[00:00:04]
GOOD EVENING, IF[PRESENTATIONS]
C COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER.THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, WHO WILL PRESENT A PROCLAMATION TO THE SAN JACINTO COLLEGE TO HONOR THEM FOR BEING NAMED AN ASPEN PRIZE FINALIST WITH DISTINCTION.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS WILL TAKE OVER AS CHAIR.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA SCRIPT THIS NEXT.
REALLY THRILLED TO GIVE THIS PROCLAMATION TO SAN JACINTO COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
UM, I THINK, UH, MANY OF YOU'RE AWARE, MY MOM WAS ON THAT BOARD FOR 30 YEARS.
UM, SAN JACINTO COLLEGE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE ASPEN INSTITUTE, I THINK FOR ABOUT A DECADE NOW.
AS BEING ONE OF THE TOP 10 COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN THE COUNTRY.
UH, AND I THINK THE LAST TIME, WAS IT TIED FOR SECOND? YES.
SO FROM THE TOP TWO IN THE, IN THE COUNTRY OF OVER A THOUSAND INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
SO WITH THAT, I WANNA READ THIS OUT, WHEREAS SAN JACINTO COLLEGE HAS SERVED, THEREFORE, I, AMY PECK ON BEHALF OF JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HERE BY PROCLAIMS SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2025 AS SAN JACINTO COLLEGE DATE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, WE'RE, WE'RE TRULY HONORED AND TO ALL OF THE, THE CITY COUNCIL AND TO MAYOR PRO TIM, UM, WE ARE REALLY HONORED TO, TO RECEIVE THIS RECOGNITION.
UM, SAN JACINTO COLLEGE SERVES AROUND 42,000 STUDENTS ANNUALLY.
AND, UM, OUR BOARD'S FOCUS HAS BEEN AROUND MAKING SURE THAT ALL STUDENTS, UM, ARE DRIVEN FOR SUCCESS, AND THAT WE ELIMINATE ALL BARRIERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN DO, UM, TO ACHIEVE THAT.
WE LOOK AT WORKFORCE CREDENTIALS, WE LOOK AT ASSOCIATE DEGREES, BACHELOR DEGREES, AND WE TAKE ANYONE WHO COMES TO US AND WE FIND OUT THE REAL PATH THEY NEED TO LEAD.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE TRULY HONORED TO HAVE THIS RECOGNITION BY THE ASPEN INSTITUTE, AND IT MEANS A LOT TO HAVE THE CITY RECOGNIZE US AND WITH US.
UM, WITH ME TONIGHT IS DAN MIMS, WHO IS OUR BOARD CHAIR.
DAN HAS SERVED ON OUR BOARD FOR 22 YEARS, AND THEN MICHELLE CANTU WILSON SERVES AS OUR VICE CHAIR, AND SHE'S BEEN ON OUR BOARD FOR FOUR YEARS.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER? YES, SIR.
WE DO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ IN THE Q4.
UM, CHANCELLOR, IF YOU'LL ALLOW US TO SHARE.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE EXCELLENCE RECOGNIZED.
UM, SOME PEOPLE IN HOUSTON MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT SANTEN COLLEGE, BUT WE CERTAINLY DO, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH.
THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU GUYS DO, IN ADDITION TO THE EDUCATION THAT THAT IS OFFERED IS CRITICAL TO OUR ECONOMY REMAINING STRONG.
AND, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU, YOU GUYS ARE DOING AT SAN JACINTO COLLEGE.
AND CHANCELLOR, HELL, YOU ALLOW ME AS A FORMER, UH, PUBLIC SCHOOL TRUSTEE.
[00:05:01]
I KNOW SAN JACK IS AN ANCHOR IN THE REGION.UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKER, THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THEM BEFORE THIS BODY, UH, NOT JUST, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE COUNTY, BUT REALLY THE REGION IN TERMS OF WORKFORCE AND, UM, ACADEMIC ACCESS.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR LEADING AND CREATING A PATHWAY FOR PEOPLE TO CHOOSE, UM, THEIR CAREER OR THEIR COLLEGE READINESS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT.
THANK YOU AGAIN, THOMAS, WHO WILL RECOGNIZE THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AND RECOGNITION OF HR PROFESSIONALS DAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM, UH, COLLEAGUES.
WE ALL KNOW THAT NOTHING HAPPENS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITHOUT THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.
UM, Y'ALL ALLOW US TO ONBOARD YOU, ALLOW US TO ONBOARD AMEN WHEN, WHEN NECESSARY.
UM, BUT THANK, AND THEN YOU ALLOW US TO TRAIN THE WORKFORCE IN THIS CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT HOUSTON REMAINS, UM, THE WONDERFUL CITY THAT IT IS.
AND SO I'M HONORED TO PRESENT TO YOU, UM, OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT DIRECTOR CHEEKS GETS FLANKED BY SOME OF THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
ALL RIGHT? THEY HELP PROCESS THOSE CHECKS.
THEY HELP PROCESS THAT PTO, THEY HELP PROCESS THOSE BENEFITS.
SO Y'ALL MAKE SURE Y'ALL TAKE CARE OF THESE PEOPLE IN, IN THIS DEPARTMENT.
SO IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME, THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED BY CITY COUNCIL AS THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL SERVICE IN 1968 AND LATER AS THE DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL PERSONNEL IN 1982, HR WAS ESTABLISHED UNDER ITS CURRENT NAME IN 1996.
SINCE ITS BEGINNINGS, THE DEPARTMENT HAS TRANSITIONED AND EVOLVED TO STAFF AND SUPPORT A WORKFORCE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING VITAL PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND FACILITIES FOR HOUSTONIANS IN AN EVER CHANGING LANDSCAPE, INCLUDING DURING A GLOBAL HEALTH CRISIS.
HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONAL DAY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2001 TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THOSE WORKING IN HR DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE WORLD.
IT'S A DAY TO RAISE AWARENESS AND CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF HR TEAM MEMBERS WHO PLAY AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN ENSURING THE SUCCESS OF ORGANIZATIONS BY SOURCING, SUPPORTING, AND DEVELOPING HUMAN CAPITAL.
IN RECENT YEARS, THE CITY'S HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT HAS FOCUSED ON SHIFTING OPERATIONS FROM TRANSACTIONAL TO TRANSFORMATIONAL.
THIS HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH A STRONG COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION, COLLABORATION, ANALYTICS, TRANSPARENCY, AND RESPONSIVENESS.
AS A RESULT, THE DEPARTMENT HAS RECEIVED BOTH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR EXCELLENCE IN HUMAN RESOURCES.
ON SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2025, WE CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT EACH OF THE CITY OF HRS PROFESSIONALS MAKE EVERY DAY TO ENSURE THE CITY HAS A SKILLED AND DIVERSE WORKFORCE, SUPPORTED BY SOUND COMPENSATION PRACTICES, A STRONG BENEFITS PROGRAM, A SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND SOUND FISCAL PRACTICES, THE OPPORTUNITY OF TO A COURSE BE HEARD.
SO THE CITY OF HOUSTON EXTENDS, ITS, EXTENDS ITS APPRECIATION TO THE PROFESSIONALS IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR SERVICE.
AND WE JOINED THEM IN CELEBRATING HUMAN RESOURCE PROFESSIONALS DAY VICE MAYOR PRO TEM.
THEREFORE, I, AMY PECK ON BEHALF OF JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, I HERE RIGHT.
PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2025 AS HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONAL DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
DIRECTOR CHEEKS, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, FIRST OF ALL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK BOTH OF YOU ALL FOR ACKNOWLEDGING US.
AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, LET ME SAY TO YOU ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO US AS A DEPARTMENT.
UM, I ALWAYS SAY YOU DON'T REALLY WANT HUMAN RESOURCES UNTIL YOU NEED HUMAN RESOURCES.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU, IT, IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS I WOULD BE REMISS TO NOT THINK NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEHIND ME, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT HERE.
I WANNA SAY THAT OUR DEPARTMENT IS RESILIENT.
IT, IT'S DOING A LOT OF WORK AND WE'RE DOING IT WITH
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WHAT WE HAVE.I WANNA JUST SAY THANK YOU PUBLICLY TO ALL OF THE HR PROFESSIONALS.
AND I, AND I SINCERELY APPRECIATE THIS.
WE WANTED TO GET A PICTURE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN HOLD ON JUST A MOMENT.
SHE, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN.
WE GONNA MAKE, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN IN THE QUEUE.
UH, DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW, SINCE I HAVE BEEN IN THIS SEAT, YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE DON'T NEED HR UNTIL WE KNOW WE NEED HR.
BUT Y'ALL ARE BEHIND THE SCENES WORKING EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND WHAT I CAN SAY ABOUT YOUR DEPARTMENT IS YOU AND THE HUNDREDS OF OTHERS, AND I'M LOOKING OUT, AND IN A MOMENT WE'RE GONNA ASK EVERYONE TO STAND.
Y'ALL TREAT EVERYONE LIKE YOU WOULD YOUR OWN FAMILY, AND YOU TREAT EVERYONE LIKE YOU DO YOUR FAMILY.
AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE.
BUT THE CARE THAT YOU GIVE TO EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE, UH, WE SEE, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS SAID PUBLICLY AS WELL.
SO WHETHER IT WAS WORKING WITH US ON PAID PARENTAL LEAVE, WHETHER IT WAS HAVING TO DEAL WITH HOW WE ACCOMMODATE, UH, EMPLOYEES DURING THE PANDEMIC, RIGHT? VIRTUAL WAS A BIG, BIG TASK.
WHETHER IT WAS WITH THE VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT THIS PAST YEAR, THE LIST GOES ON.
BUT YOU ALL DO SO MUCH EVERY SINGLE DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS OPERATING AND FUNCTIONING AND THAT EMPLOYEES ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF DISTRICT C FOR EVERYTHING.
UH, AND I DON'T KNOW, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN Q? NO, BUT I'LL ADD, I'LL ADD TO THAT.
THERE ARE 21,000 OF US RIGHT? CITY EMPLOYEES.
AND YOU GUYS DO AN AMAZING JOB.
SO AS Y'ALL CAN COME FOR YOUR PICTURE THOUGH, COULD YOU ALL JUST PLEASE STAND SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU AS WELL.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND WE'LL SEE YOU AT LABOR COMMITTEE.
TAKE VICE MAYOR, GET IN THE MIDDLE.
[00:16:48]
TO Y'ALL.INVITE ME TO Y'ALL HOLIDAY PARTY, Y'ALL.
WERE HANGING OUT WITH US TONIGHT.
RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, WHO WILL RECOGNIZE OVERCOME, IN HONOR OF TEAL TALK DAY TO PRO TO PROMOTE OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS.
AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN WILL RECOGNIZE OVERCOME IN ORDER IN HONOR OF TEAL TALK DAY TO PROMOTE OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS.
UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN SAID, UH, EVERY YEAR WE DO THIS IN RECOGNITION OF OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, WHICH IS IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, I AM JOINED OF COURSE BY RUN SISEN, WHO FOUNDED OVERCOME, IN HONOR OF HER MOTHER, WHO LEFT A LASTING LEGACY AFTER PASSING AWAY PEACEFULLY, 11 MONTHS AFTER FIRST BEING DIAGNOSED WITH ADVANCED OVARIAN CANCER.
IN THIS COUNTRY, OVER 20,000 WOMEN A YEAR ARE DIAGNOSED WITH OVARIAN CANCER, AND THE SURVIVAL RATE IS STAGGERINGLY LESS THAN 50% RIGHT NOW.
AND PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THERE IS NO FORMAL SCREENING FOR OVARIAN CANCER, WHICH SEEMS INCOMPREHENSIBLE, BUT IS STILL THE REALITY.
RUNCIE HAS TRANSFORMED HER PERSONAL LOSS INTO A MISSION THAT NOW TOUCHES LIVES ACROSS HOUSTON.
OUR NATION AND THE WORLD SINCE ITS FOUNDING, OVERCOME HIS WORK TO ENSURE WOMEN AND FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION EDUCATION EMPOWERMENT IN THE FACE OF THIS DISEASE THAT AGAIN, OFTEN GOES UNDETECTED UNTIL IT IS ADVANCED.
THEIR AWARENESS AND OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS REACH MORE THAN 2.5 MILLION
[00:20:02]
PEOPLE WORLDWIDE ANNUALLY.AND I'M ALSO JOINED BY REDA, WHO IS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR BETTY WHITE, ONE OF OUR INCREDIBLE SURVIVORS.
LET'S GIVE BETTY A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AND CRAIG WHITE, WHO'S A CARE PARTNER, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE.
HE'S ALSO FILMING TODAY
THEY HAVE A VARIETY OF TANGIBLE HELP FOR WOMEN IN TREATMENT AND THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS, INCLUDING GRANTS, WHICH I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT.
SO TODAY WE ARE SO PROUD TO JOIN IN THIS EFFORT AS WE ARE EVERY YEAR OVERCOME IS WHEREAS OVERCOME IS AN OVARIAN CANCER FOUNDATION WITH THE MISSION TO RAISE GLOBAL AWARENESS, FUND RESEARCH IN SEARCH OF A CURE, AND PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO UNDERSERVED OVARIAN CANCER PATIENTS IN NEED.
FOUNDED BY RUNCIE SEN IN 2012 IN MEMORY HOVER MOTHER, THOUSANDS OF WOMEN AND FAMILIES ACROSS THE NATION HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE INFORMATION EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT PROVIDED BY OVERCOME AND RAISING AWARENESS OF THIS DEADLY DISEASE, WHICH CURRENTLY, LIKE I SAID, HAS NO AVAILABLE SCREENING.
SEVERAL WOMEN HAVE ALSO BEEN BENEFICIARIES OF THE OVER CARE PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH OFFERS LIFESTYLE PACKAGES AND GRANTS TO CANCER PATIENTS IN NEED ON SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2025.
SO EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE GET OUT.
YOUR CALENDARS OVERCOME WILL HOST TEAL TALK DAY TO HONOR ALL WOMEN DIAGNOSED WITH OVARIAN CANCER.
DURING OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, TEAL TALK DAY WAS CREATED TO ENGAGE A LARGER AUDIENCE IN RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT OVARIAN CANCER IN ENCOURAGING CONVERSATIONS WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND HOSTING EVENTS.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON EXTENDS ITS APPRECIATION TO OVERCOME FOR ITS VALIANT EFFORTS TO SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT OVARIAN CANCER AND ITS COMMITMENT TO THE ALTRUISTIC MISSION OF SAVING LIVES.
THEREFORE, I, AMY PICK ON BEHALF OF JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIMS SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2025 AS OVERCOME TEAL TALK DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO YEAH, PLEASE, MUCH GRATITUDE TO YOU BOTH FOR, UM, HONORING US ON, UM, AND THE TEAL TALK DAY FOR OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.
SO AS, UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER, MEMBER CAME IN, UM, MENTIONED, UH, SEPTEMBER IS OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.
AND OVARIAN CANCER, AS, AS SHE ALSO MENTIONED, DOES NOT HAVE A RECOMMENDED RELIABLE SCREENING YET AVAILABLE.
SO WE, UH, MY T-SHIRT SAYS IT ALL.
IT'S, IT SAYS, UM, NO SHOW AND GROW.
SO WE INVITE YOU TO KNOW AND REMEMBER THE BEACH, WHICH IS THE FIVE KEY SYMPTOMS OF OVARIAN CANCER.
AND WE HAVE A FEW CARDS TO DISTRIBUTE, UH, UH, TO YOU AS WELL, WHICH TALKS ABOUT THE FIVE KEY SYMPTOMS. AND WHEN YOU SHOW AWARENESS, BY RECOGNIZING THESE WARNING SIGNS, YOU EMPOWER YOURSELF AND OTHERS TO SEEK CARE SOONER.
AND AS A COMMUNITY HERE AND WORLDWIDE, WE CAN GROW STRONGER BY SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND ALSO BREAKING THE SILENCE OF THIS SO-CALLED SILENT DISEASE, WHICH IS OVARIAN CANCER.
SO WHEN WE KNOW THE SIGNS, WHEN WE SHOW OUR SUPPORT AND WE GROW AWARENESS TOGETHER, WE AMPLIFY IMPACT AND WE CHANGE OUTCOMES.
SO I INVITE YOU ALL TO SHOW THAT AWARENESS IS POWER, SUPPORT IS STRENGTH, AND ADVOCACY IS ACTION.
AND TOGETHER WE CAN OVERCOME TURNING AWARENESS INTO ACTION, ACTION INTO SUPPORT AND SUPPORT INTO HOPE FOR A WORLD WITHOUT OVARIAN CANCER.
AND RECI, WHERE CAN PEOPLE GO ONLINE TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION? YES.
UH, SO, UM, OUR WEBSITE IS A TREASURE TROVE OF INFORMATION AND ALSO OUR, ALL OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, UM, TWITTER, YOUTUBE.
SO PLEASE VISIT US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL AS OUR, ON OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND, UM, THE WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT OUR ORGANIZATION.
WHAT'S THE WEBSITE? IT'S WWW.OVERCOME.ORG.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS EVERY YEAR.
AND I ALWAYS READ THROUGH THESE AND I'M JUST GONNA READ 'EM BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO PLEASE.
UM, B IS FOR BLOATING, E IS FOR EARLY SATIATING, WHICH IS TROUBLE EATING OR FEELING FULL QUICKLY.
A IS ABDOMINAL PAIN, C IS CHANGES IN BOWEL AND BLADDER HABITS, AND H IS HEIGHTENED FATIGUE.
WE HAVE TO RELEARN THIS EVERY YEAR.
UM, VERY IMPORTANT WORK YOU'RE DOING.
WE ARE SO GLAD YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING THIS AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK YOU'RE DOING IN OUR CITY.
I JUST WANT TO MENTION ONE QUICK THING AND BRING BETTY TO THE FOCUS BECAUSE SHE IS A 28 YEAR SURVIVOR OF OVARIAN AND BREAST CANCER.
AND SO, AND SHE, SHE CONTINUES TO, TO BE THAT HOPE
[00:25:01]
THAT WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO, TO, YOU KNOW, IN A WORLD WITHOUT OVARIAN CANCER.SO SHE REPRESENTS WHAT WE STAND FOR.
DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU PRO TE AMY PECK FOR A VERY SPECIAL SWEARING IN CEREMONY.
UM, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AS WE SWEAR IN YOUTH TO BE A PART OF THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL FOR THE 20 25, 20 26 COHORT.
THIS EVENING, WE ARE RECOGNIZING SOME VERY SPECIAL AND REMARKABLE YOUTH FROM ALL OVER THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL PROVIDES HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT CITY GOVERNMENT, SHARE ISSUES OF CONCERN WITH CITY OFFICIALS, AND GAIN CIVIC LEADERSHIP SKILLS THROUGHOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES.
THE COUNCIL IS MODELED AFTER THE ELECTED CITY COUNCIL, WITH MEMBERS REPRESENTING 11 SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS AND FIVE AT LARGE DISTRICTS, AND THREE COUNCIL AIDES.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THIS INCOMING CLASS AND REMIND THEM THAT LEADERSHIP IN YOUR COMMUNITY COMES WITH CHALLENGES, BUT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE YOUTH VOICES FROM ALL COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY AND BRING THEM TOGETHER TO ESTABLISH A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL OF US.
WITH THAT, I WOULD ASK THE INCOMING YOUTH COUNCIL MEMBERS TO STAND SO WE CAN RECITE THEIR OATH.
ALRIGHT, SO IF YOU WANNA PHRASE YOUR RIGHT, I STATE YOUR NAME, I OBJECT.
DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR? DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY PERFORM, THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY PERFORM THE DUTIES INCUMBENT UPON ME, THE DUTIES INCUMBENT UPON ME AS A MEMBER OF THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL, AS MEMBER OF THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES, I'LL TREAT FELLOW MEMBERS.
I'LL TREAT FELLOW MEMBERS AND THOSE WHO ADDRESS THIS BODY AND THOSE WHO ADDRESS THIS BODY WITH DIGNITY AND COURTESY, WITH DIGNITY, DIGNITY AND COURTESY.
AND I WILL BE RESPECTFUL OF VIEWS AND OPINIONS, AND I'LL BE RESPECTFUL OF VIEWS AND OPINIONS THAT I MAY NOT SHARE, THAT I MAY NOT SHARE.
I ALSO COMMIT TO USING THE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE ME.
I ALSO COMMIT TO USING THE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE ME TO STRIVE TOWARD REACHING MY FULL POTENTIAL TO STRIVE TOWARDS REACHING MY FULL POTENTIAL TO BETTER MYSELF, TO BETTER MYSELF AND THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH I LIVE AND THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH I LIVE.
AND I'D LIKE TO BRING UP THE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS WHO RUNS THE SHOW ON THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE.
AS WELL AS MS. JACKSON, WHO'S OUR ADVISOR FOR THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL.
THANK YOU JAHAR, AS WELL AS PAUL GREEN, HER DIVISION MANAGER.
AND WE WANT TO CONGRATULATE AND WELCOME OUR NEW COHORT.
I SEE SOME FAMILIAR FACES FROM, UM, FROM THE LAST COHORT, BUT I WANNA WELCOME ANY NEW FACES AND I HOPE YOU PERFORM AND REALLY, REALLY REPRESENT YOUR COMMUNITIES AS YOUNG PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY DURING THESE TIMES.
WE NEED YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE INSPIRATION, TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY, COMMUNITIES TO IMPROVE, AS WELL AS BRIDGE GAPS OF, UM, ISSUES THAT MAYBE WE AREN'T HEARING FROM THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE YOUR AGE.
AND YOUR ISSUES ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS ANYBODY ELSE'S.
SO WELCOME AND CONGRATULATIONS.
UH, CORN, UH, JUST WANTED TO JUST SAY CONGRATULATIONS AS WELL.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF BEING ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND SPEAK TO SOME OF Y'ALL IN THE PAST YEARS.
AND SO, UM, BUT ALSO THOSE THAT ARE COMING IN, YOU JUST, JUST REPRESENT YOUR COMMUNITY.
IF YOU'RE IN DISTRICT, I KNOW THAT MY OFFICE IS ALWAYS OPEN TO YOU.
OKAY, WE'LL PROBABLY TAKE A PICTURE.
[00:33:09]
FOR THE INVITATION?[2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
THANK YOU.UM, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE UP KATHY LYNCH, GUNTER WHO WILL BE LEADING US IN THE INVOCATION THIS EVENING.
UM, KATHY LYNCH GONE TO A LIFELONG HOUSTONIAN AND A PROUD GRADUATE OF CASHMERE HIGH SCHOOL, EMBODIES THE SPIRIT OF SERVICE AND FAITH.
SHE EARNED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FROM PAUL QUINN COLLEGE, WHERE SHE PLEDGED DELTA SIGMA DELTA SORORITY.
