* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. YES. [00:00:03] OKAY. COUNSEL, PLEASE COME TO ORDER, UM, MAYOR PRO, TIM CASSY STADIUM. IF YOU'LL PRESIDE, I'M GONNA JOIN VICE MAYOR PROTE PECK AT THE, UH, LECTURE MIC. OKAY. [PRESENTATIONS] RECOGNIZES VICE MAYOR PROTE PECK FOR A PROCLAMATION TO CRIME STOPPERS OF HOUSTON, RECOGNIZING APRIL 6TH THROUGH THE 12TH 2025 AS NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK MAYOR, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PECK. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. I'M HONORED TO, UM, DO THIS PROCLAMATION TODAY. ANDY, DID YOU WANNA COME UP WHILE WE READ IT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE EVERYONE UP AFTERWARDS? WHEREAS CRIME AFFECTS INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, BUSINESSES, AND COMMUNITIES IN PROFOUND AND VARIED WAYS, OFTEN LEAVING LASTING PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND LIFE ALTERING CHALLENGES. AND WHEREAS NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK SERVES AS A BEACON OF SOLIDARITY FOR THOSE WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN SHATTERED BY CRIME. THIS ANNUAL OBSERVANCE EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF KINSHIP, WHICH FOSTERS CONNECTIONS AND SUPPORT SERVICES AND SHARED STRENGTH AMONG SURVIVORS, ADVOCATES, AND COMMUNITIES. AND WHEREAS N-C-V-R-W PROVIDES A PLATFORM FOR SURVIVORS TO SHARE THEIR STORIES, FOSTERING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY BY SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES, CRIME VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS NOT ONLY FIND SOLACE, BUT ALSO INSPIRE OTHERS WHO ARE WALKING SIMILAR PATHS TO BREAK THEIR SILENCE AND SEEK SUPPORT. WHEREAS N-C-V-R-W IS A CRUCIAL CATALYST FOR CHANGE. IT SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON SYSTEM SYSTEMIC ISSUES WITHIN OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM AND SOCIETY AT LARGE PROMPTING MUCH NEEDED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT VICTIMS' RIGHTS, SUPPORT SERVICES, AND CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGIES. AND WHEREAS N-C-V-R-W IS A CALL TO ACTION, A CALL TO LISTEN, EMPATHIZE, AND STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THOSE AFFECTED BY CRIMINAL CONDUCT. IT IS A CALL TO ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES THAT PRIORITIZE VICTIMS' RIGHTS, SUPPORT SERVICES, AND RECOGNIZE THE INHERENT WORTH AND DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON IMPACTED BY CRIME. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON CALLS ON ALL HOUSTONIANS TO OBSERVE NATIONAL CRIME, VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK COMMEND ALL INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING VICTIMS OF CRIME AND EXTEND ITS HEARTFELT SOLIDARITY TO ALL SURVIVORS OF CRIME. THE CITY REMINDS EVERYONE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF KINSHIP AND ENCOURAGES ALL TO RECOGNIZE THE SHARED HUMANITY OF CRIME SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PECK. AND, UH, WE DO A LOT OF PROCLAMATIONS MEMBERS IN THIS CHAMBER, BUT PROBABLY NONE OR MORE IMPORTANT THAN TO EMPHASIZE OUR COMMITMENT TO CRIME VICTIMS. ABSOLUTELY. IN FACT, I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THIS. I'M SITTING HERE PROUD THAT WE'RE DOING IT AND I HAVE SUCH PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH SO MANY VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE PRIMARY REASON I RAN FOR MAYOR TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND MAKE THE CRIME VICTIMS SUFFERING PART OF OUR POLITICAL DISCUSSION. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE TODAY, AND AS I SAID, IT'S SO PROPER TO DO IT. WE SHOULD DO IT EACH AND EVERY DAY, BUT I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO. AND IT'S JUST, IF I COULD JUST UNDO SOME OF THE IRRESPONSIBLE ACTIONS FOR THE PERPETRATORS, THE WAY WE CAN HONOR VICTIMS FAMILIES IS TO NEVER FORGET, AND PAUL HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, THAT IT BROUGHT THIS PAIN AND SUFFERING TO THESE FAMILIES AND CRIME VICTIMS FAMILIES. ANDY, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO WHAT YOU DO OTHER THAN IT'S A CALLING. I'VE WORKED WITH YOU FOR YEARS. I'VE WITNESSED YOUR OUTRAGE, YOUR COMPASSION, AND HOW YOU BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER, CERTAINLY BEFORE YOU WENT TO CRIME STOPPERS AND NOW YOU'RE DOING EVEN A BIGGER, LARGER JOB THAN YOU DID WHEN YOU GOT STARTED. AND LORD KNOWS, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEEN BEFORE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE IN AUSTIN TO IMPROVE THE CRIME VICTIMS COMPENSATION FUND? AND I COULD GO DOWN THE LIST OF THINGS THAT WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER ON, ON BEHALF OF THE CRIME VICTIMS. SO THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 6TH THROUGH THE 12TH 2025. IT'S NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK, AND WE HAVE A LIST OF THE RECIPIENTS OF OUR PROCLAMATION. SO THANK YOU VICE MAYOR PRO PECK FOR DOING THIS. AND WE WILL NEVER FORGET, [00:05:03] DAN, GO REPRESENT THE FAMILY. YEAH, I'M DANDY CON. I'M DIRECTOR OF VICTIM SERVICES CRIME STOPPERS OF HOUSTON. PRIOR TO THAT, I WAS A VICTIM ADVOCATE IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND ALSO WITH HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO AS MAYOR WHITMEYER SAYS, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG, LONG TIME, AND THIS IS ALWAYS A SPECIAL OCCASION WHEN WE CAN BRING ALL THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO NONPROFITS TO CONSTABLES ALTOGETHER. I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT WORK SPECIFICALLY ON BEHALF OF VICTIMS' RIGHTS. YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD A MANTRA BASICALLY THAT CRIME VICTIMS ARE THE ONLY UNWILLING PARTICIPANTS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. EVERYONE ELSE CHOSE THEIR ROLE. LAW ENFORCEMENT, JUDGES, PROSECUTORS, DEFENSE ATTORNEYS, POLICE OFFICERS, VICTIM ADVOCATES. BUT NO ONE EVER SAID, PICK ME, PICK ME. I WANT TO BE A VICTIM OF A CRIME. AND SO THE LEAST WE CAN DO, PARTICULARLY IN GOVERNMENT, IS TO LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR RIGHTS, THEIR DUE PROCESS AND THEIR WELLBEING. YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO TAKE NEGATIVES AND TURN 'EM INTO POSITIVES FOR SOCIAL ACTION. WE CAN'T GO BACK AND CHANGE WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU OR YOUR FAMILY, BUT WE TRY TO LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY. AND THAT'S WHAT VICTIM ADVOCACY IS ABOUT. SO I'M JUST GONNA HAVE, I'M CALL OFF JUST THE NAMES OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, IF YOU CAN JUST STAND UP. 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE WHO THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE THAT REPRESENT THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY THAT VICTIMS HAVE TO TURN TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS WORKING FOR THEM. SO I'LL JUST DO THIS IN ORDER, UH, ABDA A TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE. IF YOU ARE HERE, DON'T YOU ALWAYS LOVE WHEN THE FIRST ONE'S NOT HERE? OKAY. CHILDREN AT RISK, I DON'T BELIEVE THEY'RE HERE AS WELL. CHILDREN'S ASSESSMENT CENTER, AH, WE HAVE A WINNER. DIA INC. DEMAND DISRUPTION. ELIJAH RISING, HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, VICTIM SERVICES DIVISION, HARRIS COUNTY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COORDINATING COUNSEL, HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, HOMICIDE DIVISION, HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, VICTIM SERVICES, HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, CRIME VICTIM SERVICES UNIT, MONTROSE COUNSELING CENTER, PARENTS OF MURDERED CHILDREN, HOUSTON CHAPTER, TEXAS CRIME VICTIMS, UNITED, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE VICTIM SERVICES, HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT FIVE. VICTIM ASSISTANCE UNIT. I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU GUYS BECAUSE WE ALL WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM, AND IT'S AN AMAZING COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT WE ALL HAVE. WE ALL KNOW EACH OTHER, WE ALL CAN TURN TO EACH OTHER. AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR VICTIMS TO KNOW WHO IS OUT HERE, WHICH ORGANIZATIONS. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, LIKE YOU AND I, WE GO BACK A LONG, LONG WAYS, AND WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN LOCKED IN SYNC AND TRYING TO MAKE THE CITY BETTER ON BEHALF OF VICTIMS' RIGHTS, ENHANCING VICTIMS' RIGHTS, AND ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY GO HAND IN HAND. SO THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT WEEK FOR US. AND IT SHOULDN'T BE A WEEK, IT SHOULD BE EVERY SINGLE DAY, BUT THAT'S JUST THE REALITY THAT WE END. SO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF EVERYBODY HERE FOR RECOGNIZING AND HONORING, AND THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK FOR ALSO DOING WHAT YOU DO BEST AS WELL. THANK YOU GUYS. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, THANK YOU AS CHAIR FOR, UH, BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT PROCLAMATION FOR, BUT MORE SO LIFTING UP THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE, NOT ONLY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT THROUGHOUT THE REGION. UH, AND ANDY, THE CRIME STOPPERS. UH, I THINK YOU SAID IT BEST, RECOGNIZING ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU ALL WORK WITH, BECAUSE IN HOUSTON, WHAT WE DO IS LIFT UP THOSE IN NEED TOGETHER. UH, SO WHETHER FROM CRIME STOPPERS, IT'S THE, UH, REWARDS FOR INFORMATION THAT PROVES CRITICAL, UH, IN SOLVING CRIMES AND BRINGING PEOPLE TO JUSTICE, BUT ALSO IN THE SUPPORT THAT YOU PROVIDE. UM, I'LL SAY NOT ONLY FOR VICTIMS, BUT FOR SURVIVORS AND FOR THEIR FAMILIES. SO TO THE FAMILIES OF THOSE IMPACTED, UM, I THANK YOU FOR THE COURAGE AND YOUR VOICE IN WORKING WITH ALL OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS, UH, TO MAKE [00:10:01] A BRIGHTER AND SAFER FUTURE HERE IN HOUSTON. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND MAYOR FOR RECOGNIZING THESE WONDERFUL ORGANIZATIONS. UM, I SEE SO MANY FAMILIAR FACES THAT I'VE WORKED WITH AND GOTTEN TO KNOW OVER THE YEARS FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, PARENTS OF MURDERED CHILDREN, UH, CRIME STOPPERS, UM, AND THE ASSESSMENT CENTER. AND YOU GUYS ARE THE FRONTLINE SOLDIERS, AND I JUST HAVE SO MUCH RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FOR THE WORK YOU DO, UH, TO TRY TO BRING, UH, COMFORT TO VICTIMS, TO JUSTICE, TO, TO VICTIMS AND TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND, AND APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH AND, AND SAY THANK YOU AND KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S INVOLVED WITH THIS. UH, TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, I ABSOLUTELY AGREE. I WISH IT WASN'T NECESSARY. UH, UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS. AND, AND ANDY, I TRULY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS WHEN YOU CALL OUT THOSE WHO ARE CHARGED WITH MAKING DECISIONS WHO HAVE FAILED THE PUBLIC MISERABLY. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THAT LAST WEEK WHERE WE ENDED UP WITH A MURDER SUICIDE THAT NEVER SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED. UH, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK. PLEASE KEEP IT UP. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE A CHANGE. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, THANK YOU MAYOR PROTO, AND THANK YOU AS WELL. I'LL NEVER FORGET WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE VICTIMS DIDN'T CHOOSE THIS FATE. UM, I, I'LL I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT. 'CAUSE THAT IS, I'VE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, BUT YOU ARE SO RIGHT. SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. UM, AND TO ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SUPPORTING THIS AND, UM, WORKING TOGETHER. I THINK THAT'S A SPECIAL PIECE ABOUT THIS, IS THAT EVERYONE'S WORKING IN UNISON. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL YOUR TIRELESS WORK. AND, UM, EVERYONE SAYS, YOU KNOW, THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS, RIGHT? I MEAN, THOSE ARE NECESSARY, BUT Y'ALL ARE DOING THE ACTUAL WORK TO BRING JUSTICE, AND THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. SO THANKS AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU. UM, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS SO LUCKY TO HAVE ALL OF YOU GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, FIGHTING FOR VICTIMS, FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE, FIGHTING FOR HEALING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THIS CITY, THOSE, THEY'RE OUR GREATEST RESOURCE. AND IF WE DON'T TAKE CARE OF THEM, YOU KNOW, EVEN AFTER THEY'VE BECOME PART OF A CLUB THEY NEVER WISH TO JOIN, UM, YOU KNOW, HEALING IS SO IMPORTANT. AND SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. THANK YOU, ANDY CRIME STOPPERS AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU OUT THERE TOO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. CONGRATULATIONS ON THE PROCLAMATION. THANK YOU. YEAH, WE CAN GET, WE GET EVERYONE. CAN WE BRING 'EM IN HERE? MAYOR? ALL. [00:17:15] OKAY. [2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] IF, UH, COUNCIL COME TO ORDER, UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES MY VICE. MAYOR PROTE. NO, NO. CASTILLO FOR INVOCATION. NEVERMIND. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR THE INVOCATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. FOR OUR INVOCATION TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UP MR. JOE PEREZ FROM RESURRECTION CATHOLIC CHURCH. HE HAS BEEN, UH, A MEMBER OF THE ORIGINAL MEN'S CLUB, WHICH WAS TRANSFERRED INTO THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COUNCIL, UH, 15 YEARS AGO THAT WAS ESTABLISHED TO HONOR THE LATE FATHER DAVID CARDENA. MR. PEREZ HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PARISHIONER FOR OVER 50 YEARS AND WAS PROUD TO SERVE THE CHURCH, THE CHURCH'S 100 CENTENNIAL, AND HE'LL BE DOING THE INVOCATION TODAY. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. LET US PRAY. DEAR GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, HEAVENLY FATHER, AS WE APPROACH THE HOLY WEEK AND WE PRAY FOR UNITY AMONG THE GOVERNMENT LEADERS THAT WE MAY WORK TOGETHER, HARMLESSLY AND THE COMMON GOOD, LET DEVISE AGENDAS BE SET ASIDE IN FAVOR OF COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY. LORD GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS BESTOWED UPON US AND GRACEFULLY PASS ON IN YOUR NAME TO EVERYONE HERE WITH US TODAY, AND REJOICE WITH THIS EASTER SEASON. AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU EVERYONE. UH, WE PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS FOR ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, FOR LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING] ROLL CALL, ROLL CALL. ROLL CALL MINUTES. MA'AM. SECRETARY, YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. MR. SECRETARY, MR. SECRETARY MAYOR WHITMEYER. YOU, YOU KNEW WHAT I MEANT. I, I KNEW . MAYOR WHITMEYER. PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER PET HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS IN THE HOUSE. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ IS WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TAYLOR. SHE'S HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. HERE. [00:20:01] COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER HERE. AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. HERE. CASTEX M AND COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM. HERE I NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF MARCH 25TH AND 26TH AND APRIL 1ST AND SECOND. CASTEX TAYLOR, MOVE I SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. UH, PROCEDURAL MOTIONS. COUNCILOR KAMAN. [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] COUNCILOR CAMAN. THANK YOU. I HAVE TWO MOTIONS, UH, TO PRESENT. FIRST I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE MS. ADA HAN, I'M SO SORRY IF I'M MISPRONOUNCING THAT TO FOLLOW. GISELLE MARTINEZ. UH, SHE'S, WE'RE JUST MOVING HER TO SPEAK BEFORE HER FATHER. UH, CAN I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE POST NAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. I I HAVE ONE MORE. OH, I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. AHEAD. THANK YOU, SIR. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE CATHERINE MCNEIL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE THREE MINUTE AGENDA LIST. SECOND. JUST A SECOND. MADAM SECRETARY. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. YEP. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NOW PLUMMER. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I HAVE TWO MOTIONS AS WELL. UM, I'D LIKE MOVED TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE CHERYL HENDERSON TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST, FOLLOWED BY FELIX KAPO AND BENJAMIN BROADWAY FOR THE ONE MINUTE TOTAL. MOTION. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NA MOTION PASSES. OKAY. AND THEN MY SECOND MOTION, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD PHILIP CARRANZA JE JAJU JEW INAB CHORI JACOB CHECK CHARE GILBERT. I'M GONNA REALLY MESS UP YOUR LAST NAME. I'M GONNA CALL YOU GILBERT O . GILBERT O ACHE. PHILLIPS SEAN MCFARLAND SEBASTIAN LONG AN ANNU NAINA AMIR KOVA. AND THEN OLA GWA. HAVE I GAVE THEM ALL THE NAMES? I GAVE THEM THE NAMES IN ADVANCE TO THE TOP. TO THE TOP OF THE ONE MINUTE AGENDA LIST. OKAY. MEMBERS, YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? YEAH. SECOND. SECOND. SECOND. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. AS OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU MAYOR. I MOVE MOTION TO ADD MARIAN WRIGHT TO FOLLOW FELIX CAPER KAAR TO THE ONE MINUTE. UM, YES. FOLLOWING HIM. AGENDA THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA OR THREE MINUTE NONE. THREE MINUTE NON ON, THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA. YOU GOT IT. THOUGHT IT WAS THE . CAN WE GET A SECOND MOTION MADE? AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO CAST. THANK YOU MAYOR. I MOVE TO MOVE SEAN KINGSLEY TO THE TOP OF THE TWO MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST FOR TWO MINUTES. VERY GOOD. MOTIONS MADE. IS THERE A SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND MOVE SHERRY BUTLER AND ANNA HARRIS TO THE TOP OF THE ONE MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST. THOMAS SECOND. MOTION MADE IN SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, I DIDN'T GET THE NAME. COUNCIL RAMIREZ, WE DIDN'T GET THE NAME. OKAY. MR. SECRETARY, WOULD YOU CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER? PHILLIP CARRANZA. HELLO. THANK YOU FOR [00:25:01] HAVING ME TODAY. UH, I AM A, UH, AIRBNB OPERATOR HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, $630,000 WAS THE OCCUPANCY TAXES COLLECTED THROUGH OUR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY THAT WENT TO STATE HARRIS COUNTY IN CITY, UH, UH, TAX REVENUE. AND, UH, WANTED TO SIMPLY SAY THAT, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THE CURRENT, UH, ORDINANCE IN ITS CURRENT VERSION IN PARTICULARLY AMENDMENT THREE, UH, IS REGULATORY TAKING. WE BELIEVE THAT IT WILL BE CHALLENGED IN COURT AND HIGHLY ADVISE THAT THIS CAN GET DELAYED AND POSSIBLY CREATE A, UH, COMMUNICATION WITH THE ACTUAL OPERATORS THAT ARE GATHERING, UH, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ARE MORE THAN WILLING TO REACH OUT ON, UH, ON BEHALF OF OTHER OPERATORS TO TRY TO REACH A, UH, ORDINANCE THAT WOULD PASS WITHOUT BEING, UH, CHALLENGED IN COURT. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU ALCORN. THANK YOU SIR FOR COMING AND JUST FOR YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT DOES IT IS UPSET WITH AMENDMENT THREE. I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW AMENDMENT THREE IN FAVOR OF AMENDMENT TWO THAT REALLY DI UM, DEALS WITH MORE OF THE BAD ACTORS. WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA OVERREACH AND AFFECT THE BUSINESS OF RESPONSIBLE OWNERS LIKE YOURSELF, SO, OKAY. PUT THAT TO REST . ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU. NEXT, EVERYBODY IN HERE, RAJE AND E JACOB, ANO, GILBERT, ROCO. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER. GOOD AFTERNOON TO ALL THE STAFF THAT'S HERE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, MY NAME IS GILBERT OCO. I, UH, HAVE A SMALL DEVELOPMENT COMPANY THAT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE NOW SINCE 2016. WE'VE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT IN DISTRICT D, SPECIFICALLY WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION DUPLEXES. AND SO THE REASON I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKE THIS HEARD TODAY IS BECAUSE AS IT'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN, WE FEEL LIKE IT'S TOO PUNITIVE. ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE OWNERSHIP ROLES AND THE TAX RECORDS, UH, I THINK I'VE PERSONALLY PAID OVER $80,000 IN HARRIS COUNTY PROPERTY TAXES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. AND WHAT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE STR BUSINESS HELPS US SUBSIDIZE SOME OF THE OTHER EFFORTS WE HAVE WHERE WE PROVIDE NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN DISTRICT D WITHOUT ANY PRIVATE SUB PUBLIC SUBSIDY MONEY. SO I THINK, UH, YOU GUYS WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT HOUSTON THAT MAKES IT SO UNIQUE IS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENS IN HOUSTON PRIVATELY WITHOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, ANY SUBSIDY MONEY. AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE HAPPEN IS A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, BLACK AND BROWN MINORITY OWNERS GET IMPACTED IF THIS PASSES AS IS BECAUSE THIS STR BUSINESS ALSO HELPS US OFFSET A LOT OF THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, STUFF WE DO FOR THE COMMUNITY AS WELL WITH PROVIDING HOUSING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT AKECHI PHILLIPS. HI, MY NAME IS ACHE AND I AM A SHUT. YES, MY NAME IS ACHE PHILLIPS AND I'M A SHORT-TERM RENTAL BUSINESS OWNER HERE IN HOUSTON. AND I WAS GONNA SPEAK ON AMENDMENT THREE, BUT I'M GRATEFUL THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE WITHDRAWN AND ALSO ASK THAT THE CITY CONSIDER, UM, ALL OF THE RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE BEING PUT IN PLACE FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HOST, UM, A LOT OF GUESTS, BUT THE ONE THAT TOUCHED MY HEART ARE THOSE WHO COME INTO HOUSTON FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT AT MD ANDERSON. UM, I JUST GOT A NOTE FROM A GUEST WHO LEFT TWO WEEKS AGO THANKING US FOR THE, OUR HOME, BEING A HOME AWAY FROM HOME FROM THEM, FOR THEM. THEY CAME BACK INTO HOUSTON YESTERDAY AND REQUESTED TO STAY WITH US AGAIN. SO WHEN YOU HEAR THE STORIES ABOUT THE PARTIES AND THE BAD ACTORS, REMEMBER THAT THERE'S A GREATER NUMBER OF US WHO ARE GOOD OPERATORS AND WHO PROVIDE A SERVICE TO THESE FAMILIES THAT THEY CANNOT OTHERWISE RECEIVE IN HOTELS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. JUST A SECOND MA'AM. UH, MAYOR PROAM CAST, [00:30:01] THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. WE DEFINITELY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HEAR FROM ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS BEFORE WE MAKE ANY DECISIONS ON THE SHORT TERM RENTALS. MY QUESTION IS, UM, OUTSIDE OF AMENDMENT THREE, UH, DO YOU HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE ORDINANCE AS IS WRITTEN WITH, UH, AMENDMENT ONE AND TWO? UM, I THINK AMENDMENT TWO IS ALSO A CONCERN FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE, LET'S SAY SEVEN UNITS. IF ONE OF YOUR UNITS IS REVOKED, THAT'S 25%, UM, YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE REST OF THEM. SO WE DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT AMENDMENT TWO AS WELL. DID, DID YOU, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY LANGUAGE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE CONSIDERED FOR A MEMBER? TWO? AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT RIGHT NOW, BUT IF YOU DO, UM, OR YOU HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT TO THE BODY, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE SEND THAT OVER FOR US TO, UM, LOOK AT AS WELL. IT'S OUR PLEASURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. NEXT, SEAN MCFARLAND. HELLO COUNSEL. HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING TODAY? UH, MY NAME'S SEAN MCFARLAND. I OWN A FOURPLEX IN DISTRICT C IN THE MONTROSE AREA, UM, IN, IN MS. COMMONS, UH, DISTRICT. UM, YOU GUYS ALREADY ADDRESSED MY CONCERN WITH AMENDMENT THREE, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND NIX MY SPEECH ON THAT PART. UH, BUT I WANTED TO ALSO ECHO AMENDMENT TWO BEING A CONCERN AS WELL, JUST FOR MY FOURPLEX. UH, AS AN EXAMPLE, IF I GET ONE UNIT REVOKED, IT WOULD TAKE AWAY THE PERMIT FOR THE WHOLE BUILDING. UM, AND I DO HAVE PRACTICES IN PLACE WHERE I TRY TO VET GUESTS, UM, COLLECTING IDS, SELFIES, UH, GETTING HOUSE RULES SIGNED. AND EVEN WITH THOSE MEASURES IN PLACE, EVEN IF I DID A, I DON'T DO BACKGROUND CHECKS, BUT IF I DID BACKGROUND CHECKS, UM, THERE'S STILL PEOPLE THAT CAN COMMIT A CRIME THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE ANY BE BE ABLE TO FORESEE THOSE THINGS. AND SO IF MY PERMIT GOT REVOKED FOR ONE OF MY UNITS IN THE BUILDING, UH, AFFECTING THE WHOLE BUILDING WOULD BE PRETTY DETRIMENTAL TO ME AND MY FAMILY AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE SUPPORT ALONG THE WAY, CLEANERS, LOCAL CONTRACTORS THAT HELP UPKEEP, MAINTENANCE AND ALL THAT STUFF WITH THE PROPERTY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, REALLY EITHER THAT GET, YOU KNOW, NOT CONSIDERED OR SOME DIFFERENT LANGUAGE. I'D BE HAPPY TO COLLABORATE IF THERE'S ANY, UM, ANY WAYS THAT I CAN HELP WITH THAT. VERY GOOD. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. THANK YOU. AND I, ONE YOU WERE HERE ALSO YESTERDAY, SO I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY THAT, UH, IS UP FOR TWO DAYS THIS WEEK. I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE BEEN COMING AND ENGAGING SO TO THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN ENGAGING THROUGHOUT THIS MULTI-YEAR PROCESS, THANK YOU. AND TO THE, UH, NEWER FOLKS, WELCOME. AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE FEEDBACK. UM, JUST TO BE CLEAR ON AMENDMENT TWO, IT'S NOT AN AUTOMATIC REVOCATION. SO, AND WE HEARD FROM LEGAL YESTERDAY AS TO PROPOSE LANGUAGE THAT WOULD, UM, SUPPLEMENT THAT TO MODIFY IT. SO IT'S NOT A PERCENTAGE, BUT IT'S A MAY REVOKE. OKAY. IT'S NOT AN AUTOMATIC REVOCATION, IT'S AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO NARROWLY TAILOR THIS TO ADDRESS 'CAUSE WHAT YOU'LL HEAR FROM OTHERS, RIGHT? THERE'S TWO SIDES TO THE COIN AND Y'ALL ARE THE, THE ONES THAT ARE SHOWCASING HOUSTON AND BRINGING BUSINESS TO HOUSTON AND HELPING FAMILIES IN NEED, UM, THROUGH YOUR BUSINESS THAT YOU HAVE CREATED. BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT. SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE AND, AND WHAT YOU HAVEN'T HEARD, BUT WHAT CHAIR RAMIREZ YESTERDAY HAD ALSO MENTIONED IS WE ALSO HAVE EMAILS FROM NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS BEGGING US TO BE MORE STRICT TO REQUIRE MORE REGISTRATIONS, HIGHER FEES, UH, SIGNAGE AND POSTING ON YOUR PROPERTIES, LIKE A WHOLE LIST OF ADDITIONAL THINGS. SO I, I THINK WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO TAKE TO HEART THE FEEDBACK AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW WE'RE WORKING THROUGH IT. AND TO CLARIFY ON AMENDMENT TWO, IT'S NOT AN AUTOMATIC REVOCATION, IT'S TO TRY TO ADDRESS AND GIVE THE CITY SOME TOOL SO THAT WITH THESE LARGER BUILDINGS, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO UNIT BY UNIT TO 20 UNITS TRYING TO PULL THOSE. YEAH. AND IT FALLING ON THE BURDEN ON RESIDENTS TO REPORT THAT. I GET THAT. YEAH. UM, JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE MAYBE SOME KIND OF REVISION OR COLLABORATION WITH, YOU KNOW, SMALL OPERATORS LIKE MYSELF THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST GET ONE BAD PERSON THAT COMES IN AND I KNOW THE MAY LANGUAGE, YOU KNOW, IT'D JUST BE HELPFUL FOR US TO UNDERSTAND OR MAYBE HAVE SOME BETTER CLARITY ON, YOU KNOW, HOW THAT WOULD END UP WORKING. AND I BELIEVE WITH THE REVOCATIONS, AGAIN, THAT'S IT. THAT'S A PROCESS, THAT'S AN ADJUDICATION. IT'S NOT, OH, YOU WERE CITED, SO YOUR LICENSE IS REVOKED. RIGHT? THAT TAKES A WHOLE PROCESS TO GO THROUGH TO EVEN HAVE A, A SINGLE LICENSE OR REGISTRATION [00:35:01] REVOKED. SO IT'S, THERE ARE LEVELS AND TIERS TO WORK THROUGH BEFORE YOU GET TO THAT ULTIMATE, UM, LAST DITCH RESORT THAT THE CITY HAS. BUT WE NEED SOME SORT OF MECHANISM THERE. OKAY. THANK YOU. OH, YES MA'AM, SIR. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I WANTED TO THANK ALL OF ALL OF THE, UM, ALL OF THE HOSTS THAT ARE HERE, UH, REPRESENTING THE GOOD SIDE OF THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION. AND AS BUSINESS OWNERS, I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WE DO TO OBVIOUSLY WANTING TO BE POSITIVE, WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITY IS SAFE, WANTING TO HANDLE THE BAD ACTORS. I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU DO BRING A BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE. UM, HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU LOOKED ON THE SECTION ABOUT THE APPEAL PROCESS? HAVE YOU READ THAT AT ALL? I, I PROBABLY HAVE. I I'D HAVE TO PULL IT BACK UP AND READ THROUGH IT THOUGH. OKAY. THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LOVE TO TALK ABOUT AS WELL IS LIKE HOW THE APPEAL PROCESS IS AND JUST UNDERSTANDING A BIT BETTER OF IF, IF FOR SOME REASON YOU ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, WHAT IS THE PROCESS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR, WHAT PROOF YOU MAY NEED TO SHOW, ET CETERA, TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT JUST SOMEONE COMPLAINING, BUT THEY ACTUALLY, UM, ARE MAKING VALID CONCERNS. SO THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH ANYONE THAT'S HERE WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT. YEAH. UM, SOME, SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALLOW TO APPEAL OR REINSTATE A LICENSE WOULD DEFINITELY BE, YOU KNOW, GO A LONG WAY FOR SMALLER COMPANIES AND OPERATORS LIKE MYSELF, SO. ABSOLUTELY. AND THEN ONE OTHER QUESTION. DO YOU HAVE LIKE NOISE MONITORS CAMERAS AT, AT THE FOURPLEX? I'VE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE. UM, HOWEVER, I DO HAVE PROPERTIES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS WHERE I HAVE HAD SOME PROBLEMS AND I HAVE IMPLEMENTED NOISE MONITORS TO HELP. AND SINCE THEN IT'S REALLY CUT DOWN ON A LOT OF THE ISSUES. SO, UM, BUT AS FAR AS THE ONE THAT I HAVE HERE IN AT THE FOURPLEXES, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY NOISE MONITOR. I HAVEN'T HAD A NEED, I HAVEN'T HAD A COMPLAINT. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY POLICE, YOU KNOW, CALLED OUT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, SO, UM, BUT YEAH. NO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. NEXT SEBASTIAN LONG GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M THE CEO OF LODGER PROFESSIONAL OPERATOR OF 70 SHORT-TERM AND CORPORATE HOUSING UNITS IN CLASS, A MULTI-FAMILY COMMUNITIES. WE'VE SAFELY HOSTED OVER 10,000 GUESTS AND OUR ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION AND THE CORPORATE HOUSING PROVIDERS ASSOCIATION. WE SUPPORT THE CITY'S GOALS OF GUEST SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD HARMONY, BUT SEVERAL PROVISIONS RISK HARMING RE RESPONSIBLE OPERATORS WITHOUT STOPPING THE BAD ACTORS. AMENDMENT TWO UNFAIRLY TARGETS MULTIFAMILY HOUSING. REV REVOCATION SHOULD BE BASED ON REPEATED VIOLATIONS, NOT PROPERTY TYPE OPERATORS ALSO SHOULD BE PENALIZED FOR GUEST CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. HOTELS AND APARTMENTS AREN'T HELD TO THAT STANDARD IN THEIR ORDINANCES. LANGUAGE SHOULD BE ADDED, ALLOWING SCR OPERATORS TO REQUEST POLICE HELP WITH TRESPASSES ON THE TEXAS PENAL CODE THREE 0.05, JUST LIKE HOTELS DO WHEN A GUEST RESERVATION IS CANCELED AND THEY REFUSE TO LEAVE. WE APPRECIATE THE REMOVAL A OF AMENDMENT THREE, BUT STRONGLY OPPOSE ANY FUTURE DENSITY RESTRICTIONS. STRS AND MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING ARE LOW RISK COMPARED TO THE PARTY RISK OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITH POOLS, FOR EXAMPLE. PLEASE ALSO INCLUDE SAFEGUARDS FOR OPERATORS LAUNCHING NEW PROPERTIES AFTER JANUARY 1ST, 2026, AND EXTEND PERMIT TERMS TO THREE YEARS TO REDUCE UNNECESSARY ADMINISTRATIVE BURDENS. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER POINTS, BUT WE'LL FOLLOW UP BY, BY EMAIL. UH, SINCE THESE HAVE GOT A BIT MORE DETAIL, UH, IN SUMMARY, LET'S CREATE A FAIR, SCALABLE AUDIENCE THAT SETS HOUSTON UP AS A NATIONAL MODEL FOR SDR REGULATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CONNECTION ANJU. THANK YOU MR. MARIN ESTEEM COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANKS FOR THE TIME. UM, SO I WANNA TELL YOU ABOUT WHO I AM. I'M A SHORT TERM RENTAL OPERATOR IN THE CITY AS AN, AS AN OPERATOR. I'M A SMALL BUSINESS. I PROVIDE SAFE, CLEAN, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AND FOR VISITORS. I PROVIDE JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY. I PROVIDE TAX REVENUE FOR THE CITY. I, WE KEEP PROPERTIES WELL MAINTAINED AND NEIGHBORHOODS LOOKING GOOD. PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP FOR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES IS BIG. WE WANT OUR PROPERTIES LOOKING REALLY GOOD. ALSO, I TAKE RISK MITIGATION INTO ACCOUNT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE BAD GUESTS. WE DO GUEST SCREENING, VERIFICATION OF THEIR ID AND THE AUTO, THAT THEY'LL BE TAKEN TO THE CAR, TO THE UNIT. UH, WE HAVE THOROUGH HOUSE RULES THAT GUESTS HAVE TO AGREE TO. WE HAVE EXTERIOR RING CAMERA MONITORING. WE HAVE A NOISE MONITORING SYSTEM. WE HAVE A PRIVATE SECURITY PATROL, WHICH PATROLS OUR LISTINGS ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS. AND ALSO WE HAVE 24 7 OUTREACH FOR ALL NEIGHBORS. WE, WE LIKE TO MEET OUR NEIGHBORS. WE LIKE TO HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR [00:40:01] NEIGHBORS. UM, MY MY INITIAL CONCERN WAS AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE. I SPOKE ON THAT YESTERDAY, BUT NOW AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO. SEE, IN GENERAL, WHAT, WHAT I BELIEVE IS THAT IT, YOU CAN'T HOLD SOMEBODY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRIME OF ANOTHER. SO IF SOMEBODY'S, IF, IF A GUEST IS IN THERE AND THEY'RE BREAKING THE NOISE ORDINANCE OR THEY'RE CAUSING SOME TYPE OF CRIME, IT'S HOW CAN YOU HOLD THE, THE BUSINESS OWNER RESPONSIBLE? I'M NOT SURE IF HOTELS ARE HOLD HELD TO THAT STANDARD. SO I, I THINK IN GENERAL, IT'S, IT'S A OVERREACH FROM THAT POINT OF VIEW. AND THERE'S OTHER THINGS IN THE EXISTING ORDINANCE THAT I WOULD SAY ARE THE SAME THING, WHERE THE HOSTS, WHERE THE BUSINESS OWNER IS BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRIMES OF ANOTHER. COUNCILOR PLUMMER. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I HAVE A QUESTION AND, AND I'M NOT, WE SAID WE USE AIRBNB JUST BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT'S KIND OF LIKE A HOUSEHOLD NAME. SURE. BUT JUST THE, THE SHORT TERM RENTAL JUST IN GENERAL, RIGHT. ALL THE, ALL THE DIFFERENT, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO BE PLATFORM YEAH. PLATFORMS. UM, DO YOU THINK THAT THE PLATFORMS COULD CREATE SOME ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF SUPPORT TO THE HOSTS? UM, AND JUST FOR EXAMPLE, UM, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THEY DO OR THEY DON'T, BUT IF FOR SOME REASON YOU HAVE A BAD ACTOR THAT'S STAYING THERE AND YOU WANT TO TERMINATE, UM, THAT YOU KNOW, THAT THAT TIME THAT THEY'RE THERE, WOULD IT, ARE THERE ANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT PLATFORM TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO SAY, LISTEN, YOU CAN'T STAY HERE ANYMORE BECAUSE YOU'VE GONE AGAINST AN ORDINANCE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS WITHOUT BEING PEN, WITHOUT PENALIZING YOU? NO, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO YEAH, IF WE CANCEL A RESERVATION MID STAY WITHOUT ANY NOTIFICATION TO THE PLATFORM, THEY WILL SUSPEND US. SO, SO THEY'LL SUSPEND THE PROPERTY, THEY COULD SUSPEND THE HOST. THERE'S DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO. SO WE DON'T LIKE TO DO THAT. SO EVEN IF THERE IS A PARTY GOING ON IN SOME TYPE OF DISTURBANCE GOING ON, WE REACH OUT TO THE PLATFORM, UM, AT WHATEVER TIME AND WE SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A DISTURBANCE. CAN YOU PLEASE CANCEL THIS RESERVATION? WE WANT THESE PEOPLE OUT. UM, THEN, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S A PROCESS. IT TAKES TIME SOMETIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AT AT TIMES, YOU KNOW, HALF AN HOUR, ONE HOUR. IT IS A PROCESS. IF THERE'S SOMETHING QUICK THAT, BECAUSE THEY'RE BREAKING A NOISE, NOISE ORDINANCE AND WE CAN KIND OF QUICKLY, BECAUSE YOU CAN PROVE THAT VERY QUICKLY ON THE MESSAGE HISTORY. HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON? WE HAVE RING CAMERA FOOTAGE. YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE, SOMETHING LIKE THIS. SO YOU CAN, YOU CAN SHOW THAT, YOU KNOW, VERY EASILY. AND THEN IF YOU CAN PROVE THAT OR, OR JUST CANCEL IT RIGHT AWAY AND AFTER THE FACT SAY, OKAY, LOOK, THIS WAS A NOISE OR THEY, THEY DIDN'T COMPLY WITH THE CITY ORDINANCE, THEREFORE WE CANCEL THIS. DON'T PENALIZE US. OKAY. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . COUNCILMAN CAMAN HAS A PRESENCE OF MOTION. ANYBODY ELSE? COUNCILMAN CAMAN? IT'S PROCEDURAL. IT'S FOR A PROCEDURAL MOTION. SORRY. THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. UH, YES, WE HAVE, UH, ONE OF OUR, OUR YOUTH SPEAKERS TODAY THAT I THINK HER FATHER WILL NEED TO TAKE HER IN A BIT. SO IF I MAY, UH, MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE, UH, ADA HIN AND THEN PATRICK HIN TO FOLLOW, I BELIEVE YOU SAID MARION, MS. MARION WRIGHT. SO TO FOLLOW THEM SECOND MOTION MADE AND SECOND CAR IN FAVOR, SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED THANK MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. NORINA. AMIR, KOVA, OLA, UL. HELLO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US. UM, I WANTED TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED HIM. I DON'T KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, BUT THERE IS AN OPTION FOR YOU TO BLOCK A GUEST FROM NEVER COMMUNICATING WITH YOU ANYMORE OR EVEN BOOKING YOUR PROPERTY. AND I HAVE DONE THAT IN PAST FOR LITTLE LIKE, UM, RULE BREAKING, LIKE, UM, SMOKING IN MY PROPERTY OR, 'CAUSE I'M VERY STRICT 'CAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF FAMILIES AND A LOT OF CANCER PATIENTS COME IN MY SPACE. SO I HAVE THIS STANDARD THAT I KEEP. SO ANYBODY THAT LIKE SMOKES ON THE PROPERTY OR ANYTHING, I JUST BLOCK THEM. AND AIRBNB HAS BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL WITH THAT. SOMETIMES I HAD TO GUESS WRITE A BAD REVIEW BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANNA COME IN 'CAUSE I, THEY, THEY WANTED A REFUND. AND I SPOKE TO AIRBNB AND AIRBNB TOLD ME, THIS IS ALREADY GETTING TO OUR HARASSMENT. IF YOU WANT US TO FILE CHARGES, WE CAN HELP YOU. THEY'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL WITH, FROM ME, MY EXPERIENCE AND A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES. SO THE PLATFORM MIGHT HAVE A BAD REPUTATION, BUT GENERALLY THEY'RE VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE IF YOU'RE A GOOD HOST, SUPER HOST, FIVE STAR, THEY KNOW YOU'RE DOING GOOD WORK, THEY'LL HELP YOU. BUT THAT'S JUST ME ANSWERING, UM, THAT QUESTION FROM MY SIDE. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR KIND WORDS TODAY AND THE WORK YOU'VE DONE FOR, UM, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR THE PAST ONE YEAR TRYING TO LIKE, SPEAK AND EVERYTHING, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I FEEL LIKE YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE IMAGINE WORKING HARD AND TRYING TO PROVIDE GOOD SERVICES AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE UNDER ATTACK, [00:45:01] UNDER ATTACK BECAUSE OF SOME SMALL BAD ACTORS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I DO WANNA SAY THAT, CAN WE TALK ABOUT AMENDMENT TWO? BECAUSE WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT WILL BREAK THE LAW. AND I KNOW YOU SAID IT'S NOT AUTOMATIC, BUT THAT STATEMENT IS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T PUT US AT EASE BECAUSE THEY ARE, ARE GONNA BREAK THE LAW. AND WE'VE, I CATER TO MEDICAL PATIENTS. MOST OF MY, UM, MY, UH, MY GUESTS ARE ACTUALLY FAMILIES WITH KIDS. I HAD SOMEONE STAY WITH FOR FOUR MONTHS 'CAUSE THEY HAD FIRE IN THEIR HOME, WIFE WAS PREGNANT, HAVE A 3-YEAR-OLD. THEY NEED SPACE. THEY NEED TO HAVE THEIR DOG WALK AROUND. THEY NEED, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL AND EVERYTHING. I CATER TO MOST, THOSE ARE MY, THOSE MAJORITY OF MY CLIENTS. IF YOU'RE LIKE A SINGLE PERSON THAT JUST WANT TO LIKE STAY OVER THE NIGHT, YOU GO TO A HOTEL. BUT IF YOU'RE A FAMILY, YOU NEED A HOME, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHY WE GET, UM, A LOT OF AIRBNB GUESTS. BUT UM, I REALLY WANNA SAY IN FUTURE WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO PUSH IN LAWS, CAN YOU REMEMBER THAT WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING GREAT WORK HERE AND WE PROVIDE A LOT OF THINGS BE THE MARGINS ARE SO SMALL IN THE AIRBNB. SO YOU HAVE TO BE, THIS IS A LIBERAL OF LOVE. YOU KNOW, I DON'T MAKE ANY MONEY LIKE PEOPLE THINK. I DON'T, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE. I LOVE WHAT I DO. I LIKE SEEING THE STORY. I LIKE HELPING PEOPLE PURELY LABOR OF LOVE. AND IF YOU TAKE THIS HARSH METHOD TO PUT, YOU KNOW, TO PUT THIS, UM, I DUNNO AMENDMENT, IT'S HARDER ON US 'CAUSE WE'RE ALREADY STRUGGLING IN THE BUSINESS. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE SAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. COUNCIL CAME. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FEEDBACK. JUST ON TWO THINGS YOU SAID ONE, THE, I I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND THE, THE ILLEGAL ACTIVITY ISN'T PART OF THE AMENDMENT. I KNOW YOU'RE REFERRING TO AMENDMENT TWO, BUT SOME OF THE CONCERNS WE'VE HEARD ARE THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE OF THE STR ORDINANCE WHERE IT IDENTIFIES THAT ILLEGAL ACTIVITY CAN BE GROUNDS FOR, UM, A, AN AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE, NOT JUST A FINE. CORRECT. UM, HOWEVER, WHAT ONE THING YOU SAID, AND AGAIN, THIS DOES NOT GO TO OUR AMAZING, UH, PARTNERS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT THE, THOSE TEENAGERS YOU MAY BE TALKING ABOUT THAT WANNA PARTY, UH, SO THEY BOOK A HOTEL, THEY ARE BOOKING SHORT-TERM RENTAL SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THEY'RE BECOMING THESE KNOWN PARTY HOUSES. AND UH, IT'S NOT JUST A PROBLEM FOR HPD, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, BUT IT'S A HUGE ISSUE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE IT'S OCCURRING. AND SO AGAIN, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE WHILE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT, UM, NOT JUST THE ECONOMIC VALUE, BUT THE BENEFIT THAT YOU ALL ARE BRINGING TO THIS CITY. BUT I, I DO WANNA JUST CLARIFY 'CAUSE I I KNOW WE HAVE SOME RESIDENTS HERE, UH, THAT ARE THE ONES EXPERIENCING THOSE ISSUES. DO, UH, DO WE EVER CHECK AND SEE WHERE, 'CAUSE THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN MY UNIT. I'VE BEEN IN THERE FOR FOUR YEARS AND I'VE NEVER HAD A PARTY DISRUPTION. IT'S MOSTLY FAMILY. SO MAYBE THERE'S A TREND HERE. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT CONSIDERING THE TYPE OF UNIT THAT IS GETTING THIS ATTRACTIVE, ATTRACTIVE TEENAGERS. I DON'T KNOW. IT, IT'S NOT JUST TEENAGERS. WE'VE HAD ISSUES WITH SEX TRAFFICKING AND PROSTITUTION. OKAY. I MEAN, IT, IT'S, IT'S A CHALLENGE AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GRAPPLE WITH, WITH COMPONENTS OF WELL, I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. CATHERINE MCNEIL. HI, I'M CATHERINE MCNEIL. I'M HERE IN MY CAPACITY AS PRESIDENT OF THE MUSEUM AREA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION CIVIC CLUB. WE HAVE A SMALL APARTMENT COMPLEX, 22 UNITS THAT HAS BEEN TURNED INTO AN AIRBNB, UH, CENTER. I, UH, I WANNA SAY THAT WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF REGULATIONS. WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE AND SUPPORTIVE OF THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS DISCUSSION OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS. SO FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS TWO TERMS, VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. I DO WANNA SAY, WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED, WE SUPPORT AMENDMENTS THAT ARE, THAT STRENGTHEN THE ORDINANCE. WE ALSO, I WILL ALSO SAY THAT THE ORDINANCE DOES NOTHING TO THE IMPACT OF LOSS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND I'M TALKING ABOUT MULTI-UNIT. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SINGLE STRUCTURE. AND MAYBE IT NEEDS TO BE SEPARATED OUT IN, IN TWO DIFFERENT ORDINANCES TO MAKE YOUR LIFE MORE COMPLICATED. UM, BUT IT DOES NOTHING ABOUT ADDRESSING THE LOSS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT DOES NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT IF YOU HAVE AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT HAS AT LEAST 10 UNITS, MAYBE NO MORE THAN 30, YOU'VE STILL PLACED A HOTEL [00:50:01] IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. COUNCILMAN ALOR? YES, CATHERINE. THANK YOU. I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN ON THIS AT THIS A LONG TIME AND YOURS IS THE PRIME EXAMPLE ON BANK STREET AND THERE'S OTHERS LIKE IT. AND, AND I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE RESPONSIBLE OWNERS AND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING FOR SURE, BUT THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO MANY COMPLAINTS THAT WE, WE GO TO SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AFTER SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD CIVIC CLUBS AND THERE'S ALWAYS SOME KIND OF PARTY HOUSE OR SOMETHING GOING ON BACK. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. AND I THINK THAT THE, THAT YOU'RE NEVER, THE, THE RESPONSIBLE OWNERS ARE NOT GONNA HAVE A, A PORTION OF THEIR UNITS VIOLATE BE ALL THE WAY ADJUDICATED THROUGH THE SYSTEM. I MEAN, THAT TAKES A WHILE AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE PROOF AND ALL OF THAT. BUT, BUT THESE PROPERTIES DO, THESE PROPERTIES DO HAVE BAD PROBLEMS OVER AND OVER. AND WE WANT TO LIMIT 'EM SOME. AND THESE OWNERS, THERE'S NOT EVEN TENANTS IN THESE PLACES. THESE ARE, THESE ARE THEIR TENANTS ARE THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PEOPLE. I MEAN, THAT'S ALL THEY'RE DOING. SO WE'RE GONNA STICK WITH THIS. AND MAYBE IT IS A SEPARATE CATEGORY. MAYBE IT'S AN OWNER, YOU KNOW, NON OCCUPIED OWNER, NO TENANT SITUA, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DEFINE IT. AND WE CAN WORK WITH LEGAL ON THAT. BUT WE HAVE GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THESE, WHAT USED TO BE AFFORDABLE HOUSES WITH TEACH, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT WANTED THEIR KIDS TO GO TO POE ELEMENTARY OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOW ALL THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS GONE. AND NOW IT'S JUST A FLOP HOUSE. AND IT IT, AND I'M SORRY IF YOU'VE BEEN AN AIRBNB PERSON THAT STAYS IN 'EM, I STAY IN 'EM, I JUST STAYED IN ONE RECENTLY. I GOT A BOOK OF RULES. I MEAN, I GOT A BOOK OF RULES THAT SAID I COULDN'T EVEN PLAY MUSIC THAT COULD BE HEARD OUTSIDE OR ELSE THE, THE COMPLIANCE OFFICER WAS GONNA COME KNOCK ON MY DOOR. I MEAN THE, I WAS LIKE, WOW, THERE'S A SHORT TERM RENTAL COMPLIANCE OFFICER IN THIS CITY, BUT WHAT, WHAT? WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT. BUT, BUT THIS IS, I KNOW IT'S A BALANCE, BUT WE HAVE TO PROTECT NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT'S A REAL BALANCE. 'CAUSE WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF RESPONSIBLE OWNERS OUT THERE DOING THE RIGHT THING. WE DON'T WANNA HURT YOU. THAT'S WHY I TAKE BACK MY AMENDMENT. BUT I WON'T BEND ON ON A PROBLEM PROPERTY, A PROBLEM PROPERTY THAT HAS CONSISTENT PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN ADJUDICATED DUE PROCESS. THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE OWNER IF THIS IS HAPPENING AT YOUR PROPERTY. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. WE'RE GONNA HELP YOU, CATHERINE AS GOD IS MY WITNESS. . THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU CATHERINE. NEXT SHERRY BUTLER TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANNA HARRIS. UM, THANKS SO MUCH TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO MAYOR WHITMAR, UM, AND ALL WHO HAVE ASSISTED ANNA AND I IN OUR MISSION TO CORRECT SOME SERIOUS HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES AT THE CAMPANELLA APARTMENTS. UM, IT, THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX IS ONE OF BLAZER'S 25 PROPERTIES. UM, THE PROBLEMS THAT, THAT WE, THAT THE LAST FEW ONES, AND I AM ACKNOWLEDGING A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT. WE'VE BEEN COMING AND I HAVE SEEN IMPROVEMENT. SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, ESPECIALLY FROM, UM, WILLIE DAVIS, WHO IS A, A, A HUGE CHAMPION AND MAYOR WHITMEYER, UH, GREAT STAFF OF JAMES AND ALLEN AND, AND THE AWESOME REBECCA WHO HAVE REALLY DONE A GREAT JOB. BUT WE HAVE TO GET TO THE REAL ISSUE. AND THEN THIS IS WHAT I'M GONNA COME AND TALK ABOUT UNTIL IT'S CORRECTED. WE CAN'T DISCUSS THE KEY BUSINESS ANYMORE. THERE WAS A BUNCH OF ISSUES ABOUT THE NOX BOXES AND THE KEYS AND THE FIRE INSPECTOR SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW, UH, I'LL COME OUT, THERE'S A KEY IN THE BOX. AND THEN THE, THE GREAT CAPTAINS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT ARE AT, UH, UH, FIRE STATION 30 AND 12. THEY GIVE US ALL THE ATTENTION AND ALL THE HELP AND SUPPORT. BUT THAT INSPECTOR AND OTHER PEOPLE IN BLAZER MANAGEMENT ARE SAYING, WELL, THE LAW ONLY REQUIRES ONE KEY IN THIS NOX BOX. WELL, WHEN I TALKED TO GABRIEL, WHO'S A CAPTAIN AT 30, HE GOES, YEAH, IT'S NOT THE FIRE PEOPLE. I'VE GIVEN THEM ALL A KEY. 'CAUSE I KEPT GOING OVER AND BRINGING KEYS TO 'EM OVER AND OVER AND THEY'D COME IN AND REPLACE 'EM. HE SAID, I ALL MY FIRE TRUCKS HAVE A KEY. IT'S THE EMS THAT SOMETIMES GET PULLED FROM OTHER AREAS AND, AND THEY LEGITIMATELY HAVE TO LEAVE AND THEY CAN'T GO PUT THE KEY BACK. SO IF THERE'S JUST ONE KEY IN THE BOX, THIS IS THE PROBLEM. THE KEY IS THE POINT OF FAILURE. SO I SAY FORGET ABOUT THE KEYS. UM, [00:55:01] COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, I JUST HAVE A FEW MORE COMMENTS. CAN I CONTINUE? PLEASE, SIR? SURE, GO AHEAD. AHEAD. OH, SHARE MY TIME. THANK YOU, SIR. UM, SO I CHALLENGE ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO JUST, UH, IS HE IN TROUBLE BECAUSE HE GAVE ME MORE TIME? ? OH MAN, I'M ALWAYS IN TROUBLE. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I'LL BELLY HIM OUT, MA'AM. I'LL BELLY HIM OUT. . WELL, HE'S A LITTLE DISTANCED FROM YOU. I DON'T THINK HE CAN HURT YOU. NO, I'M I'LL PAY HIS BOND. DON'T WORRY. . UM, SO MY, MY CHALLENGE TO ALL THE MEMBERS, UM, BUT, AND, AND MY WISH HEARTFELT IS IF Y'ALL EVER CAME TO OUR PARKING LOTS AFTER NINE OR 10 O'CLOCK AND SAW THAT IF WE HAD THOSE SILVER CALL BOXES REPLACED THAT WERE SUP THAT WERE THERE WORKING UNTIL THE FIRST TIME IN, AND I CAME IN OCTOBER, ALL I HAD TO DO, I HAD A FOB. I JUST CLICKED ON THE DOOR, NO KEY NECESSARY. I ALREADY HAVE THE FOB FOR THE GATES. I JUST CLICKED ON THE FOB OPEN THE DOOR COULD RUN IN. WELL, I CAN'T RUN. I HAVE A HIP ISSUE. BUT THAT'S ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT Y'ALL CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT. SO I CHALLENGE YOU ALL TO PLEASE PUT THE PRESSURE ON BLAZER, THE EXCUSES THAT THE FIRE INSPECTOR OR BLAZER MANAGEMENT HAVE MADE THAT THE, THERE'S ONE KEY. AND I EVEN SAID TO THE INSPECTOR, WHICH I TOLD Y'ALL LAST TIME, I SAID, TIM, IF IT WAS YOUR MOTHER, HE SAID, IN ALL MY 35 YEARS, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THERE, NOT THERE BEING A PROBLEM. AND I SAID, WELL, SIR, IF IT HAPPENED JUST ONCE AND IT WAS YOUR RELATIVE, WOULDN'T THAT BE TOO MANY TIMES? AND I JUST WAS SILENT AND HE DIDN'T GIVE ME AN ANSWER. SO I'M DROPPING THE KEYS, FORGET ABOUT THE KEYS, GET THOSE CALL BOXES THAT WERE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED WHEN WE CAME LAST OCTOBER. AND OF COURSE THEN THE OTHER PEOPLE THINK I'M THE PROBLEM BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE CALL BOXES WERE WORKING, BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE MOVED THE DAY AFTER I CAME AND SPOKE TO, WELL, THERE'S FOUR WOMEN THAT CAME AND SPOKE. SO MY REQUEST TO YOU AND MY APPRECIATION FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION IS JUST FIX THE CALL BOXES. SO WE HAVE, WE ALREADY HAVE THE FOBS. ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS INSTALL THE EQUIPMENT THAT WAS THERE WHEN I RENTED THE APARTMENT ORIGINALLY. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. COUNCILOR DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, YOU LADIES, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, ANNA, YOU THESE LADIES ARE KIND. YOU TOO KIND. BUT LET ME ASSURE YOU, THE CITY DOESN'T, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REGULATE THE CALL BOXES. YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NOT COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, WHO HAS FOLLOWED THROUGH AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE WITH HER, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE ISSUES THAT WERE THERE AT KANE. AND I CAN ASSURE YOU HER EFFORTS HAVE BEEN DILIGENT IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT Y'ALL HAVE KEYS TO THE ACCESS X EXCESS BOX. AND SO, BUT THE CALL BOX, OF COURSE, THE CITY DOESN'T REGULATE THAT. NOW WE, WE CAN, WE CAN TRY TO ADVOCATE, YOU KNOW, TO THE APARTMENT, UH, OWNERS ON YOUR BEHALF AND HOPEFULLY COME TO SOME, SOME, YOU KNOW, RESOLVE TO THAT. AND I'LL DO THAT IF I WORK WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND, UH, AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST AND I'M SURE SOME OF THE OTHER COLLEAGUES AS WELL. BUT WE'LL DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO, TO MAKE THAT, UH, HAPPEN FOR YOU GUYS. THANK YOU, SIR. YOU ARE WELCOME. I APPRECIATE IT. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU, MA'AM. NEXT, ANNA HARRIS. GOOD AFTERNOON. NICE TO SEE ALL OF Y'ALL AGAIN. . WELL, IT'S ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO DISCUSS TODAY, AND THAT IS OUR DARK PARKING LOT. IF YOU'LL RECALL, I WAS HERE IN OCTOBER, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED THEN. AND, UM, I JUST WISHED ONE OF Y'ALL WOULD JUST COME VISIT US ONE EVENING. SO YOU COULD JUST SEE WHAT I'M TRYING TO DESCRIBE. WE HAVE SLOTS AND GARAGES, AND THERE'LL BE A ROW OF SLOTS AND THEN A ROW OF GARAGES. WELL, EVERY SLOTTED AREA IS DARK SO THAT WHEN EVERY ONE OF THEM, EVERY AND ONE SIDE OF THE BUILDING IS REALLY BAD, SO THAT WHEN WE PULL INTO A PARKING PLACE, IT IS DARK. SO, UM, I MEAN, JUST THE THOUGHT OF WHY IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THEY CREATE AN ELDERLY PARKINGS LOT TO BE DARK. AND NOT ONLY THAT, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A, A HIGH CRIME AREA. THE GATES ARE BEING LEFT OVER FOR [01:00:01] LONG PERIODS OF TIME SOMETIMES. AND SO OF COURSE WE'VE HAD, I'VE HAD MY CATALYTIC CONVERTERS STOLEN. UM, SEVERAL OF US DID. WE'VE HAD, UH, BREAK-INS IN THE CARS. IF THE, IF THEY'RE LOCKED, THEY BREAK THE WINDOWS. AND MANAGEMENT SAYS THEY'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR SAFETINESS AND OUR PERSONAL BELONGINGS. BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE SIT, THE LOCATION IS SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF WHERE WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE SITTING DUCKS, BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, I'M A NANNY. I GET HOME SOMETIMES LATE IN THE EVENING, 11 OR 12 O'CLOCK, AND IT'S FRIGHTENING TO GET OUTTA MY CAR AND HAVE TO WALK ACROSS THAT PARKING LOT. SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE COULD BE MOTION LIGHTS THAT AREN'T EXPENSIVE THAT COULD JUST COME ON WHEN WE PULL UP INTO THOSE SLOTS TO PARK. SO THAT'S MY REQUEST TODAY. WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP. THANK YOU COUNCILOR DAVIS. THANK YOU, MR. WE THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, ALWAYS AND IN REGARDS TO PROTECTING AND PUBLIC SAFETY OF OUR SENIORS. UH, AND I GUESS THAT'S KIND OF A, UH, A REAL TOUCH ISSUE FOR ME BECAUSE MY MOTHER LIVED IN A FACILITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO, UNTIL HER PASSING. AND, AND OF COURSE WE ALWAYS ADVOCATE FOR OUR SENIORS. AND I, I WILL, YOU KNOW, I WILL VISIT, I'LL VISIT, AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAY, TO DISCUSS WITH THEM THE BEST TO TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN, AS WELL AS HOPING THAT WE CAN GET MORE PROTECTION IN THE COMMUNITY FROM, UH, FROM MY POLICE OFFICERS AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR CONSTABLES THAT WILL AT LEAST MAKE YOU FEEL SAFE. AND HOPEFULLY BE SAFE. YEAH. THAT, UH, WE APPRECIATE EVERY BIT OF YOUR HELP SO MUCH. ALL OF Y'ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, RONNIE ROES, JOY ROTH. HI, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL SIT HERE EVERY WEEK AND TAKE HOURS TO LISTEN TO , ALL THE RESIDENTS. THERE ARE PROBABLY MORE, UH, EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE WAYS FOR SPECIFIC CONSTITUENT ISSUES, BUT I'M NOT SURE OF THE PROPER FORUM TO EXPRESS, UH, WHAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT AN ASPECT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. I'M A 20 PLUS YEAR EMPLOYEE OF A LARGE OIL COMPANY DOWNTOWN IN JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY I GET TO WORK BY BIKE. I DON'T DO IT FOR RECREATION, BUT I DO IT TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B. I USE LAMAR TO GET ACROSS TOWN TO GEORGE R. BROWN AUSTIN GO THE ION TO WATCH GULF LEASE. SALE RESULTS COME IN HALF DAY SESSIONS AT THE MED CENTER. I HOP ON MY BIKE TO GET MOVING WHILE RUNNING ERRANDS. SINCE I CAN'T SEEM TO GET TO START LIKE A REGULAR EXERCISE ROUTINE, I GOT A CIRCUIT THAT TAKES ME TO THE HARDWARE STORE, THE LIBRARY, AND THE PHARMACY USING 11TH. AND I'VE SINCE DISCOVERED BUSINESSES I'VE DRIVEN BY AND NEVER NOTICED FOR YEARS. I GO TO THE DENTIST'S OFFICE USING HEIGHTS UP FROM THE BAYOU, TAKE MY DAUGHTER'S SUMMER CAMP USING SPRING STREET. I'VE TAKEN HER AND HER FRIEND TO DISCOVERY GREEN FROM WHITE OAK, UM, DOWN AUSTIN. UH, THE MEANTIME I DO RIDE RECREATIONALLY IS JUST TO SHOWCASE SOME OF MY FAVORITE ASPECTS OF OUR CITY, UH, FROM THE BAYOU AND THE BIKEWAYS THAT CONNECT THEM. SO I JUST ASK, PLEASE USE A SCALPEL, NOT A SLEDGEHAMMER OR A JACKHAMMER AND A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH WHENEVER MAKING CHANGES TO, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE. THANKS. THANK YOU. NEXT, JONATHAN BLACK TO BE FOLLOWED BY KE JOHNSON. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JONATHAN BLACK. I AM HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF WIPO, UH, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION AND THE GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. I'M A 31-YEAR-OLD BLACK MAN THAT WAS RAISED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS GROWING UP, TRULY BEING FROM HERE AND TRULY BEING ACTIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, I CAN SEE THE TYPE OF CHANGE THAT'S NEEDED AND SEE WHAT'S TRULY NEEDED TO ALLOW THAT CHANGE TO TAKE PLACE. NUMBER ONE, I BELIEVE IT STARTS WITH THE YOUTH. IT STARTS WITH THE GUIDANCE THAT THEY HAVE. IT STARTS WITH THE RESOURCES THEY'RE GIVEN. AND ALSO STARTS WITH KNOWING THAT THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER WAY GUN VIOLENCE HAS BECOME THE THING TO DO IN BLACK COMMUNITIES ACROSS AMERICA. ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS IS BECAUSE OF INFLUENCE. WHAT THEY'RE WATCHING, WHAT THEY'RE LISTENING TO, AND WHAT THEY'RE BEING TOLD IS WHAT'S BEING COOLED INFLUENCE, INFLUENCING THEM TO BELIEVE IN THAT PISTOL TOTING AND SWITCH SUITING IS THE WAY OF [01:05:01] LIFE WHEN REALITY IS TO WALKING DEAD. WE MUST STEP UP TO THE PLATE TO BE THE POSITIVE CHANGE THAT THAT'S NEEDED TO BE THE POSITIVE INFLUENCE AND NEEDED TO HELP OUR YOUTH SUCCEED. SOMETIME IT'S HARD TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES WHEN YOUR TANGIBLE RESOURCES ARE LIMITED. SO THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY, TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU WITH HOPES OF GETTING THOSE RESOURCES, WITH HOPES OF GETTING FUNDING AND YOUR SUPPORT. COUNCILOR DAVIS. THANK YOU, BROTHER BLACK. YES, SIR. THANK YOU FOR COMING. UM, I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A SUBJECT MATTER THAT'S VERY, VERY CRITICAL AND CRUCIAL, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE PART OF OUR CITY THAT WOULD LOVE TO ASSIST AND HELP IN THAT RESPECT. UM, I, I HAVE YOUR, YOUR INFORMATION HERE AND I'D LIKE TO REACH OUT TO YOU BECAUSE WE RE WE STARTED AN INITIATIVE CALLED, UH, POLICE PASTORS AND PEOPLE. AND WE, WE WANT TO TRY TO DO IT PARTICULARLY TOWARD OUR YOUTH IN TRYING TO DECREASE, YOU KNOW, THE CRIME RATES OF YOUNG, UH, PEOPLE, TEENAGERS PARTICULARLY, AND COMMITT THOSE CRIMES. AND WE NEED, UH, PEOPLE OF YOUR, UH, YOU KNOW, NATURE TO HELP US AND ASSIST US WITH THAT. WE, ONE CAN'T DO IT, BUT ALL OF US JOINED TOGETHER, WE CAN DO IT. UH, THAT'S THE GOAL OF THE COUNCIL, THE GOAL OF THE MAYOR, THE GOAL OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND IT IS A CRISIS WHETHER PEOPLE THINK IT IS OR NOT. IT IS A CRISIS. AND I DON'T WANNA SEE OUR CITY KEEP GOING UP WITH TEENAGERS AND, UH, AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THESE CRIMES. AND WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND, AND I'D LIKE TO REACH OUT TO YOU AND HELP YOU AND GET YOU TO BE A PART OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO. UH, AND HE WOULD DO THAT. AND I'LL, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO CONTACT YOU AND ASK YOU TO BE A PART OF IT. YES, SIR. I'M ALL FOR IT. 'CAUSE I DEFINITELY BELIEVE IT'S STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. GOOD. YES, IT IS. WHAT PART OF THE CITY? I'M, I'M FROM SOUTH PARK, BUT I GREW UP ON THE NORTH SIDE. I'VE STAYED IN, IN MOST OF ALL THE INNER CITY THROUGHOUT THE, UH, CITY OF HOUSTON. WENT TO HIZ SCHOOLS, GRADUATED FROM ALL THE INDEPENDENT, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICTS. SO I'M, I'M REALLY FROM HERE. I, I'M, I'M FROM THE PLACES THAT WE SEE ON THE NEWS. I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND. I GREW UP HERE AS WELL. I, I GET IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU WELCOME. Y'ALL HAVE A GREAT DAY. JUST SECOND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING. YOU'RE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, IS ABSENT TODAY, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, BUT SHE HAS A PROGRAM, UH, CALLED CREDIBLE MESSENGER. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT? NO MA'AM, I'M NOT. SO SHE, UH, THIS BODY, WE APPROVED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY TO SUPPORT THAT. UM, SHE'S TARGETING, UM, IN DISTRICT B ON THE NORTH SIDE. EVERYTHING FROM GUN VIOLENCE, GANG VIOLENCE, JOB READINESS, ALL OF THAT. SHE'S LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY LEADERS LIKE YOURSELF TO HELP YOU THE PUBLIC FACE OF THAT WORK BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, UM, UM, WE CAN INFLUENCE EACH OTHER BY A PEER INTERACTION. SO I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU, UH, TO, UH, MAKE THAT CONTACT AND PRESENT YOUR, UH, PROGRAM, PROJECT INITIATIVE AND OF COURSE, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. UM, BUT SHE HAS FUNDING, SHE HAS AN INFRASTRUCTURE, SHE HAS, YOU KNOW, UH, AN APPETITE FOR THAT WORK, ESPECIALLY WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE. UM, SO IF YOU WOULD MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE TO THAT, I BELIEVE HER OFFICE WILL MAKE HER THEMSELVES AVAILABLE TO YOU AND WHAT YOU AND HOW YOU WANNA SUPPORT AS WELL. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, KE JOHNSON. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMAN AND MY FELLOW PEERS. MY NAME IS KEANA JOHNSON. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF GUN VIOLENCE. AWARENESS ALONGSIDE WATCH IT, PAYOFF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. AND OUR AGENDA FOR THIS ORGANIZATION IS TO ENCOURAGE THE YOUTH TO MAKE A SHOT INSTEAD OF TAKING SHOTS. UM, I MYSELF HAVE EXPERIENCED A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE DUE TO GUN VIOLENCE AND THE LOSS OF MY FIANCE, COREY MITCHAM, WHO HAS STILL NOT RECEIVED JUSTICE FOR HIS MURDER, WHO I SHARE A BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER WITH. UM, SAMAYA GO IN THIS ORGANIZATION, IS TO BE A TESTIMONY, UM, TO THE YOUTH SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT GO IN THE WRONG DIRECTION AND ALWAYS CHOOSE PEACE OVER VIOLENCE. AND I WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU FIND IT IN YOUR HEART, YOUR HEARTS TO SUPPORT THIS ORGANIZATION. THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU SHARING YOUR, YOUR EXPERIENCE. AND I, I KNOW THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS SPOKE TO THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER ON, ON SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UM, ALL OF THE SPEAKERS THAT ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON THAT SAME TOPIC. SO, BEST WISHES TO YOU. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. NEXT SPEAKER, HERBERT BAKER. HERBERT BAKER TO BE FOLLOWED BY CRAIG BLACKMAN. [01:10:02] HELLO, MR. BAKER. HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M HERBERT BAKER. I'M A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN. GREW UP HERE, ATTENDED, UH, HISD SCHOOLS. UH, PLAYED BASKETBALL AT BAYLOR, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. UH, FOR THE PAST 16 YEARS, I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER YOUTH BASKETBALL COACH. AND, UH, I'VE SEEN GUN VIOLENCE TOUCH A LOT OF OUR YOUTH. UH, 10 YEAR, WELL, ABOUT TO BE 10 YEARS AGO, NINE AND A HALF YEARS AGO, A KID FROM, UH, JACK GATES HIGH SCHOOL, MELVIN SWIFT, FELL VICTIM OF GUN VIOLENCE, UH, WHILE HOME ON CHRISTMAS VACATION. UH, MELVIN HAD A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE. UH, THERE'S BEEN NO JUSTICE FOR THIS. UH, I ADVOCATE FOR HIM EVERY DAY. I HAVE A, A, A TEAM THAT I COACH, TEAM SWIFT AND HIS HONOR. UH, WE'VE PUSHED OVER 100 KIDS TO COLLEGE, VARIOUS LEVELS. SOME HAVE GONE, UH, MOST HAVE GRADUATED, MANY HAVE GONE ON TO PLAY AT THE NEXT LEVEL. UM, THE WATCH IT PAY OFF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION VERY NEEDED. THIS, UH, THE INITIATIVE WE HAVE GOING ON JUNE 14TH, UH, WE'RE ASKING YOU GUYS TO GET BEHIND US AND SUPPORT IT BECAUSE, UM, INNER CITY YOUTH ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW. UH, THEY'RE LOST. UM, AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S EASY FOR THEM TO PICK UP A GUN AND, AND TAKE A LIFE. UH, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE CONSEQUENCES. AND, UH, IT'S AFFECTING, IF YOU THINK, IF YOU THINK HARD ENOUGH, I'M SURE ALL OF US HAVE FELT VICTIM, UH, UH, KNOW SOMEONE THAT HAS BEEN A VICTIM OF GUN VIOLENCE. AND, UH, IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT THAT IT'S GONNA STOP ANYTIME SOON. SO THERE'S THIS, IT'S, THIS IS REALLY AN, UH, AN INITIATIVE THAT NEEDS TO BE SUPPORTED. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, UM, WITH OUR, WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. THANK YOU. UM, I TOO WANTED TO JUST ADD MY VOICE AND APPRECIATION TO ALL OF YOU THAT ARE COMING, ESPECIALLY AS WE TALK ABOUT YOUTH AND GUN VIOLENCE, RIGHT? WE KNOW THAT GUN VIOLENCE IS NOW, UM, THE NUMBER ONE KILLER OF CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS PREVENTABLE. THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN ADDRESS AND TACKLE HEAD ON. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY. AND IN ADDITION TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, I WANTED TO SHARE, AND OUR, OUR STAFF IS HERE AS WELL. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IS WE, UH, IN DISTRICT C FUND, UH, FREE GUN LOCKS AND GUN SAFES. AND WE ACTUALLY GO MEET WITH PTOS. WE MEET WITH PARENTS, WE MEET WITH, UM, HISD, WRAPAROUND SERVICE, UH, PROVIDERS TO EDUCATE FAMILIES ON SAFE STORAGE. 'CAUSE THEY'RE THE NUMBER ONE DEFENSE, UM, AGAINST A CHILD, UH, GETTING A FIREARM OR IT ENDING UP ON THE STREET. UH, SO IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN SUPPORT YOU ALL THROUGH SAFE STORAGE CONVERSATIONS, UH, PROVIDING THOSE TYPES OF RESOURCES AMONG OTHER THINGS WE'RE DOING, YES. WE JUST, I WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF TIME. AGAIN, I'M, I'M ABBY. YOU CAN REACH OUT OR ANNA'S HERE, UH, AND SHE CAN GET YOUR CONTACT INFO, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP AS WELL. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ, SIR. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO, TIM. UM, MR. BAKER, YOU'RE NOT IN MY DISTRICT, WHICH IS DISTRICT D, BUT JACKIE YATES HIGH SCHOOL IS IN MY DISTRICT. AND SO CERTAINLY WHENEVER YOU CALL THE NAME OF JACKIE YATES, YOU CAN JUST AS WELL CALL MY NAME BECAUSE I'M, I MEAN, REALLY, EVERYBODY KNOWS I'M JY FOR LIFE, RIGHT? SO, AT ANY RATE, I HAVE, UH, A LADY OVER THERE. I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION AND PERHAPS WE CAN HELP TO NAVIGATE YOU. BUT CERTAINLY, UH, MY CONDOLENCES, I ALWAYS HATE TO HEAR OF VIOLENCE, UH, WITH OUR YOUTH IN PARTICULAR. YES. AND SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. BUT PLEASE, UH, SHE'S RIGHT THERE WITH HER HAND UP IF YOU LEAVE THE INFORMATION. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. UHHUH , CERTAINLY. NEXT SPEAKER. CRAIG BLACKMAN. CRAIG BLACKMAN. HELLO, MS. BLACKMAN. HELLO, COUNSEL, EVERYONE. UH, IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET Y'ALL TODAY. MY NAME IS CRAIG BLACKMAN. I'M ACTUALLY ONE OF THE VICE PRESIDENTS WITH, UH, THE WATCH IT PAYOUT FOUNDATION. UM, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE SPOKE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE GUN VIOLENCE, BUT, UM, I WANNA TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH. UM, I WATCHED TOM AND JERRY THIS MORNING. IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE CARTOONS, ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS EVER. UM, AND IT JUST REALLY GOT ME TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALL STILL KIDS AT HEART. AND IT DOES START AT THAT YOUTH LEVEL. I WAS LISTENING, UM, JUST LAST MONTH. UH, THE MAYOR SAID ITSELF, UH, WE CAN PAY FOR IT NOW. PAY FOR IT LATER AND LATER. YOU MIGHT PAY FOR IT WITH YOUR LIFE IF YOU NOT DEVELOP. UM, OUR YOUTH, UH, WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT OUR YOUTH IS TOMORROW. SO WITH THIS INITIATIVE THAT WE'RE STARTING, I DON'T WANT IT TO JUST BE AN INITIATIVE. AND WE HAVE A, A, UM, AN EVENT IN JUNE THAT'S COMING UP THAT I HOPE YOU'LL BE A PART OF. UM, BUT LET'S CHANGE THE NARRATIVE. LET'S ACTUALLY WORK TOWARDS, UH, JUST THE KINDNESS AND TEACHING MORE OF THAT TO THE YOUTH. UH, EXHIBITING MORE OF, IT'S SHOWING MORE OF, [01:15:01] UH, UNDERSTANDING INSTEAD OF MORE CONDEMNING. LIKE WE HAVE OPTIONS WHERE WE COMING UP WITH THINGS LIKE, UH, THE GUN LAWS AND REGULATIONS. THAT'S GREAT. I DEFINITELY, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT COMING UP WITH SOLUTIONS TO DEVELOP, SHOW OPPORTUNITIES, SHOW STRENGTH, AND GIVE LOVE AND COMPASSION TO THE YOUTH, IT'S WHAT'S NEEDED. WHAT I SEE, UM, HERB BAKER, THE FOLLOWING SPEAKER, IS ONE OF THE GUYS. UH, I WAS BLESSED TO PLAY BASKETBALL PROFESSIONALLY AND TAKE IT TO A LEVEL, UM, WHICH I'M THANKFUL FOR THROUGH INITIATIVES AND THINGS THAT SHOWED ME THAT THERE WAS OTHER ALTERNATIVES. AND, UM, THAT'S ONE THING. LIKE I SAID, I JUST WANT TO FOCUS ON THAT AS YOU HEAR OTHER PEOPLE COME UP AND SPEAK ON THIS. AND AS OUR PRESIDENT COMES UP AND SPEAK ABOUT IT, I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT, UH, PUBLIC. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK NEXT SPEAKER. SEAN KINGSLEY. SEAN KINGSLEY. OH, HELLO EVERYONE. OKAY. I FEEL LIKE Y'ALL NEED THIS BREAK. UM, I WAS RAISED IN A SOUTHERN HOUSEHOLD, UH, FROM PEOPLE FROM ABBEY, ALABAMA. AND WHEN YOU COME TO SAY THANK YOU, YOU BRING A CAKE. SO , MY RESTAURANT, SHUT DOWN, BUT WE ARE OPEN. BUT I CLOSED DOWN TODAY BECAUSE I WANTED TO COME BACK AND TELL YOU ALL. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING ME. LAST WEEK, I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF YOU REMEMBER ME, BUT THE SENSE OF LISTENING TO SOMEONE OR SOMEONE LISTENING TO ME MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK. I ESPECIALLY WANNA THANK MARIO CASTILE AND T KAKOA FOR ALL OF THEIR SUPPORT, REACHING OUT TO MY INSPECTOR, REACHING OUT TO ME, AND MAKING SURE I UNDERSTOOD EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING. AND I WAS NOT BEING BULLIED. I WAS JUST BEING TAUGHT. UM, I WANT TO THANK MAYOR WHITMEYER AND MARIO ALSO FOR THE DEDICATION TO DOWNTOWN, THOSE OF US LIVING DOWN THERE, THOSE OF US THAT HAVE BUSINESSES DOWN THERE. AND I CANNOT FORGET HEB, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT, IF YOU'RE EVER LOOKING FOR THEM THERE AT MY CAFE . UM, WITH ALL OF THAT, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I REALIZE I'M IN THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES, AND I LOOK DOWN THE BLOCK AND THERE ARE TWO OTHER BUSINESSES OWNED BY PEOPLE THAT LOOK JUST LIKE ME. AND THAT'S IMPRESSIVE TO ME. UM, AND IT MEANS A LOT. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN THE COMPANY OF SOME FAMOUS PEOPLE, LESTER AND SUE SMITH, BARBARA BUSH, OPRAH WINFREY, A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT NONE MORE IMPORTANT TO ME THAN TY. TY IS MY GUY. AND WHEN I PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL HIM, OR WHEN HE EMAILS ME, I KNOW HE'S LISTENING 'CAUSE I'M LISTENING TO WHAT HE ASKED TO SAY TO ME. SO WITH THAT, I BROUGHT MY MOM, MY LANDLORD WHO RUNS, WHO OWNS THE BUSINESS. HE'S OWNED IT SINCE BEFORE 1950. AND I BROUGHT MY ASSISTANT, MY SALES MANAGER, DANIELLE, BACK THERE WE'RE A TAPESTRY. AND WE ARE WHAT MAKES HOUSTON. HOUSTON, I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, LIKE, I MEAN, I'M ONE OF MANY AFRICAN AMERICANS IN A DOWNTOWN AREA, IN THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES. I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK ON DEI BECAUSE I WANNA BE POLITICALLY CORRECT, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY, AS LONG AS WE HAVE EACH OTHER, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY PLANTED OUT FOR US HOW IT SHOULD BE SPELLED. YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, YOU HAVE INDIVIDUAL FLIGHT OR CHEESECAKES. YOU HAVE A RED VELVET, YOU HAVE A LEMON POPPY SEED, YOU HAVE A PUMPKIN, AND YOU HAVE ESPRESSO. SO THOSE ARE MADE BY MY CONFESSION, WHO IS SO HAPPY THAT I'M BACK OPEN AND RUNNING, BECAUSE NOW HE HAS WORK . SO WITH ALL THAT, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND MARIO, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, WHATEVER YOU NEED, PLEASE. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROAM. UM, SEAN, MAN, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN. OH, REALLY? ESPECIALLY WITH , WITH THE CHEESECAKE. UM, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU CAME BACK TO SAY THANKS. UM, BECAUSE WE DON'T OFTEN GET THAT. I KNOW. YEAH. I'M SORRY. INTERRUPT. AND IT MEANS, IT MEANS A LOT EVEN WITH, YOU KNOW, THE CHEESECAKE. IT'S GREAT THAT, UM, ONE, WE WERE ABLE TO GET YOUR ISSUE RESOLVED AND YOUR BACKUP AND RUNNING. UM, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE MY STAFF WORKING REALLY HARD BECAUSE WE DO THAT FOR ALL THE CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT H. UM, AND THAT'S THE EXPERIENCE THAT, THAT I WANT THEM ALL TO HAVE. SO I'M GLAD THAT'S WHAT YOU, THAT'S WHAT YOU HAD AND THAT YOU BROUGHT, UH, SOME OF YOUR SUPPORT TEAM HERE. UM, GLAD IT ALL WORKED OUT. AND, UH, Y'ALL ARE IN FOR A TREAT. GUYS FROM THE, WITH THE CHEESECAKE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU ARE SO VERY WELCOME, SIR. AND I WANT TO SAY, ALSO MOTIVATING WAS TURNING ON THE NEWS JUST AFTER I HAD BEEN HERE TO SPEAK AND SEEING YOU OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS CLEANING UP TRASH. I WAS LIKE, WOW. THAT'S, THAT'S HUGE. THAT'S HUGE TO ME. SO I APPRECIATE YOU. I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. MR. KING KINGSLEY, AND THANK YOU FOR THE TREATS. YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. I HOPE NOT TO BE BACK EXCEPT TO TALK ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE BECAUSE IT IS [01:20:01] IMPORTANT. , YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK, ESPECIALLY WITH TREATS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SIR. NEXT SPEAKER, BRUCE NICHOLS. BRUCE NICHOLS TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER MOORE. HELLO, MR. NICHOLS. GOOD MORNING. AFTERNOON, ACTUALLY, UM, I'M ALSO HERE TO SAY THANKS. I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, TAKE A MOMENT OF YOUR TIME TODAY. YOU'VE HAD SOME HEAVY ISSUES TO DISCUSS, BUT I'M GONNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR AND TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, FOR EXTENDING THE LIFE OF TURS 17. UH, THIS MEMORIAL CITY TURS HAS PERFORMED ADMIRABLY, AND RECENTLY ITS BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO FINANCE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING A NEW FIRE STATION THAT ARE NEEDED TO CONTINUE GROWTH IN OUR AREA. AS A HOMEOWNER AND CHAIR OF THE FLOOD COMMITTEE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR MEMORIAL CITY, I ALSO AM DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE, APPRECIATIVE OF THE S'S ONGOING EFFORTS TO IMPROVE DRAINAGE AND MITIGATE FLOODING IN AND AROUND TUR 17, TO USE A TERM BORROWED FROM FISHERMEN. THIS TURS AND ITS BOARD ARE KEEPERS, MEMORIAL CITY AND THE SURROUNDING AREA HAVE BENEFITED GREATLY FROM THEIR WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN TODAY. COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, I MEAN, VICE MAYOR PRO, SIR BRUCE. BRUCE, I'M SORRY, VICE MAYOR PRO PECK, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR ALWAYS ADVOCATING FOR OUR AREA. EVEN THOUGH YOU LIVE IN DISTRICT GI KNOW YOU'RE ALWAYS ADVOCATING FOR ALL OF OUR FLOODING MITIGATION PROJECTS NORTH OF I 10 TOO. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. SURE. COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, UH, MR. NICHOLS FOR COMING DOWN. IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO GET TO SEE YOU. AND, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES. YOU KNOW, HE'S, UM, ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, KEEPING US INFORMED ABOUT THE, THE GOING ONS, ALSO VERY INVOLVED. UM, I TOO AM VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE T AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE DONE, UM, FOR OUR AREA. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING. I APPRECIATE IT. THANKS EVERYONE. THANK YOU. HAVE A SUPER DAY. NEXT SPEAKER. CHRISTOPHER MOORE. HOW Y'ALL DOING THIS EVENING? Y'ALL LOOK GOOD. Y'ALL LOOK VERY GOOD. WE ARE ALIVE, RIGHT? UM, GOOD EVENING, COUNCILMAN AND THE PEOPLE OF CITY OF HOUSTON. I'M CHRISTOPHER MOORE, BETTER KNOWN AS DJ FOREPLAY. I'M HERE TODAY TO BRING AWARENESS FOR JUNE 14TH, 2025 FOR WIPO ANTI-GUN VIOLENCE EVENT. WE WANT TO SUPPORT, WE WANT SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE TO ATTEND. WE NEED RESOURCES, UM, AND SUPPORT TO STOP VIOLENCE IN HOUSTON. WE ARE HERE TO TAKE ACTION. THANK YOU. ALSO, I WANTED TO, UH, GIVE A THANKS TO ABBY KIMM FROM, UH, DISTRICT E FOR FOLLOWING UP ABOUT THE EVENT. LOOKING FORWARD TO, FOR COLLABORATION. THANK YOU. WELL, EVERYBODY, UH, RESOURCES IS WE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU. UH, MAYOR PRO TEMP BROTHER, BROTHER MOORE. GOOD TO SEE YOU. YES, SIR. YEAH. ON THE OTHER SIDE, CERTAINLY I, I COMMEND YOU FOR THE PROGRAM AND THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. YES, SIR. BECAUSE WE NEED MANY OF OUR YOUNG, UH, PEOPLE TO ASSIST AND HELP OUT. YES, SIR. 'CAUSE YOU ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND WE CAN LEARN MORE FROM YOU IN REGARDS TO THIS VERY ISSUE. AND THAT IS TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE AS WELL AS OTHERS. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GUYS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. NEXT SPEAKER, ISAIAH THOMAS. ISAIAH THOMAS. HOW EVERYBODY DOING TODAY? MY APOLOGIES. I'M HERE, UH, REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT B. WE, THE PEOPLE ARE REQUESTING TO IMPLEMENT YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FOR TEENS AND ENHANCE COMMUNITY ECONOMICS TO GIVE OUR YOUTH THE RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO SUCCEED IN LIFE. 40% OF STUDENTS HAVE EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, OVER 50% DROPOUT. 1.3% OF STUDENTS GET FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIPS, 7% RECEIVE ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS. OUR YOUTH NEED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS TO INCREASE THE SUCCESS RATE OF THEM GRADUATING BY USING RESOURCES AND HAVING PROPER GUIDANCE. W-I-P-O-U DEVELOPMENT HAS PUT TOGETHER A SOLUTION. [01:25:01] THIS PROPOSAL IS OUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. WE, THE PEOPLE ASKED TO MEET WITH YOU, MAYOR AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL TO INCORPORATE AND COLLABORATE WITH OUR GUN VIOLENCE EVENT AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. WIPO WILL FOSTER PERSONAL GROWTH THROUGH MENTORSHIP, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. WIPO WILL ALSO WILL, WILL ALSO OFFER TOOLS FOR SUCCESS, INCLUDING FINANCIAL LITERACY, CAREER PREPARATION, AND MENTAL HEALTH. I MEAN, AND MENTAL RESOURCES, MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES. WIPO WILL ADDRESS VIOLENCE, ACADEMIC UNDERPERFORMANCE, AND LACK OF ENGAGING PROGRAMS. WE WILL ALSO CREATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOLS, ORGANIZATIONS, LEVERAGING COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND ATTRACTING VOLUNTEERS. WIPO WILL CREATE A GENERATION OF MOTIVATED DISCIPLINE AND EMPOWERED YOUNG INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEIR LIVES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. TO BE HONEST, UM, I I HONESTLY FEEL LIKE GOD CHOSE ME FOR THIS POSITION. UM, MY, MY GOAL WAS TO BE A PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYER. I WANTED TO GO TO THE NBA. UM, MY, MY NEIGHBORHOOD THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO THE NBA. I ENDED UP GETTING INTO A CAR ACCIDENT, 2020. UM, YOU KNOW, THEY SAY, UH, YOU WANNA MAKE GOD LAUGH, JUST TELLING ME YOUR DREAMS, YOU KNOW? AND, UH, I WOKE UP ONE DAY AND I WANTED TO BE A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER. I WANTED TO DO THAT MY WHOLE ENTIRE CAREER. BUT, UM, I, I HAD TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT. AND, YOU KNOW, GOD SAT ME DOWN AND MADE ME GET MY LIFE TOGETHER. AND ONCE I STARTED MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKING, UM, THE KIDS, THEY KEPT GIVING NICE FEEDBACK TO THE PRINCIPALS OR WHATNOT. AND IT JUST MADE ME FEEL GOOD. WHEN A KID LOOKS UP TO YOU, WHEN HE REACHES OUT TO YOU, WHEN, WHEN YOU CAN BE THAT SUPPORT FOR THEM, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TIME AND TIME AGAIN. IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, KIDS DON'T HAVE IDENTITY. THEIR, THEIR PARENTS ARE SEPARATED FROM THEIR GRANDPARENTS. SO THE YOUTH DON'T HAVE ANY DIRECTION. SO IF ANOTHER YOUNG BROTHER, LIKE MYSELF CAN GIVE A YOUTH THE DIRECTION AND RELATE TO THEM, WE COULD DEFINITELY HELP THEM GRADUATE, HELP THEM GET INTO COLLEGE AND BE PREPARED FOR LIFE. I APPRECIATE Y'ALL TIME. WELL, LET ME JUST SAY THAT I LOVE THE ENERGY COMING OUTTA DIFFERENT DISTRICT B. UM, I KNOW THAT IF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER WAS HERE, SHE WOULD BE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UM, SEEING THE RESIDENTS AND THE, THE SUPPORT COMING FROM, UH, HER, HER DISTRICT. UM, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL, KNOW THAT YOU HAVE OUR SUPPORT. IF YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, UM, TO AMPLIFY THE NEEDS OF DISTRICT B, UH, THIS COUNCIL HAS, HAS BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING SURE WE ARE PROVIDING RESOURCES AND THE SUPPORT BEHIND YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER IN THAT PARTICULAR DISTRICT. BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, WE SAY THIS ALL THE TIME, GOVERNMENT CAN'T DO THIS WORK ALONE. MM-HMM . WE HAVE TO HAVE PARTNERS. UM, AND, AND I LOVE YOUR STORY AND YOUR TESTIMONY, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT IDEA OF HOW YOU WERE GONNA BE A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER. UM, BUT, UH, THE WORK THAT YOU DO IS MOTIVATIONAL, SPEAKING TO THE PEOPLE THAT WILL NEED THAT IMPACT THE MOST. YES, MA'AM. UM, SO STAY ENCOURAGED. UM, AND FOR EACH OF YOU, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME THAT YOU ARE PUTTING FORTH TO MAKE HOUSTON A BETTER PLACE. UM, AND AS, UH, HOUSTON GOES, SO GOES OUR COUNTRY. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS. IF, IF I CAN, IF I CAN SAY ONE MORE THING, UM, AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THOMAS'S STAFF, IS HE, OH, I'M SORRY. I'M LOOKING AT YOU AND THINKING ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, HER STAFF IS, IS HERE. UM, SO IF YOU WANNA MAKE CONTACT WITH HER OFFICE, YOU CAN, YOU CAN DO THAT. UM, AND THEN YOU WANTED TO FINISH WITH THE ANOTHER COMMENT, SIR. UH, YES, MA'AM. UM, WE DID GIVE YOU ALL SHIRTS FOR THE GUN VIOLENCE EVENT FOR YOU ALL TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT. UM, ON THE BACK OF THE T-SHIRT, IT SAYS WIPO HOUSTON. SO, YOU KNOW, JUST TO, BUT FOR YOU ALL TO LET THE SUMMARIZE KNOW, SUMMARIZE THE DATE AND TIME OF THE EVENT FOR US. JUNE 14TH AT THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER IN KER HOME. OKAY. 11 TO 5:00 PM IT'S A, IT'S A, WE'RE GONNA BE GIVING AWAY PULLOUT BASKETBALL GOALS AND GETTING THE, GETTING THE KIDS TO INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER WITH THREE GAMES. I MEAN, UH, THREE, UH, THREE SKILL CHALLENGES, FREE THROW CHALLENGE. WE'RE GONNA DO A SKILLS CHALLENGE AND WE'RE GONNA DO A, UM, A THREE POINT CONTEST. VERY NICE. YES, MA'AM. FROM A VERY GOOD FREE THROW SHOOTER, . THANK YOU'ALL FOR BEING HERE. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT SPEAKER, BRIDGET MAR. BRIDGET MURRAY. BRIDGET MURRAY. [01:30:06] HELLO, MS. MURRAY. HELLO, HELLO TO EVERYONE. HAPPY 2025 TO MAYOR WHITMEYER AND HIS ABSENCE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M HERE TODAY TO BRING AN ISSUE TO YOUR ATTENTION. AT MANY LEVELS, CONVERSATIONS REGARDING EFFICIENCY, INTEGRITY, AND COST CONTROLS ARE HAPPENING FROM OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO OUR STATE AND OUR CITY GOVERNMENT. DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE IN THE NAME OF PROTECTING CONSTITUENTS. SO WE JUST PRAY THAT THESE DECISIONS HAVE THE CORRECT IMPACT. MY CONCERN TODAY IS REGARDING LOSS PROTECTION MANAGEMENT. SO BEFORE I PROVIDE MY THE BACKGROUND TO THIS INCIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO LIST THE GOALS FOR TODAY. WE WOULD LIKE TO IDENTIFY THE CITY POLICY REGARDING THEFT, VANDALISM. WE REQUEST CLARITY REGARDING ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF STAFF, AND WE'D LIKE TO ENSURE THAT TAXPAYERS ARE INFORMED OF PROPER PROCEDURES. SO ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND, JUDSON ROBINSON SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER WAS VANDALIZED. THE BUILDING WAS DAMAGED BY PAINT, GRAFFITI AND BROKEN EQUIPMENT. THE INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CRIME WERE IDENTIFIED BY PARK STAFF, BUT THE FOLLOW UP TO THE INCIDENT REMAINS A MYSTERY, I SUSPECT, MISHANDLING OF THE INCIDENT. UPON QUESTIONING, I'M BEING TOLD THE ESTIMATED DAMAGE REPORT IS ABOUT $35,000. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS ESTIMATE HAS NOT BEEN VERIFIED TO SOME. 35,000 MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT THIS ACT OF VANDALISM ALSO CREATED CHAOS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AS A MEMBER OF THE FRIENDS OF THE PARK FOR JUDSON ROBINSON SENIOR, WE HAVE DEMONSTRATED SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY AND HOUSTON PARK STAFF FOR OVER THESE MANY YEARS. WE HAVE AN ACTIVE PROJECT RIGHT NOW WITH THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD. I HAVE MET WITH DEPUTY DIRECTORS OF HPR REGARDING THIS INCIDENT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE ANSWERS I'M RECEIVING LEAVE ME WITH MORE QUESTIONS. THE ALARM SECURITY SYSTEM DID NOT SEND AN ALERT THAT WAS RECEIVED BY THE PARK RANGERS. TO DATE, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY FEEDBACK THAT THE ISSUE REGARDING TRANSMISSION OF ALERTS HAS BEEN RESOLVED. THEREFORE, MY CONCLUSION IS IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN. FOLLOW UP TO THE VANDALISM WAS MANAGED BY THE JUDSON ROBINSON SENIOR STAFF. THE REPORTING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE POLICY DRIVEN. NO ONE FROM MANAGEMENT OR PARK RANGERS WERE DIRECTLY INVOLVED. SO IF NO POLICY DIRECTIVE EXISTS, THERE WILL BE, THERE WILL BE INCONSISTENCIES IN PRACTICE OF LOSS PROTECTION MANAGEMENT. AS TAXPAYERS, WE BRING THESE CONCERNS TO THE BODY THAT CAN POSSIBLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN PARK RESPONSE TO THESE. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. GO AHEAD AND WRAP IT UP. MS. MURRAY. THANK YOU. THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN PARK RESPONSE TO THESE TYPES OF INCIDENTS, BUT THIS IS, BUT ONE INCIDENT. HOW BIG IS THIS PROBLEM? COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS UTILIZE THIS PUBLIC SPACE. IT TOOK OUR COMMUNITY DECADES TO GET THE CITY TO FUND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PARK FACILITY. OUR FRIENDS OF THE PARK GROUP HAS MADE DONATIONS TO THE FACILITY TO PROVIDE PROJECTORS, OTHER EQUIPMENT, LANDSCAPING AND OTHER ITEMS. WE WANT TO CONTINUE THIS ONGOING SUPPORT, BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PARTNER CONCERN WITH THE PROTECTION OF ASSETS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. UM, MS. MURRAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING. I'M KIND OF MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH COLLEAGUES AND THIS IS THE FIRST I'M HEARING OF IT. IT'S NOT IN MY DISTRICT. SO I, I DEFER AND RESPECT, YOU KNOW, THAT DYNAMIC AS WELL. AND CERTAINLY I, I'M SURE COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ IS GONNA BE ON TOP OF THIS, BUT I WAS LITERALLY JUST EMAILING WITH THE, UM, ROBINSON FAMILY AS EVEN MORE PARK IMPROVEMENTS ARE COMING. THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT COMMUNITY CENTER, UH, THE INVESTMENTS THAT YOU ALL HAVE MADE, UH, THE CRITICAL NATURE OF, OF THE FACILITY ITSELF. SO I'M A LITTLE STARTLED, UM, BUT MORE SO WANNA EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT TO YOU AND OTHERS, NOT JUST TO GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS, BUT IS MORE PARK IMPROVEMENTS, ESPECIALLY WITH HERMAN PARK THAT ARE COMING ONLINE, MAKING SURE THAT THAT BRIDGE IS CONNECTED BECAUSE THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED, ESPECIALLY ON THE SECURITY SIDE THROUGH JUST THE TRANSFORMATION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT MM-HMM . HERMAN PARK. RIGHT. AND THAT COMMUNITY CENTER SITS RIGHT THERE. CORRECTION, THAT'S JUNIOR. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE SENIOR. I'M SORRY. YEAH. OKAY. I APOLOGIZE. NO, NO. EVERYONE GETS THAT CONFUSED ABOUT THERE IS, THERE ARE TWO, THERE'S ONE AS A JUNIOR. SO THERE'S THE, OKAY, SO I APOLOGIZE. NO, NO. REGARDLESS, WE [01:35:01] APPROACH, THIS IS SO VERY CONCERNING, RIGHT. WE ARE APPROACHING THIS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE THAT WE ARE HOPING THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WILL LOOK AT POLICY PERIOD, NOT NECESSARILY JUST OUR PARK, BUT ALL OF THE PARKS. EXACTLY. WHAT ARE THEY DOING WHEN IT COMES TO VANDALISM AND THEFT IN THEIR BUILDINGS? WELL, AND WE JUST HAD, IF YOU ALL WILL RECALL, WE HAD FAMILIES COME FROM WEST GRAY MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, UH, BECAUSE OF SECURITY CONCERNS THERE AS WELL. AND WE DID AN ASSESSMENT OF HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO HAVE AROUND THE CLOCK SECURITY. AND WE WERE TOLD THE CITY CAN'T AFFORD THAT RIGHT NOW. BUT WE NEED SAFETY FOR OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS, UH, FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SERVICED BY THAT. SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. I APOLOGIZE THAT I GOT IT MIXED UP. NO, THAT'S OKAY. I LIKE PERKED UP. WHEN I HEARD ROBINSON, I WAS LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON? BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND MAKING SURE THAT THE CITY'S ADDRESSING THIS COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. THANK YOU MAYOR PERMA. THANK YOU MS. MURRAY FOR BEING HERE. UM, I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, JACKSON'S NOT HERE TODAY, BUT I WOULD LOVE IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU TO CONTACT YOU AND SEE HOW I CAN ASSIST AND WORK WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. WELL, THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE ALSO, UM, WE HAVE FOUNDED A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION AND WE HAVE MADE, UH, COMMENTS TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ABOUT SECURITY CAMERAS PROVIDING SOME OTHER ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. SO IF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS STRAPPED FOR SOME MONEY, MAYBE THERE'S SOME WAY THAT WE CAN SUPPORT. SO WE HAVE MADE THOSE OFFERS IN THE PAST TO PARKS, NOT THE CURRENT, UH, ADMINISTRATOR FOR PARKS. SO I DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANYBODY THE IMPRESSION THAT, UH, HE SAID NO, BUT A PRIOR, UH, ONE DID. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. MURRAY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ FOR A PROCEDURAL MOTION. THANK YOU MAYOR APPROACH. TIM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A PROCEDURAL MOTION TO MOVE SHARON EVANS BROOKS BEHIND PATRICK MOHAN ON THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST. IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND. ANY, ANY OBJECTION IF NOT ALL IN FAVOR? ITEM PASSES. NEXT SPEAKER. CHERYL HENDERSON. CHERYL HENDERSON. OKAY. HELLO, MS. HENDERSON. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS CHERYL HENDERSON, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT D AND A PROUD MEMBER OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE. IT'S BEEN 15 YEARS SINCE THE AVALOR TAX ON DRAINAGE WAS VOTED ON, VOTED ON BY THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON THAT VOTE AND ADDITIONAL VOTES YEARS LATER SHOWED THAT HOUSTONIANS VALUE DRAINAGE. AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT. IT'S, IT IS NOT A SECRET THAT MOST BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS HOUSE THE WORST INFRASTRUCTURE AND ARE MOST LIKELY TO FLOOD. THIS MEAN REFUSING TO FULLY FUND THE DRAINAGE DEPARTMENT HAS A GREATER IMPACT IN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MINE IN THIRD WARD AND FOR MY NAG COMMUNITY ALL OVER EAST NORTHEAST HOUSTON. SO I'M HERE TO ASK YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER, IN THE NAME OF TRANSPARENCY, IN THE NAME OF FLOOD PROTECTION AND IN THE NAME OF CREATING A E EQUITABLE, EXCUSE ME, FOR BREAKING THAT UP BUDGET FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON. THAT WHAT IS THE UPDATE ON THE AVALARA TAX TRANSFER SINCE THE MAYOR IS NOT HERE, WHO HERE CAN ANSWER AND GIVE THE PEOPLE A REAL UPDATE? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ, ARE YOU IN THE QUEUE? NO. NEVERMIND. OKAY. WAS THE PROCEDURAL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW YOU HAD SOME QUESTIONS AND WE'LL, WE'LL GET A FOLLOW UP, UM, RESPONSE FOR YOU. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. Y'ALL HAVE A NICE DAY. YOU TOO. [01:40:02] NEXT SPEAKER. BENJAMIN BROADWAY. BENJAMIN BROADWAY. HOW MUCH? GO AHEAD. OH NO, IT'S ALL RIGHT. UM, WELL Y'ALL, I'M GONNA JUST GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT. SINCE THE MAYOR DON'T WANT TO BE HERE, THEY HEAR MY MOUTH. I'M GONNA ASK Y'ALL, ALL OF Y'ALL ARE HERE RIGHT NOW. Y'ALL SAY THAT THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE AND WEST STREET DON'T ASK OR DON'T FIGHT FOR ALL THE DISTRICTS THAT ARE OUT THERE. I'M TELLING YOU NOW, I'M ASKING THE MAYOR, WHERE IS THE AVALOR TAX? WHY DID HE PUT A HIRING FREEZE ON PUBLIC WORKS? WE NEED TO PREVENT, WELL, WE NEED TO PREPARE INSTEAD OF PREVENT. RIGHT NOW IS THE TIME BECAUSE WE'RE FACING ANOTHER HURRICANE SEASON. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO, MAN? YOU KNOW, THE, AS MAYOR, IS THE MAYOR GONNA DISAPPEAR THEN? MAN, WHEN THE CITY'S FLOODING IS THE MAYOR GONNA DISAPPEAR, MAN, THAT THE MAYOR DISAPPEAR DURING THAT HO DURING BARREL. MAN, WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE AVALOR TAX MONEY. AND I WOULD BE GLAD TO GIVE MY INFORMATION TO ANYBODY. THEY CAN TELL ME WHERE THE AVALOR TAX MONEY IS GOING TO BE, BECAUSE LIKE HE SAID ON A RADIO SHOW PREVIOUSLY, HE HAS PREVIOUS TWO SUCCESSORS KICKED THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. WHAT IS HE GOING TO DO? SO WE ARE GOING TO START OUR BUDGET HEARINGS, UH, SHORTLY. SO WE'LL HAVE LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CITY FINANCES, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO INTO MORE IN DEPTH WHEN WE HAVE OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS. I KNOW THAT KNOCK IS VERY, UM, ACTIVE DURING OUR BUDGET SEASON, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS AS WELL. OKAY. WELL, I WAS JUST AT THE LAST BUDGET MEETING. MS. ALCORN WAS LEADING IT. I STILL DIDN'T HEAR NOTHING ABOUT THE AVALOR TAX. WE NEED TO HEAR FROM THE MAYOR. I'M NOT TRYING TO BE FUNNY AND I'M NOT TRYING TO DISRESPECT YOU, BUT HIS VOICE HAS MORE VALIDITY THAN YOURS. IF HE COULD PLEASE ANSWER US. THANK YOU. WE'LL, WE'LL GIVE HIM THE MESSAGE. THANKS. READY? MM-HMM . NEXT SPEAKER. FELIX KAPO. FELIX KAPO. HELLO, MR. KAPOOR. HEY, COUNCIL, UH, MEMBERS, UM, GOOD AFTERNOON AND ALRIGHT. TODAY I AM HERE TO TELL THE CITY ONCE AGAIN THAT WE NEED PROTECTION FROM FLOODING AND WE NEED IT FAST. THE SCIENCE IS SIMPLE. A WARMING CLIMATE LEADS TO AN INCREASED RISK OF FLOODING. UM, AND YOU CAN FINISH THE REST. THIS IS WHY THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW. WE NEED TO PREVENT OUR NEIGHBORS AND LOVED ONES FROM THE AWFUL IMPACTS OF FLOODING. THE CITY'S RECENT EFFICACY STUDY, UH, OR EFFICIENCY REPORT SAYS THAT CONTINUING TO BE A LEADER ON CLIMATE AND RESILIENCE IS A PRIORITY. IT'S TIME THAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS. WE HAVE ALREADY FLOODED SO MANY TIMES IN THE LAST DECADE, AND THE NEXT ONE WILL MOST LIKELY BE WORSE. IT IS MUCH EASIER AND CHEAPER TO PREVENT A DA DISASTER THAN IT IS TO RECOVER FROM ONE. THE COURT HAS ALREADY RULED THAT DRAINAGE SPENDING HAS TO INCREASE. THE CITY HAS LOST AN APPEAL. IT MAKES NO SENSE TO WAIT ANY LONGER, ESPECIALLY IF IT FLOODS COMMUNITIES. AND EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT WILL SUFFER. THE MAYOR SAYS HE'S SPEAKING TO THE PLAINTIFFS, BUT THE CASE IS CLOSED. THE MAYOR SHOULD INSTEAD TALK TO PUBLIC WORKS TO DETERMINE WHICH PROGRAMS CAN MOST EFFECTIVELY PROTECT COMMUNITIES AND WHICH BUDGETS NEED TO INCREASE. WE CALL ON THE CITY TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND INCREASE THE DRAINAGE BUDGET THIS YEAR. UM, NOT DOING SO IS ILLEGAL, ESPECIALLY ACCORDING TO THIS TEXAS SUPREME COURT. AND I GUESS, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER K SIX TATUM, YOU HAD SAID YOU WOULD FOLLOW UP WITH CHERYL. SHOULD WE FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR OFFICE DIRECTLY AS FAR AS YOU CAN? YOU OKAY. YOU CAN, WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET A RESPONSE FOR, UM, I THINK THAT THE, UM, THE BUDGET COMMITTEE AND WHEN WE GET THROUGH OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT, UM, WHERE THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING. AND I HOPE THAT THIS ORGANIZATION UNDERSTANDS THAT WE ALL AGREE THAT FLOODING IS A PROBLEM AND WE HAVE TO HAVE PROJECTS. UM, ALL OF OUR, OUR DISTRICTS ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE DRAINAGE PROJECTS ON THE GROUND, UM, TO PREVENT FLOODING. NO ONE WANTS TO SEE, UM, RESIDENTS HOMES OR BUSINESSES, UM, TAKE ON WATER. SO EVERY DAY WE ARE ACTIVELY LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE BEST PREVENT, UM, FLOODING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO YOUR YOUR, YOUR ADVOCACY IS NOT [01:45:01] FALLING ON DEAF EARS. UM, THE MONEY IS NOT INFINITE. UM, SO THERE ARE DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE, BUT IT IS A PRIORITY FOR THE ENTIRE CITY. IT'S A PRIORITY FOR THE MAYOR, IT'S A PRIORITY FOR ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY AND WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE. UM, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO TRY TO PREVENT FLOODING IN THE CITY. UM, MAY I RESPOND? SURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAYING THAT AND HONORING THE WORK OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE. UM, I DO WANNA SAY OUR ORGANIZATION ALSO SEES, AND IT FEELS LIKE COUNCIL HERE, HAS BEEN LEFT IN THE DARK BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. AND WE DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT UNCOLLABORATIVE NATURE IS REALLY THE BEST WAY FORWARD. UM, AS WAS STATED EARLIER, IT'S BEEN 15 YEARS SINCE THE FIRST INITIAL VOTE. UM, WE WOULDN'T BE COMING TO COUNCIL OVER AND OVER IF THE LETTER OF THE LAW WAS FOLLOWED. UM, SO WE DO UNDERSTAND MONEY'S NOT INFINITE. WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THE CITY IS IN QUITE THE PRECARIOUS POSITION FINANCIALLY FOR, FOR YEARS TO COME. UM, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THIS, THIS AVALOR TAX WAS VOTED ON TWICE, ONCE IN 2018, ONCE IN 20, UH, 2010 UNDER TWO DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIONS. UM, AND WE JUST WANT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE TO BE FOLLOWED. AND YEAH, ONCE AGAIN, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT, UH, IT DOES NOT FEEL GOOD THAT DEPARTMENTS ALL OVER THE CITY AS WELL AS COUNCIL HERE HAVE BEEN LEFT IN THE DARK ON THIS MESSAGE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, FELIX, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND THANK YOU CHERYL AND BENJAMIN AS WELL. WE HEAR YOU. I HEAR YOU. AND, UH, SEEMS LIKE YOU GUYS WERE HERE A YEAR AGO MAKING THIS SAME CASE. AND I'LL ASK YOU, HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY CHANGES IN THAT YEAR THAT HAS PASSED? YEAH, THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. AND, AND THANKS FOR BEING, UM, AN ALLY AND REMEMBERING OUR WORK. AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE'VE BEEN HERE FOUR YEARS. UM, OR LIKE FOR MULTIPLE YEARS, UH, EVEN BEFORE LAST YEAR, WE, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE ADVOCATING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DRAINAGE IN PUBLIC WORKS TO RECEIVE THAT FUNDING IF WE DID NOT BELIEVE IN THEIR WORK. ALSO SEE, UM, THE WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING. THEY HAVE BEEN STRONG ALLIES. THEY HAVE TAKEN OUR GROUPS ON TOURS, UH, IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY, UH, ARE IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT OUR COMMUNITIES IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON ARE IMPACTED BY. AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE, UM, AS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER K SIX TATUM SAID THE, THE DRAINAGE PROJECTS THEY'RE DOING IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY. UM, SO YEAH, WE, WE HAVE SEEN IMPROVEMENTS, BUT WE KNOW IF WE LET OUR FOOT OFF THE GAS, THEN THE ATTENTION IS GONNA GO ELSEWHERE AND THE CITY IS JUST GONNA SORT OF GLOSS OVER. IT'S REALLY AGING AND POUR INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, PARTICULARLY ON THE DRAINAGE SIDE. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY, YOUR GROUP. NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE IS ONE OF THE MORE EFFECTIVE ONES. AND SO KEEP IT UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. NEXT SPEAKER, MARIAN WRIGHT. MARIAN WRIGHT. HI. I WANTED TO THANK THE MAYOR AND EVERYONE ELSE FOR PUTTING UP THE CROSSING BEACON AT 11TH AND, UM, NICHOLSON, IT'S WITH THE COMMUNITY ASK FOR IN THE BEGINNING BEFORE THE 11TH STREET PROJECT EVEN STARTED. AND FOR SOME REASON WE WERE TOLD THAT THAT COULDN'T HAPPEN THEN, BUT SOME KIND OF WAY IT DID. SO THANK YOU FOR WHOEVER DID THAT. THE OTHER REASON I'M HERE IS ACTUALLY MS. COUNCIL MEMBER CAME AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU CAN HELP WITH THIS BAKERY DONUTS. DANNY AT BAKERY DONUTS WAS RECENTLY SOME CYCLISTS WENT IN AND WERE YELLING AT HER THAT SHE WAS THE REASON THAT THERE WAS GONNA BE MODIFICATIONS MADE TO THE BIKE LANES. WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY ARE, BUT JUST BECAUSE THE CROSSING BEACON IS UP THERE. SHE WAS CRYING THE OTHER DAY WHEN WE WENT IN THERE AND SAID THAT. AND SHE GAVE ME HER NUMBER. SHE WROTE IT ON THE BACK OF A RECEIPT. I WILL PASS IT TO YOU. I TOLD HER THAT I WOULD COME AND ASK FOR SOMEONE TO PLEASE CONTACT HER. UM, SINCE THEN, OTHER PEOPLE WHO AREN'T GONNA BE BULLIED HAVE ACTUALLY COME OUT. UM, THE GENTLEMAN GUS, WHO OWNS RED BUD, UM, ART GALLERY AND ALSO, UM, THE PEOPLE FROM REPUBLIC BOOTS AND THEY BOTH RECENTLY HAVE JUST BEEN IN A NEWS ARTICLE. UM, BUT OTHER PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE LIKE DANNY WHO ARE MORE VULNERABLE BECAUSE THEIR BUSINESSES, UM, DEPEND ON A LOT OF LITTLE SALES, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. SHE'S SELLING DONUTS. YOU CAN SELL BOOTS AND NOT BE AS EFFECTIVE AS MUCH AS WHAT I'M SAYING, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE. IF SOMEONE, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO ABOUT DANNY TO HELP HER, BUT WHEN SHE HAS PEOPLE OUT THERE SCREAMING AT HER AND TELLING HER THAT THEY'RE GONNA HURT HER BUSINESS, WE [01:50:01] NEED TO DO SOMETHING. SO IF YOU CAN MAYBE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO STOP ACTING THAT WAY TOWARDS HER, I DON'T KNOW. BUT I'D APPRECIATE IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING. AND MAYBE IF YOU CAN GIVE HER A CALL, I'LL GIVE YOU HER NUMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMER. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU. SO, UH, BUSINESSES ALWAYS ARE WELCOME TO REACH OUT TO US AND WE HAVE A LIST OF ABOUT 15 BUSINESSES THAT DO SUPPORT THE AREA IN THE COMMUNITY. IT WAS THE MAYOR THAT IDENTIFIED THE DONUT SHOP, UH, PUBLICLY. AND ON THE RADIO, UH, IS SAYING THAT THEY WERE THE REASON, UH, HE'S CONSIDERING A REVIEW OF 11TH STREET. IT WAS THE MAYOR THAT IDENTIFIED THE DONUT SHOP, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE AS IT PERTAINS TO THE DONUT SHOP. AND THEY CAME BEFORE COUNCIL, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I THINK YOU RECALL THIS. AND WE EVEN ASKED IF THEY WOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION LIKE OTHER BUSINESSES, INCLUDING THEIR REVENUES AND THEY'RE STILL IN BUSINESS, UH, IN THE NEGOTIATION OVER DURHAM SHEPHERD. AND THE REASON I'M LAYING ALL THIS OUT, MARY YES. IS I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND I APPRECIATE THAT IN THE, UH, COMPROMISE THAT WAS SECURED TO MOVE THE SECOND PHASE OF DURHAM SHEPHERD FORWARD TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT WITH THE FEDERAL DOLLARS, UH, THAT WE HAD ONE RIGHT, THAT WE HAD SECURED, THERE WAS A CHANGE THAT WAS GOING TO BE MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE DONUT SHOP. ONE BUSINESS WHERE THERE ON THE HIGHEST INTERSECTION THAT HAS THE MOST CRASHES WHEN YOU'RE GOING DOWN 11TH STREET AND TURNING LEFT PAST THE DONUT SHOP, THE INTERSECTION WITH THE MOST CRASHES. THAT'S WHY A BARRIER WENT UP THAT IS NOW GOING TO BE REMOVED. THAT'S NOT ALL OF 11TH STREET. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE FATE OF THE REST OF 11TH STREET IS. BUT FOR THAT ONE INTERSECTION, THE TURS WAS INSTRUCTED TO ALREADY REMOVE THAT BARRIER. SO IN MY OPINION, AND THIS IS FOR THE PUBLIC PER YOUR REQUEST, MS. WRIGHT, THANK YOU. THE, THE DONUT SHOP AT ISSUE THAT THE MAYOR PUBLICLY BROUGHT UP, NOT THE COMMUNITY. UH, IT IS RELATIVELY MOOT GIVEN THE REQUEST THAT WAS MADE AS IT PERTAINS TO THAT SINGLE, YOU KNOW, FEW FEET, UH, IS ALREADY BEING CHANGED. SO I OVER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT INCIDENT YOU'RE REFERRING TO. I DO NOT SPEAK FOR INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS. UH, I HAVE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED, UH, COMMUNITY DISCOURSE, BUT AS IT PERTAINS TO THE FACTS OF WHY A DONUT SHOP IS IN THE NEWS, YOU INCLUDED FOR MULTIPLE YEARS, BROUGHT UP THE DONUT SHOP AND THE MAYOR BROUGHT UP THE DONUT SHOP. SO IF THE BUSINESS WANTS TO REACH OUT AGAIN, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO TALK TO THEM TO MAKE SURE IF THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF VIOLATION THAT HPD IS FOLLOWING UP, IF THEY DIDN'T FILE A REPORT. UH, BUT AS IT COMES TO THE DONUT SHOP, UH, THAT POINT IS RELATIVELY IN TERMS OF THE CONTESTATION OF THE CORRIDOR MOOT AT THIS POINT. MAY I FOLLOW UP? I BE RESPECTFUL OF . I APPRECIATE THAT. I USE MY ENTIRE TIME. I THINK, YOU KNOW WHAT, MS. WRIGHT, WE'RE NOT GONNA SOLVE THIS HERE. SO IF Y'ALL WANNA REACH OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN AND CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, WE TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER AS WELL. UM, WE NEED TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER. THANK, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, ANOTHER PROCEDURAL NEXT SPEAKER. ADA OOMA, ADA PRESSURE. HELLO, ADA. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YOU CAN PULL THAT MICROPHONE DOWN. MAYOR WHITMER AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ADA MEHIN. I'M SEVEN YEARS OLD AND I LIVE IN THE HEIGHTS ON KERR STREET. I WANT TO KEEP THE BIKE LANES ON 11TH STREET. I GO LOTS OF PLACES IN THE BICYCLE LANES, LIKE PIANO LESSONS, MY GRANDPARENTS' HOUSE AND CHURCH AT ALL SAINTS PARISH. I FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THE LANES BECAUSE THEY KEEP ME SAFE FROM CARS. IF YOU TEAR THEM OUT, IT WILL BE HARD TO RIDE MY BIKE PLACES AND I LOVE RIDING MY BIKE VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. ADA, IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME AT CITY HALL? YES. WELL, YOU DID A FABULOUS JOB. SEE ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE SMILING RIGHT NOW, THAT'S 'CAUSE OF YOU. SO CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD JOB, DAD. UH, BRINGING HER DOWN HERE. UH, DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE GONNA SPEAK ON, BUT IT'S REALLY GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, ADA, THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT SPEAKER TODAY. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING SPECIFIC ABOUT WHERE YOU GO WHEN YOU RIDE YOUR BIKE IN THOSE BIKE LANES. UH, THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL FOR ME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. [01:55:01] NEXT SPEAKER , PATRICK OMA, UH, UH, ADAM MAYOR, PRO TEMP, UH, CITY COUNCIL. I'M PATRICK OMAN. UM, I'M OBVIOUSLY ADA'S DAD AND I LIVE IN THE HEIGHTS ON KERMER STREET AS WELL. UM, SO LIKE I LIKE MY DAUGHTER. UH, I BICYCLE IN THE HEIGHTS TO GET PLACES, UM, TO EMPHASIZE NOT MERELY FOR RECREATION. UM, I ALSO WALK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I ALSO DRIVE EVERY DAY. UM, AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THIS TWO LANE CONFIGURATION WITH PROTECTED BIKE LANES ON 11TH THAT WORKS FAR BETTER FOR PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS, AND DRIVERS THAN THE OLD FOUR LANE. THREE FOR ALL DAY. AND I LIVED THERE FOR EIGHT YEARS. UM, THE IMPROVEMENT IS VAST. IT'S SAFER TO BIKE, UH, WHICH MEANS I DON'T HAVE TO USE MY CAR FOR SIMPLE TRIPS TO THE HARDWARE STORE OR FOR A DONUT. UM, MY KIDS AND I KNOW MISS DANNY WELL, AND WE, WE REALLY ADORE HER. UM, AND SHE'S VERY KIND TO THEM AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. UM, BUT THE TWO LANE CONFIGURATION MAKES IT SAFER TO CROSS THE STREET AND NOT JUST AT THE NICHOLSON TRAIL, BUT ACROSS THE WHOLE CORRIDOR AS WELL. SO, PEDESTRIAN REFUGES AT DOROTHY NICHOLSON, COLUMBIA NORTH HILL CREATE A COOPERATIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS CAN EASILY SEE EACH OTHER, MAKE EYE CONTACT AND SAFELY ESTABLISH A RIGHT OF WAY. WE DON'T HAVE TO BEG TO CROSS THE STREET AND WE HAVE THE RIGHT AND THE ABILITY TO GAUGE AND ENGAGE IN AN EQUAL FOOTING WITH DRIVERS. THAT'S A GODSEND FOR KIDS GOING TO SCHOOL AT LOVE. LIKE MY DAUGHTER DOES HARVARD OR HOG OR THE PEOPLE IN A WHEELCHAIR OR WITH A WALKER LIKE THE DOZENS OF DISABLED CITIZENS WHO LIVE IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX ON MY STREET. AND I DON'T SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT THEY'RE NOT HERE TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. FINALLY, DRIVING IS MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD. I DRIVE IT EVERY DAY. I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DRIVERS RANDOMLY CHANGING LANES OR SPEEDING. EVERYTHING IS FLOWING SMOOTHLY. THE ONLY REAL STUDY THAT THE CITY COMMISSIONED SHOWS ITS SPEEDING CRASHES AND INJURIES HAVE ALL BEEN REDUCED. SO I'M ANGRY BY THE DECISIONS THAT MAYOR WITMER'S OFFICE HAS MADE TO REMOVE NEW SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS IN AUSTIN HEIGHTS AND WESTHEIMER AND OTHER PLACES. IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT WE'RE BUILDING SECOND RATE INFRASTRUCTURE ON MONTROSE AND ELSEWHERE USING FLIMSY AND SHIFTING EXCUSES TO AVOID DURABLE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS. IT'S ALSO INFURIATING THAT THE CITY IS SPENDING A LOT OF TAX DOLLARS TO RIP OUT PERFECTLY GOOD INFRASTRUCTURE WHEN WE HAVE A 300 MILLION DO, OR MORE THAN A $300 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT. SO LET'S NOT SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR MORE CRASHES, MORE INJURIES, MORE POLLUTIONS, AND LESS ACCESSIBILITY SO THAT A FEW DRIVERS CAN SPEED FROM STOPLIGHT TO STOPLIGHT ON 11TH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. UH, SIR, THANK YOU FOR COMING, UH, WITH, AS IT RELATES TO 11TH STREET MM-HMM . BECAUSE, UH, WE'RE SO EXCITED THAT WE NOW HAVE A HAWK SIGNAL. WE ARE NICHOLSON. AND I APPRECIATE MS. WRIGHT BRINGING THAT UP. 'CAUSE AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR THAT. RIGHT. CERTAINLY NOT OPPOSED TO THE HAWK SIGNAL AND RIGHT. AND, UH, WE'RE PLEADING FOR IT AT 19TH AND NICHOLSON AND I CAN'T SEEM TO GET A RESPONSE AS TO WHY WE CAN'T HAVE ONE THERE. IF WE CAN HAVE ONE. SO WE WE DO NEED MORE. CORRECT. RIGHT. UH, AS IT RELATES TO WHERE YOU AND YOUR DAUGHTER TRAVEL MM-HMM . IS, IT'S NOT JUST NICHOLSON, IS IT? NICHOLSON, CAN YOU TALK AGAIN FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T AS FAMILIAR WITH 11TH STREET IT, WHERE ARE Y'ALL AND HOW ARE YOU CROSSING? SO I LIVE ON HAMER, WHICH IS A BLOCK AWAY FROM THE NICHOLSON CROSSING. AND WHAT WE DO IS WE GO ACROSS THAT CROSSING AND EVERY THURSDAY WE TURN LEFT AND WE GO ALL THE WAY DOWN GENERALLY TO THE STREET BEFORE YALE AND TURN DOWN. AND WE GO TO HER PIANO CLASS. AND THAT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SAW THE BICYCLE LANE, SHE WAS LIKE, WOW, WE CAN DO THIS, WE CAN GO THERE. AND I'M LIKE, YEAH. AND IT'S ACTUALLY GREAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, DURING RUSH HOUR, RIGHT, YOU GET OUT OF A CAR, YOU CAN GO DOWN THOSE LANES. WE FEEL SAFE. GENERALLY DRIVERS ARE PRETTY RESPECTFUL OF US. UM, I, YOU KNOW, I FEEL SAFE WITH MY DAUGHTER THERE. SHE USED THAT AS INCENTIVE TO GET HER TRAINING WHEELS OFF. UM, YOU KNOW, SHE HAS A LOT OF CONFIDENCE NOW. UM, YOU KNOW, WE TRAVEL THROUGH THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND IT'S BEEN FUN BECAUSE SHE KNOWS HER NEIGHBORHOOD NOW. SO THAT'S ONE PLACE WE GO. WE'VE STARTED BICYCLING TO ALL SAINTS TO, UH, CHURCH ON SUNDAY MORNINGS. UM, SHE LIKES THAT WE'VE BEEN TO THE HARDWARE STORE A FEW TIMES AGAIN ON 11TH STREET. WE PRIMARILY USE THE LANES, BUT IT GIVES US ACCESS TO A LOT OF PIECES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO DRIVE OTHERWISE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT ALL. NEXT SPEAKER, SHARON EVANS BROOKS. HELLO, MS. BROOKS. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL. MY NAME AGAIN IS SHARON EVANS BROOKS. I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE, OR SPEAKING FOR THE RIVERSIDE CIVIC ASSOCIATION. UH, OUR BOUNDARIES ARE MCGREGOR 2 88, COLUMBIA TAP AND BLOT. OUR COMMUNITY DEEPLY CARES ABOUT OUR HISTORIC COMMUNITY THAT IS RICH IN HISTORY, ACHIEVEMENT, UH, AND FIRM BELIEVERS IN LAW AND ORDER. WE WERE GLAD TO SEE THE MAYOR, UH, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD RECENTLY STRESSING HIS POLICIES ABOUT, [02:00:01] OR HIS PRIORITIES ON, ON CRIME AND, AND THAT SORT OF THING. AND WHILE WE APPRECIATE THAT VISIT, UM, AND WE ALL KNOW TRADITIONAL CRIME ALL TOO WELL, THERE'S, UH, OTHER ACTIVITY AND THE PACKET THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU WAS DISTRIBUTED, UM, HAS BEEN PREPARED AND DIS AND IS BEING DISTRIBUTED FROM, UM, THE RIVERSIDE CIVIC ASSOCIATION. UM, SO WE KNOW TRADITIONAL CRIME, BUT THERE ARE SOME ACTIVITY IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE BELIEVE RISING TO THE LEVEL OF CRIME THAT IS ASSAULTING OUR COMMUNITY. AND THAT IS A PARTICULAR MULTIFAMILY PROPERTY THAT IS BLIGHTED AND IS NEGATIVELY IMPACTING OUR RIVERSIDE QUALITY OF LIFE. AND WE NEED YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR INFLUENCE AND YOUR PUSH AND YOUR ENERGY ON IT. THE SPECIFIC ADDRESS IS OWNED BY FAT PROPERTIES LOCATED AT 24 0 3 SOUTHMORE. 24 12 SOUTHMORE. SPECIFICALLY TODAY, WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO 24 12. FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A DUMPSTER AT THIS MULTIFAMILY PROPERTY. WELL, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE TRASH FROM THAT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, FOURTH BUILDING MULTIFAMILY UNIT? IT'S DISCARDED ON SOUTHMORE. IT'S DISCARDED WITHIN THE GREEN ESPLANADE. IT'S A PROBLEM. WE'VE GOTTEN CONFLICTING MESSAGES REGARDING THE REQUIREMENTS TO HAVE A DUMPSTER ON SITE. WE'VE BEEN TOLD NO, NOT REQUIRED. WE'VE BEEN TOLD YES IS REQUIRED. WELL, IN THE MEANTIME, IN THE BUY AND BUY FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS, TRASH IS PILING UP. WE'VE MET WITH THE DEPARTMENT, THE ASSISTANT INSPECTOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS ON SITE. THEY GET IT CLEANED UP. THAT IS A SHORT TERM UNSUSTAINABLE SOLUTION. SO WE NEED DIRECTION AND, AND INFLUENCE OF COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ PASSES BY IT EVERY DAY. WE'RE NEIGHBORS, SO SHE KNOWS IT ALL TOO WELL. HER OFFICE HAS BEEN GREAT AND GETTING PEOPLE OVER THERE AT THE READY, GREAT, NOT GREAT. WHY NOT SUSTAINABLE? SHOULDN'T THE APARTMENT COMPLEX BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A DUMPSTER SO THEIR FOLKS CAN DISCARD THEIR REFUGE? WHAT ELSE ARE THEY DOING? THEY'RE STILL IN MY TRASH CAN AND OTHER FOLK HOMEOWNERS, TRASH CANS AND ROLLING IT AROUND THE CORNER AND THERE IT IS. THOSE THINGS HAVE NUMBERS ATTACHED TO THEM AND LINE THEM UP ALONG THE STREET, PUT SOME TRASH IN IT, LET IT OVERFLOW. YOU'LL SEE IN YOUR PACKET THE DISGRACEFUL DISGUSTING IMAGES. NOW NO NEIGHBORHOOD DESERVES THAT, BUT I KNOW WHAT I, WHAT NEIGHBORHOODS REALLY DON'T, ARE THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE PAYING 400, $500,000 FOR THESE HOUSES TO SEE THAT AS YOU DRIVE INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO WE WANT, UM, ENFORCEMENT, IF THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR A DUMPSTER, THEY NEED TO, IT NEEDS TO BE ENFORCED. IF THEY SHOULD HAVE A DUMPSTER AND THERE IS NOT ONE, THEY NEED TO BE CITED AND THEY NEED TO BE CITED DAY ONE, DAY TWO, DAY THREE DAY FOLD, DAY 55, DAY 795, UNTIL THEY GET THE MESSAGE. WHEN YOU HIT 'EM IN THEIR POCKET, THEY START LISTENING. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS OWNER HAS FILED, UH, PROTESTING HIS TAXES. WELL, LADA PROTESTING THIS OWNER PROTESTING TAXES. I KNOW THAT IS NOT WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW, BUT THEY ARE A GREAT OFFENDER IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE REPRESENTING HOMEOWNERS IN OUR DISTRICT D RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY TO GET ENFORCEMENT ON A DUMPSTER. NOW MIND YOU, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO INTO ALL THE OTHER HEALTH VIOLATIONS THAT MAY BE EXISTING ON THE PROPERTY. THAT'S AN ISSUE FOR ANOTHER DAY. WHAT? YES MA'AM. THANK YOU MAYOR PROTI. AND CERTAINLY THANK YOU SHARON. AND NO RELATION. SHARON, EVAN, I'M ASKED THAT EVERY DAY. SHE IS SOMEBODY THAT I WOULD CLAIM BECAUSE SHE'S ALWAYS SOLUTION FOCUSED, ALWAYS ON TOP OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SHE'S CALLED ME, TEXTED ME. I'VE GONE AND KNOCKED ON DOORS AND GOTTEN TRASH PICKED UP. BUT CERTAINLY AS YOU SAYING, THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE. I CAN'T GO AND KNOCK ON EVERYBODY'S DOOR AND TELL THEM NOT TO DUMP THE TRASH BE 'CAUSE IT'S VERY HARD TO STOP THESE BEHAVIORS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THOSE APARTMENT COMPLEXES ARE RIGHT THERE. BUT THE DUMPSTER PIECE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS. IT'S BEEN GONE FOR FOUR MONTHS. I'M SORRY, THE DUMPSTER HAS BEEN ABSENT FOR FOUR MONTHS. OKAY, WELL WE'RE GONNA WORK ON GETTING THAT DUMPSTER BACK VERY, VERY SHORTLY. IS THERE A REQUIREMENT FOR A MULTIFAMILY DWELL UNIT PROPERTY TO HAVE A DUMPSTER? YES [02:05:01] IT IS. OKAY. SO IF THEY DON'T PAY FOR THE DUMPSTER, THE DUMPSTER'S PICKED UP WHAT HAPPENS? YES MA'AM. THEN IT SHOULD BE A CITATION TO THAT PARTICULAR COMPLEX. UHHUH COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU FOR COMING. YES. AND ADVOCATING FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. YES. THERE IS A FINE. AND I WAS GONNA ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY, I I'VE GOT INFORMATION, IT RANGES FROM $750 TO $2,000. UH, IS THAT A, UM, DAILY? CAN WE GO BACK OVER AND OVER? UM, GENERALLY SPEAKING, UNLESS THERE'S SOME UNUSUAL WORDING YOU CAN CITE DAILY. YES, THAT IS CORRECT. SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T, WE NEED TO GET SOMEBODY OUT THERE IF, IF, IF WE CAN GET SOMEBODY OUT THERE TO GO EVERY DAY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A COMMERCIAL DUMPSTER, THERE'S NO REASON THIS MULTIFAMILY THING SHOULD BE BORROWING Y'ALL'S TRASH CANS AND NO, NOT BORROWING, STEALING. WELL, LET'S KEEP CLEAR. NOT GOOD POINT. AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ACORN, LET ME SAY THIS, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, AT WELL-MEANING, ALTHOUGH, WELL-MEANING THE CITY DEPARTMENT STAFF THAT CAME OUT, I MET WITH THEM ON SITE, UM, THEY WERE LOOSE IN THEIR WORDS. AND LEMME TELL YOU HOW THEY TOLD MANAGEMENT. WELL, YOU KNOW, IF Y'ALL, IF YOU PUT THIS TRASH ON THE SIDEWALK, THAT'S BAD. BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY. AND IF YOU PUT IT HERE ON THIS GREEN ESPLANADE, WELL, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S NOT YOU. AND THAT'LL GET TAKEN CARE OF. WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT? EVERY DAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALK AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREEN ESPLANADE, AS YOU WILL SEE IN YOUR PHOTOS THAT ARE, OOH, LORD, I I CAN'T EVEN CURSE IN HERE. CITY EMPLOYEES TELLING. WELL, I MEAN, IT WAS JUST LOOSE LANGUAGE. THE LANGUAGE SHOULD BE, HEY. MM, NO. IT'S LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S THERE, THEN THAT'S NOT YOUR PROBLEM. AND IF IT'S IN THE GREEN ESPLANADE OR THAT AIN'T YOUR PROBLEM EITHER. AND THE RESULT IS SINCE THAT DAY, AND THAT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO, IT'S PILING UP MORE AND MORE IN THE GREEN SPACE. MM-HMM . WELL, WE REQUIRE ALL BUSINESSES AND MULTIFAMILY COMPLEXES TO HAVE A DUMPSTER. SO YEAH, WE NEED, THEY NEED TO HAVE A DUMPSTER. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. UH, LET ME CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR, FOR THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. GOD KNOWS. IT IS, I I THINK THIS, THIS IS ONE NEAR EMANCIPATION THE CORNER OF EXACTLY. I I KNOW IT, KNOW IT WELL. SO I WANT TO ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY WHAT, WHAT, I MEAN, 'CAUSE WE KNOW THIS IS AN ENFORCEMENT ISSUE, IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS, RIGHT? KNOWING THE OWNER, WHAT, WHAT CAN BE DONE? YOU KNOW, YOU CAN THROW THE CITATIONS ON THIS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT, BUT HOW DO WE, WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY TAKE TO ENFORCE EVEN HIGHER? SORRY, I MISSED THAT. HOW, UH, ASK THAT AGAIN. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. NO. CAN YOU ASK THE QUESTION AGAIN? I MISSED THE END. YES. I WAS SAYING WE KNOW THAT THESE, THESE, THESE VIOLATIONS BASED UPON THE FACT THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED AS COUNCILMAN OF ALOR, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A DUMPSTER. IF YOU GIVE THEM CITATIONS ON THAT, WHAT OTHER ENFORCEMENT CAN WE DO TO TAKE THAT HIGHER? I THINK THAT'S WHAT MS. BROOKS IS SAYING. WHAT CAN WE DO HIGHER THAN JUST GIVING CITATION, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS NOT MAKING A DIFFERENCE. CITATION WOULD BE A GREAT STARTING POINT. YEAH. YEAH. I'M NOT SURE WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE ORDINANCE. MOST OF OUR ORDINANCES, ESPECIALLY THESE HEALTH AND SAFETY VIOLATIONS, ARE ENFORCEABLE BY CITATIONS. IT'S RARE THAT WE HAVE OTHER ENFORCEMENT OPTIONS IN THERE. HOW BIG IS THIS AN APARTMENT COMPLEX? IT IS. OKAY. SO IT'S NOT A FOURPLEX OR A A NO. OKAY. FOURPLEX WHO WOULD HAVE THE, THE BLACK RECEPTACLES, RIGHT? YEAH. GENERALLY SPEAKING, THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT KNOWING SPECIFICALLY THE FACTS, YEAH, YOU WOULD START WITH CITATIONS. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, UH, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO ENFORCE IT IN ANY OTHER WAY. AT LEAST IN OUR CITY CODES, MOST OF OUR CODE ENFORCE PRESENTATION. SO DOES ORDINANCE, DOES THE ORDINANCE REQUIRE, REQUIRE AFTER SO MANY, UM, CITATIONS? NO. THEY CAN BE CITED EVERY DAY. THE ISSUE IS WE JUST NEED TO HAVE THE ENFORCEMENT. THAT'S THE PROBLEM, IS WE HAVE TO HAVE ENFORCEMENT. AND SO WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS, UM, AND MS. BROOKS, I FEEL YOUR FRUSTRATION BECAUSE CHILD TRASH KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT TOO. UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND HER TEAM, UH, WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS SO THAT THEY CAN GET OUT THERE AND MAKE SURE THE COMPLEX IS CITED. AND THEN THERE HAS TO BE A FOLLOW UP, UH, WITH THE COURTS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THEY PAY THE CITATIONS OR THAT A LIEN WILL BE PUT ON THE PROPERTY. SO THERE IS SOME, SOME ACTION THAT CAN TAKE PLACE. IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE PUSHING. UM, BUT I, I'M CONFIDENT THAT YOUR, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER AND HER TEAM, UM, CAN ASSIST WITH THAT. WE NEED TO GET THAT DUMPSTER BACK IN PLACE NUMBER. AND THEN WE NEED TO CURTAIL THIS BEHAVIOR, UM, WITH THE, WITH THE CITATIONS AND FOLLOWING IT TO COURT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T GET DISMISSED. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE FOUND HAPPENS WHEN WE [02:10:01] GET CITATIONS ISSUED, IS THEY'LL GET TO COURT AND THEY'LL GET DISMISSED BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WILL SAY THINGS LIKE, WELL, THE, YOU KNOW, UM, TRASH DIDN'T COME ON TIME, OR THEY DIDN'T PICK UP OUR STUFF AND IT'LL GET DISMISSED AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE, UM, HONING IN ON THAT AND HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE NUISANCES THAT THEY ARE CREATING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO I'M CONFIDENT THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ AND HER TEAM ARE GONNA WORK WITH YOU TO GET A A, A DUMPSTER AT THAT COMPLEX, AND THEN WE WILL, UM, WORK WITH LEGAL AND THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THOSE CITATIONS. I WILL SAY, AND NOT TO BELABOR THE POINT, BUT I WILL SAY THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER AND HER STAFFER COREY, HAVE BEEN AMAZING ASSETS ON THAT. AND AS SOON AS IT WAS BROUGHT TO THEIR, UH, IT WAS ESCALATED AND BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION, IT WAS DEALT WITH. BUT AGAIN, SHORT TERM, RIGHT? NOBODY'S LOOKING FOR SHORT TERM SOLUTION. NO, I GOT, I GET YOU. UM, YEAH, I GOT IT. AND I THINK THEY GET IT TOO. SO WE, WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP WORKING ON IT. AND I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME THAT THESE ISSUES, THERE'S NO FINISH LINE FOR THESE ISSUES. THIS IS A MAINTENANCE PROGRAM BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT WE FIND IS PEOPLE DUMP ONE TO THREE MILES FROM THEIR HOUSE, AND WE KNOW WHO IT IS. IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE, THAT'S THEIR CLOTHES IN THE ESPLANADE. THERE'S THEIR CLOTHES IN THE, ON THE SIDEWALK, AND EITHER THE PEOPLE WERE EVICTED OR THEY, THEY LEFT THE PLACE, OR THEY, THEY DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO DUMP THEIR STUFF. WE KNOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE TIMES IT'S THE FOLKS THAT LIVE RIGHT THERE THAT ARE CREATING THE NUISANCES. SO THEY, I'M CONFIDENT THEY'LL KEEP WORKING WITH YOU TO TRY TO RELIEVE, UM, SOME OF THIS FRUSTRATION, UH, AND, AND GET TO SOMETHING THAT IS SUSTAINABLE. IS THERE ANYONE FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT HERE TODAY? SOLID WASTE RATHER. OKAY. NO, BECAUSE MANY OF THESE, UH, BLACK TRASH BINS THAT ARE STOLEN HAVE SERIAL NUMBERS ON THEM. MM-HMM . AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT NEXT STEPS THERE COULD BE REGARDING, UM, SOME ACTION ON THAT. YEAH, THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED THEFT. UM, BUT, UH, THE DISTRICT D OFFICE CAN DEFINITELY REACH OUT. WE'VE GOT A NEW SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR. UH, THEY CAN WORK WITH YOU AND THE SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR TO, TO DEVISE A PLAN FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR THE RECOMMENDATION ABOUT FOLLOWING IT UP WHEN IT GETS TO, UM, HEARING ON THEIR CITATION. THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR US. THANK YOU, MS. BROOKS. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A PROCEDURAL MOTION. COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ? YES. UH, MAYOR PROAM. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A PROCEDURAL MOTION TO ADD SCOTT CLEMONS TO THE LIST OF SPEAKERS, UH, AT THIS TIME, IF POSSIBLE, TO BE THE NEXT SPEAKER. YES. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. ANY OPPOSITION? IF NOT, ITEM PASSES. NEXT SPEAKER. SCOTT CLEMONS. SCOTT CLEMONS. HI. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME HERE AND SPEAK TODAY. I SPOKE TO SOME OF YOU BEFORE. THANK YOU, MR. BAZ, FOR LETTING ME COME IN AND SPEAK. I COME TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE OF THE NOISE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I LIVE ON EMANCIPATION IN THIRD WARD NEAR SOUTHMORE. AND THE NOISE FROM THE MOTORISTS THAT COME AND VISIT ALL THESE CLUBS IS RIDICULOUS. THEY'VE GOT BASE SPEAKERS THAT WILL RATTLE YOUR HOUSE. IT'LL SHAKE ALL YOUR CHINA IN YOUR HOUSE. THEY DO THIS FROM THURSDAY TO SUNDAY NIGHT WITH SUNDAY NIGHT SLAB, SUNDAY BEING THE WORST FROM NINE O'CLOCK, NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT TO THREE IN THE MORNING. I'D LIKE TO READ SOME OF THE QUOTES FROM SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY SAY THAT NOISE FROM MOTORISTS IS A HUGE PROBLEM. CARS, SLABS AND MOTORCYCLES BLAST, REALLY LOUD MUSIC THAT RATTLES THE WINDOWS IN MY HOUSE. IT'S LIKE BEING KEPT PRISONER BY A GANG OF THUGS. ANOTHER PERSON SAID IT. IT INTERRUPTS MY SLEEP. IT INTERRUPTS MY SLEEP. IT INTERRUPTS MY SLEEP. YES, I WROTE IT THREE TIMES. I WOULD WRITE IT MORE IF I THOUGHT THAT WOULD HELP MAKE MY POINT. ANOTHER PERSON SAID, THIS IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE RIGHT NOW. SLEEPING ON WEEKENDS, ESPECIALLY SUNDAY NIGHTS, IS REALLY HARD WITH ALL THE LOUD MUSIC AND REVVING CAR ENGINES THROUGH 3:00 AM ANOTHER PERSON SAID, WE FEEL WE'RE UNDER ATTACK FROM LOUD MUSIC, FROM BARS, PARKING LOTS AND PATRONS. IT'S VERY STRESSFUL. ANOTHER PERSON SAID, IT DISTURBS MY SLEEP EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT. I GET LESS THAN FIVE HOURS OF SLEEP. THIS SLEEP DEPRIMA DEPRIVATION COMES, CAUSES BRAIN FOG AND LACK OF CONCENTRATION AT MY JOB AS A PHARMACIST, WHICH I COULDN'T IMAGINE, THIS GUY COULD KILL PEOPLE IF HE MESSES UP. THE NOISE IS SO LOUD, IT'S HARD TO HEAR THE TELEVISION. IT'S TRAUMATIZING. THE IDEA OF BEING EXPECTED TO GIVE UP MY PEACE IN THE HOME I LIVE IN IS UNACCEPTABLE AND INFURIATING. WE CAN'T LIVE, WE CAN'T USE OUR BACKYARD SPACE OR THE BACKSIDE OF OUR HOME WHEN THE CLUBS ARE BLASTING THEIR MUSIC. ANOTHER PERSON SAID, I'M VERY CONCERNED [02:15:01] WE WON'T MAKE ANY MONEY OUT OF THIS HOUSE BECAUSE THE BARS ARE DRIVING OUR DRIVING DOWN OUR HOME VALUE. THE LAST PERSON THAT I HAVE A QUOTE FROM, THERE'S MORE, BUT SAYS, I CAN'T HAVE GUESTS AT MY HOME DUE TO THE NOISE. I CAN'T ENJOY MY TIME FROM MY FRONT PATIO BALCONY OR BACK DECK. NOW, I APOLOGIZE FOR SENDING SOME OF THE EMAILS. I'VE SENT SOME TO THE MAYOR. I'VE SENT SOME TO MR. RODRIGUEZ AND DR. SHABAZZ, AND I'M SURE THEY'RE INFURIATING. I'M SURE THEY'RE, THEY SOUND TERRIBLE, BUT IT'S, IT'S THE TRUTH OF WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, AND WE'RE BEING IGNORED, AND WE REALLY, WE REALLY BEG AND PRAY FOR YOUR HELP. NOW, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS IN THAT OPERATION ON FRIDAY THAT HAD 30 OFFICERS THAT CAME AND THEY WERE KICKING ASS, EXCUSE ME, ARRESTING PEOPLE. AND IT WAS AMAZING. BUT IT SHOWS THAT IT CAN BE DONE. BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENS ON SUNDAY, PLEASE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OF THE VIDEOS, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, I EMAILED 96 VIDEOS THAT I SHOT. I WAS RISKING MY LIFE. I HAD TWO PEOPLE THREATEN ME OR COME TO ME, A A AS I'M SHOOTING THESE VIDEOS ASKING ME WHAT I'M DOING, IF THERE'S 96 VIDEOS THAT SHOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. AND MR. SHABAZ CAN FORWARD THAT EMAIL TO YOU. THE MAYOR CAN FORWARD THAT EMAIL TO YOU. MR. RODRIGUEZ, MR. RAMIREZ, I'M SORRY. I SAY YOUR NAME WRONG, SO PLEASE HELP. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ. THANK YOU, SCOTT. OF COURSE, I I DO GET YOUR EMAILS. UM, THEY'RE PRETTY LENGTHY, BUT THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PROBLEMS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO RESOLVE. AND SO CERTAINLY ON SATURDAY, ACTUALLY, I REACHED OUT TO THE MAYOR TO SPECIFICALLY TALK TO HIM ABOUT, UM, THE GAS STATION RIGHT THERE ON EMANCIPATION END, DIALING AND EMANCIPATION AND SOUTHMORE RATHER. AND HE HAS ASSURED ME THAT THEY'RE GONNA STEP UP, UH, ROUTINE PATROLS THERE. YET THERE WAS A RIDE ALONG ON, I BELIEVE FRIDAY NIGHT, FRIDAY. OF COURSE, WE CAN'T HAVE THAT SHOW OF FORCE ALL OVER THE CITY, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE THINGS GOING ON. SO IT CAN'T BE SOMETHING THAT'S DONE REGULARLY, BUT TO CERTAINLY UTILIZE THOSE THAT ARE IN THAT AREA TO COME BY THERE, BECAUSE THAT IS A SPOT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECKONED WITH. AND SO I, I DO APPRECIATE, EVEN THOUGH I, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY THINK THAT IT'S IRRITATING. I CERTAINLY, IF IF YOU DON'T TELL ME AND MY CONSTITUENTS DON'T TELL ME, THEN I DON'T KNOW. BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I DON'T LIVE THAT FAR FROM THERE. SO CERTAINLY WHEN I GO PLACES, I CAN SEE SOMETIMES THAT THE PEOPLE ARE THERE, UH, AND THEY ARE MOVING. IT'S ALL UP AND DOWN THE STREET ALL THE WAY TO, TO ELGIN FROM SOUTHMORE. WELL, IT'S KINDA LIKE THEY MOVED SOMETIMES. NO, NO, NO. IT, IT SHOWS A TRAFFIC. WHEN I SAY THEY ON GOOGLE MAP, SOMETIMES THEY'RE MCG PARK. THEN THERE'S ANOTHER GAS STATION OVER THERE ON OST. AND SO THEY MOVE SOMETIMES FROM PLACE TO PLACE, BUT THEY'VE BEEN THERE PRETTY REGULARLY. SO I DID ASK THE MAYOR TO REACH TO, UH, STEP UP THE STEP UP THE PATROLS. AND SO THANK YOU. AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THEY WORK AT THE BARS. THEY GET PAID BY THE BARS TO WORK ONLY FOR THE BARS. YOU KNOW, YOU JUST SAID SOMETHING, I CAN ALSO REACH OUT TO THE CONSTABLE ARE UNIFORM, THE CITY'S UNIFORMS TO MAKE MONEY WHILE THEY SIT THERE AND WATCH ALL OF THIS STUFF HAPPEN RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM. AND I THOUGHT THEY, IF YOU'RE WEARING A UNIFORM AND YOU SEE SOMEONE BREAKING THE LAW, I THOUGHT THAT THAT UNIFORMED OFFICER WAS REQUIRED TO STOP THOSE PEOPLE. SO THEY'RE THERE JUST FOR THEIR OWN, THEY'RE JUST TO LINE THEIR OWN POCKETS, WHICH THEY SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO. IT'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND IT'S REALLY HURTING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHO'S DISRESPECTFUL ACTUALLY. AND SO I WILL REACH OUT TO CONSTABLE PHILLIPS AS WELL TO SEE IF HE COULD SUPPORT THAT CORON, HE WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 'CAUSE THEY'RE SHERIFFS THERE, THERE ARE SHERIFFS FROM THE CONSTABLES OFFICE. BUT I'M SAYING THERE'S SHERIFF'S THERE, RIGHT? I'M JUST SAYING. BUT IF I REACH OUT TO THE HEAD PERSON THERE, I THINK HE CAN BETTER, UH, BRING IT HOME. THAT THAT IS WHAT NOT I THOUGHT ACCEPT ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR. I HOSPITALS WERE DIFFERENT GROUPS. THEY ARE. THEY ARE. OKAY. SO COULD SOMEBODY CONTACT, SHE'S SHERIFF ABOUT SHERIFFS, INCLUDING ANOTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT. I UNDERSTAND. I'VE TALKED TO SMOKEY PHILLIP AND HE THINKS I'M OUTTA MY MIND, HE THINKS OUR NEIGHBORS JUST, THAT'S JUST THIRD WARD AND THAT'S THE WAY YOU HAVE TO LIVE. WELL, I, THAT'S THE RESPONSE I'VE GOTTEN. I THINK THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ WILL WORK WITH YOU ON THAT. I CLEAR. I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. THAT WOULD BE REALLY AWESOME. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, CHRISTOPHER ROBERSON. CHRISTOPHER ROBERSON ROBINSON. YES, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON. TO THE, TO THE COUNCIL PEOPLE. THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE AND, UM, ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO, I'M WITH, UM, WATCH IT PAY OFF. Y'ALL SEEN THE, UH, THE FOUNDER COME IN. I'M ON THIS BOARD. I'M A, UM, SECRETARY AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I'M [02:20:01] HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF YOU AFFECTED BY GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. GUN VIOLENCE IS NOT A CRIME STATISTIC. IT'S A BARRIER TO GROWTH, TO HOPE, AND TO OPPORTUNITY. EVERY SHOOTING STEALS POTENTIAL FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND SENDS A MESSAGE TO YOUNG PEOPLE THAT LIVES ARE DISPOSABLE. BUT WE KNOW THAT STOP INVESTED IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, SAFE SPACES, MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT IS NOT OPTIONAL. IT'S PREVENTION. IT'S JUSTICE. IT'S HOW WE SHOULD SHOW OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT THEY MATTER MORE THAN VIOLENCE. THEY SURROUNDED BY WE NEED POLICY, BUT ALSO WE NEED PERSISTENCE. WE NEED LEADERS WHO TO SHOW UP AND LISTEN AND ACT. LET'S, LET'S BE A CITY THAT'S, THAT HELPS, HELPS, HELPS OUR YOUTH. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A LITTLE WHILE IN THE CITY, BORN HERE. I'M A DISABLED VETERAN, UH, UNITED STATES NAVY. UM, I'VE ALSO WORKED, UH, WITH DIFFERENT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THE BLACK HERITAGE SOCIETY. I'VE DONE THE ONE LUTHER THE KING PARADE. LAST YEAR I DONE, UH, SYLVESTER TURNER JUNETEENTH PARADE FOR HIM. UM, I ALSO WORKED WITH, WITH THE CITY PARK REC. WE WORKING WITH THE, UH, BIKE ART PARADE FESTIVAL COMING UP. SO, YOU KNOW, I DO MY PART IN THE CITY AND I JUST WANT TO SPEAK UP FOR, WATCH IT PAY OFF AND LET YOU KNOW THAT HE'S A YOUNG MAN THAT'S COMING UP. HE HAS GREAT IDEAS AND I'M BACKING HIM. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. AND THANK Y'ALL FOR Y'ALL TIME. THANK Y'ALL FOR ALL Y'ALL HARD WORK. I'M BORN IN, BORN RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON IN THIRD WARD, SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MAN IS, WHAT THE MAN JUST GOT THROUGH SPEAKING. BUT HEY, THIS BEEN, THIS BEEN GOING ON FOR, SINCE I'VE BEEN BORN. YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW WE, THIS IS HOW YOUNG PEOPLE EXPRESS THEMSELVES WITH THE CARS AND MUSIC. YOU KNOW, THEY CALL 'EM SLABS. SO THIS IS, THIS IS HOUSTON, SO YOU GOTTA BE, IF YOU COME TO HOUSTON, I APOLOGIZE, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HOUSTON DOES, AND JUST, WE JUST EN ROOTED IN IT. AND WE DON'T MEAN ANY DISRESPECT TO NOBODY HOMES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, I'M A FAMILY MAN. I LIVE, I LIVE OUT NORTH. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN. BUT YOU GOTTA PICK WHERE YOU STAY. YOU GOTTA REALLY CHOOSE. I'M A, I'M A LICENSED REALTOR, SO YOU GOTTA REALLY CHOOSE WHERE YOU WANNA LIVE BEFORE YOU BUY THAT PROPERTY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. Y'ALL HAVE A BLESSED DAY. THANK YOU, SIR. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. NEXT SPEAKER, WILL HILL, WILL HILL, NEXT SPEAKER ANDREA . ANDREA JENNIFER GRIBBLE, WHERE HE, GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR PROTE AND CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ALL OF THESE CONCERNS TODAY AND EVERY WEEK. UH, MY NAME IS JENNIFER GRIBBLE AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE MIDTOWN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. I'M ALSO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH DIRECTOR AT SOUTH MAINE BAPTIST CHURCH IN MIDTOWN, WHERE I'VE BEEN A MEMBER FOR NEARLY 25 YEARS. TODAY, I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE VOICES OF ALL THOSE WHO LIVE IN WORK IN MIDTOWN, SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY, REGARDING THE SURPRISE REMOVAL OF THE AUSTIN STREET PROTECTED BY LANE LAST WEEK. THE FIRST ISSUE I WANT TO ADDRESS IS THE LACK OF NOTICE AND TRANSPARENCY IN THIS DECISION, BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND IN SOME CASES, EVEN MEMBERS HERE IN THIS CITY COUNCIL, WERE LEFT UNINFORMED ABOUT THIS. ACTION. TRANSPARENCY AND COLLABORATION ARE KEY TO GOOD GOVERNANCE, AND THE ABSENCE OF THESE ELEMENTS ERODES TRUST. IT IS DEEPLY TROUBLING THAT SUCH SIGNIFICANT CHANGE WAS MADE WITHOUT PROPER NOTICE OR INPUT FROM THOSE WHO WILL BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED IN THE COMMUNITY. NEXT, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE LACK OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC INPUT. THE RIGHT COURSE OF ACTION IS SIMPLE. WHEN MAKING MAJOR CHANGES WITHIN A NEIGHBORHOOD, HOLD A PUBLIC MEETING, LET THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE, WEIGH THE POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES, AND WORK TOWARDS A SOLUTION THAT REFLECTS OUR SHARED PRIORITIES. WHILE WE MAY NOT AGREE ON EVERY DETAIL, ONE THING WE CAN ALL AGREE ON IS THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY. WHILE WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE THAT THE PLAN FOR AUSTIN STREET HAS CHANGED OVER THE PAST WEEK FROM A SHERO LANE TO A PAINTED BIKE LANE, WE WANT TO NOTE THAT THE VAST MAJORITIES OF OUR MIDTOWN CONSTITUENTS HAVE CONTINUED TO STATE IT IS A CON, A SAFETY CONCERN TO NOT HAVE A PROTECTED BIKE LANE AS BEFORE. IT IS CRUCIAL THAT WE ALL HAVE THE CHANCE TO COLLABORATE AS A COMMUNITY AND COME TO A CONSENSUS ON THE BEST PATH FORWARD. I ALSO WANNA ADDRESS OUR FINANCIAL CONCERNS. AS A CITY, WE'RE FACING TIGHT FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS, AND IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE USE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS RESPONSIBLY. THE REMOVAL OF EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE WITHOUT A CLEAR PROVEN ALTERNATIVE IS NOT JUST WASTEFUL. [02:25:01] IT RISKS UNDERMINING YEARS OF PLANNING AND INVESTMENT. THIS ACTION SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE ABOUT FISCAL STEWARDSHIP AND DOES NOT DEMONSTRATE THE CAREFUL DECISION MAKING THAT THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON DESERVE. THE SOLUTION IS TO NOT SIMPLY UNDO DECISIONS WITHOUT A CLEAR PLAN IN PLACE. WE NEED A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH, ONE THAT INVOLVES THEIR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT BIKE LANE, IT'S ABOUT HOW THESE DECISIONS AFFECT THOSE WHO LIVE, WORK, AND MOVE THROUGH MIDTOWN. I'VE HEARD FROM COUNTLESS RESIDENTS WHO FEEL LEFT OUT OF THIS CONVERSATION, AND IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE LISTEN TO ALL VOICES AND JUST A SELECT FEW. MIDTOWN IS A DIVERSE COMMUNITY, AND EVERYONE DESERVES A SEAT AT THE TABLE. MAKING UNILATERAL DECISIONS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY'S STREETS WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH THE PEOPLE MOST IMPACTED IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. TRANSPARENCY IS NOT JUST A BUDS WORD, IT'S A NECESSITY. MAYOR, PRO TEM, AND MAYOR, UM, AND CITY COUNCIL, I URGE ALL OF YOU TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY PRIOR TAKING TO ACTION, HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS, AND WORK TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY TO FIND SOLUTIONS THAT SERVE THE NEEDS OF ALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU PERSONALLY TO FIND COLLABORATIVE AND WIN-WIN SOLUTIONS FOR CAYMAN. I IF COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ WAS IN THE QUEUE, I'LL DEFER TO HER FIRST. SHE'S NOT. GO AHEAD. OKAY. UM, JENNIFER, JUST ON A PERSONAL NOTE, UM, I WANTED TO SAY HELLO. UH, I WANTED TO THANK YOU, UH, YOUR, YOUR SON INTERNED IN OUR OFFICE AND, UH, I BELIEVE, REMIND ME HOW, HOW DID HE COMMUTE? UH, BICYCLE TO CITY HALL. MM-HMM . UH, WELL, HE WAS A PHENOMENAL INTERN. UM, AGAIN, I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT AND LOVE FOR YOUR FAMILY, BUT THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU'RE HERE TODAY IN A BROADER CAPACITY, BUT I DID WANNA JUST THANK YOU, UM, AND GIVE A SHOUT OUT, UH, TO TY FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK HE DID FOR DISTRICT C AND THE FACT THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY HE COMMUTED FROM WHERE Y'ALL LIVE TO CITY HALL ON A BIKE TO WORK. AND THANK YOU FOR THE IMPACT Y'ALL MADE ON HIM. COUNCIL MEMBER CHAVEZ, THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING. UM, CERTAINLY I AM A PERSON THAT BELIEVES THAT YOU, YOU NEED TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY. AND WHAT REALLY TROUBLES ME WAS THIS WHOLE PROCESS STARTING BACK BEFORE I EVEN GOT HERE. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, BUT THE FINDINGS OR THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY WERE NOT MET IN TERMS OF THEY WERE NOT EXPECTING A TWO-WAY BIKE LANE. AND SO THAT WAS DONE, UH, I, I THINK IN A NON-TRANSPARENT WAY BECAUSE IT, IT CHANGED THE PLAN THAT THE PEOPLE EXPECTED. BUT THERE ARE CERTAINLY REASONS TO LOOK AT THAT PARTICULAR AREA. CERTAINLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE INCONVENIENCE TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE IS A PROBLEM. BUT EVEN SO, YOU KNOW, I DID SEE THAT THERE WAS AN ARTICLE FROM THE, UH, THING THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM, SO TO SPEAK, BUT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ASK. AND I HAVE HAD, UH, COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE CAPTAIN OF THAT PARTICULAR STATION. HE SAYS IT'S A, A REAL PROBLEM. HE SAYS THAT THEY HAVE, UH, TROUBLE AS TO WHERE THEY'RE GONNA TRAIN. UH, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE SEEN TIMES WHEN IT WAS FLOODING YOU COULDN'T SEE, AND PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY TORN UP THEIR OIL PANS AND WHATEVER BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE, THE, UH, PROTECTED BIKE LANES. BUT CERTAINLY, UM, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE U THEY WERE USING THOSE FOR LADDER DRILLS. THAT'S A PROBLEM. THE HYDRANT OPERATIONS. AND CERTAINLY WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE PROPERLY TRAINED. AND I DON'T THINK THAT THEY WERE GIVEN ANY, UH, OTHER DESIGNATED TRAINING SPACE. AND SO THERE WERE SOME, SOME REAL CONCERNS. BUT I DO AGREE WITH YOU THAT THERE NEEDED TO BE SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, AT AT LEAST TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHY, UH, THEY FELT THAT IT WAS, UH, SOMETHING THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE. AND OF COURSE, SAFETY IS ALWAYS THE ISSUE. AND THAT IS WHAT THIS WAS ABOUT. IT WAS NOT ABOUT JUST MOVING BIKE LANES, IT WAS TO HAVE SAFETY FOR THE COMMUNITY. BUT AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR COMING AND, UH, I KNOW YOU HAD TO SPEND A, A GREAT DEAL OF TIME, UH, WAITING. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF SPEAKERS HERE, BUT CERTAINLY, UH, I DO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND FOR STAYING TO, TO VOICE YOUR OPINION. WELL, I REITERATE AS THE MIDTOWN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP, UM, WE STAND READY TO HELP FACILITATE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. WE ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO, WHETHER IT BE PUBLIC WORKS OR YOU KNOW, CITY COUNCIL, WHOEVER YOU, Y'ALL ARE ALWAYS AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST FOR COMING TO SPEAK AND BE ON OUR AGENDA ANYTIME FOR OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS. SO PLEASE CONTINUE TO, UH, [02:30:01] ENGAGE WITH US. AND, AND THEN, I DON'T KNOW, DID YOU DO ANY KINDA SURVEY AS TO HOW MANY, WE STILL GOT A LOT OF FOLKS, SO IF Y'ALL WANNA TALK, UH, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. JEREMY STONE. JEREMY STONE. JEREMY STONE. NEXT SPEAKER. ALICE FOSTER. ALICE FOSTER. HELLO FOSTER. HI, UH, MY NAME IS ALICE FOSTER AND I LIVE IN MIDTOWN, JUST A FEW BLOCKS FROM AUSTIN STREET. AND I'M ALSO HERE TO EXPRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE AUSTIN STREET BIKE PATH TO MYSELF, TO MY COMMUNITY, AND TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND I'M PLEADING WITH CITY COUNCIL TO STOP THE FURTHER REMOVAL OF THE PATH AND OTHERS LIKE IT. I USE AUSTIN STREET BIKE PATH MOST WEEKDAYS TO GET SAFELY BETWEEN MY HOME AND MIDTOWN AND MY WORKPLACE IN DOWNTOWN BY THE DISCOVERY GREEN. WITHOUT THE DEDICATED LANE, I'D BE CONTENDING WITH DRIVERS WHO OFTEN AREN'T WATCHING OUT FOR PEDESTRIANS OR BIKERS. THE PATH NOT ONLY PROTECTS ME PHYSICALLY, BUT GIVES ME PEACE OF MIND SO I CAN ENJOY THE RIDE. OUTSIDE OF COMMUTING, I'VE USED THE PATH FREQUENTLY TO ACCESS HERMAN PARK AND THE LOVELY TRAILS ALONG BUFFALO, WHITE OAK AND BREEZE BAYOU, ESPECIALLY WHILE TRAINING FOR THE TEXAS MS ONE 50 LAST SPRING. THIS BIKE LANE MAY SLOW DOWN SOME DRIVERS FOR A MINUTE OR SO, OR MINORLY INCONVENIENCE SOME RESIDENTS ALONG AUSTIN STREET, BUT IT CHANGES THE EXPERIENCE FOR BIKERS ON A DIFFERENT ORDER OF MAGNITUDE, ALLOWING US TO PASS SAFELY THROUGH MIDTOWN. OF COURSE, THE DESTRUCTION OF THE AUSTIN STREET BIKE PATH DOES NOT ONLY AFFECT ME, IT AFFECTS THE MIDTOWN COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. YOU APPARENTLY MENTIONED IN LAST TUESDAY'S MEETING THAT THE PATH MAINLY SERVES BIKERS PASSING THROUGH FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA, AND THAT YOU HAVE RESIDENTS THERE THAT ARE CERTAINLY INCONVENIENCE AMONG FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES WHO ALSO LIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT. I WOULD SAY THAT MOST USE THE PATH REGULARLY FOR BIKING OR OTHER RECREATION, WHICH RAISES THE MORE SALIENT POINT THAT THE PATH IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THOUSANDS OF MIDTOWN RESIDENTS BY PROVIDING A SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO BIKE, YES, BUT ALSO TO WALK, JOG, ROLLER BLADE, PUSH THEIR BABY STROLLERS, ET CETERA. GIVEN THE POOR STATE OF HOUSTON SIDEWALKS, THE PATH FUNCTIONS AS ONE OF THE MOST CONTIGUOUS, WELL MAINTAINED AND ACCESSIBLE WALKWAYS IN ALL OF MIDTOWN. THIS INFRASTRUCTURE ALSO IMPROVES THE ENVIRONMENT OF AUSTIN STREET, MAKING IT MORE PEACEFUL AND QUIET. SO COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. I HOPE YOU'LL RECONSIDER THE NOTION THAT AUSTIN STREET BIKE PATH SERVES A NICHE INTEREST COMMUNITY FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY. WHILE INCONVENIENCING MIDTOWN RESIDENTS A DEDICATED LANE FOR RECREATION ENRICHES THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WELCOMING MULTIPLE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION HELPS SET MIDTOWN APART FROM THE URBAN SPRAWL, CHARACTERIZING MUCH OF HOUSTON. BUT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE AUSTIN STREET BIKE PATH DOES NOT ONLY AFFECT MIDTOWN, IT AFFECTS THE ENTIRE CITY. MIDTOWN DOESN'T EXIST IN A VACUUM, AND CONNECTING IT WITH THE REST OF HOUSTON MAKES A MORE APPEALING PLACE TO LIVE IN. VISIT IT BRIDGES, NEIGHBORHOODS, OTHERWISE ONLY LINKED BY HIGHWAYS, AND IT ALLOWS BIKERS AND RUNNERS TO REACH FURTHER, FORMING A ROUTE BETWEEN NEARLY OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE INNER LOOP. WHAT DO WE WANT FOR OUR CITY? DO WE WANT TO LIMIT OURSELVES TO VEHICLE TRANSPORTATION, PRIORITIZING IT ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE, EVEN WHEN IT COSTS US FINANCIALLY? OR DO WE WANT TO HELP HOUSTONIANS EXPERIENCE THE OUTDOORS, LIVE HEALTHIER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLES AND CONNECT WITH THE CITY AROUND THEM? HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL, I'M UPSET. I'M ENRAGED AND I'M ASKING YOU TO GET YOUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. NEXT SPEAKER, MARILYN CHAN. MARILYN CHAN. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSEL MAYOR PRO TEM. MY NAME IS MARILYN CHAN. I HAVE LIVED IN MIDTOWN FOR 17 YEARS, FOUR HOUSES AWAY FROM THE AUSTIN STREET BIKE LANE. WHILE I CURRENTLY SERVE ON THE MIDTOWN MANAGEMENT BOARD, I AM, UM, HERE TODAY REPRESENTING MYSELF AND MY NEIGHBORS, MAJORITY OF WHOM ARE NOT NOTIFIED OR GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE REMOVAL OF THE DEDICATED BIKE LANE GOING FORWARD. I URGE THE CITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY MORE THOROUGHLY. I APPRECIATE THE MEDIA HAS RECENTLY REPORTED THAT THE MAYOR'S RESTORING THE NORTHBOUND BIKE LANE ON AUSTIN. HOWEVER, I ASK FOR THE RECONSIDERATION OF THE REMOVAL OF THE PROTECTED CONCRETE BARRIERS. A PAINTED STRIPE IS NOT A SOLUTION, IT'S NOT SAFE. THE CONSEQUENCES OF REMOVING THE PROTECTIVE BARRIERS IS FAR GREATER THAN THE LOSS OF PARKING FOR APPROXIMATELY 23 HOMES THAT ARE FACING THE AUSTIN BIKE LANE. UM, COM UH, COMPLAINTS OF TRASH BIN PLACEMENT WHEN MAJORITY OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY PRIVATELY COLLECTED AND COLLECTED AWAY FROM THE STREET. THOUSANDS OF LIVES ARE AT RISK PART, PARTICULARLY AT HIGH TRAFFIC CROSS STREETS AT PIERCE MCGOWAN AND ELGIN, INCLUDING MY HUSBAND WHO BIKES DAILY TO WORK IN DOWNTOWN. PLEASE CONSIDER THAT THE COMMUTERS FROM 2 88 TAKE ELGIN AND THE NORTHBOUND STREETS LIKE AUSTIN INTO DOWNTOWN, OFTEN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 30 MILES PER HOUR, [02:35:01] ESPECIALLY DURING MORNING AND AFTERNOON RUSH HOURS. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A REAL WIN-WIN SOLUTION, I PROPOSE RESTORING THE PROTECTIVE CONCRETE BARRIERS AND THEN CARVE, UH, RESTORING THEM SPECIFICALLY FROM MCGOWAN TO PIERCE HOLMAN TO ANITA, BUT THEN CARVE OUT THE PARKING FOR THOSE 20 SOME HOMES, UM, WHERE THE, THE BARRIERS WOULD OTHERWISE BE LOCATED. BUT BEYOND PUBLIC SAFETY, THE MANNER IN WHICH THE BIKE LANE WAS NOT TRANSPARENT, UM, IT WAS NOT TRANSPARENT AND THERE WAS NO DUE PROCESS. UM, WHERE CAN THE PUBLIC HAVE A SAY IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS REGARDING THE REMOVAL OF THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE? LIKE THIS? WAS THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE INVOLVED IN THIS DECISION? THE CITY HAS ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES LIKE THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S VARIANCE REQUEST PROCESS, WHERE THE PUBLIC IS NOTIFIED AND GIVEN A CHANCE TO SPEAK. AND SO WHY NOT CREATE A SIMILAR PROCESS FOR BIKE LANES AND OTHER PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE PARKS? I ALSO CALL FOR GREATER COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE MIDTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. THESE ORGANIZATIONS SERVE AS CRITICAL CONDUITS BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE MIDTOWN COMMUNITY. UM, AS JENNIFER GRIBBLE HAD JUST MENTIONED, UM, EVERY VOICE MATTERS. AND LASTLY, I STRONGLY URGE THE CITY TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGREEMENT WITH THE MIDTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE TO MAINTAIN THE BIKE LANES IN MIDTOWN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, GISELLE MARTINEZ. GISELLE MARTINEZ. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PRO, TIM AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS GISELLE MARTINEZ. I'VE BEEN A PROUD MIDTOWN RESIDENT FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS. THREE HOUSES FROM AUSTIN STREET BIKE LANE, AND HAVE SERVED AS A COMMUNICATION SECRETARY FOR THE MIDTOWN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT KEITH FINDINGS FROM A RECENT COMMUNITY SURVEY WE CONDUCTED. WE RECEIVED 432 RESPONSES, 157 OF WHICH WERE FROM MIDTOWN RESIDENTS. UM, OF THOSE 149 SUPPORT, MAINTAINING THE PROTECTED BIKE LANE ON AUSTIN STREET WHILE ONLY FOUR OPPOSED. I SUBMITTED THESE RESULTS TO THE CITY IN EXCEL FORMAT WHEN I REQUESTED TO SPEAK IN CASE YOU'D LIKE TO REVIEW THE RESPONSES AND FILTER THROUGH THE DATA. THIS SURVEY WAS PROMPTED BY THE LACK OF NOTICE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AHEAD OF THE RECENT AUSTIN STREET CONSTRUCTION. MANY OF US WERE UNAWARE THAT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, INCLUDING MODIFICATIONS TO THE BIKE LANE WERE BEING PLANNED. AFTER LEARNING MORE THROUGH NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT THE RECONSTRUCTION PROCESS, WE NOW UNDERSTAND AND FULLY SUPPORT THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO IMPROVE AUSTIN STREET. ONE OF THE MAJOR CONCERNS RAISED BY RESIDENTS WAS FLOODING AND VEHICLE DAMAGE CAUSED BY OLD CONCRETE BARRIERS, WHICH THE CITY NOW ADDING BETTER DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE. WE BELIEVE THIS ISSUE WILL BE RESOLVED, CREATING A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR BOTH RESIDENTS AND DRIVERS. WE ALSO RECENTLY LEARNED FROM A NEWS ARTICLE THAT WE ARE MOVING FROM A SHERO TO A PAINTED DEDICATED BIKE LANE. WHILE THIS IS A POSITIVE STEP FORWARD, I WENT TO EMPHASIZE THAT PAINTED LINES ALONE DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION. HOUSTON DRIVERS CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE AND WE NEED STRONGER SAFETY MEASURES FOR ALL STREET USERS, INCLUDING CYCLISTS, PEDESTRIANS, AND THOSE IN WHEELCHAIRS. IS THERE A REASON THE CONCRETE BARRIERS THAT WERE REMOVED CANNOT BE REP REPURPOSED FOR ADDED PROTECTION? WE BELIEVE REUSING THEM COULD PROVIDE A COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR ENHANCING SAFETY. WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THAT REINSTATING A SOUTHBOUND LANE ON AUSTIN STREET IS NOT FEASIBLE, WE ARE NOT PRESSING THAT ISSUE AS WE RESPECT THE CONCERNS, CONCERNS OF NEARBY RESIDENTS. WHAT MATTERS MOST IS ENSURING AUSTIN STREET IS SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE. LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE MATTER OF REPRESENTATION. A FEW HOUSEHOLDS HAVE SPEAKING AS THOUGH THEY REPRESENT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. IN CONTRAST, OUR TEAM HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH A BROAD RANGE OF RESIDENTS BOTH ON AUSTIN STREET AND THROUGHOUT MIDTOWN. PHYSICIANS THAT IMPACT THE BROADER COMMUNITY SHOULD INVOLVE INPUT FROM A DIVERSE GROUP OF VOICES, NOT JUST THE SELECT VIEW. WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT ALL FUTURE MATTERS CONCERNING MIDTOWN OR THE AUSTIN STREET BIKE LANE BE COMMUNICATED TO THE MIDTOWN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AS SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS WERE CREATED FOR EXACTLY THIS PURPOSE. TO QUOTE DIRECTLY FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON WEBSITE, SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS WERE CREATED TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS OF NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES TO WORK TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY, PRIORITIZE, AND ADDRESS THE NEEDS AND CONCERNS OF THE BROADER COMMUNITY. THIS CREATES A MANAGEABLE FRAMEWORK FOR COMMUNITY ACTION AND ALLOWS THE CITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES MORE EFFICIENTLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. LET'S CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER TO KEEP MIDTOWN THE SAFEST AND MOST WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOOD IN HOUSTON, AND TO ENSURE OUR CITY BECOMES BETTER FOR ALL WHO LIVE, WORK AND VISIT HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. NEXT SPEAKER. ERNESTINE NEWTON. ERNESTINE NEWTON. OH MY GOODNESS. SHIRA DELO. CHIARA DELO. [02:40:20] GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. HELLO, MR. LUNCH. I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF TO BE DISAPPOINTED, HEARD OR WHAT. LISTENING TO EVERYTHING ALL DAY TODAY AND LISTENING TO THE GOOD SPEAKERS. I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF HOMELESSNESS. I RECENTLY MOVED OUT OF MY UNIT. MY APARTMENT MARCHED FIRST DUE TO ASBESTOS, UM, MOLD, MILDEW. IT WAS A HEALTH DECISION. AND I'VE BEEN HOMELESS EVER SINCE. LIVING OUT OF A CAR. I'M 63 THIS YEAR WITH A DISABILITY AND ALL EVERYONE CAN TELL ME IS, I'M SORRY, I NEED MORE THAN I'M SORRY IN MY CONDITION AND HEALTH. LIVING IN A CAR IS NOT THE ANSWER, BUT EVERYONE HAS ME ON THE LIST FOR A LONG TERM REHAB FACILITY. HOW DO YOU GET ON A LIST FOR REHAB FACILITY WHEN YOU'VE NEVER DONE ANY DRUGS? YOU'VE NEVER BEEN PRISON, YOU NEVER HAD NO ALCOHOL ISSUES, YOU DON'T HAVE MENTAL HEALTH. I'VE BEEN A LAW ABIDING CITIZEN TAXPAYER FOR 63 YEARS. I'VE DONE THE RIGHT THING AND ALL EVERYONE CAN TELL ME IS, I'M SORRY, I WISH THE MAYOR WAS STILL HERE 'CAUSE I'M ON HIS SIDE. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY ME, SHOULD NOT HAVE TO LIVE ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON. DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK? I AM A FULL-TIME STUDENT TRYING TO BETTER MY SITUATION AND MY CONDITION DUE TO MEDICAL MISHAP. IT WAS BROUGHT ON MY DISABILITY, THE CONDITION THAT I AM IN. I NEED HELP THE TEMPERATURE DROP EARLY PART OF THE WEEK, THE WEEKEND, AND I'M ON THE BACKSEAT OF A CAR. I'M TRYING TO RENT A HOTEL ROOM AT $60 A DAY. 60 TIMES 30. THAT'S $1,800 A MONTH. THAT'S WAY OVER MY DISABILITY. I CAN'T CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THIS CAR. I CAN'T CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THIS CAR. IF I THROW A BRICK THROUGH A WINDOW, I WILL AT LEAST GO TO JAIL. THAT'S A ROOF OVER MY HEAD. IF I GET ANY SICKER IN THIS CAR, I WILL END UP IN A HOSPITAL THAT'S A ROOF OVER MY HEAD. IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GET TO THAT. WHY AM I SO UPSET? BECAUSE I'M LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE WITH THE AIRBNBS WILLING TO HELP OUT NICE PLACES. HOW DO I GET ON A LIST FOR REHAB, LONG TERM REHAB? HOW DO I, HOW DID MY NAME GET ON THAT LIST? AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING. WHO IS NICK? MR. NICK ABELS OR WHOEVER I SPOKE TO YESTERDAY, HE EVEN SENT ME A LIST AND HE TOLD ME, HE SAID, I DONE PULLED YOUR BACKGROUND. I DONE PULLED THIS. YOU'RE DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS. WELL, HOW ONLY THING YOU ALL CAN SUGGEST IS THAT I GO TO A, A STAR HOPE OR SOME REHAB PLACE FOR PEOPLE WHO TRANSITION. I DON'T EVEN MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS TO GET IN THE PLACE. THEY TURNING ME DOWN. IS NICK HERE? YEAH. WHERE IS NICK? NICK, IS HE HERE? IF NOT, JAMES, CAN YOU, CAN YOU HELP HER WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE GETS HER THE ASSISTANCE THAT SHE NEEDS? CAN YOU MEET WITH JAMES AND HI. AND HE WILL GET SOMEBODY TO HELP YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. GOD BLESS YOU. TELL THE MAYOR I'M ON HIS SIDE. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO SLEEP ON THE STREETS. WE AGREE. I WILL LET HIM KNOW YOU SAID SO. THANK YOU JAMES. NEXT SPEAKER BRUCE BANKS. BRUCE BANKS. NEXT SPEAKER. ARLENE ROSE. ARLENE ROSE. NEXT SPEAKER ALAN WHEEL. WAYNE. MY NAME IS ALAN. WE, EXTENSION OF MOAI. UM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES JUST TO SPEAK TO THE MICROPHONE. I THINK I'M ALL RIGHT HERE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR. WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU IF YOU SPEAK IN THE MICROPHONE. THAT HELPS US STEP THE THANK YOU, SIR. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, SIR. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A COUPLE SECONDS OF THE AIRTIME JUST TO UH, MENTION THAT THE WATER FOUNTAIN OUTSIDE, UH, DOESN'T HAVE ANY PRESSURE BEHIND IT. AND SO BASICALLY AT THE LAST TIME I CAME IN HERE, I THINK IT WAS NOVEMBER, IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY PRESSURE BEHIND IT. AND SO I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY IT HASN'T BEEN FIXED FOR DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, FIVE MONTHS. AND JUST IN CASE YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW, UM, SPEAKING, I CAN'T CONSTRUE A MESSAGE. I CAN'T ARTICULATE [02:45:01] WHAT I WANNA SAY WITH THE DRY MOUTH. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT TO YOU GUYS 'CAUSE IT'S A WATER FOUNTAIN IN CITY HALL OUTSIDE THE, THE CHAMBERS. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT. BUT, UM, AS FAR AS WHY I'M HERE TODAY, UM, I AM THE PLAINTIFF IN, UH, CASE STYLE WAIVER, STATE OF TEXAS. AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE EXCERPT AS FAR AS A STATE VERSUS, SORRY, I'M A LITTLE DISORIENTED JUST BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SO LONG. I HAD THE ENERGY FOR IT AND JUST THREE HOURS HAVE ELAPSED. SO ANYWAYS, IT JUST ALLOWED ME TO RESTART. NOW COMES PLAINTIFF IN CASE STYLE WAIVERS, THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE STACIA VILLA DELIVERING ON WHOM THEIR THERETO THEY PONDERED OF HIM. ACTUALLY, PLAINTIFF ADDITIONALLY COMMANDS REVELATION OF EXPRESSED UNIVERSAL AUTHORITY COSIGNED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT BILL OF RIGHTS AS CERTIFICATE TO PROCEED IN UNITED STATES DISTRICT SOUTHERN AS CERTIFICATES TO PROCEEDING IN UNITED STATES SOUTHERN DISTRICT COURT IN CASE STYLE WAVE VERSUS STATE OF TEXAS AND ESTANCIA VILLAS AND HIS MOTION TO STRIKE. BASICALLY WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS THE FIRST AMENDMENT ALLOWS CITIZENS, THE RIGHT TO SUE THE GOVERNMENT OR PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES. AND SO, AGAIN, LIKE I MENTIONED LAST TIME I CAME IN HERE WAS NOVEMBER. I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE HOMELESSNESS. I MENTIONED A LOT ABOUT IT AND YOU GUYS HAVE FAILED TO DO ANYTHING. I'M ACTUALLY GLAD THAT I FORGOT HER NAME, BUT SHE'S, UH, CONVEYED EVERY SENTIMENT THAT I WOULD WANT TO CONVEY RIGHT NOW. AND SO BASICALLY I JUST WANTED TO DRAW AWARENESS TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT YOU CAN SUE THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES. CURRENTLY I'M OPERATING FEDERAL, UM, UNITED STATES FEDERAL COURT RIGHT NOW. AND SO BASICALLY THE MOTION TO STRIKE, UM, COMES AS THE STATE OF TEXAS IS ATTEMPTING TO DISMISS IT WITH THE SEVENTH, UH, 11TH AMENDMENT CLAIMING SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY, WHICH IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE NOWHERE IN THE 11TH AMENDMENT DOES IT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY. IT ONLY SPECIFIES THAT A CITIZEN OF A FOREIGN STATE CANNOT SUE OR USE THE JUDICIAL POWERS OF THE UNITED STATES TO PETITION THEIR GOVERNMENT. AND SO BASICALLY THEY'RE TRYING TO GET OUT OF IT, BUT I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW, 'CAUSE THE MORE THE MERRIER, THE MORE PEOPLE ARE PETITIONING THEIR GOVERNMENT, THE MORE YOU DRAW ATTENTION TO IT, THE MORE THINGS GET DONE. AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING GET DONE AS FAR AS THE HOMELESSNESS SINCE NOVEMBER LAST YEAR. I THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT A BILL WITH MAYBE ABOUT $180 MILLION IN IT. HAVEN'T SEEN A LICK OF IT. THEY JUST PUT YOU ON THE LIST AND ALLOW MAYBE A YEAR OR TWO YEARS TO ELAPSE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND, UM, I DID MAKE NOTE OF YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE WATER FOUNTAIN. WE'LL REPORT THAT TO GSD AND WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY AND SHARON, ABSOLUTELY. AND SO WHEN IS THE NEXT CITY HALL MEETING? WE MEET EVERY WEEK ON TUESDAYS AND WEEK, EVERY WEEK. I'LL SEE YOU GUYS NEXT WEEK. I'LL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PREPARED. AGAIN, EXCUSE THE DISORIENTATION YOU GUYS. NO PROBLEM, SIR. ALLOW SOME MUCH TIME TO ELAPSE, SIR. THAT'S WISHES TO YOU. BLESS NEXT SPEAKER. TI KOPECKI. TI KOPECKI. NEXT SPEAKER. BELINDA HENRY. GLENDA HENRY. HELLO. YOU RIGHT TO GO BACK TO BE CORRECT. THAT'S MY LAST NAME. UM, PULL OUT. OKAY. I WROTE DOWN, UM, THERE ARE COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, I'M A SENIOR CITIZEN OF 64 YEARS OLD, HAVING ISSUES WITH MY LIVING SPACES ALL THE TIME. 15 YEARS IN THE CITY. AND THE LAST TIME APPLIED FOR CAROLINE POST OAK, WHICH, UH, ALL OF MY CRITERIA MET. ONE OF IT WAS SEVEN YEARS OF NO FELONY CHARGES, WHICH WAS COMMUNICATED WITH ME UPON DURING APPLICATION PROCESS AS APPROVAL, UH, PROCESS STARTED PROP PROPERTY POUND 30 YEARS OLD, MISDEMEANOR CONVICTION ON MY RECORD. I'VE LIVED IN MORGAN GROUP PROPERTY IN THE, IN THE PAST WITH THOSE CONVICTIONS, SAME ONES. AND THEIR CRITERIA NEVER CHANGED. I FEEL DISCRIMINATED IN BEING, DENYING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE LIVING. THAT PROPERTY ACTUALLY IS ON YOUR LIST OF AFFORD, UH, AFFORDABLE LIVING PROPERTIES. I CANNOT AFFORD CURRENT, UH, PROPERTY I LIVE IN. AND I WOULD BE SAVING ABOUT $300 A MONTH IF I WOULD MOVE TO THIS PROPERTY. UH, I'VE BEEN A LAW ABIDING, HARDWORKING CITIZEN FOR MANY YEARS. UM, UH, I DUNNO IF THERE'S ANYTHING CAN BE DONE. UM, I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN DISCRIMINATED BECAUSE BEFORE THEY ALLOWED ME NOW THEY NOT ALLOW ME TO LIVE IN, IN THEIR PROPERTIES, BUT WITH THE SAME RECORD. I, I GUESS I'M HAVING A HARD TIME FOLLOWING THIS STORY. I'M A HARD STORY. ARE ARE YOU, I'M [02:50:01] HARD OF HEARING. I'M HAVING A HARD TIME FOLLOWING YOUR, YOUR STORY. WHAT IS THE ASK OF THE COUNCIL TODAY? UM, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. UH, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROPERTY, EVEN THOUGH I'M PAYING FULL PRICE BECAUSE I'M STILL WORKING, BUT I NEED LIKE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. OKAY, I GOT IT. SO I'M GONNA, JAMES WENT OUT TO, UH, SPEAK TO SOMEONE. WE'RE GONNA GET SOMEBODY WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TO HELP YOU. UM, IF HE GIVES YOU, OH MY GOD, I DON'T HEAR ANYTHING. THAT'S MY DISABILITY TOO. IT'S OKAY. DON'T, DON'T GET FRUSTRATED. WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA HELP YOU. WE'RE GONNA, UM, GET SOMEBODY FROM HOUSING TO, TO HELP HER. OKAY? THANK YOU. WHEN JAMES COMES BACK, WE'LL GET SOMEBODY FROM HOUSING TO HELP YOU. I'M SO SORRY. WE'LL GET SOMEONE FROM HOUSING TO HELP YOU. WE'LL GET SOMEBODY TO HELP YOU. YES. SOMEBODY'S GONNA HELP YOU OUTSIDE. NEXT SPEAKER. GLENDA HENRY? YES, PLEASE. OH, GOOD AFTERNOON. JUST WAITING ON HER TOO. YEAH, NO, YOU CAN GO AHEAD. YOUR TIME'S RUNNING. DEAR MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL, MY NAME IS GLENDA DALE HENRY. I AM A DISABLED HOUSTON RESIDENT AND ONE OF THE FIRST 50 APPLICANTS WHO APPLIED FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY. I APPLIED ON DECEMBER 3RD, 2018 WHEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WAS OVERSEEING THE PROGRAM. THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE, THE GLO DID NOT TAKE OVER UNTIL OCTOBER 20, 23 YEARS AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY. AND NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER I SUBMITTED MY APPLICATION, MY HOME WAS FINALLY COMPLETED ON MAY 5TH, 2023. SINCE THEN, I HAVE SUBMITTED FORMAL COMPLAINTS THE FIRST ON JUNE 22ND, 2023, REGARDING UNDERGROUND PIPING ISSUES. TODAY ON APRIL THE EIGHTH, 2025, I'M STILL LIVING WITH CONSEQUENCES OF POOR PLANNING, MISMANAGEMENT, AND NEGLECT. BEFORE THE STORM, MY HOME HAD A FULL PATIO AND A WALKWAY THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR ME AS A DISABLED PERSON TO SAFELY ROLL MY TRASH CAN TO THE CURB. MY NEW HOME HAS NO PATIO AND WALKWAY GOES NOWHERE. THE HOME IS NOT A DA ACCESSIBLE, NOR IS IT FUNCTIONAL FOR MY DAILY NEEDS. WORSE. THE GLO AND THEIR CONTRACTOR, STONEWATER, INC. DEMOLISHED MY HOME WITHOUT NOTIFYING MY FAMILY AS THEY PROMISED THEY WOULD. THIS CAUSED A DOMINO EFFECT. THE INGROUND POOL, WHICH W WHICH WE WERE TOLD WOULD REMAIN USABLE, IS NOW DISCONNECTED FROM THE HOUSE. THE BUILDER BY THEIR OWN ADMISSION HAD NO EXPERIENCE. THEY FAILED TO IDENTIFY OR PRESERVE THE UNDERGROUND POOL PIPING SYSTEM. AND NOW MY FAMILY IS LEFT WITH A NON-FUNCTIONING POOL AND A $40,000 PROBLEM THAT THE GLLO CAUSED MAINTENANCE. THIS IS NOT MAINTENANCE, THIS IS NEGLIGENCE. THE PIPING SYSTEM FOR THE POOL WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL HOME, AND THE GGLO AND STONE WATER HAD A DUTY TO ACCOUNT FOR IT. NOW, THE NEW HOME WAS PUSHED BACK ON THE LOT MISALIGNED AND POSSIBLY BILLED OVER THE ORIGINAL PIPES. THIS WAS ALL DONE WITHOUT PROPER COMMUNICATION, SAFETY, FENCING, AND RESPECT FOR THE HOMEOWNER. OKAY, THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. I GO AHEAD AND FINISH MS. MS. HAMMER. I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL TO HELP MY FAMILY FIND JUSTICE. THIS IS A MATTER OF PUBLIC TRUST. WE TRUSTED PROFESSIONAL TO RESTORE OUR LIVES AFTER THE DISASTER AND THEY FAIL. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO HOLD GLO STONE WATER ACCOUNTABLE TO COMPEL THEM TO FIX WHAT THEY BROKE. RECONNECT OUR HOME TO OUR POOL PIPING SYSTEM [02:55:01] AND FULFILL THE OBLIGATION TO BUILD A SAFE, ACCESSIBLE ENVIRONMENT. IF A MECHANIC REPLACED YOUR ENGINE BUT LEFT IT DISCONNECTED, YOU WOULD SAY THE JOB WAS NOT DONE. THE SAME APPLIES HERE. PLEASE HELP MAKE THIS RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL, CALL OR EMAIL ME. UH, ATTACH YOU OR FIND, UH, SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS. MS. HENRY, DID YOU HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE GLO TODAY? UH, YES, WITH CARLA. DID DID SHE HELP AT ALL? DID, BECAUSE I KNOW MY OFFICE HAS BEEN HELPING YOU TO TRY TO MAKE CONTACT WITH GLO, DID YOU, DID THEY SAY THEY WERE GONNA COME BACK OUT AND HELP? UH, WELL, THERE HAS BEEN SINCE THEN. THERE'S BEEN SOME WARRANTY ISSUES, BUT, UH, SHE HAS NOT SAID THAT THEY WERE COMING BACK OUT. WHAT, WHAT, WHAT TRANSPIRED IN THE CONVERSATION TODAY? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE WATCHING. THEY TOLD US THAT THEY WOULD BE WATCHING FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND WHAT WE WERE GONNA DO TO MOVE FORWARD. UH, WELL, I WAS HOPING THAT THEY WOULD HELP, UH, FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN BEST, UH, DEAL WITH THIS SITUATION BECAUSE, UH, THE, THE CONTRACTORS, THE, UH, POOL BUILDING CONTRACTORS THAT I SPOKE WITH, THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYONE, UH, OF HOUSE BILL. AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY IGNORED THAT THERE WAS A POOL AND THEY DIDN'T SEE ANY, UH, PING TO BE SEEN. IT'S, THEY SAY THEY HAVE TO DIG AND FIND THE PIPING BEFORE ANYTHING CAN BE DONE TO CONNECT. AND, UH, IN THE PAPERWORK, YOU, YOU'LL FIND THAT I, I'VE BEEN, UM, UH, WARNED BY THE CITY IN THE PAST ABOUT THE POOL BECAUSE IT, IT WILL, UM, WE, IN SPRING NOW, SUMMARIES COME, IT WILL GENERATE, UM, UH, MOSQUITOES AND EVERYTHING. SO IT'S, IT IS UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR MY FAMILY AND THE COMMUNITY. OKAY. SO I, I KNOW THAT MY, MY STAFF REQUESTED A, UM, CONSENT FORM YES. SO THAT WE COULD TALK TO THE GLO ON YOUR BEHALF. THEY JUST RECEIVED IT. MM-HMM . UM, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO HELP GET YOU IN CONTACT WITH GLO TO SEE IF WE CAN TRY TO HELP YOU GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED. BUT, UM, BASED ON WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATIONS PRIOR TO THE HOME BEING BUILT MM-HMM . UM, ABOUT THE POOL AND THAT THE POOL WAS NOT CONNECTED PRIOR TO THE HOME BEING BUILT. WAS THE POOL OPERABLE? OH YES, ABSOLUTELY. WHEN THE GLO BUILT THE ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. YES, ABSOLUTELY. WE, UH, WE, UH, MY HOME WAS CONSIDERED THE FAMILY HOME WHERE WE HAD PARTIES AND, AND EVENTS AT MY, MY HOME. AND WHEN THEY CAME OUT, THE POOL WAS CLEAR, THE POOL USABLE WAS OPERABLE WHEN YOU GOT THE HOME REBUILT? YES. ABSOLUTE. OKAY. YES. THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, WE'RE NOT GONNA SOLVE IT HERE, BUT, UM, WE, ONCE THEY HAVE RECEIVED, RECEIVED THAT CONSENT FORM FOR US TO TALK ON YOUR BEHALF, WE'LL SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH THE GL O TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THE ISSUE RESOLVED. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. STACY PETERSON. STACY PETERSON. SO DID YOU WANT, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS STACY PETERSON AND I'M HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS THE SEVERE AND UNLIVABLE CONDITIONS I AND OTHER TENANTS HAVE ENDURED AT FAT PROPERTY OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, THE SAME FAT PROPERTY PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED. YES. UH, MY EXPERIENCE BEGAN JUST A FEW MONTHS INTO MY TENANCY WITH FREQUENT AND PROLONGED POWER OUTAGES, WHICH ONCE LEFT ME WITHOUT POWER OVER AN ENTIRE WEEKEND. AND I HAD TO GET READY FOR WORK IN THE DARK. DESPITE REPEATED COMPLAINTS AND WORK ORDERS, FAT PROPERTY FAILED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE UNTIL I CONTACTED THE CITY. IT WAS THEN REVEALED THAT THE PROBLEM SENT FROM DANGEROUSLY BURNT WIRES, A CLEAR INDICATION OF THEIR NEGLIGENCE. THIS WAS JUST THE BEGINNING. I HAVE ALSO DEALT WITH RUST AND CHIP PAIN IN MY SHOWER, WHICH WHEN ASKED TO FIX WAS SIMPLY PAINTED OVER, CREATING UNSANITARY CONDITIONS AND CLOGGING OTHER SIGNS OF THE PROPERTY BEING UNKEPT INCLUDE THE CONSTANTLY OVERFLOWING TRASH CAN WHERE A DUMPSTER FIRE OCCURRED ONLY A FEW WEEKS AGO. BUT I GUESS I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE ONE IN THAT PROPERTY AS WELL AS AN UNUSABLE LAUNDRY ROOM THAT IS OFTEN EITHER TRASHED OR OCCUPIED BY UNHOUSED PEOPLE. ANOTHER ISSUE IS THE BLATANT DISREGARD FOR OCCUPANCY RULES, ALLOWING MULTIPLE TENANTS TO RESULT TO RESIDE IN A SINGLE OCCUPANCY UNIT, WHICH RESULTED IN OVERCROWDING AND, UH, LIKE FURTHER UNSANITARY CONDITIONS, INCLUDING THE BREEDING OF DOGS ALSO OCCURRED AS WELL AS A SAFETY RISK WHEN THE RESIDENTS HAD, FOR LACK OF BETTER TERMS, SKETCHY GUESS, ENTERING THROUGH OPEN WINDOWS MOST RECENTLY AND MOST ALARMINGLY A SEVERE INFESTATION OF ROACHES, SPIDERS, AND OTHER IDENTIFIED INSECTS, WHICH I HAVE BEEN BIDDEN BY FOR OVER A MONTH. MY APARTMENT HAS BEEN UNINHABITABLE [03:00:02] DESPITE SUBMITTING FIVE WORK ORDERS FOR EXTERMINATION, THE MOST RECENT IN WHICH THEY HAVE NOT FULFILLED. DESPITE BEING SENT OVER A WEEK AGO, THAT PROPERTY HAS FAILED TO TAKE ADEQUATE ACTION. I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO ABANDON MY HOME, SPENDING ONLY FOUR NIGHTS THERE SINCE EARLY MARCH. THE INFESTATION HAS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO COOK CLEANER SLEEP, AND I FEAR ALL MY BELONGINGS HAVE BEEN CONTAMINATED AS WELL AS MY HEALTH RISK. I'M NOT ALONE IN THIS SUFFERING. I HAVE BROUGHT PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE OF THE APPALLING CONDITIONS IN MY APARTMENT FOR MY FINAL NIGHT THERE JUST THE ONE NIGHT. ADDITIONALLY, YOU CAN FIND NUMEROUS SIMILAR AND WORSE ACCOUNTS OF TENANT MIS STREETMAN ON YELP. PAINTING A CLEAR PICTURE OF F PROPERTY'S NEGLIGENCE, F PROPERTY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE OPERATING. THEIR DISREGARD FOR TENANT SAFETY AND WELLBEING IS UNACCEPTABLE. I'M STILL PAYING RENT FOR AN APARTMENT I CANNOT OCCUPY, AND I WAS FORCED TO FORFEIT MY DEPOSIT TO ESCAPE THESE INTOLERABLE CONDITIONS. I URGE THIS BODY TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO HOLD FAT PROPERTY ACCOUNTABLE. WE, THE TENANTS DESERVE SAFE AND HABITABLE LIVING CONDITIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME CONSIDERATION, COUNCIL MEMBER. SHE THANK YOU MAYOR PRO CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, STACY. UM, ARE YOU IN A COMPLEX OR, OKAY. ALRIGHT, WELL THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD. THERE IS, WHERE'S ENGLAND? IS SHE RIGHT THERE? THE LADY RIGHT THERE. WILL, UH, IF YOU CAN STEP OVER AND MEET WITH HER, WE'LL TRY TO SEE IF WE CAN HELP YOU. I MEAN THE NO HOT WATER, THAT'S TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE, ALONG WITH A LOT OF THESE OTHER ISSUES, THE EXTERMINATING AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND WE'LL SEE WHAT IF WE CAN ASSIST YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. JUSTIN HAYWARD. JUSTIN HAYWARD. NEXT SPEAKER. DWIGHT WILLIAMS. DWIGHT WILLIAMS. DWIGHT WILLIAMS. NEXT SPEAKER ELIZABETH FOSTER. ELIZABETH FOSTER. NEXT SPEAKER JOSHUA BULL. HEY, JOSHUA. IN 2001, A YOUNG MEXICAN AMERICAN COUPLE WOULD BRING THEIR HOPES AND DREAMS TO HOUSTON OPENING THEIR VERY FIRST AUTO INSURANCE LOCATION ON LINES IN LOCKWOOD AI UNITED. TWO YEARS LATER, A YOUNG MAN WITH A GED OUTTA ALE WOULD APPROACH THE COUPLE WITH A PROPOSAL TO DISTRIBUTE THE COMPANY'S PERIODICAL ADVERTISEMENTS. THIS PROVED TO BE SO SUCCESSFUL THAT THE COUPLE BEGAN TO ADVOCATE URGE AND OFFER A CO-SPONSORSHIP TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON. IF THE YOUNG MAN COULD GAIN ENTRY IN 2014, HE WOULD GRACE THE STAGE WITH A FOUR YEAR DEGREE IN BUSINESS AND WOULD BE THAT YEAR THE COUPLE WOULD PROMOTE THE YOUNG MAN TO THE POSITION OF CEO OF THE ENTIRE COMPANY. A COMPANY TODAY, DISP SPANS OVER 140 RETAIL LOCATIONS IN OVER 80 CITIES ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS. NEVER NEGATING THE FACT THAT IT ALL BEGAN ON LOWES AND LOCKWOOD AI, UNITED MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD POLLER, DISTRICT J COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ, DISTRICT DI AM VERY HONORED AND VERY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU TODAY THAT THE CEO OF AI UNITED MULTIMILLIONAIRE MANY TIMES OVER IS MY BROTHER JACOB, JONATHAN BULLARD. AND ALTHOUGH MY ESTRANGED PARENTS DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO KEEP HIM FROM ME, THEY WERE NEVER SUCCESSFUL IN TAKEN AWAY. THE LOVE I ALWAYS HAD FOR HIM, MAYOR, THIS COUPLE THAT CAME TO HOUSTON 25 YEARS AGO AND STARTED AI UNITED INSURANCE WOULD HAVE AND COULD HAVE NO IDEA THAT ONE DAY THEY WOULD REWRITE THE CITY'S ALMA MATER. THAT HOUSTON IS NOT ONLY A CITY THAT CAN YIELD YOUR COMPANY A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PROFITS, BUT THIS CITY IS A MAGICAL PLACE WHERE