[Super Neighborhood Alliance Meeting on April 13, 2025. ]
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WELCOME TO OUR FIRST IN-PERSON, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE MEETING IN A NUMBER OF MONTHS, AS THE ORDER OF THE BUSINESS FOR THE AGENDA IS OUR ADDRESS FROM THE MAYOR.AND THEN WE'LL HAVE QUESTION AND ANSWERS.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE'LL BE, UH, GOING BACK THROUGH THE USUAL ORDER OF BUSINESS, UH, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
AND, UH, THEN WE HAVE A PRESENTATION TONIGHT FROM MS. VICKY IN REGARDS TO METAL FENCES.
AND, UH, THE INFORMATION ON THAT IS JUST STRICTLY INFORMATION.
WE'LL BRING THAT BACK UP NEXT MONTH'S MEETING TO, FOR A VOTE AFTER WE'VE COALESCED AS TO WHAT OUR, UH, WHAT THE S A'S, UH, VIEW IS ON THAT.
SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MAYOR WHITMEYER
I REMEMBER YOUR COUSIN, SO I HAVE TO CATCH MYSELF.
NO, CAT IS MY SISTER-IN-LAW, SISTER-IN-LAW, I'M SORRY, MARRIED TO MY BROTHER AND THEY WERE JUNIORS IN, UH, U OF H.
HE PASSED AWAY FROM JUVENILE DIABETES AT 32 BEFORE SHE EVER RAN FOR CONTROLLER.
UH, WELL FIRST OF ALL, LET ME, UH, THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I PUT A VERY HIGH PREMIUM ON PUBLIC SERVICE, AND I THINK EVERYONE HERE TONIGHT IS A PUBLIC SERVANT, WHETHER YOU'RE EVER ON THE BALLOT OR NOT.
YOU'RE NOT A NEW ORGANIZATION.
I WAS A SENATOR WHEN LEE BROWN FORMED THE CONCEPT.
I WAS NEVER INVOLVED AT THE LEVEL THAT I AM NOW, BUT I SEE YOU AS A VERY INSTRUMENTAL PART OF THE CITY'S ADMINISTRATION.
I CANNOT BE EVERYWHERE AT ONE TIME, BUT I AM WILLING TO PARTNER WITH YOU AND LET YOU BE MY EYES AND EARS, OR I'LL BE A FACILITATOR FOR YOU EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
I'VE BEEN A PUBLIC SERVANT MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE, SO OBVIOUSLY I ENJOY THE ENGAGEMENT.
YOU KNOW, YOU STAY IN THE LEGISLATURE 50 YEARS AND BECOME THE LONGEST SERVING SENATOR BECAUSE YOU'RE RESPONSIVE.
AND, UH, I HAVEN'T GOT OUT OF THAT MODEL.
WHEN I WAS A YOUNG STATE REP IN OAK FOREST, IF THERE WAS LIGHTS ON IN THE SCHOOL, I WAS THERE, CIVIC CLUB, I WAS THERE.
EVEN SPOILED THE THE PRECINCT JUDGES BY GOING BY AND DRINKING COFFEE WITH THEM EACH ELECTION, WHETHER IT WAS A STATE LEGISLATIVE RACE OR NOT.
AND ONCE YOU SPOIL PEOPLE LIKE THAT, YOU GOTTA KEEP IT UP.
SO I GUESS TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO THINK I'M SPOILING YOU THE ACCESSIBILITY THAT I'M WILLING TO PROVIDE.
UH, WE CAN DO THIS AS OFTEN AS REASONABLE
I REALLY WANNA LISTEN TO YOU TONIGHT.
I'D LOVE TO GIVE A STATE OF THE CITY A ADDRESS ON WHAT WE DISCOVERED FROM DAY ONE.
THAT'S 260,000 SUSPENDED HBD CASES.
ABOUT 80,000 OF THEM WERE ASSAULT CASES.
WE HAD TO TAKE 80 OFFICERS OFF THE STREET TO REVIEW THEM, PROSECUTE THOSE.
WHEN I GOT HERE, WE HAD 10 AND $20,000 WATER BILLS WITH NO ONE LISTENING TO THE HOMEOWNERS.
I'M VERY, VERY PROUD AND I'VE PUT TOGETHER A GREAT TEAM.
PEOPLE HAVE COME OUTTA RETIREMENT.
ANGELA BLANCHARD RAN BAKER RIPLEY BUILT IT INTO THE NUMBER ONE SOCIAL AGENCY IN HOUSTON.
MIKE NICHOLS WAS RUNNING THE HOMELESS COALITION, RETIRED AND CAME BACK.
I CAN GO THROUGH GETTING BACK TO THOSE SUSPENDED CASES.
TROY FINNER WAS A FRIEND THAT AT MY BREAKFAST TABLE, WAS HELPING ME ENGAGE WITH THE SUSPENDED CASES UNTIL IT BECAME AN ISSUE OF WHEN AND WHAT HE KNEW.
I HAD THE EXPERIENCE AND RELATIONSHIPS.
DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO FIND THE TRUE CRIME FIGHTER EXPERIENCED RANGER.
HE HAPPENED TO BE THE CHIEF AT KATY, BUT THAT WAS NOT HIS REALLY STRENGTH.
IT WAS HIS YEARS AT THE STATE LEVEL WORKING WITH HPD ON TASK FORCE.
AND NO DI IS FIGHTING CRIME WHEREVER HE IS.
FIREFIGHTERS CONTRACT, HORRIBLE SITUATION.
THE FIRST CADET CLASS I SPOKE TO AFTER I WAS SWORN IN, HAD 31 CADETS, AND MOST OF THEM WOULD SAY, WE'RE
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GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE.THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEIR BENEFITS WERE GONNA BE.
OUR OUTSIDE COUNSEL SAID, THE JUDGE IS FAVORABLE TOWARD THE FIREFIGHTERS.
NO ONE SHOULD GO EIGHT YEARS WITHOUT A CONTRACT.
THE PARTNERSHIP SAID IT'D BE 850 MILLION TO 1.2 BILLION SETTLEMENT.
IT WAS FAIR TO TAXPAYERS, FAIR TO THE FIREFIGHTERS.
WE GOT A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, SOME STABILITY WITH THEM.
SO I COULD GO ON AND ON OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
WE HAD TWO STORMS, NOT TO MENTION A THIRD.
IF YOU WANNA INCLUDE KINGWOOD FLOOD, I SAW THE FIRST RESPONDERS.
OUR FIREFIGHTERS PUT THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE.
I DIDN'T NEED A LA TRAGEDY TO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT FIREFIGHTERS ARE.
I WENT OUT WITH CHIEF FINNER THE NIGHT I WAS SWORN IN NEW YEAR'S EVE 1201, WE WERE MAKING SCENES.
THE MORALE IN OUR FIREMEN AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS HAD NEVER BEEN HIRED.
WE'RE DOING A VERY AGGRESSIVE RECRUITMENT, AND WE WILL SOON HAVE A POLICE CONTRACT THAT'LL PUT THEM COMPARABLE TO ANY MAJOR CITY AND BENEFITS IN IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT I NEED YOUR HELP.
I UNDERSTAND THE CONDITION OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TONIGHT.
WE PROBABLY HAVE A THOUSAND BROKEN WATER MAINS.
I UNDERSTAND GARBAGE PICKUP IS CHALLENGED.
THAT'S THE REASON I RAN FOR MAYOR.
IF THINGS WERE WORKING WELL, I'D BE IN AUSTIN ON THE SENATE FLOOR.
I WAS ASKED BY HOUSTONIANS TO COME BACK AND ACCEPT THIS CHALLENGE.
OUR FINANCIAL CHALLENGE HAS BEEN EXISTING FOR YEARS, KICKED DOWN THE ROAD.
WE'RE GONNA LAY OUT A BALANCED BUDGET IN ABOUT THREE WEEKS.
AND I'M NOT THE ONE TO SAY IT, BUT SOMEONE SHOULD.
THEY OUGHTA BUILD A, A STATUTE TO ME
$160 MILLION SHORTFALL WHEN I GOT HERE.
GOT UP WITH THE JONES WATSON DRAINAGE FEE LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT, 320 MILLION.
WE'RE GONNA BALANCE THE BUDGET.
SO I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE AS YOUR MAYOR.
PEOPLE ASK ME, IS IT FUN? ARE YOU HAVING FUN? NO, I'M NOT HAVING FUN.
BUT I ENJOY IT BECAUSE IT'S A CALLING.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE DONE MY WHOLE ADULT LIFE.
AND IF Y'ALL WILL HELP ME IN YOUR COMMUNITIES, THERE'S NOTHING TO HOLD US BACK LATER THIS YEAR.
I WILL PROBABLY GO PUBLIC AND SAY, I'VE DONE EVERYTHING I CAN TO REDUCE WASTE AND DUPLICATION.
YOU KNOW, WE GOT TWO INDIVIDUALS, ADMINISTRATORS IN MIDTOWN TURS UNDER INDICTMENT.
WE HAD A CITY CONTRACTOR PLEAD GUILTY FOR GIVING OUT WATER CONTRACTS TO BUSINESSES THAT DIDN'T EXIST.
I'M WORKING WITH THE AUTHORITIES.
I KNOW SOMEONE ASKED ME TO GET READY.
NOW, A A QUESTION ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
HOW CAN YOU BE MORE TRANSPARENT THAN WHAT WE'VE CONDUCTED OURSELVES? TRANSPARENCY IS MY BEST FRIEND.
I WANT HOUSTONIANS TO KNOW THE, THE STATUS OF THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT.
I GO HOME SOME NIGHTS AFTER WORKING LATE, AND I'D THINK TO MYSELF, HOW DO WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT CITY? WHICH WE DO, A GREAT CITY, GREAT PEOPLE.
WE HAVE CHALLENGES LIKE MOST MAJOR CITIES, BUT WE'RE MEETING THOSE CHALLENGES.
BUT THE QUESTION IS, HOW ARE WE SO GREAT WHEN OUR CITY GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN NEGLECTED FOR YEARS, IS BECAUSE OF OUR PEOPLE, OUR INSTITUTIONS, PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, OUR ACADEMIC COMMUNITY, OUR MED CENTER, OUR PORT, AND MANY.
AND THE PEOPLE I'M THAT I'M TALKING TO NOW, IT'S OUR PEOPLE.
