* 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] SO, WE WILL COME [PRESENTATIONS] TO ORDER, UH, WE WILL HAVE OUR FIRST PRESENTATION TODAY, AND I WILL RECOGNIZE BAYOU CITY BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK. UH, VICE MAYOR PROTE PECK, IF YOU'LL TAKE THE SEAT HERE, IF I CAN ASK THE BOARD MEMBERS IF THEY WILL COME FORWARD, UM, FROM BAYOU CITY BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK, AND JOIN ME FOR THE PROCLAMATION. UH, IF THE STUDENTS WANNA STAND UP WITH US AND Y'ALL WANT TO COME AND STAND WITH US, THAT'D BE PERFECT. COUNCIL MEMBERS TODAY, I AM SUPER EXCITED. WE'LL TURN THIS WAY FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL TURN AROUND THAT WAY FOR, FOR PICTURES. IT'S ALL RIGHT. THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF PROCEDURES. COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M SUPER EXCITED TODAY TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION, UH, TO BAYOU CITY BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK. VERY HAPPY THAT THEY'VE DECIDED TO JOIN US AT CITY COUNCIL, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO. AND THE PROCLAMATION READS. BAYOU CITY BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO COMBATING CHILDHOOD HUNGER IN THE HOUSTON AREA SINCE 2012. BY THE CONCLUSION OF 20 23, 20 24 SCHOOL YEAR, THEY HAVE PROVIDED OVER 800,000 WEEKEND FOOD BAGS TO CHILDREN ADDRESSING HUNGER DURING THE 65 HOURS WHEN STUDENTS ARE AWAY FROM SCHOOL AND RECOGNITION OF THEIR COMMITMENT. NATIONAL BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK DAY IS CELEBRATED ANNUALLY ON SEPTEMBER 21ST ON ONE IN SEVEN. CHILDREN DEPEND ON FREE AND REDUCED MEAL PROGRAMS OFFERED BY SCHOOLS TO RECEIVE ESSENTIAL NOURISHMENT FOR THEIR GROWTH AND EDUCATION. BAYOU CITY BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK EFFECTIVELY BRIDGES THE FOOD GAP ON WEEKENDS FOR STUDENTS IN THE HOUSTON AREA. THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS OVER 2000 STUDENTS ACROSS SEVERAL INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING BLACKSHEAR ELEMENTARY, BURRIS ELEMENTARY, GRISSOM ELEMENTARY, AND MONTGOMERY ELEMENTARY, WITHIN THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, AS WELL AS BUFFALO CREEK ELEMENTARY, UH, BUNKER HILL ELEMENTARY, HOLLY BROOK ELEMENTARY, AND SEVERAL OTHER STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THE MISSION OF BAYOU CITY BLESSING IN THE BACKPACK IS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT CHILDHOOD HUNGER BY FOSTERING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS TO SUPPORT HOUSTON STUDENTS. IN ADDITION TO WEEKLY FOOD DISTRIBUTION, THEY PROVIDE HANDWRITTEN NOTES OF ENCOURAGEMENT, HOLIDAY TREAT BAGS, AND EXTRA FOOD DURING HOLIDAY BREAKS. THEIR CONSISTENT SUPPORT EXEMPLIFIES THEIR ROLE AS A TRUE BLESSING FOR OUR STUDENTS IN DISTRICT K AND ACROSS THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THE CITY OF HOUSTON EXTENDS ITS HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO BAYOU CITY BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK FOR THEIR STEADFAST DEDICATION TO SUPPORTING FAMILIES, CHILDREN, AND STUDENTS, AND WISHES THEM CONTINUED SUCCESS IN THEIR FUTURE ENDEAVORS. THEREFORE, I, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ON BEHALF OF JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIMED DECEMBER 3RD, 2020 AS BAYOU CITY BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. HI, THANK YOU. RIGHT NOW, UM, WE SERVE OVER 2,600, UH, KIDS EACH WEEK. OUR NUMBERS GO UP AND DOWN. UM, EVERY WEEK WE DROP AND WE LOSE WITH OUR KIDS THAT ARE, UM, LEAVING OUR PROGRAM. BUT WE SERVE FOUR SCHOOLS IN HISD AND 10 SCHOOLS IN, UH, SPRING BRANCH ELEMENTARY. THERE ARE THREE SCHOOLS THAT WE SERVE, THE WHOLE SCHOOL, AND WE HAVE OVER 300 VOLUNTEERS A MONTH THAT WALK THROUGH OUR DOORS AT HOLY SPIRIT, THE PRINCIPAL'S SCHOOL AND CHURCH TO HELP US PACK THESE WEEKEND FOOD BAGS. THESE ARE BAGS THAT WE SPEND $3 AND 26 CENTS ON EACH CHILD. SO YOU CAN JUST ADD THAT UP IN YOUR HEAD. YOU'LL CALCULATE HOW MUCH MONEY THAT WE SPEND AND WE FILL OUT FOR GRANTS, AND WE, UH, HAVE FOOD PROGRAMS THAT HELP US OUT. AND WE COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT THEM AND OUR GRANTS AND OUR KIDS RIGHT HERE THAT COME IN EACH TUESDAY TO HELP US PACK. SO WE, UM, ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS, AND WE THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY AND BRINGING FORWARD THIS PROCLAMATION. UM, HOLY SPIRIT, Y'ALL [00:05:01] DO SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, YOU COMING TO SCHOOL, PACKING THE LUNCHES, MAKING SURE THAT YOU KNOW, KIDS AREN'T GOING TO GO HUNGRY. SO KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. UM, OTHERS IN YOUR SCHOOL AND IN THE COMMUNITY WILL LOOK TO YOU TO, TO BE LEADERS. YOU KNOW, YOU ARE THE, THE LEADERS DOING THIS, SO CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. WE ARE PROUD OF THEM AND THEY'RE VOLUNTEERS. CONGRATULATIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THE WHOLE TURN THIS WAY, RECOGNIZ AS COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR PROCLAMATIONS TO THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN RECOGNITION FOR THEIR 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF RECEIVING NATIONAL ACCREDITATION. THANK QUITE 15. IT'S 1500, 1500 EMPLOYEES. HELLO, EVERYONE. RIGHT ON OUT. COME ON. ALL RIGHT. IS EVERYONE'S GETTING SITUATED? UM, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT THIS SPECIAL PROCLAMATION TO THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT. OF COURSE, WITH US, WE HAVE DIRECTOR WILLIAMS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, HARRIS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SEAL, AND MORE OUR AMAZING CITY COUNCIL LIAISON, UH, PORPHYRIA. WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF OTHER STAFF ATTENDING, AND I HAVE THE LIST HERE, BUT I'M GONNA LET THE DIRECTOR INTRODUCE WHEN YOU'RE SPEAKING AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. WELL THEN I WILL, WE HAVE, UH, REHA JONES, MELISSA SHELTON, CHELSEA IRBY, TUCKER WILSON, LATOYA, ELLIS, WYNN, AND ALL OF THEM HERE REPRESENT THE NEARLY, WHAT DID YOU SAY, 1500, 1500 HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES. SO PLEASE EXTEND OUR GRATITUDE TO THEM AS WELL. FOR ALL THEY DO. UM, WE TO RECEIVE ACCREDITATION WITH, UH, FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THEY MUST UNDERGO A RIGOROUS, MULTIFACETED, PEER REVIEWED ASSESSMENT PROCESS TO ENSURE IT MEETS OR EXCEEDS A SET OF QUALITY STANDARDS AND MEASURES. AND OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THIS IS THE DECADE MARK OF THEIR ACCREDITATION, UH, IN CITIES, TOWNS, AND STATES ACROSS OUR COUNTRY. WE KNOW, AND WE HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THAT, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE A RANGE OF SERVICES AIMED AT PROMOTING HEALTHY BEHAVIORS, PREVENTING DISEASE AND INJURIES, ENSURING ACCESS TO SAFE FOOD, WATER, CLEAN AIR, AND LIFE SAVING AND FREE. I MIGHT ADD IMMUNIZATIONS, PREPARING FOR, AND RESPONDING ALSO TO PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES. SO IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE NATURAL DISASTERS WHERE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS ON THE FRONT LINES, I LIKE TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT IT REALLY WASN'T TOO LONG AGO THAT WE WERE FACED WITH COVID-19, AND OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, WAS THE FOREFRONT OF THE FIGHT TO KEEP PEOPLE ALIVE AND SAFE. UH, WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST MAJOR CITIES TO STAND UP FREE TESTING SITES ON A SCALE THAT NOBODY HAD SEEN. WE WERE THE FIRST THANKS TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR THE FREE VACCINATION SITES. UH, WE ALSO RECEIVED NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR THE INNOVATIONS IN WASTEWATER TESTING THAT IS NOW BEING ADOPTED AROUND THE COUNTRY. AND THAT'S JUST A SMALL COMPONENT AND PIECE OF WHAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES EVERY SINGLE DAY. UH, PARTNERING WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS. WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT CREDIBLE MESSENGER WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON GUN VIOLENCE INJURY [00:10:01] INTERVENTION PROGRAMS WITH ME AND THE LIST GOES ON. UH, SO I'M ABOUT TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION, BUT I REALLY WANT TO THANK OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT WORKERS, UH, WHO OFTEN GO UNRECOGNIZED, BUT ARE LITERALLY SAVING LIVES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON EVERY SINGLE DAY. WHEREAS THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS UPHELD THE STANDARDS, MEASURES PERFORMANCE AND INNOVATION REQUIRED TO BE RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE LEADING HEALTH DEPARTMENTS IN THE NATION, MEETING ITS DECADE MILESTONE OF MAINTAINING ITS ACCREDITATION STATUS FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACCREDITATION BOARD. THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESPONDED QUICKLY, EFFICIENTLY, AND PASSIONATELY TO SAVE LIVES WHEN RECENT NATURAL DISASTER EVENTS OCCURRED IN JANUARY, MAY AND JULY OF THIS YEAR. AND THAT'S JUST TO NAME A FEW OF 'EM. THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT DEVELOPED AN ACCESS AND EQUITY RESPONSE STRATEGY TO REACH THE CITY'S MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS OPENING, WARMING, AND COOLING COMFORT CENTERS FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS. THEIR ONGOING WORK FROM EVERY LEVEL AND DIVISION CONTINUES TO HELP HOUSTON IN RECOVERING FROM THE UNCOMFORTABLE LEVEL. I THINK WE SHOULD CHANGE THAT WORD. UH, IT'S BEYOND UNCOMFORTABLE LEVEL OF VARIABLE WEATHER RELATED EVENTS THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REMAINS COMMITTED TO BEING ACCREDITED BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACCREDITATION BOARD FIRST ACHIEVED IN 2014. DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF NATURAL DISASTERS, OUR CITY ACKNOWLEDGES AND COMMENDS THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF ITS EMPLOYEES FOR ITS INCREDIBLE SERVICE AND STEADFAST DELEGATION TO THE RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON. AND EXTENDS HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS ON ACHIEVING 10 YEARS OF ACCREDITATION FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACCREDITATION BOARD. THEREFORE, I, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ON BEHALF OF JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM DECEMBER 4TH, 2024 AS HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. WELL, I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR, FOR THIS RECOGNITION. JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE CONTEXT, I HAVE TO SAY THAT WHEN THE THOUGHT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ACCREDITATION FIRST CAME UP, I WAS RESISTANCE. I, ALONG WITH A COLLEAGUE FROM DENTON COUNTY, DIDN'T THINK THAT ANY ACCREDITATION STANDARDS AT A NATIONAL LEVEL WOULD ACTUALLY CAPTURE WHAT WE DO IN TEXAS. AND SO WE SET OUT TO DEVELOP OUR OWN. AFTER WE REVIEWED WHAT THEY WERE GONNA LOOK AT, WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD STAND DOWN AND LOOK AT BECOMING ACCREDITED AT, AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT WAS INITIALLY, UH, INTIMIDATED TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUTSIDE PEOPLE COMING IN LOOKING AT THE FUNCTIONS WITH WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT. UH, I AM GRATEFUL FOR MY STAFF BECAUSE THEY WERE WILLING TO UNDER UNDERGO THIS EFFORT. WE WERE THE FIRST HEALTH DEPARTMENT WITHIN TEXAS AND THE SECOND MAJOR CITY, UH, UH, TO BECOME NA NATIONALLY ACCREDIT ACCREDITED. WHAT ACCREDITATION DOES IS REALLY PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK TO ASSESS HOW, HOW WE'RE DOING OUR WORK. IT ALSO PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR US TO IMPROVE OUR, OUR, OUR EFFECTIVENESS. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT WELL, WE HAD TO IMPROVE ON, EVEN TO BE, BE, BECOME ACCREDITED. IT OFFERS, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SET A, A, A CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. IT'S NOT EASY TO ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THINGS THAT YOU'RE NOT DOING WELL AND SET UPON I IMPROVING THEM, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR MY STAFF FOR DOING THAT. UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DR. MELISSA SHELTON, SHE'S REALLY PRETTY MUCH KEPT US ON TASK WITH THAT. SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, SOME KEY COMPONENTS THAT WE'RE LOOK AT. YOU ASKED, UH, WHY ARE WE LOOKING AT OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT? THAT IS KEY. IT'S TREMENDOUS TURNOVER. WE NEED TO DEVELOP OUR STAFF, IDENTIFYING WHERE WE'RE DOING GOOD, BUT ALSO GA GAPS IN IN WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. UH, YOU WOULD THINK OVER THE 20 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, THAT WE'VE HAD ENOUGH EXPERIENCE IN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE NEED TO BE ENGAGED IN CONSTANTLY TRAINING OUR STAFF TO RESPOND TO ANYTHING THAT, THAT, THAT PRESENTS ITSELF. THERE'S SOME FOUNDATIONAL CAPABILITIES THAT ARE, THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T SEE. YOU, YOU MENTIONED WASTEWATER, BUT SURVEILLANCE IS A MAJOR PART OF, OF HEALTH DEPARTMENTS. WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR, UH, HANDS ON THE PULSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON THIS IN THE CITY AS IT RE RELATES TO HEALTH. WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT BEING A ACCOUNTABLE FOR ASSESSMENTS, DOING COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENTS, DOING COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLANS, AND HAVING A STRATEGIC PLAN. IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT, WE DON'T, [00:15:01] WE DON'T BECOME ACCREDITED. AND REALLY IT'S ABOUT PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT. FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS, WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN LOOKING AT OUTCOME MEASURES ASSOCIATED WITH EVERY ONE OF THE PROGRAMS WITH WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT AIN'T, IT AIN'T REALLY BEEN THAT PRETTY BECAUSE WE ARE NOT, WE, WE HAVE TO MOVE AWAY FROM COUNTING WIDGETS AND TO REALLY LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE MAKING AN AN IMPROVEMENT. WE'RE DOING REALLY MAKING MARKED IMPROVEMENTS IN PEOPLE'S LIVES THAT, THAT WE TOUCH. AND SO ACCREDITATION ACTUALLY PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR US DOING THAT. UH, I'M GRATEFUL TO MY FOLKS BECAUSE THEY'RE WILLING TO GO THROUGH THIS, THIS PROCESS WITH US. AND, UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE GUN SHY ABOUT ACCEPTING AREAS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO IMPROVE ON. SO THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM, AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR HONORING OUR FANTASTIC AND, AND MIGHTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. UH, CONGRATULATIONS ON 10 YEARS OF ACCREDITATION. UM, IT'S GOOD TO SEE SO MANY FAMILIAR FACES THERE, UH, HERE, I SHOULD SAY, AS SOMEONE WHO WAS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE, I KNOW AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST FIRSTHAND, UM, WHAT Y'ALL DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT TO KEEP OUR CITY AND OUR RESIDENTS SAFE. UM, AND IN TIMES OF DISASTER AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE, Y'ALL ARE THERE EVERY SINGLE TIME, UH, OPENING UP THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS, DOING WHAT IS NEEDED TO BE DONE. UM, AND WE ARE ALL GRATEFUL FOR THAT. AND, UH, I WISH YOU ALL MANY MORE YEARS OF SUCCESS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. UM, THANK YOU, UM, VICE MAYOR PRO TIM, AND CONGRATULATIONS. I KNOW I JUST WALKED IN, BUT I SAW YOU A SHOUT OUT, HUH? YEAH, I SAW THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. I SAW DIRECTOR WILLIAMS. I WAS JUST ON THE PHONE WITH YOU. UM, JUST THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. UM, FOR DISTRICT B AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT, YOUR WHOLE TEAM, UM, MOVING THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER PROGRAM, UM, WORKING AT OUR, UM, MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS. IT'S JUST EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED IN THE COMMUNITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND PRODUCTIVE. YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS, UM, PROVIDED THAT, UM, SUPPORT. AND SO CONGRATULATIONS ON 10 YEARS, UM, OF BEING RECOGNIZED, BEING THE GREAT, THE BEST. AND SO, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH Y'ALL. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THIS, UH, SO I'M GONNA LET YOU TAKE THE REINS 'CAUSE THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S VERY, UM, GREAT BEING HERE. AND ON BEHALF OF OUR HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND CELEBRATION OF 10 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE, UM, FOR OUR ACCREDITATION, WE WANT TO PRESENT OUR DIRECTOR, STEVEN WILLIAMS, WAS REALLY GUIDED AND LED US THROUGH THIS PROCESS. AND WHAT WE DID, WE HAD EVERYONE IS MOSTLY EVERYONE TO SIGN FOR OUR 10 YEAR CELEBRATION, ANNIVERSARY, AND SO FORTH. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR GUIDANCE AND YOUR FORETHOUGHT AND VISION FOR OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WELL, THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THIS, OKAY. IS MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM FOR A PRESENTATION OF THE CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR HEROISM TO JOHN LALEY [00:20:09] COUNCIL MEMBERS. MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE REMEMBERED, UM, ON NOVEMBER 11TH, UH, THE SHOOTOUT ON THE HOUSTON FREEWAY THAT LEFT ONE POLICE OFFICER SHOT AND OTHERS IMMEDIATELY SEEKING COVER AFTER A 19-YEAR-OLD MAN CRASHED A STOLEN VEHICLE AND THEN OPEN FIRE ON THE PURSUING, UH, POLICE. WELL, WE ARE HONORED TODAY IN RECOGNITION OF THIS, UM, EVENT AND THE HEROIC ACT THAT HAPPENED TO BE ABLE TO, UM, PRESENT THIS CARNEGIE MEDAL, UH, TO ONE OF OUR HOUSTONIANS. WE HAVE GIVEN HIM A DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, BUT TODAY WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE HIM WITH THE CARNEGIE HERO AWARD. AND WE DO HAVE A MEDAL, UM, TO PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE CARNEGIE HERO FUND. AND ON BEHALF OF MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER AND THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL, UM, TODAY WE ARE RECOGNIZING, UH, MR. LALEY, HE IS BEING PRESENTED THIS CARNEGIE MEDAL. AND SO I WILL, ON BEHALF OF MAYOR WHITMEYER, SAY, UH, THEREFORE, I, MARTHA CASTEX TATU MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AM HAPPY TO PRESENT THIS MEDAL ON BEHALF OF THE CARNEGIE HERO FUND COMMISSION FOR YOUR HEROIC ACTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH ON NOVEMBER 11TH. CONGRATULATIONS TO ME. THANK YOU. LOOK AT THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. WHAT WORKS. I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL WANT TO CHECK THAT OUT OR THAT . UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK Y'ALL AGAIN FOR THE INVITATION TO COME TO CITY HALL AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU GUYS AND LADIES AS WELL. UM, IT'S AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO REPRESENT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO INSPIRE CHANGE, AND I WANT TO INSPIRE PEOPLE THAT IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY IN NEED THAT YOU CAN HELP. IF YOU CAN HELP 'EM, HELP 'EM, AND LET'S JUST KEEP THAT GOING. OTHER THAN THAT, I HOPE Y'ALL ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAYS AND HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. FIRST UP IS COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THANK YOU. UM, MR. LOLLY, THANK YOU. UH, I THINK IN MY FIVE YEARS ON COUNCIL, I'VE NEVER GOTTEN TO ACTUALLY SEE SOMEBODY PRESENTED WITH THIS AWARD. UH, BUT I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO WHO YOU ARE, UH, AND THE SPIRIT OF WHAT HOUSTON IS. UH, SO THANK YOU FOR STEPPING IN. THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP. THANK YOU FOR NOT JUST THE COURAGE, BUT ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHEN WE NEED TO SEE THE GOODNESS AND THE COURAGE OF GOOD PEOPLE. UH, THAT IS WHAT YOU REPRESENT. AND I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT, UM, OF OUR HPD UM, REPRESENTATION HERE TODAY AS WELL. BUT JUST THANK YOU. AND WE JUST HAD THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BEFORE US. UM, IT TAKES ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO PREVENT AND END GUN VIOLENCE, UM, AND KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE. BUT THANK YOU FOR, UH, REPRESENTING THE GOOD IN HUMANITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR KIND WORKS. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU. AND I ALSO JUST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID THAT DAY. AND, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, UM, YOU KNOW, WALK US THROUGH IT. TELL US FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, WHAT DID YOU SEE? WHAT DID YOU FEEL? UM, A LOT OF US HAVEN'T BEEN IN THAT POSITION, UM, OR WOULD'VE KEPT DRIVING BY. SO, UM, TELL US, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT DAY. WELL, COMING FROM SOMEBODY WHO HAS A BIT OF A BACKGROUND, USUALLY WHEN YOU HEAR, UH, POLICE SIRENS, YOU USUALLY THINK THAT THEY'RE FOR YOU. SO AT THAT MOMENT, I THOUGHT I WAS ACTUALLY GETTING PULLED OVER. SO I SLOWED DOWN A LITTLE BIT JUST TO SEE KIND OF WHAT WAS GOING ON. UM, THEN COME TO FIND OUT THE POLICE THAT WERE BEHIND ME WERE NO LONGER BEHIND ME. THEY WERE IN FRONT OF ME. UM, I GUESS THEY KIND OF CUT ME OFF A LITTLE BIT. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A HIGH SPEED POLICE CHASE GOING ON. AND THEN IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, THERE WAS LIKE A EIGHT CAR, NINE CAR COLLISION. I SAW A CAR FLIP OVER, I SAW A TIRE FLY IN THE AIR. I STARTED RECORDING BECAUSE THE JOB I WAS WORKING FOR AT THE TIME, I'M THINKING, MAN, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS. WHAT, LIKE, WHY HAVEN'T I MADE IT TO WHERE I'M GOING AND WHAT I'M DOING? AND I, I GOT OUT WITH THE INTENTIONS OF HELPING SOMEBODY OUT OF A, A CAR WRECK. AND AS SOON AS I JUMPED OUT OF THE TRUCK, THERE WAS LIKE 20, 30 GUNSHOTS FIRING. AFTER LOOKING AT THE VIDEO, I SEEN HOW FAST I MOVED. BUT AT THAT TIME, I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I WAS REALLY DOING A WHOLE LOT. AND I JUST HEARD GUNSHOTS. AND I, I SAW, UH, OFFICER GIBSON GET SHOT AND HE FELL AND HIT THE [00:25:01] GROUND. AND THEN I GUESS HE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT HE COULDN'T STAND UP 'CAUSE HE TRIED TO STAND UP AND THEN HE FELL AGAIN. I'VE BEEN SHOT BEFORE IN THE SAME LEG, AND I KIND OF FELT HIS PAIN AT THAT MOMENT, AND I JUST KNEW THAT I HAD TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP HIM. 'CAUSE IF NOT, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT HE COULD GET SHOT AGAIN. AND ALL I DID WAS, PLUS I DIDN'T WANT TO GET SHOT MYSELF. SO LIKE IN THAT VIDEO, YOU HEAR ME SAYING, COME THIS WAY, COME THIS WAY. I WAS SAYING THAT BECAUSE I WANTED THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT WERE ENGAGED WITH THE SUSPECT TO KNOW THAT SOMEBODY WAS COMING UP BEHIND THEM. AND THEN ALL I COULD DO AT THAT POINT WAS HELP WITH, UH, OFFICER TREVINO. AND THEN WE HELPED PULL HIM BEHIND MY WORK TRUCK. AND THEN AT THAT POINT, WITH SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING THROUGH LIKE PAIN AND AGONY, THEY NEED SOMEBODY TO LIKE, TALK TO 'EM AND LET 'EM KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA BE OKAY AND LET 'EM KNOW THAT SOMEBODY'S THERE FOR THEM. AND AT THAT MOMENT, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT I WAS THERE FOR. AND I WOULD SAY AT THIS POINT IN TIME, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. THAT'S GREAT. SO, WELL, I KNOW THAT YOU PROBABLY, I KNOW ON THAT DAY YOU WERE DOING JUST WHAT YOU THOUGHT NEEDED TO BE DONE. UM, YOU DIDN'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT YOU WERE THE SUPERHERO JUMPING IN. UM, BUT YOU ARE, YOU ARE A HERO. AND I KNOW HOW MUCH THAT OFFICER AND HIS FAMILY, ALL THE HPD OFFICERS OUT THERE, APPRECIATE WHEN CIVILIANS COME FORWARD TO HELP. BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WOULDN'T OR WHO'D BE SCARED TO PUT, YOU KNOW, THEIR LIVES IN DANGER. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK IT'S LIKE IN A MOMENT, LIKE WHEN YOU SEE AN ELDERLY PERSON WALKING INTO A DOOR AND YOU AUTOMATICALLY GO TO LIKE, OPEN THAT DOOR FOR THAT PERSON. I THINK IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US, WE HAVE IT INSIDE OF US, IT JUST TAKES THE CERTAIN MOMENT TO PULL IT OUT OF YOU. AND I THINK THAT JUST HAPPENED TO BE MY MOMENT, AND I HOPE THAT THERE'S MANY MOMENTS FOR OTHER PEOPLE AFTER THIS. WELL KEEP SHARING YOUR STORY MUCH, MUCH AND KEEP INSPIRING PEOPLE TO, UM, TO DO THE RIGHT THING WHEN, WHEN TROUBLE CALLS. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, ARE YOU A MEMBER OF PEP? I WAS. I AM CURRENTLY A MEMBER OF THE, YEAH, I THOUGHT I RECOGNIZED YOU. I SAW YOU, I THINK LAST YEAR YOU CAME DOWN THERE AND SPOKE AFTER THE EVENT. SO, UM, I BECAME ALUMNI TO THE PRISONER ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM, UM, WHEN I WAS IN THEIR CLASS FROM 2016 TO 2018. AND THEN I GOT OUT AND JUST STAYED CONNECTED WITH THEM AND, AND CONTINUE TO. FANTASTIC. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, CONGRAT. THANK YOU. COOL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CITY OF HOUSTON, ALL THE POLICE OFFICERS OUT THERE, I KNOW YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU WERE JUST DOING WHAT ANYBODY ELSE WOULD DO, BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHAT YOU DID WAS EXTREMELY EXTRAORDINARY, EXTRAORDINARY FACTS THAT YOU TOOK, RISKING YOUR OWN LIFE GOING IN THERE, YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T HAVE A WEAPON, YOU KNOW, YOU WENT TO THE GUNFIGHT AND ACTUALLY HELPED SAVE THE LIFE OF ONE OF OUR OFFICERS. SO WITH THAT, ON BEHALF OF CHIEF DIAZ, UH, ALL THE POLICE OFFICERS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. I APPRECIATE Y'ALL. WE DID THIS FOR HOUSTON, MAN, THIS IS FOR NOT JUST FOR ME, THIS IS FOR THE CITY, MAN. THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON SHOULD BE PROUD OF, BECAUSE IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, YOU'RE ABBY. WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR NAME? THAT'S MEMBER KAMAN ABBY. SHE SAID SHE HASN'T SEEN ONE OF THESE COME ACROSS HER IN QUITE SOME TIME SINCE SHE'S BEEN SITTING BACK THERE. SO I THINK THAT, UM, FOR SOMEONE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO GET THE CARNEGIE AWARD FOR HEROISM, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A FUND THAT STARTED OUT OF PITTSBURGH, I THINK IT'S PRETTY AMAZING. AND, UM, I HOPE THAT I CAN TAKE THIS AND CONTINUE TO, UM, SHINE LIGHT. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? ON PEOPLE TO DO BETTER. LIKE, NOT EVERY DAY IS GONNA BE THE DAY THAT YOU WANT IT TO BE. UM, SOME CARDS YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS DEALT THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DEALT WITH. AND SOMETIMES YOU'RE A PRODUCT OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO BE, THAT. YOU CAN STEP OUTSIDE OF THAT AND ALWAYS DO SOMETHING BETTER. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. SO [2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] [00:31:33] RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR THE INVOCATION. THANK YOU MAYOR PERAM. IT'S MY, UM, ESTEEMED HONOR AND PRIVILEGE. I'M GONNA WAIT UNTIL THEY SHUT THE DOORS. THERE WE GO. , IT'S A, IT'S MY ESTEEM PRIVILEGE, UH, TO INVITE TODAY, RABBI SARAH FORT OF CONGREGATION BETH URIN, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT C. BUT, UH, RABBI FORT IS ALSO A FRIEND, A MENTOR, AND SOMEBODY I LOOK UP TO. UM, SHE HAS A SPECIAL FOCUS IN THE CONGREGATION, IN THE COMMUNITY ON CHILDREN, TEENS, YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, YOUNG FAMILIES, AND I WILL ALSO SAY WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT. UH, RABBI FORT GRADUATED FROM THE ZIEGLER SCHOOL OF RABBINIC STUDIES AT AMERICAN JEWISH UNIVERSITY. SHE HOLDS A BA IN GOVERNMENT IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS FROM GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY AND HAS SPENT YEARS WORKING IN JEWISH FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATION AS A YOUTH GROUP ADVISOR, RELIGIOUS SCHOOL TEACHER, HILLEL PRESIDENT AND ASSISTANT PRESCHOOL TEACHER. RABBI, IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE YOU TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR ASKING ME TO BE HERE. IT'S SUCH A PRIVILEGE, NOT JUST AS A, NOT JUST AS A GOV MAJOR FORMALLY. DO I HAVE TO PICK ONE? YEAH. ALRIGHT. SORRY GUYS. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE HERE. IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE TO, TO BE IN SUCH, UH, I DIDN'T EVEN, IT HAS TUNNELS UNDER HERE AND I GOT LOST IN THEM. IT WAS, IT WAS JUST QUITE AN ADVENTURE GETTING HERE. BUT I'M VERY GLAD I WAS ABLE TO JOIN ALL OF YOU. AND OF COURSE, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME JUST INVOKE THE NAME AND THE BEAUTY OF GOD IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL AND, AND ALL WHO ARE HERE. SO I WILL PRAY. OUR GOD, OUR RULER OF THE UNIVERSE. LET THOSE WHO GATHER HERE TODAY WHO GOVERN OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY, FIND INSPIRATION, STRENGTH, AND RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF ALL OF THEIR CHALLENGES. LET THEM FIND THE COURAGE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND GOOD BY ALL YOUR PEOPLE. LET THEM BE DUKE MAAT HOLY LIVING EXAMPLES WHO DEMONSTRATE FOR THEIR CONSTITUENTS THE IMPORTANCE OF UNITY, OF WORKING TOGETHER DESPITE DIFFERING BACKGROUNDS AND PERSONAL BELIEFS WHO WORK TOWARDS A HIGHER PURPOSE, THE COMMON GOOD. MAY WE ALL OF US HERE ACT DIVINELY, WHICH IS TO SAY, LOVING WITHOUT LIMIT THE MOST HOLY OF WAYS TO LOVE. WE THANK YOU, GOD FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY TO LIVE OUR HOLY VALUES AND PURPOSE, AND LET US ALL SAY ON MAINE, THANK YOU MUCH SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME BE HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH THIS STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY AND JUSTICE LAW. [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING] MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MAYOR WHITMEYER. CONSTABLE PECK HERE, CONSTABLE JACK JACKSON. HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. PRESENT COUNCILOR EVAN CHABA. HERE, COUNCIL FLICKINGER. HERE. COUNCIL THOMAS WILL BE ASKING, COUNCIL HUFFMAN PRESENT. COUNCIL CASTILLO. HERE. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ WILL BE ASKING. COUNCIL POLLARD. HERE. COUNCILMAN CASTEX TATUM. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER PALMER WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADAPT THE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 14TH [00:35:02] P MOVES. ALCORN SECOND. THANKS. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES. CASTILLO, [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] WE'LL MOVE TO OUR PROCEDURAL MOTIONS. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR PROCEDURAL MOTION. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD SAIF KAZEEM TO THE THREE MINUTE AGENDA LIST TO FOLLOW BRIDGET JENSEN. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM CARRIES ANY OTHER PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? RAM ASKED. HE HAS COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. ANY MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD SARAH SAYED TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA MEETING? UH, LIST SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES. MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER, BRIDGET JENSEN. BRIDGETTE JENSEN. GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE MAYOR, PRO TEM AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ACTUALLY BRIDGETTE LOIS JENSEN, UH, MY MOTHER'S BRIDGET JENSEN. UM, I'M SENDING AN EMAIL TO YOUR OFFICES WITH THESE REMARKS AND SOME, UH, RELEVANT INTERNET LINKS IF YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT ALREADY. IT'LL BE COMING THIS AFTERNOON. I'M SPEAKING TODAY TO GO ON RECORD REQUESTING AN AMENDMENT TO A RESOLUTION TO, TO THE RESOLUTION TO ADOPT A REVISED INVESTMENT POLICY OFFERED BY THE INVESTMENT COMMITTEE, WHICH APPEARS ON THIS WEEK'S AGENDA AS ITEM NUMBER 13. THE AMENDMENT THAT I REQUEST IS TO FURTHER REVISE THE INVESTMENT POLICY TO STRIKE ARTICLE NINE POINT 10 IN THE SECTION THAT DESCRIBES AUTHORIZED AND SUITABLE INVESTMENTS. THE ARTICLE IN QUESTION NAMES BONDS OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL. SUCH AN AMENDMENT IS A SIMPLE MATTER OF INTEGRITY REGARDLESS OF ONE'S POSITION ON ISRAEL AND ITS CURRENT MILITARY CONDUCT. FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SUPPORT A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA, A POSITION OF INTEGRITY WOULD BE TO NOT ENDORSE AN INVESTMENT POLICY THAT FINDS IT SUITABLE TO INVEST IN ONE OF THE PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE HOSTILITIES. FOR THOSE WHO CLAIM THAT FOREIGN AFFAIRS ARE OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF CITY COUNCIL, A POSITION OF INTEGRITY WOULD BE TO SAY THAT THERE SHOULD LIKEWISE BE NO INVESTMENT IN A FOREIGN STATE, REGARDLESS OF WHICH ONE. AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SIMPLY WANT TO HAVE AN INVESTMENT POLICY THAT IS PRUDENT, CANNOT SAY WITH INTEGRITY, THAT AUTHORIZING AN INVESTMENT THAT IS UNSECURED IS SAFE. THAT'S RIGHT. THE PROSPECTUSES OF THESE ISRAEL BONDS STATE THAT THEY QUOTE, CONSTITUTE UNSECURED OBLIGATIONS OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL. THIS MEANS THAT BOND HOLDERS WILL NOT HAVE RECOURSE TO ANY SECURITY OR OTHER ASSETS OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL SHOULD THE STATE OF ISRAEL DEFAULT ON ITS PAYMENT OBLIGATIONS. IN RESPECT OF THE BONDS, THOUGH, THERE IS A CLAIM THAT ISRAEL HAS NEVER MISSED AN INTEREST OR PRINCIPLE PAYMENT ON A BOND. IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT UP UNTIL 1986, ITS BONDS WERE REDEEMED IN ISRAELI CURRENCY AND ISRAEL SIMPLY CONTINUED TO DEVALUE ITS CURRENCY, PRINTING MORE MONEY TO COVER ITS DEBTS. NOW IT SEEMS ISRAEL'S STRATEGY IS TO SELL INCREASING AMOUNTS OF DOLLAR DOD BONDS. SO IT HAS TO PAY OFF THE PREVI PREVIOUS ONES. BUT WITH MOUNTING MILITARY COSTS, REGIONAL INSTABILITY AND EXPANDED CALLS FOR DIVESTMENT, THIS STRATEGY APPEARS INCREASINGLY FRAGILE. SO THERE ARE A VARIETY OF REASONS WHY A COUNCIL MEMBER MIGHT FEEL OBLIGED TO OFFER OR SUPPORT AN AMENDMENT TO THE INVESTMENT POLICY TO REMOVE ISRAEL BONDS FROM THE LIST OF AUTHORIZED AND SUITABLE INVESTMENTS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, I HOPE YOUR SENSE OF INTEGRITY WILL SO MOVE YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. NEXT SPEAKER, SAY K. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, I'M ALSO HERE TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM 13, THE INVESTMENT POLICY. UH, YOU ALL HAVE HEARD FROM MANY PEOPLE IN THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST YEAR ABOUT THE ISSUE WITH THE ISRAEL BONDS. IN FACT, IF YOU REMEMBER A YEAR AGO, MANY PEOPLE CAME HERE ASKING FOR A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION FROM THIS COUNCIL. UH, AND WHILE MANY SUPPORTED SUCH A STATEMENT, UH, MANY OF YOU FELT THAT THE CITY, UH, SHOULD NOT BE TAKING POLITICAL POSITIONS, UH, ON INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS. UM, AND THIS IS NOW AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU ALL TO REMAIN CONSISTENT, IF THAT IS YOUR [00:40:01] POSITION. UM, AN AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CITY TO INVEST ITS TAXPAYER MONEY INTO ISRAEL BONDS. IT'S SIMPLY NOT THE KIND OF NEUTRALITY THAT THAT MANY OF YOU, I THINK, AIM FOR. UM, ISRAEL HAS COMMITTED WAR CRIMES REPEATEDLY OVER THE LAST YEAR. THERE'S BEEN DECADES OF OCCUPATION, UM, UM, AND VIOLENCE. AND FRANKLY, THAT HAS BEEN A REALLY PAINFUL EXPERIENCE FOR MANY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. UM, THERE IS A LARGE COMMUNITY OF ARAB AMERICANS, MUSLIM AMERICANS, AND BEYOND THAT COMMUNITY THAT ARE REALLY AGGRIEVED AND REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST YEAR. AND THE MOST PAINFUL PART OF THAT EXPERIENCE IS KNOWING THAT THEIR GOVERNMENT, THEIR COUNTRY, THEIR TAX DOLLARS ARE SUPPORTING THE BRUTALITY THAT WE'RE WITNESSING. UH, AND ONE OF, ONE ELEMENT OF THAT SUPPORT HAVE BEEN ISRAEL BOND PURCHASES BY MUNI MUNICIPALITIES, STATE GOVERNMENTS, UH, AND OTHERS OVER THE YEARS. UM, AS I, YOU MAY REMEMBER I TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME, MY IMPRESSION IS THAT YOU ALL DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS AUTHORIZATION WAS THERE. UH, FROM MY RESEARCH, IT MAYBE GOT PUT IN THERE IN SOMETIME IN THE MID TWO THOUSANDS. THE BOND PURCHASES HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY FREQUENT SINCE THEN. HOWEVER, IN THE LAST YEAR, UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF AWARENESS. THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN MORE ENGAGED, MORE PLUGGED IN. UM, THE, THE, UM, CLIMATE AROUND THE ISRAEL PALESTINE ISSUE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS, IS, IS HEATED. UM, I URGE YOU ALL AT THIS STAGE TO MAKE A CHANGE AND NOT APPROVE A POLICY THAT THAT AUTHORIZES FURTHER ISRAELI BOND INVESTMENTS. UM, NOT ONLY IS THERE A, A MORAL ARGUMENT THAT WE'VE TRIED TO MAKE, AND I'M SURE Y'ALL HAVE HEARD OUR PERSPECTIVE ON OVER THE LAST YEAR, THERE'S A FINANCIAL ARGUMENT, THERE'S A STEWARDSHIP ARGUMENT. I KNOW MY PREVIOUS SPEAKER COVERED A LITTLE BIT OF IT, BUT IN THE LAST YEAR, S AND P AND MOODY'S, THE THE FINANCIAL, UH, COMPANIES HAVE DOWNGRADED ISRAEL'S CREDIT RATING TWICE. UM, THE, THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS FAR LOWER THAN ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS. IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT MESSAGE IS THE CITY SENDING BY CONTINUING TO AUTHORIZE THESE INVESTMENTS WHEN THERE'S NOT EVEN A FINANCIAL RETURN AND WHEN THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT, UH, DEGREE OF, OF, OF, OF OPPOSITION FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS? UM, AND REMI, AS A REMINDER, THIS IS THE ONLY GOVERNMENT. THIS IS THE ONLY FOREIGN GOVERNMENT THAT THAT'S IN THAT POLICY THAT'S AUTHORIZED. IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. AND SO WE'RE ASKING YOU ALL AGAIN TO DO THE RIGHT THING. YOUR TIME HAS IT DO THING. THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. NEXT SPEAKER, SARAH SAEED. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SARA SAYED. I'M CURRENTLY SERVING AS THE ORGANIZING MANAGER AT WOOD JUNTOS. I ALSO SERVE ON THE A API ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE MAYOR. UM, I SAY THIS BECAUSE WE ARE MISSING ARAB, UH, AND MIDDLE EASTERN VOICES FROM A LOT OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AT THE CITY, AT THE COUNTY, AT THE STATE LEVELS. BUT FOR THE LAST ONE YEAR, YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS FROM THOSE BACKGROUNDS CONSISTENTLY. AND IT SHOWS YOU THE POWER THAT THEY ARE RINGING THROUGH THEIR VOICES, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH DIFFERENT TYPES OF ADVOCACY, THROUGH ACTION, THROUGH PROTEST. UM, AND JUST BY EMAILING OR CALLING YOU, WE HAVE THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THEM IN THIS MOMENT BEFORE THIS INVESTMENT POLICIES, UH, VOTED ON TOMORROW. AND WE DO, JUST BASED ON OUR INTERACTIONS FOR THE LAST YEAR, UM, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS, UM, THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA ARE HOPING YOU DO THE RIGHT THING, THAT YOU MAKE THE BEST DECISION AFTER LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME FORWARD, PUT THEIR LIVES, THEIR JOBS, UM, AND A LOT OF THINGS ON THE LINE TO JUST TALK TO YOU ABOUT HOW THIS IS IMPACTING THEM AT SUCH A CORE LEVEL, HOW THIS IS IMPACTING THEM SO CLOSE TO HOME. AND IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT YOU CAN DO, UM, YOU CAN LOOK INTO HOW YOU CAN CONSIDER ALL OF THESE THINGS WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING INTO THE INVESTMENT POLICY TOMORROW AND WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION ABOUT THAT SPECIFIC CLAUSE. UM, FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 13, THE LAST THING I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH IS THIS IS NOT OVER. UM, PEOPLE ARE GONNA CONSISTENTLY COME HERE, UM, AND ENGAGE WITH YOU AT A HIGHER LEVEL. WE'VE SEEN, UM, THE CAPABILITY OF SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND IT'S GONNA CONTINUE. AND I HOPE, UM, THAT THIS, UH, UH, INFORMS SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, UH, VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY STATELESS REFUGEES, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO GO IF THEY DO GET DEPORTED OR DETAINED OR DON'T HAVE ID. ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR SUPPORT FROM THEIR CITY OFFICIALS THROUGH MUTUAL AID, THROUGH POLICY CHANGE, THROUGH [00:45:01] LEGAL AID. AND SO I WILL JUST LEAVE YOU WITH, I HOPE YOU DO THE RIGHT THING, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR DECISION TOMORROW, AND WE WILL BE FOLLOWING UP. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. NEXT SPEAKER. MANELA LANE. MANELA LANE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MANELA LANE. I LIVE IN ACRE HOMES AT 26 22 DESOTA STREET, 7 7 0 9 1 FOR OVER 20 YEARS, WITHIN 20 PLUS YEARS, I HAVE COMPLAINED MULTIPLE TIMES THAT THE DITCHES DON'T FLOW CORRECTLY DUE TO MY COMPLAINING, THE CITY DID SOME RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CITY SEVERAL YEARS AGO. HOWEVER, THE RECONSTRUCTION WAS ONLY DONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE STREET, WHICH IS CONFUSING. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD, BUT A PONDING ISSUES ONLY ADDRESSES ONE SITE. THE DITCHES ON OUR SIDE ARE SUPPOSED TO FLOW DOWN ON ROLAND STREET TO THE NATURAL BAYOU. SADLY, THE DITCHES ARE STILL NOT FLOWING. THE WATER STILL PONDS ON DE SOTO STREET. I HAVE TAKEN A VIDEO THAT OF THE ILL WATER FLOW THAT I CAN PROVIDE TO YOU. THE DITCHES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET WERE NEVER ADDRESSED. THE POUNDING PROBLEM STARTS AT 26 30, THEN 26, 26, AND THEN 26, 22. LOOKING AT THE PICTURES OF THE DITCHES, YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THE OBSTRUCTION. THESE PICTURES WERE TAKEN FOUR DAYS AFTER A RAIN EVENT. THE WATER AND THE DITCH STAND SO LONG THAT YOU CAN FIND WETLAND PLANTS IN THE DITCH. THE DITCH AFTER THE OBSTRUCTION IS COMPLETELY DRY, THE DITCH IS SUPPOSED TO FLOW DOWN DESOTO AND CROSS OVER TO MANSFIELD. RECENTLY I RECEIVED A CONSTRUCTION NOTICE FROM THE CITY STATING THAT THE CITY IS DOING A DITCH REESTABLISHMENT. I REACHED OUT TO THE PROJECT MANAGER, JAMARI NICKERSON, WHO MET WITH ME. I SHOWED HIM THE PICTURES AND WE WALKED THE AREA. HE SHOWED ME THE CROSSOVER DITCH TO MANSFIELD, WHICH IS ADDITIONALLY OBSTRUCTED. YOU CAN SEE MY PICTURES AT THE DITCHES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIRST OBSTRUCTION ARE DRY. HE STATED THAT THE CURRENT WORK ORDER ONLY ALLOWS HIM TO AUTHORIZE A MAKEUP JOB ON THE DITCHES. THAT SERIOUS RECONSTRUCTION SURGERY OF THE DITCHES WAS NEEDED TO PREVENT EXISTING HOMEOWNERS NOW TO BE DROWNED BY NEW CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA. THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE GREENLAND THAT USED TO BE IN, IN THE, ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME. THIS USED TO BE MY RETENTION POND. LAND ABSORBS WATER. WHEN YOU PUT HOUSES ON TOP OF LAND, THE WATER CANNOT BE ABSORBED. THE NEW CONSTRUCTION IS CLEARLY HIGHER AND PUSHES MORE WATER INTO MY HOUSE, WHERE WAS ONLY A LEVEL ONE MY HOUSE. SO WIFE, THE FIRST DAY OF IKE, WHICH WAS A LEVEL THREE BURL, PUT FOUR INCHES OF WATER INTO MY HOUSE. I HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE. HOWEVER, WITH ALL THE NEW FEMA RULES, MY HOME IS STILL NOT REPAIRED. I HAD A HIGHER PRIVATE ADJUSTER TO HELP ME WITH THE LITIGATION PROCESS. I'M A CANCER SURVIVOR, AND THE MOLD FROM THE FLOOD IS CAUSING SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS. PLEASE HELP ME AND AUTHORIZE, AUTHORIZE SERIOUS RECONSTRUCTION OF THE DITCHES SO THE WATER, UH, CAN FLOW, CAN FINALLY STAY WITHIN THE DITCHES AND FLOW THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. PLEASE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ONE WOULD THINK THAT YOU CITY ENGINEERS CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THE WATER FLOW WITHIN A DIRT DITCH. AND I DID BRING PICTURES, BUT I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO BRING 'EM IN. I WASN'T INFORMED THAT POST REPORTS ARE NOT ALLOWED. BUT I HAVE THE PICTURES IF YOU WANT THEM, AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW I CAN SUBMIT 'EM. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU. UH, MAYOR TIM AND MS. MELINDA, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND SHARING, UM, THE ISSUES THAT YOU'RE HAVING ON DESOTO. UM, WE'VE RECEIVED SEVERAL, UM, PHONE CALLS FROM OTHER CONSTITUENTS, UH, MS. EDNA GRIGGS LIVE, RIGHT? UM, NEAR YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW HER. UM, WE SUBMITTED QUITE A FEW SWAT PROJECT, WHICH ON STORM WATER ACTION PROJECTS OVER IN THAT AREA. AND THEN WE JUST RECENTLY PASSED THE DITCH MAINTENANCE ORDINANCE TO NOW THE DITCHES ARE NOW BEING MAINTAINED BY THE CITY. AT ONE POINT IT WAS MAINTAINED BY THE HOMEOWNER. AND SO WE JUST RECENTLY PASSED THAT TO NOW THE CITY IS NOW MAINTAINING THE DITCHES. HUH? THEY'RE FACING AND FACING. YEAH. WELL, THE PROBLEM IS THAT, AND I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT THE PROBLEM IS I WASN'T ALLOWED TO BRING IN THE PICTURES BECAUSE THERE'S A CLEAR OBSTRUCTION. THE WATER IS STANDING ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE DITCH, THE DITCH IS DRY. I AM LITERALLY SITTING IN A PONDING ISSUE AND I'M FLOODING, AND THE NEW CONSTRUCTION IS HIGHER. RIGHT. AND THE LITTLE MAINTENANCE THAT WAS JUST RECENTLY DONE, AS I MENTIONED IN MY BRIEF SPEECH HERE MM-HMM . WHICH I APOLOGIZE, I HAD TO SPEAK FAST TO GET THIS ALL IN, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT ENOUGH. RIGHT? AND SO JUST SO WANT YOU TO KNOW, WE ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SOLVE IT RIGHT HERE. BUT MY OFFICE, MY CHIEF OF STAFF IS RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR. SHE SHOULD BE AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE. UM, BUT MY CHIEF OF STAFF, MAYOR MARINO, IS GET WITH HER [00:50:01] AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO CONNECT WITH YOU AND WE'LL COME UP WITH A PLAN AND WORK WITH YOU ON MAKING SURE YOU'RE INFORMED ON THE WORK THAT PUBLIC WORK IS DOING OVER IN THAT AREA, SO THAT YOU CAN KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE WORKING TO TAKE CARE OF THE SITUATION. I APPRECIATE IT. I I KNOW THAT'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT IN ACRES HOMES, , UM, A LOT. AND SO WITH THE NEW DEVELOPMENT, IT'S A LOT OF FLOODING THAT'S HAPPENING. MORE FLOODING IS HAPPENING BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTIONS. AND SO, UM, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T, WE, WE CAN'T STOP, BUT WE CAN DO WHAT WE CAN TO TRY TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE FLOODING, UM, WITH THE, THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE, UM, BEEN IMPLEMENTED THROUGH THE CITY. SO, UM, WE WILL WORK WITH YOU ON THAT. OKAY? OKAY. OKAY. SO I WILL FIND YOU LATER OUTSIDE. YEAH, MARY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, LARRY SCHWARTZ. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, I'M HERE TO, UH, PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION AND TRYING TO GET SOME ATTENTION TO, UH, A CHALLENGE. I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF MEYERLAND FOR 37 YEARS, AND WE HAVE A REPUTATION FOR BEING, SHALL WE SAY, UH, HIGH WATER RESCUE TIME. UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, THE DISCUSSION IS AROUND CHAPTER 19, WHICH WAS IMPLEMENTED TO SPECIFICALLY MITIGATE SOME OF THE FUTURE HAZARDS OF BUILDING, UH, REBUILDING IN THE MEYERLAND AREA. UH, WHAT WE HAVE, AND I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF THIS, IT APPEARS WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE CIRC OF NAVIGATING THE, UH, CHAPTER 19 REGULATIONS. SPECIFICALLY THE REQUIREMENT THAT IF A STRUCTURE IS NOT OUT OF THE 500 YEAR FLOODPLAIN PLUS TWO FEET, UH, THE PROPERTY IS LIMITED TO RENOVATION COST, UH, LESS THAN 50% OF THE STRUCTURE VALUE. UH, IN ORDER TO SATISFY THE ABOVE REQUIREMENTS, OWNERS AND CONTRACTORS APPEAR TO BE SUBMITTING STRUCTURE VALUATIONS ABOVE EXPECTED VALUES AND REPAIR ESTIMATIONS, UH, BELOW ACTUAL VALUES COMBINED. THIS GIVES US, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVASION OF THE INTENT OF CHAPTER 19. UH, THE PERMITTING AND INSPECTION OF THE SUSPECT PROPERTIES HAS NOT BEEN EFFECTIVE IN GAINING COMPLIANCE WITH THE CURRENT CITY, HOUSTON CHAPTER 19 REGULATIONS. UM, THE IMPACT IS THAT THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN VALUE OF THE PROPERTIES AND THESE PROPERTIES REMAIN AT GRADE AND THEREFORE ARE SUB SUBJECT TO POTENTIAL FLOODING IN THE FUTURE. SO IT KIND OF GOES AGAINST THE INTENT THAT, UH, UH, FORMER ADMINISTRATIONS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD SOUGHT TO MITIGATE, UH, FUTURE LIABILITIES. AND WHAT WE HAVE IS WHAT ARE THE CHECKS IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT COMPLIANCE WITH THE REGULATIONS ARE MET? UH, COULD IT BE FINAL BILLINGS FROM CONTRACTORS RECEIPTS FOR WORK, UH, COMPLETED, WHO WOULD WRITE, UH, OR EXTEND THE PROCESSES TO ENSURE THAT ALL PARTIES ARE LOOKING AT THE SAME PAGE? AND LASTLY, UH, I'VE BEEN CAMPAIGNING ABOUT THIS FOR, ACTUALLY IT'S ALMOST SIX YEARS, UH, TO THE DAY, UH, BACK IN 2018. I BROUGHT TO, UH, THE ATTENTION OF THE FLOODPLAINS MANAGEMENT OFFICE AND FOLKS IN THE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS ABOUT A HOME THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, UH, DEMOLISHED, YET WAS FULLY RENOVATED. AND ANYWAYS, I'M JUST TRYING TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION. I'VE, UH, WORKED WITH, UH, THANK YOU. YES, I HAVE EXPIRED, UH, CHOICE MORROW AND THE FOLKS IN THE, UH, PERMITTING CENTER. THEY'RE TRYING TO ALLEVIATE THESE PROBLEMS. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE SOLUTION IS, BUT LOOKING FOR SOME HELP AND GUIDANCE AND TRYING TO MITIGATE THESE, UH, CURRENT ISSUES. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, FIRST FOR THOSE THAT DUNNO, LARRY, UH, YOU CANNOT FIND A MORE ENGAGED AND INVOLVED, UH, RESIDENT, UH, IN OUR MEYERLAND AREA. LARRY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON MCIA. BUT ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU DO, HE'S SOMEWHAT OF A, A, OUR WATCHDOG, WHETHER IT'S, UH, SIDEWALKS THAT NEED REPAIRS, UH, WORKING WITH OUR OFFICE ON SPEED CUSHION PROGRAMS AND FINDING FUNDING. UH, BUT YOU KNOW, THIS IS VERY HELPFUL, LARRY. UM, I, I'M JUST READING THE BACK PAGE BECAUSE I WANNA BE CLEAR AS TO WHAT THE ASK RIGHT NOW IS AS IT RELATES TO THE SPECIFIC MATTER. I KNOW THAT YOU WOULD LIKE CHAPTER 19 LOOKED AT, UM, FROM AN ENFORCEABILITY PERSPECTIVE, BUT [00:55:01] ALSO HOW WE IMPROVE UPON IT. BUT YOU WERE REQUESTING THAT THE CITY FLOODPLAINS MANAGEMENT OFFICE OR OTHERS INVESTIGATE THE PERMITS THAT WERE FILED. AND YOU LISTED THAT ADDRESS, I'M NOT GONNA SAY IT PUBLICLY. UM, AND THE CASE HAD BEEN CLOSED PREVIOUSLY. IS THAT CORRECT? AND MY UNDERSTANDING, BUT PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, YOU'RE NOW BACK IN CONTACT, UM, WITH DEPARTMENT STAFF AS THEY REVIEW THIS, OR HAS THERE BEEN? I I DON'T HAVE A STATUS BRIEFING, WHICH IS WHY I'M ASKING. SO BASICALLY, UM, THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF CASES WHERE I PERSONALLY IDENTIFIED, UH, SPECIFIC PROPERTIES IN THE, UH, CURRENT STATUS. UH, IN MANY CASES WHAT WE HAVE IS, UH, AN INVESTOR, UH, SOME PEOPLE CALL THEM FLIPPERS, WILL TAKE A PROPERTY. UH, THEY'LL GO AHEAD AND START RENOVATIONS WITHOUT ANY PERMITS. UH, THEY'RE KIND OF CALLED TO TASK BY THE, UH, UH, PERMITTING CENTER. BUT YET AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT SEEMS THAT WE'RE MISSING, UH, SOME ELEMENTS OR, UM, COMPLIANCE. UH, PERFECT EXAMPLE. ONE OF THE HOMES THAT I CITED WAS PURCHASED, UH, POST FLOOD 2021, AND THE PROPERTY VALUE WAS SUCH THAT THEY WERE PROBABLY LIMITED TO ABOUT $50,000 OF ADDED INVESTMENT OR RENOVATION. UH, THE HOME WAS PURCHASED, I BELIEVE, FOR ABOUT 410,000 MINUS THE, UH, PROPERTY VALUE. UH, IT IS LISTED AS CONTRACT PENDING OR CLOSING AT 1,499,000. SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN SOMEHOW WE WENT FROM $56,000 OF ALLOWABLE, UH, REPAIRS TO MANY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. AND ON TOP OF THAT, THE PERSON THAT OWNS THAT PROPERTY AND IS SELLING IT, UH, IS SELLING IT FOR A SIGNIFICANT, BASICALLY ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS. SO, AND WE, WE WANNA KEEP HOUSING AFFORDABLE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE BUILDING SAFELY, ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WITH REPETITIVE FLOODING, WHICH IS WHY A LOT OF THESE HOME IMPROVEMENTS ARE IMPORTANT AND THE REGULATIONS ARE IN PLACE. AND WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE AT THE SAME TIME THERE'S THAT BALANCE. UM, I'M NOT SPEAKING TO THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY OF, WE HAVE A LOT OF HOMES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ELEVATED OR IMPROVED, ARE STILL ABANDONED AND NEED WORK IN AN AREA, UM, THAT NEEDS THAT ADDITIONAL REVITALIZATION. SO HOW WE DO THAT MATTERS AND SAFELY, UM, PLEASE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH MY OFFICE, BUT I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE HORSESHOE BECAUSE AGAIN, UH, YOU'RE BRINGING UP HOMES IN DISTRICT C THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED REPETITIVE FLOODING, BUT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT EVERYONE IS GONNA TACKLE. IF THERE'S PARTS OF HOUSTON THAT HAVEN'T FLOODED, THEY CAN BE NEXT. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THANK YOU. LARRY. THANK, AND, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN, HE HAS BEEN THE WATCHDOG OVER THERE AND WE'VE WORKED WITH YOU. I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE HAS WORKED WITH YOU ON SEVERAL OF THESE HOMES. AND WHAT WHAT'S HAPPENING IS, YOU KNOW, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANNA RAISE THEIR HOUSE EITHER UP OR THEY DON'T WANT TO, UH, RAISE IT TO THE GROUND, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S SOME, THERE'S KIND OF A WORK AROUND TO KIND OF SAY, OH, THE REPAIRS ARE GONNA BE X WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN WE'RE DISCOVERING THEY'RE REALLY A LOT MORE THAN THAN X AND THEN THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST KIND OF CIRCUMVENTING THE RULES THAT IF YOU SPEND MORE, IF YOU HAVE TO SPEND MORE THAN HALF OF THE COST OF YOUR HOME AND IT'S JUST GONNA FLOOD AGAIN, I MEAN THAT THERE'S A GOOD POTENTIAL, IT CAN FLOOD AGAIN AT GRADE, THEN THAT'S A PROBLEM. SO I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED DILIGENCE. IT'S ALSO DIFFICULT TO GO IN AS A CITY AFTER SOMEBODY'S REDONE THEIR HOUSE AND SAY, OH, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE, YOU'VE PUT TOO MUCH MONEY INTO IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO THEN? SO IT'S, IT'S A REAL CONUNDRUM, BUT REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR DILIGENCE IN THIS AND YOUR PERSISTENCE IN IT. AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU AND CHOICE AND EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THE, IN FLOODPLAIN AND ORDINANCE TO SEE HOW WE CAN BETTER ON THE FRONT END, GET A HANDLE OF THE ACTUAL EXPENSES IT'S GONNA TAKE TO, TO REDO THE HOUSES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. NEXT, SOPHIA MARTINEZ. HAPPY HOLIDAYS MAYOR WHITMEYER, COUNCIL MEMBER MARIO, AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL MAYOR WHITMEYER. WANNA THANK YOU FOR GETTING HOUSTON BACK ON TRACK. MY NAME IS SOPHIA MARTINEZ AND I'M A HOMEOWNER IN THE EAST ANA BAYOU COMMUNITY, BUILT IN 2016, FOUNDED BY MIDDLE STREET AND KENNEDY STREET. [01:00:01] I'M HERE TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE THAT HAS NOT ONLY DISRUPTED MY QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT ALSO THREATENS THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD. FOR OVER TWO YEARS NOW, I HAVE ENDURED INTENTIONAL HARASSMENT THROUGH PARKING WITH THIS PERSON'S VEHICLE, OFTEN PARKED JUST FOUR FEET IN FRONT MY DOOR DAY AFTER DAY FROM A HUMAN THAT DOES NOT RESIDE IN MY COMMUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, MY COMMUNITY ENDURES, SORRY, THIS WHICH INCLUDES FLEET TRUCKS AND EVEN PARTY DOORS AND SHORT-TERM RENTAL GUESTS. OUR COMMUNITY FACES CHALLENGES FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES. SHORT-TERM RENTAL ACTIVITIES THAT BRING LARGE GROUP OF STRANGERS AND EXCESSIVE VEHICLES INTO OUR RESIDENTIAL STREETS. PARTY GOERS AND PASSER BUYERS PARK FOR HOURS OR DAYS DISRUPTING THE PEACE AND CLEANLINESS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC TURNS OUR STREETS INTO HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS CONTRIBUTING TO NOISE AND SAFETY HAZARDS. JUST LAST SATURDAY, A VEHICLE SPEEDING DOWN KENNEDY STREET AT 100 MILES PER HOUR CRASHED INTO THE GATE OF 800 MIDDLE STREET. NEW CONSTRUCTION, ADDING AT LEAST 70 HOMES, LACKS ADEQUATE PARKING, FURTHER STRAINING ALREADY CONGESTED STREETS. THIS CONSTANT UNREGULATED ACTIVITY MAKES ME FEEL VERY UNSAFE AND MY OWN HOME, ESPECIALLY WHEN VEHICLES LINGER FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. IT'S NOT JUST AN INCONVENIENCE, IT IS THE THREAT AND SAFETY AND STABILITY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THE SOLUTION I AM PROPOSING TODAY IS TO IMPLEMENT THE RESIDENTIAL PERMIT PARKING PROGRAM, THE RPP AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, TO REEVALUATE AND AMEND THE PARKING ORDINANCES FOR THE SECOND WARD AND EAST END ON THE BAYOU RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. THE RPP PROGRAM WOULD PRIORITIZE PARKING FOR RESIDENTS, GIVING US MORE CONTROL OVER OUR STREETS, REDUCE UNWANTED ACTIVITY BY DIETING, RECKLESS PARKING, AND THE MISUSE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS A DUMPING GROUND FOR VEHICLES. ENABLE LAW ENFORCEMENT TO MINIMIZE HARMFUL AND UNWANTED ACTIVITY, ENHANCING COMMUNITY SAFETY, CREATE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS LIKE MINE, WHERE THE STREET IS ONLY A FEW FEET FROM OUR FRONT DOOR. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT AND AMEND PARKING ORDINANCES TO PRIORITIZE SAFETY AND PEACE FOR HOMEOWNERS IN THE SECOND WAR IN EASTON BAYOU NEIGHBORHOOD. TOGETHER WE CAN ENSURE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS REMAIN SECURE AND LIVABLE FOR ALL RESIDENTS. AND I ALSO ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO COME AND VISIT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO SEE THESE CHALLENGES DIRECTLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ONE MOMENT. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU SOPHIA FOR COMING DOWN HERE AND ADVOCATING FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. YEP. UM, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH A NUMBER OF THINGS, UM, AND WE HAVE WORKED WITH YOU TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE LIKE THE, UH, THE SPEED CUSHIONS THAT ARE ON THE WAY. UM, BUT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE IN COMMUNICATION AND WORK WITH YOU AS THIS RPP UH, APPLICATION PLAYS OUT. I WAS MADE AWARE TODAY THAT, UM, THE APPLICATION IS CURRENTLY INCOMPLETE. YEP. UM, AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO, TO HELP YOU GET THAT, UH, COMPLETED, SUBMITTED, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, TAKE IT FROM THERE. BUT CONTINUE TO USE MY OFFICE AS A RESOURCE AS WE TRY AND FIND THE SOLUTIONS TO THE NUMBER OF THINGS, UM, THAT YOU LISTED OUT TODAY. YEP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE APPLICATION TOO, SO I'LL HAVE IT COMPLETED FOR YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU GUYS. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU MS. MARTINEZ FOR COMING DOWN AND SHARING YOUR PERSPECTIVE. UM, SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND PARKING ISSUES ARE A PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THE CITY. MM-HMM . AND SO WE, WE ARE CERTAINLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT NEXT MONDAY AFTERNOON, UH, WE'LL HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE MEETING AT TWO O'CLOCK WHERE WE'LL TAKE UP THE SUBJECT OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS. OKAY. AND WE INVITE YOU TO COME TO THAT AND, AND SPEAK AGAIN IF YOU WOULD LIKE AND HEAR, UH, THE PROPOSAL FOR AN ORDINANCE THAT COUNSEL WILL BE CONSIDERING VERY SOON. BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT, TAMARA KENNER, TAMARA KENTNER, DEBORAH MILES, DEBORAH MILES, [01:05:01] JERRY WADE, LINDA BURRELL, ANISHA WILDER, DR. WO DEAR HONORABLE LORD MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, CHAIRPERSON OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL FINANCE, CONTROLLER, CITY COUNCILORS, ALL OTHER PROTOCOLS TRULY OBSERVED. I AM DR. UBA THOMPSON, AQUA INTERNATIONAL PHYSICIAN, PREACHER AND PUBLISHER OF THE HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE, REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF TECH ACTS IN THE BEGINNING OF, UH, YOUR ADMINISTRATION. IN THE FIRST SESSION OR SO, I PRESENTED SEVEN POINTS ADVICE TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND CONTROLLER. AND TODAY, TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR, I WANT TO PRESENT MY LAST FOR THE YEAR. AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS BECAUSE I KNOW COPIES OF WHAT I HAVE IN FRONT OF MAYOR WITH THE MAYOR AND I THINK, UH, THEY'LL BE DUPLICATED AND GIVEN TO THE COUNSELORS AND THE CONTROLLER WHO IS ABSENT. THAT SAID, I WANT TO GO TO THE SECOND POINT ON WHAT YOU HAVE. FINANCE CONTROLLERS AND MAYORS SHOULD NOT BE SEEN TREATING ACCUSATION AND INSULTS WITH ONE ANOTHER. WHY THE PREVIOUS CONTROLLER DISAGREED WITH FORMER MAYOR TURNER AND USA CONGRESSMAN ELECT. OFTEN HE DID SO RESPECTFULLY, OFTEN SAYING, I RESPECT YOU, WHAT I'M DOING MY JOB. AND YOU CREATED A POSITION FOR HIM MAYBE TO CHALLENGE TURNER WHO ACCUSED HIM OF PLAYING CITY POLITICS FOR YOUR FAVOR. AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL PROVIDE HIM WITH A JOB THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED A PRE-PRO QUO AND CALL FOR ETHICS COMMITTEE TO KICK IN. THE CONTROLLER SHOULD RESPECT THE MAYOR AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEAD OF CITY HALL AT ALL TIMES. THE MAYOR SHOULD NOT PUBLICLY ACCUSE THE CONTROLLER FOR PAY TO PLAY WITHOUT THE ETHICS COMMITTEE AND ALL THE LAW BACKING HIM IN OPINIONS AND JUDGEMENTS. THERE SHOULD BE NO NEW ETHICS COMMITTEE RULES AND OR REGULATION BECAUSE IN 2019, MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, AS HE WAS THEN CALLED, WAS TO GO BEFORE THE ETHICS COMMITTEE OVER ACCUSATIONS OF MAKING AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE CITY TO THE AIRPORT. WHEN CITY APPOINTMENTS WERE FROZEN, NEW ETHICS RULES WERE NOT MADE. LET THE CHAIR OF THE ETHICS COMMITTEE AND ITS MEMBERS BE COURAGEOUS AND DO THEIR JOB. AND I GO TO THE SECOND PAGE AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER. IF I HAVE TIME, I'LL GET TO THE OTHERS. THE CONVENTION CENTER OF HOUSTON IS THE PROPERTY OF RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS WHOSE MONEY WAS USED TO BILL IT. THERE ARE LOTS OF ISSUES AND HAPPENINGS IN THAT CONVENTION CENTER THAT NEEDS THE COURTS TO INTERVENE AND RESOLVE SECURITY OFFICERS OF THE CONVENTION CENTER ACTING UNPROFESSIONALLY, POLICE OFFICERS TAKING SIDE JOBS AS SECURITY PERSONS FOR EVENTS AND CREATING CONFUSION WHILE THEY WORK FOR EVENT ORGANIZERS. WHEN SHOULD POLICE SECURITY OFFICERS BE ACTING AS PUBLICITY OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON? CAN I ASK FOR ONE OR TWO MINUTES IF ANYBODY CAN DO THAT? COUNCILMAN POLL. COUNCILMAN POLLARD . THANK YOU. SO I CONTINUE TO, UH, ON THE POINT OF POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARE ACTUALLY DOING WHAT THEY DO, WHICH ON ITS OWN ARE CREATING A LOT OF PROBLEMS. AND THESE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED TO PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T GO TO SCHOOL, WHO DIDN'T, WHO DON'T HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE. AND I ALSO KNOW THAT POLICE OFFICERS ARE NOT SUPPOSED BY LAW TO HAVE DEGREES, BUT THEY SHOULD DO THEIR WORK PROFESSIONALLY. SO THAT SAID, I ADVISED THAT YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU ARE GOING TO MATCH METRO AND HPD BECAUSE OF LOTS OF COMPLAINTS THAT WE INVESTIGATE AS INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS. THERE ARE LOTS OF RESIDENTS WHO COMPLAIN THAT METRO POLICE COME, ESPECIALLY THE MINORITIES COME TO THEM WHEN THEY ARE ISSUES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT THEY REPORT AND THEY TAKE SIDE WITH WHO THOSE, THE PERSON THAT THEY CONSIDER THEIR THEIR EMPLOYER. SO YOU HAD PROMISED THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MATCH METRO POLICE AND HPDI AM JOINING YOUR PROPOSITION THAT LET THOSE BE MET SO THAT WE DON'T [01:10:01] HAVE ALL OF THESE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE. AND THEN SINCE YOU YIELDED YOUR TIME, I THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO SAY THIS, THE 60 YEARS SENTENCE GIVEN TO HPD OFFICER GOS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AND SHOULD NOT HAPPEN IN THIS CITY. AGAIN, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ISOLATED CASES OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES BY THOSE WHO ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS, POLICE LINE AND ADJUDICATION OF CASES UP TO MEETING OUT DEAD SENTENCES TO RESIDENTS LIKE THEY DID THE TOTALS IS REALLY UNFORTUNATE AND SHOULD STOP. AND FINALLY, SOME SAY YOUR FISCAL POLICIES AND LEADERSHIP IS A FAILURE, AND I BEG TO DIFFER. YOU ARE TO BE PRAISED FOR GREAT SECURITY YOU PUT IN PLACE DURING THE VISITS OF PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENTS, THE MAJOR SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS THAT WENT WITHOUT MAJOR SECURITY BREACHES, HELPING HOUSTONIANS WHO HAVE COME TO COUNCIL WITH DIFFERENT PROBLEMS FOR WHICH I SAY THANK YOU, MY SALUTATIONS AND BEST, WHICH IS DURING THE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS. AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU, LORD MAY, AND ALL OF YOU COUNSELORS, CONTROLLERS, AND RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHO ARE THE CITY ARREST MY CASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT, RODNEY UNDERWOOD. RODNEY UNDERWOOD. PATRICIA WILLIAMS, WHEN YOU GOING? PATRICIA WILLIAMS. LOUIS TORRES. I'M ALWAYS NERVOUS WHEN I COME SEE Y'ALL. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU. HELLO, MAYOR, ALL THE CONSONANTS. THANK YOU FOR APRIL. UM, AGAIN, AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR ME BEING THE GRINCH FOR YOUR THANKSGIVING PARADE. THAT WAS ME. IT'S ON THE PAMPHLETS. WHAT I'M HERE FOR IS, UH, IN APRIL, I DID A BIG EVENT FOR MY AREA DISTRICT HIGH. I OWNED THE POWERHOUSE GYM, THE SPOT NIGHT MARKET. I GAVE OVER $20,000 IN TOYS AND BASKETS. SOME OF THE COUNCILMEN CAME WITH THEIR BEAUTIFUL FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE. UH, DURING HURRICANE BUR, I GAVE ANOTHER $10,000 IN FOOD FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE HURRICANE DAMAGES. SO I FED EVERYBODY DURING THE WHOLE WEEK OF THE HURRICANE. UH, THIS EVENT THAT I HAVE NOW, I KNOW IT'S SHORT NOTICE, IT'S IN TWO WEEKS. UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOWRIDER PARADE FOR THE HISPANIC CULTURE IN MY COMMUNITY IN SOUTHEAST HOUSTON. UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE LOWRIDER CARS, OVER 200, 300 BICYCLES OUT THERE. UH, WE COLLIDED WITH, UH, THE WARRIORS BIKER CLUB MOTORCYCLE CLUB. THEY'RE GONNA BE OUT THERE, AND THE BANDIDOS HISPANIC CULTURES ARE GONNA BE THERE. UH, WE HAVE A MOVIE ACTOR COMING IN TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS. ONE OF THE BIGGEST MOVIE STARS IS GONNA COME OUT TO THE LATINO COMMUNITY. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF Y'ALL WANT TO COME OUT. WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE Y'ALL IF Y'ALL CAN. I KNOW Y'ALL BUSY, BUT AGAIN, UH, WE'LL BE DONATING AGAIN. AND, UH, THIS TIME FOR EASTER, IF Y'ALL WANT TO COME AGAIN. I'M GONNA GO ANOTHER $20,000 IN TOYS AND BASKETS. LIKE I SAID, I DO EVERYTHING FROM MY SIDE OF COMMUNITY. UH, BUT MAYBE ONE DAY WE CAN GET A RIDE UP THERE WHERE Y'ALL CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF POTHOLES, JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE. UH, TRY TO DO STUFF IN MY AREA WHERE WE HAVE KIDS IN WHEELCHAIRS WHO CANNOT GO THROUGH THE STREETS TO GO TO SCHOOL, TO CHAVEZ OR MILBY, BECAUSE ALL THE BIG BUMPS AND HOLES IN THERE, UH, BRUSHES AROUND THE EDGE OF THE HIGHWAY THREE, UM, LOT OF GRASS WHERE THE KIDS CROSS OVER. UH, WE HAD PEOPLE SAY THEY COME CUT THE YARD, BUT THEY ONLY CUT THE YARDS THERE ON THE EDGE OF THE HIGHWAY. THREE RAILROAD TRACKS ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR. I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU, I HAD TO GIVE MONEY OUTTA MY OWN POCKET, TWO, $300 TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CONTRACTED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO CUT THE GRASS. THEY SAID THE CITY OF HOUSTON PAYS ON THEIR CONTRACTORS, BUT I DON'T SEE 'EM CUT THE YARDS. WHEN THEY'RE THERE, I GIVE 'EM MONEY. BUT AGAIN, WITH THIS EVENT, IF Y'ALL CAN COME ON SATURDAY THE 14TH, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE Y'ALL IF THE WEATHER PERMITS IT. BUT AGAIN, FOR THE COUNCILMAN THAT CAME, BLESS YOU, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SEE WHERE I'M AT. UM, I WON'T TAKE MUCH OF YOUR TIME. AGAIN, THANK Y'ALL FOR EVERYTHING WHAT Y'ALL DO FOR THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, BARBARA HILL. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS BARBARA HILL. I'M A 75. I'M A 73-YEAR-OLD SENIOR CITIZEN OF THE CAJUN GARDEN AREA FOR 50 YEARS. MY ADDRESS IS 34 20 CAL K STREET, HOUSTON, TEXAS. I'M HERE TODAY ASKING THE MAYOR, MR. WHITMEYER AND MS. TASHA JACKSON, THE CITY COUNCIL, ALONG WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, TO HELP FOR HELP. [01:15:01] I'M BEING HARASSED AND STALKED AT MY HOME DAY AND NIGHT, AND ESPECIALLY LATE NIGHT BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 12 TO 5:30 AM IN THE MORNING WITH 3:00 AM TO 4:30 AM BEING THEIR FAVORITE TIME BY HISPANIC MALES WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF WEST HUNTINGTON AND LYNN SCREET. I'VE CALLED THE POLICE SEVERAL TIMES BY THE TIME THE POLICE ARRIVED, THEY LEAVE THE SCENE BECAUSE I LIVE BY THE BIO. I FEEL THEY HIDE OUT IN THE BIO. WILL YOU PLEASE HELP ME? MY PHONE IS HACKED, SO THEY LISTEN TO MY PHONE CALLS. I DO HAVE TWO PEOPLE WHO HAVE WITNESSED THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR AT MY HOUSE. THANK YOU, BARBARA HILL. THANK YOU. NEXT MILLICENT HOLIDAY. MILLICENT HOLIDAY, ANTHONY BARON. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON. SORRY. UH, FIRST OFF, CONGRATULATIONS, MR. MAYOR. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT GLAD YOU WON. AND, UH, WHOEVER'S IN CHARGE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE ROADS, THANK YOU. BECAUSE I USE 'EM EVERY DAY AND I SEE THE CHANGE. UM, MY, I'M HERE TODAY ABOUT TALK ABOUT IH UH, THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE AND THE LIMOUSINE DRIVERS. I CAN'T SPEAK FOR REPER DRIVERS OR TAXI DRIVERS, BUT I CAN'T SPEAK ON OUR BEHALF. UM, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE SAY, WHY, YOU KNOW, WAIT UNTIL THE NEW FACILITIES. WHY WAIT, WHY CAN'T WE START NOW TO GO AHEAD AND INSTILL SOME KIND OF STRUCTURE WHEN THE NEW FACILITIES ARE OPEN? UH, ALSO, UM, UBER DRIVERS, THEY HAVE THE UBER LOTS. THEY HAVE LIKE 24 7 OR ALL DAY PEOPLE WHO HELP THEM MANEUVER. UH, THE CARS AND LIMO DRIVERS, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT, WHICH I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BECAUSE WE DO PAY THE PERMITS. UM, THE MAIN ARTERY AT TERMINAL C CAN BE FIXED. I'VE ALWAYS, I'VE, I'VE SAID THIS SINCE 2022. I CAME ON VALENTINE'S DAY, I BELIEVE. UM, THERE'S A SPACE NEXT TO TERMINAL C PARKING WHERE THE LIMO DRIVERS, IT'S PRACTICALLY EMPTY EVERY DAY. AND I'VE VOICED MY OPINION TO SAY, HEY, WE CAN ALLEVIATE THIS TRAFFIC IF Y'ALL OPEN THAT UP TO US. UH, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH LIMO PARKING A TERMINAL A TERMINAL B, THERE'S 11 SPACES FOR LIMOS. THERE'S ABOUT 5,000. I THINK THEY'RE COMING ON 5,000 LIMOUSINE LICENSES. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ARE IN SERVICE, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO DID THAT MATH. UH, THERE SHOULD BE ATTENDANCE AT THE ELEVATORS AND AT THE SUBWAYS TO HELP PEOPLE. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO TELL PEOPLE, HEY, YOU CAN'T PUT THAT CARD IN THE SUBWAY. AND THAT TAKES UP ABOUT FOUR PEOPLE SPACES. UH, THERE IS A NEW TREND NOW. THERE'S UBER DRIVERS AND OTHER PEOPLE HOLDING PARKING SPOTS AT THE LIMO, PARKING FOR MONEY, AND THEY'RE HOLDING IT. SO PEOPLE, WHEN THEY'RE DROPPING OFF OR WHATEVER, THEY, THEY MOVE OUT AND THEY COLLECT FIVE OR 10 BUCKS. I'VE ALSO VOICED THAT THERE SHOULD BE HEAD IN PARKING ONLY. THERE'S A SAFETY ISSUE THAT PEOPLE RAISE THE LIFT GATES FROM THEIR VEHICLES AND GLASS SHATTERS, IT HITS THE COLUMNS THAT ARE ON TOP. I'VE TOLD THEM THAT THAT'S A SAFETY ISSUE. A LOT OF FLAT TIRES. UM, PEOPLE WITH PERSONAL VEHICLES HAVE MORE LENIENCY THAN US FROM THE POLICE OFFICERS. I'VE, I GOT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PHOTOS AND HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THESE GUYS JUST LETTING PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY WANT. AND WHEN THEY SEE THE LIMOUSINE, UH, LICENSES ON THE WINDSHIELD, YOU CAN JUST TELL FROM THE BODY LANGUAGE. THEY'RE ALREADY ON THE WAY TO TELL US SOMETHING. UH, EMPLOYEES ARE GETTING DROPPED OFF AT CURBSIDE, WHICH SHOULDN'T BE. THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE WAITING FOR THEM TO GET OFF. TAKE SOME SPACE. UH, SO SOLICITORS ARE AT THE SAME SPOT EVERY DAY. THEY DON'T MOVE AND THEY SOLICIT. THEY'RE RIGHT THERE BY THE UBER LINES. AND FOR SOME REASON, THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE HAVE BLINDERS ON. AND, UH, GUESS THAT'S, YOU NEED, YOU NEED ANY MORE TIME? YOU, UH, YES. UH, AND JUST ONE MORE THING. UH, THERE IS, PEOPLE HIRE US FOR THE CONVENIENCE AND FOR, FOR EVERYTHING TO RUN SMOOTH. AND THIS IS NOT HELPING US. THERE'S ALSO A CHEAPENING OF THE SERVICE THAT WE OFFER. THERE'S PEOPLE IN TOYOTA AVALONS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER VEHICLES. I THOUGHT FROM THE BEGINNING IT HAS TO BE A LUXURY VEHICLE. AND YOU GOT PEOPLE IN TOYOTA, AVALONS OR WHATEVER OTHER CARS THAT I'VE SEEN. UH, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE US MAKE IT LOOK GOOD. [01:20:01] OKAY. THAT WAS, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, CYNTHIA WARE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR MEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS CYNTHIA WARE, AND I RESIDE AT 2100 MEMORIAL DRIVE. I'M HERE TO REQUEST HELP WITH SERIOUS ISSUES AT OUR SENIOR COMMUNITY, MANAGED BY COLUMBIA RESIDENTIAL. DESPITE REPEATED COMPLAINTS, CALLS, EMAILS, AND LETTERS, OUR REQUESTS HAVE BEEN IGNORED. THIS REFLECTS THEIR FAILURE, THEIR FAILURE TO ADHERE TO THEIR CORE VALUES POSTED ON THEIR WEBSITE, SUCH AS RESPECT, INTEGRITY, AND RESPONSIVENESS. I HAVE ALREADY FILED COMPLAINTS WITH HUD, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, HAA, AND THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, WHO GAVE THEM AN F BY THE WAY, ALONG WITH CONTACTING CITY OFFICIALS, NONE OF WHICH HAVE OFFERED ANY SUPPORT OR RESOLUTION. THE COMMUNICATION AT 2100 IS ABYSMAL. WHEN WE MOVED IN, WE DID RECEIVE WELCOME PACKETS OR GUIDANCE ON AMENITIES OR THE ONLINE PORTAL. REMEMBER, WE'RE SENIORS, AND I WOULD SAY A GOOD NUMBER OF US ARE OVER 75. I'M ONE OF THE YOUNGER ONES, UH, CALLS AND EMAILS OFTEN GO UNANSWERED OR TAKE WEEKS TO ADDRESS. FOR EXAMPLE, AFTER I RE REPORTED AN ATTEMPTED BREAK IN ON OCTOBER 11TH, I DID NOT RECEIVE, THE PROPERTY MANAGER DID NOT RESPOND UNTIL OCTOBER 25TH. THAT'S ALMOST TWO WEEKS LATER. AND IT TOOK THE POLICE OVER 40 MINUTES TO COME. BY THAT TIME, IT WAS TOO LATE. WE'VE ALSO, WE'RE ALSO LEFT IN THE DARK ABOUT SAFETY CONCERNS LIKE CAR BREAK-INS AND RAT INFESTATIONS, WHICH, WHICH WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH MAKING US FEEL UNSAFE AND IGNORED. THERE WAS A TRUCK JUST, UH, STOLEN THIS WEEKEND, TOO, BECAUSE THE GATES ARE ALWAYS OPEN BROKEN. THERE IS NO WARNING OR DISCUSSION BEFORE LEASE VIOLATIONS ARE ISSUED. AND THEY ARE OFTEN BASED ON HEARSAY, WITH RES WITH RESIDENTS, GIVEN NO OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN THEIR SIDE. IT SEEMS THE PROPERTY MANAGER LACKS CLEAR PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES WITH LITTLE OR O NO OVERSIGHT OF THEIR ACTIONS, WHICH OFTEN FEELS PUNITIVE. THIS HAS CREATED A SENSE OF HOSTILITY AND MISTRUST AMONG RESIDENTS, ALONG WITH THE, WITH THE FEAR THAT EVEN HELPING A NEIGHBOR COULD LEAD TO A VIOLATION. I COMPARE IT TO LIVING LIKE IN SOME KIND OF COMMUNIST COUNTRY. HONESTLY, THEY HAVE NOT CREATED A WELCOMING AND OR WARM, WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT AT ALL. THE PROPERTY MANAGER OPERATES BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. AND I HAVE MORE TO SAY. YOUR CHAMPION HAS FINE. I ACTUALLY WORKED ON THIS, TRIED TO, BUT I I'M TRYING TO STAY CALM, SO I HAVE A LOT MORE TO SAY. UM, THE CALL BOXES ARE BROKEN. THEY'RE NOT ACTIVATED. UM, AND I WANNA CONCLUDE WITH, UM, IF I CAN, I, LOW INCOME SENIORS DESERVE RESPECT AND TIMELY RESPONSES. JUST LIKE ANYONE ELSE, THE ISSUES OF POOR COMMUNICATION, PUNITIVE LEASE VIOLATIONS, AND SECURITY FAIL FAILURES ARE UNACCEPTABLE. I'M ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO PLEASE HELP ME FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP RESIDENTS ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS AND ENSURE THAT COLUMBIA RESIDENTIAL IS HELD TO A CODE OF ETHICS, ESPECIALLY IN HOW THEY TREAT SENIOR RESIDENTS. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND CYNTHIA, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN HERE TO, UM, ADVOCATE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. THESE ARE SOME VERY SERIOUS AND, AND CONCERNING THINGS THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH. AND THIS PROPERTY IS NEW. THERE WERE A LOT OF FOLKS EXCITED TO LIVE IN THIS, IN THIS NEW FACILITY. AND TO, TO HEAR A FEW MONTHS IN THAT THIS IS YOUR EXPERIENCE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY CONCERNING. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I WANNA DO IS MEET WITH COLUMBIA. SO I'VE REACHED OUT TO THEM TO GET THESE, UH, SPECIFIC CONCERNS ADDRESSED ON, ON YOUR DAY TO DAY, AND THEN ALSO REACH OUT TO YOUR, UH, CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE TO SEE WHERE THE LAG IS WITH, UH, HUD, UH, IN TERMS OF YOUR, [01:25:01] YOUR COMPLAINTS. UM, SO THOSE TWO THINGS WE'RE DOING RIGHT AWAY. UM, BUT I, I WILL HAVE SOMEONE FROM MY TEAM COME UP JUST TO MAKE SURE WE, I KNOW WE'VE COMMUNICATED WITH YOU ON SOME OTHER ISSUES WITH, UH, THE UNDERPASS GETTING CLEARED AND WHATNOT. BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE, UH, A LINE OF COMMUNICATION TO OTHER RESIDENTS WHO MAY BE DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES. AND WE KEEP EVERYONE UP TO DATE, UM, AS WE GET UPDATES AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUST A SECOND. UH, COUNCILOR DAVIS. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU MS. WEIR FOR COMING AND, AND, UH, INFORMING US OF THE SITUATION. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, STEELO HAS ALREADY ADDRESSED THE FACT, THE FOLLOWING UP, AND I WOULD DO THE SAME. I WILL BE LOOKING INTO IT. QUITE FRANKLY, RECENTLY, THERE'S BEEN A, A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING IN SENIOR FACILITIES THAT ARE EXPERIENCING SOME HORRIFIC ISSUES. AND THAT'S A DEEP CONCERN OF US, AND PARTICULARLY ME. BUT, UM, HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED? HOW, HOW, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THERE? FOUR MONTHS. YOU SAID? FOUR MONTHS. FOUR MONTHS. AND ALREADY YOU EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS. OKAY. VERY GOOD. WELL, MY, MY CONSTITUENT SERVICE GUYS HERE, AND WE WANNA FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AS WELL AS WITH YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICT REP TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMETHING IS HAPPENING TO HELP YOU OUT. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT CHARMAN JONES. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCILS. I'M HERE TODAY ON A TOPIC. UM, WELL, I RESIGNED AT 1 2 2 1 2 TWELL ROAD IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, IN SEA KING. AND TODAY, I'M HERE ON A COM, ON A MATTER ABOUT, I DONATE PLASMA. UM, I'VE BEEN DONATING PLASMA FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH DONATING PLASMA UNTIL LAST WEEK. I WENT TO GLO ON LITTLE YORK, AND I WAS TURNED AROUND BECAUSE THEY TOLD ME THAT I CANNOT DONATE PLASMA BECAUSE I HAVE A DISORDER, UM, SCHIZOPHRENIC DISORDER, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY MEDICATION THAT'S LISTED UNDER THEIR, UM, MEDICATION LIST THAT STOPS ME FROM BEING A DONOR. BUT I AM SCHIZOPHRENIC. BUT THAT DO NOT STOPS ME FROM BEING ABLE TO DONATE. I'VE DONATED SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE LAST PAST TWO YEARS, AND THIS IS HOW I MANAGED. I'M ON SOCIAL SECURITY, AND I MANAGED WITH, UM, THE PAYMENTS FROM THE PLASMA TO PAY MY BILLS AND EVERYTHING, BUT I WAS TURNED AWAY. LAST, UH, ON THE FIFTH, THEY TOLD ME THAT I CANNOT DONATE NO MORE BECAUSE I AM SCHIZOPHRENIC. AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS, UM, THE COUNCIL AND THE, UM, MAYOR AND EVERYBODY TODAY, BECAUSE I NEVER, UH, TOLD, WAS TOLD THAT YOU CAN HAVE A DISABILITY LIKE SCHIZOPHRENIC AND NOT DONATE, UM, PLASMA. SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS THAT MATTER, BECAUSE, UM, THE ONLY DISABILITY THAT I, THEY, FIRST, THEY SAID BECAUSE OF MY DIABETES, BUT I GOT A DOCTOR'S STATEMENT, AND THAT'S HOW THEY FOUND OUT ABOUT MY SCHIZOPHRENIC, UM, UM, DISABILITY. BUT NOWHERE THEY SHOULD DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ME BECAUSE I HAVE SCHIZOPHRENIC, UM, THE DISORDER TO DONATE PLASMA. SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY TO SEE IF I CAN GET THAT ADDRESS AND, UM, SOMEONE CAN HELP ME, YOU KNOW, TO START BACK, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I TAKE CARE OF MY KIDS AND MY FAMILY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, PAMELA BONTA, SANDRA EDWARDS. JOE JENNINGS. [01:30:14] UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, I'M JOE JENNINGS WITH THE, UH, LAROCHE ORGANIZATION AND THE SCHILLER INSTITUTE. THERE'S A PACKET COMING AROUND TO YOU, AND I WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO A VERY POSITIVE AND PO AND POSSIBLY GAME CHANGING DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING IN OUR SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE IN THE NATION OF PERU. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT JUST CAME TO LIFE LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AGO, WHICH IS THAT A DEEP WATER PORT THAT SHANGHAI PORT WAS INAUGURATED THERE IN PERU. A JOINT PROJECT OF THE, UH, VULCAN MINING CORPORATION AND COSTCO, WHICH IS THE CHINESE OVERSEAS, UH, CORPORATION. THIS WOULD BE THE ONLY OTHER, UH, DEPORTER PORT ON THE PACIFIC COAST OTHER THAN LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS ALREADY OVERLOADED WITH CARGO. THERE'S TALK OF A, UH, RAILROAD LINK STRETCHING ACROSS FROM THIS PORT THROUGH BOLIVIA AND BRAZIL, UH, TO THE PORT OF SANTOS. OKAY? THIS CAME UP AT THE APEX SUMMIT THAT JUST COMPLETED IN LIMA. AND WHAT IT MEANS, POTENTIALLY, FOLKS, IS AN ABANDONMENT OF THE POLICY OF DEEP CHEAP LABOR, RAW MATERIALS EXTRACTION, UM, GROWTH OF THE UNDERGROUND ECONOMY OF DRUGS, AND ILLICIT DRUG MONEY LAUNDERING AND ECONOMIC DESPERATION THAT, UM, IS THE CHIEF REASON WHY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE LEAVE OUR NATIONS TO THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA, AND, AND RISK THEIR LIVES COMING TO THE NORTH WHERE THEY HOPE THEY CAN FIND EMPLOYMENT. AND THEY VERY OFTEN DON'T. AND MAYOR WHITMEYER OFTEN HAS TO DEAL WITH THIS ON THE QUESTION OF HOMELESSNESS. SO I HAVE TO SAY THIS BECAUSE THERE'S ALL SORTS OF SLANDERS OUT THERE ABOUT ANYTHING, ANYTHING CHINA, YOU KNOW, UH, PRESIDENT BIDEN TODAY JUST LAUNCHED A WHOLE NEW RAFT OF, UH, SANCTIONS AGAINST CHINA. PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP CAME OUT WITH A RANT TWO DAYS AGO AGAINST THE BRICKS NATIONS, WHICH ARE AT THE CENTER OF ALL THIS, THREATENING THEM WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT TARIFF, UH, PUNISHMENT. THIS IS ALL WRONG. IT'S AMERICA THAT CEASED TO BE AN INDUSTRIAL POWER YEARS BACK AFTER THE DEREGULATION OF THE FINANCIAL MARKETS, WHICH BEGAN IN 71. AND SINCE 75, WE'VE BEEN RUNNING A TRADE DEFICIT. WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO BEING AN, UH, CAPITAL GOODS EXPORTING NATION TO OVERCOME POVERTY EVERY, EVERYWHERE, CONSISTENT WITH THE IDEAS OF FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY OF, UH, WHITE, THE EISENHOWER ADAMS FOR PEACE, UH, MCKINLEY, AND, AND GOING INTO THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION NEXT YEAR. IT IS AN ANTI-COLONIAL POLICY TO HELP NATIONS ESCAPE POVERTY THROUGH DEVELOPMENT. THAT'S HOW WE BECOME BETTER PEOPLE, UH, MORE PROSPEROUS PEOPLE, AND OVERCOME OUR RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC DI DIFFERENCES ON MUTUAL PROJECTS FOR, UM, DEVELOPMENT. SO, I GAVE YOU, UH, THE, THE FRONT PAGE AND A, AND A, THE, THE TABLE OF CONTENTS OF A REPORT THAT SHELTER INSTITUTE HAS PUT OUT ON THIS. UH, THERE'S AN ARTICLE THERE, TIME HAS, UH, AND I WOULD CERTAINLY, UM, ENTERTAIN ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT KEEP AN EYE ON THIS. IT'S A VERY POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH I IMAGINE MOST OF YOU DID NOT KNOW ABOUT BEFORE I CAME TO THIS MICROPHONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO, TIM, AND JOE, THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. UH, YOU CAN HAVE THE REST OF MY TIME TO MAKE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AND ALSO TO ITERATE TO THE COUNCIL ON WHAT SPECIFICS YOU WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK INTO AS A BODY. WELL, ON, ON THE SECOND PAGE THERE, UM, THERE ARE ARE SOME QR CODES WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO FOR MORE INFORMATION. YOU CAN GO TO THE SCHILLER INSTITUTE WEBSITE TO FIND THE ACTUAL FULL REPORT, BIG PROJECT DEVELOPMENT. THINK OF FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT AND THAT GREAT HOUSTONIAN, JESSE JONES AND WHAT THEY DID IN THE TENNESSEE VALLEY DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION. UM, UH, SECOND OF ALL, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT NATO, YOU KNOW, THE SO-CALLED NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION HAS OUTGROWN THE NORTH ATLANTIC. NOW, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE. THEY'RE IN, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY USE SEPTEMBER 11TH TO MOVE INTO AFGHANISTAN. NOW THEY'RE MOVING INTO PHIL, UH, PHILIPPINES. AND IF, UH, AND THEIR, UM, THEIR TALK, ADMIRAL BAUER AND, AND, UH, AND BUCHANAN IS THAT AFTER WE FINISH OFF RUSSIA AROUND THIS EXPANDING WAR IN UKRAINE, THEN WE'RE GONNA, THE NEXT ENEMY IS CHINA. NOW, IF, IF THAT'S OUR POLICY OF PUNISHING NATIONS THROUGH THE YOUTH OF THE DOLLAR, UH, IF THEY DON'T SUBMIT, UM, THEN WE'RE HEADING FOR THERMAN NUCLEAR WAR. SO, YOU KNOW, THE BASIC PHILOSOPHY WE PUT FORWARD HERE, UH, IS THAT [01:35:01] PEACE THROUGH DEVELOPMENT. OKAY? IT WILL WORK EVERYWHERE. YOU CREATE A MUTUAL INTEREST OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND, UH, RELIGIONS, UH, TO WORK TOGETHER. THE OTHER THING IS MY FRIEND RON, WHO'S GONNA TAKE THE MIC IN A FEW MINUTES, WE'LL TELL YOU ABOUT AN ONLINE CONFERENCE WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS WEEKEND. UM, ONE OF THE SPEAKERS IS THE, UH, FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER OF SOUTH AFRICA, WHICH HOSTED THE LAST BRICK SUMMIT IN JOHANNESBURG A COUPLE YEARS AGO. EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH THIS. YOU CAN, UM, RESERVE A PLACE ONLINE, AND IF YOU LIKE PANCAKES AND COFFEE, YOU CAN COME OVER TO MY PLACE IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON. COUNCILMAN POLLARD'S, BEEN THERE A COUPLE OF, YOU KNOW, THANKSGIVINGS AGO, UH, AND WATCH IT AMONG FRIENDS. SO, THOSE ARE MY REQUESTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS. NEXT SPEAKER, THEODORE ERO. WELL, I GUESS IT'S A PERFECT SEGUE. THANK YOU FOR A GOOD AFTERNOON. I HAVE SOMETHING COMING AROUND. IT'S JUST, IT'S KIND OF A SPEECH, BUT IT'S, IT'S MORE OF A THANK YOU TO OUR, TO OUR MAYOR AND ALL THE CONGRESSWOMAN AND CONGRESSMAN, ESPECIALLY, UH, MS. T TASHA JACKSON FOR THE JOB SHE'S DOING IN DISTRICT B WITH THE, UH, ACRES HOMES, BARBER COLLEGE. I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING THERE WATCHING HER AND THE JUDGE IN DISTRICT B ON OCTOBER 31ST. UH, THE SPEECH IS DIRECTED TOWARDS, UH, CONGRATULATING A LOT OF YOU FROM A, UH, THE CUP. THE CUP IS HALF FULL PERSPECTIVE, ESPECIALLY ON MENTAL HEALTH. UH, I'VE SEEN, UH, COUNCILMAN POLLARD HAS HIS, HAS THE BIG ADVERTISEMENT OVER IN, UH, IN HIS DISTRICT. UH, I GOT A CHANCE TO SHAKE MR. FLED, UH, KLIENBERG HAND AND SEE, UH, THE MAYOR AT THE, UH, SUPER FEAST, WHICH WAS AWESOME. AND A LOT OF THESE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS DO IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY'RE, UH, GOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH. UM, AND SO I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE EVEN MRS. SHABAZZ WITH WHAT SHE DOES WITH PEER JUSTICE. AND I SEEN MRS. UH, UH, MRS. CASICK STADIUM AND MR. RAMIREZ SMILING AS THEY WALKED IN. AND, AND I THINK, UH, IN TERMS OF, UM, THE CANDIDACY AND THE CAMPAIGN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, MENTAL HEALTH, UH, THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING ON METRO AND THE ADVERTISEMENT AND EVERYTHING, I THINK ALL THAT'S POSITIVE. FINALLY GOT A CHANCE TO SHAKE, UH, CONGRESSIONAL, UH, SYLVESTER TURNER'S HAND AT THE CITYWIDE CLUB. AND WHILE A LOT OF PEOPLE COME UP HERE AND ARE, UH, COMPLAINING ABOUT STUFF, I FIGURED, YOU KNOW, WHY NOT COME UP AND APPRECIATE THE RESOLVE? AND A LOT OF THE RESOLUTIONS THAT YOU GUYS ARE GETTING OUT AND GETTING INTO THE CITY WANTED TO ALSO OFFER TO MRS. JACKSON AND MR. POLLARD. IF YOU NEED SOMEBODY TO DO ABATEMENTS IN TERMS OF, UH, THE ADOPTION OF WESTHEIMER OR THE ADOPTION OF WEST MONTGOMERY, I'D BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WILLING TO DONATE MY TIME IN TERMS OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH, OR JUST PICKING UP AND DOING SOMETHING GREAT FOR THE COMMUNITY. UH, I'LL SEE YOU GUYS, UH, THE SUPER PEACE ON, UH, DECEMBER 24TH, BUT I THINK, UH, A LOT OF YOU GUYS TO DESERVE, UH, A PAT ON THE BACK OR WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CANDIDACY, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE COME UP HERE COMPLAINING AND, AND WE, WE DON'T OFTEN ACKNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE GOOD STUFF THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR US. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AND I'LL SEE YOU GUYS, UH, NEXT YEAR. HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF THE ABATEMENT OR OTHER THAN THAT, I'M ALWAYS AVAILABLE. OTHER THAN THAT, HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING, AND THANK YOU FOR CARING ENOUGH TO TAKE THE TIME OUTTA YOUR DAY TO COME. YEAH, DEFINITELY. TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO ON BEHALF OF HOUSTONIANS. WE CAN'T DO THIS WORK ALONE, AND WE NEED GOOD PEOPLE IN OUR CITY TO WORK ALONGSIDE US, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU. YES, MA'AM. UH, AND ALL THE HARD WORK YOU DO AS WELL. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. OH, HANG ON ONE SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR TIM. AND I ALSO WANNA SAY THANK YOU. UM, IT'S NOT OFTEN YOU GET THANKS FOR, YOU KNOW, THE WORK. I KNOW ALL THE COUNCILMEN DO A LOT OF GREAT WORK, NOT JUST WITHIN THEIR DISTRICTS, BUT FOR THE WHOLE CITY. YES, MA'AM. UM, BUT I WANT TO TAKE YOU UP ON THAT OFFER ON WEST MONTGOMERY. YOU KNOW, WE GOT A LOT OF PROJECT YEAH. I'M ALWAYS READY TO ABATEMENT THAT'S HAPPENING, UM, THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT AND WOULD LOVE TO PARTNER WITH YOU. UM, OF COURSE, ACRES, ACRES, HOME, BARBER COLLEGE, AND ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH IN ACRES HOMES. BUT WANTED TO PARK PARTNER WITH YOU IN DISTRICT B ACROSS DISTRICT B. SO, YES, MA'AM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FOLLOW UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GOOD DAY. NEXT SPEAKER, TANYA ROBINSON. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSEL. HOW ARE YOU? MY NAME IS TANYA ROBINSON AND I'M HERE TODAY. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HERE, AND IT WON'T BE MY LAST, UM, I'M HERE BECAUSE, UM, [01:40:01] I'M A, I'VE BEEN A SINGLE MOTHER. I WORKED ALL MY LIFE AND I BECAME A DISABLED 2018, AND I'M ON SECTION EIGHT. AND I AM HERE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH SECTION EIGHT FOR QUITE A WHILE. MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN WITH ME AND SHE'S UP IN AGE, AND MY GRANDKIDS BEEN STAYING WITH ME. AND NOW, UH, SECTION EIGHT, WHICH, WHICH IS HHA HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY IS SAYING A FAMILY CAN'T LIVE WITH A FAMILY. I THINK YOU KNOW, THE QUOTES OF THAT. AND THEN NOW THEY'RE SAYING TWO HARD BEATS TO A ROOM. SO IT'S LIKE EACH YEAR OR EVERY SIX MONTHS, THEY CHANGE THE RULES OR THE GUIDELINES OF HOW WE SUPPOSED TO LIVE OR WHATEVER. AND LIKE I SAID, MY DAUGHTER HAS NOWHERE TO GO. SHE, SHE WILL BECOME HOMELESS AND I'M NOT GONNA PUT OUT MY DAUGHTER AND MY GRANDCHILDREN. SO I WENT BACK AND FORTH. I DONE REACHED OUT TO JOHN CONGRE TWO YEARS AGO WITH THIS ISSUE. HE, UM, THEY ACTUALLY GAVE HER A VOUCHER, WHICH I HAVE RIGHT HERE. AND SHE TURNED IT IN AND EVERYTHING. AND THEY ACTUALLY TOLD HER THEY WERE OUT OF FUNDS AND THEY PUT HER BACK ON THE WAITING LIST, WHICH THEY SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING THAT, THAT WAS THE STATE ELIZABETH. AND SHE TOLD ME, I NEED THIS, THIS KID PLAYING TA TAGGING TIC TAG TAG. AND THEY WERE SAYING THAT WESLEY HUNT IS WHO I NEED TO CONTACT. HE'S OVER THE FEDERAL, THAT'S WHERE THEY GET THE FUNDS AT. I DIDN'T CALL HIS OFFICE SINCE OCTOBER, NOVEMBER. NO, NO CALL BACK. ELIZABETH I TALKED TO ON YESTERDAY, I TOLD HER I WILL BE HERE AT TWO O'CLOCK AND TO TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THIS BEEN GOING ON TOO LONG. AND IT'S NOT JUST ME BY MYSELF, IT'S OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO'S LOST THEIR HOUSE STAYING WITH THEIR PARENTS, AND YOU KNOW, JUST OVER, THEY, THEY GOT FIVE KIDS STAYING WITH THEIR MOTHER AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WHICH I DON'T MIND MY DAUGHTER STAYING WITH ME, BUT SHE WANTS, SHE WAS AWARDED HER HOUSING PACKET AND THEY TOOK IT AWAY. AND WHEN I WENT TO JUST GO TURN IN MY INFORMATION TO GET RECERTIFIED FOR, FOR NEXT YEAR, WHICH WAS ON THE 21ST OF OCTOBER, THEY WAS GETTING, THEY GAVE ME A VOUCHER, BUT I HAD JUST TURNED IN MY INFORMATION. SO HOW WOULD YOU GIVE ME A VOUCHER? AND YOU'RE JUST, I'M JUST TURNING IN MY INFORMATION MM-HMM . SO I DECLINED THAT. SO I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED AND THEY'RE LIKE, JUST NOT JUST BREAKING THE RULES AND LIKE WHAT THE, I THINK HIS NAME WAS JOSEPH. HE WAS THE ONE PASSING OFF THE, THE VOUCHERS. HE WAS SAYING, LIKE, I GO TO THE HOSPITAL. IS THERE, CAN I BE ALLOWED TWO MORE MINUTES, PLEASE, IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND WRAP, WRAP IT UP. AND WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE QUEUE THAT WOULD ADDRESS YES. I JUST THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF HOMELESS PEOPLE OUT THERE. MM-HMM . AND I'M IN THE HO I'M IN A HOUSE, I'M GRATEFUL TO BE IN HOME. I DON'T WANT MY DAUGHTER AND MY GRANDCHILDREN PUT OUT RIGHT. TO BE HOMELESS AS WELL, AND FOR THEM TO TELL ME THAT THEY, THEY, THEY CAN'T ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. AND THEN SHE HAS A PO A A VOUCHER AND WHICH IS RIGHT HERE. MM-HMM . THEY, IT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. I NEED A SOLUTION. I NEED SOMEBODY, I NEED HELP. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU MAYOR PROTI. UH, HOW YOU DOING, MA'AM? THANK YOU. UH, MS. UH, ROBINSON? YES. COMING, COUPLE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR YOU. IS YOUR DAUGHTER LIVING WITH YOU NOW? YES. OKAY. UH, SHE DID HAVE AN APPLICATION FOR HOUSING. SHE HAS A WHOLE VOUCHER. HUH? A WHOLE VOUCHER RIGHT THERE. SHE HAS A VOUCHER. AND THEN YOU SAY SHE WAS LIVING SOMEWHERE AND THEN THEY PUT HER OUT? NO, THEY, SHE TOOK A VOUCHER TO TURN IT IN AND THEY TOLD HER THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO REACH OUT AND I WENT WITH HER AND I SAID, WELL GET, SHOW US THE LETTER IN THE BOOTH THAT YOU'VE BEEN RE UH, UM, THAT YOU SENT OUT TO US, THE RESIDENT, BECAUSE SHE'S MY DAUGHTER, BEEN STAYING WITH ME. THEY COULD NOT GIVE US THAT INFORMATION. HER VOUCHERS. RIGHT. BUT WAS A, WAS A VOUCHER AT THE SAME FACILITY WHERE YOU ARE? YES, YES, SIR. SO THEY COULDN'T EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT, WELL, WHERE'S THE, WHERE'S THE PAPERWORK THAT YOU SENT OUT THAT YOU MAILED TO US? THAT, THAT YOU WAS REACHING OUT TO MY DAUGHTER? THEY COULD NOT GIVE THAT TO US. SO WHEN WE WENT BACK TO APPEAL, THE CASEWORKER, THE CEO WAS FIRED. AND THEN THIS IS MY VOUCHER THAT I HAD TO TURN IN. SECOND ONE, I ALREADY TURNED ONE ON THE 21ST, THEN THEY SENT ME ANOTHER ONE. AND I'M LIKE, THIS IS RIDICULOUS. SOMETHING. AND THIS IS, THIS IS THROUGH CITY HOUSING? NOT, NOT HARRIS COUNTY, HHA, HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY. HOUSTON HOUSING. OKAY. IT IS HIS GOT IT. I, I DON'T KNOW. OKAY. AND THEN, LIKE, I TALKED TO THE DISTRICT WHO WORKS THERE. [01:45:01] SHE WAS TELLING ME THAT THEY ARE LOWER FUNDS. I SAID, OKAY, WHO DO I TALK TO? WESLEY HUNT IS OVER THE FEDERAL. RIGHT. SO I SPOKE TO ELIZABETH YESTERDAY. SHE SAID SHE, SHE BEEN TRYING TO REACH OUT TO DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND SHE ALSO CALLED CONGRESS. SO I SAID, OKAY, WELL MAYBE I NEED TO COME DOWN HERE AND TALK TO THE MAYOR. I, BECAUSE EVERY THEN I CAN'T TALK TO MY SENATES OR MY REPRESENTATIVE IN MY AREA, WHICH I LIVE OFF OF, YOU KNOW, 1 0 7 7 0 6 5. OKAY. I CAN, NOBODY CALLS ME BACK. OKAY. I, I, I HAVE A, I HAVE A CONSTITUENT SERVICE PERSON THAT I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU, UH, MEET, HE'LL MEET WITH YOU AFTER. OKAY. HERE. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT, RONALD BENNETT. HELLO, HOW ARE YOU? MY NAME IS RON BEAG, ALSO AS JOE JENNINGS INTRODUCED ME A LITTLE WHILE AGO. UM, AND I'M AN ORGANIZER FOR THE SCHILLER INSTITUTE AND I LIKE TO PUT BASICALLY TWO THINGS ON THE, AS A, AN OPTION TODAY. ONE IS THE CALL TO ORDER ON THE, UM, WAR POLICIES ACT, WHICH IS IMMEDIATELY NEEDED. AND THEN SECONDLY, I WAS HERE TO INVITE ALL OF YOU AND LISTENING AUDIENCE TO THIS CONFERENCE THAT'S TAKING PLACE THIS COMING WEEKEND, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY BEFORE PANELS TOTAL ON THE QUESTION OF STRATEGIC QUESTION. THE, UH, THE WARD DRIVE AS PART OF THAT, THE, UM, ECONOMIC PROGRAM, HOW WE BUILD, BUILD, AND THINGS THAT JOE BROUGHT UP IN TERMS OF THE PROJECTS. AND THEN, UH, ALSO THE CULTURAL AND THE SCIENTIFIC ELEMENTS OF THAT. SO IT'S GOING TO BE QUITE PACKED. TWO DAYS, WHICH WE CAN FIND ON THE SCHILLER INSTITUTE.COM. UM, JUST GOING BACK TO PREPARED TEXT HERE A LITTLE BIT. I, WHAT I WANNA PUT BEFORE THE CONGRESS, NOT ONLY INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A BODY ON THE WAR POWERS ACT, BUT ALSO BE LOOKING AT THIS AS CITIZENS OF THE NATION AND AS HUMAN BEINGS, WE GOTTA MOVE, UH, IMMEDIATELY. THE TOP OF THE WORLD AGENDA TODAY IS STOP THE CONFRONTATION AND MOBILIZE FOR COOPERATION. AND IT'S REALLY AN UNDERSTATEMENT IN ANY WAY TO ASSERT THAT HUMAN CIVILIZATION IS IN A, IN A DANGER, A MORAL DANGER. UH, CIRCLES OF THIS COLLECTIVE WEST, OR, UH, PERPETRATING LOSSES AND LIES, MILITARY FORCES, PROVOCATIONS EVEN TO THE POINT OF TRIGGERING NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST AT THE SAME TIME CONDUCTING ECONOMIC POLICIES AND WARFARES PRACTICES THAT PROMOTE ECONOMIC BREAKDOWN EVEN FOR OUR OWN POPULATIONS. THERE IS PRESENTLY THE INSANE COMMITMENT, CONFRONTATION, AND DIRECT ATTACKS STRIKES AGAINST RUSSIA NOW OCCURRING UNCHECKED BY THE NEEDED WAR POWERS, UH, INTERVENTIONS. THIS AGGRESSION AND WAR POLICY CONTINUES DESPITE WARNINGS AND DEMONSTRATIONS OF NEW PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES BEING APPLIED TO THE WEAPONS SYSTEMS OF THE NATIONS THAT ARE, THAT ARE THE TARGETS OF THE POLICIES. WE'RE CONFRONTING RUSSIA AND CHINA AND THEY ARE THE ONES APPLYING THESE NEW PRINCIPLES. UM, SO THE ACTIONS WE'RE PRESENTLY IN HAVE THE WORLD IN THE MOST DANGEROUS LEVEL OF POTENTIAL. UH, ANNIHILATION AND UNSPOKEN DRIVER OF THIS INSANE FLIGHT FORWARD IS THE SPECULATIVE COLLAPSE AND THE, UH, GROWING NEO ANTI, NEO-COLONIAL PRESENCE OF THE BRICKS AND THE, UH, THE GLOBAL SOUTH. THESE ARE NOT ATTACKS ON THE UNITED STATES AND AN ATTACKS ON THE US DOLLAR. WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE A US DOLLAR BASED IN, UH, PRODUCTION, IN PHYSICAL ECONOMY IN THE UNITED STATES, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'LL ADDRESS IN THIS CONFERENCE. SO AGAIN, THOSE TWO ITEMS, IF THE COUNCIL COULD TAKE A PRINCIPLE PUBLICLY ON THIS WAR POWERS ACT, THAT'S THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY. AND THEN SECONDLY, THE INVITATION TO THIS CONFERENCE. YES, SHOW HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. NEXT THANK TERESA PAGE. HOW YOU DOING? UH, CORRECTION IN THE NAME. MY NAME IS REVA PAGE SISTER QUEEN REVA PAGE. I'M HERE BECAUSE OF HHH HOUSING. THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, THE MAYOR ASSIST ME WITH TWO PEOPLE THAT SPOKE, BEEN WORKING WITH ME, WITH MY HOUSING, WITH SECTION EIGHT, SECTION EIGHT EIGHT H HOUSING. IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THEM. THE OTHER LADY HAVE A PROBLEM. I HAVE A PROBLEM. THE PEOPLE THAT HE ASSIGNED ME THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I COME HERE TODAY FIND OUT THAT THE PEOPLE AT HHH IS NO LONGER WORKING THERE. SO THAT'S A PROBLEM. I HAD TO COME HERE AND FIND OUT TO WHOEVER THE PERSON ANONYMOUS THAT PAID FOR A WEEK, WHICH WAS FROM THE MILITARY. I KNEW THAT MUCH. THEY PAY FOR ME AT A HOTEL TO STAY FOR A WEEK. 'CAUSE I HAD GRAND BABIES THAT [01:50:01] CAME FROM VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON. THEY IN THE MILITARY TO COME AND VISIT ME HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS TUESDAY BEFORE Y'ALL WENT ON BREAK, ME AND ONE OF MY GRAND BABIES WAS ON THE HOV LANE TO COME HERE. 'CAUSE HE WANTED KNOW GRANDMA, WHY YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR PLACE NO MORE BASED ON HOUSING. I HAVE NOT GOT MY SECTION EIGHT. I HAD MY SECTION EIGHT PRIOR TO ME GOING TO WASHINGTON, SEATTLE. WHEN I GOT THERE, THEY DENIED ME. THEY DIDN'T HAVE ME, THEY COULDN'T FIND ME IN THE SYSTEM. AS OF TODAY, THEY STILL HAVEN'T FOUND ME IN THE SYSTEM TO GIMME MY, TO REINSTATE ME. MY SECTION EIGHT VOUCHER ALSO QUALIFY FOR, UH, PUBLIC HOUSING. THEY GAVE ME A FOUR BEDROOM FOR THE CUNY HOME. THEY SAY MY CHILD, MY CHILDREN, OR TWO OLD FOR ME TO HAVE A FOUR BEDROOM. MY, THAT'S HOW LONG I'VE BEEN WAITING ON THE PUBLIC HOUSING LIST FOR 36 YEARS. MY NAME JUST CAME UP MAYBE BECAUSE I KEEP COMPLAINING ABOUT HOUSING. SO I SAID I DO HAVE GRAND BABIES, BUT I STILL CAN'T QUALIFY FOR THAT FOUR BEDROOM. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PERSON, WHOEVER PAID FOR THAT WEEK FOR THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS FOR ME TO BE IN THE HOTEL WITH MY CHILDREN, UH, MY GRAND BABIES. UM, THE DAY THAT WE WAS TRYING TO COME HERE TO VISIT THE MAYOR, WE WAS BACKED UP ON THE HOW YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT ON THE HOV LANE THAT'S GOING ONE WAY. I WAS STUCK GOING THE HOV LANE FOR THREE HOURS. HAD TO BACK UP BACKWARDS. Y'ALL ALLOW ALL THESE PEOPLE TO COME HERE FOR FOREIGN COUNTRIES. WHY? EVEN FOREIGN, OH, WHATEVER THEY WANT TO BE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. THEY NEED TO ABIDE BY THE LAWS AND THE RULES AND REGULATIONS. ALL THESE ONE WAY ACCIDENTS. WRONG WAY. ACCIDENTS IS GETTING OUT THE HAND. YOU CAN HOUSE THEM AND YOU CANNOT HOUSE THE PEOPLE THAT'S ORIGINALLY FROM HERE. THAT'S A PROBLEM. HOMELESS PEOPLE NEED HOUSING TOO. SYLVESTER FROM SYLVESTER TURNER. YOU HAUL ALL THESE DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY WHERE YOU COME FROM. YOU GOT PEOPLE THAT'S LIVING UP UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE IS FROM FOURFOLD, RESON, NORTH SIDE SOUTHPORT, WHILE THEY HOMELESS. WHEN YOU'RE HOUSING PEOPLE THAT'S COMING FROM ALL THESE OTHER COUNTRIES, YOU NEED TO HOUSE YOUR OWN FIRST PEOPLE. THAT'S FROM, I'M FROM GERMANY, BUT MY DADDY IS FROM TEXAS, SO I FEEL LIKE I DID EVERYTHING I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO TO BE HERE IN AMERICA. THE PEOPLE THAT'S NOT HERE, THAT'S NOT FROM HERE, THEY NEED TO GO THROUGH THE SAME THING. AIR TIME HAS TO ALSO HOLD, HOLD UP. THEY NEED TO GET THE POLICE OUTTA OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND START GIVING THESE PEOPLE TICKETS FOR SPEEDING, RUNNING RED LIGHTS. SOME OF THE BASIC ACCIDENTS ARE HAPPENING FOR RUNNING THE RED LIGHTS, RUNNING THE WRONG WAY. YOU WANT TO BE IN AMERICA, LEARN HOW TO READ. WE SHOULD LEARN HOW TO SPEAK DUAL LANGUAGES. AMERICA, I HAD TO SPEAK, MY FIRST LANGUAGE WAS GERMAN. I HAD TO SPEAK ENGLISH, LEARN HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH. SO WHY WE HAVE TO SPEAK BILINGUAL? WHY YOU CAN'T READ HOW GO THE RIGHT WAY ON THESE FREEWAYS. THAT JUST HAPPENED LAST WEEK. WE COULDN'T EVEN GET INTO TOWN. WE HAD TO BACK UP BACKWARDS. AND MY MAIN CONCERN IS MY HOUSING. YOU GAVE ME TWO PEOPLE TO WORK WITH ME. THEY HAVEN'T WORKED WITH ME. THEY HAVEN'T CALLED ME. UH, MR. RENEE TOLD ME THAT THE PEOPLE IN HOUSING AUTHORITY IS NO LONGER WORKING THERE. THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE HELPING ME GET MY SIX AND EIGHT VOUCHER REINSTATED. THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANKS MS. PAGE FOR BEING HERE. UM, MAYOR PROTE KA TATUM. THANK YOU. AND I KNOW THAT'S AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION THAT YOU'RE IN. WE NEED TO, UM, SEE IF SOMEBODY FROM UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE CAN CONNECT HER WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO GET, TO GET HER, GET HER SOME ASSISTANCE. SO, BUT THEY KEEP DOING THAT. THEY KEEP DOING THAT. I KNOW THEY'RE THE ONES THAT CAN HELP YOU. SO WE'VE GOT TO BE JUST A LITTLE MORE VIGILANT TO GET THEM TO GET YOU THE ANSWERS THAT YOU NEED AND WE CAN, UM, TRY TO REACH OUT TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO GET YOU SOME ASSISTANCE WITH THE VOUCHER. NEXT, STEVE WILLIAMS. SHARON MARSHALL HALL. EDUARDO DURAN. ANY MONTOYA REVIS? UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR WHITMEYER. UH, UM, MY TOPIC TODAY WAS THE FEMA SYSTEM. UH, RECENTLY I WAS WORKING FOR BROWNLY LIFTING BOXES. THEY CONTACT ME FROM MIAMI, THE ORDER OF EASTERN BURG, HISPANICS, UM, UH, IN REGARDS TO, UH, CLAIM THAT [01:55:01] I DON'T WANNA WORK, UH, PIPELINE BASICALLY IS EMPLOYING PEOPLE TO LEAVE BOXES IN THE AMAZON WAREHOUSE BASED UPON THE SPRINTS I HAVE. I DON'T THINK IT'S, UH, FOR ME A GOOD JOB. UH, I'M NOT CLAIMING VOUCHERS. I'M PAYING MY RENT. UH, I'M LIVING WITH SOME PEOPLE IN HUMBLE. I'M BACKING, UH, HUMBLE, UH, TEXAS. ALL MY PAPERWORK IS IN FOUR CASES THAT I OPENED AS PROCESS IN THE SMALL CLAIMS COURT. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT. UH, I HAVE TO, UH, KEEP INFORMATION, UH, IN A, UM, REMAIN SILENT, UH, CLASSIFY. I DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS BECAUSE ACCORDING TO MY UNDERSTANDING, YOU SPOKE TO MRS. UM, UM, THE LADY IN, UH, THAT WAS YOUR NEIGHBOR, UH, THAT IS RELATED TO, UH, THE FERNANDEZ AND ALSO MEASURE, UH, YOU HAVEN'T TALKING TO THEM. YOU HAVE USED YOUR POWER TO TRY TO AFFECT ME. I DON'T GET VOUCHERS FOR SNAP. I DON'T GET, UH, VOUCHERS FOR HOUSING. I DON'T GET NOTHING. IF IT'S SOMETHING PERSONAL, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT I CAN LEAVE THE COUNTRY. YOU ALREADY APPROVE MY US PASSPORT AND I CAN GO BACK TO MEXICO CITY EVEN THOUGH I'M I US CITIZEN, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO WORK FOR YOU SINCE YOU FIRED ME FROM THE, WITH MY CAMPAIGN AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE AT YOUR SERVICE. YOU BREAK AND CALL. I DON'T CARE IF YOU WERE A SENATOR. I DON'T CARE IF YOU WORK IN AUSTIN, I DON'T GIVE ENOUGH. IF YOU HAVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, WE'RE ALL GONNA GO TO THE GRAVE. I HAVEN'T OFFENDED YOU. YOU OFFENDED ME WHEN YOU SPOKE TO THE FERNANDEZ AND YOU, YOU MISUSE YOUR POWER. I'M A A MEXICAN AMERICAN AND I HAVE, UH, MY MY DAUGHTERS, IF YOU GIVE THEM HOUSES, ASK 'EM TO PAY FOR THAT. YOU AIN'T GIMME NOTHING. YOU AIN'T GIMME A YOU HAVEN'T GIVEN ME NOTHING. YOU HAVE TREAT ME LIKE A PIECE OF S**T IN HOUSTON, TEXAS AND UH, AND IN THIS, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR WHITE BROTHERS. THE AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE HELPED ME BECAUSE YOU USE YOUR POWER TO TRY TO AFFECT ME. KILL ME IF YOU WANT TO. I DON'T CARE ANYMORE. I'M TRYING TO LEAVE. ALL MY STUFF IS IN THE STORAGE AND EVERYTHING IS IN THE SMALL CLAIMS COURT. I'M TIRED. JOHN, TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT. BE HONEST. I'M TIRED. I KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WE HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH YOU FOR YEARS. YOU USE YOUR POWER, YOU WANNA SEE THROUGH AND USE YOUR POWER. I'M TIRED OF IT. DO YOU WANT ME TO, UH, TO TO TO BE ON MY KNEES TO BEG YOU FROM YOUR PLATE? I'M NOT GONNA DO THAT. I WILL NOT DO THAT. I LEARN WHATEVER I HAVE TO LEARN. YOU PUT ME ON CHECK MANY TIMES IN VOLUNTEERING FOR THE, FOR THE WHOLE PURPOSE SO I CAN STAY HERE IN THIS COUNTRY AND BE AROUND MY KIDS AND MY GRAND BABIES. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE GONNA KILL ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T GIVE A GRANDBABY. HE HAS ADOPTED GRANDSON AND HE HAS BEEN SUPPORTING HIM. AND WE DON'T BRING HIM HERE BECAUSE LEAN DOESN'T WANNA COME HERE. I'M SORRY. I CANNOT FORCE HIM. I CANNOT FORCE HIM. JOHN, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? TALK TO MRS. FERNANDEZ. I, I'M DONE. THANK YOU. I'M DONE. NEXT ANNA HARRIS, MAURICE BAIL, UH, HOW ARE WE DOING TODAY? UH, I'VE GOT THREE THINGS THAT I NEEDED TO SPEAK ABOUT AND I HOPE THE MESSAGE GETTING OUT. ONE, IF WE'RE GONNA FIX SOCIAL SECURITY, EVERYBODY WHO GETS A BUDGET LOSES 10 TO 20% OF THAT BUDGET TO PAY BACK, ESPECIALLY IF IT WAS THEIR ENTITY THAT TOOK THAT MONEY. SO WE CAN START RESPONSIBILITY AGAIN. TWO, WE'VE GOT TO GO AHEAD, GET HOMELAND OUT BECAUSE THEY'RE SIMPLY GOING TO GO UNDERCOVER WHENEVER THEY GO IN AND TAKE THE HEADS OUT BECAUSE THEY ARE A DEEP STATE GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAS WORKED WITH THE DEMOCRATS TO TRY AND OVERTHROW THE UNITED STATES REPUBLIC. NOW, AS FAR AS ALL THESE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE GO AND Y'ALL NOT GETTING NO SLEEP, THEY NEED TO STOP AND FIGURE OUT IF THEY WANT PEACE. TALK TO YOUR OWN PEOPLE AND FIGHT. JOIN THE ISRAELIS TO HELP STOP TERRORIST. YOU'RE NOT GETTING NO PEACE AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA STOP NO WAR IF BY BLAMING EVERYONE ELSE. THANK YOU. NEXT. JACOB [02:00:01] CLEMENT. HI GUYS. HELLO JACOB. I'M GONNA BE REAL QUICK. NOT OKAY. AND THIS COMES FROM THE TEXAS CATHOLIC HERD. I WAS ON NOVEMBER 14TH. POPE FRANCIS SAID THAT THE DEFENSIVE ASPECTS OF LIFE IS LIMITED TO FEW MOMENTS. ARREST ME INEFFECTIVE. AND THIS COMES FROM THE TEXAS RIGHT TO LIFE AND I FOUND OUT TODAY, TODAY, NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH. DESPITE PUBLIC SUPPORT, ADOPTION IS RARELY CHOSEN BY WOMAN FACING, UNEXPECTED PREGNANCIES. UNEXPECTED PREGNANCIES. THERE ARE SEVEN TIMES MORE ABORTIONS THAN ADOPTIONS IN AMERICA. EXPERTS ESTIMATE 1 MILLION FAMILIES ARE WANTING TO ADOPT INFANTS IN THE USA. AND I'LL ADD TO COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD, EDWARD POLLARD. DOMINIC VARNER SAYS, YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB ABOVE FOCUSING UP THE CJ. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. YOU HAD THAT. SCJ IS AWESOME. OH, AND UM, THANK YOU JACOB, UNLESS COUNCILMAN POLLER WANTS TO GIVE YOU MORE TIME. ARE YOU THROUGH ? UH, I ALSO HAVE UH, SOMETHING TO GET A UTAH AUTOGRAPH FOR ME AND THAT, THAT I DIDN'T GET HERE, BUT I BOUGHT A WALMART. ALRIGHT, BE SAFE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE NEXT. LAURA CONNOLLY, HAPPY TO BE LAST TODAY. UM, I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU AND I APPRECIATE HOW DIFFICULT YOUR JOBS ARE AND HOW MUCH YOU DO FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, AND YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN MAYBE HERE BEFORE, SPEAKING ABOUT SIDEWALKS AND WALKING FOR OVER 10 YEARS, I'VE LED WELLNESS WALKS FOR NONPROFITS AND GROUPS THROUGHOUT HOUSTON, INCLUDING THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, THESE WALKS ARE IN ALL SIX WARDS, IN ALL SEVEN CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICTS AND IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN HOUSTON. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I'VE WALKED EVERY SIDEWALK, EVERY PARK PATH PRETTY MUCH INSIDE OF THE SIX 10 LOOP OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS. UM, YOU MIGHT SAY THAT I KNOW THE SIDEWALKS AND THESE STREETS INTIMATELY WITH MY SOLE AND MY SOLES AND MY FEET AND MY FEET TELL ME TO COME HERE WHENEVER I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP SIDEWALKS AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AT THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND REALLY ADVOCATE FOR THAT. I'VE NOTICED IN MY TIME WHEN I'VE COME BEFORE COUNCIL AND BEFORE TOURS, MEETINGS AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT UM, THERE'S UH, AMPLE DATA ON THE BENEFITS OF WALKABLE COMMUNITIES BOTH FOR, UM, FOR SAFETY, ALL TYPES OF SAFETY AS WELL AS FOR OUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH. BUT I WANT TO BE HERE TODAY. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. GO AHEAD AND JUST FOR TWO, I JUST HAVE TWO QUESTIONS AND SINCE WE KNOW THE DATA IS THERE, WHO IS WORKING ON HOUSTON'S PLAN FOR THE FUTURE? I KNOW THAT BUDGET IS IMPORTANT, BUT IF WE HAVE A PLAN, EVEN IF WE'RE ONLY GONNA SPEND A THOUSAND DOLLARS SAY A YEAR, UH, WHERE DO WE START TO ADDRESS THE, THE SIDEWALK ISSUE IN HOUSTON? SO WHO IS WORKING ON THE PLAN AND HOW CAN I HELP? THOSE ARE MY TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU TODAY. WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING TOGETHER ON ONE AND I HOPE AFTER THE FIRST YEAR WE'LL ROLL IT OUT. YEAH. OBVIOUSLY IT'S A RESOURCE ISSUE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DOCUMENT FOR YOU TO USE ALONG WITH US WHAT COMMUNITIES HAVE SIDEWALKS, WHAT COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKS, AND TRY TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND JUST IF, IF THEY CAN JUST, IF, IF I KNOW IT'S LIKE A 50 YEAR PLAN OR THEN WE CAN SPREAD THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY OF WALKED OF US, I CALL THEM, THEN WE KNOW THAT STEP BY STEP BY STEP IT'LL BE TAKEN CARE OF. WE CAN SEE IT HAPPEN. WE'LL, WE'LL WE'LL SHARE IT WITH YOU FOR SURE. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU. HAVE A GREAT EVENING EVERYONE, [RECESS] HAVE A NICE EVENING AND SEE YOU IN THE MORNING. THANK YOU. I'M ABOUT TO READ THE DESCRIPTION OF CAPTAIN OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA, LOOKING FOR THE AMENDED PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN FOR REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 17, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS MEMORIAL CITY ZONE. ITEM TWO, PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING AN AMENDED PROJECT PLAN, REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN FOR REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 20, SOUTHWEST HOUSTON ZONE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON. THREE PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING AN AMENDED PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN FOR REINVESTMENT. ZONE NUMBER 25 HAR CLARK FORT BEND. ZONE FOUR PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE DESIGNATION FOR THE INTEGRA MISSIONS CRITICAL LLC REINVESTMENT ZONE FOR TAX ABATEMENT PURPOSES. THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FROM CITY CONTROLLER AND THE CITY ADMINISTRATION REGARDING THE CURRENT FINANCIAL STATUS OF THE CITY. ITEM FIVE, REQUEST [02:05:01] FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF DEAN CORGI TO POSITION TWO OF THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION AND THE FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. ITEM SIX, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR PAYMENT TO TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. ITEM SEVEN, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR COMMISSION AND ENTERTAINMENT FACILITIES DEPARTMENT FOR APPROVAL OF THE CALENDAR YEAR 2025 BUDGET FOR HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION. ITEM EIGHT APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM AND DISPATCH SOFTWARE LICENSE UPGRADES, MAINTENANCE AND SOFTWARE SERVICES FROM THE SOLE SOURCE VENDOR CUSTOM LOGIC DESIGN INC. ITEM NINE, APPROVED SPRINTING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF SOFTWARE WITH LICENSE RENEWAL MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT FOR THE CONSTELLATION SAFETY AND SECURITY RISK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FROM SECURE PASSAGE INC. ITEM 10, CHASTAIN ENTERPRISES HOUSTON, L-L-C-D-B-A CHASTAIN FORD FOR PURCHASE OF ONE ONE TON FORD F THREE 50 RAPID RESPONSE TRUCK ITEM 11 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF MICROSOFT UNIFIED SUPPORT SERVICES SUPPORTING MICROSOFT PRODUCTS FROM MICROSOFT CORPORATION. ITEM 12, AMEND 20 21 95 TO INCREASE SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF ROLLS ROYCE TURBINE ENGINE REPLACEMENT PORTS FROM KEYSTONE TURBINE SERVICES LLC ITEM 13 RESOLUTION APPROVING AND ADOPTING A REVISED INVESTMENT POLICY. ITEM 14, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS HOUSTON. ITEM 15, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FOURTH AMENDMENT TO SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS OF HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY. ITEM 16 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING SELF RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTER INC. ITEM 17 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT TO DEVELOP A AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND A CARING SAFE PLACE INC. ITEM 18 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO DEVELOP OUR AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ORDER OF HOUSTON DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION INC. ITEM 19 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THIRD AMENDMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE. ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $2,402,305 AND NO CENTS OUT OF AIR FORCE IMPROVEMENT FUND AWARD AND CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO FMG CONSTRUCTION GROUP LLC ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO TO LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ARROW HOUSTON CENTRAL LP ITEM 22 ORDERS SUBMITTING ORDINANCE NUMBER TWENTY TEN FOUR THREE TEN INCREASE SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS TENANT AND H-P-T-T-R-S-I-H-G THREE INC. ITEM 23 ORDINANCE SUBMITTING ORDINANCE 2009 883 TO INCREASE SPRING AUTHORITY FOR TOWER LICENSE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS LICENSEE AND PINNACLE TOWERS ASSET HOLDING LLC LICENSE SOAR ITEM 24 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT RELEASING INDEMNITY AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CARLOS SOLI. ITEM 25, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 22 35 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACTED AMOUNT AND APPROVE FIRST AMENDMENT WITH MAGNAFLOW ENVIRONMENTAL INC. ITEM 26 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $550,000 IN THOSE CENTS OUT OF FIRE CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND TO THE HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING REPLACEMENT HVAC SERVICES CONTRACT WITH STAR SERVICE INC. OF HOUSTON. ITEM 27 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,030,000 AND NO CENTS OUT OF PUBLIC HEALTH CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND FOR HEATING VENTILATION, AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM UPGRADES AT 8,000 NORTH STADIUM. ITEM 28, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 20 19 5 45 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR CO CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ASK REPLY INC. D-B-A-B-T-G. NOW ITEM 29, ORDINANCE DESIGNATING T-P-M-S-D-A-L-L-C REINVESTMENT ZONE FOR TAX ABATEMENT PURPOSES. ITEM 30 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS T-P-M-S-D-A THREE LLC AND T-P-M-S-D-A FOUR LLC FOR PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN T-P-M-S-D-A-L-L-C TAX ABATEMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE. THIS ITEM SHALL ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER PASSAGE OF ITEM 29 ABOVE ITEM 31 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING TAX REVENUE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND INTEGRA. MISSION CRITICAL LLC WAYFAIR, LLC AND PROLOGIS LOGISTICS SERVICES INCORPORATED. ITEM 32 ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR VALOREM TAX EXEMPTION ON THE HISTORICAL SITE LOCATED AT 25 0 6 ROSEDALE STREET. ITEM 33 ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR VALOREM TAX EXEMPTION ON HISTORICAL SITE LOCATED AT 34 53 INWOOD DRIVE. ITEM 34 ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR VALOR TAX EXEMPTION ON A HISTORICAL SITE LOCATED AT 4,000 SOUTH MCGREGOR WAY. ITEM 35 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF CITY PARK [02:10:01] REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENTS ZONE NUMBER 12, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. ITEM 36 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF FIFTH WARD. REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 18, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS FIFTH WARD ZONE ITEM 37 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF UPPER KIRBY REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER EIGHT 19, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, UPPER KIRBY ZONE, EXCUSE ME. ITEM 38, ORDINANCE APPROVING IN A LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 16 UPTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IN HARRIS COUNTY. ITEM 39 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR AND ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVISION FOR THE FY 2025 PROJECT. SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS PROGRAM GRANT ITEM 40 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF GRANT APPLICATION TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR THE FY 25 INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN GRANT PROGRAM. ITEM 41 ORDINANCE FINDING AND DETERMINANT THAT PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY NO LONGER REQUIRE A CONTINUED USE OF A 20 FOOT WIDE STORM SEWER EASEMENT LOCATED EAST OF ASHBURY STREET BETWEEN LOGAN LANE AND MEMORIAL DRIVE. ITEM 42 ORDINANCE APPROVING IN A LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY OF TEXAS. ITEM 43 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THIRD AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD AS APPROVED BY ORDINANCE 20 21 7 24 ITEM 44 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THIRD AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD AS APPROVED BY ORDINANCE 20 21 7 25 ITEM 45 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FOR MEETING 1 16 2 88 AND NO CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEW SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CPNY INC. D-B-A-S-T-V INFRASTRUCTURE ITEM 46 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FOR $550,000 AND OH CENTS OUTTA METRO PROJECTS CONSTRUCTION D-D-S-R-F AND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND GRADIENT GROUP LLC ITEM 47 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $130,658 AND 85 CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND STANTEC CONSULTANT SERVICES INC. ITEM 48 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $525,000 AND NO CENTS OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND AT VALOR TAX APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALLIANCE TRANSPORTATION GROUP, LLC ITEM 49. ORDINANCE GRANTING TO GAINESBORO WASTE A TEXAS CORPORATION, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 39, CODE OF AVOIDANCES HOUSTON, TEXAS FIRST READING. ALL OF THESE ARE THE FIRST READING THAT I'M GONNA READ. ORDINANCE GRANTED TO LIQUID ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS OF TEXAS LLCA, TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. ITEM 51 ORANGE GREEN TO SAFETY, CLEAN SYSTEMS INC. AND WISCONSIN CORPORATION. ITEM 52, ORANGE GREEN IS A SET ENVIRONMENTAL INC. A TEXAS CORPORATION. ITEM 53, ORANGE GREEN TO SUPERIOR WASTE SOLUTIONS. LLCA, TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. ITEM 54 ORDINANCE GRINNING TO SWEEPING CORPORATION OF AMERICA, LLCA, FOREIGN LIABILITY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AND ITEM 55, ORDINANCE GREENING TO TEXAS OUTHOUSE INC. A TEXAS CORPORATION. THIS IS THE END OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEM 56, AMEND MOTION 20 24 8 66 PAST NOVEMBER 14TH, 2024 TO REFLECT THE CORRECT PURCHASE AMOUNT FROM 1 57 8 93 40 CENTS TO 2 0 9 109 80 FOR TRAILER MOUNTED SEWER JET CLEANERS FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. THIS IS FROM INDUSTRIAL DISPOSAL SUPPLY CODE LLC. IT REQUIRES THREE MOTIONS. ITEM 57 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION FOR THE TEXAS ABSTINENCE EDUCATION SERVICES UNDER SEXUAL RISK AVOIDANCE GRANT PROGRAM TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS HUFFMAN AND CARTER. THIS IS ITEM 21 ON AGENDA OF NOVEMBER 20TH, 2024 AND ITEM 58 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING COMPROMISE SETTLEMENT OF RELEASE AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS AND MELINDA. APP A-B-T-T-A-B-B-T TO SETTLE A LAWSUIT. TAB BY COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER. THIS IS ITEM 25 ON AGENDA OF NOVEMBER 20TH, 2024. THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR THE SESSION OF DECEMBER 4TH, 2024. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM IN THE WORDS FOR OUR CURRENT CITY SECRETARY, PAT JEFFERSON, DANIEL ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED. HAVE A BLESSED AND FABULOUS DAY. [RECONVENE] [02:15:06] NOW [ADMIN REPORT] FOR THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONTROLLER CHRIS HOLLANDS AND FINANCIAL DIRECTOR MELISSA DEBOWSKI. GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND HONORABLE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. UH, I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR OCTOBER, 2024 IN THE GENERAL FUND THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS PROJECTING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $296.4 MILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025. THAT'S $17.6 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PROJECTION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT DUE TO A LOWER REVENUE PROJECT PROJECTION THAN FINANCE. BASED ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS, THE FUND BALANCE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $107 MILLION ABOVE THE CITY'S TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES, EXCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO AND RESERVE. THE FY 2025 BEGINNING FUND BALANCE IS $35.6 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE FFY 2024 ENDING FUND BALANCE REPORTED IN THE JUNE 30TH, 2024 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT. THE INCREASE IS DUE TO YEAR END ADJUSTMENTS TO REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES THAT WILL NOT BE FINAL UNTIL THE FY 2024 AFER IS PUBLISHED, WHICH WILL BE HAPPENING SOON. WE'VE INCREASED OUR REVENUE PROJECTION BY $28.4 MILLION FROM THE SEPTEMBER REPORT TO REFLECT THE FOLLOWING, AN INCREASE OF $25.7 MILLION IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL DUE TO REIMBURSEMENT FROM METRO FOR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT EXPENSES, AN INCREASE OF $2.7 MILLION IN MISCELLANEOUS OR OTHER DUE TO A REFUND FROM HOUSTON. FIRST FOR BRIDGE LIGHTING, AN INCREASE OF $0.6 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED LAND SALES AND A DECREASE OF HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED CHARITY CARE PROGRAM REIMBURSEMENT. WE'VE DECREASED OUR EXPENDITURE PROJECTION BY 16.1 MILLION FROM THE SEPTEMBER 24 REPORT AS FOLLOWS, A DECREASE OF 21.8 MILLION IN PUBLIC WORKS REFLECTING THE TRANSFER OF STREETLIGHT ELECTRICITY COSTS TO THE DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUND, UH, FOR REIMBURSEMENT BY METRO, A DECREASE OF $3 MILLION IN GENERAL GOVERNMENT FOR ELECTION COST SAVINGS, AN INCREASE OF 0.7 MILLION ACROSS VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO ACCOUNT FOR UNSPENT CITY COUNCIL. OPERATING FUNDS CARRIED OVER FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, AN INCREASE OF 1 MILLION IN THIS SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT FOR VEHICLE TRACKING, UH, ROUTING AND PERFORMANCE, AN INCREASE OF A MILLION IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OVERTIME CRIME REDUCTION INITIATIVE, AN INCREASE OF TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED ETHAN HEALTH LGC. AN INCREASE OF THREE AND A HALF MILLION IN CITY COUNCIL TO REFLECT UNUTILIZED COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR AND AN INCREASE OF $11.4 MILLION ACROSS VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE HOPE MEET AND CONFER PAY INCREASES OFFSET BY A TRANSFER FROM GENERAL GOVERNMENT IN THE CITY'S ENTERPRISE. FUNDS AND AVIATION OPERATING EXPENSES INCREASED BY $3.8 MILLION TO ACCOUNT FOR THE HOPE MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT, PAY INCREASES AND NON-OPERATING REVENUES INCREASED BY $3.8 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED INTEREST ON POOLED INVESTMENTS IN THE DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUND. METRO OPERATING EXPENSES AND REVENUES INCREASED BY $21.8 MILLION TO ACCOUNT FOR THE TRANSFER OF STREETLIGHT ELECTRICITY COSTS FROM THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH WILL BE REIMBURSED BY METRO. WE'RE PROJECTING NO CHANGES FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH'S AMOUNTS IN THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM FUND CONVENTION AND ENTERTAINMENT OPERATING FUND, THE STORM WATER FUND, OR THE OTHER DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUNDS. THE CITY'S PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO MAINTAIN NO MORE THAN 20% OF THE TOTAL OUTSTANDING DEBT FOR EACH TYPE OF DEBT IN A VARIABLE RATE STRUCTURE. AND AS USUAL, AS OF OCTOBER 31ST, 2024, THE RATIO OF UNH VARIABLE RATE DEBT FOR EACH TYPE OF OUTSTANDING DEBT WAS WELL BELOW THAT THRESHOLD. MAYOR, I'M PLEASED TO SHARE THAT ON DECEMBER 2ND, 2024, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN COLLABORATION WITH UNITED AIRLINES SUCCESSFULLY CLOSED ON A $1.1 BILLION BOND TRANSACTION FOR THE AIRPORT SYSTEM, SPECIAL FACILITIES REVENUE BONDS SERIES 2024 B TO FINANCE THE REDEVELOPMENT OF TERMINAL B AT GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT. THE FINAL STRUCTURE ACHIEVED AN ALL IN COST OF CAPITAL BELOW 5% WITH STRONG INVESTOR DEMAND. PROCEEDS FROM THOSE BONDS WILL SUPPORT KEY UPGRADES, INCLUDING EXPANDING THE TERMINAL B CENTRAL PROCESSOR, CONSTRUCTING THE NEW TERMINAL B NORTH CONCOURSE, REPLACING THE BAGGAGE HANDLING SYSTEM AND RECONFIGURING THE SOUTH CONCOURSE, ALL FOR UNITED'S USE UNDER THE SPECIAL FACILITIES LEASE. THANK YOU TO THE CITY'S ENTIRE FINANCE WORKING GROUP, UNITED AIRLINES AND ALL STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL EFFORT IN DELIVERING THIS IMPORTANT TRANSACTION FOR THE CITY AND ITS AIRPORT SYSTEMS. UH, COUNSEL TODAY, [02:20:01] YOU ALL, UH, YOU ALL ARE VOTING ON A LEGAL SETTLEMENT RELATED TO ALLEGED MISCONDUCT BY AN HFD FIREFIGHTER. IT'S BEEN PROPOSED BY AT LEAST ONE MEMBER OF COUNCIL THAT THE FIRE CONTRACT BE REOPENED IN ORDER TO ADDRESS DISCIPLINE FOR BAD ACTORS THAT NOT ONLY PUTS THE CITY AT FINANCIAL RISK AS WE'RE SEEING TODAY, BUT ALSO IMPACTS THE REPUTATION AND THE POSITIVE WORKING CULTURE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR HARDWORKING FIRST RESPONDERS. AS YOU KNOW, THIS COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT AS IT'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN, UH, ALONG WITH STRONG SUPPORT FROM THE FIRE UNION. SO I'M NOT SURE HOW FEASIBLE A CHANGE HERE IS, HOWEVER, GIVEN THE FINANCIAL SITUATION THAT THE CITY IS IN, IF THE CONTRACT IS REVISITED, I WANT TO AGAIN, EMPLOY YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE TRIGGERING LANGUAGE SURROUNDING THE RAISES THAT FIREFIGHTERS WILL RECEIVE OVER THE NEXT FOUR FISCAL YEARS. UH, WHEN THE NEXT YEAR BEGINS IN JULY, FIREFIGHTERS WILL BE WELL WITHIN THEIR RIGHTS TO SEEK THE MAXIMUM RAISE AVAILABLE IN THE CONTRACT, WHICH IS 6%. HOWEVER, WITH THE CITY'S FINANCIAL CHALLENGES, IT WOULDN'T BE SHOCKING IF THE CITY TOOK THE POSITION THAT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT RAISE HAD NOT BEEN MET. AND OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT MAXIMUM RAISE AND THE LOWER OPTION IS ROUGHLY $120 MILLION OR $30,000 PER FIREFIGHTER. KEEP DISAGREEMENTS. EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE ME, CONTROLLER. IN ALL DUE RESPECT, I'M NOT SURE. IN FACT, I'M CERTAIN THE FIREFIGHTER'S SETTLEMENT AND CONTRACTS NOT ON THE AGENDA TODAY. AND I WILL ALSO SAY THE MORE YOU TALK ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT, YOU'RE HARMING THE VICTIM. THE VICTIM IS BEING POLITICIZED MUCH TO HER DISTRESS, HER FAMILY'S PAIN AND SUFFERING. SO I WOULD URGE YOU TO GIVE US A ACCURATE FINANCIAL REPORT, THE MONTHLY REPORT, AND LET CITY COUNCIL, THE ADMINISTRATION WORK ON OTHER MATTERS THAT ARE ON OUR AGENDA TODAY. BUT I WOULD URGE YOU AND OTHER OFFICIALS TO BE VERY SENSITIVE TO THIS WOMAN SUFFERING IN PAIN. UH, IT WAS 10 YEARS BEFORE SHE DISCOVERED THE ABUSE AND, UH, SHE'S LIVING IN HELL BECAUSE IT'S BY THE ACTS OF, OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT YOU REFERENCED ENDED UP ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE CHRONICLE, MUCH TO THE SUFFERING OF HER FAMILY AND THE EMBARRASSMENT IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UH, TO HER FAMILY. SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO REALLY WRAP UP YOUR FINANCIAL REPORT AND THEN WE HAVE A MATTER ON THE AGENDA THAT WE WILL PROPERLY HANDLE. AND SURELY, YOU KNOW, IT REQUIRES STATE LAW CHANGES TO DEAL WITH ANY SCHEDULE OF WHEN THE SETTLEMENT DISCUSSIONS BEGAN. AS I MENTIONED, THAT OF COURSE, IS UP TO, TO YOU ALL MAYOR. UH, BUT IF YOU DECIDE TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE CONTRACT, YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY INCLUDE THE LANGUAGE AROUND THE TRIGGERING MECHANISMS, UH, FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS RAISES TO GIVE OUR HARDWORKING FIREFIGHTERS PEACE OF MIND AND TO BRING FINANCIAL CERTAINTY, UH, TO THE CITY. UH, FINALLY, MAYOR, YESTERDAY MY TEAM HAD THE PLEASURE OF SITTING DOWN WITH SENIOR LEADERSHIP FROM HOUSTON FIRST, WHICH IS ON TODAY'S AGENDA, RESPONSIBLE FOR SHOWCASING THE BEST OF OUR CITY ON THE WORLD STAGE. HOUSTON FIRST REPRESENTS ONE OF THE SHARPEST TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBOX TO FOSTER NEW DEVELOPMENT THROUGH TOURISM AND THE CURATION OF EXPERIENCES THAT CELEBRATE THE VARIOUS CULTURES HOME, UH, TO HOUSTON. HOUSTON FIRST HAS HAD QUITE A YEAR. 2024 WILL BE THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF ALL TIME RECORD HOT TAX COLLECTIONS AND THE OVERALL VISITOR ECONOMY THAT INCLUDES HOTELS, AIRPORT TRAFFIC, RESTAURANTS, AND MAJOR EVENTS APPEARS TO BE STRONGER THAN EVER. HOUSTON FIRST IS PURSUING BIG IDEAS WITH A BOLD VISION FOR THE FUTURE, WHILE DISPLAYING FISCAL DISCIPLINE AND BALANCING ITS MANY RESPONSIBILITIES, WHICH INCLUDE PROMOTION OF THE HOUSTON REGION, KEEPING FACILITIES IN FIRST CLASS CONDITION, AND ATTRACTING VISITORS. THE MIX AND IMPACT OF OUR CONVENTIONS, NOT ONLY IN 2024, BUT ALSO FOR THE FUTURE FROM GAS TECH TO AFRO TECH, ARE TRULY IMPRESSIVE AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF GEORGE R. BROWN WILL ONLY SERVE TO ACCELERATE THE POSITIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY. AND SO I'D LIKE TO COMMEND MICHAEL HECKMAN AND HIS TEAM ONCE AGAIN FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP TO SHOWCASE THE BEST OF OUR GREAT CITY. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MAY YOU ALL HAVE A WARM HOLIDAY SEASON. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT GOOD MORNING. THIS IS THE FOUR PLUS EIGHT FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING OCTOBER 31ST, 2024. FISCAL 25 PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON FOUR MONTHS OF ACTUALS AND EIGHT MONTHS OF PROJECTIONS FOR THE GENERAL FUND. ON THE REVENUE SIDE, OUR PROJECTION IS 15.7 MILLION LOWER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, AND 18.8 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH. THE VARIANCE FROM THE PRIOR MONTH PROJECTION IS PRIMARILY DUE TO A $46.2 MILLION DECREASE IN GENERAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUES DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED TAXABLE VALUE, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH OUR ADOPTED TAX RATE OF 51.92 CENTS [02:25:02] OF ASSESSED VALUATION. WE'RE ALSO RECOGNIZING A $941,000 DECREASE IN MIXED BEVERAGE, UH, TAX RECEIPTS DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED COLLECTIONS. UM, THESE REVENUE DECREASES ARE OFFSET BY A $25.1 MILLION INCREASE IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL, WHICH IS PRIMARILY DUE TO REIMBURSEMENT FROM METRO FOR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT. WE'RE ALSO INCREASING THE MISCELLANEOUS AND OTHER REVENUE, UH, BY 2.7 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO A REFUND FROM HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION FOR BRIDGE LIGHTING, AS WELL AS A INCREASE OF 600,000 DUE TO, UH, HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED LAND SALES. UH, JUST TO TOUCH ON SALES TAX PERFORMANCE, WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO SALES TAX IN THIS REPORT, BUT THE RECEIPTS FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER CAME IN AT 77.1 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 0.4% HIGHER THAN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR, AND IS ABOUT 3.7% HIGHER THAN WE BUDGETED. UH, SO WE'LL KEEP MONITORING THE SALES TAX PERFORMANCE AS WE GO THROUGH THE YEAR, BUT EVERYTHING IS ON TRACK WITH SALES TAX. UH, AT THIS POINT ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE OF THE GENERAL FUND, OUR PROJECTION IS 3.9 MILLION LOWER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND $16 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH, PRIMARILY DUE TO A $21.8 MILLION DECREASE. UH, IN THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR INTERFUND ELECTRICITY EXPENSES, UH, WHICH ARE BEING FUNDED BY METRO, WE'RE ALSO SEEING A $3 MILLION DECREASE IN THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, FOR ELECTION SAVINGS. AND YOU SEE THE ALIGNMENT OF THE HOPE MEET AND CONFER, UH, INCREASES TO VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS. MOVING FROM THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT LINE ITEM INTO THE DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC LINE ITEMS TOTALING $11.4 MILLION. UH, WE'RE ALSO INCREASING, UM, BY $3.5 MILLION, UH, FOR CITY COUNCIL DUE TO, UH, PREVIOUSLY UNUSED COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS THAT WILL BE ROLLED OVER FOR USE THIS YEAR. AND SOME ITEMS THAT HAVE GONE TO COUNCIL RECENTLY, INCLUDING $2.5 MILLION INCREASE, UH, TO REFLECT THE CREATION OF THE ETHAN LGC AND THAT INITIAL FUNDING. WE ARE ALSO HIGHLIGHTING, UH, ADDITIONAL MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOWARDS HPD FOR OVERTIME TO REDUCE, UH, VIOLENT CRIME FOR A REDUCTION INITIATIVE. AND ANOTHER ITEM THAT WENT TO CITY COUNCIL RECENTLY ON THE VEHICLE TRACKING, UH, RUBICON SOFTWARE, $980,000 FOR THAT AT, UH, THE LAST ITEM ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE IS $758,000 INCREASE IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO REFLECT UNSPENT CITY COUNCIL FUNDS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR THAT ARE ALSO BEING ALLOWED TO ROLL OVER WITH ALL THOSE CHANGES OF THE REVENUES AND THE EXPENDITURES. WE'RE CURRENTLY PROJECTING THE ENDING FUND BALANCE TO BE $314 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 2.7 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH, UH, BUT IS STILL 12.4% OF EXPENDITURES, LET LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO. THIS NUMBER REPRESENTS $124 MILLION ABOVE OUR TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% OF EXPENDITURES. AND I DID WANNA, UM, HIGHLIGHT, ALTHOUGH I MENTIONED IT IN THE REPORT, UM, THERE WAS A QUESTION YESTERDAY AT THE BFA ABOUT THE COLLABORATION WITH METRO, UM, ON THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AND THE STREETLIGHT ELECTRICITY INITIATIVES. THOSE ARE SOMETHING, UM, THAT ARE NEW THAT, UH, WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP AT METRO, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH THEM AND BRING IN THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UH, FOR THE CITY THAT YOU SEE REFLECTED IN THE PROJECTIONS HERE. UM, ON THE ENDING FUND BALANCE THAT I JUST MENTIONED, I DID WANT TO, UH, REITERATE AS THE CONTROLLER MENTIONED, THAT THE, UM, THE AUDIT IS NOT YET RELEASED FOR THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT IS NOT YET RELEASED FOR THE PERIOD ENDING FY 24. SO YOU WILL SEE ADDITIONAL CHANGES TO THE FY 24 FUND BALANCE THAT WE'LL ROLL INTO THE FY 25 FUND BALANCE THAT WILL PRESENT IN FUTURE MONTHLY REPORTS. UH, SO MOVING ON TO THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS ON THE AVIATION OPERATING FUND, OPERATING EXPENSES INCREASE BY $3.8 MILLION FOR THE HOPE MEET AND CONFER, UH, WHICH IS OFFSET BY AND INCREASE, UH, IN REVENUE DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED, UH, INVESTMENTS, UM, ON THE DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUND, UM, REVENUES FROM METRO INCREASED BY 21.8 MILLION DUE TO THAT, UH, REIMBURSEMENT I MENTIONED FOR THE STREETLIGHTS AND THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL, ELECTRICITY COST. UH, AND ONE THING I DID WANNA POINT OUT, JUST HIGHLIGHT BRIEFLY, THAT'S IN OUR PRINTED REPORT ON PAGE 12 OF THE MONTHLY REPORT, WE'RE INCLUDING, UH, A DISASTER REPORT THAT GOES OVER THE ESTIMATES AND THE ACTUALS FOR THE DERECHO AND BARREL DISASTERS THAT WE'VE HAD. UM, WE ARE GONNA PRODUCE THIS REPORT MONTHLY, AND YOU CAN CHECK IT EVERY MONTH. AND I'LL GO OVER THE DETAILS EVERY MONTH, UH, SO YOU CAN TRACK THE ESTIMATES AND THE INVOICES THAT ARE BEING PAID. UM, [02:30:01] BUT I DID WANT TO, UH, THANK OUR STATE PARTNERS AT TEDOM, FEDERAL PARTNERS AT FEMA. UM, THE GOVERNOR ESPECIALLY, UM, FOR THE, THE LOCAL SHARE, THEY'RE GONNA BE COVERING THE 25% OF THE DEBRIS REMOVAL THANKS TO OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE STATE. SO WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THOSE FUNDS FLOWING AND YOU SEE THAT, UM, STARTED TO BE REFLECTED IN THIS MONTHLY REPORT. SO WE'LL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE ON THAT. UH, I DID WANNA THANK THE CONTROLLER, HIS TEAM, SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT, FINANCE DEPARTMENT FOR PROCESSING THOSE INVOICES TIMELY AND REMITTING EVERYTHING TO THE STATE ON TIME SO WE CAN KEEP UP THE COLLABORATION AND THE PARTNERSHIP, UH, WITH THE STATE ACROSS ALL THOSE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. UM, THIS QUESTION I THINK IS TO BOTH OF YOU, 'CAUSE IN BOTH OF YOUR REPORTS, THERE WAS A NOTE THAT YOU HAD MADE IN CONTROLLER, I BELIEVE YOU SAID IT, THAT THERE WAS 2.7 MILLION BEING DIRECTED BACK FROM HOUSTON FIRST TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, FOR BRIDGE LIGHTING OR PREVIOUSLY FOR BRIDGE LIGHTING. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. AND ARE YOU AWARE OF WHAT BRIDGES THOSE WERE FOR? UH, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT'S FOR THE MONTROSE BRIDGES, THE THREE, THE MULTIPLE BRIDGES ALONG MONTROSE AND, UH, DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI. ARE YOU AWARE THAT COUNCIL HAD VOTED AND AUTHORIZED AND APPROVED, UH, FUNDING ALLOCATIONS TO BE DIRECTED ON THAT? YES. SO THAT, UM, COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION HAPPENED, UM, LAST CALENDAR YEAR. AND IN LOOKING AT ALL OF THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE AT THE CITY, UM, WE, IN WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND WORKING WITH HOUSTON FIRST, UM, THAT PROJECT ISN'T GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD AT THIS TIME. UNDERSTOOD. AND THAT'S BEEN A HOT BUTTON ISSUE, UM, FOR, FOR QUITE SOME TIME FOR RESIDENTS FOR THE CITY, AND EVERYONE'S BEEN WORKING TO COME TO THE TABLE. AND I WANNA THANK HOUSTON FIRST FOR TRYING TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO RESOLVE IT, UH, ESPECIALLY GIVEN EVEN, EVEN IF IT'S PULLING DOWN THE LIGHTS, RIGHT, JUST GETTING RID OF THEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T WORK. UM, BUT ARE YOU AWARE THAT THERE ARE ALSO SIGNIFICANT MAINTENANCE ISSUES, UH, AND SAFETY ISSUES SURROUNDING THOSE BRIDGES? DO YOU KNOW IF THERE, SINCE THAT MONEY HAS BEEN PULLED BACK AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S BEEN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION AND REVIEW, UH, OF THIS MONEY AND WHAT IT WAS INTENDED FOR, WHAT THE PLAN IS TO ACTUALLY REPAIR AND PROVIDE SOME FORM OF SAFETY, UH, LIGHTING AND REPAIRS FOR THE BRIDGE FOR PEDESTRIANS AND DRIVERS ALIKE? SO, AS FAR AS I KNOW, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THOSE BRIDGES WERE INSPECTED AS RECENTLY AS THIS SUMMER, UM, BY TXDOT AND THEY DIDN'T FIND A SAFETY ISSUE. UM, THAT'S TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, RIGHT? SO TEXDOT MAY BE LOOKING AT STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES, BUT I WILL JUST SAY, UM, FOR THOSE THAT UTILIZE THE BRIDGES EVERY DAY, MAYOR THAT ARE CONNECTED, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE DECORATIVE LIGHTING, ALTHOUGH IF WE WANNA TALK ABOUT EXPENSES, LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH IT'S COSTING FOR A ONE DAY EVENT IN FRONT OF CITY HALL COMING UP. BUT THAT BEING SAID, THERE'S NO LIGHTING FOR DRIVERS ON DARK BRIDGES. THERE'S NO STREET LAMPS, THERE'S NO NOTHING. SO I WOULD LIKE, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TODAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, MAYOR, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HOUSTON FOREST, WHAT WE ARE PLANNING TO DO THERE, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE DECORATIVE LIGHTING, BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOME FORM OF LIGHTING FOR DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS ACROSS THE DARK BRIDGE, AND THERE IS RAILING THAT'S FALLING DOWN. THERE ARE PROTESTORS THAT UTILIZE AND HANG THINGS ALL OVER THOSE BRIDGES. THAT IS A SAFETY RISK, NOT ONLY FOR DRIVERS BECAUSE IT'S A DISTRACTION, BUT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AT, YOU KNOW, VOICING THEIR OPINIONS ON THOSE BRIDGES. SO AGAIN, UH, I RAISED THIS NOT TO SAY WE NEED TO, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT OUR MONEY AND WHERE IT'S BEING SPENT VERY EFFECTIVELY, BUT WHEN COUNCIL HAS AUTHORIZED FUNDING, DIRECTED FUNDING, AND THEN IT'S REDIRECTED FOLLOWING COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION, THAT DESERVES A DISCUSSION THAT DESERVES TRANSPARENCY IN THE LIGHT OF DAY. BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THOSE BRIDGES AND WHAT WE HAD BEEN WORKING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS. , THANK YOU, MAYOR. ON THE, UM, METRO, SO THE 25 MILLION, UM, REIMBURSEMENT FROM METRO FOR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT. HOW, HOW DID, HOW WAS THAT NUMBER DERIVED? MM-HMM . SO THAT'S BASED ON THE COST OF, OF THE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT DIVISION OF HPD. UM, THAT'S BUDGETED FOR FY 25. SO IT'S AN ESTIMATE AT THIS POINT. UM, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH METRO. WE WILL BE PROVIDING THEM ALL THE DETAILS OF, UM, EVERYTHING THAT THAT TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT DIVISION HAS, HAS DONE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AND WE'LL INVOICE THEM, UM, THROUGHOUT FY 25. SO WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY REVENUE YET FROM THEM IN FY 25, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE AN ONGOING PROCESS. THAT'S [02:35:01] OUR WHOLE TRAFFIC. THAT'S NOT OUR WHOLE, THAT'S OUR WHOLE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT BUDGET. CORRECT. SO THEY'RE TAKING METRO'S, TAKING OVER OUR WHOLE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT BUDGET. YES. OKAY. WELL, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD, . ALL RIGHT. AND THEN THE 27 MILLION IN THE STREETLIGHTS, HOW DID WE USE TO DO THAT? JUST PAY FOR 'EM. PAY FOR IT FROM THE GENERAL FUND. AND HOW WAS THAT NUMBER? HOW, HOW DID, HOW DID WE DO THAT? THAT IS THAT, WAS THAT OUR TOTAL? IT'S BASED ON OUR TOTAL COST FOR TRAFFIC SIGNAL, ELECTRICITY, AND STREETLIGHT. ELECTRICITY WAS PAID FOR WITH THE GENERAL FUND, HISTORICALLY. SO METRO'S TAKING OVER TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AND STREETLIGHTS. OKAY. YES. GOT IT. AND ON THE, UH, DICHO, I THOUGHT IT WAS SOME GOOD NEWS, MAYOR ON THE DICHO AND BARREL EXPENSES ARE A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN WE ESTIMATED. I THINK WE ESTIMATED 211, NOW WE'RE DOWN TO 1 97, SO THAT'S GOOD TOO. AND ALSO, I POINTED OUT YESTERDAY THAT THE 46 MILLION IS BECAUSE WE KEPT THE TAX RATE, EVEN STEVEN, UM, AND DIDN'T RAISE IT TO THE, EVEN THE 1.70 CENTS THAT WE COULD HAVE WITH THE, WITH THE REP CAP. SO ANYWAY, THOSE ARE MY POINTS. THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT. THANK YOU POLLER. UH, THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR, UM, PRESENTATIONS. TO PIGGYBACK OFF COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, IF WE HAD COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION REGARDING, UH, THE MONEY THAT WE ALLOCATED FOR THE MONTROSE BRIDGES, WHAT MECHANISM IS IN PLACE TO OVERRIDE THAT COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION TO NOT GO FORWARD WITH THE, UH, THE ITEM? I MIGHT HAVE TO DEFER TO LEGAL ON THAT? I, I AM NOT EXACTLY SURE. COUNCIL MEMBER, CAN I GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT? YES. SO, YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE REPORT? MOVE TO ACCEPT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT ENDING OCTOBER 31ST, 2024, SECOND CASTILLO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU'ALL, [1.  