* 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. [00:00:05] 1, 2, 3. COUNCIL, [PRESENTATIONS] COME TO ORDER. UH, SOME PROCLAMATION. UH, VICE MAYOR PROAM. COUNCIL P. ARE YOU GONNA CHAIR? 'CAUSE YOU'RE HEADED OUT THERE TO THE, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN WILL GO FIRST. OH, I'M SORRY. YEAH. SHE'LL GO FIRST. YEP. YEAH. WE'LL ALL GO. COUNCILMAN CAMAN. I'M SORRY. YOU'RE GOOD. GONNA WAIT FOR THE MAYOR. DOWN THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, WHO WILL PRESENT A PROCLAMATION TO THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS FOR THEIR CENTENNIAL DAY. HOW ARE Y'ALL? GOOD. BE IN HERE. THANK YOU. GOOD. YOU? NICE TO YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. NICE TO SEE YOU. ALRIGHT. WE ARE HERE AT LONG LAST, UH, IT HAS TAKEN SOME TIME, BUT WE ARE FINALLY HERE, UH, TO CELEBRATE THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON'S CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR. UH, SO IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE MRS. ANN DUNCAN, MADAM CHAIR OF THE BOARD. UH, GARY RO, OF COURSE, OUR FEARLESS DIRECTOR, UH, AMY PURVIS, CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, AND OF COURSE, MR. LARRY STOKES, CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES AND DIVERSITY OFFICER. UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE MUSEUM FI OF FINE ART DOES RESIDE IN DISTRICT C, BUT I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT A PORTION OF IT IS IN DISTRICT D AS WELL. AND THE MUSEUM IS FOR ALL OF HOUSTON. IT'S ACTUALLY FOR OUR ENTIRE NATION. UH, IT IS THE OLDEST ART MUSEUM IN TEXAS, ONE OF THE LARGEST MUSEUMS IN THE UNITED STATES. UH, THEIR PERMANENT COLLECTION HAS WORKS FROM SIX CONTINENTS. IT'S A DIVERSE RANGE OF ART THAT RESONATES FOR ALL OF US THAT VISITED. IT, UH, RESONATES WITH THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES AND CULTURES OF OUR ENTIRE POPULATION. AND THE MUSEUM SERVES AND CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A PILLAR OF EDUCATION AND, AND INSPIRATION, OFFERING EXTENSIVE OUTREACH PROGRAMS, ART CLASSES, RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND FAMILIES, AND I WILL SAY HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN FOSTERING HOUSTON'S REPUTATION AS A GLOBAL ARTS AND CULTURAL CITY. UH, IT IS CONSISTENTLY RANKED IN THE TOP 10 BEST MUSEUMS IN THE NATION. AND I WILL ALSO SAY, UH, RECENTLY RECEIVED ONE OF TEXAS'S FIRST MICHELIN STARS AT THE RESTAURANT. AND WE ARE SO PROUD TO CELEBRATE THIS EXTRAORDINARY INSTITUTION, UH, WHICH IS A TESTAMENT TO THE, TO THE POWER OF ART IN SHAPING AND OF UPLIFTING COMMUNITY. SO WITH THAT, WHEREAS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF APRIL, 2024, THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON CELEBRATED ITS CENTENNIAL MARKING 100 YEARS OF SERVICE AND ENRICHMENT OF THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY AND ITS CULTURAL LANDSCAPE. THE MUSEUM OPENED ITS DOORS TO THE PUBLIC ON SATURDAY APRIL 12TH, 1924. FOLLOWING YEARS OF DEDICATED PLANNING BY ITS FOUNDING ORGANIZATION, THE HOUSTON ART LEAGUE. THE MUSEUM BEGAN AT A MODEST LOCATION ON THE CORNER OF SOUTH MAINE IN MONTROSE BOULEVARD, ALSO IN DISTRICT C, INITIALLY HOUSING A COLLECTION OF 60 WORKS OF ART AND HAS SINCE EXPANDED BOTH IN SIZE AND BREADTH OF ITS COLLECTIONS. TODAY, THEY ENCOMPASS A 14 ACRE MAIN CAMPUS FEATURING FOUR GALLERY BUILDINGS, ALONG WITH TWO HOUSE MUSEUMS, THE BAYOU BEND COLLECTION AND GARDENS, AND RENZI BOASTING NEARLY 80,000 OBJECTS THAT SPAN 5,000 YEARS OF HUMAN CREATIVITY. THE MUSEUM HAS REFLECTED AND EMBRACED THE GROWTH AND VIBRANCY OF HOUSTON WELCOMING APPROXIMATELY 1 MILLION VISITORS EVERY YEAR, 90% OF WHOM ARE RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON. THE MUSEUM IS NOW A PLACE FOR ALL PEOPLE TRULY REFLECTING THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES OF THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH ITS EXTENSIVE ARRAY OF MULTICULTURAL COLLECTIONS AND DYNAMIC EXHIBITIONS, WHICH I HOPE WE'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT SOON. THIS CITY TAKES PRIDE IN COMMENDING THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON, FOR ENRICHING THE CULTURAL TAPESTRY AND ARTISTIC HERITAGE OF OUR CITY. WE EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS ON A CENTURY OF PRESENTING THE ARTS TO THE PUBLIC, AND WE WISH THE MUSEUM HUNDREDS OF MORE YEARS OF BEAUTY AND SHOWCASING HUMAN'S CREATIVITY. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CAYMAN FOR BRINGING THIS, UH, HOUSTON ASSET TO OUR ATTENTION IS WHAT MAKES HOUSTON A GREAT CITY. IT'S, [00:05:01] UH, AS WE GO ABOUT FIXING OUR CHALLENGES HERE AT CITY HALL, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN POINT TO THAT WORKS SO WELL IS IN THE FINE ARTS AND SO MANY OTHER INSTITUTIONS. SO THANK YOU AND, UH, I'LL MAKE A DEAL WITH YOU. INSTRUCTION. I'LL BE AROUND A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW. , I HOPE I WILL BE CELEBRATE. NO, IF YOU'LL AGREE TO IT, I'LL AGREE TO IT. THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER MAYOR, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 12TH, 2024, IS A MUSEUM, A FINE ARTS HOUSTON CENTENNIAL DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND BEFORE WE GET OUR PICTURES, UM, AND PRESENT THIS TO YOU, MADAM CHAIR, UH, IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO OFFER ANY REMARKS AS TO THE CELEBRATIONS OR SPOTLIGHTING THE WORK THAT'S ONGOING AT THE MUSEUM, JUSTIN SURE. A VERY, UH, BRIEF WORD. I REALLY DIDN'T PREPARE TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT I WANT TO THANK THE CITY SO MUCH FOR THIS, THIS HONOR. UH, AND WE AT THE MUSEUM ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE A PLACE LIKE HOUSTON TO GROW AND, AND TO SERVE BECAUSE IT JUST COULDN'T BE A BETTER PLACE. UM, AND WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR RECOGNIZING THAT, UM, OUR 10 YEAR, OUR 100 YEARS OF SUCCESS HERE. THANKS. AND NOW GARY RO IS OUR DIRECTOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MRS. DUNCAN. IT'S A REAL PLEASURE TO BE BEFORE YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR, UH, UH, TO CELEBRATE OUR CENTENNIAL. IT'S TRULY AN EXTRAORDINARY ONLY IN HOUSTON STORY, THE GROWTH OF THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON, FOUNDED BY WOMEN WHO WERE ASSISTED BY A FEW GOOD MEN, BUT THE INITIATIVE WAS ENTIRELY FEMALE. THE WOMEN OF THE ART LEAGUE OF HOUSTON CAME TOGETHER IN 1900 TO BRING ART EDUCATION TO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS. THEY DIDN'T INITIALLY IMAGINE A MUSEUM, BUT BY 1914, THEY HAD, UH, UH, THEY HAD IN INVADED SOME LAND FROM THE ESTATE OF HERMAN, UH, OF THE HERMAN ESTATE OF HERMAN PARK. UH, AND THEY GOT PEOPLE LIKE, UH, JESSE JONES AND MIKE HOGG AND JOSEPH LENAN, UH, TO HELP THEM ACQUIRE THE TRIANGLE OF LAND AT, AT MAINE AND, AND BISSONET. UH, WE OPENED WITH A STUB OF A BUILDING AND 60 WORKS OF ART IN 1924 AND FLORENCE FALL, WHO WAS THEN THE, THE HEAD OF THE ART LEAGUE OF HOUSTON OPENED OUR DOOR. NOW WE HAVE, UH, ALMOST 80,000 WORKS OF ART, 14 ACRES AT MAIN AND MONTROSE, 14 ACRES AT RIVER, AT, UH, IN RIVER OAKS AT BIO BEND AND ANOTHER FOUR ACRES AT ZI. WE ARE TRULY AN EXTRAORDINARY HOUSTON STORY. WE HAVE BENEFITED FROM MILLIONS OF HOUSTONIANS WHO, UH, WHO FREQUENT OUR PROGRAMS, WHO HAVE BEEN OUR MEMBERS FOR THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS, AND BY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOUSTON PHILANTHROPISTS WHO HAVE MADE OUR INSTITUTION WHAT IT IS TODAY. UH, WHEN I SPEAK TO MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THE WORLD WHO ARE ALWAYS ASTONISHED AT THE SUCCESS OF OUR MUSEUM, I REMIND THEM THAT THIS IS TRULY A HOUSTON STORY. AND ALL OF YOUR PREDECESSORS HERE IN THE HOUSTON COUNCIL A FOR GENERATIONS SUPPORTED OUR MUSEUM. WE'VE HAD SOME DIRECT CITY SUPPORT SINCE 1977, AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT. IT ENABLES US TO SEE ALMOST 50,000 HOUSTON SCHOOL DIS UH, DISTRICT STUDENTS EVERY YEAR, UH, AND TO SERVE AS WELL AS WE CAN ALL OF THE CITIZENS OF THIS MOST DIVERSE CITY BY PRESENTING ART FROM EVERY KIND OF CULTURE. AND RIGHT NOW FOR OUR CENTENNIAL, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL EXHIBITION CALLED LIVING WITH THE GODS, WHICH HAS WORKS OF ART THAT DATE OVER 5,000 YEARS, MADE BY HUMANS ON SIX CONTINENTS, UH, TO, UM, TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR GODS. AND ALL OF THE LIVING FAITH ARE REPRESENTED IN THIS EXHIBITION. ALL THE FAITH THAT ARE PRACTICED IN HOUSTON, FROM BUDDHIST TO MAYA, TO ZOROASTRIAN ARE, ARE REPRESENTED, UH, IN OUR EXHIBITION. AND WE FELT THAT, UH, THIS GREAT HUMAN ENDEAVOR OF MAKING WORKS OF ART AND TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR GODS AND TO FIND A PLACE FOR HUMANS WITHIN THE COSMOS AND, AND ETERNITY WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR OUR CENTENNIAL. AND THE DIVERSITY OF THIS EXHIBITION QUITE DELIBERATELY REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF OUR CITY. SO IT'S A PLEASURE TO THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION AND TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR INSTITUTION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CAME AND WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER IN Q COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR BRINGING THE MUSEUM. WHAT A HOUSTON TREASURE MAN, A HUNDRED YEARS WORTH OF GREAT EXHIBITS. I CAN'T, IT'S COUNTLESS HOW MANY EXHIBITS [00:10:01] THE ALCORN FAMILY HAVE GONE TO SEE. UM, THEY'RE ALL COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. I'LL BE BRINGING 'EM TO THE LIVING WITH THE GODS. UH, UM, MY DAUGHTER'S WEDDING WAS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE KINDER BUILDING HER RECEPTION. UH, I LOVE THAT IT GOT A MICHELIN STAR, AND I LOVE THAT IN THE KINDER BUILDING. IT WAS ALL JUST WORKS THAT Y'ALL HAD SITTING AROUND IN A WAREHOUSE, RIGHT? , I MEAN, KIND OF SORTA. I MEAN, YOU HAVE A LOT OF ART AND, UM, THE WHOLE MUSEUM IS JUST, UM, REALLY, AS PEOPLE SAY, ART IS THE SOUL OF OUR CITY. AND IT, UH, YOU GUYS ARE SUCH GREAT AMBASSADORS, UM, UH, TO ALL WHO COME HERE AND TO ESPECIALLY YOUR WORK BRINGING IN THE SCHOOL KIDS AND EVERYBODY. I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S JUST ART JUST OPENS UP PEOPLE'S MINDS. IT IT OPENS UP, UH, OPPORTUNITIES. IT GIVES PEOPLE PEACE. IT, UM, IT JUST GIVES US ALL, UH, A SENSE OF BEAUTY IN THIS WORLD. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO TO PROMOTE THE ARTS AND, AND FOR HAVING SUCH A GREAT LEADING SUCH A GREAT INSTITUTION. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. RECOGNIZES MAYOR PRO TEM KASEK TATUM FOR PROCLAMATIONS TO THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF HOUSTON IN CELEBRATING HUMAN RIGHTS DAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO, UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PECK, I'M GONNA ASK Y'ALL IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD NOW. HOW ARE YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL? I'M EXCITED TODAY TO RECOGNIZE HUMAN RIGHTS DAY IN HONOR OF THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF HOUSTON. IT IS MY HOPE THAT THIS PROCLAMATION WILL BE A REMINDER OF THE UNIVERSAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS WE ALL DESERVE, AND THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE ALL SHARE TO UPHOLD THEM. THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN A STEADFAST ADVOCATE FOR THESE IDEALS, AND I'M VERY PLEASED TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO THEM TODAY. AND IT READS, WHEREAS THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ADOPTED ON DECEMBER 10TH, 1948 BY THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY STANDS AS A MILESTONE DOCUMENT THAT PROCLAIMS THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS INHERENT TO ALL INDIVIDUALS REGARDLESS OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, GENDER, LANGUAGE, POLITICAL OR OTHER OPINION, NATIONAL OR SOCIAL ORIGIN, PROPERTY, BIRTH, OR OTHER STATUS. AND WHEREAS HUMAN RIGHTS DAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REAFFIRM THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES, AND TO ADVANCE EFFORTS TO UPHOLD THE RIGHTS AND DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON ENSURING THAT FREEDOM, JUSTICE, AND PEACE REMAIN AT THE FOREFRONT OF SOCIETAL PROGRESS. WHEREAS THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION, HOUSTON, AS A LOCAL CHAPTER OF U-N-A-U-S-A, HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED THE LEADERSHIP FOR THE IDEALS OF THE UNITED NATIONS PROMOTING EDUCATION AND FOSTERING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO ADDRESS GLOBAL CHALLENGES, INCLUDING THE PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. AND WHEREAS U A'S HOUSTON'S PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES INSPIRE HOUSTONIANS TO TAKE ACTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE WORLD IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS. AND WHEREAS ON THIS HUMAN RIGHTS DAY, DECEMBER 10TH, 2024, THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMENDS THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION, HOUSTON FOR ITS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO CREATING A PLATFORM FOR DIALOGUE, EDUCATION, AND COLLABORATION THAT AMPLIFIES THE VOICES OF THOSE CHAMPIONING HUMAN RIGHTS LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY. MAYOR, THANK YOU COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, CAST TATUM. I KNOW YOU AGREE WITH ME EVERY DAY SHOULD BE HUMAN RIGHTS TODAY. ABSOLUTELY. BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SINGULARLY FOCUS ON THIS SPECIAL DAY. AND THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM DECEMBER 10TH, 2024. [00:15:01] IT'S HUMAN RIGHTS DAY IN HONOR OF THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. THANK YOU'ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND MAYOR PROAM, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM, MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL AND ESTEEM GUEST. UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS RECOGNITION AND FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO UPHOLD AND ADVANCE HUMAN RIGHTS, ENSURING JUSTICE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL. UM, THIS YEAR, OUR TEAM IS OUR RIGHTS, OUR FUTURE. RIGHT NOW, UNDER COURSE, THE NECESSITY OF SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS FOR A JUST RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND THIS PROCLAMATION REMIND US THAT EVERY INDIVIDUAL REGARDED, REGARDLESS OF RACE, RELIGION, GENDER, OR BACKGROUND, IS ENTITLED TO DIGNITY, EQUALITY, AND FREEDOM. AS A CITY OF HOUSTON IS KNOWN FOR ITS DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY, HOUSTON STANDS AS A BEACON OF THESE VALUES. TODAY, AS A LEADER IN UNITED NATION ASSOCIATION, HOUSTON, WE ASK, I ASK THAT WE LEADERS, THE CHANGE MAKERS AND THE PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT WHAT HUMAN RIGHTS MEANS TO US. WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN IT COMES TO OUR FAMILY MEMBERS? AND WOULD IT, WOULD WE STAND FOR THE SAME RIGHTS WHEN IT COMES TO THE ALL OTHER HUMAN BEINGS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS HONOR. WE ARE HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, CONGRATULATIONS. WE LOVE THE UNITED NATIONS, BUT WE ESPECIALLY LOVE THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF HOUSTON. UM, Y'ALL ARE REMARKABLE INDIVIDUALS AND THE CONTRIBUTION YOU MAKE TO THE CITY IS UNMATCHED. I JUST WANNA UNDERSCORE, UH, THE PROCLAMATION AND THAT YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT AND, AND COMMITMENT, UM, TO STAND WITH YOU FOR YOUR THEME, NOT JUST THIS YEAR, BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE HUMAN RIGHT, HUMAN RIGHTS, UM, IS AN ISSUE THAT WE ALL SHOULD TACKLE. CONGRATULATIONS VERY WELL DESERVING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE IT. IS COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS FOR A PRESENTATION TO WALTON SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT TO RECOGNIZE ITS SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION IN THE WAKE OF HURRICANE BARREL. THANK YOU, BRIDGET. HOW YOU MAYOR PRO TIM, AND TO COLLEAGUES. UH, I'M REALLY THRILLED TODAY TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION TO, UH, WHAT I THINK IS JUST A PHENOMENAL, UH, MANY YEARS AGO. THAT WAS A BOOK THAT WAS WRITTEN BY A PASTOR CALLED MONEY COMETH. AND, UM, I'M HONORED BY THAT BECAUSE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SEE AS A CITY SOME OF THE GOALS THAT WHAT WE ARE RECEIVING. AND, UH, THIS PROCLAMATION TODAY IS PRESENTED TO A GOOD FRIEND BY WAY OF ANOTHER FRIEND. I GOT TO MEET HIM AND TO PUT TOGETHER THIS, THIS ARENA, THIS SPORTS GAME BETWEEN THE HOUSTON COUGARS, UH, BASKETBALL TEAM AND THE, AND THE AGGIES. UH, AND MAYOR, I MUST SAY, YOUR TEAM WON. AND OF COURSE, IT WAS A, IT WAS A GREAT EVENT AND I'M SO HONORED TO MAKE THIS PROCLAMATION. UH, TODAY, WALTON SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, WALTON SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT HAS SERVED AS A BEACON OF EXCELLENCE AND SUPPORT FOR ATHLETES, BOTH ON AND OFF THE COURT SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 2016 BY ANTHONY WALTON, WITH A STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO NURTURING TALENT [00:20:01] AND FOSTERING PROFESSIONAL GROWTH, THE ORGANIZATION HAS FIRMLY POSITIONED ITSELF AS A LEADING SPORTS MANAGEMENT FIRM. THEIR DEDICATION IS PARTICULARLY EVIDENT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF NBA AND OVERSEAS CONTRACTS, ENSURING THAT ATHLETES RECEIVE EXCEPTIONAL REPRESENTATION AND OPPORTUNITIES. MOREOVER, WALTON SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT'S PHILANTHROPY INITIATIVE, ESPECIALLY THROUGH CHARITY BASKETBALL GAMES, HAVE MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT CONTRIBUTING TO VARIOUS CAUSES AND ENRICHING THE COMMUNITY. THE WALTON SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT PRO EXPERT EXPOSURE CAMP EXEMPLIFIES THIS MISSION, PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR PLAYERS TO SHOWCASE THEIR SKILLS WHILE ATTRACTING THE ATTENTION OF PROMINENT FIGURES SUCH AS NBA LEGEND STEVE FRANCIS. THIS EVENT NOT ONLY HIGHLIGHTED EMERGING TALENT, BUT ALSO UNITED THE COMMUNITY FOR A NOBLE CAUSE. AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE RECENT CHARITY GAME THAT GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED THE HURRICANE BARREL RELIEF FUND, WALTON SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT STEAD FANS COMMITMENT TO THE SPORT AND ITS ATHLETES IS TRULY COMMENDABLE. THE ORGANIZATION'S POSITIVE IMPACT WITHIN THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY SERVES AS AN INSPIRATION TO MANY. THE CITY OF HOUSTON EXPRESSES ITS GRATITUDE TO ANTHONY WALTON FOR HIS SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION AND WISHES THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED SUCCESS IN ITS FUTURE ENDEAVORS FOR THEIR $15,000 CONTRIBUTION. MAYOR, THANK, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DAVIS. AND WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT YOU BRINGING THIS RECOGNITION TODAY? THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOUSTON, IS THAT KIND OF QUIETLY DO THEIR ACTIVITIES TO MAKE THIS SUCH A GREAT CITY. SO, BUT FOR THIS RESOLUTION, I MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS, BUT IT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF JUST COMING TOGETHER AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND MAKING THIS SUCH A GREAT CITY. SO THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM DECEMBER 10TH, 2024. THIS IS A WALTON SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD JOB. HEY MA'AM, HERE, I YIELD TO YOU, MR. WALTON. I REALLY DID PREPARE A SPEECH TODAY, BUT I'VE BEEN IN THE BASKETBALL WORLD SINCE I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD. AND, UH, OUR HOME WAS AFFECTED BY BARRELL. AND SO I WAS SITTING, YOU KNOW, IN THE LIVING ROOM WITH MY WIFE AND I WAS LIKE, I GOTTA DO SOMETHING TO GIVE BACK. AND SO I HAD THIS CRAZY IDEA THAT I WAS GONNA PUT ON AN EXHIBITION GAME BETWEEN YOUR UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON COUGARS AND THE TEXAS A AND M AGGIES. AND WHEN BOTH TEAMS SAID YES, I JUST FELT LIKE A KEY IN THE CANDY STORE. AND SO THAT GAME WAS, WAS AN AMAZING GAME FOR YOU FOR THOSE THAT WEREN'T THERE. NEXT YEAR, WE'LL GET EVERYBODY TICKETS SITTING HERE. ED, I EXPECT YOU TO BE THERE NEXT YEAR, . AND, UH, THE GAME WAS A SUCCESS MAYOR. AND, AND JUST BEING ABLE TO GIVE BACK IN ANY WAY WE CAN. YOU KNOW, I HAVE MY FAMILY HERE. THEY'RE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT BELIEVED IN ME THAT COULD PUT THIS GAME ON. EVERYONE ELSE LAUGHED. BUT WHEN WE PUT THAT GAME ON, IT WAS REALLY A TESTIMONY OF OUR BELIEF AND JUST ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO GET BACK. 'CAUSE AGAIN, OUR HOME WAS AFFECTED AND WE KNOW WHAT, WHAT PEOPLE WENT THROUGH DURING THIS. YEAH. AND SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCILMAN DAVIS, THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING ME. ABSOLUTELY. AND PUTTING THIS ON. AND BRIDGET, MY LOVELY WIFE, MY MOM AND MY SON. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, BEFORE YOU TAKE PHOTOS, OH, OH, THIS A CHECK. FREDDY TOLD ME TO BRING THE CHECK. BRING THE CHECK. FREDDY SAID, DON'T COME WITHOUT THE CHECK BEHIND. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, BEFORE YOU TAKE PHOTOS, WE DO HAVE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE. OH, OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. ALRIGHT, SURE. THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR PROTI, AND COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS MAYOR. UM, ANTHONY, BIG DEAL, MAN. UH, CONGRATULATIONS. UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR CONTINUOUS CON CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THIS IS THE BASKETBALL FAMILY HERE. UM, NOT ONLY ANTHONY, BUT LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET IT. UM, CHRIS, STEVE, NATHAN, AND ANDREW. RIGHT? AND I'M NOT SURE IF I'M MISSING ANOTHER, BUT MARK AND MARK, HE'S A BABY. YOU DIDN'T MEET HIM, BUT, UM, I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH, UM, ANDREW AND CHRIS, BUT ANDREW WAS MY YEAR. WE WENT ALL WENT TO LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL, ALL PLAYED BASKETBALL. SO BIG SHOUT OUT TO MAMA WALTON. UH, FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, UH, THIS IS WELL DESERVED. CONGRATULATIONS, MAYOR PRO, TIM CASTEX, TATUM, ANTHONY, AND THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AS A FORMER, UH, WOMAN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER AT LAMAR AND AT TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY. UM, YOU GOTTA BRING A [00:25:01] WOMAN'S GAME TO THE, TO THE TOLD YOU , BRING A WOMAN'S GAME WILL DEFINITELY SHOW UP. UH, IF, IF YOU NEED SOMEBODY TO HELP COACH, LET ME KNOW. CAN'T PLAY ANYMORE, BUT I'M GONNA TAKE YOU UP. UH, ALL RIGHT. WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO. UM, SPORTS IS, UH, A TREMENDOUS WAY FOR US TO BRIDGE, UM, BRIDGES. UM, AND FOR US TO PULL PEOPLE TOGETHER, UH, IN UNITY. UH, HEALTHY COMPETITION IS, IS SUCH A TREMENDOUS WAY FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER. SO, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU AND, AND HOPEFULLY SEEING A WOMAN'S GAME ADDED TO THE TO THE LINEUP. , THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THE [2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] CHAIR RECOGNIZES, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ FOR THE INVOCATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WOULD ASK, UH, PASTOR STEVE WELLS TO COME UP. GOOD AFTERNOON. AFTERNOON. STEVE WELLS HAS BEEN PASTOR OF SOUTH MAIN BAPTIST CHURCH SINCE MARCH OF 2003. HE ATTENDED BAYLOR UNIVERSITY WHERE HE EARNED A BA IN PHILOSOPHY. AND LATER, A MASTER OF DIVINITY AND DOCTOR OF MINISTRY FROM BAYLOR'S THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, SOUTH MAINE, HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR CALLING BOTH MEN AND WOMEN INTO MINISTRY ROLES. AND FOR LIVING OUT THE BIBLE'S CALL FOR JUSTICE. LOCATED IN MIDTOWN, THE CHURCH PUTS INTO PRACTICE THE PROPHET JEREMIAH'S CALL TO SEEK THE WELFARE OF THE CITY. UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, PASTOR WELLS CONGREGATION HAS BEEN A LEADER IN ECUMENICAL PARTNERSHIPS. PASTOR, WOULD YOU PLEASE LEAD US IN PRAYER? HAPPY TO. THANK YOU. LET'S PRAY TOGETHER. BLESSED OUR YOU, OH LORD, OUR GOD KING OF THE UNIVERSE WHO GIVES ORDER TO OUR WORLD AND VOICE TO YOUR CHILDREN IN THIS SEASON OF INCREASING DARKNESS. MAY THE SEASONS OF CHRISTMAS AND HANUKKAH REMIND US THAT YOU ARE AND THAT YOU BRING LIGHT. WE LIVE TO YOU, JOHN, OUR MAYOR, AND EACH MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL, ALONG WITH THE MANY DEDICATED STAFF MEMBERS WHO ASSIST THEM. WE ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM TO GUIDE EACH OF THEM. MAY YOUR TRUTH ILLUMINATE THE DECISIONS THEY MAKE, AS THEY ACT AS STEWARDS FOR SO MANY OF YOUR CHILDREN. AND OVER SO MUCH OF YOUR RESOURCE. ENABLE THEM TO SEEK THE COMMON GOOD FOR ALL THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON REFLECTING YOUR LOVE, JUSTICE, MERCY, AND KINDNESS. GRANT OUR LEADERS DISCERNMENT AND INTEGRITY AS THEY WORK TO SERVE THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF THIS GREAT CITY. HELP THEM TO WORK IN UNITY. AND WITH THE SPIRIT OF HUMILITY, ALWAYS PRIORITIZING THE WELLBEING OF THE PEOPLE THEY ARE CALLED TO SERVE. WE PRAY FOR PEACE, UNITY, AND PROSPERITY IN HOUSTON MAYOR PRESENCE. GUIDE THIS COUNCIL'S DELIBERATIONS. AND MAY THE ACTIONS HERE TAKEN BRING GLORY TO YOUR NAME AND BENEFIT TO THIS COMMUNITY. AND WE PRAY EACH IN OUR WAY AND DIE IN THE NAME OF JESUS. AMEN. THANK YOU. PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING] [00:30:03] MADAM SECRETARY, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MAYOR WHITMEYER. PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK. HERE. COUNCILMAN JACKSON? HERE. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN, NOT HERE. COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER? HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN? PRESENT. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO? HERE. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ? HERE. COUNCILMAN POLLARD? HERE. COUNCILMAN CASTEX TATUM. HERE. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ? HERE. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. HERE. COUNCIL CARTER. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN PLUM WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCILMAN ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADAPT THE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 19TH AND 20TH. A MOVE. SECOND. MOTION IS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. AS OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD MARIAN WRIGHT TO THE END OF THE SPEAKER'S LIST. WE NEED A SECOND MOTIONS MADE AND SECONDED ABOUT SOMEONE. I HOPE I SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT. SEE IT. WE'VE GOT IT. YES. [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] OKAY, MA'AM. SECRETARY, YOU CALLED. FIRST SPEAKER KIM HADDEN. HELLO. HELLO. I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I AM TO BE HERE. SO MY NAME IS KIM HADDEN. I'M, I'M HERE IN ANTICIPATION OF YOU GUYS HAVING DONE YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WILL BE VOTING ON TOMORROW BY THE PROCESS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN ARDUOUSLY PERSISTENTLY PURSUING SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2021, TO PUT A BARRIER UP BETWEEN, UH, A, A VERY ARTERIAL STREET AND A LOCAL STREET WHERE WE WERE SEEING THOUSANDS OF CARS CUT THROUGH GUNSHOTS JUST TODAY, TOOK PICTURES OF WINDOWS BEING MASHED IN. WE WERE PLATTED IN BONNA MAKERS, WHICH IS WHERE I'M A RESIDENT OF. AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF SOME OF THE MEMBERS, MOST OF WHICH VOTED FOR THIS PERMANENT BARRIER TO BE ERECTED. AND BRAVEN VALLEY IN THE 1950S, WE, ON MY STREET, 32 HOMES OVER, UH, HALF A MILE LONG, NO CHICANE. SO IT'S A STRAIGHT SHEET SHOOT AND SEVERAL HUNDRED CARS PER DAY, CUTTING THROUGH WANDA, OVER A THOUSAND. WE HAVE DONE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE WHERE WE'VE DONE TRAFFIC STUDIES THAT HAVE SHOWN NUMERABLE, UH, CARS CUTTING THROUGH. AND WE WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP OF DISTRICT J, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, POLLARD, UH, PAUL YOUNG, DAVID BRUCE. YOU GUYS HAVE JUST BEEN INCREDIBLE TO HELP US GET TO THIS POINT, BUT THREE AND A HALF YEARS IS TOO LONG. I'M GLAD TO BE HERE. AND I'M GLAD WE HAD THE SUPPORT OF YOU GUYS. AND I'M GIVING A PRELUDE OF A THANK YOU, TRUSTING THAT THIS WILL CULMINATE IN YOU GUYS SAYING YES, . SO TOMORROW YOU GUYS WILL HAVE ON THE AGENDA A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE, UM, USE OF PUBLIC WORKS FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE PERMANENT BARRIER AT WANDA. AND, UM, CLOSE TO LOU GARY, THAT WILL COME INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD OF ROUGHLY 350 HOMES WHERE WE HAVE SENIORS. WE HAVE TWO SCHOOLS, SHARPSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL, SUGAR GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHO ARE WALKING AND BIKING AND TRAVERSING THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. AND TO HAVE HUNDREDS OF CARS BREAK THROUGH UNINTENTIONALLY BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC THAT'S ON WANDA, THE TRAFFIC THAT'S ON BINETTE. I APPLAUD, UM, COUNCILMAN POLLARD FOR THE WORK THAT WILL BE DONE ON BINETTE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE DANGEROUS STREETS IN HOUSTON. AND WE WILL BE ADDRESSING THAT AT A LATER TIME. SO I JUST CAME HERE TODAY TO SAY, ONE, THANK YOU FOR THE PROCESS. THANK YOU FOR HELPING US PERSEVERE WITH THE PROCESS. AND, AND THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR PUTTING RESIDENTS AND THEIR SAFETY AT THE FOREFRONT. CARS HAVE OPTIONS. LOCAL STREETS SHOULDN'T BE PART OF IT. THAT'S WHAT RESIDENTS ARE FOR. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE BINET, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE FONDANT. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE BRACE WOOD AND GESNER. WE HAVE KIDS THAT ARE WALKING THROUGH THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, DOESN'T HAVE SIDEWALKS FOR THE MOST PART. WE HAVE DITCHES. AND I WANT TO JUST ECHO HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY [00:35:01] TO BE SAFE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO I APPRECIATE MUSEUMS, I LOVE 'EM. I GO TO 'EM, I GO TO ALL OF OUR PARKS. I APPRECIATE THOSE. BUT MOST OF US SPEND THE MAJORITY OF OUR TIME IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO WALKING AND BIKING AND, AND AND THE LIKE, IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO ON A DAILY BASIS. SO I'M GONNA BE HERE TOMORROW MORNING AND I HOPE TO BE DOING A ALL RIGHT. SO THANK YOU IN ADVANCE. AND AGAIN, UH, EDWARD, I CAN'T HONESTLY THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF ENOUGH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE TO HELP US GET TO THIS POINT. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. MS. HATTON, MA'AM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, MS. HATTON, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, YOUR FAMILY AND THE RESIDENTS OF THE AREA, NOT ONLY IN BON MAKERS, BUT ALSO IN BRAVER VALLEY. THIS WAS A LONG PROCESS. UH, I'M NOT FOR SOME OF THESE LONG PROCESSES. UH, WHEN WE, WHEN WE KNOW THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE AND WE HAVE FOUND A SOUND REMEDY, WE HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO EXPEDITE THAT, UH, FOR THE GOOD OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE THERE. UH, BUT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME. THE PROCESS STARTED IN 2021. IT'S ALMOST 2025, JUST TO GET A STREET BLOCKED OFF THAT, UH, WAS, AS SHE STATED, A CUT THROUGH STREET BECAUSE THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD IS NEAR BINET FRAN NEAR BRAESWOOD. AND PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO FIND THEIR WAY THROUGH TO GET, UH, HAVE A SHORTCUT, BUT THEY WERE GOING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY WERE SPEEDING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND IT ALSO WAS A GETAWAY SOMETIME ABSOLUTELY IN A, IN A AREA THAT HAS, UH, SOME APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND OTHER PROPERTIES THAT, UH, THAT, THAT DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE BEST ACTORS. THEY WOULD USE THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS TO CUT THROUGH. AND WE WOULD GET ALL TYPES OF EMAILS AND CALLS ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING AT NIGHT. AND WE KNEW THAT A SOLUTION COULD POSSIBLY BE TO CUT OFF, UH, THAT STREET. AND SO WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S LEADERSHIP, WE ARE ABLE TO HOPEFULLY GET THIS DONE TOMORROW. I DO WANT TO GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO PAUL YOUNG IN MY OFFICE, AS WELL AS DAVID BIELA. THEY DID A LOT OF THE HEAVY LIFTING ON MAKING THIS HAPPEN, BUT THIS WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD EFFORT. ABSOLUTELY. YOUR VOICES WERE VERY LOUD. THE PROCESS WAS VERY LONG. BUT WE'RE HERE TODAY, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. TAKE CARE. YES, SIR. COUNCILMAN CAMAN. THANK YOU, MS. HATTON. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. I'LL SAY EARLY. CONGRATULATIONS. I'M SURE THERE'LL BE DISCUSSION TOMORROW, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW MS. HATTON, THAT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER HAS, I CAN'T TELL YOU DURING AGENDA BRIEFING, HOW MANY OF US HAVE BEEN SAYING, WELL, WAIT, CAN WE DO THIS TOO? BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THESE TYPES OF SOLUTIONS, MAYOR IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. I KNOW IT TOOK A LONG TIME, BUT THAT Y'ALL ARE LEAVING THE WAY WITH THIS. HOPEFULLY WE'LL ALSO BRING RELIEF TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY ABSOLUTELY. AS WELL FOR RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS. SO ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR, FOR LEADING THE WAY. UH, AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN AND I WERE BOTH INQUIRING LIKE, WELL, HANG ON, LET, LET, LET'S GO BACK AND LOOK AT THESE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS NOW, WHEN WE WERE PREVIOUSLY TOLD. NO. SO THAT'S TERRIFIC. THANK YOU. GLAD YOU'RE DOING THAT FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU. TAKE CARE. NEXT, ROSANNA, SHAR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. AS YOU KNOW, MY NAME IS ROSANNA SHAR, AND I ONCE AGAIN WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS HOUSTON'S INVESTMENT POLICY, SPECIFICALLY SECTION 9.10, WHICH PROHIBITS INVESTMENTS IN FOREIGN ENTITY BONDS, WITH THE EXCEPTION FOR ISRAEL. WHILE WE MAY NOT HAVE IT REINVESTED IN ISRAELI BONDS THIS PAST YEAR, WE MUST IMPLEMENT SAFEGUARDS TO ENSURE THE POLICY ALIGNS WITH OUR CITY'S VALUES AND PRIORITIES MOVING FORWARD. WE MUST PREVENT HOUSTON'S TAX DOLLARS FROM EVER BEING INVESTED IN A FOREIGN ENTITY BONDS PERIOD, ESPECIALLY THOSE TIED TO NATIONS ACCUSED OF WAR CRIMES AND GENOCIDE. SO FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, WHY IS ISRAEL THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE? THE UNITED STATES HAS MANY ALLIES SUCH AS CANADA, THE UK, GERMANY, AND JAPAN. YET WE ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO INVEST IN ANY OF THEIR BONDS. WHAT MAKES ISRAEL THE EXCEPTION? THIS IS PARTICULARLY TROUBLING, GIVEN ISRAEL'S TRACK RECORD. THE UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE HAVE ALL STATED, THERE IS CREDIBLE EVIDENCE THAT ISRAEL IS COMMITTING GENOCIDE. JUST LAST WEEK, ONE OF THE LARGEST HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, FORMALLY ACCUSED ISRAEL OF GENOCIDE, CITING AMPLE EVIDENCE TO BACK THESE CLAIMS. WHY WOULD HOUSTON EVER EVEN BE ALLOWED TO INVEST IN OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS INTO A COUNTRY WITH SUCH ACCUSATIONS AGAINST IT? SOME ARGUE THAT REMOVING ISRAEL FROM THE INVESTMENT POLICY IS UNFAIR, OR SINGLES ISRAEL OUT. BUT LET'S BE CLEAR, MAKING ISRAEL THE EXCEPTION IS WHAT TRULY SINGLES IT OUT AND GIVES IT SPECIAL UNWARRANTED TREATMENT. INVESTING IN ISRAELI BONDS IS NEITHER ETHICALLY NOR FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. CONSIDER THE FACTS THAT ISRAEL'S ECONOMY IS PLUMMETED IN RECENT YEARS DUE TO POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND ECONOMIC MISMANAGEMENT. [00:40:01] GENOCIDE, AFTER ALL, IS NOT VERY PROFITABLE. INVESTING IN ISRAELI BONDS WERE NOT YIELD A PROFITABLE RETURN, NOT NOW, NOR LIKELY IN SEVERAL YEARS. HOUSTON TAXPAYERS DESERVE BETTER. OUR FUNDS SHOULD NOT BE TIED TO RISKY FAILING ECONOMIES, LET ALONE ONCE ACCUSED OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. OUR TAX DOLLARS BELONG HERE IN HOUSTON. WE HAVE URGENT NEEDS FROM IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE TO EXPANDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SUPPORTING PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS, AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY RESOURCES. PRIORITIZING OUR CITY ISN'T JUST SMART GOVERNANCE. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HOUSTON RESIDENTS. SO FINALLY, I URGE YOU GUYS TO AMEND SECTION 9.10 TO REMOVE ALL EXCEPTIONS AND ENSURE CONSISTENCY IN OUR INVESTMENT POLICIES. THIS IS NOT ABOUT SINGLING OUT ISRAEL, IT'S ABOUT FAIRNESS, EQUITY, AND CREATING A POLICY THAT SERVES THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CITY. THERE SHOULD BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE EVER. SO I WAS COMMIT TO KEEPING HOUSTON TAX DOLLARS IN HOUSTON WHERE THEY CAN BUILD A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL OF US. LASTLY, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO CITE THE MEMO THAT WAS SENT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY ON FRIDAY REGARDING THE PFI PROVISIONS, P-F-P-F-I-A PROVISIONS, UM, THAT WOULD ENSURE THAT AN INVESTMENT IN THIS POLICY WOULD BE IN LINE WITH STATE LAW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR HAVING, HAVING ME. UM, MY NAME IS DR. SONYA RAHEEM. UM, I'M A PHYSICIAN HERE PRACTICING IN HOUSTON, AND I WANTED TO COME HERE TODAY AND ECHO, UM, WHAT MY COLLEAGUE HERE ROSEANNE SAID TODAY ABOUT, UM, THE INVESTMENT POLICY. I TRULY BELIEVE ON A DAY LIKE TODAY, WHICH YOU, WHERE YOU ALL HAVE ALL WELCOMED AND RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE AND SANCTITY OF HUMAN RIGHTS, THAT WE ENSURE THAT AS A CITY, THAT WE, OUR INVESTMENTS ALIGN WITH OUR VALUES. THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T INVEST IN ANY COUNTRIES, ANY NATIONS ACCUSED OF CIVIL OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, AND ESPECIALLY NONE THAT ARE ACCUSED OF GENOCIDE. I REALLY, TRULY BELIEVE THAT THERE'S NO BETTER PLACE AS A LIFELONG HOUSTONIAN TO INVEST OUR MONEY THAN IN HOUSTON ITSELF. UM, OUR ORGANIZATION, OUR NON-PROFIT CPRE, DOES A LOT OF INVESTMENT IN HOUSTON. AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING SO WITH THE HELP OF MANY OF OUR FRIENDS HERE ON CITY COUNCIL. ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK CLOSELY WITH IS THE ARAB AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER. AND WE WERE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE HAD SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS COME. AND MOST RECENTLY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, UH, JOINED US LAST WEEKEND. UM, THERE IS SO MUCH, MUCH OPPORTUNITY FOR INVESTMENT IN THESE COMMUNITIES. I DON'T LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. THE NEIGHBORHOOD I LIVE IN, I HAVE FIVE PARKS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE. AND IT'S NOT FAIR THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE MONEY LIKE MY CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO THESE PLACES. AND CHILDREN WHO DON'T HAVE MONEY OR DON'T HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THESE PLACES. SURROUNDING THE ARAB AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, THERE ARE SEVERAL APARTMENT COMPLEXES, NONE OF WHICH HAVE GREEN SPACE. THERE IS A LONG STRETCH OF BAYOU KEEGAN'S BAYOU, WHICH RUNS BEHIND IT. AND THERE'S BEEN NO INVESTMENT INTO MAKING THAT A SUITABLE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO WALK. IF ANY OF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH REFUGEE COMMUNITIES OR PEOPLE FROM OTHER O OVERSEAS, OFTENTIMES A LOT OF PEOPLE'S EXERCISE IS NOT GOING TO THE GYM. IT'S GOING FOR A WALK AFTER DINNER. AND IF THERE'S NO SAFE OR SUITABLE PLACE TO WALK, THAT'S LIGHTED WHERE THE PATHS ARE CLEARED, WHERE THERE IS INVESTMENT INTO SEATS, INVESTMENT, INTO CHILDREN'S PLAY PLACES, PEOPLE DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WALKING ALONG THOSE AREAS. SO I, I SINCERELY URGE YOU ALL TO INVEST IN YOUR GREEN SPACES, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE BAY, AND ESPECIALLY PATHS THAT CONNECT REFUGEE COMMUNITIES AND REFLECT AND, AND CONNECT TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY KID, ESPECIALLY ALL THE PATIENTS THAT I SEE IN THE HOSPITALS, DON'T GET TO THE HOSPITAL. WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE HEALTHY, THAT THEY HAVE PLACES TO WALK, RUN, GROW, AND OUR INVESTMENTS SHOULD BE HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, NOT SENDING MONEY OVERSEAS, ESPECIALLY TO COUNTRIES WHICH ARE ACCUSED OF COMMITTING WAR CRIMES AND GENOCIDE. WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS, OUR HOUSTONIAN CITIZENS ARE ABLE TO GO TO THE PARK, GO FOR A WALK, STAY HEALTHY. I DON'T WANNA SEE THEM ENDING UP IN OUR ERS. I DON'T WANNA SEE THEM ENDING UP IN THE ER AT ANY PLACES. BE BECAUSE THEY'VE EITHER FOR A HEART ATTACK OR PANCREATITIS. I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THE BEST WAY TO GET PEOPLE OUTTA THE HOSPITALS AND OUTTA THE ER IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT SEDENTARY AND THAT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF THEIR HEALTH. SO I PLEASE, I I SINCERELY URGE YOU GUYS TO INVEST IN THESE PLACES, IN THESE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERSERVED FOR SO LONG, AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE ADEQUATE WALKING PATHS BETWEEN PARKS AND BETWEEN THEIR INSTITUTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NICK. ANUSHA, SADIQUE, ROSINA, TARA, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABA. THANK YOU MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND MOVE, UM, DR. DOUGLAS BRO TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA. OKAY, SECOND. SECOND. MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. [00:45:01] THANK YOU. YOU ARE WELCOME. ROSINA. KARA GLADYS, HOUSE L. PEACE. PEACE. OKAY. UM, I HAVE A HANDOUT MAYOR, AND I'M REQUESTING A MEETING WITH YOU AND YOUR APPLICABLE DEPARTMENT HEADS NEXT WEEK SO WE CAN GO OVER SOME OF THE CONCERNS. 'CAUSE THERE'S BEEN NO CORRECTIVE ACTION PERIOD. AND I KNOW ALL YOU CAN DO IS GIVE IT TO 'EM AND IF THEY ARE NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH IT, A LOT OF TIMES YOU WON'T KNOW UNLESS I COME BEFORE YOU. AND ALSO TOO AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER JULIAN RAMIREZ, UH, I HAVE YOU LISTED ITEM B, UH, SO THAT WE CAN GET THE SPECIFIC TIMETABLE ON THE RENOVATION OF WALLY PARK AND THE ACTUAL WORK THAT'S GONNA BE DONE. AND LASTLY, AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS, UM, WE'RE STILL WAITING TO GET SOME CORRECTIVE ACTION FROM YOU, UH, AND TO FIND OUT WHAT DATE THE FAMILIES IN ALLEN PARKWAY VILLAGE WILL BE RETURNING. 'CAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT OF HOMELESSNESS GOING ON HERE IN HOUSTON. AND, AND OTHER SPEAKERS WILL, UH, ADDRESS THAT, UH, WILL PRESENT IT. AND WE REALLY NEED TO ACT SOONER 'CAUSE TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU MAYOR, SOON ABOUT THE, UH, MEETING NEXT WEEK WITH YOU AND YOUR APPLICABLE DEPARTMENT HEADS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT, CANDIDA. BATEMAN. GOOD AFTERNOON, MS. YES. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD. A FIRST I WANT TO GIVE AN HONOR TO GOD BECAUSE HE IS AND THE HEAD. YES. FIRST, I WANNA GIVE AN HONOR TO GOD BECAUSE HE IS AND HE IS THE HEAD. OKAY, SO, HI, UH, MAYOR WITH MARY. NICE TO MEET YOU. I DID ASK KATHY TO COME BACK SINCE SHE WAS WORKING WHEN I STARTED MY LITTLE JOURNEY IN LIFE. I'M HAVING A PROBLEM. 'CAUSE THE HOMELESS CITY, THE HOMELESS THING HERE IN THIS CITY, IT'S UNFAIR. AND THEN THE FACT THAT Y'ALL GAVE THIS MAN A DAY IN THE CITY AND HE AIN'T ADMITTED THAT HE GOT MARRIED IN KINDERGARTEN. HOW Y'ALL GONNA KEEP PLAYING WITH ME? 'CAUSE SEE, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT GET MAD BEFORE THEY, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING, THEY HAVE A PROMISE FROM GOD. SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE FUNCTIONING IF WE KEEP TRYING TO DENY THE WORD OF GOD. SO THERE'S PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE DOING EVIL THINGS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A PROMISE AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE OBLIGATED TO DO THINGS THAT, TO CONTROL OF THE PEOPLE. SO GO AHEAD AND SAY, WELL, I'M GONNA HAVE A LITTLE POLAR BLACK GIRL IN THE SAME SITUATION THAT'S GONNA COME FULL FUDDLE WITH THE WORD OF GOD. HERE I AM, MY GRANDFATHER BILL, MOST OF THE SURROUNDING AREAS OF HOUSTON, HIS NAME IS IN Y'ALL ARCHIVES, WILLIE BATEMAN. SO I FEEL LIKE SINCE MY GRANDFATHER, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTED SOME OF THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, I SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT WHAT GOES ON. SO BEFORE MY ANCESTORS PASSED AWAY, THEY VOTED FOR THE ASTRODOME NOT TO BE TORN DOWN. DO YOU KNOW WHY? 'CAUSE IT HAS A SECOND EMERGENCY GENERATOR WITH THAT EMERGENCY GENERATOR. THEY WANTED THE AOME TO BE AN EMERGENCY CENTER FOR THESE KIND OF REASONS. THE HURRICANE, THE WINTER BREEZE. PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE A PLACE THAT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO AND GET THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED AT ALL TIMES. THAT'S WHY THEY VOTED FOR THE ASTRODOME. I BELIEVE THAT THE ASTRODOME SHOULD BE USED WITH THE ANCESTORS THAT VOTED FOR IT AND WENT AND BOUGHT THEM CHAIRS AT THE, AT THE STADIUM TO MAKE SURE I'M A WITNESS TO THE THINGS THAT MY ANCESTORS DID TO TRY TO MAKE THIS A GREAT COUNTRY. THANK YOU. NEXT, ERNEST COWON. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMOS AND MAIL MY HAPPY, HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OF Y'ALL. I'M HERE TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT SITUATION OF MY HOMELESSNESS FOR THE PAST 14 MONTHS. WITHOUT NO CONSIDERATION. I'VE BEEN PHYSICALLY ATTACKED, SLEEPING ON THE STREETS, PEOPLE STEALING MY STUFF, DON'T HAVE CLOTHES, ALL I HAVE A SLEEPING BAG AND A BLANKET THAT I HAD TO HI, HIDE THIS MORNING. I APPRECIATE IT. IF Y'ALL TAKE IT UNDER CONSIDERATION, DO SOMETHING ABOUT MY SITUATION BECAUSE MY HEALTH IS FAILING SIX TO EIGHT YEARS OLD. [00:50:01] I DON'T HAVE NO PLACE OUT THERE ON THE STREET IN THE ELEMENTS. 80-YEAR-OLD MAN JUST GOT HIT IN THE HEAD AND HE DIED AS A RESULT OF HIS INJURIES. SO I'M BEGGING Y'ALL AS CITY OF HOUSTON TO HELP ME. I'M INFERIOR OF MY LIFE OUT THERE ON THE STREETS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. YES, SIR. YES SIR. THANK YOU, MR. EARNEST. SO, UH, JUST FOR FULL AWARENESS, UH, WE HAVE SECURED A, A UNIT WE'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATION ON HIS BEHALF. MY CHIEF OF STAFF IS ON HIS WAY BACK AND WE'LL INITIATE THAT PROCESS. MR. EARN IS AWARE OF THAT. UM, MY CHIEF OF STAFF HAS A SOCIAL WORKER TRAINING AS A BACKGROUND, SO WE'RE ALSO SECURING ADDITIONAL ITEMS. SO, UM, THAT IS IN PROCESS. SO, UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING UP, UH, TRUSTING US TO GET IT DONE FOR YOU. THANK YOU FOR YES, MA'AM, UH, RAISING THE POINT. UH, AND, UH, THE AGENCY WILL SUPPORT MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE BASICS, UNDERWEAR, SOCKS, T-SHIRTS, BRUSH, TOOTHBRUSH, ALL OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL. SO IF YOU JUST, UM, EXTEND ADDITIONAL PATIENCE FOR US, ONCE WE GET DONE, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, START THAT PROCESS TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ONE MORE. COUNCIL, COUNCILOR POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING FORWARD. I KNOW THAT THAT CAN BE TOUGH AND THE PROCESS IS NOT ALWAYS THE EASIEST. AND I KNOW THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT YOU'VE BEEN LIVING THROUGH HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT, UH, BUT I'M GLAD TO HEAR, UM, THAT SOME HELP, UH, IS ON THE WAY AND I WANT YOU TO STAY ENCOURAGED. YES, SIR. AND, UH, GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH. GOD BLESS Y'ALL. THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT LORD FORD. OH, I'M SORRY. I'M, NO, OKAY, WHAT'S GOING ON EVERYBODY? AGAIN, MY NAME IS LLOYD FORD, YOU KNOW, MEMBER OF THE DISTRICT D YOU KNOW, UM, BUT AGAIN, LLOYD FORD, I'M HERE. ANYBODY THAT KNOW ME, YOU KNOW, I'M A MAN OF SOLUTIONS. KNOW I'M A MAN OF, UH, BRINGING WHAT WE NEED FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. SO EVERY TIME Y'ALL SEE ME COME HERE, UP HERE, I'M NOT ONLY GONNA TALK, BUT I'M GONNA BRING SOLUTIONS ON THINGS THAT WE CAN DO. UM, AND ME BEING, THIS IS NOTHING AGAINST OUR WORKFORCE AND WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS PEOPLE. BUT AGAIN, ME BEING A BUSINESS OWNER, I DID GET TO SEE THE LACK THERE OF ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS JUST A JOB FOR THEM. SO AS WE KNOW THAT THE HOMELESS AND DIFFERENT THINGS ARE OUR INITIATIVE, HOW DO WE PUT THEM BACK TO WORK? HOW DO WE EMPLOY THE PEOPLE WITHIN OUR BUSINESSES, WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS? AND WE KNOW A LOT OF LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE CAPABILITIES OF OUR BUSINESSES. UM, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVEN IF YOU DON'T USE A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION LIKE OURS, EVEN IF THEY JUST USE THE METHODOLOGY THAT WE USE WITHIN THIS PRESENTATION, THIS CAN BE SOMETHING TO TOUCH NOT ONLY JUST BIG BOX, UH, PLACES THAT UTILIZE THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO OUR GRASSROOTS BUSINESSES THAT CAN UTILIZE THESE THINGS TO HELP THEIR BUSINESSES AND AID THEM AS WELL. SO ANYBODY KNOW, WE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT AS WELL, 76 AND 77. SO NOT ONLY ARE WE LOOKING TO CHANGE ORDINANCES, BUT WE WANT TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF PEOPLE THAT NEED THE WORK. AND OF COURSE, YOU'LL SEE THAT ARE USED IN THAT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOMELESS, WE TALK ABOUT ABLE BODIED. SO OF COURSE THERE'S GONNA BE SOME PEOPLE THAT CAN'T WORK, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT DO WANT WORK, WE DEFINITELY WANNA HELP THEM GET BACK INTO THEIR WORKFORCE. AND THIS IS HOW WE SEE A SOLUTION DOING IT. UM, I DIDN'T ADD ANY NUMBERS TO THIS THING PURPOSELY, OF COURSE. UM, BUT I DO WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SEE YOU GUYS AND KNOW THE DIFFERENT CAPABILITIES AND THE THINGS WE CAN USE TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY. SO THERE WE GO. THANK Y'ALL. UH, COUNCILMAN EVAN SHABA. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU LLOYD. AND HE'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. UH, HE AND I HAVE ENGAGED IN SOME COMMUNITY MEETINGS IN SEVERAL PARTS OF THE CITY, AND HE ALWAYS TAKES THE FOCUS OF, OF SOLUTIONS, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND WE CERTAINLY WILL PERUSE THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DON'T HAVE TO BE THE SMARTEST ONES IN THE ROOM BECAUSE WE SIT HERE BECAUSE IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO SOMETIMES CAN COME UP WITH SOME MUCH BETTER SOLUTIONS. AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING YOUR TIME TO COME AND FOR COMPOSING THIS AS WELL AS THE OTHER WORK THAT YOU ENGAGE IN IN THE DISTRICT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND LIKE I SAY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE US. WE JUST FEEL LIKE WHEN WE INTRODUCE SOLUTIONS, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO ELIMINATE THE OPTION OF DOING NOTHING. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. MAYOR. THANK YOU MAYOR. I TOO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD IN YOUR, IN YOUR PRESENTATION. IF YOU COULD SEND MY OFFICE, [00:55:01] UH, A ESTIMATED, UH, PRICE POINT OKAY. PER, PER YEAR ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW THAT. OKAY. DO WE HAVE IT IN DETAIL? THANK YOU. COUNCILOR DAVIS. THANK COUNCILOR DAVIS. THANK YOU MAYOR BROTHER. LORD, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN IN YOUR PRESENTATION. THE LAST PAPERWORK THAT YOU CAME UP HERE, THE, THE PROGRAM THAT YOU HAD SKETCHED OUT, UM, WE TOOK THAT BACK AND WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT SOME OF THAT INFORMATION TO SEE WHAT, UH, POSSIBLY CAN BE DONE TO HELP YOU ADVANCE IT. AND OF COURSE YOU'VE ADDED TO IT SO . SO THAT MEANS WE HAVE DOUBLE INFORMATION TO LOOK AT. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORT AND WE GOING TO LOOK THROUGH IT AND TRY TO DO WHAT WE CAN ALONG WITH OTHERS TO SEE. AND WE CAN IMPLEMENT SOME OF THIS, FOR SURE. USE ME AS A RESOURCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT. THANK YOU DR. DOUGLAS. BRO, SAYING GOOD EVENING. I SAY GOOD EVENING TO YOU MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, BEFORE I BEGIN, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND RECOGNITION OF MR. THOMPSON, UH, THE CEO OF UNITEDHEALTHCARE, WHO HAS, UM, LOST HIS LIFE BECAUSE OF WHAT UNKNOWN CAUSES. UM, IF YOU BOW YOUR HEAD IN A, IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE, THANK YOU. IT IS IMPORTANT. UH, FIRST OF ALL, AS SOME OF YOU KNOW ME, AND IT'S AN HONOR, UH, MAYOR TO COME BEFORE YOU, BUT AS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW ME, I'VE WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH, UH, MAYOR, MAYOR, UH, HINES, MAYOR HINES OUT OF SUNNYSIDE. UH, AS SHE WORKED WITH THE, UH, SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY ENERGY GROUP, WE SERVED AS ADVISOR, UH, THE NAME. WE STARTED JUST AS, UH, INDEPENDENT VOLUNTEERS. AND EVENTUALLY WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE NEEDS IN SUNNYSIDE, NOT JUST HEALTHCARE, BUT IN EQUITY AND HOMELESS, AND THE OTHER COMMENTS THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE OTHER, UH, SPEAKERS. SO AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE FORMED GLOBAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS, WHICH IS A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR FAIRLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CLINIC. FAIRLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CLINIC IS TO ADDRESS ALL THE COMPREHENSIVE DESIRES, PARTICULARLY IN SUNNYSIDE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY AS SUNNYSIDE BECAUSE SUNNYSIDE IS PRETTY MUCH A LANDMARK OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THAT EXIST, NOT JUST IN HOUSTON, BUT THROUGHOUT THE NATION. SO OUR FOCUS WAS TO DEVELOP A MODEL THAT WOULD BE COMPREHENSIVE, PARTICULARLY FOR SUNNYSIDE AND ADJACENT UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, BUT TO ACQUIRE THE BUILDING. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PURPOSE. OUR FOCUS IS TODAY TO ACQUIRE THE BUILDING, THE ALL THE OLD MULTIPURPOSE CENTER THAT IS NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE. AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENT WITH SOME OF THE MEMBERS, BUT BASICALLY JUST GOING THROUGH THE RHETORIC OF THE CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION AND THE LACKING. SO WE ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE AND WE ASKED FOR THE PURCHASE OR JUST THE ACQUISITION OF THIS BUILDING SO WE CAN CONVERT IT AND USE IT. THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL NOT ONLY TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT HAS A UNIQUE MODEL, PARTICULARLY FOR, FOR A DIABETIC CLINIC. SO YOU'VE HEARD THE OZEMPIC AND ALL THESE OTHER QUICK FIX, BUT WE KNOW THAT IN MEDICINE, BEING A PHYSICIAN, THERE IS NO QUICK FIX. BUT SO WE, BUT OUR INTENTION IS TO ADDRESS, TO SET UP A MODEL DIABETIC, NOT ONLY COMPREHENSIVE, BUT A DIABETIC MODEL AS WELL AS A RENAL DIALYSIS CLINIC THAT WILL THEN ADDRESS THOSE DISPARITIES THAT ARE IN UNDERSERVED. THE OUTCOME OF THIS, THE BENEFITS OF IT WOULD BE THAT YOU HAVE, THAT IT HAS A MEDICAL, IT HAS A, UM, NOT ONLY MEDICAL SERVICES, BUT IT HAS AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT THAT WILL THEN EMPLOY STUDENTS TO WORK IN THE CLINIC. AND THAT WILL ALSO HELP TO DEVELOP A SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF SUNNYSIDE IN ADJACENT COMMUNITIES. THAT'S FIRST PHASE. THE SECOND PHASE WE'LL TALK ABOUT IS ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH AND THE VETERANS. AND SO WE NEED OF, WE'RE IN NEED OF HAVING TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO DEVELOP, UH, A RE A REPORT. , YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. YOU GO AHEAD AND FINISH. YES. SO WE ARE ASKING HUMBLY, SO TO DEVELOP A PLAN WHERE WE CAN WORK WITH THE CITY TO DEVELOP SOME TYPE, WE HAVE RESOURCES, WE JUST NEED TO WORK WITH THE CITY IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING THAT MODEL THAT IS BASICALLY NEEDED. WE ASK FOR THAT IN ESSENCE OF IT. VERY GOOD. COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS BOSS. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND CERTAINLY THANK YOU, DR. BRO. YOU HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS INITIATIVE, UH, [01:00:01] PUSHED FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER, UH, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH COREY IN MY OFFICE. WE MAY BE ABLE TO TRY TO NAVIGATE YOU. CERTAINLY THE MAYOR, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE THE ONE THAT COULD MAKE THESE TYPES OF DECISIONS. BUT CERTAINLY EVERYTHING HAS TO BE AN OR, YOU KNOW, A DECENCY. AND IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WHAT THE CITY UNDERTAKES IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ONLY, UH, ATTAINABLE BUT SUSTAINABLE. AND SO I CERTAINLY HAVE HEARD YOUR PLAN. I'M, I'M VERY ENCOURAGED BY IT. AND IF I COULD OFFER THE RESOURCES OF SOMEONE IN MY OFFICE THAT MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU, YOU KNOW, GET TO THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THIS, I CERTAINLY WOULD, WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT. AND I CERTAINLY MUST RECOGNIZE THE HONORABLE MAYOR OF SUNNYSIDE, SANDRA MASSEY HINES, WHO IS HERE TODAY, WHO HAS BEEN A PARTNER WITH DR. BRO THROUGHOUT THIS PUSHING AND ENCOURAGING HIM TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. BECAUSE I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS YEARS AGO AND I KNOW HOW FRUSTRATING IT HAS TO BE. AND SO CERTAINLY IF, IF MY OFFICE CAN BE OF SERVICE TO YOU, UH, I WILL CERTAINLY, I HAVE INGRAM HERE IN THE, IN THE RED RIGHT THERE, AND SHE CAN NAVIGATE YOU SO THAT YOU CAN MAYBE SPEAK WITH COREY IN MY OFFICE. AND CERTAINLY THE MAYOR KNOWS COREY VERY WELL. MAYOR, THE HONORABLE MAYOR KNOWS COREY VERY WELL. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR COMING. AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT COME TO FRUITION BECAUSE THAT BUILDING COULD BE VERY, VERY VIABLE FOR THE PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE VETERANS THAT MAY COME FROM FAR AND WIDE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUST ONE MORE COMMENT, UH, CERTAINLY TAKE MY TIME AND WE COULD JUST HAVE, UH, AS WAS SUGGESTED BY, UH, DR. SHABA SHABAZZ JUST TO HAVE A, I'M SORRY, JUST TO HAVE A, A FOLLOW UP CONVERSATION OF CONTINUITY SO WE CAN BEGIN TO DEVELOP THE PLAN. 'CAUSE WE HAVE THE PROPOSAL, WE HAVE THE FINANCIAL FUNDING, WE JUST NEED TO ACQUIRE THE BUILDING TO BRING IN THE PARTNERS ON BOARD. WE NEED SITE CONTROL TO GO WITH IT. SO WE'D CERTAINLY APPRECIATE FOLLOW UP MEETINGS WITH YOU, BEING AWARE OF IT BEING PART OF IT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL DAVIS, YOU MAYOR. UH, DR. BRO, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND MAKING YOUR PRESENTATION. UM, QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK YOU, YOU KNOW, IN THAT BUILDING, THAT OLD BUILDING MM-HMM . FOR A LONG TIME, THE RED CROSS WAS IN THERE, WAS THERE BECAUSE IT PROVIDED SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. I WAS SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTED THAT WHEN THEY MOVED OUT OF THAT BUILDING, 'CAUSE THEY DID IT IN SEVERAL BUILDINGS, PARTICULARLY IN THE, UH, MINORITY LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES, THEY MOVED OUT. SO HAVE HAVE YOU ALL HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE RED CROSS IN REGARDS TO HELPING TO MAYBE BE PART OF THE PLAN TO FACILITATE THAT BUILDING? NO, WE NOT, WE NOT WITH THE RED CROSS, BUT WE HAVE HAD CONSULTANTS IN CONSULTANTS WITH OTHER GROUPS. AND SO THE PLAN IS TO, UH, FIRST OF ALL OCCUPY THE HEALTH CLINIC, WHICH IS SEPARATE FROM THE OTHER BUILDING, ESTABLISH THE HEALTH AND EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS. THERE. THERE ARE 60,000 SQUARE FEET. YEAH. SO WE WANNA WORK WITH 30,000 RENOVATE THAT ASBESTOS AND THOSE CHANGES THAT IS NEEDED FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH. THEN AT THAT POINT IN TIME, ONCE WE E ESTABLISHED, THERE'S A PHARMACY, THERE'S A COMPREHENSIVE PRIMARY CARE YEAH. X-RAY LABORATORY AND THOSE THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED TO SERVE THAT COMMUNITY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME HAVE IT AN EDUCATIONAL PART. WE HAVE STUDENTS PHLEBOTOMIST MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. YEAH. AND, AND, AND THE, LIKE, THEY WILL COME IN AND GET THAT TRAINING FROM THE COMMUNITY. YEAH. THAT'S GONNA UPLIFT THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO BRING SOURCES, RESOURCES AND PARTNERSHIPS TO IT. YEAH. SO THE NEXT PHASE IS ONCE WE GET THERE, BUT WE WANNA WORK WITH THE CITY. SURE, SURE. SO THEY CAN BE IN COLLABORATION WITH IT. YEAH. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I LIKE THE IDEA ALL OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THE RED CROSS TO COME IN AND AT TAKE OVER IT. WE'LL LOOK, BUT I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THEY COULD HAVE SOME SKIN IN THE GAME IN REGARDS TO HELPING TO SOLIDIFY WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO. YES, YES. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY, YOU KNOW, YEAH. THEY WERE IN THE COMMUNITY AT ONE TIME AND SO, UM, GOOD. OKAY. I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, UH, CERTAINLY KEEP IN TOUCH, LIKE, TO FOLLOW WITH THAT. ABSOLUTELY. YES SIR. WE'LL DO IT. THANK YOU, UHHUH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. DAVID. JEFF. DAVID JEFFERS, MORGAN HAYES, MADAM SECRETARY, I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD FOR PROCEDURAL MOTION. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIMM. I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, MOVE SAFE KAZEEM TO BE THE NEXT SPEAKER ON THE THREE MINUTE LIST. HE'S CURRENTLY ON THE, UH, ONE MINUTE LIST. I WANNA MOVE HIM UP TO BE THE NEXT SPEAKER ON THE THREE MINUTE LIST. IS THERE A [01:05:01] SECOND? SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES. NEXT SPEAKER, SAIF. K. GOOD AFTERNOON. AND, AND THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD FOR, FOR MOVING ME UP. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT, UH, THE INVESTMENT POLICY APPROVAL THAT'S BEFORE THIS COUNCIL THIS WEEK. UM, I FOLLOWED LAST WEEK. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER PROPOSED AN AMENDMENT THE CITY ATTORNEY HAD WEIGHED IN. I'D LIKE TO INFORM THE COUNCIL THAT, THAT FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE, UH, REACHED OUT WITH TO ADDRESS, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S CONCERNS. I UNDERSTAND OUR, UM, OUR, UH, MEMO ON THE LEGAL ISSUES HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S RESPONSE. UH, WHAT I DO WANNA SAY HERE IS THAT I BELIEVE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS BODY TO SEND A REALLY POWERFUL AND SYMBOLIC MESSAGE WITH THE, UH, WITH, WITH THE, THE CITY INVESTMENT POLICY. I'VE, I'VE SAT HERE FOR, FOR A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND HEARD FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS SPEAKING TO YOU ALL TODAY ABOUT SO MANY IMPORTANT CITY SERVICES THAT COULD BE IMPROVED. UM, THERE ARE FOLKS HERE THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM HOMELESSNESS. AND I, I GUARANTEE YOU ALL THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS WOULD NOT BE IN SUPPORT OF THE CITY SENDING ITS FUNDS, TAXPAYER FUNDS TO A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT ABROAD WITHOUT A GOOD RETURN ON ANY INVESTMENT FOR A GOVERNMENT THAT'S COMMITTING WAR CRIMES. UH, I GUARANTEE THAT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOUR CONSTITUENTS SUPPORT. UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT THIS TO GO UNDER THE RADAR. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN UNDER THE RADAR FOR FAR TOO LONG. AND, UM, THAT THOSE, YOU KNOW, THE LAST TIME THE INVESTMENT WAS MADE WAS $10 MILLION. $10 MILLION IS, IS, IS A MASSIVE SUM, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS COME HERE EVERY WEEK, SOMETIMES SHARING THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACE THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED BY CITY COUNCIL. YOUR PAM HAS EXPIRED, SO WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING, UH, AND REMOVE THE AUTHORIZATION FOR ISRAELI ISRAELI BOND INVESTMENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. NEXT SPEAKER, MORGAN HAYES. MORGAN HAYES. SANDRA FRANCIS. SANDRA FRANCIS. NEXT SPEAKER, IVY SPIVEY. IVY SPIVEY. NEXT SPEAKER, OZE JOHNSON. OZE JOHNSON. NEXT SPEAKER, NEIL AQUINO. HI. THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON FOR PROVIDING THIS FORUM. I'D ALSO JUST LIKE TO NOTE THE ABSENCE OF FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE MAYOR. AND FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE TIME I'VE APPEARED HERE, MY DISTRICT C COUNCIL MEMBER AS A HOUSTONIAN WHO BELIEVES IN DEMOCRACY. I WANNA KNOW HOW MAYOR WHITMEYER, KING WHITMEYER CAN JUST APPROPRIATE MONEY ON HIS OWN, NOT CARRY OUT CITY PROPOSITIONS APPROVED BY THE PUBLIC AND THE GATE, AND GOT CITY ORDINANCES BY MEMOS AND DECREES IF WHERE IS BROKE. AS MAYOR WHITMEYER OFTEN SAYS, WHERE DID THE MONEY COME FROM TO TEAR UP HOUSTON AVENUE TO MAKE IT LESS SAFE? WHY DO WE HAVE MONEY WHEN MAYOR WHITMEYER WANTS A FANCY CROSSWALK NEAR HIS HOME? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET A FAIR, UH, A CLEAR PUBLIC REPORT ON PROPOSITION B? WHEN IT WAS DISCUSSED HERE RECENTLY, THERE WAS A MIX OF LEGAL OPINIONS AND MAYOR WHITMEYER WILLIE LOMAN, LIKE RAMBLINGS ABOUT THE FOLKS WHO PUT FORTH THE PROPOSITION AS SOME TYPE OF RADICAL, BUT PROPOSITION B GOT MORE VOTES THAN MAYOR WHITMEYER. IF WE ARE JUST GOING TO IGNORE THE PEOPLE'S VOTE, LET'S JUST SAY IT. CALL A PRESS CONFERENCE, MR. MAYOR AND DO IT. HOW WAS THE SIDEWALK FEE GUTTED WITH JUST A MEMO FROM THE MAYOR. THE PROPOSAL TO TANK THE FEE WAS MADE BY A PROPOSITION, A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBERS POLLARD EVAN SHABAZZ AND THOMAS. WHEN THE VOTES WERE NOT THERE, THE MAYOR GUTTED THE FEE WITH A MEMO. THE PURPOSE OF PROPOSITION A WAS TO EXPAND DEMOCRACY, NOT RULE BY DECREE. THE EFFORT TO REVISE THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE REFLECTS THE LOUSY PROCESS. THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS STALLED THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT HAD NO CIVIC BENEFIT, BUT TO KILL THE FEE AND MAKE CERTAIN WE'D HAVE FEWER SIDEWALKS. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN TESTIFIED BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND HOPED SOMETHING USEFUL COULD BE SALVAGED FROM THIS PROCESS TO NOWHERE. WHILE THE ISSUE STAGNATES, THE FEE REMAINS WRONGLY, MOSTLY BLOCKED. HOW CAN MAYOR WHITMEYER JUST TORPEDO THE LIGHTS ON THE BRIDGE IN MONTROSE AFTER THE MONEY HAS BEEN APPROVED BY COUNSEL? I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE BRIDGE. I JUST WANNA KNOW IF THERE'S ANY LAWS OR NOT. THE MAYOR SAYS HE TAKES PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DECISION. SO WHAT, WHAT ABOUT COUNSEL? [01:10:02] THE MAYOR SAYS HE CAN ALLOCATE FUNDS AS HE CHOOSES. THIS IS JUST THE MUSK TRUMP ARGUMENT BEING MADE IN WASHINGTON, BUT EVEN THOSE SCOUNDRELS INTEND TO CHALLENGE A POST-WATERGATE REFORM LAW THAT DIRECTS THE PRESIDENT TO CORRECTLY ALLOCATE MONEY APPROVED BY CONGRESS. ARE WE RUNNING A SHOP AT HOUSTON CITY HALL? EVEN MORE ARBITRARY THAN THE INSURRECTIONIST IN CHIEF ATTENDS TO RUN IN WASHINGTON. MAYOR WHITMEYER STRONG MAN RULE DIMINISHES AND DEGRADES THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR HIM AND WITH HIM. THE PLANNING DIRECTOR AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT ARE COMPELLED TO WRITE AND DEFEND AN ORDINANCE TO NOWHERE. THE CITY FINANCE DIRECTOR CAN'T ANSWER A QUESTION ABOUT REMOVING THE MONEY FOR THE LIGHTS WITHOUT HANDING THE QUESTION OFF TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. THE CITY ATTORNEY CONCOCT LEGAL THEORIES FROM THIN AIR TO JUSTIFY AFTER THE FACT WHAT THE MAYOR HAS DONE. COUNCIL MEMBERS SPEND FOUR YEARS OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL LIVES BEING TREATED LIKE CHOPPED LIVER LIKE THE COMEDIAN USED TO SAY. NO RESPECT. ELECTED AND LOW TURNOUT, SPECIAL INTEREST FUNDED ELECTIONS. COUNCIL'S CONNECTIONS TO A FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY ARE TENUOUS ENOUGH. STAND UP TO THE MAYOR. STAND UP FOR YOURSELVES. STAND UP FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON. STAND UP FOR DEMOCRACY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. I NEIL, I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW I WAS HERE AND WE WERE LISTENING BACK. I'M TRYING TO RESOLVE SOMETHING FOR THE DISTRICT, BUT WE'RE HERE. YES, MA'AM. I THANK YOU. I WAS TRYING TO RESOLVE SOMETHING MYSELF. THANK YOU. I UNDERST UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. IT'S SUBSTANTIAL EFFORT TO COME DOWN HERE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, WE HEAL WILL HILL. NEXT SPEAKER. CHERYL HUMPHREY. SHERELL HUMPHREY. NEXT SPEAKER. DAVID MEERS. GREETINGS AND SALUTATIONS. I WISH, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER WAS HERE. UM, FORGIVE MY NERVOUSNESS. I'M NOT A ORATORY SPEAKER, NOR DO I LIKE THE LIMELIGHT. I HAVE SOME PHOTOS. I HAVE TWO SETS OF PHOTOS THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE AND I'LL JUST KEEP TALKING BECAUSE I GOT MY TIME. VERY LIMITED. THIS IS ANOTHER SET OF DOCUMENTS THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE, BUT I'D LIKE TO GET THESE BACK IF I COULD. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY OF CAMBRIDGE VILLAGE SUBDIVISION DEED IN 1960. UM, PLANTED IN 61. UH, THREE OF THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE I'M HERE TO REPRESENT. ONE OF THEM IS MY LOVELY MOTHER, FRANCIS MES. ANOTHER ONE IS AN ELDERLY WOMAN BY THE NAME OF SONTA CLIFTON. IT'S 102. SHOULD BE 1 0 3 THIS COMING JANUARY. ANOTHER IS CATHERINE SHELDON. SHE'LL BE 90 YEARS OF AGE AND THE OTHER ONE IS A 98-YEAR-OLD THAT LIVED ALL ALONG THE BLOCK OF 5,100 TODD WATER FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. I HAVE BEEN EMAILING AT LARGE ALL OF THE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING DISTRICT K AS WELL AS HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS ABOUT NO PARKING SIGNAGE. I NEED NO PARKING SIGNAGE. WE'VE GOT PEOPLE DOUBLE PARKING, TRIPLE PARKING, LEAVING VEHICLES, CHEVY DUALS FORD F1 FIFTIES, ALONG THE RIGHT OF WAY. AND THESE ARE T INTERSECTION RIGHT OF AWAYS IN THE SUBDIVISION. SO WHERE MY MOTHER LIVES, SHE'S SANDWICHED BETWEEN A T INTERSECTION OF TIDEWATER AND NATTA AND ANOTHER T INTERSECTION OF CANDLE SHADE LAID IN NATTA. AND I GOT IT. ONE END OF THE BLOCK. THE 98-YEAR-OLD THAT'S HOME BOUND ON THE OTHER END OF THE BLOCK. I'VE GOT THE 90-YEAR-OLD THAT'S HOME BOUND AND SQUARE IN THE MIDDLE. I GOT MY LOVELY MOTHER WHO'S NOT HOME BOUND, BUT CAN'T SEE AROUND THESE VEHICLES 'CAUSE SHE STILL DRIVES. SO I AM ASKING THIS COUNCIL TO GET ME LIKE A MARIAH CAREY SONG FOR CHRISTMAS. ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS. IT SOME NO PARKING SIGN. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE. THE SECOND ITEM ON AGENDA WHILE MY TIME IS TICKING IS H-P-D-H-P-D SPECIFICALLY SUBSTATION LIGHT LEMONADE. I GOT SWEET AND SOUR. SWEET. THE DETECTIVE UNITS IN YOUR, UH, FINANCIAL CRIMES DIVISION, THE DETECTIVE UNITS IN THE MAJOR ASSAULT PROBLEM, WHEN THEY GO TO TAKE A CRIMINAL CHARGE TO THE DA'S OFFICE, INTAKE IS A MESS. IT'S LITERALLY LIKE A GUN, LIKE RUSSIAN ROULETTE. THEY DO ALL THE WORK AND THEN THEY GET TOLD THEY'RE NOT GONNA PRESS CHARGES 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T GET AN ARREST. WHAT ABOUT CLASS C AND CLASS B MISDEMEANORS? IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA ENFORCE CLASS B AND CLASS C MISDEMEANORS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE CRIME AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AN ESCALATION OF CRIME. 'CAUSE FROM THE CLASS B, CLASS C, YOU'RE GOING TO HIT A FELONY. SO I NEED HPD SOUTHWEST SUBSTATION TO DO ITS JOB ON PATROL. PATROL DOES NOT WANT TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY. PATROL DOES NOT WANT TO INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC. LAST THING WITH HPD, IF A COMMANDER, DARREN EDWARDS OF SOUTHWEST SUBSTATION TELLS A VICTIM, MY LOVELY MOTHER, YOU ARE WEAPONIZING THE POLICE. THAT'S A BAD, BAD THING TO TELL TO AN 88-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO'S BEEN VICTIMIZED AND HARASSED. THAT'S MY TIME COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, ARE YOU IN THE QUEUE? NO. OKAY. THANK YOU. CARTER. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER. THANK YOU. UH, [01:15:01] THANK YOU MAYOR PROTO. MR. MAYORS. UM, HI. I KNOW YOU TALKED TO MY OFFICE QUITE A BIT, DANELLE, UH, CONVERSES WITH YOU, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION WITH HPD. UM, I THINK YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER HAS LOOKED AT STREET SIGNS. UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO TO TRY TO WORK THROUGH THAT, BUT I MEAN AT THIS POINT WE, WE KEEP HITTING A DEAD END. UM, AND I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE THAT I, I MEAN, I APPRECIATE YOUR REQUEST, BUT YOU KNOW, IF WE COULD DELIVER THAT WITH A BIG RED BOW, WE, WE CERTAINLY WOULD BECAUSE, WELL, HERE'S THE MAYOR. YES, BUT THAT'S WHY I CAME DOWN HERE. OKAY. THANK YOU. HONORABLE MAYOR. UH, SEASONS. GREETINGS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS. MY NAME IS DAVID MES. UM, I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU CAME BY. I'LL MAKE THIS REALLY QUICK 'CAUSE I KNOW MY TIME IS EXTENDED OVEREXTENDED. I'M HERE ASKING HUMBLY FOR SNOW PARKING SIGNS IN MY SUBDIVISION. I'M REPRESENTING THREE CONSTITUENTS, THREE FOLKS THAT LIVE ON THE BLOCK. ONE A HUNDRED AND TWO, ONE NINETY EIGHT, ONE NINETY. AND MY LOVELY MOTHER, WHO'S 88, ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN INUNDATED WITH STREET PARKING IN TWO T INTERSECTIONS AND IS CREATING A HAZARD AND IS CREATING A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. AND I HAVE REDUNDANTLY EMAILED SEVERAL OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING AT LARGE VIDEOS, PHOTOS. WE EVEN GOT A PETITION AND TODAY I ACTUALLY BROUGHT VIDEO OF TWO OF THOSE ELDERLY HOMEBOUND RESIDENTS BEGGING FOR THESE NO PARKING SIGNS. ALL I'M ASKING FOR IS SOME NO PARKING SIGNS ALONG THE RIGHT OF WAY TO PROTECT THESE FOLKS SO THAT THEY CAN EVACUATE IF EMS AND FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE TO BE CALLED. SO IF WE HAVE A WINTER FREEZE, LIKE WE GOT WINTER COMING UP, THAT THEY CAN HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO GET IN AND OUT TO AND FRO FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I, I DEFER MY TIME. VERY GOOD. UH, UH, CASTEX MAYOR PROTE CASTEX STADIUM. THANK YOU MAYOR. MR. MAYORS, WE, WE'VE BEEN AT THIS A LONG TIME. UH, PUBLIC WORKS HAS GONE OUT THERE IN THE MORNING IN THE NOON AND AT NIGHT. UM, HPD HAS GONE ON, UH, THIS STREET IN THE MORNING IN THE NOONTIME AND AT NIGHTTIME. MY TEAM HAS GONE OUT THERE IN THE MORNING IN THE NOONTIME AND IN THE EVENING TIME. UM, THE, THE CONCERN, UM, THAT YOU RAISE IS A VALID CONCERN. UH, THE RULES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE THAT PEOPLE CAN PARK ON THE STREET, AS LONG AS THEY DON'T STAY 24 HOURS, UM, IS, IS WHERE WE ARE HAVING THE PROBLEM. UH, THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT OWN THESE VEHICLES, UM, ARE PARKING ON THE STREET, BUT THESE CARS ARE NOT STAYING THERE FOR 24 HOURS AND THEY'RE MOVING THE VEHICLES WITHIN THE 24 HOUR TIMEFRAME. UM, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS HAS GONE AND LOOKED AT THIS. UM, I HAVE SENT EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT I COULD TO MAKE AN ASSESSMENT TO SEE IF WE CAN DELIVER THOSE NO PARKING SIGNS. UM, FOR YOU. UM, WE WOULD HAVE TO EITHER CHANGE THE RULES TO PUT THOSE NO PARKING SIGNS THERE. HOWEVER, YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE NOT, UM, BREAKING THE RULES AND THEY ARE ALLOWED TO PARK ON THE STREET. THE STREET IS WIDE ENOUGH, UM, TO HAVE THE CARS ON THE STREET AND HAVE ANOTHER CAR TO PASS BY. I KNOW IT'S FRUSTRATING TO YOU BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE THE VEHICLES IN THE STREET AND I RE I NO, THAT'S NOT IT. I RECOGNIZE THAT. UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MORE THAN THREE YEARS. NO, NO, THAT'S NOT IT. THAT'S NOT IT. IF, IF I MAY RESPECTFULLY, OKAY, GO AHEAD, MR. IF I MAY RESPECTFULLY RESPOND. SURE. FIRST OF ALL, THERE HAS BEEN AMPLE VIDEO AND PHOTOS TO SHOW THAT THE PARKING IS A PROBLEM. SECOND OF ALL, ALL OF THOSE VIDEOS AND PHOTOS HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH PUBLIC WORKS. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU ARE ROTATING VEHICLES. I HAVE A NEIGHBOR RIGHT NEXT TO ME THAT HAS THREE VEHICLES. HE RANDOMLY ROTATES ONGOINGLY RIGHT NOW AS I'M BEFORE YOU, THERE'S A CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. IT'S NOT MINE, AND IT'S GONNA BE THERE ALL NIGHT LONG. AND WHEN HE GETS READY TO MOVE IT, HE'S GONNA MOVE IT BACK IN HIS DRIVEWAY AND HE'S GONNA PARK ANOTHER ONE IN ITS SPACE IN THE SAME SPOT. AND THE OTHER RESIDENTS THAT ARE THE ONES WHO ARE NOT ON THAT PETITION ARE DOING THE SAME THING. AND SO ALL I'M SAYING TO YOU IS, IS IT'S A LITTLE DISINGENUOUS TO REPRESENT IT AS ME JUST NOT LIKING PEOPLE PARKING ON THE STREET WHEN WE'VE GOT FOLKS CIRCUMVENTING THE 24 HOUR PARKING ORDINANCE. THE ROADWAYS ARE FOR THE PEOPLE TO DRIVE. THEY'RE NOT FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE PERMANENT PARKING. THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE NEXT. DWIGHT MACK. DWIGHT MACK. TANYA ASHLEY. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING. AFTERNOON CITY [01:20:01] COUNCILMAN. UM, I'M HERE AGAIN TODAY, UH, ACTUALLY 32 DAYS LATER SINCE I CAME BY TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE OF PLEASANT HILL SENIOR COMMUNITY. UM, I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE. AS OF NOW, NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. UH, HARVEY CLEMON, I HEAR HE CAME IN HERE AND ASKED YOU GUYS FOR SOME MORE MONEY. I DON'T THINK YOU GUYS, OUR TAX PAYERS SHOULD GIVE HIM ANOTHER DYING. THESE SINGERS ARE STILL OVER THERE LIVING IN DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS. NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. AND SINCE I CAME HERE TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON, I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF INFORMATION, INFORMATION THAT I'M QUITE SURE YOU GUYS DO NOT KNOW. HOWEVER, THE ONES THAT ARE LIVING THERE NOW THAT HAS VOUCHERS FOR HOUSING, HOUSING WILL NO LONGER AS OF JANUARY GIVE OUT ANY VOUCHERS. SO AS I SIT HERE TODAY, I'M HEARING A LOT ABOUT HOMELESS PEOPLE. SO ARE WE GONNA LET THESE SENIORS OVER HERE AT THIS COMMUNITY BECOME HOMELESS? BECAUSE WHAT'S BEEN DONE ABOUT IT, I DON'T KNOW. THEY'RE STILL THERE LIVING IN MOLD. THEY'RE STILL LIVING IN DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS AND THIS MAN IS STILL TRYING TO COME DOWN HERE AND GET MORE MONEY FOR PROJECTS. I DON'T THINK HE SHOULD GET ANOTHER DIME. ANY BOARD THAT HE'S SITTING ON, ANYTHING THAT HAS HARVEY CLEMENTS JR. ON SHOULD BE DENIED. AND THAT'S JUST MY POINT OF VIEW. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. NEXT MILANT HOLIDAY. MILANT HOLIDAY. MICHELLE WILLIAMS, MICHELLE WILLIAMS, YOLANDA, FORBES. GOOD EVENING, ALL OF YOU. GOD, NONE OF ME. MY NAME IS YOLANDA BBS. I WAS EMPLOYED WITH TDCJ 20 YEARS, 16 YEARS STRAIGHT BEFORE MY CAREER WAS RUDELY INTERRUPTED BY SEVERAL HPD OFFICERS WHO TOOK VENGEANCE ON ME BECAUSE I WITNESSED AN ACCIDENT THAT THEY CAUSED ON 1125 2014 AT LOCKWOOD. AND KELLY, UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, I WAS RED FLAGGED IN THEIR SYSTEM ON JUNE 13TH, 2017. I CALLED HPD VIA 9 1 1 TO ASSIST ME WITH A YOUNG COUPLE WHO COMMITTED ROAD RAGE, OTHER VIOLATIONS, INCLUDING LYING TO HPD THAT I SHOWED THEM A BIG BLACK GUN ON THE FREEWAY. BUT H-C-P-D-H-P-D FOUND THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO USE THIS YOUNG COUPLE TO TAKE VENGEANCE ON ME. ON 20, ON FEBRUARY THE 22ND, 2018, I NOTIFIED THEM MARI SYLVESTER TURNER AND HPD CHIEF ART AVEDA ABOUT THE WRONGFUL AND REVENGEFUL ARREST BY SEVERAL HPD OFFICERS VIA EMAIL. SHORTLY AFTER I RECEIVED A CALL FROM HPD LIEUTENANT WHO TOLD ME TO GO FILE AN INTERNAL AFFAIRS REPORT ON 3 15 20 18, I FILED AND SUBMITTED AN INTERNAL AFFAIRS REPORTS AT THE NORTHEAST STATION ON 3 30 20 18, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT SERGEANT STEVEN MODUS IS THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER ASSIGNED TO MY CASE. AROUND THE END OF JULY, THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST, 2018, THE YOUNG COUPLE THAT HPD USED TO TAKE VENGEANCE ON ME WENT TO TDCJ DOWNTOWN AND CLEARED MY NAME BEFORE SERGEANT MODIS CONCLUDED HIS INVESTIGATION UNFOUNDED ON 10 19 20 18, 11 30 20 18, I WENT TO THE FBI OFFICE AND THEY REFUSED TO HELP ME WITH THESE CROOKED POLICE OFFICERS. 22 DAYS LATER, THREE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS ON 12 22 20 18 HPD TOOK ME OUTTA MY HOME AND PUT ME IN BEN TAUB PSYCHIATRIC CENTER. ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE OFFICERS STATED THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE TO THE FBI OFFICE. THAT'S IT. NO, LET ME, I WENT ON LAST TUESDAY TO DA KIM S OFFICE BECAUSE I FILED CRIMINAL CHARGES ON SYLVESTER TURNER, FORMER HPD CHIEF VEDA FOUR OFFICERS, THREE OF WHICH I KNOW THEIR NAMES. [01:25:01] I WENT THERE. HER SECRETARY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE CASE. I FILED THIS ON 9 27 20 24. THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE CASE IN THE SYSTEM. SO I CAME, I WENT ACROSS THE STREET AND THE MAYOR'S SECRETARY TOLD ME I COULD COME BEFORE YOU. SO HERE I AM, UH, JUST A MOMENT. MAYOR PRO TEM CASTING TATUM, MS. FOS, ARE YOU ASKING FOR SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR? ARE YOU SHARING WHAT HAPPENED? I'M SHARING WHAT HAPPENED. THERE WOULD BE, THERE WOULD BE A CIVIL, CIVIL CHARGES. I'M, I'M OLD COMPENSATION FOR SEVEN YEARS, BUT THERE WOULD BE CIVIL CHARGES BECAUSE THEY PUT ME IN A PSYCHIATRIC PLACE TO PLAY ME MENTAL AND ALL, ALL THE VESTER TURNER HAD TO DO WAS HOLD HIS OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE, PAY ME FOR THE LITTLE COMPENSATION THAT I, AND THEN I WENT, WENT BACK TO MY JOB DOWNTOWN. BUT BECAUSE THEY TRIED TO PLAY ME MENTAL AND PUT, AND I TOLD 'EM I'M GONNA FILE A, A CIVIL LAWSUIT, THE OFFICERS, BEFORE THEY PUT ME INTO THE POLICE CAR, THEY SAID, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE NEVER WENT TO THE POLICE, UH, TO THE FBI OFFICE. AND I TOLD 'EM, I'M GONNA FILE CIVIL CHARGES AND IT'S GONNA BE A HEFTY CIVIL CHARGE ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE, IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE OKAY. ALL I WAS ASKING THAT THOUGH, LET, LET ME BACK. GOD TOLD ME THOSE OFFICERS AND THE TWO YOUNG PEOPLE THAT THEY USED, ALL THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO WAS COMMUNITY SERVICE. THAT'S IT. COMMUNITY SERVICE, THE OFFICERS, O-T-D-C-J APOLOGY FOR INTERRUPTING THEIR, THEIR OPERATIONS. THE TWO YOUNG PEOPLE OWE MY MOTHER A, A FORMAL APOLOGY FOR LAUGHING IN HER FACE AS THEY WERE TAKING ME OFF TO JAIL. I, I SENT ALL EVIDENCE TO S SL FLORENCE ASSOCIATION ALL STATE ATTORNEYS DOWNTOWN HOUSTON. DO YOU KNOW THAT THOSE, I FORCED THOSE YOUNGSTERS TO CLEAR MY NAME. I HAD TO FORCE THEM SENDING EVIDENCE TO THE ATTORNEYS THAT WAS COMING AFTER ME TO PAY FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S, UH, CARD. OKAY. BEST WISHES TO YOU. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, MS. FORBES, DID YOU, YOU WORKED FOR TD JC 20 YEARS. OKAY. 16 YEARS STRAIGHT. ALRIGHT, AND WHAT YEAR AGAIN? UH, YOU NAMED SEVERAL YEARS WHAT? 2017 IS WHEN I WAS ARRESTED OUTTA REVENGE ARRESTED ON 20 17, 26 13 20 17 BECAUSE I WITNESSED THAT ACCIDENT ON 1125, 2014. THAT'S WHY THEY TOOK VENGEANCE. SO A RESULT OF THAT YOU REPORTED IT? I REPORTED IT VIA EMAIL. OKAY. AND THEN AFTER THAT, THEN HPD NOTIFIED YOU OR THEIR INVESTIGATION WAS UNFOUNDED BY SERGEANT MODEST THAT DID THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATION. AND I HADN'T, HE HAD NEVER CONTACTED ME. I HADN'T, I I, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HIM PERSONALLY. I NEVER SAW HIS FACE, BUT HE, UM, HE DID THE INVESTIGATION. IT WAS UNFOUNDED, BUT THE YOUNG PEOPLE CLEARED MY NAME BEFORE HE EVEN DID HIS, UH, CON DID HIS INVESTIGATION UNFOUNDED. SO LAST, UH, THE MAYOR PRO TIM ASKED YOU, WHAT IS IT PARTICULARLY THAT YOU IS ASKING OR ASKING FOR? I WANT THOSE OFFICERS PUNISHED FOR WHAT THEY DID. I ALREADY FILED THEM IN THE, UM, UM, CRIMINAL CHARGES ON SYLVESTER TURNER. I WENT BACK ON TEN FOUR AND FILED CRI AND ADDED, UM, FORMER HPD CHIEF VE AND FOUR THREE OF THE FOUR OFFICERS. ONE, I DON'T KNOW THEIR NAMES. DO YOU HAVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION? UH, NO. I I I I'M GONNA REPRESENT MYSELF. I'VE HAD TWO ATTORNEYS THAT WERE TRASHED. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. STEVE WILLIAMS, EDUARDO DURAN, BRIDGET JENSEN. GOOD AFTERNOON. I RULE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. UM, I'M HERE ONCE AGAIN URGING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY'S INVESTMENT POLICY TO REMOVE ISRAEL BONDS FROM AUTHORIZED AND SUITABLE INVESTMENTS. WHILE THE TEXAS PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT ACT MAKES POSSIBLE THE PURCHASE OF THESE BONDS, THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED. SUBCHAPTER FIVE, SUBSECTION J OF THE PFIA STATES THE GOVERNING BODY OF AN INVESTING ENTITY MAY SPECIFY IN ITS INVESTMENT POLICY THAT ANY INVESTMENT AUTHORIZED [01:30:01] BY THIS CHAPTER IS NOT SUITABLE. SO THIS ALLOWS HOUSTON TO SPECIFY ISRAEL BONDS AS UNSUITABLE. SO THERE IS NO REASON TO WITHHOLD AN AMENDMENT UNTIL THE SUPER PREEMPTION CASE IS SETTLED. OUR CITY SHOULD NOT GIVE A FOREIGN COUNTRY, REGARDLESS OF WHICH ONE, EXCEPTIONAL PRIVILEGE IN OUR INVESTMENT POLICY. THERE'LL BE A FOLLOW-UP EMAIL THAT YOU'LL BE GETTING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU MA'AM. NEXT PHILIPPE WOODS. HELLO EVERYONE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC. THAT IS THE REVISED INVESTMENT POLICY FOR OVER A YEAR. NOW, MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME TO THIS VERY CHAMBER TO ASK TO PLEAD TO THIS VERY COUNCIL TO NOT INVEST IN ANY FOREIGN BONDS AS DOING SO WOULD UNDERMINE THE COUNCIL'S, THIS COUNCIL'S POSITION OF NEUTRALITY IN ALL FOREIGN CONFLICTS AND INVEST BACK IN A CITY IN A POSITIVE WAY. LIKE WHAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT TODAY, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. I GO TO SCHOOL HERE IN DOWNTOWN UHD UP THERE AND UP THERE IN MAIN STREET. OKAY? I GO, UH, AND I TRAVEL HERE BY, AND I TRAVEL TO GET THERE BY BUS EVERY DAY. FOR THAT REASON. I PERSONALLY LOVE IT. I DO NOT HAVE TO, AS I DO NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR AN EXPENSIVE PARKING PERMIT, I'M, UH, TO HAVE TO BRING MY, TO HAVE TO BRING. I DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE. I DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR AN EXPENSIVE PARKING PERMIT. I COULD SAVE MONEY FROM DOING THAT. I LOVE IT. IN FACT, AS A MATTER OF FACT, I HAD, I TOOK A BUS FROM NAM IN SPRING JUST TO GET HERE. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. UM, IN SPRING WHERE I VOLUNTEER MY TIME TO, THEY GET TO THIS VERY CHAMBER TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL. WITH THAT IN MIND, I WOULD LOVE IF THE CITY WOULD INVEST MORE IN OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AS THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW. I CAN'T UTILIZE IT WITHOUT RELYING ON A CAR IN SOME WAY. FOR INSTANCE, I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WITH THE WAY THE MAJOR ROADS OUT THERE ARE DESIGNED WOULD MAKE IT A A NEVER ENDING BATTLE TO GET TO THE CLOSEST BUS STOP THAT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THREE AND FOUR MILES FROM MY HOUSE. TAKING TO RESPECTIVE WALKING THERE WOULD TAKE, WOULD TAKE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN AN HOUR AND 15 TO AN HOUR AND 30 MINUTES WITHOUT, WITHOUT HAVING WITH. AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S THE UNDER THE BEST CASE SCENARIO WHERE I DON'T GET KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED. WITH MORE INVESTMENT PUT ON OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE, WE CAN FOCUS ON MAKING IT SAFER AND ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE, WHICH WOULD BE A NET BENEFIT FOR THIS CITY AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS. I LOVE THIS CITY AND I WANT NOTHING MORE THAN THE BEST FOR IT. AND THE WAY WE CAN DO THAT INSTEAD OF FUNDING FOREIGN NATIONS IS INVESTING IN OUR CITY, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR HOME. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS CITY COUNCIL HAS FOR ME, IF THEY HAVE ANY NEXT. SOPHIA SEGER. ANUSHA SADIQUE. SHE WAS NOT HERE EARLIER WHEN HER NAME WAS. HELLO. I WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. UM, I'VE SPOKEN TO MANY OF YOU BEFORE. MY NAME IS ANUSHA. I'VE WORKED FOR A LOT OF NONPROFITS. I'VE WORKED FOR A LOT OF ELECTORAL CAMPAIGNS. AND I WILL BE FRANK, I'VE COME TO THIS COUNCIL WITH A LOT OF HOSTILITY AND MALICE TODAY. THAT'S NOT WHY I'M HERE NOW. I'M HERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN HOUSTON. I BELIEVE IN ITS PEOPLE. I BELIEVE IN ITS RESILIENCE AND I BELIEVE THAT ITS POTENTIAL. AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE AT A CROSSROADS. THE CHOICE IS NOW WHETHER WE WILL INVEST IN OUR CITY OR IF WE WILL INVEST IN OURSELVES. WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE INVESTMENTS THAT DIRECTLY BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY. IT MEANS SUPPORTING OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM, NOT JUST SCHOOLS BUT EDUCATORS. IT MEANS ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF OUR HOUSELESS NEIGHBORS. WE NEED TO CREATE YEAR ROUND WARMING AND COOLING CENTERS. WE NEED TO MAKE HOUSTON MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE. WE NEED BIKE LANES, WE NEED TRANSPORTATION. WE NEED LANGUAGE ACCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN THE CITY IS SAFE. TRUE COMMUNITY SAFETY DOESN'T COME FROM EXPANDING POLICE BUDGETS. IT COMES FROM INVESTING IN PEOPLE. GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS HOUSTON ARE ALREADY PROVIDING FOOD, SHELTER, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS. THESE GROUPS PROVE EVERY DAY THAT THEY CARE. THAT CARE NOT FORCE IS WHAT BUILDS STRONGER, SAFER COMMUNITIES. WE SHOULD AMPLIFY THEIR WORK AND PROVIDE THEM WITH MORE RESOURCES, NOT LESS. I'M ACTUALLY HAPPY TO VOLUNTEER MY TIME AND EFFORTS. FOR ANY OF YOU WHO WANNA MAKE THESE TIME MAKE THESE DIFFERENCES, I WANNA HAVE A CANDID CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR CITY'S FINANCIAL POLICIES. WHY IS ISRAEL A FOREIGN STATE EXPLICITLY NAMED IN THEM? WHILE RESIDENTS STRUGGLE WITH BASIC NEEDS, OUR CITY IS PRIORITIZING EXTERNAL POLITICAL AGENDAS. IT'S DEEPLY CONCERNING AND REFLECTS MISPLACED [01:35:01] PRIORITIES. IT BECOMES MORE EVIDENT DURING CLIMATE DISASTERS. I'M SURE A LOT OF YOU REMEMBER, EVERY TIME THERE'S A HURRICANE OR AN EXTREME HEAT STRIKE, OUR GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE IS INADEQUATE AND WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE OUR OWN PEOPLE. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY. WE WANT TO WORK WITH CITY COUNCIL TO CREATE A BETTER HOUSTON, A CITY THAT INVESTS IN ITS PEOPLE'S VALUES, EQUITY, AND PROVIDES THE RESOURCES WE NEED TO THRIVE TOGETHER. WE CAN ENSURE HOUSTON BECOMES THE FIRST CITY THAT PUTS ITS RESIDENTS FIRST. AND I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO DO SO. I WANNA REMIND YOU THAT I'VE WORKED EXTENSIVELY ON CAMPAIGNS AND I'M WILLING TO VOLUNTEER ALL OF MY TIME FOR YOU BECAUSE I THINK YOU DO TAKE THE EFFORT TO INVEST IN YOUR CITIZENS, TO LISTEN TO US AND TO DO VALUABLE WORK. WE EXPECT BETTER FROM YOU. AND I'M VERY CONFIDENT YOU CAN MEET OUR EXPECTATIONS. I HOPE YOU GUYS DO TOO. THANK YOU. NEXT. MARIAN WRIGHT. HI. UM, I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I'M WELL, I'M SURE ALL OF Y'ALL ARE VERY UPSET ABOUT THE TRAIN WRECK THAT RECENTLY HAPPENED. IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. WE ALL KNOW IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTELLO IS DOING A LOT TO TRY AND HIS DISTRICT OR MY DISTRICT TO TRY AND SOLVE SOME OF THE ISSUES. AND I'VE BEEN THERE TO SPEAK ABOUT TRAINS BEFORE AND WHAT HE'S DOING IS HE'S APPLIED FOR A FEDERAL GRANT TO STUDY THE SITUATION. BUT WE CAN'T DO THIS ONE CROSSING AT A TIME. HE ALSO APPLIED FOR SOMETHING OR IS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING WHERE AT CERTAIN HOURS OF THE DAY, TRAINS CAN'T, YOU KNOW, STOP. UM, AND IF WE CAN DO THAT OR SOMETHING DURING THE MORNING HOURS AND DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS WHEN KIDS ARE PASSING, IF WE CAN DO SOME SORT OF A BRIDGE OVER THE TRAINS, IF WE CAN DO MAYBE WHERE THEY DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO CROSS REDO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO THE SCHOOLS, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWERS ARE, BUT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING CITYWIDE. WE CAN'T PIECEMEAL THIS ONE THING AT A TIME. IT'S AN ISSUE WE'VE KNOWN IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME. Y'ALL HAVE ALL KNOWN IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE. CAN'T WE DO SOMETHING CITYWIDE, CAN'T WE? THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. NEXT, THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS. UH, [RECESS] WE STAND RECESS UNTIL NINE IN THE MORNING. THE DESCRIPTION OF CAPTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR THE WEEK, DECEMBER 10TH AND 11TH 2024. ITEM ONE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF PERMANENT CLOSURE OF A PORTION OF WONDER LANE. ITEM TWO, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF THE 2025 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE BUDGET FOR THE LAKE CONROE DAM AND RESERVOIR PROJECT. ITEM ITEM THREE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF THE 2025 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE BUDGET FOR THE LAKE LIVINGSTON PROJECT. ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF THE 2025 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE BUDGET FOR THE TRINITY RIVER WATER CONVEYANCE PROJECT. ITEM FIVE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF THE 2025 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE BUDGET FOR THE LOOSE BIO SYSTEM PROJECT. ITEM SIX, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF THE 2025 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE BUDGET FOR THE LAKE HOUSTON FACILITIES PROJECT ITEM SEVEN, RECOMMENDATION FROM HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF PAYMENT OF 2024. 2025. MEMBERSHIP DUES TO THE WATER RESEARCH FOUNDATION. ITEM EIGHT, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON EMERGENCY CENTER FOR APPROVAL OF THE GREATER HARRIS COUNTY 9 1 1 EMERGENCY NETWORK BUDGET. ITEM NINE HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. ITEM 10, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT AND EXCEPTIONS OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH MAIN LANE INDUSTRIES. LTD ITEM 11, HOUSTON MACKE DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP, LTD FOR CHRYSLER, DODGE, OEM, REPLACEMENT PARTS AND REPAIR SERVICES. ITEM 12, DAYCO FIRE EQUIPMENT INC. FOR PURCHASE OF TWO EMERGENCY RESPONSE VEHICLES. ITEM 13, CARDWELL COUNTRY FOR TWO CHEVY TAHOES. ITEM 14, PROFESSIONAL TURF PRODUCTS LP FOR PURCHASE OF MOORES AND GROUND MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT. ITEM 15, BRIGGS INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS INC. DOGGETT HEAVY MACHINERY SERVICES, INC. FOR PURCHASE OF MATERIAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT. ITEM 16, CHASTAIN ENTERPRISES HOUSTON, L-L-C-D-B-A, CHASTAIN FORD CHAST TANK ENTERPRISES, LLC AND CARTWELL COUNTRY FORD FOR PURCHASE OF LIGHT DUTY VEHICLES. ITEM 17, MATTHEWS SPECIALTY VEHICLES FOR PURCHASE OF 2 26 FOOT WINNEBAGO MOBILE CLASSROOM VEHICLES. ITEM 18, UR INTERNATIONAL INC, EXCUSE ME, UR INTERNATIONAL [01:40:01] INC. FOR ANNUAL RENEWAL OF APPLICATION LICENSES MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADE SERVICES FOR THE TOWED VEHICLE REPORTING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. ITEM 19, AMEND MOTION 20 22 54 TO INCREASE SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF HAND TOOLS, EXCUSE ME, FOR PURCHASE OF HAND TOOLS AND SMALL REPAIR EQUIPMENT AWARDED TO CITY SUPPLY COMPANY INC. ITEM 20 ORDINANCE SUBMITTING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 18 56 AS SUBMITTED TO ALLOCATE ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDING TO HOME REPAIR PROGRAM MASTER CONTRACTOR AGREEMENTS. ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND WESTLAKE COMMUNITY CENTER INC. OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. ITEM 22, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CHILDCARE. CONS OF GREATER HOUSTON, TEXAS. ITEM 13 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING REIMBURSEMENT PAYMENT FROM CITY OF HOUSTON TO GENERAL LAND OFFICE. ITEM 24 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING REIMBURSABLE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION. ITEM 25, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING DIRECTOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO ACCEPT A GRANT AWARD FROM THE TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION. ITEM 26 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING 850, $50,000 AND NO CENTS OUT OF EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION CONSOLIDATED FUND FOR PLANNED DATA CENTER REFRESH. PROJECT ITEM 27, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $3 MILLION AND NO CENTS OUT OF CONTRIBUTED CAPITAL PROJECT FUND FOR PLANNED CONTINUATION AND SUPPORT OF HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTERS PERMITTING AND INSPECTION SYSTEM. ITEM 28 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT RELEASE AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ANNA S-T-H-E-T-T-I-N-I-A-L-E-M-A-N. ITEM 29 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AWARD AND CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND DENALI WATER SOLUTIONS. LLC ITEM 30 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND BLUE LINK LLC ITEM 31 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIFTH AMENDMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND GREATER HOUSTON HEALTH CONNECT INC. ITEM 32, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENTS BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ONE BALDWIN CYBER TECH INC. TWO CUY TECHNOLOGY CORP AND THREE NETSY NETWORK SOLUTIONS INC. ITEM 33 ORDERS APPROPRIATING $677,000 IN NO CENTS OUT OF FIRE CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING DERIVATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION. LLC, EXCUSE ME. ITEM 34 ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE RESCHEDULING OF POSTPONEMENT OF CERTAIN CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. ITEM 35 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF OLD SPRING TRAIL ALAMEDA CORRIDOR REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER SEVEN, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS OLDS PLANET TRAIL, ALAMEDA CORRIDOR ZONE ITEM 36, ORDINANCE ENLARGING BOUNDARIES OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 17, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS AND MEMORIAL CITY ZONE. ITEM 37, ORDINANCE APPROVING. FIFTH AMENDED PROJECT PLAN AND REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN FOR REINVESTMENT. ZONE NUMBER 17, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS MEMORIAL CITY ZONE. THIS ITEM SHOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER PASSAGE OF ITEM 36 ABOVE ITEM 38. ORDINANCE ENLARGING BOUNDARIES OF REINVESTMENT. ZONE NUMBER 20, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, SOUTHWEST HOUSTON ZONE ITEM 39, ORDINANCE APPROVING SEVENTH AMENDED PROJECT PLANNING, REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN FOR REINVESTMENT. ZONE NUMBER 20, CITY, HOUSTON, TEXAS, SOUTHWEST HOUSTON ZONE. THIS ITEM SHALL ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER PASSAGE OF ITEM 38 ABOVE ITEM 40. ORDINANCE ENLARGING BOUNDARIES OF REINVESTMENT. ZONE NUMBER 25, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, HIRING CLARK FORT BEND ZONE ITEM 41, ORDINANCE APPROVING. SECOND AMENDED PROJECT PLANNING, REINVESTMENT ZONE FINANCING PLAN FOR REINVESTMENT. ZONE NUMBER 25, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, HIRING CLARK FORT BEND ZONE. THIS ITEM SHALL ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER PASSAGE OF ITEM 40 ABOVE ITEM 42. ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF JOINT ELECTRONIC APPLICATION TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE FROM THE BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE TO FUND THE FY 2024 BY EDWARD BY MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM. ITEM 43, ORDINANCE AMENDING EXHIBIT A OF CITY HOUSTON ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 22 2 21 TO CHANGE CURRENT JOB, CLASSIFICATION OF COMMANDER TO CAPTAIN AND CHANGE BASE PAGE RATE OF POLICE OFFICER PROBATIONARY SUBSTITUTED THE AMENDED EXHIBIT AS PART OF CURRENT POLICE DEPARTMENT. CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL ORDINANCE. ITEM 44, ORDINANCE DESIGNATED THE PROPERTY MUNICIPALLY KNOWN AS 8 0 6 MAIN STREET, HOUSTON, TEXAS 7 7 0 0 2 AND ALSO KNOWN AS BATTLE STINES BEING LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS AS A LANDMARK. ITEM 45 ORDINANCE DESIGNATED THE PROPERTY MUNICIPALLY KNOWN AS 8 0 7 [01:45:01] NORTH LOOP AND ALSO KNOWN AS DELCO HOUSE BEING LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. ITEM 46, ORDINANCE DESIGNATING A PROP, THE PROPERTY MUNICIPALLY KNOWN AS SEVEN SHADOW LAWN STREET AND ALSO KNOWN AS DR. AND MRS. ROBERT A. JOHNSTON HOUSE. ITEM 47 ORDINANCE DESIGNATING THE PROPERTY MUNICIPALLY KNOWN AS 1 0 9 STRATFORD STREET, HOUSTON, TEXAS 7 7 0 6 AND KNOWN AS THE JOHN S. STEWART HOUSE. ITEM 48 ORDINANCE DESIGNATED THE PROPERTY MINISTRY KNOWN AS SIX 12 WAVERLEY STREET, HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND ALSO KNOWN AS SWIFT AND COMPANY PACKING PLANT ITEM 49 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PURCHASE AND SELLER AGREEMENT BETWEEN 1615 SOUTH LOOP WEST LLC SELLER AND CD, HOUSTON, TEXAS PURCHASER I 50 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $2,455,063 AND 72 CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM, CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND BR ENGINEERING INC. I 51 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $2,544,268 AND 30 CENTS OUTTA METRO PROJECTS CONSTRUCTION, D-D-S-R-F AWARDING CONTRACT TYCON GROUP INC. ITEM 52 OR DECEMBER, 2020 4, 9 34 PAST FIRST READING DECEMBER 4TH, 2024. ORDINANCE GRANTING TO GAINESBORO WASTE A TEXAS CORPORATION. THIS IS THE SECOND READING ITEM 53 OR DECEMBER 20, 24, 9 35 PASS FIRST READING DECEMBER 4TH. ORDINANCE GRANTED TO LIQUID ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS OF TEXAS, LLCA TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. THE SECOND READING ITEM 54, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 9 36 PASS. FIRST READING DECEMBER 4TH. ORDINANCE GRANTED TO SAFETY, CL SAFETY CLEAN SYSTEMS INC AT WISCONSIN CORPORATION, ALSO SECOND READING ITEM 55, ORDINANCE 20 24 9 37 PASS. FIRST READING DECEMBER 4TH, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO TO SET ENVIRONMENTAL INC. A TEXAS CORPORATION ALSO. SECOND READING ITEM 56, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 9 38 PASS. FIRST READING DECEMBER 4TH. ORDINANCE GRANTING TO SUPERIOR WASTE SOLUTIONS, LLCA, TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. SECOND READING ITEM 57, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 9 39 PAST FIRST READING DECEMBER 4TH, ORDINANCE GRANTED TO SWEEPING CORPORATION OF AMERICA, LLCA FOREIGN LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. SECOND READING ITEM 58 OR DECEMBER 20, 24, 9 40, PAST FIRST READING DECEMBER 4TH, 2024. ORDINANCE GRANTED TO TEXAS OUTHOUSE INC. AT TEXAS CORPORATION. ALSO THE THIRD, UH, SECOND READING, I'M SORRY, THIS IS THE END OF THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR MATTERS HELD. ITEM 59 IS RESOLUTION APPROVING AND ADOPTING A REVISED INVESTMENT POLICY FOR THE CDP IN TEXAS. TAB BY COUNCIL MEMBER POLL RAMIREZ AND PLUM. THIS WAS ITEM 13 ON AGENDA OF DECEMBER 4TH, ITEM 60, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THIRD AMENDMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE. THIS WAS TAGGED BY CONSTABLE POLLARD. THIS WAS ITEM 19 ON AGENDA OF DECEMBER 4TH, ITEM 61, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND INTEGRA. MISSION CRITICAL LLC, WAYFAIR, LLC, AND PROLOGIS LOGISTICS SERVICES INCORPORATED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MANUFACTURING COMPANY FACILITY. THIS IS TABLE CONSTABLE FLICKINGER. THIS IS ITEM 31 ON AGENDA OF DECEMBER 4TH AND ITEM 62 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF FIFTH WARD. REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENT ZONE. NUMBER 18, CITY PEACE, TEXAS FIFTH WARD ZONE. THIS IS TAB BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, DAVIS CARTER, PLUMBER AND ALCORN. THIS WAS ITEM 36 ON AGENDA OF DECEMBER 4TH, ITEM 63 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF UPPER KIRBY REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENT ZONE. NUMBER 19, CITY, HOUSTON, TEXAS, UPPER KIRBY ZONE TAB BY COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN AND RAMIREZ. THIS WAS ITEM 37 ON AGENDA OF DECEMBER 4TH, ITEM 64, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION FOR THE TEXAS ABSTINENCE EDUCATION SERVICE UNDER SEXUAL RISK AVOIDANCE GRANT PROGRAM. TAB COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THIS WAS ITEM 57 ON AGENDA OF DECEMBER FOUR, ITEM 65, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING COMPROMISE, SETTLEMENT RELEASE AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND MELINDA. APP A BT A BBT TO SETTLE A LAWSUIT. THIS WAS TAB COMES FROM MCMAN. THIS WAS ITEM 58 ON AGENDA OF DECEMBER 4TH, 2024. WE ALSO HAVE TWO SUPPLEMENTAL ITEMS. ITEM 66, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,097,500 OUT OF CONTRIBUTED CAPITAL PROJECT FUND AND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING DERIVATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS INC. AND ITEM 67 ORDINANCE RENEWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE OF THE 1100 BLOCK OF KEY STREET BETWEEN NOR HILL BOULEVARD AND STU WARD STUDIO WOOD STREET. THIS COMPLETES THE READING ON THE AGENDA FOR THE WEEK DECEMBER 11TH, 2024. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM IN THE WORDS OF OUR CURRENT CITY SECRETARY, WHO IS ME. I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED. HAVE [01:50:01] A BLESSED AND FANTABULOUS DAY [RECONVENE] COUNCIL WILL [MAYOR'S REPORT] COME TO ORDER. WE'LL NOW HAVE THE MAYOR'S REPORT. WHEN I, UH, WAS SWORN IN IN JANUARY, THERE WAS MANY THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED, BUT, UH, NONE MORE THAN THE WATER BILLING SYSTEM THAT WAS ON THE DAILY NEWS. CITIZENS DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY GOT A $10,000 WATER BILL, SOMETIMES 20,000. AMY DAVIS BROUGHT IT TO THE, TO THE NEWS ON CHANNEL TWO, AND I WANT TO THANK HER. I'M NOT SURE THAT IT WOULD'VE GOTTEN THE ATTENTION. IT CERTAINLY HAD BEEN IGNORED. THE, UH, BROKEN WATER SENSORS. THERE WAS A FIVE YEAR PLAN ON THE TABLE WHEN I GOT HERE. UM, OBVIOUSLY I WAS DISSATISFIED WITH THE LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC WORKS AND THE PRIORITY THAT, UH, THE WATER BROKEN WATER SYSTEM WAS RECEIVING. UH, SHORTLY I NOTICED THAT WE HAD SOMEONE IN PUBLIC WORKS THAT HAD BEEN ASKED TO OPERATE THE DEPARTMENT, UH, BY CHANCE WASN'T AN ENGINEER, BUT BY CHANCE AND WAS GETTING IT DONE. SO RANDY WILL GIVE US A STATUS REPORT TODAY. I KNOW WE'VE SAID BY THE END OF THE YEAR THE SENSORS WOULD BE PURCHASED AND REPLACED ON OUR METERS. WE'RE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND, UH, A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN FIXED DO NOT GET THE ATTENTION THEY DESERVE. CERTAINLY THEY DO WHEN THEY'RE BROKEN. SO I'M GONNA YIELD MY TIME TO RANDY, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO GIVE US A ACCURATE REPORT OF HOW WELL THE CITY'S DONE IN REPLACING THE BROKEN, UH, COMPUTER SENSORS. AND ALSO AMY DAVIS WILL TELL YOU, THEY JUST DON'T HEAR COMPLAINTS NOW, AND THAT'S WHY I RAN FOR OFFICE. I KNOW THAT'S WHY COUNCIL RAN FOR OFFICE AND IT'S WHAT THE PUBLIC EXPECTS. RANDY AIL MY TIME TO YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, YOU, YOU IN A SENSE, MAYOR, YOU KIND OF GAVE THE REPORT HERE. I I'M REALLY HAPPY TO TO REPORT TO ALL OF YOU THAT AS OF THANKSGIVING, UH, PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN ABLE TO BE ON SITE AND ADDRESS IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER. AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THAT MEANS IN A SECOND. ALL 125,000 MALFUNCTIONING OR NON-OPERATIONAL REMOTE READING DEVICES AT WATER METERS THAT INCLUDED RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS, IT INCLUDED IRRIGATION METERS, IT INCLUDED ALL SORTS OF THINGS. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF OUR FOCUS. HOWEVER, AS YOU REMEMBER, WHEN WE, WHEN WE MADE THIS REPORT TO YOU INITIALLY ABOUT WHAT THE PLAN WAS, WAS TO FOCUS ON THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, THAT'S WHERE WE WERE FINDING WE HAD THE BIGGEST ISSUES. IN FACT, OF THE 124,000 MALFUNCTIONING REMOTE READING DEVICES, THE MAJORITY, NEARLY A HUNDRED THOUSAND OF THOSE WERE JUST SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS. UH, AS OF THANKSGIVING, WE'VE BEEN TO EVERY SINGLE PROPERTY. WE'VE REPLACED EVERY SINGLE ONE THAT WE COULD. THERE ARE 15,000 APPROXIMATELY THAT REMAIN. AND THE REASON THEY REMAIN IS BECAUSE THESE ARE WATER METERS THAT HAVE BEEN BURIED UNDERNEATH PEOPLE'S DRIVEWAYS. THEY'VE, THEY'VE REPAVED OVER THEM. THEY HAVE BEEN PLACED IN INACCESSIBLE AREAS IN PARTS OF PROPERTY WHERE WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GAIN ACCESS. IT'S GONNA REQUIRE US TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL DILIGENCE WORKING INDIVIDUALLY WITH THOSE HOMEOWNERS TO BE ABLE TO GET IN THERE AND MAKE THOSE REPLACEMENTS. WE WILL DO IT. THAT REMAINS OUR, OUR PRIMARY MISSION RIGHT NOW. BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO THROUGH AND TAKE A FIVE YEAR PLAN AND CONDENSE IT INTO FRANKLY, A FEW MONTHS AND, AND GET IT DONE REALLY QUICKLY. I WANT TO GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO, UH, GINA GUILLORY, WHO HAS BEEN OUR ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR OVER CUSTOMER ACCOUNT SERVICES FOR HER LEADERSHIP IN PARTICULAR ON HELPING BOTH FORMULATE THE PLAN AND DEPLOY IT AND OPERATE IT AND GET IT OUT THERE. YOU KNOW, A BIG PART OF THIS PLAN ALSO WAS ENSURING THAT, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS THE POINT OF FAILURE FOR US, BUT IT WASN'T REALLY THE ISSUE THAT CUSTOMERS WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT. THEY WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE HIGH BILLS. AND IN ORDER TO GO AND MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD KIND OF RESET THE WHOLE SYSTEM, WE NEEDED TO FIND AND DEVISE A WAY TO ALLOW FOLKS TO HAVE PREDICTABILITY IN WHAT THEIR WATER BILLS WOULD BE. WHILE WE WENT THROUGH OUR PROCESS, WE INTRODUCED, WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN ALLOWING US TO, TO PUT THE FOLKS THAT WERE IN THESE, UH, SITUATIONS WITH A, WITH A MALFUNCTIONING DEVICE UNDER A SET USAGE BILLING. SO ALL 125,000 OF THOSE CUSTOMERS RECEIVED WATER BILLS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME THAT [01:55:01] WERE UNDER AN ASSUMED SET USAGE BILLING, WHICH ALLOWED SOME PREDICTABILITY. MORE THAN 75,000 OF THOSE FOLKS STILL REMAIN ON SET USAGE BILLING. AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT. IT WAS BECAUSE WE ALSO NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID OUR PART TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CUSTOMER WHAT THEIR EXPECTATIONS SHOULD BE MOVING FORWARD. WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT NOT ONLY DID WE MAKE THE REPLACEMENT, THAT THE REPLACEMENT WORKED, THAT THE CUSTOMERS WERE RECEIVING BILLS THAT WERE GOING TO BE IN LINE WITH WHAT THEY EXPECT THEIR USAGE TO BE. AND IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ALSO EDUCATE OUR CUSTOMERS ON WHAT THEIR USAGE ACTUALLY IS. IN MANY INSTANCES, CUSTOMERS HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THEY ACTUALLY USE MUCH MORE WATER THAN THEY THOUGHT THEY DID, BUT IT WOULD'VE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO KNOW THIS LEADING UP TO IT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A WAY TO REPORT TO THEM WHAT THEY WERE USING ACCURATELY. AND SO WE'VE BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF THAT. THERE ARE OVER THE NEXT, UH, 60 DAYS, ANOTHER 30,000 OF THOSE 75,000 THAT WILL TRANSITION BACK TO THEIR NORMAL USAGE. AND BEFORE WE WRAP UP THIS FIRST PHASE OF THE PLAN, WHICH WAS TO REPLACE THE 125,000 TO GET THE BILLS OUT THERE THAT WERE FIXED TO ENHANCE OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES SO FOLKS COULD GET RESOLUTION WHEN THERE IS AN ERROR AND THERE WILL ALWAYS BE ERRORS, RIGHT? THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN. NEW DEVICES WILL FAIL IN THE FUTURE. WE'LL NEED TO BE ALERTED TO THAT. BUT, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS NECESSARY FOR FOLKS TO GET RESOLUTION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. UM, THAT'S THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PLAN. THE QUESTION THAT I THINK MANY OF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE IS, SO WHAT ABOUT THE 273,000 OTHER DEVICES THAT ARE STILL OUT THERE THAT HAVEN'T YET FAILED? AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WHAT THE STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION AND DEPLOYMENT OF THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE. UH, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE FULLY AWARE, HAVING REPLACED 125,000 IN THIS PERIOD OF TIME IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS TO HAVE REALLY FIRM GRASP OF FOR YEARS TO COME. BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE AN EXPECTATION TO REPLACE THAT VOLUME ON A, ON SUCH A CRITICAL BASIS. IT'S VERY COSTLY. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY VERY EFFICIENT, AND IT DOESN'T PUT US IN A POSITION TO BEST PREDICT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN THE FUTURE. BUT THE NEXT 273,000, WHICH ARE CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE WORKING DEVICES, WILL NEED A REPLACEMENT AT SOME POINT SOON. MANY OF THEM HAVE DEVICES THAT ARE OLDER TECHNOLOGY, THEY DON'T PROVIDE THE ADVANCED METRICS, THE ADVANCED ALERT SYSTEMS THAT NOW THAT THE CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE RECEIVED THE NEW DEVICES HAVE, THEY'RE GONNA NEED TO BE UPGRADED. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AS, UH, ALONG WITH THAT, WHETHER REPLACEMENT OF THE REMOTE READ DEVICE IS IN AND OF ITSELF SUFFICIENT. WE MAY NEED TO START LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL REPLACEMENTS OF THE METERS AS WELL. UH, I'VE LEARNED ALONG THE PROCESS HERE THAT MANY, IF NOT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE METERS WE HAVE IN THE GROUND ARE ONES THAT REQUIRE US TO OBTAIN PROPRIETARY, UM, EQUIPMENT ADD-ONS TO GO WITH IT, SUCH AS THE REGISTER. SO I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF THAT. CERTAIN METERS THAT WE HAVE IN THE GROUND REQUIRE US TO HAVE A REGISTER. THAT'S THE THING THAT COUNTS HOW MANY GALLONS THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY USING THAT WE CAN ONLY GET FROM ONE PARTICULAR MANUFACTURER. THAT'S NOT A GOOD WAY FOR THE CITY TO MANAGE ITS INFRASTRUCTURE, ESPECIALLY ON A SCALE OF 500,000 CUSTOMERS, UH, ACCOUNTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TO NOW LOOK AT IT FROM A MUCH MORE HOLISTIC VIEW OF WHAT TYPES OF EQUIPMENT DO WE HAVE OUT THERE, WHAT IS THE DEPLOYMENT GONNA LOOK LIKE? WHERE DO THE PRIORITIES GO AND LIE FOR AGE, FOR CONDITION, FOR THE PARTICULAR COMMUNITY, FOR THE LOCATIONS OF THE DEVICES THAT PLAN'S COMING TOGETHER. AND, AND AS IT DOES, WE WILL COME AND BRING THAT TO THE SERVICE DELIVERY COMMITTEE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE DEPLOYMENT WILL LOOK LIKE. BUT I WANTED TO JUST GIVE YOU THE UPDATE THAT, THAT WE'RE VERY, VERY HAPPY. WE'RE VERY PLEASED. I GIVE A LOT OF, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLKS IN CUSTOMER ACCOUNT SERVICES AND THE PARTNERS THAT HAVE HELPED US ALONG THE WAY TO ACCOMPLISH AS MUCH AS WE HAVE IN THESE LAST FEW MONTHS TO ENHANCE THE, THE CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE. UH, I WILL SAY AGAIN, THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THERE WON'T BE ISSUES IN THE FUTURE. UH, WE'VE DEALT WITH A COUPLE OF THEM RECENTLY. IN FACT, UH, MS. DAVIS HAS, HAS BROUGHT SOME OF THOSE TO OUR ATTENTION FOR CERTAIN CUSTOMERS. THE DIFFERENCE THAT YOU SEE IS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE THOSE IMMEDIATELY. WHEREAS CUSTOMERS, AND MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMING AND SAYING, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ANYONE IN THE DEPARTMENT FOR SIX MONTHS. THOSE DAYS ARE OVER. SO WITH THAT, MAYOR, I YIELD BACK TO YOU. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT, THAT ANYONE MAY HAVE. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. GOOD MORNING. AND MAYOR IN THIS CASE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE GETTING THESE UPDATES, UH, TO SEE THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING. AND I'LL DOUBLE CHECK WITH MY STAFF, RANDY, BUT I, I THINK OUR WATER BILL COMPLAINTS [02:00:01] THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED ARE ALSO DECREASING. SO I WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM. UH, DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE HAD HUGE EQUIPMENT ISSUES. WE COULD NOT GET THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEEDED TO INSTALL A LOT OF THESE TO SEE IT RAMPED UP SO EXPEDITIOUSLY IS TREMENDOUS AND THE TIMING IS PERFECT. I HAD A CONSTITUENT DIRECTLY CALL ME YESTERDAY EVENING. I WAS GONNA SEND AN EMAIL MAYOR TO YOUR TEAM, UH, AND RANDY TO YOU, BUT THEY SAID SOMEONE CAME OUT TO REPLACE MY WATER METER AND THEY WERE FANTASTIC. SO I WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MAX BUCHANAN WHO CAME OUT TO ONE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT C. AGAIN, YOU DON'T GET THOSE CALLS THAT OFTEN. UH, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT OUR EMPLOYEES AREN'T DOING A GREAT JOB. WE JUST DON'T GET TO HEAR, UH, THE GOOD NEWS A LOT. SO I REALLY WANNA THANK MAX BUCHANAN, UM, FOR WHAT HE DID FOR A CONSTITUENT AND LEFT THEM WITH SUCH A PHENOMENAL IMPRESSION THAT THEY FELT COMPELLED TO REACH OUT TO THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER TO LET THEM KNOW HOW GREAT A JOB HE DID. THANK YOU. THAT'S AWESOME, HUFFMAN. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS THANK YOU TO CUSTOMER SERVICE, TO ACCOUNTS, TO BILLING THE WHOLE TEAM. I SPOKE TO A CONSTITUENT YESTERDAY WHO SAID THAT SHE HADN'T NECESSARILY COMPLAINED OF HIGH WATER BILLS, BUT KNEW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE WORKING ON THIS PROGRAM. AND SHE SAID SINCE THEN SHE HAD RECEIVED TWO VERY SIZABLE CHECKS FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO PAY HER BACK FOR THE OVERBILLING THAT HAD HAPPENED. AND YOU KNOW, WHAT A GREAT CHRISTMAS SURPRISE, YOU KNOW, COMING UP. SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU, UM, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VICE MAYOR. PRO VICE MAYOR, PROTE PECK. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND DIRECTOR AND EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THIS. THIS IS BIG. I MEAN, WE USED TO GET SO MANY COMPLAINTS EVERY SINGLE DAY TO OUR OFFICE ABOUT WATER BILL ISSUES. AND IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY HATED GETTING THOSE CALLS BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WE WERE EVER ABLE TO DO FOR CONSTITUENTS, WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE, WE WANTED TO TELL PEOPLE. SO, UM, THIS, THIS HAS JUST BEEN SUCH A HUGE CHANGE. SO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU. UM, THE 273,000, UM, THAT YOU SAID ARE OUTSTANDING, IS THAT, DOES THAT INCLUDE EVERYONE LEFT WITH THE WATER METER IN THE CITY OR IS THAT, UM, INCLUDING THOSE WHO NEVER EVEN HAD THOSE ELECTRONIC READERS? YES. SO, SO THAT'S ALL INCLUSIVE. SO, SO THE WHOLE UNIVERSE OF THIS IS ROUGHLY 437,000, RIGHT? UH, OF THOSE 437,000 METERS OUT THERE IN THE GROUND, 164,000 HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH OUR UPDATED NEW CENSUS REMOTE READ DEVICES. SO OF THAT 2 73 THAT REMAINS, THAT'S GONNA INCLUDE EVERYONE FROM, THEY DON'T HAVE ONE TO, UH, IT'S FAILING OR ABOUT TO FAIL OR TO, IT'S WORKING FINE, BUT IT'S OLD AND IS GONNA NEED TO BE REPLACED. BUT THAT'S GREAT. UM, HAVE YOU SEEN AN INCREASE IN PEOPLE SIGNING UP FOR THE HIGH USAGE ALERT SYSTEM? ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. AND, AND ACTUALLY THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING. WE CONTINUED TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS. WE GOT A, WE GOT A MESSAGE FROM A CUSTOMER RECENTLY WHO RECEIVED ONE OF THESE HIGH USAGE ALERTS. AND, AND ACTUALLY IT WAS REALLY UPSET ABOUT RECEIVING IT. HE SAID, HEY, THIS IS YOUR PROBLEM. YOU NEED TO FIX IT. AND I LOOKED AT IT, I SAID, THIS IS WONDERFUL . THE MESSAGE IS GOING OUT, RIGHT? PEOPLE ARE NOT ONLY JUST GETTING A MESSAGE, BUT THEY'RE GETTING SOMETHING. AND THE REALITY IS, WHETHER IT, WHETHER HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS USING HIGHER WATER OR NOT, WE SEND SOMEONE OUT TO INVESTIGATE AND MAKE SURE, HEY, DOES THE CITY HAVE A PROBLEM OR DO WE NEED TO EDUCATE THE CUSTOMER ON, YOU MAY HAVE SOME THINGS GOING ON. IT TURNS OUT IN THIS CASE HE WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT AN IRRIGATION METER AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF BROKEN SPRINKLER HEADS, RIGHT? SO THOSE USAGE ALERTS WHEN THEY GO OUT AND FOLKS REALIZE IT, YOU KNOW, PART OF OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE ENHANCEMENT WAS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE. AND WHEN THEY CALLED, WE'RE GONNA FIGURE OUT WHAT THE REAL PROBLEM IS, WE'RE NEVER GONNA LEAVE IT AT JUST AT THE CUSTOMER'S FEET. I, I'LL SAY ON THOSE LINES, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WE DID IS WE BROUGHT BACK IN PERSON, UH, CONSULTATION APPOINTMENTS FOR CUSTOMERS WHO WANTED TO DO THINGS. AND WE PROVIDED A COUPLE OPTIONS FOR THAT PHYSICALLY IN PERSON OR ALSO VIRTUALLY, YOU KNOW, SINCE APRIL 1ST WHEN WE DID THAT, ABOUT 800 PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF IT. IT'S BEEN SPLIT ALMOST EQUALLY BETWEEN IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL. UM, 74% OF THE PEOPLE WHO COME IN FOR ONE OF THOSE APPOINTMENTS HAVE THEIR ISSUE RESOLVED ON THE SPOT. SO IT'S A TREMENDOUS ENHANCEMENT IN THE WAY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO RESPOND TO OUR CUSTOMERS. THAT'S GREAT. UM, MY LAST QUESTION. UM, WERE THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WHAT YOU EXPECTED IT TO BE, OR DID WE KIND OF GO OVER THOSE NUMBERS? NO, THE ACTUAL, UM, MATERIAL COSTS WERE RIGHT IN LINE WITH WHAT WE KNEW THEY'D BE. THERE WAS A PROCUREMENT, WE HAD A CONTRACT, WE KNEW WHAT THAT WAS GONNA BE. UH, THIS PROGRAM HAS ABSOLUTELY BEEN MORE COSTLY THAN WE HAD ANTICIPATED IN TERMS OF REVENUE BACK TO THE CITY. I KNOW THE FINANCE DIRECTORS AND THE CONTROL OVER REPORTED ON THAT. UM, IT'S BEEN A VERY EXPENSIVE ORDEAL TO PUT PEOPLE ON SET BILL BILLING FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE'VE PUT THEM ON. [02:05:01] UM, BUT IT'S ALSO OUR COMMITMENT. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE WATER UTILITY HAS TO TAKE THE COMMITMENT IS WE'RE NOT A PROFIT ENTITY. THERE IS NO PROFIT IN HOUSTON WATER. IN FACT, WE'VE HAD THESE DISCUSSIONS AT COUNCIL MANY TIMES BEFORE. EVEN THE REVENUES WE TAKE IN NOW DO NOT REALLY COVER OUR OVERALL COSTS FOR WHAT IT TAKES TO TREAT AND DISTRIBUTE WATER THROUGHOUT THE LARGEST MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEM IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. UM, SO WITH THAT IN MIND, REVENUE HITS ARE A BIG DEAL TO US. IT'S THE THING ALSO THAT DRIVES US TO MAKING SURE THOUGH, THAT THE CUSTOMERS FIRST AND FOREMOST ARE AT THE TOP OF OUR MIND, THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THEM. AND THEN SECONDARILY THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN RETURN TO THINGS AS NORMAL AS POSSIBLE. GREAT. THANK YOU. UH, MAYOR PROTEAM, CASTEX TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, RANDY, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE. I'M, UM, CURIOUS ABOUT THE TRANSITION PERIOD. I KNOW THAT WE HAD A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS ON THE SET WATER BILL, UM, AND THEY KIND OF GOT USED TO THE SET WATER BILL. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TRANSITION FROM HAVING THAT SET WATER BILL AND WHAT THEY RECEIVED, UM, TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT THEIR ACTUAL WATER USAGE? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, THE, THE FIRST THING, AND IT SOUNDS REALLY SIMPLE, BUT THE VERY FIRST THING THAT WE DID TO LET PEOPLE KNOW SOMETHING WAS DIFFERENT WAS WE CHANGED THE COLOR OF THE BILL AND, AND WE SENT IT OUT ON A BLUE BILL WITH A NOTICE AT THE TOP THAT SAID YOU WERE RECEIVING A DIFFERENT BILL. THIS BILL IS YOUR SET USAGE. AND ALONG WITH THAT SET USAGE, WE WOULD SAY, YOU'RE BEING BILLED FOR THIS AMOUNT, WHICH, WHICH IS YOUR SET. THIS IS HOW MUCH YOU ACTUALLY USED. AND IN SOME INSTANCES, IF YOU USE LESS THAN WHAT YOUR SET WAS, WE ACTUALLY, I MEAN, WE, WE CHARGE YOU FOR THE LESSER, SO WE ALWAYS DID THIS TO THE CUSTOMER'S ADVANTAGE, BUT AT THE POINT WHERE YOUR REMOTE READ DEVICE WAS REPLACED, WE SENT THE NOTIFICATIONS OUT TO THE CUSTOMERS, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE. AND WE STARTED TO TELL THEM, THIS IS WHAT YOUR USAGE IS. AND WE PUT IT ON A REALLY A THREE MONTH CYCLE, 30 DAYS FOR US TO ENSURE THAT THE REMOTE READ DEVICE WAS WORKING. AND THEN 60 DAYS FOR THE CUSTOMER TO BE AWARE OF, THIS IS MY USAGE AND IN 60 DAYS I'LL TRANSITION BACK TO REGULAR USAGE AND IT'S GONNA BE AT THIS AMOUNT. AND THAT'S BEEN THE EDUCATION PROCESS FOR A LOT OF FOLKS. I, I ANTICIPATE, UH, AND FRANKLY, THE NUMBER OF CALLS AND QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE HAD FROM CUSTOMERS ON THAT HAVE BEEN LESS THAN I WOULD'VE ANTICIPATED, THAT COULD MEAN ONE OF TWO THINGS. WE'RE EITHER DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB OR I'LL ERR ON THE SIDE OF, THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF QUESTIONS WE NEED TO ANSWER LATER ON AS FOLKS TRANSITION OVER AND SAY, WHY DID MY BILL GO UP? OR IN SOME CASES, WHY DID IT GO DOWN? BUT WE'VE TRIED TO OVER COMMUNICATE WITH FOLKS, WHETHER IT'S VIA LETTER OR EMAIL OR WHATEVER COMMUNICATION PREFERENCE THEY'VE SELECTED TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS HOW MUCH WATER YOU'RE ACTUALLY USING AND THEREFORE YOUR BILL IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE THIS AFTER YOU TRANSITION. SO WHERE ARE WE IN THAT 60 DAY ROLLING CYCLE? AND IS IT, IS, IS IT A CONSISTENT 60 DAY PERIOD OR ARE WE, IS IT ROLLING BASED ON WHEN YOUR METER WAS INSTALLED? IT, IT, IT CHANGES BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL CUSTOMER. SO THIS HAS BEEN A ROLLING CYCLE FROM DAY ONE. UH, THE SECOND THAT IT'S REPLACED, WE START OUR INTERNAL 30 DAY PROCESS, THEN A 60 DAY NOTICE GOES TO THE CUSTOMER. OF COURSE, EVERYONE'S ON A DIFFERENT BILLING CYCLE. MM-HMM . AND SO THOSE BILLING CYCLES INFLUENCE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. THERE'S, THERE'S MORE THAN 20 OF THOSE BILLING CYCLES. THAT IS A FUTURE ENHANCEMENT BY THE WAY, THAT THE UTILITY IS GONNA LOOK AT AS, AS WE LOOK AT OTHER INTERNAL TECHNOLOGY. BUT, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A ROLLING ENHANCEMENT FOR FOLKS AS THEY MOVE OVER AND TRANSITION. WE TREAT EACH CUSTOMER INDIVIDUALLY, SO IN, FROM THE VERY FIRST ONE THAT'S ON A ROLLING 60 DAY CYCLE. WHERE ARE WE? BECAUSE I'M, I'M LOOKING AT, SHOULD WE BE EXPECTING, I'VE ONLY HAD ONE CALL FROM A SENIOR WHO SAID, MY BILL IS SO MUCH HIGHER NOW. YEAH. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S JUST THE DIFFERENCE FROM THE SET BILL AND THE ACTUAL USAGE, OR, I'M, I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHERE ARE WE IN THAT ROLLING CYCLE? OR HAVE WE JUST STARTED NOW, OR ARE WE ALREADY IN THE 30 DAYS? ROUGH, ROUGHLY 50,000 PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY TRANSITIONED AND HAVE BEEN BACK ON ACTUAL USAGE. THERE'S 75,000 RIGHT NOW THAT ARE STILL ON SET. 30,000 OF 'EM IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS WILL TRANSITION BACK TO ACTUAL USAGE. SO WE'VE GOT SOME, SOME WORK TO DO HERE. UM, FOR INSTANCE, FOLKS WHO JUST HAD THEIR DEVICE REPLACED THE WEEK BEFORE THANKSGIVING, THAT 90 DAY WINDOW. SO OUR FIRST 30 DAYS JUST STARTED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. AND SO THERE'S STILL GONNA BE MONTHS OUT BEFORE THERE'S A TRANSITION. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE UPDATE. WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GET FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL. YOU'LL THANK YOU VERY WELL, COUNCILOR DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR RANDY. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION YOU PROVIDED THIS, UH, FOR US THIS MORNING. AND LET ME JUST BEGIN BY SAYING THAT, UM, YOU, YOU HAD TO TACKLE A REAL SERIOUS ISSUE IN REAL TIME. UH, THIS ADMINISTRATION TOOK ON THIS PROBLEM THAT HAD BEEN ONGOING. [02:10:01] I WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE I HAD, I THINK MAYBE THREE, UH, CUSTOMERS THAT, UH, I REFERRED TO YOU AND IMMEDIATELY YOU GOT IN ON TOP OF IT AND FIXED THAT SITUATION. IT HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR LIKE THREE OR FOUR YEARS. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND COMMEND THE LEADERSHIP, UH, BY MAYOR FOR PUTTING SOMEONE THERE WHO HAD THE WHEREWITHAL TO KNOW HOW TO TACKLE IT AND GO ABOUT DOING IT. THE OTHER THING IS, UM, SOME OF YOUR APPOINTMENTS OF PEOPLE THAT YOU PUT IN YOUR DEPARTMENT, UM, WE GOT SOME CALLS ABOUT HOW GREAT JOB THEY WERE DOING. ONE PARTICULAR SUPERVISOR WHO ACTUALLY WENT BEHIND THE, THE PEOPLE WHO WERE GOING OUT, CHECKING THE PROBLEM, WENT OUT HERSELF IN ORDER TO DO IT. AND THAT'S THE KIND OF ATTITUDE I THINK THAT HELPS PEOPLE KIND OF CALM DOWN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. IT WAS A HUGE PROBLEM. AND, UH, HOPEFULLY, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE DOING WILL MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT AND FIX THAT SITUATION. SO THANK YOU FOR GREAT, GREAT JOB AND THE LEADERSHIP AND THE MAYOR CHOICE TO PUT SOMEONE THERE WHO REALLY, UH, TACKLE THE SITUATION THAT HUGE 'CAUSE IT WAS, IT WAS PRETTY BIG. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, FRED. RANDY, I'M, I'M DARN PROUD OF YOU AND, AND APPRECIATIVE. UM, I HOPE YOU'LL LET YOUR EMPLOYEES KNOW IN PUBLIC WORKS THAT THEIR HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT, UH, IS RECOGNIZED. AND WE THANK THEM ON BEHALF OF, UH, HOUSTONIANS. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU, MAYOR MEMBERS. UH, TO CONCLUDE, UM, THE MAYOR'S REPORT, I'M GONNA BRING UP THE TRAGEDY AT MILBY HIGH SCHOOL DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. WE HAVE TO COMMIT OURSELF TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE PROTECTION OF ALL OF HOUSTONIANS, BUT PARTICULARLY THE MOST VULNERABLE, OUR STUDENTS, UH, DEALING WITH A TRAIN NEXT TO THEIR SCHOOL. UH, QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT HASN'T GOTTEN THE ATTENTION THAT IT DESERVES IN PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT RANDY ACTUALLY GAVE ME A REPORT THIS MORNING, THE COST OF DOING A PEDESTRIAN SKYWALK. IT'S GOT TO BE DONE NEXT TO MILBY. I'LL BE MEETING WITH THE CEO OF UNION PACIFIC TO LET HER KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY HERE, IS THERE RIGHT OF WAY THAT WE NEED TO BUILD A SKYWALK. AND WE CAN EITHER DO IT IN OUR DISCUSSION THE EASY WAY OR THE HARD WAY, BUT I'M GOING TO LET THEM KNOW THAT I UNDERSTAND FEDERAL LAW IS ON THEIR SIDE. THEY CONTROL THE RIGHT OF WAY, BUT APPEAL TO THEM AS A PARENT AND AS A HUMAN BEING TO DO THAT. PEDESTRIAN SKYWALK, UH, FIRST ESTIMATES ARE ABOUT A SIX AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS. I, UH, WAS SURPRISED IT WAS THAT EXPENSIVE. SOME AT PUBLIC WORKS WAS SURPRISED THAT IT WOULDN'T BE MORE, BUT WE'RE GONNA ALSO APPEAL TO COUNTY GOVERNMENT, UH, OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, AND CERTAINLY METRO TO AT LEAST ADDRESS THAT. AND WE'RE ALSO REVIEWING WHAT SIMILAR MODELS EXIST. I WENT TO WALTRIP HIGH SCHOOL THAT HAD A TRAIN RIGHT BEHIND IT, BUT IT WAS ALWAYS MOVING THERE ON ELLA BOULEVARD, OAK FOREST DRIVE AND TC JESTER. AS THE TRAINS APPROACH THE EAST SIDE AND INDUSTRY, THEY SLOW DOWN FOR DECOUPLING, ET CETERA. MILBY IS GONNA BE SPECIAL IN TERMS OF OUR ATTENTION, AND I KNOW YOU WILL PARTNER WITH ME TO ADDRESS THAT PARTICULAR SITE. IT'S A TRAGEDY. UH, I THINK HISD HAS A RESPONSIBILITY, CERTAINLY TO BETTER COUNSEL THEIR STUDENTS. THERE'S JUST NO CIRCUMSTANCES TO TRY TO OUTRUN A TRAIN, AND THERE OUGHT TO BE COUNSELING NOT TO CRAWL UNDER A TRAIN. I UNDERSTAND MAYBE PRESSURES OR PEER PRESSURE OR YOU NAME WHATEVER CAUSED THIS TRAGEDY, BUT IT'S GOTTA STOP. IT'S JUST PREVENTABLE. AND, UH, WE'RE ADDRESSING IT. AND, UH, I THINK WE OUGHT TO PAUSE FOR A MOMENT TO INCLUDE THIS FAMILY AND THE, UH, FELLOW STUDENTS, INSTRUCTORS IN OUR PRAYERS. SO ASK YOU TO MOMENT OF SILENCE. AMEN. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ, MAYOR, UH, THANK YOU FOR THESE COMMENTS. UM, [02:15:01] I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, YOU TAKING SWIFT ACTION AS WELL TO GET, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UH, START LOOKING AT FEASIBILITY STUDY. UM, AND JUST SOME BACKGROUND. UM, THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT IS, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T JUST START YESTERDAY OR A YEAR AGO, EVEN 10 YEARS AGO, UM, THROUGH THE DISTRICT EYE OFFICE. OVER THE LAST, I WOULD SAY, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH, YOU KNOW, UM, FOLKS IN THE ADMINISTRATION, FOLKS THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR TEAM NOW, UH, THAT REALLY UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT IS IT THAT IS NEEDED. UM, AND AS YOU MENTIONED, IT IS FUNDING, YOU KNOW, 6.5 FOR, UH, PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE. UM, JUST IN DISTRICT, I ALONE, WE PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT YOU, BETWEEN 15 TO 20 SCHOOLS THAT ARE, HAVE A, HAVE A, A RAIL CROSSING IN THEIR BACKYARD. UM, WE'VE IDENTIFIED ABOUT 35 CRITICAL CROSSINGS ACROSS THE CITY, UH, THROUGH A SMART, UM, SMART RAILROAD CROSSING PROJECT THAT WAS INITIATED. UM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE A EAST END, UH, RAIL SAFETY TASK FORCE WITH THE EAST END MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. SO WE DO KNOW WHAT THE ISSUES ARE. ULTIMATELY, IT'S, UH, LEVERAGING, UH, UM, PARTNERSHIP WITH STATE FEDERAL. UH, WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH SOME GREAT SEPARATION PROJECTS, SPECIFICALLY AT YORK SAMSON AND COMMERCE, UH, THAT WE'RE HOPING TO SEE SOON. UH, BUT, UH, TO YOUR POINT, THIS, THIS DEFINITELY SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. WE SHOULDN'T, UH, UH, NORMALIZE GOING UNDER OR CROSSING, GOING OVER, UH, UM, STOPPED OR SLOW, UH, TRAINS. AND MY MY ASS, UH, ASIDE FROM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE KNOWN, WHICH IS PROJECTS, GREAT SEPARATION PROJECTS, ULTIMATELY, WHETHER IT'S A PEDESTRIAN OR A VEHICULAR, UH, UH, PROJECT IS THAT, UM, WE REALLY, UM, PUSH TO INFORM AND EDUCATE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE DANGERS OF, OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THESE TRAINS. UM, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE MOVING ONE MILE PER HOUR, TWO MILE PER HOUR. IT'S STILL DANGEROUS, UM, IS DEFINITELY, UM, WAS UN UNCALLED FOR AND, AND SOMEONE THAT GREW UP IN THE EAST END. I, I RECOGNIZE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE TRAINS DO FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, WHETHER IT IS EMPLOYMENT OR INDUSTRY, BUT AT SOME POINT, UNION PACIFIC AS WELL, UH, NEEDS TO BEAR, UH, SOME OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY. UM, AS YOU MENTIONED, IT'S, IT'S THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT WE HAVE TO EITHER, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ASK FOR A GREAT SEPARATION OR, UM, EVEN, EVEN, UM, JUST MAINTAINING RIGHT OF WAY, UM, HIGH WEEDS WHERE FOLKS CAN, YOU KNOW, MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO SEE A TRAIN OR WHATNOT. BUT, UM, I, I, UM, JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE AS WELL WITHIN THE OFFICE. UH, MAYOR, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR, YOUR SWIFT ACTION AND LEADERSHIP IN THIS. UM, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IDENTIFIED AND WE JUST NEED TO GET TO WORK AS, AS YOU USUALLY SAY. SO, UM, AND I, I DEFINITELY WANNA SEND MY CONDOLENCE TO THE HERNANDEZ FAMILY AS WELL. UM, DEFINITELY A, UH, A TRAGEDY THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, UH, I AGREE WITH WHAT BOTH OF YOU HAVE SAID. UM, THE SURPRISING THING IS THAT THIS HASN'T HAPPENED BEFORE, BECAUSE AS COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ SAID, THIS IS ALL OVER THE EAST SIDE DISTRICT'S EYE AND H PREDOMINANTLY, AND I'M SURE THROUGHOUT MORE OF THE CITY, MC REYNOLDS MIDDLE SCHOOL, UH, IS RIGHT ACROSS THE TRACKS FROM A BIG APARTMENT COMPLEX WHERE A LOT OF THE STUDENTS RESIDE. AND IT'S VERY COMMON FOR CHILDREN TO CRAWL THROUGH THE TRAIN BETWEEN THE CARS AND UNDER THE CARS. AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS LATEST TRAGEDY, BUT IT DIDN'T NEED TO HAPPEN. AND, UH, WE ALL NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND TRY TO FIX THIS. UM, CERTAINLY A LIFE IS WORTH AND MORE, MORE THAN SIX AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS. AND, UM, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO FIND THE RESOURCES TO DO THIS. UNION PACIFIC NEEDS TO BE A BETTER NEIGHBOR. UM, ITS TRACKS RUN THROUGH THE EAST SIDE, AND IT'S INTERESTING, WE STARTED THIS YEAR TALKING ABOUT UNION PACIFIC AND THEIR NEED TO BE A BETTER NEIGHBOR IN REGARDS TO THE CANCER CLUSTER. AND HERE WE ARE ENDING THE YEAR MAKING THE SAME POINT. SO I HOPE THEY'RE LISTENING, AND I HOPE THEY TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY, AND I HOPE THEY'LL CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE, UM, UM, OVERPASSES THAT ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I TOO WANNA OFFER MY CONDOLENCES, AND I REACHED OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. WE HAD SPOKEN YESTERDAY ABOUT ANYTHING WE CAN DO, ONE, TO SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY DURING THIS TIME. AND MAYOR, I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, AND I BELIEVE YOU, WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE GONNA HOLD UNION PACIFIC'S FOOT TO THE FIRE ON THIS, UH, AND COUNCILOR RAMIREZ, YOU'RE RIGHT. IT, IT'S, IT IS PRIMARILY HAPPENING IN, UM, [02:20:01] OTHER AREAS IN DISTRICT C. WE ALSO HAD A CHILD STRUCK AND KILLED BY A UNION PACIFIC TRAIN, UH, NEAR MEMORIAL PARK, NOT INSIDE OF MEMORIAL PARK, BUT THE RAIL THAT RUNS ALONG THERE, UH, AND THAT, THAT WAS TRAGIC. HER MOTHER IS NOW WORKING, UH, AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE TRYING TO ADVOCATE, UH, FOR MORE SAFETY. SO AGAIN, IT IS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE CITY. SO I'M, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON SCHOOLS. UH, AND AT THE SAME TIME, I DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO ALSO BE FOCUSING ON WHAT WE AS A CITY CAN DO AND WHAT WE CAN CONTROL. THAT INCLUDES MAYOR. UM, IN, IN OUR DISTRICT, WE HAVE HAD INSTANCES WHERE WE HAVE SAFETY PROJECTS IN QUEUE THAT ARE STILL PAUSED. AND IN THAT TIMEFRAME, I'VE HAD A LITTLE BOY HIT BY A CAR. UM, I HAVE RIGHT AFTER, BECAUSE OF THE DELAYS ON ANTOINE, UH, THE DAY AFTER WE HAD, I THINK, VOTED ON COUNSEL, A MOTHER WAS STRUCK AND KILLED, TRYING TO GET HER CHILDREN SAFELY ACROSS THE STREET. UH, THERE ARE EXAMPLES AFTER EXAMPLE OUT IN BINETTE. WE JUST, A WOMAN JUST LOST HER LIFE. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THAT INTERSECTION. UH, SO I'M, I'M NOT TRYING TO BRING THE FOCUS JUST TO DISTRICT C. WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO BE FOCUSING ON EVERY ASPECT WHERE WE CAN CONTROL AND PROTECT CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND RESIDENTS. AND YES, THAT IS THE RAILS. AND THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. I HOPE IT'S NOW COMING TO A HEAD, AND WE GET RESOLUTION AND WE GET THE FUNDING FOR THAT, BECAUSE WE NEED IT. AND WE NEEDED IT YESTERDAY. WE NEEDED IT A DECADE AGO. BUT THERE ARE INTERSECTIONS WITH SHOVEL READY PROJECTS WHERE, UH, CHILDREN HAVE BEEN HIT. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE, AS A CITY CAN DO TODAY AS WELL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, AND FOR YOUR WORDS TODAY, THIS MORNING AROUND, UM, A TRAGEDY THAT A LOT OF US WERE WARNED WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. UH, FAMILIES, UH, MY CONSTITUENTS, UH, SPECIFICALLY WITH MCREYNOLDS MIDDLE SCHOOL, UH, BROUGHT THIS TO MY ATTENTION EAR EARLY IN MY TERM, AND SAID, THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN. A CHILD IS GOING TO, TO LOSE THEIR LIFE WITH, WITH THE TRAINS. AND IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT IT HAS COME TO PASS. UM, AND WE, WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO, TO MAKE THIS, UH, A SITUATION THAT KIDS ARE NOT EXPERIENCING. AND, AND SO YOUR WORDS, AND I KNOW THE WORDS OF OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ACROSS THE HORSESHOE WHO ARE WILLING TO STEP UP IS, UH, IS IMPORTANT. UM, I KNOW OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ARE WILLING TO GET INVOLVED. UH, COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND CONGRESSWOMAN GARCIA BOTH, UH, WENT IN ON A, A GRANT APPLICATION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO STUDY A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OVER, UM, THE TRAIN AT MCREYNOLDS. UM, WE DID NOT GET THAT GRANT, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA STOP THERE. UH, WE HAVE TO KEEP MOVING BECAUSE, UM, THIS, THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. WE KNEW WE WERE WARNED, UH, AND WE CAN'T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN. EVAN SHABA VERY WELL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. CERTAINLY, AS A FORMER EDUCATOR, I, MY HEART IS VERY HEAVY. I ACTUALLY WORKED AT MILBY AT ONE POINT IN MY CAREER, IN MY OTHER LIFE. UM, BUT, BUT I HOPE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS WELL AS THE LEADERSHIP AND THE SCHOOLS WILL PLEASE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LET THE CHILDREN AND THE STUDENTS KNOW THAT THEIR SAFETY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALL CAN RUN LATE BECAUSE OF TRAINS. AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET TO SCHOOL ON TIME IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY EMPHASIZE. BUT WE REALLY NEED TO PRESS THE ISSUE THAT NOTHING, NOTHING, NO RISK SHOULD BE TAKEN JUST TO GET TO SCHOOL ON TIME. AND, BUT WE APPRECIATE THAT THEY'RE TRYING. BUT THIS TRAGEDY IS SOMETHING THAT IT JUST REALLY HITS VERY HEAVILY, ESPECIALLY DURING THE HOLIDAYS, WHEN A FAMILY NOW HAS TO CELEBRATE WITHOUT THAT PERSON PRESENT. BUT I JUST HOPE THAT THE SCHOOLS WILL TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL, MM-HMM . UH, TO CERTAINLY LET THEM KNOW. I MEAN, IF IT MEANS A, A GENERAL ASSEMBLY, WHATEVER IT NEEDS, IT CAN'T JUST GO AWAY. AND SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER TO GET THIS DONE. BUT CERTAINLY IN THE MEANTIME, THE STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY, AND THEIR SAFETY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ALL OF US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, UM, I ECHO MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT THE NEED FOR, UM, THE CITY TO FINALLY STEP UP. WE'VE BEEN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION FOR QUITE SOME TIME ABOUT THESE TRAINS. MC REYNOLDS, MY SISTER IS A COUNSELOR AT MC REYNOLDS, AND I GOT VIDEO. MY PHONE IS MY FULL OF VIDEOS OF THEM, OF [02:25:01] WATCHING THE TRAIN, JUST SITTING ON THE TRACK SOON AS THE KIDS GETTING OUTTA SCHOOL. SO I'M HAPPY TO KNOW THAT WE GOT, WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING RESOURCES TO, UM, BUILD A OVERPASS OVER THERE. I WOULD LOVE TO PARTNER WITH YOUR OFFICE ON THAT, BECAUSE THOSE TRAINS ALSO ROAD, THOSE KIDS ARE COMING FROM DISTRICT B, UM, FROM, UM, UM, PLENTY MANOR. AND THEN OF COURSE, DEPARTMENT COMPLEX IS RIGHT NEXT TO IT, YOU KNOW, SO WOULD WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT. AND JUST NOT FORGET, WE JUST HAD A DEBT IN OFF OF LOWES AVENUE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE TRAIN TO WHAT, IN SEPTEMBER, A MAN IN A WHEELCHAIR WAS KILLED BY A TRAIN. SO THIS IS CONSTANTLY HAPPENING, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, AGAIN, WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ON HOLDING, UM, UNION PACIFIC ACCOUNTABLE. UM, BECAUSE THESE TRAINS ARE SITTING ON THE TRACK FAR TOO LONG. UM, I'VE EXPERIENCED IT RIDING A BIKE, HAVE TO LIKE, GO FIND ANOTHER ROUTE, UM, AND PUT MORE MILES ON MY BIKE, WHICH I SHOULD BE DOING . BUT ANYWAY, UM, BUT I WANNA WORK WITH YOU, MAYOR AND, UM, THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ON, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIND RESOURCES TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, THESE OVERPASSES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. UH, OBVIOUSLY ONE MAJOR CHALLENGE WILL BE THE RIGHT OF WAY CONTROLLED BY THE TRAINS. UH, I'LL CERTAINLY APPEAL TO THEM, UH, ONE ON ONE, BUT NOTHING THAT WE CONTROL, SUCH AS MONEY WILL PREVENT US FROM DOING THAT. UH, SKYWALK THERE AT MILBY, MAYBE THAT'LL BECOME A MODEL THAT WE'LL CARRY ACROSS THE CITY. BUT TO DEAL WITH THIS KNOWN TRAGEDY AND THIS KNOWN DANGER, UH, IT WILL GET ADDRESSED. UH, AND I'LL DO EVERYTHING WITHIN MY POWER. AND I KNOW ALL OF YOU JOINED ME IN THAT EFFORT, SO THANK YOU. [CONSENT AGENDA] IF YOU WILL, UH, TAKE US TO THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY. ITEMS ONE AND 80 HAVE BEEN REMOVED. SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION ON 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, AND SEVEN. CAST TO MOVE MOTIONS MADE AND SECONDED, OR NEED A SECOND. NEXT SECOND. GOT IT? NO. NEED A SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR? ALL IN FAVOR. SAY YES. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED. DONE DEAL UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY. ITEM NINE HAS BEEN PULLED IN, WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM 10? CAST STATE MOVE. SECOND. MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS. CATEGORY ITEMS 13 AND 16 HAVE BEEN REMOVED. SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION ON THE BALANCE CAST. MOVE I SECOND. MOTIONS MADE IN SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY. SINCE YOUR LIST WAS DISTRIBUTED, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ITEMS ADDED. SO I WILL READ THEM MY USUAL TWO TIMES THE, UM, I'M SORRY. ITEM 25 HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED AND WILL BE CONSIDERED. IF IT IS RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING, I JUST REMOVE SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. R 21, 26, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 38, 39, AND 43. THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 21, 26, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 38, 39, AND 43. JUST NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NUMBER ONE, [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] I REMOVE SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM NUMBER ONE NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE SECOND. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. I THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. UM, MM-HMM . THIS ITEM IS ONE THAT WE DISCUSSED YESTERDAY, A PUBLIC SESSION, BUT MY OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING ON WITH, UH, THE CONSTITUENTS OF THIS AREA OF DISTRICT J FOR SINCE 2021. SO, UM, I GOT ELECTED IN 19, CAME IN IN 20, AND BEEN WORKING ON THIS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, ALMOST MY ENTIRE 10 YEAR ON COUNCIL. BUT IT IS FOR A PERMANENT CLOSURE OF A PORTION OF WANDA LANE, WHICH SITS NEAR, UH, BINET AND FONDANT NEAR BRAESWOOD. AND IT'S BEEN A CUT THROUGH STREET THAT HAS CAUSED A LOT OF, UM, ISSUES, PUBLIC SAFETY WISE, TRAFFIC CONTROL WISE. AND SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD PUT IN AN APPLICATION [02:30:01] AND WENT THROUGH A LENGTHY PROCESS JUST TO GET THIS PORTION CLOSED OFF. UH, I DO WANT TO THANK, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THEY HAD TO PUT TOGETHER A COMMITTEE OF STAKEHOLDERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THAT. SO, BURT RUIZ, WHO WAS THE CHAIR? KIM HATTON, BO BLAKE, BETH ERNEST, RENEE SMITH, MATT WILLIAMS, DEREK, HE AND CHERYL, UH, CAREY, THEY ALL SERVED ON THIS COMMITTEE, UH, WHICH THEY DID STUDIES AND SURVEYS AND TALKED TO RESIDENTS. THEY PUT IN A LOT OF WORK. UM, IN MY ESTIMATION, IT SHOULD NOT TAKE THAT MUCH. IT SHOULD NOT TAKE FOUR YEARS, UM, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CLOSE OFF A STREET. THAT COMMON SENSE COULD TELL YOU HAS ISSUES AND WE NEED TO REMEDY IT. BUT WE DID IT. AND WE'RE HERE TODAY. SO I WANT TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS FOR ALL YOU ALL'S SUPPORT. I WANNA THANK MY OFFICE STAFF, ESPECIALLY MY CHIEF OF STAFF, PAUL YOUNG, AND MY DEPUTY CHIEF DAVID BRIZUELA. THEY WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE RESIDENTS ON THIS. AND SO, UM, HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND A WAY TO STREAMLINE AND EXPEDITE THESE TYPE OF PROCESSES. I KNOW MY DISTRICT ISN'T THE ONLY DISTRICT FACING THESE ISSUES. MANY OF US ARE. UM, AND HOPEFULLY COLLECTIVELY AS A BODY, WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT. BUT I DO WANT TO THANK THE RESIDENTS, UH, THOSE WHO ARE HERE. I SEE MS. HAT IS HERE. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS GET PASSED. VERY GOOD. GREAT JOB. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. I SWEAR. CONGRATULATIONS. I, I'D GIVE YOU MY GAVE IF I HAD ANOTHER ONE TO REPLACE. IF SOMEBODY WILL BRING ME A, A REPLACEMENT, I'LL BE GLAD TO GIVE IT TO COUNCILMAN POLLARD. AND, AND HE CAN AWARD IT TO THE COMMUNITY IF YOU'D LIKE. CAN SOMEBODY BRING ME A, I'M NOT KIDDING. THIS, THIS DESERVES RECOGNITION. BUT ANYWAY, BEFORE THE SESSION'S OVER, NEXT ITEM EIGHT NEEDS A MOTION CAST. NEXT ITEM, MOVE. NEXT. SECOND. MOTION, BAIN. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES A NICE GAVEL TOO. NEXT, ITEM 13 NEEDS A MOTION CASTED A MOVE. MOTIONS MADE AND SECONDED. AND COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. I'D LIKE TO BE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I'M GONNA BE VOTING NO ON THIS ITEM. IT WAS FOR AN EMERGENCY PURCHASE ORDER FOR OEM, BUT WE CHECKED AND IT'S FOR DAILY ACTIVITIES, NOT EMERGENCY, UM, USE SUCH AS WHAT IT'S BEING USED FOR IS SITE VISITS, MEETINGS, THINGS LIKE THAT. AND A CITY OF 650 SQUARE MILES BUYING TWO CHEVY TAHOES. AND WE ASKED THE MILES PER GALLON ON THE STREET IS 15 MILES PER GALLON AND 20 ON THE HIGHWAY. WHEN YOU ADD THAT UP ABOUT WHERE OEM IS GOING, TRAVELING THE CITY, WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO BE BUYING VEHICLES WITH A MUCH LARGER, UH, CAPACITY THAN WHAT THIS CAN PROVIDE US IN TERMS OF FUEL EFFICIENCY. SO I WILL BE RESPECTFULLY VOTING. NO. UH, AGAIN, IT IS NOT FOR EMERGENCY USE. UH, AND I, I THINK AS A CITY, WE CAN BE DOING BETTER WHEN WE'RE WATCHING OUR BOTTOM LINE. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED MAY. AND NO. MOTION PASSES. SHOW. COUNCILMAN CAME AND VOTING NO. ITEM 16. THESE ITEM 16 IS A MOTION CAST MOVED. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SIGNAL IN FAVOR. SAY YES AS OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 21 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. COUNCILOR CASTILLO. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND COLLEAGUES. UH, THIS ITEM WILL EXTEND, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, BLOCK WRAP FUNDS TO WESLEY COMMUNITY CENTER FOR AN AGREEMENT WHERE THEY'RE PROVIDING, UH, VITAL HOUSING OR, UH, EDUCATION AND, UH, JOB TRAINING SERVICES. THEY'VE BEEN DOING SOME FANTASTIC WORK, UH, IN THE NEAR NORTH SIDE FOR, UH, A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND THIS PROGRAM'S BEEN, UH, A SUCCESSFUL PART OF THAT. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. VOTE ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 26 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. ON THIS ITEM, WE ARE, UH, PROPOSING A DATA CENTER REFRESH PROJECT HERE WITH IT. UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT [02:35:01] I THINK, UH, WE NEED MORE OF THROUGHOUT THE CITY AS WE LOOK AT OUR DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW WE UPGRADE IT AND HOW WE KEEP IT, UM, MODERNIZED AND, UH, LOOK AT WAYS TO IMPROVE OUR EFFICIENCY AND OUR OPERATIONS. SO, UH, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS AND LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT FUTURE PROPOSED DATA CENTER REFRESH OPERATIONS AND, AND WHAT OUR DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE LOOKS LIKE ACROSS THE CITY. VERY GOOD. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED. A MOTION PASSES. ITEM 30 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 31 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 32 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE TAG. UH, ITEM 32, TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. AND THEN IF I, IF I MAY COMMENT ON THIS ITEM WITH, WITH, ALTHOUGH IT'S TAGGED, UM, $30 MILLION IS A SUBSTANTIAL, UM, PRICE TAG WITH MULTIPLE LINES. AND I'M NOT SURE THIS WAS WORKSHOP OR COMMITTEE, BUT, UM, DR. UH, DIRECTOR KENT IS TYPICALLY VERY, UH, PROACTIVE AND THOUGHTFUL AS I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, UH, DIRECTOR KENT, UM, REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE OR SOMEONE ON HER TEAM TO TALK TO THIS. 'CAUSE THERE ARE MULTIPLE FUNDING, UH, STRINGS WITH THIS, AND I'M NOT AWARE OF WHAT THIS ITEM IS. THANK YOU MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM 34 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE ALL MEMBER KAMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I HAVE A MO MOTION BEFORE COUNCIL. I DO WANNA SAY THANK YOU. WE ARE CONTINUING TO, UM, RECOGNIZE ELECTION DAY AS A COUNCIL HOLIDAY, UH, AND CONSOLIDATE THAT SO THAT FOLKS CAN ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS. I DO BELIEVE THAT ELECTION DAY SHOULD BE A CITY HOLIDAY, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE CAN DO FOR NOW BEFORE YOU AS A MOTION. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, COUNCIL WILL CONFLICT WITH OTHER FAITHS. HIGH HOLIDAYS. UM, THE ON IN 2025, UH, ON SEPTEMBER 23RD, IT'S THE HIGH HOLIDAY OF ROSH HASHANAH FOR THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. AND THE MOTION BEFORE YOU IS TO PROPOSE A CONSOLIDATED SESSION ON WEDNESDAY, UH, SO THAT IT DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH, UH, THOSE THAT WILL BE OBSERVING THE HIGH HOLIDAYS OF ROSH HASHANAH. WE DID REACH OUT TO OUR FRIENDS, UM, AT MAGE AND IN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO CONFLICTS NEXT YEAR WITH COUNCIL AS IT RELATES TO OTHER FAITHS, HOLIDAYS, INCLUDING EID. UM, SO THERE ARE NO CONFLICTS NEXT YEAR THERE. BUT AGAIN, BEFORE YOU, IS A MOTION FOR A CONSOLIDATED SESSION FOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2025, UH, OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE HIGH HOLIDAY OF ROSH HASHANAH. SO I, I WOULD MOVE, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE MOTION. VERY GOOD. ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT THE VOTE ON COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S AMENDMENT? ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES NOW ON THE MAID ITEM AS AMENDED. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES AS AMENDED. ITEM 35 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, SO THIS IS THE, UM, BUDGET FOR OLD SPANISH TRAIL EDA, UM, TURS, AND I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, AND I WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ FOR HELPING ME GET ANSWERS ON, ON THE QUESTIONS. I STILL DO HAVE A CONCERN, AND IT HAD TO DO WITH ARBITRAGE WITH REGARD TO THIS TURS, APPARENTLY, UM, THEY HAVE BORROWED MONEY AND, UH, THROUGH THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS AND HAVE HELD ONTO THAT MONEY LONG ENOUGH TO WHERE A PERCENTAGE OF THE INTEREST HAD TO BE RETURNED BACK TO THE IRS. AND, UM, I'M WONDERING WHY, UH, ANY TURS WOULD BE HOLDING MONEY FOR THIS LONG. UH, AND SO I HAVE A CONCERN, BUT IT'S BEEN ANSWERED. AND, UH, I'M ASSURED THAT THERE ARE PROJECTS UNDERWAY, UH, THAT WILL PROVIDE VALUE TO THE CITY. AND SO I'LL BE VOTING YES ON THIS ONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHIBA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I, I WANNA THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR ENGAGING MY OFFICE AND GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT OVERSIGHT OF, UM, NOT JUST THIS TOURS, BUT ALL OF THEM. AND, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT. BUT I'M VERY ENCOURAGED THAT THIS TOURS IS, HAS DONE HISTORICALLY A LOT OF GREAT PROJECTS IN DISTRICT D AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE THAT ARE ON THE BOARD RIGHT NOW FOR THEM TO TAKE CARE OF. AND SO, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR NOT TAGGING THE ITEM SO THAT WE CAN APPROVE THIS AND, UM, WE'LL JUST MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. [02:40:03] COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, JUST WANT TO REEMPHASIZE WHAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AZZ, EXCUSE ME, INDICATED REGARDING THIS TURS AND, UH, HAD DISCUSSION WITH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, RAMIREZ REGARDING IT, BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, I'M THINKING THAT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN GREAT CONSIDERATION NEEDED, AND THE ACTIONS OF THIS TURS HAS ALWAYS BEEN POSITIVE FOR THIS COMMUNITY. SO I'M GLAD THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ IS REMOVING, UM, HIS TAG. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? TAG? OH MY GOODNESS. OKAY. MEMBERS ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY COUNCILOR POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, THE BENEFIT OF ENLARGING, UH, TURS 20, UH, WHICH IS LARGELY IN, UM, DISTRICT J, BUT, UM, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN HEARING ME SPEAK ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO REMEDY OFF OF THE BISSONNET CORRIDOR. UH, THE BINET TRACK BETWEEN 59 AND BELTWAY EIGHT, AND THE ENLARGEMENT OF THIS TUR WILL ALLOW, UH, THE BOUNDARIES TO GO TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF BISSONNET. RIGHT NOW, THE NORTH SIDE OF THAT CORRIDOR IS ALREADY IN THE TURS, BUT NOW THE SOUTH SIDE WILL BE, WHICH WILL HELP US WITH URBAN DESIGN, HELP US WITH ADDITIONAL LIGHTING. THAT'S WHERE MANY OF THOSE BARRIERS, UH, THAT WE CLOSE DOWN THE STREETS AT NIGHT, THEY'RE ON THE SOUTH SIDE. SO THIS WILL GIVE US ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND, UH, CONTINUE TO ALLOW US TO MAKE BISSONNET ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY AREAS, UH, TO CLEAN UP. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. THANK YOU. UH, JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, I DO WANNA ECHO THE WORK THAT SOUTHWEST TS IS DOING. THERE'S A SMALL PORTION IN DISTRICT C, PRIMARILY IT'S ALONG THE BAYOU FOR FLOOD MITIGATION WORK. UH, AND WE ARE ABLE TO NOW, UH, AND I WANNA THANK GWEN FOR WORKING WITH US ON THIS, OUR DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. UM, WE'RE GONNA BE ALLOCATING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DISTRICT FUNDS TO SOUTHWEST TUR TO CONTINUE INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT FLOOD MITIGATION EFFORT IN AN AREA THAT, UM, DESPERATELY NEEDS IT. SO AGAIN, UH, APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT THE TUR IS DOING. VERY GOOD. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 39 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 43 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. WE HAVE, UH, WE ASKED SOME QUESTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT AS OF THIS MORNING. WE STILL HAD NOT RECEIVED THEM. SO GIVEN WE HAVE OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS. A FRIENDLY TAG HERE. VERY GOOD. THOMAS JOINS TAG. OKAY, TAG BY CAMAN AND THOMAS CAYMAN AND THOMAS TAG BY CAYMAN AND THOMAS. NEXT [MATTERS HELD] ITEM. WELL, ITEM 59 IS A RESOLUTION. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. VOTE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM SIX IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 61 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. SO, UH, THIS WAS, THIS WAS TAGGED LAST WEEK, SO IT'S BACK ON THE AGENDA. THIS IS THE TAX ABATEMENT, 100% TAX ABATEMENT FOR INTEGRA. AND UH, AS I MENTIONED LAST WEEK, I'LL BE VOTING NO ON THIS, I THINK IN INTEGRA WAS ALREADY COMING TO HOUSTON, IN WHICH CASE, UH, THIS IS FREE MONEY FOR THEM AND IS NOT NECESSARY. UM, AS IS THE CASE WITH A NUMBER OF THESE ABATEMENTS. SO I'LL BE VOTING THOUGH. COUNCILOR JACKSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, SO WITH INTEGRA, MY OFFICE IS CONSTANTLY RIGHT NOW IN CONVERSATION WITH, UM, INTEGRA. UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE BRINGING A TOTAL OF WHAT, 291 JOBS. AND THESE ARE ENTRY LEVEL JOBS THAT START AT $25 AN HOUR. AND SO MY OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING CLOSELY [02:45:01] WITH THEM, UM, WITH THE BE SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. AND SO THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION THAT THEY'RE TAKING, TAKING OVER THE LEASE FOR WAYFAIR, WAYFAIR WAS SUPPOSED TO CAME IN, BUT EVENTUALLY THEY BACKED OUT. SO THEY'RE TAKING OVER THE LEASE. AND OF COURSE THEY'RE BRINGING JOBS THAT ARE, AGAIN, ENTRY LEVEL JOBS, SECOND CHANCE JOBS. AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISTRICT B. UM, AND SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM. UM, AND THANK YOU. AND I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES SUPPORT IT AS WELL. THANKS. THANK YOU, MA'AM. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER? YES, I MET WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AFTER THE MEETING LAST WEEK. AND ALTHOUGH I'M GONNA BE VOTING YES ON THIS, I I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS. I MEAN, THE BIGGEST THING THAT THIS DOES FOR THE CITY IS IT BRINGS US JOBS, UM, WHICH ALWAYS SOUNDS GREAT, BUT HERE FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE'VE BEEN AT WHAT PRETTY MUCH EVERY ECONOMIST CONSIDERS FULL EMPLOYMENT ANYWAY. UM, EMPLOYERS TYPICALLY LIST AS THEIR NUMBER ONE CHALLENGE FINDING EMPLOYEES. SO I, I THINK WE'RE GIVING MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T REALLY NEED. BUT TO COUNCILMAN JACKSON'S POINT, I THINK IN, IN HER DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY AND WITH THE PROGRAM, SHE'S, YOU KNOW, RUNNING THAT THIS IS A BENEFIT, BUT I, I THINK IT'S A MARGINAL ONE AT, AT BEST. AND I HOPE IN THE FUTURE WE REALLY LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE BRINGING JOBS, IS IT REALLY NEEDED? I MEAN, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT KIND OF CONCERNS ME A LITTLE BIT, ALTHOUGH IT IS IN THE COUNCIL WOMAN'S DISTRICT, IT'S RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF THE CITY. A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE TAKING THESE JOBS ARE ACTUALLY GONNA BE LIVING OUTSIDE OF THE CITY. UM, SO WE'RE NOT GONNA EVEN REALLY BENEFIT AS MUCH FROM THAT AS WELL. SO, LIKE I SAID, I, I'M GONNA BE A YES ON THIS, BUT I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS WITH IT. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO THE WAY THESE ABATEMENTS WORK IS, THE IDEA IS TO ENTICE A COMPANY THAT WASN'T GONNA COME, BUT THE ABATEMENT MAKES IT WORTH THEIR WHILE TO COME. I'M VOTING NO BECAUSE CIRCUMSTANCE INDICATE THAT INTEGRA WAS GONNA COME ANYWAY, WHETHER THEY GET THIS FREE MONEY OR NOT, AND WE'RE GONNA GET THE JOBS ANYWAY. JOBS ARE GREAT. I LOVE 'EM. AND, UM, THAT'S WONDERFUL THAT DISTRICT B IS GETTING THE JOBS, BUT I'M VOTING NO BECAUSE I THINK INTEGRA WAS COMING ANYWAY. AND SO THIS IS FREE MONEY FOR THEM. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. I, I THINK ALL OF YOU ALL MAKE EXCELLENT POINTS AND I, I DO THINK AS A BODY, UM, WE ALL NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF OUR DUE DILIGENCE. I KNOW I DIDN'T DO AS MUCH AS I NEEDED TO ON THIS ITEM 'CAUSE IT'S NOT MY DISTRICT, BUT I'M ALL FOR INCENTIVIZING COMPANIES AND FINDING WAYS TO MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE TO BE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. BUT WE DO HAVE TO BE THOUGHTFUL IN THESE ABATEMENTS AS WELL. AND, UM, UM, I THINK WE ALL NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT. AND WHEN WE SEE THESE, UM, DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER AND I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS ONE FOR SURE, BUT GOING FORWARD, UM, A CHARGE TO MYSELF AND HOPEFULLY A CHARGE TO US ALL TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT. 