[2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
[00:00:09]
MEMBER HUFFMAN FOR THE INVOCATION.AND TODAY I'M PLEASED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO RABBI GOLDSTEIN.
HE'S THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF SHABBAT OUTREACH OF HOUSTON, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SHABBAT OF WEST HOUSTON, THE DIRECTOR OF FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE OF HOUSTON, SERVING JEWISH CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
HE'S FOUNDED NUMEROUS CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION, SERVES AS AN ADULT EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR FOR THE JEWISH LEARNING INSTITUTE IN WEST HOUSTON.
AND HEAD RABBI FOR THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CHAPLAIN FOR RICHMOND STATE SCHOOL, MENNINGER CLINIC, HARRIS COUNTY JAIL, THE FEDERAL CORRECTION COMPLEX IN BEAUMONT.
AND, UM, WE'RE JUST SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU, RABBI GOLDSTEIN'S DEEP COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION, OUTREACH, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE HAS MADE A LASTING IMPRESSION, NOT ONLY, UM, IN WEST HOUSTON, BUT ALL OVER THE ENTIRE CITY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
AS WE PREPARE THIS SESSION, PLEASE BESTOW YOUR KINDNESS UPON THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE GREAT CITY OF HOUSTON.
GRANT, THESE DISTINGUISHED INDIVIDUALS WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE, AND UNDERSTANDING IN THEIR NOBLE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE AND EQUALITY.
IN, UH, JUST OVER A WEEK, THE JEWISH COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BE CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAY OF HANUKKAH.
THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS RECALLS THE VICTORY MORE THAN 2100 YEARS AGO OF A MILITARILY, WEAK, BUT SPIRITUALLY STRONG JEWISH NATION, OVER THE MIGHTY FORCES OF A RUTHLESS ENEMY THAT HAD OVERRUN THE HOLY LAND AND THREATENED TO ENGULF THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE IN DARKNESS.
THE MIRACULOUS VICTORY HAS BEEN CELEBRATED ANNUALLY EVER SINCE.
DURING THE EIGHT DAYS OF HANUKKAH, ESPECIALLY BY THE LIGHTING OF THE HANUKKAH, MENORAH LIGHT IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL CREATIONS OF GOD.
AS MY GREAT RABBI AND TEACHER, THE LAB WOULD OFTEN QUOTE, A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT, DISPELS A LOT OF DARKNESS.
INDEED, WHILE A SINGLE CANDLE MIGHT SEEM WEAK, UNABLE TO ACCOMPLISH MUCH, IT HAS THE POWER TO ILLUMINATE AND OVERCOME THE FORCES OF DARKNESS.
ALMIGHTY GOD, YOU HAVE CHOSEN EACH AND EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND GRANTED THEM WITH POWER AND AUTHORITY.
WE ASK YOU TO GUIDE THEM WITH YOUR LIGHT.
LET THEM CONNECT TO YOUR ILLUMINATION TO BECOME BEACONS OF LIGHT TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.
MAY THEY BECOME SOURCES OF INSPIRATION FOR THEIR CONSTITUENTS, THAT THEY TOO CAN BRING LIGHT INTO THEIR HOMES, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
MAY WE ALL BE EMPOWERED TO REMEMBER THE POTENTIAL YOU HAVE GIVEN US, AND MAY NONE OF US UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF ONE LIGHT, ONE MITZVAH ONE GOOD DEED.
WE BESEECH YOU ALMIGHTY AND MERCIFUL GOD TO EXTEND YOUR GRACE TO EACH AND EVERY MEMBER OF THIS BODY, AND BESTOW UPON THEM THE JOY OF LIFE, GOOD HEALTH AND PROSPERITY.
SO TOGETHER THEY CAN BRING LIGHT TO THIS GREAT CITY OF HOUSTON.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, TOOTH FLAG, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC WIT STANDS ONE NATION.
DEAR GOD, INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FER,
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING]
MAD SECRETARY, YOU CALL THE ROPE, MAYOR WHITMEYER, PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK HERE.PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATU WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER PLUM AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF DECEMBER 3RD AND FOURTH.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
PROCEDURAL MOTIONS.I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE COUNCIL MEMBER JACK CHRISTIE TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA MOTIONS BEEN MADE.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE JACOB CLEMENTE TO WRITE UNDER FRED WOODS ON THE ONE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST.
[00:05:01]
SAY YES.ANYONE ELSE? UH, MADAM SECRETARY.
I THINK YOU CAN CALL HER FIRST SPEAKER.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS LUTFI HASSAN, AND IT'S AN HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY IN ITS STRONG, STRONG SUPPORT OF ITEM 55, A RESOLUTION TO DEDICATE TERMINAL E AT GEORGE BUSH IN A CONTINENTAL AIRPORT.
IN HONOR OF LATE CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS, CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE SERVED AS MAGNANIMOUS AND TIRELESS REPRESENTATIVE OF HOUSTON'S 18TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, A DISTRICT SHE FIERCELY CHAMPIONED AND LOVED.
SHE WAS NOT ONLY A VOICE FOR HER CONSTITUENTS, BUT A REPRESENTATIVE FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS.
REGARDLESS OF RACE, BACKGROUND, AND POLITICAL AFFILIATION, SHE WAS SOMEONE WHO TRANSCENDED DIVIDES AND BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER.
HER A FACT DEMONSTRATED MOST POWERFULLY WHEN LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, UNITED TO SUPPORT HER DAUGHTER ERICA CARTER.
LEE CARTER, AS SHE ASSUMED THE SEAT OF CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
WE GATHER HERE TODAY, NOT ONLY TO HONOR A LEGACY, BUT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TANGIBLE IMPACT THE CONGRESSWOMAN HAD ON OUR CITY.
TERMINAL E SITS IN THE VERY DISTRICT SHE REPRESENTED FOR 30 YEARS, AND SHEILA JACKSON LEE PLAYED AN INSTRUMENTAL ROLE IN SECURING OVER 125 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR HOUSTON'S AIRPORT SYSTEM FUNDS CRITICAL TO EXPANSION AND MODERNIZATION OF ONE OF THE NATION'S BUSIEST AIRPORTS.
HER ADVOCACY ENSURED THAT GEORGE BUSH IN AL AIRPORT REMAINED A WORLD-CLASS GATEWAY TO HOUSTON.
STRENGTHENING OUR ECONOMY AND GLOBAL STANDING HOUSTON HAS LONG HELD, UH, THE TRADITION OF HONORING OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO THIS CITY.
TERMINAL D BEARS THE NAME OF CONGRESSMAN MICHELEN, AND TERMINAL C IS NAMED AFTER FORMER MAYOR LOUIS.
CUTTER NAME NAMING TERMINAL E AFTER CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE IS A FITTING AND NECESSARY CONTINUATION OF THAT TRADITION.
THE CONGRESSWOMAN'S COMMITMENT TO HOUSTON'S EXTENDED BEYOND POLITICS.
HER LEGACY IS DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN THIS CITY, AND THIS RESOLUTION OFFERS US A MOMENT TO HONOR HER, SACRIFICES, HER ACHIEVEMENTS, AND THE COUNTLESS LIVES SHE TOUCHED.
I URGE THIS COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION ENSURING THAT GENERATIONS OF TRAVELERS WHO PASSED THROUGH YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, WILL BE REMANDED ENDURING CONTRIBUTION OF CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME TIME.
SOFF KIR, YOUR HONOR, WILL BEAR JOHN
UH, HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
ASAF, KA PRACTICING PHYSICIAN WHO TRAINED AT BAYLOR COLLEGE OF ME AT WITH THE DR. MICHAEL DEBAKEY, AND SPENT 30 YEARS WITH WO.
TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU TO PROPOSE A MEANINGFUL WAY OF HONORING THE LEGACY OF WO SHEILA JACKSON LEE BY DEDICATING A TERMINAL IN HER NAME AT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HOUSTON
[00:10:02]
COUNCIL SHEILA JACKSON LEE WAS MORE THAN A LEGISLATOR.SHE WAS A TIRELESS ADVOCATE OF HOUSTON, A GLOBAL LEADER AND A PASSIONATE SUPPORTER OF INCLUSIVITY AND PROGRESS.
SHE FOUGHT FOR OUR CITY ON THE NATIONAL STAGE, ENSURING HOUSTON REMAINS THE HUB OF CULTURE, COMMERCE, AND CONNECTIVITY.
WE CELEBRATE HER VISION FOR HOUSTON AS A WORLD CLASS CITY, EMBRACING DIVERSITY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US.
THIS TERMINAL REPRESENT HOUSTON'S GATEWAY TO THE WORLD.
IT SYMBOLIZE INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION AND THE SPIRIT OF WELCOMING PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
THE VERY PRINCIPLE CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE CHAMPION.
THROUGHOUT HER LIFE, THIS TERMINAL COULD ALSO SERVE AS A SPACE FOR SHOWCASE HER CONTRIBUTION FROM HER IDIOCY AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT TO HER WORK.
PROMOTING HOUSTON ROLE AS A GL GLOBAL CITY.
TRAVELERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WOULD BE REMINDED OF HER UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
HONORING HER IN THIS WAY, ENSURE THE LEGACY CONTINUES TO INSPIRE NOT ONLY ESTONIANS, BUT EVERYONE WHO PASSES THROUGH OUR CITY.
LET US SEE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE HER REMARKABLE LIFE AND THE VALUE SHE STOOD FOR.
LEADERSHIP, RESILIENCE, AND THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE.
THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THIS PASSIONATE PROPOSAL TO HONOR A TRUE HOUSTON ICON, YOUR ALL COLLECTIVE DEC SIN.
PUT CONGRESSMAN LEE'S LEGACY TO THE GLOBAL AND AND INCLUSIVITY FOR THIS TERMINAL.
CONGRESSMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
WERE THE FOURTH SOLDIER OF HOUSTON.
I'M A LIFELONG MEMBER OF DISTRICT.
I SHOUT OUT TO MY COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ.
UH, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE LATINO LEARNING CENTER, UH, RUDOLFO RUDOLFO GONZALEZ.
PRESIDENT, CEO ASKED ME TO, TO STEP IN FOR HIM TODAY.
HE, UH, IS NOT FEELING VERY WELL, SO HE CAN'T BE HERE.
BUT, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE LATINO LEARNING CENTER.
IT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE IN THE HOUSTON EAST END FOR OVER 45 YEARS.
UH, AND IT'S BEEN EDUCATING ADULTS IN VOCATIONAL, IN SOCIAL SKILLS.
AND, UH, IT'S AS OF LATE, IT'S NEEDED SOME ASSISTANCE FROM, UH, THE CITY, WHICH WAS, UH, WE WERE GRATEFUL TO RECEIVE SOME FUNDING LAST YEAR, WHICH WE RECEIVED THIS YEAR.
AND, UH, SO, UH, SHEILA JACKSON LEE CAME, WAS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST FRIENDS AS WELL.
AND THE CONGRESSWOMAN, THE WEEK THAT SHE PASSED AWAY, THE LATINO LEARNING CENTER LEARNED THAT SHE HAD ACQUIRED A GRANT FOR THE LATINO LEARNING CENTER.
SO WE WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF HER WORK THAT CONTINUED EVEN AFTER SHE WAS STILL NOT HERE.
SO THE LATINO LEARNING CENTER AND RUDOLFO GONZALEZ AND THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS THEIR, UH, SUPPORT FOR THE NAMING OF TERMINAL E AFTER THE LATE CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE ETHIOPIAN AND THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY CONGRESS MU SHEILA JACKSON LEE WAS ADORED AND LEFT BY OUR COMMUNITY.
LET ME SHARE A BIT OF HISTORY.
OUR, OUR, OUR TIES TO DISTRICT 18 GOES A LONG WAY.
THE, THIS, THE LATE CONGRESSMAN MIKI LELAND WAS ALSO A FRIEND OF ETHIOPIA, LOVED THE PEOPLE OF ETHIOPIA, AND DIED TRYING TO HELP SUDANESE REFUGEES IN ETHIOPIA.
HIS LOVE FOR ETHIOPIA AND AFRICA STARTED BEFORE HE BECAME CONGRESSMAN.
HIS AFRO AND DASHIKI AND HIS ATTIRE EXPRESSED HIS PRIDE IN HIS AFRICAN ORIGIN AND HIS ROOTS.
[00:15:01]
THE LEAD CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, CARRIED THE TORCH OF MICKEY LELAND AND BARBARA JORDAN WITH GREAT DISTINCTION, GUSTO AND DEVOTION IN ADVANCING SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUALITY, SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS.WHEN OUR COMMUNITY NEEDED SUPPORT, SHEILA WAS THERE FOR US TO CHAMPION DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN ETHIOPIA AND BEYOND.
SHEILA JOINED OUR DEMONSTRATION IN HOUSTON, WROTE PRESS RELEASES, SUBMITTED LEGISLATION TO STOP HUMAN RIGHT ABUSERS IN ONE OCCASION WHILE NEW TO CONGRESS.
WE HAD A BREAKFAST MEETING ON SATURDAY IN HOUSTON.
ON THAT MONDAY, SHE WAS IN WASHINGTON SUBMITTING AN AMENDMENT TO A BILL DENYING AID TO THE REGIME IN ETHIOPIA, UNLESS IT STARTS HUMAN RIGHT ABUSES ON OUR BEHALF.
THE AMENDMENT SUBMITTED IN THE WE THE WEE HOURS OF THE NIGHT WAS SENT A SHOCKWAVE TO THE REGIME.
A REMARKABLE SPEED AND EFFECTIVENESS, ESPECIALLY AS A NEW LEGISLATOR, WAS TRULY AMAZING CHAMPION OF STEM EDUCATION.
WHILE PURSUING REPARATION IN CONGRESS, SHILA ALSO SAW THE IMPORTANCE OF LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.
AFTER RETIRING FROM BANKING AND TEACHING, I JOINED A NONPROFIT, UH, THAT PROMISED EQUALITY BY EXPOSING YOUNG CHILDREN IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES TO STEM EDUCATION.
THE PURPOSE IS TO HELP THEM BECOME FUTURE ENGINEER SCIENTISTS AND TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY.
SHEILA PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING THIS VISION.
IN THE SAME SPIRIT, SHORTLY BEFORE, UH, SHE DIED, SHE WAS ALSO INTERESTED IN TRANSFORMING HOUSTON FROM ENERGY DEPENDENT ECONOMY INTO A TECH DRIVEN ECONOMY BY BUILDING TECHNOLOGY CENTERS AND PREDOMINANTLY IN MINORITY NEIGHBORHOODS.
WHETHER PROMOTING THE IDEA OF BRIDGING INEQUALITY OR PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE US AND OVERSEAS, CONGRESSMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE FOUGHT, FOUGHT ALWAYS FOR UNDER UNDERDOGS.
SHE WAS A BEACON OF HOPE AND CHAMPION FOR ALL MAR MARGINALIZED PEOPLE HAVE SPIRIT AND MEMORIAL FOR SHOULD BE CARED FOR, GENERATION TO COME, AND IT SHOULD BE DONE.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE, UH, TO ALL THE SPEAKERS WHO HAVE COME FORWARD.
I WANT, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I WANT TO, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UH, UM, COMING TO CITY HALL FOR US TO HEAR YOUR VOICES.
UH, YOU REPRESENT, UM, A WIDE ARRAY OF COMMUNITY AND CULTURE THAT MAKE UP THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND, UH, SHOW THE STRONG SUPPORT THAT THE LATE CONGRESSWOMAN HAD ALL OVER THE CITY IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES.
SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR COMING FORWARD AND FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS TANYA MCC RIVERA, REPRESENTING AT T.
JOINING ME ARE MY COLLEAGUES, ADRIAN QUINTANILLA, OUR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER, SOUTH TEXAS, WHO OVERSEES RETAIL AND DISTRIBUTION, AS WELL AS CAMERON RIPPLE WITH AT T FIRSTNET.
WE ARE HERE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR PLACING AT T'S BID FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICES AND SERVICES.
CONTRACT ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION.
AT T AND FIRSTNET ARE HOPEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ITS EMPLOYEES, AND ULTIMATELY ITS CITIZENS.
AT AND T IS PROUD TO BE THE VENDOR SELECTED TO PROVIDE THE NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY BROADBAND NETWORK.
FIRSTNET, A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO YOUR FIRST RESPONDER EMPLOYEES.
HOUSTON'S POTENTIAL CONTRACT WITH AT AND T OFFERS ADDITIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY, NOT GENERALLY AVAILABLE THROUGH OTHER PROVIDERS COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS.
THE ACCOUNTABILITY EXISTS DUE TO AT AND T'S CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FIRST RESPONDER NETWORK AUTHORITY AND THEIR OVERSIGHT OF AT T'S COMMITMENT TO DELIVERING ON THE PROMISE OF FIR FIRST NET'S OVER 25 YEAR CONTRACT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WITH FIRSTNET FIRST RESPONDERS AND AFFILIATED SUPPORTIVE SECTORS HAVE ALWAYS ON PRIORITY AND PREEMPTION AS WELL AS DEDICATED SPECTRUM WHEN IT'S NEEDED.
IN CLOSING, I WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT AT AND T IS HERE TO BE A RESOURCE AND VALUE ADDED TRUSTED PARTNER TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ITS EMPLOYEES AND CITIZENS.
OUR GOAL IS TO SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS AND PROVIDE THE BEST IN CLASS MISSION CRITICAL COMMUNICATION TOOLS THAT WILL HELP KEEP HOUSTON'S PUBLIC SAFETY AND CITY PERSONNEL CONNECTED AND READY, AND WILLING AND ABLE TO SERVE.
HOUSTONIANS, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE CONSIDERATION.
[00:20:01]
SERVE THE CITY OF HOUSTON.UM, TANYA, I ALREADY SPOKE WITH VERIZON, BUT I DO WANNA THANK, UM, AT AND T FOR Y'ALL'S PARTNERSHIP AS GOVERNMENT RELATIONS.
YOU DO A GREAT JOB DAY IN AND DAY OUT WORKING WITH US.
UM, IF Y'ALL ARE GONNA BE HERE FOR A FEW MINUTES, I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU JUST ON THE SIDE, UH, BUT WANTED TO FLAG YOU BEFORE TOMORROW.
BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP.
OH, EVAN SHABBAT, COUNCIL MEMBER.
I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES.
UH, AND ADD SABRINA LEWIS TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST.
SECOND, IT ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF NORTHWOOD MANOR CIVIC CLUB, AND I HAVE THE HONOR TO SERVE AS THE LEAD ORGANIZER FOR DISTRICT B UNITED, WHICH IS A COALITION OF EVERY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD WITHIN DISTRICT B, INCLUDING SELECT CIVIC CLUBS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND PRECINCT CHAIRS.
OUR ORGANIZATION'S PURPOSE IS TO PROMOTE THE CIVIC, SOCIAL, AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THIS IS BEST ACHIEVED THROUGH PROGRAMMING THAT CONNECTS US TO EACH OTHER AND THOSE TASKED WITH PROTECTING AND SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
THE SERVICES MOST FREQUENTLY USED IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS ARE OFTEN TAKEN FOR GRANTED.
WITH THIS IN MIND, I'M HERE TO INVITE YOU ALL TO OUR FIRST ANNUAL FIREFIGHTERS APPRECIATION DINNER, RECOGNIZING OUR FIREFIGHTERS IN DISTRICT 34.
IT'LL BE HELD THURSDAY, THIS THURSDAY ON THE 19TH AT FIRE STATION 34, LOCATED AT 3,100 LOWER COPY ROAD FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM THIS EVENT WAS INSPIRED BY IT AND IN PAR BY AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PRECINCT ONE COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM.
UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MR. JOHN BRANCH AND INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS, COMMUNITY LEADER MS. NATASHA JOHNSON.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR COUNCILWOMAN TARSHA JACKSON, OUR COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS, AS WELL AS COUNCILWOMAN SALLY ALCORN, UH, FOR DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTING, UH, TO MAKE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE.
YOUR TIME HAS YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP, HELPS STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL ON THURSDAY EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE TIME, BUT SINCE YOU FINISH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR ORGANIZING THIS VERY IMPORTANT, UM, EVENT FOR DINNER FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
UM, THEY DO A LOT OF WORK IN OUR DISTRICT, AND JUST KNOWING THAT THE DISTRICT APPRECIATES THEM AND SHOWING THEM THROUGH A GOOD, GOOD MEAL IS ALWAYS GREAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR ORGANIZING THIS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
UM, I WANT TO, UH, AUSTIN ON DECEMBER THE 11TH TO HEAR THIS AUTHOR, THIS VALDI AUER ON, UM, VALDI MASSACRE.
