[Super Neighborhood Alliance Meeting on October 13, 2025. ]
[00:00:18]
THAT'S CUTE, LINDSAY.UM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE, CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
AND THE, UM, I'M CHERYL O'BRIEN.
UH, LETICIA HAD A PRIOR COMMITMENT TONIGHT, UM, AND WILLIE, UH, CON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WILL, WILLIE DAVIS IS IN HERE TONIGHT 'CAUSE THEY WERE HAVING A TOWN HALL MEETING AND THEY'RE RECOGNIZING LETICIA AT THAT MEETING.
AND SO I AM STEPPING UP AS VICE CHAIR TO CHAIR THE MEETING FOR HER TONIGHT.
SO THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, AMY, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR ROLL CALL.
SO I AM GOING TO CALL, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS BY THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE, UH, FOR THE PAST FOUR MEETINGS OR MORE.
UM, AND IF YOU'RE HERE, SAY HERE AND ANNOUNCE, UH, YOUR NAME IF YOU COULD, FOR THE ROLL CALL.
AND THEN, UM, ANYBODY THAT I MISS, UH, WE CAN CATCH YOU ON THE END OR FEEL FREE TO PUT YOUR NAME IN THE CHAT.
UM, SO I'M GONNA START WITH SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD FIVE.
MARIE CARLISLE, PRESIDENT HERE.
16 REC SURGERY SCANNER, MEMORIAL.
AND JUST ONE LITTLE CORRECTION, CHERYL, SINCE YOU'RE IN QUEBEC CITY, YOU WERE SAYING EASTERN TIME.
WE'RE ACTUALLY 6 31 INSTEAD OF WELL, I WAS, SORRY.
SORRY, I WAS LOOKING AT MY WATCH.
28 AT THE EASTERLY UNIVERSITY PLACE.
[00:05:01]
68.UH, ANY SUPER WE MISSED ANY WORDS THAT WE MISSED? TURNING IT BACK TO YOU, CHERYL, TURNING IT BACK TO YOU, CHERYL.
UM, AMY, FOR SOME REASON YOU STARTED ECHOING.
STARTED ECHOING OR EVERYBODY'S ECHOING.
EVERYBODY'S, YEAH, EVERYBODY'S D WING.
SOMEBODY'S GOT THEIR MIC TURNED ON.
SOMEBODY'S GOT THEIR MIC TURNED ON.
EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY 55 IS HERE TOO.
UM, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE MINUTES.
UM, THE LETICIA SENT OUT THE MINUTES, WHAT THIS MORNING, UM, FOR PEOPLE TO, TO CHECK OUT.
UH, DID ANYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THEM? DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, CONCERNS? YES.
GREG, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP? UH, YES.
THIS IS PERTAINED TO A LEGAL MATTER BECAUSE THE, THE BYLAWS GOVERN HOW WE OPERATE IN TERMS OF NOTICE PROVISIONS.
AND THE SPECIFIC SECTION SAYS THE CHAIR, SECRETARY, OR OTHER DESIGNATED OFFICER, UM, OR APPOINTEE, SHALL SEND WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE LAST KNOWN PHYSICAL OR EMAIL ADDRESS MM-HMM
OF AT LEAST ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF EACH ACTIVE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD FIVE DAYS PRIOR TO ENTER ANY GENERAL MEETING.
THIS NOTICE SHALL SPECIFY THE TIME PLACED AND IF KNOWN AGENDA OF THE MEETING.
SO THERE WASN'T PROPER NOTICE GIVEN FOR THIS MEETING.
SO ANY ACTION TO BE TAKEN WOULD NOT BE PROPER.
AND THIS IS, UH, A LEGAL MATTER.
IF UNLESS YOU'RE AN ATTORNEY AND YOU HAVE PRACTICE IN THIS AREA, I SUGGEST WE HOLD THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH HOLDING 'EM TO THE NEXT MEETING.
WOULD YOU LIKE ANY COMMENTS FOR IT FOR RIGHT NOW? OR DO YOU WANT ME TO GIVE THOSE SEPARATELY? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SUPPLY THOSE SEPARATELY IF, YEAH, IF YOU COULD SEND THEM AND, AND TO THE EMAIL SO THAT DOUG, I, I UNDERSTAND, BUT DOUG, SHE JUST ASKED FOR CORRECTIONS, SO YOU CAN'T COME BACK AND SAY YOU SUPPOSED TO SUPPLY THEM SEPARATELY.
REALLY? AND NOW WE'RE HOLD AND NOW WE'RE HOLDING ANYTHING.
THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION.
OKAY GUYS, I'M GONNA LET, OKAY.
STACY, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP AS WELL.
OH, I PUT MY COMMENT IN THE, UM, IN THE CHAT FOR AMY.
I, I SAW YOUR HAND WAS STILL UP.
SO, UM, YEAH, WE'LL WE CAN DEFER THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AND JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FULLY UNDERSTAND ANY CORRECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE.
IF YOU CAN, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND SENDING THEM TO US, GREG, SO THAT WE CAN SEE 'EM AND GET THEM, UM, IF, IF GETTING ANY CORRECTIONS PUT IN THAT NEED TO BE PUT IN, UH, WE CAN THEN RESUBMIT THEM TO PEOPLE TO LOOK AT.
IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU, AMY? YES, THAT WORKS FINE.
IF I GET THE, THE CHANGES, WE'LL MAKE CHANGES.
I WILL THAT SUFFICE, GREG? OF COURSE.
UM, WE, GREG, YOUR HAND'S STILL UP? DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? I, OKAY.
WE HAD A REQUEST BY DOUG IF WE COULD MOVE HIS SECTION, UM, UNDER THE VOTER UPDATES.
DOUG WAS GOING TO PROVIDE US SOME UPDATE.
HE'S, UM, ASKED IF HE IF WE COULD MOVE HIM UP ON THE AGENDA.
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HE'S NOT FEELING A HUNDRED PERCENT.SO DOUG, UM, FEEL FREE TO GO AHEAD AND, AND GIVE YOUR PORTION OF THAT UPDATE FOR US.
I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME GO AHEAD HERE.
UH, AND I AM JUST ADDRESS, I'M NOT, I'M NOT ADDRESSING ANY OF THE CONTESTED POSITIONS.
I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
AND IN CASE YOU ARE NOT AWARE, THERE ARE 17 OF THEM ON THE, UH, BALLOT THIS YEAR.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL 17 BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM, WELL, SEVERAL OF THEM ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US AND MOST ARE THE ONES I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT.
AND, UH, NUMBER FIVE, PROBABLY MOST OF US AREN'T INTERESTED IN BECAUSE IT EXEMPTS, UH, ANIMAL FEED FROM THE RETAIL SALE.
UH, IT EXEMPTS ANY PRODUCT PROPERTY TAXES ON THOSE.
SO UNLESS YOU SELL ANIMAL FEED, UH, THEN, UH, THAT WOULD APPLY.
SO, AND AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY HERE THAT DOES THAT, UH, JUST TO GIVE ME AN IDEA OF SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND I JUST HAVE A NOTE HERE I'D LIKE TO READ BECAUSE A LOT OF THE, UH, THE, UH, AMENDMENTS DEAL WITH ALLOCATING FUNDS TO SPECIFIC AREAS.
AND THE NOTE THAT I HAVE, AND BY THE WAY, IF YOU LOOK IN THE, UM, IN THE, UH, CHAT, YOU'LL SEE A LINK THAT I PUT IN, UH, FOR THE TEXAS POLICY RESEARCH, UH, ORGANIZATION.
AND THAT'S WHERE I GOT A LOT OF THE INFORMATION, UH, THAT I'M GONNA BE, UH, SHARING WITH YOU TONIGHT.
