[PRESENTATIONS]
[00:00:03]
IF COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER, UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS SHABAZZ FOR A PROCLAMATION TO MRS. IDA B MACKLEMORE ON HER 90TH BIRTHDAY.
CERTAINLY, I ASKED HER FOR SOME ID, BUT SHE DIDN'T GIVE IT TO ME BECAUSE SHE LOOKS, YOU LOOK MARVELOUS.
AND SHE STEPPED UP HERE ON HER OWN, SO I'M VERY, VERY, UM, IMPRESSED.
BUT ANYWAY, WE ARE GONNA, UH, COMMEMORATE YOUR 90TH BIRTHDAY, WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROUDLY JOINS FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN RECOGNIZING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF A BELOVED FIFTH WARD.
NATIVE IDA MAY BRAZOS MACKLEMORE IN ADVANCE OF HER 90TH BIRTHDAY ON MAY 30TH, 2025.
NOW SHE IS FROM FIFTH WARD, BUT SHE MADE IT TO DISTRICT D AND SOUTH UNION AS FAST AS SHE COULD.
WHEREAS BORN TO FRANKIE AND BEATY BRAS AS THE THIRD OF FIVE CHILDREN.
IDA A WAS RAISED IN THE HEART OF HOUSTON'S HISTORIC FIFTH WARD.
I'M ALSO A JACKIE GATES GRADUATE, SO THIS IS, THIS IS MONUMENTAL.
ALRIGHT, JACKIE GATES TOUR, WHEATLEY GRAD AND IS THE PROUD 1952 GRADUATE OF PHYLLIS WHEATLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE, OKAY, I'M GONNA STOP NOW.
THERE'S TOO MUCH CHEERING ON PHYLLIS WHEATLEY.
ALRIGHT, LET'S JUST, LET'S BE REAL.
SHE WENT ON TO MARY JAMES R MACKLEMORE, PROBABLY A THIRD WARD GUY.
AND TOGETHER THEY BUILT A HOME ON NOAH STREET IN SOUTH UNION, WHERE THEY RAISED SIX CHILDREN, INSTILLING IN THEM THE VALUES OF EDUCATION, COMMUNITY AND FAMILY.
AND WHEREAS FROM THOSE SIX CHILDREN CAME, 21 GRANDCHILDREN AND 38 ARE COME, ARE, UH, AND COUNTING GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.
HER LEGACY IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN SERVICE AND FAMILY.
AND HER COMMITMENT EXTENDED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHERE SHE WORKED DILIGENTLY FOR BOTH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND ANIMAL CONTROL BARK ULTIMATELY RETIRING AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE.
SHE CONTINUED SERVING PART-TIME UNTIL 2008.
IDA A ALSO DEDICATED OVER 40 YEARS OF SERVICE TO STAR FURNITURE, AND WHEREAS KNOWN AS THE FAMILY'S ANCHOR IDA, A'S HOME IS THE HEARTBEAT OF FAMILY GATHERINGS, OFFERING WARMTH, GUIDANCE, AND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED HER INFLUENCE IS SO PROFOUND, PROFOUND THAT HER LEGACY LIVES ON THROUGH HER GRANDCHILDREN, INCLUDING THOSE WHO FOLLOWED IN HER CIVIC FOOTSTEPS AS CITY OF HOUSTON EMPLOYEES.
AND WHEREAS ON MAY, 2025, LOVED ONES FROM ACROSS TEXAS AND BEYOND WILL GATHER AT HOUSTON CITY HALL TO JOIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN HONORING IDA MAY FOR HER CONTRIBUTIONS AND HER EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY AS A MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER, GREAT-GRANDMOTHER AND CHERISHED FRIEND TO MANY.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABA AND THERE, AND THERE'S SO MUCH THAT WE COULD CELEBRATE TODAY.
FIRST, YOUR GOOD HEALTH AND YOUNG LOOKS.
YOU'VE IMMEDIATELY, YOU'VE ALREADY BECOME A ROLE MODEL FOR ME BECAUSE IT JUST SHOWS ME I'M 75.
I KNOW I DON'T LOOK AT EITHER, I KNOW, BUT JUST IF I COULD CATCH UP WITH YOU.
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT GONNA WAIT FOR ME, BUT, BUT, BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE IF I COULD VISIT WITH YOU WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED, CERTAINLY WITH YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR WORK IN THE NEXT 15 YEARS THAT I'VE GOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
I SIT HERE AND LEARN FROM YOU, ONE, BECAUSE OF YOUR OUTSTANDING CAREER, YOUR BEAUTIFUL FAMILY.
IT COMES TO MY MIND THAT WE ARE A GREAT CITY, MS. MCLEMORE, BECAUSE OF INDIVIDUALS LIKE YOU THAT HAVE MADE SUCH A CONTRIBUTION.
AND IF WE HAD TIME AND IN THE RIGHT SETTING, YOU COULD TELL US HOW HOUSTON ISN'T ALWAYS, HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN AS GREAT AND INCLUSIVE AND DIVERSE AS IT IS TODAY.
SO I THANK YOU FOR PUTTING UP WITH SOME HEARTACHE, PROBABLY SOME DISCRIMINATION ALONG THE WAY, NOT PROBABLY WE KNOW, BUT REALLY JUST TURNING OUT SO POSITIVE AND SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PERSON.
AND THANK YOU TO YOUR FAMILY FOR ACCOMPANYING YOU.
UH, I I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO KNOW IN YOUR OWN HEART AND MIND THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT THIS YOUNG LADY'S ACCOMPLISHED.
UH, WHERE'D YOU GROW UP? FIFTH, WHAT? FIFTH WARD, AS A RESOLUTION SAYS.
WELL, I KNOW FOR A FACT YOU'VE SEEN A LOT AND QUITE FRANKLY, YOU'VE PROBABLY MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR OUR GENERATION, FUTURE GENERATIONS TO
[00:05:01]
TOLERATE EACH OTHER BETTER.REALIZE WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO.
AND I'M CERTAIN YOUR FAITH HAS HELPED YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 30TH, 2025, IS IDA MAY BRAZOS MCLEMORE DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I, I THINK MS. MACKLEMORE IS SHY.
I DON'T THINK SHE WANTS TO SPEAK, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? SHE HAS THIS FINE JACK GATES GRADUATE OF A SON HERE WHO CAN CERTAINLY COME UP AND JUST, JUST SAY, JUST SAY THANK YOU OR SOMETHING.
THEY ALL WANNA GIVE THEIR AGES, SO POWER TO THEM.
[00:10:44]
NEXT, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.JUST SECOND NEXT, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS FOR A PROCLAMATION TO RECOGNIZE NURSES WEEK AND HONOR THE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF FILIPINO NURSES.
THANK YOU MAYOR PROM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THOSE IN CHAMBERS WATCHING ONLINE.
UH, MR. MAYOR, ALTHOUGH WE HAD, UH, A BRIEF OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE AND CELEBRATE, UM, WITH OUR CONSTITUENCY GROUP, UM, I WANTED TO AMPLIFY BEFORE THIS BODY AND THE CITY, THE CONTRIBUTION OF FILIPINO NURSES, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER IN THIS BODY.
UH, WE ARE NO STRANGERS TO THE IMPACT OF HEALTHCARE AS SEVERAL PROCLAMATIONS CELEBRATING, CELEBRATING, UH, NATIONAL NURSES WEEK HAS COME BEFORE US, BUT THIS ONE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, A LITTLE SPECIAL.
I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF REPRESENTING A LARGE CONTINGENT OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE FILIPINO COUNCIL GENERAL.
AND AFTER A MEETING, COUNCIL GENERAL, WILL YOU JOIN ME, PLEASE? AND AFTER OUR MEETING, WE, WE WALKED OUT IN AGREEMENT THAT WE WANTED TO AMPLIFY, UH, THE VOICES AND THE CONTRIBUTION OF OUR FILIPINO BROTHERS AND SISTERS, UH, IN THE NURSING INDUSTRY.
AND SO, UM, I HAVE A PROCLAMATION, UH, THAT I WANNA READ AND, UH, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE YOU WANT OH, JUST THE PRESIDENT.
OUR PRESIDENTS OF OUR NURSING CHAPTERS, IF YOU CAN JOIN ME AS WELL.
PRIOR TO COMING TO CHAMBERS, WE HAD A CELEBRATION IN THE LEGACY ROOM, AND IT WAS HIGH ENERGY, UM, GREAT CONNECTION, AND DEFINITELY THE START OF, OF A LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIP IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND SO WHERE, WHEREAS FILIPINO NURSES ARE UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO HEALTHCARE, PERFORMING ESSENTIAL MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES WHILE PROMOTING HEALTH AWARENESS.
AND WHEREAS FILIPINO NURSES CONSTITUTE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE NURSING WORKFORCE IN THE UNITED STATES WITH MORE THAN HALF OF FOREIGN EDUCATED NURSES IN TEXAS ALONE COMING FROM THE PHILIPPINES, A PROPORTION HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
WHEREAS FILIPINO NURSES HAVE PLAYED AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE UNITED STATES SINCE WORLD, WORLD WAR, WORLD WARI.
AND WHEREAS FILIPINO NURSES HAVE HISTORICALLY PERFORMED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE US HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY ON THE FRONT LINES DURING TIMES OF CRISIS, SUCH AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WHEN A QUARTER OF ALL NURSES WHO SADLY PASSED AWAY DUE TO COMPLICATIONS FROM COVID-19, WERE FILIPINO.
WHEREAS FILIPINO NURSES HAVE LONG BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR SELFLESS COMPASSION, SACRIFICE, DEDICATION, AND PROFESSIONALISM, MAKING SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO HOUSTON'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM ACROSS VARIOUS MEDICAL FIELDS AND SETTINGS.
AND WHEREAS THE THEME OF THE 2025 NATIONAL NURSES WEEK CARE LEAD, INSPIRE, REPEAT, IS EMBODIED BY FILIPINO NURSES IN THEIR UNWAVERING DEDICATION AND STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO THEIR PATIENTS, TO THEIR TEAMS, TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND THIS OCCASION OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT OF FILIPINO NURSES THAT THEY'VE HAD ON HOUSTON'S RESIDENTS.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMENDS FILIPINO NURSES FOR THEIR SELFLESS CONTRIBUTIONS AND ENCOURAGES ALL HOUSTONIANS TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THEIR SACRIFICES, SERVICE AND IMPORTANCE IN OUR DAILY LIVES HELPING TO MAKE HOUSTON HEALTHY AND WELL.
NOW LET ME PRAC, I'VE BEEN PRACTICING THIS, SO LET ME GET THIS RIGHT.
MR. MAYOR IS GONNA TRY THAT NEXT.
THANK YOU FOR WISHING US ALL A LONG LIFE.
I APPRECIATE THE WISH AND THE RECOGNITION, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS AND CONS GENERALS.
IT WAS GONNA TAKE A POWERFUL GROUP TO FOLLOW
[00:15:03]
MS. MACKLEMORE, BUT YOU'VE NAILED IT.THIS IS, THIS IS A PROPER WAY TO END OUR PUBLIC SESSION SPEAKERS AND PROCLAMATIONS BECAUSE WE ALL RECOGNIZE WE COULDN'T BE THE GREAT CITY WE ARE.
WE COULDN'T BE THE GREAT MEDICAL CENTER THAT WE ARE WITHOUT THE CONTRIBUTION.
SO, WHILE WE RECOGNIZE, AND CERTAINLY COUNCILMAN THOMAS IS REPRESENTING HER DISTRICT IN THE GREATER HOUSTON FILIPINO NURSING, I ALSO MENTIONED EARLIER TODAY, YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO PUBLIC EDUCATION.
WE HAVE AN ACTIVE RECRUITMENT OF FILIPINO TEACHERS TO HISD IN OUR GREATER REGION.
WE NOT ONLY GET YOUR SERVICE, BUT WE GET THE BENEFIT FROM YOUR CULTURE, YOUR FAMILIES, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT GO INTO MAKING HOUSTON A GREAT CITY.
THIS IS A SPECIAL DAY, AND THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 13TH, 2025 IS FILIPINO NURSES DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THEN COUNCIL GENERAL FOR A BRIEF, A FEW REMARKS BEFORE, AND I, A PRESIDENT'S AS WELL.
UM, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, THOMAS, AND OF COURSE MAYOR WHITMEYER.
I'M EXTREMELY PRIVILEGED TO BE REPRESENTING MY GOVERNMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES, UH, FOR THE GREAT HONOR THAT YOU ARE BESTOWING UPON THE FILIPINO NURSES TODAY, AND THAT THERE'S EXTREME ELATION AMONG OUR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND DEFINITELY, UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO STRENGTHENING OUR COOPERATION WITH YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER.
AND OF COURSE, FOR OTHER CO COUNCIL MEMBERS SEATED HERE.
UH, THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IS A VERY PROUD COMMUNITY WHERE THEY'RE ALL HAPPY TO BE LIVING IN THIS GREAT CITY.
I, MYSELF AM VERY HAPPY BECAUSE THERE'S LESS TRAFFIC THAN METRO MANELA
UH, BUT I'VE BEEN HERE FOR NINE MONTHS, MAYOR, AND I LOVE IT HERE.
AND AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF OUR FILIPINO NURSES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, HONORABLE MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, ESPECIALLY OUR HONORABLE COUNCILWOMAN.
UM, TIFFANY THOMAS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS HONOR AND JOY THAT YOU GAVE TO THE FILIPINO NURSES.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE FILIPINO NURSES OF METROPOLITAN HOUSTON AND THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE'RE NOT ONLY HERE AS LEADERS IN CLINICAL AREA, ADMINISTRATORS IN CLINICAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION.
AS WHAT I SAID EARLIER, DURING OUR SPEECH EARLIER, WE ALSO GAVE THE HEART AND SOUL TO HEALTHCARE.
WE GAVE THE VALUE OF FILIPINOS IN THE CARE THAT WE GIVE TO ALL, UM, PATIENTS.
AND IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE VALUE OF
WE AS FILIPINOS WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.
WE AS FILIPINOS HAVE AN IMPACT IN TRANSFORMING THE HEALTHCARE, NOT ONLY OF METRO HOUSTON, BUT ALSO THE NATION.
SO WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THIS PROCLAMATION.
[00:22:49]
TO CITY HALL.[2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
COUNCIL.CHAIR RECOGNIZES, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON FOR THE INVOCATION CHAIR REFLECTION.
HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU YOU FOR, UM, BRINGING US HERE TODAY.
LORD, WE ASK YOU TO INTERVENE, ENSURE THAT OUR HEARTS ARE PURE, UM, AND THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE ARE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE, THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING]
SECRETARY, YOU PLEASE CALL.WE HAVE TWO PROCEDURALS, UH, JACKSON, AND THEN PLUMBER.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT.
[00:25:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER HERE.COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON ON A PROCEDURAL SPIN THE RULES TO MOVE EDWARD IHEART AT THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NONE AGENDA LIST.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
COUNCILMAN PLUMMER.I WOULD LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE ALICE LIU.
DORIS BROWN, STEPHANIE VALDEZ, PERRY MCCAREY, AND AMIR.
AH, UM, AHMED, UM, UNDER EDWARD IHEART ON THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST.
I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULE AND MOVE, UH, ANNA HARRIS AND SHERRY BUTLER TO THE TOP OF THE NON AGENDA.
ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, WE NEED A, WE NEED TO DO MINUTES REAL QUICK.
OH, GO AHEAD, MS. SECRETARY ON THE MINUTES.
NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF APRIL 29 AND 30.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE PROCEDURAL WISE? MR. SECRETARY? WOULD YOU CALL OUR FIRST SPEAKER DR.
MAYOR WHI, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
COLIN BOSSON, SENIOR MINISTER OF THE FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF HOUSTON.
I RODE MY BIKE HERE THIS MOR THIS AFTERNOON, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH, SUSTAINABLE TRANSIT, AND THE CITY'S BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE RESEARCH ON SUCH MATTERS IS CLEAR, SUSTAINABLE MASS TRANSIT CUTS, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, REDUCES CONGESTION AND INCREASES PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
INVESTING IN BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE DOES THE SAME.
BOTH MAKE OUR CITY MORE LIVABLE AND REDUCE CHRONIC DISEASES.
THEY SAVE THE LIVES OF HOUSTON CITIZENS TODAY BY CUTTING CARBON EMISSIONS, THEY WILL SAVE THE LIVES OF FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THE DECISIONS YOU'VE MADE TO SEVERELY POSTPONE THE METRO NEXT PROGRAM TO REMOVE THE BIKE LANE ON AUSTIN, AUSTIN STREET TO REROUTE THE BIKE LANE ON POLK STREET.
INTRODUCE THE BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE ELSEWHERE, WILL COST LIVES NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.
SUCH DECISIONS EMBRACING A POLITICS OF DEATH.
A POLITICS THAT MAKES OUR CITY LESS SAFE AND COSTS HOUSTONIANS THEIR LIVES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
MY CONGREGATION'S BOARD PASSED A STATEMENT ON PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION OPERATION OPTIONS IN HOUSTON.
IT DETAILS RESEARCH SUPPORTING THE DIRE NEED FOR OUR CITY TO EXPAND ITS SUSTAINABLE TRANSIT OPTIONS.
I URGE YOU TO READ IT AND ASK YOURSELVES, WHAT KIND OF CITY ARE WE BUILDING? WHAT SORT OF FUTURE WILL ALLOW OUR CITY TO FLOURISH? THANK YOU.
NEXT ANNA HARRIS TO BE FOLLOWED BY SHERRY BUTLER.
AND TODAY WE'RE GONNA TALK AGAIN ABOUT TWO THINGS THAT I BELIEVE ARE SAFETY FACTORS AT CAMP AL ON JUSTICE PARK.
WILL YOU PULL THAT MICROPHONE TOWARD YOU? IS THAT BETTER? OKAY.
THE FIRST BEING, LAST THURSDAY, I ABSOLUTELY WITNESSED, UM, A FIRE TRUCK AND TWO AMBULANCES PULL INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY HAD NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE.
AND FIRST OF ALL, THEY GOT LOST.
AND WHEN THEY FINALLY FOUND THE BUILDING WHERE THE PERSON THAT NEEDED HELP WAS IN, THEY POUNDED ON THE DOORS TO GET IN.
AND THIS WAS BROAD DAYLIGHT ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
UM, IT TELLS ME THAT THERE WAS NOT A KEY IN THE NOX BOX AT THE GATE, OR THEY WOULDN'T HAVE HAD A PROBLEM GETTING IN THE DOOR.
[00:30:01]
OR WAS, WENT OUT AND TALKED TO THE FIREMAN THAT WAS IN CHARGE AND HE HAD NOT EVEN THOUGHT TO LOOK AT OUR, AT THE ENTRY FOR A KNOX BOX THERE.OF COURSE, THEY WERE NEW TO THE PROPERTY.
CAN I HAVE ABOUT 30 MORE SECONDS? I HAVE ANOTHER ISSUE? SURE, SURE, SURE.
AT THE, WE HAVE A HEDGE BUSH AT THE CORNER OF AN EXIT TO A GATE, AND THERE'S A 90, ALMOST 95-YEAR-OLD WOMAN, MARY ARIAGA, MARY, UH, GLORIA'S MOTHER WHO LIVES IN THAT COTTAGE, HER GARAGE.
HERE'S THE HEDGE ON THE CORNER.
AND THAT HEDGE IS THIS TALL AND IT IS THICK.
SHE PULLS OUT OF A GARAGE AT THE BASE OF THAT HEAD.
SHE'S ALMOST BEEN HIT FOUR TIMES BECAUSE PEOPLE WHEEL AROUND THAT CORNER.
THEY CANNOT SEE HER AND SHE CANNOT SEE THEM UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE.
SHE'S, AND WE HAVE REQUESTED, MRS. BUTLER HAS SENT TWO REQUESTS, A BLAZER.
I HAVE SENT A WRITTEN REQUEST, A BLAZER, AND IT'S BEEN MONTHS, AND IT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.
AND I'M EMBARRASSED THAT I HAVE TO COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP TO PLEASE BECAUSE IT, IT'S GONNA HAPPEN EVENTUALLY.
WE'RE GONNA TURN IT OVER TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HOLD 'EM ACCOUNTABLE.
NEXT SHERRY BUTLER, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE.
THIS IS ANNA'S I EIGHTH TIME TO COME UP HERE OVER THE SAME THINGS I HAD, UH, JAMES WAS KIND ENOUGH TO PASS THIS OUT.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE OCTOBER.
