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OKAY, I WILL, UM, WE'LL GET STARTED.I THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR WAITING PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT BEHIND, SO WHO KNEW IT WOULD BE THE CULPRIT? SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE, UM, SIGN SHEET.
OH, YEAH, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A SIGN IN SHEET FOR ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS WHO HAVEN'T ALREADY SIGNED IN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SIGN IN.
COLLEAGUES, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKERS FOR THIS ONE.
SO, UM, IF YOU COULD KEEP THAT IN MIND AND QUESTIONS, AND, AND YOU CAN ALWAYS FORMULATE QUESTIONS TO BE PUT ONLINE, UM, ON SHAREPOINT LIKE WE ALL ARE DOING.
SO, SO, UH, I AM VERY HAPPY TO SEE RANDY MACAI, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, AND SAMIR SLAN SLANKY, UM, FOR ALL HIS GOOD WORK BEING THE CFO OF PUBLIC WORKS.
AND WITH NO FURTHER ADO, DIRECTOR OF THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT'S, IT'S A, A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE BULK OF THE CITY'S BUDGET, UH, WHICH OF COURSE IS PUBLIC WORKS.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT, UH, MULTIPLE THINGS, INCLUDING WHERE THE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY STANDS FROM AN ORGANIZATIONAL AND EFFICIENCY STANDPOINT, AND THEN OF COURSE, ADDRESSING THE BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE, THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF CHANGES IN TERMS OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEADERSHIP OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
UM, VERY, VERY PROUD OF AND EXCITED TO WORK ALONG THESE FOLKS HERE.
WHAT YOU SEE, UH, IN FRONT OF YOU NOW IS WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE OUR C-SUITE.
THESE ARE THE TOP EXECUTIVES IN THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR NEXT SLIDE, THE FIVE OPERATIONAL SERVICE LINES THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
THAT INCLUDES ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION, UTILITY BILLING, THE PERMITTING CENTER, HOUSTON, WATER AND TRANSPORTATION, AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS.
OF COURSE, AS, AS YOU'RE AWARE FROM THE BUDGET, WE DO COVER MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN THIS.
THIS IS WHAT WE CONSIDER THOUGH, TO BE THE OPERATIONAL SERVICE LINES.
THIS IS WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE WORK THAT TAKES PLACE IN THE PUBLIC IS SEEN.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'LL TAKE THIS SLIDE.
WE'RE GONNA POINT OUT SOME FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
VERY PROUD OF THE WORK WE DO, UH, WITHIN HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
AND JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE OUR FINANCE TEAM THAT'S BACK HERE, THAT'S BEEN BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL, STAYING UP LATE AT NIGHT, PUTTING TOGETHER THE BUDGET, BUT FROM A FISCAL 25 PERSPECTIVE.
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT I DID WANNA POINT OUT.
UM, I KNOW JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO WE PRESENTED THE EAST WATER PURIFICATION PLANS AND THE SIGNIFICANT NEEDS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
I'M, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT, UM, WITH THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE APPROXIMATELY $1 BILLION IN LOW COST FINANCING.
AND WHAT THAT REALLY TRANSLATES TO IS ROUGHLY OVER $250 MILLION IN INTEREST COST SAVINGS OVER THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT.
UH, WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND POTENTIALLY WE'RE, UH, GOING TO SECURE AN ADDITIONAL $2 BILLION THROUGH THE WFI F FUNDING PROGRAM.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE.
UH, WE ALSO, EVERY SINGLE YEAR TAKE A LOOK AT OUR DEBT PORTFOLIO AND TRY TO MANAGE OUR DEBT PORTFOLIO AS BEST AS WE CAN.
AND STARTING IN FISCAL 25, AFTER SOME REFINANCING THAT WE DID FOR OUR BONDS, WE ARE REALIZING A $53 MILLION IN PRESENT VALUE SAVINGS.
I WILL ALSO ADD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, GET GRANT AWARDS THAT WERE EXECUTED ON A FISCAL 25 OVER $65 MILLION AS WELL.
THAT'S WHERE ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE PROJECTS, SAFETY, MOBILITY, AND FLOOD RESILIENCE.
AND ALSO OUR PROCUREMENT IS ONE OF OUR LARGEST, UH, UH, TEAMS, WHICH PROCURED OVER $400 MILLION IN GOODS AND SERVICES IN FISCAL YEAR 2025.
SO IN THIS NEXT SECTION, WE'LL START TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE THE DEPARTMENT STANDS AND HOW IT ALIGNS WITH THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE ALL UNDERTAKING RIGHT NOW, CITYWIDE FROM AN EFFICIENCY STANDPOINT.
OUR ALIGNMENTS, OF COURSE, ARE DIRECTLY CORRELATED TO WHAT YOU FIND IN THE EY EFFICIENCY STUDY, THE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE, GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
NOW, I WANNA POINT THIS OUT IMPORTANTLY BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET AND HOW WE'VE CATEGORIZED THINGS OVERWHELMINGLY, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE TAG MOST THINGS TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE, REALLY EVERYTHING THAT PUBLIC WORKS DOES, TOUCHES ALL OF THESE ITEMS. SO YOU COULD TECHNICALLY PUT SOMETHING ANYWHERE YOU WANTED TO.
FOR THE MOST PART, THOUGH, WE'LL FOCUS ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
THIS YEAR IN OUR PRESENTATION, DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
UH, YOU'LL NOW SEE 10 PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT WE HAVE BEGUN
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TO DEVELOP AS TRUE MEASUREMENTS OF THE EFFICIENCY, EFFECTIVENESS, AND SUCCESS OF THE DEPARTMENT AS IT PERTAINS TO OUR WORK.I KNOW IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WORKSHOP, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE KPIS THAT HAD BEEN THERE.
THEY, THEY SEEM TO BE STALE KPIS THAT HAD BEEN REPEATED YEAR AFTER YEAR THAT WEREN'T TRUE MEASUREMENTS OF THE DEPARTMENT'S PROGRESS IN THESE AREAS.
UH, YOU CAN STILL FIND THOSE DEPRECATED KPIS IN THE APPENDIX OF OUR PRESENTATION.
WE'RE NOT GONNA COVER THEM HERE TODAY, BUT, BUT THE INFORMATION THERE IS AVAILABLE TO YOU.
WHAT WE WILL DO THOUGH, IS I'M GONNA PREVIEW FOR YOU NOW, AND WE WILL COVER THEM AGAIN AS WE TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC BUDGET CATEGORIES, THE 10 KPIS THAT WE HAVE BEGUN TO WORK WITH, AND THIS IS A COURSE OF WORK IN PROGRESS.
WE'RE ABOUT TO KICK OFF OUR PARTICULAR PORTIONS OF THE PERFORMANCE MEASURE WORKSHOPS WITH EY.
I ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL HAVE HUNDREDS OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES AS WE SHOULD RELATED TO THE WORK THAT WE DO IN PUBLIC WORKS.
BUT AMONG THOSE, THESE FIRST 10 INCLUDE, UM, OUR COMMITMENT TO REHABILITATE 3% ANNUALLY OF OUR WATER DRINKING WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.
THAT'S OVER 7,200 MILES OF A SYSTEM.
SO, UH, 3% OF THAT WOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY 240 ISH OR SO MILES, UH, 216 MILES, I'M SORRY, ANNUALLY IS WHAT WE WANNA DO.
UH, WE WANT TO BEGIN TO REHABILITATE OVER A THOUSAND LANE MILES OF OUR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
REMEMBER, OUR NETWORK CONSISTS OF MORE THAN 16,000 LANE MILES CITYWIDE.
WE'RE CONTINUING OUR COMMITMENT TO REESTABLISH MORE THAN 500 MILES OF ROADSIDE DITCHES ACROSS THE CITY, AND THAT'S DIVIDED UP WITH 450 OF THOSE MILES IN THE NORTHEAST WHERE THE MAJORITY OF OUR DITCHES ARE FOUND AND 50 MILES IN THE REMAINING AREAS OF THE CITY.
IN ADDITION, THIS YEAR, WE WILL BEGIN A NEW INITIATIVE TO BEGIN REPLACING MORE THAN 25,000 WATER METERS CUSTOMER WATER METERS ACROSS THE CITY.
YOU'RE OF COURSE, AWARE OF THE PROGRAM WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE REMOTE READ DEVICES ON EXISTING METERS, BUT WE HAVE NOW REACHED A TIME WHERE, AS WE HAVE CAUGHT UP TO THAT PORTION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE NEED TO START REPLACING THE OLDEST REMAINING PARTS, WHICH ARE THE ACTUAL METER DEVICES WITH SMARTER, MORE EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES.
IN ADDITION, ON THE PERMITTING SIDE OF THE HOUSE, WE ARE AIMING TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN A TARGET OF REVIEWING AT LEAST 80% OF ALL CONSTRUCTION PLANS WITHIN SEVEN BUSINESS DAYS.
WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS, BUT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A PERFORMANCE MEASURE THAT YOU'LL SEE TRICKLE OUT THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE PERMITTING CENTER IN ALL OTHER AREAS.
WE WANT TO INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY OF GETTING PEOPLE TO WORK.
AND SO THE NEXT MEASURE IS ABOUT AWARDING THE NOTICE TO PROCEEDS FOR CON FOR ALL CONTRACTS WITHIN 30 DAYS.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN WE MAKE THE AWARD WITHIN 30 DAYS, UH, THE, UH, CONSULTANT, THE VENDOR, UH, THAT FIRM IS OUT THERE READY TO WORK.
UM, AND THEN WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE COMPLETING AT LEAST 90% OF ALL OF OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WITHIN THE APPROVED TIMEFRAMES ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR WORK AUTHORIZATION.
THIS IS WHAT'S GONNA HELP MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DRIVE COSTS DOWN AND WE CAN STRETCH OUR DOLLARS FURTHER.
FROM A VERY VISIBLE STANDPOINT, WE'VE GOTTA GET OUR WATER LEAKS FIXED MUCH FASTER.
AND SO, UH, THE COMMITMENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT IS TO START MAKING SURE, START ENSURING THAT REPAIRS ARE COMPLETED WITHIN SEVEN DAYS.
THE PREVIOUS SLA FOR THIS WAS 14 DAYS JUST AS AN FYI THAT WAS SET MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
UM, WE HAVE NOT EVEN REMOTELY APPROACHED A 14 DAY ON AVERAGE COMPLETION TIME FOR THAT.
SO THIS IS AN AGGRESSIVE GOAL FOR US, BUT ONE THAT I THINK THAT WITH OUR PLANS FOR THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR IS DEFINITELY WITHIN REACH.
ADDITIONALLY, SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS, THESE ARE THE CALLS THAT WE GET WHEN, UH, THE SEWAGE IS BACKING UP INTO THE STREETS OR INTO PEOPLE'S YARDS OR EVEN INTO THEIR HOMES AND THEIR TUBS.
WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MUCH BETTER AT THIS THAN WE HAVE BEEN.
SO WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE RESOLVING 95% OF THOSE CALLS WITHIN THE FIRST 48 HOURS OF THE INITIATED REQUEST.
AND THEN THE LAST ITEM HERE, OUR 10TH, UH, PERFORMANCE MEASURE FOR THE YEAR IS DIRECTLY IN LINE WITH OUR CONSENT DECREE, AND THAT IS TO ASSESS 10% OF OUR WASTEWATER LINES ANNUALLY.
UH, KEEP IN MIND THAT IT CONSISTS OF MORE THAN 6,000 MILES OF PIPELINE.
SO THIS IS A BIG TASK AS WELL.
BUT THIS IS ONE THAT WE, UH, MUST MEET, AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S PART OF OUR CONSENT DECREE OBLIGATIONS.
AND SO IN DOING SO, THAT ALLOWS US TO ENSURE THAT WE AVOID STIPULATED PENALTIES AND DAMAGES AS OUTLINED IN THE CONSENT DECREE.
NOW I'LL MOVE ON AND WE'LL START TALKING ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT'S ORGANIZATION.
AS WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN THE EY EFFICIENCY STUDY, THERE ARE THREE AREAS WHERE OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN, UH,
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MEASURED.THAT'S FIRST IN THE ORGANIZATION ITSELF, SECOND IN THE OPERATIONS, AND FINALLY IN THE FINANCES.
FROM AN ORGANIZATIONAL STANDPOINT, WE KNEW ACROSS THE CITY THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WAS THAT WE HAD TOO MANY MANAGERS MANAGING TOO FEW PEOPLE.
THAT WAS CERTAINLY AND ABSOLUTELY THE CASE IN PUBLIC WORKS.
PRIOR TO THE EY EFFICIENCY STUDY, THERE WERE MORE THAN 976 INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE IN A SUPERVISORY CLASSIFIED POSITION.
AND, UH, UH, MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS MANAGED THREE OR FEWER PERSONS IN OUR FIRST PASS.
IN THE FIRST PHASE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS STUDY, WE HAVE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF SUPERVISORS DEPARTMENT-WIDE OVERALL BY 30%.
WE'VE GONE FROM NEARLY A THOUSAND TO JUST UNDER 700.
AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'VE INCREASED THEIR SPANS OF CONTROL.
THOSE THAT REMAIN NOW SUPERVISE FAR FEW FAR MORE INDIVIDUALS.
SO WE HAVE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF SUPERVISORS ONLY SUPERVISING THREE OR FEWER PEOPLE BY MORE THAN 51%.
NOW, I HIGHLIGHT THIS TO SAY THAT THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, AND AS WE GO THROUGH THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES WORKSHOPS WITH EY, WE'LL OF COURSE IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONSOLIDATION ON HOW WE CAN, WE CAN GET BETTER.
BUT I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE WITH THE NEXT SLIDE.
HERE'S A SNAPSHOT OF ONE OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS.
THIS WAS THE NORTHEAST WATER PURIFICATION PLANT ORGANIZATION.
AND AS YOU SEE IT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW WHAT EVERY SINGLE LINE SAYS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS A HUGE ORGANIZATION THAT, UH, ROLLS ALL THE WAY OUT TO MORE THAN NINE LEVELS FROM THE FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES TO THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THAT GROUP.
THIS IS NOW WHAT THAT ORGANIZATION LOOKS LIKE.
AND IF YOU COULD JUST PUT 'EM SIDE BY SIDE, YOU'LL SEE IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT HAVING TO EVEN READ TEXTS THAT WE'VE MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS.
AND THAT'S HOW WE'VE GOTTEN THERE.
THIS INITIATIVE CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT IN ALL AREAS.
AND, UM, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE THIS MEANS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE A LOT MORE STREAMLINED.
WE'RE GONNA ENSURE THAT THE RESOURCES WE HAVE STRETCH FURTHER, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE FASTER, THAT COMMUNICATION IS IMPROVED, THAT THE PUBLIC IS BETTER ENGAGED.
NOW OF COURSE, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE VOLUNTARY MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PAYOUT OPTION, OR AS, I'LL JUST CALL VRI RETI THE VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT INCENTIVE.
PUBLIC WORKS HAD THE OVERWHELMINGLY LARGEST NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM.
UM, THE DATA THAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU HERE WAS AS OF APRIL 20TH, WHICH IS WHEN WE LOCKED THE BUDGET WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
UM, BUT AT THAT TIME, THERE WERE OVER 1,003 INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT.
THE FINAL COUNT IN PUBLIC WORKS WAS 342 INDIVIDUALS ACCEPTED THE OFFER, WHICH WAS ABOUT A 35% TAKE ACROSS THE BOARD.
OF THOSE THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO, TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN OF THEM WERE IN CRITICAL FRONTLINE POSITIONS.
UM, I KNOW THE QUESTIONS COMING, AND SO I'LL ANSWER IT NOW.
UM, WE WILL REHIRE IN THOSE POSITIONS AND THERE IS BUDGET TO DO SO.
UM, SOME OF THOSE WERE IN WHAT WE WOULD CALL C EXEMPT CLASSIFICATIONS AND SOME WERE NOT.
REGARDLESS, HAVING WORKED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO THIS POINT AND PRESENTED OUR REORGANIZATION PLAN, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD TO BEGIN REHIRING INDIVIDUALS IN THOSE CRITICAL POSITIONS.
NOW, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW THIS, THOUGH.
UH, WE DID NOT NEED TO HIRE ALL 217 OF THOSE BACK.
UM, THAT IS PART OF THE EFFICIENCY THAT NEEDS TO BE UNDERTAKEN AND THAT WILL BE UNDERTAKEN.
HAVING SAID THAT, UH, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS THAT WERE CRITICAL THAT WERE ALREADY IN EXISTENCE GOING INTO THE EFFICIENCY STUDY.
PUBLIC WORKS ALREADY HAD MORE THAN 800 VACANCIES DEPARTMENT WIDE, AND THAT SEEMS LIKE A, AN ASTONISHING NUMBER.
BUT IF YOU DIG A LITTLE DEEPER, YOU'LL START TO FIND OUT THAT OF THOSE 800 VACANCIES AND POSITIONS, MANY OF THEM HAD BEEN OPEN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND YOU START TO REALIZE AT THAT POINT THAT MAYBE WE HAD ALREADY STARTED TO REALIZE SOME OF THE EFFICIENCIES THAT WE NEEDED TO UNDERTAKE AND IT WASN'T AS CRITICAL TO REPLACE 'EM.
SO AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD IN OUR EFFORTS TO STREAMLINE, BE A MORE EFFICIENT, UH, AND BE A BETTER ORGANIZED ORGANIZATION, UH, WE WILL HIRE BACK IN THOSE CRITICAL POSITIONS WHERE NECESSARY AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS EVERYWHERE WE POSSIBLY CAN.
ALRIGHT, LET'S GET INTO THE OUTCOME-BASED BUDGETING.
WE'LL BEGIN BY GOING OVER HPW FROM AN OUT OUTCOME BASED BUDGETING PERSPECTIVE.
IT IDENTIFIES PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND ALIGNS FUNDING WITH THE OUTCOMES.