HE WAS THE OWNER AND THE PUBLISHER OF VALDI LEADER NEWS.
WHEN I READ THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THE BOOK IN THE FIRST CHAPTER, I MEAN, IT WAS SAYING HE'S WALKING TO THE SKULL.
ALEXANDRIA ALEX RUBIO WAS BORN 10 MONTHS AFTER HER MOTHER, KIMBERLY RUBIO WAS HIRED AT THE NEWSPAPER.
THAT IS THE VAL NEW LEADER NEWS THAT
AND, AND THAT, THAT IS, THAT JUST BALLED ME OUT ALSO, BECAUSE, UM, ANOTHER, HER LIFE WAS SPARED.
BUT THEN WHAT WHAT REALLY SUCKS IS SHE, WELL, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
UH, WELL, WHAT I SAY IS I GAVE, UM, I CAME IN THE BOOK, UM, YOU DARK AS HOUR, AND IT'S WRITTEN BY THE, UH, IT'S PUBLISHED BY THE TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY PRESS.
AND ALL I NEED KNOW THAT YOU NEED READ FROM THE LAST CHAPTER TO THE
[00:25:01]
BEGINNING CHAPTER TO MAKE SENSE OF IT.JACOB, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS BOOK, UM, OF, OF COURSE, WE'RE COMING UP ON SEVERAL ANNIVERSARIES OF MASS SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND THEN YESTERDAY, UH, IN WISCONSIN.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HEARTFELT COMMENTS AND GIVING ME THIS IMPORTANT THANK YOU.
AFTER ALL, THAT DEMONSTRATES NECESSITY OF HAVING GUN CONTROL.
BUT, UH, I MUST SAY THIS, WHEN I QUERY, UH, CRAIG, UH, GAR GARNET ABOUT THE SECOND AMENDMENT, HE SAID, WE NEED TO KEEP IT, BUT IT JUST NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED.
LIKE INSTEAD OF 18, IT SHOULD BE 21.
AND THEN THAT, UH, MF, UM, YOU KNOW, MOTHER BLANKER.
WELL, UM, YOU KILL THE KIDS AND THE TWO SCHOOLS, UH, SCHOOL TEACHERS, WELL, HE MAIL ORDER THE, UH, GUNS USED TO DO DESTRUCTION.
AND THAT'S LIKE MAIL ORDERING ABORTION PILLS, WHICH DOESN'T INVITE THE BIG ONE.
NEXT, I'M NOW TOLD THAT GARRETT AR IS IN THE AUDIENCE.
HONORABLE MAYOR WHITMEYER TO THE MICROPHONE.
JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TODAY FOR ADDING AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 55, NAMING THE NEW INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL AT IAH AFTER CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEADS THE AGENDA.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, AN ABST ABSENTIA, UH, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM.
UH, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, UH, FOR, FOR BRINGING THE ITEM, UH, UP AND SECURING THE SUPPORT.
I WANNA THANK ALL THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WHO, UH, WHO SIGNED ON TO, UH, TO THIS ITEM.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTHA CASTEX TATUM, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ, COUNCIL MEMBER CHARLES JACKSON, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLIE CAYMAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ACORN, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER.
UM, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING UNDER CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, UH, FOR FIVE YEARS IN HER OFFICE.
UH, AND I'M HERE TODAY AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, UH, TO STRONGLY SUPPORT, UH, AGENDA NUMBER 55.
AND I WANTED TO COME TO SPEAK ABOUT, UH, HEROES AND TRANSCENDING.
WE'RE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE UNITED STATES, AND A LOT OF TIMES A LOT OF THE COMMUNICATION WE GET COMES FROM THE TV.
UM, AND A LOT OF THE TV THAT WE SEE, SOMETIMES YOU'LL SEE A BASKETBALL PLAYER MAKE THE, THE WINNING SHOT.
OR YOU'LL SEE A FOOTBALL PLAYER, UH, SHOW EX EX EXP EXCEL AND COURAGE AND MAKE THE TOUCHDOWN.
UM, WELL, FOR MANY PEOPLE, YOU CAN'T IMAGINE BECOMING A FOOTBALL PLAYER.
YOU JUST DON'T HAVE THAT SKILL BASKETBALL PLAYER.
YOU JUST DON'T HAVE THAT SKILL.
BUT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT SIT BEFORE US, YOU SEE THEM DAY IN AND DAY OUT ON THE NEWS, FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE.
AND IN THAT WAY, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO INSPIRE THE YOUTH.
UH, RECENTLY I SAW MAYOR WHITMEYER ON, UM, THE WASHINGTON AVENUE CORRIDOR STANDING UP FOR THE PEOPLE, MAKING SURE OUR, OUR STREETS ARE SAFE, ENSURING OUR STREETS ARE SAFE,
AND I SAID, MAN, THIS GUY LOOKS LIKE A, LIKE A SUPERHERO, LIKE A BATMAN OUT THERE REALLY FIGHTING ON THE ON BEHIND.
ARE YOU WHIPPING IT GOOD? YOU WHIPPING IT GOOD.
AND, UM, AND, UM, FOR ME, AND FOR MANY IN THE CITY, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN JACKSON LEE WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE, UH, WHEN SHE ENTERED A ROOM, YOU, SHE MADE, YOU JUST WANNA STAND A LITTLE BIT TALLER.
SHE HAD AN ATTITUDE ABOUT HER THAT THE, THE THINGS I ADMIRED MOST ABOUT HER WAS REALLY HER FEARLESSNESS.
THE LADY WAS ABOUT FIVE TWO, YOU KNOW, AT THE MOST.
UH, BUT SHE HAD A FEARLESSNESS ABOUT HER, UH, THAT THAT SHOWED A HERO HEROISM, UH, TO IT.
IF THERE EVER WAS AN EXPLOSION, IF THERE EVER WAS A FIRE, THERE EVER WAS A PROTEST.
SHE WASN'T ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT RAN AWAY FROM IT.
SHE WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT RAN TOWARDS IT.
AND THAT SORT OF COURAGE AND HEROISM IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE CAN BE PROUD OF AS A CITY.
[00:30:01]
HAVE WORKED FOR HER AND, AND TO BE ABLE TO WITNESS THAT FIRSTHAND AND GET THAT TRAINING FROM HER.AND, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE A REALLY AMAZING MOMENT.
I MEAN, I'VE GOT COUNTLESS ARTICLES.
I PRINTED OUT SOME ARTICLES IN HER CLASSIC STYLE ABOUT, UM, SHEILA JACKSON LEE STALWART ADVOCATE FOR IRANIAN FREEDOM IN HUMAN RIGHTS.
YOU KNOW, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN JACKSON LEE INTER INTRODUCES INTERNATIONAL BILL TO FIGHT FOR IN CORRUPTION.
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TSA WORKERS GET A PAY RAISE FROM HER WORK ON THE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE.
SO THIS INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL, IT'S GONNA BE A, A BEACON FOR THE WORLD REC WELCOMING SO MANY PEOPLE.
AND I WOULD JUST FEEL SUCH A SENSE OF PRIDE, NOT ONLY FOR UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UH, NOT ONLY FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT PARTICULARLY AS A HOUSTONIAN.
UH, IF THAT TERMINAL WOULD TO HOLD HER NAME, I THINK IT WOULD REALLY GIVE THE CITY AND ALL THE PEOPLE WE WELCOME SOMETHING TO STAND UP AND BE PROUD OF.
UM, YOU WORK SO CLOSELY WITH THE CONGRESSWOMAN.
UM, YOU WERE BY HER SIDE FOR A LOT OF THE FIGHTS, A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS WELL IN LIFTING UP THE WORK OF THE CONGRESSWOMAN.
VERY GOOD COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABBAT.
AND CERTAINLY THANK YOU GARRETT.
GARRETT IS SOMEBODY THAT GIVES ME CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE.
'CAUSE HE'S SUCH AN AWESOME, ENGAGED YOUNG MAN.
AND, AND I KIND OF KNOW HIM ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.
HIS, HIS FATHER IS ONE OF MY BROTHER'S BEST FRIENDS.
AND SO CERTAINLY I'VE KNOWN HIM A WHILE AND I'VE WATCHED HIM GROW INTO HIS LEADERSHIP.
AND CERTAINLY YOU WERE MENTORED BY OUR WONDERFUL AND GREAT CONGRESSWOMAN.
AND IT, I AM HONORED TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THE, UM, AGENDA ITEM THAT WILL, UH, HOPEFULLY RESULT IN THAT TERMINAL BEING NAMED FOR HER.
YOU ARE A WONDERFUL SPOKESPERSON FOR HER, AND I'M SURE THAT SHE IS VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOU.
THANK YOU MAYOR JACK CHRISTIE, I'D LIKE TO OPEN WITH A SHAKESPEARE QUOTE.
I'VE COME TO BARRY CAESAR NOT TO PRAISE HIM.
WILLIE, IS HIS EYES BUGGING OUT RIGHT NOW? OKAY,
AND SURE ENOUGH, LATER IN THE WEEK, THAT TRASH PILE IS GONE.
THE THE AREA IS GOT MORE POLICE.
AND I'M A TOUGH CRITIC, BUT I AM IMPRESSED WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE THAT Y'ALL ARE SERVING BECAUSE I'VE WATCHED IT FOR THE, THE 12 MONTHS.
SOME OF THE POLITICIANS TO QUOTE SHAKESPEARE AGAIN, THEY STRUT AND FRET THEIR HOUR UPON THE STAGE AND HEARD NO MORE.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE USED TO NEED THAT.
THIS IS A TRUE PUBLIC SERVANT THAT I'M OBSERVING.
YOU NEED TO BE A WORKHORSE, NOT A SHOW HORSE.
I REMEMBER SITTING OVER THERE AND DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER ON MY SIDE AND, UH, AT LARGE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
I SAID, AREN'T WE LUCKY TO BE HERE? AND THEY ALL AGREED AT THE SAME TIME, YOU'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO BE IN THIS CITY IN THAT SEAT.
EVERY MAYOR, EVERY PRESIDENT IS NOT PERFECT.
IT'S YOUR JOB TO WORK AS A TEAM TO MAKE THIS CITY BETTER.
YOU KNOW, AS A PRESIDENT REAGAN, HE WORKED WITH TIP O'NEILL, VERY LIBERAL.
BUSH 41, WORKED WITH KENNEDY CLINTON, WORKED WITH GINGRICH TO BALANCE THE BUDGET FOR THE FIRST TIME.
GEORGE W. BUSH WORKED WITH VICENTE
[00:35:01]
FOX ON THE BORDER ISSUE.UM, AND TRUMP WORKED WITH THE NORTH KOREAN DICTATOR
BUT, UH, WE HAVE FOUR, FOUR COUNTRIES NOW, THREE THAT WANT, DOES NOT WANT THIS CITY TO DO.
WELL, IT IS GETTING TO BE A SHINING EXAMPLE TO OTHER CITIES, STATES, AND COUNTRIES.
I TRAVELED WITH 11 COUNTRIES WITH ONE MAYOR, TRAVELED NINE WITH ANOTHER MAYOR.
I TRAVELED WITH THE VICE, UH, WITH THE MAYOR PRO TEM TO PARIS.
WE ARE LOOKED ON FORMALLY IN THIS CITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
I WORRIED ABOUT THE FEMALE MAYOR, BUT THEY TREATED HER WITH RESPECT.
BECAUSE THIS IS AN INTERNATIONAL CITY AND WE ARE RESPECTED FOR WHAT WE'VE DONE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
THERE ARE A FEW COUNTRIES, DON'T, DON'T WANT US.
WELL MAKE SURE YOU PROTECT THIS CITY FROM NEFARIOUS COUNTRIES.
THAT'S THE WATER SEWER AIRPORT.
WE'VE GOT NASA, WE'VE GOT THE LARGEST MEDICAL CENTER IN THE WORLD, IMPORT EXPORTS THAT ARE PHENOMENAL.
THE CITY IS A SHINING EXAMPLE.
IT CAN BE NOT A BEACON OF LIGHT ON A, ON A SHINY HILL THAT REAGAN USED TO TALK ABOUT, BUT, BUT MAYBE A SEARCHLIGHT ON THE GULF THAT MAKES THE EAST COAST AND THE WEST COAST JEALOUS.
HELP ME MAKE THIS MAYOR A FISCAL FISCAL CONSERVATIVE.
OKAY? IF WE GET OUR FINANCES IN, WE ARE STRONGER THAN ANY MAJOR CITY IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND I WANT YOU TO CONTINUE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
UH, THE ELEMENTS IN THIS CITY, THE NON-PROFITS, THE PHILANTHROPISTS, THE VOLUNTEERS THE'RE ALL READY TO HELP.
SUPER BOWL, WE HAD 17,000 APPLICATIONS FOR VOLUNTEERS.
I SPENT ALL WEEK LOOKING FOR ONE THAT'S NOT SMILING.
AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, THE NEXT FEW YEARS FROM THIS CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR.
THANK YOU MAYOR JACK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
AND CERTAINLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP THAT YOU SERVED ON THIS COUNCIL.
AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO.
AND CERTAINLY YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ALWAYS ONE THAT WAS WELCOMING.
AND I JUST WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOURS AND, UH, AND WE HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE YOU PROUD AS A HOUSTONIAN.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
ONE THING I I LEFT OUT WAS SO AND SO HURT MY FEELINGS.
SO AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WAS A A BAPTIST CHURCH.
I'M CATHOLIC, BUT THIS WAS A GREAT SEMINAR.
AND THE PREACHER FROM CALIFORNIA, PERFECTLY WHITE SUIT, NO STAINS ANY WIPING HIS BROW SAID, FORGET ABOUT YOUR YESTERDAYS, FORGET ABOUT THE HURTS TO MAKE THIS A BETTER CITY.
WE START TODAY AND IT CAN BE ONLY GOOD FROM HERE ON.
AND IF WE, IF WE ALLOW IT, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABBAT, THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM.
I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU MY GREETINGS.
AND, AND YES,
BUT NO, UH, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO, TO HEAR YOUR WORDS OF WISDOM.
AND CERTAINLY, UH, YOU, YOU ARE ONE OF THE CLEANEST COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT EVER COME THROUGH HERE.
'CAUSE YOU ALWAYS DRESS TO THE NINES.
AND SO CERTAINLY GOOD TO SEE YOU AS ALWAYS.
MAY I, MAY I SEND Y'ALL A BOOK? I I SEND BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS PRESENT.
NO BEING THE ONLY, NO VOTE, VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE.
BUT LET ME SEND, LET ME SEND YOU A BOOK BY ADAM GRANT.
AND IT TALKS ABOUT YOU LISTEN TO THE EXTREMES.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE EXTREMES ON THIS COUNCIL, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION BY LISTENING TO IT.
BUT THINK AGAIN, I'M GONNA SEND IT TO YOU BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT
[00:40:02]
UNDERSTANDING THE OTHER SIDE.ANN RICHARD'S DAUGHTER IS PLANNED PARENTHOOD, AND SHE KNOWS I'M PRO-LIFE, BUT WE GOT ALONG BECAUSE I KNEW THAT SHE DID 80% GOOD FOR THE STATE OF TECH, WELL FOR THE NATION WITH HER PLANNED PARENT.
I'LL, I'LL AMAZON WITHIN THE WEEK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
GOOD AFTERNOON CITY COUNCIL, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO COUNCILWOMAN CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ FOR, UM, ADDING ME TO THE ROSTER TODAY.
MY NAME IS SABRINA LEWIS, AND I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CHAIR OF HOUSTON MONEY WEEK.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH HOUSTON MONEY WEEK, IT HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 2008 AND IS AN AND IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT UNIFYING PROFESSIONALS ACROSS HOUSTON FROM INDUSTRIES LIKE BANKING, HIGHER EDUCATION, PHILANTHROPY, AND EVEN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ADULT LITERACY.
TOGETHER, WE BUILD STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS TO EMPOWER OUR RESIDENTS BY INCREASING ACCESS TO FREE FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND SERVICES.
HELPING PEOPLE MAKE MONEY, SAVE MONEY, AND SPEND MONEY WISELY WHILE GROWING THEIR MONEY AS WELL.
I'M SURE YOU'RE ASKING YOURSELF, WELL, IS THIS EVEN IMPORTANT TO OUR RESIDENTS? WELL, ACCORDING TO THE KINDERS INSTITUTE SURVEY DONE IN 2024, THIS YEAR, 22% OF HOUSTONIANS IDENTIFIED THAT HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IS AT THE TOP ISSUE.
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ARE ALSO IMPORTANT TO 21% AS THE TOP ISSUE, UM, FOR RESIDENTS NAMING IT AS THE PRIMARY ISSUE FACING HOUSTON TODAY.
I'M HERE NOT JUST TO EXPLAIN A PROBLEM, BUT I'M HERE WITH A COLLABORATIVE CENTRALIZED SOLUTION THAT NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT.
BEFORE I GET STARTED, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU WHAT WE'VE DONE THIS PAST YEAR.
IN JUST THE MONTH OF APRIL, AS WE HAVE HISTORICALLY ACTED, WE COLLABORATED WITH 42 ORGANIZATIONS HOSTING 113 EVENTS ACROSS THE CITY WITH AN AVERAGE OF 58 ATTENDEES PER E PER EVENT.
OUR RESA, OUR NEWLY CREATED RESOURCE HUB, WAS SHARES FREE.
FINANCIAL TOOLS SPECIFIC TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE AWARDED OVER $4,500 IN $4,500 IN CASH GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS TO LOCAL RESIDENTS.
AND IF YOU THINK THAT IS GREAT, WELL, I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, IN 2025, HOUSTON MONEY WEEK WILL NOW BE A YEAR ROUND PROGRAM.
IT IS, AS IT IS HOUSED UNDER THE CORPORATE NAME, TEXAS BUILDING ECONOMIC AWARENESS AND MONETARY SUSTAINABILITY.
AS WE STEP INTO OUR FIRST FULL YEAR AS THIS YEAR ROUND INITIATIVE, OUR GOAL IS TO DRAMATICALLY INCREASE OUR IMPACT, PROVIDING MORE IMPACTFUL EVENTS, MORE RESOURCES FOR FINANCIAL EDUCATION, MORE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
SO I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK OF YOU TO ONE, PLEASE SEND REPRESENTATION TO OUR HOUSTON MONEY WEEK MEETINGS.
HOUSTON MONEY WEEK THRIVES BECAUSE IT IS A TRUE COLLABORATION, UNITING PROFESSIONALS FROM ALL SECTORS, AS STATED EARLIER, INCLUDING NON-PROFIT FOR-PROFIT, COMMUNITY-BASED, AND FAITH-BASED CORPORATE AND GAS GRASSROOTS MOVEMENTS.
TWO, I'M ASKING FOR A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT.
I ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER SPONSORING HOUSTON MONEY WEEK BY ALLOCATING DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS IN 2025 TO HELP US BUILD ECONOMIC AWARENESS AND MONETARY SUSTAINABILITY IN HOUSTON.
YOU'RE ALSO INVITED TO OUR 2025 ALL PARTNER CONFERENCE ON FEBRUARY 13TH AT 3000.
AL, IF YOU COULD, HAS EXPIRED.
IF YOU COULD FINISH UP OUR 2025 ALL PARTNER CONFERENCE ON FEBRUARY 13TH AT 3000 ALDON MEL ROAD, ROUTE SUITE, A BETTER KNOWN AS BAKER RIPLEY COME NOT JUST TO SEE FOR YOURSELVES THE POWER OF COLLABORATION, BUT JOIN US AS PROFESSIONALS AND ORGANIZATIONS PUTTING THEIR AFFILIATIONS ASIDE TO FOCUS ON ONE SHARED GOAL.
PUTTING THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON FIRST.
OUR 2025 EXECUTIVE TEAM IS A TESTAMENT TO THIS COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT.
WE ARE CURRENTLY STANDING AT 16 EXECUTIVE MEMBERS FROM ACROSS SECTORS WORKING TOGETHER BECAUSE WE KNOW FINANCIAL LITERACY IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE.
AS JACKIE AGUILAR, ONE OF OUR FOUNDING MEMBERS FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ADULT LITERACY, REMINDS US FINANCIAL LITERACY IS ADULT LITERACY.
AND I WOULD ADD THAT IT'S HEALTHCARE, IT'S PUBLIC EDUCATION, IT'S CHILDCARE, IT'S A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD.
IT'S VOTER EDUCATION, AND IT'S THE CAR THAT YOU DRIVE.