IT'S, IT'S THE WORK THAT YOU DO MAKES US GREAT.
AND IF WE CAN GET CITY GOVERNMENT AND WE WILL UP TO PERFORMING LIKE IT SHOULD, LIKE YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE HOUSTONIANS DESERVE WILL BE BY FAR THE GREATEST CITY IN THE WORLD.
WE HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED BY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE NATION AND THE WORLD.
AND I WAS BRIEFED ON SOME SECURITY ISSUES THE OTHER DAY BY SOME FEDERAL AUTHORITIES AND SAID, OUR ADVERSARIES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AND YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE WHO THEY ARE, PRIMARILY CHINA HAD THEIR EYE ON HOUSTON.
BECAUSE IF WE EVER GOT IN A REAL STRUGGLE WITH ONE OF OUR ADVERSARIES, HOUSTON HAS IT, THAT THEY WANT TO DISMANTLE.
AND OF COURSE, I GREW UP LIKE MANY OF YOU IN THE ERA OF, OF RUSSIA BEING ONE OF OUR PRIMARY SECURITY CONCERNS.
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YOU KNOW, SECOND GRADER, JOHN WHITMEYER WITH HIS CLASSMATES WOULD GET UNDER OUR DESK.IT WAS, IT WAS THAT PERIOD, THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS.
BUT THE OTHER DAY I WAS BRIEFED BECAUSE THEY WANTED ME TO BE CAREFUL WHEN TRADE GROUPS COME THROUGH FROM COUNTRIES THAT ARE OUR ADVERSARIES, THAT THEY NOT TAKE PICTURES WITH ME BECAUSE THEY'LL SEND IT BACK HOME.
SAY WE'RE INFILTRATING CITY GOVERNMENT.
AND I SAID, WE MORE THAN NEW YORK A YES, I THOUGHT WITH THEIR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS MORE THAN WASHINGTON.
YES, EVEN THEIR SEATS OF GOVERNMENT.
HOUSTON HAS EVERYTHING THEY WANT TO DISRUPT SOCIETY, OUR MED CENTER, OUR ACADEMICS, OUR PORT, OUR PETROLEUM.
AND I WAS CONVINCED, NOT A CLASSIFIED BRIEFING.
I'M TELLING YOU WHAT REALLY YOU CAN READ ABOUT CYBER ATTACKS.
IF THEY GET READY TO SHUT DOWN THE UNITED STATES IN A CYBER ATTACK, THEY'RE GONNA START WITH HOUSTON, TEXAS.
NOW, I SAY THAT TO REINFORCE WHAT A GREAT CITY WE HAVE.
WE FURNISHED 90% OF THE NATION'S JET FUEL, DOMESTIC FUEL, AND MILITARY AT THE SHIP CHANNEL.
NOW, LEMME TELL YOU WHAT, NO ONE BEFORE ME IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS TOLD YOU OUR WATER TREATMENT PLANT IS BARELY, BARELY OPERATING.
IT'S VERY SENSITIVE BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT AMAZON.
AND YOU NAME THE OTHER BUSINESSES, CHEVRON'S RELOCATED.
IT'S NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS HERE.
SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WE NEED A MORE RELIABLE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
BUT THE ONE THAT WE DEPEND ON, 60% OF HOUSTONIANS GET THEIR WATER FROM THE EAST SIDE WATER PLANT, WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1954.
YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT IF YOU DROVE AND TOOK A TOUR.
THE CITIZENS HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW THAT.
IT'S GONNA TAKE A MAJOR FUNDING SOURCE.
WE'RE GETTING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OUT OF AUSTIN, HOPEFULLY THIS SPRING TO AT LEAST PATCH IT UP.
WE'RE TALKING TO OUR FEDERAL OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON.
WE NEED A MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT TO OUR WATER SUPPLY.
IT FURNISHES 60% OF HOUSTON, THE MED CENTER, OUR CONVENTION FACILITIES, NOT ONLY HOUSTON, BUT THE REGION, ALL THE SMALL JURISDICTIONS, PASADENA, BAYTOWN, CERTAINLY WEST U BEL AIR.
I NEVER GET THROUGH DEALING WITH SERIOUS SUBJECTS 7 24, BUT I'M WHERE I THINK I BELONG.
I KNOW WE'LL HAVE DISAGREEMENTS, BUT I'M LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC AND TRYING TO MAKE COMMON SENSE, HONEST DECISIONS.
WITH THAT, LET ME DELVE INTO OUR PROGRAM.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU AND, UH, I'LL BE GLAD TO TALK TO Y'ALL INDIVIDUALLY AS TIME GOES BY.
THANK IS THIS WHERE YOU WANT ME? YEAH, THE MAYOR.
COULD YOU DISCUSS, UH, THE CHANGE WITH THE INSPECTORS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT? CAN YOU, UH, LET EVERYBODY KNOW HOW THAT'S GONNA GO, YOU OR RANDY? I CAN, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO YIELD TO RANDY.
ONE OF THE GREATEST APPOINTMENTS I'VE MADE IS IN PUBLIC WORKS.
PUBLIC WORKS WAS REALLY, REALLY NEGLECTED WHEN I GOT HERE.
AND RANDY IS A CAN-DO FIX IT GUY.
RANDY, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR INSPECTORS? I CAN ANSWER WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE, BUT TO HAVE AN EXPERT IN THE DEPARTMENT HEAD IS REALLY GOOD.
KENNETH, ARE YOU? SO THE QUESTION IS, CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE CHANGE BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND PUBLIC WORKS WITH REGARD TO BUILDING INSPECTORS? SO SOME OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS, UH, UP UNTIL VERY RECENTLY, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND PUBLIC WORKS HAD TWO SEPARATE GROUPS OF BUILDING INSPECTORS.
PUBLIC WORKS WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMERCIAL INSPECTIONS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR RESIDENTIAL INSPECTIONS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW THERE'S A LOT OF EFFICIENCY LOSS THERE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING IN A CITY LIKE OURS WHERE YOU HAVE NO ZONING RULES AND YOU'LL HAVE RESIDENCES AND YOU'LL HAVE COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER ALL THE TIME, THAT REALLY OUR FOLKS WERE TRIPPING OVER EACH OTHER A LOT OF THE TIME.
WE LOST A, A LOT OF THAT KIND OF EFFICIENCY.
AND SO, UH, DIRECTOR SIMS AND I HAVE WORKED TOGETHER OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, UH, ON A CONSOLIDATION OF THAT INSPECTION.
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THIS ALIGNS DIRECTLY WITH THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE CITY AND MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UH, WITH, WITH THE RESPONSE TO THE ERN AND YOUNG EFFICIENCY REPORT, BUT A CONSOLIDATION OF THOSE INSPECTION EFFORTS THAT WILL ALLOW OUR INSPECTORS TO NOW BE MORE MULTI-DISCIPLINED AND ABLE TO GO AND DO MORE AND TO DO MORE, MORE EFFICIENTLY.UM, THOSE FUNDS ALSO PROVIDE RELIEF TO, TO THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH WAS, UH, THE PRIMARY REVENUE, THE PRIMARY, UM, FUNDING SOURCE.
FUNDING SOURCE, THANK YOU FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND NOW IT ROLLS INTO THE REST OF THE PERMITTING DEPARTMENT'S INSPECTION FEES, UM, THAT ALREADY TAKES CARE OF ALL OF THAT.
SO, UM, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME COMMENTS PREVIOUSLY, AND I THINK MS. BELL, YOU WERE PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, YOUR QUESTION WAS AROUND THIS, THAT, UH, INSPECTIONS WOULD DISAPPEAR, UH, BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FUNDING.
THE, THE FUNDING IS NOT AN ISSUE THERE.
INSPECTIONS WILL NOT DISAPPEAR.
IN FACT, ACTUALLY WE AIM TO DO A LOT MORE WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
YOU'RE COMBINING RESOURCES AND STREAMLINING OPERATIONS, THE BOTTOM LINE.
SO I WAS GOING TO, UH, ASK YOU YOUR VIEWS OF THE, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, ORGANIZATION AND THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE.
AND, UH, YOU ANSWERED THAT IN YOUR INTRODUCTORY, YOU HAVE A VERY POSITIVE VIEW AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT THERE'S ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS.
UH, IN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, THE PLANNING COMMITTEE OF THE ALLIANCE HAD QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND, UH, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS TO DISCUSS PROGRAMS THAT THEY THOUGHT MIGHT BE COMING BEFORE US OR TO ALSO, UH, HEAR FROM US WHAT CONCERNED US.
AND I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD REINSTITUTE THOSE MEETINGS AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, I'LL TAKE IT UNDER ADVISEMENT.
OBVIOUSLY, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVEN OR ENOUGH.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO MEET WHEN WE HAVE CONCERNS.
I, I AND MY DEPARTMENT HEADS, WE'D GO NONSTOP.
SO IF WE'VE GOT A PRODUCTIVE MEETING TO LEARN HOW WE CAN DO THINGS BETTER, OF COURSE, THAT'S THE REASON I'M HERE TONIGHT.
UH, TO SET A, A TIMEFRAME, I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU, SEE WHAT YOU HAD IN MIND.
BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE NOT DOING THAT.
AND BEFORE I FORGET IT, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS IS HERE SOMEWHERE.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU TO A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S HERE.
UH, I WOULD, I WOULD THINK YOU WOULD LIKE TO ALSO INCLUDE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN ANY MEETINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO SPREAD THE WORD FOLKS, EVERYBODY, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
AND ONE OF THE REAL STRENGTHS ALSO OF THE, MY ADMINISTRATION IS THE COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY.
THE STATE WE'RE, UH, GETTING THE BENEFITS FROM THE LAND COMMISSION OFFICE, FROM MY RELATIONSHIPS.
THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE HAD UNPRECEDENTED COLLABORATION, CERTAINLY DURING THE STORMS. AND EVEN THEY'RE OFFERING TO PAY FOR SOME OF THE STREET REPAIRS INSIDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON IF IT'S IN THEIR PRECINCT.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UH, I'LL LOOK AT THAT SCHEDULE.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE, I'VE ALREADY SCHEDULED A PER IN-PERSON MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
SO WHY IN THE HECK WOULD YOU DO IT ANOTHER TIME? AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE ONE SOON WITH PUBLIC WORK.
THOSE QUARTERLY MEETINGS SOUND LIKE IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING.
