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I AM TRAVIS LEMONS AND YOU ARE WATCHING CITY PULSE HOUSTON TELEVISION'S HIGHLIGHT REEL FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE ARE IN THE THROES OF BUDGET SEASON, AND DURING THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, THE MEMBERS JOIN MAYOR WHITMEYER AND A UNANIMOUS VOTE TO APPROVE A NEW CONTRACT WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE OFFICERS UNION.
THE CONTRACT, WHICH HPOU APPROVED BY 97% MARKS A HISTORIC MOMENT WITH THE HIGHEST VOTE IN UNION HISTORY.
THIS CONTRACT BOOST PAY FOR STARTING POLICE OFFICERS AND ENHANCES THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGIES.
AS FAR AS THE CONTRACT, IT GOES FOR ITSELF.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN MORALE THIS HIGH IN THE LAST PROBABLY 15 YEARS.
THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE APPRECIATED, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT IT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, THE NEW CHIEF AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON IN THE CITY AND SEEING THE CHANGES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE, IT'S BEEN AMAZING.
MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, THANK YOU FOR LAYING THE FRAMEWORK FOR THIS TRANSFORMATIVE POLICE CONTRACT.
IF APPROVED, THIS AGREEMENT WILL POSITION THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS BY PROVIDING A STRONG COMPETITIVE EDGE IN RECRUITING TOP TIER TALENT.
THE CONTRACT'S, UPDATED PAY STRUCTURE AND INCENTIVES ENHANCE AND APPEAL THE SUSTAINABILITY OF A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
YOU MIGHT ALSO POINT OUT RELATIONSHIPS MATTER.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE CHIEF, BUT YOU SAID ARTURO ADIRE, MELISSA, AMEN.
AS PART OF OUR NEGOTIATING TEAM, AND OF COURSE, CHIEF HARDIN WAS OUTSTANDING, REPRESENTING THE DEPARTMENT, CONCERNED ABOUT THE MEMBERS AND HOUSTONIANS, WE ALL WANTED TO KNOW HOW WE COULD BEST MAXIMIZE SERVICE TO HOUSTONIANS.
IT ALSO MAKES HOUSTON POLICE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER MAJOR TEXAS CITIES.
HPD IS ALREADY HEARING FROM OFFICERS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS ASKING HOW THEY CAN JOIN AND BECOME PART OF THE BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE NATION.
IF YOU KNOW ANYONE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A HOUSTON POLICE OFFICER, TELL 'EM TO APPLY NOW@HPDCAREER.COM.
THE APPROVED CONTRACT IS JUST ANOTHER STEP MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CITY COUNCIL HAS TAKEN TO BALANCE THE CITY BUDGET.
RECENTLY, THE CITY SETTLED A LAWSUIT OVER HOW MUCH HOUSTON SPENDS ON STREETS AND DRAINAGE ENGINEERS BOB JONES AND ALAN WATSON SUED THE CITY CLAIMING IT WAS NOT DEDICATING ENOUGH OF THE REBUILD HOUSTON FUNDS COLLECTED FROM TAXPAYERS TO IMPROVE DRAINAGE.
THE CITY LOST THE FIGHT, BUT MAYOR WHITMEYER NEGOTIATED A SETTLEMENT TO INCREASE FUNDING EACH YEAR OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, WHICH WILL HELP BALANCE THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET.
I'D LIKE TO THANK ALAN WATSON AND BOB JONES, WHICH HAS THE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY ON OUR AGENDA TODAY.
I THANK THEM FOR THEIR DELIBERATION FOR BRINGING THE ATTENTION THAT THE DRAINAGE FEE HASN'T BEEN USED FOR ITS STATED PURPOSE FOR YEARS.
UH, THEY ALLOWED US TO NEGOTIATE HOW BEST TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION, AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY'RE GONNA PUT THROUGH THEIR LAWSUIT, WHICH WE LOST, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN SETTLED YEARS AGO.
TO USE THE DRAINAGE FEE AS HOUSTONIANS INTENDED, IT'LL PUT ABOUT $120 MILLION MORE INTO DRAINAGE AND STREETS MAKING NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET AND ALL TIME COMMITMENT, ALMOST 500 MILLION TO DRAINAGE AND STREETS.