DELTA SIGMA SIGMA THETA SORORITY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS FOR THAT CORRECTION,
FOR 28 YEARS, KATHY DEDICATED HERSELF TO EDUCATION, SERVING IN THE NORTH FOREST, ALDEAN AND I AND HOUSTON ISD, AND RETIRING FROM THE WINHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT WITHIN THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
HER WORK WITH DIVERSE POPULATIONS TAUGHT HER RESILIENCE, COMPASSION, AND THE POWER OF SECOND CHANCES.
A RESIDENT OF TRINITY HOUSTON GARDENS COMMUNITY SINCE 2009, KATHY FOUNDED FOUNDED THE HOUSTON GARDEN CIVIC CLUB ASSOCIATION IN 2016 TO FIGHT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE AND UPLIFT, UPLIFT HER NEIGHBORHOOD AS A PRECINCT CHAIR FOR 5 8 1.
SHE LED RELIEF EFFORTS AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY DELIVERING FOOD, WATER, CLOTHING, AND HOPE TO THOSE IN NEED.
KATHY'S TIRELESS ADVOCACY AND DISTRICT B IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 48 AND 59, 50 UNION, PACIFIC UNION, UM, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD UNITED TARGET
[00:35:01]
HUNGER AND CITY COUNCIL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE THAT SHE SERVED FOR THE DISTRICT B OFFICE.UM, SHE HAS BEEN PART OF TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE.
NOW SHE SERVES ON THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, A CC ADVISORY BOARD AND IN A, AND IS A CANDIDATE FOR HCC DISTRICT TWO CHAMPION EDUCATION AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL.
A WOMAN OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, KATHY FIERCE GOD LOVES FIERCELY AND FORGIVES, FREELY KNOWN FOR HER KINDNESS, NO NONSENSE APPROACH AND READINESS TO TACKLE ANY CHALLENGE.
SHE'S A BEACON OF HOPE IN HER COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU KATHY, FOR JOINING US AND LEADING US IN PRAYER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILMAN JACKSON.
WILL EVERYONE BOW YOUR HEADS PLEASE? FATHER GOD, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TODAY.
AND FATHER, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE COME TO YOU IN THE MOST OUS WAY WE KNOW HOW WITH A BOW HEAD AND A HUMBLE HEART.
FATHER, I'M ASKING YOU TO BLESS EACH AND EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER TODAY, BLESS THEM IN THE WAY THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY.
I'M ASKING YOU ALSO, FATHER, TO BLESS THE MAYOR IN HIS ABSENCE.
I'M ASKING YOU TO BLESS US COMING IN AND GOING OUT.
I'M ASKING FATHER GOD, THAT YOU REPLACE HATRED WITH LOVE.
I'M ASKING YOU TO REPLACE ANGER WITH PEACE.
PEACE FOR OUR CITY, PEACE FOR OUR STATE, PEACE FOR OUR NATION.
I'M ASKING YOU TO GO INTO ALL THE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITIES AND HBCUS, FATHER AND GIVE THEM PEACE.
I'M ASKING YOU, FATHER, TO PROTECT US FROM GUN VIOLENCE ALL OVER THE NATION.
AND I'M ASKING YOU, FATHER, THAT WE LEARN TO FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER.
YOU ARE OUR FATHER WITH YOUR IN HEAVEN, HOLLYWOOD, BE THY NAME, THY KINGDOM COME AND YOUR WILL WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
FORGIVE US FATHER, GIVE US OUR DAILY BREAD AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE EACH AND EVERY PERSON THAT TRESPASS AGAINST US.
I'M ASKING YOU TO HEAL THE NATION, FATHER GOD, THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE CANCER AND ANY OTHER ILLNESSES THAT MAY BE UPON THEM.
I'M ASKING YOU TO BLESS THE CHILDREN, ALL CHILDREN, INCLUDING ONES THAT HAVE AUTISM AND ANY DISABILITIES.
FATHER, I'M ASKING YOU TO GIVE THEM THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.
AND I'M ASKING YOU TO BLESS OUR COMMUNITIES, EACH AND EVERY COMMUNITY IN ALL OF THE DISTRICTS, ALL OVER THE CITY, ALL OVER THE STATE, ALL OVER THE NATION.
AND WE ASK THESE BLESSINGS IN YOUR SWEET SON JESUS' NAME I PRAY.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE, MR.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING]
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MAYOR WHITMEYER WILL BE ABSENT.COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER WILL BE ABSENT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 3RD AND SEPTEMBER 9TH AND 10TH.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
NOW FOR PROCEDURAL MOTIONS, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ FOR A MOTION.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD WILLIE GONZALEZ TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER FOR A MOTION.
UH, THANK YOU VICE MAYOR PROTO, UM, MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND UH, ADD JO JACOB CLEMENTE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE THREE MINUTE LIST.
THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE THAT CAME IN SECOND.
WE ARE GOING TO PAUSE FOR JUST A SECOND.
PEOPLE ARE STILL COMING IN FROM THE OVERFLOW ROOM.
[00:41:22]
GOOD EVENING.[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
AND THANK YOU VICE MAYOR PROM.I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES, UH, AND MAKE A MOTION TO ADD THE FOLLOWING NAMES TO THE SPEAKER'S LIST IN THIS ORDER.
SCOTT SINGLETON, FOLLOWED BY RICHARD GILMORE.
SARAH HIRSCH, BRUCE FERRA, CAM KIRKLAND, KYLE ROGERS JURORS.
TOM TE, ALEXANDER CARRANZA, EMILY OLIN, ROBERT GALLEGOS.
YOU, YOU ALL CAN DO WITH THIS.
WOULD YOU PLEASE? REBECCA TROTH.
AMY E. ERICKSON, LINDSEY WILLIAMS, CLAY DIPPLE, CHRIS WRIGHT, KELLY SADDLER, ROY HIRSCH AND LISA HUNT.
IF THEY'RE ALREADY ON THE LIST, WE WANT THEM TO BE UM, PUT ON THE LIST IN THIS PARTICULAR ORDER.
SO THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE LIST, UH, THE ORDER OF THE LIST THAT THESE SPEAKERS WOULD LIKE TO GO IN POINT OF INQUIRY AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
COUNCILMAN CAME IN UNDER THREE MINUTE.
MOST OF THESE PEOPLE WERE LISTED UNDER THREE MINUTES.
SO CAN YOU SPECIFY THE YEAH, WE'RE MINUTES THAT THEY WANTED TO SPEAK UNDER? SO WE'LL GO ON TO THE, THE NON, THE ONE MINUTE NON AGENDA.
'CAUSE EVERYBODY'S GONNA BE AT A MINUTE ANYWAYS.
ONCE WE DO THIS, WE GO OVER ONE 50.
WE'LL PUT THIS LIST FOR THE NON AGENDA.
WE'RE GONNA PUT 'EM AT ONE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST.
EVERYBODY GETS ONE MINUTE I HAVE TO SAY IS TOO IMPORTANT ONE DAY TRYING TO GET ON THIS DECEMBER, SO THAT'S NOT FAIR.
AND YOU DO THAT ALL THE TIME AND THAT'S ABUSE OF POWER AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
SEE, I'M HERE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT'S OUTSIDE THE PEOPLE THAT'S HOMELESS.
AND GUESS WHAT, I'M SHOWING YOU WHAT THE NEW HOMES LOOK LIKE.
BY ABUSE OF POWER, SOMEBODY LEGALLY STOLE MY HOUSE FROM ME AND THEY, THEY AND THEY PUT ME IN A MENTAL HOSPITAL FOR 35 DAYS WITHOUT PAPERWORK.
ALRIGHT, WE ARE GOING TO START THIS EVENING.
I'M VICE MAYOR PRO TIM AMY PECK FILLING IN FOR MAYOR WHITMEYER TONIGHT AS HE IS OUT ON CITY BUSINESS WITH CHIEF DIAZ.
IF YOU ARE NEW TO THE CHAMBER, WELCOME TO YOUR CITY HALL.
LET ME TAKE A MOMENT TO INFORM YOU OF THE RULES OF THE CHAMBER.
THERE'S NO CLAPPING, SNAPPING, OR ANY OTHER NOISES.
IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO HEAR YOU SPEAKING.
UM, IF YOU AGREE WITH THE SPEAKER AND WANT TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT, PLEASE INSTEAD WAVE YOUR HANDS SO WE CAN SEE YOU.
UM, OR YOU CAN STAND UP AS WELL.
ALSO, SINCE WE ARE HERE AT NIGHT, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE GETS OUT AT A REASONABLE TIME SO I'M NOT EXTENDING TIME.
PLEASE STAY WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME THAT YOU SIGNED UP FOR WHEN THE BELL RINGS.
YOUR TIME IS UP AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS.
IF YOU HAVE MORE COMMENTS TO ADD THAT YOU DIDN'T GET TO TONIGHT, PLEASE EMAIL ALL
[00:45:01]
OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS OR YOU CAN EMAIL MY OFFICE AND WE'LL BE SURE TO DISTRIBUTE IT TO EVERYONE.MY EMAIL IS DISTRICT A@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
ALSO RHONDA SOUDER IS HERE WITH THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE TO ASSIST AS WELL.
RHONDA, IF YOU COULD WAVE YOUR HAND.
FINALLY, THE CITY SECRETARY WILL READ THE NEXT TWO NAMES ON THE SPEAKER'S LIST.
SO IF YOUR NAME IS CALLED AND YOU HEAR THAT YOU ARE COMING UP SOON, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND SIT.
THERE ARE TWO CHAIRS ON MY LEFT.
UM, FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF SPEAKERS SO THAT WE CAN MOVE EVERYONE ALONG, MR. SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER.
WE ARE STILL ADDING THOSE NAMES TO THE LIST.
SCOTT SINGLETON TO BE FOLLOWED BY RICHARD GILMORE.
UH, HELLO, I'M SCOTT SINGLETON.
TONIGHT YOU'LL HEAR FROM NUMEROUS SPEAKERS, RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS UNITED BY ONE MESSAGE.
YOU'LL NOTICE THE SEA OF BLUE SHIRTS BEHIND ME.
THESE ARE HOUSTONIANS WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, EQUITY IN THE FUTURE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
IN FRONT OF YOU IS PACKET CIRCULATING AROUND THAT FOLLOWS THE FLOW OF OUR SPEAKERS, HOW WE GOT HERE, WHAT'S AT STAKE, WHY THIS MATTERS TO OUR CITY'S VALUES AND THE SOLUTIONS WE'RE OFFERING.
WE'VE DONE OUR HOMEWORK, WE'VE BUILT TOOLS, GATHERED DATA, AND SHOWN UP AGAIN AND AGAIN.
ALL WE ASK IS THAT YOU LISTEN WITH OPEN MINDS AND OPEN HEARTS.
LET'S DO THE RIGHT THING FOR HOUSTONIANS.
NEXT SPEAKER, RICHARD GILMORE TO BE FOLLOWED BY SARAH HIRSCH.
I'M RICHARD GILMORE AND I WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW PAGE THREE TO WALK US THROUGH THE EROSION OF EASTWEST CONNECTIVITY THROUGH THE YEARS.
IN 1978, WE HAD 13 THROUGH STREETS IN BLUE.
THESE ARE STREETS THAT EXTEND BEYOND FIVE BLOCKS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.
DIVIDE SIX INTERRUPTED CONNECTED STREETS THAT EXTEND LESS THAN FIVE BLOCKS ON ONE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY DIVIDED IN YELLOW AND FOUR DISCONNECTED STREETS THAT NO LONGER OFFER CONNECTIVITY IN RED.
IN 1989, THE OPENING OF GEORGE R. BROWN.
WE HAVE 11 THROUGH STREETS, SIX INTERRUPTED CONNECTED STREETS, AND SIX DISCONNECTED STREETS IN 2017 WITH BOTH PREVIOUS EXPANSIONS OF THE GRB.
IN ADDITION TO THE BALLPARK AND SOCCER STADIUM, WE HAVE SEVEN SIGNIFICANT THROUGH FOOT THROUGH STREETS, FOUR INTERRUPTED CONNECTED STREETS, AND 12 DISCONNECTED STREETS.
THESE FURTHER IMPACT CONNECTIVITY WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE NUMBER OF ONE WAYS LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE, IF THIS COUNCIL CHOOSES TO ABANDON POLK AND CONVERT LELAND, WE WILL HAVE SIX THROUGH STREETS OF WHICH FOUR INTERACT WITH TRAINS AT GRADE THREE INTERRUPTED CONNECTED STREETS AND 14 DISCONNECTED STREETS.
NEXT SPEAKER, SARAH HIRSCH TO BE FOLLOWED BY BRUCE FERRA.
UM, HELLO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, AS YOU JUST HEARD, OUR EAST END CONNECTIVITY HAS BEEN DEGRADED OVER DECADES NOW.
TWO MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR PROJECTS THAT WILL FURTHER IMPACT THAT CONNECTIVITY OF RECEDING WITHOUT A PUBLIC INTEGRATED PLAN.
TDOT'S NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WAS APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN 2021.
AFTER YEARS OF INTENSE PUBLIC SCRUTINY, TECHNICAL ANALYSIS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THAT PROCESS INVOLVED THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS, DOZENS OF MEETINGS, AND REAL COMMITMENTS TO MITIGATE HARM AND RESTORE CONNECTIVITY.
NOW HOUSTON FIRST IS UNDERMINING THAT WORK.
THEIR GRB EXPANSION WASN'T PUBLIC UNTIL FEBRUARY.
IT HAS NOT BEEN COORDINATED WITH TS PLAN YET.
THEY PLAN TO CLOSE POLK IN OCTOBER 25 AND DIVERT PEOPLE TO LELAND DESPITE NO TIMELINE FOR CONVERSION AND NO PUBLIC PROCESS TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT.
PAGE FOUR OF YOUR HANDOUT MAKES THIS CLEAR, BOTH TX DOTS PROMISE U-TURN AND A BIKE P BRIDGE PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED BY THE CITY DEPEND ON POLK.
THIS ISN'T JUST A MISSED OPPORTUNITY, IT'S A REVERSAL OF HARD WON PROGRESS.
LET'S HONOR THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.
WE NEED TO PUT HOUSTONIANS FIRST AND KEEP POLK OPEN.
NEXT SPEAKER, BRUCE FERRAR TO BE FOLLOWED BY CAM KIRKLAND.
I'M BRUCE FERRA AND I LIVE IN EASTWOOD.
ON FEBRUARY 1ST RESIDENCE OF POLK STREET, WE DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS SLATED FOR ABANDONMENT AFTER WE, IT WAS A BAIT AND
[00:50:01]
SWITCH AFTER 14 YEARS OF TRUST.WE DIDN'T HEAR IT FROM HOUSTON FIRST, WE DIDN'T HEAR IT FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, WE DIDN'T HEAR IT FROM OUR COUNCIL MEMBER.
WE SAW IT ON SMALL ROADSIDE SIGNS.
THEY HAD A NUMBER YOU COULD CALL, BUT IT WAS THE WRONG NUMBER IF YOU HAD ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT.
DAYS LATER, MORE NEIGHBORS FOUND OUT AT THE EASTWOOD CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING PROOF THAT IN HOUSTON, WHEN OUR INSTITUTIONS FAIL US, WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
NOW THIS IS HOW HOUSTON FIRST TREATS COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IN THE WAY.
NO NOTICE TIME HAS EXPIRED PROSPERITY.
SINCE THEN, WE'VE BEEN MODEL CITIZENS MEETING WITH COUNCIL MARTINEZ, OFFERING ALTERNATIVES, REACHING OUT TO ALL OFFICIALS.
THANK YOU SIR, IF YOU COULD WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS.
OUR MEETING WITH MAYOR WHITMEYER FIVE TIMES ALL DENIED TONIGHT REPRESENTS OUR LAST RESORTS.
PUT HOUSTONIANS FIRST AND KEEP FOLK OPEN.
NEXT SPEAKER, CAMDEN KIRKLAND TO BE FOLLOWED BY KYLE ROGERS.
I'M A RESIDENT OF EAST DOWNTOWN.
WHEN HOUSTON FIRST FAILED TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY, WE BUILT IT OURSELVES.
WE LAUNCHED A COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE THAT INCLUDED MAPS, ECONOMIC DATA, TIMELINES, AND A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER INFORMATION THAT JUST WASN'T PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC.
WE MADE IT ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE LIVING IN THE EAST END AND TO THE REST OF HOUSTON ONLY THROUGH OUR ADVOCACY DID HOUSTON FIRST AT THAT POINT, DANE, TO HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING WITH US, UH, BACK IN MARCH AT WHICH, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO FINALLY RAISE A FEW QUESTIONS THAT WEREN'T ACTUALLY PARTIALLY ANSWERED UNTIL JULY OF THIS YEAR.
UH, SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS STILL OUTSTANDING AS WELL, UH, IN THAT FORMAT IN WHICH THEY DID GIVE THOSE RESPONSES.
RESIDENTS WERE NOT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLLOW UP.
UH, AND TXDOT THEMSELVES WAS ALSO NOT PRESENT, UH, TO RESOLVE ANY OF THE INCONGRUENCIES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN RAISED BY HOUSTON FIRST PRESENTED PLANS.
WE'VE OFFERED OUR TECHNICAL SKILLS TO HELP THE CITY DO BETTER, BUT INSTEAD OF PARTNERING WITH ENGAGED CITIZENS, YOUR TIME, YOUR PROJECT SOLUTIONS, UH, THEY CHOSE SECRECY.
NEXT SPEAKER, KYLE ROGERS TO BE FOLLOWED BY THOMAS.
UM, MY NAME'S KYLE ROGERS AND UH, MY STATEMENT IS SUCH THOUSANDS OF WORKERS WHO ARE THE BEDROCK OF HOUSTON'S HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.
HOUSEKEEPERS, FOOD SERVICE WORKERS, SECURITY GUARDS LIVE EAST OF 59.
MANY ARE STRIKING HERE TODAY WITH UNITE HERE.
YET THE UH, PO PO CLOSURE MAKES THEIR COMMUTES LONGER, HARDER, AND MORE EXPENSIVE.
WE'RE PUNISHING THE VERY PEOPLE WHO MAKE DOWNTOWN THRIVE.
EAST END FAMILIES WILL LOSE ACCESS TO DISCOVERY GREEN DOWNTOWN PARKS AND CIVIC PROGRAMS. CHILDREN WHO WALK OR BIKE TO EVENTS WILL BE CUT OFF.
THIS CREATES TWO HOUSTONS, ONE WITH ACCESS AND ONE WITHOUT.
WE'RE ISOLATING THE WORKERS WHO SERVE DOWNTOWN WHILE ALSO DENYING FAMILIES THE JOY OF PARTICIPATING IN ITS ACTIVITIES AND ATTRACTIONS.
LET'S DO THE RIGHT THING FOR HOUSTONIANS.
NEXT SPEAKER THOMAS TCE TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALEXANDER CARRANZA.
EMERGENCY ACCESS ISN'T OPTIONAL, IT'S LIFE AND DEATH, YET HOUSTON FIRST NEVER STUDIED HOW CLOSING POLK WOULD IMPACT EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS TO THE GRB TOYOTA CENTER TO DISCOVERY GREEN OR EVEN OUR OWN POLICE HEADQUARTERS ON POLK AT TRAVIS.
AND WHEN THE PIERCE ELEVATED IS REMOVED BY TDOT'S IN HHIP PROJECT, EAST IN RESIDENCE WILL LOSE A CRITICAL EVACUATION ROUTE.
TXDOT IS PLANNING TO PUT THE HIGHWAYS UNDERGROUND AND THEY WILL BE VULNERABLE TO FLOODING WHEN WE NEED THEM THE MOST.
POLK IS THE LAST RELIABLE PATH ACROSS DOWNTOWN TO EVENT TO ADDITIONAL EVACUATION ROUTES FOR MANY EASTERN NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE MUST PUT THE LIVES OF HOUSTONIANS FIRST.
HELLO, I'M ALEX DISTRICT I AND, UM, I TAKE BUS 40 EVERY DAY TO GET TO WORK OR TO GET TO WHERE THE PLACES THAT I WANNA VISIT, WHETHER THAT'S EAT OR JUST VISIT OR YOU KNOW, THE CONNECTIONS THAT I NEED IN ORDER TO GET TO WORK.
AND I USE THE POLK BIKE LANES TO GET SAFELY TO DOWNTOWN AND ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL RIDE FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE EAST END.
AND AFTER SPEAKING WITH MY NEIGHBORS, THEY ALSO SHARE THE SAME SENTIMENT WHERE THEY DRIVE BIKE
[00:55:01]
OR, UH, RIDE TRANSIT THROUGH POLK.THE STREET IS LITERALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT CONNECTION THAT WE HAVE TO DOWNTOWN.
IF Y'ALL APPROVE THIS CLOSURE, WHICH IS GONNA HAPPEN IN JUST A MONTH, THERE WOULD BE NO TIME FOR US TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT NEW ROUTES, UH, OR HOW THEY WOULD AFFECT US.
AND IT WOULD BE A DEVASTATING BLOW TO THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF MANY OF US.
PUBLIC TRANSIT RIDERSHIP COULD PLUMMET AS A DISTANCE AND TYPES OF DOWNTOWN INCREASE DRAMATICALLY, AND PEOPLE DEPENDING ON BUSES LIKE MYSELF COULD LOSE ACCESS TO JOBS, HEALTHCARE AND SERVICES.
PUBLIC TRANSIT ONLY WORKS IF OUR DESTINATIONS AND OUR, UM, PLACES THAT WE'RE COMING FROM ARE LOCATED.
DISCLOSURE WILL BREAK THOSE CONNECTIONS.
SO PLEASE, UM, IF YOU COULD JUST LISTEN TO US AND KEEP POKE OPEN.
NEXT SPEAKER, EMILY OLIN TO BE FOLLOWED BY ROBERT GALLEGOS.
WE MOVED TO EASTWOOD ALMOST 10 YEARS AGO BECAUSE OF ITS PROXIMITY TO DOWNTOWN AND BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THE FEW AFFORDABLE AREAS TO LIVE INSIDE THE LOOP, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS FLOURISHING.
YOUNG FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS ARE MOVING IN.
PEOPLE WHO GREW UP IN THE EAST END HAVE MOVED BACK TO RAISE THEIR KIDS.
HERE WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE A THRIVING AREA, SIMILAR TO THE HEIGHTS, BUT NOT IF WE ARE CUT OFF FROM THE HEART OF OUR CITY.
THE POLK STREET ABANDONMENT WILL STIFLE THE GROWTH THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE EAST END.
OUR CITY'S URBAN PLANNING FEELS NEARSIGHTED LEAVING US WITH A PATCHWORK OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND NO COHESIVE VISION FOR THE FUTURE.
THIS WAY OF PLANNING AND THINKING ISN'T SUSTAINABLE TO OUR CITY COUNCILMEN.
I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU'RE PUTTING CORPORATE INTERESTS ABOVE THE NEEDS OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE TRUSTED YOU TO FIGHT FOR US WHEN WE VOTED YOU INTO OFFICE.
TO THE REST OF CITY COUNCIL, PLEASE FIGHT FOR US.
FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.
PUT HOUSTONIANS FIRST AND KEEP POLK OPEN.