ALRIGHT, LET'S DO ONE OF THE WRITTEN QUESTIONS.
UH, FIRST ONE, YOUR PRESS RELEASE ON 11 FEBRUARY, 2025, TITLED MAYOR WHITMEYER TO RELEASE DETAILS OF CITY EFFICIENCY STUDIES STATED THE PRESENTATION WILL INCLUDE THE RESULTS AND OUTLINE OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S NEXT STEPS TO MAKE CITY GOVERNMENT MORE TRANSPARENT, EFFICIENT, AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE IT SERVES.
MAYOR, HOW, UH, WOULD YOU NOT AGREE THAT THE SNA, WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CITY SHOULD BE HELD TO THE SAME STANDARD? CERTAINLY, AND NO ONE IS GONNA BE MORE TRANSPARENT, HAS BEEN, I JUST GAVE YOU SOME TOP SECRETS,
HOUSTONIANS SHOULD KNOW THAT AND BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
I TOLD YOU ABOUT OUR VULNERABILITY TO OUR NATION'S ADVERSARIES.
WHY IN THE WORLD WOULDN'T I TELL YOU EVERYTHING THAT I KNOW ABOUT CITY GOVERNMENT, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE MORE EMPLOYEES THAN ANY OTHER MAJOR CITY IN THE NATION.
40% OF OUR SUPERVISORS SUPERVISE THREE OR FEWER PEOPLE.
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE? BECAUSE THE MONIES WE CAN SAVE THROUGH EFFICIENCIES, WE CAN POUR INTO SERVICES AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE ERNST AND YOUNG REPORT.
ONE OF THE REASONS I RAN FOR, I'VE WORKED WITH SEVEN MAYORS BEFORE.
I KNOW THEIR PRACTICES, SOME OF THEIR POOR PRACTICES.
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PEOPLE ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT IN ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE 92-YEAR-OLD IN PUBLIC WORKS, 88-YEAR-OLD IN HPD.THESE ARE GREAT PUBLIC SERVANTS, BUT WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AND SEE WHERE WE HAVE EFFICIENCIES.
SO WE WERE VERY BENEVOLENT AND COMPASSIONATE WHEN WE STARTED OUR EFFICIENCY.
GIVE THEM THREE MONTHS OF THEIR PAY, MAINTAIN THEIR HEALTHCARE AT CURRENT COST.
NO ONE'S DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE.
AND PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS, THEY GOT A TWO WEEK NOTICE.
I UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HOPE GOT A REALLY FAIR CONTRACT.
OUR MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES CERTAINLY FIRE DID, POLICE WILL WE'RE ONLY AS GOOD AS OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE PEOPLE THAT I SURROUND MYSELF WITH.
I THINK THE STRENGTH IN THIS FIRST 14 MONTH IS THE TEAM THAT I'VE PUT TOGETHER.
WE JUST MADE A CHANGE IN SOLID WASTE.
SOLID WASTE NEEDS MORE RESOURCES.
YES, BUT WE DO NOT WANT TO JUST THROW MONEY INTO A SYSTEM THAT IS BROKEN.
SO WE'RE GOING TO STREAMLINE SERVICES.
WE'RE GONNA COME UP WITH SOME INNOVATIVE IDEAS FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING.
I STILL FRIENDS GET IN MY TRUCK AWAY FROM MY SECURITY AND DRIVE THE STREETS OF HOUSTON.
YOU JUST, AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU SERVED IN NEGLECTED AREAS, YOU JUST WON'T BELIEVE UNTIL YOU GO TO LORRAINE AND JENSEN, AWFUL, AWFUL, LORRAINE AND JENSEN AND GO OUT, GO OUT HARDY BEHIND LBJ.
GREAT CITIES DID NOT ALLOW CONDITIONS LIKE THAT.
BUT IT'S BEEN LIKE THAT FOR LARGE NUMBERS OF YEAR.
SOMEONE ASKED ME WHILE I GO, DO YOU GO TO CIVIC CLUBS? I ENJOY CIVIC CLUBS.
OBVIOUSLY FOLKS, I'VE GOTTA BALANCE MY TIME.
I'VE GOT TO USE MY TIME WISELY.
I WAS IN GLENWOOD IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON LAST WEEK.
THE ONLY THING I NEED TO CHANGE IS I'VE GOTTA PACE MYSELF BETTER.
AND I KNOW I'M, YOU KNOW, I NEED TO, I NEED TO PACE MYSELF BETTER AND REALIZE IT DIDN'T GET LIKE THIS OVERNIGHT AND IT'S GONNA TAKE YEARS TO CORRECT, BUT I'M, I'M MOTIVATED.
I'M MISSING SOME GRANDSON'S LITTLE LEAGUE GAMES THAT I SWORE I WOULDN'T.
BUT IT'S JUST A 7 24 HOUR A DAY JOB.
BUT I ENJOY IT BECAUSE IT GIVES ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIX THINGS AND TO USE MY EXPERIENCE IN RELATIONSHIPS.
I'M SURE SHE, SHE WANTS HER TO STAND RIGHT ONE MINUTE.
MY NAME IS MS. BLACKWELL AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY TWIN SISTER.
SHE LIVES IN THE CITY GAS AREA, SO THAT'S MINUTES AWAY FROM THE LBJ AREA.
IF YOU FOLLOW THAT METRO BUS, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT BUS IT IS, BUT THROUGHOUT PARTS OF THAT ROUTE, THERE'S UM, THERE'S LOTS THAT ARE EMPTY WHERE THE, LIKE YOU SAY, THE TREES, THE DEBRIS, IT IS HARD FOR THE BUS TO PASS BY IF, IF ANYBODY'S STANDING AT THE BUS STOP.
IT FELT LIKE IT'S A, A JUNGLE A OBSTACLE COURSE JUST TO, TO SEE THAT BUS GO THROUGH ANYBODY THAT'S WALKING ON MY SISTER'S WALKING BLOCKS TO GET HOME.
SO I JUST FEEL LIKE, CAN SOMETHING BE LOOKED AT IN THAT AREA? YES MA'AM.
AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP METRO.
WE'RE NEVER GONNA BE AS GREAT AS WE CAN BE WITHOUT A RELIABLE, SAFE, CLEAN PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM.
AND I INHERITED A METRO SYSTEM THAT WAS NONE OF THAT.
WE HAVE A NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM.
THEY'RE DOING AN ERNST AND YOUNG EFFICIENCY STUDY FOR METRO.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT BECAUSE WHEN WE GOT HERE AND I SENT MS. BROCK TO CHAIR, EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD HAD THEIR RELATIVE WORKING AT METRO, AT HOME, AT HOME, MANY OF 'EM MAKING $250,000 AT HOME.
AND I CAN GO ON AND ON PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTRACT.
I KNOW A FIRM HAD HAD $180,000 A MONTH CONTRACT WITH METRO, A CASH COW.
NOW THAT'S ALL BEING STRAIGHTENED OUT.
BUT THEN THEY GOTTA MAKE IT WORK AND THEY GOTTA GET MODERNIZED AND USE TECHNOLOGY WAY, WAY TOO MANY.
WE SEE THE STRETCH BUSES WITH NO ONE ON IT, ON ROUTES THAT PROBABLY NEED TO BE REVISITED AND GO INTO AREAS AND, AND
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FIRST OF ALL, MAKE SURE THAT THE STREETS ARE SAFE AND COMPATIBLE FROM DEBRIS AND JUST YEARS OF NEGLECT.SO METRO IS, IS, IS VITAL TO HOUSTON'S MOVING FORWARD.
AND THE NEW LITTLE MODEL OF MICRO TRANSIT, IT STARTED IN THIRD WARD.
WHERE DO YOU THINK THE NUMBER ONE, THAT'S JUST A LITTLE, I STILL WANNA CALL IT A GOLF CART, BUT IT'S MUCH MORE SOPHISTICATED.
I THOUGHT FOR SURE IT WOULD BE CHURCH OR THE DOCTOR.
NO, IT'S THE HEB ON NORTH MCGREGOR.
IT'S HOW THEY'RE GETTING THEIR GROCERIES AND NOW IT'S GONNA BE ENLARGED OVER INTO THE HEIGHTS.
AND, UH, THE GOAL IS CITYWIDE.
THE PROBLEM IS THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE CAN'T GET TO THE BUS STOP.
SO THE THE, THE MODEL'S GONNA BE, YOU CALL TO BE PICKED UP AT YOUR HOUSE AND THEY'LL TAKE YOU TO THE BUS LOCATION.
IT'S REALLY GONNA WORK WELL AND SAVE MONEY AND INCREASE SERVICE.
OKAY, ONE MORE AND THEN WE'LL GO ON TO A WRITTEN QUESTION.
I'M TRAVIS MCGEE, SUNNYSIDE CIVIC LEADER, THE SOUTH PARK SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT.
IN THE PAST WE HAD THE, UH, THE SNAP MATRIX AND IT HAS NOT, WE HAVE NOT HAD A NEW SNAP MATRIX SINCE 2013.
THE STAFF SNAP SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT OUR OURSELF THROUGH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN VERSUS HAVE TO RELY ON TOURIST MONEY THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT RECEIVE IN OUR AREA.
CAN WE GO BACK TO THAT SOUNDS REASONABLE TO ME.
OBVIOUSLY THE, THE CONCEPT THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, I WILL, I WILL LEARN MORE ABOUT IT.
UH, THE RELATIONSHIP OF, UH, YOU SUBMITTING A PLAN THAT'S, I HAVEN'T RUN ACROSS THAT YET, BUT WE WILL.
AND JUST SO EVERYONE IS AWARE, THAT'S ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT I'VE ALREADY TALKED WITH DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AND THAT WAS TO GET THE SNAP PROCESS RE RESTARTED WITHIN THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND PART OF THAT IS HAVING A TEMPLATE SO WE CAN ALL BE USING THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC.
SO JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IS ONE OF OUR, OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THIS YEAR.
OH, LET ME GO AHEAD AND HE'S UH, UH, ANOTHER WRITTEN QUESTION.
HOUSTON FIRST IS MOVING TO CLOSE SIX STREETS FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER IN DOWNTOWN, ELIMINATING ONE OF ONLY FOUR REMAINING EAST WEST ARTERIAL STREETS BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND THE EAST END.