THE CHALLENGE WOULD BE IS TAKING THAT 120 MILLION OUT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS OF THE CITY, WHICH MANY OF YOU, UH, BUDGETS ADDRESS THAT IN YEARS PAST.
SO NOW WE'VE GOT A CHALLENGE TO REPLACE THAT $120 MILLION IN GENERAL OPERATIONS, WHICH WE WILL COME FORTH WITH A PLAN IN FUTURE BUDGETS.
THE CITY AND PLAINTIFFS WILL HEAD BACK TO COURT IN JUST A FEW WEEKS AND ASK THE JUDGE TO OFFICIALLY DISMISS THE CASE.
UP NEXT, HOUSTON PARKS SHOWS US AN OG LIFEGUARD WHO DOES MORE THAN JUST FISH FOR COMPLIMENTS AS HE RECRUITS NEW LIFESAVERS CITY PULSE RETURNS AFTER THE BREAK.
HOUSTON'S POWER OF TOGETHER TAKES
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YOUR EVENT FURTHER.COME ON INTO THE RESTAURANTS THAT WOWED NATIONAL COOKING SHOWS THE VIBE THAT MAKES US A TOP PLACE TO VISIT IN 2023 AND THE SPORTS THAT MADE US WORLD CHAMPIONS.
MEETING IN HOUSTON IS A RICHER EXPERIENCE.
MOMENTS SHARED WITH LOVED ONES ARE PRECIOUS JOY ENCHANTMENT CONNECTION.
IT'S WHY WE TRAVEL AT HOUSTON AIRPORTS.
WE KNOW THE MAGICAL FLIGHT BEGINS THE MOMENT YOU SECURE YOUR PARKING SPOT AND EMBARK ON YOUR JOURNEY.
THAT'S WHY WE WORK SO HARD TO BRING YOU THE MOST CONVENIENT PARKING SOLUTIONS THAT ARE THE BEST FIT FOR YOUR TRIP.
IF YOU'RE TRAVELING FOR BUSINESS OR LEISURE, WHETHER YOUR VOYAGE STARTS FROM BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL OR WILLIAM P.
HOBBY AIRPORT, OUR PARKING TEAM AT VALET PARKING ECO PARK, ECO PARK TWO OR TERMINAL PARKING IS HERE TO GIVE YOU A FIRST CLASS EXPERIENCE WITH A BIG TEXAS SMILE.
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU TO ENSURE THIS MOMENT AND EVERY MOMENT IN BETWEEN WILL BE FILLED WITH GREAT MEMORIES THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME.
SO TRAVEL SMARTER, PARK SMARTER, AND GET MORE OF THE MOMENTS THAT MATTER.
IN HOUSTON, A TACO IS NEVER JUST A TACO.
IT'S AN INSPIRATION FROM CONVERSATION, A REFLECTION OF EXPERIMENTATION, A PRODUCT OF OUR STREETS, OUR LANGUAGES, OUR ART, OUR DREAMS TAKEN FROM HERE AND THERE, A LITTLE OF THIS, A LITTLE OF THAT.
IT'S WHERE HERITAGE AND AMBITION COME TOGETHER.
THAT'S JUST HOW IT WORKS AROUND HERE BECAUSE WE KNOW TOGETHER MAKES IT AMAZING.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO MAKE A FEW BUCKS AND WORK ON YOUR TAN THIS SUMMER, THEN YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT BECOMING A LIFEGUARD.
HOUSTON PARKS PROFILE SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT RAY DURAN, AS HE AND STAFF TRAINS TEENS TO BE LIFEGUARDS AT PUBLIC POOLS.
BACKBOARD TWO FINGERS ON THE BRACHIAL ARTERY CHECK FOR CROSS RAY DURANT FIRST STARTED WORKING AS A CITY LIFEGUARD IN 1987, BUT EVEN NOW AS SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT FOR ALL AQUATIC SERVICES.
A FEW LEADS OUT OF THE POOL NOW AND THEN THERE'S SOME ZEN MOMENTS OUT HERE.
BELIEVE ME, I CAN, I CAN DISENGAGE FROM THE REST OF THE UNIVERSE.