[00:45:03]
I TOOK ON THIS ENDEAVOR BECAUSE I BELIEVE MONEY IS A TOOL, AND ONLY WITH THE PROPER USE, MAINTENANCE, AND UNDERSTANDING OF THAT TOOL, CAN WE HELP PEOPLE STOP WORKING FOR MONEY AND START LETTING THEIR MONEY WORK FOR THEM.THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO BUILD A STRONGER, MORE FINANCIALLY EMPOWERED HOUSTON.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH US TODAY.
GOOD MORNING CITY HALL LEADERS.
MY NAME IS MEGAN WILBURN AND I'M THE PROUD PRODUCT OF THE HOUSTON ISD SCHOOLS AND A 16 YEAR EDUCATOR.
I WORKED IN HOUSTON SCHOOLS FOR YEARS, WITNESSING THE HEARTBREAKING REALITIES FACED BY MANY OF OUR STUDENTS.
AFTER SEEING SEVERAL OF MY OWN CLASSMATES END UP IN JAIL FOR VIOLENT CRIMES OR LOSING THEIR LIVES TO VIOLENCE, I DECIDED I HAD TO ACT AS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR.
I SAW THE SAME STRUGGLES MIRRORED IN THE STUDENTS I SERVED.
OUR STUDENTS LIVE WITH DAILY TRAUMA, WITNESSING VIOLENCE, SURVIVING POVERTY, ENDURING INSTABILITY.
THEY COME TO SCHOOL BURDENED BY THESE REALITIES, YET THEY'RE EXPECTED TO LEAVE IT ALL AT THE DOOR.
WHEN THEY EXPRESS THEIR FRUSTRATIONS, THEY'RE OFTEN PUNISHED.
INSTEAD OF SUPPORTED, THE SYSTEM REACTS TO THEIR BEHAVIOR.
INSTEAD OF ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES I CREATED MOVE TO BE PROACTIVE AND NOT REACTIVE.
MOVE USES PHYSICAL FITNESS AND GROUP COUNSELING TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH HEALTHY TOOLS TO MANAGE STRESS, COPE WITH ADVERSITY, AND RESOLVE CONFLICT INSTEAD OF TO, INSTEAD OF DEFAULTING TO AGGRESSION, OUR STUDENTS LEARN ALTERNATIVE OUTLETS LIKE YOGA, PILATES, HIT KICKBOXING, MEDITATION, AND JOURNALING.
GROUP COUNSELING TEACHES THEM THE VALUE OF A HEALTHY SUPPORT SYSTEM, BUT MOVE GOES BEYOND JUST STUDENTS.
WE PROVIDE PROGRAMMING FOR PARENTS, TEACHERS TO ENSURE THAT THE TOOLS THAT WE TEACH THEM ARE REFLECTED IN THEIR HOME AND CLASSROOM.
THIS CREATES AN ALIGNED ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS CAN THRIVE.
HARRIS COUNTY'S JUVENILE HOMICIDE RATE HAS SPIKED TO 76% SINCE 2021.
MANY OF THESE CRIMES ARE BEING COMMITTED BY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO, LIKE OUR STUDENTS, ARE NAVIGATING LIFE WITHOUT THE TOOLS TO MANAGE COMFORT.
MY OWN COUSIN, A PRECINCT THREE OFFICER, WAS TRAGICALLY KILLED BY YOUNG MEN FROM SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS.
AS ANGRY AS I WANTED TO BE, I UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY WERE USING THE ONLY CONFLICT RESOLUTION TOOLS THEY HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO.
MOVE IS MAKING AN IMPACT, BUT WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO DO MORE.
WITH THE ACCESS TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, FUNDING, DISTRICT CONNECTIONS, AND TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES, WE CAN EXPAND OUR REACH AND SERVE MORE STUDENTS.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE HOST, WE'RE HOSTING WORKSHOPS WITH PERSONAL FUNDS AND STRUGGLING TO GET STUDENTS THERE BECAUSE OF TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS.
AS A MOM OF THREE BOYS, I SEE FIRSTHAND THE LACK OF ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OLDER CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
MOVE FILLS THE GAP BY OFFERING STUDENTS MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH TOOLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED.
WE'RE NOT JUST CHANGING LIVES, WE'RE SAVING THEM.
AND WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE CAN CONTINUE TO BREAK CYCLES OF GENERATIONAL POVERTY.
NEXT SPEAKER KIM, KAREN HOLMES.
UH, EARLIER TODAY WE HEARD ABOUT, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER ACTING AS BATMAN ON WASHINGTON STREET.
I'M HERE TO PUT UP A BAT SIGNAL FOR 20TH STREET.
SO I'M, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE NOISE ORDINANCE, UH, AS IT RELATES TO SHADY ACRES BARS, SPECIFICALLY, PRIMARILY ON 20TH STREET BETWEEN BEALE AND BEAVIS.
THAT'S A 0.3 MILE, UH, STRETCH OF STREET THAT HAS NOT, WILL HAVE 17 BARS ON IT SOON.
UH, THE TABC RECEIPTS SHOW THIS AREA TO BE AS PROFITABLE AS ANYWHERE IN THE CITY.
UH, MY RESIDENTS AND THESE BARS ARE IN DISTRICT C.
SO I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND ALCORN FOR PREVIOUS AND CONTINUING WORK ON THIS.
I'D ALSO LIKE, UH, TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.
I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, ATTENDING QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE MEETINGS ON THIS ISSUE.
UH, SO TODAY I'D LIKE TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY ON ENFORCEMENT AND STRENGTHENING THE ORDINANCE.
SO, WHILE I'LL IMPROVE LATELY, UH, THANKS TO, UH, A PREVIOUS MEETING I HAD WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, UH, ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORDINANCE IS STILL LACKING.
HPD CONTINUES TO RECEIVE CALLS FROM MY NEIGHBORS EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
TWO CITATIONS WERE ISSUED THREE DAYS AGO TO TWO SEPARATE BARS FOR NOISE VIOLATIONS, UH, THEIR FREQUENT SEVERE VIOLATIONS AT UNEXPECTED TIMES.
UH, AT A RECENT WEDNESDAY IN MY
[00:50:01]
HOME, I MEASURED 80 DECIBELS, WHICH IS, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE THE LIMIT FROM JUST ONE BAR.AND THIS WAS IN THE LATE AFTERNOON.
SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST WEEKNIGHTS, UH, WEEKEND NIGHTS, EXCUSE ME.
UH, DESPITE RECEIVING NEARLY A DOZEN CALLS FROM, UH, MYSELF, MY WIFE, MY NEIGHBORS, THAT WEDNESDAY NIGHT, HPD DIDN'T SHOW UP.
HPD THOUGH HAS BEEN OUT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD MORE OFTEN, UH, THAN NOT LATELY.
MOST OF THE BLAME, AS I SEE IT, LIES AT THE FEET OF THE A RA FOR LACK OF ENFORCEMENT.
THE RA TOOK WELL OVER A MONTH TO REPLY, REPLY TO QUESTIONS I POSED TO IT ABOUT ENFORCEMENT.
AS I SPEAK TO YOU HERE TODAY, THEY STILL HAVE NOT ANSWERED ALL OF MY QUESTIONS AND PROVIDED INCOMPLETE RESPONSES TO OTHERS.
MY DELIBERATIONS WITH THEM, I FOUND OUT THEY WERE FAILING TO ADEQUATELY TRACK ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS AS THEY'RE TASKED TO DO AND INITIATE REVOCATION OR SUSPENSION OF PERMIT PROCEEDINGS.
UH, SO THEY WERE JUST, THEY JUST HAD NO KNOWLEDGE THAT TWO CITATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, HAD BEEN RECENTLY ISSUED TO ONE BAR OVER A MONTH BEFORE.
UH, I WAS NOT GIVEN AN EXPLANATION FOR WHY THIS ERROR OCCURRED, AND I HAVE NO IDEA IF IT'S STILL GOING ON.
UH, AND THEN ALSO THE A RA, OF COURSE, GREEN LIT ALL THESE PERMITS IN THIS SMALL AREA TO BEGIN WITH.
UH, THIS PROBLEM HAS NOTHING TO REALLY DO WITH ZONING.
MANY CITIES, UH, AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE BARS AT THE EDGE OF ZONES BETWEEN, UH, NEXT TO RESIDENTS, RIGHT? THERE'S ALWAYS BOUNDARIES.
THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH REGULATION OF BARS IN HOUSTON.
NOT YET FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN PROFITS AND RESIDENTS, QUIET ENJOYMENT OF THEIR HOMES.
WE HEARD EARLIER FROM A FA FORMER MEMBER WHO TALKED ABOUT HOUSTON BEING A WORLD-CLASS CITY.
I DO THINK A A REVISION, AN AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE WILL HELP US GET THERE.
SO, IN PREPARATION FROM MY TALK TODAY, I REVIEWED DOZENS OF ORDINANCES IN OTHER CITIES AND FOR OUR PEER CITIES, THERE'S NO COMPARISON RESIDENTS IN NEW YORK CITY.
UH, COULD I FINISH? WELL, WE DO HAVE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU SOME OF MY TIME, AND THEN I HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FOR YOU TOO.
SO, SO, SO I'LL CUT TO THE CATCH.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE TO THE ORDINANCE IS A 20% REDUCTION FROM THE MAXIMUM FOR HOMES WITHIN 20 FEET, I'M SORRY, 50 FEET.
SO THE ORDINANCE CURRENTLY TREATS ALL HOMES WITHIN 300 FEET EQUALLY.
AND RIGHT, IF YOU'RE AT FOOT 299 COMPARED TO FOOT 50, IT'S A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.
WHAT, 58 DECIBELS OF THE NIGHTTIME LIMIT THAT'S MOST OFTEN VIOLATED MEANS.
SO IF WE WERE TO REDUCE THAT LIMIT FOR HOMES WITHIN 50 FEET BY 20%, I'M NOT ASKING FOR THE MOON HERE, THAT'S STILL MUCH LOUDER THAN OTHER CITIES.
IF WE HAVE THAT 20% REDUCTION, IT WOULD SOLVE A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS. SO THAT'S WHAT, THANKS.
UM, I AGAIN WANNA SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST YOU.
SHADY ACRES IS BEING INUNDATED WITH THIS ISSUE.
AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN BECAUSE WASHINGTON AVENUE'S THE POSTER CHILD.
BUT HEREIN WE HAVE A NEW ENTIRE STRIP OF BARS GOING UP.
TWO STORY AND THREE STORY BARS AND CLUBS LITERALLY ABUTTING THE BACKS OF HOMES.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE NOISE DURING THE WEEK, IT'S THE BASE.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE SOUND, IT'S THE LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CAN SUSTAIN THIS TYPE OF COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY.
AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY IS GOOD.
AND THERE ARE SOME BARS THAT PREDATE ALL OF US, RIGHT? SHADY ACRES SALOON, CEDAR CREEK.
BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE IS NOT OKAY FOR RESIDENTS AND IT'S NOT SAFE.
NICO, I DID WANNA MAKE SURE YOU KNEW I AM CONTINUING TO MEET WITH HPD WITH CENTRAL.
WE'VE FUNDED ADDITIONAL NOISE METERS, NOT JUST FOR THE LOUD NOISE UNIT AND CALIBRATORS FOR THOSE.
UM, DURING THIS WEEKEND, THERE WERE ARRESTS, INCLUDING AT SOME OF THE BARS WHERE WE HAVE BEEN SEEING CITATIONS AND EGREGIOUS, UH, VIOLATIONS.
UH, THEY DID MAKE AN ARREST OF ONE OF THE MANAGERS THERE.
UH, SO I WANNA THANK HPD, BUT THIS IS A STRAIN ON LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO TACKLE VIOLENT CRIME, AND I'M NOT GONNA LIE, I HAVE CALLED THE NON-EMERGENCY LINE OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO REPORT AS WELL.
'CAUSE MY CHILD CANNOT SLEEP AT TIMES.
UM, AND THIS IS NOT JUST A ME ISSUE.
MY QUESTION FOR YOU, THOUGH, WE HAVE THE BARS, AND THEN I KNOW YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH RESTAURANT DEPOT.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CAR MEETUPS AND THE NOISE FROM THAT AND THE DANGERS AROUND THAT? UH, YOU PROBABLY KNOW MORE ABOUT IT THAN I DO, BUT YEAH.
I MEAN, MY NEIGHBORS HAVE, UH, SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE SEEN GUNS LIKE SOMETIMES THERE CAN BE DOZENS AND DOZENS, UH, OF CARS THAT MEET UP THERE LATE AT NIGHT.
UM, SO JUST IN GENERAL, ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE POINT, ON A BUSY SATURDAY NIGHT FOR THAT 0.3 MILES OF 20TH STREET, IT TAKES OVER, UH, 15 MINUTES TO GET FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER.
UH, OWNERS OF THE BARS ACTUALLY HAVE SAID THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE INCREASED HPD PRESENCE JUST FOR TRAFFIC REGULATION, WHICH THE CAR MEETUPS.
AND THE, WITH HPD, WE HAVE MET WITH HPD, WE HAVE MET WITH FIRE,
[00:55:01]
AND THEY HAVE LITERALLY SAID WE CANNOT HANDLE THE CAPACITY, ESPECIALLY DURING ST.PATRICK'S DAY AND OTHER THINGS WHEN THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH MIDTOWN, WHEN THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH WASHINGTON AVENUE.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, AND YET THE DEMAND AND NEED IS THERE.
AND WE HAVE, AGAIN, NO INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE DRINKING HEAVILY, WALKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, PEOPLE THAT ARE DRINKING AND DRIVING.
THE CAR MEETUPS ARE ALL IN RESTAURANT DEPOT, AND THEY'RE HAPPENING ON THURSDAYS AT 8:00 PM SUNDAYS AT 10:00 PM THE HOST GOES ON.
SO, NICO, YOU'RE NOT ALONE, BUT YOU ARE A VOICE THAT HAS BEEN ADVOCATING.
SO IN ADDITION TO, UH, STRENGTHENING THE SOUND ORDINANCE AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE, THAT REGULATORY SCHEME IS EFFECTIVE, THERE'S A HOST OF THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED HERE, UH, AND AN AREA THAT, AGAIN, ALL THESE BARS JUST POPPED UP IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, AND WE DO NOT HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA TO DEAL AND COPE WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO STRESS SEVEN MORE ARE STILL YET TO BE OPEN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THAT, BUT, AND, AND AGAIN, I ENCOURAGE OUR AT LARGE MEMBERS, PLEASE COME ON A THURSDAY NIGHT, A FRIDAY NIGHT, A SATURDAY NIGHT, UH, TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING, BECAUSE IT, IT'S NOT LIKE ANYTHING YOU'VE SEEN.
UH, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND NICO, GOOD TO MEET YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, QUALITY OF LIFE HAS TAKEN UP NOISE, UH, ONCE THIS YEAR, BUT WE WILL TAKE IT UP AGAIN SOON.
AND I'M, I'M ANXIOUS TO MEET WITH YOU, TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT SOME OF YOUR IDEAS.
I AGREE WITH YOU THAT OUR ORDINANCE AND OUR ENFORCEMENT ARE INADEQUATE TO, UH, ADDRESS THE, THE PROBLEM AS IT EXISTS.
NOW, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF AREAS IN THE CITY, UH, WHERE THIS IS A PROBLEM.
AND I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT SHADY ACRES, YOU KNOW, HAS, HAS TURNED INTO, UH, A PROBLEM AREA AS WELL.
I'D LOVE TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU AND, UM, LISTEN TO YOUR IDEAS AS WELL.
BUT, UH, OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS I KNOW ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND OTHERS HAVE WORKED ON THIS ISSUE IN THE PAST.
AND, AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT AND, AND ENGAGE WITH YOU AND, AND OTHERS WHO FEEL LIKE YOU DO.
TONY POWELL, CHRISTOPHER GARCIA, AFTERNOON COUNSEL.
UM, I WOULD ASK FOR EVERYONE'S UNDIVIDED ATTENTION, PLEASE.
'CAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS ALL OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
UM, SO, UM, I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT C UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
UM, AND I LIVE IN THE MONTROSE AREA.
UM, AND I HAVE A DEEP CONCERN WITH THE RISING, INCREASING POPULATION OF HOUSELESS INDIVIDUALS.
AND I WANNA FIRST START BY SAYING, LIKE, I ACKNOWLEDGE THE MAYOR'S, UM, UM, THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE THAT HE DID ADDRESS THREE WEEKS AGO.
UM, AND I RECOGNIZE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP AS THE INITIATIVE BEGINS.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S CRITICAL FOR YOU TO HEAR FIRSTHAND FROM A CITIZEN, UM, WHO EXPERIENCES THE REALITY OF THIS EVERY DAY.
UM, AND THESE ARE SOME FACTS THAT I HOPE ALL OF Y'ALL ARE AWARE OF.
UM, IN 2024, JUST THIS YEAR, WE HAVE OVER 3000 INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND, UM, WHILE THIS SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE, UM, WE'RE FACING A TURNING POINT.
UH, EXPERTS WARN 60% INCREASE BY 2026.
UM, AND WE HAD THE EXPIRATION OF FEDERAL PANDEMIC RELIEF FUNDS.
UM, AND THAT'S CREATED A FUNDING GAP.
UM, THIS LEAVES MANY WITHOUT RESOURCES, AND THE CONSEQUENCES ARE EVIDENT.
I MEAN, CRIME INVOLVING HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IS RISING.
AND THE MOST CONCERNING IS IN 2022, WE HAD 250 LIVES LOST ON THE STREETS DUE TO METHAMPHETAMINE AND FENTANYL.
UM, AND, UM, SPECIFICALLY IN MY APARTMENT COMPLEX DOWN HERE IN MONTROSE, UM, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON TO ENCOUNTER AN INDIVIDUAL RELIEVING THEMSELVES, UM, NEAR MY VEHICLE OR, YOU KNOW, DOING OTHER THINGS THAT ARE QUITE CONCERNING.
UM, AND I, WHILE THESE INCIDENTS ARE VERY COMMON, UM, AND FRUSTRATING, YOU KNOW, I'M HESITANT TO REPORT THESE THINGS TO HPD BECAUSE IT'S LIKE TREATING THE SYMPTOM AND NOT THE CAUSE, YOU KNOW? AND, UM, THESE BEHAVIORS REFLECT A LARGER SYSTEMIC FAILURE TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS.
UM, AND I SEE THE $70 MILLION PLAN IS A COMMENDABLE START.
UM, AND I HOPE TO SEE IT IMPLEMENTED WITH, YOU KNOW, URGENCY, TRANSPARENCY.
UM, AND I DO PLAN ON BEING BACK, UM, IN 2025 TO GIVE EVERYONE AN UPDATE ON THAT BECAUSE, UM, I REPRESENT NOT
[01:00:01]
JUST DISTRICT C, BUT YOU KNOW, EVERYONE.UM, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM A FIRSTHAND CITIZEN THAT YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE SOME MORE.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AND, UH, CHRISTOPHER THA THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, FIRST MEETING OF NEXT YEAR QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE WILL DEAL WITH THE MAYOR'S HOMELESSNESS PLAN.
SO WE'LL HEAR FROM, UH, MIKE NICHOLS, DIRECTOR OF, UH, HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS, UH, IN CHARGE OF OUR HOMELESSNESS PLAN, AS WELL AS, UM, UH, KELLY YOUNG AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE EFFORT.
WE HAVE SOME REALLY TALENTED PEOPLE ENGAGED IN THIS EFFORT.
IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF MONEY.
AND SO WE'LL HEAR MORE DETAILS ABOUT, ABOUT THE PLAN, UH, AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.
AND I WOULD HOPE TO SEE, UM, SOME, UM, I GUESS MORE OF A DISCUSSION ON THIS GIFT THAT MACKENZIE SCOTT GAVE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, WELL, WHERE'S THAT MONEY GOING TO
COME JOIN AND, AND ASK QUESTIONS.
NEXT SPEAKER, TERRY GOLDBERG, NOAH HERNANDEZ.
UM, AFTER, AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF WORKING AT, UH, FOR, FOR EIGHT YEARS, I'M SORRY, AFTER WORKING FOR EIGHT YEARS AND NO COMPLAINTS, UM, A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, UM, BEGAN DIS DISCRIMINATION, UH, THE, THE, THE TALL GROUP, USUALLY NO DISCRIMINATION.
UM, AFTER A, A GROUP OF, UH, COWORKERS, UH, BEGAN, UM, BEGAN TO MIS ESSENTIALLY MISBEHAVE.
