[00:00:03]
I WOULD[PRESENTATIONS]
ASK THE MAYOR PRO TIMM TO PRESIDE WHILE I GO VISIT A FRIEND.THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR A PRO A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING BODY O DOGS.
TODAY, UM, IS OUR FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY, WHICH IN DISTRICT H MEANS WE'RE IN LOVE YOUR PET MONTH MODE.
AND, UH, I AM HONORED TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE BARRIO DOGS FOR A PROCLAMATION TODAY.
THEY DO SO MUCH IN DISTRICT H AND IN DISTRICTS ACROSS THE CITY, UH, AROUND RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP.
AND, UH, WHILE THEY'RE NOT A RESCUE ORGANIZATION, I KNOW GLORIA'S PHONE IS ALWAYS RINGING, UH, AND SHE ALWAYS PICKS IT UP, AND SHE'S ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP.
UH, THE THING THAT I REALLY ADMIRE ABOUT BARRIO DOGS IS THEIR FOCUS ON EDUCATING CHILDREN ABOUT RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP.
AND THAT IS SO KEY, UH, BECAUSE WHILE PARENTS MAY BE SET IN THEIR WAYS AND, AND HAVE THEIR HABITS, KIDS ARE ABLE TO INFLUENCE THEM, UH, TO BE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS IN A WAY THAT, THAT WE CAN'T.
AND, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY WILL GROW UP KNOWING HOW TO PROPERLY CARE FOR ANIMALS AND OVER THE LONG TERM, UH, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED HERE IN HOUSTON TO, TO ADDRESS OUR ISSUE.
SO WITH THAT, WHEREAS BARRIO DOGS, A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT FOUNDED IN 2010, HAS BEEN A VITAL ADVOCATE FOR ANIMAL WELFARE IN HOUSTON'S UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE IN 2025.
AND WHEREAS BARRIO DOGS THROUGH ITS COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMS PROVIDE HUMANE EDUCATION, LOW COST, OR FREE SPAY NEUTER SERVICES, AND CONDUCTS VITAL COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS TO ADDRESS PET OVERPOPULATION AND PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP, ULTIMATELY ENHANCING THE LIVES OF BOTH ANIMALS AND THEIR HUMAN COMPANIONS.
WHEREAS BARRIO DOGS HAS IMPACTED OVER 9,200 STUDENTS THROUGH 115 SCHOOL EVENTS, PERFORMED NEARLY 6,500 SPAY NEUTER SURGERIES, AND HOSTED 183 COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS, ALL OF WHICH HAVE STRENGTHENED THE HUMAN ANIMAL BOND AND ENCOURAGED A CULTURE OF COMPASSION AND RESPONSIBILITY.
WHEREAS BARRIO DOG'S ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH REFLECT THE VALUES AND EMPATHY, EDUCATION AND RESPONSIBILITY EMBODYING THE SPIRIT OF LOVE YOUR PET MONTH.
AND WHEREAS IN FEBRUARY, ALONGSIDE WORLDS BAY MONTH, THE DISTRICT H OFFICE IS GONNA HOST EVENTS TO RAISE AWARENESS AND RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP, WHICH BARRIO DOGS WILL BE BY OUR SIDE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON RECOGNIZES AND HONORS BARRIO DOGS FOR 15 YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE, COMMENDABLE DEDICATION, AND SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF ANIMALS AND THEIR HUMAN COMPANIONS IN HOUSTON, HOUSTON'S UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
FIRST, LET ME THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS PROCLAMATION OF FOREST AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO IN THE EAST SIDE OF HOUSTON.
THE MESSAGE RESONATES ACROSS HOUSTON THAT THE ONLY REAL SOLUTION TO OUR OVERCROWDED ANIMAL SHELTERS IS GONNA BE SPAYING AND NEUTERING.
IT'S AN EDUCATION PROCESS, SO IT'S EXCITING FOR ME TO PROCLAIM AS I JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIMED FEBRUARY 4TH, 2025 IS BARRIO DOG DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
COUNCIL MEMBER MARIO CASTILLO FOR RECOGNIZING BARRIO DOGS FOR THE WORK WE'RE DOING TO ADDRESSING THE ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION, NEGLECT, AND A ABUSE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE SUPER DELIGHTED THAT THIS RECOGNITION IS HAPPENING IN LOVE YOUR PET MONTH.
I ACTUALLY WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL FORMATION OF LOVE YOUR PET INITIATIVE, UH, WITH FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS, WHEN I USED TO WORK FOR HER.
SO I'M SO HAPPY THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO IS CARRYING THIS ON.
IT'S A GREAT INITIATIVE, AND IT HELPS THE COMMUNITY TO BE AWARE MORE ABOUT CARING FOR YOUR ANIMALS.
AS IT'S MENTIONED, UH, WE ARE CELEBRATING 15 YEARS IN A FEW MONTHS, AND THE INCEPTION OF BARRIO DOGS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
WE HAVE ALWAYS ADDRESSED THE ROOT CAUSES OF ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION, NEGLECT, AND ABUSE IN OUR COMMUNITY BY BRINGING PET EDUCATION INTO THE SCHOOLS BY PROVIDING FREE SPAY NEUTER SERVICES FOR PET OWNERS THAT CAN'T AFFORD IT, AND ENGAGING IN ADVOCACY.
WE TRULY FEEL THAT OUR CONCEPT AND MODEL COULD APPLY TO ANY COMMUNITY THAT ARE HAVING
[00:05:01]
THESE SAME CHALLENGES.UM, WE KNOW THAT IT'S A COMMUNITY'S RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL, BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY DOING OUR PART AND WE HOPE THAT THE CITY WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT US.
THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER MARIO CASTILLO FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ FOR SUPPORTING US AS WELL.
I'D LOVE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE SPENT, I THINK A YEAR TOGETHER ON THE PHONE,
AND, UH, I HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT EFFORT AGAIN.
SO HISTORICALLY, UH, BARRIO DOGS HAS FOCUSED PRIMARILY IN HOUSTON'S EAST END, BUT WE ARE BRANCHING OUT, WE'RE EXPANDING, AND AS I MENTIONED, THE CONCEPT AND MODEL COULD APPLY TO ANY COMMUNITY THAT HAS THESE CHALLENGES.
SO WE'RE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE.
AND SO WE HOPE THAT THE CITY WILL SUPPORT US.
UM, I'M JOINED HERE BY OUR BARRIO DOGS TEAM AND BOARD MEMBERS, AND WE ARE MORE DRIVEN NOW THAN EVER.
SO, UH, WE WANT TO CREATE A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR PETS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THEM AND MYSELF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
I MEAN, FOR 15 YEARS, THAT'S A HUGE BIG DEAL.
UH, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, WE DID SPEND A GOOD LONG TIME TOGETHER.
WE GOT MANDATORY MICROCHIPPING.
WE GOT THE PUPPY MILL THING TAKEN CARE OF.
UM, STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO, AND RIGHT, MAYOR, WE GOT BIG PLANS FOR BARK.
WE'RE, UM, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE ALL KNOW AROUND THIS HORSESHOE, WE NEED TO RAISE MONEY FOR BARK.
WE SPEND HALF PER CAPITA AS OTHER CITIES ON ANIMAL WELFARE, AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT SHOWS.
AND, UM, JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR GOOD WORK.
UH, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GOOD WORK TO DO AHEAD AND, AND THINK OF ALL THE, ALL THE IMPACT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE HAD OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS.
YOU CAN REALLY REST YOUR LAURELS ON THAT, BUT DON'T REST YOUR LAURELS ON THAT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT MORE DONE.
UH, MAYOR PRO TAM, UH, COUNCILOR CASTILLO, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS.
AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR, UH, ALSO, UH, WELCOMING BODY OF DOGS.
UH, SO, UH, AS GLORIA MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, SHE'S FROM THE EAST END, AND THEN SHE TOOK THE SAME ROUTE AS ME.
AND NOW WE LIVE IN THE HOBBY AIRPORT AREA.
SO SHE'S A NEIGHBOR AS WELL, DISTRICT GUY RESIDENT, UH, THAT HAS BEEN DOING GREAT WORK FOR 15 YEARS, UH, UH, THROUGH BODY OF DOGS.
BUT, UM, THE THING THAT I LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, AND I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE EXPANSION INTO THE OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, THERE'S A THING CALLED THE BACKWARD C.
AND IT, UH, WHAT IT, THAT ESSENTIALLY, UH, UH, BRINGS PEOPLE ATTENTION, WHETHER IT'S STRAY DOGS, WHETHER IT'S ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES THAT BACKWARD C USUALLY STARTS AROUND B-H-I-N-D.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S NOT THE ONLY LOCATION, BUT WE DO SEE A HIGHER RATE OF, OF STRAY DOGS.
AND SO THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING IN THE EAST END HAS BEEN SUPER HELPFUL.
UH, WE'VE COMMITTED TO THE, THE FIX IT, THE BIG FIX, UH, DAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS A STAFFER, WE MADE SURE THAT, THAT THOSE DOLLARS WERE THERE, UH, WORKING WITH GULF GATE ANIMAL, UH, HOSPITAL AS WELL, THE, UM, ANIMAL SHELTER.
AND SO, UM, KNOW THAT OUT OF DISTRICT FROM DISTRICT I, AND THEN FROM MY, MY TEAM, MY OFFICE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO THE, THE LEGWORK WITH YOU ALL.
UH, 'CAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S, UH, OF COURSE, RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ENFORCEMENT IS ALSO BEING DONE.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE, WHICH I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS EDUCATION.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOU, UM, ALSO FOCUSING ON THE YOUNG FOLKS.
UH, YOUNGER FOLKS NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS TO BE A RESPONSIBLE PET OWNER AT A YOUNG AGE.
UM, AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT EVEN MORE SO WANTS ME TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT WHICH Y'ALL ARE DOING, BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE GOING INTO THE SCHOOLS IN THESE THEN.
CONGRATULATIONS FOR 15 YEARS TO THE BOARD.
UH, AND I JUST POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
UH, THERE'S TWO BOARD MEMBERS, UH, THAT WORK FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT I THINK THEY SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED AS WELL.
GLORIA RODRIGUEZ, UH, SHE WORKS FOR COUNCILOR, UH, JULIAN RAMIREZ'S OFFICE, UH, WHO USED TO BE MY COWORKER IN DISTRICT GUY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, SALLY.
SALLY, SHE'S A, SHE'S, SHE WORKS IN MY OFFICE.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S JUST TRUE TO THE FACT THAT THE EAST END HAS BEEN A HUGE PARTNER IN WHAT'S GOING ON WITH BODY OF DOGS, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
[00:11:26]
[2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
AT THIS TIME, CHAIR RECOGNIZES VICE MAYOR PROM PECK FOR THE INVOCATION.WOULD YOU PLEASE RISE FOR THE INVOCATION? HMM.
FIRST, WHAT'S, THAT'S ALRIGHT.
UM, TODAY I'D LIKE TO CALL UP ANTHONY MINOR.
HE'S WITH HOPE CITY CHURCH, AND I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT, UM, ANTHONY AND HOPE CITY.
SO, HOPE CITY HAS BEEN WITH US IN DISTRICT A THROUGH MANY DISASTERS.
NOW, UM, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THEY'VE FED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, AFTER DISASTERS, AND THEN ALSO, UM, IN NON-DISASTER TIMES TOO.
THEY'VE, UM, DONE A LOT OF WORK IN CARDALE AND OTHER AREAS OF DISTRICT A UM, MOST RECENTLY THEY HOSTED, UM, HOPE FOR CHRISTMAS WHERE THEY PROVIDED HUNDREDS OF TOYS TO KIDS IN NEED.
UM, AND ANYTIME WE'VE EVER NEEDED VOLUNTEERS OR RESOURCES IN OUR COMMUNITY, HOPE CITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE, AND ESPECIALLY ANTHONY.
SO, UM, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE HIM TODAY.
THANK YOU, UM, FOR THE BLESSING OF BEING PART OF THIS GREAT, AMAZING CITY OF HOUSTON.
THANK YOU LORD, FOR OUR MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY WHO IS HERE ON THE COUNCIL GUIDE.
WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE ONE THAT SELECT LEADERS.
WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE ONE THAT'S IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING.
WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE ONE THAT HAS YOUR HAND ON THIS CITY, IN THIS STATE AT THIS TIME.
GOD, I ASK THAT YOU JUST BRING PEACE TO THIS CITY.
I ASK THAT YOU BRING A HEDGE OF PROTECTION TO THIS CITY.
AND GOD, I ASK THAT YOU GIVE YOUR SUPERNATURAL WISDOM TO THESE LEADERS TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY.
GOD, I THANK YOU THAT NOTHING HAPPENS WITHOUT YOU APPROVING IT.
I THANK YOU, GOD FOR THIS DAY.
I THANK YOU, GOD, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SERVE AND YOUR KINGDOM.
I THANK YOU, GOD, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHOW YOUR LOVE AND YOUR COMPASSION AND YOUR KINDNESS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO US.
GOD, I ASK THAT YOU COMFORT THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST.
I ASK GOD THAT YOU HELP DETER DISASTERS.
GOD, YOU'RE A GOD THAT CAN DO THAT.
I ASK GOD THAT WHEN WE DO HAVE DISASTERS, THAT WE ARE POSITIONED BEST TO MEET THE NEEDS BEFORE THEY EVEN BECOME NEEDS.
WE THANK YOU, GOD FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS.
WE THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING SESSION TODAY.
WE THANK YOU, GOD FOR FORWARD THINKING SOLUTIONS.
SEEING YOU GUYS, WILL THE REST OF YOU PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE.
SECRETARY, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING]
MAYOR WHITMEYER.HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER.
[00:15:01]
TATUM.COUNCILOR PLUMMER HERE AND CONSTABLE ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF JANUARY 28TH AND 29TH.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
MEMBER CAYMAN FOR A MOTION.I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD DEBRA QUINTERO TO FOLLOW JAMES BLAIR ON THE THREE MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST FOR GROUPING THEM TOGETHER ON THE SAME ISSUE.
HUFFMAN SECOND MOTION IS MADE.
UH, ANYONE ELSE AS A MOTION? THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
NOT, DO YOU WANNA CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER? MADAM SECRETARY.
ROSALYN WILLIAMS. ROSALYN WILLIAMS, SARAH BELL EDWARDS.
I'M SARAH CHANTEL BELL EDWARDS.
AND MY SUBJECT IS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.
I HAVE BEEN HERE MANY, MANY OF TIMES AND I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN NO, UH, UH, RESULTS OR NO ANSWERS TO ANYTHING.
UM, MY MAIN OBJECTIVE IS MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT, UH, TO DO AND HAVE MEDICAL THE RIGHT WAY.
DRIVER'S LICENSE IDENTIFICATION.
I AM THE MAIN FACTOR HERE OF IDENTITY THEFT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS TERRORIZING EVERY DAY, ALL DAY IN AND OUTTA MY HOUSE.
WHEN I LEAVE, WHEN I COME HOME AND MY DRIVER'S LICENSE CHANGED AND REARRANGED WHEN I GO AND PURCHASE SOMETHING, CASH, A CHECK, OR ENTER INTO THE BANK AND THEY ASK FOR MY IDENTIFICATION.
MY LIGHTS GOT TURNED OFF DECEMBER THE 13TH FOR NO REASON AT ALL.
THEY STEAL OFF BECAUSE THEY SAID RELIANT ENTITY HAD ME ON A VACATE LIST.
AND I JUST MOVED WHERE I MOVED AT, UH, 7 2 1 1 NORTHLINE DRIVE, APARTMENT 8 37.
I'M A TENANT THERE OF HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY, CITY OF HOUSTON, SECTION EIGHT HOOD PROGRAM.
AND I HAVE BEEN TERRIBLY VALIDATED THERE WITH THE BUDGET OF UTILITY WHEN I STAYED ON CROSSWINDS, UM, VIOLATED WITH THE REIMBURSEMENT UTILITY CHECKS THERE.
UM, THE UTILITY OF COMMISSION OF AUSTIN, TEXAS PUT ME ON A PROGRAM BEFORE I MOVED INTO MY NEW PLACE.
AND IT WENT CLOSE THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE, UH, USED MY ORIGINAL RELIANT ENERGY, UM, LIGHT ACCOUNT NUMBER AROUND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I DON'T LIVE AT MULTIPLE ADDRESSES AND IT HAVE BEEN COVERED UP BY INSIDE WORKERS, PHONE WORKERS WORKING FROM THEIR HOME.
UM, AND I'M SUFFERING BEHIND IT.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS MEDICAL, UNITED HEALTHCARE.
I DON'T WANT UNITED HEALTHCARE.
THEY'RE VERY FORCEFUL FOR ME TO HAVE UNITED HEALTHCARE WHEN I HAVEN'T BEEN USED WITH TRANSPORTATION, MULTIPLE DOCTORS.
AND I'M IN AN ECTOPIC PHILIPPI PREGNANCY WAY.
I HAVE LOST ONE OF THEM ON MY WAY TO THE DOCTOR ON THE BUS OR MISCARRIED.
SO, UM, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWING ME TO SEE MY PRIMARY DOCTOR, SO I JUST GOT ANOTHER ONE.
SO I WAS GONNA GIVE THIS TO THE MAYOR SO HE CAN SEE WHO I REALLY AM AND WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON WITH MY IDENTIFICATIONS AND DRIVER'S LICENSE THAT'S BEING USED BY SAME SHADE, COLOR, IMMIGRATION, OTHER NATIONALITY THAT WE ALLOW HERE IN I SEE THAT HOUSTON FREELY AND IT'S VERY DISRESPECTFUL.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, MAY I GIVE THIS TO THE MAYOR? YES, MA'AM.
AND, UH, THANK YOU MS. BELL EDWARDS FOR, FOR BEING HERE.
I AM GONNA HAVE SOMEBODY FROM MY OFFICE COME AND VISIT WITH YOU SO WE CAN GET YOU, UH, SOME INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ON, ON THE THINGS THAT YOU SHARED.
THERE'S A LOT THERE TO GO THROUGH.
SO THEY'RE GONNA COME AND, AND VISIT WITH YOU RIGHT NOW? YES.
CAN I SAY ONE MORE THING? I DID REQUEST THE APPOINTMENT WITH YOU AND I WAS TOLD THAT YOU WOULD NOT WANNA SEE ME, BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS SO INSUBORDINATE CODE OF CONDUCT
[00:20:01]
THAT WAS SO INAPPROPRIATE.'CAUSE I'M A LAW BY CITIZEN IN THE CODE OF HAND, IN THE CODE OF CITIZENSHIP BOOK THAT I DIDN'T ASK FOR, THAT I NEVER GOT WHEN THE OTHER MAYOR WAS IN THE OFFICE.
UH, THEY, IT WAS LIKE AN INSULT.
BUT I WAS ASKING FOR AS CITIZENSHIP HANDBOOK AND I DIDN'T GET IT YET.
BUT THE MAYOR ALWAYS HAVE TIME FOR EVERYBODY.
I DON'T CARE IF IT'S TWO MONTHS, THREE MONTHS, FOUR MONTHS.
HE ALWAYS HAVE TIME FOR EVERYBODY.
SINCE SOMEBODY DECIDED THAT YOU DID NOT WANNA SEE ME, WHICH I KNEW THAT'S NOT TRUE, I VOTED YOU IN.
SO THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NO WAY THAT THE MAYOR WOULD TURN ANYBODY DOWN, KNOW ANYBODY.
AND I ALSO, UH, PUT IN FOR CITIZENS ABUSE.
SOMEONE STOLE MY PAPERWORK AND TURNED IT IN AS, AS IF IT'S ME.
MY NAME AND MY IDENTITY IS VERY VITAL.
THEY WANT TO KILL ME BEHIND MY IDENTITY.
MY BANK ACCOUNTS, MY ROYALTIES, PERIOD.
I I'M IN HOUSEWIFE, MS. WILLIAMS THERE BY THE DOORS IN MY OFFICE WHEN YOU FINISH, OR I'LL ASK HER TO JOIN COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S OFFICE AND, UH, ASSIST YOU IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
AND I SEND THREE ENVELOPES, THREE MILL, NIGERIA, HONG KONG, AND TO, UH, ANOTHER MAJOR PLACE.
THEY WOULD CHANGE REAR RANGE BEFORE THEY GOT TO THEM.
'CAUSE THEY HAD TO BE STAMPED.
AND I SEND THEM BY MAIL OR I HAD TO PAY FOR 'EM EVEN TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
WHAT'S THE, UH, MAKEUP OF YOUR FAMILY? DO YOU HAVE SIBLINGS? I HAVE, UH, UH, UH, TWO SONS.
ONE IS EXPIRED THAT I'M STUDYING, TRYING TO DO AN INVESTIGATION, HAVE, UH, KINGWOOD AND, UH, TO DO THE INVESTIGATION ON WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO HIM.
I HAVE ANOTHER SON, DON LEE BROOKS SENIOR, I MEAN JUNIOR.
HIS IDENTITY HAS BEEN STOLEN AND USED TO MY GRANDBABIES AND MY IDENTITY BEEN STOLEN, USED TO MY, WE HAVE AN AWFUL TIME, BUT WE ARE SAINTS AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD, WE ARE STILL HERE STANDING AND LIVING.
NEXT ARIAN PERKINS ARIAN PERKINS, SIT.
SIDNEY MAY LOUIS DARLING EILEEN EDMONDS.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I'M A RESIDENT OF HARRIS COUNTY.
I LIVE IN CYPRUS, BUT I WORK IN HOUSTON.
I'M THE MOTHER OF TWO SONS, A 19-YEAR-OLD WHO'S GOING TO SCHOOL AND WORKING IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND MY OLDER SON, FRANCISCO'S 24 YEARS OLD, WAS BORN IN MULTIPLE DISABILITIES.
HE'S OVER AT TS RIGHT NOW ACROSS THE STREET.
I'M THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION FOR THEATER UNDER THE STARS.
I'VE BEEN WITH THIS A GREAT NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATION FOR OVER 17 YEARS.
UH, PROUD OF THE INCLUSIVE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AND HAVE BEEN DOING FOR STUDENTS OF ALL ABILITIES.
WE'VE GOT TWO EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT HUMPHREY SCHOOL, MUSICAL THEATER TRAIN STUDENTS PRE-PROFESSIONAL, AND THE RIVER FOCUSED ON BRINGING ARTS EDUCATION TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR SIBLINGS.
THIS PROGRAM HAS TAKEN PLACE AT THE METROPOLITAN MULTI-SERVICE CENTER ON WEST GRAY SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1996.
LIFE EXPERIENCE HELPED SHAPE US.
I KNOW BOTH MY PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL ROLES AND LIFE HAVE INFORMED ME WHAT ISSUES I CAN GIVE MY LIMITED TIME, ENERGY, AND RESOURCES TO, TO I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY.
AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN, MANY OF US SEE IN NEED FOR ENHANCED SECURITY FEATURES FOR THE METROPOLITAN MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
AS I MENTIONED, THE RIVER TAKES PLACE IN THAT FACILITY, AS DO SO MANY TRAILBLAZING, ATHLETIC AND ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
HOWEVER, THERE'S BEEN AN UPTICK IN DETERIORATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT OUTSIDE OF THE FACILITY FOR QUITE SOME TIME THAT CAN OCCASIONALLY SPILL INSIDE UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS.
MANY WHO I SUSPECT LIVE WITH UNDIAGNOSED AND OR UNTREATED MENTAL ILLNESS NOW REGULARLY RESIDE ON THE GROUND.
THERE'S MEANT PREDICTABILITY THAT'S CREATED A SAFETY AND SECURITY RISK FOR INDIVIDUALS ENTERING AND EXITING THE FACILITY.
ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, I'VE HAD TO PERSONALLY INTERVENE TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS STAY SAFE.
GOING BACK TO LAST SPRING WITH A GENTLEMAN WHO HAS A RESTRAINING ORDER PROHIBITING HIM FROM BEING ON THE PREMISES BECAUSE HE REPEATEDLY SHOWS UP TO THREATEN FEMALE STAFF.
IN THAT INSTANCE, THE FRONT DESK STAFF MEMBER AND MYSELF CONTACT BOTH POLICE AND A PARK RANGER.
THE POLICE ADVICE BASICALLY AMOUNTED
[00:25:01]
TO, DON'T WORRY YOUR PRETTY LITTLE HEAD ABOUT IT.THANKFULLY, THE PARK RANGER CONVINCED THE GENTLEMAN TO LEAVE THE GROUNDS.
I NOW KNOW IT IS A VIOLATION OF TEXAS PENAL CODE 48.05 PROHIBITING CAMPING ON STATE GROUNDS.
UNDERSTAND TEXAS HOUSE BILL IN 1925 RAISED THIS MISDEMEANOR TO A FELONY.
THEY HAVE AN ADDITIONAL INCIDENT THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AND THE FALL.
IN THREE MINUTES IN OCTOBER, I SHARED MY CONCERNS WITH THE HOUSTON COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
I RETURNED IN NOVEMBER TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS AGAIN WITH HCOD.
THIS TIME ALONGSIDE ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS, LORENA BROWN.
THIS IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY.
YOU MIGHT ASK YOURSELVES WHY IF I'VE OVERSEEN THIS PROGRAM FOR 17 YEARS, WHY AM I SPEAKING PUBLICLY NOW? BECAUSE IT'S REACHED, REACHED A TIPPING POINT.
WE ARE SOUNDING ALARMED ABOUT THE NEED FOR ENHANCED SECURITY FEATURES AT THE MULTI-SERVICE, THE METROPOLITAN MULTI-SERVICE CENTER AT WEST GRAY.
IT'S NOT A MATTER OF IF, BUT WHEN SOMETHING IRREPARABLE HAPPENS, IF NOT ADDRESSED, I'M CONCERNED, THINGS WILL CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE, THEREBY IMPACTING PARTICIPANTS AND STAFF WHO ARE ENGAGED IN ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVES, IRONICALLY.
CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO? NO.
UM, EILEEN, YOU TALKED REALLY QUICKLY TO TRY TO SQUEEZE IT ALL IN, BUT FOR THOSE THAT DUNNO, EILEEN HELPS RUN THEATER UNDER THE STARS AND THE RIVER PROJECT, WHICH IS, UH, A AMAZING MAYOR.
I TOOK YOU AND CONGRESSWOMAN FLETCHER, UM, TO SEE THE KIDS PRACTICING, UH, AT WEST GREEN MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, THAT IS WHERE THESE CHILDREN PRACTICE AND THEY PERFORM.
AND IT'S THIS BEAUTIFUL PROGRAM FOR OUR YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES OR ALL ABILITIES.
UH, AND THEY UTILIZE THE FACILITY.
EILEEN, JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU'RE COMING TODAY, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL FAMILIES HERE TODAY.
THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOME CHALLENGES.
ONE, THE WAY THAT WEST GRAY IS DESIGNED, THE FACILITIES, THE SECURE SAFETY AND SECURITY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT OF THE PUBLIC COMING IN AS WELL AS YOUTH PROGRAMS FOR THESE, THESE BEAUTIFUL AND VERY UNIQUE AND, UH, PRECIOUS CHILDREN.
BUT YOU'VE SEEN IT, YOU'RE SAYING YOU'VE SEEN AN UPTICK IN, UH, CERTAIN TYPES OF ACTIVITY.
AGAIN, CAN YOU JUST RESTATE, YOU SAID SOMEONE WITH THE RESTRAINING ORDER MADE ONTO THE PROPERTY WAS YES.
LAW ENFORCEMENT ABLE TO, I I JUST COULDN'T CATCH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.
WELL, THE RANGER WAS ABLE TO GET HIM OFF THE GROUND, WAS ABLE TO TALK TO HIM AND CONVINCED HIM.
UM, THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT I REACHED OUT TO A FEW PEOPLE ABOUT IN JUNE.
HE, AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS ON THE PREMISES, HALF CLOTHED, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.
BUT HE JUST, THAT CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL THAT, I NOTICED THAT SITUATION IN JUNE THAT I SPOKE TO PEOPLE ABOUT.
HE JUST GOT A RESTRAINING ORDER YESTERDAY.
HE WAS ON THE GROUNDS, BUT HE VERBALLY, UM, VERBALLY, I DON'T KNOW THE WORD, THE PROPER TERM, BUT VERBALLY ASSAULTED A STAFF MEMBER.
BUT SO YOU CAN SORT OF HAVING, OVERSEEING THAT PROGRAM FOR 17 YEARS IN THAT FACILITY, I, I, WE'VE WATCHED IT HAPPEN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
IT'S GETTING MORE OF A CONCERN, I'D SAY, IN THE LAST EIGHT TO 12 MONTHS SPECIFICALLY.
AND SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO IT JUST, IT JUST, IT'S TENUOUS.
WE WANT TO MAKE, UM, THIS CITY AWARE, WANNA MAKE OUR CONCERNS PUBLIC BECAUSE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
UM, LIKE I TOLD THE COMMISSION, I'M A CREATIVE PERSON.
MY JOB IS AN ARTS ADMINISTRATOR.
UM, BUT I WILL DO MY BEST TO, TO HELP MAKE SURE WE HAVE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
BUT I'M NOT REALLY CHARGED WITH THAT.
AND YOU AND I SPOKE VERY BRIEFLY THIS MORNING 'CAUSE I SAW A FEW PEOPLE COMING AND I HAD NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
UM, I DO BELIEVE, AND WE HAVE DIRECTOR NCE HERE AS WELL.
UM, I WANNA HEAR THE MAYOR, THE ANECDOTES FROM SOME OF THE OTHER FAMILIES.
'CAUSE AGAIN, I'M STILL HEARING ABOUT THIS, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE NEEDS TO BE A, A SOLUTION THAT IS SECURITY BASED YES.
