[Quality of Life Committee]
[00:00:15]
RAMIREZ, I AM AT LARGE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER POSITION ONE, ALSO CHAIR OF THIS QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE MEETING.IT IS NOW TWO O'CLOCK, AND WE CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENCE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS, SALLY ALCORN, AMY PECK, AND MARIAN ANN HUFFMAN IN ADDITION TO MYSELF.
IN ADDITION, WE HAVE STAFF, UH, FROM COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER'S OFFICE.
UH, NICK HELLIER IS HERE, AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, STAFF FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ OFFICE, JUAN PAOLO CAVEO, AS WELL AS, UM, STAFF FROM MY OWN OFFICE.
WE HAVE OUR CHIEF OF STAFF, LEAH WOLF HALL, UH, SONYA SOTO, GLORIA RODRIGUEZ.
AND TO MY RIGHT IS STAFF FROM COUNCIL, UH, A, UM, ALAN ROMAN.
SO, UH, WE HAVE, UH, SOME PRETTY GOOD ATTENDANCE TODAY.
UM, AT THE OUTSET, I WANNA SAY THAT WE HAVE A FULL AGENDA DEVOTED TO TWO SEEMINGLY UNRELATED TOPICS, FOOD, TRUCKS, AND AMBULANCES.
BUT AS WE'LL SEE, IT'S NOT JUST THE FOUR WHEELS AND TIRES THAT HAVE, UH, THAT LINK, THESE TWO, BUT ALSO HOW THEY TOUCH UPON PUBLIC HEALTH.
IN THE, IN THE US THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH RESTS WITH THE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
AND AS THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS A SUBDIVISION OF OUR STATE GOVERNMENT, OUR ROLE IS TO ENSURE THAT THE HEALTH OF OUR RESIDENTS IS PROTECTED.
AND TO THAT END, WE REGULATE FOOD TRUCKS AND, UH, WE REGULATE PRIVATE AMBULANCE SERVICE AS WELL IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE HOUSTONIANS ARE KEPT SAFE AND HEALTHY.
SO THIS AFTERNOON, WE'RE GONNA LEARN ABOUT BOTH OF THESE TYPES OF OPERATIONS AND SOME PROPOSED CHANGES.
AND SO WE WILL GO STRAIGHT TO THE AGENDA THEN.
AND WHILE I'M THINKING ABOUT IT, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, STAFF FROM ONLINE WATCHING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER'S OFFICE.
DUSTIN FROM COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER OFFICE, AND, UH, PERDITA FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR, PRO TEM, UH, CASTEK TATUM'S OFFICE.
SO, UM, WE WILL START WITH, UM, OUR AGENDA AND LEADING OFF THE AGENDA, WE'LL HEAR PRESENTATIONS ON FOOD TRUCKS, ALSO KNOWN AS MOBILE FOOD UNITS, AND HEAR ABOUT THE CURRENT TOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WITH US TODAY TO TALK ABOUT INSPECTIONS, WE HAVE WITH US, UH, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM OUR HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, OUR CHIEF SANITARIAN, RENEE BECKHAM.
AND SO IF YOU WOULD COME FORWARD THIS TIME, I, OKAY.
AND I NEGLECTED TO MENTION, UM, PAUL THOMAS FROM DISTRICT J IS HERE, AS WELL AS ISAAC FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, UH, THOMAS'S OFFICE AS WELL.
UM, UH, THE FLOOR IS YOURS, SO AT YOUR, AT YOUR CONVENIENCE.
UH, AGAIN, MY NAME IS RENEE BECKHAM.
I'M ONE OF THE CHIEF SANITARIANS BUREAU OF CONSUMER HEALTH SERVICES, AND ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT I MANAGE IS THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT PROGRAM.
AND THAT'LL BE THE SUBJECT FOR TODAY.
SO BASICALLY OUR AGENDA, WE'RE GONNA COVER THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR MOBILE FOOD UNITS.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE, THE PROCESS OF OBTAINING A MOBILE FOOD UNIT MEDALLION, HOW THEY'RE MAINTAINED DURING THEIR MEDALLION PERIOD, THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT INSPECTION TEAM, UH, ACCOUNT OF THE NUMBER OF MOBILE FOOD UNIT MEDALLIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY.
COMMON VIOLATIONS HELP WITH THE PROGRAM AND SOME ORDINANCE CHANGES.
OH, BASICALLY, MOBILE FOOD UNITS ARE COVERED UNDER THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 20, WHICH IS FOOD AND DRUGS.
SO A MOBILE FOOD UNIT IS A FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT.
SO BY DEFINITION, THEY ARE FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS AND THEY ARE WELL MOUNTED AND CAPABLE OF BEING READILY MOVABLE.
SECTION 20 DASH 22 OF THE SAME CODE SPECIFICALLY OUTLINES THE REQUIREMENTS OF MOBILE FOOD UNITS AND COMMISSARIES.
[00:05:01]
TO INSPECT FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, WHICH INCLUDE MOBILE FOOD UNITS AT LEAST ONCE PER YEAR.SO FOR THE SAKE OF THIS CONVERSATION, WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT UNRESTRICTED MOBILE FOOD UNITS.
AND AN UNRESTRICTED MOBILE FOOD UNIT IS A MOBILE FOOD UNIT WHERE FOOD AND BEVERAGE ARE PREPARED ON THE UNIT ITSELF BECAUSE THEY PRESENT THE GREATER RISK AS FAR AS FOODBORNE ILLNESS AND HEALTH TO THE PUBLIC.
SO FIRST, THE APPLICANT IS GOING TO SUBMIT PLANS TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THE PLANS ARE REVIEWED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT IS BUILT ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS IF THE PLANS ARE REJECTED.
AND OPERATOR WILL RECEIVE A EMAIL BY OUR OFFICE INDICATING WHY THE PLANS WERE REJECTED AND THE ITEMS THAT THEY NEED TO CORRECT.
THEY HAVE THE OPTION OF RESUBMITTING THE PLANS OR POSSIBLY NOT GOING FORWARD WITH THAT.
IF THE PLANS ARE APPROVED, THEN WE'LL ALSO SEND AN EMAIL TO THE OPERATOR INFORMING HIM THAT THE PLANS ARE APPROVED AND THEY WILL HAVE A HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAMP ON IT.
THEY WILL TAKE THEIR PLANS AND MAKE THEIR APPOINTMENT FOR THEIR PRE-OPENING INSPECTION, WHICH IS CONDUCTED AT 74 27 PARK PLACE UNDER, UH, THE VIP PROGRAM.
THE SAME PROGRAM, UH, THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT AMBULANCES, UH, ONCE THEY PASS THAT PRE-OP INSPECTION, THEY'LL GET THEM MEDALLION.
WE'LL ALSO AFFIX A GEO TRACKING DEVICE ON THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT.
SO, UH, THE MEDALLION IS VALID FOR ONE YEAR AND EVERY YEAR WE CHANGE THE COLOR OF THE MEDALLION.
MEDALLION IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF AN EIGHT AND A HALF BY 11.
SO IF THIS COLOR IS GREEN NEXT YEAR IT'LL BE BLUE.
IT MAKES IT EASY FOR THE SANITARIANS OR ANYONE TO IDENTIFY WITH THOSE COLORS THAT FROM ONE YEAR TO ANOTHER, THEY CHANGE.
THERE ARE CERTAIN DOCUMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO ALWAYS BE IN THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT.
THE FIRST DOCUMENT IS THE AUTHORIZATION TO USE THE PROPERTY THAT THEY'RE UTILIZING, UH, BY PERMISSION FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER.
THE SECOND LETTER THAT'S REQUIRED TO BE POSTED IN THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT IN VIEW OF THE PUBLIC, IS ACCESS TO TOILET FACILITIES.
SO EACH MOBILE FOOD UNIT THAT IS UNRESTRICTED, THEY MUST HAVE ACCESS TO A TOILET IN A BUSINESS WITHIN 500 FEET OF THAT MOBILE FOOD UNIT.
SO WHEN THE INSPECTORS GO OUT, THEY ARE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THOSE TOILETS ARE ACCESSIBLE FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES THE ENTIRE TIME THE MOBILE UNIT IS IN OPERATION.
THE OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A FOOD SERVICE CERTIFIED MANAGER ALWAYS PRESENT ANYTIME THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT IS ENGAGING IN KIND OF PREPARATION.
PRE PREP CLEANUP ARE OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT MIGHT BE ON THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT ARE GONNA BE FOOD HANDLERS.
THEIR CERTIFICATES ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE POSTED.
THEY JUST NEED TO BE AVAILABLE IN THERE.
THE, UH, THIRD DOCUMENT THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE IS GONNA BE THE FOOD MANAGER CERTIFICATION.
THEY'RE ALSO REQUIRED TO HAVE IN THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT, IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE USING LP GAS, A LP GAS PERMIT.
IT'S NOT REQUIRED TO BE POSTED, BUT IT MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION BY THE HEALTH OFFICER OR THE FIRE MARSHAL NEXT.
SO THE PROGRAM ITSELF CONSISTS OF THREE INSPECTORS.
UH, THEY CONDUCT FIELD INSPECTIONS OF A FROM AND ALSO THE 17 CITY OF HOUSTON APPROVED COMMISSARIES.
THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMISSARY IS THE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT THAT THE MOBILE FOOD UNITS GO TO TO BE SERVICED.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SERVICING, THIS IS WHERE THEY FILL THEIR FRESH WATER TANKS.
THEY DRAIN THEIR WASTEWATER TANKS.
THEY ALSO GET, THIS IS OF WHERE THEY'RE GONNA DO THEIR HEAVY DUTY CLEANING THERE BECAUSE THOSE COMMISSARIES ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE GREASE TRAPS.
SO ALL OF THAT DIRT, WATER AND GREASE AND STUFF IS GOING INTO THAT GREASE TRAP AND NOT INTO OUR MS FOUR SYSTEM.
UH, THEY CONDUCT THE INSPECTIONS BASED ON THE ORDINANCE AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY STILL HAVE THE SAME FOOD SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AS A BRICK AND MORTAR FOOD ESTABLISHMENT.
SO IF THEY HAVE OFF TEMPERATURES, IF THEY DON'T HAVE, UH, IF THEY HAVE INSECTS AND RODENTS, WE USE THE SAME THINGS THAT WE LOOK FOR IN A MOBILE FOOD UNIT.
UH, WE ALSO RECEIVE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS.
SO WHEN WE'RE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ALSO GO OUT AND INVESTIGATE THOSE COMPLAINTS TO SATISFY THE PUBLIC.
WE UTILIZE ENFORCEMENT MEASURES SUCH AS CITATIONS, CLOSURES, AND IN SOME CASES WHERE THERE'S AN MS FOUR VIOLATION, THEY HAVE TO HIRE A LICENSED PRESSURE WASH COMPANY TO COME OUT AND CLEAN THE AREA OR THE AREAS THAT THEY HAVE MADE, UH, THAT THEY HAVE CONTAMINATED WITH THEIR GREASE AND, UH, ILLEGAL SPILLS.
SO DURING THE YEAR 20, LET'S START WITH THE YEAR 20, UH OH TWO.
WE RECEIVED 232 COMPLAINTS AGAINST MOBILE FOOD UNITS.
UH, IT INCREASES AS WE GET INTO 20 23, 20 24.
[00:10:02]
SO FAR IN 2025, WE'VE RECEIVED, YOU COUNT THE ONE THAT I HAD TO PUT OUT TODAY.THAT'S AT LEAST 26, UH, COMPLAINTS AGAINST MOBILE FOOD UNITS THAT WE HAVE TO INVESTIGATE.
THIS GIVES YOU A GRAPHICAL IDEA OF WHERE OLIVER SANITARIANS, THE THREE SANITARIANS THAT WE HAVE OF THE AREAS THAT THEY COVER.
BASICALLY, I ALMOST HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF NUMBER OF FOUR MOBILE FOOD UNITS IN THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS.
OH, THIS IS A WIDE, HOUSTON IS PRETTY BIG.
NOW THIS IS ONLY THE LEGAL PERMITT FOOD ESTABLISHMENT THAT WE'VE INCLUDED IN THIS COUNT.
SO IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE THEY ARE ALL LOCATED.
SO THE GOAL IS TO CONDUCT AT LEAST FOUR INSPECTIONS PER DAY.
THE REQUIREMENT IS 70 PER MONTH.
SO THIS INCLUDES ROUTINE INSPECTIONS, RE-INSPECTIONS AND RE-INSPECTIONS WILL ONLY OCCUR IF THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT OR ANY FOOD ESTABLISHMENT HAS A POOR PERFORMANCE.
AND THE INSPECT NEEDS TO GO OUT WITHIN ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 15 DAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE GOTTEN RID OF THOSE HIGH RISK, UH, UM, VIOLATIONS THAT LEAD TO FOODBORNE ILLNESS.
THIS ALSO INCLUDES NEW MOBILE FOOD UNITS, CHANGES OF OWNERSHIPS AND FIXED LOCATION MOBILE FOOD UNITS.
THIS LITTLE TABLE I'LL PRETTY MUCH PUT TOGETHER.
SO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF VIOLATIONS THAT WE SEE IN MOBILE FOOD UNITS.
THE VIOLATIONS THAT'S MARKED PRETTY MUCH IN GOLD ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH FOOD SAFETY.
NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF FOOD ESTABLISHMENT IT IS, WE'RE GONNA ALWAYS LOOK AT THAT AS A PRIORITY.
THE SECOND PART OF THE CHART DOWN IN RED, THOSE ARE SPECIFIC TO MOBILE FOOD UNIT OPERATIONS AND THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT THOSE VIOLATIONS HAVE OCCURRED IN MOBILE FUEL UNITS BETWEEN JANUARY 1ST, 2024 AND FEBRUARY 15TH OF THIS YEAR.
UH, PRETTY MUCH I JUST PUT A CHART TOGETHER TO OUTLINE THE PREVIOUS PAGE.
SO YOU HAVE A VISUAL IDEA THAT THE HIGHEST NUMBER VIOLATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN A MOBILE FUEL UNIT REALLY HAVE TO DO WITH HAND WASHING.
IT STILL DOESN'T DIMINISH ANY OF THE OTHER VIOLATIONS THAT OCCUR.
THEY ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT EMPLOYEES ARE ABLE TO WASH THEIR HANDS, THAT THOSE HAND SINKS ARE ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE.
HAND WASHING IS ONE OF THE FIVE RISK FACTORS ACCORDING TO THE CENTER OF DISEASE CONTROL.
SO HELP AND ORDINANCE CHANGES.
THE OPERATION OF MOBILE FOOD UNITS HAS GROWN DRASTICALLY.
UH, I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY 45 YEARS.
THERE'S NO LONGER HOT DOGS AND HAMBURGERS.
YOU'VE GOT MOBILE FOOD UNITS THAT ALMOST PRACTICALLY LOOK LIKE RESTAURANTS.
THE AMOUNT OF FOOD THAT THEY HAVE, THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT THEY OPERATE, UH, THE FOODS THAT THEY HAVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT HAVE REALLY GROWN DRASTICALLY.
SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY WANTS TO HAVE A FOOD TRUCK NOW.
UH, ENGAGING OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO INSPECT THE MOBILE FOOD UNITS.
UH, ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IS THE, UH, MOBILE FOOD UNITS, THEIR USE OF LP GAS.
AND SOMETIMES THEY'LL PUT THOSE LP GAS, UH, TANKS ON THE GROUND RATHER THAN KEEP 'EM MOUNTED ON THE BACK OF THE TRUCK LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO.
SO IF WE COULD, UH, KIND OF MERGE, MERGE WITH H WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND MAYBE DO TEAM INSPECTIONS, WE CAN TAKE CARE OF TWO, KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE BY DOING THAT.
ALSO, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON A MOBILE FOOD UNIT, TRUCK, FOOD TRUCK PARK ORDINANCE.
UH, WE'VE, UH, GOTTEN INFORMATION FROM UH, FORT BEND.
THEY JUST STARTED THEIR FOOD TRUCK PORK ORDINANCE ABOUT A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
UH, PULLED UP SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA AND EL CAMPO, TEXAS.
SO THOSE ARE THREE JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE, THEY APPEAR TO HAVE STRONG FOOD TRUCK PARK ORDINANCES ALREADY IN PLACE.
AND, UH, WE'D LIKE TO MIMIC OR, OR ALSO UTILIZE SOME OF THOSE GUIDELINES SO WE CAN HAVE SOME CONTROL OF OUR FOOD TRUCKS.
RIGHT NOW, THE FOOD TRUCK PARKS THAT WE HAVE ARE NOT LEGAL FOOD TRUCK PARKS.
THEY'RE JUST FOOD TRUCK PARKS OPERATING ON SOMEONE'S PROPERTY.
WE WANNA BE ABLE TO HOLD THAT PROPERTY PERSON THAT OWNS THAT PARK RESPONSIBLE FOR TRASH, LITTER, THINGS LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE ALL OF IT IS NOT NECESSARILY RELATED TO VIOLATIONS OF THE FOOD ORDINANCE.
SOME OF IT, UH, SOME OF THE AREAS THAT HAVE 'EM, THERE ARE OBSTRUCTIONS OF TRAFFIC, THERE ARE HAZARDS TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO BY HAVING A FOOD TRUCK PARK, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT SITUATION.
UH, WE'RE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF RE OF, UH, REVAMPING THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOOD CODE TO MEET THE SAME REQUIREMENTS AS THE MODEL MODEL FOOD CODE.
THERE IS CURRENT LEGISLATION OUT NOW THAT'S GOING ON THAT WOULD DEFINITELY AFFECT, UH, HOW MOBILE FOOD
[00:15:01]
UNITS OPERATE, NOT ONLY IN HOUSTON, BUT THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS.UH, SOME OF THE DEFINITIONS OR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, THAT ARE IN THOSE BILLS MAY AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO HAVE SOME STRICTER, UH, ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS ON THINGS.