AND I DON'T AGREE WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THEY HAVE TO SAY, BUT I THINK THEY DO PROVIDE A PRETTY DETAILED ANALYSIS OF ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS.
AND IF YOU ARE REALLY, UH, INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT THEM, THIS WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO GO.
BUT, UH, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY MANY OF THE AMENDMENTS CREATE CONSTITUTIONALLY DEDICATED FUNDS THAT SIT OUTSIDE THE STATE TREASURY OUTSIDE THE NORMAL APPROPRIATION PROCESS AND OUTSIDE THE CONSTITUTIONAL SPENDING CAP.
ONCE VOTERS APPROVE THEM, THE MONEY FLOWS AUTOMATICALLY EACH YEAR WITHOUT A NEW VOTE OF THE LEGISLATURE AND REMAINS UNTIL REPEALED BY ANOTHER AMENDMENT.
THIS MEANS THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE ESSENTIALLY PERMANENT AND LESS ACCOUNTABLE EVEN FOR LEGITIMATE PURPOSES LIKE EDUCATION OR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SEVERAL OF THESE AMENDMENTS, UH, ARE RELATED TO THAT NOTE.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO REALIZE WHEN YOU VOTE FOR THEM, UH, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO JUST, UH, PICK UP, I THINK THERE ARE FIVE THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT.
UH, PROPOSITION TWO, UH, PERMANENTLY BANS ANY FUTURE CAPITAL GAINS TAX, UH, IF YOU'RE, UH, UH, AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PROPERTY TAXES.
SO IF YOU'RE AN INVESTOR AND YOU SELL STOCK AND YOU HAVE A CAPITAL GAIN THAT WILL NEVER BE TAXED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, THERE ARE OTHER ENTITIES LIKE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT'LL HIT YOU UP FOR THAT.
UH, BUT, UM, THE STATE OF TEXAS, UNLESS THIS AMENDMENT IS REVERSED IN THE FUTURE, WILL NOT DO IT.
PROCESS THREE PROBABLY IS ONE YOU ALL HEARD OF.
AND, UH, THIS AMENDMENT ALLOWS JUDGES TO DENY BAIL UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES TO PERSONS ACCUSED OF CERTAIN OFFENSES PUNISHABLE AS A FELONY.
AND WE'VE ALL HEARD OF PEOPLE GETTING OUT OF JAIL, UH, FOR COMMITTING MURDER.
THIS JUST HAPPENED REASONABLY.
UH, SOMEBODY GOT OUTTA JAIL, UH, AFTER THEY HAD BEEN PICKED UP FOR MURDER AND THEY GOT OUT, UH, BECAUSE THE JUDGE HAD TO PROVIDE SOME WAY OF, UH, ALLOWING HIM TO HAVE BOND AND HE KILLED SOMEBODY THE NEXT DAY.
SO I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US WHO ABOUT THE CRIME WAVE IN THE CITY.
AND THE QUESTION NOW IS, WILL WE ELECT JUDGES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO REALIZE THEY'VE GOT THIS OPTION AND KEEP REALLY DANGEROUS CRIMINALS OFF THE STREET? PROPOSITION TWO, UH, AFFECT, EXCUSE ME, PROPOSITION AID, UH, AFFECTS, UM, OH NO, I'M SORRY.
UH, THIS AMENDMENT AFFECTS ALL OF THIS.
IF YOU HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS, THIS WILL EXEMPT UP TO $250,000 OF MARKET VALUE, OF INCOME GENERATING PERSONAL PROPERTY.
UH, THIS IS IMPORTANT ONLY FOR SMALLER BUSINESSES BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY LARGER BUSINESSES HAVE MUCH HIGHER AMOUNT, BUT I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES STAY ON THEIR FEET.
AND FINALLY, PROPOSITION 13 AFFECTS ALL OF US IF WE OWN OUR HOMES.
[00:15:01]
INCREASE THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, UH, FROM AOR TAXES BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO $140,000.SO THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT I THINK AFFECT US MOST, MOST ALL OF US, UM, THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO.
AND, UH, IF YOU, UH, LOOK AT THE LINK THAT I PROVIDED YOU, YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THEM.
AND AS I SAID, I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THIS ORGANIZATION SAYS THEY HAVE SOME PARTICULAR ISSUES THAT THEY'RE VOTING NO ON, BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO GO TO SEE WHAT YOU WILL BE VOTING ON.
I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME START OUT HERE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I WANTED TO THANK YOU, DOUG, FOR, FOR DOING THAT.
A COUPLE OF THEM I WAS LIKE, DID A DOUBLE TANK.
I HAD NOT READ THEM ALL YET, AND I THOUGHT, UH, OH, I NEED TO PAY MORE ATTENTION.
AND, AND AS I SAID, THE LINK GIVES YOU A GREAT PLACE TO GO, UH, TO GET EDUCATED.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL DO THAT BEFORE YOU VOTE IN NOVEMBER OR EARLY VOTE.
OH, THANK YOU, UH, DOUG, I APPRECIATE YOU GOING THROUGH THOSE.
AND I THINK I'M LAYERING ON TOP OF WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT HOW SOME OF THESE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE WATER IS BEING LAYERED INTO THE CONSTITUTION, AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY, IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT THING, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A GOOD THING BECAUSE NOW THE LEGISLATURE HAS NO ABILITY TO, UH, TO, TO GO AND LOOK AT THAT.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THAT ONE, IT'S $20 BILLION OF SALES, TAX REVENUE IS GOING DIRECTLY TO THEIRS, $2 BILLION A YEAR FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER ONES LIKE THAT.
I'M SURE ALL THESE ARE PROBABLY GONNA PASS.
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT ONE, BUT THERE ARE SOME LIKE THAT, THAT YOU SAY THIS SHOULD BE THE LEGISLATURE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THOSE KIND OF DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE THE MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT.
AND WE HAVE, AND WE HAVE THEN CONTROL OVER WHO ARE WHO'S IN OUR LEGISLATURE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHY THIS ORGANIZATION THAT I HAD SENT YOU THE LINK TO, UH, THEY STATE THAT EXACTLY THAT.
IT'S TYING UP FUNDS THAT SHOULD BE ALLOCATED BY OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, NOT, UH, PERMANENTLY ALLOCATED.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING, ANY COMMENT THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO THROW INTO THIS BEFORE WE, DID ANYBODY HAVE ANY OLD BUSINESS THAT THEY WANTED TO BRING UP? OR ARE WE READY TO MOVE RIGHT ON IN TO, UM, CHIEF MARY MCPHADEN FADDEN.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE A, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT BECAUSE SINCE I MIGHT NOT BE HERE FOR THE WHOLE MEETING, A LOT OF YOU I'M SURE ARE AWARE THAT BARBARA CUATRO, WHO WAS THE LONG-TERM PRESIDENT OF THE AILEY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, DIED RECENTLY AND, UH, AFTER A LONG BATTLE WITH CANCER.
AND WE ARE HAVING MEMORIAL, UH, FOR HER ON THE 25TH OF OCTOBER, A WEEK FROM SATURDAY AT THE A LEAF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
IT'LL START ABOUT 1130 AND GO TILL NO LATER THAN THREE O'CLOCK.
BUT IF YOU KNEW BARBARA AND WOULD LIKE TO HONOR HER BY YOUR PRESENCE, UH, THAT WILL BE A WEEK FROM SATURDAY AT THE A LEAF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US KNOW THAT, DOUG.
MAY MARY, UM, YOU OR SHERRY ONE IS GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO Y'ALL.
I, I'M SORRY, THERE WAS STILL A LITTLE BUSINESS.
I HAVE MY HAND RAISED ABOUT SOMETHING.