AND THIS IS MY DAUGHTER EMMA, WHO WAS ON THE LIST BUT GOT LEFT OFF THE AMENDED LIST.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? MY NAME IS EMMA OLAND AND I'M 10 YEARS OLD.
I DON'T WANT POLK STREET TO CLOSE BECAUSE I LIKE BIKING AND I FEEL SAFE RIDING IN THE BIKE LANES TO GET TO DISCOVERY GREEN DOWNTOWN.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.
JUST FOR THE RECORD, I HAVE THREE MINUTES ON MY, THAT'S WHAT I CALLED IN AND THAT'S WHAT THEY GAVE ME.
SO, UH, AGAIN, I'M FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
I'M ALSO A LIFELONG EAST END RESIDENT.
I'M ALSO PRESIDENT OF HOUSTON COUNTRY CLUB CIVIC CLUB.
UH, BUT HERE TONIGHT I'M ALSO READING A LETTER ON BEHALF OF, UH, DIRECTOR BA GAZA II, DIRECTOR OF LULAC, UH, DISTRICT 18.
DEAR MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, I AM WRITING ON BEHALF OF LULAC DISTRICT 18 TO OPPOSE THE ABANDONMENT OF POLK STREET FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER.
THE CURRENT PLAN PERPETUATES THE MARGINALIZATION OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY BY SEGREGATING THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE EAST END FROM THE REST OF DOWNTOWN AND BEYOND.
PERPETUATING HISTORIC ECONOMIC SEPARATION DISCLOSURE OR VIOLATES HOUSTON'S COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND ABANDON OUR BALANCE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH QUALITY OF LIFE.
LOW WAGE WORKERS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR WILL BE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED WHILE WEALTHY CONVENTION GOERS ENJOY EXPANDED FACILITIES.
I CALLED IN AND I WAS GIVEN 30 MINUTES AND THIS IS COUNCIL MEMBER, IF YOU COULD HOLD ON JUST ONE SECOND.
COUNCIL MEMBER, WHY THE WELCOME BACK.
UH, WHILE THERE EACH PERSON WAS GIVEN ONE MINUTE.
YOU CAN HAVE MY ONE MINUTE TO FINISH UP THE LETTER.
LOW WAGE WORKERS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR WILL BE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED.
WHILE WEALTHY CONVENTION GOER GOERS ENJOY EXPANDED FACILITIES WORKERS WHO SERVE, SERVE FROM, UH, SERVE THEM FACE LONGER COMMUTES AND REDUCE ACCESS.
THIS IS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN REVERSE CONCENTRATING BENEFITS FOR THE PRIVILEGE WHILE IMPOSING COSTS ON THE MARGINALIZED TRUE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ENHANCES LIFE FOR ALL RESIDENTS, NOT JUST CONVENTION CENTER VISITORS.
WE CAN EXPAND THE GRB WITHOUT DESTROYING THE E EAST END CONNECTIVITY.
THIS PROJECT PRIORITIZES CORPORATE INTERESTS OVER COMMUNITY WELLBEING.
ABANDONING HOUSTON CORP VALUES LULAC DISTRICT 18 URGES YOU TO KEEP POLK STREET OPEN.
SINCERELY BY THE GOD SAID II LULAC DISTRICT 18 DIRECTOR.
NEXT SPEAKER, REBECCA TROTH, THE TRANSPORTATION PRINCIPLES.
[01:00:01]
IF YOU COULD STEP IN FRONT OF ONE OF THE MICROPHONES.THE TRANSPORTATION PRINCIPLES OF THIS ADMINISTRATION ARE CLEAR, NO LAYING PRODUCTIONS, NO NARROWING, AND NO HARM TO EMERGENCY ACCESS.
YET THE POLK STREET CLOSURE VIOLATES ALL THREE OF THESE STANDARDS, UNDERMINING YOUR OWN MOBILITY STANDARDS.
THIS IS A DIRECT CONTRADICTION OF YOUR STATED COMMITMENTS AND EAST END RESIDENTS ARE LEFT WONDERING WHY THESE PRINCIPLES ARE ENFORCED ELSEWHERE AND NOT HERE.
WE URGE YOU TO UPHOLD THESE PRINCIPLES AND PROTECT THE EAST END FROM DAMAGING PRESIDENTS.
AS I HAVE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY FROM THIS STAND, YOU WERE ELECTED TO PUT HOUSTONIANS FIRST.
NEXT SPEAKER, MARCY INGER TO BE FOLLOWED BY IAN LAVA.
IT'S MY HONOR TO SHARE ANOTHER POINT OF CONCERN FOR ALL DISTRICTS.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE STRETCH OF POLK STREET THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING IS DEEMED BY THE CITY TO BE A MAJOR COLLECTOR STREET? IF THE CITY ALLOWS A MAJOR COLLECTOR STREET TO BE QUOTE UNQUOTE ABANDONED IN DISTRICT I, IT SETS A LEGAL AND PRACTICAL EXAMPLE THAT COULD BE APPLIED ANYWHERE TOMORROW.
IT COULD BE A STREET IN YOUR DISTRICT WHEN VIEWED THROUGH A LEGAL LENS.
THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT ONE STREET, IT'S ABOUT THE PRINCIPLE THAT PUBLIC STREETS CAN BE TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE WITHOUT CLEAR LIMITS AND WITHOUT REGARD TO SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC OUTCRY THAT IS BACKED UP BY FACTS.
ONCE THIS DOOR IS OPEN, NO DISTRICT AND NO STREETS WILL BE SECURE.
PUT HOUSTONIANS FIRST AND KEEP POLK OPEN.
NEXT SPEAKER, IAN EK TO BE FOLLOWED BY AMY ERICKSON.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE Y'ALL.
UM, THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
SINCE FEBRUARY, OFFICIALS HAVE CALLED POLK A DONE DEAL.
THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD FROM DAY ONE IN FEBRUARY.
WE HAD NEVER HEARD ABOUT THIS PRIOR AND, AND WE WERE TOLD AS RESIDENTS TO FIND A COMPROMISE.
RESIDENT VOLUNTEERS TO FIND A COMPROMISE.
WE DIDN'T BALK, WE ROLLED UP OUR SLEEVES AND WE GOT TO WORK.
WE GOT ENGINEERS, VOLUNTEERS, TRANSPORTATION VOLUNTEERS TO LOOK AT OTHER CONVENTION CENTERS.
YOU'LL SEE THAT ON WHICH PAGE SIX, HOW THEY KEEP ALL OF THEIR STREETS OPEN.
WE LOOKED AT OTHER OPTIONS AT COMPROMISES THAT COULD KEEP POLK OR REESTABLISH LAMAR AND OR MCKINNEY IN THE SHORT TERM AND THE LONG TERM.
THAT'S ALS THAT'S ON PAGE SEVEN.
WE EVEN ASSESSED A POLK BRIDGE FROM AN ENGINEERING POINT OF VIEW THAT REQUIRES CHANGES TO THE N-H-H-I-P THAT THE ENGINEERS NEED TO DISCUSS BECAUSE IT'S POSSIBLE IF THOSE CHANGES ARE MADE.
WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA OF HOUSTON FIRST OR THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
AMY ERICKSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY LINDSEY WILLIAMS. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSEL.
UM, HOUSTON FIRST AND THE CITY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS PROJECT DIFFERENTLY.
A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT TO ENSURE COULD ENSURE, UH, COMMUNICATION, TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, WHILE ADDRESSING, UM, THE IMPACTS ON NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE I ION DISTRICT DIDN'T CLOSE STREETS.
IT DIDN'T ISOLATE COMMUNITIES, IT CONNECTED THEM.
THE SAME CAN BE DONE WITH THE GRB EXPANSION.
COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENTS REQUIRE DEVELOPERS TO, UH, REINVEST THROUGH LOCAL HIRING, ONGOING DIALOGUE AND MOBILITY MITIGATION.
IF THAT'S NOT YOUR PATH, AMENDMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE COULD ACHIEVE SIMILAR GOALS, BUT WE NEED LEADERSHIP TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
FINALLY, THE HOT TAX DOLLARS SHOULD BE U COULD BE USED WITHIN A THREE MILE RADIUS TO MITIGATE THESE NEGATIVE EFFECTS, NOT JUST ON CONVENTION, UM, VISITORS AND THE PFZ.
LET ME, LET'S MAKE THIS EXPANSION.
A MODEL OF COLLABORATION AND BALANCE FOR HOUSTONIANS.
PUT HOUSTONIANS FIRST AND KEEP POLK OPEN.
NEXT SPEAKER, LINDSEY WILLIAMS TO BE FOLLOWED BY CLAY DIPPLE.
MY NAME IS LINDSEY WILLIAMS. I AM PRESIDENT OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 64 AND 88, WHICH IS GREATER EASTWOOD LAWNDALE WAYSIDE.
I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE EASTWOOD CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
MAKING LEELAND A TWO WAY IS AN AL AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO POLK STREET IS A FISCAL RISK IRRESPONSIBILITY A $20 MILLION
[01:05:01]
BANDAID THAT WON'T SOLVE CONNECTIVITY.THE ACT GRAY RAILROAD CROSSING ON LEELAND BLOCKS TRAFFIC FOR DAILY FOR ROUGHLY FIVE AND A HALF H PER HOURS PER DAY WITH THE TRAINS MOVING, LET ALONE STOPPING.
AND A GRADE SEPARATION WOULD REQUIRE YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION AND, AND ACCESSIBILITY.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF A LELAND GRADE SEPARATION IS FEASIBLE.
THE CITY IS CREATING NEW PROBLEMS DOWN THE ROAD WHILE CLAIMING TO SOLVE OLD ONES.
LELAND AND BELL ALREADY FUNCTION AS A ONE-WAY PAIR DOWNTOWN AND LELAND IS FREQUENTLY BLOCKED BY TRAINS, WHICH ARE BASIC FACTS.
HOUSTON FIRST IGNORED WHEN THEIR TRAFFIC STUDY.
THE CITY ASKS US TO ACCEPT IMMEDIATE HARDSHIPS ON VAGUE PROMISES ABOUT AN INADEQUATE SOLUTION WITH NO DEFINED TIMELINE AND NO DESIRE TO PUT THESE PROMISES IN WRITING TO ASSURE THE COMMUNITY THAT PROMISES WILL BE FULFILLED.
THIS TIMELINE DECEPTION COMPOUNDS A CONNECTIVITY CRISIS.
HOUSTON IS HOUSTON VERSUS CREATING.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP HULK OPEN.
SPEAKER CLAY DIPPLE TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRIS WRIGHT.
THANK YOU EVERYONE AND THANK YOU FOR THESE EVENING SESSIONS.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT I, I'M ACTIVE WITH THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION IN EASTWOOD IN THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, IT'S OUR JOB TO LISTEN AND AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF OUR NEIGHBORS.
I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS PROJECT IS MOVING TOO QUICKLY WITHOUT MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
HOUSTON FIRST HAS NOT ASKED RESIDENTS WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE NOR OFFERED TRUE ALTERNATIVES.
THE CITY HAS SUGGESTED CONVERTING LELAND INTO A TWO-WAY STREET TO OFFSET THE CLOSURE OF POLK.
YET PUBLIC WORKS OFFICERS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD REQUIRE ADDITIONAL ENGINEERING STUDIES, BEDROCK, SAMPLING RETRIP, ALL OF WHICH COULD TAKE MONTHS WITH NO GUARANTEE OF SUCCESS.
ANOTHER CITY ENGINEER ADMITTED TO ME HE WASN'T SURE A TWO, TWO-WAY LELAND WAS EVEN POSSIBLE.
DESPITE THIS UNCERTAINTY, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS ALONG LELAND HAVE NOT BEEN CONSULTED ABOUT HOW THESE CHA UH, PLANS COULD AFFECT THEIR DAILY LIVES.
BUT THE PLANS ARE GOING FULL SPEED AHEAD.
IF COUNCIL CHOOSES TO ABANDON POLK, WHICH I HOPE IT DOES NOT, THE PROCESS IS ALREADY FLAWED BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY MOST AFFECTED AGAIN, HASN'T BEEN INVITED INTO THE CONVERSATION.
WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, LESSONS HAVEN'T BEEN LEARNED AND ONCE AGAIN, CITIZENS AREN'T BEING ASKED WHAT WORKS FOR THEM.
EVEN IN REGARD TO LELAND, I URGE YOU POSTPONE THIS DECISION.
NEXT SPEAKER CHRIS WRIGHT TO BE FOLLOWED BY KELLY SADLER.
THE IMPORTANCE OF POLK DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN AS A KID.
MY MOM, A SINGLE PARENT WITH LIMITED FUNDS WOULD LOAD US UP ON OUR BIKES TO RIDE TO DOWNTOWN HOUSTON LIBRARY, RIGHT? I WOULD PUT MY BOOMBOX AND STRAP IT ONTO MY HANDLEBARS AND WE WOULD GO DOWN POLK STREET.
OKAY, SO YOU SEE POLK ISN'T JUST PAVEMENT, IT'S HERITAGE AND CONNECTION.
PRESERVING IT CAN CREATE A CULTURAL COR CORRIDOR THAT CELEBRATES EASTERN CULTURE AND DRAWS IN VISITORS CLOSING.
IT RISKS ISOLATING COMMUNITIES.
INSTEAD OF SHOWCASING THE TAPESTRY THAT MAKES HOUSTON SO UNIQUE.
THE GRB EXPANSION WILL SUPPOSEDLY BRING $20 BILLION OVER 30 YEARS.
SURELY A FRACTION OF THAT SHOULD SUPPORT THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE GIVING, GIVING UP PUBLIC ACCESS.
CITIES LIKE DALLAS BALANCED GROWTH AND PRESERVATION.
KEEP THE EAST WEST LINK STRONG, INCLUDE EAST END VOICES AND KEEP YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
AND SO FAMILIES LIKE MINE HAS FOR FIVE DECADES CAN KEEP RIDING INTO THE HEART OF OUR CITY.
NEXT SPEAKER, KELLY SADLER TO BE FOLLOWED BY ROY HIRSCH.
UM, WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS IS TO REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO ENSURE OUR PUBLIC DOLLARS SERVE PUBLIC GOOD.
THAT INCLUDES A DUTY OF CARE, ASKING HARD QUESTIONS, DEMANDING FULL TRANSPARENCY AND PROTECTING TAXPAYERS FROM HIDDEN COSTS.
HOUSTON FIRST BUDGET, OMITS MITIGATION, DELAY CONTINGENCIES AND COMMUNITY IMPACT EXPENSES.
THAT'S NOT OVERSIGHT, IT'S NEGLIGENCE.
THIS PROJECT SHIFTS PRIVATE TOURISM INDUSTRY COSTS ONTO TAXPAYERS WHILE FUNNELING PUBLIC FUNDS INTO A TOURISM EXPANSION THAT ISOLATES OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOTING AGAINST THE POLK ABANDONMENT IS NOT A VOTE AGAINST THE GRB EXPANSION.
IT IS A VOTE FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE.
YOURS IS TO PROTECT HOUSTONIANS.
DEFER THIS VOTE UNTIL REAL ALTERNATIVES ARE PRESENTED.
DON'T APPROVE BLANK CHECKS AND BROKEN PROMISES OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES BETTER.
PUT HOUSTONIANS FIRST TO KEEP POLK OPEN.
NEXT SPEAKER, ROY HIRSCH TO BE FOLLOWED BY LISA HUNT,
[01:10:07]
PROTECTING PUBLIC INTEREST.HOUSTON FIRST MISSION IS TOURISM NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIVITY E UH, EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT AND LONG-TERM PUBLIC BENEFIT IS A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
THE GUARDIAN THAT ENSURES PUBLIC MONEY, YIELDS PUBLIC BENEFIT.
RIGHT NOW HOUSTON FIRST IS ABANDONING STREETS WITHOUT A COMPLETE STUDY OF EAST END ECONOMIC IMPACTS WHILE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE A PLAN.
THE BENEFITS CONVENTION CITY VISITORS ONLY THEIR FLAWED TRAFFIC STUDY EXTENDED ONLY ONE BLOCK INTO THE EAST END.
THEY MUST PROVIDE A BETTER EAST END TRANSPORTATION IMPACT.
STUDY VOTING AGAINST THE POLK ABANDONMENT PAUSES THE GRB EXPANSION AND ENSURES THE COMMUNITY VALUES AREN'T LEFT OUT.
EXERCISING YOUR AUTHORITY OF OVERSIGHT INCLUDES THE COMMUNITIES AND THE COMMUNITY AND DECISIONS THAT WILL SHAPE ITS FUTURE.
YOUR DUTY OF CARE PROTECTS THE ENTIRE CITY, NOT JUST THE GRB EXPANSION.
TONIGHT YOU'VE HEARD FROM NUMEROUS SPEAKERS, RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS WHO'VE WALKED THROUGH THIS ISSUE FROM MANY ANGLES.
WE BEGAN WITH THE PROMISES MADE IN THE MASTER PLAN IN 2011 AND THE BETRAYAL UNCOVERED ON FEBRUARY 1ST, 2025.
YOU HEARD ABOUT THE ECONOMIC HARM, THE SOCIAL DISRUPTION, AND THE PERSONAL STORIES OF THOSE IMPACTED.
WE SPOKE TO HOUSTON'S VALUES, EQUITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND CULTURAL HERITAGE AND OFFERED REAL SOLUTIONS, NOT ONLY OPPOSITION.
AS MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL AND AS OUR MAYOR, YOU HAVE A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY NOT ONLY FOR OUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES BUT FOR OUR TRUST.
THE PACKET YOU HAVE IN YOUR HANDS REFLECTS THE REALITIES OF THIS DECISION.
AND THE SEA OF BLUE BEHIND ME REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN A BETTER WAY FORWARD.
LET'S DO THE RIGHT THING FOR HOUSTONIANS.
NEXT SPEAKER, IAN JOHNSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY PETER WANG.
I WANTED TO COME HERE TONIGHT TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR LEAVING POLK STREET OPEN IN THE EVENT OF THIS GEORGIA R BROWN CENTER EXPANSION BEING FINALIZED.
THE FACT THAT HOUSTON FIRST DISMISSES THIS CONNECTION BETWEEN TWO MAJOR PARTS OF TOWN AS NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO TRY AND WORK AROUND IS FRANKLY JUST DISRESPECTFUL TO THE RESIDENTS ON THE EAST SIDE WHO RELY ON IT.
I CURRENTLY LIVE OVER IN MIDTOWN, WHICH IS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE MANY DIRECT AND EASY WAYS TO CROSS INTO DOWNTOWN.
EVEN IF I'M NOT DRIVING, WHEN I'M IN DOWNTOWN AND I WANT TO GO OVER INTO IDO TO ENJOY THEIR RESTAURANTS OR THE COMEDY CLUB.
POLK STREET IS THE SIMPLEST AND MOST COMFORTABLE CONNECTION.
HANDS DOWN, EVEN TDOT OF ALL PEOPLE.
RESPECTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS CONNECTION AND IS PRESENTED A WORKAROUND THAT THE COMMUNITY IS TRYING TO FINE TUNE AND IMPROVE, BUT WITH THIS CLOSURE, THAT REPLACEMENT CONNECTION, JUST LIKE THE FREEWAY CAP WOULD BE ANOTHER ADDITION TO THE LIST OF N-H-H-I-P SELLING POINTS THAT THE CITY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON.
I URGE YOU ALL TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME HERE TODAY AND NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS DISCLOSURE.
NEXT SPEAKER, PETER WANG, MICHELLE BLACKWELL.
AND JUST A REMINDER, WE DO HAVE THOSE TWO SEATS OPEN.
SO FOR THE NEXT COUPLE SPEAKERS COMING UP, IF YOU WANNA MAKE YOUR WAY UP THERE, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
MY NAME IS MS. BLACKWELL AND I LIVE IN THE NEAR NORTH SIDE AREA, DISTRICT H I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE METRO BUDGET FUNDS THAT NEEDS TO BE USED FOR PROJECTS TO PROVIDE BETTER QUALITY SERVICES FOR THOSE THAT DEPEND ON USING THIS METRO TRANSIT CENTER.
UM, ONE IS THERE'S A NEED FOR THE METRO RAIL TO RUN MORE FREQUENTLY ON THE WEEKENDS, JUST LIKE IT'S RUNNING ON THE WEEKDAYS.
THE SECOND IS THEY NEED TO MONITOR THE ELEVATOR THAT'S AT THE, THE BURNETT STATION TO MAKE SURE IT'S WORKING 24 7 SO PEOPLE CAN BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE ELEVATOR VERSUS TRYING TO CLIMB SEEM LIKE A THOUSAND STAIRS TO GET TO THAT PLATFORM.
AND THEN THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE, UH, THE COMMUNITY CONNECTOR.
I'M JUST LETTING Y'ALL KNOW ON TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGE, SOMEBODY TOLD ME, MS. BLACKWELL, WHY DON'T YOU USE THE, THE, THE COMMUNITY CONNECTOR AND I CANNOT.
[01:15:01]
SAYING YOU HAVE TO DOWNLOAD AN APP.I'M JUST BEHIND THE TECHNOLOGY.
I WISH THEY HAD SOME TYPE OF WAY OF AT TALKING TO SOMEBODY TO SO I CAN SCHEDULE RISE SO I CAN BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE COMMUNITY CONNECTOR.
AND SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
SO I JUST APPRECIATE Y'ALL CAN TAKE THESE REQUESTS INTO CONSIDERATION.
OH JO JOST LTRO TO BE FOLLOWED BY RUBEN GARZA.
I'M A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN BORN AND RAISED IN EASTWOOD.
I CURRENTLY LIVE ON POLK STREET RIGHT OUT OF EAST DOWN RIGHT OUTTA DOWNTOWN.
SO AS A US NATIVE HOUSTONIAN FROM THE EASTWOOD, WE DON'T SAY THAT WORD.
YOU KNOW, WAIT, I HAD A SPEECH PREPARED, BUT I SAW THAT AND I REALIZED I COULD DUMP MY SPEECH.
IF YOU GUYS LOOK AT THAT EVERY TIME YOU MEET AND IF THIS POLK STREET CLOSURE PASSES, YOU SHOULD JUST CHANGE IT TO OUT OF TOWN.
CONVENTIONEERS AND HOUSTON FIRST ARE THE CITY, NOT US.
'CAUSE YOU'RE JUST GIVING US A BIG IF YOU PASS THAT, CHANGE THE SIGN.
KENNETH NO BLAZER TO BE FOLLOWED BY SAMANTHA TOWNSEND.
THANKS FOR HOLDING THIS EVENING'S SESSION.
MY NAME IS KENNETH NO ZA AND I'M A RESIDENT OF SECOND WARD.
I'M HERE TO VOICE MY OPPOSITION TO THE ABANDONMENT OF POLK.
POLK STREET IS AN IMPORTANT THOROUGHFARE THAT PROVIDES MY NEIGHBORS AND I ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN AND THE AREA AROUND DISCOVERY GREEN.
IT GETS US TO WORK AND TO THE PLACES WHERE WE CAN RELAX AND HAVE FUN.