I WAS THE PERSON WHO WAS SINGLED OUT, UH, IN THE SITUATION, UH, AND ACCUSED OF DISCRIMINATION.
UM, UM, UM, I, I ASKED FOR FORGIVENESS AFTER, UM, UH, A PERIOD OF, OF SOME OR SOME SORT OF ALTERNATIVE, UH, FORM OF DISCIPLINE.
UM, AND I ALSO REQUEST THAT, UM, IF POSSIBLE, I, I COULD HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
UM, I'M LOOKING FOR SOME SORT OF HELP, UM, PARTICULAR LEGAL ADVICE, UM, FROM, FROM THE CITY.
UH, WELL, HE WANTS TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I ASKED HIM IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE HE'D LIKE TO DESCRIBE TO KIND OF EXPLAIN THE SCENARIO, BUT HE WOULD, HE'S NOT CONTINUING HIS TIME.
[01:05:33]
OKAY, THANK YOU.UH, COUNCILMAN, MY NAME IS DARRYL HARPER.
I'M A RESIDENT OF THE CITY GAS COMMUNITY.
I'VE BEEN THERE FOR OVER 50 YEARS, AND IN MY TIME BEING THERE, I HAVE NEVER SEEN IT.
THIS, UH, DISORIENTED IN SUCH A LONG TIME WITH THESE NO ZONING LAWS.
I'M HERE TO ASK COUNSEL TO REFORM THE NO ZONING LAWS.
I CONSIDER THOSE LAWS A NUISANCE.
IT'S AN ANYTHING GOES LAW, AND IT'S A JIM CROW LAW, AND IT SHOULD NOT BE PROHIBITED TO STAND WITHIN THE CITY GAS COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
PAULA CURRY, PAULA SMITH, PAULA SMITH, JOSEPH SMITH, ANGEL RIOS.
GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK HERE TODAY.
UM, TODAY I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON, UH, IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ACCORDING TO THE KINDER RESEARCH IS THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN FOR HOUSTONIANS.
SO PUBLIC SAFETY THROUGH ENHANCED, UH, MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE IN HOUSTON.
UM, IN 2020, I WAS, UH, DIAGNOSED WITH A DEBIL DEBILITATING MENTAL HEALTH, UH, UH, DISORDER.
AND MY FAMILY, UH, CONTACTED THE LINE TO ASK FOR A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TO, UH, HELP ME GET SOME HELP.
AND, UH, THOSE PEOPLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
AND, UM, WHAT SHOWED UP TO THE HOUSE WERE FOR ARMED POLICE OFFICERS WITH THEIR SHIELDS AND THEIR GUNS, UH, AND FIVE MORE POLICE OFFICERS DOWNSTAIRS, ALONG WITH THREE EMERGENCY, UH, EMERGENCY TECHNICIANS WITH THE AMBULANCE.
SO ABOUT MAYBE 13 PEOPLE SHOWED UP FOR A SIMPLE CRISIS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED BY ONE OR TWO PROFESSIONALS.
I PUT TOGETHER, UH, A COMPREHENSIVE, UH, PRESENTATION FOR EACH OF YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT, AND I HOPE YOU, YOU CAN LOOK AT IT AND I'LL JUST GO OVER, JUST, UH, HIGHLIGHT THE MAIN POINTS.
UM, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR TIME TO CONSIDER THIS.
HOUSTON IS A CITY OF OVER 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE, YET OUR RESPONSE TO MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IS LIMITED TO JUST 43 PERSONNEL IN OUR MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION DIVISION.
THIS IS INSUFFICIENT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR DIVERSE AND GROWING POPULATION.
BY EXPANDING THIS DIVISION AND LEARNING FROM SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS IN CITIES LIKE LA DENVER, AND SAN ANTONIO.
WE CAN REDUCE CRIME, SAVE MONEY, AND BUILD COMMUNITY TRUST.
MENTAL HEALTH CALLS ARE INCREASING EVERY YEAR, BUT OUR CURRENT RESOURCES CANNOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE
[01:10:01]
COVERAGE.FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S ONLY 18 OFFICERS AND CLINICIANS IN OUR CRISIS INTERVENTION RESPONSE TEAMS AND ONLY SIX OFFICERS IN OUR HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAMS. THIS LEAVES MANY CRISISES UNRESOLVED OR ESCALATES THEM UNNECESSARILY, CREATING A STRAIN ON OUR POLICE FORCE AND PUTTING INDIVIDUALS IN CRISIS AT GREATER RISK.
TO ADDRESS THIS, WE NEED TO GROW OUR MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION TO AT LEAST 120 TO 150 PERSONNEL, INCLUDING MORE OFFICERS, CLINICIANS, AND CRISIS TEAMS. THIS EXPANSION WOULD ENSURE FASTER RESPONSE TIMES AND DEESCALATE CRISISES, DIVERT INDIVIDUALS FROM JAILS AND HOSPITALS TO THE APPROPRIATE CARE AND FREE UP OUR PATROL OFFICERS TO FOCUS ON OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS.
OTHER CITIES THAT PROVIDE PROVEN EXAMPLES OF SUCCESS ARE DENVER'S STAR PROGRAM, WHICH SENDS NON-POLICE CRISIS TEAMS TO LOW RISK INCIDENTS, REDUCING ARREST AND SAVING RESOURCES.
SAN ANTONIO'S DIVERSION PROGRAM SAVES 50 MILLION ANNUALLY AND REDUCES JAIL BOOKINGS WHILE PROVIDING BETTER OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HAMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, ANGEL, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS, UH, ONE, I'M, I'M SORRY FOR YOUR EXPERIENCE.
YOU SAID THAT WAS WHAT YEAR? 2020.
AND I BELIEVE SINCE THAT TIME, UM, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER HAS BEEN VERY VOCAL ON THIS AND EXPANDING, UM, MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE RESOURCES FOR HPD.
AND WE HAVE BEEN EXPANDING THOSE TEAMS. UM, BUT MORE IS NEEDED.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR VOICE.
UM, THERE WAS A, A RECENT INCIDENT, UM, WHERE I, I GOT A CALL FROM SOMEONE'S ATTORNEY.
THEY WERE, UM, A SURVIVOR OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND A MINOR.
AND, UM, RATHER THAN HAVING A CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM, UM, THE OFFICER, UH, ARRESTED HER, UH, WHEN SHE WAS HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
UM, I DO KNOW THAT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS, UH, ARE COMMITTED TO DOING THE RIGHT THING AND TREATING EVERYONE WITH CARE.
BUT YOUR CASE IS AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAPPEN.
AND, UH, I'LL TAKE A, A CLOSE LOOK AT THIS.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING, WORKING WITH MY OFFICE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE ADVOCATING ON THIS ISSUE, UM, TO HEAR FROM YOU AS WELL.
CAN I LEAVE YOU JUST WITH ONE THING? THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEER AND MEDICINE SAYS THAT FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE INVEST IN MENTAL HEALTH, WE CAN SAVE THE COMMUNITY TWO TO $10 FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE INVEST.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
NEXT SPEAKER, MILLICENT HOLIDAY.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK, UM, I THANK EVERYBODY FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO SPEAK.
UH, BASICALLY I'M HERE, UM, TO SPEAK TO, UH, DISTRICT H, UH, BECAUSE, UM, I, I NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON SOME THINGS AND, UH, JUST NEED TO SEE, UH, WHERE YOU ARE OR TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE ANOTHER, UM, MEETING BECAUSE, UM, THERE HASN'T, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY FOLLOW UP WITH ANY REQUESTS THAT I'VE MADE THAT IS TO YOUR OFFICE.
AND OF COURSE WITH, UH, HPD, WHICH IS A PROBLEM, UH, BECAUSE BY THE, BY THE INACTION AND THINGS NOT, UH, BEING ADDRESSED, UH, UM, SAFETY ISSUES HAVE ESCALATED, UH, IN INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS.
AND I KEEP ASKING, I MEAN, IT IS IT SOME TYPE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, PILOT OPERATION GOING ON IN, IN INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS BECAUSE EACH TIME I ASK A QUESTION OR TRY TO GET GAIN INFORMATION, THEN IT'S NOTHING.
FOR INSTANCE, LIKE THE PUBLIC WORKS, UH, CONSTRUCTION PROJECT THAT WAS GOING ON, NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT IT, BUT IT WAS HAPPENING.
AND THEN, UM, THERE ARE OTHER, OTHER THINGS AVAILABLE, BUT BASICALLY I'M, I'M NOT GONNA JUST WASTE EVERYBODY'S TIME WITH THAT, BUT, UM, I HAVE A REAL ISSUE WITH CYBER SECURITY, UM, PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE AND OTHER DIFFERENT THINGS THAT, THAT ARE GOING ON.
UM, HAVE YOU ALL ADDRESSED THAT ON THE COUNCIL AT, AT ALL? IS THERE SOME TYPE OF COMMITTEE TO, UM, ADDRESS ADVANCED MALWARE AND SPYWARE FOR MOBILE PHONES.
THAT'S A QUESTION, UH, TO YOU, MR. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
VICE MAYOR PROTI, AND, UM, MILLICENT, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO TRY AND GET SOME INFORMATION TO YOU, UH, CALLS.
WHAT HAPPENED? I'M NOT SURE, BUT, UM, WE'VE HAD MEETINGS SET,
[01:15:01]
UM, AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD 'EM SET FROM MY OFFICE.WE'VE HAD 'EM SET FOR PHONE CALLS AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, UM, THERE'S BEEN A, A MISCOMMUNICATION.
I KNOW IT'S ALWAYS A GLITCH, RIGHT? YEAH.
THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, CYBER.
SO I'M GONNA HAVE SOMEBODY FROM MY TEAM COME AND VISIT WITH YOU HERE SO WE CAN GET, UM, WE CAN GET YOU THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE HAD.
AND WE'VE HAD SOME UPDATES, UH, RELATED TO THE HPD, UH, INQUIRIES FROM THE LAST TIME WE GOT TOGETHER.
BUT SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN.
WELL, IF YOU JUST HANG TIGHT, UHHUH, THEY'RE GONNA COME AND, UH, WE WILL GET IT STRAIGHTENED OUT WITH YOU.
AND ONE LAST THING, UM, AS FAR AS WITH THE, UH, WATER IS THE, THE, THE WATER PIPING AND STUFF LIKE THAT, ARE YOU ALL STILL USING THE OLD SYSTEM? BECAUSE THAT SYSTEM IS BEING USED IN INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS.
SO, I MEAN, WHO IS ANYONE? UH, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE WATER METERS AND PUBLIC WORKS? YEAH, THE OLD WATER LINE.
WELL, LET ME GET SOME MORE INFORMATION FOR, FROM YOU ON THAT.
'CAUSE WE ARE GOING THROUGH, UH, WATER METER REPLACEMENT PROGRAM AT THE MOMENT.
UH, TO REPLACE EVERYBODY'S OLD METERS.
UM, AND THAT MAY BE WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
SO WHAT ARE YOU REFERRING TO? UH, I'M, I'M, I'M REFERRING TO THE ACTUAL, UM, UH, OLD WATER PIPES OF FENCES THAT WERE ESTABLISHED WHEN INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS WERE ESTABLISHED.
AND AS FAR AS MY WATER METER, UM, AND JUST LIKE WITH THE GAS METER, YOU ALL SAID THAT I HAD, UM, A SMART METER.
HOWEVER, LIKE LAST MONTH, WE WERE CHARGED FOR 7,000 GALLONS OF WATER FOR TWO PEOPLE LIVING IN A OLD HOUSE.
AND IT'S BEEN TR I, I HAVE ADDRESSED THAT ISSUE MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES.
I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO SOME, LET US HELP YOU ON THAT.
AND IN FACT, UM, ONCE YOU, ONCE YOU STEP BACK, TY'S GONNA COME OVER AND, UM, WE'LL GET MORE INFORMATION ON YOUR WATER ISSUE AND THEN WE WILL HAVE UPDATES FOR YOU ON THE HPD ISSUES YOU BROUGHT UP TO, TO US LAST TIME YOU MET.
WELL, CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
I AM THE CEO AND FOUNDER OF, IF YOU COULD SPEAK IN FRONT OF THE MICROPHONE.
HI, Y'ALL DOING, MY NAME IS EDWARD DEAN.
I'M THE CEO AND FOUNDER OF AVENGERS YOUTH MENTORING ORGANIZATION.
THIS IS MY SECOND VISIT HERE, COMING WITH MY HANDS OUT, SAYING THAT I WANT TO HELP.
SO I'VE BEEN TEACHING FOR OVER 14 YEARS.
WE ARE IN THE SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY.
I SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY.
SO WE DEVELOPED A WHOLE SCHOOL MODEL TO START A SCHOOL, A CHARTER SCHOOL IN THE, IN THE SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY WITH A BUSINESS COMPONENT.
UM, I'VE NOTICED THAT IN MY TEACHING, THAT KIDS THAT DOES APPLIED WORK, IT WORKS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, JUST DON'T IMPLEMENT IT.
BUT I DEVELOP, WE DEVELOP A WHOLE BIG CURRICULUM TIED TO THE TE STANDARDS WHERE THEY WILL DO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INSTEAD OF READING REGULAR BOOKS.
THEY'LL BE READING GRANTS AND PROPOSALS.
THEY'LL BE WRITING GRANTS, WRITING PROPOSALS.
THEY'LL BE CHANGING THE COMMUNITY RIGHT FROM WITHIN THE SCHOOL.
EVERY STUDENT WILL BE OUT IN THE FIELD BUILDING BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY AND WILL BE A BUSINESS COMPONENT, FINANCIAL LITERACY, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
THEY WILL LEAD, UM, TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
THEY WILL ASK THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT FROM SIXTH TO 12TH GRADE, STARTING WITH SIXTH GRADE AS A COHORT, MOVING UP TO 12TH GRADE.
WE'VE ALL, WE ARE ACTUALLY SUBMITTING OUR CHARTER APPLICATION WITH TEA, UM, THIS THURSDAY.
I'VE SENT A COUPLE OF EMAILS OUT.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO MEET, I KNOW, UM, MS. SHABAZZ IS DISTRICT DI, UM, AND I AM AWARE THAT YOUR JOB IS A HEAVY LOAD, SO YOU CAN'T GET TO EVERYBODY, UM, AT A CERTAIN TIME.
I'M ALREADY CONNECTED TO THAT COMMUNITY.
AND WE ALSO JUST RECEIVED THE LOA, WHICH IS A LETTER OF INSURANCE FROM A CASHIER GARDENS AS WELL, TO DO WORK IN THAT COMMUNITY AS WELL.
SO WE WOULD START OFF WITH TWO CHART, WE'LL DO ONE AND THEN START ANOTHER ONE.
WE ALREADY HAVE UNIVERSITY OF ST.
THOMAS WHO SENT US A LETTER OF INSURANCE THAT THEY WANT TO BE A PART.
WE ALSO HAVE WORKFORCE SOLUTION.
I'M HERE TODAY ASKING FOR YOUR HELP.
WE JUST NEED THAT EXTRA PUSH OVER BEFORE WE SUBMIT OUR CHARTER APPLICATION.
MAYBE THERE'S AN OLD ABANDONED BUILDING THAT'S OWNED BY THE CITY THAT YOU NEED TO BE REDEVELOPED.
OR MAYBE YOU HAVE SOME FUNDING THAT YOU CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, SUBMIT TO US SO THAT WE CAN GET IT DONE.
WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU TO MAKE THE CITY A BETTER PLACE.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WAS IT'S TIME SENSITIVE.
NOW, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO, TO, TO GET HERE.
WE SENT ONE OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES HERE LAST WEEK, BUT THEY COULDN'T GET, HE DIDN'T GET ON THE AGENDA IN TIME, BUT I
[01:20:01]
KNOW HE DID SPEAK, I THINK HE SPOKE WITH MS. SHABA.UH, UM, SO THE DEADLINE IS THURSDAY.
WE DON'T, ALL WE NEED IS A LETTER OF ASSURANCE.
AND THAT LETTER IS ONLY IN EFFECT IF THE CHARTER IS APPROVED.
IF IT'S NOT APPROVED, THEN OF COURSE WE GOTTA START BACK AT THE DRAWING BOARD.
BUT WE WANNA HELP A SCHOOL THAT TEACH KIDS HOW TO ACTUALLY REBUILD THEIR COMMUNITY, MEET WITH YOU ALL, COME UP HERE AND TALK TO YOU ALL.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S THE NEW WAY OF EDUCATION.
UM, UH, ONE PRINCIPAL, WHEN I WAS TEACHING IN NORTH SIDE, THE PRINCIPAL THAT WAS THERE ALLOWED ME TO HAVE FREE RANGE.
THOSE KIDS STARTED BUSINESSES AND DID THEIR OWN POP UP, UM, UM, EVENT WHERE THEY WERE SELLING STUFF DURING LUNCHTIME AND THEY PROFITED ON IT.
BUT THEN THE PRINCIPAL LEFT THE SCHOOL AND THEY STOPPED LETTING ME WORK.
I WILL BUILD A PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN START OUR OWN SCHOOL AND USE THESE KIDS TO BUILD THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.
SO MY NAME IS EDWARD DEAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, IT IS TIME SENSITIVE, SO IF YOU ALL AS A UNIT, UM, CAN DISCUSS IT OR MAYBE, UM, DR.
SHABAZZ'S OFFICE, ALL WE NEED IS A LETTER SAYING THAT YOU SUPPORT THE VISION AND WE SUBMIT IT TO TEA ON THURSDAY.
UH, VICE MAYOR PER TIM, AND CERTAINLY THANK YOU, EDWARD.
ACTUALLY, UM, THERE IS A LETTER THAT WAS DROPPED TO ME FOR ME TO APPROVE IT SO THAT I CAN SUPPORT YOUR PROJECT.
SO VERY, UH, HAPPY THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN ON THIS INITIATIVE.
AND, UH, I JUST GOT BACK AND SO I DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
I DID EVERYTHING I COULD TO GET IN HERE.
AND SO WHEN I, UH, READ THAT LETTER, I CERTAINLY WILL, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT IN, UH, NO LATER THAN TOMORROW.
SO THAT YOU WILL HAVE THAT WITH YOU AND CERTAINLY, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH US.
IT MAY BE, YOU NEVER KNOW, THERE MAY BE SOME OPPORTUNITY, UH, WITH A BUILDING OR WHATEVER, BUT IF YOU DON'T TRY, IT'LL NEVER WORK.
AND SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
BUT YOU SHOULD HEAR FROM MY OFFICE BY TOMORROW.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON FOR A PROCEDURAL MOTION.
UM, I MOVE TO SUSPENDED ROOTS TO ADD SHARDAY HO AT THE BOTTOM OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST AFTER ANTHONY JOHNSON.
DANIEL ZILLA, RICHARD BERNHARDT.
HELLO, MR. MAYOR WHO'S NOT HERE, AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I HAVE TWO TOPICS TO SPEAK ON TODAY.
THE DEPLORABLE HEAVY TRASH PICKUP AND THE CONTINUOUS GUN FIRING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LAST TWO DECADES.
I HAVE WORKED IN OVER 35 COUNTRIES AND ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES AND ALL THE PLACES I HAVE BEEN.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MUCH INCOMPETENCE AS I HAVE SEEN WITH OUR HAVE TRASH PICKUP.
ON OCTOBER 15TH, 2021, MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER HIRED MR. WOOLFOLK TO BE DIRECTOR OF THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT FOR HIS ABILITY TO DEVELOP LONG RANGE PLANNING GOALS TO IMPROVE OUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT.
HE HAS FAILED IN HIS JOB DESCRIPTION OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS AND SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH SOMEONE ELSE WHO CAN DO HIS JOB PROPERLY IF HE IS NOT WILLING TO DO SO.
I HAVE READ MR. WILLOX EXCUSES ON THE INTERNET ON WHY HE CANNOT DO HIS JOB PROPERLY AND HIS EXCUSES HAVE FALLEN ON THE DEAF EARS OF THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
THIS LAST SATURDAY, MY HEAVY TRASH WAS PICKED UP AFTER A MONTH AND A HALF, AND A FRIEND OF MINE'S TRASH WAS OUT FOR OVER THREE MONTHS, AND IT HAD, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE FOR IT TO BE PICKED UP IF IT HADN'T HAVE BEEN FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE CONSTANTLY CALLING FOR THREE WEEKS FOR THIS MAN OR HIS DEPARTMENT TO GET THINGS DONE.
AND SO, AND ALSO, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ STAFF HELPED AS WELL.