SO I WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF MATERIAL TO COVER.
UM, AND SO WE WILL TRY TO HOLD OFF THE QUESTIONS AT THE END.
I'LL BE HAPPY, UH, TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AT THE TIME.
SO LET'S GET INTO IT, INTO THE NEXT SLIDE.
NOW, RANDY MENTIONED THIS A LITTLE BIT PREVIOUSLY,
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UH, PUBLIC WORKS.WE ARE VERY, VERY HEAVILY INVOLVED, UH, IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND IF YOU NOTICE, THE BIGGEST BULK OF WHAT WE DO IN TERMS OF BUDGET PRIORITY IS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THAT'S A LITTLE OVER $3.2 BILLION THAT GOES TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS.
HERE, YOU'LL FIND THE EXPENDITURES BROKEN UP BY EACH OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, OEB PROGRAMS. WE'RE GONNA COVER THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW.
SO THESE SLIDES GO OVER SOME OF THE PROGRAMS AT HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL SLIDES, WHICH I'M GONNA GIVE AN OVERVIEW BEFORE MOVING ON TO THE DETAILS ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT SERVICES FUNDS.
UH, THAT INCLUDES OUR INTERNAL ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS ESSENTIAL FOR RUNNING THE DEPARTMENT SUCH AS IT, FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT, REAL ESTATE SERVICE AND FACILITY MANAGEMENT.
UH, THIS PO PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WITH MERGED WITH HPW IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
PREVIOUSLY, THE BUDGETED AMOUNT WAS 1.7 MILLION FOR OEM AND IS BUDGETED FOR 3.4 MILLION IN FY 26.
SO, HOUSTON WATER, THIS PROGRAM FUNDS THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF DRINKING WATER AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
LAST YEAR, THIS SYSTEM PRODUCED AND DISTRIBUTED OVER 188 BILLION GALLONS OF SAFE DRINKING WATER AND TREATED 72.4 BILLION GALLONS OF WASTEWATER.
WASTEWATER OPERATIONS HAS 38 WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS, 376 LIFT STATIONS, AND TWO WET WEATHER FACILITIES.
DRINKING WATER OPERATIONS HAS THREE SURFACE WATER PLANTS, 54 GROUNDWATER PLANTS, AND 129 GROUNDWATER WELLS.
THE FISCAL 26 BUDGET INCLUDES ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR OPERATIONAL NEEDS AS WELL AS FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL CAPITAL EQUIPMENT.
AND I WILL POINT OUT COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE.
THERE IS A VERY CLEAR AND OBVIOUS ERROR IN THOSE PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
UM, NO, WE ARE NOT RESOLVING 75% OF OUR WATERLINE REPAIRS WITHIN SEVEN DAYS.
THAT NUMBER IS BELOW 15% RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT, UH, RESOLVING, UM, THE SEVEN DAY SERVICE LEVEL FOR SSOS AT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
WE WILL SUPPLEMENT WHAT THE ACTUAL NUMBERS AFTER, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
ON THE UTILITY BILLING, THIS PROGRAM FUNDS ALL METERING AND CUSTOMER SERVICE OPERATIONS RELATED TO OUR WATER BILLS.
THIS PROGRAM CURRENTLY HANDLES BILLING AND COLLECTION FOR APPROXIMATELY 488,000 WATER AND WASTEWATER ACCOUNTS.
THE WATER BILL IMPROVEMENT PLANS WAS IMPLEMENTED LAST YEAR AS YOU MEMBER AND INCLUDED 126,000 ACCOUNTS.
SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE SINCE THEN WITH ONLY 14,000 ACCOUNTS STILL REMAINING ON SET USAGE UTILITY BILLING IS AVERAGING COMPLETION OF 275 SUSPENDED WORK ORDERS PER WEEK.
OUR FOCUS REMAINS ON ENSURING BILLING ACCURACY BY TRANSITIONING THE REMAINING CUSTOMERS OF ESTIMATED SET USAGE AND BACK ONTO RELIABLE METER BASED BILLING.
AS WE REPAIR AND VERIFY READING DEVICES ACROSS THIS, UH, ACROSS THE SYSTEM, AND I'LL MENTION THAT, UH, RANDY HAD MENTIONED THIS PREVIOUSLY, WE ARE LOOKING AT A PROGRAMMATIC APPROACH FOR REPLACING THE 25,000 METERS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS SO WE DON'T END UP IN THE SAME SITUATION AGAIN.
MOVING ON TO THE TRANSPORTATION DRAINAGE OPERATION.
THIS PROGRAM FUNDS BUILT HOUSTON FORWARD PROGRAM AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CITY'S TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'RE CONTINUING FUNDING FOR THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM THAT WAS INITIATED IN FISCAL 24, AND THE FISCAL 26 BUDGET INCLUDES $32 MILLION TOTAL WITH $25 MILLION IN CONTRACTING CAPACITY FOR THAT PROGRAM.
THE FISCAL 26 BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES A NEW RECURRING PROGRAM FOR $1.4 MILLION TO REPLACE TRAFFIC SIGNAL DETECTION DEVICES AT 20 HIGH PRIORITY INTERSECTIONS PER YEAR, AS WELL AS TO INSTALL NEW BATTERY BACKUP SYSTEMS TO 50 TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL IMPROVE SAFETY, REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS, REDUCE CONGESTION, AND IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW.
THE ENGINEERING AND CON CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM FUNDS PROJECT DELIVERY FOR CIP PROJECTS.
THE TOTAL CIP FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, GET READY FOR THIS NUMBER, IS $8.3 BILLION, 2.6 BILLION FOR STREET AND DRAINAGE AND 6.03 BILLION FOR WATER AND SEWER.
THE USE AND PERMITTING CENTER AND THE RELATED OPERATIONS IS STARTING IN A FISCAL 26 PUBLIC WORKS IS ABSORBING SEVERAL FUNCTIONS FROM DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, INCLUDING DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, NEIGHBORHOOD NUISANCES, AND INVESTIGATIONS, SITE ADMINISTRATION, AND BANDIT SIGNS.
THESE FUNCTIONS CONSIST OF 72 FTES AND WILL HAVE A $10.6 MILLION IMPACT ON THE BUDGET.
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THE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP OF THE HOUSTON TRANS STAR THAT PROVIDES COORDINATED INNOVATIVE TRANSPORTATION AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO THE REGION.THIS IS A COLLABORATIVE, UH, PROGRAM BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY METRO, AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND I SAY THIS FUN FACT EVERY YEAR, BUT I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, THAT THE TRANS STAR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTER IS DESIGNED BY THE SAME ENGINEER THAT DESIGNED THE ORIGINAL NASA MISSION CONTROL ROOM.
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, HIS PROGRAM, UM, SERVES, UH, MOPD AS IS CALL SERVES AS A PRIMARY ADVOCATE FOR NEEDS AND RIGHTS OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS WITH DISABILITIES.
THIS PROGRAM INCLUDES A PAYMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED DEBT TRANSFERRED TO CIP TO FUND PROJECTS AND INCLUDES INTERFUND TRANSFERS.
I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE D-D-S-R-F FUNDS ARE NOT ISSUING ANY NEW DEBT DEDICATED JOINT ENGINE STREET RENEWAL FUND, ONLY PAYING OFF OLD INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED DEBT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEARS.
NOW HERE'S A SUMMARY OF OUR REVENUES BY PROGRAM.
PLEASE NOTE SOME OF THE REVENUES SHOWN HERE ARE TRANSFERRED BETWEEN DIFFERENT FUNDS.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON FROM, UH, THE OBB AND GO INTO THE DETAILS OF EACH OF THE FUNDS WITHIN HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS CONSISTS OF SEVERAL FUNDS, AND THIS SLIDE SUMMARIZE THE CHANGES IN REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FROM FISCAL 25 FOR EACH OF THESE FUNDS.
I'M NOT GOING TO CALL OUT EACH OF THESE NUMBERS AS WE WILL COVER THIS ALL IN DETAIL IN THE UPCOMING SLIDES.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THE VARIANCES ARE FROM THE FISCAL 25 CURRENT BUDGET.
BECAUSE THIS IS A ROLLUP SLIDE, THE NUMBERS ARE IN MILLIONS.
ONCE WE GET TO EACH FUND, WE WILL BE IN THE THOUSANDS.
AND THIS IS JUST A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE EXPENDITURES BY FUND IN A PICTORIAL FORMAT TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE BREAKUP BETWEEN THE SEP SEVERAL HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FUNDS.
AND THIS IS THE SAME BUT FOR THE REVENUES.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE'LL BEGIN DISCUSSING THE GENERAL FUND NEXT SLIDE.
NOW THIS IS A FURTHER BREAKDOWN OF THE EXPENDITURE SECTION FOR GENERAL FUND.
THE MAJORITY OF EXPENDITURES CONSIST OF OUR REAL ESTATE LAND DISPOSITION GROUP, WHICH IS A NET REVENUE GENERATING FUNCTION FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THIS IS A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE REVENUE PORTION AND IF YOU'D GONE BACK TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE EXPENDITURES ARE VERSUS WHAT THE REVENUES ARE.
THE REVENUES BY FAR OUTPACED WHAT THE EXPENDITURES ARE WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
LET'S MOVE ON TO THE PROJECT COST RECOVERY FUND.
THIS FUND HOUSES PERSONNEL WHO WORK ON CIP PROJECTS SUCH AS PROJECT MANAGERS, ENGINEERS, AND OTHER TECHNICAL ROLES THAT WORK ON THE CIP AS WELL AS THE CITY'S CHIEF ENGINEER.
THE PROJECT COST RECRUIT FURRY FUND FUND SUPPORTS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS INCLUDED HERE, OUR PERSONNEL AND OTHER O AND M COSTS.
OUR REVENUES AND EXPENSES ARE INCREASING FROM 64.5 MILLION UP TO 76.9 FOR A 12 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS INCREASE.
AND THIS INCREASE IS MAINLY DUE TO 83 FTES MOVING FROM FUND 8,300 TO PROPERLY ACCOUNT FOR POSITIONS THAT WORK MAINLY ON THE CIP AS WELL AS 12 FTES MOVING FUND FROM FUND 2301 AS PART OF THE REORGANIZATION OF THE OFFICE OF CITY ENGINEERS AND JUST A GENERAL REORGANIZATION THAT RANDY HAD MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.
NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE BUILDING INSPECTION FUND, WHICH IS ALSO THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER.
THE PERMITTING CENTER HANDLES THE CITY'S PLAN REVIEWS, BUILDING INSPECTIONS, CODE ENFORCEMENT, AND FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT.
BUILDING INSPECTION FUND REVENUES ARE INCREASING FROM 102.8 MILLION TO ONE 18.6 FOR A 15.8 MILLION INCREASE DUE TO THE FUNDING FROM STRO WATER FUND 2302 TO COVER THE O AND M COST OF INTEGRATING DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD FUNCTIONS INTO THE BUILDING INSPECTION FUND, THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX ADJUSTMENT OF 2.9% AND THE INCREASE ENFORCEMENT AND COLLECTION EFFORT EFFORTS.
EXPENDITURES ON THE OTHER HAND ARE INCREASING FROM 112 MILLION TO 1 22 0.8, MAINLY DUE TO THE INCREASE IN PERSONNEL COSTS, LAND AND GROUND MAINTENANCE, TRANSFER TO CAPITAL PROJECTS, CREDIT BANK CARD CARD SERVICES, AND CAPITAL VEHICLE COSTS.
I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE EXPENDITURES ARE HIGHER THAN REVENUES, WHICH MEANS THIS FUND IS UTILIZING FUND BALANCE TO MEET THE EXPENDITURES.
NEXT WE'LL MOVE ON TO TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS, WHICH CONTAINS FUNDS 23 0 2 23 10, 23 11, AND 2312.
AND IN THE FUNDS 23, 10, 11, AND 12 COMPRISE THE BUILT HOUSTON FORWARD PROGRAM.
THE PRIMARY CHANGES RELATE TO THE FOLLOWING FUNDS.
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FUND REVENUE IS MAINLY TRANSFERRED FROM THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM TO COVER OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.IT IS INCREASING BY 44.5 MILLION DUE TO AN ADDITIONAL 25 MILLION NEEDED FOR THE DEMOLITION OF DANGEROUS BUILDINGS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND 10.2 MILLION TO COVER THE MERGING OF DON WITH FUND 2301 AS WELL AS 10.7 MILLION HIGHER T-D-O-O-O AND M COSTS INCLUDING $6.2 MILLION HIGHER FOR DITCH ESTABLISHMENT SPENDING.
THE DRAINAGE REVENUE FOR 2310 REMAINS RELATIVELY FLAT.
THE A VALOREM TAX FUND 2311 REVENUES ARE INCREASING BY 48.3 MILLION BASED ON THE ANTICIPATED TRANSFERS FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
THE METRO ETAL FUNDING 2312 ARE INCREASING BY 61 MILLION, MAINLY DUE TO 26 MILLION ADDITIONAL METRO GMP REVENUES TO TRANSFER TO GENERAL FUND FOR THE TRAFFIC CODE ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, 29 MILLION FOR STREET AND SIGNAL LIGHTING, ELECTRICITY, AND 5.1 MILLION OF OTHER OM CONTRACTUAL INCREASES TO BE REIMBURSED FROM THE METRO GENERAL MOBILITY PROGRAM.
CAN WE GO BACK A COUPLE OF SLIDES? ONE MORE.
NOW STILL ON THE TRANSPORTATION DRAINAGE OPERATIONS, IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAD DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY.
UM, AGAIN, TRANSPORTATION SIDE SOIL WATER FUNDS IS INCREASING BY 46.9 DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL 25 MILLION.
I'M NOT GONNA READ THROUGH THIS AGAIN BECAUSE IT'S FAIRLY SIMILAR TO WHAT I JUST EXPLAINED BEFORE.
IT'S, UH, BASED ON NEEDS AS WELL, THE FUNDS TRANSFER.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THE REVENUES ARE INCREASING DUE TO HIGHER CONTRIBUTION FROM METRO AND HARRIS COUNTY EXPENDITURES ARE SLIGHTLY INCREASING FOR TRANS STAR FACILITY MAINTENANCE.
LET'S MOVE ON TO THE BIG WHOPPER.
AND THAT IS A COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM.
UH, LET'S, AND THAT IS THE LARGEST FUND GROUP WITHIN HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS ON THE REVENUE HIGHLIGHTS FUND.
8,300 IS BUDGET TO INCREASE, MAINLY DUE TO THE WATER AND SEWER RATE STUDY INCREASES OF $59.1 MILLION.
THE FISCAL 26 INCREASE WAS 6% FROM THE COST OF, UH, SERVICE STUDY, WHICH WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL VIA ORDINANCE 20 21 5 1 5.
THIS INCREASE ALSO INCLUDES A 7.5 MILLION INCREASE DUE TO HIGHER INTEREST REVENUE AND $3.4 MILLION HIGHER.
OTHER NON-OPERATING REVENUE FUND 83 0 1 IS BUDGETED TO INCREASE BY 4.3 MILLION, MAINLY DUE TO HIGHER ANTICIPATED INTEREST REVENUE, UM, OF 7.5 MILLION OFFSET BY LOWER DEBT SERVICE IN FISCAL 26 OF $3.2 MILLION FUND 83 0 5 IS REMAINING MOSTLY FAT FLAT, UH, JUST 13,900 HIGHER FOR LOOSE, UH, BAYOU DEBT SERVICE.
ON THE EXPENDITURE HIGHLIGHTS THE FUND 83 OF, UH, EXCUSE ME, 8,300 IS BUDGETED TO INCREASE BY 37 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER COSTS SUCH AS RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS, ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE AND INCREASED CONTRACT PRICES WITH WATER AND RIVER AUTHORITIES FOR 22 MILLION, ALONG WITH INCREASES IN CONSULTING SERVICE FOR ABOUT 7 MILLION AND ADDITIONAL PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE FOR 4.6 MILLION IN THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE HOUSTON EMERGENCY CENTER INTO HPW OF 2.7 MILLION.
FUND 83 0 1 IS BUDGETED TO INCREASE BY 8 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER ANTICIPATED SYSTEM DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS FUND 83 0 5 IS BUDGETED TO INCREASE BY 19 MILLION, MAINLY DUE TO A 59.5 HIGHER DEBT AND, UH, DEBT AND TRANSFERS OFFSET BY 23.7 MILLION FOR LOWER CAPITAL, MAINLY DUE TO ONE-TIME PURCHASE OF THE NEW WAREHOUSE IN FISCAL 25, AS WELL AS 16.5 MILLION ONE-TIME LEGAL SETTLEMENT IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
AND HERE YOU'LL SEE THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM OPERATING FUNDS COMBINED TO SEE WHAT THE NET EFFECTS LOOKS LIKE FOR THE REVENUES PITTED AGAINST THE EXPENDITURES.
NEXT SLIDE CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN, COME UP FIRST.
UH, FIRST OFF TO THE ENTIRE TEAM, Y'ALL REPRESENT THE LARGEST PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
UH, THE SCOPE OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
AND RANDY, I APPRECIATE AS A DIRECTOR, YOU COMING IN WITH THE REST OF THE TEAM AND THE LEADERSHIP REALLY COMING UP WITH CREATIVE WAYS TO WORK WITH EACH OF OUR OFFICES.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.
AND I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH EVERY THANK YOU BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT'S TOO BIG AND WE WORK WITH TOO MANY OF YOU.
I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA UPDATE US ON THE CO THE TIMELINE OF REPAIRS, BUT DO WE HAVE A COST OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY COSTS THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITH SO MANY BREAKS? AND THIS ISN'T JUST A ONE-TIME PHENOMENON, THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE SEEING INCREASINGLY ANNUALLY BETWEEN FLOODS, BETWEEN DROUGHT, BETWEEN
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THE SOIL SHIFTING AND NOW HOUSTON'S THE FASTEST SINKING CITY.I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PLAYING A ROLE IN IT, BUT THERE'S A COST TO THIS AS WELL.