I THOUGHT IT WAS STILL UP FROM PRYOR.
I, I, I'M, I'M SORRY, SOMEWHAT GUILTY OF THAT SOMETIMES, BUT I WANTED TO RAISE THE ISSUE ABOUT THE PLAT AND THE, THAT COMES OUT EVERY WEEK AND I BROUGHT IT UP LAST MONTH AND YOU, UH, DON WAS GONNA LOOK INTO IT AND SEE IF OR ANYBODY ELSE KNEW IF THEY WERE AWARE BEFORE THEY CHANGED THE PROCESS.
WE HAVE ANY UPDATES ON THAT, AND I'VE ASKED, UH, RENEE ABOUT THAT FOR OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL.
ANY UPDATES? WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE FROM DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS ON, DO Y'ALL HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT OR ANY, I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY CHANGE MYSELF, GREG, SO I, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT.
THE, THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THERE WAS A PROCESS WHEN THEY MOVED OVER TO A NEW RIGHT PROGRAM THAT, AND THEY, WHAT THEY WOULD SEND OUT DID NOT HAVE THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS LISTED ON THAT.
[00:20:01]
AND SO I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THEM AND IT TOOK A COUPLE MONTHS TO GET IT DONE, FINALLY TO GET THEM TO GET THE PLAT TO PUT IT BACK IN THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD LISTING.BUT I WAS TRYING TO CHECK ON THIS, WHAT I ASKED LAST MONTH IS, WHO IN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS DID YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT ANY OF THIS GOING ON BEFOREHAND OR NOT? RHONDA, DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY CLUE MR. SIMS? I WAS GONNA TELL YOU, CHERYL, I CAN CHECK INTO IT AND GET GREG AN ANSWER.
IT JUST WAS, IT'S BEEN ASKED TWICE IN OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ONCE LAST MONTH AND I KEEP ON HEARING THE SAME THING, SO I APPRECIATE IT.
MR. SIMS, I HOPE TO HEAR BACK FROM YOU.
NO, YOU THAT, THAT'S OKAY, GREG.
UM, MARY OR SHERRY E EITHER ONE OF YOU WANT TO JUMP IN.
HI EVERYONE, I'M MARY MCFADDEN.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME AND CHAT WITH THIS GROUP.
SHERRY HAS NOTHING BUT COMPLIMENTS AND GREAT THINGS TO SAY AND SAID Y'ALL ARE THE PEOPLE TO KNOW.
SO I AM HERE AT SEVEN O'CLOCK TO, UH, TO TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING AND THEN TO SEE IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, SO BASICALLY I'M THE CHIEF OF OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BUREAU AT THE HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
WHEN WE, UM, BECAME A BUREAU ON JANUARY 1ST, 2025, WE BASICALLY MOVED FROM A SMALL DIVISION UNDER A LARGER UMBRELLA TO BASICALLY OUR OWN, UM, BIG.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US IS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO REALLY ALLOCATE BETTER RESOURCES TO OUR STAFFING, TO OUR KIND OF CONSTITUENTS AND TO SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE HAVE BEEN CURRENTLY DOING, BUT WE JUST WANNA DO IT BETTER AND KIND OF MORE CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST BASICALLY TELL YOU GUYS A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT DDB IS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BUREAU AND SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEN JUST LET YOU GUYS ASK ME QUESTIONS.
UM, HOPEFULLY NOT CASE SPECIFIC BECAUSE I WON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION, BUT MORE ABOUT IF YOU, IF YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE TO NEED TO GIVE SOMEONE ADVICE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, UM, THAT TYPE OF THING.
I CAN CERTAINLY TALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THOSE.
UM, SO SOME OF THOSE KEY POINTS.
SO, UM, NOTHING FORMAL BUT JUST KIND OF A CONVERSATION, HOPEFULLY THAT IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT'LL JUST GET US STARTED WITH THE CONTACT THAT WE'LL MAKE TODAY.
SO, UM, ALRIGHT, SO BA BASICALLY DVB IS ABOUT, I WOULD SAY, 70 STRONG OF ATTORNEYS AND INVESTIGATORS AND ADVOCATES, UM, AND SUPPORT, SUPPORT STAFF AS WELL.
WE HAVE ATTORNEYS IN DVB THAT HANDLE ONLY FELONY CASES, BUT WE HANDLE FELONIES FROM FELONY THREE LEVEL, WHICH IS GONNA BE WHAT YOU WOULD CALL KIND OF YOUR, UH, BREAD AND BUTTER, YOUR CONTINUOUS ASSAULTS, RIGHT? YOUR SECOND ASSAULTS, UH, YOUR ASSAULT PREGNANT INDIVIDUAL, YOUR ASSAULT, IMPEDING OR CHOKING ALL THE WAY UP TO AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS, SEXUAL ASSAULTS, MURDERS, AND CAPITAL MURDERS.
SO WE RUN THE WHOLE GAMBIT OF ANY TYPE OF FELONY CASE THAT CONNECTS TO A CERTAIN TYPE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SO IF YOU WERE TO GO TO OUR STATUTE, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS ARE, ARE REALLY KNOWLEDGEABLE OF SOME OF THE LEGAL KIND OF MACHINATIONS HERE.
AND SO IF YOU WERE TO GO LOOK UP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AWARENESS MONTH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THIS AND THAT, IT'S ACTUALLY DEFINED AS FAMILY VIOLENCE.
YOU WON'T FIND THE TERM DOMESTIC, YOU'LL FIND FAMILY AND FAMILY VIOLENCE IS DEFINED AS, UH, TWO PEOPLE WHO SHARE A HOUSEHOLD.
SO IF I HAVE A COLLEGE ROOMMATE THAT I LIVE WITH THAT IS IN FACT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, FAMILY VIOLENCE, RIGHT? BUT ULTIMATELY WHAT FAMILY VIOLENCE IS, IS IT IS BETWEEN MARRIED INDIVIDUALS, DATING INDIVIDUALS, HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS, AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, OKAY, I'M GONNA GET REALLY TECHNICAL HERE.
AND SO SOME OF YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS, I DON'T KNOW, BUT YOU CAN, UM, DEFINE FAMILY VIOLENCE UP TO THREE DEGREES OF CONSANGUINITY, RIGHT? IF I HAVE ANY REALLY KIND OF BRAINIACS ON THE CALL.
SO BLOOD RELATIONS UP TO THREE DEGREES, AND THEN ALSO AFFINITY UP TO THREE DEGREES.
SO MY HUSBAND, SO MY MOTHER-IN-LAW'S SISTER, RIGHT? AND YOU KEEP GOING OUT TO THE THIRD DEGREE.
UM, NOW WHEN, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION, CHERYL? OR WAS THAT JUST, OKAY, SORRY.
I JUST SAW SOME MOVEMENT THERE.
[00:25:01]
VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IT'S THIS HUGE TERM.IT CAN BE ANY NUMBER OF PEOPLE, IT CAN BE THE BROTHERS IN THE, YOU KNOW, BACKYARD BARBECUE, YOU KNOW, GET INTO A, A LITTLE FS FISTICUFFS, UM, ALL THE WAY UP TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, TRUE HUSBAND, WIFE HOMICIDE, IF YOU WILL, RIGHT? ANYTHING ALONG THAT DEFINITION OF DATING, MARRIED, AND THREE DEGREES OF CONSANGUINITY AFFINITY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, HOUSEHOLD.
NOW, DVBI SAID, WE HAVE ABOUT 70 PEOPLE, ONLY ABOUT A FOURTH OF THOSE ARE ATTORNEYS.
SO WE CANNOT HANDLE ALL OF THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FILINGS.
WE FILE ABOUT 15,000, 15,000 A YEAR.