SO I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL, BUT, UH, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT ALL THIS AND THE GUN FIRING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, SERGEANT CARR REACHED OUT TO ME THIS MORNING, AND HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE HERE THIS MORNING IN, UH, OR THIS AFTERNOON, AND HE SAID
[01:25:01]
HE WOULD HELP ME WITH THIS MATTER.SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME AND THANK Y'ALL FOR WHAT Y'ALL DO BECAUSE MY BACK HAS BEEN HURTING SITTING OVER THERE.
SO Y'ALL SITTING HERE ALL DAY LONG.
I KNOW YOUR BODY ARE REALLY HURTING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M SAVON MOORE, AND AS WE CLOSE OUT THIS YEAR, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT AND EXPRESS MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO THOSE WHO HAVE STOOD FOR ACTION AND PROGRESS IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
TO MAYOR WHITMEYER, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, THANK YOU FOR BEING CHAMPIONS OF DISASTER RESILIENCE AND SHOWING WHAT LEADERSHIP AND ACTION LOOKS LIKE.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, MARTINEZ AND RAMIREZ, YOUR ATTENDANCE AT THE TOWN HALL FOR SERGIO RODRIGUEZ DEMONSTRATED YOUR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND IT DID NOT GO UNNOTICED.
YOU WERE ALREADY FIGHTING FOR REAL'S SAFETY IN DENVER HARBOR EARLIER THIS YEAR.
THIS HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING YEAR FOR MANY REASONS, BUT ONE OF THE HARDEST REALITIES I FACE AS HISD TRUSTEE FOR MY DISTRICT IS KNOWING MY OWN CHILDREN AND OTHER CHILDREN CROSS DANGEROUS RAILWAYS TO GET TO SCHOOL.
TO THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN OF MILBY HIGH SCHOOL AND HONOR THE MEMORY OF SERGIO RODRIGUEZ REMINDS US OF THE URGENT NEED FOR SAFETY MEASURES.
YET I'M ENCOURAGED TO KNOW THAT OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES HAVE COMMITTED TO BUILDING A SKY BRIDGE TO PROTECT THE MILBY STUDENTS.
MY DISTRICT HOLDS FOR THE MOST DANGEROUS CROSSINGS IN OUR CITY.
I HOPE THIS BODY WITH ITS WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND RELATIONSHIPS, CAN UNITE ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO COLLABORATE ON THE SOLUTION.
I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND US REPRESENTATIVE GARCIA FOR CHAMPION, A BILL TO CREATE TRAIN CROSSING ZONES AND CROSSING GUARDS WHILE WE AWAIT STATE AND FEDERAL ACTION.
I URGE THE CITY TO CONSIDER POLITIC A LOCAL VERSION OF THIS INITIATIVE.
WE ASK SCHOOLS ZONES FOR CARS.
ADDITIONALLY, I'M REQUESTING YOUR HELP TO ESTABLISH A QUIET ZONE FOR LYONS AVENUE AND ST.
ELMO STREET TO BRING RELIEF FROM THE RELENTLESS NOISE OF UNION PACIFIC TRAINS.
I REQUESTED THIS EARLIER THIS YEAR AS WELL.
OUR CHILDREN, ELDERS, VETERANS, AND BUSINESS OWNERS DESERVE PEACE IN THEIR HOMES AND NEIGHBORS.
AND LET US ALSO NOT FORGET THAT A HANDICAP, UM, MAN, MY NEIGHBOR WAS KILLED AT THAT SAME CROSSING.
SO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONCERNED FOR REAL SAFETY THERE AS WELL.
LASTLY, MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT UNUSUALLY HIGH WATER BILLS.
SOME SEEN OF 50 TO A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
NEIGHBORS ARE TEXTING EACH OTHER AND POSTING ON NEXTDOOR, COMPARING BILLS.
I KINDLY ASK THAT YOUR TEAM INVESTIGATES THIS MATTER TO ENSURE FAIRNESS FOR OUR RESIDES THIS YEAR.
YOU ALL HAVE SHOWN ME THE POWER OF LISTENING CONSTITUENTS AND ACTING QUICKLY.
YOU HAVE SET AN EXAMPLE THAT INSPIRES ME AS A PUBLIC SERVANT.
AND FOR THAT, I'M DEEPLY GRATEFUL.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT ALL OF YOU WILL DO IN 2025 FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU, YOUR FAMILIES, AND MAY GOD BLESS HOUSTON AND THANK YOU, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT EVEN IN YOUR OWN HOUSE, YOU GO THROUGH THINGS AND YOU KNOW, MY WIFE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL WITH A STROKE AND I SAW HIM IN THE ELEVATOR.
I ASKED FOR PRAYER, AND THAT EVENING THEY RELEASED HER.
SO, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS FOR ALL OF YOU.
NEXT SPEAKER, RODNEY UNDERWOOD.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU COULD SPEAK AT THE MICROPHONE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? UH, I'VE BEEN HAVING REAL PROBLEMS WITH MY WATER SERVICE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'VE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE EVER SINCE THE STORM.
WE'VE HAD BROKEN LINES AND WATER THAT'S CO CONSISTENTLY RUNNING AND GETTING BACK, UH, FROM THE, UH, SEWAGE.
WE, UH, BEEN WORKING WITH THIS, UH, CITY, CONSTANTLY TRYING TO FIND OUT WHERE THE BREAK WAS AT AND WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND WAS IT ON THEIR SIDE OF THE, UH, AREA OR WAS IT MINE? WELL, THE FIRST TIME WE, UH, DUG THE LINE UP AND WE FOUND OUT THAT WHERE WE DUG THE LINE UP AND
[01:30:01]
THEN THE CITY CAME BEHIND ME AND THEY DUG IT UP.THEY FOUND OUT THAT THE, UH, LINE RAN IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
WE DID EXACTLY WHAT THE CITY ASKED US TO DO.
WE DUG UP OUR LINE SO THAT THEY COULD, UH, TEST THE LINE OUT AND FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
FIND OUT THAT THE LINE THAT WAS BROKEN WAS ON THEIR SIDE OF THE EASEMENT.
AND BECAUSE OF THE EASEMENT, IT RAN TO THE SEWER LINE AND THE PRINT THAT THEY HAD.
I HAD TO GO DOWN TO THE, UH, UH, PLUMBING BOARD, THE PLUMBING, AND GET A COPY OF, UH, THAT, UH, PRINT SO THAT THEY COULD SEE WHERE THE BRAKE WAS AT.
WELL, THE PERSON THAT CAME OUT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO FIX THE BRAKE, HE FIXED IT.
AND WE NO LONGER HAVE THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY'RE STILL RIGHT ME TICKETS ALMOST EVERY DAY.
AND I'VE BEEN TO DIFFERENT COURTS TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS, BECAUSE I'M WRITING TICKETS.
EACH ONE OF THOSE TICKETS IS A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND SO THEIR ANSWER TO THE WHOLE SITUATION WAS TO PUT THIS, UH, LIEN AGAINST THE PROPERTY.
WELL, I WANTED, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS GUY, UH, PROBLEM IS OR WHATEVER.
HE CALLS ME UP AND HE TELLS ME I'M GONNA BE WRITING MORE TICKETS.
I SAID, WE'RE NOT HAVING NO LEAKS.
HE SAID, YEAH, BUT YOU DIDN'T COME UP THE HOLE.
YOU SAID THAT YOU WANTED THE HOLE OPEN SO THAT YOU COULD GO AND RUN YOUR TEST.
IF YOU WANT ME TO CO COVER THE HOLE UP, JUST SAY WE WE'RE DONE.
BUT WE JUST, WE GOT, WE GOT, WE GOT BAD ATION BETWEEN THEM AND I.
BUT RIGHT NOW, I HAD SOMEBODY TAKE A LOOK AT MY, UH, SITUATION.
FOUND OUT THAT I'VE GOT, I GOT TO BE IN COURT, THE, UH, 6TH OF JUNE, SIXTH OF JU UH, JANUARY.
WELL, IT'S NOT ONLY JUST THAT, IT'S A FACT THAT THEY PUT A WARRANT OUT ON MY ARREST THAT I SAID, I KNOW YOU DO SOME RIGHTS.
I DO HAVE THE PRINTS TO SHOW THAT THIS BREAK ON THE CITY SIDE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, SAL OR CHRISTOPHER FROM PUBLIC WORKS IS, UM, IF YOU COULD WORK WITH PUBLIC WORKS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE TO GET YOU ALL OF THE INFORMATION, UM, RIGHT BACK HERE.
UM, COLLEAGUES, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AND, UH, RECOGNIZE A VERY SPECIAL GUEST IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.
UM, WE HAVE OFFICER DANIEL AND HIS FATHER WITH US.
UH, OFFICER DANIEL, DO YOU WANNA STAND UP IF YOU'RE FEELING LIKE IT? OH NO.
YOU WANNA COME SAY A FEW WORDS REALLY QUICKLY, IF I CAN MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO INVITE OFFICER DANIEL UP FOR A MOMENT.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
HEY, COME ON UP TO THIS MICROPHONE RIGHT HERE.
NOW, YOU HAVE A VERY SPECIAL STORY.
UM, YOU HAVE BEEN SWORN IN AS AN OFFICER OVER 907 AS OF TWO DAYS AGO AS 907 TIMES AS OF TWO DAYS AGO.
UH, YOU ARE ONE OF THE STRONGEST, MOST COURAGEOUS HUMAN BEINGS I KNOW.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOUR DAD FOR COMING UP HERE TOO AND BRINGING HIM.
DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? I HOPE YOU KNOW, I GOTTA COME OVER HERE AND GIVE YOU A HUG.
WELL, IF I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A HUG, I'M GONNA HAVE TO GIVE EVERYBODY ELSE ONE
UM, FORTUNATELY, DEBARGE HAS THREE BRAND NEW TUMORS.
UM, WHEN BERYL CAME, WE LOST ELECTRICITY FOR THREE WEEKS AND HIS MEDICINE WENT BAD.
SO NOW HE HAS ONE HERE AND ONE HERE AND ONE THERE.
BUT, UH, HE DID GET TO, UH, REPRESENT HOUSTON IN THE STATE OF TEXAS WITH THE POLICE UNIFORMS. HE TOOK 14 OVER TO GO MEET THE POP IN ITALY FOR A PRIVATE MEETING, AND THEY PUT HIM IN THE HEALING SPRING.
AND SO FIOLA, UH, FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TOOK HIM OVER AND GOT HIM SWORN IN WITH ITALIAN.
HE'S STILL BEEN GOING EVERYWHERE, GETTING SWORN IN, TOOK HIM TO BIRMINGHAM.
I DROVE HIM THERE, DROVE HIM UP TO SARANAC, NEW YORK.
UM, HE JUST DID, UH, JASPER, TEXAS.
I THINK THIS IS HIS 11TH OR 12TH KEY THAT HE HAS.
SO P DIDDY APPARENTLY HAD THE, THE KEYS, BUT HE GOT BEAT BY A LITTLE 13-YEAR-OLD GOING 60.
[01:35:01]
DO MORE.AND SO HE WANTED TO SHARE THESE THINGS WITH YOU TODAY.
UM, JUST SO YOU CAN SEE THE WORK THAT HE'S STILL DOING, CONSIDERING WHAT HE'S UP AGAINST.
SO JUST TO, JUST UNWAVERING HIS SPIRIT OF FOLKS HERE IN HOUSTON, EVERYWHERE ELSE THAT WE'VE MET IS WHY HE'S STILL HERE TODAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DEALT WITH OR WHATEVER THE DOCTORS TELL YOU IS WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU ALL ARE ON HERE RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU WAS DOING, AND YOU'RE A MASTER OF YOUR CRAFT NOW.
SO, YOU ALL KNOW WHAT, I CAME UP HERE LAST TIME AND I ANNOUNCED, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY, IT, IT WAS AN EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT AS FOR HIM, I, YOU ALL, IF Y'ALL WOULD, JUST TAKING AN APPLAUSE FOR YOURSELF.
'CAUSE IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU ALL AND EVERYONE BACK HERE, HE WOULDN'T BE HERE RIGHT NOW.
AND IT'S GETTING A LITTLE ROUGHER THESE DAYS.
BUT WE GONNA STILL, STILL KEEP GOING.
BUT HE WANTED TO COME AND SHARE THIS WITH Y'ALL BECAUSE YOU DESERVE TO SHARE THIS MOMENT WITH HIM.
CAN I COME TO, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE GO.
YOU WANNA COME UP HERE AND GIVE ALL OF US A HUG? SURE.
WHILE HE'S FINISHING UP THE HUGS.
BRAD SAMPSON AND COUNCIL, WE IN HOUSTON HAVE A BIG, IF YOU COULD SPEAK IN FRONT OF THAT MICROPHONE, IS THE PEOPLE FROM MIDDLE EAST FAMILY OF CAAN, THEY BRING TO THE HOUSTON
THEY USE IT, THE WOMAN AS THE PROSTITUTE AND SEX SLAVES.
WHAT THEY, WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER THINGS? I, MY WIFE SOLD MY, UH, CAR.
SHE SAYS THE CAR DIDN'T PICK UP.
AND THE SO-CALLED BIG SHOT, UH, JUDGE FROM THE 12, UH, CALLED 12 MUNICIPAL COURT.
HE GIVE THE ORDER TO TURN DOWN MY HOUSE.
MY HOUSE IS HOMESTEAD DISABLED, I'M VETERAN AND I'M NOT ALLOWED.
THAT IS BECAUSE MY FAMILY WAS YOU AND FIVE, UH, FOUR OR FOUR, FOUR GENERATION OF J AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT IS NOT FAIR WITH ME.
YOU KNOW, AND I WANT TO FIGHT FOR HOUSTON.
I SEE IT, YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN HOUSTON?
[01:40:01]
THEY, THEY COME TO EVEN ON, UH, 20 AFTER THIS HIGH SCHOOL, SMALL PIMP MAKE A FRIENDS AND THEY WANT ENTICE, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN 12, 13 YEARS OLD.MY WIFE, SHE'S PIMP, SHE'S PIMPING BY THE NETTE, THE WOMAN, THIRD WOMAN FROM THE LAW LIBRARY, ALL THE WOMAN, BECAUSE I CHECK IT UP.
EVERYTHING ON THE, ON THE GOOGLE OLD FAMILY ARE PIMPING OTHER PEOPLE.
AND THEY USING MY WIFE AS A SLAVE, SHE GOT SOCIAL SECURITY ACT FROM ME BECAUSE I, SHE NEVER WORKED BECAUSE SHE'S MENTAL.
SHE HAVE A RECORD FROM POLAND.
SHE HAVE A RECORD OVER HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND THAT'S WHAT I GOT, YOU KNOW, MY SON AND HER AND HER AND YOU KNOW, I NEEDED HELP, REALLY HELP, YOU KNOW, JUST, SHE PUT ME TWO TIMES TO THE PRISON, BUT SHE IS, BECAUSE I INTERFERE.
YOU KNOW, SHE, SHE, SHE, SEBASTIAN, PLEASE.
THERE ONLY ONE PERSON AT THE MICROPHONE AT A TIME.
HE WANTED TO TALK, TALK, YOU KNOW, UH, HE DON'T UNDERSTAND BECAUSE HE'S BLIND DAMAGE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, HE BEEN BORN WITH THE, THE, HE BEEN BORN.
I CAN PUT HIM ON, UH, IN MY, UH, HAND.
BUT I BEEN TELLING PUT HIM SO MUCH BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, THERE, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THINGS, THE WATER, WATER IN MY PLACE, THEY PUT, NO, I PAID.
SIR, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
SO, JAMES FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS RIGHT HERE.
ANTHONY JOHNSON, AMY ERICKSON.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M HERE, UM, TODAY TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE THIS YEAR.
IT'S BEEN A, A EVENTFUL YEAR, PRODUCTIVE YEAR.
AND I WOULD LIKE SOME CONVERSATIONS TO, UM, CONTINUE SURROUNDING RAIL SAFETY.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALKS HAPPENING THIS LAST WEEK AND THIS WEEK.
UM, WE, SO I KNOW THERE'S BEEN TALKS OF A LIST OF 35 CRITICAL CROSSINGS THAT THE CITY HAS IDENTIFIED WHILE THE, UM, HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS IDENTIFIED A LIST OF NINE.
I'VE LOOKED AT THESE NINE, TWO OF THEM ARE IN DISTRICT.
I, UM, THREE OF THEM, MCREYNOLDS, ROOSEVELT AND BURNETT ARE IN DISTRICT H, FOREST BROOK, CASHMERE AND COOK ARE IN DISTRICT B.
AND, UH, WALL TRIP IS IN DISTRICT C.
UM, I'VE LOOKED AT THESE AND ONE OF THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, TIINA IS, UM, THERE'S A SMALL POPULATION THAT CROSSES TRACKS AND ONLY, UM, THERE'S ALREADY AN EXISTING OVERPASS.
UM, ROOSEVELT, FOR EXAMPLE, IN DISTRICT H HAS TRACKS NEARBY, BUT NO ONE CROSSES TRACKS TO GET TO SCHOOL.
YOU, YOU CAN HAVE, YOU CAN HAVE MY TIME.
UM, BURNETT, THERE IS, AGAIN, A SMALL AREA, BUT IT'S, UM, PRETTY FAR AWAY AND IT ALREADY HAS AN UNDERPASS NEARBY.
SO MY CONCERN IS THAT THE LIST THAT MIKE MILES IDENTIFIED ISN'T REALLY A GOOD THOUGHT, THOUGHT OUT LIST.
AND I WOULD LIKE THE CITY, CITY AND THE, UH, DISTRICT TO COLLABORATE.
I LOVE TO HEAR THESE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, MANY KIDS, NO, NO KIDS DESERVE TO HAVE TO CROSS A, A DANGEROUS SITUATION TO GET TO SCHOOL.
AND I'D LIKE TO KEEP THAT MOMENTUM GOING AND THE CONVERSATIONS GOING.
FIRST, I WANT TO GIVE HONOR TO GOD AND SAY THANK YOU
[01:45:01]
TO MAYOR PETRON AND ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.AND IT'S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW AFTER THIS YOUNG MAN WALKING MIRACLE HERE.
I AM THE MOTHER OF MACKENZIE TATE, AND I AM THE NEIGHBOR OF GOLD STAR MEDAL.
THEY ARE TRULY IN MY BACKYARD, BY THE WAY OF CITY GAS, TEXAS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR MY AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO VISUALIZE HOW IT FEELS TO WAKE UP ON FIRE.
YOUR THROAT AND YOUR EYES BURNING FROM POLLUTION BURNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AROUND THREE OR 4:00 AM WAKING UP THINKING YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE.
BUT WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE, THE FIRE IS IN YOUR BACKYARD.
LITERALLY, YOU CAN SEE THE BLACK SMOKE ON A BLACK NIGHT THAT'S AS THICK AS COTTON.
THIS IS POISON THAT IS COMING IN MY HOUSE EVERY DAY.
THIS IS WHAT I GO THROUGH EVERY NIGHT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, POLLARD, YOU CAN HAVE MY TIME.
THIS IS WHAT I GO THROUGH EVERY NIGHT, HAVING GOLD STAR MEDALS.
MY NEIGHBOR, I WALK FROM HOME.
I WORKED FROM HOME FOR OVER THREE YEARS, AND I'VE HAD TO PUT MY STUDENTS ON HOLD SO THAT I CAN GO AND VOMIT JUST SO THAT I CAN TALK CLEAR.
BECAUSE GOLD STAR MEDALS ARE BURNING ALL THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS WELL, AGAIN.
AND I HAVE TO WEAR A MASK IN MY OWN HOME BECAUSE THE POLLUTION IS SO THICK.
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE BEING A NEIGHBOR TO GOLD STAR MEDAL.
AND I'M CALLING IN ALL OF MY AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DISTRICT B TO PROTECT ME, ME, AND MY FAMILY, BUT ALSO ADVOCATE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY TOGETHER SO THAT WE ARE DEMANDING TO DENY GOLD STAR METAL IN LAPORTE AND IN CITY GAS.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, TO STOP GOLD STAR METAL FROM BURNING DUMPING IN OUR SEWAGES AND POISONING MY SOIL THAT MY KIDS PLAY IN.
I DO NOT LIKE LIVING IN WASTE, NOR DO I LIKE MY WASTE IN SEWERS.
AND TO STOP THE METAL RECYCLING PERIOD, METAL EQUALS POISON AND IT'S DIRECTLY IN MY YARD.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF Y'ALL'S TIME AND CONCERN.
AND MACKENZIE, JANA TATE SAYS HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER.
UM, MS. SDA, WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR LAST NAME? I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T GET HOGUE HOGUE.
