[00:00:19]
[INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
FOR THE INVOCATION.HEAVENLY FATHER, WE STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY.
GRATEFUL FOR EVERY BLESSING YOU HAVE BESTOWED UPON US.
WE HUMBLY ASK FOR YOUR GUIDANCE IN EVERYTHING WE DO.
LET US SEEK YOUR WISDOM IN EVERY DECISION AS WE MAKE IN OUR EFFORT TO MAKE THE CITY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK.
NEVER FORGETTING WE ARE HERE TO SERVE ALL THE PEOPLE.
WILL YOU PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE? PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.
[9:00 AM - ROLL CALL]
SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MAYOR WHITMEYERCOUNCIL MEMBER CARTER PRESENT.
[ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING]
A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF AUGUST 26TH AND 27TH.[ADMIN REPORT]
MEMBERS WILL GET OUR MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.RECOGNIZE CONTROLLER HOLLANDS AND, UH, MELISSA, PLEASE.
MORNING HONOR MORNINGS OF COUNCIL.
I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT, UH, FOR THE MONTH ENDING JULY 31ST, 2025.
THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS PROJECTING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $328.1 MILLION OR 12.9% OF EXPENDITURES, LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.
THIS AMOUNT IS $17.5 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PROJECTION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE DIFFERENCE IS DUE, UH, TO A LOWER REVENUE PROJECTION THAN FINANCE.
BASED ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS, THE FUND BALANCE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $137.6 MILLION ABOVE THE CITY'S TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES, EXCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO IN RESERVE.
WE'VE INCREASED OUR REVENUE PROJECTION BY $55 MILLION FROM THE FY 2026 TRENDS REPORT.
UH, AND THOSE KEY CHANGES ARE AS FOLLOWS, PROPERTY TAX INCREASED BY $43.9 MILLION DUE TO THE REVISION OF THE CITY'S POPULATION ESTIMATE AS OF JULY 1ST, 2024 RELEASED BY THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU.
TRANSFERS FROM OTHER FUNDS INCREASED BY $9.6 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO RECOVERY OF THREE 80.
REIMBURSEMENTS FROM TURS 24 AND DIRECT INTER FUND TRANSFERS INCREASED BY $1.3 MILLION TO REFLECT HIGHER REIMBURSEMENTS FROM THE AIRPORT.
FOR POLICE SERVICES FOLLOWING HPD PAY RAISES.
OUR EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS REMAIN UNCHANGED, UH, FOR THE, FROM THE FY 2026 ADOPTED BUDGET IN BOTH THE GENERAL FUND AND IN OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS FOR OUR COMMERCIAL PAPER AND BONDS.
THE CITY'S PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO MAINTAIN NO MORE THAN 20% OF THE TOTAL OUTSTANDING DEBT FOR EACH TYPE OF DEBT IN A VARIABLE RATE STRUCTURE, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH RATING AGENCY GUIDANCE OF 25% FROM TIME TO TIME.
THE CITY'S ENTERPRISE CREDITS HAVE EXCEEDED THIS THRESHOLD ON AN INTERIM BASIS AS THEY HAVE UNDERTAKEN LARGE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS OR MAJOR EXPANSIONS AS OF JULY 31ST, 2025.
THE RATIO OF UNHEDGED VARIABLE RATE DEBT FOR EACH TYPE OF OUTSTANDING DEBT, UH, WAS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM AND AVIATION.
THEY REMAIN WELL BELOW THE 20% THRESHOLD FOR CONVENTION AND ENTERTAINMENT.
HOUSTON FIRST HAS DRAWN DOWN, UH, $200 MILLION IN INTERIM FINANCING AS THEY WORK ON DESIGN AND FEASIBILITY FOR THE UPCOMING, UH, CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.
IT'S EXPECTED THAT THE PERMANENT FINANCING, UH, WHICH IS FIXED, UH, FOR THIS PROJECT, WILL CLOSE IN JANUARY OF 2026.
AND SO AT THAT TIME, IT'S EXPECTED THAT HOUSTON FIRST PROPORTION OF VARIABLE RATE DEBT EXPOSURE WILL REVERT CLOSER TO ITS HISTORIC LEVEL, WHICH AGAIN, UH, IS WELL BELOW THAT 20%
[00:05:01]
THRESHOLD.WE HAVE RECEIVED THE FINAL SALES TAX RECEIPTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
THE JUNE COLLECTION TOTALED $84.3 MILLION, WHICH IS $7.6 MILLION OR 9.9% HIGHER THAN THE SAME PERIOD.
UH, IN THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR.
TOTAL SALES TAX REVENUE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 REACHED $919,000,016 MILLION ABOVE THE JUNE MOER PROJECTION OF 903,000,030 $6 MILLION HIGHER THAN THAT FISCAL YEAR 2024 TOTAL OF EIGHTY EIGHT EIGHT HUNDRED AND EIGHTY 3 MILLION.
THAT'S A 4.1% OVERALL INCREASE FROM FISCAL YEAR 2024, UH, WHEN COMPARED TO THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICES REGRESSION MODEL.
THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 ACTUALS CAME IN WITHIN 0.1%, UH, OF OUR OFFICE'S BASE CASE PROJECTION AND 0.5% OF OUR CONSERVATIVE PROJECTION, UH, DEMONSTRATING, UH, THE MODEL'S ACCURACY.
SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRY TO ACHIEVE THAT GOING FORWARD.
UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, I HOPE THAT EACH OF YOU ENJOY THE LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND LABOR DAY, AND THE START OF A NEW SCHOOL YEAR, BOTH POINT TO HOUSTON'S GREATEST STRENGTH, WHICH IS OUR PEOPLE FROM FIRST RESPONDERS AND EDUCATORS TO CITY EMPLOYEES, SERVICE WORKERS, AND BUSINESS LEADERS.
EVERY ROLE IN OUR CITY MATTERS.
EACH EFFORT CONTRIBUTES TO THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES TODAY AND HELP SHAPE THE HOUSTON THAT WE'LL SHARE TOMORROW.
EVERY WORKER ON THE JOB AND EVERY STUDENT IN THE CLASSROOM REPRESENTS NEW POSSIBILITIES AND EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIES.
WHEN WE HONOR THAT WORK AND INVEST IN EDUCATION, WE REINFORCE THE VALUES THAT MAKE OUR CITY STRONG, RESILIENT, AND FULL OF PROMISE.
NOW, AS WE MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH WHAT HAS THANKFULLY BEEN A QUIET HURRICANE SEASON SO FAR, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT HOUSTON NEEDS TO DO MORE TO FINANCIALLY PREPARE FOR THE DISASTERS THAT STRIKE OUR CITY.
ALL TOO OFTEN, WE'RE NOW ENTERING THE ROUGHEST STRETCH OF THE SEASON.
JUST AS WASHINGTON IS CUTTING FUNDING FOR FEMA AND OTHER AND OTHER FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT CITIES LIKE OURS HAVE LONG RELIED ON IN TIMES OF CRISIS, IF WE CAN NO LONGER COUNT ON THOSE DOLLARS, WE MUST MAKE SURE THAT OUR OWN FINANCES ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO PROVIDE THE RELIEF, RECOVERY, AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT HOUSTONIANS NEED WHEN DISASTER HITS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT'S A WIN, NOT AN IF.
OVER THE PAST DECADE, WE'VE ENDURED HURRICANES, FLOODS, AND WINTER STORMS. NEARLY ONE FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTER EVERY SINGLE YEAR SINCE 2015.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES OUR CURRENT POSITION SUCH AN ISSUE.
THE CITY'S FINANCIAL POLICIES ONLY SET ASIDE RESERVES TO COVER ABOUT A FEW WEEKS OF CITY OPERATIONS.
THAT'S BARELY HALF OF WHAT FINANCIAL EXPERTS RECOMMEND, AND SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN WHAT OTHER MAJOR CITIES ACROSS TEXAS KEEP IN THEIR EMERGENCY SAVINGS.
THIS LEAVES HOUSTON FINANCIALLY VULNERABLE AT A TIME WHEN EXTREME WEATHER IS NOT ONLY MORE FREQUENT, BUT ALSO MORE COSTLY.
AND LET'S BE CLEAR, OUR FINANCIAL PREPAREDNESS ISN'T JUST A NUMBER ON A REPORT.
IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHETHER TRASH GETS PICKED UP, ROADS GET CLEARED, AND EMERGENCY CREWS SHOW UP WHEN PEOPLE NEED THEM THE MOST.
THAT'S WHY FISCAL OVERSIGHT AND DISASTER READINESS MUST GO HAND IN HAND.
AND THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE'S LATEST INSIGHTS REPORT, WHICH WAS SHARED WITH THE BFA COMMITTEE YESTERDAY, THAT REPORT WAS ENTITLED WEATHERING THE STORM.
WE LAY OUT PRACTICAL STEPS TO STRENGTHEN HOUSTON'S FINANCIAL FOUNDATION.
FIRST, RAISE OUR MINIMUM RESERVE REQUIREMENTS SO THAT THE CITY HAS MORE BREATHING ROOM WHEN DISASTER STRIKES.
SECOND, SAFEGUARD OUR RAINY DAY FUND FROM BEING SPENT DOWN WHEN IT'S NOT RAINING.
AND THIRD, DIRECT YEAR END SURPLUSES AND CLAWBACKS INTO EMERGENCY SAVINGS TO STEADILY GROW THE CUSHION THAT WE HAVE IN TIME OF NEED.
THESE ARE ACHIEVABLE COMMON SENSE MEASURES THAT WILL ENSURE HOUSTON CAN RESPOND TO THE NEXT STORM WITH RESILIENCE RATHER THAN DESPERATION.
THE CHOICE IS SIMPLE, PLAN RESPONSIBLY NOW OR SCRAMBLE LATER, AND RISK FALLING SHORT WHEN HOUSTONIANS NEED US THE MOST.
FINALLY, I WANNA ADDRESS THE UPCOMING SPECIAL ELECTION IN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 18.
BECAUSE OF THE UNUSUAL AND FRANKLY IMPROPER TIMING OF RECENT REDISTRICTING CHANGES, MANY VOTERS ARE UNDERSTANDABLY CONFUSED AND CONCERNED THAT CONFUSION ISN'T AN ACCIDENT.
IT'S PART OF A BROADER AND DEEPLY TROUBLING DISREGARD FOR OUR DEMOCRACY.
AND THE REALITY IS THIS EFFORTS TO DISCOURAGE VOTING ARE REAL AND RAMPANT.
TEXAS HAS BECOME GROUND ZERO FOR VOTER SUPPRESSION AND THE EROSION OF DEMOCRATIC NORMS. BUT HOUSTONIANS CANNOT AFFORD TO SIT THIS OUT.
THE BEST WAY TO PUSH BACK IS SIMPLE, SHOW UP AND VOTE EVERY BALLOT CAST IN THIS SPECIAL ELECTION AND IN EVERY ELECTION, IT'S MORE THAN A PERSONAL CHOICE.
IT'S A DECLARATION THAT POWER BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE.
AND EVERY VOTER WHO STEPS INTO THE BOOTH IS DOING THEIR PART TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY.
[00:10:01]
BEST WHEN WE HONOR HARD WORK, PREPARE WISELY FOR THE FUTURE AND STAND FIRM IN DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACY.WHETHER IT'S THROUGH OUR DAILY CHALLENGES IN TIMES OF DISASTER OR AT THE BALLOT BOX, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT HOUSTONIANS WILL CONTINUE SHOWING UP FOR EACH OTHER.
YOU, YOU SURE YOU DON'T HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? UM, MELISSA, GO AHEAD.
THIS IS THE ONE PLUS 11 FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING JULY 31ST, 2025.
FISCAL YEAR 26 PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON ONE MONTH OF ACTUAL RESULTS AND 11 MONTHS OF PROJECTIONS.
UH, LOOKING BACK AT FISCAL YEAR 25, UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING STANDARDS FOR THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS.
THE FINAL REVENUES FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, UH, WILL INCLUDE REVENUES EARNED THROUGH JUNE, JUNE 30TH, ONLY IF THEY'RE COLLECTED BY THE END OF AUGUST.
UH, SO THE PROJECTED FUND BALANCE THAT WE TALK ABOUT IS STILL BEING, UM, TRUED UP AND WON'T BE FINALIZED UNTIL WE, UH, HAVE THE RELEASE OF THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, WHICH IS TYPICALLY, UH, AT THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
SO MOVING ON TO FISCAL YEAR 26, UM, FOR THE FIRST MONTH, OUR REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS REMAIN AT BUDGET.
AS THE CONTROLLER MENTIONED, THE SALES TAX RECEIPTS, UH, FOR THE PREVIOUS MONTH WERE ABOUT 9.88% HIGHER THAN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR, AND ABOUT 4.6 MILLION HIGHER THAN BUDGET.
UH, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR SALES TAX, UH, AS WE GO THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR.
WE'RE CURRENTLY PROJECTING THE ENDING FUND BALANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 TO BE 345.6 MILLION, WHICH IS 40.7 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, AND REPRESENTS 13.6% OF ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES, NOT INCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY GO.