WITH ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, UM, AT WEST GRAY.
IS THAT THE A I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY WHAT THE ASK IS RIGHT NOW.
WELL, THAT, THAT, AND WE UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, DIFFERENT, UM, FACILITIES IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES MAYBE HAVE DIFFERENT TACTICS THAT ARE EMPLOYED.
THIS, THIS SPECIFIC CENTER HAS PEOPLE SOLELY SERVES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, UNLIKE ANY FACILITY PARKS AND REC FACILITY ACROSS MOST OF THE COUNTRY OR IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
BUT, UM, ENHANCED SECURITY FEATURES, LIKE HAVING PARKING PARK RANGERS AVAILABLE TO OPEN, THERE'S A SERIES OF THINGS, PARK RANGERS AVAILABLE TO OPENING AND CLOSING, UM, CLO LOCKING THE GATES OVERNIGHT AND FORTIFYING THE GATE THAT IT, THAT, THAT, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, IT WAS PUT IN YEARS AGO.
SO PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY ACCUSED THE TENNIS COURTS AFTER DARK DEFINITELY FORTIFYING THAT GATE.
BUT THOSE GATES USED TO BE CLOSED AT NIGHT AND OPEN.
[00:30:01]
WITH NO RESIDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO COME IN AND USE THE SHOWER FROM SEVEN TO NINE EVERY MORNING.MAYBE HAVING A PARK RANGER AVAILABLE THEN, BECAUSE THERE'S, UM, YOU HAVE HA HAVING AN ADDITIONAL PRESENCE AND SUPPORT.
AGAIN, WE LOVE THE RIVER PROJECT.
I WILL SAY THAT AT THE OUTSET, WE WANT OUR FAMILIES TO FEEL WELCOMED AND SAFE, UH, AT WEST GRAY.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A PLACE FOR ALL RIGHT.
DURING THE, DURING THE WEEK, IT'S LARGELY ELDERLY, UM, PARTICIPANTS WITH DISABILITIES, LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS.
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, I WAS THERE LAST TUESDAY, 10:00 AM THERE WERE 30 PEOPLE IN THE GREEN ROOM, ALSO KNOWN AS JAY'S ROOM, WHO HAD ALREADY GOTTEN THERE BY 10:00 AM THEY'RE GETTING THERE BY METRO LIFT.
AND SO THERE'S CONCERN TOO, BY SOME OF THEM ARRIVE AS EARLY AS FIVE 30 WITH METRO LIFT.
THE BUILDING DOESN'T OPEN UNTIL SEVEN.
SO ALTHOUGH I DON'T RESIDE THERE, LIKE, UM, I WAS ADVISED BY POLICE OFFICER TO GO HOME AND, YOU KNOW, DON'T WORRY MY PUTTING AHEAD BASICALLY.
BUT THAT'S WHERE I OVERSEE THE PROGRAM, WHETHER I LIVE THERE OR NOT.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT ANYBODY WHO'S A VULNERABLE PERSON WHO DOESN'T HAVE, UM, SAFETY OR SECURITY, AND THAT, THAT THAT FACILITY'S THE ONLY PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GET THOSE KINDS OF ACTIVITIES.
THEY'RE NOT REALLY OFFERED ANYWHERE ELSE.
SO, I MEAN, HATS OFF TO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A GREAT THING THAT HOUSTON DOES THAT MOST CITIES ACROSS TEXAS DO, DON'T DO.
OR MOST CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY DON'T HAVE.
IT'S, IT'S THAT, AND WE WANNA KEEP THOSE.
AGAIN, I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER FAMILIES.
I JUST WANTED TO TEASE OUT A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.
UM, YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT THAT I WILL, I WILL WORK ON THIS, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DIRECTOR PONS, WHO DOES A TERRIFIC JOB.
UM, AND WITH OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS, I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A HOT POTATO SITUATION WITH PROVIDING SECURITY THERE.
SO MAYOR, ANY SUPPORT YOU CAN PROVIDE, BUT WE'LL HEAR FROM THE FAMILIES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE HEARING THE CONCERN.
I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE FRED WOODS TO FOLLOW JEROME NICKERSON ON THE SPEAKER'S LIST.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME TODAY.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE HARRIS COUNTY AREA, AND I LIVE RIGHT BY THAT MULTIPURPOSE CENTER ON WEST GRAY.
AND I'VE NOTICED, UH, A LOT OF ISSUES LATELY OVER THERE MYSELF.
UM, ONE, A HOMELESS MAN WAS, UH, LIVING RIGHT ACROSS FROM YOUR PLAYGROUND AND HE WAS DEFINITELY NOT OF MIND.
HE WAS ON SOME KIND OF DRUGS, AND IT'S RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE PLAYGROUND, AND THAT'S A SPOT WHERE THEY'RE HIDING QUITE A BIT.
THEY ALSO HAVE PROVIDED THEM FREE USE OF POWER.
THEY, THEY PULL IN THERE, THEY CHARGE THEIR CELL PHONES, THEY GO IN THERE, THEY USE A HAIR DRYER, DRY THEIR SNEAKERS.
UM, AND THAT SAME PERSON CAME BACK AGAIN AND IT WAS IN THE SAME SPOT.
SO THEY FEEL PRETTY COMFORTABLE THERE.
AND THEN ON, UH, JANUARY 25TH, UM, ON A SATURDAY, THERE WAS A MENTALLY DISTURBED INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS CHASED OUT OF LIVING IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING ON THE RIGHT CORNER, RIGHT BEFORE I WALKED BY ON THE TRACK.
AND SHE WAS SET OUT THERE WITH HER STUFF.
ALL HER BELONGINGS LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE SLEEPING BAG.
AND THEY ASKED HER, THE PARK RANGER WAS THERE THAT DAY AND SECURITY, AND THEY ASKED HER TO LEAVE.
AND THAT'S WHEN THE CURSING AND THE SHOUTING.
AND IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T GOOD.
UM, OBVIOUSLY A MAN AND HIS CHILD WENT INTO COMPLAINT ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, I DON'T FEEL SAFE PERSONALLY 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN ASSAULTED WHEN I WAS DOWNTOWN.
THAT'S WHY I DON'T RIDE METRO.
UM, WAITING ON THE BUS THAT NEVER CAME.
HOMELESS LADY WALKS UP PIERCE MILE.
I'M AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUILDING THERE AND SOCKS ME, RIGHT.
LOOKS IN MY FACE, SOCKS ME RIGHT IN THE KISSER.
AND THAT'S WHY I DON'T FEEL SAFE WHEN THESE TYPE OF INDIVIDUALS ARE HANGING AROUND THE BUILDING.
I WALK THERE EVERY DAY, 30 MINUTES, AND I'M ALWAYS LOOKING AROUND THE BUILDING TO SEE WHAT I'M GOING TO ENCOUNTER.
UM, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. BLAIR FOR COMING.
UH, AGAIN, I'VE, I'VE, AND ONCE I, I HEARD FROM EILEEN, I STARTED TO DO SOME CALLS AND I DID HEAR OF INSTANCES OF, UH, PUBLIC NUDITY, UH, SOME OTHER TYPES OF INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR.
WE DO WANT WEST GRAY, I JUST NEED TO SAY THIS AT THE OUTSET, AND I THINK EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY AGREES.
WE WANT WEST GRAY TO BE A WELCOMING SPACE FOR ALL.
IT WOULD BE NICE, WE HAVE A LOT OF UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS THAT DO USE THE FACILITY THAT, UM, NEED THE FACILITY AND ARE GREAT COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
[00:35:01]
THEY'RE AND ENGAGED.WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO IF THEY'RE ATTACKED? THEY'RE RIGHT THERE.
AND I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, WHERE THERE'S SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT, UM, ARE NOT ABIDING BY THE POLICIES.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CHILDREN ARE SAFE AND PROTECTED AS WELL, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE PARKED THERE RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE PLAYGROUND AND THEY'RE THERE QUITE OFTEN.
WE HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH SOME OF THE GATES.
UM, MAYOR, JUST SO YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE'VE WORKED TO HAVE ONE OF THE SIDE BACK GATES.
UH, IT'S LOCKED, BUT SOMEBODY CUTS IT PRETTY MUCH EVERY OTHER WEEK, REALLY.
UM, THERE, THERE'S OTHER CHALLENGES AROUND THE FACILITY, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY IS THE REQUEST FOR A PARK RANGER TO BE STATIONED THERE DURING THE DAY.
UM, OR SOME TYPE OF SECURITY PERSONNEL TO BE STATIONED THERE.
I DID SEE THEM TRYING, YOU KNOW, I SAW A SECURIST TRUCK, UH, CAR ONE DAY.
AND, AND TWO WEEKS AGO WE HAD THE CHALLENGE OF DECOMMISSIONING THE WARMING CENTER.
SO THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE LINGERING IN HP ACCEPTED IN.
THAT'S, SO THAT'S WHAT GOT THERE.
THEN THEY DIDN'T WANNA LEAVE AND THEY WERE JUST, AND WE GET THAT, THAT'S A UNIQUE SITUATION, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, FOR THE FAMILIES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, UTILIZING WEST GRAY, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL SAFE AND COMFORTABLE.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TO YOU, MAYOR.
I'D LIKE TO WORK WITH YOUR OFFICE, UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE DO HAVE THE SUPPORT FOR SECURITY PERSONNEL THERE.
DO YOU ANYTHING ELSE? I UNDERSTAND, I'M ASKING IF WE CAN WORK WITH YOUR OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S SECURITY PERSONNEL.
I WAS THERE, UH, SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE SNOW STORM AND OF A REGULAR VISITOR.
HELLO EVERYONE, I'M DEBORAH QUINTERO.
AND I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AT WEST GRAY.
PABLO HAS GONE TO THE RIVER FOR 15 YEARS.
WE USED TO DRIVE IN FROM THE SUBURBS TO GO TO WEST GRAY BACK AND FORTH, AND THEN WE MOVED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE LIVE A MILE AWAY FROM THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, AND WE MOVED HERE BECAUSE OF NOT JUST THE RIVER, A LOT BECAUSE OF THE RIVER, BUT THE FACILITIES, BECAUSE HE COULD GET THERE, UH, WITH METRO LIFT.
AND WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I ARE GETTING TOO OLD AND GRAY TO DRIVE HIM AROUND, WE HOPE THAT THAT'S A PLACE THAT HE'LL BE ABLE TO GO TO AS A SAFE SPACE.
I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT BEING INVOLVED WITH WHAT GOES ON HERE IN THE CITY.
AS MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME SPEAK BEFORE, BUT I'M ALSO REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THIS YOUNG MAN.
AND, UM, UH, THE, UH, SITUATION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE WANNA BE A PLACE FOR ALL.
HOUSTON IS WELL KNOWN NATIONWIDE FOR THEIR SERVICES.
THEY PROVIDE FOR THE UNHOUSED.
I THINK AN INCIDENT THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF.
YOU KNOW, PAULA AND I HAVE USED THE THERAPY POOL THERE AT WEST GRAY.
IT'S, IT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO ENJOY.
BUT WE HAD TO BE VETTED TO USE THAT POOL WHERE THERE WAS A DOCTOR'S FORM.
DO YOU THINK AFTER SWIMMING IN THE THERAPY POOL IN THE MORNING, I'M GONNA TURN AROUND AND LET PABLO GO INTO THE MEN'S LOCKER ROOM ON HIS OWN, KNOWING THAT THERE MIGHT BE A MENTALLY ILL PERSON THERE THAT, UM, THE STAFF JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME OR ABILITY TO DO THAT SWEEP.
LET'S SAY THAT THEY OFFERED THEM THE SHOWER SERVICES FROM SEVEN TO NINE, GREAT.
BUT LET'S JUST SAY THE STAFF CAN'T GET IN THERE.
OR MAYBE THERE'S SOMEONE WHO JUST DOESN'T WANT TO LEAVE.
I WANT WES GRAY TO BE A SAFE SPACE FOR EVERYONE, AND I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT PABLO AND ALL HIS FRIENDS THAT COME THERE, AND THE PARENTS WHO ARE JUST COMING DOWN TO WEST GRAY FOR THE FIRST TIME TO DROP OFF THEIR PRECIOUS CARGO.
I KNOW THE RIVER PROGRAM HAS ONE-ON-ONE VOLUNTEERS.
THEY EVEN HAVE A FULL-TIME NURSE ON STAFF, SHOULD ANY KID, SO THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROGRAM FULLY.
BUT CAN YOU IMAGINE A NEW PARENT COMING IN, DROPPING OFF THEIR PRECIOUS CARGO FOR THE FIRST TIME AND SEEING THE CHAOS THAT HAPPENS THERE SOMETIMES? SO I AM IN FAVOR OF INHERENT ENHANCED SECURITY MEASURES FOR WEST GRAY, INCLUDING
[00:40:01]
LOCKING THE GATES AT NIGHT.WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, THOSE GATES WERE LOCKED AT THE, AT THE BUILDING WASN'T OPEN.
AND, UM, I THINK SOMEHOW THE ISSUE OF WHAT SERVICES YOU WANNA PROVIDE, THE UNHOUSED NEEDS TO BE REVISITED BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN INTAKE LOCATION TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH WHO ARE UNHOUSED.
AND, UM, WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE THAT WORK.
BUT LIKE EILEEN EDMUND SAID, THIS IS THE PLACE THAT YOU WANNA BE IF YOU HAVE A LOVED ONE WITH A DISABILITY, TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS. THANK YOU.
DEBORAH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR VOICE AND YOUR ADVOCACY.
AND PAULO, I I THINK WE'VE DANCED TOGETHER BEFORE.
UH, AND WE SAW YOU AT THE LIBRARY AND WE'VE, WE'VE SEEN YOU A LOT OF PLACES, SO IT, IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE.
BUT AGAIN, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME TAKEN.
I'M, YOU, Y'ALL SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE TAKEN THE TIME.
UM, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU ALL WORKING WITH MY OFFICE SO THAT WE CAN, UM, HELP SUPPORT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THAT WE NEED, UM, FOR WHAT IS, AS EILEEN SAID, A GEM RIGHT, RIGHT.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS SAFE.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR A PROCEDURAL MOTION.
I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE PETER CONTRERAS TO FOLLOW THE NEXT SPEAKER.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES.
PETER CONTRERA, THANK YOU FOR PUSHING ME UP.
I HAVE SOME KIDS TO PICK UP AT SCHOOL, AND, UH, I THINK WE'VE MET BEFORE THIS CASE STATE.
BUT, UM, TODAY, I, I COME TO YOU TODAY ON BEHALF OF MILLIONS OF ELDERLY AMERICANS WHO ARE LOSING THEIR LIFE SAVINGS, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO ORGANIZED SCAMMERS, EXPLOITING POLITICAL EXTREMISM AND TWISTING REALITY.
THIS MESSAGE IS FOR YOU, BUT ALSO PROBABLY BEST FOR THE PRESIDENT.
THAT IS, UH, INTERTWINED IN ALL THIS.
MY OWN MOTHER LOST OVER $550,000, HER LIFE SAVINGS TO SCAMMERS LIKE THESE, BELIEVING IN A FABRICATED NARRATIVE THAT THE IRS WOULD DISAPPEAR.
THAT THERE'S A NEW WORLD ORDER COMING, TAKING OVER, AND, AND THAT HER MONEY NEEDS TO BE ALL MOVED TO SOME, UH, CRYPTOCURRENCY, WHICH ENDS UP BEING FRAUDULENT.
THESE CRIMINALS PREY ON TRUST, PATRIOTISM AND FAITH USING PLATFORMS LIKE TELEGRAM, ACCOUNTS LIKE WHIPLASH ON X.
AND THE MOVEMENT BEHIND Q ANON TO DECEIVE THE MOST VULNERABLE AMONG US.
MR. PRESIDENT, THESE ARE NOT JUST CONSPIRACY THEORISTS.
AND I URGE YOU TO TAKE ACTION UNDER THE RICO ACT TO PROSECUTE AND BRING THEM TO JUSTICE.
THEY'RE NOT ONLY ROBBING OUR SENIORS BLIND, BUT ALSO SHIFTING THE BURDEN ONTO THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER, FORCING THE GOVERNMENT TO CARE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST EVERYTHING.
MY MOTHER IDOLIZES YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, IF SHE COULD HEAR FROM YOU DIRECTLY THAT THESE ARE LIES THAT THESE SCAMMERS DO NOT SPEAK FOR YOU, HER GREATEST WISH WOULD BE FULFILLED.
IT WOULD BE LIKE, MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION FOR THE ELDERLY, BECAUSE THE ELDERLY ALSO HAVE SOULS THAT MATTER.
I'D LIKE TO MEET YOU AS WELL TO PLAY ROUND OF GOLF.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT YOU THINK TAKE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION WHERE THEY, WHEN THEY MATTER THE MOST.
SO THANK YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR HELP.
NEXT SPEAKER, MARISSA DOUGHERTY.
MARISSA DOUGHERTY TO BE FOLLOWED BY BROOKE JACKSON, WHICHEVER ONE YOU LIKE.
FIRST, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'M AN INDEPENDENT ANIMAL RESCUER RESIDENT AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN THE NORTH SHEPHERD DISTRICT.
IN DISTRICT H, STRAY ANIMALS ARE A MAJOR ISSUE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, ESPECIALLY LOOSE DOGS.
[00:45:01]
FRIENDLY, BUT MANY OF THEM ARE NOT.THEY CHASE PEDESTRIANS, THEY BITE THEM, THEY CAUSE PROPERTY DAMAGE, AND THEY CAUSE TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS.
THANKS TO BARK ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS AS WELL AS LOCAL NONPROFITS AND ANIMAL RESCUERS.
WE'VE ADDRESSED MANY INDIVIDUAL SITUATIONS THAT CREATE PROBLEMS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT THE ANIMAL CRISIS IS A PERPETUAL PROBLEM THAT NO ONE PERSON, ORGANIZATION, OR NONPROFIT CAN ADDRESS.
ALONE ANIMALS ARE BORN YEAR ROUND IN HOUSTON'S WARM CLIMATE, AND WE CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE EVER-GROWING POPULATION.
A MANDATORY STERILIZATION LAW AND FOREST BY THE CITY'S ANIMAL CONTROL WOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARD GIVING BARK A TIME, TIME TO MAKE A DENT IN THIS CRISIS.
HOUSTON IS A BIG CITY, BOTH IN SQUARE MILES AND IN POPULATION SIZE, BUT WE ALLOCATE LESS MONEY PER CAPITA TO OUR ANIMAL CONTROL AND CITY SHELTER, MUCH LESS THAN OTHER SMALLER TEXAN CITIES LIKE SAN ANTONIO BARK'S.
CURRENT BUDGET IS INSUFFICIENT TO MEET HOUSTON'S NEEDS, AND IT MEANS THAT BARK CAN'T ALWAYS HELP HOUSTONIANS LIKE THEY DESERVE.
HOWEVER, THE PROPOSAL TO TURN BARK INTO A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION PRESENTS A SOLUTION TO THESE BUDGET ISSUES.
AS AN LGC BARK COULD FUNDRAISE IN A WAY THAT THEY CURRENTLY CAN'T BECAUSE THEY'RE A PUBLICLY FUNDED CITY ENTITY.
THIS WOULD BENEFIT BARK'S, STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND ALSO HOUSTONIANS THEMSELVES AS AN LGC.
NEW AVENUES WOULD BE OPEN TO BARK EVEN DOWN TO THE BARE BASICS, LIKE ESTABLISHING THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS HOUSTONIANS NEEDS.
BARK COULD BUILD NEW SHELTER SPACE TO HOUSE ANIMALS, HIRE ADDITIONAL STAFF, AND SET UP SATELLITE ADOPTION CENTERS AROUND HOUSTON.
I'M VERY CURIOUS HOW BARK WOULD FUNCTION AS AN LGC, AND THAT'S ONE OF MANY REASONS I WANT TO SEE THIS PROPOSAL MOVE FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN ALL BETTER UNDERSTAND THE LOGISTICS INVOLVED.
FOR INSTANCE, HOW DOES BEING AN LGC AFFECT BARK'S RELATIONSHIP WITH INDEPENDENT RESCUERS AND NONPROFITS? THESE QUESTIONS CAN'T BE ANSWERED UNTIL THE PROPOSAL IS PRESENTED TO THE BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
BARK NONPROFITS AND INDEPENDENT RESCUERS HAVE CARRIED THIS AS FAR AS THEY CAN WITH OUR CURRENT RESOURCES, AND WE'RE NOT EVEN MAKING A DENT IN THE ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION CRISIS FOR HOUSTON.
PLEASE ALLOW THIS PROPOSAL TO MOVE FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN DO RIGHT BY OUR FELLOW HOUSTONIANS.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TO, UM, SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND I WORKED ON AN AMENDMENT THAT GOT ADOPTED THAT WOULD STUDY, UH, WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, RIGHT? AND WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THAT PRESENTATION TO COME TO, UH, BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS AND SERVICE DELIVERY, UH, JOINT COMMITTEE.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S OPTIMISM THAT THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN MARCH.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS OPTIMISM IN DECEMBER AND IN JANUARY.
UM, AND THERE'S SOME FRUSTRATION OUT THERE ABOUT THE, UH, THE DELAY THAT THIS HAS INCURRED.
UM, BUT KNOW THAT I'M PUSHING FOR THIS BECAUSE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU LISTED.
UH, THE ABILITY TO BRING IN THE MONEY TO FUND OUR ANIMAL CONTROL EFFORTS AT THE ADEQUATE LEVEL, UH, THE WAY THAT, THAT WE CAN PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES.
WE CAN HIRE MORE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
UH, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS NOT MEETING THE NEED AND BARK IS DOING SOME TREMENDOUS WORK WITH THE RESOURCES THEY HAVE.
UH, BUT THEY COULD ABSOLUTELY USE MORE RESOURCES.
UM, AND SO THIS IS AN IDEA, YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR OUR, OUR, OUR BARK OPERATIONS AS A CITY? IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GONNA SOLVE IT, BUT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT IS, IF WE CAN'T GET, UH, THAT INFORMATION PRESENTED.
SO, UM, I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL, UM, AND Y'ALL BEING HERE TODAY, I KNOW THERE'S A NUMBER OF FOLKS HERE THAT ARE GONNA BE SPEAKING ON THIS ISSUE, UM, WILL HELP BUILD THAT CASE, UH, FOR GETTING THAT, THAT PRESENTATION INTO OUR COMMITTEE AND, AND MOVING THIS, YOU KNOW, IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
AND THANK YOU FOR HOW YOU LAID IT OUT.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR BOARD MEMBERS SIGN UP SOMEWHERE, UM, I KNOW THAT THAT'S BEEN WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE A CHICKEN AND EGG WOULD NEED THE BOARD TO BE IN PLACE IN ORDER TO FIGURE OUT THE STRUCTURE.
UM, BUT I STILL THINK THAT THE PUBLIC AND EVERYONE IS OWED A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THIS IS GOING TO BE.
UM, THIS IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE ANIMAL LOVING CITY WITH HUGE RESOURCES.
I MEAN, IF Y'ALL HAVE EVER BEEN TO ANY ANIMAL FUNDRAISER, MAN, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY OUT THERE.
IT'S JUST NOT REALLY COMING TO BARK.
AND I THINK IF WE CAN REORGANIZE INTO A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION, UM, WITH ITS OWN BOARD WITH OF COURSE, OVERSIGHT BY, BY US, UM, WE HAVE A REAL CHANCE TO KIND OF CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF, OF HOW RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW WE FUND IT, HOW WE GET, HOW WE GET THE RESOURCES WE NEED IN HERE.
SO THANKS FOR LAYING IT OUT FOR US.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND I WILL KEEP MAKING THESE
[00:50:01]
CALLS EVERY MONTH, COMING THIS MONTH, COMING THIS MONTH, AND WE WON'T STOP.AND, UM, WE, WE WANNA SEE THIS DONE, AND I THINK YOU BE, AND OTHERS BEING HERE TODAY, UM, WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR SUPPORTING THIS AND BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE TIME TO, UH, PRESENT THE ADVOCACY FOR THE LGC FOR THE YOUTH FOOT PARK ANIMAL SHELTER.
I DO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH MANY ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M A THIRD GENERATION OAK FOREST RESIDENT, AS WELL AS A NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH SHEPHERD DISTRICT, AS WELL AS A ACRES HOMES AND INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS.
UM, IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE ANIMAL CONTROL, EXCUSE ME, THE HOMELESS ANIMAL POPULATION HAS COMPLETELY EXPLODED.
UM, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVE NOT MOVED FORWARD WITH A MANDATORY SPAN NEUTER LAW THAT I UNDERSTAND, OF COURSE, THAT THAT BECOMES WITH, WITH FUNDS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS, BUT AT LEAST IT WOULD BE A START.
I HAD THIS ALL DOWN ON A PIECE OF PAPER AND NOW I, OF COURSE, I FORGOT IT AT HOME.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE LGC, I DO STRONGLY RECOMMEND KEEPING NO KILL OUT.
THAT IDEOLOGY IS NOT REALISTIC FOR A CITY THE SIZE OF OURS.
UM, MAYBE IN SMALLER TOWNS WHERE THEY HAVE MORE FOSTERS AND, UH, FUNDS AVAILABLE, BUT REALISTICALLY HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS JUST NOT FEASIBLE.
WE, IT IS DETERMINED THAT WE HAVE PROBABLY MORE HOMELESS ANIMALS THAN POPULATION AT THIS POINT.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF IT, ANY OF Y'ALL HAVE EVER DONE IT RIDE ALONG WITH ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER OR MAYBE EVEN MADE AN, AN UNANNOUNCED VISIT TO BARK, BUT IT'S, THERE'S AN AREA CLOSE BARK CALLED A CORRIDOR OF CRUELTY FOR A VERY GOOD REASON.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
UM, ANOTHER REASON WHY I BELIEVE THE LGC SHOULD BE KEPT NO KILL IS BECAUSE KANSAS CITY RECENTLY HAD TO TAKE THEIR ANIMAL CONTROL, EXCUSE ME, THEIR ANIMAL SHELTER BACK.
UM, DUE TO THE IDEOLOGY, THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING IN ANIMALS OFF THE STREET.
DUE TO THE IDEA OF NO KILL, NO KILL SHELTER MEANS ONLY NO KILLS AT THE SHELTER, NOT NECESSARILY ON THE STREETS WHERE ANIMALS SUFFER FAR WORSE, UH, JUST THAN HUMANE EUTHANASIA.
UH, THE BOARD, THE BUDGET SHORTFALL HERE IN HOUSTON, UH, AS MARISSA STATED, MARISSA STATED, I BELIEVE IT'S 15.7 MILLION FOR THIS YEAR.
WHEREAS IN DALLAS AND IN SAN ANTONIO, IT'S ALMOST TWICE THAT AMOUNT.
OUR HU OUR OUR CITY IS NOT POOR.
WE, I MEAN, WE HAVE A BOOMING ECONOMY.
THERE'S JUST NO WAY THAT THAT CAN BE FEASIBLE.
I DO KNOW THAT BARK IN 2024 TOOK IN OVER 2000 MORE ANIMALS THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
SINCE 2019, THEY ALSO PERFORMED 923 MORE ADOPTIONS AND 1304, 1340 MORE STERILIZATION SERVICES UNDER THE NEW DIRECTOR AT BARK, JARED MES AND HIS ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS.
BUT AGAIN, AS MAURISSA STATED, IT'S ONLY A DENT.
THE FOSTERS, THE, THE RESCUERS, THE CHOPPERS LIKE WHAT I DO IN THE STREETS, UM, IT'S JUST NOT SUSTAINABLE.
WE ARE AGAIN, A ANIMAL, HUGE ANIMAL LOVING CITY, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT ON OUR OWN.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDS IN ORDER FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.
AS FAR AS ALSO BECOMING AN LGC AND THE BOARD MEMBERS, I DO RECOMMEND MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY IN PLACE AS FAR AS THE BOARD MEMBERS GO, THAT ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT AND ARE OUT AND HAVE EITHER BEEN OUT IN THE STREETS OR ARE HUGE ANIMAL ADVOCATES WHO HAVE REAL WORKING KNOWLEDGE ON WHAT IS HAPPENING, NOT VERSUS SOMEBODY WHO JUST WANTS THE POSITION.
WE NEED ANIMAL ADVOCATES WHO ARE THERE, WHO HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO, UM, JUST WANT TO CLOSE BY SAYING THAT THE PROBLEM EXISTS AND IGNORING IT IS NOT GONNA MAKE IT GO AWAY.
IT JUST AS THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS HERE, I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY THAT THIS IS AN INHERITED PROBLEM OVER SEVERAL, UH, ADMINISTRATIONS.
AND RATHER THAN, RATHER THAN HOPING THAT THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE, WE ACTUALLY NEED TO MAKE CHANGE.
I EXPIRED
THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
AND, AND, UM, THESE WILL BE, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, THE, THE BOARD WILL BE PUT TOGETHER BY THE MAYOR'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UM, OFFICE.
IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE GOOD, PLEASE SUBMIT THEM.
YOU CAN SUBMIT 'EM TO MY OFFICE OR ANYONE'S OFFICE AND WE CAN GET THEM TO THAT OFFICE TO, TO BE VETTED.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS YOU WELL KNOW, THE ANIMAL WELFARE COMMUNITY IS BROAD AND VAST AND NOT EVERYBODY AGREES ON STUFF.
SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, DO OUR BEST TO WHEN THIS GETS FORMED AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO HAVE
[00:55:01]
THESE DISCUSSIONS IN, IN A PUBLIC FORUM SO WE CAN KIND OF, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, BUT, BUT I HOPE, IT'S MY HOPE THAT WHEN, AS, AS WE PROGRESS ON THIS, THAT EVERYBODY CAN KIND OF GET BEHIND IT.EVERYBODY'S NOT GONNA BE PROBABLY BEST FRIENDS WITH EVERY SINGLE BOARD MEMBER OR WHATEVER, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET SOME, SOME CONTINUITY AND SOME COHESIVENESS IN, IN, IN THIS NEW VISION.