ORANGE TWO THREE NOW RAISE BIG CONCERNS.
GETTING ENOUGH LIFEGUARDS TO STAFF ALL OF THE CITY'S PUBLIC POOL.
WE STARTED TRAINING AT THE END OF FEBRUARY AND WE'RE CONDUCTING LIFEGUARD CLASSES ON THE WEEKENDS FROM NOW, UH, THROUGH THE MONTH OF JUNE, UH, IN ORDER TO STAFF OUR 37 AQUATIC CENTERS THAT ARE OPERABLE, THAT BOARD, THAT BOARD, THE TRYOUT AND THE TRAINING METHODS ARE RIGOROUS, BUT THESE LIFEGUARD JOBS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR HAVING SAFE POOLS.
THE JOBS CAN ALSO BE FUN AND VERY REWARDING.
I THINK THE JOB IS PRETTY FUN.
YOU KNOW, I USUALLY LIKE I'M WORKING WITH, IT'S A NICE ENVIRONMENT AND IT'S ALSO FEELS KIND OF FULFILLING TO KNOW THAT YOUR JOB WILL GO TOWARDS HELPING PEOPLE.
AS I'VE ALWAYS TOLD PEOPLE THAT MIGHT HAVE A FEAR OF DOING THIS.
I DID THE LIFEGUARDING POSITION FOR 22 YEARS AND ONLY HAD TO DO FIVE RESCUES.
SO IF YOU DO YOUR JOB WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE DOING NOTHING AT ALL.
SO WE'RE DOING RAPID EXTRACTION.
LIFEGUARD STARTING OUT WILL MAKE $16 AN HOUR WITH A $250 SIGNING BONUS WITH THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE UP TO $20 AN HOUR.
ANYONE 15 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER IS ELIGIBLE.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO CREATE CAREER PATHWAYS TOWARDS FIRST RESPONDER CAREERS.
CANDIDATES SHOULD APPLY@HOUSTONPARKS.ORG.
CLICK ON THE WORD SWIMMINGS TO SIGN UP HOUSTON PARKS AND RECS LIFEGUARD TRAINING PROGRAM.
IT'S ONE MORE REASON WHY WE LIKE TO SAY HOUSTON PARKS AND REC, WHERE YOU BELONG.
THIS LAST STORY TAKES US OUT OF THE POOL AND BACK TO THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
OUR COLLABORATORS WITH SPECTRUM FUSION MARVEL AT THE MONOLITHIC CITY HALL BUILDING BY OFFERING A SHORT HISTORY ABOUT ITS DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
THE HOUSTON CITY HALL IS KNOWN FOR ITS ART DECO STYLE AS IT FLOURISHED DURING THE 1920S AND 1930S.
ART DECO IS KNOWN FOR MARKING THE ABANDONMENT OF THE TRADITIONAL HISTORICISM AND THE EMBRACEMENT OF MODERN LIVING AND THE AGE OF THE MACHINE.
THE MOST INTERESTING PART OF CITY HALL TO ME
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IS THE FACT THAT IT IS INTACT.IT HAS NOT BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGED IN ANY FORM WHATSOEVER.
ALL OF THE DOORS ARE STILL HERE.
ALL OF THE LIGHT FIXTURES ARE STILL IN EXISTENCE.
THE STAIRWELLS, THE RAILINGS, UH, THE PANELING IN THE CITY HALL, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBERS AS WELL AS IN OTHER AREAS, THE LAYOUT, IT'S ALL PRETTY INTACT AND HASN'T BEEN ALTERED IN ANY, ANY WAY THAT WOULD BE OF A DETRIMENT TO THE BUILDING.
AND I THINK THAT'S A REAL WIN FOR US HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND A TRIBUTE TO OUR, OUR CITY GOVERNMENT IN ARCHITECTURE THAT MEANT LEAVING BEHIND THE ORNAMENTS OF BIO ARTS AND NEOGOTHIC BUILDINGS, AND INSTEAD FAVORING SIMPLICITY AND VISUAL IMPACT THROUGH GEOMETRIC SHAPES, CLEAN LINES AND SYMMETRICAL DESIGNS.
HOUSTON CITY HALL WAS DESIGNED IN 1937 BY JOSEPH FINGER AND BUILT BETWEEN 1938 TO 1939 FOR SOME OF $1.67 MILLION.