DO WE HAVE A WAY TO ACCOUNT FOR LAUGHTER WASH, BUT AL ALSO REPAIRS AND FUTURE PREDICTIONS OF THAT? YEAH, WE DO.
WE, WE'D BE HAPPY TO TO GET THAT INFORMATION OVER TO YOU.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF COMPONENTS AND FACTORS THAT GO INTO THAT AND, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT.
AND I'LL, I'LL SAY THAT AS A PART OF OUR, UH, FY 26 STRATEGY MOVING FORWARD ON HOW WE, UH, UH, DEAL WITH THIS.
YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST WE HAVE RELIED A LOT ON A NUMBER OF SMALLER CONTRACTOR CONTRACTS IN ADDITION TO REALLY SUPPLEMENTING THE NUMBER OF FIELD CREWS WHICH WE HAVE OUT THERE.
CLEARLY THE NUMBER OF FIELD CREWS WE HAVE IS NOT ENOUGH.
UM, AND IN FACT, I WOULD SAY THAT IT, IT WOULD NOT BE GOOD SENSE FOR THE CITY TO TRY AND DO ALL OF THAT ON THEIR OWN WHEN WE HAVE SO MANY GREAT PARTNERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO COME AND HELP SUPPLEMENT US OUT THERE.
THIS YEAR, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A VERY DIFFERENT APPROACH, WHICH INCLUDES BRINGING IN, UH, FIRMS TO HELP OVERSEE THE ENTIRE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR PROGRAM.
THAT'S REALLY HOW WE'RE GONNA START TO DRIVE THESE THINGS DOWN, IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCIES AND GETTING WORK ORDERS OUT TO THEM, IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCIES AND MAKING SURE CUSTOMERS GET COMMUNICATION IN ADVANCE OF WHEN THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE A SHUTOFF DUE TO MAKING A REPAIR.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE IT'S AN EMERGENCY.
UM, IT'S HARD TO SAY THAT 1200 LEAKS RIGHT NOW IS AN EMERGENCY.
IT IS AN EMERGENCY, BUT SOME OF THEM HAVE GOING ON FOR SO LONG.
WE'VE ALSO GOTTA GET BETTER ON HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR CUSTOMERS AS WELL.
SO WE'LL BE HAPPY TO GET YOU A, A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT IT'S BEEN COSTING THE CITY AND OF COURSE, UM, OUR ESTIMATIONS ON WHAT IT WILL COST US MOVING FORWARD UNDER A BETTER PROGRAM.
AND, UH, I'VE ASKED EACH DEPARTMENT A FEW QUESTIONS THAT YOU'VE HEARD.
DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE FOR THE UP CUT UPFRONT COSTS THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO SUPPLEMENT IN RESPONSE TO A DISASTER, A FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTER, WHETHER THAT'S HARVEY AMELDA, WINTER STORM, URI, UH, MORE RECENT ONES LIKE THE DERECHO, THERE ARE COSTS THAT THE DEPARTMENT YEAH.
INCURS, IS THAT CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY.
AND SOME OF THOSE ARE REIMBURSABLE, CORRECT? SOME ARE NOT.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW KIND OF THE AVERAGE COSTS DEPENDING ON WHAT THESE DISASTERS ARE, BUT MY REAL CONCERN IS WE MAY NOT HAVE THAT FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT OFF MM-HMM
IS ANY OF THOSE DOLLARS, IF NOT AVAILABLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT, IS THAT BEING PROGRAMMED? ARE EMERGENCY RESPONSE OR DISASTER RECOVERY DOLLARS BEING PROGRAMMED INTO THIS BUDGET THIS FISCAL YEAR? LET ME, I'LL ANSWER THE FIRST PART, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY, THERE'S A COST AND, AND I WOULD ARGUE, UH, OUTSIDE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FIRE, UM, OUR COSTS ARE GONNA BE BIGGER THAN EVERYWHERE ELSE.
SOLID WASTE WILL PROBABLY COME IN RIGHT BEHIND US.
WE, WE ARE THE FIRST FIRST RESPONDERS OUT THERE OTHER THAN THE FOLKS TAKING PHONE CALLS IN THE NINE ONE ONE CENTER.
RIGHT? BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO CLEAR THE ROADS FOR HFD TO EVEN GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO TO, AND WE PARTNER WITH THEM ON THOSE THINGS.
SO THE COST THAT WE INCUR, OF COURSE, IS GONNA BE PERSONNEL COSTS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE COSTS OF COURSE TO FACILITIES WHERE THERE MAY BE DAMAGE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL OF THE OTHER, UH, THINGS THAT GO WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN RESPOND TO A PARTICULAR EVENT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THERE'S THE OTHER COSTS, WHICH IS, UH, HARDER TO QUANTIFY, WHICH IS HOW MUCH WORK ARE WE NOT GETTING DONE BECAUSE WE'VE NOW HAD TO SHIFT ALL OF OUR FOCUS.
THAT'S A HARDER ONE TO ACCOUNT FOR.
WE CAN GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS, FOR INSTANCE, ON THE LAST NUMBER OF DISASTERS THAT WE'VE HAD ON WHAT THE EXPENDITURES FOR THE DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN, AND WE CAN BREAK THAT DOWN BETWEEN WHAT WAS REIMBURSABLE VERSUS NON-REIMBURSABLE.
BUT AS FOR THE WAY WE BUDGETED IT MOVING FORWARD, I'LL TURN TO SAMIR.
AND, AND THE REASON I'M ASKING ABOUT BUDGETING MOVING FORWARD IS WE'VE SEEN NOW, UH, CERTAIN DISASTERS IN OTHER STATES ARE NOT BEING DECLARED A FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTER.
THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO RECOUP FOR THOSE COSTS, EVEN THOUGH TRADITIONALLY THEY WOULD'VE BEEN.
AND IF FEMA STILL EXISTS, GREAT, BUT THEY'RE NOT.
REIMBURSING AND YOUR POINT IS TAKEN REALLY WELL.
I WILL TELL YOU THIS MUCH, AND, AND I I HOPE SO.
THIS IS BOTH GREAT AND IT'S SCARY AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN WE RESPOND TO A DISASTER, WE RESPOND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE THINK WE'RE GONNA BE REIMBURSED FOR IT.
UM, THAT'S OUR DUTY TO THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THE CITY BACK ON ITS FEET AS QUICKLY AS IT CAN.
NOW WE'RE GONNA PURSUE EVERY REIMBURSABLE AVENUE THAT EXISTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND RESPOND IN A WAY THAT PUTS US IN THE BEST POSITION TO RECOVER POTENTIAL REIMBURSEMENTS.
BUT WE'RE GONNA RESPOND REGARDLESS.
SO BUDGETING PERSPECTIVE, OBVIOUSLY EACH DISASTER IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.
UM, IF YOU REMEMBER HARVEY, THE ESTIMATES WERE BEYOND $2 BILLION FOR THE DAMAGES TO THE WATER WASTE WATER SYSTEMS. THE DERECHO, YOU KNOW, WAS IN THE MILLIONS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE WORKING WITH WHAT WE WORK WITH FEMA AND THESE TYPES OF DECLARED DISASTERS TO GET AS MUCH, UH, REIMBURSEMENT THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN.
WE DO HAVE A MECHANISM WITHIN, UM, OUR CURRENT BUDGETING PERSPECTIVE.
WE HAVE AN INTERNAL POLICY THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE A RESERVE FOR UP TO 300 DAYS OF OPERATING CASH.
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FOR THAT, THEN WE CAN DIP INTO THAT BALANCE AND BE ABLE TO FUND THESE THINGS BEFORE ANY REIMBURSEMENTS FROM FEMA OR INSURANCE OR ANY OF THAT KICKS IN.AND THAT'S DEPARTMENT 300 DAYS OF OPERATION, CORRECT? NOT THE RAINY DAY FUND THAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE.
AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, NOT, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKE A GENERAL STATEMENT HERE.
ENTERPRISE FUND IS SEPARATE FROM THE GENERAL FUND, ESPECIALLY THE COMBINED UTILITY CENSUS.
SO WE HAVE OUR OWN OPERATIONS AND THE FUNDING IS UTILIZED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
BACK IN YOU COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
STAFF CAN CAN ASK AND I, WE THOUGHT IT'S FINE.
UM, FOR THE PRESENTATION, I WANT TO, UM, FOCUS MY COMMENTS ON THE REDUCTION IN WORKFORCE AND THE IMPLICATION ON HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS IN TERMS OF PERMITTING PREVIOUSLY, UM, PERMITTING WITHIN PUBLIC WORKS HAD A DEDICATED TEAM FOR INSPECTIONS TO EXPEDITE, UM, PLANS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH THE REDUCTION OF WORKFORCE.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY INTERRUPTION IN THAT? AND THEN IF SO, WHAT'S THE DEPARTMENT'S PLAN TO EITHER BACKFILL IF THEY QUALIFY OR MOVING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A DEDICATED TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PROJECTS MEET THE FINISHED GOAL? YES, THE FINISH LINE.
YES, THA THANK YOU COUNCILMAN FOR THAT QUESTION.
UM, THE ANSWER IS OF COURSE, ANYTIME YOU LOSE AN INDIVIDUAL WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AN INTERRUPTION TO SERVICE AT LEAST WHILE YOU TRY AND REORGANIZE YOURSELVES.
I GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR RUDY MORENO IN HOW HE'S RUNNING THE PERMITTING CENTER TO ENSURE THAT THOSE DISRUPTIONS HAVE BEEN AS MINIMAL AS POSSIBLE.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER, WE ABSOLUTELY ARE GOING TO BACKFILL THOSE POSITIONS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO GETTING PLAN REVIEW OUT TO ENSURING THAT WE CAN GET INSPECTIONS DONE ON A TIMELY BASIS TO ENSURING THAT ALL OF THE CUSTOMER SERVICE OPERATIONS OF THE PERMITTING CENTER ARE IMPROVED.
UH, THE REALITY IS, EVEN BEFORE WE LOST FOLKS DUE TO RETIREMENT OR ANY OTHER PROGRAM, WE'VE NOT BEEN WHERE WE WANT TO BE IN TERMS OF RESPONSIVENESS AND PERFORMANCE.
AND THAT'S BEEN AN INITIATIVE THAT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO BE PRESSED UPON, UH, THE DEPARTMENT TO IMPROVE.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF, THAT'S WHY IT'S ONE OF OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR US TO GET 80, TO GET 90% OF ALL THOSE PLAN REVIEWS DONE WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF THEIR SUBMISSION.
SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO PUSH ON THAT.
WE WILL BACKFILL WITH INDIVIDUALS AS NECESSARY, AND OF COURSE WE'RE GONNA ENGAGE WITH, UH, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, YOU KNOW, OUT IN THE INDUSTRY AS NECESSARY TO HELP AUGMENT THAT WHILE WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF IT.
AND IN MY EYES ARE JUST PARTICULARLY ON THOSE SURE.
THAT, THAT, THAT HOUSING TEAM OR THAT DEDICATED TEAM.
SO WE DON'T HAVE, UH, FOLKS WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THOSE PROJECTS, GOING BACK TO THOSE PROJECTS, DOING NEW INSPECTIONS AND COMING UP WITH, UH, NEW ISSUES.
SO THAT'S ONE QUESTION, BUT I'LL, I'LL STAY TUNED TO THE UPDATE.
WHICH LEADS ME TO MY SECOND QUESTION.
UM, WITH THE EFFICIENCY, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, OTHER DIVISIONS AND ROLES THROUGHOUT THE CITY ROLLING INTO PUBLIC WORKS, YET THERE HAS NOT BEEN OFFICIAL GUIDANCE ROLLED OUT TO COUNCIL OFFICES AND OR PUBLIC IN TERMS OF WHAT TO EXPECT IN TERMS OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES.
TO YOUR POINT DIRECTOR, AS WE'RE IN TRANSITION, THERE WILL BE INTERRUPTION, RIGHT? AND I THINK THAT'S FAIR FOR US TO DO THAT, BUT AS A A, A MEMBER, I FEEL UNQUALIFIED TO SPEAK TO RESIDENTS ABOUT WHAT THAT DISRUPTION LOOKS LIKE AND, AND OVER WHAT PERIOD OF TIME WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT AND DAWN AND 3 1 1 AND ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE, WILL YOUR DEPARTMENT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ROLLING OUT THIS OFFICIAL GUIDANCE AND, AND PROVIDING TIMELINES ON THESE TYPES OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES THAT ULTIMATELY ROLL UP TO PUBLIC WORKS? NOW A ABSOLUTELY COUNCIL MEMBER, I THINK THAT'S A VERY, VERY FAIR POINT.
AND, AND WE WILL UNDERTAKE THAT WITH UTMOST URGENCY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE WITH ALL OF YOUR OFFICES ON, FIRST OF ALL WHAT HAS COME INTO PUBLIC WORKS, MAYBE WHAT HAS LEFT PUBLIC WORKS, AND THEN THE BEST WAY TO INTERACT WITH US, RIGHT? YOU, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS OPERATIONS THAT WE'VE TAKEN ON, THE REALITY IS THOSE ARE THE MAJORITY OF THE ONES I THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY USED TO SEEING THAT THAT DEALS WITH, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT.
NOW, ALL CODE ENFORCEMENT, IT'S GONNA RE ARREST IN PUBLIC WORKS WITHIN THE PERMITTING CENTER.
THAT IS A HUGE EFFICIENCY FOR US.
BECAUSE INSTEAD OF HAVING A GROUP OF COMMERCIAL INSPECTORS AND RESIDENTIAL INSPECTORS THAT COULD EVEN BE ON THE SAME STREET AT THE SAME TIME, NOW WE CAN HAVE FOLKS THAT DO BOTH.
AND THAT WE CAN BE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT.
I KNOW YEAR AFTER YEAR, I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE TWO, BUT YEAR AFTER YEAR.
UH, THAT'S BEEN A THEME THAT I'VE HEARD DURING THESE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, WHICH IS WE NEED MORE INSPECTORS AND, AND I WOULD CHALLENGE THAT COULD BE TRUE, BUT MAYBE WE OUGHT TO TRY IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
WE MIGHT HAVE ENOUGH TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IF WE JUST ORGANIZE OURSELVES BETTER.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS EFFICIENCY IS.
BUT ABSOLUTELY, TO YOUR POINT, COUNCIL MEMBER, WE WILL GET, UH, STRATEGIC GUIDANCE OUT TO ALL OF YOUR OFFICES
[00:40:01]
ON HOW BEST TO INTERACT WITH US.I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT DESPERATELY.
UM, AND, AND, AND SO YES, BUT, AND, AND I WILL COUNTER YOUR ARGUMENT WITH MINE THAT I NEED 25 CODE ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE JUST ON THE WEST SIDE FOR ME.
SO, UM, IF Y'ALL CAN FIGURE THAT OUT AND, AND COVER, UH, AT LEAST THE WEST SIDE WITH THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND MADAM CHAIR, I'LL ADD ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS WITHIN SHAREPOINT AND THEN THE DEPARTMENT CAN RESPOND AS NECESSARY.
HANK, WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THAT HAVE MOVED OVER, WHERE ARE THEY BUDGETED? SAMIR ARE, ARE THEY IN BUILDING INSPECTION FUND OPERATIONALLY? THEY'RE WITHIN THE BUILDING INSPECTION FUND, YES.
I'M NOT SEEING A BIG JUMP IN, IN SALARIES.
UH, THE FUNDING WILL ACTUALLY BE COMING OUT OF 20 THROUGH 2302 ON A STORMWATER FUND.
THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
UM, THERE'S A LOT WRITING ON WHAT YOU GUYS DO AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO.
SO I'M LOOKING AT YOUR KPIS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND, UH, THEY'RE PRETTY AMBITIOUS.
UH, I'D LOVE, LOVE IF YOU CAN PULL THIS OFF, REHABILITATE A THOUSAND LANE MILES, REESTABLISH, 500 MILES OF ROADSIDE DITCHES, REPLACE 25,000 METERS AND, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THE, UH, THE WATER LOSS AS WELL.
DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERN ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S SUFFICIENT CAPACITY HERE IN THE HOUSTON AREA FOR WORKERS TO DO ALL THAT? I HAVE, I HAVE NO CONCERNS WHATSOEVER ABOUT CAPACITY.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S BEEN REALLY AMAZING COUNCIL MEMBER IS THE NUMBER OF FIRMS THAT HAVE BEEN LINING UP, KNOCKING ON OUR DOORS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, ASKING HOW CAN WE HELP? HOW CAN WE HELP? AND THIS INCLUDES LARGE ENGINEERING FIRMS, SMALL ENGINEERING FIRMS, LARGE AND SMALL CONSTRUCTION FIRMS. THERE ARE PEOPLE WILLING AND, AND WANTING TO COME WORK WITH HOUSTON RIGHT NOW IN WAYS THAT THEY HAVEN'T IN A LONG TIME.
AND I THINK IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH OUR DEDICATION TO FIXING THE PROCESS.
IT HAD BECOME REALLY DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR A LONG TIME.
PEOPLE WERE SLOW TO GET PAID CONTRACTS, HAVE BEEN SLOW TO GET OUT AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO, AND TO FIXING ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT MAKE IT SO THAT THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO COME AND PUT YOUR SHOVEL IN THE GROUND.
UM, I I AM VERY SATISFIED THAT THERE IS ENOUGH WORK TO BE DONE AND ENOUGH PEOPLE TO PERFORM THE WORK THAT THESE GOALS ARE CERTAINLY AMBITIOUS BUT ACHIEVABLE.