THE LIST OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE DANGEROUS, THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THE KEY IS A POINT OF FAILURE KEY IN A NOX BOX.
I WAS TOLD BY THE INSPECTOR, THE FIRE INSPECTOR, WHO WAS VERY UGLY TO ME, THAT IN HIS 35 YEARS, THAT NO ONE HAD EVER NEEDED MORE THAN ONE KEY IN A NOX BOX.
THIS IS AFTER TWO FIRE CAPTAINS AT FIRE STATION 50 HAD TOLD ME THEIR CA THEIR FIRE TRUCKS ACTUALLY HAVE A KEY 'CAUSE THEY KNEW IT WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM GETTING INTO THESE BUILDINGS.
ONCE THEY GET THROUGH THE GATES, THEY CANNOT GET INTO THE BUILDINGS BECAUSE IT'S A KEY CONTROLLED.
SO THEY SAID IT'S THE EMS THAT GET CALLED FROM ALL OVER THE CITY AND THEY DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THE EMS. AND THE EMS HAVE AN EMERGENCY SOMETIMES, AND THEY CANNOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO PUT ONE KEY BACK IN ONE NOX BOX INSPECTOR.
UM, JOHNSON TOLD ME THAT ALL OF HIS 35 YEARS, HE HAD NEVER SEEN THAT AS A PROBLEM.
AND I SAID TO HIM, SIR, IF IT HAPPENED ONE TIME AND IT WAS YOUR MOTHER, WOULD THAT BE TOO MANY TIMES FOR ONE KEY TO NOT BE IN A BOX? HE WOULDN'T SPEAK TO ME.
BUT I STOOD THERE AND JUST LOOKED AT HIM.
THIS IS AS BAD AS WHEN WE CAME OCTOBER THE 14TH.
AND THE BLAZER, UH, PEOPLE TOLD US THAT IN 25 YEARS OF HER, NO, OF HER MANAGING 25 PROPERTIES, NO ONE HAD EVER ADVANCED ANY PROBLEM ABOVE HER.
I'M, WE, WE GOT YOUR MESSAGE AND WE'RE GONNA GO TO WORK ON IT.
EDWARD EDWARD IDLE HEART TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALICE LEW.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WOODMORE.
TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ESPECIALLY COUNCIL MEMBER TA MRS. JACKSON, MY NAME IS EDWARD AHART AND TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU FILLED WITH GRATITUDE, HOPE, AND A RENEWED SENSE OF PURPOSE.
I WANT TO SINCERELY THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU FOR AT THIS MOMENT.
A LOT LONGER AGO, I WAS PLACED, I WAS IN A PLACE WHERE HOPE FELT DISTANT.
LIKE MANY OF, LIKE MANY OTHERS WHO'VE MADE MISTAKES IN LIFE.
I CHALLENGE, I WAS FACED CHALLENGES WHICH SEEM IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERCOME, BUT I ALSO KNEW THAT MY PAST DIDN'T DEFINE WHO I WAS I AM TODAY.
WHAT I NEEDED WAS A SECOND CHANCE AND THE DOOR TO OPEN AND THE HAND TO REACH BACK IN THE SYSTEM THAT BELIEVE IN REDEMPTION.
THANKS TO COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, THE SUPPORT OF THE INCREDIBLE PROGRAMS THAT OUR CITY PROVIDES.
I WAS GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE AND I WAS, AND I DIDN'T TAKE IT LIGHTLY.
I WORKED HARD, STAYED FOCUSED,
[00:35:01]
AND STAYED HOPEFUL.TODAY I'M PROUD TO HAVE BEEN OFFERED A NEW JOB OPPORTUNITY THAT GIVES ME MORE THAN JUST A PAYCHECK.
IT'S A SYMBOL THAT CHANGES A REAL PRO, A REAL PROGRESSION AND POSSIBLE AND SOMEONE LIKE ME CAN CONTRIBUTE MEANINGFUL TO THE CITY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR LEADING THE CITY AND THAT VALUES THE REDEMPTION AND GROWTH OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ESPECIALLY MRS. JACKSON.
THANK YOU FOR FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR BELIEVING IN ME FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE TO CHANGE THE LIVES THAT I'M A LIVING PROOF THAT IT, THAT SECOND CHANCE PROGRAM IS REALLY DO WORKS.
I AM, I HOPE MY STORY REMIND REMAINS ON EVERYONE'S IN THIS ROOM AND, AND IS ACROSS THE CITY WHEN THERE'S INVESTING IN THE SECOND CHANCE PROGRAM THAT IT REALLY DOES WORK.
AND, UM, MR. EDWARD? YES MA'AM.
YEAH, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT B, THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, YOU WERE A LEADER ON OUR HOT TEAM.
UM, NOT JUST MAKING SURE THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD REMAINED CLEAN, BUT ANYTHING THAT OUR, THE CONSTITUENTS NEEDED, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY NEEDED HELP CLEANING UP AFTER A PARTY, YOU GUYS WERE THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE HELPED OUR SENIORS, UM, KEEP THEIR YARDS UPKEEP.
AND SO NOW I HATE TO SEE YOU LEAVE, BUT I KNOW YOU'RE STILL GONNA BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH, UM, THE PROGRAM.
HE'S NOW A CREDIBLE MESSENGER MAYOR.
UM, HE'S GONNA BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR YOUTH, THE FULL-TIME JOB.
UM, I KNOW IT'S WITH BENEFITS TOO.
APPRECIATE, I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR Y'ALL SEE A SMILE ON YOUR FACE.
UM, I KNOW YOU'RE A CHEF AS WELL.
UM, SO WE GOT CAFE MOMENTUM COMING DOWN, SO WE MIGHT, YOU KNOW, STILL STEAL YOU FROM, UM, COLLECTING YOU, PUT YOU ON THE GROUP, YOU KNOW, IN THE KITCHEN.
UM, SO, UM, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS.
YOU DIDN'T LET YOUR PAST DEFINE YOU.
YOU CAME OUT AND YOU GAVE IT 110%.
MR. AHART, I JUST WANTED THANK YOU FOR PUBLICLY COMING FORWARD.
TO ONE, SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR STORY, BUT ALSO TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE GREAT WORK THAT COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, UH, HAS BEEN DOING SINCE SHE CAME INTO OFFICE, UH, TO WORK ON SECOND CHANCE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND OF COURSE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS, BUT IT, IT'S REALLY UPLIFTING, UH, TO SEE YOU, TO SEE HOW FAR YOU'RE GOING.
UH, WE BELIEVE IN YOU AND COME BACK AND UPDATE US.
COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER KEVIN SHABA.
I FIRST WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, UH, THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO A COUPLE GRADUATIONS.
AND SHE HAS SUCH PASSION ABOUT IT, BUT YOU STANDING THERE, YOU MAKE IT ALL WORTHWHILE.
AND WE CERTAINLY PRAY THAT YOU WILL DO WELL.
AND IT, IT'S ALWAYS HEARTWARMING FOR SOMEBODY TO COME AND SHARE THEIR STORY AND LET US KNOW THAT SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING IS PAYING OFF.
I APPRECIATE AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.
WELL, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU AND FOR YOU, CONGRATULATIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S PROGRAMS ARE JUST WONDERFUL.
I'M A BELIEVER IN SECOND CHANCES AND CERTAINLY KNOW THE IMPACT, UM, THAT EVERYBODY HAS.
THE ABILITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
AND YOU'RE A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE AND KEEP BEING A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS BECAUSE IT IS INDIVIDUALS LIKE YOU THAT SHOW YOU KNOW WHAT, WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY.
AND CONGRATULATIONS AND ALL BEST TO YOU.
COME BACK TO SEE US HERE AT COUNSEL.
SIR, LET ME LET YOU KNOW HOW YOU'RE HELPING OTHER INDIVIDUALS GET A SECOND CHANCE.
SO THAT'S THE REASON IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU BE HERE AND YOUR SUCCESS STORY.
IT'S GONNA ALLOW COUNCILMAN JACKSON AND ALL THOSE THAT BELIEVE CARTER ALL, EVERY ONE OF US THAT SPEAK THAT BELIEVES SO STRONGLY IN A SECOND CHANCE NOW YOU'RE DEMONSTRATING AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO CARRY THE MESSAGE TO OTHER LEGISLATIVE BODIES AND ACROSS HOUSTON.
SO YOU CAN'T IMAGINE THE IMPACT YOU'RE HAVING OTHER THAN CONFIRMING FOR US WHAT WE ALREADY KNEW.
NOW YOU'RE GIVING US A LIVE EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE THAT'S, UH, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM AND WILL HELP OTHERS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION.
NEXT ALICE LOU TO BE FOLLOWED BY DORIS BROWN.
[00:40:10]
OKAY.I'M HERE WITH THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE AND WEST STREET RECOVERY.
I WANTED TO START BY PAINTING A PICTURE OF THE NUMBERS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
RIGHT? SO FOR YEARS WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM THE CITY, FROM MAYOR WHITMEYER, FROM THE CONTROLLER'S DEPARTMENT.
THE CITY IS IN A BUDGETARY CRISIS OF FISCAL CRISIS.
SO WE GOT HAVE TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO GET THE CITY INTO A GOOD FINANCIAL POSITION.
AND WHAT HAS MAYOR WHITMEYER DONE? HE'S REALLY STEPPED UP.
SO, UH, OVER 1000 EMPLOYEES THIS YEAR TOOK THE RETIREMENT INCENTIVE AND 882 OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE PERMANENTLY REMOVED FROM THE BUDGET.
249 OF THOSE RETIREMENTS ARE FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
A DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE ALREADY HEARD FROM YEARS IS CHRONICALLY AND CRITICALLY UNDERSTAFFED.
OVERALL, $200 MILLION IN OVERALL BUDGET CUTS.
MOST OF THESE CUTS HAVE COME FROM LIBRARIES, NEIGHBORHOODS HEALTH.
SO WHY IS THE MAYOR BRAGGING THAT HE HAS REACHED A CONTRACT WITH THE POLICE UNION THAT WILL COST THE CITY $832 MILLION OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS? WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE THIS NARRATIVE THAT CUTTING EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY IS GOOD EXCEPT FOR POLICE AND FIRE.
SO GIVING THE POLICE 832 MILLION OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, GIVING THE POLICE A 10% RAISE STARTING THIS YEAR WHILE THE CITY IS STILL IN A STRUCTURAL BUDGETARY DEFICIT, WHILE THE MAYOR HAS REPEATEDLY REFUSED TO FOLLOW THE COURT RULING TO TRANSFER THE FULL AMOUNT TO THE VALOREM TAX.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE THAT ANY OF THIS MAKES SENSE, RIGHT? BUT IT DOESN'T BECAUSE THE SERVICES THAT WE BELIEVE WE DEPEND ON EVERY DAY TO LIVE IN THIS CITY ARE FLOODING, HEALTH LIBRARIES, PARKS, NOT POLICE, WHICH WE ONLY CALL IN AN EMERGENCY.
THESE OTHER SERVICES WE USE EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND THEY'RE THE SERVICES THAT MAKE LIVING IN THIS CITY PARABLE.
SO THERE IS A SETTLEMENT OUTSIDE OF THE RULE OF LAW, AND SOME OF THE DIVERSION WILL BE STOPPED THIS YEAR.
SO OVERALL, THE D-D-S-R-F FUND IS INCREASING BY $75 MILLION.
HOWEVER, THE ONGOING HIRING FREEZE AND THE UNDERSTAFFING OF PUBLIC WORKS WILL PRE, WILL PREVENT THIS MONEY FROM BEING FULLY SPENT AND FROM EVERY DOLLAR TO BE USED PROPERLY TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS DRAINAGE IN THIS CITY.
LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WE'VE HEARD FROM PUBLIC WORKS OVER YEARS AND YEARS THAT THEY HAVE HAD CHRONIC VACANCIES.
THEY'VE BEEN UNABLE TO FILL BETWEEN 70 TO 100 VACANT POSITIONS IN PUBLIC WORKS.
THIS IS EVERYONE FROM, UH, THE FRONTLINE WORKERS, THE PEOPLE ACTUALLY MANAGING THE MACHINES TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MANAGING CONTRACTORS THAT THE CITY HIRES.
RIGHT? AND WE'VE HEARD FROM PUBLIC WORKS STAFF THAT CONTRACTING OUT THESE POSITIONS IS A FALSE SOLUTION TO THE ISSUE OF UNDERSTAFFING PUBLIC WORKS, CONTRACTING OUT, UM, JOBS THAT WE KNOW ARE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE IS INEFFICIENT AND MORE COSTLY.
DORIS BROWN, STEPHANIE VALDEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY PERRY MCCAREY.
I'M THE WATER JUSTICE ORGANIZER WITH THE COALITION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT EQUITY AND RESILIENCE, AND ALSO A MEMBER OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
LIVING IN HOUSTON, I'VE SEEN MAPLES, EVERYTHING BECAUSE THE CITY HASN'T PRIORITIZED BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE DRAINAGE.
AND EVERY TIME IT RAINS, OUR SAFETY IS ON THE LINE.
FOR OVER THREE YEARS AND THROUGH THREE BUDGET CYCLES AND THREE CAMPAIGNS, NAC HAS BEEN HERE ASKING FOR THE SAME THREE THINGS, INCREASING THE LOCAL DRAINAGE PROJECTS PROGRAM BY 25 MILLION, INCREASING THE DITCH REESTABLISHED PROGRAM BY 20 MILLION AND IMPLEMENTING AN EQUITABLE FRAMEWORK FOR PROJECT SELECT SELECTION.
A REAL WORST FIRST MODEL THAT SERVES COMMUNITIES MOST AT RISK.
OVER 100 COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE TAKEN TIME OFF WORK, REARRANGED CHILDCARE, TRAVELED ACROSS THE
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CITY TO URGE COUNCIL TO ACT.WE'VE BEEN RESPECTFUL, WE'VE BEEN PERSISTENT, AND WE HAVE BEEN IGNORED.
MEANWHILE, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET GIVES A 10% RAISE IN A CONTRACT OF 832 MILLION TO POLICE.
BUT WE'RE TOLD THAT THE CITY IS BROKE.
WE HEAR THE ARGUMENT THAT POLICE NEED COMPETITIVE PAY TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TALENT, AND THAT UNIONS ARE, ARE IMPORTANT.
AND I AGREE, BUT WHY DOES THAT ONLY STOP WITH COPS? PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES ARE ALSO ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
IT'S CLEAR THAT THE ISSUE IS NOT ABOUT WHETHER WE HAVE MONEY.
IT'S ABOUT WHERE WE CHOOSE TO PUT IT IN.
AND WHILE NEARLY 900 CITY POSITIONS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED 249 THAN PUBLIC WORKS ALONE, THE CITY IS TALKING ABOUT OUTSOURCING THE WORK THAT'S DANGEROUS.
CONTRACTORS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE AND LESS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC, AND THEY STILL REQUIRE CITY STAFF TO OVERSEE THEM.
STUDIES ALSO SHOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST INEFFICIENT, IT'S A SLIPPERY SLIP TO PRIVATIZATION.
AND THE MORE WE OUTSOURCE OUR PUBLIC SERVICES, THE HARDER IT WILL BE BACK TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE UNDER PUBLIC CONTROL.
IF THE CITY HADN'T TAKEN INFRASTRUCTURE SERIOUSLY FROM THE BEGINNING, WE WOULDN'T NEED TO COME UP, UM, UP HERE AND ASK FOR MORE, UH, FUNDING FOR OUR PROJECTS.
AND THEN YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THE NEED TO RAMP UP POLICE PRESENCE DURING EVERY DISASTER.
IF YOU PREVENT FLOOD, YOU PREVENT THE CHAOS, YOU PREVENT THE TRAUMA.
AND THE SOLUTION IS MORE THAN JUST COPS.
UH, THAT STARTS WITH GOOD DRAINAGE AND THAT STARTS WITH INVESTMENT.
AND STUDIES SHOW THAT FOR EVERY $1 SPENT ON ON DRAINAGE AND FLOODING MITIGATION, THE CITY ACTUALLY SAVED $6.
IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS WE'VE DONE OUR PART.
WE CAME UP HERE, WE'VE SHOWN UP ORGANIZED, BROUGHT SOLUTIONS, DID THE MATH FOR Y'ALL, AND IT'S, YOU ALL HAVE IGNORED US.
SO IT'S TIME TO START INVESTING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, START INVESTING IN DRAINAGE AND START TREATING THIS LIKE IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT TRULY IS.
NEXT PERRY MCCAREY TO BE FOLLOWED BY OER AHMAD AHMED.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER ME.
I USED TO WORK WITH MR. JOHN BLAND.
UM, SO IT'S BEEN MANY YEARS AND I KNOW MY, UH, COUNCILWOMAN AND, UH, ONE OF MY MENTEES, UM, ASHA JACKSON, AND OF COURSE MS. OH, SHE LEFT A PLUMBER.
I'M PK MCCAREY PERRY MCCAREY TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I'M A SUPPORTER AND ACTIVIST ABOUT THE WORKS.
I'M HERE TODAY, NOT JUST TO SPEAK ABOUT PUBLIC WORKS BUDGETS, BUT TO CALL US BACK TO PURPOSE BECAUSE THIS IS MORE THAN DOLLARS AND PROJECTS.
IT'S ABOUT CONSCIOUSNESS, COMMUNITY AND COURAGE.
THE BUDGET BEFORE YOU IS A MORAL DOCUMENT.
IT REFLECTS WHAT WE VALUE AND WHO WE ARE WILLING TO LEAVE BEHIND.
AND FOR TOO LONG, THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE LIVED WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF DELAYED DIVESTMENT.
WE'RE WITNESSING THE WEAR AND TEAR OF THAT NEGLECT IN REAL TIME.
PROGRAMS LIKE THE LOCAL DRAINAGE PROGRAM AND THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM EXIST, YET THEY ARE UNDERUSED.
THESE ARE NOT NEW PROBLEMS AND THEY DON'T REQUIRE NEW STUDIES.
SO LET'S BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT DRAINAGE.
WHEN A STORM HITS, EVERY CITY SERVICE IS AFFECTED.
MEMS, FIRE RESPONSE, TRANSPORTATION, SOLID WASTE.
IF THE INFRASTRUCTURE ISN'T THERE TO HOLD THE CITY TOGETHER, EVERYTHING FALLS APART.
THAT'S WHY THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT AND SO PERSONAL BECAUSE ALL OF IT IS CONNECTED.
NOW IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT IS BEING ASKED FOR IS AN INCREASE IN THE LOCAL DRAINAGE PROGRAM OF 25 MILLION, AN INCREASE IN THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM TO THE TUNES OF $20 MILLION.
THEY'RE ALSO ASKING FOR A TRANSPARENT, EQUITABLE FRAMEWORK FOR SELECTING PROJECTS.
ONE THAT SERVES NEED NOT NOISE.
I SPEAK FROM THE SANKOFA INITIATIVE,
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WHICH IS THE WORK THAT I DO, ROOTED IN THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE MUST LOOK BACK TO MOVE FORWARD.WE'VE SEEN LEADERS BEFORE MAKE PROMISES, DO THE WORK, EVEN MAKE PROGRESS, BUT WE'VE ALSO ENDURED REPEATED DELAYS, RECYCLED THINKING AND POLICIES.
THANK YOU PERRY, FOR COMING DOWN.
UH, CERTAINLY I'D LIKE TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ABOUT THIS.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SUCH A PHENOMENAL PERSON AND I'M NOT JUST SAYING THAT, BUT SHE'S, SHE'S A, A GREAT ACTIVIST IN THE COMMUNITY AND JUST SO KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HELPFUL TO THOSE THAT, UH, COME TO YOU, WHETHER THEY'RE PAYING OR NOT PAYING
BUT CERTAINLY I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE OF A CONVERSATION WITH YOU ABOUT IT.
AND I LIKE THE CITY TO THINK ABOUT THE SANKOFA INITIATIVE, WHICH IS ABOUT LOOKING AT THE PAST AND REALLY RECOGNIZING OUR HISTORY CAN BE PROUD AND BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT CAN BE SAD IN DISMAL.
AND WHEN WE KNOW THE TRUTH, WE DO BETTER.
AND I THINK LIKE THE FILIPINO, UH, NURSES THAT WERE HERE, MY MOTHER WAS WORKING WITH THEM AT BEN TOM HOSPITAL AND THEY HAD SOME OF THE MOST DYNAMIC WORK DONE, RATHER THAN FIGHTING AMONG THEMSELVES.
NOW WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS.
NOW WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS, BUT WE DIDN'T ALWAYS DO THAT.