AND THE WAY THAT WE TRACK THIS NUMBER IS AUSTIN BASICALLY CREATES A CODE FOR EVERY STATUTORY OFFENSE THAT THERE IS.
SECOND MEANING, LET'S SAY I ASSAULT MY HUSBAND, I TAKE THE CONVICTION, I THEN ASSAULT HIM AGAIN.
THAT OFFENSE, THAT ONE LITTLE OFFENSE OF SECOND ASSAULT FAMILY VIOLENCE GETS ITS OWN.
SO WE AT THE DA'S OFFICE ARE ABLE TO GO RUN STATISTICS.
WE COULD LOOK AT ALL OF THE CODED CASES, RIGHT? THAT'S HOW WHEN PEOPLE SAY, WELL, HOW MANY OF THESE CASES DO YOU FILE? WE DON'T ACTUALLY TRACK.
THERE'S NO, AUSTIN DOESN'T GIVE US A CODE FOR, SAY, SEXUAL ASSAULT ON A FAMILY MEMBER, SEXUAL ASSAULT AS A SEXUAL ASSAULT.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT 15,000 CASES, THAT'S THE MINIMUM.
THERE ARE STILL MORE SO YOUR AGGRAVATED ROBBERIES, YOUR ROBBERIES, YOUR SEX ASSAULT, YOUR AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT, YOUR BURGLARY OF HABITATION, YOUR HOMICIDES, YOUR CAPITAL MURDERS, UM, AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER CASES THAT I COULD THROW IN THERE.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FILINGS, JUST THINK ABOUT THAT HALF OF THAT 15,000 ARE FELONIES.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 7,500 A YEAR, AND THAT NUMBER'S PRETTY CONSISTENT OF JUST FELONY FILINGS THAT ARE CODED.
SO OUR CASELOADS ARE PRETTY LARGE.
SO THE LIMITED NUMBER OF PROSECUTORS I HAVE CANNOT HANDLE ALL 75,000 CASES, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR COURTS.
UM, STILL EXPERIENCE SOME BACKUP AFTER ALL OF OUR FREEZE EVENTS, WATER EVENTS, COVID EVENTS.
UM, WE STILL AREN'T KIND OF REALLY ON 100% TARGET WITH RESOLVING CASES, BUT WE'RE GETTING BETTER.
SO MY TEAM FOCUSES ON A LITTLE CARVE OUT CALLED INTIMATE PARTNER OR INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE, AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE THAT BIG BROAD UMBRELLA AND JUST FOCUS ON DATING OR MARRIED.
AND WITHIN THAT CATEGORY, YOU CAN BE CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN THAT RELATIONSHIP, OR IT CAN BE A RELATIONSHIP THAT'S OVER.
BECAUSE WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT FAMILY VIOLENCE OR INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IS OFTEN WHEN ONE PARTY ENDS THE RELATIONSHIP, THE OTHER PARTY DOESN'T WANT TO, RIGHT? AND SO THAT OTHER PARTY WILL CONTINUE WITH THE HARASSMENT, THE STALKING, THE THREATS, AND THE VIOLENCE.
SO THE, THE WAY THE, UM, LAW ALLOWS US TO PROSECUTE THOSE IS IF, IF A COUPLE IS CURRENTLY DATING OR AT SOME POINT DID DATE, THEN THAT IS INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE.
SO MY GROUP BASICALLY TAKES THESE CASES.
AND WHEN WE TAKE THESE CASES IN, WHAT WE DO IS WE HAVE A GROUP OF ADVOCATES, WE CALL THEM OUR HIGH RISK TEAM, AND OUR HIGH RISK TEAM OF ADVOCATES.
WHAT THEY DO IS THEY ACTUALLY TALK TO THESE VICTIMS, THESE SURVIVORS, THEY CAN CONDUCT DANGER ASSESSMENTS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE'S EVER HEARD OF A DANGER ASSESSMENT OR A LETHALITY ASSESSMENT, IF YOU'RE IN ANY TYPE OF ADVOCACY, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY.
IF THERE'S, UH, IF YOU'VE EVER HEARD, IF YOU'RE IN ANY TYPE OF ADVOCACY SITUATION, YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF THE LAP, YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF ADELE.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT, UM, RECOGNIZED DANGER ASSESSMENT.
AND WHAT THOSE DO IS THROUGH A SERIES OF QUESTIONS, RIGHT? THOSE QUESTIONS WILL TELL A PERSON THE LEVEL OF DANGER OR LETHALITY THAT THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY BE IN.
SO OUT OF 30 QUESTIONS, IF YOU RANK SAY 18 OR ABOVE, THAT DANGER ASSESSMENT IS GOING TO BASICALLY TELL YOU THAT THERE IS A PRESUMPTION THAT YOU ARE IN DANGER FOR RECIDIVISM AT A HIGH LEVEL OR EVEN DEATH.
SO WE TAKE THESE CASES WHEN WE HAVE THOSE HIGH RISK ANALYSIS OR ASSESSMENTS, AND WE BASICALLY WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
UM, HARRIS COUNTY HAS TWO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, HIGH RISK TEAMS. AND WHAT THOSE TEAMS CONSIST OF ARE ALL KINDS OF AGENCIES AND GROUPS THAT COULD POSSIBLY HELP WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVOR.
SO LET'S SAY THAT YOU HAVE A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVOR, THEY TAKE THE DANGER ASSESSMENT, THEY SCORE REALLY HIGH, WE MAKE THE REFERRAL UP TO OUR HARRIS COUNTY D-V-H-R-T, WHICH IS IN FACT, UM, RUN BY THE HARRIS COUNTY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COORDINATING COUNCIL.
SO A LOT OF ACRONYMS, UM, AND A LOT OF
[00:30:01]
BUT WHAT THEY DO IS THEY ACTUALLY FULLY CASE MANAGE ON THESE HIGH LETHALITIES CASES.
WE WORK WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY PROBATION, WE WORK WITH HARRIS COUNTY PRETRIAL SERVICES.
WE WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE THE BRIDGE, UH, BAY AREA FAMILY TIME HAWK, ANY OF THE AGENCIES THAT ARE OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT LIAISONS AT OUR MEETINGS.
UM, WE HAD ONE CASE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, IT WAS CHRISTMAS EVE, AND OUR, OUR SURVIVOR CALLED HER HIGH RISK ADVOCATE AND SAID, I'M GETTING TEXT MESSAGES.
HE'S THREATENING TO COME TO MY HOUSE AND KILL ME.
AND I, I THINK HE'LL KILL CARRY THROUGH WITH THAT.
AND BECAUSE SHE WAS ALREADY ON OUR HIGH RISK CASELOAD, WE WERE ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY CONNECT LAW ENFORCEMENT TO HER, AND THEY WENT AND BASICALLY POSTED UP IN FRONT OF HER HOUSE FOR 24 HOURS.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT DID THE TRICK.
BUT LUCKILY, UM, WE DO HAVE THE RESOURCES BASED ON THESE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
SO LOTS OF GOOD WORK THAT'S BEING DONE THERE.
NOW, MOST OF ALL OF THAT THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT IS GOING TO BE A CRIMINAL CASE.
SO THE HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOCUSES 99.9% OF OUR WORK ON CRIMINAL CASES, RIGHT? WE FILE THEM THROUGH INTAKE, WE HANDLE THEM THROUGH PROSECUTION, UM, AND EVERY OTHER LITTLE COMPONENT THAT MIGHT COME IN THROUGH THAT CRIMINAL CASE.
THERE IS A VERY SMALL PIECE OF THE DA'S OFFICE THAT ACTUALLY DOES SOME CIVIL WORK.
UM, YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF ASSET FORFEITURE.