SO YESTERDAY AT PUBLIC COMMENT, WE HAD AT LEAST ONE INDIVIDUAL COME AND EXPRESS CONCERN DISMAY THAT, UH, THE MAYOR'S, UH, VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM HAD RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF, UH, A LOT OF FOLKS IN PUBLIC WORKS AND THAT THAT WAS GOING TO SORT OF SHOOT OURSELVES IN THE FOOT AS, AS FAR AS TRYING TO IMPROVE OUR DRAINAGE AND DO THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO FOLKS WITH THAT CONCERN? I WOULD SAY EVERY TIME YOU HAVE A CHALLENGE LIKE THAT, IT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY.
I'VE LONG BEEN A PROPONENT AND I'VE ARGUED THAT WE NEED STRUCTURAL TENSION IN OUR ORGANIZATIONS.
OFTENTIMES, IF WE'RE GONNA GET BETTER, WE CAN NO LONGER REST ON OUR LAURELS AND CONTINUE TO DO THINGS THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT.
AND THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO ACTUALLY WITH THE 342 WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO LEFT AT RETIREMENT.
WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR THEIR DECADES OF SERVICE TO THE CITY.
BUT THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE STILL HERE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND DO IT EVEN BETTER THAN WE DID BEFORE.
THE REALITY IS THIS, THE MARKETPLACE HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE EMPLOYMENT MARKETPLACE.
PEOPLE GO TO DIFFERENT JOBS FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.
THEY STAY THERE FOR DIFFERENT PERIODS OF TIME.
IT IS GOING TO BE RARE FOR US TO FIND 30 AND 40 YEAR EMPLOYEES MOVING FORWARD.
THAT MEANS THAT WE MUST REORGANIZE THE WAY WE APPROACH THE WORK, HOW WE REORGANIZE THE WAY WE APPROACH OUR EMPLOYEES AND GET THINGS OUT THERE TO GET IT DONE.
UM, LOSING 340, THAT WAS 9% OF THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT THAT'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET A LOT OF THINGS DONE.
AND WHEN YOU COUPLE THAT WITH WHAT I MENTIONED ABOUT, UH, CAPACITY OUT THERE AMONGST INDUSTRY, WE CAN STILL GET THE JOB DONE.
IT'S A MATTER OF HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THERE AND DO IT BETTER.
COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, THANK YOU CHAIR, UH, DIRECTOR, THANK YOU AND TO YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE WORK Y'ALL ARE DOING.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING IN THE PIPELINE.
UM, THE ONE THING, AND WE'VE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, DANGEROUS BUILDINGS MM-HMM
UM, I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT, THAT Y'ALL GOING TO GET ADDITIONAL INSPECTORS.
UM, I KNOW WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT OPERATIONS OR THE PROCESS OF HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK, BUT I'M, I'M INTERESTED TO SEE HOW WE'LL BE ABLE TO CLOSE LOOPHOLES WHENEVER WE'VE HAD DANGEROUS BUILDINGS.
I, AGAIN, APPRECIATE YOU RIDE ALONG THAT WE'VE DONE ALONG THE GULF FREEWAY IDENTIFYING WHERE, UM, IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE TO ADDRESS THESE, UH, WITH PROPERTY OWNERS.
[00:45:01]
I DON'T KNOW IF I MIS MISHEARD, UH, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, UH, GET A CORRECTION OR, OR AT LEAST A, A GOOD UNDERSTANDING.IS THERE AN INCREASE IN DEMO FUND AS WELL? YEAH.
THAT 25 MILLION YOU SEE IN THERE IS INTENDED FOR DEMOLITION.
AND I KNOW WE'RE STRONG PROPERTY RIGHTS STATE, I GET IT.
BUT I THINK THERE'S SOME REALLY BAD ACTORS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT CONTINUE TO JUST, YOU KNOW, SIT ON THESE PROPERTIES AND THEN SQUATTERS COME IN, UH, MAKING IT DANGEROUS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS.
UM, AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU AND OF COURSE, CITY ATTORNEY ON CLOSING SOME OF THOSE LOOPHOLES.
ABS AND COUNCIL MEMBER, I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION SO MUCH.
WHAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS DANGEROUS BUILDINGS ARE MORE THAN JUST A BLIGHT ON THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE A BLIGHT ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE LONGER THEY SIT THERE, THEY DEPRECATE THE LAND AROUND THEM, THEY INVITE NUISANCES TO COME IN AND TEAR THINGS UP THAT HITS OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT ABSOLUTELY HITS OUR DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY STORMWATER IS FUNDING THIS MERGER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS INTO, UH, THE BUILDING INSPECTION FUND.
BECAUSE ALL OF THOSE AREAS DIRECTLY IMPACT THE DRAINAGE IN THE CITY.
WHERE DO BANDIT SIGNS END UP WHEN THEY'RE DISCARDED? THEY END UP IN OUR DITCHES.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PROPERTY OWNER DOESN'T TAKE CARE OF THE PROPERTY? IT GETS OVERGROWN AND WE'RE UNABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN THE DITCHES.
UH, THINGS GET BLOCKED UP ALL OVER THE PLACE.
AND SO THIS IS A BIG PRIORITY TO HELP CLEAN UP HOUSTON BECAUSE BY CLEANING UP HOUSTON, WE CLEAN UP OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE MAKE SURE THAT WE STOP HAVING SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE REALLY SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS BY TURNING A BLIND EYE TO IT.
AGAIN, JUST, UH, I, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE HEAVY LIFT.
UH, WE'VE BEEN DEFERRED MAINTENANCE FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, AND SO LOOKING, LOOKING TO ALL THE PROJECTS ARE COMING, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT EYE COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER.
UH, I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY BEEN SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT OVER THE LAST YEAR.
UH, I THINK YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB.
JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, YOU MENTIONED REPLACING 3% OF THE WATER LINES MM-HMM
WHAT'S THE LIFE EXPECTANCY ON THOSE? IT DEPENDS.
IT DEPENDS ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UH, ISSUES THERE.
YOU KNOW, WHERE IT'S BURIED IN THE GROUND, HOW DEEP IT'S BURIED, WHAT THE MATERIAL'S MADE OF, HOW MUCH IS GOING THROUGH IT, WHAT THE SIZE IS.
THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES THROUGH IT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PRETTY OLD INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE KNOW THAT, FOR INSTANCE, IN THE DRINKING WATER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM ALTOGETHER, THAT SOME OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS WE HAVE ARE WITH ASBESTOS CONCRETE PIPES.
RIGHT? THEY WEREN'T MEANT TO BE IN THERE 50 YEARS, OR EVEN 40 YEARS OR ANY YEARS WHEN YOU HAVE THE DROUGHT CONDITIONS THAT WE GET AND THE SOILS SHRINK AND EXPAND AND MOVE AROUND.
SO WE'VE GOT TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM WITH BETTER QUALITY MATERIALS THAT'D BE MORE DURABLE AND RESILIENT, BUT WE'VE OUGHT TO ALSO PUT THEM DEEPER IN THE GROUND, WHICH WILL HELP THEM BE MORE RESILIENT.
UM, I'LL BE HAPPY TO HAVE THE TEAM GET YOU SOME GOOD EXAMPLES, THOUGH, OF WHAT WE TYPICALLY SEE THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM ON WHAT SOME OF OUR EXPECTANCY LOOKS LIKE.
DOES THE 3% A YEAR GET US AT LEAST TO WHERE WE'RE CATCHING UP A LITTLE BIT WITH THAT? I, I WILL, I'LL TELL YOU, I GOAL IS 3% IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, UH, HERE ON PAPER.
UM, BUT THE TEAM WILL TELL YOU THAT I'M DRIVING MUCH HARDER.
I WOULD LIKE TO DO DOUBLE THAT.
AND THERE'S A SPECIFIC REASON FOR IT.
WELL PUBLISHED, WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S LOSING ON AVERAGE 32 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER PER YEAR.
I WANNA PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE.
32 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER PER YEAR IS MORE THAN 88 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY.
88 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY IS MORE THAN THE ENTIRE ORIGINAL NORTHEAST WATER PURIFICATION PLANT CAN PRODUCE IN A DAY.
SO WE'RE LITERALLY LOSING THE ENTIRE PRODUCTION OF A WATER PLANT DOWN THE DRAIN.
NOW, OUR MODELING, UM, AND I KNOW THE AI QUESTION'S GONNA COME UP LATER ON, SO I'M GONNA JUMP START IT.
BUT OUR MODELING HAS HELPED US UNDERSTAND THAT OF THAT 32 BILLION GALLONS, WE'RE LOSING ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF IT IN ONLY 6% OF THE PIPE.
SO IF WE CAN CUT DOWN BY TWO THIRDS BY REPLACING 6% OF THE PIPE, THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT DOES FOR THE STRAIN ON THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE.
YOU'RE GONNA FIND FEWER LEAKS OVERALL BECAUSE PRESSURES GET BETTER.
YOU'RE GONNA FIND FEWER LOW PRESSURE DAYS IN THE SUMMER WHEN DEMAND AND USAGE IS REALLY, REALLY HIGH.
UM, AS YOU SEE IN THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES ON THE OBB SLIDES, WE THINK OUR, OUR ESTIMATE IS THAT WE MAY GET TO 1% REPLACEMENT THIS YEAR.
UM, THAT'S MORE THAN WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST FIVE COMBINED.
WE HAVEN'T HIT 3% IN THE LAST 10 COMBINED.
UM, THIS IS A PROBLEM WE'VE GOTTA SOLVE TODAY BECAUSE IF WE DON'T SOLVE IT TODAY, IT'S GONNA SET US UP FOR CATASTROPHE LATER ON.
WE DO NOT WANT TO BE THE NEXT JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI.
AND, UH, THE TEAM IS ABSOLUTELY DEDICATED TO ENSURING THAT WE TACKLE IT HEAD ON AND GET IT DONE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
3% THE ABSOLUTE GOAL, IT'S A MINIMUM.
IT'S WHAT A MATURE WATER UTILITY OUGHT TO DO ON ANNUAL BASIS.
BUT WE'RE GONNA COME OUT REAL STRONG OUT OF THE GATES HERE AND PUT IN PERSPECTIVE, BY THE WAY, 6%
[00:50:01]
OF THAT PIPE, THAT'S ALMOST 420 MILES OF PIPELINE, IF YOU CAN PUT ME BACK IN THE QUEUE.UH, ANY GUYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
LET ME JUST SAY BY OPENING THAT, UM, JUST THE TIME WITHIN THE PAST YEAR, AMAZING JOB THAT YOU'VE DONE IN A POSITION, UH, OBVIOUSLY IT'S BECOME KNOWN TO US.
THEY PUT THE RIGHT PERSON IN THE RIGHT JOB.
YOU GUYS ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.
THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE CALLING REGARDING TO WATER.
AND LET ME SAY ON THE BUDGET SIDE, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND CERTAINLY TO LOSE 300 PEOPLE, WE KNOW THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG, YOU KNOW, UH, ISSUE.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAD TO BE, AND IT'S A PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TO COME UNDERSTANDING THAT WE UNDERSTAND DOLLARS, WHETHER IT COME IN GRANT DOLLARS OR WHATEVER.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT MIS APPROPRIATION OF MONEY, MISSPEND OF MONEY, MISUSE SOME MONEY.
THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TOO.
SO I THINK IN THE SCALE DOWN, WHAT YOU EXPRESS WITH PEOPLE EFFICIENCY, BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU CAN DO MORE WITH LESS THAN YOU DO WITH MORE MM-HMM
AND SO I THINK THAT'S BECOME THE OBVIOUS THING.
MY, MY EX, AND I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE EAST END WATER PLANT, BECAUSE WE DON'T UNDERSTAND, I WOULD SAY WE, AND I MAY BE OVER GENERALIZING, BUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT THAT, MEANING NOT THE CO COUNCIL OR COLLEAGUES, BUT THE CITY, THE DANGER THAT WE STAND WOULD NOT GET THAT SITUATION RESOLVED.
IF PEOPLE GO OUT THERE AND LOOK AT THAT AND UNDERSTAND IT, WE, WE, THAT ISSUE IS SERIOUS.
WE, WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE CALL ABOUT THE WATER LINES, THE, THE, UH, THE ACCURACY, I MEAN THE PIECES THAT WE HAD TO REPLACE MM-HMM
ON THE TOP OF THOSE LINES WHERE PEOPLE HAVING HIGH WATER BILLS MM-HMM
WHAT IS, WHERE ARE WE AT NOW IN TERMS OF HOW MANY OF THOSE THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED GOING FORWARD? WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR THE CITY OVERALL? YEAH.
SO WHEN WE STARTED THE WATER BILL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THAT WAS TO REPLACE 126,000 REMOTE READ DEVICES.
UH, WE HIT THE FIRST 110,000 WITH, WITH GREAT SPEED AND ACCURACY.
THAT WAS DONE BY THE END OF LAST YEAR.
IT LEFT ABOUT 15,000 WHAT WE CALLED SUSPENDED CASES.
THOSE WERE, UM, REMOTE READ DEVICES THAT WERE ON METERS THAT WERE BASICALLY INACCESSIBLE FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.
MAYBE SOMEONE PAVED OVER YEAH.
UH, WHERE THE METER IS BECAUSE IT'S IN THEIR DRIVEWAY OR IT'S IN A BACKYARD WITH SOME DANGEROUS ANIMALS FOR OUR FOLKS TO GET OUT THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THERE.
THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 7,000 OF THOSE LEFT.
IT'S A BIG NUMBER STILL, BUT THOSE ARE TRICKY ONES THAT REQUIRES US TO REALLY COORDINATE WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER REALLY WELL TO GET IT DONE AND GET IT FIXED.
UM, WE'RE DOWN TO, YOU REMEMBER DURING THE WHOLE PLAN, UH, WE PUT PEOPLE ON WHAT WE CALLED A SET USAGE.
SO WE ESTIMATED ABOUT HOW MUCH WATER THEY WOULD USE, BY THE WAY WE ESTIMATED IN EVERYBODY'S FAVOR.
UH, THE RESULT OF THAT WAS A MUCH LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED OR FORECASTED REVENUE FOR THE WATER UTILITY.
WE'RE DOWN TO ONLY ABOUT 14,000 PEOPLE LEFT ON THE SET USAGE CYCLE RIGHT NOW.
A BUNCH OF THOSE ARE GONNA TRANSITION OFF HERE AND THAT'LL LEAVE US WITH JUST THE 7,000.
AND SO WE WE'RE REALLY, UH, EXCITED TO WRAP THAT UP HERE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
OUR TEAMS ARE PERFORMING ABOUT 200 TO 250 OF THOSE SUSPENDED CASES PER DAY RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO CYCLE THROUGH IT TILL WE'RE DONE.
AND THAT'S WHY THE NEXT PROJECT IS THE BIGGER ONE.
WE NEED TO START REPLACING WATER METERS THEMSELVES, RIGHT? YEAH.
UM, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE METERS ACROSS THE CITY ARE MORE THAN 20 YEARS OLD.
AND WHILE MODERN WATER METERS THEMSELVES GENERALLY AREN'T GONNA BREAK DOWN, THEY ARE GONNA START TO SLOW DOWN IN TERMS OF, UH, HOW THEY COUNT TO THE CUSTOMER'S BENEFIT.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE SENDING MORE WATER OUT THAN WE'RE BEING, THAN WE'RE RECEIVING REVENUE FOR.
THE DANGER TO THAT, OF COURSE, IS, ALTHOUGH THIS BUDGET IS BIG, WHAT WE SPEND ON WATER RIGHT NOW IS STILL MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE TAKING INTO ACTUALLY DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE ARE HAVING TO DEFER PROJECTS CONTINUALLY BECAUSE WE SIMPLY DON'T HAVE THE FINANCES TO DO IT.
SO WE, WE WANNA BE SENSITIVE TO, TO CUSTOMERS.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE THE HIGHEST WATER CHARGED RATES ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.
WE'VE GOTTA FIND ALL THE EFFICIENCIES ACROSS THE BOARD TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SPENDING THAT MONEY THE RIGHT WAY AND WE GET THE MOST DONE WITH IT.
I'LL GET BACK IN THE Q MADAM CHAIR, VICE CHAIR CASTILLO.
THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR THE PRESENTATION INFORMATION.
UM, I WANNA START WITH REVENUES, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL GET TO AI.
UM, HAVE YOU EXPLORED, UM, REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, IN PERMITTING WITH
[00:55:01]
EXPEDITED PERMITTING SERVICE? OR DEDICATED REVIEWERS AND, AND USING THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE REVENUES.WHEN IT COMES TO PERMITTING, WE'VE, I'LL SAY EVERYTHING'S BEEN ON THE TABLE SO FAR IN TERMS OF OUR DISCUSSIONS.
UM, WE NEED TO UNDERTAKE PROBABLY ANOTHER RATE STUDY TO UNDERSTAND REALLY WHAT THE FEES AND HOW THEY OUGHT TO BE STRUCTURED TO BE CHARGED.
THERE'S CERTAINLY SOME FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY MORE TO GET FASTER SERVICE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WANNA START CREATING SYSTEMS OF HAVES AND HAVE NOTS BASED ON THE MONEY.
I'D LOVE TO FIRST SOLVE HOW DO WE JUST GET STUFF DONE REALLY WELL TO START WITH AND THEN MAYBE WE WOULD EXPLORE OTHER AVENUES LATER ON.
BUT EVERYTHING'S ON THE TABLE.
UM, AS SAMIR HIGHLIGHTED, THAT FUND IS THE ONLY ONE THAT IS NEGATIVE NET NEGATIVE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
WE'RE HAVING TO DRAW FROM THE FUND BALANCE TO THAT FUND TO, TO CARRY THOSE OPERATIONS.
WE HAVE TO REVERSE THAT TREND.
UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY WILLING TO EXPLORE ALL THE POSSIBILITIES.
AND ON THAT NOTE, IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THE SALARIES THAT WE'RE PAYING, THE, THE REVIEWERS AND THE, THE EMPLOYEES OF THE PERMITTING CENTER MM-HMM
UM, TO INCREASE RETENTION AND, AND COMBAT TURNOVER, ALL THAT.
WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON FOR THAT? UH, WE'VE GOTTA BE MORE COMPETITIVE.
AND, AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT JUST AS A CITY AS A WHOLE, IT'S NOT JUST PERMITTING OR PUBLIC WORKS AS A WHOLE.
WE'VE GOTTA BECOME A MORE COMPETITIVE EMPLOYER WHEN IT COMES TO OUR SALARIES.
I GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO THE MAYOR.
I THINK HE'S MADE INCREDIBLE STRIDES TO DO THAT.
YOU SEE THAT WITH THE VARIOUS MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENTS.
THE, THE, THE LABOR CONTRACTS THAT HAVE COME OUT IS REALLY IN AN EFFORT TO TRY AND, AND DO THAT REALLY WELL.
BUT IT'S TIME FOR US AS A WHOLE TO START LOOKING AT THE CLASSIFICATIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE JOB FAMILIES TO START UNDERSTANDING HOW COMPETITIVE THAT NEEDS TO BE.
NOBODY, I THINK, COMES TO THE CITY EXPECTING TO BE PAID AS WELL AS YOU'RE GONNA BE PAID IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT WE'RE SEEING THE GAP CONTINUE TO WIDEN MM-HMM
BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
AND THAT MAKES IT A CHALLENGE IN A CITY LIKE OURS WHERE THE FINANCES ARE CONSTRAINED, BUT WE'VE GOTTA DELIVER SERVICES ON SUCH A HIGH LEVEL.
UH, I WILL SAY THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DIRECTOR CHEEKS AND HR ABOUT, UH, TAKING A LOOK, CLASSIFICATIONS DOING A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON WHAT'S APPROPRIATE AND HOW WE SHOULD BE STRUCTURED AND HOW IT LOOKS.
WHAT'S A CAREER PATH FOR AN EMPLOYEE IN PUBLIC SERVICE LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARDS? I MENTIONED, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE A LOT OF 30 AND 40 YEAR EMPLOYEES MORE, BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO SEE MORE 10 YEAR EMPLOYEES INSTEAD OF TWO YEAR EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE TRACK WE'RE ON RIGHT NOW.
PEOPLE COME IN FOR A COUPLE AND THEN THEY TAKE OFF TO THE CONSULTING WORLD.
BOY, WE'D LOVE TO KEEP 'EM LONGER.
'CAUSE WE ARE SEEING THAT FROM MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADDRESS.
I WANNA ASK YOU ABOUT THE, THE SETTLEMENT THAT WE'RE INCREASING THE TRANSFER OUT OF THE AD VALOREM, UM, TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE D-D-S-R-F AVALOR BY $40 MILLION.
I THINK THERE, IT'S, WE'RE GOING FROM 144 MILLION TO 184 MILLION IN THAT TRANSFER.
HOW MUCH OF THAT IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE SETTLEMENT? AND HOW MUCH IS THAT? IS BECAUSE WE, WE HAVE LESS DEBT TO PAY AND MORE IS GOING TOWARDS PROJECTS.
SO FOR THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 16 MILLION THAT'LL BE TRANSFERRED AS A PART OF THE PHASE IN.
AND, AND, AND THAT, DID WE PHASE IN ANY, IN THE FY 25 BUDGET? NO.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST 20, THIS IS THE FIRST PHASE IN? CORRECT.
SO THE RE REMAINDER OF THAT, UM, INCREASE IS PROBABLY DUE BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING DOWN DEBT AND PUTTING MORE TOWARDS YOU, PROJECT.
I ALSO NOTICED IN THE BUILDING INSPECTION FUND, IT LOOKS, OR IN THE METRO EXPENDITURES FUND, UM, WE'RE PAYING FOR THE OFFICE OF DIRECTOR 847,000 FROM, WHERE WAS THAT BEING BUDGETED AND WHICH FUND WAS THAT BEING BUDGETED BEFORE? BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S BLANK BEFORE.
IT'S NOT IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
IT'S JUST IN THE DATA FROM THE, FROM THE BUDGET BOOK, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS ABOUT AN $847,000 CHARGE IN THE METRO FUND FOR OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, WHICH HAD NOT BEEN IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO LET ME GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT INFORMATION.
IF I, AND SIMILARLY IN THE BUILDING INSPECTION FUND, THERE WAS CHARGE FOR ALL OCE, CORRECT? RIGHT.
ALL OF THE OCE $14.9 MILLION WORTH OF EXPENDITURES THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY ACCOUNTED FOR SOMEWHERE ELSE.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IN THE LINES IN THE YEARS, THERE'S NOTHING THERE AND THEN THERE'S A LINE FOR THAT.
WE DID DO SOME RESHUFFLING AND REORGANIZATION.
WE MOVE SOME, I'VE GOT SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS IN WRITING.
THOSE WERE JUST, UM, STICKING OUT TO ME.
[01:00:01]
UM, IN THE BUILDING INSPECTION FUND, I KNOW WE'RE DOING A FEE STUDY FOR, IT'S AT 700,000 CORRECT.WILL COVER ALL THE PERMITTING FEES IN, UH, BUT IT'S ABOUT A ONE POINT, UH, WE'RE GOING FROM A ABOUT $961,000 IN MANAGEMENT CONSULTING TO 2.3 MILLION.
SO DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE EXTRA, IS IT PART OF THE STUDY, THE ALVAREZ MARCAL STILL BEING PAID? OR HOW, WHAT, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE MANAGE? I BELIEVE WE, UH, COMPLETED ALVAREZ MARCAL STUDY.
I BELIEVE A LOT OF THIS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY.
BUT I CAN CLARIFY THAT WITH YOU.
THE REST OF MY STUFF IS IN, UM, SHARE.
WE'LL PUT IN SHAREPOINT COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
UM, FOR THE RECORD, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE, AS A CITY UNDER STATE LAW, WE CANNOT LEGALLY PROFIT ON, ON WATER SERVICES.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INCREASED FEES, IT WOULD BE TO MAKE UP FOR WHAT WE ARE EXPENDING.
UM, GOING BACK TO FUNDING, UH, WHAT AMOUNT OF PROGRAMS OR PERSONNEL, UH, COULD BE FEDERALLY FUND ARE FEDERALLY FUNDED IN OUR DEPARTMENT? VERY FEW.
UH, AND WE'LL SUBMIT ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON THAT.
UM, REGARDING, WE WILL ALSO SUBMIT A QUESTION IN TERMS OF WITH FTES MM-HMM
RIGHT? WE HAVE THE VRI LOSSES, BUT YOU ALSO SAID WE HAD, I THINK IT WAS OVER 800 VACANCIES, BUT I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW, 'CAUSE WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF FOLKS LEAVING THE CITY.
UM, A LOT OF BRAIN DRAIN THAT IS HAPPENING AT THE CITY RIGHT NOW.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY HAVE LEFT IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.
AND WHAT, HOW MANY DO WE EXPECT? I BELIEVE YOU SAID WE ARE EXPECTING TO FILL SOME OF THOSE 800 VACANCIES, BUT NOT ALL.
DO WE HAVE A BALLPARK OF HOW MANY? UH, WE'RE TARGETING ABOUT 200 RIGHT NOW.
SO AS YOU REMEMBER, I SAID OF THE 3 42 THAT LEFT, 217 OF THOSE WERE IN CRITICAL FRONTLINE POSITIONS, UM, AS DEFINED IN THAT GROUP.
THOSE WEREN'T ALL OF THE CLASSIFICATIONS WE NEEDED TO REPLACE.
THERE WERE SOME OTHER ONES AS WELL.
IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT HALF AND HALF.
REGARDLESS, WE CONSIDER ALL OF THOSE POSITIONS THAT WE'LL REPLACE TO BE CRITICAL POSITIONS FOR US.
AND THEN, UH, WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE DRAINAGE STUDY OUTCOMES, LONG TIME COMING.
AND AGAIN, ALL THE TEAMS THAT WE GET TO WORK WITH DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB.
UH, ONE OF THOSE, AND YOU MENTIONED THIS IN THE PRESENTATION, THE, UH, DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL HAD ALLOCATED ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR.
AND I APPRECIATE THE TARGET, UM, OF, I THINK THIS FISCAL YEAR, 1000 MILES OF ROADSIDE DITCHES INSPECTED IN REMAINING AREAS IN FIVE FIVE, SORRY, 500.
SO THERE WERE PREVIOUS AND THEN 450 MILES REESTABLISHED.
SO, SO THE, SO THE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF TWO THINGS.
IT'S REESTABLISHING AND THEN OF COURSE THE INSPECTION.
THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE'VE BEEN DOING HEAVY INSPECTION.
SO 2,500 MILES OF ROADSIDE DITCHES ALTOGETHER ACROSS THE CITY.
WHEN THE PROGRAM WAS PUT TOGETHER, THE INTENTION WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD WE WOULD REHABILITATE, REESTABLISH ALL OF IT.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S A 500 MILE TARGET EACH YEAR.
AND THEN THE OTHER 50 IS ACROSS THE REST OF THE CITY.
I SAW A MACHINE, I TOOK A PICTURE, THANK MM-HMM
'CAUSE I SAW THE MACHINE WORKING.
AND GOING AND WE WERE SO THRILLED ABOUT THAT.
BUT WE HAD SET PREVIOUS GOALS YEAH.
BY THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, 450 MILES REESTABLISHED.
SO I WOULD LIKE AN UPDATE ON HOW MANY, I APPRECIATE THE INSPECTIONS, BUT HOW MANY DITCHES DITCH MILES HAVE WE REESTABLISHED UNDER THE PROGRAM? 'CAUSE WE HAD ALLOCATED FUNDING FOR THAT.
UM, SO, OR IF NOT, WHERE DID THAT FUND, WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT FUNDING? WE, WE'LL, WE'LL VERIFY THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE IN THIS PRESENTATION STATE THAT WE'RE TARGET.
WE ESTIMATE WE'LL HIT 568 THIS YEAR.
SO, SO WE SHOULD HIT OUR WHOLE TARGET PLUS A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT I'LL, WE'LL VERIFY THAT AND MAKE SURE WE GET IT TO YOU.
UH, DO I NEED TO BACK IN QUEUE? YEP.
FOLLOWING UP ON WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAME AND ASKED ABOUT WITH REGARD TO WATER, WE CAN'T MAKE A PROFIT OFF OF THE WATER THAT WE PROVIDE TO RESIDENTS.
UH, WE ACTUALLY PROVIDE WATER TO A LOT OF FOLKS WHO DON'T LIVE IN THE CITY.
PROBABLY MORE THAN WE PROVIDE TO PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVE THAT'S CORRECT.
IN THE CITY, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, AND YOU AND I HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE, UM, THE WATER WE PROVIDE TO OTHER FOLKS OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON, UH, THAT'S UNDER LONG-TERM CONTRACTS THAT WERE SIGNED LONG BEFORE ANY OF US GOT HERE.
IS THAT CORRECT? MANY OF THEM, YES.
ON THOSE CONTRACTS, ARE WE OPERATING AT A LOSS WITH THE WATER WE PROVIDE? THE, UH, I WOULD SAY THAT WITHOUT A DOUBT, THOSE CUSTOMERS ARE GETTING A VERY GOOD DEAL ON THEIR WATER.
AND HAVE WE REVIEWED THOSE CONTRACTS THOROUGHLY TO SEE IF THEY CAN BE RENEGOTIATED AT ALL OR MODIFIED? WE ARE, WE ARE LOOKING AT THEM.
UH, IT IS, IT IS A PROCESS TO LOOK AT THEM AND SEE WHAT OPPORTUNITIES EXIST.
[01:05:01]
UM, THERE ARE, OF COURSE, THERE ARE CERTAIN, UH, DANGERS TO THAT.UH, WHEN YOU OPEN UP CONTRACTS, THERE ARE FAVORABLE CLAUSES IN THERE TO US, WHICH INCLUDES THE ABILITY IN SOME INSTANCES TO STOP PROVIDING THAT WATER IF OUR NEEDS ARE GREATER.
SO YOU, YOU TAKE THOSE THINGS INTO ACCOUNT AS YOU GO INTO A NEGOTIATION, BUT WE ARE ACTIVELY LOOKING AT THOSE CONTRACTS.
WE WANNA SEE IF THERE ARE REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO US.
SO I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PROCUREMENT.
UM, WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
IT INVOLVES CONTRACTS MM-HMM
THAT THE CITY ENTERS INTO WITH VARIOUS VENDORS.
UM, THOSE CONTRACTS OFF ALL HAVE TO BE VETTED THROUGH LEGAL.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS FROM STAKEHOLDERS THAT THAT PROCESS TAKES ENTIRELY TOO LONG.
SO I ASKED YOUR COUNTERPART IN LEGAL, UH, RECENTLY ABOUT THAT.
WHAT IS RESPONSE TO THAT WAS, AND HE SAID THAT PUBLIC WORKS COULD HELP BY GETTING THEM INVOLVED SOONER IN THE PROCESS.
WHAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? WELL, WE'RE DOING IT, UM, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY AND I HAVE WORKED OUT A PROCESS ACTUALLY WHERE WE'LL HAVE, WE ALREADY HAVE THE FIRST OF A COUPLE, UH, CONTRACT ATTORNEYS EMBEDDED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
THEY ACTUALLY SIT ON MY FLOOR OVER AT SIX 11 WALKER TO BE PART OF THE OPERATION.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN FEEL AND UNDERSTAND HOW WE WORK AND WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE.
UM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY LOW HANGING FRUIT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS THAT WOULD HELP US OUT A LOT.
GETTING THE FORMS LIBRARIES UPDATED, ENSURING THAT THE TEMPLATES ARE ADEQUATE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE GO TO BID ON A PARTICULAR SOLICITATION, IT SURE WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT TERMS THEY WERE GONNA BE AGREEING TO ONCE THEY WERE AWARDED THE CONTRACT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS WHERE WE MAKE AN AWARD AND THEN WE START TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO AGREE TO MANY FOR WHATEVER REASON, THAT CAN INVOLVE PRICING, THAT IT COULD EVEN INVOLVE CHANGING THE SCOPE OF SERVICES.
WE'VE GOTTA BE A LOT BETTER AT THAT.
UH, DIRECT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THAT PROCESS.
AND I THINK, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR, FOR HIS WILLINGNESS TO COLLABORATE WITH US ON THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS GONNA PROVIDE A TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT TO US.
REMEMBER OUR GOAL HERE, OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURE AWARD TO NTP WITHIN 30 DAYS.
AND JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS YOU ARE AN ATTORNEY YOURSELF, ARE YOU NOT? CORRECT.
GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT COLLECTIONS ON, UH, WATER BILLS.
DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW MANY CUSTOMERS WE'VE GOT? THEY'RE 30 DAYS OUT, 60 DAYS OUT, 90 DAYS OUT A LOT.
BUT WE, WE WILL GET YOU A MORE SPECIFIC NUMBER.
YOU REMEMBER DURING THIS PERIOD OF THE WATER BILL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, UH, WE HAVE BEEN VERY GENEROUS TO ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REALITY IT WAS, WE WERE IN SUCH A BIND WHERE THE CITY COULDN'T, WITH A STRAIGHT FACE, TRULY TELL SOMEONE THAT THEIR BILL WAS WHAT THEY OWED.
AND SO WE, WE NEEDED TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF THE CUSTOMER HERE UNTIL WE COULD GET OUR HOUSE IN ORDER.
UM, AND THE GOOD NEWS IS, IS WHEN CUSTOMERS CALL IN WITH A QUESTION ABOUT WHY THEIR BILL IS WHAT IT IS OR WHY IT SAYS THEY USE AS MUCH WATER AS THEY USE, WE CAN NOW SEE IN THOSE ONES THAT WE'VE REPLACED HOUR BY HOUR WHERE WATER IS FLOWING THROUGH THE METER.
THAT KIND OF DATA REALLY HELPS MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DO IT WITH A STRAIGHT FACE.
BUT THE AMOUNT IN ARREARS, IT IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THAT AS A LEADERSHIP TEAM VERY RECENTLY.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO GET A REPORT TO YOU.
I KNOW I'VE SEEN SOME ANECDOTAL ONES WHERE THEY HAVEN'T MADE A PAYMENT IN A YEAR.
UM, AND I THINK SOME OF THAT ACTUALLY IS ISSUES WHERE IT ISN'T TYPICALLY WHAT WE WOULD THINK OF AS A HOMEOWNER OR A TENANT, BUT POSSIBLY EVEN A SQUATTER.
UH, SO IF WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND TRY AND BUTTON THAT UP AS WELL.
THESE, THESE ARE ALL PART OF THOSE EFFICIENCIES THAT WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT IN TERMS OF OUR OWN PROCESSES.
UH, IT WAS AMAZING TO ME WHEN I CAME TO THE CITY AND FOUND OUT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A MECHANISM FOR SOMEONE WHO LEAVES A HOME TO SHUT THE WATER ACCOUNT OFF.
UM, THE HOOPS THEY WOULD HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH IN ORDER TO CANCEL THEIR ACCOUNT ARE, IN MY OPINION, SO CRAZY THAT IT'S NO WONDER WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE, LIVING IN SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSE WHILE SOMEONE ELSE IS GETTING THE BILL FOR IT THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO COLLECT BECAUSE IT'S NOT THAT INDIVIDUAL.
WE'VE GOTTA FIX THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS ISN'T HERE, BUT I'M UP NEXT.
UM, SO I WANTED TO ASK YOU REALLY ABOUT TECHNOLOGY MM-HMM
IN GENERAL, UM, BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY WITHIN PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, WE HAD AN ITEM COME BEFORE COUNCIL A FEW WEEKS AGO FOR THE, THE SMART METERS, UM, THAT WAS APPROVED TO INCREASE OUR
[01:10:01]
NUMBER OF THOSE.UM, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY EFFICIENCIES THAT CAN BE FOUND THROUGH AI THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT, UM, AND OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
SO WHAT'S THE PLAN AS WE LOOK TO INCREASE OUR EFFICIENCY? YEAH.