YOU KNOW THAT WHEN A STORM CAME, EVERYBODY GOT OUT, EVERYBODY CAME TOGETHER.
IT DIDN'T MATTER WHETHER THEY WERE WHITE OR BLACK.
I'M SAYING LET'S FIND A WAY TO GO FORWARD.
AND IF YOU COULD SEE INGRAM OVER THERE, THE LADY BY THE DOOR.
UH, MS. JACKSON, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
I JUST CAME BACK IN AND I SAW MS. PK STANDING AT THE PODIUM, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, HEY, MY BABY, ONE OF MY BABIES.
YOU DOING, YOU KNOW, I'VE WATCHED HER GROW
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AS Y'ALL ALWAYS.
THIS IS A SIGN OF WHAT THE SANKOFA INITIATIVE DOES.
IT RECOGNIZES GENERATIONAL WORK AND I'M PROUD OF ALL OF YOU, BUT I GOT IT HANDED TO YOU.
SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT, BUT I LOVE YOU.
HELLO, MY NAME IS OMER AHMED AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT K.
BEFORE I BEGIN, I ASK YOU TO IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO PRIORITIZE THE CITY IF YOU UNBOUND YOURSELF FROM BUREAUCRACY.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO PRIORITIZE THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY, NOT THE CITY, BUT THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY? I'M HERE TO MAKE FOUR DEMANDS.
ONE, INCREASE THE LOCAL DRAINAGE PRO PROJECT PROGRAM BY 25 MILLION TO 45 TO MILLION TOTAL.
INCREASE THE DITCH TREE ESTABLISHMENT BY 20 MILLION.
CREATE AN EQUITABLE FRAMEWORK FOR PROJECT SELECTION SO THE CITY CAN TRULY FOLLOW A WORST FIRST MODEL AND END THE CITYWIDE HIRING FREEZE.
SIMPLY PUT, WE'VE BEEN UNPREPARED.
THIS HURRICANE SEASON IS ESTIMATED TO BE INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AND THE CHANCES OF A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS HURRICANE SEASON WILL ONLY GO UP AND UP AS THE YEARS PASS.
LAST WEEK IN THE MEDICAL CENTER, I SAW THREE CARS HALFWAY UNDERWATER AND A FLASH FLOOD.
AND THIS WAS A REGULAR THURSDAY RAIN.
THERE WAS NO HEAT WAVE FOR CURSOR SOFT RAIN EARLY IN THE WEEK TO MAKE THE GROUND AMICABLE.
AND STILL WE WERE MET WITH A DIET DISASTER.
THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION IS SET TO BE DEFUNDED AND TORN TO SCRAPS.
FEMA IS LOSING WHAT LITTLE CAPABILITY IT HAD TO SUPPORT FOLKS.
AND WE ARE REMINDED THAT HOUSTON MUST BE CAPABLE OF RELYING ON ITSELF WITH OUR CURRENT DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'VE BEEN PROMISED A FUTURE AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN, WE MUST PICK UP THE TORN PIECES OF OUR LIFE AND REBUILD.
IT'S NOT NORMAL TO ANTICIPATE BIBLICAL FLOODS EVERY YEAR.
IT IS NOT NORMAL TO DECIDE THAT HUMAN LIVES ARE NOT IN YOUR BUDGET IN THIS TIME WHEN WE NEED TO BUILD LOCAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS SO WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THE CITY THAT WE LIVE IN.
WE ARE CUTTING STAFF LEFT AND RIGHT.
WHEN YOU FIND OUT THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS AND CITY WORKERS ARE ESSENTIAL BECAUSE OF THIS LUDICROUS DECISION, I DON'T TRUST YOU TO HAVE THE BACKBONE TO ADMIT THAT WAS A MISTAKE.
YOU'LL HIRE EXTERNAL CONTRACTORS TO SAVE
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YOUR EGO AND CLAIM TO BE CORRECT IN SAYING THOSE ROLES WEREN'T NECESSARY.ALL THE MEANWHILE, THOSE NEWLY PRIVATIZED WORKERS WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE AND LOWER QUALITY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO COMMIT TO THE SAME STANDARDS OF CARE THAT CITY WORKERS DO.
THAT'S THE PRICE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO ADMIT A MISTAKE.
I BEG OF YOU TO ASK YOURSELVES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO PRIORITIZE THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY.
THE DEMANDS ARE TO INCREASE THE LOCAL DRAINAGE PROJECT BY 25 MILLION TO 45 INCREASE DI TREE ESTABLISHMENT BY 20 MILLION.
CREATE AN EQUITABLE FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROJECT SELECTION SO THE CITY CAN TRULY FOLLOW A WORSE FIRST MODEL AND THE CITYWIDE HIRING FREEZE.
AND I'M ADDING ANOTHER ONE TO NOT BE ON YOUR PHONES AS PEOPLE ARE LEAVING PUBLIC COMMENT, SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY LISTEN AND DIGEST WHAT THEY'RE SAYING NEXT.
MARIKA SHERMAN ALEXANDER WALKER TO BE FOLLOWED BY RO GOMEZ.
UM, MY NAME IS ALEXANDER WALKER.
UH, I'M A I'M A FORMER SUBSTITUTE TEACHER FOR HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
BUT THAT, UH, AS EGREGIOUS AS THAT DISTRICT IS SAYING ABOUT THAT, MR. MARTINEZ, I'M ACTUALLY ONE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS ACTUALLY SENT YOU AN EMAIL ABOUT THE SAME THING.
UH, LAST WEEK, UM, LAST WEEK, UH, I HAD, UH, AN INCIDENT, UH, OCCURRED ON A, A METRO BUS.
I ACTUALLY HAD A, A GUN PULLED ON ME BY, UM, UH, A PASSENGER.
UM, I CALLED THE, UH, METRO PD ABOUT THE, UH, INCIDENT THAT DAY.
WELL, AT THE MOMENT, UM, UH, IT TOOK THE COPS 30 MINUTES TO SHOW UP.
UM, AND, UH, SO FAR IT, IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY ON ANYBODY'S PART.
UM, SO, UH, BUT, UH, FOR ME, UH, IT IS CREATED, UM, VERY, VERY NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON MY MENTAL HEALTH, UH, AS OF LATE.
UM, BUT UH, IT GOES BACK TO CERTAIN THINGS SUCH AS LIKE RESPONSE TIME AS WELL AS THE, UM, AS WELL AS LIKE THE, THE FREQUENCY OF SOME OF THESE, UH, BUSES.
SO, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ABOUT LIKE BUDGET OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE SOME OF THESE BUSES, UH, RAN MORE FREQUENTLY.
IF IT MEANS HIRING MORE DRIVERS, THIS, THAT, AND THE THIRD, THEN YOU GUYS DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO.
BUT THAT, THAT BUS ONLY RUNS EVERY HALF HOUR.
THE RAIN WAS TERRIBLE AND THEN LIKE ON WEEKENDS ONLY RUNS EVERY HOUR.
SO SAME WITH THE 40, THAT GOES STRAIGHT FROM HOBBY TO THE HEIGHTS AREA.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU, MR. MARTINEZ, I MEAN YOUR CONSTITUENCY, YOU PROBABLY KNOW A LITTLE BIT BETTER ABOUT ME, BUT THAT'S IT.
UH, YOU TALKING ABOUT METRO POLICE OR HPD METRO POLICE? YOU CALLED 9 1 1 OR HOW'D YOU NOTIFY 'EM? YEAH, YEAH, I CALLED, UH, I CALLED 9 1 1.
THEY SENT ME TO UH, TO UH, METRO POLICE.
WAS THE PERPETRATOR STILL THERE? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
LIKE THE BUS DROVE OFF WITH THE PERPETRATOR.
DID YOU KNOW HIM? NO, I DON'T KNOW THE GUY.
UH, ALEXANDER, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND, AND MY STAFF ARE AWARE OF, OF THE EMAIL THAT YOU'VE SAID, THEY'RE LOOKING INTO IT, TRYING TO SEE WHAT, WHAT THE RESPONSE WAS FOR METRO.
UM, GIVE US, GIVE US ABOUT ANOTHER DAY OR SO AND WE'LL WE WILL REACH BACK OUT TO YOU AND I'LL MAKE SURE I'LL REACH OUT TO YOU PERSONALLY.
ONE MONTH AGO, APRIL 13TH, UH, I PULLED INTO MY MOM'S YARD AND I NOTICED THAT MY BROTHER'S CAR WAS NOT THERE.
HE NORMALLY BEATS ME TO, TO HER HOUSE ON SUNDAY MORNINGS TO GO TO CHURCH.
'CAUSE OUR CHURCH IS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY MOM'S HOUSE.
SO I BACKED IN AND I, AS I WAS WALKING INTO THE DOORS OF THE CHURCH, I SENT HIM A TEXT.
WHERE ARE YOU, WHERE ARE YOU? UH, MY, MY FAMILY HAD A FAMILY EMERGENCY, A FUNERAL THAT FRIDAY BEFORE.
'CAUSE SOMETIMES HE WORKS OUT OF TOWN.
SO I SENT HIM A TEXT TO NO RESPONSE.
MY OLDEST SISTER THEN SENDS ME A TEXT ASKING, WHERE IS ANTHONY? AND SO I SAID, I DON'T KNOW.
SO I TEXT MY LITTLE SISTER, MY NIECE, WHILE SITTING IN CHURCH, CAN Y'ALL PLEASE CALL AND CHECK WHERE HIS LOCATION, WHERE IS HE LOCATED? THEY CALLED MY SISTER-IN-LAW.
SHE SAID, WELL, ANTHONY LEFT AT 7:00 AM IT'S NOW EIGHT 30.
I GET UP FROM CHURCH, JUMP IN MY CAR, CALL MY OLDER BROTHER WHO LIVES IN MISSOURI CITY, AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY BROTHER ANTHONY.
IT'S LIKE, WHICH WAY WOULD HE COME FROM MISSOURI CITY TO CLINTON PARK? HE SAID IT
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COULD BE 2 88, IT COULD BE SOUTH MAIN, IT COULD BE SOUTH POST OAK.SO I JUMP ON THE FREEWAY, GO OVER THE SIX 10 BRIDGE PAST GULF GATE, AND AS I PASS GULF GATE, I SEE THE FREEWAY IS SHUT DOWN.
AND THERE WAS MY BROTHER'S CAR, SEVEN 50 BMW.
AND I KNEW IT WAS HIS BECAUSE HE HAD TAN LEATHER SEATS AND ALL I COULD SEE WAS TAN LEATHER SEATS, WRONG WAY, DRIVER HIT AND KILLED MY BROTHER ON APRIL 13TH.
I'M STANDING HERE BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S TECHNOLOGY.
I GOT SPIKES FOR ANTHONY ON MY SHIRT BECAUSE WHEN THIS FIRST HAPPENED, I WAS LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE, MAYBE WE CAN USE THE SPIKES THEY HAVE AT RENTAL CAR PLACES.
SO IF YOU GO THE WRONG WAY, YOU FLATTEN YOUR TIES.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S OLD WAY OF THINKING.
THERE'S SO MUCH NEW TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE.
I JUST WANT TO BRING AWARENESS BECAUSE I NEVER WOULD WANT ANYONE IN THESE SHOES THAT I'M STANDING IN TODAY.
MY MOM, THE BROKEN HEART SYNDROME, IT'S REAL.
SHE'S AT HERMAN HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW.
SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A HEART PROCEDURE AND THEY SAID, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT THE ARTERY IS EXPANDED SO BIG WE CAN'T EVEN REPAIR IT.
SO WE HAD TO HAVE A FAMILY MEETING YESTERDAY TO BRING HER HOME.
I NEVER WOULD'VE THOUGHT THIS WOULD'VE HAPPENED SO CLOSE TO HOME, BUT IT HAS, AND IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE IN THIS ROOM.
SO I RETIRED IN DECEMBER LOOKING FOR A PLATFORM OR A CAMPAIGN TO WORK WITH AND I WAS LOOKING AT HUMAN TRAFFICKING, BUT NOW IT'S GONNA BE WRONG WAY DRIVING.
SO Y'ALL WILL PROBABLY SEE ME AGAIN.
UH, I HOPE THAT WE CAN START SOME DIALOGUE.
IT'S SO MANY DIFFERENT, UH, TECHNOLOGIES THAT OTHER STATES ARE PROVIDING, UH, THAT WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT.
I KNOW THAT'S MY TIME, BUT THANK YOU GUYS.
UH, BRIAN, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND EXPRESSING AND CERTAINLY, UM, I'M VERY CLOSE TO YOUR SITUATION.
I GOT A CALL FROM YOUR BROTHER, CY ALLEN.
WHO IS ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS AND WE WORK TOGETHER WITH THE MINISTER ADVISORY BOARD IN FORT BEND, AS WELL AS IN THE CITY.
HE'LL BE WITH ME ON THURSDAY AT OUR MINISTER ADVISORY BOARD MEETING.
AND IT'S BEEN, THIS HAS BEEN A HARD THING FOR YOUR FAMILY AND I, AND I CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN KEEPING, AND I CHECK ON SIDE EVERY DAY AND I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR MOTHER, BUT THIS CERTAINLY IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS TO BE LOOKED AT AND WE WILL MAKE IT OUR POINT TO, UH, ELEVATE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
LONG DRIVER IN THE MORNING, SEVEN 20 ON A SUNDAY MORNING.
SO PRAYING FOR YOU, MY FRIEND.
MR. ALLEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR FAMILY'S LOSS, UM, BECAUSE WE GET YOUR COMMITMENT SO THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO A SINGLE OTHER FAMILY.
UH, MAYOR, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU SAW THERE WAS A VIDEO THAT WENT VIRAL JUST YESTERDAY ON SIX 10 IN DISTRICT C, RIGHT IN FRONT OF BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA.
WHERE IT WASN'T WRONG WAY DRIVING THIS DRIVER INTENTIONALLY, IT LOOKS LIKE WENT IN DRIVING THE RIGHT WAY, BUT FLIPPED THEIR CAR AROUND AND WAS DRIVING BACKWARDS AND PULLING MOVES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY ON SIX 10.
UM, SO IT, IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
UH, AND THAT'S NOT TO TAKE AWAY FROM RIGHT, RIGHT.
IT'S JUST THIS IS STILL CONTINUING THIS HAPPEN TO HAPPEN.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE, I KNOW MY OFFICE WOULD APPRECIATE UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN EMAIL, I HAVE IT ALL THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS OR, AND THE AT LARGES, BUT JUST SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SO THAT I CAN FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH IT.
UM, AND GROW OUR KNOWLEDGE GOTCHA.
NEXT SHELTON MODELIST TO BE FOLLOWED BY LINDA GAMBLE, TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL HOUSTON.
MY NAME IS SHELTON MOLES AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT INCIDENT THAT'S SIMILAR TO THE HARDY STREET RAID THAT CAUSED TWO UNNECESSARY DEATHS DUE TO HOUSTON.
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NEGLIGENCE IS A DEAL THAT IS LIKE IGNORING YOUR DUTY.AND WHEN YOU IGNORE YOUR DUTY, YOU PUT PEOPLE'S LIVES AT RISK.
FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS, MAYBE 20 YEARS, I HAVE LIVED IN DISTRICT D, CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND WE HAVE A, LIKE A ILLEGAL STASH HOUSE WHERE THEY HAVE ILLEGAL ALIENS.
AND I HAVE BEEN ASSAULTED SEVERAL TIMES.
AND THE MOST RECENT, I'M GONNA CALL IT AN ASSAULT, IT WAS A FALSE REPORT MADE TO THE HPD.
AND I WAS ARRESTED FOR NOT ALLOWING THE POWER COMPANY IN TO RESTORE ELECTRICITY TO OUR AREA.
I COULD NOT DENY PEOPLE IN BECAUSE I WASN'T HOME.
BUT THESE FALSE POLICE REPORTS CONTINUE TO GO ON AND IT INVOLVES ME.
AND I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I REACHED OUT TO MY COUNCIL PEOPLE, UH, MY DISTRICT COUNCIL PEOPLE, AND THEY NEVER RESPONDED.
SO IF SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE, EITHER I GET HURT OR THE PEOPLE THAT RUN THE STASH HOUSE GET HURT.
UM, AND MR. MODUS, I TAKE THAT VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.
UH, THAT YOU REACHED OUT TO THE OFFICE AND NOBODY RESPONDED.
BUT AT, FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, I WON'T SAY WHETHER HOW YOU DID ASK YOU HOW YOU DID IT OR YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING NOW IS THAT YOU ARE HERE.
AND CERTAINLY IF YOU CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH INGRAM, SHE WAS JUST THERE AT THE DOOR.
I THINK IF SHE STEP OUTSIDE, THEN PERHAPS WE CAN TRY TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR ISSUE.
BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN.
WELL, I, I DIDN'T WANNA COME DOWN.
I FIRST MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO COME DOWN TWO MONTHS AGO AND THEY, HPD CAME OUT, SAID THEY WOULD RESPOND, NEVER DID RESPOND.
I HAD A CALL FROM HPD YESTERDAY AT ABOUT 3:00 PM I CALLED HIM BACK.
SO IT'S LIKE LIABILITY OF THE CITY IS BASED ON THE, I GUESS YOU CALL NEGLIGENCE OR THE IGNORANCE OF OUR CITY WORKERS.
THERE, THERE'S THE LADY THERE IN THE DOOR.
I KNOW THAT I THINK THE ADMINISTRATION TRIED TO REACH OUT TO YOU AS WELL AND THEY DIDN'T GET A RESPONSE.
AND I THINK THEY LEFT YOU A MESSAGE, BUT CERTAINLY YOU GONNA GET SOME ONE-ON-ONE SERVICE WITH THE LADY, THE DOOR AND NUMBER IN YOUR OFFICE.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.
UH, MY NAME IS LINDA GAMBLE AND I'M HERE SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY 95-YEAR-OLD MOTHER.
I'M HERE TRYING TO PROTECT HER RIGHTS.
'CAUSE THE CITY IS NOT PROTECTING HER RIGHTS.
THEY'RE SAYING THIS IS A CIVIL MATTER.
WHEN SOMEONE CAN GO DOWN TO THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE AND FILE A FRAUDULENT DEED, YOU CALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY TURN IT AROUND ON YOU, YOU CALL PERMITS.
YOU ASK THEM TO STOP THE WORK.
IT IS NOT 1825 WITH MANIFEST DESTINY.
I WANT THIS, THIS IS FAMILY MEMBERS WHO'S DOING THIS.
MY MOTHER ALLOWED HER SISTER TO STAY IN ONE OF HER PROPERTIES UNTIL HER, HER DEATH.
SHE HAD A STROKE DURING BURROW.
THIS STARTED IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR.
EVERYTHING HAS BEEN TURNED AROUND ON US.
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THAT WAS WORK BEING DONE ON THE PROPERTY.MY MOTHER HAS HAD A DEED TO THIS PROPERTY, A WARRANTY DEED SINCE 1989.
THE LAWYERS WANNA CHARGE US UPWARDS TO $20,000 TO QUIET A TITLE.
WE WENT TO EVICTION COURT AND TO PUT A NAIL IN THE COFFIN AND MINE, MY POND.
WE HAVE A DEAD BODY ON OUR PROPERTY.
MY COUSIN OWNS A FUNERAL HOME.
SHE'S TAKEN OVER THE PROPERTY AND SHE'S BURIED HER MOTHER IN THE BACKYARD.
THIS IS NOT CIVIL, THIS IS CRIMINAL.
MY PARENTS WERE SOME OF THE FIRST PEOPLE IN ACRE'S HOME.
WE WERE, WE WERE WITH THE LATE REPRESENTATIVES, SHEILA JACKSON, LEE SYLVESTER TURNER MAYOR.
I'VE EVEN WORKED ON SEVERAL OF YOUR CAMPAIGNS WITH DORIS HUBBARD.
WE, MY MOTHER AND FATHER RAISED US IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THEY HAD BUSINESSES OUT THERE.
WE WENT TO CHURCH AND SCHOOLS OUT THERE.
MY FAMILY STILL OUT THERE WORKING IN THE SCHOOLS, THE COMMUNITIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
IF WE HAVE PEOPLE ON OUR PROPERTY, I HAVE TO LOOK AT MY 95-YEAR-OLD MOTHER LAYING IN A BED ASKING ME, WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS? I DON'T HAVE $20,000 TO QUIET A TITLE.
WE HAVE A BODY ON OUR PROPERTY.
WHAT DO WE DO? I'VE CALLED, I HAVE EMAILED EVERYONE AND THE CITY, CITY, THIS COUNTY, AND THIS STATE.