9:00 A.M. - PUBLIC HEARING for the Amended Project Plan and Reinvestment Zone Financing Plan for REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER SEVENTEEN, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS (MEMORIAL CITY ZONE) - DISTRICTS A - PECK and G - HUFFMAN ] UH, MADAM SECRETARY, PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER, ITEM NUMBER ONE. ITEM NUMBER ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE AMENDED PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN FOR REINVESTMENT. ZONE NUMBER 17. WE HAVE, UH, JENNIFER CURLEY. MS. CURLEY, GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, UH, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JENNIFER CURLEY. I'M WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I HAVE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS TO DO THIS MORNING. THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE FOR THE MEMORIAL CITY TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE. SO NOVEMBER 14TH, 2024, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 17, THE MEMORIAL CITY ZONE, AND THE MEMORIAL MEMORIAL CITY REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY APPROVED A FIFTH AMENDMENT TO THE MEMORIAL CITY ZONE'S PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN THE FIFTH AMENDMENT PLAN, AND FORWARDED THE FIFTH AMENDED PLAN TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS 11 3, 11 0.0 3, 3 11 0.007, AND THREE 11.011 OF THE TEXAS TAX CODE. THE GOVERNING BODY OF A MUNICIPALITY MUST HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE ADOPTING AN AMENDMENT TO A PROJECT PLAN THAT REDUCES OR INCREASES THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE ZONE. NOTICE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING WAS PUBLISHED IN THE NOVEMBER 22ND, 2024 EDITION OF THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE. PURSUANT TO TEXAS TAX CODE SECTION THREE 11.007, THE CITY MAY ENLARGE THE BOUNDARIES OF AN EXISTING REINVESTMENT ZONE SUBJECT TO THE CER TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS ON COMPOSITION. NOT MORE THAN 30% OF THE PROPERTY IN THE ENLARGED ZONE, EXCLUDING PROPERTY THAT IS PUBLICLY OWNED, IS USED FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES. AND THE TOTAL APPRAISED VALUE OF TAXABLE REAL PROPERTY IN THE ENLARGED ZONE AND IN THE EXISTING REINVESTMENT ZONES DOES NOT EXCEED 25% OF THE TOTAL APPRAISED VALUE OF TAXABLE REAL PROPERTY IN THE CITY AND IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS CREATED BY THE CITY. ALSO, PURSUANT TO TEXAS TAX CODE SECTION THREE 11.07, THE CITY MAY EXTEND THE TERM OF A ZONE IN BRIEF. THE FIFTH AMENDED PLAN PROPOSES AN ANNEXATION OF APPROXIMATELY 14.87 ACRES IN THE MEMORIAL CITY ZONE. THE GENERAL AREA IS DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS, TRACT ONE [02:40:02] HCA PARCELS 0 5 8 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 4 6 AND ONE TWO. AND HCAD PARCEL 1 2 1 7 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1. TRACK TWO IS SELECTED RIGHT, RIGHT OF WAY, INCLUDING WESTVIEW DRIVE AT THE INTERSECTION OF DEMERIT LANE. AND FROM THE INTERSECTION OF WIN HOVER LANE EAST TO MOREHEAD DRIVE, CEDAR DALE DRIVE BETWEEN DEMERIT LANE AND WIN HOVER LANE AND WIN HOVER FROM WESTVIEW DRIVE SOUTH TO CEDAR DALE LANE. THE FIFTH AMENDMENT PLAN ALSO PROPOSES A TERM OF EXTENSION, TERM EXTENSION OF 20 YEARS TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2049, TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT REMEDIATE FLOODING, IMPROVE MOBILITY, AND TO SUPPORT PUBLIC FACILITIES. THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE TS POLICIES PASSED BY THIS BODY THROUGH ORDINANCE 2023 DASH 7 2 6. ENC CLOSING CITY STAFF HAS WORKED WITH THE MEMORIAL CITY REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON THE FIFTH AMENDED PLAN, AND A RECOMMENDATION FOR CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE FIFTH AMENDED PLAN WILL BE ON THE DECEMBER 11TH, 2024 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CURLEY. UH, WE DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER SIGNED UP. MADAM SECRETARY, YOU CALL US. OH, I'M SORRY. RAMIREZ. COUNCILOR RAMIREZ. UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING. UH, JENNIFER, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD MORNING. I'M FINE, THANK YOU, SIR. GOOD. UH, JUST ADD A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, UH, MEMORIAL CITY TOURS. SO I WAS LOOKING AT, UM, THE PROJECT PLAN RECONCILIATION AS OF JUNE 30TH, 24TH. SO THIS IS PAGE NUMBER 32. UM, AND ACCORDING TO THIS CHART, THE PROJECT PLAN, ESTIMATED AMOUNT FOR FINANCING COSTS, I THINK FOR THE LIFE OF PROJECTS WAS 25 MILLION. UH, HOWEVER, IN THE NEXT COLUMN OVER THE CUMULATIVE EXPENDITURES, WE'VE ALREADY EXPENDED MORE THAN 53 MILLION. SO IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE WE WERE OFF BY QUITE A BIT. UH, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? SO TYPICALLY THE PROJECT COST SCHEDULE IS BASED UPON THE ESTIMATES AT THAT TIME. UM, I KNOW TYPICALLY TSS GO OVER THAT AMOUNT BECAUSE USUALLY THAT'S BASED UPON THE COST OF MATERIALS AT THAT PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME. AND SO I BELIEVE THE LAST TIME WE DID THIS, UH, DID A PROJECT PLAN AMENDMENT, UM, WAS WELL BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. I BELIEVE IT WAS 2019. I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE RECORD TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CORRECT, BUT I BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A HUGE, UM, COST INCREASE IN MATERIALS AT THAT PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME THAT PROBABLY IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE PROJECT COST SCHEDULE THAT YOU HAVE. I DON'T, UM, WHICH PROJECT PLAN DO YOU HAVE? I'M LOOKING AT PAGE 32. I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, UH, I CAN'T GIVE YOU FURTHER INFORMATION ON IT. OKAY. AND SO, UM, AT THAT, DO YOU HAVE THE PROJECT, IT SAYS EXHIBIT ONE PROJECT COST SCHEDULE? I HAVE THAT. I SURE DO. UM, WHAT DOES IT, DOES IT SAY PART E PLAN? IS THAT THE, AT THE VERY TOP. AT THE VERY TOP OF THE SCHEDULE. SO I, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH SARAH OF YOUR TIME AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT LATER, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING I CAN, YEAH. THE POINT I'M GETTING AT IS IF OUR PROJECTIONS ARE THAT FAR OFF, UH, CAN WE EXPECT SIMILAR, UM, UM, ERRORS IN PERHAPS IN SOME OF YOUR PROJECTIONS THIS MORNING? LIKE FOR INSTANCE, UM, LOOKS LIKE THE PROPOSAL IS TO SPEND 250 MILLION TO FINANCE 270 MILLION IN PROJECTS GOING FORWARD. UM, I GUESS CAN WE RELY ON THOSE FIGURES GIVEN, SO THIS IS A PROJECT PLAN AND PROJECTED, I CAN ALWAYS TELL YOU WHAT THE BASIS OF MY PROJECTIONS ARE. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, I DIDN'T DO THOSE PROJECTIONS, BUT I CAN ALWAYS TALK WITH THE CONSULTANT THAT DID. BUT OVERALL, THE PROJECT PLAN IS JUST A PLAN. WHERE YOU SEE MORE ACTUAL, MORE REFINED DOLLARS IS IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT. AND SO WHAT WE TRY TO DO EVERY TIME WE DO A PLAN AMENDMENT IS WE ADJUST THE PROJECT COST TO CURRENT PROJECT COST. THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING YOU WHICH VERSION YOU WERE LOOKING AT, BECAUSE IF IT, IF YOU HAVE THE LATEST VERSION THAT'S GONNA GO BEFORE COUNCIL IT, UM, NEXT WEEK, THAT PARTICULAR VERSION WILL HAVE UPDATED PROJECT COSTS IN IT. GOTCHA. GOTCHA. BUT, BUT AT THE OUTSET, I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE PROJECTIONS AND THE ACCURACY. LIKE FOR INSTANCE, IN THIS PROJECT PLAN RECONCILIATION AS WELL, THERE'S ANOTHER LINE ITEM CREATION AND AN ADMINISTRATION [02:45:01] COST ESTIMATED TO BE INITIALLY 5.9 MILLION, BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE JUST UNDER 16 MILLION. SO AGAIN, UM, IT'S KIND OF GOING BACK HAWKING BACK TO, UM, THE PRESENTATION THAT WE JUST RECEIVED UNDER THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE. AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT PROJECTIONS ARE BASED UPON THAT MOMENT IN TIME, AT THE TIME THAT WE'RE DOING THE PROJECTION. A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE COURSE OF DOING PROJECTION THAT CAN CHANGE THE AMOUNT THAT ACTUALLY OCCURS. AND SO THERE ARE INCIDENCES THAT OCCUR THAT MAY CHANGE THE PROJECTION, AND THEREFORE COUNSEL ALWAYS SEES AN UPDATE IN THOSE PROJECTIONS IN THE BUDGET. THIS IS A PROJECT PLAN. IT'S NOT, THE PROJECT PLANS ARE NOT EDITED EVERY YEAR. AND SO JUST LIKE, AS I WAS SAYING, THE PROJECT PLAN PROBABLY WAS ABOUT 2019 OR 2020 THE LAST TIME WE DID A PROJECT PLAN AMENDMENT FORT 17. I UNDERSTAND, BUT, BUT YOU WANT US TO RELY ON THESE DOCUMENTS TOO. WELL, IT'S ULTIMATELY VOTE YES OR NO, RIGHT? WELL, OF COURSE, BUT IT'S OVER THE GENERAL, UM, GUIDELINE. IT IS OVER THE GENERAL GUIDANCE OF THE PARTICULAR PROJECT PLAN. WHAT THE TS IS SAYING IS THAT IN THE PROJECT PLAN, IT'S SAYING WHAT IT'S SPENDING, ITS MONEY ON WHAT THE ESTIMATE OF THOSE PROJECT COSTS ARE AT THIS PARTICULAR GIVEN TIME, AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE THE REVENUE TO DO THOSE PROJECTS. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE REVENUE TO DO THE PROJECTS, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY CAN'T DO THE PROJECTS. SO IT'S JUST A GUIDELINE FOR US TO APPRO TO LOOK AT AND SEE WHAT THE ESTIMATES ARE AT THAT PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME AND THEN MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. UH, SPEAKER DOMINIQUE MAZO HERE. ALRIGHT, GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMAN MAYOR. UH, WANT TO GET OVER WITH RIGHT AWAY? I DROVE OVER TO NORTH CHEVY PARKING RIDE AND TOOK THE 1 0 8 AND WALKED OVER HERE. SO ANYWAY, ON THE PACIFIC TOPIC AT HAND, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO LOOK AT, NOT JUST AT DISCHARGE, BUT AS TOWARDS IN GENERAL. NOW, I WAS AT THE COM TURDS COMMITTEE MEETING LAST WEEK, AND I WAS, I FOUND OUT THAT BASICALLY THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS, UH, KINDA LIKE TWO TYPES OF TURDS, FOR INSTANCE, ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE THAT'S GONNA BE, UH, FURTHER ON DISCUSSED TODAY. UH, THOSE ARE KIND OF LIKE UNDEVELOPED AREAS OR UNDERDEVELOPED AREAS, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO APPROVE THEIR FACILITIES. BUT I THINK WITH THIS, WITH MEMORIAL AND SOME OF THESE OTHER AREAS, THESE ARE RELATIVELY, UH, STABLE FINANCIALLY, AREAS OF TOWN. AND I THINK THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT I THINK CITY COUNCIL WITH THE, UH, CHRIS THE CONTROLLER NEEDS TO LOOK AT. NUMBER ONE, WHAT WOULD OUR CITY BUDGET ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE TURD AT ALL? NUMBER TWO, WITH THE CITY BUDGET, I'M HEARING QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLARS MIGHT, WE MIGHT BE IN THE HOLE NEXT YEAR, MAYBE WE ARE GOING TO, THE CITY COUNCIL'S GONNA HAVE TO TELL THE CHURCH, WAIT A MINUTE, ALL OF THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON NEEDS NEED SOME MORE MONEY THAN YOUR SPECIFIC DISTRICT. AND TWO, I THINK IT WAS A DISPARITY STUDY THAT WAS DONE IN, IN THE, UH, BUDGET COMMITTEE YESTERDAY. I AM SURPRISED, AND I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT, ARE THESE TURDS ABIDING BY TITLE SIX? NOW, THAT'S A FEDERAL LAW, BUT MAYOR, YOU SAID A COUPLE COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEETINGS BEFORE STATE LAW TRUMP'S CITY ORDINANCES, BUT FEDERAL LAW UNDER THE 14TH AMENDMENT TRUMPS BOTH CITY AND LOCAL. I'M SURPRISED WE HAVE, THE CITY HAS NOT BEEN SUED OVER THIS. AND SO I THINK WE ALSO NEED A, UH, A STUDY WHEN THESE THINGS GO THROUGH. ARE THEY ACTUALLY ABIDING BY TITLE VI? I'M, UH, AND LASTLY, I THINK SOME OF DETERRENTS ARE DOING THINGS ON CITY RIGHT OF WAY. ON THE OTHER HAND, WHERE METRO HAS TO COME TO, TO THE VOTERS, I'M TALKING THINGS LIKE SHEPHERD DRIVE, LIKE MEMORIAL. IF THAT WAS A METRO PROJECT, THAT WOULD BE ON A BALLOT BY CITY CHARTER BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE ON CITY RIGHT OF WAY. BUT THE CHURCH DON'T, DON'T. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S THE PROBLEM I HAVE, BUT THAT I HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS. VERY GOOD. COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I JUST WANNA ADDRESS A FEW THINGS THAT YOU SAID. UM, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT SOME OF THE TS, UM, YOU KNOW, BENEFIT AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, NEED REDEVELOPMENT AND THATT 17 ISN'T NECESSARILY LIKE [02:50:01] THAT. HOWEVER, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE PROJECTS LISTED THAT TUR 17 HAS DONE IN THE PAST AND THAT THEY'RE DOING IN THE FUTURE, THEIR MAIN FOCUS IS FLOOD MITIGATION. YOU KNOW, I LIVE OUT IN THAT AREA. I DON'T LIVE WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF TUR 17, BUT WHEN HURRICANE HARVEY HAPPENED, I HAD 13 FEET OF WATER IN MY HOUSE FOR 10 DAYS. AND SO THE PROJECTS THAT TUR 17 ARE DOING IN TERMS OF FLOOD MITIGATION IS HELPING OTHER AREAS. UM, SO THEY DON'T POTENTIALLY FLOOD AGAIN. AND SO THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT THE JURORS ARE DOING IN THE AREA BESIDES JUST, YOU KNOW, REDEVELOPMENT. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING CAST TAYLOR, MOVE TO CLOSE THE HEARING. I SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION IS CLOSED HEARING IS CLOSED. [2.  PUBLIC HEARING regarding an amended Project Plan and Reinvestment Zone Financing Plan for REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER TWENTY (SOUTHWEST HOUSTON) - DISTRICTS C - KAMIN; F - THOMAS; J - POLLARD and K -CASTEX-TATUM ] ITEM TWO, PUBLIC HEARING ON FIRST 20. ITEM TWO IS A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING AN AMENDED PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN. REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 20, SOUTHWEST EASTERN CHAIR RECOGNIZES, UH, MS. CURLEY, GOOD MORNING AGAIN ON NOVEMBER 14TH, THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON REINVE REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 20. UM, THAT'S THE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON ZONE. ON NOVEMBER, ON NOVEMBER 14TH, 2024, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 20, THE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON ZONE AND THE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY APPROVED A SEVENTH AMENDMENT TO THE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON ZONE PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING. PLANNED THE AMENDED PLAN AND FORWARDED THE AMENDED PLAN TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS THREE 11.0033 11.007, AND THREE 11.011 OF THE TEXAS TAX CODE. A MUNICIPALITY MUST HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING WHEN PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO A PROJECT PLAN INCLUDE CHANGES THAT INCREASE THE TOTAL ESTIMATED PROJECT COSTS STATED IN A PROJECT PLAN, OR REDUCES ENLARGES THE BOUNDARIES OF ITS ZONE. THE PUBLIC HEARING TODAY IS REGARDING THE PROPOSED SEVENTH AMENDED AMENDMENT TO THE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON ZONE PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN. NOTICE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS PUBLISHED IN THE NOVEMBER 22ND, 2024 ADDITION OF THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE. PURSUANT TO TEXAS TAX CODE SECTION THREE 11.007, THE CITY MAY ENLARGE THE BOUNDARIES OF AN EXISTING REINVESTMENT ZONE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS ON COMPOSITION. AND THOSE ARE NOT MORE THAN 30% OF THE PROPERTY IN THE ENLARGED ZONE, EXCLUDING PROPERTY THAT IS PUBLICLY OWNED IS USED FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES. ALSO, THE TOTAL APPRAISED VALUE OF TAXABLE REAL PROPERTY IN THE ENLARGED ZONE AND IN THE EXISTING REINVESTMENT ZONE DOES NOT EXIST, EXCEED 25% OF THE TOTAL APPRAISED VALUE OF TAXABLE REAL PROPERTY IN THE CITY AND IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS CREATED BY THE CITY. IN BRIEF, THE AMENDED PLAN PROPOSES AN ANNEXATION OF APPROXIMATELY 220 ACRES INTO THE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON ZONE. THE GENERAL AREA IS DESCRIBED IN FOUR PARTS AS FOLLOWS, TRACT ONE, HCA PARCELS 1 2 4 5 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 AND 1 4 1 0 2 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 1. ALONG WITH THE RIGHT OF WAY OF ABA DRIVE FROM ELM STREET SOUTH TO CLEARWOOD DRIVE AND THE RIGHT OF WAY OF CHIMNEY ROCK ROAD FROM ELM STREET SOUTH TO CLEARWOOD DRIVE, TRACK TWO PARCELS ADJACENT TO THE WEST SIDE OF HILL CRAFT, HILLCROFT AVENUE BETWEEN SHARPS VIEW DRIVE AND BISSONET STREET, AND THE PARCELS OWNED BY PARIS COUNTY ALONG ALBACORE DRIVE BETWEEN BARRELL STREET AND BINET STREET TRACK THREE PARCELS AND RIGHT OF WAY WITHIN THE AREA, BOUNDED BY BISSONNET STREET ON THE NORTH I 69 ON THE SOUTHEAST AND HIGHWAY EIGHT ON THE WEST, ALONG WITH PARCELS ADJACENT TO THE NORTH SIDE OF BINET STREET, BETWEEN HIGHWAY EIGHT AND WOOD FAIR DRIVE TRACK FOUR HCAD PARCELS 1 0 9 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 1 6. AND THE RIGHT OF WAY OF WILKES DRIVE FROM BINET STREET SOUTH TO THIS PARCEL SOUTHERN BOUNDARY. THE POST ANNEXATION WOULD ENABLE THE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON ZONE AND THE AUTHORITY TO IMPROVE TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY, INCREASE STORM WATER CAPACITY, DEVELOP AND RECREATIONAL PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES AND PUBLIC GREEN SPACE, AND BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE TO ATTRACT PRIVATE INVESTMENT INTO THE ZONE. THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE TS POLICIES PASSED BY THIS BODY THROUGH ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 0 2 3 7 2 6. ENCLO CITY STAFF HAS WORKED WITH THE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON AUTHORITY ON THE PROPOSED, EXCUSE ME, ON THE PROPOSED SEVENTH AMENDED PLAN AND A RECOMMENDATION FOR [02:55:01] CITY COUNCIL TO IMPROVE THE SEVENTH AMENDED PLAN WILL BE ON THE DECEMBER 11TH, 2024 AGENDA. UH, COUNCILMAN KAMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. UM, I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE AND THANK, UM, THE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON TUR, WHICH IS IN MULTIPLE DISTRICTS FOR THE WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING, UH, NOT ONLY ON CRITICAL FLOOD MITIGATION, RIGHT? AND WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, HOW IMPORTANT THET ARE FOR FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECTS THAT THE CITY OTHERWISE COULDN'T DO THAT. BUT FOR THE TURS WE COULD NOT LEVERAGE AND GO OUT AND GET THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS TO SUPPLEMENT TO GET THESE PROJECTS. UM, BUT I DID WANNA SHARE EVEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS THIS MORNING HAD SHARED, UH, PUBLICLY THAT, UH, EXPANDED BOUNDARIES TO INCLUDE DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE ALONG BI NET'S, SAFE STREETS PROJECTS, AND 1.2 MILLION SIDEWALKS IMPROVEMENTS ON DAIRY ASHFORD BETWEEN BEL AIR AND BEACH NUT. THOSE ARE JUST SMALL EXAMPLES OF HOW WE ARE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THOSE DOLLARS THAT, BUT FOR THE CITY COULD NOT DO. UH, I DID ALSO WANNA THANK SOUTHWEST WERE WE WORK WITH A LOT OF OURT AND ACTUALLY ALLOCATE DISTRICT DOLLARS TO THE TOURS WHO ARE THEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE THOSE DOLLARS TO GO INTO NEIGHBORHOODS TO INCREASE THE SCOPE OF THEIR OWN DRAINAGE PROJECTS. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DISTRICT C IS GONNA BE PARTNERING WITH THIS YEAR WITH OUR SOUTHWEST TOURS ON. AND I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THEIR PARTNERSHIP. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU AGAIN, JENNIFER, FOR THAT UH, PRESENTATION. I JUST, UH, WANT TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING. SO, UM, THIS TUR WAS FORMED IN 19 80, 19 99, IS THAT CORRECT? UM, I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT. I I DON'T KNOW THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. OKAY. I, I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT. AND SO LOOKING AT EXHIBIT, EXHIBIT ONE, PROJECT COSTS EXPENDITURES AS OF FISCAL YEAR ENDED 2023. UM, SO THE BOTTOM OF THAT COLUMN, TOTAL PROJECTED COSTS A HUNDRED JUST UNDER 155 MILLION. SO ASSUMING THE TURS WAS CREATED IN 1999, OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS, IT HAS EXPENDED A HUNDRED AND JUST UNDER 155 MILLION. DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT? I, I, IF THAT'S WHAT THE DOCUMENTS ARE, SORRY. OKAY. I'M SORRY. I AGREE. I AGREE WITH, UH, THE, THE DOCUMENT'S TILE EXHIBIT ONE PROJECT COSTS, IT DOESN'T HAVE A PAGE NUMBER, SO I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHERE IT IS IN THE, IN THE BACKUP AT, AT ANY RATE. SO THERE'S ANOTHER COLUMN JUST TO THE SIDE OF THAT THAT SAYS REMAINING COSTS. UH, AND THAT ONE, THE TOTAL OF THAT ONE IS JUST UNDER 575 MILLION. MM-HMM . SO THUS FAR THE TURS IN 25 YEARS IT APPEARS, HAS HAS SPENT 155 MILLION. AND THEN GOING FORWARD, WHATEVER PROJECTS ARE ON THE BOOKS, UH, PROPOSES TO SPEND, UH, JUST UNDER 575 MILLION MM-HMM . AND ALL OF THAT, UH, IS GONNA NEED TO BE FINANCED AS WELL. IS THAT RIGHT? UM, IT COULD BE FINANCED, UM, THROUGH THAT ISSUANCE. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, COUNSEL PROVIDES DEATH AUTHORIZATION TO THE ATTORNEY. RIGHT. THAT WILL COME BACK BEFORE US, RIGHT BEFORE THE ISSUES DEBT. YEAH. ANY TYPE OF DEBT AUTHORIZATION COMES BEFORE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. BUT THEY ALSO, AS, UM, ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS MENTIONED THAT THEY ALSO DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF GETTING GRANTS. AND ACTUALLY IN TURS 20 CASES, NOT ONLY IS COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, UM, CONTRIBUTING, SO HAS COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, SO DIFFERENT, UM, FUNDING SOURCES, THEY CAN GET A, GET FUNDING FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES. SO GRANTS COUNCIL, DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS, DEBT ISSUANCE, AND THEY COULD PAY AS THEY GO. MM-HMM . ALRIGHT. AND ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE RECENT ARTICLE THAT BILL KING DID TALKING ABOUT, UH, TURS DEBT? SO I, I'M FAMILIAR WITH IT. OKAY. UM, OUR OFFICE WILL BE DOING A PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF THE EXCELLENT, UH, BFA COMMITTEE IN FEBRUARY. SO WE'LL DISCUSS THOSE ITEMS AT THAT. OKAY. LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. UH, BUT I, I THINK THE GIST OF THE COLUMN WAS THAT, UH, CURRENTLY T'S DEBT, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY STANDS AT ABOUT 800 MILLION. UM, ANY QUARREL WITH THAT FIGURE? IT'S ACTUALLY HIGHER. UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S HIGHER. OKAY. IT'S ACTUALLY HIGHER. WHAT'S YOUR FIGURE THAT THE AMOUNT THAT YOU, YOU QUOTED, BUT YOU, WITH THAT SAID, PART OF THAT EXERCISE IS THAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE CITY GOT FOR THE FUNDING. UM, YOU KNOW, THE PART OF THAT FUNDING CAME FROM UPTOWN AND UPTOWN, UM, LEVERAGED A A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS OF THAT WENT TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS WAS PRESENTED YESTERDAY AT THE MEETING. UM, WE ALSO GOT RENOVATIONS IN A PARK THAT EVERYONE USES. SO THAT WAS JUST A SNIPPET. UM, WE WILL DEFINITELY [03:00:01] COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL TO TALK ABOUT THOSE ISSUES WITH THE BFA COMMITTEE, BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT YES, IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S EYE-OPENING. UM, BUT I DON'T, WORKING HERE AT THE CITY AND WORKING WITH CITY COUNCIL, CITY COUNCIL HAS REVIEWED ALL OF THOSE REQUESTS, THE DEBT AUTHORIZATIONS, BECAUSE WHEN WE DO DEBT AUTHORIZATIONS, WE JUST DON'T DO DEBT AUTHORIZATIONS JUST TO DO THEM. UH, I WOULD HOPE NOT. YES. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PROJECT LIST THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH ALL OF THE DEBT AUTHORIZATIONS, THE T'S DEBT, AND SO WE PRESENT THOSE ITEMS TO CITY COUNCIL, AND CITY COUNCIL LOOKS AT THOSE ASK, OH, CITY COUNCIL LOOKS AT THOSE PROJECT COSTS THAT WILL GO TOWARD, UM, THAT THAT DEBT WILL BE ISSUED TO DO. AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S APPROVED. UM, IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN WE SEND OUT A DEBT AUTHORIZATION TO COUNSEL, IT'S NOT JUST, OH, WE'RE REQUESTING $30 MILLION IN DEBT AUTHORIZATION, THAT $30 MILLION WILL HAVE PROJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PARTICULAR AUTHORIZATION BEFORE THE PREVIOUS HEARING WE TALKED ABOUT MORAL CITY, WHEN THEY COME BACK FOR DEBT AUTHORIZATION, THEY WILL HAVE SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT COUNCIL WILL HAVE THE, THE ABILITY TO REVIEW ALONG WITH THAT DEBT AUTHORIZATION. SO THE DEBT AUTHORIZATIONS, THE AMOUNT OF DEBT IS BASED UPON THIS BODY AND THE MAYOR LOOKING AT THOSE PRIORITIES IN APPROVING THOSE PRIORITIES. SO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THOSE, UM, EDITORIALS, UM, DON'T LOOK AT THE FACT THAT WE BROUGHT THOSE ITEMS TO CITY COUNCIL. WELL, I THINK THE ARTICLE ACTUALLY DID, DID MENTION THAT, UH, COUNCIL HAD APPROVED. RIGHT, RIGHT. AND SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THAT THERE WAS A NEED THAT WAS BEING ADDRESSED IN THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS MM-HMM . YEAH. SO THAT'S A, LEMME ASK YOU CAN, CAN I ASK YOU A GENERAL QUESTION? SURE. ABOUT THESE, UH, PROJECT PLAN DOCUMENTS? UM, SURE. UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, YOU KNOW, AT THIS PHASE OF WHERE WE ARE THERE, THESE DOCUMENTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO CITY COUNCIL, BUT NOT TO THE PUBLIC IN ADVANCE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING. AM I RIGHT ON THAT? FOR THIS DOCUMENT? YES, BUT ALL OF THE PREVIOUS PROJECT PLANS ARE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. MM-HMM . BUT, BUT MAY, MAY I CONTINUE OR GO BACK IN THE QUEUE? OKAY. BUT, BUT FOR OUR PURPOSES, THE DOCUMENTS TO BE CONSIDERED AT THIS HEARING ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. THEY ARE NOT, THEY WON'T BE UNTIL, UM, THE AGENDA DIRECTOR POSTS THEM AND I BELIEVE ON FRIDAY. SO SHE'LL POST THESE DOCUMENTS ON FRIDAY. SO IF WE HAD PUBLIC SPEAKERS WHO WANTED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THESE, THESE DOCUMENTS FOR THIS HEARING, IS THAT RIGHT? NOT FOR THIS HEARING, BUT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS COUNCIL NEXT TO, OH, I'M SORRY. WE, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. WE HAD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WHERE WE PRESENTED WHAT WOULD BE IN THE PROJECT PLANS. UM, AND, AND WERE THE DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE FOR THAT COMMITTEE MEETING OR NOT? THE, THE GIST OF THE SPECIFIC ANNEXATIONS WERE THE DETAILED DOCUMENTS WITH REGARD TO THE ANNEXATION WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AT THAT PARTICULAR PARTICULAR TIME, BUT THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THEM ON FRIDAY AND THEY CAN COME IN, UM, TO PUBLIC SESSION ON TUESDAY IF THERE'S SOME ISSUES WITH REGARD TO THE PROJECT. SO, SO I ASSUME THEN THIS ITEM WILL BE, THE PLAN IS TO VOTE ON THIS ITEM NEXT TUESDAY? IS THAT RIGHT? NEXT WEDNESDAY. EXCUSE. NEXT WEDNESDAY. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. YES, SIR. ANYONE ELSE? WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER. DOMINIC MAZAK. READY? FAMILY MAZA. JULIAN, YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUTTA MY MOUTH. WHAT I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT IS THAT, THAT, AND MAYOR, YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS ALSO AT ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING, A COUPLE, A COUNCIL MEMBER A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. THIS INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE PRESENT BEFORE A PUBLIC HEARING. I'M SORRY, BUT THE WORDS THAT ARE COME, TWO THINGS ARE COME, A WORD IS COMING OUT OF MY HEAD RIGHT NOW IS I'M A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN. AND SOMETIMES THIS IS BEGINNING TO SOUND LIKE THE SHARPSTOWN SCANDAL THAT WE HAD 50 YEARS AGO. AND I THINK MAYOR, YOU CAN, YOU STARTED YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE RIGHT AT THE END OF THAT, THAT PERIOD. AGAIN, WE HAVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING ON TOP NOW IN A SLIDE OR SOMETHING. MAYBE SOME FIGURES NEED TO BE CHANGED BETWEEN NOW AND, AND NEXT MONDAY, UH, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY. THAT'S OKAY. BUT AT LEAST GIVE US THE IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. [03:05:01] UH, AND I'M SORRY, BUT, UM, UH, MAYOR, I THINK THESE MEETINGS LIKE THIS NEED TO, THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO GET TOGETHER AND REDO HOW WE DO PUBLIC HEARINGS ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS. SECOND OF ALL, WHERE THESE TWO TURDS ARE, THEY'RE OUT 69 SOUTHWEST FREEWAY. WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT MIGHT WANT TO COMMENT ON IT? I CAN UNDERSTAND A PUBLIC HEARING WITH THE HORSESHOE, BUT THOSE PEOPLE OUT THERE, A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE CARS OR, YOU KNOW, UH, METRO SERVICE DROPS OUT LATE AT NIGHT. WHY CAN'T YOU HAVE A MEETING OUT THERE? AND I THINK MARY, EARLIER IN THE, IN THE YEAR, YOU MENTIONED MAYBE WE NEED KARAOKE NIGHTS THAT THERE ARE PUBLIC SERVICE CENTERS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN TALK TO THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS, TALK TO YOU, AND WHERE THEY CAN'T COME DOWN HERE. THIS IS WORKING HOURS. AND I THINK THIS WHOLE PUBLIC SERVICE THING NEEDS PUBLIC HEARING THINGS. CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY REDONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. NEXT WE NEED THE MOTION TO CLOSE CASTEX TATUM, MOVE TO CLOSE THE HEARING MOTION SECOND MADE AND SECONDED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED MOTION PASSES. [3.  PUBLIC HEARING regarding an amended Project Plan and Reinvestment Zone Financing Plan for REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER TWENTY-FIVE (HIRAM CLARKE/FORT BEND ZONE) - DISTRICT K - CASTEX-TATUM ] I THINK WE GOT ANOTHER ONE. MS. CURLEY, ITEM THREE. GOOD MORNING. UM, MY NAME IS NEVERMIND. OH, I'M, SO, I'M ON AUTOMATIC. UM, SO FOR THE FINAL, UM, PUBLIC HEARING TODAY, WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THE M CLARK FORT BEND ZONE. ON NOVEMBER 7TH, 2024, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 25, THE HIRAM CLARK FORT BEND ZONE, AND THE HIRA CLARK FORT BEND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY APPROVED THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE HIRUM CLARK FORT BEND ZONE'S PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN, AND FORWARDED THE AMENDED PLAN TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS THREE 11.0 3, 3 11 0.007, AND THREE 11.011 OF THE TEXAS TAX CODE. A MUNICIPALITY MUST HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING WHEN PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO A PROJECT PLAN INCLUDE CHANGES THAT INCREASE THE TOTAL ESTIMATED PROJECT COST STATED IN A PROJECT PLAN, OR REDUCES ENLARGES THE BOUNDARIES OF A ZONE. THE PUBLIC HEARING TODAY IS REGARDING THE PROPOSED SECOND AMENDMENT AMENDMENT TO THE HIRAM CLARK FORT BEND ZONE PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN. NOTICE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING WAS PUBLISHED IN THE NOVEMBER 22ND, 2024 EDITION OF THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE. PURSUANT TO TEXAS TAX CODE SECTION THREE 11.007, THE CITY MAY ENLARGE THE BOUNDARIES OF AN EXISTING REINVESTMENT ZONE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS ON COMPOSITION. AND THOSE ARE NOT MORE THAN 30% OF THE PROPERTY IN THE ENLARGED ZONE, EXCLUDING PROPERTY THAT IS PUBLICLY OWNED, IS USED FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES, AND THE TOTAL APPRAISED VALUE OF TAXABLE REAL PROPERTY OF THE ENLARGED ZONE AND IN EXISTING REINVESTMENT ZONES DOES NOT EXCEED 25% OF THE TOTAL APPRAISED VALUE OF TAXABLE REAL PROPERTY IN THE CITY AND IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS CREATED BY THE CITY. IN BRIEF, THE AMENDED PLAN PROPOSES AN ANNEXATION OF APPROXIMATELY 32.1 ACRES INTO THE HYAM CLARK FORT BEND, FORT BEND ZONE. THE GENERAL AREA IS DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS, GENERALLY BOUNDED BY MINETA STREET ON THE NORTH, MONT STREET ON THE EAST, RAILROAD TRACKS ON THE SOUTH, AND ORMAN STREET ON THE WEST, ALONG WITH THE FOLLOWING RIGHT OF RIGHT OF WAY, FRAN ROAD. FROM MINETA STREET TO SOUTH MINETA STREET, SOUTH TO MAIN STREET, MINETA STREET FROM FOUND ROAD TO APPROXIMATELY 366 FEET EAST OF FAIRMONT STREET, ORY STREET FROM FOND MEADOW DRIVE SOUTH TO ITS TERMINUS, MONT STREET FROM FOND MEADOW DRIVE SOUTH TO ITS TERMINUS AND FAIRMONT STREET FROM MINETA DRIVE NORTH APPROXIMATELY 374. THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION INCLUDES VACANT, INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL LAND THAT IS PRIME FOR DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT THAT WILL ENABLE HIRING CLARK FORT BEN ZONE AND THE AUTHORITY TO SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE AND TO ATTRACT INCREASED INVESTMENT IN THE AREA. THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE TURS PASSED BY THIS BODY THROUGH ORDINANCE 2023 DASH 7 26. IN CLOSING, CITY STAFF HAS WORKED WITH THE HI CLARK FORT BEND AUTHORITY ON THE PROPOSED SECOND AMENDED PLAN AND A RECOMMENDATION FOR CITY COUNCIL TO, TO APPROVE THE SECOND AMENDMENT PLAN WILL BE ON THE DECEMBER 11TH, 2024 TO THE COUNCIL AGENDA. MAYOR PRO MCC TATUM. THANK YOU MS. CURLEY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION ON ALL THREE OF THESE. I KNOW WE HAVE, UM, TALKED [03:10:01] EXTENSIVELY ABOUT THESE, UM, THROUGH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, UH, MEETING, UH, AND I KNOW THAT, UM, DIRECTOR TILLSON WILL, UM, PRESENT A, UM, FACTUAL BRIEFING ABOUT TSIS IN ONE OF OUR NEXT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UM, SO THAT THE PUBLIC AND COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN HEAR WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE AND HOW WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR, OUR TS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, AS IT PERTAINS TO THIS UHT 25, UM, I THINK THIS IS A, A PERFECT EXAMPLE WHERE THE LEGISLATION SAYS THAT, UM, THESE TSS ARE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO AREAS WITH A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF SUBSTANDARD SLUM DETERIORATED AND DETERIORATING STRUCTURES. UM, I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT ANYONE WHO IS CONCERNED THAT TS ARE ONLY, UM, WORKING IN PLACES WHERE THERE IS, UM, HIGHER INCOME LEVELS THAT THEY RIDE, UH, HAVE THE LAND, UH, STREET, FAIRMONT STREET, FOND MEADOW STREET, UM, BORDERED BY FRAN, UH, ROAD AND SEE THAT AREA. IT'S EXTREMELY INDUSTRIAL. IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE POOREST AREAS IN DISTRICT K. UM, IT'S A MIX OF INDUSTRIAL AND RESIDENTIAL. UM, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS TUR TO, UM, ANNEX AN AREA SO THAT WE CAN IMPROVE NOT ONLY THE DRAINAGE, BECAUSE IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE AREAS THAT, UM, RE HAS REPETITIVELY BEEN, UM, A FLOOD AREA IN THE, IN THE CITY. UH, IT IS NEAR HAVILAND PARK, WHICH IS, IN MY OPINION, ONE OF THE WORST PARKS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND MOST DANGEROUS. UH, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM HAS DONE TO INCLUDE THIS AREA ENTERS 25 BECAUSE I THINK, UH, BUT FOR, UH, THIS TUR WE WOULD HAVE AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TIME TO ATTRACT ANY BUSINESSES, UH, TO EXPAND AND GROW AND EVEN COME TO THIS AREA. UH, THE, THE OPEN DITCHES, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, SIDEWALKS, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT IN AN AREA THAT HAS NOT SEEN THAT TYPE OF INVESTMENT IN YEARS. TURS 25 IS A YOUNG TURS IN WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE LIFE OF TURS. IT, IT MAY BE 10 YEARS, 11 YEARS OLD, JUST RECENTLY RECEIVING ENOUGH INCREMENT TO EVEN DO ANY PROJECTS. AND SO I THINK THAT WE ARE ONTO SOMETHING GREAT, UM, AS WE ARE ANNEXING, UM, THIS AREA, UH, IN DISTRICT K INTO TS 25. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE GREAT WORK THAT THIS TURS WILL DO ALONG WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY. UM, I THINK WE'LL BE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF WHY THESE ARE IMPORTANT TO THE CITY, UM, TO DO SOME PROJECTS THAT UNFORTUNATELY OUR CITY BUDGET WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT COMMENT. WE ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING, UM, THE SMALLER TS GROW. LELAND WOODS LOOKS GREAT NOW. UM, SUNNYSIDE IS DOING QUITE WELL. FIFTH WARD IS FINALLY CATCHING ON AND DOING QUITE WELL WITH THE INCREMENTS SO THAT THEY CAN NOW FOCUS ON THE PROJECTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS ON THAT WILL IMPROVE THOSE COMMUNITIES AND BRING MORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THOSE COMMUNITIES. UM, SO WE'RE, WE ARE, AND, AND TO BE FAIR, WE'RE JUST AS PROUD OF MEMORIAL CITY AND ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE DOING. WE'RE PROUD OF UPTOWN AND THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE PROUD OF LAKE HOUSTON AND THE PROJECTS THAT THEY WERE DOING. SO, UM, PITTING TERMS AGAINST EACH OTHER IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO BECAUSE EACH OF THEM HAS THEIR OWN GOALS TO ACHIEVE AND THEY'RE DIFFERENT. YOU CAN'T REALLY, IN MY OPINION, SO IN MY OPINION, YOU CAN'T JUDGE THEM ON INCREMENT PER SE, BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, SOUTHWEST HOUSTON IS NOT AN INCREMENT. GEN DOESN'T GENERATE A LOT OF INCREMENT, BUT THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF THINGS WITH THE, WITH THE INCREMENT THAT THEY HAVE. SO THAT'S MY LITTLE SOAPBOX. I'LL GET OFF IT NOW AND LEAVE IT ALONE. UM, BUT I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS. MA, ONE MORE THING, UM, JUST TO KIND OF ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT WAS MENTIONED DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING IS THAT THE TSS MEET ON A MONTHLY BASIS. MOST OF THEM, SOME OF THEM DON'T BECAUSE THEY'RE SMALL AND SO IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR THEM TO MEET ON A MONTHLY BASIS. BUT THE PUBLIC IS ALWAYS, WE POST THOSE AGENDAS OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL. THAT IS A REQUIREMENT BY THE LEGAL TEAM. BUT WE ALSO POST THOSE MEETINGS ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PAGE. AND SO THE PUBLIC IS ALWAYS INVITED TO THESE MEETINGS, PROJECT PLANS, BUDGETS ARE DISCUSSED AT THE, AT THE MEETINGS. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH A TOURS, YOU CAN JUST ATTEND [03:15:01] DETER MEETING. NOW, WITH THAT SAID, THEY, THEY MEET AT DIFFERENT TIMES, AND SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO ADJUST YOUR SCHEDULE TO MEET WITH THEM. MEMORIAL CITY MEETS AT EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING ON THE THIRD OR THE FOURTH THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH. UPTOWN MEETS AT THREE O'CLOCK, UM, EVERY THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH. SO YOU HAVE TO ADJUST YOUR SCHEDULE IN ORDER TO MEET THOSE MEETINGS. BUT THEY DO MEET EVERY MONTH, AND WE POST THE, UM, WE, WE POST THOSE MEETINGS, UM, ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, UM, ON CITY'S WEBSITE, AS WELL AS THE HARD COPY, UM, IN FRONT OF CITY HALL. SO ANYTIME THE PUBLIC WANTS TO ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS AND KIND OF GET INTO THAT DISCUSSION OF WHAT THE T ARE DOING, THEY GET, THEY'RE WELCOME TO ATTEND. AND THROUGH YOUR OFFICES, IF THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT SEND YOU, UM, REQUESTS FOR THE MEETING, JUST SEND IT TO US AND WE'LL SEND THE, THE MEETING TIME SO THAT THEY CAN ATTEND IN PERSON AND THEN THEY CAN HEAR ABOUT THE PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING PLANNED. BUT ULTIMATELY, THOSE PROJECTS COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE. SORRY. THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION. AND, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS REALLY DOES BRING UP A, A LARGER ISSUE OF HOW WE COMMUNICATE AS A, AS A CITY. UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE PUT THIS INFORMATION IN THE, IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ONLINE. UM, YOU KNOW, JUST I, WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE, THEY DON'T GET THE INFORMATION. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT TURS, IT'S ABOUT ALL MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, AND, AND IT REALLY LENDS US TO HOW ARE WE GETTING INFORMATION TO THE EVERYDAY PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE'VE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB OF UTILIZING OUR ONLINE PRESENCE. UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR US TO REALLY DO A GOOD JOB WITH OUR ONLINE PRESENCE, I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT TO BUY ADS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SO THAT EVERYBODY THAT PICKS UP THE PHONE, THEY KNOW THAT THAT MEETING IS HAPPENING, UH, IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND IT IS DIFFICULT FOR US TO UTILIZE THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR BUDGET CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON KNOWS ABOUT EVERY MEETING THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. BUT YOUR OFFICE DOES A GREAT JOB OF MAKING SURE THAT IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE. WE TRY TO PUT IT ONLINE. I KNOW, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS PUT THE INFORMATION IN THEIR NEWSLETTERS. I KNOW THAT I'VE SEEN, UM, MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PUTTING EVERY MEETING THAT'S HAPPENING, UM, AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS, I SAW SOME OF THE AT LARGE, UM, COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE ALSO ADDING THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS TO THEIR SOCIALS. SO WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO HELP AMPLIFY, UM, ALL OF THE MEETINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT CITY HALL FOR RESIDENTS TO KNOW ABOUT. BUT, UM, WE, WE CAN'T, UM, GROW TIRED OF LETTING THE PUBLIC KNOW OH, ABSOLUTELY ABOUT WHEN THESE MEETINGS ARE HAPPENING, SO THAT IF THEY DO WANT TO ENGAGE, THEY KNOW WHEN IT'S HAPPENING AND THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE. SO AGAIN, I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOUR TEAM HAS DONE. LOOK FORWARD TO THE GREAT WORK THAT THESE JERSEYS WILL CONTINUE TO DO, UM, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND WE'LL CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND AS WE NEED TO HERE AS WELL. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLICKINGER. JUST WANTED TO DOVETAIL ON BOTH YOUR COMMENTS REGARDING THE MEETINGS. I KNOW LAKE HOUSTON TOURS MEETS ONCE A MONTH. UH, IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. IN FACT, WE HAVE REGULARS FROM THE PUB PUBLIC THAT ARE THERE PRETTY MUCH AT EVERY MEETING. UH, THEY'VE ALSO HAD, UH, SOME MEETINGS IN THE EVENING GOING OVER THE NORTH PARK PROJECT, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE ONLY PROJECT GOING ON WITH THAT DURS. SO, I MEAN, IT'S ABSOLUTELY ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND JENNIFER. I COMMEND THE FACT THAT THESE, UH, MEETINGS ARE ACCESSIBLE ONLINE TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. I HOPE MORE RESIDENTS WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH AND BECOME MORE INFORMED ABOUT WHAT THE TS IS IN THEIR AREAS ARE DOING. AND TO, UH, MAYOR PROM'S POINT, I COMPLETELY AGREE, AND I THINK ONE OF THE POINTS MADE IN THE HEARING YESTERDAY THAT WAS THAT NOT ALL TS ARE CREATED EQUALLY, RIGHT? THE MEDIAN INCOME IN HIRAM CLARK, FORT BEND TS IS LESS THAN HALF OF THE MEDIAN INCOME IN THE TOP TWO TS. AND SO YES, THERE ARE TS UH, THAT THAT SHOULD BE SPENDING MORE MONEY IN ALL LIKELIHOOD. UM, BUT, BUT THE SYSTEM, AS WAS, WAS POINTED OUT YESTERDAY, IS NOT THE MOST EQUITABLE ONE. AND, UH, IT IS REGRESSIVE AND, AND IN NEED OF SOME ADJUSTMENTS, IN MY OPINION. BUT THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND TO THE MAYOR PRO TE'S POINT, AND TO DOMINIC'S POINT, YOU KNOW, THESE MEETINGS, YES, THEY'RE POSTED. WE KNOW WHEN THEY HAPPEN, UH, WE CAN DO BETTER ABOUT MAKING THEM MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. UH, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE [03:20:01] IN A LAW OFFICE AT, YOU KNOW, NOON ON, ON A WEDNESDAY DOWNTOWN, THAT'S NOT AS EASY TO GET TO. OR IF THEY'RE 9:00 AM ON A MONDAY, WHO CAN REALLY GO TO THAT MEETING AND, AND SPEAK IN PERSON AND BE THERE. AND SO IF WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT WAYS TO MAKE COUNSEL, UH, AND OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, UM, WE SHOULD ALSO DO THE SAME FOR OUR TOUR. 'CAUSE I THINK WE HAVE ROOM TO IMPROVE THERE. THANK YOU, MS. CURLEY. UH, IS THERE MOTION CLOSE THE HEARING CAST STATE A MOVE TO CLOSE THE HEARING. NEXT SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS. SAME TO YOU. THANK YOU. UH, [4.  PUBLIC HEARING regarding the designation for the INTEGRA MISSION CRITICAL, LLC. REINVESTMENT ZONE for tax abatement purposes - DISTRICT B - JACKSON ] ITEM SECRETARY, ITEM FOUR. ITEM FOUR IS A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE DESIGNATION FOR THE INTEGRA MISSION CRITICAL LLC REINVESTMENT ZONE. MR. BUSKER, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING COUNSEL. I'M ANDREW BUSKER WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS REQUIRED BY ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION 44 DASH 1 26 OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. CODE OF ORDINANCES, A PUBLIC HEARING IS REQUIRED BEFORE A TAX AGREEMENT AGREEMENT CAN BE CONSIDERED BY CITY COUNCIL. NOTICE OF TODAY'S HEARING WAS PUBLISHED IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22ND, 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 COUNCIL APPROVED CHAPTER 44 OF THE CITY'S CODE OF ORDINANCES THAT CONTINUED THE CITY'S TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TAX ABATEMENT. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TAX ABATEMENT INCENTIVE IS INTENDED TO SUPPORT COMPANIES THAT ENCOUNTER A FINANCIAL BARRIER WHEN EXPLORING HOUSTON AS A POTENTIAL PLACE TO START, EXPAND, OR RELOCATE THEIR BUSINESS. ADDITIONALLY, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TAX ABATEMENT INCENTIVE IS A VITAL TOOL USED TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES TO HOUSTON WHEN THE COMPANY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND, TO RELOCATE TO OTHER REGIONS. INSTEAD, BEFORE I DERI DESCRIBE THE PROJECT, I WILL PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT TO THE PROJECT SITE. IN 2022, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORKED WITH PROLOGIS LOGISTICS SERVICES, INCORPORATED IN WAYFAIR, LLC, TO PREPARE A NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTER AT 15,550 MILNER ROAD IN NORTH HOUSTON. DURING THAT PROCESS, CITY COUNCIL CREATED THE PROLOGIS WAYFAIR REINVESTMENT ZONE FOR TAX AB ABANDONMENT PURPOSES BY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2022 DASH 9 61. IN EARLY 2023, WAYFAIR ADJUSTED THEIR BUSINESS PLANS AND DECIDED NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR PROJECT ON THIS PROJECT SITE. HOWEVER, PROLOGIS CONTINUED WITH CONSTRUCTION ON THE PROJECT SITE AND SOUGHT A SUBTENANT TO FILL THE INDUSTRIAL SHELL BUILDING THIS YEAR, PROLOGIS ATTRACTED INTEGRA MISSION CRITICAL LLC TO REPLACE WAYFAIR AS THE BUILDING'S TENANT. THE ALREADY ESTABLISHED TEXAS ABANDONMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE WAS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN INTEGRA'S INTEREST IN THE PROJECT SITE. NOW ONTO THE PROJECT ITSELF, INTEGRA MISSION CRITICAL LC PLANS TO SUBLEASE PER LODGES, APPROXIMATELY 1.2 MILLION SQUARE FOOT INDUSTRIAL SHELL BUILDING FROM WAYFAIR TO OUTFIT THE BUILDING FOR MANUFACTURING MODULAR INFRASTRUCTURE. USING CONSTRUCTION OF DATA CENTERS, THE COMPANY'S UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY AND MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES REDUCE THE CONSTRUCTION TIME OF DATA CENTERS, ALLOWING DATA CENTERS TO BE BUILT MORE EFFICIENTLY, MUCH FASTER. DATA CENTERS HAVE BECOME A VITAL INDUSTRY WORLDWIDE AS INCREASING COMPUTING POWERS NEEDED FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES. AND AS BUSINESS AND PERSONAL PRACTICES BECOME EVER INCREASINGLY DIGITAL, DUE TO THE EXTREME DEMAND FOR MORE DATA CENTERS, THE COMPANY IS EXPERIENCING RAPID GROWTH AND THE ABILITY TO SCALE PRODUCTION TO MATCH DEMAND REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN EXPANDING ITS PRODUCTION CAPABILITIES AND ITS WORKFORCE. THE COMPANY SUBMITTED AN ABATEMENT FOR, OR SORRY, SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR TAX ABATEMENT TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON APRIL 10TH, 2024. WHILE INTEGRA WAS INTERESTED IN THIS PROJECT SITE, THE COMPANY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND ITS MANUFACTURING ELSEWHERE, AND THOSE LOCAL COMMUNITIES WERE RECRUITING FOR THIS INVESTMENT IN AKRON, OHIO. THE COMPANY WAS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A NET PRESENT VALUE OF APPROXIMATELY $3.2 MILLION FOR THE COMPANY IN HAROLD CANADA. THE COMPANY WAS ELIGIBLE FOR INCENTIVES WITH A NET PRESENT VALUE OF APPROXIMATELY $5 MILLION FOR THE COMPANY. BOTH RESPECTIVE INCENTIVES CREATED A $4 MILLION ADVANTAGE TO RECRUIT THE COMPANY TO INVEST IN AKRON IN HARO OVER HOUSTON. AFTER MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE COMPANY DECIDED TO INVEST IN HOUSTON ON GOOD FAITH THAT THIS INCENTIVE FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON WILL OFFSET THEIR INITIAL LABOR COSTS AS A RAMP UP PRODUCTION AT THE PROJECT SITE. INTEGRA MISSION CRITICAL LLC IS WILL INVEST APPROXIMATELY $66 MILLION INTO THE PROJECT, [03:25:01] INCLUDING LEASE SUBLEASE OBLIGATIONS WITH PROLOGIS AND WAYFAIR TENANT IMPROVEMENTS AND THE INSTALLATION OF THEIR MANUFACTURING MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT. INTEGRA WILL CREATE 291 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT DIRECT JOBS BY 2026, OF WHICH MANY OF THESE POSITIONS DO NOT REQUIRE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AS REQUIRED BY OUR TAX ABATEMENT ORDINANCE. THE COMPANY MUST ADHERE TO COMMUNITY BENEFIT REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING THE PROVISION OF OSHA TRAINING FOR WORKERS AND SUPERVISORS, HIRING LOCALLY, ADVERTISING WITH, AND HIRING FROM REENTRY PROGRAMS, HIRING FROM HIGH POVERTY CENSUS TRACKS, AND PROVIDING JOB TRAINING FOR ENTRY OR MID-LEVEL EMPLOYEES. IN ADDITION TO THESE REQUIREMENTS, INTEGRA HAS AGREED TO A MINIMUM STARTING SALARY OF $25 AN HOUR FOR THEIR FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT DIRECT JOBS AS DESCRIBED IN CHAPTER 44 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES. THIS TAX ABATEMENT PROPOSAL CONTAINS A 90% ABATEMENT ON CITY PROPERTY TAXES OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD OR UNTIL THE APPROXIMATELY $4 MILLION INCENTIVE IS REACHED, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. THE FIRST YEAR ABATEMENT IS PROJECTED TO BE APPROXIMATELY $798,000, AND THE AVERAGE ANNUAL ABATEMENT IS PROJECTED TO BE APPROXIMATELY $960,000. IN CLOSING, SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT AND APPROVING THE TAX AGREEMENT AGREEMENT WILL DEMONSTRATE THE CITY'S COMMITMENTS TO SUPPORT INNOVATIVE AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF MID-SKILL JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST JOB CREATION NEEDS AND TO SUPPORT JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS. THE ORDINANCE RELATED TO THIS PROPOSED AGREEMENT IS ON TODAY'S AGENDA. THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE ORDINANCE TO ENACT THIS TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, COUNCIL INGER. COUNCIL INGER. SO THIS BUILDING HAS ALREADY BEEN CONSTRUCTED AND EXISTS, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE PROPERTY TAXES REGARDLESS OF THE ABATEMENT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. SO THE ONLY THING WE REALLY HAVE TO GAIN FROM THIS IS FROM POSSIBLY ADDITIONAL SALES TAXES DERIVED FROM THE FACT THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED. SO THE ZONE WAS, THE TAX ABATEMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE WAS, WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE CON CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING. OKAY. SO IT WAS ALREADY A DONE DEAL? UM, NOT, NOT NECESSARILY, NO, BECAUSE WE'RE IN FRONT OF COUNSEL TODAY TO FINALIZE THE DEAL. UM, SO THE EXISTING TAX AB REINVESTMENT ZONE WAS A, UH, LARGE MAGNET TO ATTRACT THE COMPANY TO THE LOCATION. OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING CAST? SAY, TO MOVE TO CLOSE THE HEARING? I SECOND. MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. [MAYOR'S REPORT] QUICK MAYOR'S REPORT TO THANKS. SPECIAL EVENTS DEPARTMENT SUSAN HAM, THAT HAD A OUTSTANDING, UH, THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE. I KNOW SO MANY THOUSANDS ENJOYED IT, AND IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND EVERYONE FOR THE RELIANT LIGHTING OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE SATURDAY HERE ON THE STEPS OF CITY HALL FROM SIX TO EIGHT. UH, SPONSORED AGAIN ABOUT RELIANT, SO LOTS OF ENTERTAINMENT, LOTS OF SINGERS, AND, UH, REFRESHMENTS. SO EVERYONE'S INVITED FROM ACROSS HOUSTON SIX TO EIGHT AT HERMAN SQUARE AT CITY HALL. THAT ANNOUNCEMENT BEING MADE. [CONSENT AGENDA] LET'S GO TO WORK. UH, MADAM SECRETARY, UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY, ITEM SEVEN HAS BEEN REMOVED. SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS FIVE AND SIX, CAST TATU, MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE, AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED. A MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BID CATEGORY. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS EIGHT THROUGH 12? CASTEX, TATU. MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE RESOLUTION CATEGORY. ITEM 13 HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY ITEMS. ALL THE ITEMS THAT WERE LISTED AS NOT IN HAVE BEEN RECEIVED ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. 19 28, 29, 30, 31, 35, 36, 37, 40, 41, [03:30:05] AND 46. THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 19 28, 29, 30, AND 31, 35, 36, 37, 40, 41 AND 46 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES, ITEMS [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM SEVEN NEEDS A MOTION. CAN I STATE A MOVE I SECOND. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED. BUT BEFORE WE VOTE, COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. SINCE I BROUGHT UP, UH, HOUSTON FIRST EARLIER, I DID WANNA TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO THANK, UM, OUR HOUSTON FIRST BOARD, OUR HOUSTON FIRST LEADERSHIP AND STAFF. UH, WE HAVE FRANK, TRACY AND MICHAEL HERE WHO DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB. UM, BUT MAYOR, SEEING HOW HOUSTON FIRST HAS COME THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, RIGHT WHEN WE STARTED, AND I STARTED IN MY FIRST TERM, AND WHAT HOUSTON FIRST WENT THROUGH AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITH ONE OF THE MOST, UH, POWERFUL AND SUCCESSFUL ANNUAL REPORTS OR BUDGETS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN QUITE SOME TIME. MY HAT'S REALLY OFF TO THE WORK OF HOUSTON FIRST AND ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES. UM, IT AGAIN, WHERE WE WERE, WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO PULL THROUGH AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND WHERE WE'RE GOING IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. MAYOR WITH YOUR, UM, CAPSTONE EFFORTS ON THE CONVENTION CENTER, UH, THE WORK, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE WORLD CUP, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT AGAIN, UH, MY APPRECIATION TO EVERYONE FOR ALL THAT YOU ARE DOING, AND WE STILL HAVE A LOT TO GO, SO I'M GLAD TO SEE WE HAVE THOSE HEALTHY DOLLARS THERE THAT WE CAN, UH, LEVERAGE AS WE TAKE ON MUCH LARGER PROJECTS. THANK YOU. I TOTALLY AGREE. AND, UH, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THEIR PROPOSED EXPANSION OF GEORGE BROWN AND THE SURROUNDING AREA, YOU REALLY, EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE A GLANCE AND, AND TALK ABOUT IT. IT'S GONNA REALLY CHANGE DOWNTOWN AND OPEN UP OUR, UM, ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT. MAKE IT A DESTINATION, NO DOUBT. WHO ELSE? COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, JUST TO, UH, YOU KNOW, DUCKTAIL OFF OF, UH, WHAT MY COLLEAGUE MENTIONED. I WANT TO DEFINITELY THANK, UM, MICHAEL TRACY, WHO'S HERE, FRANK, WHO'S HERE AS WELL. UH, CHAIRMAN JAY IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ENTIRE TEAM AT HOUSTON FIRST HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB FOR SOME TIME ALREADY. AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, COMING MONTHS AND INTO THE COMING YEARS. AND SO I'M SUPER EXCITED. UH, YOU KNOW, GEORGE R. BROWN IS IN DISTRICT EYE, AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, WITH WELCOME ARMS, UH, ARE LOOKING TO THE EXPANSION, EVERYTHING THAT IT'LL BRING, NOT JUST TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT EAST DOWNTOWN AND IN THE EAST END. SO, UH, JUST HATS OFF AND, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST KEEP GETTING WORK DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANNA ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES. IT WAS A GREAT FINANCIAL REPORT AND CERTAINLY THE TEAM IS OUTSTANDING. UH, IN PARTICULAR THE, OUR COUNCIL LIAISON, TRACY, AND THEN FRANK IS MY MOREHOUSE BROTHER. AND MICHAEL, YOUR LEADERSHIP IS GREAT. UH, AND, BUT I JUST, I DO WANT TO KNOW, UH, AT SOME POINT WE ARE GONNA WORK A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY CAN BE DISPLAYED, UH, IN THE PROMINENCE THAT THEY DESERVE. AND SO, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO FURTHER ENGAGEMENT WITH THIS TEAM. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER HOFFMAN. THANK YOU. AND I ALSO WANNA THANK HOUSTON FIRST FOR THEIR GREAT WORK. YOU KNOW, HOUSTON FIRST IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY HOUSTON IS A FIRST CLASS CITY. AND SO WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE AND, UM, CONTINUE THE GOOD WORK. UH, MAYOR PROTE CASM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANTED TO, UM, ADD MY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HOUSTON FIRST TEAM. I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, AS WE ARE TRAVELING AROUND THE STATE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY, THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS ALL OVER RAVE ABOUT, UM, COMING TO HOUSTON AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE OUR CONFERENCES IN HOUSTON BECAUSE IT IS SO SEAMLESS FOR THEM TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE HOTELS IN THE CONVENTION CENTER, UM, IN THE SAME VICINITY. AND IF THEY, UH, DON'T HAVE TO WALK OUTSIDE IT, IT'S CONVENIENT. UH, AND QUITE FRANKLY, UM, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THERE ARE ONLY REALLY ABOUT FOUR, MAYBE FIVE CITIES THAT CAN HOST THESE LARGE CONFERENCES. UH, AND SO HOUSTON DOES A FANTASTIC JOB. AND, UH, WE LOVE THAT, UH, PEOPLE COME UP TO US AND SAY, WE CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK TO HOUSTON NEXT YEAR, OR, WE ARE, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO COMING TO HOUSTON [03:35:01] IN 2027. UM, AND THAT JUST SCREAMS THAT WE ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AT THESE CONFERENCES, UH, COUNCIL AND, UH, MAYOR, IF YOU DID NOT HAVE A, A CHANCE, I, I TOLD THE TEAM THIS WHEN WE HAD OUR MEETING TO GO TO THE QUILT FESTIVAL. AND I TELL YOU, I POSTED ABOUT, UM, GIVING THAT PROCLAMATION AT THE QUILT FESTIVAL. UM, ON MY, UH, CITY COUNCIL PAGE, I HAVE HAD THE MOST INTERACTION OF ANY. I, I THINK I'VE DONE SOME GOOD STUFF IN THE CITY. THE MOST INTERACTION THAT I HAVE HAD ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BEEN ABOUT THE QUILT FESTIVAL IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT BLEW MY MIND HOW MANY PEOPLE COME TO THE QUILT FESTIVAL, HOW MANY, I, I HAD NO IDEA. BUT NOW THAT I KNOW, IT IS THE LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY AND IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 50 YEARS. AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THAT AND HAVE THAT IN OUR CITY, UM, IS INCREDIBLE. NOT TO MENTION, UM, AFRO TECH IN THE BUZZ THAT IT IS, UM, GETTING AROUND, AROUND THE CITY AND AROUND THE COUNTRY. UM, YOU KNOW, HOUSTON IS, IS IN THE MEDIA. I MEAN, WE, WE WERE RATED HIGHER, HIGHER UP AS THE TOP CITIES IN THE COUNTRY. UM, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU DESERVE THIS TIME OF KUDOS IN THESE ACCOLADES FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HOSTING MORE PEOPLE IN OUR GREAT CITY. COUNCILMAN P*****K. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, HOUSTON, FIRST, WHAT MORE CAN WE SAY? UM, YOU ALL DO AN EXCELLENT JOB IN MARKETING THE CITY AND MAKING SURE THAT, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS SEEN AS A, AS A, AS A GLOBAL CITY. AND, UH, WE THANK YOU ALL FOR THE EFFORTS. I DID WANT TO CIRCLE BACK, THOUGH ON THE CONVERSATION REGARDING, UM, THE LIGHTS ON THE MONTROSE BRIDGE. YOU ALL, UM, REALLY HELPED THE CITY OUT A LOT WHEN AGREEING TO, UM, MAINTAIN THOSE LIGHTS, UH, PUTTING FORTH THE DOLLARS IN THE, UH, SUBSEQUENT FISCAL YEARS, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THOSE LIGHTS WERE, UH, WORKING PROPERLY AND THAT THE CITY DID NOT HAVE THE OBLIGATION, UM, TO MAINTAIN THAT WAS A SMALL DROP IN THE BUCKET COMPARED TO THE OVERALL BUDGET THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE HOUSTON ATTRACTIVE TO KEEP HOUSTON ATTRACTIVE. THOSE LIGHTS, I THINK, WERE ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WHEN THEY WERE OPERATING, THAT EVERYONE NOTICED AND EVERYONE LIKED IN THIS. AND, AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT, UH, I THINK WE WERE EXCITED TO SEE. UM, AND SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN BEHIND THE SCENES, UM, BUT SINCE WE DID HAVE, UH, COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION ON THAT ITEM ALREADY, AND THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THOSE DOLLARS NO LONGER BEING ALLOCATED FOR, UM, FOR THOSE LIGHTS, UM, I WANT CLARITY AND KIND OF UNDERSTANDING ON, UM, WHAT IS THE NEXT STEPS REGARDING THAT. AND WHEN I ASKED THE CITY ATTORNEY EARLIER, UM, SPECIFICALLY ON IF THAT'S EVEN ALLOWABLE TO NO LONGER ALLOCATE THOSE DOLLARS ONCE THERE'S ALREADY BEEN COUNSEL AUTHORIZATION, UM, HE STATED THAT HE NEEDED TO GET BACK TO ME. SO I THINK WE NEED TO, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S SPECIFICALLY IN THE BUDGET OR, OR IF NOT, BUT IF IT IS, WE DO NEED TO HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT, TO THAT QUESTION. UM, IF WE'RE UP HERE AS A BODY AND WE APPROVE SOMETHING, THEN ONLY WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THE SAY SO ON IF THE DOLLARS GO FORWARD OR NOT. IF NOT, THEN I DON'T, I DON'T SEE THE POINT IN WHY WE'RE, WHY WE'RE SITTING UP HERE. UM, AND SO IF WE ALREADY ALLOCATED THOSE DOLLARS FOR THAT, AND IT WAS A GOOD DEAL FOR THE CITY HOUSTON FIRST, I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS THE BEST DEAL FOR YOU ALL, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS A GOOD DEAL FOR, FOR US AND OUR GENERAL FUND. UM, AND SO I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL'S COMMITMENT TOWARDS THAT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT GO FORWARD IF POSSIBLE, BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S A BENEFIT, UH, AND DO, AND WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF BANG FOR OUR BUCK WITH THAT DEAL. SO, UH, DO WE HAVE CLARITY ON THIS ITEM? IF WE WERE TO AUTHORIZE IT, UM, CITY ATTORNEY, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THAT PARTICULAR PROVISION OR ITEM REGARDING THE MONTROSE BRIDGES? I'LL TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY. CITY. I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T ASK YOU. I, THE CITY, I'M GONNA INTERJECT MYSELF AT THIS TIME. CAN I'LL TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR DIVERTING FUNDS FOR DECORATIVE LIGHTS ON ONE OF OUR STATE HIGHWAYS TO WHAT IS THE BIGGEST THREAT TO HOUSTON'S FIRST SUCCESS? PEOPLE, THE MANAGERS OF [03:40:01] THE HILTON AND THE MARRIOTT SAY, IF YOU DO NOT IMPROVE CENTRAL HOUSTON AND THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AROUND THE TWO HOTELS IN GEORGE BROWN, WHERE PEOPLE VISITING OUR CITY DO NOT HAVE TO STEP OVER THE HOMELESS OR TRY TO GO TO THE ARTS DISTRICT AND THEATER DISTRICT, THEY'RE AT BAGBY RIGHT NOW AT THE BAYOU PLACE OVERHANG. SO I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY REPRESENTING HOUSTONIANS THAT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE PRIORITIES. THIS WAS NICE WHEN IT WAS FUNDED. IT WAS DONE WITH ART MONEY HOUSTON FIRST COOPERATED. THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE'RE BROKE. AND IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A GREAT CITY, WE'VE GOTTA BE WISE WITH OUR EXPENDITURES. I ASKED HOUSTON FIRST TO NOT FUND THE LIGHTS BECAUSE THERE'S A GREATER PRIORITY. THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, IF EVER CREATED NOR, AND THE TURS ARE PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS COULD DO DECORATIVE LIGHTS. IT'S NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. WE'VE VERIFIED WITH TDOT, IT'S THEIR BRIDGES, THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, AND THEY BELIEVE THEY'RE SAFE. SO, HATE TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT IT'S TIME TO QUIT POLITICIZING GOOD GOVERNMENT. YOU ALWAYS SAY IT'S TIME TO STOP POLITICIZING WHEN YOU'RE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ISSUE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I MEANT. AND I DID NOT, WE'RE ACTING OUT FOR HOUSTON, AND I DID NOT ASK YOU THE QUESTION. I'M ASKING THE CITY ATTORNEY. SO IF I CAN CLAIM MY TIME, MY TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK HIM THE QUESTION. WELL, I, I DIDN'T USE MUCH TIME ON THE MAYOR'S REPORT, I JUST THOUGHT I'D EXTEND IT. WELL, NEXT TIME, USE ALL THE TIME YOU NEED DURING YOUR MAYOR'S REPORT. THIS IS MY TIME. WHAT I WANT TO DO, THIS IS MY TIME. GO FOR IT. SO THE, THE QUESTION IS REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IN THIS BUDGET AS IT PERTAINS TO THE PREVIOUS ITEM ON THE MONTROSE BRIDGES, IF WE WERE TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET, WOULD THAT, UM, ALLOW US FOR, TO NO LONGER GO FORWARD WITH THAT PREVIOUS ITEM? AND HOW WAS THAT ABLE TO BE DONE WHEN A PREVIOUS ITEM HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY COUNSEL? UH, THE CONCLUSION I HAVE FROM MY LAWYERS IS THAT IT CAN BE DONE. UH, THE, IT CAN BE DONE BECAUSE COUNSEL CAN ALWAYS TAKE LATER ACTION TO CHANGE WHAT IT HAD DONE BEFORE, ABSENT IMPAIRMENT OF ANY CONTRACT. AND MY LAWYERS SAY THAT'S NOT OCCURRING HERE. SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS BASED ON THIS VOTE, IT WOULD BE COUNSEL'S, UM, AUTHORIZATION TO BASICALLY AMEND WHAT WE HAD ALREADY APPROVED SINCE WE'RE AGREEING TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT ON THESE TERMS. YES. AND SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT BY THIS VOTE, THEN THE, IF WE WERE TO GO FORWARD WITH THE BUDGET FOR, FOR HOUSTON FIRST WITHOUT THAT ITEM BEING WITHIN THE BUDGET, THEN UM, IT WOULD NULLIFY OUR PREVIOUS VOTE AND THE ACTIONS THAT WE TOOK PLACE TO PUT FORWARD THE MONEY FOR THE MONTROSE BRIDGE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS ITEM WOULD ALLOW THE FUNDS TO BE USED IN THE AREAS THE MAYOR DESCRIBED AND NOT ON THE BRIDGES. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I, I THINK THERE'S A BROADER QUESTION THAT I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD WAS TRYING TO ASK, ALTHOUGH I CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR HIM, WHICH IS THAT COUNSEL AUTHORIZES ITEMS, WHETHER IT'S THIS ITEM OR WE'VE SEEN OTHER ITEMS IN THE PAST THAT HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED, AND THEN THE SCOPE OF THOSE ITEMS HAS BEEN CHANGED BY THE ADMINISTRATION WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZATION OF COUNSEL, EVEN THOUGH COUNSEL HAD VOTED ON THAT. SO I THINK TO COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD'S QUESTION, CITY ATTORNEY, TO CLARIFY ONLY BY AN ACT OF COUNSEL CAN A PREVIOUS ACT OF COUNSEL BE CHANGED OR AMENDED. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I'M SORRY WE'RE DIGGING INTO THE WEEDS NOW ON THIS BUDGET, BUT SINCE IT WAS RAISED, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE FROM HOUSTON FIRST CAN SPECIFY. I DON'T HAVE, UH, THE LINE BY LINE IN IT. IS THERE ANY REFERENCE TO THE 2.7 IN THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET AS BEING REALLOCATED BACK TO THE CITY? OR HAS THAT NOT BEEN ADDRESSED YET? MAY OR MAY I MAKE A A, A MOTION OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO INVITE HOUSTON FIRST UP TO SPECIFY IN THEIR BUDGET? OR CAN SOMEONE SPEAK TO THAT? YOU WANT TO COME ADDRESS THIS? MICHAEL, SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE KIND WORDS THAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE [03:45:01] WORK THAT, THAT OUR TEAM DOES AT HOUSTON. FIRST. UM, YOU HAVE A PASSIONATE GROUP OF PEOPLE, UH, THAT WAKE UP EVERY DAY TO PROMOTE HOUSTON AND DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH THE RESOURCES THAT, UH, UH, THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO, TO DO THOSE THINGS. UM, UH, IT, IT IT'S OUR JOB TO FIND THAT RIGHT BALANCE OF PROMOTING THE CITY, UH, TAKING CARE OF OUR FACILITIES, UM, AND, AND HAVING THE FISCAL DISCIPLINE, UH, FOR ALSO THE THINGS THAT WE, THAT WE DO HAVE IN FRONT OF US. WE ARE ABLE TO, UM, UH, TAKE SPENDING AUTHORITY BASED ON, UM, UH, APPROVALS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS. UM, I WOULD SAY THAT, THAT THE 2.7 MILLION IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET. OKAY. AND THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD THE AUTHORIZATION OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO MOVE FORWARD ON, ON SUCH AN EXPENSE. WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE FINISHED THE DESIGN WORK, WHICH IS WHAT WE COMMITTED. I TALKED ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING. WE FINISHED THE DESIGN WORK, UH, AND IF THERE ARE OTHER SOURCES OF OF REVENUES THAT ARE ABLE TO BE FOUND, WE'D BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH, UH, ANOTHER ORGANIZATION. BUT, BUT THE DESIGN WORK HAD BEEN, UM, UM, HAD BEEN COMPLETED. AND I THINK THAT EVEN BEYOND THE 2.7, I THINK IT WOULD REQUIRE TO, TO, TO SPEND THE DOLLARS COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD TO, FOR US TO GO BACK TO OUR BOARD TO AUTHORIZE THE FUNDING. SO IT'S KIND OF A KINDA A TWO STEP. THERE'S CITY MONEY THAT WAS, THAT WAS ALLOCATED TO IT, BUT THEN THERE WAS ALSO, THERE WAS, THERE WAS ALSO HOUSTON FIRST DOLLARS THAT WERE CORRECT. SO, BUT, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, MICHAEL. 'CAUSE I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY A VOTE ON THE BUDGET TODAY. THERE'S NO BEARING ON THE 2.7 MILLION THAT WOULD BE A SEPARATE ACTION. 'CAUSE I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS BUDGET MOVE FORWARD TODAY. THAT IS, THAT IS CORRECT. AND I WOULD URGE THE COUNCIL THAT, THAT WE DO HAVE A CLEAN VOTE ON, ON THIS BUDGET. WE DO HAVE THINGS THAT WE ARE HOLDING THAT WE CAN'T TAKE ACTION ON IN NEXT YEAR THAT WILL INHIBIT OUR PLANNING. I UNDERSTAND THE ROBUST CONVERSATION HERE, UH, ABOUT THAT TOPIC. UH, BUT WE DID PUT A LOT OF TIME INTO THIS BUDGET AND A LOT OF, AND A LOT OF WORK. AND I UNDER RESPECT EVERYONE'S OPINION HERE AS TO THE WAY THAT MOVES FORWARD. BUT I WOULD ASK FOR A CLEAN VOTE ON OUR BUDGET. ABSOLUTELY. AND, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS AND YOUR TEAM'S WILLINGNESS TO COME TO THE TABLE, MAYOR, HOPEFULLY WITH YOUR TEAM TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. AGAIN, I KEEP SAYING IT'S NOT ABOUT THE BEAUTIFICATION, ALTHOUGH MANY IN THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY LOVE THE LIGHTS. IT'S ABOUT, WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE ANY STREET LIGHTS OR LIGHTING ON THOSE BRIDGES. THERE ARE RAILINGS THAT ARE COMING DOWN. IT'S NOT SAFE. UM, AND WE DO NEED, DO NEED TO ADDRESS THAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT DIALOGUE. THE WAY I PERCEIVE IT IS IT WAS AUTHORIZED, IT WAS BUDGETED, BUT YOU SURELY WANT THE HOUSTON FIRST BOARD TO USE ITS GOOD JUDGMENT GOING FORWARD ON A PROJECT. YOU WOULDN'T WANT 'EM SPENDING MONEY ON A PROJECT OR A PROGRAM THAT NO LONGER EXISTED. SO WE AUTHORIZE FUNDING, WE GIVE THE INTENT, AND THEN IT'S UP TO THEIR BOARD TO MAKE GOOD JUDGMENT. THAT'S THE WAY I UNDERSTAND GOVERNMENT TO WORK AT, UH, EVERY LEVEL WE RIGHT, BUT THAT MONEY WAS AN UNDERSTANDING AND AGREEMENT WITH HOUSTON. I UNDERSTAND FORCE AND GOOD HOUSTON FIRST AND GOOD FAITH, AND THEY HAVE BEEN A TERRIFIC PARTNER. SO AGAIN, I I, MICHAEL, THANK YOU. I JUST WANNA BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THIS TODAY WHILE BEING ABLE TO GIVE CLEAR ANSWERS TO RESIDENTS THAT ARE ASKING US AND THE OVERALL QUESTION. BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THIS ONE ITEM. THIS IS ABOUT COUNCIL AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING AND VOTING ON ITEMS THAT ARE THEN BEING CHANGED DOWN THE ROAD WITHOUT NECESSARILY COUNCIL APPROVAL, WHICH IS NOT HOUSTON FIRST PROBLEM. BUT I DO WANT EVERYONE TO BE AWARE OF THE IMPACT THAT THAT HAS AROUND THE HORSESHOE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, RN. COUNCILMAN ALCORN. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU FOR THE BUDGET PRESENTATION. ONE THING I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, THAT WASN'T BROUGHT UP WAS THE $3 MILLION THAT Y'ALL PAID DOWN IN DEBT, JUST OUT OF, UH, JUST OUT OF CASH FLOW. SO THAT'S GREAT. THAT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO REDUCE DEBT OUTTA CASH FLOW. UM, ON THIS BRIDGE ITEM, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED NOW TOO. UM, IN THE MOER, UH, THAT WAS PRESENTED THIS MORNING, IT, IT'S CLEARLY STATES THAT THE GENERAL FUND WILL BE INCREASED BY $2.7 MILLION DUE TO ANTICIPATED REFUND FROM HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION FOR BRIDGE LIGHTING. SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE AN ITEM COMING OUT OF YOUR CURRENT BUDGET OR, OR THE PROPOSED BUDGET. IF WE ARE ANTICIPATING A REFUND FROM INTO OUR GENERAL FUND FROM HOUSTON FIRST, HOW IS THAT ACCOUNTED FOR? IS IT ACCOUNTED FOR IN YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET OR IS IT NOT? IT'S JUST SITTING IN CASH AND WE, WE WOULD, WE WOULD NEED TO TAKE A, UH, AN ACTION AND A HAVE A MECHANISM BY WHICH TO SEND THAT BACK TO THE CITY. SO IT'S, THAT WOULD JUST BE AN ADDENDUM TO YOUR BUDGET. I MEAN, IT WOULD BE LIKE NOT, IT'S NOT THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE VOTING ON TODAY. CORRECT. IT WOULD BE OKAY. CORRECT. YES. THANK [03:50:01] YOU. THANK YOU MICHAEL. AND I PERCEIVE THE MAYOR'S JOB NOT, I PERCEIVE IT IS THE MAYOR'S JOB TO ADMINISTER THE BUDGET AND ACTIONS OF THE COUNCIL THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR. SO I CHANGE IN MAYOR AND COUNCIL HALFWAY THROUGH, SO I GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISAGREE AND CHANGE DIRECTION. SO THANK YOU FOR THE EXCELLENT JOB YOU DO IN YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. OPPOSED, OPPOSED, NAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT. ITEM 13 IS A RESOLUTION. JUST NEED A VOTE TAG POLLARD. I'LL RELEASE MY TAG FOR DISCUSSION. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I WANT TO PREFACE THIS DISCUSSION BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THIS IS A SENSITIVE TOPIC FOR MANY INDIVIDUALS. WHILE IT HAS BEEN STATED THAT THIS BODY ONLY ADDRESSES LOCAL ISSUES, THE CITY'S INVESTMENT POLICY REFLECTS AN INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION THAT REQUIRES OUR ETHICAL CONSIDERATION WHEN MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT CITY INVESTMENTS. WE MUST PRIORITIZE ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY. THIS AMENDMENT IS NOT AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, BUT TAKES A STANCE AGAINST LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNMENT AGAINST, UM, GOVERNMENT ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND WAR CRIMES BY THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT. THE AMENDMENT SEEKS TO REMOVE A CLAUSE IN THE CITY'S INVESTMENT POLICY THAT INCLUDES BOND TRANSACTIONS WITH THE STATE OF ISRAEL. ACCORDING TO THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE, THERE ARE NO ACTIVE BONDS WITH ISRAEL, AND THE CITY HAS NOT ENGAGED IN ANY TRANSACTIONS FOR SOME TIME. HOWEVER, THIS CLAUSE REMAINS IN THE POLICY AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THE UNITED STATES HAS PREVIOUSLY IMPOSED SANCTIONS ON NATIONS WITH PROBLEMATIC LEADERSHIP. THIS AMENDMENT ALIGNS WITH THE PRINCIPLE BY ENSURING THE CITY'S INVESTMENTS REFLECTS OUR COMMITMENT TO ETHICAL GOVERNMENTS. THEREFORE, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT AN AMENDMENT TO ITEM 13. I MOVE TO AMEND THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S INVESTMENT POLICY BY REMOVING THE FOLLOWING PROVISION, SEC REGISTERED AND REGULATED BONDS ISSUED AS THE DIRECT OBLIGATIONS OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL. PAGE SEVEN, SECTION 9.10. THIS INVESTMENT POLICY WILL BE REVISED ACCORDING, ACCORDINGLY TO THE, TO EXCLUDE THIS PROVISION FROM THE LIST OF AUTHORIZED INVESTMENTS. AT THIS TIME, MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE CITY ATTORNEY AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN, UM, IF THIS IS, IF THIS IS AN AGENDA ITEM AMENDMENT THAT IS POSSIBLE. I I REALLY, UM, IMPLORE THAT WE LOOK AT THIS DEEPLY. AND, UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY DOES HAVE, UM, SOME LEGAL GUIDANCE ON THIS ITEM. BUT, UM, I IMPLORED THE CITY TO PLEASE CONSIDER THIS STRONGLY. VERY GOOD. ARTURO, UM, MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, AND I HAD A CONVERSATION LAST NIGHT ABOUT THIS. THE CONCERN I HAVE IS WHAT IS CALLED COMMONLY THE SUPER PREEMPTION OR DEATH STAR BILL THAT PASSED LAST YEAR. THAT CONSTRAINTS WHAT, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN DO THAT IS NOT ALIGNED WITH STATE LAW. THERE'S A SPECIFIC PROVISION NOW IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE THAT, UH, PROHIBITS ANY LAW THAT IS INCONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW. ANY LOCAL LAW, UH, STATE LAW VERY CLEARLY IN THE GOVERNMENT CODE STATES THAT, UM, ISRAELI SECURITIES ARE A PERMISSIBLE, UH, INVESTMENT FOR, UH, MUNICIPALITIES. BY TAKING THIS OUT, UH, I THINK WE HAVE AN INCONSISTENCY THAT COULD DRAW THIS INTO QUESTION. AND ON THIS, THAT BILL, THE DEATH STAR BILL, THE SUPER PREEMPTION BILL, THE CITY, UH, LED A COALITION OF GOVERNMENTS THAT CHALLENGED IT IN TRAVIS COUNTY LAST YEAR. WE PREVAILED, BUT THE COURT DID NOT ENJOIN THAT LAW AND IT'S WORKING ITS WAY THROUGH APPEAL. SO I, I THINK AT THIS POINT, THE PRUDENT THING FOR THE CITY IS, UH, FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, UH, NOT TO CONSIDER THIS AMENDMENT. MAYOR, MAY I RESPOND? SURE. SO, SO CITY, CITY ATTORNEY. SO IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, ONCE THE COURTS MAKE THEIR RECOMMENDATION, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT THIS ITEM? YES, THERE WOULD BE IN THE FUTURE, BUT IT, IT'S PROBABLY, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE AN APPELLATE DECISION NOW. IT, IT'LL BE A, IT'LL BE SOME TIME, BUT YES. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF, OF TIMELINE OF WHAT THIS WOULD LOOK LIKE APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS, PERHAPS? OKAY. WELL, I WILL, I WILL SAY THIS PUBLICLY. I'M GOING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE AND I'M GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AND REQUEST FROM HIM TO, UM, CONTINUE IN THE WAY THAT HE'S BEEN [03:55:01] CURRENTLY AND NOT ACTIVATE THESE BONDS. UM, BUT I WILL HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH HIM, UM, WITH WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS MENTIONED, I AM WILLING TO WITHDRAW MY AMENDMENT, UM, AND I WILL HAVE A DEEPER CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY CONTROLLER'S OFFICE. VERY GOOD. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, CITY ATTORNEY IS THERE ALSO NOT CURRENTLY IN, IN STATE LAW, AN ADDITIONAL LAW THAT PREVENTS CITY, OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, INCLUDING MUNICIPALITIES FROM, UH, DIVESTING FROM CERTAIN TYPES OF BONDS IN OTHER COUNTRIES. THERE'S A LAW THAT I MENTIONED. THERE'S ALSO A LAW THAT PROHIBITS, AND IT HAS TO BE IN ALL CITY CONTRACTS OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT THAT PROHIBITS, UH, CONTRACTING WITH A COMPANY THAT BOYCOTTS, UH, ISRAELI PRODUCTS OR SECURITIES. OKAY. AND I WOULD, UM, AGAIN, I WAS HOPING THIS WOULDN'T COME TO A CONVER A WHOLE DIALOGUE AND CONVERSATION, BUT I WOULD, UH, ASK THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS REFER TO AN EMAIL THAT WAS SENT BY THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE TO ALL OF YOUR OFFICES, UM, I BELIEVE LAST NIGHT OR EARLIER TODAY, AND WOULD ENCOURAGE THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, INVITED TO MEET WITH ORGANIZATIONS, UH, IN THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY THAT HAVE REFUSED TO MEET WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND HAVE A MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION, UH, BEFORE THIS IS BROUGHT BACK. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, ARTURO. SO YOUR INITIAL STATEMENT WAS THAT STATE LAW SAYS THIS TYPE OF INVESTMENT IS PERMISSIBLE. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN BROUGHT UP ANOTHER STATE LAW, PERHAPS THAT IS A LITTLE BIT STRONGER THAN JUST PERMISSIBLE. IF COUNCIL WERE TO PASS THIS SORT OF RESOLUTION MM-HMM . ASSUMING IT'S RULED IN ORDER, ARE THERE RAMIFICATIONS THAT THE STATE GOVERNMENT COULD IMPOSE ON CITY COUNCIL? YEAH, THAT WAS MY CONCERN. I THINK IT'S MORE PRECISELY UNDER THE DEATH STAR BILL THAT IS NOW CODIFIED IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. I THINK THAT THE CONCERN WOULD BE THAT WE'RE PROHIBITING A PERMISSIBLE INVESTMENT, WHICH MAKES IT INCONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW. OKAY, WELL THAT'S ONE LEGAL BASIS, BUT MM-HMM . BUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S POINT. MM-HMM . THERE, THERE IS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'D CALL IT, ANTI DIVESTMENT. MM-HMM . UH, LAW IN PLACE. IS THERE NOT, WHAT, WHAT DOES IT SAY? DO YOU KNOW? I, I DON'T KNOW. WHAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH IS THE ANTI BOYCOTT. I WILL LOOK FOR THAT AND, AND GET IT TO YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, COUNCIL AND PLUMMER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, AND TO BE CLEAR, THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INVESTMENT. THESE BONDS HAVE NOT BEEN ACTIVATED. SO CURRENTLY THERE IS NOT BE, THERE'S NOT AN INVESTMENT MADE. UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INTENTION OF THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS, BUT IF HE CONTINUES NOT TO ACTIVATE THESE BONDS, THEN I DON'T SEE A REASON WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE IT LISTED THERE. BUT BASED ON WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY MENTIONED, UM, AND TO BE VERY, VERY CLEAR, I'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, MANY PEOPLE IN TERMS OF ADVICE. AND, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I, I BELIEVE SHOULD BE LOOKED AT A LITTLE BIT DEEPER. BUT I WILL CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION WITH THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT SITS RIGHT NOW, BACK WITH RAMIREZ. COUNCIL RAMIREZ, THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND, UH, SEEN AS HOW WE REALLY NEED MORE INFORMATION. I WILL JOIN COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD IN HIS TAG. HMM. TAG BY COUNCIL POLLARD AND RAMIREZ, PLUMBER AND PLUMBER, TAG BY COUNCILLOR PLUMMER, POLLARD AND RAMIREZ. NEXT ITEM 19 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. POLL TAX COUNCIL MEMBER POLL TAX. ITEM 28 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 29 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES ALL, ALL UNTIL 30. TILL 30. OKAY, NEXT, ITEM 30 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN, UH, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM. AND I'LL DEFER TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, HUFFMAN, BECAUSE THIS IS IN HER DISTRICT, [04:00:01] BUT IT IS ONE OF, IT'S EITHER THE FIRST OR ONE OF THE FIRST, UH, GSI GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE TAX ABATEMENTS THAT HAS BEEN UTILIZED AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON. FOLLOWING, UM, THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS. WORK WITH OUR OFFICES TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO, TO FOLKS SO THAT IT'S EASIER TO IMPLEMENT THIS. UH, THESE ARE ONE-TIME ABATEMENTS THAT ALLOW CONSTRUCTION TO INCORPORATE, UH, THINGS LIKE BIOSWELLS GREEN ROOFS, THINGS THAT BENEFIT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND REDUCE AND MITIGATE FLOODING, HELP AIR QUALITY. IT'S JUST A WIN FOR EVERYONE. UH, THE REASON I'M SPEAKING ON IT TODAY IS IF THERE ARE OTHER BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS OUT THERE, PEOPLE LOOKING TO REHABILITATE YOUR FACILITIES, UH, PLEASE, PLEASE LOOK AT THE PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY IS OFFERING. AGAIN, TO MAKE THIS A LITTLE BIT EASIER, BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A BENEFIT, NOT ONLY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR AREA, BUT FOR THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. SO, MAYOR, THIS IS, UH, VERY EXCITING. I THINK IT'S A BIG WIN, BUT I HOPE WE SEE MORE OF THIS, UH, COMING FORWARD. AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND, UH, THE GROUP THAT'S PUTTING THIS TOGETHER VERY WELL. HUFFMAN, COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I JUST WANT TO JUST KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON THAT. UM, YOU KNOW, I MET WITH A DEVELOPER ON THIS PROJECT AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A TOTAL UPGRADE FOR THE AREA AND FOR THE CITY. AND SO BEING ABLE TO USE THINGS LIKE THE PERMEABLE PAVEMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT, UM, HELP MAKE HOUSTON A LITTLE GREENER. SO I'M EXCITED. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. YEAH. WE ALREADY VOTED. WE ALREADY VOTED. WE JUST NEED TO CALL 31. 31. ITEM 31 VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. COUNCIL FLICKING COUNCILLOR RAMIREZ. YES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO I'LL BE VOTING NO ON THIS ONE. UM, MY RESEARCH HAS INDICATED THAT, UH, CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE ACADEMIC RESEARCH SHOWS, THAT 90% OF THESE TYPES OF TAX ABATEMENTS, THE COMPANY WOULD'VE COME TO THE CITY ANYWAY. UM, MY BELIEF IS THAT INTEGRA WOULD'VE COME TO HOUSTON, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY'RE GETTING THIS ABATEMENT. SO IT TURNS OUT TO BE FREE MONEY. SO I'LL BE VOTING NO VERY WELL. COUNCIL MEMBER INGER TAG. 31. 31 IS TAGGED. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER. NEXT ITEM 35 IS AN ORDER. DOES THIS NEED A VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED. NAME, MOTION PASSES. ITEM 36 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE TAG. I DUNNO, WHO WAS THAT? WHO, UH, COUNCILOR DAVIS TAGS RAMIREZ AS WELL. DO YOU RELEASE FOR DISCUSSION ? I WILL JUDGE WHO TAGGED IT. DAVIS DAVIS. COUNCILMAN DAVIS, DO YOU YIELD TO, UM, MS. CARTER, THE COUNCILMAN CARTER FOR DISCUSSION FOR DISCUSSION? SURE. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILMAN CARTER. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, YEAH, SO JUST WANTED TO JUST KIND OF TALK ABOUT THIS FOR JUST A LITTLE BIT. I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS. UM, YOU KNOW, I WENT BACK AND TAKE, UH, TOOK A LOOK AT WHEN THE TURS 18 WAS, WAS, UH, STARTED, AND THAT WAS IN JULY OF, OF 99. AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THE NEED WAS THE REVITALIZATION OF LYONS AVENUE CONVERSION, OF VACANT, DETERIORATING PROPERTIES, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS MULTI-FAMILY, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND REPOSITIONING OF, OF A, A RETAIL SECTOR. BUT WHEN YOU GO ON, IT CALLS OUT THAT WITHOUT THIS TURS YOU WOULD, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, COMMUNITY WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE BLACKENED CONDITION ON THE LIONS AVENUE, YOU KNOW, ABANDONED SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTS, LAND USE, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. BUT REALLY WHAT STUCK OUT MOST IS, IS ONE OF THEM CALLED OUT. I MEAN, ON, IN, IN THE PLANT ITSELF CALLS OUT THAT APARTMENTS ARE THE VICTIM OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE RESULTING IN SEVERE BLIGHT AND DETERIORATED CONDITIONS. TODAY, THESE PROPERTIES ARE SUBJECT TO ROACH AND RODENT INFESTATION, OPEN PLUMBING AND SEWAGE, COLLAPSING WALLS AND CEILINGS, MISSING BALCONIES, RAILINGS AND HAZARDOUS HEALTH AND SAFETY CONDITIONS. THAT WAS JULY 24TH, 1999 WHEN THE TURS WAS ESTABLISHED. AND THEN FAST FORWARD BACK ON NOVEMBER 12TH, MS. TANYA ASHLEY CAME AND PRESENTED PHOTOS AND CONCERNS REGARDING THE DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS OF THE PLEASANT HILL, UH, SENIOR COMMUNITY. AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH SOME OF THE FIFTH WARD RESIDENTS AND, UM, HAVE PHOTOS. I MEAN, THEY WERE SENT TO YOUR OFFICE AS WELL, MAYOR, [04:05:01] THAT WERE DATED NOVEMBER 20TH OF A SECOND FLOOR APARTMENT. AND THE LIVING CONDITIONS, UH, SUCH AS THIS, ARE TRULY CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. UM, NO ONE SHOULD LIVE LIKE THAT AND, AND WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. UMTS HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE A GREAT ASSET IN OUR CITY AND HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY GREAT PROJECTS AS MAYOR PRO TEM CAST TATED TATUM POINTED OUT ACROSS THE CITY. WE CAN LOOK AROUND AND SEE THE BENEFIT, BUT WE'VE GOT TO PUT SOME OVERSIGHT IN PLACE. WE NEED TO SET TERM LIMITS. WE NEED TO TAKE A HOLISTIC LOOK AT THE TOURS. UM, AS DISCUSSED HERE TODAY, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THEM. AND MOST IMPORTANT CONFLICT OF INTEREST IS REAL MAYOR. AND I THINK THAT WITH TURS 18, WE APPEAR TO BE LOOKING AT THE TIP OF AN ICEBERG. UM, WE NEED TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THIS TURS. UM, IT WAS GOING TO BE MY RECOMMENDATION, SIR, TODAY THAT WE REFER IT BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION. UM, BUT PRIOR TO THAT, UM, MAKING THAT, UH, I WANTED TO RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN IMMEDIATE REMOVAL OF HARVEY CLEMENS FROM THE BOARD OF THE TOURS. UM, HE'S BEEN ON THIS BOARD SINCE JULY OF 1999. UM, THERE SEEMS TO BE SIGNIFICANT CONFLICT OF INTEREST. UM, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS, IS GO ONLINE AND LOOK, THERE ARE MANY ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, I THINK MR. CLEMENS NEEDS TO FOCUS HIS TIME AND ENERGY ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT, AND THAT'S THE RESIDENTS OF THE PLEASANT HILL, UM, SENIOR LIVING. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO, TO, WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO HELP HIM TO FIND A LONG, FIND AN IMMEDIATE SOLUTION FOR THIS LONG-TERM PROBLEM. BECAUSE I THINK BOTTOM LINE IS, WHAT ABOUT THESE PEOPLE? WHERE ARE THEY? WHERE ARE THEY GONNA GO? UM, HOW DO WE GET THEM OUT OF THERE? HOW DO WE KEEP THEM HEALTHY IN THE CONDITIONS THAT THEY'RE LIVING IN? UH, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, WHO, UH, IS A HUNDRED PERCENT ON BOARD. UM, WE TALKED THIS MORNING AND, UM, I APPRECIATE THE RELEASE COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, BUT I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THIS, AND I THINK THAT WE, WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THIS. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON ALSO REITERATED THAT SHE HASN'T SEEN A BUDGET ON THIS TOURS, AND CERTAINLY THAT'S IN HER DISTRICT. I SHARE MANY OF YOUR CONCERNS IF YOU GO OUT THERE TODAY. IT, AS YOU ABLE DESCRIBED, IT WOULD SOUND LIKE THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH, WHEN THE TERRACE WAS FORMED. SO WE'LL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WOULD, I WOULD ALSO NOTE THIS IS IN COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S DISTRICT. I KNOW SHE HAS SOME VIEWS ON THIS. I WON'T SPEAK FOR HER, BUT I THINK WE'D ALL BENEFIT FROM HEARING HER PERSPECTIVE AS WELL. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, UH, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK ON YOUR TAG OR THERE'S ONE OTHER PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO PLUM, UH, COUNCILMAN PLUMMER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M INCREDIBLY FOCUSED ON LIVING CONDITIONS IN, IN MULTIFAMILY, AND SO I, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT THE, UM, I SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER TO REFER THIS BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION TO EVALUATE THIS A LITTLE BIT DEEPER. UM, AND THEN I OBVIOUSLY WANT COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON TO EVALUATE IT AS WELL, TO GET HER, UM, TO HER, YOU KNOW, HER OPINION ON THIS AS WELL. VERY WELL SAID. UH, COUNCILMAN DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, LET ME JUST SAY THAT, UH, I WOULD, WOULD CERTAINLY, UM, THE APPROACH THEN BY WHICH COUNCILMAN CARTER MADE SOME STATEMENTS REGARDING THIS. AND, UH, IN REGARDS TO, UM, THE POSITION ON THE BOARD, THAT'S A DIFFERENT ISSUE REGARDING TO MY TAG. BUT I WISH, SINCE I WAS THE ONE THAT WENT OUT TO THE FACILITY, I WISH SOME OF THE CONVERSATION WOULD'VE REFERRED TO ME AS WELL, SINCE I WAS THE ONE THAT INITIATED THE PRESENCE OF THAT AFTER LEAVING COUNCIL THAT DAY. AND I HAD MUCH CONVERSATION, UH, WITH NOT ONLY, UH, RESIDENTS THERE, BUT ALSO MY DEEPER DIVE INTO THIS WAS DUE TO SOME OTHER AREAS REGARDING THE FIFTH WARD REDEVELOPMENT, UH, PROCEDURE. AND IN, IN REGARDS TO THAT, LIKE I SAY, I WISH THOSE CONVERSATIONS WOULD'VE BEEN DIRECTED, UH, ALSO THAT ALL OF US COULD HAVE DISCUSSED THIS MATTER. UH, THIS IS NOT A PURPOSE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO, UH, BE OUT FRONT OF WHO'S GOING TO GET CREDIT. THAT'S, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THE REALITY OF IT IS THESE CONDITIONS, AS I STATED ON THAT DAY, WERE PERTAINING TO THE SENIOR CITIZENS AND THOSE CONDITIONS THAT ARE THERE, THERE ARE OTHER AREAS OF INVESTIGATION THAT WE'RE DOING, UH, REGARDING THAT FACILITY. AND, UH, AND SO THAT WAS THE REASON FOR MY TAGGING IT. AND, UH, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD LITERALLY, AGAIN, GET WITH IT. I DID SPEAK TO COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON THE DAY OF, THE DAY OF WHEN WE WENT THERE. SO, UH, IN, IN REGARDS TO [04:10:01] THAT, UH, I WANT TO STICK WITH THE TAG, AND WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT THIS IN THERE. THANK YOU. LET ME JUST SAY, THE, UM, RESPONSE TO THE CITIZEN AND THE DAUGHTER OF ONE OF THE RESIDENTS WAS, UH, CORRECT YOURSELF, UH, COUNCILMAN CARTER JACKSON. MOST OF US, CERTAINLY MY STAFF WAS THERE. AND, UH, IT'S JUST NOT, SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO EXIST. CERTAINLY WHEN THERE ARE RESOURCES THROUGH THE TURS, THROUGH THE MANAGEMENT THAT KNOW BETTER AND CAN DO BETTER. SO, I APPLAUD THE ACCOUNTABILITY THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED HERE AT THE HORSESHOE THIS MORNING. WE NEED TO DO MORE OF IT. UH, BUT SPECIFICALLY, UH, FIFTH WARD, UH, HAS BEEN NEGLECTED WAY TOO LONG. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU CAN SEE SOME DEVELOPMENT BY THE TURS THAT STAND OUT IS SOME OF THE BEST DEVELOPMENT IN HOUSTON, BUT ACROSS THE STREET, YOU GET DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS. SO I THINK IT RAISES THE WHOLE DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD THIS MORNING ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF TS THE BENEFITS RECEIVED. SOME OF 'EM DO GOOD JOBS HAS BEEN ARTICULATED THIS MORNING, BUT FRIENDS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE KIND OF PUT THIS IN PLACE GOING BACK TO NINE NINE, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FOLKS COME THROUGH THIS HORSESHOE WHILE THAT WAS ALLOWED TO EXIST. BUT WE CAN'T SIT HERE AND DO OUR JOB KNOWING THAT WE HAVE A TURS IN PLACE THAT ARE OVERSEEING SOME OF THE WORST CONDITIONS IN HOUSTON. SO, APPLAUD YOUR TAG, QUITE FRANKLY, TO GIVE US MORE TIME TO, TO DISCUSS IT NOW. I DON'T THINK WE CAN JUST MAKE ALL THIS NOISE TODAY AND LET THINGS GO BACK TO OR CONTINUE THE WAY THEY ARE. SO, UH, LET'S, LET'S GET EVERYONE INVOLVED. MOST OF US KNOW THE STAKEHOLDERS. UH, I, PASTOR CLEMENTS WAS BEFORE US, WHAT, THREE WEEKS AGO. AND, UH, HE DESCRIBED HE WAS GOING TO, YOU KNOW, HE, HE HAD DIFFERENT REASONS FOR THEIR CONDITIONS, EXISTING NEW MANAGEMENT. THE BOTTOM LINE IS ENOUGH'S ENOUGH. AND SO MAYBE THIS IS A STRONG ENOUGH STATEMENT, UH, COUNCILMAN CARTER, THAT, THAT IT'LL COME TO AN END AND YOUR TAG WILL FACILITATE THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING OUT THERE. I WAS GETTING REPORTS IN REAL TIME FROM YOUR, FROM YOU, NOT YOUR STAFF. YOU, REBECCA WILLIAMS IN MY OFFICE WAS THERE. IT WAS PROBABLY WORSE THAN, THAN PROBABLY EVEN THE FAMILY DESCRIBED THE CONDITIONS. SO IF I MAY ADD TO MAYOR, UH, IN MOVING ON, UH, YOU KNOW, SI MEAN, I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT I'M NOT SUPPORTIVE OF TERRORIST, WHICH I AM. BUT THE POINT IS THAT ALONG WITH THIS, THERE ARE OTHER AREAS OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY, BECAUSE I HAD ALSO ALSO BEEN AT ANOTHER COMPLEX THAT ARE ISSUES AROUND SENIOR CITIZENS TREATMENT AND SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE NOT RECEIVING. UH, SO THAT'S WHY I TAGGED IT SO THAT WE CAN LOOK MORE DEPTH INTO SOME OF THESE CONDITIONS THAT OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT ARE GOING ON AROUND THE CITY AND OTHER DISTRICTS OTHER THAN JUST DISTRICT B. THANK YOU. THE SAD NEWS IS THE CONDITIONS DIDN'T JUST GET THAT WAY. I'M GONNA LOOK AROUND THE HORSESHOE. THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S A CONSCIOUSNESS THAT IT WAS ALLOWED. THOSE CONDITIONS HAVE EXISTED PRIOR TO THE DISCUSSION WE'RE HAVING NOW. LET'S EITHER IN THE CONDITIONS ARE CERTAINLY IN THE FOLKS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT, WHO WANTS TO BE RECOGNIZED. COUNCILMAN ALCORN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION ON T. UH, I'M GONNA JOIN THIS TAG WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, JUST, I, I HAVE ABOUT SIX OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS ON SPECIFIC LINE ITEMS IN THE PROJECT PLAN AND IN THE BUDGET THAT USUALLY THEY DO A GREAT JOB OF RESPONDING TO ME BEFORE THE MEETING. BUT, UH, JUST FOR THOSE OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS, I'LL JOIN THE TAG. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, AND WITH RESPECT, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS TO NOT COMMUNICATING WITH YOU, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON REACHED OUT TO ME THIS MORNING ASKING ME TO TAG, AND [04:15:01] WE HAD A CONVERSATION, BUT PRIOR TO THAT, UM, THE RESIDENTS, I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, ERICA HUBBARD HAD A LENGTHY CONVERSATION WITH ME YESTERDAY MORNING OF HER CONCERNS. AND, UM, CERTAINLY, UH, I THINK WHEN, UH, WHEN SOMEONE COMES TO PUBLIC SESSION AND SPEAKS, IT IS BENEFICIAL FOR ANYONE WHO, UM, IS INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE TO LEARN. AND, UH, NOT TO OVERSTEP YOUR NOVEMBER 14TH VISIT, BUT CERTAINLY JUST TO ALSO, UH, DO MY OWN HOMEWORK AND INQUIRE, I'LL CERTAINLY JOIN YOUR TAG, OBVIOUSLY, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I DIDN'T INTEND TO OVERSTEP BY BY BRINGING IT TO THE ATTENTION TODAY. COUNCILOR PLUM. COUNCILOR PLUMMER, THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I THINK YOU ALREADY MENTIONED, I DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO DIVIDE THESE TWO CONVERSATIONS. THESE ARE, THESE ARE SEPARATE CONVERSATIONS. UM, ONE IS DEALING WITH THE, UM, THE TURS, WHICH I COMPLETELY AGREE, DO AMAZING THINGS. AND FIFTH WARD IS ONE AREA THAT NEEDS WHATEVER SUPPORT NECESSARY TO, UM, TO REVITALIZE IT AND MAKE IT SAFE. THE OTHER SIDE OF IT IS THE DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS OF, LET ME BRING UP AGAIN, 2,500 APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. HALF OF OUR INVENTORY ARE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SEE. I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A LONG TIME. I HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UM, IN TERMS OF HOW THEY PUT FORWARD, UM, THEIR REGULATIONS WHEN THEY HAVE THAT FIRST LOOK, UM, THAT ENTITIES ARE LOOKING AT 4% AND 9%. UM, I'M WAITING TO HAVE MY, MY MEETING WITH THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION TO HOPEFULLY THEM GET ON BOARD, UM, TO PUT SOME TYPE OF GUIDANCE OVER THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT ARE JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE. THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND I'M GONNA JUST KEEP ON SAYING THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, HAS FULL GUIDANCE TO HOLD THESE FOLKS ACCOUNTABLE. WE HAVE THE AVENUE TO DO IT. WE HAVE THE ENFORCEMENT OPPORTUNITY. WE, UM, NOW HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HEALTH INSPECTORS ARE NECESSARY TO DO THE INSPECTORS. IT WILL NOT TAKE US FOUR YEARS TO EVALUATE THESE. WE CAN PICK THE 12 NASTIEST THEY DID THE DIRTY DOZEN YEARS AGO IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. WE CAN DO IT AGAIN. WE JUST NEED TO HAVE MY LAST MEETING, UM, WITH LEGAL NEEDS TO FINALIZE. AND THEN MY LAST MEETING TO HOPEFULLY GET THE SUPPORT FOR THE DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION. UM, AND BY HELLA HIGH WATER, I'M BRINGING AMENDMENT FORWARD, , UM, AN ORDINANCE FORWARD TO GET THIS CLEANED UP BECAUSE WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS. AND THESE FOLKS THAT ARE DEALING WITH THIS CANNOT COME HERE AND CONTINUE TO COME TO COMPLAIN. UM, AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, HEALTHIER PEOPLE IS A HEALTHIER CITY. THIS LINES UP MAYOR DIRECTLY WITH YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES. UM, THE BLUE STAR, UM, YOU KNOW, MEMBERSHIP THAT THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES CAN GET ON TO CLEAN THE CITY UP. BAD THINGS HAPPEN IN DARK SPACES WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT WELL. AND WHEN CHILDREN DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE, THEY BECOME CRIME RIDDEN. IT'S JUST A PART OF THE SITUATION. YOU CAN SEE IT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. SO, UM, I'M GONNA GET OFF MY HORSESHOE, MY HORSESHOE FOR A SECOND, AND, UM, BUT I'M TELLING YOU, IN THE NEXT 90 DAYS BY HELLA HIGH WATER, WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF US. WELL, THANK YOU. AND I DID FOLLOW UP YOUR, YOUR WORK BEFORE I GOT HERE. YOU WERE LOUD AND LOUD AND CLEAR. CERTAINLY THE STORMS, UH, DEMONSTRATED SOME OF THE, UH, SENIORS THAT WERE LOCKED UP IN INFERIOR FACILITIES. SO IT ALSO GETS DOWN TO PRIORITIES. I, LORD KNOWS, I DON'T WANNA BRING UP LIGHTS ON THE FREEWAY AGAIN TODAY, BUT THIS IS THE REAL DEAL THAT MATTERS TO HOUSTONIANS. HOW DO YOU REMEDY PEOPLE LIVING IN THESE CONDITIONS AND SPEND RESOURCES FOR INSPECTION FOR RENOVATION VERSUS THINGS THAT ARE PRETTY, SO ANYWAY, DON'T GET ME STARTING. AND MAYOR, CAN I MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT PLEASE, BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS. UM, THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS THAT MADE THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, WHEN WE CONSIDER THE 9% AND THE 4% WAS TO ENSURE, AND OF COURSE, WE CAN'T MANDATE ANYTHING, RIGHT? BUT WE CAN ADD IT TO THE LIST. UM, I ASKED FOR A SENIOR LIVING FACILITY OR A FACILITY WHERE THERE ARE PEOPLE THERE THAT ARE UNWELL WHERE THEY NEED SOME TYPE OF LIFESAVING DEVICES, THAT THEY HAVE A SMALL ENOUGH GENERATOR. WE DON'T WANT TO IMPEDE THE MOVEMENT, RIGHT? BUT A SMALL GENERATOR ENOUGH TO JUST GIVE ONE ELEVATOR ELECTRICITY AND JUST THE COMMON AREA. THAT IS IT. THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING FOR. AND THEN THE OTHER PART IS LOOKING AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANNEL CHALLENGES THAT WE TYPICALLY, YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE'RE DOING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. UM, AND YOU KNOW, AND I DID TALK TO, UM, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND THEY DID SAY THAT WHEN THEY COME AND PRESENT ON THAT KIND OF FIRST LOOK TO BE CONSIDERED, THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES BECAUSE [04:20:01] THEY HAVEN'T DONE SURVEYS YET AND, AND SOIL SAMPLES AND ALL THAT. BUT I THINK HISTORICALLY WE CAN GET IN FRONT OF IT AND WE CAN SAY IF THERE ARE SOME AIR QUALITY ISSUES, WE CAN GIVE SUGGESTIONS TO DEVELOPER AND SAY, PUT MORE FOLIAGE, YOU KNOW, BUILD MORE, TREAT WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO, BUT WE CAN GET ON THE FRONT END OF IT. SO THOSE WERE THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I DID MAKE. THEY WERE RECEIVED, UM, POSITIVELY BY THE DEPARTMENT, BUT I WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE AND TO SAY THAT IF WE CAN, UM, DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN ON THE FRONT END, THEN I THINK ONCE WE'RE ALL GONE AND THESE ENTITIES, UM, YOU KNOW, HALF, 4% CREDITS AND 9%, I THINK THAT WE CAN, UM, NOT HOPEFULLY WHEN WE'RE ALL GONE, THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, LEVEL, THE NEXT COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT COME FORWARD DON'T HAVE THESE SAME COMPLAINTS. WELL, THANK YOU. AND YOU CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE. I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU IT HAS TO BE A HOLISTIC APPROACH BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO OUT AND PLACE THOSE STANDARDS AND THEY DON'T MEET THEM, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A PLACE TO RELOCATE THOSE SENIORS. AND THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A CHALLENGE. EVEN AT MY PREVIOUS, UH, PUBLIC SERVICE. YOU, YOU WANT TO GET FOLKS OUT OF DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS OR SUBSTANDARD, BUT YOU DON'T WANNA PUT 'EM OUT ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON EITHER. SO IT BECOMES PRETTY, UH, CHALLENGING, BUT YOU'RE NOT GONNA FIX IT IF YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT IT. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. UH, COUNCILMAN DAVIS? YES. LAST, LAST COMMENT. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT BECAUSE THE DAY WE WENT OUT THERE, THE FIRST THING WE WERE CONCERNED WITH WAS YOUR OFFICE EMPHASIZED THE FACT WE RELOCATE THOSE PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY. WHERE WERE THEY GOING TO GO BASED ON THE CONDITIONS? AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO, AND LET ME THANK, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, PLUMBER'S OFFICE BECAUSE WHAT I DID, I WENT TO HER OFFICE, MY CHIEF OF STAFF AND I BOTH BASED UPON WHAT SHE HAD ALREADY PUT IN PLACE. AND I THINK THAT'S THE MATTER BY WHICH WE OUGHT TO DO IT. GO THROUGH THE PERSONS WHO HAVE IMPLEMENTED THOSE THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GO FORWARD. THAT'S WHY I TAGGED IT, SO THAT WE COULD DO A DEEPER DIVE INTO IT. AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCILMAN ALCORN FOR JOINING THE TAG. VERY GOOD. NEXT, TAGGED BY DAVIS RAMIREZ, HORNE AND CARTER JUDGE P PLUMBER, TAGGED BY CARTER PLUMBER DAVIS, RAM DAVIS, RAMIREZ. RAMIREZ NEXT. MM-HMM . I DO TOO. ITEM ITEM 37 IS AN ORDINANCE THIS NEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY, YES, SIR. RAMIREZ. COUNCILOR RAMIREZ, I'LL DEFER TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, I'M GOING TO, UH, BE TAGGING THIS ITEM, BUT I'M OPENING IT UP TO DISCUSSION AHEAD OF TIME JUST TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. QUESTIONS WERE RAISED. THERE'S A PARTICULAR ITEM RELATED TO LEVY PARK, WHICH IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PARK FOR THIS AREA THAT WE LOVE THERE. THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF CHALLENGES OVER THE YEARS. UM, AND, BUT THERE'S A PRETTY BIG TICKET ITEM DIRECTED TOWARDS REALIGNMENT OF LEVY PARK. WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THAT IS, AND WE'D LIKE A FEW MORE DETAILS ON THAT. UM, SO I APPRECIATE WORKING WITH COLLEAGUES, UH, JUST SO THAT WE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION. WE DO WANNA SEE THE PARK SUCCEED. ADDITIONALLY, MAYOR, UM, I DID WANNA BRING ATTENTION TO THE FACT WEST ALABAMA IS INCLUDED. UM, THE TS UPPER KIRBY DID A GREAT JOB ON THE FIRST PHASE OF WEST ALABAMA MEMBERS. AS YOU RECALL, WE REMOVED WEST ALABAMA $50 MILLION OFF OF THE CIP AND DID A THREE PARTY MOU, BETWEEN UPPER KIRBY, MONTROSE, AND MIDTOWN TUR SO THAT THE CITY WOULD NOT SHOULDER THE COST OF THAT AND COULD FOCUS ON OTHER THINGS. UH, THE PORTION THAT HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED WITHIN UPPER KIRBY IS IN THIS MAYOR. UM, I DON'T WANNA GET INTO A BIKE LANE DEBATE. UH, BUT ONLY THAT WE HAD PRESENTED CERTAIN THINGS TO THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE NOW NO LONGER IN THE PLANS. UH, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SIDEWALK WIDTHS FOR SAFETY FOR STUDENTS. WE HAVE LAMAR, WE HAVE PRIVATE SCHOOLS ALL ALONG THERE, AND I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IN THE NEW SCOPE, THAT THOSE SAFETY FEATURES FOR THOSE FAMILIES AND STUDENTS, THOSE WIDER SIDEWALKS ARE INCLUDED. UH, AND MORE SO TO THE POINT I HAD SPECIFICALLY ASKED BEFORE THIS WAS FINALIZED THAT I HAVE A MEETING, UM, WITH YOUR TEAM. I WAS TOLD THAT WAS HAPPENING, AND IT NEVER DID. IT JUST KIND OF SHOWED UP HERE. SO I WOULD LIKE THAT MEETING SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND AND COMMUNICATE TO RESIDENTS WHAT THE PLAN IS MOVING FORWARD. UM, BUT IT IS AN IMPORTANT PROJECT. IT IS A NECESSARY IMPROVEMENT, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I ALSO WANNA FLAG, WHILE WE'RE FOCUSED ON WEST ALABAMA, UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL INTERSECTIONS THAT I HAVE BEEN DESPERATELY TRYING, UM, TO HAVE ADDRESSED BY THE CITY. UM, ALONG BISSONNET JUST NORTH OF THERE, UH, WESLEYAN AND ACADEMY, UH, AT [04:25:01] ACADEMY JUST DAYS AGO, A WOMAN THAT WAS STRUCK AND HIT WHO WORKED AT RICE UNIVERSITY, UM, SHE WAS STRUCK AND HIT AT THE INTERSECTION. I HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR IMPROVEMENTS ON. SHE PASSED AWAY AND SUCCUMBED TO HER INJURIES. UH, THERE'S ALSO THE UNIVERSITY CIP THAT HAS BEEN INDEFINITELY PAUSED FOR REVIEW AND POTENTIAL REDESIGN. THESE WERE INTERSECTION SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, UH, COMING FROM WEST UNIVERSITY INTO RICE VILLAGE. A LITTLE BOY WAS HIT THERE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. AND WE NEED THESE PROJECTS TO MOVE FORWARD THERE FOR SAFETY. WE ARE SEEING CHILDREN, UH, ADULTS HIT AT THESE INTERSECTIONS. SO I I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, GETTING THE BALL ROLLING ON THOSE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AND I PROMISED MAYOR SAMPLE THAT I WOULD RAISE THAT TODAY. UH, IT, I, NO ONE SHOULD LOSE THEIR LIVES WALKING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, RAMEZ. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I'LL SECOND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S CONCERNS, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO LEVY PARK. UM, THIS IS DESCRIBED, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PARK. IT'S DESCRIBED ON THE WEBSITE IS WORLD CLASS PARK, AND HAS RECEIVED A NUMBER OF ACCOLADES. AND, UM, THE BUDGET INCLUDES A $26 MILLION PROPOSAL TO REORIENT WHAT IS ALREADY IN WORLD CLASS PARK FROM AN EAST WEST ORIENTATION TO NORTH SOUTH. AND IN LIGHT OF THE DISCUSSION YESTERDAY, I I JUST COME BACK TO, WE HAVE SO MANY PARKS IN THIS CITY THAT ARE IN AWFUL SHAPE. UM, MASON PARK HAS BEEN CRYING OUT FOR ITS, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER TO BE REPAIRED FOR YEARS NOW. UM, THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE. AND, UM, I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THAT LARGE EXPENDITURE FOR WHAT IS ALREADY A BEAUTIFUL SHOWCASE PARK. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. YES. I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. I ALSO, UM, ASKED ABOUT THE LEVY PARK. IT IS A, IT'S A BIG TICKET ITEM. IT'S $8.5 MILLION IN ACQUISITION COSTS. NOT JUST, IT'S, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING. THEY SENT ME A MAP, UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK ABOUT IT. THEY GOT THE ORIGINAL LEVY PARK SITE, AND THEN THEY'RE EXPANDING, I GUESS, TOWARDS RICHMOND. IS THAT, IS THAT THE BLOCK FACE THAT THEY'RE EXPANDING TO AND KIND OF REORIENTING IT THAT WAY? AND TO YOUR POINT, WE WERE NOT, UM, UPDATED ON THAT PROPOSAL, SO WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET INFORMATION. OKAY. I JUST, THEY SENT ME A MAP, BUT THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE. YEAH. AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOTHING AGAINST LEVY. WE LOVE LEVY PARK. YEAH. WE, I LOVE IT. WE HOSTED FAMILIES WITH PRIDE THERE FOR YEARS. YEAH. AND ACTUALLY OUTGREW THE FOOTPRINT. UM, FAMILIES NEED A PARK IN THAT AREA. UH, IT'S GREAT FOR KIDS. THE PROGRAMMING, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, GIVEN THE STRUGGLES AND CHALLENGES THAT THE PARK HAS ALREADY FACED, RIGHT. THAT THIS IS THE, UM, THIS IS GOING TO FURTHER THE SUCCESS OF THE PARK AND IS THE BEST USE OF THOSE FUNDS. WE JUST NEED SOME MORE INFORMATION. THERE WERE TWO RESTAURANTS THAT I THINK ARE NOT NO LONGER. WE, THEY'VE HAD SET MUCH A LOT OF TURNOVER WITH RESTAURANTS COMING IN AND OUT, UM, OF THAT AREA. SO THAT'S, AGAIN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT. 'CAUSE THAT WAS A SOURCE OF, I BELIEVE, REVENUE, UH, FOR THE PARK AS WELL. GOT IT. THANK YOU. TAGGED BY, UH, CAYMAN. NEXT, I'LL JOIN THAT TAG. AND RAMIREZ. AND RAMIREZ. ITEM 40 IS AND ORDERED. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 41 IS AN ORDINANCE. YOU NEED TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 46 IS AN ORDINANCE. YOU NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES [PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS] I ITEM 56 FOR REQUIRE THREE. MOTION. WE NEED A MOTION TO RECONSIDER CAST STATE, A MOVE TO RECONSIDER. SECOND MOTIONS MADE, AND SECOND TO RECONSIDER. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES NOW BEFORE US. AND WE NEED, WE NEED A MOTION TO BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL FOR RECONSIDERATION. CASTEX TATUM. MOVE TO, UH, BRING THE ITEM BACK FOR CONSIDERATION. MOTION SECOND MADE. AND SECOND TO BRING BACK BEFORE COUNSEL. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY [04:30:01] YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NOW WE HAVE THE ITEM. NOW THE MAIN ITEM, CASTEX ITEM. MOVE TO CONSIDER THE MAIN ITEM. I SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. OKAY. [MATTERS HELD] ITEM 57 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. TAG CASTILLO. TAG CAST. CASTILLO, WILL YOU RELEASE FOR DI DO YOU WANNA DISCUSS? WILL YOU RELEASE TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER? WAIT TILL NEXT WEEK. OKAY. TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. ADAM, 58 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED TO NAY. CAYMAN'S GOING TO TAG, BUT I'M HAPPY TO OPEN FOR DISCUSSION. POLLARD. COUNCIL MEMBER. POLLARD. COUNCIL MEMBER AND FLICKINGER. YEAH. I HAD A QUESTION FOR LEGAL. WHEN WE LAST TALKED ABOUT THIS, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FIREFIGHTER CONTRACT BEING IN ALIGNMENT WITH STATE LAW. YES. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IF THE UNION AND THE CITY AGREE NOT TO HAVE THE 180 DAYS MM-HMM . THAT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY SUPERSEDE STATE LAW. IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. THE PARTIES CAN AGREE TO VARY STATE LAW THROUGH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST FROM THE CITY, WHETHER THAT'S CITY LEGAL MAYOR OR SOMEONE IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION, A RECORD, UM, OF THE PAST, LET'S SAY SINCE, UH, SINCE THE 180 DAY LAW WENT INTO THE STATE OF TEXAS'S CODE, I BELIEVE THAT WAS 1987. IF WE, IS IT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THROUGH THE OIGS OFFICE OR OTHER, UH, HOW, OR THROUGH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, HOW MANY INCIDENTS, UM, HAVE OCCURRED, WHETHER POLICE, FIRE, OR MUNICIPAL, THAT WE WERE PRECLUDED FROM TAKING ACTION BECAUSE OF THE DATE OF DISCOVERY? THAT MAY BE POSSIBLE. UM, IT PROBABLY ISN'T EASY BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT BE REFLECTED IN A SORT OF A REGULARLY FILED REPORT. BUT I CAN SEE THAT THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL, MAYOR, IF WE COULD HAVE THAT RECORD. SURE. UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO WITHHOLD MY COMMENTS. UH, BUT I, I DID WANNA SAY, UM, IN DEFENSE OF THE FINANCIAL CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING EARLIER, UM, THAT THIS IS OF COURSE ABOUT VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS. SURE. UH, AND ADDRESSING SEXUAL HARASSMENT WHEREVER IT MAY BE IN THE WORKPLACE, I DON'T CARE IF IT'S AT THE CITY, I DON'T CARE IF IT'S IN A PRIVATE CORPORATION. UM, IT IS ABOUT PROTECTING EMPLOYEES. ADDITIONALLY, THOUGH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT BECAUSE OF THE RULES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE THAT I BELIEVE ARE DR. QUITE DRACONIAN, IT IS COSTING THE CITY MONEY. THERE IS A FINANCIAL COST TO THESE RULES. AND I THINK IT IS. AND FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS SETTLEMENT, THE SURVIVOR ABSOLUTELY HAS A RIGHT TO THIS MONEY. I THINK SHE DESERVES MORE, AND I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK HER NAME BECAUSE SHE DESERVES PRIVACY. SHE HAS GONE THROUGH ENOUGH. UM, BUT THERE ARE OTHER INSTANCES WHERE THE CITY, BECAUSE OF FEDERAL INVESTIGATIONS, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INVESTIGATIONS, HAVE HAD TO PAY A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE. SO THERE IS A FINANCIAL COMPONENT TO THIS AS WELL, INCLUDING HAVING PEOPLE ON PAYROLL THAT HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO BUSINESS WORKING FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. WELL, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE THE, UH, SUSPECT, THE PERPETRATOR SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED WHEN THIS WAS DISCOVERED IN 2018, SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED. THE CHIEF HAD TWO REASONS TO FIRE THE PERSON FOR LYING AND DESTROYING EVIDENCE. CORRECT. THIS VICTIM'S HAD TO LIVE THROUGH THIS FOR LONG SINCE THEN. UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S BEEN POLITICIZED UNNECESSARILY. THIS IS NOT THE DEBATE ABOUT 180 DAYS, EITHER FROM DISCOVERY OR FROM THE INCIDENT THAT SHOULD BE DEBATED IN THE HALLS OF THE LEGISLATURE ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER TIME. AND THE COST THAT YOU'RE MENTIONING, WE CAN'T FIND, THERE IS NO CASE SIMILAR TO THIS. THIS IS A TRAGEDY THAT BECAUSE [04:35:01] OF THE POLITICALIZATION OF IT AND PUTTING IT ON THE FRONT PAGE HAS DONE TREMENDOUS HARM TO THE VICTIM AND DISCOURAGE OTHERS FROM COMING FORWARD. THE PERPETRATOR COULD HAVE BEEN FIRED IN 2008, AND THE LAWSUIT PROBABLY WILL BE VERY MINIMAL. BUT BECAUSE OF THE HARM AND DAMAGE AND SUFFERING, THIS NEW FIRE CHIEF AND THIS MAYOR LET THE PERPETRATOR KNOW WHO WAS STILL ON THE DEPARTMENT AT THE TIME, THAT HE HAS NO FUTURE IN THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND HE HAS SINCE LEFT THE DEPARTMENT. THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED. THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS BEEN HANDLED, THAT ZERO TOLERANCE. AND ALL I'M SAYING IS I'VE BEEN IN THE LEGISLATURE LONG ENOUGH TO HEAR BOTH SIDES OF THE 180 DAY RULE. THE CURRENT CONTRACT FOLLOWED STATE LAW. IT FOLLOWED THE PREVIOUS CITY CONTRACT LANGUAGE. SO ALL I'M SAYING IS LET'S ALLOW THIS VICTIM TO HAVE CLOSURE AND COMMIT OURSELF TO ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SEXUAL HARASSMENT WHEREVER IT'S FOUND IN SOCIETY, BUT CERTAINLY IN CITY GOVERNMENT, WHICH WE HAVE CONTROL OVER. UNDERSTOOD. AND I, I CERTAINLY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL SHOULD HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESIGN, UM, BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TERMINATED. UM, EVEN WHEN WE LEARNED ABOUT THIS CASE IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN GONE. HE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO RESIGN. UH, BUT I'LL, I'LL WITH, I'LL WITHHOLD MY COMMENTS FOR NEXT WEEK. UM, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND RECORDS, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE ONLY CASE. THANK YOU. WELL, WELL, I CERTAINLY WANT APOLOGIZE TO MS. APP, UM, ON BEHALF OF HOUSTONIANS. UH, SHE WENT THROUGH HELL. SHE'S LISTENING TO THIS RIGHT NOW. SHE'S HAVING TO RELIVE THE TORMENT AND, UH, HOPEFULLY AFTER TODAY, IT'LL ALLOW CLOSURE FOR HER. AND WE CAN CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT LABOR CONTRACTS AND STATE LAW AT ANOTHER TIME. AND MAYOR, WE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS EVEN THROUGH THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. UNDERSTAND, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE RAISED UNDERSTAND ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN RAISING THIS ISSUE SINCE 2020. UNDERSTAND THE CITY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ALSO PRESENTED TO THE ENTIRE HOUSTON DELEGATION AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE, OUR REQUEST TO TAKE ON THE CHANGE AT THE STATE LEVEL OF THIS LAW THAT IS DRACONIAN AND SHOULD BE CHANGED. I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY. WAS IT THE CITY'S ATTEMPT IN THE, THIS YEAR'S CONTRACT NEGOTIATION TO CHANGE THE 180 DAY RULE? YES, THE CITY DID THAT. THANK YOU. IT WAS A MAJOR POINT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MAYOR POLLARD. I'M GONNA START, UH, MY COMMENTS, UH, BY READING A, A STATEMENT, UM, BY THE FORMER EMPLOYEE WHO HAD TO LIVE THROUGH THIS, WHO SHE'S PUT OUT TO THE MEDIA. IT SAYS, AFTER MANY YEARS OF FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE, SHE'S PLEASED THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS FINALLY HANDLING HER CASE IN THE RIGHT WAY. SHE IS GRATEFUL THAT THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL IS CAREFULLY CONSIDERING HER CASE AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CURRENT RULES THAT PROTECT THOSE WHO HAVE ENGAGED IN SEVERE MISCONDUCT FROM THE FULL CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS. SO THIS IS FROM THE WOMAN HERSELF WHO IS SHOWING APPRECIATION TO THIS BODY FOR LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER, LOOKING INTO THAT RULE AND FEELING EMPOWERED AND VALUED THAT WE'RE DOING SO. SO THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICIZING ANYTHING. THAT'S A TERM THAT PEOPLE USE WHEN THEY WANT TO SKIRT AROUND THE ISSUE. WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW IS TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO CORRECT OR WRONG, ONE, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND MANY OF US HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD IN THE PAST. WE DON'T HAVE TO DEPEND JUST ON THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO CHANGE THIS, UH, PROVISION AS IT PERTAINS TO OUR CONTRACT. TWO PARTIES CAN DO IT. THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS ALREADY SAID THAT THE CITY'S POSITION WAS TO CHANGE THIS PARTICULAR, UH, RULE WITHIN OUR LAST CONTRACT NEGOTIATION. SO IF WE PUT THAT FORTH AS A, AS AS A CITY ON OUR SIDE OF NEGOTIATION TABLE, THEN IT'S ONLY UP TO THE FIRE UNION TO THEN ALSO ACCEPT THOSE TERMS. THE POLICE OFFICER'S UNION, THEY DID ACCEPT THOSE TERMS TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE ASKED THEM TO CHANGE THAT PROVISION [04:40:01] WITHIN THEIR CONTRACT. SO THE TWO PARTIES CAN AGREE TO DO SO, AND THE TWO PARTIES CAN AGREE TO DO SO. AT ANY TIME, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THIS SOMETHING THAT'S BIGGER THAN WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE, BUT THE TWO PARTIES CAN DO THAT ALONE. MY QUESTION FOR THE, THE CITY ATTORNEY IS EVEN REGARDING STATE LAW AS IT PERTAINS TO THE 180 DAY RULE, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN LANGUAGE BETWEEN POPULATIONS OF CITIES OF 1.5 MILLION OR MORE AND POPULATIONS OF CITY OF CITIES OF UNDER 1.5 MILLION? AND HOW DOES THAT PLAY A ROLE IN THIS FOR THE VARIOUS TYPES OF, UH, LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT, WHETHER TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OR WHAT'S FIRING, WHICH IS CALLED INDEFINITE SUSPENSION? IT, YOU HAVE TO DISCIPLINE WITHIN 180 DAYS IN INSTANCES FOR OTHER CITIES, IT'S FROM THE ACT OF MISCONDUCT SAYING FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, FOR FIRING, BUT FOR TEMPORARY SUSPENSIONS, THE CITY OF HOUSTON ITS LAW PERMITS IT FROM THE DATE OF DISCOVERY. SO HOUSTON'S LAW IS MORE FAVORABLE THAN THE OTHER CITIES IN THAT REGARD. WHEN YOU SAY MORE FAVORABLE, EXPLAIN THAT FROM A MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE. UH, THE CLOCK DOESN'T START TICKING UNTIL MANAGEMENT FINDS OUT. SO THERE'S A, SO HOUSTON IS DIFFERENT THAN EVERY OTHER CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AS IT PERTAINS TO THIS. CORRECT. AND SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS THE TWO PARTIES TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON THIS AND DO WHAT'S RIGHT. AND MAYOR, IF YOU'RE, IF YOUR SIDE OF THE TABLE AND YOUR NEGOTIATION TEAM BELIEVES THAT IS THE CASE, THEN YOU ALL SHOULD BE PUSHING FURTHER FOR THAT AND SUPPORTING US WHEN WE COME TO YOU AND ASK YOU TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS TO TRY TO BRING THE FIRE UNION BACK TO THE TABLE TO NEGOTIATE THIS ONE TERM. IF YOU'RE SERIOUS ABOUT IT AND YOU'RE SERIOUS ABOUT THESE ALLEGATIONS, AND YOU'RE SERIOUS ABOUT THE INJUSTICES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE, SPECIFICALLY IN THIS ONE INSTANCE WHERE WE ARE NOW HAVING TO PAY $850,000 OF TAXPAYER MONEY, THEN LET'S GO AHEAD AND CORRECT THE WRONG WHY. GO FORWARD WITH A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT THAT STILL HAS THIS PROVISION THAT, UH, IS GOVERNED BY STATE LAW. WE CAN PUT IT IN PLAIN LANGUAGE AND WRITE IT WITHIN THE CONTRACT JUST LIKE THE POLICE OFFICERS UNION DID AND DO THE RIGHT THING. AND I'M CALLING ON YOUR ADMINISTRATION TO DO SO. THAT'S WHY I WROTE YOU A PUBLIC LETTER THAT I NEVER GOT A RESPONSE FROM YOU. AND I ALSO AM CALLING FOR THE FIRE UNION TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT. ONE INCIDENT IS ONE INCIDENT TOO MANY. AND THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT, IT'S ABOUT ALL WRONGDOINGS, DISCRIMINATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS SUCH A STICKING POINT AND WHY THIS HAS TO BE DRAGGED OUT SO LONG WHEN WE'RE JUST TRYING TO SEE AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT. THANK YOU. GERALD, DO YOU HAVE, UH, YEAH. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? I WOULD LIKE TO URGE, UH, WHAT WAS STATED BEFORE A SEPARATION OF THIS LAWSUIT FROM THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS, I THINK THAT HAS BEEN, WAS NEGOTIATED. WE ATTEMPTED TO DO SO, AND WE REACHED A HISTORIC SETTLEMENT THAT PUT TO BED SEVEN YEARS OF LIABILITY ON WHAT I THOUGHT WERE FAVORABLE TERMS FOR THE CITY. IN THIS INSTANCE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS COME TO CLOSURE. IT DOESN'T BECOME FINAL UNTIL COUNSEL TAKES ACTION AND THEN THE COURT ENTERS ITS JUDGMENT. I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT HERE BECAUSE THIS IS, I CONSIDER TO BE A FAIR SETTLEMENT TO THE CITY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TWO. AND I WOULD URGE COUNSEL WITH DUE RESPECT FOR THE ABILITY TO TAG, TO APPROVE THIS ITEM AND PUT THIS, THE LAWSUIT TO BED. I TOTALLY CONCUR. IT'S TIME TO END POLITICS. AND LET'S GIVE THIS LADY CLOSURE. ANYONE ELSE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED, I THINK SHE TAGGED. TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] COUNCIL COUNSELOR CASTILLO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO START MY COMMENTS TODAY. UM, BY THANKING SOME RESIDENTS IN THE MONTY BEACH AND BROOKSMITH COMMUNITY FOR, UH, COMING DOWN TO SESSION, ADVOCATING FOR THEIR, THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY WERE DEALING WITH A DANGEROUS, ABANDONED, VACANT, UH, STRUCTURE THAT WAS CAUSING A NUMBER OF ISSUES FOR FOLKS THAT LIVED NEARBY AND AROUND IT. UM, AND WE WERE RECENTLY ABLE TO GET THAT BUILDING REMOVED. IT TOOK, UH, THE COOPERATION OF THE MONTE BEACH CIVIC CLUB, UH, ADVOCATES, UH, TIM INGS, PEGGY ROBINSON, RACHEL DVORSKY, AND OTHERS, UH, ALONG WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, HPD, UH, CITY LEGAL PUBLIC WORKS TO BRING THIS, [04:45:01] UH, BRING THIS TO, TO CLOSURE. AND, UH, THEY ARE VERY RELIEVED TO NOT HAVE THIS, UH, IN THEIR COMMUNITY. MM-HMM . I ALSO WANT TO THANK THOSE THAT PARTNERED, UH, WITH ME TO HELP GET OUR SENIORS THANKSGIVING MEALS. UH, FOR THIS PAST THANKSGIVING. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A HARD YEAR FOR A LOT OF FOLKS. UH, WE'VE HAD SOME STORMS. UH, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT HAVE, THAT HAVE HIT OUR SENIORS HARD. UM, SO IT WAS A PRIORITY FOR ME TO HELP, UM, THOSE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH SOME DIFFICULT TIMES. AND SO I WANT TO THANK KROGER FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS EFFORT, ALONG WITH THE MD ANDERSON YMCA AND, AND THEIR PARTNERSHIP TO HELP FEED SOME OF OUR FAMILIES IN THE NORTH SIDE THAT, UH, HAVE THE GREATEST NEED. AND, UH, JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS AS WE WE CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE HOLIDAY SEASON TO, UH, LOOK OUT AND, AND THINK ABOUT THOSE THAT ARE IN VULNERABLE POSITIONS IN, IN GOING THROUGH HARD TIMES. I ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE, UH, ANYONE THAT LIVES, WORKS, OR STUDIES IN DISTRICT H WHO'S INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THE DISTRICT H HORIZON INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. THE APPLICATION IS OPEN FOR OUR NEXT COHORT. UH, WE'VE HAD A SUCCESSFUL FIRST ROUND THAT IS WRAPPING UP, AND WE ARE NOW TAKING APPLICATIONS, UM, FOR ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN, IN AN EXPERIENCE WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT. UH, THE DISTRICT H OFFICE, IT'S A PAID SIX MONTH OPPORTUNITY. YOU CAN EMAIL DISTRICT H@HOUSTONTX.GOV FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE APPLICATION, AND ALSO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR OUR 2025 TOWN HALLS. WE WILL BE DOING THEM ACROSS THE CITY JUST LIKE WE STARTED THIS YEAR WITH TOWN HALLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. WE'LL BE DOING THAT AGAIN. UH, WE HAVE, UH, LOCATIONS AND DATES ALREADY OUT THERE, SO YOU CAN MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND RSVP. THANK YOU ALL. HAVE A GREAT WEEK. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. THANK YOU. WELL, SINCE MAYOR PRO TEMS IN THE CHAIR, FIRST I WANNA CONGRATULATE HER ON BEING CHOSEN AS CHAIR UNDER NLCS FEDERAL ADVOCACY COMMITTEE FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION. SO, CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. ON YOUR CONTINUED LEADERSHIP AND NLC. THANK YOU. UH, ALSO SOME THANK YOUS, UH, RELATING TO DISTRICT C LIBRARIES. WE HAD A GREAT LIBRARY EVENT AT OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY RESEARCH CENTER, UM, THIS PAST SATURDAY FOR THANKSGIVING, STORY TIME HOSTED BY HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARIES. UH, DIRECTOR GAU WAS THERE. OF COURSE, EDGAR HOLLY, AALIYAH, AND MIGUEL ALL HELPED, BUT IT WAS GREAT TO ACTUALLY BRING RESIDENTS THAT NORMALLY WOULDN'T BE AT THE RESEARCH CENTER INTO THE CENTER. UM, AND THANK YOU TO SHARONDA JOHNSON, PASTOR JOHNSON AND PASTOR WEEKS, UH, AND REVEREND MITCHELL FOR SPREADING THE WORD. ALSO, UH, FIRST LADY MCELROY CAME BY AS WELL AS, UH, PASTOR SMITH. WE, I DID WANNA BRING ATTENTION IF OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM IS LISTENING. WE ARE CONTINUING TO RECEIVE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT CHALLENGES WITH, UM, OUR HEIGHTS LIBRARY. THIS IS ONE OF THE TOP, I BELIEVE, TWO, UH, SECOND MOST UTILIZED LIBRARY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. RANKED, I BELIEVE WORST OR IN THE TOP TWO FOR, UM, CRITICAL STRUCTURAL NEEDS. THE LIBRARY IS DOING SOME, UM, MAKESHIFT OR STOPGAP MEASURES, BUT THE PICTURES WE'RE SEEING, THE CONCERNS WE'RE SEEING, UM, WE REALLY NEED TO, UH, FIND A MORE LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE HEIGHTS LIBRARY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN HOW POPULAR IT IS, HOW HEAVILY USED IT IS, AND HOW HISTORICAL IT IS. ON A BRIGHTER NOTE WITH THE LIBRARIES, THE MONTROSE LIBRARY IS FINALLY OPENING. UH, ALL COLLEAGUES, PLEASE JOIN US. BRING YOUR FAMILIES. UH, THE OPENING, IT WILL BE AT THE MONTROSE COLLECTIVE, DECEMBER 14TH FROM 10:00 AM TO ONE B 1:00 PM THERE'LL BE SNACKS, CRAFTS STORIES. UH, THIS IS A VERY LONG AWAITED OPENING OF A CRITICAL RESOURCE SPACE. UH, THERE'S A CHILDREN AND TEEN LEVEL. THERE'S AN ADULT LEVEL. THERE'S A GREAT UPSTAIRS DECK AND PATIO. A LOT OF AMENITIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING THIS FORWARD. SO, YAY FOR THE NEW MONTROSE LIBRARY. UH, WE ALSO WILL HAVE A COMMUNITY MEETING ON TURKEY GULLY. THIS IS ONE OF MY CORNERSTONE. CI, UH, NOT CIP PROJECTS, BUT FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECTS. UH, THE CITY, UH, SECURED OVER 14 MILLION FOR THIS CRITICAL FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECT. THERE'S A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING NEXT THURSDAY, UH, DECEMBER 12TH AT FIVE 30. THAT'S VIRTUAL. YOU CAN GO TO ENGAGE HOUSTON.ORG FOR DETAILS. REALLY WANNA THANK PUBLIC WORKS FOR WORKING, CONTINUING TO [04:50:01] WORK WITH ME ON THIS, UH, SHADY ACRES BARS. I PROMISED OUR RESIDENTS, UH, I WOULD CONTINUE TO BRING THIS ISSUE UP. WE ARE HEARING MORE AND MORE ISSUES OUT OF SHADY ACRES AS IT RELATES TO THE BARS. THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL AREA, VERY LIMITED INFRASTRUCTURE. IT IS NOT MEANT TO, UM, HOLD THE NUMBER OF BARS AND CLUBS. UH, CITY ATTORNEY, MICHELLE, YOU'LL RECALL EVEN ONE CLUB THAT DURING COVID HAD EXTENSIVE VIOLATIONS. UH, THEY'VE NOW BUILT, I BELIEVE, A TWO OR THREE STORY CLUB. AGAIN, THIS IS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD SURROUNDING HOMES AND THE STRAIN ON LAW ENFORCEMENT. UH, I HAVE HEARD FROM HPD, AND THE STRAIN IS VERY REAL. WE HAVE A PROBLEM HERE, AND WE NEED, WE NEED HELP. UH, SO IT TO OUR, OUR CHAIRMAN WHO'S LOOKING AT SOUND AND OTHER ISSUES, IT IS SOUND ISSUES, BUT IT IS ALSO JUST THE LEVEL OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY ASSETS THAT HAVE TO BE DIRECTED THERE JUST TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE. UM, GIVEN THE TYPE OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE, I WANNA THANK, UH, STATION 38 WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR RESPONDING TO A HOUSE FIRE, UM, ON THE HEELS OF THANKSGIVING, UH, IN TIMBER GROVE. UH, IT WAS A VERY UNFORTUNATE SITUATION. UH, TWO OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS WERE INJURED. UM, I'M HAPPY THAT TO KNOW THAT THEY WILL MAKE A FULL RECOVERY, BUT I DID WANNA THANK THEM FOR THEIR QUICK RESPONSE, UH, TO THAT HOME FIRE IN TIMBER GROVE. LASTLY, I WANTED TO WELCOME JACOB MATA TO OUR OFFICE, UH, AS OUR NEW COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER. I'M SURE SOME OF YOU HAVE SEEN HIM AROUND TAKING PICTURES AND VIDEOS. UH, PLEASE STOP BY OUR OFFICE TO COME SAY HI. HE HAD JUST COMPLETED AN INTERNSHIP WITH, UH, HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT FOUR, AND WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE HIM. UH, SO THAT'S IT FOR NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. YOU KNOW, AS WE GO THROUGH THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND WE COME TO THE END OF THE YEAR, I KNOW A LOT OF HOUSTONIANS ARE THINKING ABOUT, UH, SERVICE AND THINKING ABOUT MAKING CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS. I'D JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYONE WHO IS IN THAT SITUATION TO THINK ABOUT SUPPORTING SOME OF OUR WONDERFUL LOCAL CHARITIES. ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT SERVING ON CITY COUNCIL IS I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW SOME OF THE CHARITABLE, CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AROUND TOWN, AND I JUST WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO A FEW OF THEM AND ENCOURAGE HOUSTONIANS TO CONSIDER THEM WHEN THEY GO TO MAKE, UH, DONATIONS TO CHARITY. ONE IS COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS. UM, OUR, OUR HOMELESSNESS NUMBERS ARE, ARE CREEPING UP, AND A LOT OF HOUSTONIANS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. ONE WAY TO HELP WITH THAT SITUATION IS TO CONSIDER A DONATION TO THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS. THE CITY'S EMBARKED ON A NEW HOMELESSNESS PLAN. IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF MONEY AND, UH, THE PUBLIC CAN HELP. COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS DOES WONDERFUL WORK AND WOULD BE A GREAT CHARITY CON TO, TO CONTRIBUTE TO. ANOTHER GROUP I'VE BECOME FAMILIAR WITH IS CONNECT COMMUNITY, WHICH SERVES THE SOUTHWEST POPULATION, THE GULFTON AREA, FOR INSTANCE, AND SPECIFICALLY THE IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS IN THAT AREA. IN THAT AREA. THEY'RE MORE THAN 50 LANGUAGES SPOKEN. THEY NEED A LOT OF SERVICES. CONNECT COMMUNITY DOES A GREAT JOB OF HELPING THEM OUT. WEST STREET RECOVERY IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE CITY DOES SOME WONDERFUL WORK, UH, IN TERMS OF HELPING THE ELDERLY, UH, HELPING WITH RESILIENCE, AND, UH, JUST GENERALLY DOING GREAT THINGS. THEY'RE VERY WELL ORGANIZED AND WOULD BE, UH, A WONDERFUL, UM, CHARITY TO DONATE TO JUSTICE FORWARD, UM, HELPS OUT THE SPECIALTY COURTS AND THE DEFENDANTS WHO GO THROUGH OUR CRIMINAL COURT. SPECIALTY COURTS, COURTS LIKE DRUG COURT, THE STAR DRUG COURT, SOBER COURT, MENTAL HEALTH COURT. THE INDIVIDUALS WHO GO THROUGH THOSE COURTS CAN BENEFIT FROM THE EFFORTS OF JUSTICE FORWARD AS WE TRY TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF INCARCERATION AND, AND GET FOLKS TO BEING PRODUCTIVE, UH, THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. AND SO, I HOPE FOLKS, WHEN THEY GO TO MAKE CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS WILL THINK ABOUT THESE ORGANIZATIONS. AND ALSO, IF YOU'RE NOT IN A POSITION TO MAKE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS, CONSIDER DONATING YOUR TIME AND ENERGY TO THESE OR OTHER WORTHY HOUSTON, UH, CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEEK, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEEK PASS. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MARTINEZ . I'M HAVING A BRAIN FOG RIGHT NOW. IT, IT'S GETTING CLOSE TO THAT NOON TIME. I, UH, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, JUST WANNA SAY, UH, A QUICK CONGRATULATIONS TO, UH, COUNCIL LULAC, COUNCIL 60 PRESIDENT RACHEL VALS GONZALEZ, UH, THE SECOND WOMAN TO BE ELECTED TO THIS POSITION ON A SUCCESSFUL EVENT THIS PAST SATURDAY, UM, I WAS HONORED TO BE THE HONORARY CHAIR FOR THE LULAC COUNCIL 60 90TH ANNIVERSARY GALA. UH, IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. UH, ONE, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, UH, COUNCILLOR RAMIREZ WAS THERE AS WELL. [04:55:01] UM, YOU KNOW, LULE HAS BEEN DOING GREAT WORK OUT OF THAT COUNCIL, UH, FOR THE PAST 90 YEARS, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE ENSURING EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITY TO DEFENDING THE RIGHTS OF LATINO LATINOS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. HOUSTON. UM, ALSO THIS WEEKEND, UH, SATURDAY SPECIFICALLY JOINED ME FOR A, UH, DESIGN WORKSHOP TO RE-ENVISION WHAT, UH, THE PROPERTY AT 78, UH, AND HARRISBURG WOULD LOOK LIKE. THE WORKSHOP IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON LAND BANK. UH, WE WANNA REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE HEAR, UH, FROM OUR COMMUNITY, UH, TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO REVITALIZE, UH, THAT PART OF HARRISBURG. THE MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE THIS SATURDAY, DECEMBER THE SEVENTH AT 10:00 AM AT THE MAGNOLIA MULTI-SERVICE CENTER AT 70 37 CAPITAL STREET. UH, 7 7 0 1 1. AND THEN I'LL, I'LL CLOSE WITH, UH, A QUICK, UH, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO, UH, KALINA MIA MARTINEZ, FOUR YEARS OLD TODAY. SHE'S MY BABY GIRL. UM, AND SO I'LL MAKE SURE TO SHARE THIS VIDEO WITH HER LATER ON TODAY AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. UM, AND YOU ARE, THAT'S RIGHT, THAT RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER SHABBAT. SHE DID THAT TO ME ONE TIME. THEN SHE WAS LIKE, OH MY GOD, I FORGOT YOUR NAME. ANYWAY, , UH, THANK YOU. UH, UH, ANYWAY, UM, , UH, OKAY, I WANNA SAY LAST NIGHT, UH, WE HAD AN ENGAGING SUNNYSIDE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TOWN HALL MEETING AT THE SUNNYSIDE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. UH, THE MEETING PROVIDED VALUABLE UPDATES ON, UH, ONGOING ZONE PROJECTS IN SUNNYSIDE. I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO PARKS DIRECTOR ALLEN, UH, DON REPRESENTATIVES RASHAD CAVE AND ELDRIDGE PUGH, AND OTHER STAFF THAT FOR THEIR ATTENDANCE AND CONTRIBUTIONS, ENSURING THE COMMUNITY IS INFORMED AND ENGAGED IN THE REDEVELOPMENT EFFORTS. AND TOGETHER WE CONTINUE TO BUILD A STRONGER, THRIVING, SUNNY SIDE. I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UM, THOSE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE GIVEAWAY OF THE SUPPORTERS THIS THANKSGIVING SEASON. WE WERE, WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THE UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO HELPED MAKE OUR TURKEY AND FIXING GIVEAWAYS A SUCCESS. A BIG THANK YOU TO CAREER AND RECOVERY RESOURCES, THE YWCA, HOUSTON, THE TEXANS, Y-M-C-A-H-E-B, AND KROGER, AND FOR THEIR GENEROSITY AND DEDICATION. AND TOGETHER WE HOSTED THREE IMPACTFUL GIVEAWAYS, PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED RESOURCES AND HOLIDAY CHEER TO FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. I MUST SAY THAT I AM PROUD TO PARTNER WITH THESE AMAZING ORGANIZATIONS AND CONTINUING THEIR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE DISTRICT D ON, UH, THIS AFTERNOON THERE WILL BE AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, THE STUDENT VETERANS AND MILITARY OFFICE COURTING CEREMONY, WHICH WILL BE AT 5:00 PM TODAY AT THE STERLING LIFE CENTER AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. THIS ANNUAL CEREMONY CELEBRATES AND HONORS STUDENTS WHO HAVE SERVED OR ARE CURRENTLY SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES AND ARE RECEIVING THEIR COLLEGE DEGREES. EACH VETERAN WILL RECEIVE THEIR OFFICIAL VETERAN CORD TO WEAR DURING COMMENCEMENT, AND I WILL PRESENT A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, UH, AT THE CEREMONY. ALSO, THE MCGOVERN CENTENNIAL GARDENS. THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WILL BE SATURDAY, DECEMBER THE SEVENTH FROM 9:00 AM TO NOON AT THE MCGOVERN CENTENNIAL GARDENS IN HERMAN PARK. AND JOIN US FOR A FREE PUBLIC CELEBRATION MARKING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF MCGOVERN CENTENNIAL GARDENS. CENTENNIAL GARDENS, ENJOY A COMPLIMENTARY COFFEE, DRINKS, SWEET TREATS, POPCORN FACE PAINTING, LAWN GAMES, MUSIC, THE WORKS A PERFECT EVENT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY TO CELEBRATE THIS COMMUNITY TREASURE. AND, UM, IN, IN MY OTHER LIFE, I WAS A, A, A PROFESSIONAL. I WAS A COUNSELOR AND I WORKED WITH PEOPLE WHO HAD, UM, CERTAIN ISSUES, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE TAKE CARE OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. UH, DEPRESSION IS VERY, VERY PREVALENT, AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE HOLIDAYS. SO CERTAINLY IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU NEED HELP, I BELIEVE YOU CAN CALL 2 1 1 AND GET UNITED WAY AND PERHAPS, UH, GET SOME RESOURCES TO HELP YOU TO DEAL WITH IT. BECAUSE AS I SAID, IT'S REALLY, REALLY, UH, PREVALENT. AND IN MOST CASES, MOST PEOPLE HAVE FACED IT. AND IF YOU HAVEN'T, I SAY KEEP LIVING BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY CAN COME UPON YOU AT A TIME THAT YOU JUST DON'T EVEN REALIZE THAT IT, IT HAS COME SO QUICKLY. I ALSO WANT TO, UM, SAY THAT IF YOU WANT TO KEEP UP WHAT'S GOING ON IN DISTRICT D, PLEASE, UH, SUBSCRIBED TO THE NEWSLETTER BY, UH, DISTRICT D@HOUSTONTX.GOV. AND I HAD THE HONOR AND THE PLEASURE AT THIS PARTICULAR, UM, DECEMBER NEWSLETTER TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT AND HONOR, UH, THE HONORABLE MARIE FLICKINGER, UH, CERTAINLY WHO WILL BE SORELY MISSED AND CERTAINLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE [05:00:01] THAT, UM, SHE WAS HIGHLIGHTED FOR ALL OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT SHE HAS DONE. CERTAINLY, I CONTINUE MY CONDOLENCES FOR THE FLICKINGER FAMILY BECAUSE WHEN THE HOLIDAYS ARE VERY DIFFICULT, WHEN YOU HAVE LOST A LOVED ONE. AND SO THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I'LL, UM, END THE MEETING WITH A FEW COMMENTS IN DISTRICT A. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK OUR RICE INTERN WHO HAS BEEN WITH US THIS SEMESTER. BAYLA KOCHI IS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE. THANK YOU BAYLOR, FOR THE GREAT WORK YOU'VE DONE IN THE DISTRICT. A OFFICE. I THINK THAT THE RICE UNIVERSITY SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY ARE TURNING OUT THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST, UH, IN OUR CITY, ALONG WITH MANY OF THE OTHER UNIVERSITIES. BUT, UH, YOU HAVE BEEN VALUE ADDED MEMBER OF OUR TEAM THIS SEMESTER AND WE APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'VE DONE. A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THE, IN THE OFFICE. UM, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS WILL HOST AN IMPORTANT, UH, VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING ON TWO DRAINAGE PROJECTS IN DISTRICT K, CAMBRIDGE, VILLAGE PARK, RAMBLEWOOD, AND THE SPELMAN DETENTION BASIN. I KNOW THAT RESIDENTS ARE, UM, INTERESTED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THOSE PROJECTS. AND THAT MEETING WILL BE ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER THE 12TH AT 5:30 PM YOU CAN VISIT ENGAGE HOUSTON.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, THAT MEETING. ALSO, WE HAVE HAD QUITE A FEW, UH, MEMBERS FROM WESTRIDGE COMMUNITY TO REACH OUT TO US, UM, ABOUT THEIR UPCOMING PROJECT, UH, THAT HAS BEEN UPDATED ON ENGAGE HOUSTON'S WEBSITE. AND THAT PROJECT WILL BEGIN IN THE SUMMER OF 2025. WE DEFINITELY HEAR THE CONCERNS OF THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THE, UH, LONG WAIT TIME FOR THIS PROJECT TO BEGIN. HOWEVER, PUBLIC WORKS HAS COMMUNICATED THAT THAT PROJECT WILL BEGIN IN THE SUMMER OF 2025. UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE DRAINAGE STREET SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS. IT'LL HAPPEN IN THREE PHASES AND RESIDENTS CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON THAT PROJECT AS WELL, ON ENGAGE HOUSTON. WE'VE GOT NEW SIDEWALKS, UH, PANEL REPLACEMENTS HAPPENING THROUGHOUT DISTRICT K. YOU CAN FIND ALL THAT INFORMATION IN OUR DISTRICT K NEWSLETTER. UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR SIDEWALKS AND STREETS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND WORKING WITH OUR, UH, DISTRICT K RESIDENTS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR. UM, IF THERE IS NOTHING FURTHER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, WE STAND ADJOURNED. THANK. * 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.