UH, TO UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY IN PUBLIC WORKS, WE WANNA BE AGGRESSIVE.
THERE IS SO MANY GREAT SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE TO US NOW.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT USE OF AI IN, UH, OUR PARTICULAR OPERATIONAL SERVICES, WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT TOOLS THAT HELP INFORM HUMAN DECISION MAKING, NOT REPLACE IT, PER SE.
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS IN THE SEWER SYSTEM, AND WE STARTED IMPLEMENTING THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AS PART OF THE CONSENT DECREE, WE NOW USE AI TO GO THROUGH AND SCORE DEFECTS IN OUR SEWER LINES AFTER WE CC TV.
THOSE LINES USED TO BE A PERSON HAD TO SIT AND WATCH HOURS UPON HOURS OF FOOTAGE OF THE INSIDE OF A SEWER LINE AND SPOT WHERE ALL THE DEFICIENCIES ARE.
NOW THE AI CAN DO WHAT A PERSON DOES IN SECONDS.
WE'VE SAVED MORE THAN 80,000 MAN HOURS DOING THAT JUST IN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS ALL OF OUR OPERATIONAL TECHNOLOGY TO HELP IMPROVE THAT.
AND THAT GOES EVEN TO THINGS LIKE, UH, THE ABILITY TO BETTER MODEL, THE ABILITY TO KEEP BETTER TRACK OF OUR ASSETS, THE ABILITY TO MANAGE OUR TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
UM, WE'RE EXPLORING AN OPPORTUNITY IN SOME CERTAIN TARGETED INTERSECTIONS RIGHT NOW TO HAVE AI START MAKING SOME DECISIONS ON TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND LIGHT TIMING, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE CITY.
WE BASICALLY SET SIGNAL TIMING AS A STANDARD DURING THIS TIME OF DAY.
THIS IS WHAT IT IS DURING THIS TIME OF DAY, THIS IS WHAT IT IS.
OR IT COULD BE JUST THAT ACROSS THE BOARD.
WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT THAT IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE IT REALLY PICKS UP AT CERTAIN TIMES, YOU COULD HAVE IT BE A LOT MORE FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE SO THE TRAFFIC CAN FLOW.
SO WE'RE EXPLORING THAT AND, AND THE LEAPS IN TECHNOLOGY IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GOT TO HARNESS.
THIS, BY THE WAY, IS EXACTLY WHY WE DON'T HAVE TO REPLACE 800 VACANT POSITIONS BECAUSE THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE TO HELP INFORM THOSE OF US THAT ARE HERE TO MOVE FASTER.
THAT, THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR BECAUSE, UM, IT'S ONLY GONNA HELP US DELIVER BETTER SERVICES TO THE CONSTITUENTS YEAH.
WHILE WE SAVE MONEY, UH, WHILE WE'RE, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, BEING MORE EFFICIENT AND, AND WE KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES.
UH, BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT DOING ALL OF THOSE THINGS, UH, THEY'RE COMING TO, TO OTHER CITIES, THEY'RE UTILIZING THESE TECHNOLOGIES AND THEN WE'RE TRYING TO CATCH UP DOWN THE ROAD, UH, WHEN IT'S A LOT HARDER TO DO.
AND I'M, I BELIEVE COUNCIL RAMIREZ IS ALSO IN THE QUEUE.
IF YOU WANNA FINISH UP YOUR QUESTION SO WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP GOING BACK AND FORTH.
UM, SO THIS IS ALL ANECDOTAL, BUT, UH, I'D HEARD THAT, UH, IMPROVEMENTS HAD BEEN MADE, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS A LOT.
I'D HEARD THAT IMPROVEMENTS HAD BEEN MADE IN TERMS OF REDUCING THE TIME.
IT, IT'S IS NECESSARY TO GET PERMITS APPROVED, GET THAT PROCESS, UH, FINISHED.
UH, BUT RECENTLY WE'VE BEEN HEARING IT'S, IT'S SORT OF, UH, STARTING CREEP TO CREEP BACK TO LONGER PERMITTING TIMES.
WHAT, WHAT DO YOU SEE FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE THAT'S ACCURATE? UH, WE'VE MADE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PROGRESS, AND IT WAS A CONCERTED EFFORT ACROSS MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND ABOUT THE PERMITTING CENTER IS IT DOES CONSIST OF MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
SO ALTHOUGH PUBLIC WORKS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CENTER ITSELF AND ULTIMATELY THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS FROM END-TO-END, WE RELY ON OTHER DEPARTMENTS LIKE FIRE, LIKE PLANNING, UH, A RA TO PLAY THEIR RESPECTIVE ROLES IN THE PERMIT APPROVAL PROCESS.
SOMETIMES THAT'S WITHOUT, UH, A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL.
AND, AND I WOULD SAY THAT, UH, I THINK EVERYONE'S DOING THE BEST THAT THEY CAN RIGHT NOW, AND EVERYONE'S GOT RESPECTIVE CHALLENGES.
SO I HOPE NO ONE INTERPRETS ME AS TRYING TO THROW A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT UNDER THE BUS.
I'M JUST SAYING IT'S A REALITY ACROSS THE BOARD.
ALL OF US HA CAN DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER WHEN IT COMES TO THIS.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS WAS ALLUDING TO.
AND HER QUESTION IS, HEY, YOU'VE LOST SOME PEOPLE.
ARE YOU FEELING AN IMPACT? THE ANSWER IS, YEAH, WE'RE FEELING AN IMPACT, BUT IT'S A CORRECTABLE IMPACT AND WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS IT QUICKLY.
AND SO IN, AS, AS IT RELATES TO PERMITTING, WE'RE GONNA BACKFILL THOSE POSITIONS THAT, UH, YES.
AND I HAD QUESTIONS AS WELL ON PERMITTING.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS IS, ESPECIALLY WITH PERMITTING AND INSPECTIONS, RIGHT? WE HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE GOING OUT FOR DIFFERENT ONES, AND THEY'RE GIVING THOSE BUILDERS, THOSE DEVELOPERS DIFFERENT NOTES, AND THEY'RE OFTENTIMES CONFLICTING.
SO I HOPE AS WE'RE CONSOLIDATING SOME OF THAT, IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE OTHER CHALLENGES WITH PERMITTING, UM, WILL BE IMPROVED UPON.
UH, THE, THE, I THERE'S BEEN A CONCERN THAT OUR OFFICES HAD IN RESIDENTS AND DISTRICT C HAVE HAD
[01:15:01]
ABOUT THE COST OF CHANGE IN DESIGN MM-HMMUH, WE'RE CHANGING DESIGNS ON PROJECTS THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN READY TO SUBMIT, UH, FOR PERMITTING APPROVAL.
UM, DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF THE COST THAT THOSE CHANGES ARE, UH, WERE INCURRING AS A CITY? I DON'T THINK WE'VE COMPILED THAT.
WE, WE PROBABLY COULD PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER FOR YOU THOUGH.
AND THEN, UM, I HAD FLAGGED EARLIER, WE CAN TALK OFFLINE.
UM, I, I BELIEVE WHAT'S HAPPENING, AGAIN, SOME OF IT HAS TO DO WITH BRAIN DRAIN, BUT, UM, FAILING TO DECONFLICT CERTAIN PROJECTS THAT WE'RE CATCHING.
UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR DOLLARS ARE BEING USED IS, UH, RIGOROUSLY IS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING WITH DESIGN AND ENGINEERING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE 1000 MILES, WHICH IS A TERRIFIC GOAL.
WE ALL WANNA SEE A THOUSAND LANE MILES.
LANE MILES, EXCUSE ME, A THOUSAND LANE MILES.
THAT'S, THAT IS VERY DIFFERENT.
UM, ARE THOSE BASIC MILLON OVERLAYS, THOSE ARE NOT COMPLETE RECONSTRUCTIONS, CORRECT.
IT'S NOT COMPLETE RECONSTRUCTIONS.
IT'S GONNA BE A COMBINATION, UH, THAT WILL INCLUDE PANEL REPLACEMENTS IN APPROPRIATE AREAS.
IT WILL INCLUDE MILL AND OVERLAYS THAT MAY ALSO INCLUDE SUBSTANTIAL BASE REPAIR IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS.
BUT IT WOULDN'T BE THE ENTIRE CORRIDOR.
AND ABOUT APPROXIMATELY HOW LONG DOES A MILL AND OVERLAY LAST? HOW LONG SHOULD IT LAST? OR HOW LONG DOES IT LAST IN HOUSTON? IN HOUSTON,
UH, AND I, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS PART OF THIS FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET IS DEDICATED MONEY FOR PAVEMENT PRESERVATION.
IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE NOT DONE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON BEFORE.
THIS IS GOING TO HELP EXTEND THE LIFESPAN, SPECIFICALLY OF OUR ASPHALT STREETS, ESPECIALLY TO KEEP THEM AS FRESH AS POSSIBLE.
THERE'S REALLY NO REASON WHY WE COULDN'T GET 10, 15, MAYBE EVEN 20 YEARS OUTTA SOME OF OUR ASPHALT ROADS IF WE TOOK THE TIME TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.
AND IN TERMS OF SAVING COSTS AND STRETCHING DOLLARS, I DO APPRECIATE, WE'RE IN CONVERSATIONS RIGHT NOW ABOUT SIDEWALK SHAVING PROGRAMS, RATHER THAN REPLACING AN ENTIRE SEGMENT, WE CAN SHAVE IT DOWN AND IT'S ABOUT 10 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR.
SO I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE NOT JUST THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BUT SEE IMPLEMENTATION AND COST SAVINGS THERE.
UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS REALLY LED THE WAY WHEN IT CAME TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND RESILIENCY, UH, THROUGH THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
ARE THOSE PILOTS THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAD UNDERTAKEN CONTINUING? MANY OF THEM ARE.
UM, I, I WILL, I WILL SAY IN FULL CANDIDNESS THAT WE'VE NOT SPENT A LOT OF EFFORTS IN TRYING TO CHANGE ANY OF THAT.
SO PILOT PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERWAY ARE STILL UNDERWAY.
UM, WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY RENEWED ONES THAT MAY HAVE ENDED OR EXPIRED, BUT WE HAVE NOT FORECLOSED THE POSSIBILITY OF, OF TAKING ANOTHER LOOK AT THEM.
AND AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE A, A INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ANYMORE, SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT WOULD COME, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT THOSE ARE AND HOW THEY TURNED OUT.
UH, HOUSTON IS NOW THE FASTEST SINKING CITY ACCORDING TO REPORTS I REPRESENT THE MOST REPETITIVELY FLOODED DISTRICT IN THE ENTIRE CITY.
I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, UH, IS A CLOSE SECOND AT THIS POINT.
UH, ARE THERE UPCOMING CHANGES TO DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS, UH, IN THE WORKS RIGHT NOW? THERE ARE, UH, IN FACT THEY WILL BE RELEASED THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, THAT WILL UPDATE SOME OF THE, THE REQUIREMENTS TO CHAPTER NINE OF THE IDM RELATED TO THE CALCULATION OF DETENTION.
UH, PROVIDES INFORMATION RELATED TO CREDIT FOR PREVIOUS EXISTING IMPERVA.
MANY OTHER THINGS THAT'LL BE ISSUED BY THE CITY ENGINEER LATE THIS AFTERNOON.
AND WHEN THAT'S BEING ISSUED, I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS HOW ARE THOSE BEING PRESENTED? IN THE PAST, WE HAD EXTENSIVE COMMITTEE HEARINGS BEFORE ANYTHING WAS FINALIZED.
THERE WAS COMMUNITY INPUT OPPORTUNITIES.
THERE WERE ROUND TABLES, THERE WAS A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT BY COUNCIL ON THOSE.
AND NOW I'M REFERRING TO THE IDM.
I'M ASSUMING THIS ALL PERTAINS TO THE IDM.
SO ARE YOU ISSUING A FINAL VERSION OR HOW WILL THAT BE AGAIN, IN, WHERE DO WE COME INTO THAT? IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE VOTE ON, BUT HISTORICALLY WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO REVIEW, UH, AND ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO REVIEW.
UH, THE PROCESS THAT'S BEEN UNDERTAKEN SO FAR HAS BEEN A, A, A VERY COLLABORATIVE PROCESS WITH ENGINEERS FROM ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THOSE FROM THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES.
UM, THE CHANGES ARE GONNA BE ISSUED BY MEMO AT THIS POINT.
IT IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE CHANGE TO CHAPTER NINE.
A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND CHANGE WILL BE UNDERTAKEN WITHIN OUR NORMAL PROCESSES IN THE FUTURE.
BUT THIS IS A MEMO CHANGE DIRECTLY RELATED TO DETENTION REQUIREMENTS.
SO IT'S A FINAL CHANGE THAT YOU'RE ISSUING WITHOUT IT BEING DISCUSSED PUBLICLY? YEAH, I WOULD SAY THAT'S, IT'S A, UH, IT'S A CHANGE.
THE DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS, UH, AN INTERIM CHANGE TO CHAPTER NINE BEFORE THE FULL COMPLETE SECTION OF CHAPTER NINE IS REVIEWED.
[01:20:01]
SAID, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'D LIKE NOTICE TO PROCEED SENT TO CONTRACTORS AWARDED A CONTRACT WITHIN 30 DAYS.BUT WE'VE SEEN EXAMPLES OF APPROVING CONTRACTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR DESIGN THAT ARE BEING UTILIZED ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS.
I'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT AS COUNCIL, AND THAT'S STANDARD.
DOES THAT MEAN, HOWEVER, THOUGH IN THE FUTURE COUNCIL OFFICES WILL BE INFORMED OF PROJECT LOCATIONS, UH, WITH SUFFICIENT NOTICE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE, UH, CONTRACTS ARE? YEAH.
WE, WE WOULD, WE WOULD LOVE TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALWAYS KEEPING EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER INFORMED OF ACTIVITY TAKING PLACE IN THEIR DISTRICT.
UH, SOMETIMES WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT IT.
THERE'VE BEEN MOMENTS WHERE WE'VE CERTAINLY FALLEN SHORT OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMMITTED TO, TO BEING AS OPEN AS WE POSSIBLY CAN AND MAKING SURE WE SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
AND LASTLY, UM, HAS THERE BEEN A POLICY CHANGE AS IT PERTAINS TO RAISED CROSSWALKS SPECIFICALLY? WE HAVE TRIED TO FUND RAISED CROSSWALKS IN FRONT OF SCHOOLS.
UH, PUBLIC WORKS, AGAIN, DOING A GREAT JOB.
BUT WE'VE BEEN SPECIFICALLY TOLD NOW, HEY, WE CAN REFRESH THE PAINT.
BUT WE ARE NOT PERMITTED TO MOVE, UH, TO FUND AS DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS RAISED CROSSINGS IN FRONT OF SCHOOLS.
I, I WOULD SAY, UH, THERE'S NOTHING, THERE'S NO POLICY WRITTEN IN STONE ANYWHERE ON THIS.
UM, THE PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO GO AWAY FROM IMPLEMENTING RAISED CROSSWALKS OF LATE, BUT EVERY PROJECT IS DIFFERENT.
AND WHO'S REVIEWING THOSE, OR WHO HAS THE FINAL SAY ON THAT? WELL, ALL PROJECTS ARE GONNA BE REVIEWED BY THE CITY ENGINEER'S OFFICE.
BUT IS THE CITY ENGINEER MAKING THE FINAL DETERMINATION ON WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN INSTALL A RAISED CROSSWALK, UM, ON EACH INDIVIDUAL PROJECT? I WOULD SAY THE CITY ENGINEER DOESN'T REVIEW EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL PROJECT.
THE VOLUME WE HAVE DOES NOT ALL GO THROUGH HIM.
IT'S GONNA GO THROUGH THE VARIOUS MEMBERS ON HIS TEAM.
BUT THROUGH, IS IT, I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, IS IT THE DEPARTMENT MAKING THAT DECISION OR IS ANOTHER THE DEPART DOES MAKE THAT DECISION? YES.
ALL RIGHT, COLLEAGUES, THAT'S THE END OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONS.
GREAT JOB, SAMIR AND DIRECTOR.
UM, THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND TO YOUR TEAM.
WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO PUBLIC WORKS.
I WANT TO MOVE TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
WE'LL START WITH COURTNEY REBELS.
COURTNEY DOES NOT LOOK LIKE SHE'S HERE.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT AN ACCOUNTANT OR A CITY COUNSELOR IN THIS ROOM, UM, COULD YOU JUST REALLY CLEARLY BREAK DOWN, UH, THE $75 MILLION THAT THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION HAS SAID WOULD BE, UM, IS ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT'S GOING TO D-D-S-R-F ALICE? WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE TAKING NOTES ON THE QUESTIONS AND WE'RE GONNA GET THE QUESTIONS.
THESE GUYS HAVE TO GET BACK TO WORK.
I KEPT THEM AN EXTRA HALF HOUR AT THE BEGINNING 'CAUSE WE GOT A LATE START.
BUT THAT'S NOT TO DIMINISH YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE WILL DEFINITELY GET THEM ANSWERED.
I JUST DON'T WANNA HOLD EVERYBODY UP.
TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF AND STAY A WHILE.
YOU COMFORTABLE? UM, THAT'S WHAT MY DAD, THAT'S WHAT MY DAD USED TO SAY.
DON'T REALLY TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF.
SO LET ME JUST START FROM THE BEGINNING.
UM, UM, COULD WE JUST RECEIVE A REALLY CLEAR BREAKDOWN OF THE ADDITIONAL $75 MILLION THAT THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION HAS PROMISED IS, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT'S GOING INTO D-D-S-R-F, FOLLOWING THE DRAINAGE, UH, QUOTE, SETTLEMENT.