MY UNCLE CALLS ME A TROUBLEMAKER.
AND JUST LIKE JOHN LEWIS SAID, I'M COMING TODAY ARMED WITH GOOD TROUBLE.
SOMETHING NEEDS TO HAPPEN AT THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE BECAUSE IF IT CAN HAPPEN TO MY FAMILY, IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOURS.
AND MS. CAMPBELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.
I KNOW THAT THE, UM, THE HOUSE THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO ISN'T IN MY COUNCIL DISTRICT, BUT YES, YOU ARE IN MY COUNCIL DISTRICT.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO THIS.
I KNOW THAT HPD HOMICIDE AND MAJOR OFFENDERS DIVISIONS ARE INVESTIGATING THIS.
AND IT'S UNDER AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION RIGHT NOW.
SO AS SOON AS WE GET MORE INFORMATION, WE WILL, UM, CALL YOU AND GIVE YOU THOSE DETAILS.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON AND I APOLOGIZE SINCE APRIL.
I HAVE CALLED THE TEXAS MORTUARY BOARD.
I'VE FILED A COMPLAINANT, KEN PAXTON'S OFFICE.
WHAT RIGHTS DO WE HAVE? WE'VE GONE TO EVICTION COURT AND THAT'S WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT WE HAVE A BODY.
SO I, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WAIT, CONTINUE TO PAY LAWYERS AND CONTINUE TO WAIT.
DO YOU THINK IT'S POSSIBLE THAT HPD OR MAJOR CRIMES UNIT COULD GIVE US AN UPDATE? WE'LL CERTAINLY ASK THEM TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE FOR YOU.
AND, AND I CERTAINLY DON'T KNOW THE FULL DETAILS AND I WOULD DEFER TO COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, WHO'S ENT ENTIRE, VERY THOROUGH.
I WOULD SAY IF THERE IS AN, UH, THERE COULD BE A HEALTH CODE VIOLATION IF A BODY WAS BURIED WITHOUT THE PROPER, UH, PROTOCOLS.
UH, SO THAT MAYBE SOMETHING ADDITIONAL.
AGAIN, IN TERMS OF NOT TAKING THE, YOU WERE ALREADY SEEKING THE CRIMINAL ROUTE, YOU WERE ALREADY DOING THE RIGHT STEPS THROUGH COURT AS IT RELATES TO, UM, THE SITUATION IN THE YARD.
THERE MAY ALSO BE HEALTH CODE VIOLATIONS THAT YOU COULD PURSUE.
WE'VE GOT, WE'RE IN JPS COURT NOW.
MY COUSINS WHO ARE UNDER OATH, I GOT MY AUNT'S DEATH CERTIFICATE.
THERE'S, SHE'S PROCLAIMING THE PROPERTY AS A CEMETERY NOW.
I SENT THE EMAIL, IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED.
YOU'VE GOT PICTURES, YOU'VE GOT DOCUMENTS, YOU'VE GOT DEEDS THAT HAVE BEEN ON FILE FOR 40 YEARS.
SHE FOUND A 40, UH, 40 OR 50-YEAR-OLD INVALID WILL FROM MY GRANDMOTHER AND STARTED PROBATE.
I'M, I'M, UH, IT'S JUST ONE COPY MA'AM.
WHO BARED YOUR MOTHER IN THE BACKYARD? MY COUSIN WHO OWNS A FUNERAL HOME THAT I WON'T MENTION IN PUBLIC BURIED HER MOTHER OR SHE TESTIFIED IN JUDGE ERIC'S COURT'S COURT THAT SHE COULDN'T LEAVE THE PROPERTY TO BE EVICTED BECAUSE SHE BURIED HER MOTHER'S BODY.
THERE IS A COPY OF THE DEATH CERTIFICATE AND IT IS THERE LISTED AS WILKES CEMETERY.
WE CAN'T GO ON OUR PROPERTY BECAUSE THEY'RE ARMED WITH WEAPONS.
ONE IS ON CITY OF HOUSTON HOUSING.
[01:15:01]
SHE COMES AND SITS DURING THE DAYTIME AND THEN SHE GOES BACK TO HER PUBLIC HOUSING.THEY HAVE DRIVER'S LICENSE WITH ALL THESE ADDRESSES.
RAYMOND WIMBERLEY,
AND GUNSHOTS ARE NOT REALLY A UNCOMMON THING WHEN IT COMES TO WASHINGTON AVENUE AVENUE AND I DON'T REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE BUSINESSES THERE.
I JUST AM THINKING LONG TERM OF A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO, UH, THE CONSTANT CRIME THAT IS OCCURRING.
UM, I JUST FEEL THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD CONSIDER THAT THERE ARE YOUNG FAMILIES OR FAMILIES THAT ARE STARTING OFF, THAT ARE LIVING IN THIS WASHINGTON AREA.
AND WITH THE NUMBER OF BARS THAT ARE LOCATED ON IT, THERE IS, UH, A RECURRING PROBLEM OF VIOLENCE AT NIGHT.
AND POTENTIAL SOLUTION WOULD BE TO RESTRICT CONSTRUCTION PERMITS FOR FUTURE BARS.
UM, THAT'S JUST MY POSSIBLE SOLUTION.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OF RESPONDING AND CHARTER.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY OTHER ISSUES OTHER THAN THE AMOUNT OF BARS THAT ARE ON WASHINGTON.
UM, MR. WIMBERLEY, ONE, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UM, YEAH, YOU AND MANY RESIDENTS MAY CONTINUE TO REACH OUT ABOUT THE CONCERNS ALONG WASHINGTON AVENUE.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD GUNSHOTS.
WE'VE HAD SHOOTINGS, WE'VE HAD BULLETS THROUGH HOMES.
UH, THIS IS NOT THE ONLY AREA IN THE CITY.
BUT IT IS A PROBLEM AND IT'S CONTINUING.
UH, I JUST SPOKE TO OTHER RESIDENTS LAST WEEK.
SAME THING IN SHADY ACRES WITH 19TH AND 20TH STREET.
UH, DID YOU WANNA ADD SOMETHING? 'CAUSE I I WANTED TO YEAH.
PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, 22 9 MIL AND 45 A CP DOESN'T GO THROUGH BUILDINGS, BUT WHEN IT'S 7, 6 2, I HAVE, I HAVE CONCERNS.
SO IF WE CAN JUST COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE TO, YOU KNOW, MINIMIZE A BIG POPULACE OF DRUNK PEOPLE WITH GUNS, THAT'D BE COOL.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE IS NO ZONING.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU COMING FORWARD BECAUSE THERE ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN, HISTORICALLY IN THE PAST IN CERTAIN AREAS, WHEN THE CITY DETERMINED THAT THEY COULD NOT NECESSARILY, UM, HANDLE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE PIPES, THE WATER SYSTEMS, THEY ACTUALLY PAUSED IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS, PERMITTING FOR THOSE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT CAN BE DONE ALONG A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR LIKE WASHINGTON AVENUE.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE DONE, UM, I KNOW Y'ALL ARE DEALING WITH THE HEADACHE OF CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW WITH THE METRO MILLON OVERLAY ALONG WASHINGTON.
BUT WE SECURED A GRANT UM, THROUGH HGA FOR A SAFETY, A CORRIDOR SAFETY STUDY TO CREATE SAFETY THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE, WIDER PEDESTRIAN REALMS, BEAUTIFICATION SAFE CROSSINGS TO TRY TO BRING MORE DAYTIME ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.
AND NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIVITY ALL ALONG WASHINGTON, BOTH FOR DISTRICT C AND FOR DISTRICT H COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, CASTILLO AND I SHARE THAT CORRIDOR IN TERMS OF OUR REPRESENTATION.
UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WHEN HGC KIND OF PRESENTED THE LAST ITERATION OF THEIR FINDINGS.
AND MY SINCERE HOPE, AND ONE THING WE CAN CERTAINLY, UH, WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR AND OTHERS' VOICES ON IS MOVING THAT FORWARD.
IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL YEARS TO DO THAT REDESIGN ALONG WASHINGTON AVENUE, BUT TO GENERATE DAYTIME ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.
SO IT'S NOT JUST NIGHTLIFE ALONG THE CORRIDOR, THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEAUTIFICATION, ALL OF THAT GOES TO LOWERING CRIME IN THE LONG RUN.
I'M NOT DEMANDING THESE BUSINESSES GO UNDER NO, I'M JUST ASKING FOR FUTURE PLANS, THAT'S ALL.
I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE FOR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND.
UM, I KNOW THERE WAS A NEW TASK FORCE, UH, IN COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ'S DISTRICT THAT WAS JUST STOOD UP WITH HPD AND THE MAYOR WAS OUT THERE.
AND MY HOPE IS WE SEE SIMILAR THINGS ALONG WASHINGTON AVENUE.
THREE BARS WERE, UH, SHUT DOWN THE OTHER WEEKEND.
UH, WE'RE CONTINUING COUNCIL MEMBER PECK IS REALLY LEADING EFFORTS, UH, WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
[01:20:01]
CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY.WE HAVE BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS OPERATING WITHOUT THE PROPER, UH, PERMITS AND IT'S DANGEROUS.
UH, SO THOSE ARE TOOLS WE NEED TO USE MORE.
BUT TO YOUR POINT, WHAT'S THE LONG-TERM VISION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SAFETY? YEAH, CORRECT.
NEXT TAISHA, LEGETT TO BE FOLLOWED BY DEBORA ELAINE ALLEN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS TISA LEGETT AND I'M HERE TODAY, NOT JUST TO SPEAK ABOUT A JOB I LOST, BUT TO ASK WHAT KIND OF CITY ARE WE BUILDING AND WHO ARE WE BUILDING IT FOR? I RELOCATED TO HOUSTON FROM ANOTHER CITY ON MY OWN DIME BECAUSE I BELIEVED IN THE MISSION OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND HOUSTON HAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD FOOD.
I SAW THIS AS A PLACE WHERE I COULD GROW, CONTRIBUTE, AND SERVE AS A TEAM MEMBER, AND BE A PART OF A CITY THAT'S PROGRESSIVE IN THOUGHT.
AFTER JUST FIVE TENDER MONTHS, I WAS TERMINATED.
WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY, WITHOUT SUPPORT, AND WITHOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN IMPROVE.
THE EXPERIENCE WAS DISORIENTING PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY.
SOMEONE CALLED ME TODAY PRIOR TO THIS MEETING AND ASKED, WELL, WHAT'S YOUR POSITION? I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT.
I SAID, I DON'T HAVE A POSITION.
BUT NOW I KNOW WHAT MY ANSWER IS.
MAYOR, MY POSITION IS HUMANITY.
BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED TO ME ISN'T JUST ABOUT EMPLOYMENT.
WHO DID WHAT, WHERE, AND WHERE.
IT'S ABOUT THE SYSTEMS WE'RE PART OF AND THE KIND OF CULTURE THAT WE CHOOSE TO CREATE.
ACCORDING TO THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, THE TOP, THE TOP CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS IN THIS REGION ARE DUE TO ECONOMIC CRISIS.
SEE, LIKE JOB LOSS, IT'S NOT ALWAYS ADDICTION OR PERSONAL FAILURE.
WE DON'T ALWAYS REALIZE HOW CLOSE PEOPLE ARE UNTIL THE EDGE, UNTIL THEY'RE PUSHED THERE.
WHEN WE TREAT CITY WORKERS AS DISPOSABLE, WHEN WE STRIP AWAY THEIR INCOME, THEIR PURPOSE, AND THEIR DIGNITY WITHOUT PROCESS OR CARE THROUGH PROVIDING RESOURCES, AT THE VERY LEAST, WE'RE NOT JUST FAILING THEM.
WE'RE CONTRIBUTING TO THE VERY PIPELINE THAT LEADS PEOPLE IN CRISIS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
PUBLIC SERVICE MUST START WITH HOW WE TREAT OUR PEOPLE.
THAT'S HOW WE BUILD A CITY ROOTED IN FAIRNESS, EQUITY, AND COMPASSION.
IF MY COUNCIL MEMBER, MR. CASTILLO, WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO ME, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE IT KNOWN.
I MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHO I AM.
I'M HAPPY TO STEP OUT AND VISIT WITH YOU.
NEXT BO ELAINE ALLEN, WILL HILL, MICHELLE VAN ZANT, BOBBY JOHNSON.
HOW Y'ALL DOING? UH, MY NAME'S BOBBY JOHNSON AND I'M CURRENTLY HOMELESS.
UH, THE REASON WHY I'M HERE IS BECAUSE DOORS ARE BEING SLAMMED IN MY FACE, UM, WHEN I GO FOR ASSISTANCE AND, AND, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT.
UH, I'M, UM, UH, I WAS INJURED ON MY JOB AND, AND WHEN I GOT INJURED ON MY JOB, I LOST EVERYTHING.
AND SO WHEN I GO TO THE SOBERING CENTER FOR ASSISTANCE, UH, UH, THE, THE, THE STAFF KIND OF RUDE AND, AND WHENEVER YOU RAISE YOUR VOICE OR SAY SOMETHING BAD, THEY ASK YOU TO LEAVE.
UM, AND, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT, NOT, NOT JUST THERE, BUT THE STAR HOPE ALSO.
THOSE ARE THE TWO PLACES THAT I'VE HAD THE DOOR SLAMMED IN MY FACE.
AND, AND, AND, UH, I KNOW THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT'S ON THE STREET NOW THAT, THAT HAS THE DOOR SLAMMED IN THEIR FACE.
I THINK I I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT MAYOR, THAT, THAT, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT'S, THAT'S WORKING IN THOSE PLACES, UM, THEY, THEY'RE
[01:25:01]
NOT THE KINDEST PEOPLE.AND, AND BECAUSE THEY'VE GOTTEN THEIR STUFF TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE THE COMPASSION TO REALLY, TO REALLY HELP OTHER PEOPLE ON THE STREET AND ALL THAT, THAT MAYBE COME KNOCKING AT THE DOOR.
AND WHERE ARE YOU FROM? I, I, I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN BEAUMONT, BUT I I'VE BEEN HERE FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
YOU HAVE FAMILY HERE? I I DO NOT.
MY EB MY EBT CARD IS MY BEST FRIEND.
YOUR WHO? MY EBT CARD IS MY BEST FRIEND.
WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU HAD A JOB? UM, LAST SEPTEMBER.
WHAT HAPPENED? I WAS WORKING, I WAS WORKING WHILE DOING THERAPY.
I WAS INJURED ON THE JOB DRIVING 18 WHEELER FOR LIKE 25 YEARS.
BUT, BUT THE DOCTOR SAID THAT I COULD WORK WHILE DOING THERAPY.
AND, UM, THIS, THIS IS WHERE I'M AT.
I'M IN THE LAST STAGE OF THERAPY.
UM, I NEED TO HAVE MY ACL REPLACED, BUT, BUT YOU CAN'T DO THOSE TYPE THOSE, THOSE TYPE OF PROCEDURES AND NOT HAVE A PLACE TO STAY.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT I EXPLAINED TO, UM, THE STAR HOPE AND THE SOBERING CENTER.
WHERE'D YOU, WHERE'D YOU STAY LAST NIGHT? I STAYED ON A, ON LEY.
ON A, ON A, IT'S, IT'S A HALFWAY HOUSE WHERE, AND, UH, I, ON LEY STREET, 87 LOWY.
AND, UH, I, I MADE FRIENDS WITH THE GUY OVER THERE AND I ASKED HIM COULD I SLEEP ON THE PORCH.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? WHERE DO YOU WANNA BE FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? I LIKE TO, I LIKE TO BE, UH, FULLY, FULLY INVESTED IN MY SON'S LIFE AND MAYBE HAVE ME A HOUSE.
WHERE'S YOUR SON AT? UH, HE LIVES UP WITH HIS MOM ALONG SOUTH MAIN.
YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE HIS NAME IN THE NFL SOMEWHERE.
YOU'RE NOT WELCOME AT HIS MOTHER'S HOUSE.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT'D BE A GOOD IDEA RIGHT NOW.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE WON'T GO THERE, BUT I'M TRYING TO FIND YOU SOME, UH, SOME PLANNING, UH, LONG TERM.
AND I'M GONNA ASK REBECCA TO ALLOW YOU TO MEET WITH MIKE NICHOLS, OUR HOUSING, UH, DIRECTOR AND, UH, CHIEF SATTERWHITE.
I BET THEY CAN FIND YOU, UM, A LOCATION, BUT WE NEED TO GET YOU SOME HEALTHCARE AND GET YOU BACK ON YOUR FEET.
UH, BROTHER JOHNSON, IF YOU WOULD, WHEN YOU STEP OUT, I'D LIKE TO STEP OUT AND TALK WITH YOU.
AND, UH, SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AND HELP AND, AND GOOD MOVE.
AND AS YOU DO THAT, SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH REBECCA.
AND WE'LL SEE, UM, KIND OF INFORMATION WE CAN GET THAT'LL SERVE YOUR PURPOSE.
STEVE WILLIAMS. EDUARDO DURAN, DON'T.
THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
[RECESS]
JILL, IN THE MORNING.[RECONVENE]
COME TO ORDER A[MAYOR'S REPORT]
BRIEF MAYOR'S REPORT.I WANNA BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION A, I I DON'T HESITATE TO CALL MR. ALFRED AN ICON.
HE WAS ONE OF 10 AFRICAN AMERICAN FIREFIGHTERS, FIRST HIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT ON MARCH 4TH, 1955.
NOW, CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT THE WORLD AND THIS CITY, GOVERNMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS COMPRISED OF IN 1955? SO TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO JOIN THE DEPARTMENT AND SERVED 27 YEARS RETIRING AS AN INSPECTOR, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK, WE LOOK AROUND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HONOR SOMEONE, AND IT'S USUALLY GONNA BE ONE OF OUR DECEASED ELECTED OFFICIALS.
HERE IS A TRAILBLAZER THAT IS MADE THE DEPARTMENT DIVERSE IN OUR GREAT CITY.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT HE WENT THROUGH IN THE HOUSING ARRANGEMENTS OR ANY OTHER COLLABORATION WITH OTHER FIREFIGHTERS THAT PROBABLY DID NOT WELCOME HIM.
SO I ASK ALL HOUSTONIANS TO JOIN ME IN.
[01:30:01]
MR. ALFRED'S LIFE AND LEGACY.THE VISITATION IS SATURDAY, MAY 17TH FROM NINE 11 AT THE SWEET HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH, AND CLEAN THE PARK, KEEP HIM AND HIS FAMILY IN OUR PRAYERS AS WE CELEBRATE HIS LIFE AND HIS PUBLIC SERVICE, AND CERTAINLY A TRAILBLAZER AND OPEN THE DOORS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
ALSO, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALAN WATSON AND BOB JONES, WHICH HAS THE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY ON OUR AGENDA TODAY.
I THANK THEM FOR THEIR DELIBERATION FOR BRINGING THE ATTENTION THAT THE DRAINAGE FEE HASN'T BEEN USED FOR ITS STATED PURPOSE FOR YEARS.
UH, THEY ALLOWED US TO NEGOTIATE HOW BEST TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY'RE GONNA PUT THROUGH THEIR LAWSUIT, WHICH WE LOST, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN SETTLED YEARS AGO.
TO USE THE DRAINAGE FEE AS HOUSTONIANS INTENDED, IT'LL PUT ABOUT $120 MILLION MORE INTO DRAINAGE AND STREETS MAKING NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, AN ALL TIME COMMITMENT, ALMOST 500 MILLION TO DRAINAGE AND STREETS.
THE CHALLENGE WOULD BE IT'S TAKING THAT 120 MILLION OUT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS OF THE CITY, WHICH MANY OF YOU, UH, THE BUDGETS ADDRESSED THAT IN YEARS PAST.
SO NOW WE'VE GOT A CHALLENGE TO REPLACE THAT $120 MILLION IN GENERAL OPERATIONS, WHICH WE WILL COME FORTH WITH A PLAN IN FUTURE BUDGETS.
SO, THANK YOU ALAN WATSON AND BOB JONES.
AND I'M READY FOR US TO GET ON THE AGENDA.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
THE CONSENT AGENDA.[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY, ITEMS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, AND SIX HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM SEVEN AND EIGHT? CASTEX, MOVE SECOND.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY.
ITEM 11 HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS NINE, 10, AND 12.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASE AND, AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY.
ITEM 15 HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A MOTION ON THE BALANCE? CAST TATUM, MOVE.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE RESOLUTIONS CATEGORY.
UH, ITEMS 22 AND 23 HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF THEY'RE RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING ITEM UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY.