SOMETIMES IN THE NEWS YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT ASSET FORFEITURE MONEY THAT GOES TO SAY A CAUSE OR A, UH, PARTNER, OR I THINK WE BOUGHT SOME, UM, BODY CAMS YEARS AGO FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH ASSET FORFEITURE MONEY SO THAT IT ASSET FORFEITURES ARE CIVIL.
UM, MY LITTLE PIECE OF THE CIVIL PIE, IF YOU WILL, ARE OUR PROTECTIVE ORDERS.
SO WE CAN, THROUGH A CRIMINAL CASE, GO THROUGH A SAFETY PROTOCOL FOR A MAGISTRATE'S ORDER OF EMERGENCY PROTECTION OR BOND CONDITIONS.
UM, AND I THINK THIS TIES IN NICELY, KIND OF TO THE, UM, TO ONE OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT DOUG HAD ON HIS LIST ABOUT THE BOND SITUATION.
AND WHETHER YOU AGREE OR DON'T AGREE ISN'T THE POINT OF, UH, THIS COMMENT.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE IS WHEN WE HAVE ANYONE THAT IS IN A CRIMINAL SITUATION RIGHT NOW, AND IF THEY GET THEIR, IF THEY GET A BOND AND THEY'RE ABLE TO MAKE THAT BOND, RIGHT? JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE GETS IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD IT.
BUT IF THEY ARE ACTUALLY RELEASED ON BOND, THE JUDGE CAN ORDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS WITH THOSE CONDITIONS.
THEY TEND TO MIRROR OUR, OUR SHORT TERM PROTECTIVE ORDER.
LIKE, DON'T GO WITHIN THE, DON'T GO WITHIN 200 FEET OF THIS PERSON'S HOUSE, RIGHT? DON'T HARASS THEM.
DON'T THREATEN THEM, DON'T CONTACT THEM.
DON'T, DON'T DRINK ALCOHOL, DON'T TAKE DRUGS.
ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD WANT SOMEONE WHO'S, YOU KNOW, UNDER A JUDGE'S, UH, SUPERVISION NOT TO DO.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROTECTIVE ORDER THROUGH A CRIMINAL CASE IS ONLY AT VERY, VERY MAX 121 DAYS MINIMUM OF 61 DAYS MAX IS 121 DAYS.
AND SO IF WE RESOLVE THAT CASE PRETTY QUICKLY, OR IF IT TAKES FIVE YEARS TO RESOLVE, I CAN ONLY DO A PROTECTIVE ORDER UP TO 121 DAYS, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF CASE.
THE BOND CONDITIONS WILL LAST LONGER, OF COURSE.
UM, BUT THE BOND CONDITIONS BASICALLY ARE UP TO THE JUDGE TO DECIDE WHAT CONDITION.
SO IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS IN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION OR RIGHT, UM, OR IS A PERSON WHO IS BEING STALKED, TRAFFICKED, SEXUALLY ASSAULTED, AND EVEN THE, THE, UH, LEGISLATURE JUST ADDED A NEW, UH, COMPONENT, WHICH IS BURGLARY OF A HABITATION.
IF YOUR HOUSE HAS BEEN BURGLARIZED, YOU CAN ACTUALLY NOW QUALIFY FOR A PROTECTIVE ORDER FOR A CIVIL PROTECTIVE ORDER.
IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING NUANCE, AND WE'LL SEE HOW MANY, UM, INDIVIDUALS COME AND ASK FOR THOSE.
SO IN THE, IN THAT REALM OF PROTECTIVE ORDERS, IT'S JUST LIKE IF YOU WERE TO FALL FOR A DIVORCE, UM, ASK FOR CHILD CUSTODY, IF YOU WERE TO GO SUE SOMEONE, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU DID A BUSINESS DEAL AND IT'S GONE BAD.
SO IF ANYONE HAS HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH FOR A CIVIL PROTECTIVE ORDER.
THE PERSON HAS TO QUALIFY TO QUALIFY.
YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN HARRIS COUNTY, OR THE, UH, EVENTS THAT MAKES YOU WANT THE PROTECTIVE ORDER HAS TO HAVE OCCURRED IN, IN HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, WE OFTEN HAVE PEOPLE WHO VISIT TO HARRIS COUNTY FOR FOOTBALL GAMES FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, MAJOR EVENTS RIGHTS, AND IF THE ASSAULT HAPPENS, BUT SAY THEY LIVE IN IOWA OR CHAMBERS COUNTY OR SOMEWHERE ELSE, THEY CAN STILL GET A PROTECTIVE ORDER HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY, YOU, YOU BASICALLY GO THROUGH A WHOLE COURT PROCESS.
SO IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO'S SEEKING A PROTECTIVE ORDER AND THEY GO THROUGH OUR OFFICE, WE WILL BASICALLY FILE IT AND REPRESENT THEM FREE OF CHARGE.
[00:35:01]
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO CHARGE TO THEM OTHER THAN THEIR, THEY HAVE TO PAY THEIR OWN TRANSPORTATION.EVEN THAT, IF THEY CANNOT, WE HAVE, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO CAN'T OFTEN PAY FOR THE TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE WE KNOW TRYING TO GET DOWNTOWN, TRYING TO PAY FOR PARKING.
UM, IF, IF IT'S A GAME DAY, PARKING CAN BE $50, RIGHT? SO WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME VERY PROHIBITIVE REASONS THAT PEOPLE AREN'T ABLE TO COME DOWNTOWN.
SO WE WILL REPRESENT THEM FREE OF COST.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT LIKE A PERSON JUST WALKS INTO MY OFFICE AND I'M ABLE TO GO, HERE YOU GO.
WE, WE HAVE TO GET A COURT DATE.
WE THEN HAVE TO SERVE THAT PERSON, THAT RESPONDENT WITH THE PAPERWORK.
WE CAN GET A DEFAULT AGREEMENT, BUT THEY DO HAVE TO BE SERVED IF WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD ADDRESS FOR THAT PERSON.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE, UM, UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS WHO WE'RE SEEKING PROTECTIVE ORDERS AGAINST.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUTTA STATE THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SERVE.
WE'RE NOT A, WE'RE NOT EVER GONNA GET THAT PROTECTIVE ORDER UNLESS WE HAVE A GOOD ADDRESS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO MAKE SURE IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE REFERRING PEOPLE OVER TO US FOR PROTECTIVE ORDERS, WE HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD PLACE TO SERVE THEM.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE, UH, THE APPLICANT, THE SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR ANY OF THOSE OTHER CATEGORIES HAS TO COME DOWN TO COURT.
THEY DO HAVE TO COME DOWN IN PERSON.
UM, SOME JUDGES IN THE PAST HAVE ALLOWED FOR US TO DO ZOOM HEARINGS, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A DEFAULT OR AN AGREEMENT.
UM, THE CURRENT JUDGE, HOWEVER, DOES REQUIRE IN PERSON APPEARANCES.
SO IF THE APPLICANT DOESN'T SHOW UP TO COURT, WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO ZOOM HIM OR HER IN OR TO HAVE THEM CALL IN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THE CASE WOULD BE DISMISSED IF A CASE IS DISMISSED.
WE HAVE TO START ALL OVER, INCLUDING SERVICE.
SO SOMETIMES, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES LIFE INTERFERES AND WE AREN'T ABLE TO HAVE THE APPLICANT IN COURT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY WE JUST HAVE TO START OVER.
SO AGAIN, IF YOU'RE MAKING ANY REFERRALS, THE NUMBER ONE KEY POINT IS WE HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD PLACE TO SERVE.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY, WHAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN ASKING US, UM, DURING OCTOBER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH, I, I TEND TO MAKE A LOT OF APPEARANCES.