UM, AND, UH, CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN THE BREAKDOWN OF THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING BETWEEN THE GENERAL FUND AT VALOREM TAX TRANSFER AND ALSO METRO FUNDING.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF THIS QUESTION IS, HOW EXACTLY WILL THIS ADDITIONAL MONEY BE SPENT? CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THE SPECIFIC PROGRAMMATIC INCREASES OR PROJECTS THAT WILL BE FUNDED WITH THIS MONEY? UM, BASICALLY WHAT PROGRAMS IS THIS ADDITIONAL MONEY BEING ALLOCATED TO AND IN WHAT AMOUNTS? UM, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, UNRELATED TO THE D-D-S-R-F, CAN PUBLIC WORK SPEAK TO THE COSTS OF AND EFFICIENCIES OF CONTRACTING WORK COMPARED TO USING IN-HOUSE STAFF? GIVEN THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM PUBLIC WORKS, UM, INSPECTORS AND PERSONNEL THAT GENERALLY, UH, USING CONTRACTORS IS BOTH MORE EXPENSIVE AND ALSO LESS FLEXIBLE THAN DOING THE SAME WORK WITH IN-HOUSE STAFF.
NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM ROSALYN BLAKE.
[01:25:01]
ALL.THANK YOU FOR THE THANK YOU FOR THE WORK PUT INTO, INTO THE PRESENTATION.
I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF NORTHEAST HOUSTON AND A PROUD MEMBER OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
I'M HERE TO STATE MY FULL SUPPORT FOR THE NACS DEMANDS OF INCREASING FUNDING FOR THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM BY 20 MILLION, THE LDP PROGRAM BY 25 MILLION, AND CREATING AN EQUITABLE FRAMEWORK FOR PROJECT SELECTION.
THE DEMANDS WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR THE DEMAND, THE DEMANDS WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR ARE SIMPLE, CLEAR, AND EFFECTIVE.
AND WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR, FOR A TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND, BUT DIRECTLY FROM THE INCREASE OF THE D-D-S-R-F FUND.
THE MONEY IS THERE AND IT IS THERE, AND IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PUBLIC WORKS CITY, CITY COUNCIL, AND THE MAYOR THAT THIS ADDITIONAL MONEY GETS SPENT RESPONSIBLY UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE CONSTITUENTS VOICE THAT ME, MY VOICE FOR, UNLESS A LOT OF PEOPLE I HAVE, I HAVE LIVED THROUGH THE, I HAVE LIVED THROUGH THE INTENTIONAL NEGLECT BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHEN IT COMES TO DITCH MAINTENANCE.
AND I AM ELATED THAT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION HAS DECIDED TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS.
I HAVE, I HAVE OPEN DITCH DRAININGS ON MY STREETS IN FONTAIN PLACE AND BOY, AND, AND I AND, AND BOY, WHEN IT RAINS, THEY FEEL IT REAL FAST.
I DO HAVE, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, FOR YOU ALL.
DO YOU KNOW IF THERE'S ANY WAY I CAN CHECK ON THE CONDITION OF, OF MY DRAINAGE DITCH COMPARED TO OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS? AND IS THERE, AND IS THERE A WAY TO CHECK AND SEE WHEN THE DITCHES ON MY STREET WILL BE RECIPROCATE? WILL BE A RECIPIENT OF THE DITCH RE ESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM? YES.
AND I WILL HAVE MY STAFF MEMBER GET YOUR DETAILS AND WE'LL, WE'LL SEE WHERE YOU HAVE, WE HAVE YOUR EMAIL, SO WE'LL GET THE INFORMATION AND, AND FROM YOU.
AND WE'LL CHECK THAT AND WHAT THE SCHEDULE IS FOR YOUR AREA ON THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT.
SO THAT'S HIS JOHN WITH MY, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? SALLY ALCORN.
I'M NOR, I'M USUALLY OVER THERE, BUT I JUST CHAIR THIS S COMMITTEE.
SALLY ALCORN, I SEE YOU ON TV.
WE JUST NEED SOME HELP INCORPORATION IN, IN, UH, TRUTHS.
WE WILL DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND GET YOUR INFORMATION AND WORK WITH YOUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER TOO, TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THE INFORMATION YOU NEED.
THANK YOU FOR COMING ALL NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM FAKE WHO SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE ONLINE.
ONLINE, PERHAPS FA WHO NOT HERE.
MY NAME IS FAYE K AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS A FORMER RESIDENT OF UVALDE RANCH APARTMENTS IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
I MANAGED TO MOVE TO KATY, BUT I'M HERE BECAUSE MOST OF MY NEIGHBORS DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION FOR LOW INCOME RENTERS.
FLOODING ISN'T JUST AN INCONVENIENCE, IT'S A TRAP.
WHEN YOUR APARTMENT FLOODS ALL THE WAY UP TO YOUR WASTE, YOU CALL THE LANDLORD AND THEY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT THEY CAN DO.
YOU ARE REPORTED TO THE CITY, BUT THEY SAY, OH, IT'S A PRIVATE PROPERTY ISSUE AND THERE'S NO MONEY FOR YOU.
YOU LOOK AT YOUR LEASE, YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO BREAK IT.
BUT WHERE ARE YOU GONNA GO? THERE'S NO ASSISTANCE TO HELP RENTERS RELOCATE.
AND A $2,000 MOVE CAN BREAK YOU.
SO YOU STAY BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO CHOICE.
AND THE ONLY WAY OUT OF THIS NIGHTMARE IS PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN DRAINAGE.
AND THAT'S WHY THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE IS CALLING FOR ONE A $20 MILLION FOR THE DISASTER RECOVERY EQUITY PROGRAM BECAUSE RENTERS DESERVE PROTECTION AND NOT JUST HOMEOWNERS.
TWO, A $25 MILLION FOR THE LOCAL DRAINAGE PROGRAM PRIORITIZED FOR NORTHEAST HOUSTON, BECAUSE EVERY DELAY MEANS ANOTHER FAMILY IS SUFFERING AND MANY MORE THAN ONE.
WE HAVE NUMBER THREE, A FAIR, TRANSPARENT PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE FUNDS REACH THE COMMUNITIES THAT NEED THE MOST AND EVERYBODY CAN CHECK TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I APPRECIATE A LOT OF WHAT I HEARD TODAY.
YOU HAD A FOCUS ON JOBS EFFICIENCY, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT I WANNA BE CLEAR, IT IS NOT THE FAULT OF POOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T PAY THEIR BILLS, THAT THEY'RE PA LIVING IN UNSAFE CONDITIONS.
THE PROBLEM WE KNOW IS SYSTEMIC NEGLECT, ESPECIALLY OF CERTAIN COMMUNITIES, AND THE RESPONSIBILITY LIES WITH ALL OF US TO FIX IT.
AND I ALSO BELIEVE WE CAN'T KEEP REPEATING THE SAME GROWTH PATTERNS THAT GOT US HERE.
HOUSTON SPRAWL IS WHAT MAKES THESE PROBLEMS WORSE.
[01:30:01]
AND IT, THAT'S HOW WE INHERITED THIS PROBLEM.AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING FOR BETTER COORDINATION BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS, METRO PLANNING PUBLIC WORKS, UH, ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS SO THAT DRAINAGE AND INFRASTRUCTURE CAN BE PLANNED IN WAYS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE AND SUSTAINABLE.
WE CANNOT BE PLAYING CATCH UP ALL THE TIME.
WE'VE GOTTA INVEST IN TRANSIT.
TRANSIT IS KEY TO A BETTER, UH, WAY OF, UM, GROWTH FOR OUR CITY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE PEOPLE-CENTERED DESIGN AND TO HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT REALLY SERVES US.
AND THIS ISN'T ABOUT POLITICS.
THIS IS ABOUT JUST BASIC DIGNITY.
NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE IN A HOME THAT FLOODS WHEN IT RAINS, AND NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN MOLD AND HOMELESSNESS.
SO PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND FUND THESE PROGRAMS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
NEXT, WE'LL HEAR FROM DANIELLE NEWTON.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF BAYOU CITY WATERKEEPER TO URGE THE CITY TO PRIORITIZE LONG-TERM INVESTMENT IN HOUSTON'S WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ENDURED DECADES OF NEGLECT.
UM, FOR FAR TOO LONG, HOUSTON HAS DELAYED MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADES TO CRITICAL WATER SYSTEMS. THE CONSEQUENCES SUCH AS BOIL WATER NOTICES, WATER MAIN BREAKS, CHRONIC FLOODING AND DANGERS, SEWAGE CONDITIONS FALL HARDEST ON OUR HOUSTON'S BLACK, BROWN AND LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, THESE ARE NOT ISOLATED INCIDENTS.
THEY ALL STEM ONE OFF OF EACH OTHER.
UM, AND THEY REFLECT A LONG TERM PATTERN OF UNDERINVESTMENT IN OUR CITY.
UM, BAYOU CITY WATERKEEPERS JUSTICE AND THE SEWERS MAPPER, UM, WHICH IS BASED ON THE CITY'S OWN 3 1 1 DATA DOCUMENTS, FREQUENT WASTEWATER SYSTEM FAILURES ON BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LINES.
YET THE CURRENT KPIS LISTED UNDER QUALITY OF LIFE FAIL TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS.
UM, AND THEY ALSO FAIL TO PROTECT THOSE ALREADY LIVING WITH CHRONICS CHRONIC SEWAGE BACKUPS IN THEIR HOMES AND COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND THIS IS WHY WE NEED A PROACTIVE INTEGRATIVE APPROACH TO WATER PLANNING.
UM, SHORT TERM FIXES, RATE HIKES, SELLING OUR WATER, OUR PRIVATIZATION, OUR BANDAID SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED.
AND WE NEED LONG-TERM STRATEGIES THAT BUILD EQUITY, RESILIENCE, ECONOMIC STABILITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY FOR THESE SYSTEMS IN HOUSTON.
UH, THIS ALSO MEANS LEVERAGING STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING SUCH AS F-R-F-S-R-F FUNDS, SWIFT AND W-I-F-I-A FUNDS TO AVOID FURTHER BURDENING ON OUR RATE PAYERS.
OUR COMMUNITIES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE PAYING MORE FOR LESS.
EVERY DOLLAR MUST BE DIRECTED TO WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST.
UM, WE ARE ALSO DEMANDING FULL TRANSPARENCY IN HOW WATER INFRASTRUCTURE DECISIONS ARE MADE.
WITH THE TIGHT BUDGET, THE CITY MUST PRIORITIZE PROJECTS THAT HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON PUBLIC HEALTH, CLIMATE VULNERABILITY AND SAFETY FOR ALL.
HOUSTONIANS DESERVE TO KNOW HOW DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE, WHAT METRICS ARE BEING USED, WHO IS INVOLVED IN HOW EQUITY IS EMBEDDED FROM START TO FINISH.
WE NEED CLEAR ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION, INFORMATION IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, AND ASSURANCE THAT HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ARE BEING PRIORITIZED.
AND FINALLY, COMMUNITY INPUT MUST NOT BE AN AFTERTHOUGHT.
IT SHOULD BE THE FOUNDATIONAL PART OF THIS PROCESS.
US, UM, RIGHT NOW, TOO MANY WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS ARE BEING DELAYED.
UM, MY EXAMPLE FOR THAT WAS GONNA BE MELROSE PARK DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT GOT PUSHED AGAIN.
UM, AND I FINALLY JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT I REALLY WANTED TO GET TO.
I GUESS IT'S A SERIES OF QUESTIONS, BUT IT'S A QUESTION ABOUT THE CITY DRAINAGE STUDY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN THE SCOPE OF THE DRAINAGE STUDY.
IS THIS DRAINAGE STUDY THE SAME AS THE STORMWATER MASTER PLAN? IF NOT, HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT AND HOW DO THEY WORK TOGETHER? WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION? AND WHEN CAN PUBLIC EXPECT TO SEE RESULTS? UM, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY,
[01:35:01]
HOW ARE YOU CENTERING THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IN IGNORED AND UNDER INVESTED IN DRAINAGE PLANNING? OKAY.WE, WE WILL, WE CAN GET YOU ALL OF THOSE ANSWERS AND I THINK IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY SOON THAT THE DRAINAGE STUDIES COMING OUT.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL GET YOU THE INFORMATION YOU NEED ON, ON THAT.
AND IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS YOU DIDN'T GET TO MAKE SURE AND JUST EMAIL 'EM TO US AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THEY GET IN THE, OKAY.
YOU GET YOUR RESPONSES, WE HAVE YOUR INFORMATION.
I'M HERE, UH, WITH BAY CITY WATERKEEPER AND LIKE MY COLLEAGUE DANIELLE.
I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS IN OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CAN REDUCE THE HIGH PRESSURE, HIGH COST DEMANDS CREATED BY DECADES OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
UM, SO OUR RESEARCH INTO THE CITY'S APPLICATION HISTORY FOR STATE-BASED FUNDING PROGRAMS, UH, HAS SHOWN A PATTERN OF MISSED OPPORTUNITIES, UH, IN UTILIZING OR LEVERAGING LOW INTEREST FINANCING SOURCES, UH, THAT ARE HOUSED BY THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
UH, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE CITY DOES FACE SOME TECHNICAL ADMINISTRATIVE BARRIERS, UH, MO MOSTLY FROM THE STATE SIZE, UH, IN MAXIMIZING THESE LOW INTERESTING LOW INTEREST FINANCING OPTIONS.
UH, BUT WE DO THINK THAT THIS BUDGET COULD HELP ADDRESS THOSE BARRIERS.
UM, AS YOU MAY KNOW, STATE-BASED FINANCING TERMS ARE MUCH MORE FAVORABLE THAN MUNICIPAL BONDS, UH, AND CAN REPRESENT SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES LIKE SOME THAT WE HEARD TODAY.
UM, SO THE BUDGET, UH, PRESENTATION FOR PUBLIC WORKS, UH, HIGHLIGHTED ALMOST $2 BILLION FOR DEBT SERVICE AND INTERFER TRANSFERS, UH, WHICH IS A 7% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
UM, THIS COULD, UH, IMPACT RATE PAYERS, BUT THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC MEASURES OR INDICATORS ON HOW TO MITIGATE THOSE RATE INCREASES.
UM, AND THE EAST WATER PURIFICATION PLANT SITUATION, UH, EXEMPLIFIES THIS CONCERN.
UM, ACCORDING TO THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS PROVIDED IN THIS CHAMBER A FEW WEEKS AGO, UH, ONE THIRD OF THE PLANT'S ASSETS WILL LIKELY FAIL WITHIN TWO YEARS.
YET THE BUDGET LACKS CLEAR STRUCTURE TO ADDRESS THIS IMMEDIATE RISK WHILE PURSUING ITS LONG-TERM, UH, FINANCING.
AND THE ANTICIPATED $2 BILLION IN WIA FUNDING BY 2026, UH, ACTUALLY DOESN'T HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN.
UH, NOT TO MENTION THAT THE FEDERAL EPA AGENCY FACES DRASTIC CUTS TO ITS FUNDING PROGRAMS LIKE THE VIA, UM, UNDER THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 FEDERAL BUDGET.
UM, SO WE URGE THE USE OF OTHER EXTERNAL FUNDING OPTIONS THROUGH BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL SOURCES THAT DON'T BURDEN RESIDENTS AND COULD PRESERVE VITAL CITY SERVICES CURRENTLY FACING CUTS IN THE CITY'S PROPOSED BUDGET AND ALSO SIMULTANEOUSLY ADDRESS WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PRIORITIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, ADDITIONAL EXTERNAL FUNDING COULD SUPPORT FUNDS FOR THE DITCH RE ESTABLISHMENT AND LOCAL DRAINAGE PROGRAMS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET.
UH, IN CLOSING, BAY CITY, WATERKEEPER IS COMMITTED TO SERVING AS A RESOURCE AND AMPLIFYING COMMUNITY-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES.
WE WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND THE CITY COUNCIL ON IDENTIFYING SUSTAINABLE AND, UH, RESILIENT FUNDING STRATEGIES THAT SERVE ALL OF HOUSTON.
AND THANK YOU FOR BAYOU CITY WATER KEEPERS ADVOCACY.
NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM BEN HIRSCH, WHO'S ON VIRTUALLY, I BELIEVE.
UH, WELL, NO FOR CLARIFICATION.
UH, BEN CANNOT MAKE IT SO I WILL BE SPEAKING FOR HIM.
AS, UH, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SIT, WE CAN HEAR YOU A LITTLE BIT OF WESTERN RECOVERY.
UH, MY NAME IS DAVID ESPINOZA.
I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF, UH, NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
SO I'M JUST GONNA DO A BIT OF A SETUP AND A PITCH.
SO ACCORDING TO PUBLIC WORKS WEBSITE, UH, THE PROGRAM SCHEDULE IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO ABOUT FIVE, NO 500 MILES OF DITCH REESTABLISHMENT WORK.
SO THAT WOULD BE 450 POORLY RATED DITCHES IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON, AND 50 OR MORE IN REMAINING AREAS THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE WITH A BUDGET OF 35 MILLION.
AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I I SEE THAT YOU ARE, WE SEE THAT WE, YOU WERE ONLY GONNA BE ABLE TO DO ABOUT 290 MILES THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, AND ACCORDING TO THE TIMELINE, PUBLIC WORKS IS COMMITTED TO DO 500 MILES THIS FISCAL YEAR.
HOWEVER, IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE, YOU'VE BUDGETED 32 MILLION, WHICH IS $3 MILLION LESS THAN WE HAD IN FISCAL YEAR 25 WHEN YOU WERE ONLY ABLE TO ABLE TO DO 219 MILES.
[01:40:02]
SO HERE'S THE PITCH.UM, SO THE QUESTIONS ARE, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR HITTING THIS YEAR'S GOAL OF 500 MILES OF DITCH REESTABLISHMENT GIVEN THAT YOU HAVE LESS MONEY THAN LAST YEAR? AND WHAT WILL THE NEW SCHEDULE BE IN ORDER TO CATCH UP AND MEET THE FULL GOAL OF A THOUSAND DITCH MILES REESTABLISHED BY JUNE OF NEXT YEAR? THANK YOU.