H-O-A-G-E-H-O-G-U-E-H-O-G-U-E? YES, SIR.
ARE YOU, YOU'RE WITH MS. RIVERA? THAT'S MY OTHER NEIGHBOR, YES, MA'AM.
SO, UM, I HAD MY, ONE OF MY TEAM MEMBERS, UH, WHO'S SITTING THERE, COME TO TALK TO MS. RIVERA BECAUSE I REMEMBER HER COMING BEFORE AND TO GET HER INFORMATION.
AND, UM, WE'LL SET UP A TIME TO COME SEE YOU ON THURSDAY.
THANK YOU MS. HO, FOR COMING IN AND, UM, SHARING YOUR STORY.
UM, I KNOW THAT THIS COMPANY, THEY WILL, GOLD MEDAL WILL BE IN COURT ON JANUARY THE 10TH.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE PRESENT AT COURT.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, ROUND UP THE NEIGHBORS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE THE COURT, UM, BASICALLY BACK US UP ON GETTING THEM SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN.
SO, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED ADVOCACY AND YOUR SITUATION, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS BEING RESOLVED SO MUCH.
NEXT SPEAKER, NEXT SPEAKER IS JOHN NICKS.
JOHN NICKS, CAROLYN RIVERA, MS. RIVERA.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I REALLY DON'T THINK I CAN TALK TODAY AND I'M JUST WAITING TO COME BACK NEXT WEEK BECAUSE I'M REALLY FULL.
BUT I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
CAROLYN, THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT ADVOCATE FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR THE CITY.
WE, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND WE WISH YOU THE BEST THIS, THIS HOLIDAY.
[01:50:01]
YOU.NEXT SPEAKER THAT COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS FOR TODAY.
[RECESS]
THANK YOU.WE STAND IN RECESS UNTIL 9:00 AM TOMORROW.
OFFICER CHAMBER, I'M ABOUT TO READ THE DESCRIPTION OF CAPTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR THE WEEK.
ITEM ONE, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE REAPPOINTMENT OF SETH HOPKINS HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE TO POSITION SIX OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 15, EAST DOWNTOWN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE.
ITEM TWO, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE REAPPOINTMENT OF S HOPKINS HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE TO POSITION SIX OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
ITEM THREE, OWNERS APPROPRIATING THREE HUNDRED SIXTY ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTEEN THOUSAND NINE CENTS AND $332,711 AND 17 CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TOTAL CONTRACTING LIMITED.
ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF CHANGE.
ORDER NUMBER 11 AND WATER TO TOTAL CONTRACTING LIMITED FOR NSR 4 54 SUB SUB-PROJECT ONE.
THIS ITEM SHOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER PASSAGE OF ITEM THREE ABOVE.
ITEM FIVE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $1,906,858 AND 70 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT T CONSTRUCTION LLC ITEM SIX, APPROVED SPRINGING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF A SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTION CUSTOMIZATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CITY'S MARKETPLACE APPLICATION WITH EQUAL LEVEL INK.
ITEM SEVEN, APPROVED SPRINTING AUTHORITY AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $353,350 IN THOSE CENTS FOR PURCHASE OF VARIOUS RESCUE AND EXTRICATION TOOLS FROM ADVANCED RESCUE SYSTEMS. ITEM EIGHT, APPROVED SPRINTING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF GENERAL HARDWARE TOOLS FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT THROUGH OMNI APARTMENTS CORPORATE AGREEMENT VENDOR MIDWEST MOTOR SUPPLY CODE INC.
ITEM NINE, BOAT RIGHT MARINE INC.
FOR PURCHASE OF A RESCUE BOAT.
ITEM 10, DOGGETT HEAVY MACHINERY SERVICES LLC FOR PURCHASE OF VARIOUS TRAILERS.
ITEM 11, THE PROOF SPRINTING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF POSTAGE AND THE LEASE OF ONE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE MEDIUM MAIL POSTAGE MACHINE FROM PITNEY BOWES INC.
ITEM 12 IS PROOF SPRINTING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF HVAC EQUIPMENT, MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS, REPAIRS, AND OR REPLACEMENTS THROUGH THE OMNIA COOPERATIVE VENDOR DAIKIN APPLIED AMERICA'S INC.
ITEM 13, FARBER SPECIALTY VEHICLES INC.
FOR PURCHASE OF ONE MOBILE STOREFRONT RV UNIT.
ITEM 14, PATRICIA TECH SUPPLY AND SERVICE FOR PURCHASE OF SOLAR BATTERIES.
ITEM 15, AMEND MOTION 20 23 4 38 FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF BLOWER RENTAL AWARDED TO LONE STAR BLOWER INC.
ITEM 16 RESOLUTION AMENDING EXHIBIT B OF RESOLUTION 2011 DASH 15 RELATING TO DESIGNATING HOUSTON HEIGHTS HISTORICAL DISTRICT SOUTH ITEM 17 ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING DELEGATED AUTHORITY RELATING TO AIRPORT SYSTEM INFERIOR LIEN REVENUE BONDS.
ITEM 18 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND GREENBURG TRIAL RIG LLP ITEM 19 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND MCCALL PARKHURST AND HORTON LLP ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOUSTON'S CAPITAL, INVESTING IN DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYMENT OF ADULTS.
ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SEPARATE RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND SIR JOBS FOR PROGRESS OF THE TEXAS GULF COAST INC.
ITEM 22 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO TO LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS AS LANDLORD AND HOUSTON HANGAR COMPANY LLCS TENANT ITEM 23 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $300,000 IN NO CENTS OUT OF EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION CONSOLIDATED FUND FOR VEHICLES AND RELATED EQUIPMENT.
ITEM 24, ORDINANCE PERMITTING ORDINANCE 20 11 2 26 TO INCREASE SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR TOWER LICENSE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS LICENSEE AND PINNACLE TOWERS ASSET HOLDING LLC LICENSE SOAR ITEM 25 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ONE HCG MANAGEMENT, L-L-C-D-B-A HONESTY CONSTRUCTION GROUP AND TWO MEDCO RESPIRATORY INSTRUMENTS, INC.
DBA AVIANNA HEALTHCARE MEDICAL SOLUTIONS.
ITEM 26 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATED $1,700,000 IN THOSE CENTS OUT OF AIRPORTS RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT FUND AS ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND FREEZE AND NICHOLS INC.
ITEM 27, ORDINANCE APPRO APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING DERIVATIVE OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND VERSA CREATIVE GROUP LLC ITEM 28, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING
[01:55:01]
AGREEMENTS BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ONE GTE MOBILE NET OF SOUTH TEXAS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP DBA VERIZON WIRELESS AND TWO AT AND T CORP.ITEM 29, ORDINANCE AWARDING CONTRACT WESTERN HORTICULTURAL SERVICES LP ITEM 30, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND SYMMETRICAL INC.
ITEM 31 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND POLY MASTER INC.
ITEM 32, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE TO AMEND IN THE LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL ITEM 33, ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF GRANT APPLICATION TO THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVISION FOR THE FY 2024 INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN TASK FORCE GRANT.
ITEM 34 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATE AND $1,720,000 OUT OF FY 2025 POLICE CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND FOR HELICOPTER REPAIRS.
ITEM 35 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES OF THE 800 BLOCK OF EUCLID STREET BETWEEN WATSON AND JULIAN STREET.
ITEM 36 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE OF THE 2300 BLOCK OF SUNSET BOULEVARD BETWEEN MORNINGSIDE DRIVE AND GREENBRIER DRIVE.
ITEM 2037 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE OF 200 BLOCK OF MUNFORD STREET BETWEEN HARVARD STREET AND COURTLAND STREET.
ITEM 38 ORDINANCE RENEWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EAST AND WEST SIDE OF THE 4,600 BLOCKS OF PINE RIDGE, MISHAW AND KERMAN STREETS BETWEEN NORTH MAIN STREET LAG GREEN AND AL GREG STREET I 39 ORDINANCE RENEWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE OF THE 900 TO 1100 BLOCKS OF WEST GARDNER STREET BETWEEN STUDIO WOOD AND JULIAN STREET.
ITEM 40 ORDINANCE SUBMITTING ORDINANCE NUMBER TWO 24,965.
ORDINANCE DESIGNATED THE PROPERTY MUNICIPALLY KNOWN AS SIX 12 WAVERLEY STREET, HOUSTON, TEXAS.
ITEM 41, ORDINANCE APPROVING APPROPRIATING $800,000 IN NO CENTS OUTTA METRO PROJECTS CONSTRUCTION, D-D-S-R-F AND 300,000 OUT OF THE DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND.
DRAINAGE CHARGE BETWEEN THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND COBB, FINDLAY AND ASSOCIATES, INC.
ITEM 42, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $634,219 AND NO SENSE OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND DRAINAGE CHARGE APPROVING AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICE CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND DE CORP.
ITEM 43, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $3,414,369 AND OH CENTS.
ITEM WATER AND SEW SYSTEM, CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARD AND CONTRACT TO CSI CONSOLIDATED L-L-C-D-B-A AIMS COMPANIES.
ITEM 44, ORDINANCE AWARD AND CONTRACT TO ECON LIGHT SYSTEMS INC.
FOR TRAFFIC SIGNAL MAINTENANCE CONTRACT ITEM 45, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING 16,000,280 $83,446 AND 10 CENTS OUT OF METRO PROJECTS CONSTRUCTION, D-D-S-R-F AWARDING CONTRACT AT JFT CONSTRUCTION INC.
ITEM 46 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $6,037,231 AND 50 CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEW SYSTEM.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AWARD, A CONTRACT TO T CONSTRUCTION LLC AND ITEM 47.
PAST SECOND READING DECEMBER 11TH, 2024.
ALL OF THESE ARE SECOND READING ORDINANCE GRANTING TO GAINESBORO WASTE A TEXAS CORPORATION.
THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 48, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 9 35.
SECOND READING DECEMBER 11TH, ORDINANCE GRANTED TO LIQUID ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS OF TEXAS, LLCA, TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.
THIRD AND FINAL READING, ITEM 49, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 936, PAST SECOND READING.
THIS IS ORDINANCE GRANTING TO SAFETY CLEAN SYSTEMS INC.
THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 50, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 9 37.
PAST SECOND READING THIS ORDINANCE GRANTING TO SET ENVIRONMENTAL INC.
THIRD AND FINAL READING, ITEM 51, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 9 38.
PAST SECOND READING DECEMBER 11, ORDINANCE GRANTED TO SUPERIOR WASTE SOLUTIONS, LLCA, TEXAS LIMITED TO LIABILITY COMPANY.
THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 52, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 9 39.
PAST SECOND READING DECEMBER 11, ORDINANCE GREENWICH TO SWEEPING CORPORATION OF AMERICA, LLCA, FOREIGN LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.
THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 53 OR DECEMBER 20, 24, 9 40, PAST SECOND READING DECEMBER 11, ORDINANCE GRANITE TO TEXAS OUTHOUSE INC.
THIRD AND FINAL READING, THIS IS THE END OF THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE MATTERS HELD CATEGORY OF 54 ORDERS, APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENTS BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ONE BAR, ONE CYBER TECH INC.
AND THREE NETSY NETWORK SOLUTIONS INC.
THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCILMAN THOMAS.
THIS IS ITEM 32 ON AGENDA OF DECEMBER 11TH, 2024.
AND AS FOR LINE LEASE ITEM 55, RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF RENAMING GEORGE BUSH, INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT, TERMINAL E AFTER CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF DECEMBER 18TH, 2024.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
SCHEDULE TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM IN THE WORDS OF OUR CURRENT CITY
[02:00:01]
SECRETARY, WHICH IS ME, PAT JEFFERSON.DANIEL, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED.
HAVE A BLESSED AND FANTABULOUS DAY.
[RECONVENE]
[MAYOR'S REPORT]
REPORT IS SHORT AND SWEET.I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THE COOPERATION THE LAST YEAR.
I THINK WE'VE MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE AND CERTAINLY I'VE SEEN, UH, REPORTS THAT THE PUBLIC SUPPORTS, UH, THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING AND IT'S APPRECIATIVE.
I WANT TO ASK EVERYONE TO BE SAFE OVER THE HOLIDAYS.
UH, WE'LL REPORT BACK IN COUNCIL HORSESHOE OF JANUARY 7TH, BUT I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE MOST OF US WILL SPEND OUR NEW YEAR'S EVE.
I KNOW WHERE I'LL BE, I'LL BE ON THE STREETS WITH OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND, UH, EVERYBODY TAKE CARE OF THEMSELF AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
SECRETARY, WILL YOU MOVE TO OUR CONSENT CALENDAR UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY, ITEM THREE AND FOUR.YOU WANNA BE RECOGNIZED? WELL, UM, WAIT.
[SUPPLEMENTAL POSTING - NUMBERING]
TO MOVE AN ITEM UP.UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE ITEM, HOLD ON.
ITEM 55 TO BE CONSIDERED FIRST, SHE WANTS TO DO THE, AT THE TOP OF THE AGENDA.
SHE WANTS TO DO THE PROP A ITEM FIRST.
ALL IN FAVOR? SO, YES, THOSE OPPOSED A MOTION PASSES COUNSEL, UH, ATTORNEY ARTURO.
WOULD YOU PLEASE CLEAR UP ANY CONFUSION AMONG SOME MEMBERS THAT HAVE CONTACTED MY OFFICE AS TO THE PROCESS OF RENAMING A TERM, A TERMINAL, UH, CERTAINLY NOT THE AIRPORT, BUT THE TERMINAL AND, UH, THE PROCESS OF FORMAL PROCESS AND THE IMPACT THAT THIS WILL HAVE.
A A TERMINAL ALONE IS CONSIDERED A CITY FACILITY, AND THIS IS A RESOLUTION.
UM, IT, IT STATES IT'S A GESTURE OF SUPPORT TO INITIATE THE PROCESS, UH, TO RENAME, UH, A TERMINAL THERE.
AFTER FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, UH, THERE'S A, A EXECUTIVE ORDER, MAYOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER, UH, EEO ONE DASH 47 THAT LAYS OUT A PROCESS.
THERE'S A, A, A FORMAL APPLICATION, THERE'S A CONSIDERATION BY THE OWNING DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS HAS, AND THEY ESSENTIALLY SEE IF IT MEETS CERTAIN BROAD CRITERIA.
UH, IT GOES THROUGH A PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS, AND IT CAN GO TO AN APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE, WHETHER IT'S THE PROP, A COMMITTEE OR ANOTHER ONE, OR A COMBINED COMMITTEE.
AND THEN IT WILL RETURN TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
BUT THIS, UM, THIS IS FOCUSING ON A SINGLE TERMINAL, UH, AND NOT THE AIRPORT AS A WHOLE, WHICH WILL REMAIN IAH UH, GEORGE BUSH AIRPORT.
VERY WELL BACK TO WITH, UH, EVAN AZZ, COUNCILOR EVAN SHABAZZ.
DID YOU WANNA COMMENT? DO YOU WANNA COMMENT? NO.
COUNCILMAN POLLARD, YOU SUCCEED? UH, COUNCILMAN POLLARD.
UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS ITEM PASSING.
UM, WE ALL HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF THE CONGRESSWOMAN AND HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BOGGING AROUND THIS HORSESHOE, UH, EXPRESSING THOSE SENTIMENTS.
UH, THIS IS A WOMAN WHO GAVE HER LIFE TO THIS CITY IN THE SERVICE OF THIS CITY.
AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FITTING, UH, TO FIND A WAY TO, UH, KEEP HER LEGACY ALIVE IN A MEANINGFUL AND IMPACTFUL AND SIGNIFICANT WAY.
AND SO, UH, RENAMING TERMINAL E UH, AFTER HER, UH, I BELIEVE IS FITTING FOR A PERSON OF HER STATURE.
AND, UM, AS, AS I'M LOOKING AT THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER, WHICH IS NAMING OF FACILITIES, UH, WHICH WAS PUT OUT NOVEMBER 1ST, 2003, JUST GETTING IT THIS MORNING.
BUT IT, IT HAS A, IT HAS A PROVISION 6.11, UH, EXISTING FACILITIES, WHICH GIVES THEM CRITERIA FOR, UM, HOW NAMING SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.
UM, AT THE END OF IT, IT SAYS, ONCE COMPLETE, A RECOMMENDATION WILL BE MADE TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL, WHERE THE FULL CITY COUNCIL HAS ALREADY USED, OR SOME OF THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ALREADY USED PROPOSITION A, UM, TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR FULL CONSIDERATION.
AND, UH, PROPOSITION A, WHICH IS A PART OF THE CHARTER,
[02:05:01]
UH, WHICH, UM, I WOULD SAY IS, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN JUST AN EXECUTIVE ORDER PUT FORTH BY, UH, ONE ADMINISTRATION AT ONE POINT IN TIME, UM, WOULD SUPERSEDE ANYTHING.AND ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO USE PROPOSITION A TO PUT FORTH THIS RESOLUTION CONSIDERATION, UM, I THINK IT FITS ANY CRITERIA OR PROCESS NECESSARY, UM, FOR A VOTE AND A FINAL VOTE ON THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION.
AND I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER PROCESS THAT IS REQUIRED OR NECESSARY, UH, WHEN ULTIMATELY THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER PUTS IT IN THE HANDS OF THE FULL CITY COUNCIL AFTER A PROPOSAL IS MADE.
SO A PROPOSAL HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE THROUGH PROPOSITION A AND IT'S BEFORE THE BODY OF CITY COUNCIL.
SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THIS TODAY, AND IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE A FINAL VOTE AS WELL, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT WE HAD PUBLIC COMMENT YESTERDAY.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE THE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF THIS EFFORT, UM, TO RENAME THE TERMINAL, TERMINAL, THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT, UH, IN RECOGNITION OF ONE OF OUR, UH, NOT JUST CITY LEADERS, BUT NATIONAL LEADERS, UH, CITY ATTORNEY.
ONE QUESTION REFERENCING, UH, SECTION OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, SIX POINT, 11.1, REQUEST TO RENAME EXISTING FACILITIES WILL BE RECEIVED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND DIRECTED TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND EVALUATION AGAINST THE LAID OUT CRITERIA.
WOULD, FOR EXAMPLE, AND, AND MAYOR I, I EXPECT RESPECT, EXECUTIVE ORDERS, BUT WOULD UNDER SIX POINT 11.1 THE REQUEST TO RENAME EXISTING FACILITY RECEIVED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE? COULD THIS RESOLUTION, UH, GIVEN HOW IT WAS LAID OUT, GIVEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT, BE, UH, THE, THE FORMAL REQUEST TO INITIATE THE PROCESS? OR COULD YOU LAY OUT WHAT THAT PROCESS AGAIN, THE FORMAL REQUEST SUBMITTED TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WOULD BE, YES.
YOU WANNA CLEAR UP THE CONFUSION OF OUR MEMBERS? YEAH.
THIS, THIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED THE, THE FORMAL REQUEST TO BE, TO BEGIN THE PROCESS.
AND THEN THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS THE AIRPORT SYSTEM, WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT FOR COMPLETENESS AND SO ON.
THERE'S A LONGER PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IN HERE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
I BELIEVE THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, YOU TRY TO RECONCILE THE LAWS OF THE CITY.
AND SO THIS IS A PROCESS TO FOLLOW.
THE EXECUTIVE ORDER IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION.
AND, UH, WHILE PROP A IS IN THE CHARTER, THE CHARTER ALSO SAYS THAT THE MAYOR HAS, UH, SOLE CONTROL OVER ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES.
SO I THINK THESE CAN BE RECONCILED EASILY.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO CLARIFY, MAYOR, IS THAT THIS DOES NOT EXCLUDE THE OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S GOING TO INITIATE THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, WHICH I'M GIVEN AGAIN, THE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT, MAYOR, I'M ASSUMING THAT THE AIRPORT AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WILL NOW TAKE UP, UM, TO BEGIN THAT PROCESS, FOLLOW THE PROCESS THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY PRESCRIBED.
UM, AND, UM, I WANT TO SHARE COMMENTS ON BEHALF OF CONGRESSWOMAN ERICA LEE CARTER, WHO IS UNABLE TO BE WITH US IN PERSON IN CHAMBERS.
ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY AND MY FATHER, DR.
ELWIN LEE, WHO WAS A PROUD HUSBAND OF THE CONGRESSWOMAN, SHEILA JACKSON LEE FOR 51 YEARS, MY BROTHER JASON LEE, AND MYSELF, WE WANNA EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO THE MAYOR AND THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND UNANIMOUS VOTE TO NAME TERMINAL E AT THE GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT.