'CAUSE IT CAN HAVE SOME LONG-TERM EFFECTS. SO THANK YOU. AND I, AND I KNOW YOU ALL DISCUSSED IT IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I, I SEE YOU PUSHING, I, I SEE YOU PUSHING THE BUTTON. I MEAN, I SEE YOU PUSHING THE BUTTON, I SEE YOU PUSHING THE BUTTON, BUT WE ALL DON'T GET TO EVERY COMMITTEE. SO, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR COMMENTS. UH, MAYOR PRO TEM MAYOR PRO DIEM, CAST SIX TATUM. SO YES, WE DID DISCUSS IT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS ISN'T OUR OUR OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY TRY TO DIG IN, UM, AND FIND OUT ABOUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES. UM, I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF, UM, WHAT ACTUALLY TAKES PLACE WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT INCENTIVIZING BUSINESSES AND NOT GET SO CAUGHT UP IN, UM, THE FACT THAT WE ARE, UM, PER SE GIVING AWAY FREE MONEY. BECAUSE IF WAYFAIR BACKED OUT OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY IN DISTRICT B AND WE HAVE A VACANT WAREHOUSE, NOT ONLY, UH, WILL WE NOT HAVE THOSE JOBS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE BLIGHT AND WE ALSO HAVE ILLEGAL DUMPING. AND WE HAVE, WE, WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES AS WELL AS JOBS, AS WELL AS THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON THE ECONOMY. SO IT'S NOT JUST THE FREE MONEY, PER SE, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCENTIVIZE BUSINESSES TO MAKE COMMUNITIES BETTER, NOT JUST WITH THE JOBS, BUT THE VIBRANCY. AND HAVING PEOPLE IN THESE COMMUNITIES THAT TYPICALLY WOULD NOT BE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES AND HAD THAT, UM, SPACE NOT BEEN AVAILABLE. UM, INTEGRA MAY HAVE GONE SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT THE MERE FACT THAT THEY WENT TO DISTRICT B, WHICH IS A COMMUNITY THAT WE AS A COLLECTIVE BODY HAVE BEEN WORKING TO TRY TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES TO THAT AREA, NOT ONLY FOR THE JOBS, BUT FOR THE QUALITY OF [02:50:01] LIFE THAT IT WOULD ALSO HELP WITH, UM, IN THOSE PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES. SO I UNDERSTAND THE BROADER CONTEXT, BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, WHEN YOU GET A COMPANY THAT'S PAYING $25 AN HOUR WHERE PEOPLE CAN, UM, HAVE A SHORT COMMUTE TO WORK, IT IMPROVES THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. UM, AND THAT AS A GOAL, UM, I HOPE THAT WE WOULD ALL WANT TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES. WE, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT EQUITY. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SOME EQUITY, UM, IN A COMMUNITY LIKE DISTRICT V COUNCIL, JACKSON, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, THANK YOU, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM. AND I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT YES, THERE ARE JOBS AVAILABLE, BUT FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE CRIMINAL RECORDS, TRUE SECOND CHANCE JOBS IS NOT AVAILABLE. AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT BECAUSE THEY, I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD, THEY WILL HIRE YOU. AND SO, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM. UM, WE GETTING READY TO START PLUGGING PEOPLE IN IN JANUARY. AND SO I THINK IT'S AGAIN, A GOOD PROJECT. AT ONE POINT I WAS TOTALLY AGAINST TAX ABATEMENTS, BUT YOU KNOW, I CAME IN, I CAN'T FIGHT THE GIANT, SO I'M JUST GONNA LIKE, FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE SURE IT WORKS FOR US. AND THESE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENTS, IT'S HOW WE CAN, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THESE COMPANIES ARE DOING EXACTLY WHAT THEY COMMIT TO DO OR WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. UM, THESE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENTS GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. AND SO, UM, I WOULD PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THIS BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE PIPELINE READY TO WORK, AND THIS COMPANY HAS COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT THEY HIRE, THEY COMMITTED TO HIRING PEOPLE WITH SECOND CHANCES. SO THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL JUST NEED A VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY RAMIREZ, NO MOTION PASSES. WHICH COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ SHOWING A NO VOTE. NEXT, ITEM 62, AS AN ORDINANCE, YOU SEEN A VOTE? COUNCILOR DAVIS. COUNCILOR DAVIS. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I TAGGED THIS ITEM, UM, LAST WEEK AND AFTER GETTING FURTHER INFORMATION AND DIGGING DEEPER INTO, UH, SOME OF THE FINANCIAL STATUS OF THIS PARTICULAR, UM, REINVESTMENT ZONE, UM, WITH LONG, LONG DISCUSSIONS IN TERMS OF, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION COST AND OTHER ASPECTS OF IT, AND LOOKING DEEPER INTO THE DEVELOPMENT IT WILL DO, THIS COMMUNITY IS IN DIRE NEED OF A LOT OF, UH, ADVANCEMENT IN REGARDS TO BUSINESSES AND OTHER ENTITIES, WHICH HELPED TO CREATE, UH, A VIBRANT COMMUNITY. SO I'M GOING TO BE VOTING FOR, UH, THIS PARTICULAR, UH, ITEM DUE TO SOME OF THE FURTHER INFORMATION THAT, UH, MY OFFICE RECEIVED. SO, UH, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I, UH, I DO PLAN TO WORK CLOSELY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, UH, IN REGARDING TO THIS PARTICULAR TOURS AND, UH, AS I WILL WITH OTHERS. SO I WILL BE VOTING FOR IT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON? YEP. I GOT OUTTA ORDER RAMIREZ, I I'LL YIELD TO COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON IF SHE WANTS TO GO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, SO SINCE THIS ITEM WAS UM, TAGGED, I DID MEET WITH THE TURS AND THE COMMUNITY AND WE HAD A FRUITFUL CONVERSATION. UM, EVERYONE KNOW THE FIFTH WARD FOLKS IN FIFTH WARD IS NOT HAPPY WITH THE TURS, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY. AND SO OUT OF THIS, UM, MEETING, WE CAME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS. I THINK I WANT TO THANK GWEN AND HER TEAM FOR JOINING THE MEETING. IT WAS, YOU KNOW, VERY HELPFUL AND, AND SO AMONG THE APPROVE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE COMMUNITY WANNA SEE, THE NUMBER ONE THING IS COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY. AND SO, UM, THIS TOUR HAS, THEY HAVE ONLY MET THREE TIMES IN THIS PAST YEAR. AND SO IF YOU ARE ONLY MEETING THREE TIMES AND YOU'RE NOT PUTTING IT OUT THAT YOU'RE HAVING THESE MEETINGS, THEN THE COMMUNITY, YOU CANNOT REALLY ENGAGE COMMUNITY, UM, PRODUCTIVELY. SO, UM, THEY WANT MORE MEETINGS. UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ONLY MEET WHEN THEY VOTE ON SOME, WHEN THEY HAVE TO VOTE ON SOMETHING, BUT WE ARE GONNA RECOMMEND THAT THEY MEET REGULARLY AND WE COME UP WITH A SYSTEM TO WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY ENGAGED IN A COMMUNITY AND LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THEY MEET. UM, THEY ALSO, I'M ALSO GONNA, UM, RECOMMEND THAT THE TOUR HAVE YEARLY BUDGET MEETINGS WITH THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO SEE YEARLY. LIKE WE DO OUR BUDGET, UM, WORKSHOPS. WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT BUDGET WORKSHOPS OR MEETINGS WITH THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY AGAIN, ARE ENGAGED WITH THE BUDGET. AND SO, UM, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALSO DEPARTMENT ALSO RECOMMENDED, UM, THESE MEETINGS. AND SO WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. [02:55:01] UM, I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE MAKEUP OF THE BOARD AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS THE PAST TWO YEAR. WELL, THE PAST TWO APPOINTMENTS, WE'VE APPOINTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO THE BOARD, SO WE HAVE TO TRANSITION THEM IN. UM, AND THAT IS ONGOING. AND SO, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO JUST IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE, UM, IN PLACE OF, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON. AND SO, UM, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS ITEM, UM, BECAUSE WE NEED, WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND I WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH THE T IN, UM, THE, THE ADMINISTRATION. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MAR HARRIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M GONNA BE VOTING NO ON THIS ITEM, NOT BECAUSE FIFTH WAR DOESN'T NEED THE MONEY. IT DOES NEED THE MONEY, IT NEEDS THE INVESTMENT, IT NEEDS GOOD LEADERSHIP IN THE TURS, WHICH IT DOES NOT HAVE HAD A MEETING WITH GWEN AND JENNIFER YESTERDAY AND LEARNED SOME INTERESTING THINGS. UH, IT'S POSSIBLE FOR THIS TURS TO CONTINUE OPERATING WITHOUT US TAKING THIS VOTE ON THIS BUDGET. THEY CAN DO THIS FOR ANOTHER SIX MONTHS, PERHAPS SEVEN MONTHS OPERATING UNDER THE LAST YEAR'S BUDGET AS THEY'RE CURRENTLY DOING. WE HAVE SOME SERIOUS ISSUES WITH, UH, THIS TURS. FIRST OF ALL, WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO US IS NOT REALLY A BUDGET. UH, A NUMBER OF THE VALUES THAT ARE PRESENTED IN, IN THE DOCUMENT ARE THE SAME VALUES THAT THEY CARRY OVER YEAR TO YEAR TO YEAR. AND WE REALLY DON'T SEE ACCURATE ACTUALS IN, IN THIS DOCUMENT. SECOND, THE TURS APPEARS TO HAVE SPENT MORE CUMULATIVELY ON ADMINISTRATION THAN ON CAPITAL PROJECTS, EXCLUDING THE ACQUISITION OF LAND COSTS. UM, AND SO YOU HAVE TO REALLY WONDER WHAT, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE THEY DOING? THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE DOING MUCH OF ANYTHING. AND THIRD, THERE SOME SERIOUS APPEARANCE OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. UM, THE ADMINISTRATOR THAT THE ENTITY THAT'S PAID TO ADMINISTER THE TURS HAS A SEAT ON THE BOARD AND ENGAGES IN FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS WITH THE TURS. IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S PAID BY THE TURS AS WELL. UM, THAT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK. UM, IT'S SUGGESTING TO THE PUBLIC THAT, UH, WE SHOULDN'T BE TRUSTING THE ORGANIZATION THE WAY IT'S CURRENTLY SET UP AND THE WAY IT'S, IT'S OPERATING. AND SO THESE, THESE ARE MY CONCERNS. UH, AND AGAIN, I REITERATE IT'S NOT REALLY NECESSARY TO TAKE THIS, THIS VOTE RIGHT NOW. UM, BUT I'M NOT GONNA TAG IT BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WHAT, WHAT IS WHAT IS DESIRED. UM, I WOULD RATHER SEE IN SOME OF THESE TS, INCLUDING THIS ONE, CHANGES MADE BEFORE WE ACTUALLY VOTE ON, ON A BUDGET. SO I'M VOTING NO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN I WAS TALKING TO SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THIS, THEY DID, WHERE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, ABOUT COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY, AND EVEN THE BUDGET ITSELF, THE PROJECT PLAN THAT WE REVIEW, I WAS TOLD BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION THAT IT'S OUR POLICY TO NOT PUT THAT OUT TO THE PUBLIC TILL IT'S APPROVED. THAT'S RIDICULOUS. WE CAN PUT THAT PROJECT PLAN AND BUDGET OUT TO THE PUBLIC WHEN THIS IS, WHEN WE GET IT. THEY SHOULD GET IT. SO IF WE COULD CHANGE THAT POLICY AND MAKE SURE, 'CAUSE I WAS READING OFF THE DOCUMENT WITH THE, AND THEY'RE LIKE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT. I'M LIKE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE THAT? THIS IS TAX DOLLARS. I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING SECRET ABOUT THIS. WE HAVEN'T VOTED ON IT. THERE'S NO REASON TO NOT PUT THAT FORWARD. SO I THINK THERE IS DEFINITELY AN ISSUE WITH, WITH TRANSPARENCY, NOT, NOT JUST FROM THE TUR SIDE, BUT ALSO KIND OF FROM SOME OF OUR POLICIES. SO, UM, THAT'S MY COMMENT. AND UNFORTUNATELY IT DIDN'T JUST START. COUNCILMAN P*****K. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, IN LIGHT, IN LIGHT OF SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, WHY DON'T WE, WHY DON'T WE CONSIDER A MOTION TO DELAY ON THIS AND BE ABLE TO PUT FORTH TO THAT BODY WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE. I MEAN, IF, IF IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO DO THE DUE DILIGENCE, YOU ALL ARE SMART, COME UP WITH INSIGHT, ADVISE US ON IT, AND THEN JUST GO AND THEN JUST GO FORWARD. LIKE BUSINESS AS USUAL. IF, IF, IF WE WANT TO MAKE CHANGES AND WE HAVE THE TIME TO DO SO, UH, WHY DON'T WE GIVE OURSELVES THE TIME TO EXPLORE MORE, TO COMMUNICATE WITH THAT TURS, WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE MET BEFORE WE VOTE. AND WE CAN ALWAYS DO A MOTION TO DELAY, UM, AND THEN BRING IT BACK WHEN WE FEEL LIKE THE TIME IS RIGHT AND THEY CAN STILL OPERATE IN THE MEANTIME. SO, UM, THIS IS NOT MY DISTRICT, SO I'M NOT GONNA OVERSTEP ALRIGHT, BUT I'M JUST, THAT'S MY THOUGHT. SO I'M PUTTING IT OUT THERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, COUNCILMAN CARTER. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, I AGREE WITH, WITH, UH, SOME OF YOUR THOUGHTS, BUT CERTAINLY [03:00:01] WE'LL SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. I MADE IT CLEAR, UM, MY CONCERNS LAST WEEK CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONCERNS. BUT TO BE CLEAR, UM, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT CONFLICT OF INTEREST, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT CONFLICT OF INTEREST, NOT ONLY ON A BUSINESS STANDPOINT, BUT ALSO KIND OF MORAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND WHAT FEEDS THE OTHER. AND SO I THINK WHEN WE ARE LOOKING, UM, FOR GUIDELINES, WHETHER IT'S TERM LIMITS, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATION, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO, WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE TS ACROSS THE BOARD AND SET THESE POLICIES IN PLACE FOR ALTERS, NOT JUST THIS PARTICULAR ONE. THIS IS A SEPARATE, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF TWO DIFFERENT DISCUSSIONS, BUT I THINK THE TS IN GENERAL, WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING A HARD LOOK AT FOR A REASON. AND IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, DIRECTED TOTS FIVE, I WILL SUPPORT YOU, BUT I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PARLER THAT THERE'S, THERE'S, UH, REASON TO BELIEVE WE, WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK. AND I THINK THE, THE ADMINISTRATION IS THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UM, I THANK MY COLLEAGUES. I TOTALLY AGREE, UM, WITH, UM, YOU COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, BECAUSE IF IT WASN'T, I WOULDN'T SAY IF IT WASN'T MY DISTRICT, I AGREE WE SHOULDN'T. NO, I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT. HOWEVER, WE ARE ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION. UM, THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE WITH THIS TURS, AS WE SAID, CONFLICT OF INTEREST, WHICH WE, WE HAVE SINCE I'VE GOTTEN IN THE OFFICE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT. WE'VE REMOVED A FEW PEOPLE FROM THE BOARD AND PLACED COMMUNITY PEOPLE ON THE BOARD. BUT EVEN THOUGH WE DID THAT, THERE WAS STILL A LACK OF COMMUNICATION. EVEN MY OFFICE DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THESE MEETINGS WAS HAPPENING. SO IT, THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION IS HOLD HOLDING ME ACCOUNTABLE AS WELL THAT I NEED TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE TS. AND SO WE ARE CREATED A, A PLAN, THE COMMUNITY DETS MY OFFICE, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO CREATE MORE TRANSPARENCY WITH THIS PARTICULAR TUR, THE UNDERLYING ISSUES THAT THIS HERS HAVE LIMITED MONEY. AND THE COMMUNITY IS LOOKING AT THE MIDTOWN TURS, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE GALLERIA AND THEY'RE LIKE, THEY GOT ALL THIS GOING ON, WHY DON'T WE HAVE IT? SO, BUT NOBODY EVER EXPLAINED WHY THEY DON'T HAVE THIS BUDGET. AND SO CREATE, UM, IMPLEMENTING THIS PLAN BY TRAINING THE COMMUNITY, HOW THE TURS OPERATE AND HOW THE, HOW THE INCREMENTS COME INTO THE TS THAT IS GONNA HELP KIND OF MINI MINIMIZE SOME OF THE CONFUSION AND THE DISTRUST. OF COURSE, I AGREE MOVING OUT SOME OF THESE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING ON THE TURS FOR DECADES. IT'S TIME FOR NEW LEADERSHIP, BUT WE CAN'T JUST FIRE EVERYBODY OR DISMISS EVERYBODY. WE HAVE TO TRANSITION THESE, THESE PEOPLE IN SO THAT THE PROJECTS CAN CONTINUE. SO, UM, AGAIN, I'M GONNA SUPPORT IT. I AGREE WITH ALL OF YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT THIS IS NOT JUST THE FIFTH WARD TURS ISSUE. THIS IS ACROSS THE CITY OF HOUSTON ISSUE. AND WE'RE NOT GONNA LIKE PUT IT ALL ON FIFTH WARD TURS. WE'RE NOT GONNA LIKE MAKE THEM THE GUINEA PIG. WE ARE GONNA, WE ARE GONNA LIKE WORK, WE'RE GONNA LIKE TARGET ALL THE TOURISTS AS WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST SINCE THE ADMINISTRATION CAME IN. SO I'M SUPPORTING IT. THANK YOU. WOW. COUNSELOR FOR FRANKER . THANK YOU, MARY. I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN POLLARD'S COMMENTS. UM, AND ALSO COUNCILMAN CARTER. I THINK THE TOURS ARE ALREADY A BIT OPAQUE AS IT IS. UM, I THINK A LOT OF RESIDENTS ARE QUITE SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THE TURS CAN ACTUALLY OBLIGATE THEM TO DEBT, UH, WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, ANY VOTE OF THE PUBLIC WHATSOEVER. SO I CERTAINLY THINK IF THERE'S ANY CONFLICT OR EVEN A PERCEIVED CONFLICT THAT WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO RESOLVE THAT AND BRING AS MUCH TRANSPARENCY AS POSSIBLE FOR THESE TERMS. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS COMING FROM THE COLLEAGUES, BUT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT CONFLICT OF INTEREST, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE LOOK AT MORE THAN JUST DISUR WHEN IT COMES TO CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND PEOPLE THAT'S SITTING ON BOARDS FOR LONG PERIOD OF TIMES. UH, THAT'S NOTHING UNFAMILIAR, BUT LET ME JUST SAY, UM, WE CERTAINLY, UH, I AGREE MAYBE DELAYING IT IS THE, IS WOULD BE THE BEST FOR IT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, UH, THAT'S HER DISTRICT. SHE KNOWS MORE ABOUT IT. BUT I WOULD, THAT WE WOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE TURDS AND THE INTEREST OF THE TURS FOR COMMUNITIES. WE ALL KNOW A LOT OF DISTRICTS ARE NOT AS PROSPEROUS AS OTHER DISTRICTS. THEY ARE NOT EQUAL IN REGARDS TO WHAT THEY DO IN TERMS OF TURS. I WOULD HOPE THAT OUR COLLEAGUES WILL LOOK AT IT. AND THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN WITHOUT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. YOU KNOW, THOSE OF US THAT KNOW ABOUT THE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY, WHICH I'M VERY FAMILIAR AS WELL AS I AM WITH THIRD WARD AND OTHERS, [03:05:01] BUT WE, WE NEED TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT IT. MAYBE THE LAND IS THE KEY, BUT, BUT I WOULD, I, I WOULD THINK IN REGARDS TO DOLLARS AND THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE OF THAT, I SPOKE WITH MS. UH, TILLERSON IN, IN DETAIL IN REGARDS TO IT, UH, ABOUT THAT. AND, AND I THINK THAT COUNCILMAN JACKSON, UH, AS, AS OTHER DISTRICT LEADERS, KNOW THAT COMMUNITY BETTER THAN EVERYBODY, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES TO HELPING THIS COMMUNITY GO FORWARD AND BECOME A STRONG TUR. SO, UH, I, AGAIN, LIKE I SAY, I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE COMMENTS, BUT I WILL SUPPORT IT WITH THE INTENT THAT WE ALSO, I AGREED TO WORK WITH HER IN REGARDS TO THIS TURS. A LOT OF ISSUES HAVE COME UP AND, UH, I HOPE WE DON'T GET MIXED UP ON SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT'S GOING ON WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY WITH THE TURS AND SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT IS CONCERNED. SO I'M VOTING FOR IT. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, PROBABLY TO CLOSE. SO WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT THIS TURS, NOBODY HAS SAID THAT IT'S DOING A GREAT JOB FOR ITS OPERATING AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO. UM, EVERYBODY HAS NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT ITS OPERATION AND QUESTIONS ABOUT POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD HAS SUGGESTED THAT THE BEST THING WOULD BE A DELAY AND, UH, I DON'T THINK A MOTION TO DELAY WOULD GET A SECOND, BUT I'LL, I'LL TAKE YOUR BAIT AND I WILL MOVE TO DELAY THIS VOTE AND WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN GET A SECOND ON THAT MOTION. A MOVE, MOVE TO DELAY FOR ONE WEEK. NO, SEND IT BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION. LET ME GET, LET ME GET WHERE. I BELIEVE WE HAVE A LOT TO CONSIDER. SOME LEADERSHIP'S BEEN THERE FOR OVER 20 YEARS SINCE THE CREATION. YOU KNOW, 'EM, THE INDIVIDUALS, I KNOW 'EM, SOME FINE PERSONS, POWERFUL PEOPLE, BUT AFTER THE DIALOGUE THIS MORNING, COUNCILMAN POLLARD HAS A VERY REASONABLE PROPOSAL. , HE AND COUNCILMAN CARTER AGREE. AND WE CAN GO AROUND THE TABLE. I THINK WE HAVE A LOT TO CONSIDER NOW. THE TUR PERFORM A VERY VITAL FUNCTION IN TODAY'S GOVERNANCE, AND WE DON'T WANT TO GO AFTER JUST THE STARTUP AS EXAMPLES THAT ARE HAVING ISSUES. UH, MIDTOWN FOR INSTANCE, HAD SOME OBVIOUS CONFLICTS OF INTEREST BRINGING CHARGES AGAINST A COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS, AND THAT'S WHY THE ADMINISTRATION, I HAVE STARTED A FORENSIC AUDIT OF ALL THE TUR. WE DO NOT WANT SINGLE OUT SOMETHING. SOME ARE DOING QUITE WELL. I'VE HEARD ACTUALLY THIS MORNING OF EXAMPLES. SOME I THINK HAVE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ON THE, THE SURFACE AND SOME WASTE MONEY, BUT THEY ALSO DO SOME GOOD AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW I, IN GOOD CONSCIENCE COULD VOTE FOR THIS ITEM THIS MORNING. AND I'M NOT SURE COUNCILMAN POLLARD A WEEK WOULD GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT, MAYBE EVEN AGAIN IN A COMMITTEE SETTING. SO IF SOMEONE WANTS TO MOVE TO SEND IT BACK TO ADMINISTRATION, I'LL MAKE IT A, UH, PRIORITY TO WORK WITH COUNCIL, ASK THE JURORS FOR SOME EXPLANATIONS AND SEE WHERE WE WANT TO GO FORWARD WITH EITHER NEW LEADERSHIP REQUIREMENTS OF DISCLOSURE AND, UH, HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. SO I PERSONALLY THINK, UH, IT WOULD SERVE THE PUBLIC AND CERTAINLY COUNCILMAN JACKSON. UH, I KNOW THE DIFFICULT POSITION YOU'RE IN, YOU WANT RESULTS AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO HELP YOU. SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEND IT BACK TO ADMINISTRATION, I'LL WORK CLOSELY WITH YOU. WE'LL RECRUIT OTHER EXPERIENCED MEMBERS IN THE NEW BLOOD ON THIS COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ, YOU DO A REMARKABLE JOB OF REQUIRING US TO FOCUS ON THE TURS AND IT'S SHOULD BE CITYWIDE. AND, UH, I'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME AND I COULD START NAMING THE CONFLICTS ACROSS THE CITY. THERE NEEDS TO BE TRANSPARENCY AND UH, AS I MENTIONED [03:10:02] A MOMENT AGO, THIS DIDN'T START WITH THIS COUNCIL. IT'S BEEN, UH, IT'S BEEN A KIND OF THE ROUTINE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. SO I'M WILLING TO PUT A STOP TO IT. IF YOU WANNA MOVE IT BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION, I WILL NOT BURY IT SOMEWHERE. DETER IS, UH, CRITICAL AND, UH, WE EXPECT BETTER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND, REFER TO THE ITEM BACK TO ADMINISTRATION FOR FURTHER REVIEW. NOW, DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO REFER BACK ANY COMMENTS? MARTINEZ IS IN THE QUEUE. MARTINEZ IS IN THE QUEUE. SO IS JACKSON COUNCIL MARTINEZ. UH, SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR, UM, YOUR COMMENTS, MAYOR. I THINK WE ALL, UM, SHOULD HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THESE TOURS. UM, THEY DO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. I CAN NAME OUR PROJECTS, OUR TOURS, JUST, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PROJECT PLAN. UH, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED EVEN AS A STAFFER. SO I'VE ATTENDED THOSE MEETINGS. I KNOW WHO'S ON THE BOARD. UM, WHENEVER I TALK TO YOU ABOUT TII RECOMMEND FOLKS THAT I KNOW ARE GONNA DO A GOOD JOB AND BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AS WELL. UM, I WANNA DEFER TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND I, AND LET ME JUST SAY I APPRECIATE THAT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER MEMBERS AS WELL, UH, FOR SEVERAL YEARS. YOU HEAR, UH, WHAT IS IT THAT A NOT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, IS DOING, UM, . AND AS A DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU REALLY WANT TO TRUST IN YOUR COLLEAGUES, UH, THAT, THAT, AND NOT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, BUT JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING. AND SO I APPRECIATE THIS CONVERSATION COMING UP ONLY BECAUSE OF OUR AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME CHANGES AS WELL. UM, I HAVE ISSUES WITH THE FIFTH WARD TURS, UH, PERSONALLY BECAUSE OF, UH, THE LACK OF PROJECTS THAT THEY'VE BEEN HAVING. UM, THERE'S, THERE, IT STOPS AT LOCKWOOD. THERE'S FOLKS THAT WANTED TO CROSS OVER, WOULD GO INTO LIONS, INTO THE FIFTH, UH, DENVER HARBOR AREA, WHICH IS ALSO A NEAT AREA. UM, HOW THEY WORK, UM, IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY TO REALLY GET TO GET GRASP OF IT. AND I WANT TO DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY RECOGNIZES THAT WHEN, UH, MAYOR PEARL, TIM CASM HAS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MEETING, A COMMITTEE MEETING, THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE THERE AS WELL. UH, AND SO FULL PARTICIPATION IS I, IS IMPORTANT BY EVERYONE. UM, IF, IF WE COULD DEFINITELY FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WHAT THE ISSUES ARE. IT'S THE LEADERSHIP THERE. UH, MAYOR AND I, I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA WORK WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, UH, VERY CLOSELY. UM, AND, AND, AND, AND SO I WANNA SEE THOSE PRO, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT Y'ALL HAVE LINED OUT. UM, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF REFERRING IT BACK AS WELL. UM, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE START SENDING A, A, A TREND OF, YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENCY, UM, OF REALLY MAKING SURE THAT PROJECTS WITHIN OUR, OUR, UH, TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONES ARE, ARE REALLY BEING, UM, LOOKED AT ACROSS THE BOARD. UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ YESTERDAY, AND, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE SUNSET SOME OF 'EM? BECAUSE WE DO CONTINUE TO BUILD PROJECTS, PLANS ON TOP OF BRO PROJECT PLANS. AND, UH, WE JUST DE ANNEX A PART OF, UH, A, UH, A CHURCH THAT I WAS A PART OF, UM, DOWNTOWN, UM, THAT ALLOWED FOR SOME OF THAT, UH, INCREMENT TO CONTINUE TO GROW SOMEWHERE ELSE, UH, TO EXPAND POSSIBLY EVEN IN COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD'S DISTRICT. UM, AND I THINK LOOKING AT IT VERY STRATEGICALLY ON SOME OF THOSE RICH DISTRICT JERSEYS, WHEREVER THERE ARE NO PROJECTS TO BEGIN TO DE ANNEX THOSE, THOSE AREAS BLOCK BY BLOCK IF NEEDED, UM, TO REALLY ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD IN A WAY WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE GULF GATE, UH, TOURS. AND IT DID WELL TO BUILD UP WHAT, WHAT USED TO BE GULF GATE MALL. AND NOW WE'RE DOING, HAVING PROJECTS AROUND HOBBY AIRPORT. VERY MUCH NEEDED. IT'S BEEN IGNORED IN, IN, UH, FOR A LONG TIME. AND SO, UM, I, I DEFINITELY WANNA PARTICIPATE IN THESE CONVERSATIONS. I KNOW THEM WELL. UH, I'VE WORKED WITH, UH, DIRECTOR GWEN TEON AND HER STAFF, AND JENNIFER AND EVERYBODY ELSE. I KNOW THAT THERE'S FOLKS THAT MANAGE THESE TS AS WELL, THAT HAVE SOME INSIGHT, BUT ALSO MAYBE HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR TOO LONG AS WELL. AND SO THERE'S JUST A DEEP DIVE ALTOGETHER. UM, THE CITY NEEDS THESE TSS, WE DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET TO HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, SO THANK YOU. UM, I'M WITH YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. YOU'LL BE INCLUDED IN OUR DISCUSSION. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND AGAIN, I THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR COMMENTS. I, UM, AGREE WITH YOU. UM, BUT I STILL SUPPORT THAT WE SHOULD MOVE THE BUDGET FORWARD. BUT I DID WANT THE POINT OUT, UM, SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT THE FIFTH WARD HAVE ENGAGED IN RECENT MEOW WOLF, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOING QUITE A FEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE KNOW ABOUT THE DELUXE LAKE, THE THEATER, AND THE EAST RIVER PROJECT HAS. NOW, OF COURSE, THE INCREMENTS ARE GONNA START COMING IN FROM THOSE PROJECTS. I AGREE. IT'S AN UNDERSERVED, IT'S A UNDERPERFORMING TURS. THERE HAS BEEN [03:15:01] A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, AS WE ALL KNOW. UM, AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE TRUST, THE COMMUNITY DO NOT TRUST, UM, THE LEADERSHIP. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE THE ADMINISTRATION TO LOOK AT IS, RIGHT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, AND THEN FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, YOU HAVE THE CRC, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE TURS AND YOU HAVE JUST THE SAME BOARD. AND SO THAT'S TO, TO ME, IS CONFLICT OF INTEREST, UM, TO THE COMMUNITY, IS CONFLICT OF INTEREST. AND SO REALLY WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN CHANGE THAT REQUIREMENT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A STATE REQUIREMENT. I'M LOOK FORWARD TO, I'M HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH YOU EARLIER, UM, LATER, MS. UM, UM, COUNCILMAN CARTER, BUT, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE REMOVE THAT TO WHERE THESE TWO ENTITIES ARE NOT, YOU DON'T HAVE GROUPS RUNNING BOTH ENTITIES. AND SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT CHANGE WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ON THAT. THANK YOU VERY WELL, COUNCILMAN ALCOR. THANK YOU. ON THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER OR TO SEND BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION, I'M WONDERING ABOUT ANY TIMING ON PROJECTS. WHAT I'M LOOKING AT ON THE, ON THE BUDGET, IT LOOKS LIKE LAST YEAR THEY DID SPEND A LITTLE BIT OVER WHAT THEY WERE GONNA, WHAT THEY ALLOTTED FOR ADMINISTRATION AND OVERHEAD. THEY SPENT UNDER WHAT THEY HAD ALLOTTED FOR MANAGEMENT CONSULTING SERVICES, AND THEN SPENT ZERO ON THEIR TOUR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. THOSE LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, ON THE, ON THE, THEY HAVE DEVELOPER, UM, MIDWAY EAST RIVER, KBRN, THEY HAD BUDGETED FOUR 70 THAT DIDN'T SPEND ANY FOUR 70. AGAIN, KIND OF WHAT, LIKE WHAT, UH, RAMIREZ WAS SAYING EARLIER, BA BASICALLY A MILLION ON DEVELOPER SLASH PROJECT REIMBURSEMENTS. 1,000,070 8,000 BUDGETED LAST YEAR. NONE SPENT 1,000,070 8,000 SPENT THIS YEAR. I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK THAT THE MEMORIAL CITY TOURS WENT LIKE FOREVER WITHOUT A BUDGET. I MEAN, THEY OPERATED FOR A LONG TIME WITHOUT A BUDGET BEING PASSED. SO I'M JUST WONDERING, DOES THIS, UH, MOVE TO SEND BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR WHATEVER TIME IMPACT THE GOING FORWARD OF, OF THESE PROJECTS? I UNDERSTAND, NOT THAT THIS DOES NOT IMPACT, CONTINUE TO OPERATE. OKAY. SO THAT THE PROJECTS, LIKE THE DELUXE THEATER THING, THE BANNER DISTRICT, THOSE KIND OF THINGS. THAT'S WHAT GWEN TOLD ME YESTERDAY. OKAY. AND WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. OBVIOUSLY YOU MENTIONED MEMORIAL, YOU COULD GO ACROSS THE BOARD. UH, MOST OF 'EM HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE OVERSIGHT. SO LET'S DO OUR JOB. OKAY. COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I, I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE DIALOGUE AND, UM, I WILL BE DEFERRING TO THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER IN TERMS OF WHAT SHE FEELS IS BEST IN HER DISTRICT AT THIS TIME. UM, I THINK A LOT OF THE CHANGES THAT, UH, IN OVERSIGHT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE TRANSPARENCY CAN COME ABOUT REGARDLESS OF THE BUDGET. SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT APPOINTMENTS TO AERS, THAT'S NOT IN THIS BUDGET. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WORKING ON THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE ARE TRYING TO IMPROVE AND BUILD UPON, IT IS NOT TANGENTIAL TO THE BUDGET SPECIFICALLY, ESPECIALLY IF THIS WILL ENABLE, AGAIN, A GROWING TURS. YES, IT MAY HAVE PROBLEMS, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT, UM, TO COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S POINT, USING ONE TS IS AN EXAMPLE AND NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN LOOKING AT THIS HOLISTICALLY, UM, I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT MAYOR, TO YOUR POINT, THE CRITICAL ROLE THAT OUR TOURS IS PLAY. I'LL BE SPEAKING ABOUT, UH, A TOURS IN DISTRICT C MOMENTARILY, BUT ANOTHER EXAMPLE THAT WE MAY LOOK AT IS THE MEMORIAL HEIGHTS TOURS, WHICH IS OVER GREATER HEIGHTS. BUT FOR THE BONDING CAPACITY OF THAT TOURS, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE NORTH CANAL PROJECT, WHICH IS FOR THE ENTIRE CITY. SO THERE, THERE ARE CRITICAL ROLES THAT TS IS PLAY IN THE FUNDING CAPACITY THAT THEY HAVE, THAT THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO LEVERAGE. UH, AND I'LL, AGAIN, I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT ON THE NEXT ITEM, BUT I DO WANNA MAKE SURE, UH, THAT WE'RE NOT LOSING SIGHT OF WHAT THE, THE ITEM SPECIFICALLY IS. AND OF COURSE, JUST FOR THE RECORD, I WILL BE DEFERRING TO OUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THAT AREA ON THIS ITEM. VERY GOOD. UH, MAYOR PROAM, CASTING STATE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST, UH, COLLEAGUES, UH, I KNOW YOU ALL KNOW THAT ALTS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL. UM, THIS TURS, UH, JUST GOT THEIR FIRST DECENT INCREMENT THIS YEAR OF $2 MILLION. SO IT'S NOT, UM, ALL [03:20:01] THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT , THEY, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY'VE HAD ANY SIGNIFICANT INCREMENT. SO THE, ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE, I MEAN, I THINK THE BIG ISSUE HERE IS JUST KIND OF THE LEADERSHIP AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, IS WORKING ON ROTATION OF THE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD. UH, I DON'T SEE ANY HARM IN, UH, THE ACTUAL MOTION TO REFER BACK, BUT THAT DOES NOT, UM, SOLVE THE ISSUES OF WHAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IN THIS PARTICULAR TURF. UM, SO YOU CAN REFER IT BACK, PUT A TIMELINE ON IT, BUT THIS PARTICULAR TURS JUST RECEIVED THEIR FIRST DECENT INCREMENT OF $2 MILLION THIS YEAR. SO THEY'RE JUST NOW WORKING ON HAVING ANY MONEY TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT AREA. I THINK IT'LL ALLOW SOME FRANK CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP THAT IF THEY WOULD BE SERVING THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TURS AND THE COMMUNITY TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM COUNCIL. UH, YEAH, I'M, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER FOR SURE. UH, BUT I DO THINK FOR TOO LONG THE CANS BEEN KICKED DOWN THE ROAD. HAVE THEY MADE IMPROVEMENTS? OF COURSE THEY HAVE. HAVE THEY HAD INCREMENTS? CERTAINLY HAVE. BUT WHAT COULD THEY HAVE POSSIBLY DONE IF THEY HAD, UH, BEEN, UH, MORE TRANSPARENT AND ASKED US FOR OUR ASSISTANCE? SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE LISTENED. I DON'T SEE, QUITE FRANKLY, HOW YOU CANNOT HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME, ADDITIONAL INPUT ON THIS SERIOUS MATTER. IT WOULD BE WHAT THE COMMUNITY, I THINK, EXPECTS OF US. I RESPECT THE COUNCIL MEMBER FROM THAT DISTRICT WHO OUGHT TO TAKE THE LEAD. UH, YOU KNOW IT BETTER THAN ANY OF US. CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD AND THE BAD, AND, UH, WE'LL CERTAINLY LISTEN TO YOU. BUT, UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT WITH THE DIALOGUE WE'VE HAD TO JUST IN, IN TERMS OF GOING ACROSS HOUSTON, LOOKING AT TURS. YOU HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE. THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S BEFORE US TODAY. SO, UH, THIS VOTED UP OR DOWN ON THE MOTION TO REFER BACK ON THE VOTE TO REFER BACK TO ADMINISTRATION. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. OBJECTION. NO. SO, JACKSON, NO. AMEN. NO. YES, MA'AM. MOTION. MOTION TO PREPARE BACK. YOU WANNA HAVE A ROLL CALL? A ROLL CALL. ROLL CALL. MAYOR WHITMEYER. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PECK? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. NO. COUNCIL. EVAN SHAVAR? NO. COUNCILOR FLICKINGER? YES. COUNCIL THOMAS, SIR. COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN. COUNCIL MC CASTILLO? NO. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ? YES. COUNCILMAN POLLARD? NO. COUNCILMAN MCC CASTEX TATUM? YES. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ? YES. COUNCILMAN DAVIS? YES. COUNCILMAN CARTER? NO. COUNCILMAN ALCORN? NO. 18 EIGHT. WHAT IS IT? WHAT'S THE NUMBER? EIGHT TO EIGHT. I'LL WALK OUT AND Y'ALL CAN VOTE AGAIN. THIS AIN'T NONE OF MY BUSINESS. LIKE THIS IS MOOT POINT. LIKE Y'ALL. I'M GONNA WALK OUT. Y'ALL GO EIGHT TO EIGHT, SO IT DIDN'T GET THE, DIDN'T GET SUFFICIENT NUMBERS FOR PERFECT. THAT'S FINE. THE VOTE IS EIGHT TO EIGHT. UH, NOW BACK TO THE ORIGINAL ITEM. AFTER ALL THIS DIALOGUE, LET'S SEE. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL. VOTE ON THAT. BY GOLLY, ON THE ROLL. OKAY. KEEPING IN MIND THE DIALOGUE ITEM SHOW THE MAYOR VOTING. MAYOR WHITMEYER. NO. SHOW THE SHOW THE MAYOR VOTING, NO. MATTER OF FACT, COUNCILMAN PECK? NO. COUNCILMAN JACKSON? YES. COUNCILMAN KAMAN? YES. COUNCILOR EVAN SHABAZZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER? NO. COUNCILMAN THOMAS. ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. YES. COUNCIL POLLARD? YES. COUNCIL [03:25:01] MCC CASTEX TATUM? YES. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS? NO. COUNCIL MC CARTER? YES. COUNCIL ALCORN? YES. 10 10. YES. TEN SIX TEN. YES. SIX NOS. FIVE NOS. 10 TO FIVE. 10 TO FIVE. 10 YESES. FIVE. NO. MOTION PASSES. NEXT. OKAY. ITEM 63 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE COUNCILOR RAM MAYOR. OKAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO, UM, THIS IS THE BUDGET FOR THE UPPER KIRBY TURNS. UM, AND I'LL BE VOTING NO ON THIS. UM, BIG CONCERN IS AN $8 MILLION EXPENDITURE FOR LEVY PARK, WHICH IS ALREADY A WORLD CLASS PARK. IT HAS WON NUMEROUS ACCOLADES. THE CITY HAS SPENT $36 MILLION ON THIS PARK, AND THE TOURS IS ASKING FOR ANOTHER $8 MILLION. AND IN VIEW OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, HUNDREDS OF OUR PARKS IN TERRIBLE CONDITION, MANY LACKING BASIC PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, UM, AND SO FORTH. I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO SPEND ANOTHER $8 MILLION ON A PARK THAT IS ALREADY WORLD CLASS WHEN WE HAVE SO MANY PARKS IN DILAPIDATED CONDITIONS. I KNOW THE, THE ARGUMENT IS GONNA BE, WELL, YOU CAN'T TAKE THIS $8 MILLION AND SPEND IT ON THOSE OTHER PARKS. I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT THIS IS ALL TAXPAYER MONEY. AND IF UPPER KIRBY CAN'T FIND SOMETHING MORE USEFUL, WHETHER IT'S DETENTION OR WHAT HAVE YOU, TO SPEND $8 MILLION ON, UH, THEN, THEN MAYBE THEY SHOULDN'T, UH, EXIST EITHER. I'LL BE VOTING NO ON THIS ITEM. COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD. I ALREADY SAID GOOD MORNING. UM, , I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY THAT HAS NOT BEEN TO LEVY PARK. TO GO TO LEVY PARK. IT IS A MODEL FOR WHAT THE ENTIRE CITY SHOULD BE. AND IT, IT, UH, EXPERIENCES ITS OWN CHALLENGES IN AN URBAN AREA WHERE IT IS COMPLETELY BOXED IN. VISIBILITY IS LOW. UH, I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ITEM. I APPRECIATE THAT BOTH COUNCIL MEMBER AND RAMIREZ ALSO HAD QUESTIONS THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS. AND THIS TURS HAS BEEN EXTREMELY RESPONSIVE. BUT TO GIVE YOU A, UH, JUST A, A DATA SET IN TERMS OF WHO USES THIS PARK, TWO, OVER TWO CLOSE TO 3 MILLION VISITORS SINCE REOPENING IN 2017. THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR VISITORS IS $69,000. 37% OF VISITORS MAKE LESS THAN 50,000. ANNUALLY. THE LARGEST ETHNIC DEMOGRAPHIC USERS ARE HISPANIC AND LATINO. AT 36% MORE THAN HALF OF USERS TRAVEL FROM OVER FIVE MILES AWAY TO REACH THE PARK, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAMMING. AND FOR FAMILIES WITH SMALL CHILDREN, THE WAY THAT THE PARK AND THE PLAYGROUND IS SET UP, IT'S COMPLETELY GATED IN. SO PARENTS FEEL SAFE DROPPING THEIR KIDS, THEY OFFER PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE REGION. THAT BEING SAID, THIS IS NOT A SEALED DEAL. SO $8 MILLION IS NOT WHAT'S AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO BE SPENT ON THE LAND PROCUREMENT. AND I WILL SAY IT IS NOT VERY OFTEN THAT FOR ANY PARK LAND OPPORTUNITIES COME UP TO EXPAND THE PARK. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEVER HAPPENS, AND IT IS ON A SHORT TIMELINE, BUT PASSING THE BUDGET ON THIS ITEM ALLOWS THE TURS TO DO THE DILIGENCE AND EXPLORATION OF WHETHER OR NOT IT IS FEASIBLE TO EXPAND THE PARK OR WHETHER IT SHOULD BE USED FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT. SO THIS ISN'T THE GREEN LIGHT THAT THIS IS HAPPENING, BUT WITHOUT PASSING THE ITEM THIS WAY, IT PRECLUDES THE TURS FROM BEING ABLE TO EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF THIS AS AN OPTION. SO I DO THINK AND APPRECIATE THE DIALOGUE, BUT I DO THINK FOR LEVY PARK, THIS IS POTENTIALLY IMPORTANT AND I WANT TO HAVE THE TOURS IN THE CITY. I WANNA GIVE THE TOURS IN THE CITY THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS [03:30:01] IF THIS IS FEASIBLE. AND AGAIN, LAND IN THIS AREA DOES NOT COME UP OFTEN. UH, IT IS IMPORTANT TO MOVE ON THAT DECISION. UH, SO MAYOR, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS BUDGET. UH, I DO THOUGH, WANNA RAISE IN LIGHT OF THE CONVERSATION WE HAD EARLIER, A CONCERN I HAVE ABOUT A, A INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN DECADES IN THE MAKING. AND WHEN I SAY DECADES IN THE MAKING, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM ELLEN COHEN USED TO HOLD TOWN HALLS SPECIFICALLY ON WEST ALABAMA. WE WORKED TO MOVE WEST ALABAMA FROM THE CIP, SO THAT THE BURDEN WOULD NOT FALL ON THE CITY AND MOVE IT OVER TO A THREE PARTY AGREEMENT WITH THREE DIFFERENT TURS. AGAIN, ANOTHER BENEFIT OF OUR TOURS IS TAKING THE BURDEN OFF OF THE CITY SO THE CITY CAN SPEND ITS RESOURCES ELSEWHERE. IT HAS HAD EXTENSIVE COMMUN, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO THE POINT THAT THERE IS EVEN A DESIGNATED WEBSITE THAT HAS BEEN UP FOR YEARS ON WEST ALABAMA WHERE ANYBODY CAN PROVIDE INPUT IN ADDITION TO THE OUTREACH THAT OUR TOURS DID ON THIS AND, AND MOVING TOWARDS WHAT THEY ARE AT NOW, WHICH IS 90% DESIGNED FOR THIS SEGMENT. AND HALF OF IT'S ALREADY DONE, AND IT LOOKS GREAT. WE HAVE MULTIPLE SCHOOLS ALONG THIS PARTICULAR CORRIDOR. LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL INCLUDED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN. AND NO, THEY ARE NOT ALL GETTING PICKED UP BY THEIR PARENTS. THEY ARE WALKING AND THEY'RE GETTING PICKED UP BY METRO BUSES. AND WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION, MAYOR, YOUR TEAM, HAS DIRECTED THE TURS TO REDUCE THE PUBLIC AMENITIES THAT HAD BEEN PLANNED AND ADDED IN, INCLUDING DIMINISHING THE SIZE OF THE SIDEWALKS. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SAFETY, HAVING WIDER SIDEWALKS, ESPECIALLY NEAR OUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S BEEN PUBLIC INPUT ON THIS, AND IT'S NOT JUST DURING PICKUP AND DROP OFF THESE KIDS, WHETHER IT'S, AGAIN, THE MULTIPLE SCHOOLS, NOT JUST LAMAR HAVE TO CROSS THE STREET DURING THE SCHOOL DAY TO GET TO OTHER CLASSES TO GET TO THE FIELDS. IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. SO MAYOR, WHEN I ASKED, UH, THE DEPARTMENTS, I SAID, UNDER WHAT POLICY IS THIS NOW BEING DIRECTED TO CHANGE? I WAS TOLD IT WAS UNDER THE MAYOR'S NEW TRANSPORTATION POLICY. I THEN ASKED FOR A COPY OF WHAT THAT POLICY IS, BECAUSE I HAVE YET TO SEE THAT. SO MY FIRST REQUEST IS I WOULD VERY MUCH, AND I'M SURE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE MAYOR'S TRANSPORTATION POLICY IS. ADDITIONALLY, I THEN ASKED, OKAY, IF THESE CHANGES ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED AND DIRECTED AT THE BEHEST OF THE CITY, GIVEN THE EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, IS THERE A PLAN TO GO BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WITH THIS PROPOSAL? WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, AGAIN, SOME T IS NOT HAVING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE MONTROSE TUR HAS NOW REVERSED COURSE THIS YEAR AND LIMITED PUBLIC COMMENT TO ONE MINUTE FROM THREE MINUTES. I HAVE ANOTHER TS THAT IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND IS NOW BEING TOLD NO FURTHER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WILL OCCUR ON THESE PROPOSED CHANGES. SO THAT IS A GRAVE CONCERN OF MINE. UH, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT IT, ESPECIALLY MAYOR, WHEN WE HAVE CHILDREN CROSSING THESE STREETS EVERY SINGLE DAY, IT'S NOT JUST ONE OR TWO. THEY'RE IN PACKS. A STANDARD SIDEWALK DOESN'T WORK FOR THAT. SO, UH, I WILL BE, AGAIN, I KNOW THIS IS A LITTLE WEIRD. I'M GOING TO BE VOTING FOR THIS BUDGET BECAUSE I BELIEVE WE NEED TO MOVE ON THIS BUDGET SO THAT THE NEW ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED IN CAN BE EXPLORED. BUT I DO WANNA BRING ATTENTION TO AND TRANSPARENCY AND LIGHT TO CHANGES THAT ARE BEING DIRECTED TO BE MADE ON WEST ALABAMA AFTER DECADES OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORK AND FUNDING, NOT EVEN FROM THE CITY OR THE TOURS COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, TO YOUR POINT, BUT FROM THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS TO BRING THESE AMENITIES FORWARD. THANK YOU, MA'AM. COUNCIL ALCORN, THANK YOU. UH, I WILL SAY ON HER PO ON COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S POINT ON THE, THE BUYING OF THE, THE THE OR, AND IT, IT'S JUST AN EXPLORING BUYING THE, THE PARK, THE LAND, UM, PARKS DIRECTORS FROM WAY ON BACK HAVE SAID, WHEN THERE EV THERE IS EVER LAND AVAILABLE NEAR A PARK, DON'T LET THAT OPPORTUNITY GO. UM, AND LEVY PARK IS ONE OF THOSE KIND OF SIGNATURE PARKS THAT PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER ABOUT ON WEST ALABAMA, ON MY NO CAR FRIDAYS WHEN I'M WALKING ALL OVER THE PLACE, ESPECIALLY GOING TO THE HGAC MEETINGS ON TIMMONS, UH, THOSE SIDEWALKS ARE BEING USED BY LAMAR. THERE'S LAMAR STUDENTS ALL OVER THE PLACE GOING, UM, USING THOSE SIDEWALKS. SO I'LL BACK YOU UP ON THAT. AND, AND THE OVERALL DISCUSSION, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ ON TOUR, AS WAS, YOU KNOW, BORN OUT IN THE COMMITTEE MEETING WE HAD ON, ON MONDAY OR TUESDAY, WHENEVER THAT WAS. UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE TO, TO [03:35:01] EXPLORE. I THINK THE MAYOR'S GOING A LONG WAY AND DOING THE ERNST AND YOUNG STUDIES, WE'RE GONNA GET A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION BACK ON THAT. UM, BUT THE, THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS THE REVENUE CAP, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT A REVENUE CAP, YOU'VE GOT PROPERTY VALUES, YOU'VE GOT A A, A SITUATION WHERE, UM, MAYBE IN THE FIRST YEAR IF YOU RE ANNEX SOME, YOU, YOU DO GET MORE BASE YEAR INCOME. BUT AFTER THAT, YOU'RE, THE INCREMENT, UM, GENERATED IS GONNA, IS GONNA BUMP UP AGAINST THE CAP, THE, THE LOCAL CAP AND THE STATE CAP. SO THE WAY WE GET, THE WAY A LOT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL SAY THEY GET ANY PROJECTS DONE IN THEIR DISTRICTS ARE, ARE, BECAUSE THERE'S A TOURS WITH THAT KIND OF WORKAROUND. SO ANYWAY, YOU COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I THINK THE DISCUSSIONS ARE, ARE, ARE REALLY GOOD. AND I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ BRINGS UP SOME GOOD POINTS. I WAS LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL. UH, LEVY PARK, I WENT TO LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL, SO I KNOW THAT AREA VERY WELL. IT IS KIND OF DUCKED OFF SO THAT THAT PROPERTY IN THE, IN THE FRONT WOULD BE ATTRACTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT MORE VISIBLY. UM, BUT WE DO NEED TO BE VERY DILIGENT ABOUT THE DOLLARS THAT THE JERSEYS ARE SPENDING AND HAVE GOOD OVERSIGHT ON THE LEADERSHIP, UH, OF, OF THOSE BOARDS. UM, I'M GOING TO DEFER AGAIN TO THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER LIKE I DID ON THE LAST VOTE BECAUSE I, I RESPECT THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, AND SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING USE, UM, ON THIS AS WELL. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN ON WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SHOWCASE PARK THIS IS. AND I DON'T DOUBT THAT IT GETS A LOT OF TRAFFIC FROM FOLKS WHO DON'T LIVE ADJACENT TO THE PARK. BUT WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT IF PEOPLE HAD AN OPTION TO GO TO A NICE PARK IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD? A LOT OF HOUSTONIANS DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION RIGHT NOW. AND I THINK WE MAKE THAT PROBLEM WORSE BY DEVOTING SUCH A HUGE CHUNK OF MONEY TO A PARK THAT FRANKLY DOESN'T NEED IT. AND I, I GET THAT MAYBE GREEN SPACE DOESN'T COME AVAILABLE, UH, ADJACENT TO A PARK VERY OFTEN. BUT I'M GUESSING IF YOU WERE TO TAKE AN INVENTORY OF WHERE OUR PARKS ARE IN THE CITY, THERE'D BE LAND THAT WAS CHEAPER, THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE ADJACENT TO SOME OTHER PARKS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY. AND I RESPECT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S VIEW ON THE REV CAP, BUT I DON'T THINK THE REV CAP IS THE CULPRIT HERE. I THINK IT'S, UH, LACK OF CONTROL OVER SOME OF THESE TS. I'M NOT AGAINST TS IN GENERAL, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TIGHTER CONTROLS AND I THINK WE NEED TO QUIT KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AND SAYING, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK IN THE FUTURE. UM, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE VOTING FOR THESE TURS BUDGETS WHEN WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT. HAD A NICE CONVERSATION WITH GWEN AND JENNIFER FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT YESTERDAY. I ASKED GWEN, IN ALL THE YEARS THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING IN E TILLSON DIRECTOR TILLSON YEAH. UM, UH, IN ALL THE YEARS YOU'VE BEEN WORKING HERE, YOU KNOW, UH, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A TURS BUDGET THAT GOT VOTED DOWN? AND SHE SAID, NO. EVERY BUDGET THAT'S BEEN TURS BUDGET THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO THIS COUNCIL FOR THE LAST 10 OR 12 YEARS HAS BEEN APPROVED. AND I JUST THINK WE NEED TO, TO, TO TAKE CLOSER LOOKS AT THESE BUDGETS AND, UM, MAKE THEM, HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND MAKE THEM SERVE, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S NEEDS IN A WAY THAT THEY DON'T FULLY RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU CA UH, MAYOR PROAM, CASTEX TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR. JUST WANT TO, UM, TOUCH ON WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND ALCORN HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. LEVY PARK, UH, IN DISTRICT K IS A PARK CALLED MENTION PARK. MENTION PARK WAS A PARK THAT I DEFINITELY WOULDN'T LET MY CHILD GO AND PLAY IN, UM, BECAUSE OF THE 50 50 PARK PROGRAM. UH, WE REVITALIZE MENTION PARK. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PARK. NOW, NEXT DOOR TO MENTION, PARK WAS THE MAD CO. THE MAD CO WAS THE DRUG DEALING GAS STATION THAT HAS BEEN SELLING DRUGS SINCE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL. THE TURS BOUGHT AND KNOCKED DOWN THE MAD CO MM-HMM . AND NOW THE TURS IS LOOKING AT LEVY PARK AS THE EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE SHOULD DO WITH THAT PROPERTY NEXT TO THE PARK. BECAUSE THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR RESTAURANT. THEY MAKE MONEY FROM THE PARKING LOT. UM, THERE IS REVENUE GENERATING TO PAY FOR THE PARK. IT TAKES MONEY TO MAKE MONEY. AND IT IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHEN A PARK IS BUILT AND IT IS A COMMUNITY ASSET, AND IT ALSO CAN GENERATE FUNDS TO [03:40:01] CONTINUE WITH THE OPERATIONS. I SEE THIS AS A BIG WIN. UH, AND QUITE FRANKLY, BECAUSE IT IS AN OLDER TURS, WE'VE LOOKED AT IT AS AN EXAMPLE FOR OUR NEWER TURS IN THE PARK AND THE PROPERTY NEXT TO THE PARK, BECAUSE WE WANT TO BRING THAT SAME TYPE OF COMMUNITY ASSET, UH, INTO DISTRICT A. UM, SO I HOPE THAT WE WOULD SUPPORT THIS AND, AND MOVE IT FORWARD. AND I, I, I THINK THAT DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT IS GOOD. UM, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT YOU AREN'T GOING TO GET EQUITY AUTOMATICALLY, AND IT TAKES TIME. AND AGAIN, ALTERS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL. SOME HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR A LONG TIME, AND IT TAKES YEARS FOR YOU TO FINALLY GET THE INCREMENT AND START SEEING THESE PROJECTS TO HAPPEN. SO YES, LEVY PARK IS AHEAD OF THE CURVE, UM, BUT THE OTHER T ARE LOOKING AT, UM, WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO GENERATE MONEY TO KEEP THE PARK OPERABLE, UM, AND ALSO PROVIDING THAT QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT UTILIZE THAT SPACE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. VERY WELL SAID. UH, COUNCILMAN CAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST TO ADD ONTO THAT, I, I NEGLECTED TO MENTION WEY PARK'S MAINTENANCE. IT DOES NOT FALL ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND THE FUNDING THAT GOES TO LEVY PARK IS NOT FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND IT IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE, NOT JUST OF AURS PARTNERSHIP, BUT A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. AND AGAIN, IN TERMS OF FREEING UP OTHER FUNDS, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ AND OTHERS, TO Y'ALL'S POINT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FOCUSING ON AREAS THAT ARE UNDERSERVED, THAT HAS AFFORDED US THINGS LIKE GETTING WILEY PARK ONTO THE CIP IN FOURTH WARD, FRIEDMANS TOWN, AND DOING THE IMPROVEMENTS THERE AND ALLOWING THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO GO INTO THESE OTHER AREAS TO DO THAT FUNDING AS WELL. SO I DID WANT TO ADD THE CAVEAT THAT IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE, THERE IS NO BURDEN ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THIS PARK AS WELL. RAMEZ COUNCILOR RAMIREZ, JUST TO TIE THE KNOT, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ANY OF THAT. MY POINT IS LEVY PARK DOESN'T NEED ANOTHER $8 MILLION EXPENDITURE. NO DOUBT. IT'S BEEN A GREAT MODEL TO FUND, UH, MAINTENANCE FOR PARKS. PERHAPS WE COULD DUPLICATE THAT CITYWIDE, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND ANOTHER $8 MILLION ON LEVY PARK. THANK YOU. OKAY. MEMBERS, ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, WE NEED TO VOTE ON ITEM 63. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. AS OPPOSED NAY? NO, THERE'S NO MOTION PASSES. NEXT. I'M SORRY. NEXT ITEM. 60, 64. IS IT? MORNING. OH, ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED TO NAY. MOTION PASSES. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. COUNCIL CAYMAN, THIS IS ON ITEM 64, CORRECT? MM-HMM . YEP. 64. YES. UM, I WANTED TO BRING ATTENTION TO THIS ITEM, MAYOR. UM, UNDER TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, EXCUSE ME, THE STATE OF TEXAS ONLY PERMITS CERTAIN TYPES OF SEXUAL EDUCATION IN OUR SCHOOLS. SPECIFICALLY, IT'S CALLED NOT ABSTINENCE ONLY, BUT ABSTINENCE DOMINANT. I WANNA BRING ATTENTION TO A FEW STATISTICS. TEXAS'S TEEN PREGNANCY RATE IS INCREASING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 15 YEARS. AND MORE TEXAS TEENS ARE GIVING BIRTH TO MULTIPLE CHILDREN THAN ANYWHERE ELSE. WE CONTINUE TO SEE ALARMING RATES OF MATERNAL MORTALITY, AND THE STATE JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE WITHHOLDING THE MATERNAL MORTALITY DATA HEALTH DATA FOR THE PAST, I BELIEVE TWO YEARS SINCE THE ABORTION BAN HAS GONE INTO EFFECT, THEY ARE NOT RELEASING THAT DATA. SO WE ARE WALKING BLIND. AT THE SAME TIME. WE KNOW THAT ABSTINENCE ONLY EDUCATION DOES NOT WORK. NOW, HOWEVER, YOU WANT TO WORK IN YOUR OWN FAMILY, TEACH YOUR CHILDREN FOLLOW YOUR PRACTICES, BUT FROM HEALTH-BASED MODELS, EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN IS NOT SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE SHYING AWAY FROM. UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HERE HAS SOUGHT GRANTS TO GO INTO SEVERAL SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE THIS TYPE OF EDUCATION. AGAIN, THIS IS STATE REQUIRED. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS NOT ALLOWED TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT IS PERMITTED BY THE STATE. BUT THAT BEING SAID, WHEN WE ASK, WELL, WHAT IF STUDENTS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, CONTRACEPTIVES AND [03:45:01] THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THEY CAN TOUCH ON IT, BUT THEY HAVE TO REFER 'EM OUT TO OTHER, UH, FACILITIES FOR ASSISTANCE. SO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL BE GOING INTO CERTAIN SCHOOLS TO TEACH ABSTINENCE HEAVY POLICY. THEN LIKELY THOSE CHILDREN, IF THEY GET AN STD, WHICH WE HAVE SEEN HAPPEN IN THESE HIGH SCHOOLS AT ALARMING RATES, WILL HAVE TO COME TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR TREATMENT THAT WILL THEN HAVE TO BE PAID FOR. OR THEY SIMPLY HAVE TO COME TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON THEIR OWN TO ASK THE QUESTIONS AND THE ANSWERS THAT THEY NEED. I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ITEM. UH, I WILL BE VOTING NO. UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS DOING WHAT THEY CAN UNDER THE PARAMETERS THAT THEY CAN, BUT THE FACT THAT THIS IS WHAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS CONSTRAINED BY IS OUTDATED AND HAS NO PLACE IN OUR SCHOOLS AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE SEEING THE PREGNANCY RATES THAT WE ARE SEEING, WHEN WE ARE SEEING THE MATERNAL MORTALITY RATES THAT WE ARE SEEING, IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE. AND I WILL BE VOTING, NO. EXCUSE ME. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I TAGGED THIS ITEM LAST WEEK, UM, FOR SIMILAR CONCERNS TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S. UH, POINT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE ABSTINENCE EDUCATION, UH, RED FLAGS GO UP BECAUSE WE KNOW ABSENCE ONLY EDUCATION IS NOT EFFECTIVE. UH, AS SOMEONE WHO'S HAD A CAREER IN PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, I'VE SEEN THESE PROGRAMS AND HOW EFFECTIVE THEY CAN BE, UH, WHEN THEY'RE TAUGHT UNDER DIFFERENT MODELS. UM, THIS IS NOT AN ABSTINENCE ONLY EDUCATION PROGRAM, UH, WHICH, UH, HAS RELIEVED SOME OF MY CONCERNS. BUT SPECIFICALLY WHEN THIS ITEM TALKED ABOUT, UH, WORKING WITH YOUTH AND ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS AND THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY, I, I WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHO, UH, THEY WERE WORKING WITH, WHAT ORGANIZATIONS, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY WERE WORKING WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT ACTUALLY DID DO GOOD WORK OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND HAD GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH, UH, OUR L-G-B-T-Q YOUTH. UH, AND THEY WILL BE WORKING WITH ME ON THAT. AND SO I, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM. WELL, ANYONE ELSE VOTE ON ITEM 64? ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY AND NO. UH, SHOW CAYMAN VOTING. NO. MOTION PASSES. NEXT VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES. COUNCILOR POLL POLL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, THIS ITEM IS, IS ONE THAT HAS BEEN TAGGED FOR A FEW WEEKS. UM, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THE CIRCUMSTANCES REGARDING, UM, THE BACKGROUND OF IT. UM, AND I TRIED TO SHED LIGHT ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND OTHERS ON WHY WE FELT IT WAS SO NECESSARY, UM, TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS CASE AS A REFERENCE ON WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REVISIT PROVISIONS WITHIN THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE FIRE UNION AS IT PERTAINS TO MISCONDUCT. AND THIS IS JUST NOT FOR SEXUAL HARASSMENT, WHICH HAPPENED WITHIN THIS CASE, BUT FOR DISCRIMINATION AND MANY OTHER INSTANCES OF MISCONDUCT THAT OCCUR, WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE PROPONENTS OF SAFEGUARDS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE IN SPACES WHERE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE, AND ESPECIALLY THE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE A LITTLE MORE VULNERABLE BASED ON, UM, SEX OR GENDER WHEN THEY'RE NOT AS, UH, PREVALENT OR DOMINANT WITHIN THAT ONE PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT. AND I KNOW SPEAKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, HE HAD MENTIONED, MAYOR, THAT YOUR ADMINISTRATION HAD HARPED PRETTY STRONGLY ON TRYING TO REVISE THIS POLICY AND ADVOCATE FOR A CHANGE IN THE 180 DAY RULE IN THE SAME MANNER THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO SO WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE OFFICERS UNION TWO YEARS AGO. AND WHAT WE WERE ASKING FOR IS FOR BOTH PARTIES TO AGREE TO COME TO THE TABLE TO AMEND SO THAT THERE IS SIMILAR LANGUAGE, JUST LIKE SO THERE WILL BE UNIFORMITY. AND I THINK THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT. FOR YEARS, THE, UM, POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE, UM, IN THE NEWS A LOT ABOUT, ABOUT PAY PARITY. WELL, I'M LOOKING AT POLICY PARITY. YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOOD FOR ONE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE GOOD FOR THE OTHER. IF ONE DEPARTMENT IS HAVING ONE PARTICULAR PROVISION OR RULES IN PLACE FOR SAFETY OF THE EMPLOYEES, THEN ALL THE DEPARTMENTS SHOULD BE FOLLOWING THAT. IT SHOULDN'T BE [03:50:01] ONE OR THE OTHER. AND THAT SHOULDN'T BE REALLY UP FOR CONSIDERATION THROUGH NEGOTIATION. IT JUST TO BE GOOD PUBLIC POLICY, GOOD GOVERNANCE. AND SO THAT'S WHY I WROTE A LETTER TO YOU MAYOR AND TO THE FIRE UNION PRESIDENT. NEVER GOT A RESPONSE, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE AS A BODY, UH, NEED TO TAKE SERIOUSLY. WHEN THIS ITEM FIRST CAME UP, SEVERAL MEMBERS, UM, SPOKE OUT ABOUT THEIR HESITANCY IN GOING FORWARD BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT REGARDED THIS ITEM AND THIS FEMALE EMPLOYEE. AND I THINK THAT THE 180 DAY RULE AS WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PROVISIONS AND ORDINANCES AND LAWS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE OUTDATED, THIS ONE IS AND NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. AND SO I WILL BE, OF COURSE, VOTING IN FAVOR OF, UM, ALLOCATING THESE DOLLARS BASED ON THE SETTLEMENT. BUT I DO THINK FURTHER DISCUSSION HAS TO BE HAD GOING FORWARD ABOUT BOTH PARTIES COMING BACK TO THE TABLE AND AMENDING THAT PROVISION SO THAT THE LANGUAGE PUT SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE FOR THE EMPLOYEES IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL . THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AGAIN, I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS RULE SINCE I CAME INTO OFFICE. UH, I, WE HAVE WORKED, UH, TO, AS A CITY TO TRY TO CHANGE THE LAW AT THE STATE LEVEL. MAYOR WAS PRESENTED, UH, WHEN YOU WERE IN THE SENATE, UH, TO OUR ENTIRE HOUSTON DELEGATION ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE TO CHANGE THIS. UH, SO WHEN WE SAY, WELL, IT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AT THE STATE, WE TRIED, I WOULD HOPE, MAYOR, THAT GIVEN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS AT THE LEGISLATURE, WE'RE GOING TO TRY AGAIN THIS SESSION. THAT BEING SAID, UH, THE CITY MADE AN EGREGIOUS MISTAKE NOT OVERRIDING THE STATE'S 180 DAY RULE WITH THE FIREFIGHTER CONTRACT. OTHER DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING POLICE, HAVE JOINED THE 21ST CENTURY ENSURING THAT A BAD APPLE DOESN'T ESCAPE JUSTICE, DOESN'T COST THE CITY MILLIONS PRESERVES THE CALIBER OF PROFESSIONALISM THAT WE UPHOLD OURSELVES TO AS A WORLD-CLASS CITY. AND ABOVE ALL, PROTECTS OUR EMPLOYEES AND RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO AGAIN, I WANT TO KNOW, ARE WE GOING TO GET THIS CHANGED? WHETHER IT'S AT THE STATE, WHETHER IT'S IN CONTRACT, IT SHOULDN'T MATTER WHERE, BUT WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE IT. TWO FIREFIGHTERS WERE RECENTLY INJURED RESPONDING TO A HOUSE FIRE IN MY DISTRICT OVER THANKSGIVING. AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT THEY'RE OKAY AND THEY ARE HEROES. BUT IT'S RULES LIKE THIS THAT TARNISH THE REPUTATION OF A DEPARTMENT. AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, OR I WOULD HOPE THAT NO DEPARTMENT WOULD WANT A BAD APPLE, A SEXUAL HARASSER WHO BY ALL ACCOUNTS HAD NO BUSINESS BEING PERMITTED TO RESIGN, HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED. WE HAVE THE DOJ SETTLEMENT FROM 2020 UNDER TITLE VII OF VIOLATIONS FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT. THAT WAS NEARLY $350,000 FOR TWO WOMEN. THAT SOUNDED THE ALARM. AND THEIR STRENGTH, I HOPE, GIVES OTHER STRENGTHS. BUT MAYOR, THERE'S ALSO OTHER EXAMPLES AND CIRCUMSTANCES, AND I DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE FILES. BUT FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD, THERE ARE EXAMPLES WHERE AN INSPECTOR, UH, PICKED UP A FEMALE IN HIS STAFF VEHICLE AND THE FEMALE LATER ACCUSED HIM OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT. AN INVESTIGATOR WAS TAKING A PARTNER TO A HOTEL DURING WORK HOURS AND ANOTHER EXAMPLE, AND BEYOND SEXUAL MISCONDUCT. IN RECENT YEARS, AN INSPECTOR ALLEGEDLY REQUIRED A BUSINESS TO INSTALL A PARTICULAR TYPE OF EQUIPMENT, PRESSURING THEM TO USE A VENDOR THAT THE INSPECTOR HIMSELF WAS ASSOCIATED WITH. BUT DUE TO THE RULE, THE CITY WAS UNABLE TO TERMINATE. SO AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER TO ARE WE COMMITTED AS A CITY TO GETTING THIS RULE CHANGED? THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS, NOT THE ONLY REASON, BUT CERTAINLY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE PUBLIC IS SO CYNICAL ABOUT GOVERNMENT. THEY SEE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES OR EVEN ELECTED OFFICIALS ENGAGING IN BEHAVIOR THAT WOULD GET THEM TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY. YET THE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE OR THE ELECTED OFFICIAL DOESN'T SUFFER THOSE SAME CONSEQUENCES. AND TO HAVE THIS 180 DAY RULE IN IS AN INCENTIVE FOR THE BEHAVIOR TO BE HIDDEN. WE REALLY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. [03:55:01] THANK YOU. I AGREE WITH YOU. AND IN THIS INCIDENT BEFORE US, WHICH IS WHAT I'D LIKE FOR US TO FOCUS ON, THE VICTIM WHO ASKED ME TO SPEAK FOR HER SAID IT WAS TOTALLY MISHANDLED BY THE PREVIOUS FIRE CHIEF AND THE PREVIOUS MAYOR. THE PERSON COULD HAVE BEEN FIRED AT LEAST ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH 180 DAY RULE. NOTHING TOP SIDE OR BOTTOM. INSTEAD, THEY WERE THE, THE ACTOR, THE BAD ACTOR WAS GIVEN A 90 DAY UNPAID SUSPENSION AND DEMOTED TWO POSITIONS. RECENTLY THE NEW FIRE CHIEF AND THIS MAYOR EXPLAINED TO THAT BAD ACTOR. HE HAD NO FUTURE IN THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HE RECENTLY RETIRED. THE 180 DAY RULE IS NOT ON THE TABLE. THE VICTIM ALSO TOLD ME I COULD LET THOSE THAT ARE DELAYING HER SETTLEMENT, IT'S VERY PAINFUL AND RENEWS AND REMINDS HER OF ALL THE TORMENT SHE AND HER FAMILY WENT THROUGH. THAT'S ALL THAT'S BEING ACCOMPLISHED TODAY. BY THE DELAY, THERE IS GONNA BE A TIME AND PLACE TO DISCUSS 180 A RULE. THE POLICE WILL TELL YOU, YES, THEY GOT CONCESSIONS FOR GIVING THAT UP. AND MANY, MANY REGRET IT BECAUSE IT IS HELD OVER THEIR HEAD. ONE OF THE POLITICAL DECISIONS HELD OVER THEIR HEAD IS THE TIMEFRAME. WHEN DO YOU HOLD THE BAD ACTOR ACCOUNTABLE? I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TALK WITH THE HBOU UNION OFFICIALS. IT WAS PART OF A GIVE AND TAKE UNDER MEET AND CONFER, NOT THE COLLECTIVE BARGAIN THAT WE WERE FACED WITH IN JANUARY, NOT IN THE FACE OF A VIABLE LAWSUIT THAT WE HAD TO GET OUT OF AND SAVE THE TAXPAYERS MONEY. I'LL REMIND YOU THAT THE SETTLEMENT WAS PREDICTED TO COST US 800 MILLION TO A BILLION. THAT'S THE HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP NUMBERS. WE SETTLED IT FOR SIX 50, NOT 150. THE 151 AND A HALF BILLION DOLLARS WAS THE NEXT FIVE YEAR COST OF HAVING A FIRE DEPARTMENT. I DON'T KNOW WHY SOME INSIST SAYING IT WAS A $1.5 BILLION SETTLEMENT. IT WAS A $650 MILLION SETTLEMENT WITH A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, WHICH ASSURED THE PUBLIC AND RECRUITING IS GOING THROUGH THE ROOF. OUR ALASKA CADET CLASS HAD 30 UNDER THE OLD CONDITIONS. WE'RE GONNA HAVE OVER A HUNDRED RIGHT NOW IN THE CADET CLASS. SO I WOULD URGE US TO VOTE TODAY WHAT'S BEFORE US ALLOW THIS FAMILY TO GO ON WITH THEIR LIVES. I WILL ENGAGE AND DISCUSS WITH ANY FUTURE ISSUES YOU WOULD LIKE. BUT BEFORE US. TODAY IS THE SETTLEMENT OF SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO CONTINUE. AND THAT PERSON SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED YEARS AGO. AND IT WAS NEGLECT OF PREVIOUS PEOPLE IN POWERFUL POSITIONS TO PROTECT THE BAD ACTOR AND ALLOW HIM TO REMAIN ON THE DEPARTMENT. I CAN'T COMMENT ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF OTHER CASES. I DON'T THINK IT'S EVEN PROPER FOR ANY OF US IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE FACTS AND WHO THE PLAYERS ARE. SO I WOULD URGE US TO PUT RELIEF ONCE AND FOR ALL FOR THIS VICTIM WHO HAS TOLD ME THIS DISCUSSION SHE'S WATCHING RIGHT NOW IS HARMING HER AND HER FAMILY BECAUSE THE 180 DAY RULE HAD NO IMPACT UNDER HER CIRCUMSTANCES. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND WE ARE GONNA PASS THIS BECAUSE THIS FAMILY DESERVES, AND I SAID IT LAST WEEK, I BELIEVE EVEN MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE PASSING TODAY FOR WHAT SHE HAS GONE THROUGH. AND YOU'VE SAID THIS IS NOT THE PLACE IN TIME TO TALK ABOUT ONE, THE 180 DAY RULE. AND AT THE BOTTOM LINE OF THIS IS ABOUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, AND INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO WHEN IS THE PROPER TIME, MAYOR, BECAUSE I AM FULLY AWARE OF PTSD AS IT RELATES TO SEXUAL ASSAULT AND THE PAIN THAT THAT CAUSES, AS DO I BELIEVE MANY WOMEN THAT ARE IN THIS CHAMBER TODAY. AND THAT IS WHY THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT. AND EVEN MORE SO WHY ACTION IS SO IMPORTANT. SO MEMBER RAMIREZ, UH, JUST POINT OF CLARIFICATION, UH, TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY. SO THIS, THIS AGENDA ITEM, STRICTLY SPEAKING, PERTAINS TO, UH, A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, RIGHT? CORRECT. [04:00:01] THAT MEANS THAT THE, THE PLAINTIFF, THE WOMAN HARMED AND SHE WAS HARMED. THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT AGREES WITH THIS DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT IS PROPOSED FOR US TO VOTE ON, RIGHT? YES, IT WAS MEDIATED AND WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR THE APPROVAL BY COUNSEL SO IT CAN BE PROVIDED TO THE COURT FOR A FINAL JUDGMENT. SO, SO WE CAN ASSUME SHE WANTS US TO PASS THIS YES. 'CAUSE IT'S ACCEPTABLE TO HER THIS PARTICULAR SETTLEMENT IN THIS CASE. YES. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I, I THINK THE REASON WHY THE 180 DAY RULE IS, IS, IS BEEN MENTIONED AND, AND IS REFERENCED REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT IS 'CAUSE WHEN SEVERAL MEMBERS AT THIS BODY ASK, WHY DID THESE ACTIONS TAKE PLACE? WELL, THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THESE ACTIONS TAKE PLACE IN THIS, IN THIS FIREFIGHTER IS STILL ALLOWED TO BE ON THE JOB. THE CITY ATTORNEY MENTIONED THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE 180 DAY RULE, RIGHT? SO IT, IT, IT'S A PART OF THE DISCUSSION BECAUSE OF THAT ANSWER FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S EXPLANATION TO US WAS THAT THE 180 DAY RULE PRECLUDED, UH, ANY FURTHER ACTION THAT THAT THEN WAS ALREADY TAKING PLACE. AND THAT THROUGH THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, THEY AND THE PREVIOUS CHIEF, WHO I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR, UM, DID ALL HE COULD BASED ON THE PARAMETERS AND POLICY THAT HE COULD WORK WITH BECAUSE THE 180 DAY RULE PUT A CAP ON WHAT HE COULD ULTIMATELY DO. NOW WE CAN HAVE DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS AND DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS OF WHAT IT IS, BUT ULTIMATELY, EVEN IF IT DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS CASE, THE RULE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. AND THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY INSTANCES WHERE WE'RE PUTTING A STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO, UM, ENSURE THAT JUSTICE IS SOUGHT AND JUSTICE IS MET WHEN A WRONGDOING HAS OCCURRED. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE A LOOPHOLE IN PLACE THAT SAYS, OH, WE JUST, IT HAPPENED, UM, 180 DAYS OR SIX MONTHS AGO AND SINCE WE'RE JUST NOW FINDING OUT ABOUT IT A YEAR LATER, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO THAT'S POOR MANAGEMENT, THAT'S POOR LEADERSHIP. AND BOTH SIDES SHOULD BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND AGREEABLE TO MAKING A CHANGE IN THIS PARTICULAR PROVISION. AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO TO THE STATE WHERE THERE'S SO MANY POLITICAL OBSTACLES TO GET ANYTHING DONE WHEN BOTH PARTIES CAN AGREE TO DO IT RIGHT HERE AND SHOW HOUSTONIANS AND THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT WE ARE PUTTING SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE TO PROTECT THEM. THE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT THE YOUNG LADY PUT FORTH FOR EVERYONE TO READ WAS THAT SHE WAS GRATEFUL THAT CITY COUNCIL WAS LOOKING AT THE CASE AND SHE WAS GRATEFUL THAT WE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS OF CHANGING THE RULES SO THAT BAD ACTORS COULD NO LONGER UTILIZE THIS LOOPHOLE. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT DISCUSSIONS WILL HAVE TAKE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, BUT THE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT SHE PUT OUT FOR US ALL TO READ WAS THAT SHE WAS GRATEFUL FOR OUR EFFORTS. AND SO I HOPE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION PUSHES FOR THIS. AND, AND I HOPE THAT IT IS ONLY BECAUSE OF MAYBE THE FIRE UNION THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET IT DONE AND NOT BECAUSE THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE SHOULD BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THIS. AND I HOPE THAT WE'RE DOING SO. AND THE REASON THAT THE 180 DAY RULE IS A PART OF THIS DISCUSSION IS BECAUSE OF ANSWERS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, THE ASKED ME TO LET YOU KNOW THE COMMENT YOU'RE TAKING OUTTA CONTEXT WAS ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT IS WHAT SHE APPRECIATED. SHE REINFORCED 180 DAY RULE WAS NEVER ON HER MIND. AND THE SUBJECT IN THE QUOTE THAT YOU'RE USING, AND, UH, I'M NOT GONNA ENGAGE IN YOUR POLITICS ANY LONGER. YOU VOTED FOR THE CONTRACT AND UH, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO RAISE IT. COUNCIL MEMBER. WE DID, WE DID RAISE IT MANY TIMES. YOU NEVER ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS WHEN WE ASKED YOU THE QUESTIONS, COUNCIL. WE DID, WE DID RAISE THOSE ISSUES. WE WROTE YOU LETTER AFTER LETTER. YEAH. AND THEN YOU VOTED FOR THE CONTRACT. I DID VOTE FOR IT. 'CAUSE I SUPPORT THE FIREFIGHTERS. EVEN THOUGH YOU'D HAD POOR LEADERSHIP IN THE PROVISIONS THAT YOU PUT FORTH IN IT, MA'AM. AND WE ALL GAVE YOU COUNCILMAN EVAN, WE ALL GAVE YOU EXAMPLES OF WHY NOT TO DO IT. EVAN SHABAZZ, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I, I JUST DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL IS NOT GOING TO VOTE TO SUPPORT THAT FAMILY, BUT I DO BELIEVE WITHOUT THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE HAD, IT [04:05:01] WOULD'VE JUST BEEN GLOSSED OVER. AND SO I IT DOES PERPLEX ME THAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO HAVE THAT REMOVED, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE AT THE STATE LEVEL. WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL WITH A RENEGOTIATION OF THAT PARTICULAR RULE, AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THAT WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS WRONG AND WE BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE NEED TO BE PROTECTED. SO I I IN NO WAY, YOU KNOW, WANT TO CONVEY TO, TO, TO ANYONE THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO SETTLE. AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS CONVEYED, UH, BY SAYING THAT SHE WAS IN FAVOR OF US BRINGING THIS DISCUSSION. BUT CERTAINLY I HOPE THAT THOSE THAT ARE IN THE POSITION TO MAKE THESE CHANGES WILL LOOK AT IT AND SEARCH THEIR OWN HEARTS. BECAUSE I KNOW THE INTEGRITY OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD WANT ANYBODY TO CIRCUMVENT CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THEIR BEHAVIOR WAS INAPPROPRIATE BY INVOKING A RULE. SO HOPEFULLY, UM, THOSE THAT ARE HERE OR IN THIS, UH, DISCUSSION CAN LOOK AT THIS AND, AND SAY, LET'S CHANGE IT BECAUSE WE CAN THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ANYONE ELSE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT ITEM [SUPPLEMENTAL POSTING] 66 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. I DUNNO. MOTION PASSES. NEXT. ITEM 67 IS AN ORDINANCE. THE SEE TO VOTE ALL IN FAVORS SAY YES AS OPPOSED TO NAY. MOTION PASSES. AND WE HAVE RECEIVED ITEM 25. IT IS AN ORDINANCE A SEE TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. ON DOWN ITEM 25, VOTE. HOLD ON. OKAY. 45. 25. 25. 25. WAIT, HOLD ON. 25. 25 WAS NOT IN. IT IS NOW IN THANK ARE YOU ON 25? ALL RIGHT. NO, I WAS GONNA MAKE SURE WE I COULD MOVE TO BRING BACK TO YOU. THEY'LL, WE'LL CALL IT NEXT. SO JUST NEED A VOTE ON 25. 25 MEMBERS OF VOTE ON 25. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES WAS OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES NOW. NUMBER 43, THEY'RE GONNA RELEASE THEIR TAGS. TAGS HAVE BEEN RELEASED. CAYMAN AND THOMAS ARE RELEASING THEIR CAYMAN AND TAGS RELEASED CAYMAN AND TAGS. CAYMAN AND THOMAS RE REDUCED, REMOVED THEIR TAGS AND IT'S BEFORE NUMBER 43. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. 43 IS SUCCESSFULLY PASSED. THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. ANYTHING ELSE COME BEFORE THIS PLEASANT BODY? NO . IF NOT, DID WE NOT? [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] IF NOT, COUNCILMAN DAVIS. YOU RECOGNIZE FOR POPOFF PASS AND I'VE GOT AN IMPORTANT MEETING WITH THE HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER, OR I WOULD SIT HERE AND HEAR EVERY WORD, BUT I'M GONNA GO GET US SOME MONEY FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS. GO GET SOME MONEY. THANK Y'ALL. YES. BE CAREFUL HOW YOU TALK TO ME. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKER. OKAY, FLICK. YESTERDAY, YESTERDAY WE HAD, UH, RIBBON CUTTING FOR A NEW MODULAR UNIT AT, UH, FIRE STATION 1 0 1. UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THE MAYOR COMING OUT THERE. COUNCILMAN CARTER WAS THERE AS WELL, ALONG WITH THE FIRE CHIEF MUNOZ AND, UH, GENERAL SERVICES DIRECTOR. SO THIS, UH, MODULAR UNIT [04:10:01] REPLACED ONE THAT WAS 27 YEARS OLD, LITERALLY HAD HOLES IN THE FLOOR THAT HAD BEEN COVERED UP WITH PLYWOOD. UH, THE CONDITIONS WERE REALLY TERRIBLE. SO IT'S GREAT TO GET THE FIRE DEPARTMENT A NEW STATION THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY LIVING IN. UM, IN THE SOUTH SIDE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, CLEAR LAKE ELECTRONIC RECYCLING EVENT THIS SATURDAY, UM, DOWN AT ELLINGTON FIELD. IT'S GONNA START AT 9:00 AM UNTIL THE TRUCKS ARE FULL. SO MAKE SURE YOU GET OUT THERE EARLY IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF YOUR ELECTRONICS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A DISTRICT C UH, TURKEY GULLY PUBLIC MEETING, UH, THIS THURSDAY AT 5:30 PM IT'S VIRTUAL WITH PUBLIC WORKS. AS A REMINDER, UM, OVER $14 MILLION IS BEING INVESTED BY THE CITY ON CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE. UM, IT WAS ALSO ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK, PRECINCT FOUR IS CONTRIBUTING FUNDING TO THE DETENTION FOR THE STORM WATER AS A COMPONENT OF THIS. SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, UH, FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP. UH, FOR DISTRICT C RESIDENTS, PLEASE VISIT ENGAGE HOUSTON.ORG FOR MEETING DETAILS. AGAIN, LONG TIME COMING ON A CRITICAL FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECT, THE MONTROSE LIBRARY, THE NEW LIBRARY IS OPENING, UH, IT'S FINALLY HERE. UH, THIS SA SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14TH FROM 10:00 AM TO ONE. COLLEAGUES ALL ARE INVITED. UH, PLEASE COME CELEBRATE WITH US. UH, WE'RE THE COMMUNITY COULD NOT BE MORE THRILLED FOR THIS AMAZING, AMAZING, UH, COMMUNITY. I WOULD SAY CENTER AND LIBRARY, UH, BIG THANK YOU TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES, UH, FOR THE WORK TO BRING THIS TO LIFE AND TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND RESIDENTS FOR THEIR VOICE AND THE TRANSITION. MAYOR PROM, YOU KNOW, HOW INVOLVED THE COMMUNITY GETS WITH THESE NEW LIBRARIES, EVEN THE ART DESIGN, ALL OF THAT. SO IT'S AN EXPRESSION OF WHAT AND WHO MONTROSE IS, AND WE ARE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. UH, I WILL CONTINUE TO RAISE THE ISSUES AROUND BAR NOISE. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ, I KNOW YOU'RE DEALING WITH IT. WE ARE BEING INUNDATED AND THE BARS ARE GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER AND THERE'S MORE AND MORE OF, OF THEM IN THE STRAIN ON LAW ENFORCEMENT. I WILL SAY THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR RESIDENTS IS DIMINISHING. UH, AND I'M, I HOPE OUR CHAIR OF QUALITY OF LIFE WILL START TO TAKE UP THE ISSUE OF NOISE. AGAIN, WE ARE CONTINUING TO MEET WITH HPD TO OFFER OUR SUPPORT. THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN, BUT WE NEED MEANINGFUL SOLUTIONS, UH, TO MEET THE DEMANDS THAT THERE ARE AS IT RELATES TO BAR NOISE AND I WOULD SAY BAR NUISANCE AND VIOLENCE AT THIS POINT. I SPOKE ON THIS EARLIER, COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO LOOK IN YOUR OWN DISTRICTS, LOOK IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD AS IT RELATES TO PAUSED PROJECTS. UM, ESPECIALLY CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, WHETHER THAT'S ATTACHED TO FEDERAL FUNDING, WHETHER THAT, UH, IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AN OUTSIDE ENTITY, BUT PROJECT AFTER PROJECT CONTINUES TO BE PAUSED, INSTALLED, UM, I'M INCREASINGLY CONCERNED THAT WE ARE NOT MOVING FORWARD ON CRITICAL PROJECTS THAT, AGAIN, PROVIDE SAFETY FOR OUR RESIDENTS. SHOVEL-READY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT ARE PAUSED NEED TO MOVE FORWARD, AND IT IS COSTING DOLLARS NOT TO, BUT IT CAN ALSO COST LIVES. WE HAVE SEEN INDIVIDUALS STRUCK AT INTERSECTIONS WHERE PROJECTS ARE PAUSED AND WHEN IT COMES TO FLOOD MITIGATION, IT TAKES YEARS TO GET THESE PROJECTS LINED UP. THE FACT THAT THEY'RE READY MEANS WE NEED TO MOVE. SO AGAIN, IT IS HAPPENING ALL OVER DISTRICT C, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO LOOK AND ASK WHERE YOUR PAUSE PROJECTS ARE, BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE AN IMPACT. AND WE ARE ON BORROWED TIME. THANK YOU COMMENTS. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, DISTRICT F WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITY HAPPENING, UH, OF, FIRST I WANT TO, UH, THANK, UH, PRECINCT FOUR, COMMISSIONER LESLIE BRIANIS. UM, I APPRECIATE HER, UM, INNOVATION AND COMMITMENT, UH, TO SUPPORTING PROJECTS THAT NEED SUPPORT, UM, WITHIN PRECINCT FOUR. THAT'S ALSO WITH, UH, FOR RESIDENTS THAT ARE ALSO IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, WHEN SHE, UH, RELEASED HER CALL FOR FOUR PROJECTS, DISTRICT DUFF WAS READY TO SUBMIT OUR PRIORITIES AND SHE GLADLY, ALONG WITH HER TEAM, SAID YES. SO, UH, THE, THE INVESTMENTS, UM, ARE HAPPENING FROM ALE TO WESTCHASE TO BRIAR MEADOW. UH, WE HAVE A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE CATALINA AREA PAVING STREET AND DRAINAGE PROJECT, WHICH WE KNOW HAVE BEEN ON THE CIP FOR A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF TIME. SO THAT FUNDING WILL ALLOW FOR DESIGN. AND WE HAVE A $270,000, UH, UH, INVESTMENT IN SEVERAL STREETLIGHTS, UM, HAPPENING ON THE WEST SIDE, WEST PARK, AND ELDRIDGE RICHMOND AND BELTWAY EIGHT SOUTH DRIVE, AND WILCREST RICHMOND AND STONY BROOK, BEL AIR AND BELL PARK. SO THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE, UH, PRECINCT FOUR TEAM AND TO OUR COMMISSIONER. UM, ALSO I WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, FOR THOSE THAT PARTICIPATED [04:15:01] IN THE OCTOBER FAITH AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUMMIT, AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, WE WILL HAVE A FOLLOW UP TO THAT FEBRUARY 20TH. THIS GROUP WILL BE, IT WILL BE A TARGETED INVITATION TO THOSE FAITH LEADERS WITH IDENTIFIED ACRES AND EMERGING DEVELOPERS. UM, IF YOU, IF YOU ARE REGISTERED AND PARTICIPATED, YOU WILL RECEIVE THIS INVITATION DIRECTLY. STAY TUNED. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT, UH, THE THOUGHT LEADERS AND THE RESOURCES WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR YOU. ON FEBRUARY 20TH. I WANNA HIGHLIGHT AMANDA LANE, OUR HOTSPOT TEAM. WE'VE PURCHASED WITH THE, A PARTNERSHIP OF THE HOUSTON TOOL BANK, A RIDING LAWNMOWER TO ADDRESS BLIGHT ON THE WEST SIDE. AND WE'RE CON, UM, CONSISTENT IN DOING THAT. BUT I WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE ISSUE WITH HAPPENING WITH THE MANDA LANE THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING IT. APPARENTLY IT IS, UH, LISTED AS AN ENCAMPMENT SITE ON GOOGLE MAPS. UM, SO WHICH IS, UH, LEADING TO, UH, WHY OUR TIRES WERE SLASHED WHEN THE HOT TEAM WENT TO CLEAR THAT SITE. AND SO, UM, IF, UH, YOU ARE ON GOOGLE MAPS, PLEASE DO NOT DONATE MONEY. UH, THAT PLACE DOES NOT EXIST. AND SO THAT, AND YOU CANNOT GO SLEEP THERE. OKAY, SO, UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH MIDWEST HPD AND OUR OTHER PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT AREA IS CLEARED AND THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE CASE FOR HOUSING. AND OUR HOTSPOT TEAM HAS CLEARED 50% OF THAT LOCATION. IN ADDITION, THEY HAVE REMOVED, UM, I WANNA SAY 28 LOADS OF DEBRIS OFF OF SENATE BETWEEN RICHMOND AND WESTHEIMER. AND SO IF YOU SEE THEM OUT THERE WORKING, HONK A HORN AND TELL THEM THANK YOU. UM, ALSO, I WANT TO, UH, MENTION WE'VE HAD SOME CONDOLENCES THAT I WANNA SHARE IN DISTRICT F. WE'VE HAD A SERIES OF DEATHS ON THE WEST SIDE, UM, UH, CLOSER TO HOME. MY NEIGHBOR, UH, MS. HENRY, LET, UH, LEE WEBB, SHE LIVED ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME. SHE PASSED NOVEMBER 21ST. I WANNA SEND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS TO HER FAMILY. AND THEN MY NEIGHBOR'S MOTHER, UM, UH, PATRICK WOODS. AND SHE PASSED, UM, A, A A WEEK OR SO AGO. SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM. AND THEN LASTLY, I WANNA SEND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DADDY. MY DADDY IS TURNING 70 YEARS OLD ON FRIDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. PRESIDENT. UM, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOUR LIFE IS FULL OF BLESSINGS AND I HOPE THAT YOU KNOW THAT, UH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO PARTYING WITH YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS FOR BEING MY DADDY. TELL DADDY I WANT TO COME TO THE PARTY. VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PECK. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. UM, I WAS HOPING THAT THE MAYOR WOULD BE HERE, BUT I'M SURE HIS OFFICE IS LISTENING. SO I'M GOING TO SAY THIS YET AGAIN, THAT WE NEED HEAVY TRASH PICKED UP IN DISTRICT A. I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR IS WORKING ON LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS WITH AN AUDIT AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS, AND THAT'S GREAT, BUT IN THE SHORT TERM, THERE ARE CONSTITUENTS IN MY DISTRICT WHO HAVE NOT HAD HEAVY TRASH PICKED UP SINCE AUGUST. AND THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE WITH STORM DEBRIS IN FRONT OF THEIR HOMES. DISTRICT A IS PRIMARILY FOURTH WEEK PICKUPS. EVERY TIME THERE IS A DELAY, IT ALWAYS FALLS ON DISTRICT A TO HAVE THE MOST SEVERE OF THE DELAYS. AND IT'S JUST UNACCEPTABLE THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN. IT'S JUST NOT BEING PICKED UP IN DISTRICT A. AND NOW RECYCLING IS HAVING ISSUES AS WELL, GETTING PICKED UP. SO IF WE CAN CONTRACT WITH, UM, WITH PRIVATE ENTITIES IN THE SITUATION WHEN THERE'S DELAYS TO GET IT PICKED UP QUICKLY, WE NEED TO DO THAT. AND ANY HELP THAT WE CAN GET IN DISTRICT A WOULD BE APPRECIATED. UM, AND TO END ON A HAPPY NOTE, UM, WANTED TO WISH A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO FORMER, UM, DISTRICT A COUNCIL MEMBER, BRENDA SIG, WHOSE BIRTHDAY IS TOMORROW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. UM, AND I JUST WANNA, UH, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT RAILROAD, UH, CROSSING, SPECIFICALLY AT MILLE, BUT I WANNA EXPRESS MY, UH, SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF SERGIO RODRIGUEZ. UM, AGAIN, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT, THAT DEFINITELY COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, UH, BUT HIGHLIGHTING A FEW THINGS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE ADMINISTRATION KNOWS THAT, UH, THERE'S OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE, UH, THROUGH THE GULF COAST RAIL DISTRICT. WE HELP APPOINT, UH, THE CHAIR AND SOME OF THE BOARD, THE BOARD MEMBERS THERE IN THAT, UH, IN THAT, UH, GULF COAST RAIL DISTRICT. AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UH, WITHIN THEIR SCOPE OF WORK, IT'S RAIL SAFETY. AND WE HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE, ARE READY TO JUMP ON, UH, JUMP ON THAT TASK TO ENSURE THAT THE EAST END, BUT JUST LARGER COMMUNITY AS, AS THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS, IS BEING, UH, THOUGHT OF. I, I ALSO WANNA PRESS ON, UH, AGAIN, JUST ON UNION PACIFIC. UM, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN FUNDING TO IMPROVE OPERATION, UM, THAT AT TIMES CAN HELP SOME OF THE BLOCKAGE WITHIN, UH, COMMUNITIES, BUT I ALSO WANT TO REALLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO NOT JUST, UH, PROVIDE FUNDING ON OPERATION, UH, UM, UM, SUPPORTING THAT OPERATIONAL, UH, UM, SPACE, BUT ALSO THE INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND THEIR, UH, THEIR RIGHT OF WAY. UH, WHEN IT COMES TO PEDESTRIAN ACCESSIBILITY, WHETHER IT'S A BRI UH, A WALK, WALK, UH, BRIDGE THAT WALKS OVER THE, THE, UM, THE RAIL. AND THEN LASTLY, UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT [04:20:01] EVERYBODY KNOWS, BUT THE FRA IS ULTIMATELY THE ONE THAT REGULATES, UH, YOU KNOW, RAIL SAFETY, RAIL TRAFFIC, RAIL OPERATIONS. AND, UM, I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO, UH, SHINE, SHINE SOME LIGHT. UM, AND HOPEFULLY OUR CONGRESSIONAL AND STATE LEADERS CAN BEGIN TO WORK ON, UH, LAWS THAT, AND POLICY THAT CAN REGULATE RAILROAD OPERATIONS. UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS FOR YEARS. I'VE ON STAFF, UH, 10 YEARS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, PROJECTS IN THE EAST END. UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S, I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY, UH, PAST DUE WHERE, UH, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POLICY THAT DON'T GO, DON'T GET US ANYWHERE. AND SO, UM, I REALLY WANNA PRESS ON THE ADMINISTRATION TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL WITH OUR STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, UM, AND REALLY IDENTIFYING THAT FUNDING THAT ULTIMATELY WILL HELP, UH, WITH GREAT SEPARATION PROJECTS. AND SO, UM, APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT TO BE DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. WE'LL MOVE ON TO COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, WANNA HIGHLIGHT A, UM, JOBS INITIATIVE THAT MY OFFICE HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON OVER THE PAST YEAR. IT'S CALLED MORE JOBS HOUSTON, AND YOU CAN GO TO A WEBSITE, MORE JOBS HOUSTON.COM. UH, IT HAS MANY DIFFERENT JOBS FROM ALL OVER THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA. UH, THIS IS A WAY FOR JOB SEEKERS TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT JOB OPENINGS THERE ARE IN VARIOUS DIFFERENT FIELDS, AND ALSO FOR EMPLOYERS TO BE ABLE TO UPLOAD OPENINGS THAT THEY HAVE WITH THEIR COMPANIES, UH, WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR EMPLOYEES. IT'S A ONE STOP, EASY ACCESSIBLE PLACE FOR ANYONE LOOKING FOR ANYTHING RELATED TO EMPLOYMENT AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. WE HAVE RESOURCES FOR RESUME BUILDING AND INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES. UH, THERE'S TABS ON THERE FOR YOU TO SEE WHAT ARE THE UPCOMING JOB FAIRS. BUT WHAT WE WANT IS FOR, UH, PEOPLE ALL OVER THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHO ARE LOOKING FOR MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT TO HAVE A EASY AND ACCESSIBLE WAY TO DO SO. AND WE BELIEVE THAT, UM, HELPING THOSE FIND MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT WILL HAVE A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT ON MANY OF THE DIFFERENT ISSUES AROUND THE CITY FROM, YOU KNOW, HOUSING TO PUBLIC SAFETY, TO MENTAL HEALTH. AND SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO PLEASE GO CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE. IT'S EVER EVOLVING AND EVER CHANGING, UH, WITH UPDATES, BUT IT'S MORE JOBS HOUSTON.COM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ. THANK YOU. UH, MAYOR PROAM. UM, ON LAST SATURDAY, UH, WE CELEBRATED THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF MCGOVERN CENTENNIAL GARDENS IN HERMAN PARK. AND CERTAINLY I WANNA THANK ALL WHO ATTENDED AND CONTRIBUTED TO MAKING THIS EVENT A MEMORABLE CELEBRATION OF ONE OF HOUSTON'S MOST CHERISHED GREEN SPACES. ON TODAY, THE GREATER SOUTHEAST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT WILL HAVE THEIR BOARD MONTHLY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING, AND STATE OF THE DISTRICT THAT WILL BE, UH, FROM FOUR TO 7:30 PM I BELIEVE THE BOARD MEETING WILL CONCLUDE ABOUT FIVE OR FIVE 30 AFTER THAT, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING WILL BE THE STATE OF THE DISTRICT. AND, UH, THIS IS A IN-PERSON ONLY MEETING, WHICH WILL FEATURE UPDATES ON THE GREATER SOUTHEAST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT'S ONGOING INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE STATE OF DISTRICT PRESENTATION. AND THEN ON THIS SATURDAY, UH, I'M EXCITED. UH, WE ARE HAVING OUR ANNUAL HOLIDAY FIXINGS EVENT, AND THAT WILL BE FROM 10:00 AM TO NOON AT THE HOUSTON TEXANS, YMCA, UH, LOCATED AT 52 0 2 GRIGGS ROAD, WHICH IS ON THE CORNER OF GRIGGS AND MARTIN LUTHER KING. WE HAVE FABULOUS PARTNERS, HEB URBAN LEAGUE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, KOREAN RECOVERY RESOURCES, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, AND OF COURSE, HPD AND FAMILIES ARE INVITED TO JOIN US FOR THE HOLIDAY EVENT, FEATURING THE DISTRIBUTION OF FESTIVE MEAL PACKAGES AND ACCESS TO A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND VOLUNTEERS. FROM OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE ON HAND TO ENSURE THE EVENT RUNS SMOOTHLY AND BRINGS JOY TO EVERYONE INVOLVED. WE ARE EXPECTING RAIN, AND IT IS A DRIVE THROUGH EVENT, SO HOPEFULLY PEOPLE WILL COME OUT. UH, WE ARE HOPING TO FEED AT LEAST 300 FAMILIES ALSO ON THIS SATURDAY OPERATION LOVE FROM 8:00 AM TO 3:00 PM UH, THIRD WARD NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR BLACKSHIRE ELEMENTARY. VOLUNTEERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO HELP SPREAD HOLIDAY CHEER BY DONATING TOYS, GENTLY USED CLOTHING, FOOD, AND TIME TO MAKE THIS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL FOR CHILDREN IN THE THIRD WARD. AND CERTAINLY, I WILL STOP BY TO GREET THEM AND THANK THE VOLUNTEERS. FOR VOLUNTEERS, SIGN UP. PLEASE SIGN UP AT OPERATION LOVE HT X.ORG, OPERATION LOVE HT X AT ORG. ALSO, ON THIS SATURDAY, TRINITY UNITED METHODIST [04:25:01] CHURCH WILL HAVE THEIR FRESH PRODUCE MOBILE MART FROM 10 TO ONE, AND CERTAINLY THEY ACCEPT SNAP, UH, AND IN THE, AND THE PRICES ARE LOW. THAT IS LOCATED AT 2,600 HOLMAN STREET IN THE PARKING LOT, AND THERE WILL ALSO BE A FREE PET FOOD GIVEAWAY. SO PLEASE COME OUT AND, AND PARTAKE OF THESE EVENTS. AND CERTAINLY IF YOU WANT TO GET INFORMATION ON DISTRICT D, PLEASE, UM, EMAIL DISTRICT D@HOUSTONTX.GOV SO THAT YOU CAN GET OUR NEWSLETTER, BECAUSE WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO COME OUT AND ENJOY WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THOSE UPDATES. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. I WANT TO START BY ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO READ AND, AND CHECK OUT THE NEW PROPOSED, UH, DRAFT SHORT-TERM RENTAL REGULATIONS THAT WERE DISCUSSED AT THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE. UH, DISTRICT H HAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS. WE ALSO, UH, HAVE A LOT OF NEIGHBORS THAT DEAL WITH IMPACTS FROM, UH, THOSE PROPERTIES. AND, AND NOW IS THE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE DRAFT AND PROPOSED REGULATIONS. YOU CAN DO THAT@HOUSTONTX.GOV SLASH ARA. I WILL ALSO BE POSTING A LINK ON ALL MY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TO THE DRAFT LANGUAGE AND THE WEBSITE TO SUBMIT YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS. I ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE MY CONSTITUENTS TO CONTINUE TO REACH OUT AND COMMUNICATE YOUR DELAYS WITH SOLID WASTE PICKUP, YOUR MISSED TRASH, YOUR MISSED RECYCLING, UH, THE ILLEGAL DUMPING THAT ISN'T GETTING PICKED UP. WE'RE SEEING SIGNIFICANT DELAYS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, UH, WITH SOLID WASTE. AND, UH, 3 1 1 ISN'T THE BEST AT COMMUNICATING, UH, A LOT OF THE INFORMATION, UH, TO THE RESIDENTS. I, I WILL MEET WITH DIRECTOR PAEZ TO DISCUSS WAYS WE CAN IMPROVE THAT. BUT, UH, MY OFFICE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THE STATUS OF YOUR, UH, TRASH AND, AND HEAVY TRASH PICKUPS. UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR PICKUPS TO OCCUR. UH, WE ALSO HAVE HAD NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE GONE MONTHS, UH, WITHOUT THEIR HEAVY TRASH SERVICED. UM, WE'RE GETTING INTO THE HOLIDAYS. THERE ARE A LOT OF EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND HAVING LARGE PILES OF DEBRIS THROUGHOUT THE STREETS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. UM, AND SO, UM, CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO HOUSTON, DISTRICT H@HOUSTONTX.GOV SO THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE TO YOU WHAT THE FULL PICTURE IS AND, AND ALSO ADVOCATE WHEN SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS ARE NOT OCCURRING ON CITY OF HOUSTON PROPERTY. YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE ON FLOOD CONTROL PROPERTY, WE CAN MAKE SURE TO REACH OUT TO FLOOD CONTROL IF THEY'RE ON TDOT PROPERTY, ET CETERA. BUT, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND MORE TRANSPARENCY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR SOLID WASTE, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS WHOLE YEAR. UH, IT WAS PROBABLY THE FIRST CONSTITUENT CASE CALL WE RECEIVED AS AN OFFICE. UM, AND IT HASN'T GOTTEN ANY BETTER. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THE, UH, SHORT TERM RENTAL, UM, PROGRAM. UH, WE DEFINITELY ALL SHOULD BE PUTTING THAT OUT FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, UM, TO GIVE THAT FEEDBACK TO A RA. SO, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UPDATES. UH, AND, AND THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE IS STILL, AND THE SIDEWALK, SIDEWALK ORDINANCE, SIDEWALK ORDINANCE IS STILL UP FOR COMMENT AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR ADDING THAT AS WELL. ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE STAND ADJOURNED. * 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.