BUT THAT IS WHERE OUR FUTURE IS GOING TO LIE.
UH, MS. BECKHAM, CAN WE GO BACK A FEW SLIDES TO THE, UH, TABLE THAT SHOWS A NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS AND TYPE OF VIOLATIONS? OKAY.
WE WENT THROUGH THAT PRETTY QUICKLY.
SO CAN, CAN YOU TELL US, UH, WHAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TYPE OF FIELD INSPECTION THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES AND THE TYPE OF FIELD INSPECTION THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOES IF YOU KNOW, YOU TALKING ABOUT THE TYPE OF MM-HMM
WHAT DO, WHAT DO Y LOOK FOR IN OTHER WORDS, AND WHAT IS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LOOKING FOR WHEN THEY GO OUT? IF YOU KNOW? I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR A COUPLE OF THINGS.
I KNOW THAT, UH, THEY WOULD PROBABLY CHECK MAKING SURE THAT THE MOBILE UNITS HAVE THE LP GAS PERMITS.
I'M PRETTY SURE THEY PROBABLY CHECK FOR THINGS LIKE PEOPLE USING CHARCOAL AND THEN PROPERLY DISPOSING OF A CHARCOAL AND LIKE A DUMPSTER.
I'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN A COUPLE OF TIMES.
WE, WE PUT IT PRETTY MUCH PUT A HALT TO THAT.
UH, A LOT OF TIMES WE'LL SEE THAT THOSE PROPANE TANKS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE MOUNTED INSIDE THE CAGES ON THE GROUNDS INSTEAD OF BEING MAINTAINED ON THE UNITS THEMSELVES.
THERE'S ALSO A DISTANCE BETWEEN MOBILE FOOD UNITS AND IF I BELIEVE IT'S 25 FEET, SO YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TWO MOBILE FOOD UNITS 10 FEET FROM EACH OTHER WHEN I THINK THERE'S A 25 FEET REQUIREMENT WHEN THEY'RE USING LP GAS.
SO IF WE LOOK AT, UH, THE BOTTOM HALF OF THIS CHART, I SEE CATEGORIES FOR LOCATION OF OPERATION, UH, ANOTHER CATEGORY FOR OPERATION ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
WHAT IS, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO VIOLATIONS? OKAY.
THE LOCATION OF OPERATION, EACH MOBILE FOOD UNIT IS TO PROVIDE TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT A LIST OF WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE OPERATING THEIR LOCATIONS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ALWAYS STAY AT ONE PLACE.
YOU CAN HAVE FOUR OR FIVE LOCATIONS.
UH, AS LONG AS WE KNOW THAT YOU'VE INFORMED US THAT YOU HAVE THOSE LOCATIONS AND WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO BE.
SO IF THEY ARE LOCATED IN A PLACE WHERE THEY'RE NOT PERMITTED TO OPERATE, THEY'LL GET A TICKET FOR THAT.
NOT ONLY WILL THEY GET A CITATION, WE'LL ALSO PUT THEM UNDER A CLOSURE.
AND IF THEY WANT TO CHANGE LOCATION, UH, TO A LOCATION, THEY'RE NOT PERMITTED, UH, TO OPERATE, UH, IN, WOULD THEY HAVE TO COME IN FOR A NEW INSPECTION? NO, IF THEY'RE JUST GONNA CHANGE LOCATION, THEY CAN SEND US A FAX EMAIL, UH, TO JUST THE, THE, THE GOAL IS TO JUST NOTIFY US 45, 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE THAT YOU'RE GONNA LOCATE FROM ONE LOCATION TO THE OTHER.
SO AS LONG AS WE'VE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT YOU HAVE A NEW OPERATION, THEN WE'RE FINE.
IF THEY SEND AN EMAIL WHILE WE'RE ALSO SENDING A REMINDER, HEY, DON'T FORGET IF YOU'RE GONNA BE MOVING TO THIS OTHER LOCATION, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR PROPERTY AND TOILET, UH, LETTERS ALSO POSTED IN, IN THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT.
AND THEN, UH, OPERATING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, DOES THAT MEAN OPERATING WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE PROPERTY OWNER? YES, SIR.
IT'S EITHER ONE OR TWO THINGS AS FAR AS THIS VIOLATION IS CONCERNED.
IF THEY WENT TO A LOCATION AND THE, AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE LETTER THAT INDICATES THAT THEY HAVE AUTHORIZATION FROM THAT, UH, PROPERTY OWNER TO BE THERE OR THEY DON'T HAVE THE LETTER AT ALL IN THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT, THAT'S REQUIRED TO BE POSTED IN VIEW OF THE PUBLIC.
AND WHAT ABOUT THAT, UH, CATEGORY VIOLATION CLOSE TO THE BOTTOM THERE, COMPLIANCE, WAS THAT COVERED 2019 COMPLIANCE? YES.
2019 COMPLIANCE MEANS THAT THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE HEALTH CODE.
SO THIS MEANS THAT 661 TIMES MOBILE FOOD UNITS HAVE BEEN CLOSED FOR ANY OR ANY COMBINATION OF VIOLATIONS.
IT COULD BE A COMBINATION OF YOUR FOOD SAFETY VIOLATIONS AND A COMBINATION OR A SINGLE ACT THAT MAY ALSO REQUIRE THE SANITARIAN TO CLOSE THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT.
AND DID I HEAR YOU SAY BASICALLY WE HAVE NO IDEA THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL, UH, UNITS OPERATING IN THE CITY? YES.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO FORCE TO DETERMINE HOW MANY THERE ACTUALLY ARE, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PERMITTED, THEY'RE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH AN ACCOUNT.
AND OUR DATABASE DEALS WITH ACCOUNT NUMBERS.
[00:20:01]
UH, MAYBE MANUALLY TO TRY TO PULL THAT INFORMATION UP.BUT WE DO GET QUITE A FEW ILLEGAL MOBILE FOOD UNITS AND FOOD ESTABLISHMENT OPERATIONS IN THE CITY.
FROM OUR CONVERSATION LAST WEEK, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, I THINK YOU SAID YOU DON'T GO OUT AND AND RANDOMLY CHECK UH, LOCATIONS, BUT YOU'RE COMPLAINT DRIVEN AND THAT'S HOW YOU DISCOVER UNITS THAT ARE NOT PERMITTED PROPERLY.
UH, MOST OF THE TIME IT'S CONSUMER COMPLAINTS.
SOME OF IT IS COMPETITION, UH, AMONG THE OPERATORS.
YOU KNOW, IF I HAVE A BUSINESS AND YOU OVER THERE OPERATING WITHOUT A PERMIT, I'M GONNA BE CALLING IN ON YOU.
AND YOU, YOU REFERENCED, UH, THE CITY'S WORKING ON A FOOD TRUCK PARK ORDINANCE.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE STATUS OF THAT IS? IT'S IN, UH, DRAFT MODE.
UH, SINCE I'M COMBINING THREE JURISDICTIONS OF VERBIAGE OF THREE JURISDICTIONS, ONCE I PRETTY MUCH, UH, HAVE I GUESS THE LINGO DOWN, UH, AS FAR AS WHAT'S CONCERNED, THEN IT'LL GO INTO ANOTHER DRAFT MODE.
I'LL GET IT TO MY MANAGER AND THEN WE'LL WORK FROM THERE.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO TAKE INPUT FROM, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ON, ON THAT ORDINANCE BEFORE YOU, YOU FINALIZE IT AND, AND UH, PROPOSE IT FOR COUNCIL? YES, SIR.
JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBERS HERE, RUSSELL FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S OFFICES HERE, UH, CRUZ VARGAS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE, AND ANNETTE DWYER FROM COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS'S OFFICE.
I WANT TO OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS FROM OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARIANNE HUFFMAN IN THE QUEUE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION,
UM, SO I KNOW YOU MENTIONED, YOU TALKED ABOUT ONCE THEY'RE PERMITTED THEN EACH MOBILE F FOOD UNIT GETS A GPS TRACKER.
AND I GUESS I'M ASSUMING THAT'S SO YOU CAN KEEP TRACK OF, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY IN THE RIGHT PLACE? IF WE GO BACK TO THE MAP THAT SHOWS THE DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS OF THE INSPECTORS? UM, NO.
THE ONE THAT HAD LIKE THE MAP AND IT HAD THE RIGHT THERE.
SO WE SEE THE GREEN, THE PINK AND THE BLUE, UM, WITH THE PERMIT, ARE YOU ALLOWED TO MOVE JURISDICTIONS OR IF YOU ARE GONNA MOVE TO A DIFFERENT SPOT, DO YOU HAVE TO STAY WITHIN, YOU KNOW, WELL, THE MOBILE FOOD UNITS, THEY CAN GO TO, THEY CAN HAVE MULTIPLE LOCATIONS AS LONG AS WE'RE NOTIFIED AND AS LONG AS THEY HAVE THEIR LETTERS WITHIN ALL THREE OF THOSE JURISDICTIONS, YES.
AND UM, I'VE HEARD THAT IN OTHER CITIES THAT THERE'S BEEN A PROBLEM WITH WHEN HEALTH INSPECTORS GO OUT TO SOME OF THESE MOBILE FOOD UNITS, THAT THEY'RE BEING INTIMIDATED, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S BEING INTIMIDATED BY THE FOOD TRUCK OPERATORS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SEEING IN HOUSTON? IT HAS HAPPENED ON SOME OCCASIONS, AND THAT'S WHEN WE GET THE ASSISTANCE FROM D-R-T-H-P-D.
UH, I THINK LAST MONTH WE JUST HAD SOME OPERATIONS WITH ASSISTANCE FROM DRT.
UH, THE STAFF WAS ABLE TO, LET'S SAY MORE COMFORTABLY ISSUE CITATIONS AND TAKE ENFORCEMENT ACTION WITHOUT, UH, HARASSMENT OR UNDUE ACTIONS BY THE EITHER THE OPERATOR OR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE MOBILE UNIT.
AND ARE WE SEEING THAT WITH FOOD TRUCKS OR MOBILE FOOD UNITS THAT ARE PERMITTED VERSUS THE, YOU KNOW, THE TRUCKS THAT AREN'T PERMITTED? OR IS IT ABOUT EQUAL? IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT EQUAL.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES, ESPECIALLY UNITS THAT ARE NOT PERMITTED.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LATE NIGHT INSPECTIONS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOBILE FOOD UNITS THAT MIGHT BE NEAR BARS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHERE WE WOULD DEFINITELY, UH, REQUEST POLICE ASSISTANCE OR POLICE PRESENCE WHEN WE'RE OUT THERE DOING THOSE.
AND I KNOW WHEN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT GOES OUT, OF COURSE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR HEALTH VIOLATIONS, BUT IN SOME OF THESE OTHER, YOU KNOW, FOOD PARKS, WE'VE SEEN THINGS LIKE SOUND ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT STILL, IS HPD REQUIRED TO COME OUT FOR THE SOUND ORDINANCE, UM, VIOLATIONS OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ALSO CAN, CAN DO? I THINK IF WE, IF WE ASKED IF WE REQUESTED OR IF IT'S PART OF THE COMPLAINT THAT THERE'S A NOISE ISSUE, WE WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY INCLUDE THAT IN IN OUR REQUEST.
UH, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE HAD A FEW MEETINGS WITH DRT.
UM, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, SOME, THIS IS REALLY NOT JUST A HEALTH DEPARTMENT ISSUE.
IT'S GONNA TAKE COLLABORATION FROM MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE TWO HIGH VOLUME AREAS WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST, UH, COMPLAINTS, UH, ABOUT FOOD TRUCK PARKS.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION ON THE, THE TRACKER.
I, I MEAN, HOW OFTEN DO YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE COMMISSARY IF YOU'RE A FOOD TRUCK? THEY'RE
[00:25:01]
REQUIRED TO GO TO THE COMMISSARY 24 HOURS PRIOR TO OPERATION.OKAY, SO EVERY DAY? PRETTY MUCH, YES.
AND THAT DO, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TRACKING WITH THE TRACKER OTHER THAN WHAT, THAN WHERE YOUR LOCATION IS OR? WELL, IT, HOW DO YOU KNOW IF PEOPLE ARE GOING EVERY DAY? ALL OF THE, UH, THE SANITARIANS ARE ABLE TO HAVE THE TRACKING SYSTEM ON THEIR LAPTOPS AND THEIR CELL PHONES.
SO BEFORE THEY EVEN GO TO THE MOBILE UNIT, THEY'LL PULL UP THAT ACCOUNT AND THEY'LL GO IN THE GEO AND SEE EXACTLY WHERE THE UNIT IS LOCATED BECAUSE THE TRACKER GIVES A SIGNAL, A SIGNAL, THEY'LL KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THAT MOBILE FOOD UNIT IS NOW WHAT IT DOESN'T TELL THEM WHETHER IT IS, WHETHER THEY'RE OPEN OR NOT.
IT JUST TELLS 'EM WHERE THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT IS.
THEY CAN ALSO LOOK AND SEE IF THE MOBILE UNIT HAS HAD ANY MOVEMENT.
AND WHEN I SAY MOVEMENT, I CAN PULL UP JANUARY 1ST OR JANUARY 31ST.
I CAN LOOK AND SEE WHETHER THAT MOBILE UNIT HAS MOVED AT ALL.
I CAN ALSO SEE EXACTLY WHICH COMMISSARY THAT THEY'VE GONE TO WITHIN THAT TIME PERIOD.
AND, UM, I KNOW I'VE HEARD OF OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT FOOD TRUCK PARKS AND FOOD TRUCKS, BUT PRIMARILY ABOUT NOISE AND NUISANCE STUFF.
NOT SO MUCH ABOUT LIKE A HEALTH VIOLATION OR, OR, OR OBVIOUSLY SOME FIRE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED, BUT I MEAN, IS IT, ARE ARE FOOD TRUCK PARK, ARE THEY A BIG PROBLEM IN THE CITY OVERALL? I MEAN THAT WE'RE NOW GONNA LOOK AT DOING A FOOD TRUCK PARK ORDINANCE.
'CAUSE I MEAN, I HEAR ONE-OFFS ABOUT NOISE, BUT I'M AT LARGE.
SO DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS MIGHT SAY, OH YES, I'VE GOT A TERRIBLE FOOD PARK IN MY AREA, BUT IS THIS HOW PREVALENT IS A FOOD TRUCK PARK? ARE FOOD TRUCK PARK ISSUES? THEY JUST POP UP ANYWHERE.
UH, SOMEONE MIGHT HAVE A VACANT LOT OR SOME VACANT PROPERTY AND THEY DECIDE THAT THEY WANNA PUT, SO I MEAN, WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE HAVEN'T HAD AN ORDINANCE REALLY, UM, DEALING WITH THEM.
SO WHAT HAS, HAS, DO YOU FEEL IT'S RISEN TO THE LEVEL THAT NOW WE NEED AN ORDINANCE BECAUSE WE GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS OR WELL, WE NEED ONE, NUMBER ONE, BECAUSE OF THE COMPLAINTS.
AND ALSO NUMBER TWO, IT ALSO GIVES, UM, THE PROPERTY THAT THE MOBILE UNITS ARE GONNA BE OPERATING ON NOW WE'LL HAVE SOMEONE THAT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROPERTY.
THEY MAY BE ABLE TO PUT SOME THINGS IN THE FULL FOOD TRUCK PARK THAT WE DON'T ALLOW IN OUR ORDINANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT YOU CANNOT HAVE DINING WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET OF A MOBILE FOOD UNIT.
SO IF YOU HAVE A FOOD TRUCK PARK THAT MAY HAVE SEATING FOR CUSTOMERS, THEN THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF THAT PART OF THE ORDINANCE.
UH, YOU WOULD ALSO, BECAUSE THE FOOD TRUCK PARKS, IN FACT WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF, UH, INDIVIDUALS ACTUALLY PUT PLANS UP FOR A FOOD TRUCK PARK AND THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH ONE 1002 WASHINGTON AVENUE JUST AS IF YOU WERE BUILDING A BRAND NEW BUILDING.
THEY HAD TO HAVE A SITE PLAN, IT HAD TO HAVE ANY KIND OF STRUCTURES THAT'S GONNA BE BUILT THERE THAT HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE BUILDING CODES.
SO BY HAVING A FOOD TRUCK PARK, IT WILL ENABLE BOTH THE VENDORS AND ALSO CONSUMERS, UH, A LOT MORE, UH, A LOT MORE, SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE CLEAN AND MAINTAINED THAT WE CAN, UH, HAVE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, WE'LL GO TO STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD'S OFFICE.
FIRST OFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR 45 YEARS OF SERVICE.
UH, IT'S LONG THAN I'VE BEEN ALIVE, SO THANK YOU
UM, ASK SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, UH, THE TRACKER AS WELL.
UH, WE HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT SPOT IN DISTRICT JA GALLERIA FOOD TRUCK PARK.
IT'S BEEN A NIGHTMARE FOR US FOR A LONG TIME.
AND SO IF WE HAVE THESE TRACKERS THAT ARE ON THE VEHICLES, THEN WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO KNOW IF THEY'RE CRAMMING ADDITIONAL TRUCKS ONTO THE SAME LOT, HOW ARE WE ABLE TO VERIFY THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT? 'CAUSE THESE, THESE TRUCKS DON'T MOVE.