SO, UH, BUT, BUT AGAIN, ANOTHER REASON WHY WE NEED TO HAVE A GOOD PUBLIC OPEN DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA BE CONSIDERED.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SALLY ALCORN AND, UH, MR. CASTILLO FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE SPAN NEUTER INITIATIVES AND EVERYTHING WE'RE CALLED DO FOR WORK AS WELL.
SANDY FRANCIS TO BE FOLLOWED BY SYLVIA LOPEZ.
HELLO, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
I'M A 60 YEAR RESIDENT OF HOUSTON, AND TODAY I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE NORTH SHEPHERD DISTRICT.
I'M ALSO AN ACTIVE ANIMAL ADVOCATE AND INDEPENDENT RESCUER AND TRAPPER.
I TRAP HARD TO CATCH STRAY DOGS AND CATS.
WOULD YOU STEP OVER AND SPEAK INTO THE MIC FOR LOCAL RESCUE GROUPS? I DO THIS FOR NO COMPENSATION.
I'VE NOT ACTUALLY KEPT RECORDS OF HOW MANY ANIMALS I'VE TRAPPED, BUT WELL INTO THE HUNDREDS.
UM, IT'S A MERE DROP IN THE BUCKET OF THE ABANDONED AND STRAIGHT ANIMAL PROBLEM.
AS YOU KNOW, HOUSTON HAS AN ASTOUNDING NUMBER OF STRAIGHT ANIMALS.
IT IS MORE THAN AN EMBARRASSMENT.
I'M ONE OF MANY IN HOUSTON WHO DO THIS, BASICALLY DOING THE CITY'S JOB FOR FREE.
I'M OFTEN THERE EITHER VOLUNTEERING, DROPPING OFF DOGS, NETWORKING 'EM OUT OF THE SHELTER, UM, HELPING TRANSPORT 'EM TO OTHER STATES, BUT IT, IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
I ALSO VOLUNTEER FOR LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WHO SPAY AND NEUTERED THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS YEARLY AT NO CHARGE TO THE RESIDENTS.
I KNOW THE SYSTEM WELL AND I SEE THE RESULTS MONTHLY.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU ALL WHAT YOU CAN DO AS OUR CITY REPRESENTATIVES TO HELP FIND A WORKABLE SOLUTION FOR THIS CRISIS.
WHY IS THE CITY IGNORING THIS PROBLEM? AND DEPENDING ON LOCAL NONPROFIT GROUPS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM? WHERE DO YOU STAND ON MAKING THE CITY SAFER AND COMPATIBLE WITH OTHER CITIES WHO ARE NOT ONLY SMALLER IN AREA ALSO POPULATION? IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MAYOR WHITMEYER AND OTHERS ARE IN FAVOR OF MAKING OUR SHELTER AND LGC ALLOWING SPECIFIC FUNDING AND DONATIONS TO BE DIRECTED TO ANIMAL CONTROL AND SPAY AND NEUTER INITIATIVES, ALLOWING LOCAL NONPROFIT GROUPS TO ACTIVELY FUND RAISE SPECIFICALLY FOR ANIMAL WELFARE.
I AND MANY OTHER ANIMAL ADVOCATES STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS.
THERE IS AN ARMY OF RESCUERS THAT WORK WITH SPECIFIC GROUPS LIKE PET SET, RPM AND THE EMPTY SHELTER PROJECT, AS WELL AS INDEPENDENT RESCUERS LIKE ME WHO ARE EXPERIENCED, WILLING, AND ABLE TO WORK WITH BARK AND UNDER THEIR DIRECTION.
PLEASE HELP US, HELP OUR COMMUNITIES, HELP US WORK TOGETHER AND TRY AND GET THIS ANIMAL CRISIS UNDER CONTROL.
IMAGINE WHAT WE CAN DO IF WE COMBINE OUR EFFORTS.
PLEASE DO NOT DUPLICATE THE INEFFECTIVE PRACTICES OF THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
PLEASE SUPPORT MAKING OUR HARD FOUGHT BATTLE COUNT TOWARD MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
UM, BEFORE MAYOR WHITMEYER EXCUSED HIMSELF, I WANTED TO REMIND HIM HE RAN ON SOME OF THESE PROMISES AND SO FAR WE'RE NOT SEEING IT.
UM, I VOTED FOR HIM AND I WANTED TO ASK HIM, PLEASE SUPPORT MAKING BARK AND LGC UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THOSE WHO CARE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM.
AND SANDY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I KNOW, UM, THE NORTH SHEPHERD DISTRICT AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES ARE SO ENGAGED AROUND THIS ISSUE AND DO SO MUCH TO HELP, UH, WITH THE ANIMAL POPULATION THAT Y'ALL DEAL WITH.
YOU KNOW, WHEN, UH, I HAVE A TOWN HALL, UH, A COUPLE IN, A COUPLE WEEKS IN THAT AREA, DIRECTOR MEERS WILL BE THERE.
UH, GOOD, UH, BECAUSE HE ALSO KNOWS HOW MUCH Y'ALL DO AND, AND HOW ENGAGED YOU ARE AROUND THIS ISSUE.
SO KEEP UP THE ADVOCACY, UH, BECAUSE WE, WE, THAT HELPS US HERE.
UH, SO I'M GLAD Y'ALL ARE HERE.
I'M GLAD Y'ALL ARE SPEAKING ON THIS.
UH, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
I TOO WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR RIGHT HERE.
UM, FOR EVERYTHING THAT NORTH SHEPHERD IS DOING AND THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, UM, BROOKE, THANK YOU ALSO FOR COMING.
UM, AS A, SHE BROOKE'S A DISTRICT C RESIDENT, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE ALL IN THAT AREA FACING THIS ISSUE.
UM, AND WHILE MY OFFICE COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S
[01:00:01]
OFFICE ARE CONTINUING TO FUND, RIGHT, NOT JUST ADOPTION DAYS, BUT SPAY AND NEUTER DAYS AND WORKING WITH OUR FOSTER, UH, ORGANIZATIONS TO GET THEM OUT OF BARK AND INTO HOMES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.BUT TO YOUR POINT, AND TO EVERYONE THAT'S SPOKEN Y'ALL'S POINT, WE HAVE TO HAVE A HOLISTIC SOLUTION HERE THAT, THAT WORKS.
THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN ADOPT OUR WAY OUT OF THIS.
AND SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL.
UM, IT IS AN ISSUE CITYWIDE AND SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL VOICE BRINGING ATTENTION IN IN OUR AREA AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERY AND EVERYONE DOES KNOW.
I MEAN, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ HAD SPOKEN TO IT EARLIER, RIGHT? IT'S HAPPENING EVERYWHERE.
BUT I KNOW THE STAFF AT BARK, UM, IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN, BUT THEY NEED THAT SUPPORT FINANCIALLY AND A PLAN MOVING FORWARD.
NEXT SPEAKER SYLVIA LOPEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY DORY WOLF.
HELLO, HOUSTON IS DEALING WITH A CONSIDERABLE CHALLENGE RESULTING FROM THE OVERPOPULATION OF DOGS AND CATS.
THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE HIGHLIGHTED THIS ISSUE A FEW YEARS AGO, MENTIONING OVER 1 MILLION UNALTERED DOGS AND FREE ROWING PETS LIVING IN OUR CITY.
THE TERM UNALTERED EMPHASIZE THE UN UNSUSTAINABLE REPRODUCTION LEVELS THAT ARE NEITHER BARK NOR RESCUES CAN EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS THESE STRAYS ORIGINATE FROM THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
I LIVE AND GREW UP IN AN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY.
I'M JOINED TODAY BY MY FELLOW INDEPENDENT RESCUERS WHO SHARE THE SAME PASSION IN HELPING THE STRAY DOGS IN OUR CITY.
WE VOLUNTEER OUR EFFORTS TO RESCUE AND SECURE RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE DOGS A SECOND CHANCE USING BARK AS THE LAST RESORT.
HOWEVER, MY SPECIALTY IS IN OUTREACH.
I HAVE FOUNDED MY OWN ORGANIZATION THAT CONDUCTS DOOR-TO-DOOR OUTREACH, EDUCATION FREE RESOURCES, AND HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF SPAIN AND NEUTERING TO HELP REDUCE THE ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION.
THE RESIDENTS WELCOME THE HELP AND WANT TO DO RIGHT BY THEIR PETS AFTER THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR ACCIDENTAL LITTERS ARE ADDING TO THE CRISIS IN OUR CITY.
MY OUTREACH EFFORTS HAVE GENERATED SUCCESSFUL RESULTS.
THANKS IN LARGE PART TO MY COLLABORATION WITH THE EMPTY SHELTER PROJECT, ALSO KNOWN AS TE TEST SERVICES ARE UNDER TE SERVICES, THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN HIGH VOLUME, PRE SPAY AND NEUTERING CORE VACCINATIONS AND MICROCHIPPING FOR OWN PETS WHERE THE NEED IS GREAT BARK HAS COLLABORATED WITH TESS IN THE PAST AND TARGETED AN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY WHERE NEARLY 600 DOGS AND CATS WERE ALTERED IN ONE DAY.
IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS AND WE BROKE A RECORD BARK.
THEY NEED ASSISTANCE AND COLLABORATION.
I AM HERE IN SUPPORT IN TRANSITIONING, BARK INTO AN LGC WITH THE GREAT BOARD THAT WILL ALLOW OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER UP AND COLLABORATE TO GET TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM.
SPAYING AND NEUTERING IS THE SOLUTION FOR A HEALTHIER PET, A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY, AND REDUCE THE OVERPOPULATION OF STRAYS SUFFERING IN OUR CITY.
WE ARE HERE AS ALLIES AND WE THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO OUR POINTS OF VIEWS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
NEXT SPEAKER DORY WOLF, TO BE FOLLOWED BY AUDREY AND ANDRE RUBY.
HELLO, I'M DORY WOLF OF WOLF ENERGY AND UH, UH, ALSO A PART-TIME EMPLOYEE WITH A NONPROFIT SOLAR UNITED NEIGHBORS.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK, UH, IN MEMORY AND HONOR OF AN ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE, EPHRAIM JERNIGAN.
AND HE'S ALSO A SUNNYSIDE NATIVE, AND HE PASSED AWAY ON JANUARY 21ST.
AND I'M ENJOIN BY OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WELL, RAIM ACHIEVED MANY OF HIS AMAZING VISIONS.
ONE OF HIS MOST BELOVED WITH A SUNNYSIDE SOLAR FARM REMAINS INCOMPLETE.
I MET EPHRAIM AT MY HOUSE IN 2017.
I WAS VOLUNTEERING PART OF A SOLARIZED HOUSTON, UH, PROGRAM.
AND AFTER I GAVE MY SPIEL, HE SAID, YOU NEED TO COME TO TALK TO MY STEM STUDENTS.
AND I WAS LIKE, OUR SOLAR COLLABORATION BEGAN.
YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT THE SUNNYSIDE 240 ACRE UNMAINTAINED CLOSED LANDFILL BISECTED BY INCINERATOR ROAD WAS OFFICIALLY CLOSED IN 1970S AFTER AN 11-YEAR-OLD BOY DROWNED IN STANDING WATER.
BUT DID YOU KNOW THAT ON FEBRUARY 1ST, 2019, ALMOST EXACTLY SIX YEARS AGO, EPHRAIM GATHERED HIS COMMUNITY TOGETHER ON INCINERATOR
[01:05:01]
ROAD TO CELEBRATE THE SUNNYSIDE ENERGY TEAM BEING AWARDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP THE LANDFILL INTO A LANDMARK SOLAR FARM FRAM PROPOSED INCINERATOR ROAD, BE RENAMED SOLAR BOULEVARD.THE GATHERING RELAYED GREAT, GREAT VISION AND INCLUDED ESTEEM SPEAKERS SUCH AS COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHAVA.
FAST FORWARD TO TODAY, THE UN MAIN UNMAINTAINED LANDFILL REMAINS UNMAINTAINED, BUT MUCH HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
PERMITS ARE IN PLACE TO ALLOW A TWO MEGAWATT COMMUNITY, SOLAR FARM, AND A 50 MEGAWATT COMMERCIAL SOLAR FARM COMPLETE WITH BATTERY STORAGE TO BE BUILT A ATOP THE NEGLECTED SITE.
THE FARM WILL GENERATE ENOUGH POWER TO POWER UP TO 10,000 HOMES TO ACCORDING TO ERCOT, AT NO COST TO THE TAXPAYER.
WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THE CITY HAS GIVEN THE PROJECT OVER THE YEARS AND ARE URGING.
I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE A DOUBLING DOWN OF THAT SUPPORT.
WE NEED TO GET IT OVER THE FINAL HURDLES OF FINDING AN OFFTAKER OR OFF TAKERS FOR THE ENERGY AT A PRICE THAT ALLOWS FOR THE TOTAL, FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE TOTAL SITE.
THE COMMUNITY APPRECIATES COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS OZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER FOR RECENTLY MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY, MET REPRESENTATIVES AND SUPPORTING THE PROJECT.
NOTHING IS EASY ABOUT THIS SITE, BUT IT HAS, IT IS AN INJUSTICE.
IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING INJUSTICE THAT THE CITY HAS NOT PRIORITIZED ITS MAINTENANCE OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS IN M'S.
CAN I MAYBE I FINISH THE THANK YOU.
GO AHEAD AND FINISH IN RIM'S MEMORY.
THEN WE CAN TRULY CELEBRATE AS WE GATHER ON SOLAR BOULEVARD, KNOWING THE LANDFILL COVER WILL BE MAINTAINED BY THE BUSINESS OF GENERATING CLEAN, RENEWABLE POWER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UM, TALKING ABOUT REM WE WERE ALL VERY SADDENED TO HEAR THAT HE PASSED AWAY AND WE APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THE JOURNEY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE.
AND, AND THANK YOU MS. WOLF FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR ENERGY, AND CERTAINLY IN THE VISION OF YOUR, OF YOUR ALL'S FRIEND.
HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, OF COURSE, TO VISIT WITH YOU YESTERDAY AND TODAY.
AND I AM COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ AND FINDING A WAY TO GET THIS RESOLVED AND MOVE FORWARD.
AND I, I THINK CERTAINLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT SOLAR ENERGY AND BATTERIES AND ALL THAT BECAUSE OF OUR POWER GRID.
AND IT SEEMS THAT THERE'S SOMEONE OUT THERE THAT CAN HELP US.
AND I THINK TOGETHER WE'LL GET IT DONE.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL Y'ALL DO.
AND I CERTAINLY WAS THERE WAY BACK.
SEEMS LIKE IT WAS SO LONG AGO.
UH, BUT CERTAINLY I'M STILL SUPPORTING THIS.
AND I, I DID, UH, GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO A AFFIRM SERVICES.
AND I'M TELLING YOU, IT WAS STANDING ROOM ONLY.
HE WAS SO, SO WELL LOVED IN THE COMMUNITY AND HE HAD SUCH AN IMPACT ON NOT JUST ADULTS, BUT, BUT THE, THE CHILDREN WITH THE STEM PROGRAM AND THEN THE SOLAR PANELS.
AND CERTAINLY AT SOME POINT WHEN THIS COMES TO FRUITION, WE CERTAINLY NEED TO, I THINK, AFFIX HIS NAME TO SOMETHING TO COMMEMORATE HIS WONDERFUL WORK THAT HE HAS DONE.
AND SO I'M THANKFUL THAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE COME FORTH.
UM, YOU KNOW, MR. CAVE HAS BEEN CERTAINLY INVOLVED FROM THE ONSET AND WE ARE BOTH COMMITTED TO TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN GET THIS DONE.
UH, BECAUSE THAT, I, I BELIEVE THAT IT'S TAKEN FAR TOO LONG AND IT CERTAINLY WILL BE A GREAT BENEFIT TO THE PEOPLE IN THE SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY.
AND SO CERTAINLY I THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS STAYING AT THE FOREFRONT AND PLEASE REACH OUT TO, TO US AND WE WILL CERTAINLY, WE'LL, WE'LL ACTUALLY NEED TO DO A THINK TANK AND GET TOGETHER, I THINK, AND SEE WHERE ARE WE AND WHAT CAN WE DO.
'CAUSE I'M KINDA STRATEGIC LIKE THAT, SO HAPPY TO HELP WITH THAT.
ANDRE RUBY TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALVIN RIGGINGS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PRO TEMP AND COUNCIL, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU TODAY.
MY NAME IS ANDRE RUBY AND I'M THE CHIEF OF CITY AMBULANCE SERVICE STATEWIDE, YOUR LARGEST AMBULANCE SERVICE PRIVATELY OWNED RIGHT HERE IN THE HOUSTON METRO.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON, ENSURING THAT FATHERS, MOTHERS, DAUGHTERS AND SONS RECEIVE TIMELY HEALTHCARE AND TRANSPORT NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE HOUSTON METRO.
BUT IT'S SAD TO SAY THAT CHAPTER FOUR, SUBSECTION THREE IS HINDERING THE ABILITY TO DELIVER
[01:10:01]
CARE.WE HAVE RESPONDED IN 2024 TO OVER 75,000 HOUSTONIANS, 75,000 HOUSTONIANS.
AND TODAY WE LOOK AT AN ORDINANCE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED ON DECEMBER 14TH, 2011 THAT IS HINDERING THE ABILITY TO DELIVER CARE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU, AND I HAVE A PREPARED SPEECH, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BREAK FROM THAT AND SHARE.
I MET IN 2023 WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WITH THE BUREAU CHIEF WHO INFORMED ME THAT THIS ORDINANCE, THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
AND I QUOTE, IT'S THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE HAVE OVER 3,600 PARAMEDICS AND EMTS WHO RESPOND EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY WHEN THE SNOWSTORM HIT.
WE RAN 24 7 WHEN HOUSTON GOT HIT WITH TORNADOES.
TRUST ME, WE WERE THERE AT NRG WITH YOUR TEAMS WHEN THE HURRICANE BUR HIT.
WE ALL WERE WITHOUT POWER AWAY FROM OUR FAMILIES, SERVING MYSELF AS A STRIKE TEAM LEADER AT NRG, SERVING THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
THE REASON I SHARE THIS WITH YOU IS BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO A 28-YEAR-OLD CARDIAC ARREST PATIENT WHO WAS BEING TRANSPORTED NOT LONG AGO AND CRITICAL CONDITION.
AND WE WERE STOPPED BY AN INSPECTOR AT A RECEIVING FACILITY AND IT HELD UP THE CARE.
THINK ABOUT YOURSELF PUTTING YOUR 28-YEAR-OLD FEMALE DAUGHTER, AUNTIE COUSIN, ON THEIR WAY TO A LARGER FACILITY TO RECEIVE CARE WHO IS INTUBATED AND ESSENTIALLY ON LIFE SUPPORT, NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE THAT CARE BECAUSE THE PARAMEDIC OR EMT WHO IS FULLY CREDENTIALED, TRAINED AND EDUCATED, MAINTAINS A LOUISIANA DRIVER'S LICENSE.
THAT IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, FOLKS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ORDINANCE THAT PROHIBITS PARAMEDICS AND EMTS WORKING IN THIS GREAT CITY.
I CAME FROM THE STATE OF IOWA DOWN HERE THREE YEARS AGO, AND BY THE ORDINANCE, EVEN THOUGH I'M A CREDENTIALED FLIGHT PARAMEDIC WHO FLEW FOR 10 YEARS AND OPERATED IN 29 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, I COULD NOT DRIVE AN AMBULANCE IN THIS CITY.
THE INDIVIDUAL WHO'S CREDENTIALED TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE WHO ARE THE SICKEST CANNOT PROVIDE THE CARE.
WE WOULD NEVER ASK THAT OF ANYONE ELSE AND OUR ORGANIZATION TO DO ANYTHING MYSELF AS THE CHIEF OF AN ORGANIZATION WHO MAINTAINS A DRIVER PERMIT NOW HAD TO WAIT SIX MONTHS.
I, I GUESS I'M NOT FOLLOWING YOU.
WHAT, WHAT SPECIFICALLY ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT? YES.
SO I'M CONCERNED THAT I HAVE PARAMEDICS AND EMTS THAT COME TO THIS GREAT CITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN THEY COME, THEY'RE STOPPED AND TICKETED $385 BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A HOUSTON DRIVER'S PERMIT.
NOW TO OBTAIN THAT, SO ARE YOU, YOU HAVE A FLEET OF AMBULANCES AND YOU'VE WORKED FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT? I HAVE A FLEET OF AMBULANCE WHO IS PERMITTED WITH YOUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
OUR PARAMEDICS AND EMTS REQUIRE AN INDIVIDUAL PERMIT AS WELL TO OPERATE, TO OPERATE IN THE CITY.
WITH THAT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A TEXAS DRIVER'S LICENSE.
30% OF OUR STAFF, WHICH ARE CONTRACTED STAFF THAT WE BRING IN LIKE EVERY OTHER HOSPITAL WOULD ARE FROM OUT OF STATE.
AND SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU, YOU WANT OUR ORDINANCE TO NOT REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE TO GET THAT PERMIT? EITHER THAT THE ID FOR THE STATE EEE, EITHER THAT OR YOU MAKE A PROVISION IN YOUR ORDINANCE THAT ALLOWS OUT OF DRIVER'S LICENSE TO OBTAIN IT WITH A CERTIFIED DRIVING RECORD.
THE PROBLEM MAYOR PRO TEMP IS WHEN I MET WITH THEM AT THE CITY, THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT WITH CHIEF CHRISTOPHER SPARKS, HE SAID IT'S THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS.
AND SO IF THIS IS THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS, PLEASE LET ME PAY UP FRONT WHEN I PAY THE OTHER $90,000 THAT I PAY TO PERMIT MY AMBULANCES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, OKAY, I WILL ABSOLUTELY PAY THE ADDITIONAL 10 GRAND.
BUT PLEASE STOP HINDERING THE DELIVERANCE OF CARE ON CRITICAL PATIENTS WITH HEART ATTACK STROKES AND ST.
YOU 'CAUSE OF A TECHNICALITY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
ARE YOU REFERRING TO, BECAUSE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, RIGHT, HFD WILL RESPOND TO EMERGENCY
[01:15:01]
CALLS VIA 9 1 1.WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS SERVICE FOR, UH, MOVING A PATIENT FROM ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER.
BECAUSE YOU KEEP REFERRING TO EMS AND RESPONDING, BUT THIS IS FOR HOSPITAL TRANSPORT.
SO, AND OTHER TYPES OF PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION, NOT OUR PUBLIC SERVICES.
NOW, IF I MAY, WE DO BACK UP HFD WITH BARIATRIC CAPABILITIES ON 9 1 1 AND I RUN FOUR OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE FOR 9 1 1.
BUT AGAIN, IS, AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT WITH, WITH CONTRACTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I THINK WE'RE EVEN EXPANDING OUR CONTRACT ON THE NEXT AGENDA TO INCLUDE AND INCORPORATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRIVATE EMS AS IT PERTAINS TO TRANSPORT OF A PATIENT, NOT HD'S CARE.
AND I JUST YES, MA, I WANT US TO BE VERY MA'AM, CLEAR WITH WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, MA.
AND I WANNA BE CLEAR AS WELL, HFD, YOU GUYS HAVE AN AMAZING FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND I WORK ALONGSIDE OF THEM AND MANY CAPACITIES, UH, FROM SPECIAL EVENTS TO BACKING THEM UP ON BARIATRIC CALLS TO THEM ASSISTING US.
AND THEY'RE A GREAT ORGANIZATION.
AND, AND I THINK YOU HAVE A PHENOMENAL CHIEF AND CHIEF WHITE OF YOUR OPERATIONS IS GREAT THERE.
SO YES, IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT, UH, BUT IT IS AFFECTING HOUSTONIANS A ABSOLUTELY.
I JUST, AGAIN, SO WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME LEVEL.
WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WE'RE OPERATING.
WELL, WE, WE WILL CIRCLE BACK WITH THE BUREAU CHIEF AND SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND OUT AND, UM, HAVE THEM REACH OUT TO YOU SO WE CAN, UH, FURTHER THE CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
ALVIN RIGGINGS SHOULD BE FOLLOWED BY RODNEY UNDERWOOD.
HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY? DOING WELL, THANK YOU.
UH, THIS IS MY SECOND TIME HERE.
I'M THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF SWAYZE HYDRATION.
AND THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE I WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THE PERMITS AND LIKE, AND GETTING INTO THE CITY PARKS.
UH, WELL I WAS, I'M STILL TRYING TO GET INTO, UM, SPICE PARK AND TC JUST PARK, BUT THE PERMITS, IT IS LIKE, THE PERMITS REALLY DON'T MAKE SENSE 'CAUSE THE CITY DO IT LIKE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
BUT I'M ALSO IN BUFFALO BAYOU PARK AND THEY JUST DO A FLAT OUT ONE YEAR PYRAMID FOR A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND IT'S LIKE FIVE OR 6% OF ALL SALES AT THE PARK.
THE CITY PYRAMID IS LIKE DAY BY DAY AND LIKE THAT, THAT IT IS JUST, IT'S JUST A HASSLE TRYING TO GET THE PYRAMID AND GET INTO THE PARK.
TELL ME, YOU TELL ME THE NAME OF YOUR BUSINESS.
REMIND, REMIND US WHAT, WHAT YOU DO.
I WAS HERE LIKE, I BELIEVE JUNE OF LAST YEAR.
UH, SHE'S MY DISTRICT LEADER, BUT LIKE THE, I, I STILL, I HAVE A BUSINESS.
AND A LOT OF, WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS IS IT? IT'S A BEVERAGE BUSINESS.
SO YOU SELL DRINKS? YES, MA'AM.
I, UH, A COMMERCIAL KITCHEN WITH THE CITY.
SO I HAVE THE CITY PERMITS, I GET THE INSURANCE AND ALL LIKE THAT.
IT IS JUST, I HAVE LIKE A FEW CELLS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND ONE OF THE CELLS BE AT SPICE PARK AND TC JUST PARK.
SO HOW IT IS, LIKE, I COULD GO PASS OUT SAMPLES ALL DAY AND THE CITY WON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT, BUT IT COMES A PROBLEM WHEN I START SELLING THEM.
SO I WAS PROPOSING TO LIKE, IF WE CAN DO IT HOW BUFFALO BAYOU DO IT.
LIKE CAN I JUST PLAY A FAT OUT FEE FOR A YEAR AND I CAN GIVE THE CITY MAYBE 10 OR 15% OF THE SALES THAT I GENERATE FROM THE PARK.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEAK.
UM, WE'LL REACH OUT TO YOU TO SEE, UM, WHAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WHAT WE CAN DO.
MAYOR PRO TEM AND, UH, FOR SPOTS PARK, UM, WE WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION SO WE CAN SEE WHAT, WHAT THE ISSUE'S BEEN.
ARE YOU SELLING IT FROM A TRUCK? A FOOD TRUCK? I MEAN, HOW DO YOU UH, IT'S LIKE DIFFERENT, BUT I USED TO HAVE LIKE A LITTLE, LIKE A HYDRATION STAND, SO LIKE A TENT TABLE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT AT BUFFALO BAYOU PARK, THEY, THEY, THEY WANTED YOU TO BE IN A VAN.
SO THEY WANT YOU TO BE IN A VAN, RIGHT? YEAH.
NEXT SPEAKER, RODNEY UNDERWOOD TO BE FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL BASTION, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, I'VE BEEN HERE A FEW TIMES ABOUT A PROBLEM WE'VE BEEN HAVING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE SEWERS.
[01:20:02]
THE CITY, UH, TOOK ABOUT TWO OR THREE MONTHS BEFORE THEY FINALLY FIGURED OUT THAT THE SEWER BREAKAGE AND BACKING UP WAS FROM THE BRAKING OF, UH, FROM THE SEWER LINE IN THE EASEMENT ON MY PROPERTY.NOW, I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE FROM, UH, HAD PROBLEMS LIKE THIS.
THEY KEPT TRYING TO TELL ME, UH, HOW, UH, THEY STOPPED GIVING TICKETS OUT.
LIKE IT WAS MY FAULT THAT THE SEWER HAD, UH, SEWER LINES WERE BACKING UP AND IT WASN'T.
AND THEN, UH, I'VE BEEN TO COURT A COUPLE TIMES WITH THIS.
I'VE HAD A LIEN PRACTICE, UH, PUT UP AGAINST ONE OF MY PROPERTIES THAT'S THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT I'VE GOT TO ATTEND A MEETING, I MEAN, AT COURT AGAIN.
AND THE LAST TIME I TALKED TO A JUDGE, HE SAID, I SEE WHAT HAPPENED.
BUT HE SAID NOTHING I COULD DO.
'CAUSE THAT'S NOT MY, THAT'S NOT MY AVENUE.
I SAID, THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANYBODY'S.
EVERY TIME YOU TALK TO SOMEBODY, THEY ACT LIKE THE ONLY PERSON I'M GETTING UP FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, FROM CITY PUBLIC WORKS, THE WHOLE BALL OF WAX.
AND FINALLY I TOLD 'EM, I SAID, LOOK, I'VE BEEN PLUMBING FOR 30 YEARS.
I SAID, I'M GONNA JUST GO AHEAD AND COVER THIS LINE BACK UP BECAUSE IT'S NOT LEAKING ANYMORE SINCE YOU FIXED IT.
AND THEN THEY STILL CHARGING ME THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND THOUSAND DOLLARS OF FEES THAT I'M SUPPOSED, THEY SAID THEY ONLY WOULD DISCUSS ANYTHING.
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GONNA MAKE MY PAYMENTS.
I SAID, I'M NOT MAKING PAYMENTS.
'CAUSE THAT WAS NOT SO YOU HAD, YOU HAD A SEWER LEAK ON YOUR PROPERTY, BROKEN SEWER LINE AND, UH, THE, UH, COMMUNITY LINES WERE DUMPING INTO MY PROPERTY.
AND YOU'RE BEING CHARGED FOR THE REPAIR FOR ALL THE TIMES THAT THE SEWERS WERE BACKING UP INTO MY YARD.
SO YOU WHAT WERE THE TICKETS FOR? TICKETS FOR? THEY ACT LIKE THEY WAS, LIKE I SAID, THEY ACT LIKE IT WAS MY FAULT THAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
I HAD TO MOVE PEOPLE OFF OF THE PROPERTY FOR A BOROUGH BECAUSE THEY WERE LIVING IN UNSAFE CONDITIONS.
AND I WAS TELLING 'EM, I SAID, WE'RE NOT EVEN ON PROPERTY NO MORE.
AND THIS SEWER, THESE SEWERS ARE STILL BACKING UP INTO MY PROPERTY.
AND FINALLY THEY FIGURED OUT THERE'S A LOT OF PRINT, LOT OF LAYERS TO THIS SITUATION AND WE NEED TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE TICKETS WERE FOR, FOR, AND HOW WE CAN REMEDY THIS SITUATION.
UM, I'M GONNA ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY, DO YOU HAVE SOMEBODY HERE THAT COULD HELP HIM, UM, NAVIGATE HIS TICKETS AND BECAUSE HE'S BEEN TALKING TO CITY LEGAL, WE NEED SOMEBODY TO HELP HIM RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.
MR. UNDERWOOD, YOU GAVE, YOU PROVIDED A PHONE NUMBER TO THE CITY.
I WON'T READ THE WHOLE THING, BUT IT ENDS IN TWO ONE NINE.
IS THAT YOUR PHONE NUMBER? YES.
I'LL HAVE SOMEONE FROM, UH, MY DEPARTMENT CALL YOU TOMORROW IF THAT'S OKAY.
WE'LL TRY TO RESOLVE THE MATTER COUNCIL, REALIZE THERE BE A PROBLEM BETWEEN COLLABORATION.
SO WE, WE GONNA HAVE THE, THE CITY LEGAL TEAM WORK WITH YOU TO TRY TO RESOLVE YOUR ISSUE.
WELL, WHAT'S MAJOR PROBLEM IN JOINT? I'M SAYING, LEMME STEP CONTRACTORS.
I TALKED TO A CONTRACTOR, HE SAID I GOT THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD TO.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DEAL WITH YOUR ISSUE THOUGH.
SO IF YOU WANT TO GO AND STEP OUT, THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY CAN OKAY.
BUT WE DO WANNA TRY TO RESOLVE YOUR ISSUE, SIR.
NEXT SPEAKER, MICHAEL BASTION.
MICHAEL BASTION BE FOLLOWED BY DARYL HARPER, MAYOR PRO TEM.
I'M, I'M HERE TODAY TO ATTEMPT RESOLUTION OF A MATTER THAT WAS BROUGHT BY THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR.
INSPECTION OF PUBLIC SERVICES.
I OWN A LOT IN THE HIGHLAND HEIGHTS ANNEX, WHICH WAS RECENTLY ISSUED A, A VIOLATION.
I HAVE MADE NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS TO INSPECTION AND PUBLIC SERVICES, ASKED TO SPEAK WITH THE IN THE INSPECTOR WHO, UM, FILLED OUT THE VIOLATION, ASKED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR IN THAT DEPARTMENT AND SENT A LETTER TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION OFFICIAL.
I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WEATHER IN JANUARY MAY HAVE IMPACTED EVERYBODY'S SCHEDULE.
HOWEVER, THE VIOLATION STATES I WILL BE CITED FOR FAILURE.
FAILURE TO CORRECT IT BY JANUARY 24TH.
I RECEIVED THE VIOLATION NOTICE ON JANUARY 25TH.
[01:25:01]
TIME OF COURSE IS OF THE ESSENCE.WHAT MAKES MY SITUATION UNIQUE IS THAT A SQUATTER HAS FENCED OFF AND GATED THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY.
THAT GIVES ME MY ONLY INGRESS IN EGRESS TO THIS PROPERTY.
IN LATE 2023, I WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE CITY ENGINEER, THE MANAGER OF THE REAL ESTATE DIVISION FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND A CHIEF INSPECTOR TO TRY AND FIX THIS PROBLEM.
ALL THREE OF THEM WERE VERY HELPFUL.
AFTER NUMEROUS RED TAGS TO REMOVE THE GATE AND FENCES OVER CITY OWNED PROPERTY.
UH, THE SQUATTER FILED A LAWSUIT SEEKING TITLE TO THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY BY ADVERSE POSSESSION.
AS A RESULT, ALL EFFORTS TO REMOVE HIM WERE DROPPED.
I'M NOT A PARTY TO THIS SUIT, BUT I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS AND IS SUFFERING DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF THIS SQUATTER'S ACTIONS.
I HAD A CONTRACT TO SELL THAT PROPERTY TWO YEARS AGO.
NOT ONLY HAVE I LOST EXTENSIVE TIME DEALING WITH THIS, THE LOST OPPORTUNITY COST FROM THE SALE, BUT I HAD HAVE PAID TWO YEARS OF PROPERTY TAXES AND COUNTING.
AND NOW I AM THREATENED WITH A CITATION, UM, THAT I CAN'T REMEDY BECAUSE I HAVE NO ACCESS TO MY PROPERTY DUE TO THE BLOCK CITY RIGHT OF WAY.
MY QUESTION WAS, WHAT DO I DO? SO YOUR CITATION IS FOR OVERGROWN WEEDS.
I, UH, UNTIL YESTERDAY, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.
IS THAT WHAT THE CITATION IS FOR? THE CITATION WAS FOR EVIDENTLY SOMEONE, UH, DUMPED TIRES IN THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY IN THE DITCH AND THEN FOR WEEDS.
BUT I HAVE NO ACCESS TO MY PROPERTY TO CUT THE WEEDS BECAUSE THERE WAS A SQUATTER BLOCKING EVEN.
HE HAS FENCED OFF A CITY STREET, FELICIA STREET, UM, IN HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, XANAX.
UH, WHAT I, I'D LIKE TO ADD ONE FURTHER THING.
I WROTE THIS ON SUNDAY, UH, YESTERDAY.
RENEE RUIZ, EXCUSE ME, RUIZ, WITH THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE.
AND MS. WALKER WITH INSPECTIONS CONTACTED ME AND PROVIDED SOME FURTHER INFORMATION.
NOW I AT LEAST UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M BEING, UH, WHAT THE VIOLATION IS.
MR. RUIZ HAS INDICATED THAT HE IS WORKING ON THIS MATTER.
AND, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE AND AND EFFORTS ON THIS CATCH 22 ISSUE.
AND I WISH THAT THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY WAS HERE BECAUSE THIS LAWSUIT HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE DECEMBER.
I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, NOVEMBER OF 2023.
AND IT'S NOT, THE CASE ISN'T EVEN GONNA BE HEARD UNTIL MARCH 4TH AND IT SHOULD BE SUMMARY DISMISSED.
WELL, WE CAN DEFINITELY, UM, HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT REACH OUT TO YOU.
UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, IS AWARE OF YOUR SITUATION AND THEY ARE GONNA CIR CIRCLE BACK TO HELP YOU WITH THIS SITUATION, UM, TO, TO TRY TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF.
CAN YOU SEE IF THE CITY ATTORNEY IS AVAILABLE TO SPEAK WITH HIM ON THE WAY OUT? THANK YOU.
AND RENEE WILL TAKE, TAKE YOU OUTSIDE COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, DID YOU NEED US TO SAY SOMETHING, MR. BASIAN? UM, SO I KNOW YOU'VE WORKED WITH US ON SOME TREE ISSUES IN THE PAST, BUT THIS IS KIND OF THE FIRST WE'RE WE'RE HEARING OF IT.
SO I KNOW ANNA IN MY OFFICE, SHE'S RIGHT THERE.
UM, TRIED TO REACH OUT AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SUPPORT IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN.
UH, IT'S NOT EVERY DAY YOU HEAR OF AN ADVERSE POSSESSION, UH, CLAIM GOING THROUGH THE COURTS.
IT, IT'S, UM, MY HEART IS WITH YOU RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT AGAIN, AS, UH, THE MAYOR PRO TEM SAID THE REAL ESTATE DIVISION IN PUBLIC WORKS DID CONFIRM THAT THERE IS AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION THAT'S ONGOING.
UM, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED AS WELL.
SO, ANNA IN MY OFFICE WILL COME OUT WITH YOU IF YOU, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE'RE IN COMMUNICATION AND FOLLOWING UP AS WELL.
THIS PROPERTY IS IN ANOTHER DISTRICT, HOWEVER, UNDERSTOOD.
AND THE ONLY REASON WHY I HAVEN'T GONE WITH Y'ALL FIRST WAS JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING THEY'RE GONNA CITE ME.
SO I, I WANTED TO COME BEFORE Y'ALL.
NO, YOU, YOU GOTTA GO RIGHT THERE AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT CITED.
THAT'S THE CRAZIEST DARN THING I'VE EVER HEARD.
I'M JUST LIKE, CANNOT BELIEVE THIS AND I, I WISH THE CITY ATTORNEY WAS HERE TOO.
IF THERE'S A WAY HE COULD COME IN, I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF ASK ABOUT IT.
UM, WHERE HAD A MEETING, I WAS AT A MEETING IN FREEWAY MANOR AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICK AND JURORS DISTRICT.
AND, AND THE, THE SQUATTER SITUATION WAS, IT WAS MAINLY HOUSES, UM, THAT PEOPLE WERE, WAS REALLY WREAKING HAVOC.
BUT, UH, AT THE VERY LEAST, AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF THE SITUATION, BUT AT THE VERY LEAST, CAN WE NOT CITE THE GUY THAT CAN'T GET TO HIS PROPERTY?
WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE YOU MEET WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY ON, ON THE WAY OUT.
[01:30:02]
DARREL HARPER.HI, HOW ARE YOU? I'M WELL, THANK YOU.
UM, HELLO AND GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
I'M THE PREVENTION PROGRAM DIRECTOR AT THE MONTROSE CENTER, WHICH IS HOUSTON'S LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY CENTER.
I ASSIST IN THE FACILITATION OF THE COMMUNITY PROMISE PROGRAM, WHICH ALLOWS US TO REACH PEOPLE WHO ARE AT RISK FOR HIV, PARTICULARLY MSM MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN AND PEOPLE WHO INJECT DRUGS.
OUR MISSION IS TO EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY, PRIMARILY LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, AND QUEER INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO LIVE HEALTHIER AND MORE FULFILLING LIVES THROUGH OUR PREVENTION SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES HIV TESTING, USING PEER ADVOCATES AND GATEKEEPERS IN THE COMMUNITY, WE ARE ABLE TO SERVE ON AVERAGE, ROUGHLY 3000 PEOPLE IN A YEAR'S TIME.
THE CITY HAS ALLOWED US TO BE A PART OF THIS CRUCIAL PREVENTION ECOSYSTEM, AND WE APPRECIATE THE FUNDING TO CONTINUE TO ASSIST THE COMMUNITY IN THIS TIME OF UNCERTAINTY.
AND THANK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY.
UH, MS. WARD, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT MONTROSE CENTER DOES.
UH, YOU ARE A CORNERSTONE OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, BOTH IN DISTRICT C BUT ALSO THE CITY AND THE REGION AS A WHOLE.
UH, NOW MORE THAN EVER, AND I, I AM SO SORRY THAT WE HAVE TO SAY THAT.
WE THOUGHT WE WERE BEYOND THAT.
BUT NOW MORE THAN EVER, UM, THE WORK YOU DO IS SAVING LIVES AND WILL SAVE LIVES.
SO, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE WORK AND I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU KNOW, AND YOU BRING THE MESSAGE BACK THAT WE'RE IN YOUR CORNER AND WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM ASHA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TO, UH, SPEAK TO THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT THIS GRANT DOES AND, AND WHAT IT ALLOWS Y'ALL TO DO FOR, UH, THE MANTRA CENTER AND FOR FOR HOUSTON.
YOU KNOW, Y'ALL DO SO MUCH EVEN BEYOND, UH, THE SERVICES THAT ARE, THAT ARE A PART OF THIS GRANT.
UM, WE COULD BE HERE FOR A WHILE TALKING ABOUT ABSOLUTELY THE IMPACT THAT THE MONTROSE CENTER HAS.
AND SO I'M JUST GLAD THAT Y'ALL ARE HERE, UH, TO HIGHLIGHT THIS BECAUSE IT'S ONE COMPONENT OF THE ENTIRE, YOU KNOW, UNIVERSE OF WHAT Y'ALL TOUCH.
UH, BUT IT'S, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND I'LL BE PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS ON WEDNESDAY.
REAL ALL RAN TO THE FRONT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE HERE LATE EITHER.
BUT ANYWAY, MY NAME'S NATASHA JOHNSON.
I AM ONE OF THE COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS IN INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS, THE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD TO LIVE.
I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT THERE FOR 67 YEARS, SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME.
SO RIGHT NOW WE WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW WE OPPOSE THE HHA RESOLUTION, THE 38 50 A.
WE'RE IN A PHASE NOW WHERE THE COMMUNITY WANTS THE COMMISSIONERS TO VOTE NO ON THE RESOLUTION AND PROCEED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SECOND PHASE OF THE INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS COLUMBIA RESIDENTIAL.
WE WANT TO KNOW WHY ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WAS PUT A HOLD ON.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR SEVEN YEARS.
ON JANUARY 30TH, ONE OF OUR BELOVED ALWAYS LEADER, TANYA DUBOSE DIED.
AND THAT'S THE DATE THAT THIS WAS PRESENTED.
WE WERE NOT QUESTIONED, WE WERE NOT TOLD ABOUT THE DEVELOPERS THAT THEY WANTED TO PUT IN THIS PLACE.
AFTER SEVEN YEARS WORKING, AND I WORKED WITH HER FOR A TOTAL OF 20 YEARS, I THINK SOMETHING BETTER COULD HAVE BEEN DONE.
I REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY AND AS I SAID, I'VE BEEN THERE.
I KNOW THE COMMUNITY, AND THE COMMUNITY WANTS EVERYTHING TO BE THE BEST.
YES, WE DO WANT AFFORDABLE LIVING.
I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY'S SEEN HOW THE HOUSES HAVE GONE UP.
THINGS HAVE CHANGED, BUT WE STILL WANNA BE THERE AND WE ARE GONNA BE THERE OR ACT LIKE THIS IS TOTALLY NOT ACCEPTABLE.
[01:35:02]
NONE OF US WERE, NOBODY RESPONDED TO US.NOBODY GAVE US A LETTER, NOBODY GAVE US A HEAD UP.
AND NOW WE ARE AGAINST THEM WANTING TO SPIN AND PUT A NEW DEVELOPER IN.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE ON THE COUNCIL, BECAUSE THIS COULD HAPPEN IN YOUR AREA.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE DONE THE WORK AND NOW SOMEBODY COMES THE DAY THAT YOUR LEADER HAS GONE AND PROPOSE FOR THIS NOT TO HAPPEN.
I JUST WANNA PUT IT ON EACH ONE OF YOUR MINDS AND YOUR HEARTS TO THINK ABOUT THIS.
I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR US, ALWAYS BEING FOR INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS.
AND WE COME TO THE COUNCIL WHENEVER WE HAVE PROBLEMS. WE THANK OUR COUNCILMAN FOR DISTRICT H FOR SUPPORTING US.
HE IS ALL INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS.
NOW, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UH, MS. JOHNSON, I, UH, WANNA JOIN MY, UH, NAME TO YOUR SENTIMENT AS WELL.
AND IN THE SPIRIT OF THE LATE TANYA VOIS, I THINK, UM, UH, IT IS APROPOS, UM, THAT YOU ALL ARE HERE TODAY.
UM, WHEN I WAS MADE AWARE, UM, THAT THIS WAS EVEN AN ITEM ON THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AGENDA, I, IT GAVE ME A SINCERE PAUSE, UM, THAT IN THIS BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE BLACK, UH, DEVELOPER, UM, SERVING BLACK PEOPLE TO PRESERVE HOUSING, THAT THEY WILL PUT ON THE AGENDA TO REMOVE THE DEVELOPER AS SOMEONE WHO TEACHES THIS WORK, AS SOMEONE WHO'S DOCUMENTED IN PUBLISHING AS SOMEONE WHO CHAIRS THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, IF SOMEONE TELLS YOU, WE'RE JUST GOING TO SWITCH THE DEVELOPER, DO NOT BELIEVE IT.
NO, THAT'S NOT HOW THAT WORKS.
SO IN THE SPIRIT OF THAT, AND IN THIS CLIMATE THAT WE HAVE NATIONALLY, THAT'S OVERFLOWING LOCALLY, UH, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET THE NOTICE.
YOU'RE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA INCLUDE YOU IN THAT.
SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS AS IT RELATES TO THIS PROJECT.
STAY IN CONVERSATION WITH YOUR DISTRICT MEMBER.
EDUCATE YOUR DISTRICT MEMBER ON ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED HIM AND HIS OFFICE TO HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR YOU.
UM, BECAUSE WE NEED MORE NOW THAN EVER AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YOU DESERVE THE RIGHT TO STAY AND AGE IN PLACE IN YOUR BELOVED NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO I DON'T CARE WHEN THEY CHANGE THAT MEETING, WHEN THEY DELAY THAT MEETING THE NEXT TIME, SHOW UP THERE TOO WE'LL EVERY TIME.
BECAUSE IF TANYA WAS WITH US, THAT'S WHAT SHE WOULD HAVE US DO, RIGHT? YES.
UM, AND SHE WOULD HAVE THAT ENTIRE ROOM FULL AND THE ENTIRE CITY WOULD KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
SO THANK YOU AND EVERYONE WHO, UM, HAS DECIDED TO COME HERE AND RAISE THIS POINT TO MY COLLEAGUES AND EVERYONE THAT'S LISTENING.
AND SO YOU CAN, UM, COUNT ON MY SUPPORT, UM, WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PROCESS STAYS ON TRACK, UM, AND CONTINUES TO BE AWARDED BECAUSE WE NEED THOSE UNITS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE WORDS WILL ALWAYS SAY YOU NEVER FAIL UNLESS YOU JUST GIVE UP.
I'M GONNA ACTUALLY, UM, IF IT'S OKAY, I'M GONNA DEFER TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, AND THEN I'LL SPEAK AFTER HIM SINCE IT'S HIS DISTRICT.
UM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER.
NATASHA, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE NOT THE BEST CIRCUMSTANCES.
UM, YEAH, BUT I'M GLAD YOU ARE HERE.
I'M GLAD THE COMMUNITY IS HERE.
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ACROSS TOWN THERE'S ANOTHER MEETING TAKING PLACE WHERE, WHERE THIS WAS BEING DISCUSSED AND IT HAS BEEN DELAYED, UM, A WEEK.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL HAVE RAISED.
THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE CONCERN.
UM, THIS IS VERY CONCERNING, RIGHT? I WAS CONCERNED WHEN I SAW IT.
I KNOW Y'ALL WERE, UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS SAID, YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORHOOD DESERVES THESE HOUSING UNITS.
AND Y'ALL WORKED VERY HARD FOR THIS PROJECT.
TANYA WORKED VERY HARD FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND IN HISTORIC INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS, YOU KNOW, WHERE ALL THOSE NEW HOUSES ARE GOING UP.
THIS HELPS PEOPLE STAY IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY WANT TO STAY IN AND, AND CONTINUE TO LIVE IN WHERE THEIR FAMILIES HAVE LIVED IN FOUR GENERATIONS.
UM, AND SO I AM VERY COMMITTED TO SEEING THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT IS BUILT.
UM, WE HAVE A WEEK NOW TO GET QUESTIONS ANSWERED, GATHER INFORMATION, MAKE SURE WE ALL KNOW WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THERE'S A LOT OF RUMORS, UH, GOING AROUND AND WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE FACTS ARE.
UM, THAT'S WHAT I WILL BE USING THIS WEEK TO DO.
WORKING WITH Y'ALL AND WORKING WITH, UM, MANY OTHERS AS WELL THAT ARE CONCERNED.
PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN A PART OF THIS PROJECT, UH, FROM THE BEGINNING.
UH, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF IT SINCE THEY HAVE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT.
UH, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AROUND WHAT WAS COMING, UH, FROM THE DESIGNS TO THE INPUT THAT Y'ALL GAVE INTO WHAT THIS WAS GONNA LOOK LIKE, WHAT IT WAS GOING TO INCLUDE.
UH, SO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ME BEHIND YOU
[01:40:01]
A HUNDRED PERCENT, UM, AND THAT THE COMMITMENT I HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS THAT THIS PROJECT WILL BE BUILT.UM, AND THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WILL HOLD THEM TO.
BUT WE HAVE A WEEK TO GET THE FINER DETAILS ALL WORKED OUT AND GET THE INFORMATION OUT.
COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, THANK YOU VICE MAYOR PRO TIM, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE EVERYONE ELSE THAT'S IN THE ROOM AS WELL.
UM, LET ME, I JUST WANNA KIND OF GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO THE ONE RUMOR THAT WE HEARD ABOUT WAS THAT, UM, THEY HAVE ANOTHER PROPERTY, 2100 MEMORIAL.
AND, UM, THAT THERE WAS A RAT INFESTATION IN THAT PROPERTY.
AND SO THE UNDERSTANDING OR THE THOUGHT PROCESS WAS, UM, THE COMPANY IS NOT ABLE TO, OKAY? SO I WANNA DISMAY THAT THAT'S NOT, NOT TRUE.
UM, I, I HAVE 12 PAGES OF THE HEALTH OF THE HEALTH CO OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S REPORT.
I'M GONNA READ THE HIGH POINTS ON THAT.
THERE WERE NO HOLES VISIBLY FOUND.
IT WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT TO TWO UNITS.
UM, THE RAT STICKS WERE, THERE WAS NOTHING THERE.
UM, AND THERE WAS NO VIOLATIONS FOUND ON INSPECTION.
SO THAT'S FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SO WE CAN DISMAY THAT.
OKAY? UM, SO THIS, THIS, UM, PARTICULAR WE'VE ALSO CC SCOTT IS A HUGE, YOU KNOW, SHE'S MY COMMUNITY LIAISON PERSON.
SHE'S TALKED WITH MANY OF THE RESIDENTS IN 2100 MEMORIAL.
THERE'S NO ISSUES AT THAT PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND I WANNA BE REALLY CLEAR, THESE ARE MY ISSUES, AND IF I NEED TO GET BACK IN LINE, I CAN.
UM, IF WE DELAY THIS PROJECT, IF WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD IN THE WAY THAT WE NEED TO, THE CONCERN IS THAT THE TAX BASE WAS DETERMINED TO GET THE 4% ON.
THIS WAS DONE IN 2022 BECAUSE OF THE GENTRIFICATION HAS HAPPENED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND GET A 4% BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGES.
OKAY? THAT'S NUMBER, THAT'S PROBLEM NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO, THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT EXPENDITURES FROM COLUMBIA, UM, RESIDENTIAL AS APPROXIMATELY $2 MILLION.
THEY HAVE MO THEY HAVE INVESTED THAT IN.
SO HOW DO THEY GET, HOW DO WE MAKE THEM WHOLE IF WE ELIMINATE THIS? UM, THIS MOU NUMBER THREE, WELLS FARGO IS THEIR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT'S BACKING THIS AND SUPPORTING IT.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A LETTER OF AGREEMENT TOMORROW.
NOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT AS THIS IS BEING DELAYED, NOW THEY HAVE TO GO BACK AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION.
THESE ARE CHALLENGES, UM, THAT ARE BEING SET.
BUT I WANNA PUT THE FACTS ON THE TABLE.
THIS IS NOT AN EMOTIONAL CONVERSATION.
THIS IS JUST, THIS IS ALL FACTS.
UM, I CHECK THE 3 1 1 CALLS ON MORE ON 2100 MEMORIAL.
IT'S JUST LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE STUFF, SOME WATER, SOME BROKEN SIDEWALKS.
THE, THE ONLY THING THAT BROUGHT MY ATTENTION WAS THE RAT DEAL, BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY TWO UNITS AND IT WAS RECTIFIED IMMEDIATELY.
UM, AND FINALLY, UM, THE CONVERSATION THAT THIS WAS A NO, UM, A NO BID CONTRACT, LET ME BE VERY, VERY CLEAR.
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR WHEN THEIR HOUSING CHALLENGES, WHEN THERE'S NOT ENOUGH HOUSING.
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR HHA TO PUT FORWARD A QUALIFICATION BASED SELECTION PROCESS, WHICH MEANS THAT IT ALLOWS MUNICIPALITY TO EVALUATE THE PROFESSIONAL FIRMS BASED ON EXPERIENCE, QUALIFICATIONS AND CAPABILITIES VERSUS DOING A LOW BID.
SO THIS, THEY STILL HAVE TO GO TO THE STATE.
THEY STILL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY QUALIFY.
SO ALL THAT BEING SAID, VERY QUICKLY, WE DO HAVE A WEEK, BUT I WANTED TO LAY THE FACTS OUT SO EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS COMPANY IS RESPONSIBLE.
THEY HAVE BUILT A REALLY NICE FACILITY THAT PEOPLE LIKE LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY HAS TO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF SAY, UM, IN THIS CONVERSATION.
AND FOR THIS TO BE TAKEN OFF THE TABLE AND FOR THE EXPECTATION, WHICH I RESPECT, THAT HE TOLD YOU THAT IT CAN BE DONE AND WILL GET DONE.
HOW WILL IT GET DONE? BECAUSE IF, IF IT'S EXPENSIVE TO BUILD, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT, IF THEY DON'T GET THE 4%, IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE TO BUILD NOW THAN IT WAS BEFORE, HOW IS IT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING? AND SO THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS, UM, THAT I'M HOPING TO HAVE ANSWERED, UH, IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.
AND OBVIOUSLY I SUPPORT YOU, I SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY AND I WANNA JUST LET, UM, AMY SPECIFICALLY KNOW, THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT TO MY OFFICE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INFORMATION YOU'VE GIVEN ME ON THIS.
UM, AND I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE I'M GETTING ALL THE RIGHT INFORMATION FROM BOTH SIDES SO WE CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED AND DATA DRIVEN, UM, DECISION.
THANK YOU MAYOR PROTO, AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND THOSE WHO ARE COMING FORWARD.
I THINK YOU ALL HAVE LAID OUT, UM, SOME REALLY, UH, GOOD FACTUAL POINTS.
UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE IN TUNE TO THIS ISSUE AND SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ISSUE, IF SOMEONE WAS TO DRAFT A LETTER WITH THOSE POINTS, UH, THAT WE CAN PROVIDE OVER TO HHA, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UM, SOMETHING STRONG THAT'LL SHOW FROM THIS BODY WHAT OUR INTENTIONS ARE, EXPECTATIONS ARE, AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WOULD LIKE
[01:45:01]
ANSWERED.UH, SO IF ANYONE WAS TO DRAFT THAT, UM, MARIO LETICIA, UH, LET ME KNOW.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
SEE TO BE FOLLOWED BY DANNY ASHBERRY.
ILL THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR, FOR BEING HERE.
MY NAME'S AMY VON BOCAL AND I'M A RESIDENT OF INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS AND I'M HERE WITH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL AS WELL.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER FOR ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.
THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL AND YOU'VE ADDRESSED A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE.
AND THANK YOU, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR YOUR RESPONSIVENESS AS WELL.
I, UM, YEAH, MY UNDERSTANDING ALSO, I WANNA SAY I'VE TAKEN OFF TWO DAYS OF WORK TO DO THIS BECAUSE THIS CAME OUT OF NOWHERE AND WE ARE SCRAMBLING AND TANYA JUST PASSED AND WE KNOW THAT SHE WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS PROJECT.
WE TRUST HER TO PUT TOGETHER A PROJECT THAT'S GOOD FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO IT'S VERY CONCERNING WHEN SUDDENLY THINGS ARE HAPPENING THIS FAST TO, TO CANCEL SOMETHING OR TERMINATE AN AGREEMENT.
AND I WANNA SAY, I REMEMBER BEING AT A, A FESTIVAL THAT TANYA ARRANGED, UM, ORGANIZED A FEW YEARS AGO IN THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT WAS LIKE FIVE YEARS AGO.
AND I REMEMBER COLUMBIA RESIDENTIAL WAS THERE.
THEY HAD A BOOTH AND MAPS AND THEY WERE ASKING FOR OUR FEEDBACK.
SO THEY'VE BEEN WITH US A LONG TIME.
UM, SO ALL OF THAT IS TO SAY MY CONS, I GUESS, I GUESS A COUPLE OF CONCERNS I WANNA RAISE ARE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AFTER THE DICHO AND AFTER BARREL, MY ACROSS THE STREET NEIGHBORS WHO ARE RENTERS, UH, WERE DISPLACED.
THEIR TREES FELL ON THEIR HOUSE, THEY'RE GONE.
I THINK THEY'RE STAYING WITH FAMILY.
TWO DOORS DOWN FROM ME, A WOMAN WHO'S BEEN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, SHE'S INHERITED THAT HOUSE FROM HER GRANDPARENTS.
SHE'S GONE, SHE'S GOT INSURANCE, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO STAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR'S A TREE FELL ON THEIR CAR.
THERE ARE THREE GENERATIONS LIVING IN ONE HOUSE.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO RECOVER LIKE THAT.
WE ARE LOSING PEOPLE BY THE DAY.
AND IT, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US TO KEEP PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE GRANDMOTHERS WATCH THE KIDS WHO COME HOME FROM SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS HAVING A RIPPLE EFFECT.
AND IF WE SWITCH DEVELOPERS AT THIS TIME, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE WILL HAVE TO BE A NEW REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS DRAFTED.
THAT TAKES WHO KNOWS HOW LONG, THEN YOU HAVE TO PUT IT OUT FOR SO MANY DAYS, 30 DAYS TO GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO RESPOND.
THEN YOU HAVE 30 DAYS TO EVALUATE, THEN YOU HAVE TO INTERVIEW THEM, THEN THEY HAVE TO FIND THEIR CONTRACTORS.
BY THE TIME THIS GETS DONE, IT WILL, IT WILL BE A DIFFERENT PROJECT, FIRST OF ALL.
SECONDLY, YOU'LL HAVE TO GET NEW ARCHITECTURAL PLANS.
'CAUSE ARE THE ARCHITECTS GONNA WORK WITH THE NEW DEVELOPER? NO.
SO THEN THAT'S ANOTHER EXPENSE.
IN ADDITION, YOU'RE GIVING UP THE TAX CREDITS, YOU'RE GIVING UP THE $2 MILLION YOU HAVE TO PAY TO THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT AND FRONTING THE MONEY ALL THAT TIME.
I'M EAGER TO GET MORE INFORMATION.
IT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT ACTUALLY THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY IS STILL MEETING, WELL, AS OF A FEW MINUTES AGO, THEY WERE STILL THERE.
THEY HAD TAKEN A RECESS TO DISCUSS THIS AROUND THE SAME TIME THAT MAYOR WEP WHITMEYER STEPPED OUT.
AND I'M SORRY HE'S NOT HERE, BUT, UM, I'M, I'M GLAD TO HAVE THIS ON THE TABLE AND TO BE DISCUSSING IT.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM AND AMY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR REPRESENTING THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AS WELL AS THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY.
YOU MADE A VERY GOOD CASE FOR WHY THIS IS SO CONCERNING AND THE QUESTIONS THAT STILL NEED TO BE ANSWERED.
UH, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT, UM, I'LL BE WORKING WITH Y'ALL ON THIS COMING WEEK TO, TO GET THAT INFORMATION.
NEXT SPEAKER, DANNY ASBERRY ILL TO BE FOLLOWED BY JEROME NICKERSON.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, MAYOR PROTI AND ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I'LL STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH A HEAVY HEART MOURNING THE LOSS OF MY COUSIN TANYA DEBO, A DEDICATED ADVOCATE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE CHAMPION OF THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS REDEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
TANYA'S UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND HER, HER RELENTLESS PURSUIT TO ACCOUNTABILITY AND QUALITY AND DEVELOPMENT HAVE LAID A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY AND HOUSTON ABROAD.
AS WE GATHER TODAY, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE HONOR HER LEGACY BY CONTINUING HER WORK AND ENSUING THAT INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS ACHIEVES ITS FULL POTENTIAL.
WE ARE HERE TO EXPRESS OUR FIRM OPPOSITION TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 38 58 AND URGE THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY VOTE NO ON THE PROPOSAL TO TERMINATE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
WITH COLUMBIA RESIDENTIAL, THE
[01:50:01]
DECISION WILL NOT ONLY DISRUPT YEARS OF CAREFUL PLANNING IN RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, BUT IT WILL ALSO JEOPARDIZE THE FUTURE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE COMMUNITY.COLUMBIA RESIDENTIAL HAS BEEN MORE THAN JUST A DEVELOPER, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN OUR PARTNERS.
THEY HAVE ENGAGED WITH OUR COMMUNITY, LISTENED TO OUR NEEDS, AND PROVEN AND GIVEN A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY, LOW INCOME HOUSING.
IT IS CRUCIAL TO UNDERSTAND THAT SWITCHING TO A NEW DEVELOPER IS NOT MERELY A CHANGE IN PERSONNEL, BUT IS IT IS A DISRUPTION THAT WILL DELAY THIS VITAL PROJECT AND COM AND COMPROMISE THE QUALITY OF HOUSING WE DESPERATELY NEED.
LET'S CONSIDER THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THIS DECISION.
IF WE PROCEED WITH TERMINATING THIS CONTRACT, WE FACE A $2 MILLION PENALTY.
WE ASK OURSELVES, HOW CAN WE JUSTIFY THE, UH, THIS COST? WHAT ASSURANCES CAN YOU PROVIDE THAT A NEW DEVELOPER WILL DEVELOP OR DELIVER THE SAME QUALITY OF HOUSING WITHOUT INCURRING EVEN GREATER EXPENSES? COLUMBIA IS ALREADY, HAS ALREADY SECURED TAX CREDITS, UH, THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THIS PROJECT, AND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE TO A NEW DEVELOPER.
FURTHERMORE, WE MUST ADDRESS THE REALITY OF GENTRIFICATION IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS ARE CHANGING, AND MANY OF OUR LONGTIME RESIDENTS ARE BEING PUSHED OUT DUE TO RISING RENT.
WE NEED A PLAN THAT PRIORITIZE THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THOSE WHO ATTEND OUR CHURCHES, CARE FOR OUR CHILDREN, AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE FABRIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE RESIDENTS OF INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS DESERVE HIGH QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THEY DESERVE HOMES WITH AMENITIES LIKE ELEVATORS, AIR CONDITIONING, NOT WALK-UP COMPLEXES THAT TREAT THEM AS LESS THAN COLUMBIA RESIDENTIAL HAS COMMITTED TO THOSE STANDARDS, AND WE MUST NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THAT.
IN CLOSING, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE DECISION AND STAND WITH US AND LET US NOT ALLOW A MOMENT OF OPPORTUNITY SLIP AWAY.
WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO CONTINUE A PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE BETTER.
I JUST HAVE TWO MORE LINES, IF THAT'S OKAY.
LET US HONOR TANYA'S LEGACY BY UPHOLDING OUR COMMITMENT TO THE RESIDENTS OF INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS AND ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY HOUSING THAT THEY DESERVE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY.
NEXT SPEAKER JEROME NICKERSON.
JEROME NICKERSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY FRED WOODS.
LET ME SAY GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PRO TEM.
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS PASTOR JEROME C NICKERSON, A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY.
I PASTOR THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
I WENT TO SCHOOL AT THE HISTORICAL BOOKER T WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, GRADUATED FROM THERE, SERVED THIS COUNTRY HONORABLY.
I'M A 100%, UH, SAY DISABLED VETERAN.
I SAID ALL THAT TO SAY THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEANS MUCH IN TERMS OF ITS HISTORICITY, IN TERMS OF ITS VITAL ROLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
IT WOULD BE IN, IN MY ESTIMATION, A VERY EGREGIOUS ACT OF DISRESPECT BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY, THEY'VE WORKED FERVENTLY, THEY HAVE WORKED HARD TO BRING ABOUT THE CHANGES TO BRING ABOUT THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING TODAY.
I URGE YOU, AGAIN, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN ASKED BEFORE, BUT I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THIS MATTER WITH ABSOLUTE SINCERITY.
I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THIS MATTER, UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS COMMUNITY INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY IS FULL OF HISTORY AND IT WOULD BE CRIMINAL TO ERADICATE THAT HISTORY WITH THE STROKE OF OPINION.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PRO, TIM, AND COUNCIL.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF NORTHWOOD MANOR CIVIC CLUB AND THE BOOKER T WASHINGTON ALUMNI.
UH, TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU REPRESENTING MRS. MARTY PAGE, THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS
[01:55:01]
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT.SHE SENDS HER REGRETS, UH, FOR NOT BEING HERE IN PERSON DUE TO A FAMILY EMERGENCY.
UH, SHE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT YOU WERE AWARE.
UH, SHE FULLY SUPPORTS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT.
UH, SHE, ALONG WITH OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS, HAVE WORKED WITH THE BUILDER, COLUMBIA INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS, LLC FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
THEY TRAVELED TO NEW ORLEANS ON A SITE VISIT TO A SIMILAR PROPERTY AS IS ANTICIPATED TO BE BUILT IN INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS THAT WOULD BRING MUCH NEEDED HOUSING FOR LOW AND OR MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES.
ENSURING ACCESS TO THEIR COMMUNITY REMAINS ATTAINABLE DESPITE GENTRIFICATION AND INCREASING PROPERTY VALUES.
KINDLY SUPPORT THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY BY REACHING OUT TO THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY TO ECHO THE SUPPORT FOR THE CURRENT BUILDER AND THE CONTINUATION OF THE PROJECT, AS HAS BEEN AGREED UPON WITH OVERWHELMING COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
THANK YOU TO, TO MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR HIS EFFORTS TO ENSURE THE COMMUNITY IS HEARD ALONGSIDE COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND OTHERS AS I'VE HEARD TODAY.
LASTLY, SHE WANTED TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE FOR THE WORK OF HER FELLOW COMMUNITY LEADER WHO WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THIS WORK MATERIALIZED AS SHE WAS CALLED TO GLORY ON LAST THURSDAY, AND TANYA DE BO'S MEMORY AND FOR HER LEGACY, THIS PROJECT MUST COME TO FRUITION.
WE APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT SENTIMENT ON HER BEHALF.
NEXT SPEAKER, STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS, NEXT SPEAKER.
I MEAN THE SECOND THEODORE ERO.
YEAH, THEODORE W UH, THEODORE WILLIAM CARRERO.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR, BUT THE MAYOR SAID YOU KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING, SON.
UH, OPPORTUNITY WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
I, I'M BASICALLY JUST HERE TO SPEAK ON, UH, HISD EDUCATION AND IT'S, I FIRST WANTED TO, UH, REITERATE CONGRATULATIONS TO, UH, MISS, UH, MARTA.
SHE WAS CONGRATULATED FOR HER SERVICE BY THE MAYOR RECENTLY.
I ALSO, I HAVE A COPY FOR EVERYBODY, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, POLLARD AND, AND MS. ASHA JACKSON.
MY BUSINESS CARD IS ON SOME OF THE COUNCILMAN'S, UH, UH, I'M HANDING OUT SHEETS BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, ABATEMENT, PROJECTS, BEAUTIFICATION IN TERMS OF, UH, WEST MONTGOMERY AND WESTHEIMER.
I'M, I I I'VE BEEN IN WESTHEIMER DISTRICT FOR, SINCE PROBABLY 2017 TO PRESENT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO HELP MR. POLLARD AND HELP MRS. UH, MS. JACKSON AND, AND, AND CONTINUE APPRECIATING EVERYBODY.
AND, UH, UH, RIGHT NOW I'M DOING THE, UM, I WANTED TO ALSO, UM, MENTION, UH, FRED FLICKINGER AND MR. RAMIREZ AND MS. CASEUM.
EVERYBODY HAS BUSINESS CARDS IN MY SMALL BUSINESS, UH, JUST IN CASE YOU GUYS NEED HELP IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, WITH COMMUNITY SERVICE, WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION WHERE MS. ABBEY CAYMAN, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER, I'VE BEEN COMING HERE SPEAKING ABOUT PARKS AND RECREATION, ABOUT HISD, ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, ABOUT METRO.
SO I'VE BEEN TRYING TO COME EVERY TIME, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE THE INFORMATION.
AND YOU GUYS HAVE A BEAUTIFUL BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND, UH, UH, HAVE A WEEK OF HARMONY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND WE APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.
WHAT BLACK WOMAN YOU DONE STOLE THAT HALF FROM
WHAT I'M GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT TODAY FOLKS IS AUSTIN STATE SENATORS AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES.
IN MY LOBBYING, I GAVE YOLANDA YO JONES THIS, THAT I SHUT IT OUT.
WELL, I GAVE HER THIS CALENDAR AND SHE THANK ME IMMENSELY FOR IT.
AND THEN I WANT TO READ THIS LETTER.
THIS, UH, THE STATE SENATOR WROTE TO ME, UM, FOR GIVING HIM A HOUSTON TEXANS A PLACE MATCH.
UM, DEAR JACOB, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TRIP TO AUSTIN AND FOR GIVING ME A HOUSTON TEXANS PLACE.
MAT, I APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS.
PLEASE REACH OUT IF I CAN ASSIST YOU IN THE FUTURE.
GOD BLESS YOU AND GOD BLESS TEXAS.
BRIAN BIRDWELL AND PICTURE YOU,
[02:00:01]
YOU WANT THIS? UH, NO, I, I'M GOOD.THOUGH IT DON'T MATCH MY, OH, AND UM, ALSO, UM, ELA, SINCE THIS THING GONNA BE VALENTINE'S DAY, WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE? SAY YES OWEN, WOULD YOU LIKE HERE AND I GIVE, YEAH.
THERE'S A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AT STR JESUIT THAT CATHOLIC PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL WHILE HE WAS DECIDING WHETHER TO OR NOT TO GO TO A AND M.
AND SO HE SAID, WELL, I HAD THIS IRON DEFICIENCY PROBLEM AND A AND M SINCE FOR AGRICULTURAL AND MINING.
SO I'M MIGHT HIS MIND SOME IRON.
IRON OR GET TO TAKE CARE OF MY IRON DEFICIENCY.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE FOR SHARING YOUR NICE NOTE.
I WOULD READ YOU YOUR JONES GIGI SPIRIT COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER HERE.
UM, BUT, UH, WELL IT'S PRETTY LENGTHY.
BUT THEN WHEN SHE THANKED ME FOR THIS CALENDAR THAT I GAVE HER THAT, THAT, UM, I BROUGHT WITH ME OVER TO TOON.
SO I'M GONNA TEXT SOME MORE AND GIVE THEM TO OTHER STATE SENATORS AND STATE REPS.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR, CAN I DO OF ANYTHING TO HELP Y'ALL? WELL THAT YOUR STATE REPS AND YOUR STATE SENATORS JUST CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED.
JACOB, WE APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY.
THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
[RECESS]
WE STAND IN RECESS UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00 AM COUNCILOR CHAMBER.I'M ABOUT TO READ THE DESCRIPTION OF CAPTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR THE WEEK.
WE'LL HAVE A REPORT FROM THE CITY CONTROL AND THE CITY ADMINISTRATION REGARDING THIS CURRENT FINANCIAL STATUS OF THE CITY.
ITEM ONE WILL BE AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $355,980 AND 31 CENTS OUTTA WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AS ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARPER BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION LLC ITEM TWO.
RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF CHANGE.
ORDER NUMBER 14 IN THE AMOUNT OF 3 39 20 $8 AND 87 CENTER WATER TO HARPER BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION LLC FOR MISCELLANEOUS LARGE DIAMETER WATERLINE IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS ITEM SHOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER PASSAGE OF ITEM ONE ABOVE.
ITEM THREE, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON.
PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF AND ACCEPT TO WORK ON CONTRACT WITH SPECIALIZED MAINTENANCE SERVICES.
ITEM FOUR, APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF VARIOUS FURNITURE PRODUCTS IN AGREEMENT WITH USING COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENTS WITH THE INTER LOCAL PURCHASING SYSTEM AND PURCHASING COOPERATIVE OF AMERICA COOPERATIVE SUPPLIERS, AGILE OFFICE SOLUTIONS, LP CARROLL'S DISCOUNT OFFICE FURNITURE COMPANY CHALLENGE OFFICE PRODUCTS INC.
DBA CORE OFFICE INTERIORS J TYLER SERVICES, INC.
AND PFPS, LP DBA OFFICE FURNITURE CONNECTION.
ITEM FIVE, APPROVED PRINTING AUTHORITY FOR FIVE JOB ORDER CONTRACTS FOR GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT WITH BROWN AND ROOT INDUSTRIAL SERVICES.
LLCE CONTRACTORS, USA, EXCUSE ME, LLC HORIZON INTERNATIONAL GROUP LLC, NASH INDUSTRIES, INC.
AND JT VAUGHN CONSTRUCTION, LLC ITEM SIX, AMEND MOTION 20 24 6 0 9 TO INCREASE SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR SERVICE TWO, I'M SORRY FOR UNIFORMS AND APPAREL AWARDED TO SERVICE WEAR APPAREL INC.
ITEM SEVEN APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE SERVICES, EXCUSE ME, FROM WILLIAMS MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY ITEM EIGHT MOBILE TRACK INC.
FOR PURCHASE OF PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL ASSEMBLIES.
ITEM NINE, VECTOR CONTROLS LLC FOR PURCHASE OF CHLORINE ANA CHLORINE ANALYZERS.
[02:05:02]
ITEM 10 HADRON, ENGINEERING SERVICES LLC FOR PURCHASE OF PEDESTRIAN PUSH BUTTONS.ITEM 11, EXCUSE ME, HADRON ENGINEERING SERVICES LLC FOR PURCHASE OF TRAFFIC.
ITEM 12, HADRON HADRON HADRON ENGINEERING SERVICES LLC FOR PURCHASE OF GATE VALVES.
ITEM 13 FERGUSON ENTERPRISE LLC FOR PURCHASE OF MANHOLE COVER TOOLS.
ITEM 14, ABACUS QUALITY SYSTEM SERVICES INC.
FOR PURCHASE OF BAFFLE SKIRTS.
ITEM 15, PATRICIA TECH SUPPLY AND SERVICE FOR PEDESTRIAN PUSH BUTTONS.
ITEM 16, PATRICIA TECH SUPPLY AND SERVICE FOR PURCHASE OF GUARD RAIL.
POST ITEM 17, TRAFFIC SYSTEMS CONSTRUCTION INC.
ITEM 18, VANGUARD TRUCK CENTER OF HOUSTON, A LLC FOR E KU ISUZU LANDSCAPING TRUCKS.
ITEM 19, APPROVAL OF SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF HEAVY TRASH PICKUP FROM REACH, GRAB AND GO DEBRIS REMOVAL, COMPANY REMOVAL CODE ITEM 20, COMCAST CORPORATION FOR CABLE TELEVISION SERVICES.
ITEM 21, AMEND MOTION 20 20 65 TO EXTEND CONTRACT TURN FOR PURCHASE OF THERMOPLASTIC PAVEMENT, MARKING, PREFORM AND COMPOUND MATERIALS AWARDED TO GECO MARKINGS INC.
ITEM 22 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ISSUES OF LETTER OF APPROVAL TO COMMUNITY FIRST RESPONDENT INC.
ITEM 23, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH MONTGOMERY COUNTY FOR ELECTION SERVICES.
ITEM 24, ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS STATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CORPORATION JOINED BY HOUSTON DMA HOUSING, THE HOUSING THREE LLC ITEM 25 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF CATH GALVESTON, HOUSTON ITEM 26TH, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FINAL CLAIM, SETTLEMENT INDEMNITY AGREEMENT AND RELEASE BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND LIBERTY MUTUAL GROUP INC.
TO PAY TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE FUNDS TO LIBERTY MUTUAL GROUP TO RESOLVE LIBERTY MUTUAL GROUP INC'S ALLEGEDLY, ALLEGEDLY SUPERIOR CLAIM TO O BY CITY TO CROWN RIDGE BUILDERS LLC ITEM 27 ORDINANCE DECLARING SURPLUS AND AUTHORIZING PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS SELLER AND PM INVESTORS INC.
PURCHASER FOR SALE OF FIVE CONTIGUOUS PORTIONS OF LAND ITEM 28, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING TWENTY MILLION ONE HUNDRED TWENTY ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED TEN THOUSAND EIGHTEEN CENTS OUT OF AIR FORCE SYSTEM CONSOLIDATED 2011 CONSTRUCTION FUND AND $41,322,641 IN 10 CENTS OUT OF AIRPORTS IMPROVEMENT FUND AWARDING CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO POSCO CIVIL INC.
ITEM 29 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATE AND $329,000 IN OH CENTS OUT OF EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION CONSOLIDATED FUND.
ITEM 30, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF COMPROMISE.
SETTLEMENT RELEASE AND INDEMNITY INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN TAMIKA, LACEY YOAKUM AND CITY OF HOUSTON.
ITEM 31 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE OF THE 100 BLOCK UP EAST 24TH STREET BETWEEN YALE STREET AND HARTFORD STREET WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS HAS A SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE BLOCK.
ORDINANCE RENEWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES OF THE 800 TO 900 BLOCKS OF WEST COTTAGE STREET BETWEEN MISHAW STREET AND WAS STREET.
ITEM 33 ORDINANCE RENEWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NORTH SIDE OF THE 900 BLOCK OF KEY STREET BETWEEN JULIAN AND MISHAW STREETS.
ITEM 34, ORDINANCE NEW THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE 800 TO 900 BLOCKS OF KEY STREET BETWEEN JULIAN AND MISHAW STREETS WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
ITEM 35, ORDINANCE NEW THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE OF THE 2300 BLOCK OF ROBIN HOOD STREET BETWEEN MORNINGSIDE DRIVE IN GREENBRIER DRIVE.
ITEM 36 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND JP MORGAN CHASE BANK NA ITEM 37 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $8,484,500 AND NO CENTS OUT OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM.
CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AND APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY DUS AND ACCURATE METER AND BACKFLOW LLC ITEM 38.
ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AWARDING CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY DUS AND UTECH USA INC.
ITEM 39 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AMENDING ORDINANCE 20 21 47 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT BETWEEN CITY DUS AND ONE AIDS FOUNDATION, HOUSTON INC.
DBA ALLIES IN HOPE TWO AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION THREE FOUNDATION, LATINO AMERICANA, DION SOCIAL INC.
LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES INC.
[02:10:01]
ST.40 ORDINANCE APPROVING AMENDING ORDINANCE 20 21 48 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT AND DBA HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM AND BE BUSY WELLNESS CENTER.
ITEM 41 ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 20 21 49 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT IN AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE MONTREAL CENTER.
ITEM 42, ORDINANCE OF APPROVING, APPROVING AND AMENDING ORDINANCE 20 21 65 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND B, BUSY LEARNING ACADEMY INC.
ITEM 43, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING A DERIVATIVE AGREEMENT WITH RECO LLC ITEM 44 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PUBLIC ROAD CROSS ENCLOSURE AND REMOVAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY ITEM 45 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $422,092 AND 27 CENTS.
ITEM WATER AND SEW SYSTEM, CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
ITEM 46 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $550,000 AND NO CENTS.
ITEM METRO PROJECTS CONSTRUCTION, D-D-S-R-F APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND RAFFIC INC.
ITEM 47, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 20 11 20 21, 11 12 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND RJN GROUP INC.
ITEM 48, ORDINANCE AWARDING CONTRACTOR DL GLOVER UTILITIES LLC FOR 2025.
DITCH MAINTENANCE WORK ORDER CONTRACT ITEM 49, ORDINANCE AWARDING CONTRACTOR DL GLOVER UTILITIES LLC FOR FY 25 DITCH REESTABLISHMENT WORK ORDER CONTRACT NUMBER TWO ITEM 50.
ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $2 MILLION AND NO CENTS OUT OF THE CON CONTRIBUTED CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND AND $677,060 AND 40 CENTS FROM METRO PROJECTS CONSTRUCTION.
D-D-S-R-F AWARDING CONTRACT TO R MIRANDA TRUCKING AND CONSTRUCTION LLC ITEM 51.
THESE ALL THE NEXT ONES ARE THIRD AND FINAL READING OR DECEMBER 20, 25 30 PASSED SECOND READING JANUARY 29TH.
ORDINANCE GRANTED TO AM AMBI AMBER PAR RESPONSE, TEXAS LLC ITEM 52.
ORDINANCE 20 25 31 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO ARROW SERVICES 1 2 3 INC.
ITEM 53, ORDINANCE 20 25 32 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO AZTEC PORTER CANS AND CONTAINERS.
ORDINANCE 20 25 33 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO BIG R TRUCKING LLC ITEM 55, ORDINANCE 20 25 34 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO JACK ENVIRONMENTAL LLC ITEM 56, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 25 35, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO NATION WASTE INC.
ITEM 57, ORDINANCE 20 25 36 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO TEXAS PRIDE DISPOSAL SOLUTIONS, LLC AND ITEM 58.
ORDINANCE 20 25, 37 PAST SECOND READING, WHICH THEY ALL WERE JANUARY 29TH, 2025, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO TWISTER WASTE INC.
IT WAS THE THIRD AND FINAL READING FOR THEM ALL IS THE END OF THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA.
IT'S A MOTION TO SET A DATE NOW LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS FROM FEBRUARY 5TH, 2025 TO RECEIVE NOMINATIONS FOR POSITION ONE ON THE PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY.
ITEM 60 SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE ON THE PROPOSED ON THE PROPOSAL TO USE APPROXIMATELY 0.0390 ACRES OF WAGNER PARK FOR 20 INCH WIDE UTILITY CORRIDOR FOR STORM SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE.
THIS HEARING DATE WILL BE 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, MARCH THE FIFTH, 2025 UNDER THE MATTERS HEALTH CATEGORY.
ITEM 61 IS THE ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $20,349,265 AND 40 CENTS IN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENTS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.
THIS WAS ITEM 12 ON AGENDA OF JANUARY 29TH, 2025 AND ITEM 62, ORDINANCE ADMITTING CITY OF HOUSTON, ORDINANCE 20 24 973 RELATING TO THE RESCHEDULING OR POSTPONE.
30 SEATING COUNCIL MEETINGS TAGGED BY COUNCILMAN POLLARD.
THIS WAS ITEM 16 ON AGENDA OF JANUARY 29TH, 2025.
THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF, EXCUSE ME, JAN, UH, FEBRUARY THE FIFTH, 2025.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
SCHEDULE TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM IN THE WORDS OF OUR CURRENT CITY SECRETARY.
DANNY, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED.
HAVE A BLESSED AND FANTABULOUS DAY.
[RECONVENE]
GOOD MORNING, WOULD COUNCIL PLEASE COME TO[ADMIN REPORT]
ORDER NOW FOR THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.WE RECOGNIZE CONTROLLER CHRIS HOLLANDS
[02:15:01]
AND FINANCE DIRECTOR MELISSA DEBOWSKI, CONTROLLER HOLLANDS.I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2024, AS WELL AS THE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT.
THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS PROJECTING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $348.9 MILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
THIS FIGURE IS $17.6 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PROJECTION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
THAT DIFFERENCE IS DUE TO A LOWER REVENUE PROJECTION THAN THAT OF FINANCE.
BASED ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS, THE FUND BALANCE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $159.4 MILLION ABOVE THE CITY'S TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES, EXCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO IN RESERVE.
WE'VE INCREASED OUR REVENUE PROJECTION BY $4.7 MILLION FROM THE NOVEMBER, 2024 REPORT DUE TO THE REALLOCATION OF ARPA FUNDS FOR REVENUE REPLACEMENT PURPOSES, OUR EXPENDITURE PROJECTION REMAINS UNCHANGED FROM THE NOVEMBER, 2024 REPORT.
MOVING OVER TO ENTERPRISE FUNDS IN THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM FUND, NON-OPERATING REVENUES INCREASED BY $12.6 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER IMPACT FEES.
OPERATING EXPENSES INCREASED BY $4.6 MILLION, MAINLY DUE TO HIGHER REPAIR COSTS FOR THE LAKE LIVINGSTON DAM AND INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE SERVICE COSTS FOR SINKHOLE REPAIRS OFFSET BY PERSONAL SAVINGS.
OPERATING TRANSFERS DECREASED BY $8.8 MILLION DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED DEBT PAYMENTS AND THE DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUND AT VALOREM.
TAX EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY $3.8 MILLION DUE TO PERSONNEL SAVINGS.
WERE PROJECTING NO CHANGES FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH'S AMOUNTS IN THE AVIATION OPERATION OPERATING FUND, PARDON ME, CONVENTION AND ENTERTAINMENT OPERATING FUND, THE STORM STORMWATER FUND, OR THE OTHER DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUNDS FOR OUR COMMERCIAL PAPER AND BONDS.
THE CITY'S PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO MAINTAIN NO MORE THAN 20% OF THE TOTAL OUTSTANDING DEBT FOR EACH TYPE OF DEBT IN A VARIABLE RATE STRUCTURE.
THE RATIO OF UNH VARIABLE RATE DEBT FOR EACH TYPE OF OUTSTANDING DEBT REMAIN WELL BELOW THAT THRESHOLD.
MOVING ON TO OUR QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT.
AS OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2024, THE CITY HAS $5.47 BILLION INVESTED IN OUR GENERAL INVESTMENT POOL.
THE CHARACTER OF THIS POOL IS THAT OF A SHORT TERM BOND FUND THAT HOLDS INVESTMENTS OF VERY HIGH CREDIT QUALITY.
FITCH RATINGS REVIEWED THIS POOL AND ASSIGNED THE POOL ITS HIGHEST RATING.
AAA, OUR INVESTMENT STRATEGY IS TO MATCH ASSETS AND LIABILITIES FOR A TIME PERIOD OF ONE YEAR INTO THE FUTURE AND TO EXERCISE DISCRETION FOR THE BALANCE OF REMAINING FUNDS.
INVESTMENTS ARE $15 MILLION HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR.
THIS IS PRIMARILY ATTRIBUTABLE TO FEDERAL GRANTS FOR NATURAL DISASTERS IN THE GRANT FUND.
AS OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2024, THE GENERAL INVESTMENT POOL WAS YIELDING 3.815%, WHICH IS UP FROM THE 3.738% YIELD IN THE PRIOR QUARTER.
IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL INVESTMENT POOL, WE HAVE TWO SMALL INVESTMENT POOLS THAT TOTAL ABOUT $16 MILLION.
THOSE POOLS EXIST TO COMPLY WITH TAX REQUIREMENTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
A DETAILED LISTING OF ALL THE SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CITY APPEARS AT THE BACK OF THE INVESTMENT REPORT.
ALONG WITH OUR INVESTMENT REPORT, WE'VE INCLUDED THE QUARTERLY SWAP REPORT AS IS REQUIRED BY THE CITY'S SWAP POLICY.
THE WRITTEN SWAP REPORT THAT APPEARS IN THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF OUR TWO SWAP POSITIONS.
THE CITY HAS NEGATIVE RECEIPTS FOR THE THREE MONTH PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2024 FROM ITS SWAPS IN THE AMOUNT OF $4.4 MILLION.
THE FAIR VALUE FOR THE SWAPS AS OF DECEMBER 30, DECEMBER 31ST, 2024 WAS NEGATIVE $58.4 MILLION, WHICH IS A $36.3 MILLION INCREASE IN VALUE OVER THE LAST QUARTER.
THE CITY SWAPS, UH, AS I SAY, EVERY QUARTER, ARE FAIRLY COMPLEX, AND SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT MY OFFICE.
I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AND COMMEND THE DEDICATED TEAM FROM THE CITY, CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THEIR COORDINATION WITH RESIDENTS DURING WINTER STORM ENZO.
THEIR EFFORTS HELPED TO MINIMIZE THE STORM'S IMPACT, AND I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF HOW EFFECTIVELY OUR COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER.
THE GUIDANCE FROM SENIOR OFFICIALS URGING RESIDENTS TO STAY OFF THE ROADWAYS WAS WELL COMMUNICATED, AND THANKFULLY, THE MAJORITY OF HOUSTONIANS HEATED THAT ADVICE KEEPING THEMSELVES AND OTHERS SAFE.
ENZO WAS JUST ONE IN A GROWING SERIES OF MAJOR WEATHER EVENTS THAT HAVE BATTERED OUR CITY.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, NATURAL DISASTERS AFFECTING HOUSTON ARE BECOMING MORE SEVERE, MORE FREQUENT, AND MORE COSTLY.
[02:20:01]
DEVASTATING DIRE, WERE FACING RECOVERY COSTS IN THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.AND WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THE UNPREDICTABLE NATURE OF THESE STORMS, WE CONTINUE TO FALL SHORT IN PREPARING FOR THEM FINANCIALLY.
AND SO AS WE ENTER BUDGET SEASON, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AND AN OBLIGATION TO SET ASIDE DEDICATED FUNDS FOR WEATHER EMERGENCIES.
THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL, AS WE'VE SEEN.
THIS IS CRITICAL, AND WITH THE UNCERTAINTY OF FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WE ONCE RELIED ON, THE NEED FOR FINANCIAL PREPAREDNESS HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER BEYOND STORM RECOVERY.
WE MUST ALSO CONFRONT THE URGENT NEED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT.
EVEN BEFORE FRIDAY'S, TEXAS SUPREME COURT RULING HOUSTON'S INFRASTRUCTURE WAS UNDER AMID STRAIN.
THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT THAT WE RECEIVE AT 3 1 1 IS WATER LEAKS, AND OUR AGING SYSTEM IS HEMORRHAGING MORE THAN 30 BILLION DO, EXCUSE ME, 30 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER EACH YEAR, WHICH IS ENOUGH TO SUPPLY THE ENTIRE CITY OF FORT WORTH.
IT'S WASTEFUL, AND THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD PROJECTS THAT BY 2030, OUR REGION'S WATER DEMAND WILL EXCEED THE AVAILABLE SUPPLY.
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO CONTINUE TO LET PREVENTABLE LOSSES LIKE THAT GO ON RETAINING AND PROPERLY MANAGING OUR WATER IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARD A LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
NOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT FRIDAY'S RULING.
THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT'S DECISION DELIVERS A REAL GUT PUNCH TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON FINANCIALLY.
THE FACTS ARE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST HEARD A MOMENT AGO, OUR, OUR PROJECTED FUND BALANCE FOR THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR IS $350 MILLION.
WHILE THE GENERAL FUND IS OPERATING AT A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT OF MORE THAN $200 MILLION, THAT WAS ALREADY A PROBLEM, AND YOU'VE HEARD ME TIME AND TIME AGAIN AS WELL AS OUR CREDIT AGENCY, UH, SOUND, THE ALARM ON THE NEED FOR HOUSTON TO WRITE THE SHIP.
BUT NOW WITH THIS RULING, THAT PROBLEM IS COMPOUNDED.
THE JUDGMENT ALONE SLASHES OUR ENDING FUND BALANCE GOING AHEAD NOW TO $250 MILLION, AND IT BALLOONS OUR ANNUAL DEFICIT UP BEYOND $300 MILLION.
THAT MEANS SIMPLY THAT WE ARE GOING TO RUN OUTTA MONEY.
NOW, WE KNEW THIS WAS COMING THIS PAST JULY.
WE RECOGNIZED AT THIS TABLE THAT THIS WAS A LIKELY OUTCOME.
WARNINGS WERE SHARED AND THE NECESSARY PREPARATIONS COULD HAVE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE.
AND YET, DESPITE OUR REPEATED MESSAGES ABOUT KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, HERE WE ARE, WE'RE DOWN THE ROAD, THE CAN'S AT OUR FEET, AND NOW WE'RE STARTING TO RUN OUT OF ROAD.
AND THIS IS NOT RHETORIC, IT'S REALITY.
I'M CONCERNED THAT WE'RE GETTING TOO CLOSE TO A TIME WHEN WITHOUT DRASTIC CUTS OR NEW REVENUE, I WON'T BE ABLE TO CERTIFY THE NEXT BUDGET EVEN IF I WANT TO.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO CONTINUE PROVIDING CRITICAL SERVICES IN THE FACE OF OUR FINANCIAL REALITIES.
I'M COMMITTED TO COLLABORATING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND WITH COUNCIL TO SOFTEN THAT BLOW FOR RESIDENTS.
BUT I MUST EMPHASIZE THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO WAIT.
OUR NEXT PLANS HAVE TO INCLUDE AS OUTLINED IN THE JUDGMENT AND ADDITIONAL A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN INVESTMENTS FOR ROAD AND DRAINAGE.
BUT MORE THAN THAT, IT NEEDS TO BE A COMPREHENSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE APPROACH THAT ENABLES HOUSTON'S FINANCIAL AND INFRASTRUCTURAL STABILITY, NOT JUST FOR THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE, BUT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS BODY TO CONSIDER CREATING A JOINT EMERGENCY TASK FORCE, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE MAYOR, THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR OF THE BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND THE CITY CONTROLLER TO MAP OUT ALL THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US AND BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THEM WITH THE PUBLIC.
IF HARD TIMES ARE COMING, HOUSTONIANS NEED TIME TO PREPARE, AND OUR GOVERNMENT NEEDS TIME TO GET VOTERS BUY-IN AND THEIR TRUST, WE CAN START BY ASKING THE PLAINTIFFS IN THE DRAINAGE LAWSUIT TO NEGOTIATE A PHASE IN OF THESE COSTS OVER TIME.
MANY OF US KNOW THESE GENTLEMEN, UH, AND WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE INVESTED IN KEEPING OUR CITY STRONG.
THERE'S A COMMON INTEREST THERE THAT COULD LEAD TO AT LEAST A PARTIAL SOLUTION.
MAYOR, YOU AND I HAVE HAD OUR DIFFERENCES, BUT IT'S TIME TO PUT THOSE ASIDE AND DEAL WITH A VERY REAL PROBLEM AT HAND.
WE HAVE DIFFICULT CHOICES AHEAD, BUT IF WE LEAD WITH CLARITY AND RESPONSIBILITY AND COMMITMENT, WE CAN NAVIGATE THIS CHALLENGE AND EMERGE STRONGER AS A CITY.
THIS IS THE SIX PLUS SIX FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
FISCAL YEAR 25 PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON SIX MONTHS OF ACTUAL RESULTS AND SIX MONTHS OF PROJECTIONS FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
OUR REVENUE PROJECTION IS $11 MILLION LOWER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, BUT IS 4.7 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH.
THE VARIANCE FROM THE PRIOR MONTH'S PROJECTION IS DUE TO AN INCREASE IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL TO REFLECT THE UTILIZATION OF THE UNALLOCATED AR RPA FUNDS FOR USE FOR REVENUE REPLACEMENT.
TOUCHING ON SALES TAX, ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY ADJUSTMENTS THIS MONTH, WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR MONTHLY.
THE SALES TAX RECEIPTS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER WERE $71 MILLION, WHICH IS 1% LOWER THAN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR,
[02:25:01]
BUT IS STILL 0.7% HIGHER THAN WE BUDGETED.SO WE'RE CURRENTLY ON TRACK TO MEET OUR CURRENT ESTIMATE.
ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, THE EXPENDITURE PROJECTION IS 3.9 MILLION LOWER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, BUT REMAINS UNCHANGED FROM THE PRIOR MONTH.
WE'RE CURRENTLY PROJECTING THE ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $366.5 MILLION, WHICH IS 4.7 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR PRIOR MONTH, AND REPRESENTS 14.5% OF ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES, LET LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO.
THIS IS 177 MILLION ABOVE THE TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% OF EXPENDITURES, LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO FOR THE ENTERPRISE SPECIAL REVENUE AND OTHER FUNDS FOR THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM.
NON-OPERATING REVENUES INCREASED BY 12.6 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED IMPACT FEES AND OPERATING EXPENDITURES INCREASED BY 4.6 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO EMERGENCY REPAIRS FOR LAKE LIVINGSTON DAM, WHICH WAS OFFSET BY PERSONNEL SAVINGS.
OPERATING TRANSFERS DECREASED BY 8.8 MILLION DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED DEBT PAYMENTS FOR THE DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUND EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY 3.8 MILLION DUE TO PERSONNEL SAVINGS.
THE HEALTH BENEFITS FUND REVENUES INCREASED BY 900,000 DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED INTEREST ON POOLED INVESTMENTS.
WORKERS' COMPENSATION FUND OPERATING REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES BOTH DECREASED BY 1.5 MILLION DUE TO SAVINGS IN PERSONNEL AND LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED CLAIMS. FOR THE ASSET FORFEITURE FUND REVENUES INCREASED BY $2 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED CONFISCATIONS, AND FOR THE RECYCLING REVENUE FUND REVENUES INCREASED BY 620,000 DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED SALE OF RECYCLABLE MATERIALS.
IN THE, UH, MONDAY BFA REPORT, I GAVE AN UPDATE ON THE HOUSTON ECONOMY.
UM, SO I WON'T SPEND MORE TIME ON THAT TODAY, BUT I DO WANNA FOCUS ON THE DISASTER REPORT THAT'S IN THE MOFA, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE CONTROLLER MENTIONED, UM, THE, THE DISASTERS AND HOW THE CITY IS FINANCIALLY, FINANCIALLY PREPARED FOR IT.
UM, SO AS OF DECEMBER 31ST, WE HAVE PAID 89.4 MILLION IN INVOICES RELATED TO DEBRIS REMOVAL.
WE HAVE ALSO RECEIVED 87.6 MILLION IN FUNDING, UH, TO PAY FOR THOSE INVOICES, WHICH INCLUDE 65 MILLION OF REIMBURSEMENT FROM FEMA AND 22.7 MILLION IN STATE REIMBURSEMENT.
UM, AND THAT WAS ABLE TO BE NEGOTIATED, UH, WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE STATE, INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, UM, AND THIS ADMINISTRATION DID WORK WITH THEM AND WITH TDO TO GET THIS FUNDING FLOWING TO COVER OUR LOCAL SHARE.
UM, I DID WANNA TOUCH ON WHEN THAT, UM, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE CONTROLLER MENTIONED ABOUT THE DISASTER, WE DO HAVE, UM, WE DO HAVE TO REFILL OUR BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND, WHICH WE DID TAP INTO.
WE HAVE TO REFILL IT BY 2027, BUT THAT IS GOING TO BE A MUCH EASIER LIFT NOW THAT WE DO HAVE THAT COLLAB COLLABORATION WITH THE STATE LEADERSHIP TO COVER OUR SHARE OF THE DEBRIS REMOVAL, UH, WHICH IN THE PAST, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO COVER OUR OWN, OUR OWN LOCAL SHARE.
SO AS I MENTIONED, THAT'S ABOUT $23 MILLION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED SO FAR.
I DID ALSO WANNA NOTE, UM, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE UNCERTAINTY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, BUT LOOKING AT THE UM, WHITE HOUSE, UM, MEMO THAT WAS RESCINDED ON THE FEDERAL FREEZE AND THE OM B'S GUIDANCE OF WHICH AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS NEEDED TO REVIEW THOSE GRANTS, IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT FEMA WAS NOT ON THAT LIST TO BE REVIEWED.
SO WE DON'T ANTICIPATE, UM, ANY SLOWDOWN IN FUNDING FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR OUR DISASTER RECOVERY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TOUCH NEXT ON THE DRAINAGE LITIGATION.
UM, WE DID TALK ABOUT IT, UH, FOR QUITE A WHILE IN THE MONDAY BFA REPORT, UM, BUT I WANT TO GO OVER THAT AGAIN TODAY, UM, SINCE IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC FOR THE CITY.
SO WE'VE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE WERE THE MAIN ITEMS, UH, FOR THE MAYOR WHEN HE RAN, AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON.
BUT FINANCE HAS BEEN TRACKING THIS LAWSUIT AND CITY LEGAL HAS BEEN TRACKING THIS LAWSUIT SINCE 2019 WHEN IT ORIGINALLY STARTED.
AND WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE COURTS PROCESS FOR FOR MANY YEARS.
WE'VE ALWAYS KNOWN THE POTENTIAL THAT IT HAD TO IMPACT OUR BUDGET.
UM, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THOSE NUMBERS BOTH AT BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS DURING THE BUDGET SEASON EVERY YEAR SINCE 2019.
THAT'S WHY WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, UM, ALMOST A YEAR AGO, UM, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, COLLABORATING WITH THE OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, PARTICULARLY METRO.
UM, AND THROUGH THAT COLLABORATION, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, WE'VE ALREADY REALIZED THAT, UM, $50 MILLION OF RECURRING REVENUE THAT WE'VE BEEN REFLECTING IN THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS, UH, WHERE METRO IS COLLABORATING WITH US TO COVER 50 MILLION OF OUR COSTS FOR HPD TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, AS WELL AS THE ELECTRICITY FOR THE STREETLIGHTS AND THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
UM, NOT ONLY IS IT IN THE FY 25 ESTIMATES THAT WE PRESENT HERE, BUT WE COLLABORATED WITH THEM TO GET THEM TO REIMBURSE COSTS.
GOING BACK TO FY 24, THAT'S BEEN INCLUDED IN THE AUDITED FINANCIALS AT THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE PREPARED AND FINALIZED,
[02:30:01]
UM, LAST MONTH.SO THOSE REVENUES THAT ARE COMING FROM METRO OFFSET COSTS THAT HISTORICALLY HAVE BEEN BORNE BY THE GENERAL FUND, AND WE'RE CONTINUING ON WITH THAT COLLABORATION WITH METRO, UH, AND THE OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, PARTICULARLY ON THE PROJECTS, UM, STREET INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT NORMALLY WOULD'VE BEEN FUNDED THROUGH THE GMP WORKING WITH METRO TO GET THEM TO TAKE THOSE PROJECTS AND PAY FOR THEM OUTSIDE OF THE GMP.
SO THAT DOESN'T HIT THE CITY'S ALLOCATION.
I ALSO WANNA TOUCH ON THE ERNST AND YOUNG CITYWIDE EFFICIENCY ENTERPRISE SCAN STUDY.
UM, WE, AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT IT ON MONDAY, UM, BUT AS AN UPDATE, WE ARE WORKING IN THE COMING WEEKS TO PRESENT IT TO CITY COUNCIL.
THAT STUDY HAS IDENTIFIED AREAS FOR EFFICIENCIES AND OPPORTUNITIES AND SYNERGIES AMONGST DEPARTMENTS SO THAT WE CAN, UM, NOT ONLY COLLABORATE WITH OTHER OUTSIDE STAKEHOLDERS, BUT WITH EACH OTHER BETTER, UH, COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION EVEN INSIDE THE CITY.
WE'RE SUCH A LARGE ORGANIZATION, AND SO WE NEEDED THAT REPORT TO HELP US FIND THOSE EFFICIENCIES, FIND DUPLICATION, AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN STILL DELIVER THE SERVICES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE CITIZENS, UM, BUT DOING IT IN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY THAT WE CAN, THE BEST USE OF THE TAX DOLLARS THAT WE DO HAVE.
SO AS WE PREPARE FOR THE FY 26 BUDGET, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO EXAMINE ALL THOSE CITY OPERATIONS.
AND WE DID ACTUALLY HAVE THE BUDGET KICKOFF MEETING WITH THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND CFOS AND THEIR STAFFS YESTERDAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, TELLING THEM ABOUT THE, THE FINANCIAL SITUATION THAT THE CITY IS IN.
I THINK THE MAYOR'S THE FIRST ONE, UM, TO TALK ABOUT IT.
AND WE KNOW WE HAVE A HEAVY LIFT.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY WE STARTED ON THIS ARNST AND YOUNG REPORT, UM, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, WHICH IS NOW, UH, IN THE FINAL STAGES AND READY TO BE ROLLED OUT.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU CONTROLLER AND DIRECTOR.
UM, CONTROLLER, I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH US AND, AND, UM, BRING EVERY, EVERY IDEA TO THE TABLE, UM, TO ADDRESS THIS CHALLENGE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR REMARKS VERY MUCH.
UM, DIRECTOR KY, WE DID TALK ABOUT THE, THE METRO MONEY A LOT AT THE BFA MEETING.
UM, SO BASICALLY THIS GENERAL MOBILITY MONEY, UM, WILL BE USED TO OFFSET BECAUSE WE USED TO SPEND GENERAL FUND MONEY ON THESE, THESE ITEMS THAT WILL BE USED TO OFFSET 50 MILLION OF THE A HUNDRED MILLION THAT WE'RE NEED TO, WE NEED TO COME UP WITH EVERY YEAR.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT $50 MILLION.
UH, KIND OF A QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
HAVE WE, HAVE, WE LOOKED AT WHETHER THAT 11.80 CENTS, WHETHER THAT MONEY COULD COME FROM OUTSIDE THE REVENUE CAP MONEY, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? KINDA LIKE WE DO 90 MILLION EXTRA FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE LANGUAGE, I'M NOT A LAWYER.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT LANGUAGE THAT COULD ALLOW US TO COLLECT, UM, FUNDS OUTSIDE OF THE, OF THE REVENUE CAP FOR THIS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF INFRASTRUCTURE STREET DRAINAGE? UH, I I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S, THAT WE HAVE ANT ANSWER JUST YET.
WE'RE SPEAKING WITH THE OTHER PARTY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S THE COURT STILL HAS JURISDICTION SURE.
IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO CRAFT, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, LIKE TS IS, AND, AND THINGS DO INFRASTRUCTURE OUTSIDE OF THE REVENUE CAP.
SO THAT'S, THAT WAS JUST A THOUGHT.
UM, I LOOK VERY FORWARD TO THE ERNST AND YOUNG, UM, REPORT, UM, AND, AND FINDING OUT, YOU KNOW, EXACT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE GONNA FIND THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UM, COLLEAGUES, I THINK THAT WE'RE EITHER THE CONTROLLER SAYS 159 MILLION, THE DIRECTOR SAYS $177 MILLION OVER AND ABOVE WHAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO KEEP IN THE, IN THE GENERAL FUND.
WE HAVE A VERY HEALTHY FUND BALANCE.
UM, UM, FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE, WE'VE DRAWN UPON THE FUND BALANCE TO BRIDGE THE GAP.
UM, BUT, BUT THAT WE DO HAVE A, A HEALTHY FUND.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A $330 MILLION ABOVE, BUT THERE IS A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE THAT I THINK WILL HELP US, ESPECIALLY IF WE CAN PHASE IN AS, AS YOU'VE MENTIONED, PHASE IN THE, THE, UM, THE A HUNDRED MILLION EXTRA.
THERE'S NOT A HOUSTONIAN INSIGHT THAT DOESN'T THINK WE NEED TO SPEND A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS OR PROBABLY MORE ON STREETS AND DRAINAGE.
SO, UH, I THINK THIS WILL BE MONEY WELL SPENT, UM, ADDITIONAL MONEY WELL SPENT ON STREETS AND DRAINAGE.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, OF MAKING SURE WE CAN MAKE THEM THE REST OF THE BUDGET WORK.
SO THANKS FOR, THANKS FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
COUNCIL MEMBER YOU MENTIONED THE, THE, THE METRO FUNDS.
UM, AND UNLESS I'M MISTAKEN, THE, THAT $50 MILLION IN METRO FUNDS IS ALREADY BAKED INTO THE FINANCIAL REPORTS THAT WE'VE PROVIDED YOU PREEXISTING THAT JUDGMENT, RIGHT? SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT, AND, AND I KNOW OUR NUMBERS ARE OFF FIVE 17 MILLION OR SO, RIGHT? BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT 350 TO $370 MILLION PROJECTED IN THE FISCAL YEAR END FUND BALANCE, THAT IS AFTER
[02:35:01]
THE METRO MONEY AND BEFORE THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS JUDGMENT.AND SO, ALTHOUGH OF COURSE THAT METRO MONEY COMING IN TO, UH, FUND POLICE AND TO COME TO FUND TRAFFIC SIGNALS DOES SUPPORT THE GENERAL FUND, UM, THAT DOES NOT BRING THAT A HUNDRED DOWN TO 50.
THE METRO MOBILITY MONEY IS, IS IS MONEY WE GET EVERY YEAR.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GETTING NEW MONEY AND FROM, FROM METRO.
I MEAN, WE ARE GETTING NEW MONEY FROM METRO BUILDING STREETS THAT THEY DIDN'T USE TO AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT, BUT, BUT THE, THE METRO MOBILITY MONEY IS, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S LIKE THEY HAD THE MONEY SET ASIDE.
WE ASK FOR THAT MONEY BASED ON PROJECTS, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE SAY METRO, OKAY, WE SPENT THIS OR DID THEY REIMBURSE US FROM GEN GENERAL MOBILITY? LARGELY, YES.
SO WHEN THEY GET THEIR MONTHLY ALLOCATION OF SALES TAX, IT GOES INTO A SEPARATE, UM, POT FOR THE CITY, AND THEN WE MAKE REQUESTS TO DRAW DOWN.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT ON MONDAY, UM, THAT ABOUT A YEAR AGO AT METRO, YOU KNOW, WE, IN OUR CONVERSATIONS, IN COLLABORATION WITH THEM, NOTIFIED US, HEY, YOU HAVE 170 MILLION THAT'S AVAILABLE TO BE DRAWN DOWN.
AND SO WE STARTED TO DRAW THAT DOWN, NOT JUST FOR, UM, THESE ITEMS THAT ARE RELIEVING THE GENERAL FUND, BUT ALSO FOR, UM, PROJECTS THAT ARE MOVING FORWARD.
SO WE ARE, UH, DEFINITELY TAKING, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DEFINITELY TAKING MORE PROACTIVE STEPS TO DRAW DOWN THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US.
UM, I GUESS I DID WANT TO TOUCH BASE ON THE TIMING OF THE METRO FUNDING, THOUGH THAT WE'RE USING FOR HPD TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AND THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND ELECTRICITY FOR THE STREETLIGHTS.
UH, I MEAN, YES, IT IS BAKED INTO THESE NUMBERS.
IT'S BEEN BAKED INTO THESE NUMBERS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
UM, WE EVEN REFLECTED PART OF IT IN OUR FY 24, UM, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE AUDITED FINANCIALS WERE FINALIZED AND, AND REALIZED SOME REVENUE FOR PRIOR FISCAL YEAR.
UM, BUT IT'S VERY, I DON'T WANNA SAY IT'S VERY FORTUNATE, BUT IT'S, UM, IT'S NOT ON ACCIDENT, RIGHT? THAT WE STARTED COLLABORATING WITH METRO TO BRING THIS MONEY IN BECAUSE WE KNEW, WE KNEW THIS JUDGMENT IS OUT THERE.
WE KNOW WE HAVE A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT AND PROACTIVELY WORKING ON GETTING AS MUCH DOLLARS IN THE DOOR AS WE CAN, IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
RIGHT? AND THE, AND THE CHARTER AMENDMENT, YOU KNOW, HAS THE FOUR BUCKETS OF MONEY MM-HMM
AND ONE OF THEM IS THE THIRD PARTY FUNDS METRO FUNDS THAT ARE FOR STREETS AND DRAINAGE.
NOW IT'S NOT, THERE'S GENERAL MOBILITY MONEY THAT YOU'RE USING FOR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, WHICH ARE THE POLICE FOR THE POLICE MM-HMM
NOW, I DON'T CONSIDER THAT MONEY THAT WOULD NEED TO GO INTO THE D-D-S-R-F BECAUSE THAT'S NOT REALLY STREETS AND DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO THAT MONEY IS MY UNDERSTANDING, WAS A DIRECT TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND.
WHEREAS THE, THE STREETLIGHT MONEY DID GO INTO THE D-D-S-R-F.
'CAUSE THAT'S ACTUAL STREET RELATED TO STREETS.
BUT I UNDER, I I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING CONTROLLER TWO.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE LOOKING FOR 50 MILLION OR ARE WE LOOKING FOR A HUNDRED MILLION? WELL, WE'RE LOOKING FOR, OR WE'RE LOOKING FOR 330 MILLION, KNOW WE'RE LOOKING TO CLOSE OUR STRUCTURAL DEFICIT.
RIGHT? BUT BECAUSE OF THE LAWSUIT, ARE WE, ARE WE A HUNDRED STILL? I MEAN, ARE WE STILL A HUNDRED MILLION IN THE WHOLE, OR, OR BECAUSE OF THIS METRO THING? ARE WE, ARE WE 50 IN THE WHOLE, WELL, WE WERE FOR FY 26, THE GAP WE TALKED ABOUT WAS 220 MILLION.
RIGHT? SO YOU ADD A, IF YOU ADD A HUNDRED MILLION TO THAT, WE'D BE LOOKING AT 320 MILLION.
BUT WE'VE ALREADY WORKED WITH THE METRO FOR THE 50 MILLION.
SO YOU, IT, IT GOES AGAINST THAT TOTAL.
RIGHT? WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING FOR THE A HUNDRED MILLION.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE MADE ANY SECRET ABOUT WE HAVE A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT AND WE ALREADY HAVE MORE WORK TO DO.
ARE YOU, ARE YOU, DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT CONTROLLER? MY COMMENTARY COUNCIL MEMBER WAS ABOUT THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 2025.
AND SO AGAIN, YOU LOOK AT OUR PROJECTION OF 348.9 MILLION ENDING FUND BALANCE, FINANCIAL PROJECTION OF 366.5 MILLION WITH, IF WE WERE TO DO NOTHING BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT MONTH'S REPORT, THOSE NUMBERS WOULD EACH GO UP BY $100 MILLION.
SO THE, THE NUMBER FOR THIS YEAR IS A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
I HAVEN'T DISCUSSED THAT WITH, WITH FINANCE, BUT I DON'T OBJECT TO THE, TO WHAT SHE JUST POSTULATED THAT.
BECAUSE WHEN I, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE, THE UPCOMING BUDGET GAP, I THINK ABOUT AS WE ENTER FY 26, WE'RE LOOKING AT 230 MILLION OR THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT.
SO WHEN WE, THIS WOULD MAKE IT, WE'RE LOOKING AT 330 MILLION, BUT WE'LL ALSO PUT IN THAT $50 MILLION WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FY 26 BUDGET.
AND, UH, LAST BUDGET CYCLE, UH, I RAISED MY CONCERNS THAT DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE WERE, THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN, UH, WE WOULD GET HIT WITH THIS A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, UH, LIABILITY
[02:40:01]
IN THE REBUILD CASE.UH, DOES THE RU RULING, WHICH IS NOW FINAL, REQUIRE THE CITY FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES, DOES IT REQUIRE THE CITY TO PAY INTO THE FUND THIS FISCAL YEAR? SO WE'VE BROUGHT UP THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT NEXT FISCAL YEAR, AND THE, THE RULING PLAYS INTO THAT MM-HMM
BUT FOR THE A HUNDRED MILLION IN TERMS OF LIABILITY, IS THAT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR OR NEXT FISCAL YEAR? I, I WOULD LIKE TO DEFER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY ON THE TIMING.
THE, WHEN, WHEN DOES THE BILL COME DUE? THE PAYMENT IS DUE AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, SO IT WOULD BE, UM, JUNE 30TH.
BUT THE, THE OPINION IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REHEARING AND A CLARIFICATION IS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE ARE STILL CONSIDERING, BUT I HAVE NOT ADVISED THE MAYOR COUNCIL YET ON THAT.
SO, BUT FOR CLARITY, IT WOULD BE THIS FISCAL YEAR, UNLESS WE ARE TRYING TO PUNT AND DELAY AGAIN, AGAIN, WE, WE'VE READ THE TEA LEAVES, WE KNOW WHAT THE RULING IS.
UM, CAN YOU REMIND US, UH, DIRECTOR OF THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF MAINTAINING A FUND BALANCE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON? MM-HMM
SO, UM, IT'S ADDRESSED IN THE FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT STATES THAT OUR TARGET IS TO HOLD 7.5% OF EXPENDITURES, LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO.
SO FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, UM, WE'RE CURRENTLY AT 14.5% OF OUR FUND BALANCE.
AND THE DOLLAR WISE, IF WE'RE TALKING IS 177 MILLION ABOVE THE MINIMUM, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GREAT.
BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE THE, THE STRUCTURAL DEBT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT, AGAIN, WE ALL AGREE WE NEED TO, TO TACKLE AND BE VERY GENUINE, UH, WITH HOUSTONIANS ABOUT, I DID ASK LAST YEAR WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE TO OUR RESERVES WHEN THE RULING CAME DOWN.
AND I ASKED HOW FAR IN THE RED WE WOULD GO, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE COMBINE IT WITH, UH, THE NEW FIREFIGHTER CONTRACT AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF INCREASING SEVERE WEATHER, UH, AND NATURAL DISASTERS, WHICH AGAIN, THEY DID HIT, THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE.
UH, WHAT I HEAR EVERY, WE, I THINK WE ALL AGREE, RIGHT? IN TERMS OF A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT, WE WERE GOING FROM ABOUT 230 MILLION TO OVER 300 MILLION.
THERE'S, REGARDING THE 50 MILLION FROM METRO FOR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AND LIGHTING, UM, AGAIN, WE'RE MOVING MONEY FROM STREET LIGHTING, WHICH IS PART OF THE GENERAL FUND.
HISTORICALLY NOW WE'RE MOVING IT FROM METRO.
UM, AND FROM METRO'S GENERAL MOBILITY, I KNOW THAT, UH, THE, THE CHAIR IS ASKING QUESTIONS ON THIS, BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GET CLARITY IN TERMS OF METRO'S SPECIFIC LANGUAGE AS IT RELATES TO THEIR FUNDS AND WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT USE THOSE FOR.
BECAUSE IN TERMS OF RIGHT STREET LIGHTING, RIGHT, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE, UH, FING THE NUMBERS A BIT HERE OR MOVING THOSE.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY HOW WE GOT, SO I THINK THE, THE ILA BETWEEN THE CITY AND METRO VERY CLEARLY LAYS OUT WHAT WE CAN USE THE FUNDING ON.
SO WE CAN SHARE THAT LANGUAGE WITH YOU.
BUT LEGAL REVIEWED IT, METRO'S LEGAL REVIEWED IT, AND WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THIS.
'CAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DRAINAGE.
WE JUST WANNA BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT LANGUAGE.
I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE YOUR DUE DILIGENCE, BUT THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
UM, AGAIN, WE ARE HEADING INTO HURRICANE SEASON AS WELL AS A NEW BUDGET SEASON THAT'S JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
UH, WE ARE CLEARLY NOT INVESTING ENOUGH IN DRAINAGE.
I DON'T THINK WE NEEDED A LAWSUIT TO TELL US THAT.
UH, BUT WE ARE NOT FINANCIALLY STABILIZED EITHER.
UH, AND THAT'S A VERY BIG CONCERN COMING INTO, UH, THIS BUDGET SEASON.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR, UM, PRESENTATION.
UH, DIRECTOR DEBOSKY, I WANTED TO JUST CLARIFY ON THE 170 MILLION OF METRO DOLLARS, ARE WE LOOKING AT, UM, THE 500,000 THAT COMES FROM OUR CDSF, OR WAS THERE ANY OVERLAP OR ANY OF, OF THAT COMES FROM POTENTIAL PROJECTS THAT ARE IN QUEUE? UM, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT 500,000 MM-HMM
OF METRO MONEY THAT'S ALLOCATED TO CDSL? RIGHT.
SO, UM, METRO, UH, ANNUALLY, METRO AND THE CITY WORK TOGETHER ON A LIST OF WHAT'S GONNA BE FUNDED IN THE GMP AND THE COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUND.
MONEY IS STILL ALLOCATED THERE.
SO THAT WAS NOT IMPACTED BY ANY OF THIS.
SO NONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE SLATED TO HAPPEN THAT HAVE NOT HAPPENED YET WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE MOVEMENT OF THESE DOLLARS.
[02:45:01]
THANK YOU.UM, THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I, I WANTED TO REFER BACK TO THIS LAWSUIT, AS WE KNOW, UM, WE GO BACK TO ADMINISTRATIONS OR THAT FAR BACK 2019.
AND WE GENERALLY END UP WITH ISSUES THAT BEEN KICKED, CAN KICK DOWN THE ROAD REGARDLESS.
DRAINAGE FEE, A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
AND THIS VOTER BEEN MONEY SET ASIDE FOR PARTICULARLY WHAT IT'S WAS SUPPOSEDLY THE, THE CITIZEN VOTED ON IN ORDER TO HELP IN THE DRAINAGE ISSUES IN OUR CITY.
BUT WE DO KNOW THE LAWSUITS PURSUED.
I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE, I'M SURE THIS ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO DEAL WITH IT, HANDLE IT, BUT I GUESS MY CONCERN WOULD BE THE, THE, THE MONIES THAT'S BEING ASKED FOR, AS I THINK I HEARD THE CITY ATTORNEY SAY, IT'S GOTTA BE PAID BY THE FISCAL YEAR OF JUNE OF THIS YEAR.
UH, THAT'S HOW WE'RE READING IT RIGHT NOW.
SO THE LAWSUIT ITSELF, UM, WHEN, WHEN, MAYBE THIS IS FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY, WHEN THE LAWSUITS BEGAN, WAS THERE A REQUIREMENT OR ANY MONIES THAT WAS SET ASIDE, AND I GUESS MAYBE THE TWO PREVIOUS FINANCE AND CONTROLLERS WERE NOT HERE AT THE TIME, BUT WAS THERE ANY STOPPAGE OR MONEY SET ASIDE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION FOR, WITH KNOWING THAT THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY THESE DOLLARS BACK? UH, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS.
THE, THE CONCEPT OF THE DRAINAGE FUND IS A PAY AS YOU GO.
AND IT GOES BACK TO, I THINK THE FIRST YEAR OF MAYOR PARKER'S ADMINISTRATION, THERE WAS A LAWSUIT CHALLENGING THE BALLOT LANGUAGE, AND THE CITY WAS REQUIRED TO PUT ON THE SAME LANGUAGE BECAUSE IT WAS A CITIZEN INITIATED CHARTER AMENDMENT BACK IN, I THINK, 17.
AND THEN THE LAWSUIT CAME IN 19.
BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW, NO FUNDS HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE FOR A, FOR AN ADVERSE JUDGMENT.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD TO THAT IS THAT, UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL FISCAL YEARS, UH, LOOKING BACK THAT THE CITY, IN ADDITION TO THE 11 POINT EIGHTS AND EQUIVALENT ALLOCATION THAT WE MADE TO D-D-S-R-F, THE CITY CHOSE TO INVEST ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT, UM, REQUIRED AMOUNT TO PUT MORE MONEY TOWARDS DRAINAGE.
UM, SOMETIMES THROUGH THE PROPOSED BUDGET, SOMETIMES THROUGH BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
SO IT, IT DEFINITELY HAS HAPPENED WHERE WE HAVE PUT AN AMOUNT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN, UH, WHAT THE CITY CALCULATED AS THE MINIMUM AND WHAT THE PLAINTIFFS ARE ALLEG ALLEGING THE MINIMUM IS.
I, I, I'LL, I'LL JUST, WE'LL TAKE THAT FOR NOW.
I WOULD, UH, FOLLOW YOUR COMMENTS WITH THE RECOGNITION THAT THIS LAWSUIT GOES BACK TO 20 19, 5 YEARS AGO.
SO IT'S NOT A SURPRISE TO ANYONE.
IN FACT, I THINK MOST OF US SUPPORT THE PREMISE OF THE LAWSUIT THAT WE NEED TO SPEND MORE MONEY ON ROADS AND DRAINAGE.
THE REAL DISAPPOINTING POINT WAS, AND IS THAT IT WAS NOT ADDRESSED AND NEGOTIATED WHEN IT WAS FILED.
I WILL PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE WE'RE IN CONTACT WITH THE PLAINTIFFS, UH, AND WE'LL BE MEETING WITH THEM TO SEE IF THERE'S A TIMETABLE THAT COULD BE ADJUSTED AS WE SEEK OUT ADDITIONAL REVENUE AND LOOK AT ALL OF OUR OPTIONS.
IT'S VERY EASY TO CRITICIZE FOR SOUND AND ALARM IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO OFFER UP SOLUTIONS.
SO THIS IS NOT A SURPRISE TO ME OR ANYONE THAT RAN FOR MAYOR.
ANYONE THAT PAYS ATTENTION TO CITY GOVERNMENT.
COUNCILMAN ALCORN'S BEEN VERY ARTICULATE ABOUT OUR FI FISCAL POLICY.
THE LAST TWO BUDGETS HAVE BEEN HANDLED BEFORE WE GOT HERE, BEFORE YOU AND I GOT HERE WITH FEDERAL MONIES.
IN FACT, I THINK I HEARD THE PREVIOUS MAYOR SITTING HERE SAY, THIS LAWSUIT IS THE NEXT MAYOR'S PROBLEM.
AND THAT'S THE REASON MOST OF US RAN TO FIX THIS, TO ADDRESS THE SYSTEMIC SHORTFALL.
AND WE'LL BE SHARING ALL THIS INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC AS WE GO FORWARD.
BUT, UH, NO ONE SHOULD ACT AS SURPRISED,
[02:50:01]
MR. CONTROLLER, THAT, UH, WE'VE GOT SOME VERY TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE.THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTHCOMING, VERY TRANSPARENT, AND, UH, LET'S GO TO WORK.
UM, JUST TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF, OF THE METRO DOLLARS THAT WERE, UM, ALLOCATED FOR THE SIGNAL LIGHTS AND THE, THE, UM, THE ADDITIONAL POLICE, UM, THAT 170 MILLION THAT WE DRAW DOWN ON, IF WE WERE NOT TO HAVE ALLOCATED THE 50 MILLION FOR, UH, THE CURRENT PRIORITIES, WHAT WOULD WE HAVE SPENT THAT MONEY ON? OR TRADITIONALLY, WHAT HAVE WE SPENT THAT MONEY ON AND, AND WHAT PROJECTS MAY GET IMPACTED BECAUSE OF THAT? SO I ASSUME THAT IT WOULD STILL BE SITTING THERE BECAUSE WE ONLY CAN SEND INVOICES FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE READY TO BE PAID, UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT PROJECTS IT WOULD IMPACT, THAT'S GOES TO THE CONTINUED COLLABORATION WITH METRO, WHERE PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD'VE NORMALLY FUNDED OUT OF THE GMP, WE'RE WORKING WITH METRO TO GET THEM TO TAKE ON OUTSIDE OF OUR GMP ALLOCATION SO THAT THERE'S NO IMPACT TO THE PROJECTS.
AND TRADITIONALLY WITH, WITH THAT DRAWDOWN MONEY, DO WE HAVE SIMILAR AMOUNTS EACH FISCAL YEAR? OR HOW DOES THAT MONEY GET ACCUMULATED? UM, IT GETS ACCUMULATED INTO THE POT BASED ON THE SALES TAX ALLOCATION THAT IS EARNED MONTHLY.
UM, I WOULD HAVE TO PULL THE HISTORICAL NUMBERS.
DO WE TRADITIONALLY DRAW DOWN ALL OF IT? OR WHERE, WHERE DO WE USUALLY FALL WITHIN THAT? LIKE, DO WE HAVE AN EXTRA 50 MILLION? AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO SHIFT THAT.
AND NOW WE HAVE, BECAUSE WE USUALLY DON'T SPEND ALL OF IT.
OR DO WE USUALLY SPEND ALL OF IT AND IT'S, AND NOW WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SPEND THAT AMOUNT BECAUSE 50 MILLION IS NOW REALLOCATED.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO PULL ALL THE NUMBERS GOING ALL THE WAY BACK OF WHAT THE BALANCE WAS.
UM, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT 170 ISH MILLION MONEY'S COMING IN AND GOING OUT ALL THE TIME, BUT THAT, THAT BALANCE WAS, UH, FAIRLY HIGH FOR SOME TIME.
FAIRLY WHAT? HIGH FOR SOME TIME.
AND, AND TO THAT POINT, LIKE I SAID, ON ON MONDAY, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE, THE AMOUNTS THAT METRO SPENDING ON ROADS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST LIKE WESTHEIMER, YOU KNOW? MM-HMM.
SO WE CAN KIND OF MAKE THAT, UH, WEIGH THAT AND MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT, UH, KIND OF SHORTING GENERAL MOBILITY, UH, TO COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE WITH THE DRAINAGE FEE.
I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
THIS LAWSUIT WAS ABOUT THE 11.80 CENTS OF THE AD VALOREM TAX LEVY.
WHEN YOU GET AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, IT IS VERY CLEAR.
IT'S D-D-S-R-F, METRO MOBILITY MONEY.
IT'S D-D-S-R-F, UH, DRAINAGE FEE.
AT VALOREM, WE HAVE NOT MISMANAGED OR MISSPENT THE DRAINAGE FEE.
DRAINAGE FEE BY STATE LAW HAS TO BE SPENT ON DRAINAGE.
AND, UH, WE ASK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
THAT DRAINAGE FEE IS GOING TOWARDS DRAINAGE.
SO DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT NUMBER ON YOUR WATER BILL HAS GONE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
IT'S THE 11.80 CENTS OF YOUR, OF YOUR PROPERTY TAXES THAT IS AT ISSUE.
NOW, THE CITY'S INTERPRETATION WAS THAT COULD BE ADJUSTED DOWN.
AND I REMEMBER THE DAY IT HAPPENED,
WHEN WE BUMPED UP AGAINST THE REVENUE CAP IN 2015, IT WAS ALL OF A SUDDEN, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ADJUST THAT DOWNWARD, UH, CITY LEGAL, UH, INTERPRETED THAT THAT WAS ALLOWABLE.
THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN AT ISSUE IN COURT.
AND, UH, AND THE INTERPRETATION IS THE FULL 11 A 0.80 CENTS NEEDS TO BE SPENT.
BUT I, I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR, UM, WITH CONSTITUENTS THAT THIS IS NOT THE DRAINAGE FEE PORTION OF, OF THE REBUILD HOUSTON PROGRAM.
THANK YOU, CONTROLLER DIRECTOR.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE REPORT? I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT? IT DATED, DID DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
SECOND CASTILLO MOTION MADE, AND SECOND TO ACCEPT THE FINANCE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.
[MAYOR'S REPORT]
[02:55:01]
REPORT, I'D LIKE TO YIELD IF COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.UM, COLLEAGUES ON YOUR, UH, RIGHT BEFORE YOU, YOU'LL HAVE A PAMPHLET.
UH, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THE WORD OUT.
DIRECTOR NCE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
UM, BUT THE REAL ABILITIES FILM FESTIVAL IS GOING ON.
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE PARTNERSHIP, UM, THROUGH, UH, JFS HOUSTON, UH, THE ALEXANDER INSTITUTE FOR INCLUSION, UH, AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AMONG MANY OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
IT'S A MONTH LONG, UM, ARTS AND FILM FESTIVAL.
UH, IT PROMOTES INCLUSION AND CELEBRATES THE LIVES AND TALENTS OF PEOPLE, UH, WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH, AGAIN, MULTIPLE MEDIUMS. UH, THE FIRST EVENT WAS HELD THIS PAST SUNDAY WITH THE REAL ART OPENING.
UH, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL, AGAIN, MULTIPLE EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH.
I WANNA RECOGNIZE CARL JOHAR AND THE JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES TEAM, AS WELL AS, AS I MENTIONED, MOPD MAYOR, UH, YOUR DIVISION FOR BRINGING THIS INCREDIBLE EVENT BACK.
UM, THE FILM FESTIVAL ITSELF IS GOING TO, FOR THE FIRST TIME, BE HOSTED AT THE RIVER OAKS THEATER.
UH, NOW THAT, THAT'S REOPENED.
UH, SO OPENING NIGHT IS WHAT NEXT WEEKEND.
BUT AGAIN, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE GETS THIS INFORMATION.
ONE, SO YOU CAN ATTEND AN EVENT, BUT ALSO TO SHARE, UH, WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
I'D LIKE TO, ON BEHALF OF HOUSTONIANS EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCE TO THE ISMAL MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON.
WE STAND WITH THE COMMUNITY FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF PRINCE KAREEM, AGA K IV, THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE SHIA ISMA MUSLIMS, AND FOUNDER OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AGA KAN DEVELOPMENT NETWORK.
THEY HAVE BEEN SO INVOLVED IN OUR BUILDING.
THE BEAUTIFUL IS MOLLY CENTER OF HOUSTON ALLEN PARKWAY.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO WATCH THAT DEVELOPMENT.
IT IS REALLY, REALLY SOMETHING SPECIAL.
AND WHILE WE MOURN THE LAW, SUPREME KAREEM AGAR KANDA FORTH, WE WILL CELEBRATE HIS REMARKABLE LIFE AND COMMITMENT TO UNITING PEOPLE OF ALL FAITH AND CULTURES.
I YOU TO TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO CONSIDER HIS FAMILY AND HIS REMARKABLE LIFE.
I'M HAPPY TO WAIT TILL THE COMPLETION OF YOUR REPORT.
I'M SORRY, YOUR LIGHT WAS STILL ON.
OH, I, I TOO WANTED TO ECHO, UM, SURE.
MY, MY HEART AND MY THOUGHTS WITH, UM, OUR LOCAL AND GLOBAL ISMAILY MUSLIM COMMUNITY.
UM, THE HIS HIGHNESS, UH, THE AGA CON WAS A VISIONARY WHO USHERED IN PROFOUND PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERSHIPS, INCLUDING RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON.
UH, ACTUALLY IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT C.
UH, WE WELCOMED HIS HIGHNESS'S BROTHER, PRINCE AMIN AGA KHAN, UH, IN RECOGNITION, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO OF THE GENEROSITY OF THE AS SMILEY COMMUNITY AS WE'RE SEEING WITH THE COMMUNITY CENTER, WITH THE STATUES, WITH THE ENTIRE, UM, DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE SEEING.
BUT, UH, TO REAFFIRM THAT HIS LASTING LEGACY OF COMMUNITY BASED WORK THAT REFLECT THE CORE TENETS OF THE AS SMILEY MUSLIM FAITH, INCLUDING COMPASSION AND RESPECT, WILL ALWAYS REMAIN WITH US.
UH, AND WE ARE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
THE AGENDA, MADAM SECRETARY, UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY.ITEM TWO, NEEDS AND MOTION CAST.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ACCEPTABLE CATEGORY.
ITEM THREE HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BS CATEGORY.
ITEMS 5, 6, 7, AND 18 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A MOTION ON THE BALANCE? MOTION PASS.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE RESOLUTION CATEGORY.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY.
[03:00:01]
BEEN RECEIVED.[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION ARE 23, 37, 39, 44, 48, 49 AND 50.THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE 23, 37, 39, 44, 48, 49 AND 50.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
UH, COUNCILMAN POLLARD TAGS NUMBER THREE.
NEXT ITEM FIVE NEEDS A MOTION CAST.
VERIFIED FIVE IS TAGGED BY COUNCILOR FLICKINGER.
MOTION MOTIONS MADE IN SECOND.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A BIT OF A COMMENT ON THIS.
UH, I'LL BE VOTING FOR IT, BUT WE ENDED UP SPENDING A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER VOTER FOR THE RUNOFF ELECTION.
AND THIS IS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
AND MAYOR, I'M SURE YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT THE LAW AND WHAT GOVERNS THIS OR NOT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD TAKE A CHANGE TO THE LAW.
UH, BUT THESE ARE ACTUALLY VOTERS IN DISTRICT E UM, AND I THINK THEY'D BE HAPPY TO DRIVE TWO MORE MILES TO VOTE.
'CAUSE WE'VE GOT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS IN THAT AREA THAT ARE ABLE TO, SO IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH THIS IN THE FUTURE, I, I THINK WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN, IT'S SMALL POTATOES COMPARED TO THE NUMBERS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
BUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS A VOTE IS QUITE A BIT.
NEED A MOTION? NO, WE JUST NEED VOTE, SIR.
UM, THIS ITEM IS FOR THE COMMERCIAL METER REPLACEMENT.
UM, THEY'RE REPLACING 400 A YEAR OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
UM, THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE OUTSTANDING NUMBER PAST THAT ISN'T KNOWN.
AND SO WE'RE SPENDING ALMOST $8.5 MILLION ON THIS SET.
AND WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH IN THE FUTURE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND TO FINISH THE PROJECT.
SO IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT NUMBER IS SO WE CAN DO LONG-TERM PLANNING.
IT NEEDS TO BE DONE REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY ARE OUTSTANDING PAST THIS.
BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE IN FOR IN THE FUTURE WITH THIS.
UH, THIS ITEM AND THE, THE NEXT FEW ITEMS ARE ALL DEALING WITH, UH, CRITICAL PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDING TO A VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS AND, UH, WILL IMPACT FOLKS ACROSS, UM, VARIOUS POPULATION GROUPS.
AND AT A TIME WHEN, WHEN THERE ARE, ARE QUESTIONS AND UNCERTAINTY AROUND FEDERAL FUNDING AND, AND THE FUTURE OF THAT, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, UM, SUPPORT THESE ITEMS AND GET THESE DOLLARS TO GROUPS THAT ARE GONNA DO GOOD WORK ACROSS THE CITY AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH SPACE.
AND SO, UH, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS.
[03:05:01]
OF, UH, SOME RAILROAD TRACKS ON COMMERCE STREET.UH, IT'S A STREET THAT IS IN DIRE NEED OF REPAIR, AND IT IS ONE THAT, UH, PRECINCT TWO IS CURRENTLY, UH, SLATED TO DO SOME WORK ON.
THEY ARE IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PHASE AT THE MOMENT, HOLDING A NUMBER OF MEETINGS AROUND, UH, WHAT THE RE-IMAGINING OF COMMERCE IS GONNA LOOK LIKE.
BUT THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN MAKING SURE THAT THAT WORK CAN BE DONE, UM, AND THOSE GETTING THESE, UH, RAIL TIRES REMOVED.
UM, AND SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS MOVING FORWARD.
[NON-CONSENT - MISCELLANEOUS]
59 IS A MOTION TO SET A DATE TO RECEIVE NOMINATIONS FOR PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHORITY.CASTEX TATUM MOVED TO SET THE DATE FOR FEBRUARY 12TH, UH, FOR THE PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHORITY NOMINATIONS.
SECOND MOTIONS MADE AND SECONDED.
ITEM 60, THE MOTION TO SET A HEARING.
CASTEX A MOVE TO SET THE HEARING DATE FOR 9:00 AM ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH THE FIFTH, 2025.
ALL IN MOTIONS MADE AND SECONDED.
COUNCIL MEMBER KAMIN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE RECOGNIZED? COUNCILOR? YES, SIR.
BEFORE WE VOTE, COUNCILMAN KAMAN.
UM, FULLY SUPPORT THE HEARING.
I JUST WANTED RESIDENTS TO BE AWARE OF WHAT THIS IS BECAUSE THE SUBJECT OF IT CAN INCREASE CONCERNS WHEN I, I WANNA REST ASSURE RESIDENTS THAT, UH, I DO NOT SEE A NEED, A, A CONCERN HERE.
INCLU, ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO TUNE IN IF THEY WOULD LIKE.
BUT THIS IS, UM, FOR WAGNER PARK.
UM, WHAT THIS IS IS A UTILITY CORRIDOR FOR STORM SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN, UH, THAT THE PARK IS GOING AWAY, UH, OR BEING ELIMINATED.
WE HAVE TO AUTHORIZE THIS WORK TO PUT DRAINAGE UNDER THE PARK, AND THEN THE PARK SEGMENT WILL BE PUT BACK.
SO I, I JUST WANNA ALLAY CONCERNS, UH, BASED ON THE SUBJECT HEADING OF WHAT THIS ACTUALLY DOES.
OF COURSE, THAT WILL BE EXPLAINED DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT WE KNOW AT TIMES, UH, THINGS CAN RAMP UP VERY QUICKLY.
SO WANTED TO TO GET THAT OUT THERE.
[MATTERS HELD]
61 IS AN ORDINANCE.THAT COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
RAMIREZ IS FIRST COUNCIL MEMBER
[NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
RAMIREZ FOR THANK YOU, MAYOR.UM, EARLIER THIS WEEK, WE HAD QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE MEETING, AND WE TOOK UP THE IMPORTANT TOPIC OF HOMELESSNESS AND ROLLED OUT THE NEW, THE ADMINISTRATION'S NEW HOMELESSNESS PLAN.
UH, WE HAD, UH, DIRECTOR NICHOLS AND KELLY YOUNG AND CHRIS LARSON AND, UH, CHIEF SATTERWHITE ADDRESS THE, THE, SOME OF THE FINER POINTS OF THE PLAN.
AND ONE THING IS CLEAR FROM THE PRESENTATION.
A LOT OF FUNDING IS GONNA BE NECESSARY ON THE ORDER OF $70 MILLION.
THE FIRST YEAR THAT'S GONNA COME FROM THE CITY, IT'S GONNA COME FROM DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
IT'S COME, GONNA COME FROM OUR GOVERNMENT, UH, PARTNERS, AND IT'S ALSO GONNA COME FROM, FROM PHILANTHROPY.
BUT I WANTED TO, TO MAKE CLEAR THAT HOUSTONIANS CAN PARTICIPATE IN THIS FUNDING EFFORT, UH, BY DONATING ONLINE IF THEY, UH, ARE WILLING AND, AND, AND ABLE, UH, THEY CAN GO ONLINE TO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS WEBSITE, OR THEY CAN GOOGLE THE WAY HOME AND BE ABLE
[03:10:01]
TO CONTRIBUTE TO, UH, ADDRESSING HOUSTON'S GROWING HOMELESSNESS PROBLEMS. SO I ENCOURAGE HOUSTONIANS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.SECOND, HAPPY TO SAY, UH, SINCE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT PHILANTHROPIC GROUPS, THAT THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT HAS COME THROUGH WITH SOME FUNDING FOR LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES FOR THE CITY.
THIS ARISES FROM A BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT I SPONSORED LAST YEAR TO DONATE SOME OF MY OFFICE BUDGET SURPLUS FUNDS THAT WAS SUPPLEMENTED BY OFFICE BUDGET SURPLUS FUNDS FROM, FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MARTINEZ, THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HAS USED THAT FUNDING FROM OUR OFFICE BUDGETS, UH, AND LEVERAGED IT TO GET EVEN MORE FUNDING FROM THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT.
SO HAPPY ABOUT THAT AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP US IMPROVE OUR LANGUAGE, UH, SERVICES TO HOUSTONIANS WHERE SO MANY LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN.
THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WANTED TO, UM, REMIND YOU THAT, UH, LAST WEEK ON CHANNEL TWO, I SAW A NEW STORY ABOUT DONATION BOXES.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT PIQUED MY INTEREST BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE ON, UM, ACTUALLY HAVING A DONATION BOX ORDINANCE.
UH, THE STORY ON CHANNEL TWO TALKED ABOUT BUSINESSES THAT ACTUALLY SHOW UP AND THEN THEY COME TO WORK AND THERE'S A DONATION BOX ON THEIR PROPERTY.
UH, SO I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO REMIND THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT WE DO HAVE A DONATION BOX ORDINANCE AND HOW IT WORKS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
UM, WE ALL KNOW THAT THOSE BOXES CAN TEND TO BE MAGNETS FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING AROUND THEM.
UM, WE'VE WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH A RA, UM, TO PUT A DONATION BOX ORDINANCE IN PLACE.
UH, IF A BUSINESS FINDS A DONATION BOX HAS BEEN PLACED ON THEIR PROPERTY, THERE IS A PROCESS TO GET THOSE REMOVED.
UM, NO DONATION BOX SHOULD BE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZATION AND A PERMIT FROM A RA, THERE HAS TO BE AN APPLICATION, THERE HAS TO BE AUTHORIZATION BY THE PROPERTY OWNER.
AND THIS WAS THE MAIN CRUX OF THE DONATION BOX ORDINANCE.
YOU CANNOT PUT A DONATION BOX ON PROPERTY WITHOUT GETTING THE AUTHORIZATION FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER.
THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS TO SIGN THAT APPLICATION AND IT HAS TO BE NOTARIZED.
WHAT THEY HAVE FOUND IN THE STORY WAS SOMEONE WAS SIGNING THE AUTHORIZATION THAT WAS NOT THE PROPERTY OWNER THAT HAS TO BE NOTARIZED.
UM, BUT I WANT BUSINESS OWNERS TO KNOW THEY DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE THOSE UNAUTHORIZED BOXES ON THEIR PROPERTY.
IF THEY DO FIND AN UNAUTHORIZED DONATION BOX ON THEIR PROPERTY TO REPORT THAT TO 3 1 1, IF IT'S IN A SPECIFIC COUNCIL DISTRICT, LET YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER KNOW BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A PROCESS TO GET THOSE REMOVED.
THE GOOD OPERATORS WERE VERY HELPFUL WITH MAKING SURE THIS DONATION BOX ORDINANCE WAS, UM, A GOOD ONE FOR WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO, WHICH IS RECYCLE THOSE TEXTILES.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT IF YOU SEE UNPERMITTED BOXES, IF YOUR DISTRICT, UM, YOU SHOULD REPORT THOSE TO 3 1 1.
OUR HOT TEAM TYPICALLY DOES A SWEEP, UM, THIS YEAR.
THE PERMITS ARE ORANGE, SO YOU MAY SEE SOME YELLOW ONES DEPENDING ON WHEN THEY GOT THE PERMIT LAST YEAR.
BUT THE DON EVERY DONATION BOX IN THE CITY SHOULD HAVE AN ORANGE PERMIT ON THEM.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SEVEN COMPANIES WITH ACTIVE DONATION BOX PERMITS, A TOTAL OF ONLY 109 PERMITTED BOXES.
SO THERE ARE PROBABLY A LOT OF UNPERMITTED BOXES OUT THERE THAT, UM, AS YOU SEE THOSE, WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE WORKING TO DILIGENTLY ADDRESS THAT.
BUT SINCE THAT STORY RAN ON CHANNEL TWO, WANTED TO JUST KIND OF REITERATE THAT WE DO HAVE AN ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS THAT AND HOPE THAT BUSINESS OWNERS WILL KNOW THAT WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN ORDER, UM, TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS AS WELL.
AND IF THERE IS A VIOLATION, THERE IS A MISDEMEANOR FINE UP TO $2,000.
SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ENFORCING THAT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, DID WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT FEBRUARY 5TH IS NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS TODAY AS A FORMER BASKETBALL PLAYER.
WANTED TO SAY HAPPY SPORTS TODAY.
I THINK THAT, UM, WOMEN WHO PLAY SPORTS, UH, BUILDS A LOT OF CHARACTER AND, UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT, UH, MORE YOUNG GIRLS WOULD GET INTO SPORTS AND MUSIC, UM, TO
[03:15:01]
BE A, A MORE WELL-ROUNDED PERSON.UM, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY.
UM, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT OUR NEXT PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH AT 10:00 AM WE'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT HPDS PRIORITIES AND GOALS FOR 2025.
SO PLEASE JOIN US FOR THAT COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO INVITE EVERYONE TO OUR NEXT COFFEE WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND COPS EVENT.
IT WILL BE ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH AT 10:00 AM AT TRINITY MINDIN HALL COMMUNITY CENTER, 1 4 1 4 WORK ROAD.
UM, WE WILL HAVE OUR NEW HPD NORTHWEST DIVISION COMMANDER THERE.
UM, AND WE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY OR REALLY ANY CITY ISSUES THAT ANYONE'S HAVING.
UM, WE WELCOME EVERYONE TO COME OUT FOR THAT.
UM, I FIRST WANNA START OFF BY THANKING, UH, HPD, UH, FOR KEEPING FOLKS SAFE.
THIS PAST SUNDAY, I JOINED THOUSANDS OF HOUSTONIANS, UH, MARCHING THE STREETS FROM MONTROSE TO HERMAN PARK.
UM, AND IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY, UH, IT, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THAT A LOT OF THESE, UH, FOLKS WERE YOUNG FOLKS THAT WERE EXERCISING THE RIGHTS TO PROTEST, UH, IN A CIVIL MANNER.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR BEING THERE, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE, THAT FOLKS THAT WERE THERE, UH, IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT ALSO THE, THE, THE FOLKS THAT WERE WALKING AND MARCHING WERE SAFE AS WELL.
UM, YESTERDAY I ATTENDED A COMMUNITY PRAYER, EXCUSE ME, A COMMUNITY PRAYER, UM, IN THE WAKE OF PASSING OF TWO MILBY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
UH, THIS PAST WEEK, UH, OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, WE'VE, WE PROBABLY HAVE SEEN ABOUT FIVE STUDENTS AT MILBY, INCLUDING SERGIO RODRIGUEZ, WHO WAS HIT BY THE TRAIN LAST DECEMBER, UH, PASS.
UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS AT, IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF HOUSTON AROUND MILBY HIGH SCHOOL, KNOW THAT MY OFFICE IS HERE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU ALL AND ADVOCATE FOR YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT ALL OF THESE, UM, THESE, THESE STRESSFUL TIMES AS WELL.
UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE CAN WE BRING RESOURCES TO, TO THAT COMMUNITY SPECIFICALLY.
UM, LAST, I JUST WANT TO INVITE FOLKS THIS, FOR THIS SATURDAY, WE'RE CO-HOSTING OUR SECOND, UM, SECOND PART TO COMMUNITY ENGAGE, UH, DESIGN WORKSHOP WITH THE HOUSTON LAND BANK.
UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT 7 8 11 HARRISBURG, UM, IN THE MAGNOLIA PARK AREA.
WE'VE HOSTED OUR FIRST MEETING ABOUT A MONTH AGO TO LEARN ABOUT THE COMMUNITY'S VISION.
UH, THIS MEETING, WE'RE GONNA SHARE WHAT THAT COMMUNITY'S VISION, UH, CONSENSUS WAS, UM, AND THEN INTERPRET THAT INTO WHAT, HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
UH, THE THIRD MEETING THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO TAKE PLACE IN THE FUTURE, UH, WE'LL BE SHARING THAT, UM, ONCE WE, WE MEET THIS PAST, UH, THIS COMING SATURDAY.
SO I ENCOURAGE MEMBERS TO COME OUT, PARTICIPATE, JOIN SATURDAY, 10:00 AM AT THE MAGNOLIA MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, UH, 70 37 CAPITAL STREET, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL THERE.
UM, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, HUD, UM, REGARDING, UM, ALLOCATION OF DOLLARS FROM HURRICANE HARVEY.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, IN 2017, HURRICANE HARVEY HIT 2019, UM, A COMPLAINT WAS FILED BY THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE ON WHETHER OR NOT THE ASSESSMENT AND THE ALLOCATION OF THOSE DOLLARS WERE DONE IN A PROPER MANNER, OR WERE THEY DONE DISCRIMINATORY.
UM, WE RECEIVED $4.3 BILLION, UH, FROM HUD.
THAT MONEY FLOWED TO THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE, WHICH IS AT THE STATE LEVEL.
AND THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE WAS SUPPOSED TO PUT AN ASSESSMENT TOGETHER AND THEN ALLOCATE THOSE DOLLARS BASED ON, UH, PROGRAMS AND STRATEGIES THAT THEY PUT IN PLACE.
THE LETTER THAT WE RECEIVED ON JANUARY 15TH, FROM 2000 OF 2025 FROM HUDS STATES, HUD HAS COMPLETED AN INVESTIGATION OF THE COMPLAINT AS DETAILED IN THE ENCLOSED SUPPLEMENTAL LETTER OF FINDINGS.
THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT GLO ENGAGED IN A PATTERN OR PRACTICE OF DISCRIMINATORY ACTIONS BASED ON RACE AND NATIONAL ORIGIN THAT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF GENERAL PUBLIC IMPORTANCE.
WITHIN THAT LETTER, WHICH IS VERY, VERY DETAILED, UM, UNDER THE SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, IT STATES THAT BASED ON HUD'S ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION, HUD FINDS THAT GLO INTENTIONALLY DISCRIMINATED BASED ON RACE IN THE DESIGN AND OPERATION OF THE COMPETITION THROUGH A SEQUENCE OF CALCULATED DECISIONS.
GLO KNOWINGLY DEVELOPED AND OPERATED A COMPETITION FOR THE PURPOSE OF ALLOCATING FUNDS TO MITIGATE STORM AND FLOOD RISK, THAT STEERED MONEY AWAY FROM URBAN, BLACK AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES THAT HAD THE HIGHEST STORM AND FLOOD RISK INTO WIDER MORE RURAL AREAS WITH LESS RISK, DESPITE AWARENESS THAT THIS COURSE OF ACTION WILL RESULT IN HARM FOR BLACKS AND HISPANICS, GLO STILL KNOWINGLY AND
[03:20:01]
STILL KNOWINGLY DENY THESE COMMUNITIES CRITICAL MITIGATION FUNDING.SO MY QUESTION TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, WHAT RECOURSE DO WE HAVE AS A CITY BASED ON THESE FINDINGS, UM, THAT WOULD BRING ADDITIONAL JUSTICE OR DOLLARS TO THOSE WHO HAVE FOUND TO BE HARMED? BASED ON THIS LETTER, DO WE, ARE WE AS A CITY GOING TO PUT FORTH ANY POSSIBLE COMPLAINT OR LITIGATION TO TRY TO RECOLLECT THOSE DOLLARS FROM THE STATE LEVEL? AND WHERE DO WE STAND AS A CITY BASED ON, UH, THESE FINDINGS THAT HAVE COME BACK RECENTLY FROM HUD? THE FIRST THING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN IS WE NEED TO MONITOR WHAT HAPPENS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL BECAUSE, UH, THIS HUD HAD PREVIOUSLY ISSUED A FINDING, IT HAD GONE TO DO, O-J-D-O-J SAID, FINISH YOUR ENTIRE INVESTIGATION.
NOW, HUDD HAS THIS FINDING THAT IS BEING REFERRED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR ANY ACTION.
SO THE DEPARTMENT MAY OR MAY NOT TAKE ACTION.
AND IF IT DOES, IT'LL PROBABLY ATTEMPT TO NEGOTIATE WITH GLO AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN TERMS OF A, UM, WHAT I'M GONNA CALL A PRIVATE CAUSE OF ACTION.
THAT MAY DEPEND ON WHETHER THE, UH, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED OR NOT.
OFTEN IN A KEY TAM CASE, YOU CANNOT STEP INTO THE SHOES IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS ALREADY DOING THAT.
SO, SO, MAYOR, I KNOW YOU HAVE A, A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
UM, AND SO MY REQUEST AND MY ASK IS AS WE HOPEFULLY NEGOTIATE WITH THE GLO ON BEHALF OF THESE COMMUNITIES, UH, THAT WE WOULD BE ABREAST OF, OF THOSE FINDINGS.
AND, UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT BASED ON YOUR STRONG RELATIONSHIPS AT THE, UH, STATE LEVEL, THAT WE WOULD FIND SOME TYPE OF REMEDY OR RECOURSE FOR THOSE THAT WERE HARMED.
I THINK WHAT YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT IS, SINCE THAT LETTER WAS WRITTEN, THERE'S A NEW ADMINISTRATION IN WASHINGTON.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO SEE THE OUTCOME OF THE NEW APPOINTEES AND SEE WHAT THEIR POSITION IS.
BUT CERTAINLY I'LL BE IN CONTACT WITH THE LAND OFFICE AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, YOU KNOW, UH, ALL HANDS ON DECK WHEN YOU RECEIVE A LETTER OF THAT NATURE.
UH, BUT THERE AGAIN, I WILL, UH, REMIND YOU THAT THERE'S A NEW ADMINISTRATION SINCE THAT LETTER WENT OUT.
SO IT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE CONCERNED ABOUT.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION, COUNCILMAN ALCORN.
ONE MORE POINT ABOUT THE, UH, 11.80 CENTS, 'CAUSE I CAN'T GET IT OUTTA MY HEAD.
AND SINCE REBUILD HOUSTON STARTED, WE'VE PAID DOWN $1.9 BILLION WORTH OF DEBT, WHICH FREES UP MORE MONEY FOR PROJECTS.
OUR OUTSTANDING DEBT FOR STREET ANDR IS AT ABOUT 445 MILLION RIGHT NOW.
UM, LAST WEEK, MY TEAM AND I, UH, PARTICIPATED IN THE PIT COUNT, AND AGAIN, I'LL, UH, TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER GO OUT AND REALLY TAKE A LOOK.
AND I THINK AS WE START TO GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES TO LOOK AT, UH, THE PRIVATE SECTOR HELPING TO FUND, UH, SOME OF THE CONCERNS WE HAVE AND SOME OF THE PROJECTS WE'RE WORKING ON, YOU HAVE TO REALLY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT'S OUT THERE.
AND I THINK CERTAINLY, UH, FOR THOSE MEMBERS ON MY TEAM WHO'VE NOT PARTICIPATED BEFORE, IT'S VERY EYEOPENING.
IT'S, IT'S HEARTBREAKING, IT'S EYEOPENING AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
AND, AND CERTAINLY I CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, AS WE ALL KNOW, IT IS A PROBLEM.
BUT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND IT, GET OUT ON THE STREET AND ACTUALLY SEE IT, MENTAL HEALTH IS JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S OVERWHELMING TO, TO THINK THAT YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE LYING ON THE STREET THAT THE FIRST QUESTION YOU ASK THEM, DID YOU, DID YOU KNOW, TO UNDERSTAND IF THEY'RE HOMELESS, IS, DID YOU SLEEP LAST NIGHT HERE? WELL, OR DID YOU SLEEP ON THE STREET LAST NIGHT? WELL, AT SEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, THEY SURE DIDN'T GET UP TO MOVE TO BE ASLEEP ON THE STREET.
WHEN YOU COME ALONG TO COUNT THEM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE REAL AND, AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT AND UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE THERE AND TRY TO GET THEM THE RESOURCES, UM, AND THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
SO, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, I WANNA FIRST SAY HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH, AND I CERTAINLY WANNA CONGRATULATE OUR DISTRICT D CONSTITUENT.
WELL, SHE'S NOT A CONSTITUENT NOW, BUT A FORMER, UH, RESIDENT BEYONCE FOR HER BEST COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR, GRAMMY AND COWBOY CARTER REIGNS.
UH, THIS PAST SUNDAY, WE HELD A SUCCESSFUL COLUMBIA TAP TRAIL COMMUNITY MEETING AT ST.
JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH, WHERE WE CELEBRATED
[03:25:01]
THE TRAIL'S HISTORY, AND ITS IMPORTANT IN HU IMPORTANCE IN HOUSTON'S BLACK HISTORY.I WANNA EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER FOR HER SUPPORT, AND TO PATRICK WAN OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR HELPING TO MAKE THIS EVENT A SUCCESS.
I AM SUPREMELY GRATEFUL TO NIKKI KNIGHT OF THE SOUTHEAST MANAGEMENT, WHO GAVE A GREAT DEAL OF UPDATED INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY, AND, AND THE COMMUNITY WAS ALLOWED TO LEARN.
WELL, THEY LEARNED ABOUT UPCOMING ENHANCEMENTS TO THE TRAIL AND THE ENGAGEMENT, UH, WAS BOTH INSPIRING AND PROMISING FOR FUTURE EFFORTS.
AND THANK YOU TO TMO AND THE COLLABORATION OF CHURCHES, DISTRICT D FOR COLLABORATING THIS MEETING.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO LET THE CONSTITUENTS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND COLUMBIA TAP IS ACTUALLY ONLY A FEW FEET FROM MY OWN HOME, SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE, NOT BECAUSE I LIVE THERE, BUT CERTAINLY BECAUSE IT'S A, A GREAT TRAIL, BUT IT'S, IT IS PRETTY DARK.
AND SO WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOME SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE.
AND FINALLY, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT AND CELEBRATE THE BIRTHDAY OF MY CHIEF OF STAFF, STEVEN JAMES.
UM, HE OF COURSE, IS A PROUD NEW ORLEANS NATIVE, BUT EVEN MORE PROUD OF BEING AN ALPHA MAN.
AND CERTAINLY, UH, I THANK HIM FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION AND, UH, HE'S TREMENDOUS IN THE SUCCESS FOR DISTRICT D.
SO, THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO.
I, I WANNA START, UH, BY REMEMBERING TWO LEADERS THAT, UH, WE LOST IN DISTRICT H THIS PAST WEEK.
UM, ONE KATIE WOOD AND, UH, TANYA DUBOSE.
KATIE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NORTH LINDELL CIVIC CLUB, AND SHE LED THAT GROUP, UH, AND WAS A LONGTIME RESIDENT.
YOU KNOW, UH, LINDE PARK OFTENTIMES GETS A LOT OF SHINE, BUT SHE MADE SURE THAT NORTH LINDE WAS HEARD AND THAT THEY GOT THEIR ISSUES ADDRESSED.
AND, UH, WE ARE GONNA MISS HER THERE.
AND, UH, IN INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS, WE ALSO LOST TANYA DUBOSE, WHO HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN PRESERVING THE HISTORY AND MAINTAINING, UH, HISTORIC STRUCTURES, UH, AND FIGHTING SO HARD FOR A NUMBER OF THINGS IN THAT, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU KNOW, SHE WAS AWARDED IN 2021, THE MAYOR'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD, UH, FOR ALL OF HER EFFORTS.
SO, I DO WANNA PAUSE FOR A BRIEF MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR BOTH TANYA AND KATIE.
UM, MOVING ON TO SOME OTHER THINGS IN DISTRICT H FEBRUARY KICKS OFF.
LOVE YOUR PET MONTH FOR DISTRICT H, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES ACROSS THE DISTRICT FROM SPONSORED WELLNESS DAYS AT BARK FOR DISTRICT H RESIDENTS TO GET CHECKUP VISITS FOR THEIR PETS.
WE WILL BE DOING A DAY OF SPONSORED ADOPTIONS AS WELL, AS WELL AS, UH, SPAY NEUTER, UH, SERVICES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HOUSTON PET SET IN DENVER HARBOR.
UH, TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH, WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING EVERYTHING OUT IN THE NEWSLETTER, UH, THAT GOES OUT THIS FRIDAY.
SO YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE WHEN AND WHERE ALL OF THOSE EVENTS WILL BE TAKING PLACE, UH, AS WELL AS HOW TO SCHEDULE YOUR VISIT OR, UH, WHEN TO SIGN UP FOR AN ADOPTION APPOINTMENT OR A, A SPAY NEUTER SERVICE.
AND THE DISTRICT H OFFICE WILL ALSO BE, UH, VOLUNTEERING, UH, WITH BARK, UH, ONE FRIDAY THIS MONTH, UH, AS PART OF OUR MONTHLY SERVICE PROJECT.
SO, LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, A SUCCESSFUL LOVE YOUR PEP MONTH.
UH, THIS YEAR WE ARE GONNA BE HAVING ANOTHER TOWN HALL THIS SATURDAY.
IT'S GONNA BE AT BELLA VISTA BAPTIST CHURCH, UH, IN INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS FROM 10:00 AM TO NOON.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA INVITE EVERYONE OUT.
UM, THIS IS GOING TO BE, UH, A GREAT EVENT WITH A LOT OF RESOURCES.
ONE OF THE RESOURCES THAT WILL BE PRESENT, UH, WILL BE THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND, UH, THEY WILL BE GIVING AN UPDATE ON INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS OBVIOUSLY CAUSED A LOT OF CONCERN.
THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, UH, SINCE THE RESOLUTION WAS PLACED ON THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AGENDA TO TERMINATE THE MOU, UH, WITH COLUMBIA.
AND I KNOW THIS RAISED A LOT OF CONCERNS FOR MYSELF.
UM, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN SEVEN YEARS IN THE WORKS AND OF THAT SIZE AND SCALE, UH, THE IDEA OF PLUGGING AND PLAYING DEVELOPERS RAISES A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
AND, UM, I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A LOT OF THE ENGAGEMENT AROUND WHAT THAT PROJECT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT THE DESIGN WAS GONNA LOOK LIKE.
AND JUST IN THE TWO DAYS THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, UM, SOME QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED THAT THEY'RE GONNA APPRECIATE.
LIKE THE PLANS AND THE DRAWINGS THAT COLUMBIA DEVELOPED
[03:30:01]
ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA BE USED FOR THE NEW PROJECT.UM, AND SO WE HAVE A ONE WEEK DELAY.
THIS WAS TABLED, UH, YESTERDAY.
UM, I WORKED WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE MAYOR, SOME OF YOUR STAFF ON, ON MAKING SURE THAT HAPPENED.
UM, BUT NOW IS THE TIME TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT SO THAT WE CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, SO THEY WILL BE AT THE TOWN HALL.
I WILL BE SENDING THEM, UM, A LETTER WITH A LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT, THAT I HAVE SO WE CAN GET THE FACTS OUT AND WE CAN GET, UH, THE INFORMATION OUT AND, AND CLEAR UP AS MUCH CONFUSION AS POSSIBLE.
UH, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT, UH, A QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT TO BE BUILT, BUILT.
UH, WE DON'T WANT THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY TO SUFFER, UH, BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, EGOS AND PERSONALITIES.
BUT WE NEED TO GET THE FACTS OUT.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THIS PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED AND IT'LL BE QUALITY, AND IT'LL BE WHAT THEY HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO BRING TO THEIR COMMUNITY.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR NEWEST UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON CHIP INTERN, MELANIE ROMERO.
AND WE'VE HAD A A, OR DISTRICT E HAS HAD QUITE A BIT OF SUCCESS WITH THE CHIP INTERNS FROM U OF H.
UH, DAMARI IS STILL WITH US AND IS MY DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, AND YASMIN WORKS FOR COUNCILMAN JACKSON NOW.
SO HOPEFULLY THIS KIND OF CONTINUES IN, IN THE SAME THING.
AND SHE'S FINISHING UP HER LAST YEAR OF HER POLI SCI MAJOR, AND WE'LL BE GRADUATING THIS SEMESTER AND THEN GOING ON TO LAW SCHOOL.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING ON BOARD, UH, IN THE NORTH.
UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, MEDIAN MADNESS COMING UP AGAIN FEBRUARY 22ND FROM EIGHT 30 TO 12, UH, TO HELP KIND OF REHABILITATE THE MEDIANS IN KINGWOOD.
SO ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO COME JOIN US, PLEASE DO SO.
UH, FOR SAFETY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, HPD ACTUALLY CLOSE OFF ONE OF THE LANES UP THERE THAT WILL ALLOW, UH, EVERYBODY TO HAVE A LITTLE SAFETY BUFFER, UH, BETWEEN DOING THE WORK ON THE MEDIAN AND, AND THE ROADWAY.
AND, UH, EVERYBODY CAN SIGN UP BY EMAILING OUR OFFICE DISTRICT E@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
UH, IN THE SOUTH CLEAR LAKE IS HAVING THE ELECTRONIC RECYCLING EVENT THIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH AT ELLINGTON FIELD STARTS AT NINE O'CLOCK AND GOES UNTIL THREE OR THE TRUCKS ARE FULL, AND USUALLY THE TRUCKS FILL UP.
SO IF YOU'RE WANTING TO GET YOUR ELECTRONICS RECYCLED DOWN, UH, IN THAT PART OF TOWN, PLEASE SHOW UP EARLY.
AGAIN, HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
UH, WE RECOGNIZE THIS MONTH IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH, BUT I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE RHETORIC AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL THAT WE'RE SEEING TO REMIND FOLKS THAT EVERY DAY IS BLACK HISTORY.
UH, AND IN DISTRICT C, WE ARE CONTINUING TO PUT OUT EVENTS, UH, IN THE DISTRICT THAT ARE OCCURRING ALL MONTH, UH, TO LIFT UP THE HISTORY AND EDUCATE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KNOW WHERE WE HAVE BEEN IF WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER.
UH, IN A COMMUNITY OF RESPECT.
UH, I WANNA THANK ALL RESIDENTS, UH, WHO JOINED ME IN SPEAKING OUT AND RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT THE ILLEGAL CAR MEETUPS AND STREET RACING.
UH, SPECIFICALLY IN SHADY ACRES IN LAZY BROOK TIMBER GROVE, AND ALSO IT WAS IMPACTING THE HEIGHTS.
UH, AT RESTAURANT DEPOT, WE HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE CALL WITH THEIR NATIONAL LEADERSHIP LAST WEEK, UH, AND WE ARE NOW SEEING THE RESULTS OF THEIR EFFORTS.
THIS PAST WEEKEND, UH, ALL WAS QUIET IN SHADY ACRES OVER THE WEEKEND, UH, I'M CONTINUING TO FUND ADDITIONAL HPD OVERTIME IN THE AREA.
HPD IS ALSO, UH, CONTRIBUTING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
I WANNA THANK RESTAURANT DEPOT PUBLICLY FOR STEPPING UP.
I REMIND FOLKS THIS WAS A PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO WHAT THE CITY CAN AND CANNOT AFFORD IS CHALLENGING WHEN WE DON'T HAVE GREAT COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UH, AT THE TABLE WITH US.
RESTAURANT DEPOT IS A GREAT COMMUNITY PARTNER.
THEY ARE INVESTING IN CREATING FIXES, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MY OFFICE AND HPD, UH, TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THEM.
UH, DISTRICT C RESIDENTS CAN JOIN US FOR OUR FREE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING DRIVE, NOT THIS SATURDAY, BUT NEXT SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH AT 9:00 AM UH, UNTIL NOON AT ALL SAINTS CHURCH, UH, 2 1 5 EAST 10TH STREET.
UH, WE ARE PROUD TO FUND THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR DISTRICT C RESIDENTS TO PRACTICE SUSTAINABILITY AND RECYCLE OLD ELECTRONICS.
SO ALL THOSE DRAWERS, WITH ALL THOSE CORDS, UH, YOU CAN BRING AND DROP OFF KEYBOARDS.
THERE'S A, UH, ON OUR DISTRICT C WEBSITE, THERE ARE MORE DETAILS ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT
[03:35:01]
RECYCLE.UM, I WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN FLETCHER, WHO HAD SECURED NEARLY $10 MILLION, UH, TO COMPLETE THE MEYER GROVE DETENTION BASIN.
I AM PROUD AND EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE MEYER GROVE DETENTION BASIN IS COMPLETE.
UH, IT WILL HOLD 27 MILLION GALLONS OF STORM WATER RUNOFF.
UH, I ALSO FUNDED 1.4 MILLION IN FLOOD MITIGATION AND DRAINAGE DOWN THE ROAD ALONG BEACH NUT THAT WORKS HAND IN HAND WITH THIS SO THAT WE HAVE COMPREHENSIVE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE AREA.
I WANNA THANK COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT FOR THIS PARTNERSHIP EFFORT.
UH, COMMISSIONER ELLIS ALSO FUNDED TRAILS AND PARK SPACE IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE THIS ALSO ABOUT CONNECTIVITY AND BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
AND IT ALSO EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF FEDERAL DOLLARS WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, IMPROVING OUR, AND PROTECTING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE DO HAVE A CHALLENGE, MAYOR, UM, WITH TEXT DOTS CONSTRUCTION ALONG I 10.
I KNOW I'VE BROUGHT UP ISSUES ABOUT CONGESTION, WHICH AGAIN, ALL OVER THE CITY WE'RE FEELING RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, ONE, THE NUMBER OF TREES THAT HAVE NOW BEEN REMOVED, RESIDENTS CAN SEE THEM IN PILES ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, UM, IS CONCERNING TO ME.
UH, AND I I, FOR THOSE THAT CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE IN DISTRICT C ABOUT THE PROTECTION OF TREES, I'M, I'M WONDERING WHERE THEY'RE AT ON THIS.
BUT RECENTLY, WITH THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE STORM WATER CRANES OR OTHER TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT WERE ACTUALLY SWEPT OFF SITE FROM TXDOT.
THE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT WAS NOT SECURED AND SWEPT WAS SWEPT INTO THE MKT BRIDGE.
UH, THIS IS A OVER 100-YEAR-OLD BRIDGE.
UH, IT IS A CRITICAL LINK IN THE OFF-ROAD TRAILS AND PATHS THAT OUR RESIDENTS USE ALONG THE BAYOU.
IT WAS OUT OF COMMISSION, AS SOME MAY RECALL, FOR TWO YEARS PREVIOUSLY BEING REBUILT.
AFTER DAMAGE FROM THAT, IT HAD SUSTAINED FROM A FIRE.
UH, AND NOW IT IS ONCE AGAIN OUT OF COMMISSION, UH, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT THAT WAS NOT SECURED, UH, PROPERLY BY TXDOT.
WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO TXDOT 'CAUSE OUR OFFICE IS GETTING FLOODED WITH EMAILS AGAIN ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE BRIDGE.
UH, WHEN IS IT COMING BACK ONLINE? UH, I WANT RESIDENTS TO KNOW, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO TDOT TO TRY TO GET CLARIFICATION, UM, ON THE STATUS.
I BELIEVE THEY'RE IN DESIGN, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE A TIMELINE.
THE, THIS CONSTRUCTION ALONG I 10, UH, MAY, IF YOU'LL RECALL, WAS ALREADY CREATING SOME DETOURS WITH PATHS CLOSED.
AGAIN, THESE ARE OFF-ROAD PATHS.
AND NOW WITH THE MKT BRIDGE OUT, UH, IT'S A MESS.
SO I, IF YOU, IF SOMEBODY IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION COULD ASSIST US IN GETTING SOME CLARITY, BUT ALSO ENSURING THAT WITH MAJOR CONSTRUCTION THEY ARE SECURING PROPERLY, UH, EQUIPMENT PRIOR TO HEAVY RAINS, I THINK THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY IN TERMS OF GOODWILL IN THE COMMUNITY AND KEEPING EVERYBODY SAFE.
UM, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE RECENTLY ABOUT THE NUMBER OF, UM, FATALITIES, WHETHER IT WAS, YOU KNOW, PASSENGERS, PEDESTRIANS, UM, HAPPENING IN HOUSTON.
AND A MAJORITY OF THOSE ACCIDENTS HAPPENED AT SPEED LIMITS THAT WERE 35 MILES AN HOUR OR LESS.
SO I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYONE, PLEASE SLOW DOWN WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING OUT THERE.
I KNOW THE MAYOR HAS SUCH A STRONG COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
UM, AND WE WANNA GET THOSE NUMBERS DOWN.
UH, FORGOT TO MENTION THAT MY OFFICE WILL BE HOSTING A KNOW YOUR RIGHTS, UH, VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING.
UH, THAT WILL BE ON NEXT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH AT 6:30 PM IT'LL BE LIVE STREAMED THROUGH OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AS WELL AS HOUSTON TELEVISION, AND IT WILL BE REPLAYED ON HOUSTON TELEVISION.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UH, QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THAT HAVE COME TO MY OFFICE, ESPECIALLY FROM THE IMMIGRANT, UH, UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITIES.
UH, AND SO WE'LL HAVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION THERE, ANSWERING QUESTIONS, UH, ABOUT YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS, ALSO ASSESSING LEGAL HELP AND PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP.
SO THAT'LL BE NEXT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH AT 6:30 PM NO NEED TO BE THERE IN PERSON.
ANYTHING ELSE? NOPE, WE STAND ADJOURNED.