ALL OF YOUR DREAMS CAN COME TRUE. CITY SECRETARY TROY, THAT WILL COMPLETE MY TRIBUTE TO AI UNITED INSURANCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. OH, COUNCIL MEMBER CHAVEZ. THAT'S OKAY. GO AHEAD. SHE JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS FOR BEING HERE, JOSHUA, I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I'VE NEVER HEARD YOU EXPRESS YOURSELF SO ELOQUENTLY, AND SO I'M VERY IMPRESSED AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR BROTHER AND YOU FOR HAVING THAT RELATIONSHIP IN SPITE OF THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, DARRELL HARPER. DARRELL HARPER. NEXT SPEAKER. CAMERON WATERSON. CAMERON WATERSON? NO. MY ARE YOU CAMERON? YES, [03:05:01] MA'AM. OKAY. HELLO, CAMERON. HI, HOW ARE Y'ALL? PERFECT. NO MA'AM. COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS CAMERON. TODAY I ASK, WHAT DOES HOUSTON HAVE TO DO WITH THE WAR IN PALESTINE, IN ISRAEL, EVERYTHING OUR TAX DOLLARS COMPANIES ENABLING ISRAEL'S FURTHER SETTLEMENT AND THEFT OF PALESTINIAN LANDS, COMPANIES LIKE HPE, CISCO AND HALLIBURTON. BUT THIS ISN'T ABOUT JUST ABOUT PALESTINE. THE SAME TOOLS OF OPPRESSION WE BANKROLL ABROAD, SURVEILLANCE, MILITARIZED POLICING, LAND THEFT ARE ONLY, ARE ALREADY KNOCKING ON OUR DOORS IF WE IGNORE THIS. HOUSTON, HOUSTON RISKS NORMALIZING THE SAME VIOLENCE HERE. LET'S BE CLEAR, RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON, HPE SELLS ISRAEL BIOMETRIC SCANNERS THAT TRACK PALESTINIANS AT CHECKPOINTS. WHO ELSE USES H HP'S TECH ICE TO SURVEIL IMMIGRANTS IN OUR OWN CITY WHILE STILL DENYING DUE PROCESS FOR SOME ALREADY CISCO PROFITS FROM SUPPLYING ISRAEL SETTLEMENTS. MEANWHILE, CISCO FEEDS OUR SCHOOLS WHILE TEXAS PRIVATIZES PRISONS A SYSTEM THAT INCARCERATES BLACK, BROWN AND IMPOVERISHED HOUSTONIANS AT ALARMING RATES. HALLIBURTON HELPS ISRAEL STEAL PALESTINIAN RESOURCES. THEIR SAME PLAYBOOK FUELS ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM HERE, LIKE DENYING CLEAN WATER TO COMMUNITIES IN SUNNYSIDE. THESE COMPANIES DON'T JUST HARM PALESTINIANS. THEY PROFIT FROM THE DEHUMANIZATION EVERYWHERE, ALL OVER THE WORLD. WHAT HAPPENS OVER AN OCEAN DOESN'T JUST STAY THERE. ISRAEL TESTS FACIAL RECOGNITION ON PALESTINIANS. HPD NOW USES SIMILAR TOOLS IN MINORITY, MINORITY NEIGHBORHOODS. BULLDOZERS THAT DEMOLISH PALESTINIAN HOMES ARE MADE BY CATERPILLAR, THE SAME COMPANY THAT DISPLACES HOUSTONIANS AND AMERICANS ALIKE THROUGH GENTRIFICATION. WHEN WE FUND COMPANIES THAT NORMALIZE OPPRESSION ABROAD, WE GREEN LIGHT THEIR TACTICS HERE TODAY. IT'S PALESTINIANS TOMORROW. IT'S OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS. OUR PROTESTORS ARE IMMIGRANTS. OPPRESSION IS A BLUEPRINT. IF WE FUND IT HERE, WE INVITE IT HERE. I ASK THAT HOUSTON AUDITS CONTRACTS WITH HPE, CISCO AND HALLIBURTON BAN SPENDING ON COMPANIES THAT PROFIT FROM OPPRESSION AND TO NOT RISK BEING HELD LIABLE TO INTERNATIONAL LAW THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN BROKEN. PORTLAND DID IT. DURHAM DID IT. WHY NOT HOUSTON? WE ARE A CITY OF SURVIVORS. LET'S STOP FUNDING THE SYSTEMS THAT THREATEN US ALL. COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST PALESTINE OR WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST. IT'S ABOUT WHETHER HOUSTON WILL LEAD OR LAG IN THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE. THE SAME COMPANIES HARMING PALESTINIANS ARE HARMING OUR COMMUNITIES. THE SAME SYSTEMS THAT DENY PALESTINIANS FREEDOM THROUGH GROUNDS FOR TOOLS THAT COULD STRIP HOURS. LET'S CHOOSE DIGNITY OVER DOLLARS. LET'S BE A CITY THAT BUILDS BRIDGES OVER CHECKPOINTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK Y'ALL. NEXT SPEAKER, MIKE GARBER. MIKE GARBER. FIRST THING I'VE GOT TO SAY IS YOU ARE A DEDICATED GROUP OF PEOPLE. SO IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY. THE, UH, MY INTEREST IN APPEARING BEFORE YOU IS TO SOLICIT SUPPORT FOR HOUSE BILL 2048 AND SENATE BILL 7 82. AND THAT'S, UH, WE'RE PASSING OUT SOME, UH, HANDOUTS THAT SHOW YOU, UM, WHAT WE DO WITH TRASH ON BUFFALO BILE. UH, I'VE BEEN PART OF THE BUFFALO BILE PARTNERSHIP FOR, SINCE THE BEGINNING 30 YEARS AGO. AND, UH, WE STARTED OUT PICKING UP TRASH AND THERE'S LOTS OF IT, LOTS OF TRASH AND BUFFALO, LOTS OF FLOATING, FLOATING TRASH. UH, HALF OF IT IS DRINK CONTAINERS. AND SO WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS MOVING TEXAS INTO BEING A DEPOSIT REFUND STATE. THERE ARE 10 STATES IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAVE DEPOSIT REFUND AND TEXAS HAS THE ACCUMULATED RIGHT OF BEING THE MOST LITTERED STATE IN THE NATION. OUR BEACHES ARE THE MOST LITTERED BEACHES IN THE NATION. HMM. THIS IS A STUDY BY KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL. IT'S NOT A BS STUDY. UH, SO IT'S THE, IT'S THE REAL DEAL AND WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THIS THIS BOAT I'M PASSING OUT A PICTURE IS OUR VACUUM BOAT THAT, UH, WE ACTUALLY BUILT IT. THE, THE BARGE WAS BUILT UP IN KENTUCKY AND I'M GLAD WE GOT IT BEFORE THE STORM, OR IT MIGHT HAVE WASHED OFF. BUT, UM, THE BARGE IS 40 FEET LONG, 12 FEET WIDE, AND IT HAS A 2020 CUBIC YARD CONTAINER THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS. WHEN WE FILL IT. WE CAN, WE CAN FILL THIS [03:10:01] CONTAINER IN ONE DAY. AND THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT. THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE, UH, IN THE BIO AND IN THE PORT OF HOUSTON. THIS, THIS STUFF AFTER A BIG RAIN, IT HIDES UNDER THE DOCKS IN THE PORT OF HOUSTON AND IT MIGHT NOT COME OUT FOR A YEAR, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S ON THE WAY TO GALVESTON BAY AND, UM, OUR, OUR GULF BEACHES. BUT, UH, WHAT I'M ASKING IS FOR CITY COUNCIL TO REGISTER THEIR SUPPORT ON THESE TWO BILLS. THE LEGISLATURE, YOU KNOW, IS VERY SHORT. WE HAVE THE, THE BILLS ARE FILED AND, UM, I THINK IN YOUR HANDOUT, THE, UM, I BELIEVE YOU, I'VE GIVEN YOU THE NAME OF THE, THE, THE, THE AUTHORS OF THE BILL. BUT, UM, IF NOT, I'LL CERTAINLY GET IT FOR YOU. BUT WE NEED, WE NEED ACTION. AND, UH, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE PROBABLY A MONTH AGO, BUT AT THAT POINT, THE BILLS WERE NOT FILED. THEY ARE NOW FILED. BUT, UH, IN THE LEGISLATURE IT'S VERY EASY TO JUST NEVER GET ANYTHING INTO A, UH, TO A, A FLOOR VOTE. AND SO, UM, AGAIN, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME ALSO, AND, AND WE'VE HAD SEVERAL NEAR MISSES, BUT THIS IS A GOOD CHANCE FOR US TO BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT WE NEED EVERYBODY'S HELP. SO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY STORY. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCO. MR. GARBER, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND FOR SITTING AND WAITING AND LISTENING TO ALL THE SAUSAGE MAKING UP HERE TODAY, . UM, AND I, I'M SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK YOU'VE DONE ON BUFFALO BAYOU. I MEAN, ALL THE MONEY YOU'VE SPENT, ALL THE BOATS YOU'VE BUILT TO, TO SUCK UP THE TRASH FOR YOUR REALLY CARE OF OUR NATURAL WATERWAYS. AND YOU'VE BEEN A, AN INCREDIBLE ADVOCATE FOR CLEANING UP OUR, OUR WATERWAYS. UH, I CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS WORKS? YOU, HOW THE ACTUAL BOTTLE BILL WORKS? LIKE YOU, YOU GET A, IT'S A DEPOSIT, RIGHT? SO EXPLAIN HOW IT WORKS. YOU GO AND YOU BUY BOTTLES OF COKE. HOW DOES IT WORK FOR WATER BOTTLES, COKE BOTTLES, BEER BOTTLES? UH, YOU, YOU WILL PAY AN EXTRA FIVE OR 10 CENTS, BUT YOU GET IT BACK IF YOU TAKE THE BOTTLE BACK TO A REDEMPTION CENTER. THIS USED TO BE, I MEAN, I REMEMBER I, I'M OLD SO I REMEMBER WHEN THIS WAS A THING. YEAH. AND I, I'VE READ A LITTLE BIT THAT IT INCREASES THE RECYCLE RATES QUITE, WE HAVE ABOUT A 30%, UM, RECYCLE RATES ON, ON, ON BOTTLES. SO THIS REALLY INCREASES, INCREASES IN THE STATES THAT HAVE IT. THE, THE, THE, IT GOES WAY UP. WHAT'S THE PRIMARY PUSHBACK? UM, WHEN YOU SAID YOU'VE, YOU'VE BROUGHT THIS UP IN THE LEG, THIS HAS COME IN THE LEGISLATURE BEFORE. IS IT INDUSTRY? WHAT, WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE PRIMARY PUSHBACK? THE CONSUMERS PAYING THE, THE DEPOSIT. YES. AND, AND THEN THE CONSUMER GETS THAT MONEY BACK WHEN IT BRINGS, WHEN YOU BRING BACK TO THE GROCERY STORE OR WHEREVER THE CONSUMER GETS IT BACK. OR YOU CAN GIVE IT TO THE PTA OR THE BOY SCOUTS OR WHATEVER. UH, AND THE PART THAT GETS THROWN OUT OF PEOPLE'S CARS, WHICH IS WHERE THIS STUFF COMES FROM MM-HMM . PEOPLE SAY, WHY DO THEY THROW THIS STUFF IN BUFFALO BILE? NOBODY THROWS ANYTHING IN BUFFALO BILE. RIGHT. YOU, YOU'D HAVE TO BE VERY ACCURATE TO EVEN HIT BUFFALO BILE . I TELL PEOPLE THAT ALL THE TIME. IT'S THE TRASH FROM THE STREETS, THEN THE RAIN CARRIES IT DOWN, IT COMES OUT OF PEOPLE'S CARS. AND IF YOU'LL, IF YOU'LL LOOK AT YOUR EXIT AND ENTRANCE RAMPS, THEY'VE GOT, THEY'VE ALL GOT TRASH IN THEM. UH, IF YOU, UH, LOOK AT, UH, OUR ROADWAYS THAT HAVE BAR DITCHES, THEY'VE ALL HAVE TRASH IN THEM. AND THAT STUFF'S ALL ON THE WAY TO BUFFALO BIO OR SIMS BIO, OR, OR, UH, SO WHAT ARE THE ROADBLOCKS TO PASSAGE? WHAT, WHAT IS THE OPPOSITION TO THIS? I'M SORRY. I'M VERY HARD HEARING SOMEONE. WHAT, WHAT IS THE OPPOSITION? WHAT, YOU SAID YOU'VE HAD SOME NEAR MISSES ON GETTING THIS PASSED. WHAT IS THE, I UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS OF IT AS YOU'VE DESCRIBED, BUT WHAT'S THE OPPOSITION? WELL, PEOPLE THAT SELL THE DRINKS, UH, AND THERE, SOME OF THEM ARE NOT AGAINST IT, BUT, UH, UH, SOME OF THE MORE PROMINENT, UH, BEER DISTRIBUTORS AND SOME OF THE, UH, UH, EVEN EVEN COKE IS NOT A SPONSOR AT THIS POINT, BUT, UH, UH, MY DAUGHTER, GRETCHEN, IS A MEMBER OF THE KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL BOARD, AND KOCH AND BUDWEISER AND ALL THOSE PEOPLE ARE ON THE BOARD. AND, UH, THEY HAVE THEIR REASONS, BUT THEIR REASONS REALLY DON'T [03:15:01] HOLD UP AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. UH, UH, IF, IF, IF THIS MATERIAL IS THROWN OUT OF PEOPLE'S CAR WINDOWS, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? WELL, IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE STREAMS. MM-HMM . BUT EVEN IF, LET'S SAY A YOUNG, YOUNG GROUP THAT'S, UH, DRINKING A LITTLE BEER IN THEIR CAR AND THEY SAY, WELL, I CAN'T TAKE THIS WITH ME, AND THEY HAVE TO THROW IT OUT. THEY THINK THEY DO, OR THEY'LL GET ARRESTED AND PUT IN JAIL. BUT, UH, EVEN IF THAT HAPPENS, WELL, SOMEBODY WILL PICK IT UP. I I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DEPOSIT SET AT 10 CENTS, BUT, UH, EVEN AT 5 CENTS, SOMEBODY WILL PICK IT UP AND, AND GO CLAIM THE REBATE. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M CERTAINLY GONNA READ UP MORE ABOUT IT. I APPRECIATE ALL, ALL YOU DO FOR, FOR HOUSTON. IF YOU ALL WOULD TRY TO, UH, MAKE CONTACT WITH YOUR, YOUR PERSONAL LEGISLATOR, REP, REP OR SENATOR, AND TELL 'EM WE GOT THESE TWO BILLS FILED. PLEASE PUSH 'EM. PUSH 'EM. LET'S GO. LET'S MAKE 'EM HAPPEN. HANG ON. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. UH, THANK YOU, MIKE. YOU DO SO MUCH FOR THIS CITY. UH, I THINK AT THE VERY LEAST WHAT WE CAN DO IS, UH, REACH OUT TO OUR STATE REPS, OUR STATE SENATORS. I DON'T THINK, UH, AGAIN, THIS ISN'T A PARTISAN ISSUE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALL GET BEHIND. SO THANK YOU FOR, THANK GOD YOU HAVE TO, UH, ONE, EVERYTHING YOU DO. IT'S VERY SPECIAL, UH, TO HAVE YOUR DAUGHTER HERE TODAY IN ALL THE WORK THAT SHE DOES, BUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS CAN'T BE OVERSTATED. UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY, NOT JUST WITH A PROBLEM, BUT WITH A SOLUTION AND A SPECIFIC ASK OF COUNSEL. THAT, AGAIN, IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT HARD AND DIFFICULT FOR US TO DO. SO, COUNT ME IN. I WILL BE REACHING OUT NOT ONLY TO OUR DELEGATION, BUT THE SPONSORS. UH, I'M SURE OTHERS WILL SIGN ON AS WELL. BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE PROACTIVE SOLUTION ORIENTED, UH, PROPOSALS THAT YOU ARE CONTINUING TO FIGHT FOR, UH, THAT DON'T JUST CLEAN UP THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT COULD REALLY HELP SOME PEOPLE IN NEED. WELL, ANYBODY THAT HAS A A LENGTHY EMAIL LIST COULD BE VERY IMPORTANT TO JUST ASK THEM TO TALK TO THEIR PEOPLE AND, UH, CALL THE EMAIL THESE SENATORS THAT AND, AND LEGISLATORS THAT ARE PUSHING THIS BILL. BUT THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. LET'S GET IT. LET'S GET IT. WELL, I'LL BE INCLUDING IT IN MY NEWSLETTER AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU. DO YOU KNOW IF ANY OF, IF, IF EITHER OF THE BILLS HAVE GOTTEN A HEARING? PARDON ME? DO YOU KNOW IF EITHER OF THE BILLS HAVE GOTTEN A HEARING YET THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION? NOT YET. THAT'S ME. I'M SORRY. IT'S OKAY. , THEY HAVE NOT GOTTEN A, A HEARING YET. NOT YET. OKAY. NOT GOTTEN A HEARING. OKAY. WE'LL DEFINITELY REACH OUT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERSEVERANCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, GENESIS GRENADES. HI EVERYONE. HELLO, MY NAME IS GENESIS. I'M THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS MANAGER AT ALLIANCE HOUSTON. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TODAY. THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR, TO THE COUNCIL. MY COLLEAGUE LETICIA GUTIERREZ, WHO HAS BEEN MEETING WITH SOME OF YOU WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO SPEAK, BUT UNFORTUNATELY SHE HAD TO ATTEND ANOTHER MEETING. FIRST, WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS MARTINEZ, RAMIREZ AND PLUMBER, FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN HELPING US CONNECT WITH OUR TEXAS REPRESENTATIVES AS WE PREPARE FOR OUR ADVOCACY DATE. UM, AS WE PREPARE FOR OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS AT THE CAPITOL THIS THURSDAY, APRIL 10TH, OUR FOCUS REMAINS ON IMPROVING AIR QUALITY AND HEALTH OUTCOMES IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE ALSO SEEKING TO BUILD A STRONGER RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR LOBBY TEAM TO ENSURE BETTER OUTCOMES. THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, OUR CONCERNS ARE CENTERED AROUND THE IMPACT OF CONCRETE BATCH PLANS AND OTHER AGGREGATE FACILITIES THAT ARE OVERTAKING OUR CITY DEVALUING PROPERTIES AND NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES. ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR A BILL LED BY SENATOR ALVARADO THAT ADDRESSES BENZENE A HARMFUL CHEMICAL LINK TO CANCER, WHICH POSES A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO OUR REGION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN MAKE MINI MEANINGFUL PROGRESS THAT ARE, THERE ARE STILL OPPORTUNITIES TO GATHER SUPPORT THROUGH LETTERS AND OUTREACH, AND WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD WITHIN YOUR CONSTITUENCIES ABOUT WAYS THAT THEY CAN ENGAGE AND GET INVOLVED. WE [03:20:01] ARE ALREADY REGISTERED APPROXIMATELY 150 PARTICIPANTS FOR THIS BUS TRIP TO THE CAPITOL, AND OUR GOAL IS TO REACH 200. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO OUR ALLIANCE THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOR MORE INFORMATION AND UPDATES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT, MAYOR. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY STRONGER AND HEALTHIER. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ GENESIS, THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT AND WAITING, UH, SO LONG TO TO TALK ABOUT THE ADVOCACY THAT, UH, AIR ALLIANCE DOES. AND, UH, I'M WITH YOU ON THE CONCRETE BATCH PLANTS. BEEN IN CONTACT WITH, UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE ARMANDO WALLY AND MONITORING HIS, HIS LEGISLATION TO SEE HOW THAT PROGRESSES. AND I'M HAPPY TO OFFER, UH, SUPPORT FOR HIS, HIS BILLS TO TRY TO REIGN IN SOME OF THE BAD ACTORS THAT WE HAVE AND CONCRETE BATCH PLANTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS, DONING, AMY ERICKSON, AMY ERICKSON. HI AMY. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WERE LEFT. TODAY, I COME TO YOU AS A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL TO SPEAK ABOUT AN URGENT ISSUE WHERE PUBLIC HEALTH, URBAN PLANNING, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE INTERSECT. THE CDC RECOGNIZES NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT AS CRITICAL SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. OUR WELLBEING DEPENDS NOT JUST ON GENETICS OR HEALTHCARE ACCESS, BUT ON THE PHYSICAL CONDITIONS WHERE WE LIVE FOR DECADES. THE EAST END HAS FACED SYSTEMATIC ISOLATION THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE DECISIONS, PRIORITIZING OTHER INTERESTS OVER OUR COMMUNITY. THE PROPOSED ABANDONMENT OF SIX PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAGES ADDS NEW BARRIERS BETWEEN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND DOWNTOWN. THESE AREN'T JUST MERE INCONVENIENCES. LOST TO CONNECTIVITY MEANS LOST ACCESS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, HEALTHCARE FACILITIES, AND ESSENTIAL RESOURCES. RESEARCH CONFIRMS NEIGHBORHOODS WITH LIMITED MOBILITY, FACE HIGHER RATES OF CHRONIC DISEASE, POOR MENTAL HEALTH, AND REDUCE LIFE EXPECTANCY. EACH CLOSED STREET AND ABANDONED RIGHT OF WAY BUILDS ANOTHER WALL AROUND OUR COMMUNITY, TURNING US INTO AN ISLAND CUT OFF FROM PROSPERITY, NOT BY WATER, BUT BY CONCRETE AND POLICY DECISIONS. OUR COMMUNITY HAS ENDURED THIS PATTERN OF DISCONNECTION FOR GENERATIONS. CAN I, CAN I WRAP UP? GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP. UM, WITH EACH CHARLES CONNECTION, WE LOSE MORE THAN JUST A PATHWAY. WE LOSE, UM, ECONOMIC STABILITY, HEALTHCARE, AND COMMUNITY COHESION. I INVITE EACH OF YOU TO COME ON A RIDE ALONG THROUGH MY COMMUNITY, EXPERIENCE OUR DAILY REALITY. TO TRULY UNDERSTAND HOW PO POLK SERVES AS A LIFELINE AND WHAT A VOTE FOR FURTHER ISOLATION WOULD MEAN FOR OUR HEALTH AND OPPORTUNITIES. UM, THE WALLS MUST STOP CLOSING IN OUR COMMUNITY'S HEALTH. DEPENDS ON IT. PLEASE VOTE NO ON THE ABANDONMENT OF POLK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, AMY, FOR WAITING IT OUT AS WELL. UH, YOU ARE SO DEDICATED IN ADVOCATING FOR YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS OVER THERE, AND, UH, WE HEAR YOU. THANKS. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, ED PETIT. ED PETIT. NEXT SPEAKER. CAMDEN KIRKLAND. CAMDEN KIRKLAND. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSEL. AND THANK YOU. HI, CAMDEN. THE TRIAL OF ENDURANCE GOING ON HERE TODAY. MM-HMM . UM, AS WITH LAST WEEK, I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT PLEASE DENY OR AT LEAST REASONABLY DELAY THE ABANDONMENT OF POLK STREET. UM, CLOSING THIS STREET, OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT, UH, UH, EFFECTS WITH REGARDS TO THE MOBILITY IN THE EAST END. AND AS EAST ENDERS, WE ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH HOUSTON FIRST, WORK WITH THE GRB SYSTEM TO ACTUALLY COMMIT WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO IN THE LONG TERM, BUT NOT AT THE COST OF SACRIFICING OUR OWN MOBILITY AT THE COST OF LOSING A CRITICAL CONNECTION TO THE REST OF THE, UH, UH, HOUSTON DOWNTOWN AREA. UH, FURTHERMORE, UH, WE ALSO ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS IN FEBRUARY, AND WE LEARNED AT THE MARCH 17TH MEETING THAT THIS CLOSURE IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE IN OCTOBER. SO LESS THAN A YEAR FROM FINDING OUT THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH HOUSTON FIRST TO COME UP WITH AND IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS, UH, TO THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN AND AGAIN, PLEASE DO DENY POLK STREET'S ABANDONMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS. NEXT SPEAKER, LISA HUNT. LISA HUNT. HELLO, I'M LISA HUNT. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE EAST END. UM, YOU KNOW THAT A COMMUNITY IS IN TROUBLE WHEN [03:25:01] THEY EAT THEIR SEED CORN, WHEN WE START LOOKING AT OUR PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY AND ARE WILLING TO SELL THEM, UM, FOR PEOPLE WHO COME IN AND THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT NOT INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY THEMSELVES. WE'RE EFFECTIVELY EATING OUR SEED CORN. SIX STREETS ARE BEING UP FOR ABANDONMENT BY HOUSTON. FIRST PART OF THAT PROCESS IS TO CREATE, UM, MONEY. THE APPRAISAL WILL BE DONE, AND WE KNOW THAT THAT'S IN THE PROCESS OF BEING CONSIDERED. I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST TO YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE DEFICIT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE FACING WITH THE OPERATING BUDGET THAT YOU DON'T DO, OR THAT YOU AVOID THE TEMPTATION OF WHAT OTHER COUNCILS HAVE DONE TO EAT THE SEED CORN OF CAPITAL MONEY, UM, FOR OPERATING FUNDS. I WOULD URGE YOU, UM, TO THINK, UH, LONG TERM ON THESE FUNDS AND TO REINVEST THEM IN CAPITAL PROJECTS, ESPECIALLY FOR CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE EAST AND WEST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY. NEXT SPEAKER, ROY HIRSCH. ROY HURS, THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL. I ONLY WISH THE MAYOR AND THE FULL COMPLIMENT OF THE COUNCIL ARE HERE TO, FOR ME TO EXPRESS HOW AMAZING YOU PEOPLE ARE. NOT JUST FOR THE ENDURANCE FOR TODAY, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS COME IN HERE AND DO THIS EVERY WEEK. JUST AMAZING. AS YOU KNOW, I REPRESENT THE PEOPLE FOR POLK, AND I'M NOT EVEN GONNA GO THROUGH, I MEAN, IT'S NOT A TIRADE, BUT I'M MEAN I DON'T EVEN GO THROUGH READING THE LIST OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WE APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE AND WE APPRECIATE THAT THIS WHOLE ISSUE BASICALLY WAS FOISTED ON Y'ALL AS MUCH AS IT WAS FOISTED UPON US. AND WE'RE JUST BASICALLY TRYING TO ADVOCATE THAT SOME SENSE OF REASON IS GOING TO PREVAIL BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF DISSONANCE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WHOLE MORASS. SO WHEN IT COMES TO A VOTE FOR THE ABANDONMENT OF POLK STREET, PLEASE VOTE, VOTE NO. IF FOR NO OTHER REASON, JUST TO HAVE A REASONABLE TIME EXTENSION TO SORT THIS THING OUT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. NEXT SPEAKER. JACOB CLEMENT. HI GUYS. HEY JACOB. PUMP IT UP. JACOB. OKAY, I WILL, WE REAL QUICK. NOT OKAY. UH, UH, CHANTE HAVE CAPTURED ACTUAL IMAGES OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AN EGG CELL AND A SPERM CELL MEANS FOR UNITE, UH, A BURST OF LIGHT IS EMITTED. THIS SPLASH IS OFTEN CALLED D ZINC SPARK. IT SIGNALS THE START OF A NEW LIFE AT . UM, COME THIS FRIDAY, I PLAN TO GO TO 4,600 GULF FREEWAY TO GO WITH, UH, TO 40 DAYS FOR LIFE IN THE ANNUN ANNUNCIATION CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR THIS PRAYER RALLY. AND WE'RE GONNA GO FOR PRO LIFE ISSUES. AND ANYWAY, UM, WELL, NEXT TIME WE MEET, I'LL BE A YEAR OLDER. OH, WELL, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU JACOB. AND THANK YOU FOR WAITING AND SHARING YOUR COMMENTS WITH US TODAY. AND I CAN HARDLY WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT TWO PEOPLE COME OKAY. AFTER ME. ALL RIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER. EDUARDO DURAN. EDUARDO DURAN. DON'T SEE CHARLES. NEXT SPEAKER CAMPAIGN, CHARLES CAMPAIGN. DON'T SEE, DON'T SEE. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT DID NOT GET TO SPEAK THAT'S STILL IN CHAMBER? OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, [RECESS] WE STAND IN RECESS UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING AT NINE, REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE JOINT REFERRAL COMMITTEE ON REQUEST FROM LEANDRA BICKLEY DECLINING THE ACCEPTANCE OF REJECTING AND REFUSING THE DEDICATION OF CORDOVA AVENUE. ITEM FOUR, ASSOCIATED SUPPLY COMPANY INC. DOING BUSINESS AS ASCO EQUIPMENT FOR PURCHASE OF ONE FORKLIFT. ITEM FIVE, DONALDSON UMEY AUTOMOTIVE GROUP DOING BUSINESS AS SILSBY TOYOTA FOR PURCHASE OF ONE TOYOTA SEQUOIA. ITEM SIX, APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF 10 FUEL TRAILERS FROM NATIONWIDE TRAILERS. LLC. ITEM SEVEN, APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF FUEL CARDS AND RELATED SERVICES [03:30:01] FROM US BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION. ITEM EIGHT, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $178,034 FOR PLANNED TRACKING AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. PROJECT ITEM NINE APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF A TRACKING AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FROM STATION AUTOMATION INC. DOING BUSINESS AS PS TRACKS. ITEM 10, CHAING ENTERPRISES HOUSTON, LLC DOING BUSINESS AS CHASTAIN FORD FOR PURCHASE OF ONE FORD F THREE 50 TRUCK ITEM 11, APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF BRIDGE FOUR. PUBLIC SAFETY APPLICATION LICENSES FROM NP STRATEGIES LLC DOING BUSINESS AS MOBILITY. FOUR. ITEM 12, ANDROIDS SEPARATION INC. FOR SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE OF SLUDGE PLANT PARTS. ITEM 13 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PER FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF FOUR NEW BAR SCREENS FROM BOYER, INC. ITEM 14, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS. INK TO FURNISH AND DELIVER ONE POLYMER BLENDING UNIT ASSEMBLY. ITEM 15 HAD DRAWN ENGINEERING SERVICES LLC FOR PURCHASE OF RECYCLE FEED SCREW SETS. ITEM 16, HARWELL ENVIRONMENTAL CORPORATION, A DXP COMPANY FOR SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE OF MECHANICAL RAKE BAR SCREEN PARTS. ITEM 17, TRANSEX TRANSPORTATION PRODUCTS OF TEXAS INC. FOR PURCHASE OF TRAFFIC PARTS AND EQUIPMENT. ITEM 18 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ISSUANCE OF LETTER OF APPROVAL TO SAVIOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES LLC ITEM 19 RESOLUTION. AUTHORIZE AN ISSUANCE OF LETTER OF APPROVAL TO SUMMER LINE TRANSPORTATION INC. ITEM 20 ORDINANCE SUPPLEMENT ORDINANCE NUMBER 2009 DASH 1118 RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM, COMMERCIAL PAPER NOTES SERIES B DASH SEVEN AND SUPPLEMENT ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023 DASH 3 52 AUTHORIZING THE EXTENSION OF A CREDIT FACILITY, THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT. FIRST AMENDMENT TO NO PURCHASE AGREEMENT AND AMENDED AND RESTATED FEE LETTER FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM, COMMERCIAL PAPER NOTES SERIES B DASH SEVEN ITEM 21 ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE REAPPOINTMENT AND CONFIRMATION OF ME HOW VO AS A FULL-TIME MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE TO SERVE A FOUR YEAR TERM ITEM 22 ORDINANCE DENYING APPLICATION OF PETER'S HOLDINGS, LLC, DOING BUSINESS AS AFFORDABLE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES. ITEM 23, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023 DASH 2 33 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT AND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING. FIRST A AMEND AND RESTATED AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND PORTER HEDGES. LLP ITEM 24 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE, TWO AGREEMENTS FOR ON-CALL AIRPORT, FINANCIAL CONSULTING SERVICES BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND LEE FISHER INC. AND RECCONDO AND ASSOCIATES INC. ITEM 25, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AWARD AND REVENUE CONTRACT TO I-P-T-L-L-C DOING BUSINESS AS PAY LOCK I-P-T-L-L-C TO PROVIDE VEHICLE IMMOBILIZATION SERVICES. ITEM 26, ORDINANCE, APPROV AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND GROUP GROUP 37 0 1 LLC ITEM 27 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZED AND SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE, ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH INSTITUTE INC. ITEM 28 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO EXTEND CONTRACT TERM BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND DEARBORN NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY. ITEM 29, ORDINANCE APPROVING AN WARDEN CONTRACT TO METROPOLITAN AND LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY. ITEM 30 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH IMAGETREND LLC ITEM 31 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING DERIVATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ASSET WORKS INC. FORMERLY KNOWN AS ASSET ASSET WORKS LLC ITEM 32, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $60,000 FOR PROFESSIONAL SURVEYING, PLANNING, ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND APPRAISAL. APPRAISAL SERVICES TO SUPPORT ACQUISITION OF PARCEL HY 25 DASH OH OH ONE FOR CONSOLIDATION OF FIRE STATION 1 0 1 AND FIRE STATION 1 0 4 ITEM 33 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND BFI. WASTE SERVICES OF TEXAS LP ITEM 34 4 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $50,000 FOR SECURITY UPGRADES AT FIVE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITIES. ITEM 35, ORDINANCE A ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024 DASH 9 63 DESIGNATING SEVEN SHADOW LAWN STREET AS A PROTECTED LANDMARK. ITEM 36 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE [03:35:01] ADDITION OF 7.8940 ACRES OF LAND TO DOWDE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT. ITEM 37 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 7.497 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 5 5 2 ITEM 38. ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 23.664 ACRES OF LAND TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 96 ITEM 39, ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 1.7932 ACRES OF LAND TO SHELDON ROAD MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT ITEM 40 ORDINANCE. FINDING AND DETERMINING THAT PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY NO LONGER REQUIRE THE CONTINUED USE OF THE SOUTHERN FIVE FOOT WIDE PORTION OF A 10 FOOT WIDE UTILITY EASTMAN AND AN ADJACENT FIVE FOOT WIDE AERIAL EASEMENT. ITEM 41 ORDINANCE FINDING IN DETERMINING THAT PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY NO LONGER REQUIRE THE CONTINUED USE OF FOUR SANITARY SEWER EASEMENTS. ITEM 42 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $4,153,315 76 CENTS. APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ART DURA GROUP INC. ITEM 43 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING JOINT FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ITEM 44, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND INSPECTION SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HORNE INC. ITEM 45 ORDINANCE, AWARD AND CONTRACT TO TEX COTA ENTERPRISES, LLC ITEM 46. AMEND AMEND MOTIONS, MOTION AMENDMENTS, UM, ONE A, ONE B, 2, 3, 4, AND FIVE. AND THESE ARE AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 28. ARTICLE 23, ITEM 47, ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 28 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, HOUSTON, TEXAS ADDING ARTICLE 23 THERETO ESTABLISHING A REGISTRATION BASED REGULATORY FRAMEWORK RELATED TO THE ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF REGISTRATION AND A FEE, THEREFORE FOR THE OPERATION OF SHORT TERM RENTALS. THIS ITEM WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ AND WAS ITEM 24 ON THE APRIL 2ND AGENDA. ITEM 48, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FOURTH AMENDMENT TO INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY FOR CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF THE JOINT PROCESSING CENTER. AND THIS WAS TAGGED, ALL TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ AND WAS ITEM 34 ON THE APRIL 2ND, 2025 AGENDA. THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE CAPTIONS FOR THE AGENDA OF APRIL 8TH AND NINTH, 2025. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL SCHEDULE TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND IN THE WORDS OF THE CURRENT CITY SECRETARY, PAT JEFFERSON, DANIEL ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WISH TO BE OR THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED. THANK YOU AND HAVE A BLESSED FANTA DAY. [RECONVENE] COUNSEL, PLEASE COME TO ORDER. FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE APPOINTMENT OF JUDGE VO. IF JUDGE VO IS PRESENT WITH OUR FAMILY, WE, WE'D ASK HIM TO RISE OR THANK YOU JUDGE VO FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE AND, AND YOUR FAMILY. AND WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA CONDUCT A LITTLE MORE BUSINESS AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO MEET YOU IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE SO WE CAN SHAKE HANDS, TAKE PICTURES, AND CELEBRATE UH, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AND YOUR, UH, YOUR GREAT HERITAGE. AND, UH, THE STORY OF, OF YOUR FAMILY BEING SO IMPORTANT, UH, IS IMMIGRANTS TO OUR GREAT COUNTRY AND OUR GREAT CITY. SO THANK YOU. WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON YOU IN A MOMENT. LET ME DO ABOUT ONE MORE ITEM AND THEN, UH, LOUIE AND CYNTHIA, IF Y'ALL WILL ASSIST, WE'LL GO UP TO THE, UH, OFFICE AND SPEND SOME QUALITY TIME. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE'RE PROUD OF YOU ALL IN FAVOR. [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] PLEASE CALL UP ITEM 21 AT THIS TIME. ITEM 21 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. WE'RE GONNA DO A PUBLIC HEARING. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, LET ME, UH, GO AHEAD AND TAKE CARE OF THE MAYOR'S [03:40:01] REPORT. AND THEN I'M GONNA ASK THE MAYOR, PROTE TO PRESIDE WHILE I MEET WITH JUDGE V'S. FAMILY. FIRST MEMBERS, UH, PART OF THE MAYOR'S REPORT, LET ME MENTION THAT WE'RE GONNA CELEBRATE A CITYWIDE, CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF GEORGE FOREMAN, TWO TIME HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD, AND CERTAINLY THE FACE OF HOW GREAT HOUSTON IS. HIS SERVICE AND CELEBRATION WILL BE AT THE WORTHHAM THEATER CENTER, APRIL 14TH, THIS COMING MONDAY AT 10 45. SO I WOULD, UH, ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ATTEND. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE PICTURE OF GEORGE FOREMAN AND ME AND MICKEY LELAND IN 1973 IN THE SPEAKER'S OFFICE, HE HAD JUST WON THE OLYMPICS AND MICKEY LELAND, UH, BROUGHT HIM TO THE TEXAS HOUSE. MICKEY AND I WERE FRESHMEN. GEORGE AND I BOTH HAD HAIR AND IT'S A VERY SPECIAL PHOTO AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY IN CONTACT WITH HIM. WENT TO HIS FAMILY HOME ABOUT A YEAR AGO. UH, TALKED ABOUT HIS MINISTRY AND UH, HOW WE COULD WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE HOUSTON A GREATER CITY. SO I WILL DEFINITELY BE THERE AND CELEBRATE HIS LIFE. SPEAKING OF CELEBRATIONS, THERE WOULD BE A CELEBRATION OF THE ART CAR, UH, EXHIBITS. THERE'LL BE A, A PARADE AT 2:00 PM SATURDAY. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE EXHIBITS AND TENTS ARE ALREADY BEING SET UP. IT'LL, THE PARADE WILL FEATURE OVER 250 ART CARS. UH, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO COME AND CERTAINLY MY GRANDSONS REALLY ENJOYED IT LAST YEAR, SO WE'LL BE DOING THAT AGAIN SATURDAY. SO IT'S JUST WHAT MAKES HOUSTON KIND OF SPECIAL THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING IS, IS CREATIVE AND SPECIAL IS ART CAR PARADE. SO THAT'LL BE SATURDAY AT 2:00 PM. WITH THAT SAID, UH, I'M GONNA ASK THE MAYOR PRO TEM TO PRESIDE WHILE I RUN UPSTAIRS AND, UH, WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS. COUNCIL MEMBERS, BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO RECOGNIZE SOME VISITORS WE HAVE IN THE CHAMBER TODAY. UH, WE HAVE THE STUDENTS FROM EMORY WIENER HIGH SCHOOL IN DISTRICT K THAT ARE VISITING WITH US IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO STAND THEIR TEACHERS. KARA IAN AND JOSH LINDOFF ARE ALSO WITH THEM, AND WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME THEM TO THEIR CITY HALL TODAY. FOR SOME OF THEM IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME AT CITY HALL. UH, THEY WILL HAVE A TOUR OF CITY HALL TODAY. AND THEN I THINK WE'RE GONNA GO TO LUNCH AT DISCOVERY GREEN AROUND ONE 30 TODAY. SO I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND YOU LEARN A LOT ABOUT GOVERNING AND WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE AT YOUR CITY HALL. AND MAYBE ONE DAY, UM, YOU TOO WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, SERVE, UH, IN SOME OF THE SEATS THAT YOU SEE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS SITTING IN. NOW, UH, I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. WHO, UH, DID YOU GO TO THIS SCHOOL? I WAS THE VERY FIRST GRADUATING CLASS OF EMORY HIGH SCHOOL. UH, SO THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. I TOO WANNA WELCOME OUR JAGS TO CITY HALL. I SAW Y'ALL COMING UP IN THE ELEVATOR, UH, WHEN OUR MAYOR PRO TEM SAYS YOU COULD BE SITTING HERE ONE DAY. UH, I AM LIVING PROOF THAT YOU ALL CAN DO THAT, AND I HOPE SOME OF YOU WILL. WE HAVE AMAZING EMORY INTERNS THAT COME THROUGH OUR OFFICE AS WELL. UH, BUT IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO HAVE YOU HERE. I WAS JUST ON CAMPUS OVER THE WEEKEND FOR OUR 20TH HIGH SCHOOL REUNION. UH, SO THAT WAS, UH, IT WAS GREAT TO BE ON CAMPUS. THE NEW FACILITIES THAT Y'ALL ARE GONNA GET TO HAVE ARE VERY EXCITING. UH, IT'S VERY SPECIAL TO HAVE YOU HERE AND, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, THANK YOU FOR SPENDING SO MUCH TIME WITH OUR STUDENTS TODAY. WE WE'RE GONNA HAVE STAFF AT LUNCH WITH Y'ALL. UH, I HAVE TO ATTEND, UH, COMMUNITY SEDER THIS AFTERNOON. UH, BUT IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. [HEARINGS] WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. MR. SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL PLEASE CALL ITEM ONE. ITEM ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR THREE APPLICANTS SEEKING 4% HOUSING TAX CREDITS. [03:45:01] WE DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC SPEAKER SIGNED UP. UH, MR. SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL CALL THE PUBLIC SPEAKER. AMY VON BOCAL. IS AMY HERE? AMY, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? ANY YES MA'AM, IF YOU WOULD COME TO THE, THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME. GOOD MORNING. MORNING, I'M CARMEN CHUBB. I'M THE PRESIDENT AND PARTNER WITH COLUMBIA RESIDENTIAL, REPRESENTING THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS, UH, REQUEST THIS MORNING, AMY, UH, SENT ME A MESSAGE THAT SHE WAS RUNNING LATE. SHE'S REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY, UM, BUT WE'RE JUST, UM, UM, ASKING FOR YOUR APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF 221 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE AND MARKET RATE HOUSING AND INDEPENDENT SITES. 