SO IF, AND THERE'S AN INSPECTOR AT THE COMMISSARY THAT'S MARKING THEM OFF, THESE GUYS HAVE GOTTA HAVE BEEN ABSENT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
BUT, AND SO HOW CAN WE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FROM ABUSING THIS, UH, AREA OF, OF, UM, THIS PROCEDURE.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE THE BATHROOMS THIS SAME AREA, THEY HAVE SEVERAL OF THEM WITH THE SAME COMPANY, BUT THE BUSINESS IS CLOSED WHEN THEY DO THEIR MAJOR OR MOST OF THEIR OPERATIONS.
SO HOW CAN THEY HAVE A BUSINESS THAT'S CLOSED BUT THEY'RE OPERATING TILL FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, THAT'S NOT VERY SANITARY AT ALL.
SO I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT HOW WE WOULD REMEDY THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES.
UH, TO ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION ABOUT IF THERE IS ANY DISCREPANCY BETWEEN
[00:30:01]
WHAT THE INSPECTOR SEES ON THE TRACKER, WE HAVE TWO OTHER OPTIONS.WE HAVE THIS COMMISSARY TICKET THAT THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT OPERATORS TO HAVE, AND WE'LL ALSO GO TO THE COMMISSARY AND CHECK THEIR RECORDS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY DISCREPANCY.
WE FOUND, UH, A COUPLE OF TIMES WHERE AN EMPLOYEE ISSUED A COMMISSARY TICKET TO SOMEONE WHO NEVER WENT THERE.
AND WE HAD A HEARING WITH BOTH THE COMMISSARY, UH, OPERATOR AND THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT, UH, ABOUT THAT, THOSE PARTICULAR TYPE OF VIOLATIONS.
WE HAD A PERSON THAT I ACTUALLY COPIED THE COMMISSARY TICKET, MADE IT HIS OWN.
HIS MISTAKE WAS NOT PUTTING THE PRINT ON THE BACK, UH, THAT'S ON OUR COMMISSARY TICKET.
SO SOMETIMES WE'LL FIND THESE THINGS BY ACCIDENT AND ANYTIME WE DO FIND IT, AGAIN, THAT'S A CLOSURE AND A CITATION FOR THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT AND CITATIONS FOR THE COMMISSARY IF THEY ARE ENGAGING IN THAT ACTIVITY.
THE SECOND QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH RESTROOM ACCESS.
UH, WE'VE HAD ALL OF SENATORS GO BACK TO THE RESTROOM ACCESSES THAT PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO.
WE MADE THEM VERIFY HOW DOES THE EMPLOYEE HAVE ACCESS? AND LIKE YOU SAID, AT FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, UH, HEY, THEY HAVE A KEY, NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE THE KEY GOING AND UNLOCK THAT, THAT BUILDING OR WHATEVER TO PROVE THAT THEY HAVE ACTUAL ACCESS TO IT.
UH, DURING THE INVESTIGATIONS LAST MONTH, I THINK ONE WHOLE GROUP OF MOBILE POOL UNITS WERE CLOSED BECAUSE NOBODY HAD THE KEY OR THE RESTROOMS WERE IN SUCH POOR CONDITION THAT NO, THESE ARE TOTALLY UNSANITARY.
SO ALL THE MOBILE UNITS GOT CLOSED, UH, BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO AGAIN, THAT THE TRACKERS, SO IF WE'RE ABLE TO TRACK THEM, WE SHOULD ALSO KNOW IF THEY'RE USING A BUTANE TANK OR NOT.
NOW THE TRACKER DOESN'T TELL US WHAT'S ON, WHAT'S ON THE UNIT, WHAT TYPE OF, BUT IT MIGHT BE IDENTIFIED BY THE VEHICLE OR THE TRUCK.
BECAUSE THE TRUCK WOULD'VE TO BE PERMITTED TO SAY, I'M USING BUTANE AS MY SOURCE OF ENERGY TO COOK THE FOOD.
THE TRACKER'S ON THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT ITSELF.
MEDALLION IS SITTING HERE, THE TRACKER IS SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
SO IF WE CAN DETERMINE WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED AND THERE'S SEVERAL CRAMMED IN ONE LOT, WELL WITHIN THE DISTANCE OF BUTANE TANKS, WE'VE HAD TWO OF 'EM EXPLODE AT THAT, THAT AT, AT THAT SITE.
WE'VE CAUGHT THEM DUMPING THINGS IN THE DRAIN.
UH, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A REALLY BAD, BAD LOCATION.
SO I WAS HOPING THROUGH OUR MEETING TODAY, CHAIR, THAT WE COULD FIND SOME REMEDIES ON HOW TO, UH, HAVE THE ACCOUNTABILITY IN PLACE.
SO I WANNA, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AND, AND, UH, WE WILL, WE'LL DISCUSS THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE ORDINANCE ADDRESSING THAT, BUT I HAD A FOLLOW UP TO THAT.
SO WHEN YOU SAY YOU CLOSE A MOBILE FOOD TRUCK, HOW, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THEY STAY CLOSED? WHAT, WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY DO WHEN YOU CLOSE ONE? WHEN WE, WHEN WE CLOSE THEM, THAT MEANS THAT THEY CAN'T OPERATE UNTIL THEY'VE CORRECTED ALL THE VIOLATIONS THAT HAVE HAD, HAVE OCCURRED.
UH, PRETTY MUCH ONCE THE OPERATOR HAS FINISHED, UH, COMPLETING WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO, HE'LL CALL THE INSPECTOR OUT.
UH, SOMETIMES WE WILL FIND THEM OPERATING WHILE WE HAVE THEM UNDER A CLOSURE.
AND THEN THAT'S ANOTHER SET OF CITATIONS THAT THE OPERATOR WILL GET.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE HEARINGS WITH OPERATORS TO SORT OF REMIND THEM THAT THEIR NEXT STEP IS TO HAVE THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT MEDALLION REVOKED.
AND, UH, FROM, FROM ONE OF YOUR PREVIOUS ANSWERS, UH, YOU, WE CAN TELL THAT, UH, YOUR INSPECTORS DO WORK OFF HOURS AND ON WEEKENDS.
WE'LL GO TO, UH, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU MS. BECKMAN FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION TODAY.
HOW, UH, ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE TRACKERS.
I THINK WE'VE COME A LONG WAY SINCE I KNOW SOME DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS USED TO PUT PENNIES ON THE TIRES OF THE, OF THE FOOD TRUCKS TO SEE IF THEY MOVED OVERNIGHT.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS.
UH, HOW FAR BACK DOES THE HISTORY ON THE TRACKERS GO? HOW LONG DO WE KEEP IT FOR? THANK YOU.
UH, ACTUALLY THIS IS OUR SECOND SET OF TRACKERS.
THE FIRST TRACKERS THAT WE HAVE REALLY DID NOT TRACK THE UNITS.
THEY WERE PLACED AT THE COMMISSARY AND IT WAS CALLED A READER, I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT WAS CALLED.
AND THE READER ONLY DETECTED IF THE MOBILE UNIT WENT TO THE COMMISSARY.
UH, IT REALLY DIDN'T HELP US A WHOLE LOT.
IT DIDN'T HELP US IDENTIFY, IT DIDN'T HELP US LOCATE BECAUSE BY NOT BEING ABLE TO LOCATE THE UNITS, THOSE ARE INSPECTIONS THAT'S NOT GETTING CONDUCTED.
THAT'S FOOD SAFETY ISSUES, THAT'S NOT BEING ADDRESSED.
SO BY GOING TO THE TRACKING DEVICES THAT WE HAVE NOW, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO CONSIDER, THE FIRST THING I CONSIDERED FOR US TO GO INTO A TRACKING SYSTEM, I DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING ELECTRICAL.
[00:35:01]
I DON'T WANNA BE CONNECTED TO SOMEBODY'S BATTERY AND THEY TRUCK CATCH ON FIRE AND THEY WANNA SUE THE CITY.SO WE TOOK, TOOK A COUPLE OF COMPANIES FOR US TO EXPERIMENT WITH TO USE A SOLAR TRACKER.
UH, THE SOLAR TRACKERS, OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE POWERED BY THE SUN.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A BRIGHT SUN.
UH, WE PRETTY MUCH, SOMETIMES WHEN WE DON'T GET A READING, PROBABLY THE MOBILE UNIT MIGHT BE IN THE SHED OR IT MIGHT BE UNDER SOME KIND OF COVER.
IF IT, ONCE IN A WHILE WE'LL HAVE THEM, HEY, COULD YOU TAKE AND MOVE YOUR UNIT BACK JUST A LITTLE BIT SO IT CAN GET SOME POWER IN ORDER FOR THAT BATTERY TO KEEP UP TO KEEP FUNCTIONING LIKE IT SHOULD.
A FOLLOW UP TO THE QUESTION ON THE TRACKER, ARE YOU ABLE TO TELL WHEN A TRACKER IS REMOVED FROM A MOBILE FOOD TRUCK? ONE OR TWO THINGS IS GONNA HAPPEN IF THAT TRACKER WILL, WILL GET NO SIGNAL AT ALL? UH, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF 'EM STOLEN AND FOUND 'EM DOWN THE STREET SOMEWHERE, UH, ONE TIME.
UH, BUT THE ONLY WAY THAT WE WOULD KNOW THAT THE TRACTOR IS NOT WORKING WE'LL GET, WE GET A REPORT DAILY WHEN THE BATTERIES ARE DRAINING WHEN THEY'RE AT A CERTAIN LEVEL.
AND SO THE BATTERIES AT A LOW LEVEL.
THIS IS WHEN WE TRY TO MAKE A VISIT TO THE OPERATOR AND SAY, COULD YOU KINDA MOVE YOUR UNIT, YOU KNOW, OVER A LITTLE BIT 10 FEET OVER TO THE LEFT OR TO THE RIGHT OF THE SHADED TREE SO IT CAN GET A LITTLE BIT MORE SUN.
BUT, UM, BUT YEAH, WE, WE, UH, WE CAN'T TELL IF ONE HAS BEEN REMOVED UNLESS WHEN THEY COME BACK FOR THE RENEWAL AND IT'S NOT THERE OR IT'S NOT IN THE SAME POSITION THAT IT WAS PLACED IN WHEN IT WAS ATTACHED BY THE STAFF.
WE HAVE, UH, QUESTIONS FROM, UM, ISAAC WITH COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU FOR TODAY'S THANK YOU FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION.
UH, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS REGARDING, UH, FOOD TRUCKS.
AND WE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH SOME FOOD, A FOOD TRUCK PARK OFF OF HOL SMITH AND WESTHEIMER AND DISTRICT F AND, AND WE SEE SOME ADVERTISING FOR UPCOMING, UH, UH, FOOD TRUCK ESTABLISHMENTS OFF OF BEE NUT AND COOK.
AND MY QUESTION IS, ARE ARE THERE RESTRICTIONS TO THE NUMBER OF FOOD TRUCKS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, UH, AT ONE SPECIFIC LOCATION? NO, SIR.
WITHOUT ORDINANCE THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE ONE? UH, THE ONLY, THE CLOSEST THING TO IT WOULD BE IF, IF THE FIRE MARSHAL WENT OUT AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT, HEY, THESE TRUCKS ARE TOO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER, THEN THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD, COULD BE A CONSIDERATION, COULD BE SOMETHING.
AND THAT'S WHY I SAY WE SHOULD TEAM TOGETHER WITH FIRE AND DEFINITELY DO A DOUBLE.
SO THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO ASSESSING OF HOW MUCH PARKING SPACE IS AVAILABLE FOR, FOR VEHICLES, WHETHER IT'S ON STREET PARKING, ON, ON PREMISE PARKING, NOTHING LIKE THAT.
IT JUST, YOU'LL HAVE A COMBINATION OF THE FOOD TRUCKS AND PEOPLE'S PERSONAL VEHICLES SURE.
ARE PARKED IN THE SAME LOT AND EVEN CLOSE TO RESIDE RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
UH, ARE THEY CLOSE TO RESIDENTIAL AREAS? IS THAT THE QUESTION? HALL SMITH AND WESTHEIMER AREAS? UH, YEAH, THEY ARE PRETTY CLOSE.
UH, UM, ARE, ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON THE HOURS OF OPERATIONS, UH, OF THESE FOOD TRUCKS? NO, SIR.
LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS, UH, THERE IS NO LAW THAT, SO CURRENTLY FOOD TRUCKS THAT ARE OPERATING UNTIL FOUR IN THE MORNING AFTER HOURS, UM, CAN BE RIGHT NEXT TO RESIDENTIAL HOMES.
UM, CARS PULLING UP AT ANY, ANY TIME AND, AND, AND WE HAVE NOTHING THAT CAN ENFORCE REALLY.
IT'S SOMETHING, ANY KIND OF RESTRICTIONS WE CAN'T ENFORCE.
UH, AS THESE, UH, FOOD TRUCK APPLICATIONS COME IN, THE PERMITTING PROCESS IS BEING, UH, UH, UM, FOLLOWED.
ARE THERE ANY KIND OF PUBLIC REPORTING TO EITHER RESIDENCES OR BUSINESSES OF FOOD TRUCKS THAT ARE GETTING PERMITS IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS? DOES, DOES THE PUBLIC GET ANY, ANY KIND OF, UH, UH, COMMUNITY ALERT THAT'S SAYING, HEY, THERE'S A FOOD TRUCK COMING TO YOUR AREA, UH, THERE'S A FOOD TRUCK COMING TO YOUR ESTABLISHMENT OR YOUR PARKING LOT, UM, CLOSE TO YOUR RESIDENCES, ANYTHING LIKE THAT? NO, SIR.
FOLLOWING UP ON THAT, UM, DO, DO YOU EVER COORDINATE WITH, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, ESPECIALLY AFTER HOURS IN THESE AREAS WHERE THERE ARE CROWDS? BECAUSE I IMAGINE YOUR FOOD TRUCKS REQUIRE DEMAND FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR PRODUCT, UH, IN ORDER TO BE OPEN LATE HOURS.
AND SO I WOULD IMAGINE IN CERTAIN AREAS WE SEE CROWDS, NOISE VIOLATIONS AND, AND FOOD TRUCKS OPEN.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, ALONG WASHINGTON.
DO, DO YOU ALL EVER COORDINATE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN COMING OUT AND CHECKING SOME OF THOSE FOOD TRUCKS? UH, WE'VE GONE OUT ON WEST, UM, WESTHEIMER, THIS, THAT, UH, THE GALLERIA AND 79 19, THOSE ARE TWO THAT GET OUR MOST ATTENTION.
WE WILL GET HIT DURING FINAL FOUR MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS.
THAT'S WHEN WE REALLY GET, UH, HIT WITH A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT MOBILE UNITS IN THAT WASHINGTON AVENUE CORRIDOR.
[00:40:01]
YOU FOR THAT.I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION AND YOUR SERVICE AND WE WILL MOVE TO OUR NEXT PRESENTATION.
FROM OUR HOUSTON FIRE MARSHAL MARION SPAN AND HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR BRENT TAYLOR, THEY WILL PRESENT ON HD'S ROLE IN PERMITTING THE COMPLAINT PROCESS AND FOOD TRUCK PARK COMPLAINTS.
SO IF Y'ALL WOULD COME FORWARD, GOOD AFTERNOON.
GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD AFTERNOON.
UH, START WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
I AM THE ASSISTANT CHIEF MARUS FAN, THE FIRE MARSHAL FOR THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT H OF D'S ROLE IN THE MOBILE FOOD UNITS.
SO AS THE FIRE MARSHAL, I REPORT TO THE EXECUTIVE CHIEF, UH, CHIEF MARTINEZ AND I AM OVER THE LIFE SAFETY BUREAU AND WE, WE WORK IN INSPECTIONS, CODE ENFORCEMENT, CODE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION.
SO MFS FALL UNDER OUR PURVIEW IN A COUPLE OF WAYS.
WE DEAL WITH THE LPGA STORAGE AND LP GAS USAGE.
SO IN ORDER TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THE CITY REQUIREMENTS, EVERY MFU HAS TO HAVE AN INSPECTION BEFORE HITTING THE STREETS.
AND THEY'RE REQUIRED TO BE INSPECTED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
AND WE DO THIS IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO INTERNALLY, HFD INSPECTORS, WE FOLLOW THE LSB UH, STANDARD NUMBER 10.
AND IF YOU NEED LSB STANDARD NUMBER 10, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO BRETT, HE'LL BE HAPPY TO, TO GIVE YOU WITH THAT, THAT INFORMATION.
AM I RIGHT THERE? I'M NOT RIGHT THERE.
SORRY, WE WE SWITCHED THE ORDER OF THE SLIDES LAST MINUTE.
SO WE DO A LOT OF INSPECTIONS AT, UM, WHEN WE HAVE FESTIVALS HERE IN DOWNTOWN AND WE REQUIRE A, A STANDBY INSPECTOR TO BE AT THOSE LOCATIONS WHEN THEY HAVE A MOBILE FOOD UNIT WITH FOUR OR MORE APPLIANCES.
SO AS WE ALL KNOW AT THE FESTIVALS, THERE'S 10 15 MOBILE FOOD UNITS OUT THERE.
SO YOU WILL SEE AN INSPECTOR OUT THERE AND HE'S OUT THERE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE EVENT.
AND HE IS THERE FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE EVENT TO MAKE SURE IT IS CONNECTED CORRECTLY, THERE'S NO LEAKS, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ALSO DISCONNECTED AND STORED PROPERLY.
WE ALSO CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR ANSIL SYSTEM, WHICH IS THEIR AUTOMATIC, UM, FIRE SYSTEM, THAT IT HAS BEEN SERVICED EVERY SIX MONTHS.
WE ALSO CHECK TO SEE THAT THEY HAVE THEIR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.
IF THEY'RE DOING DEEP FRYING, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE TYPE K IF THEY'RE DOING, UH, IF THEY'RE NOT DEEP FRYING, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE TWO A 10 BC OKAY.
SO THAT IS WHY THAT IS WHAT WE'RE THERE.