THAT FUND BALANCE IS 155 MILLION ABOVE THE TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% OF EXPENDITURES, NOT INCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY GO FOR THE ENTERPRISE SPECIAL REVENUE AND OTHER FUNDS.
WE'RE NOT PROJECTING ANY CHANGES THIS MONTH, AND THEY REMAIN, THE PROJECTIONS REMAIN AT THE OPERATING, UH, ADOPTED BUDGET LEVEL.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR REPORT.
UM, YESTERDAY WHEN WE HAD THE PRESENTATION DURING BBFA, THERE WAS A, A SLIDE THAT TALKED ABOUT THE COMPARISON CITIES AND WHAT, UM, OTHER CITIES HELD IN THEIR, UM, FUND BALANCES.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD WAS, AS WE ARE LOOKING AT THESE OTHER CITIES, UM, I KNOW SOME OF THESE CITIES, UM, EITHER, UM, HAVE TRASH FEES, THEY OWN THEIR OWN WATER, THEY HAVE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING IN MONEY.
AND MY QUESTION WAS, UM, CAN WE LOOK AT THOSE AND KIND OF DETERMINE IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON DOESN'T ACTUALLY, UM, DO, BUT MAYBE COULD HAVE THE FRAMEWORK TO INSTITUTE TO BRING IN SOME ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT WE AREN'T LOOKING AT? BECAUSE WHEN I LOOKED AT THE COMPARISON AND WHAT THEY WERE KEEPING AND THEIR FUND BALANCES WERE IN THE TEENS AND, YOU KNOW, OURS THAT, I MEAN, WE'RE IN THE TEENS NOW, BUT OUR REQUIREMENT IS THE 7.5.
UM, MAYBE WE CAN DO A LITTLE DEEPER DIVE AND KIND OF TALK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR US IN THE, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT FINANCE UNDER DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI HAS SHOWN SOME FORM OF THAT ANALYSIS PREVIOUSLY ABOUT THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE, YOU KNOW, IN OTHER CITIES THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, TRASH FEE, WATER COSTS, ET CETERA.
UM, AND SO, UH, WE'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT INFORMATION ALREADY EXISTS AND, AND MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT ERNST AND YOUNG IS ALSO DOING SOME VERSION OF THAT ANALYSIS AS WELL.
AGAIN, I COULD BE MISTAKEN BECAUSE I'M NOT CLOSE TO THE WORK.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE'D BE HAPPY TO TO REFRESH THAT AND MAYBE WE COULD DO IT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FINANCE.
YEAH, I I THINK THAT, UM, BECAUSE WE LOOKED AT IT ON YESTERDAY IN THAT, IN THAT GRAPH FORM, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, WHAT CAME TO MIND FOR ME WAS HOW DO WE COMPARE THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF APPLES TO APPLES AND WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DO WE HAVE THAT MAYBE WE, WE JUST HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT? I MEAN, I, I, I FEEL LIKE WE, WE TRY EVERYTHING WE CAN TO LOOK AT BRINGING IN ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE FUNDS IN OUR, OUR FUND BALANCE.
BUT YOU KNOW, YOU, UH, WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, THERE JUST MAY BE SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT WE, UM, COULD ALSO BE PUTTING A FRAMEWORK TOGETHER IN, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE, YOU KNOW, COSTS AND BENEFITS AND THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, REAL DOLLAR COSTS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THE LAST TIME I REMEMBER DIRECTOR DEBOSKY SHARING A VERSION OF THAT ANALYSIS, IT, IT LAID OUT SOME OF THE KEY THINGS THAT THOSE CITIES ARE DOING.
BUT WE'D BE HAPPY TO BRING THAT BACK BEFORE YOU ALL.
UH, THE MOTION COUNCIL, I MOVE,
[00:15:01]
MOVE TO ACCEPT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.IS THERE A SECOND MOTION MADE? AND SECOND.
[MAYOR'S REPORT]
ON THE MAYOR'S REPORT? THERE'S A LOT GOING ON, BUT TODAY I'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON THE NOTICE OF, UH, STORM PREPARATION.UM, WE ALL KNOW THE TRAGEDY IN CURVILLE.
IT'S VERY CONTROVERSIAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE NOTICE THAT THE FAMILIES RECEIVED AND, UM, LEARNING FROM IT.
AND OUR OWN PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE, TWO STORMS LAST YEAR.
UH, WE WANNA DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH 2.3 MILLION HOUSTONIANS.
SO I'VE ASKED, UM, RON MASON TO COME FORWARD TODAY.
IT'S, UH, EXCITING LEADERSHIP.
UM, AND HE'S GONNA TELL YOU ABOUT OUR WARNING SYSTEM, A TEST FOR IT.
BUT I DON'T KNOW OF OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT, UH, ARE AS PREPARED AS WE ARE.
CERTAINLY, UH, NUMEROUS MENTION THAT WE'RE ENTERING, UH, THE STORM CENTER.
RON MONITORS EVERYTHING COMING OFF THE AFRICAN COAST.
UH, HAVING BEEN IN THE EMERGENCY CENTER FOR THE LAST TWO STORMS, WE MONITOR THINGS WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER BUREAU.
UH, HELL, UH, BARREL WAS GOING TO MEXICO AND SOUTH TEXAS ON A SATURDAY MORNING MM-HMM
IT SHIFTED AND, UH, PROBABLY WASN'T A GOOD MEANS, BRIAN, TO NOTIFY HOUSTONIANS TO, YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE MEDIA AND, UH, GET CONFLICTING REPORTS, BUT I WANT TO YIELD TO YOU NOW WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU ARE PRESENTING THIS MORNING IS REALLY, REALLY EXCITING AND IMPORTANT.
SO I'LL LET YOU DO A BETTER JOB THAN I WOULD'VE EXPLAINED IT.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND COUNCIL'S LEADERSHIP AND ALLOWING US TO DO THIS TEST.
UM, OBVIOUSLY SENDING A MESSAGE TO 2.3 MILLION RESIDENTS, UM, CAN CAUSE SOME CONCERN.
UH, SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO SOME AMPLE MESSAGING, PRESS RELEASES AND COORDINATING WITH ALL YOU TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND OUR RESIDENTS.
UH, SO ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH, SO THIS FRIDAY AT 11:00 AM UH, CITY OF HOUSTON, OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS GONNA SEND A WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERT MESSAGE TO ALL RESIDENTS OR ALL CELL PHONES INSIDE OUR GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, KIND OF OUR CITY BOUNDARIES.
UM, THE TEST IS GONNA COME, IT'S GONNA LOOK A LOT LIKE AN AMBER ALERT, SO IT'S GONNA COME THROUGH THE SAME WAY, BUT INSTEAD OF BEING AN AMBER ALERT, IT'S GONNA COME THROUGH AS A PUBLIC SAFETY ALERT.
SO IT'LL CLEARLY HAVE A DIFFERENT KIND OF CATEGORY OF CLASSIFICATION ON IT.
INSIDE THE MESSAGE, IT'LL SAY MULTIPLE TIMES THAT THIS IS A TEST, UM, THAT NO ACTION IS REQUIRED.
UM, BUT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TEST THE SYSTEM, NUMBER ONE, TO WORK WITH THE CARRIERS.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH AT AND T, VERIZON AND ALL THE LARGE CARRIERS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE THAT THIS MESSAGE IS GONNA COME THROUGH.
IT ALLOWS US TO TEST A FEW OTHER THINGS AS WELL, GETTING READY FOR WORLD CUP.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR CONSULATE CORPS AND FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THAT INTERNATIONAL CELL PHONES WOULD BE GETTING THOSE MESSAGES.
IF PEOPLE WERE HERE, WE'RE TESTING SOME TRANSLATION OR LANGUAGE OPTIONS AS WELL.
UM, SO IF YOU'RE A RESIDENT THAT HAS SPANISH AS YOUR PREFERRED LANGUAGE, WHEN THE MESSAGE GOES OUT, THAT MESSAGE, YOU SHOULD RECEIVE THAT MESSAGE IN SPANISH VERSUS ENGLISH.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO TEST THAT AS WELL.
SO, ONCE AGAIN, IT'S GONNA START AT 11:00 AM ON FRIDAY.
THE TEST SHOULD ONLY LAST FOR 15 MINUTES.
ONCE YOU GET THE MESSAGE, ONCE YOU SHOULD NOT GET THE MESSAGE AGAIN.
UM, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE AWARE THAT THE MESSAGE WILL COME THROUGH ON THEIR CELL PHONE.
UM, WE'VE, UH, ONCE AGAIN, BEEN COORDINATING WITH MEDIA PRESS RELEASES, PARTNERS, STAKEHOLDERS, ALL AROUND THE REGION.
UM, WE'VE BEEN POSTING STUFF ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR WEBSITE.
ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO DRIVE PEOPLE TO IS PEOPLE MAY HAVE TURNED OFF THOSE WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS ON THEIR CELL PHONE.
UM, IF THEY WERE GETTING OVERWHELMED WITH MESSAGING, THEY CAN GO IN AND OPT OUT OF THOSE MESSAGES.
SO ON OUR WEBSITE, WE HAVE THE STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURES, WHETHER YOU HAVE AN IPHONE OR AN ANDROID, ON HOW TO GO BACK IN AND VERIFY AND VALIDATE THAT THOSE MESSAGES ARE TURNED ON TO WHERE YOU CAN GET THOSE IMPORTANT LIFE SAFETY, UH, MESSAGES.
I WILL TELL YOU, THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN ALERT HOUSTON.
ONCE AGAIN, ALERT HOUSTON IS SOMETHING YOU OPT INTO AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
WE SEND THOSE MESSAGES MORE FREQUENTLY.
THIS, WE, A MESSAGE WOULD BE FOR A TRUE LIFE SAFETY INTIMATE THREAT, WHERE WE WOULD
[00:20:01]
WANT THE PUBLIC TO TAKE SOME TYPE OF IMMEDIATE ACTION TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH OR, UH, OR PROPERTY.SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE SEND ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THAT'S WHY WE WANNA TEST THIS AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE THAT ENABLED ON THEIR PHONES, AND KNOW WHAT IT MEANS WHEN THAT MESSAGE COMES THROUGH.
SO, WITH THAT, UM, I WILL PAUSE AND IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, THE TEST COUNCIL MEMBER.
I, FIRST AND FOREMOST WANNA THANK YOU, MAYOR.
WE TALK A LOT, YOU AND I, ABOUT THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT OEM DOES, THE HOURS THAT THEY ARE THERE THAT MOST OF THE PUBLIC DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT.
SO I, I WAS THRILLED TO SEE THIS.
UH, THE WORD I THINK IS GETTING OUT.
UH, MAYOR, I SAW IT ON MY FEED JUST LAST NIGHT.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND WE WILL AS COUNSEL, OUR OFFICE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH OUT THAT MESSAGE.
UM, SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING SO PROACTIVE, UM, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF, UH, THE TRAGEDIES THAT HAVE UNFOLDED WHERE PEOPLE DIDN'T GET NOTICE.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I STILL HAVE, THAT I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK ON IS MAYOR, WHEN CELL TOWERS ARE UP BEFORE A STORM, WE CAN GET THAT ALERT OUT.
MY CONCERN IS WHEN THE DIRETO CAME THROUGH, WHEN BARREL COMES THROUGH AND THOSE TOWERS GO DOWN AND WE LOSE CELL SERVICE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE COMMUNICATING WITH THE PUBLIC THEN? UM, SO IT'D BE VERY HELPFUL, I THINK, AT LEAST FOR ME TO KNOW, AFTER WE WENT THROUGH THIS AND AFTER WE HAVE OUR SYSTEMS IN PLACE AND WE VERIFIED THAT EVERYTHING'S WORKING SMOOTHLY, WHAT ARE WE DOING ON THE BACKEND AND HOW ARE WE GONNA APPROACH THAT AS WELL? YES MA'AM.
BEFORE WE GET TO NOMINATIONS MEMBERS, UH, EACH WEEK I SEE IN OUR, AMONG OUR GUESTS AN OUTSTANDING HOUSTONIAN, AND I CAN'T RECOGNIZE ALL OF 'EM, BUT A REAL LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING, SOMEONE I'VE WORKED WITH FOR YEARS, ACTUALLY, SHE TEACHES A, UH, MENTOR CLASS INSIDE A WOMEN'S PRISON.
UH, KATHY GRIFFIN IS WITH US TODAY.
HER LIFE STORY IS ONE THAT WOULD, HAS BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT KATHY.
SHE, UH, WILL CALL ME FROM AN EMERGENCY CENTER OR MEDICAL FACILITY WITH, UH, VICTIMS THAT NEED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.
IN FACT, SHE'S ACTUALLY WORKED WITH DR. TRAN IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM, UH, FINDING, UH, SAFEKEEPING.
SO KATHY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND, UH, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO VISIT YOUR PRISON MENTORSHIP IN DAYTON, TEXAS, ANY THURSDAY AFTERNOON, IT'S, UH, IT'S A HUGE EYEOPENER AND YOU'LL LEAVE THERE MOTIVATED.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
ON APPOINTMENTS, DOCTOR NUMBER ITEM NUMBER ONE IS DR. TRAN FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.AND I RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR PRO TEM.
TROY'S GONNA, WE NEED A MOTION DETECTIVE OF OUTTA ORDER, AND THEN YOU CALL IT CAST
A MOVE TO TAKE THE ITEMS OUT OF ORDER.
UM, ITEM NUMBER ONE, ITEM ONE NEEDS A MOTION.
UH, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO, UM, OFFER A FRIENDLY TAG ON THIS ITEM.
UM, IT WAS CONSOLIDATED WEEK AND, UM, SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH HER YET.
SHE IS, UM, SCHEDULED TO BE HERE AND AROUND THIS WEEK.
SO IF COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SCHEDULE A TIME TO MEET WITH HER, I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH HER.
I SAW HER, UH, RESUME AND, UM, VERY IMPRESSED WITH, UM, WHAT SHE IS BRINGING TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
BUT I'D LIKE TO TAG THIS ITEM BEFORE WE VOTE ON, UH, THE ACTUAL APPOINTMENT SO THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN VISIT WITH HER.
I TOTALLY SUPPORT YOUR EFFORT, UH, AND YOUR MOTION TO GIVE EVERYONE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET, UH, IT'S OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVANT, UH, THE SCHEDULE WITH THE CONSOLIDATED, UH, MEETINGS AND THE WEEKEND.
UH, WE JUST WANT TO ADDRESS, UH, THE INTRODUCTION AS PROPERLY AS POSSIBLE.
NEXT, ITEM TWO NEEDS A MOTION.
CASTEX TELL YOU TO MOVE I SECOND.
LET'S DO NUMBER THREE ALSO, SINCE THEY'RE ALL ARCHEOLOGICAL.
[00:25:01]
CASTEX TO MOVE.SO WE JUST APPOINTED THESE FOLKS OVER HERE.
AND COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ IS IN THE QUEUE.
I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, ROBERT BROWNING, HE'S A DISTRICT EYE RESIDENT.
WANNA, UH, THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR NOMINATING HIM IN MY ABSENCE.
UM, THIS, UH, HISTORIC AR IN ARCHEOLOGICAL COMMISSION IS IMPORTANT TO DISTRICT I SPECIFICALLY 'CAUSE OF GLENBURG VALLEY.
IT'S THE LARGEST, UH, UM, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO, AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE ROBERT BROWNING FOR HIS SERVICE THAT HE'LL BE, HE'LL BE, UH, UH, HAVING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
ITEM FOUR NEEDS A MOTION CASTEX TAKE TO MOVE I SECOND.
IT'S FINE TO BE AFTER THE VOTE.
LISA HOFFMAN'S IN THE AUDIENCE AND JUST WANNA THANK HER AND HEB FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IT'S MONUMENTAL AND HAPPY THAT YOU'RE ON THIS SPECIAL EVENTS FOR EVERYBODY.
AND, UH, WE'RE SO HAPPY YOU'RE HERE AND ALL OF THESE GREAT NOMINEES.
CIVIC CELEBRATIONS AND SPECIAL EVENTS ARE HUGE, HUGE FOR OUR CITY.
THEY MAKE IT FUN TO LIVE HERE.
THEY GIVE EVERYBODY A SENSE OF PRIDE AND REALLY, UM, RESPECT AND YOUR WORK ON, ON HELPING US DO THAT.
AND LISA
LISA HAD A FRESH BITE PROGRAM, FRESH VEGETABLES IN OUR AREA SCHOOLS.
AND I GOT, UH, ASKED TO COME VISIT.
AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THE AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT IN AUSTIN WAS GIVEN LISA AND HER PROGRAM, SIGNIFICANT GRANT.
SO IT'S A GREAT PATH TO SEE YOU HERE AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AT HEB.
SO LET'S CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AND MAKE HOUSTON A GREAT CITY THAT IT IS.
ANYBODY FOR YOUR FRESH BITE PROGRAM IS ANYBODY ELSE? MANY, MANY OF OUR INNER NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL CHILDREN WOULD NEVER GET A FRESH FRUIT OR VEGETABLE, BUT FOR LISA AND A PROGRAM THAT SHE INNOVATED.
AND IT'S AMAZING THAT YOU END UP NOW IN THE FOOD SUPPLY BUSINESS.
I, I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN RECOGNIZED LISA.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK IF ANY OF THE OTHER APPOINTMENTS WERE HERE, IF, IF THEY WOULD STAND.
AND WE APPRECIATE THEIR, UM, WILLINGNESS TO SERVE AS WELL, IF ANY OF THE OTHER APPOINTMENTS ARE HERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WE, WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE.
AND SEEING PEOPLE STAND, I COULDN'T CATCH EVERYONE'S FACE, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE ZION ESCOBAR, WHO'S HERE, UM, WHO HAS DONE INCREDIBLE WORK IN FOURTH WARD FRIEDMANS TOWN.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION, LISA.
I GOT TWO, I GOT A LOT OF STRONG DISTRICT C UH, REPRESENTATION HERE TODAY.
HMM, THAT'S IT FOR THE APPOINTMENTS.
SO WE'RE READY TO MOVE TO PUBLIC SESSION.
OKAY, MR. SECRETARY, PUBLIC SESSION.
IVY SPIVEY, IVY SPIVEY, PAMELA BUSBY TO BE FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL WADE.
I AM A VICTIM OF JAYVON MAJOR.
HE'S THE FUNERAL HOME SCAMMER IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
AND I WANNA THANK MR. MARTINEZ OFFICE FOR ASSISTING WITH US VICTIM WITH THIS SITUATION.
UM, HE OPENED UP AN UNLICENSED FUNERAL HOME AT LEAVE.
AND HE'S PRESENTING TO THE CITY THAT'S A CHURCH, BUT HE'S HOSTING FUNERAL.
HE PUTTING BODIES IN HIS FACILITY.
[00:30:01]
AND I WOULD LIKE FOR THE MAYOR OFFICE TO COME IN AND, AND HELP US VICTIM BRING AWARENESS BECAUSE THE CITY OF OCCUPANTS IS GIVING HIM SIX MONTHS TO BRING, TO GET A PERMIT.AND THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE BECAUSE HE'S HURTING MORE PEOPLE AND BRINGING IN, HURTING MORE PEOPLE WITH BRINGING THE BODIES IN AND HOSTING FUNERAL IN THIS BUILDING.
AND I WOULD LIKE FOR THE MAYOR OFFICE TO STEP IN.
AND ALSO MR. MARTINEZ OFFICE ALSO STEPPED IN TO MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE ELSE GET HURT WITH THIS INCIDENT.
AND IT IS VERY, VERY CRUCIAL BECAUSE HE JUST DID A FUNERAL THE OTHER DAY.
HE'S BRINGING THESE FAMILIES INTO THIS BUILDING HOSTING FUNERAL AS UNACCEPTABLE.
HOME COMMISSION IS GOING THROUGH A LOT RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S A LITIGATION OF, UH, CORRUPT GOING ON.
WE CAN'T GET NO HELP FROM THEM.
HE JUST DIED JAIL FOR PROBATION.
WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO GO TO THE MEDIA FOR ADDICTION? I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO MY LOCAL STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
OFFICER STEPPED IN AS WELL BECAUSE BEING A FUNERAL DIRECTOR IS THE MISDEMEANOR WE TRYING TO GET TO TELL A FELONY.
SO I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO ANYONE, ANYONE TO GET ASSISTANCE TO HELP THIS STOP THIS MAN FROM HURTING MORE FAMILIES.
IT'S BEEN READ TAGGED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THEY'RE GONNA REVISIT IT FRIDAY FOR FURTHER ACTION.
AND COULD YOU ALSO LET THE CITY OCCUPANT KNOW THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO LET HIM KNOW WHO'S SENDING IN INFORMATION BECAUSE THEY'RE PUTTING OTHER PEOPLE IN JEOPARDY.
HE'S CALLING PEOPLE, THREATENING THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING THAT THE CITY OF OCCUPANT INSPECTOR TOLD HIM WHO WAS REPRESENTING SENDING IN LETTERS.
THAT IS TOTALLY IN UNACCEPTABLE.
MS. BUSBY, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR OFFICE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, UH, JUAN PABLO FROM MY OFFICE, MY TEAM, HE'S BEEN WORKING WITH YOU DILIGENTLY.
UH, MR. MAYOR STATED THEY'LL BE DOING A SITE VISIT FRIDAY AS WELL.
UM, AND IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION, WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THIS WOULD'VE BEEN GOING ON? YES.
UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE WE STAY IN COMMUNICATION WITH YOU AS WELL.
HEY, CAN I TALK TO SOMEONE WITH YOUR OFFICE AS WELL? YES.
BOB WILL COME, UH, COME HERE AND IF YOU WANNA WAIT FOR A BIT.
OH, TO BE FOLLOWED BY LETICIA GOMEZ.
UH, UH, GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL.
I'M LEGALLY BLIND, BUT, UH, I'M COMING FOR, UH, DISTRICT, UH, B BASICALLY THE 7 7 0 7 8, UH, ZIP CODE AREA.
UH, MY FIRST TOPIC IS ABOUT THE, UH, BARREL, UH, RELIEF FUNDS AND HOW THAT WOULD BE, UH, DISTRIBUTED WHENEVER THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RELEASES THAT TO THE CITY.
UH, THAT AREA, UH, IN PARTICULAR, OUR HOME.
THIS IS MY MOTHER WHO, UH, PROVIDES CARE FOR ME RIGHT NOW, UH, WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT AREA TYPICALLY DOESN'T GET THE ASSISTANCE, WHETHER IT BE FROM, UH, LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL.
AND SO WE ARE, WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS TIME WE DON'T GET PASSED OVER.
UH, CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATION, SO I WANTED TO BRING IT TO THE CITY'S ATTENTION THAT WE ARE, UH, LOOKING FOR THAT HELP.
UH, THE SECOND THING IS THE RISE IN CRIME IN THAT AREA.
THE 7 7 0 7 8 AND 7 7 0 9 3 ZIP CODES.
UH, I GO TO DIALYSIS ON, UH, TIDWELL AND JENSEN ROAD.
AND IN THE MORNINGS, WHETHER IT'S AT 5:36 AM OR EITHER WHEN I'M GETTING OUT AT NINE O'CLOCK, WE'RE STOPPED AT RED LIGHTS BY STREET WALKERS.
YOU KNOW, AT THAT TIME OF, UH, MORNING, UH, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, GOING IN AND OUT DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY MAKING THEIR DRUG TRANSACTIONS.
AND IT REALLY MAKES, UH, PEOPLE IN MY SITUATION FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE AND UNSAFE.
UH, 'CAUSE I'M, WITH ME BEING LEGALLY BLIND, NOT ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY DEFEND MYSELF OR KNOW WHO'S
[00:35:01]
AROUND ME MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT.AND, UH, NOT JUST IN THAT AREA, BUT ALSO OUR LOCAL GROCERY STORE HAS REALLY BEEN TAKEN OVER BY, UH, DRUG USERS.
UH, THE FIESTA ON TWELL AND MESA ROAD, UH, PIMPS, PROSTITUTES, UH, PEOPLE DOING THEIR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES IN THE PARKING LOT.
SO WE CAN'T EVEN GO AND GROCERY SHOP THERE ANYMORE.
WE HAVE TO TRAVEL APPROXIMATELY SEVEN MILES TO ANOTHER GROCERY STORE TO JUST TO, YOU KNOW, GET GROCERIES.
AND, UH, THE THIRD AND FINAL THING IS, UH, AT ONE POINT THEY ARE DOING PUBLIC WORKS, UH, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT IN THE AREA, AND THAT MIGHT BE CAUSING SOME, UH, OTHER ISSUES AS FAR AS PIPES BURSTING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND, UH, MY NEIGHBOR WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO COVER THAT COST.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT IF IT'S ACTUALLY THEM OR NOT.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON? COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND MR. WADE, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND SHARING, UM, YOUR CONCERNS.
I'M COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, I REPRESENT, UM, THE AREA.
AND SO WOULD LOVE TO, UM, SIT DOWN AND SPEAK WITH YOU.
HAVE MY CONSTITUENT SERVICE REP WORK WITH YOU.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT, YOU MENTIONED HOME REPAIR.
JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, HOW TO NAVIGATE THAT SPACE.
AND THEN CONNECTING YOU WITH, I WOULD LIKE TO CONNECT YOU WITH OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK AROUND THE FLOODING AND, UM, GROCERY STORES.
SO, YOU KNOW, HAVING YOU A PART OF THE CONVERSATION, YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, IT, OFFER YOUR ADVICE BUT THEN ALSO BE INCLUDED AND BE, BE PART OF, UM, CREATING THE, UM, THE SOLUTIONS FOR SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT B.
SO, UM, I WOULD HAVE ANTHONY, UH, JESSICA REACH OUT TO YOU AND THEN WE WILL, YOU KNOW, GET YOU INVOLVED.
LETICIA GOMEZ, REGINALD HUEY TO BE FOLLOWED BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ.
GOOD MORNING, MS. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT I DIDN'T SKIP MS. GOMEZ THERE.
I, UH, MY NAME IS REGINALD HUEY AND I AM A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN.
GREW UP IN THE AREA, EDUCATED HERE, WORKED HERE, AND NOW I AM A BUSINESS OWNER HERE.
UM, AS A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN EDUCATOR AND BUSINESS OWNER, I TAKE PRIDE IN MY CITY AND MY COMMUNITY STEPPING UP TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY STRIVING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER AS PART OF MY WHEELHOUSE, SUCH AS THE CASE AFTER THE CIVILITY ORDINANCE WAS EXPANDED IN JULY OF 2025.
WHILE I SUPPORT THE GOALS OF THE ORDINANCE AS IT HELPS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS OF THE HOMELESSNESS, MY CONCERNS CENTER AROUND THE FACT THAT THE HOMELESS PROBLEM ISN'T SOLVED, BUT RATHER DISPLACED, UM, BY OUTLAWING HOMELESSNESS, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS IN THE DOWNTOWN AND EAST OF DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND AS LONG AS THERE ARE MORE INDIVIDUALS THAN THERE ARE BEDS TO SUPPORT THEM, THE HOMELESS PROBLEM IS SIMPLY BEING DISPLACED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE.
MY EXPERIENCE SUGGESTS THAT NORTH OF DOWNTOWN AND NORTH OF IDO IS SUCH A PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE AND OR DISPLACEMENT.
I'VE GOT PICTURES THERE THAT YOU CAN SEE, UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING IN PARKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT IN THE AREA OF 7 7 0 2 0.
SO SOME OF THE IMPACTS THAT WE'RE REALIZING IS NEW HOMELESSNESS ENCAMPMENTS.
ALL THIS WEEK THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS ENC CAMPING IN THE CATHERINE ADAMS PARK, 4,800 RALEIGH STREET, 7 7 0 2 0, DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF OUR AIRBNB BUSINESS, AND THREE OTHER AIRBNBS ON THE STREET.
THIS IS NOT THE PICTURE WE HOPE TO PAINT OF HOUSTON TO TRAVELERS BOOKING OUR PROPERTIES FROM OTHER CITIES AND OTHER STATES.
OUR PROFILE PROUDLY HIGHLIGHTS A PARK VIEW.
AND NOW THIS HAS BECOME A SOURCE OF BUSINESS DISRUPTION
[00:40:01]
AS PEOPLE SEE, UM, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PROPERTIES.AND THEN PROPERTY VALUATION REDUCTION, THE DISPLACEMENT HAS CAUSED MANY HOMEOWNERS TO DECIDE TO MOVE TO OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY.
SELLERS HAVE FOUND IT, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
OKAY, COUNCILOR POLLARD, YOU HAVE MY TIME.
THANK, APPRECIATE THAT, UM, SELLERS HAVE FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO SELL AT APPRAISED VALUES AND BENEFIT FROM THE EQUITY THAT HAS BEEN BUILT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
SOME HOMES HAVE APPRECIATED MORE THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND HOMEOWNERS ARE SHOCKED TO FIND THAT THEY'RE UNABLE TO SELL THEIR HOMES QUICKLY.
AND AT THE PERVER PREFERRED PRICE, OUR NEIGHBORS DIRECTLY NEXT TO US, UM, ARE IN THIS PRE PREDICAMENT, HAVING DECIDED TO MOVE TO THE HEIGHTS.
THEY CANNOT SELL THEIR HOME AND ARE FORCED TO LOSE EQUITY IN ATTEMPTS TO FIND A PRICE POINT MORE ATTRACTIVE TO PROSPECTIVE BUYERS.
AND I'VE GOT PICTURES OF THE, THE BLIGHT THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE AREA AND HOMES THAT ARE FOR SALE AND UNABLE TO BE SOLD THERE.
SO, SUGGESTIONS THAT I, I PRESENT, UH, ONE IS TO IMPLEMENT THE ORDINANCE CITYWIDE AS A MINIMUM STANDARD TO PROVIDE ALL CITY RESIDENTS THE SAME TOOLS TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES.
NUMBER TWO, IMPLEMENT THE ORDINANCE ONLY AS THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE BIDS SUPPORT THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS DISPLACED.
AND THE THIRD POINT IS TO POSTPONE THE ORDINANCE IF RESOURCES ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE ORDINANCE IN A FAIR AND EQUITABLE WAY FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS RESIDENTS IMPACTED.
AND, UH, APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.
UH, WE'RE MONITORING IT VERY CAREFULLY.
IT DID START TILL SEPTEMBER ONE, SO A LOT OF THE CONDITIONS THAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING, AS YOU WELL KNOW, HAVE BEEN PRESENT FOR YEARS.
AND, UH, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, TO CLEAN IT UP, NOT ONLY IN THE, UH, AREA OF CENTRAL HOUSTON, BUT AREA ADJOINING NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, AND, AND NO ONE WILL BE RELOCATED UNLESS THERE'S A SHELTER FOR THEM.
WE HAVE A LOT OF NEGLECT TO ATTEND TO SOME OF THE PICTURES THAT, UH, YOU'VE SUBMITTED I'M FAMILIAR WITH.
AND, UH, IT'S YEARS AND NEGLECT AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP IN BEING HERE.
PAUL RODRIGUEZ, CLEMENTE MATHIS, ERIC SANCHEZ, CHRISTOPHER CATO, MILDRED ILLA, IKA DAVIS.
MARION SCOTT, IAN EK RICHARD GILMORE TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH AMARI.
I'M HERE AGAIN TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION FOR THE CLOSURE.
POLK, LIVING IN THE EAST END COMES WITH KNOWN CONNECTIVITY ISSUES THAT COMPOUND WITH EACH OTHER, FREQUENTLY TRAINS AND RAIN.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD TALLIES OVER 5,400 AT GRADE BLOCKAGES ANNUALLY, SOME LASTING HOURS TO PROVIDE CONTEXT.
45 STATES IN THE US EXPERIENCED LESS THAN A THOUSAND ANNUALLY.
THESE ARE MADE WORSE WITH INTENSE RAIN.
I'D LIKE TO REVIEW EASTWEST CONNECTIONS NOW.
RENTALS THAT CROSSES THE TRAIN TRACK AND WILL BE A DEAD END AFTER THE HIGHWAY EXPANSION NAVIGATION UNDERPASS THAT WAS CLOSED SEVERAL DAYS THIS WEEK DUE TO RAIN COMMERCE.
THE SAME RAIL LINE CROSSING RENTALS OFTEN DELAYS EAST WEST CONNECTIONS SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND THE ROUTE EAST, IF NAVIGATION IS CLOSED, HARRISBURG HEADING WEST OUTTA THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT HAS AN UNDERPASS FOR THE RAILS THAT WILL LOSE EFFECTIVENESS WHEN RAIN WITH RAIN AND SPLITS INTO CONGRESS IN TEXAS, BOTH STREETS ENTANGLED WITH THE BALLPARK AND SOCCER STADIUM, NO DOUBT WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS FROM THE WORLD CUP.
THEN WE HAVE OUR BELOVED POLK UNAFFECTED, LIKE ITS NORTHERN PARALLEL STREETS ONLY FACING THE CHOPPING BLOCK FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER.
THEN SOUTH WE HAVE LELAND THE DARLING CHILD THAT HAS BEEN FLOATED A TWO-WAY CONVERSION, CURRENTLY STANDS CLOSED AT THE HIGHWAY WITH CONSTRUCTION FOR DRAINAGE WITH NOTHING IN WRITING ON HOW THE CONSTRUCTION WILL CADENCE WITH THE SURROUNDING AREA FOR A CONVERSION CLOSING, POLK NOT ONLY IMPACTS CONNECTIVITY, BUT FURTHER EXASPERATES THE
[00:45:01]
KNOWN PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE OF FIRST RESPONDERS RESPONSE TIME TO GET INTO SERVICE IN RESIDENCE.WHY DOES HOUSTON FIRST CONTINUE TO DOWNPLAY THE SIGNIFICANCE POLL AND EXPECT RESIDENTS TO BE SATISFIED WITH THE LACK OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ON HOW THIS WILL BE ADDRESSED.
NEXT, JOSEPH ARI TO BE FOLLOWED BY IKA DAVIS, MY FRIEND.
I KNOW I BRING A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF BRINGING TO HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL A LOT OF NATIONAL POLITICAL ISSUES THAT CAUSE THE LAND MUST REMAIN FREE.
THESE ARE NATIONAL POLITICAL POLICY ISSUES THAT AFFECTED US ADVERSELY LOCALLY AND HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND ALL ACROSS AMERICA.
IF AMERICA SOCIAL SECURITY POLICY WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT, ALL THE REST OF AMERICA PRESIDENT, WHY NO LONGER WELCOME, GOOD ENOUGH FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA TRUMP BIDEN MAKE IT WANNA GO ON AMERICA MUST REINFORCE HIS PRINCIPLE, PROVIDING LABOR AND MANAGE FAIR WAGE TO SALARY AND MUST SUGGEST COMPENSATED MIRACLE LABOR FORCES WITH ECONOMIC FOR THEIR ECONOMIC CREDIT CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY.
THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN TOTALLY CORRUPT THAT WE HAVE, WE GOT HARRIS COUNTY FAMILY COURT JUDGES, THE NINE NON-CUSTODIAL BIOLOGICAL FAMILY, EX-HUSBAND, BABY DADDY, PERAL VISITATION, RIGHT? EVEN WHEN THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS FROM THE RESPONDENT, EX-WIFE, BABY MAMA.
THIS IS SUPPORT OUR POLICY PROGRAM, PEOPLE WORKING.
SO THE SOCIAL SERVE BENEFIT DEPARTMENT LEVERAGED THESE WOMEN JOBS SUCH BENEFITS AGAINST THESE MEN.
WE GOTTA GO BACK TO OUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
I JUST, CAN I HAVE 30 MORE SECONDS? SURE, GO AHEAD.
WE GOTTA GO BACK TO OUR CHECK.
OUR ALL CHECKS AND BALANCE SYSTEM AMERICA CAN PAY FOR EVERYTHING, FOR EVERYBODY AROUND THE WORLD TO STRETCH OUR DOLLAR ALL AROUND THE WORLD AND PAY FOR EVERYBODY WAS INCLUDES ALL IN THIS NEW JUST NO ECONOMY WITHOUT ANY CASH GENERATION, ECONOMY, ECONOMICS, THE BACKUP OF HOUSTON AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICAN ECONOMY.
CASH IS KING AND QUEEN, PAY FOR EVERYTHING, INCLUDING DEBT.
WHOEVER DECIDED TO CHANGE OUR SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAM POLICY FOR THE WORST, THEY SHOULD BE FIRED AND IMPEACHED.
BUT WE'RE GOOD ENOUGH FOR OUR PARENTS, OUR MOTHERS, AND OUR FATHERS BEFORE US.
WHY? IT'S NOT ONLY GOOD ENOUGH FOR US.
HOW Y'ALL DOING? WERE YOU SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE? HOW Y'ALL DOING? MY NAME IS, MY NAME IS IKA DAVIS AND I'VE BEEN BEING HARASSED BY, UM, SOME RAPPERS AND, UM, THEY ARE INVOLVED IN, UM, DOING BODY ENHANCEMENTS, UM, STEALING FROM, FOR HUMANS BODIES.
AND THEY CALLED, KIDNAPPED MY CHILDREN AND WALKED ME INTO JAIL TO THE HOSPITAL AND IN SOME CASES DEATH.
UM, I'M, I'M HERE TO, UM, ASK FOR, UM, HELP WITH, UM, VICTIM COMPENSATION SO I CAN GET A LAWYER, UM, THE RAPPER, HALF MY CHILD IN JAIL, BEATING HIM UP AND RAPING HIM BECAUSE HE WAS BORN WITH SPIRITUAL GIFTS, UM, WITH THE BLACK DESCENDANTS OF, UM, KING DAVID.
AND WE WAS BORN WITH, WITH GIFTS TO, UM, HELP RUN THE GOVERNMENT AND RAPPER.
UM, AND, AND THE RAPPER, WHATEVER THAT'S BEEN HARASSING US.
JAY-Z HE'S A DISTANT FAMILY MEMBER OF MINE.
AND INSTEAD OF HIM COMING TO HELP ME, HE, UM, DECIDED TO DECODE US AND PUT OUR GIFTS ON ANOTHER YOUNG LADY.
AND, UM, THE BABIES THAT THEY'VE BEEN FINDING UNDER THE MANS, UM, BELONGS TO ME.
HE RECONSTRUCTED MY, UM, UTERUS, MY, UM, BIRTHING SYSTEM AND SWAPPED IT TO SOMEONE ELSE FOLLOWING THE DA VINCI CODE.
UM, HE STUDIED, UM, THE ANATOMY OF A HUMAN BODY AND LEARNED HOW TO, UM, SWAP BODY PARTS.
AND I DO HAVE MEDICAL RECORDS OF MY BONES AND EVERYTHING BEING SWAPPED OUT.
UM, MY MOST CONCERN IS THAT, UM, HE'S IN A, UM, AS PROTECTING COURT AND HE'S LEAVING HIS BODY TO COME SIT IN OUR BODY TO, UM, HARASS US CONSTANTLY OR WHATEVER.
HE PICKED UP SOME OF HIS FRIENDS AND THEY'RE RAPING AND HURTING MY CHILD BECAUSE HE GIFTED AND JAY-Z WANTED TO BE, UM, CALLED AT KING.
YET HE'S NOT THE KING WE ARE AND MY CHILD NEED HELP TODAY.
ARE IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR ADDRESS IS IN DISTRICT J.
HAVE YOU HEARD OF JAY CITY? NO.
THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, AND I THINK SOMEONE FROM
[00:50:01]
HIS TEAM WILL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU.YOU'RE RIGHT THERE IN JAY CITY AND THEY HAVE A, AN ABUNDANCE OF SERVICES.
UM, AND HE'S AN ATTORNEY AND I THINK HE COULD BE OF SOME HELP.
UM, IT'S LIKE HE'S HOLDING HIM FOR, UM, RANSOM AND, UM, HE, UM, I'LL EXPLAIN IT TO YOU LATER.
THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS
LET'S GO BACK TO THE CONSENT UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE RESOLUTIONS CATEGORY.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY SINCE YOUR LIST WAS DISTRIBUTED.
ITEMS 9, 14, 15, 16, 22 AND 23 HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
ALRIGHT, UH, ITEMS 10, 13, 17, AND 21 HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF THEY RECEIVE BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING.
ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE ITEMS REMOVED
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.ITEM 14 IS AN ORDINANCE, JUST NEED A VOTE.
UH, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM, BUT I DID WANT TO CALL ATTENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE FROM THE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT EMERGENCY PO WE ARE STILL DEALING WITH TODAY.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS A VICTIMLESS CRIME, WHERE IN FACT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ALL THESE SUBS COMING TO US WEEK AFTER WEEK, PLEADING HOW THEY COULDN'T GET PAID, UH, BECAUSE THIS WAS UNDER INVESTIGATION AND, YOU KNOW, THE PUNISHMENT THAT WENT TO THESE PEOPLE WAS ALMOST NON-EXISTENT WITH THE MAJORITY OF THEM GETTING DEFERRED ADJUDICATION.
ONLY ONE PERSON ACTUALLY HAVING TO PAY THE MONEY BACK THAT THEY STOLE.
UH, ONLY ONE PERSON GOING TO JAIL.
AND THAT PERSON IS ALREADY ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE.
SO I HIGHLY DOUBT THEY'LL BE IN JAIL VERY LONG AT ALL.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
FAVOR SAY YES AS OPPOSED TO NA.
COUNCIL MCC, COUNCILMAN CAYMAN.
I WAS WAITING FOR THIS ITEM TO PASS.
UM, MARY, I JUST WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT AND THANK, UH, COMMISSIONER BRIAN'S OFFICE FOR STEPPING UP, UM, TO INVEST IN OUR CITY OWNED PARKS.
THIS IS A, UM, LONG TERM, UH, TWO DECADE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR PRECINCT FOUR TO TAKE OVER MAINTENANCE OF, UH, MULTIPLE PARKS, FOUR OF WHICH THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE IN DISTRICT C.
UH, SO I, I DO WANNA THANK THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, UH, AND COMMISSIONER BRIANA SPECIFICALLY FOR STEPPING UP, UH, WHILE RECOGNIZING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DECREASED H PART'S BUDGET BY 4%.
SO THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT MAINTENANCE GOING.
UM, I ALSO APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, OUR OFFICE HAD HELPED FUND SOME OF THE MAINTENANCE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THIS PARK JUST THIS PAST YEAR FOR ONE OF THEM AT JC PARK, WHICH I KNOW YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH.
UM, I HOPE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WILL CONTINUE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE PARTNERSHIP.
BUT AGAIN, UH, GRATEFUL FOR THE CITY COUNTY PARTNERSHIP HERE.
UM, THE COMMISSIONER'S BEEN AN OUTSTANDING, UH, PARTNER OF THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND HER PRECINCT IS A MODEL, ACTUALLY OTHER COMMISSIONERS FOR JOINING IN.
WE ALL REPRESENT THE SAME PEOPLE AND, UM,
[00:55:01]
CITIZENS WILL BENEFIT.SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR REMARKS AND THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER BRIANIS.
SHE'S AN OUTSTANDING PUBLIC OFFICIAL COUNCILOR THOMAS, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
I JUST WANNA ADD MY, MY COMMENTS TO THIS ITEM, UH, THE LOCATION AND DISTRICT F IT'S NOT A PARK, IT'S JUST A SLIVER OF GRASS.
UM, UH, AND, AND, AND IF IT IS TO BE DEVELOPED, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, INCLUDED IN THAT CONVERSATION.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE DISTRICT F HOTSPOT TEAM HAS, UM, UH, LAST YEAR COMPLETED OVER 106,000 SQUARE FEET OF LANDSCAPING.
AND SO FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WE'RE ALWAYS A PARTNER IN THIS WORK AS WE'RE ALREADY MAINTAINING, UM, UH, EASEMENTS PUBLIC SPACES.
AND SO WOULD'VE APPRECIATED BEING IN A CONVERSATION WITH THIS BECAUSE I READ THIS ANNOUNCEMENT PRIOR TO THE VOTE, SO IT WAS ALREADY AS IF THIS WAS A DONE DEAL.
SO I WOULD JUST APPRECIATE THAT IF WE CAN CLOSE THE COMMUNICATION, UH, LOOPS AND MAKING SURE THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE INCLUDED IN, IN THESE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS SO WE CAN SUPPORT OUR DEPARTMENTS AND ELEVATE THE PARTNERSHIP.
AND WE RECEIVED ITEM 21, SO WE CAN GO TO 21.
THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA VERY WELL, PAPA
[NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ.UH, DISTRICT D REMAINED ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY OVER THIS PAST WEEK.
AND ON WEDNESDAY, UH, THE CINDERELLA BALL FOR SENIORS WAS JUST FANTASTIC.
IN THE SUNNYSIDE HEALTH AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
IT WAS HOSTED BY THE HONORARY MAYOR OF SUNNYSIDE, SANDRA MASSEY HINES, WHO IS A WOMAN WHO IS DUE ALL THE ACCOLADES BECAUSE SHE WORKS VERY, VERY HARD IN SUNNYSIDE, PARTICULARLY FOR THE SENIORS.
AND IT WAS A DAY OF FELLOWSHIP AND RECOGNITION.
ON THURSDAY, THE SOUTH UNION CIVIC ASSOCIATION HELD ITS COMMUNITY MEETING AT SOUTH UNION PLACE APARTMENTS ON SCOTT STREET.
UH, I CERTAINLY GOT GRILLED A LOT REGARDING THE TRASH AND THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THAT AREA.
AND I'M CERTAINLY GONNA WORK WITH THAT COMMUNITY, UM, TO TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THEIR PRIORITIES AND CERTAINLY SHARE UPDATES WITH THEM TO HELP THEM TO HAVE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND ON FRIDAY, I ATTENDED THE INAUGURAL, UH, TOURNAMENT, GOLF TOURNAMENT AND FUNDRAISER, UH, HOSTED BY JAMES SMOKEY PHILLIPS, OUR CONSTABLE AT THE WILDCAT GOLF CLUB.
THE OCCASION SERVED AS BOTH A FUNDRAISER AND A CELEBRATION OF HIS BIRTHDAY.
SO HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY CONSTABLE, UH, DRAWING STRONG PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT FROM ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.
ON SUNDAY, I ATTENDED WESLEY A ME CHURCH WHERE THEY HAD A GREEK SUNDAY.
IT WAS SUCH A SPIRIT FILLED ENGAGEMENT, AND CERTAINLY ALL OF THE GREEK ORGANIZATIONS WERE REPRESENTED, AND IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL DAY OF FELLOWSHIP THERE IN THEIR NEW SANCTUARY.
AND SO, UM, CERTAINLY JUST REALLY, REALLY GLAD TO BE IN THEIR PRESENCE AND KNOW THAT, UH, WE CAN COME TOGETHER REGARDLESS OF WHAT COLORS WE MAY WEAR, UH, CERTAINLY, WHICH IS INDICATIVE OF THE WORLD.
AND SO CERTAINLY, UM, WAS GLAD TO PARTICIPATE.
I WANT TO NOTE THAT ON THUR, I THINK IT WAS THURSDAY NIGHT, I WENT TO THE RETIREMENT PARTY FOR DIRECTOR STEVEN WILLIAMS. I DIDN'T KNOW HE COULD SHAKE A TAIL FEATHER LIKE THAT.
SO HE'S REALLY GONNA ENJOY HIS RETIREMENT.
THEY HAD A FANTASTIC PARTY AND, UH, PEOPLE CAME OUT TO LET HIM KNOW HOW MUCH THEY WILL MISS AND APPRECIATE HIM.
AND, UM, JUST WANNA MAKE A NOTE THAT THE TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 2,600 HOLMAN STREET, WILL HOST A CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 18 FORUM THIS SATURDAY FROM 11 TO 1230.
CERTAINLY WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THE CANDIDATES, UH, AS WE HAVE LONG BEEN WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
AND SO WE CERTAINLY WANT PEOPLE TO COME OUT SO THAT YOU CAN BECOME INFORMED REGARDING, UH, THE PEOPLE WHO MAY TAKE THAT SEAT.
AND SO I BELIEVE, UH, OH, I'M SORRY, KOREAN RECOVERY RESOURCES, 80TH ANNIVERSARY BREAKFAST WILL BE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 12TH FROM EIGHT TO 9:00 AM AT THE HOUSTON JUNIOR LEAGUE, 1811 BRIAR OAKS LANE, UH, CERTAINLY NEAR THE GALLERIA.
AND FINALLY, MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE ADMINIS, OTHER OTHERS IN THE ADMINISTRA ADMINISTRATION FOR PAUSING THE HERMAN PARK, UH, GOLF COURSE IMPROVEMENTS TO ALLOW TIME TO ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY CONCERNS.
I HAVE BEEN IN INUNDATED WITH MANY PHONE CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO DO NOT SUPPORT THE CHANGE.
CERTAINLY I KNOW THAT UPGRADES ARE NEEDED, BUT THAT PARK, THAT HISTORICAL PARK, LET ME NOTE, THAT HAS BEEN A,
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A, A STAPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST FOR THE GOLFERS, BUT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WALKING AND ENGAGING AT THE PARK.AND SO I BELIEVE THAT WE STARTED THE WRONG WAY BY NOT ENGAGING THE GOLF COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO CERTAINLY, UH, GONNA CIRCLE BACK AND DO THAT.
AND SO THIS PARK NOT ONLY SERVES DISTRICT D, BUT ALL HOUSTONIANS.
AND SO I, I, I SPOKE WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARYANNE HUFFMAN, WHO INDICATED THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN HER DISTRICT WHO REALLY DON'T WANT THE PARK CHANGED AS WELL.
UH, BECAUSE THE ACCESSIBILITY AND THE ABILITY TO GET IN AND, AND ENGAGE IN THE SPORT IS MUCH EASIER.
AND THE GREENS FEES ARE CERTAINLY NOT AS EXPENSIVE.
AND SO WE CHERISH HERMAN PARK AND JUST, I'M JUST GONNA SAY THAT IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES, A FIGHT COMES WITH IT.
IN WORKING WITH YOU, UH, AND THE COMMUNITY, UH, COULD BE AMPLE TIME, AND IT'S BEEN, UH, REALLY MANAGED BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WHO BROUGHT THIS FORWARD, THE CONSERVANCY, AS YOU WELL KNOW, THE ASTROS SHOWED INTEREST.
SO, UM, IT'S A GOOD TIME TO SLOW DOWN, HAVE ENGAGEMENT, AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
NOTHING, NOTHING IS MOVING FORWARD WITHOUT A CONSENSUS.
UH, BUT AS YOU KNOW, THE DIRECTOR ALLEN, IS AN OUTSTANDING, UH, PARKS DIRECTOR.
UH, THE CONSERVANCY WAS GONNA DO SOME THINGS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE KIND OF, UH, FIRST CERTAINLY SOME MAYBE SOCCER FIELDS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THE, THE ROBINSON CENTER IS NEEDED UPDATING FOR YEARS AND YEARS, BUT THAT CAN ALL BE DONE IN DUE TIME WITH PROPER CONSENSUS BUILDING.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, REPRESENTING YOUR DISTRICT.
AND ALSO, AS YOU WELL SAID, IT'S A CITYWIDE, UH, ASSET.
I'VE BEEN KNOWN TO, UH, PLAY GOLF THERE AS WELL, SO JUST, YEAH, SO GREAT OPPORTUNITY, BUT, UH, THERE'S NO REASON NOT TO PAUSE AND, UH, LET YOU AND I WORK TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE UNITE HERE, LOCAL UNION MEMBERS WHO ARE OUT STRIKING, UM, FOR BETTER WAGES AND SAFER WORKING CONDITIONS.
I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE IT OUT THERE YET.
I DO PLAN ON JOINING THEM, UH, IN THEIR EFFORTS, BUT WANTED TO, UH, EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH THEM, UM, AS THEY'RE ON STRIKE RIGHT NOW.
AND REMIND FOLKS THAT ON SEPTEMBER THE 20TH, UH, BE ORGANIZING A COMMUNITY UPDATE MEETING FOR THE HISPANIC HISTORY RESEARCH CENTER.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ AND MARTINEZ WILL ALSO BE A PART OF THIS EFFORT, AND WE WILL BE, UH, FINALIZING A LOCATION SOON.
BUT THE DATE IS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 20TH, 10:00 AM AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE PROGRESS OF THE HISPANIC HISTORY RESEARCH CENTER PROJECT AND GETTING, UM, FEEDBACK AND INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO MORE INFO ON THAT, BUT JUST WANT TO GET THE DATE AND THE TIME OUT THERE FOR FOLKS TO MARK THEIR CALENDARS.
HEY, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THE, UH, WORKERS AT THE HILTON, UH, UNITED HERE.
I'M MONITORING IT VERY CAREFULLY IN CONTACT WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS.
UH, I EXPECT A FAIR SETTLEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE WORKERS.
UH, AS A UNION MEMBER MYSELF, I UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE VERY CLOSE, BUT CERTAINLY THE ENERGY OF THE, UH, UNION MEMBERS IS, IS ADMIRABLE.
AND I DO EXPECT A FAIR SETTLEMENT FOR ALL PARTIES CONCERNED.
THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE YESTERDAY, I WAS FULLY AWARE OF, OF, AND, AND LET ME REALLY GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO HPD TO HPD WAS OVER THERE ASSISTING, UH, WITH WATER FOR THOSE THAT WERE STRIKING AND, UH, VERY CONSIDERATE OF THE CONDITIONS.
SO AS PART OF THE PROCESS, AND I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT, UM, THEY'VE CALLED FOR A 10 DAY STRIKE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL LAST FOR FULL 10 DAYS, BUT THOSE ARE SOME OF THE FINEST PEOPLE THAT ALLOW HOUSTON TO BE VISITED, UH, BY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE EACH YEAR.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS.
UH, NEXT COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
BRAD, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER INGER.
UH, WE'VE GOT OUR TOWN HALLS SCHEDULED FOR THIS FALL, UM, IN, UH, KINGWOOD ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, THE COMMUNITY CENTER AT, UH,
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CLEAR LAKE ON OCTOBER 14TH AT THE, UH, SPACE CENTER, HOUSTON, AND ON, UH, EDGEBROOK ON THE 21ST AT THE ONE MOVEMENT BIBLE CHURCH.SO ALL THESE START AT, UH, SIX 30.
UH, HOPE THE COMMUNITY CAN, UH, GET OUT THERE.
WE'VE INVITED A NUMBER OF, UH, THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND SOME OF OUR STATE REPS AND LOCAL LEADERS.
SO WE SHOULD HAVE, UH, LARGE TENANTS OUT THERE.
UH, KINGWOOD ELECTRONIC RECYCLING WILL BE THIS SATURDAY, UH, FROM, UH, NINE TO THREE AT THE, UH, KINGWOOD, UH, PARKING RIDE.
A FEW THINGS, MAYOR, WE, IF YOU'LL RECALL, UM, HEIGHTS TOWERS, WHICH I KNOW YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, THE SENIOR CENTER ON 19TH STREET, UM, THAT REALLY DURING THE FREEZE KICKED OFF OUR AWARENESS OF THE DANGERS OF SENIOR CENTERS THAT ARE NOT, UM, TAKING CARE OF THEIR RESIDENTS THE RIGHT WAY.
AND THIS IS A PROPERTY THAT HAS A LOT OF SENIORS WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, MY OFFICE RECEIVED NOTICE YESTERDAY THAT HEIGHTS TOWERS HAD BEEN WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING SINCE FRIDAY.
UM, WE ESCALATED BOTH TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PUBLIC WORKS, UH, TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, TO PUBLIC WORKS, UM, AND WE REQUESTED DISPATCH.
UM, WE ALSO NOTIFIED DON AND HFD SO THAT THEY'D BE AWARE.
UM, I WANNA THANK, WE MADE A SITE VISIT OVER THERE TO MEET WITH THE MANAGEMENT.
UM, AND I WANNA THANK, UH, VILLAGE HEIGHTS CHURCH FOR DONATING PIZZA AND SALADS YESTERDAY.
UM, WE WERE ASSURED THAT THE MANAGEMENT WOULD BE BRINGING IN COOLERS TODAY, BUT AGAIN, FOR THOSE SENIORS TO HAVE OVER FOUR DAYS IN THIS HEAT WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING IS JUST, IT'S NOT OKAY.
SO I WANTED TO BRING THAT TO THE ATTENTION OF COUNCIL.
UM, BUT THANK ALL THE RESIDENTS FOR STEPPING IN TO MAKE OUR OFFICE AWARE.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO THANK PUBLIC WORKS, TDO, UM, AND SHEPHERD FOREST.
UH, THERE HAD BEEN SOMEWHAT OF A HOT POTATO OVER DITCH MAINTENANCE.
WAS IT THE CITY'S PROPERTY OR CENTERPOINT'S PROPERTY? IT TOOK, I THINK, MAYOR A LITTLE TOO LONG TO FIGURE OUT WHOSE PROPERTY IT WAS.
WE'VE HAD THIS COME UP MULTIPLE TIMES.
ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE THAT, THE CITY STEPPED IN, UM, AND WE GOT THE DITCH REHAB DONE.
BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN BE DOING TO EXPEDITE THE WAY IN WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHOSE PROPERTY IS WHAT, UM, IT, IT JUST SEEMS TO BE TAKING SO LONG ON MULTIPLE FRONTS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S ANYONE'S PROBLEM, UH, ANYONE'S FAULT, BUT WE DO HAVE TO START CUTTING THROUGH THAT RED TAPE.
UM, CAN, CAN I, I WANNA INTERRUPT YOU.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU AND I CAN DECIDE IF A PIECE OF PROPERTY BELONGED TO THE STATE OR THE CITY AT THE CORNER OF DURHAM AND I 10? I BELIEVE YOUR OFFICE WAS SAYING IT WAS THE STATE'S, THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD JUST WANTED IT CLEANED UP ON THE CORNER.
IN FACT, I WAS NOTICING THE DAY WE STILL NEED TO ADDRESS THAT, AND THE STATE T STOCK CAME IN.
SO IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM AT THE CITY LEVEL OF WHO OWNS THEIR PROPERTY.
AND, UH, MAYBE IT'S MISLABELED, BUT IT'S SO FASCINATING TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT A CURRENT PROBLEM OF THE CITY TRYING TO IDENTIFY THEIR PROPERTY OF WHETHER IT'S CENTER POINT OR THE CITIES.
WHEN, WHEN I WAS A SENATOR UNIT, I DEALT WITH THE SAME ISSUE.
IT IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
UM, EVEN A ALONG, THAT'S THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE.
I MEAN, I JUST WALKED IN THIS JOB AND THERE'S STILL ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN UNRESOLVED FOR YEARS.
ANOTHER THING ON THE 19TH STREET, MY REBECCA WILLIAMS IS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
UH, IT'S INTERESTING FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY, AMANDA EDWARDS CALLED ME YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
I DON'T KNOW WHO CALLED YOU, BUT, UH, IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
AND IT'S ACROSS THE CITY THAT THESE PRIVATE OR NON-PROFIT RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES JUST DO NOT MAINTAIN THEIR STANDARDS.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK, BUT REBECCA'S ACTUALLY OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, SO WE'LL GET IT RESOLVED.
IT'S, ITS HISTORICALLY BEEN A, A REALLY FINE FACILITY.
AIR CONDITIONERS GO OUT, AND SO WE NEED BACKUP PLANS AND, YOU KNOW, GETS BACK TO OUR ISSUES ABOUT GENERATORS.
I THINK AS, AS HOUSTON PROGRESSES, UH, GOES FORWARD, IT'S JUST GONNA ALMOST BE ESSENTIAL TO HAVE A GENERATORS.
BUT WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE HAVES AND HAVE A GENERATOR, AND THE HAVENOTS NOT.
SO WE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
BUT, YEAH, AND, AND LUCKILY HERE, THEY DIDN'T LOSE POWER.
IT'S JUST THE AC BUT AGAIN, FOUR OR FIVE DAYS WITHOUT AC FOR A BUNCH OF SENIORS, UH, BAD LEADERSHIP.
AND WE'VE SEEN IT IN STORMS WHERE THE MANAGEMENT JUST ABANDONED THE PROBLEM.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO THANK YOU.
UM, I DID WANT TO, UH, THANK EVERYONE FOR A VERY PRODUCTIVE, UH, BFA MEETING YESTERDAY.
WE TOOK UP, UM, THE BUDGET AMENDMENT I HAD PUT FORWARD, AND, UM, I'LL CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR INVESTMENTS IN
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FUNDING IN OUR RAINY DAY FUND.UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT COMPARISON TO OTHER CITIES REALLY STOOD OUT AS WHAT'S CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING ON THAT.
AND THEN LAST WEEK, UM, I WAS, AS I WAS THANKING EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING IN OUR, UM, FIREARM SAFETY CAMPAIGN THE DAY BEFORE THE SHOOTING IN MINNESOTA WAS HAPPENING.
UM, AND OUR NATION HAS ONCE AGAIN WITNESSED ANOTHER TRAGEDY AS TWO CHILDREN WERE KILLED.
18 OTHER INJUR, OTHERS INJURED IN MINNEAPOLIS.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO HEAR STORY AFTER STORY OF OLDER CHILDREN PROTECTING YOUNGER CHILDREN, UH, SOMETHING THEY SHOULD NEVER, EVER, EVER HAVE TO EXPERIENCE.
UH, SO OUR HEARTS ARE WITH THE FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY IMPACTED BY THE DEVASTATING LOSS, BUT IT HAS TO BE MORE THAN THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
AND THIS IS WHY WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON SAFE STORAGE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO TACKLE, UM, GUN VIOLENCE HEAD ON.
UH, BUT I DO WANNA LIFT UP ALL OF THE FAMILIES THAT ARE GOING THROUGH SOMETHING THAT IS UNIMAGINABLE, BUT FAR TOO COMMON IN OUR COUNTRY.
MA'AM, COUNCILMAN THOMAS JACKSON.
UM, SO I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT ONE COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S OFFICE, HAS STARTED CONSTRUCTION ON THE PARK, UM, THAT WILL SURROUND THE CURTIS M GRAVES DETENTION BASIN ON HOMESTEAD IN MAORI ROAD.
THIS DEVELOPMENT, UM, MARKS THE NEXT STEPS IN TRANSFORMING YEARS OF PLANNING AND ADVOCACY INTO MEANINGFUL RELIEF AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT B.
UM, THIS DETENTION POND IS DESIGNED TO CAPTURE AND TEMPORARY STORE STORM WATER DURING HEAVY RAINS, REDUCING THE RISK OF NEIGHBORHOOD FLOODING, AND THAT HAS DEVASTATED TRINITY GARDEN, HOUSTON GARDEN CITY GAS, AND NEARBY COMMUNITIES.
UM, NOW THIS BASIN IS IN PLA, UM, IS FOCUSED, WAIT A MINUTE.
NOW THAT THE BASIN IS IN PLACE, THE FOCUS HAS SHIFTED TWO PARK AMENITIES.
THE CUR CURTIS M GRAVES PARK WILL FEATURE NEW TRAILS GREEN SPACE, A PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION LINK LINKING SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE REVITALIZATION AREA.
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE DID SOME BIKE RIDES, UM, LIKE THREE YEARS AGO WITH, UM, CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, UM, TALKING ABOUT THIS BASIN.
AND, UM, THE FOLKS IN HOUSTON GARDEN REALLY WANTED TO TURN IT INTO A PARK.
WE ALSO EXTENDED THE TURS TO COVER THE MAINTENANCE FOR THIS AREA.
SO, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROJECT MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE THE COMPLETION OF THE BASIN AND START THE PARK CONSTRUCTION, UM, I REMAIN COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT THIS PROJECT MOVE FORWARD.
UM, SECONDLY, I ALSO WANT TO INVITE FOLKS OUT TO THE DISTRICT B STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, MEETING THAT'S HAPPENING TOMORROW NIGHT AT THE ACRES HOME MULTI SERVICE CENTER.
UM, THE FIRST MEETING WAS ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE ALPHA HOMESTEAD.
AND SO WE'RE TAKING IT TO THE ACRES HOME AREA SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN UNDERSTAND AND GET A SNAPSHOT, UM, OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT INCORPORATES ALL THE COMMUNITY STUDIES, UM, LIKE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES RESILIENCE STUDY, AND, UM, OTHER STUDIES THAT WAS DONE, UM, TO, UM, ADDRESS PROJECTS THAT'S NEEDED WITHIN DISTRICT B.
AND SO IT'S A BLUEPRINT FOR DEVELOPERS WHO WANT TO COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND WANT TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S BASICALLY THE COMMUNITY OUTLINING WHAT PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO SUPPORT, UM, AND IT GIVES, UM, DEVELOPERS A JUMPSTART ON WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, EVERYONE HAVE A BLESSED WEEK.
COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN PASS RAMIREZ.
ONE, I WANNA SECOND WHAT, UH, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ, SAID ABOUT THE HERMAN PARK, UH, GOLF COURSE PLAN.
I ALSO HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM LONGTIME USERS OF THE GOLF COURSE, IN PARTICULAR, UH, MEMBERS OF A WOMEN'S LEAGUE THAT REALLY HAS NO OTHER PLACE TO PLAY IN HOUSTON, BECAUSE MEMORIAL PARK IS SO HARD TO GET ON.
AND, UH, GUS WORTHHAM WAS NOT INTERESTED IN, IN HOSTING THEM.
AND SO THEY'D BEEN PLAYING FOR YEARS, AND THE CHANGES WOULD'VE MEANT THAT THE GOLF COURSE NO LONGER WOULD'VE QUALIFIED FOR TOURNAMENT PLAY, AND THEY WOULD'VE BEEN OUT A PLACE TO PLAY.
OTHERS HAVE CHIMED IN WITH SIMILAR, UH, COMPLAINTS, AND I KNOW, UH, CONSTITUENTS OF COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ HAVE COMPLAINED AS WELL.
SO, MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UM, CONSIDERING ALL THESE VIEWS AND PUTTING A PAUSE ON IT AND, AND RECONSIDERING WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, UH, TO ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES, UH, THAT WE HAVE HERE IN HOUSTON, AND WHICH IS REALLY, UH, THE ONLY OPTION THAT A LOT OF PLAYERS HAVE.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR DOING THAT.
UH, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO NOTE WAS THAT, UH, WE HAVE A MUCH SHORTER AGENDA TODAY, AND OUR AGENDAS IN THE FUTURE WILL BE MUCH SHORTER AS WELL.
DUE TO SENATE BILL 1173, WHICH PASSED THE LEGISLATURE THIS PAST REGULAR SESSION, WHAT THE BILL MEANS IS THAT,
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UM, CONTRACTS BETWEEN 50,000 AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE FORMAL COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS, UH, THAT THEY HAD TO PREVIOUSLY.AND IT ALSO MEANS THAT CONTRACTS BETWEEN 50 AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ARE NO LONGER, UH, SUBJECT TO COUNCIL APPROVAL.
NOW, THIS IS APPLAUDED BY A LOT OF FOLKS, BUT IT DOES GIVE ME SOME, SOME CONCERN BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF CONTRACTS.
UM, LAST YEAR'S REPORT HAS SHOWN THAT END UP VERY CLOSE TO THE, TO THE LIMIT, UH, THAT WE NEVER TAKE A LOOK AT.
OUR EXCELLENT CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER, JED GREENFIELD, WAS KIND ENOUGH LAST YEAR TO GIVE ME A LIST OF, UH, CONTRACTS THAT WERE UNDER $50,000 AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF CONTRACTS NEVER COME BEFORE US TO REVIEW.
AND SO I'M GONNA ASK HIM FOR A SIMILAR REPORT OF THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, HOW MANY CONTRACTS ARE FELL IN THAT 50,000 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS RANGE.
UM, THEY, THEY DO A GREAT JOB, BUT, BUT STILL, I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT SOMEBODY IS REVIEWING THESE CONTRACTS AND MAKING SURE, UH, THAT FRAUD IS NOT OCCURRING.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS? YES.
UM, ON THE WEST SIDE, WE ARE ABOUT THAT ACTION.
UM, RIGHT NOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IS MY HOT TEAM IS PICKING UP RECYCLE BINS AND TRASH BINS AT THE, UH, HUB.
WE ARE DELIVERING THE BINS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE QUEUE FOR REQUESTS.
SHOUT OUT TO THE DIRECTOR OF SOLID WASTE FOR HIS INNOVATION.
UM, THEY HAVE HEARD ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS.
THEY'RE REORGANIZING THAT WORK, AND SO I, I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S SOON TO COME SOME NEWS ABOUT RESIDENTS IN THOSE REPLACEMENT BINS.
WE'RE GETTING IT DONE ON THE WEST SIDE.
UH, WE HAVE, AS I MENTIONED LAST WEEK, A SERIES OF PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THE WEST SIDE.
TODAY I'M VISITING WITH THE CROSSVIEW COURTS APARTMENT WITH THE LANDOWNER AND SOME RESIDENTS, AND RIGHT ON CROSSVIEW, THERE'S AN ADULT ENTERTAINMENT CLUB, UM, PREVE, AND THEY'VE ALREADY, THE LANDLORD, THE OWNER, HAS ALREADY FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CLUB BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES.
SO WE ARE GONNA BE THERE ON, ON SITE, UM, ABOUT THAT.
AND, AND I HOPE TO COME BACK WITH SOME UPDATES WITH THE CHALLENGES, A SERIES OF HOMICIDES THAT HAVE HAPPENED ON THAT PROPERTY, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, TRAFFICKING NOISE, YOU NAME IT, IT'S HAPPENING THERE.
SO WE'LL BE THERE MORE TO COME ON THAT.
I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, FOR RESIDENTS, UM, THAT THE, UH, HOLD ON, LET ME BACK UP.
I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT ON AUGUST 18TH, I MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE THREE BABIES THAT WERE RO ROAMING AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, UH, SEARCHING FOR FOOD BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS WERE DECEASED IN THE UNIT.
UH, WE HAVE MADE CONTACT WITH THE CPS SUPERVISOR, AND THEY HAVE MADE THEIR REQUEST IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO BE SUPPORTED.
WE'LL BE SHARING THIS OUT WITH THE PUBLIC, SO IF YOU CAN, UM, SO WE CAN RESPOND TO YOUR INTEREST IN SUPPORTING THESE BABIES, UM, AS THEY TRANSITION WITH THEIR MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER WHO HAS THEM.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THAT.
UM, ALSO, I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT FOR TO HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AND GIVE YOU A PUBLIC, UH, SHOUT OUT.
THANK YOU FOR MOVING EXPEDITIOUSLY IN ADDRESSING SOME OF THE BLOCKAGE IN BRYAN METAL SOUTH OF, OF, UH, RICHMOND.
AFTER THE RAIN LAST WEDNESDAY, THERE WERE INCHES OF RAIN IN THE STREET.
AND JUST AS A REMINDERS, OUR STREETS ARE DESIGNED AS SECONDARY DETENTION.
SO THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THE WATER SHOULD BE IN THE STREET SO THAT IT'S NOT IN YOUR HOME.
UM, HOWEVER, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS SENT OUT A TEAM, INVESTIGATED THE DRAINS, THERE WAS SOME BLOCKAGE WITHIN THE DRAINS AND THE, AND THAT WAS CLEARED.
UM, AUGUST 28TH, I HAVE A MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR TO GO OVER OUR QUARTERLY ISSUES ON SEPTEMBER 8TH.
AND ON SEPTEMBER 18TH, WE'RE GOING OVER ALL OF OUR TRA UH, TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE PROJECTS, AND THERE'LL BE A SPECIAL CALLED NEWSLETTER GOING OUT TO THE DISTRICT WHERE WE'LL ITEMIZE EVERYTHING FROM SPEED CUSHIONS TO OUR SWAT PROJECTS.
AND SO MOR TO COME, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN OUR NEWSLETTER, UM, PERIODICALLY.
I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
UH, WE RELEASE THE REGISTRATION LINK ON FRIDAY.
WE ARE ALREADY SCHEDULED FOR FOUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
PLEASE GET REGISTERED, UM, SO WE CAN SPEND TIME WITH YOU AND TALK ABOUT UPDATES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, PARTICULARLY PUBLIC SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
UM, I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT ON MONDAY, LABOR DAY SKELETAL REMAINS WERE FOUND OFF OF BISSONNET AND DAIRY ASHFORD AT A KNOWN AND ENCAMPMENT, UM, WITHIN A WOODED AREA.
THIS ENCAMPMENT WAS IDENTIFIED BY MY DISTRICT F HOTSPOT TEAM AS THEY WERE CLEARING ILLEGAL DUMPING AND REPORTED BY RESIDENTS.
UM, AND SO I LOVE A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION IN THE HORSESHOES OFTEN ABOUT, UH, THE, THE, THE PRESENCE AND THE PUBLIC VIEWING OF THE UNHOUSED.
BUT, UM, WHAT IS OFTEN MISSED ARE THOSE THAT ARE HIDING WITHIN THE SHADOWS WITHIN THE WOODS.
AND SO, UH, WEST SIDE HPD, UH, WE ARE WORKING
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THEM OVER TIME, UM, IN, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING THEIR ATTENTION ON THESE TYPES OF, UH, CRIMES AND RESOLVING THAT THEY ARE INVESTIGATING THE REMAINS.BUT I JUST WANNA UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN OUR COORDINATED CARE SYSTEM, PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICES, STABILIZATION WITH HOUSING AND CASE MANAGEMENT.
UH, ALSO I WANNA JOIN, UM, ADD MY VOICE WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND OTHER CO COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE JOINED LOCAL UNITE 23, OUR, OUR HILTON WORKERS.
UM, AND I THINK WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE THAT TAKE CARE OF US.
I EN I LOVE THE HILTON AMERICANS, AND I OFTEN, UM, HAVE STAYCATIONS THERE AND AS A CONVENTION CITY, UH, THAT, AND, AND WHERE BUSINESS IS OPEN, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE, UM, THAT ARE WORKING IN THOSE INSTITUTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ENJOY THE CITY ARE PAID FAIRLY.
SO I STAND WITH THEM IN PURSUIT OF A LIVABLE WAGE, UH, MORE TO COME IN TERMS OF WHAT'S COMING OUTTA DISTRICT STAFF ON THE WEST SIDE, AND MORE TO COME ON OUR SECOND ANNUAL FAITH AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, ONE, ONE ITEM, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, BUT I, I'D LIKE FOR US TO KIND OF GET SOME CLARIFICATION.
MAYOR, WE, UM, HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT PROHIBITED YARD PARKING ENFORCEMENT, AND I KNOW THAT WE, UM, WE'VE GONE TO OUR PIP MEETINGS AND WE'VE TALKED TO HPD ABOUT PROHIBITED YARD PARKING.
OUR RESIDENTS ARE, ARE, THEY CONTINUE TO BE FRUSTRATED WITH, UM, REPORTING IT TO HPD.
THEN WE GOT A LETTER FROM HPD THAT SAID THEY WERE NO LONGER, UM, ENFORCING THE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING AND FOR RESIDENTS TO CALL 3 1 1.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE ENCOURAGED RESIDENTS TO CALL 3 1 1.
BUT THIS WEEK I GOT, UM, SOME EMAILS FROM RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN CALLING 3 1 1 AND 3 1 1 RESPONSE IS TO REPORT IT TO HPD.
SO WE'VE GOT A BREAKDOWN IN ACTUALLY, WHO'S GOING TO ENFORCE THE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING.
AND I KNOW IT, IT SEEMS LIKE A SMALL THING FOR NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT'S A REALLY BIG THING, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY WORKED SO HARD TO BECOME, UM, UH, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTUAL BEING DESIGNATED AS, UH, PROHIBITED YARD PARKING NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE, WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHO ACTUALLY WILL ENFORCE THAT.
SO I KNOW THAT YOU, YOU SPEND SOME TIME WITH THE CHIEF.
WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED TO OUR, UM, COMMAND STATION ABOUT IT.
UM, EVERYONE'S KIND OF LOOKING FOR WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE FINAL RESOLUTION ON WHO WILL ACTUALLY ENFORCE THAT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE WE SHOULD PROBABLY PULL INTO THAT CONVERSATION, BUT RESIDENTS ARE LOOKING FOR WHO WILL ACTUALLY ENFORCE THIS TO KIND OF KEEP THAT, UM, HAPPENING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS GETTING BIGGER AND FOR THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, WHERE IT'S HAPPENING, THEY WANT SOME TYPE OF RESOLUTION.
SO WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH THAT ISSUE.
UM, AND THEN WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS THIS MORNING.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF GAS STATIONS IN THE DISTRICT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO, UM, GET SOME RESOLUTION WITH, UM, VISIBLE DRUG USE.
UM, WE HAVE REPORTED, REPORTED, UM, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT CONTACTING TABC.
WE'VE HAD RESIDENTS TO CALL TABC, BUT WE REALLY ARE LOOKING FOR SOME, SOME ASSISTANCE.
AND I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU AND THE, AND THE CHIEF, WE WILL HUDDLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE, HOW WE GET THESE, THESE ISSUES RESOLVED BECAUSE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, Y'ALL REMEMBER WE KNOCKED DOWN THE MACCO STATION.
UM, WHAT WE FOUND IS THOSE SAME FOLKS HAVE MOVED DOWN TO THE CONOCO STATION NOW, UM, AND THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF, UM, DRUG USE AND, UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE VISIBLY, UM, HIGH AND LIVING IN A ABANDONED FACILITY ON WHITE, HEATHER AND, AND RESIDENTS ARE COMPLAINING A LOT ABOUT THIS AREA, AND, AND WE NEED HELP WITH, UH, ENFORCEMENT AND TRYING TO GET SOMETHING RESOLVED AT THAT GAS STATION AND IN THAT AREA.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT, UM, WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF, UM, CONCERNS ABOUT, THERE IS, UH, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS THAT ARE GROWING UNDER HIGHWAY 90 AND HILLCROFT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UNDER THE SIX 10 UNDERPASS, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, BUT FOR THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS, WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DRUG USE.
UM, AND I MEAN, AT THIS POINT, MAYOR, I THINK WE, WE'VE GOT TO REALLY TACKLE HOW WE ARE GOING TO HANDLE THIS CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS BASED ON DRUG USES USAGE.
IT'S NOT A, YOU KNOW, JUST, UM,
[01:25:02]
THAT THEY'RE HOMELESS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE MONEY TO, TO LIVE SOMEWHERE, BUT IT'S THE, THE, THE USE OF, UM, OF DRUGS AND IT, AND IT'S A TOUGH ISSUE TO ADDRESS.UM, BUT WE, WE PROBABLY NEED TO F FIGURE SOMETHING OUT AND KIND OF HUDDLE TOGETHER BECAUSE MORE AND MORE OF THESE AREAS ARE BEING RIDDLED WITH, UM, FOLKS UNDER THOSE, THOSE, UH, UNDERPASSES AND THEN SOME BETTER NEWS.
UM, WE ARE HOSTING A MEET THE TEAM EVENT, UM, ON SEPTEMBER THE 20TH TO INTRODUCE OUR TWO NEW TEAM MEMBERS IN DISTRICT K.
WE HOPE THAT, UH, RESIDENTS WILL JOIN US AT THE STARBUCKS, THE NEW STARBUCKS IN DISTRICT K.
UM, IT'LL BE HELD FROM NINE TO 11 ON SAM HOUSTON PARKWAY.
UM, SO WE ARE, UM, VERY EXCITED TO HOST THE MEET THE TEAM EVENT AND HOPE THAT RESIDENTS WILL COME AND, UH, MEET OUR TWO ME TE TEAM MEMBERS IN DISTRICT A AND THEN, UM, ALSO TO REITERATE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT ON OCTOBER 7TH, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS TALKED ABOUT IT, PLEASE GET REGISTERED, UM, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THOSE VISITS TO OUR INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND FINALLY, FOR FORT BEND RESIDENTS, STEMLY BLUE LIBRARY IS STILL TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR ROOF REPLACEMENT, AND THAT LIBRARY SHOULD BE, UM, OPEN AGAIN IN, AT THE END OF OCTOBER.
SO RESIDENTS CAN, UM, DEFINITELY VISIT VINCENT BRANCH LIBRARY OR, OR ANY OF OUR OTHER LIBRARIES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO, UH, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY.
UM, I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT OUR NEXT PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE THIS COMING TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH AT 10:00 AM METRO POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE THERE TO GIVE A PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATE, SO PLEASE JOIN US AT THAT MEETING.
UM, AND I ALSO WANNA, UH, STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH MY COLLEAGUES, UH, WITH UNITE HERE.
UM, THIS PAST MONDAY, WE, WE CELEBRATED LABOR DAY AND, UM, FOR MANY FOLKS THAT WERE TAKING THE DAY OFF, IT WAS A REMINDER THAT, UH, PROGRESS HAPPENS WHEN WORKERS RAISE THEIR VOICES TOGETHER.
UH, WE KNOW THAT THE VISIT VISITORS ECONOMY, UM, SPECIFICALLY IN HOUSTON IS SEEING ABOUT $16 BILLION AND THINK FOR ANY CITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL, UH, WHEN, WHEN THAT KIND OF ECONOMY HAPPENS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WORKING FAMILIES ARE ALSO SEEING THE FRUITS OF, OF THOSE BENEFITS.
UH, MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU PERSONALLY.
UH, YOU KNOW, MONDAY WE'RE ON THE, ON THE PHONE, UH, HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING OUT THERE, UM, AND TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE ABLE TO, UM, LIFT UP THEIR VOICES WITHOUT, UH, ANY THREATS OF BEING ARRESTED AND WHATNOT.
AND SO, JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR TEAM AS WELL, MAYOR.
UM, ALSO, UM, OVER THE WEEKEND, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, THAT THERE'S A, A SHOOTING AT, AT DISCOVERY GREEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO SCOOTERS.
UM, THIS KIND OF, UH, ACTIVITY, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LINKED TO A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE JOY RIDING AT THE END OF THE DAY.
UH, THESE AREN'T FOLKS THAT ARE, UH, REALLY LEAD, UH, LEADING INTO TRANSPORTATION, UH, AS A, AS A FORM OF, OF GETTING TO WORK.
THIS IS HAPPENING LATE IN THE EVENING.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU, MAYOR AND YOUR, AND YOUR TEAM TO SEE, UH, STEPS MOVING FORWARD.
UH, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, BRING REGULATIONS.
UH, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, ON THE ROAD ON, ON THE SCOOTER AT THREE IN THE MORNING, TWO IN THE MORNING.
AND SO, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO TALK TO YOU, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
UM, AND THEN ALSO ON A SAD NOTE, UM, OVER THE WEEKEND WE HAD AN 11-YEAR-OLD, UH, BOY, UH, JULIAN GUZMAN, UH, WHO WAS KILLED IN THE CLINTON PARK FIDELITY AREA.
UM, AND JUST AS A FATHER WHO'S ABOUT TO HAVE A 10-YEAR-OLD IN ABOUT A WEEK OR SO, YOU KNOW, JUST MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE FAMILY.
UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UH, THIS IS A, A TOUGH THING.
I'M SURE THAT THE FAMILY'S GOING THROUGH AND JUST WANT TO REMIND FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, VIOLENCE IS DEFINITELY NOT THE SOLUTION.
UM, AND PRAYERS AND GO OUT TO THE FAMILY.
UH, MAYOR, I SENT, UH, YOUR OFFICE AN EMAIL AS WELL AS THE DIRECTOR OF SOLID WAYS ABOUT A NEIGHBORHOOD IN MY DISTRICT, UM, ST.
UH, THAT RECYCLING IS BEHIND BY SEVEN WEEKS, AND IT WAS REPORTED TO 3 1 1 BY SEVERAL PEOPLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WASN'T ADDRESSED.
THE DIRECTOR DID, UM, ANSWER THE EMAIL THIS MORNING, AND I APPRECIATE HIS PROMPT RESPONSE.
HE DID, UM, MENTION THAT IT WAS ACCURATE THAT IT, THEY WERE SEVEN WEEKS BEHIND AND IT WAS UNACCEPTABLE, UM, AND THAT IT WOULD BE GETTING ADDRESSED, UH, HOPEFULLY TODAY.
BUT SEVEN WEEKS BEHIND, UM, IS SOMETHING
[01:30:01]
THAT JUST CAN'T HAPPEN.AND WE'RE GETTING NOTICES FROM THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT ON THINGS BEING ON TIME.
AND OBVIOUSLY THAT IS FAR FROM ACCURATE.
AND SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATION.
UH, WHEN IT COMES TO ANTICIPATION AND EXPECTATIONS FOR SOLID WASTE PICKUP, UM, HEAVY TRASH IS STILL A ISSUE.
WE HAVE SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SEEM TO BE HAVING HEAVY TRASH OUT ON THE CURB FOR OVER A MONTH NOW.
AND, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.
UM, AND SO I KNOW WE, WE CONTINUOUSLY EACH WEEK SAY, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE DOING ALL THEY CAN, BUT, UM, SEVEN WEEKS BEHIND WITH RECYCLING IS UNACCEPTABLE.
UM, LAST WEEK I ALSO MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE, UH, RETIREES THAT TOOK YOUR PENSION PACKAGE THAT STILL WERE NOT GONNA GET PAID UNTIL AT LEAST THE END OF THIS MONTH.
UM, THERE WAS SOME BACK AND FORTH REGARDING IF THAT WAS ACCURATE OR NOT, BUT IT WAS REPORTED THAT 349 INDIVIDUALS WHO TOOK THAT PACKAGE WILL NOT GET PAID UNTIL AT THE MINIMUM THE END OF THIS MONTH.
AND SO, UH, WE CONTINUE TO FIELD CALLS ON THAT, AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DIRECT PEOPLE OVER TO THE PENSION BOARD.
I KNOW THAT THEY'RE DOING ALL THEY CAN WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES AND COORDINATION THAT THEY HAVE.
UM, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING TO EMPLOYEES, UH, WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE WHEN THEY'RE RELYING ON THESE CHECKS, AND IT'S GONNA BE GOING ON 120 DAYS BEFORE THEY EVEN GET A SINGLE PAYMENT.
UM, THERE WAS ALSO A REPORT THAT CAME OUT THAT WAS VERY CONCERNING, UH, THIS WEEK THAT HOUSTON NOW RANKS IN THE TOP 10, UH, FOR CITIES OVER 500,000 RESIDENTS FOR, UH, HIGHEST CRIME RATES IN THE NATION.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO, WHEN IT COMES TO THE CRIME RATES AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE HEARING AROUND THIS HORSESHOE, UH, EVEN TODAY, YOU CAN SEE HOW CRIME IS OUTTA CONTROL.
IT ROSES ALMOST FOUR PER 4.5% LAST YEAR.
AND OUT OF ALL OF THE MAJOR CITIES IN THE COUNTRY, HOUSTON IS THE ONLY CITY THAT MADE THE LIST OUT OF THE TOP 15 MOST POPULOUS CITIES IN AMERICA.
AND SO, UM, I RARELY HAVE EVER SEEN OUR, OUR CITY ON THE LIST FOR, FOR THESE TYPE OF REASONS.
AND, UM, IT'S A CAUSE FOR CONCERN.
I THINK WE HAVE TO NOT ONLY LOOK AT LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ROOT CRIME.
I MEAN, ROOT CAUSES, EVERYTHING IS NOT GONNA GET SOLVED WITH POLICE OFFICERS.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT JOBS AND TRAINING AND EDUCATION.
AND SO ON THAT NOTE, UH, ALL OVER THE CITY WE'VE BEEN PUTTING UP, YOU KNOW, ADVERTISING SAYING MORE JOBS AND LESS CRIME.
SO I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR A JOB, OR IF YOU NEED, UH, A JOB TO GO TO MORE JOBS HOUSTON.COM, WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF JOBS ALL OVER THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA, UH, AND WE KNOW TO HAVE A THRIVING CITY, YOU MUST HAVE A THRIVING WORKFORCE.
THAT THRIVING WORKFORCE WILL THEN TURN INTO INDIVIDUALS ABLE TO PAY MONEY.
AND THAT TAX MONEY IS WHAT WE USE TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
AND SO, UM, WE HAVE A HEAVY LIFT HERE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, AND WE HAVE TO DO OUR PART TO TRY TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO PUSH THE CITY FORWARD.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF CHALLENGES THAT ARE THERE.
AND ALTHOUGH WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE GOOD THINGS, WE CAN'T FORGET THAT.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN NEED AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, UH, THAT WE NEED TO MAKE A PRIORITY.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MAYOR, CORN MAYOR, AND COLLEAGUES.
YESTERDAY WE HAD A PRESENTATION BY THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IN ONE OF THE SLIDES ON THE, ON IT WAS TALKING ABOUT NATURAL DISASTERS AND MAINLY TALKING ABOUT OUR RESERVES.
THE MAYOR, PRO TEM REFERENCED IT YESTERDAY AND ONE OF THE SLIDES OUTLINED OUR BASELINE, IF WE STAY WITH THE SAME TAX RATE, IF WE STAY WITH ALL THINGS THE SAME $76 MILLION DEFICIT THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR, 20 27, 220 7 MILLION 28, 350 3 MILLION 29, 420 3 MILLION 2030 463 MILLION.
THAT MATCHES EXACTLY MELISSA DEBOSKEY'S CHART THAT SHE GAVE US IN THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST.
WE ARE IN TAX RATE SETTING SEASON THAT WILL COME BEFORE THIS BODY IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES AND I ADVOCATED FOR AN INCREASE TO COVER THE DISASTER COSTS, WHICH WAS COVERED BY THE STATE.
WE DID NOT RAISE IT TO THE VOTER APPROVED RATE, WHICH WOULD'VE ALLOWED US TO RAISE ONE OUR TAX RATE BY 1.70 CENTS.
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WE STAYED EXACTLY AT 51 CENTS.I WOULD URGE THIS BODY, IF THE VOTER ATTACK, THE VOTER APPROVED TAX RATE, ALLOWS US AN INCREASE ONE, TWO, 3 CENTS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT, WHAT IT'S, WHAT THE CALCULATION'S GOING TO BE.
I SIT AROUND THIS HORSESHOE AND I LISTEN TO ALL THE NEEDS OF IN EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT, THEY ARE MONUMENTAL.
THEY WOULD OVERWHELM THE BEST OF US, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE RESOURCES TO ATTACK THOSE NEEDS.
YOU'VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB, MAYOR ERNST AND YOUNG THINGS THAT WE'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE.
VOLUNTARY RETIREMENTS, RESTRUCTURING CONTRACT SPEND, LOOK AT THINGS WE'VE NOT DONE BEFORE.
AND, AND THAT'S BEEN GREAT AND YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO SAVE A TON OF MONEY THAT WAY.
BUT I BELIEVE AS MY ROLE AS CHAIR OF THE BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, I CANNOT SEE A STAY ON THE SAME EXACT COURSE.
WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GENERATE MORE REVENUE, AND WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE AN, UH, UNPOPULAR DECISIONS IN ORDER TO GIVE THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY THE SERVICES THEY DESERVE.
ANYONE ELSE? STAND, UH, ADUR ADJOURN.