WE, WE'VE TAKEN THOSE DOWN AND WE'LL GET THE ANSWERS FOR YOU.
I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON AND MEMBER OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
I WANT TO STATE MY SUPPORT FOR THE DEMANDS OF THE NAC.
I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE WHAT HAPPENED BACK IN 2017 WHEN HOUSTON WAS INUNDATED WITH A 1000 YEAR FLOOD EVENT WE CALL HURRICANE HARVEY.
AND YES, HARVEY WAS AN OUTLIER, BUT ITS FLOODS ALMOST ANNUALLY, EVEN WITH JUST THE HEAVY RAIN.
RECENTLY IT RAINED SO HARD THAT MY VEHICLE GOT FLOODED.
EVEN MORE RECENTLY, I DECIDED NOT TO GO TO WORK WHEN IT RAINS.
I'M TOO ANXIOUS AND NERVOUS WITH THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS THAT COME WITH EXCESSIVE FLOODING.
WE NEED DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND WE NEEDED IT, NOT YESTERDAY, BUT 15 YEARS AGO WHEN THE AT AT VALOR TAX WAS VOTED ON BY HOUSTONIANS.
I'M HERE TO SAY THAT WITH THE NEW MONEY COMING INTO D-D-S-R-F FUND, THE NAC WOULD LIKE TO SEE 20 MILLION INCREASE IN THE DRE PROGRAM.
25 MILLION INCREASE IN THE LP LDP PROGRAM AND EQUITABLE FRAMEWORK FROM PROJECT SELECTION.
WHAT WE ARE DEMANDING IS NOT ROCKING THE SYSTEM TO THE CORE.
IT'S SIMPLY GIVING MYSELF AND MY NEIGHBORS A PEACE OF MIND THAT MY CITY IS HELPING PROTECT ME FROM THIS DISASTROUS STORMS. THE RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE AND THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE HAS BEEN HEARD.
SO WHAT IS THE PUBLIC WORKS WAITING FOR? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.
UM, I GUESS FIRST I REALLY WANNA SAY AND EXPRESS MY DISAPPOINTMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS LEAVING.
UM, WE'VE BEEN HERE AND CAME FROM ALL ACROSS THE CITY FOR HOURS, UH, INTENTLY WANTING TO SPEAK TO THEM DIRECTLY.
UM, IF WE WANTED TO SEND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT ALLY.
IF WE WANTED TO SEND QUESTIONS TO YOUR OFFICE, WE TOTALLY COULD HAVE JUST DONE THAT AND NOT BEEN HERE.
SO WE'D LOVE FOR THAT MESSAGE TO GET PASSED ALONG TO WHOEVER NEEDS IT.
UM, 'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE BACK, UH, WHO HAVEN'T HAD LUNCH BECAUSE NEED TO GET HOME THROUGH TRAFFIC, UH, AND HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES AT NIGHT, AND WE CAN'T EVEN TALK DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE WE NEED TO TALK TO.
SO WANT THAT TO BE NOTED FOR THE RECORD.
AND I THANK YOU FOR FIELDING THE QUESTIONS TOO.
UM, THE QUESTIONS I HAD REALLY REVOLVED AROUND THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM, WHICH, UH, WE'RE HAPPY THE CITY AND THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION HAD REALLY IMPLEMENTED.
UM, BASICALLY IN THE MAYOR'S RELEASED BUDGET, THERE WAS A NOTE ON THERE THAT THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM INCREASED BY 20 MILLION, AND THAT WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THIS PRESENTATION.
SO WE REALLY WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT'S BEING DEDICATED TOWARDS THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM.
WE HEARD 32 MILLION, BUT WHEN WE READ THE PROPOSED BUDGET FROM THE MAYOR, UM, THERE'S A LINE ITEM THAT SAYS 20 MILLION, AND I CAN SCREEN SCREENSHOT THAT TO YOUR OFFICE IF YOU WANT, JUST IN TERMS OF REFERENCE SINCE THE DOCUMENT'S SO BIG.
UM, AND THEN ALSO WHERE IN THE BUDGET CAN WE FIND THE TOTAL? AND UM, THEY DID SAY THERE'S A $6.2 MILLION INCREASE LIKE I JUST MENTIONED IN THE DRE ESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM.
SO WE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THAT INCREASE IS FROM LIKE, WHAT THE BASELINE WAS.
UM, AND THEN YEAH, THAT CONTRADICTION BETWEEN LIKE WHAT WE HAD READ, MAYBE IT'S LIKE A PREVIOUS FOOTNOTE THAT GOT DELETED OR, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING THEY FORGOT TO PRESENT.
SO THOSE WERE TWO OF MY REALLY BIG QUESTIONS.
THANKS FELIX, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN SITTING THERE A LONG TIME AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
UH, SOME DEPARTMENTS I'VE NOTICED HAVE LEFT AT LEAST SOME EMPLOYEES AND I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR SOME EMPLOYEES TO STAY BACK.
I WAS, THAT'S, THAT'S ON ME, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
UM, WE ARE HAVING THE BUDGET TOWN HALL, IF Y'ALL ARE ABLE TO COME.
THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC WORKS REPRESENTATIVE THERE, AND I KNOW IT WAS THE POLICY OF THE LAST ADMINISTRATION
[01:45:01]
TO HAVE THE DEPARTMENTS GO BACK, BUT I DON'T REALLY HAVE, I I HAVEN'T REALLY ASKED THAT OF THE, THIS ADMIN.WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN A RESPONSE ON THAT, SO, BUT I'LL, I'LL TAKE THE, I'LL TAKE THE HEAT FOR THAT.
UM, BUT I, I'LL, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE IN THE, IN AT LEAST LEAVE SOME STAFFERS HERE TO HEAR THE PUBLIC COMMENT, SO APPRECIATE THAT.
NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM HONE MY, OH, OKAY.
UH, I AM A 17 YEARS RESIDENT OF THE DISTRICT J AND I'M A MEMBER OF, UH, AN NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
UH, I'M SPEAKING TODAY, UH, ON THE PROPOSAL OF, UH, SUPPORTING THE DEMANDS OF NAC, UH, AS WELL AS ASKING A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, ILLEGAL DUMPING.
AS YOU KNOW, FLOODING IS SEVERE PROBLEM, IT AFFECTS TO MY LIFE SEVERELY.
UH, BACK IN, UH, 19 2015 DURING THE MEMORIAL FLOODING, MY HOUSE AND MY SON'S CAR WERE FLOODED AND, UH, MY HOUSE WOULD DEPRECIATE VALUE.
AND, UH, I WAS, WE WERE UNABLE TO GET HELP FROM ANY SOURCE LIKE A CITY, STATE OR FEMA.
UH, WE HAVE TO FIX THE HOUSE AS WE COULD.
HOWEVER, WE STILL STAY IN THE DAMAGED, UH, HOUSE FOR MANY YEARS AFTER WORK.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, THE FLOATING, UH, THE, THE PUBLIC WORKS SHOULD DO SOMETHING, UH, TO, UH, ENHANCE THE LOCAL DRAINAGE PROGRAM BY $25 MILLION.
UH, IT IS, UH, A NEED FOR, UH, PEOPLE IN HOUSTON ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND IN EVERYWHERE WE CAN SEE.
UH, AND, UM, I HAVE A QUESTION, UH, THAT, UM, THE PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, WHAT IS THE PUBLIC WORKS DOING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE? UH, DO THEY WORK ALONE OR GOING WITH THE COUNTY AS WELL? UH, THE FUNDING FROM THE AVAL IS, UH, DIRECTLY COMING FROM AVAL TEXT FOR, FOR PUBLIC WORKS TO, TO, TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, I BELIEVE, UH, IN, IN SHORT, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, THAT TO STATE THAT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS SHOULD DO SOMETHING TO HELP US, THE HOUSTON, HOUSTON PEOPLE TO HAVE A BETTER LIFE, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, THOSE FLOODING IS SEVERE TO AFFECT EVERYBODY.
UH, UH, I SHOULD, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO, TO, UH, REQUEST THAT, UH, AS, UH, PUBLIC WORKERS AND, UH, DOING SOMETHING TO HELP PEOPLE, THIS ADDRESS MUST BE SEEN.
THANK YOU MS. MAY VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND YOUR COMMENTS.
AND I WILL, UM, JACK VALINSKI NEXT ON THE LIST.
[01:50:09]
AM I CLOSING OUT THE DAY YET? OR IS, OR ARE YOU, WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, BUT ENGAGED HOUSTON HAS BEEN DOWN AND IT'S STILL DOWN AND IT'S STILL DOWN.MAYBE A BUDGET AMENDMENT MIGHT HELP THAT GET BACK UP THERE.
UH, WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COST OF HOUSTON AVENUE REDO, REDO IS, IS COSTING, WAS COST THE CITY OR WHAT IT COST THE CITY TO UNDO THE BIKE LANES ON AUSTIN AVENUE.
WE HAVE METRO BUILDINGS, SOME OF OUR STREETS WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC INPUT.
DOESN'T THE CITY HAVE SOME PREVIEW OVER THAT AND SHOULD WE HAVE PUBLIC INPUT INPUT WITH THAT? UM, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA THAT THE INSPECTORS ARE BEING MOVED OVER TO PUBLIC WORKS, BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAD ONLY ABOUT 25% OF THE INSPECTORS WE REALLY NEEDED.
SO JUST MOVING THEM OVER DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
UM, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE GOING BACKWARDS WITH PUBLIC INPUT.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
SOMETIMES YOUR OFFICES DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, CERTAINLY COUNCIL MEMBER OF, UH, CAYMAN DOESN'T KNOW GOING ON WHEN WE, WHEN WE ASK HER, THIS IS NOT THE WAY OF WE THE PEOPLE.
APPRECIATE YOUR ENDURANCE TODAY AND, AND ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS, COLLEAGUES.
UM, TOMORROW AT 9:00 AM WE WILL OH, SURE.
I DIDN'T ASK IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE, ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK.
ROLANDO PEREZ, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
ROLANDO, ARE YOU THERE? OH, THERE, WE HEAR YOU.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY I'M SAD TO HEAR THAT THE DIRECTOR ON PUBLIC WORK STAFF HAS LEFT.
UH, QUICK COMMENT REGARDING THE MAYOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET.
HE'S, SINCE HE'S, UH, PUT IT OUT, HE'S CONSISTENTLY STATED, EXCUSE ME, THAT HE HAS GIVEN HOUSTONIANS WHAT THEY ASKED FOR.
I DON'T RECALL HOUSTONIANS VOTING FOR THE NEW HFD CONTRACT NOR VOTING FOR THE NEW HPD CONTRACT, BUT I DO KNOW WHAT HOUSTONIANS DID VOTE FOR.
WE VOTED FOR THE AVALOR TAX BACK IN 2000, UH, 10, WHICH WAS TWO YEARS AFTER HURRICANE I IN 2008.
WE THEN REAFFIRMED IT IN 2018 AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY IN 2017.
AND IN THAT SAME YEAR ON THE HARRIS COUNTY SIDE, HOUSTONIANS VOTED FOR A $2.5 BILLION FLOOD BOND.
IF THAT DOESN'T TELL OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHAT THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN AND PRIORITY IS TO HOUSTONIANS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE DOES.
AND WITH THE MAYOR SETTLEMENT REGARDING THE AVALOR TAX, WHICH WON'T BE FULLY TRANSFERRED UNTIL 2028, 18 YEARS AFTER WE INITIALLY VOTED FOR THIS.
SO WHAT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF PUTTING THINGS ON THE BALLOT IF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AREN'T GOING TO HONOR THEM, NOR HONOR THE LITIGATION AND THE JUDGE JUDGMENT AND THE LITIGATION, AND THEN GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, NOT HONORING THAT EITHER, THEN GOING TO MAKE A SETTLEMENT WITH THE PLAINTIFFS.
IT IS NOT WORTH, I AM A FIVE TIME FLOOD VICTIM.
I RESIDE IN DISTRICT H AND I DO APOLOGIZE, I FAILED TO GIVE MY INTRO.
MY NAME IS ROLANDA PEREZ, A MEMBER OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE, UH, AND A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT H.
IT'S ALL I AGREE, IT'S ALL BEEN A VERY FRUSTRATING SITUATION.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CON I'M SORRY, WERE YOU THROUGH? YEAH, NO, I JUST HAD A, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS IF YOU CAN RELATE TO, UH, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, UH, REGARDING, UH, THEY STATED, UH, REGARDING AVALOR, THERE'S, UH, $48.3 MILLION.
IF WE COULD GET A BREAKDOWN FROM PUBLIC WORKS AND HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING USED WITHIN PUBLIC WORKS.
AND AGAIN, TO REEMPHASIZE THE CAPACITY PART OF CONTRACTING
[01:55:01]
OUT VERSUS USING IN STAFF, WHAT IS THE COST? IS IT GONNA BE MORE OR LESS BECAUSE OF THE VACANCIES REGARDING, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND IT'S, WE'RE SO FAR BEHIND IN OUR DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW ARE WE EVER GOING TO CATCH UP? YEAH.AND, AND WE'RE, AND SOME, SOME OF THE MONEY, AND A LOT OF YOU ARE SPEAKING TO THE A VALOREM, YOU KNOW, TRANSFER AND, AND, AND THE ACCOUNTING FOR THOSE FUNDS AND THAT THERE'S LITERALLY A, A, A CORRESPONDING TRANSFER THEN TO CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO SOME OF THE, EXACTLY WHERE IT'S GOING AND WHICH PROGRAMS WILL BE DEVELOPED WITHIN THE, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MORE OF JUST THE OPERATING.
SO WE'RE NOT, WE MIGHT NOT HAVE ALL THAT DETAIL AT THIS POINT, BUT AS WE MOVE TOWARDS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THAT'S WHEN WE CAN REALLY GET INTO WHICH BUCKETS THESE OF CAPITAL PROJECTS, THESE AVALOR, UH, FUNDS WILL BE GOING INTO.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, WHEN, AS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WHEN WE, WHEN WE BUMPED UP AGAINST THE REVENUE CAP IN 2015, THAT IS WHEN THE, THE AMOUNT FROM 11.80 CENTS WAS, WAS LESSENED.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND, AND IF YOU'RE THROUGH, I'M GONNA, UM, ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TODAY.
I SEE SOMEBODY RAISING THEIR HANDS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. PEREZ.
WON'T TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF Y'ALL'S TIME.
OH, I JUST DID IT AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, MY NAME IS MIRIAM, UM, AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVES DEMANDS UM, I'VE BEEN A HOUSTONIAN SINCE 2013 AND I'VE BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY HURRICANE HARVEY AND ALSO HURRICANE BARREL.
UM, AND I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, UH, REGARDING THE LOCAL DRAINAGE PROJECTS PROGRAM.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS WAS ANSWERED ALREADY, BUT, UM, IF IT, I WAS WONDERING IF IT WAS POSSIBLE, UM, FOR Y'ALL TO STATE WHAT THE LOCAL LDB BUDGET IS FOR 2026.
UM, AND SINCE WE BEGAN OUR DRAINAGE ADVOCACY, WE'VE HEARD FROM DBW, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, THAT THE LDP PROGRAMS IS THE BEST PROGRAM TO ENSURE EQUITABLE, UM, PROJECT COVERAGE AND TO PREVENT MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE INVESTMENTS IN THE FUTURE.
UH, WITH THE INCREASE IN TOTAL DRAINAGE FUNDING, UM, WHY HAS THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS NOT INCREASED THAT BUDGET ACCORDINGLY? AND LASTLY, I WAS ALSO WONDERING, UM, AND WE ARE AWARE THAT THERE ARE LONG QUEUES OF PROJECTS IN VARIOUS STAGES WITHIN THE, UM, LDB PROGRAM.
UM, HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT WOULD AN ADDITIONAL $25 MILLION HAVE ON GETTING THOSE, UM, PROJECTS COMPLETED? I WAS JUST REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.
AGAIN, UH, QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, ABOUT WHAT'S GOING INTO THE LDP? I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO, I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA ASK, UM, FOR SURE ON Y'ALL'S BEHALF, BUT WE ARE SEEING THAT, UM, LOOKING AT KIND OF THE SUMMARY OF THE LDP PROGRAM IN THE CIP IN LAST YEAR, CIP AT EIGHT, 16.8 MILLION, 16.8 MILLION FOR THE, I MEAN, BUT THAT WAS, THAT WAS A PREVIOUS YEAR AMOUNT.
SO IT, IT'LL, THE, THE LDP ISN'T, IS NOT REALLY NOT PART OF THE OPERATING BUDGET THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S RELEVANCE THOUGH, BECAUSE WE ARE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE FUNDS THAT GO INTO SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS FROM, FROM OUR A VALOREM TAX REVENUE AND FROM THE DRAINAGE FEE REVENUE AND FROM BOTH OF THOSE SOURCES.
IF YOU CAN GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED WHENEVER YES.
AND I, AND I'M SORRY, MIM, I DID SKIP YOU.
YOU WERE RIGHT HERE, MIRIAM, AND YOU ARE NUMBER FIVE.
OH, NO, NO, YOU'RE, YOU WERE THE LIST.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? AND WE ALSO HAVE THE 70 MILLION NUMBER IN THE PRESENTATION OR EV EVERYBODY IN OR ANYBODY IN, YEAH.
JORDAN JUST PULLED UP, PULLED UP THE BUILD HOUSTON FORWARD FIVE YEAR PROGRAM.
IT HAS LOCAL DRAINAGE PROGRAM AT 69.7 MILLION.
I THINK THESE ARE NUMBERS YOU GUYS KNOW.
SO WE'LL SEE EVERYBODY TOMORROW, 9:00 AM FOR PARKS TO BE FOLLOWED BY DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE FOLLOWED BY FLEET.
SO GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP AND SHARPEN YOUR PENCILS FOR TOMORROW.