SO, AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE A PERMIT OF COURSE FOR THE LP GAS THAT THEY'RE USING.
SO BASICALLY, I THINK I JUST SAID THIS PART, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN GET THAT ANY BIGGER.
YEAH, SO, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR WHEN WE GO, WE'RE CHECKING TO MAKE SURE THE ANSWER SYSTEM IS SERVICE, THAT THEY HAVE THE EXTINGUISHERS LIKE THAT THE PROPANE IS NOT ON THE GROUND, THAT IT IS UPRIGHT AT ALL TIMES AND THAT IT IS SECURED AND AWAY FROM PUBLIC.
SO THE PUBLIC SHOULD NOT BE WITHIN THREE FEET OF ANY PROPANE BOTTLES.
ONE THING I WOULD ADD ON THAT, UM, IS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE 25 FEET OF SEPARATION.
THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE FIRE MARSHAL, UH, AT HER DISCRETION OR HER OFFICE'S DISCRETION CAN UH, CLOSE THAT IN A BIT SO THAT IT'S, UH, UP TO 10 FEET AS OPPOSED TO 25.
UM, JUST ONE OF THE NOTES THAT'S ON THE, UH, THE CHECKLIST THAT, THAT WASN'T MENTIONED IN THE SLIDES.
I MEAN, WE DO HAVE THE OPTION, BUT IF WE DO CLOSE IT FROM 25 TO 10, THEN THAT WOULD PROBABLY ALLOW MORE FOOD UNIT TRUCKS TO BE ON LOCATION.
[00:45:01]
AND I THINK OUR GOAL NOW IS TO TRY NOT TO HAVE SO MANY IN ONE CONSOLIDATED AREA.SO IN THE DISTRICT OF LIMITATION, WE HAVE THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND THEN WE HAVE THE MEDICAL CENTER AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DISTRICT OF LIMITATION AND THEN THE OTHER AREA IS THAT WE TRY TO KEEP THE TANKS IN THE DISTRICT OF LIMITATION DOWN TO A 60 POUND TANK.
OUTSIDE OF THAT IS THEY'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE A 100 POUND TANK.
SO, AND THAT IS, SO THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T CHANGE OUT.
IF THEY HAVE A 60 POUND, THEY CAN HAVE TWO 30 POUNDS AND THEY'LL HAVE IT MANIFOLDED TOGETHER SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE BOTTLES.
THE LESS THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE BOTTLES WHILE THEY'RE OUT IN THE PUBLIC, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, BETTER FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO OUR CHIEF COMPLAINT AT THESE MOBILE FOOD PARKS ARE THAT THE PEOPLE ABANDON THE BOTTLES AND WE GET THERE AND WE ASK WHOSE BOTTLE IT BELONGS TO.
THEY NEVER WANNA TAKE POSSESSION OF THE BOTTLE.
SO THAT IS A PROBLEM FOR US BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHO WE CAN ISSUE A CITATION TO.
WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO REMOVE THE PROPANE BOTTLES THAT, THAT THE PEOPLE LEAVE.
AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO ISSUE THE CITATION TO.
UM, SO IF WE CAN GET SOME COUNSEL ASSISTANCE ON THAT, WE COULD PROBABLY, UH, HAVE BETTER WAYS TO HANDLE THESE PROPANE BOTTLES.
OUR COMPLAINTS COME FROM MOSTLY OTHER MFU OPERATORS, SO THE ONES THAT'S PROBABLY LEGAL OR COMPLAINING ON THE ONES THAT ARE NOT LEGAL.
UH, BUT OUR ENFORCEMENT IS MOSTLY THE 25 FOOT DIFFERENCE, UH, THAT 25 FOOT SECTION.
IF THEY'RE NOT WITH, IF THEY'RE WITHIN THE 25 FEET, WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS WE WILL ISSUE A PARKING CITATION TO EACH MOBILE FOOD UNIT BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHO CREATED THE VIOLATION.
SO EACH UNIT WILL GET A PARKING CITATION TO ADD TO THAT.
UM, THIS IS WHERE THAT MOBILE FOOD UNIT, UM, OR SORRY, FOOD TRUCK PARK ORDINANCE COULD BE HELPFUL, IS THAT IF WE HAD THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE PROPERTY OWNER IN THERE RIGHT.
THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THE DISTANCES BETWEEN THE VEHICLES WERE, UH, WAS UP TO PAR.
SO, SO FAR OUR COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MANAGEABLE.
UM, I THINK WE ONLY HAD FOUR COMPLAINTS FOR THE WHOLE YEAR AND FOR THAT GALLERY OF TRUCK APART FOR THE, LOOKED IT UP AND THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE.
IT HAD FOUR, UM, FOR ALL OF THE PAST 12 MONTHS.
SO WE HAVE INSPECTORS ON DUTY AT NIGHT, WE HAVE INSPECTORS ON DUTY ON THE WEEKENDS, SO WHENEVER A COMPLAINT COME IN, WE ALWAYS TRY TO GET TO THAT COMPLAINT THAT SAME DAY BASICALLY.
I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
UM, YOU MENTIONED HOUSTON HAS A COUPLE OF DISTRICTS OF LIMITATION.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT DEFINES, UH, DISTRICT OF LIMITATION IN, IN OTHER WORDS, HOW ARE, UH, FOOD TRUCKS LIMITED IN THOSE AREAS? WELL, THEY'RE LIMITED BASED ON THE QUANTITY, THE AMOUNT OF, OF LP GAS THAT THEY CAN HAVE IN THAT AREA.
SO IN THE DISTRICTS OF LIMITATION, THE LIMIT IS 60, 60 POUND GALLONS, 60 POUND TANKS OUTSIDE.
UNITS IN THOSE DISTRICTS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE SMALLER TANKS.
THEY CAN HAVE ONE 60 POUND OR TWO 30 POUND TOTAL IN 60.
ALL THE OTHER REGULATIONS APPLY AS FAR AS DISTANCE AND YES, IT'S STILL 20 NUMBER AND ALL THAT.
NOW YOU ASKED FOR SOME ASSISTANCE ON THE ISSUE OF WHEN YOU HAVE MULTIPLE, UH, FOOD TRUCKS AT A, AT A LOCATION, WHO GETS THE TICKET AND IS IS LEGAL HELPING YOU WITH THAT TO, UH, DRAFT, UH, AN ORDINANCE? NOT AT THIS TIME THAT I KNOW.
SO THAT'S YOUR SUGGESTION THEN IS THAT, UM, WE MAKE IT EASIER TO SORT OUT WHO GETS THE TICKET.
AND YOU KNOW, LIKE SHE SAID, WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE IT TO THE OWNER OF THE PARK, UH, BUT WE DON'T NORMALLY KNOW WHO THE OWNER OF THE PARK
[00:50:01]
IS.SO, UM, MS. BECKHAM DID MENTION THEY'RE WORKING ON AN ORDINANCE.
WOULD YOU ALL BE ABLE TO COORDINATE WITH THEM TO COME UP WITH A, A A, A COMBINED PRODUCT THAT WE CAN CONSIDER? THAT WOULD BE IDEAL.
NOW, UM, STAFF FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD'S OFFICE, PAUL MENTIONED A COUPLE OF EXPLOSIONS, UH, IN HIS DISTRICT RELATED, UH, IF I HEARD CORRECTLY.
SO DO YOU ALL GET NOTIFIED WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS AT A FOOD TRUCK? WELL, YEAH, WE'LL KNOW IF THERE WAS AN EX IF THERE WAS A FIRE MM-HMM
AND SO IF THERE'S A, IF THERE'S A FIRE AT A FOOD TRUCK, THEN IT'S BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION AND YOU CAN, UH, TAKE WHATEVER ACTION YOU FEEL IS NECESSARY AS A FIRE MARSHAL.
WE'LL DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE IN THE INSPECTION, UH, YOU KNOW, TO SEE WHY THAT HAPPENED.
WE HAVE, UH, ISAAC FROM COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS OFFICE IN THE QUEUE.
UH, BRIEFLY WHAT, WHAT TRIGGERS, UM, IT BEING A A A FOOD TRUCK PARK, IS THERE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF I FOOD TRUCK PERMITS? I THINK JUST ONE PARK ON THERE.
IT JUST ONE MFU ON THERE MAY MAKE IT A PARK.
AND THAT'S WHERE, AGAIN, WHERE THAT IDEA OF AN ORDINANCE WOULD COME INTO PLAY BECAUSE ON PAPER THERE IS ZERO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FOOD TRUCK PARK AND A PARKING LOT.
THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING IN TERMS OF, UH, WHAT THEIR PERMIT REQUIREMENTS ARE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO CREATE THEM AS A FOOD TRUCK PARK.
IT'S JUST, IF I OWN A SPACE WHERE I WANNA PUT SOME TRUCKS, I CAN DO THAT.
AND AS LONG AS THEY'RE ABIDING BY THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE TRUCKS ARE DOING THEIR HEALTH INSPECTION STUFF AND THEY'RE DOING THE FIRE MARSHAL STUFF, WE'RE GOOD.
THAT'S, THAT'S HOW IT EXISTS NOW.
I APPRECIATE YOU CLEARING THAT UP AND, AND HOPEFULLY WE LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS AND, AND WORKING ON THIS ORDINANCE.
ON ONE OF THE SLIDES IT SAID THAT, UM, THE MOBILE FOOD UNITS AREN'T TRACKABLE OUTSIDE THE MAJOR EVENTS.
WHEN I WAS GO BACK, UM, IT WAS, YEAH, IT WAS IN OUR, UM, NO, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE, THE LAST, YEAH, HERE WE GO.
YEAH, THAT IS TRUE FOR THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN, UH, AWARE OF UNTIL THIS PRESENTATION WHEN SHE TOLD US ALL THE WONDERS OF GPS.
SO, UH, IT HADN'T RISEN TO THAT LEVEL FOR US YET.
AND SO WOULD THERE BE A WAY FOR Y'ALL TO COORDINATE WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT GPS LOCATION? I MEAN, WOULDN'T THAT HELP YOU BETTER WITH YOUR INSPECTIONS AS WELL? WELL, WE GO TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TUESDAY, WEDNESDAYS, THURSDAYS OF EVERY WEEK, AND THAT'S WHERE WE DO OUR INSPECTIONS ALONGSIDE THEM.
BUT IF YOU WANTED TO DO LIKE FIELD INSPECTIONS, WOULD THE GPS LOCATION HELP Y'ALL? PROBABLY, YEAH.
AT, AT THIS TIME, UM, BASED ON THE NEEDS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR RESPONSE MODEL IS ALL COMPLAINT DRIVEN AT THIS POINT, SO WE HAVEN'T DONE THE KIND OF PROACTIVE APPROACH THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
UM, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE COULD EXPLORE IF IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF IT'S, UH, FEASIBLE, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE IT COULD BE.
AND WE'VE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT COOKING TYPES.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BUTANE AND PROPANE.
UM, WHAT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS, UM, TYPE OF COOKING FUEL? OR IS THERE ONE WELL, THEY ARE DANGEROUS, UH, BUT MORE THAN LIKELY PROPANE, UH, BECAUSE IT IS, IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, IF CONNECTED CORRECTLY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A HIGHER, HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF FIRE RIGHT THERE.
FOLLOWING UP ON COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN'S POINT, SO, UM, FIRE MARSHAL'S RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCING THE PROXIMITY, UH, THE REQUIREMENTS, RIGHT? THE 25 FEET? YES.
AND SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL THEN TO HAVE THE GPS INFORMATION SO THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO TELL IF THEY'RE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY LIKE THAT? WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW TECH SAVVY THAT THE GPS IS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT CAN TELL THAT THERE IS ANOTHER, HOW PRECISE IT IS.
IF THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE WITHIN THE 25 FEET.
IF IT DID, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND THEN JUST TO, TO FOLLOW UP, YOU, YOUR ENFORCEMENT OUT IN THE FIELD IS SOLELY COMPLAINT BASED.
[00:55:01]
ON MOBILE FOOD UNITS? YES.THE ONLY TIME IN THE FIELD, YES.
THE ONLY TIME YOU INSPECT A MOBILE FOOD UNIT IS WHEN THEY COME IN FOR THE PERMIT.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE.
SO WE WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT PART OF THE FOOD TRUCK, UH, TOPIC.
AND WE HAVE FROM OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, PAUL BARNES, SENIOR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY TO PRESENT ON FOOD TRUCKS IN RESIDENTIALLY RESTRICTED NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO, MR. BARNES, AT YOUR CONVENIENCE, GO AHEAD AND, AND, UH, GET STARTED PLEASE.
I'M IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES SECTION OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
IS THIS WORKING? CAN YOU HEAR ME? THANK YOU.
UH, I'M IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES SECTION OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND, UM, I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT, OH, THANK YOU.
UM, I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE, WE ENFORCE DEED RESTRICTIONS AND THAT CAN BE A WAY THAT CAN INVOLVE FOOD TRUCKS.
UH, I HAVE AN ABRIDGED VERSION OF OUR DEED RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT PRESENTATION.
I'M GONNA JUST FOCUS ON FOOD TRUCKS QUICKLY.
UM, AS I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL AWARE, WE AS THE CITY HAVE LIMITED ENFORCEMENT CAPABILITY FOR DEED RESTRICTIONS.
IT'S BASED ON STATUTE AND, UM, THE CITY ORDINANCES, AND IT WAS SPECIFICALLY THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AND 10 DASH 5 53 OF THE ORDINANCES.
THERE'S FIVE TYPES OF DEED RESTRICTIONS THAT WE HAVE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE AS THE CITY, UH, PRIMARILY FOR FOOD TRUCKS.
THE, THE, UM, THE, THE ONE THAT'S AT ISSUE IS USE, SO RESIDENTIAL VERSUS COMMERCIAL USE.
IF A FOOD TRUCK IS OPERATING ON A PROPERTY, OBVIOUSLY THAT IS COMMERCIAL USE.
OH, COULD YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? HOWEVER, IF A FOOD TRUCK IS STORED ON A PROPERTY AND IS DISPATCHED TO ANOTHER AREA TO OPERATE, BUT THEN COMES BACK AND IS STORED ON A CERTAIN PROPERTY, THAT CAN ALSO BE COMMERCIAL USE.
AND WE HEAR, WE GET THAT ALL THE TIME, UM, WHERE SOMEONE LIVES ON, YOU KNOW, AT A HOUSE, IT'S RESIDENTIAL USE, BUT THEY KEEP A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE THERE, LIKE A FOOD TRUCK OR A BOX TRUCK, A TRAILER, AND WE'LL GET COMPLAINTS LIKE THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD DOESN'T HAVE DEED RESTRICTIONS, THEN THERE'S NO ISSUE.
BUT IF IT DOES AND THEY PREVENT COMMERCIAL USE, THAT'S LIKELY GONNA BE AN ISSUE FOR THEM.
AND, UM, IT IS REALLY FACT SPECIFIC THOUGH.
SO IT'S NOT ONLY WHAT'S BEING STORED AND HOW IT'S BEING STORED, BUT WHAT THE DEED RESTRICTIONS SAY SPECIFICALLY.
THERE ISN'T REALLY BOILERPLATE LANGUAGE.
EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IS DIFFERENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO, UH, A BIG AS THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, WE DO AN INVESTIGATION TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WHENEVER WE GET A COMPLAINT.
UM, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SOMETHING THAT, OH, CAN YOU HIT, I THINK IF YOU HIT NEXT, THERE'S LIKE AN X.
UM, THE STATUTE HELPS US WITH, WITH A FEW THINGS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE HAS A TRAILER AND WE GET A COMPLAINT ABOUT IT, THEY MIGHT TELL US, OH, I, I DON'T USE IT COMMERCIALLY, I JUST USE IT FOR PERSONAL USE.
BUT THE STATUTE SAYS THAT IF THE TRAILER'S LONGER THAN 20 FEET, YOU ACTUALLY CAN'T ARGUE THAT IT'S JUST PERSONAL USE.
IT'S, IT'S A COMMERCIAL, UM, JUST BY STATUTE.
UH, AND YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, THE LAWYERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES SECTION ARE THE ONES WHO SEEK TO ENFORCE THESE RESTRICTIONS.
WHEN WE GET A COMPLAINT, WE HAVE IT DIVIDED BY COUNCIL DISTRICT.
SO I, FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE D, E AND G.
UM, NORMALLY, IDEALLY WE WOULDN'T HAVE THREE DISTRICTS PER LAWYER, BUT WE'RE A LITTLE SHORTHANDED RIGHT NOW.
WE WE'RE, WE WANT TO GET BACK TO TWO, SO THIS MAY CHANGE, BUT I HAVE THE DEED RESTRICTION HOTLINE NUMBER AND THE EMAIL ADDRESS.
THAT'S HOW WE GET COMPLAINTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
THERE ISN'T SOMEONE WHO PROACTIVELY INVESTIGATES IF, IF THERE ARE VIOLATIONS OF DEED RESTRICTIONS, WE HAVE TO GET A COMPLAINT TO KNOW IT EXISTS AND TO INVESTIGATE IT.
UM, I'M, I WANT TO KEEP IT QUICK.
[01:00:01]
JUMP TO QUESTIONS IF ANYONE HAS ANY CONFUSION ABOUT ANYTHING.SO HOW, HOW MANY, UM, DEED RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATIONS DOES, DID THE CITY, UH, INITIATE? UH, CAN YOU, CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA HOW MANY YOU, YOU FOLKS DID LAST YEAR? I KNOW I, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER FOR LAST YEAR, BUT I KNOW THAT WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF OPEN CASES NOW AND, AND WE GET THEM, IT KIND OF FLUCTUATES OVER THE YEAR WHERE THERE'S MORE IN THE SUMMER AND LESS LESSEN THE WINTER.