IN HONOR OF MY MOTHER, THE LATE CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
THIS RECOGNITION IS A TESTAMENT TO THE IMMENSE CONTRIBUTIONS MY MOTHER MADE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OUR ENTIRE NATION.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, MY MOTHER WAS A DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT, A FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE 18TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, AND A FREQUENT FLYER THROUGH BUSH AIRPORT, OFTEN MAKING THE JOURNEY FROM HOUSTON TO WASHINGTON TO CONTINUE HER WORK ON BEHALF OF HER CONSTITUENTS.
MY MOTHER WAS AN INSTRUMENTAL IN MY MOTHER, WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN SECURING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FEDERAL INVESTMENT FOR GEORGE BUSH INTERCON INTO AIRPORT FUNDING THAT NOT ONLY HELPED MODERN MODERNIZE THE AIRPORT, BUT POSITION IT AS A VITAL GATEWAY TO THE WORLD.
DUE TO HER WORK AND ADVOCATION THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUSH AIRPORT BECAME A GLOBAL HUB, FACILITATING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND FOSTERING STRONGER INTERNATIONAL TIES.
AS I CONTINUE TO WORK THAT SHE HAS SO PASSIONATELY BEGAN, I AM DEEPLY HONORED TO REPRESENT THE DISTRICT THAT MY MOTHER LOVES SO MUCH.
[02:10:01]
IS JUST, IS NOT JUST A TRIBUTE TO HER WORK ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, BUT THE SERVICE SHE GAVE TO OUR CITY AND ITS PEOPLE.THIS IS A LASTING REMINDER OF HER DEDICATION AND HER LEGACY AND HER UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THE HOUSTON AND THE UNITED STATES.
MAY WE MAY WE ALL CONTINUE TO STRIVE FOR THE PROGRESS, UNITY, AND SERVICE THAT SHE WORKED SO HARD TO ACHIEVE.
THANK YOU, MADAM SECRETARY, YOU PLEASE PROCEED WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY.
ITEM FIVE, NEEDS AND MOTION PEC
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY ITEM SIX THROUGH 15.
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
THE RESOLUTION CATEGORY.SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY.
ITEM 17 AND 39 HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
THE, UM, NUMBERS, THE ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEVERAL CONSIDERATION ARE 20, 21, 25, 28, AND 41.
THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 20, 21, 25, 28, AND 41.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
A MOTION PASSES ITEM ITEM 16 IS RESOLUTION.
COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ? YES, THANK YOU MAYOR.
UM, FULLY SUPPORT, JOB TRAINING, UM, AND ADEQUATE PERFORMANCE METRICS ON ALL OF OUR GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.
SO HAPPY TO REPORT THAT LAST WEEK.
UH, OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH UNITED WAY SPONSORED A TRAINING FOR A LOT OF OUR EXTERNAL SERVICE PROVIDERS REGARDING PERFORMANCE METRICS AND MEASURING HOW OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE REALLY DOING AS FAR AS, UH, ADVANCING FOLKS, THESE TWO ITEMS, MAYOR, ARE IMPORTANT, UH, WORKFORCE TRAINING THAT, THAT WE'RE GONNA SUPPORT.
UM, WE'D HOPED TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THEM, UH, IN SOME RESPECTS, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THE TIMELINE IS TIGHT AND SO WE'RE GONNA SUPPORT THESE ITEMS. I'VE HEARD SOME, UH, NICE THINGS RECENTLY ABOUT, UH, SARAH IN PARTICULAR AND, UH, SUPPORT THAT GOING FORWARD.
THESE WILL BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR GRANT, WHICH MEANS WE'LL HAVE ACCESS TO, UH, SOME GOOD REPORTING ON HOW, UH, THESE PROGRAMS ARE DOING.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING PERIODIC REPORTS FROM OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UH, ON, ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THESE PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE WORKING, UH, AS THEY ARE INTENDED TO WORK.
AND I JUST WANNA, UH, ALSO SHARE MY SUPPORT FOR THIS, UH, THIS ITEM.
JOBS, UH, FOR MANY OF Y'ALL MIGHT NOT KNOW, IT WAS, UH, SOMETHING THAT, THAT WAS CREATED OUT OF LULAC, UM, COUNCIL 60.
UM, AND, AND SO A LOT OF THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO IS, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO, UH, THEY'VE, THEY'RE HOME IN THE EAST END, BUT THEY REALLY SERVICE THE ENTIRE CITY.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS, UH, FUNDING WAS APPLIED AND APPROVED LAST YEAR, AND WE WERE JUST WAITING FOR THIS FUNDING SO THAT WAY THEY CAN CONTINUE TO DO THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
UH, DURING THE, THE YEAR OF 2023, UH, THEY RECEIVED OVER 6,000 APPLICATIONS FOR SERVICES, UH, WHICH IS A 56% INCREASE.
THAT JUST PRETTY MUCH SHOWS THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR THIS, THIS TRAINING, UH, TO HAPPEN.
AND, AND EVERY TIME I'M OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, THERE'S ALWAYS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UH, A LACK OF, OF, UH, OF FOLKS, UH, READY TO GO TO WORK.
AND SO I, I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUE SUPPORT.
UM, LOOK FORWARD TO MORE CONVERSATIONS AS, UH, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, RAMIREZ MENTIONED.
[02:15:01]
UH, DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO COME HERE AND SHARE WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING, UH, THE WORK THAT, THAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO FOR THE COMMUNITY.ALRIGHT, I'M JUST GOING AHEAD.
I WAS MESSING WITH GERALD CLARK.
I WAS ABOUT TO TAG IT, BUT I'M NOT GONNA DO THAT.
YOU READY TO GO FORWARD? YEAH.
WELL, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU TOO.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO COUNCILMAN THOMAS.
THIS IS AN ITEM FOR OVER A MILLION DOLLARS, UM, TO A TERRIFIC FIRM FOR DESIGN CONCEPT REPORTS ASSESSING IN PART PREVIOUS CIP PROJECTS THAT IN INCLUDING THOSE THAT WERE DEFERRED OR MAYBE REPRIORITIZED BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
UH, BUT THIS ALSO INCLUDES REDESIGN CONCEPT REPORTS AS DIRECTED BY LEADERSHIP.
AND MAYOR, WHEN WE'VE ASKED, UM, I'VE ACTUALLY SENT SEVERAL MEMOS GOING OVER BACK SIX MONTHS NOW TO YOU AND YOUR OFFICE, UM, ASKING FOR A LIST OF ALL PAUSED PROJECTS IN THE CITY AS IT PERTAINS TO FLOOD MITIGATION OR THAT IS CALLING FOR A RE-STUDY OR A REVIEW OR A REDESIGN.
AND THE REASON I CONTINUE TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS IS THE COSTS THAT ARE INCORPORATED EVERY TIME WE ARE HAVING TO TUDY AN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE SHOVEL READY AS OF SIX MONTHS.
AND AGAIN, I SENT FORMAL MEMOS AGAIN IN AUGUST, UH, ON THE HEELS OF STORMS. 'CAUSE AGAIN, THIS PERTAINS TO FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECTS.
I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE.
I HAVE CHECKED IN WITH YOUR OFFICE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, BOTH BY PHONE AND EMAIL.
UH, AND AGAIN, THIS IS OVER A MILLION DOLLARS TO RE-REVIEW PROJECTS AND I CAN'T GET AN ANSWER ON WHETHER OR NOT SOME OF THOSE ARE ALREADY DESIGNED AND READY TO GO.
SO I, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHEN WE'RE GONNA GET RESPONSES ON THOSE AND WHETHER OR NOT THIS INCLUDES ITEMS THAT ARE READY TO GO AND MAY BE REDESIGNED.
WE'RE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE IN PUBLIC WORKS AND WE WANNA MAKE CERTAIN THAT IT'S DONE CORRECTLY AND MY OFFICE WILL DEFINITELY BE IN COMMUNICATION.
MY OFFICE WILL BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH YOU AND I COULD, UH, NAME THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE TALKING WITH.
I CAN ADVISE YOU TO CONTINUE TO TALK TO 'EM.
WELL AGAIN, MAYOR, I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS FOR OVER SIX MONTHS.
JUST GAVE YOU, I GAVE YOU THE BEST ANSWER YOU'RE GONNA GET.
WE'RE TRYING TO, WELL, AND I WOULD LIKE THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT AGAIN, FOR DISTRICT C BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS ARE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE CONTINUED TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS.
I'M NOT GETTING A RESPONSE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION SPECIFICALLY ON WHAT PROJECTS IN DISTRICT C HAVE BEEN PAUSED, ARE BEING REVIEWED, ARE BEING RESTUDIED, AND ARE BEING REDESIGNED, AND WHAT THE COSTS OF THOSE ARE AND WHAT THE TIMEFRAME WOULD BE.
WE'RE WE REPRESENT THE SAME PEOPLE.
WE'RE LISTENING TO 'EM AND DO A TREMENDOUS JOB OF REPRESENTING INDIVIDUALS.
IF WE ARE NOT PROVIDING THE ANSWERS YOU AND THE TRANSPARENCY FOR WHAT THIS IS COSTING RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, 41.
THOSE OPPOSED MAY CAME AND NO MOTION PASSES.
[MATTERS HELD]
54 IS AN ORDINANCE.THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA VERY WELL.
[NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER, HOW ABOUT COUNCILMAN CAYMAN? I WANTED TO, UH, START OFF ONE.WISHING EVERYBODY A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON.
UM, WE TALK EVERY YEAR ABOUT NOT, UH, THE IMPERMISSIBILITY OF CELEBRATORY GUNFIRE.
PLEASE BE SAFE OVER THE HOLIDAYS.
AND WISHING EVERYBODY A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
UH, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT ATTENDED THE NEW MONTROSE LIBRARY OPENING.
THE LINE WAS AROUND THE BLOCK, UH, TO GET IN.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN WAS THERE.
THESE NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES ARE SO WELCOMED AND
[02:20:01]
EMBRACED BY THE COMMUNITY.UH, I EVEN SAW AN ARTICLE THAT THE BURGER JOINT NEXT DOOR IS FUNDRAISING FOR THE LIBRARY.
BUT THIS IS A WAY TO MOVE FORWARD ON NEW FACILITIES ACROSS THE CITY.
LESS THAN $5 MILLION IS WHAT THIS COSTS.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, BECAUSE OF THE MANTRAS COLLECTIVE AND THE PARTNERSHIP WITH RUDO CAPITAL.
UH, I WANNA THANK OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY STAFF DIRECTOR GAUZE DOING A TERRIFIC JOB, BUT ALSO THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE HER.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO JOHN MIDDLETON AND LADONNA WEEMS MOCA AND THE COMMUNITY PANELISTS THAT PICKED ALL OF THE COMMUNITY ART.
UH, AND SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND THE MONTROSE TOURS, UH, FOR THEIR CONTINUED WORK ON THIS.
AGAIN, BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL CELEBRATION, UH, TO CLOSE OUT THE YEAR.
UH, HERE'S TO 2025 AND LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS ON OUTSTANDING MEMOS.
UM, I WANNA START OFF BY THANKING ALL THE DISTRICT B RESIDENTS WHO SHOWED UP TO OUR DISTRICT B YEAR END PARTY ON FRIDAY.
WE GAVE OUT FOUR RECOGNITIONS.
UM, ONE OF THE RECOGNITIONS WAS TO ONE OF OUR LEGEND LIVING LEGENDS.
UM, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER KARA GALLOWAY FOR HER CONTINUED SUPPORT, UM, FOR THE DISTRICT.
ALSO, SEVERAL COMMUNITY GROUPS RECEIVE RECOGNITIONS FOR THEIR WORK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND SO I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR, UM, THEIR PARTICIPATION.
ALSO WANNA INVITE THE FOLKS IN DISTRICT B TO OUR WONDER WINTER WONDERLAND TAR GIVEAWAY, WHICH IS HAPPENING ON THIS SATURDAY AT HARBOR POTATO PARK, UM, FROM 11:00 AM TO 3:00 PM.
UM, THE ADDRESS IS 8,100 KEN DRIVE.
UM, IF YOU WANT ANY INFORMATION, CONTACT MY OFFICE AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 3 0 0 9, AND TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES AND THE CITY STAFF AND HPD AND JUST ALL THE HOUSTONIANS, HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
YEAH, JUST, UH, STAY SAFE OUT THERE WHILE YOU'RE SHOPPING.
IF YOU'RE IN DISTRICT G AT THE GALLERIA HIGHLAND VILLAGE, UM, RIVER OAKS DISTRICT CITY CENTER, UH, YOU'LL SEE MOUNTED PATROL OUT THERE BECAUSE, UH, MY OFFICE IS SPONSORING, UM, OVERTIME FOR MOUNTAIN PATROL JUST FOR SOME EXTRA SECURITY.
BUT PLEASE KEEP YOUR PACKAGES, UM, NOT IN YOUR CARS.
I TOO WANNA WISH ALL HOUSTONIANS A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON.
UH, HOPE, UH, WE CAN ALL EN ENJOY AND GET INTO THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON.
AND IN CONNECTION WITH THAT MAYOR, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, I FEATURED FOUR, UH, CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I GOT TO KNOW THIS THIS YEAR THROUGH MY WORK ON CITY COUNCIL.
UH, THEY WERE WEST STREET RECOVERY CONNECT COMMUNITY COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS AND JUSTICE FORWARD.
TODAY, I WANNA, UH, HIGHLIGHT FOUR MORE THAT I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW AND I THINK DO DO GREAT WORK IN THE CITY.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE LOOKING FOR GOOD CHARITIES TO SUPPORT AT THE YEAR END OR GOOD VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK AT FIT HOUSTON, A GROUP THAT SPONSORS, UH, WALKING GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GET OUTDOORS, MEET THEIR NEIGHBORS, LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEN ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF COMMUNITY NEEDS WHERE THEY LIVE.
ALSO, A GREAT GROUP CALLED BARRIO DOGS THAT FOCUSES MOSTLY IN THE EAST END, UH, DEVOTED TO THE OVERPOPULATION AND NEGLECT OF OUR ANIMALS IN THE EAST END.
THEY DO A LOT OF GREAT WORK IN TERMS OF PROVIDING INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO RESIDENTS OF THAT AREA.
IN ADDITION, UH, MANY PEOPLE KNOW THAT, UM, A LARGE PORTION OF OUR POPULATION HERE IN HOUSTON IS UNINSURED OR UNDERINSURED.
TEXAS LEADS THE NATION IN THE NUMBER OF FOLKS WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE.
AND HOUSTON IS NO, UH, DIFFERENT.
IT'S ESTIMATED THAT 26% OF HOUSTONIANS DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE.
AND SO THERE ARE TWO GROUPS I WANNA, UH, HIGHLIGHT THIS MORNING, ALTHOUGH MANY ORGANIZATIONS DO HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM.
ONE IS THE SAN JOSE CLINIC LOCATED IN MIDTOWN, BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR A HUNDRED YEARS NOW, AND THEY PROVIDE MEDICAL, DENTAL, AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO HOUSTONIANS WHO ARE UNDERINSURED OR UNINSURED.
AND THEY, THEY ARE SUPPORTED BY NO DONATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC.
UH, ALSO SPRING BRANCH COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS HAS A NUMBER OF LOCATIONS, STARTED OUT IN SPRING BRANCH, BUT HA HAVE, UH, LOCATIONS ELSEWHERE.
THEY ALSO ARE A 5 0 1 C3 DESIGNATED HEALTH CENTER NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO PROVIDING GOOD MEDICAL CARE TO HOUSTONIANS WITHOUT INSURANCE.
[02:25:01]
SEASON, I HOPE FOLKS WILL THINK ABOUT GIVING AND VOLUNTEERING AND CONSIDER SOME OF THESE FINE CHARITIES WE HAVE WORKING HERE IN HOUSTON.UH, MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OF YOU.
UM, BRIEF REMARKS, UH, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES TO YOUR, UM, UNANIMOUS SUPPORT ON ITEM ITEM 51.
I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, ON DECEMBER 13TH, WHICH WAS FRIDAY, UH, LILIA VASQUEZ WAS KILLED ON A HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT ON WEST PARK AND FONDREN ON THE BORDERS OF DISTRICTS F AND J.
UH, SHE WAS A HIGHLY, UH, RESPECTED MARATHONER.
SHE WAS, UM, ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF TRAINING.
SHE WAS A PHYSICAL THERAPIST AT BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE.
SHE LEAVES BEHIND A HUSBAND AND TWO DAUGHTERS.
UH, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY SEEKING INFORMATION FOR THOSE WHO, UM, WERE AROUND THAT INTERSECTION EARLY, UM, EARLY HOURS ON DECEMBER 13TH.
PLEASE REACH OUT TO HPD, UH, AND, AND PLEASE LOOK OUT FOR PEDESTRIANS.
I THINK THIS SPEAKS TO THE LARGER ISSUE THROUGHOUT OUR CITY OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
AND SO OUR WORK AROUND INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUB, UH, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS IS SO IMPORTANT.
SO LET'S KEEP, UH, THIS FAMILY AND OTHER FAMILIES IN OUR PRAYERS AND OUR THOUGHTS.
UM, ALSO JUST A REMINDER, THE $4 MILLION RECONSTRUCTION ON RICHMOND FROM DUNVILLE TO HILLCROFT.
UH, WE DO HAVE A NOTICE TO PROCEED.
HOWEVER, THE CONTRACTOR WILL NOT BEGIN UNTIL THE TOP OF JANUARY.
ASPHALT HAS TO BE LAID AT A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE, AND WE'VE HAD SOME WEATHER DELAYS.
THE CONTRACTOR IS IN YOUR COMMUNITY AS OF LAST WEEK, UM, UH, GOING DOOR TO DOOR, PLACING INFORMATION CARDS FOR THOSE HOMES THAT FACE RICHMOND.
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
THIS IS A LONG TIME COMING PROJECT.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND LET'S GET EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THE COMP COMPLETION OF THAT AS WELL.
AND MAYOR WHITMEYER HAS COMMITTED TO, UM, SENDING ME A BOX OF, UH, TIFFANY DIAMONDS FROM, UH, CHRISTMAS.
MY BLUE BOX, BLUE BOX, VICE MAYOR, PRO TECH.
UM, AS WE MOVE THROUGH TO THE HOLIDAY SEASON, I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP, MAYOR, TO GET THE HEAVY TRASH PICKED UP IN DISTRICT, A MAYOR.
WE STILL HAVE, UM, MANY NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE STORM DEBRIS STILL SITTING OUT THERE.
WE HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS WHOSE HEAVY TRASH HAS NOT BEEN PICKED UP SINCE AUGUST, SINCE DISTRICT DAY IS PRIMARILY FOURTH WEEK PICK UP.
ALL OF THE DELAYS ALWAYS COMES ON THE BACK OF DISTRICT DAY.
SO WHATEVER YOU COULD DO TO HELP US GET THAT PICKED UP, WE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
THANK YOU, AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
WE HAVE OUR THIRD SWEEP BEGINNING VERY SOON, WHICH OUGHT TO INCLUDE ABE.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, UNDERSTANDING.
UH, THIS PAST MONDAY, UH, I WAS HONORED TO SERVE AS A COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER FOR U OF H DOWNTOWN.
SO I WANNA THANK, UH, PRESIDENT BLANCHARD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER SOME WORDS OF WISDOM TO THE GRADUATING CLASS.
AND WITH THAT, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE GRADUATING THIS SEMESTER.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU, UM, THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
YOU KNOW, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS, UH, HAVE A SAFE HOLIDAY BREAK, BUT I ALSO WANNA THANK, UH, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCILLOR RAMIREZ.
A FEW ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, VERY HELPFUL IN, IN THE EAST END AND DISTRICT.
I SPECIFICALLY, UH, RIO AND TE HANO CENTER.
THEY'VE BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE HELPING A LOT DURING THIS, THIS PAST FEW WEEKS.
UH, MY TEAM AND I, WE VOLUNTEERED AT THEIR ANNUAL, UH, GIFT WRAPPING EVENT THIS LAST SATURDAY.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE DISTRICT I TRADITION FOR THE COMING YEARS.
UM, ALSO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, JUST REMIND FOLKS TO PLEASE CELEBRATE, UH, THE HOLIDAYS RESPONSIBLY, UH, REFRAIN FROM CELEBRATORY GUNFIRE.
REMEMBER THAT WHAT GOES UP, OF COURSE, COMES DOWN.