ARE YOU WILLING TO REQUIRE THE HOUSTON FIRST TO CONSIDER OTHER DESIGN OPTIONS? AND IF NOT, HOW DO YOU PROCEED TO CONNECT THE EAST END AND DOWNTOWN, GIVEN THE COMPLETION OF I 59 IS UP TO A DECADE AWAY, THERE'S OVER, UH, THERE IS OVER $35 MILLION SECURED TO EXPAND TELEPHONE ROAD TO INCLUDE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION.
WILL YOU LIFT YOUR PAW ON THESE PROJECTS THAT COMBINE THEM WITH THE REDESIGN OF LELAND, INCLUDING ADDRESSING RAIL CROWS CROSSINGS? IF NOT, WHY NOT? SURE.
THE FACTS ARE IRREFUTABLE THAT POLK WAS GONNA BE CLOSED WITH THE UNDERGROUND PLACEMENT OF 45 AND 59.
THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, TXDOT AGREED ON THAT FIVE YEARS AGO.
IT'LL CREATE A 30 ACRE CAP, A GREEN SPACE BEHIND GEORGE BROWN.
THIS IS INACCURATE INFORMATION.
SO ANYONE THAT WANTS TO BLAME THE HOUSTON FIRST FOR THE ORIGINAL THOUGHT, THEY'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE FOR THEIR EXPANSION TO GO SOUTH OF THE CURRENT GEORGE OR BROWN AND USE THAT GREEN SPACE.
OF COURSE, THEY'RE GO LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE ROUTES.
LELAND WILL BE TWO WAY IN TERMS OF OPENING UP THE EAST END.
YOU CAN'T IMAGINE I PASSED IT LAST SESSION TO CREATE A REVENUE STREAM TO RE TRANSFORM DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A GREAT CITY, YOU GOTTA HAVE A GREAT DOWNTOWN.
DOWNTOWN'S BEEN NEGLECTED, CERTAINLY WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WORKING AT HOME.
OUR TUNNELS ARE BARELY ESTABLISHMENTS STAYING OPEN.
BUT BACK TO THE GEORGE R. BROWN AND POLK STREET, THERE'LL BE A 30 ACRE GREEN SPACE BEHIND GEORGE BROWN.
YOU OUGHT TO HAVE INPUT AS TO WHAT WE USE THAT SPACE FOR.
BUT THERE WILL BE AN OPENING TO THE EAST OF A GEORGE BROWN ENTRANCE.
IT'S GONNA MAKE DOWNTOWN CONTINUE RIGHT INTO THE EAST END WITH RETAIL, ANOTHER CONVENTION
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HOTEL.WE WERE LOSING GROUND TO DALLAS AND SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN, WHICH IS GONNA PUT US AT THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR PEOPLE WANTING TO COME HERE FOR CONVENTIONS.
I'M SORRY THAT THE POLK STREET WAS NOT BETTER EXPLAINED BY HOUSTON FIRST.
I THINK IT CAUGHT 'EM BY SURPRISE.
BUT TXDOT IN THE CITY SHOULD HAVE SHOWN THE PLANS YEARS AGO BEFORE THEY SIGNED THE AGREEMENT.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PAMPHLETS PUT OUT BY SOLID WASTE IS THE DOS AND DON'TS OF PUTTING OUT YOUR TRASH.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS EXISTS.
A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS DON'T KNOW THIS EXISTS.
THE REASON I BRING THIS UP IS WE'RE TRYING TO, WE LOVE THE FACT OF THE DEPARTMENTS TRYING TO HELP OUR JOBS TO BE EASIER, BUT HELP OUR JOBS TO BE EASIER.
HELP SET EXPECTATIONS WITH RESIDENTS ON WHAT THOSE DOS AND DON'TS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ILLEGAL DUMPING.
OKAY, WHAT, YOU KNOW, NINE CUBIC YARDS.
I DON'T GO OUT AND PUT MY GARBAGE OUT WITH A TAPE MEASURE.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, THAT WHEN I BROUGHT THIS OUT FOUR YEARS AGO, WHEN DESMOND ALLEN BROUGHT IT TO US, PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED IT EXISTED.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING IT UP TODAY.
WE SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED THAT INFORMATION THAT HELPS RESIDENTS EXIST.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT PERFECT, SOLID WASTE HAS A LOT OF WORK TO DO, CERTAINLY IN REGARDS TO ILLEGAL DUMPING.
I'VE DEALT WITH IT AS A STATE SENATOR FOR YEARS.
YOU'VE GOTTA INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.
I THINK THE CITY, ONCE WE HAVE THE RESOURCE, SHOULD COMPENSATE FOLKS OR SUPPLEMENT PEOPLE.
SUBSIDIZE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO TAKE THEIR ILLEGAL DUMPING TO THE LANDFILLS, THE LANDFILL.
WORKING WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO BE REASONABLE.
UH, IF YOU GO LOOK AT SOME OF THE ILLEGAL DUMPING, IT'S THE MATERIALS LEFT OVER FROM A CONSTRUCTION SITE, HOME IMPROVEMENT, THAT'S PROBABLY THE PROFITS IF THEY TAKE IT AND DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.
ALSO, IF YOU GO TO THE DROP OFF FOR SOLID WASTE, THAT CROSS TIMBERS IN NORTH MAIN, VERY, VERY LIMITED HOURS SUNNY SITE, VERY, VERY.
YOU GO THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON, IT'S CLOSE.
WHERE DO YOU FIND THE ILLEGAL DUMPING RIGHT THERE NEAR THAT LOCATION.
SO FOLKS, YOU'RE NOT GONNA FIX PROBLEMS UNLESS YOU ADMIT YOU HAVE ONE.
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE ANOTHER BOLD STATEMENT.
WHEN I GOT TO THE CITY, MOST DEPARTMENTS, MOST PROJECTS WERE BEING RUN ON SPIN.
YOU KNOW, ONE SAFE HOUSTON, WE KNEW WE HAD PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS.
WHAT WE'VE GOTTA DO IS BE HONEST WITH THE PUBLIC, THE FOLKS YOU TALK TO AND REPRESENT AND SAY, THESE ARE THE FACTS.
AND THEN WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT? AND Y'ALL CAN OFFER SOLUTIONS TO ME ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.
OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOTTA HAVE RESOURCES.
AND I DIDN'T SPEND PROBABLY ENOUGH TIME TALKING ABOUT THE CITY FINANCES AND OUR EFFICIENCY STUDIES.
WE'RE FIXING TO SAVE OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS AND IT SHOULD NOT IMPACT SERVICES BECAUSE OF THE FINE WORK OF THE DIRECTORS.
STREAMLINING, A LOT OF IT INVOLVES PEOPLE RETIRING AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO KEEP WORKING TILL WE GET TO THE LEVEL OF SERVICES THAT WE DESERVE.
I DON'T MIND ASKING PEOPLE FOR MORE RESOURCES.
WITH MY LONGEVITY IN LEGISLATURE, I VOTED FOR MORE TAX INCREASES THAN PROBABLY ANYONE ALIVE.
BUT YOU GOTTA DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.
YOU GOTTA USE IT FOR WHAT YOU ASKED FOR IT FOR.
YOU GOTTA BE TRANSPARENT, BE HONEST WITH PEOPLE, I NEED THIS, THIS, AND THEN LET 'EM SEE THE RESULTS.
I'VE VOTED FOR TAXES FOR EDUCATION, HIGHWAYS, PRISONS.
THE PUBLIC IS WAY SMARTER THAN A LOT OF THE POLITICIANS GIVE 'EM CREDIT, BUT I DON'T THINK I COULD GO AS SOON AS I GOT THERE AND ASK FOR TAX INCREASES.
WHEN FOLKS ARE SEEING PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES INDICTED FOR HANDING OUT THREE AND $4 MILLION CONTRACTS TO PEOPLE THAT BUSINESSES THAT DIDN'T EXIST.
AND THEN I'VE GOTTA BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THE COUNTY'S DOING.
YOU KNOW, DEBRIS PICKUP, I DIDN'T RAISE YOUR PROPERTY TAXES.
THEY'VE HAD FLOOD CONTROL BONDS, TWO AND A HALF BILLION THAT NOW THEY SAY
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NEED MORE.THEY'VE GOT HUGE RESPONSIBILITIES.
I CAN'T BE ASKING FOR MORE MONEY IN THE ENVIRONMENT OF HISD ASKING FOR 4 BILLION LARGEST EVER.
SO I'VE GOTTA BE SMART, PRACTICAL AND DO IT WHEN I THINK I CAN LOOK AT YOU WITH A STRAIGHT FACE AND SAY, I'VE DONE EVERYTHING I CAN.
NOW, IF WE WANT A SAFER HOUSTON AND WE WANT TO FIX THESE, WE WE WASTE MORE WATER IN A DAY THROUGH BROKEN WATER MAINS THAN FORT WORTH USES IN A YEAR.
DID YOU HEAR THAT ONE? WE WASTE MORE WATER WITH BROKEN WATER MAINS THAN FORT WORTH USES IN A YEAR.
WE CAN'T HAVE A BOND ISSUE THIS YEAR, BUT I WON'T HESITATE A YEAR FROM NOVEMBER DOING A MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE BOND ISSUE.
WE'RE WORKING WITH METRO TO START, AND IT'S AMAZING.
UH, MS. FAIRCHILD
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN AND, AND WE, WE NEED TO COVER THIS CITY AND REPAIR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE RINGS.
MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND UH, THANK YOU TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE FOR PUTTING THIS IN PERSON MEETING TOGETHER.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK, UM, IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO ADDRESS SPEEDING AND KIND OF RECKLESS DRIVING IN THE CITY.
I KNOW THAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND OUR OFFICERS ARE, ARE STRAPPED.
THEY'RE BUSY RESPONDING TO CALLS ALL OVER THE CITY.
UM, BUT I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING ON HOUSTON ROADS.
I DON'T FEEL SAFE WALKING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
DRIVERS USE STOP SIGNS AS YIELD SIGNS.
NOW, EVERY TIME YOU SEE A RED LIGHT, THERE'S GONNA BE TWO MORE DRIVERS THAT DRIVE THROUGH.
SO CAN YOU COME UP WITH A PLAN? CAN YOU HELP US, YOU KNOW, REDUCE THE CHANGES? OBVIOUSLY I SHARE YOUR CONCERN.