THE MATERIALS THAT WERE USED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS BUILDING INCLUDED LIMESTONE CLAD THE MAIN DOOR ALONG WITH THE STAIRWAY RAILINGS GRILL WORK AND MEDALLIONS ABOVE THE ENTRANCE WERE CAST WITH ALUMINUM.
IT HAS A TOTAL OF 12 FLOORS SERVED BY SIX ELEVATORS.
BUILDING ANY MAJOR PUBLIC BUILDING IS A, A TOPIC OF GENUINE PUBLIC DISCUSSION AMONGST THE POTENTATES
THERE'S ALWAYS MONEY INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, STATUS INVOLVED UNTIL FINALLY, UH, IN 1937, THE, UH, WPA, THE PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION FDR SAID THEY'D PAY FOR HALF OF IT.
SO HEY, MONEY TALKS IN HOUSTON.
SO THAT KIND OF MADE THE, UH, PROCESS EASIER TO ACCOMPLISH.
IT TURNS OUT THAT SOMETHING CALLED, CALLED THE CITY COUNCIL, ACTUALLY HAD THE VOTE AND THEY VOTED FOR MR. FINGER.
SO THEN MR. FINGER MADE SOME DRAWINGS ABOUT WHAT HE THOUGHT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT MODERNISTIC CAN MEAN AND WE CAN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT IT HERE,
SO THAT'S GENERALLY HOW THE BUILDING CAME TO BE.
EVER SINCE OPENING ITS DOORS TO THE PUBLIC IN 1939, THE HOUSTON CITY HALL HAS MAINLY BEEN USED AS GOVERNMENT SPACE, EVEN SERVING AS ONE OF THE EARLY AIR CONDITIONED OFFICE BUILDINGS.
AT THE TIME, EVEN ON SEPTEMBER 18TH, 1990, THE BUILDING WAS OFFICIALLY INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
IT IS A REMARKABLY DIVERSE EXPRESSION OF HUMAN HISTORY, BOTH OUR CONTEMPORARY HOUSTON AND AGES.
BACK TO THE GREEKS AND THE ASSYRIANS.
UH, YOU FIND ELEMENTS THAT COME FORWARD THROUGH THE ROMANS.
UH, SOME FROM THE MIDDLE AGES.
YOU FIND ANY NUMBER IN MODERN ARCHITECTURE.
YOU HAVE HISTORICISM, YOU HAVE REGIONALISM, YOU HAVE INSIDE, YOU HAVE ART OF THE GRISEL TECHNIQUE.
UH, YOU HAVE AN INTERESTING EXPOSITION OF ENGINEERING, JUST HOW THE THING WAS CONSTRUCTED AND WHY IT HAS THE SHAPES IT HAS.
UH, IT'S A DIVERSE CONVERSATION THAT'S VERY ENRICHING.
THE OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL REFLECTS A NUMBER OF STYLES.
PEOPLE HAVE LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS OVER WHAT IS THE REAL STYLE OF CITY HALL.
I KIND OF LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS A MIX OF ALL OF THOSE.
YOU DO SEE ON THE OUTSIDE THE PILE LESTER GOING ALL AROUND THE BUILDING AND ALSO IN THE ROTUNDA THAT ARE DORIC AND STYLE.
IT DOES HAVE A LOT OF INFLUENCES FROM, UM, ART DECO AND A SORT OF STREAMLINED ART MODERN STYLE, WHICH WAS BECOMING MORE FASHIONABLE AT THE TIME.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A MIXTURE, BUT SOME PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
SO IT, IT'S ALL UP IN, IN, UH, FLUX AS TO, UH, WHAT YOU WANNA CALL THAT STYLE.
OKAY, THAT IS GOING TO DO IT FOR CITY PULSE, FOR HTV HOUSTON TELEVISION, HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION SPECTRUM FUSION AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UNTIL NEXT TIME, PLEASE AVOID GOING OUTSIDE FROM NOW UNTIL IT COOLS DOWN.
WE CALL THIS NOVEMBER, JUST KIDDING.
AND AS ALWAYS, REMEMBER THAT WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER AND KINDNESS IS FREE.