[PRESENTATIONS]
[00:00:06]
FIRST, IF WE WILL, UH, COME TO ORDER, WE DO HAVE TWO PROCLAMATIONS TODAY.UH, THE FIRST PROCLAMATION THE CHAIR WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS FOR A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING AUGUST 1ST TO SEPTEMBER 1ST AS HOUSTON RESTAURANTS WEEK.
HELLO, HOW ARE YOU? HOW YOU YOU GET ME TODAY? I GET YOU
AND I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER GROUP THAT, UH, DESERVES IT MORE, UH, HONORED OF THIS PARTICULAR PROCLAMATION.
IT'S THE HOUSTON RESTAURANT WEEK IS THE CITY'S MOST ANTICIPATED FOODIE EVENT OF THE YEAR AND SERVES AS THE LARGEST ANNUAL FUNDRAISER FOR THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK.
THE NATION'S LARGEST FOOD BANK HOUSTON RESTAURANT WEEKS 2025 RUNS FROM AUGUST 1ST THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1ST, AND MARK, ITS 22ND YEAR.
MORE THAN 400 RESTAURANTS ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS YEAR'S EVENT, OFFERING MULTI-COURSE SPECIAL, ESPECIALLY PRICE MENUS FOR BRUNCH AT $25 LUNCH, $25 DINNER, 39 OR $55.
EACH RESTAURANT DONATES A DOLLAR TO $5 FOR EVERY MEAL SOLD DURING THE EVENT FIRST HELD IN 2003 AS A ONE WEEK EVENT.
HOUSTON RESTAURANT WEEKS EXPANDED INTO A MONTH LONG CELEBRATION IN 2012.
ITS ECONOMIC IMPACT NOW GENERATES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THE LOCAL ECONOMY EACH AUGUST.
HISTORICALLY, THE MOST CHALLENGING MONTH FOR HOUSTON RESTAURANTS TODAY, IT IS OFTEN THEIR MOST PROFITABLE MONTH OF THE YEAR.
HOUSTON RESTAURANT WEEKS WAS FOUNDED IN 2003 BY CLEVERLY STONE, WHO MADE IT HER LIFE'S MISSION TO FIGHT HUNGER.
AND HOUSTON WITH HER MANTRA, DINE OUT, DO GOOD, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS THE DIVA OF DINING.
HER 26 YEAR CAREER AS A RESTAURANT CORRESPONDENT MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON THE CITY'S CULINARY SCENE AND HER PHILANTHROPY.
SPIRIT STONE PASSED AWAY IN 2020 AFTER LONG BATTLE WITH CANCER, BUT HER MISSION LIVES ON THROUGH THE CLEVERLY STONE FOUNDATION, FOUNDED AND LED BY HER DAUGHTER KATIE STONE.
SINCE ITS INCEPTION, HOUSTON RESTAURANT WEEKS HAS RAISED MORE THAN $22 MILLION FOR THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK.
THIS MONTH LONG EVENT NOT ONLY SHOWCASES HOUSTON VIBRANT CULINARY SCENE, BUT ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE DIVERSE DINING WHILE SUPPORTING A MEANINGFUL CAUSE IN THE COMMUNITY.
MAY I APPROACH HIM? ALRIGHT, ANY OF THEM HERE? ANYBODY HERE? OH, YES, THEY ARE HERE.
SHOULD WE HAVE REAL QUICK COME ON UP.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS FOR THIS PROCLAMATION FOR HOUSTON RESTAURANT WEEKS, WHICH HAS NOW TURNED INTO RESTAURANT MONTH.
MANY OF US DO ENJOY, UH, FINE DINING IN AUGUST, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT, UM, PRESENTING THIS PROCLAMATION TO YOU.
AND SO THEREFORE, I, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ON BEHALF OF JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM AUGUST 1ST THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025 AS HOUSTON RESTAURANTS WEEK IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
UH, CRAIG HOWARD, DOWNTOWN, BUSINESS OWNER BALLROOM AT BAYOU PLACE.
UH, INCOMING CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSTON RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.
MY WIFE STEPHANIE BALLROOM AT TANGLEWOOD.
SO WE'RE JUST PLEASED TO BE HERE.
RESTAURANTS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE BEST CITY IN, IN THE UNITED STATES FOR RESTAURANTS.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME HERE, COME BACK HERE AND MOVE HERE BECAUSE OF OUR RESTAURANTS.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF HARDWORKING PEOPLE OUT THERE ON BEHALF OF THE TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION AND THE HOUSTON CHAPTER, ONE OF THE LARGEST CHAPTERS IN TEXAS.
JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ALWAYS, AND FOR WORKING WITH US ON ALL OF THE PERMITTING ISSUES AND BILLS AND THINGS TO COME, BECAUSE
[00:05:01]
HOUSTON RESTAURANTS DRIVES THE ECONOMY.TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION AND THE TEXAS RESTAURANT HOSPITALITY WORKERS IS THE LARGEST, UH, EMPLOYER IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO WANNA KEEP THAT GOING, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
FIRST WE HAVE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE.
FIRST UP IS COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
I GAINED FIVE POUNDS EVERY AUGUST
LAST NIGHT I WENT TO DISTRICT A TO THE BLIND GOAT.
THEY HAD A GREAT, GREAT RESTAURANT, AND IT'S SO GREAT THAT YOU, THAT YOU PUT ON THE MENU, LIKE EACH RESTAURANT WEEK MEAL YOU BUY IS LIKE, SERVES 15 PEOPLE OR WHATEVER.
SO IT'S WORTH GETTING THE THREE COURSES AND GETTING THE DESSERT AND ALL THE THINGS YOU DON'T NORMALLY DO.
UM, JUST A GREAT WAY TO, IT'S WORTH THOSE POUNDS.
AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S A GREAT WAY TO VISIT SOME PLACES YOU HAVEN'T BEEN FOR SURE, BECAUSE YOU'RE GETTING THE BEST OF THEIR MENU FOR WHAT, A, A LESSER PRICE.
SO IT'S, IT'S ALL GREAT AND THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO.
I, I HEARD, UH, I THINK ON NPR OR SOMETHING, THE WHOLE STORY OF CLEVERLY STONE AND THE WHOLE BACKGROUND AND, AND IT'S WHAT A GREAT LEGACY IT IS.
I MEAN, WHAT JUST AN UNBELIEVABLE GREAT LEGACY AND ALSO HELPING OUR ECONOMY IN AUGUST WHEN PEOPLE HAVE THE DOLDRUMS AND THEY'RE NOT GOING OUT TO EAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND, AND THANKS.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS FOR BRINGING THAT THANK FOR SPEAKING AT FEDERAL GRILL A FEW WEEKS AGO FOR US WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
UH, CRAIG, HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
WE HAVE ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER JUMP ON THE KUDOS AS WELL.
UH, JUST WANTED TO JUMP IN ON THE KUDOS AS WELL.
UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT FOOD IS, IS WHAT MAKES HOUSTON, AND SO JUST WANTED TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS AND MAYOR PRO TE FOR HELPING TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING AS WELL.
UH, BUT ALSO ON A PERSONAL NOTE, JUST WANTED SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OPENING UP YOUR SPACE FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO HAVE EVENTS AS WELL.
UH, SO THANK YOU AND, UH, WITH THAT KIND OF, UH, LEADERSHIP IN HEART, WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE LEADING THIS EFFORT AS WELL WITH YES.
WE'RE ALWAYS HERE FOR THE NON-PROFITS.
ALTHOUGH WE CAN'T TALK OUR LANDLORD INTO BEING NON-PROFIT
AND THAT'S, WE, WE KIND OF SERVE WITH OUR HEART EVERY DAY AND HOW CAN WE HELP MORE PEOPLE WITH A BUILDING THAT WE HAVE.
SEEMS LIKE A SMALL THING, BUT IT'S A HUGE THING.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN FOR A PROCLAMATION TO LOCK ARMS FOR LIFE IN RECOGNITION OF AUGUST AS GUN SAFETY MONTH.
ARE WE NEW? SEE COLLEAGUES? HI.
I AM PRESENTING THIS ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, WHO IS OUT ILL WHO RECOGNIZES GUN SAFETY MONTH EVERY, EVERY YEAR.
AND I'M HAPPY TO BE JOINED BY BILL ODELL, WHO'S THE BOARD TREASURER OF LOCK ARMS FOR LIFE.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL GET STARTED.
GUN SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH HELD EVERY AUGUST RAISES AWARENESS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF UNSECURED FIREARMS AND REMINDS EVERYONE TO STORE GUNS SAFELY AND RESPONSIBLY.
UNSECURED GUNS POSE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISKS, PARTICULARLY TO CHILDREN.
WHEN FIREARMS ARE NOT STORED SECURELY AND ARE ACCESSIBLE TO UNSUPERVISED MINORS, THE RISK OF DEATH OR INJURY INCREASES SUBSTANTIALLY.
IN INCIDENTS WHERE CHILDREN UNINTENTIONALLY SHOOT SOMEONE, THE VICTIM IS MOST OFTEN ANOTHER CHILD, A SIBLING, OR A FRIEND.
IN THE UNITED STATES, AN ESTIMATED 4.6 MILLION MINORS LIVE IN HOMES WITH AT LEAST ONE LOADED UNSECURED FIREARMS. EACH YEAR, ABOUT 350 CHILDREN GAIN ACCESS TO A LOADED GUN AND ACCIDENTALLY SHOOT THEMSELVES OR SOMEONE ELSE.
SINCE 2015, THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 314 UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS BY CHILDREN IN TEXAS ALONE, RESULTING IN 149 DEATHS AND 177 INJURIES.
STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT BETWEEN 70% AND 90% OF FIREARMS USED IN YOUTH SUICIDES, UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS INVOLVING CHILDREN AND SCHOOL SHOOTINGS COMMITTED BY INDIVIDUALS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 WERE OBTAINED FROM THE CHILD'S HOME OR THE HOME OF A RELATIVE OR FRIEND.
ESTIMATES SUGGEST THAT EVEN MODEST INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF AMERICAN HOMES PRACTICING SAFE FIREARM STORAGE COULD PREVENT NEARLY ONE THIRD OF YOUTH GUN DEATHS DUE TO SUICIDE AND UNINTENTIONAL INJURY.
[00:10:01]
AND EQUIPPING COMMUNITIES TO PRACTICE SAFE GUN HANDLING AND STORAGE IS A PROVEN, ACTIONABLE AND MEANINGFUL WAGE, CREATE SAFER HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS.THEREFORE, I, MARTHA CASTEX TATE, A MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ON BEHALF OF JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM AUGUST, 2025 AS GUN SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR SPONSORING THIS.
AND, AND REALLY JUST FOR, THIS IS OUR THIRD, UH, YEAR IN A ROW FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON SPONSOR THIS, AND WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT.
MY NAME AGAIN IS BILL ODEL, AND I'M A PROUD BOARD MEMBER OF LOCK ARMS FOR LIFE.
UH, WE, OUR MISSION IS REAL SIMPLE.
EVERY GUN NEEDS TO BE LOCKED WHEN NOT IN USE.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, MY NEPHEW, JOHN ROSS, WAS KILLED WHEN HE, UH, WAS HANDED AN UNLOCKED WEAPON AT A PARTY.
UM, AND NO FAMILY SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT.
AND MY SISTER-IN-LAW STARTED THIS, THIS NONPROFIT TO HELP GET THE WORD OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT GUNS ARE LOCKED AWAY BEYOND JUST ISSUING GUN LOGS.
WE STARTED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, AND THIS IS A FIRST OF ITS KIND, A NOVEL, GRAPHIC NOVEL BOOK THAT IS ON OUR WEBSITE THAT'S BOTH IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH THAT YOU CAN FIND THAT ACTUALLY EDUCATES KIDS THIRD THROUGH FIFTH GRADE ABOUT GUN SAFETY AND ABOUT LOCKING GUNS AWAY, WHICH WE THINK IS VERY VALUABLE.
UM, IT'S AVAILABLE ON OUR, LIKE I SAID, ON OUR WEBSITE.
I THINK IT'S REALLY CLEAR, I THINK FOR CHILDREN ESPECIALLY STOP, DON'T TOUCH, WALK AWAY AND GET AN ADULT.
UM, WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN TEACH KIDS TO BE SAFE, WE BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL MAKE BETTER AND SAFER CHOICES.
UM, AND I ALSO WANNA JUST SAY THAT WE ALL NEED TO NOT ASSUME THAT OUR KIDS KNOW ABOUT GUN SAFETY, RIGHT? AND SO WE HAVE TO GET THE WORD OUT, AND WE REALLY WANT HAVE THESE IN EVERY SCHOOL LIBRARY AROUND THE STATE OF TEXAS AND REALLY AROUND THE COUNTRY.
SO GO TO OUR WEBSITE, LOCK ARMS.ORG, UM, FOR THE, THE BOOK ITSELF AS WELL AS JUST, UM, UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR PROCLAMATION.
UH, MAYOR PRO TE, I, I, UH, VICE MAYOR TIM, LET ME THANK SALLY, YOU AND OF COURSE, UH, YOU KNOW, CAYMAN COUNCILMAN CAMAN FOR THIS IN BUILDING THE EFFORTS BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I'VE ALWAYS SUPPORT THE GUN SAFETY AREA BECAUSE WE INITIATED THIS DRIVE FOR REDUCING TEENAGE CRIME.
IT ALL GOES HAND IN HAND BECAUSE IF WE COULD DO THAT, MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT TEENAGE CRIME IS RISING, ESPECIALLY WITH GUN VIOLENCE.
AND SO, UM, I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR TRYING TO DO THAT.
I WISH THERE WAS SOMETHING EVEN MORE WE COULD DO.
AND I'M TRYING FROM A LEGISLATIVE PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE OUR CITIES, WE SUFFER THAT ISSUE.
AND ESPECIALLY THE SENSE AROUND GUN SAFETY AS WELL, BECAUSE MOST KIDS DON'T KNOW GUN SAFETY.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE UPCOMING, UM, UH, EVENT SPONSORED ON REGARD TO THAT.
AND I WANT TO CERTAINLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR ADVOCACY AND YOUR EFFORTS TO YOU AND YOUR WIFE.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
[2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR THE INVOCATION TODAY.AND AT THIS TIME, I HAVE THE HONOR OF INTRODUCING PASTOR DAVID SMITH FROM NEW BETHLEHEM MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH TO GIVE OUR INVOCATION.
UM, HE IS A STRONG ADVOCATE OF THE EAST TEXAS JENSEN COMMUNITY AND, UH, HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN, UM, EVENTS LIKE THE JENSEN
[00:15:01]
JUBILEE, AS WELL AS LEADING THE NORTHEAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR THE AREA.AND WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT HE'S HERE TODAY TO DELIVER THE INVOCATION.
WE GOT ALL PRAISE AND HONOR TO OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, TO OUR MAYOR PRO TIM MARRYING HIS ABSENCE TO ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
LET US BOW OUR HEADS FOR A MOMENT OF PRAYER.
GRACIOUS FATHER, WE THANK YOU, GOD FOR THIS DAY.
THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE.
WE SHALL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD.
PSALMS ONE 18 AND 24, WE THANK YOU, GOD FOR LAST NIGHT LYING DOWN AND THIS MORNING RISING AS WE SLEPT IN THE VERY IMAGE OF DEATH.
BUT YOU TOUCHED US THIS MORNING WITH YOUR FINGER OF LOVE, AND WE OPEN UP OUR EYES TO SEE A BRAND NEW DAY.
AND WE THANK YOU, LORD, THAT YOUR MERCY IS NEW EVERY MORNING.
AND GOD, WE JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR GRACE AND THANK YOU FOR MERCY.
WE THANK YOU MOST OF ALL FOR YOUR DARLING SON, JESUS CHRIST, WHO CAME TO A LOST WORLD OF SIN, LIVED A SINLESS LIFE, DIED A SINNER'S DEATH, HUNG HIM ON A CROSS, CRUCIFIED HIM, BURIED IN THE GRAVE ROSE EARLY ON THE THIRD DAY SUNDAY MORNING TO DECLARED ALL POWER, HEAVEN AND EARTH IN HIS HANDS.
SO WE THANK YOU RIGHT NOW THAT HE'S INTERCEDING FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.
COME PRAYING TODAY FOR OUR WORLD.
WE COME PRAYING FOR OUR MAYOR IN HIS ABSENCE.
WE COME PRAYING FOR OUR MAYOR PROTE AND ALL OF OUR CITY COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, GOD, FOR THEIR POSITIONS AND THEIR TITLES AND THEN HOW THEY ADVOCATE FOR US.
WE THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO BRING THEIR CONCERNS TO THIS DESK.
SOME LAWS, SOME ARE LAST, BUT FATHER GOD, THEY BRING THEIR CONCERNS BECAUSE AS I READ ON THE WALLS, THAT PEOPLE ARE PART OF THE CITY.
AND SO GOD WITH THIS IS A GREAT CITY.
THIS IS A GREAT CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING OUR CITY TO BE AN EXAMPLE, TO BE AN ICON EVEN IN THE WORLD TODAY.
FOR THE GOD I PRAY AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AGENDA TODAY, GOD, THAT YOU WOULD BLESS, THAT YOU WOULD MOVE AND THAT YOU WOULD GIVE JUSTICE WHERE JUSTICE IS NEEDED FOR THE GOD THAT THERE WILL BE EQUALITY FOR THE GOD THAT EVERYONE WILL BE TREATED FAIRLY NO MATTER WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD WE LIVE IN.
IF IT'S A HOOD OR A NEIGHBORHOOD, BRING US ALL TOGETHER BECAUSE A FAMILY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER, A CITY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER, STAYS TOGETHER.
AND WHERE THERE'S UNITY, THERE IS STRENGTH.
AND LORD, PLEASE FORGIVE US OF ALL OF OUR SINS.
WHEREVER I COME UP SHORT IN THIS PRAYER, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE.
THIS WE ASK IN YOUR SON JESUS NAME, ALL OF GOD'S PEOPLE SAY AMEN.
IF YOU'LL PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT SAYS, ONE NATION UNDER, UNDER GOD.
INDI THIS VOTE, THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE CROP.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING]
MR. SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MAYOR WHITMEYER WILL BE ABSENT.COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX STADIUM.
COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER WILL BE ABSENT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT A MINUTES OF AUGUST 12TH AND 13TH.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THE ITEM PASSES
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
ANY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS.IF NOT, I DO WANT TO ASK OUR SPEAKERS TODAY.
UH, I'M GOING TO ASK THE SECRETARY TO CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER AND THEN TO ANNOUNCE WHO THE NEXT SPEAKER IS.
IF THE NEXT SPEAKER COULD COME TO, UM, THE FRONT OF THE CHAMBER, THAT WOULD HELP US TO EXPEDITE OUR SPEAKER'S LIST AND TRY TO GET YOU IN.
LET US HEAR FROM YOU AND THEN GET YOU OUT AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS WE CAN.
ALL RIGHT, MR. SPEAKER, IF YOU WILL CALL THE FIRST PERSON MR. WHO I MEAN, MR. SECRETARY, IF YOU WILL CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER.
I'M THINKING ABOUT THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, LISA HUNT
MY NAME'S LISA HUNT AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE EAST END AND A LEADER WITH PEOPLE FOR POLK STREET.
I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS MARTINEZ AND CARTER FOR THE FINE WORK YOU'RE DOING WITH HOUSTON.
FIRST TO EXPAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
PEOPLE FOR POLK IS A GRASSROOTS EFFORT TO ADVOCATE FOR THE CONTINUED USE OF THE ENTIRETY OF POLK STREET THROUGHOUT THE EXPANSION OF THE GEORGE R. BROWN AND 59 AND INTO THE FUTURE.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT VIABLE ALTERNATIVES MAY BE REQUIRED AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE GEORGE R. BROWN.
WE'VE JOINED TOGETHER WITH SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS
[00:20:01]
63, 64, 65, 67, 68, AND 82 TO OFFER PROPOSED COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOUSTON.FIRST FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL HOUSTONIANS.
AND IN FURTHER, UH, TO SUPPORT HOUSTON FIRST PLAN'S EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER AND RELATED IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH IN THEIR PRESENT ITERATION REQUIRE THE CLOSURE AND PERMANENT ABANDONMENT OF SEVEN STREETS IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
CAN I JUST HAVE GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP.
UM, IN ENTERING THE CBA, THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, THE CITY AND HOUSTON FIRST WILL SEEK TO DEPLOY BOTH TEMPORARY MITIGATION MEASURES FOR IMMEDIATE RELIEF FROM THE PROPOSED ABANDONMENT AND DEVELOP PERMANENT INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS FOR LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY.
GIVEN THE POTENTIAL MOBILITY CHALLENGES POSED BY THE PROPOSED, UH, ABANDONMENT.
WE'VE DONE THIS AS A CITY WITH THE ION DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO PEOPLE FOR POLK LEADERS LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH EACH OF YOU TO DISCUSS THIS OPTION FOR DEVELOPMENT WHICH SERVES THE ENTIRE CITY.
NEXT SPEAKER MARIAN WRIGHT TO BE FOLLOWED BY MAUREEN.
UM, I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING FOR TELEPHONE ROAD.
AND THEY'VE MADE COMPROMISES THAT EVERYBODY AT COUNCIL, I BELIEVE, AND THE MAYOR, AND I BELIEVE THE COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, HAS MADE CHANGES THAT ACTUALLY SEEM TO BE WHAT MOST OF THE PUBLIC WANTS.
UM, PASSING OUT SOMETHING, THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING RIGHT NOW THAT IS ON 11TH STREET, UM, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM UM, HOG MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WHEN YOU ELIMINATE THE CENTER TURN LANES OR HAVE CENTER TURN LANES, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS.
THEY HAVE THIS CROSSING MEDIAN RIGHT NOW.
SOMEONE THIS WEEKEND RAN OVER THE CROSS AND MEDIAN.
THESE CROSS AND MEDIANS ARE LIKE DEATH ISLANDS.
THEY'RE NOT SAFE, THEY'RE JUST NOT.
WHEN WE PUT STUFF LIKE THIS IN THE ROAD, WE HAVE PROBLEMS. UM, SO THERE'S SOME PEOPLE RIGHT NOW FROM THE BIKE ADVOCATES THAT ARE PUSHING TO KEEP A CENTER TURN LANE AND BIKE LANES INSTEAD OF HAVING TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC IN EACH DIRECTION.
I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT TO DO OR WHAT NOT TO DO.
I CAN TELL YOU WHEN YOU PUT CENTER TURN LANES AND THEN YOU PUT THINGS LIKE THIS, THIS IS WHAT YOU END UP WITH.
SOMEONE ONE DAY IS GOING TO GET RUN OVER ON THESE THINGS THAT Y'ALL ARE PUTTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREETS, THAT Y'ALL ARE LEADING PEOPLE TO BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE SAFE, THEY ARE NOT SAFE.
PEOPLE IN HOUSTON DRIVE LIKE MANIACS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS TO MAKE IT, BUT TELLING PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE SAFE STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET IN THESE CENTER TURN LANES WITH THESE THINGS.
PLEASE DON'T DO THIS TO TELEPHONE ROAD OR TO ANY OTHER ROADS.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON.
IF WE CAN GET THIS ADDRESSED OR TAKEN CARE OF, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.
OKAY? AND THIS ISN'T THE ONLY ONE IN OUR AREA RIGHT NOW.
YOU DRIVE UP AND DOWN 11TH, THEY HAVE MULTIPLE SIGNS.
EVERYTHING ON THE MOBILE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
OH, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE.
UM, AND EVEN I WAS DRIVING AROUND MY DISTRICT THIS WEEKEND AND SAW MULTIPLE PEOPLE STANDING ON THESE VERY TINY MEDIANS.
ONE PERSON HAD, HE WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR AND HAD A DOG, AND THE DOG KEPT STEPPING OFF THE MEDIAN INTO TRAFFIC.
AND, UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS.
MAUREEN LEO TO BE FOLLOWED BY ISSUE TO BE FOLLOWED BY INGRID VELA.
IT'S MY FIRST TIME, SO IF I'M MAKING MISTAKES, I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE.
UM, MY PARTNER AND I, UM, WE ARE HAVING ISSUES ACROSS THE STREET.
UH, WE, OUR HOUSES ON GOOD HOPE STREET AND SCOTT STREET.
UM, ACCORDING TO THE POLICE THEMSELVES, THEY SAID THAT THAT ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON THERE FOR OVER 10 YEARS.
SO YOU HAVE CRACK HEADS, YOU HAVE PROSTITUTION, YOU HAVE COCAINE, YOU HAVE REALLY TERRIBLE THINGS THAT ARE SCARY TO EVEN LIVE THERE.
UM, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO LIVE IN THAT HOUSE BECAUSE OF THAT.
WE BOUGHT THE HOUSE IN APRIL, BUT YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE DUMPING TRASH THERE.
BUT THE HIGHEST THING THAT IS SCARY IS THE CRIMINAL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THAT AREA.
SO THE PROSTITUTION AND THE DRUG ABUSE AND JUST SOLICITATING AROUND PEOPLE'S PROPERTY, THAT'S
[00:25:01]
VERY SCARY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.UM, MS. LEO, I KNOW THAT YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, TYPICALLY HAS STAFF HERE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ, UH, THE CONSTITUENTS SAID THIS IS AT GOOD HOPE.
AND SCOTT, I KNOW THAT YOU, UH, TYPICALLY, UM, WOULD LIKE FOR YOUR STAFF TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS.
UM, I KNOW YOU SAID IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR 10 YEARS.
UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE MAYOR AND UM, HPD HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THAT AREA TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS.
BUT, UM, HER STAFF COULD PROBABLY GIVE YOU SOME, SOME UPDATES ON ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT AREA.
LIKE I SAID, WE BOUGHT THE HOUSE IN APRIL, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LIVE IN THERE, SO WE ARE PAYING MORTGAGE AND IT'S VERY, VERY UNSAFE FOR US.
AND WE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BIG ISSUE AND A CONCERN FOR US.
THANK YOU MAYOR
I GUESS YOU KIND OF THREW ME OFF.
YOUR ADDRESS WAS NOT IN DISTRICT D SO I KNOW THAT MY CONSTITUENTS DIRECTOR HAS NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU, BUT SHE IS HERE AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY, SHE'S RIGHT THERE STANDING THERE.
YOU CAN CERTAINLY MEET WITH HER AND WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN, UH, GET DONE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET MAYBE, UH, HPD TO, YOU KNOW, PUT A TAG ON IT OR SOMETHING.
NOT A TAG, BUT A, UH, AN ALERT SLIP, UH, TO SEE.
BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THE DISTRICT AND LIVE AND LIVE THERE SAFELY.
SO IF YOU'LL SPEAK WITH GRAM RIGHT THERE.
OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER, INGRID VELASCO.
INGRID VELASCO TO BE FOLLOWED BY EILEEN FAM.
MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
MY NAME IS INGRID VELASCO AND I'M CO-CHAIR OF HOUSTON ENERGY AND CLIMATE WEEK.
AND WE'RE, WHICH IS PROUDLY HOSTED BY ALLIES IN ENERGY, THE ONLY NONPROFIT IN HOUSTON DEDICATED TO ADVANCING ENERGY AND CLIMATE LITERACY WHILE DRIVING UNITED ACTION.
HOUSTON IS A CITY OF FIRST BUILT ON POWER OF AND FROM BREAKING BARRIERS IN SPACE AND LEADING ADVANCEMENTS IN ENERGY CLIMATE, AI MEDICINE, AND THE ARTS.
WE DON'T JUST TAKE ON CHALLENGES, WE REDEFINE WHAT'S POSSIBLE, BUT WE ARE FACING GROWING IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
I ASK, ARE WE DOING ENOUGH TO LEAD? ARE WE TRULY UNITING COMMUNITIES, INDUSTRY, ACADEMIA, AND GOVERNMENT TO BUILD A RESILIENT, SUSTAINABLE FUTURE? THIS YEAR'S THEME, UNSTOPPABLE REFLECTS RESILIENCE AND INGENUITY OF HOUSTONIANS WITH OVER 80 EVENTS AND 3,500 PARTICIPANTS LAST YEAR.
HOUSTON ENERGY CLIMATE WEEK IS MORE THAN A PLATFORM FOR COLLABORATION.
YOUR PARTICIPATION IN HOUSTON ENERGY AND CLIMATE WEEK SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 14TH THROUGH THE 19TH, AND YOUR LEADERSHIP IN CREATING A TASK FORCE TO INTEGRATE AND ALIGN EFFORTS ACROSS COMMUNITIES, INDUSTRY, ACADEMIA, AND GOVERNMENT.
FIRST, YOUR PARTICIPATION IN HOUSTON ENERGY AND CLIMATE WEEK IS DESIGNED TO SHOWCASE HOUSTON'S LEADERSHIP AND FOSTER COLLABORATION.
WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US AT ONE OR MORE OF THE ANCHOR EVENTS.
SO AT OPENING CEREMONIES, WE'RE GONNA BE CELEBRATING HOUSTON'S LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY AND INNOVATION ENERGY TECH NEXUS PILOT AON, WHERE WE WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING GROUNDBREAKING SOLUTIONS, HACK THE HEAT HACKATHON, WHERE WE'LL ADDRESS CHALLENGES LIKE EXTREME HEAT AND ENERGY OPTIMIZATION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DAY, WHERE WE WILL CHAMPION WORKFORCE UPSKILLING AND CONNECT CITIZENS WITH OPPORTUNITY.
AND OUR CLOSING CEREMONIES WILL, WE WILL HONOR ANGELA BLANCHARD AND OTHER CITY AND COUNTY LEADERS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS WHILE CELEBRATING OUR COLLECTIVE ACHIEVEMENTS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
YOUR PRESENCE WILL AMPLIFY THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE EFFORTS AND DEMONSTRATES THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY AND AN INCLUSIVE FUTURE.
SECOND, WE ASK FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
WE PROPOSE FOR THE CREATION OF THE TASK FORCE TO UNITE COMMUNITIES, INDUSTRY, ACADEMIA, AND GOVERNMENT.
THE TASK FORCE WILL ALIGN THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S PLAN WITH HARRIS COUNTY'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, FOSTER DEEP COLLABORATION WITH INDUSTRY AND ACADEMIA, AND ENSURE THAT RESILIENCE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS ARE INTEGRATED AND IMPACTFUL.
BY BREAKING DOWN SILOS AND WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN AMPLIFY OUR COLLECTIVE IMPACT AND SOLIDIFY HOUSTON'S POSITION AS A GLOBAL LEADER IN ENERGY INNOVATION AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE.
WILL YOU STAND WITH US TO LEAD THIS EFFORT? WILL YOU SHOW US, SHOW WILL YOU HELP US SHOW THE WORLD THAT HOUSTON DOESN'T JUST RESPOND TO CHALLENGES, WE SET THE STANDARD FOR WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEMP INGRID, JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS LEAD, UH, OF ENERGY, UH, CLIMATE AND ENERGY, UH, WEEK.
UM, I PLAN ON SUPPORT BEING THERE, SUPPORTING AS WELL.
UM, AND I DEFINITELY WANNA EXTEND THAT INVITATION TO MY COLLEAGUES, OF COURSE THE MAYOR AS UM, AS WELL.
AND ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO THE TASK FORCE,
[00:30:01]
I'D LOVE TO TALK TO YOU MORE OFFLINE ABOUT IT.I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT ALL OF YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED SOMETHING FROM OUR GREAT VOLUNTEERS.
THIS EVENT IS ALL VOLUNTEER LED.
I HAVE OVER 35 VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE LEADING PROGRAMMING, OPERATIONAL THINGS, REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE THIS BIG AND GET INFORMATION OUT TO THE PEOPLE.
'CAUSE THAT'S HOW WE PROGRESS, RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'LL BE DOING THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, IS JUST CONTINUING THE OUTREACH.
AND WITH YOUR SUPPORT, I THINK WE CAN REALLY MAKE THIS IMPACTFUL YEAR.
AILEEN FAM, TO BE FOLLOWED BY KENNEDY LUTHER.
GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.
I'M SO PROUD TO INTRODUCE TWO YOUNG HISTORIAN WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY AND OUR PLANET.
FIRST, MY SON AIDEN, WHO'S IN FOURTH GRADE, HAS BEEN LEARNING ABOUT ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT FROM HIS PARENTS AND WANTED TO SHARE HIS BIG IDEA WITH YOU.
JOINING HIM IS HIS FRIEND ALICE, ALSO IN FOURTH GRADE, WHO BELIEVES THAT KIDS HAVE A POWERFUL VOICE WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING OUR WORLD.
TOGETHER THEY REPRESENT THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS WHO WILL ONE DAY GUIDE HOUSTON.
TODAY THEY WANT TO ASK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN BRINGING HOUSTON ENERGY CLIMATE WEEK TO OUR SCHOOL.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING TO CHANGEMAKER, AIDEN AND ANSEL.
MY NAME IS AIDEN FAM AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE HERE IN HOUSTON.
I LOVE OUR CITY AND I KNOW HOUSTON IS CALLED THE ENERGY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
BUT IT ALSO MEANS WE SHOULD BE LEADERS IN TAKING CARE OF OUR PLANET.
I WANT TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP IN IMPLEMENTING HOUSTON'S ENERGY AND CLIMATE WEEK IN OUR SCHOOLS THIS WEEK WOULD HELP KIDS LIKE ME LEARN HOW TO SAVE ENERGY, PROTECT THEIR ENVIRONMENT, AND THINK ABOUT CLEAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS FOR THE FUTURE, AS WELL AS GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE CHANGE, UH, TO TAKE CHARGE OF OUR OWN FUTURE.
WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE CAN SHOW THE WHOLE WORLD HOW KIDS IN HOUSTON ARE PRESERVING OUR LEGACY AS THE ENERGY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD AND THAT HOUSTON IS UNSTOPPABLE.
MY NAME IS ALICE AND I AM NINE YEARS OLD.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TODAY ABOUT SOMETHING THAT MATTERS A LOT TO ME.
LIVING IN HOUSTON, I'VE SEEN HOW POWERFUL STORMS AND HOT DAYS AFFECT OUR CITY, OUR FAMILIES.
IT WORRIES ME THAT OUR FUTURE COULD BE CHANGED BY THESE EVENTS.
I CARE ABOUT ENERGY BECAUSE IT POWERS OUR LIGHTS, OUR HOMES, AND HELPS KEEPS US SAFE.
I BELIEVE THAT BRINGING HOUSTON ENERGY AND CLIMATE WEEK TO OUR SCHOOLS CAN HELP KIDS LIKE ME, AIDEN, AND MY FRIENDS, MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR OUR CITY'S FUTURE.
I HOPE OUR CITY KEEPS LISTENING TO KIDS LIKE ME, LEARNING NEW WAYS TO USE ENERGY WISELY, PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND KEEP HOUSTON A BRIGHT, STRONG PLACE TO GROW UP.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING WHAT I THINK OUR PLANS FUTURE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
SO THANK, THANK YOU BOTH FOR, UH, COMING TO CITY COUNCIL TODAY.
AND I, I MUST ADMIT THAT I'M SUPER IMPRESSED.
UM, AT YOUR READING, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I ALWAYS KNOW IS THAT READERS ARE LEADERS.
AND SO COUNCIL, I WOULD SAY WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO, UH, GREAT LEADERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE SPACE OF, UH, ENERGY TRANSITION, UH, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, I KNOW YOUR REQUEST WAS FOR US TO HELP YOU WITH A, UH, CLIMATE ACTION WEEK AT YOUR SCHOOL.
HAVE YOU HAD CONVERSATIONS AT YOUR SCHOOL WITH YOUR PRINCIPALS ABOUT DOING THIS? NOT REALLY.
'CAUSE I HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN TALKING TO MICROPHONE, SO I CAN HEAR YOU.
'CAUSE I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN THE PRINCIPAL NOT YET MUCH.
SO I WOULD REALLY SUGGEST TALKING TO THE PRINCIPAL ABOUT IT AND THEN ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP TO HELP YOU IN YOUR SCHOOLS, UM, I'M SURE THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT IS, UM, OVER THE AREA FOR YOUR PARTICULAR SCHOOLS.
WHAT, UM, DO YOU KNOW WHO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER IS AT YOUR SCHOOL? NOT, NOT YET.
WELL, WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT AND THEN IF WE CAN GET SOME, SOME HELP, UH, WE WILL DEFINITELY DO THAT ONCE WE TALK TO YOUR PRINCIPAL.
AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I SEE BASED ON YOUR ADDRESS THAT YOU MAY BE RESIDENTS OF JAY CITY AND THAT WOULD MAKE ME YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO, UH, WHAT SCHOOL DO YOU ALL ATTEND? UH,
[00:35:01]
THE RICE SCHOOL.OKAY, WELL WE WILL, WE WILL WORK WITH YOU AND, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT IS, UH, OVER THE RICE SCHOOL AREA AND WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO COLLABORATE WITH THE PRINCIPAL, UH, TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HAVE CLIMATE WEEK AT YOU ALL'S SCHOOL.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND WE WILL STAY IN CONTACT WITH YOU.
I THINK IT'S GOT A PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED BY EM.
ARE YOU LAWSON? YES, GO AHEAD.
UH, I'M HERE TODAY, UH, TO TALK ABOUT, UH, ISSUE ABOUT SECURITY AND THE HEALTH CONCERNS THAT I HAVE AS A HOUSTON RESIDENT.
AND THAT INVOLVES WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE USE OF NASA TOOLS, NASA TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS ON ME, UH, IN FACT THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, TOO MUCH ON ME IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND, UH, ALL THE HELP I HAVE TRIED TO, UH, SEEK FOR NONE HAVE BEEN, UH, FRUITFUL TO ME.
SO THAT'S WHY I CAME HERE TODAY TO ASK THE MAYOR, WHOM I THINK IS NOT HERE TODAY AND ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR HELP, UH, TO SEE HOW I CAN REACH OUT TO NASA IN ORDER TO MAKE MY CONCERNS CLEAR.
SO YOU, LET ME BE CLEAR, YOU WANNA TALK TO SOMEONE AT NASA ABOUT YOUR HEALTH CONCERNS? YES.
BUT SEEKING YOUR HELP, THE CITY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAIL.
ABOUT, ABOUT YOUR HEALTH CONCERNS HERE? YES.
WHAT I HAVE IS SECURITY AND HEALTH CONCERNS.
UH, THERE IS A PAPER THAT I DISTRIBUTED, UH, PICTURES OF AN ACCIDENT AND A RASH ON MY SKIN.
THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE IS EFFECT OF THAT USE OF TOOLS, THE USE OF THE TOOLS, NASA TOOLS, NASA TO SLACK SURVEILLANCE, ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE ON ME.
UM, DID REBECCA LEAVE? CAN YOU, UM, GET HIM THE CONTACT TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND SEE IF THERE'S SOMEONE IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HE CAN TALK WITH? THANK YOU.
WE'RE GONNA SEE IF WE CAN CONNECT YOU WITH SOMEONE IN OUR CITY'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THEN THEY CAN MAYBE CONNECT YOU WITH SOMEBODY FROM NASA IF YOU WANNA SHARE THIS CONCERN.
UH, I REALLY DON'T WANTED TO SEE THE MAYOR, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT HE'S HERE.
I HAVE A LETTER THAT I WANT TO, I ADDRESS TO HIM PERSONALLY, PLEASE.
UH, HOW CAN I SEND THAT TO YOU? YOU CAN GIVE IT TO JAMES AND WE'LL MAKE SURE HE GETS IT HIM.
NEXT SPEAKER, EM JACOB TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALFREDO WILLIAMS. HOW ARE YOU MR. JACOB? HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM WITH, UH, MY SENIOR PASTOR, FATHER THO ABRAHAM.
MARY'S CLINIC CATHOLIC CHURCH LOCATED AT 6,400 WESTVIEW STREET, WHICH IS PART OF DISTRICT K.
WE WERE PLANNING AND WE ARE HOPING TO BUILD A CRYPT, OLEUM FOR THE USE OF OUR PARISH IS WHEN THEY'RE DECEASED, UH, WITHIN OUR PROPERTY AND WITHIN, DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO APPROACH, WHERE TO APPROACH.
SO WE CONTACTED THE STATE OF TEXAS CREMATORY AND, UM, CEMETERY AUTHORITIES AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE NO SUCH GUIDELINES, THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
SO MAYBE YOU CHECK WITH YOUR CITY.
SO EVER SINCE WE ARE CHECKING WITH THE CITY, DIFFERENT OFFICIALS, DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND ALL THEY COULD SUGGEST THAT GET A PERMIT FROM THE PERMITTING DEPARTMENT.
WITH THE, AND WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT SIDESTEPPING OR OVERLOOKING ANY GUIDELINES IN THIS MATTER.
IF THERE IS NONE, WE WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT OUR APPLICATION FOR THE PERMITTING DEPARTMENT AND REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL FOR THIS MATTER.
SO DID YOU CONTACT THE PERMITTING, UH, DEPARTMENT? 'CAUSE YOU, YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD A CRIP MAUSOLEUM.
[00:40:01]
HAVE THE DECEASED, DECEASED PEOPLE IN THE MAUSOLEUM RIGHT.ON YOUR PROPERTY? ON OUR PROPERTY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE FOR THAT.
UH, UM, RANDY? I DON'T, WE SUGGESTED THAT THEY CALL PERMITTING.
UM, PERMITTING TOLD THEM TO SUBMIT THE PLANS.
UM, BUT THEY DON'T WANNA SUBMIT PLANS IF IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PERMITTED.
DO WE HAVE SOME? SO LEMME LEMME GET WITH HIM.
I'LL TALK TO HIM, GET HIS INFORMATION AND I'LL LOOK INTO IT.
AND WE'LL, I'LL WORK DIRECTLY WITH HIM.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UM, LOOK INTO IT AND THEN YOU CAN WORK WITH, UM, THEM AND PERMITTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE ON YOUR PROPERTY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THEIR TIME.
ALFREDA WILLIAMS. ALFREDA WILLIAMS. ALFREDA WILLIAMS. NEXT SPEAKER ALFREDA FRANKLIN.
CLARA THOMPSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY IRVIN THOMPSON.
HI, I'M YOU SPEAK TO THE MICROPHONE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL ABOUT MY SON BEING ARRESTED FOR WALKING WITH A CIGARETTE ACROSS THE PARKING LOT.
AND FOUR CARLOADS OF COPS AT MY DOOR AND THEM PULLING A GUN ON MY SON AND CHASING HIM ACROSS THE PARKING LOT.
IS IT AGAINST THE LAW TO SMOKE A CIGARETTE? AND THEN MY NEPHEW WAS ARRESTED THREE DAYS LATER AT A BUS STOP WITH A CIGARETTE.
SO I'M, I'M HERE TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT I, I THINK IT WAS EXCESSIVE FOR COPS TO BE AT MY DOOR FOR CAR LOADS.
THEN SIX OF THEM STANDING IN THE STREET LIKE I'M SOME KIND OF DRUG DEALER OR SOMETHING, A DRUG BUST AT MY HOUSE.
I, I JUST THINK IT WAS ASSESSED.
THEN THEY TOLD ME, WELL, WE JUST WANNA TALK TO YOUR SON.
AND ONCE THEY WERE ABLE TO ENTER MY HOME, THEY PULLED A GUN AND I TOLD THEM NOT IN MY HOME.
AND THEN THEY ARRESTED HIM ANYWAY AFTER THEY LIED TO ME.
SO HAVE, HAVE YOU TALKED TO ANYONE AT NHPD? NO, BUT I'M, SINCE THIS HAPPENED, NO, I, NO, I CAME TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW, IS IT A NEW LAW OR A NEW ORDINANCE IN THE STATE THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT? I'M, I, I MOVED I MILITARY, I MOVED TO KANSAS HERE.
UH, AND I I WE ONLY KNOW WHAT YOU TELL US, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL SITUATION WAS BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE TELLING US.
I THINK THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE, UM, SOMEONE FROM HPD UM, TALK TO YOU.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE.
UH, WE WANNA FOLLOW UP TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR SON, IF THERE IS A SITUATION THAT, AND THAT'S YOUR SON COULD SEE YOU, NOAM, IF THIS IS A SITUATION THAT WAS EXCESSIVE AND, UM, SHOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN PLACE, THAT WE, UM, TALK TO HPD AND SEE WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, DID YOU WANT TO, UM, ADDRESS? YES, GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM, UM, THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.
WHAT, WHAT WAS THE CHARGE THAT YOU WERE ARRESTED FOR? EVADING ARREST ON FOOT AND THEY MADE IT INTO A FELONY.
AND THAT'S A MISDEMEANOR OFFENSE, SIR.
I WOULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, AND, UH, WE COULD TALK OFFLINE.
UH, MAYOR PRO TIM, I, I I WOULD FOLLOW THE, WELL, LET ME JUST ASK THE QUESTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD WAS CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU SAY, BUT I WAS JUST, HE ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WAS THE CHARGE ONCE THEY ENTERED YOUR HOME, RIGHT? YES.
DID THEY, DID THEY SAY THAT I WE HAVE A ARREST WARRANT OR NO.
I THINK IT WAS JUST ASSESS IT LIKE I TOLD THEM.
IRVIN THOMPSON, ME YOU, IRVIN THOMPSON.
[00:45:01]
ANGELA ROSS TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARK RODRIGUEZ.HELLO, MS. ROSS, IF YOU CAN SPEAK BEHIND THAT MICROPHONE.
UM, I, I'M IN DIRE NEED OF POLICE HELP.
UM, OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, I'VE, I'VE FILED EIGHT DIFFERENT COMPLAINTS TO THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
NOT ONE OF 'EM WERE INVESTIGATED.
UH, SINCE THEN, I'VE HAD NEVER ENDING CYBER HARASSMENT FROM MY EX-HUSBAND.
HE HAS SENT PEOPLE INTO MY HOME TO VANDALIZE MY HOME, AND I'M AWAY AND I'M FOLLOWING.
HE HAS PEOPLE FOLLOWING ME TO VANDALIZE MY CAR.
AND, AND NOW THE NEWEST THING THAT HE'S DOING IS SENDING MEN AROUND ME TO INTIMIDATE ME.
UH, HE HAS ALSO ENTANGLED ME IN A FEDERAL CRIME WITH, WITH, UH, INCOME TAX BY UNDERREPORTING OVER $600,000 OF, OF, UH, EARNED INCOME.
I ALSO, I ALSO HAVE A, UM, A OPEN CASE IN A FAMILY, UH, IN THE FAMILY COURT FOR POST DIVORCE UNDIVIDED ASSETS, UH, WHERE HE IS, UH, DUE TO HIM BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR AGGRAVATED PERJURY AND EXTRA FRAUD.
AND THERE ARE STRONG, UH, THE STRONG EVIDENCE SUPPORTS IT.
UM, BUT, AND THE CASE IS UNOPPOSED.
BUT EVEN IF I WIN THE CASE, HE'S NOT GONNA COMPLY WITH WITH THE ORDER BECAUSE HE HAS NOT COMPLIED WITH ANY ORDER YET.
UH, PRESENTLY I AM IN A NEED OF A EARNEST, UH, HONEST ATTORNEY WHO WOULD NOT TAKE BRIBES, UH, ASKED THE PREVIOUS ATTORNEYS, UNFORTUNATELY, DID ALL THIS TIME FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, I'VE HAD TO REPRESENT MYSELF AND IT BECOMES DIFFICULT.
MY GREATEST CON, MY GREATEST PROBLEM WITH TRYING TO FIND, UH, HELP IS, IS MY INABILITY TO COMMUNICATE BECAUSE HE HACKS ALL, ALL MY PHONES, ANY ELECTRONICS THAT'S COME INTO MY HOME.
HE HAS HIDDEN DEVICES AND THEY, THEY JUST, THEY'RE PLAGUED WITH VIRUSES.
UM, AND IF I TRY TO, I CAN DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ONLINE.
IF I TRY TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH ATTORNEY, BY THE TIME I MEET WITH HIS ATTORNEY, THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMPROMISED BY MY EX-HUSBAND.
UH, HE IS A DANGEROUS INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE HE HAS, UH, HE USES HIS WEALTH, UH, TO UNFORTUNATELY BRIBE PEOPLE.
AND, UH, AND, AND ALSO HE HIDES BEHIND THE DARK WEB, UH, COMMITTING ALL THESE CRIMES.
I, I, MY, I, FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS I HAVE BEEN AT A VIRTUAL PRISON.
I, I'M NOT ABLE TO FUNCTION WHATSOEVER.
UH, THE LAST TIME I REPORTED THIS TO THE POLICE OFFICER, I, I WAS MET WITH EXTREME AGGRESSION.
ACTUALLY, HE MADE ME CRY BECAUSE HE, HE, HE, HE IMMEDIATELY DISMISSED ME WHEN OUT HEARING MY WHOLE CASE.
WELL, WITHOUT HEARING THE COMPLETE, COMPLETE COMPLAINTS.
SO, UH, THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON.
I CANNOT GET ANY SERVICE WHATSOEVER FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY WON'T, THEY WON'T INVESTIGATE ANYTHING.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S GONNA, IF THERE'S BEEN ANY KIND OF ENTICEMENT TOWARDS THEM.
UH, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, I HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY SERVICE WITH EIGHT COMPLAINTS IN THE LAST FOUR YEAR.
I MEAN, THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
UH, AND I'M SO SORRY TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THIS.
UM, I WANNA ASK YOU, THERE'S A SERGEANT LAHAR THAT ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT YOU.
DID YOU GET A MESSAGE? AND AND THAT'S ANOTHER MAJOR PROBLEM? I WOULDN'T KNOW.
A LOT OF TIMES MY CALLS ARE RE RE REDIRECTED.
MY SISTER CAME OVER AND SHE TRIED TO CALL ME.
IF WE WAS SITTING RIGHT THERE, MY PHONE WENT, THE CALLS WENT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND, AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON.
THE MAJOR PROBLEM IS THAT HE'S DOING SOME SERIOUS HACKING.
HE'S DOING SOME SERIOUS, IT'S NOT ABOUT CH CHANGING PASSWORDS.
IT'S SERIOUS THINGS THAT HE'S DOING.
AND, AND I NEED A TIME, I WANNA CONNECT YOU WITH, WITH SOMEONE THAT CAN POSSIBLY HELP YOU.
UH, MY CONSTITUENTS DIRECTOR IS STANDING RIGHT THERE, INGRAM.
AND THERE'S ALSO A POLICE OFFICER HERE.
BUT THE POLICEMAN, I'VE SPOKEN TO 'EM EIGHT TIMES AND NO ONE FOLLOWS UP.
I WELL, REBECCA, CAN YOU GO WITH HER AND HPD TO TRY TO GET HER, HER CASE TALKED ABOUT? THANK YOU.
REBECCA FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WILL GO WITH YOU AND THE HPD OFFICERS.
THANK, UM, TO TRY TO TRY TO HELP YOU.
YOU GOING SOUND LIKE A NIGHTMARE.
I'M TRYING TO CONTACT MY COUNSEL.
I'M TRYING TO HAVE A TALK NEXT SPEAKER, MARK RODRIGUEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY SCOTTY JOSEPH.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM, AND ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR HEARING ME OUT.
[00:50:01]
UM, MY NAME'S MARK RODRIGUEZ.I CAME A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK TO THANK ALL Y'ALL AT LARGE AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND MARTINEZ AND OF COURSE THE MAYOR FOR HELPING US WITH THE ZOO TICKETS.
AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE HAVING AN ISSUE WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
I'M REPRESENTING MY FATHER WHO'S A 92-YEAR-OLD, UH, KOREAN WAR VETERAN AND MY 87-YEAR-OLD MOTHER WHO OWNS PROPERTY IN SECOND WARD.
Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE A LIST ON THE TOP TWO PAPER ON THE TOP TWO OR, UH, DON NUMBERS.
PUBLIC WORKS WILL IN INSPECT THEM IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS.
AND FOR ONE OF THEM WHERE THEY SAID, HEY, YOUR GRASS IS HIGH.
AND THERE AIN'T EVEN NO HIGH GRASS ON THE WHOLE LOT.
IF YOU LOOK DOWN THE WHOLE LIST, THESE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED SINCE JANUARY ALL THE WAY TO APRIL.
AND NONE OF THE, ALL THESE SAME, UH, COMPLAINTS ARE STILL THERE.
JUNK VEHICLES, HIGH GRASS TRASH IN THE YARD, BUT PUBLIC WORK FINDS MORE INTEREST TO COME TELL ME, HEY, YOUR GRASS IS 10 INCHES AROUND YOUR HOUSE WHERE YOU COULDN'T CUT WITH YOUR TRACTOR.
AND I THINK THEY'RE, I THINK SOME THEY NEED TO GET RETRAINED.
WE'VE TRIED A MEETING WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER AND, UH, WHAT WAS THE NAME? CHRIS? WHAT? UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF HOMELESS PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE STAYING AT A LOT OF THE ADDRESSES ON THE BOTTOM OR A LOT OF, THERE'S ABANDONED BANK, ABANDONED WAREHOUSES.
BUT AGAIN, PUBLIC WORKS FINDS MORE INTEREST TO COME TELL ME YOU GOT SOME ROTTEN WOOD ON THE BOTTOM OF YOUR HOUSE, YOU NEED TO TEAR IT DOWN OR REPAIR IT.
AND I'M LIKE, THESE ORDINANCES SHOULDN'T JUST WORK ON WHO THEY CHOOSE TO.
THAT'S LIKE PUTTING A CROWBAR ON WHO YOU WANT.
ALL THESE OTHER PROPERTIES DOWN HERE, THEY'VE HPD HAS MADE ARREST OUT OF THEIR FELONY WARRANTS.
THREE IN THE LAST MONTH WILL OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS HELP.
THAT IS A FORM OF SELECTED ENFORCEMENT AND WE CAN ALSO LEAN ON IT, EVEN DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE IF THEY'RE COMING AT ME THIS WAY, BUT THEY WON'T DO MY OTHER NEIGHBORS WHO ARE A DIFFERENT RACE, IT SURE LOOKS LIKE DISCRIMINATION OR ABUSE OF POWER.
THESE INSPECTORS NEED TO ALL TREAT EVERYBODY THE SAME.
SOME OF THE PROPERTIES GOT SIX FOOT OF GRASS AND THEY'RE TELLING ME, HEY, YOUR GRASS IS OVER 10 INCHES ON PARTS OF YOUR PROPERTY.
THE REST OF IT'S CUT WHERE MY TRACTOR COULDN'T GET.
UM, ON ANOTHER INCIDENT, UM, WE USED TO HAVE A LADY BY THE NAME OF MYRA HIPPOLITE WHO USED TO WORK FOR DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO GO UNDER THE WAY SHE USED TO WORK THERE.
SHE WOULD DO DRIVE ALONGS WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS.
I AM PART OF THE PTO AT MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL.
I DO VOLUNTEER A LOT OF TIME AT THE SCHOOL, CUTTING THE YARD, TRIMMING THE TREES, PRESSURE WASHING THE SCHOOL TO MAKE IT A BETTER THING FOR THE FIRST DAY.
AND I DON'T EXPECT NOBODY TO OVERLOOK ANY OF MY 10 INCHES OF HIGH GRASS, BUT ON THE SAME TOKEN, PUBLIC WORKS NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB AND MAKING IT ALL EQUAL FOR EVERYBODY ELSE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE LIST, GOOD TIME.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO IS IN THE QUEUE.
UH, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE 30 SECONDS TO WRAP UP? YES.
UM, IT TOOK FIVE MONTHS ON A BIKE TRAIL WHERE THE MAN GOT KILLED LAST WEEK.
IT TOOK FIVE MONTHS FOR PARKS PUBLIC WORK TO CLEAN UP A WHOLE BLOCK OF THE AREA WITH FI UH, WITH 15 FOOT OF GRASS THERE.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO HOLD OUR DEPARTMENT LEADERS A LITTLE MORE ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHEN THEY'RE DOING STUFF LIKE THIS.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY OF Y'ALL TO PLEASE CHALLENGE ME ON ANY OF THESE THINGS.
IT HAS MY EMAIL AND PHONE NUMBER.
I CAN PROVIDE PICTURES AND I CAN PROVIDE DATES OF EVERYTHING THAT I BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
UM, MARK, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THIS IS FRUSTRATING 'CAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS AND FOR YOU TO HAVE TO COME DOWN HERE AND, AND SPEAK ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON, THE PHOTOS THAT YOU SENT ME YESTERDAY.
UM, I DEFINITELY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, AND I THINK IT, IT, UH, COULD SPEAK TO A, A TRAINING GAP OR THERE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT I WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE CITATIONS AND THE YELLOW PLACARDS THAT ARE BEING PLACED WHERE THE GRASS IS CLEARLY RECENTLY CUT.
UM, SO I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS THAT I'LL BE RAISING, UH, WITH THE DEPARTMENT, UM, BEYOND THE, THE GENTLEMAN THAT WE MET WITH TO TRY AND GET SOME, SOME CLARITY BECAUSE TO ME THERE SEEMS TO BE ALONG WITH SOME OF THE OTHER PROPERTIES NEARBY, UH, THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME DISREP DISCREPANCY.
MARK, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN.
I KNOW YOU'VE SPOKEN TO ME ABOUT THIS BEFORE AND I'M
[00:55:01]
JUST CURIOUS, UH, WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE GETTING SPECIAL TREATMENT OR WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE IS SPECIAL TREATMENT? MAYBE BECAUSE I REPORT SOME OF THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE WHERE THE HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE AND MAYBE PUBLIC WORKS DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY WANT TO WORK THAT WAY BECAUSE A LOT OF MY NAMES COME OUT ON A LOT OF THE REPORTS AND MAYBE THAT'S WHY THEY'RE TARGETING ME.THEY'RE BUILDING SOME TOWN HOMES RIGHT NEXT TO MY HOUSE AND I CAN SEE THE PEOPLE PARADE AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A LITTLE PAD LIGHTING THINGS DOWN.
BUT EVEN THEM, THEY HAVE THREE AND FOUR FOOT OF GRASS WITH GREEN WATER IN THEIR DITCHES.
AND WHEN WE COMPLAIN ABOUT THEM BLOCKING SIDEWALKS, A LOT OF THIS STARTED LAST YEAR BECAUSE THESE SAME PEOPLE DOING THIS DEVELOPMENT WOULD HAVE THE SIDEWALKS BLOCKED ONE BLOCK FROM AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND IT WOULD GET VERY MIND BOGGLING FOR ME TO SEE THESE KIDS WALK INTO THE STREET WHEN THEY HAVE THE SIDEWALKS BLOCKED AND THEY STILL HAVE 'EM BLOCKED TO THIS DAY.
AND EVEN IF THEY PULL A PERMIT TO BLOCK A SIDEWALK, I THINK IT'S A 30 OR 60 DAY PERMIT.
THIS HAS BEEN BLOCKED FOR OVER A YEAR, BUT THANK YOU.
SERGEANT CORGI FROM HPD HELPS OUR COMMUNITY A LOT.
UH, WE, WE CAME OUT ON THE NEWS LAST NIGHT OVER THE HOMELESS ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO THANK HIM AND I NEED TO SEND HIS COMMANDER A A THANK YOU LETTER BECAUSE HE DOES HIS JOB.
SCOTTY JOSEPH TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER CATO.
I'M THE OWNER OF SCOTTY'S BIKES.
I RUN ELECTRIC BIKES IN HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
UM, FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS ON THURSDAYS, RIDERS AT THE SOCIAL RIDE THAT LEAVES OUT OF MARKET SQUARE PARK HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND ACCOSTED BY THE POLICE.
UM, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE DEAL IS.
UM, AND THE REASON WHY I'M HERE IS TO FIND OUT WHAT EXACTLY IS THE PROBLEM, HOW CAN WE FIX IT, AND HOW CAN WE MOVE FORWARD.
IF IT'S AN ISSUE OF LIGHTS, LET US KNOW IT'S LIGHTS SO WE CAN WRITE THAT DOWN AND WE CAN POLICE OURSELVES.
BUT RIGHT NOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OFFICERS TACKLING PEOPLE, UM, OFFICERS CHASING AFTER PEOPLE JUST FOR RECORDING THEM, UH, TRYING TO ACCOST SOMEBODY WHO HAS SOUND ON THEIR BACK WITHOUT TALKING TO THEM.
UH, THERE'S JUST A LOT GOING ON AND I'M BASICALLY HERE TO GET SOME ACCOUNTABILITY FROM YOU GUYS TO LET US KNOW HOW WE SHOULD RIDE SO WE CAN PASS THAT DOWN AND DO DO THE RIGHT THING.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, I'M HERE FOR IT.
SO I GUESS THE, THE ISSUE IS YOU SAID THERE WAS A, A SOCIAL RIDE AND PEOPLE WERE ATTACKED.
UH, EVERY THURSDAY THERE'S A SOCIAL RIDE THAT LEAVES OUT OF MARKET SQUARE PARK AT EIGHT O'CLOCK.
FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS, POLICE HAVE BEEN RAMPING UP THEIR ASSAULT ON BIKE RIDERS.
UH, LAST WEEK, UH, ONE GENTLEMAN WAS KNOCKED OFF HIS BIKE.
NOW HE HAS A SECOND DEGREE FELONY.
ANOTHER GENTLEMAN WAS, HE WAS KNOCKED OFF HIS BIKE BY AN HPD OFFICER.
THERE'S VIDEO FOOTAGE OF IT, I CAN SHARE IT LATER.
UM, THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON.
UH, GRANTED, UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF ME PERSONALLY, I, I'M DOING SOMETHING WITH SENIORS RIGHT NOW AND I WANNA BRING SENIORS OUT ON A SOCIAL RIDE.
BUT HOW CAN I BRING SENIORS OUT ON A SOCIAL RIDE THAT ARE VETERANS WHEN THEY'RE BEING, WHEN POLICE ARE ATTACKING THE SOCIAL RIDERS? SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, AND WHAT I'M ASKING FOR THE COUNCIL, IS JUST TO GIVE US A, A, A RULES THAT WE SHOULD FOLLOW WHEN IT COMES TO THE RIDES SO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT IS.
WE CAN PASS THAT DOWN TO THE RIDERS AND WE CAN RIDE ACCORDINGLY AND POLICE OURSELVES.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW, SO IT IS DURING THE SOCIAL RIDES.
DO Y'ALL FOLLOW ALL OF THE BIKE SAFETY RULES? WHEN I I I RIDE WITH A BIKE GROUP.
UM, AND WE HAVE BIKE SAFETY RULES THAT WE, WE KNOW THAT THE STREETS ARE FOR BIKES AND CARS.
UM, AND WE FOLLOW THE BIKE SAFETY RULES ARE, ARE YOU SAYING THAT Y'ALL ARE FOLLOWING THE BIKE SAFETY RULES OF THE ROAD? UM, AND THAT THERE WAS, UM, HPD OFFICERS WHO KNOCKED SOMEBODY OFF A BIKE AND ASSAULTED THE RIDERS? UH, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT IF, IF YOU HAVE THOSE, IF YOU HAVE THOSE RULES MM-HMM
IF YOU CAN HAVE THEM FOR US SO WE CAN PUT THEM, SO WE CAN POST THEM AND LET THE OTHER RIDERS KNOW.
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THE RULES CHANGE.
SO THE, THEY'RE THEY'RE THE REGULAR TRAFFIC RULES OF THE ROAD.
SO I GUESS I I'M SO REGULAR TRAFFIC RULES OF THE ROAD.
LET ME JUST ADDRESS THAT RIGHT QUICK.
UM, REGULAR TRAFFIC RULES OF THE ROAD.
[01:00:01]
IF YOU'RE ON THE SIDEWALK WITH YOUR BICYCLE, SHOULD YOU BE ARRESTED FOR THAT? NO.I, I MEAN, YOU SHOULDN'T BE ARRESTED FOR RIDING YOUR, YOUR BICYCLE UNLESS YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE YOUR BICYCLE ON THE, ON THE SIDEWALK.
AND I WHAT I'M MEAN, SO THERE ARE, THERE ARE RULES THAT HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED WHETHER YOU'RE ON A, A BICYCLE OR IN A CAR.
AND SO I THINK, I MEAN, I, I WASN'T THERE.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.
I MEAN, THE RULES ARE THE BIKE SAFETY RULES OF THE ROAD.
SO THERE'S NOT A SPECIFIC SET OF RULES THAT I CAN GIVE YOU THAT SAYS, THESE ARE THE RULES.
YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THE TRANSPORTATION RULES OF THE ROAD FOR CYCLISTS.
CYCLISTS ARE THE RULES THAT SHOULD BE FOLLOWED FOR A BIKE RIDE.
THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT THE POLICE ARE THE ONES THAT DISCERN WHICH RULES ARE PASSED AND NOT.
SO IF WE COULD JUST GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HPD IS ALLOWING AND NOT ALLOWING.
UM, YEAH, MY, MY QUESTIONS WERE SIMILAR TO THE MAYOR PRO TEM AS IT PERTAINS TO, UM, WHAT HPD WAS MAYBE RELAYING TO YOU ALL ON WHAT, UH, OR WHAT REASON THEY WERE GIVING FOR EITHER APPROACHING, UH, WHAT REASON THEY WERE GIVING FOR HPD, UM, IF THERE WAS ANY ARRESTS MADE, THERE WERE ARRESTS MADE.
SO IS THERE ANY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN YOUR, UH, BIKE RIDERS AND HPD ON WHY THEY WERE APPROACHED IN THE FIRST PLACE? WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION FIRST.
FROM THERE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TEACH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO PASS THAT DOWN TO HPD AND WE CAN HAVE SOME TYPE OF CONVERSATION TO FIND OUT.
I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR ALL OF US TO GET ON THE SAME PAGE.
IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR ALL OF US TO EVEN SEE THE VIDEO OF WHAT MAY HAVE OCCURRED, UH, DURING THAT SITUATION.
BUT I CAN SAY THAT FROM WHAT I HAVE OBSERVED WITH SOME OF THESE MASS WRITER, UM, I GUESS GATHERINGS, THAT THE REGULAR TRAFFIC RULES ARE NOT BEING FOLLOWED BY MANY GROUPS AND THEY'RE EITHER RUNNING RED LIGHTS, THEY'RE EITHER BUNCHED ALL UP INTO MULTIPLE LANES, UM, THEY'RE GOING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
THEY'RE NOT FOLLOWING SOME OF THE, THE SIGNAGE THAT'S POSTED.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, IT IS CAUSING, UM, DISORGANIZATION AND CHAOS ON THE STREETS, ESPECIALLY FOR, YOU KNOW, WALKERS OR THOSE WHO MAY BE IN VEHICLES.
AND SO THERE DOES NEED TO BE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN YOU HAVE THESE GATHERINGS OF CYCLISTS, THAT EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE OF WHAT ARE THE RULES TO FOLLOW.
AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE RULES ARE JUST THE REGULAR RULES OF THE ROAD.
AND WHATEVER A A, A MOTOR VEHICLE CAN DO, THOSE THINGS ARE APPLIED TO CYCLISTS.
AND SO BUNCHED UP NOT FOLLOWING TRAFFIC SIGNS OR TRAFFIC SIGNALS, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS ARE GOING TO CAUSE HPD AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO APPROACH.
AND IF, IF THERE ARE COMMANDS THAT ARE GIVEN BY HPD TO STOP OR TO COME BACK AND THEY'RE NOT BEING FOLLOWED, THEN THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO, UH, FURTHER THEIR, UM, THEIR ABILITY TO TRY AND ENFORCE THE TRAFFIC RULES OF THE ROAD.
SO, UM, LET'S FIND A WAY TO GET THOSE TRAFFIC RULES OVER TO YOUR GROUP AND OTHERS SO THAT EVERYONE CAN BE SAFE AS THEY RIDE.
UM, BUT IF CERTAIN TRAFFIC LAWS ARE NOT FOLLOWED AND LAW ENFORCEMENT SEES THAT, THEN THEIR JOB IS TO ENFORCE THE LAW.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS DONE IN A SAFE AND APPROPRIATE MANNER.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
IF YOU WANT TO SEND US THAT VIDEO OR SEND US INFORMATION ON THE GATHERING SO WE KNOW MORE ABOUT IT, THEN WE WILL WORK WITH YOU DIRECTLY ON, UH, MAKING SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE SAFE AND HAVE THOSE RULES READILY AVAILABLE FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP.
WHO SHOULD I SEND THAT VIDEO TO? VIDEO TO IN PARTICULAR? SEND IT TO ALL OF OUR OFFICES, WHICH YOU CAN FIND OUR EMAILS ONLINE.
I HAVE YOUR, AND THEN WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
MR. JONES, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
ATTENTION QUESTION, UM, WITH YOUR BIKE GROUP, IT'S A CLUB, IS IT A GROUP? WHAT? LET ME CORRECT YOU.
SOCIAL WRITING WITH OTHER FOLKS.
SO, BUT YOU, YOU WERE MENTIONING A GROUP, BUT IT'S JUST A SOCIAL RIDE.
THERE'S NO NAME GROUP OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THERE IS A NAME GROUP, BUT I DON'T FEEL THAT
[01:05:01]
I SHOULD MENTION THEIR NAME BECAUSE I'M NOT A PART OF THE GROUP.SO NEXT QUESTION, WHEN YOU ALL GET TOGETHER, DO YOU GATHER, I NOTICED YOU INDICATED CYCLISTS DOWNTOWN? YES.
SO, UM, THAT YOUR SOCIAL RIDING, Y'ALL GATHER UP THERE AT A CERTAIN TIME AND EVERYBODY'S RIDING, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR LEGAL IDENTIFICATION AS TO WHEN THEY ARRESTED? 1, 2, 3.
I THINK FOUR PEOPLE, UH, WERE, WERE ARRESTED.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE OF YOUR QUESTION, SIR.
THE QUESTION IS, WHAT WAS THE OFFENSE? WHAT, WHAT WAS IT? THE OFFENSES, UH, THEY RANGED, UH, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK, UH, INCORRECTLY.
I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.
HOWEVER, ONE PERSON WAS ARRESTED FOR HAVING MUSIC, YOU KNOW, HAVING SOUND, I GUESS PLAYING SOUND TOO LOUD.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE TRUCKS THAT ARE REVVING THEIR ENGINES, YOU KNOW, LOUD DOWNTOWN.
SO IT WAS VARIOUS THINGS, REALLY, LET'S JUST CALL IT WHAT IT IS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST TARGETING THE SOCIAL RIDES RIGHT NOW.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THE REASON FOR IT, BUT THERE HAS BEEN AN UPTICK IN THE ARREST.
AND THEN JUST THE, THE, THE ASSAULTS AGAINST, AGAINST CYCLISTS.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S, IF IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE SCOOTERS OR WHAT IT IS, BUT THE, THE NORMAL RIDERS HAVE BEEN ASSAILED AS WELL.
SO HOW OFTEN DO Y'ALL MEET AT MARKET MARKET EVERY THURSDAY? WELL, ACTUALLY THERE ARE SOCIAL RIDES THAT LEAD FROM MARKET SQUARE PARK, I WANT TO SAY FOUR OUT OF THE SEVEN DAYS OF THE WEEK.
THIS HAS BEEN A PLACE WHERE SOCIAL RIDES HAVE LEFT, UH, I WANNA SAY FOR AT LEAST BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
SO THIS IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE KNOW TO MEET, TO RIDE SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE.
WHEN I SAY, UH, PEOPLE, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE SOCIAL RIDES AROUND TOWN.
THAT ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ASSOCIATED OKAY.
WITH THE RIDE GROUP ITSELF, BUT THAT WANT TO RIDE, THEY KNOW TO COME TO MARKET SQUARE PARK AT SEVEN 30 ON A THURSDAY TO RIDE.
SO, BUT, BUT FOR, DO YOU FEEL LIKE, BUT YOUR GROUP BEEN TARGETED? I FEEL LIKE THE POLICE ARE TARGETING ALL BY ALL CYCLISTS.
UH, BUT IN PARTICULAR, THE THURSDAY RIDE, BECAUSE IT'S THE LARGEST RIDE, IT'S DOWNTOWN MM-HMM
AND I GUESS WE WANT TO CLEAN UP DOWNTOWN FOR FIFA OR SOMETHING.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THAT'S ALL ABOUT.
HOW MANY RIDERS ARE, UM, PARTICIPATE ON AVERAGE THURSDAY? WOW.
UM, I KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN ON A SOCIAL RIDE AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN UP TO 500 PEOPLE.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A BIG RIDE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BIG RIDES.
AND WITH THAT, I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE NEED TO POLICE OURSELVES MM-HMM
BUT IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, WE HAVE TO HAVE A CLEAR RULE OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT IS.
IF IT CHANGES, I THINK, I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, REBECCA, CAN YOU, UH, GET HIS CONTACT INFORMATION AND THEN MAYBE TALK TO, UM, THE HPD TEAM, THE CYCLE TEAM AT HPD AND LET'S SEE IF WE CAN, UM, FIND A HAPPY SPACE TO LAND ON WITH THE SOCIAL RIDES AND, UM, WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE WITH HPD? I APPRECIATE THAT, MAYOR TIM.
BEST WISHES AND BE SAFE OUT THERE.
THEODORE CARRERA TO BE FOLLOWED BY WAA HAWK.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
I SUBMITTED ONE OF THESE, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH, UH, GORDON KWAN, LLP, UH, IMMIGRATION CHAIRMAN OF A, A LAW FIRM.
I GAVE A PACKET OF THIS TO THE MAYOR AND, UH, TO MR. DAVIS.
I SPOKE WITH HIM YESTERDAY ON MY BIRTHDAY.
WE WERE HAVING A CONVERSATION.
UH, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT CREDIBILITY.
SO I FIGURED, ALL RIGHT, LET ME COME HERE AND SAY, MY NAME IS THEODORE WILLIAM CARRERO.
I'M A MARKETING CONSULTANT FOR SUPPLY HUMAN DEMAND.
UH, MR. KWANS, ONE OF MY BEST REFERENCE REFERENCES, SO IS MR. LARRY PAYNE.
AND SO I'M TRYING TO CONTINUE, I'VE BEEN COMING HERE SINCE JANUARY OF 20, I BELIEVE.
24, WHEN THE MAYOR WAS INAUGURATED.
SO MY GOAL TODAY IS I'M TRYING TO FOLLOW UP MRS. UH, MRS. INGRID ENSCO.
SHE'S TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE LITERACY.
MY, MY, UH, THING IS CLIMATE AWARENESS.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GIVEN, THIS IS THE PREPARATION GUIDE
[01:10:01]
I GAVE, UH, I SUBMITTED MR. DAVIS NOTES OF A CONFERENCE.IT'S, I MORE YOU, I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE AMERICAN LEADERSHIP FORUM.
EVENTBRITE, THE SUNNYSIDE REDEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, THE OEM, OFFICE OF EMERGENT MANAGEMENT, THE FUTURE, THE CENTER OF THE FUTURE OF HOUSTON ARCADES, UH, GREENTOWN LABS, SUNNYSIDE, I, I GAVE YOU GUYS A COUPLE ARTICLES.
THERE'S, I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY'S COMPOSTING, IF YOU'RE COMPOSTING YOUR FOODS OR ANYTHING.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN IS A VERY BIG FAN OF COMPOSTING.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M, I'VE GIVEN YOU GUYS, I THINK SOME OF MY MARKETING RESUMES WITH MY STUFF ON IT.
'CAUSE YOU'RE PROBABLY LIKE, ALL RIGHT, THIS GUY'S TALKED ABOUT PARKS.
HE'S TALKED ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.
HE'S TALKED ABOUT HISD IMMIGRATION.
UM, I WAS AT ACRES HOMES WITH, UH, JUDGE DEIDRE DAVIS, UH, SERGEANT CONSTABLE WILLIAM WAGNER, AND ALL THE SHERIFFS ON SUNDAY.
YOU COULD FIND ME REGULARLY AT RICE VILLAGE ON SUNDAY WITH ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
TONIGHT I HAVE, UH, BIBLE STUDIES AT ST.
ALL I'M TRYING TO DO IS, UH, YOU KNOW, BE A PART OF THE TEAM.
I'M, I'M DONATING, UH, UH, I'VE LEFT A MESSAGE OF COUNCILMAN POLLARD'S TEAM TO DO ABATEMENT OF BEAUTIFICATION, WAITING ON MS. JACKSON TO DO IT OVER AT WEST MONTGOMERY.
I GOT A CALL FROM TIFFANY THOMAS TODAY, HER STAFF, 'CAUSE SHE'S PRO ADVOCATE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FOR THE ASIAN SOCIETY.
I'M JUST TRYING TO BE, YOU KNOW, A FRIEND OF THE CITY, HELPFUL TO THE CITY.
WE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH AND KEEP COMING.
AND, AND NOW I'M PART OF THE 50 YEAR OLDS.
YOU KNOW, YESTERDAY, MY BIRTHDAY, SO WELL, HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
AND SO, UH, I'M LOOKING TO, YOU KNOW, DONATE MY TIME SO THAT YOU GUYS KNOW WHO I AM AND THAT I CAN LAND SOME KIND OF CONTRACT, WHETHER IT BE WITH THE, WHICHEVER COMMUNITY, LATIN COMMUNITY, BLACK COMMUNITY, WHICHEVER RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY.
AND SO, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR HAVING ME.
I'LL BE COMING BACK NEXT MONTH TALKING ABOUT BICYCLE SAFETY.
WHICH WE'VE BEEN HEARING, WE HEARD ABOUT AND MORE, MORE SO THE, UH, THE ROADS.
AND THEN I'LL FOLLOW THAT IN OCTOBER WITH GRATUITY.
AND SO, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
KEEP THE GOOD VIBES AND GOOD ENERGY.
KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
REVEREND BEST WISHES TO YOU PROCEDURAL COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR PROCEDURAL.
I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD JOHN ROWE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES.
I'M HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOHN ROWE, CORRECT? YES MA'AM.
Y'ALL, Y'ALL PROBABLY PRETTY MUCH FAMILIAR WITH ME WHEN I CAME.
I WAS KIND OF IRRITATED AND EVERYTHING.
I'M OFF ALL MY MEDICATION AND EVERYTHING.
I'M COMING TO, UH, DISCUSS TODAY.
WHO'S THE MAYOR? EVER GOT TO MEET THE MAYOR? HE HERE TODAY.
SO I WANT TO, UH, DISCUSS TODAY.
UH, THE CITY TREE FALLING ON TOP OF MY, UH, BOUGHT, DIDN'T PAID FOR A CAR.
A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA PASSENGER CAR.
AND A TREE COLLAPSED DOWN ON TOP OF MY CAR.
DURING THE TIME I HAD TOOKEN A FALL IN MY HOUSE AND I COULDN'T MOVE.
SO MY NEIGHBORS WERE KIND OF LIKE BANGING ON MY DOOR.
AND SOME PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO WONDER LIKE, WHO CAR WAS THAT? IT WAS A COMPLETE TREE ON TOP OF MY CAR.
I HAD TO UH, IT FED ITSELF REALLY GOOD THROUGH MY WINDOW SHELL.
AND I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO BACK OUT.
THAT WOULD BE THE SMART IDEA INSTEAD OF GOING FORWARD BECAUSE IT WAS JUST WITH A BASH MORE GLASS INSIDE MY FACE.
SO I'M HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS, UH, TO AGREE TO DISAGREE.
I'M WILLING TO, UH, GIVE Y'ALL MY CARD, THE TITLE AND EVERYTHING AND TAKE ONE OF Y'ALL CARS.
BUT RIGHT NOW I GOT SOME ESTIMATES FOR THAT TREE FALLING ON MY CAR AT THE GALLERIA.
I AM UNABLE TO REALLY WALK AND FIND ALL THESE PLACES TO GET DIFFERENT ESTIMATES.
AND THAT ESTIMATE CAME UP TO ABOUT $8,000.
AND I DIDN'T SPEND THAT MUCH ON THAT CAR.
I SPENT ABOUT $3,500 ON A CAR.
SO, UH, EITHER YOU GUYS CAN WORK WITH ME AND TO TRY TO, UH, FIX IT OR GIVE ME $3,500 WHERE I CAN GET ANOTHER CAR OR SWITCH ME OUT FOR ONE OF Y'ALL CITY CARS THAT Y'ALL NOT USING ANYMORE.
AND I CAN GIVE Y'ALL MY CARD WITH THE TITLE AND EVERYTHING.
'CAUSE I DO LIKE THE CROWN VICTORIOUS.
[01:15:01]
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE REALLY GOOD CARS.SO I'M WILLING TO TAKE ONE OF THOSE, WHETHER THEY'LL BE WITHOUT A CAR AT ALL, BECAUSE I HAVE A FANTA FACIITIS FROM WALKING A WHOLE LOT.
I'M FROM NEW ORLEANS, YOU GUYS.
LIKE I WAS IN NEW ORLEANS AND I DAMAGED MY FEET.
THAT IS MY FAVORITE CAR TO BE EXACT.
AND THE CAR IS STILL IN GOOD CONDITION.
I MEAN LIKE RUNNING AND EVERYTHING.
BUT THE BUMPER IS GONE BECAUSE WHEN I BACKED OUT THE TREE, THE TREE CONTINUED TO COLLAPSE ON TOP OF MY CAR, BREAKING MY HEADLIGHTS AND BREAKING THE BUMPER OFF.
AND I'M JUST ASKING, WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN? THIS HAPPENED, UH, JULY 9TH AND THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON OVER THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF TREES THAT'S FALLING OVER.
I'M ON BARING DRIVE CLOSE TO THE GALLERIA.
AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF TREES THAT'S LIKE OLD AND ROTTEN AND OUT.
THEY'RE FALLING OVER THE POWER LINES.
SO TELL ME WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE ADDRESS OF WHERE THE TREE WAS LOCATED? OKAY, 2250 BAREN DRIVE.
SO THE REPORT I HAVE HERE IS THAT THE FORESTY FORESTRY TEAM WENT OUT THERE AND THERE WERE NO PUBLIC TREES ALONG 2250 BAREN DRIVE.
AND THEY, THEY ARE REPORTING TO US THAT ALL OF THE TREES IN THAT AREA ARE LOCATED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND UNDER THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ADJACENT MIRAMAR TOWN HOMES.
IS THAT SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU? UH, THEY ARE CONNECTED TO, I THINK THAT'S THE NAME OF 'EM.
BUT THOSE APARTMENTS, 'CAUSE I USED TO, UH, I SPECIALIZE IN ARCHITECT AND DESIGN.
THEY BUILD AROUND THOSE TREES, THE APARTMENT COMPLEX.
AND I WAS PARKED ON THIS, UH, SIDE STREET, UH, DUE TO, UH, REGISTRY.
'CAUSE I DID SOME CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS IN MY CAR FOR TWO YEARS.
I WAS AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC, UH, REALLY BAD.
I BOUGHT THAT CAR DURING THE PANDEMIC BEFORE WE KNEW IT WAS A PANDEMIC.
AND Y'ALL SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN WHEN ALL MY REGISTRATION WAS GOOD.
SO WHEN ALL, ALL MY REGISTRATION WENT BAD, Y'ALL OPENED EVERYTHING BACK UP.
UH, Y'ALL OPENED EVERYTHING BACK UP AND EVERYTHING WAS ALREADY EXPIRED AND EVERYTHING.
AND I DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO GET THINGS TOGETHER DUE TO MY CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS AND EVERYBODY HELPING, UH, HELPING ME.
SO I HAD BEEN WORKING WITH THIS, UH, ORGANIZATION CALLED VILLAGE CONNECT.
THIS MAN HAS ALSO BEEN SHEDDING HIS OWN BLOOD, GIVING BLOOD TO HELP, UH, THE PEOPLE.
THE FEW PEOPLE THAT HE DO HAVE, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE LEFT HIM BECAUSE HE DOES NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY THE PEOPLE TO WORK, TO DO THE WORK THAT I NEED.
SO HE'S IZED TESTING TWO THINGS RIGHT AT MD ANDERSON LAB AND PLUS, UH, SOME OTHERS, UH, IN A COFFEE BUSINESS TO HELP ME.
'CAUSE I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT'S REALLY STICKING BY THIS MAN.
HIS NAME IS TRON LAMB AND HE RUNS THE VILLAGE CONNECT.
SO, UH, I'M JUST ASKING MS. WRIGHT, I THINK, YES MA'AM.
WHAT, UM, WE NEED TO DO BECAUSE THE TREE THAT FELL ON YOUR CAR, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT WOULD BE THE TOWNHOUSE.
THE TOWNHOME PROPERTY MANAGER AND THE FORESTRY TEAM, UH, DID, UH, LEAVE THAT MESSAGE WITH THAT LEASING OFFICE.
SO I THINK IF YOUR, YOUR CONCERN IS THE TREE FALLING ON YOUR CAR, WE PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THE TOWN HOME PROPERTY THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE TREES.
MAY I ASK, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? MARTHA CASTEX.
HEY MS. MARTHA, HOW YOU DOING? SO I DID GO OVER THERE AND I SPOKE WITH MS. BUR, UH, MS. REBECCA RACK.
SHE'S, UH, COMING FROM NEW YORK AND I GUESS SHE'S MULTITASKING TWO BUILDINGS.
SHE HAS SAID THAT THEY'RE, THAT IT'S NOT THEIR TREE, THAT'S THE CITY TREE.
THAT'S WHY THEY BILLED AROUND IT.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE APARTMENTS 'CAUSE THESE PEOPLE DO HAVE THE MONEY TO FIGHT THIS BACK AND POINT THIS BACK TO Y'ALL.
THAT IS Y'ALL TREE THAT FELL, THAT FELL DOWN ON MY CAR.
AND THEY ALSO HAVE ANOTHER TREE THAT'S ALSO LEANING THE SAME WAY.
YOU COULD SIT ON IT FOR A STOOL.
SO ONCE THE TREE, ONCE I GOT MY CAR BACKED OUT OF THE TREE, THEY CAME, SOMEBODY CAME AND CHOPPED UP THE TREE AND JUST THREW IT IN THE CORNER.
SO SOMEBODY IS RELIABLE FOR THE TREE.
'CAUSE THE APARTMENT IS SAYING IT'S NOT MY TREE AND THE CITY IS SAYING IT'S NOT MY TREE.
SO WHO TREE IS IT? I LOVE TREES.
THE TREE AIN'T JUST MAGICALLY APPEAR THERE.
SO I WANT SOMEBODY TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.
AND ALSO I WANT TO, UH, THANK MS. EVELYN SHABAZZ FOR HELPING ME DURING THE TIME OF CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS ALONG WITH MR. STEVEN A. JAMES THE, UH, CITY CHIEF OF HOMELAND SECURITY.
'CAUSE AT THAT TIME THEY SHUT DOWN THEIR PROSTITUTION ON BINET AND I WAS UNAWARE OF THAT.
AND I WAS BEING ATTACKED AND HARASSED A LOT BY THESE MEN BECAUSE THEY LOST THE WOMEN THAT THEY NEEDED TO MAKE THEIR MONEY.
SO THE WHOLE DEAL IS I NEED TO GET BACK IN MY CAR.
[01:20:01]
RIGHT? OR EITHER I COULD SWAP THE CAR AND GIVE Y'ALL THE TITLE TO IT AND Y'ALL DO WHATEVER WITH IT.AND Y'ALL GIMME A CITY CARD THAT Y'ALL ARE NO NO LONGER USING.
BECAUSE I SEE THAT Y'ALL ARE IN THE NEW FORD EXPEDITIONS AND THE ALL CHARGERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING FOR, SWEETHEART.
MS. WRIGHT, I'M GONNA ASK JAMES IF HE'LL HELP YOU, UM, WITH THAT SITUATION BECAUSE, UM, THE INFORMATION, OH, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFIN, DID YOU WANT TO ADDRESS MS. WRIGHT? YES.
UM, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE TREE THAT FELL ON YOUR CAR HAS BEEN REMOVED.
THEY BASICALLY CHOPPED IT UP AND PUSHED IT IN THE CORNER WHERE IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE, UH, APARTMENTS LIKE KIND OF CURBS AROUND IT.
SO RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST TRASHED IN THE CORNER AND IT'S BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT A MONTH.
AND I ALSO TOOK SOME MORE, I TOOK A VIDEO ALSO OF IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT VIDEO ON MY PHONE TO UH, SEE WHERE THEY PUT THAT TREE.
BUT YOU BASICALLY SIT ON IT FOR A STOOL.
IT WAS A VERY BIG TREE AND IT DESTROYED MY CAR.
SO THE ESTIMATES FROM CRASH CHAMPIONS THAT WAS CLOSE TO ME WHERE I CAN GET TO IT IS SAYING IT'S GONNA COST ABOUT $8,000 BECAUSE I HAD FOG LAMPS.
IT WAS REALLY A GOOD CAR AND I WAS KEEPING IT UP.
AND MAYOR PRO TIMM, DO YOU KNOW WHEN FORESTRY WENT OUT THERE THIS MORNING? OKAY, SO THEY'RE OUT THERE THIS MORNING.
SO IF THEY WENT OUT THIS MORNING, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY DID MENTION ONE TREE THAT LOOKED LIKE IT KNOW YEAH, THAT'S ONE OF THE TREES THAT WAS LIKE THAT.
AND SO MUCH SO IF THAT TREE, HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
SO IF THAT TREE WAS, SO IF THAT TREE WAS THE TOWN HOME PROPERTY, DO WE KNOW IF THE TREE THAT WAS REMOVED OR NO TREES ON THAT BLOCK WERE SO THE TREES ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SIDEWALK, WHICH IS THE PROPERTY OF THE TOWN HOMES AND NOT IN THE CITY RIGHT AWAY.
MAY I SAY ONE MORE THING? YES MA'AM.
THAT PROPERTY OWNS NO OAK TREES OR ANYTHING.
THAT PROPERTY IS PRETTY SOPHISTICATED.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF PALM TREES ON THEIR PROPERTY AND THEY ALSO HAVE A LAGOON THAT'S WAY BETTER THAN MY APARTMENT.
SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF, UH, PALM TREES AND THE TREES THAT THEY DO HAVE BLOOM, THESE PINK FLOWERS AND THEY'RE REALLY THIN.
THEY DON'T HAVE THESE BIG TREES.
AND I'M ASSUMING THE REASON WHY THAT, THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX BUILT AROUND THOSE TREES IS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT THEIR TREES.
THEY BELONGED TO THE CITY SO THEY COULD NOT JUST CUT 'EM DOWN.
I WANT SOMEBODY TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT BECAUSE IF I DO SOMETHING, Y'ALL TOTALLY WANT ME TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY IN TEXAS FOR WHATEVER I DO.
AND I WANT THE CITY TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT PART.
NOW, IF I HAVE TO GO AFTER THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX, THEY DO HAVE THE MONEY AND THE LAWYERS AND THE INVESTIGATORS TO GO OUT THERE TO SAY, HEY, THAT'S NOT OUR TREE.
THEN Y'ALL HAVE TO PAY THE 8,000.
SO THE THING IS, I'M TRYING TO MAKE A DEAL WITH Y'ALL.
EITHER TAKE MY CAR AND GIMME ONE OF Y'ALL OLD CARS THAT Y'ALL NOT USING ONE OF THEM GOOD OLD, UH, CROWN VICTORIOUS OR WHATEVER.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY OLD CROWN VICTORIOUS TO GIVE TO CITIZENS.
BUT I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING HERE.
AND, BUT LET ME LET, LET ME LET, UH, JAMES, I'M JUST TRYING TO BE JAMES, CAN YOU GET THE, THE, THE LEASING AGENT'S, UH, CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MS. WRIGHT, UH, AND MAYBE HELP HER CONTACT? I DON'T, I GRABBED HER CARD 'CAUSE I DIDN'T PACK TOO MUCH WITH ME.
I I DON'T THINK I HAVE HER CARD WITH ME.
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA SEE IF WE CAN GET YOU THE CONTACT INFORMATION TO THE LEASING COMPANY OF THE FOLKS WHO ACTUALLY OWN THE TREE THAT FELL ON YOUR CAR.
SO HOPEFULLY MAYBE THEY HAVE A CAR THEY CAN GIVE.
SO ALL THE TREES ARE LIKE HOW YOU GOT THE BUILDING BUILT.
RIGHT? IT'S ALL CURVED AROUND THE CITY TREES AND THE TREES HAVE BEEN COLLAPSING.
YOU CAN ALSO CHECK WITH CITY POINT.
WE ALSO HAD SOME OUT, UH, POWER OUTAGES BECAUSE OF THAT.
RIGHT? BECAUSE THE TREES FALLING OVER THE POWER LINES.
AND THEY HAD A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON OVER THERE FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.
THEY DIDN'T FINISH IT UP UNTIL I GOT OVER THERE.
AND MS. RED, IF YOU FILE A CLAIM WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR CAR INSURANCE, THEN THEY'LL BE THE ONES THAT ARE WORKING WITH, I WASN'T ABLE TO GET CAR INSURANCE AT THAT TIME.
I WAS CHRONICALLY HOMELESS AND I JUST HAD MOVED TO THAT PLACE.
UH, AND MR. STEVEN A. JAMES HELPED ME, UH, GET SETTLED DOWN IN THAT PLACE AND I WANT TO THANK HIM.
HE ALSO, UH, BOUGHT BED PILLOWS AND EVERYTHING FOR ME AND SUPPLIED A HUNDRED DOLLARS WORTH OF GROCERIES FOR ME.
SO I ALSO WANT Y'ALL TO GIVE HIM SOME TYPE OF BADGE ALSO.
WE WILL DEFINITELY GIVE MR. JAMES THAT SHOOTOUT SHABAZZ.
'CAUSE MS. SHABAZZ REFERRED ME TO HIM.
BUT ANYWAYS, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ FOR YOUR HELP, MS. WRIGHT.
SO, UM, UH, JAMES CAN HELP YOU.
JAMES, IF YOU'LL, IF YOU'LL, UM, HELP MS. WRIGHT AND MAKE SURE SHE HAS THE LEASING CONTACT FOR THE TOWNHOUSE.
SO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THE LEASING AGENT? WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO, I'M NOT SURE.
WE'RE GONNA GET YOU THEIR CONTACT AND THEN YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THEM AND LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE CONCERNS YOU HAVE ABOUT YOUR CAR.
SO THEY'LL TAKE CARE OF THE DAMAGES.
THANK YOU MA'AM FOR HAVING ME.
[01:25:01]
GRAB MY JOHN ROWE.SEE, I'M ALL WHACKED OUTTA MY MIND BECAUSE I TOOK MY MESSAGE.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU GUYS FOR LOOKING BEST WISHES.
MS. WRIGHT TO BE FOLLOWED BY EL ALFREDA FRANKLIN.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I, I KNOW I WAS KIND OF WEDGED IN AT THE LAST MINUTE.
UM, I AM, I'M THE BACKUP BACK TO THE TWO THAT YOU HEARD EARLIER.
I'M THE CO-CHAIR OF HOUSTON ENERGY AND CLIMATE LEAGUE.
I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO SPEAK THIS AFTERNOON.
I ALSO WANT TO JUST, MAYBE YOU DON'T HEAR THIS FROM EVERY SPEAKER.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
FOR EVERYONE SITTING IN THIS CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO BECAUSE I'M GONNA EMPHASIZE SOMETHING, MY REMARKS THIS AFTERNOON CALLED STEWARDSHIP.
I'VE HEARD COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN SAY THIS MANY TIMES, RIGHT? WE BELIEVE IN THAT STEWARDSHIP.
MY FAITH TRADITION TEACHES THAT WE SHOULD BE GOOD STEWARDS.
SO HOUSTON HAS BEEN LONG RECOGNIZED AS THE ENERGY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD FOR GENERATIONS.
THE WORK DONE AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS POWERED HOMES, CREATED JOBS, AND FUELED GROWTH AROUND THE GLOBE.
BUT AS THE WORLD CHANGES, AND MY OPINION SO MUST HOUSTON ENERGY AND CLIMATE LEADERSHIP TODAY ISN'T ONLY ABOUT PROVIDING RESOURCES.
IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND THE FUTURE OF THE PEOPLE WHO CALL HOUSTON HOME.
THAT'S WHY HOUSTON ENERGY AND CLIMATE WEEK MATTER SO DEEPLY, WE'RE JUST GONNA GIVE YOU AN ANALOGY.
A A FEW WEEKS AGO WE HAD AN ORGANIZING EVENT AND IT WAS AN OVERFLOW ROOM OF PEOPLE WHO JUST CAME OUT TO VOLUNTEER, TO PRODU, UH, PARTICIPATE IN HOUSTON ENERGY AND CLIMATE WEEK.
HERE'S THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TAKING TIME AFTER WORK, OUTSIDE OF THEIR FAMILY COMMITMENTS JUST TO PARTICIPATE.
AND THAT SITE WAS JUST AMAZING TO ME, RIGHT? WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT POLITICAL CLIMATE, WE ALL KNOW THAT, RIGHT? AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT WE HAVE A CLIMATE ISSUE, RIGHT? BUT WHATEVER YOUR BELIEFS ARE, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR WORLD, UH, TO PROTECT OUR, OUR CHILDREN, THE AIR THAT THEY BREATHE, OUR FAMILIES, OUR FRIENDS, OUR NEIGHBORS, OR THAT ARE SAFE FROM EXTREME WEATHER, RIGHT? AND ALL THE COMMUNITIES SHOULD HAVE AN ACTIVE VOICE AS TO HOW WE GO FORWARD.
SO MY MY ASK FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TODAY IS COME AND PARTICIPATE IN HOUSTON ENERGY AND CLIMATE WEEK.
SHOW UP, SHOW UP TO ONE EVENT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO SHOW UP TO EVERY EVENT.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE ALL VERY BUSY PEOPLE, BUT WE ALL HAVE TIME TO COME AND MAKING TO THE OPENING EVENT.
THE CLOSING EVENT OR A WEEK, UH, SOMETHING IN BETWEEN.
WE CAN HELP YOU, UH, DECIDE WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU GUYS.
BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP US TO MAKE HOUSTON TO BE UNSTOPPABLE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING FOR ENERGY AND CLIMATE WEEK.
YOU KNOW, IT USED TO BE WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT CLIMATE A LOT.
AND WE ALL WANNA BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS EARTH.
AND IN THIS CLIMATE, IT'S TALKED ABOUT LESS.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR KEEPING THE CONVERSATION GOING, KEEPING THE DISCUSSION, THE IMPORTANT DISCUSSION GOING.
WE NEED TO BE LEADING AN ENERGY TRANSITION HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND I'LL, I'LL LOOK THROUGH THE CALENDAR AND SHOW UP TO SOMETHING.
UH, AND, AND, AND THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR SOMEBODY TO PARTICIPATE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY.
NEXT SPEAKER, ALFREDA FRANKLIN.
ALFREDA FRANKLIN TO BE FOLLOWED BY KIVA ST.
UM, I CAME BACK HERE AGAIN TODAY AND, UM, THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, WE DID RECEIVE AN EMAIL ASKING, UM, THIS IS ABOUT THE BIKER SITUATION, THE MOTORCYCLIST ON THE ROADWAYS.
UM, WE WERE ASKED FOR A DATE FOR THE PROCLAMATION.
UM, WE DID SUGGEST, UH, MAY 1ST, WHICH IS BIKE MONTH, UM, MAY 1ST, UH, STARTING IN 2026.
AND ALSO WE WERE ALSO ASKED ABOUT A DAY THAT THE BIKERS COULD RIDE AS OF NOW SINCE, YOU KNOW, BIKE MONTH IS NOW GONE, UM, WHICH IS MAY.
AND UM, WE ALSO DECIDED OCTOBER THE FIFTH, WHICH IS ON A SUNDAY, WHICH THERE'S NOT TOO MUCH TRAFFIC.
UM, ALSO THE BIKERS WILL BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, TO RIDE.
AND ALSO WE WANT, UM, SOME OF THE POLICE OFFICERS TO RIDE WITH US AS WELL AS IN LEADING.
WE WANT THEM TO RIDE WITH US BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO GOING DOWN AS WELL AS THE, THE, UM, REGULAR
[01:30:01]
RIDERS ON THE STREET.SO I COME HERE TODAY TO GET THOSE ANSWERS BECAUSE I WAS ALSO TOLD, UM, LAST WEEK THAT I WOULD, WELL, NO, TWO WEEKS AGO THAT I WOULD HAVE AN ANSWER WITHIN A WEEK.
I KEEP EMAILING, I EMAILED THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
I'VE DONE WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO.
SO I'M TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT I CAN, YOU KNOW, TO HELP THESE MOTORCYCLISTS INSTEAD OF THEM TAKING IT IN, LIKE I SAID IN THEIR HANDS.
SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR A PROCLAMATION ON MAY 1ST, 2026, UH, FOR THE BIKER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS ST SENT.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, THE RIDE FOR OCTOBER THE FIFTH, UM, WHICH IS COMING UP.
SO FROM MY NOTES, I WAS TOLD THAT YOU WERE WORKING WITH RASHAD CAVE YES.
FROM THE, FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO RASHAD TO GET AN ANSWER? YES, I DID.
I WAS ACTUALLY AT A, UM, A SCHOOL BACK TO AT PACK GIVEAWAY DRIVE THAT WE WERE, YOU KNOW, HELPING WITH.
AND I SAW HIM THERE AND THEN I SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT THAT AND THAT'S WHEN HE HAD GIVEN ME THE INFORMATION THEY WAS SUPPOSED TO GET BACK WITH ME WITHIN A WEEK, YOU KNOW, OR WHATEVER.
AND IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, SOME TIME AND I, YOU KNOW, EMAILED HIM.
AND I'M NOT GETTING, SO THE INFORMATION WE HAVE SAID THAT THE, THE MAYOR IS ON BOARD WITH THE, WITH THE BIKE RIDE? YES.
I WOULD REACH OUT TO RASHAD, UM, TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED SO Y'ALL CAN MAKE THE PLAN FOR THAT.
AND THEN MAY 1ST, 2026, UM, MANY OF US WILL BE HERE MAY 1ST, 2026.
UM, I THINK THAT YOU ARE A DISTRICT, A RESIDENT.
MY OFFICE CAN SPONSOR A PROCLAMATION FOR, FOR THE BIKE RIDE.
THAT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
'CAUSE UM, WE, WE ARE JUST, JUST LIKE THE, UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING A, A BALLOON RELEASE FOR THE RIDER THAT WE TALKED ABOUT RIGHT.
WITH HIS DAUGHTER, YOU KNOW, GOT ON AND WE'RE DOING ONE FOR HIM TOMORROW.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE STUFF THAT WE DO FOR BIKERS.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, WE WERE JUST IN YOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY.
I MEAN, SINCE, WELL, YOU KNOW, OVER THERE HELPING THE CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, WITH THE BACKPACK, UH, DRIVES AND EVERYTHING.
AND WE WENT TO ONE OF Y'ALL WORST AREAS AND WE, WE DID A GREAT JOB.
I HAVE VIDEOS, PICTURES, EVERYTHING OF IT.
WE HELP A LOT OF KIDS OVER THERE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE ARE JUST ASKING Y'ALL TO HELP US SO WE CAN HELP KEEP HELPING AND PUTTING BACK IN OUR COMMUNITY.
NOT LETTING ALL US, YOU KNOW, HOW IT GETS CRAZY OUT THERE.
WE'RE KEEP UP FROM ROBBING AND ALL KIND OF STUFF BY TRYING TO GIVE BACK AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO STEAL FOR THE KIDS, STEAL FOOD RIGHT.
AND ALL THAT BECAUSE WE SET UP FOOD DRIVES, WE SET UP EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE BACK.
AND THAT THAT'S ALL THAT THEY'RE WANTING.
UM, SO THEY CAN DO A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE.
YOU ALL BE THERE WITH THEM IF Y'ALL WANT TO.
UM, ALSO, LIKE I SAID, THE RIDE, BECAUSE A LOT OF RIDERS HAS FALLEN AND NO ONE IS PAYING ATTENTION TO IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT IS THE ATTENTION.
AND I DID SEE THAT Y'ALL PUT UP THE, UM, THE FLASHING LIGHTS WHEN YOU GO AROUND THE HIGH, THE HIGH FREEWAYS.
'CAUSE I TRAVELED SEVERAL TO SEE, AND I DID SEE THAT Y'ALL DID PUT THAT UP.
SO THAT ALSO HELPED, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE WRITERS ARE SEEING AS WELL.
AND NOW THE ONLY OTHER THING IS LIKE THE BILLBOARDS OR SOMETHING, WE WILL HELP COME UP WITH THE MONEY.
IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE PUTTING IT ON THE CITY.
WE WILL HELP, YOU KNOW, WITH THE MONEY AND FUND THE MONEY IF WE HAVE TO.
Y'ALL CAN HELP US OR WHATEVER.
WE ARE JUST TRYING TO GET SOMETHING UP FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE THEY COULD BE ANYBODY'S FAMILY.
AND I'M SURE A LOT OF US IN RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM HAS BIKERS IN THEIR FAMILY OR MOTORCYCLIST THAT RIDE MOTORCYCLES AND Y'ALL DON'T WANNA GET THAT CALL.
IT'S A HORRIBLE CALL WHEN YOU GET THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
I'M SURE NO ONE WILL WANNA DO THAT, BUT I DO.
UM, SO I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE ALL GOOD FOR MAY 1ST, 2026.
WE'LL DEFINITELY, UM, HAVE TO REACH OUT TO YOU TO GET SOME VERBIAGE FOR THE PROCLAMATION AND WE CAN SET A DATE TO, UH, PRESENT THAT PROCLAMATION HERE AT CITY HALL.
THEN WE CAN UM, UH, RASHAD, DO YOU HAVE HIS EMAIL ADDRESS? YES, AND I HAVE HIS PHONE NUMBER AND HIS EVERYTHING.
I, I WOULD DEFINITELY JUST REACH OUT TO HIM.
THE NOTES THAT WE HAVE SAY THAT, UM, THE MAYOR'S ON BOARD WITH IT.
UM, SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF COMMUNICATING WITH THEM TO SET IT ALL UP.
I'M JUST WAITING ON THE, HE SAID HE WAS WAITING ON THE POLICE OFFICERS OKAY.
BUT IF THEY NEED US TO TALK TO HIM, WE CAN TALK TO 'EM BECAUSE THEY ESCORT A LOT OF OUR FUNERALS.
SO, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU,
I WOULD DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO RASHAD.
FORD TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER JENKINS.
HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING TODAY? DOING WELL, THANK YOU.
SO I'M HERE AGAIN TO REQUEST THAT THERE BE A QUIET ZONE MADE IN MY COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE LOUD TRAINS ALL THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
UM, AND THE ONLY WAY I FEEL LIKE I CAN GET ANYBODY TO PAY ANY ATTENTION TO ME IS IF I COME TO THESE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
[01:35:01]
WITH MR. MARTINEZ'S OFFICE SEVERAL TIMES AND I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY ANSWERS.I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS PROCESS.
SO WE'VE EMAILED YOU THE APPLICATION.
HAVE YOU RECEIVED IT? I RECEIVED AN APPLICATION.
SO YOU I FILLED OUT THE APPLICATION.
SO, UM, SO WE HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATION, UH, AND WE ARE BEING RESPONSIVE.
UM, I THINK I HAD MENTIONED TO YOU A FEW WEEKS BACK WHEN YOU SHOWED UP THAT THIS IS NOT A, YOU KNOW, UH, OVERNIGHT PROCESS.
IT'S A LENGTHY PROCESS, EXPENSIVE PROCESS AS WELL.
UM, AND, AND SO WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT I WANNA BE VERY HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S GONNA BE A, A SLOW, SLOW PROCESS THOUGH.
UH, THIS IS NOT A, SO ON THE APPLICATION THAT WAS SENT TO ME, IT SAID THAT THE CITY RAN OUT OF FUNDS FOR THIS IN 2019.
SO IS THAT ACCURATE? THAT'S THE CITY RAN OUT OF FUNDS.
SO THE LAST, RIGHT NOW WE ARE WORKING ON THE HARRISBURG LINE, UH, THAT WAS SUBMITTED OVER 10 YEARS AGO.
UH, WE'RE ALMOST AT THE TAIL END OF THAT ONE TO FINALLY CREATE A QUIET ZONE.
UM, AND IT'S NOT JUST CITY DOLLARS, IT'S ALSO, UM, GONNA BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WHATEVER RAILROAD.
AND MORE, MORE THAN LIKELY IS UNION PACIFIC, WHO ALSO HAS TO ACCEPT THIS APPLICATION AND WORK WITH US AS WELL.
SO IS THERE, UH, COUNCIL, JUST DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THERE IS FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS? THERE IS.
UM, SO EACH, SO WHY CAN'T WE, WE TAP INTO THOSE FUNDS? BECAUSE WE RECEIVE ABOUT A HALF A MILLION ON THE OPERATION SIDE AND HALF A MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
UM, EACH OF THESE INTERSECTIONS ARE ABOUT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR EACH INTERSECTION.
EACH, EACH OF THE, UH, AT GRADE CROSSINGS.
SO I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE NOT DOING YOUR JOB, AND I'VE SAID SEVERAL TIMES THAT I, I'LL HELP YOU WITH THIS.
LIKE IF YOU NEED SOMEONE TO MAYBE WRITE SOME GRANTS SO WE CAN GET MONEY TO HELP MY COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE SO WE CAN KIND OF EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS.
SO IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST GONNA BE PUBLIC WORKS, UH, DOING THIS.
IT'S GONNA BE UNION PACIFIC, IT'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, EVEN POSSIBLY FRA, UH, FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION HELPING OUT WITH THIS AS WELL.
SO HAVE YOU SPOKEN YOU TO UNION PACIFIC AND FRE OR, UM, THIS APPLICATION IS THE FIRST, THE FIRST PART.
AND IF YOU WANT, WE CAN SIT DOWN, HAVE, HAVE SOME COFFEE.
I OFFERED THAT THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU CAME HAVE COFFEE.
LET'S FIGURE OUT, UM, SO, AND AGAIN, I'M JUST GONNA BE VERY HONEST ABOUT IT AND GIVE YOU REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS AS WELL.
UM, SO SHOULD I JUST STOP COMING HERE? IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
WHAT I WOULD SAY IS ALLOW US TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, THE APPLICATION THAT WAS SENT TO YOU.
UM, I'VE ALREADY ASKED JUAN PABLO AND MY TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP IT ON OUR RADAR, FOLLOW UP WITH PUBLIC WORKS AS WELL.
MA'AM, I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION LIKE COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ HAS SPOKE TO YOU ABOUT.
UM, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT SAME SITUATION, BUT WE ARE BUILDING A ROAD OVER, UH, THE UNION PACIFIC RAIL LINE AT, UH, 4 94 IN, IN NORTH PARK UP IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF TOWN.
UH, THE RAILROADS WERE GIVEN AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF AUTHORITY IN THIS COUNTRY WHEN THEY WERE ORIGINALLY BUILDING THE RAILROADS OUT.
UM, I MEAN, WHEN IT COMES TO AUTHORITY, IT'S GOD, AND THEN THE RAILROADS, UH, THE RAILROADS MOVE AT THEIR OWN PACE.
UM, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO.
AND FOR, YOU KNOW, HIM TO TRY AND SET THE EXPECTATIONS, HE'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
IT'S A LONG PROCESS IN DOING ANYTHING WITH THE RAILROADS.
IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE, BUT IT IS GONNA TAKE A LONG TIME TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
IF, IF I CAN ASK JUST A FEW MORE QUESTIONS, MS.
I'M HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU AND THEM AS, UH, JUST SO THAT WAY WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT, AGAIN, I DON'T WANNA SAY THAT IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN AS, AS I MENTIONED TO YOU, WE'RE FINALLY SEEING THE END OF THE ROAD FOR, UH, THE HARRISBURG LINE.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT, WHAT EXPECTATIONS WE CAN GIVE AS WELL.
SO HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO ANY OF YOUR NEIGHBORS? YES.
AND IF YOU COME TO THIS SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING MM-HMM
SO I MEAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT THERE.
SO I'LL, I'LL PLAN ON, UM, WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL, UM, I'M, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH MY SECOND WAVE OF CIVIC CLUB TOURS.
I USUALLY GO IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND THE END OF THE YEAR I'LL PLAN ON GOING AGAIN STARTING SEPTEMBER.
UH, SO I'LL BE AT THE MEETING.
I'M HAPPY TO BRING IT UP THERE AT THE MEETING WITH THE REST OF YOUR NEIGHBORS.
AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, I THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
BUT I ALSO, YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS THAT IT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN THESE INTERSECTIONS TO UPGRADE 'EM.
UH, NOT JUST THE, THE, UH, EQUIPMENT THERE FOR UNION PACIFIC TRACK, BUT ALSO THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S BALLERS, HIGHER CURBS, THE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORK THAT
[01:40:01]
HAPPENS TO THE PUBLIC WORKS.I CAN DEFINITELY SHARE ALL THIS INFORMATION WITH YOU AND, AND, AND THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORS, UM, AT THE NEXT CIVIC CLUB MEETING.
BUT I DO, I GUESS I JUST QUESTION, I KNOW THAT THIS TAKES A LONG TIME.
I'VE DONE THE RESEARCH, I KNOW IT TAKES A LONG TIME, BUT IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS THEY HAVE DID, WENT THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS TO MAKE THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD A QUIET ZONE AND IT DIDN'T TAKE AS LONG AS THIS IS TAKING.
'CAUSE WHEN I FIRST ORIGINALLY WENT TO YOU ABOUT THIS ISSUE, YOU SAID THIS IS SOMETHING RIGHT.
THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP TO YOU BEFORE.
NOT, SO IT'S NOT YES, AT CLINTON PARK AND FIDELITY NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT HAS IN THE EAST END, YOU'RE THE FIRST PERSON FROM CLINTON PARK FIDELITY THAT HAS MENTIONED THIS.
AND I'VE WORKED OUT OF THE OFFICE FOR 10 YEARS PRIOR TO BEING IN, IN THIS SEAT.
UM, SO WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY, UM, A NEED FOR A QUIET ZONE IN THE FIDELITY CLINTON PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, BUT WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY HAD, UH, REQUESTS IN THE EAST END EASTWOOD, MAGNOLIA PARK PECAN PARK, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE TRAINS CONVERGE AT THE END OF THE DAY.
AND SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A LOT MORE TRAINED TRAFFIC THERE.
AND SO WE HAVE HAD THE CONVERSATION IN OTHER PARTS OF THE DISTRICT GUY.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE CAN, LET'S, LET'S SET UP A, LET'S SET UP A COFFEE PLEASE.
AND LET'S JUST SIT DOWN AND HAVE, ARE YOU AVAILABLE NEXT TUESDAY? UM, 9:00 AM PERHAPS I CAN, LET'S, I'LL STEP OUT AND WE CAN TALK MAY YEAH, MAYBE YOU CAN JUST KIND OF GET ON THE CALENDAR.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE, WE GOT A QUIET ZONE IN DISTRICT K AT, UH, HILLCROFT IN 90.
AND IT DID TAKE A COUPLE OF YEARS, UM, TO GET THE APPLICATION APPROVED IN THE PROCESS.
AND YOU JUST HAVE TO STAY VIGILANT ON IT.
IT, IT'S A FRUSTRATING THING TO HEAR THOSE TRAINS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.
UM, BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY JUST STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE, WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER TO, TO KEEP THE, UM, PROCESS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SO THAT HOPEFULLY YOU'LL GET SOME RELIEF WITH FROM THE TRAIN HORNS, BECAUSE I MEAN, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF TRAINS COMING THROUGH HOUSTON AND, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE.
UM, BUT UM, IF WE CAN GET QUIET ZONES, ESPECIALLY WHEN PEOPLE ARE, UM, BEING DISTURBED, UM, AT NIGHT, EARLY IN THE MORNING, UM, IT, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING FOR.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR YOUR TIME.
BUT IF YOU DID HAVE A CROWN VIC BACK THERE SOMEWHERE.
UH, WE SHOULD ALL AGREE WITH MY LAST, UH, CITY COUNCIL STATEMENT.
THAT $200 MILLION SUB SOCIAL SECURITY STUFF PLUS IS AMERICAN INTEREST AND WE FIGHTING.
THE ONE STARTED FOR OVER, UH, WE WENT OFFER FOR LESS.
UH, AMERICAN SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM BENEFITS IS A SACRED TRUST, UH, THAT WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER THAT THIS GENERATION POLITICIANS SHOULD NEVER HAD BETRAYED.
PRESIDENT FRANKLIN LEE ROOSEVELT AND WORLD WAR II GENERATION CREATED A SOCIAL SECURITY TRUST PROGRAM.
AND FOR OUR
WE EVER CHANGED OUR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT POLICY FOR THE WORSE AND NOT THE BETTER SHOULD BE FOUND IMPEACHED IN THE PRISON.
DO YOU AGREE? AS OUR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT DOES CONTINUE TO GROW UP, GROW, WHILE, WHILE THE GOVERNMENT CAN'T END UP MORE END UP OWING AMERICA SENIOR CITIZEN, MORE AND MORE MONEY WITHOUT ANY SCI OR SEDI BACK PAY CAPS, THE SOCIAL YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, RETIRE INCOME BENEFIT CASES OR A SOCIAL SECURITY ATTORNEY FIELD DAY THAT THEY COULD NEVER LOSE IN FRONT OF ANY UNITED STATES FEDERAL JUDGE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY.
NEXT SPEAKER, THIS COMPLETES THE LIST
[RECESS]
OF SPEAKERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS.WE STAND IN RECESS UNTIL TOMORROW AT 9:00 AM COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER SIX 12 ITEM 26 ORDINANCE FINDING AND DETERMINING THAT PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY NO LONGER REQUIRE THE CONTINUED USE OF IRA STREET FROM NORTH EASTWOOD STREET WEST TO ITS TERMINUS SAID STREET BEING SITUATED IN THE SM WILLIAMS SURVEY.
ABSTRACT NUMBER 87 IN BETWEEN LOT ONE BLOCK ONE
[01:45:01]
AND LOT ONE BLOCK TWO NAVIGATION ADDITION ITEM 27, ORDINANCE APPROVING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF COASTAL WATER AUTHORITY CONTRACT REVENUE BONDS SERIES 2025 TO THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD.ITEM 28 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT FOR SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM AND SUPPLEMENTAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.
OFF SYSTEM PROJECT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR HARWIN DRIVE AT HILLCROFT AVENUE.
PROJECT ITEM 29, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $26,000 AS AN APPROPRIATION TO ADVANCE FUNDING AGREEMENT FOR SUPPLEMENTAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.
OFF SYSTEM PROJECT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT INTERSECTIONS PROJECT ITEM 30 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT FOR SUPPLEMENTAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM OFF SYSTEM PROJECT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TDOT FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT INTERSECTIONS PROJECT.
THIS ITEM SHALL ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER PASSAGE OF ITEM 29 ABOVE ITEM 31 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATE AND $26,000 AS AN APPROPRIATION TO ADVANCE FUNDING AGREEMENT FOR SUPPLEMENTAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.
OFF SYSTEM PROJECT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TDOT FOR THE HARTMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ALCOTT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SAFE ROUTES TO SUE PROJECT ITEM 32.
MOTION TO SET A DATE NOT LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS FROM AUGUST 20TH, 2025 TO RECEIVE NOMINATIONS FOR POSITIONS 10, 11, 12, AND 13 OF THE HOUSTON ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL COMMISSION BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR TWO YEAR STAGGERED TERMS. ITEM 33, MOTION TO SET A DATE NOT LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS FROM AUGUST 20TH, 2025 TO RECEIVE NOMINATIONS FOR POSITION EIGHT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE HOUSTON CIVIC EVENTS INC.
CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, FOR A TERM TO EXPIRE JANUARY 1ST, 2027.
ITEM 34, REVIEW ON THE RECORD AND MAKE DETERMINATION RELATIVE TO THE APPEAL FROM THE DECISION OF THE SIGN ADMINISTRATION ON DENIAL OF AN OFF-PREMISE SIGN AT 11 700 WILCREST DRIVE FILE BAR CHRISTOPHER W. ROTH FELDER ON BEHALF OF SIGN ED LIMITED.
ITEM 35, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH PERSONS SERVICES CORPORATION FOR FY 2020 DRAINAGE REHAB WORK ORDERS NUMBER THREE, ITEM 36, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AN ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.
OFF SYSTEM PROJECT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TDOT FOR THE HARTMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ALCOTT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROJECT.
THIS ITEM SHOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER PASSAGE OF ITEM 31 ABOVE ITEM 37 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AN ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT FOR A SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.
OFF SYSTEM PROJECT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE AND TDOT FOR THE WALL DRIVE PACKAGE ONE PROJECT.
THIS CONCLUDES THE READING OF THE CAPTIONS FOR THE AGENDA.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND WITH THAT I WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY WEDNESDAY.
[RECONVENE]
COUNCIL, PLEASE COME TO ORDER.[MAYOR'S REPORT]
NEXT WE HAVE THE MAYOR'S REPORT AND I'M PLEASED TO REPORT TO YOU THAT OUR SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR, MR. HASSON, SHOULD GET PROBABLY A PHONE CALL FROM EACH ONE OF YOU TELLING HIM WHAT A GREAT JOB HE'S DOING.YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW IT STARTS WITH LEADERSHIP AND I AM SO IMPRESSED HE NOT ONLY IS SO TRANSPARENT, BUT HE'S GOT THAT CAN-DO ATTITUDE THAT WAS MISSING.
WHAT HE'S DISCOVERED AT SOLID WASTE WAS ALARMING DAILY, MAYBE 30, 40, 50 TRUCKS IN THE REPAIR SHOP.
THE TIMING, THE AND WORKLOAD OF HIS EMPLOYEES WERE BEING MANIPULATED TO CREATE OVERTIME FOR SOME.
AND IT GETS DOWN TO MEMBERS AND WE SEE THIS AND I'VE SEEN IT IN MY CAREER.
YOU CAN'T FIX SOMETHING IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
SO HE IS VERY CLEAR ABOUT ONE.
PREVIOUS DIRECTOR AND PREVIOUS
[01:50:01]
OPERATIONS FOR SEVERAL YEARS WERE HIDING THE FACT THAT YOU COULDN'T SEARCH THE NATION AND FIND TRUCKS.I WAS TOLD EARLY ON IN MY ADMINISTRATION IT WOULD TAKE SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR TO GET MORE TRUCKS.
HE GOT ON THE PHONE, I BACKED HIM UP AND WE FOUND 31 TRUCKS IN ALBUQUERQUE.
HADN'T BEEN PUT IN OPERATION IN ALBUQUERQUE.
WE SENT OUT NINE MONDAY MORNING.
HE'S HAD HIRING FOR THESE TRUCKS.
THERE ARE 19 MORE ON THE WAY SHOULD GET HERE BY THE END OF WEEK.
AS YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T WASTE TIME PAINTING THEM.
SAVE $3,000 PER TRUCK FOR A PAINT JOB.
PLUS THERE'S 19 MORE GONNA RECEIVE, BE RECEIVED IN SEPTEMBER.
SO BY THE 1ST OF OCTOBER, THERE'LL BE 50 NEW TRUCKS ON THE ROAD WITH PERSONNEL TO DRIVE.
SO YOU LEARN A LOT BY BEING HERE AND ASKING QUESTIONS, HAVING A CAN-DO ATTITUDE.
I THINK THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR, FOR WHATEVER REASON, SOME CONFLICT OF INTEREST, SOME FUNNY MATH, WE'RE NOT DOING THE JOB THAT HOUSTONIANS EXPECTED.
VERY SOON THERE'LL BE 50 NEW TRUCKS ON THE ROAD.
WE'RE NOT STOPPING THERE OBVIOUSLY.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT A REVENUE STREAM TO SUPPORT SOLID WASTE.
I SAID WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT UP PREVIOUSLY, YOU DON'T THROW MONEY AT A BAD MODEL.
WE ARE ESTABLISHING A WORKING MODEL AND WE WILL MONITOR IT VERY CAREFULLY TO SEE THAT THE RESOURCES ARE THERE THAT MR. HASSON CAN DIRECT.
UM, TALKING TO THE RANK AND FILE THE MORALE IS GOOD.
THE DISGRUNTLED INDIVIDUALS THAT CAME BEFORE COUNCIL, NOT ALL OF 'EM, BUT CERTAINLY A FEW HAD BEEN PART OF THE MANIPULATION TO WHERE ONE INDIVIDUAL WAS GETTING $63,000 IN OVERTIME BECAUSE WEDNESDAY WAS AN OFFICIAL OFF DAY.
BUT IF HE'D COME IN, HE MADE $63,000 LAST YEAR.
SO THIS MAYOR'S REPORT IS VERY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT AFFECTS EVERY ONE OF US.
I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT.
UH, CERTAINLY IT'S ONE OF MY HIGHEST PRIORITIES ALONG WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE EXCITED ABOUT SOME INFRASTRUCTURE ANNOUNCEMENTS VERY SOON, BUT TODAY MR. HASSON IS ON THE JOB WORKING.
HE HAS SOME NEW LEADERSHIP, UH, ADVISORS, BUT, UM, IT'S A GOOD DAY FOR THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE NOT THROUGH, BUT IT CERTAINLY IS VERY, UH, VERY POSITIVE AND I'M PLEASED.
UM, APPRECIATE THAT UPDATE ON SOLID WASTE.
UH, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CITY EMPLOYEES, I KNOW I HAVE RECEIVED CALLS AND MAYBE SOME OF, UH, THE OTHER MEMBERS AROUND COUNCIL HAVE RECEIVED CALLS, UM, FROM RETIREES WHO TOOK THAT UH, PACKAGE.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PAID AS OF YET.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON SURE.
WHAT YOUR, UH, DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN WITH HEP AND WHY, UH, THINGS WEREN'T PUT IN PLACE FOR THEM TO RECEIVE THEIR, THEIR PENSION PAYMENTS WITHIN THE 30 TO 60 DAYS THAT, UH, THEY WERE TOLD? THANK YOU FOR ASKING.
AS YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN HERE LONGER THAN MOST OF US, THAT THE PENSION FUND IS INDEPENDENT FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
TOTALLY INDEPENDENT BOARD IS ELECTED BY RETIREES AND ACTIVE MEMBERS.
MS. CHEEKS AND HER GROUP DID A GREAT JOB AND EVERYONE WAS CELEBRATING THE DAY THAT THEY FILLED OUT THEIR PAPERS.
WE ADMONISHED THE BOARD TO BE READY.
MS. CHEEKS TOW THE PENSION BOARD, THE VOLUME 1,058.
A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM OF INCENTIVE BENEFITS FOR RETIREES.
UNLIKE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS, I THINK IN EAST PARKER FIRED 1700 PEOPLE, WE WERE MORE COMPASSIONATE.
[01:55:01]
A COUPLE OF RETIREES THAT HAVE HAD HARDSHIPS, ONE OR TWO THAT WERE INTERVIEWED BY THE PRESS.I HAVE ONE APPOINTMENT, UH, TO THAT BOARD.
AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY DIRECT WITH THE PENSION THAT THEY HAVE TO DO BETTER.
300 PEOPLE WILL GET THEIR CHECKS TODAY, ANOTHER COUPLE HUNDRED NEXT WEEK.
AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE OR TWO THAT HAVE SOME TECHNICALITY RED TAPE DISAGREEMENT ABOUT THE NUMBER OF YEARS OF SERVICE, IT WILL BE COMPLETE.
SO THERE AGAIN, YOU CAN'T FIX SOMETHING IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THAT IT'S BROKEN.
UH, A VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE RETIREES.
AND THAT'LL PRETTY MUCH FINISH IT.
UH, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF HARDSHIPS MENTIONED, BUT CERTAINLY, UH, I'M CERTAINLY YOU'RE AWARE THAT IT IS A INDEPENDENT BODY BY DESIGN.
UH, THE, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THIS COUNCIL IS NOT TO DIRECT THE PENSION FUND ON INVESTMENTS OPERATIONS MAKE OF THEIR BOARD, BUT THEY GOT OUR ATTENTION.
AND, UH, IT'S, THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE I, IT'S GONNA HAVE A SATISFACTORY WANT.
I WOULDN'T WANT US TO PUT FORTH EXPECTATIONS FOR THESE EMPLOYEES WHO'VE BEEN WORKING ALL THESE YEARS FOR THE CITY AND THEN COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE EXPECTATIONS THAT THEY HAVE ARE NOT BEING MET BECAUSE WE DIDN'T PUT THINGS IN PLACE TO ENSURE WELL, THERE AGAIN, DID YOU WANT ME TO REPEAT WHAT I JUST SAID? NO, IT'S NOT OURS.
IT'S OUR BUSINESS TO TREAT THEM FAIRLY.
AND THEN WHEN WE LEARN OF A LACK OF STAFFING AND LACK OF URGENCY BY THE BOARD, WE SPEAK OUT LIKE THIS.
BUT ANOTHER THING I THINK WE OUGHT TO REVIEW GOING FORWARD IS THE GOVERNANCE OF OUR PENSION BOARDS.
THE PROBLEM IS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WHEN WE START CALLING OVER AND TELLING 'EM HOW, HOW TO RUN THE PENSION SYSTEM.
FIRE POLICE ARE ALSO INDEPENDENT, BUT THAT OPERATION IS CHOSEN, CHOSEN BY ACTIVE AND RETIREES.
WE HAVE MET OUR COMMITMENT TO THEM OF HEALTHCARE THREE MONTHS PAY.
I WAS HERE WHEN THEY WERE SIGNING UP.
PLENTY OF GOOD EXPERIENCES AND THEY'RE GONNA BE COMPLETE THIS WEEK, NEXT WEEK WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A COUPLE THAT HAVE PARTICULAR UNIQUE DIFFICULTIES ON CALCULATIONS.
BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
I WANTED TO, BUT QUITE FRANKLY, THE PENSION BOARD KNOWS HOW I FEEL AND, UH, WE'VE ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF, OF SETTING UP A HOTLINE FOR ANYONE THAT NEEDS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, THE REAL FRUSTRATION WAS COUNCIL MEMBER, THEY WERE NOT ANSWERING THEIR PHONES OVER THERE,
AND THAT WAS THE FRUSTRATION OF MOST OF THE RETIREES.
SO I WELCOME YOUR, UH, ANY CONTACTS YOU HAVE OVER THERE, BUT THEY HAVE A REAL CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW I FEEL AND THEY'VE GOT TO DO BETTER.
I'VE KNOWN A COUPLE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS IN PREVIOUS, UH, DISCUSSIONS AND THEY KNOW I'M A NO NONSENSE PERSON AND IT'S GETTING FIXED IMMEDIATELY.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
MS. SECRETARY, WOULD YOU DEAL WITH THE UH, CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY? ITEM ONE NEEDS A MOTION.THOSE OPPOSED NAY MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY.
ITEM TWO HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS, CATEGORY ITEM TWO HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR A SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
ITEM THREE NEEDS A MOTION CAST MOVE.
[02:00:01]
OPPOSED NAY.MOTION PASSES UNDER THE RESOLUTIONS CATEGORY ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY SINCE YOUR LIST HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED, ITEM 23 HAS BEEN RECEIVED.
ITEM SEVEN AND 7, 28 AND 37 HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF THEY'RE RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING.
ITEMS 22, 24 AND 27 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 22, 24 AND 27.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.UM, I NORMALLY TALK ABOUT VEHICLE ITEMS WHEN UH, WE ARE NOT SEEING EVS OR HYBRIDS.
SO I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPOTLIGHT THIS ITEM.
THANK OUR AIRPORT SYSTEM AND EVERYONE THAT WORKED ON THIS 'CAUSE THESE ARE ELECTRIC VEHICLES THAT ARE GOING TO REPLACE, UH, TRADITIONAL VEHICLES AT THE AIRPORT.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EVS, I'VE SAID, I UNDERSTAND WE DON'T HAVE THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE TO COVER THE ENTIRE CITY, BUT WHEN WE HAVE VEHICLES STAYING IN A PARTICULAR AREA, IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE COST WISE, UM, AND HEALTH WISE.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IT.
MOTION CASTILLO BEFORE OR AFTER THE VOTE.
BEFORE OR AFTER THE VOTE? BEFORE.
UM, CHAIR RECOGNIZE COUNCILMAN CASTILLO.
THIS ITEM, UH, IS OUR ERP SYSTEM, UH, SAP, AND WE'VE HAD A PRESENTATION AT GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS ON THIS.
UM, COUPLE OF THINGS THAT JUST PIQUED MY INTEREST.
WHEN WE GOT AN RCA SUMMARY LAST YEAR THAT THIS ITEM WAS COMING TO COMMITTEE, UM, IN FEBRUARY, IT HAD A $65 MILLION PRICE TAG FOR THREE YEAR CONTRACT WITH TWO ONE YEAR OPTIONS.
UM, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS I HAD, AND NOW WE'RE SEEING THIS BEFORE US AS A THREE YEAR CONTRACT WITH TWO ONE YEAR OPTIONS AT A $22 MILLION COST, UM, SIGNIFICANT DROP, BUT WANTING TO FULLY UNDERSTAND, UH, WHERE THAT CAME FROM AND THE FULL ECOSYSTEM THAT OUR SAP UH, ERP HAS.
UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER PRODUCTS THAT GO ALONG WITH THIS.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT OUR SAP SYSTEM BEYOND JUST WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY, WHICH IS THREE YEARS FOR $22 MILLION TO ONE YEAR OPTIONS.
UM, WE ARE PROJECTED TO SPEND AN ADDITIONAL 24.7 MILLION IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF SAP THAT'S GONNA BE COMING TO US, UH, POTENTIALLY IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
UM, THAT'S GONNA BE IN ADDITION TO THIS, UH, IN THE 26 BUDGET.
UH, WE HAVE 3.2 MILLION OF THE 24.7, UH, FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO SUPPORT STAFF AUGMENTATION.
UM, THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE SOME OF THE OTHER COSTS RELATED TO S FOUR HANA, RELATED TO THE ERP TRANSFORMATION OFFICE, UM, MAINTENANCE AND OTHER THINGS.
SO THERE'S A LOT MORE TO THIS THAN JUST WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH THIS CONTRACT.
THREE YEARS, TWO ONE YEAR OPTIONS.
UM, I DO WANT TO CONTINUE TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS AND HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST THE CITY OVERALL OVER ALL OF THESE YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN USING THIS SYSTEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND THESE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THEY ADD UP, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE.
[02:05:01]
ON SUPPORTING THE ITEM TODAY, UH, BUT DO WANNA RAISE THOSE COST CONCERNS.UH, AS WE LOOK AT TECHNOLOGIES, UM, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG.
IT'S A HEALTHY EXERCISE FOR US TO GO THROUGH AS A CITY TO LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE USING AND WHY WE'RE USING IT, UH, IN A, YOU KNOW, INTERVAL TIMEFRAME BECAUSE, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS COSTING US A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS IN GREATER DETAIL, AND WE HAVE LEARNED FROM THE DIRECTOR THAT AS WE LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS, WHICH WOULD TAKE UP TO MAYBE TWO YEARS TO EVEN IMPLEMENT, UH, AND RISING COSTS, THAT IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE TO SUPPORT THIS.
AND YOU AND I AND THE COUNCIL BEFORE WE DO ANY TWO YEAR OPTIONS, UH, THIS WILL BE CLOSELY SCRUTINIZED AND LOOKING AT OPTIONS OF OTHER, UH, SERVICES TO SEE IF THERE IS A MORE COST EFFECTIVE, UH, SYSTEM.
AND SO, UM, WE'LL HOLD MS. KENT ACCOUNTABLE.
YOU HAVE FULL ACCESS TO THE DIRECTOR TO LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU'D LIKE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A, A PART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS, UH, TO GET READY.
BUT, UH, I THINK IT'S ADVISABLE, UH, TO GO FORWARD BECAUSE IF WE CHANGE, UH, WE'D BE LOOKING AT A TWO YEAR OR MORE, UH, WINDOW BEFORE WE COULD, UH, ACCESS ANOTHER SERVICE COMPANY.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR INTEREST.
COUNCILOR ALCORN, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, YOU'VE REALLY EMERGED AS BEING A LEADING VOICE ON THESE TECHNOLOGY, MA MATTERS.
I MEAN IT LIKE, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE DIGGING IN ON THIS.
THESE ARE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND I, I HAVE TOTAL FAITH IN IN DIRECTOR KENT.
AND, AND, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE DEEPER DIVE YOU'RE DOING INTO THIS AND ALL OF THE ROLL UP ACTIVITIES THAT GO ALONG WITH, AND I TOO AM INTERESTED IN THE, IN THE DROP, I GUESS THAT'S MADE UP BY THE OTHER SERVICES.
IF WE WERE EXPECTING TO SPEND 65 MILLION OR MORE, I'M, IT'S A GOOD DROP.
BUT, UM, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR, FOR LEADING ON THIS AND, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO MORE DISCUSSIONS ON IT.
I WANNA SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S, UH, REMARKS.
I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO HAS DONE IN TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE ON, ON THESE CONTRACTS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE COMPETITION, FRANKLY, AND, UM, AM CONCERNED AT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SPENDING.
AND I HOPE THAT, UH, IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THE CITY WILL WILL SERIOUSLY CONSIDER, UM, OPENING IT UP BECAUSE I THINK COMPETITION LEADS TO LOWER PRICES IN GENERAL.
AND, UH, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE PATTERN OF THREE YEAR CONTRACTS WITH TWO ONE YEAR OPTIONS.
UH, WE SEE THAT, TEND TO SEE THAT A LOT.
UM, AND I'M, I'M WONDERING WHETHER MORE OF THOSE CONTRACTS SHOULD COME BEFORE COUNCIL, BEFORE THE OPTION YEARS ARE PICKED UP.
BUT IT IS SOMETHING I'VE NOTICED AND IT IS A MATTER OF CONCERN.
HUFFMAN JOINS THE TAG AS WELL.
TAG BY, UH, COUNCILMAN POLLARD.
AND IS IT YOU? HUFFMAN, HUFFMAN AND CAYMAN.
ITEM SEVEN, ITEM 32 NEEDS A MOTION.
CASTEX TATUM MOVED TO RECEIVE NOM NOMINATIONS FOR POSITION 10 11, 12, 13 OF THE HOUSTON ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON, UH, NO LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS FROM AUGUST 20TH, 2025.
[02:10:03]
ITEM 32.CASTEX TATUM MOVE, UH, TO RECEIVE NOMINATIONS FOR POSITION EIGHT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE HOUSTON CIVIC EVENTS, INC.
CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, UH, FOR NO LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS FROM AUGUST 20TH, 2025.
THOSE OPPOSED TO ANY MOTION PASSES.
AND SECOND, WE NEED, THIS IS THE REVIEW ON THE RECORD.
I TAGGED THIS ITEM LAST WEEK BECAUSE THIS WAS, UH, DOLLARS FOR SWAT, THE STORM WATER ACTION TEAM, UH, PROJECTS.
UH, SINCE THEN, I WANT TO THANK, UH, OF COURSE PUBLIC WORKS AND DIRECTOR, UH, AS WELL FOR PROVIDING THE RESPONSE.
SO WE DO HAVE $3.7 MILLION THAT WILL RETURN TO THE FUND.
AND AT THAT POINT, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO REBID, UH, FOR CONTINUED SWAT PROGRAMS. AND THAT'S ULTIMATELY WHAT I WAS REALLY TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF.
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO INVEST IN DRAINAGE PROJECTS.
AND SO, AGAIN, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
I APPRECIATE, UH, PUBLIC WORK FOR THEIR, THEIR RESPONSE AS WELL NEEDS A MOTION.
AND ITEM 28 HAS BEEN RECEIVED.
THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA VERY WELL.
[NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
MEMBER PLUMMER TO LEAD POPOFF OFF.AND, UM, I WANTED TO, UH, GIVE A BIT OF A UPDATE.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF ALL OF Y'ALL HAVE SEEN, BUT THE CUL AND APARTMENTS, UM, HAVE BEEN A REAL CHALLENGE IN THE MEDIA.
UM, TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF, OF HISTORY IN 2019, THAT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES I VISITED.
AND ONE OF THE MOMS HAD HER BABY, UM, HER BABY PIN ON TOP OF A DRESSER.
UM, AND I ASKED HER WHY THAT WAS THERE, AND SHE SAID, BECAUSE THE RATS WERE SO LARGE.
SO THIS HAS BEEN A CON THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT STEMMED ON MY PUSH TO CREATE SOME LEVEL OF APARTMENT INSPECTION REFORM ORDINANCE.
SO I WANT, I WANT EVERYONE TO UN TO KNOW THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD ON THIS.
UM, ASEC, WHICH IS THE APARTMENT STANDARDS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, IS HAVING THEIR THIRD MEETING TODAY.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ROLL THIS OUT THE RIGHT WAY BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA CREATE HOMELESSNESS OR WE DON'T WANNA CREATE DISPLACEMENT OF PEOPLE.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO ASSURE, UM, HOUSTONIANS AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING IN, IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES ARE REALLY NOT HABITABLE.
IT IS GONNA BE COMING TO COUNCIL VERY, VERY SOON.
WE JUST HAVE TO ROLL IT OUT THE RIGHT WAY.
AND I WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO JOSH AND TO ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, UM, FOR REALLY HELPING US DO THIS METHODICALLY AND, UM, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE PROPER WAY.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO COUNCIL, I WANT COUNCIL TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE DONE THE WORK AND, UM, AND ENSURING THAT, UM, EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON LIVES IN A SAFE SPACE.
UM, JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO, UH, THE CHANCE OF HOPE AND PROSPERITY GROUP OVER IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION THIS WEEKEND, WHO DID A FANTASTIC JOB WITH A BACK TO SCHOOL BASH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S WHEN COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER TO REALLY, TO SUPPORT YOUTH AND TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THAT, I MEAN, IT JUST MAKES, IT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE.
AND ALSO, MY NEIGHBOR HERE WAS CUTTING A RUG AND REALLY TEACHING LINE DANCING OVER THERE ON SATURDAY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A BACK TO SCHOOL EVENT.
UM, SECONDLY, UH, BETA ACADEMY, WHICH IS THIS, A GREAT CHARTER SCHOOL IN THE CITY.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO LEARN ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT.
OPENED A NEW CAMPUS THIS WEEKEND WITH GREAT SUPPORT.
IT'S OVER IN KIND OF BORDERS ON THE EDGE OF DISTRICT E, IF NOT RIGHT IN E.
BUT, UM, ANYWAY, WONDERFUL SCHOOL WAS PROUD TO BE OVER THERE TO SEE THEM, UH, START THE SCHOOL YEAR OFF.
AND THEN, UM, KIND OF ON A PERSONAL NOTE, UH, WANT TO WISH, UH, DIRECTOR STEVEN WILLIAMS A GREAT RETIREMENT.
UM, I THINK HE'S CERTAINLY IN 21 YEARS, SEEN A LOT AND, AND DONE A LOT.
CERTAINLY WANT TO WISH HIM WELL.
AND ON THAT NOTE, UM, AND WORKING WITH HIS PROGRAM,
[02:15:01]
AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, I MADE A, A HIRE THIS YEAR OF A YOUNG MAN IN THE PROGRAM, UH, CLAY WILLIAMS, WHO I'M, UH, CLAY WILLIAMS. GOOD LORD.I THINK HIS LAST NAME IS BRIT.
ANYWAY, CLAY, UM, WE RECENTLY, UH, UH, HIRED HIM OFF THE GRANT TO KEEP HIM AND PROMOTED HIM TO, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF.
UM, HE'S CERTAINLY VERY CAPABLE AND VERY PROUD OF HIM.
CLAY, ARE YOU OUT THERE? YES, MA'AM.
AND, UH, ON THAT NOTE, I DO WANT TO, UH, TAKE A MOMENT AND, AND SAY THAT, UM, WE ASK FOR YOUR PRAYERS FOR MY CHIEF OF STAFF, HUGO, WHO IS BACK, UM, BATTLING FOR LIFE AGAIN.
UM, SO, UM, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A, A ROUGH ROAD FOR HIM FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
SO IF YOU ARE OF, OF THE FAITH AND, AND PRAYING, PLEASE CONTINUE TO KEEP HIM IN YOUR PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS.
AND, UM, WE HOPE TO SEE HIM BACK AROUND, AROUND THE HALL, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
BUT, UH, MOST IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW, HE NEEDS TO WORK ON REGAINING HIS HEALTH.
SO, UM, IF YOU ALL NEED ANYTHING, CERTAINLY, UH, CLAY IS YOUR GO-TO IN MY, ON MY TEAM.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR PLEASE LET HIM KNOW THAT HE HAS OUR PRAYERS AND THAT YOU BROUGHT IT UP IN, IN COUNSEL TO YOUR, UH, WHAT'D YOU CALL HIM? DEPUTY ASSISTANT CHIEF.
AND IT'S ANOTHER REAL EXAMPLE THAT SECOND CHANCE WORKS.
AND, UH, I'VE ADMONISHED, UH, OR REQUESTED HUMAN RESOURCES TO BE A LITTLE, DO A LITTLE BETTER JOB OF, UH, LOOKING AT THE APPLICANTS AND GIVEN SECOND CHANCE AFTER DUE REVIEW, PROPER REVIEW TO, UH, CERTAINLY GETTING BACK TO SOLID WASTE.
THEY'RE, UH, THEY'RE GIVING FOLKS SECOND CHANCE, SO WELL CERTAINLY WE'RE DOING SOME WORK ON THAT AS WELL.
AND, AND HOPE TO CONTINUE TO YEAH.
WORK WITH THE EMPLOYERS OUT THERE TO, TO OFFER TO, TO GET THEM TO OFFER SECOND CHANCES BECAUSE, AND STEVE, UH, WILLIAMS INNOVATED, YEAH, A LOT OF THAT.
I'VE SPOKEN TO THEIR GRADUATION CLASSES FOR THE, PROBABLY THE LAST 15 YEARS AND CONTINUES TO GROW.
AND THE ONE THAT YOU AND I ATTENDED, FOLKS WERE LINED OUT THE DOOR, SO HUNDREDS.
YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, UH, WE'RE COMMITTED TO IT AND WE'LL DO BETTER WITH A REAL CITY REENTRY PROGRAM.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ALL THAT.
I CERTAINLY WANNA LIFT UP HUGO.
UH, HE'S BEEN A LONG TIME FRIEND AND HE CERTAINLY IS IN MY PRAYERS.
AND, UM, WE ARE JUST HOPING THAT HE CAN OVERCOME AND GOD WILL COVER HIM AND THAT HE CAN RETURN.
I, I WANT TO SAY, UH, I'M GONNA ALSO MENTION THE COHA.
BACK TO SCHOOL BASH AT THE THIRD WARD MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
IT WAS INSPIRING TO SEE SO MANY FAMILIES COME TOGETHER, AND I ESPECIALLY WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER AND COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN MAKING THAT EVENT POSSIBLE.
NOW, SHE SAID THAT I WAS DOING THE LINE DANCING, AND I DIDN'T TRY TO TEACH HER THAT, BUT I DID TEACH HER HOW TO POP THE FAN, RIGHT? AND SO SHE'LL BE, SHE'LL BE READY THE NEXT TIME.
YOU KNOW, TEACHING THE DANCE MAY HAVE BEEN A LITTLE CHALLENGING, YOU KNOW, HOW RHYTHM CAN BE.
BUT AT ANY RATE, UM, I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AND WISH A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MRS. CLARICE FREEMAN, WHO TURNED 105 ON THURSDAY.
MRS. FREEMAN IS SO FULL OF LIFE AND JUST SO AWARE OF EVERYTHING AND, AND, AND STILL ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, SHE'S A LITTLE UPSET THAT THEY TOOK HER CAR KEYS, BUT, UM, SHE STILL MOVES AROUND A GREAT DEAL.
UH, SHE IS A VALUED MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE MANY WAYS THAT SHE CONTRIBUTES.
SHE ACTUALLY, UH, WENT WITH ME TO MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER'S FUNERAL, AND PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY FIGHTING OVER HER.
WE WANT HER TO SIT HERE, WE WANT HER TO SIT HERE.
BUT AT ANY RATE, UH, SHE ENJOYED, ENJOYED GETTING OUT IN PUBLIC, AND I'M SO VERY HONORED TO BE HER FRIEND.
SHE WAS ALSO MY MUSIC TEACHER WHEN I WAS YOUNG GIRL, YOUNG GIRL.
AND, UM, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL THING.
SHE AND ANOTHER AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN WERE BLACK ENTREPRENEURS, AND THAT WAS BACK IN THE SIXTIES FOR WOMEN, AND THAT WAS REALLY UNHEARD OF.
AND SO NOW FOR SOME PRESSING CONCERNS, UH, HOUSTON DOES NOT HAVE ZONING, WHICH LEAVES NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE SOUTH PARK VULNERABLE TO INCOMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENTS.
JUST LAST FRIDAY, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS AND I HOSTED A COMMUNITY MEETING WHERE RESIDENTS SPOKE WITH ONE CLEAR VOICE.
THEY DO NOT WANT A CONTAINER YARD NEXT TO THEIR HOMES.
THE RECENT MEDIA COVERAGE CAPTURED THOSE CONCERNS, UNDERSCORING THAT THIS IS ABOUT PROTECTING HEALTH,
[02:20:01]
SAFETY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE.AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE OWNER AND THE PERSON THAT'S GONNA LEASE THE PROPERTY WERE PRESENT, AND WE HAVE COME UP WITH SOME THINGS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND I'M, UH, VERY THANKFUL FOR THE COLLABORATION OF, UH, CYNTHIA FARMS, TRAVIS MCGEE, THOSE THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE MEETING.
AND WE ARE GONNA MAKE THIS WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY.
ALSO, I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER FOR SPEAKING ABOUT CULLEN PARK.
AND WE ARE WORKING TO BRING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT THERE.
AND IT'S BEEN EXTENSIVE REPORTING.
CERTAINLY, YOU ALL PROBABLY HAVE SEEN THE, THE VIDEOS OF THE INFESTATION OF RATS, BUT IT'S EVEN MORE, UH, TROUBLING THAN THAT.
UH, WE WENT INTO AN APARTMENT WHERE THE FLOOR WAS ACTUALLY WET, WHERE THE SEWAGE HAD GONE INTO ONE OF THE BEDROOMS, AND THE LADY'S DAUGHTER CANNOT SLEEP IN THERE.
AND SO, MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE WHEN I REACHED OUT TO YOU, YOU DEPLOYED CITY STAFF TO GO OUT THERE.
AND RIGHT NOW, I AM SO ELATED THAT HUD IS MAKING AN, UH, INSPECT INSPECTION OF ALL 250 UNITS.
AND I HAVE ASKED THAT THEY PUT THE, THE PEOPLE IN OTHER PLACES, OTHER IN HOTELS OR WHATEVER, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE IMPACTED.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE DONE IN A HEALTHY WAY FOR THEM TO, WHILE THEY'RE LIVING THERE, THEY NEED TO MOVE.
AND I'M REALLY CONCERNED BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY RAT INFESTATION AND THE CHEMICALS THAT ARE GONNA BE USED, THEY CERTAINLY MAY NEED TO MOVE AROUND.
BUT ACCOUNTABILITY MUST CONTINUE UNTIL EVERY FAMILY HAS A SAFE, DIGNIFIED, AND DIGNIFIED HOUSING.
UH, THE COMPANY HAS TAKEN ACTION.
THEY HAVE REMOVED SOME OF THEIR PERSONNEL.
UH, YOU KNOW, THINGS HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU ARE THERE TO SERVE PEOPLE.
AND YOU MUST HAVE, UH, AN OPEN DOOR WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME AND KNOW THAT YOU ARE GONNA LISTEN TO THEM.
AND SO, I'M THANKFUL FOR THEIR MO MO MOTION AND MOVEMENT, BUT I WANNA LET EVERY SLUM LORD KNOW THAT WE ARE COMING FOR YOU.
AND THEN WE ARE GONNA COME FOR YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE IN COMPLIANCE.
I BELIEVE NOW BECAUSE OF THAT ACTION, THEY ARE NOW INSPECTING WESLEY SQUARE, WHICH IS 252 UNITS, WHICH I'M TOLD IS IN EVEN A WORSE CONDITION.
SO, AGAIN, I THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I THANK ALL OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE EXAMPLES REMIND US THAT ACTION IS BEING TAKEN, COMMUNITIES ARE ENGAGED, AND WE MUST REMAIN STEADFAST AND DELIVERING RESULTS FOR THE PEOPLE WE SERVE.
IF WE ARE NOT OUT THERE WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE WE SERVE, WE NEED TO BE AT HOME WATCHING THESE ON TV AND NOT PRESENT, BECAUSE THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE, AND THAT IS TO SERVE PEOPLE.
I WON'T PREACH, DON'T TAKE UP ANY COLLECTIONS, BUT THANK YOU.
THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
I GET A LITTLE PASSIONATE, SORRY.
THANK, THANK YOU, MAYOR PROTE.
UM, THIS PAST MONDAY I VOLUNTEERED ALONG WITH THE DISTRICT H STAFF AT THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK, AND WE BUILT, UH, PALLETS FOR THE BRIGHTER BITES PROGRAM.
ONE OF THE PALLETS WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO NORTHLINE ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT H.
UM, FOOD BANKS ARE BEING HIT HARD BY FUNDING CUTS RIGHT NOW, AND, AND THEY RELY HEAVILY ON VOLUNTEERS.
SO WE WANTED TO, TO BE OUT THERE TO SUPPORT THEM AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS.
IF YOU HAVE TIME TO GIVE, UH, GO VOLUNTEER OUT AT THE FOOD BANK.
THEY DO SUCH VITAL WORK IN THE REGION, AND, UH, THEY, THEY ABSOLUTELY NEED THE HELP.
I, I WANT TO GIVE DIRECTOR HORDE AND HER TEAM, UH, A BIG CONGRATULATIONS ON A SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY MEETING THAT WE HELD, UH, IN DISTRICT H AROUND THE 2023 DISPARITY STUDY AND SOME OF THE NEW PROGRAMS THAT ARE IN DEVELOPMENT TO HELP OUR SMALL BUSINESSES DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY.
UM, WE HAD A GREAT PRESENTATION FROM THE DIRECTOR, GOOD CONVERSATION, GOOD QUESTIONS, GOOD DISCUSSION, UH, AND SEE SOME, SOME POSITIVE MOMENTUM COMING FROM THAT.
AND HER AND HER TEAM, UH, DID A FANTASTIC JOB.
SO I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THAT.
SATURDAY, I WAS ABLE TO VISIT THE U OF H-L-G-B-T-Q ALUMNI ASSOCIATION'S RED DINNER, UH, WHICH IS THEIR ANNUAL EVENT THAT RAISES MONEY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND CRISIS SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS, UH, WHO RIGHT NOW DON'T HAVE AN L-G-B-T-Q RESOURCE CENTER ON CAMPUS.
THAT WAS CLOSED, UH, A FEW YEARS AGO FROM SENATE BILL 17.
AND SO THE WORK THAT THEY DO TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN TIMES OF NEED IS, IS CRITICAL.
UM, THEY RAISED MONEY TO SUPPORT,
[02:25:01]
UH, SCHOLARSHIPS THAT WERE AWARDED, UM, AND HAD A GREAT TIME, UH, HONORING SOME OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE MADE CONTRIBUTIONS AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO ATTENDING THAT EVENT AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.UM, THAT EVENT STARTED AS A BACKYARD FUNDRAISER AND A, UH, JUST TO HELP GET SOME FOLKS TOGETHER.
AND NOW IT'S GROWN INTO THEIR, THEIR SIGNATURE EVENT.
UM, I WANNA ALSO CONGRATULATE DIRECTOR WILLIAMS ON HIS RETIREMENT.
I WAS ABLE TO STOP BY HIS, UH, CELEBRATION LAST NIGHT.
UM, HE HAD A A, A GREAT CROWD.
UM, YOU KNOW, I USED TO WORK AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND BEFORE THAT, WHEN I FINISHED GRAD SCHOOL, MY FIRST JOB WAS AT A NONPROFIT CALLED ENROLL AMERICA, HELPING GET PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
AND STEVEN WILLIAMS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE I MET IN HOUSTON.
UH, AS, AS, UM, WE BUILT A PARTNERSHIP TO HELP GET FOLKS IN HOUSTON ENROLLED.
AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP REALLY STEPPED UP TO EMBRACE US, EMBRACE A COMP, A NUMBER OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
THEY FORMED A WHOLE COALITION AROUND IT.
AND HE TREATED UNINSURED HOUSTONIANS AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
AND HE WENT AND RESTRUCTURED THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT INTO THE INCIDENT COMMAND STRUCTURE, PUT RESOURCES BEHIND IT, UM, WAS ABLE TO HELP THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SIGN UP FOR HEALTHCARE.
SO MUCH SO THAT AT THE TIME THE WHITE HOUSE SENT VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN DOWN TO HOUSTON TO MEET AND CONGRATULATE HIM.
AND, AND THE GROUP HE PUT TOGETHER, UM, HE TOOK A REALLY PROACTIVE APPROACH TO PUBLIC HEALTH FROM SEE TO SUCCEED, GETTING KIDS EYEGLASSES GOING INTO THE SCHOOLS, AND SCREENING DENTAL SCREENINGS.
AND IT HAD A, A PROFOUND IMPACT ON ME AT THE TIME AS A, A FRESH PUBLIC HEALTH GRAD STUDENT, UH, WHO JUST GRADUATED TO SEE THAT TYPE OF LEADERSHIP AND THAT TYPE OF WORK.
AND SO, I, I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR ALL OF HIS SERVICE TO THE CITY, UH, FOR ALL HIS MENTORSHIP AND GUIDANCE OVER THE YEARS.
AND, AND HE'S DONE A FANTASTIC JOB.
AND, UH, I ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS, NEXT WEEK IS OUR FIRST EVENING PUBLIC SESSION ON TUESDAY, UH, TO SIGN UP WITH THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
UH, WE WILL BE HOSTING, UH, PUBLIC SESSION AT 6:00 PM HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON TUESDAY.
UM, AND REGISTRATION FOR THAT WILL CLOSE 3:00 PM ON MONDAY, AUGUST 25TH.
AND YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK.
AND, UH, FINALLY, I DO WANT TO, UH, WISH YOU GO, UH, SPEEDY RECOVERY AND, AND LET HIM KNOW I'LL BE KEEPING HIM IN MY PRAYERS.
UH, STEVE WILLIAMS HAS BEEN A CONSTITUENT OF MINE FOR ABOUT 50 YEARS.
UH, AS A SENATOR, I WORKED WITH HIM CLOSELY.
UH, HIS INNOVATION OF THE REENTRY PROGRAM, HE GETS FULL CREDIT FOR BRINGING THAT TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I'VE WORKED WITH HIM ON THE GLASS PROGRAM AT THE HEIGHTS HEALTH MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, UH, TO GET VOLUNTEER OPTOMETRISTS, A LOT OF STUDENTS FROM U OF H, AND THEN KMART WOULD FURNISH THEIR FRAMES.
THE CHALLENGE WAS GETTING THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PARTICIPATE, BRINGING SECOND GRADERS.
UH, WE WOULD DEMONSTRATE WHAT A SECOND GRADER THAT CANNOT HAVE GLASSES WAS SEEING.
AND OF COURSE, THEY WERE NOT LEARNING TO READ.
AND STEVE AND I TEAMED UP TO GET, UH, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS TO, TO BRING THEIR SECOND GRADERS THERE.
SO I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HIS INNOVATION AND VISION AND REALLY CARING, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK OF STEVE WILLIAMS IS JUST CARING.
SO WE, UH, WE APPLAUD HIS PUBLIC SERVICE.
UH, I'M TOLD THAT ITEM 37 HAS ARRIVED.
MEMBERS, IF WE COULD GET A MOTION, WE WILL JUST NEED A VOTE ON IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, JUST MENTIONING TO MAYOR THAT, UH, I KNOW I'LL SAY THINGS THAT MY STAFF HAS NO CLUE AS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY A FEW PEOPLE THAT DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT IS ANYMORE.
ENLIGHTENED PEOPLE WHO KMART WAS
UH, I TOOK MY STAFF ON AN EXOTIC EXCURSION HERE MONDAY.
WE WENT TO THE RECYCLING CENTER.
[02:30:01]
GOT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT OPERATION.I DIDN'T REALIZE BEFORE I'M GOING OUT THERE.
THAT IS ESSENTIALLY A SORTING FACILITY.
UH, WHERE THEY SORT OUT ALL THE DIFFERENT RECYCLABLES AND END UP WITH, UH, WHAT THEY CALL CONTAMINATION.
AND, UH, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THEY ACTUALLY SORT EVERYTHING AND THEN THE CONTAMINATION IS WHAT THEY END UP WITH THAT IS NOT RECYCLABLE.
UH, WANT TO THANK, UH, SOLID WASTE.
DESMOND ALLEN FROM SOLID WASTE WENT OUT THERE WITH US.
UH, WE ALSO HAD, UH, THREE MEMBERS OF KEEP KINGWOOD GREEN.
UH, THEY WORKED THE RECYCLING AT THE, UH, METRO PARK AND RIDE, UH, IN KINGWOOD.
AND, UH, THEY CAME OUT AND I THINK EVERYBODY LEARNED QUITE A BIT.
UM, AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS RECENTLY ABOUT TRANSFER STATIONS AND THAT TYPE OF THING IN ORDER TO SAVE MONEY.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO NOW TO SAVE MONEY THAT IS NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT ANYBODY IS TO REDUCE THE CONTAMINATION IN IT.
THE, THE PRODUCTS THAT GET IN THERE THAT ARE NOT RECYCLABLE.
UH, THEY REPORT ON THIS NUMBER QUARTERLY.
UM, ONE OF MY STAFF, UH, WAS, HAS BEEN HERE QUITE A WHILE.
UH, SHE TALKED ABOUT A, A PROGRAM THAT THE CITY HAD YEARS AGO WHERE THEY WOULD ACTUALLY GO AND TAKE A LOOK, UM, ON THE STREETS THAT WERE SET UP FOR THE RECYCLING, OPEN THE, THE CONTAINER UP, LOOK TO SEE WHAT WAS IN THERE.
IF THERE WAS PRODUCT THAT WAS NOT RECYCLABLE THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN THERE, THEY WOULD TAG IT AND LET, LET THE HOMEOWNER KNOW.
AND THEY SAID, UH, A LOT OF TIMES THE HOMEOWNERS WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT BEFORE THE RECYCLING TRUCK EVEN MADE IT OUT THERE.
I, SO I THINK A LOT OF THIS IS PUBLIC EDUCATION.
UH, I MEAN, THERE WAS SOME STUFF I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN RECYCLING FOR A LONG TIME ON LARGE SCALES.
AND THERE WAS EVEN SOME STUFF THAT I DIDN'T REALIZE WHEN ONE OF THE ISSUES WE'VE GOT, AND I DON'T THINK THIS HAPPENS EVERYWHERE, BUT I KNOW IN KINGWOOD WE'VE GOT ROLL OFF CONTAINERS THAT THEY USE AND THEY'VE GOT THE, UH, ALL PLASTIC RECYCLING PROGRAM WHERE THEY TELL YOU, PUT IT IN A PLASTIC BAG, PUT IT INSIDE THE CONTAINER, STYROFOAM, EVERYTHING, WHICH IS GREAT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T WANT THE OTHER STUFF BAGGED BECAUSE THAT'S A PROBLEM AT THE, AT THE RECYCLING CENTER WHEN THEY GO TO SORT.
SO WE'VE KIND OF GOT SOME, SOME MIXED MESSAGING, BUT I THINK THERE'S ABSOLUTELY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SAVE QUITE A BIT OF MONEY WITHOUT NEGATIVELY IMPACTING ANYBODY IF WE CAN JUST GET THE CONTAMINATION DOWN TO WHERE WE'VE ONLY GOT THE PRODUCTS THAT SHOULD BE RECYCLED IN THERE.
AND EDUCATING THE HOMEOWNERS ON THIS.
UM, AND WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SAVING MONEY, MAYOR, YOU TALKED ABOUT NOT PAINTING THE GARBAGE TRUCKS SAVING $3,000 PER TRUCK.
I'M PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH THE GARBAGE TRUCKS BEING WHITE, AND I THINK MOST EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE CITY IS.
AND IF WE WANT TO MAYBE PUT A PLACARD ON THERE, THAT WOULD COST US A COUPLE OF HUNDRED BUCKS INSTEAD OF $3,000.
BUT YOU JUST SAVED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WITH THOSE 30 TRUCKS.
WHAT, WHAT'D YOU WANT THE PLACARD TO SAY? THANKS, MAYOR WHITMEYER.
I HADN'T THOUGHT OF THAT, BUT I GUESS YOU DID.
IT'LL BE A CITY SEAL THAT'S ON THEM CURRENTLY, SO THANK YOU.
AND, AND ON THE RECYCLING, IT IS AN EDUCATION PROCESS, WHICH WE'LL CONTINUE AND IMPROVE.
UM, COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, I'LL BE GIVING TESTIMONY TODAY, UM, AT THE EPA, URGING THEM NOT TO REPEAL THE ENDANGERMENT FINDING, UM, AS WELL AS THE, THEIR ROLLING BACK OR PROPOSING TO ROLL BACK, UM, PROTECTIONS, UH, ON VEHICLE EMISSIONS STANDARDS AS WELL.
UM, AS A REGION, WE'VE EXPERIENCED 11 FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTERS IN NINE YEARS.
UH, WE ARE SEEING THE IMPACTS, UH, OF, OF CLIMATE CHANGE SPECIFICALLY.
AND I WANNA ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS AND OTHER COLLEAGUES IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
UM, WRITTEN COMMENT IS BEING ACCEPTED BY THE EPA THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22ND.
YOU CAN ALSO SIGN UP FOR ORAL TESTIMONY, UM, AT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT ARE OCCURRING THROUGH THE 22ND.
THE REGISTRATION IS STILL OPEN, AND INFORMATION IS ON EPA DOT GOV'S WEBSITE.
SO I WANTED TO, UM, FLAG THAT FOR EVERYONE.
'CAUSE THE ENDANGERMENT FINDING, UH, HAS BEEN EVEN UPHELD BY THE SUPREME COURT AND, UH, IS IMPERATIVE FOR THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING AND HEALTH OF HOUSTONIANS.
I WANTED TO LIFT UP, UH, NOT ONLY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, BUT A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN FOCUSING AND GIVING LOVE TO BELL PARK.
UM, VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN ENHANCING THIS PARK AT THE CORNER, UM, IN UNIVERSITY PLACE.
UH, AND MAYOR, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING THROUGH IS KIND OF THE LEGAL RED TAPE ALL RESIDENTS WANTED WAS A, LITERALLY A WALKWAY TO GET TO THE PARK FROM ONE SIDE OF THE SIDEWALK.
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF QUESTION AS TO WHO HAD THE PROPERTY, WHETHER IT WAS CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT IT TOOK MONTHS TO CUT THROUGH THAT RED TAPE.
SO I WANNA THANK PARKS FOR WORKING WITH US.
AND AS OF THIS MONTH, THANKS TO THE VOICE OF RESIDENTS, UH, THEY HAVE A NEW ENTRYWAY TO THE PARK.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE KIDS WALKING THROUGH THE MUD.
UM, BUT IT'S THOSE LITTLE THINGS
[02:35:01]
THAT DAY TO DAY MAKE AN IMPACT FOR RESIDENTS.AND I REALLY WANNA LIFT UP BARBARA XAM FOR LEADING THE CHARGE.
STUDENT VOLUNTEERS FROM POST OAK SCHOOL FOR THEIR VOLUNTEER EFFORTS, AND OF COURSE, H PART, UM, INCLUDING DEPUTY DIRECTOR MICHAEL EVANS AND HIS TEAM FOR MAKING THIS A REALITY.
THE ANNUAL MEMORIAL PARK, 24TH INFANTRY CAMP.
LOGAN AUDIO STORIES REOPENS THIS SATURDAY.
UM, MEMORIAL PARK CONSERVANCY IN BUFFALO SOLDIERS, UH, MUSEUM AT THE CLAY FAMILY EASTERN GLADES, DO THIS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
UH, YOU CAN BRING YOUR OWN HEADPHONES.
IT'S A WALKING HISTORY AND TOUR.
FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE STORY OF THE 24TH INFANTRY, UM, OR IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN THAT MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, PART OF HOUSTON HISTORY, BUT ALSO NATIONAL HISTORY THAT WE LIFT UP.
UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS A TRADITION RECOGNIZING WHAT HAPPENED 107 YEARS AGO ON AUGUST 23RD, UH, WHEN THE RIOTS TOOK PLACE.
SO, UH, WE WILL BE PARTICIPATING, AS ALWAYS, BUT WANNA ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO COME OUT, UM, TO LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY AND LIFT UP SOLDIERS THAT GAVE THEIR LIVES AND WERE TREATED, UM, UNDER A JIM CROW SYSTEM, UH, HORRIFICALLY.
UH, AND I WANNA ALSO RECOGNIZE, UH, THAT WE WORKED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, MAYOR, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW, BUFFALO SOLDIERS AND THE DESCENDANTS, UH, TO HAVE THOSE CONVICTIONS SET ASIDE.
AND, UH, THAT WAS A BIG THING THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN THE, IN US ARMY HISTORY, UH, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON.
I DO ALSO WANNA, EXCUSE ME, UM, THANK DIRECTOR WILLIAMS FOR HIS SERVICE, UM, WHICH HAS LITERALLY SAVED LIVES IN HOUSTON.
AND EVEN THOUGH HE IS RETIRING NOW, THERE ARE PROJECTS IN THE WORKS, UH, INCLUDING SOMETHING I'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON, ON, UH, DATA ANALYTICS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO SAVE LIVES LONG AFTER HE IS GONE.
SO, DIRECTOR, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE, YOUR COMPASSION, YOUR DEDICATION, UM, AND YOUR BELIEF IN SCIENCE.
LASTLY, UH, I WANNA WISH MY HUSBAND, MATT, A VERY, VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
I LOVE WALKING THIS LIFE WITH YOU AND THE ADVENTURE THAT WE HAVE.
AND YOU ARE THE MOST INCREDIBLE FATHER TO OUR SON, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN.
TOWARDS THE END OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR, A CROSSWALK WAS INSTALLED IN FRONT OF LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL ON WESTHEIMER AT THE INTERSECTION OF EAST SIDE AND WESTHEIMER.
UM, AND ALTHOUGH IT WAS AT THE REQUEST OF LAMAR, AND EVEN THOUGH IT FOLLOWED ALL OF THE STATE GUIDELINES, UM, THERE'S MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES WITH THIS TRAFFIC, WITH THIS CROSSWALK.
YESTERDAY, A BOY LEAVING SCHOOL ABOUT 3:49 PM WAS HIT AT THAT CROSSWALK.
IT WAS A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT, AND HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL.
I'VE HEARD THAT HE'S IN STABLE CONDITION, BUT I HAVEN'T HAD AN UPDATE TODAY.
UM, I WENT TO THE LOCATION YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, YOU KNOW, EARLY EVENING, AND I SAW THREE MORE CHILDREN ALMOST GET HIT AT THIS SAME CROSSWALK.
THERE'S A FEW THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT IT, BECAUSE OF HOW EAST SIDE ALIGNS THE CROSSWALK DOESN'T ACTUALLY ALIGN WITH THE SIDEWALKS.
SO THE CROSSWALK KIND OF ZIGZAGS ACROSS THE STREET, WHICH I THINK IS CAUSING SOME CONFUSION.
THERE'S NO LIGHTS OR SIGNALS AT THIS CROSSWALK, BUT HERE'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS.
THERE ARE TWO CROSSWALKS ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY, ONE ON RIVER OAKS BOULEVARD AND ONE ON FERNDALE THAT ARE, THAT HAVE LIGHTS THAT FLASH.
AND SO I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER TO DIRECT STUDENTS TO THOSE TWO CROSSWALKS THAT HAVE THE FLASHING LIGHTS AND GET RID OF THIS ZIGZAG CROSSWALK.
UM, BUT ALSO WE WANNA REMIND PEOPLE THAT SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION.
PLEASE DRIVE SAFELY THROUGH YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, OBSERVE THE SCHOOL SPEED LIMIT ZONES.
UM, WE'RE ALL BACK IN SCHOOL, SO IF YOU COULD HELP WITH THAT.
MAYOR CAN'T FIX SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW ABOUT.
AND REALLY, HAVE YOU TALKED TO RANDY? WELL, THIS JUST ALL KIND OF WENT DOWN YESTERDAY.
HAVE YOU TALKED TO RANDY? I HAVEN'T YET.
WELL, THAT'D BE THE FIRST THING YOU AND I NEED TO DO.
SO IF IT'S A BAD MODEL, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTED SOONER THAN YESTERDAY.
AND WHEN WE GET UP FROM THIS MEETING, WE WILL ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
BUT, UH, IT'D BE INTERESTING WHAT I'S PARTICIPATION WAS NOT TO MENTION THE COMMUNITY.
SO, SO THERE, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE, THAT HISD REQUESTED THE CROSSWALK, AND UNDER THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE, IT SAYS THAT A LOCAL AUTHORITY SHALL INSTALL A CROSSWALK.
[02:40:01]
THINK THAT'S PART OF THE, THE PROBLEM.BUT THERE ARE TWO GOOD CROSSWALKS.
WELL, WE CAN'T ACCEPT IT, AND WE CAN PUSH BACK, PICK UP THE PHONE, AND, UH, LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THAT MANDATE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
AND WE DO IT BEFORE SOMEONE'S INJURED.
AND CERTAINLY, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THE YOUNG MAN THAT YOU MENTIONED, OR, UM, I THINK YOU SAID IT WAS YOUNG, A YOUNG MAN, UM, WE WE'RE ON IT.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING TO ME, THE, THE WHOLE CROSSWALK, UH, DECISION MAKING BY HIDI CAN SHOW YOU CROSSWALKS THAT ARE KNEE NOT IN DEMAND RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THE SHIFT IN SOME OF OUR, OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TO POP OFF.
YOU CAN CALL ME
UM, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY LAST WEEK TO TOUR THE HARRIS CENTER'S NEW NEUROPSYCHIATRIC CENTER, UH, AT BEN TODD GENERAL HOSPITAL, I SHOULD SAY REMODELED NEUROPSYCHIATRIC CENTER.
AND IT'S A MUCH BRIGHTER, UH, MORE APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR THOSE IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS TO RECEIVE, UH, ASSESSMENT AND BE ON THEIR WAY TO TREATMENT.
UM, BUT I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE GREAT WORK THAT THE HARRIS CENTER DOES TO TRY TO ADDRESS MENTAL ILLNESS, UH, IN OUR CITY AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THEY ARE VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE AND OUR EFFORTS TO DIVERT THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS OUT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
SO UNDER THE DIRECTION OF WAYNE YOUNG OVER THERE, THEY DO WONDERFUL WORK.
AND SO I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THEM.
ALSO, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR ONE SAFE PLACE HOUSTON, WHICH IS, UM, A SUPPORTIVE HOUSING CAMPUS THAT IS OPERATED BY THE HOUSTON AREA, WOM WOMEN'S CENTER.
I KNOW A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE THERE AT THE GRAND OPENING A FEW MONTHS AGO, BUT THE PURPOSE WAS TO BRING, UH, A COUPLE OF, UH, WOMEN WHO WORK WITH, UM, UH, WOMEN VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WHO ARE MUSLIM.
THERE WAS, THERE HAS BEEN A RELUCTANCE AND AN UNCERTAINTY ON THEIR PART ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEIR, THEIR NEEDS, THEIR CULTURAL, UH, NEEDS WOULD BE MET AT, UH, ONE SAFE PLACE, UH, HOUSTON.
AND, AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT AT THE CONCLUSION OF THAT TOUR, THEY WERE AS IMPRESSED AS I WAS AT THAT FACILITY.
THEY HAVE LITERALLY THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING.
IT IS A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY AND, UM, I'M, I'M, I'M VERY PROUD THAT THAT'S A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SONYA CORRALES AND HER TEAM OVER THERE AT THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER.
FINALLY, A COUPLE OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS COMING UP THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT.
ONE IS THE ETHICS AND GOVERNORS COMMITTEE MEETING THAT WE'LL MEET THIS THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
WE'LL HEAR A PRESENTATION FROM LEGAL ON, UH, COUN COUNCIL RULE CHANGES, AS WELL AS PERSONAL, UH, CAMPAIGN FINANCE DISCLOSURES AND PERSONAL FINANCE DISCLOSURES AS WELL.
THEN NEXT TUESDAY, MO UH, MORNING, THERE'LL BE AFTERNOON.
ACTUALLY, THERE'LL BE AN IMPORTANT MEETING OF THE, UH, BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, DEALING WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PRO PROCESS DURING WHICH WE WILL, UH, TAKE UP, UH, AMENDMENTS THAT WERE OFFERED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO BY COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND MYSELF.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, WE'D LIKE TO WISH, UH, BARBARA HEIGHT A HAPPY RETIREMENT.
UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW, BARBARA HAS WORKED FOR FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE AT CITY HALL.
SHE WORKED FOR MARK B GOLDBERG, SHE WORKED FOR ANN CLUTTERBUCK, SHE WORKED FOR COUNCIL MEMBER LARRY GREEN, AND THEN SHE, UM, FINISHED HER CAREER AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS THE DIRECTOR OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES IN OUR OFFICE.
SO, WE WISH BARBARA A INCREDIBLE RETIREMENT SEASON AND HOPE THAT SHE IS DOING VERY WELL.
AND THEN I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF IN THE DISTRICT, A OFFICE, AND SHE'S HERE.
UM, OUR NEW DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF IS JUSTICE CO MCCULLUM.
VERY EXCITED TO HAVE SNAGGED HER FROM THE AT LARGE FIVE OFFICE.
[02:45:01]
UH, SHE KNEWWE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HER JOIN OUR TEAM, THINK SHE'S GONNA BE A GREAT ASSET ON OUR POLICY AND ALL OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS WE CONTINUE TO DO FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, UM, IN THE DISTRICT, DISTRICT, A OFFICE.
SHE HAS A HEART FOR PUBLIC SERVICE, AND WE'RE VERY CONFIDENT THAT SHE'LL HELP US TO CONTINUE BUILDING ON THE WORK THAT WE DO IN OUR OFFICE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, UH, COLLEAGUES.
OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING IS TODAY AT 2:00 PM HERE IN, UH, THE CHAMBERS.
WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION OVERVIEW FOR ON OUR TURS BUDGET AND THE SCHEDULE.
SO I KNOW THERE'S ALWAYS A LOT OF INTEREST ON WHEN THE TURS BUDGETS WILL COME BEFORE US.
UM, SO WE'LL HAVE THAT PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL ALSO HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE M-W-S-B-E POLICIES FROM DIRECTOR HORDE.
I DO WANNA ECHO COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO DIRECTOR HORDE.
SHE'S BEEN ON A TOUR ACROSS THE CITY, TALKING ABOUT THE, THE MWBE PROGRAM AND ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY FOR OUR ENTREPRENEURS AND, UM, SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO TODAY WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE UPDATED POLICIES DURING OUR ECONOMIC COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY AT TWO.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN NATIONAL BATTLE OF THE BANDS, IT IS HAPPENING ON SATURDAY.
SO WE ARE EXCITED THAT THAT HAPPENS IN DISTRICT A AT NRG STADIUM.
WE'VE GOT, UM, SEVERAL BANDS COMING, HBCU BANDS COMING TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
LOTS OF MONEY RAISED FOR SCHOLARSHIPS, UH, FOR STUDENTS.
UM, SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING, UM, YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE TICKETS AT THE NATIONAL BATTLE OF THE BANDS.COM.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING THIS CULTURAL MUSIC AND TRADITION WHILE ALSO INSPIRING OUR YOUTH AND STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, WE HAVE OUR HPD SOUTHWEST PIP MEETING.
UM, Y'ALL HEAR ME TALK ABOUT THE PIP MEETINGS ALL THE TIME BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A GREAT WAY FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO GET, UM, FAMILIAR WITH THE OFFICERS THAT SERVE US IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THOSE OFFICERS GIVE OUT THEIR CELL PHONE NUMBERS, THEY REALLY WANNA GET TO KNOW THE RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
OUR NEXT PIP MEETING, UH, WILL BE TALKING ABOUT GUN SAFETY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, WE PRESENTED THE GUN SAFETY PROC ON YOUR BEHALF YESTERDAY, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND I DID.
AND SO THIS MONTH WE WILL BE HAVING, UM, OUR PIP MEETING AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT GUN SAFETY, AND THEY WILL BE GIVING OUT THE, UM, THE GUN SAFES.
UH, SO HOPEFULLY RESIDENTS WILL ATTEND ON TUESDAY, AUGUST THE 26TH, 2025 AT 7:00 PM AT THE HARALD PRESTON POLICE STATION.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, COLLEAGUES, ONCE AGAIN, I'M SERVING AS THE HONORARY CHAIR OF THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNCF WALK RUN BIKE ON SEPTEMBER 13TH.
AND I KNOW Y'ALL ALL WANT TO COME OUT AND DO A 5K, UH, WALKING AND RUNNING COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN CAME LAST YEAR.
UM, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU ON TEAM MARTHA.
UM, IT'S SEPTEMBER THE 13TH FROM 7:00 AM TO 11 AT TOM BASS PARK.
YOU CAN WALK, YOU CAN RUN AND YOU CAN, OR YOU CAN RIDE A BIKE.
THERE'S SOME HYBRID BIKES OUT THERE.
AND, UM, IF YOU DON'T WANNA RUN, OH, AND THEY'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE THE BIG TRIKES OUT THERE TOO.
SO IF YOU DON'T WANNA RUN A WALK, YOU CAN RIDE A BIKE.
BUT THIS IS A GREAT, UM, FUNDRAISER TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS THAT WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE CAN GO TO COLLEGE.
THE AVERAGE SCHOLARSHIP FOR UNCF IS ABOUT $5,000.
SO, UM, IT'S A WONDERFUL FUNDRAISER.
UH, MIND IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE, BUT A WONDERFUL THING TO INVEST IN, UH, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY.
UM, FIRST I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE FIREFIGHTERS WHO RESPONDED TO A BIG FIRE IN DISTRICT, A LAST NIGHT AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, UM, ON TEAGUE.
UM, I WENT OUT THERE LAST NIGHT AND THE FIREFIGHTERS WERE SO AMAZING.
THEY DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB AS ALWAYS.
UM, AND ALSO THANK YOU TO THE RED CROSS AND MEMORIAL ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES.
THEY ARE BOTH ON THE SCENE TODAY.
THERE WERE OVER ABOUT A HUNDRED APARTMENT UNITS THAT EITHER HAD FIRE OR WATER DAMAGE, UM, AND 389 UNITS ALTOGETHER, UM, THAT WERE AFFECTED IN SOME WAY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO HFD, RED CROSS AND MEMORIAL ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES.
AND HPD WAS THERE AS WELL, UM, HELPING WITH TRAFFIC AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO RESPONDED LAST NIGHT.
UM, NEXT I WANT TO INVITE EVERYONE TO THE VOGEL CREEK COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS ICE CREAM AND SNOW CONE SOCIAL.
[02:50:01]
WILL BE THIS THURSDAY, TOMORROW, AUGUST 21ST FROM SIX 30 8:30 PM AT 7 4 4 3 MAPLE TREE DRIVE.AND, UM, THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY WHO PUTS US ON EVERY YEAR, UM, IN VOGEL CREEK, IN VOGEL CREEK AREA, AND ALSO TO THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD.
UH, FIRST I JUST WANT TO, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR AND DIRECTOR HASSEN FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING THIS AUTO WASTE OPERATIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT STEP IS ON DEMAND, UH, PILOT.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO DO THIS OPERATION.
I WILL NOT LET GO THAT WE WILL EVENTUALLY NEED FUNDING TO PAY FOR THESE TRUCKS, PAY FOR FACILITIES.
UM, AND SO LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, CONTINUING TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ON SOLID WASTE.
AND THEN I WAS HAPPY TO BE WITH YOU AS WELL, MON, UH, MONDAY MORNING, EARLY MONDAY MORNING TO SEE THE TRUCKS ROLL OUT.
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE.
AND THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT SAME DAY I WAS GETTING TEXT MESSAGES FROM, UH, UH, RESIDENTS WHO WERE SEEING THE WHITE TRUCKS, UH, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE OUTLOOK, UH, OF HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
UM, LAST NIGHT, UH, WE HAD A MEETING, UH, WITH TELEPHONE ROAD RECONSTRUCTION, UH, WITH, AT THE TS.
HARRISBURG TOURS IS LEADING, UH, GREAT TURNOUT BY RESIDENTS, UH, STAKEHOLDERS, BUSINESS OWNERS.
UM, UH, THERE'S, UH, IT'S A, IT WAS A LIVELY CONVERSATION, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, UH, THERE'S A FOCUS ON PEDESTRIAN, UH, SAFETY, WHICH, UH, EXCITED AND APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT MAYOR HAVING, UH, SIDEWALKS THAT WILL ALLOW FOR, FOR STUDENTS.
THERE'S ABOUT SEVEN SCHOOLS THAT CONNECT TO THIS, UH, MAJOR, THE FAIR.
I WENT TO THREE OF THESE, MIDDLE, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, BUT THEN ALSO THE DRAINAGE PROJECT THAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING.
I, I THINK THE THIRD IS GONNA BE LOOKING AT THIS ON MONDAY, AND HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS AS WELL.
UM, LASTLY, UH, I JUST WANT TO, UM, ALSO REMIND FOLKS ABOUT RAIL SAFETY.
UH, DISTRICT I HAS 17 CRITICAL CROSSINGS.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE, UH, LAUNCHED TRAIN WATCH, UM, ON CITY, UH, WEBSITE.
I WANT TO THANK JESSE BOUNDS FROM THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION.
UH, JACK GRA FROM THE EAST END DISTRICT, WHO ALSO WORKS PART-TIME FOR THE CITY WITH, WITH, UH, JESSE.
UM, AND JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS IS SOME WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE 2021.
SO QUICK SHOUT OUT TO, UH, FORMER COWORKER DANIEL SANTA MARIA AS WELL.
UM, NEXT STEPS ARE, UH, TO GET THIS ON, UH, ONTO TRANS STARS, SO THAT WAY IT'S SYNCED IN, UM, AS, UH, SO WE CAN, UM, SYNC IT IN WITH APPS LIKE WAZE AND, UH, GOOGLE MAPS SO FOLKS KNOW WHERE THERE ARE BLOCK CROSSINGS.
UM, ULTIMATELY, UM, WE'D LIKE TO SEE GREAT SEPARATION AS WELL.
AND SO, AGAIN, JUST A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO JESSE BOUNDS.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR SOME TIME ALREADY, AND SO TO HAVE IT LIVE, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S, IT'S GOOD.
IT'S GOOD FOR, UH, MOBILITY IN THE EAST END WHERE WE HAVE ALL THE TRAINS CONVERGING.
UM, AND THEN ACTUALLY LASTLY, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN AT SCHOOL FOR ABOUT A WEEK, UH, FOR ELEMENTARY TO HIGH SCHOOL, BUT I WANNA ALSO, UH, WISH FOLKS GOING TO COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY, UH, THIS COMING WEEK AND UPCOMING WEEKS.
UH, ESPECIALLY MY SON WHO'S GONNA BE STARTING HIS SOPHOMORE YEAR AT U OF AGE.
UM, SO, UH, GOOD LUCK ON ON YOUR SEMESTER.
COUNCIL POLLARD, COUNCILMAN POLLARD.
UM, WE ALL HEARD RECENTLY THAT NEWS HAS COME OUT THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, HAS CUT OVER A BILLION DOLLARS, UH, IN FUNDING FOR PUBLIC MEDIA AND SPECIFICALLY FOR NPR AND PBS, WHICH TRICKLES DOWN TO THEIR LOCAL AFFILIATES.
AND WE HAVE, UM, STATIONS HERE IN HOUSTON THAT RELY ON THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR PROGRAMMING AND SALARIES.
UH, AND YESTERDAY I WAS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR OFFICE WAS ABLE TO ALLOCATE $50,000 EACH, UH, TO HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA AS WELL AS KTSU, UH, TO PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATIONS WHO DO EXCEPTIONAL WORK IN INFORMING HOUSTONIANS ON A MYRIAD OF DIFFERENT ISSUES.
UH, WE ALWAYS KNOW THAT, UH, PUBLIC MEDIA IS THERE FOR ENTERTAINMENT, BUT ALSO EDUCATION AND SPECIFICALLY RELIED UPON MANY TIMES DURING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
UM, HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA, THEY, UM, PUT FORTH THAT BASED ON THESE FUNDING CUTS, UH, THEY WERE LOSING ABOUT 10% OF THEIR BUDGET, WHICH EQUATES TO ABOUT $200,000.
UH, THEY SAID THESE FUNDING CUTS HIT THEM AT ABOUT 25%, UH, WHICH WAS ABOUT $250,000.
AND SO, UH, THESE FEDERAL DOLLARS, THESE PUBLIC DOLLARS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US AS AN OFFICE, UH, TO FIND LOCAL DOLLARS TO SUPPORT THEM AND BRING FORTH RESOURCES THAT ARE CRITICALLY NEEDED.
SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE WHO, UH, DEPENDS ON PUBLIC MEDIA AND THESE BROADCAST STATIONS FOR INF INFORMATION TO ALSO, UH, DO YOUR PART TO SUPPORT.
UM, THEY RELY ON PHILANTHROPIC DOLLARS AND SPONSORSHIP DOLLARS, AND THEY DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB, UH, FOR THE CITY
[02:55:01]
OF HOUSTON.UM, ALSO I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR WILLIAMS FOR HIS SERVICE.
UM, HE'S DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB IN HIS ROLE AND SACRIFICED A LOT OVER THE YEARS, AND I WISH YOU WELL IN RETIREMENT.
AND, UM, FOR THE RECORD, I DISCOVERED JUSTICE CUTIE MCCOLLUM
AND YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A GOOD STAFFER WHEN THEY GET STOLEN, AND I'VE HAD TWO POACH OVER THE YEARS, SO THERE YOU GO.
SHE'S ABLE TO CLIMB UP THE MATTER AND APPARENTLY IT'S A BIG DEAL TO WORK FOR THE MAYOR PRO TEM.
SO I WISH JUSTICE ALL THE BEST IF THEY'RE NEW, IMPROVED TITLE, AND I KNOW SHE'S GONNA THRIVE.
SHE'S AN OUTSTANDING YOUNG WOMAN, AND, UM, YOU OWE EVERYTHING TO ME,
AND ALSO, MAYOR, I WANNA TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FOOD TRUCKS.
I WAS TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUE HERE.
I DID GO OUT TO THE FOOD TRUCK.
I KNOW YOU HAD A, UH, A, A TEAM GO OUT TO THE ONE AT CHIMNEY ROCK AND KIND OF CLEAN THAT ONE UP.
WE'VE HAD, UH, THERE WAS A COMMITTEE MEETING THIS WEEK, QUALITY OF LIFE.
WE ARE, UH, I'M GETTING SOME ANSWERS FROM LEGAL ABOUT WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO SINCE THE STATE IS KIND OF TAKING OVER WITH SOME STATE BILLS THAT PASSED, TAKING OVER THE, THE PERMITTING AND REGULATION OF FOOD TRUCKS ALSO NULL AND VOID, INTERESTINGLY, AND NULL AND VOIDING OUR ABILITY TO ENFORCE NOISE AT FOOD TRUCKS, WHICH IS A HUGE ISSUE ON WASHINGTON AVENUE AND OTHER PLACES.
IF THERE IS A WAY TO SET SOME DISTANCE LIMITATIONS FROM RESIDENTS LIKE 300 FEET LIKE AUSTIN DOES, UM, IF TO HA TO REGULATE THE HOURS, IF YOU'RE WITHIN A CERTAIN NUMBER OF FEET FROM RESIDENCES, UM, LIMIT THOSE HOURS, UM, SHUT IT DOWN AT 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I'M VERY INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO SET SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN PLACE BECAUSE, UH, THESE FOOD TRUCK PARKS, UH, A LOT OF 'EM, UH, HAVE A LOT OF HEALTH CODE VIOLATIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT, UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO, TO REGULATE THOSE IF THEY ARE NEAR RESIDENCES.
SO, WANNA WORK WITH YOU ON THAT.
ONE NIGHT, UM, RIDING WITH THE CHIEF.
WE WENT TO CHIMNEY ROCK AND AFTER ONE OF THE OPERATORS SAW THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT POLICE FIRE A GROUP OF, UH, REGULATORS AND ENFORCERS FROM THE CITY.
HE RAN, HE RAN FROM HIS FOOD TRUCK WITH ITEMS BEING COOKED,
UH, HE WAS LEFT ALONG, BUT THE CITY CONFISCATED HIS FOOD TRUCK AND HOUSTON FIRE HAD TO COME HANDLE THE, UH, THE MEAT THAT WERE ON THE BURNER.
SO ANYWAY, IT'S, UH, IT'S AN ISSUE THAT, AND WE'RE REVIEWING THE STATE'S, UH, INVOLVEMENT, WHICH, UH, UNFORTUNATELY THE STATE JUST DOES NOT UNDERSTAND.
LOCAL CONTROL IS THE BEST MODELS HISTORICALLY, THE ONE THAT EVERYONE SUPPORTED.
BUT, UH, THERE'S NEW, NEW ATTITUDES IN WASHINGTON AND AUSTIN AS, AS WE'RE ALL AWARE.
UM, GOING BACK TO THE CROSSWALK ISSUE, AND I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN FOR BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE DISTRICT C AND DISTRICT EIGHT SHARE WESTHEIMER AND THAT CROSSING, AND WE HAVE MULTIPLE CROSSWALKS IN DISTRICT C.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS, UM, BUT STUDENTS ARE GOING TO TAKE THE PATH THAT THEY CHOOSE, WHICH IS WHY I'M ASSUMING HIC SAID, HEY, WE NEED A FORMAL CROSSWALK HERE, RIGHT? THEY'RE NOT GOING, THEY'RE NOT THINKING IN TERMS OF SAFETY NECESSARILY.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE REQUESTED IS ASSISTANCE, EITHER WITH RAISED CROSSINGS OR MAKING THOSE CROSSWALKS MORE SECURE BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE GONNA GO THERE REGARDLESS.
UM, AND WE DON'T WANNA SEE ANY MORE KIDS HIT.
UM, SO THERE'S A FEW MORE I'D LOVE TO SEND OVER TO YOU, UM, BUT ESPECIALLY ON THIS ONE WITH LAMAR WOULD APPRECIATE BEING KEPT IN THE LOOP AS WELL ON THAT.
YES, I, I'LL GO LOOK AT IT AT LUNCH, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'LL DEPEND ON THE ENGINEERS.
COULD BE, UH, WE NEED A FLASHING LIGHT THERE AND CERTAINLY WE NEED HIDS, UH, COOPERATION.
BUT LET'S, UH, LET'S BE PROACTIVE AS WE CAN BE.
BUT, UH, YOU'RE RIGHT, THESE ARE CHILDREN AND SO WE NEED TO, UM, ASSIST THEM IN KNOWING WHAT'S THE SAFEST ROUTE.
BUT, UH, WE'LL CHECK IT OUT IMMEDIATELY.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR.
ANYONE ELSE? I MAYOR I STILL HAVE TWO MORE THINGS I FORGOT TO THANK, I'M SORRY.
UM, GARY, I DIDN'T THANK YOU, UH, FOR HELPING ME GET HOME, BUT I REALLY WANNA THANK YOU.
[03:00:01]
MUCH EVERY WEEK.UM, AND JUST THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID.
UH, AND LASTLY, MAYOR, UM, I APPRECIATE THE CITY'S EYES, UM, ON THE CONCRETE BATCH PLANT ISSUE.
UM, NEXT TO DY, UH, I JUST WANT TO SOUND MY VOICE.
WE HAVE SO MANY PARENTS REACHING OUT TO OUR OFFICE RIGHT NOW WITH SCHOOL STARTING.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF LEGAL LOOPHOLES, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS OPERATION IS WORKING THROUGH.
AND, UH, I WANNA ADD MY VOICE BECAUSE AGAIN, NOT JUST BEING RIGHT NEXT TO EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS, LITERALLY NEXT DOOR, BUT THERE ARE COUNTLESS SCHOOLS IN THAT AREA.
UM, AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING, SO THANK YOU FOR THE CITY'S EYES ON IT.
UM, BUT WE, WE GOTTA SHUT IT DOWN.
AND I WANTED TO JUST CHIME IN ON DIRECTOR WILLIAMS. I DIDN'T REALIZE YESTERDAY WAS HIS LAST DAY, SO MY SINCERE APOLOGIES.
UM, HE WAS SUCH A, IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CANCER CLUSTER.
I MEAN, HE WAS HIS VOICE, HIS OFFICE.
UM, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR FOLKS IN FIFTH WARD, BUT JUST IN GENERAL, WORKING WITH HIM THROUGH COVID.
I MEAN, JUST, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS I COULD SAY ABOUT HIM.
SO HE'S DEFINITELY GONNA BE MISSED.
AND, UM, I WISH HIM THE BEST OF LUCK IN HIS RETIREMENT.