YOU KNOW, I'M A HOUSTONIAN, I'VE GOT GRANDKIDS.
I CARE ABOUT YOUR GRANDKIDS AS MUCH AS MINE.
I WARNED MY TWO GROWN DAUGHTERS DON'T GO THROUGH A GREEN LIGHT BECAUSE IT'S GREEN.
WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH WALTRIP AND U OF H, WE WERE, WE WERE AFRAID TO GET A TICKET.
FIRST OF ALL, WE NEED MORE OFFICERS.
WE GOTTA PRIORITIZE THE OFFICERS.
WE HAVE USE TECHNOLOGY AND WE GOTTA A CHIEF THAT'S DOING IT.
BUT LEMME JUST TELL YOU TALKING ABOUT SPIN.
DID ANYBODY TELL YOU THAT WE STILL HAVE FOUR COURTS BOARDED UP? MUNICIPAL COURTS BOARDED UP FROM HARVEY.
REVENUE FROM OUR COURTS WAS HISTORICALLY OUR SECOND LARGEST REVENUE SOURCE AFTER PROPERTY TAXES.
ITS TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT IN MUNICIPAL COURTS, FOUR COURTS WITH OUR GROWTH AND THE TRAFFIC CONCERNS ARE BOARDED UP.
WE'RE FIXING TO DO A NEW MUNICIPAL COURT BUILDING.
WE HAVE TO, TO MAKE PUBLIC SAFETY THE, THE PRIORITY THAT IT IS, SIR, OBVIOUSLY TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AND, AND CHIEF DIAZ IS WORKING IT.
DURING THE CAMPAIGN, PEOPLE SAID, YOU REALLY THINK YOU'RE GONNA BRING THE DPS TO HOUSTON? I SAID, YEAH, WE NEED THEIR RESOURCES, WE NEED THEIR PERSONNEL, WE NEED THEIR TECHNOLOGY, THEIR FORENSICS, THEIR HELICOPTERS CUT DOWN ON THE DANGEROUS CHASES.
LAST SATURDAY WE HAD 75 DPS OFFICERS WORKING TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT.
BUT I KNOW I'M NOT A PATIENT PERSON MYSELF.
REMEMBER I TOLD YOU I GET, I GOTTA DO A BETTER JOB OF IT.
'CAUSE I LITERALLY WORK AROUND, YOU KNOW, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 18 HOUR DAYS.
BUT I ENJOY IT AND WE'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
BUT PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT IS A KEY COMPONENT, FOLKS.
ALSO THE THE TRAFFIC ITSELF I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'VE BEEN DISCOVERED, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE COME TO HOUSTON EACH DAY? WE WOKE UP THIS MORNING WITH 2.3 MILLION HOUSTONIANS, 2.3 MILLION HOUSTONIANS EACH DAY.
700,000 PEOPLE ARE COMING TO HOUSTON TO WORK AND GO TO THEIR MATTERS.
THE DOCTOR AND THE MED CENTER THAT IS THE SIZE OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, THE SIZE OF ATLANTA JOINS US EACH DAY.
THAT'S WHY WE'VE GOT TO HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY, MORE POLICE OFFICERS, MORE FIRE, MORE EMS BECAUSE WHILE THEY'RE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THEY HAVE AN EMERGENCY, THEY DEPEND ON US.
SO ANYWAY, PUBLIC SAFETY, IF WE DON'T FIX THAT, IMPROVE IT, IT'LL NEVER BE FIXED.
BUT IF WE DON'T IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.
MY NAME IS BEVERLY NORSWORTHY.
AJ, I AM A MEMBER OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 68 AND
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OST SOUTH UNION.THANKS FOR THE JOB THAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH REFERENCE TO OUR WATER BILLS.
I HAVE A, SINCE WE ARE HAVING FINANCIAL PROBLEMS, WHY CAN'T WE DO CONTINGENCY PLANNING? SINCE WE KNOW THE STORMS ARE COMING, START VETTING RIGHT NOW.
ELECTRICIANS, AIR CONDITIONING PEOPLE, MUD OUT PEOPLE, ROOFERS, WE CAN ALREADY HAVE THEM VETTED.
SO WHEN A STORM COMES, ALL WE NEED TO DO IS PUT THESE PEOPLE TO WORK BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY OF US THAT HAVE BEEN DUBBED OR DUPED, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SAY BY THOSE WHO ARE NOT AND COME AROUND TRYING TO DO STUFF WHEN WE HAVE A STORM AND ARE ALSO A U OF H LIFE MEMBER.
AND, AND THANK YOU TO TALK ABOUT PREPARATION.
IS ANGELA BLANCHARD STILL IN THE ROOM? ANGELA'S INVOLVED WITH OUR RESILIENCY AND RECOVERY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SHE'S GONNA ROLL OUT NOT THIS WEEK, NEXT WEEK.
DO YOU KNOW WE HAVE FIRE STATIONS, OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS, WHICH WE USE FOR COOLING AND HEATING CENTERS.
AND A COUPLE YEARS AGO ABOUT CASHMERE BEING THE FIRST HUB.
DO YOU KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE ANY RELIABLE POWER? SO WE'RE PUTTING A GENERATOR IN CASHMERE HUB NOW, AND WE WILL SHOW IN ABOUT WEEK AFTER NEXT A HUNDRED STRATEGIC CITY LOCATIONS THAT WILL HAVE A GENERATOR, A HUNDRED OF THEM.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
SO DURING BARREL, I GUESS OUR FIRE CHIEF, PREVIOUS FIRE CHIEF CAME IN AND SAID, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW WE HAVE 10 FIRE STATIONS OUT OF OPERATION BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE POWER.
WHAT ABOUT THE GENERATORS? NO, WE DON'T HAVE GENERATORS.
CAN YOU IMAGINE THIS CITY FIRE STATIONS AND POLICE STATIONS WITHOUT A GENERATOR IS FIXING TO COME TO A SCREECHING HALL BARK.
DIDN'T HAVE A GENERATOR THAT WORKED.
THEY HAD ONE, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK.
SO WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, AND I HOPE YOU'LL UNDERSTAND YEARS OF NEGLECT, THE REVENUE CAP CERTAINLY PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE, LOSS OF REVENUE, BUT A LOT OF IT WAS JUST KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
I ONLY RAN FOR ONE REASON TO FIX THINGS.
I'VE HAD A GOOD POLITICAL PUBLIC SERVICE CAREER, SO I CAME HOME TO FIX THINGS.
WE GOT A GREAT TEAM AND IT'S JUST GONNA TAKE TIME.
AND THEN I GOT A COUPLE OF FOLKS ANKLE BITERS THAT ARE JUST ALWAYS
ALRIGHT, OUR LAST WRITTEN QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH DID IT COST FOR THE HAWK SIGNAL AT NICHOLSON AND 11TH, AND WHY IS IT BEING INSTALLED? WHEN THE CURRENT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ISLAND AND MEDIANS HAD WORKED PERFECTLY SINCE THEY WERE INSTALLED, FIRST OF ALL, MORE MISINFORMATION.
THE ORIGINAL PLAN BY THE CITY ANTICIPATED A HAWK PLAN THERE.
IT'S THE NICHOLSON TRAIL, ONE OF THE BEST BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN PATHS IN THE CITY.
AND WE NEEDED A PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK THAT WAS SAFE THERE.
I'M SORRY THAT PEOPLE HAVE A POLITICAL AGENDA OR A SPECIAL INTEREST AGENDA TO MISREPRESENT THINGS.
WHY WOULD ANYBODY BE OPPOSED TO AN ADDITIONAL SAFETY CROSSING? AND RANDY, IF YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THE COST, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU PUT A, A VALUE ON SOMEONE'S LIFE.
YEAH, THE, THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN COST ALTOGETHER IS JUST UNDER 250,000.
UM, UH, LAST YEAR IS REPORTED THAT MORE HOUSTONIANS ARE CURRENTLY DYING FROM CAR CRASHES THAN FROM HOMICIDE.
AND SO I'M WONDERING WHY THE PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND OUR CITY IS BEING RIPPED OUT FROM WHETHER IT'S MONTROSE BOULEVARD OR AUSTIN OR HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
UM, THESE PROJECTS WERE FULLY FUNDED AND COMPLETED, UM, IN SOME CASES FUNDED BY EXTERNAL PARTIES LIKE THE COUNTY.
UM, AND I'M WONDERING WHERE THE PUBLIC PROCESS WAS BEFORE THIS WAS RIPPED OUT, AS WELL AS THE METRO UNIVERSITY LINE THAT HAD OVER A DECADE OF PUBLIC INPUT, IT WAS VOTED ON, ON A BALLOT AND THERE WAS A COUPLE WEEKS NOTICE TO, TO SCRAP THAT PLAN.
SO I'M CURIOUS THE PUBLIC PROCESS.
FIRST OF ALL, NEARLY EACH DECISION THAT YOU MENTIONED HAS BEEN IN CONSULTATION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
CERTAINLY THE DISPUTE AT MONTROSE WAS, DO YOU NARROW THE LANES ON OUR MAJOR THOROUGHFARE TO THE MED CENTER? THE NEIGHBORHOOD MAJORITY SAID NO.
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DO YOU NARROW THE STREETS? DO YOU REDUCE 50 TREES ALONG MONTROSE WHEN THERE'S A BETTER ALTERNATIVE PLAN, WHICH I LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC AND THE NEW TURS, WHICH REFLECTS THE NEIGHBORHOOD.UH, MOST OF THE MOBILITY ISSUES YOU MENTIONED ARE FOR GENERAL MOBILITY.
YOU KNOW, I DID COMPROMISE ON DURHAM AND NORTH SHEPHERD, THE REDUCTION OF A LANE.
NOW YOU DO KNOW, AND I DON'T KNOW, HOW LONG ARE YOU A HOUSTONIAN BY LONGEVITY? GREAT.
THEN YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
DERHAM SHEPHERD, TAKE CARE OF GARDEN OAKS, OAK FOREST ACRES, HOME INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS, ALDEN, AND USE THAT AS REALLY AN ESCAPE ROUTE.
SO I DIDN'T MIND ACTUALLY, I I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE MOBILITY WITH THE TREMENDOUS GROWTH.
THEY'RE BUILDING MID RISES ON EVERY CORNER.
THE REDUCTION IN MOBILITY LANES, GENERAL MOBILITY FOR PEOPLE TO GO TO WORK AND SCHOOL WAS A CONCERN OF MINE.