ITEM 33 HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF IT'S RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING.
ITEMS 25, 29 AND 31 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 20, 25, 29, AND 31.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
ITEM ONE NEEDS A MOTION CAST
UM, I WANNA RECOGNIZE ED HERRERO WHO'S HERE, IF YOU CAN STAND, PLEASE.
UM, SO JAIME IS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
WE ACTUALLY GREW UP PLAYING BASEBALL WITH HIM.
HE LIVES IN THE GLENBURG VALLEY AREA AS WELL.
HE'S AN ATTORNEY, ALSO A BUSINESS STRATEGIST.
SO I'M EXCITED TO HAVE HIM JOIN THE, THE HOBBY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN THE HOBBY AREA, AND I THINK HE'S JUST GONNA BE A GREAT ASSET.
AND SO I JUST APPRECIATE, UH, MY COLLEAGUE SUPPORT ON THIS.
JUST NEED TO VOTE YES JUST TO VOTE.
[01:35:01]
UH, MAYOR PROTE, CASTEX TATUM.UH, COLLEAGUES, IT IS A WONDERFUL DAY IN DISTRICT A, UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO FIND VOLUNTEERS, UH, TO PARTICIPATE ON OUR MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS AND OUR TOURS BOARDS.
WELL, TODAY I'M VERY EXCITED THAT UMTS NINE AND 25, UM, WE HAVE BEEN INTENTIONAL ABOUT SEEKING OUT, UH, FOLKS THAT WANT TO VOLUNTEER AND HELP TO NOT ONLY MAKE DISTRICT K BETTER, BUT MAKE OUR CITY BETTER.
SO, ITEM THREE, UM, ON OUR TERMS NINE, WE HAVE IN POSITION FIVE.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING ANOTHER ATTORNEY ON THE BOARD.
DOMINIQUE, IF YOU'LL STAND, UH, GEORGE JOHNSON II IS, UM, UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT.
UH, ANDERSON BARNES, WHO WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS TURS FROM THE BEGINNING, SHE WENT OFF AND NOW SHE'S COMING BACK.
VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HER BACK ON THE TURS.
MAYA CARROLL WILL SERVE AS OUR PRESIDENT OF, UH, TURS NINE, AND JAMES COX JR.
IS ALSO A, A NEW APPOINTMENT, UM, BRINGING, UH, TEX DOT EXPERIENCE, UH, METRO EXPERIENCE, REAL ESTATE EXPERIENCE, DBE EXPERIENCE, UH, TO THE BOARD.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THESE NEW MEMBERS.
UH, YOU, YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THESE TURS ARE TO DISTRICT K, BUT FOR THESE TURS IN MY DISTRICT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE TYPE OF INVESTMENT, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, TURS 20, TURS NINE IS THE FIRST TURS THAT IS BRINGING ATTAINABLE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES TO DISTRICT K.
SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE WORKS.
UH, ASHTON WOODS IS BUILDING A COMMUNITY NEAR TOWN WOOD PARK THAT WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING SOME, UM, ATTAINABLE HOMES IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, DONE, UH, SEVERAL PROJECTS WITH OUR TRI-PARTY AGREEMENT.
SO, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU ALL SUPPORTING, UH, THIS NEW GENERATION OF LEADERS THAT HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO STEP UP AND MAKE DISTRICT A IN OUR CITY BETTER.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO, UM, GIVE OF YOUR TIME AND YOUR TALENT, UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABBAT.
I, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO, UH, RENDERS THEIR SERVICE.
IN PARTICULAR, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT DOMINIQUE CALHOUN.
UH, HE'S SOMEONE I HAVE KNOWN FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
HE BRINGS IMPECCABLE INTEGRITY AND ABILITY, AND HE WILL CERTAINLY BE AN ASSET TO THIS PARTICULAR BOARD.
ITEM FOUR NEEDS A MOTION PASS.
UM, MAYOR PROTE, CASTEX TATUM.
UH, LIKE I SAID, IT'S A GREAT DAY OF DISTRICT A THIRD 25.
WE HAVE, UH, AGAIN, BEEN INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING SURE WE HAVE, UH, QUALIFIED VOLUNTEERS ON, ON THIS PARTICULAR TURS.
SO I KNOW THAT, UH, MANUEL CALEB SANCHEZ IS HERE.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM JOINING TS 25.
GEORGE ANDERSON FOR HIS REAPPOINTMENT, UM, IS THE CHAIR OF, UH, TURS 25.
VERY EXCITED THAT YOU ARE HERE.
GEORGE BYRON O'NEILL IS A NEW APPOINTMENT.
UH, THANK YOU, BYRON, FOR BEING HERE.
LAMONICA LOVE BRINGS HER LEGAL EXPERIENCE TO THE TURS.
VERY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING ANOTHER DISTRICT K RESIDENT ON THE BOARD.
AND THEN COMMUNICATION GURU PHYLLIS BAILEY IS BEING REAPPOINTED, UH, TOTS 25.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WILLING TO VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME AND YOUR TALENT.
UH, THE GREAT WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN TURS 25 WITH OUR AWARD-WINNING GATEWAY PROJECTS, UM, COLLEAGUES, THIS IS THE TURS THAT KNOCKED DOWN THE MAD CO.
Y'ALL KNOW HOW MUCH I HATED THAT MAD CO AND ALL THAT WAS HAPPENING.
UM, THEY, THEY PUT IT IN THE HEAVY LIFTING AND WE, WE GOT RID OF THAT NUISANCE IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO SPUR MORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S A PERFECT LOT FOR US TO PUT A FANTASTIC COMMUNITY BUSINESS.
AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT IN THE COMMUNITY AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, VOLUNTEERING TO MAKE DISTRICT K IN OUR CITY BETTER.
AND, UH, GOOD MORNING TO YOU ALL.
[01:40:01]
MAYOR PRO TIM, YOU HAVE A ALL-STAR LINEUP, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO TERRA NINE, ANDT 25, I KNOW MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, AND I WANNA JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY, UH, AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE WORK THAT YOU DO.AND TO OUR MAYOR, PRO TEM, LET ME CONGRATULATE HER.
CERTAINLY FOR THESE, UH, GREAT INDIVIDUALS.
UH, MANY OF OUR I DO KNOW, AND I JUST WANT TO TOTALLY RECOGNIZE MY FRIEND AND BROTHER GEORGE ANDERSON, IF, IF HE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO DO.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S OFTEN SAID, IF YOU WANT TO GET SOMETHING DONE, GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY THAT'S BUSY.
AND GEORGE DEFINITELY FOUGHT IN THAT CATEGORY.
SO I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF THEM, UH, FOR, WITH AN EXCELLENT GROUP FOR THIS T CAS STATE, UH, MAYOR PROTE, CAST SIX TATUM.
AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT RECOGNIZE DR.
REMA WRIGHT AND COPA, EA WRIGHT, WHO'VE ALSO JOINED US.
UM, THESE ARE TWO OF OUR STELLAR, UM, PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, OUR FAITH-BASED PARTNERS, WE ALWAYS SAY WE CAN'T DO GOVERNMENT, CAN'T DO THIS WORK ALONE.
UM, AND IT IS OUR FAITH-BASED PARTNERS THAT, UH, WORK ALONGSIDE US DURING DISASTERS.
UM, ANYTIME WE NEED TO HAVE A COMMUNITY MEETING, THEY MAKE THEIR FACILITIES AVAILABLE.
THEY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY.
AND, UM, I SEE THEM IN THE AUDIENCE, AND I DID NOT WANT TO LET THIS DAY PASS WITHOUT THANKING THEM FOR THEIR GREAT WORK.
AND THEN ALSO TO LEON, WHO, UM, WORKS WITH US IN THE TURS AND DOES A TREMENDOUS JOB.
I MEAN, I'M, I'M JUST OVERJOYED TODAY, UH, WITH ALL THIS VOLUNTEERISM AND, AND FOR ALL OF YOU TO BE HERE AT YOUR CITY HALL, UM, SO MANY TIMES PEOPLE DON'T TAKE THE TIME OUT TO COME AND SEE HOW THEIR GOVERNMENT WORKS.
UM, SO I'M ECSTATIC THAT YOU'RE HERE TO VOLUNTEER, SEE HOW YOUR GOVERNMENT OPERATES, AND TO PARTICIPATE, UM, AND BE ENGAGED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO, PASTOR UH, WRIGHT AND CO-PASTOR MIA WRIGHT.
SO VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOU HERE AT GEORGE CITY HALL.
ANYONE ELSE, IF NOT ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES.
ITEM SIX, NEEDS A MOTION CAST A MOVE A SECOND.
WHAT? CAYMAN TAGGED, TAGGED BY COUNCILMAN CAYMAN.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY, COUNCILMAN ALCO.
COLLEAGUES, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
A AS YOU'LL RECALL, OR SOME OF YOU WILL RECALL, BACK IN, UM, IN 23 FEBRUARY OF 23, WE, WE DID AN ILA IN INTER INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH.
UM, THE FIRST, AND WHAT I THINK SHOULD BE A LONG CONVERSATION ABOUT MERGING OUR SERVICES WITH HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, NOT, NOT THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT, NOT HARRIS HEALTH, BUT THE, THE PUBLIC HEALTH PORTION.
UM, AS MY COLLEAGUES WHO'VE BEEN HERE AS LONG AS I HAVE WILL RECALL, IN MY FIRST TERM, WE DID A BIG DEEP DIVE INTO ALL OF THE OVERLAPPING SERVICES THAT HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH AND OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT DO.
AND THERE ARE MANY, WE ARE KIND OF AN ANOMALY, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS FAR AS BIG CITIES HAVING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAN OUR COUNTY.
UM, I THINK IN THE LONG RUN, WE CAN, UM, FIND MORE EFFICIENCIES AND ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND SAVE SOME MONEY.
UH, WE CAN NOT HAVE A CONFUSED PUBLIC.
WE HAVE CLINICS, WE'RE DOING VACCINES.
WE DO, UM, OPIOID, YOU KNOW, UH, ADDRESS THE OPIOID CRISIS.
WE DO WIC, WE DO HEALTHY FAMILIES, WE DO NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS.
SO THIS IS DATA SHARING IN, IN A, UM, IN A SITUATION LIKE COVID OR MEASLES OR ANYTHING THAT WE'RE REALLY JUST SHARING ALL OF THE DATA.
THAT'S KIND OF THE EASIEST THING TO DO TO START WITH.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT, UH, A, A LONGER FURTHER CONVERSATION.
MAYOR, I THINK WE COULD MAKE SOME REAL HEADWAY HERE.
AND I THINK THE TIME IS RIGHT HERE.
UM, TO, TO START LOOKING AT A MORE FORMAL ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THESE TWO ENTITIES.
[01:45:01]
SAY, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU AND I THINK YOU'LL BE EXCITED ABOUT HOW WE GO FORWARD.WE'RE IN PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND HARRIS HEALTH, BETTER COLLABORATION.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFFING, AND I'VE LOOKED AT IT LINE BY LINE, MUCH OF IT REFLECTS THE SAME THING THAT HARRIS HEALTH IS DOING TO ECHO YOUR REMARKS.
SO, I THINK WE CAN HAVE BETTER DELIVERY OF SERVICES AT A MORE COST EFFECTIVE MEANS WITH WE'RE UNDER, YOU KNOW, DANGER OF LOSING FEDERAL GRANT MONEY.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE SMARTER ABOUT HOW WE DELIVER OUR SERVICES, BUT IT'S A NATURAL RIGHT, THE WAY YOU'RE DESCRIBING IT, RIGHT? AND GO FORWARD.
AND I THINK IN, IN, IN, NOT IN A VERY SHORT TIME, YOU'RE GONNA BE VERY PLEASED WITH THE DIRECTION.
GREAT AND HAPPY TO HELP WORK ON ANY THAT THROUGH COMMITTEE TO, OH, YOU'LL, YOU'LL TAKE THE LEAD.
AND, UM, I KNOW, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN LEADING IN THAT DIRECTION FOR YEARS.
THERE WAS ALSO A STUDY DONE BY EPISCOPAL HEALTH FOUNDATION, KINDER FOUNDATION, BACK IN, IN 21, UM, CALLED A TALE OF TWO DEPARTMENTS, WHICH REALLY LAID THIS OUT AS WELL.
UM, AND, AND REALLY, UM, I HAVE BEEN, UM, IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE THAT, AND THERE IS SOME PRIVATE FOUNDATION MONEY WILLING TO, UM, BE SPENT ON THIS EFFORT.
AND, AND STAY TUNED IS ALL I CAN SAY.
IT'S GOING TO, IT IS GONNA GET DONE.
AND, UH, GREAT WORK BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
AND BIG THANKS TO BOB JONES AND ALAN WATSON.
UH, THIS IS A LONG TIME COMING AND REALLY GREAT TO SEE THAT OUR, MORE OF OUR AD VALOREM TAXES WILL BE GOING TOWARDS DRAINAGE.
THE FEES BEEN GOING TOWARDS DRAINAGE, SO AD VALOREM TAXES, WE WERE NOT SETTING ASIDE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF OUR AD VALOREM TAXES.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
VERY EXCITED ABOUT, UH, WHAT'S NOT JUST THOSE TAXES.
ALSO TS FUNDS ALL THE FUNDS THAT ARE GONNA GO INTO STREET AND DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE AND, UM, WELL DONE.
UM, AND I'M, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE SETTLEMENT.
I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF INVESTING IN DRAINAGE AND THAT NOT ONLY PUTTING A LAWSUIT POTENTIALLY BEHIND US, BUT THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO START, UH, IN THE COMING YEARS MAKING THOSE RIGHT INVESTMENTS.
I HAD A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS, UM, ON BEHALF OF SOME OF THE PUBLIC QUESTIONS THAT MY OFFICE HAS RECEIVED FOR CITY LEGAL.
UH, JUST TO LAY A FEW THINGS OUT, BECAUSE THERE WAS A FINAL INJUNCTION, UH, IN THE LAWSUIT.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE PROCESS ONCE WE APPROVE THIS? UH, ARE THERE ANY NEXT STEPS THAT ARE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS ENFORCEABLE? UM, YES.
WE HAVE TO GO TO THE TRIAL COURT.
THE TRIAL COURT RECEIVED THE MANDATE FROM THE, UH, 14TH COURT OF APPEALS.
WHAT THE TRIAL COURT HAS THE ABILITY TO DO IS TO MODIFY THE INJUNCTION.
AND THE MODIFICATION IS FOR THREE BUDGET PERIODS, STARTING WITH THE CURRENT ONE WE'RE FACING.
IT'S GONNA BE A REDUCED AMOUNT THAT WE PUT IN THERE.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY WE WILL PAY ACCORDING TO THE OPINION, UH, IN BUDGET YEAR FOUR FROM NOW COUNTING THIS ONE.
SO, UH, IN THE TRIAL COURT CHANGE CIRCUMSTANCES IS A WELL ESTABLISHED GROUND FOR MODIFYING AN INJUNCTION.
AND THE CASE LAW IS VERY CLEAR THAT A SETTLEMENT IS A CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCE.
SO, BUT IT IS INCUMBENT UPON, OR WE ARE RELYING UPON THE COURT TO APPROVE THIS.
THIS ISN'T THE FINAL STEP IN THE PROCESS.
AND THE, UH, I GOT A FLAG THAT WHILE WE HAVE REVIEWED THE, THE SETTLEMENT, I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS MADE PUBLIC, UH, THROUGH AGENDA.
IS THERE A REASON WHY A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT LIKE THIS OR PROPOSED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MADE PUBLIC BY THE CITY AHEAD OF TIME TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW, SINCE THIS IS ABOUT A CITY CHARTER, UM, THAT VOTERS APPROVED PREVIOUSLY? THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE CASE HINGED ON.
UH, IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MADE PUBLIC BEFORE A WEEK AGO BECAUSE WE WERE STILL WORKING OUT THE FINAL DETAILS.
BUT, UH, I THINK IT'S BEEN A AVAIL AVAILABLE SINCE THEN.
CLEARLY IT, IT WAS, UM, IT'S, THERE'S NOTHING CONFIDENTIAL ABOUT IT BECAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER PARTY INVOLVED.
I'M, I'M GETTING SCREENSHOTS THAT ARE SAYING THAT IT WAS NOT PUBLICLY VIEWABLE ON AGENDA.
UM, SO COULD WE DEFER THE VOTE JUST TO CHECK ON THAT? BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAD PUBLIC SPEAKERS COME THAT HAD REQUESTED TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW IT AHEAD OF TIME.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT OPPORTUNITY WAS PROVIDED.
I JUST WANT TO, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, THE EFFORTS
[01:50:01]
THAT WERE DONE REGARDING THIS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER THE, THE, WHEN THE DRAINAGE DOLLARS AND FEES WERE CREATED, THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMUNITY CONCERN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE DIRECTION IT WAS GOING AND HOW THINGS WERE GONNA BE SPENT.AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU, MAYOR, AND, AND OF COURSE, OUR LEGAL FOR COMING TO AN AGREEMENT, UH, WITH EITHER SETTLE THIS MATTER NOT TO HAVE THIS HANGING OVER THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND SO, UM, THERE WERE MANY OF US, PARTICULARLY IN THE FAKE COMMUNITY WHEN THIS WAS DONE.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT ALL ENDED WELL.
AND, AND WE ARE PROUD OF THAT.
I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SETTLE IT AND GET IT DONE AND BEYOND US.
SO THANKS FOR THE GREAT WORK AND THE EFFORT AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND, UM, ACTUALLY, UH, TAKE CARE OF OUR CITY INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND I SHOULD HAVE ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGED ARTURO AND HIS ASSISTANCE, WHO HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB PUTTING IN, PUTTING IN LONG HOURS.
AND, UH, I WANNA PUBLICLY THANK THEM.
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, JUST A CLARIFICATION ON THE ITEM.
THIS IS JUST US AUTHORIZING THE REIMBURSEMENT OF THE LEGAL FEES OF THE NEGOTIATION, CORRECT? YES.
PART OF THE SETTLEMENT IS THAT WE, WE PAY THEIR ATTORNEY'S FEES, UM, FOR LITIGATION THAT WAS THIS LENGTHY AND IS IT INVOLVED? WE THINK IT'S A REASONABLE AMOUNT.
AND THEN THERE ARE ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT'LL COME BEF, UM, BACK TO US REGARDING THIS SETTLEMENT.
NO, I, I THINK THE FULL SETTLEMENT, THIS IS IT.
SO THIS TRANSACTION THEN AUTHORIZES US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE AGREEMENT E EXACTLY.
WITH THIS WE CAN GO TO THE COURT AND SAY, WE ARE, WE ARE READY TO HAVE YOU RULE JUDGE WILLIAMSON.
I WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THIS WAS MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE PURSUANT TO WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY SAID, WE'RE GONNA FOLLOW THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY ATTORNEY.
SO OF COURSE IT SHOULD BE PUBLIC.
AND I'M ASKING FOR A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS MADE PUBLIC, BECAUSE IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING IT WAS NOT MADE PUBLIC.
IT WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO US ONLINE, BUT IT WAS NOT RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC WHEN WE HAD SAID THAT IT WOULD.
SO MAR MARTY'S TAKEN FULL BLAME FOR IT.
SHE CHOSE NOT TO RELEASE IT UNTIL WE HAD THIS VOTE.
SO I'M, I'M NOT GONNA BLAME, YOU KNOW, DO YOU WANNA FIRE THE CITY? I'M NOT GONNA BLAME THE CITY.
I'LL TAKE YOU MOTION AGENDA DIRECTOR UNDER YOUR STAFF.
I SHE'S ONLY LOOKING OUT FOR, FOR YOUR COLLEAGUES IN TERMS OF IT BEING A FINAL PRODUCT BEFORE YOU SHARE IT.
BUT WE DO HAVE A FINAL PRODUCT BECAUSE, AND WE'RE FIXING HAVE ONE.
WE HAVE BEEN REVIEWING THAT PRODUCT AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
UNDERSTAND, LIKE I SAID, BASED ON ARTURO'S RECOMMENDATION, IT WAS A WORK IN PROGRESS.
SO ALL IT WOULD BE CITY, CITY ATTORNEY.
IF WE MOVE TO DELAY ONE WEEK, WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE COURT? COME ON.
WE, I, I THINK WE'RE JUST WAITING LONGER TO PUT THIS TO BED UNTIL ACTUALLY THE COURT RULES.
UH, THE, THE PLAINTIFFS HAVE BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE AND I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE PUBLIC INTEREST, BUT THERE'S NOTHING TO PREVENT THEM FROM BACKING OUT.