BUT, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I COULD GET THEM TO YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW.
AND WHAT ABOUT, UH, ACTUAL LAWSUITS FILED TO ENFORCE THESE RESTRICTIONS? CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA? HOW MANY, HOW MANY, HOW OFTEN THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR? IT'S, IT'S PRETTY RARE THAT WE HAVE TO GET TO THAT POINT.
USUALLY WHEN WE SEND A WARNING LETTER TO A VIOLATOR, THEY, THEY WANT TO WORK WITH US AND COMPLY.
UM, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, I'VE HAD, I THINK I WANNA SAY TWO THAT GOT TO THE POINT OF NEEDING A LAWSUIT LAST YEAR.
UM, AND THOSE ARE TYPICALLY BIG BUILDERS.
IT WOULDN'T REALLY BE A FOOD TRUCK SITUATION.
UM, I HAVEN'T HAD ANY FOOD TRUCK PARKS, BUT, UH, I HAVE SEEN WHERE A FOOD TRUCK IS STORED ON, ON A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
AND, UM, I, I THINK I HAD ONE OF THOSE LAST YEAR AND IT DIDN'T GET, IT, DIDN'T NEED TO GO TO LITIGATION MM-HMM
AND, AND WHAT ASSISTANCE DO YOU HAVE WHEN YOU DO INITIATE AN INVESTIGATION? IS THAT DONE BY A POLICE OFFICER OR A PARALEGAL OR, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT HAS AN INVESTIGATOR WITH, UH, FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES SECTION THAT WE SEND OUT TO JUST TAKE PICTURES AND THEN IF WE HAVE TO GO TO LITIGATION, THEY'LL BE THE ONE TO TESTIFY ON OUR BEHALF.
BUT, UM, THAT POSITION, WE'RE TRYING TO FILL IT RIGHT NOW.
WE LOST OUR INVESTIGATORS, SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET A NEW ONE AT THE MOMENT.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITHOUT AN INVESTIGATOR? IT'S BEEN A FEW MONTHS.
IT'S BEEN, UM, IT'S DRAGGED ON
UM, I, I KNOW THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT, UH, HOW, HOW DIFFICULT IT'S BEEN TO FILL POSITIONS SO THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH THAT FOR SURE.
AND AND WE'RE, I KNOW WE'RE DOWN ONE LAWYER.
UM, REALLY WE'RE DOWN TWO, BUT I THINK WE'RE ONLY GONNA GET ONE MORE.
AND SO THAT INVESTIGATOR POSITION, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT ARE LISTED FOR THAT POSITION RIGHT NOW? UM, IT REQUIRES FOUR YEARS OF INVESTIGATION EXPERIENCE AND AT LEAST AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE.
BUT, UH, WE WE'RE LOOKING AT CHANGING THAT BECAUSE, UM, WE THINK IT'S A PART-TIME POSITION AND A LOT OF THE APPLICANTS WE'VE GOTTEN HAVE WANTED FULL-TIME AND ARE KIND OF OVERQUALIFIED, AND WE THINK WE NEED TO REWORK THE REQUIREMENTS IN THE POSTING TO KIND OF GET THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO DO PART-TIME AND MM-HMM
PERHAPS THERE'S SOME OTHER DUTIES THEY COULD TAKE ON.
UH, I'M SURE THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT OR DEPARTMENT REQUIRES OTHER TYPES OF INVESTIGATION OR OTHER, OTHER CASES REQUIRE INVESTIGATION AS WELL.
YES, I'VE HEARD, I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN TALK OF OTHER SECTIONS OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT BORROWING OUR INVESTIGATOR, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S HAD TO HAPPEN YET.
WE HAVE, UH, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ OFFICE IN THE QUEUE.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I JUST HAD A, A QUICK QUESTION ON, YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE THE RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE.
UH, WHAT WOULD BE THE, THE MOST USEFUL INFORMATIONS FOR THE NEIGHBORS IN, IN THAT AREA TO PRESENT THE, WHAT, WHAT VIOLATION IS BEING HAPPENING IN THAT AREA AND WHAT WOULD BE THE TIMELINE FOR AN INVESTIGATION ON, ON THAT? THE RESTRICTION FOR THE FOOD TRUCKS? I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS FOR PEOPLE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS TO KNOW, TO MAKE COMPLAINTS AND MAKE THEM SOON.
UM, ESPECIALLY, IT'S NOT A FOOD TRUCK THING, BUT IF THERE'S CONSTRUCTION, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PUT A STOP WORK ORDER ON CONSTRUCTION AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
UH, JUST THE FURTHER ALONG A VIOLATION HAS BEEN GOING ON, THE HARDER IT IS FOR US TO STOP IT.
SO, UH, MAKE COMPLAINTS, MAKE THEM SOON, LET US KNOW.
UM, AND, AND WE MAKE THE DETERMINATION IF WE THINK THE CITY WILL BE ABLE TO ENFORCE THEIR DEED.
RESTRICTIONS ARE NOT, SOME DEED RESTRICTIONS HAVE ISSUES.
THEY'RE NOT ALL CREATED EQUAL.
SO, UM, AND, AND I TELL THEM, I, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I TALK TO THE PEOPLE IN THESE COMMUNITIES ALL THE TIME.
[01:05:01]
CAN'T GIVE YOU LEGAL ADVICE, BUT IF YOU MAKE A COMPLAINT, I CAN TELL YOU WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT WE CAN'T DO.SO, MAKE COMPLAINTS, MAKE THEM SOON IF YOU SEE SOMETHING.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE, SO I'LL THANK YOU MR. BARNES FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATIONS ON FOOD TRUCKS.
I KNOW THERE ARE SEVERAL FOLKS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON FOOD TRUCKS, SO WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU FOLKS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AT THIS TIME RATHER THAN WAIT, UH, FOR THE CONCLUSION OF THE AMBULANCE PRESENTATION.
SO I'LL CALL YOU UP, UM, ONE AT A TIME.
HOW ABOUT ROBERT? ROBERT, DANGER BIRD.
UH, CAN YOU WALK TO THE MICROPHONE? SURE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK OR YOU DON'T HAVE TO, WE'RE NOT GONNA THANK YOU.
SO, UH, I AM WITH, UH, WESTHEIMER FOOD TRUCK PARK, UM MM-HMM
I, UH, BELIEVE MY, UH, PARTNER MET, UH, WITH, UH, WAS IT, WAS IT JULIAN? THAT, THAT'S ME.
YOUR, UH, SIGNS ARE CONFUSING ME.
UM, SO ANYWAY, I, UH, I'M NOT JOHN WHITMEYER.
SO ANYWAY, UH, FROM, FROM MY SIDE, I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF INTERACTION WITH THE CITY.
I HAVE A LOT OF TENANT THAT COME TO ME THAT SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR PERMITS, TRYING TO GET OUR PERMITS.
AND FROM WHAT I SEE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT AND SLOW FOR THEM TO GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
IF I HAD ANY INPUT, IF WE COULD MAKE THAT PROCESS SOMEHOW MORE STREAMLINED SO WE COULD GET MORE PEOPLE IN COMPLIANCE, UM, THAT WOULD MAKE, UH, THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR EVERYONE.
UM, I MEAN, I'M AVAILABLE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST LEARNED ABOUT THIS MEETING LAST MINUTE, AND SO I WANTED TO COME AND JUST KIND OF PUT MY EAR TO THE GROUND AND SEE WHAT, UH, OKAY.
WHAT YOU GUYS WERE WORKING ON.
AND FEEL FREE, UH, IN THE FUTURE TO GIVE US ANY FEEDBACK THAT YOU'D LIKE.
WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE SHARED SO FAR.
IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU, SO.
THANK YOU, RICARDO MOLINA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I REALLY JUST CAME TO SEE MS. BECKHAM WHEN I SAW HER NAME ON HERE, KNOWN HER FOREVER.
UM, I'M REPRESENTING THE HOUSTON RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS MY FAMILY BUSINESS, MOLINA'S RESTAURANTS IN REGARDS TO THE FOOD TRUCKS, UH, AND FOOD TRUCK PARKS.
AS AN ASSOCIATION, WE'VE WORKED ON THIS FOR, FOR 20 YEARS, MOST PROBABLY.
WE ACTUALLY FEEL THAT THE ORDINANCES IN PLACE AND RESTRICTIONS ARE, ARE ADEQUATE.
IT'S THE ENFORCEMENT THAT, AS Y'ALL SAID, IS, IS JUST REALLY, IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.
WE'RE NOT CONCERNED WITH THE GOOD ACTORS, AND I REALLY FEEL SORRY FOR THEM.
IT'S THE BAD ACTORS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE MOST CONCERNED WITH.
THE FOOD TRUCK PART, WE HAVE A RESTAURANT AT 7,900 WESTHEIMER, 79 0 1 SIDE STREET.
WHOLE SMITH IS BEHIND US, AND WE'VE GOT A FOOD TRUCK PARKED THERE.
UH, IT CAN HAVE 15 OR 18 TRUCKS THERE AT ONE TIME.
AND SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT I'VE NOTICED, I GO BY THERE EVERY DAY.
UH, PARKING, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY GUIDELINES FOR ANY PARKING.
YOU CAN PUT AS MANY TRUCKS IT APPEARS ON THE PROPERTY.
LITTLE REGARD TO WHERE YOUR GUESTS ARE GOING TO PARK.
SO THEY PARK THE FLASHERS ON, UH, THEY BACK UP INTO STREETS, UH, JUST, JUST EVERYWHERE AND THE TRAFFIC FLOW AS WELL.
HILL SMITH IS A DEAD END STREET, SO THE CARS BACK UP ONTO WESTHEIMER, ESPECIALLY ON LATE AT NIGHT.
UM, THERE'S ACTUALLY RESIDENCES AT THE END.
THERE'S TOWN HOMES OR, UH, UH, CONDOMINIUMS OR TOWN HOMES OR WHATNOT, UH, DOWN AT THE END.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY SURVIVE.
THESE THINGS GO MIDNIGHT, 2, 3, 4, 5 IN THE MORNING ON, ON THE WEEKENDS.
UH, THE SIGNAGE ON THESE THINGS.
NOW, I KNOW THE SIGN ORDINANCE THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE HAS A CANDLE POWER RESTRICTION ON THESE LED LIGHTS.
AND NOW THEY PUT THESE, UH, SIGNS, THE, THE LENGTH OF THE TRUCK.
SO SAY, I DON'T KNOW, 20 FEET.
THE LIGHTING THEY PUT ON THE TRUCKS TO LIGHT OUT
[01:10:01]
THE AREA FOR THEIR GUESTS.IF YOU'RE BY WESTHEIMER BY ANY STREET, OR I GUESS BY A RESIDENCE, IT CAN SHINE INTO THE NEIGHBORING AREAS.
THE BLIND, THE DRIVERS DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A RESTRICTION ON THAT TRASH.
WE SPEND A LOT OF RESOURCES PICKING UP TRASH EVERY MORNING.
IF Y'ALL HAD A GENERATOR FROM A POWER OUTAGE BY ONE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOU KNOW HOW LOUD THEY ARE.
GENERATORS ARE RUNNING ALL THE TIME.
I SEE TRUCKS PULL UP A FLATBED, UNLOAD A HUNDRED POUNDERS.
THE BIG ONES, THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE PROTECTED, SECURED, THEY'RE JUST KIND OF OUT IN THE OPEN.
I'VE SEEN WATER HOSES HOOKING THE, UH, SOME OF THESE TRUCKS UP TO A BUILDING NEXT DOOR WITH A, A GARDEN HOSE TO THE CITY.
YOU NOTICE THIS COME IN THE TRUNK OF A CAR, IN THE BED OF A PICKUP TRUCK.
IT'S NOT A CISCO TRUCK PULLING UP THERE.
UH, I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE FOOD SUPPLIES COME, COME FROM, UH, STORAGE, FOOD, DRY GOODS, ET CETERA.
I'VE SEEN 'EM CREATE SHANTY LEAN TOS OUT OF, UH, OF PLYWOOD OUT THERE WITH CANVAS ROOFS.
UH, THERE'LL BE ABANDONED VEHICLES, UH, BANDS.
THEY'LL PUT, UH, CARDBOARD IN FRONT OF THE WINDSHIELD, AND THAT'S THE STORAGE CONTAINERS.
UH, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT ON THIS COMMISSARY PIECE, I THINK THEY, THERE'S A MISUNDERSTANDING BY SOME THAT YOU GO TO A COMMISSARY AND YOU'RE INSPECTED.
A COMMISSARY IS A PRIVATE BUSINESS.
IT'S NOT RUN BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THERE ARE NO INSPECTORS THERE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
I KNOW YOU HAVE TO GO BUY, BUT THEY THROW TRASH IF THEY WANT.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DISPOSE OF YOUR TRASH, YOUR GRAY WATER, YOUR GREASE.
BUT I THINK THERE'S A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY THAT IT GOES OVER THERE AND IT GETS ALL THIS MAGICAL STUFF DONE.
UM, AGAIN, THAT'S, IT'S KIND OF A WIDE OPEN, WILD, WILD WEST BY ME.
UH, AND, AND IT'S, UH, VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
650 SQUARE MILES OF THE CITY AND THREE INSPECTORS.
UH, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE, BUT THAT'S WHERE I, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
UH, MR. MELITA APPRECI, APPRECIATE THOSE THOUGHTS.
AND, UM, THEY WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS THAT ORDINANCE IS DRAFTED.
WE HAVE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE.
WE'LL START WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
THANKS FOR COMING AND THANKS FOR YOUR CHEESE ENCHILADA DINNER.
THE ALCORN'S HAVE HAD ABOUT 15,000 OF THEM OVER THE, OVER THE YEARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU MAKE A REALLY GOOD POINT IN, IN THAT THIS IS LIKE SO MANY ORDINANCES THAT THE CITY HAS.
WE HAVE SOME PRETTY GOOD ORDINANCES ON THE BOOKS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM.
SO MAYBE IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A BETTER QUESTION FOR THE FIRE MARSHAL.
UM, FIRE MARSHAL, COME MS. MANN COMING BACK UP.
HOW, IF YOU, IF YOU HAD UNLIMITED RESOURCES, UM, OR, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LIMITED RESOURCES, BUT, UH, WHAT WOULD BE A BETTER NUMBER OF, OF INSPECTORS TO REALLY GET A HANDLE ON SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT HE'S BROUGHT UP, THAT THERE, THE LEAN TOS, THE, THAT, WHO KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE COMMISSARIES? AND THANKS FOR SAYING THAT.
I KIND OF THOUGHT THEY WERE CITY COMMISSARIES, LIKE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, COMMISSARIES OF SOME SORT.
THESE ARE PRIVATELY RUN COMMISSARIES.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, HOW MANY MORE FIRE MARSHALS DO WE NEED? WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE BUDGET, UH, BUDGET SEASON AND FIRE INSPECTORS.
SO HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE DO WE NEED OUT GOING? AND MAYBE IT'S A HEALTH DEPARTMENT QUESTION TOO.
UM, HOW MANY, HOW MANY MORE DO WE NEED? UM, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A HEALTH DEPARTMENT QUESTION.
BUT ON YOUR SIDE, ON MY SIDE, OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS WANNA ASK FOR MORE.
CAN YOU PUT A NUMBER ON IT? HOW ABOUT FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SIDE? PROBABLY AN ADDITIONAL THREE INSPECTOR, THREE MORE.
BOY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA AIM HIGH MAN AND NEGOTIATE DOWN
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND THANKS FOR BRINGING THOSE UP.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THE NOISE AND THE LIGHT SITUATION AND THE TRASH.
I MEAN, THESE ARE ALL ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, UM, APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN.
AND I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU SAID THAT YOU THOUGHT THAT THE ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SUFFICIENT, BUT THE ENFORCEMENT PIECE THERE IS LACKING.
HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU MENTION THINGS LIKE, I KNOW YOUR BUSINESS PROBABLY GETS STUCK PICKING UP A LOT OF THAT TRASH THAT'S LEFT BEHIND AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO DO YOU THINK AN ORDINANCE THAT RESTRICTED MORE OF THE PARKS ITSELF, LIKE
[01:15:01]
THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PARKING, THEY HAVE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD BE THE ONE FINED IF TRASH IS LEFT ON THE PROPERTY AFTER IT CLOSES, OR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO WHERE INSTEAD OF GOING TILL FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, LIKE YOU SAID, THESE POOR PEOPLE LIVING AT THE END OF THE STREET, IF, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD TO BE, YOU KNOW, CLOSED AT 2:00 AM DO YOU THINK AN ORDINANCE REGULATING A PARK WOULD BE BENEFICIAL? OR WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? I, I WOULD THINK SO.IF YOU'RE GONNA OPEN A RESTAURANT, IF YOU'RE GONNA OPEN ANY BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SOME PLANS AND YOU'RE GONNA SUBMIT 'EM TO ALL THE DIFFERENT, UH, DEPARTMENTS.
AND ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY FOR RESTAURANTS IS PARKING.
AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PROVIDE A, A PLACE FOR YOUR PEOPLE TO GO AND NOT JUST BACK IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND PARK ON THE STREETS AND, AND WHATNOT.
SO THERE'S GOTTA BE SOME KIND OF REGULATION.
UH, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS OFFICE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS ALSO, THANKS YOU FOR MAKING TIME TO COME OUT.
UH, WE LOVE, UH, MEETING UP WHENEVER WE HAVE STAFF MEETINGS, WE'RE MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I, I KNOW, UM, THE TRUCK PARK THAT, THAT, THAT I BROUGHT UP TODAY IS EXACTLY THE SAME ONE THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF.
SO MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU RAISED TODAY ARE, ARE VALID ISSUES.
AND, AND THE REASON WHY WE'RE HAVING THESE, THESE DISCUSSIONS.