BUT THEN WHEN YOU WANT TO NARROW THOSE STREETS, I THINK YOU HAVE A SECURITY AND SAFETY CONCERN.
THE UNIVERSITY LINE WAS NOT GONNA HAVE THE RIDERSHIP THAT WOULD GET THE FEDERAL FUNDING.
IT ALMOST GOES BACK TO THAT SPIN THAT I KEEP MENTIONING.
IT WAS SPUN REAL WELL AND METRO AND ITS SUPPORTERS, NOT YOU, BUT THE SPECIAL INTEREST THAT WE'RE GONNA MAKE.
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS WANTED TO BUILD IT.
AND YOU DO KNOW THE RAPID TRANSIT LINE ON POST OAK HAS NO RIDERSHIP.
SO I JUST WANT TO ASSURE YOU, I DON'T MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
I HAVE A PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, I HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS, I HAVE THE COMMUNITY, AND I'M DOING EVERYTHING I CAN.
YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND, I DIDN'T JUST GET HERE.
I'VE BEEN A STATE REP AND A SENATOR FOR 50 YEARS ACROSS THIS CITY.
I WAS HERE WHEN METRO WAS FORMED AND METRO, KIND OF IN MY JUDGMENT, HAVING BEEN A PUBLIC OFFICIAL HERE FOR 50 YEARS, GOT AWAY FROM ITS PRIMARY PURPOSE OF RUNNING THE BEST BUS SYSTEM AND THEN RAIL THAT WE CAN DO.
I WOULD BE MUCH MORE EXCITED IF YOU WOULD BE TALKING TO ME ABOUT HOW DO WE MAKE THE RAIL SYSTEM MORE BENEFICIAL.
NOT MANY FOLKS ARE GONNA GET OFF IT NEAR NORTHLINE.
IN ALL DUE RESPECT, I I REPRESENT NORTHLINE FOR YEARS.
WHY DON'T WE TALK ABOUT A RAIL LINE THAT'LL GO TO THE AIRPORT AND GET SOMETHING AND, AND START WORKING IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR SOME REAL INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY FOR A RAIL SYSTEM THAT USES PEOPLE.
I LOOK AT THE RIDERSHIP OF STREET TRANSFORMATION.
I CAN'T FIND TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT, AND EXCEPT THE PEOPLE MAKING THE MONEY OFF THE CONCRETE THAT BELIEVE YOU NEED A 12 FOOT SIDEWALK.
WHEN I'VE GOT DENVER HARBOR WANTING THEIR FIRST SIDEWALK, FIRST SIDEWALK, THEY'LL BE, THEY'D BE EXCITED TO HAVE A THREE FOOT SIDEWALK, BUT ADVOCATES WANT 12 FOOT SIDEWALKS.
AND YOU GO A BLOCK OVER FROM SHEPHERD TO DURHAM, ANOTHER 12 FOOT SIDEWALK, AND THEN I GO DOWN TO SHADY ACRES, NOTHING ON THE SHOULDERS FOR 19TH AND 20TH PARKING.
SO LEMME JUST ASSURE YOU, I LISTEN TO PEOPLE, I'LL CONTINUE LISTENING TO PEOPLE AND USE EXPERIENCE AND COMMON SENSE, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR POINT OF VIEW.
UM, I TAKE THE BUS A LOT AND I KNOW THE BUS RAPID TRANSIT FOR KATIE AND THE UNIVERSITY CORRIDOR WE'RE CANCELED, BUT THE GULFTON ONE IS STILL OUTGOING.
AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR WHEN THOSE ENGINEERING DESIGNS WILL BE RELEASED? YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING WITH COMMISSIONER BRIANIS, UH, AND OBVIOUSLY METRO, THE CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS A NEW ADMINISTRATION.
WE'VE GOT PLANS PRETTY MUCH READY TO ROLL AND A COMMITMENT TO TRANSFORM THE GOFTON AREA.
BUT RIGHT NOW OUR FEDERAL FUNDING IS REALLY IN JEOPARDY.
SO ALL I'M JUST LET YOU KNOW, WE'RE MONITORING IT VERY CAREFULLY.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST DIGRESS FOR A MOMENT.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS IMPACTING EVERYTHING WE TALK ABOUT AND DO.
AND, AND IT INVOLVES GOFTON IN TERMS OF HEALTHCARE, YOU KNOW, THE LEGACY CLINIC RIGHT THERE AT STARLIGHT IN, IN, UH, HILLCROFT, YOU KNOW, THEY, AS A, THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HOW WE'RE REDOING SOME THINGS.
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LEGACY CLINIC THERE SEES 300 PREGNANT WOMEN A DAY, AND METRO HAD DONE AWAY WITH THE BUS STOP IN FRONT OF THE CLINIC FOR THE BIKE LANES IN THE NARROWING OF THE STREETS.SO WE DO GO AROUND TOWN TRYING TO USE MORE PRACTICAL, SAFER WAYS OF DOING BUSINESS.
THE HOUSTON AVENUE, UH, TRANSFORMATION, UH, IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST THINGS WE'VE DONE FOR SAFETY AND MOBILITY.
BUT ANYWAY, BACK TO YOUR ANSWER.
WE'RE, WE'RE FOCUSING ON TON AND, AND, UH, LET ME JUST GIVE COMMISSIONER BRIANNA A REAL SHOUT OUT.
SHE'S DOING EVERYTHING SHE CAN TO COLLABORATE AND GET THAT DONE.
HELLO, RANDY BAXLEY, I HAVE A, UH, MEMO HERE FROM SOLID WASTE.
YOU, YOU WANNA SEE, OR YOU CAN NO, I THINK IT WORK.
UM, AND IT SAYS THAT, UH, IT'S MARCH 8TH, 2025, AND IT SAYS THAT ON MARCH THE NINTH, THEY'RE GONNA START HAVING NEW EXTENDED HOURS AT THE REPOSITORIES FOR HEAVY TRASH.
IT SAYS THAT ON MARCH THE 10TH, THEY'RE GOING TO DISCONTINUE HEAVY TRASH JUNK WASTE PICKUP.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE'VE GOT A NEW DIRECTOR SINCE THAT WENT OUT.
YOU WANT, UH, OUR NEW DIRECTOR, UH, IS OUT THERE SHAKING THINGS UP.
I'LL LET HIM, UH, WELCOME HIM TO THE TEAM.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I AM LARRY ASSASSIN, INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT.
UH, THAT MEMO DISREGARD SIR
CAN WE GET ANOTHER ABSOLUTELY.
WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY GET YOU A NEW MEMO.
UH, WE'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO COME UP WITH MORE INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE WAYS TO DO THINGS.
UH, EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE PAST, WE JUST ASK THE THE CITIZENS TO BE PATIENT WITH US.
WE'RE GOING THROUGH A CHANGE IN PERSONNEL AND STAFF, AND WE'RE LOOKING ON WAYS HOW WE CAN BETTER BENEFIT THE CITIZENS OVERALL.
SO JUST PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH US.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, AND, UM, GLAD TO BE HERE WITH YOU TONIGHT.
UH, MY QUE OH, WELL, NOT REALLY A QUESTION, BUT I, I HAVE, UM, LIKE A, A SUGGESTION, LET'S SAY, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, I SPOKE TO YOU EARLIER AND NOW IT JUST CLICKED
IS A PUBLIC SERVANT IN HIS RETIREMENT.
HE LIVES IN THE WELL FORT BEND PART OF HOUSTON.
AND YOU THINK SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NEGLECTED? YOU OUGHT TO BE IN FORT BEND.
AND BE A PART OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU NEED 9 1 1.
THE, THE DISPATCHER WILL SAY, BUT SIR, YOU'RE IN FORT BEND AND HE HAS TO SAY NO, BUT I'M IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, SO WE'RE WORKING ON YOUR COVERAGE, BUT IT'S, IT'S, YOU'VE BEEN ABUSED FOR YEARS.
I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION? INTERRUPT.
I WAS SO, I WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU.
YOU GET SURPRISED FOR COMING THE FURTHEST.
LET'S SAY, UH, WOULD YOU BE FOR OR AGAINST AN ORDINANCE THAT, UM, THE, THE SITUATION IS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I SEE IT ALL THE TIME WHERE YOU HAVE THE AIRBNBS, THE HALFWAY HOUSES, THE GROUP HOMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THOSE THINGS COME TO OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS AND SOME OTHER MIDDLE CLASS NEIGHBORHOODS THAT, UM, WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.
THE STATE LAW MAKES YOU DEAL WITH THESE THINGS, RIGHT? WELL, THESE FACILITIES ARE BUSINESSES REALLY.
AND THE THING IS, MAYOR, THAT THEY GENERATE A WHOLE LOT MORE TRASH THAN JUST AN AVERAGE HOMEOWNER.
SO WHY IS IT THAT THE CITY DOES NOT, UH, DEAL WITH THESE PEOPLE AS BUSINESS OWNERS AND NOT JUST REGULAR HOMEOWNERS.
THESE PEOPLE PUT OUT SIX OR SEVEN MATTRESSES, ALL KIND OF FURNITURE AND ALL KIND OF THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEN WE STUCK WITH ALL OF THAT SITTING FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS OR MONTHS AND MONTHS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR, HE'S LOOKING AT THINGS SAYING, HEY MAN, WE CAN'T KEEP GETTING ALL THIS TONNAGE AND STUFF.
BUT IF WE STARTED TREATING THOSE PARTICULAR BUSINESS OWNERS JUST LIKE WE DO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M OVER OUR, UH, UH, I ASSUME YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RENTERS RENTAL, RENTAL PROPERTY.
YEAH, I'LL CERTAINLY LOOK AT IT AND I'LL GET WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER.
DO YOU HAVE ANY THANK YOU CLOSING REMARKS IF YOU, I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THIS AGAIN SOON.
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COMING.SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND RETURN BACK TO THE NORMAL ORDER OF BUSINESS.
UM, IF YOU DIDN'T SIGN IN WHEN YOU FIRST CAME IN, MAKE SURE YOU DO SIGN THE, UH, SHEETS OVER THERE SO THAT WE KNOW WHO WAS HERE AND WHO WASN'T HERE.
UM, FIRST ITEM ON THE, UH, ON THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MARCH MINUTES.