AND THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION ON A LOT OF PEOPLE'S MINDS RIGHT NOW IS, UM, IMMIGRATION AND HOW THE CURRENT STATE OF SOME OF OUR IMMIGRATION, UM, POSITIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS AFFECTING OR INFLUENCING THE WAY THAT WE AT THE DA'S OFFICE HANDLE CASES.
UM, I WILL TELL, I WILL, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE, UM, WE NEVER HAVE ASKED A PERSON'S STATUS.
WE DON'T PLAN TO ASK A PERSON'S STATUS.
WHAT WE DO IS WE SIMPLY SAY, IF THEY'RE A VICTIM, WE'RE GONNA REPRESENT THEM ON THE PROTECTIVE ORDERS.
WE ARE GOING TO SEEK JUSTICE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY FOR ANY VICTIM REGARDLESS OF STATUS.
SO WHILE, UM, I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF, THERE'S A LOT OF HESITATION AND QUESTIONS, AND I THINK OUTRIGHT FEAR ABOUT REPORTING, UM, ESPECIALLY IF A PERSON IS, DOESN'T HAVE STATUS AND IS UNDOCUMENTED, WE DON'T CONTROL THE POLICE UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, HOWEVER, IF IF THAT CASE MAKES IT INTO OUR SYSTEM, THEY WILL NEVER BE ASKED, ARE YOU DOCUMENTED? SO PLEASE REASSURE ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE THAT CONCERN THAT THE DA'S OFFICE IS NOT INTERESTED IN ANY WAY PENALIZING SOMEONE.
WHAT WE WANNA DO IS JUST MAKE SURE JUSTICE IS SOUGHT FOR EACH AND EVERY PERSON THAT IS A VICTIM OF CRIME.
UM, SO ULTIMATELY WHAT, UM, WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE WAS THE PROTECTIVE ORDER PROGRAM.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET UP AND RUNNING RIGHT NOW IS OUR PROTECTIVE ORDER EXTENDED TEAM, WHICH IS A BASICALLY TRY TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE, TRY TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE KNOW KIND OF THE DETRIMENTS AND THE BARRICADES TO COMING DOWNTOWN.
UM, MY HUSBAND JUST GOT A JOB DOWNTOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS, HIS TIME IN HOUSTON, AND ABSOLUTELY WAS FEARFUL TO, TO PARK AND DRIVE AND WALK.
AND HE WAS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, DOWNTOWN.
IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE OVERWHELMING.
SO IF SOMEONE WHO'S LIVED IN HARRIS COUNTY FOR, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF YEARS AND HAS A CAR AND HAS NO DEATH, YOU KNOW, NO BARRICADE TO JUST TRAVEL, UM, IS HESITANT TO GET DOWNTOWN.
YOU CAN IMAGINE THE, THE, THE FEAR OFTEN WE HAVE FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO JUST AREN'T COMFORTABLE WITH DOWNTOWN WITH TRYING TO NAVIGATE.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE COST IS OFTEN PROHIBITIVE.
UM, ANY TYPE OF WITNESS, WHETHER IT'S CRIMINAL OR CIVIL, THE DA'S OFFICE CANNOT GIVE THEM MONEY, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEN IT WOULD LOOK LIKE WE ARE PAYING SOMEONE TO BE A WITNESS, AND THAT IS A BAD THING.
SO WE AREN'T ABLE TO HELP WITH THE TRANSPORTATION.
LIKE I HAD MENTIONED, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PAY FOR PARKING.
UM, AND PARKING CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM $10 UP TO $50.
AND SOMETIMES THOSE REALLY BIG GAME DAYS CAN BE REALLY, REALLY OUTRAGEOUS.
SO WE DO HAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO CAN HELP WITH THAT, WHETHER
[00:40:01]
IT IS LIKE AN UBER, UM, IT'S NOT A TOKEN, BUT IT'S LIKE A, YOU KNOW, AN UBER OR A LYFT.WE CAN MAKE ALL OF THAT HAPPEN.
WE JUST DON'T EVER WANT SOMEONE TO SAY, I CAN'T GET A SAFETY MEASURE.
I CAN'T GET THIS PROTECTIVE ORDER BECAUSE OF COST, BECAUSE OF LOCATION.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS, UM, WE ACTUALLY GOT IN THE LAST THE COMMISSIONER'S COURTS SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET, UM, THE COMMISSIONERS GAVE OUR OFFICE QUITE A LARGE SUM OF MONEY, VERY THANKFUL TO THEM TO ADD ADVOCATES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCATES TO OUR TEAM WITH THE GOAL THAT WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO ADD MORE ADVOCATES, THEN WE CAN PUT THOSE ADVOCATES OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WE'RE TRYING TO CO-LOCATE.
SO INSTEAD OF EVERYONE COMING DOWNTOWN, WE COULD GO LOCATE, LET'S SAY AT THE BRIDGE OVER IN PASADENA, RIGHT? WE COULD GO CO-LOCATE IN BAY AREA DOWN IN CLEAR LAKE.
UM, WE COULD LOOK AT SOME OF OUR, UM, I MEAN MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS.
WE WERE JUST OUT AT EAST ALDEEN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND DID A PRESENTATION THERE ON ALL DAY TRAINING.
AND THEY'VE OFFERED TO ALLOW US TO CO-LOCATE, ESPECIALLY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT THERE.
SO LOTS OF GOOD THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO BE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE SAFETY RESOURCES TO INDIVIDUALS.
UM, OKAY, I THINK I'M RIGHT AT 10 MINUTES.
I COULD GO ON FOR PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, HOURS, BUT I DON'T THINK YOU GUYS WANT THAT OF ME.
SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF A PREVIEW OF WHO WE ARE, WHAT MY STAFFING LOOKS LIKE, A COUPLE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON.
SO I JUST WANTED TO OPEN IT UP AND SEE WHAT QUESTIONS YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE OF US LOOKING TO SEE IF WE HAVE HANDS UP AND LOOKING IN THE CHAT TOO.
WELL, I SEE TWO, YEAH, I SEE PRISCILLA AND THEN, OKAY.
YEAH, PRISCILLA AND PASTOR DEB.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE FOR THE INFORMATION.
MY QUESTION IS, I HEARD YOU SAY THAT YOU DID DO A PRESENTATION IN THE EAST ALDEAN AREA.
SO YOU ARE, YOUR OFFICE IS OPEN TO PRESENTATIONS AT OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS? WE ARE.
SO WE JUST HOSTED, UM, EVERY YEAR THE DA'S OFFICE HOSTS A, A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH EVENT.
AND SO THIS YEAR THE EVENT THAT WE HOSTED WAS A TRAINING ON STRANGULATION.
UM, WE BROUGHT IN SOME SPEAKERS INCLUDING, UM, ONE THAT WAS JUST FANTASTIC TO MEET.
UNFORTUNATELY THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE TERRIBLE, BUT WE BROUGHT IN KELSEY MCKAY, WHO RUNS, UH, MCKAY CONSULTING, AND JIM SCHMIDT, WHO IS THE STEPFATHER OF GABBY PETITO, IF ANYONE HAS FOLLOWED HER STORY.
SHE WAS THE YOUNG LADY WHO WAS ON A, UM, I WOULD CALL IT A ROAD TRIP WITH HER BOYFRIEND AT THE TIME, AND HE ENDED UP KILLING HER.
AND THEN, UM, INFLICTING, WELL, HE'S, HE CO COMMITTED SUICIDE.
UM, BUT JIM CAME IN AND SPOKE WITH OUR GROUP ABOUT STRANGULATION AND KIND OF THE GAP BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS AND HOW IT AFFECTS INDIVIDUALS.
SO WE CAN'T DO THAT LARGE OF SCALE PRISCILLA, LIKE FOR EVERYTHING.
