING POSTED ONLINE IS PERMANENT. WE CAUTION OUR STUDENTS TO AVOID SHARING, IDENTIFYING INFORMATION ONLINE TO PROTECT THEIR OWN SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS. THIS CARE IS ESSENTIAL AS NEGATING. IT CAN LEAD TO STALKERS, INDIVIDUALS WITH RESTRAINING ORDERS OR OTHER UNWANTED PERSONS GAINING ACCESS TO PERSONAL INFORMATION OF CITIZENS WHO HAVE SIMPLY EXERCISED THEIR BIRTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO SPEAK AT THESE MEETINGS. THIS SITUATION PRESENTS A CONCERNING FORM OF INTIMIDATION THAT THREATENS OUR ABILITY TO EXERCISE OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS FULLY. MANY HOUSTONIANS MAY CHOOSE NOT TO SPEAK AT THESE MEETINGS DUE TO LEGITIMATE CONCERNS FOR THEIR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF THEIR HOUSEHOLDS. PREVIOUSLY, SPEAKERS WERE ASKED ONLY TO PROVIDE THEIR NAMES AND REASONS FOR SPEAKING WITH CONTACT INFORMATION BEING VOLUNTARY. THIS NEW REQUIREMENT IMPOSES AN UNDUE BARRIER ESTABLISHED BY THE CITY THAT WILL ULTIMATELY SILENCE VOICES AND HINDER OPEN DIALOGUE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES. THIS ISSUE OF SAFETY I PRESENT ARE NOT MERE HYPOTHETICALS. THEY REFLECT THE REAL EXPERIENCE OF HOUSTONIANS IN THIS ROOM WHO WISH TO ENGAGE IN THE CIVIL PROCESS, AND THEY HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU TODAY. IT'S CRITICAL FOR THE CITY TO PRIORITIZE THE NEEDS AND SAFETY OF ITS CITIZENS WITHOUT FORCING US TO DUL PERSONAL INFORMATION AT THE COST OF OUR SECURITY. TRUSTING IN OUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE FREE WITHOUT FEAR WORKFORCE IS VITAL FOR TRULY CLAIMING TO LIVE UNJUST SOCIETY. THANK YOU, MS. OCHI. WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS TODAY. UH, WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER IN Q THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD TODAY. I THINK YOU MADE SOME GREAT POINTS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ADMINISTRATION AND FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HAVE SOME OF THAT CONTACT INFORMATION SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MEET WITH THE CONSTITUENTS AND ADDRESS THEM, BUT FOR THE PUBLIC TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION, UM, I AGREE WITH YOU, IT'S NOT NECESSARY. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. NEXT SPEAKER FRANKLIN GRIFFIN. FRANKLIN GRIFFIN. NEXT SPEAKER. MICHELLE WILLIAMS. MICHELLE WILLIAMS. NEXT SPEAKER. STEVEN NAMI. STEVEN NAMI. NEXT SPEAKER. MCKAYLA SALADO. MCKAYLA SALADO. NEXT SPEAKER, EMILY NIM. YES, MA'AM. IF YOU'LL STAND RIGHT BEHIND THAT MICROPHONE. OKAY. GREETINGS, MAYOR WHITMAR AND CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND OPEN DOOR POLICY ON COLLABORATING ON SOLUTIONS THAT REPRESENT THE DIVERSITY IN LEADERSHIP IN HOUSTON. MY NAME IS EMILY NIM. AS A RICE GRADUATE SERVING ON THE HARRIS COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION, I SEE COST EFFECTIVE PLANS FOR RESTORING KEY HISTORIC LANDMARKS TO SERVE THE PUBLIC. FOR EXAMPLE, THE HISTORIC ROW HOUSES ON VICTOR, UM, GLADYS HOUSE, WHO WAS THE NATIVE DESCENDANT OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE INDIGENOUS FREEMANS TOWN SETTLEMENT, WROTE A GRANT TO RENOVATE THESE HOUSES AS HOME OFFICE JOBS FOR DISABLED VETS. I PROPOSE WE USE THESE HOUSES TO SET UP COOPERATIVE MEDICAL NETWORKS FOR EACH DISTRICT IN HOUSTON. THIS WOULD RESOLVE THE DISPUTE OVER PANDEMIC FUNDS BY DISTRIBUTING TAX BENEFITS PROPORTIONALLY AND EMPOWER AND TRAIN COMMUNITIES TO MANAGE THEIR OWN HEALTHCARE AND ECONOMIC BASE. IT WOULD CREATE SUSTAINABLE JOBS INSTEAD OF A ONE-TIME HANDOUT. IN CASE OF CRISIS, EACH DISTRICT COULD QUARANTINE SEPARATELY AND SERVE THEIR OWN POPULATION SAFELY INSTEAD OF SHUTTING DOWN THE ENTIRE SYSTEM OR THE CITY. AND THIS WOULD SOLVE POLITICAL PRO, UH, CONFLICTS OVER PRO-CHOICE AND PRO-LIFE MASK AND VACCINE POLICIES. UM, BECAUSE THE CURRENT NONPROFIT WITH ABOUT 2,500 MEMBERS, THAT'S THE SIZE OF A PARTY PRECINCT. SO ALL PARTIES COULD MANAGE THEIR OWN POLICIES, UM, ELECTED BY MEMBERS WITHOUT CONFLICTING WITH OTHER GROUPS AND, AND THEIR BELIEFS. SO INSTEAD OF SPENDING MILLIONS ON CAMPAIGNS COMPETING FOR THE SAME JOBS, WE CAN INVEST THAT MONEY IN CREATING JOBS FOR ALL CANDIDATES TO MANAGE THEIR OWN HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENTAL REFORMS, AND CREATE SUSTAINABLE INCOME. UH, NEXT TO TRAIN CITIZENS IN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT, THE, UH, CAMPUS [01:05:01] PLANS FOR PUBLIC HOUSING AND HISTORIC FOURTH WARD. THESE WERE IMPLEMENTED THROUGH FEDERAL HUD REFORMS AND WERE SIGNED, UH, BY SHEILA JACKSON LEE, WHO HAS, UH, THE SAME VISION OF SHE HAD THE SAME VISION OF RESTORING, UH, BOTH FREEMANS TOWN AND THE DOME FOR PUBLIC SERVICE. THESE, UH, PLANS CAN BE REPLICATED IN EVERY DISTRICT. UH, SO BY RESTORING THE FREEMAN'S TOWN SETTLEMENT AS A CAMPUS PLAN MODEL LEFT ARISE, WE CAN, UM, RETURN THE DISTRICT TO ITS STATE OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND ALSO TRAIN LEADERS IN ALL THE DISTRICTS TO DO THE SAME. AND WE CAN, UH, RESTORE THE DOME AS A CONVENTION CENTER FOR TRAINING WORKERS AND LEADERS TO REPLICATE THESE CAMPUS PLANS ALONG THE BORDER TO SOLVE THE IMMIGRATION AND TRAFFICKING ISSUES AS WELL. UM, IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO UT AT BROWNSVILLE THAT ALREADY HAS AN INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM THAT CROSSES THE BORDER UNDER RICO. PROPERTY AND ASSETS ABUSE FOR TRAFFICKING AND CRIME COULD BE RECLAIMED BY VICTIMS AND COMMUNITIES AS RESTITUTION. SO INSTEAD OF RAISING MORE TAXES, WE CAN ASSESS PAST DEBTS AND DAMAGES, UM, FROM CORPORATE CRIME, UH, FRAUD AND ABUSE, AND APPLY TAXPAYER CREDITS TOWARD FUNDING THESE REFORMS INSTEAD OF RAISING TAXES AND HOLD A PROPERTY AS COLLATERAL UNTIL THE FULL COST OF THESE DEBTS AND DAMAGES ARE PAID BACK. I'LL SEND BY EMAIL THE, UH, PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS I'VE DONE ON THIS AND DOCUMENTS CITED AS REFERENCES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION AND COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. NEXT SPEAKER. OH, EVAN SHABA, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ. THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM. I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD ROSEANNA ALL LAHAR AS OUR NEXT SPEAKER. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? NEXT SPEAKER, ADD WHO? LILIANA? NO IDEA. WE DON'T HAVE THE NAME ON THE SECRETARY. WE NEED THE NAME. SHE'S ON THE SECRETARY. CAN YOU GIVE THE NAME AGAIN FOR THE CITY SECRETARY PLEASE? UH, ROSEANNA ALANNA. SHAR, SERGEANT. GOOD AFTERNOON. COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 44, THE PROPOSITION FILED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD'S OFFICE, AND ALSO, UM, THANK, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER SHABA JACKSON AND THOMAS FOR SIGNING ONTO AS WELL. UM, AS A WOMAN, A SINGLE MOTHER, AN ARAB AMERICAN, AND A SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, I CANNOT OVERSTATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS MEASURE. FOR MANY OF US PARTICIPATING IN PUBLIC DISCOURSE IS BOTH A RIGHT AND A RESPONSIBILITY. YET WHEN WE ARE REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE OUR HOME ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS TO ADDRESS OUR REPRESENTATIVES, WE ARE FORCED INTO A VULNERABLE POSITION. THIS INFORMATION SHOULD BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL, NOT SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC, WHERE IT CAN BE ACCESSED BY ANYONE. FOR WOMEN LIKE ME WHO HAVE SURVIVED DOMESTIC ABUSE, PRIVACY IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF COMFORT. IT IS A MATTER OF SAFETY. I KNOW FIRSTHAND WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO LIVE IN FEAR, HAVING ONCE NEEDED A PROTECTIVE ORDER, AND LATER A NO CONTACT ORDER AGAINST AN ABUSIVE EX. IMAGINE A SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC ABUSE, WANTING TO COME HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE, BUT FEARING THAT HER ADDRESS COULD BE EXPOSED TO HER ABUSER OR ANYONE WITH HARMFUL INTENTIONS. THIS PROPOSITION WILL PROTECT THOSE VOICES AND ALLOW THEM TO SPEAK FREELY WITHOUT COMPROMISING THEIR SAFETY. FURTHERMORE, AS AN ARAB AMERICAN, I'M ACUTELY AWARE OF THE RISE IN ISLAMOPHOBIC AND ANTI-ARAB HATE CRIMES, PARTICULARLY HERE IN TEXAS, UH, PUBLICLY DISCLOSING OUR PRIVATE INFORMATION CAN MAKE US TARGETS FOR HARASSMENT OR VIOLENCE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO WEIGH THE RISK OF, TO THEIR PERSONAL SAFETY, AGAINST THEIR DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE IN DEMOCRACY. SO I URGE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS AMENDMENT AND ENSURES THAT EVERY HOUSTONIAN CAN PARTICIPATE IN OUR CIVIC PROCESS WITHOUT FEAR OF EXPOSING THEIR PERSONAL LIVES TO POTENTIAL HARM. UM, I ALSO WANNA READ REAL QUICK, UH, DR. DONNA KEN MURPHY. SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT COULD NOT BE HERE. SHE'S A LOCAL NEUROLOGIST APPOINTED TO THE HARRIS COUNTY AREA PLANNING ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR AREA AGENCY ON AGING. SHE MAKES A POINT THAT WHILE ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS WHO HAVE THE POWER TO SHAPE PUBLIC POLICY AND TO SHAPE PUBLIC POLICY, POLICY SHOULD BE HELD TO ACCOUNT. AND THAT MIGHT INCLUDE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE, DISCLOSURE OF CONTACT INFORMATION. PRIVATE RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY HAVE NO SUCH POWER AND SHOULD NOT BE HELD TO SUCH A STANDARD AS AN APPOINTEE. SHE HAS THE RIGHT TO DECLINE TO DISCLOSE HER ADDRESS. UM, THE DISPARITY IN POWER REQUIRES THAT WE PROTECT PRIVATE RESIDENTS TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT POLICY WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING TARGETED. AGAIN, I JUST WANNA THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO DID FILE THIS AND SIGN ONTO IT. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THIS IS, UM, WE'LL HELP, HELP KEEP ALL HOUSTONIANS SAFER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. NEXT SPEAKER, JULIA BUSTOS. JULIA BUSTOS. [01:10:02] NEXT SPEAKER, CAROLINA BUSTOS. CAROLINA BUSTOS. NEXT SPEAKER. AUBREY CONTRERAS. AUBREY CONTRERAS. NEXT SPEAKER, IRAN TREVINO, IRAN TREVINO. NEXT SPEAKER, DAPHNE SCARBOROUGH, CHAIR. GOOD MORNING, COUNSEL AND COUNT, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM. GOOD MORNING. I AM DAPHNE SCARBOROUGH, RICHMOND AVENUE, MONTROSE TOUR, AND HA THIS MORNING BECAUSE NO ONE HAS ATTENDED MORE HEARINGS AT HA OR THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS OR THE TOURS ISSUE IN THE LAST 20 YEARS. AND I DID SEE COUNSEL ON TELEVISION LAST WEEK, AND YOU REALLY, IT'S, IT'S FINE TO SAY THAT THE, UM, PROPOSITION PASSED. AND I UNDERSTAND THE ANIMOSITY ABOUT HVAC BECAUSE IT IS DEFINITELY A HOGS AT THE TROUGH OF BUREAUCRACY. AND IT'S ALL ABOUT, YOU SCRATCH MY BACK, I SCRATCH YOUR BACK. AND THAT'S HOW PROJECTS GET DONE. THEY DON'T GET DONE BECAUSE THEY'RE NEEDED OR THEY'RE WELL DEVELOPED, OR THEY ARE ESSENTIAL. THEY GET DONE BECAUSE OF THE COMRADERY ON THE INSIDE. AND IF YOU DON'T, IF THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE, THEN THAT PUTS US TOTALLY OUT OF THE INFORMATION LOOP AND IT'S NOT PRACTICAL. I UNDERSTAND WHY SEVERAL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTED TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE CITY OUT. YOU ARE REPRESENTING YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND I AM PROUD OF THOSE PEOPLE FOR HAVING THE WHEREWITHAL TO GET SIGNATURES AND GET THAT PROPOSITION ON THE BALLOT AND THEN TO HAVE IT PASSED. BUT THE REALITY, THE FISCAL REALITY IS A PROBLEM. MY OTHER DISCUSSION THIS MORNING IS THE MONTROSE TURS, AND I REALLY WANT TO COMMEND TO ALL OF YOU AND THE MAYOR FOR ACTUALLY REVAMPING THE BOARD BECAUSE THAT TUR WAS FORMED FROM THE ORIGINAL BOARD MEMBERS FROM THE MONTROSE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT THAT WE DISSOLVED IN COURT, NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE. SO THEY JUST KIND OF MOVED OVER TO THE TURS. AND I WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHY WE HAD A $54 MILLION PROJECT POP UP. YET THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE JOINT PROJECT, OF THE MIDTOWN TOURS AND THE MONTROSE TOURS BECAUSE THEY, FIVE YEARS AGO, SIX YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A HEARING ON THE ALABAMA REDO. AND A THE CITY HAS DONE ITS JOB AND REVAMPED ALABAMA FROM WESLEYAN TO BUFFALO SPEEDWAY, AND THEN BUFFALO SPEEDWAY TO SHEPHERD WAS THE UP, UH, THE UPPER KIRBY DISTRICT. SO THE LAST PART, WHICH REALLY OF ALL OF THE SECTIONS NEEDS DESPERATELY TO BE DONE, SEEMS TO BE ABANDONED. AND THAT IS IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION WORK THAT IS GOING TO OCCUR DOWNTOWN AND TECH STOP PLANS TO START, UH, DIGGING UP EVERYTHING FOR THEIR SUMP PUMP STATION THERE AT MAIN STREET IN 59. AND THEY WANT TO WIDEN THE PIERCE ELEVATED AT THAT POINT. THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY EAST WEST STREETS BUT ALABAMA. YOU CAN GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP MS. SCARBOROUGH. THANK YOU. ALABAMA HAS NOT BEEN REDONE IN OVER 30 YEARS, AND IT IS A MESS. AND THE DIELLE MUSEUM WAS JUST VOTED ONE OF THE TOP SMALLER MUSEUMS IN THE COUNTRY ALONG WITH OUR MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, WHICH WAS VOTED NUMBER SIX IN THE COUNTRY ACCORDING TO THE WASHINGTON POST. SO WE REALLY NEED PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE AND NOT LOSE TIRES AND NOT BOUNCE AROUND ON OUR STREETS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. SO IF SOMEONE COULD CHECK IN TO THE MIDTOWN AND THE MONTROSE TOUR, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL. THANK YOU, MS. SCARBOROUGH. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR PROTO. AND MS. SCARBOROUGH, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR ENGAGEMENT. UH, YOUR INSIGHT IS VALUABLE THAT WE LEAN ON TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF THE CONSTITUENCY AND ALSO TO, UH, LEAN ON TO SEE WHAT WE SHOULD DO AS WE CONSIDER HOW WE MOVE FORWARD ON CERTAIN PROJECTS OR VOTE ON CERTAIN ITEMS. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. CAROLYN RIVERA. CAROLYN RIVERA, NEXT SPEAKER. LUCIA MORENO. [01:15:03] HELLO, MS. MORENO. HELLO. I HOPE I DON'T START CRYING HERE 'CAUSE I'M A VERY UPSET PERSON THIS MORNING. UH, I'M HERE TO TALK AND, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THE CIVILIAN ORDINANCE, UH, SATURDAY AS I WAS GOING TO WALMART, I PASSED DOWN BY THE GREYHOUND THING. THREE GENTLEMEN. OF COURSE, THERE WERE OTHERS. AND THERE'S PEOPLE, FAMILIES 'CAUSE THERE'S A FLEA MARKET THERE, WALKING BACK AND FORTH. THIS GUY IS LAYING BY THE TREE SHOOTING UP IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY. YOU KNOW, IT'S GETTING OLD, THE SENIORS, WE CAN'T WALK IN OUR DISTRICT. WE CANNOT, OUR CHILDREN CAN'T PLAY OUTSIDE. THEY DON'T EVEN GO OUTSIDE IN THEIR BACKYARDS. I'M VERY LUCKY THAT I'M ABLE TO AFFORD A NICE FENCE. DID WE THANK YOU TO BEING A RETIRED TEACHER? BUT THE FACT IS, IS THAT NOT EVERYBODY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS THAT. AND I WANNA TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT JUST HAPPENED. WE ALSO HAVE, I GET THESE CRIME RATES IN THE MAGNOLIA PARK. CRIME WAS REPORTED 264 AND THEFTS, I HAD ASKED FOR THREE MINUTES. I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP. THEY GAVE ME ONE, UH, DENVER HARBOR. IT BREAKS IT UP BY NEIGHBORHOODS. WE'VE HAD THE HIGHEST ONES. THEN THERE'S A, WHAT THEY CALL THE RED BARN. IT'S SOME KIND OF HALFWAY HOUSE OR SOMETHING. AND THE OTHER DAY THEY FOUND A GENTLEMAN THAT'S LIVING THERE WITH GUNS IN THE HALFWAY HOUSE. SO THE POLICE HAD TO GO OUT THERE AND IT SAYS HE WAS ABOUT TO SHOOT UP THE PLACE. LUCKILY, THE GUYS THERE HELD THEM DOWN TILL THE POLICE COULD COME OUT, TOOK HIM AND FOUND GUNS IN HIS ROOM. HE'S IN JAIL. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT FACILITY HAS BEEN THERE OVER 20 YEARS. WHY SHOULD OUR CHILDREN HAVE TO LIVE AMONG ALL OF THAT? I DON'T SEE IT ON ALABAMA. I DON'T SEE IT IN THE NICER SIDE OF TOWNS. YOU KNOW WHAT? NOBODY ASKED US IF THAT COULD BE THERE. AND IT'S NOT FAIR PEOPLE. WE'VE ALREADY GOT A KICK IN THE STOMACH WITH OUR ELECTIONS AND UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE KICKS TODAY. PLEASE APPROVE THE CIVILITY ORDINANCE BECAUSE I CAN'T EVEN WALK TO THE STORE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU MS. MORENO, FOR BEING HERE. UH, WE HAD OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CIVILITY ORDINANCE, BUT IT'LL COME BACK FOR A VOTE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. I COULDN'T COME THAT DAY 'CAUSE I WAS SICK. NO, THAT'S FINE. I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL ABSOLUTELY FINE PROCEDURE. SO COULDN'T COME TILL TODAY. THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR CONCERNS. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD MORNING, SARAH SAYEED IS NOT PRESENT. THANK, THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. UH, MY NAME IS SARAH SAYED. I AM THE ORGANIZING MANAGER AT WOODY JUNTOS. UH, I, WE CAME HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 12. UM, IT DISCUSSES THE GRANT FUNDING THAT IS BEING POTENTIALLY ALLOCATED FOR MORE LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY AS IT RELATES TO EMERGENCY DISASTER PREPAREDNESS. WE FIRST WANT TO JUST SAY THAT WE'VE COME A LONG WAY WHERE WE THEN, WHEN WE WERE ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO YEARS AGO, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THIS COUNCIL, JUST THAT THEY HAVE STARTED THINKING ABOUT WHAT THIS TAKES, UM, AND HOW MUCH INVESTMENT IS NEEDED TO PREPARE OUR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY IN THE LANGUAGES THAT THEY FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE. WE ALSO WANNA REMIND THIS BODY THAT AS WE START TO THINK ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH PREPAREDNESS, JUST LIKE THE COUNTY IS, JUST LIKE THE STATE IS STARTING TO THINK ABOUT ALSO INCLUDE INTERPRETATION AND IN-PERSON LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY IN THESE CONVERSATIONS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT TO FUND, WE ALSO WANNA REMIND THIS BODY ABOUT DIVERSIFYING OUR SOURCES OF FUNDING. SO THOUGH THIS GRANT IS A GREAT FIRST STEP, UM, IN TERMS OF A LONG TERM SOLUTION, WE'RE HOPING FOR MORE TAXPAYER FUNDED MONEY FROM THE ACTUAL BUDGET THAT CAN SUSTAIN, UM, A PROGRAM LIKE THIS, UM, OR JUST INITIATIVES SUCH AS THIS. AND WE HOPE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU TAKE IN MIND AS WE START TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND WE HOPE THAT THIS IS APPROVED. UM, AND WE, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND WE HOPE THAT THIS CONTINUES, UM, TO BUILD ENERGY. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. MAYOR PRO CASSIDY STATE, THANK YOU FOR BEING, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. [01:20:01] UM, AND, AND I KNOW THAT BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE AND AND WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH ITEM 12, UM, PART OF THE GRANT FUNDING ALSO ALLOWS, UM, FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAMMING. UM, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS IF YOU KNOW, OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD UTILIZE THOSE SERVICES THAT WE PARTNER TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT'S AVAILABLE, UM, AS WE ARE PREPARING FOR WEATHER EVENTS OR ANY, UM, EVENTS. UM, SO HOPEFULLY YOU WILL, UM, REACH OUT AND WE CAN COLLABORATE SO THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE REACHING OUT TO EVERYONE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. WE, WE ONLY KNOW WHAT WE KNOW. AND SO THESE TYPES OF PARTNERSHIPS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US. SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND AS WE TRY TO EXPAND OUR OFFERINGS, WE LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, WE WERE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE SURROUNDING OVERLAP IN OTHER COUNTIES AS WELL. UM, WE'RE HOPING TO SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT IN THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES TOO. SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. OH, COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU SARAH FOR BEING HERE AND FOR ADVOCATING FOR THOSE WHO, UH, NEED SERVICES IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. WE HAVE SO MANY LANGUAGES SPOKEN HERE IN HOUSTON BESIDES ENGLISH, AND IT BECOMES, UH, AN ISSUE, ESPECIALLY DURING EMERGENCIES FOR, SO APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR EFFORTS ON THIS. UM, I WILL REMIND YOU THAT THIS COUNCIL PASSED MY BUDGET AMENDMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR TO ADD, UH, A LANGUAGE ACCESS COORDINATOR POSITION TO CITY GOVERNMENT. SO, UH, WE HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET WITH SOME FOLKS IN DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. SO HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THAT IS PROGRESSING ALONG AND HOPE TO HAVE SOME, SOME REALLY GOOD NEWS ABOUT THAT, UH, PERHAPS AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK. BUT THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. I'D LIKE TO VISIT WITH YOU, UH, A LITTLE BIT AFTER THE MEETING. UH, IF YOU WILL HANG AROUND FOR, FOR A BIT AND SO WE CAN CATCH YOU UP. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILWOMAN RAMIREZ. UM, THE, THE SMALL WIN THAT WE DID HAVE WITH THE, UH, THE SMALL AMOUNT FOR LANGUAGE ACCESS QUARTER IS JUST, IT'S A GREAT FIRST STEP AND WE'RE HOPING TO CONTINUE TO SEE THAT PLAY OUT IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. AGREED. AND I THINK YOU'LL BE HAPPY WITH, WITH WHAT'S COMING DOWN. THANK YOU. OKAY, THANKS. NEXT. MAURICE BAO. OH, MAURICE, SAME HERE. SO SOPHIA SEGER, GOOD MORNING. I SEE THAT WHITMEYER IS HERE TO JOIN US. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, YOUR OWN COUNCIL. UH, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 44, THE PROPOSITION TO AMEND CHAPTER TWO OF ARTICLE ONE, SECTION TWO DASH TWO, RULE EIGHT, WHICH WOULD PROTECT SPEAKERS PRIVATE INFORMATION. WHILE SPEAKING AT CITY HALL, I'D LIKE TO SHARE MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES TO GIVE THE COUNCIL SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF THE BARRIERS THIS RULE WOULD, UH, CREATE. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS LIVED IN MY CAR TO ESCAPE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND DIDN'T HAVE A PHYSICAL ADDRESS FOR A WHILE, THIS RULE WOULD MEAN I'D HAVE TO USE MY OLD ADDRESS, WHICH BELONGED TO AN ABUSER OF MINE. I'M THINKING ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS IT WOULD BE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ESCAPED VIOLENCE TO HAVE THEIR ADDRESSES PUBLICIZED. AND MY CONCERN IS ALSO WITH THE LITERAL UNHOUSED NESS, UH, ABSENCE OF AN ADDRESS THAT MANY UNHOUSED PEOPLE ARE SUBJECTED TO. I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU WOULD LIKE UNHOUSED PEOPLE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL WITHIN AN ADDRESS. THIS IS NOT JUST A BARRIER FOR THEM, BUT A LITERAL EXCLUSION. THESE GROUPS OF PEOPLE ARE VERY VULNERABLE AND IN MUCH NEED OF HOUSTON'S RESOURCES, BUT BECAUSE OF THIS BARRIER ARE MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER IN SITUATIONS THEY'RE IN THAN COME FORWARD TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER THE EXPERIENCES OF SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE HOUSTON POPULATIONS AS YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION. THANK YOU. NEXT, MARIAN WRIGHT. THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS HEARING WE [1  9:00 AM PUBLIC HEARING regarding the designation for the TPMS DA LLC Reinvestment Zone for tax abatement purposes and its related tax abatement agreement ] GO TO PUBLIC HEARING. MA'AM, ITEM ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE DESIGNATION FOR THE T-P-M-S-D-A-L-L-C. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING COUNSEL. I'M ANDREW BUSKER IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS REQUIRED BY SECTION THREE 12.201 AND SECTION THREE 12.207 OF THE TEXAS TAX CODE. AND ARTICLE FOUR SECTION 44 DASH 1 26 OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. CODE OF ORDINANCES, A PUBLIC HEARING IS REQUIRED BEFORE A TAX ABATEMENT REINVESTMENT [01:25:01] ZONE CAN BE DESIGNATED AND BEFORE A TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT CAN BE APPROVED. NOTICE OF TODAY'S HEARING WAS PUBLISHED IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25TH, 2024, WHICH WAS AT LEAST SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO THIS PUBLIC HEARING DATE. ADDITIONALLY, THIS TAX ABATEMENT PROPOSAL WAS PRESENTED TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE ON JULY 17TH, 2024. IN AUGUST, 2024, CITY OF HOUSTON APPROVED CHAPTER 44 OF THE CITY OF HU, THE CITY'S CODE OF ORDINANCES THAT CONTINUED THE CITY'S TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES THE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE, TAX ABATEMENT, AND THE DETERIORATED OR DEMOLISHED PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT. THE GSI TAX ABATEMENT INCENTIVE IS INTENDED TO ENCOURAGE COMPANIES AND BUILDERS TO MAKE INVESTMENTS NECESSARY TO CREATE A GREENER AND MORE RESILIENT CITY. WHILE THE DETERIORATED OR DEMOLISHED PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT INCENTIVE IS INTENDED TO ENCOURAGE COMPANIES AND BUILDERS TO REDEVELOP PROPERTIES, UH, INTO THEIR HIGHEST AND BEST USE. WHILE MITIGATING BLIGHT, T-P-M-S-D THREE, LLC AND T-P-M-S-D-A FOUR LLC, ALSO KNOWN AS MARKET SQUARE COMPANIES, PLANS TO DEMOLISHED EXISTING OFFICE AND RETAIL BUILDINGS AND REDEVELOP THE SEVEN AND A HALF ACRES INTO APPROXIMATELY 90,000 SQUARE FEET OF NEW RETAIL RESTAURANT AND OFFICE SPACE. THE PROJECT WILL OCCUR ON THE FOLLOWING ADDRESSES IN WEST HOUSTON, 1315 SOUTH DAIRY ASHFORD 1325 SOUTH DAIRY ASHFORD AND 12 550 BRIAR FOREST. THE COMPANY SUBMITTED A GSI ABATEMENT APPLICATION TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON MARCH 31ST, 2024. AND A DETERIORATED OR DEMOLISHED PROPERTY ABATEMENT APPLICATION ON APRIL 22ND, 2024. THE COMPANY WILL INVEST APPROXIMATELY $25 MILLION TO CONSTRUCT THE PROJECT, AND THE MIXED USE CENTER IS EXPECTED TO BECOME FULLY OPERATIONAL IN 2027. WITHIN THE, THIS INVESTMENT INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY $2.6 MILLION OF ELIGIBLE DEMOLITION COSTS AND APPROXIMATELY $3.18 MILLION. IN ELIGIBLE GSI COSTS THE GSI IMPROVEMENTS. THE COMPANY PLANS TO UTILIZE ARE PERMEABLE PAVERS IN PEDESTRIAN AREAS IN CERTAIN VEHICULAR SPACES, BIOSWALES TO ASSIST WITH SITE DRAINAGE, URBAN FORESTRY THROUGHOUT THE SITE, AND SOLU AMENDMENTS THROUGHOUT THE SITE. TO SUPPORT THE PREVIOUSLY STATED GSI IMPROVEMENTS AS DESCRIBED IN CHAPTER 44 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, THIS TAX