I CAN TELL YOU THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, NUMBER OF, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL REPS THAT WERE IN ATTENDANCE.
UM, THERE WERE 29 SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL REPS IN ATTENDANCE.
THERE WERE 32 SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS IN TOTAL, WHICH THE DIFFERENCE IS THERE'S A COUPLE OF, UH, UH, THREE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS THAT REPRESENT TWO SEPARATE, BUT COMBINED SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, IN ONE COUNCIL.
SO THAT'S THE REASON, AND WE WILL UPDATE THE MINUTES TO REFLECT THE, THOSE, UH, UH, INCREMENTAL CHANGES.
UH, THE REST OF THE, THE MINUTES WITH ALL THE OTHER CHANGES THAT WERE SUBMITTED THAT WAS SENT OUT, UH, TO THE MEMBERSHIP.
AND, UH, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MARCH MEETING? YES.
AND SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ALL, ANY ABSTENTIONS, THE CHAIR MOVES THAT THE AMENDMENT, THE, UH, MINUTES ARE APPROVED AS AMENDED.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS FROM MS. VICKY AND EVERYONE WAS SENT OUT A MULTI A FIVE PAGE DOCUMENT ON METAL FENCING ORDINANCE.
TONIGHT WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE RECEIVE AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SUGGESTED CHANGES BY MS. VICKI.
AND, UH, NEXT MONTH IT'LL BE ON THE AGENDA.
WE'LL BE WORKING ON COMING UP WITH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE, UH, VOICE ON WHAT WE WANNA DO ON AMENDING THE CODE OF CITY ORDINANCE, THE CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES IN REGARDS TO THESE METAL FENCES.
SO PLEASE DO TAKE TIME TO READ THE FIVE PAGE DOCUMENT, AND THEN NEXT MONTH WE WILL VOTE ON OUR, UH, OUR VOICE AND PRESENT THAT TO CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR.
I WAS UNDER AN IMPRESSION THAT THE MAYOR AND THE DEPARTMENT SAYS WOULD BE HERE FOR THIS PRESENTATION BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS.
SO BASICALLY WE ARE THE LARGEST CITY IN THE, IN THE TEXAS, AND WE HAVE A SHEET METAL FENCING ORDINANCE ACROSS THE CITY IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT ARE NOT PROTECTED BY DE RESTRICTIONS OR HOAS.
SO WHAT WE HAVE IS WE HAVE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE UNPROTECTED, WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING IN AND THEY ARE PURCHASING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, SOME COMMERCIAL, AND THEY'RE ERECTING SHEET METAL FENCING.
WHAT IS SHEET METAL FENCING? I WOULD DESCRIBE WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE METAL CORRUGATED METAL THAT PEOPLE PLACE ON CARPORTS CORRUGATED METAL THAT PEOPLE USE FOR ROOFING.
THIS MATERIAL IS TYPICALLY SOLD IN THE ROOFING MATERIAL DEPARTMENTS AND NOW METAL FENCING.
SO WHEN WE HAD THE EVENT OF BURROW, UH, UH, FOLLOWING THE RETRO, WE DISCOVERED THAT THOSE FENCE WERE NOT MAINTAINED WELL.
THEY WERE WEAKENED BY THE ELEMENTS AND VEGETATION BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT MAINTAINED, THEY'RE NOT DESIGNED FOR THAT.
SO BASICALLY THEY TOOK FLIGHT, THEY TOOK FLIGHT, THEY HARMED PEOPLE, THEY HARMED, UH, PROPERTY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WHAT HAVE WE DECIDED TO DO? WE DRAFTED A LETTER BECAUSE UPON TALKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS, THROUGH OUR COUNCIL PERSON'S OFFICE, WE FOUND OUT THAT THEIR DEFINITION IS THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO DESIGN FOR METAL, UH, FENCE ORDINANCE.
SO WE ARE LIKE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? THEY SAY, WELL, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR FENCE OUTTA ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT.
BUT WHEN YOU READ THE FENCE ORDINANCE, IT SAYS FENCE ARE CONSTRUCTED OF TYPICAL FENCE MATERIAL.
IE CHAIN WOOD, PVC AND ORGAN ORNAMENTAL METAL.
IT DOES NOT SAY SHEET METAL FENCING.
SO WHAT HAPPENS DALLAS, CLOSE TO US AND GALVESTON, THEY DO NOT, THEY RESTRICT AND PROHIBIT ROOFING MATERIAL TO BE USED AS FENCING MATERIAL.
[01:00:01]
HAVE PRIVACY AROUND YOUR PROPERTY, YOU PLACE A CHAIN LINK, A WOOD, OR A PVC OR A BRICK MORTAR, YOU PUT THAT KIND OF FENCE AROUND YOUR PROPERTY.WHAT WE ARE TYPICALLY FINDING WITH SHEET METAL OR PEOPLE ARE DOING VIOLATIONS THAT THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO SEE.
SO THEY'RE NOT TAKING THE POSITION OF PRIVACY, THEY'RE TAKING THE POSITION OF, WE DO NOT WANT YOU TO SEE WHAT WE ARE DOING.
AND TYPICALLY THEY HAVE RVS, MOBILE HOMES, SOME SEX TRAFFICKING THINGS THAT YOU ARE NOT, YOU ARE CONDITION IN SENSITIZED WHEN YOU ARE PASSING BY.
HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM, BUT WE HAVE A SOLVABLE PROBLEM.
WHAT, WHAT IS OUR ASK? OUR ASK IS TO CLEARLY DEFINE WHAT MATERIALS SHOULD BE USED FOR SHEEP FOR FENCING.
AND THE SECOND ASK WOULD BE ENFORCEMENT.
I TALKED TO AN INSPECTOR IN MY AREA AND HE SAID, I'M JUST GONNA BE CANDID WITH YOU.
WE WERE TOLD NOT TO ENFORCE THAT IN THIS AREA.
I APPRECIATED HIS TRANSPARENCY.
SO IN CLOSING, I THINK I HAVE MORE A FEW MORE MINUTES.
SO I PIGGYBACKED THAT WITH, UH, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE THE CHIEF OF POLICE IN HERE ANYMORE.
SO
I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT BRINGING BACK THE LITTERING CAMPAIGN BY RUNNING SOME PSAS BECAUSE IN THE SEVENTIES AND THE EIGHTIES, HOUSTON DID NOT TOLERATE LITTERING.
THEY HAD CAMPAIGNS LIKE THE LITTER BUG KEEP HOUSTON BEAUTIFUL, AND JUST THINGS ABOUT NOT LITTERING, BECAUSE WHAT IS LITTERING LEADING TO ILLEGAL DUMPING? SO LITTERING IS DEEMED AS A GATEWAY TO ILLEGAL DUMPING.
AND IF THE CITY WANTS TO SAVE SOME MONEY AND CREATE A REVENUE, START ALLOWING THE POLICE MAKE IT A MANDATE WHEN THEY'RE SITTING IN TRAFFIC AT THESE INTERSECTIONS AND THEY SEE PEOPLE ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN AND TOSS OUT THE ARIZONA CAN OR THE COFFEE CUP THAT JUST COULD NOT STAND TO BE IN THE VEHICLE ANY LONGER, THAT THEY WOULD GET A TICKET AND THEN IT WOULD TAKE OFF.
AND THEN THE IMPRESSION WOULD BE IF YOU LITTER IN HOUSTON, YOU WILL BE TICKETED.
AND IF YOU WANNA GO A STEP FURTHER, YOU CAN TIE IT IN TO YOUR, UH, INSPECTIONS AND YOUR, UH, VEHICLE REGISTRATION.
SO IF THEY DO NOT PAY THE TICKET, NOW YOU HAVE SOME PARAMETERS IN, IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
AND I HOPE THAT DID NOT FALL ON DEAF EARS.
NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS OUR CONDOLENCES.
MR. AND, AND IF IT'S OKAY, KEN, I DON'T KNOW IF Y ALL DID BEF Y'ALL PAUSED.
UH, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES.
I DO HAVE SOME TIME LEFT, BUT TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND SILENCE FOR MR. ABDO COLEMAN.
HE WAS CITY HOUSTON'S FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE POLICE, AND HE WAS A MENTOR TO ME AS WELL AS LIKE A UNCLE THAT YOU CHOSE.
HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 49 50 EAST HOUSTON SET OF GAS.
SO WE CAN JUST PAUSE FOR A FEW MINUTES.
AND SO AT THIS POINT, UH, AND ON THE AGENDA WE HAVE THE OPEN FORUM, UM, FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE VARIOUS SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN HEAR 'EM, JUST COME ON UP HERE TO USE THIS MICROPHONE.
UH, COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANTED TO MENTION.
UH, IF YOU REMEMBER FROM OUR FEBRUARY MEETING, I TALKED ABOUT IN MY LITTLE BIOGRAPHY THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO WAS TO RESTART THE COMMITTEES OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE AND TO, UM, MIRROR THOSE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, COMMITTEES.
AND WHERE'S MY LITTLE SHEET? I HAVE SO MANY LITTLE PIECES OF PAPER HERE.
UH, SO THOSE, THERE ARE 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
MS. COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DAVIS TOLD ME 12.
AND THERE ARE 12 ON HERE AT LUNCHTIME TODAY.
SO THERE ARE 12 COUNTY, UH, 12 CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES, ARTS AND CULTURE, BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ETHICS AND GOVERNANCE, GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY, LABOR PROPOSITION, A PUBLIC SAFETY, QUALITY OF LIFE, RESILIENCE AND SERVICE DELIVERY.
NOW, NOT EVERY ONE OF THESE IS, UH, MAY NEED US TO MONITOR IT, BUT I, NEXT MONTH WE ARE
[01:05:01]
GONNA TALK ABOUT THE COMMITTEES.IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON ANY OF THOSE COMMITTEES, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO THE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR THE SNAS ACO H@GMAIL.COM.
UM, BUT WE, UH, WE WANNA GET THIS STARTED.
SO IF YOU HAVE INTERESTED IN THAT, UH, JUST SEND US AN EMAIL WHICH, UH, COMMITTEE YOU'D LIKE TO BE ON, AND YOU CAN JUST, IF YOU WANNA FIND OUT WHICH COUNCIL COMMITTEES, WHAT THEY DO, JUST TYPE IN JUST SEARCH FOR HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES AND IT'LL FIND IT FOR YOU REAL QUICKLY.