I'VE GOT SOME, SOME, UM, SOME OF MY CREW WHO GOES OUT OFTEN AND DOES FULL-BLOWN PRESENTATIONS ABOUT PROTECTIVE ORDERS.
WE OFTEN GO OUT AND SPEAK ABOUT, UM, JUST TO DIFFERENT PARTNERS, A MORE EXTENDED CONVERSATION OF WHAT I'M GIVING YOU.
I'M GIVING YOU LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, TWO MINUTE ELEVATOR SPEECH AS OPPOSED TO THE TRUE 30 MINUTE TO AN HOUR SPEECH.
BUT YEAH, WE CAN, AND IF YOU HAVE A TOPIC IN MIND THAT IS, UM, IN THE REALM OF, OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, WE CAN CERTAINLY KIND OF FOCUS OUR CONVERSATION ON WHAT YOU NEED OR WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS.
THE PERSON TO REACH OUT TO, IF YOU WANTED TO DO THAT WOULD BE SHERRY CORTEZ.
UM, I KNOW SHE'S ALWAYS ON THE CALL.
SO SHE'S, SHE IS MY PROGRAM COORDINATOR, UM, COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND PROGRAM COORDINATOR WHO IS FANTASTIC.
WE COULDN'T DO HALF OF THIS IF, UH, IF IT WEREN'T FOR SHERRY, BUT THAT'S YOUR GO-TO.
ANYTHING YOU NEED, JUST REACH OUT TO HER.
PRISCILLA, I PUT MY EMAIL IN THE CHAT, SO JUST EMAIL ME AND I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU.
I WILL SAY THOUGH, THAT OCTOBER IS SUPER BUSY, SO WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PULL ANYTHING TOGETHER LIKE IN OCTOBER, BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE EVERY OTHER MONTH OF THE YEAR, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT PEOPLE DON'T FOCUS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BUT IT'S STILL THERE.
PASTOR DEB, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WHAT A GREAT PRESENTATION FOR, SORRY, SUBJECT, UM, I, SUBJECT I WANTED, UH, TO THANK YOU ALSO AND TO ASK, UM, IF YOU COULD, IF I COULD RECOMMEND THIS TO THE COALITION FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
UH, WE GO THERE SECOND, UH, TUESDAYS TO THE UNITED WAY, AND, UM, THEY'RE LOOKING ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR PRESENTATIONS AND SANTA MARIA IS ONE OF THE PARTNERS, AND I THOUGHT, UM, IT'D BE PROBABLY RIGHT AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, BUT, UH, I WAS HOPING YOU COULD LET ME, UH, KNOW HOW TO REFER Y'ALL TO THAT PROGRAM SECOND TUESDAY AT THE UNITED WAY, THEY TAKE SPEAKERS.
[00:45:01]
YES, WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO.UM, I WOULD JUST BASICALLY, I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO CONNECT WITH SHERRY, AND IF YOU CONNECT SHERRY WITH WHOMEVER IS THE RIGHT PERSON OVER THERE, THEN SHE'LL REACH OUT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY NEED AND THEN FIGURE OUT 10.
I'LL REACH OUT SHERRY, I WILL, I KNOW SHERRY.
AND THE SECOND QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE FOLLOW UP AFTER THE ADVOCACY AND AFTER, UM, FOR THE VICTIMS FOR THE, UM, AFTERWARDS.
ARE Y'ALL, HAVE Y'ALL HAD ANY FUNDING CUTS OR INCREASES, OR ARE Y'ALL ABLE TO INCREASE OR ANY OF THAT WORK? UH, TO DO VICTIMS', UH, CARE, YOU KNOW, POST CARE AND TRAUMA STUFF? SO UNFORTUNATELY WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER, UH, SYSTEM, IF, IF CRIMINAL JUSTICE ITSELF IS THE SOLE INTERVENTION POINT FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WE DON'T HAVE POST-CARE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO MY CREW DOESN'T DO ANY TYPE OF, WELL, THEY REALLY DON'T FOCUS ON DIRECT SERVICES OR ANY TYPE OF DIRECT INTERVENTION.
WE HAVE TO OUTSOURCE ALL OF THAT.
AND SO WE ALWAYS WANNA OUTSOURCE EARLY SO THAT WHEN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PIECE ENDS, WE'VE ALREADY MADE CONTACT FOR THAT SURVIVOR, WHETHER IT'S JUST THERAPY, WHETHER IT'S HOUSING, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE NEEDS ARE.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
I'LL TAKE THAT INFORMATION WITH ME TOMORROW.
GREAT QUESTION, GREG, YOU'RE NEXT.
YOU HEARD SOME COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER BEFORE THAT HALF THE CALLS FROM H TO HPD ARE RELATED TO FAMILY VIOLENCE.
IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING AS WELL? I, I, GREG, UNFORTUNATELY I CAN'T SPEAK TO HPD STATS.
UM, I DO KNOW THAT THE DV CALLS ARE THEIR HIGHEST NUMBER.
I CAN'T SAY IF IT'S HALF MORE OR LESS THOUGH.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING YOUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
UH, I AM THE PRESIDENT OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 22, THE WASHINGTON AVENUE CORRIDOR.
MY QUESTION IS AROUND WOULD YOU ALL BE, AND AND I MAY BE OVERSTEPPING AS IT PERTAINS TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT THE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS, SOME OF THEM HAVE THESE ROADSHOWS OR TOWN HALLS THAT THEY DO.
WOULD YOU ALL BE OPEN TO HAVING A PRESENCE OR A TABLE ALONG WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AT THOSE TOWN HALLS? UM, BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE MORE, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATIONS, UM, THAT HAVE QUESTIONS, THEY'RE GONNA BE MORE APT TO APPROACH YOU AT A TABLE AT THAT PARTICULAR EVENT VERSUS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, LIKE THIS.
UM, EVEN IF IT WERE IN PERSON, UM, BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A PRIVATE, UM, YOU KNOW, SITUATION.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IS WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO THAT AND ENGAGING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, AND BEING, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, HAVING, JUST HAVING A PRESENCE, UH, AT THEIR EVENTS IF THEY'RE OPEN TO THAT TOO.
THAT'S, THAT'S ONE THING THAT I DID NOT MENTION, UM, TO PRISCILLA AND PASTOR DEB'S QUESTIONS, WE DO PRESENTATIONS, RIGHT, WHERE WE SPEAK FOR SHORT, LONG-TERM, UH, LONG TIME, WHATEVER, BUT WE OFTEN TABLE AS WELL WHERE WE DON'T HAVE A SPEAKING PRESENCE, BUT THERE ARE THE RESOURCE TABLES.
UM, I HAVE A FANTASTIC GROUP OF ADVOCATES WHO ARE ALWAYS WILLING, UM, TO GO OUT AND STAFF TABLES.
WE TEND TO FOCUS ON ABOUT TWO TO THREE PEOPLE, AND WE BRING ALL OF OUR BROCHURES, ALL OF OUR RESOURCES, UM, WE BRING ALL KINDS OF SWAG.
SHERRY'S REALLY SET US UP WITH SOME, UM, SOME NICE THINGS LIKE LIGHTS AND, UH, THE LITTLE, THE LITTLE PULLEY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE BUZZERS WHERE YOU PULL IT IN, IT MAKES THE SCREECHING NOISE IF SOMEONE'S IN DANGER TYPE OF THING, BUT YES, ABSOLUTELY.
AND SO I WOULD JUST SUGGEST OR RECOMMEND JUST CONNECT WITH SHERRY.
SHE CAN REACH OUT TO THE RIGHT PERSON.
UH, IF YOU KNOW WHO THAT WOULD BE TO SEE IF THEY HAVE A TABLING OPPORTUNITY, UM, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO OUT AND SPREAD THE WORD BECAUSE I DO AGREE WITH YOU.