SO WE SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE TO BRING TO THE TABLE IN REGARD TO SOME OF THE ISSUES, THE IMPACT NOT ONLY THE BUSINESSES, BUT THE RESIDENTS.
AS YOU SAID, GENERATORS ARE BEING USED AT ALL HOURS OF, OF THE NIGHT, UH, ESPECIALLY THESE AFTER HOURS.
AND A LOT OF THESE TRUCK PARKS ARE WITHIN FEET OF THESE RESIDENTIAL TOWN HOMES DOWN THAT STREET.
UM, WE KNOW THAT PARKING IS, IS AN ISSUE.
TRA TRASH IN IN THE DITCHES IS AN ISSUE.
AND, AND I DO WANNA LET YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS RIGHT NOW FOR A PARKING IMPROVEMENT, UH, PLAN FOR, FOR THAT SPECIFIC STREET.
BUT THAT'S ONLY GONNA TACKLE ONE OF THE ISSUES OF THE MANY, UH, OF THAT FOOD TRUCK PARK.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR SHARING THAT INFORMATION AND BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR THAT SIDE OF TOWN FOR US.
AND I WANNA SAY ANYBODY THAT YOU CALL WITH THE CITY, THEY REACT, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT MY JOB.
AND, AND IT'S NOT WHAT I ENJOY DOING, TURNING IN A BUSINESS.
THE FIRE GUYS WILL REACT, THE ELK GUYS WILL REACT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN, BEEN REAL HELPFUL, BUT I'M NOT JUST HERE REPRESENTING MYSELF, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE ENTIRE CITY WANT IT TO BE A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERYONE.
THIS IS, THIS IS A GREAT DISCUSSION AND SO THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO FURTHER THAT.
UH, MR. MOLINA, WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE YOUR COMMENTS INTO ACCOUNT AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THIS ISSUE.
MAYBE I COULD GET A BOOSTER CHAIR.
HEY, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE.
MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT RICK, UH, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, SAID SOMETHING ABOUT 20 YEARS.
ABOUT 18 YEARS AGO, I WAS STANDING RIGHT HERE TESTIFYING ABOUT FOOD TRUCKS.
AND OUR COMMENTS REALLY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME.
THEN I WAS THE PRESIDENT OF, OF THE BOARD, UH, LONGTIME RESTAURATEUR.
TODAY, I'M TALKING TO YOU AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.
WE'VE NEVER BEEN OPPOSED TO FOOD TRUCKS OR FOOD TRUCK PARKS, OR JUST ENCOURAGING REGULATION.
AND, UH, OVER THE YEARS WE'VE WATCHED AND MISS, MISS BECKHAM AND HER TEAM AND OTHERS HAVE DONE SOME THINGS ALONG WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS TO GET TO ANOTHER LEVEL.
WE, UM, UH, WE ALL KNOW THAT I COULD GO ON AND TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT SOME OTHERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT.
WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THOSE, UH, FOOD TRUCK OPERATORS THAT YOU CAN DRIVE AROUND.
MOST OF THEM ARE STILL IN THE CITY.
SOME ARE OUTSIDE THE CITY, THAT THEY'RE ON BLOCKS, THERE'S NO WHEELS ATTACHED TO.
SO WE KNOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO THE COMMISSARY.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S A FACT OF LIFE THERE.
UH, WE ALSO KNOW FROM OUR EXPERIENCE, WE HAVE FOOD TRUCK OPERATORS AND, UH, AS NON-MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD AND MEMBERS OF OUR ASSOCIATION.
AND SO THEY'VE GOT A FAIRLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH MANY OF THE FOOD TRUCK OPERATORS AROUND THE CITY AND AROUND THE STATE AND OTHER PLACES.
AND THERE'S A MENTALITY THAT SAYS, ESPECIALLY IN THE FOOD TRUCK PARKS, I'M GONNA GET A TICKET.
I'LL JUST BUILD THAT INTO THE COST OF BUSINESS, IF YOU WILL, LIKE PARKING DOWNTOWN, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET A TICKET EVERY DAY.
YOU MIGHT GET A TICKET ONE EVERY THIRD DAY.
WELL, YOU JUST KIND OF WORK THROUGH THAT AND SAY, I'LL JUST PAY THAT FINE.
THAT SAME KIND OF MENTALITY'S OUT THERE.
NOT ANY DIFFERENT THAN OUR TRAFFIC.
BASICALLY, PEOPLE ON THE STREETS, OUR HPD AND STATE OFFICIALS ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.
AND SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT AN ENFORCEMENT ISSUE.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL KNOW THIS, AND I DON'T WANT TO BE INSULTING, BUT RESTAURANTS, UH, PAY TAXES.
UH, WE PROVIDE THAT SPICE OF LIFE ALONG WITH MANY OF THESE FOOD TRUCK OPERATORS IN OUR CITY.
IF WE'RE NOT COMPLIANT WITH CODES, THESE FOLKS BEHIND US SHUT US DOWN.
UH, THEY HAVE ADEQUATE NUMBER OF INSPECTORS,
[01:20:01]
MS. BECKHAM AND HER TEAM AND SO FORTH.THEY'VE ADDED NEW SANITARIANS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
BUT EVEN UNDER THE CURRENT CITY'S BUDGETARY ISSUES, YOU GUYS GOTTA FIND A WAY TO GET THEM THE STAFF THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE AND EVEN BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH ALL FOOD SERVICE OPERATORS, REGARDLESS WHETHER THEY HAVE WHEELS OR NOT.
WE HAD A MEETING I DID, I CALLED A MEETING WITH MR. SPARKS, MR. BECKHAM AND SOME OF HER COLLEAGUES NOT LONG AGO WITH OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND OUR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE AND THE ASSOCIATION CAN HELP THE CITY IN THAT DEPARTMENT IN PARTICULAR.
REALLY, OUR, OUR ISSUE REALLY IS WE WANT TO HELP THAT DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THIS BODY, YOU KNOW, WORK TOGETHER TO CONTINUE TO OFFER GOOD FOOD, GREAT DINING ENVIRONMENT, CLASSY OPERATIONS, IF YOU WILL, WORLD-CLASS FOOD AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS IN A VERY SAFE AND PUBLICLY FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT.
AND THAT'S REALLY OUR POSITION FROM THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.
I UNDERSTAND, UH, MR. SHINE, YOU WANT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD WHEN IT COMES TO CLEANLINESS AND ALL THOSE REGULATIONS THAT ENSURE PUBLIC HEALTH.
SO, UH, NO QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE FOR YOU, BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON FOOD TRUCKS ONLY? FOOD TRUCKS ONLY.
EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO THE SECOND PART OF OUR AGENDA, AND THAT'S GONNA BE AMBULANCE UPDATES UNDER CHAPTER FOUR IN OUR CODE OF ORDINANCE.
AND WE WILL HEAR FROM, AGAIN, HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATOR, UH, KEVIN HART.
SO IF YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD, GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I AM AN ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATOR FOR WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND I AM THE SUPERVISOR OF THE EMS PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO OVER, UH, WHAT IS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
FIRST OFF, IF YOU CAN HIT AGAIN.
SO THE EMS PROGRAM REGULATES PRIVATE AMBULANCES THAT OPERATE WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITH THE GOAL OF IMPROVING THE PATIENT CARE OUTCOME BY ENSURING THE SAFETY, RELIABILITY, AND READINESS OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
UH, OUR PROGRAM AND THE INVESTIGATORS FOCUS ON THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF EACH ONE OF THESE AMBULANCES THAT ARE OPERATING, UH, BY PERFORMING ROUTINE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS, INSPECTIONS IN THE FIELD, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS TO ACTUALLY BE OPERATING AND TO BE PERFORMING PATIENT CARE.
UH, AND THAT INVOLVES HAVING ALL THE, UH, EQUIPMENT THAT'S REQUIRED PER CHAPTER FOUR, WHICH IS OUR SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE, UM, AS WELL AS THE EQUIPMENT THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES, AND AS WELL AS THE EQUIPMENT THAT'S REQUIRED BY THEIR MEDICAL DIRECTOR WHO THEY EMPLOY PRIVATELY, UM, AND GIVES THEM A SUMMARY OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO PERFORM ANY OF THE AUTHORIZED PROCEDURES ON THEIR AMBULANCES.
SO, EMS AND HOUSTON CAN PROBABLY BE SPLIT INTO TWO DISTINCT CATEGORIES.
WE HAVE YOUR EMERGENCY 9 1 1 SERVICES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE ONLY SERVICE THAT'S AUTHORIZED TO ACTUALLY ENGAGE IN THAT ACTIVITY IS THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IF YOU CALL 9 1 1 IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, YOU'RE GONNA GET A HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AMBULANCE THAT IS GOING TO ARRIVE AND RESPOND.
THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT PROVIDE TRANSFER AMBULANCE SERVICES INSTEAD, THAT FALLS SOLELY TO OUR PRIVATE AMBULANCE SERVICES.
UH, THESE SERVICES ARE NOT PERMITTED TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
THEY'RE NOT PERMITTED TO RESPOND TO CALLS, UH, FOR EMERGENCIES.
INSTEAD, THE ONLY TIME THAT YOU'D REALLY SEE THEM RUNNING, UH, AN EMERGENCY WITH LIGHTS AND SIRENS IS IF THEIR PATIENT, WHO THEY PICKED UP WAS A STABLE PATIENT, HAS BECOME UNSTABLE DURING THE COURSE OF TRANSPORT.
UM, THESE SERVICES PRETTY MUCH FOCUS ON JUST PROVIDING, UH, TRANSFERS TO AND FROM HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES, DIALYSIS CENTERS, REHAB CENTERS, UM, AND MAINLY FOCUS ON PATIENTS WHO ARE STABLE BUT STILL ARE, ARE MAYBE BEDRIDDEN NEED TO BE TRANSPORTED VIA STRETCHER AND NEED THAT, THAT, UH, CONSTANT, UH, MEDICAL SUPERVISION.
SO WHAT DOES THE EMS PROGRAM ACTUALLY DO TO REGULATE THESE PRIVATE AMBULANCE SERVICES THAT OPERATE WITHIN THE CITY? UH, WE PERMIT THE ACTUAL AMBULANCE SERVICES THEMSELVES.
WE HAVE AN APPLICATION PROCESS WHERE THEY WILL TURN IN, UH, BACKGROUND INFORMATION REGARDING THE SERVICES OWNERSHIP, THEIR EMPLOYEES.
UM, THEY WILL SEND US A LIST OF VEHICLES THAT THEY'RE WISHING TO PERMIT WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THOSE VEHICLES ARE, UM, INSURED AS WELL.
[01:25:01]
ALSO PERMIT ANYBODY WHO DRIVES ONE OF THESE PRIVATE AMBULANCE, UH, UH, ONE OF THESE PRIVATE AMBULANCE SERVICE VEHICLES.UH, THESE VEHICLES HAVE LIGHTS AND SIRENS, SO WE DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DRIVING THEM, UH, THAT WE KNOW WHO ARE, WHO'S DRIVING THEM, AS WELL AS KNOWING THAT THESE ARE SAFE DRIVERS.
UH, PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THAT PERMIT IS TO TURN IN A THREE YEAR CERTIFIED DRIVING RECORD AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS NO NOT, THEY MUST HAVE LESS THAN THREE MOVING VIOLATIONS ON THAT THREE YEAR CERTIFIED DRIVING RECORD.
WE WANNA KNOW THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE TRANSPORTING, UH, THESE PATIENTS WHO ARE IN A COMPROMISED STATE OF HEALTH ARE SAFE DRIVERS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE MANDATORY COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS FOR EVERY SINGLE VEHICLE THAT WE ARE GOING TO PERMIT TO OPERATE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO, UH, IN ADDITION TO THESE SERVICES TURNING IN THAT APPLICATION, GIVING US THAT BACKGROUND INFORMATION, THEY MUST PRESENT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE AMBULANCES THAT THEY PROPOSE TO OPERATE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON SO THAT WE CAN DO A THOROUGH, COMPREHENSIVE INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE OUTSIDE.
AND IN MAKING SURE THAT IT'S STRUCTURAL, UH, HAS STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY, ALL THE LIGHTS WORK, SIRENS WORK, HORN WORKS, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE.
ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE ALL THE REQUIRED EQUIPMENT, ONCE AGAIN PER CHAPTER FOUR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON CODE OF ORDINANCES.
AND, UM, MAKING SURE NONE OF THAT EQUIPMENT'S EXPIRED.
IT'S ALL FUNCTIONAL AND IT'S READY FOR USE.
WE ALSO PERFORM RANDOM ON THE SPOT INSPECTIONS IN THE FIELD.
WE WILL GO TO THESE HOSPITALS.
WE, WE SEND INVESTIGATORS OUT EVERY SINGLE DAY INTO THE FIELD TO STOP THESE AMBULANCES.
MAKE SURE ONE, THAT THEY ARE PERMITTED WITH US, THAT THE STAFF WHO ARE HANDLING THESE PATIENTS ARE EMTS, THEY'RE LICENSED AND CREDENTIALED EMTS, THAT THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE DOES HAVE A CITY OF HOUSTON DRIVER PERMIT, AND THAT THEY HAVE THE ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO HANDLE A, ANY OF THE PATIENTS THAT THEY'RE TRANSPORTING.
SO WE ARE PROPOSING SOME CHANGES TO BE MADE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
CODE OF ORDINANCES, SPECIFICALLY CHAPTER FOUR, UM, REQUIRED EQUIPMENT.
UM, CURRENTLY CHAPTER FOUR NECESSITATES THAT WE USE THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT FOR AMBULANCES AS OUR REQUIRED EQUIPMENT LISTS.
UM, WE ARE INSTEAD PROPOSING THAT WE FOLLOW THE EQUIPMENT LIST THAT'S LAID OUT BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES, THAT WE ALSO UTILIZE THE PRIVATE MEDICAL DIRECTORS HIRED BY THESE COMPANIES.
AND THE, THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY'RE REQUIRING ON THESE AMBULANCES, AS WELL AS CREATING OUR OWN LIST SET BY THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THAT IS A, A JOINT LIST THAT'S BEEN, UH, REVIEWED AND IMP UH, APPROVED AND UPDATED ANNUALLY BY AN EMS PHYSICIAN, UH, THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THE EMS PROGRAM.
UM, WE ALSO WOULD PUT IN A PROVISION INTO THIS CHAPTER REGARDING SPECIALIZED UNITS, UH, THAT ALLOW VARIANCES TO THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY HAVE CURRENTLY, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES HAS A DESIGNATION FOR AMBULANCES KNOWN AS SPECIALIZED VEHICLES.
THESE SPECIALIZED VEHICLES HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES TO RUN A VERY SPECIALIZED, UH, UH, UH, EQUIPMENT.
SO, UH, I'LL GO OVER FURTHER IN DEPTH HERE ABOUT MOBILE STROKE UNITS.
THIS MOBILE STROKE UNIT TO HAVE VERY SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT TO RESPOND SPECIFICALLY FOR STROKE PATIENTS.
THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE THE SAME EQUIPMENT THAT YOUR NORMAL ROUTINE AMBULANCES WILL HAVE BECAUSE THEY'RE RESPONDING TO A VERY SPECIFIC SCENARIO.
SO IF WE'RE SIMPLY WANTING THERE TO BE A PROVISION THAT IF THE STATE HAS APPROVED A VARIANCE TO THE EQUIPMENT, THAT WE CAN DO THE SAME THING.
'CAUSE CURRENTLY THERE IS NO MECHANISM IN THE ORDINANCE FOR US TO DO THAT.
THEY WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE ALL THE SAME EQUIPMENT THAT A NORMAL AMBULANCE WOULD HAVE.
UM, AND TYPICALLY THEY'RE ONLY PUTTING THAT, THAT EQUIPMENT ON THEIR AMBULANCE FOR OUR INSPECTION PURPOSES.
UM, SECTION FOUR DASH SEVEN, UH, THIS SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE, UH, COVERS, UH, AMBULANCE INSPECTIONS AND, UH, GOES OVER, UH, ANNUAL INSPECTION TO ENTER OUR ON THE SPOT INSPECTIONS.
THE CHANGES THAT WE WANT MADE TO THIS, UH, SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE DEALS PRIMARILY WITH, UM, A RE-INSPECTION FEE.
SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN NOTICING FOR QUITE A WHILE IS THAT WE HAVE AMBULANCES THAT MIGHT BE READY FOR OUR INSPECTION PURPOSES, BUT IN THE FIELD THEY'RE NOT.
AND THIS TAKES UP A LOT OF THE TIME OF OUR INVESTIGATORS AND IT ALSO IMPACTS PATIENT CARE.
IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING TO FIND AMBULANCES THAT ARE NOT PROPERLY EQUIPPED, BUT ARE STILL TRANSPORTING PATIENTS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND WE DO MANDATE RE-INSPECTIONS CURRENTLY, AND IT TAKES UP A LOT OF OUR TIME, BUT THERE'S NO KIND OF FEE ASSOCIATED.
WE MIGHT ISSUE THEM A CITATION,
[01:30:01]
BUT THERE IS NO RE-INSPECTION FEE.AND SOMETIMES IT TAKES MULTIPLE RE-INSPECTIONS TO GET THESE UNITS INTO COMPLIANCE, AND THAT TAKES OUR RESOURCES OUTTA THE FIELD.
AND SO, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE AMBULANCES THAT COME IN FOR THEIR ANNUAL INSPECTIONS, AND THEY CLEARLY HAVE NOT DONE THEIR DUE DILIGENCE IN CHECKING THEIR OWN VEHICLES.
INSTEAD THEY'RE UTILIZING OUR STAFF TO KIND OF TELL THEM WHAT IT IS THEY'RE MISSING AND TO, TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT IT IS THEY NEED TO GO AND GET.
AND ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE DOING MULTIPLE RE-INSPECTIONS ON THESE VEHICLES.
SO WE WOULD, UM, WANT TO DO REINSPECTION FEES IN ORDER TO DISCOURAGE THAT KIND OF, UH, THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS SOME KIND OF MONETARY, UH, INCENTIVE FOR THESE PRIVATE COMPANIES TO KEEP THEIR AMBULANCES PROPERLY SUPPLIED AND, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VEHICLES ARE ALWAYS READY TO PERFORM THE ADEQUATE LEVEL OF PATIENT CARE IN THE FIELD.
AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VEHICLES ARE READY WHEN THEY'RE COMING INTO OUR OFFICE FOR THEIR ANNUAL INSPECTION SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO, UH, TAKE UP OUR STAFF'S TIME, UM, AND, AND PULL THEM AWAY FROM OTHER ESSENTIAL DUTIES TO, TO KEEP REPEATING THE SAME INSPECTIONS.
SO I SAID THAT THIS WOULD COME BACK UP.
UM, WE WANT TO MAKE A PROVISION SPECIFICALLY FOR AUTHORIZING MOBILE STROKE UNITS AND OTHER OPERATORS TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY SERVICES PURSUANT TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE, UH, MEMORIAL HERMANN WHO IS OPERATING THESE MOBILE STROKE UNITS AND THAT THESE UNITS ARE PRETTY MUCH DISPATCHED DIRECTLY BY THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I SAID EARLIER THAT CURRENTLY THE ORDINANCE ONLY ALLOWS THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT TO RUN THESE EMERGENCY SERVICES.
WE WOULD LIKE A PROVISION THAT ALSO AUTHORIZES THESE SPECIALIZED MOBILE STR UNIT, SPECIFICALLY WHEN THEY'RE DISPATCHED BY THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ALSO OPERATE IN AN EMERGENCY CAPACITY.
UH, CHANGES THAT WE WANT MADE TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
EMERGENCY AMBULANCE DRIVER'S PERMIT SECTION FOUR DASH THREE.
UM, CURRENTLY OUR PERMIT APPLICATION REQUIRES THERE, UH, THE APPLICANT TO POSSESS A CLASS C TEXAS DRIVER'S LICENSE.
THERE'S BEEN A PRETTY WELL DOCUMENTED EMT SHORTAGE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS NOW, IF NOT MORE.
AND A LOT OF OUR PROVIDERS HAVE COME TO US, UH, WITH CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE OUT OF STATE, UH, CONTRACTORS, PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE TEXAS DRIVER'S LICENSES, WHO ARE CERTIFIED EMTS AND ARE, UH, UH, ARE ALLOWED TO OPERATE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS PER THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES.
BUT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO OBTAIN OUR DRIVER PERMIT.
AND IT KIND OF PUTS A RESTRICTION AND A HARDSHIP ON THEM, UH, IN TERMS OF TRYING TO SOLVE THAT, THAT, UH, STAFFING, UH, UH, THAT, THAT STAFFING SHORTAGE THAT THEY'RE HAVING.
SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS TO INSTEAD ALLOW THEM TO HAVE A CLASS C TEXAS DRIVER'S LICENSE OR EQUIVALENT ISSUED BY ANOTHER STATE, UM, SO THAT THEY COULD, ANY OF THESE CONTRACTED EMPLOYEES WHO ARE STILL ELIGIBLE TO STAFF AN AMBULANCE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS COULD ALSO GET THIS DRIVER PERMANENT OPERATE, UH, SPECIFICALLY DRIVING AMBULANCES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THEN LASTLY, THERE'S A FEW KIND OF ROUTINE THINGS THAT THIS CHAPTER OF THE ORDINANCE DOES SHOW ITS DATE IN QUITE A FEW PLACES.
AND SO THERE'S A FEW SECTIONS THAT WE'RE JUST WANTING TO UPDATE.
UM, SO SECTION FOUR DASH FOUR IS A SECTION THAT, UH, GOES OVER THE CITY OF HOUSTON ISSUING CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCIES FOR EMTS.
UM, THIS HAS NEVER BEEN UTILIZED.
THERE'S NO INFRASTRUCTURE THERE ACTUALLY TO ISSUE THESE CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCIES.
INSTEAD, WE'VE ALWAYS JUST USED THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES, UH, PER THEIR, THEIR CERTIFICATION AS AN EQUIVALENT.
THESE EMTS HAVE ALREADY GONE AND SHOWED THEIR CER UH, UH, UM, THEIR PROFICIENCY THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF GETTING LICENSED WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES.
SO WE SIMPLY JUST BE TAKING THIS SECTION THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY NOT UTILIZING OFF THE BOOKS.
UM, SECTION FOUR DASH FIVE, THIS IS JUST UPDATING A REFERENCE TO AN OUTDATED STATE CODE.
I BELIEVE IT WAS THE VERNON TEXAS CIVIL STATUTES THAT IT REFERENCED BEFORE.
INSTEAD JUST HAVING IT REFERENCE THE CURRENT, UH, CHAPTER 7 7 3 OF THE TEXAS SAFETY CODE.
UM, AND THEN ANY STRICTER HHD OR HFD OR LOCAL STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE.
SO JUST UPDATING THAT REFERENCE TO MODERN DAY,
[01:35:01]
UM, UM, CODE, UH, SECTION FOUR DASH NINE, AGAIN, THAT WAS THE ADDITION OF THE STROKE UNIT.UM, SECTION FOUR DASH ONE ZERO.
IT'S THE SAME REFERENCE THAT I JUST WENT OVER.
IT REFERENCES THE VERNON TEXAS CIVIL STATUTES.
IT WOULD JUST BE REMOVING, UM, THAT REFERENCE TO THAT OUTDATED STATUTE.
UM, SECTION FOUR DASH FIVE GOES OVER THE INSURANCE, UH, COVERAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH ONE OF THESE PRIVATE AMBULANCES THAT'S REQUIRED DURING OUR APPLICATION PROCESS.
CURRENTLY, THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS THAT'S ON THE BOOKS IS ACTUALLY LOWER THAN THE MINIMUM THAT YOU CAN OBTAIN IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO WE WERE WANTING TO UPDATE THAT TO BE THE SAME AS WHAT THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT STATE HEALTH SERVICES IN THE STATE, UH, REGULATIONS REQUIRE.
AND THEN SECTION FOUR DASH TWO ZERO WOULD BE TO AUTHORIZE THE DIRECTOR TO PROMULGATE RULES FOR ADMINISTERING THE ORDINANCE PROVISIONS.
UM, THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO JUST READILY PIVOT IN THE CASE OF ANYTHING THAT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY STATED IN THIS ORDINANCE.
SO, UM, COUPLE YEARS AGO, THE STATE HAD A STAFFING WAIVER IN REFERENCE TO THE STAFFING SHORTAGE FOR EMTS THAT WE HAD IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND THEY BASICALLY STATED THAT THEY WERE GONNA GIVE A TEMPORARY WAIVER TO PEOPLE WHO WERE DRIVING PRIVATE AMBULANCES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND MAKE IT SO THAT AS LONG AS THEY WERE AUTHORIZED BY THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR, THEY WERE NOT REQUIRED TO ACTUALLY BE EMTS.
THE PEOPLE WHO WERE PERFORMING PATIENT CARE STILL WERE, UM, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN OUR, IN OUR ORDINANCE.
WE HAD NO WAY TO ACTUALLY, UM, WE HAD NO WAY TO MAKE THESE CHANGES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STATE.
SO IT KIND OF, IT LED TO A LOT OF CONFUSION WITH PROVIDERS THAT SPECIFICALLY OPERATE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, AS TO HOW THEY CAN BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH BOTH THE STATE AND WITH THE CITY.
AND SO THIS WOULD JUST ALLOW US TO MAKE RULES IN, UH, IN, IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE NOT COVERED BY THE ORDINANCE IN A CASE.
THERE'S ANOTHER INSTANCE LIKE THAT THAT WE HAVEN'T FORESEEN.
AND, UH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT FOR ALL THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE, UH, THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
SO, UH, I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU REGARDING, UM, THE LICENSING REQUIREMENT.
IF, IF I UNDERSTOOD YOU CORRECTLY, CURRENTLY, UM, TO DRIVE A PRIVATE AMBULANCE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A, UH, CITY OF HOUSTON AMBULANCE DRIVER PERMIT.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
BUT YOU WANT TO CHANGE THAT TO ALLOW FOLKS TO DRIVE OR PRIVATE AMBULANCE DRIVERS TO MERELY HAVE A CLASS C TEXAS NO, NO, THAT'S INCORRECT.
WE WOULD STILL HAVE THE PRIVATE AMBULANCE, WE'D STILL HAVE THE, THE DRIVER PERMIT.
IT WOULD JUST CHANGE THE REQUIREMENT TO OBTAIN THE PERMIT FROM HAVING A TEXAS DRIVER'S LICENSE TO A CLASS C DRIVER'S LICENSE FROM ANOTHER STATE.
THEY WOULD, AS LONG AS THEY'RE STILL CERTIFIED TO, TO BE ON AN AMBULANCE, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THAT PERMIT.
WILL THAT BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH, WITH STATE LAW THEN? YES.
THE STATE DOES NOT CURRENTLY REQUIRE ANY KIND OF DRIVER PERMIT.
THERE ARE OTHER LOCALITIES THAT, IN MY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY DO, UM, BUT THERE, THERE IS, YEAH, IT WOULDN'T CONFLICT WITH ANY EXISTING, BUT ISN'T, ISN'T THERE A, A LAW THAT IN ORDER TO DRIVE IN TEXAS, YOU CAN ONLY DRIVE WITH AN OUT-OF-STATE PERMIT FOR SO LONG FOR, AND, AND SO THIS CHANGE IS BEING MADE IN TERMS OF, UH, UH, TEMPORARY CONTRACT EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HERE.
SO THESE ARE NOT PERMANENT RESIDENCES.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON CONTRACT HERE FOR LIKE 90 DAYS WITH PRIVATE AMBULANCE SERVICES WHO, UH, UH, DO NOT HAVE A, A, A PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
BUT THEY'RE STILL GETTING CITATIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE DRIVING THESE AMBULANCES AND THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY ABLE TO COME IN AND GET OUR AMBULANCE DRIVER'S PERMIT.
SO, WHO'S, WHO'S ISSUING THE CITATIONS? THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT EMS PROGRAM.
UH, SO ARE ANY POLICE OFFICERS ISSUING CITATIONS TO PRIVATE AMBULANCE DRIVERS? THE ORDINANCE GIVES THEM THE ABILITY TO, BUT IN REALITY, DO THEY, NO, I DON'T THINK ANY POLICE OFFICERS EVER STOPPED A PRIVATE AMBULANCE, UH, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, NOW LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT AN EARLIER SLIDE.
SO MOVING AWAY FROM THE NATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, UH, TO, UH, MORE LOCAL, UH, REQUIREMENTS MM-HMM
ARE, DO THOSE INVOLVE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES? IN OTHER WORDS, IS THERE MUCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE, THE EQUIPMENT REQUIRED AND BY THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS VERSUS WHAT, UH, OUR LOCAL EXPERTS FEEL IS APPROPRIATE HERE? THERE ARE A FEW CHANGES THAT ARE SUBSTANTIAL, UM, IN TERMS OF, FOR INSTANCE, IT IT'S MORE SPECIFIC TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, FOR INSTANCE.
THEY DON'T REQUIRE THERE TO BE NARCAN ON ANY AMBULANCES.
THAT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT, BUT
[01:40:01]
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WANTING HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IS EVERY AMBULANCE TO BE CARRYING NARCAN ON IT.AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY KIND OF SPECIFIC, UH, MEDICATIONS, NOR DOES THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES.
I THINK WE'D ALL APPROVE OF THAT CHANGE.
ANY OTHERS THAT YOU CAN THINK OF? UM, I THINK THERE ARE OTHER THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, HAS, HAS BROUGHT UP, I KNOW ONE SPECIFICALLY WAS THE, UH, AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS REQUIRES HEAT PACKS AND, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHILE THEY HAVE GOTTEN HEAT PACKS TO PUT ON THEIR AMBULANCES, THEY'VE UH, DEFINITELY BROUGHT UP LIKE, HEY, WE'RE IN HOUSTON.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED COLD PACKS, NOT HEAT PACKS.
SO, UM, THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE PROPOSING THIS CHANGE IS THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON CAN BETTER DETERMINE WHAT OUR CITIZENS NEED ON AMBULANCES IN THIS AREA, RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON A NATIONAL COMMITTEE THAT FRANKLY DOESN'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY'RE, UH, HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH OUR REQUIREMENTS.
AND, UH, FROM YOUR ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, I TAKE IT THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN COMING UP WITH THESE PROPOSED CHANGES.
BECAUSE WE DO, UH, PERFORM ANNUAL INSPECTIONS ON THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT VEHICLES AS WELL.
SO THEY'RE VERY AWARE OF WHAT WE REQUIRE BECAUSE THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE THAT SAME EQUIPMENT ON THEIR AMBULANCE AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM IN TERMS OF THINGS THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO SEE IN TERMS OF, UH, UM, WORKING WITH THEIR MEDICAL DIRECTOR AS WELL, DR. DAVID PURSE, UM, ON AN ITEMIZED LIST OF, UH, ITEMS THAT HE WOULD, UH, BE REQUIRING FOR ALL AMBULANCES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
PURSE IS HERE, UH, IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL AS SOME OTHER FOLKS FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO JUST TO WARN YOU, BRENT HAS OFFERED YOU UP AS RESOURCE WITNESSES, SO
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THOSE, WHAT THE INSPECTION FEE IS AND WHAT THE REINSPECTION FEE WOULD BE? SO CURRENTLY THERE'S NOT ACTUALLY AN INSPECTION FEE.
THERE'S A FEE FOR THE MEDALLIONS, THE DECALS THAT GET PUT ON THESE AMBULANCES WHENEVER THEY'RE APPLYING FOR THEIR PERMITS.
UM, BUT THERE'S NO ACTUAL INSPECTION FEE ITSELF.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE SEE IS, ONCE AGAIN, GOING BACK TO MOBILE FOOD UNITS, FOR INSTANCE, THEY HAVE REINSPECTION FEES.
THEY'RE WORK OUT OF THE SAME OFFICE WE DO.
AND SO WHENEVER MOBILE FOOD UNITS FAIL AND THEY NEED TO BE BROUGHT BACK AND HAVE A REINSPECTION, THEY HAVE A REINSPECTION FEE THAT GETS TACKED ONTO THEM, UM, FOR, FOR, YOU KNOW, TO, TO COMPENSATE FOR THE RESOURCES THAT WE'RE HAVING TO MAKE IN, IN MAKING PEOPLE AVAILABLE, MAKING OUR RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO DO THAT REINSPECTION.
SO WE WOULD KIND OF WANNA FALL IN, IN LINE WITH ELM.
SO, SO WHAT IS THE FEE TO GET A MEDALLION CURRENTLY? I BELIEVE IT'S TOTAL WIDTH.
UM, THE ADMIN FEE THAT'S TACKED ON SOMEWHERE AROUND $370, I BELIEVE.
AND WHAT IS THE REINSPECTION FEE TO BE PROPOSED? UM, I'M, I'M NOT QUITE SURE.
I DON'T HAVE A DOLLAR FIGURE ON THAT.
ALL OF OUR FEES IN THE, UH, FOR THE EMS PROGRAM ARE SET BY THE CITY FEE SCHEDULE.
SO, UM, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A DOLLAR FIGURE, BUT WE, I I, I'VE HEARD THAT WE WANT IT TO BE IN LINE WITH WHAT THE MOBILE FOOD UNIT OPERATORS PAY.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER PECK.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, FOR THE REINSPECTION FEE, ARE YOU LOOKING TO PUT THIS INTO A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MONEY IS GOING BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT? YES.
UM, OUR, OUR, ALL OUR FEES CURRENTLY GO TO A SPECIAL FUND TO FUND THE, THE, UH, EMS PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.
SO THIS WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THAT? YES.
UM, AND ARE YOU LOOKING FOR, FOR EACH TIME YOU HAVE TO GO BACK FOR A REINSPECTION, ARE YOU ANTICIPATING THAT IT WOULD BE THE SAME PRICE OR WOULD IT BE RATCHETED BASED ON THE NUMBER, OR IS THAT ALL GONNA BE DETERMINED BY THE, I THINK THAT WOULD ALL BE DETERMINED BY, UH, AT A LATER DATE.
PROBABLY BY PEOPLE ABOVE ME TO BE QUITE FRANK.
UM, AND, AND, UH, BUT YEAH, SO THE WHOLE STRUCTURE OF HOW THE REINSPECTION FEES WOULD ACTUALLY BE IMPLEMENTED WOULD, YOU KNOW, GET TO BE DETERMINED.
AND THEN, UM, FOR THE EQUIPMENT LIST, IS THAT COMMON FOR CITIES TO KIND OF CREATE THEIR OWN LIST VERSUS GOING THROUGH THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS? YEAH, I, I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OTHER MUNICIPALITY USES THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.
BECAUSE I, I'VE CALLED THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS AND THEY WERE NOT, UH, UH, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHY IT WAS I WAS CONTACTING THEM AND, UM, THEY HAD NO IDEA THAT ANYBODY ACTUALLY USED THEIR LISTS AS A REQUIREMENT FOR AMBULANCES TO BE PERMITTED.
SO IT'S KINDA CONCERNING THEN THAT WE'VE USING OUR LIST.
[01:45:01]
OKAY.SO WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY KIND OF LIABILITY ISSUES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BY USING OUR OWN LIST? NO, MA'AM.