UM, AND AS I SAID, UH, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND WITH THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO RESTART THE QUARTERLY, UH, MEETINGS, UH, WITH THOSE DIRECTORS OR THEIR CHIEF OF STAFFS.
UH, AND SO IF WE, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM ANY OF THE VISITING ORGANIZATIONS? METRO, UH, COME ON DOWN.
MY NAME IS MARGARET DUNLAP AND I'M A SENIOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS REPRESENTATIVE FOR METRO.
I APPRECIATED THE, UH, QUESTIONS Y'ALL HAD TONIGHT.
I ALSO TOOK DOWN SOME INFORMATION, SO PERHAPS, UH, THIS WILL ALSO BE TAKEN BACK BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE JOB THAT I DO.
UM, I'VE BEEN WITH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE SINCE 2011 WHEN I CAME TO WORK AS A PUBLIC AFFAIRS REPRESENTATIVE.
NOT THAT I WASN'T AWARE OF ALL THAT WAS ALREADY GOING ON.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TONIGHT TALK A LITTLE BIT, JUST A QUICK, AND THIS IS SOMETHING OF INTEREST.
I HAVE INFORMATION WITH ME, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE LAUNCHED THE, THE 500 LINE CALLED THE IAH DOWNTOWN AIRPORT DIRECT.
AS OF THIS WEEKEND, SUNDAY, WE HAVE LAUNCHED THE FIRST NONSTOP SERVICE TO GEORGE BUSH FROM THE GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER.
IT'S FOUR 50, YOU GO DIRECTLY, YOU DON'T MAKE STOPS, AND IT'LL DROP YOU OFF AT TERMINAL C.
AND THEN IF YOU'RE COMING BACK, YOU CAN PICK IT UP ALSO AT TERMINAL C FOR FOUR 50.
I HAVE BROUGHT THIS, UM, UH, ALL THE, UH, OH, BY THE WAY, IT'S, IT STARTS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FROM 5:00 AM TO 8:00 PM IN THE EVENING.
SO IF ANY OF YOU'RE INTERESTED, I PUT SOME INFORMATION AT THE TABLE, BUT IF YOU NEED TO ASK FURTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HERE TO ANSWER THEM.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
YOU, WHO WAS THE, UH, OH, THERE YOU'RE
UH, JUST WANTED TO, UH, SAY THAT ON BEHALF OF MAYOR TEM, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM, SHE'S COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT K.
I AM HER CHIEF OF STAFF DEI CHAVIS.
AND WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND ESPECIALLY THOSE, UM, FROM DISTRICT K.
I KNOW WE HAVE WESTBURY, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD HERE.
UM, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, 32 HERE, CHARLOTTE RUN, AND ALSO MR. RAINWATER SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 41 AND FORT BEND, HOUSTON, STEPHEN, UH, PAUL CHECK FOR, UH, WITH OUR SOUTHWEST TRAILS AND SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 38.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR TAKING THE TIME AND WE APPRECIATE THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE FOR COORDINATING THIS IN PERSON MEETING.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME OR NEED ANYTHING, I'LL BE AVAILABLE, BUT THANKS AGAIN.
I'M WITH THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS.
UM, I JUST WANNA INTRODUCE MYSELF.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND STRATEGY, SO I HANDLE OUR LOCAL ADVOCACY EFFORTS.
UH, I HAVE PLENTY OF BUSINESS CARDS AND THE LEADERSHIP HAS MY INFORMATION AS WELL.
THE CFDH OR THE COALITION WILL BE GOING AROUND WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS, JUST, UH, KIND OF DISMANTLING WHAT HOMELESSNESS IS.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS AND, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF MISINFORMATION.
UH, BUT OF COURSE WE'RE REALLY EXCITED OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH MAYOR WHITMEYER AS WE SAW TODAY.
AND WE HAVE A FEW UPCOMING EVENTS.
UH, ONE THAT I WANTED TO PUT ON YOUR RADAR IS ON MAY 8TH.
IT'S BEING HOSTED BY US AND THIS IS GONNA BE, UH, IT'S TITLED HOW FEDERAL FUNDING ACTUALLY HOMELESSNESS.
THERE'S A LOT OF NEWS COMING OUTTA WASHINGTON.
SO WE WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH AN EVENT WHERE WE CAN KIND OF GO OVER HOW FEDERAL FUNDING IS HELPING OUR REGION AND HOW WE NEED ALL OF YOU TO KIND OF BE PART OF OUR COALITION SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR MORE FUNDING.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS UE AND I HAVE PLENTY OF BUSINESS CARDS.
I'M THE NEW COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR FOR COMMISSIONER, UH, LESLIE BARONESS PRECINCT FOUR.
UH, I'LL BE VERY BRIEF WITH A FEW UPDATES.
[01:10:01]
INVITE YOU OUT TO EARTH DAY TO SATURDAY AT JOHN PAUL'S LANDING.UH, THAT'S FROM 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM SO I WANNA MAKE YOU AWARE OF AN EVICTION RESOURCE CLINIC ON APRIL 26TH AT SPRING BRANCH FAMILY LIBRARY THAT'S IN, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STATE SENATOR MOLLY COOK AND JUST STEVEN BEL.
UH, I WANT TO HAVE A SAVE THE DATE FOR MAY 17TH FROM ONE TO THREE AT WEEKLY COMMUNITY.
SENATOR COMMISSIONER WILL BE DOING A TOWN HALL.
UH, WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR CONCERNS.
UH, THE AREA I SERVE IS MEMORIAL ENERGY CORRIDOR OF SOUTH KATY.
SO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS WILL BE 16, 17, 18.
UH, I DON'T HAVE BUSINESS CARDS YET, SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU MY PHONE NUMBER IF YOU'RE IN THOSE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
AGAIN, IT'S 8 3 2 8 3 7 4 0 2 2.
MY MAMA CALLS ME ON THAT NUMBER, SO IF SHE CAN REACH ME, YOU CAN REACH ME.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL AND THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, UH, ANYTHING ELSE? OTHERWISE, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN? OH, I'M SORRY.
HE JUST, WE JUST TOGETHER FOR LUNCH TODAY.
SO HE JUST FIGURED IT'S ALL THE SAME.
I'M COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS AT LARGE POSITION TWO AND I'M CERTAINLY THANK YOU.
I'M REALLY, UH, HONORED TO BE HERE WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THIS BECAUSE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE DONE, MANY OF YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, UH, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL AND THAT IS WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS BY KIND OF BUFFERING THE, THE IDEA OF MUCH OF WHAT YOU ALL ARE CONCERNED ABOUT.
SO I CREATED THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, UM, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN DOING.
AND WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE THAT'S COMING UP ON THE 21ST.
AND, UH, WE TRY TO COVER OUR CITY ALL AROUND NORTH, SOUTH, EAST AND WEST.
AND IT'S TURNED OUT TO BE PRETTY GOOD.
THAT GIVES ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU IN SUCH A LARGE CITY.
'CAUSE ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS ARE VERY LARGE.
SO WHEN WE DO A TOWN HALL, WE TRY TO COVER A SPAN OF THREE DISTRICTS AT ONE MEETING.
OKAY? SO THE, THE, THE ACTIVITY OF THAT IS BECAUSE MY MINDSET IS WE NEED TO BRING THE COUNCIL TO YOU.
A LOT OF PEOPLE NOT GONNA COME DOWNTOWN.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA SPEND GAS AND PARKING AND GO THROUGH THAT IN ORDER TO, TO SPEAK BY SITTING THREE HOURS FOR ONE MINUTE.
IT'S JUST, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
SO, AND THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT PEOPLE DON'T DO IT AND IT'S NOT THE PROCESS, BUT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR US TO DO THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
SO THAT WAY WE BRING THE DEPARTMENTS TO YOU, WE BRING THE PEOPLE THAT YOU NEED TO ASK TO YOU.
SO, UH, I AM CERTAINLY HONORED TO BE AMONG YOU.
YOU ARE SOME OF THE GREAT PEOPLE.
SOME OF YOU I KNOW, SOME OF YOU I DON'T KNOW, BUT I CERTAINLY WANT TO GET A CHANCE TO KNOW YOU AND, UH, FEEL FREE TO PLEASE CALL AT LARGE TWO OFFICE AND, UH, YOU KNOW HOW TO EMAIL US.
MANY OF YOU GOOD AT DOING THAT.
SO
BUT IT'S GOOD TO BE AMONG YOU ALL AND JUST TO SEE YOU GUYS.
PHILLIP, BEFORE WE ADJOURN? YES, I KNOW EVERYONE HAS SAID THIS, BUT I'D LIKE TO SAY THIS IS AGAIN, WE'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE TODAY FOR COMING OUT TO THIS MEETING.
WE DO UNDERSTAND GETTING DOWNTOWN JUST AFTER RUSH HOUR WAS A CHORE, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP AND SHOWING OUT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO MY NAME IS LETICIA GRANT, I'M THE VICE CHAIR OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE.
SO FROM THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE, WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU AGAIN.
AND WITH THAT, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN ANNOUNCEMENT? OH, CERTAINLY.
I'M LINDSAY P*****K FROM WESTBURY CIVIC CLUB.
WELL, SE WESTBURY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 37 DONALD PERKINS.
NATURE AND WALKING TRAIL IS, UM, WE'RE HAVING THE RIBBON CUTTING ON MAY 17TH AT 10 IN THE MORNING.
WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO COME OUT.
WE'D LIKE TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF DONALD PERKINS WHO WORKED FOR CITY OF HOUSTON, DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THIS, UH, RIBBON CUTTING IS IN HIS HONOR.
SO IT'S AT CHIMNEY ROCK AND WEST BELFORT, UH, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SHOPPING CENTER THAT'S AT THAT CORNER.
I WORK FOR COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER AT LARGE POSITION THREE.
I'M COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR
[01:15:01]
AND SHE'S GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT SEVERAL SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS SINCE I STARTED WORKING FOR HER.SO IF Y'ALL LIKE TO MEET WITH ME SO I CAN COME ATTEND ONE OF YOUR MEETINGS TOO, I'M KIND OF THE EYES AND EARS FOR HER AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO REPORT BACK TO HER WHAT I SEE AND LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING EACH OF Y'ALL.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL THOSE A OPPOSED, WE'RE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH.