* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:03] COUNCIL, PLEASE [PRESENTATIONS] COME TO ORDER. I'M GONNA ASK THE MAYOR, PROTE TO PRESIDE. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ FOR A PROCLAMATION TO HEALTH CENTERS TO CELEBRATE 25 YEARS OF BRINGING ACCESSIBLE HEALTHCARE TO HOUSTON'S MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROAM. I'D ASK THE FOLKS FROM HEALTHCARE CENTERS TO COME UP. HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD JOB HERE FROM . HOW ARE YOU? BEST SEE YOU MAYOR TODAY. IT'S, IT'S MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE SINO HEALTHCARE CENTERS OF HOUSTON ON THEIR 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF SERVING THE MOST NEEDY RESIDENTS HERE IN HOUSTON. SINO HEALTH CENTERS IS ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT SERVE THOSE FOLKS WHO DON'T, UM, ALWAYS HAVE INSURANCE WHO AREN'T ABLE TO PAY THE COSTS, FULL COST OF MEDICAL CARE, WHICH IS SO EXPENSIVE THESE DAYS. THEY FILL A HUGE NEED IN OUR CITY. ANDINO HEALTH CENTERS HAS BEEN RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT WITH LOCATIONS IN DENVER HARBOR AND ON HALO AND ALSO, UH, ON AIRLINE MAYOR. I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THEY SERVE 12,000 HOUSTONIANS ANNUALLY AT THEIR TWO HEALTH CENTERS HERE IN HOUSTON, AND THEY PROVIDE ESSENTIAL CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, INCLUDING CHILDREN AND INFANTS AT THEIR PEDIATRIC CENTER. AND THEY DO GREAT WORK ON BEHALF OF HOUSTON TODAY. WE RECOGNIZE THEIR, UH, NATIONAL, UH, RECOGNITION FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY HEALTH AND DEVELOPING PROMISING PRACTICES IN MATERNAL HEALTH. MAYOR. AND I'D ASK, UH, FOR SURE, AND COUNCILMAN CASTILLO HAS, HAS JOINED US, BUT WE WELCOME, UH, LEADERS, UH, WITH SO MUCH ANXIETY TURMOIL IN THE WORLD. SO ENOUGH NICE TO KNOW THAT HEALTH CENTER IS ALWAYS GONNA BE THERE. 'CAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF YOUR CLIENTS ARE UNCERTAIN ABOUT WHERE TO TURN. AND SO YOU'RE NOT ONLY PROVIDING HEALTHCARE, BUT YOU'RE GETTING THEM, THEM SOME ASSURANCE THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. I APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT. COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING US THIS OPPORTUNITY. THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 7TH, 2025 AS HEALTH CENTERS SILVER ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. CONGRATULATIONS. ABSOLUTELY. YES. THANK YOU. AGAIN. I'M DR. ANGEL BENITEZ, FINO HEALTH CENTER'S CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, AND I'M JOINED TODAY BY PHIL SOLI VA'S HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATOR, CLARA ROSENZWEIG'S, DIRECTOR OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND COUNSELING, AND NAIA IBARRA, OUR BOARD MEMBER WHO'S REPRESENTING THE'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, ON BEHALF OF SINO, OUR BOARD, OUR STAFF AND PATIENTS. WE THANK YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER. COUNCIL MEMBER JULIAN RAMIREZ, COUNCIL MEMBER MARIO CASTILLO AND ALL OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON COUNCIL AND STAFF, UH, FOR THIS PROCLAMATION COMMEMORATING OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY. WE'RE HONORED TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AS A COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND A FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER SERVING NORTHEAST HOUSTON. EACH YEAR, SINO PROVIDES INTEGRATED MEDICAL, DENTAL, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, A SUPPORT SERVICES TO MORE THAN 12,000 LOW INCOME PATIENTS, THOSE THAT ARE UNINSURED AND THOSE THAT ARE UNDERINSURED. AND WE'VE RECEIVED FIVE HRSA GOLD HEALTH CENTER QUALITY LEADER BADGES. IT'S NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR BEING THE TOP 10% OF NATIONAL, OF OF HEALTH CENTERS IN THE LAST SIX YEARS. THIS WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF OUR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS. SO THIS PROCLAMATION IS NOT ONLY FOR, BUT ALSO FOR OUR DONORS AND SUPPORTERS. WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THE RECOGNITION OF CASINO'S, CONTINUED CONTRIBUTIONS [00:05:01] TO HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR CITY. WE BELIEVE THAT THAT HEALTH IS NOT JUST A CURE, IT'S ABOUT EQUITY, PREVENTION AND TRUST. ANDINO HEALTH CENTER SHOWS WHAT'S POSSIBLE WHEN HEALTH, UH, HEALTHCARE IS ACCESSIBLE, COMMUNITY CENTERED, AND DELIVERED WITH DIGNITY. SO THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, RAMIREZ AND CASTILLO FOR ACCEPTING OUR INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION THIS COMING THURSDAY. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE, TO CELEBRATING OUR PAST 25 YEARS, BUT ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. YOU READY? NEXT, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, WHO IS RECOGNIZING SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH. YEAH, IT'S KIND OF, HOW ARE YOU, RICK? GOOD AFTERNOON, COLLEAGUES. WE'RE HERE FOR A VERY IMPORTANT PRESENTATION. THIS OCTOBER IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH. SO WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF OUR PARTNERS, UM, TALKING ABOUT OUR HOUSTON FRONT LINES PROGRAM. ALL BEGIN, SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH IS OBSERVED EVERY OCTOBER TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PREVENTING SUBSTANCE USE, PARTICULARLY OPIOIDS AND THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH MISUSE FROM 2020 TO 2022 OVER DOSES FROM SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS. PRIMARILY ILLICITLY MANUFACTURED FENTANYL WERE THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATHS FOR AMERICANS AGED 18 TO 45 DURING THAT SAME PERIOD IN HARRIS COUNTY, SUBSTANCE RELATED DEATHS CLAIMED 1,162 LIVES. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, EDUCATORS, FIRST RESPONDERS, FAITH LEADERS, AND FAMILIES ACROSS HOUSTON PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN OFFERING RESOURCES, SUPPORT AND HOPE TO THOSE STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS. SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS PROGRAMS SUCH AS FRONT LINES PROVIDE CRITICAL ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS AT RISK FUNDED BY SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION AND LED BY THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT. FRONT LINES UNITES LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO TRAIN FIRST RESPONDERS, DISTRIBUTE NALOXONE, AND CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO PROVEN SERVICES THAT HELP COMBAT THE OPIOID CRISIS IN OUR COMMUNITY. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, FRONTLINE FRONTLINES HAS ENSURED THAT 100% OF ALL HFD AND EMS UNITS ARE FULLY STAR STOCKED WITH NARCAN. I HAVE IT IN MY CAR, I HAVE IT IN MY HOUSE. I HAVE STORIES OF PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN AT THE GAS STATION AND THANK GOD THEY HAD SOMETHING IN THEIR CAR. UM, IT'S IMPORTANT EVERYBODY HAS THIS AROUND. UM, YEAH, MAYOR, YOU NEED IT. I MEAN, YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GONNA RUN INTO SOMEBODY THAT NEEDS HELP. AND OUR FIRE, FIRE, FIRE ENGINES AND ALL OUR EMS AMBULANCES HAVE NARCAN WITH THEM. UM, THIS EFFORT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO A REMARKABLE 94% OPIOID OVERDOSE REVERSAL RATE IN SUSPECTED OVERDOSE INCIDENTS DEMONSTRATING HOW ACCESS TO EVIDENCE-BASED TOOLS DIRECTLY SAVES LIVES IN HOUSTON NEIGHBORHOODS. THESE OUTCOMES REFLECT THE COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ITS PROGRAM PARTNERS AND THE BROADER NETWORK OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROVIDERS WORKING ON THE FRONT LINES OF THIS CRISIS. EVERY HOUSTONIAN HAS A ROLE TO PLAY, WHETHER BY SHARING ACCURATE INFORMATION, REDUCING STIGMA, SUPPORTING RECOVERY, OR ADVOCATING FOR PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SERVICES. THE CITY OF HOUSTON REMAINS COMMITTED TO FOSTERING A SAFE, HEALTHY, AND RESILIENT COMMUNITY AND URGES ALL RESIDENTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DANGERS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND TO OBSERVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, AND, UH, YOU'RE SPOT ON. YOU'RE, YOU'RE TARGETING, RIGHT? SOMETHING THAT CAUSES SO MANY ILLS IN FAMILIES, UH, THE PUBLIC, THE, THE VICTIMS. UH, IT DRIVES THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. WE KNOW THAT, UH, HAS A HUGE CAUSE EFFECT ON THE HOMELESS. SO IF WE COULD ACCOMPLISH A REDUCTION [00:10:01] IN PREVENTION, UH, OBVIOUSLY THE WORLD AND OUR COMMUNITY BE A BETTER PLACE. SO IT'S A APPROPRIATE THAT YOU BRING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU TO THE STAKEHOLDERS, CARE PROVIDERS. HP UH, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT SURPRISED, BUT FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION, IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY CALLS HOUSTON FIRE MAKES DEALING WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON. SO IT'S A GREAT RECOGNITION THAT WE'VE GOTTA BE DILIGENT, KEEP GOING FORWARD, AND THEREFORE, I JOHN WHITMORE, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER, 2025 IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I'D LIKE TO BRING UP, UM, ONE OF OUR PARTNERS IS UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, AND I'D LIKE TO BRING UP JAMES BRAY TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS. SURE. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THE GREAT WORK THAT THE FRONT LINES PROJECT DOES. WE'RE APPRECIATIVE OF ALL YOUR HELP AND YOUR SUPPORT, PARTICULARLY THE EMS OFFICERS AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT SAVE MANY LIVES. THE FRONT LINES DATA INDICATES THAT 97% OF THE PEOPLE'S LIVES WHO HAVE OVERDOSED ON OPIOIDS ARE SAVED BECAUSE OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF NALOXONE. THAT'S AN AMAZING FIGURE, AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE RATE OF OPIOID OVERDOSES IS GOING DOWN IN THE CITY LARGELY IN MANY WAYS BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE THIS AND THE PROGRAMS THAT WE PROVIDE. SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE. SURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE RAY ANDREWS, WHO'S RUN OUR HOUSTON CRACKDOWN, UH, PROGRAM AT THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR MANY YEARS. NEXT, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS FOR A PROCLAMATION TO SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT TO CELEBRATE THEIR 25TH ANNIVERSARY. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM, AND, UH, TO OUR COLLEAGUES AND THE MAYOR, WE, WE ARE INDEED HONORED. THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST MANAGEMENT GROUP THAT I HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WHEN, UH, I GOT ON COUNCIL AND IT WAS SUCH A TREMENDOUS, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SUCH GREAT PEOPLE. AND, AND SO I'M INDEED HONORED TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION TODAY TO THE SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT OF HOUSTON. SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 2000, THE SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT HAS BEEN A VITAL FORCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT, AND CULTURAL UNITY, HELPING TRANSFORM SOUTHWEST HOUSTON INTO A THRIVING HUB OF INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE AND MULTICULTURAL COLLABORATION SPANNING APPROXIMATELY 15 SQUARE MILES. THE DISTRICT IS HOME TO RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS REPRESENTING MORE THAN 40 NATIONS AND FEATURES HUNDREDS OF INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANTS, RETAIL SHOPS, AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE AREA'S ECONOMIC VITALITY AND CULTURAL VIBRANCE. OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS, THE SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT HAS ENHANCED QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH CRIME PREVENTION, GRAFFITI ABATEMENT, BEAUTIFICATION, MOBILITY IMPROVEMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT, CREATING SAFER NEIGHBORHOODS, CLEAN THE STREETS IN A MORE WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR FAMILIES AND ENTREPRENEURS. A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. THE DISTRICT REGULARLY [00:15:01] HOSTS WORKSHOPS, NETWORK EVENTS, AND RESOURCE FAIRS THAT EMPOWER ENTREPRENEURS, FOSTER ECONOMIC RESILIENCE, AND BUILD A STRONGER, MORE INCLUSIVE LOCAL ECONOMY. THE SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT STANDS AS A MODEL OF HOW THOUGHTFUL PLANNING, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND ALSO CULTURAL CELEBRATION CAN DRIVE LASTING SUCCESS. THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROUDLY CONGRATULATE SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT ON ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY. AND THANKS, THE ORGANIZATION FOR ITS DEDICATED SERVICE GROWTH AND COMMUNITY IMPACT AT ONE OF HOUSTON'S MOST DIVERSE AND DYNAMIC REGIONS, AS WELL AS FOR ITS ROLE IN SHAPING A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR THE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON. THANK GOD. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN DAVIS. AND THANK YOU TO THE LEADERSHIP THAT IS PRESENT TODAY. UH, YOU MENTIONED INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU MENTIONED SO MANY SERVICES, BUT IT STARTS REALLY WITH INFORMATION. YES. THINK ABOUT THIS DIVERSE COMMUNITY THAT THERE'S LANGUAGE CHALLENGES, SKILLS, THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN REACH OUT TO YOU AND YOU HAVE AN OUTREACH PROGRAM THAT'S SUPERB. SO, SO THANK YOU. UH, IT'S A SPECIAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, SPECIAL COMMUNITY. I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE MY FRIENDS, IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE CULTURAL ASSETS AND PRIVILEGES OF THIS COMMUNITY, GO TO THE SOUTHWEST AREA. THANK YOU SOUTHWEST HOUSTON. SO THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHI MY MAYOR, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 7TH, 2025 AT SOUTHWEST DISTRICT DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU, KENNETH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR, YOUR HONOR. YOU'RE WELCOME. SURE. THANK YOU. INVITED, WELL HONOR THE VOTE, OUR FIRST MAYOR MEYER AND ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTHWEST DISTRICT, I DO WANT TO APPRECIATE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT SOUTHWEST CAN DO IN THE PAST. IT REALLY DEPENDS ON A CLOSED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, WITH THE MAYOR, AND I CAN SAY, I CAN SAY, UH, SOFTWARE DISTRICT PROBABLY IS THE MOST DIVERSIFIED DISTRICT IN THE ENTIRE TEXAS, UH, OVER SO MANY COUNTRIES, IMMIGRANTS HERE AND THE MOST WE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH US CITY, WITH THE MAYOR, AND I WANT TO THANK MAYOR, FULFILL HIS, HIS, UH, HIS, UH, HIS PROMISE AND POINT MANY, MANY, UH, UH, DIVERSIFIED COMMUNITY INTO A HONORABLE POSITION TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY. I THINK WE ON THIS, ON THIS OCCASION, WE REALLY APPRECIATE, THIS IS OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY AND WE'RE GLAD TO SERVE AND GLAD TO WORK WITH THE CITY COUNCIL. WORK FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE A BETTER, UH, CITY HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR MEYER. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. UH, WILL DAVID, WILL, UH, WILL DAVID, I'M TOO NERVOUS HERE BECAUSE NORMALLY WHEN I SPEAK I HOLD THE MICROPHONE IN MY HAND AND, YOU KNOW, JUST SPEAK TO MORE PEOPLE. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL THE HONORABLE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I THINK THE PROCLAMATION REALLY SAYS AT ALL ABOUT SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT FOR 25 YEARS. TODAY. THIS IS A VERY HISTORIC DAY FOR ALL OF US, ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE, ALL VOLUNTEERS, ALL VERY DEDICATED IN DIFFERENT FIELDS. AND, UH, THE LAST 25 YEARS WE MADE SOUTHWEST DISTRICT THE PROPERTY VALUE GROW FIVEFOLD AND ALSO, UH, WE, UH, WORK WITH THE CITY ON THE SAFETY ISSUES. AND NOT ONLY HERE, WE PROMOTE SOUTHWEST TO THE LOCAL PEOPLE. WE ATTRACT A LOT OF OUT OF STATES, OUT OF CITIES, WEEKENDERS, THEY COME TO SOUTHWEST TO CHINATOWN TO ENJOY A LOT OF OUR WONDERFUL FOOD. SO, UH, I LIKE TO ALSO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY. I KNOW MANY, UH, OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ALREADY BEEN TO OUR HOOD SOUTHWEST, AND THAT WE ARE ORGANIZING ANOTHER TOUR IN THE NEAR FUTURE. LIKE TO EXTEND THE, UH, THE INVITATION TO ALL THE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, TO PLEASE COME EXPLORE YOURSELF. IT'S REALLY A BEAUTIFUL HIDDEN JEWEL, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS RECOGNITION. THIS WILL ENCOURAGE US TO REALLY WORK HARDER AND, UH, THANKS AGAIN. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. SURE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE. I JUST WANT TO COMMEND, UH, THE SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND ITS LEADERSHIP FOR SETTING SUCH A HIGH STANDARD OF ORGANIZATION HARD WORK AND, AND PROMOTION OF YOUR MEMBERS. UM, YOU REALLY SHOW HOW IT'S DONE THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL DO. I'VE HAD THE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH YOU A NUMBER OF TIMES [00:20:01] AND, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THROUGH YOUR EFFORTS, WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE SOUTHWEST DISTRICT. YOU HAVE MADE THAT A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE AND A BETTER PLACE TO DO BUSINESS. SO PLEASE KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK AND CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ FOR A PROCLAMATION TO VICO MANUFACTURING FOR ITS 40 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROAM. IF I CAN HAVE, UH, JESUS, JOSE AND FRANK VASQUEZ AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY HERE, UM, I THINK WE ALL, UM, UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF SMALL BUSINESS AND WHAT THEY DO TO OUR LARGER ECONOMY. UM, AND TODAY WE GET TO HONOR JESUS VE, WHO'S NO LONGER WITH US VEAL, BUT ALSO VACO MANUFACTURING, UH, FOR 40 YEARS OF SERVICE TO COMMUNITY. IS THAT YOUR NO, NO, YOU'RE GOOD. SERVICE TO COMMUNITY. UM, 20 OF THOSE YEARS WAS A VISION THAT, UH, JESUS AL, UH, STARTED IN THE EAST END, UM, AND THEN IT'S GROWN INTO A LEGACY, UM, FOR NOT JUST HIS FAMILY, BUT ALSO, UM, FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'VE BEEN SERVING. AND SO, UM, WHILE I HAVE THEM UP HERE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE HONOR FIRST AND FOREMOST, UH, AL WHO'S WITH US, UM, AGAIN, UH, FOR HIS VISION AS AN IMMIGRANT COMING TO THE UNITED STATES AND THEN CREATING, UM, JUST A, A LEGACY FOR HIS, HIS FAMILY TO CONTINUE AS STRONG BUSINESS. AND SO TODAY WE'RE HONORING VACO MANUFACTURING ALONG WITH THE FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS, STAFF, EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS WHO ARE CON CONTINUING TO, TO CELEBRATE THE LEGACY OF ITS BELOVED FOUNDER JESUS AND HIS LATE WIFE, ELIA, IN APPRECIATION AND HONOR OF THEIR OUTSTANDING DEDICATION AND LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY AND BEYOND. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE GIVE THE MAYOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEFINITELY CLOSE IT OFF. BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE, FOR CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY IN THE HOUSTON AREA AND MUCH MORE SUCCESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR, UH, BRINGING THIS SUCCESS STORY TO, UH, ALL OF HOUSTONIANS. AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE ARE SMALL BUSINESS FAMILY BUSINESSES ACROSS OUR CITY THAT PROVIDE JOBS, REVENUE FOR THE CITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES. SO THANK YOU. UH, IT'S SPECIAL TO HAVE YOU HERE AND THEREFORE, I, UH, I, JOHN WHITMAR, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2025 IS VICO MANUFACTURING. JESUS, DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU. QUITE THE TWO BABY. OKAY, MAYOR, SAY YOU CAN HAVE YOUR BABY UP THERE. OH, . I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK THE MAYOR, JOAQUIN MARTINEZ, AND MOST OF ALL JESUS AL FOR GIVING US THE DREAM AND EVERYTHING AND TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES THAT THIS PROCLAMATION BELONGS TO Y'ALL AS WELL. OUR VENDORS, OUR FRIENDS, OUR FAMILY, ANYBODY THAT'S CREATED A SACRIFICE, IF THIS BELONGS TO Y'ALL AS WELL. UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND UH, THANK YOU MICHAEL. [00:25:22] WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER IN Q COUNCIL, MEMBER MARTINEZ. UH, WE WE'RE READY TO HEAR FROM COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. UH, I KNOW Y'ALL GETTING READY, UH, TAKE YOUR PHOTO. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. UM, YOU KNOW, JOB CREATION IS SO IMPORTANT IN THIS CITY AND I JUST REALLY WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW, UM, THE VISION ABOUT MANUFACTURING. THERE'S SO MUCH HAPPENING IN OUR ECONOMY TODAY THAT Y'ALL'S INDUSTRY IS NEEDED AND YOUR SKILLSET MORE THAN EVER. UH, REGARDLESS OF HOW THE ECONOMY, UH, UH, IF WE'RE UP OR DOWN, Y'ALL ARE STILL IN BUSINESS BECAUSE Y'ALL KEEP, YOU KNOW, FROM ROO TO ELECTRICIAN TO PLUMBING, UH, REGARDLESS OF, OF WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND SO I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY, THE JOB CREATION, WHICH YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE, AND THEN ALSO CONTINUE YOUR FAMILY LEGACY. SO THANKS FOR AMPLIFYING THIS IN THE CITY. WE OFTEN GET CREDIT FOR THE GOOD WORK Y'ALL DO, UH, IN COMMUNITY WITH CREATING JOBS. AND SO THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THEM AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR, UH, PROCLAIMING THE DAY. WELL, 1, 1, 1 ADDITION IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, UH, VEHICLE LANDED A CONTRACT WITH METRO IN 2019. WE ARE CURRENTLY MILKING MAKING YOUR BUS STOPS, UH, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO, SO THANK YOU. SO IF THERE'S ANY ISSUES, Y'ALL CAN CALL THEM. THAT'S ABOUT TO SAY YOU GOTTA GO THROUGH THE MAYOR, YOU GOTTA GO THROUGH. THE MAYOR [00:31:30] CHAIR [2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] RECOGNIZES COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ FOR THE INVOCATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. TODAY TO LEAD US IN PRAYER, WE WELCOME A MAN WHO IN HIS DAY JOB RUNS THE EQUIVALENT OF A $3 BILLION PLUS COMPANY, OVERSEES 3,200 EMPLOYEES AND TAKES CALLS AT ALL HOURS OF EVERY DAY AND EVERY NIGHT, INCLUDING DURING EMERGENCIES AND NATURAL DISASTERS. SOMEHOW HE FINDS TIME TO LEAD A LOCAL CONGREGATION FOR THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS. AS BISHOP OF THE SEABROOK WARD OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS. HE'S BEEN ORDAINED AND SET APART AS, AS THE PRESIDING AUTHORITY OF HIS WARD, AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL WELFARE OF HIS CONGREGATION OF SEVERAL HUNDRED MEMBERS. THEY KNOW HIM AS BISHOP MACKAY. YOU KNOW HIM AS DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS. BISHOP MACKAY, WOULD YOU COME FORWARD AND LEAD US IN PRAYER? PLEASE LET US SPRAY OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO GATHER TODAY AS A CITY AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE HEARD, TO DISCUSS THOSE MATTERS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE HERE, FOR THOSE MEMBERS OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OUR MAYOR, OUR CONTROLLER, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ENDEAVOR TO REPRESENT ALL INDIVIDUALS WITH WHOM WE HAVE CONTACT IN OUR EVERYDAY LIFE. WE PRAY NOW AS THESE PROCEEDINGS BEGIN, THAT THY SPIRIT MIGHT BE WITH US. WE PRAY THAT IT MIGHT BE A SPIRIT OF PEACE, THAT IT MIGHT BE A SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION, OF COOPERATION. IMPORTANTLY, WE PRAY THAT WE MIGHT ALL BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE OPPORTUNITIES IN FRONT OF US, THAT WE MIGHT ELEVATE THE WORK THAT WE DO WHEREVER WE ARE, AND WITH WHOMEVER WE WORK THAT IN THAT ELEVATION WE CAN SERVE HIGHER AND HOLIER PURPOSES, PURPOSES THAT WILL BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER, HELP US BECOME STRONGER AND BETTER ABLE TO SUSTAIN AND ENDURE THE MANY TRIALS THAT COME OUR WAY. WE PRAY FOR OUR CITY, DEAR FATHER, THAT IT MIGHT BE STRONG. WE PRAY THAT WE MIGHT OVERCOME ALL OF THE CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US, WHETHER THEY BE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER THEY BE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES, WHETHER THEY BE CHALLENGES OF PUBLIC SAFETY. IN THAT REGARD, WE PRAY ESPECIALLY FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, FOR BRAVE POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS. WE PRAY FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO RESPOND AT ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT AND ALL HOURS OF THE DAY TO SOLVE THE CRISES THAT COME AND BESET EACH OF US. PLEASE BLESS AND PROTECT THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL AS THEY SERVE THE GREATER GOOD IN OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THESE THINGS WE PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. AMEN. AMEN. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO REPUBLIC, WHICH STANDS NATION UNDER GOD. [00:35:06] DID WE ALREADY DO THE MINUTES? [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING] MR. SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROW. MAYOR WHITMEYER. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER PECK HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER HERE. AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF JUNE 3RD AND FOURTH AND SEPTEMBER 24TH. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE I SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. UH, [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] MEMBERS, SORRY. GO AHEAD AND GUESS WE HAVE A VERY LONG LIST OF SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TODAY. 'CAUSE WE HAVE MORE THAN 150 MINUTES WORTH OF SPEAKERS. THE RULES REQUIRE US TO ONLY GIVE EACH OF OUR GUESTS ONE MINUTE, EVEN IF YOU'VE SIGNED UP FOR MORE. AT THIS TIME, I RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ FOR A MOTION. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, MAYOR MOVES TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD. DANIEL GON TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE FOR ONE MINUTE ON THE NON AGENDA LIST. NEED A SECOND? SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD MARINA GTA TO FOLLOW RUBEN MERCADO AND MOVE AMBER WHITE TO FOLLOW CATALINA ALVAREZ. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU MAYOR. I MOVE TO AMEND THE RULES TO MOVE EIGHT INDIVIDUALS TO THE TOP OF THE AGENDA IN CELEBRATION OF FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY, STARTING WITH DR. PAT BUSCANO, CONCLUDING WITH RIGA. MAURICIO. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER. THANK YOU MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD PETER ECKLES, FOLLOWED BY KEVIN STRICKLAND, DORIS BROWN AND FELIX KAPO. SECOND. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. SHE'S MOVED. MOTION PASSES. ANYTHING ELSE? SHE'S A MOVER. IF NOT, UH, MR. SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL OUR FIRST SPEAKER COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? THANK YOU, MAYOR. YES. I MOVE TO MOVE RAYMOND GUZMAN TO THE TOP OF THE TWO MINUTE SPEAKING. UH, NON AGENDA LIST TWO. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. YES. AFTER THE, YEAH. SORRY. WHAT? COUNCILMAN? AFTER THE YES. AFTER THE FOLKS COUNCILMAN THOMAS. COUNCIL THOMAS SMITH. SURE. YES. HAVE WE VOTED ON YOUR MOTION? YES. WE JUST VOTE ON COUNCILMAN DAVIS. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. NO, YOU MEAN THE LINEUP? YES. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. MOTION BEEN MADE. AND SECOND AND ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, IT IF NOT, MR. SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL OUR FIRST, FIRST, UH, WITNESS, DR. PAT BUS BUSCANO TO BE FOLLOWED BY SYBIL GNA SIGNS. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M DR. PAT LINDSAY CATALIA, ALSO KNOWN AS DR. PINKY CATALIA, AND I SERVE AS COMMUNITY HONORING THE FIRST FILIPINOS ARRIVAL ON OCTOBER 18TH, 1587. FILIPINO ROOTS RUN DEEP IN AMERICAN HISTORY. OUR THEME FROM QUOTAS TO COMMUNITIES, FILIPINO AMERICAN MIGRATION AND MOVEMENT MARKS THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1935 PHILIPPINE REPATRIATION ACT, WHICH REFLECTED ON EXCLUSION AND DEPORTATION AND THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1965 IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, WHICH ENDED QUOTAS AND OPENED A WAVE OF FILIPINO IMMIGRANTS. I NOW WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR FILIPINO COMMUNITY. IN THE ROOM WE HAVE THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL [00:40:01] OF HOUSTON, THE CONSUL, GENERAL GUNTHER AMIL SALAS, VICE COUNCIL GENERAL TANYA GUANO, CULTURAL OFFICER, CARMELA AMRO AND PROTOCOL OFFICER ARIEL DEZA. AND I NOW INVITE ALL FILIPINOS HERE IN THIS ROOM TO PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS OBJECT. SYBIL SYBIL GNA SIGNS TO BE FOLLOWED BY PAMELA WENDELL MAG. HONORED MAYOR, ESTEEMED COUNCIL MEMBERS, GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AM HERE AS A 40 YEAR HOUSTON RESIDENT AND BOARD PRESIDENT OF THE FILIPINO AMERICAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY, FS HT X. TO DISCUSS OUR HISTORY AND CORE MISSION CHARTERED IN 2015 BY FOUNDER KRISTI PANES, PAZO AND OTHER FILIPINO AMERICAN LEADERS LIKE DR. PAT LINDSAY. TALA BUSCANO AND ANTHONY G**O REPRESENT A VITAL NATIONAL MOVEMENT DEDICATED TO PRESERVING THE RICH, OFTEN UNSEEN HISTORY OF FILIPINO AMERICANS. RIGHT HERE IN OUR CITY, OUR MISSION IS DIRECT EDUCATION, PRESERVATION, DISSEMINATION, AND EXPLORATION. FAS HCX BEGAN WITH AN ORAL HISTORY PROJECT COLLABORATION WITH RICE UNIVERSITY'S HOUSTON, ASIAN AMERICAN ARCHIVE, AND THE CHOW CENTER FOR ASIAN STUDIES. WE CAPTURED THE JOURNEYS OF EARLY FILIPINO AMERICAN PIONEERS, THE NURSES, HEALTHCARE WORKERS, ENGINEERS, AND ENTREPRENEURS WHO HELPED BUILD MODERN HOUSTON. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU, MAYOR MADAMA. THANK YOU. NEXT PAMELA WENDELL TO BE FOLLOWED BY NOMI PRIAS. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. I'M DR. PAMELA WENDELL, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PHILIPPINE NURSES ASSOCIATION OF METRO HOUSTON. WITH OVER 300 MEMBERS, FILIPINO NURSES HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 1960. OUR PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION IS A 5 0 1 C ORGANIZATION STARTING IN 1980 WITH A UNITED FORCE SUPPORTING ITS MEMBERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATIONAL AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES, THUS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THIS SOCIETY. WE REPRESENT MEMBERS FROM SEVERAL HOSPITALS IN METRO HOUSTON. WE ALSO PROVIDED MONTHLY EDUCATIONAL MEETINGS AS WELL AS TWO ANNUAL CONFERENCES IN THE SPRING AND FALL. OUR THEME IS ONE P AND A MH ONE FAMILY. WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE IMPACT OF THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT OF 1965, ALSO KNOWN AS THE HEART SELLER ACT SINCE IT OPENED THE DOORS FOR THE HEALTHCARE WORKERS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE NURSES. WE ARE THE BIGGEST AMONG THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER. OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS ARE SO BUSY PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. YES, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. NEXT, NO NOAMI FREES TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANTHONY GUAVA. GUEVARA. GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I'M DR. NOAMI FREES. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE FILIPINO AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF GREATER HOUSTON, AND THE NATIONAL SECRETARY OF THE FEDERATION OF PHILIPPINE, AMERICAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE IN THE UNITED STATES. IN CELEBRATION OF THE FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH. THIS OCTOBER, WE HONOR THE ENDURING LEGACY OF OUR PEOPLE. WE REFLECT ON OUR HISTORY AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS WE MADE IN ADVANCING GLOBALIZATION. SPAIN COLONIZED SPA, UH, THE PHILIPPINES IN 1521, AND THEIR PRESENCE IN OUR COUNTRY LASTED FOR MORE THAN 300 YEARS. DURING THAT TIME, THEY DISPLACED LOCAL INHABITANTS, WHOM THEY CALLED INDIOS AND MARGINALIZED OUR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, LOCALS WHO HAD DRIVEN TO FORCE LABOR IN THE SERVICE OF THE CROWN OF SPAIN. BUT NOT ALL ENDED IN VAIN BECAUSE ASIDE FROM BRINGING US CHRISTIANITY AND THEIR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, THEY ALSO ESTABLISHED THE MANILA ACAPULCO GALLIAN TRADE, WHICH RAN FROM 1565 TO 1815. AND IS ONE OF HISTORY'S EARLIEST EXAMPLES OF GLOBALIZATION FOR IT CONNECTED THE EAST AND THE WEST, PHILIPPINES AND MEXICO. THEN THE GOVERNING VICEROY OF SPAIN. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. MA'AM? MA'AM, MA'AM. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. UM, I ESPECIALLY WANT TO SAY GREETINGS TO THE FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY WHO IS HERE TODAY, UH, AND YOUR LEADERSHIP, DR. FREES AND ALL [00:45:01] OTHERS WHO ARE SEATED AMONGST US. UM, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE AND PLEASURE TO TRAVEL TO THE PHILIPPINES WITH DR. FRIS. THANK YOU. UH, AND LE LOY, WHICH I SEE YOU IN THE BACK, UH, WITH THE FILIPINO AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LAST YEAR. AND, UH, IT WAS SUCH A REWARDING TRIP. AND, UH, THE FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY HERE IN HOUSTON HAS A RICH HISTORY AND, UH, WE HAVE BENEFITED MUCH FROM YOUR CULTURE. AND SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL HAVE LENDED TO OUR CITY. UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING, UH, THIS MONTH WITH YOU ALL AND MONTHS AHEAD. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE COLLABORATIONS. THANK YOU. WE HI, I'M ANTHONY GUEVARA. I'M A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN BORN RAISED HOUSTON. I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN MARTHA KDA, UH, K SIX TATUMS, UH, DISTRICT AS WELL. UH, I'M A MEMBER OF, UH, SAN Y AND ALSO SERVE AS A REGION PRESIDENT FOR THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FILIPINO AMERICAN ASSOCIATION. A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF FONS AND ONE OF THE PROUD FILIPINOS HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON OF OVER 80,000 PARENTS MOVED HERE BECAUSE OF THE IMMIGRATION ACT IN THE LATE SIXTIES AS WELL. AND IT, WHICH BROUGHT A LOT OF NURSES, PIONEERS AND ENGINEERS TO OUR CITY. WE'VE DONE A LOT FOR FILIPINO AMERICANS, UH, HERE, AND I MEAN, ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. OUR CONTRIBUTIONS, UH, WELL, WE SEEK REPRESENTATION, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF OCTOBER AS FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH FROM ALL OF YOU GUYS IN THE REST OF THE CITY OF THE HOUSTON. AND ALSO WE, WE FILIPINO AMERICANS HELP PUT DIVERSITY IN THE MOST DIVERSE CITY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. AND WE THANK EVERYBODY FOR YOUR SERVICE AND LIKE TO ACTUALLY INVITE ALL OF YOU GUYS TO A CELEBRATION THAT WE'RE DOING THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12TH AT THE POST. RIGHT. SO, THANK YOU AGAIN AND HAPPY FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY. MARK, UM, SIR MAYOR PROTE CASTEX, THANK, THANK YOU FOR, UM, SAYING THAT YOU'RE A MEMBER OF DISTRICT A. WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THE PHILIPPINE COMMUNITY CENTER YES. UH, IN THE DISTRICT. WE'VE DONE SOME, UH, COMMUNITY WORK THERE WITH THE HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE. WE'VE HELD SOME COMMUNITY EVENTS THERE, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT IN THE COMMUNITY. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY, UM, AND CONTINUING OUR RELATIONSHIP TOGETHER. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF YOU, AND I WISH YOU THE VERY BEST ON YOUR CELEBRATION, UH, THIS WEEKEND. THANK YOU. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU, MR. COUNCILOR POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, AND I, I TOO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHOEVER PROVIDED THIS BOOK TO US. OKAY. FILIPINO AMERICAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'VE BEEN THUMBING THROUGH IT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO READING. WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO READING IT. SO WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE BOOK. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JARRON SALAZAR TO BE FOLLOWED BY, TO BE FOLLOWED BY AILEEN DIZON. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M JOAN SALAZAR AG AND I'M NURSE PRACTITIONER AND A MEMBER OF THE PHILIPPINE NURSES ASSOCIATION IN NORTHEASTERN. UM, MY HUSBAND AND ARE AND I ARE BOTH REGISTERED NURSES WHEN WE CAME HERE IN AMERICA. AND TOGETHER WE OWN AND OPERATE A, A HOSPICE AND HOME HEALTH COMPANY, A CAREGIVING COMPANY, AND A PERSONAL CARE HOME, WHICH OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE QUALITY CARE AND IMPROVING HEALTHCARE ACCESS TO, ESPECIALLY TO OUR ELDERLY WHO ARE HOME BOUND AND REMOTE AND WHO REMAIN AMONGST THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE IMMIGRATION ACT OF 1965, OPEN DOORS FOR SKILLED PROFESSIONALS AND FILIPINO NURSES ANSWERED THAT CALL, TRANSFORMING CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES INTO FAMILIES. THE FILIPINO NURSES ASSOCIATION OF NORTH HOUSTON IS A NONPROFIT, UM, FOUNDED IN 2011 WITH HUNDREDS OF MEMBERS. OUR ASSOCIATION, UNITED FILIPINO AMERICAN NURSES PROVIDES COMMUNITY SERVICE AND SUPPORT THE GROWTH AND ADJUSTMENT OF FILIPINO NURSES WHILE UP UPHOLDING OUR RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE. WE HOST SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS, FUNDRAISERS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT AILEEN DEON TO BE FOLLOWED BY RIGA. MAURICIO. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY, MY NAME IS ALENE LIGO. I AM THE MANAGING PARTNER AT LIGO DEON LAW FIRM BASED HERE IN HOUSTON STATE. I PROUDLY REPRESENT THE PHILIPPINE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF TEXAS, OR PACC, TEXAS FOR SHORT. AS THE CURRENT STATE PRESIDENT, I APPEARED BEFORE YOUR LAST YEAR, IF YOU REMEMBER, SAME MONTH WHILE PACC TEXAS IS THE LARGEST FILIPINO AMERICAN CHAMBER IN THE STATE WITH NEARLY 1000 MEMBERS. THIS YEAR, WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 17TH ANNIVERSARY, HAVING BEEN FOUNDED IN 2008 WHEN PACC NORTH TEXAS AND PACC, TEXAS, HOUSTON, [00:50:01] UNITED INDIA, SINGLE STATE CHAMBER WITH TWO REGIONAL, UH, CHAPTERS, PACC, TEXAS GREATER HOUSTON HAS EXISTED AND SERVED THE COMMUNITIES SINCE THE 1980S. MANY OF OUR FUNDERS REMAIN ACTIVELY INVOLVED AND LEADERS TODAY, OUR CHAMBER HAS, UH, SPANNING TO FIVE REGIONAL CHAMBERS. WE HAVE ONE IN DALLAS FORT WORTH, UM, GREATER HOUSTON, NEW GRAND VALLEY, GREATER SAN ANTONIO, AND GREATER AUSTIN, AND WE CONTINUE TO GROW. PACC SUCCESS IS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONWIDE COALITION OF THE FILIPINO AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE GREATER HOUSTON IN PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR MEYER AND THE CITY COUNCIL. I'M DR. ISSA MAURICIO OF THE FILIPINO NURSES ASSOCIATION, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL REGION. I WANNA GIVE THE HIGH NOTE TO THE ROLE OF FILIPINO NURSES IN THIS FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH, PARTICULARLY THE ROLE THAT THEY HAVE DONE IN CHANGING THE FABRIC OF HEALTHCARE IN THE NATION SINCE 1911 AND PROVIDING IMPROVED OUTCOMES OF OUR PATIENTS. AS THE FILIPINO LEADER, WE KNOW THAT INTERNATIONALLY EDUCATED NURSES ARE TRICKING INTO THE NATION, SO WE PROVIDE CRITICAL GAPS IN WHAT THEY NEED, PARTICULARLY ETHICAL MIGRATION, ACCULTURATION PREPAREDNESS WHEN THEY COME HERE TO THE UNITED STATES SO THEY'RE READY TO SERVE OUR AMERICAN CITIZENS AND MEMBERS, AS WELL AS NURTURING EMOTIONAL WELLNESS THAT IS NEEDED BY OUR NURSES IN THE NATION SO THAT WE CAN SUSTAIN THE WORKFORCE FOR CENTURIES TO COME. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US THIS AFTERNOON IN YOUR MEETING, MA'AM, MA'AM. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND WELCOME TO EVERYONE WHO HAVE JOINED TO, UM, CELEBRATE FILIPINO, UH, AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH. UH, WE WERE JUST IN CHAMBERS IN MAY CELEBRATING THE CONTRIBUTION OF OUR FILIPINO NURSES, UH, NOT JUST IN THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER, BUT ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THE REGION, AND SO HONORED TO REPRESENT THE COUNCIL GENERAL, BUT WE KNOW THAT FILIPINOS IN HOUSTON HAVE PRESENCE ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY, FROM DISTRICT A TO DISTRICT J ON THE WEST SIDE, THE BEST SIDE. UM, AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD ABOUT THAT. AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS. I WILL ASK AS WE CONCLUDE COMMENTS, IF YOU CAN JOIN ME IN THE, UM, HALL FOR OUR GROUP PHOTO. UH, BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO PROMOTING NOT JUST YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO WORKFORCE, BUT ALL TO THE CITY BECAUSE YOU, YOU'RE WHAT MAKE US, UM, YOU, YOU MAKE HOUSTON. HOUSTON, AND THIS IS YOUR CITY TOO. SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR HISTORY WITH US TODAY. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN THAMA FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO OUR FILIPINO COMMUNITY AS WELL. YOU NEXT RAMON GUZMAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY SAVANT MOORE. OH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. I AM RAMON VENTURA, GUSMAN, CHAIR OF THE HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION OF GREATER HOUSTON. I'M HERE TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED EXPANSION OF THE GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER AND THE BROADER CONVENTION DISTRICT TRANSFORMATION PROJECT. THIS IS A GENERATIONAL INVESTMENT THAT WILL STRENGTHEN HOUSTON'S POSITION AS PREMIER GLOBAL DESTINATION FOR MEETINGS, CONVENTIONS, AND MAJOR EVENTS. A MORE ACTIVE CONVENTION CENTER MEANS MORE GUESTS FILLING OUR HOUSTON HOTELS, MORE LOCAL SPENDING AT RESTAURANTS AND ATTRACTIONS, MORE HOTEL OCCUPANCY AND SALES TAX REVENUE TO SUPPORT ARTS, SPORTS AND ESSENTIAL CITY SERVICES. THE CENTER'S NEW SOUTH BUILDING ALONE IS PROJECTED TO GENERATE MORE THAN 20 BILLION IN ADDITIONAL SPENDING AND 6 BILLION IN NEW PAYROLL. OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS, THE INVESTMENT IS EXPECTED TO CATALYZE OTHER INVESTMENTS, OF COURSE, IN AND AROUND THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN, INCLUDING NEW HOTELS, RETAIL, AND OTHER DEVELOPMENT. WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE TRANSFORMATIVE FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIME COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU RAMON FOR COMING AND CERTAINLY ADDING YOUR SUPPORT. UH, OF COURSE THE HOTEL LODGE AND ASSOCIATION OF GREATER HOUSTON HAS BEEN A GREAT ATTRIBUTE TO OUR CITY AND IT ADDS A GREAT IMPORTANT VOICE TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO ADVANCE OUR CITY, UH, IN THE FUTURE. AND, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME COMING DOWN AND EXPRESSING IT IN SUPPORT OF THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THE TIME WE SHARE IT TOGETHER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. [00:55:01] THANK YOU. NEXT SAVANT MOORE TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEVEN ADA. GOOD AFTERNOON IN POLITICS, THE QUESTION IS NEVER JUST CAN YOU WIN? THE REAL QUESTION IS, ONCE YOU WIN, WILL YOU LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED YOU ENOUGH TO PUT YOU THERE? I LIVE THAT QUESTION EVERY DAY IN DISTRICT DI FILED 3 1 1. CASE NUMBER 2, 5 0 0 3 8 2 0 4 9 2 CHILDREN WERE HIT. BUT THERE'S BEEN SILENCE FOR 30 DAYS. I'M TOLD YOU DON'T HAVE ANY WHITE PAINT. I DIDN'T KNOW HOME DEPOT WAS CLOSED IN DISTRICT B. I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCILWOMAN FOR FOCUSING ON THE TRAFFIC AND THE ILLEGAL DUMPING, BUT LET'S ADDRESS THE ELEPHANT ROOM. TOMORROW'S VOTE. WILL YOU KEEP POLK STREET OPEN FOR THE 5,000 PLUS METRO RIDERS, THE CYCLISTS WHO SAFELY ENTER DOWNTOWN AND THE FAMILIES IN BUSINESS THAT USE IT AS A LIFELINE. I'M A BUSINESSMAN, BUT I BELIEVE IN COMPASSIONATE CAPITALISM. YOU CAN HAVE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND STILL PROTECT THE PEOPLE WHO BUILT THIS CITY. YOU CAN DO BOTH. LET'S NOT BE PRESSURED BY DOWNTOWN BOARDROOMS, BUT THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE WHO RIDE, WALK, PRAY AND RAISE FAMILIES ON THESE STREETS. GOD BLESS YOU AND GOD BLESS HOUSTON AND CONGRATULATIONS TO COUNCILMAN POLLARD FOR HIS NOMINATION FOR ESTONIA OF THE YEAR. COUNCILOR JACKSON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU MR. MOORE FOR COMING IN. I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CONCERNS IS GETTING ADDRESSED. UM, I HEARD YOU TALKING ABOUT PAINT IS STRIPING IN THE STREET. CORRECT. AND SO YEAH, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH, UM, FIFTH WARD TOURS AND, UM, JUST COMMUNITY, UM, TRYING TO GET THE STREETS STRIKE. SO JUST LEMME FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT GETS TAKEN CARE OF. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOD BLESS YOU. STEVEN ADA TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRIS LARSON. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS STEVEN CASA AND I'M A RESIDENT OF EASTWOOD DOWN IN THE HISTORIC EAST END. I'VE BEEN AN EAST END RESIDENT MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND I'M COMING BEFORE YOU ALL TODAY TO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL POLK STREET CLOSURE. HONESTLY, I'M VERY CONFLICTED ABOUT THE PROJECT. UM, I ALSO THINK ABOUT THE ROAD DIET THAT POLK STREET WAS PUT ON, IF YOU WILL. I DON'T KNOW THE PROPER TERM, BUT TO MAKE BIKE LANES. POLK STREET WAS STILL JUST AS HEAVILY CONGESTED AS IT WAS WHEN WE MADE ROOM FOR THOSE BIKE LANES. THE THOUGHT WAS THAT TRAFFIC WOULD GO INTO OTHER AREAS, FOLKS WOULD RIDE THEIR BIKES INTO THEIR JOBS AND DOWNTOWN I USED POLK STREET EVERY DAY TO GET FROM MY HOUSE IN EASTWOOD TO MY OFFICE IN DOWNTOWN WHERE I PRACTICE LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW. IT IS JUST AS CONGESTED, IF NOT MORE CONGESTED AS IT'S EVER BEEN. UM, THE CONFLICT FOR ME IS THAT THE PROJECTS THAT ARE GONNA BE HAPPENING NEAR E IDO AND, UH, THE EAST END WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BRING JOBS TO FOLKS IN THE EAST END WHO DESPERATELY NEED THEM, AND THEY WILL STILL BE ABLE TO GET TO THOSE JOBS VIA PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. IT'S ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS PART OF THE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU STEVEN FOR COMING. YES, SIR. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UH, I DON'T KNOW, DID YOU GROW UP ON EAST END? I DID, YES. GOOD, GOOD. I STILL LIVE THERE. YEAH. AND, AND SO THAT I, IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND OF COURSE WE'VE SEEN PROGRESS IN OUR CITY OVER THE MANY, MANY YEARS. AND, AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND EXPRESSING YOUR COMMENTS. AND WE WANT TO HEAR PEOPLE FROM BOTH SIDES THAT WE HAVE, AND IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE THOSE WHO, YOU KNOW, ACCEPT THE FACT THAT THIS AND HOW IT'S GOING TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO ADDRESS EVERYBODY'S NEEDS. YEAH. AND AT THE SAME TIME ADVANCE OUR CITY FURTHER SOUL. YEAH. I, I, I TOTALLY ACCEPT THE FACT, AND I GUESS MY, MY POINT IS THAT THERE'S GONNA BE OTHER IMPASSIONED FOLKS BEHIND HERE AND THAT THOSE VOICES BE HEARD YES. AND INCORPORATED WITH WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE SURROUNDING STREETS TO STILL GET THOSE PEOPLE INTO DOWNTOWN. SURE. AND, AND IT, AND IT, IT'LL BE BECAUSE I, I WATCH MY COMMUNITY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN CHANGE DUE TO EXPANSIONS OF THE CITY OVER THE YEARS. AND IT, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE MECHANISM FOR THE CITY IN, IN WHAT'S GOING ON. SO, UH, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND GIVING YOUR VOICE AND SUPPORT. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. AND IT WAS ALSO ALREADY SLATED FOR CLOSURE, SO ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. UH, CHRIS LARSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF DOWNTOWN HOUSTON. PLUS, FOR OVER 40 YEARS, WE'VE COLLABORATED AND LED MAJOR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE DOWNTOWN. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION, BOTH FOR ITS ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND ITS CRITICAL ROLE IN FURTHER DIVERSIFYING WHY PEOPLE COME TO DOWNTOWN. WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF GETTING GREAT THINGS DONE IN THIS COMMUNITY, [01:00:01] BUT WE'RE ALSO HERE TODAY TO VOLUNTEER TO SERVE AS A PARTNER TO THE CITY AND HOUSTON. FIRST TO PROTECT CONNECTIVITY AND SAFE PASSAGE INTO OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAPPEN TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE. ONLY RECENTLY WE DESIGNED AND BUILT THE DALLAS STREETSCAPE IN 2017 AND THE AWARD-WINNING BAGBY STREET IN 2021. LATER THIS YEAR, WE'LL BE RESURFACING 86 BLOCKS OF DOWNTOWN ROADWAYS, AND CURRENTLY WE'RE BUILDING THE MAIN STREET PROMENADE AND RAN A TWO YEAR DESIGN PROCESS THAT ENGAGED OVER 600 CITIZENS AND INCORPORATED 1,346 POINTS OF FEEDBACK INTO OUR DESIGN. MOST IMPRESSIVELY, 99% OF OUR WORKSHOP ATTENDEES FELT THAT THE FINAL PROMENADE DESIGN REFLECTED THEIR HOPES FOR MAIN STREET AND CONCLUSION, THE CONVENTION CAMPUS IS CRITICAL TO THE CITY'S FUTURE, AND SO IS GETTING PEOPLE INTO DOWNTOWN HAS EXPIRED. AND WE CAN DO BOTH. THANK YOU ALL. CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHRIS. UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE DOWNTOWN PLUS'S VOICE IN THIS, UM, AS WELL AS YOUR WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP. I THINK EVERYONE AROUND THE HORSESHOE AND IN THE COMMUNITY IS EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, WHICH NEEDS A DESPERATE FACELIFT. YEAH. NO ONE DENIES THAT. UM, IN WORKING WITH MY OFFICE, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A VERY STRONG RECORD WHEN IT COMES TO MOBILITY AROUND DOWNTOWN. THAT IS WHAT Y'ALL DO. UM, SO I, AGAIN, I WANNA THANK Y'ALL FOR STEPPING UP. I BELIEVE YOU ARE A TRUSTED PARTNER. UM, I THINK HOUSTON FIRST MAYOR, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO HAVE THEM FOCUSING ON THE CONVENTION CENTER AND HAVING Y'ALL COME IN AS AN ADDITIONAL PARTNER TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND FOCUS ON THE MOBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY. UM, ALL OF THIS IN ADDITION TO, I THINK YOU SAID THE POINTS WERE, YOU KNOW, 600 ENGAGEMENTS ON ONE PROJECT, BUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE MODEL THAT YOU DO USE IN ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY? YEAH, I MEAN, WE, WE, WE ARE DEEP BELIEVERS, UM, AND, AND UNDERSTAND IT AS OUR ROLE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. I BELIEVE THAT OUR PROJECTS ARE BETTERED THROUGH THAT PROCESS. UM, SO WE HAVE A STRONG, IT'S IN THE DNA OF THE ORGANIZATION. UM, YOU KNOW, EACH AND EVERY DAY WE ENGAGE HUNDREDS OF STAKEHOLDERS INTO ALL OF OUR DECISION MAKING PROCESSES. UM, AND SO WE WOULD ADDRESS THAT OPPORTUNITY IN THE SAME TYPE OF WAY, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE SOLVED AND BEING COMMITTED TO FIND THAT SOLUTION. AGAIN, APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND THE ENTIRE TEAM DO FOR DOWNTOWN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. CHRIS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND, UH, FOR OFFERING TO STEP UP AND HELP. UM, THE CONNECTIVITY EAST WEST, AFTER THIS EXPANSION AND AFTER THE 45 EXPANSION PROJECT IS GONNA BE CRITICAL. AND Y'ALL ARE VERY WELL SUITED TO OFFER ASSISTANCE IN THAT, GIVEN YOUR TRACK RECORD AROUND ENGAGEMENT, UH, AROUND MOBILITY, AROUND THE PROJECTS THAT Y'ALL HAVE ALREADY DONE. LIKE YOU MENTIONED BAGBY, UH, THE ONE THAT'S UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW, UH, MAIN STREET. AND SO I, I THINK WE WOULD BE WISE TO TAKE YOU UP ON YOUR OFFER, UM, BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO BE REALLY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE CONNECTIVITY THAT WILL REMAIN EAST TO WEST AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO ENHANCE IT AND TO IMPROVE IT, UM, FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE, ON THE EAST END. INDEED. AND I THINK THE CITY HAS LONG RELIED ON T'S MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, RIGHT? WE, WE HAVE BOTH, UH, TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE THIS TYPE OF WORK. AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS JUST VOLUNTEERING TO, TO HELP WITH THIS ISSUE. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. THANK YOU MAYOR, UH, CHRIS, AND JUST WANNA SAY, UH, PUBLICLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. WE'VE BEEN ON SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS, WHETHER IT IS MAIN STREET, UH, WHETHER IT IS A GEORGIA BROWN EXPANSION, AND JUST YOUR WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP. UH, WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, UH, A FEW WEEKS BACK. UM, I THINK AS SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED, THIS IS, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO, TO PLAY. UH, UNDERSTANDING THAT EAST WEST CONNECTION CONTINUES TO BE A PRIORITY. IT HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR ME SINCE DAY ONE. UM, AND, AND JUST WANT TO SAY, UH, THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, UH, WITH YOUR TEAM, UH, TO ENSURE THAT, UM, DOWNTOWN IS OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE. YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL AND I'M NOT DOING MY JOB IF I'M NOT TRYING TO GET PEOPLE INTO DOWNTOWN, RIGHT? SO, UM, THAT INFRASTRUCTURE'S CRITICAL TO THAT WORK. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU CHRIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WILLIAM FRANKS TO BE FOLLOWED BY ASHE BERRY. HMM. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS WILLIAM FRANKS. I'M A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER IN, UH, DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, AND I AM VERY PLEASED TO COME BEFORE YOU TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE HOUSTON FIRST, UM, EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER AS DESIGNED AND [01:05:01] PLANNED. CURRENTLY, UH, I HAVE BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH IN DOWNTOWN SINCE 1994. I'VE DEVELOPED 16 DIFFERENT BUILDINGS, MANY OF THEM HOTELS, THE JW MARRIOTT, THE ALOFT, THE AC HOTEL, THE SAM HOUSTON, ON AND ON. WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS THAT THIS CONVENTION CENTER HAS BEEN A MAJOR DRIVER OF THE ECONOMICS OF DOWNTOWN HOUSTON. AND WITH THAT, I THINK WE NEED TO THINK FORWARD. I AM FOR THE COMMON GOOD. I UNDERSTAND THAT COMMUNITIES AROUND THERE WANT CONNECTIVITY. I COMPLETELY BELIEVE THAT THAT SHOULD HAPPEN. I THINK IT JUST NEEDS TO BE PLANNED, BUT I THINK THE PROJECT, THE WAY IT'S DESIGNED RIGHT NOW IS REALLY TOO IMPORTANT AND WE WILL BENEFIT IN THE FUTURE AS CITIZENS. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M, UH, SIR, YES, YOU WERE HERE. I'M CERTAIN YOU REMEMBER IN 98, THAT WHOLE AREA WAS NOTHING BUT PARKING LOTS. WE OWNED TWO BLOCKS ACROSS THE STREET AND WE HAD A VISION TO NOT REBUILD THE BASEBALL FIELD OUT ON KIRBY IN SIX 10, BUT TO BRING IT DOWNTOWN. MM-HMM . THEN TOYOTA STADIUM WAS BUILT, THE GEORGE BROWN AND THE CONTINUITY THERE. SOMEONE SAID, I THINK COUNCILLOR RAMIREZ WAS ASKING, WELL, HOW'S THIS DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS? THERE'S NO OTHER SITE THAT CONVENTION CAN GO TO TWO MAJOR ENTERTAINMENT VENUES AT EACH END. AND I'M CERTAIN YOU'VE WITNESSED THE BENEFITS TO THE EAST END, STARTING WITH JOBS. MANY EAST END RESIDENTS TRAVELED TO THESE VENUES IN THE GEORGE BROWN AND THE HOTELS FOR JOBS. AND THEN IT GETS TO REVENUE, REVENUE AND EVEN MORE REVENUE FROM SALES TAX, WHICH WILL BE PART OF THE GENERAL REVENUE THAT FUNDS EAST END QUALITY OF LIFE SERVICES LIKE SOLID WASTE, PUBLIC SAFETY, HEALTH. I GO ON AND ON. IT IS SUCH AN EXAMPLE OF THE CAN-DO ATTITUDE OF HOUSTON. YES, SIR. AND I'M CERTAIN THEY HAD THE SAME DISCUSSIONS WHEN THEY DREDGED THE PORT . I KNOW FOR A FACT THERE WAS FARMS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT WERE INTERRUPTED, BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I'VE WITNESSED IT. UH, HOUSTON HAS A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE, CERTAINLY IN COMPETITION WITH OTHER HOUSTON, UH, TEXAS CITIES, AND REALLY ACROSS THE NATION. AND WE HAVE OUR FRIENDS HERE WITH UNITE HERE DISCUSSING THEIR JOBS. IT WILL ASSIST THEM IN THEIR BENEFITS. IT'LL ASSIST HOUSTONIANS ARE ACROSS THIS GREAT CITY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, SIR. THERE'S A STORY TO BE TOLD. YES. UH, I COMPLETELY AGREE. IT'S FOR THE GREATER GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR MEYER AND HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. A SHEA BARRY VICE PRESIDENT OF MAGS IN PEACOCKS, THE NATION'S ONLY NONPROFIT DESIGN HOST. I'M NOT ONLY A RESIDENTIAL RESIDENT, BUT A BUSINESS RESIDENT OF DISTRICT I COUNCIL. MARTINEZ AND THE EAST END. EI MUST SAY, SMALL BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS REALLY DEPEND ON THE EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER DISTRICT, CONFERENCES, EVENTS, EVERYTHING THAT'S DRIVING. UM, HOUSTON FIRST IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST SUPPORTERS AND WHAT THEY BRING TO THE CITY. AS A RESIDENT OF EASTWOOD, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT CHANGE. IT'S, IT'S DIFFERENT AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK. UM, I GO DOWN POLK EVERY DAY, BUT I KNOW WE'LL COME UP WITH A SOLUTION WHERE WE STILL GET DOWNTOWN. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO CHANGE. THERE'S NO PROGRESS WITHOUT CHANGE. AND TO STAY AS A WORLD CLASS CITY, I THINK THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY NEEDED. IT TRICKLES DOWN TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE JOBS, THE GROCERY STORES. AGAIN, I'VE LIVED IN EASTWOOD FOR OVER 20 YEARS. UNDERSTAND THAT EXPANSION. ACTUALLY IN THE END IT HELPS US OUT. SO THANK YOU PAUL O'SULLIVAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY REUBEN GARZA. HOUSTON FIRST HAS PUT FORTH A PLAN THAT LEAVES NO ROOM FOR ERROR. WITH THE ABANDONMENT OF POKES, HOUSTON FIRST HAS PUT FORTH A PLAN THAT LEAVES NO ROOM FOR ERROR. WITH THE ABANDONMENT OF POLK STREET, LELAND SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY PROPOSED OPTION FOR EAST END AND FIFTH WARD RESIDENCE. LELAND DEVELOPED A SINKHOLE AT JACKSON IN SEPTEMBER. LELAND HAS BEEN CLOSED AT MILBY SINCE EARLY SEPTEMBER, AND THERE APPEARS TO BE NO DATE FOR THE REOPENING. A BUSINESS FIRE AT MILBY NEAR LELAND OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER, [01:10:01] IMPACTING TRAFFIC ALONG THEIR COURT ALONG THIS CORRIDOR. UM, CLOSURE OF POLK AND SINGULAR RELIANCE ON LELAND WOULD GREATLY RETARD ECONOMIC GROWTH ON THE EAST END. WHILE HOUSTON FIRST WANTS TO IMPRESS COMIC-CON COSPLAY ATTENDEES FROM ALAMOGORDO AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS FROM DUBUQUE, IT SEEMS UNCONCERNED ABOUT THE GRB EXPANSION THAT WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT EAST END MOBILITY. OTHER LARGE METROPOLITAN AREAS HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO EXPAND THEIR CONVENTION CAPACITY WITHOUT NEGATIVELY IMPACTING LOCAL RESIDENTS. HOUSTON FIRST WOULD DO WELL TO LEARN THESE LESSONS. THANK YOU. NEXT, KEVIN STRICKLAND. HELLO CITY COUNCIL. UH, MY NAME IS RUBEN GARZA. I'M A LOCAL CONVERSATION LEADER FOR A GROUP CALLED STRONG TOWNS HOUSTON. I DID, UH, FIRST I WANNA SAY ON BEHALF OF STRONG TOWNS, WE ARE ONE OF THE, DID I THIS IS THE CORRECT ORDER. OKAY. JUST MAKING SURE. UH, WE'RE PUSHING FOR A PARKING REFORM, GETTING RID OF MINIMUM PARKING MANDATES AND OPENING UP STREET PARKING, SPEAKING WITH A NUMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE ABOUT THAT. WOULD LOVE TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT THAT AND MAKING THAT A PRIMARY POLICY OF HOUSTON. UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER, THE MARCH 6TH UNVEILING FOR THE GRB EXPANSION PLAN. YOU SAID IT AND I THINK EVERYONE HERE AGREES THAT THE EAST END HAS BEEN LEFT BEHIND FOR AS LONG AS YOU KNOW. I DON'T THINK ANYONE IN THIS ROOM DISAGREES WITH THAT. UH, SO WITH RESPECT TO THE POLK STREET CLOSER, I RESPECTFULLY ASKED CITY COUNCIL TO NOT TAKE ANOTHER MEASURE THAT WILL HARM THE EAST END. POLK STREET IS A VITAL TWO-WAY STREET THAT CONNECTS THE EAST END AND DOWNTOWN. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS STREET BE, UH, KEPT OPEN AND THAT THE CITY, UM, THAT THE CITY GIVE ACCESS TO THE EAST END RESIDENTS TO THE GRB. THIS IS GONNA BE A FANTASTIC PROJECT THAT'S GONNA HELP THE CITY OUT, BUT THE PEOPLE IN THE EAST END NEED ACCESS TO IT. THANK YOU SIR. NEXT, KEVIN STRICKLAND TO BE FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA CABRERA. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M CO-FOUNDER OF ROCK AND ROLL HOUSTON, UH, 5 0 1 C3, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE A CITY WHERE HOUSTONIANS CAN WALK AND ROLL SAFELY AND EASILY AS WE NEED. WE UNDERSTAND THAT CONNECTIONS ARE WHAT GREAT COMMUNITIES. AS MY FRIEND LISA HUNT POINTS OUT, DESTROYING CONNECTIONS DESTROYS COMMUNITIES. WE SEE THIS OFTEN IN HOUSTON WHERE FREEWAYS HAVE DIVIDED OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY POINTED OUT, THERE ARE VERY FEW CONNECTIONS BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND THE EAST END. CLOSING POLK IS ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING ONES. HOUSTON FIRST, WHOSE BOARD IS APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR, HAS NEVER EXPLAINED WHY POLK MUST BE CLOSED WHEN ASKED. THEIR RESPONSE IS ESSENTIALLY BECAUSE WE CAN. GEORGIA BROWN COULD EASILY BE BUILT OVER POLK. I'M GONNA GIVE YOU FOUR EXAMPLES ALL WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK THEM OUT. THE WERE THEM BUILT OVER PRAIRIE STREET, BAYOU PLACE, BUILT OVER TEXAS AVENUE, HOUSTON CENTER, BUILT OVER SAN JACINTO GREEN STREET, BUILT OVER FANN AND SAN. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. NOW IMAGINE IF THESE FIVE STREETS HAD BEEN CLOSED. THANK YOU. WHAT WOULD DOWNTOWN LOOK LIKE? NEXT SPEAKER. SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON CLOSING. POLK. THANK YOU. NEXT. PATRICIA CABRERO. RUBEN MERCADO TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARINA RA. GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. MY NAME IS RUDO. I AM THE CHAIR OF THE LOCAL NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MINORITY CONTRACTORS. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'M A RESIDENT OF THE EAST IN ALE FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS. I'M HERE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THE GEORGIA R BROWN CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION PROJECT. UH, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MY MANY RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE EAST END, HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE PLAN CLOSURE OF POLK STREET. THAT CONCERN IS VALID. POLK HAS LONG SERVED AS A VITAL CONNECTION BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND EAST DOWNTOWN. HOWEVER, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS CLOSURE IS, UH, IN THE LONGER CONTEXT OF THE N-H-H-I-P PORE BETWEEN SAINT EMANUEL AND HAMILTON WAS ALREADY IDENTIFIED FORE CLOSURE UNDER THAT PLAN. I GONNA SAY THAT AGAIN. YES, SIR. ABSOLUTELY. IT'S, IT WAS PART OF THE CITY'S AGREEMENT WITH TDOT FIVE YEARS AGO. THAT'S CORRECT. YES, SIR. IRREFUTABLE? YES, SIR. IT WAS THROUGH THE NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY PROJECT AND YOU WON'T DO THE UNDERGROUND OF 59 AND 45 UNLESS THE CAP ABOVE IS FREE AND OPEN. [01:15:01] YES, SIR. IRREFUTABLE? YES, SIR. SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT NO WORRIES. THANK YOU. MISINFORMATION IS NOT GOOD. I AGREE WITH THAT, MAYOR. I CERTAINLY DO AGREE WITH THAT. THIS PROJECT REFLECTS A FORWARD THINKING VISION FOR HOW DOWNTOWN AND THE EAST END CAN BETTER INTERACT WITH THE EXPANSION. THE GEORGIA R BROWN CONVENTION CENTER WILL BECOME FRONT FACING TO THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS JUST ABOUT EXPANDING CONVENTION CENTER. IT'S ABOUT REDEFINING HOW WE EXPERIENCE THE HEART OF OUR CITY. THE DESIGN PRIORITIZES, WALKABILITY, OPEN PLAZAS AND PUBLIC GATHERING AREAS THAT ENCOURAGE CONNECTION BETWEEN RESIDENTS, VISITORS, AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. IT CREATES A SPACE THAT FEELS LIKE HOUSTON DIVERSE, DYNAMIC AND WELCOMING. THIS IS A MOMENT FOR PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY, HOUSTON FIRST AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. IF DONE RIGHT, THE GRB EXPANSION CAN SERVE AS A MODEL FOR EQUITABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT, ONE THAT PROMOTES ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY WHILE PRESERVING ACCESSIBILITY AND COMMUNITY CHARACTER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO BUILDING A BETTER HOUSTON COUNCIL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. HEY, RUBEN? YES, SIR. THANK YOU FOR COMING. LET ME ASK YOU, DID YOU, DID YOU GROW UP ON EAST END? I DID. I WENT TO DIGGITY AND GRADUATED MILBY. IN FACT, WE, OH MAN. WE CELEBRATED 40 YEARS THIS WEEKEND. I KNEW YOU WERE GOING SAY, I KNEW YOU WERE GONNA SAY MILL B BUFFALO . I KNEW IT, BUT I WON'T HOLD IT AGAINST YOU. I'M A MUSTANG, SO YEAH, IT'S ALL GOOD. I WON'T HOLD IT AGAINST YOU. YOU COMPLIMENT. IT'S ALL, IT'S ALL IN THE FAMILY . THAT'S RIGHT. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO COME DOWN AND EXPRESS YOUR SUPPORT OF IT AND, UH, JUST WON'T LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S DEAR TO MANY PEOPLE AND I GET IT, BUT I THINK IN THE END, BOTH PARTS CAN COME TOGETHER AND RESOLVE IT AND THEN THAT WE CAN MOVE ON AND HAVE A GREATER CITY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. SURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT MARINA RA TO BE FOLLOWED BY LINDA MATHA. GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MARINA GUERRA AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTINA MORALES, WHO REPRESENTS HOUSE DISTRICT ONE I 41 45, INCLUDING MANY OF THE EAST END NEIGHBORHOODS IMPACTED BY THE PROPOSED CLOSURE OF POLK STREET. OUR OFFICE HAS HEARD FROM MANY CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL, PARTICULARLY THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, LIMITED PUBLIC INPUT, AND THE IMPACT ON MOBILITY, SAFETY, AND SMALL BUSINESSES. REPRESENTATIVE MORALES IS RESPECTFULLY ASKING COUNCIL TO DELAY THE VOTE UNTIL A COMPREHENSIVE TRAFFIC PLAN WITH SAFE ALTERNATIVES FOR, FOR PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS, AND TRANSIT RIDER IS SHARED PUBLICLY. A CLEAR DETOUR AND TIMELINE FOR EAST END NEIGHBORHOODS IS PROVIDED, AND THE CITY CONSIDERS A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT TO ENSURE THE EAST END IS NOT LEFT BEHIND AS SHE WROTE, PROJECTS OF THIS MAGNITUDE WILL DEFINE HOUSTON'S FUTURE. WE MUST ENSURE THE PROCESS IS TRANSPARENT, EQUITABLE, AND ACCOUNTABLE TO OUR RESIDENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND LEADERSHIP. NEXT, LINDA MATHER, TO BE FOLLOWED BY CAESAR ESPINOZA. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS LYDIA MATA. I AM A HOUSEKEEPER AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR HILTON AMERICAS FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS. THE MAIN REASON FOR ME JOINING THE STRIKE IS BECAUSE I DESERVE TO GET PAID A GOOD LIVING WAGE WHERE I CAN AFFORD RENT, FOOD, AND NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE WHAT I CAN GO WITHOUT. WE DESERVE RESPECT AND A GOOD PAYCHECK FOR THE WORK WE DO. WE WORK HARD TO LEAVE THE ROOMS EXTRA CLEAN AND GIVE THEM A SPECIAL TOUCH. MY COWORKERS AND I DO THIS FOR HILTON BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT OUR JOB AND OUR GUESTS. HILTON SHOULD SHOW US THE SAME CARE THAT WE GIVE THIS HOTEL. 23 AN HOUR WILL BENEFIT NOT ONLY ME, BUT MY FAMILY AS WELL, SO THAT WE CAN LIVE A BETTER LIFE WHERE WE CAN AFFORD GROCERIES WITHOUT HAVING TO GO WITHOUT THE THINGS WE NEED. WE HAVE BEEN ON STRIKE FOR 37 DAYS NOW, AND I REALLY HOPE WE ARE NOT STILL ON STRIKE WHEN THE COLD COMES. HOWEVER, I WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT ALONGSIDE MY COWORKERS FOR BETTER WAGES FOR OUR FAMILIES. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, UM, CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR. UH, WE ARE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT MS. RENA GONZALEZ. MERENA GONZALEZ WAS, UH, A WOMAN WHO WAS SUFFERING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. AND ON JULY 1ST SHE WAS ARRESTED ERRONEOUSLY BY THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND SHE WAS TAKEN TO COUNTY JAIL WHERE INSTEAD OF GETTING THE HELP SHE NEEDED, LIKE [01:20:01] HER FAMILY WAS ASKING, SHE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PUT IN AN ICE HOLD AND THEN DEPORTED. MERENA IS DEPORTED NOW, AND WITH THIS NEW MOTION OF THIS DODGE STYLE, UH, BUDGET THAT THE CITY WANTS TO START PUSHING AND START CONSOLIDATING DEPARTMENTS. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT MORE IMMIGRANT PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE IN HOUSTON WILL END UP DEPORTED JUST LIKE MS. RENA DID. IT'S NOT FAIR. IT'S NOT RIGHT. AND, AND THERE SHOULD BE, INSTEAD OF CUTTING DEPARTMENTS, THERE SHOULD BE AN EMPHASIS IN PUTTING MORE EMPHASIS ON MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND IN NOT PAYING OFFICERS MORE, BUT TRAINING THEM BETTER SO THAT THEY CAN IDENTIFY WHEN A PERSON IS IN CRISIS, NOT IT, NOT PUT CHARGES ON THEM WHEN IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE. THE STAFF AT BEN TOP TOLD THIS FAMILY TO CALL HPD, AND I CANNOT IN GOOD FAITH CONTINUE TO TELL THE COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT YOUR SIGN. SIGN HAS EXPIRED IF THEY'RE GONNA END UP DEPORTED. NEXT. COUNCILOR PLUMMER JUST SAID THANK YOU MAYOR. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. DO YOU KNOW IF A CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM OR OTT WAS CALLED AT THAT TIME THE FAMILY CALLED HPD OR THEY CALLED THE THE HUSBAND? SHE WAS HAVING AN EPISODE. THE HUSBAND, I BELIEVE DID HER HUSBAND AFTER SHE ASSAULTED HIM. AND, UH, IT WAS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. OKAY, HOLD ON. LET ME I KNOW THE STORY BETTER. CAN I FINISH? NO, I UNDERSTAND. GO AHEAD. OKAY. BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO CONTROL THE NARRATIVE, BUT THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT IT. NO, I'M JUST GIVEN. HER HUSBAND CALLED THE HPD FROM BEN TOP AT THE GARAGE, AND HPD NEVER SHOWED UP. AND THEN SHE, THEY WERE INSTRUCTED BY PERSONNEL AT BEN TOP TO GO HOME OR TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE WHERE THEY COULD BE SAFE. AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY CALLED HPD WHEN THEY DID, WHEN HER HUSBAND DID CALL HPD INSTEAD OF QUESTIONING HER FAMILY, LISTEN, SEE, TO HER BEGGING FAMILY TO NOT TAKE HER AWAY BECAUSE SHE'S SUFFERING FROM SEVERE SCHIZOPHRENIA. THE OFFICER DID NOT QUESTION THEM, BUT RATHER QUESTION OTHER PEOPLE AROUND AND THEN ARRESTED HER. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. THOSE ARE THE FACTS. AND SHE INJURED HER HUSBAND, HUSBAND HAS NO, HAD TO SEPARATE HIM BY LAW. THE DA TOOK CHARGES. SHE GOT TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE WHOLE CIRCUMSTANCE IS SAD, BUT IT'S ONLY CORRECT THAT WE CLEAR THE AIR AND LET THE TRUTH STAND. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOLLOWING THE LAW CAUGHT ICE. HBB PLAYED A VERY MINOR ROLE OTHER THAN STATE LAW REQUIRES IF YOU MAKE A SCENE WHERE THERE'S A DOMESTIC ABUSE TO PREVENT THE, THE FUTURE DOMESTIC ABUSE THING, MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS HAVE, I UNDERSTAND THE MENTAL HEALTH DOMINATES AND IS INVOLVED IN SO MUCH, BUT IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE CREDIBILITY IN THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE FACTS STAND. HPD HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO SEPARATE 'EM BECAUSE IT WAS AT THE SCENE. SHE, HER HUSBAND GOT SEVERELY INJURED, SO THEY SHOWED UP. SIR, I TALKED TO HER HUSBAND. UNDERSTAND I TALKED TO HER HUSBAND THIS MORNING. UNDERST UNDERSTAND, BUT I'VE SEEN THE REPORT. THERE'S NO REPORT OF HER SEVERELY INJURED. YOUR OFFICERS MADE A DECISION TO PUT CHARGES ON HER. CALL THE DA I DISAGREE. INSTEAD OF TAKING HER, GIVING HER A RIDE TO THE MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTION WHERE SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN. YEAH. I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE. COUNCIL. OH, UNTIL WE SEE THE, UH, I WOULD REQUEST, REQUEST COUNCIL PLUM. I WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE CAMERAS PLUMMER. YOU TOO. I WOULD, LET'S TALK TO YOU OFFLINE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN COUNCILOR, MCC COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE FACTS, AS THE MAYOR HAS SAID IS ICE WAS CONTACTED FROM THE JAIL, AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS CONTESTING THAT. I THINK IN CESAR, WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING, AND ONE OF MY CONCERNS REMAINS IN A ENVIRONMENT THAT IS SO HEIGHTENED AND VOLATILE AND DANGEROUS FOR OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, UM, THE ABILITY TO CONTACT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS IMPERATIVE SO THAT VICTIMS ARE NOT BEING PUSHED INTO THE SHADOWS. UH, WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING, BUT CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS THERE'S SCENARIOS WHERE WE NEED MORE FUNDING, MORE INSTANCES OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS INTERVENING IN CRISIS RESPONSE, NOT JUST THE STANDARD LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE. IS THAT YES. AND AND I WANNA MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE, WE ARE NOT BLAMING HPD WHOLEHEARTEDLY. I'VE SERVED ON POLICE REFORM TASK FORCE BEFORE AND I'VE DONE RIDEALONGS WITH HPD. SO I, UM, UNLIKE SOME OTHER ACTIVIST IN THE CITY, I TRY TO LOOK AT BOTH SIDES. BUT WHEN WE SEE, UH, OFFICERS SHOW UP TO A SCENE AND, AND IT COMPLETELY IGNORE THE FACT THAT THIS PERSON IS GOING THROUGH A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS [01:25:01] AND JUST CHARGE HER, I WANNA SEE, I WANNA SEE THIS ADMINISTRATION. LOOK, THIS WOMAN WHO'S NOW IN MEXICO WITHOUT ANY SORT OF FAMILY AFTER LIVING HERE IN HOUSTON FOR 35 YEARS, I WANNA SEE WHAT WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER TO PREVENT OTHER PEOPLE FROM GOING DOWN THE SAME PATH. AND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT COMING FROM A PLACE OF HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE FACTS, TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS A RAMP UP OF ICE. WE DO NOT NECESSARILY WANT TO SEE SOMEONE WHO'S NOT A CRIMINAL DEPORTED OR PUT IN JAIL. HOWEVER, I THINK, AGAIN, I, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I WANT TO PUBLICLY CONVEY MY CONCERNS THAT IN SUCH A HEIGHTENED TIME, WE HAVE TO, AS A CITY, BE EVEN MORE SENSITIVE AND CAREFUL WHILE FOLLOWING THE LETTER OF THE LAW. THAT'S IMPERATIVE. UM, BUT WE DO NEED MORE CRISIS INTERVENTION. WE NEED, ESPECIALLY IN OUR IMMIGRANT AND VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, PEOPLE TO BE COMFORTABLE COMING FORWARD TO GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED. ABSOLUTELY. AND WE'VE, WE'VE, YOU CAN LOOK AT OUR TRACK RECORD. WE TOLD PEOPLE, IF YOU WANNA BETTER, IF YOU WANNA MAKE THIS CITY SAFER, WE HAVE TO WORK WITH, WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND WE'VE DONE THAT THROUGHOUT THE LAST 18 YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN HERE, BUT ABSOLUTELY. AND THERE'S A BUDGET COMING UP AND WE ARE REALLY CONCERNED THAT MORE SERVICES ARE GOING TO BE CUT AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE OF RENA IN OUR STREETS. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK COUNCIL CLE MAYOR, UH, CESAR, THANK YOU FOR COMING. UM, AND I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES. I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE DEESCALATE FROM THIS HEIGHTENED TENSION, RIGHT? UM, AND TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S TRUST, UM, PLENTY OF TIMES THAT I'M OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT IS A QUESTION, RIGHT? SHOULD I CALL THE HPD? AND I TRUST THAT HPD IS OUT DOING WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE AND TAKING CARE OF ACTUAL CRIME AND NOT LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS THAT ARE UNDOCUMENTED AND, AND MAKING THAT A PRIORITY. UM, I ALSO WANNA KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG AND WHERE WE COULD BE HELPFUL. AND IF IT IS A BUDGET, YOU KNOW, UH, POLICY ANSWER, THEN, UH, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LISTENING. SO AT ANY POINT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE MY NUMBER. LET'S SIT DOWN AND TALK AND, AND FIND OUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO MOVING FORWARD. YEAH. I MEAN, AND THE REDUCTION OR THE DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, UH, DIVISION REALLY HURTS OUR COMMUNITY. UM, AND THERE'S, THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER THINGS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS, I ONCE AGAIN WANNA STATE PUBLICLY THAT WE HAVE YET TO MEET WITH CHIEF DIAZ, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO MEET WITH HIM. AND WE DE TALK TO PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT ARE FACING THESE ISSUES, AS WELL AS OTHER COMMUNITY CONCERNS. SO THIS IS AN INVITE. WE ARE READY TO MEET WITH HIM WHEN HE'S READY TO MEET WITH US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, MAYOR, ONE SECOND. LEMME FIND THE NAME. UH, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD SIMON HERNANDEZ TO THE TOP OF THE SPEAKER'S LIST. I THINK HE'S HERE IN THE CHAMBERS NOW TO BE N TO GO NEXT. TO GO NEXT, GO NEXT. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NA MOTION PASSES. SIMON HERNANDEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANA MAL BARI. HELLO THERE. I HEARD SOMEBODY PROTEST. MILBY BUFFS. I HOPE NOT. JUST KIDDING WITH YOU. I, I TOO AM A RESIDENT OF HOUSTON EAST END, BEEN HERE A LONG TIME. MELBY BUFFS, EDISON JUNIOR HIGH, WHAT HAVE YOU. I'M FOR THE PROGRESS. I LIKE THE PROGRESS. I LIKE SEEING THE NEW BUILDING. I LIKE BEING BRINGING IN REVENUE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDS AND WHAT HAVE YOU. LET'S BRING IN THE FUNDS THAT HELPS. UH, IF WE'RE LOOKING FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, WHICH I CAN KIND OF TALK TO, UM, WE'RE WELL ADEPT IN REACHING THESE RESIDENTS, THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. CLOSURES ARE NOT NEW. UH, WE HAVE BIKE TRAILS THAT WE HAVE TO OVERCOME. SO START THINKING ABOUT THAT. UH, WE'RE, WE'RE WELL INFORMED. THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE WITH US. OKAY. IT DOES PRESENT CHALLENGES, BUT WE START BRINGING IN THE REVENUE AND WE START BRINGING IN PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO CREATE THE JOBS, WHO ARE GONNA BRING, UH, THE CAPITAL IN FOR US. WE'LL BE ABLE TO RAISE MORE. OKAY. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT JU MALARI, [01:30:05] SEBASTIAN LAUR TO BE FOLLOWED BY COREY DA STORE. HI. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY. UM, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE RED LINE RECENTLY, THE CITY REMOVED SIGNAL PRIORITY FOR THE RED LINE, UM, AS IT RUNS THROUGH DOWNTOWN, WHICH MEANS THAT THE TRAINS NOW STOP AT EVERY RED LIGHT. AND SO WHAT USED TO BE ABOUT A 12 MINUTE TRIP BETWEEN MCGOWAN AND UHD IS ABOUT A 20 MINUTE TRIP. UM, TWO POINTS I'D LIKE TO MAKE. FIRST, I KNOW THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION IS SKEPTICAL TOWARDS MASS TRANSIT PROJECTS, BUT THE RED LINE REALLY SEEMS LIKE AN UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS. 34,000 PEOPLE A DAY RIDE IT. AND YOU CAN SEE WHY IT CONNECTS THE MED CENTER DOWNTOWN, TWO UNIVERSITIES, HCC AND MAJOR BUS STATIONS, AND OF COURSE, THE PARKS AND THE MUSEUMS AND THE STADIUMS. UM, I BOARD IT AT FANON SOUTH. I COME UP FROM DISTRICT K. YOU REALLY SEE A WHOLE SLICE OF THE CITY USING IT. WHY SLOW DOWN SOMETHING THAT REALLY WORKS OUR MOST EFFECTIVE TRANSIT LINE? AND THEN SECOND, IT SEEMS STRANGE TO ME TO DO THIS WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO BRING PEOPLE DOWNTOWN PERSONALLY. UM, I NEVER USED TO. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. OKAY. THANK YOU. OH, SIR. SIR, SIR, SIR, SIR. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. YOU CAN HAVE MY TIME. KEEP GOING. OKAY. UM, YEAH, SO FIRSTLY, I NEVER CAME DOWNTOWN, UH, BEFORE I LIVED WITH ACCESS TO THE RED LINE. MY FIRST FEW YEARS IN HOUSTON, I LIVED ABOUT A MILE WEST OF HERE IN FOURTH WARD. UM, I JUST NEVER CAME DOWNTOWN VOLUNTARILY. THE DRIVING WAS A PAIN. IT'S NOT A GOOD WALK. NOW I ACTUALLY LIVE OUTSIDE THE LOOP, UH, ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE, UM, NEAR BELFORT AND STELLA LINK, AND I COME TO DOWNTOWN ALL THE TIME BECAUSE THE RED LINE MAKES IT EASY. IT MAKES IT PLEASANT. UM, I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT PARKING, I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT FIGHTING WITH TRAFFIC. I JUST GET ON THE TRAIN, COME RIGHT UP. I GET TO ENJOY LOOKING AT MY CITY. UH, IT'S REALLY FOR ME, IT'S THE TIME I FEEL MOST AT HOME IN HOUSTON. UM, JUST SPEAKING FROM MY OWN PERSPECTIVE, I FEEL LIKE IF WE WANTED TO MAKE COMING DOWNTOWN MORE ATTRACTIVE, UH, FRANKLY, WE WOULD HAVE MORE WAYS TO DO IT ON THE RAIL. YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE THAT LINE WEST INTO MONTROSE. WE NEVER BUILT, WE WOULD HAVE A LINE AS HEIGHTS FOR WASHINGTON AVENUE RIVER CAST STATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, SIR, SIR, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST THAT WE DO? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE FOR US TO DO DIFFERENT? AND, AND I'M ASKING BECAUSE WE'VE RECEIVED SEVERAL EMAILS TO OUR INBOX AND A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAVE CALLED US WITH THE SAME CONCERN THAT YOU'RE CITING. SO I'M INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE DIFFERENT? YEAH. UM, THE BASIC ASK WOULD BE TO RESTORE SIGNAL PRIORITY DOWNTOWN, WHICH MEANS THAT THE TRAIN BASICALLY GETS FIRST DIBS ROLLING THROUGH THE INTERSECTIONS. THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BEEN, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING, THE ENTIRE EXISTENCE OF THE LINE. AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT LIKE A RAPID TRIP THROUGH DOWNTOWN, RIGHT? NOT JUST CRAWLING CORNER TO CORNER. THAT WOULD BE THE ASK, I THINK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU DO KNOW, YOU DO KNOW THAT WAS METRO'S DECISION AND IT WAS A MECHANICAL PROBLEM THAT BROUGHT EVERYONE'S ATTENTION. IT'S, I'VE HEARD THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED THEIR OPERATIONS. OKAY. AND ANY, ANY MISCHARACTERIZATION OF MY POSITION IS JUST THAT. SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. I'VE HEARD DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT IT. I UNDERSTAND IT'S YOUR TAKE ON THINGS. SURE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. NEXT CORY DOUR TO BE FOLLOW, FOLLOWED BY DANIEL ARGON. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M CORY DOUR, THE GENERAL DIRECTOR AND CEO OF HOUSTON GRAND OPERA. UH, THE GRB EXPANSION PROJECT PLANS ENHANCE OUR SHARED OBJECTIVE FOR A VIBRANT WORLD-CLASS DOWNTOWN WITH INTERNATIONAL DRAW. THE HOUSTON GRAND OPERA IS PROUD TO EMPLOY OVER 13 ARTISTS AND CREATIVES AND SERVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOUSTONIANS EACH YEAR. THOSE OF US WHO OPERATE DOWNTOWN UNDERSTAND THE IMMENSE VALUE OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN PROJECTS WHICH CATALYZE GROWTH AND ENHANCE CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC VITALITY IN OUR CITY CENTER. A MORE ACTIVE CONVENTION CENTER ALSO MEANS INCREASED HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX WITH $400 MILLION ESTIMATED IN ADDITIONAL HOT REVENUES FOR THE CITY OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS, WHICH TRANSLATES TO ROUGHLY $80 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL DESIGNATED FUNDING FOR THE ARTS. HGO AND OUR COLLEAGUE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE CITY ARE NOT IMMUNE FROM THE IMMENSE PRESSURES BEING FACED BY ARTS AND CULTURE. WE DEPEND ON HOT FUNDS TO SUSTAIN OUR OPERATIONS AND RETAIN OUR WORKFORCE. MAINTAINING OUR ARTS COMMUNITY IS VITAL. THANK YOU. YOU THANK YOU. [01:35:03] COUNCILMAN KAMAN. THANK YOU. COY. I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU. UM, THE OPERA IS SUCH A GIFT TO THE CITY, UH, AND SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF, I KNOW OTHER, UM, PERFORMANCE CENTERS THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN. UM, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE RINGER FROM THE PANDEMIC ONWARDS, UH, TO SEE IT THRIVING AGAIN, UH, WARMS MY HEART. BUT I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND OTHERS FOR THE DIFFERENCE THAT YOU MAKE BECAUSE WE HAVE, UM, ONE OF THE MOST PREEMINENT, UH, ART ARTS AND THEATER DISTRICTS IN THE NATION. UH, SO JUST REALLY, I WANNA THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE ARE PROUD MEMBERS OF THE THEATER DISTRICT DOWNTOWN, AND OF COURSE GRB ARE VERY, UM, CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS. IT WAS OUR IMPROMPTU OPERA HOUSE DURING HARVEY, SO WE'RE EX EXCITED TO SEE IT, HAVE ITS DAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT, DANIEL ARGON TO BE FOLLOWED BY PETER ECCLES. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE, THE SAD AND PATHETIC STATE OF METRO UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION, UH, IN COUNSEL, THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE APPOINTED TO METRO HAVE LET US DOWN. IN 2019, WE APPROVED METRO NEXT, A AMBITIOUS PROJECT THAT WAS GONNA CHANGE OUR CITY. MORE RAIL, MORE BUSES, MORE BRT. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HAVE BACKTRACKED. NOW WHAT THEY DO, THEY CANCELED ALL OF IT. AND METRO IS NOW A PIGGY BANK FOR THE CITY, FOCUSING ON ROAD, UH, REHABS AND MICRO TRANSIT. AND LOOK AT THE RED LINE. THE MAYOR, YOU JUST SAID THAT IT WAS NOT YOUR FAULT. IT'S METRO. METRO SAYS YOUR FAULT. WHAT'S GOING ON? UM, UNDER THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, AS YOU LIKE TO SAY, A LOT, MAYOR, THERE WAS VISION, THERE WAS AMBITION. NOW IT'S PATHETIC. WE NEED BETTER PUBLIC TRANSIT. THERE'S A NEED FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT. GO ONLINE. ANYTIME THERE'S MENTION OF METRO, PEOPLE WANT BETTER TRANSIT. LET'S, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, DO BETTER. AND IT'S JUST SAD. THANK YOU, PETER HELS TO BE FOLLOWED BY DORIS BROWN. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS PETER ECKELS. UH, I WORK FOR LINK HOUSTON AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE METRO RED LINE. WE'RE NOW IN THE THIRD WEEK OF UNNECESSARY DELAYS ON THE RED LINE. SINCE THE CITY AND METRO TURNED OFF, TRAFFIC SIGNAL PREEMPTION FOR TRAINS ON MAIN STREET TRIPS ARE NOW TAKING ABOUT 10 MINUTES LONGER EACH WAY, CAUSING HOUSTONIANS WHO MAKE OVER 34,000 TRIPS ON THE RED LINE EACH WEEKDAY TO BE LATE FOR WORK CLASS. IT WASTES A COLLECTIVE 5,600 HOURS PER DAY. IT'S NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR WHY THIS IS BEING DONE. QUESTIONS TO 3 1 1 AND METRO CUSTOMER SERVICE, UM, RESULT IN ONE AGENCY BLAMING THE OTHER. BUT THE LOAN OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM METRO STATES THAT THEY WANT TO ENSURE A BALANCED APPROACH THAT STRENGTHENS MOBILITY FOR ALL. UNFORTUNATELY, THESE CHANGES HAVE DESTABILIZED OVERALL MOBILITY AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO UNTIL REVERSE. LET'S DIG IN. BUT 90,000 VEHICLES CROSS THE RED LINE IN DOWNTOWN. LET'S BE GENEROUS AND SAY THAT HALF OF THEM WILL AVOID A RED LIGHT AND SAVE 40 SECONDS. THAT MAKES FOR A TOTAL OF 500 HOURS SAVED AT THE EXPENSE OF OVER 5,000 HOURS WASTED BY REDLINE RIDERS. YOU MAY HEAR FROM METRO OR CITY DEPARTMENTS. YOUR TIME HAS, THEY'RE WORKING TOWARDS A COMPROMISE OR SOLUTION THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY. BUT THE PRUDENT SOLUTION, THE EQUITABLE SOLUTION, IS TO TURN TRAFFIC SIGNAL PREEMPTION BACK ON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, DORIS BROWN TO BE FOLLOWED BY FELIX KAPO. AFTERNOON. I'LL, CAN YOU HEAR ME? MM-HMM . DR. PLUM, I WANT TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO YOU BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET ANSWERS FOR MONTHS. WE'VE BEEN CALLING YOUR OFFICE EVERY SINGLE WEEK AND ASKING ONE QUESTION, WHEN IS THE APPOINTMENT INSPECTION ORDERS COMING TO COUNCIL? AND EVERY WEEK YOUR STAFF TOLD US NEXT WEEK, WELL, IT'S BEEN FOUR MONTHS OF NEXT WEEK, FOUR MONTHS OF WAITING WHILE TENANT ARE STILL LIVING WITH MOLD LEAKS AND UNSAFE CONDITIONS. WE'RE TIRED OF BEING TOLD TO WAIT. WE'RE TIRED OF EXCUSES. COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE HEARD YOU SAID THAT YOU STAND WITH TENNIS AND WE BELIEVE YOU, BUT RIGHT NOW WE NEED MORE THAN WORDS. WE NEED A CLEAR DATE. NOT PROMISES, NOT DELAYS. WHERE IS THE AUDITOR THAT'S COMING TO COUNCIL? BECAUSE EVERY WEEK THAT PASSES WITHOUT ACTION. MORE FAMILIES ARE GETTING SICK, MORE KIDS ARE BREATHING IN MOLD. MORE RESIDENTS ARE LIVING IN DANGER. WE CANNOT WAIT ANY LONGER. WE'RE HERE TODAY TO DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY AND TO DEMAND THAT THIS ORDER HAS MOVE FORWARD. NOW YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLUMMER, MA'AM. COUNT MA'AM. COUNCILOR AND PLUMMER. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND MS, DO [01:40:01] I I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION. I MEAN, I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO ON MY END. WE PROP WE PASSED UP IN THE PROP A, UM, COMMITTEE ALMOST FOUR MONTHS AGO. UM, THE APARTMENT STANDARDS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HAVE MET FOUR TIMES. I'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY PATIENT. I KNOW I HAVE HEARD FROM NOT ONLY YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION, BUT ALSO TENANTS. UM, I HONESTLY DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER. AND COLLEAGUES, I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, JUST DO WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE. WE HAVE GOT TO GET THIS DONE. UM, RESIDENTS ARE CALLING OUR OFFICES OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. EVERY STEP HAS BEEN FOLLOWED. LEGAL HAS ALREADY WRITTEN THE DOCUMENT. IT'S ALL READY TO GO. AND, UM, AND I'M JUST AS FRUSTRATED AS OUR COMMUNITY IS. SO THANK YOU MS. DORIS AND I. UM, AS SOON AS I GET SOME INFORMATION, I WILL, BUT I WILL, I'M SUPPOSED TO BE HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, UM, TOMORROW. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, FELIX KAPO TO BE FOLLOWED BY LINDA FLORES. FOUR YEARS, TWO ADMINISTRATIONS AND STILL HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TENANTS ARE STILL SUFFERING FROM A LACK OF OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY FROM THIS COUNCIL, DR. PLUMMER, HOUSING ADVOCATES ARE WAITING FOR WHEN THE ORDINANCE WILL COME TO VOTE. I'M HERE TO TELL Y'ALL WE CANNOT WAIT ANY LONGER. I KIND OF WANNA DO THE REST OF MY SPEECH, BUT I REALLY WANNA KNOW, WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT STUFF IS IN LEGAL FOR FOUR MONTHS AND WHY DID ALL OF THE COMMUNITY VOTE FOR PROP A AND THEN IT HAS TO GO TO A COMMITTEE AND THEN VOTE, AND THEN GO TO LE LIKE, I'M, I'M WONDERING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS PROCESS WHEN LIKE, SO MANY OF THESE TENANTS ARE IN NEIGHBORHOODS, LIKE THE ONES THAT I SERVE AND THAT THE ONES THAT YOU SERVE. SO I WANNA SACRIFICE THE REST OF MY TIME TO GET SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PLUMMER'S IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU. AND FELIX LIST, I MEAN, ONCE AGAIN, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE AGENDA A LONG TIME AGO. I MEAN, ONCE, ONCE SOMETHING COMES OUT OF COMMITTEE THROUGH PROP BAY, IT IS SUPPO AND YOU HAVE ALL YOUR SIGNATURES, IT IS SUPPOSED TO GO ON THE AGENDA. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A COMPLICATED CONVERSATION. OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO WORK WITH MANY DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE IT'S DONE PROPERLY. WE DON'T WANT TO, UM, WE DON'T WANNA CREATE ANY, ANY UNHOUSED PEOPLE BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. AND THERE'S SO MANY APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT ARE JUST NOT HABITABLE. SO I HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY PATIENT, BUT MY, THE TIME IS UP IN MY MIND. I MEAN, WE'VE GOTTA GET IT DONE. LEGAL HAS OF COURSE A DOCUMENT THAT I CANNOT SHARE, OBVIOUSLY OUTSIDE, BUT LEGAL HAS DRAFTED A DOCUMENT. ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE APARTMENT STANDARDS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HAVE MET OVER FOUR TIMES AND GONE THROUGH EVERYTHING. I DON'T BELIEVE IT HAS TO BE PERFECT TO ROLL IT OUT. UM, AND I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN VERY, VERY PATIENT. SO I ASSURE YOU I WILL GET SOME ANSWERS BY TOMORROW AND BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO YOU. BUT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY PATIENT. AND NOT ONLY YOU AS ADVOCATES, BUT JUST PEOPLE IN GENERAL. IT IS SO UNFAIR FOR THE AMOUNT OF RESIDENTS LIVING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN COMPLETE SQUALOR, AND WE HAVE FULL OVERSIGHT TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT. SO BELIEVE ME, I AM JUST AS FRUSTRATED AS YOU ARE AND I APPRECIATE YOU FOR COMING TODAY. DOES, DOES ANYONE ELSE ON COUNCIL HAVE RESPONSES TO THAT? UM, MAYOR JACKSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UM, THANK YOU FELIX FOR COMING IN. AND COUNCIL MEMBER PALMER, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING FORTH THE ORDINANCE. AND SO ONCE IT COMES OUTTA LEGAL, UH, MY SUPPORT APARTMENT REFORM, I MEAN, WE HAVE A LOT OF APARTMENTS IN DISTRICT B THAT WHERE THE OWNERS ARE NOT DOING WHAT THEY SUPPOSED TO DO. AND, UM, FOLKS ARE LIVING IN UNSANITARY CONDITIONS. AND SO ONCE IT'S COME UP, ONCE THE ORDINANCE COME UP, I WILL SUPPORT IT. UM, BUT I'M NOT, NOT PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCLUM IS HAVING WITH LEGAL. BUT, UM, ONCE IT COME UP, JUST KNOW THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. AND, AND COUNCILOR, JUDGE, THANK YOU. AND YOU, AND, AND THIS IS THE OTHER THING I WANNA JUST TO, IN TERMS OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE ON THE HORSESHOE, THEY VOTED FOR IT. I MEAN, IT CAME OUT OF COMMITTEE, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, BUT IT CAME OUT OF COMMITTEE, SO I KNOW COUNCIL SUPPORTED. WE JUST HAVE TO GET IT ON THE AGENDA, I GUESS. AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S WHAT, AND THAT'S WHAT'S NOT HAPPENING. I GUESS MY LAST QUESTION IS, MAYOR, DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WITH IT BEING STUCK AND LEGAL, LEGAL LEAK OUT TO MAKE IT COMPLIANT WITH STATE LAW? WE COULD HAVE A LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT THE HORRORS OF THE LIVING CONDITIONS. WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT, BUT WE CAN RED TAG IT, WE CAN MOVE TOWARD CONDEMNATION. JUST GOTTA FOLLOW STATE LAW, PROPERTY RIGHTS. YOU CAN'T JUST GO OUT. IN FACT, DO YOU HAVE A PLAN FOR WHAT YOU WOULD EXERCISE AGAINST THESE PROJECTS? I DIDN'T HEAR THE LAST QUE YOUR QUESTION. IF YOU HAD TOTAL CONTROL, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WELL, ONE WHICH WE DON'T. MM-HMM . BECAUSE WE'RE GOVERNED BY STATE LAWS AND [01:45:01] PROPERTY RIGHTS. SO WE ARE RESTRICTED AND THAT'S, I MEAN, WE'RE ALL ABSOLUTELY EVERY ONE OF US, I SAW A PROJECT THE OTHER DAY WHERE THEY'RE RENTING OUT THEIR COURTYARD, A PIECE OF CONCRETE OUT THE BACK DOOR THAT SOMEONE HAS A MATTRESS ON. THEY'RE RENTING THAT WE KNOW HOW HORRIBLE THINGS ARE AND LIVING CONDITIONS. WE'VE BEEN TO MOLD INFESTED SITES IN FIFTH WARD, MY STAFF HARVEY CLEMENTS LOCATION, I GO ON AND ON. BUT WE ARE GOVERNED BY STATUTES. SO IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS SAYING, LET'S DO SOMETHING. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE LAW ON YOUR SIDE, AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ACTION PLAN. AND THAT'S THE STRUGGLE. I, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I WILL SAY, IF IT WAS SIMPLE ENOUGH TO GIVE THE POLICE $832 MILLION OF MONEY WE DON'T HAVE OVER FIVE YEARS, IT SHOULD BE SIMPLE ENOUGH TO HELP PUSH THIS THROUGH LEGAL, UH, TO GET SOME RELIEF TO SOME OF THESE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST. COUNCILMAN P*****K. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. UM, YEAH, THE PROP, THE PROP A, UM, PROCESS SHOULD BE PRETTY, UM, STREAMLINED. I'VE, I'VE PASSED ABOUT 10 OF THESE MM-HMM . AND I NEVER GO TO A COMMITTEE. BUT ONCE A DRAFT IS PROPOSED AND THE REQUISITE SIGNATURES ARE, UM, ON IT AND IS DELIVERED OVER TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, I BELIEVE THEY HAVE SEVEN DAYS TO COME BACK WITH, UM, APPROVAL OR DENIAL ON THAT, THAT MM-HMM . UM, I DO KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER DID PROPOSE THAT A WHILE BACK, AN ADMINISTRATION AGO. SO WITH THIS, WITH THIS CURRENT PROCESS OF PROP A, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, IS IT, DID LEGAL SAY IT WAS PERMISSIBLE? YES OR NOT? IF LEGAL SAYS IT'S PERMISSIBLE, IT SHOULD BE ON THE AGENDA THE FOLLOWING WEEK. IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE, AS LONG AS IT'S NOT IN, IN CONFLICT WITH STATE LAW, THEN IT SHOULD BE ON THE AGENDA REGARDLESS OF STAKEHOLDERS OR TRYING TO MAKE IT PERFECT. MM-HMM . WHATEVER THE DRAFT IS SHOULD COME FORWARD AND WE CAN YAY OR NAY IT. SO, UH, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HEAR FROM LEGAL, OR AT LEAST FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE ON WAS IT PERMISSIBLE OR NOT. AND IF IT IS PERMISSIBLE, I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE WHY IT'S NOT BEING BROUGHT. BECAUSE IT'S NOT PERMISSIBLE. OKAY. SO IF IT'S NOT, IT'S AN EASY ANSWER. ALL RIGHT. SO IF IT IS NOT CONFLICT WAS STATE LAW. SO IF IT'S NOT PERMISSIBLE, THEN THE QUESTION WITH LEGAL AND WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE IS WHAT CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE TO MAKE IT PERMISSIBLE. THAT SHOULDN'T TAKE FOUR MONTHS. I MEAN, THAT SHOULD TAKE FOUR DAYS. MM-HMM . UM, SO, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET AN ANSWER TO YOU SOON. WELL, THE ANSWER IS THE REASON IT'S TAKING LONG, IT MAY REQUIRE LEGISLATION. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT. IT'S IN CONFLICT WITH STATE. WELL, IF THAT'S THE ANSWER, GIVE THE ANSWER. I MEAN THE ANSWER, THE ANSWER IS AVAILABLE. I'LL GIVE YOU ARTURO'S NUMBER. I DON'T NEED HIS NUMBER. WHY DO I NEED HIS NUMBER? I DON'T KNOW. I I'LL TAKE HIS NUMBER 'CAUSE I CAN, I CAN REPORT BACK TO PEOPLE. IS ARTURO HERE? HOLD ON, HOLD ON. ARTURO. THE, THE, THE ISSUE IS IF YOU HAVE AN ANSWER OR THE LEGAL HAS AN ANSWER, THEN JUST GIVE IT TO US. I MEAN, IT'S, IT, IT SHOULD BE THIS DIFFICULT TO PUT FORTH SOMETHING THAT IS EITHER LEGAL OR NOT. IF IT'S NOT LEGAL, JUST COME BACK AND SAY THAT IT IS NOT LEGAL AND FOR WHAT REASON. OKAY? MM-HMM . BUT I CAN'T MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND. PUT YOUR MIC ON FIRST. PUT YOUR MIC ON. TURN YOUR MIC ON. CONFLICT WITH STATE LAW. THEY'RE TRYING TO LEGISLATE MEASURES THAT WOULD MAKE IT IN COMPLIANCE. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER CAN GET THE SAME INFORMATION THAT I'M GIVING. IF IT WAS LEGAL AND SMOOTH, IT WOULD ALREADY BE ON THE AGENDA. MM-HMM . IT'S REAL PLAIN. MM-HMM . OKAY. UM, THANK Y'ALL FOR THE DISCUSSION AND, UH, OH, YES, DR. PLUMMER. MAYOR, MAYBE YOU'RE GETTING DIFFERENT INFORMATION THAN I AM FROM WHAT WE'LL GET ARTURO TO COME TALK TO ALL OF US. OKAY. BUT IN OUR MEMO, IT IS A LEGAL DOCUMENT THEY'RE TALKING TO, THEY WANNA TALK TO STAKEHOLDERS. THAT IS WHAT THEY TOLD US. AND I HAVE THAT AND I HAVE THAT IN WRITING. WELL, THAT'S IN THE DOCUMENT SAYS DRAFT ON IT, SO I CAN'T SHARE IT. BUT IT IS, IT, IT HAS GONE THROUGH. WE HAVE GONE, WE HAVE LITERALLY WATERED DOWN THIS ORDINANCE TO A POINT TO WHERE IT DOESN'T EVEN LOOK LIKE IT WAS BEFORE. I'VE MADE NEGOTIATION AFTER NEGOTIATION. I'VE LOOKED AT THE STATE CODE, I'VE DONE ALL THAT. SO I'M TELLING YOU THAT THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON AND I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO HAVE YOUR HELP TO FIX IT. YEAH. WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK NEXT. YEAH, I, I GUESS COULD WE GET A COMMITMENT TO TRY TO GET THAT FIXED? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THAT A COMMITMENT MAYOR? IS THAT A COMMITMENT [01:50:01] TO TRY TO GET IT FIXED? LINDA, LINDA FLORES, THANK YOU. OKAY. TO BE, TO BE FOLLOWED BY ADRIANA RODRIGUEZ FLORES AMERICAR. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MY NAME IS LINDA FLORES. I HAVE BEEN A HOUSEKEEPER AT THE HILTON AMERICA'S FOR ALMOST 14 YEARS. I WENT ON STRIKE BECAUSE I FIRMLY BELIEVE WE DESERVE A FAIR WAGE RESPECT FOR MY WORK AND TO BE VALUED AS EMPLOYEES OF HILTON AMERICAS THE LARGEST CONVENTION HOTEL IN HOUSTON. THE COST OF LIVING HAS RISE RISEN INCREDIBLY AND CONTINUES TO RISE EXCEPT FOR MY SALARY. MY MONTHLY SALARY IS 2100, OF WHICH 2000 IS FOR MY H HOUSE. AND I HAVE TO WORK A SECOND JOB TO SUPPORT MY 15-YEAR-OLD SON'S NEEDS. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER AND EVEN THEN, SOMETIMES IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE ENDS MEET. IF I EARNED A FAIR WAGE, I COULD GIVE MY SON MORE QUALITY TIME AND BE ABLE TO SAVE FOR HIS FUTURE OR GO ON VACATION. YEAH. HILTON'S SLOGAN IS, HILTON IS NUMBER ONE BEST WORKPLACE IN THE WORLD. AND I WISH IT WERE REALITY. MR. MAYOR, I REMEMBER YOU VISITED US AT THE HILTON HOTEL WHEN YOU WERE RUNNING FOR MAYOR. I ASKED YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR THE WORKERS? YOU SHOOK MY, SET MY HAND AND SAID, BETTER WAGES. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. NEITHER I NOR MY COWORKERS CAN AFFORD TO GO BACK TO MAKING 1650. WE ARE ON DESPERATE NEED OF BETTER LIP, BETTER LIVABLE WAGES NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU WHEN I STARTED. HELLO, MY NAME IS ADRIANA RODRIGUEZ. I HAVE WORKED WITH LEVY AT THE GRB AS A BANQUET SERVER FOR 10 YEARS. I'M PROUD TO WORK AT THE CONVENTION CENTER AND WELCOME PEOPLE TO OUR CITY EVERY DAY. BUT WE NEED BETTER WORKLOADS, HIGHER WAGES, AND MORE RESPECT. AT MOST CONVENTION CENTERS, SERVERS RELY ON THEIR TIPS AS INCOME. UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T MAKE TIPS AS A SERVER AT THE GRB. I'VE HAD TO RELY ON CREDIT CARDS TO PAY MY HOUSEHOLD BILLS AND USE THAT MONEY TO BUY FOOD FOR MY FAMILY BECAUSE THE SALARY ISN'T SUFFICIENT. RIO, A FAIR WAGE OF AT LEAST $23 WOULD EASE MY FINANCIAL SITUATION AND THAT AND THAT OF MY COWORKERS. SINCE SOME OF US HAVE TWO JOBS, I FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT OUR UPCOMING STRIKE FOLK ON WEDNESDAY. I'M VOTING YES BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WITH ALL THE SUPPORT OF MY COWORKERS, WE CAN ACHIEVE A FAIR CONTRACT. WE WON'T BACK DOWN INTO HOSPITALITY. WORKERS LIKE ME ARE RESPECTED IN HOUSTON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NICK CA, CAROLINA ALVAREZ, CAROLINA TO [01:55:01] BE FOLLOWED BY AMBER WHITE JUAN. MY NUMBER IS CAROLINA ALVAREZ ALONSO. HELLO, MY NAME IS CAROLINA ALVAREZ. ON OCTOBER 11TH, I WILL BE WORKING AT THE HILTON AMERICAS FOR THREE YEARS IN THE HOUSEKEEPING, HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT. FIRST, I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY I WAS GIVEN WHEN HILTON ACCEPTED ME TO WORK, WORK AT THIS HOTEL, WHICH I TREAT AS IF IT IS A FIVE STAR HOTEL. UNFORTUNATELY, WE LIVE IN A TIME WHERE OUR SALARIES ARE NOT ENOUGH TO PAY OUR BILLS. PERSONALLY, I WORKED TWO JOBS AFTER I WORK A FULL SHIFT AT THE HILTON. I CLEANED HOUSES AT THE END OF THE DAY AND ON MY DAYS OFF, I WORKED SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. MONTHS AGO I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ANEMIA AND I HAD TO GET IRON INFUSIONS. AND I AM STILL UNDERGOING CHECKUPS, WHICH CAUSED ADDITIONAL EXPENSES. I WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR OUR CONTRACT SO THAT, SO THAT WE CAN RAISE AND HAVE A DECENT LIFE WITHOUT HAVING TO SACRIFICE MY HEALTH SO THAT I CAN HAVE PEACE AND TRANQUILITY EVERY DAY. I PRAY FOR MY COWORKERS AND OUR LEADERS IN CHARGE OF NEGOTIATING OUR CONTRACT SO THAT WE CAN REGAIN PEACE OF MIND AND STABILITY FOR OUR FAMILIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MARTINEZ. MARTINEZ. MARTINEZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO JUST TELL THE FOLKS THAT ARE COMING. HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS AMBER WHITE AND I'VE WORKED AT THE HILTON AMERICAS FOR OVER THREE YEARS. AS A PBX OPERATOR, I'M ESSENTIALLY THE VOICE OF THE HOTEL. I ANSWER GUEST PHONE CALLS AND TALK TO THE GUEST DIRECTLY THROUGH A CHAT SYSTEM. I ALSO HELP OUT IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHEN NEEDED. WHAT I GET PAID IS SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH. TODAY MARKS 37 DAYS ON STRIKE. 37 DAYS OF FIGHTING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND FOR WHAT WE DESERVE. 37 DAYS OF NOT BACKING DOWN. I CANNOT FATHOM HOW A BILLION DOLLAR CORPORATION LIKE THE HILTON CAN DISRESPECT THE VERY WORKERS WHO'VE BEEN THERE SINCE DAY ONE. IT'S TIME FOR THE HILTON MANAGEMENT TO DO RIGHT BY THEIR WORKERS, TREAT US FAIRLY AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE HUMAN JUST LIKE THEY ARE. IT'S TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND MAKE A REAL OFFER. WILLIE GONZALEZ, SECRETARY TREASURER OF THE UNITE HERE LOCAL 23, COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE HE'S IN BARGAINING. AND WE HOPE TO HAVE AN UPDATE FOR YOU ALL SOON WHILE WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. CAN I FINISH WHILE WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR OUR CONTRACT? OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT THE GRB ARE SET TO TAKE A STRIKE VOTE TOMORROW BECAUSE THEY TOO ARE FIGHTING FOR A FAIR CONTRACT WITH LIVABLE WAGES. UNTIL WE HAVE A FAIR CONTRACT FOR BOTH HILTON AND GRB, OUR FIGHT WILL CONTINUE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. BILL, KATHY GUNTHER, PATTY, TRISTAN, GLENDA GARCIA, PATRICK HORN. [02:00:26] PAT, PATRICK HORN, MARTA WILLIE. COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN KAMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE UP. UH, IS IT CATHERINE MOYERS, UH, TO SPEAK NEXT? I BELIEVE SHE HAS A LITTLE, LITTLE ONE WITH HER. SECOND. THANK YOU. MOTION REMAIN SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. KIMBERLY MOORES TO BE FOLLOWED BY WILLIE DREW. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, MY NAME IS KIMBERLY TYCA. MOYERS. OKAY. MY NAME IS KIMBERLY TYCA MOYERS. I'M A UNITED STATES NAVY VETERAN. THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH YOUR FLAGPOLE ORDINANCE. I CAN SEE THAT YOU'RE COMPLETELY TERRIFIED FROM YOUR FLAGPOLES TODAY. UM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I, WHAT'S HAPPENED. HPD GAVE ME A TICKET FOR HOLDING AN AMERICAN FLAG. I HAVE BEEN IN THE VETERANS DAY PARADES FOR YEARS WITH THAT SAME FLAGPOLE. I HAVE DONE THE NINE 11 MEMORIALS WITH THAT SAME FLAGPOLE. I HAVE GONE TO THE VETERANS CEMETERY, PUT THAT SAME FLAGPOLE, BUT THEY SAID THAT IT'S A WEAPON. YOU KNOW, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY INSULTING. I BELIEVE WHEN WE SIT THERE AND SAY THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER, THAT FLAG IS ON A FLAGPOLE. BUT THE POLICE LITERALLY TOLD ME THAT IF I STRAP IT TO AN AR 15 AND WALK IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THAT'S OKAY. HOW EXTREME IS THAT? YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SIT HERE AND TELL VETERANS, ESPECIALLY SINCE I'M A DISABLED ONE. I'M PRETTY SURE YOU CAN HEAR ME STRUGGLING TODAY. IT'S A BAD DAY THAT I DON'T GET IT RIGHT TO HOLD MY AMERICAN FLAG. SO I MAN AT THIS POINT, REMOVE THAT ORDINANCE 'CAUSE I WILL BE GETTING AN ATTORNEY. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WILLIE DREW T TJ BAKER TO BE FOLLOWED BY CARMEN ROMAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AFTERNOON. GIVE EAR O MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER. FOR AS MUCH AS THOU HAS LIFTED THOU OURSELF BY THY OWN BOOTSTRAPS AND MR. STORMS OF ADVERSITY. VERILY I SAY UNTO THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS, THOU MAY SOON BE OR PRE EVENTUAL PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. WHICHEVER CROWN FIRST DESCENDANT UPON THY BROW, ME THINKING THOU WOULD BEAR IT WITH NOBLE GRACE. MY GOOD SIR HOUSTON COUNCIL MEMBERS IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE REST OF THE PLEADING POEM. PLEASE READ MORE WITH YOUR INDIVIDUALS AS YOUR TIME PERMITS, BUT SINCE I AM GRATEFULLY, ALLOW AT LEAST THREE ONE MINUTE OF YOUR VALUABLE TIME AND LET ME GET TO THE RIGHT POINT. THE UNFINISHED CONSTRUCTION OF, FOR RIDING THE ROAD, ADDING A SIDEWALK AND DESPERATELY UPDATING THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM TO ASSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN AND RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES FROM THE OPPOSITE CORNER OF K MOUNT AND FOND MEADOW ROAD ALL THE WAY TO FORESTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ONE CHURCH AT BE FAMILY, OUR SHEPHERD PROUD US MARINE VETERAN PASTOR AUGUST JR. AND OUR FIRST LADY, MRS. AUGUST. HAVING THE CHAMPION OVERSEEING WITH THE HELP OF SEVERAL MINISTRIES WITHIN OUR OWN CHURCH, DOING OUR VERY BEST WITH PROTOCOLS YET BEING CONTINUALLY BOUNCED AROUND SINCE 20 10, 20 14, 20 18, 20 20, 20 23, 20 24. AND NOW IT'S 2025. WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH AND MET WITH OUR OWN COUNCILMAN. DISTRICT K YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. OKAY. AND WE ARE ASKING FOR THE WIDE IN THE ROAD AND THE SIDEWALK. MI MS. MS. BAKER. YES. HE MET WITH MY STAFF AND [02:05:01] WE SENT YOUR INFORMATION OVER TO PUBLIC WORKS AND THEY GAVE US THE SIDEWALK REQUIREMENTS. SO THEY ARE GETTING US A QUOTE FOR THAT. UM, SO, AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE TALKED TO YOU, SO I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND ALL THE YEARS OF, UH, THAT YOU HAVE, UM, PUT OUT THERE, BUT THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE. YOU MET WITH THEM, THEY TOOK IT TO PUBLIC WORKS. WE'RE GETTING THE PRICE QUOTE ON WHAT IT WOULD COST TO DO THE SIDEWALK THAT Y'ALL HAVE REQUESTED. AND AS SOON AS WE GET THAT, WE'LL CIRCLE BACK WITH YOU AND PASTOR AUGUST, WHICH I'M SURPRISED BECAUSE I JUST MET WITH HIM AT THE PARK. YES. FEBRUARY. YES MA'AM. YEAH. YES. AND HE, AND WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THIS. WE TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU AND THE CHURCH TO UH, TRY TO GET THAT SIDEWALK, SIDEWALK DONE. OKAY. BUT IT'S BEEN ALMOST FIVE, SIX YEARS AND NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. RIGHT. WE'RE WORKING ON IT WITH YOU. OKAY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING. ONLY WE WORKING ON IT PUBLIC WORKS BOUNCED IT BACK, THEY BOUNCED IT BACK AND THEN THEY SAID THERE'S NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO. WHO? THEY BOUNCED IT BACK. WHO IS THAT? THE PUBLIC WITH PUBLIC WORKS. THEY BOUNCED IT BACK AND REALLY, THEY JUST CALLED ME YESTERDAY. THEY CALLED ME YESTERDAY. THEY, THEY SENT IT TO OUR OFFICE AND WE'RE GETTING A QUOTE, LIKE I SAID. SO WE'LL WORK WITH YOU AND PASTOR AUGUST TO GET THE PRICE OF THE SIDEWALK AND THEN WE'LL DETERMINE HOW WE MOVE FORWARD ONCE WE GET THE PRICE OF THE COST OF THE SIDEWALK FOR THAT STREET. AND THE TIMELINE, PLEASE. UH, WE'RE WAITING ON THEM TO GIVE US THE PRICE OF THE SIDEWALK. I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE'LL GET IT TO YOU SOON. WE'LL KEEP PUSHING FOR IT AND HOPEFULLY MAYBE AT THE END OF POSSIBLE MONTH, WE WOULD KNOW. HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE MONTH WE'LL KNOW. AND THEN MAYBE THE WIDE IN THE ROAD ON THE SIDEWALK WILL BE COMPLETED. I MEAN, WE'LL DO OUR VERY BEST. I MEAN, WE HAVE TO GET THE PRICE AND THEN ONCE WE GET THE PRICE, WE'LL DETERMINE HOW WE WILL GET IT PAID FOR AND THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND WE CAN BE ROCKING AND ROLLING. HOPEFULLY IT CAN BE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP, UM, BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE CHURCH. OKAY. ALSO, THERE'S TWO UTILITY LIGHTS THAT'S OUT ON SAND PIPER AND FUN METAL. OKAY. AND THEN THERE'S BEEN TWO ATTEMPT OF, OF ROBBERY AND, AND, UM, NEAR TO DEATH OF KILLING. SO WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE LIGHTS PLEASE TO BE FIXED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL. OKAY. DO YOU, WOULD YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE THE, UM, THE LIGHT POLE NUMBERS OR DID YOU CALL IT IN THE THREE ONE ONE AND GET A SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER? YES MA'AM, WE DID. IF OKAY. CAN YOU SHARE THOSE SERVICE REQUEST NUMBERS WITH US AND WE CAN GET THOSE LIGHTS REPAIRED? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. A PROCEDURAL MOTION. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. YES. MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND UH, ADD CATHERINE FOWLER TO THE TOP OF THE LIST AT THIS POINT. SPEAK NEXT. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE SAY NO. MOTION PASSES. CATHERINE FOWLER TO BE FOLLOWED BY CARMEN ROMAN. OKAY. I'M NERVOUS, SO THANK YOU . UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS CATHERINE FOWLER. I'M A RESIDENT OF EASTWOOD IN DISTRICT I AND I'M HERE WITH OTHERS TO URGE YOU TO VOTE AGAINST ABANDONING POLK STREET. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL TRANSPORTATION DECISIONS FACING HOUSTON. EVERY OTHER MAJOR CONVENTION CENTER, DALLAS, LAS VEGAS, PHILADELPHIA, ORLANDO, BUILT OVER THEIR STREETS. HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION IS ASKING YOU TO PERMANENTLY SEVER A COMMUNITY INSTEAD. THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO VOTES IF YOU'RE LEANING TOWARDS VOTING NO SAY SO. NOW SILENCE WILL BE INTERPRETED AS SUPPORT. WE BELIEVE HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION ALREADY HAS PERMITS TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE POLK STREET IN NOVEMBER. LET LET IT HAPPEN. LET HOUSTONIANS EXPERIENCE THE DISRUPTION, THEN REVISIT THE PERMANENT VOTE WITH REAL WORLD FEEDBACK. AT LEAST FOUR STATE LEGISLATORS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN. WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM TO MEET WITH TXDOT ABOUT A POLK BRIDGE CONCEPT. WHY VOTE BEFORE THE STATE WEIGHS IN? YOU HAVE THE POWER TO OPEN A BETTER DOOR. PLEASE BE OUR CHAMPIONS AND KEEP POLK OPEN. THANK YOU, CARMEN ROMAN, ROMAN IVY SPIVEY, CHARLES TAYLOR TO BE FOLLOWED BY THERESA COVINGTON. RIGHT? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL. I'M HERE ABOUT CROOKED CONTRACTORS. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGHT THEM. I'D RUN OUTTA MONEY. SO I'M TRYING TO FIGHT MY OWN CASE RIGHT NOW. I'M ASKING YOU ALL FOR HELP BECAUSE ONE THING ABOUT IT, IF THEY DIDN'T DO WRONG, THEY WANNA SELL IT WITH ME FOR $25,000. THE LOAN COMPANY WANNA SELL IT WITH ME FOR PAYING HALF OR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. THEY DIDN'T COME IN AND INSPECT MY PROPERTY BEFORE THEY GAVE THE CONTRACTOR THE MONEY, [02:10:01] NOT TO ME. SO I'M ASKING YOU ALL FROM HELP BECAUSE THEY NOT GONNA TAKE MY PROPERTY. I WENT TO WAR AND FOUGHT IN VIETNAM. I'M NOT GONNA LET NOBODY TAKE MY PROPERTY, SO I WON'T. THAT'S WHY I'M HERE ASKING FOR HELP BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO FIGHT MY CASE MYSELF. AND IF YOU DON'T FIGHT IT, I'M GONNA FIGHT. AND ONE THING ABOUT IT, I KNOW THE LOAN COMPANY, IF I DON'T PAY THEM, THEY GONNA TRY TO TAKE MY PROPERTY. AND THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN. I WORKED TOO HARD FOR IT. I DONE BEEN HERE, FOUGHT IN THE VIETNAM WAR. I DONE HAD A GOOD RECORD, CLEAN RECORD. I GOT A NO KIND OF BLEMISH ON MY RECORD. AND I'M NOT GONNA LET NOBODY COME AND TAKE MY PROPERTY. AND THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. NICK THERESA COVINGTON, KENRICK JOHNSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEVEN VARGAS. HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY? MY NAME IS KENDRICK JOHNSON. I'VE BEEN IN HOUSTON FOR 53 YEARS. I WORKED HALF OF MY LIFE AT ONE JOB FOR 17, 18 YEARS. I LIVED ON THE STREETS DOWNTOWN. JESUS HAD ALWAYS BLESSED ME. I NEVER HAD TO ROB OR STEAL OR KILL NOBODY. I HAVE, I HAVE NEVER TRIED TO, UH, HARM ANYBODY. BUT AS I'M LIVING OVER HERE AT NEWMONT CAVALRY CHURCH IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, NOW THEM PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS A DANGER. THEY THOUGHT I WAS INSANE. THEY SHOULD HAVE MADE ME MOVE. I ALMOST DIED IN THAT ROOM OVER THERE IN THAT HOUSE. SO I'VE BEEN GETTING POISONED. I'VE BEEN GETTING HUMILIATED. THEY'VE BEEN VIDEOTAPING ME WHILE I'VE BEEN IN THE SHOWER. THAT IS DISRESPECTFUL NO MATTER WHAT. NOBODY SEE ON THESE PHONES THAT I DID WHATEVER I DID. THAT'S BETWEEN ME AND JESUS. THAT'S NOT NOBODY ELSE'S BUSINESS. I DID THAT. MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY. I WAS HURT. BUT I'M NOT. NO CHILD MOLESTER. I'M NOT. NO SECOND. I HAVE NO CRIMINAL BACKGROUND. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. WHAT THEM PEOPLES DID AT THAT CHURCH TO ME, THEY WRONG. AND I GOT THEY NAMES RIGHT HERE. THANK YOU GABRIEL. NEXT STEVEN VARGAS TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANDREW SNEAD. GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL MAYOR WHITMEYER. UH, THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING ME AGAIN THIS TIME. UH, THIS IS PROBABLY THE THIRD TIME AND THE SECOND TIME FOR THIS PARTICULAR ADMINISTRATION, WHICH I'M BRINGING UP THIS IDEA OF HAVING AN HIV LINE ITEM IN OUR CITY BUDGET. MOST OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT, UH, THAT RECEIVE CDC FUNDING FOR PREVENTION OF HIV CHICAGO, NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO, AND OTHER CITIES ESTABLISH A CITY FUND THAT GAVE THEM FLEXIBILITY TO RESPOND MORE QUICKLY TO EPIDEMICS OR RISING OR TRENDS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THEIR CITIES WITHOUT HAVING TO WAIT FOR EITHER STATE, UH, MANDATES OR FEDERAL MANDATES. GIVEN THE CHANGES THAT ARE OCCURRING, UH, FEDERALLY WHEN IT COMES TO PRIORITIES, WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING. WE DID, WE NEED THAT EVEN MORE DESPERATELY NOW TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV, UH, CAN LIVE LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE LIKE I AM. UH, MY PARENTS DID NOT GET THIS OPPORTUNITY. I HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY 'CAUSE THERE WAS INVESTMENT IN RESEARCH. AND SO NOW I'VE BENEFITED FROM THAT. THAT SAME RESEARCH HAS YIELDED WAYS TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING HIV AND ITS ACCESS TO THAT MEANS OF PREVENTING HIV THAT OUR CITY NEEDS TO ENHANCE WITH AN HIV FUNDING LINE ITEM. WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, ANDREW SNEAD. KEVIN NICHOL TO BE FOLLOWED BY ISAIAH LOPEZ. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS KEVIN NICHOL. I LIVE CAR FREE HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE HOUSTON METRO RED LINE. SO IN 2023 DURING MY INTERNSHIP, I TOOK THE RED LINE FROM DOWNTOWN TO THE MEDICAL CENTER AND IT TOOK 15 MINUTES BY COMPARISON, AFTER THE RECENT REMOVAL OF THE SIGNAL PRIORITY, IT TAKES THAT SAME AMOUNT OF TIME TO GO TWO STOPS OVER FROM DOWNTOWN TRANSIT CENTER TO PRESTON AT MAIN FOR A CITY OF THIS SIZE TO NOT ONLY BLOCK TRANSIT EXPANSION PROJECTS LIKE THE UNIVERSITY CORRIDOR, BUT TO WORSEN EXISTING METRO SERVICES IS UNACCEPTABLE. TO BE CLEAR, I AM NOT ASKING FOR PERFECT. I'M ASKING FOR BETTER. THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON DESERVE A ROBUST TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT CAN RELIABLY GET THEM AROUND THE CITY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN HOW EXPENSIVE CAR OWNERSHIP AND RIDE SHARE COSTS CAN BE. [02:15:01] THANK YOU. NEXT ISAIAH LOPEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY NEIL COLBERT. SOLIDARITY WITH UNITED HERE WORKERS. BUT I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE CITY'S RETROGRADE AND INCREASINGLY BIZARRE APPROACH TO TRANSPORTATION. SINCE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE SEEN VOTER APPROVED METRO. NEXT PLANS GET SHELVED, INCLUDING THE MAYOR PASSING ON A BILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE UNIVERSITY LINE, THE DEMOLITION OF BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY PROJECTS AND POLK STREET FACING CLOSURE. NOW WE'RE SITTING, UH, WE'RE SEEING THE CITY UNDERMINE THE METRO. RED LINE S HELP THOSE WHO RELY ON IT IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES, INCLUDING MANY OF THE WORKERS THAT WERE HERE OR PROMOTE TRANSIT EQUITY. THIS IS ALSO ABOUT DEMOCRACY. VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED TRANSIT EXPANSION IN 2003 AND 2019. IN FACT, A HUNDRED THOUSAND MORE PEOPLE VOTED FOR METRO NEXT THAN THEY DID FOR THE MAYOR IN A LOW TURNOUT ELECTION. STOP GUTTING OUR TRANSIT, RESTORE REDLINE SIGNAL PRIORITY, BUILD METRO NEXT AND KEEP POLK STREET OPEN. ALSO, STOP COLLABORATING WITH ICE AND, UH, JUST WE NEED TO BUILD PUBLIC SERVICES. NOT YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, NOT CUT THEM TO PAY FOR POLICE RAISES. NEIL COLBERT, I'VE BEEN HERE, I KEEP GETTING, UH, PUSHED OVER. MY NAME'S JOSEPH SMITH. I'M KEEP GETTING PUSHED OVER. MY NAME IS TWO O'CLOCK. PUSHED OVER AND OVER AGAIN. PHOEBE WILLIS. MARKEL AUSTIN, DEIDRE WOODS, MANISHA GATE, MARK NEWSOM HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY HAN WYNN. WIN. THIS IS THE HOT ONE. OKAY. MY NAME IS MARK NEWSOM AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT A PREDATOR, A PREDATORY DEVELOPER THAT HAS COME ON MY STREET. I'M AT 3,800 SOUTHMORE BOULEVARD IN THIRD WARD. UM, PROUD RESIDENT. UM, HERE'S THE ISSUE. UM, THE DEVELOPER HAS BUILT THIS, UH, HUMONGOUS STRUCTURE IN THE BACKYARD, UM, WHICH GOES AGAINST OUR D RESTRICTIONS, WHICH WE PAID FOR WHEN I FIRST MOVED TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, IT'S ON A FLOODPLAIN AND WE DON'T THINK THE THE PLACES, UM, SAFE FOR THE REST OF US. THE FIRST STORM IS GONNA COME, IT'S GONNA FLOOD INTO THE WHOLE REST OF THE, UM, AREA. SO I HAVE A ASK SINCE THIS IS THE CONDENSED VERSION. UM, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A TASK FORCE AGAINST THIS SORT OF THING. THERE'S POINTS WHERE, UH, DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENS IN THE AREA. THIS IS ALSO PERVASIVE THROUGHOUT THIRD WARD. SO THE SAME DEVELOPER AS TPC ENDEAVORS HAS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THEIR WARD WITH THESE SAME TYPE OF STRUCTURES. THEY BUY HOUSES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. YES, MEMBER . THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU MR. NEWSOME. YOU HAVE REALLY BEEN ON TOP OF THIS AND YOU HAVE SENT PICTURES, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON IT LEGAL. THIS HAS COME TO THE ATTENTION OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND WE PLAN TO DO WHATEVER IS NEEDED TO NOT ONLY STOP IT, BUT TO ABATE THE PROBLEM. BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN DEED RESTRICTIONS, IT'S NO POINT IN HAVING THEM IF THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ENFORCED. AND SO WE ARE WORKING ON IT. YEAH. AND I THINK THIS IS A CITYWIDE ISSUE. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE, UM, UM, PUT IN PLACE TO PREVENT THIS SORT OF BEHAVIOR BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY. D FACING, WELL IT'S SEVERAL IN, IT'S SEVERAL IN OUR AREA IN DISTRICT D. AND SO WE ARE, THEY HAVE BEEN RED TAGGED AND WE ARE TRYING AND IN DISREGARD THE RED TAGS AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM. AND I ALIGN WITH YOU ON THAT AND I'M, I'M THANKFUL FOR ALL YOUR HELP. OKAY. YEAH. SO ALL THE RED TAGGING, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS, UM, IMPLIED, BUT THERE'LL BE RED TAGS PUT UH, CITATIONS PUT AND UM, THESE GUYS WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD. SO THIS HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY. EVEN IF THEY CONTINUE TO BUILD AND THEY'VE BEEN RED TAGGED, IT CAN ALL BE, IT CAN ALL GO AWAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . NEXT SPEAKER HAN WIN. ROBERT IAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY LESLIE RUCKER. [02:20:04] UH, GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, MY NAME IS ROBERT IAN AND UH, I REPRESENT THE LIVING ROCK COMMUNITY CHURCH IN THE SUNNYSIDE AREA. AND WE HAVE A PROBLEM THERE. AND THE PROBLEM IS, UH, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT'S LIVING ON THE STREET. YES, THEY ARE DOING DRUGS, LADIES SELLING THEIR BODIES, AND WE HAVE TRASH BEING COLLECTED ALL OVER THE PLACE. AND AFTER I DRIVE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF WHERE OUR CHURCH IS LOCATED, NEIGHBORHOOD, SOME PARTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK MORE DECENT THAN WHERE OUR CHURCH IS LOCATED. AND THE A HUNDRED BLOCK OF WHERE OUR CHURCH IS LOCATED IS 4,600 BLOCK ON MAG STREET. AND WE TRIED TO REACH OUT, BUT YET THEY DON'T WANNA, UH, DO ANYTHING. THEY JUST WANNA CONTINUE TO DO WHAT THEY DOING, LIVING HOW THEY'RE LIVING AND IGNORING THAT, WE'RE TRYING TO HELP THEM. NOW WE KNOW SOME PEOPLE THAT KNOWS HOW TO GET RESOURCES AND WE, WE HELP THEM AND REACH OUT TO THEM. BUT WHEN IT'S TIME FOR US TO, UH, GET THE HELP THAT WE NEEDED, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BEING IGNORED. SO WHAT WE NEEDED SOME HELP TO OR HELP CLEAN THE AREA UP. NOT JUST THE TRASH ITSELF, BUT ALSO THE PEOPLE BECAUSE WE LET THEM KNOW THERE'S A, A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GO AND LIVE, UH, RIGHT OFF OF REED ROAD AND, UM, 2 88 WHERE IT'S HOMES WHERE THEY CAN, UH, RESIDE IN OR UH, THERE WAS A SHELTERS BUT THEY IGNORE. SO WE NEED HELP TO HELP CLEAN THAT AREA UP IN THE STREET UP. COUNCIL, GOOD TIME. TIME US. THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM. THANK YOU MR. VALIANT. I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO SEE THE LADY IN THE RED SHIRT OVER THERE. MM-HMM . UH, WE ARE GONNA MAKE SURE. DO YOU, DID YOU CALL 3 1 1 AND ALL OF THAT? I CALLED 3 1 1. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE YOUR SERVICE REQUEST NUMBERS OR YOU CAN GET THEM? YEAH, I HAVE IT AT HOME. OKAY. WELL CERTAINLY I WANT YOU TO TALK TO HER AND WE WILL TRY TO HELP TO CLEAN THAT AREA UP. OKAY. AND, AND THAT SOMEBODY HAD BROKEN OUT. I WOULD SAY IT'S BEEN BROKEN IN SEVERAL TIMES AND ON THE 24TH OF LAST MONTH, THEY BROKE IN AGAIN. YOU KNOW, WE JUST KIND OF TIRED OF WE NOT A LARGE CONGREGATION. YEAH. BUT YET WE TRYING TO REACH OUT AND HELP THOSE WHO WANT IT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. WELL SEE THE LADY OVER THERE AND WE'LL TRY TO SEE IF WE CAN GET IT CLEANED UP AND HELP YOU OUT. ALRIGHT. HELP US ALL OUT, . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, LESLIE RUCKER. TO BE FOLLOWED BY CLEMENTE MATHIS. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS LESLIE RUCKER AND MY ADDRESS IS 33 16 ROSEDALE STREET. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU ON A TOPIC THAT IS NOT ONLY IMPORTANT TO ME PERSONALLY, BUT A MATTER THAT MAY FALL MY FELLOW CITIZENS MAY EQUALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT OR EQUALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT. THIS ISSUE IS A PROLIFERATION OF 2000 PLUS SQUARE FEET ADDITIONS BUILT UNDER SEVERAL HOUSES WITHIN WITHOUT CONSTRUCTION PERMITS FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IN FACT, ALL THE PROPERTIES THAT I'M REFERRING TO HAVE BEEN ISSUED RED TAGS IN ORDER TO DISCONTINUE WORK FOR ALL TRADES, INCLUDING STRUCTURAL, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, AND HVAC. SPECIFICALLY, THE ADDRESSES INCLUDE 33 11 ARBOR STREET, 27 24 SOUTHMORE STREET, 32 17 BENDS, 38 38 SOUTHMORE, AND 37 60 RIO VISTA STREET. ALL THESE HOUSES ARE IN DISTRICT D. THE CITY INSPECTION DEPARTMENT GRACIOUSLY MET WITH CONCERNED CITIZENS ON AUGUST 12TH TO DISCUSS THIS MATTER. WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE AND APPLAUD MR. CHRISTOPHER SHANAHAN. MR. PERTY GASTON, FOR TAKING THAT TIME TO MEET WITH US. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. SIR. SIR, YOU CAN COME BACK. COUNCILMAN EVAN SHABAZZ? THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR PRO TIMON. HOW YOU DOING LIZ? FINE. DR. JABBA, HOW ARE YOU? OH, NOW I'M DR. JAMAL. YOU KNOW WHO I'M, AND YOU DON'T PLAY ANYWAY. UH, CERTAINLY THIS HAS COME TO OUR ATTENTION. I DON'T THINK I, NO, I PASSED BY THE ONE ON ARBOR. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S THERE, BUT IT IS. THEY'RE ON WEEKENDS. IT'S IT'S AN AIRBNB. NINE BEDROOMS, NINE BATHS. BUT IS IT, IT IS NOBODY IN THERE THOUGH. THEY'RE NOT USING IT YET. ONLY ON WEEKENDS. THEY'RE HAVING ON WEEKENDS. ONE ON SOPHOMORE AND ONE ON ALL. SOMEBODY'S IN THERE ON WEEKENDS OR AGAIN, THIS HAS COME TO THE ATTENTION OF LEGAL. IT TAKES TIME, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON IT BECAUSE AGAIN, I LIVE, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT BLOCK FROM YOU. AND, UM, IT'S NO POINT IN HAVING DEED RESTRICTIONS IF THEY'RE NOT IN ENFORCED, I'M GONNA REPEAT THAT. WHAT I WANTED TO ENCOURAGE COUNCIL TO DO WAS DENY THEIR, UM, REGISTRATION WHEN THEY COME UP FOR SHORT TERM REGISTRATION, BECAUSE THESE ARE AIRBNB HOUSES AND THEY'RE PARTY HOUSES ONLY ON WEEKENDS, DRINKING POT, SMOKING, TRASHING THE STREETS. WE'VE MADE NUMEROUS 9 1 1 AND 3 1 1 CALLS ABOUT THESE PLACES. THE ONE ON OUR BRAND, THE ONE ON SOUTHMORE. SO IF A COUNCIL COULD CONSIDER NOT APPROVING, APPROVING THEIR SHORT TERM RENTAL, UH, APPLICATIONS AS ARE DUE IN JANUARY. OKAY. HAVE YOU SPOKEN WITH THE LADY OVER THERE? NO, MA'AM, I HAVE NOT. OKAY. IF YOU COULD, WE'LL, WE'LL TRY TO ADDRESS THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE ADDRESSES. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. GOOD. SEE, THANK YOU. BYE-BYE. ALRIGHT, BYE-BYE. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, CLEMENTE MATHIS. ARTHUR [02:25:01] PAN FORD TO BE FOLLOWED BY ISIS. BRUTE. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M DR. JAMES BROWNFORD ARTHUR, A RETIRED HEALTH DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE. WE THANK CITY COUNCIL FOR TAKING A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO SOLVING THE HOMELESSNESS PROBLEM AND CHALLENGE. SO FAR, THE PROCESS OF SELECTING SUPPORT SERVICE PROVIDERS HAS BEEN VERY SLOW. THE REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST HAS TO REVIEW PERIODS SEPTEMBER AND DECEMBER OF 2025 OF WITH THE WORLD CUP, WORLD CUP COMING SHORTLY. THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO EXPEDITE, TO EXPEDITE THE CONTRACT AGREEMENTS FOR SELECTED SERVICE PROVIDERS, NAVIGATION, AND OTHER SERVICES. YOUR YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU, SIR. IS THERE A SPECIFIC CONTRACT THAT YOU WERE LOOKING AT THAT YOU WANTED EXPEDITED? YES. UH, SOME OF US HAVE SUBMITTED A, A CONTRAST TO, UH, RESPONDED TO THE REI AND, UH, THEY SAYING THAT, UH, PROBABLY TO BE IN MUSEUM ACCORDING TO, UH, THE SPECULATIONS IN THERE. AND WHAT WE ASKING IS THEY SHOULD EXPEDITE SO THAT, UH, THEY CAN, HOW DO YOU CALL IT? MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO GET PEOPLE INTO THE HOUSING. THEY NEED PEOPLE TO PROVIDE US TO HELP NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM OF GETTING, UH, WHATEVER DOCUMENT THAT THEY NEED. SO WE CAN JUST, UH, BEGIN THAT PROCESS OF SELECTING THOSE, UH, PROVIDERS WHO WILL HELP AND GUIDE INDIVIDUALS TO COMPLETE THE FORM SO THEY CAN BE TRANSITIONED INTO WHETHER IS PERMANENT TOWARDS, UH, TEMPORARY HOUSING. SO WE ARE JUST ASKING FOR, UH, EXPECTATION OF THE, UH, CONTRACT, UH, PROCESS. THANK YOU, SIR. UM, I THINK WE ALL WANT THAT AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE'RE DOING THOSE CONTRACTS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. IF YOU WANNA TALK TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HERE IN THE FRONT ROW AND GET SOME MORE INFORMATION. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, ISIS BARTE TO BE FOLLOWED BY RL WHITE. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M A CONS CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT B. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. HOUSTON'S OUT OF HAND AND CRIME IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH. I'M AN, AN ALARMING NUMBER OF BODIES, MAINLY WOMEN OF COLOR HAVE BEEN FOUND IN BUFFALO BODY AND SURROUNDING WIRES. WE NEED BETTER PATROLLING INSTEAD. ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, AROUND MIDNIGHT, I WAS WRONGFULLY ARRESTED AND FALSELY ACCUSED BY OFFICER K, BADGE NUMBER 10, 2 2 3, AND HIS PARTNER OVER A FALSE TRAFFIC STOP THAT DOES NOT EXIST. EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS USED AND EXERCISED BY THESE TWO WHITE MALE PEACE OFFICERS. WHAT IS THE PIECE IN IT? THEY CLAIM THAT I PASSED A STOP SIGN WHEN THERE IS NO STOP SIGN. AND WE BOTH HAD THE RIGHT OF WAY. I STOPPED. I LET 'EM GO, BUT THEY FOLLOWED ME. INSTEAD, THEY HARASSED ME, THEY PINNED ME TO THE GROUND, THEY PINNED ME TO THE POLICE CAR, AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO TAKE MY KIDS TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO KEEP US SAFE? I, THIS WAS A VIOLATION OF MY FREEDOM, MY RIGHTS, MY BODY, MY DIGNITY. INSTEAD OF HARASSING PEOPLE, WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THE REAL ISSUE, LIKE THE MALE ON MALE SEXUAL ACTIVITY HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND NIGHT. AND THE MO AND, AND THE MOTORCYCLE CAR RACING MEETS IN THE NIGHT AT MEMORIAL PARK. WHEN IS IT OKAY TO TOLERATE POLICE BRUTALITY OVER A TRAFFIC STOP? NEVER. NO ONE SHOULD EXPERIENCE STALKING, HARASSMENT OR EXCESSIVE FORCE OF A PEACE OFFICER. THESE ENERGY, THESE TWO WHITE MEN ARE YOUR TIME HAS AND I STAND WITH PALESTINE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, ELLE WHITE TO BE FOLLOWED BY PAULINO KEON. GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. I'M ORAL WHITE VICE PRESIDENT OF ASSET MANAGEMENT AT RITA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, STRONGLY SUPPORTING THE AS DESIGNED GEORGIA R BROWN EXPANSION PLANS TO KEEP HOUSTON COMPETITIVE. OUR PORTFOLIO INCLUDES THE PRIZE MERIT, MARQUE HOUSTON AND OTHER LARGE PROPERTIES ACROSS THE S UNDERSCORING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THRIVING CONVENTION MARKETS. THE MEETING INDUSTRY IS PROJECTED TO REACH 1.9 TRILLION BY 2032 AND DEMANDS MODERN VENUES. THE GRB EXPANSION WILL BOOST EVENTS ADDING 340,000 HOTEL ROOM NIGHTS ANNUALLY AND DRIVE OVER 20 BILLION IN NEW REVENUE. OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS. THE EXPANSION WILL GENERATE BILLIONS IN REVENUE, AS I SAID, IN THOUSANDS OF JOBS, STRENGTHENING HOSPITALITY AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY. THE GRB LAGS BEHIND OTHER VENUES. ADDING 225,000 SQUARE FEET WILL ATTRACT LARGER EVENTS AND BOOST HOUSTON STATUS. THE [02:30:01] SEAMLESS EXHIBIT SPACE AND TEXAS'S LARGEST BALLROOM IN THE MASTER PLAN ARE CRITICAL. 98% OF MEETING PLANNERS REQUIRE CONTIGUOUS FLOORS. A SKY BRIDGE FRAGMENT TO SPACE DETER PLANNERS REDUCES OUR COMPETITIVENESS AND IMPACTS OUR FUTURE GROWTH. YOUR TIME, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER, PAULINO LON. JOSEPH SMITH. MM-HMM . YELE. CHRISTOPHER CATO, AMOS SIMS, TARSHA WRIGHT, KAREN MILLER TO BE FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE EOR. HELLO. HOW IS EVERYBODY DOING? I WISH THE MAYOR WAS HERE TO HEAR THIS. UM, MY NAME IS KAREN MILLER AND I LIVE IN ONE OF THE LOWEST POVERTY, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS ON JENSEN DRIVE. AND I ALSO HAVE A DAUGHTER THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE HIT AND RUN ON JENSEN DRIVE IN TWO 19. THE HOMICIDE DIVISION, UH, DID NOT INVESTIGATE THE CASE LIKE I THOUGHT THEY WOULD. UH, SERGEANT MATTHEW BRADY IGNORED MY CALLS WHEN I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT GOING OUT TO THE SCENE, GETTING VIDEO FOOTAGE. HE LIED TO ME. TO THIS DAY, I DON'T HAVE VIDEO FOOTAGE OF WHAT HAPPENED TO MY DAUGHTER. ALL I KNOW IS SHE WAS FOUND IN THE HOMELESS CAMP, UH, ON, UH, AT WILLOW STATION. AND WHEN, UM, I SPOKE TO ANOTHER SERGEANT ABOUT MY DAUGHTER'S DEBIT CARD BEING STOLEN WHILE SHE WAS DECEASED, UH, SERGEANT CLEMONS, AND HE SAID THAT, UM, HE COULD, THAT IT COULD BE TAMPERING WITH THE CORPSE BECAUSE HER DEBIT CARD WAS ON HER PERSON WITH THE DEBIT CARD HAD BEEN USED AT THE FIESTA AT WHEN I SPOKE WHEN MY DAUGHTER WENT TO FIESTA. YOUR YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THE FIESTA WAS CLOSED. MA'AM, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED'S OFFICE. MA'AM, SHE'S DOING A BAD JOB, MRS. MARILYN. AND MA'AM, I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET YOUR INFORMATION MEDICAL HERE TODAY. CAN I REFER YOU TO RENEE OVER HERE, UM, FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO GET SOME MORE INFORMATION? BUT THE MAYOR, THE MAYOR SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE TO HEAR THAT. WELL, HE'S LISTENING IN THE BACK. UM, OH WAIT, MA'AM, IF YOU WANNA COME BACK, THE COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON IS IN THE QUEUE IF I CAN'T SEE HIM FACE TO FACE. MA'AM, IF YOU WANNA COME BACK, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU WHO TALK MA'AM. MA'AM, MA'AM. UM, FIRST LET ME JUST, MY APOLOGIES AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOUR DAUGHTER, UM, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR DAUGHTER. AND SO I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH RENEE AND WORK WITH YOU AND TRY TO HELP YOU FIND A SOLUTION TO YOUR, YOUR PROBLEM. BUT I STILL DON'T HAVE NO CLOSURE. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, MICHELLE IOR TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEVE WILLIAMS. I'M JUST HERE TO SAY THAT INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES CANNOT CREATE AND ENFORCE THEIR OWN PRIVATE CATEGORIES. AND THIS RADAR CATEGORY THAT THE FBI'S BEEN ENFORCING AGAINST CIVILIANS WITHOUT FEDERAL AUTHORITY NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BY CONGRESS. AND THAT'S IT. BUT OFTENTIMES YOU'VE HEARD PEOPLE REFER TO THIS SUBSET AS A BLACKLIST. IT'S BECAUSE BROADER REPORTS STATE HOW THE FBI HAS BEEN ILLEGALLY ENTERING THE INDIVIDUALS IN THIS UNAUTHORIZED CATEGORY ON THE NCIC. AND WE'RE ASKING FOR AN INVESTIGATION. AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER STEVE, STEVE WILLIAMS, ROBERT GALLEGOS TO BY TO BE FOLLOWED BY IAN HICK. GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS REPRESENTING, UH, REPRESENTED DISTRICT. I I AM A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THE EAST END, AS WELL AS PRESIDENT OF HOUSTON COUNTRY CLUB PLACE CIVIC CLUB. I'M HERE TODAY TO READ A LETTER FROM LULAC 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. THIS CLOSURE VIOLATES HOUSTON'S COMMITMENT TO EQUITY ABANDONS OUR BALANCE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH QUALITY OF LIFE, LOW WAGE WORKERS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR WILL BE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED. WHILE WEALTHY CONVENTION GOER GOERS ENJOY EXPANDED FACILITIES, WORKERS WHO 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 [02:35:01] ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. YOUR HAS EXPIRED DEVELOPMENT ENHANCE HIS LIFE FOR ALL RESIDENTS, NOT JUST CONVENTION CENTER VISITORS. WE CAN EXPAND THE GRB WITHOUT DESTROYING THE EAST END CONNECTIVITY. THIS PROJECT PRIORITIZES CORPORATE INTERESTS COUNCIL MEMBER COMMUNITY WELLBEING, ABANDONING HOUSTON'S CORE VALUES. LULAC DISTRICT 18 URGES YOU TO KEEP PO STREET OPEN. SINCERELY BY GARA DISTRICT 18 DIRECTOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHA IS IN THE Q THANK YOU VICE MAYOR PRO TIM, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU. UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING AND UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE PLANS AND THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE. AND SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN TO EXPRESS YOURSELF AND WEIGH IN, UH, BECAUSE YOU'RE HIGHLY RESPECTED. AND, AND, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I, I HEARD EARLIER ONE OF THE SPEAKERS CLAIMING THAT, UH, TDOT FIVE YEARS AGO STATED THAT THEY WERE PLANNING TO CLOSE POKE STREET. AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ KNOWS PERFECTLY WELL 'CAUSE HE STAFFED ME WITH THE MEETINGS WITH TDOT WHEN THEY CAME INTO MY OFFICE TO KEEP ME UPDATED ON THIS PROJECT. AND NOT ONCE DID THEY EVER SAY THEY WERE GONNA CLOSE POLK STREET, AND THE MAPS SHOW THAT POLK STREET REMAINS OPEN. SO THAT'S MISINFORMATION THAT THEY'RE PLACING OUT THERE, AND I REALLY DON'T APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE AS COUNCIL MEMBER TEXDOT NEVER STATED THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, IAN EK TO BE FOLLOWED BY ROY HIRSCH INFORMATION. THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR STICKING AROUND QUI OUT FOR A NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. UM, TEXAS LAW REQUIRES THAT LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY AND THE WELLBEING OF COMMUNITIES. I AM ONE OF THOSE ENGINEERS WITH OVER 18 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. I WAS THE PRIMARY ENGINEER COORDINATING TXDOT WITH HOUSTON. AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE ANYBODY'S GETTING THE IDEA THAT TDOT WAS GONNA CLOSE POLK, IT WAS A CORE PART OF THEIR FEDERAL APPROVAL THAT POLK REMAINS OPEN AND THAT THEY SERVE IT WITH A U-TURN, WHICH WAS A COMPROMISE. THE COMMUNITY WAS ALWAYS GOING TO COME BACK, TALK WITH TDOT ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR A BRIDGE IN THE FUTURE THAT IS DOCUMENTED. THEY KEEP REFERRING TO THAT IN THEIR DOCUMENTATION. UM, THAT ENGINEERING CODE OF ETHICS IS WHY I AM EMPHASIZING THAT CLO CLOSING POLK IS ONE OF THE WORST TRANSPORTATION DECISIONS I HAVE EVER SEEN IN HOUSTON. IT DEFIES LOGIC. IT WILL HAVE SERIOUS WIDE RANGING NEGATIVE IMPACTS. THIS WILL PERSONALLY IMPACT ME AND MY LOVED ONES, BUT IT'LL ALSO DEGRADE THE LIFE SAFETY OF EVERY HOUSTONIAN WHO VISITS DOWNTOWN. WHEN YOU CUT OFF ONE OF THE SOLE EVACUATION ROUTES, ONE OF THE SOLE EMERGENCY VEHICLE ROUTES THAT WILL PUT PEOPLE IN DANGER. SO PLEASE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU NICK. SPEAKER ROY HIRSCH TO BE FOLLOWED BY EMILY OLAND. COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYOR PRO TIM, UM, CITY ATTORNEY ARTURO MICHAEL, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. ON PAGE TWO OF OUR HANDOUT, WE'VE SUBMITTED A LETTER OUTLINING SERIOUS LEGAL CONCERNS. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. TEXT GRB AREA DESIGN INCLUDES POLK STREET, REMAINING OPEN FOUNDATIONAL TO THEIR MULTIMODAL CONNECTIVITY PLAN. TEXTILE REPRESENTATIVE DANNY PEREZ REITERATED THIS AT SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO'S, STATE OF THE DISTRICT LUNCHEON. AND IN KPRC CHANNEL TWO REPORTING. HERE'S THE CRITICAL PART. SENATOR CAROL ADO. STATE REPRESENTATIVES CHRISTINA MORALES, YOLANDA JONES, UH, AND MOLLY COOK HAVE ALL EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THIS CLOSURE. WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM TO SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH TEXDOT TO DISCUSS THE IMPACTS OF A STATE, UH, TO STATE PROJECTS AND THE FEASIBILITY OF A POLK STREET BRIDGE. OVER 59 CITY COUNCIL SHOULD NOT VOTE PERMANENTLY BEFORE YOU. YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. YOUR LEADERSHIP, IF I MAY FINISH, YOUR STATE LEADERSHIP WEIGHS IN. ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO CREATE A DIRECT CONFLICT WITH STATE TRANSPORTATION PLAN? SIR, PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR COMMENT. AND A FOUR STATE LEGISLATORS. THIS IS A POLITICAL AND LEGAL QUAGMIRE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, EMILY OLAND TO BE FOLLOWED BY KYLE KYLE ROGERS. JUST THIS MORNING, MY 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WHO SPOKE HERE A FEW WEEKS AGO ASKED ME, MOM, WHY ARE YOU GOING TO SPEAK AGAIN? IT WON'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE. TO WHICH I RESPONDED. IF EVERYONE HAS THAT ATTITUDE AND NO ONE STANDS UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT, THEN THINGS WILL NEVER GET BETTER. BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY SHE FEELS THAT WAY. OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM IS FUNDAMENTALLY BROKEN. OUR DEMOCRACY [02:40:01] HAS BECOME A TRAVESTY, AND THE IDEA OF POWER TO THE PEOPLE DOESN'T SEEM TO EXIST ANYMORE. INSTEAD, IT RESIDES WITH A SINGLE PERSON AT A NATIONAL LEVEL, A STATE LEVEL, AND EVEN A LOCAL LEVEL. OUR VOICES DON'T SEEM TO MATTER, BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO RESTORE A LITTLE BIT OF OUR FAITH IN THE SYSTEM. WE ARE NOT AGAINST THE GRB EXPANSION. WE SUPPORT THAT WE ARE OVERWHELMINGLY AGAINST THE ABANDONMENT OF POLK STREET AND LOSING OUR CONNECTION TO DOWNTOWN. SO WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE EAST END ARE ASKING YOU TO SPEAK UP ON OUR BEHALF. DON'T LET CORPORATE PRESSURE OR THE FEAR OF RETALIATION PREVENT YOU FROM DOING WHAT'S RIGHT. LET THIS BE AN ISSUE THAT UNITES CITY, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. INSTEAD OF PHYSICALLY DIVIDING IT, LET OUR VOICES MATTER. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, KYLE ROGERS TO BE FOLLOWED BY AMY ERICKSON. HELLO. HELLO. HI, MY NAME'S KYLE ROGERS. I'M HERE WITH THE, UH, PEOPLE FOR POLK. UM, AS PEOPLE FOR POLK, WE WANT POLK OPEN. THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, INCLUDING WITH GRB EXPANSION. EVERY DAY MORE HOUSTONIANS ARE LEARNING ABOUT THIS CLOSURE AND THEY'RE SHOCKED, THEY'RE ANGRY, AND THEY FEEL BLINDSIDED BY HOUSTON. FIRST, WHO HAS ADMITTED TO DOING ZERO COMMUNITY OUTREACH? DON'T BELIEVE US. WE INVITE YOU TONIGHT TO ATTEND OUR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AND TO ASK OUR ATTENDEES, LET'S TALK MEMBERS FOR OVER TWO, OVER 220 FORMAL COMMENTS TO THE JOINT REFERRAL COMMITTEE. EVERY SINGLE COMMENT WAS OPPOSED TO THIS CLOSURE. OVER 500 PETITION SIGNATURES, 1000 INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS, AND AT LEAST SEVEN REDDIT POSTS WITH OVER 25,000 VIEWS EACH. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED ARE AGAINST THIS CLOSURE. AND JUST A LAST THING, UH, TEXT PLAN, WHICH I HAVE HERE ON MY PHONE, HAS PO OPEN, SO PLEASE DO NOT SPREAD MISINFORMATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON, VICE MAYOR PROTIME COUNCIL. HOUSTON FIRST IS OPERATED WITH MINIMAL OVERSIGHT BY DESIGN THEIR PRIORITIES, IGNORE BROADER IMPACTS. YOU GUYS ARE NOT JUST ANOTHER CHECKBOX, YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WHO SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE AND ANSWER TO VOTERS, NOT CONVENTION ORGANIZERS. POLK STREET ISN'T JUST AN EAST END ISSUE, IT'S A CITYWIDE CONNECTOR. CONSTITUENTS FROM EVERY DISTRICT A THROUGH K USE IT FOR ROCKETS, GAME DISCOVERY, GREEN CONCERTS, DAIKIN PARK, ET CETERA. WHEN A CORPORATION REQUESTS $2.9 BILLION IN CITY BACKED DEBT, IT TRANSCENDS DISTRICT BOUNDARIES. AGAIN, DISTRICTS A THROUGH K WILL FEEL DISCLOSURE. THEY'LL COMPLAIN AND THEY'LL ASK WHY THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER APPROVED IT. HOUSTON FIRST HAS PUT YOU IN AN IMPOSSIBLE POSITION, BUT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO PUSH BACK, DEMAND ALTERNATIVES AND REFUSE A RUBBER STAMP TO RUBBER STAMP A FLAWED PLAN, BE THE CHECK ON THEIR POWER. WITH REGARDS TO THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS THAT THERE'S, UM, IRREFUTABLE EVIDENCE THAT, THAT TXDOT AND THE CITY AGREE TO THIS. HAVE YOU GUYS SEEN THAT? WE, UM, DID A-T-P-I-A FOR THIS INFORMATION? THERE WAS THINGS PRODUCED. UM, NOWHERE DOES IT SAY THAT THERE WAS THINGS HELD BACK. UM, AFTER REFERRING TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. I'M HOPING YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN THAT, IF THAT'S TRUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER LISA HUNT TO BE FOLLOWED BY RICHARD GILMORE. VOTING NO ON POLK. ABANDONMENT IS NOT A VOTE AGAINST THE GRB TRANSFORMATION. IT'S A VOTE FOR A BETTER VERSION OF IT. ONE THAT PRESERVES CONNECTIVITY THAT UNITES US AS A CITY. RIGHT NOW, THIS PROJECT FEELS RUSHED AND DIVISIVE BECAUSE HOUSTON FIRST AND COUNCILMANIC PRIVILEGE HAVE MADE IT THAT WAY. BUT YOU CAN CHANGE THAT. COUNCIL CULTURE ASSUMES THAT COLLEAGUES WILL DEFER TO DISTRICT MEMBERS WHEN A GIVEN PROJECT IMPACTS THEIR DISTRICT DIRECTLY. FOR MOST DECISIONS THAT DEFERENCE IS WISE, BUT WHEN THE CITY IS DEALING WITH PROJECTS THAT CAUSE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND TOUCH THE VERY FABRIC OF THE ENTIRE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS, DISTRICT PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT IS MISPLACED. A DISTRICT LENS IS TOO NARROW A FOCUS. IT MISSES THE WHOLE PICTURE AND GIVES TOO MUCH POWER TO ONE PERSON. I ASK EACH OF YOU TO CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF THE WHOLE CITY WHEN IT COMES TO THIS VOTE ON CLOSING POLK STREET. THE WHOLE IS WISER THAN ANYONE ALONE. WE'RE READY TO WORK WITH YOU TO FIND A BETTER PATH THAN THE CURRENT PROPOSAL YOUR TIME HAS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, RICHARD GILMORE TO BE FOLLOWED BY SCOTT SINGLETON. [02:45:01] HELLO, COUNSEL. I'M RICHARD GILMORE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT HOUSTON FIRST ALREADY HAS PERMITS TO TEMPORARILY CLOSED POLK IN NOVEMBER. FINE, LET THEM DO IT. LET HOUSTONIANS EXPERIENCE THE DISRUPTION. LET REAL WORLD FEEDBACK COME IN. LET FOLKS TRY TO GET TO THE ROCKETS GAME. FIELD. THE DETOUR. LET FOLKS TRY TO HEAD TO DISCOVER GREENER TORTOISE CENTER. HIT THE TRAFFIC SNARL. LET GEORGIA R BROWN VISITORS AND GEORGIA AND DAIKIN PARK COMMUTERS EXPERIENCE THE CHAOS. THEN REVISIT THE PERMANENT VOTE WITH ACTUAL DATA INSTEAD OF HOUSTON FIRST ROSIE'S PROJECTIONS. WHY RUSH A FOREVER DECISION WHEN WE COULD CONTEST IT FIRST? IT'S NOT A OPPOSITION. THAT'S PRUDENCE. WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO KILL THIS PROJECT. WE'RE NOT ASKING, UH, TO BE AGAINST THE GEORGIA BROWN EXPANSION. WE ARE HERE TO KEEP POLK OPEN. WE'RE ASKING YOU TO BE THOUGHTFUL STEWARDS OF A PERMANENT DECISION. LET REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE INFORM YOUR FINAL VOTE. SHOW THAT YOU LEAD WITH WISDOM, NOT HASTE, THAT YOU GOVERN BASED ON EVIDENCE, NOT HOUSTON FIRST CONVENIENCE, DELAY THE VOTE. DEMAND BETTER INFORMATION. THIS IS BIGGER THAN ONE DISTRICT AND WE'LL PACK ALL OF HOUSTON. I'D SAY MAYOR WHITMEYER, BUT HE'S NOT HERE. CITY COUNCIL, PLEASE KEEP POLK OPEN. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, SCOTT SINGLETON TO BE FOLLOWED BY LINDSEY WILLIAMS. HELLO COUNSEL. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. WE FINALLY REACHED THIS POINT, THE FORK IN THE ROAD. RATHER, THE FORK IN POLK STREET COUNCIL CAN DO THE RIGHT THING. PAUSE THE MADNESS, REDESIGN THE EXPANSION OF THE GRB WITH AN ELEVATED CROSSING LIKE THE FOUR OTHER ONES THAT ARE ALREADY THERE AND PRESERVE THE CONNECTIVITY TO THE MOST VIBRANT COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON. RIGHT NOW, THE RIGHT THING IS YOUR VOTE AGAINST THE ABANDONMENT OF POLK STREET. THE WRONG THING IS TO REWARD HOUSTON FIRST FOR GIVING NO TRANSPARENCY TO PLANS OR BUDGETS AND ITS INHERENT MISMANAGEMENT. THEIR UNWILLINGNESS TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVES AS ARROGANT AND HIDES THEIR LACK OF CREATIVITY AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS. YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, DO THE RIGHT THING AND OPPOSE ABANDONING POLK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, LINDSEY WILLIAMS TO BE FOLLOWED BY WILLIE GONZALEZ. HI EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS LINDSAY WILLIAMS, AN EASTON RESIDENT WITH SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE RUSH TO VOTE TO ABANDON POLK STREET FIRST, HOUSTON FIRST REFERENCES AN ROI WITH NO BUDGET. HOW CAN WE EVALUATE RETURNS WITHOUT FINANCIAL DATA? SECOND, LELAND IS PROPOSED AS A TRAFFIC SOLUTION, BUT THERE'S NO STUDY PROVING IT CAN HANDLE A TWO-WAY HANDLE, TWO-WAY TRAFFIC. TXDOT CONFIRMED THEY'RE NOT RELOCATING THEIR OFF RAMP FROM BELL STREET TO LELAND. LELAND IS CURRENTLY CLOSED IN TWO LOCATION WITH NO REOPENING TIMELINE REMOVING FORWARD ON ASSUMPTIONS AND NOT DATA. THIRD STANDARD PROCEDURES ARE BEING SKIPPED. WHY NO REPL? WHY HASN'T PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEWED THIS? THESE PROTECTIONS ARE IN PLACE TO SAFEGUARD RESIDENTS AND THE CITY. THE BENEFITS OF THE EAST END REMAIN UNCLEAR. ALL PLAN, ALL PLANS ARE SHOWN FOR DOWNTOWN ONLY. WE RECEIVE AN UNDERFUNDED PARK WITH NO COMMUNITY INPUT WHILE DOWNTOWN AREA GAINS. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST COUNSEL TO DELAY THIS VOTE UNTIL PROPER PROCEDURES ARE FOLLOWED AND CRITICAL QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED. THE EASTON DESERVES BETTER THAN A RUSH PROCESS WITH MORE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. WILLIE GONZALEZ. I DON'T SEE SYLVESTER JONES. JOHN NICKS, JACOB CLEMENTI TO BE FOLLOWED TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH AMARI. HI GUYS. WELL, I WAS AT THE UH, HOUSTON SPORT AUTHORITY MEETING, UH, EARLIER TODAY FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING AND I HAD THEM AUTOGRAPHED THAT, UH, OFFICIAL SOCCER BALL FOR FOR ME. SO WHEN I DONATED TO A NON-PROFIT, UH, AGENCY, THEY CAN REALLY WASTE SOME GOOD MONEY BY SOMEBODY BUYING THAT BALL. AND, AND THEN I HAD THE FOOTBALL, WHICH IS AN OFFICIAL NL GREEN, UM, PRO FOOTBALL, UH, AUTOGRAPH BY ROBERT WOODS AND HE'S ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR, UH, THE HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY. AND HE, UH, IT USED TO BE AN ORDER. IT USED TO BE A, A CHIEF KANSAS, A CHIEF AND SOME OTHER TEAM. I FORGET WHAT, BUT UH, WELL, UH, UH, I ALSO HAVE UH, THIS MAGAZINE, UH, IN WHICH HAS THE BEAUTIFUL MUGSHOT OF TWILA CARTER. AND THEN SO I'M GONNA ASK HER TO AUTOGRAPH IT FOR ME. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH US. JACOB, DON'T FORGET TO TAKE YOUR YOUR BALLS WITH YOU. [02:50:10] JOSEPH AMMA JUST LIVING IN FASHION COMPANY BREASTS BY KNEE AND RIGHT ON THE RIGHT ON THE BUTT. DESIRE COULD BE USED BY MANY BRAND NAMES TO HAVE MANY SAYING, BUT IT'S JUST AN AMBASSADOR COMPANY DESIGN CONCEPT THEY LOVE THE MOST. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. BOSTON ARTS COOPERED DESIGN PRODUCT BEFORE WELFARE WORK AND MILITARY MARTIAL ARTS RATHER. HOUSTON, TEXAS, HAPPILY MARRIED BLACK AMERICAN ARTIST LIVING WITH HIS WIFE AND FAMILY AT THREE ALL MY WAY UP TO BECOME A UP AND COME PLAYWRIGHT SCREEN. SCREENWRITER SONGWRITER FASHION DOWNER WHO COULD VISIT HIS FAMILY IN HIS HOMETOWN WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM. I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS, I WAS SOCIALIZING WITH AN ELITE GROUP OF BLACK AMERICAN COMMUNIST PARTY MEMBERS AND LEADERS WHO HAD PHD P AGREED. WHO ATTENDED OUR COMMUNITY MEETING WITH CORRUPT SOCIAL WORKERS AND CONNECTION ALONG WITH PSYCHIATRIC DEPARTMENT THAT BELIEVE IN TORTURING THEIR PATIENTS' HOSTAGES, ELECTRO ELECTRIC CHALK TREATMENT LO BOIES AND WATER TO WATER BOARDING THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATED. THEY THEY RELEASED THE ARMY OF MILITARY MONSTERS AND BEADS ON BLACK AMERICA FOR MILITARY MARTIAL LAW. WE COULD SELL OUR LAWSUIT IN A COURSE AND SUE IN FAIR A FAIR CIVIL COURTS WITHOUT ANY, WITHOUT ANY LAWSUIT RETALIATION. WHY IS MILITARY MARTIAL LAW NEEDED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS MILITARY MARTIAL LAW BAD AND BUSINESS. THERE'S NO UNCIVIL UNREST. I HEARD THAT PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD JESUS CHRIST BUT THEY DON'T HAVE YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED PEOPLE OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. SECOND, USE SECOND AMENDMENT, GUN DEFEND SELF PROTECT. THANK YOU SIR. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED WITH PEOPLE PROSPECTING CRIMES TO COME TO BLACK AMERICA, LAND PROPERTY OWNERSHIP, THEIR OWN LAND OF PROPERTY. BEFORE WE HAVE SIR, IF YOU COULD WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS PLEASE BEFORE WE ANY ELECTED BLACK OFFICIALS IN THE SOUTH EAST YOU SCHOLARSHIP ENTERPRISE BAKER SHIELD FIRE, PUT BACK UP, PROTECT US, GET GLOVES BEHIND. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND KIDNAPPERS. THANK YOU NICK. SPEAKER, THIS COMPLETES THE LIST [RECESS] OF SPEAKERS. WE STAND IN RECESS UNTIL NINE O'CLOCK TOMORROW MORNING. NICE SURVEY ITEM SIX. APPROVED SPIN AUTHORITY FOR ELECTRICAL REPAIR AND REHABILITATION OF CUSTOM DESIGNED ART SCULPTURES AND LANDSCAPE PATHWAY LIGHTING REWARDED TO FISK ELECTRONIC ELECTRIC COMPANY. ITEM SEVEN, ITEM SEVEN APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR SPAY AND N SERVICES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT AWARDED AWARDED TO HOUSTON SPAY NEUTER CLINIC. ITEM EIGHT, RESCUED PETS MOVEMENT INC. FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF ANIMAL TRANSPORT SERVICES. ITEM NINE, GAU LLC FOR APPAREL, UNIFORM SAFETY SHOES AND ACCESSORIES. ITEM 10 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR ALL SERVICES RELATED TO CREATING AND EXECUTING SOCIAL MARKETING SERVICES AWARDED TO GIL BREATH COMMUNICATIONS INC. ITEM 11 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IMPLEMENTATION CONSULTING SERVICES AWARDED TO MISSION CRITICAL PARTNERS LLC. ITEM 12 APPROVED SPIN AUTHORITY FOR PROFESSIONAL HELICOPTER PILOT AND MAINTENANCE TRAINING SERVICES FROM MD HELICOPTERS LLC ITEM 13 A MERRIM MAX MOTOR AND CONTROLS LLC DOING BUSINESS AS ALL PUMP AND EQUIPMENT, AUTOMATIC PUMP AND EQUIPMENT COMPANY INC. HARWELL ENVIRONMENTAL CORPORATION, SMITH PUMP, SMITH PUMP COMPANY INC. AND PUMPS OF HOUSTON INC. FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF PUMPS. PACKAGE TWO. ITEM 14 E CONTRACTORS U-S-A-L-L-C FOR REPAIR TO A CLAMOR SCREEN ITEM 15, GLOBAL WET FOR PURCHASE OF DRUM SCREEN RECONDITIONING SERVICES. ITEM 16 SMITH PUMP COMPANY INC. FOR PURCHASE OF VARIOUS TYPES OF PUMPS. ITEM 17, ORDINANCE AMENDING ARTICLE 10, CHAPTER TWO IN ARTICLE EIGHT, CHAPTER 33 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES HOUSTON TEXAS RELATING TO THE DEFINITION AND APPLICATION OF COVERED PURSES EXPANDING SUCH DEFINITION TO INCLUDE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE MEMBERS. ITEM 18, ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER SEVEN, ARTICLE SIX OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES HOUSTON TEXAS RELATING TO SECONDHAND [02:55:01] RESELLERS. ITEM 1919 AMENDED AND RESTATED ORDINANCE AUTHORIZED AND APPROVING AND CONFIRMING AND RATIFYING CERTAIN MATTERS RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS GENERAL OBLIGATION COMMERCIAL PAPER NOTES SERIES G TWO IN AN AGGREGATE PRINCIPLE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $125 MILLION FOR THE PURPOSE OF FINANCES CERTAIN AUTHORIZED PURPOSES. ITEM 20, ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND SEARCH HOMELESS SERVICES. ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROV AND AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT TO SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS INSPIRING COMMUNITIES INC. DOING BUSINESS AS THE HAR PROGRAM. ITEM 22 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOUSTON HEALTH INC. ITEM 23 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOUSTON SRO HOUSING CORPORATION. ITEM 24 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND SEARCH HOMELESS SERVICES. ITEM 25 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND EL CENTRAL D CARTERS HOME. ITEM 26 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE TO THE TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE HARRIS COUNTY AREA AGENCY ON AGING GRANT PROGRAM. ITEM 27 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $840,000 FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH FY 2026 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROJECTS. ITEM 28 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $28,881,014 6 CENTS AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO DESIGN BILL CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS STERLING VANITY JV LLLC ITEM 29 ORDINANCE APPROV AND LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS AND VENUS AEROSPACE CORPORATION. ITEM 30, ORDINANCE APPROVING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN HUSH BLACKWELL LLP ITEM 31 ORDINANCE APPROV AND AUTHORIZING SIX FEDERALLY FUNDED AND SIX NONE FEDERALLY FUNDED TAX ORDER PROJECTS FOR PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES WITH ASURA ROBINSON COMPANY LLC CLARK CONDO ASSOCIATES INC. KIMBERLY HORN AND ASSOCIATES INC. M TWO L ASSOCIATES INC. SWA GROUP AND THE BRUSARD GROUP INC. DOING BUSINESS AS TBG PARTNERS. ITEM 32 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING THREE FEDERALLY FUNDED AND THREE NON FEDERALLY FUNDED TASK ORDER CONTRACTS WITH BUILDING ENVELOPE CONSULTANTS LLC PRICE CONSULTANT LLC AND WALTER P. MOORE AND ASSOCIATES. ITEM 33 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AND CONTRACT TO THE PRUIT COMPANY INC. ITEM 34 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT FOR A ONE YEAR PERIOD WITH FOUR ONE YEAR RENEWAL OPTIONS BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OCEAN EPIC PATIENT PORTAL INC. ITEM 35 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING DERIVATIVE AGREEMENT WITH SIEMENS INDUSTRY INC. ITEM 36 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING GRANT AGREEMENT WITH UNITED WAY OF GREATER HOUSTON. ITEM 37 ORDINANCE CALLING FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS AT WHICH INTERESTED PERSONS WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD ON PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND SPRING CREEK UTILITY DISTRICT AND PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO EXISTING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 2 78 THE HEARING DATES WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH AND NOVEMBER 12TH, 2025 BOTH AT 9:00 AM ITEM 38 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 19.075 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 2 2 1 ITEM 39 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND A MA CAPITAL SYSTEMS LLC ITEM 40 ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING SIX UNTREATED WATER SUPPLY CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ENTERPRISE PRODUCTS OPERATING LLC ITEM 41 ORDINANCE OF AUTHORIZING GROUND LEA AND PURCHASE OPTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOUSTON POLICE OFFICERS PENSION SYSTEM ITEM 42 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,595,565 72 CENTS APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND INSPECTION SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND CDM SMITH INC. ITEM 43 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $3,354,553 65 CENTS APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND WESTERN SOLUTIONS INC. ITEM 44 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $2,466,585 45 CENTS APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ORA US INC. ITEM 45 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $193,200 [03:00:03] AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND BOWMAN ENGINEERING AND CONSULTING LLC ITEM 46 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $712,569 49 CENTS AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO ADVANCE FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. ITEM 47 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5,567,954. WARDEN CONTRACT TO CZ CONSTRUCTION LLC ITEM 48. ORDINANCE APPROPRIATED $1,104,984 AND WARDEN CON CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO HIGH COUNTRY ROOFING AND RESTORATION LLC ITEM 49 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO ARROWHEAD ASSET SERVICES LLC, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. ITEM 50 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO CLEARWATER RECYCLING LLC THE W RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. ITEM 51, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO FCC ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES LLL ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, TEXAS LLC, THE WRIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. ITEM 52 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO HALLMARK MITIGATION AND CONSTRUCTION LLC, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. ITEM 53, ORDINANCE GRANTED TO HYDRO CLEAR SERVICES LLC, THE W RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. ITEM 54 ORDINANCE GRANTED TO TEXAS PRIDE SEPTIC INC. THE WRIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTELAND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. ITEM 55 ORDINANCE GRANTED TO THERMAL FLUIDS INC. THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTELAND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. ITEM 59, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE MAYOR AND DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO PLACE THE PROPOSED TAX RATE OF 0.5 1 9 1 9 0 ON EACH $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE, WHICH IS THE SAME AS LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE ON THE OCTOBER 15TH, 2025 AGENDA AND TO SET A DATE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, THE HEARING DATE, 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, 2025. ITEM 57 SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR ONE APPLICANT SEEKING 4% HOUSING TAX CREDITS HEARING DATE 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, 2025 AND ITEM 58 SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE ON RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR THE DES DESIGNATION OF URBAN BANNER DISTRICT IN THE HOUSTON DESIGN DISTRICT. SUGGESTED HEARING DATE, 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3RD, 2025. THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE CAPTIONS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF OCTOBER 8TH, 2025. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL'S SCHEDULE TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM WITH THAT, I WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY HUMP DAY COUNCIL, PLEASE COME TO ORDER [RECONVENE] MEMBERS [MAYOR'S REPORT] I'D LIKE TO UH, SHARE WITH YOU SOME THOUGHTS. FIRST OF ALL, I UH, WATCHED THE FINANCE MEETING YESTERDAY. I WANNA APPLAUD EACH OF YOU THAT PARTICIPATED AND I HOPE THOSE WERE NOT PRESENT, WATCHED IT AS I DID. UM, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT OUR CHAIR. UH, THERE'S A REASON WHY SHE'S CHAIRING FINANCE. SHE HAS A LONG RECORD OF PHYSICAL RESPONSIBILITY ADVOCACY AND THAT'S THE REASON SHE'S CHAIRING THAT COMMITTEE. THE SAME REASON OUR MAYOR PROTE IS CHAIRING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF HER KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND COMMITMENT TO HOUSTON, TIFFANY THOMAS CHAIR IN HOUSING 'CAUSE OF HER EXPERTISE. SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CHAIRING THESE COMMITTEES AS WELL AS MY DIRECTORS. THEY'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR PUBLIC SERVICE. BUT I GUESS I REALLY WANT TO REPEAT MY APPRECIATION FOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, YOU SERVE A REAL USEFUL PURPOSE TO REQUIRE US TO DISCUSS RELEVANT ISSUES AS IT RELATES TO CITY FINANCES. BUT I'M, I HASTEN TO SAY NO ONE HAS A GREATER LATER RESPONSIBILITY AND OWNERSHIP IN THE CITY FINANCES THAN ME, [03:05:01] ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON COUNCIL. UH, IT'S THE REASON I RAN, ONE OF THE REASONS I RAN FOR MAYOR, ACTUALLY DURING THE CAMPAIGN, YOU'D BE ASKED ABOUT THE CITY FINANCES CONDITION AND MY COMMENT THERE WAS TWO YEARS AGO, WE REALLY WON'T KNOW TILL WE GET THERE. AND THAT WAS VERY ACCURATE BECAUSE THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, WE DIDN'T HAVE A SURPLUS WHEN I GOT HERE. WE'VE BEEN USING ARPA FUNDING FOR AT LEAST FOUR YEARS, CERTAINLY THROUGH COVID. SO NOW WE HAVE A MORE ACCURATE PICTURE. WE'RE KINDA IN THE SAME PLACE WE WERE LAST FALL WHEN THERE WAS SUCH A CONCERN ABOUT YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO BALANCE A BUDGET. HOW ARE YOU GONNA BALANCE A BUDGET? OF COURSE, IT'S COMPLEX. DIDN'T GET THIS WAY OVERNIGHT. IN FACT, AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, AND MOST PEOPLE CAN REMEMBER, CERTAINLY KATHY WHITMEYER, EVEN IN THE EIGHTIES HAD CHALLENGES, BUT SHE WAS A CPA PULLED PEOPLE TOGETHER. HOUSTON WAS SUFFERING FROM A REDUCTION IN OIL PRICES. REAL CHALLENGE. THEN YOU'D FAST FORWARD BOB LANIER USE $500 MILLION OF METRO FUNDING TO DEAL WITH POLICE SERVICES OVERTIME. AND I COULD GO THROUGH THE LIST OF MAYORS RIGHT UP TO CURRENT TIME. WE ALL KNOW THE CHALLENGE, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S BEEN AS TRANSPARENT AND HONEST AS I HAVE BECAUSE I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE POLITICS OF IT. I'M DOWN HERE TO FIX HOUSTON AND OF COURSE FINANCING IS CRITICAL. I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE REVENUE CAP THAT THE STATE PLACED ON US. I'M FAMILIAR WITH HOUSTON VOTERS REVENUE CAP. SO I APPLAUD EVERYONE YESTERDAY FOR BEING ANXIOUS. I'M ANXIOUS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE DOING AT FOUR O'CLOCK THIS MORNING. I WAS WORRIED ABOUT CITY FINANCES, BUT MEMBERS, JUST BECAUSE THE STATE WILL ALLOW YOU WITHOUT A VOTE OF THE PUBLIC TO RAISE PROPERTY TAX AND THE TAX RATE, THAT'S NOT A GOOD REASON FOR DOING IT. THE TAX RATE AND THE BUDGET IS NOT JUST ABOUT DOLLARS AND CENTS, IT'S ABOUT TRUST AND CREDIBILITY. AND WE'RE RESTORING THAT CREDIBILITY AND TRUST IN MY 21 MONTHS OF BEING MAYOR SERVING WITH YOU. AND WE'RE NOT GOING BACK. WE'RE NOT GOING BACK TO NOT RUNNING A NEW REORGANIZED CITY GOVERNMENT. WE'RE FUNDING IN 26 AT 2% LESS GOVERNMENT AND FUNDING THAN WE HAD. THE FIRST BUDGET AFTER I GOT HERE WAS ESSENTIALLY WRITTEN THE 25 BUDGET. I CAN DEMONSTRATE WE COULD TAKE ALL DAY WITH THE EVIDENCE THAT WE HAVE BETTER CITY SERVICES AFTER THE REORGANIZATION, AFTER THE ERNS AND YOUNG REPORT. SOLID WAYS, WHO I, AND I'VE GOT MANY APPOINTMENTS I COULD BRAG ABOUT, BUT MR. HASSEN TELLS ME HE DOESN'T NEED A GARBAGE FEE IF WE ALLOW HIM TO REORGANIZE THAT DEPARTMENT. HE GETS 19 TRUCKS THIS WEEK, 19 NEXT WEEK, NEW HEAVY TRASH PICKUP APPARATUS. HE'S CAUGHT UP ON RECYCLING AND GARBAGE PICKUP, HEAVY TRASH. WE'RE GOING OUT TO CONTRACT TO DO TWO SWEEPS OF THE CITY. THEN I CAN TALK ABOUT PUBLIC WORKS. RANDY INHERITED 1900 BROKEN WATER MAINS. IT'S DOWN TO 400. HE REPLACED A HUNDRED THOUSAND WATER METER SENSORS. HE'S SPENDING 500 MILLION THIS YEAR ON STREETS AND DRAINAGE. SO WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS AND OF COURSE WE'RE CHALLENGED. BUT HOW DID WE MEET SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET? THERE WAS AN EFFORT TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES BECAUSE THE STATE ALLOWED IT DURING BARREL. [03:10:02] I MADE A COMMITMENT WHEN I RAN AND IT IS STILL A COMMITMENT CARRIED OUT THAT WE WOULDN'T RAISE TAXES OR FEES UNTIL WE CUT OUT WASTE DUPLICATION AND CORRUPTION. WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO. HAD A HEARING YESTERDAY TALKING ABOUT A MERGER OR COLLABORATION WITH HARRIS HEALTH, OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT'S IN PROCESS US. SO WE'RE MAKING STRIDES. PUBLIC SAFETY. MY HIGHEST PRIORITY CODE ONE RESPONSE IS LESS THAN SIX MINUTES. FIRST TIME IN RECENT YEARS, SIX, 5.7 MINUTES TO RESPOND. DALLAS IS AT 12. OUR CADET CLASSES ARE FULL. 200 IN THE POLICE CADET CLASS THIS MORNING. MORALE IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH. IN FACT, WE'RE LEADING THE WAVE NOT ONLY FOR THE REGION, BUT THE STATE ON HOW DO YOU RECRUIT POLICE OFFICERS AND SHOW 'EM THE APPRECIATION AND BENEFITS THAT THEY DESERVE. SO I CAN DOCUMENT THE IMPROVEMENTS. ARE WE THROUGH? NO, WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED. AND I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED TO. WE'RE GONNA COLLABORATE WITH THE COUNTY. SPEAKING OF THE COUNTY, I WOULD REFER ANYONE THAT WANTS TO RAISE TAXES IN THIS ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT TO TALK TO BRIANIS GARCIA OR RAMSEY. THEY HAD PEOPLE URGING THEM TO RAISE TAXES, PROPERTY TAXES, AND THEY CHOSE NOT. AFFORDABILITY IS ON EVERYONE'S MIND ACROSS THIS NATION. PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING ELECTED. IF YOU WANT TO TALK POLITICS ON AFFORDABILITY ALONE, PEOPLE'S UTILITIES ARE HIGHER. THEIR INSURANCE, I COULD GO ON AND ON WHY PEOPLE SAY, PLEASE DO NOT RAISE TAXES OR FEES. TAKE OTHER MEASURES. AND THAT'S WHY I WISH I'D HAVE BEEN IN THE MEETING YESTERDAY. I WOULD'VE GIVEN A PRESENTATION ABOUT WE'VE GOT OPTIONS AND WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER. BUT I WOULD SUGGEST NOT A SMALL BITE AT THE PROBLEM, BUT THE STATE MUNICIPALITIES ARE SUFFERING THE SAME PROBLEM. WE ARE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, EMERGENCY DISTRICTS. WE'VE GOT TO WORK TOGETHER AND COLLABORATE WITH LEADERS ACROSS THIS STATE TO SOUND THE ALARM. WE ALL HATE PROPERTY TAXES. NONE OF US BELIEVE OUR APPRAISALS ARE FAIR. BUT IF THE STATE IS GOING TO REMOVE PROPERTY TAXES AS AN OPTION LONG TERM, WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO REPLACE IT WITH? WE'VE GOT TO TALK TO THE STATE LEADERSHIP AND WORK NOT JUST WITH DALLAS, AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO, BUT WITH COLLEGE STATION IN WACO AND LUBBOCK. WICHITA FALLS, CORPUS. WE'RE FACING A CHALLENGE OF LOCAL CONTROL, AFFORDABILITY, MAKING GOVERNMENT EFFICIENT. NO ONE'S DONE AN URS AND YOUNG REPORT. I COULD POINT TO DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS. I'D LOVE TO SEE AN URS AND YOUNG REPORT. I'D LOVE TO SEE ONE IN HARRIS COUNTY. WE BENEFITED FROM IT. AND SO THE REAL QUESTION IS TODAY, WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE INTEREST IN RAISING FEES OR TAXES, WHAT MODEL OF GOVERNMENT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? FUNDING. THE OLD MODEL THAT WAS HERE WHEN SOME OF US GOT HERE, OR THE NEW MODEL OF EFFICIENCY. WE'RE GETTING RESOURCES FROM THE COUNTY PARTNERING WITH OUR COMMISSIONERS. THEY'RE HELPING US MAINTAIN PARKS, MORE EFFICIENCY, CUTTING OUT DUPLICATION. WE GOT OUR BARREL FUNDING FROM AUSTIN. GOT 314 MILLION FOR HUD FOR RECOVERY. SO RAISING TAXES AND FEES SHOULD NOT BE OUR FIRST OPTION. PEOPLE EXPECT BETTER NOT ONLY THE FEEDBACK THAT I GET AND YOU GET, I COULD SHOW YOU POLLS, BUT I DON'T GOVERN BY POLLS. I HAVE A JOB TO [03:15:01] DO. AND SO YES, WE COULD RAISE OUR PROPERTY TAXES, WE COULD RAISE FEES. SOMEONE WANTED FEES LAST YEAR, BUT I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT THE PUBLIC EXPECTS. NOW, DO WE HAVE CHALLENGES? YES, I LISTEN TO THE CITIZENS ON TUESDAY. I GET CALLS, LETTERS. I LIVE IN HOUSTON. WE HAVE CHALLENGES. WE WANT TO IMPROVE SERVICES, BUT WE CAN'T HURT OUR CREDIBILITY WHEN WE REALLY, REALLY WANT TO GO FOR A PERMANENT SOLUTION. OUR CREDIBILITY'S AT STAKE. PEOPLE STILL KNOW WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. YOU WANT ME TO SUGGEST ONE, WHILE I'M WORKING ON CITY FINANCING, WATCHING THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, I GET A EMAIL NOTIFICATION THAT THE AIRPORT'S FIXING TO BUY A $10 MILLION PIECE OF ART OCULUS. IT'S A DIGITAL PIECE OF ART. WOULD I SIGN ON THE PRESS RELEASE? NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S A SEPARATE FUNDING ENTERPRISE, BUT FOLKS, I DON'T KNOW IF ONE OF Y'ALL WANT TO TRY TO EXPLAIN GOING OUT FOR FEES AND TAXES WHEN THEY'RE PUTTING OUT A PRESS RELEASE THAT THEY'RE GONNA BUY A $10 MILLION DIGITAL PIECE OF ART. I'M NOT GONNA TRY TO EXPLAIN IT. CONFLICTS. TOENAIL SHOP AND WEST GRAY'S BEEN OPEN 10 YEARS, GOT PERMITS TO OPERATE, GOT EMPLOYEES AND STAFFING, AND THEN WE GOT AN INSPECTOR SHOWS UP, SAYS FIRST HE WROTE 'EM AN $800 FINE FOR NOT HAVING BACKFLOW APPARATUS AT ALL THE SINKS. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE IN COURT FRIDAY. FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THAT'S VERY UNFAIR TO HANDLE IT THAT WAY. BUT HERE'S THE CONFLICT. GUESS WHO THEY GOT A LETTER FROM TWO DAYS LATER AN ATTORNEY THAT SAYS HE'LL REPRESENT 'EM FOR A $50 RETAINER. THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT WHAT HOUSTONIANS EXPECT. SOMEBODY IS COLLABORATING THE LEGAL SYSTEM WITH OUR INSPECTORS. SO WE'VE GOT SOME CLEANING UP TO DO. BUT LET ME CLOSE BY SAYING WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. OUR MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ARE PLEASED. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TURS. WE'VE GOT MIDTOWN TURS REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY NOMINEES TODAY, ANOTHER BROKEN SYSTEM THAT THEY'RE GOING TO FIX. YOU KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENED IN RECENT YEARS IN MIDTOWN? THEY'RE SITTING ON 400 PIECES OF PROPERTIES, TOTAL VALUE, $50 MILLION, CONFLICT OF INTEREST EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK. WHO'S MAINTAINING THE PROPERTIES? WHO'S THEIR CONSULTANTS? WE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO BEFORE WE GO TO HOUSTONIANS AND ASK THEM FOR ADDITIONAL FEES AND TAXES. THEY UNDERSTAND IT. THERE'S AN ABUNDANCE OF MISINFORMATION PUBLISHED. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THANK YOU TO THE MIDTOWN TURS NOMINEES TODAY. WE EXPECT THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF TRANSPARENCY, INTEGRITY. BUT I'LL CLOSE BY SAYING I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO BEFORE WE GO ASK FOR ADDITIONAL FEES OR TAX REVENUES. WE NEED TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER CITIES. OUR COUNTY WORK CLOSELY WITH THE TURS AND I WISH I COULD GO AHEAD AND NAME ALL THE PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY, THE EMANCIPATION PROJECT, GET PEOPLE A SHELTER THAT DESERVE IT. I HOPE YOU'VE NOTICED THE BETTER CONDITIONS RIGHT HERE IN THE INNER CITY. AND WE'RE GOING TO THE SUBURBS. WE'RE OUT THERE TWO DAYS AGO. WITH THAT SAID, UH, COUNCILMAN POLLARD, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS TO GIVE US YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WHERE WE ARE, UM, WITH OUR CITY FINANCES. AND I AGREE, I DON'T THINK, UM, RAISING TAXES SHOULD EVER BE THE FIRST, UM, THING THAT WE LOOK TO DO. UM, BUT IN YOUR, YOUR BUDGET THAT YOU PROPOSED AND THAT THIS COUNCIL BODY PASSED THE PROJECTIONS OF WHERE THAT TAX RATE WOULD BE, UM, WAS AT A LEVEL THAT TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION BEING UP TO WHERE THE REVENUE [03:20:01] CAP WOULD ALLOW US TO GO. SO YOU'RE PUTTING OUT ONE FIGURE DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS AND YOU'RE NOT REACHING THAT FIGURE AS WE VOTE ON THE TAX RATE. SO IT PUTS US IN A, A DEFICIT OF $53 MILLION THAT THE CITY NOW HAS TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO GET THAT MONEY FROM. NOW I'M SURE YOU HAVE A PLAN, UM, BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU HAVE OPTIONS. ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WOULD BE, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO KNOW AS A BODY WHAT THOSE OPTIONS ARE SO THAT WE CAN CONSIDER THEM AND, AND THEN BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THOSE WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS? AND TWO, WHY, WHY EVEN PUT THAT FIGURE IN THE BUDGET IN THE FIRST PLACE, UM, WHEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH IT? NOW, I VOTED AGAINST YOUR BUDGET BECAUSE I I, I DID NOT AGREE WITH MANY OF THE PROJECTIONS THAT WERE THERE. UM, BUT THE CITY RELIED ON THAT BUDGET AND THIS, THIS, THIS BODY IS RELYING ON THAT BUDGET AND YOU YOURSELF SAID THAT THE CITY IS BROKE. SO IF THE CITY IS BROKE AND YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO PUT MORE DOLLARS INTO OUR CITY BUDGET AFTER HAVING TO CUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT, UM, ALLOCATIONS FROM MANY OF THE DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS AFTER WE DID THIS VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT PACKAGE, THE REAL QUESTION IS WHAT'S THE PLAN MOVING FORWARD? WELL, OBVIOUSLY WHAT, WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS SINCE YOU, SINCE YOU MENTIONED THEM? I THINK THAT IS WHAT WILL HELP US AS A BODY HAVE SOME SPECIFICS TO GO OVER. UM, THAT CAN GIVE US SOME REASSURANCE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING BACKWARDS, BUT INDEED GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. UH, IF ONE OF OUR FRESHMAN MEMBERS WERE ASKING THAT, I WOULD TAKE IT, UH, MORE SERIOUSLY, BUT YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOUR YEARS LONGER THAN A LOT OF US, SO YOU KNOW ALL THE OPTIONS EXCEPT YOU DON'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE THAT I BRING TO THE TABLE IN TERMS OF COLLABORATING WITH HUD FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT'S IN THE PIPELINE WITH AUSTIN FOR DPS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE'RE GAINING GROUND BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT A NEW MODEL. AND WHEN YOU SUGGEST THAT WE'RE LOSING 53 MILLION BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF BEING ABLE TO GO UP HIGHER, I LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE DIFFERENT. I LOOK AT IT'S A PUBLIC GAINS 53 MILLION WITH THE COST OF LIVING AND AFFORDABILITY BEING ON EVERYONE'S MIND. THE PUBLIC JUST DOES NOT WANT TO PAY MORE FEES OR TAXES IN TERMS OF WHAT WE PROJECTED IN JUNE, THAT WAS JUNE. WE'VE GOT RECENT FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, THE DIFFERENT VALUES. SO INSTEAD OF PREVIOUS YEARS WHERE WE WERE APPRECIATING THE COST OF PROPERTY, NOW VALUES ARE GOING DOWN. SO WE ADJUST. I WOULD HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT FROM BEING DOWN HERE, THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE WHAT THE STATUS QUO IS TODAY WHILE WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. AND QUITE FRANKLY, YOU SAY THE PLAN, THE BUDGET'S DUE JUNE ONE, WE WILL BE WORKING AND DEVELOPING A VERY SOUND BALANCED BUDGET LEADING UP TO THAT DATE. UH, YOU'RE CERTAINLY FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE OPTIONS. I WOULD URGE YOU TO CREATE SOME, MAYBE OTHER THAN MAYBE JUST EXTENDING THE PARKING METERS DOWNTOWN A COUPLE HOURS. WE NEED SOME REAL, REAL EFFORTS TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS SAVINGS, DUPLICATION, WASTE, DEAL WITH CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AND LOOK AT THE NEW MODEL. PEOPLE ARE APPLAUDING THAT THERE IS A NEW APPROACH TO MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT BEING ON DISPLAY HERE IN HOUSTON. OTHER CITIES ARE WATCHING US, OTHER CITIES, NEW ORLEANS. WE HEAR FROM 'EM. WHY CAN'T WE ELECT FOLKS THAT'LL CONDUCT THEIR BUSINESS LIKE HOUSTON IS? SO WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. UH, I THINK THE WORST THING WE CAN DO IS TO POLITICIZE IT. I WOULD REACH OUT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO WORK TOGETHER AND TOGETHER WE'LL HAVE A RESPONSIBLE PLAN. AND UH, BUT [03:25:01] THE QUESTION WAS WHY PUT IN YOUR BUDGET INITIALLY BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS AT THAT TIME. COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU IN FACT, IF YOU WANT TO, UH, WERE YOU IN THE COMMITTEE YESTERDAY? NO. OKAY, WELL, PERHAPS MUNICIPAL, UH, MELISSA CAN EXPLAIN IT TO YOU. NO, I DON'T, DON'T NEED TO EXPLAIN. WE DID WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS PRUDENT AND RESPONSIBLE IN JUNE. THIS IS OCTOBER, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. BUT YOU PUT FORWARD A BUDGET TO THE CITY BASED ON, BASED ON THE FORECAST OF AVAILABLE REVENUE. AND SO YOU'RE SAYING WE HAVE MORE REVENUE NOW TODAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO LEAN ON THAT. AND I, AND I WANNA MAKE ONE THING CLEAR. I'M NOT, I'M NOT FOR RAISING TAXES AND I VOTED AGAINST THAT ORIGINAL BUDGET. BUT THE QUESTION BECOMES WHAT DIFFERENCES OR WHAT OPTIONS ARE YOU PRESENTING NOW THAT YOU'RE CHANGING FROM YOUR JUNE PROJECTION TO NOW A FEW MONTHS LATER IN OCTOBER TO TO, TO REFLECT CURRENT PROPERTY VALUES? ALRIGHT, COUNCILMAN ALCORN. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS VERY MUCH. AND, AND LET ME BE CLEAR, I I DON'T BELIEVE GOING TO RAISE TAXES IS THE FIRST THING THAT WE NEED RK WANNA DO. I MEAN, I DO HAVE A RECORD OF ALL KINDS OF, OF EFFICIENCIES AND CUTS IN GOVERNMENT, BUT AT SOME POINT, MAYOR, I THINK IT'S JUST MATH. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST MATH. AND WHEN WE GET, WHEN WE GET FIVE YEAR FORECASTS, BASELINE FORECASTS, AND THE BASELINE, HAVING THAT $53 MILLION EXTRA IN IT AND OUR BASELINE FORECAST SAYS WE'RE GONNA HAVE A $227 MILLION DEFICIT IN 27, I HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT. AND I ALSO REALLY WANNA TRUST THAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND THAT YOU'RE YOU AND YOUR, AND THE GOOD PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR GOOD RELATIONSHIPS AT THE STATE ARE GOING TO BE FRUITFUL AND HELP US KEEP OUR TAX RATE LOW. UM, THE COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST TAX RATE BECAUSE THEY HAVE CONTINUOUSLY RAISED IT. NOW, THEY DID NOT THIS YEAR. AND I, AND I UNDERSTAND THE CLIMATE IS DEFINITELY NOT, NOT GREAT, BUT WHAT YOU'LL GET FROM A TERM LIMITED NEVER TO RUN AGAIN FOR ANYTHING PERSON IS THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH. AND I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE NOT TELLING THE TRUTH, I'M JUST SAYING THE TRUTH AS I SEE IT, THE TRUTH AS I SEE IT, IS UNSUSTAINABLE WITH OUR NEW PUBLIC SAFETY CONTRACTS, WHICH I SUPPORTED, WHICH WE NEEDED, WE NEEDED BETTER MORALE. I TALKED TO COPS LAST NIGHT, THE MORALE IS OFF THE CHARTS. THEY ARE SO HAPPY WITH YOU. THEY ARE SO HAPPY WITH THIS CITY. THEY'RE HAPPY WITH THE NEW CHIEF WE NEEDED THAT. THE FIRE THING WE NEEDED IT PARKS FUNDING, LIBRARY FUNDING, ALL THESE THINGS. WE NEED TRASH FUNDING. ALL THESE THINGS WE NEED, WE NEED, AND I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE OPTIONS AND WE CAN BAND TOGETHER AND HOPEFULLY GET SOME FAVOR WITH THE STATE TO REMOVE THINGS SO WE CAN, I I DON'T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY THE THE OPTIONS ARE OR THE PLAN IS, BUT I DO TRUST YOU, YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB SO FAR WITH ALL THE EY STUFF. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME. A LOT OF US HAVE, AND WE'VE SEEN DEFICITS EVERY YEAR, BIG DEFICITS. AND WE'RE LIKE, AH, ALWAYS, ALWAYS WORKS OUT IN THE END. IT ALWAYS WORKS OUT IN THE END. BUT WE FOLLOWED THE FORMULA ON, ON THE REV CAP AND WE'VE ALSO HAD QUITE A FEW VACANCIES IN DEPARTMENTS. I MEAN, THAT'S HOW WE DID IT. WE JUST DIDN'T HIRE PEOPLE. WE JUST CUT EXPENSES, WE GET TO THE END OF THE YEAR AND WE JUST WOULDN'T, THEY WOULDN'T BE THERE. ACCORDING TO YOUR OWN FINANCE DIRECTOR, WE HAVE PRETTY MUCH DONE THAT THROUGH THE VOLUNTARY RETIREMENTS, THROUGH UH, THROUGH CUTS AND EFFICIENCIES AND RESTRUCTURING. WE HAVE DONE THAT. SO MY ANXIOUSNESS ABOUT IT IS WHERE, WHERE WILL WE GO TO MAKE UP $227 MILLION? NOW IN YOUR BUDGET YOU HAD $16 MILLION FROM THE EY CONTRACT SPENT 16, $17 MILLION. OKAY? SO THAT'S SOME OF IT. WE ALWAYS ARE CONSERVATIVE ON SALES TAX REVENUE. I THINK WE'LL MAKE UP SOME MONEY ON SALES TAX REVENUE ACCORDING TO MELISSA DEBOSKEY'S PRESENTATION YESTERDAY, WE'LL HAVE $131 MILLION OVER OUR 7.5% REQUIRED. SO THERE'S $131 MILLION WE CAN, WE CAN GO INTO. I HAVE NO DOUBT YOU'RE GONNA BALANCE THE BUDGET. I MEAN, I REALLY DON'T. YOU'RE GONNA BALANCE THE BUDGET. I'VE SEEN MAYORS DO IT. WE DO IT EVERY TIME. MY CONCERN IS JUST HAVING A SUSTAINABLE WAY TO FUND OUR OPERATIONS. THERE'S ALL KINDS OF, I MEAN THAT'S JUST OUR OPERATIONS OF GENERAL FUND SUPPORTED DEPARTMENTS. THAT'S MY CONCERN AND I APPRECIATE IT AND SHARE YOUR CONCERN. WE'VE GOT A [03:30:01] LOT OF WORK TO DO. IT'S COMPLEX. I'LL GIVE YOU ONE QUICK SCENARIO. WHO'S GONNA BE THE COUNTY JUDGE THAT WILL IMPACT OUR REVENUE STREAM? AND I COULD MENTION OTHER DYNAMICS THAT ARE IN MOTION THAT WILL MAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE. SO I DON'T WANT TO SAY, TRUST ME, I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THE RECORD. WE WERE HAVING A SIMILAR CONVERSATION LAST YEAR. WE DID IT AND WE'LL DO IT AGAIN. YOU'RE CORRECT. AND THAT'S WHERE I WAS TALKING ABOUT IT'S A STATEWIDE PROBLEM FOR A LONG-TERM SOLUTION AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON. BUT WE'LL DO A RESPONSIBLE BUDGET. WE GOT THE BEST LEADERSHIP TEAM IN MY JUDGMENT, CERTAINLY IN RECENT MEMORY, BUT WE HAD A CHALLENGING FINANCIAL PICTURE WHEN YOU ARRIVED IN CITY HALL HOW MANY YEARS AGO AND WHEN I WAS SWORN IN, WE HAD $160 MILLION DEFICIT. THE DIFFERENCE IS I WAS JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH THE FIRST ONE TO SIT UP HERE AND SAY WE'RE BROKE. AND ALSO WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET COUNCIL ADDED 13 MILLION TO OUR EXPENDITURES. SO WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. WE'RE GONNA GET ASSISTANCE FROM EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT US TO BE SUCCESSFUL. AND, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE ANIMOSITY BETWEEN THE CITY AND AUSTIN THAT EXISTED WHEN I GOT HERE. THEY UNDERSTAND IN AUSTIN OUR DILEMMA AND WE'RE COLLABORATING. WE'RE GONNA GET RESOURCES, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT LOCAL JURISDICTIONS. SO YES, UM, YOU, YOU KNOW HOW COMPLEX IT IS AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, NUMBERS DON'T LIE, BUT IT'S ALSO A COMMITMENT TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BUILD THE CREDIBILITY AND THE TRUST WHICH IS BEING RESTORED. SURELY YOU UNDERSTAND PEOPLE WERE CYNICAL IN RECENT YEARS. THEY'RE POSITIVE NOW. WHEN WE GO TO 'EM WITH OPTIONS, THEY'RE GONNA HELP US AND OUR PRIORITIES ARE LINED UP FOR PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE. SO I'M PRETTY, PRETTY, NOT PRETTY, I'M VERY POSITIVE, BUT WE HAVE TREMENDOUS CHALLENGES. AND LIKE I JUST SAID, THE WORST THING WE CAN DO IS TO POLITICIZE IT. I MEAN, I KNOW HOW TO PLAY POLITICS. THAT'S NOT WHAT'S AT THE TABLE TODAY. BOB BULLOCK WOULD SAY LEAVE THE POLITICS OUT THERE IN THE HALL. WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. THERE'S NOT A HOME TEAM OR A VISITING. AND THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT. AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT DOLLARS AND CENTS, IT'S CREDIBILITY AND TRUST. SO WHEN YOU GO WITH A MAJOR EFFORT, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE SUPPORT AND WE'RE BUILDING IT. SO THANK YOU AND I'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH YOU. COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. I TOO WANNA THANK YOU FOR A VERY PRODUCTIVE, UH, AND INFORMATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. AND WHAT I HEAR AND WHAT MY CONCERN CONTINUES TO BE IS WE HAVE BALANCED THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR. WE HAVE FOUND A WAY AND WE HAVE FOUND SOLUTIONS. BUT TO YOUR POINT, IT'S THROUGH STOPGAP MEASURES, IT'S THROUGH BAND-AIDS, IT'S THROUGH ANNUALLY EFFORTS THAT CAN INTERRUPT OTHER SERVICES. IT IS NOT A SMOOTH FLOW OF SERVICES THAT HOUSTONIANS CAN RELY ON WHEN WE'RE CONSISTENTLY HAVING TO PAUSE HIRINGS OR CUT HERE AND CUT THERE. SO I DO THINK WE NEED AN OVERALL SOLUTION SO THAT WE CAN BE DELIVERING THE SERVICES THAT HOUSTONIANS EXPECT AND THAT THEY DESERVE. UH, THE ONE THING I WANTED TO SAY, MAYOR, IF I MAY, IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE OCTOBER PRODUCT PROJECTIONS THAT HAVE COME IN, RIGHT? WE HAVE NOW THOSE PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS THAT HAVE RECALIBRATED WHAT THE BUDGET LOOKS LIKE. AND I WANNA CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSIDERING US MOVING OUR BUDGET SEASON TO WHEN WE ACTUALLY GET THOSE APPRAISALS IN SO THAT WE KNOW THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH. UH, THAT'S WHERE THE COUNTY DOES. THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF GOVERNMENT AND JURISDICTIONS SET THEIR CALENDAR. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE IN LINE WITH AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE WHEN THOSE PROJECTIONS COME IN. SO WE KNOW THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH. I I THINK THAT WILL GO A LONG WAY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE REALLY MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS FOCUSING ON THOSE ACTUAL DOLLARS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, LET'S GO TO WORK. THANK YOU. NEXT, [ELECTRONIC OPENINGS] [03:35:02] I, UM, DO THE FINANCIAL REPORT. MM-HMM . CONTROL, UH, CONTROLLER AND DIRECTOR OF FINANCE. GOOD MORNING MAYOR. HONORABLE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. UH, I APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL ARE CONCERNED WITH THE FINANCIAL ISSUES FACING THE CITY. UH, I'LL COME BACK TO THAT. LET ME DIVE INTO, UH, THE NUMBERS FOR THE AUGUST 31ST. UH, THE PERIOD ENDED AUGUST 31ST, 2025. IN THE GENERAL FUND, THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS PROJECTING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $356.7 MILLION OR 14% OF EXPENDITURES, LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO 2026. THIS IS $17.5 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PROJECTION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. THE DIFFERENCE IS DUE TO A LOWER REVENUE PROJECTION THAN FINANCE. BASED ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS, THE FUND BALANCE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $166.2 MILLION ABOVE THE CITY'S TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES, EXCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY. AS YOU GO IN RESERVE, NOTE THAT THESE NUMBERS PREDATE Y'ALL'S TAX RATE DECISION. THE FY 2026 BEGINNING FUND BALANCE IS $36.7 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE FY 2025 ENDING FUND BALANCE REPORTED IN THE JUNE 20, UH, THE JUNE 30TH MOER. THE INCREASE IS DUE TO YEAREND ADJUSTMENTS TO REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES THAT WILL NOT BE FINAL UNTIL THE FFY 2025 ACER IS PUBLISHED. OUR REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS REMAIN UNCHANGED FROM THE JULY, 2025 REPORT, AND WE'RE PROJECTING NO CHANGES FROM THE ADOPTED BUDGET IN THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS FOR COMMERCIAL PAPER AND BONDS. THE CITY'S PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO MAINTAIN NO MORE THAN 20% OF THE TOTAL OUTSTANDING DEBT FOR EACH TYPE OF DEBT IN VARIABLE RATE STRUCTURE, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH RATING AGENCY GUIDANCE OF 25% FROM TIME TO TIME. THE CITY'S ENTERPRISE CREDITS HAVE EXCEEDED THAT THRESHOLD ON AN INTERIM BASIS AS THEY HAVE UNDERTAKEN LARGE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS OR MAJOR EXPANSIONS. THAT IS TRUE TODAY OF CONVENTION ENTERTAINMENT, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS VARIABLE RATE DEBT OF 43.69%. UH, AND THAT'S DUE TO SHORT TERM FINANCING RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER. THE CITY'S OTHER VARIABLE RATE THRESHOLDS REMAIN WELL BELOW THAT 20% THRESHOLD. THIS MONTH. WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, A TIME TO HONOR THE LEADERSHIP CULTURE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISPANIC AND LATINO HOUSTONIANS. ON SEPTEMBER 25TH, OUR OFFICE HOSTED A CELEBRATION RECOGNIZING TRAILBLAZERS BLAZERS, INCLUDING DR. ELE OCHOA, THE FIRST LATINA IN SPACE, AND ALSO THE FIRST LATINA TO LEAD THE NASHA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER. MR. FABIAN ROMO, A PARALYMPIC BASKETBALL PLAYER WHO BROUGHT HOME THE GOLD FOR TEAM USA IN 2024. DR. RUTH LOPEZ TURLEY, WHO LEADS GROUNDBREAKING EQUITY FOCUSED RESEARCH THROUGH W RICE UNIVERSITY'S KINDER INSTITUTE, AND ANGELICA RAZZO A POWERFUL VOICE FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND EQUITY. THROUGH HER LEADERSHIP OF ME FAMILIA VOTA. THESE LEADERS RESPECT, REFLECT THE RESILIENCE, BRILLIANCE, AND SPIRIT THAT DEFINE HOUSTON. BUT THIS MONTH ISN'T JUST ABOUT LOOKING BACK. IT'S ABOUT STANDING UP IN A MOMENT WHEN DIVERSITY ITSELF IS UNDER FIRE. WE RECOMMIT TO THE WORK AHEAD FOR EQUALITY, FOR OPPORTUNITY, AND FOR RESPECT. LAST NIGHT, HOUSTON CAME TOGETHER IN A SIMILAR FASHION ACROSS OUR CITY FROM CASHMERE GARDENS IN THE NEAR NORTH SIDE TO MIDTOWN THIRD WARD, AND SUNNYSIDE NEIGHBORS FILLED THE STREETS FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. I HAD THE CHANCE TO VISIT EACH OF THOSE COMMUNITIES, AND I EVEN BUMPED INTO COUNCIL MEMBERS CASTILLO AND EVAN SHABAZZ ALONG THE WAY. EVERYWHERE I WENT, I SAW THE SAME THING, CONNECTION, LAUGHTER, PEOPLE LOOKING OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER. WE HONORED THE MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM WHO KEEP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE, BUT WE WERE ALSO REMINDED OF SOMETHING BIGGER, THAT THE STRENGTH OF OUR CITY ISN'T MEASURED BY JUSTICE, POLICE FORCE, OR EVEN JUSTICE BALANCE SHEET. IT'S MEASURED BY HOW CONNECTED WE FEEL TO THE PLACES THAT WE LIVE AND TO THE PEOPLE THAT WE LIVE AMONG. WHEN NEIGHBORS BUILD TRUST, BLOCK BY BLOCK, THEY BUILD THE FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND CIVIC STRENGTH. AND IF WE WANT THAT STRENGTH TO LAST, NOT JUST IN SPIRIT, BUT ALSO IN STRUCTURE THAN THE FINANCIAL DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE TODAY MUST REFLECT THE FUTURE WE WANT OUR FAMILIES AND OUR CITY TO HAVE. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE [03:40:01] ALSO IN THE MIDST OF A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, AND THEY'RE SHOWING US WHAT NOT TO DO. SOME CALL IT POLITICS AS USUAL IN WASHINGTON, BUT FOR HOUSTON FAMILIES, IT'S VERY PERSONAL. WHEN FEDERAL WORKERS MISS A PAYCHECK, WHEN SMALL BUSINESSES LOSE CONTRACTS, WHEN COMMUNITY PROGRAMS SHUT DOWN AND WHEN FAMILIES CAN'T ACCESS THE HELP THAT THEY COUNT ON, IT DOESN'T STAY IN DC THAT IMPACT REACHES ALL THE WAY HOME. IT SHOWS UP AT THE DINNER TABLE, IT SHOWS UP IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD STORES ALREADY. THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK IS PREPARING FOR A SURGE IN NEED BECAUSE WHEN PAYCHECKS STOP, HUNGER GROWS. WHEN A FAMILY IS FORCED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN GROCERIES, RENT, AND GAS, IT'S MORE THAN AN INCONVENIENCE. IT'S A CRISIS. PLAIN AND SIMPLE, THIS IS NOT HOW GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. FAMILIES SHOULDN'T PAY THE PRICE FOR POLITICAL GRIDLOCK. WHEN LEADERS DELAY, DEFLECT, OR DENY TRUTHS, INSTEAD OF PLANNING RESPONSIBLY, THE COSTS DO NOT GO AWAY. THEY GET PASSED DOWN TO THE PEOPLE WHO THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO SERVE. THAT'S BECOMING A FAMILIAR STORY HERE IN HOUSTON. MAYOR WHITMEYER HAS PROPOSED HOLDING THE PROPERTY TAX RATE FLAT THIS YEAR. AND AT FIRST GLANCE, THAT SOUNDS LIKE NO BIG DEAL, BUT IN REAL TERMS, IT MEANS COLLECTING SUBSTANTIALLY LESS REVENUE THAN THE CITY NEEDS TO MEET THE BUDGET THAT YOU ALL PASSED IN JUNE, AND THIS ISN'T JUST A FEW BUCKS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SELF-INFLICTED SHORTFALL OF $53 MILLION, AND THAT'S ON TOP OF THE 70 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS IN DEFICIT SPENDING THAT YOU ALREADY APPROVED EXPLICITLY WITH YOUR BUDGET VOTES. TO COVER THAT GAP, WE'LL HAVE TO DRAW DOWN OUR RESERVES EVEN FURTHER. THE SAME RESERVES THAT WE DEPEND ON DURING HURRICANES FREEZES AND ECONOMIC SHOCKS. LAST MONTH, THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE ADVISED YOU THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING MORE TO PAD OUR GENERAL FUND RESERVES IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. THIS DECISION, THE DECISION ABOUT THE TAX RATE, DOESN'T FOLLOW THAT ADVICE. IN FACT, IT DOES THE EXACT OPPOSITE. ADDING TO THE SECOND LARGEST DEFICIT IN HOUSTON'S HISTORY. AND BY THE WAY, THE LARGEST DEFICIT IN HOUSTON'S HISTORY WAS LAST YEAR ON THAT BUDGET THAT YOU VOTED ON. AND AGAIN, ALSO REFUSE TO INPUT THE TAX RATE THAT YOU ALL VOTED FOR IN THE BUDGET. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I DO NOT WANT ANY OF YOU TO ACT LIKE THIS NEWS IS CATCHING YOU OFF GUARD TODAY. IT'S NOT DURING BUDGET SEASON. WE ALREADY HAD PRELIMINARY TAX NUMBERS FROM HCA AND JUST AS A REMINDER, AND SOME OF YOU, ALL OF YOU ARE HOMEOWNERS, I BELIEVE MANY OF YOU ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, BETWEEN THE PRELIMINARY RATES AT HCA AND THE FINAL RATE THAT YOU GET LATER ON, THE PROPERTY VALUES DO NOT GO UP. THEY GO DOWN BECAUSE PEOPLE APPEAL THOSE VALUES, RIGHT? SO THE PRELIMINARIES THAT WE HAD WERE ESSENTIALLY THE HIGHEST THEY WERE EVER GONNA BE, AND WE HAD THOSE NUMBERS AT THE TIME THAT YOU ALL VOTED ON THE BUDGET. NOW, DURING OUR BUDGET SEASON, MY OFFICE LAID OUT THIS EXACT SCENARIO IN OUR 10 HARD TRUTHS DOCUMENT, AND I'M QUOTING TRUTH NUMBER TWO. THIS BUDGET COUNTS ON A TAX INCREASE. REVENUE PROJECTIONS EXCEED WHAT THE CURRENT TAX RATE WOULD GENERATE TO MEET THIS PROJECTION. THE CITY WILL HAVE TO RAISE OUR TAXES THIS FALL. THAT IS WHAT WAS IN THAT DOCUMENT. AND WE DIDN'T LEAVE IT THERE. WE DIDN'T JUST KEEP IT ON PAPER. I STOOD RIGHT HERE AT THIS PODIUM AND I TOLD YOU, IF YOU VOTE FOR THIS BUDGET AS IT'S WRITTEN, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A TAX INCREASE. EITHER THAT OR WHEN YOU GET TO THAT MOMENT OF TRUTH, YOU WILL HAVE TO VOTE TO INCREASE THE DEFICIT SPENDING THAT MOMENT HAS ARRIVED. THAT MOMENT IS RIGHT NOW THE CHOICE OF SITTING BEFORE YOU. THE MAYOR HAS PROPOSED KEEPING THE FLAT, THE, THE TAX RATE FLAT, THAT WOULD ELIMINATE $50 MILLION OF GENERAL FUND REVENUE. WHERE IS THAT MONEY GOING TO COME FROM? SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE VOICED CONCERN ABOUT THE CITY'S REVENUE STREAMS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE COST OF THIS IMBALANCE DON'T JUST DISAPPEAR. THE MAYOR KNOWS IT'S A PROBLEM. YOU KNOW, IT'S A PROBLEM. THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE KNOWS IT'S A PROBLEM. THE RATINGS AGENCIES ARE TELLING US REPEATEDLY THAT IT'S A PROBLEM. SO KNOW THIS IS NOT COMING OUTTA NOWHERE. THE MATH HAS NOT CHANGED FROM BUDGET SEASON TO TODAY. WE HAVE TO CHANGE. WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE FINANCIAL APPROACH THAT WE'RE TAKING. WE HAVE TO CHANGE OUR MANAGEMENT STYLE AND STOP SABOTAGING OURSELVES FINANCIALLY AT EVERY MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITY. FOLKS HAVE COME TO EXPECT THAT FROM POLITICIANS IN DC BUT HOUSTON EXPECTS BETTER. WE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO DELAY THESE HARD DECISIONS OR PAPER OVER PROBLEMS WITH TEMPORARY FIXES. IF WE CONTINUE USING RESERVES TO CLOSE BUDGET GAPS, IT'S CLEAR THAT WE ARE GOING TO RUN OUT OF MONEY. WE ARE GOING TO PAINT OURSELVES INTO A CORNER, PUTTING HOUSTON'S LONG-TERM STABILITY [03:45:01] AS WELL AS CRITICAL CITY SERVICES AT RISK. BUT IF WE PROTECT WHAT WE BUILT AND PLAN WITH DISCIPLINE, THEN WE CAN KEEP HOUSTON STRONG. NOW, LET'S BE VERY CLEAR HERE. MY ROLE IS NOT TO SET THE TAX RATE. YOU ALONE HAVE THE POWER AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THAT, AND THAT DECISION IS BEFORE YOU. TODAY, MY OFFICE DOES THE MATH. MY OFFICE PUTS THOSE NUMBERS IN PLAIN ENGLISH. MY OFFICE FLAGS THE WRISTS AND THE TRADE OFFS AND SHARES THEM DIRECTLY WITH YOU ALL. AND MY OFFICE BRINGS TRANSPARENCY TO THESE CRUCIAL DECISIONS THAT AFFECT EVERY HOUSTONIAN. WE DO THAT SO THAT THE COUNCIL, AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE PUBLIC ALL HAVE THE SAME FULL PICTURE. AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO UPHOLD THAT RESPONSIBILITY. AND AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, WE REMAIN READY TO COLLABORATE WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO DEVELOP A SUSTAINABLE PATH FORWARD. THANK YOU. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT, MELISSA. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS THE TWO PLUS 10 FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING AUGUST 31ST, 2025. FISCAL YEAR 26 PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON TWO MONTHS OF ACTUAL RESULTS AND 10 MONTHS OF PROJECTIONS FOR THE GENERAL FUND. BOTH OUR REVENUE AND EXPEND EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS REMAIN UNCHANGED FROM THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND THE PRIOR MONTH. UH, RELATED TO SALES TAX, I KNOW WE GIVE AN UPDATE EVERY MONTH ON SALES TAX. SALES TAX RECEIPTS FOR THE MONTH OF JULY. WERE 76.4 MILLION, OR ABOUT 1.2% HIGHER THAN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR, AND ABOUT 2.3 MILLION HIGHER THAN BUDGETED. ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY CHANGE ON SALES TAX THIS MONTH. WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AS WE BELIEVE WE HAVE CONSERVATIVELY BUDGETED FOR SALES TAX, UM, BASED ON HOW FY 25 ACTUALS CAME IN. SO WITH THAT, UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY PROJECTING THE ENDING FUND BALANCE TO BE 374 MILLION, WHICH IS 28.6 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, AND 14.7% OF EXPENDITURES NOT INCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO. THAT FUND BALANCE REPRESENTS 183.7 MILLION ABOVE THE TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5%. AND AS WE DISCUSSED IN THE COMMITTEE MEETING YESTERDAY, THIS, UH, THESE FIGURES DON'T REPRESENT THE CHANGE THAT WILL BE NECESSITATED, UM, BY KEEPING THE, THE PROPERTY TAX RATE THE SAME. SO YOU'LL SEE THAT REFLECTED IN A, IN A FUTURE REPORT. UM, BASED ON THAT AND WHAT I TALKED ABOUT AT THE COMMITTEE YESTERDAY, THE, THE FUND BALANCE WILL GO FROM 14.7% OF EXPENDITURES, NOT INCLUDING DEBT SERVICE TO ABOUT 12.7% OF EXPENDITURES, UH, NOT INCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT REFLECTED IN A FUTURE REPORT. UM, AND I, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT AT THE HORSESHOE TODAY, BUT ONE THING WE ALSO DISCUSSED AT THE COMMITTEE YESTERDAY, UH, RELATED TO THE ASSESSED VALUATIONS THAT WE GET FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS AND AT THE TIME OF THE BUDGET, UM, WE GET SOMETHING CALLED A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS ON WHAT THEY THINK THE VALUATION WILL BE AT THAT TIME. UM, THEY SAID THAT THE VALUATION WOULD PROBABLY BE A GROWTH OF ABOUT 2% YEAR OVER YEAR. UH, WHAT CAME IN WITH THE CERTIFIED ROLE, WHICH IS WHAT WE USED TO CALCULATE THE TAX RATE, WAS ABOUT A 5% INCREASE, 4.8% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR. UM, SO WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD GOING IN AT THE TIME OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET, IF WE HAD GONE WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE APPRAISED VALUE WOULD'VE ONLY GROWN BY 2%, THAT WOULD'VE ACTUALLY RESULTED IN A BIGGER HIT TO THE FUND BALANCE THAN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTEMPLATING TODAY. UM, SO NOW THAT WE HAVE THE FULL INFORMATION FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE USE TO, TO CALCULATE THE TAX RATE AND CALCULATE NOT JUST THE TAX RATE, BUT WHAT WE THINK THE IMPACT TO THE BUDGET WILL BE, UM, WITH THAT FULL SET OF INFORMATION. UM, AND OF COURSE, UM, AS THE CONTROLLER MENTIONED, AND LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MAYOR PROAM, THAT ASSESSED VALUATION IS GONNA CONTINUE TO CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS PEOPLE GO THROUGH THE PROTEST AND THE HEARING PROCESS. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND UPDATE OUR, UM, OUR PROJECTIONS IN THE FUTURE THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR. THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. COUNCILMAN COL POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR REPORT DIRECTOR. UM, WHERE ARE WE PROJECTED TO BE AT, AT DEFICIT AT THE END OF GOING INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR? WHAT, WHAT IS THAT NUMBER? SO IF YOU INCLUDE, IF YOU INCLUDE THE DECREASE OF THE $53 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAX ESTIMATE, AND THAT'S AN ESTIMATE, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. UM, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE COLLECTION RATE, HOW MUCH VALUE LOST THROUGH HEARINGS, DELINQUENT COLLECTIONS WE GET. UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING NOW IS A FUND BALANCE OF ABOUT 12.7%, WHICH IS 321,000,321 MILLION. YES. DOLLAR DEFICIT. OKAY. AND WHAT IS THE RATIONALE, UM, FROM A FINANCE DEPARTMENT [03:50:01] STANDPOINT OF PUTTING OR USING, UH, THE MAXIMUM TAX RATE ALLOWABLE IN THE BUDGET AND THEN A COUPLE MONTHS LATER, UM, NOT GOING FORWARD WITH THAT? LIKE WALK ME THROUGH THAT BECAUSE IT SEEMS AS IF WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A CITY IS WE'RE DRAWN OFF THE FUND BALANCE EACH YEAR TO TRY TO BALANCE THE BUDGET AND WE'RE GOING LOWER AND LOWER AND LOWER TO THE POINT WHERE THERE MAY NOT BE ANY BALANCE LEFT IN THE FUND. AND SO IF WE, WE START AT 400 MILLION A COUPLE YEARS AGO, FUND BALANCE MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THAN 400 MILLION, NOW WE'RE JUST GETTING LOWER AND LOWER AND LOWER. IF WE KEEP DRAWING OFF THE FUND BALANCE, MEANING THAT WE'RE SPENDING MORE THAN WE'RE BRINGING IN, HOW ARE WE NOT GOING BACKWARDS WHEN YOUR OWN FIVE YEAR FORECAST SHOWS THAT ON AT A BASELINE, WE'RE GONNA BE AT AN ESTIMATED NEARLY $500 MILLION DEFICIT IN FIVE YEARS. RIGHT? AND SOME OF US ARE GONNA BE AROUND WHEN, WHEN THAT'S TAKING PLACE AND HAVE TO DEAL WITH THOSE NUMBERS. SO IF WE'RE TAKING AWAY $53 MILLION OR PROPOSE $53 MILLION, LIKE WHERE DO WE GET THE MONEY FROM TO STILL BE ABLE TO HAVE SUSTAINABLE SERVICES FOR, FOR THE CONSTITUENTS? MM-HMM . SO LET ME, LET ME FIRST ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE RATIONALE OF BUDGETING AT THE PROP ONE CAP. UM, THAT'S HISTORICALLY HOW WE HAVE SET THE BUDGET GOING BACK SINCE BEFORE I CAME TO THE CITY. UM, THE DIFFERENCE OF WHAT YOU SEE HAPPENING NOW IS THAT HISTORICALLY WE HAD ASSESSED VALUATION GROW BY SO MUCH CITYWIDE THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD TO LOWER OUR TAX RATE NOW NOT OF 11 YEARS, RIGHT? TO HIT THAT PROP ONE AMOUNT. WHAT WE'VE SEEN THE LAST TWO YEARS IS THAT ASSESSED VALUATIONS HAVE ONLY GROWN BY A SMALLER PERCENTAGE, WHICH MEANS THAT INSTEAD OF LOWERING THE TAX RATE, WE WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE TO COLLECT THE FULL PROP ONE AMOUNT. UM, I THINK AS WE, AS WE SEE AT THE LEGISLATURE, UH, AT THE CAPITOL, THEY'RE VERY FOCUSED ON ASSESSED VALUATION. HOW MUCH IS THAT GROWING BY NOT JUST FOR CITY TAXATION, BUT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALSO? THAT'S A MAIN FOCUS. UM, SO I THINK WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO GOING FORWARD IS, YOU KNOW, KEEP THAT IN MIND, ESPECIALLY AT THE TIME OF THE BUDGET, UM, THAT ASSESSED VALUATIONS MAY NOT GROW BY AS MUCH AS NEEDED TO COLLECT THE FULL PROP ONE AMOUNT OF REVENUE. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT AS PART OF THE CONVERSATION AT THE TIME OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET. I KNOW THE CONTROLLER, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT IT AT THE TIME OF THE BUDGET. WHY, WHY PUT IT IN THE BUDGET THEN? MM-HMM . WHY PUT THAT NUMBER IN THERE FOR US TO CONSIDER AS THE, THE VOTE FOR, UM, OUR PROJECTIONS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR? WHY, WHY PUT THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE? SO, AND I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE TIME, AT THE TIME OF THE BUDGET, WE GET SOMETHING CALLED A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT. UH, THIS YEAR THEY TOLD US IT WAS AN ESTIMATED 2% INCREASE. HISTORICALLY, WE'VE SEEN THAT THE ACTUAL INCREASE IN ASSESSED VALUATION COULD BE UP TO 5%, FIVE PERCENTAGE POINTS MORE THAN THAT. AND SO IT IS, WE HAVE INFORMATION AT THE TIME, BUT THEY DO GIVE A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE. AND SO IT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO KNOW, OKAY, IS IT REALLY GONNA GO UP BY 2% OR IS IT GONNA BE 8%, RIGHT? IT CAME IN AT 5% THIS YEAR. UM, AND SO WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT WE USE THE BEST INFORMATION WE HAVE AT THE TIME, UM, BASED ON WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE THINK WE CAN COLLECT BASED ON THE VALUATION INFORMATION WE HAVE CONTROLLER, CAN YOU GIVE SOME MORE COLOR TO IT BASED ON, UH, YOUR OUTLOOK ON HOW YOU VIEW USING THAT TAX RATE IN THE BUDGET AND THEN FOR THE SECOND YEAR, NOT GOING FORWARD WITH THAT AS WE PLAN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR. SURE. BEFORE I DO THAT, UM, I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS ON FUND BALANCE. 'CAUSE YOU MENTIONED LIKE A $400 MILLION FIGURE, UH, AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 2024. AND THIS IS BASICALLY WHAT YOU ALL INHERITED GOING INTO YOUR FIRST BUDGET SEASON. UH, FUND BALANCE AT THAT TIME WAS $567 MILLION. THAT'S THE HIGHEST END OF YEAR FUND BALANCE IN THE CITY'S HISTORY AFTER LAST YEAR. SO COMING INTO, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME? $567 MILLION AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 2024. SO THIS IS JUNE 30TH, 2024. AND AGAIN, HIGHEST FUND BALANCE IN THE CITY'S HISTORY. IT NOW A YEAR GOES BY. SO NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JUNE 30TH, 2025. WE SPENT DOWN $127 MILLION OF THAT FUND BALANCE, THE LARGEST DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE YEAR OVER YEAR IN THE CITY'S HISTORY. ALRIGHT, FAST FORWARD TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. [03:55:01] THE BUDGET THAT YOU ALL PASSED IN JUNE OF 2025, YOU BUDGETED, YOU KNOW, THIS IS BAKED INTO THE BUDGET, SO THIS WASN'T HIDDEN ANYWHERE. IT WAS RIGHT THERE. Y'ALL BUDGETED TO SPEND DOWN AN ADDITIONAL $76 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE IN THIS FISCAL YEAR THAT ASSUMES THAT YOU TAXED, UM, AT THE, AT THE REVENUE CAP. IF WE FOREGO THAT AND PASS THE RATE THAT YOU ALL, UM, ARE LOOKING AT TODAY, CONSIDERING TODAY THERE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL $53 MILLION, UH, SPENT DOWN. SO THOSE NUMBERS ADDED TOGETHER 129 MILLION, WHICH WOULD OUTPACE LAST YEAR, FRANKLY. SO, SO THAT'S THE MATH ON THAT. NOW, YOU ASKED, UH, THE QUESTION AROUND BUDGET AT THIS NUMBER, CHANGE THIS NUMBER. WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY. WE TALK ABOUT USING THE BEST INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AT THE TIME. AT THE TIME THAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS CONVERSATION, WE LOOKED AT THE TAX ROLL, WHICH IS THE BEST INFORMATION THAT WE HAD AT THE TIME. AND WHAT WE PUT OUT IN OUR REPORT WAS THAT IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE REVENUE FIGURE THAT YOU ALL PUT INTO THIS BUDGET, YOU WOULD HAVE TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES BETWEEN TWO AND 5%. UH, WHAT IT CAME OUT TO, I BELIEVE WAS 3.1%. IF YOU WERE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TODAY'S TAX RATE AND IF YOU WERE TO HIT THE REVENUE CAP, SO RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RANGE THAT WE PROVIDED TO YOU ALL, THAT WAS THE BEST INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT THE TIME. UH, AGAIN, I SAT HERE, STOOD RIGHT HERE. I SAID, IF YOU'RE VOTING ON THIS BUDGET, THERE'S A TAX RATE INCREASE IN HERE, RIGHT? AND SO IF WE'RE BEING HONEST AND STRAIGHTFORWARD WITH HOUSTONIANS, IF WE'RE NOT INTENDING TO RAISE THE TAX RATE, WE SHOULDN'T USE THAT REVENUE NUMBER IN THE BUDGET. BUT PLAIN AND SIMPLE, IT'S, IT'S ONE OR THE OTHER, RIGHT? AGAIN, Y'ALL VOTE ON THE TAX RATE, Y'ALL ALSO VOTE ON THE BUDGET, BUT THEY SHOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH ONE ANOTHER. AND FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, IF YOU MAKE THIS DECISION TODAY, Y'ALL HAVEN'T VOTED YET. IF YOU MAKE THIS DECISION TODAY, THIS WILL BE THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW WHERE WE BUDGETED FOR A PROPERTY TAX REVENUE AMOUNT THAT WOULD HAVE NECESSITATED A TAX INCREASE. AND THEN WHEN THE MOMENT OF TRUTH CAME, WE JUST KICKED THE CAN FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD, AS WE'VE SAID AROUND THIS HORSESHOE SEVERAL TIMES. SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. SO IF I COULD FOLLOW UP TO, TO TOUCH ON THE FUN BALANCE, 'CAUSE I'M SORRY, I ONLY ADDRESSED THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION. UM, WHEN YOU LOOK HISTORICALLY AND WE, WE GIVE A, A HISTORICAL TENURE LOOK AT IT. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST AT THE CITY, IF I COULD HIJACK THE SCREEN, I WOULD SHOW MY LITTLE GRAPH I CARRY AROUND IN MY POCKET. UM, YOU'RE RIGHT, WE DID HAVE VERY HIGH FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF FY 23. UM, WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO GET FEDERAL REVENUE, UM, AND BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE QUITE A LOT OF THAT AS REVENUE REPLACEMENT TO HELP BOLSTER THE FUND BALANCE TO HELP US WITH THE, THE FUTURE FISCAL YEARS. UM, WHEN YOU LOOK PRIOR TO THOSE YEARS WHEN WE HAD THE ARPA FUNDING, THE FUND BALANCE AT THE CITY WAS ANYWHERE, YOU KNOW, IN THE RANGE OF 11%, 13%, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE $300 MILLION RANGE. SO WE DID DEFINITELY SEE A BIG, YOU KNOW, SPIKE BECAUSE OF THE ARPA FUNDING, WHICH I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT WE HAD, RIGHT? UM, THAT REALLY, THAT REALLY HELPED US GET THROUGH. UM, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK HISTORICALLY, OUR FUND BALANCE NOW IS REALLY KIND OF MORE IN LINE WITH THOSE PRE ARPA DAYS. DOES YOUR FIVE YEAR FORECAST CHANGE FROM A BASELINE STANDPOINT? IF, UM, THE VOTE TODAY GOES FORWARD AND WE HAVE A $53 MILLION, UM, $53 MILLION LESS THAN WHAT WAS ANTICIPATED, DOES YOUR FIVE YEAR FORECAST THEN SHIFT TO ADD MORE TO THE DEFICIT? IT WILL MEAN WE HAVE LESS AVAILABLE FUND BALANCE TO HELP US GOING INTO THE NEXT YEAR. AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT A COMMITTEE YESTERDAY PERTAINS TO KIND OF THE, THE GOING FORWARD EFFECT OF COLLECTING LESS REVENUE IN ANY CURRENT YEAR. THE WAY THE STATE CAP WORKS AND THE WAY PART OF OUR LOCAL CAP WORKS IN THE CALCULATION IS THAT YOUR CAP FOR THE FUTURE YEAR IS BASED ON YOUR PREVIOUS YEAR ACTUALS. UH, AND SO IF YOU COLLECT LESS PROPERTY TAX IN THIS YEAR, IT IS GOING TO RESULT IN A LOWER CAP IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT, UH, REVISING THOSE PROJECTIONS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN DIRECTOR. I THINK YOU JUST, YOU JUST ADDRESSED IT AND, UM, ABOUT THE, THE EFFECT THAT THE LOWER, IT AFFECTS OUR CAP, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IN PERPETUITY, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF REVENUES WE COLLECT AND ON THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST, BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, IS BECAUSE WE'LL BE DIPPING AND, AND I THINK YOU SAID YESTERDAY AND AND WHAT MAYBE THAT 12.5% IS ABOUT $131 MILLION OVER THE 7.5%? YES. OKAY. SO, SO LIKE I SAID, WE, WE, THAT, THAT'S SOME CUSHION TO, TO DIP INTO. [04:00:01] AND, AND MY STATEMENT EARLIER ABOUT, AND THIS CAME UP WITH YOU IN A PREVIOUS DISCUSSION ABOUT KIND OF HOW WE, HOW WE KIND OF ALWAYS SETTLED AT THE END OF THE YEAR BECAUSE WE HAD THESE VACANCIES, AND IS IT DO, IS THERE STILL WORK TO DO? I MEAN, DO WE STILL HAVE VACANCIES? DO WE STILL HAVE CUTS THAT CAN BE MADE IN THE GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE UP SOME OF THAT MONEY? UH, BE, BESIDES THE 17 MILLION OR WHATEVER WAS IN THE BUDGET FOR THE MM-HMM . FOR THE, UH, EY CONTRACT SPEND, WE DO THINK WE WILL STILL HAVE ADDITIONAL VACANCY SAVINGS. UM, AS YOU KNOW, PART OF THE EY STUDY RECOMMENDED DEPARTMENTS GOING THROUGH THEIR REORGANIZATION, LOOKING AT THEIR SPAN OF CONTROL, REDUCING THE LAYERS. UM, AND PART OF THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR PUT INTO PLACE A HIRING FREEZE FOR DEPARTMENTS UNTIL THEY HAVE THEIR REORG PLANS APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATION. SO THERE DEFINITELY WAS A, UM, YOU KNOW, SLOWING AND HIRING, UM, AS DEPARTMENTS HAVE GONE THROUGH THOSE REORGANIZATIONS. AND SO WE DO BELIEVE THAT THERE WILL BE SOME ADDITIONAL VACANCY SAVINGS. OKAY. OKAY. AND I KNOW NOT $53 MILLION, BUT SOME, RIGHT. NOT $53 MILLION. I, I AND I DO, UM, I KNOW DURING THE QUARTERLY REPORTS YOU'LL BE GIVING KIND OF AN UPDATE ON WHAT THE EY THE CONTRACT SPEND, UM, ENGAGEMENT THAT THEY HAVE, WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE, AND ALSO KIND OF REALLY WHERE, WHERE WE STILL SEE THAT THERE CAN BE SOME EFFICIENCIES AND CUTS IN THE, IN THE DE IN THE DEPARTMENTS. AND WE'LL GET THAT IN THE QUARTERLY. YES. UH, ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU. WE JUST TO ACCEPT THE REPORT, NEED A MOTION MOVE TO ACCEPT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT. DO DATED AUGUST 31ST, 2025. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NA MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. WE'RE JUST VOTING ON THE HEARING DATE. I'M SORRY, [CONSENT AGENDA] MR. SECRETARY, WOULD YOU BRING UP ITEM TWO AND THREE ITEMS? TWO AND THREE. NEED A MOTION? CASTEX, TATUM, MOVE I SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. COUNCILOR RAMIREZ. UH, COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, ARE ANY OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO BE ON THE BOARD HERE PRESENT THREE? I WAS JUST FIXING TO INTRODUCE, UH, TIFFANY ROBINSON, ALLEN DOUGLAS AND CHRISTOPHER JOHNSTON. UM, THEY'RE PRESENT. DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND NO, I'M JUST, I GUESS BEATING YOU TO THE PUNCH. ALRIGHT, . NO, NO. UH, I'M PROUD OF THE APPOINTMENTS WE'VE, UH, DISCUSSED WITH 'EM HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS. AND THEY HAVE, UH, EXPERTISE AND A TRACK RECORD OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE EVERYWHERE THEY'VE BEEN. SO IT'S, IT'S A HUGE, AS YOU KNOW, AND YOU'VE SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIMES REVIEWING TS AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES, UH, THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR. YES. AND I, I JUST REQUIRE A LOT OF DUE DILIGENCE. RIGHT. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. UM, THE PROBLEMS AT THE MIDTOWN TOURS HAVE BEEN WIDELY REPORTED AND, UM, I, I THINK THAT THAT OPERATION IS IN A GREAT NEED OF CHANGE. UM, THE MAYOR HAS PREVIOUSLY CHANGED OUT THE BOARD AT THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND THEY MADE GREAT STRIDES IN, IN TURNING AROUND THAT AGENCY. I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL DO THE SAME THING WITH THE MIDTOWN TOURS. I KNOW THE TOURS HAS HUNDREDS OF LOTS THAT COULD BE USED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. UM, AND, UM, I JUST WISH YOU THE BEST AND, AND WE SUPPORT YOU. BUT WE'LL ALSO BE WATCHING, UH, FOR PROGRESS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Y'ALL WANNA RISE AND LET US, UH, CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE YOU. THANK Y'ALL. COUNCILOR KAMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, AND I TOO WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE FOR SERVING. WE DO HAVE A FEW FOLKS NOT HERE THAT WILL BE RETURNING, THAT HAVE SERVED ON THE BOARD, UM, DILIGENTLY AND BEEN TERRIFIC STEWARDS. BUT I DO WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU, UM, AND TIFFANY, I KNOW WE JUST MET, SO, UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU. BUT I DO WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALAN, UM, BECAUSE ONE, NOT ONLY SERVING AS CHAIR, BUT THE EXPERIENCE THAT YOU BRING, UM, THROUGH YOUR WORK AT DOWNTOWN HOUSTON PLUS, AND THE FACT THAT MAYOR, WE ARE ABLE TO DO THIS, UH, EXTENSIVE COLLABORATION, BRINGING, UH, ALL OF THIS TOGETHER, I THINK IS REALLY GONNA MOVE THE BALL FORWARD. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU AND CHRIS AS WELL. THANK YOU. SHAB. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN FINDING THESE CAPABLE PEOPLE. OH, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND CERTAINLY I WANT TO THANK, UH, YOU ALL FOR DEDICATING YOUR SERVICE. YOU ALL ARE A GREAT, GREAT SUPPORT TO [04:05:01] DISTRICT D AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER TO GET THINGS DONE FOR THE CONSTITUENTS. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY AND A WONDERFUL TERM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK Y'ALL. YOU CAN GO TO WORK. NEXT CONSENT AGENDA IS NEXT. MR. SECRETARY, THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY. ITEM FOUR HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM THREE? I'M SORRY, MISCELLANEOUS, WE'VE ALREADY DONE. DONE? YES. OKAY. UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY, ITEM FIVE HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY. UH, SINCE YOUR LIST HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED, UH, THERE'LL BEEN A FEW CHANGES. UH, ITEMS 6, 8, 10, AND 11 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, AND 16. CAST T MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY. AGAIN, SINCE YOUR LIST HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED, THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW CHANGES. UH, ITEM 30 AND 33 HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. ITEMS 30, I'M SORRY. ITEMS 26, 27, 34, AND 41 HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF THEY'RE RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING. ITEMS 17, 18, 20, 29, 30, 33, 36, 37, 42, 44, 45, AND 48 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 17, 18, 20, 29, 30, 33, 36, 37, 42, 44, 45, AND 48. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. 32. MM-HMM . YEP. ALRIGHT. ITEMS REMOVED [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM FOUR NEEDS A MOTION. ITEM FOUR IS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. JACKSON. YES, SIR. ITEM FIVE NEEDS A MOTION TAG. MARTINEZ. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ TAGS. ITEM FIVE. ITEM ITEM SIX. NEEDS A MOTION CAST ITEM MOVE SECOND. COUNCIL. MOTIONS MADE IN SEGMENT. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I QUICKLY WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT THIS ITEM, UM, FOR ELECTRICAL REPAIR AND REHABILITATION WORK, UM, AT THE WOW ROUNDABOUT. NOW THIS IS NOT COMING OUT OF THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND. THIS IS DOLLARS FROM THE PARKING BENEFIT DISTRICT. AND, UM, I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD USE OF FUNDING. THE LIGHTING AROUND THE ROUNDABOUT HAVE BEEN OUT FOR YEARS, AND I WANTED TO, UH, THANK THE DISTRICT, THE PARKING BENEFIT DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND A RA, UM, BECAUSE ALL OF IT'S BEING TAKEN FROM METER REVENUE AND BEING REINVESTED BACK INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. MAYOR, YOU'RE VERY, VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ROUNDABOUT AND THAT THESE LIGHT FIXTURES HAVE BEEN OUT AND IT'S, UH, NOT SAFE, BUT IT'S ALSO JUST AN EYESORE. UH, SO THANK YOU TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, MARK FAIRCHILD, KEITH EDGAR, DAVID CHIN, JULIE MABRY, AND SHARON STEWART FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP, AS WELL AS PARTNERSHIP WITH A RA. UH, THIS HAS BEEN SEVERAL YEARS IN THE MAKING AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, THEM STAYING ON IT TO, UH, SEE THIS THROUGH. THANK YOU. NEXT, NEXT. ITEM EIGHT NEEDS A MOTION. I A MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND, UH, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. THIS ITEM AND ITEM SEVEN, BOTH, UH, DEAL WITH OUR ANIMAL CONTROL EFFORTS WITH, UH, SPAY NEUTER SERVICES AND ANIMAL TRANSPORT SERVICES. [04:10:01] AND I WANTED TO USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY 'CAUSE THEY'RE BOTH VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF, OF OUR ANIMAL WELFARE TO PUSH FOR THE NEW BARK SHELTER PROJECT TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. UH, THAT IS GOING TO BE, UH, NECESSARY IN INCREASING OUR CAPACITY, UH, TO GET ANIMALS OFF OF THE STREET, GET THEM OUT INTO HOMES FOR ADOPTION. BUT, UH, I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS ARE EAGER TO SEE THAT MOVE FORWARD. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED IT, UH, AT THE, THE PET SET EVENT AND, AND JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THAT ON THE TOP OF EVERYBODY'S MIND. MAYOR, THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ? YES, MAYOR. I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, I'M SUPPORTING THIS, SUPPORTING THIS. ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY A COUPLE MONTHS AGO TO TOUR RESCUED PET MOVEMENTS FACILITY. AND, UH, THEY'VE GOT A, A GREAT OPERATION GOING THERE. UH, VERY EFFICIENT, UH, VERY CLEAN. A LOT OF ANIMALS TRANSPORTED TO OTHER PLACES. THEY HAVE MEDICAL CARE THERE, AND I JUST CAN'T SEE ENOUGH ABOUT, UH, THE OPERATION THEY RUN THERE. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 10 NEEDS A MOTION CAST SIX T TO MOVE. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 11 NEEDS A MOTION CAST SIX, TAKE TO MOVE. SECOND. MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. COUNCIL CAYMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. I WILL NEVER PASS UP AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPOTLIGHT, UH, THE WORK BEING DONE BOTH ON OUR RMS SYSTEM FOR HPD AND OUR CAD SYSTEM. THIS IS SOMETHING, UM, BOTH MYSELF AND COUNCIL MEMBER PECK HAVE BEEN WORKING ON LITERALLY SINCE DAY ONE COMING INTO OFFICE. UH, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THE PRO THE PROGRESS, SLOW AND STEADY. UM, I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS LIKE THIS BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE A VERY HIGH PRICE TAG, BUT IT ALL GOES BACK TO EFFICIENCIES THAT WILL SAVE IN THE LONG RUN WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY. UH, AS WELL AS JUST THE BASIC NECESSITY OF BRINGING OUR CITY INTO THE MODERN AGE, UH, OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY. SO, AGAIN, SPOTLIGHTING THIS BECAUSE THE WORK IS CONTINUING, WE ARE SEEING PROGRESS, AND, UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO EVENTUALLY SEE ALL OF THIS COME TO FRUITION. GOOD VICE MAYOR PROAM PECK. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CAME IN FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. UM, I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT, UM, A PRESENTATION WILL BE AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING IN NOVEMBER ABOUT THESE TWO ITEMS. WE'RE JUST VOTING ON CONSULTING SERVICES TODAY, BUT THE ACTUAL, UM, TWO PROGRAMS WILL BE HEARD AT THE NOVEMBER COMMITTEE MEETING. IT WILL BE ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD AT 10:00 AM OUR MEETINGS ARE USUALLY ON TUESDAYS. I THINK WE HAD TO FLIP WITH BFA THAT, UH, MONTH. SO IT'LL BE MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD AT 10:00 AM THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUST TO VOTE ON IT. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 17 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON? WELL, I CAN GO AFTER IT BEFORE, BUT MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR, UM, INCLUDING THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE CITY'S LIABILITY INSURANCE. AND THIS IS GONNA ALLOW OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS TO USE THE HCC CENTERS. UM, AS WE KNOW, OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THEY NEED TO BE PROTECTED. AND SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN HAVING SOME ISSUES, UM, GETTING THEM INTO A HCC, UM, COMMUNITIES TO, UM, HCC CENTERS TO HAVE THEIR, UM, MEETINGS. AND SO NOW THAT THEY HAVE INSURANCE, UM, AND THEY'RE UNDER THE CITY'S INSURANCE, UM, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO MEET WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM, A 18 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. VICE MAYOR PRO PECK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO THANK A RA FOR, UM, FOR THIS ITEM. WE HAD, UM, IKEA COME TO US IN DISTRICT A, UM, ABOUT THE, UM, SECONDHAND RESELLERS ORDINANCE AND, UM, TO LET US KNOW THAT THEY HAVE TO BASICALLY JUMP THROUGH HOOPS TO BE ABLE TO SELL THEIR OWN PRODUCTS BACK WHEN PEOPLE ARE RETURNING THEIR ITEMS. AND ALSO CHARITIES TOO, WHEN PEOPLE ARE DONATING ITEMS. SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THIS ORDINANCE TO MAKE IT EASIER ON SOME SMALL BUSINESSES AND, AND BIGGER BUSINESSES TOO IN OUR COMMUNITIES. NO, 18. WE DID. SORRY. OKAY. UM, MAYOR, WE DID JUST GET IN THE REPORTS FROM THE, [04:15:12] OKAY. ITEMS ONE AND ONE A HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. HMM. ONE, A ONE AND ONE A'S THE YES. EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK. ITEM ONE A IS A MOTION AWARDING THE SALE OF TAX AND REVENUE ANTICIPATION NOTE SERIES 2025. JUST NEED A MOTION CAST TAX TATUM MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. AND ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. OKAY. CONTROLLER WAS WAITING TO COME IN AND ACTUALLY MAKE THE PRESENTATION. I DID NOT KNOW THAT. I APOLOGIZE. DON'T ME IN UPON, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. LET'S GO. I AM SORRY. THERE WAS A MISCOMMUNICATION. THE CONTROLLER WOULD LIKE TO, UM, PRESENT THIS TO US. SO WHY DON'T WE PAUSE AND LET HIM, UH, ADDRESS HIS DECISIONS. MR. CONTROLLER? I'M BACK. UH, ALRIGHT, COUNSEL. UM, ON THE AGENDA TODAY IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON TAX AND REVENUE ANTICIPATION NOTES SERIES 2025. THESE ARE CALLED TRANS NOTES. THE PURPOSE OF TRANS NOTES IS TO BRIDGE THE GAP FOR OPERATING EXPENSES UNTIL PROPERTY TAXES, UH, COME IN EARLY NEXT YEAR. UH, EACH ONE OF YOU, I THINK, HAS JUST RECEIVED A COPY OF THE WINNING BIDS, UH, FOR THIS YEAR'S. TRANS NOTES, UH, WE WERE GOING THROUGH THAT TRANSACTION UPSTAIRS THIS MORNING. UH, THE ISSUANCE THIS YEAR IS IN THE AMOUNT OF $121 MILLION. UH, WE RECEIVED FIVE WINNING BIDS, AND THEY ARE FROM PNC CAPITAL MARKETS, GOLDMAN SACHS, BOK FINANCIAL, HILLTOP SECURITIES, AND JP MORGAN SECURITIES. THE TRUE INTEREST COST THAT WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE, UH, ON THIS TRANSACTION IS 2.4646%, UH, LAST YEAR IN 2024, THE TRANS SIZE, THE SIZE OF THIS, THIS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF EQUIVALENT TRANSACTION WAS $99 MILLION. UH, THE SIZE OF THAT, UH, THE DIFFERENCE IS BASED ON THE DEPLETION OF ARPA FUNDS BETWEEN LAST YEAR, WHERE WE JUST HAD A LITTLE BIT OF ARPA FUNDS LEFT TO THIS YEAR WHERE WE HAVE, UH, NONE. SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S WHAT THAT INCREASE IN AMOUNT IS FOR. UH, I WANNA THANK THE CONTROLLER'S, OFFICE, TREASURY TEAM. I WANNA THANK FINANCE. I WANNA THANK OUR LEGAL COUNSEL AS WELL AS OUR FINANCIAL ADVISORS, UH, FOR COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN THIS MORNING. UH, AND THIS IS NOW BEFORE YOU FOR A VOTE. WE VOTED VERY GOOD. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. I, WE ALREADY VOTED. YEAH, LET'S, UH, DO IT AGAIN. VOTING ON ONE AND ONE. EIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. OPPOSED? OPPOSED. NA. MOTION PASSES AGAIN. RULES. POINT OF ORDER. DID WE NEED TO MOVE TO RECONSIDER, OR WAS THAT MOTION AGAIN? NO, WE'RE FINE. WE LET HIM SAY HIS PEACE AND EXPLAIN IT. WE VOTED. ITEM 20 IS AN ORDINANCE. UH, JUST NEED A VOTE. HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON. ITEM 20, ITEM 20. ITEM 20 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. JUST NEED A VOTE. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. [04:20:02] ITEM 29 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. COUNCIL MEMBER. I'M SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER . YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS. UM, VENUS AEROSPACE IS COMING OUT TO ELLINGTON FIELD. UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE PAYING LEASE PAYMENTS TO THE AIRPORT SYSTEM. THE LEASE PAYMENTS ESCALATE EVERY YEAR. THEY'RE REQUIRED TO PUT IN, UH, $500,000 OF IMPROVEMENTS. UH, AT THE END OF THE LEASE, THE CITY GETS TO DECIDE, DO WE WANT TO KEEP THE IMPROVEMENTS THE WAY THEY ARE, OR NO, IT DOESN'T WORK FOR US. THEN THEY HAVE TO REMOVE THEM. UH, THIS ALSO, UH, HELPS FURTHER THE ENTIRE SPACE PORT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, ENGINES THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON, AND KIND OF, UH, CREATES THE CRITICAL MASS THAT'S GOING ON THERE WITH, UH, THE SPACE. SO IT, IT'S A GREAT THING. THANK YOU. NEXT, NEXT. ITEM 30 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED ITEM 30. ITEM 30 IS AN ORDINANCE. COUNCILOR CAMAN. WE'RE ON ITEM 30. UM, I'M PLANNING TO TAG THIS, BUT, UM, WANTED TO SAY A FEW REMARKS AND I'M HAPPY TO OPEN IT UP FOR OTHER CONVERSATION. UM, THIS ITEM IS FOR, UH, EXTENDING OUTSIDE COUNSEL, UH, FOR CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS. THE CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED, UM, I DO NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH, THERE IS ONE, UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL LINES, HOWEVER, IN THE DESCRIPTION THAT ALSO SAY, THE FIRM IS NOW REPRESENTING THE CITY IN NEGOTIATIONS AND REAL ESTATE RESEARCH RELATED TO THE LIKELY CONDEMNATION OF CITY PARK LAND BY HARRIS HEALTH, HARRIS COUNTY FOR THE EXPANSION OF BEN TOP, UH, REFERENCING OF COURSE, UH, HERMAN PARK. AND, UH, MAYOR, WHILE I, I FULLY SUPPORT AND AGREE WITH THE NEED FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND EXPERTISE, THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO FLAG. UM, ONE, WHEN MY OFFICE IN THE PAST HAS REACHED OUT TO DEPARTMENTS TO ASK, HEY, WHAT IS GONNA BE THE PROCESS HERE? WHAT IS COUNCIL'S INVOLVEMENT GOT GOTTEN? OR WHAT IS COUNCIL GOING TO SEE? UH, WE GOT SOME MASTERFUL, NON-RESPONSIVE RESPONSES, BASICALLY SAYING THAT, UH, WE'LL EVALUATE ALL OPTIONS. IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO EXPAND EMERGENCY HEALTHCARE, WHICH NO ONE DISAGREES WITH. THEY, UH, THE DEPARTMENTS REMAINED DEDICATED TO THE STEWARDSHIP AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PARKS. BUT IN NO WAY DID WE GET INFORMATION ON WHAT IS COMING TO COUNCIL. UH, AND WE'RE STARTING TO GET, I REPRESENT LARGE SWATHS OF NEIGHBORHOODS SURROUNDING IN A BUDDING THE PARK. AND RESIDENTS ALSO ARE NOT AWARE OF WHAT THE PLAN IS, WHAT IS HAPPENING. UM, SO I I, I COMMITTED TO OUR RESIDENTS THAT I WOULD RAISE THIS BECAUSE, AGAIN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, UH, I REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. THE COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S GOING ON, AND AS IT RELATES TO OUTSIDE COUNCIL, UH, IT'D BE VERY HELPFUL TO ALSO KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING AS A CITY TO MITIGATE THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF PUBLIC PARK LAND. SO, I'M, I'M GONNA TAG SO WE CAN HOPEFULLY GET SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THAT. UM, BUT THOSE ARE THREE, THREE CONCERNS THAT I WANTED TO ELEVATE TODAY ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTS. UH, SO I'M HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO LIFT THE TAG FOR CONVERSATION IF NECESSARY, IF ANYONE'S IN QUEUE. COUNCILOR RAMIREZ IS IN QUEUE. UH, THANK YOU. AND FOR YOUR QUESTION, WE'LL GET YOU ALL THE INFORMATION YOU WANT. I'LL GET HARRIS HEALTH HERE. UM, THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS, BUT WE'LL DO, UH, ONE RIGHT HERE. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR YOUR REMARKS AND YOUR LIFTING OF THE TAG. I TOO HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY CONSTITUENTS WHO HAVE, UH, CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, THIS EMINENT DOMAIN PROCEDURE AND WHAT THE CITY'S POSITION ON IT IS AND WHETHER OR NOT THE PARK WILL BE PROTECTED. AND SO I WELCOME A PRESENTATION FROM, UH, THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT OR HARRIS HEALTH ON WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON, WHAT, WHAT THE PLANS ARE TO COMPENSATE THE CITY FOR THE PARKLAND THEY PROPOSE TO TAKE, AND HOW LONG THIS IS GOING TO, UH, TO TAKE. SO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN CAYMAN CONCERNS ABOUT MEDICAID FUNDING. THIS ACTUALLY AS PRESENTED, SPEAKS TO THE NEXT HUNDRED YEARS OF PROVIDING EMERGENCY CARE HEALTHCARE TO THE DISADVANTAGE. SO IT'S NOT JUST IN THE NEAR TERM, BUT, UH, THE LEADERSHIP AT THE COUNTY. AND HARRIS HEALTH BELIEVES THIS IS ESSENTIAL TO KEEPING UP WITH HOUSTON'S GROWTH, UH, FOR THE NEXT A HUNDRED YEARS. SO WE'LL GET YOU ALL THE INFORMATION. UH, I [04:25:01] BELIEVE IT'S A VERY HUGE BENEFIT FOR OUR REGION, AND WE'RE SENSITIVE TO THE CITY PROPERTY THAT THEY ARE CONDEMNING, CERTAINLY PROTECTING OUR PARK LANDS. BUT UNDERSTOOD, I THINK, I THINK YOU'LL BE IMPRESSED WHEN YOU GET THE PRESENTATION. AND, AND MAYOR, I, I APPRECIATE THAT. AGAIN, I THINK COUNCIL NEEDS TO BE INFORMED AND ALSO THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE INFORMED. IT'S SO, I, I APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR EFFORTS TO SEE THAT, THAT, THAT HAPPENS. SO WITH THAT, I'LL TAG THANK YOU. SOUNDS, SOUNDS REASONABLE TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CAMAN AND RAMIREZ TAGGED BY COUNCILMAN CAMAN AND RAMIREZ. I, I, I JOINED THE TAG. JOINED THE TAG. THAT'S FINE. I APOLOGIZE. ITEM 33 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 36 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 37 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. OPPOSED? A MOTION PASSES. WAIT. 37. DID WE, I THINK, DO WE NEED TO SET THE HEARING DATES OR DOES IT JUST PASS? THEY'RE IN THE ORDER. THEY'RE JUST IN IT. OKAY. THANK YOU THOUGH. VERY GOOD. NEXT ITEM 42 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. SURE. COUNCIL MEMBER 42, VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NO. COUNCILMAN CAMAN. MAYOR, JUST SPOTLIGHTING. UM, THIS IS FOR PHASE TWO OF DURHAM SHEPHERD, WHICH THE COMMUNITY IS EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT. UM, CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO START BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. UH, RESIDENTS CAN START TO SEE CREWS MOBILIZING THIS MONTH. UH, SO JUST AGAIN, WANNA LIFT UP THE REALLY IMPORTANT AND BENEFICIAL WORK, UM, HAPPENING, HAPPENING ALONG DURHAM SHEPHERD. VERY GOOD. NEXT ITEM 44 IS AN ORDINANCE, JUST ME TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES AS OPPOSED TO NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 45 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. 1 45. YES. UM, CAPTAIN JACKSON, 1 45. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. YEAH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS. THIS IS A HIRING A, UM, CONSULTANT TO COME IN AND START THE PROJECT, UM, IN THE FRENCHTOWN AREA THAT FLOODS A LOT. REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND SO THIS PROJECT IS REQUIRED BY THE, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT MITIGATION, LOCAL DRAINAGE ACTION PLAN. AND IT WILL UP REGRADE THE DITCHES, UM, REPLACE EXISTENCE, STORM PIPE, UM, CULVERTS AND DRIVEWAYS, OVERLAY THE PAVEMENT AND REPAIR SIDEWALKS. AND SO, UM, THE FOLKS IN, IN FRENCHTOWN HAS BEEN WAITING TO SEE MOVEMENT, UM, ON THESE PROJECTS. AND SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE BRINGING IN SOME CONSULTANTS TO START MOVING IT FORWARD. SO, THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM 48 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. COUNCILOR MARTINEZ. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, JUST WANT TO, UH, APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUE SUPPORT ON THIS. UH, MASON PARK. UH, RECEIVED A MASTER PLAN IN ABOUT 2017, UH, WITH THE PRICE TAG OF ABOUT $32 MILLION. THERE WAS NO FUNDING IN SITE AT THAT AT THAT TIME. UH, ONCE TAKEN OFFICE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH THE TURS. UH, NOW WE HAVE A MASON PARK CONSERVANCY, UH, THE STATE AS WELL. UM, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, UH, ACQUIRE A LOT MORE FUNDING. THIS IS CITY DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING TOWARDS, UH, THE MASON PARK, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER ROOF, UH, THE CLUBHOUSE, THE POOL, UM, AND ULTIMATELY GET THAT, THAT, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER UP AND RUNNING. THAT'S BEEN DOWN SINCE, UM, ONE OF THE LAST ABOUT FREEZE THAT WE HAD ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO. UM, AND SO I'M, I'M, I'M APPRECIATIVE TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR, THEIR SUPPORT IN THIS. UM, THIS PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED WITHIN A HUNDRED DAYS. THE CIVIC CLUB HAS USED TO MEET THERE, EAST LAWNDALE. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO. AND SO, UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO START SEEING A LOT OF THINGS MOVING IN MASON PARK. AND, UH, AGAIN, I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE BEEN HEARING ME SINCE DAY ONE, BEING TAKING OFFICE. UH, THAT $32 MILLION PRICE TAG DEFINITELY IS INCREASED, BUT ULTIMATELY WE WILL SEE A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. AND I WANT TO JUST SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE, THE EAST END COMMUNITY, UH, ULTIMATELY, BUT ALSO EAST LAWNDALE FOR THEIR PERSISTENCE, UH, PUSHING OUR TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, MOVING THESE PROJECTS ALONG. THANK YOU. [04:30:01] RAM COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ? NO, I JUST WANT TO, UH, SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ IN HIS REMARKS. UH, MASON PARK IS A BEAUTIFUL PARK. UH, MOST OF HOUSTONIANS PROBABLY ARE NOT AWARE OF THAT, BUT, UH, IT DESERVES, UH, TO BE IN THE CATEGORY OF SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, FINE PARKS WE HAVE IN THE CITY. AND SO I SUPPORT IMPROVEMENTS TO, TO THAT BUILDING AND, AND TO THE PARK. AND, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT COME TO PASS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. [NON-CONSENT - MISCELLANEOUS] ITEM 56 NEEDS A MOTION'S. A MOTION TO SET A HEARING DATE. CASTEX STATED, MOVE TO SET THE HEARING DATE FOR 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER THE 15TH, 2025. SECOND MOTION IS MADE AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. MAYOR WHITMEYER APPOINT ORDER. UM, CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT? AFTER THE 15TH, WHEN THE ACTUAL COUNSEL ACTION FOR THE VOTE, ARE WE GONNA DO PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN VOTE ON THE RATE, OR WE'RE GONNA DO TWO SEPARATE ACTIONS, HEARING AND THEN AFTER THE HEARING, AND THEN IT COMES ON THE NEXT AGENDA. WHAT'S OUR TIMING ON THAT? THERE ARE, UM, ACTUALLY THE HEARING IS SUPPOSED TO BE SCHEDULED BEFORE THE VOTE, RIGHT? RIGHT. SO IT'S TWO. SO WE DO HEARING, WE CLOSE HEARING THEN COUNCIL ACTION. OKAY. JUST WANT CLARIFY. ON THE SAME DAY. ON THE SAME DAY. SO I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THAT NATIONAL NIGHT, I, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAD THE RIGHT STEPS. THANK YOU. YES. SAME DAY. SAME DAY. YES MAAM. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM 57 IS A MOTION TO SET A HEARING DATE. CASTEX TATUM. MOVE TO SET THE HEARING DATE AT 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH. I SECOND MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 58 IS A MOTION TO SET A HEARING DATE. CASTEX TATUM. MOVE TO SET THE HEARING DATE AT 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER THE THIRD. 2025. I SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NOW WE HAVE A COUPLE THAT HAVE COME IN SINCE WE'VE STARTED, SINCE SINCE THE MEETING. ITEMS 26 AND 34 HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. ITEM 26 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT ITEM 34 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. AND THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. POPOFF. [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, OCTOBER'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. UH, EACH YEAR I PARTNER WITH AID TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE, ABTA TRE'S AWARENESS ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WITH THEIR ANNUAL BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN. SO I HOPE YOU ALL WILL JOIN AT 1130 FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE WITH ABDA CLEAR CHANNEL AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS, UM, MAYOR ABBOTT. GOVERNOR ABBOTT RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT HE'S INITIATING, UH, A SPECIAL TASK FORCE HERE IN HOUSTON AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE. AND, UH, AS COUNSEL, WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON WHAT THIS IS. SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS INITIATIVE IS. UM, I CONTINUE TO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT FORCING MORE VICTIMS OF CRIME INTO THE SHADOWS. UM, RIGHT NOW I BELIEVE THAT THE FOCUS NEEDS TO REMAIN ON THE TRAGIC NEXUS BETWEEN CRIME AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WHEN A QUARTER OF ALL HOMICIDES IN HOUSTON ARE RELATED TO DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE, WE'RE SEEING INCREASES IN VIOLENT INCIDENTS AND THE PRESENCE OF FIREARMS. UH, THERE HAVE BEEN 1300 REPORTED CASES OF BREATH AND STRANGULATION INCIDENTS ALONE THIS YEAR. SO THOSE ARE NOT CAPTURED IN HOMICIDE NUMBERS. UH, AT THE SAME TIME WE KNOW THAT REPORTING OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENTS IS ACTUALLY DOWN, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S NOT HAPPENING. IT MEANS THAT PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO REPORT. UM, NOT ONLY IS THERE A STIGMA, BUT AGAIN, WHICH IS WHAT THIS PUBLIC CAMPAIGN SEEKS TO ADDRESS. BUT TODAY, WITH THE THREATS OF ICE, UH, MANY VICTIMS FEEL UNSAFE REPORTING. SO AWARENESS AND EDUCATION CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO SOMEONE LOSING THEIR LIFE OR SURVIVING. SO I ASK EVERYONE TO JOIN US, UH, IF YOU ARE ABLE AS WE DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC SAFETY. UM, I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT [04:35:01] TO RECOGNIZE THAT YESTERDAY WAS THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE OCTOBER 7TH ATTACKS, UH, TO RECOGNIZE THE UNIMAGINABLE PAIN OF THIS DAY, THE HORRIFIC SUFFERING THAT WAS IGNITED FOR THE REGION IN ISRAEL, IN GAZA, IN THE WEST BANK, IN THE AFTERMATH. AND WE CONTINUE TO ALL HOLD OUR BREATH FOR PEACE. UM, FOR MANY OF US, WE WANT THE HOSTAGES RETURNED HOME AND THE SENSELESS KILLING AND TORMENT OF INNOCENT PALESTINIANS IN GAZA TO END. UH, BUT MY REASON FOR SPEAKING TODAY ON THIS IS NOT TO WEIGH IN ON GEOPOLITICS. IT'S BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT THAT THIS IS HAVING ON OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. UH, MANY CANNOT FATHOM THE LENGTHS AND EXTENT OF SECURITY THREAT, THREATS AND RESPONSIVE MEASURES THAT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY HAS BEEN FACED WITH, UH, THAT PARENTS HAVE HAD TO GRAPPLE WITH, INCLUDING HERE IN HOUSTON. UH, WE ALSO JUST HAD THE JEWISH HIGH HOLIDAYS, UH, THE HOLIEST DAYS OF THE JEWISH NEW YEAR. AND IF ANY OF YOU CAN IMAGINE SITTING IN YOUR CHURCH OR YOUR MOSQUE AND HAVING YOUR PASTOR START BY PAUSING TO ASK EVERY SINGLE PERSON TO LOOK AROUND FOR THE NEAREST EXIT IN CASE THERE'S AN ATTACK, THE LEVEL OF SECURITY, THE LEVEL OF POLICE PRESENCE THAT IS NOW REQUIRED. UM, AND I'M GRATEFUL TO ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS FOR KEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR HOUSES OF WORSHIP, OUR SCHOOLS SAFE, BUT THE ANTI-SEMITISM MUST BE CALLED OUT. THE HATE, THE BIGOTRY. WHEN WE, UH, DURING YOM KIPPUR, WE, IT'S ABOUT REPENTING. AND RATHER THAN SAYING, I HAVE SINNED FOR SOMETHING WE SAY WE HAVE SINNED FOR, BECAUSE THERE'S A RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. EACH ONE OF US IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND THE VIOLENCE, THE VERBAL AND PHYSICAL ATTACKS ON PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR IDENTITY. WE'RE SEEING IT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND THAT IS VERY DISTINCT FROM THE RIGHTS PROTECTED UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT, WHICH ARE NOT NEGOTIABLE. AND I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS, BUT THERE ARE FIRE, FIRE BOMBINGS OF JEWISH ELECTED OFFICIALS, HOMES, ASSASSINATIONS OF POLITICIANS OF FIGUREHEADS, THE TARGETING OF EVERYDAY CITIZENS. AND WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CALL IT OUT AND TO DO OUR PART, TO START BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER RATHER THAN ALLOWING THE NARRATIVE THAT IS TAKING HOLD THAT IS LITERALLY RIPPING OUR SOCIETY AND OUR COMMUNITIES APART. THANK YOU MEMBERS. ITEM 41 HAS ARRIVED. ITEM 41 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND WE RECEIVED THIS, UH, GROUND LEASE AND PURCHASE OPTION AGREEMENT, YOU KNOW, LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND HAD HAD, UM, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. I UNDERSTAND IT'S TIME SENSITIVE, SO I DON'T WANNA TAG IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK SOMEBODY TO JUST REALLY LAY OUT EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. THIS IS A A $50 MILLION PURCHASE PRICE WHERE RENT H POPS IS BUYING IT. UM, WE ARE KIND OF SOLVING OUR, I'M LOOKING AT THIS IN A FAVORABLE WAY. WE'RE CALLING IT A, SOLVING OUR, UM, DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ISSUES AT SIX 11 AND AT TRAVIS, UM, BY DOING THIS. BUT IF SOMEBODY CAN KIND OF JUST WALK SURE. ME THROUGH THE FINANCING OF THIS AND, AND WHY H POPS IS INVOLVED, WHAT WILL COME, YOU KNOW, GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS WILL BE THERE. UM, CUS DEPARTMENTS WILL BE THERE, JUST KIND OF WALK 'CAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD THE FULL LENGTH OF TIME TO LOOK THROUGH THIS LEASE PURCHASE. A I, RANDY, RANDY RANDY'S DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB, THE FOCUS ON SAVING MONEY AND GETTING OUR WORKERS OUT OF THE DANGEROUS WALKER, UH, BUILDING. AND, UH, RANDY, YOU, YOU'VE DONE THE HARD WORK. YES, THANK YOU. AND, AND MEMBERS, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THIS. WE CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE THE SHORT AND QUICK TURNAROUND ON IT. THERE IS SOME TIME SENSITIVITY TO IT. UM, IN SHORT, I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY EXCITEMENT FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, UH, CHIEF HARDEN AND I CAME UP HERE AND WE PUT A $700 MILLION PROBLEM IN FRONT OF YOU. UM, I RECOGNIZE THAT IN LIGHT OF TODAY'S DISCUSSION, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT CONTINUE TO ADD TO THE BURDENS THAT WE FACE FROM A FINANCIAL AND A FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY PERSPECTIVE. I MENTIONED IN THAT TIME THAT WE HAD BEEN DILIGENTLY FOR A LONG TIME, ACTUALLY BEEN LOOKING FOR WHAT A SOLUTION WOULD BE AND THAT WE WERE ENGAGED AT THAT TIME ALREADY. UM, 1600 SMITH, WHICH YOU MAY KNOW, IS THE OLD CONTINENTAL AIRLINES HEADQUARTERS BUILDING JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM US HERE IS A $1.1 MILLION CLASS A BUILDING THAT'S BEEN REALLY WELL MAINTAINED AFTER UNITED TOOK OVER, CHEVRON ALSO MOVED IN THERE AND ONLY WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS THE BUILDING BEEN VACATED. [04:40:01] BUT BROOKFIELD PROPERTIES, WHICH OWNS THE BUILDING, HAS MAINTAINED IT IN EXCELLENT CONDITIONS SINCE THEN. UM, AFTER MY REPORT TO COUNCIL, UM, DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'D HAD WITH VARIOUS PROPERTY OWNERS HERE IN THE DOWNTOWN AND OTHER AREAS INTENSIFIED, THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WANTED TO SEE HOW THEY COULD HELP THE CITY OUT. BUT WE WERE ALSO LOOKING AT SOME UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES IN TERMS OF ALMOST EVERY OTHER BUILDING WE LOOKED AT, HAD EXISTING TENANTS ALREADY IN IT, WHICH WOULD COMPLICATE OUR ABILITY TO MOVE AND BE A LITTLE BIT AGILE. 1600 SMITH IS COMPLETELY VACANT, AND WE TOOK THE TIME WITH OUR BROKER, UH, TIM AT CUSHMAN WAKEFIELD TO NEGOTIATE A PURCHASE PRICE OF THE BUILDING DOWN TO $50 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDED NOT JUST THE 1.1 MILLION SQUARE FOOT BUILDING, BUT ALSO A 13 STORY, 2,500 SPACE PARKING GARAGE. AND TO REALLY PUT THIS DEAL IN PERSPECTIVE FOR YOU, UH, I PROMISE YOU RIGHT NOW, WE WOULD BE VERY HARD PRESSED AS A CITY, OR FRANKLY ANY OTHER PRIVATE DEVELOPER TO BUILD A PARKING GARAGE OF THAT SIZE AT THAT PRICE. SO THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE DEAL. IT'S A HEADLINE MAKING DEAL FOR US. THE INTENTION WOULD BE THAT WE WILL MOVE ALL OF TRAVIS AND ALL OF WALKER PLUS SOME INTO THIS BUILDING BETWEEN TRAVIS AND WALKER. RIGHT NOW, WE OCCUPY ROUGHLY 800,000 SQUARE FEET OR SO. SO WE STILL HAVE SOME CAPACITY THERE. CLEARLY, WITH BETTER LAYOUTS, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE EFFICIENCIES FOR HOW WE PUT FOLKS IN THERE. WE, UH, WOULD INTEND ACTUALLY TO ALSO BRING THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OCCUPYING, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE FROM THE CITY HALL ANNEX. WE WOULD BRING THEM OVER AS WELL, WHICH WOULD THEN AFFORD CITY COUNCIL OFFICES MORE SPACE WITHIN THE ANNEX ITSELF. NOW, I WON'T COMMENT ON THE CONDITION OF THE ANNEX. UM, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ADDRESS AT A FUTURE DATE I'M AWARE OF AS WELL. BUT WE'RE ALSO, YOU KNOW, COGNITIVE FACT THAT YOU ARE CRAMMED INTO A SPACE JUST LIKE THE REST OF OUR MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES. UH, AS WELL. WE KNOW WE HAVE OTHER BUILDINGS ACROSS THE CITY WHERE WE HAVE EMPLOYEES CURRENTLY IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, FOR INSTANCE, WHICH ARE IN FACILITIES WHICH ARE FRANKLY DANGEROUS FOR THEM FROM A HEALTH PERSPECTIVE. IT'S, IT'S IRONIC, JUST LIKE WE DON'T HAVE POTABLE DRINKING WATER OUT OF OUR WATER FOUNTAINS IN THE CITY WATER UTILITY OWNED BUILDING, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FACES HEALTH RISKS IN SOME OF THE FACILITIES THAT THEY'RE IN. SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY DO A FULL CONSOLIDATION. UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST EXPENSES THAT WE WERE FACING IN BOTH WALKER AND TRAVIS WAS THE REPLACEMENT OF ELECTRIC SWITCHGEAR. ELECTRIC SWITCHGEAR, WHICH HAD LONG LEAD TIMES AND WOULD ULTIMATELY REQUIRE US TO VACATE THOSE BUILDINGS WHILE IT WAS BEING REPLACED FOR PROBABLY UP TO A YEAR'S PERIOD OF TIME, 1600 SMITH ACTUALLY HAS BRAND NEW SWITCHGEAR ON PALLET SHRINK WRAPPED READY TO BE INSTALLED. AND THAT WOULD BE ORDER OF BUSINESS NUMBER ONE IN THE BUILDING. AND THE GOAL WOULD BE, AS WE MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS NECESSARY TO START ENOUGH OF THE BUILDING IS ALREADY IN A GOOD ENOUGH SPACE, THAT WITHIN ABOUT A YEAR WE WOULD BE ABLE TO START MOVING SOME EMPLOYEES FROM BOTH HPD AND FROM CITY DEPARTMENTS OVER INTO THAT BUILDING WITH A FULL PHASE TO TAKE PLACE OVER ABOUT THE PERIOD OF ANOTHER YEAR FROM THAT. IN ADDITION, THERE IS GONNA BE SOME, SOME BUILD OUT THAT'S NECESSARY. SOME OF IT WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT. HOWEVER, THANKS TO YOU, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A MAJORITY OF THAT ALREADY, UM, AVAILABLE TO US UNDER EXISTING CONTRACT CAPACITIES. SO WE ALREADY HAVE EXISTING CONTRACT CAPACITIES FOR FACILITIES MAINTENANCE, OUTFITTING, RETROFITTING, ET CETERA, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO TAP INTO, WHICH MEANS THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU FOR HUGE, HUGE EXPENSES BEYOND THAT. BUT IT WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT BUILD OUT FOR US, AND WE WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL, UM, SPECIALIZED OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER CONTRACTORS, WHETHER IT'S ELEVATORS OR HVAC OR, OR WHATNOT FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS INTO THE BUILDING, UH, TO HELP PUT SOME OTHER PEOPLE IN TOWN TO WORK. Y YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SELL ME ON THE NEED. I I THINK THIS IS GREAT ON, ON SATISFYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HUGE HICKEY WE WERE CARRYING AT THIS. I, I, I GUESS I'M MORE IN, I I'M VERY INTERESTED IN THE MECHANICS OF YEAH. OF THE DEAL HERE. UM, WE HAVE H POPS ACTUALLY MAKING THE PURCHASE AND, AND THAT IS BECAUSE YEAH, THIS WAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY. 50 MILLION FOR US TO COME UP WITH OUT OF OUR POCKET RIGHT AWAY WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS FEASIBLE. RIGHT? OKAY. 'CAUSE THEY HAVE THE MONEY. HAVE THE MONEY. SO THEY HAVE THE MONEY. AND, UH, INSTEAD OF US PERHAPS GOING TO THE PRIVATE MARKET AND GIVING SOMEONE ELSE INTEREST, WE THOUGHT THIS WAS A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP THE INTEREST WITHIN OUR OWN FAMILY HERE. AND SO H POPS IS EFFECTIVELY FRONT THAT TO US, THIS DEAL IS A LEASE BACK, RIGHT? SO WHERE WE WILL PURCHASE IT FROM THEM. AND I REALLY INTEND TO DO THAT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. SO IT'S LIKE I'M SEEING 5000001ST YEAR, OR, OR I'M SORRY, THERE'S DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. IT GOES THROUGH LIKE SIX YEARS UP TO 14 MILLION, THEN YOU ADD $1.5 MILLION ANNUALLY IN RENTS. YEAH. SO IS THAT, IS ARE WE, DO WE PURCHASE IT AFTER THE SIXTH YEAR OR HOW DOES IT WORK? I WILL TELL YOU MY INTENTION IS TO PURCHASE THIS MAYBE AS SOON AS NEXT YEAR. OKAY. UH, RIGHT AFTER THE NEW BUDGET. UM, THOSE TRIGGERS ARE ACTUALLY STRUCTURED IN THERE INTENTIONALLY BECAUSE H OS HAS SAID THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE A LONG-TERM LANDLORD. SURE. THEY WANNA GET OUT OF IT JUST LIKE WE DO. SURE. UM, THERE ARE FINANCIAL [04:45:01] BENEFITS TO US IN STRUCTURING A 30 YEAR AGREEMENT, HOWEVER, FOR SOME OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'LL NEED TO DO. SO IF I CAN PAY IT OFF JULY 2ND RIGHT AFTER Y'ALL PASS THE NEXT BUDGET NEXT YEAR, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO. AND, AND I, AND I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE, WON'T HAVE THE EXACT BUILD OUT KIND OF AMOUNTS, BUT A RANGE ON BUILD OUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE IN EXCESS OF A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WITHOUT A DOUBT. IT'S A 52 STORY BUILDING. UM, ONLY ABOUT A THIRD OF IT IS CURRENTLY IN A SPOT WHERE WE WON'T HAVE TO DO A WHOLE LOT, BUT WE DO NEED TO MAKE EXTENSIVE IN INVESTMENT IN SECURITY AND IT INFRASTRUCTURE. UH, THE CHILLERS ABSOLUTELY. WOULD BE THE THING THAT YOU WOULD REPLACE. LUCKILY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE SWITCH GEAR, WE'RE ONLY PAYING FOR THE INSTALLATION OF IT, THE ENGINEERING AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF IS DONE. BUT I WOULD ESTIMATE MORE THAN LIKELY, WHEN, WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE AND BRINGING ALL OF THESE FACILITIES IN THERE, WE'LL PROBABLY SPEND BETWEEN A HUNDRED TO $150 MILLION ON THE BUILD OUT. OKAY. WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT LARGELY IS ALREADY COVERED BY EXISTING CONTRACT CAPACITY. OKAY. SO THAT'S ALREADY EXISTING THAT WE'VE GOT THAT. AND, AND THEN ON THE, UM, THE C S'S ROLE. YEAH. UM, DOES THE CUS PAY THE BULK AND GET REIMBURSED BY THE GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS? OR HOW, HOW IS THIS GONNA HAPPEN? VERY SI VERY SIMILAR TO HOW OUR ARRANGEMENT IN THE WALKER BUILDING WORKS RIGHT NOW, WHERE THE CUS OWNS THE, THE FACILITY GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS PAY A MODEST RENT GOT IT. FOR THE USE OF THE FACILITY AND THE CUS MANAGES OPERATES AND MAINTAINS IT FROM THERE. WE WILL DO THE SAME THING HERE, WHICH BY THE WAY, IN, IN DISCUSSIONS TODAY, I, I'LL REMIND YOU, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, HPD IS SPENDING NEARLY $20 MILLION A YEAR RIGHT NOW JUST ON MAINTAINING TRAVIS. RIGHT. NO, THAT'S BUILDING IS TERRIBLE. YOU'RE GONNA SEE AN IMMEDIATE $20 MILLION SHIFT OF THE GENERAL FUND YEAH. BY DOING THIS, BECAUSE THAT BURDEN IS NOW NOT ON THEIR PLATE ANYMORE. NO, THAT'S GREAT. GREAT NEWS. THANK YOU RAMIREZ. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. NO, I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION YOU AND I HAD EARLIER THIS MORNING, DIRECTOR, I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS AND YOU WERE ABLE TO ANSWER THEM. UM, TO BE ABLE TO PUT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT INTO ONE BUILDING AND THEN HAVE A LOT OF SPACE LEFT OVER IN ADDITION TO THE PARKING GARAGE. SOUNDS LIKE A A, A PRETTY GOOD DEAL TO ME. AND SO JUST TO REITERATE, THE BASE BASE IS $50 MILLION. AND WHAT IS THE RENT PER, PER YEAR? THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS? FIRST COUPLE YEARS. RENT IS TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR. BUT YOU INTEND TO, UH, EXECUTE THE PURCHASE WITHIN WITH IT REALLY, REALLY BY ABOUT THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY, WHICH MEANS THAT I ANTICIPATE, UM, FOR H POPS FRONTING US THIS MONEY, WE'LL PROBABLY PAY THEM $60 MILLION FOR THE $50 MILLION BUILDING STILL, BY THE WAY, A GREAT DEAL. THE VALUATION ON THAT IS CLOSE TO A HUNDRED MILLION ON THE APPRAISAL. AND YOU TOLD US WHAT WE PAY IN, IN MAINTENANCE EVERY YEAR FOR 1200 TRAVIS, DO YOU HAVE A SIMILAR, UH, FIGURE FOR A SIX 11 WALKER? SIX 11 WALKER IS EASILY THAT MUCH, IF NOT A LITTLE BIT MORE. UM, YOU KNOW, THE LARGE TD CONTRACTS, TD INDUSTRIES CONTRACTS THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS PASSED IN, UH, IN PREVIOUS YEARS HAS LARGELY BEEN GOING TOWARDS THESE MAINTENANCE OPPORTUNITIES THERE. SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA TAP INTO A LOT OF THAT CONTRACT CAPACITY TO HELP MOVE US FORWARD. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CAMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND RANDY, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THE ENTIRE TEAM HAS PUT INTO THIS. I THINK IT'S A GREAT STEP FORWARD. UM, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, BUT HAVE WE MADE A DECISION ONCE WE ARE IN THAT BUILDING, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH SIX 11 WALKER SELL, SELL 'EM OFF SELL. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THAT WE, WE HAVE NO INTEREST IN HOLDING EITHER OF THOSE PROPERTIES. THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS BUILDING OBVIOUSLY IS A GENERAL FUND ASSET THAT SALES AND PURCHASE WOULD GO BACK TO. THE GENERAL FUND WALKER IS A, IS A WATER UTILITY ASSET WILL GO BACK THERE. BUT, UM, BOTH OF THOSE, WE THINK THAT WOULD BE ATTRACTIVE SPACES FOR A DEVELOPER. THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES ARE PROBABLY NOT PARTICULARLY INTERESTING. IT'S REALLY THE LOCATION AND THE LAND. OKAY. UNDERSTOOD. I'LL CONTINUE TO PUSH, UM, FOR THE, FOR CITY HALL AND THE ANNEX AS WELL. UM, THERE ARE SOME VERY CRITICAL NEEDS, BUT THIS IS A GREAT STEP FORWARD. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER. THANK YOU, RANDY. UM, WHEN COUNCILMAN DAVIS AND I WENT AND TOURED THE FACILITY AFTER YOU MADE YOUR PRESENTATION, IT WAS KIND OF EYE-OPENING. UH, AND AS SHOCKING AS THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE NUMBERS WERE, I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED ABOUT THREE WEEKS LATER IN THE NATIONAL NEWS, THEY TALKED ABOUT WHAT DEFERRED MAINTENANCE WAS FOR SOME OF THE FEDERAL BUILDINGS. YEAH. UH, SO IT, IT DIDN'T SEEM AS BAD AS IT WAS, IT DOESN'T SEEM, IT DIDN'T SEEM THAT BAD. SO ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE YOU MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS. I I THINK WE'RE KIND OF MAKING THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION. YEAH. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER. THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS. IT'S A WIN-WIN SITUATIONS. IT'S A WIN FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES. IT'S A FINANCIAL WIN BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING SO MUCH TO MAINTAIN THESE BUILDINGS OF TRAVIS AND, AND THEN WALKER, UH, H HPDS ALREADY PAYING, UH, RENT FOR USING THE PARKING GARAGE. SO IT [04:50:01] GIVES US A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TALKING ABOUT WHO ELSE COULD OCCUPY. DR. TRAN AFTER BEING AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT NORTH STADIUM, SAID THAT SHE HAS EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GETTING HEADACHES FROM THE CARBON MONOXIDE. SO A LOT OF NEGLECT, UH, BUT THIS IS A HUGE STEP FORWARD. AND RANDY, THANK YOU FOR, UH, BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH ALL THE PARTIES AND, UH, IT'S, IT'S GONNA REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. UH, COUNCILMAN DAVIS? THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, RANDY. I JUST WANT TO AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, AFTER OUR TOUR OF THAT FACILITY AND THE CONDITIONS BY WHICH, UH, IT WAS IN, IT WAS TIME TO DO SOMETHING. AND OF COURSE YOU HAD IT STATED TO US THAT YOU ADD SOMETHING IN THE WORKS. AND I AGREE. I THINK THIS IS A VERY, UH, UH, POSITIVE THING TO GO FORWARD WITH. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR TEAM FOR WORKING THIS OUT. 'CAUSE THIS ABSOLUTELY NEEDED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MEMBERS. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. AS OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES BACK TO PAPA COUNCILOR JACKSON. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE YOU LAST NIGHT, UM, TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. UM, LAST NIGHT, MY STAFF AND I, WE ACTUALLY ATTENDED EVERY EVENT THAT WE KNEW ABOUT. UM, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE ALL THE PEOPLE OUT. UM, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE, UM, ORGANIZERS, THE, THE COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO PUT THE EVENTS ON. IT WAS A GREAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS GREAT THE FELLOWSHIP AND HAVE SOME GOOD FOOD IN BORDERS, VILLE. THEY HAD REALLY, REALLY GOOD FOOD, THE WHOLE BACKYARD BARBECUE. AND SO I ALSO WANT TO THANK HPD AND THE FIRE, UM, CHIEF AND FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR I'M SHOWING UP AS WELL. UM, MAYOR, I HAVE SOMETHING WHERE I NEED YOUR ATTENTION. UM, THERE IS A ROADSIDE DITCH. IT'S A ROADSIDE DITCH, AND IT'S A MEDIAN DITCH ON LIDAR THAT RUN FROM 59 TO MESA. AND IT'S LIKE FOUR MILES NOW FROM 59 TO HIRSCH, WHICH IS PROBABLY ABOUT A MILE. THIS MEDIAN DITCH, WHICH IS SURROUNDED BY ROADSIDE DITCHES, IS MAINTAINED BY THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. BUT THEN ONCE YOU CROSS OVER THE TRACK, THEN YOU HAVE LIKE ABOUT THREE MILES OF NOTHING BUT MEDIAN DITCH AND ROADSIDE DITCHES THAT ONLY GET CUT TWICE A YEAR. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH, UM, TRYING TO GET IT MAINTAINED BECAUSE WHEN IT GROWS, BECAUSE IT RAINS SO MUCH, IT'S JUST REALLY HIGH AND THAT'S ALL YOU SEE IS HIGH GRASS AND THE, AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE REALLY CAN DO. I ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO RANDY AND HE SAID HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT, BUT IF WE CAN GET IT CUT MORE OFTEN, LIKE THREE TIMES A YEAR, OR PARTNER WITH THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, WHICH IS ALDI MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, THAT ACTUALLY MAINTAINS THE FIRST PART OF, UM, THE DITCHES, AGAIN, BECAUSE THE, THE RIGHT SIDE DO NOT HAVE A MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. AND SO WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, IT'S HARD TO MAINTAIN AND KEEP THINGS UP. AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT TOOL THAT, UM, THE ALDEAN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT HAVE. AND SO IF YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THAT, THAT WILL BE, WE WOULD, WE WILL REALLY APPRECIATE IT. UM, RIGHT NOW IT'S REALLY HIGH. UM, I GOT SOME VIDEOS, UM, AND I DON'T THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU. UM, BUT IF WE CAN GET IT CUT MORE OFTEN, UM, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE US FEEL A WHOLE LOT BETTER AND IT MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEANER. SO I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP WITH THAT. YEAH. AND THEN ALSO ON LAST WEEK, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WHO SHOWED OUT TO THE DISTRICT B UM, BRIEFING. IT WAS REALLY GOOD. THE TOWN HALL, UM, THEY GOT A LOT OF THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED. THE GOT A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK, UM, FROM THE RESIDENTS. UM, THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK DIRECTLY TO THE DEPARTMENT, SO NOW THEY KNOW WHAT DEPARTMENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT. UM, AND WE EVEN CREATED A BROCHURE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE ALL THE DEPARTMENT'S PHOTOS ON IT, THEIR NAMES, AND, UM, A CONTACT NUMBER WHERE THEY CAN REACH OUT TO THE DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS THE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOUR FACES ARE ON THERE AS WELL. AND SO THE, UM, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE, WHEN WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM A PREVIOUS, UM, TOWN HALL WE HAD, THEY WOULD LIKE, THEY WANTED TO GET, YOU KNOW, SEE SOME FACES. AND SO WE CREATED THIS, UM, BROCHURE THAT HAS BEEN, UM, DISTRIBUTED OUT TO THE DISTRICT AND THEY REALLY APPRECIATE IT. UM, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO CHRIS SHEPHERD AND THE SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION. THE SOUTHERN SMOKE, UM, FEST WAS THIS PAST WEEKEND AND IT'S ALWAYS GREAT, UM, TO GO AND EAT SOME GOOD FOOD BY JAMES BEARD WINNERS. YOU KNOW, THEY HAD ANYWHERE FROM 50 CHEFS OUT THERE FEEDING HOUSTONIANS, UM, ALSO THE PUMPKIN PATCHES RIGHT NEXT DOOR. SO IT WAS A LOT OF ACTIVITY, UM, HAPPENING, UM, DOWN AT DISCOVERY GREEN. SO I WANTED TO JUST CONGRATULATE THEM ON ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL, UM, FESTIVAL. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR FEST. UM, I LOVE EATING FOOD AND SO, UM, ENCOURAGE ALL HOUSTONIANS. IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SOUTHERN SMOKE FEST, UH, SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION, CHECK 'EM OUT. UM, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE A GOOD CAUSE THEY WORK WITH RESTAURANT WORKERS. AND IF YOU, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES RESTAURANT WORKERS ARE OUTTA WORK. THEY [04:55:01] HELP PAY THEIR RENT. THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST REALLY DO GOOD THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND SO, AGAIN, CHRIS, SHE CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SUCCESSFUL FESTIVAL. THAT'S IT. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. THANK YOU. I TOO, JUST WANNA SAY THANKS TO ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND HOAS THAT PARTICIPATED IN NATIONAL NIGHT OUT YESTERDAY. WE MADE SEVERAL LOCATIONS AND IT WAS GREAT JUST GETTING TO TALK TO THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU TO HPD, THE CONSTABLES. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT YEAR. I'LL PASS. HE'S PASSING. GIMME YOUR TIME. 10. OH, I'M SORRY. THAT'S MARTIN THOMAS. YES. THANK YOU. UM, AIN'T NO PARTY LIKE A WEST SIDE PARTY. 'CAUSE THE WEST SIDE PARTY DON'T STOP. LAST NIGHT WAS EXCEPTIONAL AS WE CELEBRATED NATIONAL NIGHT OUT FROM CRESCENT PARK TO WOOD CHASE PARK IN WEST CHASE, TANGO WILD WESTMONT, WEST PARK, WEST TIMER AT HOL SMITH WEST PARK VILLAGE ASHTON PARK, SECTION SIX PARK GLEN. AND TO CONCLUDE OUR NIGHT AS WEST HOLLOW VILLA, IT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE, UH, NATIONAL NIGHT OUTS ON THE WEST SIDE. I DANCED MY LIFE AWAY AT WEST CHASE. THE DJ WAS AMAZING. UM, AND I HAD OVER 15,000 STEPS. I REALLY WANNA SHOUT OUT ALL OF OUR HOSTS WHO GREETED US WARMLY. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, WE KNOW THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFE SAFETY INITIATIVE, BUT PEOPLE TRULY DESIRE CONNECTION WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS AND THEY JUST WANT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. AND THAT HAPPENS AND STARTS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INVITATIONS. I WANNA SHOUT OUT THE DISTRICT OF STAFF FOR ADVANCING ME AT EVERY LOCATION AND ENGAGING WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND EVEN DOING A TWO STEP OR TWO, UM, WITH THE, UH, KIDDOS AT THE PARK. UM, AND I WANNA SHOUT OUT SPECIFICALLY CONSTABLES OFFICE FROM PRECINCT SEVEN WHO, UH, CRISSCROSSED US ALL THROUGHOUT THE WEST SIDE. AND I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE WITHIN THE CONSTABLES OFFICE AS THEY TRAVERSED WITH US LISTENING TO RESIDENTS ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE ENFORCEMENT. AND SO HOPEFULLY THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM IN DISTRICT F TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE, UH, KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED ISSUES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. UH, NUMBER TWO, TONIGHT I WILL BE AT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 17, WHICH IS ELRIDGE AND WEST OAKS. UM, SHARING WITH THEM OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY PLAN IN THAT CORRIDOR. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH WEST SIDE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND A CRIME SUPPRESSION UNIT, UM, TO TARGET SOME OF THE, UH, APARTMENTS IN THAT AREA, ADDRESSING SQUATTERS BLIGHT. UH, AND AS I MENTIONED AT COUNCIL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, ASHFORD POINT IN, UH, OFF IN AILEY AT ONE POINT, HAD THE HIGHEST CALLS FOR SERVICE IN THE CITY. I BELIEVE WE'RE NUMBER TWO, WE'RE NO LONGER NUMBER ONE. SO THERE'S SOME WORK THAT'S HAPPENING THERE. UM, AND I'LL PRESENT THAT WITH OUR FINDINGS AND THE SEPTIC RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT. LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING YOU JOIN US ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11TH. THE SECOND ANNUAL FAITH AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUMMIT IS HAPPENING. WE ARE OFF TO THE RACES REGISTRATION CLOSES TODAY. UM, I DECREE WE'LL BE FULL TO THE BRIM. UM, AND WE'RE ASKING, UM, FOR YOU TO REGISTER. WE HAVE LIMITED ONSITE REGISTRATION TO ACCOMMODATE FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS. REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE ENERGY, THE PROMOTION, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE CONTENT THAT WE ARE OFFERING. SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE RADIO AND FROM THE MEDIA IS, IS THIS LIMITED TO THOSE WHO HAVE LAND? AND IT IS NOT. WE HAVE PARTNERS, UH, SUCH AS THE HARRIS COUNTY TAX ASSESSORS OFFERS OFFICE, BUT ALSO WE HAVE FUNDING FROM A PARTNER TO ADDRESS HEIRS PROPERTIES. MANY INDIVIDUALS IN OUR CITY ARE CHALLENGED WITH TANGLED TITLE AND THEY'RE UNABLE TO ACCESS THE FULL, UM, EQUITY AND WEALTH WITHIN THEIR HOME. WE HAVE RESOURCES FOR YOU WITH LEGAL SUPPORT AND FINANCING. FIND YOURSELF THERE. LOOKING FORWARD TO MAYOR PRO TEM JOINING US ON SATURDAY. UH, AND LASTLY, I WANT TO, UM, GIVE MY CONDOLENCES TO CYNTHIA YOUNG, A LEAF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 25. WE LOST OUR SECRETARY. AS YOU KNOW, WE LOST OUR LONGSTANDING CHAIR, BARBARA CUATRO NOT TOO LONG AGO. AND CYNTHIA ALSO BATTLED CANCER. UH, THEY WERE FRICK AND FRAC AND THOSE TWO GIRLS PLAYED NO GAMES. I, I WILL DEFINITELY, UH, MISS CYNTHIA. HER SERVICES WILL BE ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25TH, THE SAME DAY. WE ARE HOSTING THE MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR THE LATE BARBARA TRO AT THE ALE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25TH AS WELL. UH, MY OFFICE IN THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 25 AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND I ARE SUPPORTING THIS MEMORIAL SERVICE AND THE TREE PLANNING ON THAT DAY. MORE DETAILS TO COME. SO IF YOU ARE INCLINED TO SUPPORT BOTH, WE TRULY APPRECIATE IT. AND THIS IS REALLY AN INVITATION TO COMMUNITY THAT, UH, UH, SEASONS DO CHANGE IN SERVICE. AND WE NEED EVERYONE TO CONTINUE THE WORK OF THOSE THAT BROUGHT US TO THE FINISH LINE AND LET US NOT, UM, KEEP, UH, LET THEIR LIFE NOT BE IN VAIN, BUT NOT PICKING UP THE TORCH AND CONTINUING [05:00:01] THE NEXT SEASON OF SERVICE. SO, MORE DETAILS WILL COME FROM MY OFFICE AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S OFFICE. BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON OCTOBER 25TH. AND DID THE MAYOR STEP OUT? MAYOR STEPPED OUT, BUT THE MAYOR DID POP OUT ON THE WEST SIDE AT TANGO WILD. HE DID POP OUT ON THE WEST. THANK YOU SO MUCH. VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PECK. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. UM, I'M VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE PURCHASE OF AN ABANDONED APARTMENT COMPLEX AT GESNER IN WESTVIEW. UM, TAR 17 HAS MADE THIS PURCHASE AND THE FUTURE PLANS INCLUDE FLOODING, MITIGATION, UM, WHICH IS VERY MUCH NEEDED IN THAT AREA, AS WELL AS A FUTURE LOCATION FOR A NEW NORTHWEST POLICE STATION AND FIRE STATION AS WELL. SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED IN OUR COMMUNITY. I WAS HOPING THE MAYOR WOULD BE HERE BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO THANK HIM FOR HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THIS WHEN WE CAME TO HIM. UM, HE MADE IT HAPPEN AFTER MANY, MANY YEARS OF TRYING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. SO I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE TO THE MAYOR, ALSO TO HER 17, FOR RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROJECT AND MAKING THAT PURCHASE. ALSO, GWEN TILLSON, UM, FORMER DISTRICT, A COUNCIL MEMBER, BRENDA STAR, WHO STARTED THIS PROJECT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN AS WELL. WE BOTH SHARED HER 17. SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, AGREEING TO THIS PROJECT AS WELL AND RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE. UM, AND ALSO TO HPD AND HFD. THEY, UM, THERE'S FIRES AT THIS LOCATION CONSTANTLY. UM, INDIVIDUALS ARE GETTING IN AND SETTING OFF FIRES, AND THEY'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT FOR, FOR YEARS NOW. UM, IN FACT, YESTERDAY AFTER RIGHT AFTER WE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS PURCHASE, THERE WAS ANOTHER FIRE AT THE LOCATION, A VERY SERIOUS FIRE, UM, WHICH HFD HAD TO, UM, ACTUALLY LEAVE A NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AND GO RESPOND TO. SO, UM, JUST SO THANKFUL FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, UM, WHO ARE WORKING THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY. THANK YOU. AND MAYOR, I JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UM, FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX AT GESNER. WESTVIEW. TAKE YOUR TIME. . COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, SO FIRST I WANT TO ALSO JUST, UH, HIGHLIGHT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. UH, MY TEAM AND I, WE MET UP AT CLINTON PARK NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, AND THEN FROM THERE WE SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT ALL THE WAY FROM NORTHEAST PART, UH, WOOD SHADOWS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SKYSCRAPER SHADOWS, SOUTH OF HOBBY AIRPORT. AND, UH, WE JUST WANNA THANK ALL THE RESIDENTS THAT CAME OUT, UH, GATHERED, LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT SHOWED UP, ALL PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS THAT SHOWED UP TO ENSURE THAT, UH, COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO WORK WITH, UH, WITH, WITH THE, UH, THE LARGER COMMUNITY. AND SO, UM, ALSO WANNA ASK, UH, DONNA, IF SHE CAN STAND UP, DONNA MASA. UH, DONNA IS A INTERNATIONAL FELLOW FROM THE INSTITUTE FOR TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, THE ITD PROGRAM. UH, THE PROGRAM IS, UH, BASED OUT OF MASSACHUSETTS, AND THEY DEDICATE, UH, TO EDUCATION, UH, IN INTERCULTURAL EXCHANGE. UH, DONNA IS FROM CHIAS, MEXICO, AND SHE'S BEEN WITH MY TEAM FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS. UM, SHE DOES A LOT OF GOOD WORK WITH YOUNG FOLKS OUT IN CHIAPAS, MEXICO, AND SHE SPENT THE LAST THREE WEEKS, UH, REALLY IMMERSED IN, IN REALLY EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING HERE IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, AND, UH, IT WAS VERY, UM, IT WAS VERY GOOD TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT OUTSIDE AND THEN IMMERSED INTO OUR OFFICE AND REALLY BECOME PART OF THE TEAM, UH, TO ENSURE THAT, THAT WE'RE ALSO FEEDING, UH, GOOD INFORMATION, UH, PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE COULD ALSO TAKE BACK TO CHIAPAS, MEXICO. I WANNA RECOGNIZE AS WELL, UH, SOME OF HER COLLEAGUES THAT WERE HERE. RAFAEL FROM CHIAPAS, MARCELLA FROM EL SALVADOR, AND JULIET FROM HONDURAS. UH, THIS PROGRAM IS THE FIRST TIME THAT HOUSTON HAS BEEN CHOSEN. UM, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE I WITH ITD, UM, AND HOPING, HOPE, HOPING TO BRING, UH, MORE INTERNATIONAL FELLOWS TO THE DISTRICT EYE OFFICE. AND THEN I, I WANNA CLOSE BY, UH, ALSO, UM, RECOGNIZING ESTHER CAMPOS. UH, ESTHER CAMPOS IS A, A PILLAR IN THE EAST END COMMUNITY. SHE'S SERVED AS HIZ TRUSTEE BACK IN 1993 FOR ABOUT A DECADE. SHE RECENTLY PASSED. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER VIVIDLY, UH, WORKING, UM, ELECTION POLLS, UH, BACK WHEN I WAS 17, 18 YEARS OLD. AND, YOU KNOW, SHE LIVED ACROSS THE STREET FROM NAVARRO MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH USED TO BE JACKSON MIDDLE SCHOOL. UM, AND HER FAMILY HAS, HAS CONTINUOUSLY BEEN ENGAGED IN, IN CITY, NOT JUST CITY POLITICS, BUT JUST IN COMMUNITY. AND SO I WANNA LIFT UP HER FAMILY, UH, IN, IN PRAYER AND LET 'EM KNOW THAT WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR HER SERVICE TO THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY COUNCIL CHAIR POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME UPDATES FROM YOUR OFFICE. I KNOW YOU'VE, UH, HAD A COUPLE PRESS CONFERENCES ON THIS, BUT WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY GETTING CORRESPONDENCE FROM RESIDENTS REGARDING, UH, THE AMOUNT OF BODIES THAT ARE BEING FOUND IN THE VALUES. AND, UM, OF COURSE THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THIS TOPIC. UM, BUT [05:05:01] IF YOU CAN GIVE US AN UPDATE ON, UM, WHAT HAS HPD BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY, UM, UPDATES ON IF THERE IS ANY ADDITIONAL MONITORING OF THE, THE TRAILS AROUND THE BAYOU. UM, IF THERE'S ANY UPDATE ON THE INDIVIDUALS OR IF THERE'S ANY CORRELATION. I KNOW YOU HAVE MENTIONED THAT, UH, THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS OF, OF A SERIAL KILLER, BUT THAT, THAT TOPIC CONTINUES TO POP UP. SO WE HAVE NOT REALLY DISCUSSED THAT, UM, ISSUE AROUND THIS HORSESHOE. SO WANT TO RAISE THAT AND GIVE IT A PLATFORM TODAY TO SEE IF YOU CAN GIVE US SOME UPDATES, UH, FROM YOUR OFFICE. SURE. THERE ARE ACTIVE INVESTIGATIONS. I'LL REFER YOU TO CHIEF DIAZ, UH, AND HE'LL GIVE YOU VERY CURRENT INFORMATION. BUT, UM, THERE ARE TRAGEDIES, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF 'EM, UH, NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER THAT THEY'RE CONNECTED. UH, THE BRIEFINGS I'VE GOTTEN, MOST OF THE INDIVIDUALS WERE MAKING PERSONAL DECISIONS SUCH AS SWIMMING IN THE BAYOU AND HIS FRIENDS SEE HIM GO DOWN AND DON'T COME BACK UP. UH, BUT OUTTA RESPECT FOR THE FAMILIES AND OTHER FACTORS, I WILL, I WILL REFER YOU TO HPD. I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A BODY FOUND IN WHITE OAK BIO THIS MORNING. WE HAVE 2,500 ACRES, 2,500 ACRES, MILES OF, UH, VALUES. BUT LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE NOT RELATED. IT'S BEEN POLITICIZED BY CANDIDATES AND OTHERS, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE. PROBABLY NOT PAYING PROPER RESPECT TO THE FAMILIES. BUT OF COURSE, UH, HPD MONITORS THIS, BUT IT'S HAPPENED SINCE PROBABLY HOUSTON WAS CREATED. UH, LIKE I SAID, NO CONNECTION. YOU SAID THERE WAS, AS INVESTIGATIONS GO FORWARD, YOU'LL SEE THE PERSONAL INVOLVING DRUGS, ALCOHOL, CERTAINLY THERE'S A HUGE, UH, INVOLVEMENT BY THE HOMELESS POPULATION. UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF PEOPLE LIVING UNDER A BRIDGE. THEY, THEY LOSE THEIR LIFE DUE TO CANCER OR DIABETES. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ENCAMPMENT DOES? THEY DON'T CALL A FUNERAL HOME. THE PERSON OFTENTIMES IS IN THE BA IT'S SAD SHOWS WHY WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET FOLKS IN SHELTERS. BUT, UH, YEAH, THERE'S DISCUSSION AND IT'S, SO YOU SAID THERE WAS, THERE WAS SOME EVIDENCE OF, YOU SAID PEOPLE WERE SWIMMING IN THE BAS. IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? THAT'S AN, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE THAT, UH, IS PART OF THE INVESTIGATION. OKAY. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIMM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO, UM, JUST HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE THINGS HAPPENING IN DISTRICT K. WE HAD A GREAT NIGHT LAST NIGHT. WE HAD OVER 66, UH, CIVIC CLUBS, HOAS COMMUNITY GROUP, CELEBRATING NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. THAT WAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST NUMBERS WE'VE EVER HAD IN THE DISTRICT. SO WE WERE VERY EXCITED. UH, THE FOLKS IN, UH, FORT BEND HOUSTON, WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE YOU OUT AT QUAIL RUN AGAIN, UH, MAYOR. UH, BUT WE DID HAVE A GOOD TIME AND WE HOPE THAT MORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL JOIN US FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT ON NEXT YEAR. WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO BE REVITALIZING SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 40. MANY OF YOU MAY REMEMBER, REVEREND WASHINGTON WAS THE PRESIDENT OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 40. HE PASSED AWAY, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD WAS DISSOLVED. UM, BUT WE ARE REVITALIZING THAT. SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENCOURAGE SOME NEW LEADERS TO STEP UP, UH, TO ADVOCATE FOR SOME, UM, CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO, UH, WE ARE ASKING RESIDENTS THAT ARE, UM, LIVING IN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 40 TO MARK OCTOBER 29TH ON THEIR CALENDARS FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM AT THE HARALD L PRESTON POLICE STATION ON NATA. WE WILL BE MEETING, UH, TO REVITALIZE THAT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AND MAKE THOSE, UM, IMPROVEMENTS, UM, TO OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER. AND THEN MAYOR, I ALSO WANT TO, UM, GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO REBECCA WILLIAMS IN YOUR, UM, OFFICE AND RASHAD CAVE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. UH, THIS COUNCIL MEMBERS, Y'ALL MAY REMEMBER THE BIKERS THAT COME TO PUBLIC SESSION. UM, AND THEY WANTED A RIDE THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND A MEMORIAL FOR THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'VE LOST. UH, REBECCA HELPED US PUT THAT TOGETHER. WE PLANTED 29 TREES IN DISTRICT K, UM, IMMEMORIAL OF THE BIKERS THAT THEY HAVE LOST IN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS. [05:10:01] THE ORGANIZER OF THAT GROUP, THE LADY THAT COMES, HER NAME IS COOKIE THAT COMES TO, UH, COUNCIL, UM, SHE SAID THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE BIKER GROUPS HAVE EVER RIDDEN TOGETHER. UM, AND THEY WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. THERE WERE OVER A HUNDRED, UH, MOTORCYCLE RIDERS OUT THERE PLANTING TREES. I MEAN, TO SEE THAT WHOLE GROUP COME TOGETHER AND PLANT 29 TREES. AND THEY, WE Y WE ALL HAVE DONE TREE PLANTINGS AND HOW LONG IT TAKES WHEN YOU HAVE A HUNDRED MOTORCYCLE RIDERS OUT THERE PLANTING 29 TREES. IT HAPPENED IN LIKE 30 MINUTES. I WAS LIKE, MAN, WE COULD PLANT TREES ALL OVER THE CITY WITH, UH, WITH THIS GROUP. SO THEY WERE VERY EXCITED FOR THE SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UM, AND THEN ALSO GOT TO REPRESENT THE, THEIR LOVED ONES. THEY DID WANT TO AMPLIFY THE IMPORTANCE OF ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO STAY OFF THEIR PHONES WHILE THEY ARE DRIVING. UM, DISTRACTED DRIVING HAS BEEN THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF THE PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE LOST THAT RIDE THOSE MOTORCYCLES. SO I THOUGHT I'D TAKE THAT TIME JUST TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO STAY OFF THEIR PHONES AND PAY ATTENTION TO, UH, MOTORCYCLE RIDERS THAT ARE ALSO SHARING OUR CITY STREET. SO THANK YOU TO REBECCA WILLIAMS AND TREES FOR HOUSTON, OUR PARKS FORESTRY DEPARTMENT. THEY HAD THE HOSE DUG UP FOR US AND JUST REALLY MADE THE, UH, PROCESS WORK REALLY WELL. CONSTABLE PRECINCT SEVEN DID A GREAT JOB IN HELPING WITH THE RIDE, UM, AND TO EVERYONE INVOLVED. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH. THIS IS OUR THIRD YEAR PARTNERING, UM, ON A YOGA CLASS FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS, OCTOBER 16TH AT 6:30 PM WE'RE PARTNERING WITH SURVIVE HER AT BRENTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH. THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THE SURVIVORS AND CAREGIVERS AND ANYONE THAT ALSO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE. WE'LL BE THERE AT 6:30 PM AND LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT EVENING. UH, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN ALCORN PASS COUNCIL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS. YES, I DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT OCTOBER IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. AND ON FRIDAY, UM, I WAS, UH, GRATEFUL TO JOIN, UH, AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD FOR THE TCFE, TEXAS COUNCIL ON FAMILY VIOLENCE SUNNA SHAW, CEO OF THE TEXAS TRIBUNE HOSTED, UH, TCFE TO ANNOUNCE THE 2024, UH, STATISTICS, WHICH ARE THE HONORING TEXAS VICTIMS. SO THE GOOD NEWS IS IN TWENTY TWENTY THREE, TWO HUNDRED AND FIVE ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, FATALITIES AND, UM, IN HARRIS COUNTY 38, THE BAD NEWS IS, IS 2024, BUT WE'RE DOWN TO 161 STATEWIDE, BUT WE'RE UP IN HARRIS COUNTY. SO WE WENT FROM 38 TO 47 OVER THE PAST YEAR, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE SURE TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON AS COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, UH, SUGGESTED THE EFFORTS, AWARENESS, EDUCATION, PREVENTION. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO, UH, JUST MENTION IS JUST GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO CHIEF SATTERWHITE AND DIRECTOR NICHOLS ON BRINGING THE FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING THIS WEEK. THAT'S OF A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THAT EXTENSIVE CONVERSATION AND DISCUSSIONS. I'M EXCITED TO ACTUALLY GET IT OUT IN THE OPEN TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS, A LOT OF CONCERNS. YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE GONNA DO IT? HOW ARE WE GONNA PAY FOR IT? I THINK THIS, CERTAINLY ON THE TURS MONEY, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S A, A PAYBACK, BUT, YOU KNOW, LET'S ROUGHLY 15 TO 20% OF TOURISTS, YOU KNOW, HIT THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S GENERAL FUND. SO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO, I THINK AS WE LOOK AT, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW WE SOLVE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WE NEED TO GET, YOU KNOW, BE SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON PROBLEMS ACROSS THE CITY. HOMELESSNESS IS NOT A DOWNTOWN PROBLEM. IT'S, IT'S A CITY COUNTY PROBLEM. AND I THINK IT'S GONNA ALL TAKE US WORKING TOGETHER. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, I KNOW THAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE, YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL FUND, THE GENERAL FUND, BUT I REALLY THINK, UM, WE SHOULD REALLY START TO LOOK BACK AT, UH, I THINK THE TURFS DO GREAT WORK, BUT I THINK THERE'S ROOM THERE TO TAKE A LOOK AT, UM, HOW POTENTIALLY MAYBE WE GET SOME OF THAT MONEY BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND IN THAT FIRST YEAR. UM, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S NO PENALTY INVOLVED. THEY, UH, TRUTH AND TAXATION ALLOWS FOR THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR CONTINUING THE PUSH ON THE HOMELESSNESS EFFORT. AND I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT FOUR 19 IS GOING TO BE AN ASSET FOR THE CITY AND THE COUNTY TO REALLY ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH. YOU'VE REALLY BEEN AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE FINDING, FINDING LOCATIONS AND HELPING DEVELOP THE SUCCESS. THANK YOU [05:15:01] COUNCILOR EVAN SHABAZZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND I'M GLAD YOU CAME BACK 'CAUSE I WANNA ADDRESS YOU ABOUT SOMETHING. . THIS WEEK IN DISTRICT D, WE CELEBRATED A NUMBER OF POWERFUL AND UPLIFTING COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT TRULY SHOWED THE HEART AND SPIRIT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. LAST NIGHT, WE HAD AN INCREDIBLE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT ACROSS DISTRICT D AND I WANT TO THANK EVERY CIVIC CLUB PARTNER, ORGANIZATION, AND RESIDENT WHO MADE IT SUCH A SUCCESS. FROM THIRD WARD TO EMANCIPATION PARK, SUNNYSIDE, CRESTMONT PARK, SUGAR VALLEY, PARKWOOD DRIVE, SAGEMONT BAYOU TERRORISTS AND BEYOND. FAMILIES CAME TOGETHER TO ENJOY MUSIC, FOOD, AND FELLOWSHIP WHILE STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS WITH HPD FIRST RESPONDERS AND ONE ANOTHER. I WANT TO, I THANK GOD FOR MY STAFF WHO DIVIDED SOME OF THOSE STOPS, AND I WANT TO THANK STEPHEN JAMES CERTAINLY FOR VOLUNTEERING HIS SERVICE TO DISTRICT D. THESE GATHERINGS ARE A TRUE REMINDER THAT COMMUNITY SAFETY BEGINS WITH CONNECTION AND THAT DISTRICT DEED CONTINUES TO LEAD THE WAY AND NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR ENGAGEMENT. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE CIVIC LEADERS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS WHO HOSTED EVENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND KEPT THAT SPIRIT OF UNITY ALIVE. UH, NOW MAYOR, THIS IS YOUR PART. I DON'T THINK WE WILL NEED A PROP A BUT I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST IT IN THE FUTURE. WE HAVE NATIONAL, WHEN WE HAVE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, WHICH HISTORICALLY IS ON A TUESDAY THAT WE HAVE A CONSOLIDATED MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, WE LITERALLY WALKED OUT OF A THREE HOUR PUBLIC SESSION TO GOING OUT TO VISIT OUR CONSTITUENTS FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING WE DIDN'T REALLY THINK ABOUT, BUT IT WAS A LONG MEETING AND FORTUNATELY, MY FIRST STOP WAS IN MIDTOWN. SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. I'M, I'M SURE THAT'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT AND WHAT IF I JUST TELL YOU RIGHT NOW? WE'LL DO IT. OKAY. WELL, YOU DON'T NEED A . THAT WAS EASY, MAYOR. WE DON'T NEED A PROPE MAYOR ON MOST THINGS THAT MATTER. I'VE HAD COUNCIL MEMBERS TELL ME IF I'D HAVE BEEN THE MAYOR, THE MAYOR EARLIER, WE WOULDN'T HAVE EVER GONE TO PROPE. YEAH, AND I GUESS I'LL GO AHEAD AND IF I CAN TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MENTION THE DISCUSSION YESTERDAY ABOUT PROP A AND I RESPECT COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER SO MUCH, BUT THAT'S BEEN IN LEGAL FOR FOUR MONTHS. ONE BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT TWO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS SIGNED ON. IT'S THE FIRST DIFFICULTY. AND ALSO WE NEED MORE INFORMATION AS TO THE PLAN AND HOW YOU, UH, PROCESS THE, UH, INTERVENTION AT THESE DANGEROUS APARTMENTS. SO WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH HER, TRY TO, UH, HELP HER DEVELOP THAT PROPOSITION, BUT IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT CERTAINLY LEGAL OR MY OFFICE IS DONE. UH, WE ALL KNOW THE HORRORS OF, UH, LIVING CONDITIONS IN MANY OF OUR INDEPENDENT HOMES, UH, SENIORS. BUT, YOU KNOW, PROP A IS A GOOD TOOL. BUT, UH, MOST OF THE STUFF, MOST OF THE ISSUES I SHOULD SAY, UH, DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH PROPANE AND YOU JUST GAVE US A PRIME EXAMPLE. WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M, I'M RECLAIMING MY TIME. THE ALPHA GOOD GALA. I'LL DO THAT. WE CAN DO THAT RIGHT NOW TOO. , THE ALPHA GOOD GALA, BENEFITING THE MONTROSE CENTER, WHICH CONTINUES TO DO TREMENDOUS WORK, SUPPORTING AND EMPOWERING OUR L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT. UM, FRIDAY, OCTOBER THE 10TH IS OBSERVANCE OF THE WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY. THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON, AND YOU KNOW, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS MENTAL STATE AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. THE CITY OF HOUSTON, EAP FOR EMPLOYEES WILL SET UP AT SIX 11 WALKER FROM 11:00 AM TO 1:00 PM ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER THE 10TH. ON A SAD NOTE, THERE WILL BE A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR JADE MCKISSICK, THE, THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON STUDENT WHO WAS FOUND IN THE BAYOU. THE SERVICES WILL BE HELD AT WHEELER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH NEAR THE UNIVERSITY HOUSTON CAMPUS AT 38 26 WHEELER THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER THE 11TH AT 10:00 AM MY SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS. AND FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE TO JOIN US TODAY AT 1:30 PM IN THE LEGACY ROOM AS WE CELEBRATE THE RETIREMENT OF MR. STEVEN JAMES. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA PAY HIM NOT TO COME TO WORK NOW, BUT CERTAINLY I'M GOING TO KEEP HIM INVOLVED AND HE HAS BEEN VERY HAPPY AND, AND, AND HAS DONE THINGS TO HELP US SINCE HE LEFT. UH, UM, HE SERVED AS FAITHFULLY AS [05:20:01] MY CHIEF OF STAFF, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HONORING HIS YEARS OF DEDICATION AND SERVICE TO DISTRICT D AND TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO, IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, PLEASE COME AND CELEBRATE STEVEN AT ONE 30 TODAY IN THE LEGACY ROOM. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION COUNCIL CASTILLO, WHAT I WAS WAITING FOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANNA START BY ALSO HIGHLIGHTING OUR, OUR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EFFORTS IN DISTRICT H LAST NIGHT AND THANK MY TEAM FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK. UH, WE COVERED OVER 19 EVENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB GETTING TO AND FROM A BUNCH, UH, ALONG WITH, UH, ALL THE SUPPORT, UH, FROM THE ORGANIZATIONS, THE CIVIC CLUBS, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, UH, A LOT OF ACTIVITY, A LOT OF COMMUNITIES PARTICIPATED, AND IT WAS A, A GREAT COMING TOGETHER OF NEIGHBORS OF ORGANIZATIONS AND, AND PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, PROFESSIONALS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT NEXT YEAR AND THE CONSOLIDATED SESSION, UH, THAT WE'LL HAVE. ALONG WITH THAT. UM, THIS PAST FRIDAY, I WENT TO THE AIRPORT, UH, TO TRAVEL TO THE VALLEY FOR A, UH, HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EVENT. AND I TOOK THE METRO DOWNTOWN DIRECT, UH, FROM PARTNERSHIP TOWER TO BUSH. AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW GREAT THAT SERVICE IS. UM, $4 AND 50 CENTS GETS YOU FROM DOWNTOWN TO TERMINAL C, NOT EVEN A A HALF HOUR. THAT IS NOT A STANDARD METRO BUS, THAT IS A CHARTER BUS, UM, AC WIFI. AND IT WAS SEAMLESS. I MEAN, IT WAS, IT WAS SEAMLESS. I, I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE GOOD. IT WAS BETTER THAN EXPECTED. SO I, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS WHO ARE TRAVELING, OR IF YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE COMING TO VISIT YOU, ENCOURAGE 'EM TO USE THE, THE DOWNTOWN DIRECT. UM, IT'S A GREAT VALUE. IT'S COMFORTABLE, AND IT GETS YOU TO DOWNTOWN OR TO THE AIRPORT, UH, DIRECTLY IN, IN A LESS THAN 30 MINUTE TIMEFRAME. SO, GREAT, GREAT JOB THERE ON THAT. UM, THIS PAST WEEK, THE DISTRICT H TEAM, WE VOLUNTEERED OVER AT THE FURNITURE BANK FOR OUR, UH, MONTHLY SERVICE PROJECT. AND IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF IT, IT'S A, A NONPROFIT THAT HELPS PROVIDE FURNITURE TO FOLKS THAT COULD BE, UH, COMING OUTTA HOMELESSNESS, UH, VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, NATURAL DISASTERS, OR JUST POVERTY. UM, THEY DO SOME FANTASTIC WORK. THEY HELP FOLKS IN, IN A BIG WAY BY GETTING NECESSARY FURNITURE, UH, INTO THEIR HOMES. AND, AND WE WERE EXCITED TO BE OUT THERE, UH, WORKING WITH THEM FOR A DAY AND, AND SPENDING SOME TIME HELPING THEM OUT. THEY'RE, THEY'RE A GREAT NON-PROFIT AND THEY DO SOME GREAT WORK THIS COMING WEEKEND. A FEW THINGS TO HIGHLIGHT. WE WILL BE HAVING, UM, THE GREATER NORTHSIDE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT NORTHSIDE BIKE TOUR STARTING AT 8:30 AM FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON DOWNTOWN, THE TOUR TO NORTH SIDE, FOLLOWED BY THE GREATER NORTHSIDE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, UH, NORTHSIDE FESTIVAL. THERE'LL BE A, A FESTIVAL, UH, FROM ST. ARNOLD'S BREWERY, 11:00 AM TO 2:00 PM SATURDAY, OCTOBER THE 11TH. UH, COME ON OUT, CELEBRATE. YOU CAN, UH, RIDE, YOU CAN JOIN THE, THE VENDORS AFTERWARDS. UH, IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT EVENT. UH, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO, TO PARTICIPATE. ALSO, AS WE CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, THE, UH, HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY WILL BE HOSTING A HISPANIC HERITAGE MUSIC FESTIVAL SATURDAY, OCTOBER THE 11TH AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY ON, UH, MCKINNEY. AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT, UH, COUNTRIES MUSIC, UH, ALL DAY. SO, UM, THAT WILL BE, UH, THIS COMING SATURDAY, 10 TO FOUR AND, UH, A GREAT WAY TO CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH THROUGH MUSIC. AND, AND I'M SURE THERE WILL BE A LOT OF DANCING, UH, IF THOSE AROUND THE HORSESHOE THAT LIKE TO DANCE. WANT TO CHECK THAT OUT. AND FINALLY, UM, SATURDAY AT MOODY PARK AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER FROM 12 TO TWO, SENATOR ALVARADO WILL BE HOSTING HER STATE OF THE DISTRICT, UM, WHERE SHE TALKS ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED THIS PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND HOW IT IS IMPACTING, UH, THE DISTRICT. SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT WAS DONE AT THE STATE AND HOW THAT IS IMPACTING YOU THIS SATURDAY, 12 TO TWO AT THE MOODY PARK COMMUNITY CENTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON METRO. UH, YOU'RE DOING A FINE JOB. I DON'T KNOW WHY SOMEONE DIDN'T COME UP WITH THAT LINE AND, AND SERVICE A LONG TIME AGO. UH, AS REGARDS TO SOME OF THE DISCUSSION YESTERDAY ABOUT THE RED LINE, I INQUIRED, FIRST OF ALL TO SOME OF OUR DETRACTORS. I DON'T RUN METRO. IT'S ANGEL AND DR. REVEREND PRESTON AND KATHY HAHN. AND OF COURSE, ELIZABETH BROUGHT THEY WERE [05:25:01] GOING TO SYNCHRONIZE THE LIGHTS AND IT BECAME AN ENGINEERING ISSUE. BUT NO ONE INTENTIONALLY INTERFERED WITH THE RAPID SERVICE OF THE RED LINE. IT WAS TO EXTEND A SERVICE TO THOSE THAT ARE NOT ON THE RED LINE. AND, UH, AN ENGINEERING ISSUE DEVELOPED. SO IT'S CORRECTED AND THAT'S HOW THINGS WORK. DOG EIGHT TO PLANS, I THINK. BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, RECOGNITION, UH, MR. DAVIS, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU MAYOR. I WANT TO, UH, BEGIN BY, UH, ANNOUNCING THAT, UH, WE ARE HAVING OUR FINAL, UH, TOWN HALL AT LARGE TOWN HALL MEETING OCTOBER THE 13TH, UH, MONDAY IN THE AC ACRES HOME MULTIS SERVICE CENTER ON MONTGOMERY. AND WE CERTAINLY INVITE ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES AS WE DO EVERY TOWN HALL. UH, THIS WILL BE OUR FINAL ONE FOR THE YEAR, AND WE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT. WE'VE GOT QUITE A BIT OF RESPONSE. WE WILL BE A COUNCIL MEMBER HOLDING THAT IN, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S DISTRICT. AND CERTAINLY WE LOOK FORWARD TO ALL OF THOSE THAT COME OUT AND SUPPORT. WE'LL HAVE ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT, UH, PARTICIPATION HEADS TO THIS. THIS IS OUR EIGHTH TOWN HALL MEETING SINCE WE STARTED THIS PROCESS. AND SO WE REALLY EXCITED AND WANT TO THANK MY STAFF FOR WORKING DILIGENTLY AND PUTTING THIS ON. IT'S A LOT OF WORK, BUT WE ENJOY DOING IT. SECONDLY, I ALSO WANT TO MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND INVITE ALL OF THE COLLEAGUES OUT ON THE 17TH. WE, OF COURSE, HAVE TWO BIG THINGS IN ONE WEEK ON THE 17TH OF OCTOBER, A FRIDAY MORNING BREAKFAST, WE'LL BE HOSTING A CRA COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT FINANCIAL SYMPOSIUM. UH, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH, UH, OBO. THEY WILL BE PARTNERING WITH US TO HOST THIS. UH, WE ARE LOOKING FOR A GREAT NUMBER OF BANKS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS IS TO INTRODUCE, UM, THE CRA TO MANY OF OUR LOCAL, PARTICULARLY MWBE BUSINESSES AND SMALL BUSINESSES MINORITY, BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE COME TO THE CITY ADVOCATING FOR DOLLARS, IN WHICH WE KNOW UNDER THE FINANCIAL RESTRAINTS, UH, OUR CITY ONLY HAS SO MUCH MONEY. BUT THIS IS A WAY TO, UH, GET BANKS INVOLVED BECAUSE UNDER THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE HEAR MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. BUT BANKS HAVE THE MONEY. UH, WE KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE DEAL WITH GRANTS AND OTHERS, BUT UNDER THE LAW, THESE BANKS ARE SUPPOSED TO PARTNER AND ADVANCE BUSINESSES TO HELP THEM, UH, SMALL BUSINESSES OF ALL TYPES UNDER THE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT. SO I WANT TO THANK DIRECT THE HARD FOR WANTING TO PARTNER WITH ME TO MAKE THIS AWARE, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING WAS DONE THAT I DID IN 1988, UH, WHEN WE TOOK THIS ON AND PROTESTED THE BANK AND SUED THEM FOR THE REDLINING THAT GOES ON IN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, BUT MUCH OF IT IS STILL GOING ON TODAY. BUT THIS IS A FRIENDLY GATHERING. WE WILL NOT ONLY HAVE, UM, BANKS THERE WHO WILL BE BOOTS, THEY'LL HAVE BOOTS THERE FROM ALL OF THE DIFFERENT BANKS. AND THEN WE ARE LOOKING TO, RIGHT NOW, WE MAY HAVE ABOUT CLOSE TO 20 BANKS WHO HAVE AGREED TO BE WITH US. WE WILL ALSO HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK, UH, THE FDIC, UH, SBA. UH, WE ALSO INTEND TO HAVE SOME CONTRACTORS. UH, TURNER HAS AGREED TO BE ONE OF OUR, UH, KEY SPONSORS AND TO BE PRESENT WITH US AS A PANEL, UH, DISCUSS. SO, UH, WE WANT, WE ARE REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS, UH, LOOKING FORWARD FOR NONPROFITS AS WELL AS SMALL BUSINESSES AND OTHERS TO COME OUT AND TO HAVE AN INTERCHANGE IN INTERACTION WITH OUR LOCAL BANKS. AND WE WELCOME ALL TO COME. THERE IS A LINK THAT I OFTEN WILL BE SENDING OUT TO ALL OF THE COLLEAGUES AND, UH, YOU'D BE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO SEE YOU THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN FLICKING. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, LIKE MOST EVERYONE, WE PARTICIPATED IN THE LA UH, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT LAST NIGHT. UH, HAD, UH, REPRESENTATION AT KINGWOOD, NORTH SHORE, OAK MEADOWS, MEADOW CREEK, UH, IN FACT IN MEADOW CREEK. IT WAS THEIR 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. UH, THEY REALLY ENJOYED THE PROCLAMATION MAYOR, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. [05:30:01] UM, IN FACT, IT WAS A MEADOW CREEK, UH, MYSELF AND SLOAN AND MY WIFE ACTUALLY COOKED A HUNDRED HAMBURGERS AND A HUNDRED HOT DOGS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OUT THERE. SO THEY HAD A REAL GOOD TIME, HAD A BAND, AND THE WHOLE BIT. UH, WE'VE GOT TOWN HALLS COMING UP. UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, ONE NEXT TUESDAY, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE FOR CLEAR LAKE. AND THEN, UH, THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY, THAT'LL BE AT THE ONE MOVEMENT BIBLE CHURCH FOR, UH, THE MIDDLE PART OF MY DISTRICT, EDGEBROOK AND ALL THAT AREA. SO, UH, ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME OUT AND JOIN, WELCOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. NO ONE ELSE. ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, WE STAND, ADJOURN. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.