I WOULD STRONGLY ADVISE US TO MOVE FORWARD AND SHARE IT WITH THE PUBLIC AS WE VOTE.
I I WOULD MOVE TO VOTE AT THE END OF THE AGENDA.
WE DO WHAT THEY WANT TO MOVE IT TO THE END OF THE AGENDA SO THAT I CAN MAKE IT PUBLIC.
SURE, SURE, SURE, SURE, SURE, SURE, SURE.
YEP, I'M GETTING IN THERE RIGHT NOW.
UH, MEMBERS, I WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT THIS ITEM, UH, SEVERAL YEARS IN THE MAKING WHERE ALLOCATING A HUNDRED THOUSAND IN DISTRICT C FUNDS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT FOR, UH, THE FIRST, UH, PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY CHARGING STATIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN QUITE SOME TIME.
UH, THESE ARE GONNA BE INSTALLED, UH, AT BUFFALO BAYOU PARK, ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC AND VISITED GREEN SPACES IN OUR CITY.
UH, I WAS JUST WITH SHELL YESTERDAY.
THEY WERE OPENING UP THEIR NEW CHARGING STATIONS, UH, AS THE ENERGY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, AND THEY HIT ON THIS.
UH, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AND OBLIGATION FOR LEADING IN THE ENERGY TRANSITION AS WELL.
AND TO PROVIDE RESIDENTS WITH, UH, AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO CHARGING STATIONS IN OUR PUBLIC SPACES IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY USED TO DO.
[01:55:01]
NOW WE'RE STARTING THAT WORK OVER AGAIN.SO, AGAIN, THESE WILL BE LOCATED, UH, IN BUFFALO BAYOU PARK.
I WANNA THANK, UH, THE DOWNTOWN HOUSTON DISTRICT, ALAN DOUGLAS, BRETT DEBOR, CHRIS LARSON, AND LEGAL MARTIN BUSAK FINANCE.
JED UH, J WAS AMAZING WORKING THROUGH THIS DEAL.
UH, OF COURSE, GWEN AND HER TEAM IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE FORMER OFFICE OF RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY AND CENTER POINT, I WOULD ADD WAS A REALLY INSTRUMENTAL PARTNER.
THEY'RE WORKING WITH FOLKS IDENTIFYING KEY LOCATIONS FOR CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE AS MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES, UH, ARE BEING USED BY HOUSTONIAN.
AGAIN, IT TOOK OVER THREE YEARS TO MOVE FORWARD ON, BUT WE NOW WILL HAVE PUBLIC CHARGING STATIONS GOING IN AT OUR PARKS.
UH, AND THE COST OF THESE WILL BE VERY, UH, MINIMUM FOR USERS BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY RECOUPING COST FOR MAINTENANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.
SO WOULD MOVE FOR PASSAGE AND THANK EVERYONE INVOLVED.
[MATTERS HELD - NUMBERING]
NEXT.MOVE MOTIONS MADE IN SECOND MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, PRO P.
UM, ITEM 57 AND 58 ARE FOR SANITARY SEWER CLEANING AND INSPECTION SERVICES.
AND DISTRICT A IS ONLY DISTRICT, UM, THAT DIDN'T, UM, THAT WASN'T INCLUDED IN EITHER OR BOTH OF THE CONTRACTS.
AND WHEN WE ASKED ABOUT IT, WE WERE TOLD THAT, UM, INSPECTION ONLY NEEDS TO HAPPEN EVERY 10 YEARS.
AND I'VE WORKED FOR DISTRICT A FOR 11 YEARS NOW AND CAN'T RECALL EVER THAT THIS HAPPENED IN DISTRICT A.
SO I JUST WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR HELP, MAYOR, MAKING SURE THAT DISTRICT A ISN'T LEFT OUT OF THESE PROJECTS.
ITEM 58 NEEDS A MOTION CAST, TA MOVE SECOND.
UM, I HAD ASKED THAT THIS ITEM BE TAGGED LAST WEEK.
UH, THIS IS PRETTY STANDARD FOR THE CITY.
UH, WE'RE EXPANDING A CONTRACT TO ADD ADDITIONAL SERVICES, UH, FOR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN FOR PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WHEN I HAD ASKED FOR A LIST OF WHAT PROJECTS WOULD BE INCLUDED, THE DEPARTMENT HAD SAID, WE DON'T KNOW YET.
UH, WE THEN WENT ON TO ASK, WELL, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PRIOR ONES THAT ARE STILL BEING WORKED ON? AND WE WERE GIVEN A LIST, UH, THOSE INCLUDED ROADS IN DISTRICT CI ASKED FOR A SCOPE OF WHAT THOSE PROJECTS INCLUDED.
WE WERE TOLD WE'LL BE INFORMED WHEN WE GO TWO WEEKS TO CONSTRUCTION.
I SAID, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE, AND WHEN I WAS TOLD WHAT THE SCOPE WAS.
AND THE REASON I WAS ASKING IS, WE HAD ALREADY TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS ALLOCATED FUNDS AND AUTHORIZED ONE OF OUR TOURS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THAT VERY SAME STREET THAT WAS WEST ALABAMA.
I HAVE A CONCERN THAT WE ARE NOT PROPERLY DE CONFLICTING OUR ROADS.
AND I KNOW OF MULTIPLE EXAMPLES AND THERE'S A PROCESS ISSUE HERE.
AND MY CONCERN BEING THAT IT'S COSTING MONEY TO THE CITY WHEN WE'VE ALREADY MOVED THROUGH DESIGN OF SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
SO ON WEST ALABAMA, WE HAVE ALREADY SPENT, I BELIEVE, OVER $50,000 ON ENGINEERING DESIGN AS A CITY WHEN IT WAS NOT DECONFLICTED.
AND EVERY TUR SUBMITS THEIR LIST OF, UH, LIKE A FORM TO PUBLIC WORKS TO DECONFLICT ALL OF THESE PROJECTS.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT THE ONLY ONE THIS IS HAPPENING IN.
UH, I USUALLY SUPPORT EXPANDING THESE CONTRACTS BECAUSE WE NEED PUBLIC WORKS TO BE ABLE TO MOVE QUICKLY, UH, TO IDENTIFY ROADS.
MAYOR, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PUSHING HARD TO, UH, FIX OUR STREETS, AND THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
BUT WHEN WE'RE NOT DE CONFLICTING AND WE'RE WASTING MONEY BY DUPLICATING EFFORTS AND NOT CATCHING THESE, WE'RE ALSO, UH, HURTING THE CITY TO ITS DETRIMENT.
SO I, I'M RAISING THIS, UH, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS ITEM TODAY, BUT I DO EXPECT MOVING FORWARD, AND I APPRECIATE THE DEPARTMENT WORKING WITH US.
THEY ACTUALLY SAID THEY HAVE NOW REMOVED THAT ROAD FROM THEIR LIST OF WHAT THEY'RE GONNA MOVE ON.
[02:00:01]
BUT MOVING FORWARD, I DO EXPECT US TO HAVE A MUCH MORE THOROUGH LIST WHEN WE'RE AUTHORIZING THESE BROAD SCALE HALF A MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTS AS TO WHAT'S ACTUALLY BEING PLANNED AND LOOKED AT.BECAUSE IF WE DON'T KNOW THAT, I'M NOT NECESSARILY TRUSTING THE PROCESS AND THINGS ARE FALLING THROUGH AND WE'RE WASTING MONEY.
I I WAS JUST GONNA ASK, IS THERE A WAY TO USE THAT $50,000 WORTH OF DESIGN? I MEAN, CAN THE TURS USE THAT NOW? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I BELIEVE THEY WERE DONE INDEPENDENTLY, AND WE WILL CERTAINLY, YEAH.
I MEAN, IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE'RE NOT WASTING THAT MONEY, THAT'D BE GREAT.
BUT AGAIN, THIS ISN'T THE ONLY ROAD IN THE CITY.
THIS IS A DISTRICT ROAD, SO I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT IT.
BUT I KNOW IN OTHER DISTRICTS THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING AS WELL.
THOSE OPPOSED TO ANY MOTION PASSES.
NOW, NOW WE'LL GO BACK TO JONES WANTS WHAT NUMBER? LET'S GO BACK TO 29.
AND THEN WE HAVE 22 AND 23 IN.
MEMBERS, BACK TO 29 TO JONES FROM WATSON SETTLEMENT.
I'VE MADE THE SETTLEMENT AND THE EXHIBIT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
THE SETTLEMENT AND EXHIBITS HAVE BEEN MADE PUBLIC.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN CAMAN? UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I, I APPRECIATE THE GESTURE AND THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE IT PUBLIC.
I DO NOT THINK THAT'S SUFFICIENT TIME.
I'M GONNA BE SUPPORTING THIS TODAY BECAUSE THE CITY NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, PURSUANT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S LEGAL ADVICE, UH, BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO MOVE FORWARD, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BUDGET BEING VOTED ON.
BUT I DO THINK ON ITEMS LIKE THIS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC HAS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO REVIEW.
UH, WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE, AND TO NOT GIVE THE PUBLIC SUFFICIENT TIME, UH, CAUSES ME HEARTBURN.
BUT AGAIN, WE DO NEED TO SETTLE THIS BEFORE, UH, WE MOVE INTO FINAL BUDGET VOTES.
AND, UH, MARTY, MARTA USED HER BEST JUDGMENT, AND QUITE FRANKLY, UH, SHE WAS IN CONTACT WITH A TOURO FOR THE FINISHED PRODUCT THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD TODAY.
AND, UM, I THINK MARTA'S ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE EMPLOYEES THAT, THAT WE HAVE.
WE'VE BE IN A HECK OF A SHAPE.
SHE, UH, SHE DOES THE VERY BEST SHE CAN, AND SHE'S VERY TRANSPARENT.
THIS WAS JUST A DECISION TO WAIT TILL THE FINAL PRODUCT WAS PRESENTED.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
RESOLUTION ITEM 22 IS A RESOLUTION.
THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
[NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
PRO TATUM.JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY, UM, CONGRATULATE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS.
UM, THEY HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY ACTIVE ON THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES AS MANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES ARE, BUT, UM, WHEN YOU ARE A LEADER AMONG LEADERS, I THINK IT DESERVES TO BE CELEBRATED.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO, UM, SERVE IN THOSE CAPACITIES AND WISH YOU THE VERY BEST AS YOU MOVE FORWARD THROUGH, UM, THE ORGANIZATION.
WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS POPOFF.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT AN EVENT THAT I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING.
LAST WEEK WAS THE SBA SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS PRESENTED BY SCORE AT THE HILTON POST OAK.
I WANT TO THANK MY GOOD FRIEND, NIKITA BRO, AND THE UNITY BANK, UH, FOR INVITING US.
IT WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL, INFORMATIVE EVENT THAT RECOGNIZED THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SMALL BUSINESSES TO THE HOUSTON ECONOMY.
I ALSO LIKE THE HIGHLIGHT SCORE, SCORE PARTNERS WITH THE SBA TO OFFER FREE BUSINESS ADVICE, AS WELL AS LOW COST AND NO COST BUSINESS TRAINING AND TOOLS.
YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT, UH, THEM AND THEIR HOUSTON AT THEIR HOUSTON OFFICE@WWW.SCORE.ORG, HOUSTON.
UH, NEXT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE STRAY ANIMAL PROBLEM THAT WE
[02:05:01]
HAVE IN OUR CITY.UH, I HAD THIS INTERVIEW WITH, UH, CHANNEL 11 LAST WEEK ON THIS TOPIC.
THE NUMBER OF DOG BITES, UH, HAS INCREASED STEADILY OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
THERE ARE 2,400 REPORTED BITES LAST YEAR, AND THAT'S JUST THE BITES THAT ARE REPORTED.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IN THE NEWS ABOUT THE PACT OF WILD DOGS THAT ATTACKED RESIDENTS IN FIFTH WARD BACK IN MARCH.
IT'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM, SAFETY ISSUE, OUR CITY, AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE AT BARK FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO WITH THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE.
BUT I WOULD BE, UH, IN FAVOR GETTING THEM TO HELP, UH, PERHAPS CREATING A NEW LGC OR SOME TYPE OF PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
UH, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF SEEING THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH THESE ANIMALS.
NEXT, I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE, UH, MY, UH, COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, UH, IN THIS OFFICE ON HOLD IN THEIR SECOND ANNUAL GALA, GOLDEN GALA, EARLY THIS WEEK.
IT WAS A LOVELY CELEBRATION TO HANG OUT WITH THEM AND, UH, THE SENIOR COMMUNITY ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF THE TOWN.
IT WAS A PLEASURE TO ATTEND AND TO SEE THE PEOPLE REALLY HAVE, UH, THE LIFE OF DAY.
LASTLY, I WANT TO THANK NANCY SIMS AND KURT HY AND EVERYONE AT DAIKIN PARK FOR THEIR CLEAR, UH, THE AIR INITIATIVE.
UH, DAIKIN HAS GENEROUSLY DONATED 18 ROOM AIR PURIFIERS TO MY OFFICE, AS THEY DON'T GOING TO DO TO OTHERS, SO THAT WE COULD DISTRIBUTE THESE TO CONSTITUENTS.
UH, I WILL BE ASKING D**E TO JOIN US AT OUR NEXT TOWN HALL MEETING, UH, WHICH WILL BE COMING UP, UH, VERY SOON, AND WE COULD DISTRIBUTE THESE OUT TO SENIORS AND OTHERS.
AND THE TOWN HALL MEETING WILL BE JULY THE 21ST AT THE SUNNYSIDE MULTIPURPOSE CENTER, UH, MULTIER CENTER AT 6:00 PM WE WILL ANNOUNCE MORE DETAILS ON THE AIR PURIFIERS DISTRIBUTION IN THE COMING WEEKS.
UH, YESTERDAY I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO ATTEND THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF CIMARRON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UH, CIMARRON ELEMENTARY IS IN THE GALENA PARK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY PARTS OF THE SCHOOL, ALTHOUGH THEY'VE HAD A COUPLE OF ADDITIONS, ARE 70 YEARS OLD.
UH, YOU KNOW, ALL THE THINGS THAT A LOT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UH, POINT TO AS REASONS THEY DON'T DO WELL ARE AT THIS SCHOOL AND IN G PARK, ISD YET THE SCHOOL IS REALLY JUST AN INSPIRATION.
UH, THEY'VE GOT, UH, A B ON THEIR MOST RECENT RATING.
THEY GOT A B THE PREVIOUS YEAR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DID AS WELL.
UH, AND A LOT OF REALLY GREAT STUFF GOING ON AT, UH, THIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND REALLY ENJOY GOING OUT THERE.
UM, AND THEN IN KINGWOOD, UH, FRIDAY, THEY'RE HAVING THE SENIOR CITIZEN PROM.
SO I THINK, UH, SOME OF US IN HERE MIGHT QUALIFY TO, TO BE ABLE TO GO THERE AND I'LL BE STOPPING BY.
AND I THINK COUNCILWOMAN CARTER'S GONNA BE STOPPING BY AS WELL.
BUT, UH, COMCAST IS HELPING PUT THIS ON AS WELL.
AND, UH, SHOULD BE A GOOD EVENT FOR THE PEOPLE OUT THERE.
THIS PAST, UH, WEEKEND, UH, I CELEBRATED WITH HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER, UH, MOTHER'S DAY.
WE HAD A SPECIAL MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH, UH, FOR ALL THE MOMS AND KIDS, UH, THAT ARE AD HOC.
UH, THE NEW HOUSING THAT THE CITY, UH, PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN FUNDING, UH, IS OPEN THE FAM THE KIDS WERE PLAYING IN THE NEW PLAYGROUND.
UH, IN ADDITION TO BRUNCH, FAMILIES GOT TO MAKE HEALTH AND BEAUTY GIFT BAGS BUILD THEIR OWN BOUQUETS.
UH, IT WAS A REALLY LOVELY, LOVELY CELEBRATION.
UH, AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT, MY OFFICE WAS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE WE'RE ALLOCATING $15,000 IN DISTRICT FUNDS TO HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER, UH, TO SUPPORT THEIR ONGOING WORK.
UH, DISTRICT C ALSO GAVE OUT FREE ZOO TICKETS FOR THE FAMILIES, UH, WITH THE HELP OF SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER.
UH, Y'ALL'S OFFICES PITCHED IN SOME TICKETS TO MAKE SURE EVERY MOM AND ALL THE KIDDOS GOT TO GO TO THE ZOO.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP.
A FEW THANK YOUS, THERE WERE SOME CORPORATE SPONSORS, LEXITAS AND CHERYL OSTROM.
UH, THE HK TEAM IS AMAZING AS ALWAYS.
SONYA EUREKA, TIM, LESLIE, RAUL, BONNIE, SARAH, ALL THE VOLUNTEERS.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE ZOO FOR CONTINUING TO PROVIDE US TICKETS, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, I WAS JUST SPEAKING WITH HPD.
[02:10:01]
UP, UH, NEARLY A QUARTER OF ALL, UH, HOMICIDES IN OUR CITY.UH, SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THAT HEAD ON, UH, RELATING TO BAR ISSUES AND NOISE.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO SEE LOUD NOISE AND REPEAT OFFENDER BARS AND CLUBS THROUGHOUT DISTRICT C.
UH, I WANNA GIVE A THANK YOU TO, UM, HPD AND THE NEW OPERATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
UH, THEY WERE, I BELIEVE, RECENTLY ABLE TO SHUT DOWN THREE SPECIFIC BARS ALONG WASHINGTON AVENUE, UM, IN SHADY ACRES.
UH, WE'RE STILL CONTINUING TO HAVE ISSUES.
HPD HAD TO RESPOND AROUND THREE OR 4:00 AM ON SUNDAY MORNING WHEN VEHICLES WERE BLOCKING STREETS AS A RESULT.
AGAIN, HPD RESPONDED VERY QUICKLY, BUT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES, AND WE ARE HEARING FROM RESIDENTS.
I DO WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AS CHAIR, EXCUSE ME, VICE MAYOR PROTE PECK AS CHAIR OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR OFFICE, UM, AND STAYING IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ON GREATER ENFORCEMENT FROM THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.
AND I KNOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, YOU'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THE SOUND ORDINANCE.
I ALSO, IN TERMS OF SAFETY, UH, WE HAVE BEEN HEARING MAYOR, I COULD REALLY USE YOUR HELP LOOKING AT THIS.
UM, WE'VE HAD SOME REQUESTS, ESPECIALLY IN FRONT OF SOME SCHOOLS REGARDING SAFE CROSSINGS, INCLUDING AT HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL.
SO AT 13TH AND HEIGHTS, UM, RESIDENTS, THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN ASKING FOR A SAFE CROSSING THERE.
WE WERE APPROVED FOR PAINT, BUT WE'RE NOT BEING APPROVED FOR A SINGLE RAISED CROSSWALK WHEN STUDENTS ARE CROSSING.
SO I, I'D REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, HELP LOOKING AT THAT, THAT IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, A RAISED CROSSING IS APPROPRIATE, UM, TO KEEP THOSE KIDS SAFE.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE HAPPY TO FUND IT.
WE JUST NEED THE APPROVAL, UM, FROM PLANNING AND PUBLIC WORKS.
I DO WANNA END, UH, WITH A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO COLE IN OUR OFFICE.
HE'S OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING COORDINATOR.
HE'S BEEN WITH US FOR THREE YEARS, SINCE HE STARTED HIS CHIP INTERNSHIP AND THEN MOVED ON TO STAFF.
HE JUST GRADUATED THIS PAST WEEK FROM, UH, UH, WITH A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN POLI SCI AND A MINOR IN ECONOMICS.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO COLE AND ALL OF THE GRADUATES, UH, THIS PAST WEEK AND THOSE GRADUATING THIS MONTH THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
FIRST, I WANNA START OFF BY THANKING YOU, UM, FOR COMING OUT TO DISTRICT B LAST NIGHT, UM, IN THE HOUSTON UNITED, UM, COALITION.
UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM FOR PUTTING ON A SUCCESSFUL MEETING.
IT WAS GOOD CONVERSATION, MAYOR.
YOU LIKE UNCENSORED
WHAT OUR PEOPLE NEED IS REALNESS, HONESTY, AND TRANSPARENCY, AND YOU GAVE THAT TO THEM LAST NIGHT.
UM, THE REVENUE CAP CONVERSATION, I APPRECIATE THAT.