POKE IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO THOSE THAT COMMUTE ON BICYCLES.
I WOULD KNOW BECAUSE I'M ONE OF THEM, IT IS THE SAFEST AND FASTEST ROUTE THAT LEADS TO DOWNTOWN.
THE PROTECTED BIKE LANES ON POKE ENSURES THAT I DON'T HAVE TO COMPETE WITH CARS ON THE ROAD AND THAT I CAN GET TO WORK IN ONE PIECE.
AND I'D LIKE TO SAY TWO MORE THINGS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE MAYOR IS NOT HERE, BUT MAYOR WHITMEYER, PLEASE LEAVE OUR BIKE LINES ALONE.
SHOUT OUT TO THE HILTON HOTEL WORKERS IN THE BACK.
UH, THAT'S ON STRIKE FOR A LIVING WAGE.
LET'S STAND WITH 'EM IN SOLIDARITY SO THAT WE CAN DO AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP THEM GET WHAT THEY NEED.
NEXT SPEAKER, SAMANTHA TOWNSEND TO BE FOLLOWED BY ROBERT FINLAND.
AS CON, UM, AS A CONCERNED HOMEOWNER AND RESIDENT OF THE HISTORIC AND DEED RESTRICTED OAK MANOR UNI UNIVERSITY WOOD SUBDIVISION IN THE HISTORIC THIRD WARD.
WE ARE WRITING AND COMING HERE TODAY TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE ONGOING AND BLATANT VIOLATION OF THE DE RESTRICTIONS AND THE CITY ENFORCEMENT ORDERS AT OUR, ON OUR OWN STREET AT 3,800 SOUTHMORE AND THROUGHOUT THE THIRD WARD COMMUNITY.
AS WELL AS SIMILAR ISSUES, LIKE I SAID, IN THAT COMMUNITY.
DESPITE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FILED WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE PERMIT DIVISION, AS WELL AS THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANT, THERE'S A PREDATORY DEVELOPER THAT CONTINUES TO VIOLATE THE RESTRICTIONS AND CITY REGULATIONS.
ALTHOUGH CONSTRUCTIONS HAVE BEEN PAUSED TEMPORARILY ON OUR STREET, THIS PREDATORY DEVELOPER CONTINUES TO, UM, VIOLATE PERMIT DEED RESTRICTIONS TO BUILD, UM, UNSAFE BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
THEIR BEHAVIOR IS UNLAWFUL, IT'S BELLIGERENT, AND IT SETS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT THREATENING RESIDENTIAL CARE.
YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED AND LEGAL PROTECTIONS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
HAVE YOU SPOKEN WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER ABOUT THIS YET? WE HAVE MADE ATTEMPTS TO, UM, COMMUNICATE WITH HER AND, AND SPECIAL THANKS TO, UM, SENATOR BORIS MILES' OFFICE AS WELL AS MS. DARLENE PARKER WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
UM, THE, THE, UM, THE ACTUAL BUILDING HAS STOPPED ON OUR STREET, BUT THIS PREDATORY DEVELOPER HAS, UH, AT LEAST FIVE OF THE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT AND THAT ARE BUILT IN THE, IN OUR COMMUNITY WITHOUT CODE.
AND WE, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THESE EXPENSIVE PROPERTY TAXES, BUT THIS PERSON IS ABLE TO GET AWAY SCOT-FREE BUILDING THESE UNSAFE CONSTRUCTIONS, UH, CONSTRUCTION, UH, BUILDINGS, UM, MEANT TO BE AIRBNBS, UM, HALFWAY HOUSES.
IT HAS TO STOP YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER STAFF.
[01:20:01]
SHABAZ.UM, AND SHE IS GOING TO TALK TO YOU AFTERWARDS.
THREE MINUTES RIGHT TO BE FOLLOWED BY JACQUELINE AGUILERA.
IN 2013, I PULLED, PULLED A PERMIT TO DO SOME REPAIRS TO MY HOUSE.
WHEN I WAS DOWN THERE THAT ONE INSPECTOR COMMENTED THAT HE FOUND IT UNUSUAL THAT I WAS SEEKING A PERMIT BECAUSE PEOPLE IN MY AREA IN SOUTH PARK, HE SAID, DON'T NORMALLY DO THAT IN THE TIME SINCE THEN, I'VE NOTICED THAT A LOT OF HOUSES ARE BEING REBUILT, SOMETIMES STRIPPED DOWN TO THE STUDS WITHOUT GETTING PERMITS, BUT THE CITY DOESN'T SEEM TO ENFORCE IT.
THE BUILDING COMPARTMENT, JUST SO THEY, TO ENFORCE THINGS, UH, IT WOULD BE EASY FOR THEM TO DO SO.
ONE WAY WOULD BE JUST CHECK WHEN THINGS GO ON THE MARKET.
WHEN HOUSES GO ON THE MARKET TO HAVE US PROGRAM THAT SEARCHES WHERE THE PERMIT'S BEEN PULLED, YOU CAN SELL FROM THE PICTURES, THE WINDOWS.
IF THE WINDOWS BEEN REPLACED, THEY NEEDED TO HAVE A PERMIT.
THERE'S LOTS OF WAYS THEY COULD FIGURE OUT TO DO IT, BUT THEY DON'T CARE TO ENFORCE THE LAW.
I GUESS IT'D BE TOO MUCH WORK IF THEY CATCH 'EM AFTER THE FACT.
THEY CHARGE DOUBLE FOR THE PERMITS, SO IT'D CREATE INCOME FOR THE CITY, BUT I GUESS IT'D JUST BE TOO MUCH WORK FOR THEM.
INSTEAD, THEY HAVE A SYSTEM THAT RESPONDS TO KAREN'S CALLING IN.
WHENEVER SOMEONE CALLS WITH A COMPLAINT, THEY COME AROUND AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TWO OR THREE YEARS THEY COME AROUND AND I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THEM TO PROVE THAT I'M NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG.
I'VE GOTTEN TWO CITATIONS OF THE PATH.
BOTH WHEN I GO TO COURT, THEY DISMISS THE CITATION 'CAUSE THEY DON'T EVEN SHOW UP.
'CAUSE THEY KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GIVEN THE CITATIONS.
THEY KNOW THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO.
NOW I HAVE A NOT STOP WORK ORDER.
I'VE EXPLAINED EVERYTHING FULLY OF THIS.
I'VE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH OIG AND I'M HERE.
I'M HERE BECAUSE I CALLED THE MAYOR CITIZENS' ASSISTANCE.
AND THE GUY WAS EVIDENTLY ON HIS LAST DAY.
I CALLED TODAY AND HE IS NOT THERE.
BUT ANY RATE, UH, I DID HAVE A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH THE MAYOR'S CITIZEN'S ASSISTANCE TO EXPLAIN TO HIM WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, YOU DON'T NEED A PERMIT TO BUILD A SHED WHEN IT'S UNDER 120 SQUARE FEET.
IT CAN BE A POOL HOUSE OR AN OFFICE OR WHATEVER.
THERE IS A PRECEDENT THAT YOU CAN BUILD THINGS WITHOUT A PERMIT AS FAR AS A MOTOR VEHICLE, A MOTOR HOME OR TRAVEL TRAILER, THERE IS NO PERMIT PROCESS TO REBUILD OR REPAIR A MOTOR HOME.
YOU CAN STORE ONE ON YOUR PROPERTY INDEFINITELY AND YOU CAN USE ONE IF THERE'S A FLOOD.
EVERYTHING'S REQUIRED TO BE BUILT UP ON NEW PERMITS.
I BUILT AN ELEVATED SHED, BUT THAT ONLY PROVIDES 120 SQUARE FEET AND IT CAN'T BE A DOMICILE.
HOWEVER, IF I HAVE A MOTOR HOME OR A TRAVEL TRAILER THERE, I CAN'T CONNECT IT TO UTILITIES OR ARE OCCUPIED IT UNTIL THERE'S A FLOOD.
AND THEN I HAVE SHELTER WHILE I, MYSELF, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, SIR, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF YOUR, UM, CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED.
RHONDA OVER HERE IS WITH THE MAYOR CITIZENS ASSISTANCE OFFICE, AND I BELIEVE SAL FROM PUBLIC GARCIA.
OH, JULIE GARCIA IS HERE WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
AND SO THEY ARE GOING TO SPEAK WITH YOU OUT IN THE HALL TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF YOUR CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED.
NEXT SPEAKER, JACQUELINE AGUILERA.
GOOD EVENING, VICE PROAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M HERE TODAY IN RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL EDUCATION AND FAMILY LITERACY WEEK, THANKS TO THE BLUEPRINT FOR COMMUNITY ACTION AND THE HOUSTON ADULT LITERACY BLUEPRINT, BOTH SPONSORED BY THE BARBARA BUSH HOUSTON LITERACY FOUNDATION.
WE ARE THE ONLY CITY IN THE COUNTRY WITH COORDINATED STRATEGIC PLANS TO ADDRESS EDUCATION GAPS.
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE STRONGEST PREDICTOR OF A CHILD'S EDUCATIONAL AND WORKFORCE SUCCESS IS THE LITERACY LEVEL IN THEIR HOME.
MANY HOMES HAVE ONE IN THREE ADULT SCORES STRUGGLING WITH FUNCTIONAL LITERACY.
THAT MEANS DIFFICULTY FILLING OUT JOB APPLICATIONS, READING PRESCRIPTION LABELS, FOLLOWING BUDGETS, AND EVEN HELPING THEIR CHILDREN WITH HOMEWORK.
THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE UNDERUTILIZED WORKERS, CAREGIVERS, AND COMMUNITY BUILDERS READY TO CONTRIBUTE MORE IF GIVEN TRAINING AND TOOLS TO PREKI AND UPSKILL TO MEET EVOLVING EMPLOYER NEEDS.
[01:25:01]
FEW DAYS AGO, GOVERNOR ABBOTT ISSUED A PROCLAMATION AFFIRMING THAT ADULT EDUCATION IS ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE.AND IT IS, LET'S BE CLEAR, LITERACY IS MORE THAN READING.
READING IS THE GATEWAY TO A SYSTEM OF LITERACIES, FINANCIAL, DIGITAL, CIVIC THAT SHAPE CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THE CITY.
ADULT EDUCATION AND FAMILY LITERACY ARE THE DYNAMIC DUO FOR WORKFORCE MOBILITY, FINANCIAL STABILITY, HEALTH ACCESS, AND HIGHER EDUCATION.
LOW LITERACY COSTS, HOUSTON BILLIONS.
BUT TOGETHER WE CAN TURN THIS AROUND.
IN EACH OF YOUR DISTRICTS, THERE IS AT LEAST ONE ADULT EDUCATION PROVIDER AND YOU CAN CHECK A MAP THAT'S ON THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR ADULT LITERACY THAT WHILE I SERVE THERE, AS PROJECT MANAGER IS AVAILABLE TO YOU AND TO THE PUBLIC TO COORDINATE YOUR DISTRICTS WITH PROVIDERS.
HOW CAN YOU HELP CHAMPION FUNDING INVESTMENT IN ADULT FAMILY EDUCATION AND INTERGENERATIONAL OUT OF SCHOOL PROGRAMS? HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE SAY ADULT LITERACY, WE MEAN A SERIES OF SKILLS TRAINING TO EMPOWER FAMILIES AND AND INDUSTRIES.
ELEVATE THE PROVIDERS IN YOUR DISTRICTS, INVITE THEM TO YOUR CIVIC EVENTS.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, RECOGNIZE ADULT EDUCATION AND FAMILY LITERACY AS A LEVER FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.
LET'S MAKE HOUSTON NOT JUST A NATIONAL MODEL, BUT A MOVEMENT LITERACY FOR ALL AGES IN LIGHT IS A LIGHT BY WHICH WE BUILD STRONG CITIES.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME WITH YOU ON THE THIRD DAY OF NATIONAL ADULT EDUCATION AND LITERACY WEEK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO THAT'S SO IMPORTANT.
ADULT EDUCATION AND LITERACY IS JUST CRUCIAL TO OUR CITY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU VICE MAYOR PRO TEM AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR VERY PASSIONATE SPEECH.
DO YOU WORK FOR OUR OFFICE OF MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ADULT LITERACY? IS THAT WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY? I WAS A FORMER PROJECT MANAGER.
UH, MY TENURE ENDED ON SEPTEMBER 3RD AND I'M NOW SERVING THE COMMUNITY AS PROVIDER LIAISON WITH A NETWORK CALLED THE HOUSTON AREA ADULT LITERACY COLLECTIVE.
AND I'M TRYING TO ASK, UM, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, KIND OF WHAT THE STATUS OF OUR MAYOR'S OFFICE.
UH, AND UH, I USED TO BE ON THE BOARD OF THE HOUSTON BREED COMMISSION BEFORE YES MA'AM.
WAY BACK WHEN BEFORE IT BECAME.
YES, I REMEMBER I WAS THERE BEFORE IT GOT PULLED IN.
I KNOW IT WAS GRANT FUNDED AND I'D JUST KIND OF LIKE TO KNOW WHERE, UM, AND I CAN CERTAINLY ASK THE LIBRARY SYSTEM WHERE, WHERE OUR UH, STANDS.
I, THE BLUEPRINT THAT WE WORKED ON WAS SO GOOD AND INSTRUCTIVE.
AND IT'S, IT'S STILL A NATIONAL MODEL.
IN FACT, I'M UH, GOING TO BE IN CALIFORNIA NEXT MONTH SPEAKING ON HOW THE BLUEPRINT IMPACTS COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THEY WANT TO LEARN FROM HOUSTON.
SO DO YOU KNOW WHO IS LEFT AT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE? UH, DO WE STILL HAVE STAFF THERE? CURRENT, CURRENTLY YOU HAVE ADE WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE ARPA DIGITAL LITERACY GRANT WITH THE DIGITAL LITERACY LABS.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A MANAGER FOR THE OFFICE, WHICH IS REALLY A PROGRAM OF THE LIBRARY NOW.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER, WE'LL GET MORE INFORMATION.
I THINK WE ALL WANT THAT INFORMATION.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ? YEAH, NO, UH, JUST GONNA SAY THAT, UH, IF YOU CAN SHARE THAT AS WELL.
JACQUELINE, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
UM, WE DEFINITELY, UM, NEED THAT KIND OF A, A INITIATIVE PROGRAM FROM MY OFFICE.
WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON A LOT OF YOUTH, YOUTH-FOCUSED, UH, INITIATIVES.
BUT I THINK YES SIR, THE INTERGENERATIONAL CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING TO IS IMPORTANT AS WELL.
UM, I USED TO RUN MANAGE YOUTH PROGRAMS, UM, OUT OF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS FOR ABOUT 11 YEARS.
AND SO UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, WE'D LOVE TO, YOU KNOW, SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND SEE UH, WHAT, HOW WE CAN GET INVOLVED.
I HAVE SOMEBODY FROM MY OFFICE, JUAN PABLO, IF YOU CAN SIT WITH THEM AND SURE.
ALSO LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE A GLENBROOK VALLEY RESIDENT AS WELL, SIR.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, IF WE CAN CONNECT WITH JUAN PABLO, WE WOULD LOVE TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE A MEETING WITH YOU AS WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU JACQUELINE, FOR ALL YOU DO.
I'VE, YOU KNOW, HAD THE PLEASURE OF, OF SEEING YOU IN ACTION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND, UH, CERTAINLY YOUR PASSION FOR LITERACY AND ALSO THE FINANCIAL LITERACY AS YOU KNOW.
I JUST LOVE THAT, THAT BOOK THAT, THAT YOU HAVE USED THE BOOK CLUB MODEL.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL CONTINUE TO, TO REACH OUT TO YOU AND SEE HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE I, I KNOW THAT YOU DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
JUSTIN SIL HARVEY TO BE FOLLOWED BY WILLIE GONZALEZ.
[01:30:01]
YOU FOR YOUR TIME.I LIVE IN THE WASHINGTON HEIGHTS AREA.
DISTRICT C HOUSTON ALREADY HAS BARE BONES SOLID WASTE COLLECTION, AS WE ALL KNOW.
WE ALL KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM AND IT HAS BEEN FOR A WHILE, BUT MY AREA HAS BEEN MISSED 10% OF THE TIME SINCE LAST SUMMER.
THAT'S NOT RECYCLING THAT WE HEAR ON THE NEWS.
WHEN BINS SIT OUT FOR WEEKS ON END, THEY JUST SET OUT FOR TWO WEEKS SOLID BECAUSE GAR GARBAGE WAS MISSED TWICE AND RECYCLING WAS MISSED.
WHAT ARE YOU GUYS GONNA DO ABOUT IT? ARE WE RESEARCHING WHETHER GOOD CITIES ARE DOING ABOUT THIS? ARE WE GETTING CREATIVE? THE MAYOR SAYS, GET TO WORK.
I'M TIRED OF THIS PROBLEM AND I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE, BUT IT AFFECTS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY HARD BECAUSE WE CAN'T DRIVE THROUGH IT.
IT BECOMES AN OBSTACLE COURSE WHEN BINS SIT OUT FOREVER.
CHRISTMAS TREES DIDN'T GET PICKED UP UNTIL MARCH THIS LAST YEAR.
LET'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ONCE AND FOR ALL.
DOES IT TAKE ANOTHER REVENUE SOURCE? FIGURE IT OUT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
SIR, IF YOU CAN COME, SIR, IF YOU CAN COME BACK.
WE HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE QUEUE TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING IN, UM, TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUE WITH TRASH.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO A TRASH FEE? ABSOLUTELY.
OTHER CITIES ARE 30, $40 A MONTH.
'CAUSE WE ARE THE ONLY CITY THAT DON'T HAVE A TRASH FEE.
AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY GROWING AND GROWING AND SO, UM, MORE REVENUE IS WHAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
I KNOW THE MAYOR'S BEEN UP HERE CUTTING COSTS AND THAT'S GREAT.
BUT IF IT COMES OUT THAT WE NEED TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT A FEE, LET'S DO IT.
I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, UM, PROPOSED THAT AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU SIR FOR COMING IN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO ME.
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THE TRASH THING.
WE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, I GO TO NEIGHBORHOODS ALL OVER TOWN.
YEAH, WE, WE, THIS COUNCIL PAID FOR A STUDY THAT'S, THAT WAS TO LOOK DEEP INTO THE OPERATIONS.
WE, UM, ARE RESOURCES ARE A HUGE PROBLEM.
WE HAVE A NEW DIRECTOR THAT WE'RE GIVING GRACE TO FOR A PERIOD OF TIME TO SEE ABOUT LOGISTICS CHANGES THAT HE'S MA MAKING.
AND WE, UH, WE, WE WANNA SEE CHANGE.
UM, I DID A BUDGET SURVEY, 60% OR MORE SAID THAT THEY WOULD PAY A FEE FOR BETTER SERVICE.
SO, UM, I HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR SUCH AS HAVE OTHERS ON COUNCIL AND, UM, WE'RE, I'M READY TO SEE CHANGE.
AND ALSO, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH MY NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH NARROW STREETS, POOR INFRASTRUCTURE, GET CREATIVE, COULD THESE ROUTES BE DIFFERENT? I DON'T, I DON'T SEE ANY CHANGE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT NOW.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE, THAT'S WHAT THE LEG, IT'S REALLY THE GUY HEAD IN.
AND SO WE'RE GIVING HIM TIME TO REALLY WORK OUT, YOU KNOW, THE NEW ROUTES, THE LOGISTICS AND YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA THROW MONEY AT A PROBLEM THAT ISN'T GONNA OPERATE CORRECTLY.
SO WE WANT, WE NEED TO GET THAT IN ORDER.
AND THEN I CERTAINLY WILL BE ADVOCATING FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
NEXT SPEAKER, WILLIE GONZALEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOHN NICKS.
UM, BEFORE WE START, LET ME JUST SAY, AND GOD KNOWS I'M HAVING A BATTLE WITH HOUSTON FIRST AND I HEAR WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, BUT, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT, BUT ON, ON THIS ISSUE, I KNOW OUR NAME WAS MENTIONED A COUPLE TIMES.
I JUST WANNA CLARIFY, IT WAS BROUGHT UP TO ME.
I HAD SOME CONVERSATION WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ AND I THINK HE RESOLVED ANY QUESTIONS WE HAD AND WE FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THIS EXPANSION PLAN HE TALKED ABOUT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OFFICIALLY ON BEHALF OF YOU.
WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT COUNCILMAN MAR, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ IS ON THIS.
WE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT IT, UM, ON OUR PARTIC VERY PARTICULAR ISSUE WITH HOUSTON FIRST AND THE HILTON.
WE WERE AT THIS COUNCIL A WEEK AGO.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH HILTON WHILE THERE WAS SOME MOVEMENT ON LANGUAGE ON NON-ECONOMIC THINGS.
JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR, IT IS WITHOUT QUESTION THAT HOUSTON FIRST
[01:35:01]
HAS DUG IN HERE.HOUSTON FIRST IS THE OWNER OF THIS HOTEL.
AND WHEN YOU NEGOTIATE WITH AN OPERATOR, THE OWNER HAS A LOT OF SAY IN WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT HOTEL.
GENERALLY IT HAS TO BE RUN THROUGH THE OWNER BEFORE AN AGREEMENT'S DONE.
AND I THINK IT'S BECOME APPARENTLY CLEAR THAT HOUSTON FIRST HAS DUG IN AND IS NOT CONCERNED TO THE FACT THAT WORKERS THAT OPENED THAT HOTEL HAVE NOT BEEN ON STRIKE FOR 16 DAYS.
UM, WE DON'T WANT THIS BATTLE.
THIS IS NOT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA RUN FROM IT.
IF IT WHAT, IF IT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN FAIR WAGES AND LIVING CONDITIONS FOR THESE WORKERS, WE WILL CONTINUE.
SO IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS YOU WILL BE HEARING ABOUT SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS, SOME UPDATES ON THE CAMPAIGN.
THESE PEOPLE LIVED IN HOUSTON THEIR WHOLE LIVES AND THEY'RE GOOD PEOPLE.
THEY GOT UP EVERY MORNING AND WENT TO WORK EVERY DAY.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT HOUSTON FIRST IS SAYING, I DON'T CARE.
THEY JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE LAST HOUSTON FIRST ECONOMIC BOARD MEETING, THAT THE HILTON SURPASSED REVENUE EXPECTATIONS AND YET STILL THEY CAN'T TAKE CARE OF THE WORKERS.
SO I, THE MESSAGE TO HOUSTON FIRST IS WE ARE ALWAYS READY TO SIT DOWN AND WORK OUT A FAIR AGREEMENT, BUT WE AIN'T GOING AWAY.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT A LOT OF OTHER STEPS HAPPENING HERE.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE WITH FIFA COMING, WITH EVERYTHING COMING, YOU WOULD THINK THIS BE THE MOMENT FOR HOUSTON FIRST TO STEP UP AND SAY, LET'S ALL WORK TOGETHER.
LET'S GET A ROOM AND WORK IT OUT.
BUT THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WHERE THEY'RE AT.
SO UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S THE UPDATE I HAVE FOR YOU.
WE WILL HAVE MORE UPDATES SUBSEQUENTLY.
UM, WE TRIED, WE CAME FOR A DAY AND A HALF, WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.
IT WAS JUST APPARENTLY CLEAR THEY WEREN'T EVEN WILLING TO BE HERE VERY LONG.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT HOUSTON FIRST CONTRACTUALLY HAS NO SAY IN WHAT THE HILTON DOES.
IT HAS BEEN LEASED TO THE HILTON, CORRECT? YES.
AND IT'S THE HILTON'S BUSINESS.
THE HILTON PAYS YOU ACTUALLY, WELL CAN I EXPLAIN HOW HOUSTON FIRST DOES HAVE SURE.
SAY IN IT BECAUSE HILTON IS THE OPERATOR.
UM, THEY DON'T LEASE THE BUILDING.
THE BUILDING BELONGS TO HOUSTON FIRST.
SO, SO THE EMPLOYEES ARE EMPLOYEES OF HILTON, BUT IN ANY HOTEL NEGOTIATIONS WE HAVE THE MARRIOTT DOWN THE STREET, THEIR OWNERSHIP ULTIMATELY HAS THE FINAL SAY ON CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.
THE OPERATOR WILL NEGOTIATE, BUT THE OWNER HAS HAS FINAL SAY.
AND SO, SO HOUSTON FIRST DOESN'T DIRECTLY NEGOTIATE WITH US, BUT THE MARRIOTT IS, IS BRANDED.
THAT HOTEL OPERATOR HAS BRANDED AT A MARRIOTT HOTEL.
NO, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE MARRIOTT.
IT'S THE OPERATOR, BUT IT'S NOT THE HOUSTON FIRST BRAND.
YEAH, IT'S THE, IT'S THE HILTON BRAND.
BUT AS AN EXAMPLE, JUST USING THE HOTEL AS AN EXAMPLE, THAT OWNERSHIP GROUP OF THE MARRIOTT IS VERY, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T SIT DOWN AND NEGOTIATE, BUT THE MARRIOTT WILL TELL YOU, JUST LIKE HILTON WILL TELL YOU, WE HAVE TO RUN THIS BY THE OWNER.
THE OWNER HAS TO SAY YES OR NO.
HILTON CANNOT JUST ASSUME AND ACCEPT AND NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT WITHOUT HOUSTON FIRST APPROVAL.
AND SO THEY DO TALK TO HOUSTON FIRST.
SO HOUSTON FIRST SIGNS OFF ON THE UNION AGREEMENT, WHETHER IT'S IN A FORMAL SIGNATURE OR A YES ON A PHONE.
PROAM WOODY, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I KNOW IT'S, I'VE BEEN THERE SEVERAL TIMES.
SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN OUT AS WELL.
UM, IT IS A, A, A TOUGH SITUATION FOR A LOT OF THE INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT WORKING RIGHT.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A GOFUNDME AS WELL.
AND I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS THESE NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE, AND MY HOPE IS, UH, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A DAY AND A HALF, UM, THAT HILTON CAN SEE THE VALUE OF EVERYONE THAT IS STANDING BEHIND YOU, RIGHT? THESE ARE WORKING FAMILIES.
THEY'RE FOLKS THAT ARE MAKING $16 AN HOUR AND MAYBE NOT EVEN HITTING $8.
THEY'RE GETTING CUT TO SIX HOURS.
AND SO, UM, YOU'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE MY SUPPORT.
I'LL CONTINUE TO VOICE THIS, UH, PUBLICLY.
I'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'LL, THAT I NEED TO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WHETHER IT'S AT THE HOUSTON FIRST BOARD MEETING COMING UP OR AGAIN AROUND THIS HORSESHOE,
[01:40:01]
THAT I'M WITH YOU ALL.AND I THINK A LIVABLE WAGE IS NOT HARD TO ASK FOR WHENEVER YOU'RE DOING WELL HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WHETHER IT IS VISITORS OR CONVENTIONS.
UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THOSE THAT ARE STANDING BEHIND YOU.
UM, I KNOW IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT THE LAST 16 DAYS.
UM, SOMEONE THAT GREW UP IN A FAMILY OF 12 AND ONE INCOME WAS A, WAS A DIFFICULT THING TO LIVE OFF OF.
I APPRECIATE YOU AND JUST KNOW THAT I'M WITH YOU AS WELL.
WILLIE, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN HERE TO GIVE US AN UPDATE.
AND I, I APPRECIATE IT AND I DO SUPPORT WHAT Y'ALL ARE, WHAT Y'ALL ARE OUT THERE DOING.
YOU MENTIONED SOME STUFF AND IT RAISED SOME QUESTIONS FOR ME.
SO RIGHT NOW UNITE HERE YOUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH HILTON.
IS HOUSTON FIRST IN THE ROOM? ARE THEY A PART OF THOSE NEGOTIATIONS? THEY'RE NOT IN THE ROOM, BUT HILTON IS IN COMMUNICATION WITH HOUSTON FIRST AS THE OWNER, LIKE HILTON WILL MAKE IT CLEAR WE CAN'T FINAL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GET, THE OWNER HAS TO SIGN OFF ON AN AGREEMENT SO THEY DON'T DO THE ACTUAL NEGOTIATIONS.
BUT THE OWNER HAS A HUGE SAY IN WHAT GETS AGREED TO.
AND SO THEY'VE SAID THAT TO Y'ALL? YES.
SO YOUR LAST CONTRACT THAT Y'ALL NEGOTIATED, HOUSTON FIRST SIGNED OFF ON THAT, UH, THE, THE LAST, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
SO, UM, THEY DIDN'T LIKE PHYSICALLY SIGN THE CONTRACT, BUT AS THE OWNERSHIP GROUP, THEY HAVE TO GET THE OWNERSHIP GROUP TO SAY YES.
IF THE OWNERSHIP GROUP SAYS NO, THEN THEY CAN'T AGREE TO IT.
I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP CONVERSATIONS WITH, WITH HOUSTON FIRST, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND, AND GIVING US AN UPDATE.
YEAH, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE ALL GONNA MAYBE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE TO OUR KNOWLEDGE THAT HOUSTON FIRST DOESN'T SIGN OFF ON THIS.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO CLARIFY THAT WITH HOUSTON FIRST AND GET SOME MORE INFORMATION.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE TO DO THAT.
AND AGAIN, TO CLARIFY, IT'S LATE.
I'VE BEEN OUT PICKETING TOO, SO IT MIGHT BE AWFUL.
THEY DON'T LIKE ACTUALLY SIGN IT.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE NEGOTIATION? ANY HOTEL NEGOTIATION? 'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL FRANCHISED.
HILTON, HYATT AND MARRIOTT OWN ALMOST NO HOTELS ANYMORE.
THEY'RE LIKE FAST FOOD OR THEY FRANCHISED THEM ALL.
THEY HAVE TO GET THE OWNERSHIP TO SAY, OKAY, AND IF, OR IF THE OWNERSHIP SAYS, NO, I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS, THEN THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA MAKE A CERTAIN PROPOSAL IF THE OWNERSHIP SAYS NO, DON'T DO IT.
SO THE THE ULTIMATE IN NEGOTIATIONS, I'LL TELL THE ULTIMATE DECISION MAKER IS THE OWNER.
UM, WE, WE ORGANIZED ANOTHER HOTEL HERE IN HOUSTON.
SEE BALDWIN, WE NEGOTIATED THAT CONTRACT.
THE OWNER HAD TO SIGN OFF ON THE ULTIMATE DEAL 'CAUSE THEY ARE THE OWNER COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND I, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR POSITION, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT HOUSTON FIRST IS NOT INVOLVED IN YOUR, IN THE CONVERSATIONS NEGOTIATIONS.
AND WHILE YOU'RE SUGGESTING THAT THEY NEED TO SIGN OFF, THEY MAY HAVE A KNOWLEDGE AND LEVERAGE, BUT THEY'RE NOT PART OF THE NEGOTIATION.
AND YOU KNOW, LAST, LAST WEEK, I BELIEVE YOU ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT $23 PER HOUR.
YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT I HAD UNDERSTOOD THAT HILTON CAME WITH A $21 PER HOUR AND THAT WAS NOT BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.
LIKE I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY CONVERSATIONS, BUT HOUSTON FIRST DOES NOT SIGN OFF ON THE HILTON NEGOTIATION.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT IN THE ROOM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN ALL FAIRNESS, YOU'RE WORKING FOR THE HOTEL AND IN ANY BUSINESS WHEN IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S FRANCHISED OR LEASED, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE OWNER HAS A SAY OVER NEGOTIATIONS WITHIN THE BUSINESS MODEL.
SO, YOU KNOW, ROUND THE HORSESHOE WE CAN CERTAINLY GET MORE INFORMATION.
BUT YOU KNOW, I TO COUNCIL COUNCILMAN, UH, FLICKER COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKERED POINT.
UM, HOUSTON FIRST IS NOT PART OF YOUR NEGOTIATION AND YOU'VE SAID THAT, SO MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO CLARIFY WHAT YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF HOUSTON FIRST REALLY ARE AS OPPOSED TO WHAT YOUR DEALINGS WITH HILTON MIGHT BE.
MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION? YOU SAID HILTON MADE A $21 AN HOUR PROPOSAL.
WHAT NEGOTIATIONS HAVE YOU HAVE, HAS HILTON BROUGHT TO THE TABLE FOR YOU IN THE PAST? I WANNA SAY IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
HILTON HAS NEVER COME CLOSE TO $21 AN HOUR.
SO WHAT ARE, WHAT DID THEIR, WHAT HAS THEIR LATEST OFFER BEEN? DO YOU KNOW? OFFICIAL OFFER WAS 1750.
SO THERE WAS NEVER A HIGHER POINT.
THEY HAVE NOT MADE ANY OFFICIAL OFFER.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DISCUSSION POINTS.
THEY'VE NEVER COME CLOSE TO $21.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, 'CAUSE I HEARD THIS FROM SOMEONE ELSE.
I AM PERFECTLY FINE IN FRONT OF THIS DIOCESE TO SIT WITH WHOMEVER FROM HILTON OR HOUSTON FIRST.
[01:45:01]
IN THE NEGOTIATIONS HAS HILTON EVER COME CLOSE TO THAT.MATTER OF FACT, THEIR, THEIR PROPOSAL WOULDN'T EVEN COME, WOULDN'T EVEN GET THEIR IN A FOUR YEAR PROPOSAL TO ME.
THERE WAS NEVER, AND 'CAUSE I HEARD THIS BEFORE, I WANT TO CLARIFY.
IF YOU'RE HEARING THIS, YOU ARE GETTING MISINFORMATION.
SO WE JUST NEED, THERE WAS NEVER A PROPOSAL LIKE THAT FROM HILTON ANYWHERE NEAR IT.
SO WE JUST NEED TO CLARIFY AND, AND CERTAINLY WE'LL GET THE INFORMATION FROM HILTON.
SPEAKER JOHN NICKS TO BE FOLLOWED BY DALE SINGLETARY.
HOWDY FELLOW CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I HAVE SEVERAL THINGS I WANNA DISCUSS TODAY.
THE FIRST THINGS I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA HOW I, WE HA I WAS IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND HOW TO GO TO THE OVERFLOW ROOM IF WE'RE COMING BACK UP HERE AND I'M AUTISTIC AND IT KIND OF THROWS ME OFF WITH MY AUTISTIC.
I LIKE STRUCTURE BEING IN THE SAME ROOM.
IF THEY NEED TO RESTRUCTURE IT OR IF I'M IN THE ROOM UNTIL IT'S MY TIME TO GO, THAT'S WHAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT.
OTHER THINGS I'M GONNA TALK TO Y'ALL ABOUT, WE NEED HERO, A HERO 2.0.
I KNOW THE VOTERS VOTED IT DOWN BACK IN 2015, BUT HOUSTON'S A LOT MORE PROGRESSIVE AND A LOT MORE OPEN-MINDED AND PEOPLE ARE STILL GETTING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST LIKE MYSELF EVEN IN 20, 35 YEARS AFTER THE A DA WAS RELEASED.
SO THAT'S ONE OF MY BIG ISSUES THAT I WANNA SEE, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT BACK.
'CAUSE IT HAPPENS IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS STILL TODAY.
ANOTHER THING TOO, I'M GONNA SEE THE, MY MAYOR AND THE FELLOW CITY CANCEL THE CONTRACT, DO WHATEVER IT CAN TO STOP SUPPORTING THE V SHUTTLES.
THOSE ARE GOLF CART SHUTTLE THINGS THAT ALSO HAS THE METRO BRANDING ON IT.
IT IS FAR FROM A DA COMPLIANT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST THAT THEY, NOT ONLY DO THEY REFUSE TO TRANSPORT PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS, EVEN DURING MY FOLDER WHEELCHAIR COULD FIT IN THE BACK OF ONE OF THEIR VEHICLES.
YOU KNOW, THEY ARE ALSO, IT'S ALSO NOT AIR CONDITIONING.
SO PEOPLE WITH HEAT TO INTOLERANCE THAT CAN'T BE AROUND THE HEAT WILL SUFFER ON IT.
BEING AP ONLY MEANS PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE BLIND OR LOW VISION OR LIKE THIS OTHER LADY, THEY CAN'T USE THE SERVICE AT ALL.
WE NEED TO GET RID OF THE SERVICE, MOVE EVERYTHING TO A CURB TO CURB SERVICE ON THAT ISSUE AS WELL.
WE NEED TO RESTRUCTURE ALSO METRO METRO'S AS WELL.
'CAUSE IT'S SO MUCH FULL OF FLUFF ON IT DOESN'T GIVE ENOUGH OR PROPER TRANSPORTATION WITH NOT ENOUGH BUSES THAT NEED TO HAVE WAY MORE BUDGET FOR BUSES AND TO STOP BUILDING FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION WITH THE PART THAT THEY GIVE FOR THE CITY ON THAT SORT OF THING.
ON THAT ISSUE, THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT MORE CHANGES WITH THAT.
AND THERE COULD BE A LOT OF MORE THINGS THAT I COULD PROBABLY TALK ABOUT, BUT I DON'T WANNA STAY AROUND HERE ALL NIGHT.
SO I WOULD KIND OF LIKE TO DO THAT.
AND MY MAIN THING IS HERO 2.0.
WE NEED TO ADJUST THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO GIVE THE EMS MORE TRAINING ON HOW TO HANDLE WHEELCHAIRS.
I WAS TRANSPORTED BY EMS FOR MY, WHERE I LIVED IN THE HEIGHTS OVER TO ST.
JOSEPH AND MY WHEELCHAIR GOT LIKE LOST OR LIKE A THEFT HAPPENED.
I BUY HFD AND I HAVE TO GO THROUGH MY OWN RENTER'S INSURANCE AS AN OFF-PREMISE THEFT BECAUSE OF IT.
AND IT WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE CUSTOM WHEELCHAIR FOR ME TO GET IT AS A PROBLEM WITH IT.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE BETTER TRAINING WITH OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR EMS TRANSPORTS WHEELCHAIRS AS WELL, ALONG WITH THE MANY OTHER THINGS THAT I COULD SAY THAT'S ISSUES THAT ARE ISSUES WRONG.
OF COURSE, HOUSTON'S A VERY HOUSTON ITSELF IS VERY HARD AND A VERY HOSTILE FOR CERTAIN WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS IT IS.
SO I HOPE, YOU KNOW, YOU GET A CHANCE TO LISTEN.
OF COURSE I CAN EXPLAIN MORE, BUT I KNOW I'M ABOUT OUTTA TIME.
HAVE A GREAT DAY AND GOD BLESS MEETING AND GO WHATEVER TEAM YOU'RE ROOTING FOR.
NEXT SPEAKER, DALE SINGLETARY.
TERRY TO BE FOLLOWED BY SPENCER FALWELL.
20 PLUS YEARS IN PUBLIC WORKS WASTEWATER DIVISION.
I CAME HERE TWO YEARS AGO, I WITNESSED A CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
I TALKED TO, UH, JOHN, UH, WHITMEYER.
HE SAID HE IS GONNA SIGN SOMEBODY TO ME TO GET DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF IT.
UM, OIG RAN SOME KIND OF GAME ON ME, DIDN'T INVESTIGATE IT, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
BUT EVER SINCE THAT DAY, I'VE, I'VE BEEN HUNTED BY THESE SAME INDIVIDUALS.
MY MOM'S IN THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW HAVING A MAJOR HEART SURGERY AND I HAVE FMLA WITH THEM AND THEY'RE THREATENING TO MOVE
[01:50:01]
ME AS WE SPEAK.AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE RUNNING MY SUPERVISOR DOWN WONDERING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HIS FMLA.
THEY HAVE THE PAPERWORK, IT'S SELF-EXPLANATORY.
THEY DON'T RESPECT THE SITUATION.
I'M EXPECTED TO MOVE NEXT WEEK WAY TO SOUTH SIDE OF HOUSTON.
I LIVE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF HOUSTON AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S JUST DISRESPECTFUL.
I'D ASK FOR HELP TWO YEARS AGO, HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING, DIDN'T HEAR FROM OIG FOR A YEAR.
WALKED BACK IN OIG AFTER A YEAR AND THE GUY SAID, OH, I'M SO SORRY.
THAT GUY HAS, I THINK, BEEN FIRED SINCE THEN, OR HE RESIGNED.
I NEED SOMEONE TO STOP THESE PEOPLE.
I'VE BEEN GOING TO CLASSES THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
MY MOM'S IN A HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF SHE'S GONNA LIVE.
AND THESE PEOPLE ARE ASKING ME TO WORK A WEEKEND ROUTE OR OVER TIME ROUTE.
LIKE, WHAT IS THAT ABOUT? THEY DON'T RESPECT ANYTHING.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU FOR COMING, SIR.
I'M HAPPY TO LOOK FURTHER INTO THIS AND TRY TO GET YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION.
UM, SO I'LL, I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
I'VE GOT YOUR, YOUR PHONE NUMBER HERE OR DO I HAVE IT? I'LL GET IT FROM YOU.
AND, UM, YOU, YOU, I HAVE TO GIVE THIS BACK TO YOU, BUT I'M HAPPY TO LOOK FURTHER INTO WHAT THE SITUATION IS.
NEXT SPEAKER, SPENCER FARWELL.
PETER ECKLES, ECKLES TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAMES ARTHUR.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS PETER ECKLES AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING LINK HOUSTON.
WE WORK TO ELEVATE THE VOICES OF PEOPLE WHO WALK, BIKE, AND TAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT TO HELP DECISION MAKERS SUCH AS YOURSELVES, SHAPE BETTER OUTCOMES FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT METRO'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, WHICH WE'LL START ON OCTOBER 1ST.
METRO IS CURRENTLY PROPOSING TO SPEND $100 MILLION REPAVING CITY STREETS.
THIS IS IN ADDITION TO AND OUTSIDE OF THE ROUGHLY 150 MILLION METRO ALREADY RETURNS TO THE CITY THROUGH THE GENERAL MOBILITY PROGRAM.
METRO'S OBLIGATION IS FIRST AND FOREMOST TO ITS CUSTOMERS, TO PEOPLE WHO RIDE ITS SERVICES AND TO PEOPLE WHO MUST BE ABLE TO SAFELY WALK OR CROSS THE STREET TO ACCESS THEM.
THAT $100 MILLION SHOULD BE SHIFTED TOWARDS OTHER IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE OF TRANSIT RIDERS.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, LINK HOUSTON RE RELEASED OUR SIXTH ANNUAL EQUITY AND TRANSIT REPORT.
WE SURVEYED OVER 300 TRANSIT RIDERS AND TOOK A DEEP DIVE ON METRO'S PERFORMANCE DATA TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S WORKING WELL AND WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED.
WE INVITE YOU TO READ THE REPORT IN FULL ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT TO BE INCREDIBLY BRIEF ON OUR FINDINGS, METRO HAS A LOT TO CELEBRATE THIS YEAR.
THEY'VE BUILT OVER 15 MILES OF SIDEWALK, MADE OVER TWO THIRDS OF THEIR BUS STOPS.
UNI UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE AND HAVE INCREASED FREQUENCY ON 16 OF THEIR BUS ROUTES.
AND THEY HAVE THE RIDERSHIP GAINS TO SHOW FOR IT ON WEEKDAYS.
ONE IN THREE NEW RIDER COME FROM JUST SEVEN ROUTES THAT HAVE HAD INCREASED FREQUENCY.
AND THREE IN FIVE NEW RIDER ON WEEKENDS COME FROM JUST FOUR ROUTES THAT ARE RUNNING MORE FREQUENTLY.
CONSIDERING THE SUCCESS, ONE MIGHT EXPECT THAT EVERY AVAILABLE DOLLAR WOULD BE INVESTED IN THINGS THAT RIDERS TRULY VALUE.
UM, THINGS LIKE MORE FREQUENT SERVICE, COMPLETE SIDEWALKS AND SAFE CROSSINGS.
YET METRO IS POISED TO SPEND LESS ON THESE THINGS DESPITE INCREASING RIDERSHIP.
METRO IS ONLY PROPOSING TO INCREASE SERVICE BY 2.3% DOWN FROM OVER 4% LAST YEAR.
METRO IS PROPOSING TO REDUCE SPENDING ON ACCESSIBILITY BY 40%.
STREET PROJECTS CAN HELP TRANSIT RIDERS, BUT ONLY IF THEY'RE DESIGNED WITH RIDERS IN MIND.
THAT MEANS BUILDING COMPLETE SIDEWALK NETWORKS AND SAFE CROSSINGS EVERY 500 TO 720 FEET AS REQUIRED BY THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN MANUAL.
BUT IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW MUCH, IF ANY OF THIS A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS PROPOSAL STREET FOR STREETS WILL GO TOWARDS SIDEWALKS AND SAVE CROSSINGS IN THE PROJECT INITIATED.
SO FAR THESE ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN SCALED BACK.
METRO REMOVED A RAISED CROSSWALK ON WESTHEIMER HIGH VISIBILITY CROSSINGS ON WASHINGTON AND MEDIAN REFUGE ISLANDS PROPOSED FOR MONTROSE BOULEVARD.
FEATURES LIKE THESE MATTER SIGNIFICANTLY MORE TO METRO RIDERS THAN THE CONDITIONS OF THE ASPHALT.
UH, PLEASE URGE CHAIR BROCK AND THE METRO BOARD TO REDIRECT THIS $100 MILLION PROPOSED FOR STREET REPAVING TOWARDS PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT IMPROVE FREQUENCY, RELIABILITY, AND ACCESSIBILITY.
AND I'LL CLOSE BY THANKING YOU ALL FOR HOSTING ANOTHER
[01:55:01]
SESSION OF THE EVENING CITY COUNCIL.UM, IT'S GOOD FOR INCREASING ACCESS.
NEXT SPEAKER JAMES ARTHUR TO BE FOLLOWED BY LAUREN HOLMES HOMES.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK CITY COUNCIL FOR ALLOCATING FUNDS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS.
HOMELESSNESS IS A VERY COMPLEX SUBJECT.
HEARD, CATEGORIZES, UH, HOMELESS PEOPLE INTO FOUR GROUPS.
THE LITERALLY HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO ARE IN I IMMINENT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS.
HOMELESSNESS UNDER FEDERAL STATUTE AND FLEEING OR ATTEMPTING PERSONS WHO ARE FLEEING OR ATTEMPTING TO FLEE, UH, FLEE FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COMPLEX ISSUE DUE TO IT COMPLEXITY.
A IN INTERSECTOR INTERDISCIPLINARY INTER URGENCY APPROACHES NEEDED PROVIDING SHELTER TO PEOPLE WILL NOT GUARANTEE THAT THEY WILL STAY THERE.
THERE ARE LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN SHELTERS, IN FACILITY FACILITIES AND THEY CHOOSE TO LEAVE THE FACILITIES AND COME AND SLEEP ON THE STREETS TO ADDRESS.
THE ONE BIG ISSUE WE HAVE HERE, OR CHALLENGE WE HAVE HERE IS, IS THAT THE CITY IS HOSTING THE WORLD CAMP IN LESS THAN A YEAR.
WE HAVE ON AVERAGE 2000 PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE STREETS, SLEEP ON THE STREETS IN THE VALLEYS FOREVER, EVERY DAY BECAUSE OF THE URGENCY.
MS. CLE JOHNSON HAS PUT UP A TEAM AND THE TEAM HAS SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL TO ADDRESS THE, UH, HOMELESS PROBLEM.
I HAVE HERE TO FOR YOU TO REVIEW AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSAL.
WE WOULD WANT TO PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL CARE SERVICES, VOCATIONAL TRAINING, JOB PLACEMENT AND GUIDANCE, REHABILITATION AND COUNSELING SERVICES CASE MANAGEMENT SO THAT WE CAN FOLLOW THE INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAY WHERE THEY ARE AND THEY RECEIVE THE CARE THAT THEY NEED.
AND THEREFORE WE ALSO HAVE A MEDICAL TEAM THAT WILL JUST, UH, DO THE, PROVIDE MILITARY MEDICAL NURSING PSYCH AS SERVICE THAT ARE NEEDED.
I'VE MENTIONED HOW COMPLEX IT IS AND THE NEED FOR AN INTERAGENCY AND INTER DISCIPLINARY APPROACH.
THEREFORE, I'M RECOMMENDING YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
A TASK FORCE SO THAT THEY CAN BRING ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS ON ONE UMBRELLA.
YOU COULD WRAP UP, UP YOUR COMMENTS AND HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
AND I WAS GONNA LET MR. ARTHUR, UM, FINISH OUT YOUR STATEMENT.
UM, SO DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY? YOU WERE DONE? YES.
THE CREATION OF THE, UH, HOMELESS TASK FORCE.
SO THAT, UH, WE'VE ALREADY IN CONSULTATION WITH THE HOMELESS COALITION AND SOME OTHER AGENCIES, BUT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE MANDATE, THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE, UH, RESPONDING AS MUCH.
THAT IS WHERE THE NEED FOR A TASK FORCE IS REQUIRED.
AND I, I WAS SITTING HERE AND I WAS LOOKING BACK.
I KNOW I SAW MS. CLEO WHEN YOU SAID HER NAME, YOU IT CONFIRMED THAT SHE WAS, THAT WAS ME.
MS. CLEO JOHNSON IS GOOD TO SEE YOU.
ANYTHING THAT MY OFFICE CAN DO TO HELP AND SUPPORT, UM, HOMELESSNESS IS A BIG, A BIG ISSUE ACROSS THE CITY IN, IN OUR DISTRICT, DISTRICT B.
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD.
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT PROPOSAL.
MS. JOHNSON, GOOD TO SEE YOU AS WELL.
UH, IF YOU COULD SEND THAT TO US ELECTRONICALLY.
I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME, SOME, UH, PAPER VERSIONS, BUT IF YOU CAN ALSO SEND IT TO US ON THE EMAIL, UH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT AS WELL.
UH, I LEFT TWO COPIES OF THE WHOLE THING WITH UH, MAYOR'S OFFICE AND HAVE THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES.
I CAN SEND, UH, THE ELECTRONIC, UM, UH, FILE.
SOMEBODY SHOULD GUIDE ME WHERE TO SEND IT TO.
WE WILL GET YOU THE EMAILS, UH, FOR ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
[02:00:02]
OKAY.I SAY I WANTED TO HAVE A LITTLE DISCUSSION WITH ME AS TO THE NEXT STEPS.
NEXT SPEAKER, LAUREN HOLMES TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH SMITH.
UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE EVENING MEETINGS.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CITIZENS THAT CAN'T COME DURING THE DAY AND IT'S, UM, VERY THOUGHTFUL AND RESPONSIVE OF Y'ALL TO DO THAT.
I TRIED TO, TO TAKE SIX BUSES TO GET HERE, THREE TO GET, AND THREE TO GET BACK.
UM, I TRIED TO HANDLE SOME OF THIS ON THE PHONE JUST TO FYI THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE.
THERE WAS A LOVELY LADY WHO FOLLOWED ME IN THE HALL AND GAVE ME THE NUMBERS OF TWO STAFFERS.
SHE TOLD ME EXACTLY WHEN TO CALL 'EM AT THE POINT IN DAY WHEN THEY WOULD ANSWER THEIR PHONE.
BUT IF I DIDN'T CATCH 'EM TO LEAVE A VOICEMAIL, DIDN'T GET A CALL BACK FROM EITHER ONE OF THEM.
UH, IT'S SPECIFICALLY, UH, FOR COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND FOR COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, MARTINEZ.
SO, UM, THE FIRST TIME I CAME I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT I MAYBE SHOULD HAVE SEPARATED IT, BUT, SO I LEFT 11 MESSAGES, VOICEMAILS, AND SPOKE WITH THE RECEPTIONIST AT COUNCIL MEMBER PECK'S OFFICE.
TWO MESSAGES TO COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, WHO IS A LOVELY SECRETARY.
SHE SAID SHE WAS GONNA SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT MY ISSUE.
UM, BUT I HAD DIDN'T HEAR BACK.
ELI FROM HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS CALLED ME THREE TO FOUR TIMES AND HE'S BEEN INCREDIBLY HELPFUL.
THIS ISN'T JUST, UM, ABOUT ME AND MY FAMILY.
UM, SO I'M GONNA SEPARATE THE ISSUES.
UM, MY HUSBAND AND MYSELF AND MY SON, WHO IS OUR CAREGIVER, WE'RE ALL LIVING AT 2120 CAPITAL 7, 7 0 0 3 LOFTS AT BALLPARKS APARTMENTS.
UM, TEXAS, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CAME IN, TOOK IT BY EMINENT DOMAIN.
WE BECAME DISLOCATED FEDERALLY SERVER, DISLOCATED RESIDENCE FOR THE SECOND TIME.
THE FIRST TIME WAS HURRICANE HARVEY.
AND THEN WE MOVED TO THE LOFTS AND THEN DISLOCATED AGAIN UNDER THE UNIFORM RELOCATION ACT.
AS YOU KNOW, UM, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE.
WHOEVER TDOT OR WHOEVER GETS DISLOCATES, THE RESIDENTS WITH, UM, REHOUSING THEM.
MY, I WAS ILL, I GOT MORE ILL, MY HUSBAND CONTRACTED CANCER.
WE WERE IN THE LOSS DURING COVID.
SO WHEN WE MOVED IN, WE WERE BOTH FUNCTIONING AND WORKING.
AND WHEN WE CAME OUT, WE WEREN'T.
TECH STOCK WENT THROUGH THREE DIFFERENT RELOCATORS AND THEY COULD NOT GET US HOUSED.
THEY GAVE US LIKE A THOUSAND DOLLARS AND DUMPED US IN A DANGEROUS EXTENDED STAY MOTEL.
T FAILED IN THEIR LEGAL OBLIGATION.
I WAS TRYING TO GUESS, MY SON AND I WERE DISCUSSING IT.
UM, WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS.
WE WERE RIGHT BY GEORGE R. BROWN.
AND THEN IT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO BELTWAY EIGHT.
ARE WE TALKING LIKE 20,000 FAMILIES? HAVE YOU GUYS, DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER ON THAT? HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE AFFECTED BY THE INTERSTATE NORTH? MS. HOLMES, IF YOU COULD WRAP UP OUR COMMENTS.
UM, WE COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ? YEAH, I WAS GONNA LET YOU FINISH.
UH, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS.
I WAS GONNA LET YOU FINISH YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, WELL THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA GET OUT TO.
I, WE WE'RE, MY HUSBAND JUST PASSED AND NOW, UM, MY SON AND I ARE GONNA BE HOMELESS.
BUT THAT'S LIKE ANOTHER ISSUE.
'CAUSE THERE'S A FAILURE IN THE PATHWAY, UM, TO ACCESS HELP FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS OR GOING TO BE.
UM, I HAVE, I'M OXYGEN DEPENDENT.
I HAVE MEDICAL DEVICES THAT DELIVER MY MEDICATION.
MY MEDICATION HAS TO BE REFRIGERATED.
IN MY YOUNGER DAYS, I WOULD'VE GOT A TENT AND I'D BE CAMPING OUT WITH THE REST OF THE PEOPLE.
NOT IN A ZONE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE SIDEWALK AT NIGHT, BUT I'D FIND A TENT.
SO MY POINT IS, IT'S IN YOUR DISTRICT NOW.
IT'S GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE BELTWAY EIGHT.
SO WE CANNOT ALLOW TEXT DO TO FAIL.
SO MS. HOLMES, UH, CHRISTINA FROM MY OFFICE IS THE ONE THAT, THAT YOU SPOKE TO AND SHE'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS.
[02:05:01]
PABLO FROM MY TEAM RIGHT NOW.UM, IF YOU CAN MEET UP WITH HIM SO THAT WAY YOU CAN SEE IF THERE'S ANY UPDATES THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH YOU.
UM, AND THEN FROM THERE, MAKE SURE THAT WE CONNECT YOU TO RESOURCES AS WELL.
UM, I I JUST, I'M GONNA SAY IT AGAIN.
THIS IS GONNA GO ON FOR YEARS AND IF YOU, IF YOU ALLOW THEM TO FAIL WITH ONE FAMILY, THEY'RE GONNA FAIL WITH MORE.
NOW WE WERE A DIFFICULT RELOCATION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THERE'S NO EXCUSE AND THEY HAVE A LEGAL OBLIGATION.
UM, WOULD YOU GUYS BE INTERESTED IN ME KEEPING A LOG? I'M A RETIRED HOSPICE NURSE AND I DID SOCIAL WORK 'CAUSE I WORK WITH MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS.
SO ALL OF MY PATIENTS WERE POOR.
UM, SO I'M VERY AWARE OF HOW TO ACCESS HELP.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO KEEP A LOG OF A HOMELESS PERSON TRYING TO, TO, TO ACCESS HELP IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON RIGHT NOW? WOULD A DETAILED LOG BE HELPFUL TO YOU GUYS? WOULD ANYBODY BE INTERESTED IN THAT? BECAUSE I'M FINDING FAILURES IN THE SYSTEM.
I HAVEN'T BROUGHT A RECORDING.
I MEAN, I'M DOING EVERYTHING BY THE BOOK.
I CALLED HIM THREE TIMES 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS OR 2 1, 1 2, 1 1.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE CALLED, BUT SOMETIMES YOU GET A DIFFERENT OPERATOR, YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET THE RIGHT THING.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M FINDING MISTAKES.
WOULD YOU GUYS BE INTERESTED IN MY LOG, MS. HOLMES? IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH JUAN PABLO, JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND.
SO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS HAS, HAS, UH, THIS, UH, A DATABASE THAT WE DO KEEP A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION.
UM, AND BE HAPPY TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY, ANY NEW INFORMATION THAT WE COULD ADD TO THAT.
THOSE, THAT QUESTIONNAIRE THAT THEY HAVE.
UH, THEY HAVE THE POINT IN TIME COUNT EVERY YEAR MYSELF, I KNOW SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE PARTICIPATED AS WELL.
UM, BUT IF YOU CAN SHARE SOME OF THOSE, THOSE, UH, THAT INFORMATION THAT YOU THINK MIGHT BE NEEDED AS WELL ON THAT SURVEY, WE'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE.
THAT'S THE RECORDING I BROUGHT WAS SO 3 1 2 1, 1 REFERRED ME THREE TIMES TO THE TWO, BUT THEY GAVE ME DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
BUT IT ALL WENT TO THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS.
AND THEN I, I BROUGHT A 45 SECOND RECORDING OF WHAT YOU GET AS A PERSON CALLING THEM.
AND WHEN YOU'RE HOMELESS IT SAYS REALLY QUICK AND, AND IT'S INAUDIBLE AND EMAIL ADDRESS.
I HAD TO TO PLAY IT SIX TIMES TO GET THE EMAIL ADDRESS CORRECT.
AND THEN YOU SEND AN EMAIL AND THEN YOU GET AN AUTO RESPONSE.
CAN YOU, AND THAT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO.
CAN YOU SHARE THAT WITH JUAN PABLO, IF YOU DON'T MIND? SURE.
I I MEAN I WOULD DO IT FOR YOU GUYS IF THE COUNCIL'S INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT.
LIKE HAS ANYBODY ELSE DONE THAT? LIKE SHARED WITH THE COUNCIL WHAT THE PROCESS IS FOR AN ACTUAL PERSON TRYING TO ACCESS? WE, WE, SOME OF US HAVE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN ACTUALLY ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS OUT.
I'VE PARTICIPATED THE PAST TWO YEARS, UH, FOR THE POINT IN TIME COUNT.
I KNOW COUNCILOR CARTER ASKED, OH NO, NO, I IAND AND ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND, AND THE COUNT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU GET YOUR FUNDING AND YOU KEEP AN IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING IT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL TO HAVE THE INFORMATION FROM SOMEONE WHO'S TRYING TO ACCESS HELP.
SO ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE FOR US, I THINK WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
SO, UM, IF YOU COULD TALK TO, I'M SAY JUST KEEP A LOG OF WHO I CALL AND THEN GIVE IT TO YOU GUYS AND LIKE, LOOK, THIS IS TIMES AND DATES AND WHO I CALLED AND RESPONSES I GOT LIKE JUST TO, YOU KNOW.
MS. HOLMES, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, JUAN, BOB IS WAITING, WAITING FOR YOU AS WELL.
CHRISTOPHER CATO, SHARON MARSHALL HALL, LATOYA SHAW, MICHELLE EOR, JACOB MENTED TO BE FOLLOWED BY KEVIN STRICKLAND.
I WAS GONNA TELL THE AGGIE JOKE,
SO ALL OF YOU HISPANICS, PLEASE SEND THEM LETTUCE APPROACH.
THAT'S YOU JOEL AND YOU TWO WALKING AND MARIO LEFT.
I DON'T KNOW WHY HE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO GET APPLAUSE AND I WAS GONNA ASK HIM FOR A DATE IF HE WANTED TO GO TO THE BASEBALL GAME WITH ME.
UH, AND SALVATION OF ME HOPEFULLY GETTING THE JOB WITH THAT STILL, HOPEFULLY.
[02:10:01]
WHAT I WANT TO DO NOW IS I WANT TO READ YOU TWO LETTERS THAT, UH, NOTES THAT I RECEIVED FROM, UH, NICOLE COLLIER.I SAID REP FOR DISTRICT NINE FIVE.
SHE SAID, JACOB, THANK YOU FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON MEMORABILIA AS A 1996 GRADUATE.
THIS GIFT IS A WONDERFUL REMINDER OF MY TIME THERE.
AND THEN, UH, I RECEIVED THE OTHER DAY, THIS LETTER NOTE FROM TEXAS HOUSE OF REP, UH, AND THEN HERNANDEZ, DISTRICT 1 43.
DEAR MR. CLEAGE, THANK YOU FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON GIFT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTFUL GUEST HERE AND THE PRIDE THAT REFLECTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT IS WORSE THAN A LS TOGI? IT'S A MS KNOW WHAT THAT STANDS FOR AND MENTAL STAGNATION.
DO YOU WANT TO BE MY DATE TOMORROW? YOU WANT TO BE MY DAY TEA DOES SIX GAME TOMORROW? YES.
NEXT SPEAKER KEVIN STRICKLAND.
IN EVERY NATION AND EVERY SOCIETY WE HAVE CROSS CRIMINALS.
THE SOCIETY MUST DEFEND ITSELF.
STRONG ON LOVE, PEACE, JUSTICE, ETHICS, MORALS, RIGHTEOUSNESS.
THE ETHIC COMMITTEE AND THE HONOR.
ACCORD MUST BE RETURNED TO UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
POLITICS ITSELF GOVERN ITSELF BACK INTO ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPECTABILITY.
THE KIDNAPPERS OF BIG MAMA MADE DEAR UNCLE JAKE, GRANNY MUST FACE AMERICAN JUSTICE.
THINK TANKERS, BANKERS, JENKINS, POLITICIANS, THEY WANT TO PUT MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER ON MY BANK ACCOUNT.
I WAS GONNA PUT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER ON YOURS, BUT IS KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY YOU GOT IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT.
THEY'RE KIDNAPPING, UH, SENIOR AMERICAN SENIOR CITIZENS, BUT THE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT COMMITTEE.
MEDICAID FRAUD ABILITY AGAINST THE ACCOUNT.
SENIOR SISTERS BE AWARE THE WITCHCRAFT MONTH, THESE WOMEN DON'T LOOK LIKE CRIMINAL, BUT EVEN WOMEN ARE CRIMINALS IF THEY PRACTICALLY KIDNAP THE SENIOR CITIZEN FOR THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS.
MEDICAID
THIS, THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
[RECESS]
TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00 AM AN APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $4,200,000 FOR PURCHASE OF TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE PARTS AND SERVICES THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENT WITH TIPS FOR THE FLEET MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT FROM DEFENDER SUPPLY LLC ITEM EIGHT, APPROVEMENT AND AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,433,245 FOR PURCHASE OF PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE ENTERPRISE SUITE OF MICROSOFT PRODUCTS THROUGH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES FOR THE HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES AND VARIOUS CITY, CITY DEPARTMENTS FROM CARESOFT TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION.ITEM NINE APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $60,124,498 65 CENTS FOR PURCHASE OF ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT LICENSES, SERVER CLOUD ENROLLMENT LICENSES AND RELATED SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE THROUGH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES FOR HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES AND VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS FROM SHI GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
ITEM 10 SAFE WATER COMPANY FOR A PURCHASE OF A WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM.
INCENTIVE ITEM 11 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,327,348 60 CENTS FOR PEST CONTROL SERVICES THROUGH THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR COOPERATIVE PURCHASING WITH CHOICE PARTNERS FOR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS FROM RENT TO KILL NORTH AMERICA INC.
DOING BUSINESS AS HOLDERS PEST SOLUTIONS.
ITEM 12, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDS TO REIMBURSE FOR THIRD PARTY COST INCURRED FOR REVIEW OF EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CASE FILES AND COMPLIANCE SUPPORT.
ITEM 13, ORDINANCE APPROV AND AUTHORIZING SUB RECIPIENT AGREEMENT
[02:15:01]
BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND WESLEY COMMUNITY CENTER INC.ITEM 14, ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND BRENTWOOD ECONOMIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
ITEM 15, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $3,409,000 $16,565,000, $1,571,000, $250,000 AND $575,000 FOR PURCHASES OF VARIOUS VARIOUS VEHICLES AND FLEET MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS.
ITEM 16 ORDINANCE AMENDING CITIES MASTER CLASSIFICATION PLAN AS MOST RECENTLY AMENDED BY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2025 DASH 4 95 TO CREATE THREE NEW JOB CLASSIFICATIONS, CHANGE THREE AND DELETE FOUR JOB CLASSIFICATIONS.
ITEM 17, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $449,000 $75,000, $409,000 $402,000, $150,000, $75,000, $484,000 AND $684,000 FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES PROGRAMS. ITEM 18 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND PUMP SOLUTIONS INC.
ITEM 19 ORDINANCE, AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALPHA LAVAL INC.
ITEM 20 ORDINANCE ALTERING MAXIMUM PRIMA FACING SPEED LIMITS IN CERTAIN SCHOOL ZONES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
ITEM 21 HAS BEEN PULLED BY THE, BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEM 22 ORDINANCE ACCEPTING AND AUTHORIZING GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.
COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING GRANT FOR THE DENVER HARBOR STORM WATER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT ITEM 23 ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.
COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING GRANT FOR EP HILL MULTI-USE PARK PROJECT ITEM 24 ORDINANCE ACCEPTING AN AUTHORIZING GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THE EDGEWOOD MULTI-USE PARK PROJECT.
ITEM 25 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS TO THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD FOR FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FLOOD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM FOR 99 HOME ELEVATIONS.
ITEM 26 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $17,067,114 75 CENTS APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND RECE AND NICHOLS INC.
FOR KINGWOOD CENTRAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IMPROVEMENTS.
ITEM 27 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $323,462 77 CENTS AS A SECOND ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION FOR A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HR GREEN INC.
DRAINAGE AND PAVING SUB PROJECT TWO ITEM 28 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $105,000 AS ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND PARADIGM CONSULTANTS INC.
FOR FOREST MAIN FLOW DIVERSION FROM SAGEMONT LIFT STATION TO SOUTHEAST WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
ITEM 29 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO ARROWHEAD ASSET SERVICES, LLCA TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY CORPORATION.
THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
ITEM 30 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO CLEARWATER RECYCLING LLCA TEXAS LI LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
ITEM 31 ORDINANCE GRANTED TO FCC ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, TEXAS, LLCA TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
ITEM 32, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO HALLMARK MITIGATION AND CONSTRUCTION.
LLCA TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT WITH SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
ITEM 33, ORDINANCE GRANTED TO HYDRO CLEAR SERVICES, LLCA TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, THE WRIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
ITEM 34 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO TEXAS PRIDE SEPTIC INC.
A TEXAS CORPORATION, THE WRIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
AND ITEM 35, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO THERMAL FLUIDS INC.
A FOREIGN CORPORATION, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO
[02:20:01]
COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE CAPTIONS FOR THE AGENDA OF CITY COUNCIL'S SESSION SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2025.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON SE CITY COUNCIL.
SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND AS I CLOSE ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO WISH MYSELF A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON TOMORROW.
AND WITH THAT I WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY AND BLESSED WEDNESDAY.
[RECONVENE]
COME TO ORDER.[CONSENT AGENDA]
PROCEED WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA.UH, IT WASN'T IN OVER, UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS, IT WASN'T IN CATEGORY ITEMS TWO AND THREE HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM ONE, CASTEX TATUM MOVE.
NEXT UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY, ITEM FOUR NEEDS A MOTION.
MAYOR PROTE, WOULD YOU WANNA BE RECOGNIZED, UH, ON ITEM ONE? I DIDN'T KNOW IF ANY OF OUR APPOINTMENTS FOR THE SPORTS PARK WERE HERE.
UM, ALLEN, LES ISLA AND LAURA VELAZQUEZ, IF ANY OF THEM ARE HERE, WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO SERVE.
IF YOU ARE HERE, IF YOU'LL STAND.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR NEXT, UNDER THE PURCHASE AND THE TABULATION OF BIDS.
CATEGORY ITEMS 5, 8, 9, AND 10 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM SIX, SEVEN, AND 11? CAST EXT, MOVE.
MOTION IS APPROVED UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY ITEMS 12, 14, 6, 15, 20, 25 AND 26 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 12, 14, 15, 20, 25, AND 26 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
ITEM 21 HAS BEEN PULLED BY THE ADMINISTRATION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
AND ITEM 22 HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF IT'S RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING, NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE.
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.ITEM TWO NEEDS A MOTION CAST T MOVE.
MOTION PASSES AND DO THREE AS WELL SINCE IT'S THE SAME PANEL.
AND I WANNA, UH, CONGRATULATE AND RECOGNIZE SOME MEMBERS FROM THE HARDY NEAR NORTHSIDE TST 21 BOARD THAT WERE JUST APPOINTED.
WE HAVE, UH, SOME NEW MEMBERS.
WE HAVE SOME RETURNING MEMBERS.
AND, UH, TO THE NEW FOLKS, WELCOME TO THE BOARD.
UH, YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE AREA HAS LED YOU TO NOW SERVE ON THE TOURS TO THE RETURNING FOLKS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU AND, UH, APPRECIATE Y'ALL STEPPING UP TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY AND, UH, AND AN IMPORTANT CAPACITY.
WE'RE DO ITEM THREE, AND THEN WE CAN, UM, MEET IN MY OFFICE.
ITEM THREE NEEDS A MOTION CAST, MOVE.
COMPLETED? COMPLETED? YES, SIR.
COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, I'LL MEET YOU IN MY OFFICE, UH, TO MEET AND GREET OUR NEW TURS MEMBERS.
UH, AND I'LL ASK THE MAYOR, PRO TIMM TO RESIDE.
READY FOR OUR NEXT ITEM? ITEM FIVE NEEDS A MOTION.
[02:25:02]
CAN WE GET A SECOND? SECOND.ANY DISCUSSION IF NO DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES.
ANY DISCUSSION? ANY DISCUSSION? IF NO DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THIS IS A VERY LARGE PACKAGE, 60 MILLION AS IT RELATES TO TECHNOLOGY.
UH, THIS IS A GREAT DEAL THAT THE CITY IS GETTING.
AND I WANNA THANK DIRECTOR KEMP FOR REACHING OUT TO EVERY ONE OF OUR OFFICES.
ONE OF THE ASKS HAD BEEN ON LARGE PACKAGES LIKE THIS, THAT WE ARE BEING BROUGHT UP TO SPEED BEFORE IT COMES TO COUNCIL.
SO I APPRECIATE THE DILIGENCE ON THIS ITEM.
DO WE NEED A VOTE ON NINE? WE DID.
UH, ITEM 10 HAS BEEN TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.
NEXT ITEM, ITEM 12 IS AN ORDINANCE.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THE ITEM PASSES.
UH, I DID HAVE A COMMENT, UH, ON ITEM 14.
UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH BRENTWOOD ECONOMIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING WITH, UH, HOPWA.
UM, BRENTWOOD WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST ORGANIZATIONS TO START PROVIDING HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WITH AIDS, SPECIFICALLY MEN, UH, WITH AIDS.
IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE HOUSING THAT THEY PROVIDE, UM, FOR, UH, PEOPLE LIVING WITH AIDS, UM, YOU SHOULD SEE THE, THE TYPE OF WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING FOR A POPULATION.
FOR, UM, MANY YEARS THEY'VE BEEN PROVIDING THIS GREAT SERVICE.
SO ANYTIME I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO UPLIFT THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING, UM, FOR THIS POPULATION, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
AND, UM, COLLEAGUES, I WOULD ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE THE PROGRAMMING AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, UM, AT THEIR PROPERTY.
COUNCIL DAVIS, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM, BECAUSE I'VE KNOWN PASTOR, UH, RIGHTLY FOR SO MANY YEARS.
AND, UH, I REMEMBER BACK IN THE YEARS WHEN THIS FIRST STARTED, BRENTWOOD WAS ONE OF THE FIRST, UH, AND AFTER ONE OF THE FIRST CHURCHES IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY THAT TOOK THIS ON, UH, WHERE IT WASN'T VERY POPULAR, MEANT A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, AND THE AGE WAS A VERY BIG ISSUE DURING THOSE YEARS.
AND, UH, I CERTAINLY WANT TO COMMEND, UH, HIM AND THE BRENTWOOD CHURCH.
AND SO I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THIS ITEM.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THE ITEM PASSES.
TIM, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ITEM.
I JUST WANNA, UH, HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THAT I'VE EXPERIENCED MORE RECENTLY.
UM, WE HAD, UH, STATION 61 IN THE HOBBY AIRPORT AREA THAT RECEIVED THE LADDER TRUCK.
IT, OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE LADDER TRUCKS ARE, AS THEY'RE BOUGHT, IT TAKES ABOUT THREE TO FOUR YEARS TO PUT 'EM TOGETHER, TAKE 'EM TO THE, TO THE STATION.
AND, UM, UH, THE LADDER TRUCK THAT WAS, UH, SUPPOSED TO BE ASSIGNED TO STATION 61 DID NOT FIT.
SO WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH A WHOLE BUNCH OF PERMITTING, FIGURING OUT WHAT WE CAN DO, GET DONE.
AND SO I JUST WANNA, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING THIS TO THE RADAR.
UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO CHIEF MUNOZ.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THESE LADDER TRUCKS THAT ARE GONNA BE, UH, PURCHASED, ARE GONNA BE STATIONED, BUT I THINK WE JUST NEED, NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO OUR, OUR, UH, PROACTIVE, UH, WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT ONCE THEY'RE RECEIVED, THAT WE CAN PUT 'EM INTO SERVICE.
SO, JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I HIGHLIGHT THAT.
UH, MY REMARKS WERE NOT PERTAINING TO LADDER TRUCKS.
UH, THIS IS A VERY LARGE APPROPRIATION FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF FLEET VEHICLES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN THE COMING YEAR.
UH, THAT INCLUDES MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
THEY WILL BE COMING BACK TO COUNCIL.
BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, UH, AND PUT FLEET ON NOTICE THAT I WANT TO SEE WHY AND HOW, UH, WE ARE EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES SPECIFICALLY FOR FUEL EFFICIENT VEHICLES, UH, AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES WHERE APPROPRIATE.
AND I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT WE SHOULD BE PUTTING WHY OR WHY NOT WE ARE ABLE TO USE A HYBRID OR ELECTRIC VEHICLE ON COVER SHEETS.
SO WHAT IS THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE TO EXPAND THE POOL?
[02:30:01]
AND HOW ARE WE MOVING FORWARD TO SAVE MONEY FOR THE CITY AND CLEAN UP THE AIR AND DO EVERYTHING? UH, IT'S A WIN-WIN WIN FOR EVERYONE, BUT WE'RE NOT SEEING THE PROGRESS THAT WE SHOULD HEAR.AND THAT WILL COME BACK BEFORE COUNSEL.
OH, DID WE VOTE? WE DIDN'T VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THE ITEM CARRIES.
NEXT ITEM, ITEM ITEM 20 IS AN ORDINANCE.
THIS ITEM IS REGARDING ADDING AND EXTENDING SOME SCHOOL SPEED ZONES.
YOU KNOW, ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP KEEP KIDS SAFER IS A WIN.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE SCHOOLS AND THE CONSTITUENTS REALLY APPRECIATE THIS.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS ITEM.
UH, ANY DIS ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THE ITEM CARRIES ITEM 25 IS AN ORDINANCE.
COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN.
THIS IS A GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR HOME ELEVATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I DO WANNA NOTE WE HAVE 45 ELEVATION APPLICATIONS IN DISTRICT SEA ALONE.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS AND KEEPING THEM OUT OF THE FLOODWATERS.
I THINK THE TOTAL WAS 99 ELEVATIONS IN, IN, IN SEVERAL COUNCIL DISTRICTS, BUT, UM, WE KNOW THAT, UM, WE DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THOSE TAKEN CARE OF.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS ITEM.
UM, THIS SPECIFIC FACILITY WAS UNDER SEVERAL FEET OF WATER IN, UH, DURING HARVEY.
UH, IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM EVER SINCE.
IN FACT, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I SAW AFTER GETTING ELECTED WAS, UH, PAYING FOR TEMPORARY BUILDINGS OUT AT THIS FACILITY.
AND I WAS KIND OF IN SHOCK THAT, UH, THIS WAS STILL TEMPORARY GIVEN HOW LONG AGO HARVEY HAD HAPPENED.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS AND THE, IT'S SORELY NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY.
OKAY, IF NO OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM 26 PASSES.
THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THAT WAS PRETTY PAINLESS.
[NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
UH, TO POP OFF AND WE ARE STARTING TODAY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.JUST WANTED TO, UM, HIGHLIGHT, UH, TO, UH, WANT TO THANK, I GUESS THE CHILDREN'S ASSESSMENT CENTER FOR THE TOUR LAST WEEK.
OUR STAFF AND I WENT THERE, AND I'D CERTAINLY LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO, UM, IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN, UH, TO GO TO THE TRINITY WICK CENTER.
THEY DEAL WITH A LOT OF ISSUES INVOLVING, UH, CHILDREN, YOUNG AGES OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME HORRIFIC, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGES IN THEIR LIFE, UH, AND WELL AS VIOLENCE AND INTRODUCTION.
AND SO THIS CENTER IS PHENOMENAL.
THEY, THEY ARE A ONE STOP SHOP WHEN IT COMES TO NOT ONLY THE CHILDREN, BUT THE PARENTS.
UH, SO THE CHILDREN'S ASSESSMENT CENTER IS DOING A MARVELOUS JOB, AND WE HOPE, I'M PRAYING AND HOPING THAT WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH THEM BY WAY OF OUR MINISTRY ADVISORY BOARD, BECAUSE THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO AS MANY, UH, OF, UH, OF MY, OF YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO COME AND TOUR THE FACILITY.
IT IS A FIRST CLASS FACILITY AND, UH, AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK THEM FOR RECEIVING US FOR THAT.
AND SO FOR THAT REASON, WE ARE GRATEFUL, UH, AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO PARTICIPATE.
SECONDLY, I I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OUR PLAN AND, AND, AND CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO MANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES JOINING.
WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A FINANCIAL SYMPOSIUM NEXT MONTH IN OCTOBER, UH, BECAUSE THE CITY ONLY HAS SO MUCH MONEY, CONTRACTUAL, WE HEARD SO MUCH DURING THE ISSUE AROUND A DISPARITY AND, UH, ABOUT WHO GETS WHAT AND HOW MUCH THEY GET.
WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE PER, THE PEOPLE THAT'S GOT THE MONEY ARE THE BANKS.
THE BANKS GOT MORE MONEY THAN THE CITY, THE COUNTY.
AND SO WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE THE POWER OF THE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT.
AND SO THAT WE CAN ENCOURAGE, WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE AT LEAST ABOUT 30 BANKS PARTICIPATING.
UH, IT WILL BE HELD AT THE, UM, UH, BAYOU EVENT CENTER ON KNIGHT ROAD.
UH, IT'S A MORNING HOUR EVENT.
AND, UH, SO WE'VE GOT SOME SUPPORTERS, AND AS WE'RE WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AND WE LOOKING FORWARD TO EXPAND IT, AND HOPEFULLY TO HELP EVERY AREA OF OUR CITY, NO MATTER WHAT DISTRICT YOU IN, NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE, UM, THE MONIES NEED TO BE DISTRIBUTED EQUALLY, FAIRLY,
[02:35:02]
AND THERE SHOULD NEVER BE NO REDLINING OR DISCRIMINATION WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE APPLYING FOR LOANS.SO WE WANT TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES, MINORITY BUSINESSES, AND ALL BUSINESSES SORT.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD TEAM AND THE OFFICE OF OBO IS GONNA WORK WITH US.
AND, UM, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING.
SO, SO WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, ITEM 22, UH, HAS BEEN RECEIVED.
SO IF YOU CAN TAKE A SECOND TO LOOK BACK AT ITEM 22.
AND MR. SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL CALL THE ITEM, ITEM 22 IS IN ORDINANCE.
JUST NEED A VOTE IF NO DISCUSSION.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER.
YEAH, I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO HPD AND TO HFD.
UH, WE HAD A SITUATION IN KINGWOOD LAST WEEK WHERE A WARRANT WAS BEING SERVED ON SOMEONE, AND THIS HAD TO DO WITH THE DIVORCE.
AND ISSUES WITH THAT, UM, TURNED INTO A POLICE STANDOFF.
UH, APPARENTLY HE SAID THAT, UH, HE WAS NOT GONNA LET HIS WIFE GET THE HOUSE AND ENDED UP BURNING THE HOUSE DOWN WITH HIM INSIDE OF IT.
UM, HFD WAS TRYING TO PUT OUT THE FIRE AND TO PREVENT THE NEIGHBORING HOUSES FROM CATCHING ON FIRE.
UH, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT PUTTING OUT FIRES IS THEIR NORMAL CALL OF DUTY, BUT TO DO IT WHEN YOU'RE UNDER THE THREAT OF BEING SHOT AT, I THINK, IS WAY ABOVE AND BEYOND.
UH, AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A, UH, FIRE DOWN AT THE BORDER OF MY DISTRICT IN COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ'S DISTRICT ON A, A CHURCH HAD, UH, TWO FIREFIGHTERS HURT.
UH, ONE OF 'EM BROKE A FEMUR, UH, WHICH BEING THE LARGEST BONE IN YOUR BODY, IT TAKES QUITE A BLOW TO, TO DO THAT.
AND, UH, SO OBVIOUSLY HE TOOK A, A BIG HIT AND THEY HAD ANOTHER FIREFIGHTER THAT BROKE AN ANKLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A COUPLE OF INCIDENTS OUT HERE THAT, UH, JUST WANTED TO THANK THEM FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEM AND HPD DID WITH THE STANDOFF AS WELL.
ALSO, I'VE GOT, UH, TOWN HALL, UH, SEPTEMBER 30TH IN CLEAR, UH, IN KINGWOOD AND IN CLEAR LAKE ON OCTOBER 14TH AND IN EDGEBROOK ON THE 21ST.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN COME OUT THERE.
WE'VE, UH, GONNA HAVE A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION, AND YOU'RE ABLE TO SUBMIT ALL THOSE QUESTIONS ONLINE SO WE CAN HAVE 'EM ALL READY TO GO.
AND THEN, UH, LASTLY, WE'VE GOT A NEW CHIP INTERN, UH, ADRIAN GARCIA DOING A STANDUP ADRIAN.
SO I THINK MANY OF YOU PEOPLE WILL KNOW HIS FATHER, UH, BUT, UH, WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE HIM ON OUR TEAM AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO SPENDING THE NEXT SEMESTER HERE WITH YOU, ADRIAN.
UH, TOMORROW 10:30 AM UH, WE'LL BE CONVENING THE LABOR COMMITTEE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE UPDATES FROM HR.
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REVISIONS TO, UM, INTERNAL EMPLOYMENT POLICIES.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE JUST REVIEWING AND COVERING WHAT THOSE CHANGES ARE TO ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE A BRIEFING, UH, ON OUR LOCAL UNION'S, UH, TRAINING FACILITIES.
A LOT OF THEM ARE STANDING UP WITH THE HELP OF OTHER, UH, PARTNERS, UH, STATE OF THE ART TRAINING FACILITIES FOR THEIR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. SO, AGAIN, I, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL SAW IN THE NEWS, WE WERE RANKED, UM, TOP MOST POPULOUS CITY, UH, WITH THE MOST, UH, IN TERMS OF POOR INDIVIDUALS IN THE CITY.
AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS ARE ONE WAY THAT, UH, WE ARE ABLE TO HELP EVERYONE.
UH, SO WE WILL HAVE SOME IMPORTANT BRIEFINGS ON THOSE.
UH, I DO WANNA THANK SOLID WASTE, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE BIN BLITZ THAT'S TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW.
AND I ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
UM, WE ALSO WERE DELIVERING BINS TO RESIDENTS, AND I WANNA THANK MARK ANDERSON, ALFRED JONES, AND OF COURSE, THE DIRECTOR FOR HELPING US, UM, COORDINATE THOSE PICKUPS, UH, ON MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY LAST WEEK.
WE FAMILIES WITH PRIDE IS BACK.
WE'LL MARK ONE MONTH, UH, TILL THE CELEBRATION, WHICH WILL BE AT DISCOVERY GREEN, OCTOBER 18TH.
UH, SO MARK YOUR CALENDARS, UH, WILL BE PUSHING THAT OUT.
AGAIN, A VERY FUN, FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT, A LOT OF ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY, AND A CELEBRATION FOR ALL.
LASTLY, UH, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
I KNOW THE MAYOR'S NOT HERE RIGHT NOW, BUT IF SOMEONE IN PUBLIC WORKS COULD WORK WITH OUR OFFICE THIS PAST SPRING, BOTH MKT BRIDGES EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AFTER TDOT EQUIPMENT, UH, HAD STRUCK THAT INFRASTRUCTURE DURING CONSTRUCTION RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE FOR AN UPDATE, UM, ON WHEN THE BRIDGE WILL BE RESTORED.
UH, PREVIOUSLY WE WERE TOLD THAT REPAIRS WOULD BE COMPLETED
[02:40:01]
THIS FALL, UH, AND WE COMMUNICATED THAT TO RESIDENTS.UH, SINCE THAT TIME WE'VE BEEN REACHING OUT TO GET UPDATES, WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING BACK.
SO IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF WE CAN GET SOME INFORMATION FOR CONSTITUENTS AS TO WHAT THE STATUS OF THE MKT BRIDGE, AT LEAST THE ONE IN DISTRICT C, UH, WHERE THINGS STAND WITH THAT.
UH, WISHING EVERYONE WHO IS CELEBRATING NEXT WEEK A VERY, UH, HAPPY NEW YEAR, SHANA TOVA IN THE JEWISH CALENDAR AT MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE JEWISH HIGH HOLIDAYS.
UH, SO I THINK WE HAVE A CONSOLIDATED SESSION ON WEDNESDAY, UH, AND THEN THAT CONTINUES WITH THOSE, THOSE HOLIDAYS.
UM, I AM EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE WORK IN NORTHWOOD MANOR SWAT PROJECTS ARE ABOUT TO BEGIN, AS WE ALL KNOW.
YES, NORTHWOOD MANOR, UM, FLOODS REPEATEDLY.
AND SO FINALLY, UM, THESE FLOOD, THE FLOOD, THE SWAT PROJECTS IS GONNA COVER THE STREET, SPOTSWOOD DRIVE, BELLEVUE DRIVE, TANBURG DRIVE, SUNBURN DRIVE, AND BROOK DRIVE.
AND SO I KNOW THE FOLKS IN, UM, NORTHWOOD MANOR IS GONNA BE EXCITED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, AGAIN, IT REPEAT, IT REPEATEDLY FLOODS.
SO ON OCTOBER THE SIXTH, EXPECT THE WORK TO BEGIN AND THE CONSTRUCTION IS GOING TO END.
EXPECT IT TO END MAY 4TH, UM, 2026, AND THEN THAT'S WHEN PHASE TWO OF THE, UM, FLOOD WORK WILL TAKE PLACE.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE UPSIZING THE PIPES, UM, STORM SEWER INLETS, AND, UM, DITCH THE DITCHES WILL BE REGRADED.
I KNOW, RIGHT? COUNCIL MEMBER.
LAST WEEK WE HAD TO SAY GOODBYE TO OUR POLICY COORDINATOR.
UM, ANTHONY COLLIER, THE HANDSOME MAN, IS ALWAYS IN THE NICE SUITS THAT WAS STANDING BEHIND ME.
SO HE LEFT US TO GO TO THE HARRIS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
AND SO, UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, ANTHONY GRADUATED AT UT LAW SCHOOL AND HE JUST RECENTLY ACCEPTED A K JUT ORGANIZER APPRENTICESHIP.
UM, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HIM AROUND TOWN.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE CONVERSATION, UM, YESTERDAY ON THE, UM, PROP A AT THE PROP, A COMMITTEE AROUND THE FENCE ORDINANCE.
UM, LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING FEEDBACK.
WE'LL BE CONTACTING YOUR OFFICE, GIVING, UM, RE EMAILING THE ORDINANCE AND JUST PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU CHAIR ON, UM, FLUSHING OUT THE ORDINANCE AND CREATING A GREAT PRODUCT THAT'S GOING TO HELP MAKE SURE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS STAY CLEAN AND SAFE.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT, I WASN'T GONNA SAY THIS, BUT I'M GONNA SHARE IT WITH FOLKS FOR WHOEVER PEOPLE WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN OUR BE SUCCESSFUL, UM, JOB FAIRS, WE WILL BE HAVING ANOTHER JOB FAIR, A SPECIAL JOB FAIR WITH INTEGRA ON NEXT WEEK, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 26TH, FROM 10 TO 2:00 PM UM, FOLKS WILL BE HIRED ON THE SPOT.
UM, SO YOU NEED TO AT LEAST HAVE A GED AND BE 18 YEARS OR OLDER.
UM, THESE JOBS START AT $25 AN HOUR AT ENTRY LEVEL.
AND SO WE'RE ENCOURAGING FOLKS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR JOBS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE, UM, AND GET MORE DETAILS.
AND YEAH, IT'S, THEY'RE GONNA BE HIRING 50 PEOPLE EVERY MONTH.
SO JUST FOR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU KNOW PEOPLE THAT NEED JOBS, HAVE 'EM REACH OUT TO US AND, UM, WE'LL GET THEM CONNECTED TO THIS HUGE PROJECT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, THANK YOU.
ON SATURDAY, UH, VICE MAYOR PRO, TIM PECK AND I HOSTED MORNING AT THE MARQUEE AND COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD CAME BY, UM, TO CELEBRATE WITH US.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO PARTICIPATED.
WE HAD HFD THERE, HPD, SPRING BRANCH, ISD POLICE DEPARTMENT, CONSTABLES FROM PRECINCT FIVE, UM, SPRING BRANCH MANAGEMENT, DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS FROM PRECINCTS THREE AND FOUR, THE NAVY MOUNTED PATROL.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR SPONSORS WHO MADE IT HAPPEN.
HOUSTON TENTS AND EVENTS, COMMON BOND, CHICK-FIL-A LOVE CORPS, MEMORIAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, UM, UM, AND THEN THE HOUSTON DEPARTMENT, UH, CITY OF HOUSTON DEPARTMENT AND NEIGHBORHOODS WERE THERE ASSISTING CONSTITUENTS WITH ALL SORTS OF QUESTIONS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THAT A SUCCESSFUL EVENT.
I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT WE, UM, KICKED OFF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WITH A NICE, UM, CEREMONY AND CELEBRATION THIS PAST MONDAY IN THE LEGACY ROOM, UH, SPONSORED BY THE MAYOR'S HISPANIC, UH, ADVISORY BOARD.
AND ALMA, ALMA IS A GROUP THAT IS PUTTING TOGETHER, UM, A LATINO ARTS AND CULTURAL CENTER.
IT'S IN THE PLANNING AND FUNDRAISING STAGE, SO WISH THEM, UH, SUCCESS WITH THAT EFFORT.
ALSO, UH, THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS THAT WILL CONTINUE THIS MONTH TONIGHT, THERE IS AN EVENT PUT ON BY GANDA, UH, MAGAZINE THAT WILL BE HELD AT THE JUNIOR LEAGUE, UM,
[02:45:01]
RELATEDLY THIS SATURDAY MORNING, THERE WILL BE A, UM, COMMUNITY EVENT WHERE INPUT, INPUT WILL BE, UH, RECEIVED REGARDING THE HISPANIC RESEARCH CENTER AND ARCHIVES BUILDING THAT THE CITY IS PLANNING AT.UH, THAT WILL BE HELD AT, UH, HOUSTON, UM, CITY COLLEGE, THE FELIX FROG CAMPUS ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE AT 10:00 AM AND THAT IS BEING ORGANIZED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MARIO CASTILLO.
UH, WITH THE HELP FROM, UH, MY OFFICE AND THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER, JOAQUIN MARTINEZ, ALL ARE INVITED TO OFFER INPUT INTO THAT, INTO THAT FACILITY AS WELL.
UH, SATURDAY, THERE WILL BE A VIET CULTURAL FEST THAT WILL START AT 10:00 AM AND RUN UNTIL 7:00 PM PRESENTED BY THE VIETNAMESE CULTURE AND SCIENCE ASSOCIATION THAT WILL BE HELD AT THE NRG CENTER.
UM, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT ON MONDAY AROUND 6:00 PM A 13-YEAR-OLD WAS A VICTIM OF A HIT AND RUN, UM, WHILE, UM, EXITING A METRO BUS OFF OF WILCREST, UM, WHICH IS PROBLEMATIC.
HE, UM, WAS TRANSFERRED TO TEXAS CHILDREN, AND I BELIEVE HE SUFFERED A BROKEN LEG.
THE, UM, TENSION AROUND THIS IS THE FACT THAT THE DRIVER FLED THE SCENE.
UM, AND HE WAS ACTUALLY LEAVING SCHOOL HEADED TO A FAMILY'S MEMBER'S HOME, UM, AFTER SCHOOL.
AND I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UM, THAT OF COURSE, THIS IS A TRAGIC EVENT, BUT IT JUST REALLY UNDERSCORES THAT, UH, MOBILITY IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, AND EVERY TIME THAT THIS HAPPENS, UM, IT ERODES THE, UH, THE, THE EFFORT THAT WE ATTEMPT TO PUSH FORWARD AROUND WALKABILITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, PROMOTING PUBLIC TRANSIT, INVESTING IN OUR CROSSWALKS, OUR SIDEWALKS.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANNA ALSO HIGHLIGHT THAT IN DISTRICT F WE HAVE 55 LPR CAMERAS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, AND IT'S MY HOPE THAT THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'VE INVESTED IN WILL, UM, GO TO BRING THIS DRIVER TO JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND I JUST WANNA ENCOURAGE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE STORE TO CONTINUE TO, TO PRAY FOR THE FAMILIES.
UM, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THE WEST SIDE, AND OF COURSE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, BUT I DID WANNA PUNCTUATE THAT ON TOMORROW, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH AT 2:30 PM UM, THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS A REPL OF TWO RESIDENTIAL LOTS INTO A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, UM, IN PINEY POINT.
AND IF ANY OF Y'ALL HAVE PAID ATTENTION TO ME, IF FOR ANY MOMENT IN TIME YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THE HISTORIC PINEY POINT, WE ARE ENCOURAGING, UM, OUR PINEY POINT CIVIC CLUB, OUR CHURCH, OUR AREA CHURCHES, UM, AND THE FRIENDS OF RASMUS PARK TO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THIS AREA HAS, UM, EXPERIENCED, UM, EROSION OVER, UH, DECADES OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
THEY'RE SURROUNDED BY CAR DEALERSHIPS AND MECHANIC SHOPS, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY, UM, WITH THIS COMMUNITY FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND MAKING VERY SLOW STRIDES IN PRESERVATION.
SO I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC SESSION, AND I HOPE TO SHARE MY REMARKS ON RECORD AS WELL.
THE PINEY POINT CIVIC CLUB THIS MORNING HAS SHARED THEIR OFFICIAL LETTER, UM, WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON RECORD, UM, IN OPPOSITION OF THIS PROPOSAL, WHICH ALSO SPEAKS TO REDUCING RESIDENTIAL LOTS, REDUCING OUR OPPORTUNITY TO INFILL WITH HOUSING.
UM, WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY LAST POINT.
I WANT TO, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE SECOND ANNUAL FAITH AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUMMIT IS BACK.
WE ARE EXCITED TO SHARE THAT ON OCTOBER 11TH.
UM, WE ARE HOSTING THIS IN, IN DISTRICT K AT THE KBC ON WEST, OR, UM, AND I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE WE HAVE THE CONFIRMED, UH, MORNING SPEAKER, CONGRESSMAN EMMANUEL CLEAVER II, AN ORDAINED UNITED METHODIST PREACHER ELDER IN THE CHURCH, BUT HE'S ALSO THE RANKING MEMBER IN CONGRESS ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF HOUSING FINANCE AND INSURANCE.
HE'LL BRING US MORNING REMARKS AND WE'LL ALSO HEAR FROM, UM, TWO OR THREE PANELS.
THAT'S FROM DEVELOPERS, PRACTITIONERS, AND OUR BANKING INSTITUTIONS FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY LEADING, UH, LENDING.
IF YOU ARE A FAITH LEADER WITH LAND AND APPETITE FOR DEVELOPMENT, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO HEAR FROM THE CITY'S HOUSING DEPARTMENT, HARRIS COUNTY, AND A HOST OF OTHERS THAT ARE WILLING TO MATCH YOUR MISSION WITH SOME COM, WITH SOME FUNDING IN ORDER TO HELP THE CITY ACHIEVE OUR GOAL OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES.
MORE DETAILS TODAY, OUR REGISTRATION LINK GOES LIVE TODAY.
IF MY OFFICE COULD BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE, PLEASE REACH OUT TO DISTRICT F AT HOUSTON TX GOV.
THOMAS, IF YOU CAN SEND US THE FLYERS, WE'LL DEFINITELY
[02:50:01]
PUT IT IN OUR, IN OUR NEWSLETTERS TOO, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, UM, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL, UH, CHURCHES REACH OUT TO US ABOUT SENIOR DEVELOPMENTS AND THINGS THEY LIKE TO DO.SO DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE THEY KNOW ABOUT OCTOBER 11TH.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TE UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING OUR EVENT.
IT WAS, UM, A REALLY FUN EVENT.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, WERE ABLE TO GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND OTHER ITEMS. SO I ENJOYED, UM, HOSTING THAT EVENT WITH YOU.
AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MAYOR POLLARD FOR ATTENDING AND, UM, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MAYOR CARTER'S OFFICE AS WELL.
UM, GOVERNOR ABBOTT RECENTLY REQUESTED A DISASTER DECLARATION FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY THE, UM, FIRE AT THE THREE CORNERS APARTMENT COMPLEX LAST MONTH.
AND THAT REQUEST HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.
SO ANYONE IMPACTED BY THE FIRE LAST MONTH CAN NOW APPLY FOR HOME DISASTER LOANS, BUSINESS PHYSICAL DISASTER LOANS, AND ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOANS, WHICH PROVIDE LOW INTEREST LOANS TO THOSE WHO QUALIFY.
SO, BEGINNING TOMORROW, YOU CAN APPLY FOR THAT, EITHER ONLINE OR IN PERSON AT MEMORIAL ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES 1625 BLAYLOCK.
IT WILL BE OPEN WEEKDAYS FROM NOON TO 6:00 PM AND SATURDAYS FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AND THANK YOU MEMORIAL ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES FOR OPENING YOUR DOORS FOR THAT.
TIM, I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT WE ARE IN HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
SO, UH, SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH, IT'S A TIME TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE DIVERSE CULTURE OF THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S NOT JUST THE MEXICAN COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S ALSO CENTRAL AMERICAN, SOUTH AMERICAN.
AND SO THROUGHOUT THIS MONTH, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, UH, UH, COUNTRIES THAT ARE CELEBRATING THEIR INDEPENDENCE.
AND I, UM, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE OPEN THAT, THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO ATTEND SEVERAL DIFFERENT EVENTS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, ONE OF 'EM THAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS, UH, MEX, MEXICO AND EL
AND THEN CHE LATINA WITH HOUSTON DYNAMO AT SHELL ENERGY STADIUM, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH.
AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT, UH, HOW WE KICKED OFF, UH, HISPANIC HERITAGE FUND WITH THE MAYOR'S, UH, ADVISORY BOARD AND ALSO ALMA.
UM, IT WAS A GREAT, UM, GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, SHOWCASE THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS, UH, THIS ENDEAVOR.
SO I WANNA PUBLICLY THANK A FEW OF MY COLLEAGUES, UH, COUNCILLOR PEC, COUNCILLOR POLLARD, AND COUNCILLOR CASTILLO FOR JOINING IN THOSE EFFORTS TO CONTRIBUTE, UH, UM, TAX DOLLARS IN SHOWING THAT WE ARE INVESTED IN THIS, IN THIS CULTURAL CENTER AS WELL.
AND OF COURSE, COUNCILOR CARTER AND COUNCILLOR RAMIREZ FOR BEING THERE IN ATTENDANCE, UM, AS, AS WE AND COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS AS WELL.
AND ALCO, THAT'S RIGHT WHEN YOU START LISTENING, I'M SORRY, JUST, UH, JUST APPRE I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE SOLIDARITY WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS EVENT AS WE KICK OFF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, THE BINET CORRIDOR, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE BINET TRACK BINET BETWEEN US 59 AND BELTWAY EIGHT, UH, HAS REMAINED A HIGH PRIORITY FOR OUR OFFICE, UH, KNOWN FOR A LOT OF SEX CRIMES AND TRAFFICKING.
UH, BUT YESTERDAY, UM, WE GOT WORD THAT THE SELF-PROCLAIMED MAYOR OF BINET, UH, A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN, UH, A PIMP IN THE AREA, SOMEONE WHO HAS, UH, CREATED A LOT OF ISSUES FOR THE BINET TRACK AREA, WAS SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS FEDERAL TIME.
UH, SO I DO WANT TO THANK, UH, THE LOCAL AND FEDERAL, FEDERAL AUTHORITIES, UH, FOR ALL THEIR WORK ON THAT.
UM, WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT OUR ATTENTION IS STILL VERY HEAVY ON THIS NET.
WE'VE MADE SOME HUGE STRIDES IN TRANSFORMING THAT STREET.
BUT, UH, A HARD SENTENCE LIKE THIS FOR FEDERAL TIME, UH, SENT A STRONG MESSAGE TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BE OUT THERE OR THINKING ABOUT COMING BACK, ABOUT HOW SERIOUS WE'RE TAKING IT AND HOW FAR WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PROSECUTION.
UM, ALSO, UM, IT WAS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED THAT HOUSTON WAS NAMED THE TOP BIG CITY FOR MOST POVERTY.
AND I THINK RECENTLY I ALSO MENTIONED THAT WE POPPED UP ON THE LIST FOR MOST, UH, FOR BIG CITIES FOR TOP 10 IN VIOLENT CRIME RATES.
AND I CONTINUE TO PUSH THE, THE MESSAGE OF, OF JOBS AND EMPLOYMENT, I THINK JOBS IS, IS CORRELATED WITH, WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, WITH HOUSING, WITH HOMELESSNESS, WITH MENTAL HEALTH.
AND YOU CAN'T HAVE A, A THRIVING CITY WITHOUT A THRIVING WORKFORCE.
AND SO, UH, WE'VE CREATED MORE JOBS HOUSTON.COM.
I ENCOURAGE YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW, WHO MAY BE LOOKING FOR A JOB TO GO TO MORE JOBS HOUSTON.COM.
THOUSANDS OF NEW JOBS EVERY SINGLE WEEK ARE POSTED TO THAT WEBSITE, ALONG WITH THE RESOURCES, UH, FOR INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES, HOW TO PREPARE
[02:55:01]
FOR AN INTERVIEW, RESUME BUILDING UPDATES ON JOB FAIRS.UM, AND SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, I KNOW YOU HAVING YOUR JOB FAIR NEXT WEEK, AND, UH, WE WANT TO SUPPORT THAT AND THE WEEK AFTER THAT.
AND ALL OF THE EFFORTS TOWARDS EMPLOYMENT.
EMPLOYMENT IS WHERE I THINK WE'LL GET THE MOST BANG FOR OUR BUCK, NOT ONLY FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE MONEY TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES, BUT THEN THEY HAVE MONEY TO THEN SPEND, WHICH WE GET THOSE DOLLARS, UH, AS A CITY TO USE FOR SERVICES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, MORE JOBS HOUSTON.COM.
CHECK IT OUT AND, UH, PASS IT ALONG.
UH, MONDAY, EVERYBODY IS THE FIRST DAY OF FALL, AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? IT'S DON'T FALL DOWN DAY, FALL PREVENTION FALLS.
I'M PARTNERING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN AZZ THIS YEAR, I THINK ALL IN TOTAL.
THIS IS ABOUT THE 13TH YEAR WE'VE DONE THAT.
SO, UH, WE'LL BE TEACHING SENIORS ALL KINDS OF TIPS AND EXERCISES AND THINGS THEY CAN DO TO PREVENT FALLS.
'CAUSE IT'S THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS AMONG SENIORS.
WE HAVE BREAKFAST CLUB COMING TOO, SO THAT'LL BRING 'EM, THOSE, THOSE GRITS WILL GET 'EM THERE, HUH?
UM, UH, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, WE'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WITH, UM, HOMELESS, UM, RESOURCE PROVIDERS ABOUT REFINING OUR LOCAL APPROACH, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THE PROJECTS, UM, THAT YOU WILL BE HEARING ABOUT SOON.
AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FLEET FEET AND ANHEUSER-BUSCH, UH, IN JULY AND SORT OF INTO AUGUST, WE HAULED A SHOE DRIVE.
SOME OF YOU PARTICIPATED BY DONATING SHOES GENTLY USED IN NEW SHOES.
AND SO YESTERDAY IT WAS ABLE TO DELIVER RIGHT AT A THOUSAND PAIR OF SHOES TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SPENT ABOUT A COUPLE HOURS OVER THERE CON UH, TALKING WITH THE STAFF.
AND, YOU KNOW, JOBS CONTINUE TO BE THE, THE KEY, UH, ON THE REENTRY SIDE, BUT ALSO TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE, WHEN YOU COME ACROSS RESOURCES, JUST THINK TO REACH OUT TO, UH, PLACES SUCH AS A NAVIGATION CENTER BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY NEEDS.
UM, IT WAS, IT WAS VERY REWARDING WHEN WE, UH, GOT THERE.
UM, THERE WERE PEOPLE LINED UP BECAUSE THEY HEARD THERE WERE NEW SHOES.
I MEAN, THEY WERE ALL SET UP IN THE ROOM AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TALKING TO THE, UH, CLIENTS THERE AT THE NAV CENTER AND SEEING THEM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM NEEDED WORK SHOES, SOME OF THEM JUST NEEDED A PAIR OF SHOES.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY, NO PUN INTENDED, BUT GOOD FOR THE SOUL TO, TO BE PART OF THAT.
UM, SECONDLY, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, ON, UH, SEPTEMBER 11TH, THE, UH, REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY HERE AT CITY HALL WAS AS QUITE LOVELY.
DR. JONES ALWAYS DOES A GREAT JOB FOR OUR VETERANS, BUT ALSO TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
SO JUST WANTED TO THANK HER FOR, UM, REALLY WORKING, CONTINUING TO WORK ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THOSE THAT, UH, WE NEED TO THANK EVERY DAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS, SHABAZZ
UH, WE CELEBRATED THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF CAREER AND RECOVERY RESOURCES AT THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF HOUSTON.
I WAS PLEASED TO JOIN COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ FOR THIS MILESTONE OCCASION.
CAREER AND RECOVERY RESOURCES CONTINUES TO DO INCREDIBLE WORK, PROVIDING FAMILIES WITH TOOLS, SERVICES, AND HOPE THEY NEED TO SUCCEED.
WE ALSO HAD A HUGE TURNOUT FOR THE EXPUNCTION CLINIC AND JOB FAIR AT THE SUNNYSIDE HEALTH AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
RESIDENTS RECEIVE FREE LEGAL RESOURCES, EXP FUNCTION SUPPORT AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES.
I WANT TO THANK DISTRICT ATTORNEY SEAN, TIER COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS, AND CONSTABLE SMOKEY PHILLIPS, AND ALL OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR THEIR COLLABORATION AND MAKING THIS SUCH A STRONG SUCCESS.
THERE WAS AN EXCELLENT VIRTUAL DESIGN UPDATE MEETING FOR THE EDGEWOOD PARK DETENTION BASIN PROJECT HOSTED BY HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
RESIDENT RESIDENTS WERE ABLE TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE DESIGN TEAM, ASK QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE INPUT ON THIS CRITICAL FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECT.
AND WE HAD AN OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENT AT EDGEWOOD PARK WHERE NEIGHBORS GATHERED TO TALK ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS AND THE FUTURE OF THIS VITAL COMMUNITY SPACE.
UPCOMING EVENTS, THERE WILL BE GRANDPARENTS DAY, UH, CELEBRATION, UH, ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 20TH FROM 8:00 AM TO 12 NOON AT ST.
JOHN'S DOWNTOWN, 2019 CRAWFORD STREET.
ON SUNDAY, WE WILL BE CELEBRATING BISHOP JAMES D. DIXON II, HIS 44TH
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PASTORAL ANNIVERSARY.THAT WILL BE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 21ST AT 10:00 AM AT THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH, THE KING'S DOME CATHEDRAL 10 24 PINE MOUNT DRIVE.
AND AGAIN, TO REITERATE AND THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN FALLS PREVENTION AWARENESS DAY WILL BE MONDAY MAR, UH, SEPTEMBER 22ND AT 9:00 AM TO 10 30 AT THE SUNNYSIDE HEALTH AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
IF YOU KNOW, UH, THE, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN, WHEN THE ELDERLY BREAK THEIR HIPS, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT IT, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY DO NOT OPT TO HAVE THE SURGERIES.
IT CHANGES THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND ULTIMATELY, USUALLY LYNN, UH, ENDS IN THEIR DEMISE.
AND SO WE CERTAINLY WANT TO PREVENT THIS.
AND I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MY YOUNGEST SISTER, CHARLOTTE EVANS WILLIAMS, WHO LIVES IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, WHO I VI VISITED THIS WEEKEND TO CELEBRATE HER BIRTHDAY.
AND SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER CHARLOTTE.
AND THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
HAPPY HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
UH, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY HIGHLIGHTED THE COMMUNITY MEETING THAT WE'RE HOLDING ON SATURDAY TO SEEK INPUT AND, AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE HISPANIC HISTORY RESEARCH CENTER AT HCC FELIX FRAGA.
UH, AT 10:00 AM I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT A LOT A EVENT THAT THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM IS HOSTING ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD.
IT IS A HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CULTURAL CONNECTION EVENT AT THE MOODY NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY ON IRVINGTON, WHERE THEY WILL HAVE, UM, A CELEBRATION OF, UH, IN WITH ACTIVITIES, FOOD THAT HIGHLIGHT CULTURES, LOCAL PARTNERS, DIFFERENT COMMUNITY CENTERS AND RESOURCES.
UM, SO BE SURE TO CHECK THAT OUT ON TUESDAY AT THE MOODY PUBLIC LIBRARY.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WE HAD A CITY OWNED, UH, VACANT LOT OVER IN THE EAST EX JENSEN AREA THAT WAS GETTING REPEATEDLY, UH, DUMPED ON WITH ILLEGAL DUMPING NUISANCES, UH, POPPING UP ON THAT LOT.
AND THEY'VE QUICKLY RESPONDED TO NOT ONLY CLEAR IT, BUT ALSO FENCE IT, UM, AS WE'RE FIGURING OUT, UH, WHAT TO DO WITH THIS LAND.
AND NOW, UH, WE HAVE SOME, SOME POTENTIAL PARTNERS IN, IN BRINGING THE COMMUNITY AMENITY TO THE AREA AND WHAT WAS, UH, JUST A VACANT LOT.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THEIR QUICK RESPONSE AND, UH, AND THEIR EFFORTS TO SECURE, UM, THAT VACANT LAND BECAUSE IT WAS BECOMING AN ISSUE, UM, FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND I'LL ROUND IT OFF WITH, UH, A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM DISTRICT K.
UM, WE ARE ALMOST COMPLETE, UM, WITH THE DEMOLITION AT SPRING VILLAGE APARTMENT COMPLEX.
UH, ONCE THAT SITE IS FULLY CLEARED, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO TRANSFER THAT PROJECT TO HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS ON THE TDO TEAM WILL, UM, BUILD OUT THE DETENTION BASIN AND THEN HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT CONTINUED MAINTENANCE.
SO THANK YOU TO THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT K FOR THEIR PATIENCE AS WE ARE MAKING TREMENDOUS PROGRESS ON THE COMPLETION OF THAT DEMOLITION.
AND THEN I KNOW THAT LAST NIGHT WE WERE ABLE TO SWEAR IN OUR YOUTH COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, THE DISTRICT K RESIDENT, ROYA IVAN.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HER REPRESENTING DISTRICT K.
SHE'S A SENIOR AT CARNEGIE VANGUARD HIGH SCHOOL, UM, AND HAS DONE SOME INCREDIBLE RESEARCH AT A YOUNG AGE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN FEATURED BY US NEWS AND ENDOCRINE NEWS.
SO, UH, THANK YOU RAMIA FOR REPRESENTING DISTRICT A ON THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL.
AND THEN WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE WILL HAVE OUR MEET THE TEAM EVENT ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 20TH, FROM NINE TO 11 AT THE STARBUCKS ON BELTWAY EIGHT.
WE HOPE THAT, UM, DISTRICT A RESIDENTS AND ANY OTHER, UM, AT LARGE MEMBERS OR COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US, IT'S GONNA BE A FUN TIME.
WE'LL HAVE, UH, LOTS OF NETWORKING AND GIVEAWAYS AND JUST A TIME FOR US TO GET TO KNOW THE NEW MEMBERS OF OUR DISTRICT.
A TEAM REMINDER OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY AT 2:00 PM WE WILL HAVE AN UPDATE FROM INTEGRA, UH, ONE OF OUR T ZS AND THEN ALSO SUPERINTENDENT MILES WILL BE HERE WITH AN UPDATE ON THE PROGRESS.
BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE STAND ADJOURNED.