ABATEMENT PROPOSAL CONTAINS A VARIABLE PERCENTAGE OF CITY PROPERTY TAXES OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD. THE GSI ABATEMENT ALLOWS FOR A 100% ABATEMENT ON ELIGIBLE GSI COSTS. AND THE DETERIORATED OR DEMOLISHED PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ALLOWS FOR 90% ABATEMENT ON ELIGIBLE DEMOLITION COSTS. THIS ABATEMENT PROPOSAL IS STRUCTURED TO ABATE 100% OF CITY PROPERTY TAXES UNTIL THE ELIGIBLE GSI COSTS ARE MET. AND THEN THE ABATEMENT WILL DECREASE TO 90% OF CITY PROPERTY TAXES UNTIL THE ELIGIBLE DEMOLITION COSTS ARE MET OR UNTIL THE 10 YEAR PERIOD IS REACHED, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. THE FIRST YEAR ABATEMENT IS PROJECTED TO BE $471,000, AND THE AVERAGE ANNUAL ABATEMENT IS PROJECTED TO BE $540,000. IN CLOSING, SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT AND APPROVING THE TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT WILL DEMONSTRATE THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY AND DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE OF REDEVELOPING BLIGHTED PROPERTIES TO THEIR HIGHEST AND BEST USE. THERE IS NO ACTION REQUIRED TODAY. THE TAX ABATEMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE AND ABATEMENT AGREEMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR REVIEW PRIOR TO THEIR COUNSEL ACTIONS, WHICH ARE SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 4TH, 2024. THANK YOU, JOHN ALCORN. THANK YOU MR. BUSKER. AND I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE THE FIRST GSI TAX ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS. THIS IS GREAT NEWS, MAYOR. WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS FOR MANY YEARS. UM, THE NUMBERS THAT YOU, UH, SAID FOR THE FIRST AND SECOND YEAR OF ABATEMENTS, IS THAT, IS THAT THE COMBINATION OF GSI AND THE DEMOLITION? THAT IS, YES. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU TO ANY COMPANY THAT WANTS TO COME DOWN HERE AND, AND DO SOME GSSI. WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU. THANK YOU. NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING CAST TATUM, MOVE TO CLOSE THE HEARING. SECOND. THANK YOU. MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT IS [MAYOR'S REPORT] THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO REMIND EVERYONE ABOUT VETERAN'S DAY, UH, RECOGNITION. NOVEMBER 11TH, NEXT MONDAY, CEREMONY WILL BEGIN AT 10:00 AM THEN, UH, 11:30 AM HOUSTON SALUTES AMERICAN HEROES PARADE PARKING IS FREE IN THE DISTRICT THEATER DISTRICT TRANQUILITY PARKING GARAGE. I HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE THERE TO CELEBRATE THE SERVICE OF SO MANY BRAVE IANS. [01:30:01] COUNCILOR DAVIS. COUNCILOR DAVIS. THANK YOU MAYOR. I, I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO YOU FOR MAKING, UH, THIS VETERAN'S DAY, UH, A PRIORITY, UH, IN THIS CITY FOR A LONG TIME. WE HAVE KIND OF, UH, OVERLOOKED THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE OUR NATION, UH, AROUND THE WORLD AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITH WHAT WE DO AS VETERANS, THE LARGE PORTION. I WANT TO THANK YOU PUBLICLY FOR YOUR RECOGNIZING THIS, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD AND HOPING THAT ALL THE OTHERS WOULD BE AS WELL IN RECOGNIZING THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE OUR ARMED FORCES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THAT RESPECT. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I WAS ASKED TO EMPHASIZE THE, THE ATTENDANCE AND PURPOSE OF VETERANS DAY CEREMONY SPONSORED BY THE CITY. I'VE BEEN ADVISED THAT THE ATTENDANCE HAS DROPPED IN RECENT YEARS. SO LEMME GO AHEAD AND TELL YOU. I'VE ALREADY INSISTED THAT SPECIAL EVENTS IN THE VETERANS DEPARTMENT, BE CREATIVE, COLLABORATE, DO MORE AT CITY HALL, MAYBE ON A DAY THAT, UM, CITY EMPLOYEES ARE AT WORK TO TAKE A MOMENT TO GO OUT TO THE REFLECTION POOL. REALLY DO IT BIG. ABSOLUTELY, BECAUSE I'M TOLD IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL, MONDAY WILL NOT BE WELL ATTENDED. IT'S A CITY HOLIDAY. UH, THE PARADE IN RECENT YEARS HAS NOT BEEN WELL ATTENDED. SO I SAID, WHY DON'T WE DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I THINK YOU COULD PUT BOOSTS AROUND THE REFLECTION POOL, HAVE SOME, UH, MILITARY ACTIVITIES, MAYBE SHOWCASE SOME MORAL TC THE VETERANS, WE'RE JUST GONNA DO IT BETTER. IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST NUTS TO ME WHEN I'M LOOKING AT OUR SCHEDULE AND SOMEONE IN SPECIAL EVENTS SAYS, JUST HADN'T BEEN WELL ATTENDED RECENTLY. WHY NOT? WHY NOT? IF WE MAKE IT A, THE SPECIAL DAY OF RECOGNITION THAT IT SHOULD BE. SO NEXT YEAR, MAYBE SHORTEN THE PARADE, HAVE MORE FOCUS ON THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT HAVE SERVED AND, UH, INVITE CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE. SO, UH, I'M, I'M ENCOURAGING EVERYBODY. IT IS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT MONDAY. LET'S DO IT. RIGHT. I'LL BE INVOLVED IN THE ACTIVITIES AND WOULD URGE EVERYONE TO CONSIDER, BUT, UM, I KNOW YOU AND I'LL BE THERE, BUT WE JUST GOTTA DO A BETTER JOB ABSOLUTELY. FOR THE VETERANS. THANK YOU. SO THAT SAID, LET'S GO [CONSENT AGENDA] TO OUR AGENDA. TERRY, YOU READY? OKAY, WE'RE SET. GO FOR IT. UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY, ITEM FOUR HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM THREE, CASTEX TAYLOR TO MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED, OPPOSED. NAME. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ACCEPT BOARD CATEGORY. ITEM FIVE HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM SIX AND SEVEN? CASTEX TAYLOR. MOVE NEXT. SECOND. MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION TO V CATEGORY ITEMS 10 AND 13 HAVE BEEN REMOVED. SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM 8, 9, 11, AND 12. CASTEX TATUM. MOVE SECOND. MOTIONS REMAIN. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE RESOLUTIONS CATEGORY. ITEM 14 HAS BEEN REMOVED. SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED OF VOTE ON ITEM 15 AND 16. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY. ITEM 28 AND 29 HAVE BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. ITEM 17 HAS BEEN RECEIVED. ITEM 18, 22, 23, 26, AND 27 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 18, 22, 23, 26, AND 27. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES ITEMS FOR [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM FOUR NEEDS A MOTION CAST ITEM MOVE. SECOND. MOTION TO MADE SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THIS IS JUST FURTHER, [01:35:01] UM, BACKING UP THE NEED TO GET THE DRUGS OUT OF 1200. TRAVIS. I MEAN, THIS GUY'S BEEN OUT OF WORK FOR OVER A YEAR. UM, I KNOW THIS IS IN MOTION LAST APRIL. WE WORKED, UM, WE SET THE STEPS IN MOTION TO, UH, TRANSFER OUR, UH, DRUGS TO THE HOUSTON FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER. I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT SHOULD BE HANDLING THIS. AND, UH, NO, THAT'S ALL IN THE WORKS TO GET THEM OUT OF 1200 TRAVIS. BUT OBVIOUSLY VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. UM, I HEARD THAT THIS GUY, THIS, THIS SERGEANT DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER PPE ON WHEN HE ENTERED THE ROOM. UM, THE VENTILATION HAS BEEN SUCH, HAS BEEN FIXED. I ASKED IF ANYBODY ELSE HAD BEEN AFFECTED. UM, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS AGREEMENT. I KNOW I'M MEETING WITH DR. STOUT, UM, COMING UP SOON, UM, TO KIND OF GET THE, THE SCHEDULE ON WHEN THE TRANSFER OF THESE DANGEROUS MATERIALS ARE GETTING OUT OF AN OFFICE BUILDING. THANKS. THANK YOU MA'AM. NEXT, JUST NEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM FIVE NEEDS A MOTION CAST. STATE A MOVE. FIVE SECONDS. MOTIONS MADE IN SECOND. ALL POLL POLL. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD TAX ITEM 10 NEEDS. ITEM 10 NEEDS A MOTION CAST TO MOVE SECONDS. MOTION MADE IN SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR. COUNCILMAN CARTER? THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU MAYOR. JUST, UH, I'LL, UH, VOTE YES ON THIS ITEM, BUT JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THE GIDDINGS GROUP IS A, A, UM, ORGANIZ. IT'S A COMPANY THAT'S HEADQUARTERED OUT OF FORT MYERS, FLORIDA. SEEMS TO ME WE PROBABLY HAVE SOME LOCAL TALENT THAT COULD, UH, WORK ON THESE TYPE PROJECTS. I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT OUT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR. SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 10 NEEDS A MOTION CAST. 13. I'M SORRY. 13. PASS. TAYLOR, MOVE SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YOUR MOTION MADE. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 14 IS A RESOLUTION. JUSTINA VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAYMAN. NO. HUFFMAN, NO PASSES WITH HUFFMAN. VOTING NO PASSES WITH HUFFMAN VOTING. NO. THANK YOU. ITEM 18 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 22 IS AN ORDINANCE. DOES NEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED. NAME. MOTION PASSES. COUNCILOR CAYMAN. THANK YOU. UH, I JUST WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT THIS ITEM AS WE CONTINUE THE WORK WITH HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER. UH, A CRITICAL PARTNERSHIP THAT THE CITY IS DOING TO LIFT UP THE SERVICES AT HAWK AND FOR WOMEN AND FAMILIES. I, I WILL SAY FOR EVERYONE, UM, IN THE MIDST OF FAMILY EXPERIENCING FAMILY VIOLENCE. SO WANTED TO AGAIN, LIFT UP THAT WORK, UH, THIS CRITICAL PARTNERSHIP THAT STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UH, AS THIS WORK CONTINUES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. NEXT ITEM 23 IS AN ORDINANCE THIS NEED TO VOTE. COUNCILOR HUFFMAN. COUNCILOR HUFFMAN. TAG COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER JOINS THE TAG. JOINS THE TAG. OKAY. MOTION ISSUES TAGGED BY HUFFMAN CARTER AND CARTER CARTER. SO BE NEXT. COURT TAG. YES, MA'AM. ADAM 26 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. POLLER TAG. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD TAGS 26. NEXT, PULL THOSE. ITEM 27 IS AN ORDINANCE. YOU NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. POLL OR TAG. COUNCIL MEMBER TAG, UH, TAGS. ITEM 43 IS AN ORDINANCE. YOU NEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. ALL OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT. [SUPPLEMENTAL POSTING] ITEM 43 IS AN, I MEAN, 44 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. UH, COUNCILMAN POLLARD. IT WAS AT 44. 44. 44. PRETTY FAST. ALL RIGHT. UH, UH, COLLEAGUES, I [01:40:01] JUST WANT TO, UH, ENSURE THAT YOU ALL GOT INFORMATION ON THIS ITEM. UH, WE HAD SOME PUBLIC SPEAKERS COME TO SPEAK ON IT, BUT AS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WHEN THE PUBLIC SIGNS UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, OUR, OUR CITY ORDINANCES REQUIRE THAT THEY, UH, DISCLOSE, UM, THEIR NAME, THEIR PHONE NUMBER, AND THEIR ADDRESS AND THEIR MAILING ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT. AND SO I THINK THAT INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE TO KNOW OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS AND US, UH, SO THAT WE CAN CONTACT THEM THOUGH. BUT IT'S NOT IMPORTANT FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION. IT PUTS THEM AT DANGER. IT SOMETIMES CAUSES PEOPLE HESITANCY, UH, TO COME FORWARD. UM, AND SO WE WANNA REMOVE THAT BARRIER. SO, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING FOR SOME TIME, AND I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES WHO DID SIGN ON TO THE PROPOSITION A, UM, PROPOSAL FOR THIS AMENDMENT CHANGE. AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. WE DID. WE DID. GOT IT. IT PASSED. , COUNCIL [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] MEMBER CASTEX STATE, THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND TO, UM, OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, THIS IS GOOD PUBLIC POLICY AND WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE CALLED OUR OFFICES WHO HAVE COME TO PUBLIC SESSION AND EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS. UM, YOU KNOW, TIMES ARE DIFFERENT. OUR PUBLIC SESSIONS SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT, BUT WE ALL MUST BE RESPECTFUL OF INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY, UM, ESPECIALLY IN TODAY'S, UH, TIMES. AND WITH THE DIGITAL AGE. OUR PERSONAL INFORMATION, UNFORTUNATELY CAN EASILY BE FOUND. BUT WE DEFINITELY SHOULD DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO PROTECT, UH, INDIVIDUAL'S PRIVACY WHEN THEY WANT TO COME AND PETITION THEIR GOVERNMENT. SO, VERY HAPPY THAT, UM, WE ALL SUPPORTED THIS GOOD PUBLIC POLICY. WELL SAID. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, POLLARD, CASTEX, TATUM, EVAN SHABAZZ, AND THOMAS FOR BRINGING THIS MEASURE FORWARD. UM, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT FOR THESE PROCEEDINGS TO BE SAFE AND FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO BE SAFE, BUT, UH, WE ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE FREE SPEECH AND FOR, UH, HOUSTON RESIDENTS TO HAVE, UM, COMFORT AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME FORWARD AND EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS AS THEY TRADITIONALLY HAVE. AND SO THERE'S NO REASON THAT, UH, SENSITIVE INFORMATION BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. AND SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND, UH, FOR, FOR ITS PASSAGE. SO, MEMBER CAMAN, THANK YOU. I TOO WANTED TO, UM, CONGRATULATE AND THANK OUR COLLEAGUES THAT BROUGHT THIS FORWARD, UM, FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE THAT, UH, WE REALLY DID NEED TO SEE ADDRESSED. I'M VERY GLAD THAT, UH, I WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT IT. BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR PUTTING, UH, THE PRIVACY AND SAFETY OF, UH, RESIDENTS THAT DO WANNA SPEAK WITH US, THAT DO WANNA COME FORWARD, UM, AT THE FOREFRONT. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, MEMBERS, UH, PAPA COUNCILMAN PLUMMER? YES. COUNCILMAN CARTER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY, I, I CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING FOR VETERAN'S DAY, UH, UH, CELEBRATIONS NEXT WEEK. ALSO WANTED TO JUST MAKE MENTION. UM, SOME OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, UM, CHAUNCEY GLOVER, WHO WAS A LONGTIME A BC ANCHOR, UM, PASSED AWAY AT A VERY YOUNG AGE. AND, UM, HE STARTED A PROJECT BACK IN 2013, THAT CON CHAUNCEY GLOVER PROJECT, WHICH WAS MENTORING YOUNG MEN AND, UM, YOU KNOW, JUNIORS AND SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL. AND JUST WANTED TO, UH, GIVE MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY. UM, AND, UH, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAS. THANK, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I ALSO WANNA ECHO THE CONDOLENCES FOR THE FAMILY OF CHAUNCEY GLOVER. HE ACTUALLY WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL PERSON AND CERTAINLY HAD A LOT OF IMPACT, NOT JUST ON THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY WITH THE, WITH THE NEWS, UH, BUT CERTAINLY HIS IMPACT ON YOUNG MEN. UM, I DID HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SUPPORTING HIS ORGANIZATION AND HE WILL BE SORELY MISSED. HE MOVED TO CALIFORNIA, UH, AND SOME TIME AGO, AND SO, BUT HE STILL HAS AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, I WANT TO, UH, CONGRATULATE, UM, AND SHARE THAT THE HOUSTON BALLET'S EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT HAS AWARDED FULL MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS TO FIVE OUTSTANDING STUDENTS AT TURNER ELEMENTARY, WHICH I STILL CALL TURNER LOCKHART, BUT I DIGRESS. CONGRATULATIONS TO SARAH SARIAH. UH, JOYCE PAISLEY, KIMBALL SCARLET IVY ARBERY HOUSTON, AND SUMMER DUNN, WHO [01:45:01] HAVE BEEN AWARDED THESE SCHOLARSHIPS, A AFTER PARTICIPATING AND THE HOUSTON BALLET'S CHANCE TO DANCE PROGRAM. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE YOUNG STUDENTS, AND WE ARE SO PROUD OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS THEY CONTINUE THEIR ARTISTIC JOURNEYS WITH THE HOUSTON BALLET ACADEMY. ON THIS SATURDAY, THERE WILL BE A COMMUNITY CLEANUP. UH, THE KIP KIP EAST END CLEANUP DAY ON THE COLUMBIA TAP TRAIL WILL BE THIS SATURDAY FROM 7:00 AM TO 11:00 AM THE LOCATION WILL BE MOSES LEROY PARK, WHICH IS 3,100 TRULY, UH, WHICH IS IN THE THIRD WARD. AND WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU JOIN THE CLEANUP DAY, UH, ON THE COLUMBIA TAB, BRING YOUR ENERGY AND HELP MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITIES GREEN SPACES. UM, THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, WILL BE ON NEXT WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER THE 13TH AT 2:00 PM AND WE INVITE EVERYONE TO JOIN US AT OUR NEXT, UH, WEDNESDAY'S MEETING. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO STAY INFORMED AND ENGAGE IN THE LATEST DISCUSSIONS AND INITIATIVES SHAPING HOUSTON'S ARTS AND CULTURE SCENE. YOUR VOICE AND INPUT ARE VALUABLE AS WE WORK TO SUPPORT AND ELEVATE THE CULTURAL FABRIC OF OUR CITY. AND I ALSO, AND I'M GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS NEXT WEEK, I WANNA CONGRATULATE THE WORTHING WORTHING HIGH SCHOOL COATS. THEY ARE THE CHAMPION OF THE DISTRICT IN FOOTBALL. WE LOOK FOR THEM TO, UH, CARRY THE TORCH AND MAYBE COME BACK WITH THE CHAMPIONSHIP. UH, WONDERFUL, UH, TEAM OF YOUNG MEN, UH, WHO HAVE BEEN VERY DILIGENT AND THEY HAVE A PERFECT RECORD. AND I CERTAINLY, AS, OF COURSE, I'M A JACK GATES LION, BUT I WORKED AT WORTHING HIGH SCHOOL, AND I CERTAINLY LOVE AND, AND LIFT THESE YOUNG MEN UP AS THEY TRAVEL FARTHER TO BRING HOME A, A CHAMPIONSHIP, UH, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE, UM, FOOTBALL COMMUNITY. SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I KNOW, UH, A LOT OF FOLKS ACROSS DISTRICT H UH, WOKE UP TODAY TO THE NEWS OF THE ELECTION. AND, UH, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO PUT IN A LOT OF TIME AND, AND EFFORT AND ENERGY, UM, AROUND IT AND, AND MAYBE FEELING A CERTAIN WAY. YOU KNOW, I, I WANT TO SAY TO THEM, UM, THE WORK THAT, THAT I CONTINUE TO DO AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO AS A DISTRICT, UH, AROUND OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WILL CONTINUE. UM, AND, UH, SPECIFICALLY TO FOLKS IN THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY WHO MAY BE FEELING A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY RIGHT NOW. UM, MY OFFICE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A SAFE SPACE AND A, A PLACE OF SUPPORT AND RESPECT, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND, AND CONTINUE ON, UM, AS A COMMUNITY AND, AND A DISTRICT AND A CITY. UM, AND THE WORK THAT WE DO WON'T STOP. IT WILL BE FOCUSED ON SAFE, STRONG, HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT DISTRICT H AND, UM, IN THAT SPIRIT, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. UH, WHERE AM I? COUNCIL DAVIS PASS. COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, WE'VE GOT A RECYCLING EVENT OUT AT ELLINGTON FIELD. IT'S, UH, ELECTRONIC RE RECYCLING. THAT'LL BE SATURDAY STARTING AT NINE O'CLOCK. IT GOES UNTIL THE TRUCKS ARE FULL. SO PLEASE, UH, IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET YOUR ELECTRONICS RECYCLED TO GET THERE EARLY, 'CAUSE THEY WILL FILL UP. UM, IN KINGWOOD, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UH, NOT THIS SATURDAY, BUT THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY, A CLEANUP OF THE MEDIANS. UH, THE MEDIUMS HAVE GOTTEN INTO KIND OF DISREPAIR. WE'RE GONNA BE REMOVING A LOT OF THE VINES THAT WE'VE GOT THAT ARE ALL OVER THE TREES, KIND OF TAKING OVER THE MEDIANS. SO PLEASE, VOLUNTEERS COME ON OUT, UH, STARTING AT EIGHT 30, UH, SATURDAY NOVEMBER 16TH TO HELP US DO THAT. THERE'S, UH, A LOT OF WORK SO WE COULD USE, UH, AS MANY HANDS AS WE CAN GET. THANK YOU. AND WHAT TIME WE GONNA MEET IN THE MORNING FOR A RIBBON CUTTING FOR A UPDATED FIRE STATION? UH, THAT IS NINE O'CLOCK, I THINK. NINE NINE OR NINE 30, BUT YEAH, OUT AT, UH, STATION ONE. OH, I'LL BE THERE 1 0 1. AND, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE FIXING THE HOLES IN THE FLOOR. NO, THEY'RE ACTUALLY REPLACING THE WHOLE THING, WHICH IS EVEN BETTER THAN FIXING THE HOLES IN THE FLOOR. SO, YEAH, THAT'S BEEN, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN WHEN YOU SAY YOU REPLACE THE HOLES YOU BRING IN , THE WHOLE THING WILL FIX THE HOLES IN THE FOOT. YEAH. THE WHOLE MODULAR IS BEING REPLACED. NO. SO IT IT'S BEEN AN OVERSIGHT FOR MANY YEARS. YES. AND THAT IS A, A WELCOME CHANGE. AND, UH, YOU DON'T, NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO WORK IN THAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT. SO I'M GLAD WE'RE GETTING IN TIME. I'LL SEE YOU IN THE [01:50:01] MORNING. THANK YOU. THEN WE'RE GONNA LEAVE THERE AND GO TO A CADET CLASS GRADUATION AT THE POLICE ACADEMY. SO IT'S A BUSY DAY TOMORROW. AND THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING. COUNCILOR MCMAN. THANK YOU. UH, FIRST I WANNA WISH, UH, DISTRICT C'S CHIEF OF STAFF, KATE LER A VERY, VERY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY. SHE, HER BIRTHDAY WAS ON MONDAY. UH, SO I HOPE EVERYONE WILL, UH, TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST WISH HER, UH, A FABULOUS YEAR AHEAD. UM, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN EXCITING, UH, BOOK LINK EVENT AT THE GREGORY LINCOLN LIBRARY ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD TO WELCOME FAMILIES IN AND, UH, PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ARTS AND CRAFTS AND TO ENJOY THE BOOK LINK, UH, THAT WE SPONSORED AT THAT LIBRARY. SO APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARIES. LASTLY, UM, TO EVERYBODY THAT WORKED IN AN INVOLVED AND WAS INVOLVED IN THIS ELECTION CYCLE FOR EVERY DOOR KNOCKED PHONE CALL, UH, VOLUNTEERING AT THE POLLS, WORKING, UH, AT THE POLLS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, FOR YOUR ENERGY, FOR YOUR VOICE. UH, AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE STILL TAKING TODAY TO, UH, WRAP THEIR HEADS AROUND THE WAY AND DIRECTION IN WHICH OUR NATION IS MOVING. I SAY, KEEP YOUR HEAD UP. THE WORK CONTINUES AND WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN. WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR OTHERS, AND WE HAVE TO WORK HARDER. COUNCIL MEMBER HOFFMAN PASS, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM. I JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON WHAT A REMARKABLE THING IT IS THAT, UH, WE GET TO CHOOSE OUR LEADERS, UM, AND CAST VOTES. THERE ARE MANY PLACES IN THE WORLD WHERE THAT'S NOT ALLOWED IN OTHER PLACES IN THE WORLD WHERE, UH, THE PROCESS IS NOT, NOT A REAL ONE, UH, WHERE PEOPLE GET TO CHOOSE, UH, THEIR LEADERS, BUT WE DO HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. AND, UH, WHAT A GREAT BLESSING IT IS, WHETHER YOU'RE CANDIDATE WON OR LOST. I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT, UM, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BALLOT OR TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE BALLOT, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF JUDICIAL RACES. AND I'VE COMMENTED A COUPLE TIMES DURING POP-OFF ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THESE JUDICIAL RACES ARE, ESPECIALLY THE CRIMINAL COURT POSITIONS, WHERE DECISIONS ARE MADE THAT AFFECT WHETHER OR NOT HOUSTONIANS ARE SAFE OR NOT, UH, IN SETTING BAIL AND ASSESSING PUNISHMENT IN CERTAIN CERTAIN CASES. AND, UM, I WOULD NOTE THAT IN AT LEAST SIX OF THE DISTRICT COURT POSITIONS, VOTERS CHANGED, UH, THE, UH, THE HOLDERS OF THOSE, UH, COURT POSITIONS. AND SO MY HOPE IS THAT GOING FORWARD, WE WILL, UH, SEE OUR COURTS TRY MORE CASES AND BE MORE MINDFUL OF PUBLIC SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS IN THE SETTING OF BAIL AND ASSESSING PUNISHMENT. BUT, UH, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, THE MAYOR'S COMMENTED ON THIS BEFORE. I'VE BEEN TO A NUMBER OF PUBLIC, UH, TOWN HALL MEETINGS WHERE, UH, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE REVOLVING DOORS THAT EXIST OVER AT THE COURTHOUSE. AND HOPEFULLY THE CHANGES THAT THE VOTERS MADE YESTERDAY WILL HELP MAKE US ALL SAFER. THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM PAC. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. FIRST I WANT TO REMIND, UM, EVERYONE THAT OUR NEXT PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY AT 10:00 AM WE'LL HAVE THREE PRESENTATIONS. CHIEF SATTERWHITE WILL GIVE AN UPDATE ABOUT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY. THEY'LL, THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE GREATER, THE GREATER HOUSTON PORT BUREAU AND A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THE GREATER HARRIS COUNTY 9 1 1 EMERGENCY NETWORK AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. YOU SHOULD RECEIVE A COPY OF THAT BUDGET IN YOUR MAILBOX SOON IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY RECEIVED IT. AND THEN FINALLY, TOMORROW IS OUR ANNUAL DISTRICT DAY PUBLIC SAFETY TOWN HALL. UM, IT'LL BE AT 6:30 PM AT THE WHITE OAK CONFERENCE CENTER. 7 6 0 3 ANTOINE DRIVE. UM, FREE DINNER WILL BE PROVIDED FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. UM, COURTESY OF THE NEAR NORTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND SPEAKERS INCLUDE HPD CHIEF DIAZ, HFD, CHIEF MUNOZ, AND DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY CHIEF SATTERWHITE. UM, WE'RE ALSO ASKING FOR EVERYONE TO HELP US WITH A TOY DRIVE. WE'RE PARTNERING WITH HOPE CITY TO PROVIDE, UM, TOYS FOR CHILDREN THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE A TOY FOR, UH, CHILD 15 AND YOUNGER, WE WILL ACCEPT TOY DONATIONS AT THE TOWN HALL. UH, TOY DONATION IS NOT MANDATORY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. UM, JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF THE, UH, CANDIDATES, UH, IN HARRIS COUNTY FOR BEING THE SURROUNDING AREAS. AS WE ALL KNOW, ELECTIONS ARE TOUGH. MM-HMM . UM, THEY CAN BE EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL. THEY CAN [01:55:01] BE PASSIONATE. UM, SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT SIDE OF THE AISLE THAT YOU'RE ON, JUST PUTTING YOURSELF FORWARD, UH, TO, UH, SERVE THE PUBLIC, UM, IT'S ADMIRABLE. AND, UM, WE THANK YOU FOR, FOR THAT. AND SO CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WHO WON, ESPECIALLY IN HARRIS COUNTY. IT WAS SOME CLOSE RACES. UM, WE HAD A BIG TURNOUT. AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING, UH, WITH THOSE WHO DID GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. AND, UH, WE HAD A, A HUGE LOSS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WITH, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, BUT HER, HER DAUGHTER WILL BE, UM, FILLING HER EXPIRING TERM. AND OUR FORMER COLLEAGUE, MAYOR TURNER, WAS ELECTED TO THE 18TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE TWO AS WELL. GOD BLESS YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN PASS. WE STAND. ADJOURN. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.