I'VE BEEN HEARING THE REVENUE CAP FOR TWO DECADES NOW, AND SO I'M HOPING THAT YOU'RE GONNA START A CAMPAIGN TO REMOVE THE REVENUE CAP BECAUSE, UM, THAT SEEMS TO BE OUR NUMBER ONE PROBLEM ON GETTING THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED, UM, TO MOVE PROJECTS FORWARD.
BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU AND I KNOW THE COMMUNITY REALLY APPRECIATED YOU COMING OUT AND CONVERSATING WITH THEM.
AND LAST WEEK, UM, I HAD A JOB FAIR AT THE PLEASANTVILLE, UM, JU ROBINSON CENTER.
WE HAD A TOTAL OF 404 JOB SEEKERS THAT CAME OUT.
UM, COUNCILMAN MCCARTER, THANK YOU FOR SENDING YOUR TEAM OUT.
UM, WE HAD 270 IN 278 INTERVIEWS WAS CONDUCTED ON THE SPOT OR SCHEDULED, AND ONE PERSON WAS HIRED ON THE SPOT.
SO, UM, OF COURSE, THESE ARE SECOND CHANCE JOBS.
UM, THEY'RE GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER EACH, UM, BE SUCCESSFUL JOB FAIR, WE HAVE 'EM EVERY OTHER MONTH.
AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS, THE PROGRESS THAT WE MADE MAKING TO GET PEOPLE CONNECTED TO GOOD PAYING JOBS.
UM, UPDATE FOR THE FOLKS ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE.
UM, BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS ON HAR HERSCH ROAD BRIDGE WILL, UM, IS GONNA TAKE PLACE.
UM, THE PUBLIC WORKS HAVE ACTUALLY WILL START ADVERTISING THE BIDS FOR THIS PROJECT IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN LIKE SPEED THAT UP BECAUSE THE BID BRIDGE IS DAMAGED.
AND OF COURSE, UM, IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, AND SO HOPEFULLY, UM, PUBLIC WORKS CAN GET THAT BID OUT SOONER SO WE CAN GET THAT BRIDGE REPAIRED.
BUT IT IS ON THE, UM, ON THE LIST OF, OF PARK BRIDGES TO BE REPAIRED, UM, PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
BUT, UM, BORDERS, THE BORDERS PARK WILL OPEN UP, UM, ON SATURDAY.
SO IT'S CLOSED RIGHT NOW TO REPAIR THE BASKETBALL, UM, COURT.
UM, BUT WE ASK FOLKS IN BORDERS AND THAT'S HUMBLE FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW TO BE PATIENT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON YOUR PARK, AND IT WOULD BE UP AND READY TO GO SOONER THAN LATER.
AND THEN NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUPS.
WE ARE HOSTING A NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP THIS SATURDAY, UM, AT, ACTUALLY IT WAS THIS SATURDAY THAT WE HOSTED A NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN UP AT SHADY TIMBERS, WHICH
[02:15:01]
IS ONE OF OUR WAYS OF KEEPING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS CLEAN.AND SO WE ENCOURAGE CIVIC CLUBS.
IF YOU WANNA DO A NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP, PLEASE REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE AND WE CAN GET THAT SET UP WITH YOU.
OUR OFFICE NUMBER IS 8 3 2 3 9 3 3 0 0 9.
LASTLY, WANT TO, UM, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR HOT TEAM WHO'S WORKING REALLY HARD TO KEEP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS CLEAN THROUGHOUT DISTRICT B, OUR HOT TEAM ACTUALLY PICKED UP A TOTAL OF 57 PIECES OF FURNITURE.
UM, IT'S A LOT OF FURNITURE THAT'S BEING THROWN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
UM, THEY PICKED UP 33 BAGS OF TRASH, AND ON MONDAYS, THEY, IT'S, THEY FOCUS ON, UM, TIRES.
AND SO THEY PICKED UP 137 TIRES, WANNA THANK THEM FOR THEIR HARD WORK.
BUT CONSTITUENTS, RESIDENTS, PLEASE STOP DUMPING.
WE ARE SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY ON ILLEGAL DUMPING.
AND, UM, IT'S NOT SAFETY FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S NOT GOOD FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO, UM, WITHOUT, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER TO BUZZ.
UM, EMAIL OUR OFFICE DISTRICT B@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
UH, SO THIS WEEK IN THE MAIL, I GOT MY BURGLAR ALARM PERMIT LETTER REMINDING ME TO RENEW THAT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND I WAS THINKING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE GREAT IF THERE WAS AN OPTION TO PAY MULTIPLE YEARS AT ONE TIME.
SO THAT WAY, INSTEAD OF SENDING BILLS EVERY YEAR, YOU COULD JUST, YOU KNOW, SEND A EVERY TWO YEARS OR FIVE YEARS, WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO, RIGHT? UM, AND SO, UH, ALSO THIS WEEK, UH, MAYOR, I GOT A CALL FROM CHIEF SATTERWHITE.
THEY ARE OUT THERE AT OLD FARM ROAD HELPING WITH THAT CLEANUP, UM, GETTING RID OF SOME OF THAT UNDERBRUSH.
I'M ALREADY HEARING FROM THE RESIDENTS HOW HAPPY THEY ARE.
THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL POLICE WEEK, AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UH, PEOPLE ARE REMEMBERING THOSE, UH, POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE LINE OF DUTY.
LAST WEEK, WEEK HAD OUR POLICE WEEK HERE IN HOUSTON, AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES THAT CULMINATED IN, UH, THE MEMORIAL SERVICE THAT'S HELD ANNUALLY, UH, FRIDAY EVENING.
AND DURING THAT SERVICE, UH, SURVIVORS OF OUR FALLEN OFFICERS, THE MAYOR, YOU WERE THERE, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE THERE, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND OTHER OFFICERS WALK FROM THE UNION BUILDING TO THE, THE, UH, POLICE MEMORIAL PART OF THAT PROGRAM, UM, LISTED THE NAMES AND INFORMATION OF, BY MY COUNT, MORE THAN 120 MEN AND WOMEN WHO OVER THE YEARS HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE LINE OF DUTY AS HOUSTON POLICE OFFICERS.
AND, UM, THEY'RE NOT JUST NAMES ON A PAGE.
EACH ONE OF THEM HAS A STORY AND, UM, THAT DESERVES TO BE TOLD.
AND I WANTED TO, UH, JUST SAY A FEW BRIEF WORDS ABOUT THREE OF THEM THAT I KNOW ABOUT.
ONE WAS OFFICER GUY GATIS, WHO WAS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY ON JANUARY 31ST, 1994.
HE WAS TRANSPORTING A ROBBERY SUSPECT IN THE BACK OF HIS PATROL CAR.
AND, UH, THE SUSPECT HAD SOMEHOW MANAGED TO MAINTAIN A PISTOL IN HIS POSSESSION AND SHOT OFFICER GATIS AS HE WAS BEING TRANSPORTED TO THE STATION.
OFFICER GADDIS, UH, WAS ONLY A POLICE OFFICER FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
PRIOR TO THAT, HE HAD BEEN AN ARMY VET AND HAD SERVED IN DESERT STORM.
HE, UH, LEFT BEHIND A WIFE WHO WAS EXPECTING THEIR CHILD, UH, WHO WAS BORN AFTER HIS DEATH, A BABY GIRL WHO HE NEVER GOT TO MEET.
HE WAS DESCRIBED BY COWORKERS, BE AS BEING COMPASSIONATE, CARING, AND CONSIDERATE.
AND THERE WAS ONE OF HIS COLLEAGUES, A POLICE WOMAN WHO, UH, ALONG WITH HIM WORKED THE NIGHT SHIFT.
BACK THEN, THERE WAS NO SHORTAGE OF POLICE CARS.
AND SO EVERYBODY TRAVELED IN, IN ONE PERSON UNITS.
AND SHE COMMENTED THAT, UH, HE ALWAYS LOOKED OUT FOR HER THAT, UM, WHEN SHE WOULD, UH, BE OUT ON A CALL ON THE STREETS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, HE WAS ALWAYS THERE TO BACK HER UP, EVEN WHEN OTHER COLLEAGUES DID NOT.
HE WAS PART OF CADET CLASS 1 48 AND DIED AT THE AGE OF 24 YEARS OLD.
UH, ANOTHER KWANG, TONY TRIN, THE SON OF VIETNAMESE IMMIGRANTS, WAS A NAVY VETERAN WHO HAD BEEN ON THE FORCE, UH, BRIEFLY.
HE WAS NOT ACTUALLY ON HIS SHIFT.
HE WAS WORKING THE COUNTER AT HIS PARENTS' GROCERY STORE.
UH, BUT AS POLICE OFFICERS WILL TELL YOU WHETHER THEY'RE ON THEIR SHIFT OR NOT, THEY'RE ALWAYS ON DUTY.
THEY'RE ALWAYS POLICE OFFICERS 24 HOURS A DAY.
AND, UM, A ROBBER WALKED IN INTENT ON GETTING THE MONEY AND THE CASH REGISTER
[02:20:01]
AND NOTICED HIS BADGE AND, UH, SHOT HIM TO DEATH THERE IN HIS PARENTS' CONVENIENCE STORE.THIS HAPPENED NEAR THE, UH, INTERSECTION OF WESTERLAND AND WESTHEIMER.
UM, HE WAS ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED, SO DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE CHILDREN, BUT HE LEFT BEHIND HIS FIANCE AND, UH, HIS MOTHER AND FATHER AND A BROTHER, HIS FIANCE AND HIS BROTHER.
LATER WENT ON TO BECOME POLICE OFFICERS.
THE THIRD OFFICER I WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT WAS, UH, HENRY CANALES, WHO WAS 42 YEARS OF AGE.
WHEN HE DIED ON JUNE 23RD, 2009.
HE HAD BEEN AN OFFICER FOR ABOUT 16 YEARS.
IT HAD BEEN HIS DREAM TO WORK IN THE AUTO THEFT DIVISION, AND, UH, FINALLY GOT HIS WISH.
ONE EVENING, HE AND OTHER OFFICERS THAT HE WORKED WITH WERE CONDUCTING AN UNDERCOVER OPERATION.
THESE ARE VERY DANGEROUS OPERATIONS.
THIS WAS, UH, AIMED AT, UH, A CARGO THEFT CREW.
AND IN AN UNDERCOVER CAPACITY, HE MET WITH, UH, SOME FOLKS WHO WERE TRYING TO STEAL OR TRYING TO, UM, UNLOAD A, UH, UM, A TRUCK FULL OF STOLEN GOODS.
AND, UM, DURING THE COURSE OF THAT, UH, EXCHANGE, HE MADE A CASE, GAVE THE BUS SIGNAL.
AND AT THAT POINT, OFFICERS ON SURVEILLANCE WERE SUPPOSED TO MOVE IN AND MAKE ARREST, BUT DUE TO A MISCOMMUNICATION, UM, THE BUS TEAM DIDN'T MOVE IN.
AND, UH, THE, UH, SUSPECT THAT HE WAS DEALING WITH GOT SUSPICIOUS AS TIME WENT ON AND NOTHING HAPPENED AND, UH, PULLED A GUN ON OFFICER CANALES.
OFFICER CANALES, UH, FEARING FOR HIS LIFE, PULLED HIS OWN WEAPON AND THEY SHOT EACH OTHER.
THEY SHOT EACH OTHER TO, TO DEATH.
OFFICER CANALES, UM, IN AN UNDERCOVER CAPACITY, WAS WEARING A BODY MIC AND A RECORDING DEVICE ON HIS PERSON.
AND SO HIS, THE SHOOTING AND HIS DEATH WERE CAPTURED ON THAT RECORDING DEVICE.
HE LEFT BEHIND A WIFE AND TWO TEENAGE CHILDREN, A SON AND A DAUGHTER.
UH, OFFICER CANALES LOVED RACING AND DRAG RACING SPECIFICALLY.
HE WAS PART OF AN EFFORT CALLED BEAT THE HEAT THAT TRIED TO GET YOUTH WHO WERE, UH, IN STREET RACING OFF THE STREET AND ONTO THE TRACKS WHERE THEY COULD DO THEIR, THEIR DRIVING.
HE WAS, UH, KNOWN BY HIS COLLEAGUES TO BE HUMBLE AND HARDWORKING AND A JOKESTER.
UM, I GOT TO VISIT WITH HIS WIFE, HIS WIDOW AMOR FRIDAY EVENING, AND TO SEE HIS TWO CHILDREN NOW GROWN UP, AND EVEN HIS GRANDCHILDREN, WHICH HE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO GET TO KNOW.
SO THOSE ARE JUST THREE OF THE MORE THAN 120 STORIES OF POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR, UH, LIVES IN THE LINE OF DUTY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABOUT TO TAKE UP THE, UH, POLICE UNION CONTRACT.
AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU VALUE THE RISKS THAT WE ASK OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, FIREFIGHTERS INCLUDED, BECAUSE MANY OF THEM HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE LINE OF DUTY AS WELL.
UM, SOME OFFICERS SERVE THEIR ENTIRE CAREER AND THEY DON'T HAVE, UM, INCIDENTS LIKE THIS OCCUR.
OTHERS OBVIOUSLY WILL LOSE THEIR LIVES.
AND, UM, IT CAN BE KIND OF RANDOM.
BUT AS, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS DISCUSSION, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WE ASK OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS INCLUDED, TO ENGAGE, TO TAKE RISKS THAT WE DON'T ASK OTHERS TO DO.
AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SERVICE, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER, REMEMBER THEIR SACRIFICES DURING POLICE WEEK.
YOU OBVIOUSLY ARE LEADING THE WAY THIS MORNING WITH A MESSAGE THAT WE ALL AGREE WITH.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I LOST MY BEST FRIEND IN HIGH SCHOOL AND A GROOMSMAN IN MY WEDDING AND OFFICER TIM HEARN.
SO I NEVER AROUND OFFICERS, AND CERTAINLY THE MEMORIAL SERVICE THAT I DON'T HAVE TO RELIVE THE HORRIBLE CALL I GOT AT FOUR IN THE MORNING THAT OFFICER HEARN, A NARCOTICS AGENT, WAS IN A SHOOTOUT DURING A DRUG BUST AND BLED TO DEATH.
SO OBVIOUSLY MY COMMITMENT TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS COMES FROM PERSONAL PAIN AND SEEING WHAT THEIR FAMILIES GO THROUGH WITH THEIR TREMENDOUS LOSS.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US PAUSE TO REMEMBER OUR FIRE AND POLICE FIRST RESPONDERS.
[02:25:01]
WE CAN'T DO ENOUGH TO SHOW.I MEAN, CAN YOU IMAGINE ANY JOB WHERE YOU LEAVE IN THE MORNING AND YOUR FAMILY DOES NOT KNOW THAT YOU'RE GONNA RETURN? SO, THANK YOU.
IF I CAN PAUSE OUR POP OFF TO TEND TO SOME ITEMS. 33 MEMBERS.
TRYING TO MAKE SURE I KNOW WHAT I'M, WHAT I VOTED ON.
MS. Y'ALL AIN'T PULL A FAST ONE ON ME.
SLOW DOWN, SLOW DOWN, SLOW DOWN.
UH, QUICKLY, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.
UH, FOUR YEAR REMARKS, UM, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND SO I, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE A FIRE ALARM THREE, UM, HAPPENING IN A LEAVE OFF OF SENATE AND ASHFORD POINT, AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
UM, STARTED AROUND 5:00 AM WE HAVE STATION 76, 75, 83.
UM, AND THE FIRE CHIEFS FROM 83 AND 78.
UM, WERE THERE, UH, LEADING THIS CHARGE.
UM, LOTS OF YOUNG KIDS LIVING THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX.
WE DON'T, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT AWARE IF THERE ARE ANY BODILY INJURIES, BUT THEY'RE CHECKING ON THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OF THAT FACILITY.
I THINK THE UNIT HAD 24 UNITS.
UM, AND SO THIS JUST GOES BACK INTO OUR SUMMER SAFETY INITIATIVE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF FIRE SAFETY.
AND EVERY SUMMER MY OFFICE AND VOLUNTEERS, WE CANVAS WITH HOUSTON FIRE, UM, EDUCATING RESIDENTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING, UH, UP-TO-DATE SMOKE ALARMS AND MAKING SURE THAT COMPLEXES AND SINGLE FAMILY, UH, RESIDENTS ARE PREPARED.
AND THIS JUST SHOW GOES TO SHOW US, UH, WHY WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
UM, ALSO, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT FOR RESIDENTS THAT ARE, ARE PAYING ATTENTION AND ALSO TO FLAG FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
WE HAVE A SERIES OF DELAYED SPEED BUMP APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED.
UM, A COST ESTIMATE HAS BEEN PROVIDED.
UH, AND WE ARE WAITING ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THAT, UH, PROCESS TO GO OUT TO HUNTINGTON VILLAGE.
BRAIDWOOD ESTATES, IMPERIAL POINT, UM, AND SPEED BUMPS NEAR PINEY POINT ELEMENTARY.
UM, I WANNA SAY MAYBE A YEAR AGO, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD AND I AND SHABAZZ, WE PASSED A, UH, AN AMENDMENT, AN ORDINANCE RATHER FOR PROP A, UM, TO EXPEDITE SPEED BUMP APPLICATIONS.
WE HAVE DONE SO, AND THERE'S SOME DELAY.
AND I REALIZE THAT THERE ARE DEPARTMENT TRANSIT TRANSITIONS.
HOWEVER, UM, CONSTITUENTS ARE REQUESTING UPDATES ON THIS BECAUSE THIS IS OVER SIX, EIGHT MONTHS IN, IN THE PIPELINE.
AND, AND, AND THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
AND SO THEY, UM, MY OFFICE HAS FUNDED THE APPLICATIONS.
SO WE WANT TO EXPEDITE MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN GET THESE IMPLEMENTED.
SO ANY, UM, UPDATE ON THAT WOULD BE IM IMPORTANT AND APPRECIATED.
AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR HOPPING IN YESTERDAY AND COLLEAGUES FOR JOINING ON TUESDAY, UM, DURING A PUBLIC SESSION TO CELEBRATE NURSES WEEK, BUT CELEBRATING THE CONTRIBUTION OF OUR FILIPINO NURSES.
AND I JUST WANNA SHOUT OUT THE, UH, RESTAURANT IN THE DISTRICT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, SUPPORT FLIP AND PATTY.
SO IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD FILIPINO FOOD, I WANT A SHOUT OUT FLIPPING PATTIES.
MR. AND MRS. JAR THERE, THEY'RE THE OWNERS.
THEY'RE ALSO ALE HASTINGS GRADUATES.
SO WE WERE HYPERLOCAL YESTERDAY, AND I WANNA SHOUT OUT, UH, THE DISTRICT FTE FOR EXECUTING A PHENOMENAL EVENT, UM, FROM START TO FINISH AND REALLY CREATING AN EXPERIENCE, UM, FOR COMMUNITY, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 60 YEARS, THEY SAID IN TERMS OF, UM, UH, UH, ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR VALUE IN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY.
AND SO I TOLD 'EM THAT THIS IS OUR FIRST, BUT IT DEFINITELY WILL NOT BE OUR LAST.
I JUST WANNA REMIND, UH, COLLEAGUES TODAY THAT WE, UM, DO HAVE BUDGET HEARINGS.
WE'LL HEAR FROM THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, DEPARTMENT, UH, LATER TODAY.
SO PLEASE FIND YOURSELF IN YOUR SEATS TO LISTEN TO THEIR UPDATES.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE, UH, A COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, COMING UP SOON.
UM, I DO WANT TO, IN CLOSING, UH, JUST REMINDERS IN TERMS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHAT MY OFFICE IS LEADING.
WE HAVE AN IMMIGRATION ROUNDTABLE ON MAY 21ST WHERE WE'RE CENTERING AFRICAN VOICES, UM, REPRESENTING DISTRICT THEFT.
I HAVE THE LARGEST WEST AFRICAN POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENT.
UM, AND, UH, THE AFRICAN DIASPORA HAS BEEN LARGELY LEFT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION AROUND IMMIGRATION.
SO COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UH, ARE JOINING US.
UH, THE HONORABLE JUDGE CLAIRE YATES, WHO'S THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN APPOINTED TO US AS A US IMMIGRATION JUDGE, WILL OFFER REMARKS.
AND THEN WE HAVE IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, UH, FROM THESE VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING FROM NIGERIA TO ANGOLA TO VO TO SIERRA LEONE.
AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO PARTICIPATE, AND WE E EVEN HAVE AN AFRO-LATINO GROUP THAT'S PARTNERING WITH US AS WELL.
SO ALL ARE WELCOME, UH, TO LEARN ABOUT, UH, THIS CRITICAL TOPIC.