212 UNITS WILL BE AFFORDABLE, NINE UNRESTRICTED. AND, UM, JUST SEEKING YOUR SUPPORT AND HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, UM, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING? IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING? IF NO ONE ELSE, UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING? PECK MOVES TO CLOSE THE HEARING CAME IN SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. UH, ANY DISCUSSION? ANY DISCUSSION IF NO DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES. WE WILL MOVE TO THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING. MR. SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL CALL ITEM NUMBER TWO. ITEM TWO IS A MOTION TO PUBLIC HEARING. I'M SORRY. ITEM TWO IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO PROVIDE THE RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR TWO APPLICANTS SEEKING 4% HOUSING TAX CREDITS. IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM TWO? IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM TWO? IF NO ONE IS HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM TWO, IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING? PECK MOVES TO CLOSE THE HEARING. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ANY DISCUSSION IF NO DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THE ITEM PASSES. [CONSENT AGENDA] OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. MR. SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL PLEASE PROCEED WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY. ITEM THREE NEEDS A MOTION I SECONDS. IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS. ITEMS FIVE AND 17 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A VOTE? NEED A MOTION ON THE BALANCE MOVES? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNDER THE RESOLUTIONS CATEGORY ITEMS 18 AND 19. NEED A VOTE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES MAN. UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY. UH, THE FINAL FOLLOWING ITEMS HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF THEY ARE RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE AGENDA. AND THOSE ITEMS ARE 23, 24 AND 45 ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION ARE 33, 38, 39 AND 40. AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 33, 38, 39 AND 40. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED ITEMS CARRIED ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION? ITEM FIVE NEEDS A MOTION. PEC MOVES CAYMAN. SECOND, UH, MAYOR VICE MAYOR PROTI, YOU HAVE A DISCUSSION? THANK YOU MAYOR PROTI. UM, THIS ITEM IS FOR THE PURCHASE OF A VEHICLE FOR ALMOST $72,000. IT'S FOR THE DIRECTOR AND EXECUTIVE STAFF [03:50:01] OF THE SALT WASTE DEPARTMENT. UM, I'M GOING TO BE VOTING NO ON THIS ITEM. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A NEW INTERIM DIRECTOR THAT WAS JUST HIRED. I DON'T KNOW IF HE'LL BECOME THE ACTUAL DIRECTOR OR JUST, YOU KNOW, AFTER SERVING AS INTERIM. UM, BUT EITHER WAY. UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOMEONE TO REALLY SEE IF THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO ORGANIZE THINGS BEFORE WE JUST GO AHEAD AND BUY, YOU KNOW, A $72,000 VEHICLE TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE RESTRUCTURED FIRST. UM, WE ALSO HAVEN'T SEEN THE RESULTS OF THE BARNES AND MCDONALD'S STUDY, UM, FOR THIS DEPARTMENT. AND SO THERE'S JUST TOO MANY UNKNOWNS FOR ME TO PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE. UM, I JUST CAN'T KEEP APOLOGIZING TO PEOPLE WHEN THEIR TRASH ISN'T PICKED UP AND SAYING, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR NEW TRUCKS OR FOR STAFF OR FOR TECHNOLOGY WHEN WE'RE PURCHASING A $72,000 VEHICLE. UM, JUST KEEP THIS IN. TO PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE, OUR HPD INVESTATE, EXCUSE ME, OUR HPD INVESTIGATORS ARE DRIVING $37,000 VEHICLES. SO IT JUST SEEMS LIKE OUR SPENDING ISN'T MATCHING OUR PRIORITIES HERE. DO YOU WANNA TAG IT? COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS UP. UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM. UH, INSTEAD OF VOTING NO, COULD WE POSSIBLY TAG THE ITEM TO ASK FOR A STATUS ON THE STUDY? I'LL TAG THE ITEM. , SHE'S GONNA TAG IT. OKAY. ITEM FIVE IS BEING TAGGED BY VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PECK. ITEM 17 NEEDS A MOTION. PECK MOVES CAYMAN. SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THANK YOU. UH, COLLEAGUES. THIS ITEM IS FOR REPLACEMENT ARMADILLOS. UH, WE'VE HEARD OF THE COM ARMADILLOS HAVE BEEN IN THE HEADLINES QUITE A LOT RECENTLY WHEN THEY WERE REMOVED OFF OF HEIGHTS BOULEVARD, UH, WITHOUT NOTICE AND WITHOUT PUBLIC INPUT. ONE OF THE REASONS I WAS GIVEN WAS THAT THE ARMADILLOS ARE NOT, QUOTE UNQUOTE, SAFE FOR VEHICULAR TRAFFIC AND THAT THEY ARE NOT, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, IF ONE IS REMOVED, THEY CREATE AN ISSUE. SO THEY WERE JUST GONNA RIP THEM UP ALTOGETHER. MY QUESTION AND QUERY FOR THE DEPARTMENT IS, ARE THE ONE, ARE THESE NOW GONNA BE USED AS THE ADMINISTRATION CHANGING POLICY? ARE WE JUST GONNA RE BE REPLACING SINGULAR ONES IF ONE COMES UP? UH, VERSUS REMOVING ALL OF THEM, WHAT ARE THESE GOING TO BE PUT TOWARDS IF WE ARE REMOVING AN ENTIRE SEGMENT OF A PROTECTED BIKE LANE THAT USED THESE ARMADILLOS? SO I WILL BE TAGGING THIS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. UH, AGAIN, I SUPPORT THE USE OF ARMADILLOS OR ANY PROTECTIVE BARRIER THAT CREATES ADDITIONAL SAFETY. BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE CONFLICTING REASONING HERE AND I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND IT BEFORE WE'RE SPENDING MONEY FOR THESE TO SIMPLY GO INTO STORAGE. I'LL JOIN THE TAG PLUMBER ALN TOO. ITEM IS BEING TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. ITEM 33 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 33? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? AND THE ITEM PASSES. ITEM 38 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 38? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES. ITEM 39 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 39? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM 39 PASSES. ITEM 40 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN CAYMAN TAGGED FOR PURPOSE OF NOTIFYING THE PUBLIC SO THEY HAVE CHANCE TO REVIEW. OKAY, ITEM 40 IS BEING TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. [MATTERS HELD] ITEM 46 IS A, A MOTION. SO THIS IS THE AMENDMENT. THESE ARE THE AMENDMENTS. OKAY. UH, WE ARE GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE AMENDMENTS FOR ITEM 46. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN IS FIRST IN THE QUEUE. CHAIR. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU. UM, MAYOR PRO TEM. AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. SO WITH A FEW CHANGES, UM, WHICH COUNCIL MEMBERS CAYMAN AND ALCORN WILL EXPLAIN THESE AMENDMENTS I UNDERSTAND WILL MOVE FORWARD. I BELIEVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER HAS INTENTIONS TO TAG. SO I WOULD ASK THAT WE JUST GO THROUGH THESE CHANGES, [03:55:01] UH, BEFORE THE TAG IS APPLIED. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. UH, I I WAS PLANNING TO LAY OUT, UM, TABLE AMENDMENTS TWO AND FOUR DOES, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? CHAIR ON AMENDMENT ONE? OKAY, UNDERSTOOD. UM, COLLEAGUES FOR TABLE AMENDMENT TWO, THERE WAS ROBUST DISCUSSION, UH, AT THE PUBLIC, UH, HEARING THAT WE HAD. THANKS TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE, UH, LEGAL AND A RA HAD RAISED SOME CONCERNS ABOUT IDENTIFYING A PERCENTAGE THRESHOLD, UM, AS A CATCH-ALL RATHER THAN SAYING A SPECIFIC NUMBER. AND WHAT LEGAL AND A RA HAD SUGGESTED IS, UH, SAYING IF TWO OR MORE, UH, REGISTRATIONS OR PERMITS HAVE BEEN REVOKED, AGAIN, REVOKED, NOT CITED, UH, THAT THE CITY MAY GO AND ACTUALLY REVOKE ALL OF THE LICENSES FOR THAT ONE PROPERTY. THIS SEEKS TO NARROWLY TAILOR A SOLUTION TO FEEDBACK. WE'RE HEARING, UH, THAT THE ORDINANCE IS NOT ADDRESSING PROBLEM PROPERTIES, UH, THAT WE HAVE EVIDENCE OF. SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK, I HOPE, UH, IN LINE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION. UH, I WOULD ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY. I'VE BEEN GETTING MIXED INFORMATION, UH, AT THE COMMITTEE HEARING, UH, BOTH A RA AND LEGAL SAID THAT Y'ALL WOULD WORK WITH US TO PROPOSE THAT LANGUAGE SO THAT IT IS IN LINE WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATION. UH, I'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD NOW THAT THAT MAY NOT BE THE CASE. SO CAN WE GET GUIDANCE ON CRAFTING THAT LANGUAGE? UH, WELL CERTAINLY, BUT I, I WOULD NEED TO CONSULT WITH A RA AND LEGAL TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND, BUT I I'LL GET ON THAT. ABSOLUTELY. I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, SO WE WILL BE PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL AMENDMENT LANGUAGE NEXT WEEK, BUT FOR TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES, I WANT TO EXPLAIN WHAT IT WILL DO AGAIN, AS DISCUSSED, WE WILL NOT BE INCLUDING THE 25% THRESHOLD. WE WILL SWITCH IT TO TWO OR MORE AS ADVISED BY LEGAL AND A RA, UM, TO MAKE IT UNIFORM IN LINE WITH WHAT THEY RECOMMENDED. UH, AND THEN FOR, I WILL DEFER TO, UH, COUNTS NUMBER ALCORN ON AMENDMENT THREE. IT'S THE STATUS OF THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ELCO. THANK, THANK YOU. ONE NOTE ON, ON AMENDMENT TWO ALSO THE OTHER, UH, LEGAL POINT THAT WAS THAT THE POINT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY LEGAL WAS THAT IT WAS JUST FOR MULTIFAMILY AND NOT SINGLE FAMILY. SO I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT WE AN OWNER, IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM OWNER, IT'S A PROBLEM OWNER, WHETHER IT'S A MULTIFAMILY OR THEY OWN A BUNCH OF SINGLE FAMILY. UM, SO I WOULD, WHEN WE'RE REVISING THAT LANGUAGE, IF WE COULD ALSO INCLUDE SINGLE FAM OWNERS OF MORE THAN ONE SINGLE FAMILY STR, IF THEY HAVE TWO OR MORE PROBLEM. AND THIS IS AGAIN, WORKING THAT WORKING ALL THE WAY, BEING FULLY ADJUDICATED CONVICTED. YOUR CONVICTION STICKS, YOUR PERMIT'S BEEN REVOKED, AND IT'S STILL, THE DIRECTOR MAY REVOKE. SO THERE'S, THERE'S ALL, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE YOUR CASE. AND THE RESPONSIBLE OWNERS, THEY DON'T HAVE THESE KIND OF PROBLEMS. SO I DON'T THINK, I THINK IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK. SO THAT'S MY COMMENT ON ITEM TWO. AND THAT SATISFIES REALLY WHAT I WANTED TO DO ON THE BAD ACTORS. SO I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW AMENDMENT THREE THAT LIMITS THE DENSITY IN MULTIFAMILY UNITS. THANK YOU. WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WILL PUT FORTH THIS REVISED AMENDMENT TWO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ CAME IN AND ALCORN FOR THIS. UM, I REALLY, I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD, ESPECIALLY THE TWO OF YOU HAVE WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. AND, UM, I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE ALL KIND OF COMING TO THE TABLE. THIS IS SO GOOD. HOW, THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD WORK. DEMOCRACY SHOULD WORK. UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION. WHEN WE, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE REVISION WITH LEGAL, I THINK ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS THE PROCESS OF WHAT THE ADJUDICATION LOOKS LIKE. LIKE WHAT IS THAT PROCESS OF WHAT THE, WHAT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. IF THEY HAVE TO APPEAL, IF THEY, IF THEY DO, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE DOES SAY, OR YOU KNOW, SAYS THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM AND THEY LOSE THEIR REGISTRATION, WHAT DOES THE APPEAL PROCESS LOOK LIKE AND WHAT IS THE, WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN FOR THAT TO HAPPEN? I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER CONCERN AND QUESTIONS. IF WE CAN LINE THAT OUT AND BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR AND CONCISE ON THAT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TOO. BUT WE COULD WORK ON ALL THAT BEHIND THE SCENES. IT'S JUST ONE, ONE PIECE OF, OF, UM, JUST A SUGGESTION. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, YOU'RE BACK IN THE QUEUE. UH, YES. TO LAY OUT TABLE AMENDMENT FOUR, GO AHEAD. UH, TABLE AMENDMENT FOUR, I'M ACTUALLY BEFORE YOU, IS A PROCEDURAL MOTION. WE DID RECEIVE THE LANGUAGE FROM LEGAL, UM, SO THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING THE HUMAN AND SEX TRAFFICKING TRAINING. AGAIN, THIS IS FREE. UH, IT'S EASILY ACCESSIBLE. IT IS NOT EVEN TAKE ALL DAY. UH, BUT THIS WILL ACTUALLY PUT IT INTO ORDINANCE AS IT WAS WRITTEN PREVIOUSLY. IT WOULD JUST HAVE BEEN A REGULATION [04:00:01] ON THE CITY SIDE. IT WAS NOT CODIFIED. SO I MOVED TO WITHDRAW TABLE AMENDMENT FOUR AS PREVIOUSLY OFF OFFERED AND SUBSTITUTE, UH, THE REVISED TABLE AMENDMENT, UH, BEFORE YOU THAT WILL ACTUALLY CODIFY, UM, THE LANGUAGE THAT WE INTENDED AS IT PERTAINS TO THE REQUIREMENTS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE REQUIRE OF HOTELS, UH, FOR A FREE ONLINE, UH, HUMAN AND SEX TRAFFICKING AWARENESS TRAINING. RAMIR A SECOND. UH, ANY DISCUSSION ON, UH, THE REVISED TABLE? AMENDMENT FOUR? IF NOT, UH, ALL IN FAVOR? I'D LIKE, OH, SHE'S GOOD. YEAH, I'D LIKE TO, NO, NO, I DON'T WANNA, I COMPLETELY AGREE. UM, I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE I'M FOLLOWING THE, THE GUIDELINES, WHAT WE'RE TELLING YOU. I, I THOUGHT, I'M THINKING THAT WE'RE GONNA TAG THE AMENDMENTS AND THE ITEM JUST FOR REVISION, BUT I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH, WITH WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING FORWARD. UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER. THAT THAT'S FINE. IF MY UNDERSTANDING, WE CAN DO IT EITHER WAY. MY UNDERSTANDING IS IF I MOVE TO AMEND AND WE PASS THE AMENDMENT AND THEN WE THAT CLEAN IT UP AND THEN WE TAG AGAIN. SO YOU JUST HAVE THE CLEAN VERSION. I'M TRYING TO SIMPLIFY IT FOR NEXT WEEK. 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE OTHER CHANGES NEXT WEEK. OKAY. THAT'S, THAT'S FINE. NO PROBLEM. OKAY. SO WE ARE VOTING ON THE SUBSTITUTE REVISED TABLE AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR. ANY DISCUSSION? ANY DISCUSSION IF NO DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED THE REVISION PASSES? COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, YOU'RE BACK IN THE QUEUE. NO, I'D JUST LIKE TO TAG THE ITEM, THE MAIN ITEM AND THE AMENDMENTS. YES. OKAY. UH, ITEM 46 IS BEING TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, UM, ALONG WITH AMENDMENT ONE A, ONE B, THE REVISED TWO, THE SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT WE JUST VOTED ON FOR FOUR. AND AMENDMENT FIVE TAG ON THE MAIN ITEM AS WELL, WHICH IS ITEM 30. JACKSON, WHICH IS COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON IS, UH, JOINING THE TAG ON THE MAIN ITEM AND THE AMENDMENTS 47 IS THE MAIN ITEM. PLUMBER IN JACKSON. PLUMBER IN JACKSON. AND THEN WE JUST HAVE ONE MORE ITEM. ITEM 48. ITEM 48 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 48? ANY DISCUSSION IF NO DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM 48 PASSES. IT IS TAGGED. THE MAIN ITEM IS, IS TAGGED. 47TH. THE MAIN ITEM WAS TAGGED. YES. YOU IN THE MIDDLE? KEEP GOING. WE JUST FINISHED THE, UM, THE AGENDA. I, I TOOK CARE OF IT. NO WORRIES. , [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] . SO WE'RE STARTING TO POP OFF WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. 10 TIME. THERE YOU GO. THANK Y'ALL. I WANTED TO BRING, UM, ATTENTION TO, UM, A SITUATION THAT HAPPENED AT THE HIC SCHOOL. TWO GIRLS WERE ATTACKED, UM, BY 20 STUDENTS. ONE OF THEM IS HOSPITALIZED WITH SEVERE INJURIES. UM, THE CRIME, THIS, THIS CRIME. UM, THESE ARE TWO AHAN REFUGEES, UM, WHO WORE HIJAB AT A CITY LEADER. I CONDEMN ALL ACTS OF HATE, UM, ESPECIALLY THOSE TARGETING OUR MUSLIM MIGRANT AND REFUGEE COMMUNITIES. THE RECENT ASSAULT ON AFGHAN GIRLS AT PAUL REVERE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A COMM, IS A COMMUNITY, UM, ISSUE AND A MORAL FAILURE, UM, THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. ISLAMOPHOBIA HAS NO PLACE IN HOUSTON. OUR SCHOOLS SHOULD BE SAFE SPACES FOR OUR CHILDREN. HISD MUST IMPLEMENT A CLEAR ANTI-BULLYING AND ANTI-CULTURAL SENSITIVITY PROGRAM TO COMBAT THE GROWING PROBLEM BEFORE IT DEEPENS. UM, I'M ASKING MAYOR, UM, FOR A BRIEFING FROM HISD SPECIFIC ACTIONS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN TO INVESTIGATE THIS CRIME AND HOW THE DISTRICT IS ADDRESSING ISLAMOPHOBIA WITHIN THEIR CAMPUSES. OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE ANSWERS AND OUR STUDENTS DESERVE PROTECTION. VERY GOOD. COUNCILMAN CARTER? THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, I ALSO JUST WANNA, UM, GIVE MY SENTIMENTS TO CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF, OF, UH, GEORGE FOREMAN IN KINGWOOD. WE CLAIMED HIM. HE WAS A NEIGHBOR OF MINE FOR A LONG TIME. AND, UH, OUR SONS, WELL, GEORGE FORD, GEORGE FIVE, WERE ABOUT THE SAME AGES AS MY SONS. AND THEY ALL TOOK SWIM LESSONS TOGETHER AND YOU WOULD NEVER EVER BE IN THE COMPANY OF A NICER FAMILY AND JUST, JUST LOVELY PEOPLE. AND WE MISS THEM WHEN THEY MOVED OVER TO HUFFMAN IN THE COMMONS, BUT WE STILL CLAIM THEM IN KINGWOOD. HE USED TO RUN INTO GEORGE IN THE GROCERY STORE ALL THE TIME. THAT WAS ALWAYS [04:05:01] A SIGHT. BUT ANYWAY, LOVED THEM DEARLY AND CERTAINLY HE, HE, HE, UH, WAS WILL, UH, BE MISSED IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO JUST HIS LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY AND AND BEYOND. UM, YESTERDAY I, I SADLY MISSED THE PUBLIC SESSION. UM, I PARTICIPATED AS A PANELIST ON THE COMMUNITY REENTRY NETWORK PROGRAM. THEY HAD A SYMPOSIUM OUT AT CASHMERE GARDENS. AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO COMMEND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON THIS PROGRAM, BUT ALSO TO, UM, THE LEVEL AT WHICH THEY'RE REALLY WORKING TO TRY TO, TO HELP GET INDIVIDUALS HAVING COME THROUGH INCARCERATION BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A, EVERYBODY DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE. AND THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN OUT THERE KIND OF ENDED THE PROGRAM YESTERDAY AND GOOD LOOKING, JUST CLEAN, CUT, NICE LOOKING KID. AND HE WALKS UP, HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS ABOUT 19, AND HIS HEAD WAS DOWN AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, SAID WHY HE WAS THERE. HE WANTED A JOB. AND, AND SO THE FIRST THING ONE OF THEM SAID IS, YOUNG MAN, HOLD YOUR HEAD UP AND BE PROUD OF YOURSELF. YOU'RE HERE. AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM. AND, AND, UH, HE JUST, WE NEED TO GIVE THESE, THESE, ESPECIALLY KIDS WHO HAVEN'T HAD THE GUIDANCE AT HOME AND MAKE POOR CHOICES AND AND BAD DECISIONS, THEY DO DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE. AND I JUST COMMEND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON THE PROGRAM AND ALSO THE CONT YOU KNOW, JUST CONTINUING WITH THAT, UH, SUPPORT THAT THEY PROVIDE OUT IN DISTRICT B. SO, THANK YOU. LET, LET ME JUST MENTION, UH, FIRST, I, I JOINED YOU AT THE JOB FAIR FOR REENTRY A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. YOUR COMMENTS AND SUPPORT OF A REENTRY PROGRAM AND SECOND CHANCE, I MEAN, IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US, BUT I THINK YOU'RE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO COMMENT, HAVING DONE YOUR FOUNDATION WORK AND WORK ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S MY PASSION. UH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, UH, REFORM, UH, GOT RECOGNITION FOR THE STATEMENT AND THE POLICY OF YOU LOCK UP PEOPLE YOU'RE AFRAID OF, NOT THOSE THAT YOU'RE MAD AT. SO, SO MANY PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF WERE THE ONES THAT WE WERE MAD AT AND GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE SYSTEM AND LABELED AS TROUBLEMAKERS AND OUR FELONS THAT REALLY JUST NEED A MENTORSHIP AND AN OPPORTUNITY. SO I WANNA CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE THE REENTRY OPPORTUNITIES. IT CERTAINLY IMPACTS THE HOMELESS POPULATION. IT IS A SHAME THAT PEOPLE ARE RELEASED FROM THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL OR THE STATE SYSTEM WITHOUT A REENTRY PROGRAM FOR HOUSING JOB OPPORTUNITY AND GIVE 'EM, UH, THAT SECOND CHANCE THAT YOU SPEAK SO ELOQUENTLY ABOUT. SO I PERSONALLY WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE LISTEN WHEN YOU SPEAK, CERTAINLY IN THE CORPORATE COMMUNITY AND PHIL PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, WE, WE JUST GOTTA HELP THOSE THAT DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE. THOSE THAT WE'RE AFRAID OF, WE'LL HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND, UH, CONFINE THEM IF NECESSARY. BUT COMING OUT AND SOMEDAY I THINK YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY YOU GAVE A YOUNG MAN IN YOUR OWN OFFICE. THAT IS REALLY SOMETHING SPECIAL. SO, WELL, THANK YOU. YOU AND I KNOW HE'S A SPECIAL INDIVIDUAL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. HE IS. AND I, EVERY DAY I'M A, I'M A FAN OF CLAY, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T MET HIM, YOU, YOU WILL. AND HE IS, HE HAS GO GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND. AND I'LL BE REAL HONEST, I TALKED TO THE DIRECTOR AND I SAID, HE DESERVES TO MAKE TWICE WHAT HE'S MAKING. HE'S LIKE, I MEAN, HE IS A STELLAR AND YOU MET HIM AT THE JOB FAIR STAFF MEMBER. AND THEN YOU CALLED ME OVER 'CAUSE WE WERE HAVING SOME RED TAPE PROBLEM WITH HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, AND WE GOT THROUGH THAT. BUT WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO DO WITH HUMAN RESOURCES, UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN WE SCREEN FOLKS AND THEY'RE ACCEPTABLE AS YOU RECOMMENDED, YOU GIVE 'EM A JOB. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD. GREAT WORK. UH, COUNCILMAN EVANS SHABAZZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I WANNA FIRST SAY THANK YOU FOR THE RIDE ALONG, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY ON FRIDAY NIGHT. IT ALWAYS MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO SEE THE IMPACT. UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF AND PERSONNEL TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, UH, ON AN ONGOING BASIS. WELL, WE ARE GOING TO HOPE THAT THAT HAPPENS AT SOME POINT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN FEEL, UH, A LOT SAFER. BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND, UM, DOING THE, THE, UH, RIDE BY. THANK YOU. IT WAS A VERY REWARDING EXPERIENCE TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF PUBLIC SAFETY ON A FRIDAY NIGHT IN THIRD WARD ON EMANCIPATION ON ALAMEDA. WE WERE SO WELCOMED BY THE BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS AND THE, UH, THE, THE COMMUNITY. [04:10:01] SO WE, WE WILL BE BACK. AND MY VISION IS SOMEDAY IT'S NOT A SURGE OR A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY. IT'S A REGULAR PART ABSOLUTELY. OF PATROL. OKAY, THANK YOU. BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION ON SATURDAY EVENING, UH, I JOINED THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION AT THE GEORGIA BROWN CONVENTION CENTER FOR THE ANNUAL TIGER BALL, A CELEBRATION OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, LEGACY AND INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE LEADERS. HOSTED IN THE, UH, GEORGE W. BUSH BALLROOM THE NIGHT, BROUGHT TOGETHER ALUMNI, SUPPORTERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND CELEBRATE TSU HISTORIC IMPACT ON EDUCATION. I AM ALSO A PROUD ALUMNA OF THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, ACQUIRING A MASTER'S AND A DOCTORATE THERE. ACTUALLY, I TELL PEOPLE THIS STORY. I DID GO TO TSU NURSERY SCHOOL. I THINK I'M THE ONLY PERSON THAT CAN SAY THEY WENT TO THE NURSERY SCHOOL AND THEN GOT A TERMINAL DEGREE FROM THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. SO THAT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE THERE TO CELEBRATE OUR SCHOLARS. UH, ALSO ON SATURDAY NIGHT, I ATTENDED THE HOUSTON EBONY IL AND WAS, AND GAVE THEM A PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR AND THE CITY. AND ALSO IT WAS COMMEMORATING NOT ONLY THE IL BUT THE RETIREMENT OF DR. JASON OBE, WHO HAS GIVEN A LOT OF SERVICE TO THE EBONY AGI AS WELL AS THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. SO TSU WAS IN THE PLACE LAST NIGHT, I MEAN, SATURDAY NIGHT. UH, UPCOMING TODAY, UH, THE ROSEMARY APARTMENTS RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY O OB TODAY AT 1:00 PM AT 3,300 CAROLINE STREET. AND IT IS A NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRICT D AND WE ARE GOING TO MARK THIS MILESTONE AND WE WANT TO WORK TOWARDS EQUITABLE ACCESSIBLE HOUSING IN HOUSTON ON TODAY. ALSO, THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE HELD HERE IN THE CHAMBERS AT 2:00 PM AND, UM, I AM JOINED BY MY COACH HERE. AND YOU CAN TUNE, TUNE IN VIA THE HOUSTON TV LIVE STREAM AS WE CONTINUE TO SHAPE AND SUPPORT POLICIES THAT UPLIFT THE CULTURAL FABRIC OF OUR CITY. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WOULD LIKE TO GET INFORMATION ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION, UH, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER AT DISTRICT D@HOUSTONTX.GOV. THANK YOU. AND THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. GREAT. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THERE ARE A FEW THINGS I WANT TO INVITE THE PUBLIC OUT, UH, THAT'S GOING ON THIS WEEKEND. THERE WILL BE, UM, A SESSION OVER AT EASTWOOD PARK THIS COMING SATURDAY, 11:00 AM TO ONE, DISCUSSING THE MASTER PLAN, PHASE ONE IMPROVEMENTS. UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AROUND THE MASTER PLAN FOR EASTWOOD PARK AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF, OF THAT PROCESS. SO I WILL BE OUT THERE, THERE WILL BE FOOD, DRINKS AND PRIZES. UM, AND IT'S GONNA BE A, A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE AROUND WHAT THE FUTURE OF EASTWOOD PARK LOOKS LIKE. AND, UH, IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE GONNA COME OUT TO THAT PARK, WHICH SERVES SO MANY OUT, UH, IN THE EAST SIDE. UM, ALSO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF EASTER EGG HUNTS THIS WEEKEND GOING ON THAT I'LL BE AT ONE IN DENVER HARBOR, UH, STARTING AT 10:00 AM AT THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER AND ANOTHER AT MOODY PARK WITH FIVE CHURCH. UM, THAT'LL BE FROM 10 TO 12. UM, IT'S SHOULD BE GREAT WEATHER. IT'LL BE A GOOD TIME TO GET OUT, ENJOY SOME OF OUR PARKS AND, UH, HAVE A GOOD TIME WITH THE KIDS, UH, FOR, FOR SOME EASTER EGG HUNTS. AND, UM, ALL OF THESE EVENTS WE SHARE OUT AND PROMOTE ON THE NEWSLETTER. I DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO SIGN UP FOR THE DISTRICT H NEWSLETTER. UM, YOU CAN DO SO BY EMAILING HOUSTON T DISTRICT H@HOUSTONTX.GOV. UM, AND YOU CAN STAY UP TO DATE ON THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON HERE, UM, AT COUNCIL, THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, WITH EVENTS AND, AND DIFFERENT, UH, PROGRAMS. AND THEN FINALLY, UH, THIS EVENING WE'LL BE HOSTING A VIRTUAL TOWN HALL FOR FOLKS THAT COULD NOT ATTEND A IN-PERSON TOWN HALL THIS YEAR. UM, STARTING AT 6:00 PM YOU COULD ALSO, UH, EMAIL DISTRICT H@HOUSTONTX.GOV IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND. UM, THIS WILL BE OUR FIRST TIME, UH, DOING A VIRTUAL ONE. SO, UH, I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW THIS GOES. UH, WE DID 'EM ALL IN PERSON THIS YEAR, UH, USUALLY, BUT, UM, A LOT OF FOLKS CAN'T SHOW UP, UM, ON A SATURDAY MORNING. AND, UH, THIS IS A CHANCE FOR YOU TO HEAR ABOUT EVERYTHING WE DID LAST YEAR, WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON THIS YEAR, AND ALSO, UH, JUST CONNECT WITH A NUMBER OF CITY RESOURCES AND DEPARTMENTS AND, UM, GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE THIS EVENING. THANK [04:15:01] YOU. VERY GOOD. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO, JUST ONE ITEM. I WANT TO UPLIFT AND WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UH, ATTENDING OUR, UH, GR GROUNDBREAKING ON YESTERDAY AT THE, UH, HOUSTON CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY IN, UH, RECOGNIZING THE, UH, BUILDING AND THE, YOU KNOW, OF OUR NEW STEM BUILDING, UH, WHICH IS SCIENCE ENGINEERING AND NURSING SCHOOL AT HOUSTON CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY, WHICH WE ALL EXCITED FOR. AND AS A BOARD MEMBER, TRUSTEE BOARD MEMBER, I WANT TO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF OUR, OF THE HOUSTON CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FOR COMING OUT. EVERYBODY WAS VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THE MAYOR OUT TO HELP THESE STUDENTS IN OUR FUTURE EXPAND OUR CITY. AND, UM, AND CERTAINLY FOR, UH, JIM AND SHERRY SMIT, WHO THEIR $20 MILLION GIVE TO THE INSTITUTION. AND, UH, WE'VE MATCHED THOSE DOLLARS AND SO WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT IS TO COME. IT WILL ADD TO A MUCH IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OUR FUTURE. BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING AND, UH, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING THANK THANKS FOR INCLUDING ME, COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, YOUR COMMENTS JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO ABOUT CRIME AND TWILA WITH THE SECOND CHANCE PROGRAM AND ALL THAT KIND OF REMINDED ME, UH, YOU WERE ON A PANEL UP IN KINGWOOD HERE LAST YEAR, UH, WITH, UH, BOTH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER, THE STATE REP, AND THE CONGRESSMAN, AND ONE OF, UH, THE RESIDENTS OF KINGWOOD CAME UP TO YOU AND, AND SAID HOW THANKFUL THEY WERE TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT WAS TOUGH ON CRIME. AND YOU SAID, TOUGH BUT SMART. AND I THINK THAT GOES BACK TO THE WHOLE IDEA OF THAT WE NEED TO INCARCERATE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO DO US HARM, THE ONES WE'RE MAD AT. WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THEM BACK INTO SOCIETY. UM, AND, UH, I'VE GOT A TABLE AT THE NEXT PRISON ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM. A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GONNA BE JOINING US, AND I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE GONNA BE ON THE, THE PANEL THERE FOR THE, THE BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS. UH, AND IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT TOO, THAT WE ACTUALLY DO INCARCERATE THOSE WHO ARE A DANGER TO US. AND I THINK, UH, I MENTIONED YESTERDAY WHEN ANDY KAHN WAS UP HERE, UH, THE ISSUE WE HAD LAST WEEK WHERE WE HAD A GENTLEMAN, I USE THAT WORD LOOSELY, THAT ACTUALLY MURDERED HIS GIRLFRIEND AND AN ACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THEN COMMITTED SUICIDE. UH, SWAT WAS MOBILIZED FOR THIS AND I HAD A COUPLE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ASK ME ABOUT IT AFTERWARDS, WEREN'T UNAWARE OF IT. AND SO I WANTED TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT IT. THIS GENTLEMAN HAD BEEN OR HAD PLED GUILTY TO MURDER LAST YEAR. AND RATHER THAN BEING SENT TO JAIL, WANING SENTENCING, HE WAS OUT ON BOND. HE VIOLATED HIS BOND CONDITIONS FIVE TIMES, YET IT WASN'T REVOKED. HE WAS ACTUALLY OUT ON PROBATION FROM JEFFERSON COUNTY AT THE TIME THAT HE COMMITTED THE MURDER. AND EVEN THE MURDER WASN'T A RANDOM EVENT WHERE SITUATION ESCALATED, IT WAS A DRUG DEAL GONE BAD. SO HE WAS COMMITTING A CRIME WHILE HE COMMITTED THE MURDER, YET HE'S TURNED LOOSE. UM, THIS IS OUTTA THE 248TH DISTRICT COURT. UH, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT COURT HAS HAD THAT. THERE ARE MULTIPLE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN MURDERED BY PEOPLE WHO WERE OUT ON BOND FROM THIS COURT. IN FACT, THIS IS THE SAME COURT THAT ALSO GAVE BOND TO THE GENERAL OR THE PERSON WHO, UH, IS CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. SO A CAPITAL MURDER CASE OUT ON BOND AS WELL. SO I MEAN, I THINK WE'VE REALLY GOTTA DO A BETTER JOB OF TRYING TO INCARCERATE THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE INCARCERATED. UH, I KNOW I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF, UH, SITUATIONS RECENTLY WHERE I SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME WITH SOME HPD OFFICERS AND ALTHOUGH THEY DON'T COME OUT AND DIRECTLY SAY IT, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A HIT ON THEIR MORALE AS WELL. UH, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, YOU DO YOUR JOB, IT'S A TOUGH JOB, YOU ACCOMPLISH IT. AND THEN THEY SAY, THE GUY'S OUT BEFORE I FINISH THE PAPERWORK. UH, SO I MEAN, THIS REVOLVING DOOR, WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING. I HAVE, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF CONSTITUENTS THAT WILL SAY, HEY, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT CRIME? AND I SAY, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? WE ELECTED THESE PEOPLE COLLECTIVELY, SO ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. SO ALL I CAN TELL THE CITIZENS IS, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA GET OUT THERE AND LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF WHAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE DONE AND GO VOTE ACCORDINGLY. UH, ON A LIGHTER NOTE, WE'RE HAVING OUR RECYCLING [04:20:01] EVENT IN, UH, CLEAR LAKE SOUTH BELT DOWN AT, UH, IN, UH, ELLINGTON FIELD. AND ALSO I'M VERY PLEASED WITH, UH, ITEM 32. THE KINGWOOD FIRE STATION 1 0 1 HAS BEEN OUT OF TR OUT WORKING OUT OF A TRAILER SINCE IT WAS ANNEXED. AND UH, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS STILL A LONG WAYS OFF, BUT, UH, AT LEAST WE'RE MAKING SOME PROGRESS ON ACTUALLY GETTING A STATION BUILT UP THERE TO THAT'LL BE ABLE TO HOUSE, HOUSE THE FIREFIGHTERS. UH, ALSO WE TOURED, UH, STATION 53 A WHILE BACK AND WE'VE GOT SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES THERE. UM, IT WAS AN AREA THAT WAS ANNEXED. THEY CLOSED THE FIRE STATION. UM, APPARENTLY THE CITIZENS WERE QUITE UPSET AND THIS IS PROBABLY GOES BACK 20, 30 YEARS. THEY OPENED THE STATION BACK UP IN A TRAILER AS WELL. AND THEY'VE BEEN IN A TRAILER EVER SINCE. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOMETHING, UH, DONE WITH THAT AND, AND, UH, FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE AS WELL. SO, THANK YOU. IF I COULD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON PUBLIC SAFETY. IT IS UNIMAGINABLE IN MY CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPERIENCE, HISTORICALLY, TO PUT A ONE CAPITAL MURDER ON BOND, THE WORST OF THE WORST, THE MOST DANGEROUS, OR SOMEONE CHARGED WITH MURDER. YOU KNOW, WE'LL NEVER HAVE ENOUGH POLICE TO BE WHERE WE WANT TO BE IN PUBLIC SAFETY IF THERE'S NOT ACCOUNTABILITY. ONCE THEY TAKE SOMEONE TO INTAKE. THERE ARE LIKE 900 PEOPLE CHARGED WITH MURDER OR CAPITAL MURDER ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON TODAY OUT ON BOND OR THEIR FUGITIVES. THEY'RE THE MOST DANGEROUS WHEN THE POLICE PULLS THEM OVER BECAUSE THEY KNOW THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY IF HELD ACCOUNTABLE, THEY'RE GOING BACK TO PRISON. SO WE HAVE TO SPEAK OUT MORE. AND I THINK I'M TALKING ABOUT NAMING NAMES. MOST OF THE JUDGES ARE DOING A GOOD JOB, BUT THERE ARE SOME THAT JUST DON'T TAKE THIS SERIOUS ENOUGH. IT'S JUST UNHEARD OF FOR A REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDER TO BE RELEASED TALKING ABOUT INTAKE. THE COUNTY'S GOT TO BE BETTER PARTNERS. WE HAD THE $14 MILLION PAYMENT ON THE AGENDA. THEY'RE MAKING OUR OFFICERS WAIT TWO AND THREE HOURS TO ADMIT SOMEONE SO THE OFFICERS CAN GO BACK TO, TO WEST SIDE OR CLEAR LAKE WHERE WE NEED 'EM, WHERE WE NEED, WELL, WE NEED 'EM ACROSS THE CITY. NO, BUT I I MEAN, THEY NEED TO BE ENGAGED IN POLICING RATHER THAN NO, NO, YEAH. ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON. YEAH. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. UH, WE NEED TO DISCUSS BAIL BOND REFORM. THERE'S LEGISLATION IN AUSTIN NOW, WHICH WOULD GIVE THE JUDGES MORE DISCRETION AFTER A HEARING TO DENY BOND. THE PROBLEM IS JUDGES HIDE BEHIND THE CONSTITUTION LANGUAGE, WHICH SAYS EVERYONE'S ENTITLED TO A BOND. NO ONE WILL DISCUSS HOW ANTIQUATED THAT IS. THAT WAS WRITTEN IN 1836 BECAUSE THE SETTLERS WERE BEING LOCKED UP BY THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT AND THEY NEVER GOT RELEASED. SO THEY PUT THAT LANGUAGE IN THEIR CONSTITUTION, EVEN WHEN THEY REVISED IT IN ABOUT 1876. SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE REAL TIME PROBLEMS. WE HAVE VIOLENT OFFENDERS BEING RELEASED EVEN ON PR BONDS. WHEN I WAS A YOUNG LAWYER, IF YOU VIOLATED YOUR BOND, IT WAS REVOKED. SO YOU KNEW YOU HAD TO COMPLY WITH THE JUDGE'S ORDERS. WE HAVE A EXCELLENT POLICE DEPARTMENT IN COLLABORATION LIKE WE HAD LAST FRIDAY NIGHT IN THIRD WARD. BUT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE COOPERATION BY THE DISTRICT COURTS. WHAT SHOCKED ME ABOUT AND HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, I DON'T APOLOGIZE AS A VICTIM OF SOMEONE THAT PUT A GUN IN MY FACE. HE GOT 25 YEARS SERVED, 12. AND THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, IS WHERE HE BELONGED. AND HE CAME OUT, AND I UNDERSTAND HE'S DOING WELL. YOU HAVE TO HOLD VIOLENT OFFENDERS THAT USE GUN AND TAKE PEOPLE'S LIVES ACCOUNTABLE. THE DRUG, ALCOHOL, MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS HAVE TO GIVE PEOPLE A SECOND CHANCE. YOU LOCK UP PEOPLE YOU'RE AFRAID OF, NOT THOSE THAT YOU'RE MAD AT. AND WE'RE DOING A PRETTY GOOD PROCESS OF THAT, CERTAINLY AT THE STATE LEVEL. AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THE JUDGES WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE SECOND AND SOMETIME THIRD CHANCES, BUT NOT WHEN THEY'RE USING A GUN OR WEAPON. AND THEY'VE ALREADY DEMONSTRATED THEIR DANGER. BUT IT'S A, IT'S A REPEAT OFFENDERS. YOU SEE THE PEOPLE ON [04:25:01] THE VIDEO CAMERAS GOING IN AND HOLDING UP AND SHOOTING THE SOMEONE IN A CONVENIENCE STORE. THEY DON'T DO THAT ONE TIME. THAT'S THEIR TRADE. ANYWAY, THE THING THAT SHOCKED ME ABOUT, I COULD SPEAK THE REST OF THE DAY ABOUT IT, ABOUT THIS ONE WAS THIS MOST RECENT INCIDENT. HE WASN'T OUT ON BOND WAITING FOR TRIAL. HE PLED GUILTY AND HE WAS OUT ON BOND. IT'S UNHEARD OF, AND WE NEED TO BE MORE OUTSPOKEN. I PLANNED TO GET THE POLICE CHIEF INVOLVED IN SUPPORT GROUPS SUCH AS CRIME STOPPERS AND OTHERS. I MEAN, WE HAD A, WE HAD A PROCLAMATION YESTERDAY FOR THE VICTIMS, VICTIM'S FAMILIES. SO, AS I SAID, YES, I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE THAT PROCLAMATION, ELIMINATE THAT, BUT WE HAVE DANGEROUS PEOPLE THERE, AND WE'VE GOT TO HOLD 'EM ACCOUNTABLE AND HELP THOSE THAT, UM, DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE. BUT THE CASE YOU MENTIONED, BOY, IT HIGHLIGHTS ARE, ARE DANGEROUS DANGER TO THE PUBLIC AND CERTAINLY DANGER TO PUBLIC, UH, SERVANTS, THE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP AND, AND LET'S STAY ENGAGED. COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN, UH, IT, IT, IT'S HARD TO BRING UP LIGHTER NOTES WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STUFF AS EGREGIOUS AS THIS. SO I WILL SAY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, THANK YOU FOR RAISING THE ISSUE. UH, WHEN WE HAD BEEN MEETING WITH, UH, JOURNALISTS A FEW YEARS AGO, UH, TRYING TO EDUCATE FOLKS, WHEN WE SEE HEADLINES AND IT SAYS, MURDER SUICIDE, 99.999% OF THE TIME, IT IS PERTAINING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AND A FIREARM IN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION MAKES IT FIVE TIMES MORE LETHAL. SO WHEN WE'RE COVERING AND READING HEADLINES THAT SAY MURDER SUICIDE, BECAUSE WE SEE IT ALL THE TIME, IT IS OVERWHELMINGLY A RELATIONSHIP KNOWN, A KNOWN RELATIONSHIP, NOT A RANDOM ACT. AND IT IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AND THOSE TYPES OF CRIMES ARE PREVENTABLE. UH, AND WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB ALSO OF DE-STIGMATIZING CONVERSATIONS AROUND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, MAKING PEOPLE FEEL SAFE AND SECURE TO COME FORWARD AND BEING VERY DIRECT AND STRAIGHT. WHEN MARY TALKED ABOUT DUE PROCESS, WHEN DUE PROCESS IS ACCORDED WHEN IT COMES TO FIREARMS, BUT THERE IS A PROTECTIVE ORDER. FOR EXAMPLE, THIS INDIVIDUAL SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAD A FIREARM. HE SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN OUT, BUT HE ALSO SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAD A FIREARM. AND THERE IS LEGAL RECOURSE FOR THAT, BUT IT IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH. UH, SO COUNCIL MEMBER, I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION. I WANTED TO LIFT UP THE FURTHER THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CONTEXT WITH THIS IN ADDITION TO IT. AND I, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION AROUND DUE PROCESS, WHICH GOES BACK ALL THE WAY TO THE MAGNA CARTA, UH, IN ENGLISH COMMON LAW. BUT WE HAVE TO BE TALKING ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, ON, AGAIN, I DON'T LIKE TO SAY ON A, A LIGHTER NOTE, BUT I DID WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, THE EXCEPTIONAL JOB THAT OUR HOUSTON COUGARS DID. UH, MAN, WHAT, UH, A SHOW, WHAT A TOURNAMENT, UH, BUT WE ARE SO PROUD OF OUR COUGS. UH, THEY DIDN'T WIN THAT FINAL GAME, BUT THEY ARE WINNERS IN ALL OF OUR HEARTS. SO BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON. WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR AS WELL. I DID WANNA REMIND EVERYONE, UH, WE HAVE A JOINT LABOR AND BFA COMMITTEE MEETING TOMORROW AT 10:30 AM WE'RE GONNA HAVE PRESENTATIONS FROM THE MAYOR'S TEAM AND HR RELATING TO THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT OPTION THAT ENDS AT THE END OF THE MONTH. SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THAT AND UNDERSTANDS IT, AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S, UH, BUDGET AMENDMENT. I, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, I THINK YOU WERE ALSO INVOLVED, UH, RELATING TO THE TERMINATION PAY WORKING GROUP FINDINGS. SO THAT'S AT 10:30 AM TOMORROW. UH, PLEASE TUNE IN FOR THAT. UH, I DO WANNA THANK, WE RECENTLY MET WITH ONE OF OUR DISTRICT, UH, PTOS. WE'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE MEETINGS WITH PTOS IN OUR SCHOOLS TO TALK ABOUT FIREARM SAFETY AND DISTRIBUTE, UH, FREE GUN LOCKS AND FREE GUN SAFES TO PARENTS AND TO DE-STIGMATIZE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT. UH, IF RESIDENTS KNOW OF ANY SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT IN PARTICULAR, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO SUPPORT ELSEWHERE AS WELL, UM, THAT WOULD LIKE US TO COME AND VISIT, UH, TO DO THESE DISTRIBUTIONS, HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HPD. UH, PLEASE EMAIL OUR OFFICE DISTRICT C@HOUSTONTX.GOV. UH, OUR RAIN BARREL SALE IS NEXT SATURDAY, UH, THE 19TH. THEY ARE, UH, PRETTY MUCH SOLD OUT AT THIS POINT, BUT WE ARE CONTINUING TO KEEP A WAIT LIST IN CASE THERE ARE A [04:30:01] FEW NO-SHOWS. SO YOU CAN GO ON OUR WEBSITE, UH, TO SIGN UP FOR THE WAIT LIST THERE. FINALLY, UH, I THINK IT WOULD DO A DISSERVICE, AT LEAST TO DISTRICT C CONSTITUENTS TO NOT RECOGNIZE, UH, THE UNCERTAINTY IN THE MARKETS AND IN THE ECONOMY RIGHT NOW. UM, I'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF, ESPECIALLY SENIORS, UH, WHO ARE VERY, VERY CONCERNED. WE, WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, BUT THEY'RE NOW, UH, IN RETIREMENT OR CLOSE TO RETIREMENT, AND THEY ARE SEEING THEIR SAVINGS, UH, EVAPORATE. UH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT HOW OIL IS DOING. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS, BUT I DO JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING FORCED INTO DIRE STRAITS RIGHT NOW, UH, WITH ALL OF THE MARKET UNCERTAINTY. AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT. LASTLY, UH, MANY OF US WILL BE CELEBRATING PASSOVER STARTING THIS SATURDAY. SO I WANNA WISH ALL OF THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY. UH, HA. UH, THIS IS MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT FREEDOM. UH, AND, AND WE SAY IT'S, IT'S SOMEWHAT OF A JOKE, BUT WE MEAN IT, THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING TYRANTS SINCE PHARAOH, AND TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AS OUR FAMILY AND OUR FRIENDS, TO STAND UP TO RECOGNIZE, UH, WHERE WE HAVE BEEN, UH, BUT ALSO THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT EVERYBODY IS FREE, UH, IS, IS A CRITICAL, UH, I THINK MESSAGE, ESPECIALLY NOW MORE THAN EVER. SO, HAPPY PASSOVER OVER COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. I WAS SINGING YOUR PRAISE LAST NIGHT IN GLENWOOD COMMUNITY CENTER. UH, CIVIC CLUB AT THE, UM, AND WE GOTTA UPGRADE THAT WIT MOBILE. MM-HMM . AND WHAT CIVIC CENTER, MA'AM? WHERE THE WIT MOBILE? OH, THE WIT MOBILE. OKAY. HAPPENS THEY'VE CREATED THEIR OWN, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD. OH, OH YEAH. PJ SECURITY. OH MY GOD. YEAH, THE WI MOBILE. I'LL SEND YOU A PICTURE OF IT. IT, IT, UH, IT'S GOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE. THAT CAR GONE . YEAH, BUT WE, BUT WE NEED TO UPGRADE IT IN, UH, WE'RE GONNA FIND A, UH, SECONDHAND, A SECONDHAND IT. IT'LL BE ALMOST, IT'LL SEEM LIKE NEW COMPARED, BUT THEY'VE GOT IT REALLY FIXED UP. AND IT'S CALLED WIT MOBILE. YEAH, GLENWOOD. THEY'RE DOING THEIR THING BECAUSE OF OUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY. YEAH, YEAH, IT IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR SYSTEM. IT'S BREAKING DOWN. THEY CALLED BREAKING DOWN. WE'LL BE GLAD TO SHARE IT WITH ANYONE ELSE. . YEAH, IT IS PJ JONES. PJ JONES WAS HEADING IT UP. AND BOY, WHAT A ENERGETIC, UH, COMMUNITY LEADER. YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT OF ENERGETIC COMMUNITIES IN DISTRICT, VERY ACTIVE, AS Y'ALL SEE ACROSS HOUSTON ON TUESDAYS WHEN THEY COME IN HERE TALKING ABOUT FLOODING. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING THERE. THEY, THEY HAVE SOME ISSUES, OBVIOUSLY. YEAH, BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE. WE ALL, WE ALL DOING, WE GETTING THERE. AND THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT ON YESTERDAY, MONDAY AND TUESDAY, UM, I JOINED A DELEGATION, UM, TO CHICAGO, UM, TO LOOK AT CHICAGO'S CREATE PROGRAM. IT'S A, UM, PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP THAT INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND TRAINS. AND SO LOOKING AT GRADE SEPARATIONS. AND SO, UM, I JOINED METRO, UM, WE HAD THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT. I WANNA INTERRUPT YOU, BUT BE CAREFUL IF YOU DON'T. CHICAGO'S BANKRUPT. YEAH, I KNOW, BUT, AND I KNOW WE ALWAYS TRY, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS TRYING TO COMPARE HOUSTON TO CHICAGO, AND I'M LIKE, WE CAN'T DO THAT. WE CAN'T COMPARE HOUSTON, BUT TO CHICAGO, BUT DO HAVE A GREAT SEPARATION PROGRAM. THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD MODEL. YEAH, IT'S, AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR QUITE SOME TIME, SO, UM, BUT WE LEARNED A LOT FROM, UM, THEIR PROGRAM. UM, WE HAD ALL OUR FOLKS THAT NEEDED TO BE AT THE TABLE FROM HOUSTON WAS THERE. AND SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FOLLOW UP, UM, ON HOW WE CAN LIKE COME TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY. SURE. AND WE HAD, UM, WHAT HARRIS COUNTY, WHAT HGAC WAS THERE. AND SO JUST REALLY, UM, LOOKING AT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO ADDRESS NOT JUST THE, UM, GRADE SEPARATIONS, BUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, JUST THINGS THAT THE TRAIN INDUSTRY, UM, UNION PACIFIC AND OTHER INDUSTRIES THAT USE THEIR TRAINS CAN, CAN DO TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND SO IT WAS A GOOD, UM, PRODUCTIVE MEETING AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FOLLOW UP. UM, COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ WAS THERE AS WELL. UM, SO I'M SURE HE'LL SHARE HIS, UM, UPDATE WHEN HE RETURN. AND THEN ALSO, I WANNA POINT OUT ON THIS SATURDAY, APRIL THE 12TH, OF COURSE, IN DISTRICT B, WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES AND FESTIVITIES IN THE MONTH OF APRIL. I LOVE APRIL BECAUSE IT'S ALSO MY BIRTHDAY MONTH. UM, AND SO ON APRIL THE 12TH, THERE WILL BE THE 12TH ANNUAL LOWNDES AVENUE RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL. UM, IT'S GONNA BE ON LOWNDES AVENUE, UM, FROM 12:00 PM TO 5:00 PM OF COURSE, WE HAVE THIS HUGE EGG DROP. UM, SO BRING YOUR KIDS ON OUT. WE HAVE ZYDECO MUSIC, ALL TYPES OF VENDORS. UM, IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT DAY. UM, FOLLOWING THAT, UM, IS THE 17TH ANNUAL SYLVESTER TURNER FAMILY DAN PARK, HOSTED BY, UM, ASHLEY TURNER. AND SO WE ASKING EVERYONE TO COME OUT. IT'S GONNA BE AT SYLVESTER TURNER'S PARK. UM, THAT EVENT STARTS AT [04:35:01] 2:00 PM FROM TWO TO SIX. UM, THERE WILL BE SHUTTLES AVAILABLE. WE'RE GONNA HAVE J PAUL AND THE ZYDECO, NEW BREEZE, A LOT OF GREAT FOOD. SO COME ON OUT ON SATURDAY AS WELL. AND ON MONDAY WE WILL HAVE A SPECIAL CALL SERVICE COMMITTEE, UM, SERVICE DELIVERY COMMITTEE, UM, MEETING WHERE PUBLIC WORKS WILL BE COMING TO TALK ABOUT A GRANT, UM, THAT THEY WILL BE APPLYING FOR, FOR THE, UM, WATER. I NEED TO GET MY NOTES TO THE GRANT. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. THE EAST WATER PURIFICATION PLANT ENHANCEMENT PROJECT. AND SO THEY WILL BE APPLYING FOR A GRANT FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT AND WHAT THEY WANNA BRING IT FORWARD, AND THEN, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD. UM, THEY HAVE A DEADLINE ON THAT GRANT. SO THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN DISTRICT B. AND IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT 8 3 2 3 9 3 3 0 0 9 OR SIGN UP FOR THE BUS. THANK YOU. MEMBERSHIP. I COULD, UH, COUNCILMAN HELP. LET ME CALL UP ADAM 23. NO, THEY HAVE A DEADLINE. THEY HAVE TO APPLY. MR. SECRETARY, WOULD YOU CALL UP ITEM 23? ITEM 23 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU. UH, LAST NIGHT COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND I ATTENDED A COMMUNITY CRIME EVENT HOSTED BY PRECINCT THREE'S OFFICE, UH, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY. THERE WERE A BUNCH OF REPRESENTATIVES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS THERE, UM, AS WELL AS THE CHIEF OF POLICE. IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK WAS ABLE TO RESOLVE SOME CITY ISSUES, UM, WHILE WE WERE THERE AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, ON ANOTHER NOTE, I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE MY SISTER, DR. KATHLEEN BOHART. SHE'S NEW NOW, THE NEW VICE CHAIR OF OB GYN AT METHODIST IN THE MEDICAL CENTER. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. COUNCILOR RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND LET ME JUST SAY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, FLICKING YOU, YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD ABOUT VOTERS NEEDING TO HOLD JUDGES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR DECISIONS THAT AFFECT, AFFECT PUBLIC SAFETY, ESPECIALLY IN A NEGATIVE WAY. AND MAYOR, YOU TOUCHED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BAIL REFORM LEGISLATION NOW PENDING THE LEGISLATURE. AND IT'S A GOOD REMINDER TO HOUSTONIANS THAT THE LEGISLATURE IS IN SESSION NOW. THINGS ARE HEATING UP. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BILLS THAT POTENTIALLY ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE CITY. AND, UM, I HOPE THAT AS THE, UM, SESSION COMES TO A CLOSE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WILL WILL SPOTLIGHT, UH, A FEW OF THEM THAT COULD HELP US, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE FINANCIAL CONDITION THAT WE ARE. ONE OF THOSE BILLS THAT I WANNA SPOTLIGHT IS SENATE BILL 27 22, SPONSORED BY HOUSTON SENATOR PAUL BETTEN COURT THAT PERTAINS TO THE TOLL ROAD SYSTEM THAT MANY OF US RIDE ON. THE HARRIS COUNTY TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY COLLECTS IN TOLLS ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR FROM ALL THE FOLKS THAT DRIVE THE SEGMENTS OF THE TOLLWAY. MOST OF THOSE LANE MILES ARE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND WHEN EMERGENCIES OCCUR ON THE TOLL ROAD, ESPECIALLY IN IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, OUR EMERGENCY, UM, PERSONNEL GO OUT, HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND SO FORTH. SO IT SEEMS ONLY FAIR THAT THE CITY SHOULD SHARE IN THE REVENUE THAT'S COLLECTED IN THE TOLL ROAD SYSTEM. THIS BILL, SENATE BILL 27 22 WOULD ALLOW THE CITY TO RECEIVE 30% OF, UH, THE REVENUE FROM THE TOLL ROAD SYSTEM. AS I SAID, THAT GENERATES ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS IN TOLLS EVERY YEAR. AND ESPECIALLY IN THESE DIRE STRAITS THAT THE CITY IS IN, WE'RE TALKING OF UPWARDS OF A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS THAT COULD COME INTO CITY COFFERS TO HELP PAY FOR OUR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS AS WELL. AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE HOUSTONIANS TO WEIGH IN ON THIS BILL, SENATE BILL 27 22, CURRENTLY PENDING IN THE SENATE, SPONSORED BY SENATOR PAUL BENTONCOURT, AND, AND LOOK FOR OTHER BILLS THAT COULD BENEFIT HOUSTON AS WELL, AND SUPPORT THOSE SO THAT WE CAN ALL, UH, MOVE THE CITY FORWARD TOGETHER. THANK YOU. NOW. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU. UM, I WANNA SHARE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE UPDATES THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THE WEST SIDE. THIS IS A LOT OF GOOD NEWS. WE'VE BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON TRACK WITH THIS. SO, WELLINGTON, YOU HAVE A $461,000, UH, PAVEMENT, UH, PANEL REPLACEMENT, UM, BEGINNING APRIL 21ST TO END MAY 20TH. PLEASE STAY ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE NOTICE TO PROCEED. I WANNA THANK HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR GETTING US TO THE FINISH LINE. UH, SECONDLY, MY OFFICE HAS FUNDED AND WE'VE RECENTLY INSTALLED TWO, UH, UTILITY BOX OF MANY MURALS CREATED, UH, WITH A MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN UP ART STUDIOS. TWO LOCATIONS ARE CURRENTLY AT HARWIN AND WEST CHA, WEST RANCHER AND HIGHSTAR AND COOK. AND NEXT WE ARE MOVING TO RICHMOND AND JEANETTA AND FRAN AND REST WEST [04:40:01] PARK. AND AS YOU RECALL, FRAN AND WEST PARK, WE HAD TWO HIT AND RUNS. ONE, UM, WAS A YOUNGMAN THAT LIVED IN TANGA WILD. SHE WAS, UM, TRAINING FOR THE HOUSTON MARATHON. AND THEN TWO WEEKS, TWO OR THREE WEEKS LATER, WE HAD A CAR HIT AND RUN. SO THAT WILL BE FOCUSED ON PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND AT RICHMOND AND JEANETTA. UM, IT WOULD CELEBRATE AND AMPLIFY THE FOLKS IN PINEY POINT. UM, IN THE SPIRIT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SEAN TIER, IS COMING TO THE WEST SIDE, APRIL 19TH. HIM, ALONG WITH MYSELF AND OTHERS, WE'RE HOSTING AN EXPUNGEMENT CLINIC AND JOB FAIR, UM, THE WEEKEND OF EASTER. SO JOIN US ON THAT SATURDAY, APRIL 19TH, AND LET US ROLL THE STONE AWAY IN YOUR LIFE AND GET YOU BACK RESETTLED, UH, INTO, UH, COMMUNITY. AND, UH, THIS IS THE WONDERFUL TIME TO RESURRECT WHATEVER BARRIERS ARE IN YOUR LIFE RELATED TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE. UM, THERE'S A, UH, HERCULEAN EFFORT BETWEEN THE TEXAS, UH, SOUTH TEXAS LAW SCHOOL, THE BEACON LONE STAR LEGAL AID, AND OTHERS. SO JOIN US SATURDAY, APRIL 19TH, UM, AT THE ALE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM WE'RE CONTINUING WITH INFRASTRUCTURE. DISTRICT F IS STILL LIT. WE HAVE RECENTLY INSTALLED 20 TO 25 STREETLIGHTS BETWEEN PARK GLEN AND BRAZE VILLAGE. UM, AND SO THANK YOU RESIDENTS FOR GIVING US THE UPDATE THAT THEY'RE IN. THANK YOU PUBLIC WORKS AND YOUR TEAM FOR US, UH, BEING DILIGENT WITH MEETING THAT TIMELINE. AS WE KNOW, WE ARE TURNING THE LIGHTS ON AND DARK INTERSECTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, ALSO RELATED TO SIDEWALKS. AND I HOPE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON, UH, THE SIDEWALK PLAN THAT WAS PROPOSED, ESPECIALLY WITH THE INCREMENT THAT IS DESIGNATED TO GO BACK TO COMMUNITIES. WE'VE COMPLETED FIVE NEIGHBORHOOD AUDITS, UH, RELATED TO SIDEWALKS, BROOKFIELD, UH, THE COST TO REPAIR THEIR SIDEWALKS IS $1.2 MILLION. BRAISE VILLAGE, $150,000. BRAYWOOD GLEN, $90,000 IN BRASSWOOD ESTATES $1 MILLION. CLEARLY, I DON'T HAVE ALL OF THOSE FUNDS WITHIN MY COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS, BUT WE ARE WORKING OUT ALTERNATIVES WITH THE COMMUNITY IN HAND AND WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. AND SO THAT JUST GOES TO SHOW THE DEEP INVESTMENT, UM, TO, UH, IM IMPROVING WALKABILITY, UH, AND PUBLIC SAFETY IN OLDER, OLDER ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOODS. SO WE'RE COMING BACK TO THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH OUR COMMUNITY PLANS, AND WE'RE GONNA ASK RESIDENTS TO JOIN US SO WE CAN CREATE ALTERNATIVES TO OUR FUNDING BARRIERS. UM, NUMBER SIX, LET SEE, UM, MIDWEST IN, IN THE SAME VEIN OF PUBLIC SAFETY, WE HAVE A LOT OF AFTER HOURS THAT ARE REALLY WEARING ME OUT. UM, AND, UH, THEY'RE WEARING ME OUT. UM, WEST PARK, RICHMOND, FONDREN WEST PARK, IT GOES DOWN ON THE WEST SIDE, UM, AND MIDWEST, HPD, UH, THEY'RE WORKING ON A NEW AFTER HOURS PLAN. AND I WILL, UH, TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AT THE PIP, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT PRIDE IS ON THAT LIST ON CROSSVIEW. SO WE ARE FULLY AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING OVER THERE. YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH, UH, CLOSING DOWN CHEMISTRY LOUNGE AND OTHER CLUBS, UH, IN, IN THE SAME VEIN. AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MIDWEST HPD AND THE COMMANDER PRESENTING THEIR NEW PLAN IN MY OFFICE, SUPPORTING THE AFTER HOURS, UM, OBLIGATION BECAUSE IT IS A LOT, UM, A LOT OF OBLIGATION ON OUR COMMUNITY. AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO, UH, WELCOME FRANCISCO SANCHEZ JR. BACK HOME. UM, HE WAS A BIDEN HARRIS APPOINTEE, THE ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE SBA, THE U OF THE US SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. UM, DEFINITELY A LEGEND IN THE HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY, A A AREA RELATED TO HIS, UH, LEADERSHIP AND DISASTER RECOVERY. SO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE HIS WELCOME HOME ON SATURDAY. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS TALENTS RETURNING BACK HERE. IF MY OFFICE CAN BE OF ANY SUPPORT TO YOU, PLEASE CONTACT DISTRICT F AT HOUSTON TX GOV. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROM. THANK YOU MAYOR. HAVE A COUPLE OF DISTRICT A ANNOUNCEMENTS. FIRST, WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE STUDENTS AT SHERN ELEMENTARY. THIS IS THEIR FIRST TIME, UH, PARTICIPATING IN THE ART CAR PARADE. THEY HAVE BEEN POSTING AND SHARING HOW, UH, THE STUDENTS HAVE REALLY ENJOYED, UM, PARTICIPATING. AND THEY, THEY GOT THEIR CAR AND THEY DID ALL THE ARTWORK ON IT. AND THEIR TEACHER, MS. NICOLE WHIT, UH, THEY WILL BE PARTICIPATING AND HAVE THEIR FIRST ENTRY IN THE 2025 ART CAR PARADE THIS SATURDAY ON APRIL THE 12TH. VERY EXCITED FOR THOSE STUDENTS IN DISTRICT A AND THEN, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THE MINI MURAL PROGRAM COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. I WAS GLAD TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT THAT. UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THAT, UH, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, LARRY GREEN, UH, WENT TO A NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES OR A TML CONFERENCE, AND HE SAW THE MINI MURALS IN ANOTHER CITY AND SAID, WHEN I GET BACK HOME, I'M GONNA DO THAT. UM, AND THE VERY FIRST MINI MURAL WAS DONE, UM, IN DISTRICT K. WELL, TODAY, UM, THE TODAY SHOW TEAM IS OUT VIDEOING A MINI MURAL THAT IS BEING PAINTED, UM, IN HIS HONOR. AND IT WILL AIR ON MONDAY, APRIL THE 14TH ON THE TODAY SHOW. UM, SO HOUSTON WILL BE, [04:45:01] UM, SHINING BRIGHT WITH OUR MINI MURAL PROGRAM THAT STARTED FROM ONE MINI MURAL IN DISTRICT K THAT HAS SPREAD ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY. UM, IT'S BEEN MODELED ACROSS THE COUNTRY. UM, PEOPLE LOVE, UH, THE COMMUNITY ART, THE CIVIC ART, UM, WHEN WE CAN BEAUTIFY OUR SPACES AND OUR AREAS, I THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THAT PEOPLE CARE AND THEY, THEY TAKE MORE PRIDE IN OUR AREAS. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED AND HOPE THAT YOU'LL TUNE IN ON MONDAY, APRIL THE 14TH TO THE TODAY SHOW. UM, AND YOU'LL SEE A SPECIAL CELEBRATION OF ART CULTURE AND THE PEOPLE THAT MADE, UM, THE MINI MURALS HAPPEN. BIG SHOUT OUT TO UP ART STUDIO FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO, UM, ON THAT PROJECT. AND THEN THE WEST RIDGE BRA TERRACE, DRAINAGE STREET IMPROVEMENTS, THE RESIDENTS, UM, WANTED AN UPDATE ON THAT. THAT BID HAS GONE OUT, IT CLOSED ON MARCH THE SIXTH. UM, THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY ON THAT. UM, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT ENGAGED HOUSTON WEBSITE IS DOWN, BUT IF RESIDENTS WANT TO RECEIVE UPDATES, THEY CAN EMAIL ENGAGE@HOUSTONTX.GOV OR EMAIL THE DISTRICT K OFFICE, AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THOSE UPDATES MANUALLY TO THEM. UH, THE HPD SOUTH GESNER, DRT POLICE EXTRAVAGANZA, YOU SEE WHAT THEY DID THERE. EXTRAVAGANZA , UH, WELL HOSTS, UH, THE, THEIR EVENT ON SATURDAY AP APRIL THE 12TH FROM NINE TO 11. SO THEY ARE ASKING FAMILY MEMBERS TO COME OUT FOR A FREE AND FUN EVENT AT MARION PARK AT ON SOUTH GASNER ROAD. UH, FOR MORE INFORMATION YOU CAN CONTACT THE DISTRICT, A OFFICE, AND THEN OUR DISTRICT K NEWSLETTER, THE ONE WE WORKED SO HARD ON WITH ALL THE PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES HAPPENING IN DISTRICT A, UH, WENT OUT TODAY. IF IT IS NOT IN YOUR INBOX, THAT MEANS WE, YOU ARE NOT ON OUR DISTRIBUTION LIST. CONTACT THE DISTRICT K OFFICE AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 3 0 1 6. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INCLUDING YOU ON OUR DISTRIBUTION LIST. AND THEN FINALLY, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE DISPARITY STUDY, UM, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, THE DIRECTOR, UH, HOARD OF OBO, UM, IS, UH, PUTTING ON A LESS TALK FACTS ABOUT THE DISPARITY STUDY ON APRIL THE 14TH AT THE ION, FROM ONE TO 3:00 PM THERE, UM, WILL BE A PRE PRESENTATION ON THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE M-W-S-B-E PROGRAM. AND THEN THERE'LL ALSO BE TIME TO ASK, UM, ANY QUESTIONS THAT, UH, BUSINESS OWNERS AND FOLKS MAY HAVE ABOUT THAT DISPARITY STUDY. BUT THIS IS AN ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TALK ABOUT THE FACTS OF THE, THE DISPARITY STUDY, UM, BEFORE, UM, WE RECONSIDER THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. SO AGAIN, THAT WILL TAKE PLACE ON APRIL THE 14TH FROM ONE TO 3:00 PM AT THE ION. WE'LL SEND OUT THAT, UM, FLYER TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IF YOU WOULD SHARE IT WITH YOUR DISTRIBUTION LIST. WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO BE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION CAN BE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR PRO, TIM PECK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, FIRST COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS BEFORE, IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE'RE HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. UM, CRIMINALS ACCOUNTABLE, HPD WORKS SO HARD EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND THEY ARE ARRESTING THE SAME PEOPLE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND IT'S FRUSTRATING FOR THEM, AND IT'S FRUSTRATING FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS WHERE, YOU KNOW, CRIME IS A TOP PRIORITY IN DISTRICT A AND FOR MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY. UM, SO TOMORROW WE ARE ACTUALLY HAVING, UM, OUR COFFEE WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND COPS. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU, UM, IF YOU DO HAVE CONCERNS WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, COME VISIT US TOMORROW, UM, AT 10:00 AM AT THE WHITE OAK CONFERENCE CENTER, 7 6 0 3 ANTOINE. UM, WE'LL HAVE LIGHT BITES AND COFFEE. OUR NORTH, UM, CAPTAIN, I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, COMMANDER IN, NORTH CAPTAIN, UM, WILL BE THERE AS WELL. UM, AND SO JUST COME TALK TO US ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY OR ANY OTHER CITY RELATED ITEMS. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER FOR BRINGING UP THE REENTRY PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, I ATTENDED THAT JOB FAIR TOO, AND THERE WAS A WOMAN I MET AND INTERVIEWED, BUT SHE HAD A CDL AND REALLY SKILLS, BETTER SUITED FOR PUBLIC WORKS. SHE'S NOW WORKING AT PUBLIC WORKS AND SHE EMAILED ME ON FRIDAY THAT SHE'S ALREADY BEEN PROMOTED SO HOT DOG ON HER. UM, IT'S ABOUT TO BE MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR. IT'S ALMOST BUDGET TIME GUYS. SO I SENT OUT THE, SENT OUT THE WORK, THE, THE LIST OF DATES. THEY'LL BE RELEASING THE BUDGET ON MAY 6TH. AND WE'LL HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF WORKSHOPS AS YOU WELL KNOW. SO YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT IN YOUR INBOX ON SATURDAY, MAY 17TH. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND I WILL WE'LL HOST A BUDGET TOWN HALL AT THE FINDY CENTER, AND THEN THERE'LL BE A VIRTUAL ONE ON MAY 22ND, MY, THE YEAR 2 CENTS [04:50:01] BUDGET SURVEY. NEW AND IMPROVED VERSION WITH HELP FROM THE KINDER INSTITUTE, UH, WILL BE COMING OUT IN A COUPLE WEEKS. AND, UH, GEORGE IS THE ONLY PERSON THAT WATCHES THESE HTV THINGS. SO, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY. 30, 37, LONG, HARD YEARS. COUNCILMAN CAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, JUST REALLY QUICKLY AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY. UM, I, YOU KNOW, SINCE HECTOR WAS BROUGHT UP, I, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE STRAIN, UH, THAT THIS BILL IS, IS PUTTING, UH, IN TERMS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY THAT IS INVESTING UNPRECEDENTED, UH, AMOUNTS OF DOLLARS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON ITSELF RIGHT NOW, JUST TO GIVE SOME NUMBERS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, HECTOR FUNDING FROM 2022 TO 2024, HPD AND HFD, WHO I ALWAYS APPRECIATE, BUT WE HAVE TROUBLE JUST POLICING AND PATROLLING OUR OWN CITY. UH, HP AND HFD RESPONDED TO SIX APPROXIMATELY 6,500 CALLS ON THE TOLLWAY COMPARED TO CONSTABLES AND HECTOR'S INCIDENTS RESPONSE TEAM, WHICH HAS RESPONDED TO OVER 300,000. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BREAKDOWN, UM, HOUSTON IS RESPONDING TO APPROXIMATELY TWO AND A HALF CALLS A DAY, BOTH FIRE AND POLICE CONSTABLES. IT'S ABOUT 300 A DAY. SO IF IT, THIS IS ABOUT, AND LOOK, WE NEED TO FIND MONEY. I RESPECT THAT WE HAVE A, UM, GROWING BUDGET DEFICIT THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS. BUT IF IT'S ABOUT REIMBURSING THE CITY FOR THAT WORK, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT PROPORTIONALLY, UM, RATHER THAN AGAIN, WHAT THE POTENTIAL COULD BE HERE, WHICH IS STRAINING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY WHEN WE NEED THOSE INVESTMENTS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE TALKING NUMBERS TO NUMBERS, MAYOR, AS YOU SAID, APPLES TO APPLES LAST WEEK. WELL, AS YOU WELL KNOW, I DON'T THINK GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE ABOUT PERSONAL DISPUTES AND THE COUNT. UH, COMMISSIONERS ARE SOME OF OUR BEST FRIENDS, CERTAINLY SOME OF THEM. BUT SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP THE FACTS, AND IT'S NOT OUR LEGISLATION, 60% OF THE TOW ROAD MILES ARE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. OVER 60% OF THE REVENUE IS GENERATED INSIDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON. OUR FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE MADE 6,500 CALLS LAST YEAR. THEY TOOK IN 850 MILLION IN TOLL. MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE COMING TO HOUSTON TO WORK. WE GET 700,000 PEOPLE FROM THE SUBURBS EVERY DAY TO HOUSTON THAT WE HAVE TO PROTECT AND SERVE. THAT'S THE SIZE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTA. SO LAST YEAR, THE TOW ROAD RAN A $300 MILLION SURPLUS EXCESS AMOUNT. THE STATE OF TEXAS IS LOOKING AT IT AND LOOKING, IS IT BEING USED FOR MOBILITY OR OTHER NON MOBILITY ISSUES? THE STATE'S NOT GONNA CONTINUE TO ALLOW HARRIS COUNTY TO HAVE 300 MILLION FROM A PROJECT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO PLOW MONEY BACK INTO MOBILITY, BEING USED FOR OTHER, OFTEN SOCIAL ISSUES THAT HAVE MERIT. BUT WE WERE APPROACHED AND GAVE THEM INFORMATION ABOUT THE SERVICE CALLS WE MAKE. YOU MENTIONED THE CONSTABLES, THAT THAT'S FINE, BUT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE AMBULANCES IN HOUSTON. FIRE. SO WE'RE PARTNERS WITH THE COUNTY, WE'RE TRYING TO COLLABORATE WITH THE COUNTY, AND I THINK OUR FIRE CHIEF IS IN AUSTIN TODAY TO SHOW THE GREAT SERVICE WE PROVIDE TO THE TOW ROAD USERS, NOT ONLY WHILE THEY'RE ON THE TOW ROAD, BUT OFF AND OFF, ON AND OFF THE TOW ROAD. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SERIOUS DISCUSSION. NOTHING PERSONAL, BUT AS YOU SAID, WE HAVE A SHORTFALL, CERTAINLY OUR OLD MODEL OF DOING BUSINESS. I THINK WE'RE GONNA ALL BE IMPRESSED WE'RE THE EFFICIENCY, UH, RESULTS. BUT ANYWAY, UH, WE'RE HAVING GREAT COLLABORATION WITH COMMISSIONER GARCIA. BRIANIS HAS BEEN SUCH A GOOD PARTNER, AND RAMSEY'S PAYING FOR HALF OF THE REPAIR OF HIS PRECINCT STREETS INSIDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO WE ALL SERVE THE SAME PEOPLE. NEVER GONNA BE PERSONAL WITH ME, BUT IT REALLY GETS DOWN TO JUST THE BEST USE OF FUNDS AND BEING VERY FAIR AND TRANSPARENT. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP. I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ABOUT IT. IT, UH, IT'S COMING OUT OF AUSTIN TO DEAL WITH, UH, SOME OF OUR [04:55:01] CONCERNS, BUT IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A LUXURY FOR US. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE SOME FAIRNESS IN THE REVENUE STREAM THAT, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, WE PROVIDE. SO ANYWAY, WE'LL SEE THE OUTCOME, BUT IT SHOULDN'T STRAIN ANYONE. I MEAN, I'VE GOT MEETINGS SCHEDULED WITH ALL OF 'EM TO, UH, COLLABORATE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LET'S GET THROUGH HERE IN A MINUTE. BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE LUXURY TALKING ABOUT COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY FOR TWO OF EVERYTHING IN THIS GREAT METROPOLITAN AREA. DO WE REALLY WANT TO CONTINUE TWO LIBRARY SYSTEMS, TWO PARK SYSTEMS, AND I CAN GO ON AND ON. WE'VE REALLY GOTTA BE SMARTER ABOUT HOW WE GO FORWARD AS WE HAVE BUDGET RESTRAINTS AND, AND MAYOR IN TERMS OF COLLABORATION. I COMPLETELY AGREE. I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND I, COUNCILOR THOMAS AND I HAVE, WE HAVE BEEN HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, SHARED USES EVEN WHEN IT COMES TO EVIDENCE, RIGHT? EVIDENCE ROOMS, UH, IN YOUR AREA. I'M SORRY, THE, THE WEST GRADE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. WOULDN'T IT BE WONDERFUL IF THE COUNTY WOULD JOIN US IN COMPLETELY UPGRADING THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER ON WEST GRADE? IT, IT, I I HEAR YOU COMPLETELY, BUT WHEN WE SAY HECTOR DOLLARS ARE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT THEN WE'RE TRYING TO ALSO SAY NO, THEREFORE, HPD AND HFD AND I WANT MORE RESOURCES FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT. BUT SURE, OUR, WE SHOULD BE ASKING FOR THE PROPORTIONAL AMOUNT TO WHICH WE ARE ON OUR TOLL ROADS, NOT TRYING TO SUPPLEMENT. BOTTOM LINE IS WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, COUNTY, CITY, STATE, AND EVEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO HELP US WITH OUR, UH, WATER TREATMENT PLANT. YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'RE GONNA SPEND THE DAY TALKING ABOUT OUR NEEDS. THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT IS VERY FRAGILE, BUILT IN 1954, AND ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT, IT'S BEEN KICKED DOWN THE ROAD WAY TOO LONG. SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP. I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. UH, AGAIN, THOUGH, I'M GLAD I'M NOT IN LEGISLATURE. I'M, I'M GLAD I AM. I'M WHERE I BELONG AGAIN. HECTOR WAS BROUGHT UP. WE CAN TALK ABOUT WATER TREATMENT, THE FACT THAT WE'RE LOSING FEDERAL DOLLARS RIGHT NOW, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT WE'RE AS A CITY NOW TRYING TO DO TO TAKE THESE DOLLARS FROM THE COUNTY, UH, I THINK IT DESERVES A LOT, A LOT MORE SCRUTINY. VERY GOOD. LET'S GO TO WORK. STAND ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.