THANK YOU, CHAIR ON THE, UM, PRIVATE AMBULANCE SERVICES.
HOW MANY AMBULANCES ARE PART OF PRIVATE AMBULANCES SERVICES THAT OPERATE IN HOUSTON? SO LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE WE HAD SOMEWHERE AROUND 750.
AND HOW MANY AMBULANCES DID THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAVE? ABOUT 120, I BELIEVE.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND WE WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT PORTION.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
WE HAVE A FEW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON, UM, AMBULANCE, UH, CHANGES.
SO DAVID FISHMAN, DAVID FISHMAN, COME FORWARD.
YOU HAVE A HANDOUT AND WE'RE PASSING IT AROUND, BUT YOU CAN START AT YOUR CONVENIENCE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS DAVID FISHMAN AND I'M HONORED TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU TODAY.
ON BEHALF OF ELA OF HOUSTON, WE ARE A DONATION FUNDED 5 0 1 C3 NON-PROFIT VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE, COMMITTED TO PROVIDING LIFESAVING CARE 24 7 365 AT NO COST TO THOSE IN NEED REGARDLESS OF RACE, RELIGION, OR ETHNICITY.
OUR MISSION IS, OUR MISSION IS TO ENHANCE EXISTING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN KEY, KEY AREAS OF HOUSTON, IMPROVING MEDICAL OUTCOMES AND ULTIMATELY SAVING LIVES.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR DEEP APPRECIATION TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE LICENSING DEPARTMENT, PARTICULARLY INES FLORES AND KEVIN HART FOR THEIR INVALUABLE GUIDANCE AND TO THE HOUSTON AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS FOR THEIR UNWAVERING PARTNERSHIP.
THEIR DEDICATION AND COLLABORATION HAVE BEEN INVALUABLE IN HELPING US ACHIEVE OUR GOAL AND SAVING LIVES ACROSS HOUSTON.
TODAY, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE CITY'S CONSIDERATION IN GRANTING VOLUNTEER NON-PROFIT EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AND ORGANIZATIONS, THE SAME FEE EXEMPTIONS THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS ALREADY RECOGNIZES FOR VOLUNTEER EMS AGENCIES.
SPECIFICALLY, WE SEEK EXEMPTIONS FOR THE AMBULANCE LICENSING, AGENCY LICENSING, AND AMBULANCE DRIVER'S PERMIT FEES.
THESE MEASURED MEASURES WOULD ALLOW US TO ALLOCATE MORE RESOURCES DIRECTLY TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE, ENSURING THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE CRITICAL CARE TO THOSE IN NEED.
ADDITIONALLY, WE ASK FOR AN UPDATE TO SECTION FOUR DASH NINE A THAT WOULD GRANT VOLUNTEER NON-PROFIT EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, THE AUTHORITY TO FURNISH EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICES PURSUANT TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY.
I HAVE MANY STORIES I'D LOVE TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO HIP I CANNOT SHARE THEM WITH YOU.
A LOT OF LIFESAVING THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE.
WE ARE PROUD TO SERVE THIS GREAT CITY AND STAND ALONGSIDE HOUSTON'S F FIRST RESPONDERS IN A SHARED MISSION TO SAVING LIVES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UH, MR. FISHMAN, COUPLE QUESTIONS.
WHAT ARE THE FEES THAT, UH, THAT YOU, YOU ALL ARE CHARGED? SO THE CITY FEES, WHICH KEVIN WAS SAYING BEFORE, I WANNA SAY, UH, WE JUST REINSPECTED THIS MONTH.
IT WAS CLOSE TO $2,000, I WANNA SAY IN FEES CLOSE TO 1000 OR 2000? 2000.
'CAUSE THERE'S A, I THERE'S SEPARATE FEES FOR DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT THE REINSPECTION FEE AND THEN THE DECAL IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, I THINK EACH AMBULANCE PERMIT THAT WE HAVE TO GET PER MEMBER IS ABOUT 160 SOMETHING DOLLARS EACH, AND IT'S EVERY TWO YEARS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY, UH, VOLUNTEER NON-PROFIT EMS SERVICES THERE ARE? LIKE YOUR GROUP? I DON'T THINK THERE ARE ANY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT I'M AWARE OF.
AND, UM, PART OF YOUR REQUEST IS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY AMBULANCE S UNDER A FORMAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY, IS THAT RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO WHATEVER STANDARDS THE CITY MIGHT REQUIRE IN ORDER FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS, UH, THAT WOULD BE, UH, PART OF THAT, UH, SUGGESTION, CORRECT? YES.
[01:50:01]
I DON'T SEE ANY QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE, BUT, UH, IT'S CLEAR FROM THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION THAT PRIVATE AMBULANCE SERVICES PROVIDE A GREAT SERVICE TO THE CITY.UH, THERE ARE SO MANY NON-EMERGENCY TRANSPORTS REQUIRED, UH, AND, UH, SO WE APPRECIATE THE SERVICE THAT YOU ALL PROVIDE.
NICO ZOS NOT ON THE AMBULANCE.
WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU.
MY NAME IS JOSHUA ZIEGEL AND I AM WITH CITY AMBULANCE SERVICE.
WE ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST PRIVATE COMPANIES OPERATING IN THE CITY CURRENTLY.
AND WE JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU GUYS FOR, UM, HEARING US OUT, YOU KNOW, FOR KEVIN AND HIS DEPARTMENT.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THESE CHANGES.
I KNOW MR. ANDRE RUBY CAME LAST TIME TO SPEAK TO YOU GUYS.
HE GOT TIED UP ON AN EMERGENCY CALL, BUT WE JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU GUYS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GUYS, WORKING WITH KEVIN AND HIS TEAM MOVING FORWARD.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WANTED TO SPEAK ON, UH, AMBULANCES? ALRIGHT, DOMINIC, WHY DON'T YOU COME ON UP? I AM DOMINIC NAZA.
ONE THING, I USED TO WORK ON AN AMBULANCE, SO SOME OF THIS HADN'T BEEN ON AN AMBULANCE FOR A WHILE, BUT SOME OF THIS DIS UH, HIT HOME, UH, NUMBER ONE NARCAN WITH AS MUCH DRUG USE AS IN HOUSTON THAT WE HAVE.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S, THAT CAN PROBABLY WHAT NARCAN DOES, AND NOW Y YOU GUYS CAN, CAN, UH, CORRECT ME ON THIS, IS WHEN IT GOES IN INTO THE BODY, IT WALKS INTO PER CERTAIN CELLS OF THE BODY, WHICH WOULD KNOCK OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A, UH, UM, NARCOTIC AFFECTING THE BODY.
SO THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO HAVE.
BUT MY QUESTION IS, AND I, AGAIN, I HAVEN'T BEEN ON AMBULANCE FOR A WHILE, AND I LIKE THE IDEA THAT ONLY, UH, HPD, I MEAN HFD DOES EMERGENCY TRANSPORTS BECAUSE, UH, THERE'S SOME STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS INVOLVED, PARTICULARLY SAY NURSING HOMES.
SOMETIMES A NURSING HOME WILL CALL ON A NON, WHEN I WAS RUN RUNNING, WE CALL ON A NON NON HFD UNIT TO COME IN AND DO A TRANSPORT TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM.
AND, AND I THINK SOME OF THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT NURSING HOMES, BY, I COULD BE WRONG ON THIS, LAWS COULD CHANGE OVER TIME, UM, IN THEIR REPORTING TO THE STATE AND TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, HOW MANY TRANSPORTS OUTTA THAT FACILITY TO AN ER.
AND SOMETIMES, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL SAY HOW MANY 9 1 1 CALLS, OH, WE HAD LIKE TWO OR THREE.
WELL, ACTUALLY THERE WAS MORE BECAUSE THE, THE PRIVATE COMPANIES ARE DOING IT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, THERE IS A CHECK ON THE PRIVATE COMPANIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ABIDING BY CITY CODE OR NOT.
AND I'M GONNA BACKTRACK TO THE FOOD TRUCKS.
AND I THINK MAYBE SOME OF THE FOOD TRUCKS NEED TO BORROW, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO BORROW SOMETHING FROM THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S EWOKS NOW ALL TRUCKERS HAVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY GO ON SERVICE A CERTAIN TIME TO GO OFF SERVICE AT A CERTAIN TIME AND IT'S ELECTRONIC.
MAYBE AS PART OF THE ENFORCEMENT THING WOULD BE EASIER TO COME UP WITH A STANDARD FOR E-LOGS FOR BOOT TRUCKS THAT I HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS.
AND I DID TAKE METRO HERE TODAY.
ALRIGHT, NICO, WHY DON'T YOU COME ON UP.
UM, SO I'VE SPOKEN TO THE COUNCIL A FEW, UH, TWICE OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS ABOUT NOISE ISSUES, UH, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ON, UH, 20TH STREET IN SHADY ACRES.
SO I'VE BEEN MEANING TO COME TO THIS COMMITTEE SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THE NOISE ORDINANCE.
CHAPTER 30 WILL BE AMENDED TO TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THE ISSUES WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW WE CAN GET THAT ON THE AGENDA.
AND JUST TO KIND OF REFRESH, UM, EVERYONE, THERE'S THREE THINGS THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AND CHAIR TODAY.
UH, RAMIREZ HAS BEEN REALLY GRACIOUS AND SUPPORTING MY NEIGHBORS AND I ABOUT, AND AMENDING AND HOPEFULLY AMENDING, UH, THE ORDINANCE.
[01:55:01]
THINGS ARE, AND THIS IS CHAPTER 30 AGAIN, THE NOISE ORDINANCE TO HAVE NON-NO HPD, UH, ISSUE CITATIONS WITHOUT THE NEED OF THE RESIDENT TO COME TO COURT.BECAUSE CURRENTLY THE HPD COMES OUT AND THE NOISE IS CAUSING IS EXCESSIVE, VIOLATES THE ORDINANCE OR IS CAUSING VIBRATION IN YOUR HOME.
THAT RESIDENT HAS TO COME TO COURT.
UM, ONE CHANGE COULD BE FOR THE HPD OFFICER TO BE THE TESTIFYING WITNESS IN THAT SITUATION.
THE RESIDENT WILL ONLY HAVE TO MAKE THAT CALL.
THE SECOND CHANGE THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE, IT WOULD BE TO HAVE NORMAL HPD OFFICERS, NOT JUST NOISE UNIT OFFICERS, UH, BE ABLE TO ISSUE CITATIONS FOR VIBRATION, WHICH DOESN'T REALLY REQUIRE NOISE METER.
AND ALSO FOR THESE BARS AND CLUBS TO, UH, THAT ARE CLOSING PAST THE TIME WHERE THEY NEED TO CLOSE.
UH, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THE BARS ON 20TH STREET ROUTINELY STAY OPEN PAST 2:00 AM YOU DON'T NEED SPECIFIC TRAINING TO ISSUE A CITATION FOR THAT.
AND, UH, THE THIRD THING IS FOR HOMES VERY CLOSE TO THESE BARS.
SO, UH, HOMES WITHIN A HUNDRED OR EVEN 50 FEET, UH, LIKE SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS ARE, UH, TO BE TREATED TO HAVE A LOWER DECIBEL THRESHOLD BECAUSE CURRENTLY ALL HOMES WITHIN 300 FEET ARE TREATED EXACTLY THE SAME.
AND THERE'S QUITE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING QUITE OR EVEN 25 FEET AWAY FROM A BAR PROPERTY LINE OR PROPERTY LINE TO 300 FEET.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE CHANGES.
I'M HOPING THE NOISE ORDINANCE COULD BE AMENDED, UH, AMENDED TO ADDRESS OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
AND I'D APPRECIATE HEARING THOUGHTS OF THE COUNCIL ON THAT.
AND ALSO JUST WHAT THE STATUS, UH, AND HOW WE CAN GET THIS TO BE AN AGENDA ITEM OR THE HPD NOISE UNIT.
OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY, RESIDENTS LIKE MYSELF CAN COME AND SPEAK, UH, ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ISSUE.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE DEFINITELY CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE BEING HAD, UH, AT THE CITY HALL ANNEX ABOUT, ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
A LOT OF US ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT AND, UH, HAVE BEEN FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, AND SO WE, WE FEEL YOUR PAIN.
UM, WE NEED BETTER ENFORCEMENT TOOLS AND, AND MORE ENFORCEMENT.
I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE ON THAT.
YOU MENTIONED POSSIBLY LOWERING THE DECIBEL, UH, REQUIREMENT TO MAKE A CASE FOR RESIDENCES THAT ARE CLOSER TO, UH, BARS.
UM, DID YOU HAVE ANY PARTICULAR DECIBEL LIMIT IN MIND? I THINK A 20% REDUCTION.
SO THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT DECIBEL LEVELS DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF WEEK AND TIME OF DAY.
SO I, I JUST THINK 20% ACROSS THE BOARD WOULD BE, WOULD BE, UH, REALLY GREAT.
AND ALSO, I SHOULD SAY THAT WOULD BRING HOUSTON IN LINE WITH MANY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WITH ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS OF A, A SIMILAR SIZE.
NOW YOU, YOU, YOU MENTIONED YOU LIVE IN SHADY GROVE AREA, IS THAT RIGHT? SHADY ACRES.
UM, AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED THERE? UH, A YEAR AND A HALF.
BUT NEIGHBORS, YOU, YOU'VE MET WITH AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALN, YOU KNOW, OVER A DECADE HAVE HAVE LIVED THERE LONGER, RIGHT? MM-HMM
AND SO YOU, YOU GUYS WERE THERE FIRST TO SO TO SPEAK, RIGHT? AND THEN ONLY RECENTLY HAVE, UH, SOME OF THESE ESTABLISHMENTS BEEN CROPPING UP.
BETWEEN BILL AND, UH, BEVIS STREET.
IT WAS A FULLY RESIDENTIAL AREA AND 20TH STREET WHERE THESE BARS ARE HAD SOME AUTO LIKE MECHANIC SHOPS THAT MADE NO NOISE IN THE EVENINGS.
SO THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT POPPED UP OVER THE LAST TWO TO THREE YEARS.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN IN THE QUEUE.
AND THANKS FOR CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS.
UH, ON THE, THE POLICE CAN WRITE CITATIONS IF THEY'RE NOT PART OF THE NOISE UNIT.
I MEAN, ANY HPD OFFICER CAN WRITE A NOISE, A VIBRATION.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THEY CAN WRITE ANYTHING.
THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE A NOISE METER.
I MEAN, ANYBODY, ANY OFFICER CAN DO IT.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT I THOUGHT.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S ALREADY IN THE, WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT, UH, ANYTIME WE CALL IN, IF WE, I KNOW IT'S NOT REALLY PRACTICE, BUT IT'S, THERE'S NOTHING THAT SUGGESTS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE PART OF A NOISE UNIT TO ISSUE A NOISE, A NOISE TICKET, OR HAVE A NOISE METER TO HAVE A NOISE TICKET.
ANY HPD OFFICER CAN, CAN ISSUE A NOISE TICKET, BUT WE CAN COMMUNICATE THAT TO HPD THAT THEY NEED TO IF THEY SEE IT OR HEAR IT OR WHATEVER.
AND ON THE, ON THE DISTANCE THING, I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IF YOU'RE NOW NOT REQUIRING ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS IS TO NOT REQUIRE A OH YEAH.
YOU ARE STILL REQUIRED TO HAVE A COMPLAINT CALL.
YOU'RE JUST SAYING DON'T, THE RESIDENT DOESN'T HAVE TO SHOW UP IN COURT.
YEAH, I THAT MIGHT, THAT MIGHT, I MEAN THE LEGAL, YOU KNOW, TEAM THAT I FOUGHT WITH ALL THE TIME ON THIS,
I, I MEAN, YOU'RE A LAWYER, UM, CHAIR, IS THERE A RULE THAT, YOU KNOW, REQUIRES A WITNESS, A COMPLAINING WITNESS TO BE IN COURT HAVING READ THIS, THE ORDINANCE? I THINK IT'S MORE OF A POLICY.
UH, MY SENSE IS THAT THE PROSECUTORS DON'T THINK THEY CAN GET CONVICTIONS WITHOUT A CIVILIAN COMPLAINANT.
[02:00:01]
YEAH.THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
AND WE ARE, WE WANNA SEE IMPROVEMENTS.
WE WANNA SEE IMPROVEMENTS IN ENFORCEMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCOR AND THANK YOU NICO FOR BEING HERE.
J JUST, UM, SO I CAN KIND OF RELAY BACK TO MY NEIGHBORS.
IS THERE A WAY WE CAN, AN ACTION WE CAN TAKE OR ORGANIZE TO ENCOURAGE THIS TO BE ON THE AGENDA ON THIS COMMITTEE LATER THIS YEAR? UM, WE, WE WILL CERTAINLY, WE CAN CERTAINLY TAKE IT UP AGAIN IN THIS COMMITTEE AND GET FOLKS OUT AND, AND AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, GET UPDATES AND SO FORTH.
UM, AROUND THE CITY WE HAVE PIP MEETINGS AND, UM, ONE THING YOU MIGHT DO IS PICK THE, THAT'S WHERE THE POLICE OFFICERS, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE, FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT COME AND, AND VISIT WITH, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UH, IF THERE'S ONE IN YOUR AREA, UH, THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD, GOOD PLACE TO GO AS WELL IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE THAT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT? ALRIGHT, SEEING NO ONE, UM, UH, GOOD MEETING, GOOD DISCUSSION.
SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEING HERE AND ALL THE VIEWS THAT WERE, UH, PRESENTED.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THIS MEETING AT THIS TIME.
REMINDER THAT THE NEXT OF LIFE MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, APRIL THE SEVENTH.
IT IS NOW 4:03 PM AND WE STAND ADJOURNED.