[02:30:01]
COMMUNITY STRONGER.SO IF MY OFFICE CAN BE OF ANY SUPPORT OR RESOURCE RELATED TO THAT, REACH OUT TO DISTRICT F@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR TEM KASICK TATUM.
I JUST GOT A TEXT FROM OUR GR TEAM THAT ARE HOUSE BILL 36 11.
VAN SEVILLE PASSED THE SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
UM, SO IT'S GOTTA GO TO THE FULL SENATE.
IT ALREADY PASSED THE HOUSE, UH, 1 29 TO 17, TWO NON-VOTING.
UM, BUT IT MAY ACTUALLY GO TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK THIS YEAR.
SO THIS IS OUR THIRD YEAR MAYOR TRYING TO GET THAT BILL PASSED.
IT'S HARD TO PASS BILLS IN AUSTIN
I COULD, I COULD TELL, I COULD TELL YOU HOW IT HAPPENED.
YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND TELL 'EM? YOU ASKED ME TO MAKE CALLS.
WE, WE PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS.
UM, THE GR TEAM WAS PHENOMENAL.
UM, WE DO HAVE A GOOD TEAM, UH, UH, JERRY BROOKS WORKED ON THIS BILL.
WE VISITED ALMOST EVERY, UM, ELECTED IN THAT PINK DOME AND TALKED ABOUT BANDIT SIGNS.
I MEAN, IT'S A SIMPLE LEGISLATION IN MY OPINION.
SENATOR MILES CARRIED IT IN THE SENATE.
REPRESENTATIVE CURRY OUT OF WACO CARRIED IT IN THE HOUSE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT PASSED IN THE HOUSE.
IT HAS PASSED THE SENATE TWICE.
SO NOW IT'S GOING TO THE FULL SENATE.
LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE THE VOTES THERE.
AND IT ACTUALLY MAY GO TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK THIS YEAR.
AND BASICALLY WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IS WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, FIND THESE REPEAT OFFENDERS WHO ARE PUTTING THESE, UH, BANDIT SIGNS ACROSS OUR CITY.
THEY'RE POSTING THEM ON TELEPHONE POSTS.
THEY'RE ALL OVER THE INTERSECTIONS.
THEY'RE ALL OVER THE CITY, RIGHT OF WAYS.
UM, BUT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE FINE, THERE'S FIRST A WARNING, THEN A THOUSAND DOLLARS FINE, THEN A $2,000 FINE, AND THEN A $5,000 FINE.
UM, SO IT, IT REALLY INCREASES AND HOPEFULLY WILL DETER THESE REPEAT OFFENDERS FROM THIS VISUAL SPAM ACROSS OUR CITY.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR, UM, I COULD ARRANGE FOR YOU TO HAVE A PICTURE AT THE BILL SIGNING, BUT YOU'LL GET CRITICIZED BY SOME FOR WORKING WITH THE OTHER SIDE.
BIPARTISAN LEMME BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
THATS THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GONNA GET SOMETHING DONE.
AND IF YOU WANT TO IN A PICTURE, UH, WE CAN ARRANGE THAT.
WELL, LOOK, I, I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IN LEGISLATION, AND WE ALL HAVE TO REALIZE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO COMPROMISE WITHOUT COMPROMISING CERTAIN NO NONPARTISAN ISSUES, SUCH AS SIGNED REGULATIONS.
NOT REALLY A DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN ISSUE.
I KNOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, ALCORN HAS BEEN, UM, HELPING EVERYBODY REALLY IS, IS SUPPORTIVE OF THIS SCENIC.
HOUSTON PLAYED A BIG PART IN HELPING US GET THIS DONE.
SO WE WILL DEFINITELY CELEBRATE WHEN THE GOVERNOR SIGNS IT.
I WANT BE THERE FOR THE SIGNING BECAUSE IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS OF HEAVY LIFTING.
GOOD TO TRY, TRY TO GET THIS PASSED.
LET'S MAKE SURE IT CROSSES THE FINISH LINE.
YEAH, LET'S GET IT PAST THE FINISH LINE.
UH, THEN I WANT TO, UM, LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A RIBBON CUTTING CELEBRATION, UH, FOR THE OPENING OF THE DONALD PERKINS TRAIL ON THIS SATURDAY, MAY THE 17TH AT 10:00 AM IF YOU REMEMBER DONALD PERKINS, HE WAS THE VERY FIRST CHIEF OF STAFF FOR DISTRICT K.
HE WAS A CITY PLANNER FOR YEARS.
HE WORKED FOR THE CITY OVER 20 YEARS.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEW NEIGHBORHOOD TRAIL IN WESTBURY, RECOGNIZING HIM.
UM, SO IF YOU CAN BE THERE AT 10 O'CLOCK, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN US.
UM, AT THE OPENING OF THE DONALD PERKINS TRAIL ON SATURDAY.
UH, WE'VE GOT A PROM TOO, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKER FLICKINGER, HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY SENIOR PROM.
UH, I GUESS AS YOU GET OLDER, YOU WANNA RELIVE YOUR PROM, YOUR PROM LIFE.
UM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU, MY PARENTS WENT TO THE ONE THEY HAD LAST YEAR.
THEY WENT TO THE SENIOR PROM TOGETHER FOR REAL AND REAL LIFE.
AND THEN THEY WENT TO THE SENIOR PROM AT THE HERM CLARK MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
SO, UH, THERE WILL BE THE GREAT GASBY PROM, SATURDAY THE 17TH AT STEMLY BLUE LIBRARY.
SO HOPE TO SEE OUR FORT BEND RESIDENTS HAVING A GOOD TIME THERE.
UH, AND THEN HPD SOUTH GASNER, UH, DIVISION PIP MEETING IS ON WEDNESDAY, THE 21ST AT 6:30 PM THEY WILL BE DISCUSSING HPD AIR SUPPORT UNIT FOX.
SO THIS IS AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN HOW THE HELICOPTER UNITS ASSIST US IN LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS.
[02:35:01]
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT.UM, IF YOU'RE NOT RECEIVING OUR DISTRICT K NEWSLETTER, YOU'RE MISSING OUT ON ALL THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION WE PUT IN IT.
UM, SIGN UP FOR IT, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK HPD AND HPOU FOR ANOTHER REALLY, UM, MEMORABLE, UM, TRIBUTE TO ALL OF OUR OFFICERS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE LINE OF DUTY, UM, EVERY YEAR JUST TO SEE ALL OF THE OFFICERS UP THERE STANDING IN PLACE OF AN OFFICER WHO PASSED AWAY IS JUST VERY MOVING AND JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED.
AND, UM, HPD FOR PUTTING THAT ON EVERY YEAR TO PLAY PAY TRIBUTE.
UM, I WANT TO INVITE EVERYONE THIS SATURDAY FROM 10 TO 12 FOR RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE SPRING BRANCH TRAIL, PHASE TWO, IT WILL BE AT, UM, JOHN KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
UM, THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, SPRING BRANCH MANAGEMENT DISTRICT WILL BE THERE TO, UM, KICK OFF THIS, THIS NEW PHASE OF OUR, UM, SPRING BRANCH TRAIL THAT PEOPLE ARE LOVING AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE IN OUR DISTRICT.
AND THEN FINALLY, I WANT TO WISH, UM, LIZ MIRANDA, OUR CHIEF OF STAFF, A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
AND, UM, WE'RE JUST SO THANKFUL TO HAVE LIZ IN OUR OFFICE WORKING FOR DISTRICT A THANK YOU.
COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ IS NOT HERE.
JUST WANT TO INVITE EVERYONE OUT.
UH, THIS SATURDAY, MAY 17TH, 9:45 AM WE'LL HAVE THE LATOUR DAY, JAY CITY.
IT'S GOING TO BE A BIKE RIDE, UH, THROUGHOUT JAY CITY.
UH, THAT WILL START AT, UH, BURNETT BAYLAND PARK, WHICH IS AT 6,000 CHIMNEY ROCK ROAD.
AND WE WILL END AT, UM, FREE WHEELS HOUSTON, UH, WHICH IS AT 6 0 2 0 JESSEE STREET.
THEY WILL BE CELEBRATING THEIR, UH, 10TH ANNIVERSARY.
FREE WHEELS IS A NONPROFIT, UH, THAT HELPS, UH, PROVIDE BIKES TO INDIVIDUALS IN NEED.
UH, AND THEY'VE BEEN SERVING NOT ONLY JAY CITY, BUT THE ENTIRE, UH, GREATER HOUSTON AREA, UH, FOR 10 YEARS.
SO IT'LL BE ABOUT AN EIGHT MILE BIKE RIDE.
UM, WE'LL HIT SOME DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND CULTURAL SPOTS ALONG THE WAY.
AND SO IF YOU ARE, UH, UP AND READY, UH, TO JOIN US ON SATURDAY MORNING, PLEASE COME OUT.
I THINK THE MAYOR PRO, TIM, YOU ALL HAVE A BIKE RIDE ON THE NEXT DAY, UH, SUNDAY.
I HAVEN'T BEEN ON A BICYCLE IN A FEW YEARS, BUT I'M SURE I CAN FIND SOMEONE TO LEND ME THEIRS FOR THE DAY.
YEAH, IT IS LIKE, IT IS LIKE RIDING A BIKE, SALLY SAYS.
SO ANYWAYS, COME OUT IF, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE, AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
BUT I JUST HEARD THREE DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING AL AT THIS SATURDAY, MAY 17TH AT 10 O'CLOCK.
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THIS SATURDAY, MAY 17TH AT 10 O'CLOCK IS OUR BUDGET TOWN HALL FINANCE DEPARTMENT'S GONNA MAKE A PRESENTATION.
I'M CO-HOSTING IT WITH, UH, MY VICE CHAIR, MARIO CASTILLO.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET.
AND I FEEL LIKE DONALD PERKINS, AS MUCH AS I WANNA BE THERE FOR DONALD, I FEEL LIKE HE'D SAY, SALLY, YOU GET TO THAT BUDGET TOWN HALL, YOU DO YOUR WORK AND YOU ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
AND, AND SPEAKING OF THAT, THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES.
WE'VE HAD GREAT PARTICIPATION IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOP SO FAR, MAYOR AND THE DEPARTMENT PRESENTATIONS HAVE BEEN GREAT.
REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THEY'RE INCORPORATING THE EY STUFF, THE, THE, THE RETIREMENT STUFF IN THERE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I GO INTO THE LINE ITEM DATA JORDAN DOES, AND WE, WE REALLY SCRUTINIZE THE LINE ITEM DATA IN FROM THE RAW DATA IN THIS BUDGET.
AND I ALWAYS HIGHLIGHT THINGS THAT ARE GOING UP MORE THAN 20%.
THERE'S JUST NOT ANYTHING GOING UP THIS YEAR.
SO YOU'RE REALLY LESSENING THE LOAD.
IT'S A LOT OF GOING DOWN IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET ESPECIALLY.
SO, UM, THANKS TO MY COLLEAGUES TODAY.
WE START AT ONE 30 WITH PLANNING WORK SHORT, THEN WE GO TO HOUSING, THEN AIRPORTS.
WE HAVE SNACKS NOT PURCHASED WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
AND I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND HER STAFF FOR THE WORK YOU DO ON THE BUDGET BEING THE SECOND TIME AROUND FOR ME, I'M KIND OF GETTING INTO IT.
IT'S, IT'S BECOMING MORE INTERESTING AND, AND A HEAVY LIFT I KNOW FOR YOU ALL TO, TO, UH, COORDINATE.
BUT, UM, CERTAINLY GREAT PRESENTATIONS.
AND ALSO TOO ON MY LIST WAS THE, UM, HPD MEMORIAL SERVICE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO A, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HER FATHER PASSED AWAY WHEN SHE WAS 14 AND SHE'S 68, AND SHE CONTINUES EVERY YEAR TO COME TO THE SER MEMORIAL SERVICE.
AND A SHOUT OUT TO PAPA CTO'S FOR THE FOOD.
I MEAN, THEY ALWAYS FEED EVERYBODY.
AND IT'S JUST A, A, I MEAN, WHILE IT'S A VERY SOLEMN EVENT, IT'S, IT'S GREAT TO SEE OUR, OUR HPD AND OUR UNION PUTTING THAT ON FOR THE FAMILY MEMBERS
[02:40:01]
BECAUSE IT TRULY DOES MATTER.LAST THURSDAY, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE HOUSE THAT CHASE BUILT A POWERFUL GATHERING HOSTED BY NIKKI AND MONIQUE PAYNE, AND LED BY PASTOR LINDA DAVIS OF BOYINGTON, UH, UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
IT WAS A HEARTFELT EVENING CENTERED ON HEALING, HOPE AND HONORING LEGACY.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MAY NOT KNOW, JOHN CHASE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO BE LICENSED AS AN ARCHITECT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND HE WAS ALSO THE ONLY AFRICAN AMERICAN ART ARCHITECT FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS.
HE, UH, TAUGHT AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, UH, DESIGNED OR REDEVELOPED A LOT OF THOSE BUILDINGS, AS WELL AS THE GEORGIA BROWN.
AND HE JUST HAD A, A VAST, UM, WORK HISTORY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
OF COURSE, HE, UH, I GREW UP WITH HIS CHILDREN, UH, JOHN CHASE JR.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, ANTHONY CHASE, WHAT I CALL HIM THEN.
MOST PEOPLE CALL HIM TONY CHASE, UH, AND SANDRA CHASE GRAY.
AND SO I'VE HAD TIMES IN THAT HOUSE, UH, AS A YOUNG PERSON IN THE JACK AND JILL, BUT CERTAINLY IT WAS STILL A BEAUTIFUL HOME.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT FAMILY, FOR HOSTING THAT EVENT.
ON TUESDAY, I HOSTED A CIVIC ENGAGEMENT MEETING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AT BLUE RIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH TO PROVIDE UPDATES ON THE FY 25 DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROJECT, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I WANNA SINCERELY THANK BRIAN GROP FROM PUBLIC WORKS FOR JOINING US AND ANSWERING RESIDENTS QUESTIONS WITH CARE AND CLARITY.
THANK YOU ALSO TO THE LEADERSHIP OF DR.
PATRICIA SPIKES, UH, THE GREATER SUGAR VALLEY, BLUE RIDGE AND REED WOODS COM, UH, CIVIC CLUBS FOR HELPING BRING NEIGHBORS TOGETHER AROUND THIS IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT.
UH, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT NOTICE TO THE NEIGHBORS OF 72 HOURS FOR PLANNED, UH, WORK.
AND IT WAS FOUND THAT SOME PEOPLE WAS NOT, WERE NOT AWARE.
AND SO THEREFORE, THAT ALONG WITH THAT WATER ISSUE IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO STAY ON TOP TO GIVE PEOPLE ADEQUATE NOTICE.
ON WEDNESDAY, UH, WHICH IS TODAY FROM SIX TO SEVEN 30, UH, I WILL BE ALONG WITH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, PARKS AND REC AND GSD AN IN-PERSON COMMUNITY MEETING TO PROVIDE UPDATES.
AND HERE, RESIDENT FEED BACK ON EDGEWOOD PARK, WHICH HAS BEEN LONG, LONG, UM, AWAITED PROJECT.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
THAT WILL BE, AGAIN, FROM SIX TO SEVEN 30 AT EDGEWOOD COMMUNITY CENTER.
58 0 3 BELFORT AVENUE, 7 7 0 3 3.
AND IT IS OF COURSE, OPEN TO ALL DISTRICT D RESIDENTS.
UH, COME OUT AND JOIN THE CONVERSATION, UH, ON SUNDAY, BOYINGTON CHAPEL HISTORICAL MARKER UNVEILING, UH, WILL BE, UH, THEY WILL RECEIVE A TEXAS HISTORICAL MARKING HONORING BOYINGTON CHAPEL.
THAT WILL BE THIS SUNDAY FROM NOON TO TWO, AND CERTAINLY COME OUT AND, UH, FOR THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION TO HONOR THE SHARED HERITAGE OF THE BOYINGTON CHAPEL METHODIST CHURCH.
UH, THAT CONCLUDES WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
I WANT TO START BY ECHOING COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS' COMMENTS ON THE SPEED CUSHION, UH, APPLICATIONS IN THE PROCESS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER IN THE QUEUE IN DISTRICT H.
UM, WE GET ASKED ABOUT 'EM FREQUENTLY FROM THE COMMUNITIES THAT WENT OUT AND GOT SIGNATURES, UH, GOT THE SUPPORT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY EAGER TO GET THEIR CUSHIONS INSTALLED 'CAUSE IT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE THAT THEY ARE DEALING WITH EVERY DAY.
SO, UH, I WANT TO ECHO HER COMMENTS, ENCOURAGE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, UM, TO, TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MOVE THOSE FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN, UH, GET THOSE INTO OUR, OUR COMMUNITIES.
I ALSO WANNA ENCOURAGE DISTRICT H RESIDENTS TO SIGN UP FOR THE DISTRICT H NEWSLETTER.
WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF THINGS COMING UP, UM, OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS FROM DISASTER PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOPS TO PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNITY MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, AS WELL AS UPDATES ON THE COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUND, AND A FEW OTHER THINGS.
UM, THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO STAY UP TO DATE ON EVERYTHING THAT MY OFFICE IS DOING, AS WELL AS, UH, PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY EVENTS.
AND YOU CAN SIGN UP ON ANY OF, UH, MY SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES OR BY EMAILING DISTRICT H@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
ALSO, WE ARE CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR
[02:45:01]
THE DISTRICT H HORIZONS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.THIS IS A SIX MONTH PAID INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY, UH, THROUGH THE DISTRICT H OFFICE.
WE'VE GOT TWO FANTASTIC INTERNS CURRENTLY.
UM, NOT ONLY DO YOU GET TO LEARN HOW COUNCIL OFFICES WORK AND, AND ALL THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF, OF THE WORK THAT GOES INTO DISTRICT COUNCIL OFFICE, BUT, UM, YOU'RE ALSO GONNA GET OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME OUT WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND, UH, PARTNERS THAT WE WORK WITH.
SO OUR CURRENT, UH, DISTRICT H HORIZONS INTERN, WENDY, SHE RECENTLY SPENT A DAY SHADOWING, UH, DR.
LADA MORILLO AT THE HISPANIC CHAMBER, AND HAD A FANTASTIC TIME.
UH, GOT TO LEARN A LOT AND, AND GET SOME, SOME GREAT ADVICE, UH, FROM SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN HER CAREER.
UM, AND SHE GREATLY APPRECIATED THAT.
AND THE, THESE ARE THE KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT THIS INTERNSHIP WILL OFFER.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO REACH OUT TO DISTRICT H@HOUSTONTX.GOV FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO APPLY.
AND THE APPLICATION IS OPEN THROUGH THE END OF THIS MONTH.
THIS PAST SATURDAY, DENVER HARBOR CARES, UH, HOSTED A, A JOB FAIR OUT AT THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THEM, UH, ON A GREAT EVENT.
MY OFFICE WAS ABLE TO, TO, UH, PARTNER AND, AND BE PRESENT.
AND, AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB.
UH, AND THEY'RE CONTINUING TO, UH, DO A LOT TO HELP SUPPORT THE DENVER HARBOR COMMUNITY THROUGH, UH, DIFFERENT RESOURCES AND ACTIVITIES.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, GETTING FOLKS REGISTERED TO VOTE AND, AND STAYING ENGAGED WITH THEM, UH, EVEN IN NON-ELECTION YEAR.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE AWARE OF THE BUDGET TOWN HALL THIS SATURDAY.
UM, I KNOW THERE IS A LOT GOING ON, BUT IT IS, IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS, TO GET INFORMATION AND TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT YOU SHARE YOUR INPUT ON HOW YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT.
AND, UH, FINALLY, IF YOU WANNA SUPPORT YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS, UH, LINDELL PARK IS HAVING A LEMONADE MARKET SATURDAY FROM 10 TO NOON AT ST.
UM, I WENT TO THIS LAST YEAR AND THEY GET VERY CREATIVE, UH, WITH HOW THEY, UM, MARKET AND SELL AND THE KIND OF LEMONADES THEY PRODUCE.
IT'S A GREAT, IT'S A GREAT EVENT IF YOU WANT TO GET OUT THERE AND SUPPORT THE, THE LINDELL PARK CIVIC CLUB.
THANK Y'ALL AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK.
I DID NOT INCLUDE VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PECK IN THE ZOO TICKET THAT WERE PROVIDED TO HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER FAMILIES, SO SHE WAS INCLUDED AS WELL.