UH, AND IF YOU HEAR IT, CALL 9 1 1.
AND LASTLY, I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR, MY, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, MY TEAM, AND ALL THE PARTNERS FOR OUR PRODUCTIVE YEAR.
DESPITE ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE, UH, THIS YEAR, DIFFERENT DIFFERING OPINIONS, WE REMAIN UNITED BY OUR COMMON GOAL TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY AND TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, THE COMING YEARS TO CONTINUE DOING THIS WORK.
UH, LASTLY, UH, MAYOR, AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE COLLEAGUES, UH, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO INVITE YOU OVER, UH, TO THE FIRST FLOOR ON THE COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL FLOOR, UH, THIS YEAR.
UH, UH, SURPRISINGLY, I THINK WE'VE ALL, UH, OUR TEAM SPENT A LOT OF TIME DECORATING AND, YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY, UH, BUILDING, BUILDING A, A TEAM ENVIRONMENT, UH, AS A COUNCIL TEAM.
AND SO IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE TO COME BY.
AND LASTLY, FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND THE MAYOR, UH, THIS EVENING, I'M HAP I'M HAVING A EVENT, UH, AT, AT AGAVE, UH, REAL AGAVE FROM FIVE TO EIGHT.
AND Y'ALL ARE ALL WELCOME AND YOUR TEAM AS WELL.
I TOO WANT TO THANK MY OFFICE STAFF AS WELL AS ALL OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND STAFF, UH, FOR TREMENDOUS WORK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THIS IS A BIG CITY WITH A LOT OF ISSUES.
IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS, BUT WE FIND A WAY, UH, TO MAKE IT THROUGH TO THE NEXT DAY.
AND THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE DEDICATION AND SERVICE OF THE CITY EMPLOYEES.
SO I WANT TO THANK THEM AND ENCOURAGE THEM,
[02:30:01]
UH, AS WE GO INTO THE NEW YEAR AND WISH THEM A VERY, UH, BLESSED HOLIDAY SEASON.UM, I DID WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER, UM, NAMING OF CITY FACILITIES.
I, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ IT AS WE WERE SITTING HERE.
I BELIEVE THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER, UM, GIVES CRITERIA FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
AND I THINK THE ORIGINAL INTENT IS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT IS NECESSARY AS THEY PROPOSE NAMES FOR A C CITY FACILITY.
UH, IF YOU READ THROUGHOUT THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO 5.5, IT SAYS, THE MAYOR WILL REVIEW EACH NAMING REQUEST PROPOSAL, DETERMINE WHICH, IF ANY CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE, UH, SHOULD REVIEW IT, AND THEN MAKE FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL.
IT GOES ON TO SAY, AT 5.6, THE CITY COUNCIL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FINAL APPROVAL AND PROPOSED NAME.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT WITH THE PROPOSITION.
A REQUEST THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, BEEN SUBMITTED TO LEGAL AND HAS BEEN REVIEWED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND A VOTE BY COUNCIL.
I'M NOT TRYING TO MUDDY THE WATERS, BUT I DO WANT TO ENSURE THAT, UM, WHAT IS PUT FORTH, UM, IS FOLLOWED THROUGH ON.
AND I DID SPEAK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND HE DID SAY THAT HE HAS A PROCESS IN PLACE, UH, TO KEEP ALL OF US ABREAST OF THE, THE NEXT STEPS IN ENSURING THAT THE TERMINAL E UM, RENAMING PROCESS GOES FORWARD.
AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, CONTRIBUTING TO THAT IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY.
ARTURO AND MAYOR, UM, IF THERE'S ANY, UM, CONSIDERATION ON YOUR PART THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF, UH, PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THAT AND REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICES AS WELL SINCE, UH, THE EXECUTIVE ORDER PUTS YOU AS THE PERSON TO REVIEW EACH PROPOSAL, UH, THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO YOUR OFFICE.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING BACK FROM YOU ON THAT AS WELL.
UH, AND TO EVERYONE ELSE, HAVE A BLESSED REST OF YOUR WEEK.
HAVE A BLESSED HOLIDAY SEASON, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU ALL IN 2025.
GOD BLESS YOU, COUNCILMAN MAYOR ALOR.
UH, ON THE PAUSE PROJECTS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN BROUGHT UP, AND I KNOW THERE'S PAUSE PROJECTS ACROSS THE CITY.
LAST WEEK WHEN WE DID THE OST TOURS, I ASKED MARLENE GAFFER FOR AN UPDATE ON THAT.
IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS TOO.
'CAUSE WE, AS WE GO TO THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, TO JUST, EVEN IF IT'S NOT DECIDED, EVEN IF IT'S LIKE WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT LANE WIDTH OR WE'RE LOOKING AT BYPASS, OR WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THIS FAR, WE'RE GONNA REDESIGN IT JUST TO HAVE SOME KIND OF LIKE BLURB ABOUT EACH PROJECT.
DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DI KNOW YOUR ADMINISTRATION'S DOING ITS DUE DILIGENCE, BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE INFORMATION.
AND IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL COSTS, I MEAN, THE, THE ADDITIONAL COST WE'RE SPENDING NOW MIGHT SAVE LATER ON COSTS.
I MEAN, BUT SOME KIND OF FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF, OF, UH, KIND OF WHAT THAT COULD MEAN.
SO I, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ALL OF US.
SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP HEAVY TRASH.
I DO STILL GET THAT EVERYWHERE I GO.
HEAVY TRASH IS JUST KIND OF A MESS.
MAYBE WE JUST TELL PEOPLE WE'RE NOT DOING HEAVY TRASH UNTIL WE FIGURE IT OUT.
'CAUSE THERE'S THE EXPECTATION IS JUST, YOU KNOW, NOT, I, I THINK WE'RE, WE GOTTA CATCH UP ON THE REGULAR TRASH BEFORE WE CAN DO HEAVY TRASH.
IT'S A RESOURCE ALLOCATION, BUT WE YEAH.
AGREED TO WARN TO DO THE THIRD SWEEP, AND IT WOULD INCLUDE HEAVY TRASH.
AND I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THANK MY COLLEAGUES, UM, ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS, CITY EMPLOYEES, MY TEAM, UM, FOR REALLY GETTING US THROUGH A REALLY ROUGH YEAR.
UM, WE'VE HAD LOTS OF UPS AND DOWNS, BUT WE HAVE FIGURED OUT A WAY TO COME TOGETHER AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND, AND MOST GRATEFUL OBVIOUSLY FOR GOD, BUT MOST GRATEFUL FOR, UM, OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE CONTINUALLY SHOWN US THAT WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER.
SO, UM, INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO SIT HERE IN FRONT OF YOU AND LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, A FOLLOWING YEAR, THE, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR, UM, FULL ABUNDANCE FOR EVERYONE.
UH, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, HOLIDAYS ARE TOUGH SOMETIMES, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF A HOLIDAY.
THIS IS A SEASON, UM, FOR FAMILY AND LOVING AND COMPASSION AND, UM, AND RESPECT.
IT'S ABOUT YOUR FAMILY COMING TOGETHER AND GIVING YOU THE SUPPORT AND LOVE THAT YOU NEED.
SO PLEASE REMEMBER THAT AS WE'RE HAVING THESE, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FINANCIALLY STRESSED.
FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE INTERESTING FAMILY DYNAMICS OFTEN.
BUT LET'S TRY TO SPEND THIS SEASON, UM, ENJOYING EACH OTHER AND BEING
[02:35:01]
GRATEFUL THAT EVERYONE IS AT THAT DINNER TABLE WITH YOU.AND, UM, AND THAT DOESN'T, THAT MAY NOT LOOK THAT SAME WAY NEXT YEAR.
SO, UM, HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND LOVE AND LIKE TO EVERYONE.
UM, JUST HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO A NEW YEAR.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL, FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND, AND THE LEARNING CURVES THIS YEAR.
UM, IT'S AN EXCITING TIME TO BE A HOUSTONIAN, AND I THINK THERE'S SO MUCH IN OUR FUTURE.
WE HAVE TO, WITH IT, WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL TO GET THINGS DONE.
ALSO, TOO, WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TODAY AT THREE O'CLOCK, WE'LL BE RECOGNIZING SHIRLEY KING, WHO WILL BE, UH, RETIRING, RETIRING, NOT OFFICIALLY, BUT RETIRING FROM THE COUNCIL FLOOR.
SHE MAY MOVE ON TO, TO, UH, BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS, BUT CERTAINLY IS THE TIME IN THE TIME THAT I'VE HAD TO WORK WITH HER.
SHE'S A LOVELY INDIVIDUAL, AND IF YOU KNOW WHERE, YOU KNOW THAT, SO STOP BY AT THREE FOR A PIECE OF CAKE AND, AND TO WISH HER WELL IN HER NEXT ENDEAVOR.
AND ADDITIONALLY, AS COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER STATED TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE, UH, WHAT, WHAT WE ALL HAVE INDIVIDUALLY.
AND REMEMBER THOSE WHO ARE SHUT IN AND SHELTERS AND SUCH, IF YOU END UP WITH A, YOU KNOW, A BIG BOX OF PASTRIES THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM, DROP 'EM BY A NURSING HOME TO GIVE THEM TO THE STAFF WHO, WHO WORK EVERY DAY TO MAKE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SHUT IN.
YOU KNOW, JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
BUT REMEMBER THOSE IN SHELTERS.
REMEMBER THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE, AND, UH, JUST BE KIND, UH, COUNCIL, UH, WELL, MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM IS NOT HERE, BUT BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER AT THE HOLIDAYS.
UH, OVER THE PAST WEEK, DISTRICT D HAS BEEN FULL OF MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND HOLIDAYS CHEER.
ON DECEMBER THE 12TH, THE GRAND OPENING FOR THE NEW HOMES IN OST SOUTH UNION WAS CELEBRATED.
AT 53 20, MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD, CITY OFFICIALS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND STAKEHOLDERS CAME TOGETHER TO MARK THIS IMPORTANT STEP IN PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND IMPROVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S LANDSCAPE.
I JUST CERTAINLY WANT TO, UH, THANK MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS, WHO JOINED US FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING.
AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, SHE SAYS THAT THE WEST SIDE IS THE BEST SIDE, BUT SHE CERTAINLY HAD TO COME TO DISTRICT D THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION TO SEE HOW IT WAS DONE.
AN EXAMPLE, UM, ON DECEMBER THE 14TH, THE HOLIDAY FIXINGS FOOD DISTRIBUTION AT THE HOUSTON TEXANS, YMCA INSURED FAMILIES RECEIVE HOLIDAY MEALS AND SUPPORT AS THE SEASON KICKS OFF.
THAT SAME DAY, VOLUNTEERS GATHERED AT BLACKSHIRE ELEMENTARY FOR OPERATION LOVE, WHERE MANY DEDICATED THEIR TIME AND RESOURCES TO MAKE THE HOLIDAYS BRIGHTER FOR CHILDREN.
IN THE THIRD WARD, TOYS, CLOTHING, FOOD, AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT CAME TOGETHER TO UPLIFT FAMILIES DURING THIS SPECIAL SEASON.
ON TODAY, I WILL JOIN THE FABULOUS FIFTIES OF JACK YATES HIGH SCHOOL, UH, FOR A SPECIAL RECOGNITION.
THEY, UH, CERTAINLY LIFT THE BAR HIGH FOR ALL JACK YATES GRADUATES, AND THEY'RE OUR OLDER GRADUATES.
AND WE CI LOOK FORWARD TO THAT ENGAGEMENT ON, AND THAT'LL BE TODAY FROM ONE TO 1:30 PM UH, AT OAKTON PLACE, NO, FROM ONE TO 3:00 PM EXCUSE ME, AT OAKTON PLACE, 50 11 GRIGGS ROAD.
AND CERTAINLY, UH, I AM HONORED TO GIVE THEM THAT CATE, THAT CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.
AND THEY'RE THE CLASSES FROM 1950 TO 1959, WHICH HAS SUPPORTED SCHOLARSHIPS AND MAINTAINED A STRONG COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING HISTORY AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS.
AND CERTAINLY, UH, AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL, UH, THAT WE INVITE THE PUBLIC TO COME TO SEE THIS WONDERFUL DISPLAY HERE AT CITY HALL.
AND THANK YOU, MAYOR AND MOCHA.
UH, AND CERTAINLY IT'S, UH, ABOUT CULTURE, HISTORY, AND TRADITION, AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY, AND IT WILL BE ON DISPLAY, MY UNDERSTANDING, UNTIL JANUARY THE THIRD.
SO IT'S AT THE CITY HALL ANNEX, UH, 9 0 1 BAGBY STREET.
SO IF YOU CAN COME OUT AND SEE IT, IT IS BEAUTIFUL.
AND CERTAINLY I WANT TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES.
THIS IS A VERY TOUGH TIME OF YEAR FOR PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LOVED ONES.
AND SO CERTAINLY THERE WILL BE SOME MISSING PEOPLE AT YOUR TABLES, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU, UH, PRESERVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH.
IF YOU HAVE LOST A LOVED ONE RECENTLY, PLEASE MAKE A PLAN TO DO SOMETHING AND IMPLEMENT THAT PLAN.
MAKE SURE YOU MOVE AROUND THAT DAY.
CERTAINLY IT IS ONE DAY, BUT THIS IS A VERY HARD SEASON AND PEOPLE ARE, UH, HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.
AND CERTAINLY REACH OUT TO SOMEONE WHO CAN PERHAPS GET YOU THROUGH THIS SEASON.
AND CERTAINLY, I THINK IT'S, IT'S TWO, TWO ONE, ONE THAT YOU CAN CALL TO, UH,
[02:40:01]
TO GET SUPPORT.AND SO, UH, I WANT TO CERTAINLY THANK MY STAFF IF I, I MEAN, I MAY BE BIASED AND ALL, BUT I HAVE A FANTASTIC STAFF.
AND AS YOU PASS THROUGH, UH, THE, OUR OFFICES TODAY, YOU'LL SEE EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
I, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S COMING TO JUDGE, BUT YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA TRY TO BE HUMBLE AND JUST SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE, UM,
AND CERTAINLY IF YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN DISTRICT D, CERTAINLY REACH OUT AND EMAIL US AT DISTRICT D@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO GIVE MY LOVE AND RESPECT FOR MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE SERVED WITH ME THIS YEAR AND, AND JUST LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I DO LOVE AND APPRECIATE YOU.
WE MAY GO AT IT FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALL HAVE THE SAME OBJECTIVE, AND THAT IS TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND SO, MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY NEW YEAR, HAPPY KWANZA AS WELL.
AND SO WE'LL SEE YOU IN THE NEW YEAR.
I WANNA START BY, UH, AS WE THINK TO THE NEXT YEAR, UH, INVITING THE DISTRICT TO THE TOWN HALL SERIES THAT I'LL BE HOSTING IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.
WE'RE GONNA START ON JANUARY THE 11TH IN DENVER HARBOR.
THIS WAS A GREAT WAY TO KICK OFF THE, THE YEAR THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE GONNA DO THAT AGAIN WITH, UH, A NUMBER OF CITY DEPARTMENTS AND RESOURCES AND, UH, NONPROFITS AVAILABLE AS WELL.
AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO RECONNECTING, UM, WITH THE COMMUNITIES.
AGAIN, HAVING BEEN HERE FOR A YEAR.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE FULL DATES FOR THE REST OF THOSE ON ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.
UM, AND SPEAKING OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS, I WILL BE HOSTING ONE ON JANUARY THE EIGHTH AT HTX ART IN THE HEART AT 6:30 PM TO TALK ABOUT POP-UP PARTIES.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A, A TRAGIC EVENT HAPPEN THIS PAST WEEKEND, AND SOME YOUNG FOLKS LOST THEIR LIVES, UM, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, RIGHT AROUND THE HOLIDAYS.
AND SO, UM, THIS WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO LEARN, UM, PROACTIVE STEPS THEY CAN TAKE IF THEY SEE FLYERS CIRCULATING AND, AND WAYS THAT THEY CAN, CAN HELP PREVENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING.
AND, AND TO HELP DEAL WITH BAD ACTORS WHO ARE JUST TRYING TO SKIRT LAWS AND, AND DO THINGS THAT PUT CHILDREN IN DANGER.
UM, SO THAT'LL BE JANUARY THE EIGHTH, 6:30 PM HTX ARE IN THE HEART ON JENSEN DRIVE.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON DOWNTOWN.
THEY HAD ME AS A, A COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER ON MONDAY AS WELL, UH, FOR THEIR LUNCH OR THEIR, UH, 1:00 PM GRADUATION CEREMONY.
UH, FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE, FIRST TIME EVER GIVING A COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS.
UM, EVERYONE TOLD ME WHO I ASKED FOR ADVICE TO KEEP IT SHORT, KEEP IT BRIEF, UM, AND IN FACT, THE LAST COMMENCEMENT I WENT TO BEFORE THIS WAS, UH, FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND MAYOR, YOU WERE THE COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER, UM, AT THAT ADDRESS.
AND SO, UM, I REMEMBER YOU TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING TO WORK AND ELECTIONS MATTER AND EXPERIENCE MATTERS.
UM, BUT I TRIED TO BE MEMORABLE, UM, AND HOPE THAT THE, THE GRADUATES TOOK SOME WISDOM AWAY AND, AND ARE READY TO GET TO WORK AND, AND THEY'RE GONNA CONTRIBUTE A LOT TO THE CITY AND, AND TO THE COMMUNITY.
IT WAS VERY EXCITING TO SEE ALL THOSE FOLKS ON THAT SPECIAL DAY AND TO BE A PART OF IT.
AND FINALLY, I WANNA WISH ALL THE DISTRICT H RESIDENTS, UH, HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
I HOPE YOU STAY SAFE AND CELEBRATE WITH YOUR FAMILIES.
UM, I WANT TO THANK MY STAFF FOR AN INCREDIBLE FIRST YEAR.
THEY ALL WORKED VERY HARD, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT AND THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THE CITY EMPLOYEES WHO WE ALSO CALLED UPON TIME AND TIME AGAIN, UH, TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT H.
UH, WE ARE GONNA KEEP IT GOING IN 2025 AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES AND THE MAYOR IN THE YEAR TO COME, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
I WANT TO WISH ALL OF YOU THE MAYOR AND ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND, UH, SAFE AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.
UH, I WANT TO THANK GOD THAT WE ALL HAVE MADE IT THROUGH A YEAR WHERE HAVE BEEN SOME GREAT CHALLENGES, BUT WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT WE ARE STILL HEARING IN SOUND, MIND AND SPIRIT THAT WE'VE OVERCOME MANY OF THESE THINGS AND CERTAINLY LEARNING THE EXPERIENCES OF OUR CITY AND HOW WE OPERATE.
UH, LET ME ALSO, I WANT TO THANK NOT ONLY THE COLLEAGUES AND THE MAYOR AND ALL OF
[02:45:01]
OUR GREAT DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB AND DOING THE BEST THAT THEY COULD DO.AND, UH, WE WISH THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES, UH, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND, UH, AND A CERTAINLY PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.
I WANT TO THANK GOD FOR MY STAFF BECAUSE WE TOOK ON SOMETHING EARLY IN THE YEAR ABOUT SETTING UP TOWN HALL MEETINGS, GETTING RESOURCES OUT TO MANY OF OUR CITY CONSTITUENTS.
AND I MUST SAY THAT IT TURNED OUT TO BE A BLESSING, AND IT CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE EMBRACE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
WE WILL BE HAVING ONE IN JANUARY, BEGINNING THE YEAR, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN A SUCCESSFUL PROCESS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
AND I WANT TO THANK MY STAFF FOR PUTTING IN THE WORK AND THE TIME, UH, TO DO IT.
IT HAS TURNED OUT TO BE SUCH A GREAT ACCESS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ADDING MORE AND MORE.
OUR GOAL IS TO DO AT LEAST FOUR PER YEAR, AND I WANT TO THANK, UM, UH, ALL OF THEM FOR THEIR WORK.
I ALSO WANT TO BE GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL THAT WE KICKED OFF THE STARTING OF THE MINISTRY ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN A, WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL BREAKFAST.
WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT, WELL OVER 170 PEOPLE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING SOME GREAT THINGS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND ALL OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS IN REGARDS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR PASTORS AND RABBIS AND OTHER LEADERS ARE ALREADY IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY HAVE MANY RESOURCES THAT THEY CAN OFFER, AND CERTAINLY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE OFFERS IS WHAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE PRAY THAT EVERYONE HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND BE SAFE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT YEAR IN 2025.