* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:02] WELCOME TO ORDER. I WOULD ASK, UM, [PRESENTATIONS] MARTHA CAST SIX STADIUM, OUR MAYOR PRO TO PLEASE PRESIDE WHILE WE DO OUR PROCLAMATIONS. WHO IS THE FIRST? MARTINEZ? THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ FOR A PROCLAMATION TO Y SUMMIT FOUNDED BY ED CURTIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROTE, IF I CAN HAVE ED COME UP AS WELL. SO, COLLEAGUES, UH, Y TEXAS SUMMIT IS COMING TO HOUSTON THIS SEPTEMBER AT DEKIN PARK. HOUSTON WILL TAKE THE CENTER STAGE FOR A SUMMIT THAT BLENDS BUSINESS, SPORTS, TECHNOLOGY, AND EDUCATION FOCUS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SOUNDS LIKE HOUSTON TO ME. THIS SUMMIT WAS ORIGINALLY IN DALLAS, UH, BUT WE WILL NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE HOUSTON STORY. UH, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA READ THE PROCLAMATION. UM, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE, UH, ED HERE WITH THE, WITH THIS COHORT OF FOLKS, UH, NOT JUST FROM HOUSTON, BUT FROM AROUND TEXAS THAT WILL BE, UH, LEADING THIS SUMMIT. SO WITH THAT, WHEREAS WHITE TEXAS SERVES AS A RESOURCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ACTING AS A CONNECTOR FOR INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND EDUCATORS WHO SHARE A DEEP COMMITMENT TO THE LONG-TERM PROSPERITY OF TEXAS. AND WHEREAS THROUGH ITS ROBUST MEDIA PLATFORM'S, EXPANSIVE, PROFESSIONAL NETWORK AND SIGNATURE EVENTS, WHY TEXAS PROVIDES A VALUABLE FORUM FOR THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS, INSIGHTS, BEST PRACTICES ACROSS THE REGION AND INDUSTRIES. AND WHEREAS ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 24TH, 2025, THE FIFTH ANNUAL Y TEXAS SUMMIT WILL TAKE PLACE AT DAIKIN PARK IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, BRINGING TOGETHER BUSINESS EXECUTIVES, COMMUNITY LEADERS, EDUCATORS FROM ACROSS THE STATE. THE THE SUMMIT IS DESIGNED TO UNIFY THE TEXAS BUSINESS COMMUNITY, STIMULATE CROSS-REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH AND GENERATE MEANINGFUL SOLUTIONS TO, TO SHARED CHALLENGES. AND WHEREAS BY CELEBRATING INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY ACROSS THE ACROSS SECTORS, THE Y TEXAS SUMMIT ENCOURAGES INVESTMENTS, FOSTERS PUBLIC PRIVATE COLLABORATION AND SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLED AND SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMENDS Y TEXAS FOR ITS ONGOING COMMITMENT TO ECONOMIC VITALITY, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP, AND COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT, AND EXTEND ITS GRATITUDE FOR SELECTED HOUSTON AS THE WHOLE CITY FOR THIS MILESTONE EVENT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ AND Y TEXAS, UH, ED, YOUR LEADERSHIP CERTAINLY KNOW HOW TO HAVE A CROWD , SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS ALL TOGETHER AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUMMIT COLLABORATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR INCLUSION. SO IT'S A GREAT EVENT AND GREAT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER THAT YOU BRING IT TO OUR ATTENTION. SO THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM JULY 29TH, 2025 IS WHITE TEXAS DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. CONGRATULATIONS. YEAH. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE MAYOR, ESTEEMED CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY LEADERS AND FELLOW HOUSTONIANS. ON BEHALF OF OUR ENTIRE TEAM AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY WE REPRESENT, I'M DEEPLY HONORED AND HUMBLED TO ACCEPT THIS OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING WHY TEXAS DAY HERE IN THE VIBRANT AND DIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. TEXAS IS JUST, IS MORE THAN A PLACE ON A MAP. IT HAS, IT IS A SPIRIT, IT'S A STORY, IT'S A SHARED PRIDE THAT LIVES IN THE HEARTS OF EVERYONE WHO CALLS THIS GREAT STATE HOME. I LIKE MANY WASN'T BORN HERE, BUT I GOT HERE AS FAST AS I COULD. 1993. WHAT I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED WHEN I MOVED HERE WAS THAT TEXANS WERE WELCOMING, THEY WERE RESILIENT, INNOVATIVE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PROUD. I TRULY FELT A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP AND THAT ANYTHING WAS POSSIBLE WHEN I ARRIVED IN TEXAS. AND I CAN TELL YOU MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAVE A SIMILAR STORY THAT IN MY OPINION IS THE TRUE TEXAS MIRACLE AND WHY TEXAS DAY IS A CELEBRATION OF EXACTLY THAT. IT'S A DAY TO REFLECT ON WHAT MAKES TEXAS UNIQUE. A REMINDER TO TAKE ONE DAY A YEAR TO RECOGNIZE A FELLOW TEXAN, EXPAND YOUR NETWORK AND HELP MENTOR A NEXT GENERATION TEXAN HERE IN HOUSTON, THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE NATION, AND ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE CITIES IN THE NATION. WE PROUDLY REFLECT THE TRUE MOSAIC OF TEXAS. TODAY'S PROCLAMATION REAFFIRMS THAT HOUSTON IS A LEADER AND THAT OUR HISTORY MATTERS AND THAT OUR LOVE FOR THIS STATE CONTINUES TO INSPIRE PROGRESS. I WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF [00:05:01] HOUSTON FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THIS DAY AND FOR GETTING, GIVING US THE PLATFORM TO PROMOTE OUR ORGANIZATION, OUR ANNUAL SUMMIT, TO BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2025 AT DAIKIN PARK. WE INVITE YOU, MAYOR, AND THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL TO JOIN US ON SEPTEMBER 24TH. WE ACTUALLY GAVE YOU ALL A PIN, UM, TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND, UM, CREATE A BIGGER COMMUNITY FOR WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN TEXAS. SO THANK YOU. MAY GOD BLESS TEXAS AND MAY GOD BLESS THE CITY OF HOUSTON. MR. MR. CURTIS. I KNOW THAT, UM, SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE STANDING AROUND WITH YOU ARE ALSO PANELISTS ON, UH, SEPTEMBER 24TH. I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO INTRODUCE SOME OF THE FOLKS STANDING WITH YOU. WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, THE EVENT ON SEPTEMBER 24TH. OH, ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. UH, ARNOLD CASTRO FROM TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY. HE'S THE ASSISTANT DEAN OF AI AT TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY. NICE. UH, MIKE MATUS WITH NVIDIA RATHER LARGE EMPLOYER HERE IN HOUSTON AND IN TEXAS. UM, WE HAVE LIZ HOCKER, WHO IS WITH THE NYSE TEXAS, SO THE WHOLE Y'ALL STREET CONCEPT, RIGHT? NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE COMING TO, TO TEXAS. UM, WE HAVE, UH, AARON GEORGE, WHO IS A NEW, UM, HE'S A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE, BUT HE IS NOW, UH, ATTENDING UT RGV AND HE'S ONE OF OUR INTERNS. UM, WE HAVE JASON DAY WHO'S WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. UM, WE HAVE DR. LAURA MARIA WHO WE ALL LOVE AND KNOW WELL. UM, WE HAVE LINDA HEAD WHO IS, UH, ANOTHER GREAT FIXTURE HERE IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY OF HOUSTON AND WAS HONESTLY ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO HELP US, UH, LAUNCH THE CONCEPT HERE IN HOUSTON. AND WE HAVE CHRIS SDO, WHO IS A, UM, INTERN AND, UH, A STUDENT, A SENIOR AT TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY, AND WE HAVE JESSE MARTINEZ, WHO IS ANOTHER FIXTURE HERE IN HOUSTON, AND ONE OF THE FIRST FOLKS ACTUALLY, HE HELPED MAKE ALL THIS HAPPEN. UM, OKAY, WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INTRODUCING EVERYONE, AND WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST ON SEPTEMBER FOUR 24TH FOR, UH, OUTSTANDING EVENT. I APPRECIATE IT. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS SHABAZZ FOR A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING KELSEY KADIAN AND CAMBELL ACADIAN FOUNDERS OF KELSEY AND CAMPBELL'S KIDS CARE INC. AND I'D LIKE FOR THEM TO COME UP AND, AND CERTAINLY YOUR MOM. WELL, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MAY NOT KNOW, I'M A PROUD GRADUATE OF SPELMAN COLLEGE, ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUE LETITIA PLUMMER AND, UM, WHICH BY THE WAY IS THE NUMBER ONE HBCU ACCORDING TO WORLD NEWS REPORT FOR THE LAST 18 YEARS, 18 CONSECUTIVE YEARS, I AM PROUD TO HONOR MY SPELMAN SISTERS TODAY. IN ADDITION TO THEIR COUNTLESS ACCOLADES, WHICH WE WILL HIGHLIGHT TODAY, KIDS CARE OF WHICH THEY ARE CO-FOUNDERS HAS BEEN HOLDING A READING CAMP AT THE MISSION OF YAHWEH HOMELESS WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S SH SHELTER, ALL SUMMER LONG KIDS CARE DELIVERING DONATIONS AND SUPPLIES TO TWO ORPHANAGES IN GHANA, ALONG WITH THE WHEELER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE MY CHURCH AS WELL. IN JUNE. ALSO, THEY HELD A MUCH LOVE FOR KIRK COUNTY DONATION DRIVE AND DELIVERED SUPPLIES TO KIRK COUNTY. LAST SUNDAY, AND I'M GONNA READ THIS PROCLAMATION, KELSEY AND CAMPBELL CADIAN SISTERS, KELSEY AND CAMPBELL CADIAN BEGAN VOLUNTEERING WITH THE SALVATION ARMY [00:10:01] IN BEAUMONT AT AGES TWO AND FOUR. THANKS MOM. SINCE THEN, THEY HAVE DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO SERVING VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES ACROSS HOUSTON AND BEYOND FOUNDING KELSEY AND CAMEL'S KIDS CARE INCORPORATED THROUGH THEIR NONPROFIT, THEY HAVE LED IMPACTFUL INITIATIVES THAT, THAT EXTEND WELL BEYOND HOUSTON, INCLUDING CHRISTMAS CAROLING FOR A CAUSE, BENEFITING ORPHAN CHILDREN IN HAITI, LITERACY DRIVES THAT HAVE DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 25,000 BOOKS, DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS IN TEXAS, LOUISIANA, HONDURAS, AND AFGHANISTAN, PERSONAL OUTREACH TO FAMILIES FACING PEDIATRIC CANCER, DISABILITY AND HOUSING INSECURITY AND ONGOING SUPPORT FOR ORPHANAGES IN UGANDA AND GHANA. THEIR GLOBAL, GLOBAL PHIL PHILANTHROPIC MISSION CONTINUES TO INSPIRE YOUNG PEOPLE TO SERVE WITH COMPASSION AND PURPOSE. BOTH YOUNG WOMEN LED BY EXAMPLE AS STUDENTS AT SPELMAN COLLEGE. KELSEY IS A RECENT GRADUATE WITH A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE WOO WOO CU LAUDE. AND CAMPBELL CURRENTLY SERVES AS SOPHOMORE CLASS PRESIDENT WHILE PURSUING A DEGREE IN HEALTH SCIENCE. THEIR ACADEMIC SUCCESS IS GROUNDED IN A STRONG SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION. BUILT AT WHEELER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH KIDS CARE INCORPORATED HAS EARNED NATIONAL RECOGNITION, INCLUDING A UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL PROCLAMATION AND THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS INCORPORATED LEGACY AWARD. THE ORGANIZATION HAS ALSO FORWARDED STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH HUON PACKARD, WALMART, HOME DEPOT, AND INTERFAITH MINISTRIES, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, COMMENDS KELSEY AND CAMPBELL FOR THEIR OUT GET A LITTLE TONGUE TWIST FOR A MINUTE, FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING SERVICE, LEADERSHIP, AND DEDICATION TO IMPROVING LIVES AND RECOGNIZES THEM AS SHINING EXAMPLES OF HOUSTON'S COMPASSION, RESILIENCE, AND HOPE. AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN EVAN SHABAZZ. UH, THANK YOU FOR OUR, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE DIFFERENCE YOU CAN MAKE. AND THE GREAT THING IS THE BEST IS YET TO COME, AND THEREFORE, I JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM JULY 29TH, 2025, IS KELSEY CAMPBELL, KATIE AND DAY KIDS CARE DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. YOU PROBABLY CAN'T TELL WHICH ONE IS THE MOM FROM THE SISTERS , BUT AT ANY RATE, CERTAINLY THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK. HELLO, MY NAME IS CAM IAN. I REALLY WANTED TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO ONE, EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN ABLE TO POUR INTO OUR ORGANIZATION FROM FAMILY, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, AND EVEN PEOPLE THAT WE'VE NEVER MET, PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THE CAUSE IN HELPING PHILANTHROPY GROW FROM CHILDREN TO ADULTS, TO ELDERLY. IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE, BUT BEING SURE THAT PHILANTHROPY CAN SPREAD ACROSS OUR CITY AND ESPECIALLY AROUND THE WORLD. HELLO EVERYONE. HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS KELSEY KADIAN. I FIRST WANNA THANK GOD FOR PUTTING ON OUR HEARTS, UM, A PASSION TO SERVE AND I WANNA THANK OUR FAMILY, OUR FRIENDS, OUR MOTHER, WHO HAS BEEN ABLE TO BUILD KIDS' CARE WHILE WE WERE SO YOUNG. AND I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TOUCH SO MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING OUR CURRENT PRESIDENT, ANNIKA, UM, WHO STARTED WITH US AS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT AND IS NOW A HIGH SCHOOLER. SO I'M JUST VERY GLAD THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO INSPIRE YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET OUT IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND SERVE. THANK YOU. DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING, MOM? OKAY. THIS IS YOUR . THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, TO COUNCILWOMAN. I APPRECIATE, UH, AS I SAY, SHE'S AN EXCELLENT MODEL OF SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO HUMANITY. UH, KELSEY AND CAMPBELL FOUNDED KIDS CARE AT AGES SIX AND EIGHT, AND IT WAS A MATTER OF WATCHING ON THE NEWS AND SEEING THE SHOOTINGS IN SANDY HOOK, AND THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING AND THEY DECIDED TO ASK THEIR FRIENDS TO WRITE LETTERS, AND THEY SAID, WE NEED TO CALL IT SOMETHING SO PEOPLE KNOW THAT KIDS CARE AS WELL, THAT I KNOW WE'LL CALL IT KIDS CARE. AND FROM THAT POINT, UNTIL THIS DAY, UH, PHILANTHROPY AND SERVICE IS JUST OUR LIFESTYLE. WE DO BELIEVE THAT IF EVERYONE DOES A LITTLE BIT, SO MUCH MORE CAN BE DONE. SO I APPLAUD EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM THAT IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO SERVE [00:15:01] COMMUNITIES NEAR AND FAR BECAUSE WE ARE EACH OTHER'S KEEPER. SO THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNCILWOMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT IS TRULY INSPIRING TO SEE THESE, UH, TWO YOUNG GIRLS WHO HAVE TAKEN THEIR PERSONAL TIME AND EFFORT TO CREATE THIS ORGANIZATION. IT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT YOU AND THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, UH, AT YOUR HOME, MOM. UH, AND WE SAY IT ALL THE TIME THAT GOVERNMENT CANNOT DO THIS WORK ALONE, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE PARTNERS LIKE EACH OF YOU TO HELP US TO MAKE THIS WORLD A BETTER PLACE. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU ARE DOING TO DO JUST THAT. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. WE DO HAVE ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER IN Q COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR. CONGRATULATIONS. I MEAN, I'M A LITTLE BIT BIASED BECAUSE WE'RE ALL SPELL THE KNIGHTS. SO COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, HONESTLY, AND JUST, Y'ALL ARE JUST SO INSPIRING AND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, AND MAYBE YOU DO, UM, THE, THE HEARTS THAT YOU'RE TOUCHING OF PEOPLE THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW. I MEAN, THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF BEING UN UNSELFISH. AND, UM, AND SO JUST, I'M SO PROUD OF YOU GIRLS, AND OF COURSE YOU SPELMAN KNIGHTS, SO IT JUST COMES NATURALLY. AND I JUST, I LEARNED THIS NEW THING RAISED IN THE BAR. IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S A NEW SPELMAN THING. UM, BUT NO, CONGRATULATIONS, ANA, YOU ARE SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR THEM, HONESTLY. I MEAN, I'VE WATCHED YOU, UM, ANYTIME ANYTHING'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY, I'LL GET A TEXT MESSAGE. HAVE YOU CHECKED ON THIS? DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? SO THANK YOU FOR JUST KEEP HAVING A WATCHFUL EYE AND REALLY INSTILLING IN THEM THE IMPORTANCE OF, OF, OF PUBLIC SERVICE AT SUCH A YOUNG, YOUNG AGE. SO THANKS AGAIN, AND CONGRATULATIONS GIRLS. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANK YOU MAYOR. WANNA MAKE SURE I SAY THAT? THANK YOU. I MEAN, I DIDN'T GET THE MESSAGE. NOW, THIS IS COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ FOR CARTER FOR THE VOCATION. COUNCILMAN CARTER [2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] FOR THE INVOCATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. JOIN ME IN PRAYER. DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TODAY WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS, GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE CONSTITUENTS HERE TODAY, ADVOCATING FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES AND, AND EFFORTS TO HELP OTHERS. LORD, WE PRAY CONTINUED PRAYERS FOR THOSE IN THE HILL COUNTRY WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THE RECENT FLOODS. MAY THOSE FAMILIES CONTINUE TO, TO HEAL AND TO MOVE BEYOND AND UNDERSTAND YOUR GUIDANCE. LORD. ALSO TOO, I PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE ILL AND BATTLING SEVERE ILLNESSES AND FOR THE SHUT-INS IN OUR COMMUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, LORD, I ALWAYS PRAY FOR WE ASK FOR YOUR PROTECTION AND GUIDANCE FOR THOSE SERVING OUR COUNTRY AT HOME AND ABROAD TO KEEP OUR FREEDOM SAFE. IT'S IN YOUR HOLY NAME, SON'S NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE, PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, P TO THE FLAG FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY. JUSTICE. JUSTICE. [00:20:05] MR. SECRETARY, PLEASE [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING] CALL THE ROLL, MAYOR WHITMEYER. COUNCIL MEMBER PECK HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTECH TATUM. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER HERE. AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. YES. NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF JULY 22ND AND 23RD. CASTEX TATUM. MOVE I SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. AND ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. PROCEDURAL MOTION. PROCEDURAL [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] MOTIONS. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE PATRICIA CRUZ TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST. IN ADDITION TO ADDING JESSICA, SATAN, SAXTON, AND TAWA DOWING BEHIND PATRICIA CRUZ TO THE NON-AG AGENDA, THREE MINUTE LIST, CAYMAN SECOND. MOTION MAIDEN. SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED. NAME. MOTION PASSES. COUNCIL CAYMAN, COUNCILMAN CAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE HAROLD EATON. ALAN LIPMAN, TERRY KAMINSKI IN CASE SWIN TO FOLLOW THE SPEAKER'S PREVIOUSLY MOTIONED. OKAY. MOTION MADE UNDER THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA. THANK YOU. SECOND. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD, UM, BARBARA DENSON TO THE BOTTOM OF THE THREE MINUTE AGENDA LIST TO ADD BARBARA DENSON MOTIONS AND MAIDEN, SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES. OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, UH, LADIES AND GENERAL, YOU HAVE A LARGE GROUP OF WITNESSES. THE RULES REQUIRE US TO HOLD YOU TO ONE MINUTE AND, UH, BY POPULAR DEMAND IS GONNA BE ENFORCED. SO PLEASE KEEP IN MIND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. UH, MR. SECRETARY, YOU GONNA CALL OUR FIRST SPEAKER RICHARD PAYNE, TO BE FOLLOWED BY PRO PATRICIA MORALES? YEP. ONE MINUTE. UH, MY NAME IS RICHARD PAYNE. UH, I REQUESTING YOU DO NOT MOVE THE ADDITIONAL $50 MILLION, UH, FOR FUNDING THE POWER GENERATION RESILIENCE PROGRAM TO OTHER ISSUES. UH, I'VE GOT ONE MINUTE. THERE'LL BE SOME, UH, UH, PHOTOS THAT I TOOK, UH, ABOUT A YEAR AGO WITH HURRICANE BARREL, UH, WHERE WE HAD POWER OUT TO THE SEWER LIFT STATIONS FOR ABOUT, UH, FOUR OR FIVE DAYS. AND YOU'LL SEE THERE YOU SAW RAW SEWAGE, UH, RUNNING INTO NEIGHBORHOODS, INTO YARDS, INTO SIDEWALKS, AND INTO THE STORM SEWER. UH, ONE OF THE REAL ISSUES HERE, BUT YOU'LL SEE, UH, THIS IS THE REAL PROBLEM, IS THE STORM SEWER GOES DIRECTLY OR ULTIMATELY INTO LAKE HOUSTON. SO YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE NOT ONLY RESIDENTS ARE HAVING TO WORK AROUND, UH, RAW SEWAGE, IT ALSO GETS INTO LAKE HOUSTON, WHICH IS A CITY WATER SUPPLY. SO, UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES HERE. UH, THE REAL, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE CITY'S SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT ALL THE PEOPLE. I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, HOMEOWNERS HAVE ISSUES, BUT, UH, THIS, YOU KNOW, BACKUP POWER DURING A POWER OUTAGE IS A REAL ISSUE FOR, YOU KNOW, SAFETY, SECURITY AND, UH, SANITATION. SO, UH, I WOULD REQUEST, UH, THAT I YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. COUNCILOR CHER. THANK, THANK YOU, SIR FOR COMING DOWN. I GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU. THIS SURE. THIS SEWAGE THAT WAS, LOOKS LIKE A WATER FOUNTAIN COMING OUT OF THE GROUND. IS THAT OUT BY YOUR HOUSE OR, UH, IT'S IN THE SUBDIVISION I LIVE IN, IT'S A COUPLE STREETS OVER. IT'S CLOSE TO THE LIFT STATION. SO THOSE ARE GONNA BE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED FIRST BY THE POWER OUTAGE. OKAY. DO YOU KNOW IF THERE WAS OTHER ONES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WERE DOING THE SAME THING OR, UH, I TOLD THERE WAS, BUT I, THIS WAS SUNDAY, JULY 14TH, I WENT OUT AND TOOK PICTURES AND IT WAS, THIS IS THE ONE THAT I CAUGHT FIRST. 'CAUSE IT'S CLOSEST TO THE STATION. DURING THE OUTAGE, I WAS KEEPING AN EYE ON THE, UH, LIFT STATION TO SEE WHEN AND IF THEY GOT POWER, UH, OR IF THEY BOUGHT A PORT, A PORTABLE GENERATOR. I UNDERSTAND THE CITY HOUSTON MAY HAVE HAD SOME PORTABLE GENERATORS AT ONE TIME. I'M NOT, [00:25:01] THEY NEVER SHOWED UP THERE IN FOUR DAYS. YEAH, WE GOT, WE GOT, UH, PORTABLE GENERATORS OUT THERE. UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK THERE'S 60 LIFT STATIONS IN KINGWOOD ALONE. YEAH, YEAH. LET ALONE HUFFMAN. SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE KIND OF PLAYING WHACK-A-MOLE. YEAH, YEAH. UH, WITH THAT, SO, OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT, PATRICIA MORALES TO BE FOLLOWED BY MILAGROS SALAMANCA INTERPRETER WHEN I STARTED SPEAKING TO THE PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS PATRICIA MORALES AND I'M A PROP MEMBER OF TOP. I'M HERE TODAY TO SHARE MY STORY, NOT JUST AS A HOUSTON RESIDENT, BUT AS A MOTHER TRYING TO KEEP HER FAMILY TOGETHER. SINCE HURRICANE HARVEY, WE FACE FLOODING DAMAGE TO OUR HOME, AND SO MUCH LOSS. WHEN HURRICANE BARREL HIT, IT DESTROYED WHAT LITTLE WE HAD LEFT. MY SON AND I ARE NOW LIVING WITH, WITH RELATIVES, BUT IT'S NOT A PERMANENT SOLUTION. FEMA ONLY HELPED WITH A FEW MONTHS FOR RENT, BUT THAT SUPPORT IS GONE. I'M SICK AND CAN WORK FULL TIME. I WAKE UP EVERY DAY AFRAID OF WHAT'S NEXT. THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS RECEIVING OVER 300 MILLION IN FEDERAL DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDS. I'M ASKING YOU TO INVEST AT LEAST A HUNDRED MILLION IN HOUSING. WE DO NOT NEED MORE PATROL CARS. WE NEED HOMES. WE NEED REAL HELP TO REVEAL YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. WHAT'S BEING LOST? THANK YOU. NEXT. HI, Y'ALL DOING TODAY, I'M, UH, JORGE MARTINEZ, SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY GRANDMOTHER, MILAGRO SALAMANCA. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, UH, SHE'S A PROUD MEMBER OF TOP. I'M HERE TO SHARE IT WITH MY FAMILY, ESPECIALLY WITH MY TWO DAUGHTERS HAS ENDURED. WE'VE BEEN HIT BY A HURRICANE HARVEY AND THE HARD FREEZE AND ALSO LOST EVERYTHING IN HURRICANE BEAR. WE NO LONGER HAVE A HOME AND ARE LIVING WITH FAMILY, BUT THAT'S, NO, THAT'S NOT A LONG TERM SOLUTION. EVERY DAY I FEAR ENDING ON THE STREETS. LAST YEAR, UH, ONE OF MY GRANDCHILDREN WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD WITH A PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE. AS A MOTHER AND A GRANDMOTHER, I ALL, ALL I WANT IS SAFETY AND STABILITY FOR MY FAMILY. WHEN I HEARD THE CITY WOULD RECEIVE OVER $300 MILLION IN DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDS, I HAD HOPED, BUT FINDING OUT NONE OF IT WAS GOING TO HOUSING. MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE INVEST AT LEAST A HUNDRED MILLION IN HOUSING. OUR FAMILIES DOES NOT NEED, UH, NEED MORE POLICE CARS, WE NEED HOMES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU NICK. FRED WOODS. THANK YOU, . GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS FRED WOODS. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF NORTHWOOD MANOR CIVIC CLUB. WE ALL AGREE THAT $0 FOR HOME REPAIR WON'T WORK AND $50 MILLION ISN'T ENOUGH. I ASK THAT YOU SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS'S AMENDMENT TO INCREASE THE HOME REPAIR ALLOCATION TO A HUNDRED MILLION. WE CAN'T KEEP ROBBING PETER TO PAY THE POLICE OR FIRE DEPARTMENT OR ANY OTHER GAPS THAT CAN BE SOURCED THROUGH OTHER FUNDS OR STRETCHING THESE DOLLARS IN UNINTENDED WAYS. THESE FUNDS ARE MEANT TO REPAIR DAMAGED HOMES. SO WE MUST PRIORITIZE REPAIRING, DAMAGED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, ESPECIALLY IN OUR MOST VULNERABLE AREAS OF HOUSTON. SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES SHOULD BE TOP PRIORITY. MULTI-FAMILY DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE PROPORTIONATELY COMPARED TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. MULTI-FAMILY ALREADY BENEFITS IN WAYS THAT SINGLE FAMILY CANNOT. MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPERS GET [00:30:01] DEFERRALS, TAX CREDITS, ABATEMENTS, ET CETERA. WHY ARE WE GOING, WHY ARE THEY GOING IN FRONT OF THE LINE YET AGAIN? YOU'RE THE LARGEST PORTION OF HOUSING STOCK IS YOUR TIME. EXPIRED SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES. THANK YOU, FRED. WE NEED TO STOP BEING AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR PRIORITY LIST, BUT AT THE TOP WHEN YOU WANT TO VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. CHRISTINA QUINTERO. NEXT. DORIS BROWN. OKAY, I'LL GO MS. BROWN. SORRY, I HAD TO CHECK ON MY KIDS THAT WE'RE OUTSIDE. NO PROBLEM. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS CHRISTINA RO AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH MY FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I'M FROM TOP AND, UH, IN MY TIME HERE, I HAVE SEEN HOUSTON SHINE AND I HAVE SEEN IT STRUGGLE IN THE AFTERMATH OF SEVERE STORMS AND DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANES, THIS CITY HAS BEEN BUILT IN THE MAIN AND PROSPEROUS BY SUCH DIVERSE ARRAY OF RESILIENT AND RESOURCEFUL PEOPLE. IT IS A REMARKABLE THAT, A REMARKABLE MAKE THAT MAKES ME PROUD TO CALL MYSELF A HOUSTONIAN. THAT BEING SAID, IT, IT'S THESE SAME COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND NEIGHBORS OF MINE WHO TIME AFTER TIME HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND DURING STORM RELIEF AND RECOVERY EFFORTS. THESE PEOPLE WHO WORK HARD AND TO MAKE, TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND PUT FOOD ON THEIR TABLES FOR THEIR FAMILIES. I AM A WORKING MOTHER AND I KNOW FIRSTHAND WHAT IT IS LIKE BECAUSE I WAS DAMAGED BY HURRICANE BARREL AND WE'RE STILL RECOVERING. HOUSTON IS A VIBRANT WORLD CLASS CITY WITH SO MUCH TO OFFER. OUR NEIGHBORS HOODS OFFER RICH CULTURE AND HISTORY, BUT IN ORDER TO KEEP US MOVING FORWARD AS A CITY, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT OUR FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. ONE, ONE LAST THING. UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND ORGANIZED IN THE CAST. WOULD IT DO ANY GOOD IF I ASK YOU TO ASK THEM TO FOLLOW OUR RULES AND NOT APPLAUSE? IF, IF THEY FEEL BETTER ABOUT DOING IT. I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO, BUT IT'S JUST PART OF THE DECORUM. I THINK IT'S NECESSARY FOR THEM. APPLAUSE. 'CAUSE WE'RE ASKING FOR A HUNDRED MILLION FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. NO, I KNOW IT. AND YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. AND BEING, WE'RE THIS FROM THREE MINUTES BEING REDUCED FROM THREE MINUTES TO ONE MINUTE. IT'S NOT THE OF THE WORLD. IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ONLY FAIR. WE HAVE FAMILIES HERE THAT ARE INVESTED. I HAVE A CHILD ON THE SPECTRUM. I'M GOING BACK AND FORTH. I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND. NEGOTIATE. IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE. GETTING GOOD. I EVEN BROUGHT IT UP, GETTING HERE. I WAS JUST POLITELY ASKING YOU, MS. BROWN, ARE THESE MICS ALIKE? TESTING? I'M DORIS BROWN. I'M WITH THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE. I'VE COME HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR HOME REPAIR AND GENERATORS. THE DRR MONEY IS THE ONLY MONEY FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EARMARKED FOR DA DISASTER RECOVERY. IF THE INITIATIVE IS TO TACKLE HOMELESSNESS, WHAT BETTER WAY THAN TO ALLOCATE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FOR HOME REPAIR TO HELP RATHER THAN CAUSE MORE HURT OR HARM BY DISPLACEMENT OR HOMELESSNESS? THE, THE MULTIPURPOSE CENTERS NEED THE GENERATORS TO ADDRESS NOT ONLY THE HEAT OR COLD, BUT THE DISASTERS THAT ARE COMING AND KNOWING THE GRID WILL ALWAYS LEAVE US LACKING. THESE ARE MUCH NEEDED FOR MITIGATION AND RESILIENCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY FOR DAYS AND WEEKS. PEOPLE CANNOT WAIT YEARS FOR HELP. THE NEED IS ENORMOUS AND THE DAMAGE IS REAL. COUNCILMAN PLUMMER IS AMENDMENT AND TIFFANY THOMAS AMENDMENT SPEAKS TO REALLOCATION OF FUNDS FROM SOME AREAS AND THE PLAN ADDRESSES THE SHORTFALLS THAT IT CREATES. I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL PLAN. I'VE SPOKEN WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS. I BESIEGE ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT TO INCREASE HOUSING FUNDING AND GET THE GENERATORS FOR THE MULTIPURPOSE CENTERS. LET'S NOT LEAVE PEOPLE BEHIND TODAY. LET'S FULFILL HOUSTON STRONG. COURTNEY REVELS TO BE FOLLOWED BY BARBARA DENSON. UM, HEY COUNSEL, I GET REALLY NERVOUS COMING UP HERE. IT NEVER GETS EASIER. UM, BUT THANK Y'ALL. UM, THE ASK IS SIMPLE. UM, MY NAME IS COURTNEY REBELS. I LIVE IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON, UM, EAST HOUSTON SET OF GAST AREA. AND WE'RE ASKING TODAY THAT WE INCREASED THE HOUSING ALLOCATION FROM 50 MILLION TO A HUNDRED MILLION. UM, WE'VE BEEN HERE TIMELESS. WE'VE BEEN HERE TIMELESS TIMES, RIGHT? AND, UM, I HEARD THE GUY TALKING EARLIER ABOUT, UM, WHERE THIS OTHER MONEY [00:35:01] COULD BE SPENT, BUT WE CAME UP HERE. WE TALKED ABOUT THE BUDGET. WE TALKED ABOUT NOT DIVERTING THE FUNDS FROM THE AVALOR TAX DIVERSION. THAT'S INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT IS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD HAVE SAVED PEOPLE'S HOMES AND LIVES LAST YEAR DURING OUR BACK TO BACK STORMS WITH BURL AND RATIO, THE LEAST WE COULD DO IS MAKE A PROPER INVESTMENT. I KNOW EVERYBODY'S SITTING UP HERE AT THE HORSESHOE, FEELS LIKE THEY'RE AN EXPERT, BUT THE PEOPLE HERE IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON THAT DO DISASTER PREPAREDNESS RECOVERY SINCE HARVEY, WE ARE THE EXPERTS AND WE'RE ASKING YOU TO MAKE YOUR TIME HAS APPLICATION SO THAT WE CAN HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING TO ACTUALLY HEAL ALL OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BARBARA DENSON. AS TO THE PUSH TO SIPHON OFF ANOTHER $50 MILLION AND DOUBLE THE HOUSING ALLOCATION, THIS MONEY WILL COME FROM DISASTER MITIGATION EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND EMERGENCY BACKUP POWER GENERATION FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS PROPOSAL IS LIKE SELLING LIFEBOATS TO UPGRADE THE CABIN AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY. THE CITY'S HOUSING RECOVERY EFFORTS WERE MARRED BY MISMANAGEMENT AND DELAYS STUMBLING THROUGH RED TAPE AND POOR OVERSIGHT. REDIRECTING FUNDS FROM CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS TO EXPAND A PROGRAM WITH A SHAKY TRACK RECORD IS NOT JUST RISKY, IT'S RECKLESS. DISASTER MITIGATION AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE ARE THE BACKBONE OF COMMUNITY RESILIENCE. NOT A LUXURY, BUT THE FIREWALL BETWEEN CHAOS AND RECOVERY. WE'VE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN EMERGENCY SYSTEMS ARE UNDERFUNDED, DELAYS, CONFUSION, PREVENTABLE HARM, GUTTING THESE AREAS TO PROP UP. A FLAWED HOUSING INITIATIVE IS AKIN TO TRADING YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHER FOR A WELCOME MAT. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. MA'AM, MA'AM, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. UH, MS. STINSON, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING FORWARD TODAY TO EXPRESS YOUR OPINIONS AND I THINK, UM, ALTHOUGH THERE'S PEOPLE HERE FOR BOTH SIDES, UM, YOU'VE MADE COMPELLING ARGUMENTS. THANK YOU. IT'S A TOUGH CROWD. GOOD LUCK NEXT VOLKO MUELLER TO BE FOLLOWED BY ESTEBAN OCHOA. HEY, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU GO TO THE HPD MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH I DID LAST NIGHT, YOU'LL FIND A NUMBER OF CORE BELIEFS. ONE OF THEM IS COOPERATING WITH A PUBLIC, PROVIDING A SAFE, A LIVING ENVIRONMENT FREE OF FEAR AND ABIDING BY THE US CONSTITUTION. WHEN YOU IN CONTRAST LOOK AT ICE IN ACTION, YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY TRAMPLED THE US CONSTITUTION PERPETUALLY VIOLATING FOURTH AND 14TH AMENDMENT RIGHTS, THAT RATHER THAN CO UM, COOPERATING WITH THE PUBLIC IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY HAVOC IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEY COME IN MASSED, UNMARKED VANS, THEY COME MASSED IN UNMARKED VANS OR PEOPLE OFF AND RECOVERED IN THE COMMUNITY. AND RATHER THAN PROVIDE A SAFE LIVING SPACE, THEN STILL PANIC AND FEAR. SO I URGE YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR TO PLEASE STOP AT THE LEVEL OF HPD THAT VIOLATES THEIR MISSION STATEMENT, TO STOP ANY AND ALL CORPORATION WITH ICE AT AT ANY LEVEL AT ANY TIME. YOUR THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ESTEBAN OCHOA. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ESTEBAN OCHOA AND I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S COOPERATION WITH ICE, GIVEN THE REPORTS OF OVERCROWDING AND ALARMING CONDITIONS AT THEIR DETENTION FACILITIES. MAYOR WHITMEYER PREVIOUSLY SAID THAT THERE'S NO COOPERATION GOING ON BETWEEN THE TWO, BUT THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE REPORTED THAT HPD OFFICERS ARE CONTACTING ICE WHENEVER THEY ENCOUNTER ANYONE, UH, LISTED ON THEIR FEDERAL DATABASE, UH, THAT ICE HAS. AND SO, UH, WILL THIS COUNCIL WITH ITS OVERSIGHT POWER CONTINUE TO ALLOW HPD TO, UH, CONTINUE SUPPORTING THIS INHERENTLY INHUMANE AND TRAUMATIC PROCESS? OR WILL HOUSTON FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF OTHER MAJOR CITIES IN REFUSING TO TURN PEOPLE OVER TO THIS REPREHENSIBLE AGENCY? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. KIVA SAINT FORD TO BE FOLLOWED BY SAHE. NEVER. WHAT HAPPENED LADY? GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS. [00:40:02] UM, I JUST WANNA SAY I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY WHO SPOKE BEFORE ME AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND SPEAKING UP. UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, MY ISSUE SEEMS A LITTLE BIT SMALLER, BUT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE TRAIN NOISE AND TRI COMMUNITIES AND COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ DISTRICT. I, UM, THE ONGOING PROBLEM OF EXCESSIVE TRAIN NOISE TRAIN HORNS ARE SOUNDED THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND NIGHT, INCLUDING AS EARLY AS 2:00 AM. THIS PERSISTENT NOISE IS NOT ONLY A MAJOR INCONVENIENCE, BUT ALSO A HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERN FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND OLDER ADULTS, MANY OF WHOM HAVE LIVED HERE FOR GENERATIONS. DESPITE REPEATED EFFORTS TO DESIGNATE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS A QUIET ZONE, THE PROBLEM PERSISTS EVEN THOUGH WE ALREADY HAVE FLASHING LIGHTS AND GUARDRAILS IN PLACE TO MEET FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS. ACCORDING TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S NOISE ORDINANCE, SOUND LEVELS SHOULD NOT EXCEED. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. 65 DECIBELS FROM 8:00 AM TO 10:00 PM AND 58 DECIBELS OVERNIGHT, YET TRAIN HORN, REGISTER AT 96 TO 110. IF THE CITY RECOGNIZES THESE LOUD DECIBEL LEVELS AS A NUISANCE IN GENERAL, WHY SHOULD THE ENFORCEMENT BE ANY DIFFERENT FROM TRAIN HORNS? EXCUSE ME ONE SECOND. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ EXIST. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, KIVA, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN TO YOU AND TO SEE WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, UH, AT THE CIVIC CLUB MEETING AS WELL. UM, I HAVE, UH, JUAN PABLO WHO'S ON MY TEAM, SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT A QUIET ZONE AND THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE. UH, JUST AS, UH, BEING FULLY TRANSPARENT, THESE APPLICATIONS TAKE A LONG TIME. UM, WE'RE FINALLY GETTING TO SOME POINT IN THE EASTERN AREA WHERE THE APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED OVER 10 YEARS AGO. SO, UM, IF WE CAN WALK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE, THAT PROCESS WITH YOU, SO THAT WAY WE CAN SET SOME REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS, UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL. UM, UNDERSTANDING, I GREW UP IN THE EAST END TRAIN NOISES WERE, I, THAT'S WHAT I GREW UP NEXT TO, ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY ON ON AVERAGE. UM, BUT IF YOU CAN HAVE JUAN PABLO FROM MY TEAM, YOU CAN, UH, SPEAK TO HIM AND THEN, THEN WE CAN HAVE A BETTER, UH, DIALOGUE ABOUT WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE. IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS, AND YOU SAID THE PROCESS BEGAN 10 YEARS AGO, WHAT WOULD A REALISTIC EXPECTATION BE? SO THE REALISTIC EXPECTATION WOULD BE IF WE START THE PROCESS NOW, IT WOULDN'T BE AT LEAST FOR 10 YEARS WHERE WE WOULD SEE A QUIET ZONE. IT STARTED 10 YEARS AGO, THOUGH, YOU SAID? NO, THE, THE APPLICATIONS IN THE EAST END STARTED OVER 10 YEARS AGO. THE ONE IN C CLINTON PARK AREA, THE TRI, THE TRI COMMUNITY AREA. WE DON'T HAVE AN APPLICATION AT THE MOMENT. WHY HASN'T AN APPLICATION BEEN STARTED WHEN THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE? THAT IF YOU, IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH IT, JUAN PABLO'S HERE FROM MY TEAM, WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH WITH HIM AND THEN WE CAN START AGAIN HAVING A, JUST A VERY CLEAR, TRANSPARENT CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. OKAY. I'LL SEE YOU GUYS NEXT WEEK. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN, I, I KNOW THE, I KNOW THE SPEAKER MA'AM, UM, IS LEAVING AND I WANNA RESPECT THAT. I DID WANNA ELEVATE THE ISSUE CITYWIDE. UM, IN DISTRICT C, WE HAVE HAD APPLICATIONS IN THE PRICE TAG BEING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND WHAT'S EVEN MORE CHALLENGING IN DISTRICT C IS THE FACT A LOT OF THESE ARE FEDERAL APPLICATIONS AND WE DO NOT HAVE A CONGRESS PERSON IN OFFICE BECAUSE OF THE CD 18 VACANCY THAT CAN PUSH THROUGH THE FUNDING REQUESTS TO ACTUALLY SEE THESE THROUGH. SO IT, IT IS A CITYWIDE ISSUE. UM, BUT THE NEGLECT FROM, AGAIN, NOT HAVING REPRESENTATION IN SOMEBODY THAT CAN SUBMIT THAT APPLICATION OR THE REQUEST FOR FUNDING TO DO THE MITIGATION FOR IT, UH, IS HARMING RESIDENTS. THANK YOU. NEXT SAHE. NIER. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS SAAB NIER AND I'M HONORED TO SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF THE NEWLY FORMED LEAGUE OF MINORITY VOTERS NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL. THE LEAGUE OF MINORITY VOTERS IS A NON-PARTISAN NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION COMMITTING TO ADVANCING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, EQUITY, AND LEADERSHIP AMONG COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. I WAS BORN AND RAISED RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON AND PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS A DISTRICT, A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL. I'M NOW A RISING SOPHOMORE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, AND WHILE I SPENT THE PAST YEAR OUTTA THE STATE, MY HEART AND EFFORTS REMAIN WITHIN THE CITY. THAT'S WHY I'M PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE INAUGURAL EVENT FOR OUR NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL WILL BE HELD HERE IN HOUSTON ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 16TH, FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM AT THE LEON LJ CASTILLO COMMUNITY CENTER. OUR AIM IS SIMPLE TO GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE A PLATFORM, THE TOOLS AND RECOGNITION THEY NEED TO STEP INTO CIVIC LEADERSHIP ROLES AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES BEGIN RIGHT HERE AT HOME. WE WARMLY INVITE YOU AND YOUR CONS, CONSTITUENTS TO ATTEND SUPPORT, AND HELP US SPREAD THE WORD. I'LL SHARE THE FLYER AND EVENT RIGHT WITH YOUR LINK WITH YOUR OFFICES AFTER THIS MEETING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR CONTINUING TO BELIEVE THAT THE FUTURE OF CIVIC LEADERSHIP, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED WITH THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE YOUTH TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, [00:45:01] COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ, PROCEDURAL MOTION. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. PROCEDURAL MOTION. UM, SURE. UH, MAYOR, MOVE TO ADD PATRICIA MOORE TO THE THREE MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST AFTER CASE WENT. SECOND. MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT, CODY ZELL TO BE FOLLOWED BY LAYLA. K OH. OKAY. UM, ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT OUR CITY IS OUR DIVERSITY. ALMOST THREE QUARTERS OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES, AND 30% OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE ARE FOREIGN BORN. UH, THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S PROACTIVE COMPLIANCE WITH ISIS TACTICS THAT OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED CREATES A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THAT MAKE OUR CITY AS AMAZING AS IT IS, BLACK, HISPANIC AND ASIAN IMMIGRANTS, BOTH UNDOCUMENTED AND DOCUMENTED, ARE PARTICULARLY UNDER THREAT IF OUR CITY CONTINUES TO COMPLY WITH ICE BECAUSE OF THE LOO. BECAUSE THE LOOMING DANGER OF EVEN BEING DETAINED MAKES PEOPLE SCARED OF PARTICIPATING IN PUBLIC LIFE. THIS MEANS PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO GO TO SCHOOL, TO WORK TO THE HOSPITAL, OR EVEN THE REGULAR COURT PROCEEDINGS. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT HOUSTONIANS ALL HOUSTONIANS AND TO NOT CRIPP OR ENDANGER THE INTEGRITY OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. BY CONDONING ISIS PREDATORY TACTICS. I URGE YOU AS A HOUSTONIAN TO CHOOSE TO END HPDS PRO, UH, PROACTIVE COLLABORATION WITH ICE AND TO MAKE HOUSTON SAFER FOR ALL OF US. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. FOUR. FOUR. THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU. NEXT LAYLA KLI TO BE FOLLOWED BY KELLY SADLER. HELLO, MY NAME IS LAYLA. I LIVE IN SPRING BRANCH AND I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO ACT WHILE YOU STILL HAVE POWER AND LOCAL ENTANGLEMENT WITH ICE. PROTECT IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND ACT WITH TRANSPARENCY. HPD AND THE CITY MUST END EXISTING AGREEMENTS WITH ICE AND STOP CALLING ICE ON OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. DEDICATE BUDGET FUNDS TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TO TRAINING FOR IMMIGRANTS AND ACCEPT THE HARRIS COUNTY ENHANCED LIBRARY CARD AS VALID PHOTO ID. WE DEMAND FULL TRANSPARENCY. IN EVERY INSTANCE WHERE THE CITY IS COLLABORATING WITH ICE, YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ICE IS. NOW THIS IS NO LONGER JUST A MASSIVE DEPORTATION MACHINE. IT'S A LAWLESS UNACCOUNTABLE FORCE TESTING THE OUTER LIMITS OF DUE PROCESS IN PLAIN SIGHT. THEY'RE DISAPPEARING GREEN CARD HOLDERS, ASYLUM SEEKERS, EVEN US CITIZENS HOLDING PEOPLE FROM MONTHS WITHOUT CHARGE. AND WHAT CAN ONLY BE CALLED CONCENTRATION CAMPS. AND THIS CITY, OUR CITY IS STILL COOPERATING WITH THEM. AND YOU MAY FEEL INSULATED FROM THE VIOLENCE, BUT YOUR POLICIES GIVE IT COVER. YOUR P YOUR COOPERATION GIVES IT POWER. YOUR TIME TO ACT IS RUNNING OUT. EITHER YOU'LL BE REMEMBERED, YOUR TIME HAS USING THE POWER TO STAND WITH THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON OR FOR STANDING BY WHILE ICE DESTROYS COMMUNITIES AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL LIKE KELLY. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, TO THE COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M KELLY SADLER AND I'M HERE BECAUSE HOUSTON, IT'S FUNDING STATE SPONSORED CHILD ABUSE. LET'S BE CLEAR, EVERY DOLLAR THIS CITY SPENDS HELPING ICE IS A DOLLAR SPENT ORPHANING HOUSTON KIDS TO MAKE GREG ABBOTT CORE, CIVIC, AND GEO GROUP RICHER. THIS IS ALL ABOUT PRIVATE PRISONS. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET'S NOT FORGET HOUSTON, HPD HELPS MAKE THESE ARRESTS POSSIBLE. THAT'S NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT. THAT'S HUMAN TRAFFICKING. HPD OFFICERS ACT AS ICE INFORMANTS. THIS IS NOT PUBLIC SAFETY. THIS IS PUBLIC CRUELTY. HARRIS COUNTY JAIL SELLS IMMIGRANTS TO ICE TO MEET FOR-PROFIT PRISON QUOTAS. OUR BUDGET PAYS FOR THIS CRUELTY WHILE HOUSTON FAMILIES ARE TERRORIZED. YOU HAVE A CHOICE TODAY. CUT ALL CONTRACTS WITH ICE. NO MORE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DOING THEIR DIRTY WORK FOR THEM. BAN ICE FROM OUR JAILS, SCHOOLS AND STREETS JUST LIKE DALLAS AND AUSTIN. DALLAS AND AUSTIN HAVE DONE THIS. WHY HASN'T HOUSTON NEXT? RASHAB CHALA TO TO BE FOLLOWED BY SOPHIA CAMPBELL. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS RLA. I'M A PSYCHIATRY RESIDENT DOCTOR AT THE LARGEST INPATIENT PSYCH HOSPITAL HERE IN TEXAS. VIEWS REPRESENT MY OWN. UM, EVERY DAY MANY PATIENTS ARE TRANSPORTED TO AND FROM THE HOSPITAL BY HPD. THE RECENT COLLABORATION BETWEEN HPD AND IS ONLY SERVES TO INCREASE THE [00:50:01] FEAR AND ANXIETY THAT UNDOCUMENTED PATIENTS HAVE WHEN THEY COME TO OUR DOORS, HOPING TO BE TREATED FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, TO THEN HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS. THESE ARE PATIENTS WHO MAY TRUST LAW ENFORCEMENT DURING MENTAL HEALTH CRISES. BUT RECENT REPORTS THAT HPD CALLED IS ON COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN MOMENTS OF THESE CRISES IS DEEPLY CONCERNING TO ME. THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN HPD AND ICE COULD LEAD VULNERABLE PEOPLE TO NOT CALL 9 1 1 OUTTA FEAR THAT THEY COULD BE TAKEN INTO ICE CUSTODY OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL SETTING. THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN HB AND NI CAN ERODE THE TRUST IN OUR COMMUNITY NEGATIVELY AFFECTING MENTAL HEALTH IN MANY WAYS. ROUTINE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS TAKING, UH, ONE'S CHILD TO SCHOOL, SHOPPING FOR GROCERIES, UH, GOING TO WORK CAN BE NERVE WRACKING EXPERIENCES FOR IMMIGRANTS. IF POLICE ARE PRESENT, I CALL ON THIS COUNCIL TO END ANY AGREEMENTS OR COLLABORATION BETWEEN HPA AND ICE SO THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN HAVE THE DIGNITY AND PEACE OF MIND THAT THEY DESERVE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, MASS MAYOR PRO PECK. THANK YOU MAYOR. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD MARISSA BOSLEY TO THE END OF THE THREE MINUTE KNOWLEDGE IN THE LIST. SECOND, MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES AS OPPOSED TO NAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT. SOPHIA CAMPO. OH YEAH. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SOPHIA CAMPOS. I, I'M HERE WITH PURE JUSTICE AND I'M ALSO A TEACHER OF NORTHEAST HOUSTON. A ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP SHOULD NOT BECOME AN IMMIGRATION CASE RIGHT NOW. IMMIGRANT AND MIXED STATUS FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY BLACK AND BROWN HOUSTONIANS, GET IN A CAR WITH A FEAR THAT A MINOR STOP COULD SPIRAL INTO DETENTION OR DEPORTATION. THAT FEAR TOUCHES EVERYTHING. GETTING TO WORK, TAKING KIDS TO SCHOOL, SEEING A DOCTOR. PEOPLE WHO KEEP THE CITY GOING DESERVE BASIC HUMAN SAFETY AND THE ABILITY TO GET HOME. OUR ASKS ARE CLEAR AND DOABLE. ICE FREE ROUTINE STOPS AND STANDALONE NON-SAFETY STOPS. AND FINALLY, INVEST IN TRUE COMMUNITY SAFETY, HEALTHCARE, HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, YOUTH PROGRAMS, ADDRESSING ROOT CAUSES RATHER THAN EXPANDING FEAR ONE PLUS BILLION DOLLARS FOR A POLICE BUDGET THAT ADDRESSES NONE OF THESE IS A WASTE. MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THE TIMES UNDER WHICH WE LIVE. WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED HERE IS NOT AN INCONSEQUENTIAL MATTER. YOU HAVE A VOTE AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. WHO DO YOU WISH TO PROTECT? THANK YOU. NEXT PATRICIA CRUZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY JESSICA SAXTON. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS PATRICIA CRUZ AND I'M HERE IN REGARD TO THE PROPOSED BAN ON MOTORIZED SCOOTERS. I HAVE GREAT PRIDE IN BEING A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN. MY HUSBAND AND I MOVED DOWNTOWN IN 2022 AND PART OF THAT FULFILLED A LONG TIME. PART OF MY LIFE WAS TO LIVE DOWNTOWN. ONE OF THE BEST THINGS OF LIVING DOWNTOWN IS BEING ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH OUR TWO GRANDCHILDREN, AGES SIX AND EIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN NO LONGER TAKE THEM TO DISCOVERY GREEN OVER THE WEEKEND. IT IS TOO DANGEROUS. THE PEDESTRIANS ON THE SCOOTERS DO NOT ABIDE BY THE LAWS, UNFORTUNATELY. AND IT'S NOT THE POLICE'S FAULT. THERE AREN'T ENOUGH POLICE IN DISCOVERY GREEN OR THAT WHOLE AREA OF DOWNTOWN TO FIND THOSE PEOPLE AND GIVE THEM TICKETS. A SCOOT A KID ON A SCOOTER ALMOST HIT OUR GRANDSON BY A COUPLE OF INCHES. AND WHEN MY HUSBAND SAID SOMETHING TO HIM, HIS RESPONSE WAS F YOU. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN WE WALK HOME FROM THE HOBBY CENTER ON OUR FRIDAY NIGHT, TICKETS WE'RE HAVING TO DODGE SCOOTERS A BAN ON THE MOTORIZED SCOOTERS. WOULD DOWNTOWN WOULD GREATLY, WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED BY OUR FAMILY. NEXT, JESSICA SAXTON. IS THIS A ONE MINUTE OR TWO MINUTE ONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY NAME IS JESSICA SAXON. I'M A CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATE AND LITIGATOR FROM WASHINGTON DC. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES IS THE OVERARCHING REQUIREMENT THAT EVERY STATE MUST FOLLOW. THERE ARE TWO AREAS IN THE CONSTITUTION THAT REINFORCES THIS. UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT CLAUSE ONE OF AMENDMENT FIVE, IT SAYS THAT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, NO PERSON SHOULD BE HELD TO ANSWER FOR A CAPITAL OR OTHERWISE INFAMOUS CRIME UNLESS ON PRESENTMENT OR INDICTMENT BY A GRAND JURY. THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS ENACTED ITS OWN ALTERNATIVE LEGISLATION THAT SUBSTITUTES THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS AND POLICE OFFICERS TO CHARGE BY WAY OF INFORMATION AS OPPOSED TO INDICTMENT THAT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. SO ARTICLE ONE SECTION 10 IS STATES THAT NO STATE SHALL CREATE ANY LAW THAT SHALL IMPAIR THE OBLIGATION OF CONTRACT. YOUR POLICE OFFICERS, YOUR PROSECUTORS, YOUR JUDGES, THEY'RE ALL UNDER A CONTRACT CONTRACT TO PERFORM BASED ON THE OATH OR AFFIRMATION THAT THEY TOOK TO SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION. THE 14TH AMENDMENT IS THE OTHER PLACE THAT YOU'LL FIND THE REINFORCEMENT OF THIS ISSUE WHERE IT SAYS THAT NO STATE SHALL CREATE OR ENFORCE ANY LAW THAT SHALL BRIDGE THE PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF UNITED STATES CITIZENS PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF THE UNITED STATES. CITIZENS ARE AT MINIMUM THOSE THAT ARE ENUMERATED [00:55:01] WITHIN THE BILL OF RIGHTS. AND THE FIRST 10 AMENDMENTS THE STATE OF TEXAS. I NEED TO, UH, PUT THIS ON THE RECORD PLEASE. THANK YOU NICK ING. SO MY NAME IS TAN WITH DOWNING. I AM A CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATE LITIGATOR HERE FROM WASHINGTON DC MS. SAXON WAS GIVEN A LITTLE BIT OF LEAD IN, UH, I I'M LITIGATING THIS TO THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT ON BEHALF OF MORE THAN 700,000 PEOPLE CURRENTLY IN PRISON HERE IN AMERICA ON DIRECT FACIAL CONSTITUTION VIOLATIONS. BECAUSE THESE STATES HAVE FAILED TO, UH, TO USE AN INDICTMENT BY A GRAND JURY AS REQUIRED BY CLAUSE ONE OF AMENDMENT FIVE, YOU CANNOT CREATE YOUR OWN ALTERNATIVE LEGISLATION TO SUBSTITUTE IT FOR THE GUARANTEES OF CONSTITUTION, THEN GO OUT AND ENFORCE IT AS THOUGH IT'S, UH, THE LAW. BECAUSE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES IS THE FOUNDATION NOT JUDGE MADE RULINGS, WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS NO AUTHORITY TO ALTER, AMEND, OR DESTROY ANY OF THE PROVISIONS OR GUARANTEES OF THE CONSTITUTION OF UNITED STATES. THAT MUST BE DONE BY AN AUTHENTIC ACT OF THE PEOPLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPECIAL MEANING PROCEDURE OF ARTICLE FIVE. FURTHERMORE, JUDGES HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO BE ABLE TO LEGISLATE THEREFORE, AND, AND THAT IS ACTUALLY CODIFIED WITHIN CLAUSE ONE ARTICLE ONE WHERE IT SAYS THAT, THAT ALL LEGISLATIVE POWERS VESTED IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES CONSISTING OF A SENATE AND HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES. SO WHAT WE'RE HERE TODAY IS TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT YOU GUYS PAY THE POLICE OFFICERS DO THEIR WORK. THOSE POLICE OFFICERS ARE GOING OUT AND ENFORCING AN INFERIOR STATE STATUTE IN VIOLATION OF CONSTITUTION UNITED STATES. UNFORTUNATELY, YOU GUYS ARE PAYING FOR THOSE CRIMES TO BE COMMITTED IN AGAM VIOLATION WHEN YOU PAY A PUBLIC OFFICIAL TO BREAK THE LAW. WE WANNA PROVIDE NOTICE TO YOU GUYS, LETTING YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN NO LONGER PAY PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO BREAK THE LAW. IF YOU DO, THEN CRIMINAL SANCTIONS CAN COME FROM THAT. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. GOD BLESS AND HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR DAY. NICK HOWARD EDEN TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALAN LIPMAN. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS HAROLD EATON. I HAVE LIVED IN THE MEYERLAND AREA FOR 37 YEARS AND ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE TO RAISE A FAMILY UNTIL THE LAST FEW YEARS. I'M THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 31, GREATER MARYLAND FIRST. TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER AND CAYMAN AND HER STAFF FOR THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED IN SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR DRIVE TO EXECUTE A CHAPTER 1 25 LAWSUIT AGAINST THE LIFE AT JACKSON SQUARE OWNERS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR HIS SUPPORT AND FOR GIVING OUR, OUR OPPORTUNITY, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE CITY COUNCIL. TODAY WE HAVE FOUR MEMBERS HERE AND MYSELF, FOLLOWED BY ALAN LIPMAN, TERRY KAMINSKI AND CASE WENT TO TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES. MY PURPOSE HERE TODAY IS TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE STORY HABITABILITY ISSUES. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. I UNDERSTOOD. WE HAD THREE MINUTES. WE HAVE THREE MINUTES. C CAYMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. I BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TODAY UNDER CITY RULES, IT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO ONE MINUTE. I AM FAIRLY NUANCED WITH THIS ISSUE. SO, HAROLD, IF I MAY, OKAY, I KNOW YOU PREPARED STATEMENTS AND I WANNA BE RESPECTFUL TO THAT. OUT OF RESPECT FOR EVERYONE ELSE. I'M NOT GONNA BE ALLOTTING ADDITIONAL TIME, BUT ONCE I THINK, KAY, YOU'RE THE LAST SPEAKER, CHEERS. I WILL CHIME IN AND TRY TO TEASE OUT WHAT MORE WE CAN BE DOING TO SUPPORT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE COMMUNITY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. YOUR TEAM AND THE COUNCIL. BUT I'LL GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT. THE VIOLENCE IN THESE APARTMENTS HAS GOTTEN OUTRAGEOUS IN THE LAST 30 DAYS PER HPD DISPATCH CALLS, THERE'S BEEN A REPORT OF A MAN WITH A CROSSBOW, SIX INCHES OF BURGLARY, FOUR ASSAULTS AND ROBBERIES, A STABBING ONE REPORT OF 25 PEOPLE FIGHTING TOGETHER IN THE COMPLEX THREE REPORTS OF PEOPLE WITH WEAPONS VANDALISM. THAT'S 16 INCIDENTS IN THE LAST 30 DAYS. AND TO TOP IT OFF, THIS PAST SATURDAY NIGHT AT NINE 15, THERE WAS EXTREMELY LOUD FOUR ROUNDS OF GUNFIRE FOLLOWED AT 9 24 BY FOUR MORE ROUNDS. AND AT 9 36 BY FOUR MORE ROUNDS AND AT LEAST EIGHT RESIDENTS IN THE AREA REPORTED TO THIS HPDI KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD NOT LIKE THIS NEXT [01:00:01] TO WHERE THEY LIVE. AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S MEMBERS UP HERE WHO HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT MINOR INFRACTIONS THAT HAPPENED ON THEIR STREET. SO THIS IS DESTROYING THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S DESTROYING OUR LIVES. PEOPLE ARE MOVING OUT OF THEIR HOUSES TO GET AWAY FROM THIS VIOLENCE. SO PLEASE STOP IT. HI, I'M TERRY KAMINSKI. I'M A PAST PRESIDENT OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 31 GREATER MEYERLAND AREA. I'M COMING HERE TODAY AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN BECAUSE I LIVE IN AN, UH, SMALL SUBDIVISION CALLED MEYER CREST, WHICH SITS IN THE MIDDLE OF THREE APARTMENT COMPLEXES. THE, UM, LARGEST BEING LIFE OF JACKSON SQUARE. UM, THERE ARE SO MANY, UM, GUNSHOTS THAT WE HEAR. I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE SO LOUD, THEY'RE IN OUR BACKYARD. UM, IT'S JUST GOTTEN OUT OF HAND. I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT, UM, MAYOR MEYER AND HIS STAFF ARE DOING TO HELP, UM, CHANGE THAT. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN HAS BEEN JUST, UM, JUST, UH, WONDERFUL WITH TRYING TO GET TO KNOW THE NEIGHBORS, EVEN CARRYING WATER DURING ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE, UM, MAJOR, UM, STORMS THAT WE HAD TO GET TO KNOW THE NEIGHBORS. YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH FOR US TO TRY AND HELP GET THIS SETTLED. UM, BUT UM, IT IS JUST, UH, VERY UNSAFE. THERE'S AN, UH, WHEN OUR SUBDIVISION ENDS, THERE'S A SMALL ONE STORY, UM, SECTION AND I WAS VISITING ONE OF THOSE ELDER NEIGHBORS AND BEHIND WE COULD HEAR BEHIND, UM, FIGHTS AND SCREAMING, GOING ON BEHIND YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. WANTED TO CALL THE POLICE. AND SHE SAID, NO, I CAN'T. BECAUSE IF THEY SEE THE POLICE, THEY MIGHT KNOW IT'S ME AND THEY MIGHT RETALIATE. SHE CAN'T EVEN TAKE HER DOG OUT FOR TO DO HIS BUSINESS AT NIGHT BECAUSE SHE'S TOO AFRAID TO DO THAT. THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS JUST, IT WAS WONDERFUL WHEN WE BOUGHT OUR OUR HOME, BUT IT'S JUST CHANGED SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT CASE WENT. OKAY, I'M KAY ENT, VP OF THE GREATER MEYERLAND NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I JUST GOING TO REDUCE THIS TO HALF AND SAY THANK YOU MA ABBY, FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR US. UM, AND THANK YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR THE CHAPTER 1 25 ACTION. WE HAVE HOPE. NOW WE HAVE TWO IMPORTANT ASK. FIRST MC MAJOR CHANGES, NOT SUPERFICIAL ONES. THIS REQUIRES VITAL REVITALIZATION. WE ARE CONVINCED AFTER WORKING WITH THREE DIFFERENT CORPORATIONS, THAT PROPERTY OWNERS ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A SAFE HABITABLE COMMUNITY FOR A COMPLEX OF THIS SIZE. 1,326 UNITS. AND IT WAS BUILT IN 1967. WE MUST DO MORE THAN BETTER SECURITY. WE CAN OFFER AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT WITH THE OLD BUILDING THAT WE HAVE. SECOND WORK WITH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AS A PARTNER IN PROBLEM SOLVING AND COMMUNICATION. WE NEED MORE, UH, INTERACTION WITH MAYOR WHIT MEYER'S OFFICE NOW THAT THIS IS IN PLACE. AND WE SAY THIS BECAUSE WE FELT SHUT OUT AT TIMES NOT RECEIVING RESPONSES TO INFORMATION WE HAVE OFFERED OR REQUESTED, ALTHOUGH THIS IS IMPROVING FOR WHICH WE RECOGNIZE STEVE AND DAVID WHO HAS INCREASED HIS OUTREACH AND SUPPORT FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS. AND THIS IS IMPORTANT 'CAUSE WE KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE KNOW THE PEOPLE. WE HAVE INFORMATION THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. COUNCILOR KAMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, AND AT THE OUTSET, MAYOR, I DO WANNA THANK YOUR ADMINISTRATION, THE LEGAL TEAM FOR WORKING WITH MY OFFICE IN THE CHAPTER 1 25, WHICH CANNOT BE APPLIED CITYWIDE, NOR SHOULD IT, BECAUSE THE REAL VICTIMS, IN ADDITION TO THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD, ARE THE TENANTS THAT, THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THIS. AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE ADVOCATING FOR THEM AS WELL AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, KAY TO GET TO THE POINT FOR TIME'S SAKE. AGAIN, I WANT TO TEASE OUT EVERYTHING ELSE SAID. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THIS IS A 1300 UNIT COMPLEX. IT'S TOO BIG TO BE MANAGED THE WAY THAT IT IS. UM, AND IT'S NOT SAFE. BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE ASS OF THE CITY RIGHT NOW, 'CAUSE WE ARE IN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS THAT I HAVE TO DEFER TO LEGAL ON, AND WE AND I RECOGNIZE THE ASS, AND AGAIN, YOU'RE WELCOME TO CONTINUE TO SEND THOSE TO US AND WE WILL PASS THOSE ALONG TO LEGAL AS TO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE THROUGH THAT COURT PROCEEDING FOR ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES. WE HAVE GOTTEN SOME CONCESSIONS ALREADY, BUT I RECOGNIZE THAT MAY NOT BE ENOUGH. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE, IF I MAY, Y'ALL SENT US OVER, I BELIEVE THE WEEKEND OR LAST WEEK REPORTS THAT AC WAS OUT IN SOME OF THE UNITS OR THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER ISSUES IN SOME OF THE UNITS WE SENT YOU A YEAR'S WORTH OF EMAILS FROM MANAGEMENT DOCUMENTING ALL THE TIMES THAT AC HEATING HAS BEEN UP AND SOMETIMES IT'S TWO AND THREE WEEKS AT A TIME AND THEY'VE STOPPED EMAILING BECAUSE OF THAT. RIGHT. AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES MAYOR HAS BEEN WHEN INSPECTORS ARE GOING OUT, 'CAUSE DEPARTMENTS ARE GOING OUT TO INSPECT, RIGHT? BUT THEY'RE NOT EITHER BEING ALLOWED ON THE PREMISE PROPERTY INTO THOSE ACTUAL APARTMENT ROOMS OR THE CITY IS NOT GETTING NOTIFICATION WHEN AC IS OUT. SO THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION, AS LONG AS I, WHAT'S THE ASK THERE WHEN YOU ALL HAVE THAT INFORMATION? WELL ASK, WE SEND INFORMATION THAT LET US TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE'RE BEING TOLD THERE ARE NO HABITABILITY VIOLATIONS SUFFICIENT TO QUALIFY FOR REVIEW. AND WE KNOW, WE HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THERE ARE SO MANY HABITABILITY ISSUES AND WE HAVE THE DATA TO BACK IT UP. AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEING THEM INCREASE THE LEASES. THEY'RE GETTING EMAILS SAYING THAT [01:05:01] YOU HAVE TO PAY $150 EXTRA A MONTH WITH NO ADVANCED NOTICE. AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH LONE STAR LEGAL TRYING TO GET THEM OUT THERE TO HELP THESE PEOPLE. WE CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE. WE'VE MET THE FAMILIES, BUT IT'S ALSO RUINING ALL THE OWNER'S LIFE AS WELL. I'VE LIVED IN MY HOUSE FOR 49 YEARS, BUT MY KIDS ARE TALKING ABOUT MOVING OUT OF, OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. WELL, I, AND THEY'RE RAISING FAMILY. I UNDERSTAND. AND AGAIN, WITH THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES, MAYOR, IF WE CAN CONTINUE TO GATHER THOSE AND GIVE THEM TO THE DEPARTMENTS TO HOPEFULLY GET THEM OUT THERE TIMELY, UM, ESPECIALLY IN THIS HEAT WITH AC GOING OUT, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE AND THAT'S NOT SAFE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT PATRICIA MOORE TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHASE POWELL. HELLO MAYOR. UH, CITY COUNCIL MOST ESTEEM COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M, I'M HERE. UH, I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED OVER THE FATE OF OUR FEDERAL DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDS. UH, WHILE THERE 50 MILLION IS ALREADY ALLOCATED FOR HOUSING, THERE IS NOW A PUSH TO DIVERT AN ADDITIONAL 50 MILLION AWAY FROM DISASTER MITIGATION, EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND POWER POWER GENERATION. OKAY. TO INCREASE THE HOUSING BUDGET. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ALREADY MY YARD IS JUST, I HADN'T HAD TO WATER MY GRASS ALL YEAR, ALL SUMMER. AND IT'S SATURATED. IF WE GET A BIG HURRICANE, IT'S GOING TO FLOOD. I JUST DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE MESSING WITH FUNDS AND MOVING THINGS OVER AT THE LAST MINUTE. WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW. OKAY. WE, OUR, OUR, UH, THE PROPOSAL IS DEEPLY FLAWED. UH, REDIRECTING MONEY AWAY FROM EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, UH, NOW WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE, SHORTSIGHTED. OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT MUST FOCUS ON PROTECTING ALL OF YOU ODIANS, NOT FEDERAL RESOURCES AND POORLY MANAGED PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT ONLY A FEW. AND MAYOR, I, I WANNA THANK YOU AND ALL CITY COUNCIL. I WANNA PRAY. I CAN I SAY WHY I'M THANKING YOU? OH, FOR THE 214 ARREST OF, UH, ILLEGAL ALIENS, CHILD SEX, PREDATORS. THANK GOD. THANK YOU NICK. NICK, CHASE POWELL. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, NOBLE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR. MY NAME IS CHASE POWELL. I'M A HOUSTONIAN, BORN AND RAISED. I'M HERE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE COOPERATION WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S ONGOING COOPERATION WITH ICE. THEY, THEY OPERATE LIKE A MODERN DAY GESTAPO FORCE. AND WHEN HPD GETS INVOLVED, HOUSTON BECOMES COMPLICIT AND FASCIST ACTIONS. IN APRIL, A SALVADORIAN WOMAN CALLED 9 1 1 TO REPORT HER ABUSIVE EX-HUSBAND, A MAN SHE HAD A PROTECTIVE ORDER AGAINST INSTEAD OF PROTECTING HER HPD CALLED ICE. THEY DIDN'T TELL HER. SHE FOUND OUT WHEN SHE CALLED THE VICTIM'S HOTLINE. THE NEXT DAY, SHE SAYS IF SHE ATTACKS HER AGAIN, SHE WON'T CALL THE POLICE IN MARCH. WOMAN FLAG DOWN FOR A HOUSTON OFFICER TO REPORT A CAR CRASH ON WASHINGTON AVE. INSTEAD OF WRITING A REPORT, THE OFFICER CALLED ICE. WE CANNOT HAVE THESE THINGS. THESE CASES SEND ONE CLEAR MESSAGE TO IMMIGRANTS, DON'T CALL FOR HELP AND MIGHT NOT GO HOME. MAYOR WHITMORE SAID IN JANUARY THAT HPD WOULDN'T COOPERATE WITH ICE. BUT NOW HE SAYS THAT WE WON'T DEPORT THEM WHILE STILL COOPERATING WITH THEM. THAT IS A CONTRADICTION AND IT'S HARD TO TRUST WITH MIXED SIGNALS WHEN REAL LIVES ARE AT STAKE. WE CAN'T HAVE THIS AT ALL. THEY'RE NOT CRIMINALS, THEY'RE NEIGHBORS. THEY SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID OF THE POLICE AT ALL. UM, WHAT WAS IT? OKAY. AND I'M TIRED OF SEEING SCARED KIDS. I'M TIRED OF SEEING FAMILIES BROKEN APART. I'M TIRED OF SEEING PEOPLE TREATED LIKE THEY DON'T MATTER. WE HAVE SEEN THIS IN HISTORY. WE CAN'T HAVE A HITLER, WE CAN'T HAVE A MUSSOLINI, WE CAN'T HAVE A TRUMP. THIS IS THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN TEXAS AND IT'S REALLY DEPLORABLE THAT WE ARE NOT PROTECTING THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE CITY SO GREAT. YOU ARE WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR TALKING BRENT. BRENT SULLIVAN. THANKS. WE ALL WANT A SAFE, STRONG COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITIES ARE BASED ON TRUST. HOW CAN ANY OF US TRUST HPD AND CITY GOVERNMENT WHEN YOU COLLABORATE WITH ICE AND AGENCY THAT DENIES DUE PROCESS? THE FOUNDATION OF THE RULE OF LAW WHEN ANYONE CAN BE DENIED DUE PROCESS, NO ONE IS SAFE. WHEN ANYONE CAN BE DENIED DUE PROCESS, THERE IS NO LAW. THERE'S ONLY POWER. AND THAT'S THE WAY UNITARY EXECUTIVE AUTHORITARIANS AND STEVEN MILLER FASCISTS LIKE IT BY CALLING ON YOU TO END AGREEMENTS WITH ICE THAT PROACTIVELY ES CITY RESOURCES. AND I CALL FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY IN ALL [01:10:01] CITY COLLABORATION WITH ICE PARAPHRASING ME MUELLER. NOW THEY COME FOR THE IMMIGRANTS AND TRANS FOLK ARE NEXT. IF WE DO NOTHING, WE DIDN'T LEARN THE LESSON. MARIA TREVINO RASH. SHE TO BE FOLLOWED BY LIZETTE PRESTWICH. HELLO, MY NAME IS MARIA TREVINO RODRIGUEZ AND I'M AN IMMIGRANT WHO HAS LIVED IN HOUSTON FOR 29 OF MY 30 YEARS ALIVE. IN 2018, I BEGAN GETTING INVOLVED IN A CAMPAIGN TO END THE 2 87 G PROGRAM IN HARRIS COUNTY, A POLICY THAT CAUSED OUR COUNTY TO BECOME THE DEPORTATION CAPITAL OF THE US AND ALLOWED HARRIS COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT TO COLLABORATE WITH ICE WITHIN OUR JAILS. THESE HARMS RANGED FROM SEPARATING FAMILIES DUE TO SIMPLE TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS, TO ACTIVELY CONDUCTING RAIDS IN PLACES OF WORK OR CALLING ICE ON VICTIMS OF CRIME WHO MAY HAVE BEEN UNDOCUMENTED. WE REALIZE THIS PROGRAM WAS HARMING PUBLIC SAFETY INSTEAD OF STRENGTHENING IT IN 2018, AND WE KNOW THAT TO BE TRUE TODAY. NOW THE CURRENT FASCIST FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS ENLISTING HPD AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO DO THEIR DIRTY WORK IN TERRORIZING IMMIGRANTS AND NON-IMMIGRANTS ALIKE IN ORDER TO PUSH FORWARD ITS RACIST AND FASCIST AGENDA. AND UNFORTUNATELY YOU'RE AIDING THEM IN THE PROCESS. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER 2 87 G IS IN PLACE OR NOT, YOU CAN'T CLAIM TO BE A WELCOMING CITY WHILE ACTIVELY SUPPORTING A REGIME DEPORTING LEGAL AND UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS WITH MASKS ON IN UNMARKED VEHICLES. THANK YOU. HELLO, I AM LIZETTE PRESS SWITCH AND I BRING MY REQUEST TO CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE I BELIEVE YOU HOLD OUR BEST INTEREST IN MIND AND WILL ADVOCATE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES IN ALL SPACES. I REQUEST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADVOCATE TO REVIEW AND UPDATE THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS NUMBER 508 AND FIVE TO EXPLICITLY STATE THAT THERE WILL BE NO COLLABORATION WITH ICE WHEN THE LINES OF LOCAL POLICING AND FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ARE BLURRED. IT IS CRUCIAL THAT THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ADDRESS COMMUNITY CONCERNS AND FEARS THROUGH CLEAR AND INTENTIONAL ACTS, NOT WORDS. OUR COMMUNITY MUST TRUST THAT ROUTINE POLICE ENCOUNTERS SUCH AS TRAFFIC STOPS OR CALLS FOR HELP WILL NOT LEAD TO DEPORTATION, FAMILY SEPARATION OR INHUMANE TREATMENT IN DETENTION CENTERS. COMMUNITIES WHO LOVE, CARE OR DEPEND ON SOMEONE WHO HAS THE WRONG IMMIGRATION STATUS LIVE IN FEAR. I KNOW NEIGHBORS THAT ONLY LEAVE THEIR HOUSE FOR WORK AND TO GET GROCERIES. THEY FEEL VULNERABLE, CRIMINALIZED AND TARGETED. THINK ABOUT HOW MANY HAS MIGHT SEE A DAY VERSUS HOW MANY HPD CARS YOU SEE A DAY. DON'T JUSTIFY THEIR FEELINGS. THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU MAYOR. OUR PROCEDURAL MOTION TO MOVE DEREK MOORE BECAUSE HIS LIFT IS HERE TO PICK HIM UP TO THE UM, TO SPEAK NEXT SPEAKER. NEXT TO SPEAK. NEXT. HE'S SPEAKING NEXT. OKAY. AND ALSO IS HE SPEAKING NEXT? YES. DO YOU WANT HIM TO SPEAK NEXT? YEAH. RIGHT. IF WHEN WE SPEAKING NEXT AND MOTION. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. ALSO, MISS RIVA, BRING HIM FORWARD. HE HAD ANOTHER ONE. RIVA PAGE. HMM? SAY THAT AGAIN. RIVA PAGE TO FOLLOW HIM. TO FOLLOW HIM. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. SO BE IT. NEXT. DEREK MOORE. HELLO EVERYONE. IS THIS THING WORKING OR WHAT? CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR ME. HOW YOU DOING MR. MAYOR? MY NAME IS DERRICK MOORE AND I'M A HUSTLER SLASH TICKET SCALPER MERCHANDISE. AND UH, YOU MIGHT KNOW MY PARTNER ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE MINI MAE PARKING OVER THERE RIGHT NOW. SOUTHERN WATER. AND THIS IS WHAT I DO. UH, I I HAD A FOURTH GRADE READING EDUCATION. I'M HOUSTON PROUD, BUT NOT REALLY. I GREW UP OFF OF SCOTT STREET IN SOUTH UNION. THE PATRICK MASSEY I THOUGHT WAS A FRIEND OF MINE AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE MASSEY BERTHA MASSEY. UH, THEY FATHER THE MASSEY WHO I THOUGHT DID THE RIGHT THING WHO USED TO RIDE AROUND IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH JESUS ON HIS TRUCK. AND THAT KEPT ME SANE. YOU KNOW, I HAD TO, YOU KNOW, ADAPT. IT'S LIKE THE MOORES AND THE MASSES. BUT, UH, I GOT A FOURTH GRADE READING EDUCATION. MY FATHER LEFT ME AT LAND. HE WORKED HARD AT HISD SCHOOL DISTRICT. [01:15:01] AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO BENOFF HOSPITAL TOO. 'CAUSE MY WIFE HAD BRAIN SURGERY, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? MY PRETTY WIFE OF 22 YEARS AND, UH, MY BIRTHDAY JUNE 19TH, MY MAMA JUNE 7TH, I NEVER WAS THE SAME AFTER THE PANDEMIC. 'CAUSE MY MOM PASSED AWAY. I COULDN'T EVEN GO TO HER FUNERAL YET. BUT I GOT SO MUCH GOING ON IN MY MIND. BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE PATRICK MASSEY, YOU KNOW, NO, HE TALKING ABOUT SEE HIM IN COURT. BUT I WANNA SEE YOU IN COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION. 'CAUSE I DON'T MIND SPEAKING UP. BUT I WISH PEOPLE HAD TIME ENOUGH TO COME. UH, LOOK AT MY COLLAGES. BECAUSE SEE I MADE COLLAGES AND I GOT LIKE A COLLAGE OUTTA THIS WORLD FROM 19 99 6 TO OLYMPICS. I GOT A PARTNER NAMED WILLIE FLETCHER WHO TOOK ME ALL OVER THE WORLD, LEARNED HOW TO DO TICKETS. AND MY SISTER, SHE TWO YEARS UNDER ME, I'M 60 YEARS OLD, SHE GRADUATED MICHIGAN STATE CU LAUDE. SHE SPEAK FOUR DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, 20 YEARS IN AIR FORCE. MY OLDER BROTHER AFTER FORCE. IT'S JUST THE, THE TIME Y'ALL GIVE ME IS NOT ENOUGH TIME. AND IF YOU GIMME SOME TIME, COME SEE ME OR SOMETHING AT MY APARTMENT, ME AND MY WIFE STAY, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED AND I JUST NEED SOME HELP BECAUSE I, IT'S LIKE Y'ALL PUSHING ASIDE, I AIN'T GOT TOO MUCH TIME TO REALLY TALK TO YOU, BUT IF SOMEBODY HAD THE TIME TO REALLY LISTEN AND THAT REALLY CARE, I'M ABOUT TO BE EVICTED. YOU KNOW? I AIN'T GOT YOU LIVE IN. I NEED SOMEBODY TO HELP ME OUT HERE. I NEED SOMEBODY TO COME TO MY APARTMENT. HERE GO MY CARD. OKAY. THANK YOU. WHO Y COME TO MY APARTMENT AND SEE MY GOLIAS OUTTA THIS WORLD AND MY LOVELY WIFE BACK HERE. THAT'S, SHE HAD BRAIN SURGERY. SHE LEGALLY BLIND. AND MR. HOWARD AT THE BEACON. MR. HOWARD, CAN Y'ALL PLEASE SEND MR. HOWARD TO ME? 'CAUSE MR. HOWARD, HE REALLY ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU YOUR HONOR. REVA PAGE? YES. HELLO, I'M, UH, SISTER QUEEN REVA PAGE. I WAS HERE LAST WEEK AND UM, I'M HERE TO SAY THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND TO THE STAFF OF, UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. MS. JUAN AND MR. NICHOLAS. I THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, MY ISSUES WAS ADDRESSED. I AM HOUSED IN ONE OF THE CITY PROPERTIES. UH, SOMEONE CONTACTED ME. I WILL BE LOOKING AT THREE PROPERTIES TO MOVE IN AND THEY WILL BE PAYING MY DEPOSIT AND, UM, THREE MONTHS OF MY RENT. AND AFTER THAT I PAID 30% RENT. SO I'M HERE TO SAY THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR ADDRESSING MY ISSUE. THANK YOU. NEXT, LINDA HAR. HELLO. UH, WHEN YOU CALL THE POLICE, YOU SHOULD FEEL SAFER, NOT TERRIFIED. MY NAME IS LINDA. I LIVE IN THIS CITY. I'M HERE TO SAY LOUD AND CLEAR. HPD SHOULD NOT BE WORKING WITH ICE. NOT NOW, NOT EVER. WHEN POLICE ACT LIKE IMMIGRATION AGENTS, PEOPLE STOP CALLING FOR HELP. VICTIMS STAY SILENT. WITNESSES DISAPPEAR. THAT'S NOT SAFETY, THAT'S FEAR. AND FEAR IS THE ENEMY OF PUBLIC SAFETY. LET'S BE HONEST. ICE HAS A HISTORY OF RACIAL PROFILING AND TEARING FAMILIES APART. THAT'S NOT JUSTICE, THAT'S TRAUMA. AND WHEN HPD GETS INVOLVED IN THAT, IT LOSES TRUST FROM THE VERY COMMUNITIES IT HAS SWORN TO PROTECT. UTEN IS BUILT ON DIVERSITY. WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN CALLING FOR HELP AND RISKING DEPORTATION. SO I'M ASKING YOU FROM THE HEART IN THIS COLLABORATION, LET HPD WHAT BE WHAT IT WAS MEANT TO BE A PROTECTOR. YEAH. NOT A PARTNER IN FEAR. THANK YOU ADAM LNO, DOY TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER RIVERA. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS. I WANNA START WITH A QUESTION. HOW DO WE MEASURE A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD? DO WE MEASURE IT BY QUIETNESS, GREENERY SIZE? PERHAPS IF WE LOOK INSIDE, WE'LL SEE FULL FRIDGES, HAPPY CHILDREN, AND STRESS-FREE PARENTS CARING FOR THEM. SPARING NO OUNCE OF LOVE OR DILIGENCE. IT WOULD NOT MATTER WHERE THESE PEOPLE CAME FROM OR FOR WHEREVER THEY CAME FROM. MUST HAVE INSTILLED THE THE VALUES OF A BEAUTIFUL HUMANITY INTO THEM. WE SHOULD BE PROUD TO BE A PLACE IN WHICH YOU RECEIVE THEIR TALENTS AND THEIR COMPLEXITIES, AND YET WE REWARD THEM WITH FEAR. ICE MAY SAY THEY'RE ONLY DETAINING THOSE WHO ARE THREATS, BUT WE WATCH EVERY DAY IS DOZENS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE TAKEN BY ICE WITH ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY AS WHERE THEY END UP. IS THIS THE ATMOSPHERE YOU [01:20:01] WANT COUNCIL MEMBERS TO FOSTER IN OUR CITY? ONE OF FEAR WHERE CITIZENS MUST SUBMIT OR THEIR FAMILIES ARE TORN APART, WHERE AT THE BEHEST OF ANY RANDOM COP, TEACHER, OR DOCTOR, THEIR DREAMS OF PROSPERITY WILL END. I CALL ON YOU TO END THE CITY'S COLLABORATION WITH ICE. CANCEL ALL CONTRACTS AND FUNDING DIRECTED TO THEM, AND WARRANT CHECKING DURING TRAFFIC STOPS, DEDICATE RESOURCES TO DEFENSE OF IMMIGRANTS. ACCEPTANCE OF THE HARRIS COUNTY ENHANCED LIBRARY CARD IS LEGITIMATE ID, LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR IMMIGRANTS AND TRANSPARENCY FOR ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS COLLABORATING WITH ICE. LASTLY, I CALL ON OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SEE THE HUMANITY WITHIN THEMSELVES TO INITIATE THESE ACTIONS. I CALL ON YOU TO SEE THE BEAUTY THAT OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY GIVE TO OUR CITY. DO NOT LET THE INANE CRUELTY OF THIS ADMINISTRATION FLATTEN OUR CITY AND FOR ICE TO TAKE AWAY THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE IT SHINE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ OF THE PROCEDURAL MOTION COUNCIL RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. PROCEDURAL MOTION. PROCEDURAL MOTION. SPIN THE RULES TO ADD RICARDO MARTINEZ. NEXT. SECOND. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. OPPOSED? OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. HELLO. HELLO. GREAT. UH, THANKS. MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER RIVERA. I'M WITH THE TEXTILE RIGHTS PROJECT. I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT HOUSTON LEADS AND ASK THAT HPD NO LONGER COLLABORATE WITH ICE. THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE HAS SAID THAT THE MAJORITY OF, UH, CALLS THAT STEM FROM, OR THE MAJORITY OF THE CALLS TO ICE STEM FROM NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS, MEANING INDIVIDUALS WERE STOPPED FOR EITHER A BUSTED TAIL, LIGHT CRACKED WINDOW, UH, WINDSHIELD OR EXPIRED REGISTRATION. THEN THE POLICE OFFICERS CALL ICE AND BEGAN THE DEPORT DEPORTATION PROCESS FROM 2022 TO 2024 HPD CALLED ICE. 19 TIMES THIS YEAR, THAT NUMBER TRIPLED TO OVER 58 CALLS WITH THE MAJORITY CALLS ORIGINATING FROM TRAFFIC STOPS. SINCE 2002, THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 2,600 IMMIGRANT DRIVERS WHO HAVE BEEN DEPORTED DUE TO NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS. HBD HAS A HISTORY OF COLLABORATING WITH ICE AND WE ARE HERE TO SAY WE HAD ENOUGH. FORTUNATELY, THERE'S A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. WE NEED TO PASS AN ORDINANCE THAT MAKES BUSTED TAIL TAILLIGHTS OR CRACKED WINDSHIELDS, A SECONDARY VIOLATION. THIS WOULD STOP POLICE FROM TARGETING BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES FOR MINOR INFRACTIONS AND HALTING A MAJORITY OF DEPORTATIONS FROM BEING, UH, FACILITATED BY HPD. ANOTHER WAY TO END THIS IS BY CANCELING ALL EXISTING CONTRACTS BETWEEN HBD AND THE CITY AND ICE. WHATEVER RESOURCES ARE BEING ALLOCATED TO ICE SHOULD BE REDIRECTED TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. ANOTHER WAY TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE IS FOR HPD TO NOT CALL ICE IN THESE SITUATIONS. PLEASE STOP TEARING FAMILIES APART OVER CRACK WINDSHIELDS OR EXPIRED REGISTRATIONS. WE CAN DO BETTER BY MAKING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER WITHOUT BREAKING FAMILIES APART OVER NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS AND THE HPD ICE COLLABORATION AND LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU RICARDO MARTINEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY RTO COVY. GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS RICARDO MARTINEZ AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GROWING UP IN THE SOUTHEAST OF HOUSTON. SO WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT I WAS SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY TO IMPROVE OUR CITY. IT ALSO MEANS THAT I WAS SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHOSE LIVELIHOODS WERE THREATENED BY THE FEAR OF DEPORTATION AND SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGED. I AM NOW AN EDUCATOR, AN ELA MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER, AND FOR THE SECOND PART OF MY FIRST YEAR, I STARTED HEARING AND WITNESSING MY STUDENTS' FEAR FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND THEMSELVES. AND IF YOU THINK ICE AND HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE IS NOT HAVING REAL LIFE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES, THEN I INVITE YOU INTO MY CLASSROOM. LISTEN TO THE CHILDREN WHO SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON ESSAY WRITING OR SPELLING, BUT INSTEAD MURMUR ABOUT THE NEWS. LOOK AT THEIR ATTENDANCE. SEE HOW IT DROPPED AFTER NEWS BROKE OUT ABOUT MASS DEPORTATIONS. OR TO BE SPECIFIC HOW HPD COLONIZED FOR A CRASH REPORT, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. I WANT TO THANK YOU AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU DO HAVE THE POWER TO DO SOMETHING. YOUR HANDS ARE NOT TIED AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT THING IS. THANK YOU, SIR. I'M SORRY. I HAD A GUYS, THE CLAPPING ENABLES US TO NOT BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE SPEAKERS, SO I HAD A QUESTION FOR HIM SINCE HE IS ALREADY SITTING. I'LL HAVE MY STAFF REACH OUT. NEXT SPEAKER, THE REAL STORY, COVY NEXT [01:25:02] EFFIE PADILLA TO BE FOLLOWED BY MONIQUE JACKSON. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR. MY NAME IS, UH, STEPHANIE PADILLA AND I'M THE PROUD CO-FOUNDER, CO CO-FOUNDER OF IYT IMMIGRATING YOUTH TEXAS AND A MOTHER OF THREE. I'M HERE TODAY TO DEMAND AN IMMEDIATE END OF HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE. THIS PARTNERSHIP IS NOT ABOUT SAFETY, IT'S ABOUT FEAR. SINCE THIS COLLABORATION BEGAN, 9 1 1 CALLS FROM IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE DROPPED OVER 20%. THAT MEANS VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STAY SILENT. CHILDREN WITNESSING ABUSE ARE LEFT UNPROTECTED. FAMILIES ARE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP LEADING BECAUSE IT COULD LEAD TO DEPORTATION. UH, RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WHEN LOCAL POLICE ACT AS AN IMMIGRATION AGENT, TRUST IN LAW ENFORCEMENT PLUMMETS, WE ARE NOT SAFER. WE ARE SILENCING THOSE IN NEED. MEANWHILE, OUR CHILDREN ARE PAYING THE PRICE, CARRYING FEAR IN THEIR BACKPACKS, IN THEIR DRAWINGS, AND THE FLINCH IS CAUSED BY EVERY SINGLE SIREN THAT PASSES. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT OFFICERS ARE FORCED INTO IMPOSSIBLE MORAL CHOICES BETWEEN DUTY, DIGNITY, PROTECTION, AND BEREAL. THAT IS NOT PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT IS A FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP. YOU ASKED US TO PROTEST PEACEFULLY NUMEROUS TIMES, AND WE HAVE DONE SO. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED SPECIFICALLY BY YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. I'M MONIQUE JACKSON AND I AM A MEMBER OF PEER JUSTICE. I AM HERE FROM THE HUMBLE AREA, UH, AND I AM SPEAKING ON THE COLLABORATION ALSO IN REFERENCE TO HBD, UH, AND ICE. UH, WE LIVE IN A GREAT CITY. WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MOVE TO THE CITY, UH, EVERY MONTH. WE ARE A VERY DIVERSE CITY AND WE LOVE THIS CITY. AND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE IS FOR YOU ALL TO STOP THE COLLABORATION. DESPITE CLAIMS THAT THE MAYOR AND H-S-H-B-D DO NOT HAVE ANY COLLABORATION WITH ICE, THE RAIDS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WE NOTICE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING. ICE IS SET TO RECEIVE $75 BILLION OF ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR MASS RAIDS AND DEPORTATION CAMPAIGNS, AND WE DO NOT WANT THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO BE A PART OF THIS. UM, ACCORDING TO THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE ICE IS ALSO SPECIFIC. UH, INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN RISEN, UH, DRAMATICALLY GOING FROM ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR TO 58 REPORTED CALLS THIS YEAR. WHAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING OUR INTENTION ON IS BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR COMMUNITY BETTER HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, THANK YOU. AND THINGS THAT HELP OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU NICOLE EARL TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ. GOOD AFTERNOON. WE NOW LIVE IN A TIME WHERE OUR FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT ALL PEOPLE HERE IN THIS NATION. I DO NOT CONDONE PEOPLE BEING ANYWHERE ILLEGALLY, BUT THE SOLUTION SHOULD NOT BE TO TARGET PEOPLE IMPOSE FEAR AND RACIAL TACTICS TO GET THEM TO MOVE OUT. THAT IS NOT HOW OUR NATION IS DESIGNED TO OPERATE. THIS IS THE SAME THING THAT WAS DONE TO THE SLAVES WHEN THEY RAN AWAY, EXCEPT THEY WERE TAKEN BACK TO THEIR ABUSIVE SLAVE MASTERS. TO HAVE MEN DRESSED IN FACE COVERINGS IS NO BETTER, IF NOT THE SAME AS THE KU KLUX KLAN. THIS IS NOT THE DIRECTION OUR CITY SHOULD BE GOING IN. THE DAYS ARE LONG GONE IN THE PAST THAT ONE THAT WE SHOULD NOT EVEN BE HERE AGAIN TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR. TAKE A MINUTE AND THINK, NO, TAKE FIVE MINUTES AND THINK ABOUT HOW OUR FOREFATHERS CONQUERED THIS LAND. IT WAS NOT DONE FAIRLY, NOR WAS IT DONE LEGALLY. IF IT WOULD BE DONE TODAY, IT WOULD NOT BE PEOPLE OF COLOR BEING DETAINED, LOCKED UP AND TAKEN AWAY TO A COUNTRY THAT IS FOREIGN TO THEM, ESPECIALLY SINCE OUR PRESIDENT IS PAYING COUNTRIES TO IMPOSE TO IMPRISON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO HAS NOT HAD THEIR DUE PROCESS, WHICH IS THEIR GUARANTEE BY THEIR CONSTITUTION. IN CLOSING, AND IT'S TIME FOR THE QUIET PARTS TO BE SAID OUT LOUD. THANK YOU. HEY, COUNSEL. THANK YOU. UM, I REALLY WANNA JUST TAKE THE MOMENT JUST TO START. UH, MY NAME'S ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ. I'M A AN EMPLOYEE OF PEOPLE'S COUNCIL AND ALSO A MEMBER OF RISE HOUSTON. I'VE BEEN HERE AT MANY DIFFERENT TIMES TO SPEAK ABOUT OUR DEMANDS TO END NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS AND, AND TO ENSURE THAT HPD DOESN'T GET ONE MORE DOLLAR BECAUSE WE'LL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT MONEY OUT. BUT TODAY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE. THERE'S NOTHING [01:30:01] I CAN SAY THAT'LL BE ANY DIFFERENT OR MORE SPECIAL THAN ANYTHING. PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY COME UP HERE AND DEMANDED. BUT I WANT TO ASK AND TAKE A MOMENT. I CAN'T GIVE PEOPLE ON THIS COUNCIL OR PEOPLE IN THIS CITY THAT LOOK DOWN ON IMMIGRANTS, THE EMPATHY TO THAT MAKES THEIR HEARTBREAK WHEN THEY SEE A MOTHER TAKEN AWAY FROM HEROLD CHILDREN. I CAN'T DO THAT. I I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HERE SPEAKING CAN DO THAT, BUT I CAN ASK THAT THIS CITY BE A REPRESENTATIVE OF ITS PEOPLE AND SERVE AS A PROTECTIVE FORCE AND NOT AN ENABLING FORCE TO THE VIOLENCE HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. WE DO NOT NEED TO BE THE LAP DOGS OF DONALD TRUMP OF THE REPUBLICANS, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY ALLOWING HPD, WHICH IS FUNDED AND BOUGHT AND PAID FOR BY THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. ISAIAH LOPEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARIE PUSAN. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M HERE TO RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT HPDS BUDGET, WHICH INCREASINGLY DOMINATES OUR USE OF TAX DOLLARS AND HAS BALLOONED TO 1.1 BILLION A YEAR AS PUBLIC SERVICES ARE GUTTED AMONGST MANY THINGS. HPD FUNDING PAYS FOR THINGS LIKE AN UNREGULATED SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM CALLED FLOCK, WHICH GIVES HPD UNFETTERED UNFETTERED ACCESS TO OUR MOVEMENTS WITH ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY. LATELY, HPDS FUNDING AND INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN AT THE DISPOSAL OF ICE, WHICH HAS BEEN TERRORIZING FAMILIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN RECENT MONTHS, HOUSTON POLICE HAVE CAUGHT ICE ON SOMEONE REPORTING A CAR WRECK AND A WOMAN REPORTING DOMESTIC ABUSE. HOW DOES IT, HOW DOES THIS MAKE OUR CITY SAFER? IN A CITY WITH OVER 500,000 UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS, IT SEEMS IT'LL ONLY AMOUNT TO LESS PEOPLE REPORTING DANGEROUS SITUATIONS AND ABUSE. IS THIS THE KIND OF CITY WE WANT TO LIVE IN? I URGE ALL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PROTECT HOUSTON'S FAMILIES AND END HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE. THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER VISION OF HOUSTON THAN THIS MARIE PUSAN MEMBER OF PURE JUSTICE HERE AGAIN, OPPOSED TO USING HPD FOR NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS. I'M A RETIRED GRADE SCHOOL TEACHER CONSTITUENT IN DISTRICT C. I DON'T ASSOCIATE SAFETY WITH ICE BECAUSE WE'VE RECENTLY SEEN IT NO LONGER OFFERS DUE PROCESS WITH AGENTS ARRIVING, MASKED IN UNMARKED CARS, DETAINING AND REMOVING WORKING FOLKS, PEOPLE WITH KIDS ATTENDING OUR SCHOOLS LAW ABIDING MEMBERS AT OUR CHURCHES WHO LIVE IN FEAR EVEN IF THEY HOLD WORK. VISAS. MY COLLEAGUES STILL IN ALDEN AND HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT CLASSROOMS HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO FEAR THAT PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS WILL BE TAKEN BY ICE. DON'T LET HPD BE COMPLICIT. BARRETT KROLL TO BE FOLLOWED BY NICHOLAS JUAN. HI, COUNSEL. UM, I'M A HOUSTON TRANSPLANT. I'M, I'VE LIVED HERE FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS. UH, MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT THIS CITY IS, UM, IT'S, UH, IT'S GREAT DIVERSITY. UM, MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE LIVE HERE. UM, IT'S MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHERE I GREW UP. UH, WHAT MAKES ME LESS EXCITED, UH, TO BE HERE IS THE RECENT UPTICK IN HP D'S COLLABORATION WITH ICE. UM, IT TERRORIZES OUR COMMUNITY MAKES THEM LESS LIKELY TO REPEAT REPORT ACTUAL THREATS TO OUR COMMUNITY. LIKE THE POOR WOMEN WHO JUST WANTED TO BE SAFE FROM OUR ABUSER. UH, MANY PEOPLE HAVE CITED THAT ALREADY IN ORDER FOR H-P-T-H-P-D TO BE EFFECTIVE, THEY NEED TO BE TRUSTED BY OUR COMMUNITY. THEY WON'T BE IF THIS UNNEEDED COLLABORATION CONTINUES. WE NEED THEM TO FOCUS ON PROTECTING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND THEY NEED TO PUT A STOP TO, UH, PROACTIVE COLLABORATION AND AGREEMENTS BETWEEN HPD AND ICE. UM, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE THEM CALL ICE AT ALL. AND I THINK SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS TO ENSURE THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY, HOUSTON COMMUNITY BE A COMMUNITY. THANK YOU NICHOLAS. JUAN, JASMINE EZ TO ANN. WHEN JASMINE COMING. SOMEONE'S COMING. [01:35:07] HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M HERE TO CALL OUT THE COLLABORATION WITH HOUSTON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ICE. THIS COLLABORATION, AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, IS NOT COMMUNITY SAFETY. THIS IS NOT PROTECTION. THIS COLLABORATION BREEDS MISTRUST BETWEEN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND OUR COMMUNITY. IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ALREADY LESS LIKELY TO REPORT CRIMES AND LESS LIKELY TO ASK FOR HELP BECAUSE OF FEAR OF UNCERTAINTY OR DEPORTATION. I'M HERE DEMANDING THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROTECT OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY THROUGH DATA TRANSPARENCY. WE NEED TO KNOW HOW OFTEN AND WHEN ICE IS WORKING WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE SHOULD NOT BE FINDING OUT THROUGH JOURNALISTS IF WE HAVE AS CONSTITUENTS AND AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR MEETINGS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, UH, FOR TRANSPARENCY. AND WE, WE ARE ALSO DEMANDING THAT A RESO RESOLUTION BE PASSED CONDEMNING AVELO AIRLINES FOR CONTRACTING WITH ICE AS HOUSTONIANS. WE WILL NOT STAND FOR THE POLICING OF OUR COMMUNITIES OR THE IMPRISONMENT AND DEPORTATION OF OUR PEOPLE. AND IF WE CONTINUE TO ALLOW AVELO AIRLINES HEADQUARTERS TO OPERATE WITHOUT A ACCOUNTABILITY TO OUR COMMUNITY, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. WHAT MESSAGE IS HOUSTON SUNDAY PASS A RESOLUTION TO CONDEMN THE VELO AIRLINES AND STOP THE COLLABORATION WITH H PB AND ICE. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS DAWN WYNN. UM, I'M ALSO AN EDUCATOR IN ALE. MY COUNCIL MEMBER'S NOT HERE, BUT SHE'S DONE GREAT WORK AROUND THIS ISSUE, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE DONE. I WON'T TALK ABOUT THE EFFECTS ON MY STUDENTS. I THINK IT'S BEEN MADE CLEAR BY A COUPLE OF EDUCATORS ALREADY. I'M ALSO AN ORGANIZER WITH THE HOUSTON DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA. WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO DAY LABORERS AND OTHER IMMIGRANTS, OTHER UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEY'VE EXPRESSED THE CONCERNS THAT THEY'VE HAD. DAY LABORERS ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND WORK. THEY'RE FACING INCREASED HATRED BECAUSE OF THE HATRED SPAWNED BY OUR MAYOR, OUR GOVERNOR, AND ALSO OUR PRESIDENT. THEIR WIVES ARE NOT BEING PAID THEIR WAGES AND THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO FIGHT BACK BECAUSE OF THE THREAT OF DEPORTATION. THEY'RE ALSO UNDOCUMENTED. PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO GO TO COURT AND OF COURSE, IF THEY DON'T GET TO GO TO COURT, THEY'LL BE DEPORTED. WHENEVER WE BRING THESE ISSUES UP TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHETHER BY EMAIL, BY TEXT, BY CALL, IN PERSON, THE RESPONSES ARE ALWAYS, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT. HERE ARE MY QUESTIONS. HERE'S A MEETING. THE TIME FOR A MEETING AND FOR QUESTIONS WAS A YEAR AGO WHEN THIS FASCIST ENTERED POWER. THE TIME FOR ACTION IS TODAY. YOU KNOW WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES OF THIS CITY ARE. YOU ARE THE ONES WITH LAWYERS WITH SIX FIGURE SALARIES. WE ARE NOT. IT'S TIME TO STAND UP AND FIGHT BACK. HALEY ROGERS TO BE FOLLOWED BY JEROME WALD. HELLO, MY NAME IS HALEY ROGERS AND I AM HERE TODAY TO TESTIFY AGAINST HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE. AND FRANKLY, THE BO THIS BODY'S COMPLACENCY ON THAT MATTER. OUR COMMUNITIES ARE LEFT SAFE WHEN ICE IS PRESENT AND THERE ARE COUNTLESS STUDIES THAT SHOW WHEN LOCAL POLICE ASSUME THE ROLE OF ICE RESIDENTS FEAR SPEAKING OUT ON REAL CRIMINAL ACTIVITY HAPPENING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. IN JUNE, THE CHRONICLE REPORTED OF A LOCAL WOMAN CALLING POLICE TO REPORT HER ABUSER. SHE WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING SHE WAS DOING. WHAT WE ASK ALL ABUSE TO DO IS REPORT THEIR ABUSERS. AND WHAT DID ICE OR WHAT DID HPU DO? THEY CALLED ICE ON HER. THE FEAR THAT ICE IS STOKING IN OUR COMMUNITIES IS REAL. THEY'RE ABDUCTING PEOPLE IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. THEY ARE SHOWING UP TO WORKPLACES AND COMMUNITY CENTERS AND PUBLIC SPACES AND EVEN SCHOOLS. ICE HAS BEEN REPORTED DETAINING AMERICAN CITIZENS, BRUTALLY AND FORCEFULLY JUST BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN OR WHAT LANGUAGE THEY SPEAK. I URGE THIS BODY TO END ANY PREEMPTIVE APPROVAL OF HPD COLLABORATION WITH ICE AND FORMALLY DIRECT A DEPARTMENT TO PRIORITIZE PUBLIC SAFETY AND NOT DEPORTATIONS. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. JEROME WALD. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JEROME WALD AND I'M HERE AS A PART OF THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT. UH, IT'S MOBILIZING TODAY, UH, FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY AND WHAT WE MEAN BY COMMUNITY SAFETY IS NOT LETTING, UH, ICE AND HPD WORK TOGETHER TO ABDUCT PEOPLE OFF THE STREET, UH, AND BE SENT TO IN TURBINE CAMPS, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN. UH, LET'S NOT TURN HOUSTON INTO THE HOLOCAUST WE FOUGHT AGAINST IN THE 1930S. UM, MY GRANDFATHER IMMIGRATED FROM POLAND TO ESCAPE POGROMS IN EUROPE. LET'S NOT MAKE HIS EFFORTS BE WASTED BY A FASCIST REGIME IN THE UNITED STATES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [01:40:10] MINA VONG TO BE FOLLOWED BY LEDDY ORTEGO. HELLO, MY NAME IS MINA AND I'M A SHARPES PLAN RESIDENT. AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, JOHN WHITMEYER SAID THE CURRENT ICE RAID WERE FOR WARRANTED CRIMINAL AND VIOLENT OFFENDERS. HOWEVER, AS ICE BEGINS MASS DEPORTATIONS ACROSS TEXAS, INCLUDING HOUSTON, WE WITNESSED INNOCENT PEOPLE BEING BRUTALLY SEPARATED FROM THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. AND THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, YOUR GRANDPARENTS WHO IMMIGRATED HERE WITH NOTHING BUT THE CLOTHES ON THEIR BACK OR YOUR PARENTS WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR FAMILY. THESE PEOPLE MEAN EVERYTHING TO SOMEONE AND YOU'VE GIVEN ICE THE AUTHORITY TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEIR LIVES WERE MEANINGFUL. YOUR COLLABORATION WITH ICE IS A REINFORCEMENT OF RACIAL PROFILING, INFRINGEMENT OF RIGHTS, AND A VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION AS OPPOSED REPRESENTATIVES OF HOUSTON. DO YOU BELIEVE WE DESERVE TO HAVE EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES OBSERVED AND REGULATED? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU DECIDE THAT AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY SHOULD BE TARGETED, WE WON'T ALL BE AFFECTED? AND DO YOU BELIEVE NONE OF THIS WILL EVER CATCH UP TO YOU? WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT THIS? WE'LL, REMEMBER YOUR NAMES. HELLO, MY NAME IS LETTI ORTEGA AND I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT. BEFORE I GIVE MY TESTIMONY, I WANT TO CALL OUT THAT THIS IS THE SECOND TIME, UM, SOMEBODY DOWNSTAIRS SECURITY GUARD ANDREA THREATENS TO CALL THE COPS ON OUR MEMBERS. AND SO I JUST WANT TO CALL ATTENTION TO THIS AND ASK THAT YOU ALL LOOK INTO IT, THAT YOU LOOK INTO THAT MAYOR AND THAT YOU SPEAK WITH US ABOUT IT. UM, DOING SO DISCOURAGES THE COMMUNITY FROM PARTICIPATING AND ENACTING THEIR RIGHT TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU. UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO NOTE THAT THERE WERE MANY FOLKS WHO SIGNED UP TO REGISTER TO SPEAK TODAY BY PHONE OR EMAIL, AND THEY ARE NOT ON THE LIST. AND SO I ALSO LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO LOOK INTO THAT AND SPEAK TO US AND GIVE US THE PROPER RULES IF IT'S NOT THAT WAY. UM, AGAIN, MY NAME IS LET ORTEGA, I WAS RAISED IN SOUTHEAST HOUSTON. I CURRENTLY LIVE IN DISTRICT C AND I COME FROM A MIXED STATUS HOUSEHOLD. I ORGANIZED WITH TOP AND WITH THE HOUSTON LEADS COALITION. FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS, WE'VE REACHED OUT TO EVERY COUNCIL OFFICE TO SHARE REAL STORIES OF HOW HP'S COLLABORATION WITH ICE IS HARMING YOUR CONSTITUENTS. SOME OF YOU SAID NO OTHERS DIDN'T SHOW UP. SHAME ON YOU. BUT I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS RAMIREZ CAYMAN, POLLARD CASTILLO, AND ALCORN FOR ATTENDING A RECENT BRIEFING AND LISTENING WITH CARE. YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. HERE I HAVE A COPY OF THE DEMANDS FOR OUR CAMPAIGN THAT HAVE BEEN SIGNED FOR BY OVER A THOUSAND CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU. NEXT TERRY CHIN TO BE FOLLOWED BY TEODORO ALU. MY NAME IS TERRY CHEN AND I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH WOODY JUNTOS SERVING IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. THE POLICE MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES FEEL UNSAFE AND IT'S BECAUSE OF HPD THAT CALLED ICE NEARLY 60 TIMES IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS. THAT'S DISGUSTING AND WORST OF ALL, HPD HAS THE DISCRETION TO CALL ICE. SO IT WAS A CHOICE. Y'ALL HAVE ALLOWED HPD TO INSTILL TERROR IN FAMILIES AND LITTLE CHILDREN THAT DON'T WANNA GO TO SCHOOL AND ADULTS. THAT FEAR GOING TO WORK OR GOING GROCERY SHOPPING. AND FOR WHAT, WHAT IS THE POINT IN DOING THAT? I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE GETTING PULLED OVER BY HPD AND NOW I'M COMPELLED TO SLOW DOWN AND WATCH WHAT HAPPENS. I WANNA GET OUTTA MY CAR. SOMETIMES I DO TO ASK IF THE PERSON IS OKAY BECAUSE WE ARE AT THE POINT WHERE COMMUNITIES ARE HAVING TO, TO WATCH OVER THE BAD GUYS WITH BADGES. WHO ARE THE ONES TEARING FAMILIES APART? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU HAVE ALREADY VOTED TO DESTROY OUR BUDGET LAST MONTH TO INFLATE HPDS BUDGET. SO THE LEAST YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT FURTHER WASTE OF FUNDS IS TO STOP DOING UNNECESSARY HARMFUL IMMIGRATION TASKS. IT'S A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S CRUEL AND INHUMANE. THANK YOU. I'LL BE INTERPRETING FOR HIM. WE WANNA START. WE WANNA START THE GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MY NAME IS RO AND I WORK WITH THE ORGANIZATION CRESCENT FOR OVER 40 YEARS NOW DEFENDING OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AND ENACTING OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP THEM SAFE. [01:45:18] WE SPECIFICALLY WORK WITHIN DISTRICT J WHERE DOZENS OF FAMILIES WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROGRESS OF THIS CITY ARE CURRENTLY LIVING WITH FEAR, WITH TERROR BECAUSE OF THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ICE. AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE DEMANDING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, WHO REPRESENTS DISTRICT J, WHO REPRESENTS ALL OF THIS COMMUNITY, PUTS US AS A HIGH PRIORITY AND RECOGNIZES THE COLLABORATION HAPPENING BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND IMMIGRATION TO BE ABLE TO KEEP US SAFE. AND SO THAT HOUSTON SHINES AS WHO IT REALLY IS A PRO-IMMIGRANT CITY. HOUSTON, THE FIGHT LIFTS ON OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON. CARLOS MINEOLA. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS CARLOS MANOLA AND I'M A PROUD EDUCATOR. BACK TO SCHOOL. SEASON IS UPON US AND THE COMMUNITY IS WORKING HARD TO ENSURE THE CHILDREN ARE PREPARED TO COME BACK TO LEARN. PARENTS ARE TRYING TO GO OUT AND GET SCHOOL SUPPLIES, VISIT CAMPUSES, AND TALK TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EXTRA SUPPORT. I'M WORRIED THAT WE'LL SEE LESS PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IF HPD CONTINUES CALLING ICE DURING TRAFFIC STOPS. LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD STAY FOCUSED ON ACTUAL CRIMINAL MATTERS AND BUILDING TRUST OF THE COMMUNITY NOT WORKING WITH ICE. THE CITY OF HOUSTON MUST A CLEAR STAND TO STOP HPD FROM ENGAGING IN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. I URGE THE CITY OF HOUSTON LEADERS TO END ANY PREEMPTIVE APPROVAL OF HPD COLLABORATION WITH ICE AND FORMALLY DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT TO PRIORITIZE PUBLIC SAFETY, NOT DEPORTATIONS. THANK YOU. HELLO, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MATTEL DRE FROM EAST HOUSTON. IT'S SHOCKING TO ME THAT IT'S MY FIRST TIME STANDING UP HERE TODAY, BUT I AM FINALLY CONQUERING MY FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING A NORMAL, A NORMAL FEAR FEARING DETAINMENT BY FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES FOR SIMPLY STEPPING OUT THE DOOR, REPORTING A CAR CRASH OR CALLING 9 1 1 FOR A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DISPUTE. THAT IS NOT A NORMAL FEAR. AND YET MY LOVED ONES AND COMMUNITY FACE THIS FEAR EVERY DAY SINCE JANUARY. ACCORDING TO AN ARTICLE OF HOUSTON CHRONICLE, HPD HAS CALLED FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICERS AT LEAST 50 TIMES. THIS IS A WASTE OF OUR CITY'S TIME AND RESOURCES. THE STRESS AND FEAR THAT HAS HARBORED ACROSS FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES HAS MADE IT HARD TO GO TO WORK SUPPORT DAY-TO-DAY NEEDS AND BEING CAUTIONED TO AVOID WORK IN CER CERTAIN AREAS WITH HEAVY ICE ACTIVITY UP ULTIMATELY CAUSES LOSS OF NECESSARY INCOME LEADING, LEADING TO FINANCIAL INSTABILITY ACROSS MANY HOUSEHOLDS. YOU CLAIM TO INCREASE HPD FUNDING TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY WHILE PEOPLE IN MIXED STATUS HOMES NOW FEAR CALLING 9 1 1 DURING CRISIS SITUATIONS DUE TO AN ESCALATION THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. HOUSTON NEEDS TO PUT MORE EFFORT INTO BUILDING TRUST WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF ALL STATUSES. THANK YOU, MARIA . MARIA, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MARIA ELA AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE FIFTH WARD. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE MY COMMUNITY IS SUFFERING AFTER HURRICANE BARREL, MY HOUSE IS STILL DAMAGED. WE HAVE LEAKS, WE HAVE A DAMAGED ROOF, BROKEN WINDOWS, AND WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY HELP. [01:50:09] ES I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD FILLED WITH WORKING FAMILIES. A LOT OF THEM IMMIGRANTS, THEY ARE IN FEAR, NOT ONLY FROM STORMS, BUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER. PEOPLE ARE TOO AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT CALLING THE COPS MEANS A CALL TO ICE. THEY'RE AFRAID, THEY'RE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP OR TO EVEN STEP INSIDE CITY OFFICES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIREDS. HURRICANE SEASON JUST STARTED AND I AM WORRIED THAT IF ANOTHER STORM HITS, OUR PEOPLE WILL SUFFER IN SILENCE. WE DESERVE SAFETY AND SUPPORT NOT TO BE CRIMINALIZED. PLEASE. I AM ASKING THAT YOU STOP THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN HPD AND ICE. WE ALL DESERVE TO FEEL SAFE IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU. ARE YOU JASMINE? OH, WHEN YOU GROW UP MEXICAN, THE FEAR OF ICE IS WOVEN INTO EVERY PART OF OUR LIVES. AARON'S APPOINTMENTS AND A SIMPLE CONVERSATION BETWEEN A MOTHER AND A DAUGHTER BECOME A RISK. OUR SAFETY COMES SECOND TO OUR LATIN. WHEN YOU REDUCE US TO OUR IMMIGRATION STATUS, YOU ERASE OUR HUMANITY. THERE IS NO REGARD FOR THE PERSON WHO MADE THEIR TIES HERE. FOR THE PERSON WHO MAKES THE COMMUNITY BETTER THROUGH THEIR WORK, THEIR LAUGHS AND THEIR PRESENCE, WE CAN SEE FIRSTHAND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GOVERNMENTS DEHUMANIZE PEOPLE. PALESTINIANS ARE LIVING THROUGH A GENOCIDE IN A DELIBERATE STARVATION. AND WHILE MANY THINK THAT THAT'S NOT A LOCAL ISSUE, I'M TELLING YOU IT IS DEHUMANIZATION AFFECTS ALL OF US NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE IN THE WORLD. AND YOU CAN STOP THE DEHUMANIZATION OF HOUSTONIANS. NOW, I ASK YOU AS A LIFELONG HOUSTONIAN TO RECOGNIZE OUR HUMANITY AND TO REVISE HPDS POLICY AND END THE COLLABORATION WITH ICE. THANK YOU JACOB KALIA TO BE FOLLOWED BY MADELINE WILLERS. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, MY NAME IS JACOB KILEY. I'M A PERSON OF JEWISH DESCENT AND I'M DISTURBED BY HOW I SEE HISTORY ECHO INTO WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE IN HOUSTON TODAY. DURING THE HOLOCAUST, MANY OF THE PEOPLE TAKEN TO BE KILLED IN OCCUPIED TERRITORIES WERE IDENTIFIED FIRST BY THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BEFORE THEY STARTED BREAKING INTO PEOPLE'S HOMES, THEY BEGAN BY ERODING THEIR RIGHTS AND PERSONHOOD, DE NATURALIZATION AND FORCED DEPORTATION WERE POPULAR TACTICS THEN AS THEY ARE AGAIN NOW, PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED WHEN THEY SHOWED UP FOR COURT APPOINTMENTS. AND THE NAZIS CANNOT DO ALL OF THIS ALONE. THEY RELIED ON THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO BE COMPLICIT. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO KEEP THIS HISTORY IN MIND WHEN CONSIDERING THE EXTENT TO WHICH HBD COLLABORATES WITH FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WHO ARE INSTIGATING SIMILAR ACTIONS TODAY. AT A MINIMUM, YOU SHOULD NOT COOPERATE IN ANY WAY, NOT EXPLICITLY WRITTEN INTO LAW. IN REALITY, YOU SHOULD DO MUCH MORE AND REFUSE TO WORK WITH AGENCIES LIKE ICE ALTOGETHER. REMEMBER, FASCISM SUCCEEDS WHEN WE COMPLY IN ADVANCE. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MADELINE WILLERS. I BELIEVE OUR CITY'S LEADERS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CULTIVATE A CARING AND SAFE COMMUNITY FOR ALL. AND RIGHT NOW THAT IS NOT HAPPENING BECAUSE THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS COLLABORATING WITH ICE. [01:55:01] I SEE HOW THIS IS AFFECTING OUR CITY FIRSTHAND. AT MY JOB AT AN IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM, OUR CLIENTS ARE TERRIFIED BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S ESCALATION AGAINST IMMIGRANTS, WORKING PEOPLE, FAMILIES, MOTHERS, AND CHILDREN WHO CAN NO LONGER GO ABOUT THEIR LIVES. AS USUAL, FAMILIES ARE SCARED TO GO TO THE STORE, TO GO TO WORK, AND CHILDREN ARE SCARED TO GO TO SCHOOL WITH THE FEAR THAT WHEN THEY RETURN HOME, THEIR PARENTS WILL NO LONGER BE THERE. IMMIGRANTS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR STATUS, ARE PART OF OUR COMMUNITIES. AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS THE CHOICE TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES FROM THIS VIOLENCE AND TO PROTECT FAMILIES FROM BEING RIPPED APART BY SECRET UNDERCOVER ICE AGENTS. COLLABORATION WITH ICE NOT ONLY AFFECTS UNDOCUMENTED NEIGHBORS, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED AND COLLABORATION WITH ICE. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. ROBERTO PALACIOS. ROBERTO PALACIOS. NEXT SPEAKER VI FAM. VI FAM. V FAM. NEXT SPEAKER, SARAH SAYED. SARAH SAYED, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS BY NAME IS SARA. I SERVE AS THE POLICY MANAGER AT URI JUNTOS, A PART OF THE HOUSTON LEADS COALITION. WE ARE AN ASIAN LED IMMIGRANT JUSTICE ORGANIZATION SERVING MULTILINGUAL COMMUNITIES. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE ONGOING CONFIRMED COOPERATION OF ICE WITH POLICE. UH, WHAT IS AND THAT EXCEEDS WHAT IS REQUIRED UNDER TEXAS LAW. IT UNDERMINES PUBLIC TRUST AND MAKES OUR CITY LESS SAFE. YOU'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TODAY. UM, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ADDED MORE THAN 700,000 ICE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS INTO THE NCIC DATABASE. THESE WARRANTS ARE NOT CRIMINAL. THEY ARE CIVIL WARRANTS. THEY ARE NOT REVIEWED BY A JUDGE AND DO NOT AUTHORIZE LOCAL POLICE TO DETAIN ANYONE. BUT STILL, HPD HAS A POLICY TELLING OFFICERS TO CONTACT ICE WHENEVER THERE IS AN ICE HIT THAT APPEARS, WHETHER DURING A TRAFFIC STOP, A WELFARE CHECK, OR WHEN A PERSON IS UH, REPORTING A CRIME. THIS SETS A REALLY DANGEROUS PRECEDENT. RECENTLY, UM, AT THE GEORGE BUSH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, A PALESTINIAN MAN WAS HELD FOR NINE DAYS. NINE DAYS, WHICH IS UNPRECEDENTED IN THE UNITED STATES. HE DID NOT HAVE A CHANGE OF CLOTHES. HE DID NOT HAVE FOOD TO EAT. HE WAS IN A SINGULAR ROOM WITHOUT ANY ASSISTANCE WITH A VALID VISA. I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY TIME. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. COUNCIL CASTILLO, IF I CAN HAVE TIME EXTENDED TO ME TO MAKE SOME POLICY ASKS. MAYOR CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR AND SARA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND ALL THE WORK, UH, WOODY JUNTOS DOES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. IT IS VITAL. UM, I'LL GIVE YOU THE REST OF MY MINUTE TO WRAP UP YOUR THOUGHTS. OKAY. UM, I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE HPD AND THE PRACTICE OF CONTACTING ICE BASED ON CIVIL NCIC HITS. IMPLEMENT A TECHNOLOGY FIX TO PREVENT ICE CIVIL WARRANTS FROM APPEARING IN NCIC RESULTS SHOWN TO HPD OFFICERS EXCEPT THE HARRIS COUNTY ENHANCED LIBRARY CARD AS A VALID MUNICIPAL ID AND PAIR THE INCREASED HPD BUDGET WITH ACCOUNTABILITY, OVERSIGHT AND INVESTMENT INTO NON-POLICE ALTERNATIVES THAT TRULY MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS FEEL SAFER, ESPECIALLY FOR IMMIGRANTS, ESPECIALLY FOR SURVIVORS AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. COUNCILMAN AGAIN, EVERY TIME I, EVERY TIME I TRY TO. OKAY, THANK YOU. SO FIRST OFF, YOU MENTIONED NCIC AS THE SYSTEM, RIGHT? AND A STANDARD PROTOCOL, WHETHER IT'S ON IMMIGRATION OR NOT, THAT IS WHAT HPD IS A STANDARD SAFETY PRACTICE WILL DO. ARE Y'ALL SUGGESTING THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENT WAY TECHNOLOGICALLY TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAME THING FOR SAFETY AND WARRANT PURPOSES THAT DOES NOT, UM, INVOLVE WHAT ICE IS UPLOADED INTO NCIC? THAT'S CORRECT. I'M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR OFFICE. YEAH. IF YOU AND THE MEMBERS THAT WE'RE SPEAKING TO ABOUT THIS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE PASS THAT ALONG TO MY OFFICE. AND THEN MY QUESTION, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF EXCEPTIONAL AND EXTRAORDINARY IMMIGRANT, UM, RIGHTS, NOT ONLY ADVOCATES, BUT SERVICE NON-PROFITS, NONPROFITS IN HOUSTON. RIGHT? THIS IS WHAT MAKES HOUSTON SO EXCEPTIONAL. I'M LISTENING TO EVERYTHING THE COMMUNITY IS SAYING REGARDING THIS. I HAVE ONE QUESTION 'CAUSE WE'VE HAD SPEAKERS THAT HAVE COME FROM THE HEALTHCARE COMMUNITY AND HOSPITALS. WE'VE HAD SPEAKERS THAT ARE, UH, SPEAK ON BEHALF OF STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS. AND I HAVE ASKED THE QUESTION OF SOME ORGANIZATIONS, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY, UH, PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS TO TRAIN OUR EDUCATORS, WORKING WITH HOSPITALS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE POLICIES OF EVERY HEALTHCARE FACILITY IF ICE IS TRYING TO COME IN, IF ICE IS GOING TO A SCHOOL? AND IF YOU COULD ALSO PROVIDE MY OFFICE AND ME WITH THAT INFORMATION IN TERMS OF WHAT [02:00:01] OPPORTUNITIES THEY ARE. I HEAR THERE'S AN ASK OF THE CITY AS WELL MM-HMM . AND I DON'T WANNA DIMINISH THAT, BUT SINCE I HAVE YOU HERE, THAT'S AN ASK I HAVE PERSONALLY AS WELL. YEAH. HAPPY TO SHARE, UM, ALL OF THE COMMUNITY TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT THIS IS FALLING ONTO TO HELP SUPPORT COMMUNITIES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS BECAUSE SCHOOLS ARE THE FIRST PLACE THAT STUDENTS GET RESOURCES FROM IF THEY, THEY ARE UNDOCUMENTED OR THEY HAVE MIXED STATUS. UM, SAME THING FOR HOSPITALS. HAPPY TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU AND GET A COLLECTIVE, UH, RESOURCE, UH, THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH YOU THAT, UH, PROVIDES ALL OF THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ASSISTANCE. RIGHT. AND, BUT AGAIN, THE HOSPITALS THAT DO HAVE POLICIES IN PLACE TO PROTECT PATIENTS, SCHOOLS THAT ARE IMPLEMENTING PROTECTIONS FOR THEIR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO IS STEPPING UP AND WHO ISN'T HAPPY TO GET THAT INFORMATION OVER TO YOU. YEAH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, MA'AM. NEXT. SYLVIA OLIVA. UH, HI. MY NAME IS, AND I'M A MEMBER OF TOP AND I AM HERE, UH, TO SPEAK AGAINST THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN HPD AND ICE RIGHT NOW. UH, WE DON'T FEEL SAFE ON THE STREETS. WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS AND WE ARE SCARED. THERE IS A LOT OF, UM, SAFETY ON THE STREETS, WHETHER IT IS BAD OR GOOD PEOPLE. HOUSTON, WE DO NOT WANT EYES ON OUR STREETS. THANK YOU, GRACIA. THANK YOU LAURA GALLIER TO BE FOLLOWED BY KEVIN WATCHIN. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS LAURA GALLIER AND I'M WITH PEER JUSTICE. I'M OPPOSED TO HPD USING THE ICE WARRANT LIST TO DETAIN PEOPLE AT ANY TIME AND PARTICULARLY DURING CALLS FOR HELP AND TRAFFIC STOPS. IF YOU'RE RELYING ON SOME LEGAL AUTHORITY REQUIRING YOU TO DO THIS, PLEASE WILL YOU PLEASE EMAIL ME THAT LEGAL AUTHORITY? OTHERWISE, PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU'VE CHOSEN THIS USING LAW ENFORCEMENT TO SWEEP PEOPLE YOU FIND INCONVENIENT OFF THE STREETS. WHERE WILL IT END ON THE DAY I SEE THE POSSIBLE NEXT TARGETS RACIAL MINORITIES, L-G-B-T-Q, RELIGIOUS MINORITIES, WOMEN AND SENIORS LIKE ME. AND MAY I PUBLICLY EXPRESSED MY DISGUST THAT YOU VOTED TO INSTITUTIONALIZE UNHOUSED PEOPLE JUST BEFORE TRUMP'S SIMILAR EXECUTIVE ORDER. I ALSO ASK FOR $100 MILLION FOR HOME REPAIR. HELLO COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, MY NAME IS KEVIN HU CHIN. I ORGANIZE WITH THE, UH, WITH WORKERS DEFENSE. UH, WE'RE ALSO IN DISTRICT, UH, JAY, UH, IN SHARP TOWN. WHAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON? CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE. MORE, MORE DETENTION CENTERS ARE BEING BUILT WITH SHAMELESS NAMES LIKE AL ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ, AND PEOPLE ARE BEING DEPORTED TO COUNTRIES THAT THEY ARE NOT EVEN FROM. I GREW UP IN A SMALL TOWN IN GEORGIA, 15 MINUTES AWAY FROM A DETENTION CENTER KNOWN AS THE IRWIN COUNTY DETENTION CENTER, WHERE 30 WOMEN HAD FORCED HYSTERECTOMIES. MY FRIEND'S PARENTS WHO I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH WERE DETAINED AND DEPORTED FROM THERE. IT WASN'T NORMAL FOR ME THEN. AND THE MASS EXPANSION OF THE IMMIGRANT DEPORTATION SYSTEM IS NOT NORMAL TODAY. IMMIGRANT DETENTION CONTINUES TO BE ABSOLUTELY DANGEROUS AND NEGLIGENT FOR OUR PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH THE SYSTEM FROM 2017 TO 2021. AN ALARMING 52 PERSONS HAVE DIED IN THESE FOR-PROFIT FACILITIES. WHAT IS IN YOUR POWER CAN PROVIDE OUR PEOPLE WITH SAFETY IS ENSURING THAT THE ENHANCED LIBRARY CARD IS RECOGNIZED PRIMARILY AND STOPPING THE COLLABORATION. THANK YOU MARIA [02:05:01] HUERTA TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOCELYN VALDEZ WITH MAY. HELLO, UH, UH, TO ALL OF THE ESTEEMED COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MARIA ERTA, A LEADER AT, UH, WORKERS DEFENSE ACTION FUND, UH, WHICH BUILDS IMMIGRANT JUSTICE AND POWER WITH WORKERS. WE HAVE ALL HEARD OF THE REPORTS WHERE PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING HELP, UH, CALL THE POLICE AND ARE INSTEAD, UH, INSTEAD HAVE EYES CALLED ON THEM. WHEN THOSE PEOPLE SEEK HELP AND JUSTICE, CALLING FOR HELP INSTEAD TURNS INTO A NIGHTMARE. THE POLICE SHOULD DO THEIR WORK, BUT THEY DON'T EVEN DO THAT. WE CANNOT ACCEPT FOR POLICE TO TURN INTO ICE. WE ALL DESERVE LIBERTY AND DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO TRUST IN THE OFFICIALS WHO RESPOND TO OUR CHRIST FOR HELP INSTEAD OF SEPARATING OUR FAMILIES. I AM HERE TODAY TO TO SEEK JUSTICE AND TO DEMAND ACTION. FROM YOUR PART, YOU REPRESENT ALL OF THE RESIDENTS IN HOUSTON, UH, WITHOUT, UH, WITHOUT THEIR SKIN COLOR OR LANGUAGE MATTERING. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO STOP THE COLLABORATION WITH ICE ENFORCEMENT. THANK YOU. WITH, UH, PERMISSION. ANOTHER WORD, PLEASE. WE THANK YOU. PLEASE REMEMBER, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE FIRST IMMIGRANTS HERE WERE THE WHITE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY CROSSED THE ENTIRE OCEAN. THANK YOU, SIR. AND TO BE THANKFUL TO GOD BECAUSE THANKS TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND MEXICANS, YOU ARE IN THIS COUNTRY. THANK YOU. AND IF YOU DOUBT, THIS IS THE COIN OF MEXICO. THIS IS UNITED STATES OF MEXICO. I AM INDIGENOUS AND I HAVE MORE RIGHTS THAN WHITE PEOPLE. GOOD. HI, UH, MY NAME IS JOCELYN AND I'M THE HOUSTON IMMIGRATION. IMMIGRATION ORGANIZING WITH WORKERS DEFEND ACTION FUND WORKERS DEFEND IS A, A STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION BUILDING POWER. WE ENLIGHTEN WORKERS FOR IMMIGRANTS AND WORKERS JUSTICE WITH OVER 5,000 MEMBERS. AS AN ORGANIZING, I WORK CLOSELY WITH THE, WITH OUR COMMUNITY DAILY. I HEAR THEIR FEARS ABOUT NEEDING TO RE OUT TO THE POLICE EACH DAY. COUNTLESS FAMILY IS REFRAIN FROM CALLING FOR ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE FEAR THEY EXPERIENCED REGARDING THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS. THESE SILENCE CAN HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FROM UNSOLVED CRIMES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AGO, WHILE, WHILE I WAS HAVING LUNCH, A AMAN AMAN NEXT TO ME MADE A CALL DESCRIBING MY CLOTHING AND WHAT I WAS TALKING TO WITH ANOTHER FRIEND. UM, I FELL A WITH OF FEAR AS I WONDER WHO HE WAS TALKING TO. AND IT MADE ME THINK, IS HE CALLING ICE? WHICH MADE ME LEAVE TO MY SHOCK, HE FOLLOWED ME TO MY CAR. WHEN I COME FROM HIM, HE TRIED TO GRAB MY ARM. FORTUNATELY, OTHERS STEP IN AND HE DROP OFF. THIS IS A, THIS IS AN INSULATED INCIDENT. MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY FACE A SIMILAR HARASSMENT, BUT FREE CALLING THE POLICE. I NEVER IMAGINED I WILL BE A TARGET OF HARASSMENT SIMPLY BECAUSE OF MY MEXICAN ROOTS. THIS [02:10:01] MAN DIDN'T KNOW MY STATUS. HE HAS ASSUME WAS IN THE COMMUNITY BASED ON MY APPEARANCE. THIS IS WHY I'M HERE. REPRESENTATIVE MY COMMUNITY. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. ASKING THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO STOP, TO PROTECT IMMIGRANTS BY INSTRUCTING ALL AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS TO ASSIST THE HARRIS COUNTY IN CHAN LARE CAR AS A VALLEY PHOTO ID AND FOR THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO STOP COLLABORATING WITH ICE. THANK YOU. SERTA HARDY PATRICK BROWN TO BE FOLLOWED BY ERNEST COLTON. GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. I, UM, GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. I'M A LITTLE BIT, UH, I'M PREPARED, BUT I'M A LITTLE BIT UNPREPARED 'CAUSE I HAD A PROJECTION. THOUGHT I WAS GONNA BE USING A PROJECTOR OR SOMETHING. BUT E EITHER WAY, AT ANY, AT ANY EVENT, UM, I HAVE AN ANSWER FOR A HOMELESS PROBLEM HERE IN HOUSTON AND THE METROPLEX AS WELL. UM, MYSELF ALONE WITH, UH, A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS, WE DESIGN, UM, HOMES USING CONTAINERS AND TO PAY FOR THE ENERGY USES THE ELECTRICITY AND WATER. UH, WE USE SOME DIFFERENT, UH, DEVICES LIKE SOLAR PANELS, UH, WATER TURBINES, UH, WIND TURBINES, AND A COUPLE OF OTHER DIFFERENT THINGS. WORKFORCE, UH, THE WORKFORCE THAT I DEVISED WITH, TALKING WITH, UH, COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF INSTRUCTORS OR THE DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, 30 PLUS THROUGHOUT, UH, HARRIS COUNTY. UM, ALONG WITH BEING SUPERVISED BY DIFFERENT INSTRUCTORS AS WELL AS SOME OF THE DIFFERENT LOCAL UNIVERSITIES. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. I WILL SEND IT BY EMAIL. ERNEST CARLTON, DANNY ASBURY TO BE FOLLOWED BY MELISSA FIELDS. ALL RIGHT, I MAY NEED AN EXTRA MINUTE. JUST ONE MINUTE, . ALRIGHT, GREAT. LEADERSHIP IS A CHOICE, AND TODAY I'M HERE TO REMIND YOU OF WHAT THEIR CHOICE DEMANDS. THE SURVIVAL AND PROGRESS OF HOUSTON CANNOT BE HELD HOSTAGE BY DELAY, INDIFFERENCE, OR THE QUIET ARROGANCE OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE COMMUNITY VOICES DON'T MATTER. TODAY, WE MUST CHOOSE TRUTH OVER, OVER FAMILIARITY, IMPACT OVER COMFORT AND INNOVATION OVER SOME OVER THE SAME SAFE CIRCLES. SILENCE HAS A PRICE. AS WE WATCH THE AFTERMATH OF THE FLOODS, AGAIN, I URGE YOU TO REFLECT NOT ONLY WITH EMPATHY, BUT WITH ACCOUNTABILITY. THIS IS NOT NATURE'S FURY. THIS IS A RESULT OF SYSTEMIC FAILURE AND MISSED OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO PREPARE. I STAND HERE TODAY AS A WARNING, YES, BUT ALSO AS A SOLUTION. BEARER GATEKEEPING IS COSTING LIVES. ONE YEAR AGO, JUST AFTER HURRICANE BERYL, I PRESENTED A 12 STEP DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PLAN TO THE MAYOR AND ALL OF YOU HERE. IT WAS DESIGNED TO SAVE LIVES AND EMPOWER NEIGHBORHOODS, AND IT STILL SITS UNTOUCHED. INSTEAD OF ACTION, THE CITY CHOSE FAMILIARITY, HIRING ASSOCIATES, CANCELING SCHEDULE PRESENTATIONS I HAD AND IMP AND AMPLIFYING THE SAME VOICES I WOULD ASK FOR JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. COUNCILOR POLLARD, I WOULD ASK FOR JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. I'M SORRY. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. YOU CAN HAVE MY TIME. THANK YOU. THIS IS NOT RESILIENCE. THIS IS RECYCLING EVEN WORSE. THIS IS NOT OVERSIGHT. IT'S OBSTRUCTION IN ACTION IS DEATH. THIS IS NOT JUST A POLITICAL GRIEVANCE, IT'S A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. EVERY WEEK, THE PLAN IS IGNORED. OUR RESIDENTS REMAIN AT RISK. WE CANNOT KEEP PRAYING AFTER EACH FLOOD DISASTER. WE MUST PREPARE. THIS IS NOT ANOTHER PAPER PLAN. IT'S A FIELD TESTED MODEL BACKED BY PERSONAL MILITARY EXPERIENCE, DISASTER MANAGEMENT, INSIGHT AND COLLABORATIONS WITH NASA EXPERTS, POLICE, FIRE, AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. IT'S, IT ALSO INCLUDES TRAINING NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND PROPOSES UTILIZATION OF CITY OWNED PROPERTIES THAT COULD MAKE THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES GREAT. YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. LISTEN, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, I STAND HERE INVITING YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN THE REDEEM THE LIGHT.COM UH, CAMPAIGN. IT IS A SOLUTION THAT WAY ALL OF THE CITY, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN PARTICIPATE AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE HERE CAN PARTICIPATE. IT IS A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYONE. AND I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ALL MORE ABOUT THIS. WE NEED VISION, INNOVATION, AND PARTNERSHIP, AND WE NEED LEADERS WHO ARE BRAVE ENOUGH [02:15:01] TO ACT OR BRAVE ENOUGH TO STEP ASIDE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MELISSA FIELDS. I'M AN ATTORNEY LICENSED SINCE 1984 IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. I HAVE OWNED MY HOME AT FIVE 15 BIRDSALL STREET IN RICE MILITARY SINCE 2014. GRATEFULLY, MY HOME DID NOT FLOOD DURING HURRICANE HARVEY. BEGINNING ON JUNE 9TH, 2025. I HAVE FILED 5 3 1 1 CASES FOR A DRAINAGE PROBLEM AT AN OPEN DITCH AT THE BASE OF MY DRIVEWAY ON THE CITY EASEMENT. THIS DITCH FILLS RAPIDLY WITH THE WATERFALL OF STREET WATER AND DOES NOT DRAIN THE DITCH OVERFLOWS IN NO MORE THAN 20 MINUTES. THE WATER FLOODS MY PROPERTY. THERE ARE TWO CONDITIONS CAUSING THIS. THESE REQUIRE IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION. I REQUEST THE IMMEDIATE REMOVAL AT FOUR 19 BIRDSALL STREET AND 5 0 7 BIRDSALL STREET OF A NON PERMITTED ILLEGAL COVER OVER THE DRAINAGE DITCH ON CITY EASEMENT AS DIRECTED BY THE CITY INSPECTOR WHO RED TAGGED BOTH PROPERTIES ON JULY 18TH. ONCE THE BOARDS ARE REMOVED, PUBLIC WORKS CAN CLEAR THE DRAIN LINE. IN ADDITION, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE ENTER THIS INTO THE RECORD FOR A SUBMISSION TO COUNCILWOMAN KAMAN MS. FIELD. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU 30 SECONDS, UH, TO FINISH UP AND I HAD SOME UPDATES FOR YOU AS WELL. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. UM, I ALSO ENTERED A REQUEST TO CLEAR A DRAINAGE DITCH THAT'S TO THE NORTH OF ME. AND 3 1 1 HAS BASICALLY DENIED THAT. I'M TOLD THAT MY PROPERTY WILL CONTINUE TO FLOOD UNTIL THE ILLEGAL BOARDS ARE REMOVED. THERE IS A CLOG UNDER THE BOARDS AND PUBLIC WORKS COULD NOT ACCESS THE DITCH TO CLEAR THE CLOG. DUE TO THE ILLEGALLY INSTALLED BOARDS, THE OWNERS HAVE BEEN RED TAGGED. THEY HAVE NOTICE, AND I ALSO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE. I'M A WITNESS TO THAT FACT. I'M REQUESTING IMMEDIATE ACTION FROM THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. I'M TIRED OF DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE FOR TWO MONTHS. THANK TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. UH, THANK YOU MS. FIELDS. I BELIEVE SOMEONE DID SPEAK WITH YOU ON FRIDAY. THE MOST UPDATED INFORMATION I HAVE, UM, IS THAT PUBLIC WORKS IS GOING BACK OUT, UH, WITH THE CI, EXCUSE ME, THE CITY ENGINEER'S OFFICE TO REINVESTIGATE THE DITCH ENCROACHMENT ON THE 28TH. UM, SO, AND THAT WAS YESTERDAY THAT THEY DID THAT YESTERDAY. SORRY, MY DAYS HAVE ALL BLURRED TOGETHER. UM, REGARDING THE, THIS IS THE FIRST, I BELIEVE I'M HEARING OF THE DITCH ISSUE ACROSS THE STREET. I KNOW YOU HAD REPORTED THE ROTTING TREE, WHICH WE'RE ALSO LOOKING INTO. IF YOU COULD JUST FOLLOW BACK UP WITH OUR OFFICE, OUR, UM, OUR STAFF MEMBER WHO IS OUT. OKAY. SO YOU HAVE A WHOLE BINDER. EVERYTHING IS HERE. OKAY. IS THIS WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO SUBMIT THE BINDER FOR YOU? UM, WELL, YOU CAN LEAVE IT THERE. I'LL HAVE, I'LL HAVE STAFF COME AND GET IT. BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH OUR OFFICE. UH, THE MAYOR'S DEPARTMENTS ARE, UM, ON TOP OF IT AND WE, WE APPRECIATE THEIR TIMELY RESPONSE AND I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION AND THE CONCERN WITH FLOODING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NORA PIERCE TO BE FOLLOWED BY DAVID VIS, LEMME GET MY NOTES. HI, YES, SORRY. HI, UH, MY NAME IS NORA PIERCE. UM, I'M HERE BECAUSE I LOVE HOUSTON AND THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE IT UP. HOWEVER, EVERY INCH THE CITY GIVES TO THE CURRENT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION, IT WILL TAKE A MILE. IF THIS CURRENT INCH IS THE TRUST OF HOUSTONIANS WHO NEED TO REPORT CRIME TO THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE LIVES AND MOBILITY OF THOSE WHO MAKE THIS CITY RUN AND THRIVE, AND VITAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, COWORKERS, FRIENDS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND LOVED ONES, THEN I INVITE YOU TO IMAGINE WHAT THE MILE'S GOING TO BE. THE CITY OF HOUSTON MUST STAND UP FOR ITSELF AND INVEST IN LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR IMMIGRANTS, MAKE ICE AND HPD INTERACTIONS ACCESSIBLE AND TRANSPARENT TO ITS CONSTITUENTS AND END ALL EXISTING AGREEMENTS THAT PROACTIVELY DEDICATE CITY RESOURCES TO ICE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. DAVID RIVAS, RAY TAYLOR TO BE FOLLOWED BY KEVIN WILLIAMS. [02:20:14] UM, THIS WILL BE SHORT BECAUSE, UH, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, I THINK WE'VE RESOLVED. SORRY, EXCUSE ME. DO I NEED TO HI, MY NAME IS RAY TAYLOR AND, UH, THIS WILL BE SHORT BECAUSE I THINK THE PROBLEM THAT I CAME HERE WITH HAS BEEN RESOLVED SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. UM, I WANT TO THANK, UH, DAVID B AND EDWARD POLLARD AND HIS OFFICE, AND AS WELL AS PAUL YOUNG AND SAL RUGER, UH, WHO HAVE HELPED ME WITH MY PROBLEM WITH A LIGHTING LIGHT POLE THAT WAS PUT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY FRONT YARD. SO, UM, I WON'T BORE YOU WITH THE DETAILS. YOU'LL HAVE THE HARD COPY OF EVERYTHING I WAS GONNA SAY. UH, BUT, BUT AGAIN, MY, MY MESSAGE RIGHT NOW IS THANK YOU TO EDWARD POLLARD'S OFFICE FOR, FOR STRAIGHTENING THIS PROBLEM OUT. SO I'LL JUST SAVE EVERYONE THEIR TIME AND, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND UH, RAY, THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. I APOLOGIZE THAT IT TOOK, UM, HAVING TO COME ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE AND, UH, THE TIME AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR DAILY ROUTINE. NO, I APPRECIATE IT. THIS HAS BEEN EDUCATIONAL FOR ME TOO. BUT, UH, YEAH, YOU, YOU GOT TO, UH, WITNESS AN EVENTFUL SESSION AND I'M GLAD, UH, THAT MY OFFICE WAS ABLE TO ASSIST YOU. PLEASE STAY IN TOUCH WITH US IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY, BYE-BYE. KELVIN WILLIAMS, SHELTON MODELIST. BERNADETTE, KIKI TO BE FOLLOWED BY LY MONTOYA, RIVAS LORD, UH, BLESSED BE YOUR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, I AM MATCH BISHOP BONARD KIKI AND I AM A VERY, VERY CONCERNED CITIZEN. OF HOUSTON. THE LORD YAHWEH HAS SENT ME AGAIN TO REMIND US AS LEADERS IN HOUSTON, TO OBEY JEHOVA YAHWEH BECAUSE HE HAS COMMANDED FOR HISTONIA ALL EXAMS, ALL AMERICA, TO HOLD A NATIONAL DAY OF REPENTANCE. THAT IS WHAT WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE IN HOUSTON AND ALL OF AMERICA TODAY. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH IS COMING. AND I'M ON RECORD TELLING YOU THE MESSIAH IS COMING. THAT HIS PROPHET ELIJAH, IN THE PERSON OF DR. DAVID OWO HAS COMMANDED THAT AMERICA SHOULD VOTE. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED AS ONE MAN, DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, HE WHO HISPANIC, WHOEVER, MUST COME TOGETHER AND REPENT BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE SINNED AND GOD IS CALLING US BACK TO RECONCILE WITH HIM. THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF AMERICA IS NOT WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE. AND AS A, AS LEADERS, THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT. NOT ABOUT, NOT ABOUT, NOT ABOUT ICE, BUT ABOUT THE COMING OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD, AND OUR BLESSED SAVIOR. THANK YOU. LET SHOW YOU SOMETHING HERE. AN EARTHQUAKE HAS BEEN PROPHESIED TO COME TO WASHINGTON, DC WILL BRING DOWN THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT, BRING DOWN THE CAPITOL HILL, BRING DOWN THE WASHINGTON CATHEDRA, AND THE WHITE HOUSE BASEMENT WILL BE FLOODED IF WE DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT IS WRITTEN HERE. AND I I WILL ALSO EMAIL IT TO ALL OF YOUR THANK YOU EMAIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU MAYOR. MAYOR. I'M 64 YEARS OLD. I WILL NOT GO TO HEALTH AND HOUSTON WILL NOT GO TO HEALTH. TEXAS WILL NOT GO TO HELL. AMERICA WILL NOT GO TO HEALTH. IT IS TIME FOR US TO UNITE AND HAVE A NATIONAL DAY OF REPENTANCE. THANK YOU. YOU. SO YOU LY MONTOYA RIVAS. CAN'T ARGUE WITH THAT. TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARISSA BOSLEY. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, MAYOR MEYER. UH, MOST RECENTLY THE AIRPORT SYSTEM CALLED ME BECAUSE THEY SAY I'M HIDING. I HAVEN'T BEEN HIDING. I SIMPLY, [02:25:01] AFTER I GOT FIRED, I DON'T WANNA ADDRESS YOU. I THINK IT'S A PERSONAL PROBLEM YOU MIGHT HAVE WITH MR. UH, OSVALDO OR MRS. UH, WELL, LUPE FERNANDEZ OR MAYBE STEVE TROOPER. UM, I REMIND YOU, I'M A US CITIZEN. I HAVE A LICENSE TO CARRY. I DIDN'T BUY IN THE FLEA MARKET AND I HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE. I'M AWARE OF THE SITUATION. SO I THINK, I DON'T THINK I OWE YOU AN APOLOGY, SIR. I THINK YOU OWE THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY WHO, WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME LEGALLY, WHO HAVEN'T FINGERPRINTED, WHO HAVE SERVED, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHO HAS SERVED IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AN APOLOGY. I DIDN'T OFFEND YOU. YOU DECIDED TO FIRE ME. AND THAT AFFECTED ME ALSO WITH THIS, UH, AIRPORT SYSTEM. I'M NOT A CRIMINAL. WHATEVER HAPPENED IN THE PAST IS IN THE PAST IT WAS A MISDEMEANOR. AND A MISDEMEANOR IS NOT A FELONY. I'M CLEAN. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL PROBLEM. I WILL APPRECIATE YOU A STOP. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. MARISSA BOSLEY. HI EVERYONE. I'M MARISSA BOSLEY, BUT I GO BY RINGO. I REPRESENTED OVER 200 MIGRANTS WHO ARE CHARGED WITH TRESPASSING UNDER OPERATION LONE STAR, SIMPLY FOR ENTERING OUR COUNTRY. I'M AN ATTORNEY. NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM WAS FOUND WITH WEAPONS OR DRUGS. THIS IS A SIMILAR STORY FOR PUBLIC DEFENDERS WORKING ACROSS OPERATION LONE STAR. MY CLIENTS WERE HONEST, WHEREAS CITIZENS I REPRESENTED IN HOUSTON LIED TO ME WITH ELABORATE STORIES. YOUR WALL SAYS THE PEOPLE ARE THE CITY. UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ARE THE PEOPLE JUST LIKE ME AND YOU. THIS IS BY THE US CONSTITUTION. COLLABORATING WITH ICE IS A BAD IDEA FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. I'D SAY ICE ARRESTS CITIZENS AT HIGHER RATES UNDER TRUMP'S ADMINISTRATION. I'VE LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS. THEY MISTAKENLY ARRESTED MORE THAN TWICE AS MANY CITIZENS UNDER TRUMP'S FIRST TERM THAN UNDER BIDEN'S ADMINISTRATION. THIS GOES BEYOND DETENTIONS. THEY HAVE NOW WRONGFULLY DEPORTED CITIZENS AND GREEN CARD HOLDERS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES NOT DESERVE OUR DATA TO HELP DEPORTING ANY MORE. NO, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED HOLDERS AND CITIZENS. SO I IMPLORE Y'ALL TO DECLARE THIS A SANCTUARY CITY AND IF NOT, DO SOMETHING. THANK YOU. THANKS ALICIA PIPER TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER JENKINS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ALICIA PIPER. I LIVE IN ACRES HOME DISTRICT B AND I'M WITH TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT. SINCE HURRICANE BARROW, I HAVE BEEN DISPLACED. I PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN SLEEPING IN MY SLUM 'CAUSE MY HOME IS UNLIVABLE. THIS IS THE MY HOME. THIS IS ACTUALLY MY SON'S BEDROOM. MY KIDS ARE ALSO LIVING WITH ME IN MY SLUM 'CAUSE WE HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. WE CAN'T AFFORD HOTELS. WE'VE RUN OUT OF FEMA FUNDS AND THE CITY ISN'T DOING ANYTHING. AND THIS IS NOT JUST ME, THIS IS MOST OF MY FELLOW HOUSTONIANS. AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE $50 MILLION. THAT'S JUST SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH AND IT HAS TO BE SOME MONEY SOMEWHERE TO FIX THIS PROJECT. THAT'S MY SON'S ROOM. THIS IS MY LIVING ROOM. WHEN IT RAINS OUTSIDE, IT RAINS INSIDE, WATER RUNS THROUGH MY ROOF. I HAVE BUCKETS POSITIONED ALL THROUGHOUT MY HOME BECAUSE I'M LITERALLY LIVING IN NO TERROR . IF IT RAINS OUTSIDE, I HAVE TO RUSH HOME, LEAVE WORK, AND PUT BUCKETS THROUGHOUT MY HOUSE TO MAKE SURE THAT IF SOMETHING COLLAPSES, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED WOULD STILL LIVABLE IN THERE. SO I'M JUST ASKING THAT YOU GUYS TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FIGURE OUT SOME MORE MONEY FROM SOMEWHERE 'CAUSE WE NEED IT. CHRISTOPHER JENKINS THOUGHT I HAD THREE MINUTES, BUT I GUESS I GOT ONE. SO I'M GONNA RUN THROUGH THIS PRETTY FAST. THE PEOPLE OUGHT THE CITY WE DEMAND JUSTICE THROUGH. COUNCIL. HELLO EVERYONE. I'M CHRISTOPHER JENKINS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, CEO AND FOUNDER OF FUTURE HOOD ORGANIZATION, CLT AT TOP. I'M HERE TO SPEAK TODAY, UH, ABOUT THE C-C-D-B-G-D-R 2024 ON THE TITLE ONE OF THE HOUSTON HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1974. FOR A TWO USC 53 0 1, THE APPROA APPROPRIATION LEGISLATION DIRECTS THE HUD SECRETARY TO ALLOCATE FUNDS PROVIDED UNDER THE HEADING OF THE ACT FOR THE TOTAL ESTIMATE. FOR UNMET NEEDS, THERE SHOULD BE MORE ALLOCATED TO PROGRAMS THAT HELPS DISPLACE FAMILIES AND POVERTY COMMUNITIES, CITIZENS THAT ARE AT RISK OF BEING HOMELESS, WHILE INVESTING IN SERVICES THAT PROVIDE RESOURCES TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE CRITICAL AND UNMET NEEDS SERVICES THAT WILL UPLIFT THE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS PEER SUPPORT ON THE JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS [02:30:01] TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH THAT WILL ALLOW WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT. IF YOU INVEST IN THE PEOPLE THAT PEOPLE CAN REINVEST INTO THEIR COMMUNITY, IT'S TIME TO PUT TOGETHER SOME INNOVATIVE WAYS WHILE PROVIDE SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT IN SUSTAINABLE LIVING SITUATIONS BECAUSE OF NATURAL DISASTER. SO QUESTION, HOW WOULD THESE GENERATORS RUN AND HOW WOULD A GOVERNING BODY ALONG WITH CENTER POINT IN THE STATE WITH HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD DISTRICT, WHEN IT IT COMES TO TRANSPARENCY WITH VEGETATION FLOOD MITIGATION IN THE FULL WATER, MAINTAINED, OPERATED BY NEIGHBORING COUNTIES AND THE SAN JACINTO RIVER AUTHORITY WHILE HOLDING THESE ACCOUNTABLE AND ENSURING THE PROCESS IS SUSTAINABLE FOR THE CITIZENS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES TO ENSURE THAT UNMET NEEDS ARE ADDRESSED? THANK YOU. ASK THE QUESTION. OKAY, THANK YOU. NEXT PERLA GARCIA TO BE FOLLOWED BY RIS GONZALEZ GARCIA. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ELA GARCIA. I'M WITH THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT AND I'M AN IMMIGRANT. I AM HERE TO REPRESENT MY COMMUNITY WHO IS LIVING IN FEAR AND, UH, I AM HERE TO DEMAND THAT THEIR RIGHTS BE RESPECTED. WE ARE TIRED OF INJUSTICE. WE ARE TIRED OF THE COLLABORATION HAPPENING BETWEEN THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ICE HOUSTON. THEY ARE HUNTING DOWN THE WORKING PEOPLE WHO ARE PROVIDING TO THE CITY, PAYING THEIR TAXES, PAYING THEIR HOMES, PAYING THEIR BUSINESSES. WHENEVER A NATURAL DISASTER HITS, WE ARE NA WE ARE NEVER ABLE TO TAKE PART OF THE FUNDING. YOU DO NOT SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT YOU ARE ALWAYS QUICK TO ASK FOR OUR TAXES. HOMES IN THE FIFTH AND SECOND WARD AND OTHER PLACES ARE DILAPIDATING. THEY ARE FALLING APART. FAMILIES ARE PRAYING THAT THEIR HOU THAT THEIR HOME CAN MAKE IT, ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE NEXT STORM BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT TIME HAS EXPIRED FROM YOU ALL WILL BE COMING. ES AS A IMMIGRANTS MAKE HOUSTON BETTER AND MAKE THE ECONOMY GROW. I AM NOT AN UNDOCUMENTED PERSON BECAUSE I HAVE A NAME AND I EXIST. I AM A HUMAN BEING. I DEMAND RESPECT AND TO NOT BE A GAME IN YOUR AND TO NOT BE A TOY IN YOUR POLITICAL GAME. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS AMARI GONZALEZ AND I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT. I AM HERE TODAY TO SHARE THE STORY OF ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, MS. SHARON SIAN. SHE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE SHE'S BEING VERY SICK AND REQUIRES DIALYSIS THREE TIMES OUT OF A WEEK. RIGHT NOW SHE'S FACING EVICTION FROM THE APARTMENT COMPLEX WHERE SHE LIVES LIKE SO MANY OTHERS IN HOUSTON. MICHELLE KNOWS HER HOME DURING HURRICANE BARREL AND SINCE THEN SHE HAS NOT RECEIVED ASSISTANCE FROM ANY LOCAL PROGRAMS. SHE'S DOING EVERYTHING SHE CAN TO STAY AFLOAT, BUT WITHOUT SUPPORT. SHE'S A RISK OF LOSING EVERYTHING. MICHELLE DESERVES THE SAME HOME WHERE SHE CAN BE PEACEFULLY WITHOUT THE CONSTANT FEAR OF BEING EVICTED. AND HERE TODAY TO URGE ALL OF YOU CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ALLOCATE AT LEAST A HUNDRED MILLION OF FEDERAL DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDS TO HOUSING. THE CITY IS IN NO POSITION TO OVERSPEND ON GENERATORS THAT DON'T WORK OR NO MORE POLICE CARS. WHAT THE COMMUNITY'S NEED IS INVESTMENT IN HOUSING AND SUPPORT TO HELP THE PEOPLE REVEAL WHAT HAS BEEN LOST A STORM AFTER STORM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COME ON. COME ON JAY. [02:35:03] HELLO JOHN. OH, MY FATHER WAS AN IMMIGRANT IN, WELL MY YOUNGER BROTHER IS A SERGEANT IN HPD. THIS SONG, UH, A SURVEY OF A THOUSAND AMERICANS, HALF HAVE LESS THAN $500 IN SAVINGS WITH SOUTH. ONE PLUS MILLION ARE BUILDING CREDIT IN SAVINGS. LET'S TAKE IT. AT ANY RATE, I WENT TO, UH, AUSTIN AND I DID SOME ADVOCACY WORK IN AUSTIN AND I GOT THIS SENATOR FROM A SENATOR BIRDWELL, UH, A RETIREMENT LETTER. YEAH. UH, HE SAID, THANK YOU FOR SENDING THE SUNSCREEN AND HOUSTON COLLEGE AND FOR LIFE. I YOU HAVE TIME THIS EXPIRED. I APPRECIATE YOUR GENEROSITY AND I'M GLAD WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE A PICTURE TOGETHER. BEST WISHES TO YOU AND GOD BLESS TEXAS. SIGNED BY BRETT. SENATOR BRIAN BIRDWELL. THANK YOU JACOB. YEAH. OH, TIME FOR A UT JOKE. A UT JOKE. WELL, YEAH. YOU, YOU SEE THIS UH, CLOCK? YEAH. YOU SEE THIS CLOCK WHILE IN RIGHT NOW IT IS GOT A UTE AND THET ON, ON THE CENTER OF THE THING. AND SO, UM, AND AGGIE WAS EXPLAINING TO THE UT AND WHAT, UH, WHAT, UM, THE SPACE TIME CONTINUUM IS. AND HE SAYS ONE IS THE LEFT SIDE OF THE U BELT POINTS TO THE 11TH AND THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE U POINTS TO THE ONE. AND SO ONE IS ONE 30 AND THE OTHER IS 1130. AND IS, IT IS LIKE DEAD LIFE HAVING SOME, YOU FALL BACK AND YOU SPRING FORWARD. BUT THANK YOU JACOB. YEP. LSA MORIA. THANK YOU JACOB. JOSEPH AMARI MA TO BE FOLLOWED BY EDUARDO DURAN. UH, COUNCIL COURT. UH, SI KNOW YOU REFERRED ME TO MS, MR LAST I WAS HERE. I FEEL LIKE MOSES TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO THE PARISH WHAT GOD'S TRYING TO SAY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. SINCE REAGAN NUMBERS THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL WELFARE WORK, MILITARY MARTIAL LAW HAS ALL LED US INTO A ECONOMIC POVERTY TRAP WHERE EVERYBODY LOOKED SO OPPRESSIVE BUT NOBODY GOT ANY MONEY. LOT MONEY TO VEST, BUT MY MAMA HAD MONEY BEFORE HER OWN DAUGHTERS KIDNAPPED HER, ROBBED THE FAMILY POSSESSION, PROBABLY BELONGING WARRANT THE AKA FAMILY MEMBERS, YOUR FAMILY AT RISK. I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE HOMELESS VOUCHER PROGRAM TO HOMELESS. HOW TAKE THEIR PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAM. IT NEED TO BE A MORE, MORE NEED TO BE A LITTLE MORE INCOME. HOUSING COST ME NEED AND HIGH CORRUPTION HAVE LEAKED INTO THESE PROGRAM. I WAS THE MHR CASEWORKER. I WAS ABLE TO GIVE MY CLIENTS A HOMELESS VOUCHER WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF RACISM, DISCRIMINATION, OR PREJUDICE. UH, THAT WAS BEFORE MILITARY MARTIAL LAW WELFARE TO WORK. THEY I'M IN NEED OF THAT SAME HOMELESS VOUCHER PROGRAM WITH MINE WAS STOLEN OUT MY COMPUTER. UH, WE MUST REEDUCATE, UH, SOCIAL SERVICE THAT THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO BE NON-DISCRIMINATORY BASED UPON NEED FAMILY SIZE, AGE, AND INCOME. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. CAN I JUST GIMME 30 SECONDS JUST TO CLOSE UP. UH, WE MUST ALSO CREATE A, A SPECIAL DEBT IN HOMELESS POLICY PROGRAM, CONTINUED CITIZENS AND WE MUST REMOVE THE MARRIAGE PENALTY IN ME BECAUSE HOME THE VOUCHER PROGRAM FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES AND POOR FAMILIES IN NEEDS OF HOUSING. EDUARDO DURAN, I DON'T SEE THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS. RECESS UNTIL NINE [RECESS] IN THE MORNING FROM TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE IN A LO INTERGOVERNMENTAL RISK POOL. ITEM 23 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $12,494,000 FOR SIDE LOADER TRUCKS, REAR LOADER TRUCKS AND REFUSE VEHICLES. ITEM 24 ORDINANCE APPROV AND AUTHORIZING TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANY OPERATING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND VE RIDE OPERATING LLC ITEM 25. ORDINANCE AMENDING [02:40:01] ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024 DASH SIX 11 TO INCLUDE CASH MATCH FOR COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING GRANT ITEM 26 ORDINANCE APPROVED IN AUTHORIZING GRANT AGREEMENT, REPLACING CURRENT GRANT AGREEMENT UNDER ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024 DASH 5 75 FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES FOR ITS DIABETES PREVENTION AND CONTROL PROGRAM. ITEM 27 ORDINANCE FINDING IN DETERMINING PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY INTEREST IN CONNECTION WITH THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECT KNOWN AS THE GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER TRANSFORMATION PROJECT. ITEM 28, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2021 DASH 73 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND WORK QUEST ITEM 29. ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2022 DASH FIVE 19 TO INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND CHEMICAL PRODUCTS INC. DOING BUSINESS AS POOL. SURE. ITEM 30, ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT TERM BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND READING TRUCK EQUIPMENT LLC ITEM 31 ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND PHILADELPHIA. MIXING SOLUTIONS LLC ITEM 32 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND GDS ASSOCIATES INC. AND NEWGEN STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS LLC ITEM 33 ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO TO THE AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH DEFINITIVE LLC, FORMERLY KNOWN AS RETIREMENT HORIZONS INC. ITEM 34 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENTS AND RELATED DOCUMENTS BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND PHASE TWO SYSTEM SYSTEMS DOING BUSINESS AS PUBLIC AGENCY RETIREMENT SERVICES AND US BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION. ITEM 35 ORDINANCE ORDERING AND GIVEN NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025 FOR THE PURPOSE OF FILLING A VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE POSITION FOUR ON THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. ITEM 36 ORDINANCE APPROVED IN AUTHORIZING ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF GRANT APPLICATION TO THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR FOR THE FY 26 GREATER HOUSTON POLICE ACTIVITIES LEAD CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS PROGRAM. ITEM 37 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE 1700 BLOCK OF ROCKTON STREET NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE BETWEEN ASHBY COURT AND THE END OF ROCKTON COURT AS A SPECIAL MINIMUM BUILDING LINE BLOCK ITEM 38 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 350.61 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY WATER CONTROL AND AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NUMBER 1 59 BLESS YOU. ITEM 39, ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZED AND PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS AND MAORI RAHIMI FOR SALE OF APPROXIMATELY 11,614 SQUARE FEET OF LAND BEING PART OF LOT THREE IN BLOCK A OF M CRAVEN ESTATE IN SECTION EIGHT OF BBB AND C RRR COMPANY SURVEY ABSTRACT 180 FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS FOR $209,000. ITEM 40 ORDINANCE ORDINANCE NUMBER 2025 DASH 5 31 TO AMEND THE OUTLINE AGREEMENT NUMBER FOR CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND LOPEZ UTILITIES CONTRACTOR LLC ITEM 41 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5,108,840 AWARDING CONTRACT TO RED ZONE ROBOTICS INC. ITEM 42, ORDINANCE APPROVING CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND INSPECTION SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND SOWS CONSULTING ENGINEERS LLC ITEM 43 SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE REGARDING THE ADOPTION OF ARTICLE 12 OF CHAPTER 32. CODE OF ORDINANCES, CITY OF HOUSTON REGARDING STANDARDS OF CARE FOR THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, YOUTH RECREATION PROGRAMS HEARING DATE 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13TH. ITEM 44 SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR TWO APPLICANTS SEEKING 4% HOUSING TAX CREDITS, UH, HEARING DATE 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13TH. ITEM 45 SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR TWO APPLICANTS SEEKING 4% HOUSING TAX CREDIT HEARING DATE 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13TH. ITEM 46 IS AN AMENDMENT TO ITEM 47 SUBMITTED IN WRITING BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. ITEM WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. ITEM 47 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF THE ACTION PLAN FOR DISASTER RECOVERY 2024 DERECHO AND HURRICANE BARREL TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, DISASTER RECOVERY 2024 APPLICATION AND BUDGET. AND THIS ITEM WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMER AND WAS ITEM FIVE ON THE AGENDA OF JULY 23. ITEM 48, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2021 DASH 7 46 AS AMENDED TO [02:45:01] INCREASE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OVERDRIVE INC. THIS ITEM WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ AND WAS ITEM 12 ON THE AGENDA OF JULY 23RD. ITEM 49, ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 333 POINT 13 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 4 93. THIS ITEM WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER AND WAS ITEM 26 ON THE AGENDA OF JULY 23RD. THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF JULY 29 AND 30 20 25. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND WITH THAT I WISH EVERYONE A BLESSED AND HAPPY HUMP DAY [ADMIN REPORT] CALL UPON THE CONTROLLERS AND MELISSA TO GIVE US OUR FINANCIAL REPORT. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. UH, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE MONTH ENDED JUNE 30TH, 2025. UH, WE'LL ALSO PRESENT YOU WITH OUR QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT THIS MORNING. THERE'S A LOT IN HERE. I KNOW SOME OF Y'ALL HEARD IT YESTERDAY. UH, TAKING A LOOK AT THE GENERAL FUND, THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS PROJECTING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $413.4 MILLION OR 16% OF EXPENDITURES LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025. THIS IS $8.3 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PROJECTION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND THE DIFFERENCE IS DUE TO A LOWER REVENUE PROJECTION THAN FINANCE. BASED ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS, THE FUND BALANCE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $219.3 MILLION ABOVE THE CITY'S TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES, EXCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO AND RESERVE. WE HAVE INCREASED OUR REVENUE PROJECTION BY $41 MILLION FROM THE JUNE, 2025 REPORT, UH, REFLECTING THE FOLLOWING KEY CHANGES PROPERTY TAX INCREASED BY $17.5 MILLION TO ACCOUNT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 AND 22 AND 22. CLAWBACK OF PROPERTY TAX INCREMENT FROM TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE 24 TRANSFER FROM OTHER FUNDS INCREASED BY $7.8 MILLION DUE TO THE RECOVERY OF PRIOR 303 80 REIMBURSEMENTS FROM TURS. 24 CHARGES FOR SERVICES INCREASED BY $4.6 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO STRONGER THAN EXPECTED AMBULANCE FEES. INDUSTRIAL ASSESSMENTS INCREASED BY $3.3 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED TAXABLE VALUATIONS. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES INCREASED BY $1.8 MILLION BASED ON HIGHER REIMBURSEMENTS FROM METRO FOR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES. ELECTRIC FRANCHISE INCREASED BY $1.4 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER RECEIPTS. DIRECT INTER FUND INCREASED BY $1.4 MILLION, DRIVEN BY A HIGHER CHARGEBACK FOR FIRE AIRPORT RELATED SERVICES. MISCELLANEOUS AND OTHER REVENUES INCREASED BY $0.9 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO FIREFIGHTER DEPLOYMENT REIMBURSEMENTS LICENSES AND PERMITS INCREASED BY $0.9 MILLION, MAINLY DUE TO HIGHER COLLECTIONS FROM BURGLAR ALARM FOOD DEALER PERMITS AND ADMINISTRATIVE FEES. SALES OF CAPITAL ASSETS INCREASED BY $0.6 MILLION FROM POST PROCEEDS RELATED TO LAND AND EASEMENT SALES. OUR EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS DECREASED BY $2.4 MILLION FROM THE MAY, 2025 REPORT DUE TO YEAR END SAVINGS IN PERSONNEL SUPPLIES AND SERVICE COSTS. MOVING TO THE C CITY'S ENTERPRISE FUNDS, STARTING WITH AVIATION OPERATING REVENUES DECREASED BY $16.1 MILLION DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED COLLECTIONS FOR TERMINAL SPACE RENTAL AND SIGNATORY LANDING FEES. OPERATING EXPENSES DECREASED BY $7.5 MILLION DUE TO LOWER PERSONNEL AND SERVICE COSTS, AS WELL AS DELAYS IN NON-CAPITAL EQUIPMENT PURCHASES. NON-OPERATING REVENUES INCREASED BY $2.5 MILLION FROM HIGHER INTEREST INCOME AND LAND SALES. AN OPERATING TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT FUND DECREASED BY $6.1 MILLION. LOOKING AT CONVENTION ENTERTAINMENT, OPERATING REVENUES INCREASED BY $1 MILLION DRIVEN BY HIGHER GARAGE PARKING REVENUES. MOVING OVER TO THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM, OPERATING REVENUES DECREASED BY $61 MILLION DUE TO A DECREASE IN WATER AND SEWER REVENUES. OPERATING EXPENSES DECREASED BY $160.1 MILLION DUE TO LOWER SPENDING IN PERSONNEL SUPPLIES AND SERVICES. NON-OPERATING REVENUES INCREASED BY $3.2 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER [02:50:01] INTEREST INCOME COM AND OPERATING TRANSFERS DECREASED BY $59.2 MILLION DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED TRANSFER TO CAPITAL PROJECTS AND DELAYS IN BOTH CAPITAL AND NON-CAPITAL EQUIPMENT PURCHASES. MOVING OVER TO THE DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUND AT VALOR, EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY $50.2 MILLION DUE TO LOWER TRANSFER TO CAPITAL PROJECTS AND VEHICLE PURCHASE DELAYS FOR A-D-D-S-R-F DRAINAGE CHARGE REVENUES INCREASED BY $5.5 MILLION TO REFLECT HIGHER DRAINAGE REVENUES AND HIGHER INTEREST INCOME EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY $55.9 MILLION DUE TO LOWER TRANSFER TO CAPITAL PROJECTS AND INTER FUND LEGAL SERVICES. D-D-S-R-F METRO REVENUES DECREASED BY $0.7 MILLION DUE TO LOWER INNER FUND CHARGEBACKS EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY $6.1 MILLION DUE TO SAVINGS AND PERSONNEL, DELAYED VEHICLE PURCHASES AND LOWER INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE SPENDING. AND FINALLY, UH, WITH THE STORMWATER FUND EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY $8 MILLION DUE TO SAVINGS AND PERSONNEL, DELAYED VEHICLE PURCHASES AND LOWER INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE SPENDING. NOW TAKING A QUICK LOOK AT OUR COMMERCIAL PAPER AND BONDS, THE CITY'S PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO MAINTAIN NO MORE THAN 20% OF THE TOTAL OUTSTANDING DEBT FOR EACH TYPE OF DEBT IN A VARIABLE RATE STRUCTURE, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH RATINGS AGENCY'S GUIDANCE OF NO MORE THAN 25% FROM TIME TO TIME. THE CITY'S ENTERPRISE CREDITS HAVE EXCEEDED THIS THRESHOLD ON AN INTERIM BASIS AS THEY HAVE UNDERTAKEN LARGE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS OR MAJOR EXPANSIONS. AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2025. THE RATIO OF UNHEDGED VARIABLE RATE DEBT FOR EACH TYPE OF OUTSTANDING DEBT, UH, WAS AS FOLLOWS. FOR CONVENTION ENTERTAINMENT, WE WERE AT 17%. UH, AND FOR THE OTHER THREE CATEGORIES, WE CONTINUE TO REMAIN WELL BELOW THE 20% THRESHOLD. MOVING ON TO OUR QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT. AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2025, THE CITY HAD $5.7 BILLION INVESTED IN OUR GENERAL INVESTMENT POOL. THE CHARACTER OF THIS POOL IS THAT OF A SHORT TERM BOND FUND THAT HOLDS INVESTMENTS OF VERY HIGH CREDIT QUALITY FITCH RATINGS. REVIEWED THIS POOL AND ASSIGN THE POOL ITS HIGHEST RATING OF AAA. OUR INVESTMENT STRATEGY IS TO MATCH ASSETS AND LIABILITIES FOR A TIME PERIOD OF ONE YEAR INTO THE FUTURE AND TO EXERCISE DISCRETION FOR THE BALANCE OF REMAINING FUNDS. INVESTMENTS ARE $39 MILLION LOWER THAN LAST YEAR, AND THIS IS PRIMARILY ATTRIBUTABLE TO HIGHER EXPENDITURES IN AVIATION. AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2025, THE GENERAL INVESTMENT POOL WAS YIELDING 4.081%, WHICH IS UP FROM 3.927% IN THE PRIOR QUARTER. IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL INVESTMENT POOL, WE HAD TWO SMALL POOLS, UH, TWO SMALL INVESTMENT POOLS THAT TOTAL ABOUT $16 MILLION, AND THESE POOLS EXIST TO COMPLY WITH TAX REQUIREMENTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. A DETAILED LISTING OF ALL THE SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CITY APPEARS AT THE BACK OF YOUR INVESTMENT REPORTS. TAKING A LOOK AT OUR SWAP REPORT ALONG WITH OUR INVESTMENT REPORT, WE HAVE INCLUDED WITH THIS, UH, MOER, THE QUARTERLY SWAP REPORT AS IS REQUIRED BY THE CITY'S SWAP POLICY. THE WRITTEN SWAP REPORT THAT APPEARS IN THE MOER OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF OUR TWO SWAP POSITIONS. THE CITY HAD A NET PAID FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2025 FROM ITS SWAPS OF $6 MILLION. FAIR VALUE FOR BOTH SWAPS AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2025 WAS NEGATIVE $75 MILLION, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY, UH, WHICH IS AN APPROXIMATE $2 MILLION DECREASE, UH, FROM THE PRIOR QUARTER WHEN IT WAS NEGATIVE $73 MILLION. THE CITY SWAPS ARE FAIRLY COMPLEX AND SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT MY OFFICE, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. LAST WEEK, THE CITY OF HOUSTON SUCCESSFULLY PRE-MARKET AND PRICED APPROXIMATELY $724 MILLION OF AIRPORT SYSTEMS SUBORDINATE LIEN REVENUE BONDS. THE PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF THESE BONDS WILL BE USED FOR IAH TERMINAL B ENABLING PROJECTS, WEST CONCOURSE EXPANSION AT HOBBY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE IAH CENTRAL UTILITY PLANT AND REFUNDING OF CERTAIN OUTSTANDING NOTES. THE CITY AND THE AIRPORT TEAM WORKED TOGETHER TO COMMUNICATE WITH RATINGS AGENCIES AND INVESTORS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. CROW BOND RATING AGENCY AS WELL AS S AND P GLOBAL RATINGS BOTH VISITED HOUSTON TO TOUR IAH AHEAD OF THIS AND KBRA MOVED THEIR FUTURE OUTLOOK ON THE AIRPORT'S BONDS FROM STABLE TO POSITIVE. THE FINAL MATURITY OF THE BOND IS SET ON JULY 1ST, 2055 WITH A TOTAL DEBT SERVICE OF $1.3 BILLION. THE ALL IN TRUST INTEREST COST OF THE BONDS WAS 5.17%. THANK YOU TO CITY FINANCE DIRECTOR MELISSA DEBOWSKI [02:55:01] TO CITY TREASURER VERNON LEWIS AND TO THE ENTIRE FINANCE WORKING GROUP FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO COMPLETING THIS UNIQUE BOND TRANSACTION WITHIN THE COURT MANDATED DEADLINE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TODAY TO SPEAK ON A MATTER THAT STRIKES AT THE VERY HEART OF OUR DEMOCRACY, WHICH IS REPRESENTATION. IN RECENT WEEKS, WE'VE SEEN THE STATE GOVERNMENT ENGAGE IN EFFORTS TO REDRAW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS THAT DILUTE THE POLITICAL POWER OF COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS. AND NEWS REPORTS JUST THIS MORNING IMPLY THAT AT LEAST ONE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WHERE HOUSTONIANS RESIDE WILL BE RIGGED TO REMOVE ITS CURRENT REPRESENTATION. THIS IS AFTER THE 18TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. DISTRICT HAS ALREADY BEEN WITHOUT REPRESENTATION FOR 264 DAYS IN THE LAST 13 MONTHS. AND AT A CRITICAL MOMENT FOR OUR NATION WILL REMAIN WITHOUT REPRESENTATION THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THIS YEAR. DUE TO POLITICAL GAMESMANSHIP BY GOVERNOR ABBOTT. LET'S BE CLEAR. REDISTRICTING IS NOT JUST A POLITICAL PROCESS, IT'S ALSO A MORAL PROCESS. IT DETERMINES WHO HAS A VOICE IN OUR DEMOCRACY AND WHO GETS SILENCED. AND FOR FAR TOO LONG, COMMUNITIES IN HOUSTON HAVE BEEN TARGETED AND CARVED UP TO REDUCE OUR INFLUENCE. HOUSTON IS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE AND DYNAMIC CITIES IN THE NATION. THAT SHOULD BE OUR STRENGTH, NOT SOMETHING TO BE UNDERMINED. AND WE MUST DEMAND FAIR, TRANSPARENT AND COMMUNITY CENTER PROCESSES THAT RESULT IN DISTRICTS THAT REFLECT OUR CITY'S DIVERSITY BECAUSE REPRESENTATION IS NOT A PRIVILEGE FOR THE FEW. IT'S A RIGHT FOR ALL. AND HOUSTONIANS WILL REMEMBER WHO STOOD WITH THEM AND WHO STAYED SILENT. FINALLY, IT'S BACK TO SCHOOL SEASON AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO HELP OUR YOUNG STUDENTS PREPARE FOR THEIR RETURN TO THE CLASSROOM. ON SATURDAY, JULY 19TH, THE CITY CONTROLLER'S OFFICE PUT ON THE HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF BACK TO SCHOOL GIVEAWAY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CJ STROUD FOUNDATION AND OTHERS AT THE HOUSTON TEXANS YMCA. IN ADDITION TO CJ AND HIS MOTHER KIM, WE WERE JOINED BY TEXANS WIDE RECEIVER TANK DALE, THE HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE PRECINCT SEVEN CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, THE HOUSTON YMCA AND SEVERAL OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS, CLOSE TO 500 BACKPACKS FILLED WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND GIFT CARDS. WERE HANDED TO OUR YOUNG STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO PREPARE THEM FOR SUCCESS THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. WHEN WE PROVIDE THESE CRITICAL SUPPLIES, WE'RE DOING MORE THAN PREPARING THESE KIDS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR. WE'RE ALSO SHOWING THEM THAT THEY MATTER. EVERY CHILD THAT WE ASSIST HOLDS INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL AND WITH OUR SUPPORT, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND A WHOLE LOT OF HOUSTON PRIDE, THEY CAN ACHIEVE GREATNESS. I WANNA THANK THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE STAFF FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON THE PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF THIS FANTASTIC EVENT ALONG WITH THE STROUD FOUNDATION AND OUR OTHER PARTNERS. MAYOR. THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT, MELISSA. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS THE 12 PLUS ZERO FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2025. FISCAL YEAR 25 PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON 12 MONTHS OF ACTUAL RESULTS. HOWEVER, WE ARE STILL RECEIVING INVOICES FOR GOODS AND SERVICES PROVIDED IN THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR. AND THOSE INVOICES AS THEY COME IN, THOSE EXPENSES WILL CONTINUE TO BE RECORDED AND AS SUCH, THE RESULTS OF THE FISCAL YEAR ARE NOT FINAL UNTIL THE PUBLICATION OF THE 2025 ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT. STARTING NEXT MONTH, WE'LL BEGIN PRESENTING THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, WHICH WE JUST STARTED AT THE TIME THAT WE ADOPTED THE FY 26 UM, BUDGET. THE BEGINNING FUND BALANCE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT $381 MILLION. AND NOW BASED ON THE 12 PLUS ZERO FINANCIAL REPORT PRESENTED TODAY, WE'RE CURRENTLY PROJECTING THAT THE UM, BEGINNING FUND BALANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 WILL BE 422 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF $41 MILLION FOR THE GENERAL FUND. OUR REVENUE PROJECTION IS 107 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND 10.6 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH. THE VARIANCE IS, UH, PRIMARILY DUE TO, UM, A $17.5 MILLION INCREASE IN GENERAL PROPERTY TAX AND A CORRESPONDING DECREASE IN TRANSFER FROM TRUST DUE TO THE PORTION OF THE TURS 24 TRANSFER, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORY. WE'RE ALSO INCREASING THE CHARGES FOR SERVICES BY $3.5 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED AMBULANCE FEES. A $1.8 MILLION INCREASE IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED REIMBURSEMENT FROM METRO FOR TRAFFIC TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, $1.4 MILLION INCREASE IN DIRECT INTER FUND SERVICES DUE TO HIGHER CHARGE BACK FROM THE FIRE FOR AIRPORT SERVICES PROVIDED THERE A $1.1 MILLION INCREASE IN INTEREST TO REFLECT HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED EARNINGS ON OUR GENERAL POOL, $882,000 INCREASE IN INDUSTRIAL ASSESSMENTS DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED COLLECTIONS. AND, UH, JUST TO TOUCH ON THE SALES TAX PERFORMANCE, THE SALES TAX RECEIPTS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY WERE AT $74.3 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 5.7% HIGHER THAN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. SO OUR CURRENT ESTIMATE FOR SALES TAX IS AROUND $907 MILLION. [03:00:01] ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, UH, WE ARE IN, UH, SORRY, DECREASING OUR EXPENDITURE PROJECTION, UM, BY $2.4 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH DUE TO END OF YEAR SAVINGS AND PERSONNEL FOR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS. ALL OF THAT TOGETHER, UH, WITH THE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES CHANGES, WE'RE CURRENTLY PROJECTING THE ENDING FUND BALANCE TO BE 422 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT, UH, $13 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH AND REPRESENTS 16% OF ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES NOT INCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO. THAT FUND BALANCE IS 228 MILLION ABOVE THE TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% OF EXPENDITURES, UH, ON THE ENTERPRISE FUND. THE CONTROLLER, UH, ALREADY WENT OVER OUR PROJECTIONS THERE, SO I'LL KEEP IT, UM, BRIEF ON THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND JUST JUMPED TO, UM, SOME ECONOMIC INDICATORS. UH, WE REVIEWED THOSE YESTERDAY IN THE BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, BUT THEY ARE IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY AS SALES TAX REVENUE IS OUR SECOND HIGHEST SOURCE OF GENERAL FUND REVENUE. UM, SO WE'LL TOUCH ON THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR, UM, ALL OF OUR REVENUES ON A MONTHLY BASIS. SO FOR THE HOUSTON ECONOMY, THE EMPLOYMENT, ACCORDING TO THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, THE NON-FARM EMPLOYMENT FOR OUR MSA, UM, STOOD APPROXIMATELY, UH, FLAT WITH THE PRIOR MONTH. UH, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR THE MONTH OF MAY IS, UH, 4.2% COMPARED TO THE PRIOR MONTH AT 3.9%. UH, FOR THE ENERGY SECTOR, THE AVERAGE OIL PRICE IS $68 PER BARREL FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE, WHICH IS ABOUT 10% HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH'S AVERAGE. SO AS I MENTIONED, THESE THINGS ARE VERY CLOSELY CORRELATED WITH SALES TAX RECEIPTS. UM, AT THE TIME WE, UM, ADOPTED THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET. UH, WE'RE BUDGETING SALES TAX AT AROUND 902 MILLION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR THAT WE JUST BEGAN IN JULY. UM, AND AS, UM, AS WE'RE CLOSING OUT FISCAL YEAR 25, OUR PROJECTION FOR SALES TAX IS 907 MILLION. SO WE DO FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT OUR SALES TAX PROJECTION FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS CONSERVATIVE, UM, AND PRETTY MUCH REPRESENTS FLAT YEAR OVER YEAR. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT AS WE START OUR MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR THE, FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. VERY GOOD. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. GOOD NEWS IS WE'RE $41 MILLION AHEAD OF WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE. SO THAT KIND OF CARRIES THROUGH. IF WE'RE LOOKING AT A $220 MILLION DEFICIT IN 27 AND WE START 27, WE CAN KNOCK THAT DOWN. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO KNOCK IT DOWN? DOES THAT FOLLOW OR DO WE JUST KNOCK DOWN OUR 107 MILLION WE TOOK FROM THE, FROM THE BUDGET THIS YEAR TO 66 OR SO? WELL, SO, UM, MOST OF THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE IN THIS MONTHLY REPORT ARE ON THE REVENUE SIDE. SO SINCE WE DO LIKE TO STAY CONSERVATIVE ON OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS, UM, LIKE I MENTIONED WITH SALES TAX, FOR EXAMPLE, FISCAL YEAR 25 SALES TAX IS GONNA COME IN AROUND 907 MILLION. THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR, UH, 26 SALES TAX IS 902 MILLION. SO IT'S ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A DECREASE. UH, WE DON'T THINK THAT WILL HAPPEN, RIGHT? YEAH. BUT IT JUST KIND OF SHOWS THE CONSERVATIVE NATURE OF THE BUDGETING. WE JUST NEED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR. OKAY. SO WE JUST LOOK AT IT, BUT THE 41 MILLION MORE THAN WE STARTED WITH IS, IS A GOOD THING. CERTAINLY. UM, WE KNOW THAT THE, THE LEGISLATURES BACK IN SESSION AND ONE OF THE ITEMS IS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AND LIMITING CITY SPENDING. UM, I'M SURE MARY WE'RE TRACKING THIS, BUT UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN SHARE ON WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED? MM-HMM . WE'RE CERTAINLY TRACKING IT. UM, ON THE PROPERTY TAX SIDE, YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY CONTEND WITH OUR LOCALLY IMPOSED REVENUE CAP AND THE STATE CAP AS WELL. UM, WHICH WE ARE UNIQUE IN THAT WE'RE THE ONLY JURISDICTION THAT HAS A LOCAL PROPERTY TAX CAP THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR, UM, OVER A DECADE NOW. UM, ALMOST TWO DECADES. UM, ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, UH, THERE WERE SOME BILLS IN THE REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION, UM, THAT SEEK TO LIMIT THE EXPENDITURES OF JURISDICTIONS. UM, BASICALLY LOOKING AT PRIOR YEAR EXPENDITURES, UH, NOT INCREASING BY MORE THAN AN INFLATIONARY INDEX IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR. UM, THOSE BILLS DIDN'T MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENT OR EXCEPTION FOR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, UM, OR, YOU KNOW, DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OR DEBT COSTS. SO WE'RE DEFINITELY TRACKING THOSE, UM, PUTTING TOGETHER TESTIMONY THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, GOING TO BE, UH, WORKING WITH OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL TEAM, JOSH AND HIS TEAM TO EDUCATE THE LEGISLATORS ABOUT WHAT THIS COULD MEAN FOR US. SO CERTAINLY TRACKING IT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING TO EDUCATE THEM AND ANSWER ALL THEIR QUESTIONS. OKAY. HOWEVER I CAN HELP ON THAT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW. YEAH, WE'RE MONITORING VERY CAREFULLY PROPOSALS TO LIMIT EXPENDITURES. THEY COULD HAVE SOME SEVERE UNINTENDED IN CONSEQUENCES, PERHAPS INTENDED CONSEQUENCES BY THE LEADERSHIP IN AUSTIN, BUT, UH, WE'RE TALKING TO OTHER LARGE CITY MAYORS AND, UH, AND OUR DELEGATION, [03:05:01] SO WE'LL SEE. IT'S IN THE SPECIAL, BY THE WAY. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. UH, COUNCILMAN PLUMMER. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. UM, BASED ON THE LAWSUIT, THE JONES AND WATSON LAWSUIT, UM, THERE WAS A COMMITMENT OF $16 MILLION THAT SHOULD BE DONE WITHIN THIS FISCAL YEAR. ARE WE GONNA SEE THAT? WHEN ARE WE GONNA SEE THAT COMING UP IN THE PRESENTATIONS? MM-HMM . SO THIS, UM, MONTHLY REPORT IS THE LAST REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 25. UM, SO NEXT MONTH WHEN WE PRESENT THE FISCAL YEAR 26TH, THE FIRST, UM, REPORT FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, UM, IT'S GONNA BE PART OF THOSE ESTIMATES. IT WAS PART OF THE BUDGET THAT WAS ADOPTED. SO WE WILL SIT NEXT TO PERFECT. YES. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN MARY. THANK YOU MAYOR. GOOD MORNING TO BOTH OF YOU. UM, DIRECTOR, IT, UH, THE COMMITTEE HEARING, I HAD ASKED THE QUESTION, BUT I'LL ASK IT AGAIN. UM, 'CAUSE COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER BROUGHT UP KIND OF SOME OF THE TIMELINE QUESTIONS. UM, WE'VE HAD SOME VERY PRODUCTIVE BFA MEETINGS. CAN YOU LAY OUT THE, UM, THANK YOU. CAN YOU LAY OUT THE, UM, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER TIMELINE FOR WHAT'S COMING AS IT PERTAINS TO BUDGET AMENDMENTS, CIP AMENDMENTS, UH, AND THE LIKE. SO, AND I THINK CHAIR ALCORN CAN FILL IN IF I MISS ANYTHING, BUT, UM, MANY OF THE CIP AMENDMENTS THAT, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, GOING TO COMMITTEE TO PRESENT ON THEM, AND SO WE'RE PLANNING TO DO THAT IN THE AUGUST, UM, COMMITTEE MEETING. AUGUST 26TH. MM-HMM . AUGUST 26TH COMMITTEE MEETING. AND THEN, UM, THE FINANCIAL POLICIES WILL, THAT WAS ALSO DISCUSSED AT THE TIME OF THE BUDGET, UM, WILL BE COMING. UH, WE HAVE TO RENEW THE FINANCIAL POLICIES EVERY TWO YEARS, LOOK AT THEM, UM, PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANY UPDATES AND, UM, BRING THEM TO THIS BODY FOR APPROVAL BY ORDINANCE. SO, UM, WE'RE PLANNING TO PRESENT ON THOSE IN THE SEPTEMBER, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING. AND THE FINANCIAL POLICIES ALSO INCLUDE THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND. UH, AND IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT'S ONE OF THE FINANCIAL POLICIES. OKAY. IS, UM, TOUCHING ON THE MINIMUM BALANCE FOR THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND AND HOW FREQUENTLY WERE, WERE, UH, REPLENISHING THAT FUND? YES. CORRECT. OKAY, GREAT. UM, AND CONTROL. I DO WANNA THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP, UM, IN THE CONTEXT OF HOW THIS IMPACTS HOUSTONIANS, UH, REDISTRICTING. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT. I DO WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT JUST THIS MORNING THE MAPS HAVE DROPPED, UM, OR BEEN RELEASED. UM, IT IS STARTLING. UH, BUT AGAIN, I, WE'VE BEEN IN COUNCIL, SO I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO FULLY REVIEW IT. UH, BUT I DO WANT EVERYONE TO BE AWARE THAT FOLLOWING ALL OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, NOT BEFORE NOW, THEY'VE RELEASED THE MAP. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. JUST NEW MOTION. NEED A MOTION. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCO. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN ON THE BOARD, I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT DATED JUNE 30TH, 2025. VERY GOOD. MOTION. AND SECOND AND ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. A SECOND. MOTION PASSES. MEMBERS [MAYOR'S REPORT] MAYOR'S REPORT. I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO SHARE THAT WE'RE HAVING THE MAYOR'S BACK TO SCHOOL IN HEALTH FAIR. SATURDAY AT THE GEORGE BROWN. STARTS AT EIGHT O'CLOCK SATURDAY MORNING, GOES TO TWO BACKPACK SCHOOL SUPPLIES WILL BE DISTRIBUTED ON SITE HEALTH SCREENING WILL BE PROVIDED, SO IT OUGHT TO BE A PRODUCTIVE FUND. OCCASION. THANK YOU TO SHELL, WHICH IS ONCE AGAIN HELPING US SPONSOR THIS WORTHWHILE EVENT. BUT THAT SAID, [CONSENT AGENDA] LET'S, UH, GO THE CONSENT AGENDA. MR. DO THAT THE TIME WE VOTE. ACTION. THANK YOU MAYOR. VERY QUICKLY, UH, WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST WITH US TODAY. UH, I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE A VERY SPECIAL MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, DISTRICT C RESIDENT. SCOTT LEWIS IS HERE WITH HIS SON, KEPLER. KEPLER. UH, WILL YOU PLEASE STAND? KEPLER IS 12 AND HE'S WORKING TOWARDS HIS CITIZENSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY MERIT BADGE. ONE OF THE BADGES REQUIRED, UH, TO ACHIEVE THE RANK OF EAGLE SCOUT. SO HE'LL BE LISTENING TODAY. UH, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE Y'ALL. VERY GOOD. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. MR. [MISCELLANEOUS] SECRETARY, YOU WANT TO MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY, ITEMS ONE AND THREE HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS 2, 4, 5, AND SIX. YES. [03:10:01] NEXT, MOVE. SECOND. MOTION'S BEEN MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY. ITEM SEVEN THROUGH NINE. NEED A MOTION HAS TA MOVE MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY MOTION UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY. ITEM 12 HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS 10 AND 11? YES. MOVE SECOND. MOTION'S BEEN MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS. CATEGORY ITEMS 13, 16, 17, AND 18 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS 14 AND 15. T MOVE SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE RESOLUTIONS CATEGORY ITEMS. ITEM 19 HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A VOTE FOR ITEMS 20 AND 21? ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORIES SINCE YOUR LIST WAS DISTRIBUTED. ITEMS 34, 41 AND 42 HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. ITEMS 22 AND 20. I'M SORRY. ITEMS 31, 34, 41 AND 42 HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. ITEMS 22 AND 25 HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF THEY'RE RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING. ITEMS 23, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36 AND 38 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 23, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36 AND 38. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM PASSES, ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM ONE NEEDS A MOTION CAST TO MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED TO NA. MOTION PASSES. MM-HMM . ASK TO STAND. NO, LET JUST KEEP GOING. OKAY. KEEP ROLLING. ITEM THREE NEEDS A MOTION. ALL IN. IS THERE A MOTION? IS THERE A MOTION CAST T TO MOVE I SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NA. MOTION PASSES. MAYOR PROTO. MAYOR PROTO. THANK YOU MAYOR. I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE HAD ANY OF THE MEMBERS FROM, UH, THE BUILDING IN STANDARDS COMMISSION OR OUR HOUSTON RECOVERY CENTER, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS. IF THEY ARE HERE, UH, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE THEM STAND AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM 12 NEEDS A MOTION CAST A MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NA. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 13 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE SECOND. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. YOU WANT BEFORE THE VOTE OR AFTER? BEFORE THE VOTE? YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, SIR. UM, I'M GOING TO BE TAGGING THIS ITEM. UH, IT IS FOR HPD VEHICLES, WHICH I TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY. BUT THIS IS FOR THE AIRPORT SYSTEM. AND WE TALK OFTEN ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, HYBRID VEHICLES FOR FUEL EFFICIENCY, FOR COST SAVINGS. AND WE EVEN SAY THAT EV IS A BETTER MODEL WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A MUCH SMALLER AREA. AND I CONTINUE TO BE CONCERNED THAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING, UH, FOR VEHICLES THAT MATCH THE NEED. UH, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST FOR THE AIRPORTS, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR SECURITY. BUT I'LL BE TAGGING THIS MAYOR TO REVIEW FURTHER, UH, GIVEN THE TYPE OF VEHICLES WE'RE WE'RE PURCHASING. THANK YOU. TAG BY COUNCILMAN MCC. ITEM 13, TAG BY COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. NEXT. ITEM 16 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 17 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM. MOVE SECOND. ALL IN MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NA. [03:15:01] MOTION PASSES. ITEM 18 NEEDS A MOTION CAST. SAY A MOVE SECOND. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, I'M NOT GONNA TAG THIS ITEM, BUT I DO WANNA POINT OUT IT'S $45 MILLION, WHICH IS A VERY LARGE AMOUNT, UM, FOR SPENDING AUTHORITY. AND THIS ITEM WITH TECH, WITH ALL OF THE TECHNOLOGY HAS NOT COME TO COUNCIL THIS YEAR. UH, SO I AGAIN, BELIEVE THAT THESE TYPES OF ITEMS WITH THIS LARGE OF A PRICE TAG SHOULD BE COMING TO COMMITTEE PRIOR TO A VOTE. AGAIN, THIS IS FOR $45 MILLION. ALL IN MOTION MADE. AND SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES TO THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 19 IS A RESOLUTION. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 23 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR. THIS IS THE PURCHASE. THIS IS THE VEHICLE PURCHASE. ACTUALLY, IT'S A EXPENDITURE. REMEMBER, SOME UPDATES SINCE WE'RE FIXING TO VOTE ON CAPITAL FUNDS FOR THE PURCHASE OF, UM, SOLID WASTE TRUCKS, TALKING TO THE DIRECTOR, HASSEN, HIS NUMBER ONE NEED OR TRUCKS. THE PERSONNEL HAS BEEN MANAGED BECAUSE HE'S MULTITASKING HIS DRIVERS WHO WERE RESTRICTED TO JUST BACK HAUL, BACK HAUL LOADERS VERSUS SIDE HAUL LOADERS. NOW THEY'RE ABLE TO DRIVE BOTH. SO HE'S SUFFICIENTLY HAS HIS STAFFING, BUT HE NEEDS TRUCKS. SO HE AND I AND OTHERS GOT ON THE PHONE AND SEARCHED THE NATION. UH, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUY 31 TRUCKS OUT OF, UH, NEW MEXICO. 11, UH, CAN BE HERE IN TWO DAYS AFTER SIGNING THE PURCHASE ORDER. SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON THE PURCHASE OF THE TRUCKS. UH, SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A LONG TIME AGO. NUMBER ONE OBSTACLE IS ONE DROP OFF FOR RECYCLING. ONE DROP OFF FOR 600 SQUARE MILES. BEEN LIKE THIS SINCE THE CITY SIGNED THE CONTRACT WITH SPANISH . SO WE'RE EXAMINING THAT CONTRACT FROM LETTER BY LETTER. WE'VE GOT TO HAVE MORE DROP OFFS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE PERSONNEL, THE TRUCKS, BUT THERE IS A MODEL THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO SUCCESSFUL RECYCLING. WE'LL ALSO LOOK AT GARBAGE PICKUP, UH, TRASH PICKUP. THE ITEMS THAT WE PICK UP GARBAGE, ABOUT 20% OF THE FAMILIES HAVE ITEMS OUT IN FRONT. SO THEY SPEND MORE TIME DRIVING THAN THEY ACTUALLY DO PICKING UP. SO I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE DIRECTOR IS CAN DO ATTITUDE. IT'S A TOP PRIORITY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, A LOT OF MISINFORMATION, A LOT OF POLITICAL STATEMENTS. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS DIRECTOR INHERITED A MESS THAT INCLUDED PEOPLE BEING OFF ON WEDNESDAY, OFF ON WEDNESDAY. SO THE PREVIOUS LEADERSHIP COULD ISSUE OVERTIME ON WEDNESDAY. SO THEY'RE WORKING 10 HOUR DAYS, THEY'VE CAUGHT UP, GET NEW EQUIPMENT ALLOWING EMPLOYEES TO MULTITASK. YES, SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT'S REMOVING OVERTIME PAY. BUT ANYWAY, I WOULD URGE US TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM. UH, MR. HASSON, DIRECTOR HASSON SAYS, JUST GIVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOU WHAT I CAN DO. HE'S BEEN THERE A COUPLE OF MONTHS. HE, WE GOT BEHIND BECAUSE OF THE TWO HOLIDAYS THAT WERE CLOSE TOGETHER IN MAY AND JUNE. BUT THIS, THIS DIRECTOR IS MOVING AND SHAKING AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE IMMEDIATE RESULTS WITH THE PURCHASE OF ADDITIONAL TRUCKS. THE DRIVERS. NOW WE'VE GOT TO COLLECTIVELY ATTACK THE FACT THAT THERE'S ONE DROP OFF. WE'RE LOOKING DESPERATELY FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WITH OTHER VENDORS. HOW CAN WE DROP OFF OUR RECYCLING IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON? WITH THAT SAID, UM, JUST NEED A [03:20:01] VOTE. NEED A VOTE? COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU. QUESTION. IT'S WORTH YOU, YOU, YOU, WHEN WHEN I CALL ON YOU, IT JUST FLASHED MY MIND. YOU INHERITED THIS MESS TOO. UH, WE ALL DID WHEN WE GOT HERE. SO REASON WE RAN FOR OFFICE TO FIX PROBLEMS. BUT THE, UH, CONTRACT OF ONE DROP OFF SHOULD HAVE NEVER OCCURRED. AND WE'RE GONNA FIX THAT GOING FORWARD. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, AND OF COURSE MOST ALL OF, UH, MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THE HORSESHOE, WE HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT SOLID WASTE AND THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE HAD AND WE CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM THEM. UM, THE DIRECTOR, UH, WAS AT OUR TOWN HALL MEETING, UH, ON LAST WEEK OR SO. AND, UH, THAT WAS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT MANY OF THE CONSTITUENTS WAS ASKING FOR THEIR, UH, IN THE, AT THE MULTIPURPOSE CENTER AND SUNNYSIDE. I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. ONE, HOW MANY TRUCKS ARE WE RECEIVING FROM THIS PURCHASE? 31. 31 WE'VE IDENTIFIED. 31. 31. WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEARCH THE ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR ADDITIONAL TRUCKS. THESE ARE NOT USED TRUCKS. I WAS, THESE ARE TRUCKS THAT WERE GETTING IN LINE TO PURCHASE. YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA ASK. MY SECOND QUESTION WAS, ARE THEY USED TRUCKS? NO. NO, BUT THEY'RE NOT USED. I'M, I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU. I DON'T KNOW THE MILEAGE ON THEM, BUT THEY'RE IN GOOD SHAPE. OKAY. SO, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THAT THE, UM, THE 31 YEAH, I, I DID, I WANNA BE CAREFUL. SURE. BUT THEY ARE NEW. I, I, I SAID THAT THEY ARE NEW, BUT I LIKE TO GRADE MY OWN PAPER. OKAY. THEY ARE NEW. OKAY. SO, SO NOW THIS NOT GONNA BE BREAKING DOWN AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE FLEET DIRECTOR. OKAY. TO GET THE GARBAGE TRUCKS, YOU KNOW, IN AND OUT IF THEY'RE SIDELINED BECAUSE OF A BROKEN TAILLIGHT, MAKE THAT A PRIORITY. OKAY. OR, OR WHEN MR. HASSEN GOT THERE, THEY WERE SENT TO FLEET IF THE WINDOW WINDOW WASHER WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. SO, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA GET SERIOUS ABOUT FIXING THINGS THAT HE INHERITED. SURE. AND GIVE, GIVE THE GENTLEMAN TIME. HE IS, I'M REAL IMPRESSED. YEAH. YEAH. WHAT I, AND I TALK TO HIM DAILY. WELL I CERTAINLY, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE WHAT HE'S DONE. HE'S DONE SO FAR. UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY A STELLAR JOB. AND THANKS FOR THAT. NOW, WITH THE SCHEDULING, IS THIS GOING TO INCREASE THE ABILITY TO PICK UP? SURE. HE, HE'S GONNA HAVE MORE PEOPLE ON THE STREET. 'CAUSE HE'S GOT DRIVERS BECAUSE HE'S ADJUSTED. THE PERSONNEL MULTITASKING. HE'S GOT DRIVERS TODAY WAITING FOR A TRUCK. NOW, CAN YOU IMAGINE? NOW HERE'S THE REAL FRUSTRATING POINT. NO ONE EVER DISCLOSED THIS UNDER THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR. WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT WEDNESDAY BEING OFF. WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT FOLKS THAT WERE JUST BEING USED FOR SIDE LOADS. A DRIVER WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO THE OTHER TYPE VEHICLE. SO IT WAS A MESS. I THINK THERE WERE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. HE'S REFERRED 'EM TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO REVIEW. SO THIS DEPARTMENT IS GETTING A MAKEOVER. GOOD. AND THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT WAS CAUSING THE BACKLOG. IT WAS AS MUCH MANAGEMENT AS IT WAS NUMBER OF DRIVERS. BUT CERTAINLY THE EQUIPMENT PLAYED A HUGE ROLE. YEAH. WHEN THEY GO TO THIS ONE RECYCLING DROP OFF, THEY WAIT FOR LIKE AN HOUR TO UNLOAD, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE. SO, YOU KNOW, THE LINE WILL GET LONGER NOW THAT HE'S ADDING TRUCKS TO IT, BUT HE'S READY TO, UH, PUT 11 TRUCKS ON THE ROAD TWO DAYS AFTER WE SIGN THE PURCHASE ORDER. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS ITEM'S ABOUT, GIVING US THE CASH TO DO THAT. VERY GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ALCORN. COUNCILMAN ALCORN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. WHEN THE, THE DIRECTOR WAS RECENTLY AT A, A COMMITTEE MEETING AND THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE CONTRACT WITH THE FINE TOOTH COMB. I MEAN, I'VE READ THROUGH IT. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT'S A, IT'S EXCLUSIVE FOR OUR CURBSIDE RECYCLING. LIKE EVERYTHING CURBSIDE HAS TO GO THERE. BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER COMPANY WE WERE WORKING WITH THAT I GUESS WHEN THE LINE WAS TOO LONG OR THEY COULDN'T ACCOMMODATE, WE TOOK IT. BUT THAT COMPANY'S GONE BUST. SO I KNOW THERE'S OTHER COMPANIES THAT WANT TO HELP US WITH THIS. SO I KNOW, AND I ALSO GOT THE ANSWER THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY NEGOTIATING SOMETHING. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OPTIONS. WHAT CAN YOU SAY, WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THAT? WE ALL SEE THE SAME THING, BUT WHEN YOU DRILL [03:25:01] DOWN TO THE CONTRACT AND TALK TO THE DIRECTOR, WE MUST DO BETTER. EVEN IF WE HAVE TO CHALLENGE 'EM IN COURT, WE CAN'T LET 'EM HOLD US HOSTAGE. THE ONE DROP OFF FOR 600 SQUARE MILES IF WE HAVE THE PERSONNEL AND THE TRUCKS IN PLACE. BUT IT'S A CONTRACT THAT WE INHERITED THAT PROBABLY SPECULATION. YOU KNOW. DID, DID THEY, WHEN THEY, WHEN THE CITY SIGNED THAT CONTRACT, WERE THEY NOT AWARE THAT IT WAS GONNA BE ONE DROP OFF? YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW A REASONABLE PERSON CAN GIVE SOMEONE A LONG-TERM CONTRACT THAT IS DYSFUNCTIONAL AND IT MAKES YOU WONDER WHO KNEW WHO, YOU KNOW, LET'S GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT ON THE TABLE. THERE'S NO REASON THAT CONTRACT SHOULD BE IN PLACE AND, AND THE TRANSFER STATIONS THAT THE DIRECTOR HAS MENTIONED, CRIMINAL BOARD WILL PROVIDE SOME RELIEF BECAUSE EVERY TRUCK WON'T HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY UP THERE. YOU'RE RIGHT. AND WE'RE GONNA OPERATE THEM OURSELVES. THIS THIS IS, THIS DIRECTOR IS A CAN-DO GUY. HE'S VERY TRANSPARENT. YOU CAN'T FIX SOMETHING IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT. AND HOUSTONIANS NEED TO KNOW THAT WE'RE UNDER THE CONDITIONS BROUGHT TO US BY THE CONTRACT. AND BY THE FACT, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I'VE RIDDEN WITH THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON AND HE HAD AN EXCUSE FOR EVERYTHING, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT WASN'T WORKING. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU MEMBERS. NEXT ITEM 26 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE COUNCIL, THE VOTE IS FINE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE, THOSE NAY. MOTION PASSES. COUNCILOR CAMAN. COUNCILOR CAMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, ON THIS ITEM, IT'S A GRANT FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR, UH, DIABETES SUPPORT, UH, FOR HOUSTONIANS. UH, DIABETES IS THE FIFTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN HARRIS COUNTY. UH, WE ASK THE DEPARTMENT THOUGH, AGAIN, THIS GRANT IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT WE ASK WHAT IT COMPARES TO IN OTHER YEARS AND WHAT THE DEPARTMENT RELAYED IS THERE HAS BEEN A REDUCTION IN FUNDING TO THE DEPARTMENT. UM, THESE ARE ALL FEDERAL FUNDS, FEDERAL GRANTS THAT HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO THE POINT THAT, UH, WE ARE LOSING OUT ON 300,000 ANNUALLY COMPARED TO WHAT WE USED TO GET. AND THE IMPACT HAS BEEN BOTH TO STAFFING AND REDUCTION IN SERVICES. SO I, I RESPECT AND APPRECIATE THAT AS A CITY, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP LIFESAVING SERVICES GOING. AND I WANT EVERYONE TO BE AWARE THAT THIS IS, UH, A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IN THE PAST. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM 28 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 30 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 34 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALCOR. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCOR. WELL, HALLELUJAH. WE'RE GETTING THE OPED TRUST TO THE GHOST OF, UH, DAVE MARTIN. MY PREDECESSOR TO BFA CHAIR CHRIS BROWN, LETITIA PLUMMER AND I DID A BUDGET AMENDMENT, I THINK OUR FIRST YEAR TO GET TO GET AN OPEP TRUST. UH, THIS IS REALLY SMART. THIS IS THE STUFF RATING AGENCIES AND OTHERS LOOK AT THAT WE'RE TACKLING SOME OF OUR STRUCTURAL LIABILITIES IN THE BUDGET. WE USED TO TALK ABOUT PENSION LIABILITY ALL THE TIME. OUR, OUR, OUR OPEP LIABILITY IS BIGGER THAN OUR PENSION LIABILITY. AND THIS IS KNOCKING IT DOWN. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T REALLY SEE, BUT LIKE OVER 30 YEARS, THIS IS A REALLY SMART MOVE AND WILL ULTIMATELY DECREASE THE AMOUNT WE HAVE TO PAY OUT ON A PAY AS YOU GO BASIS EVERY YEAR. SO THANK YOU ALL. WELL, WE'RE ABOUT TO VOTE ON IT. THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA VOTE FOR IT. AND, UM, THIS IS REALLY SMART. THANKS MELISSA DEBOWSKI AND EVERYBODY THAT WORKED ON THIS OP SETTING UP THIS OPEP TRUST. YEAH. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. TOOK A WHILE. YOU HAVE NOT LET US FORGET. JUST NEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. I ADMIT THAT ALCORN BILL, ITEM 36 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 38 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL YES, NO PROBLEM. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. MAYOR. I KNOW. I'VE BEEN BEATING THIS LIKE A DEAD HORSE. UM, BUT LET ME JUST, LET ME JUST SAY THIS WITH, DURING HARVEY, I WAS VERY ACTIVE IN THIS PARTICULAR COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHY I'M LOOKING AT IT SO CLOSELY. UM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ADDICTS RESERVOIR. [03:30:01] UM, HBW HAS BEEN AMAZING. UM, DIRECTOR RANDY HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT IN TERMS OF GIVING US INFORMATION, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF, UM, DISCREPANCIES IN THE, IN THE BACK AND FORTH. UM, HBW HAS STATED THAT NO ENGINEERING OR DRAINAGE PLANS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED FOR REVIEW. UM, ALTHOUGH THE, UH, THE DRAINAGE IMPACT ANALYSIS MEMO SHOWS THE HYDRAULIC AND HI, UM, STUDY HAS ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED. UM, HBW SAYS THAT WE CAN'T ACCESS, CAN'T ASSESS THE DETENTION OR OUTFALL IMPACTS WITHOUT SUBMITTING PLANS. BUT THE DIA DEMONSTRATES REGIONAL MODELING HAS BEEN PERFORMED. SO THERE'S KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF BACK AND FORTH THAT I FEEL LIKE WE STILL NEED TO GET ANSWERS TO. UH, THE FACT SHEET MENTIONS THAT DISTRICT A IS IMPACTED, BUT THERE'S NO MENTION OF DISTRICT G. AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THIS LIES DOWNSTREAM FROM ATTICS RESERVOIR ALONGSIDE OF SOUTH MATTY, UM, CREEK AND BUFFALO BAYOU, AND THOSE AREAS FLOOD DURING CONTROLLED RELEASES. AND HBW ALSO SAYS THAT IT CANNOT DETERMINE WHETHER, UM, THERE WILL BE CHOKE POINTS OR BACKWATER EFFECTS UNTIL THE PLANS ARE SUBMITTED. SO, JUST BECAUSE THERE'S STILL SOME DISCREPANCIES AND JUST I NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY, MAYOR, AND THIS, UM, I KNOW WE'RE NOT ON 49, BUT THIS ALSO APPLIES TO 49. I WOULD JUST ASK IF WE COULD REFER THIS BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION JUST TO GET SOME MORE INFORMATION. AND I, I HAVE SPOKEN WITH, UM, WITH, UH, MAYOR, UH, VICE PROTE PECK ON THIS ITEM AS WELL. AND, UM, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU, I'D LIKE TO REFER THIS BACK. IS THERE A SECOND? VERY GOOD. IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND. SO, MOTION TO REFER BACK. JUST NEED A MOTION BEEN MADE TO REFER BACK. UH, ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION. THANK YOU. MOTION PASSES. UH, I'D SUGGEST YOU GET WITH MARLENE AND RANDY AND LET 'EM ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. MM-HMM . YES. MAYOR, WE'VE BEEN IN MULTIPLE CON MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS, GREAT INFORMATION. JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACK AND FORTH WE NEED TO CLARIFY ON. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. NEXT, ITEM [NON-CONSENT - MISCELLANEOUS] 43 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX, TA, MOVE I SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. JUST A POINT OF, UH, CLARIFICATION. THAT'S TO SET THE HEARING DATE FOR 9:00 AM ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST THE 13TH. UH, 2025. THANK YOU. ITEM 44 IS TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE, UH, NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM MOVED TO SET THE HEARING DATE FOR 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST THE 13TH, 2025. SECOND MOTIONS MAY 2ND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED. DATE. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 45 IS A MOTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE. CASTEX. OH, OKAY. CASTEX TATUM. MOVED TO SET THE HEARING DATE FOR 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST THE 13TH, 2025. SECOND. MOTION. REMAIN SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 46, [MATTERS HELD] TAG. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN MARTINEZ, JUDGE THOMAS AMENDMENT. YEAH. MEMBERS, UH, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ FOR TAGGING THAT, UH, CHAIRMAN THOMAS IS EN ROUTE AND, UH, OUTTA RESPECT FOR HER, UH, AS CHAIRMAN OF HOUSING AND SOMEONE WHO ALSO HAS AN AMENDMENT. UH, WE'RE GONNA POSTPONE THIS TO, SHE CAN BE HERE. UH, IN FACT, UH, THE MAYOR, I HAVE ASKED, UH, COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ TO PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, COUNCILMAN THOMAS TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS DISCUSSION. WE'RE OFF NEXT WEEK, SO IT MAY BE TWO WEEKS, BUT THAT'S FINE. A LOT OF WORK IS GOING IN THIS. I'M VERY, VERY PLEASED WITH THE PROGRESS. I THINK, UH, MULTIPLE PARTIES ARE GONNA BE VERY SATISFIED THAT WE'VE LISTENED. WE'VE TALKED TO HUD AND, UH, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS. SO THANK YOU COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. OUTTA RESPECT FOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, UH, AND HER AMENDMENT. UH, AND COUNCILMAN PLUMMER. I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND. YES. IT WOULD BE VERY PRODUCTIVE TO WAIT TILL THE CHAIR OF HOUSING'S HERE TO PARTICIPATE. YEP. WHO HAS A SIGNIFICANT AMENDMENT. SO, WITH THAT SAID, UH, NOW WE HAVE THE PLUMBER AMENDMENT. YEAH. TAG. YOU WANT TAG AMENDMENT AS WELL, CORRECT? YES. HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND. YES, I UNDERSTAND. AND I DID [03:35:01] GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO THINK ABOUT YOUR AMENDMENT. YEAH. I, I I STAND VERY FIRM ON MY AMENDMENT. UM, I HAVE GIVEN A LOT OF INFORMATION AND BACKGROUND. I'M OPEN TO ANY CONVERSATION. NO, WE, WE TAGGED. THAT'S IT'S TAGGED. THANKS A BUNCH. AND THEN THE MAIN ITEM IS ITEM 47 TAGGED. THANK YOU, SIR. WHAT'S THAT? 46. 40 SEVEN'S BEEN TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ AS WELL. OKAY. 47 IS TAGGED. THANK YOU MEMBERS. NEXT ITEM 47 48 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. COUNCILOR RAMIREZ. COUNCILOR RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. LAST WEEK I TAGGED THIS ITEM, UH, 'CAUSE I WAS CONCERNED AT THE INCREASES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. IN THE MEANTIME, IVE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM AND HAD ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS AND, UH, FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING YES FOR THIS. UH, I'M CONVINCED THAT THE LIBRARY, UH, WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR AREAS THAT WE CAN, UH, SAVE AND WHERE WE CAN BECOME MORE EFFICIENT. UH, ESPECIALLY, UH, SHOUT OUT TO PATRICK ATKINS WITH THE LIBRARY SYSTEM FOR HIS HELP, UH, ON UNDERSTANDING THIS ITEM. UM, THERE'S STILL A COUPLE THINGS THAT THAT CONCERN ME. ONE OF WHICH IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE, UM, MORE THAN 400,000 OVERDRIVE USERS. AND OBVIOUSLY OVERDRIVE, UH, USE IS VERY IMPORTANT. THAT'S THE WAY THAT OUR, UM, RESIDENTS CAN ACCESS DIGITAL AND AUDIO BOOKS, WHICH HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE POPULAR IN RECENT YEARS. UH, BUT ONE THING THAT DID TROUBLE ME WAS FINDING OUT THAT 20% OF OUR OVERDRIVE USERS, ABOUT 95,000 USERS ARE OUTSIDE THE HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY MARKET. AND SO I'VE ASKED THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT TO SEE IF, UH, THAT'S COST EFFECTIVE, UH, OR WISE FOR HOUSTON TAXPAYERS. BUT I APPRECIATE THEIR HELP IN UNDERSTANDING THIS. I'M GONNA BE VOTING YES FOR IT. . YEAH. THANK YOU FOR DOING YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. BUT I DON'T, MY INFORMATION IS, IT DOESN'T INCREASE THE COST AT ALL IF THOSE OUT OF HOUSTONIANS USE USE THE SERVICE KINDA LIKE OUR STREETS. BUT ANYWAY, I, I, I GOT IT, MAYOR. BUT WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS IS IF THEY'RE USING A BOOK, WE CAN'T CHECK IT OUT. I GOT YOU. I GOT YOU. THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON WHO CAN UH, USE THAT ITEM AT A TIME. IT'S DIGITAL. YEAH. YEAH. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DIGITAL SERVICE. BUT ANYWAY, COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER. YEAH, MAYOR. I HAD A MEETING WITH THE, UH, LIBRARY SYSTEM AS WELL AND KIND OF HAD THE SAME CONCERNS THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ DID. AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO SEE THE LIBRARY DO, AND THEY SAID THEY WERE GONNA TAKE A LOOK AT IT, IS TO LIMITING THE NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO CHECK OUT AT A SINGLE TIME. UH, THEY'RE ABLE TO HAVE RIGHT NOW UP TO 15 ITEMS CHECKED OUT, WHICH OBVIOUSLY CAUSES A SCARCITY. YOU TALKING ABOUT HARD COPIES? NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE DIGITAL. UM, BUT THOSE ARE LIMITED. WE DON'T HAVE AN UNLIMITED NUMBER OF THE DIGITAL COPIES. WHEN WE BUY, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO PAY FOR EACH ONE. IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO A BOOK EXCEPT IT'S ELECTRONIC. OKAY. UH, SO BY CHECKING OUT 15 ITEMS AT ONCE, OBVIOUSLY THAT CREATES A SCARCITY FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. MM-HMM . WHICH IS THE REASON THAT WE'RE SPENDING A LOT MORE MONEY ON IT, IS 'CAUSE THEY NEED MORE OF THESE BOOKS, PAID FOR MORE OF THE LICENSES IN ORDER TO HAVE, FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S STILL IN THE QUEUE. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION. COUNCILMAN CARTER? THANK YOU, MAYOR. WELL, AS A USER OF THE SYSTEM, AND AS WE WERE TALKING EARLIER, NUMBER 183 IN LINE FOR ONE COPY OF A BOOK, AND THAT'S FROM MAY. SO I EXPECT BY THE END OF THE YEAR I MIGHT BE ABLE TO CHECK IT OUT. I ALSO USE THE SYSTEM IN OTHER AREAS, SO THAT 20% DOESN'T BOTHER ME. ALSO, TOO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES THAT WE'RE CLOSING, UM, I THINK THAT THIS REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT CLOSURES, BUT ALSO THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY WHERE HARRIS COUNTY AND CITY OF HOUSTON LIBRARY SHOULD CONSOLIDATE EFFORTS. BECAUSE AGAIN, IN MOST COMMUNITIES, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S COUNTY OR CITY UNLESS YOU REALLY PRESS THEM AND THEY TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT. SO I THINK, UM, CERTAINLY WITH RESPECT TO MY COLLEAGUES QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS AS A USER OF THE SYSTEM, I'M ALL FOR IT. GOOD. THANK YOU. EXCELLENT POINTS. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. I PARTICULARLY LIKE THE IDEA OF COLLABORATING WITH THE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM. COUNCILMAN CAMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. SO I JUST WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER FOR HER REMARKS, BECAUSE WHEN I GO TO DISTRICT C LIBRARIES, THERE'S SO MANY KIDS FROM THE SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN THOSE LIBRARIES. AND IT'S VERY SPECIAL TO SEE, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF SHARED SERVICES. MAYOR, I KNOW WE HAD A LOT OF SPEAKERS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING, UH, FOR YEARS. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT EITHER A SHARED LIBRARY CARD OR RECIPROCITY, BUT SHARE HAVING A, A JUST ONE LIBRARY CARD BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, UM, FOR A [03:40:01] LOT OF COMMUNITIES. SURE. THAT IS AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE THING BEYOND EVEN THE LIBRARIES, UH, FOR THOSE THAT, THAT STRUGGLE WITH IDENTIFICATION. SO AGAIN, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, BUT ALSO I JUST WANNA SHOUT OUT THE LIBRARY SYSTEM FOR THE WORK THEY ARE DOING BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S VERY SPECIAL. DIRECTOR'S DOING A HECK OF A JOB AND GOOD POINTS, UH, WORKING WITH THE COUNTY ON MANY, MANY DEPARTMENTS. UH, NEXT WE NEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT ITEM 49 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUM FOR THE SAME REASONS. ON ITEM NUMBER 48, I WOULD LIKE TO REFER THAT BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION. I MEAN, 49. I'M SORRY FOR THE SAME REASONS. ON ITEM 38, I WOULD LIKE TO REFER 49. BACK TO ADMINISTRATION. SECOND P, SECOND MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR. C ON THE MOTION TO REFER BACK. YEAH. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN ON THE MOTION. COUNCIL CAYMAN. THANK YOU. UM, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND I, FOR A VERY LONG TIME HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT MUDS, ESPECIALLY AS THEY ABUT VARIOUS DISTRICTS AND THE DRAINAGE PLAN. AND I THINK, AND I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER'S DILIGENCE. UM, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WE HAVE IS THE CHANGE IN THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS NO LONGER REVIEWING A LOT OF THIS. AND SO THERE'S SOME CONFLICTING INFORMATION, BUT HOW IT, IT USED TO BE THE CHIEF RESILIENCY OFFICER UNDER COSTELLO WENT THROUGH THESE WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB USING EXPERTISE SO THAT WE ON OUR OWN COULD DETERMINE, UH, WHETHER THE FLOOD MITIGATION WAS SUFFICIENT AND WHAT THE RISK WAS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, SO I HOPE, AGAIN, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT RIGOR IS NOT BEING APPLIED HERE, BUT WE ARE GETTING SOME CONFLICTING INFORMATION. AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE PROCESS IS STILL IN PLACE BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PROCESS SO THAT WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE VOTING ON. THAT IS ONE OF THE ONLY REASONS WE WOULD CONTINUE TO VOTE ON THESE ITEMS. AND I WAS COMFORTABLE VOTING ON THEM WAS BECAUSE WE HAD THAT TYPE OF REVIEW. THIS, AND ACTUALLY, DIDN'T THEY TALK TO YOU? COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER? SO THERE'S A PROCESS IN PLACE, BUT IF YOU WANT ADDITIONAL REVIEW, UH, SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND VICE MAYOR, PRESIDENT COUNCIL. MAYOR PECK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, UM, THERE'S JUST SOME CONCERN ON THE BACKUP INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED. UM, AND THEN SUBSEQUENT EMAILS AREN'T MATCHING. AND SO I THINK ON THIS ONE WE JUST NEED A LITTLE CLARITY ON EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. SOUNDS GOOD. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION REFERRED BACK [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] DURING THE COURSE OF THE MEETING. ITEM 22 WAS RECEIVED. IT'S IN ORDINANCE AND JUST NEED A VOTE. OKEY DOKEY. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. ITEM 22 PASSES. THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. VERY GOOD. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, YOU WANT TO LEAD WITH POPOFF? THANK YOU MAYOR. AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. UH, I KNOW NEXT WEEK WE HAVE A BREAK WEEK FROM COUNCIL. UH, BUT I DO WANT THE MEMBERS TO TAKE THAT TIME TO KIND OF REFLECT ON SOME OF THE TESTIMONY THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING REGARDING THE ACTION PLAN AND THE DR 24 FUNDS THAT ARE COMING TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, WHO'S NOT HERE, DID SUB SU SUBMIT AN AMENDMENT THAT I DO THINK, UH, WOULD BE WISE FOR US TO CONSIDER? UM, THE CITY'S OWN ASSESSMENT HAS SHOWN THAT THE MOST UNMET NEED IS HOUSING. AND, UM, OVER TIME THE AMOUNT OF HOUSING HAS INCREASED FROM $0 TO NOW, $50 MILLION IN HER PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS FOR $100 MILLION TO GO TOWARDS HOUSING. UM, 50 MILLION WOULD PROBABLY GO FOR SINGLE FAMILY, 50 MILLION FOR MULTI-FAMILY. UH, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THE TESTIMONY THAT WE HEARD FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO CAME FORWARD, THEIR OWN PERSONAL TESTIMONY COMING FROM SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AROUND OUR CITY. AND ALTHOUGH IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE THAT PROTECTS CITY ASSETS, THESE INDIVIDUALS, THEIR HOMES ARE THEIR OWN, UH, PERSONAL ASSETS. AND SO, UH, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN THAT BALANCES BOTH ENSURING THAT THE CITY'S ASSETS ARE PROTECTED, BUT ALSO THE NEEDS ARE MET BY THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR HOMES ARE PROTECTED AND THEIR COMMUNITIES ARE PROTECTED. AND SO THIS, THIS TWO WEEK BREAK WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR MORE FROM THE STAKEHOLDERS. I'M SURE THE ADMINISTRATION WILL BE WORKING TOWARDS, UM, COMING BACK WITH, UM, THEIR OUTLOOK ON HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE FUNDS. [03:45:01] UM, BUT IT WOULD BE MY WISH AND HOPE THAT WE DO TRY TO SUPPORT A PLAN THAT PUTS MORE MONEY INTO HOUSING FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS AND ALSO PROTECTS OUR CITY ASSETS. THANK YOU. ONE QUICK THING. I ATTENDED THE ST. ELIZABETH'S HOSPITAL THING THE OTHER DAY, MAN, WHAT A GREAT STORY. UM, AS YOU MIGHT KNOW, AND BACK IN 1947, THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE AND SISTERS OF CHARITY RECOGNIZED THAT THERE WAS SEGREGATION. PEOPLE WEREN'T GETTING THE, THE PRENATAL CARE THAT THEY NEEDED. LOTS OF BABIES BORN IN ST. ELIZABETH'S HOSPITAL. AND THEN IT WAS LIKE COMPLETE DISREPAIR, LOOKED TERRIBLE EYESORE IN THE COMMUNITY, TOTALLY REDONE NOW 85, BOTH MARKET AND AFFORDABLE HOMES IN IT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER WAS THERE, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. UH, DRIVE ON BY LYONS AVENUE AND SEE IT GO IN IF YOU CAN. UH, THEY DID A GREAT JOB AND AND REALLY PROUD TO HAVE, UH, PLAYED A SMALL ROLE IN APPROVING THINGS, UH, FOR THAT FACILITY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CARTER? THANK YOU MAYOR. WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, YOU STOLE MY THUNDER BECAUSE THAT WAS AN IMPRESSIVE EVENT. THE, UH, HOSPITAL IS JUST, IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND THEY'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. UM, IT'S A REAL ASSET AND I'M LIKE, BOY, THAT'S A CLOSER DRIVE TO HOUSTON. I MIGHT MOVE IN DOWN THERE. IT WAS REALLY NICE. THANK YOU. DO Y'ALL WANNA BE WITNESSES? I HEAR COUNCILMAN THOMAS DID A GREAT JOB AT REPRESENTING ME. SHE DID. SHE DID. SHE DID GO. IT'S A GREAT PARTNERSHIP. UH, BUT I HEARD SHE DID A GREAT JOB. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABA. THANK YOU MAYOR. I'M GLAD MY COLLEAGUES DIDN'T TAKE UP A LOT OF TIME 'CAUSE I HAVE A FEW THINGS TO SAY. BUT FIRST OF ALL, MAYOR, I WANNA START OUT WITH SOMETHING THAT I BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION ON YESTERDAY. I ACTUALLY GET A UTILITY BILL FOR A DRAINAGE CHARGE OF 55 CENTS. I GET IT EVERY MONTH. AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UM, HOW THAT IS COST EFFECTIVE TO PAY WHAT POSTAGE, WHICH IS ABOUT 75 CENTS, UH, BESIDES THE WORK EFFORT AND THE PAPER AND INK TO CONTINUE TO COLLECT 55 CENTS. I'M ON IT, WHICH IS DRAFT. HOW LONG YOU BEEN, HOW LONG YOU BEEN GETTING IT? NOT NOT VERY LONG BECAUSE I JUST HAD THE METER WE'RE ON DISCONNECTED. , YOU, YOU SHOWED IT TO ME YESTERDAY. IT'S A TOP PRIORITY. I PROMISE YOU . BUT NO, I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FACT THAT THIS IS, I'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE GETTING A BILL LIKE THIS, BUT IT'S JUST, JUST NOT, I I KNOW YOU'RE IT. OKAY, LET ME MOVE ON. ALRIGHT. UM, IT'S BEEN A FULL AND IMPACTFUL WEEK ACROSS DISTRICT D AND, UM, ON FRIDAY EVENING, MY OFFICE, UH, JOINED STAKEHOLDERS AT DISCOVERY GREEN IN THE STORM FOR A PUBLIC SAFETY WALKTHROUGH HOSTED BY HOUSTON FIRST AND DISCOVERY GREEN LEADERSHIP, UH, FROM SCOOTERS AND ATVS TO LATE NIGHT CROWD ACTIVITY. THIS SITE VISIT GAVE A FRONTLINE LOOK AT THE CHALLENGES IMPACTING THAT AREA, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN, OBSERVE, AND BRING THOSE INSIGHTS BACK TO THE TABLE. AND CERTAINLY I AM LISTENING TO THOSE WHO ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF THE BAND AS WELL. AND SO IT'S SOMETHING FOR DISCUSSION. SAFETY CERTAINLY IS IMPORTANT NOT JUST FOR THE THE SCOOTERS, BUT FOR THE, THE PEOPLE THAT THE PEDESTRIANS THAT ARE WALKING ON WEDNESDAY EVENING. I HAVE THE HONOR OF ATTENDING THE HAWK LEADERSHIP CAMPAIGN, LAUNCH LEAD WITH THE WE LEAD WITH LOVE AT THE THOMPSON HOTEL. THIS EVENT MARKED THE KICKOFF OF THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER'S LARGEST FUNDRAISER. THANK YOU TO INTERIM CEO SONYA CORRALES, CAMPAIGN CHAIR ALLISON CHEN AND THE ENTIRE HAWK TEAM. AS YOU KNOW, HAWK NOW IS IN, UH, DISTRICT D. UH, THEY WERE IN DISTRICT C FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND CERTAINLY, UM, WE WELCOME THEM AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO HELP THOSE THAT ARE SURVIVORS ARE IN CRISIS. AND SO IT WAS AN EVENING FULL OF VISION, STRENGTH, AND LOVE. EARLIER THAT AFTERNOON, I CELEBRATED PRESIDENT JW CRAWFORD THE THIRD AND HIS FIRST YEAR AS A LEADER OF THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY DURING THE UNVEILING OF THE ROAD TO 100 CENTENNIAL CAMPAIGN. THIS FORWARD FACING VISION FOR TSU IS BOTH STRATEGIC AND ROOTED IN LEGACY. ON THURSDAY, I SUPPORTED THE TURNAROUND HOUSTON JOB FAIR, HELD WRIGHT IN DISTRICT D AT THE HOUSTON BUSIN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT INCORPORATED. THIS COLLABORATION WAS, UH, WITH OBO WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS GOLF CO. GULF COAST BROUGHT TOGETHER OVER 20 EMPLOYERS. I'M TELLING YOU, IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED. I WAS VERY ENCOURAGED. PEOPLE WERE THERE WITH THEIR RESUMES READY TO BE INTERVIEWED ON SITE, AND IT WAS A A GREAT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT FOR THOSE, [03:50:01] PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE TRYING TO TURN AROUND THEIR LIVES. UH, ON THURSDAY EVENING, MY OFFICE PARTICIPATED IN THE, UH, WORKSHOP ON MINIMUM LOT SIZE AND BUILDING LINE HOSTED AT THE SUNNYSIDE MULTIER MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, WHICH WE TRY TO KEEP PEOPLE ON TOP OF THAT AS WELL AS DEED RESTRICTIONS, UH, TO PROTECT, UH, YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND SO ANYWAY, UH, THANK YOU TO, UH, KATHLEEN FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S OFFICE, UH, FOR YOUR WORK AND SUPPORT AND IT'S COM, A COMMUNITY LED CITY SUPPORTED INITIATIVE THAT, UH, REALLY HELPS PEOPLE TO PRESERVE THEIR, UH, QUALITY OF NEIGHBORHOOD. UH, ON, UM, WEDNESDAY ON TODAY, THE SUMMER BRIDGE 2025 YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE. IT'S FROM NINE TO ONE 15, IT SAID, YES, PREP SOUTH LOOP CAMPUS. I PLAN TO GO THERE WHEN I LEAVE. I WANT TO THANK SISTER, SISTER AND DISTRICT D AND THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, DIRECTOR HERBERT SIMS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CUEVA PAUL YAHARA, AND OTHER INCREDIBLE ANTI-GANG TEAMS THAT WILL BE THERE FOR THIS IMPACTFUL DAY. UH, THE YWCA ROCKET DAY STEM SUMMER CAMP CULMINATION, UH, WILL BE TUESDAY FROM 10 TO 1130 AT THE EMANCIPATION PARK, 30 18 EMANCIPATION. AND IT'S CULMINATING EVENT OF THE FIFTH ANNUAL STEM SUMMER CAMP IN PARTICI PARTNERSHIP WITH LEND. UH, CERTAINLY I WANNA SHOW MY APPRECIATION TO DR. JANICE BEAL, GISETTE THOMAS, AND THE YWCA LEADERSHIP. UH, MAYOR, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOTTEN, WE'VE ALL GOTTEN CONCERNS ABOUT THE PERMITTING DEPARTMENT, BUT I WAS VERY ENCOURAGED THAT I GOT SOME ACCOLADES FOR MANASHA MCKINNEY. SHE IS AN EMPLOYEE WITH PERMITTING. UH, CONTRACTORS HAVE TOLD ME HOW SHE HAS REALLY, REALLY HELPED THEM IN FACILITATING THEIR PERMITS, AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HER. AND THEN FINALLY, UH, THIS IS THE END OF THE SUMMER, AND IT'S TRULY BEEN A JOY TO HAVE OUR DISTRICT D SUMMER INTERNS WITH US THIS YEAR. I THINK THEY ARE HERE, THESE YOUNG LEADERS, I'M TELLING YOU, THEY WERE NOT JUST PUSHING PAPERS, THEY WERE REALLY, REALLY ENGAGED. UH, THEY HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK TO CONSTITUENTS AND TO HELP IN THE RESOLUTION OF PROBLEMS. AND I CERTAINLY WANNA THANK THEM. UH, THANK MY CONSTITUENTS DIRECTOR, INGRAM MITCHUM, WHO GUIDED THEM TODAY. THEY'RE TAKING A TOUR OF, I THINK ONE OF THE LIFT STATIONS, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN GET AN INSIDE LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON. THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THE CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, STEVEN JAMES. AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THEM. AND IF THEY'RE HERE, I COULD ASK THEM TO STAND. ARE YOU HERE? YAY. OKAY. WE HAVE, WE HAVE. AND JUST KINDA RAISE YOUR HAND. IVY HEINER, WHO'S A RISING SOPHOMORE AT NORTH CAROLINA A AND T UNIVERSITY, WE HAVE, UH, HAN MABRY RETURNING TO SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AS A SENIOR WITH PLANS TO GRADUATE THIS DECEMBER. KENNEDY WALKER, RISING JUNIOR AT THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. MADISON WILLIAMS, INCOMING FRESHMAN AT CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY ALMA MATER, SPELMAN COLLEGE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, DURO DENA, WHO I'VE KNOWN FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THIS YOUNG MAN IS FANTASTIC. UM, I MET HIS MOTHER SOME YEARS AGO AND I'M, I'M JUST SO ENCOURAGED BY ALL OF MY INTERNS. AND, UH, DURO IS BEGINNING HIS COLLEGE JOURNEY THIS FALL AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY. AND SO THESE STUDENTS REPRESENT THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC SERVICE, AND THEY HAVE MADE DISTRICT D PROUD. WE WISH THEM ALL THE SUCCESS AND FULFILLMENT THAT THEY SO RICHLY DESERVE. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU AND GIVE YOU MY APPLAUSE. AND THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. YOU THREW OKAY. I GAVE Y'ALL A BREAK. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANNA START, UH, BY THANKING REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTINA MORALES. THIS PAST SATURDAY, WE PARTNERED TOGETHER ON A BACK TO SCHOOL, UM, EVENT IN THE NEAR NORTH SIDE, HANDING OUT SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS KITS. UM, I WANT TO THANK HER THE MORALES MEMORIAL FOUNDATION AND THE BUSINESSES AND THE SPONSORS THAT HELPED SUPPORT TO MAKE THAT EVENT POSSIBLE. UH, WE SERVED A NUMBER OF FAMILIES. IT WAS, IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. AND, UH, WE HELPED THEM GET READY FOR UPCOMING BACK TO SCHOOL ON AUGUST THE 12TH. TUESDAY I'M GONNA BE HOSTING A VIRTUAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOP. UH, WE ARE IN [03:55:01] THE MIDDLE OF HURRICANE SEASON. WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO THAT MORE ACTIVE PART OF HURRICANE SEASON. AND SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT THERE TO PRESENT AND, UM, TALK ABOUT HOW TO PREPARE AND, AND ALL THE, THE TIPS AND INFORMATION THAT HELP HELP FOLKS GET READY IN CASE OF A DISASTER. SO THAT'S GONNA BE ON AUGUST 12TH FROM SIX TO 7:00 PM IT WILL BE VIRTUAL. IF YOU NEED ANY INFORMATION, UM, DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT. DISTRICT H@HOUSTONTX.GOV. AND YESTERDAY I WENT AND VISITED, UH, INDEPENDENCE HALL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DAIKIN. UH, YOU KNOW, THEY PROVIDED AIR PURIFIERS TO, TO OUR OFFICES. AND I WENT AND DISTRIBUTED THEM TO THE FOLKS AT INDEPENDENCE HALL. UM, THEY ARE STILL IN A LOT OF NEED OVER THERE, UH, WITH THE CONDITIONS, UH, THAT THEY'RE LIVING IN. UH, VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE AIR PURIFIERS THAT THEY'LL, UH, BE ABLE TO USE IN THEIR APARTMENTS. BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION ON MAYOR, ON HOW WE CAN, UH, HELP THEM FOR THE LONG TERM WITH THAT PROPERTY. 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S IN ROUGH SHAPE. UH, BUT THEY DO HAVE IMMEDIATE NEEDS AS WELL WITH, UM, MOLD ISSUES, ROOF ISSUES, LEAKS, YOU NAME IT. SO, UM, IT'LL BE, UH, A PRI A CONTINUED PRIORITY FOR ME. AND, UH, I WANNA THANK DAIKIN FOR, FOR THAT CONTRIBUTION, UH, BECAUSE THE SENIORS THERE WERE, WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE, UM, TO HAVE THAT. SO, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UH, JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, AGAIN, THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE MAYOR MADE REGARDING THE SCHOOL BACKPACK DRIVE SATURDAY MORNING, UM, FROM SHELL. AND, UH, HOPEFULLY THAT WE CAN GET AS MANY PEOPLE, ENCOURAGE ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR AT LARGE PEOPLE, TO GET AS MANY YOUNG PEOPLE OUT THERE. THEY NEED THOSE ITEMS AND, UH, VERY MUCH NEEDED AND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES. AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO, UH, ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO DO THAT. UH, ALSO LAST I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE, UH, MY TWO INTERNS THAT HAVE WORKED WITH OUR, UH, OUR STAFF WITH AT LARGE TWO THIS YEAR, DONE A MARVELOUS JOB. UH, WE TRIED TO GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND, UH, INTRODUCE THEM TO MUCH OF WHAT THE CITY GOVERNMENT IS ALL ABOUT. THEY HAD A CHANCE TO, UM, ATTEND, UM, MOST TOURING. UH, MY CONSTITUENT SERVICE GUYS TOOK THEM TO THE EAST WATER PLANTS, HAD A CHANCE TO TOUR THAT. UH, ALSO THEY WENT TO THREE, UM, WENT OUT TO 3 1 1 AND, UH, ALSO TO THE OFFICE OF EMERGENT MANAGEMENT. SO THEY HAD A CHANCE TO GET A UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL VIEW OF WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT. AND, UH, WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE BROTHER ZY, WHO WAS GOING BACK TO, UH, HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE. AND HE'S HERE, AND MELISSA, WHO WAS A STUDENT AT PRAIRIE VIEW. AND SO I SURELY WANT TO THANK THEM AND MY STAFF FOR GIVING THEM A GOOD EXPERIENCE. AND THEY COURSE HELPED US A LOT IN OUR LAST TOWN HALL MEETING. BUT CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART MAYOR, REFLECTION CHAIR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO CONSTABLE JERRY GARCIA. HE HELPED US GET RID OF A LONG TERM, UH, HOMELESS SITUATION THAT WE HAD, UH, THAT HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ANY MOVEMENT ON AT ALL. AND, AND WE'RE STILL STRUGGLING WITH IT. IN FACT, UH, IT'S, UH, UH, NICE THAT, UH, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER THAT'S TRYING TO HELP US OUT WITH IT. I MEAN, THIS WOMAN NEEDS SOME HELP AND, AND HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET IT. AND THE LAST THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT REAL QUICK WAS, UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT IN THE NEWS AND SOME DISCUSSION HERE TODAY ABOUT THE REDISTRICTING GOING ON. UH, I'VE NEVER BEEN A FAN OF GERRYMANDERED DISTRICTS. I, I THINK IT LEADS TO A LOT OF, UM, ACRIMONY IN OUR POLITICS, UM, BUT ALSO WANTED TO CALL OUT, UH, ATTENTION TO, TO MY DISTRICT. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT DISTRICT E HAS THE NORTHERNMOST POINT IN KINGWOOD, THE SOUTHERNMOST POINT IN THE CITY, IN CLEAR LAKE, IN THE EASTERNMOST POINT IN THE CITY OF NORTH SHORE. SO NEXT TIME WE LOOK AT THIS, UH, SCHU WOULD LIKE SOME HELP. AND, AND MAYBE CHANGING THAT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER. I, I APPRECIATE YOUR VOICE ON IT. UH, WE ALWAYS, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER AND I TALK A LOT, UM, NOT JUST ABOUT POLITICS, BUT POLICY. AND, UH, AND I BELIEVE ONE OF OUR STATE REPS, UH, REPRESENTATIVE TALLARICO JUST FILED A BILL DISCUSSING, UH, BIPARTISAN REDISTRICTING COMMISSIONS TO TAKE A LOT OF THE EXTREME POLITICS OUT OF THIS. [04:00:01] UH, PUBLIC CAN'T SEE IT, BUT I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE. UH, THIS IS THE MAP THAT WAS JUST RELEASED. UH, AND THE REASON I BRING IT UP IS A LOT OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AND INCLUDING OURSELVES, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, WAS JUST LOOKING AT IT, ARE NO LONGER IN THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS THAT WE WERE IN, IF THIS MAP GOES THROUGH. UM, AND RESIDENTS NEED TO BE AWARE OF HOW BIG INSIGNIFICANT THESE CHANGES ARE, UM, AND THE INTENTIONAL DISCRIMINATION BEHIND IT. UH, I DO WANNA THANK EVERYBODY. UH, WHO CAME TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS. AGAIN, THE PUBLIC HEARINGS WERE, UH, TAKING PLACE PRIOR TO ANY MAPS BEING RELEASED. SO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS ON THIS IS EXTREMELY FLAWED, BUT RESIDENTS STILL NEED TO ENGAGE, STILL NEED TO RE REACH OUT TO THEIR STATE SENATORS, THEIR REPRESENTATIVE, UH, IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, SUBMIT TESTIMONY, UM, AND STAY ENGAGED BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS A VERY, VERY DRASTIC, UH, CHANGE ON VERY SHORT NOTICE. SO CLOSE TO THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS. MAYOR, UH, I WANNA THANK, UM, ALL OF THE PARTNERS, UH, RELATED TO YOU. AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS WHITE LINEN KNIGHT. IT'S COMING UP THIS WEEKEND. UH, THERE'S THE PERMITTED, UH, PART IN THE HEIGHTS, HEIGHTS PROPER, UM, WHERE IT'S A BEAUTIFUL, UH, VIBRANT, UH, EVENT, BRINGING OUT THE COMMUNITY INTO THE HEIGHTS. AND THEY WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY WORK WITH ALL THE PARTNERS. THEY FOLLOW THE PROCESS. AND THERE WILL BE STREET CLOSURES FROM 19TH STREET TO, UM, FROM YALE TO ASHLAND, STARTING AT 6:00 PM ON SATURDAY. UM, THAT BEING SAID, THERE ARE OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE NOW EMBRACED WHITE LINEN KNIGHT, BUT NOT WITH THE SPIRIT OF WHAT WHITE LINEN KNIGHT IS. AND MANY, MANY, MANY OF THOSE ARE, UM, STANDUP PARTIES, BLOCK PARTIES, BAR PARTIES, UM, THAT DO NOT SEEK ADDITIONAL PERMITS THAT DO NOT WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, AND CREATE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES. AND THOSE AREAS INCLUDE WOODLAND HEIGHTS, UH, NEAR WHITE OAK AND STUDEWOOD. AND OF COURSE, IN SHADY ACRES. UH, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH H-P-D-H-F-D AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT EVEN LAST YEAR IN OUR, UH, POST-OP, IT WAS, THE RESOURCES ARE OVERWHELMED. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, EMS IS OVERWHELMED. SO AGAIN, THIS YEAR, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES HAVE BEEN MOBILIZED FOR THE AREA FOR THE WEEKEND. UM, THERE WILL BE COMMAND STATIONS AS PREVIOUSLY STOOD UP, UH, IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT AGAIN, THAT THIS AMOUNT OF RESOURCES HAS TO BE DIRECTED TO THIS AREA WHEN WE HAVE A WHOLE CITY THAT WE NEED TO BE ADDRESSING IS EXTREMELY CONCERNING. UM, PARK HOUSTON WILL BE PRESENT FOR PARKING ENFORCEMENT AND ILLEGAL PARKING. UM, RESIDENTS SHOULD CONTACT 9 1 1 FOR PUBLIC SAFETY EMERGENCIES. CONTACT NON-EMERGENCY HPD. IT'S 7 1 3 8 8 4 3 1 3 1 FOR THINGS SUCH AS NOISE, OCCUPANCY CONCERNS, ET CETERA. UM, BUT THE, OUR DEV DEPARTMENTS AND MULTIPLE DIVISIONS ARE ENGAGED AND PAYING ATTENTION AND WORKING ON THIS. BUT I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT THE STRAIN ON RESOURCES, UH, AND THE, THE STRUGGLES THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD GOES THROUGH DURING THIS. UH, LASTLY, UH, IF ASHLEY AND VIOLET COULD PLEASE STAND, ASHLEY CHARLA HAS BEEN OUR SUMMER INTERN DOING AMAZING WORK, ASHLEY WAVE, UH, DOING INCREDIBLE WORK IN OUR OFFICE FROM POLICY RESEARCH, SPECIAL PROJECTS, AND CONSTITUENT CASE WORK. TOMORROW IS HER LAST DAY, AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING. AND THEN WE WANNA WELCOME A RISING SENIOR AT EMORY WIENER, UH, VIOLET GOLDMAN, UH, WHO HAS HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, SHE'S GONNA BE WITH US FOR THE WEEK. SO AGAIN, TO BOTH OF YOU, THANK YOU FOR SERVING, UH, OUR DISTRICT AND ALL THE RESIDENTS THAT YOU'VE BEEN HELPING YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, LAST WEEK, DISTRICT G PARTNERED WITH AT AND T AND COMP.TO GIVE AWAY 50 LAPTOPS AT THE WEST HOUSTON OUTREACH CENTER. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EVENT WATCHING THESE FAMILIES GET THEIR FIRST COMPUTERS, ALONG WITH HANDS-ON TRAINING TO BE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE, UM, THE USE OF THEIR NEW DEVICES. SO THANK YOU TO COMPU.TO AT AND T FOR HELPING CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. WE APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I JUST WANNA LET FOLKS KNOW WE'RE CONTINUING TO DISCUSS, UH, PROPOSED MOTORIZED SCOOTER BAN, UH, FOR CERTAIN AREAS. AND IF YOU HAVE THOUGHTS AND YOU HAVEN'T WEIGHED IN YET, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO WEIGH IN. UH, YOU CAN EMAIL US AT, AT LARGE, THE NUMBER1@HOUSTONTX.GOV, OR REACH OUT TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. UH, YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT, UH, MATTER TO US, AND WE WANT TO TAKE ALL VIEWS INTO CONSIDERATION. UH, ESPECIALLY ASK THOSE WHO LIVE IN DOWNTOWN MIDTOWN AND THE PARTS OF THE EAST SIDE [04:05:01] THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED, UH, WHAT YOUR VIEWS ON IT ARE. I WILL SAY AS WELL, WE'VE HAD A REQUEST, UH, FROM BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP THAT BUFFALO BAYOU PARK BE INCLUDED IN, UH, RESTRICTED AREAS. AND SO, SOLICIT YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT. ALSO, I TOO, WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT AND THANK YOU TO OUR INTERNS WHO HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY THIS SUMMER. WE HAVE TWO OF THEM, AND IF THEY'RE HERE, THEY ARE HERE, I'D LIKE FOR THEM TO STAND ON THE LEFT THERE. WE HAVE TRUDY JACOBS. AND ON THE RIGHT, WE HAVE CEL SEARCY. UM, THEY ARE BOTH COLLEGE STUDENTS. TRUDY WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN TO FINISH HER, UH, EDUCATION. CEL WILL BE STARTING, UH, NEXT MONTH AT TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY. AND SO THEY'VE DONE GREAT WORK FOR US. WE'VE ENJOYED HAVING THEM, AND I'M GLAD THEY GOT THE EXPERIENCE OF SEEING HOW CITY GOVERNMENT WORKS. UM, AND SO JUST THANK YOU ALL. MAYOR PROTE CASSIDY TATUM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I, I DID WANT TO, UM, JUST MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. AND I THINK IT'S, UM, I, I FEEL COMPELLED TO, UH, SAY THIS ON BEHALF OF, OF OUR, OUR COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION, THAT WHILE WE ARE LOOKING AT AND HEARING ABOUT AND PARTICIPATING IN SO MUCH DIVISIVENESS, UH, IN THE POLITICAL WORLD, THAT AS THE MAYOR PRO TEM, I GET THIS REALLY UNIQUE GLIMPSE INTO THE ADMINISTRATION AND WORKING WITH OUR COLLEAGUES. AND I WANT THIS COUNCIL TO KNOW WHY I THINK IT'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS SO IMPORTANT. WE ARE THE BODY THAT IS CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE. AND I THINK WHAT WE WILL SEE, UM, IN TWO WEEKS IS WHY LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS, IS SO IMPORTANT. AND I'M TALKING ABOUT OUR, WHAT HAS HAPPENED, UM, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH OUR DISASTER RECOVERY. UH, THIS CITY HAS GONE THROUGH NUMEROUS DISASTERS, BUT WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN OUR CITY THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION AND THROUGH THE PUSH AND PULL OF OUR COLLEAGUES AND FROM HOUSTONIANS, I THINK THAT I HOPE THAT THE NEWS MEDIA WILL REPORT WHAT HAS HAPPENED, WHAT TRANSPIRED, HOW DID WE ALL PULL TOGETHER, WORK TOGETHER, PUSH TOGETHER THE ADMINISTRATION, THE CHAIR OF HOUSING, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THE NUMEROUS NUMBER OF HOUSTONIANS THAT CAME TO LIFT THEIR VOICES. AND WHAT WILL TRANSPIRE FROM THE WAY GOVERNMENT SHOULD WORK. AND I HOPE THAT HOUSTON WILL BE A MODEL FOR OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND OTHER GOVERNMENTS IN GENERAL. UM, BECAUSE IT, WE SHOULD NOT TAKE IT LIGHTLY, AND WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO AMPLIFY THAT WORKING TOGETHER BENEFITS, THE PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER, BENEFITS THE PEOPLE, AND JUST SEEING IT. UM, I DIDN'T WANNA LET THIS OPPORTUNITY PASS TO SHARE THAT WITH MY COLLEAGUES BECAUSE WE CAN ALL BE INUNDATED BY THE NEWS. WE CAN BE INUNDATED BY THE NUMEROUS MEETINGS THAT WE GO TO AND ALL OF THE PUSH AND PULL OF NEGATIVITY AND DIVISIVENESS. BUT I WANT US TO ALL AMPLIFY AND UPLIFT THE WORK THAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THE GOVERNMENT THAT IS CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE, THE GOVERNMENT THAT TOUCHES THEIR EVERY SINGLE DAY LIVES. UH, AND I THINK THAT WE'LL ALL BE PLEASED WITH THE, WITH THE OUTCOME. UH, IN TWO WEEKS WHEN OUR CHAIR OF HOUSING RETURNS. UM, MY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS, I DO WANT TO, UH, THANK OUR DISTRICT K INTERNS. UH, WE HAD FOUR INTERNS, UH, IN OUR OFFICE. AND, UM, VERY EXCITED THAT, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. UH, WE HAD A LITTLE STAFF MEETING AND OUR, OUR DISTRICT, A INTERNS TOLD ME THEY HAD NEVER BEEN TO THE CAPITOL BEFORE. AND THEN THE GOVERNOR CALLED A SPECIAL, UH, SESSION. I SAID, WELL, HERE'S OUR OPPORTUNITY. AND THEY EACH HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THEIR INDIVIDUAL STATE REPRESENTATIVES. THEY GOT TO SEE THE SENATE IN ACTION. UM, AND IT WAS VERY MEANINGFUL. I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE DEAN OF THE HOUSE, UM, ONE OF OUR INTERNS TOLD HER THAT HE WAS GETTING HIS DEGREE IN FINANCE, AND SHE PULLED OUT HER BIBLE, UH, AND, AND POINTED TO A, A SCRIPTURE THAT TALKS ABOUT MONEY IN THE BIBLE. UH, AND I THOUGHT SHE IS SO WELL RESPECTED IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE. UM, UM, TALKING ABOUT, OF COURSE, UH, SYMPHONIA ROIA THOMPSON. AND, UM, TO HAVE HER TAKE TIME WHEN SHE WAS HEADED TO A MEETING TO SPEND IT WITH OUR INTERNS SPOKE VOLUMES. AND I KNOW WHY SHE IS SO WELL RESPECTED, BUT I DO WANNA LET OUR INTERNS [04:10:01] KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATED HAVING THEM IN THE OFFICE. MAYOR, THEY TOOK A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT TRASH. UM, AND THEY, THEY KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THOSE TRUCKS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR OUR RESIDENTS. UM, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DID IN THE DISTRICT K OFFICE. UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND WISH YOU THE VERY BEST AS YOU RETURN BACK TO TEXAS TECH AND TO SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. AND THEN ALSO, I WANNA, UM, AMPLIFY THE OBO COMMUNITY MEETINGS. UH, MAYOR, UH, DIRECTOR HORDE HAS BEEN DOING A YEOMAN'S JOB ON HOSTING THOSE MEETINGS TODAY, UH, AT THE HOUSTON PERMIT MEETING CENTER, UH, WILL BE THE EVENING SESSION FROM FOUR TO SIX, AND THIS ONE WILL BE, UH, ON GOODS AND OTHER SERVICES. UM, SO IF THERE ARE BUSINESS OWNERS THAT, UM, LOOK ARE LOOKING TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN THE GOODS AND OTHER SERVICES AREA, WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE, UM, SESSION TONIGHT FROM 4:00 PM TO 6:00 PM AT THE PERMITTING CENTER. UH, IF YOU ARE NOT REGISTERED AND YOU NEED THE INFORMATION, YOU CAN FOLLOW THE OBO SITES OR YOU CAN REACH US, UM, AT THE DISTRICT A OFFICE, AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND YOU THE LINK. BUT I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO JEB AND TO, UM, DIRECT A HORDE FOR THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THEY'RE DOING AROUND THE DISPARITY STUDY AND HOSTING THESE MEETINGS FOR OUR BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT WANT TO DO WORK WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND THEN FINALLY, OUR FONDANT ROAD RECAP. IT'S A BIG PROJECT GOING THROUGH DISTRICT K, UM, IT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN TEXDOT AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IF YOU DID MISS THE DESIGN MEETING, WE HAVE IT RECORDED. YOU CAN CATCH THE RECORDING ON PUBLIC'S PUBLIC WORKS YOUTUBE CHANNEL. UH, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT THE, UM, ANY INPUT OR QUESTIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE. UH, AND PLEASE FOLLOW THIS PROJECT ON ENGAGE HOUSTON TX.GOV, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY. AND I'M NOT GONNA LET THE MEETING END WITHOUT RECOGNIZING YOU. UM, YOU WERE THE FIRST APPOINTMENT I'VE MADE. YOU SET THE STANDARDS. IF YOU LOOK THROUGH OUR ADMINISTRATION, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, I THINK AT ONE OF OUR TOP ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WE WORK TOGETHER. I DON'T MAKE MAJOR DECISIONS WITHOUT YOU BEING AT THE TABLE. YOU REALIZE HOW CLOSE THE CHAIR OF HOUSING AND I'VE WORKED TO COMPLETE THIS MISSION. WE STARTED WITH ZERO FUNDING FOR HOME IMPROVEMENTS, LARGELY AT THE DIRECTION OF HUD. WE HAD THE SECRETARY HERE WORKING WITH HIM AND HIS STAFF. WE MADE MOVES IN THAT DIRECTION. UM, WE LISTENED TO THE PUBLIC, WE LISTENED TO THE CHAIR OF HOUSING. WE LISTENED TO THIS COUNCIL AND, UH, REALLY OUTTA RESPECT FOR HER. WE WERE GONNA SKIP THE TOPIC TODAY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, UH, NOT EVERYONE AGREED WITH THAT MEASURE TO POSTPONE TILL SHE COULD BE HERE AND SPEAK FOR HERSELF. BUT, UH, YOU AND I KNOW EVERYBODY'S GONNA BE REALLY PLEASED WITH THE PROCESS. I CAME HERE TO REPRESENT COUNCIL MEMBERS AND GET THINGS DONE. AND, UH, I RESPECT HER. SHE WAS ANOTHER MAJOR APPOINTMENTS. SO LISTENING TO HER, LISTENING TO COMMUNITY, OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO ACCEPT HER AMENDMENT, AND I WANT HER TO BE HERE TO LAY IT OUT AND SHOW OUR PARTNERSHIP AND HOW THIS CITY IS BEING SERVED BY MOST OF US WORKING IN COLLABORATION. ONE, NOT WORRYING ABOUT WHO GETS CREDIT FOR IT, BUT LEAVING POLITICS. MOST OF US OUT THERE IN THE HALL, THERE'LL BE A TIME FOR THAT, BUT MAINLY LET'S GET THINGS DONE. AND TODAY WAS A GOOD DAY BECAUSE ONE GOT THINGS DONE. AND NUMBER TWO, WE GET ALONG AND OUTTA RESPECT FOR SOMEONE WHO CALLED TRYING TO GET HERE. BUT A FLIGHT WAS DELAYED. AND OUR HOUSING CHAIR, I SAID, JUST POSTPONE IT AND WE'LL DEAL WITH IT. YOU CAN, UH, TAKE THE LEAD AND THE PUBLIC'S GONNA BE VERY PLEASED. THE GENERATORS, OF COURSE, RON MASON WAS GONNA BE HERE AND WILL IN TWO WEEKS TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT. THEY STILL ARE GONNA PLAY A VITAL ROLE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR HOMES DAMAGED, THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON, HAVE TO HAVE A PLACE TO GO TO OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS. SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO PUT SERIOUS MONEY ON GENERATORS FOR OUR MULTI-SERVICE COOLING WARMING CENTERS. AND, UH, IT'S JUST GONNA BE A WIN-WIN. BUT IT'S THE PROCESS THAT YOU BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT PROBABLY WON'T GET [04:15:01] FULL COVERAGE, BUT FOR US TO START WITH A PROPOSAL, WORKING WITH HUD, WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITIES, WORKING WITH THIS COUNCIL, AND WE'RE GONNA REACH A PROPOSAL THAT I'LL BE SHOCKED IF EVERYONE DOESN'T SUPPORT. AND THAT'S THE WAY WE SHOULD OPERATE. AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION. AND THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE AT THE MEETINGS AND GIVING YOUR WISDOM TO THIS SOLUTION. THANK YOU. EVERYONE. HAVE A GOOD DAY. WAIT, WE STILL HAVE TWO PEOPLE LEFT. OH, I WAS, I WAS PRETTY PUMPED. COUNCILMAN, VICE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR PROTECH. AND THANK YOU FOR THE ROLE YOU PLAY. GO FOR IT. STILL. GO FOR IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WAS BRINGING A CLOSURE OF MINE IN YOUR OH, OKAY. PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE FOR YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT. WELL SAID. UM, MAYOR TODAY I WANTED TO THANK DIRECTOR HASSON. UM, FOR YEARS, UM, THE DELIVERY OF NEW AND REPLACEMENT CANS HAS BEEN DELAYED. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ABOUT THREE MONTHS DELAYED, AND WE'VE ASKED NOW TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTORS FOR OUR HOT TEAM TO BE ABLE TO HELP MAKE THOSE DELIVERIES IN TIMES WHEN WE'RE BEHIND. AND, UM, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD, NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. THAT CAN'T WORK. WELL, DIRECTOR HASSEN, UM, MADE IT HAPPEN. AND NOW OUR HOT TEAM IS HELPING WITH THOSE DELIVERIES WHEN NEEDED. AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. UM, ANOTHER THING THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT TOO IS ALLOWING PEOPLE TO GO PICK UP THEIR CANS AS WELL, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO AS AN OPTION. UM, AND THEN MAYOR, I KNOW THAT, UM, DIRECTOR HASSAN IS LOOKING AT, UM, CRACKING DOWN ON, UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE USING CITY TRASH SERVICES, WHO SHOULD NOT. UM, BUT I THINK THAT WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT IT ON THE FRONT END TOO, WHEN NEW DEVELOPMENTS ARE COMING IN, UM, WHEN PEOPLE ARE MOVING IN AND CALLING FOR, FOR NEW CANS, UM, TO AUTOMATICALLY SHOW THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE GETTING THAT SERVICE. UM, I HAVE TWO, UM, TOWN HOME GATED COMMUNITIES ON MY STREET THAT HAVE CITY SERVICES FOR TRASH THAT SHOULD NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE STREETS AND THERE'S TRASH CANS ALL UP AND DOWN MY STREET. YOU COULD BARELY EVEN DRIVE THROUGH BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY CANS FOR HOUSES THAT SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE THAT SERVICE. SO I KNOW THAT HE'S WORKING ON THAT ISSUE, BUT I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO WORK ON IT ON THE FRONT END FOR ALL THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT SHOULDN'T BE GETTING THAT SERVICE. JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, FIRST I WANNA THANK DIRECTOR HORT AND HER TEAM, UH, FOR YESTERDAY'S CO-HOSTING, UH, DISPARITY STUDY MEETING. WE FOCUSED ON PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IT WAS A GREAT TURNOUT. UM, AND AS, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM MENTIONED, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE MORE DISCUSSIONS, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS, UH, CONTINUE TO STAY IN THE LOOP, UM, AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING SOMETHING THAT WORKS WELL FOR ALL SMALL BUSINESSES. UH, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WAS, UH, THAT FOR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR COOL, COOL WOOD OAKS. IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING FOR NEXT. WE, UH, FOR WEDNESDAY THE 13TH AT 9:00 AM IT'S A 4% TAX CREDIT IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF DISTRICT. I, I'VE VISITED THIS, UH, THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX. HIS, UH, IN THE PAST, UH, PA UH, UH, AFTER HARVEY. IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDED, BUT WE WOULD WANT, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, COMMUNITY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK TO IT. AND THEN LASTLY, JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCILOR DAVIS FOR BEING IN ATTENDANCE, UH, LAST FRIDAY WITH HOUSTON FIRST. AND THEN FOR MY COLLEAGUES THAT SENT, UH, STAFF, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A CONVERSATION EVEN THOUGH IT RAINED, THERE WAS LITTLE ACTIVITY WITH SCOOTERS, UH, BUT THE CONVERSATION WAS STILL HAD, AND I THINK IT WAS A PRODUCTIVE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, REALLY HIGHLIGHT WHAT IS NEEDED IN DOWNTOWN, IN EAST DOWNTOWN THAT I CAN SPEAK TO, UH, SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SCOOTERS, ATVS, AND MOPEDS. UM, THIS IS A, A GOOD WAY, UH, FORWARD, BUT I ALSO WANNA JUST, UH, ENSURE THAT WE ARE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION EVERY ASPECT OF, OF, UH, MOBILITY. AND SO THOSE THAT ARE, ARE UTILIZING SCOOTERS FOR WORK AND TRANSPORTATION DURING THE DAY. I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STILL, UH, SUPPORTING THO THOSE ASPECTS AND REALLY FOCUSING ON WHERE THE, THE CHALLENGES ARE, WHICH IS AFTER NINE O'CLOCK WHEN IT GETS DARK. I REALLY, UH, DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANYBODY AGE 16 SHOULD BE OUT IN THE, IN THE EVENING AT, AT PAST NINE ON A SCOOTER. THERE'S NOTHING POSITIVE HAPPENING. UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE, UH, FOLKS FROM THE HOTEL, HOTEL, UH, HOTELIERS THERE. UH, OF COURSE, HOUSTON FIRST, SOME OTHERS, UH, RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE, THAT ARE THERE IN DOWNTOWN. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO, UH, SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON A, UM, A GOOD ORDINANCE THAT WILL PROVIDE, UH, AGAIN, SAFETY, PUBLIC SAFETY FIRST AND FOREMOST, BUT THEN ALSO TAKING CONSIDERATION, MOBILITY. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. NO, THAT'S IT. ANYONE ELSE? WE STAND, [04:20:01] ADJOURN. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.