* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:05] . HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE. IF THE COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER OUR FIRST PRESENTATION [PRESENTATIONS] TODAY, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR A PROCLAMATION TO THE GREATER NORTHSIDE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT FOR PICKING UP 2 MILLION POUNDS OF TRASH IN DISTRICT H. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, HOW ARE YOUR PARTNER? HAPPY NEW YEAR. THAT WAS YOUR, HOW ARE YOU BROTHER? THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM COLLEAGUES. TODAY I'M EXCITED TO PRESENT A PROCLAMATION TO THE GREATER NORTHSIDE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR 2000000TH POUND OF TRASH THAT HAS BEEN PICKED UP IN DISTRICT, UH, IN THEIR DISTRICT, THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. UM, AND THIS IS A, A GREAT MILESTONE, UH, THAT SHOWS YOU THE IMPACT THEY HAVE HAD ON DISTRICT H ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE. UM, BUT ALSO IT SPEAKS TO OUR GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT ON SO MANY THINGS. UM, THEY HELP OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, UH, THRIVE AND GROW AND, AND KEEP THEM SAFE. THEY KEEP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE HIGH, AND THEY PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND, AND ALSO A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS THEY ARE A PART OF IN DISTRICT AGE FROM, UH, SPEARHEADING OUR TRASH BASH FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS TO THE NORTH SIDE FESTIVAL, TO THE TOUR TO NORTH SIDE, YOU NAME IT. UH, THEY HAVE BEEN INTEGRAL PARTS TO THIS DISTRICT AND TO OUR VIBRANCY. AND THIS IS JUST ONE COMPONENT, UH, THAT WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY, BUT JUST KNOW THEY DO SO MUCH AND, UH, IT'S AN HONOR TO WORK WITH THEM AND TO RECOGNIZE THEM. SO, WHEREAS THE GREATER NORTHSIDE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, THE DISTRICT CREATED IN 2001 DURING THE 77TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION CONSISTENTLY SERVED AS A CORNERSTONE OF SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITIES. IT ENCOMPASSES DILIGENTLY WORKING SINCE AUGUST, 2006 TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND CREATE GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITIES. WHEREAS THROUGH ITS VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, INCLUDING A DEDICATED SECURITY PATROL, GRAFFITI ABATEMENT, LITTER ABATEMENT INITIATIVES, THE DISTRICT HAS EXEMPLIFIED A COMMITMENT TO SAFETY, CLEANLINESS, AND PROSPERITY OF THE GREATER NORTH SIDE AREA. AND WHEREAS THE DISTRICT HAS ACHIEVED A REMARKABLE MILESTONE BY COLLECTING ITS 2000000TH POUND OF TRASH, A SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT UNDERSCORES ITS RELENTLESS EFFORTS TO COMBAT LITTER AND MAINTAIN A CLEAN, BEAUTIFUL, AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL WHO LIVE, WORK, AND VISIT THE NORTH SIDE. AND WHEREAS THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE GREATER NORTH SIDE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, DISTRICT H AND B HAS FOSTERED PARTNERSHIPS THAT SHRINK THE NEIGHBORHOODS, PROMOTE CIVIC PRIDE, AND ENSURE A HEALTHIER AND SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES. AND WHEREAS THE DISTRICT'S SUCCESS IS SUPPORTED BY ITS DEDICATED VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS, COMPROMISED OF BUSINESS OWNERS AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVES WHO TIRELESSLY ADVOCATE FOR THE DISTRICT'S MISSION, INCLUDING BOARD CHAIR JEANETTE RASH, FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER AND VICE CHAIR CHRISTIAN BARRAZA, THE CITY OF HOUSTON RECOGNIZES THE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE GREATER NORTHSIDE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT IN ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR CITY. ITS REMARKABLE PARTNERSHIPS WITH DISTRICTS H AND B, AND ITS DEDICATION TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, MAKING THE NORTHSIDE A CLEANER, SAFER, AND MORE PROSPEROUS COMMUNITY. FIRST OF ALL, YOU DIDN'T LEAVE ME MUCH TO SAY , EXCEPT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE, JEANETTE. YOU AND I WORK TOGETHER ON MANY ISSUES FOR MANY YEARS. THANK YOU FOR THE DELEGATION REPRESENTING AND YOUR NORTH SIDE. I THINK THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY I WANNA MENTION. I DON'T KNOW IF EVER BEFORE A LEGISLATOR GOT THE VOTE TO CREATE THE DISTRICT EXACTLY. AND THEN GOT TO HELP PASS A PROCLAMATION AT THE, UH, CITY. SO THAT'S KIND OF SPECIAL. SO I, JOHN WHITMEYER MAYOR, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM JANUARY 7TH, 2025, IS GREATER NORTHSIDE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR BRINGING THIS, UH, DELEGATION BEFORE US, AND THANK Y'ALL. AND PLEASE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I AM JEANETTE RA, CHAIR OF THE GREATER NORTHSIDE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, AND I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE. AND I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE MAYOR FOR RECOGNIZING US TODAY. UM, I HAVE A WONDERFUL STAFF AND WE WORK SO WELL TOGETHER. REBECCA, YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR STAFF RIGHT? BUT JUST FOR A SECOND. SURE. REBECCA RENA, WE HAVE ANNABETH TORCIOS, PAM GTA, GINGER BERTRAN, AND STEVE [00:05:01] GARCIA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THE BOARD MEMBERS. AND THE BOARD MEMBERS. YES. OH, SORRY. AND WE HAVE OUR BOARD MEMBER, OF COURSE, OUR CHAIR AND FOUNDING MEMBER JEANETTE RASH, OUR VICE CHAIR, KRISTOPHER BARRAZA AND MAYRA VASQUEZ ARE ONE OF OUR OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. I I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN, THANK EVERYONE FOR THE RECOGNITION TODAY, UM, AND GIVE YOU JUST A TEENY BIT OF HISTORY, UH, BECAUSE I'M SO THRILLED WITH ONE OF OUR BIG PROJECTS WE HAVE COMING UP, BUT I'M THRILLED ABOUT ALL OF THEM. UH, I WANT TO FIRST THANK, UH, UH, JESSICA FERRARA, OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE THAT WORKED SO HARD TO, TO HELP US TO GET GOING. WE WENT TO HER AND SAID WE NEEDED HELP, AND SHE WAS SO GRACIOUS TO, TO HELP US ALL THESE MANY YEARS. BUT IN 1961, JUST GIVING IT AWAY, MY HUSBAND AND I HAD OUR FIRST DATE AT THE GRANADA THEATER ON JENSEN DRIVE. SO I'VE BEEN ON THIS SIDE OF TOWN FOR A WHILE, SO, AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY WE'RE SAVING THE GRANADA THEATER AND DOING SOME PROJECTS OUT THERE. AND, AND I WAS THRILLED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT CARRIES SUCH A, UH, PERSONAL REMEMBRANCE FOR ME. BUT I WANNA SAY MORE THAN ANYTHING THAT IT'S A COLLO COLLABORATION. YOU HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET THINGS DONE. OUR DISTRICT IS A LARGE DISTRICT, BUT YET WE HAVE MICRO BUSINESSES. WE HAVE LITTLE OVER 10,000 SMALL BUSINESSES. WE DON'T HAVE ANY BIG BUSINESS LIKE THE PORT OR THE AIRPORT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO IN THE CREATION OF IT, WE KNEW THAT IT WAS THE DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH. AND THROUGH ALL THE SUPPORT THAT WE HAD FROM COUNCIL, UH, MEMBER, UH, ANISE PARKER WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER AT THAT TIME, BACK IN 2001. AND WITH THE HELP FROM, UH, THE DA'S OFFICE AND HGAC AND ALL OUR PARTNERS, WE WERE ABLE TO PUT OUR RESOURCES TOGETHER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR OUR BADER NORTHSIDE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK MY, OUR STAFF IS JUST WONDERFUL, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE, OUR, OUR, UM, OUR BOARD MEMBERS WHO JUST HAVE THE HEART TO SERVE THE DISTRICT. AND, UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TODAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. YOU BET. COUNCIL MEMBER, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. UH, THANK YOU AMIR PRO TEM AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILE, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE UP THE GREATER NORTHSIDE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT FOR SETTING A HIGH STANDARD FOR OTHER GROUPS TO MEET. UM, PICKING UP TRASH IS IS NOT EASY. IT'S NOT ANY FUN. AND, UH, IT IS HARD WORK. AND SO YOUR DEDICATION, UH, TO THIS EFFORT OVER THE YEARS, UH, NOT JUST DURING, YOU KNOW, THIS TERM, BUT MANY OTHERS BEFORE IT, UH, IS ADMIRABLE. AND, UH, APPRECIATE ALL THAT Y'ALL DO FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR HOUSTON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO, TIM, UH, JEANETTE AND REBECCA, I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS, UH, TO YOU AND THE REST OF THE TEAM. UH, Y'ALL HAVE A A GREAT STAFF, AND I JUST WANT HAVE TO HIGHLIGHT SOMEONE THAT'S, THAT Y'ALL TOOK FROM THE EAST END MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. PAM, UH, SHE'S BEEN A, I'M SURE SHE'S BEEN A GREAT ASSET, UH, TO, TO YOU, YOU ALL AS WELL. AND I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE HOW MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN SOME OF OUR COMMUNITIES. UH, THE ROLES THAT THEY PLAY AS FAR AS, UH, YOU KNOW, ABATEMENT, UH, ADDRESSING ABATEMENT, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND OF COURSE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOSTERING, UH, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR WHAT Y'ALL DO IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY. AND NORTHSIDE ON, UH, MARIO'S. UH, DEFINITELY, UH, HE, HE'S GOOD TO HAVE Y'ALL. SO, UH, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, UM, AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORKING. I KNOW ALL THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS ULTIMATELY MEET UP EVERY SO OFTEN, AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL AS WELL TO MAKE HOUSTON A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [00:10:07] UH, STANDING IN FOR COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ FOR A PROCLAMATION TO TERESA ESCOBEDO IN RECOGNITION OF HER EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ WISHES SHE WAS HERE AS WELL, UH, AS THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE. BUT, UM, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE, UH, THERESA AND A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS SHE'S MADE TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, UM, AS SHE HEADS OFF TO NEW ENDEAVOR. OH, THERE'S COUNCIL MEMBER SHABBAT . YOU'RE DOING A FINE JOB. OKAY. THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROUDLY RECOGNIZES AND EXPRESSES ITS HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO THERESA ESCOBIDO, HOUSTON'S CIVIC ART PROGRAM MANAGER FOR HER FIVE YEARS OF EXEMPLARY PUBLIC SERVICE AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO ENHANCE OUR CITY'S CULTURAL VITALITY. THROUGH HER POSITION AT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, SHE'S A PROUD THIRD GENERATION PUBLIC SERVANT, AND HAS CONTINUED HER MATERNAL FAMILY'S REMARKABLE LEGACY OF SERVICE TO HOUSTON. HER FAMILY'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY'S HISTORY ARE EXTRAORDINARY. HER GREAT UNCLES WERE PIONEERS IN PUBLIC SERVICE WITH ONE SERVING AS HOUSTON'S FIRST HISPANIC POLICE OFFICER. AFTER GRADUATING FROM THE HOUSTON POLICE ACADEMY IN 1950, AND THE OTHER SERVING AS HOUSTON'S FIRST HISPANIC FIREFIGHTER, THERESA IS A PROUD LATINA, HAS BUILT UPON THIS INCREDIBLE LEGACY AS THE FIRST EVER TO SERVE AS HOUSTON CIVIC ARTS PROGRAM MANAGER, PAVING THE WAY FOR FUTURE LEADERS IN PUBLIC ARTS MANAGEMENT AND FOR ARTISTS LIKE HERSELF. AND SINCE 2020, SHE HAS OVERSEEN 17 MILLION CIVIC ART PROJECTS FOR HOUSTON, AND HAS STEWARDED THE INSTALLATION OF 25 SITE SPECIFIC COMMISSIONED ARTWORKS, ENSURING THEIR SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION AND TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON THE CITY'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN SECURING A $1 MILLION GRANT FROM BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES PUBLIC ART CHALLENGE, FURTHER ELEVATING HOUSTON'S ARTS INITIATIVES AND FOSTERING INNOVATIVE PUBLIC ART THAT ENHANCES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ADDRESSES KEY CIVIC ISSUES. THERESA'S DEEPLY ROOTED COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY, INNOVATION, AND ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE HAS SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCED HOUSTON'S CULTURAL LANDSCAPE, EMPOWERED NUMEROUS ARTISTS, AND BOLSTERED THE CITY'S REPUTATION AS A DYNAMIC CENTER FOR THE ARTS ON A GLOBAL SCALE. HER VISIONARY LEADERSHIP EMBODIES THE SPIRIT OF SERVICE AND RESILIENCE THAT CHARACTERIZES BOTH HER FAMILY'S LEGACY TO OUR GREAT CITY. AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON HONORS THERESA ESCOBIDO FOR HER EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS, TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT, AND DEDICATION TO THE CULTURAL ADVANCEMENT OF THE CITY. SHE HOLDS DEAR, AND WE EXTEND OUR BEST WISHES FOR HER FUTURE ENDEAVORS. THEREFORE, I, OH, GO WITH ME. , I'LL YIELD TO YOU. NO, SIR. I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, IT'S A NEW YEAR THERE FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE. AND THEN FOR I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, NEARBY PROCLAIM JANUARY 7TH, 2025, IS THERESA ESCOBIDO TODAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THIS IS MY DAD. MS. ESCOBIDO, DID YOU WANNA HAVE ANY COMMENTS? WE ARE, WE ARE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU. I JUST WANNA GIVE TREMENDOUS GRATITUDE, UM, TO EVERY REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL KINDS IN THIS ROOM. UM, IT, IT'S A PROUD MOMENT FOR ME TO HAVE MY ANCESTORS MENTIONED IN THIS PROCLAMATION, AND I'M GONNA SAY THEIR NAMES. RA MARTINEZ WAS THE FIRST HISPANIC POLICE OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND HIS BROTHER, IAS MARTINEZ, WAS THE FIRST HISPANIC FIREFIGHTER. WOW. SO IT'S A GREAT HONOR FOR ME TO BE THE FIRST IN MY POSITION EVER FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, THEIR OTHER BROTHER RECENTLY HAD AN HONOR OF HAVING A POST OFFICE NAMED FOR HIM, BENNY MARTINEZ. SO ALL THE VALUE, THE INTRINSIC VALUE THEY HAVE FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE AND FOR PUBLIC SERVITUDE, I HAVE DONE MY BEST TO BRING THAT TO THIS POSITION WHERE WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THE CITY REPRESENTS IT ITSELF. ITS HISTORYS STORYTELLING AND ITS COMMUNITIES. UM, SO I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS TIME TO SAY A FEW WORDS FOR THIS, UM, PROUD HONOR. AND, UM, I AM RESIGNING MY POSITION. IT'S A HARD THING TO PUT DOWN THIS WORK. I REALLY BELIEVE IN IT, BUT I'M DOING ANOTHER THING MY ANCESTORS HAVE BEEN STAUNCH ADVOCATES FOR, AND I'M ENTERING INTO GRAD SCHOOL AND, UM, MOVING OVER TO, UH, PUBLIC ART. SO I'M STILL HERE, I'M STILL AROUND, I'M RIGHT DOWN THE STREET. AND HAPPY TO CONTINUE ALL OF THE EXCITING CONVERSATION AROUND PUBLIC ART WE SAW THIS PAST FEW MONTHS. UM, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. ESCOVEDO. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON RECEIVED SOME [00:15:01] GREAT PRESS FROM THAT BLOOMBERG, UH, GRANT. UH, AND A LOT OF THAT WAS DUE TO YOUR EFFORTS. AND WE APPRECIATE YOU AMPLIFYING THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC ART AND ALL OF THE GREAT WORK YOU'VE DONE. YOU, YOU DEFINITELY, UM, GAVE GREAT KUDOS TO YOUR ANCESTORS, AND WE WANNA CONTINUE TO TELL THOSE STORIES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEGACY AND WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN YOUR NEXT SEASON OF LIFE. DON'T BE A STRANGER. WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS PROCLAMATION FORWARD AND, UH, CASTILLO FOR PRESENTING IT. AND WE DO HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TIM. UH, DE UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL, ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE. UM, PREVIOUSLY, UH, BEFORE BEING A COUNCIL MEMBER, I WAS A STAFFER. SO WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WERE, UM, YOUR WORK WAS TO BRING EQUITY WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC ART, UM, AND CIVIC ART. AND SO, UM, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THAT. WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN, IN WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, BLACK AND BROWN, UH, FOLKS. UM, AND THEN JUST REALLY EVERY COMMUNITY SPECI, UH, AROUND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT, THAT YOU'VE CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. YOU'VE MADE US BETTER. UM, AND THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. AND I THINK THE CONVERSATION THAT YOU MENTIONED A HANDFUL OF MONTHS AGO, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UM, THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE FOLKS LIKE YOU TO CONTINUE TO COME TO CITY HALL TO SHARE WHAT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT IS WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE ART IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY IMPACT IS WHEN WE HAVE ART IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND, AND JUST KNOW THAT AS YOU GO TO U OF H, WE'RE GONNA STILL CALL YOU, UH, AT LEAST I WILL, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN LEAN ON FOLKS THAT ARE EXPERTS IN THIS SPACE. UM, BECAUSE SOMETIMES A LOT OF, A LOT OF, A LOT OF THE ARGUMENTS HAPPEN OUT OF PASSION AND IT'S NOT A BAD THING. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOME FACTS BEHIND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO CIVIC ART, SPECIFICALLY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND WHAT IT DOES FOR OUR COMMUNITIES IN, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING. UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR PARENTS, UM, TO YOUR FAMILY. UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO HAVE HER FOR, UH, WHAT, GOING ON ABOUT THREE YEARS. WAS IT TWO YEARS? ALMOST FIVE. YEAH, FIVE YEARS. THANK YOU. GRACIAS. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. THANKS VERY MUCH, [2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] CHAIR. RECOGNIZE COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ FOR THE INVOCATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON AND I ACTUALLY SWITCHED LAST MONTH. UH, IS SHANTE FRANCIS HERE? SHANTE FRANCIS. ALRIGHT, WOULD YOU COME FORWARD, MA'AM? AND STAND AT THE PODIUM THERE. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU SO THAT THE FOLKS ON COUNCIL AND HERE IN THE GALLERY, UH, KNOW WHO YOU ARE. ALL RIGHT. FIRST LADY SHANTE FRANCIS, A NATIVE OF HOUSTON SERVES AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MEET THE STREETS OUTREACH AND THE LEADER OF THE WOMEN'S MINISTRY AT NEW DIRECTION COMMUNITY CHURCH, WHERE HER HUSBAND, PASTOR CB FRANCIS, FAITHFULLY PASTORS AN ANOINTED WOMAN OF GOD. LADY FRANCIS, IS PASSIONATE ABOUT GUIDING WOMEN TO SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL WHOLENESS. FOSTERING RUTH AND NAOMI RELATIONSHIPS OF SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT. HER TESTIMONY REFLECTS GOD'S BLESSINGS, EQUIPPING HER TO HELP WOMEN GROW SPIRITUALLY AND ACHIEVE HEALING. A GIFTED COMMUN, UH, COMMUNICATOR AND TEACHER OF GOD'S WORD. SHE FAITHFULLY SERVES ALONGSIDE HER HUSBAND WITH GRACE, DEDICATION, AND UNWAVERING CHARACTER. LADY FRANCIS EXEMPLIFIES THE QUALITIES OF A PROVERBS 31 WOMAN LEADING WITH VIRTUE, POISE, AND COMMITMENT TO HER FAMILY, MINISTRY AND COMMUNITY. MA'AM, WOULD YOU LEAD US IN PRAYER AT THIS TIME? ABSOLUTELY. FATHER GOD, IN THE NAME OF JESUS, LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US HERE TODAY. GOD, EACH AND EVERY PERSON THAT IS REPRESENTED IN THIS ROOM, NAME BY NAME AND HEART BY HEART, GOD, WE THANK YOU. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR MERCY. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACE. WE [00:20:01] THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS. GOD, WE THANK YOU, LORD GOD, FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOU THIS CITY AND EVERYONE WHO LIVES HERE. FATHER, WE PRAY FOR OUR MAYOR. WE PRAY FOR OUR CITY OFFICIALS, FOR EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER, LORD GOD, WE PRAY FOR EVERY BUDGET, FOR EVERY PROCLAMATION, FOR EVERYTHING THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THIS ROOM TODAY AND THE DAYS TO COME. FATHER, WE PRAY, LORD GOD, THAT YOU WOULD HAVE FULL REIGN IN THIS YEAR AND IN THIS CITY. GOD, WE PRAY FOR EVERY LEADER, GOD, THAT YOU WOULD DO WHAT ONLY YOU CAN DO FOR THEM, GOD, THAT YOU WOULD TAKE THEM TO HIGHER HEIGHTS AND DEEPER DEBTS THAN YOU GOD. AND AS THEY WORK TO LEAD THIS CITY, FATHER, WE PRAY THAT YOU WILL GIVE THEM THE STRATEGIC PLANS, LORD GOD, TO DO WHAT IT IS THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE CITY. FATHER, WE PRAY THAT EVERY BUDGET WILL BE MET, THAT EVERY FINANCIAL INCREASE WOULD COME. LORD GOD, WE PRAY THAT ALL FUNDING WILL BE RECEIVED IN THE NAME OF JESUS. GOD WE PRAY, LORD GOD, FOR EACH AND EVERY AUXILIARY THAT IS REPRESENTED, AND THAT WILL COME INTO THIS ROOM ON TODAY, GOD, THAT THEY WILL BE SHOWN YOUR GRACE, YOUR MERCY, AND YOUR LOVE. GOD, WE PRAY, LORD GOD, THAT AS THEY WORK TOGETHER TO UNIFY AND GLORIFY YOU IN THIS CITY, GOD, THAT YOU WILL TAKE FULL RANGE IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. GOD, WE THANK YOU LORD GOD, FOR EVERY LEADER GOD, WE PRAY, LORD GOD, THAT YOU WILL TOUCH THEIR HEARTS, GOD, THAT THEY WILL BE THE KIND OF LEADERS THAT STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT, EVEN IF THEY HAVE TO STAND ALONE. GOD, WE PRAY THAT YOU WILL GIVE THEM EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED GOD TO DO, WHAT IT IS THAT YOU HAVE CALLED FOR THEM TO DO PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, SPIRITUALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY. GOD, WE PRAY FOR THEIR FAMILIES. GOD, WE PRAY FOR EVERYONE THAT IS CONNECTED TO THEM, FOR EVERY CITY WORKER, FOR EVERY MANNER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, GOD, THAT YOUR PROTECTION AND YOUR PROVISION WILL BE OVER THE CITY. GOD, WE THANK YOU, LORD GOD, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE DOING RIGHT NOW. WE GIVE YOU GLORY, HONOR, AND PRAISE GOD. WE THANK YOU FOR KEEPING EVERY MANNER OF EVIL, OBEY GOD. AND WE THANK YOU LORD GOD, FOR YOUR PROTECTION, FOR YOUR KINDNESS, FOR YOUR GRACE, FOR YOUR GENTLENESS. GOD, WE THANK YOU, THE LORD GOD, FOR YOUR HOLY SPIRIT FEELING THIS ROOM. GOD, WE ENTRUST, LORD GOD, EVERY PLAN THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN THIS ROOM, GOD, THAT YOU WILL BE THE CENTER. WE ASK THAT YOUR HOLY SPIRIT WILL GUIDE EACH AND EVERY ONE AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS, GOD, FOR THIS CITY TO BE GREATER THAN HAS EVER BEEN. GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR LINING UP THE RESOURCES, GOD TO WORK AS YOU ORDAINED FOR IT TO DO SO. GOD. AND WE THANK YOU LORD GOD, THAT NO WEAPON, NO HARM, NO DANGER WILL BRING ANYTHING TO ANYONE IN THIS ROOM. GOD, WE THANK YOU THAT NAME BY NAME AND HEART BY HEART GOD, THAT YOU ARE PROVIDING FOR YOUR CHILDREN, GOD, THAT YOU ARE GIVING THEM THE VISIONS AND THE DREAMS AND IDEAS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. GOD, WE THANK YOU, LORD GOD FOR EVERYTHING, AND WE GIVE YOU GLORY, HONOR AND PRAISE FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN. AMEN. WILL YOU PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE? SECRETARY, YOU CALL [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING] THE ROLE MAYOR WHITMEYER. PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER PEG HERE. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. COUNCILMAN MC CAYMAN. PRESENT? COUNCILMAN EVAN SHABA? HERE. COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER? HERE. COUNCILMAN THOMAS? HERE. COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO? HERE. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ? HERE. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM. HERE. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. HERE. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. HERE. COUNCIL CARTER PRESENT. COUNCILMAN PLUM CLUM WILL BE ASKING, COUNCIL FOR ALCORN HERE. NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF DECEMBER 10TH AND 11TH AND 17TH AND 18TH. CASTEX T MOVE MOTION. SECOND. SECOND. IT ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NA. MOTION PASSES NOW FOR PROCEDURAL MOTIONS. UH, COUNCILMAN CAYMAN? THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD DON HOWERS AND REYES TORRES TO FOLLOW FELIX CISNEROS UNDER THE THREE MINUTE NON-AGENDA LIST. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ANYONE ELSE? ONE SECOND. THAT'S ALL. UH, MADAM SECRETARY, [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] YOU CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER DOMINIQUE MAZAK COUNCIL. UH, I PERSONALLY OFF THE BAT, I DID RIDE THE 56 TO [00:25:01] THE RED LINE AND WALKED HERE. IT WAS A GOOD TRIP. AND REMEMBER IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS WE HAD RODEO AND THE RED LINE GOES TO RODEO. THE THING I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, I BROUGHT THIS UP A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, IS I WAS LOOKING WHEN I, ON THURSDAY NIGHT OR FRIDAY, I LOOK AT THE AGENDA AND SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT. AND THE, AND ONE OF MY HEROS IS SIR THOMAS MOORE. AND THAT GOT INTO ME, UH, THESE THREE TRUCK OR VEHICLE PURCHASES. UH, BASICALLY YOU HAVE IT HERE ON YOUR, YOU KNOW, ON THE AGENDA. AND THEN WHEN YOU GO HIT THIS, IT GIVES YOU A WRITTEN DOCUMENT. BUT THERE'S NO PICTURES, THERE'S NO OTHER INFORMATION. UH, AND I THINK WITH, WITH THIS GROUP OF GUS PEOPLE LOOKING AT A QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLAR SHORTFALL FOR THE COMING YEAR, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE AS MUCH THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW AS MUCH INFORMATION AS YOU CAN. SECONDLY, AND I'VE GONE, THIS IS SOUND LIKE BAD FIDDLE, BUT I SAID IT'S METRO. YOU KNOW, WE GOT SO MANY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN HARRIS COUNTY AND HGAC, LIKE FOR POLICE CARS. WHY CAN'T WE JUST GET EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND SPEC ONE VEHICLE SO THAT THERE'S A BUNCH OF VEHICLES BEING MADE? BUT WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU LOWER YOUR COSTS. UH, AND I THINK THERE'S OTHER WAYS, AGAIN, UM, WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL OF OUR FINANCES AND MAYBE LOOK AT SOME OTHER WAYS OF GETTING GIGS. AND SECOND OF ALL, DOES THESE THINGS GO THROUGH TWO READINGS, LIKE A PURCHASE? DOES IT, DOES IT COME UP CASTLE TWICE, LIKE OVER AT, LIKE, OVER AT METRO? IT GOES, THINGS COME TO THE PACIFIC COMMITTEE FIRST AND THEN IT GOES TO THE FULL BOARD. SO YOU GOT TWO HEARINGS. I THINK IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA FOR THE, UH, PROP A COMMITTEE MAYBE TO LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING TWO READINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE THESE LARGE PURPOSES. AGAIN, UH, MAYOR, YOU CAME IN WHEN I WAS GROWING UP. I CAME IN, OR YOU CAME IN RIGHT AFTER THE TRUMP SALE SCANDAL. AND WE DON'T NEED THIS HERE. WE NEED TO BE, UH, ALL ON BOARD. AND AGAIN, COLLABORATION WITH EVERYBODY ELSE THAT LOWERS THE COST OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE CITY AND EVERYBODY ELSE WHO IS IN HARRIS COUNTY, HOUSTON, HJC. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR DOMINIC, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS. I DID WANNA SHARE IN TERMS OF COST SAVINGS. UM, THE CITY IS INVOLVED AND IN PARTICIPATES IN, UH, CERTAIN CO-OPS THAT OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES LIKE YOU'RE REFERRING TO, ARE IN. SO THAT WHEN WE'RE BUYING IN BULK, BECAUSE WE'RE PARTICIPATING IN THOSE CO-OPS, IT IS BRINGING THOSE PRICES DOWN. I FULLY AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT CONSOLIDATION, BUT I DID, FOR THOSE THAT MAY NOT BE AWARE, WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, FOLKS KNEW WE ARE THROUGH PROCUREMENT, INVOLVED IN CO-OPS WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THAT ALLOWS US TO BUY AT A BETTER RATE. UM, WE DO, I THINK, NEED TO BE LOOKING AT MILES PER GALLON AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS. ARE WE USING FUEL EFFICIENCY TO SAVE COSTS, THINGS LIKE THAT. UH, BUT IT'S ALSO A CHALLENGE WHEN YOU HAVE STOCK. SO YOU HAVE TO BUY FROM DIFFERENT, UH, FROM DIFFERENT MAKERS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BUY ALL OF YOUR VEHICLES FROM ONE PLACE AT ONE TIME. OKAY, I GET YOUR POINT. I GET, GET THE FIRST POINT, BUT I STILL THINK THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST A PICTURE OF WHAT YOU'RE BUYING, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE A, A STICKER ON THE, ON THE TABLE, WHAT WE'RE BUYING. UH, BECAUSE, UH, I CAN JUST SEE THAT COMING BACK. WE'RE COMING INTO JULY. I THINK THE BUDGET IS PASSED, THAT LAST MEETING IN JULY. EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE ON BOARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT, MAMIE GARCIA. MAMIE GARCIA, HELEN JOHNSON, HELEN JOHNSON, THERESA BREWER. SAY HERE. I TOOK CARE OF THAT. THERESA BREWER. ERIC MANN, MAYOR WHITMEYER COUNCIL MEMBERS. IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO HAVE ALL YOUR FULL ATTENTION BECAUSE THIS CONCERNS ALL OF US IN OUR COMMUNITY. MY NAME IS ERIC MANN. [00:30:02] I'M WITH AM CORCO CORPORATION. WE'RE A RESEARCH AND CONSULTING FIRM. WHAT WE DO IS DEAL WITH SOLUTIONS TO CLEAN UP TOXIC OIL SPILLS. I'M ALSO A CONSULTANT TO A BC NEWS COURT AND AN EXPERT COURT WITNESS. TODAY, IT IS MY INTENT TO BRING TO YOU THE FOREFRONT ABOUT THE PERILS OF PFAS AND A FFF. THAT IS FIREFIGHTING FORM THAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH IN CHROMIUM SIX, THAT'S IN OUR WATER AND IN OUR SOILS. HOUSTON RELEASED ITS ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT ABOUT TOXIC SPILLS, CHEMICALS, CHROMIUM SIX, THE A FFF AND THE PFAS. IT'S A HIGHLY TOXIC THAT IS CURRENTLY UNREGULATED BY THE FEPA. CHROMIUM AND OTHER CHEMICALS TOGETHER LIKE PFAS AND A FFF DISCOVERED THAT THE WATER QUALITY WAS HIGHER THAN 6.7 BILLION PARTS PER PARTS PER BILLION. THIS CONCENTRATION IS 330 TIMES. LET THAT SINK IN FOR A MOMENT. 330 TIMES HIGHER THAN THE PROPOSED THRESHOLD FOR SAFETY. THAT MEANS THAT MEANS ALL OF YOU, ME AND MY NEIGHBORS ARE ALL DRINKING THE WATER. THE FIFTH WARD IS DEALING WITH CHEMICAL SPILLS OVER THERE. WASHINGTON ISSUED A FIRST EVER NATIONAL LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE DRINKING WATER STANDARDS TO PROTECT C COMMUNITIES, UH, COMMUNITIES FROM EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL POLYETHYLENE, UH, POLYOL SUBSTANCES LIKE PFAS AND A F AND CHROMIUM SIX FIREFIGHTING FOAM CHEMICALS. SO THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE, KPRC REPORTED ON THIS AND THE BLATANT DISREGARD OF PUBLIC SAFETY. WHEN TOXIC SPILLS HAPPEN, LIKE CHROMIUM AND THE OTHER CHEMICALS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS FIRST RESPONDERS ARE PUT IN PERIL MOST OF THE TIME. THEY DON'T WEAR RESPIRATORS WHEN THEY'RE USING THIS FOAM. THE PROBLEM IS, AFTER WE USE THE FOAM, HOW ARE WE CLEANING IT UP? I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, GENERALLY WE WASH IT DOWN. IT GOES INTO OUR ENVIRONMENT, IT GOES INTO OUR WATER SYSTEM. WE CAN'T BE DOING THAT. THEY CREATE HIGHLY TOXIC CAUSING CANCER. THERE WAS NEVER AN EPA LABORATORY TESTING ON THIS THRONE. AND AS OF YESTERDAY, CHIEF HILL TOLD ME THAT WE'RE PHASING OUT. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. GO AHEAD AND COMPLETE YOUR MESSAGE. YOU WANT ME TO WALK AWAY? SIR? I DIDN'T HEAR YOU. I'M HARD ENOUGH. I'LL SAY GO AHEAD AND COMPLETE YOUR MESSAGE. OKAY. SO YESTERDAY I WAS TOLD BY CHIEF HILL THAT THE INVENTORY IS GONNA BE USED UP. THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH BECAUSE FEDERAL MANDATE SAYS THEY CANNOT USE IT. WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE GETTING SICK WITH CANCER AND DYING. THE OTHER SITUATION WE HAVE IS THE DECLINE OF NEURO DEGENERATIVE DEGENERATIVE DISEASES AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WITH OUR CHILDREN AND OUR ELDERLY. ALL OF US, YOU CAN LOOK UP RI CCRA, USDA AND EPA ARE VERY CLEAR ON THE USE CLEANUP OF TOXIC SPILL. YOU CAN'T JUST CONTINUE TO PUT BANDAIDS ON IT AND THINK IT'S GONNA GO AWAY BECAUSE IT'S NOT WHAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO CREATE, WHICH WE DO HAVE SOLUTIONS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BUT YOU CAN'T PUT, YOU CANNOT PUT CHEMICALS ON CHEMICALS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T DO IT. THANK YOU. YOU'VE MADE A GOOD POINT. THANK YOU. NEXT, DENNIS BURANT. DENNIS BURANT. JACK VALINSKI MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE MONTROSE LIBRARY. IT'S A FABULOUS FACILITY AND IT'S GONNA BE USED FOR YEARS. I WAS THERE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND THE PLACE WAS REALLY FULL. IT'S JUST A REAL GEM FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. BUT I CAME HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE TRASH COLLECTION. YOU ALL KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM. IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM WAY BEFORE YOU WERE MAYOR, BUT IT [00:35:01] NEEDS TO BE FIXED. REGULAR TRASH SEEMS TO BE PICKED UP ON TIME. THAT SEEMS TO WORK FINE, BUT IT'S THE OTHER SERVICES THAT ARE THE PROBLEM. IT WAS 22 DAYS LATE TO PICK UP HEAVY TRASH IN MONTROSE. THAT MEANT THAT THAT TRASH WAS OUT THERE FOR ABOUT A MONTH. AND ON THAT WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THEY SKIPPED RECYCLING. I DIDN'T SEE A NOTICE. ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS SAID THEY DID SEE A NOTICE, BUT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT. IT MAKES THE CITY LOOK REALLY BAD. AND I KNOW THAT IN MONTROSE, WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY PROBLEMS AS SOME OTHER PARTS OF TOWN LIKE IN DISTRICT A. IT IS REALLY EMBARRASSING FOR THE CITY THAT THE, THE TRASH IS NOT PICKED UP. YOU MAKE A THREE ONE ONE CALL AND THAT IS IMMEDIATELY CLOSED. IT'S NOT THREE ONE ONE'S FAULT, IT'S SOLID WASTE. THEY JUST CLOSED THOSE TICKETS. I KNOW I MADE ONE THAT DAY AND IT WAS CLOSED THE NEXT DAY AND I CALLED BACK AND THEY OPENED UP ANOTHER ONE. BUT, AND IN FACT I EVEN BELIEVED THAT THE 3 1 1 OPERATORS ARE TOLD TO JUST CLOSE THOSE TICKETS. DON'T EVEN GIVE A SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER ON LATE GARB, UH, LATE TRASH. IF WE CAN'T FUND THE TRASH, THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT FOR THE, FOR WHAT THEY NEED TO DO THE JOB, THEN MAYBE WE NEED TO CUT BACK ON THOSE OTHER SERVICES. MAYBE MAKE, UH, RECYCLING EVERY THIRD WEEK. MAYBE MAKE HEAVY TRASH EVERY QUARTER INSTEAD OF EVERY OTHER MONTH. IT JUST REALLY MAKES THIS CITY, CITY LOOK BAD. AND I KNOW IT'S NOT AN EASY PROBLEM TO SOLVE. WE NEED THE RESOURCES. WE KNOW THE TRUCK DRIVERS COULD MAKE MORE MONEY WORKING FOR PRIVATE INDUSTRY. AND I APPLAUD THE WORKERS. THEY WORK REALLY HARD. THEY'RE THERE EARLY IN THE MORNING. THEY'RE THERE LATE AT NIGHT. THEY DO A TREMENDOUS JOB. AND IN SOME PARTS OF THE CITY, IT'S REALLY CHALLENGING WITH THE NARROW STREETS, WITH THE CARS PARKED THERE. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE PROBLEMS. YOU PUT OUT HEAVY TRASH AND YOU EXPECT IT TO BE PICKED UP AT A CERTAIN TIME SO PEOPLE DON'T PARK THERE. BUT WHEN IT'S WEEKS AND WEEKS LATER, PEOPLE PARK THERE 'CAUSE THEY NEVER KNOW WHEN IT'S COMING. SO PLEASE FUND SOLID WASTE OR CHANGE THEIR SERVICES SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TRASH SITTING OUT ON THE SIDEWALKS FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, MY OFFICE HAS ALSO BEEN RECENTLY GETTING A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT, UM, HEAVY TRASH PICKUP, NOT COMING, RECYCLING, NOT GETTING PICKED UP, THINGS LIKE THAT. AND, UM, I KNOW THAT SOLID WASTE WAS A LITTLE BIT BEHIND AFTER BARREL TRYING TO GET THE DEBRIS AND THINGS LIKE THAT PICKED UP. BUT WE KNOW EVERY SINGLE YEAR AFTER THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS, THERE'S JUST A LOT MORE TRASH. PEOPLE ARE HAVING FAMILY GATHERINGS. THERE'S A LOT OF BOXES AND TRASH BECAUSE OF CHRISTMAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T ANTICIPATE. WE CAN LOOK FORWARD KNOWING THAT ESPECIALLY AFTER CHRISTMAS, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF TRASH OUT. UM, BUT IT'S ALSO A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE TOO. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, A BIG GIANT TV BOX, YOU KNOW, SITTING ON THEIR, THEIR CURB. AND SO, YOU KNOW, BAD GUYS KNOW THAT SOMEBODY JUST GOT A BRAND NEW TV FOR CHRISTMAS. YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SEE EVERY SINGLE YEAR AROUND THIS TIME, UM, AND WE CAN DO BETTER. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. THANK YOU COUNCILOR CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU JACK, FOR COMING DOWN HERE. YOU REALLY, UH, SPOKE TO WHAT A LOT OF US ARE, ARE FEELING IN OUR DISTRICTS AND, AND DISTRICT H AS WELL. UM, I KNOW DISTRICT H WELL. YES, YES. WE'VE HAD, UH, A NUMBER OF MISSED RECYCLINGS DELAYED AND, AND HEAVY TRASH. AND, YOU KNOW, PART OF IT I THINK STEMS FROM THE COMMUNICATION THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM SOLID WASTE AND THE, THE VAGUENESS OF IT AROUND WHEN YOU CAN EXPECT, UH, YOUR TRASH TO BE SERVICED AND THAT NOT BEING MET. AND EVEN MY OFFICE, YOU KNOW, OUR UPDATES ARE JUST VERY GENERAL. IT'S, WE'RE DELAYED, WE'RE RUNNING BEHIND, AND WE CAN'T COMMUNICATE TO Y'ALL EFFECTIVELY IN THAT CASE. UNDERSTAND. AND THAT ADDS TO FRUSTRATION, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEN IF YOU KNEW WHEN IT WAS GONNA GET PICKED UP, YOU COULD AT LEAST PLAN AROUND THAT. BUT EVEN THAT ISN'T, ISN'T BEING MET. AND I THINK THAT'S ONE AREA WE CAN LOOK AT TO TRY AND MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO AT LEAST SET THE EXPECTATIONS, UM, WHERE WE KNOW, OKAY, IF THERE'S GONNA BE A DELAY, LET'S BE A LITTLE ACCURATE ABOUT WHEN THAT IS GONNA ACTUALLY GET SERVICED. BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE IT SITTING THERE AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S GONNA GET PICKED UP AND IT BECOMES A BIGGER ISSUE AND IT COMPOUNDS, IT JUST FRUSTRATES RESIDENTS, UH, TO NO END. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND, AND SPEAKING ON THE ISSUE. I KNOW THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FOLKS HERE THAT TALK ABOUT SOLID WASTE. THANK YOU. JUST A SECOND. JACK. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, JACK. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. AND THERE ARE OTHERS HERE ON THE AGENDA WHO ARE GONNA ADDRESS THE SAME ISSUE AS YOU AND MY TRAVELS AROUND THE CITY. THIS SEEMS TO BE THE BIGGEST, MOST COMMON COMPLAINT IS HEAVY TRASH NOT GETTING PICKED UP. ONE IS MY HEAVY TRASH GONNA GET PICKED UP, AND WE SEE IT IN THE EMAILS WE RECEIVE AS, AS WELL. AND, AND FRANKLY, IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE AND THE CITY HAS TO DO BETTER. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING OUR ATTENTION TO THIS. YOU'RE ALL REALLY SMART PEOPLE YOU'VE BEEN ELECTED TO SERVE. PLEASE FIX ALL IT WASTE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, VICTOR SUAREZ, [00:40:20] GOOD AFTERNOON TO ALL OF YOU. I'M VICTOR SUAREZ, AND THIS IS MY THIRD TIME I COME OVER HERE TO REQUEST FOR HELP, NOT FOR MYSELF, BUT SO MANY PEOPLE THAT THEY CAN'T WALK, THEY'RE ON WHEELCHAIRS, OKAY? AND THEY NEED ATTENTION. THEY TOLD ME TO CALL CERTAIN PEOPLE FROM CERTAIN DIVISIONS. I CALLED THEM, I CAN'T GET NO ANSWER. SOME PEOPLE FROM, UH, METRO, THEY CALLED ME BACK ONE TIME AND THAT WAS THE END OF IT. AND I'M TALKING ABOUT, THIS HAS BEEN SINCE, UH, THE EARLY PART OF THE LAST YEAR. OKAY? NOW, I, I DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR MYSELF, BUT I, I DO CARE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. THEY CAN WALK THOSE TRAFFIC LIGHTS. THEY'RE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, OKAY? YOU PRESS THE BUTTON, THEY CHANGE IT TO GREEN. YOU NOT EVEN DO TWO STEPS AND IT CHANGES TO RATE. SO THAT MEANS IT, IT'S A DANGEROUS THING BECAUSE WITH THE TRAFFIC WE GET IN HOUSTON IS NOT A JOKE. WE'RE RIGHT HERE. YOU ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, OKAY? AND I'M HERE BECAUSE LIKE THEY, I LEARNED THIS MANY YEARS AGO. IT'S NOT WHAT THE COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU. IT'S WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY. AND THAT'S US. EVERY ONE OF US, OKAY? WRITE IT. AND I'M HERE TO HELP THE CITY MAYOR, MR. MAYOR, MR. WHITMEYER AND ALL THE CITY COUNCIL. I HAVE A PLAN FOR Y'ALL BECAUSE THEY ALL ALWAYS SAY, OH, IT'S NOT NO FUN TO DO THIS. IT'S NOT. IT'S NO FUN TO DO THAT. I DO HAVE THE PLAN TO GET THE FUNDS FOR AND TO MAKE A HOUSTON, UH, A SPACE CITY LIKE THEY SAY, AND NOT A TRASH CITY, OKAY? YOU GOING EVERYWHERE ON EVERY STREET AND YOU FIND TRASH EVERYWHERE. AND I GOT PICTURES OF THE SPEEDING SIGNS ON EVERY STREET. IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, SPEED LIMIT 30 MILES. NOBODY GOES TO 30 MILES IN THERE. THE MINIMUM THEY GOES TO 45. WHERE'S THE LAW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN? YOU TELL ME. I HAVE NO ANSWER. EVERYBODY THINK THAT I'M CRAZY, BUT I'M NOT. I HAD A, A BRAIN SURGERY THREE YEARS AGO. YOU THREW ME IN THE HOSPITAL, FOUR MONTHS PARALYZED. I LOST MY VISION. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. MY HEARING, MY SPEECH, THEY TEACH ME HOW TO SPEAK AGAIN LIKE A BABY. I COULDN'T WALK. THEY TEACH ME HOW TO WALK. OKAY? BUT I'M WILLING TO DO SOMETHING FOR HOUSTON TO HELP YOU ALL. JUST A MOMENT BECAUSE I GOT THE PLAN FOR IT. COUNCIL MEMBER CAST, UM, CAST STADIUM MAYOR PROTE. MR. SUAREZ, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AGAIN TODAY. WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL. SURE. THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN TODAY. WE APPRECIATE YOU ALWAYS COMING AND SHARING YOUR CONCERNS. IF YOU WOULD, UM, GIVE THAT TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT IS OUT, GIVE THAT INFORMATION, UM, TO THE, THE ADMINISTRATION STAFF HERE SO WE CAN GET PUBLIC WORKS TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND THOSE OTHER CONCERNS, WE ARE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE WE CAN TRY TO GET THOSE RESULTS BECAUSE YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. IT IS DANGEROUS IF, IF THOSE LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING, WE WANNA GET THOSE FIXED AND WE CAN GET THAT DONE THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS. OKAY? BUT IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN THE SAME TIME THAT HAPPENED ABOUT THREE, FOUR MONTHS AGO. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. WE'RE GONNA GET IT TAKEN CARE OF. IF YOU GIVE THAT ADDRESS, LIKE I SAY, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A MEETING WITH THE MAYOR AND ALL THE CITY COUNCIL. TELL MS. WILSON THAT'S WHAT WE DOING TODAY. A PLAN THAT IT REALLY WORKS. OKAY? WELL, WILL YOU SHARE THAT PLAN WITH US? DO, IS IT, IS IT WRITTEN PLAN? CAN YOU EMAIL IT TO US OR CAN YOU SHARE IT WITH US, UH, VIA EMAIL? [00:45:05] IF NOT, GO, GO AHEAD AND GIVE THAT ADDRESS AND THAT INFORMATION TO THE STAFF AND WE'LL, WE'LL GET, WELL, I'VE TRIED BEFORE I SPOKE TO MR. JAMES, UH, , WHATEVER HIS NAME IS. WILL YOU TRY IT ONE MORE TIME? I SPOKE TO THE OFFICE OF MS UH, JACKSON. OKAY. DON'T KNOW HER, NO ANSWERS. YEAH, WE, WE GONNA, WE GONNA MAKE SURE YOU GET ASKED. WE WANNA DO IT, BUT THAT'S STOPPED RIGHT THERE. THANK YOU MR. SUAREZ. THANK YOU MR. SUAREZ. WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN TODAY. OKAY. SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO HAVE A MA UH, MEETING WITH THE MAYOR AND ALL THE CITY COUNCILS AND PUT THE PLAN I HAVE FOR YES, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION THAT THE MAYOR PROM ASKED FOR. OKAY? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. ALRIGHT, BE SAFE NEXT. OH, I'M SORRY. NO, NO, NO. DAVIS HAS A PROCEDURAL MOTION. NO, THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILOR DAVIS. HE'S GOT A SEE PROCEDURAL MOTION, NOT NOW. NEXT PROCEDURAL MOTION. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I, I WANNA MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULE TO MOVE FRED WOODS TO AFTER MR. LINDSEY P*****K FOR ONE MINUTE. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. NEXT. CINDY CHAPMAN, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS CINDY CHAPMAN. I LIVE IN WESTBURY AND DISTRICT K, WHICH IS A COMMUNITY OF 5,000 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. I'M A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE WESTBURY CIVIC CLUB. I'M CURRENTLY BOARD SECRETARY, AND I'VE BEEN A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE FOR OVER 20 YEARS HERE IN HOUSTON. SEVERAL OF US ARE HERE TODAY TO COMPLAIN ABOUT LACK OF HEAVY TRASH SERVICE IN WESTBURY FOR ALMOST THREE MONTHS. I WISH WE LIVED IN WEST IN MONTROSE, WHERE IT'S ONLY 22 DAYS BECAUSE WE'RE APPROACHING 90 DAYS IN WESTBURY. THE LAST TIME WE HAD HEAVY TRASH PICKED UP WAS IN OCTOBER. SO WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE CHANGE IS NEEDED ABOUT HEAVY TRASH HERE IN HOUSTON. I PERSONALLY PUT MY HEAVY TRASH OUT ON NOVEMBER 14TH FOR PICKUP. THAT WAS A REGULARLY SCHEDULED DAY. IT WAS NOT PICKED UP. SO FIVE DAYS LATER I CONTACTED 3 1 1 ON NOVEMBER 19TH TO COMPLAIN THAT BOTH MY TRASH HAD NOT BEEN PICKED UP. AND AS FAR AS I COULD TELL, HUGE AREAS OF WESTBURY HAD NOT BEEN PICKED UP. I ALSO CONTACTED DISTRICT K, AND I KNOW THEY REACHED OUT TO SOLID WASTE. HOWEVER, MY TRASH WAS NOT PICKED UP IN NOVEMBER. IT WAS NOT PICKED UP IN DECEMBER. SO ON DECEMBER 30TH, I AGAIN REACHED OUT TO 3 1 1 TO COMPLAIN AND REPORTED IT. SO THAT MEANS THAT IN WESTBURY, TRASH WAS AT THE CURB FOR THANKSGIVING, FOR CHRISTMAS, FOR HANUKKAH, AND NEW YEAR'S, ALL TIMES OF THE YEAR WHEN PEOPLE ARE VISITING. AND WHAT THEY SAW WAS A TRASHY NEIGHBORHOOD. NOW WESTBURY HAS 5,000 HOMES. I KNOW WE ARE BIG, IT MAKES IT SOMETIMES HARD FOR THE CITY TO GIVE US SERVICES BECAUSE WE ARE SO BIG. BUT I CAN REMEMBER YEARS AGO, WESTBURY HAD FOUR DIFFERENT HEAVY TRASH ZONES. FOUR. AND AS A RESULT, WESTBURY WAS ALWAYS MESSY BECAUSE IT WAS EVEN ON DIFFERENT WEEKS. AND THE CITY HEARD OUR CONCERNS AND THE CITY TOOK ACTION AND THEY CONSOLIDATED. THEY GOT US FROM FOUR TO FOUR DIFFERENT PICKUP DAYS TO TWO, AND THEN THEY EVEN MANAGED TO GET IT ALL TO ONE DAY, SECOND THURSDAY. SO THAT HELPED TREMENDOUSLY. BUT NOW WE'RE BACK HAVING PROBLEMS AGAIN. AND WE ARE CONCERNED. WE'VE HEARD RUMORS ABOUT A HEAVY TRASH ON DEMAND TYPE PROPOSAL. AND EVEN IF THIS CURRENT MESS GETS CLEANED UP, WHICH I'M HOPEFUL FOR, WE STILL HAVE SOME CONCERNS THAT IF IT'S HEAVY TRASH ON DEMAND, WE'LL GO BACK TO THOSE BAD OLD DAYS OF ALWAYS HAVING TRASH ON THE STREET. SO I'M NOT THE ONLY SPEAKER HERE, THERE ARE THREE MORE PEOPLE BEHIND ME TO SPEAK FROM WESTBURY. I DON'T HAVE ALL THE WORDS FROM WESTBURY. I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE CONCERNED. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED, WE NEED HELP, AND WE'RE IMPLORING YOU, MAYOR WHITMEYER, AND ALL OF CITY COUNCIL TO PLEASE HELP US AND HELP THE WHOLE CITY BECAUSE IT IS A MESS OUT HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'LL GIVE YOU, UH, MS. CHAPMAN THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE SAYS. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR WHITMEYER, JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I'VE GOTTEN SOME INDIVIDUALS FROM WESTBURY COMING TO CITY HALL THIS AFTERNOON. THEY'RE UPSET ABOUT AREA , THE AREA WE MISSED FOR HEAVY TRASH COLLECTION, WHICH THEY'RE ACTUALLY CORRECT. WE MISSED THAT AREA BECAUSE WE SHIFTED FOR ALL OF OUR RESOURCES TO DISTRICT A TO REMEDY THE SITUATION. WE'VE PLACED OUR CONTRACTORS IN THE AREA SHOULD BE RESOLVED TODAY. SO THAT'S [00:50:01] THE BEST INFORMATION FROM THE DIRECTOR THAT I RECEIVED PRIOR TO THIS MEETING. GOOD. SO, WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT THEY ARE, I I DID, I, I'M SORRY IT'S TAKING THAT LONG. THE HOLIDAYS HAVE COMPLICATED THINGS, BUT THE, UH, CONTRACTORS SHOULD BE IN WESTBURY TODAY. YES, THANK YOU. AND THREE MORE PEOPLE ARE BEHIND ME, SO YOU'LL HAVE MUCH MORE DETAIL. THANK YOU. SAME, SAME EXPLANATION TO THEM IS THAT THE DIRECTOR KNOWS OF YOUR CONCERNS, HE CONCURS WITH YOU. AND, UH, WE'VE GIVEN MONIES FOR, UH, OUTSOURCING SOME OF THE WORK. AND THEY SHOULD BE IN WESTBURY TODAY. THANK YOU ALL 5,000 HOMES. IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE NOT, I'M SURE YOU'LL LET US KNOW. . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. JUST A SECOND. THANK YOU, MAYOR. MR. CHAIRMAN, I MEAN, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND, UM, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THIS TOPIC, BUT IT, IT JUST SEEMS AS IF, I MEAN, WE KNOW THAT THE CITY IS BEHIND ON HEAVY TRASH. IT WOULD SEEM AS IF THE SIMPLE THING TO DO WOULD SPEND THE MONEY NOW TO GET AS MANY PRIVATE CONTRACTORS TO SUPPLEMENT SOLID WASTE, TO JUST GO AND DO A COMPLETE SWEEP OF THE CITY AND THEN START OVER WITH WHATEVER THE NEW PLAN IS GONNA BE. IF IT'S ON DEMAND, IF IT'S CUTTING BACK SERVICES, WHATEVER IT IS. I MEAN, THAT'S THE ADMINISTRATION'S CALL. BUT IF WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE ALL THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, THIS IS JUST WESTBURY. WE COULD TALK ABOUT SHARPSTOWN, WE COULD TALK ABOUT ACRES HOMES, WE COULD TALK ABOUT MEYERLAND, WHEREVER. WE JUST HAVE TO GO AND, AND PICK UP THE TRASH WITH AS MANY PRIVATE CONTRACTORS AS WE CAN AND SPEND THE MONEY TO JUST GO AHEAD AND GET IT UP AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. IT SEEMS LIKE RIGHT NOW OUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT IS DOING ALL THEY CAN. AND WE HAVE SOME CONTRACTORS OUT THERE THAT ARE TRYING, BUT HAVE WE LOOKED AT ENSURING THAT WE HAVE EVEN MORE CONTRACTORS TO ENSURE THAT THE ENTIRE CITY IS BEING PICKED UP? BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY AN ENTIRE CITY, THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN AMERICA, SHOULD BE FACING THIS TYPE OF CHALLENGE FOR THIS LONG. AND SO MY GOAL OR MY REQUEST WOULD BE FOR US TO BITE THE BULLET AND SPEND WHATEVER MONEY WE NEED NOW ON AS MANY PRIVATE CONTRACTORS AS WE CAN TO SUPPLEMENT SOLID WASTE, GET IT ALL UP, AND THEN COME WITH A NEW PLAN. BUT WE CAN'T HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS GOING THIS LONG, UM, WITH HEAVY TRASH SITTING OUT THERE, AND WE STILL TRYING TO PIECEMEAL IT TOGETHER. SO HOPEFULLY, UH, WE CAN GET ON THE RIGHT TRACK. BUT I DO THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND FOR MANY OF THE, UH, RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SAME SIMILAR CONCERNS. MAYOR, MAYOR, PROTE, CASTEX, TATUM, CINDY, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND EXPRESSING YOUR CONCERNS. I KNOW WE'VE HEARD IT IN THE DISTRICT A OFFICE. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT IN YOUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS. UM, I, I WILL RESERVE MY COMMENTS AND TELL ALL OF THE RESIDENTS FROM WESTBURY HAVE HAD THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE SOME EXTENSIVE WORK TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE HEAVY TRASH IS. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE, UH, HEAVY TRASH TRUCKS ARE IN WESTBURY TODAY. UM, WE'VE BEEN SENDING THOSE MESSAGES AND FORWARDING YOUR MESSAGES, UM, TO THE TEAM. I WAS EXTREMELY SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT ALL THE RESOURCES WENT TO DISTRICT A. I AM GONNA TALK TO THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEM AND FIND OUT WHAT SHE DID, UH, BECAUSE I WANT TO DO THAT, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT NEXT TIME THE STORY WILL BE THAT ALL THE RESOURCES WENT TO DISTRICT K . BUT YEAH, AND I SAY THAT IN JEST BECAUSE I, I KNOW THAT, THAT THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS, BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND I'LL RESERVE THE REMAINDER OF MY COMMENTS UNTIL THE OTHER SPEAKERS FROM WESTBURY HAVE HAD THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR CONCERNS AS WELL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER, FLICKING CHAIR GOT A QUESTION. JUST YOUR PERSONAL OPINION, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE HEAVY TRASH PICKUP AS FREQUENTLY, BUT WHEN IT WAS SCHEDULED, IT ABSOLUTELY GOT DONE, WOULD THAT HAVE WORKED FOR YOU? I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING IS PREDICTABILITY AND GOOD COMMUNICATION. RIGHT NOW. THINGS ARE UNPREDICTABLE AND THERE'S POOR COMMUNICATION, AND SO PEOPLE ARE JUST CONFUSED. AND WHEN THERE'S CONFUSION, THEN, THEN PEOPLE GET INTO BAD HABITS AND IT MAKES THINGS EVEN WORSE. AND I SEE ONE OF THE ISSUES IS, YOU KNOW, HEAVY TRASH IS SUPPOSED TO COME, YOU PUT IT OUT, IT DOESN'T GET PICKED UP. NOW IT'S A PROBLEM. WHEREAS IF YOU WEREN'T EXPECTING HEAVY TRASH BUT EVERY OTHER MONTH AND IT ACTUALLY CAME WHEN IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GOT PICKED UP, THAT WOULD BE SUFFICIENT. THEN PEOPLE WOULD KNOW WHEN IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE PICKED UP. YES. AND IF IT'S WELL COMMUNICATED, YES, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. THAT'S ALL. YES. BECKY EDMONDSON, HAPPY NEW YEAR. THIS IS MY FIRST TRIP DOWN SINCE INAUGURATION A YEAR AGO, AND IT'S NICE TO SEE [00:55:01] NEW FACES AROUND THE HORSESHOE. UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ME, I'M BECKY EDMONDSON. I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE WESTBURY AREA. I FORGET, I HAVE TO BRING IT DOWN TO MY LEVEL. UH, PRESIDENT OF THE WESTBURY AREA IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION AND CO-PRESIDENT OF THE WESTBURY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, I'VE BEEN A HOMEOWNER FOR 45 YEARS, SO I HAVE 45 YEARS OF HOW TRASH WORKS AND HOW TRASH DOESN'T WORK. AND I'VE BEEN CIVICALLY ENGAGED FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS TASK FORCE THAT I SAT DOWN IN 2019. THE REIMAGINED AND RENEWED TRASH PLAN, UH, THAT WAS DONE IN 2019. UM, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD LOOKS LIKE A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY. BUT BEFORE I TALK ABOUT THAT, I HAVE TO THANK Y'ALL FOR I HAVE TO. IS MR. VALINSKI STILL HERE? WE HAVE THE BEST LIBRARY IN WESTBURY, AND I HAVE TO THANK YOU ALL. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE DR. SHANNON WALKER LIBRARY, IT IS SPECTACULAR, AND I INVITE EVERYBODY TO COME SEE IT. SO IF WE COULD JUST GET OUR TRASH PROBLEM FIXED. UM, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, OUR CIVIC CLUB OFFICE MANAGER, WHO HAPPENS TO BE MY DAUGHTER, WE DROVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD YESTERDAY FOR FOUR HOURS FROM FIVE TO SEVEN AND FROM NINE TO 11 LAST NIGHT. AND YOU HAVE A HANDOUT. 1,235 HOMES IN WESTBURY HAVE HEAVY TRASH AT THE CURB. I MEAN, THAT'S OVER 25% OF OUR HOMES. AND IT LOOKED HORRIBLE FOR THE HOLIDAYS. AND WE DID WHAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO. WE TOOK OUR COMPLAINTS TO 3 1 1 ON MY 90 DAY 3 1 1 REPORT. THERE ARE 633 REPORTS. 588 OF THEM HAVE TO DO WITH SOLID WASTE, 66% OR ABOUT MISSED TRASH DAYS. SOLID WASTE IS WASTING MY TIME. I KNOW THEY'RE WASTING COUNCIL TIME. I KNOW CK AND OBVIOUSLY A HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS, AND THAT IS SUCH A BAD WAY TO DO BUSINESS, TO TAKE THE TRUCKS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO RUN IN DECEMBER OUTTA WEST BURY AND MOVE THEM COMPLETELY TO DISTRICT A SO THAT WE DIDN'T GET PICKUP IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER. THAT'S, THAT'S A POOR WAY TO RUN A DEPARTMENT. UM, I'M HERE TO ASK YOU FOR A BETTER SOLUTION. I'M, WE'VE BEEN MAKING EXCUSES FOR SOLID WASTE FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, AND I'M THROUGH WITH EXCUSES. I'VE SPOUTED THEM ALL FOR YOU A HUNDRED TIMES TO OUR RESIDENTS. WE WANT A REAL SOLUTION TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER, ORIGINALLY WHEN HEAVY TR HEAVY TRASH DID TRY TO GO EVERY OTHER MONTH, AND IT'S A BIT OF A CHALLENGE. I THINK WE CAN DO IT, BUT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ON DEMAND CALL IN ON THE MONTHS THAT IT ISN'T, BECAUSE SOMEBODY WILL BREAK THE RULES AND YOU'LL HAVE A MOVE OUT AND YOU'LL HAVE A MOUNTAIN. UM, UH, COUNCILMAN CAMAN? THANK YOU MAYOR. BECKY, DID YOU WANNA FINISH UP? I WAS GONNA SAY A FEW THINGS. YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY IT'S AGAINST CITY ORDINANCE TO HAVE VISIBLE STORAGE OF TRASH. OUR RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN STORING TRASH ON OUR CURBS FOR 88 DAYS. UM, OUR HOMEOWNERS, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS DESERVE BETTER FROM THE CITY, AND WE ARE HERE TO HELP. WE HAVE A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER THAT GOES TO ALL 5,000. OUR JANUARY ISSUE HAS A TWO PAGE TRASH PAGE THAT SADLY HAS BETTER DATA THAN SOLID WASTE, IF YOU ASK MY OPINION. ANYWAY, WE'RE HELD, WE'RE HERE TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF WHATEVER TASK FORCE OR FOCUS GROUP YOU NEED. WE KNOW ALL ABOUT TRASH. THANK YOU, BECKY. UM, I, I DO WANNA THANK EVERYBODY COMING FROM WESTBURY. I RECOGNIZE, AND, UH, OUR MAYOR PRO TE DOES A FANTASTIC JOB REPRESENTING THE MAJORITY OF WESTBURY AND THIS TINY, BUT YOU HAVE A PORTION OF MIND, TINY, TINY PORTION IN DISTRICT C. UM, AND I, I LOVE WORKING WITH YOU ALL AND WITH OUR, OUR MAYOR PRO TE UH, I'M SORRY THAT YOU HAD TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME GOING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE THIS, BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAD TO DO THAT. UH, SO I, I, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING, PRESENTING US WITH THIS. THE OTHER RESIDENTS THAT ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS, I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THIS ISSUE. UM, I PERSONALLY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR VICE MAYOR PRO TEMS FAULT. UH, SHE IS ADVOCATING . NO, I SAY THAT SERIOUSLY. SHE IS ADVOCATING FOR HER DISTRICT THE SAME WAY WE ALL ARE. AND IT IS NOT DISTRICT A'S FAULT. IT IS A CITYWIDE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE HAD TO COME TO TERMS WITH, WHETHER IT WAS STORM DEBRIS PRICK, WHETHER IT'S HEAVY TRASH PICKUP. UM, SO I I THANK YOU. UM, I WOULD LOVE A COPY OF THE 2019, UM, WORK THAT YOU ALL DID. UH, BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS WORK HAS BEEN ON ONGOING FOR A VERY LONG TIME, [01:00:01] BUT WE NEED TO SEE THOSE RESULTS AND WE NEED TO SEE THOSE CHANGES. MY HEART GOES OUT TO ALL THE SOLID WASTE WORKERS. THEY WERE ON SATURDAY PICKUPS, SAT RIGHT SATURDAY PICKUPS, UH, 8:00 PM THEY WERE ON MY STREET. AND THAT WAS FOR JUST REGULAR TRASH. YEAH, I MEAN, THEY ARE WORKING AS HARD AS THEY CAN, UH, BUT OUR RESIDENTS ARE ALSO TRYING TO BE GOOD PARTNERS IN THIS. AND THE CITY'S NOT PROVIDING THE INFORMATION NEEDED SO THAT RESIDENTS CAN DO WHAT THEY KNOW THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. THANK YOU. AND I VOTE FOR COUNCILMAN POLLARD'S IDEA, UH, GET IT TAKEN CARE OF NOW, BECAUSE WE WERE TOLD THE RESOURCES HAVE GONE TO K AND THAT MEANS SOMEBODY'S H ISN'T GONNA GET PICKED UP THIS MONTH. SO THAT'S NOT A SOLUTION EITHER. AND I DIDN'T MEAN ANY DISRESPECT TO YOU. COUNCILMAN KECK. MAYOR, UH, PROTE TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR BECKY, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN. UH, COLLEAGUES, Y'ALL CAN SEE, UH, WHY I ABSOLUTELY LOVE WORKING WITH THESE RESIDENTS IN WESTBURY. THEY ARE DATA-DRIVEN AND THEY ARE GREAT PARTNERS FOR THE CITY. UM, DURING THE, UH, HURRICANE BARREL, THEY RODE AROUND TO FIND OUT WHICH HOUSES HAD ELECTRICITY THIS WEEK THEY RODE AROUND TO FIND OUT WHICH HOUSES ACTUALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, STILL HAVE THEIR HEAVY TRASH OUT. UM, AND, AND I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE TO DO THAT, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU GIVING US THE DATA SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO TRY TO GET THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE NEED. WE HAVE, UM, HIRED A COUPLE OF MORE CONTRACTORS. WE'VE APPROVED MORE CONTRACTORS AROUND THIS HORSESHOE. UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE COME TO YOUR MEETINGS AND WE TELL YOU WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, TWO MORE CONTRACTORS OUT ON THE STREETS. AND SO, QUITE FRANKLY, WE NEED MORE THAN THAT. UH, AND WE HAVE, UH, WE ARE STRUGGLING. WE, WE REALLY ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE TRASH. WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH THE, THE, THE RECYCLING AND THE HEAVY TRASH. UM, AND, AND WE DO NEED TO FIND A SOLUTION. SO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR WESTBURY. UM, WE DID FIGURE OUT WHY DISTRICT A GOT THE EXTRA, IT WAS THE NEWS STORIES. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF NEWS STORIES THAT THAT CAME OUT. UM, UH, I'LL REMEMBER THAT , NO, I DON'T REALLY LIKE TO THROW THE CITY UNDER THE BUS. NO, NO. WE, AND, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S ABOUT THROWING ANYBODY UNDER THE BUS. THE THE RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON ARE PUTTING OUT A LOT OF TRASH AND WE NEED TO HAVE ENOUGH, UM, CONTRACTORS AND EMPLOYEES AND WORKERS AND TRUCKS. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS TO MAKING SURE WE NOT ONLY DO THE TRASH PICKUP, WHICH I THINK HAS GOTTEN BETTER. THE, THE WEEKLY TRASH PICKUP HAS GOTTEN BETTER. WHERE WE ARE STILL STRUGGLING IS WITH THE HEAVY TRASH AND SOMETIMES WITH OUR RECYCLING. ALWAYS WITH RECYCLING. YEAH. OKAY. WELL I'LL GIVE YOU THAT. UH, AND WITH THE, AND WITH THE RECYCLING, YOU KNOW, WE RODE AROUND DURING THE HOLIDAYS AND WE SAW ALL THE TRASH OUT AFTER THE STORM. PEOPLE CUT THEIR TREES DOWN. THERE ARE SO MANY TREES OUT, BUT WE'RE ALL TIRED OF MAKING EXCUSES AND WE JUST WANT IT PICKED UP. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN TODAY AND, AND THANK YOU TO DIRECTOR FOR GETTING THE TRUCKS MOVING. THANK YOU. 1, 1, 1 SECOND VICE MAYOR PROTE, PAT. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND JUST TO CLEAR UP ABOUT WHY THE TRUCKS WERE DIVERTED TO DISTRICT A, OUR, UM, HEAVY TRASH WAS ACTUALLY NOT PICKED UP SINCE AUGUST, AND SO WE'RE PRIMARILY THE FOURTH WEEK PICKUP. AND SO, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS BASICALLY JUST MIST OUR ENTIRE DISTRICT A AND SO, UM, WE STILL HAD NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WERE, UM, THAT HAD STORM DEBRIS OUT THERE THAT WERE COMPLETELY, UM, MIST AND SKIPPED, UM, DURING THAT PICKUP. SO I THINK THAT'S WHY THE TRUCKS FINALLY CAME TO DISTRICT A BECAUSE NO ONE HAD BEEN THERE SINCE AUGUST. AND SO THAT'S WHY THE TRUCKS WERE MOVED THERE. SO, BUT I THINK IT DOES GO TO SHOW THAT THERE'S PROBLEMS IN EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, HEAVY TRASH PICKUP. AND SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE CITYWIDE SO THAT WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE, WE DON'T DIVERT TRUCKS FROM ONE NEIGHBORHOOD TO ANOTHER, BECAUSE THEN IT JUST IS A RIPPLE EFFECT. THEN, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD DOESN'T GET PICKED UP, AND THEN IT JUST BECOMES A WHOLE, UM, ISSUE. SO WE DEFINITELY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT CITYWIDE. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU NEXT? JENNIFER EDMONDSON. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSEL. THANK YOU. AH, UM, BECKY AND CINDY HAVE SAID MUCH OF WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. UM, BUT I WILL SAY I WAS THE ONE THAT SPOKE WITH DIRECTOR WILL FALK, UM, YESTERDAY, AND HE DID TELL ME THE SAME THING ABOUT THE DISTRICT A AND ABOUT THE TRUCKS. UM, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS THAT SOLID WASTE HAS NO IDEA WHAT'S HAPPENING. WHEN I TALKED TO HIM YESTERDAY, HE FIRST TOLD ME, I MEAN, HE, I MEAN, HE DOUBLED DOWN ON IT, THAT THEY HAD COLLECTED US AND THAT I WAS WRONG, UM, WHICH FELT A LITTLE LIKE GASLIGHTING BECAUSE I KNOW MY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS NOT BEEN COLLECTED. SO HE DID FINALLY ADMIT THAT THEY WERE WRONG AND THAT THEY WERE COMING BACK, BUT HE ONLY SENT ME A MAP OF A [01:05:01] VERY SMALL PORTION OF WESTBURY. UM, THEY DON'T HAVE A PLAN TO COLLECT THE REST OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BEYOND THAT TINY LITTLE MAP. UM, IT MAYBE WILL GET STARTED ACCORDING TO LESTER POWERS, UM, MAYBE AT THE END OF THIS WEEK, MAYBE NEXT WEEK. AND AGAIN, LIKE THEY SAID, IT'S BEEN 88 DAYS. UM, I'VE WORKED AT THE CIVIC CLUB. I'M OUR OFFICE MANAGER. I'VE WORKED THERE FOR 14 YEARS. I HAVE SEEN EVERYTHING. UM, IF THE CITY DOES CREATE A TASK FORCE OR A GROUP, I WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF THAT. UM, I KEPT SAYING DURING THE HOLIDAYS WHEN SOLID WASTE KEPT SAYING ON THEIR, PART OF THEIR PROBLEM IS THEIR MESSAGING ON FACEBOOK. THEY SAY, UM, OH, WE'RE LATE BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MUCH TRASH. UM, WELL, YOU HAVEN'T COME IN THREE MONTHS. SO YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF TRASH, BUT THEY'RE NOT IN WESTBURY. THEY WEREN'T IN SHARPSTOWN, THEY WEREN'T IN, UH, ROBINDALE, THEY WEREN'T IN WILLOW MEADOWS. SO LIKE, WHERE WERE THEY? AND WE FINALLY FOUND OUT WHERE THEY WERE. BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHERE THEY WERE, THEY WEREN'T IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS OR ANYWHERE AROUND US. THEY'RE NOT TELLING US THAT. THEY'RE JUST LYING TO US, TELLING US THAT, OH, IT'S 'CAUSE THERE'S TOO MUCH TRASH, OR, BUT WHY DON'T YOU JUST BE HONEST AND SAY THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TRUCKS. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH EMPLOYEES. WE HAVE TOO MANY ROUTES, BUT GAS LIGHTING US IS JUST NOT NECESSARILY THE ANSWER. I WOULD PERSONALLY BE FINE WITH EVERY OTHER MONTH FOR HEAVY TRASH. I WOULD BE FINE WITH RECYCLING COMPLETELY GOING AWAY, YARD WASTE COULD GO AWAY. THOSE ARE ALL EXTRA SERVICES. UM, ANYTHING EXTRA, YOU KNOW, THE CITY SHOULD FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, THE BLACK TRANS GET PICKED UP REALLY WELL, BUT ALL THOSE EXTRA THINGS, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S WHY IT DOES GET DELAYED. HEAVY TRASH RECYCLING, THE YARD WASTE. SO COMING UP FOR A PLAN FOR THOSE SERVICES THAT ARE THE EXTRA SERVICES IS POSSIBLY A GOOD PLAN FORWARD. UM, WHETHER IT'S YOU CHARGE THE RESIDENTS FOR THOSE EXTRA ONES, WE JUST GET RID OF THEM, WE SHORTEN THEM, BUT IT'S JUST NOT ATTAINABLE IN ITS CURRENT EVERY MONTH. UM, WE JUST SEEM TO BE BEHIND ALL THE TIME, UM, WHETHER IT'S TWO WEEKS, THREE WEEKS, SIX WEEKS. UM, SO I JUST, I FEEL BAD FOR THIS ALL THE WASTE DEPARTMENT TOO. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. LET ME SAY WE SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATION AND IT IS A CITYWIDE ISSUE. YEAH, IT'S INTERESTING THAT WE SAW A TWO, 2019 PLAN THAT DID NOT SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE THINGS. THE DIRECTOR'S BEEN GIVEN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES RECENTLY FOR ANOTHER CITYWIDE SWEEP. UH, I'VE RIDDEN THE STREETS WITH HIM AND HE ALWAYS HAS AN EXPLANATION, BUT WE'RE GETTING RUNNING OUT OF TIME. IN FACT, HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE IN MY OFFICE THURSDAY. HE DID NOTIFY ME THAT HE'D BEEN IN WESTBURY TODAY. SO, UH, I THINK HE SHOULD, YOU SHOULD ADVISE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER AND MY OFFICE, ME PERSONALLY, WHETHER THEY'RE OUT THERE, THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS, IT'S A, IT DIDN'T GET LIKE THIS OVERNIGHT. THE STORMS CERTAINLY, UH, INCREASED THE CHALLENGE, BUT WE'RE ON TOP OF IT. UH, WE'RE ALL HOUSTONIANS. UH, I, I PUT MY TRASH RECYCLING OUT AND, UH, THE HOLIDAYS PLAYED, PLAYED THE DEVIL WITH IT. BUT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE ON TOP OF IT. AND, UH, THERE'S NO EXCUSES OTHER THAN THE SYSTEM'S NOT WORKING AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA COME TOGETHER AND FIX IT. SO, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I THINK THE MOST PROFOUND THING THAT'S BEEN SAID IN TERMS OF THE DELAYS WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THAT IS YOUR COMMENT THAT YOU WERE ACTUALLY IN TOUCH WITH SOLID WASTE AND THEN YOU CAME AWAY WITH THE IMPRESSION THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. MM-HMM. I'VE JUST ABOUT COME TO THAT CONCLUSION AND, UH, THERE'LL BE CHANGES MADE IF THERE'S NOT SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN WESTBURY TODAY IN OTHER COMMUNITIES FOLLOWING, I DO KNOW THAT THE TRUCKS ARE IN PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT NOW. WE ARE, WE'RE JUST VERY LARGE. SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHEN THE NORTH PART GETS HIT, THE PEOPLE DOWN IN THE SOUTH UNDERSTAND PART ARE LIKE, WAIT, WAIT, WHAT ABOUT US? UM, WHICH IS ALMOST LIKE ANOTHER WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SOLID WASTE WORKERS HAVE GONE BACK TO SIX DAYS A WEEK. OH, YEAH. AND SO WE ARE AWARE OF THE SITUATION. IT'S A CITYWIDE ISSUE. THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN RESOURCES, NOT SUFFICIENT. THERE'LL BE AN ANNOUNCEMENT LATER TODAY OR TOMORROW. WE'RE GETTING SIGNIFICANT FEDERAL FUNDING. AND, UH, MUCH OF THAT'LL BE APPLIED TOWARD THE CITYWIDE, UH, DEBRIS AND TRASH PICKUP. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. EVERYBODY. HOLD ON. COUNCILOR ALCO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT'S COME TODAY. UM, WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THIS PROB UM, THIS PROBLEM AND, AND YOU PUTTING ALL THE DATA TOGETHER HAS IS VERY HELPFUL. UM, MAYOR, I WAS JUST WONDERING ABOUT THE BURNS OF MCDONALD, UM, STUDY. WHEN IS THE, WHEN IS THE, ARE THE RESULTS OF THAT COMING OUT? THAT'S LOOKING AT ALL THE, THE BURNS OF MCDONALD'S STUDY ON THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT. AND I'LL, UH, I'LL HAVE BACK WITH YOU. THANK YOU. WHAT YEAR WAS THAT DONE? [01:10:01] THIS WAS A, UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR, WHATEVER THE ENGAGEMENT, I THINK BEFORE WE GOT HERE. I'LL, I'LL HAVE TO SEE WHO'S SITTING ON IT BECAUSE IT HASN'T REACHED MY PAGE. YEAH. IT WAS LOOKING AT OVERALL OPERATIONS OF, OF SOLID WASTE AND, AND THE POTENTIAL, UM, A POTENTIAL FEE. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. NEXT, LIZ, WHO P*****K THE STUDY? GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND ESTEEMED COUNCIL MEMBERS TOOK IT WITH HIM. GO AHEAD, GO RIGHT HERE. THANK YOU. I'M LINDSEY P*****K, THE WESTBURY CIVIC CLUB PRESIDENT. I ALSO SERVE ALONGSIDE BECKY EDMONDSON WITH THE WESTBURY AREA IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION. AS YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF DATA AND COMMENTS ABOUT HEAVY TRASH. I ALSO WANT TO REITERATE, THE PILES OF TRASH THAT HAVE BEEN MOUNTING IN FRONT OF OUR HOMES ARE NOT ONLY AN EYESORE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO A HEALTH AND SAFETY RISK. WITH THE RECENT STORMS AND HIGH WINDS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH MU, MUCH OF THE TRASH HAS BEEN BLOWN INTO THE CURBS, ONTO THE STREETS, INTO THE GUTTERS AND DRAINS AND CAUSED STREET FLOODING. UM, IN ADDITION TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS AND TRAFFIC PROBLEMS, TRYING TO NAVIGATE SOME OF THESE HUGE PILE OF TRASH THAT HAVE ACCUMULATED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS, IN FACT, MY NEIGHBOR REPORTED THAT SHE HAS SEEN POSSUMS NESTING IN THE PILE OF TRASH IN FRONT OF HER HOUSE. AND ANOTHER NEIGHBOR REPORTED RATS IN A BIG PILE OF TRASH THAT HAD BEEN UNDISTURBED OVER THE COURSE OF THESE LAST THREE MONTHS SINCE EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS THIS PAST WEEK TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. UM, AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MARTHA CAST TATUM'S OFFICE, I WANNA THANK, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM CAST TEXT TATUM AND HER OFFICE FOR BEING RESPONSIVE AND ELICITING EAR TO THE RESIDENTS AND TO ME AS WE CALLED. I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS AND HIS STAFF FOR HELPING WITH SOME ISSUES THAT WE HAD, UH, REPORTED TO THEM IN OUR AREA AS WELL. ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT MIGHT BE CONSIDERED WOULD BE TO HAVE AREA TRASH SITES, UH, CENTRALIZED AREAS IN ADDITION TO THE DUMP SITES THAT ARE, UH, LOCATED IN THE CITY THAT ARE VERY HARD TO ACCESS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED, UH, TRANSPORTATION. ESTABLISHING THESE HUBS FOR TRASH MIGHT ALSO HELP ALLEVIATE, UM, THE DISTANCE THAT YOUR TRASH TRUCKS HAVE TO TRAVEL IN ORDER TO PICK UP THE TRASH. AND BEFORE I GO, I THINK I MIGHT HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES REMAINING. I'D LIKE TO REMIND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE DYER CONDITIONS THAT STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND FAMILIES CONTINUE TO ENDURE IN HOUSTON, ISD SCHOOLS DUE TO THE STATE TAKEOVER. AND I IMPLORE YOU TO USE WHATEVER CONNECTIONS, OPPORTUNITIES, NETWORKS THAT YOU HAVE TO FREE OUR SCHOOLS AND RETURN OUR HOUSTON ISD TO THE ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS THAT WOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE TO US AND TO OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, AND RESTORE HOUSTON ISD TO OUR COMMUNITIES. YOU MAY RECALL A PHRASE, NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. MM-HMM . THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN LINDSEY, THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. UH, I'LL SAY YOUR LEADERSHIP ALL IN DISTRICT K, BUT ALSO IN DISTRICT C ON BOTH THE SOUTH SIDE AND ALL THE WAY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF OUR DISTRICT. UM, AGAIN, GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE ALSO BRINGING UP THE IMPACT THAT SOLID WASTE. AND WHEN THAT DEBRIS IS LEFT IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS, ESPECIALLY NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE PRONE TO REPETITIVE FLOODING AND HAVE EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT FLOODING, THE IMPACT THAT THAT HAS, UH, AND THE RISK THAT IT PUTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, BECAUSE IT IS, IT IS NOT SAFE FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, BUT AGAIN, WHEN IT COMES TO EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS, UH, IT CAN ALSO PLAY A HUGE ROLE. SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THAT AS WELL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MAYOR PROTE, CASTEX TATUM. THANK YOU, LINDSAY. UM, WE'VE, WE'VE SAID A LOT ABOUT SOLID WASTE. UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, [01:15:01] PEOPLE ARE READY FOR US TO REALLY HAVE SOME ACTION OUT THERE. AND IT'S NOT JUST WESTBURY. IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, HI CLARK. IT'S FORT BEND. IT'S, IT'S ALL OVER THE DISTRICT AND QUITE FRANKLY, ACROSS THE CITY. UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT. UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MAYOR, UH, IS CONTINUING TO TALK ABOUT IT. THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE CONTINUING, UH, TO TALK ABOUT IT. THE DIRECTOR IS LOOKING AT SOME ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. UH, THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE JUST HAVE TO GET OUT AND GET THE TRASH PICKED UP SO WE CAN HAVE A, A CLEANER CITY. SO, UM, WE, WE'VE SEEN THAT RESIDENTS ARE NOW PUTTING THEIR TREE WASTE IN THE STREET BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THEIR GRASS TO DIE. TO DIE. THAT'S RIGHT. UM, AND SO THERE'S NOWHERE FOR PEOPLE TO PARK ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET, OR PEOPLE ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS BECAUSE NOW THEIR TREE BRANCHES ARE PARK ARE IN THE SPACE WHERE THEY PARK THEIR CARS. RIGHT. SO THERE'S A RIPPLE EFFECT, UM, FROM ALL OF THE TRASH BEING OUT ON THE STREET. I KNOW THAT THE SOLID WASTE WORKERS ARE WORKING LATE, UM, AND WORKING LONG HOURS. WE NEED MORE OF THEM. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE. UM, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE NEW DRIVERS. UM, WE, WE'VE GOTTEN CALLS THIS LAST, UH, WEEK OF OUR TRASH CANS GOING INTO THE, THE TRUCK BECAUSE WE'VE GOT NEW DRIVERS IN TRAINING THAT HAVE, UM, AND SO NOW WE'VE GOT GET NEW TRASH CANS. SO THERE ARE A MYRIAD OF PROBLEMS THAT WE ARE REALLY WORKING TO, TO ADDRESS. UM, AND, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN. UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A PARTNER FOR US AT THE CITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILMAN DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, LYNN, FOR COMING AND EXPRESS THE CONCERNS THAT ALL OF US ALREADY HAVE DONE. AND MANY OF US WE KNOW, THIS TRASH ISSUE IS A HEAVY ONE, BUT I LIKE TO ALSO MAYOR, BRING UP THE POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE FACT OF THE DUMPING. WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, ALONG WITH IT, WE RESPOND TO ANY CAUSE WE RECEIVE, UH, PERTAINING TO HEAVY TRASH PICKUPS IN RESPONSE TO HELPING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT ALSO THE, UH, THE DUMPING CITYWIDE THE DUMPING IS ANOTHER ISSUE. I JUST SPOKE TO DIRECTOR THIS MORNING ABOUT, UH, A DUMPING, UH, ISSUE THERE IN DISTRICT B, AND WE TRIED TO RESPOND TO THAT AS WELL. SO IT'S A, IT'S A REALLY TRUCKLOAD OF ISSUES AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET TO IT AND COME UP WITH A REMEDY THAT CAN, UH, HELP OUR CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER, UH, COUNCILMAN MEMBER ALCORN, THE, UH, SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR IS WATCHING AND HE SAYS THE BURNS MCDONALD REPORT IS STILL BEING WORKED ON. THE, UH, FIRST DRAFT HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED, SO THAT'S THE REASON, UH, I HADN'T SEEN IT. UH, IT'S PART OF ONE CLEAN HOUSTON, WHICH WAS AN INITIATIVE WHICH GOT STARTED BEFORE SOME OF US WERE HERE. SO, UH, I ASSUME WHEN HE FINISHES HIS FIRST DRAFT, WE'LL GET TO SEE IT, BUT, UH, I'LL FOLLOW UP ON IT, BUT I KNEW I HADN'T SEEN IT JUST 'CAUSE IT HADN'T BEEN RELEASED. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, HADN'T EVEN BEEN COMPLETED, QUITE FRANKLY. GO AHEAD. YEAH. AND, AND SPEAKING TO THE REPORT, UM, THIS LAST BUDGET CYCLE, UH, LAST YEAR, UM, I SUBMITTED THREE BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOCUSING ON TRASH. ONE OF THEM IS RE-IMAGINING WHAT TRASH PICKUP LOOKS LIKE. WE'VE HEARD FROM SOME CONSTITUENTS THAT, UM, UH, REDUCING THE SERVICES, I THINK, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO REALIZE THAT BY STATE LAW, WE HAVE TO PICK UP YOUR TRASH, YOUR BLACK TRASH CAN. EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN AN ADDED SERVICE WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WHERE MONEY'S GONNA BE COMING FROM. UH, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE FIRST TIME WE HAD HEAVY TRASH BULK WASTES WAS AFTER ALLISON. UM, I ASKED THE QUESTION TO THE DIRECTOR AT, DURING THE BUDGET, UH, BUDGET, UH, WORKSHOPS WAS WHEN SHOULD WE HAVE HAD A TRASH FEE? AND HE SAID, ONCE WE STARTED DOING HEAVY TRASH, UH, THAT WAS ANOTHER, UH, BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT I SUBMITTED AS WELL. UM, I, I TOOK BACK ALL OF THOSE BUDGET AMENDMENTS BECAUSE WE ARE WAITING ON THIS REPORT TO TELL US SOMETHING THAT WE ALREADY KNOW. UM, WE KNOW THAT, UM, WE'VE BEEN GETTING A COUPLE THOUSAND NEW RESIDENTS A YEAR FOR, FOR OVER 15, 20 YEARS. THAT'S, UH, THAT, THAT IN ITSELF IS INCREASING THE ROUTES. UH, WHAT, WHAT'S THE TIMING FOR IT? WE KNOW THAT NOT EVERYBODY PUTS OUT HEAVY TRASH BOAT WAYS, ENTRYWAYS, UH, EVERY MONTH. UM, AND WE'RE RUNNING TRUCKS LEFT AND RIGHT, UH, COMBING THE STREETS, UH, UM, AND THAT'S UNNECESSARY AS WELL. SO A DEMAND, UH, ON DEMAND SERVICES IS NEEDED. UM, SO THERE'S, THERE ARE, THERE ARE, UM, ANSWERS TO WHAT WE NEED TO GET DONE. A LOT OF IT IS COMMUNICATION. IT'S, UH, CHANGING THE CULTURE WITHIN OUR CITY, BUT ALSO WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING BASIC SERVICES AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S WHAT WE ALL WANT TO SEE HAPPEN. UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE REPORT TO, YOU KNOW, ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO RESIDENTS AND SAY, LOOK, THIS IS WHAT [01:20:01] THE COST IS GOING TO BE. UM, WE, WE, UM, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT I HIGHLIGHTED LAST YEAR WAS THAT, UM, WE HAD PASSED A, UH, AGENDA ITEM THAT FOR $2.5 MILLION FOR 37, UH, THOUSAND BLACK CANS AND 10,000 GREEN CANS. UM, THOSE WERE GONNA BE FOR NEW RESIDENTS. AND SO, UH, AGAIN, WE, WE ARE ADDING MORE TO OUR PLATE, UH, TIME AND TIME, UH, EVERY YEAR. WE'VE KNOWN THIS FOR OVER 10 YEARS, MAYBE 15 YEARS. AND SO I THINK WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE WE NEED TO START HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS MORE OPENLY WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE IDENTIFY A TRASH FEE, WE IDENTIFY REIMAGINING WHAT ROUTES LOOK LIKE, AND REALLY START BRINGING, UH, BASIC SERVICES TO A LEVEL WHERE WE ALL WANT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE. AND LET ME TAKE ISSUE WITH THIS, UH, REPRESENTATION THAT HOUSTON IS GROWING AND WE'RE ADDING THOUSANDS OF NEW CUSTOMERS EVERY YEAR. THAT IS SIMPLY NOT THE CASE. IF YOU LOOK AT, UH, DATA PROVIDED BY THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE THAT THE POPULATION OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS FLATLINED. BASICALLY FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE SEEN AN OUT-MIGRATION OF PEOPLE FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THE ONLY THING REALLY PROPPING UP OUR POPULATION HERE IN THE CITY IS AN INFLUX OF IMMIGRANTS. AND TO SAY THAT WE'RE ADDING A THOUSAND, 2000 NEW CUSTOMERS A YEAR, UH, ON, ON SOLID WASTE, IS SIMPLY NOT THE CASE. ALREADY, SOLID WASTE ONLY PICKS UP A FRACTION OF THE TRASH THAT'S PRODUCED WITHIN THE CITY. A LOT OF IT IS COMMERCIAL AND COM COMPLETELY PRIVATE. AND, UM, I, I THINK WHERE SOME OF THIS DISCUSSION IS HEADING IS A, UM, A CALL FOR HOUSTON RESIDENTS TO PAY MORE FOR TRASH PICKUP. AND I DON'T THINK THE RESIDENTS ARE GONNA APPRECIATE ASKING THEM TO PAY MORE WHEN THEY'RE NOT GETTING DECENT SERVICE AS IT IS. AND I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO LOOK AT PRIVATIZING A PART OF, OR ALL OF THE SOLID WASTE OPERATIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. AND I'M JUST GOING TO THROW THIS IN. I COULD DO IT TOMORROW AGAIN, I WILL DO IT FOR POPOFF, BUT FOR PEOPLE IN SUNNYSIDE OF THE AREA, WE ARE HAVING A ILLEGAL DUMPING, UH, MEETING TO COMMUNITY MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT AT 6:00 PM AT THE SUNNYSIDE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM, AND CERTAINLY, UH, JUST WANNA GIVE THEM A, A RUNNING START. SO IF THEY DON'T GET IT IN THE MORNING WHEN WE DO IT AT POP OFF, I'M, I'M GIVING THEM A DAY ADVANCE TO LET 'EM KNOW THAT WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, THEM COMING OUT SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO ATTACK THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. UM, I BELIEVE, JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE PASSED THE BURNS AND MCDONALD CONTRACT IN MAY OF THIS PAST YEAR. WE DID, IT'S NOT UNDER ONE CLEAN HOUSTON, IT WAS THIS PAST YEAR, WE VOTED ON THAT. UM, I DO WANNA CAUTION US AS WE TALK ABOUT REDUCTION OF SERVICES. UM, I'M ACTUALLY REALLY GLAD THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION. I DO WANNA GET BACK TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS BECAUSE THEY'RE WAITING PATIENTLY. BUT AS WE TALK ABOUT RECYCLING, UM, REMEMBER THAT WE ARE AT THE END OF LIFE FOR MANY OF OUR LANDFILLS. AND BY PROVIDING RECYCLING SERVICE, WHICH AT LEAST IN DISTRICT C, WE ARE HEARING MORE AND MORE, WE WANT MORE RECYCLING. NOT EVERY OTHER WEEK. BUT THAT DIVERSION AWAY FROM THE LANDFILLS IS ACTUALLY A COST SAVER. BECAUSE IN ORDER TO PROCURE A NEW LANDFILL THAT COSTS HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, IT TAKES OVER A DECADE TO ACTUALLY CREATE ONE. AND THERE'S OTHER DIFFICULTIES ALONG WITH THAT. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE FOCUSING ON HOW TO DIVERT WASTE, NOT JUST INCREASE WASTE PICKUP. UM, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, NOT THROWING THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER IN THESE CONVERSATIONS AS WE DISCUSS THE SERVICES THAT HOUSTONIANS DESERVE, DEMAND AND NEED. THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES. I, I THINK WE CAN, UH, MOVE ON TO COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, YOU'RE BACK IN THE QUEUE. YEAH. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. UH, JUST FOR CLARITY, AND YOU CAN EMAIL SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT. UM, SO IT'S SAYS SOLID WASTE REPORTED, RIGHT? NOT COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. I ALWAYS REPORTED THAT BETWEEN 2007 AND 2020, OVER 45,000 NEW HOMES WERE ADDED TO OUR COLLECTION RESPONSIBILITY. UM, THAT'S THE FACTS. UM, I'M NOT TRYING TO GASLIGHT ANYBODY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL KNOW THE FACTS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SHARE THE FACTS OF WHERE WE ARE HERE AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE A, UH, WE CAN'T MOVE FORWARD. WE DON'T HAVE AN HONEST AND TRANSPARENT CONVERSATION WITH YOU. SO 45,000 NEW HOMES WERE ADDED BETWEEN 2007 AND 2020. THANK YOU. AND I DID WANNA JUST, UM, ADD, BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE AT THE END OF OUR, OUR HEAVY TRASH LIST, UM, , [01:25:01] UH, THAT, UM, FOR THE PAST TWO AND A HALF WEEKS, SO ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED. UM, THEY'VE REMOVED 27,531 CUBIC YARDS OF MATERIALS FROM 6,200 HOMES. SOLID WASTE. HEAVY TRASH CREWS ARE CONTINUING TO WORK AND BEING COLLABORATIVE WITH THE CONTRACTORS. THE CONTRACTORS CURRENTLY HAVE 15 ADDITIONAL TRUCKS IN THE FIELD AND MORE WILL BE COMING, AND THEY WILL BE WORKING SIX DAYS A WEEK. AND THIS WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS TO GET CAUGHT UP. NEXT SPEAKER, FRED WOODS. GOOD AFTERNOON AND HAPPY NEW YEAR, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MAYOR PROTI. UH, MY NAME IS FRED WOODS. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF NORTHWOOD MANOR CIVIC CLUB. I'M HERE TO REQUEST MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THE C CITY'S WEATHER PREPAREDNESS PLAN. LAST YEAR, MYSELF AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS AROUND THIS TIME STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THIS INFORMATION BEFORE SERVICES AND RESOURCES WERE NEEDED. OUR COUNCILWOMAN HELD A COMMUNITY MEETING WITH THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND TO DATE, THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE TO NO FOLLOW UP IN REVIEWING ANY PLANS AFTER ACTION REPORTS OR DISCUSSING A STRATEGY TO INFORM OUR COMMUNITY AND ENSURE THE RESOURCES ARE FULLY UTILIZED, THE CURRENT ACTIVATION LEVEL OF INCREASED READINESS DOES NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT OUR COMMUNITY'S NEEDS. NORMAL OPERATIONS FOR OUR AREA AND WINTER OR SUMMER MONTHS REQUIRE HIGH OR MAXIMUM READINESS. DUE TO A HISTORY OF NEGLECT, WE REMAIN IN A STATE OF RESPONSE AND RELIEF AS RECOVERY IS UNATTAINABLE. I SINCERELY APPRECIATE THIS COUNCIL APPROVING THE FUNDS TO PURCHASE AND INSTALL A PERMANENT GENERATOR FOR THE CASHIER GARDENS MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. NOW, WHERE IS THE TIMELINE AND PRIORITIZATION FOR ADDITIONAL CENTERS TO RECEIVE SIMILAR GENERATORS? AS MAYOR WHITMEYER HAS REPEATEDLY EXPRESSED THAT ALL CENTERS SHOULD HAVE THE REQUEST TO HAVE A WEATHER PREPAREDNESS PLAN THAT IS ROUTINELY REVIEWED WITH THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES BEFORE IT'S NEEDED, SHOULD BE MADE A TOP PRIORITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. WOODS. WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN TODAY. NEXT SPEAKER. VANESSA SANTILLAN, TURN OFF. YOU CALL. HUH? YOU CALL. HI, GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M VANESSA SAN. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN HOUSTON. I'VE ALWAYS LIVED IN, IN THE SURROUNDING, UM, HARRIS COUNTY. I MOVED TO THE CITY LIMITS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN JUNE OF 23. UH, THIS, WE BUILT A BRAND NEW HOME IN FIFTH IN IN FIFTH WARD OURSELVES. WE DID NOT RECEIVE A WATER BILL FOR SIX MONTHS. WE CALLED REGULARLY ON A REGULAR BASIS TO REQUEST A BILL TO AVOID A LARGE, UM, CATCHUP BILL. WE'RE TOLD EVERY TIME WE'RE WORKING ON IT. FINALLY, I RECEIVED A BILL OF A THOUSAND DOLLARS. UM, DESCRIBE HOW BILLS ARE. UM, SO WE CALLED AND THE BILLS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE. AVERAGING BILLING, ACTUAL, UH, NO CONSISTENCY OR CONFIDENCE IN THE ACCURATE BILLING. EVERY TIME WE CALLED FOR EXPLANATION OF THE HIGH BILLS, THEY WERE INCONSISTENT. AND WE GET A DIFFERENT RESPONSE FROM WHOM, UM, FROM WHOM WE SPOKE TO THAT DAY. WATER BILLS ARE THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN THE SURROUNDING, UM, NEIGHBORS. UH, WE DO NOT HAVE A POOL NOR, UM, A SPRINKLER SYSTEM. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CITY UPGRADED OUR METER TO A SMART METER, BUT RECENTLY WE HAD A PLUMBER TO INSPECT, UM, THE METER. AND HE SAID, UH, IT WAS STILL THE OLD STYLE METER WITH THE SPINNING SPRING LOADING WHEEL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LIKE, THAT'S SOMETHING TECHNICAL. WE BUILT THE HOME AND WE WANTED TO SPEND THE BEST YEARS, BUT WE FEEL THAT WE MAY HAVE TO MOVE DUE TO THE MUD DISTRICT AND THE SURROUNDING HARRIS COUNTY, DUE TO THE, THE OUTRAGEOUS BILLS, WE DO NOT MATCH OUR USAGE. SO WE ARE GETTING OUTRAGEOUS BILLS. AND I KEEP CALLING, I EVEN BROUGHT, UM, THE BILLS OF A THOUSAND DOLLARS LAST MONTH. IT WAS $327. I'VE, I EVEN BROUGHT A BILL FROM HARRIS COUNTY WHEN I LIVED. IT WAS, UH, $35 AND 20, 35, 20 TO $300 LAST YEAR. I MEAN, I'M SORRY, LAST MONTH, 3 27 AND 30, $35. SO WE'RE NOT, WE, IT'S [01:30:01] THREE PEOPLE IN THE HOME. I HAVE A HANDICAPPED SON, SO IT'S MAINLY ONE PERSON. I STAY AT HOME WITH MY SON AND MY HUSBAND'S AT WORK ALL DAY. SO IT'S JUST MAINLY ONE PERSON UNTIL, UM, 6:00 PM SO I JUST WANTED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE BILL. I KEEP CALLING IT, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A YEAR ALREADY. NOTHING'S BEING DONE. RIGHT. I, I APOLOGIZE THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO GO THROUGH THAT. I'M GONNA ASK, UH, LOUISE, IF YOU CAN, UH, HELP GET HER TO, UM, DIRECT A MACKEY SO THAT THEY CAN LOOK AT HER BILL AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING. IF SHE HAS A NEW METER, DOESN'T HAVE A NEW METER, AND, AND GET HER, UM, THE ANSWERS THAT SHE NEEDS TO ADDRESS HER CONCERNS. I ALSO TALKED TO, UH, CHRIS, I DON'T KNOW IF CHRIS IS HERE. OH, CHRIS, WHERE'S CHRIS? OH, HEY CHRIS. OH, HI. I SPOKE TO CHRIS YESTERDAY AND I SPOKE TO DEBORAH. UM, UH, DEBORAH IS LIKE THE MANAGER OF, OF A CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE NOTHING'S BEING DONE. OKAY. I'VE BEEN CALLING FOR OVER A YEAR, BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I, AND NOTHING'S BEING DONE. OKAY. WELL, WE, WE HAVE SOME NEW PLANS IN PLACE AND HOPEFULLY, UM, THEY CAN LOOK AT YOUR PAPERWORK AND YOUR SITUATION AND TRY TO RESOLVE THAT, UM, TO YOUR SATISFACTION. 'CAUSE $35, SO $327, THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME. RIGHT? SOMETHING'S GOING ON. YEAH, WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. UH, AND PUBLIC WORKS IS ALSO HERE, SO LET'S, LET'S JUST GO MEET WITH THEM. SAL, I SEE SAL FROM PUBLIC WORKS AND SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH A BETTER SOLUTION FOR YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN. SO, DO I GO? YES. SAL, WILL YOU GO WITH HIM? I'M NEXT SPEAKER. LUCY SIGNS. LUCY SIGNS. NEXT SPEAKER. BENJAMIN BROADWAY. BENJAMIN BROADWAY. NEXT SPEAKER. ROBIN MACHETE. MACHETE. HI, ROBIN MACHETE. HI. WILL YOU STEP OVER AND SPEAK INTO THE MIC? ONE PERSON AT A TIME. ONLY ONE PERSON AT A TIME. OKAY. WE, IT AGAIN? IT'S OKAY. YOU CAN JUST STAND BACK AND WE JUST NEED ONE PERSON AT THE MICROPHONE AT A TIME. IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE ROOM. ARE YOU ON THE SPEAKER'S LIST? ARE YOU, ARE YOU GONNA SPEAK TO, OKAY. WE'LL JUST LET HER SPEAK AND THEN YOU CAN COME RIGHT UP AND SPEAK. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS ROBIN MACHETE. I AM THE WORKFORCE RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPER FOR LAUNCH POINT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CENTER. WE ARE A 30 PLUS YEAR OLD NONPROFIT LOCATED IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON, BUT SERVING ALL OF THE UNDERSERVED AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN HARRIS COUNTY. WE'RE A ONE STOP RESOURCE AND DEVELOP DEVELOPMENT CENTER OFFERING HELP TO VETERANS, LOW INCOME FAMILIES, THE HOMELESS, THE ELDERLY, THE DISABLED, THOSE WITH MENTAL HANDICAPS AND REENTRY PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS REENTERING SOCIETY AFTER INCARCERATION, AND THE CHILDREN WHO ARE AFFECTED DURING THEIR ABSENCE. IT IS OUR BELIEF THAT WE CAN HELP STRENGTHEN AND CHANGE THE FACE OF COMMUNITIES, ONE PERSON, ONE FAMILY AT A TIME THROUGH OUR VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, JOB TRAINING, JOB PLACEMENT, AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES THAT WE OFFER. WE CURRENTLY HAVE A WAITING LIST OF OVER 400 PEOPLE LOOKING TO BEGIN CLASSES AND A GOAL TO GRADUATE A MINIMUM OF A THOUSAND STUDENTS IN 2025 AT NO COST TO THE STUDENT. WE ALSO HAVE A HUGE WAITING LIST OF CITIZENS IN NEED OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES THROUGH PREVIOUS, EXCUSE ME, THROUGH PREVIOUS CAMPAIGNS AND APPEARANCES ON FORUMS. MUCH LIKE THIS ONE, MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW THAT OUR FOUNDER, DR. IVORY MAHORN, IS BATTLING BRAIN CANCER. WHILE HIS ATTENTION HAS BEEN DIVERTED TO FOCUS ON HIS HEALTH, A CYBER CRIMINAL WAS ABLE TO HACK INTO THE OPERATING BANK ACCOUNTS OF LAUNCH POINT AND STOLE OVER $50,000 MONEY WE SO DESPERATELY NEEDED TO HELP THOSE THAT WE SERVE. AS OF TODAY, WE'RE STILL TRYING TO RECOVER FROM THAT LOSS. SO WE ARE HERE TODAY ASKING FOR YOUR HELP IN THE WAY OF PROJECT FUNDING AND ALLOCATIONS IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO OFFER OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITY FREE OF CHARGE. THE AVERAGE COST OF TUITION PER STUDENT RANGES 15 TO $3,000. 1500 TO $3,000 PER CLASS. THE AVERAGE COST TO PROVIDE THE NEEDED RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES [01:35:01] AND INDIVIDUALS THAT COME TO US IS 300 TO $700. PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING US TO CONTINUE TO HELP OTHERS AS WE ALL NAVIGATE THROUGH THESE TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE CITY. UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU CAN SEND TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS VIA EMAIL, UM, TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION. SO IF, UH, INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO PARTNER OR SHARE THAT INFORMATION IN THEIR NEWSLETTERS, THEY WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SO. WE BROUGHT PACKETS WITH US TODAY. OKAY. AND I BELIEVE, AND, AND THEY'LL PASS, PASS THEM OUT. PASS THOSE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. KATIE WEST. KATIE WEST. THAT'S MS. WEST. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M SORRY. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU, MS. ROBERTS SAID A LOT. AND WE'VE, AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN AROUND OVER 30 YEARS AND WE'RE IN THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN, UH, NORTHEAST LITTLE YORK HOMESTEAD. I KNOW YOU HEARD OF THAT. AND I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO PLEASE WHEN YOU ARE OUT THAT AREA, PLEASE STOP BY. WE'RE CONSTANTLY HELPING THE COMMUNITY, FEEDING THEM, TRAINING, UH, THE REENTRY PART OF IT. WE SEE OVER 70 GUYS EVERY FRIDAY TO COME AND GET THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATE. THEY, ID, UH, THEY SOCIAL, WE DO ALL OF THAT. AND I HAVE PICTURES OF, OF ALL OF THAT. YOU CAN GO ON OUR WEBSITE TO LOOK AT WHAT WE DO, BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP. PLEASE TAKE TIME TO LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE, LOOK AT THE INFORMATION I BOUGHT, BROUGHT WITH ME TODAY. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. WEST FOR BEING HERE. AND WE WILL DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THE PACKING AND THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SENT TO US. AND WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST. AND I HOPE THAT YOU CAN GET THAT MONEY RESTORED TOO. UM, I, I KNOW HOW TRAGIC THAT IS. UM, I I'M SORRY THAT THAT HAPPENED. YEAH. THAT'S TERRIBLE. NEXT SPEAKER. LORETTA SAMPSON. LORETTA SAMPSON. PRAISE LORD. PRAISE THE LORD. PRAISE THE LORD. PRAISE. ALL RIGHT, THANKS. HI, MS. SAMPSON. HI. PRAISE THE LORD ON TODAY. HOW ARE YOU? UM, I'M INDEED GLAD TO BE HERE ON TODAY, UM, MAYOR AND ALL OF OUR DISTRICT LEADERS. I WAS BORN LORETTA MARIE SAMPSON. I'VE BEEN CALLED BY GOD AS APOSTLE LORETTA SAMPSON BATES, AND I STAND BEFORE YOU ON TODAY TO GRACE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL FACES ON TODAY, BECAUSE IT'S TIME THAT I MEET YOU IN PERSON ONE-ON-ONE, SO YOU'LL KNOW WHO, EXACTLY WHO I AM WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU ON THE PHONE OR TALKING TO YOUR SECRETARIES. I'VE BEEN IN DISTRICT F FOR OVER 40 YEARS. I'VE WORKED AT THE AV SCHOOL DISTRICT AS A VOLUNTEER FOR OVER 30 PLUS YEARS. ALL OF MY CHILDREN FINISHED AT THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT. I HAVE BEEN IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON ALL MY LIFE AS I AM THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF GEORGE FRANKLIN SAMPSON OVER THERE IN AKER HOME. HE WAS A HOME MOVER BACK IN HIS DAY. SO ON TODAY, I'VE LIVED THROUGH A LOT OF THINGS IN MY LIFE. AND IT WAS FOR THE MAKING OF WHO GOD HAS CALLED ME TO BE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND THE OTHER CITIES BEYOND HERE. MY FIRST MARRIAGE, I WAS ABUSED FOR EIGHT YEARS. I HAD THREE CHILDREN IN THAT MARRIAGE. LATER WHEN I LEFT THAT MARRIAGE, I GOT FIVE OF MY BROTHER'S KIDS. I RAISED EIGHT KIDS AS A SINGLE PARENT. AND WE WERE HOMELESS IN THAT ERA FOR TWO WEEKS. I NEVER WORKED SO HARD IN MY LIFE TO GET MY CHILDREN GATHERED BACK TOGETHER BECAUSE IT WAS THE RIGHT THING FOR ME TO DO. I COULDN'T JUST STOP IN THAT SITUATION AND ALLOW THE ENEMY TO OVERTAKE OF WHO I'M SUPPOSED TO BE IN GOD. I HAD TO PREPARE THE PLACE FOR MY CHILDREN. I GOT PUT OUT BECAUSE I HAD TOO MANY CHILDREN TRYING TO HELP MY BROTHER WHO WAS IN JAIL WITH HIS CHILDREN. SO THEY DON'T GO TO CPS IN THAT. ALL OF WHAT I WENT THROUGH WAS FOR THE MAKING OF WHO GOD CALLED ME TO BE. I CAME TO TALK TO Y'ALL TODAY ABOUT A HOMELESS [01:40:01] LODGE. IT'S CALLED FIRE MOUNTAIN LODGE ONE HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING FOR OUR HOMELESS. I'VE BEEN CALLED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE EVERYWHERE THAT I HAVE LIVED. AS I PRAY IN THE ATMOSPHERE, I BRING CHANGE ABOUT I'M A WARRIOR AND I'M BAD TO THE BONE WHEN IT COMES TO WARRING FOR GOD, BECAUSE THAT'S WHO HE CALLED ME TO BE. AND THIS EYESORE THAT EVERYBODY'S HOLLERING ABOUT. AND IT'S LIKE NEVER BEFORE AT 12 YEARS OLD, I WANTED A HOMELESS SHELTER FOR MEN. NOW IT'S MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN. AND WE CANNOT KEEP ON JUST GOING BY LOOKING AT THE SIDEWALKS AT THE STORE. OPENING YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED EVERYWHERE. AND THE WORST ONES ARE, ARE THE ONES THAT ARE ON METRO. AND OUR DRIVERS THAT DRIVE THE METRO, THEY SUFFER. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN WANNA GET ON THE BUS A LOT OF TIMES BECAUSE THEY'RE SCARED OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. WHEN I RODE THE BUS, I TALK BACK TO 'EM. I KNOW YOU DID. I'M NOT EVEN SCARED. MM-HMM . MS. SAMSON, YOU WEREN'T ABOUT TO RUN ME OFF. I'M ABOUT TO RUN OFF THEM SPIRITS. YEAH. THAT'S INSIDE OF YOU. RIGHT? OKAY. SO I COME TO MAKE A CHANGE, OKAY? AND IN EACH DISTRICT, I WILL BE AT A CHURCH DOING FUNDRAISERS CALLED APPRAISED EXPLOSION. AND I EXPECT, I WANT TO SEE ALL OF OUR LEADERS IN THE PLACE. MS. SAMSON, I AIN'T ASKING YOU FOR NO MONEY, MS. SAMSON, MS. SAMSON, BUT I DO WANT YOU TO MAKE A MS. SAMSON. WE DO HAVE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU. YES, MAAM. LET'S MOVE ON OVER TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS MAYOR. THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE. MSS, THANK YOU FOR COMING. UH, JUST LIKE TO COMMEND YOU ON THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, AND, UM, I WOULD OFFER TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOU, UH, TO WORK WITH YOU. SO SPECIFICALLY, CAN YOU SAY, WHAT IS YOUR, YOUR ASK, CAN YOU IDENTIFY WHAT IS IT THAT YOU EXPECTED FOR US TO DO? I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE GOING TO VISIT CHURCHES AND DO FUNDRAISERS, BUT WHAT IS IT THE GOAL THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? IT SAYS IT'S ABOUT HOMELESS. UH, YOU'RE TALK, UH, HOMELESS SHELTER. IS THAT YES, CORRECT. IT'S A LODGE. A LODGE LIKE ANY OTHER SHELTER. OKAY. OKAY. AND I, I HAVE EMAILS THAT I WOULD SEND EACH OF YOU. GOOD. SO Y'ALL ARE HERE FROM ME. VERY GOOD. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. GOD BLESS. YOU TOO. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. MS. SAMSON, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU. MA'AM, COME ON BACK. COME ON BACK. NO, COME ON. BACK THIS WAY. COME ON BACK THIS WAY. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU, MA'AM. HAPPY NEW YEAR. ME HERE, RIGHT HERE. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU. UM, I BELIEVE Y'ALL WANNA GIVE YOU MY CARD SO YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME DIRECTLY. UM, AND THEN WHATEVER YOU ARE I'M INTERESTED IN DOING ON THE WEST SIDE, LET'S DO IT TOGETHER. UM, ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE YOU HAVE A, A CONNECTION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, YOU KNOW, UH, THE SERVICES THAT THOSE PEOPLE NEED. SO, THANKS FOR COMING DOWN HERE AND I'LL, I'LL MEET YOU WITH MY COLLEAGUE. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. NIA COLBERT. NIA COLBERT. I DON'T SEE HER NEXT SPEAKER. FELIX CISNEROS. FELIX CISNEROS, IF YOU'LL STAND BEHIND THAT MICROPHONE SO WE CAN HEAR YOU, SIR. HAPPY NEW YEAR. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU. UM, EM, MEMBERS OF MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I'M HERE BECAUSE I HAVE TWO ITEMS THAT ARE VERY DEAR TO MY HEART. ONE OF THEM IS HISTORICAL. FOURTH WARD, I IN HISTORICAL. FOURTH WARD. THANK YOU TO CAROL ALDO. I WAS A MEMBER OF THE FOURTH WARD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT IS THE STATUS ON THE ISSUES ABOUT FIXING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. MS. CAYMAN, UM, I HAVEN'T HEARD NOTHING FROM THE FOURTH WARD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TEAM. WE DON'T EVEN GET INVITED TO THIS, TO THOSE MEETINGS. AND ALSO, I WANNA ALSO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT THERE WAS $40,000 THAT I DONATED TO THE, FOR, TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THAT MONEY TO BE USED TO, FOR THE FOURTH BOARD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. UM, FELIX, I KNOW WE TALKED PREVIOUSLY, BUT I WANNA PUBLICLY SAY THANK YOU. UM, YOU ARE SO COMMITTED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO THOSE AROUND YOU, I KNOW WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS IN A MOMENT THAT YOU'VE ALSO BEEN, UM, POURING YOUR HEART OUT TO SUPPORT AND HELP. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THEM HERE TODAY. BUT ALSO, UM, AS IT RELATES TO THE TOURS, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS JUST AS YOU WERE HERE, PLEASE, MY OFFICE WILL EMAIL YOU, UM, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE AN OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION. SO THESE TYPES OF QUESTIONS WE CAN ALSO REACH OUT ON YOUR BEHALF, UM, [01:45:01] TO GET ANSWERS FOR. SO I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY. I AM SORRY YOU HAD TO WAIT, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR VOICE AND, UM, INQUIRING. THANK YOU. AND MY SECOND, MY, MY SECOND ISSUE IS HOME HOMELESSNESS. I'M TRYING TO HELP THESE TWO FRIENDS THAT THEY'RE, UH, THEY WERE STAYING IN THE STREETS THIS PAST FEW NIGHTS AND I HAD TO OPEN MY DOORS FOR THEM TO STAY WITH ME. AND I WOULD LIKE TO, I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME. I HAVE DON, ARE THEY ON THE LIST? YES. SORRY. POINT OF, UH, UH, PROCEDURALLY FELIX, THEY, I MOTION TO ADD THEM ONTO THE LIST, SO WHEN YOU'RE DONE SPEAKING, THEY'LL BE, UH, CALLED UP ONE AT A TIME. WE ONLY ALLOW ONE PERSON AT THE MICROPHONE AT A TIME. BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. NEXT SPEAKER. JOHN HOWARD. DON HOWARD MAYOR PRO JIM, AND, UM, THE CITY COUNCIL. IT'S A GREAT HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TO SEE YOU TODAY. THIS IS VERY, UH, HARD FOR ME TO SAY THIS TODAY. UM, I'M A HOMELESS MAN, AND, UM, I'VE NEVER BEEN THIS WAY BEFORE AS A SIXTH GENERATION HOUSTONIAN, AS A SIXTH GENERATION HOUSTONIAN WHOSE, WHOSE FAMILY WAS HERE BEFORE HOUSTON EXISTED, BEFORE THE SHIP CHANNEL WAS STARTED BEFORE ANY OF THIS WAS HERE BEFORE SANTA ANA WAS, WAS TAKEN. OKAY? MY FAMILY WAS HERE, FARMING. AND, UH, AND WE'VE BEEN HERE ALL THE WAY THROUGH. NOW I'M GONNA SAY THIS, I'M A 40 YEAR CAREER. AND, BUT DUE TO THE FACT LAST YEAR IN, IN MY PROFESSION, THREE TIMES MY JOB HAS BEEN OFFSHORE OVERSEAS. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AND WHEN AFTER A POINT IN TIME YOU JUST KEEP GOING THROUGH YOUR SAVINGS AND GOING THROUGH YOUR SAVINGS AND TO THE POINT YOU ARE DRAINED AND YOU'RE GONE. IT'S GONE. AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD TO LIVE THROUGH THAT. SINCE THAT TIME. I BECAME COMPLETELY AND 100% HOMELESS. I STAYED, SLEPT IN MY CAR, IN SHELTERS. AND, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE DONE AN ANALYSIS WHILE I WAS IN THE SHELTERS. I STARTED LEARNING WHAT IT REALLY MAKES UP. THE SHELTERS WE HAVE HERE IN TOWN. THERE IS A LIST THAT THE CATHOLIC CHARITIES GIVES OUT. THERE'S SOME THAT THE CITY GIVES OUT. AND I'VE GONE THROUGH ALL OF THOSE. I HAVE GONE THROUGH THEM AND I'VE ANALYZED THEM. I'LL EVEN GIVE THAT TO THE CITY COUNCIL IF YOU WISH, BECAUSE WHAT I THINK IS HAPPENING IS IT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN HELP. BECAUSE AS AN, YOU KNOW, I'M AN IT AND ACCOUNTING FINANCE GUY STARTED RIGHT OUT HERE ON ALLEN PARKWAY ON WALL DRIVE IN 1985, RIGHT OUTTA COLLEGE. NOW, MY THOUGHT POINT TO THIS IS, IS I'M TRYING TO KEEP THIS BRIEF. 'CAUSE I KNOW I'VE GOT A THREE MINUTE RULE AND, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, BUT, BUT BY SAYING THAT, I'M SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THAT WOULD HAVE PROBABLY HAVE TO TAKE AN OFFSHOOT, YOU KNOW, UH, SOMETHING THAT I WOULD'VE TO DO SEND TO YOU ON THE SIDE. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET AHOLD OF YOU FOLKS, BUT, UM, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT. AND THE MAYOR HIMSELF, BECAUSE THE HOMELESSNESS IN THIS CITY IS NOT JUST ONE WAY, OKAY? IT'S, IT'S BROKEN UP OF MANY DIFFERENT FACETS. AND THERE'S DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THIS GREAT CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. I WAS HOUSTON BORN AND HOUSTON BRED. WHEN I DIE, I'LL BE HOUSTON DEAD. AND YOU KNOW, WHEN I, WHEN I SAY THAT, BECAUSE I WANT TO BELIEVE, I WANT TO BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE HERE. YOU'RE HERE, I'M HERE, I'M HERE NOW. AND THIS IS THE MOST HUMBLING THING I'VE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE. TO STAND BEFORE YOU LIKE THIS. IT'S THE MOST HARD THING I'VE EVER SAID IN, IN FRONT OF PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELVES. AND, UH, I'VE BEEN IN FRONT OF A C-SUITE MY WHOLE SINCE 1992 AND, UH, SPEAKING, AND I HAVE NEVER HAD TO SAY SOMETHING LIKE THIS. AND, UM, TO SAY THAT I'M IN THIS SITUATION, IT'S THE HARDEST THING I'VE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE. AND WHEN I SAY THAT, BUT IT'S ALL COMING BACK. AND PLUS, I ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT I CAN OFFER THE CITY AND DO SOMETHING FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 'CAUSE I WANNA SEE THIS CITY TAKE OFF AND GO, GO BIGGER THAN CHICAGO. BE NUMBER THREE. OKAY? I'LL BE HUSH, BUT I'VE GOT A PROGRAM TO HELP ALSO. PEOPLE GET REEMPLOYED. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU, SIR. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YES, SIR. YES, MA'AM. MR. HOWARDS, I, I WANNA THANK YOU. UM, JUST BECAUSE YOU OR ANYONE IS UNHOUSED DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU DON'T HAVE DIGNITY. MM-HMM. UM, JUST BECAUSE YOU MAY BE UNHOUSED DOES NOT MEAN YOU DO NOT HAVE DIGNITY. AND I APPRECIATE, UH, YOU COMING. I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMMITTED TO HELPING YOU RIGHT NOW. UM, BUT I ALSO HAVE OUR STAFF IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM, UM, OKAY. FOR THAT. I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT YOU NEED, UM, MOVING FORWARD. SO IF THERE'S A WAY TO, UM, ANNA, IF YOU COULD, DON'T MIND JUST WAVING. UM, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE YOU GET WITH HER TO FIND OUT WHAT'S THE BEST WAY [01:50:01] TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU, UM, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE PUTTING YOU WITH, UM, THE SUPPORT SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED. BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU. ONE QUESTION I HAD, UM, FELIX, BEFORE YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT, UM, HE, YOU KNOW, WAS HELPING YOU OUT DURING THIS LAST FREEZE. UM, YOU'VE HAD EXPERIENCE IN THE SHELTERS WITH THIS FREEZE. UM, WERE YOU ALREADY IN WITH, WITH FELIX? WERE YOU ON THE STREET? DID YOU, OKAY, SO YOU WERE ON THE STREET. WERE SHELTERS AVAILABLE TO YOU? I DON'T, I BELIEVE STABILIZING MODELS, BUT I WANNA HEAR FROM YOU PERSONALLY ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE THIS PAST FEW DAYS, GIVEN THE SEVERITY OF THE COLD. THE DAYS WE WERE IN HIS GARAGE, SLEEPING IN HIS GARAGE. OKAY. THAT'S WHERE WE'VE BEEN. AND BEFORE THAT WE WERE IN MY CAR BECAUSE THE SHELTERS WE WERE IN GOT A LITTLE SOMEWHAT HOSTILE. AND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT, I'M NOT SAYING I'M NOT BRAGGING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. PLEASE DON'T TAKE THAT THE WRONG WAY. I'M JUST NOT COMING OFF OF ANYTHING. I'M NOT TRYING TO REHAB ON ANYTHING. I'M JUST OUT OF WORK. RIGHT. AND, UM, AND I'VE GOTTA GET BACK TO WORK. BUT WHEN YOU'RE IN, WHEN YOU'RE IN YOUR SIXTIES, IT'S A DIFFERENT GAME. OKAY? UH, COUNCILWOMAN, I IT IS A DIFFERENT DAY. AND, UM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ALL ARE FACED WITH TODAY. UNDERSTOOD. AND, AND THAT I JUST, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE SEEING HEADLINES, WE'RE HEARING STORIES OF FOLKS THAT, UM, DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO, UM, A, A, A WARM PLACE, A SAFE PLACE TO GO DURING THIS FREEZE. IT WAS TOUGH. UM, SO I, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS CONNECTING THE DOTS THERE. YES, BECAUSE NOW WE DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT THAT ONE UNTIL TWO DAYS AFTER ABOUT THE WARMING STATION. BUT WE DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT THAT THEN. SO THEN, THANK YOU. DID I ANSWER ANYBODY ELSE'S QUESTION OR ANYBODY ELSE'S? YES MA'AM. POLL COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. THANK YOU. MAYOR PROTI. YES, SIR. I TOO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. COMMEND YOU FOR BEING ABLE TO OPEN UP TO US ABOUT, UH, YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES. UM, WE AS A CITY NEED TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE, UM, AVAILABLE EMPLOYMENT. YOU OBVIOUSLY ARE, UM, ABLE TO WORK, YOU'RE WILLING TO WORK, AND, UH, YOU SEEM TO HAVE THE COMPETENCE AND THE EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO GET A TASK DONE. AND THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES AROUND THIS GREAT CITY. AND I THINK WE AS A BODY AND ME SPECIFICALLY, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU MY CARD, UH, BECAUSE I HAVE SOME, UM, OPPORTUNITIES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST SHARE WITH YOU. AND, UH, YES, SIR. I WANT TO ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU, UH, TO KEEP YOUR SPIRITS LIFTED. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH A LOT AND, UM, IT'S PROBABLY VERY HEAVY FOR YOU AND, AND THOSE AROUND YOU. UH, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU CAME HERE TODAY, UH, WILL BEAR FRUIT AND WE WILL PRAY FOR YOU. AND I WILL GIVE YOU MY CARD TO STAY IN TOUCH AND WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR PROAM. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM. MR. HOWARD, I'M SORRY FOR WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH. UM, AND I'D LIKE TO VISIT WITH YOU AFTER, UH, WE END THIS CONVERSATION HERE AND, UH, GET YOUR INFORMATION, UH, AND VISIT WITH YOU ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP. YOU ALSO WANT TO, UM, JUST SAY THAT, UH, WE'LL BE TAKING UP THE CITY'S NEW HOMELESSNESS PLAN ON JANUARY 23RD AT 10:00 AM IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE, UH, MEETING. AND INVITE YOU TO COME BACK AT THAT TIME AND SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE. UM, AND, AND I'LL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION HERE OKAY. BEFORE YOU LEAVE. BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. AND AGAIN, I'M SORRY YOU'RE HAVING TO GO THROUGH WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH AND I'LL BE GLAD TO TALK TO ANYONE. AND PLUS THE ANALYSIS AND A PROGRAM FOR HELP PEOPLE GET REEMPLOYED THAT NEED REEMPLOYMENT. OKAY? BECAUSE IT'S, 'CAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT GAME THAN WHAT, WHAT THE GOVERNMENT TELLS YOU HOW TO DO IT. I KNOW THAT NOW. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU VERY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. BEST WISHES TO YOU NEXT SPEAKER. BRAD TOUS, NEXT SPEAKER, RAISE TORRES RIGHT HERE. HELLO, MR. TORRES. HELLO, UM, FELLOW, UM, COUNSEL AND FELLOW HOUSTONIANS. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS REYES TORRES, JR. AND I STAND BEFORE YOU NOW, UM, UM, HOMELESS AND UNEMPLOYED, AND I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE BEAR WITH ME. I HAVE A SPEECH [01:55:01] IMPEDIMENT. UM, I WAS JUST, I KNOW I HAVE A THREE MINUTE MARK, BUT I WAS JUST ABLE TO RECEIVE MY, MY TEXAS ID AND, UM, FROM THE DPS OFFICE, A FEW, FEW ABOUT, THIS HASN'T BEEN LONG. I'M HERE, UM, TO ASK JUST ONE QUESTION AND THE REMAINING OF MY TIME. UM, I WAS WA UH, WANTED TO ASK Y'ALL IF I MAY, UM, IF I MAY, UH, PASS MY, MY FOLDER AND HOPING TO, UM, WELL, Y'ALL WILL SEE MY, MY, UH, QUESTION AND MY, MY PHONE NUMBER HERE IN HOPES THAT, UH, IF, IF, UH, ANYBODY, ANYBODY, ANY OF IF OF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO, COULD HELP ME. UM, MY QUESTION IS, UH, WELL, I WROTE IT, UH, FOR, UM, MAYOR WHITMEYER, UH, AND, UM, UH, BUT NOW I STAND BEFORE Y'ALL. UH, I, UH, I SEE MAYOR WHITMEYER IS NOT HERE WITH US. SO HERE IT IS. IT'S, UM, UH, COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS. WHAT COMMUNITY PROGRAMS WILL, WILL YOU WORK AND PARTNER WITH TO CHANGE HOUSTON'S HOMELESS CRISIS, SPECIFICALLY WITH HOMELESS PEOPLE WITH MENTAL DISABILITIES LIKE ME? AND SO THIS IS, UH, THIS IS MY QUESTION FOR TODAY, FOR, FOR TODAY. AND THIS IS MY FIRST TIME EVER, UM, DOING THIS WITH THE CITY, WITH ANY CITY. UM, BUT I CAN GET USED TO IT . I ALSO, I WAS THINKING HERE, SITTING DOWN AND THINKING I'M ALSO WILLING TO, UH, SERVE THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND I'M ALSO WILLING TO, UM, UH, I'VE VOLUNTEERED WITH BAKER RIPLEY IN THE PAST, BUT HERE LATELY, I'VE BEEN SLEEPING ON THE STREETS. I MET MR. DON HOWARD IN THE SHELTER. WE MET THERE, UH, IN STAR OF HOPE. UM, I, UH, BUT I'M, I'M UNEMPLOYED, SO I HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO, TO, TO, TO SERVE THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TO BE IN ANY WAY I CAN AND TO DO, TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, THIS CRISIS OF HOMELESSNESS. SO IF I MAY, UM, PASS THIS AROUND, UH, FOR Y'ALL, AND IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE YOUR BUSINESS CARD OR SOME SOMETHING SO I CAN GET A CARD, YOU CAN GIVE IT TO HIM AND HE'LL, HE'LL PASS IT AROUND FOR US. BUT COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU. THANK YOU, MR. TORRES, RIGHT HERE. OH, YES MA'AM. THANK YOU FOR COMING. UM, IN RE I WANNA BE RESPONSIVE TO YOUR QUESTION FIRST, WHICH WAS, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PARTNER WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND WHAT ARE WE DOING? UM, EACH DISTRICT OFFICE AND THE AT LARGES ARE WORKING WITH VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE WITH, UH, DISABILITIES, PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES. UH, WE NOT ONLY WORK WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, BUT I PERSONALLY PARTNER WITH, UH, JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE BECAUSE THEY HAVE JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS, UM, AND OTHER PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES. THERE'S LOTS OF RESOURCES, ALTHOUGH I KNOW, UM, YOU'RE VERY NUANCED IN THIS AS YOUR LIVED EXPERIENCE. SO I DON'T WANNA TALK YES, MA'AM. AT YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE OFFERING TO HELP US AND IT'S OUR JOB TO HELP YOU. SO, UH, I I, ANNA IS IN THE BACK. UM, WE'RE GONNA MAKE, AS WELL AS OTHER CITY STAFF, UM, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE A WAY TO CONNECT WITH YOU, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONNECTING YOU TO CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS WE'RE AWARE OF, BUT ALSO TAKING WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH TO EDUCATE AND INFORM US AS WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE. SURE. UH, BUT I, I WANNA MAKE SURE, AND I KNOW OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AS THEY, AS THEY PREVIOUSLY SAID, ARE VERY EAGER TO HELP WHERE WE CAN. UH, AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, YOU SPOKE BEAUTIFULLY AND WE HEAR YOU. THANK YOU. AND, AND LASTLY, UH, THE SAME QUESTION I ASKED OF OF DON. UM, IN THIS MOST RECENT COLD SPELL, UH MM-HMM DID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAD ACCESS TO, UM, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, UH, TO TAKE SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER? OR HOW DID YOU, CAN YOU JUST SHARE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THAT? UM, I, IT WAS, IT WAS DIFFICULT. UM, JUST I THINK [02:00:01] SOMEHOW, UH, WE'VE HAD TO SLEEP IN, IN, UH, MY, MY BROTHER IN CHRIST, MY, I'VE HAD TO SLEEP IN, I'VE HIS CAR AND WE, WE'VE JUST HAD TO LOOK FOR SAFE, SAFE PARKING LOTS AROUND HOUSTON. BUT BEFORE THAT, UH, WE WERE IN THE STAR OF HOPE. BUT BEFORE THAT, BEFORE THE STAR OF HOPE, UM, I, I'VE SLEPT ON THE SIDEWALKS. I'VE BEEN ROBBED BEFORE. UM, WHEN I WAS UP, UH, UP THERE BY, UM, THE ALDEN, THE ALDEN AREA, I LOST MY, THEY TOOK MY BELONGINGS, I HAD MY ID, MY ID, I HAD JUST GOTTEN MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE, UM, THROUGH OPERATION ID. UH, AND SO NOW I HAVE TO WORK AGAIN AND GET THAT AGAIN. I WAS ABLE TO GET THAT AGAIN THROUGH, UM, MY, I HAVE A CASEWORKER, MS. MS. KIM BROWN THROUGH HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS. SHE'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL. UM, AND, UM, WELL, I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN HAVING TO, I, THE LITTLE BIT OF BELONGINGS THAT I DO HAVE, I'VE BEEN HAVING TO SEE IF JUST WITH FRIENDS, IF, IF I CAN HAVE MY BELONGINGS IN THEIR, IN THEIR, UH, HOME OR WHEREVER IF THEY'RE ABLE TO LET ME LIKE SLEEP AT NIGHT, UH, FEW, FEW NIGHTS EVEN. UM, AND, AND, UM, SO JUST CHAT SEVERAL, SEVERAL CHALLENGES. UH, AND, AND, UM, MY, I JUST WAS DIAGNOSED THROUGH MY PSYCHIATRIST, THROUGH HELPLESS HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS A FEW MONTHS AGO, LIKE THREE OR THREE MONTHS AGO THAT, UH, I HAVE, UH, A LEARNING DISABILITY AND I HAVE AUTISM. I'M ON THE SPECTRUM. AND I ALWAYS KNEW SOMETHING WAS, I HAD SOMETHING BECAUSE I ALWAYS, SINCE, SINCE A CHILD IN ELEMENTARY, I COULD NEVER, I NEVER COULD REALLY LEARN VERY, VERY FAST LIKE ALL MY OTHER CASTMATES. SO THAT'S A CHALLENGE. BUT I STILL WORK. UM, I'VE WORKED, CONTRIBUTED AROUND TEXAS IN DIFFERENT COMPANIES. UH, I JUST, I WAS, UH, SOMEHOW, UH, I I WAS ABLE TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL BY THE GRACE OF GOD IN THE FINE LITTLE COUNTRY, TOWN OF PEREZ, TEXAS , UH, CLASS OF 2003. UH, I'VE HAD SEVERAL CHALLENGES IN MY LIFE. UH, I COME FROM A BROKEN HOME. SO I GREW UP IN A, IN THE SOUTH TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOME OVER THERE BY, IN SOUTH TEXAS BY MIN, BY A LITTLE SMALL LITTLE TOWN BY, UH, MINERAL TEXAS. UM, AND SO ALL OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH, AFTER THAT I DID A LITTLE BIT OF COLLEGE, BUT THAT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME. I'VE HAD A LOT OF THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE IN MY PA IN, IN MY FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE. BUT I NEVER GAVE UP. THAT WAS JUST, UH, THAT WAS JUST THE DEMONS AND, AND THE, THE DEVIL ATTACKING ME. BUT THEN I HAD PROBATION. I FINISHED PROBATION THIS IN OCTOBER 28, ACTUALLY, I FINISHED PROBATION. SO NOW I'M A FREE MAN. NOW MY CHALLENGE IS EMPLOYMENT. AND ONCE I'M EMPLOYED, I'LL BE ABLE TO RENT A LITTLE ROOM OR I'LL BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN MYSELF. AND NOW I DID. I'M WAITING ON MAGNIFICA MINISTRIES, AS AM I, AND MY, MY BROTHER IN CHRIST, DONALD HOWARD, HIS WAY. WE WENT TOGETHER AND WE SPOKE WITH THEM AT THE OFFICE. YESTERDAY, YESTERDAY MORNING, WE WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR FROM, UH, MS. KATHY O ODAY. AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF MY LITTLE CHALLENGES. I HAVE MY FEW CHALLENGES, AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. BUT YOU, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU'VE SPOKEN BEAUTIFULLY. UM, WE WANNA HELP. I KNOW OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WANNA HELP AS WELL. UM, SO WE WILL, AGAIN, ANNA'S IN THE BACK, UM, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OTHER STAFF. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR COMING TODAY. THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR TIME. AND, AND, UH, MAY GOD BLESS OUR FINE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND GOD BLESS Y'ALL. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. NEXT SPEAKER, MICHELLE ZA. MICHELLE ZA. NEXT SPEAKER. CAROLYN WHITE. CAROLYN WHITE. NEXT SPEAKER HAR MALLOY. HAROLD MALLOY. HAROLD MALLOY. NEXT [02:05:01] SPEAKER. ARNOLD TAYLOR. ARNOLD TAYLOR. NEXT SPEAKER JEROME TERRELL. JEROME TERRELL. NEXT SPEAKER, CHRISTIAN LISTER. KRISTEN LISTER. NEXT SPEAKER, MICHELLE EIGEN BAR, MICHELLE EIGEN BAR. NEXT SPEAKER, ANN WILBORN. ANN WILBURN, NEXT SPEAKER, SABRINA GRAY. SABRINA GRAY. NEXT SPEAKER, KEVIN WILLIAMS. KELVIN WILLIAMS. KELVIN WILLIAMS. NEXT SPEAKER, JOHN NICKS, I'M HERE PRESENT. HELLO, MR. NICKS HOWDY SAID, FELLOW CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING MY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. I AM, IT'S SAD TO SEE THE ME, ME THAT THE MAYOR ISN'T, ISN'T HERE, BUT I HAVE SEVERAL ISSUES THAT I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS. SEVERAL OF 'EM. THE CARPET IN HERE IS AWFUL. IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO GET AROUND IN MY WHEELCHAIR. I WISH THE CITY WOULD TRY TO GET SOME FUNDING TO REPLACE IT. IT'S AWFUL. ANOTHER ISSUE I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON IS HAVE THE CITY WORK ON FIXING AND INCREASING THE SMOKING BAN. AND INCREASING THE SMOKING BAN. THE 25 FEET THAT'S THERE NOW IS WAY TOO LOW FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT HAVE SEVERE ASTHMA. I BELIEVE WE NEED TO HAVE IT FOR 50 AND 75 FEET FROM ENTRANCES AND BANNED ON ALL PROPERTIES THAT ARE LIKE FOR HUD LOW INCOME OR GET THAT ARE LIKE SPONSORED BY THE HOUSTON DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, THAT SORT OF PROBLEM. LIKE THE PROPERTY WHERE I LIVE AT AT THE HOUSTON HEIGHTS TOWERS AND THE HEIGHTS OVER IN DISTRICT C. THOSE ARE KIND OF MY ISSUES. I HAVE, ANOTHER ISSUE I HAVE I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF IS, IS I WANNA SEE MORE EVOLVE, MORE FUNDING WITH EVOLVE TO BRING IT EVOLVE INTO THE HEIGHTS SERVICE, INCLUDING MORE FOR WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY OF THEIR SHUTTLES. 'CAUSE IT'S DESPERATELY NEEDED TO HELP ME GET AROUND AND FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE, ELDERLY PEOPLE IN THE AREA, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BROKEN SIDEWALKS IN MY AREA. AND ANOTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK OF, AND NOW I'M TRYING TO SPEAK A LITTLE FASTER SINCE Y'ALL HAVE BEEN HERE, MOSTLY AFTERNOON. BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE SPEAKING POLICY REVISITED. I BELIEVE HOW I HAVE TO WAIT FOUR MEETINGS JUST FOR MY THREE MINUTES TO RESET. I BELIEVE THAT'S A, I COULD BE CONSIDERED A VIOLATION UNDER 5 5 1 0 0 7. MEANING BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE ONE MINUTES I DON'T FEEL IS REASONABLE. AND I DON'T BELIEVE IT ALSO VIOLATES MY RIGHTS UNDER 5 5 1 0 0 7 E TO EFFECTIVELY CRITICIZE MY OWN CITY THAT I LIVE IN WHEN I ONLY HAVE ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK, I KNOW I HAVE LIKE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK NOW, BUT IT'S LIKE IF I REGISTER TO SPEAK NEXT WEEK, I'M ONLY GIVEN ONE MINUTE TO OPENLY CRITICIZE AND ADDRESS THE CITY OF AFFIRMATION. I SEE. SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO HAVE, LIKE THE LEGAL TEAM LOOK INTO IT, AND IF POSSIBLE, GET LIKE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL KIM PAXTON TO ISSUE AN OPINION ON IF THE ONE MINUTE IS CONSIDERED REASONABLE UNDER THE LAW. I KNOW A LOT OF US DON'T LIKE PAXTON, BUT HE'S THE AG UNTIL WE ALL CAN VOTE HIM OUT, THAT'S FOR THOSE THAT, NO, I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES, ON THE PARTIES, ON THE CITY COUNCIL, ON CITY COUNCIL, AND IN THIS AUDIENCE. BUT THAT'S KIND OF MY ISSUES I WANTED TO SEE ON MY ISSUES. I HOPE Y'ALL HAVE A GREAT DAY, AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND NOT SKIPPING OUT ON US LIKE THE MAYOR DID, AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR DAY AND GIG THEM. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND, UH, GOD BLESS TEXAS YAL. ALL RIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER. SAM WAGNER. SAM WAGNER. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT, UH, MONTROSE BOULEVARD. UNFORTUNATELY, I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO COME TO COUNCIL TO TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE THE CITY HAS KIND OF HIJACKED THE PROJECT AS IT IS, AND IS IMPOSING PRETTY RESTRICTIVE MANDATES ON, OR REQUIREMENTS ON, ON WHAT THE PROJECT IS, IS GOING TO BE. SO, UM, SO I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT MONTROSE BOULEVARD AND JUST KIND OF MY GRIPES WITH THE CURRENT REQUIREMENTS FROM THE CITY RIGHT NOW ON THE PROJECT, NAMELY, UH, THE CITY IS MANDATING THAT THE LANES ON MONTROSE BE 12 FEET WIDE, UH, WHICH I BELIEVE IS, [02:10:01] YOU KNOW, RIDICULOUS. UH, DOWNTOWN, WE HAVE 11 FOOT WIDE LANES HERE. SO WHY ARE WE BUILDING A, UH, A DRAG STRIP IN MONTROSE ON THE BOULEVARD, UH, THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE 35 MILES AN HOUR, RIGHT? SO WE'RE BUILDING AN EXCESSIVELY WIDE LANE THAT'S MOSTLY GONNA ENCOURAGE SPEEDING ALONG MONTROSE BOULEVARD, AND IT FEELS JUST, IT'S, IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY BENEFIT. SO THE, THE TERMINOLOGY FROM, FROM THE ADMINISTRATION CURRENTLY HAS BEEN, UH, GENERAL MOBILITY, WHICH IS NOT REALLY DEFINED AS ANYTHING, BUT I WOULD INTERPRET THAT AS MEANING, THROUGHPUT AND CAPACITY, RIGHT? ARE WE MOVING MORE CARS THROUGH THIS ROAD? ARE WE, ARE PEOPLE GETTING THEIR PLACES FASTER? AND, YOU KNOW, MONTROSE BOULEVARD, IT HAS RED LIGHTS. YOU'RE, YOU'RE, IF YOU SAVE FIVE SECONDS GOING TO THE NEXT RED LIGHT, YOU'RE NOT MOVING MORE CARS THROUGH THAT BOULEVARD. SO WE'RE, WE'RE IMPOSING 12 FOOT LANES JUST TO ENCOURAGE SPEEDING. AND WITH THE ENCOURAGED SPEEDING, WE'RE GONNA GET INCREASED INJURY RATES, INCREASED CRASH RATES, INCREASED DEATH RATES, AND WE DON'T GET ANYTHING FOR IT. LIKE, WE'RE NOT GETTING AN INCREASE IN MOBILITY, WE'RE JUST GETTING WORSE OUTCOMES. AND THE OTHER THING THAT I'M EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE GO IS THE SHARED USE PATH ALONG THE SIDE OF MONTROSE BOULEVARD. UH, IT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT IT FEELS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, MAYBE BICYCLES ARE KIND OF NEW IN, IN, IN HOUSTON. SO IT FEELS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE MAYBE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVE CERTAIN INFRASTRUCTURES. BUT FOR A SHARED USE PATH, UH, IT IS A DEDICATED PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE. IT'S MEANT TO CARRY PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS ON THE SAME PIECE OF CONCRETE. AND BEING THAT PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE, IT HAS DESIGN STANDARDS, RIGHT? YOU CAN LOOK AT TDOT'S DESIGN MANUAL AND IT WILL SAY, IF YOU WANT THIS TO EXIST, IT MUST BE AT LEAST 10 FOOT MINIMUM IN ORDER TO MEET A MINIMUM LEVEL OF SERVICE. AND SO WE ARE REMOVING THAT FROM THE CITY IS REQUIRING THAT IT BE REMOVED FROM THE MONTROSE BOULEVARD DESIGN, WHICH I, I FEEL IS, IS KIND OF AN AFFRONT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MONTROSE IS RIGHT NEXT TO BUFFALO BAYOU, AND THERE'S ONLY SO FEW CROSSINGS TO GET ACROSS ALLEN PARKWAY AND, YOU KNOW, MONTROSE BOULEVARD BEING ONE OF THOSE CROSSINGS. IT'S, WE'RE WE'RE KIND OF SAYING AS A CITY THAT IF YOU LIVE IN MONTROSE, YOU SHOULD NOT FEEL SAFE BIKING TO BUFFALO BAYOU. RIGHT? AND TO ME, THAT FEELS LIKE A, A REALLY BAD OPINION TO HAVE IN 2024 IN THE FOURTH BIGGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY. UH, AND TO KIND OF HAMMER THE POINT HOME A LITTLE BIT, LIKE THE CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND TODAY ARE FOUR FOOT SIDEWALKS. THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS FIVE FOOT SIDEWALKS TO HAVE TWO PEOPLE WALKING TOGETHER. SO AS A CITY, WE'RE SAYING, YOU SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO WALK WITH A FRIEND TO THE PARK ON A NICE SUNDAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SEEMS LIKE CRAZY TO ME. UH, THANK YOU. HOLD ON. THANK YOU, SAM, YOU'VE WAITED A REALLY LONG TIME. IF YOU JUST WANT A FEW SECONDS TO WRAP UP. OH, I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANY MORE. OKAY. I APPRECIATE IT. UM, SAM, YOU LIVE IN MONTROSE, CORRECT? YEAH. I'M NOT GONNA READ OUT YOUR ADDRESS. UM, I WANNA RESPECT YOUR PRIVACY. UH, WERE YOU INVOLVED, WE HAD A LOT OF RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT FOR THE PAST HOWEVER MANY YEARS, UH, ON THE T'S PROPOSED PLAN, INCORPORATING RESIDENT FEEDBACK IN THAT. WERE YOU ENGAGED, UH, IN ANY OF THOSE EFFORTS OR DID YOU GO TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT? UH, I WAS, I GO TOTS MEETINGS NOW. BEFORE THERE'S BEEN A LOT MORE, MORE, UH, PARTICIPATION, THAT'S FOR SURE. YEAH. UM, I WAS NOT HEAVILY INVOLVED IN LIKE THE BEFORE PROCESSING, BUT WHEN I'VE LEARNED THAT THE PROJECT WAS KIND OF UNDER ATTACK, I WENT AND STARTED GETTING MORE INVOLVED. AND I WENT TO TOURS, MEETINGS MORE REGULARLY WHEN THE BEAUTIFICATION AND THE AMENITIES AND THE WALKABILITY WAS ELIMINATED. YEAH. LIKE WHAT MOTIVATED ME WAS, WAS THE FACT THAT WE WERE CHOOSING TO REMOVE MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE THE SHARED USE PATH FROM MONTROSE BOULEVARD. AND DO YOU WALK AROUND MONTROSE? I KNOW A LOT OF RESIDENTS DO. YEAH. I, I GENERALLY , I WALK AROUND MONTROSE, BUT I GENERALLY AVOID MONTROSE BOULEVARD BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF BAD. UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANOTHER, NOT A NICE WAY TO SAY IT. IT'S KIND OF, IT'S NOT THAT NICE TO WALK ALONG. SO I, I GENERALLY STICK EAST OF MONTROSE, UH, THE BOULEVARD ITSELF. UNDERSTOOD. UM, I JUST, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR VOICE AND YOUR ENGAGEMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. NEXT SPEAKER. ALFREDO BLANCO. ALFREDO BLANCO. GONNA ASK FOR AN INTERPRETER. [02:15:15] I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR HAVING ME TODAY. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ AND EVERYBODY WHO'S HELPED TO HAVE, UH, LIGHTING RESTORED AT MASON PARK. MASON PARK AS A REGIONAL PARK IN THE EAST END. I'M SENDING OUT A, UH, UH, A FEW PICTURES OF MASON PARK SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE CURRENT STATUS OF MASON PARK. IT IS A PARK OUT ON THE EAST END MASON PARK. WE CURRENTLY HAVE A HOMELESS PERSON LIVING AT, AT MASON PARK, UM, ON THE PROGRAM. WHAT'S YOUR POINT? I SAW THAT THERE WAS AN APPROVAL FOR AN IMPROVEMENT FOR PARK LEVI PARK, LEVI PARK RAMIREZ. THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS AGAINST THE APPROVAL FOR LEVI PARK WAS COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. I WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, MISS, UH, COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ AS, UH, THE, THERE ARE OTHER PARKS THAT NEED ATTENTION. UM, IN PARTICULAR MASON PARK. UH, BILL WHITE. I HAVE A PROCLAMATION THAT WAS RECEIVED BY MAYOR, UH, BILL WHITE I IN 2007. I, UH, I, MY WIFE AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CIVIC CLUB AND THE COMMUNITY, UH, MANAGED TO HAVE, UM, THE RAISE, UH, HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR, UH, PLAZA AVIVA, UH, LOCATED IN MASON PARK. BILL WHITE, GREEN, BAILEY HUTCHINSON. THANK MEMBER CAROL ADO. THANK YOU TO, UH, BILL WHITE CON, UH, CONGRESSMAN JEAN JEAN GREEN, JEAN GREEN, AND, UH, KAY BAILEY. KAY BAILEY HUTCHINSON, CAROL ADO, AND CAROL RADO EL AND THE ROCKETS ORGANIZATION FOR GIVING ME MONEY. THE MASON PARK, SINCE 2007, UH, PLACE, VIVA IS KNOWN AS THE GAZEBO OF MASON PARK. YOU KNOW, UM, EVEN AFTER 20 YEARS OF, UH, PLAZA, UH, VIVA BEING ESTABLISHED IN MASON PARK, WE STILL DO NOT HAVE A PLAQUE FOR IT. UH, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL, UH, UH, WE'VE EVEN HAD A PRESIDENT OUT TO MASON PARK. AND, UH, WE'RE ASKING FOR, UH, A PLAQUE TO BE PLACED THERE. UH, I NEED, I'M, I'M LOOKING FOR THE RESOURCE OR THE AVENUE TO RECEIVE A PLAQUE TO BE PLACED THERE, NOT A SIGNAGE. UH, IN PARTICULAR, WE'RE ASKING, UH, FOR A PLAQUE LARGER THAN THE SIZE OF THE, UH, THE PAPER THAT I'M HOLDING [02:20:03] WITH THE IDENTICAL VERBIAGE ON THE PROCLAMATION. MILLIONS OVER 40, 50 MILLIONS RE MASON PARK. AND I'M LOOKING FOR MORE THAN, THAN WHAT WAS, UH, GIVEN TO MASON PARK IN PARTICULAR. UH, UH, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, EMANCIPATION WAS GIVING A LAR A A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONIES. AND, UM, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE? MCGREGOR. MCGREGOR PARK WAS, AND NOW LE LEVI IS ALSO RECEIVING A, A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY COMPARED TO MASON PARK FOR MESSAGE BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU. THANK YOU. UH, I WANT TO, I WANNA KNOW THE BEST AVENUE FOR, FOR US TO RECEIVE THOSE TYPES OF RESOURCES TO THAT AMOUNT, UH, IN PARTICULAR FOR MEXICAN AREAS SUCH AS, UH, THE EAST END AND MASON PARK. SO, UM, UM, SO I, PLAYGROUND COMMUNITY CENTER. SO MASON PARK, LOS MASON PARK. [02:25:27] UH, SO HE WAS BASICALLY SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, PARKS WITHIN, UM, MCGREGOR AND EMANCIPATION RECEIVE ANGEL DONORS, UM, I'M JUST GONNA SAY THIS PUBLICLY, ANGEL DONORS, WE WANT YOU AT MASON PARK AS WELL. UH, COME, UH, WE HAVE A MASTER PLAN. IT'S ABOUT $32 MILLION, UH, PRICE TICKET RIGHT NOW. UH, BUT WE'RE READY TO TAKE ON ANY OTHER DOLLARS THAT COME IN OUTSIDE OF, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE, THE EAST END TO COME IN AND, UH, HELP US, UM, REIMAGINE WHAT MASON PARK SHOULD LOOK LIKE AS WELL, THE NEW PLAN. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ ALSO WANTS TO ADDRESS, UH, THE SPEAKER. THANK YOU, FREDDY. UH, APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION AND THANK YOU FOR CALLING OUT, UH, THIS SITUATION. THE POINT IS, IT'S GREAT THAT MASON PARK IS, IS FINALLY GETTING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT IT NEEDS LONG OVERDUE. THE REST OF THAT POINT IS LEVY PARK WAS FINE THE WAY IT IS AND DOESN'T NEED THE EXTRA MONEY, THE 14 MILLION PLUS THAT, THAT, UH, THAT PARTICULAR TOURIST PROPOSES TO SPEND ON LEVY PARK. BUT YOU ARE RIGHT, THERE ARE PLENTY OF PARKS IN HOUSTON THAT LACK BASIC PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AND AMENITIES THAT, THAT HOUSTONIANS DESERVE. THAT'S THE POINT. OKAY. WE GET IT. THANK YOU. THE TIME, TIME HAS EXPIRED. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING. YEAH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. CAMERON ARMSTRONG. CAMERON ARMSTRONG. CAMERON ARMSTRONG. HELLO, SIR. HELLO. HELLO, SIR. UH, MY NAME IS CAMERON ARMSTRONG AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE OWNERS OF 2041 NORFOLK STREET, LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF SHEPHERD DRIVE NEAR THE SOUTHWEST FREEWAY. I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE PROPERTY AND THE RECENT PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION REGARDING AN ORDINANCE ORDINANCE 20 11,867. THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN IN OUR FAMILY FOR NEARLY A CENTURY. IT REMAINS UNRESTRICTED BOTH LEGALLY AND THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S DEED RESTRICTIONS, WHICH DESIGNATED AS PART OF A DEFINED BUSINESS ZONE. DESPITE THIS, THE SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE ORDINANCE 20 11,867 INCORRECTLY CLASSIFIED THE PROPERTY AS RESIDENTIAL IN 2011. THIS WAS INCONSISTENT WITH ITS ACTUAL USE AT THE TIME, WHICH THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, THE OCCUPANTS, THE OWNERS ALL RECOGNIZED WAS COMMERCIAL. THIS MISCLASSIFICATION HAS CREATED UNNECESSARY RESTRICTIONS UNDER CHAPTER 42, WHICH TIES FUTURE PROPERTY USE TO ITS CLASSIFICATION AT THE TIME OF AN SMLS ORDINANCE. FOR CONTEXT, THE PROPERTY SITS ON SHEPHERD DRIVE, WHICH SEES ABOUT 25,000 CARS A DAY, AND IS SURROUNDED BY BUSINESSES, INCLUDING RESTAURANTS, A RETAIL CENTER, AND A LARGE PARKING LOT ON DECEMBER THE 19TH. THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED TO RECOMMEND CORRECTING THIS ERROR BY REVISING ORDINANCE 20 11 8 67, TO ACCURATELY REFLECT THE PROPERTY'S COMMERCIAL USE IN 2011. I AM HERE TO RESPECTFULLY ASK CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ENSURE THAT THIS REVISION MOVES FORWARD AS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN A CLEAR AND STRAIGHTFORWARD MANNER. I'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR SUPPORT YOU MAY NEED AS THIS MATTER COMES BEFORE YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMER CAMERON. I, MR. ARMSTRONG, EXCUSE ME. I JUST WANNA THANK YOU, UM, FOR YOUR TI WAITING. UM, I DON'T BELIEVE SO. JUST TO SUMMARIZE, I, I, AN ITEM WILL BE COMING TO COUNCIL, [02:30:01] UM, PLANNING COMMISSION DID RULE IN FAVOR OF, UH, MR. ARMSTRONG, HIS FAMILY, AND THE PROPERTY. HOA HAS PUSHED BACK A LITTLE BIT. I GET BOTH SIDES OF IT. HOWEVER, UM, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID RULE IN YOUR FAVOR IN THAT DETERMINATION. I DO NOT BELIEVE IT'S UP FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION YET. UM, WHEN IT IS, WE WILL KEEP AN EYE OUT. I KNOW YOU ARE KEEPING A VERY CLOSE EYE ON THIS AS WELL, INDEED. UM, BUT WE WILL KEEP AN EYE OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU'RE AWARE WHEN IT IS COMING TO COUNCIL. UM, I'M, THIS WAS BEFORE, I MEAN, OVER A DECADE AGO, BUT THE, UM, TIME THAT IT HAS TAKEN ON YOUR END, ON EVERYBODY'S END TO SORT THROUGH WHAT HAPPENED, UM, IT'S NOT FAIR TO ANYONE. SO I'M SORRY YOU'VE HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU COMING NOT ONLY TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF YOUR OWN INTERESTS, BUT THE PROCESS ITSELF TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN FOR OTHER PROPERTIES AS WELL, THAT WERE CARVED OUT INITIALLY. THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU, SIR. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THAT IT? THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. ROCKY JACKSON. ROCKY JACKSON. NEXT SPEAKER. ANNA HARRIS. ANNA HARRIS. NEXT SPEAKER. JACOB CLEMENT. HEY, JACOB. HEY, GUYS. I'M HERE. LAST, ALL RIGHT. GOOD TEXT. YEAH. ABSOLUTE. ABSOLUTELY. AND ANYWAY, HAPPY JANUARY MONTH BECAUSE IT'S RESPECT LAST MONTH BECAUSE CAN YOU TELL I'M PRO-LIFE, BUT WHAT I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT IS ME MEETING WITH, UM, SET CONTROLLER AND GLENN HAGAR. I MEAN, HE LIVES IN KATY, WHICH IS REAL CLOSE, BUT STILL HE'S ALL THE WAY IN AUSTIN. AND, UM, I'M GONNA ASK HIM, WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SET CONTROLLER AND IT HEAD CONTROLLER? I MEAN, THREE, TWO OR THREE LETTERS. I MEAN, AND THAT, AND THEN I'M GONNA ASK HIM IF HE KNOWS ABOUT THE TIFF BETWEEN MAYOR MEYER AND SAID CONTROLLER. CHRIS HOLLINS AT . I'M AN EMPLOYEE AT NG ARKANSAS. THAT'S WHY I HAVE ALL THIS TEXAS STUFF ON, BECAUSE HEY, UH, IT IS DONE. DEAL THAT THETANS ARE GONNA GO TO THE SUPER BOWL. RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, I'M JUST, I WAS, I'M WITH THE TEXAS FOR BEYONCE. I DON'T KNOW NOTHING ELSE ABOUT THOSE . OKAY, I'M READY FOR QUESTIONS. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER. OKAY, YOU BEGIN. TWILA , EXPLAIN THAT BOOK TO YOU. WELL, HAPPY NEW YEAR. OKAY, WELL, UH, SO YOU DON'T GET TO KEEP IT. OH, YOU CAN JUST READ IT AND THEN RETURN. WELL, SO, UH, I WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE BOOK? OKAY. THE WOLF AND THE TWILIGHT, WHILE YOU WERE ONCE DONE IN YOUR CHILDHOOD AS TWILIGHT. THAT'S, YOU WERE TWILIGHT. AND SO, UH, UM, I'M THE WOMAN, YOU KNOW, BUNNY THAT CARTOON, HE SEES THAT FOXY FEMALE BUN RABBIT, AND HE TURNS INTO A WOMAN, GOES, OH, OH BOY. . THANK YOU, JACOB. YOUR TURN. EDWARD. HEY JACOB. HOW ARE YOU? OH, I'M DOING GREAT. WHERE WILL YOU BE WORKING THIS WEEKEND? UH, UH, SUPER BOWL BOUND TEXANS. WHERE AND AND WHAT PART OF THE FACILITY WILL YOU BE? UH, SOMEWHERE AROUND THE GATE. I WILL BE THE GATEKEEPER. I'M LOOKING FOR A KEY MASTER, YOU KNOW, BUSTER, I'M THE GATEKEEPER. I'M LOOKING FOR THE KEY MASTER. NO, BUT I'M GONNA SAY THIS, I THINK OF THE STEVE MARTIN FILM, DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID, AND THAT JACKET KIND OF LOOKS FLATTISH TO ME. YES, SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU. JACOB, DO YOU HAVE ANY GOOD AGGIE JOKES? YES, SIR. WHAT DO I EVER, OKAY. WELL, SINCE IT WAS TODAY OF EPIPHANY, JUST, UH, A FEW DAYS AGO. WELL, YEAH, TWO DAYS AGO. WELL, THERE WAS A FOURTH WISEMAN, AND HE WENT TO A AND M, AND WELL, HE GOT LOST ON THE WAY FROM JERUSALEM ONTO BETHLEHEM. YOU KNOW WHY? HE WAS AN AGGIE AND HE COULDN'T READ A STAR, A MAP OR A STAR. THANK YOU, JACOB. THANKS, JACOB. NEXT SPEAKER. SHERRY BUTLER. SHERRY BUTLER. SHERRY BUTLER. NEXT SPEAKER. MILLICENT HOLIDAY. MILLICENT HOLIDAY. NEXT SPEAKER. TARA WARD. TARA WARD. NEXT SPEAKER. THEODORE CARRERO IS THE SECOND. PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE, I MUST SAY. UM, YEAH. SO WE'RE, UH, I'M PASSING OUT A PRESENTATION. I WAS ASKED BY ONE OF THE BUS DRIVERS FROM METRO [02:35:01] TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL HEALTH ON THE BUSES OF METRO. I DON'T KNOW IF A SOLUTION IS, UH, POSSIBLE, BUT I I, I, I DID A PRESENTATION FOR EVERYBODY TO, UH, THERE'S BULLET POINTS THERE, THERE'S QUESTIONS, THERE'S ANSWERS, SOLUTIONS, UM, EVERYTHING'S FILLED THERE. I WANTED TO ALSO CONGRATULATE, UH, MR. SHABA. SHE WAS IN THE PAPER. CHIEF PROCLAIMS ST. DOMINIC VILLAGE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR AND ALL OF YOU GUYS FOR DOING YOUR, UH, HOMELESSNESS. I THINK, UH, THE HOUSTON, UH, CHRONICLE FEATURED JUST RIGHT OUT BACK TRANQUILITY PARK. SO I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU GUYS A HAPPY NEW YEAR AND A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR WHAT YOU DO. AND LIKE I SAID, YOU COULD LOOK, I HAD A, A LONG CONVERSATION WITH TAYLOR. UH, I THINK HE'S WITH METRO GOVERNMENT POLICY OR SOMETHING. HE, HE WATCHES ALL THESE MEETINGS. BUT, UM, IF YOU GUYS HAVE KNOWN, I THINK, UH, IN TERMS OF THE CITY, UH, THINK WE HAVE TIME HAS LARGEST JUST IN TERMS OF, UH, IN THE CITY, BUT THEN THE FOURTH IN CRIME. BUT, UH, IF YOU COULD JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND, UH, I'LL, I'LL RELEASE MY TIME. IF YOU COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND JUST COME UP WITH A, A PLAN FOR EVERYBODY IN TERMS OF METRO SAFETY, HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL HEALTH, AND, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR METRO, AS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY, I WOULD APPRECIATE. OTHER THAN THAT, I'LL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH. HAPPY NEW YEAR. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. WE APPRECIATE IT, AND WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT. APPRECIATE IT. HAPPY NEW YEAR. THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO. NEXT SPEAKER. THAT COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS. [RECESS] THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE STAND IN RECESS UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00 AM AFTERNOON OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR THE WEEK. JANUARY 7TH AND EIGHTH, 2025. ITEM ONE, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF JODY S LEE TO POSITION EIGHT OF THE REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER ONE, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, BOARD OF DIRECTORS. ITEM TWO, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF JODI S LEE TO POSITION EIGHT OF THE ST. GEORGE PLACE, REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS. ITEM THREE, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE REAPPOINTMENT OF JAY RANDALL POWERS, HID REPRESENTATIVE TO POSITION EIGHT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE REINVESTMENT ZONE. NUMBER 16, ITEM FOUR, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE REAPPOINTMENT OF JAY RANDALL POWERS, HIZ REPRESENTATIVE TO POSITION EIGHT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE UPTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. ITEM FIVE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF A RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT AREA IN THE 400 BLOCK OF EAST 12TH STREET. ITEM SIX, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH THE FMG CONSTRUCTION GROUP, LLC ITEM SEVEN, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH THE DL ELLIOT ENTERPRISES INC. ITEM EIGHT, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH MAINLAND INDUSTRIES LTD ITEM NINE, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH RAY TECH CONSTRUCTION RESOURCES INC. ITEM 10, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE JOINT REFERRAL COMMITTEE ON REQUEST FROM JOSEPH COHEN OF DAVIS. COHEN INTEREST LLC DECLINING THE ACCEPTANCE OF REJECTING AND REFUSING THE DEDICATION OF A 12 FOOT WIDE ALLEY FROM EAST 25TH STREET SOUTH TO GIBBS STREET. ITEM 11, TRANSEX TRANSPORTATION PRODUCTS FROM TEXAS INC. PURCHASE OF LINE LASERS AND LINE DRIVERS, EXCUSE ME, ITEM 12, COTTON COMMERCIAL USA INC. FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF WATER DAMAGE, MITIGATION AND REMOVAL AND DISPOSAL OF WATER DAMAGE BUILDING MATERIALS. ITEM 13 S-L-S-C-O-L-T-D FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF ICE USED IN THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO HURRICANE BARREL. ITEM 14, CHASTAIN ENTERPRISES, HOUSTON, L-L-C-D-B-A CHAST TANK FORD CARDWELL, COUNTRY SEALS FORD PURCHASE FOR PURCHASE OF LIGHT DUTY VEHICLE. ITEM 15, CHASTAIN ENTERPRISES, HOUSTON, L-L-C-D-B-A, CHASTAIN FORD FOR PURCHASE OF TRANSIT. THREE 50 VAN WITH CARGO SHELVING. ITEM 16, LAKE COUNTRY CHEVROLET FOR APPROVAL OF PURCHASE OF A CHEVROLET TAHOE VEHICLE. ITEM 17 APPROVED. SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF EMERGENCY READINESS WHEEL CHARTS FOR FROM THE SOLE SOURCE VENDOR, AMERICAN SLIDE CHART CORP, EXCUSE ME, [02:40:01] ITEM 18 APPROVED. SPENDING AUTHORITY TO PURCHASE PUBLICATIONS, AUDIO, VISUAL MATERIALS, BOOKS, TEXTBOOKS, AND ANCILLARY SERVICES FROM THE T-X-M-A-S CONTRACT SUPPLIER, MIDWEST LIBRARY SERVICE INC. ITEM 19, AMEND MOTION 20 24, 4 71, EXCUSE ME, LIEUTENANT CRE. SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE FOR LIQUID POLYMER AWARDED TO SALINAS, LLC. ITEM 20, KAI SOLUTIONS, INC. FOR APPROVAL OF PURCHASE OF AN ELECTRIC ACTUATOR. ITEM 21, CONSOLIDATED TRAFFIC CONTROLS INC FOR PURCHASE OF TRAFFIC SIGNAL MONITORS. ITEM 22, ABACUS QUALITY SYSTEM SERVICES, INC. FOR PURCHASE OF PVC PIPE. ITEM 23, ABACUS QUALITY SYSTEM SERVICES, INC. FOR PURCHASE OF MEAT OF FLANGES. ITEM 24, ABACUS QUALITY SYSTEM SERVICES, INC. FOR PURCHASE OF VALVE BOX CLEANERS. ITEM 25, PATRICIA TECH SUPPLY AND SERVICE FOR PURCHASE OF A PLASMA CUTTING TOOL. ITEM 26, RESOLUTION OF CITY COUNCIL OF CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, ACCEPTING RESULTS OF ARTISTS OF ACTUARIAL VALUATION STUDIES AND REPORTS FOR CITY THREE PENSION SYSTEMS. ITEM 27, ORDINANCE DENYING APPLICATION OF CENTER POINT ENERGY, HOUSTON ELECTRIC, LLC ITEM 28, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FINAL SETTLEMENT INDEMNITY AGREEMENT AND RELEASE BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND JOSE M GALLEGO ST. MARIN PROPERTIES, LLC, JOHN WINKLER AND YANG SUE, DBA REMART INVESTMENT ITEM 29 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $100,000 IN NO CENTS OUT OF EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION. CONSOLIDATED FUND FOR PURCHASE OF UPDATED COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE EQUIPMENT FOR DIGITIZATION LABS AT HOUSTON. HISTORY RESEARCH CENTER, AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY LIBRARY AT THE GREGORY SCHOOL AND THE FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH CENTER AT THE CLAYTON LIBRARY FOR THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY. ITEM 30 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. ITEM 31, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AWARDING CONTRACT WITH AN ITEM DEAL INTERPRETING SERVICES INC. ITEM 32, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AWARDING CONTRACT BETWEEN C OF HOUSTON AND FCC ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES. LLC ITEM 33, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING REVENUE CONTRACT WITH SOUTHWESTERN NATIONAL BANK AND UNITY NATIONAL BANK OF HOUSTON. ITEM 34, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SIX FIRST AMENDMENTS TO PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES. TASK ORDER CONTRACTS WITH AT THREE PLUS RDC ARCHITECTS, PLLC, BROWN WENS, WATFORD ARCHITECTS, INC. COLLABORATE, OR LLC, ENGLISH AND ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS INC. POWERS BROWN ARCHITECTURE OF TEXAS LLC AND WRITING ARCHITECTURAL LLC ITEM 35. ORDINANCE APPROVAL AND AUTHORIZING AND LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. ITEM 36, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $446,744 AND NO CENTS OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND DRAINAGE CHARGE AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THIRD AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HR GREEN INC. ITEM 37, ORDINANCE AWARDING CONTRACT TO VNS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LLC ITEM 38. ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING 3,000,005 $450,000 IN THOSE CENTS OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND DRAINAGE CHARGE AWARDING CONTRACTOR DL GLOVER UTILITIES, LLC. THIS IS THE END OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. WE THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF JANUARY 7TH AND EIGHTH, 2025. STATE TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM IN THE WORDS OUR CURRENT CITY SECRETARY, 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 BLESSING, FABULOUS DAY. [RECONVENE] YOU [CONSENT AGENDA] PLEASE PROCEED WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY. ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE. NEED A MOTION, HAS T MOVED TAX SECOND MOTIONS MADE SIGNAL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ACCEPT BOARD CATEGORY. ITEM SIX THROUGH NINE. JUST NEED A MOTION CAST. STATE A MOVE. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION ABUSE CATEGORY. ITEMS REMOVE SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. 10, 13, AND 16. THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN [02:45:01] ARE 10, 13, AND 16. NEED A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE. CAST, ATE, MOVE. SECOND. MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. MOVING RIGHT ALONG THE RESOLUTION NUMBER 26 HAS BEEN REMOVED AS SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY. ITEM 30 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. ITEMS REMOVE SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. 27, 29 AND 32. THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 27, 29 AND 32. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. MM-HMM . [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] I REMOVE SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM NUMBER 10 NEEDS A MOTION CAST SECRETARY TO MOVE I SECOND COUNCILMAN CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. ON THIS ITEM, I DO, UH, WANT ADDITIONAL TIME TO FULLY UNDERSTAND, UH, THE JRC AND THE PROCESS THAT IS, UH, HAPPENING WHEN THEY, UH, LOOK AT THESE, UM, SUBMISSIONS. AND SO I WILL BE TAGGING THIS ITEM VERY WELL. UH, ITEM 10 IS TAGGED BY CASTILLO. SO DO IT. NEXT. ITEM 13 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX, TATU, MOVE. I SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION MADE. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED. NAME. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 16 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE. SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM AND DO APPRECIATE THE PREVIOUS ITEMS, UM, INCLUDING OVER 60 HYBRIDS ON THIS. THIS IS FOR, UM, UH, THE CHIEF'S, UH, DEPARTMENT. AND IT'S ONE VEHICLE THAT GETS 15 MILES PER GALLON IN THE CITY, UH, FOR THE CHIEF'S OFFICE TO BE TRAVELING AROUND THE CITY ONLY GETTING THAT TYPE OF MILES PER GALLON. I JUST WANNA BRING ATTENTION TO THAT. UH, I THINK WE CAN DO BE DOING BETTER IN COST SAVINGS, UH, BUT I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS FOR THE POLICE CHIEF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT ITEM 26 IS THE RESOLUTION. JUST NEED A VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER. ALCORN, I'M GONNA TAG THIS MAYOR. UM, IT'S GONNA COME TO COMMITTEE ON MONDAY. THIS IS A, GONNA BE A GOOD REVIEW, A GOOD LOOK AT ALL THREE PENSION SYSTEMS. SO I APPRECIATE THE ADMINISTRATION WORKING WITH ME AND LOOK FORWARD TO DIRECTOR DEBOSKEY'S, UM, INFORMATION THAT SHE'LL PRESENT ON THESE THREE AUDITS OF THE THREE PENSION SYSTEMS. THANK YOU. WELL DONE, MAYOR. UH, COUNCILMAN ALCON TAGS ITEM 26. YES, SIR. SO DONE. NEXT, ITEM 27 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YET. COUNCILMAN CAYMAN? UH, WE DON'T NEED TO DISCUSS, WE CAN JUST DO A VOTE. BUT, UH, THIS IS ON ITEM 27, CORRECT? UH, I'D CALL FOR A ROLL CALL. PLEASE CALL THE ROAD. THIS IS ON CENTER POINT'S REQUEST FOR A RATE INCREASE. MAYOR WHITMEYER. THIS, THIS IS DENYING DENY. DENY. GOT IT. THIS IS ACTUALLY DENIED. LET'S MAKE IT REAL CLEAR. YES. DENY. THIS HAPPENS TOO OFTEN HERE. MISREPRESENTATION. THIS IS NOT AN INCREASE. THIS IS DENYING OF AN INCREASE. CORRECT. BUT IT'S DENYING CENTER. SO LET'S HAVE A LOW CALL. I'M REAL PROUD. SHOW ME. YES. I AGAIN, THIS IS OUR DENIAL OF CENTER POINTS REQUEST. YES. WE GONNA KNOW THE ROLL CALL. MAYOR, THIS IS OUR DENIAL OF CENTER POINTS. REQUEST FOR A RATE INCREASE. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. EVERYONE KNOWS COUNCILMAN SHOWS ME. YES. YES. COUNCILMAN PECK? YES. COUNCILMAN MEMBER? ABSENT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN? YES. COUNCIL EVAN SHABAZZ. ABSENT. OH, ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. YES. COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN? YES. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO? YES. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. YES. COUNCIL MC CASTEX TATUM? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PALMS ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN? YES. [02:50:08] WHAT'S THE NUMBER? 14. 14. 14 TO ONE ZERO. 14 ZERO. 14 ZERO. EVERYONE VOTES AGAINST CENTER POINTS APPLICATION FOR AN INCREASE. 14 ZERO. MOTION PASSES. NEXT ITEM 29 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. AND 32 AND 30 ITEM 32 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR. COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER? YEAH, MAYOR, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS. I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WE ONLY HAD ONE BID FOR THIS ALMOST $60 MILLION CONTRACT. AND OBVIOUSLY PROCUREMENT SAW IT AS AN ISSUE. 'CAUSE READING THE NOTES, THEY WERE TRYING TO GET ADDITIONAL BIDS. JUST THINK WE NEED TO DO MORE TO TRY AND GET SOME COMPETITION AMONGST OUR VENDORS. THAT'S ALL. TOTALLY AGREE. ALL IN FAVORS. I'M SORRY, COUNCILOR MALCOLM. ARE, ARE WE ON THE FCC THING? YEAH, I, I THOUGHT I DID ASKED THAT QUESTION AND I THOUGHT THERE WERE TWO OTHER BIDS. UM, ONE KIND OF ENDED UP NOT WORKING, WORKING OUT, BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING, UNLESS, UNLESS I MISSED IT. OKAY. I THOUGHT IT WAS ONE, AND MAYBE I'M WRONG, BUT, AND I KNOW THEY HAD NOTES THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO MEET SOMEBODY ELSE, BUT THEY HAD ANOTHER PROJECT WITH THE CITY THAT THEY HAVEN'T GOT AWARDED YET. OKAY. AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS. SO I'M NOT SURE. NO, I AGREE WITH YOU. $60 MILLION AND, BUT THIS IS THE INCUMBENT, UM, YEAH. PROVIDER AS WELL. OKAY. THAT'S ALL. JUST NEEDED. VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. OKAY, [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. WHAT A GREAT WAY TO START THE NEW YEAR. WHAT AWAY? POPOFF. COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, WANNA WISH EVERYBODY IN. DISTRICT CA VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR. OUR OFFICE IS ALREADY, UH, WE'VE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. WE'RE AT COMMUNITY MEETINGS. WE'RE, UH, WORKING TOWARDS OUR TERM OBJECTIVES, UH, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK OF RESIDENTS. MAYOR, I APPRECIATE THE ATTENTION, UH, ALONG WASHINGTON AVENUE. UM, I'M VERY RELIEVED. YOU WEREN'T THERE WHEN, UH, A MAN WAS, UH, CRITICALLY WOUNDED. HE WAS SHOT IN THE CHEST, UH, SUNDAY MORNING AT TWO 30 OUTSIDE OF A FOOD TRUCK. UM, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE RESOURCES AND THE INTENTIONAL ON WASHINGTON AVENUE. I DO WANNA CONTINUE TO RAISE THE ISSUE. UH, AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE, WE'RE DEALING WITH THE CAR MEETUPS AND TAKEOVERS IN MEMORIAL PARK. UH, WE HAVE IN SHADY ACRES THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE RESIDENTS KNOW THAT WE ARE AS AN OFFICE WORKING ON THIS. MAYOR, I HAVE REACHED OUT, UH, TO CITY LEGAL TO ASK FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THERE'S A CAR MEETUP AT THE RESTAURANT DEPOT RIGHT AT 20TH AND TC JESTER EVERY THURSDAY AND SUNDAY EVENING. LIKE CLOCKWORK. GUNS ARE GOING OFF, FIREWORKS ARE GOING OFF. IT'S JUST AS BAD AS OTHER PLACES IN THE CITY. BUT THE RESOURCES THAT HAVE TO BE ALLOCATED WHEN HPD RESPONDS, WHILE DEALING WITH THE BARS LONG 19TH AND 20TH, WHILE DEALING WITH WASHINGTON AVENUE, WHILE DEALING WITH MEMORIAL PARK, UH, SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. AND WITH RESTAURANT DEPOT, IT'S A PRIVATE PROPERTY AND THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS HAPPENING THERE. THE ILLEGAL ACTIVITY AND VERY DANGEROUS ACTIVITY. UH, SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CITY CAN BE DOING TO HOLD THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEY AREN'T TAKING ACTION TO SECURE THEIR OWN PROPERTY THERE. SO I'M, I WANNA CONTINUE TO RAISE UP THE ISSUE, UH, THAT RESIDENTS ARE BEING PLAGUED WITH SPECIFICALLY IN SHADY ACRES, UH, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S JUST UNBEARABLE AND IT'S UNSAFE. THANK YOU. NEXT COUNCILLOR JACKSON HUFFMAN, WHO'S NOT HERE. HUFFMAN, PLEASE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. YOU KNOW, WE HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION YESTERDAY AT PUBLIC SESSION ABOUT, UM, SOLID WASTE AND TRASH NOT BEING PICKED UP. YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, SOLID WASTE PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN LACKING, ESPECIALLY, UM, DURING THE PAST FEW MONTHS. AND FOLLOWING THE RECENT HURRICANES, MY TEAM AND I HAVE SHARED THIS CONCERN WITH THE DIRECTOR OF SOLID WASTE, UM, AND HIS TEAM AS WELL AS MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AROUND THE HORSESHOE. UH, MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING A, A GARBAGE FEE. UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN'T PICK UP RESIDENCE WASTE COLLECTION ON TIME, HOW CAN WE JUSTIFY A GARBAGE FEE? SO, UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON NEEDS TO FOCUS ON THE BASICS, AND THIS INCLUDES OUR TRASH SERVICE. UM, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. JUST WANNA WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY NEW YEAR. UH, AND NOTE THAT, UM, THIS MONTH, UM, WORK IS BEING DONE BEHIND THE SCENES ON THE SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE. AND SO, IF, UH, COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR [02:55:01] COMMENTS ON THAT, NOW'S THE TIME TO BRING THEM FORWARD WHILE A RA IS WORKING ON THAT LEGAL AS WELL. THANK YOU ALL. COUNCILMAN THOMAS. THANK YOU. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO MY COLLEAGUES AND TO EVERYONE THAT'S, UH, WATCHING TODAY. UH, WANNA, UH, REMIND RESIDENTS THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE 2024 DISTRICT F ANNUAL REPORT? THE 2020 FOURS THEME THEME, UM, IS THE BLUEPRINT. AND SO WE HAVE AN HIGHLIGHT OF ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE CO-CREATED TOGETHER. UM, DEFINITELY, UH, GO THROUGH THAT REPORT, TAKE ABOUT NEXT WEEK. OUR STAKEHOLDERS WILL RECEIVE A HARD COPY OF THE REPORT AS USUAL IN YOUR MAILBOXES, SO STAY TUNED FOR THAT. UM, AT THE END OF DECEMBER, UH, UH, SOLID WASTE, UM, EVERY YEAR HAS PARTNERED WITH MY OFFICE AND I'M SURE OTHER COUNCIL DISTRICT OFFICES, AND THEY PROVIDED 25, UH, BIKES TO DESERVING CHILDREN AT THE A LEAF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER. I WANNA THANK SOLID WASTE FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION, UM, DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON. UM, IN ADDITION TO, UM, THE SOLID WASTE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING, HAVING AROUND DELAYS, THE SOUTHWEST DEPOSITORY, UM, IS EXPERIENCING, UM, CONSTRUCTION UPDATES. AND SO THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THE DELAY ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE, ON THE WEST SIDE, THAT, UM, WHERE OUR ROUTES ARE DESIGNATED TO. SO PLEASE ANTICIPATE, UH, CONTINUOUS DELAYS AS THOSE DRIVERS HAVE TO GO TO ANOTHER LOCATION TO DROP DEBRIS. UM, WE WILL HAVE AN, AN ITEMIZED, UH, DETAILED, UH, UPDATE IN OUR NEWSLETTER THAT SHOULD HIT ON FRIDAY. UH, I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN RELEASED AT THE TOP OF THE YEAR AND ARE IN PROGRESS IN DISTRICT F. UH, WE HAVE $126,000 STREET SIDEWALK AND A DA RAMP PROJECT IN HUNTINGTON VILLAGE ON COOK ROAD BETWEEN PINEAL AND SPRING GROVE. A LONG AWAITED PROJECT THANKS TO, UH, PUBLIC WORKS FOR GETTING THIS PROJECT, UM, OFF THE GROUND AND IT'S MOVING EFFICIENTLY. UH, ALSO JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT THERE SEVERAL OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING. UM, THE RICHMOND AVENUE FROM DUNVILLE TO HILLCROFT, THAT'S A $4 MILLION PROJECT THAT I MENTIONED AT THE END OF THE YEAR. UM, CONSTRUCTION SHOULD BEGIN THIS MONTH AND RESIDENTS SHOULD RECEIVE A NOTICE FROM THE CONTRACTOR ON YOUR DOOR IF YOUR HOME FACES RICHMOND. SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT LONG AWAITED PROJECT. UM, IN RESPONSE TO REPORTS OF, UH, CRIME INCIDENTS IN WEST CHASE, MY OFFICE IS, UH, WORKING WITH WEST SIDE POLICE, UH, THE COMMAND STATION. WE'RE GONNA, UH, UM, CONTRIBUTE IN AN ADDITIONAL $20,000 IN OVERTIME FOR THIS TARGETED APPROACH IN THE WEST CHASE AREA. I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THIS AND YOU'LL HAVE MORE DETAILS. WE PLAN ON VISITING THE THREE APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN THE WESTCHASE AREA TO ENGAGE WITH THE RESIDENTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS. BUT WE ALREADY HAVE A PLAN IN ACTION. AND I JUST WANNA SHOUT OUT, UH, COMMANDER CLINTON FOR HIS LEADERSHIP, UM, AND THE DRT TEAM AT WEST SIDE AS WELL. OUR OFFICE HAS RECEIVED AN ADDITIONAL 500 HOUSTON ZOO TICKETS. WE KNOW THE, UH, HOUSTON ZOO TICKETS, THE BLOCK IS HOT ON THE WEST SIDE. THOSE TICKETS ARE IN THE BOXES, UH, THIS WEEK. AND SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE SIGNED UP THROUGH THE NEWSLETTER, PLEASE KNOW THAT, THAT YOU SHALL RECEIVE THOSE TICKETS VERY SOON. UH, LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST CONGRATULATE THE ENGAGE HOUSTON TEAM WITH HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THIS GROUP, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, UM, WATER CONSTRUCTION STREETS AND DRAINAGE, THAT INFORMATION, UM, RESIDENTS HAVE. AND SO I JUST WANNA CONGRATULATE THEM FOR, UH, THEY RECEIVED AN AWARD, UH, THE TOTAL DIGITAL GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE AWARD FROM AGRA. AND SO, UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO THAT TEAM. I KNOW IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A HEAVY LIFT TO COMMUNICATE ALL THE DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. AND THEN I WANNA CLOSE, WE HAVE THREE COMMUNITY MEETINGS HAPPENING THIS MONTH OF JANUARY. WE'RE GONNA BE IN BELAIRE WEST ON THURSDAY, THEIR ANNUAL MEETING. THEN I'M IN WELLINGTON TO ANNOUNCE A $461,000 STREET REPAIR PROJECT. AND THEN I'M IN BRAEBURN ESTATES, UM, TO ANNOUNCE A $29,000 INVESTMENT OF SPEED CUSHIONS. AND SO WE ARE ROCKING AND ROLLING ON THE WEST SIDE. AND SO IF MY OFFICE CAN BE OF ANY SUPPORT, PLEASE CONTACT DISTRICT F@HOUSTONTX.GOV. THANK YOU. PRO TEAM CAST STATE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE. A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS TONIGHT. UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE, UH, DR. ALMA ALLEN AND I WILL BE HOSTING A MEETING WITH, UH, THE CENTERPOINT TEAM, WHERE THEY WILL BE DISCUSSING THE PROGRESS ON IMPROVING SERVICE RELIABILITY AND RESILIENCE THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO, UH, COME TO THAT MEETING, HEAR FROM CENTERPOINT ON THEIR PLAN OF, UH, THE TREES THAT HAVE BEEN CUT, AND HOW THEY ARE GOING TO MOVE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE DO HAVE DISASTERS THAT, UM, RESIDENTS KNOW WHAT EXACTLY WILL BE TAKING PLACE. THAT'S GOING TO BE HELD TONIGHT AT 6:00 PM AT THE HAR CLARK MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. AT 38 10 WEST FUQUA RESIDENTS CAN ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH CENTER POINT ENERGY TEAM, UH, AND ALSO SHARE ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS THEY HAVE IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY. [03:00:01] SO, AGAIN, THAT'S TONIGHT AT 6:00 PM AT THE HARC CLARK MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. ALSO, WE ARE ONCE AGAIN PARTNERING WITH SOUTH POST OAK RECYCLING CENTER. I KNOW THAT EVERYONE IS TAKING DOWN THEIR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND TREES. IF YOU HAVE SOME, UH, CHRISTMAS LIGHTS THAT ARE NOT FUNCTIONING, UH, WE CAN RECYCLE THOSE. UH, SOUTH POST OAK RECYCLING IS ACCEPTING THOSE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE MONTH. UM, SO PLEASE BRING THEM THERE. THERE, UM, FROM, I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT RECYCLING CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SINCE WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS PROGRAM, BUT THOSE LIGHTS ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT OF PIECES AND PARTS THAT, UM, SHOULD BE RECYCLED. AND WHEN WE PUT 'EM IN OUR TRADITIONAL TRASH AND THEY GET ENTANGLED INTO OUR EQUIPMENT, UM, IT'S VERY DANGEROUS. AND WE DON'T LIKE TO HAVE TO REPAIR THAT EQUIPMENT. WE DON'T NEED ANY, UM, DISRUPTIONS IN THAT PROCESS. SO IF YOU CAN RECYCLE THOSE LIGHTS, THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO DO THAT. UH, AND YOU CAN TAKE THOSE TWO SOUTH POST OAK RECYCLING ON, UH, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. UH, IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS OR YOU NEED HELP GETTING IT THERE, CALL OUR OFFICE. WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP GET THOSE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TO SOUTH POST OAK RECYCLING, PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION. UM, YOU KNOW, OVER THE HOLIDAYS, SOMEBODY BEAT ME FOR MY, IN MY CHASE ACCOUNT. I GOT SCAMMED. SOMEBODY, UM, DID THAT. I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DID IT 'CAUSE MY CREDIT CARD WAS ACTUALLY IN MY WALLET, BUT THEY CHARGED SOME NORDSTROM GIFT CARDS ON MY, ON MY ACCOUNT, BUT ME, I'M SORRY, . UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS SO FRUSTRATING WHEN PEOPLE HAVE TO DEAL WITH STUFF LIKE THAT. UM, BUT WE ARE HAVING OUR, OUR ANNUAL SHRED DAY, UM, ON JANUARY THE 25TH FROM NINE TO 12 AT WESTBURY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 5,200 WILLOWBROOK, UM, BOULEVARD. DON'T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY. UH, CLEAN OUT YOUR GARAGES ON YOUR OFFICES AND THOSE THINGS AND START THE NEW YEAR OFF FRESH AND SAFE. UH, AT OUR SHRED DAY, UH, WE WILL BE SHREDDING, UH, PAPER ONLY AT THAT EVENT. SO AGAIN, THAT'S SATURDAY, JANUARY 25TH FROM NINE TO 12. UH, DO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT TO THE EDISON CULTURAL ARTS CENTER. WE HAD A BEAM SIGNING ON FRIDAY, JANUARY THE THIRD. UH, THIS EVENT REALLY MARKED THE MILESTONE IN THE JOURNEY OF TRANSFORMING. UH, Y'ALL HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THAT DILAPIDATED KROGER THAT SAT VACANT FOR 20 YEARS. UM, WE ARE IN PHASE TWO OF THIS PROJECT. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE WHAT HAS HAPPENED THERE. IF YOU HAVE AN, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE BY THE, UH, EDISON CULTURAL ARTS CENTER AND SEE THE PROGRESS THERE, IT YOU, YOU WILL BE VERY PROUD OF, UH, WHAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, IN FORT BEND, HOUSTON. SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT ATTENDED THAT BEAM CEREMONY. KEEP UP WITH DISTRICT K, MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER. IF WE CAN BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE TO YOU. PLEASE DON'T HESITATE, UH, TO REACH OUT TO US. LET'S MAKE 2025 AN EPIC MORNING. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR PROTE PECK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AS WE START A NEW YEAR, WE'VE WORKED ON OUR PRIORITY LIST FOR DISTRICT A AND I'M GOING TO BE SENDING THIS LIST TO YOUR OFFICE, BUT DO WANNA MENTION SOME OF THE, IT'S A LONG LIST, BUT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF, UM, ITEMS THAT WE ARE GOING TO, UM, PRIORITIZE THIS YEAR. UM, THE SPRING SHADOWS DRAINAGE AND PAVING PROJECT. MAYOR, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS PROJECT MANY TIMES, UM, TO FINALIZE THE PLANS FOR IT, UM, AND IDENTIFY THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING, THE POLICE AND FIRE STATION THAT IS GREATLY NEEDED, UM, IN DISTRICT A, IN SPRING BRANCH, AGNES MOFFITT PARK, UM, TO LET THE BOND OUT FOR THE, UM, THOSE, UM, IMPROVEMENTS, CONTINUATION OF OUR DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN, INCLUDING GENERATORS AT AT LEAST TWO LOCATIONS IN DISTRICT, A, UM, EXPANSION OF THE DISTRICT DAY'S DITCH MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, AND A CONTINUATION OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS, INCLUDING SHERWOOD OAKS, ANTOINE DRIVE, INWOOD DETENTION PROJECT, AND CHATEAU FOREST DRAINAGE AND PAVING PROJECT. SO MAYOR, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THESE ITEMS. I KNOW MANY OF THEM ARE ALREADY, UM, IN PROGRESS WITH YOU AND YOUR OFFICE, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ON THE REST. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, HAPPY NEW YEAR. I JUST WANNA, UH, SHARE THAT LAST SATURDAY, WE, UH, MY OFFICE, UH, PARTNERED WITH FIT HOUSTON ONE ONE MORE MILE RUN CLUB. LATINAS RUN, UH, WELLNESS ON WHEELS TO HOST A A 5K FUND RUN AT MASON PARK. AND WE HAD ABOUT 200 PARTICIPANTS. IT WAS A GREAT WAY TO START THE YEAR. AND ALSO A GOOD WAY TO BRING FOLKS TO, UH, TO MASON PARK IS TO RECOGNIZE ANOTHER GREEN SPACE, UH, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. I WANNA THANK THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT PARTICIPATED TO PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I ALSO WANNA THANK DOSHI HOUSE, UH, FOR SPONSORING THE COFFEE AND VIA ARTICLES FOR, UH, PROVIDING THE BREAKFAST TACOS. UH, ALSO, MAYOR, UH, OVER THE PAST FEW NIGHTS, UH, MY TEAM AND I, WE'VE BEEN, UH, PARTNERING WITH A FEW COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO PASS OUT, UH, RESOURCES AND LIST OF SHELTERS TO, TO THOSE THAT ARE UNHOUSED, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE, UH, WARM PLACES TO STAY. UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU, UM, FOR PARTNERING WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND DIRECTING THE HOT TEAM TO [03:05:01] DO THE SAME SINCE LAST FRIDAY, UH, AHEAD OF THE COLD WEATHER. MOVING INTO OUR, OUR, OUR AREA, UH, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UH, THAT THEY KNOW THAT THERE'S SHELTERS THAT THEY COULD TAKE REFUGE, UH, AT DURING THE COLD TIME, UM, THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE'VE HAD CURRENTLY. UH, MY OFFICE IS HERE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, UH, WITHIN THE CAPACITY THAT WE CAN. UM, AND IF YOU NEED A LIST OF THESE, UH, SHELTERS, YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL OUR OFFICE OR FOR ANY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 3 0 1 1. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO THANK YOUR OFFICE, UH, FOR WORKING CLOSELY WITH US. UH, METRO HAD A MOBILE WARMING CENTER ACROSS THE CITY. UH, SENATOR MOLLY COOK CALLED OUR OFFICE NOT FOR LAST. SHE WAS CARING FOR A HOMELESS PERSON, SO WE RESPONDED, TOOK HIM TO A SHELTER. THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, NO ONE THAT, UH, NEEDED A SHELTER WAS, UH, GOING WITHOUT. WE DID HAVE SOME INTERVENTIONS WHERE HPD OUTREACH, UH, HAD SOME CHALLENGES WHERE FOLKS JUST WOULDN'T LEAVE THE OUTDOORS. THE GENTLEMAN THAT PASSED TRAGICALLY WAS IN CONTACT, UH, WITH THE OUTREACH GROUP. UH, HE DENIED ASSISTANCE, UH, CERTAINLY A MENTAL HEALTH CASE. AND, UH, IT'S REAL TRAGEDY. I THINK IT'S TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE THE ACTUAL CAUSE. BUT, UM, WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH HIM AND, UH, IT BECAME AN ISSUE OF HE RESISTED, UM, CARE. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE POSITIVE THINGS THAT OCCURRED ACROSS THE CITY. WARMING CENTERS AND, UH, OUTREACH. STARTED HITTING THE STREETS FRIDAY NIGHT, AND, UH, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. COUNCIL POLLARD, THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL. UM, A LOT'S GOING ON IN DISTRICT J, WHICH WE HAVE REBRANDED AS JAY CITY, UH, WHICH WE HAVE, UH, A MYRIAD OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT ARE TAILOR MADE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF JAY CITY. UM, THOSE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, UH, WILL BE THE SUPPLEMENTAL MAINTENANCE TEAM. THIS WILL BE A CREW THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MOWING ESPLANADES RIGHT OF WAYS, ACCESSIBLE OPEN DITCHES, UH, PUBLIC VACANT LOTS. WE HAVE THE DIS DISTRICT J PATROL, WHICH WILL BE EXPANDING, UH, WHERE RESIDENTS CAN GO TO DISTRICT J PATROL.COM. THEY CAN REPORT LOW LEVEL QUALITY OF LIFE CRIMES AND VIOLATIONS. SPECIALIZED D-R-T-H-P-D UNIT WILL RESPOND TO THOSE. AND WE'LL HAVE THE SPECIALIZED, UM, DISTRICT J PATROL VEHICLES THAT WILL BE PATROLLING THROUGHOUT, UH, JAY CITY. THE BEAUTIFICATION TEAM, UH, WILL GO BEYOND JUST ILLEGAL DUMPING. THEY'LL DO NOT ONLY THAT, BUT SCATTERED DEBRIS WILL BE WORKING ON GRAFFITI ABATEMENT. UM, THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM, THIS WILL BE A PROGRAM THAT WILL ASSIST MI UM, SENIORS, DISABLED AND VETERANS WITH MINOR EXTERIOR HOME REPAIRS. THE ANIMAL WELFARE PROGRAM, UH, WHICH WILL PROVIDE MEDICAL CARE, FREE PET FOOD NEIGHBORHOODS, STRAY SWEEPS, UH, WITH THE TRASH ISSUE THAT IS ONGOING WITHIN THE CITY. UH, WE HAVE PROVIDED PRIVATE TRASH IN JAY CITY. WE ARE CONSIDERING BRINGING BACK THAT PROGRAM AS WELL. SO WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE LOGISTICS OF THAT. AND THE MORE JOBS HOUSTON, OUR EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, UH, WE'LL BE HAVING THAT REVAMPED, UH, FOR THE NEW YEAR. SO A LOT'S GOING ON, UH, WITHIN JAY CITY. UH, FOR THOSE WHO RESIDE IN THE AREA, THEY CAN REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE AT DISTRICT J@HOUSTONTX.GOV FOR ANY OF THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT WE ARE PROVIDING. GIVE US THE LOCATION AND THE SPECIFICS AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. HAVE A GREAT WEEK. HAVE GOOD, THANK YOU. COUNCILOR ALCORN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. TOMORROW, UM, WE'LL BE TAKING DOWN THE BIG CHRISTMAS TREE AT CITY HALL AND RECYCLING IT. UM, MAYOR PRO TEM TALKED ABOUT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, BUT YOU CAN ALSO RECYCLE YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE AT 22 LOCATIONS THROUGH JANUARY 24TH. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DOING OUR PUMPKIN COMPOSTING PROGRAM THAT I STARTED FOUR YEARS AGO. WE COLLECTED 25,250 POUNDS OF PUMPKINS THIS YEAR. SO, UM, ALL THAT'S GOING BACK AND MAKING COMPOST FOR ALL OUR PARKS AND GREEN SPACE. SO WE'LL BE DOING THE SAME WITH THE TREES. AND, UM, MY TREE'S STILL UP, SO I'LL BE BRINGING IT TO MEMORIAL PARK SOON. THANKS. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. HAPPY NEW YEAR. UH, JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT AND, UM, KIND OF GO BACK. DECEMBER 19TH, THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT HOSTED A REENTRY JOB FAIR, AND YOU STOPPED BY THERE, MAYOR, AND APPRECIATE THAT. AND CERTAINLY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN WERE THERE. AND THE NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS LOOKING FOR JOBS WAS PRETTY OVERWHELMING. I MEAN, THEY WERE JUST, THEY WERE SOLID. IT WAS PACKED. I, BUT I, UM, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT KIND OF PASSED THROUGH [03:10:01] EMAIL FROM HR AND I, I DON'T KNOW THAT EVERYBODY SAW IT OR MAYBE PAID ATTENTION TO IT, BUT WHEN, WHEN THEY HOST IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ALL, ALL OF, UH, MY COLLEAGUES, BUT ALSO JUST IN GENERAL, INDIVIDUALS WITH RESOURCES FOR JOBS TAKE INTEREST IN IT, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT COME THROUGH THERE THAT TRULY, YOU KNOW, HIT A BAD SPOT IN LIFE AND, AND I BELIEVE DESERVE VERY QUALIFIED, COLLEGE EDUCATED AND DESERVED A SECOND CHANCE. SO, UM, JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT. THAT WAS, UH, DECEMBER 19TH, AND IT'S AN EXCELLENT PROGRAM THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HOST AND, AND, UM, I JUST, I WAS REALLY PLEASED WITH WHAT I SAW AND JUST THE OUTCOME. AND YESTERDAY, THERE WERE INDIVIDUALS HERE LOOKING FOR JOBS AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S SO MANY, UH, FOLKS WITHOUT WORK, BUT THERE ARE JOBS OUT THERE AND WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE TO CONTINUE, UM, TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS. THANK YOU. LET ME GIVE YOU A SHOUT OUT. I WAS THERE AND YOUR PASSION WAS SO DEMONSTRATED THAT YOU FOUND A PERSON THAT NEEDED A SECOND CHANCE AND TO WATCH YOU WITH ME SITTING THERE, GOING THROUGH THE RED TAPE THAT HUMAN RESOURCES USED TO SLOW THE PROCESS. I'M VERY DISTURBED, SOLID WASTE HAS TOLD ME NOW FOR MONTHS THAT THEY FIND DRIVERS THAT THEY BADLY NEED. AND THEN HUMAN RESOURCES BLOCKS THE EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE IT'S A SECOND CHANCE OPPORTUNITY. OBVIOUSLY, YOU NEED TO USE GOOD JUDGMENT. I'VE DONE THIS DEALING WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE CHAIR FOR YEARS. AS YOU JUST SAID, PEOPLE HIT A LOW POINT. THEY MAKE BAD DECISIONS, BUT THEY'RE STILL GOOD PEOPLE. WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR CITY POSITIONS, USE GOOD JUDGMENT IN HUMAN RESOURCES. THERE SHOULD NOT BE LEVEL UPON LEVEL JERKING PEOPLE AROUND THAT JUST WANT AN OPPORTUNITY USING ALL THE DUE DILIGENCE OF LOOKING AT THEIR RECORD AND THEIR REFERRALS. AND YOU DID IT RIGHT. AND, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, AN EMPLOYEE OF HUMAN RESOURCES TOLD YOU AND ME THE MULTIPLE STEPS. AND THEN THE PROBLEM IS, YOU LOSE THAT PERSON. THAT PERSON IS THEN REJECTED, FINDS EMPLOYMENT SOMEWHERE ELSE, OR QUITE FRANKLY, IT CONTRIBUTES TO THE HOMELESS ISSUE. SO I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT FIRST THE SUCCESS OF THAT JOB FAIR BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. I'VE SPOKEN TO THEIR REENTRY GRADUATIONS FOR YEARS, BUT THIS WAS UNBELIEVABLE. THE LONG LINES OF PEOPLE THAT WANTED, YOU KNOW, I'D ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO REVIEW APPLICATIONS THAT, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE HAD DIFFICULTIES, BUT NOW THEY'D MAKE GREAT EMPLOYEES. SO LET ME JUST TELL YOU, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND LEFT THEIR PRETTY FIRED UP. AND THANK YOU. AND IF I CAN HELP YOU IN ANY WAY WITH THAT YOUNG MAN THAT, UH, YOU WERE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN WAS ABLE TO FIND SOMEONE, UH, A POSITION IN PUBLIC WORKS, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S MAYBE NOT WHAT WE ARE DOING, SURE. BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OPEN POSITIONS, AND THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO START THE NEW YEAR. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT YESTERDAY, THANK YOU. ACTUALLY ANOTHER EXPERIENCE, NOT A SECOND CHANCE PERSON, BUT AT A FAMILY GATHERING A GROWN UP WAS AT A FRIEND OF HER MOTHER'S FROM FROM HIGH SCHOOL. AND I SAID, WHAT DO YOU DO? I'M A CITY OF HOUSTON EMPLOYEE. REALLY? WHAT DO YOU DO? I WORK FOR PUBLIC WORKS. I'M, I SAID, WELL, WHAT DO YOU DO? I'M A REAL ESTATE ANALYST. I SAID, WELL, WHAT DO YOU DO? I LOOK AT PURCHASE AND SELLING OF EASEMENTS. I SAID, REALLY? HOW LONG YOU BEEN THERE? THREE YEARS? I SAID, WHAT'S YOUR, UH, HIRING EXPERIENCE? I WAS INTERVIEWED IN FEBRUARY, NO, APPLIED IN FEBRUARY, LET ME BE REAL CLEAR, APPLIED IN FEBRUARY, WAS INTERVIEWED IN OCTOBER FOR A MARCH JOB. NOW THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. IN THE MEANTIME, WHILE THEY GO THROUGH 10 MONTHS A YEAR TO ACQUIRE EMPLOYMENT AT THE CITY, THEY GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO WE GOT SOME REAL BUREAUCRACY PROBLEMS IN HUMAN RESOURCES. SOME GOOD PEOPLE, LONGTIME PUBLIC SERVANTS. BUT WE, IN MY JUDGMENT, HAVE GOT TO DO BETTER TO AVAIL OURSELF TO, TO PEOPLE [03:15:01] THAT, THAT WANNA WORK AND BE PUBLIC SERVANTS. SO ANYWAY, YOU LIVE AND LEARN IN THIS BUSINESS, BUT WE CAN DO BETTER AND WE WILL DO BETTER. UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK COUNCIL MEMBER, EVAN SHABA. WELL, GOOD MORNING FOR REAL. UM, SORRY I WAS LATE. I SENT MARTA A PICTURE. THE TRAFFIC WAS HORRENDOUS. I COULDN'T GET, SO I WANTED TO PROVE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHY I WAS LATE. AND CERTAINLY I'M, I'M GONNA HAVE TO WEAR THE SWEATER ANOTHER TIME. I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SIT IN COUNCIL AND LET Y'ALL LOOK AT IT. BUT AT ANY RATE, I WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW, JUST FOR THE RECORD, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU ALL VOTED ON. OKAY. ANYWAY, I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY. UM, THERE WAS A CONCERN THAT WAS BROUGHT TO ME ABOUT NOT JUST THE CELEBRATORY SHOOTING, BUT NOW PEOPLE ARE SHOOTING AT PEOPLE'S HOMES. AND, AND THAT'S A, A REAL PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THAT, BECAUSE NOW IT'S A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A SAFETY ISSUE. BUT SOMEONE CALLED ME ACTUALLY FROM SOMEONE ELSE'S DISTRICT, UH, TO TELL ME THAT THEY DID REPORT IT TO THE POLICE, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH CAN BE DONE ABOUT THAT. BUT THEY WERE SHOOTING DIRECTLY AT THE HOME, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM. BUT I ALSO, I WANT TO SAY THAT I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND HIS TOWN HALL MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK AT THE COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION CHURCH. IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT THAT DEMONSTRATED HIS DEDICATION TO ENGAGING WITH HIS CONSTITUENTS. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME AND GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ALONG WITH ALL OF THOSE DIRECTORS THAT CAME OUT TO GIVE THAT WEALTH OF INFORMATION. UH, TODAY I WILL CHAIR THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE MEETING HERE IN CHAMBERS AT 2:00 PM THIS MEETING IS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS INITIATIVES THAT CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HOUSTON'S THRIVING ARTS COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPE. AT 5:30 PM I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ATTEND THE MUSEUM PARK SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE VIRTUALLY. THESE MEETINGS ARE GREAT PLATFORM FOR RESIDENTS TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY SPECIFIC CONCERNS. AND FINALLY, THIS EVENING, NO DRUM ROLL. I WILL HOST THE ILLEGAL DUMPING TOWN HALL MEETING AT THE SUNNYSIDE HEALTH AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTER AT FROM 6:00 PM TO 8:00 PM OF COURSE, ILLEGAL DUMPING IS A MAJOR ISSUE ALL OVER THE CITY AND CERTAINLY IN DISTRICT D. AND THIS MEETING WILL PROVIDE A SPACE FOR RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH CITY STAFF AND SHARE IDEAS FOR SOLUTIONS. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO TACKLE THIS PRESSING CONCERN. I ALSO WANNA ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ALWAYS CALL 3 1 1. IT IS A VITAL TOOL, BUT PLEASE REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE AFTER YOU MAKE THAT CALL TO GIVE US THE SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER. ACTUALLY, SOMEONE CALLED ME ON TUESDAY TO REPORT THAT THERE WAS ILLEGAL DUMPING, EXCUSE ME, ILLEGAL DUMPING GOING ON, AND IT HAD BEEN SITTING THERE AND I GOT IN MY CAR AND ACTUALLY DROVE OVER THERE AND WALKED, KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND TALKED TO THE GENTLEMAN THERE. AND HE ASSURED ME THAT HE WAS GOING TO MOVE IT. AND ACTUALLY HE SAID HE WAS GONNA DO IT SATURDAY, BUT HE DID IT YESTERDAY. AND SO, UM, SOMETIMES YOU KNOW IT, YOU ALL THINK THAT WE ARE JUST HERE, BUT A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE TO TAKE A PERSONAL INITIATIVE AND A LOT OF US DO TO GO OUT AND WE COULD PUT OUR US IN SOME DANGER, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US THAT, UH, THE CONCERNS OF OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE MET. I ALSO WANNA GIVE MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF, UH, ATTORNEY CONNIE WILLIAMS. UH, HE WAS A FORMER, FORMER HARRIS COUNTY ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AND HE WAS ALSO THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO FORMER MAYOR HOUSTON, HOUSTON MAYOR JIM MCCONN. I WANNA GIVE MY CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY, PARTICULARLY, UH, PATRICIA WILLIAMS, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE IMANI SCHOOL, WHO IS HIS WIFE AND THE OWNER OF LUCILLE'S, CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS, AND THAT IS HIS FATHER. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, IF YOU WANNA GET THE NEWSLETTER AND INFORMATION ON DISTRICT D, UH, THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION, UH, PLEASE REACH OUT AND SEND US AN EMAIL TO DISTRICT D AT HOUSTON TX DOT. AND I WANT TO, UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR WHAT WAS A WONDERFUL YEAR LAST YEAR. I'M ENCOURAGED THAT THIS WILL BE AN EVEN BETTER YEAR, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SHARE OUR WORK AND IMPROVE OUR CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE. I WANT TO, UM, ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, TO SIGN UP FOR THE DISTRICT H NEWSLETTER. WE, UH, SEND THAT OUT BIWEEKLY, AND WE HAVE SHARED A NUMBER OF RESOURCES AND, AND INFORMATION, UH, THAT KEEP YOU CONNECTED TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT AND, AND WHAT'S HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY. ONE THING WE'VE SHARED RECENTLY IS THAT I'LL BE STARTING 2025 THE SAME WAY I STARTED 2024, WHICH IS WITH A SERIES OF TOWN HALLS. OUR FIRST ONE IS THIS SATURDAY IN DENVER [03:20:01] HARBOR AT 10:00 AM AT THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. I'LL INVITE YOU TO JOIN ME THERE. UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A NUMBER OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM CITY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS NONPROFITS, UH, THAT WORK IN THE AREA, UM, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO WORK IN THE AREA, UH, LIKE TDOT AND, AND CENTERPOINT AND WHATNOT. AND SO IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH THEM DIRECTLY, UH, IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, GET ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS AND ALSO HEAR ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WAS DONE, UH, LAST YEAR AND, AND WHAT IS PLANNED FOR 2025. AND THEY'RE, UH, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. ONE THING THAT I KNOW WE'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT, UH, WE HEARD ABOUT IT YESTERDAY AT PUBLIC SESSION IS, IS SOLID WASTE. AND, UH, I DO APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD. UM, I KNOW THAT, THAT I AM EAGER TO SEE THE RESULTS OF THE, THE STUDY THAT WAS DONE IN MAY OR COMMISSIONED IN MAY, SO THAT, UH, WE CAN GET SOME FEEDBACK ON WAYS TO IMPROVE, UH, OUR SERVICE DELIVERY THERE IN THE, IN THE MEANTIME, WHILE WE WAIT FOR THAT. ONE THING THAT NEEDS TO IMPROVE IS OUR COMMUNICATION, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO ACCURATELY TELL FOLKS WHEN THEIR TRASH WILL BE PICKED UP AND THAT THAT IS A FRUSTRATING THING. UM, AND THAT ALSO SAYS THAT SOLID WASTE DOESN'T HAVE A GRASP ON THE ISSUE THEMSELVES IF THEY CAN'T COMMUNICATE THAT TO MY OFFICE OR TO CONSTITUENTS. AND SO I THINK IN THE MEANTIME, WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE STUDY, WHILE WE WAIT FOR LONGER TERM, UH, THINGS TO COME UP, THAT IS ONE THING WE CAN DO TO HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE FRUSTRATIONS, UH, THAT FOLKS ARE FEELING, IS TO LET THEM KNOW ACCURATELY WHEN THEIR TRASH RECYCLING HEAVY TRASH WILL BE SERVICED IN THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO TO EXECUTE IT, UH, IN THAT TIMEFRAME. THANK YOU. I, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU. COMMUNICATION HAS GOT TO BE IMPROVED. YOU DO NOT NEED A STUDY. UH, WE'RE, WE'RE EMPHASIZING THAT TO THE DIRECTOR AND WE'RE ALSO REVIEWING HOW HE USES CURRENT RESOURCES. THE ALLOCATION ACROSS THE CITY IS UNDER A SEVERE REVIEW, I MIGHT CALL IT, UH, AS WE TALK. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND TO ALL OF MY, UM, COLLEAGUES AND OTHERS, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU. WANT TO WANT TO JUST GIVE, UH, MY APPRECIATION THANKS TO COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, JOAQUIN MARTINEZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER KA SHABA FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND ATTENDANCE OF THE TOWN HALL MEETING. WE, UH, HAD ON MONDAY WAS A KICKING OFF IN THE NEW YEAR. WE KNOW THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE AS THEY WERE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE ATTENDANCE. AND THEN MY FRIEND, COURSE COUNCIL MEMBER, FRED FLICKINGER, WHO WAS GOING TO BE THERE IN ATTENDANCE. 'CAUSE WE TRIED TO COVER THOSE AREAS OF, OF THE DISTRICTS. BUT, UH, HE NOTIFIED ME AND, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE THERE. BUT I APPRECIATE THOSE WHO WERE, AND CERTAINLY THE SUPPORT OF OTHERS. WE WERE, WE WERE BLESSED. I WANT TO THANK MY STAFF FOR WORKING HARD. WE TAKE THOSE TOWN HALL MEETINGS VERY SERIOUS BECAUSE THE REACTION AND THE PARTICIPATION, UH, FROM OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER ATTENDING HAS REALLY BEEN A HELPFUL, UH, OF RESOURCES OF GETTING INFORMATION OUT. UH, PASTOR, I WANT TO THANK PASTOR RICHARD VEGA OF THE CT CHURCH WHO HOSTED US, WHO DID AN EXCELLENT JOB, UH, IN, IN HOSTING US, IN BRINGING ALL OF THE, THE PARTIES TOGETHER. UM, WANT TO THANK, UH, OUR HPD CHIEF CHIEF DIAZ, UH, ALSO EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEF FROM HFD, UH, RODNEY WEST, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, AND HOMELAND SECURITY. UH, DIRECTOR LARRY SADDLE, WHITE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR RANDY ACHI, OEM AND TRANS STAR DIRECTOR BRIAN MASON. UH, UH, AND OUR DIRECTOR BROTHER, UH, HERBERT SIMS, WHO WAS WITH US AS WELL AS THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF VETERAN OF MILITARY AFFAIRS DIRECTOR, UH, DR. ROBERT, UH, DEMBO AND THE METRO POLICE CHIEF, UH, CHIEF, UH, VAN 10 WAS WITH US AND WE WERE SO HAPPY TO HAVE HIM. I WANTED HIM TO BE THERE BECAUSE WE REALLY EXCITED. I HAD A CHANCE TO GO TO METRO BOARD RIGHT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, UH, JUST TO CHECK IN ON THE BOARD OF METRO AND FOLLOW UP. AND SO SHOW MY SUPPORT. MAYOR, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF TRYING TO TOUCH BASE ALL OVER THE CITY. I DO WANT TO, UH, EXTEND UNDER US THAT WE ARE EXCITED. ONE OF OUR NEXT PROJECT IS THAT WE HOPE TO HAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE VERY SOON ON NUMBERS, STATISTICAL NUMBERS. UH, OUR HPD POLICE DEPARTMENT'S DOING A WONDERFUL JOB, BUT WE KNOW CRIME IS COMING IN ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. [03:25:01] THERE ARE NUMBERS NOW INDICATING THAT MANY OF OUR YOUNG TEENAGERS ARE COMMITTING CRIMES, WHICH THESE WEAPONS, WHICH WE'VE REALLY GOTTA DEAL WITH. AND THE NUMBERS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BRING OUT IS GOING TO REALLY, IS GOING TO BE AN EYE OPENING TO MANY. UH, I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT, CERTAINLY, AND MAYOR, YOU DOING WHAT YOU DO AS MAYOR, BUT COMMEND YOU ON THESE POP-UP CLUBS THAT'S COMING UP IN OUR COMMUNITY ALL OVER OUR CITY. AND THE FACT THAT YOU WENT THERE INSIDE OF ONE OF THOSE PLACES TO SEE A HORRIFIC SITE OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT SHOT EACH OTHER. WE, WE, WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND THIS IS VIOLENCE. I KNOW WE TEND TO ALWAYS IDENTIFY IT WITH A PARTICULAR TERM, POLITICALLY GUN VIOLENT, BUT IT'S VIOLENCE. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT DOING STUFF BEFORE YOU DO IT, NO MATTER WHETHER YOU DO IT WITH A CAR, WITH A HAMMER OR GUN OR WHATEVER. IT'S VIOLENCE. SO, BUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN HELPING. I'M INTRODUCING, I MENTIONED IT BEFORE, A PROGRAM THAT THE POLICE CHIEF DIAZ HAS AGREED TO WORK WITH ME. UH, CRIME STOPPER HAS AGREED TO WORK WITH ME, THE DA'S OFFICE, UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE CALLED PPP. AND MAY I PASS THAT BY YOU, POLICE PASTORS AND PEOPLE. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY. THE HPD CANNOT DO ALL THIS BY THEMSELVES. AND WE'VE GOTTA BE VERY INVOLVED. AND I'M HOPING THAT ONCE WE ROLL THIS OUT WITH THE PASTORS INVOLVED, EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP REDUCE THE CRIME IN OUR CITY, IT AFFECTS US ALL ECONOMICALLY AND COMMUNITY WISE. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN WORK ON THAT. THAT'S ONE OF MY NEXT ROLLOUTS, UH, IN THIS. AND I HOPE AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORT MAYOR AS WELL AS MY COLLEAGUES TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT. BUT, UH, WE GOING TO GET THESE NUMBERS AND IT'S GONNA BE SHOCKING AS TO THE TEENAGERS THAT ARE COMMITTING CRIMES IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLICKING. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, JUST KIND OF WANTED TO DOVETAIL ON WHAT TWAH WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE PROGRAM AND THE SECOND CHANCE. UM, I THINK THE EMAIL CAUGHT MY EYE BECAUSE COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ AND I HAD ACTUALLY MET WITH, UH, THE PRISON ENTREPRENEURSHIP THAT MORNING FOR BREAKFAST. AND THAT EMAIL CAME OUT THAT AFTERNOON. AND SO I MADE SURE I WENT OUT THERE. UH, I'M NOT SURE EVERYBODY REALIZED THAT PART OF WHAT THAT PROGRAM WAS DUE IS THERE'S GRANT MONEY FROM THE STATE THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN INCARCERATED FOR THREE YEARS OR MORE. AND IN ORDER TO GET THEM A JOB TO BE ABLE TO PUT SOMETHING ON THEIR RESUME THAT THEY'VE ACTUALLY HAD A JOB. SO THAT PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS, YOU KNOW, AFTER THAT GRANT MONEY RAN OUT, WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THESE CANDIDATES AS SOMEBODY THAT ACTUALLY HAD A JOB. UH, SO I, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD DEAL TO TRY AND REINTEGRATE THESE PEOPLE. UH, I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED AT THE QUALITY OF THE CANDIDATES. MM. UH, I, I WAS QUITE SURPRISED THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, AND SOMETIMES KINDA HAD TO SCRATCH MY HEAD AND SAY, WHAT HAPPENED HERE? UH, 'CAUSE I MEAN, THEY, THEY REALLY HAD SOME PRETTY, SOME VERY GOOD PEOPLE. SO I, I DO THINK THAT WAS A GREAT PROGRAM AND, AND WE NEED TO GET INVOLVED WITH THAT MORE. IN FACT, I I WOULD LOVE TO GET, UH, THE PRECISION ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM TIED IN WITH THE SECOND CHANCE PROGRAM. HOPEFULLY THEY CAN COLLABORATE, MAYBE SHARE SOME BEST PRACTICES, THAT TYPE OF THING AND, AND BE ABLE TO GET SOME SYNERGIES OUT OF IT. ALSO, UH, THE SOUTH SIDE OF OUR DISTRICT IS GONNA HAVE THE CLEAR LAKE ELECTRONIC RECYCLING EVENT. THIS SATURDAY, UH, STARTS AT NINE O'CLOCK UNTIL THE TRUCKS ARE FULL. UM, AND ON A VERY PERSONAL NOTE, I WANT TO THANK THE FIREFIGHTERS 1 0 1. A WEEK AGO MONDAY. UM, I ACTUALLY HAD A STROKE. UM, MY WIFE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, STOPPED AT THE FIRE STATION, AND THEY TOOK CARE OF IT. WE'RE GLAD. HAPPY YOU'RE HERE. YEAH. AND WE'RE SO GLAD THAT, UH, YOU GOT THE MEDICAL CARE YOUR WIFE WAS SO INFORMATIVE OF TO ME, ALLOWED ME TO MONITOR YOUR RECOVERY. AND, UH, YOUR COLLEAGUES AND I, UH, ARE THANKFUL FOR THAT QUICK RESPONSE AND THE FACT THAT YOU GET A SECOND CHANCE AND, UH, YOU PROMISE ME YOU'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. 'CAUSE YOU CAN'T HELP OTHERS IF YOU DON'T TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. GET OFF MY BACKSIDE AND LOSE A HUNDRED POUNDS. AND, AND, AND, AND I'M SORRY I HAD TO LECTURE. I'M SORRY I HAD TO LECTURE YOU WHILE YOU WERE IN THE HOSPITAL, BUT YEAH, I JUST SHARED THE INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE GIVE ME. IF YOU DON'T TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, YOU CAN'T TAKE CARE OF OTHERS. SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED. AND YOU DO NEED TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. COUNCILMAN CAMAN. YOU NEED TO BE NICE TO HIM WHILE YOU SIT OVER THERE, . I'M, I'M ALWAYS NICE. YOU'RE [03:30:01] GONNA COME TO YOGA WITH ME, AREN'T YOU? SHOCKINGLY ENOUGH. MY WIFE WAS ASKING ME QUESTIONS AND ASKED, YOU KNOW, WHERE I WORK? AND I TOLD HER, WELL, WE'VE GOT A BUSINESS. AND YEAH, SHE GOES, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A SECOND JOB. AND I SAID, NO. SHE GOES, YOU'RE ON CITY COUNCIL. I'M LIKE, WHAT? AND, AND THE FIRST THING I ENDED UP REMEMBERING WAS I SIT NEXT TO ABBY AND WILLIE , SHE GONNA TAKE CARE OF YOU. IF THAT DON'T WORK, THE PASTOR'S GONNA MAKE SURE SAY A PRAYER FOR YOU. MAYOR DAVIS, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS MAYOR, IF I MAY. I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP. IT'S OUR ACTUAL FOR PERSONAL PRIVILEGE THAT WE CAN HAVE A SHORT PRAYER FOR OUR BROTHER. WE, WE PRAY EVERY, EVERY WEEK, AND I THINK THIS IS A NECESSITY. SURE. WELL, BEFORE YOU DO, I WANT TO CERTAINLY CLOSE WITH GIVING YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY, BUT THERE ARE THREE FIREFIGHTERS IN MEMORIAL HERMAN THIS MORNING. YES. THAT I WANT YOU TO KEEP IN OUR PRAYERS. YOUR PRAYERS. AT 5 45 YESTERDAY MORNING, FIREFIGHTER DAVE JONES, FIREFIGHTER JONATHAN GUTMAN, SENIOR CAPTAIN EDWARD ES 5 45, WENT INTO AN APARTMENT FIRE AND THE HEAVY DOOR CLOSED BEHIND THEM. AND THEY WERE WITHIN MOMENTS OF LOSING THEIR LIVES. AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT A REHIRE AFTER OUR BENEFITS PACKAGE AND A NEW CONTRACT, WE HAVE REHIRES COMING BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT AND OUR NEW CHIEF, OR EXPEDITING THEIR EMPLOYMENT, BRINGING THEIR EXPERIENCE. THEY HAD LEFT THE CITY OUT OF DISGUSTS AND LOW MORALE AND LOW BENEFITS. AND I HOPE THOSE THAT CHALLENGE THEIR BENEFITS WOULD GO BY THE HOSPITAL AND SEE THE HUGE BLISTERS THAT I SAW YESTERDAY ON THEIR BACKS, THEIR NECKS, THEIR HANDS, OH LORD, WITH THEIR FAMILIES THERE, REALIZING WITHIN MOMENTS OF LOSING THEIR LIFE, BUT SAVED BY A REHIRE THAT WAS STRONG AND TRAINED ENOUGH TO REMOVE THE DOOR. IT PUTS IT CERTAINLY A FACE ON OUR RESPONSIBILITY. AND WE NEED TO THANK THESE FIRST RESPONDERS. AND IT'S NOT ONLY THE BURNS AND THE BLISTERS THAT I WITNESSED, BUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT IT HAS ON THEIR FAMILIES, THEM AND THEIR COLLEAGUES. THE HALLS ARE LYING WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE TO GO BACK INTO SERVICE. SO PLEASE INCLUDE THESE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS BECAUSE THEY DEFINITELY DEMONSTRATE, ONCE AGAIN, THEY'RE WILLING TO GIVE THEIR LIFE FOR HOUSTONIANS. AND, UH, EVERYWHERE I GO, PEOPLE LOVE THEIR FIREFIGHTERS BECAUSE WHEN MOST ARE RUNNING OUTTA THE BUILDING, THEY'RE RUNNING INTO IT. AND WE WANT TO THANK OUR HPD OFFICERS. I'VE RIDDEN WITH THE CHIEF DURING THE HOLIDAYS, AND TO SEE THE COLLABORATION OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS AT HPOU. NEW YEAR'S EVE, WE HAD 120 OFFICERS GOING OUT ON THE STREET ENFORCING DWI LAWS. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS, CERTAINLY AS A RESPONSE TO NEW ORLEANS TRAGEDY, TO SEEING HOW WE CAN USE THAT COLLABORATION ACROSS THE CITY. SO THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENING, BUT LET'S KEEP OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, THESE THREE FIREFIGHTERS IN OUR PRAYER, AND CERTAINLY OUR COLLEAGUE FRED. UH, WE VALUE YOUR SERVICE IN YOUR LIFE. AND, UH, THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR STORY AND THANK YOUR WIFE FOR HER QUICK RESPONSE WITH FIRST RESPONDERS AND TELL HER I PERSONALLY APPRECIATE HER NOTIFYING ME AS SOON AS THERE WAS A, UH, YES SITUATION THAT, THAT I COULD HELP WITH. THANK YOU. REVEREND DAVIS. DID YOU WANT TO CLOSE IN PRAYER? I WANT TO CAS IN THE, UH, WE DO HAVE ONE MORE. COUNCIL, COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER. OH. AND THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE, WE DO APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN TERMS OF THE DILIGENCE AND THE RESPONSE TO THE NEW ORLEANS TRAGEDY BECAUSE OF THE NEXUS. WE ALWAYS SAY NEW ORLEANS IS OUR SISTER CITY, ONE OF OUR SISTER CITIES HERE IN HOUSTON. AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND IN THE ONGOING INVESTIGATION, UH, IN OUR HEARTS HERE ALSO WITH NEW ORLEANS. UH, I DID ALSO, AS WE CELEBRATE LIFE, UH, AND FRIENDS, UH, WANNA WISH COUNCILS MEMBER, MARYANNE HUFFMAN A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY AS WELL. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY. AND, AND THE, THE COLLEAGUES OF THE THREE INJURED FIREFIGHTERS AT STATION 46, UH, I'LL BE HAVING DINNER WITH THEM LATER THIS WEEK TO SUPPORT THEIR, UH, THEY'RE REALLY EMOTIONALLY UPSET. YES. BUT THEY'VE GOT, AND WE'LL DO THEIR JOB. SO KEEP THE STATION EMPLOYEES, UH, RANK AND FILE IN YOUR PRAYERS OF THE THREE INJURED FIREFIGHTERS AND, UH, LET 'EM KNOW [03:35:01] I'M, UH, I HOPE THEY HEAR OF THIS DISCUSSION BECAUSE THEY DO APPRECIATE KNOWING THAT WE CARE. THEY, THEY, WHEN I WALK THE HALLS, IT'S AMAZING. THEY JUST SAID, WE'VE NEVER IN RECENT YEARS HAD A MAYOR THAT SHOWED THIS COMPASSION AND CONCERN. AND I'M DOING IT ON BEHALF OF ALL HOUSTONIANS. THANK YOU REVEREND DAVIS. YES, HEAVEN. FATHER, WE DO THANK YOU THIS DAY FOR THE PRIVILEGE IN ORDER TO OFFER PRAYERS FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS. THESE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WAKE UP EVERY DAY PUT IN THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO PROTECT OUR CITY, GIVE SERVICES FIRST RESPONDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL. WE JUST THANK YOU, DEAR GOD, THAT WE REVERENCE YOU FOR ALL OF US, MY COLLEAGUES, THE MAYOR. AT TIMES WE MAY NOT ALL AGREE ON ALL THINGS, BUT FOR THIS ONE THING WE DO, FOR THOSE WHO GIVE THEIR LIVES TO SERVE OUR CITY AS EACH OTHER, WE PRAY FOR OUR FRIEND AND BROTHER, COLLEAGUE, BROTHER FRED FLICKINGER AND HIS FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING HIS LIFE, COVERING HIM. AND LORD, WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD. TO THOSE OF US WHO LOVE GOD FOR WHATEVER OUR FAITHS MAY BE, WE HONOR AND RESPECT ALL FOR WHATEVER THEY BELIEFS ARE. BUT FOR ONCE WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER AND AGREE THAT WE ASK YOUR GRACE AND YOUR MERCY UPON OUR WHOLE ENTIRE CITY FOR THIS NEW YEAR, WE LOOK FOR BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS. WE PRAY FOR THE COVERING, AND WE'LL BE SO KIND AND CAREFUL TO GIVE YOU THE RECOGNITION AND TO APPRECIATE YOUR POWER IN JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD, WE PRAY. AMEN. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.