UM, WE'VE HAD SOME PEOPLE VOLUNTEER TO JUST GO GENERICALLY TABLE FOR US AND STAFF A TABLE.
AND I ALWAYS SAY, NO, NO, NO, I WANT AN ADVOCATE WHO IS, WHO IS, UM, WELL EDUCATED AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BECAUSE OFTEN YOU DO HAVE PEOPLE WHO JUST WALK UP TO THE TABLE AND TRY TO COVERTLY KIND OF HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
AND YOU NEED SOMEONE TO RECOGNIZE THOSE SIGNS AND SPEAK, UM, VERY ARTICULATE.
'CAUSE THAT MIGHT BE THE ONLY TIME THEY EVER REACH OUT.
SO YES, PLEASE REACH OUT TO SHERRY AND LET'S GET SOME CONNECTIONS MADE.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MARY AND MARY? THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THIS TODAY.
IT'S MUST BE A REAL CHALLENGE TO GET THE INFORMATION TO THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED THE INFORMATION.
AND, UH, THE MORE OF US WHO KNOW ABOUT THESE ITEMS AND CAN SPREAD THE WORD, IS VERY, VERY NECESSARY.
[00:50:01]
YOU SO MUCH.NO, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME.
I KNOW IT'S A HEAVY TOPIC AND IT'S, UM, IT'S NOT EVER FUN TO TALK ABOUT, BUT THE MORE THAT WE TALK ABOUT AND THE MORE WE SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES AND OUR KNOWLEDGE, I THINK THE BETTER RESOURCE WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY TO REALLY PROVIDE SAFETY TO SURVIVORS.
UM, YOU KNOW, CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS JUST ONE INTERVENTION POINTS.
UM, THEY SAY THAT THERE ARE PREDOMINANTLY THREE DIFFERENT INTERVENTION POINTS.
ONE BEING NONE, RIGHT? YOU NEVER TELL ANYONE.
ONE IS GONNA BE YOUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, YOUR, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW, YOUR, UM, YOUR FAITH-BASED LEADERS.
AND THEN THE OTHER IS CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
SO WHEN THEY COME TO US, WE WANNA DO EVERYTHING THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE MORE Y'ALL CAN SHARE WITH PEOPLE ABOUT PROTECTIVE ORDERS, ABOUT, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT SCARY PEOPLE, WE'RE NOT GONNA ARREST YOU, RIGHT?
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING ME COME SHARE WITH YOU AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO TO HELP, PLEASE REACH OUT TO EITHER MYSELF OR SHERRY OR BOTH.
WE WANTED BRIEFLY TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, UH, PEOPLE WERE AWARE OF THE, UM, ACTIVITY THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE HARRIS HEALTH AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE, UM, IMMINENT DOMAIN THAT'S GETTING READY TO START ON THE, UM, NINE A APPROXIMATELY NINE ACRES OF HERMAN PARK FOR THE FUTURE EXPANSION OF BENTEL HOSPITAL.
UM, ALSO WE WANTED TO BRING SOME MORE VOTER UPDATES.
UH, DOUG GAVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
WE WANTED TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT COUNCIL MEMBER POSITION AT LARGE NUMBER FOUR IS UP FOR THE CITY, IS UP FOR A ELECTION, UM, IN NOVEMBER.
AND THAT'S ONE THAT AFFECTS EVERY ONE OF US.
PLUM PLUMMER, THE CURRENT, UM, THE INCUMBENT HAS, IS STEPPING DOWN TO RUN FOR A DIFFERENT POSITION.
SO THERE ARE, UM, 14, 15 PEOPLE ON THE BALLOT FOR THAT POSITION.
SO I, I PREDICT THERE'LL BE A RUNOFF, BUT, UM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WAS AWARE OF THAT.
WE GET, UH, IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG BALLOT WITH ALL THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ON IT AS WELL.
ALSO, MOST OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE AREA HAVE AT LEAST ONE TRUSTEE SPOT UP FOR VOTE.
AND THE HOUSTON CITY COLLEGE IS IN, THEY'VE CHANGED THEIR NAME TO HOUSTON CITY COLLEGE, RIGHT? UM, THEY ALSO HAVE, UH, THREE, UM, TRUSTEE POSITIONS UP FOR VOTE.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF THAT, ENCOURAGE AND WILL ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOUR RESIDENTS TO GET OUT THERE AND VOTE.
THESE MIDTERM ELECTIONS CAN TEND TO BE RATHER LOW TURNOUT AND, BUT THERE, AS THEY'RE, EVERY ELECTION IS IMPORTANT AND WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HAVE OUR CITIZENS GET OUT THERE AND MAKE THEIR POSITIONS AND KNOWN ON THESE ITEMS. UM, NOW I'D LIKE TO GO AND SEE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY UPDATES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE FROM YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AND KIND OF KEEP US ALL UP TO DATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THIS GREAT CITY OF OURS.
AND WE'LL JUST TAKE IT AS PEOPLE SPEAK.
SO, LINDSAY, YOU GOT YOUR HAND UP FIRST? YEAH, ACTUALLY AHEAD, FOLLOWED BY STACY, I JUST HAD A COMMITTEE UPDATE ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
SO I, I WAS LISTENING IN ON THE SEPTEMBER MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 17TH.
THERE WERE TWO PRESENTATIONS THAT WERE DONE.
ONE IS IN FROM INTEGRA, WHICH IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS GOING TO BUILD A NEW DATA CENTER IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON, JUST NORTH OF BELTWAY EIGHT AND 59.
UM, IT'S GOING TO, IT'S EVENTUALLY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, YOU'RE GONNA BUILD OUT TO BE 41 MEGAWATTS VERSUS, UH, 141,000 SQUARE FEET.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY'RE GONNA PROVIDE OVER 500 JOBS IN THE AREA, WHICH IS GONNA BE SUPER HELPFUL BECAUSE THAT ISN'T A PART OF TOWN THAT I THINK, UM, SEES A LITTLE BIT MORE NEED FOR JOBS.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A COMBINATION OF SKILLED AND ASSEMBLY WORKERS, UM, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT PRESENTATION FOR THE, FOR THE GROUP IF YOU WANNA SEE THAT.
AND I CAN ALSO SEND IT TO THE, TO THE ALLIANCE IF Y'ALL WANNA SEND 'EM OUT.
UM, AND ALSO HISD GAVE A PRESENTATION ON HOW THEY ARE DOING, THEY WERE TYING EDUCATION TO THE IMPROVED WAGES SIX YEARS POST HIGH SCHOOL.
AND IT WAS MET WITH QUITE A BIT OF MIXED EMOTIONS, BOTH FROM CITY COUNCIL AND FROM PUBLIC COMMENT.
[00:55:01]
NOT STAY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.UM, BUT I DO WANNA SUGGEST THAT, UM, IF YOU DO HAVE A QUESTION OR YOU HAVE A CONCERN WITH HOW THINGS ARE GOING AT HISD, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO S SHARE THAT WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, SUPERINTENDENT MILES DID FACE A LOT OF VERY, VERY TOUGH QUESTIONS FROM OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THEY DO HAVE YOUR BACK.
SO I THOUGHT I WAS REALLY, I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT FROM OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, IN ADDITION, I, I WAS OUTTA TOWN, SO I JUST ONLY LISTENED TO THE AUGUST MEETING.
UM, THE TS UH, BUDGETS WERE KIND OF SHARED.
THEY CAME, GAVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE DIFFERENT TS BUDGETS.
UM, AND OVER, OVER FISCAL YEAR 2026, UM, THERE WERE, THERE WERE $205 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS.
AND I CAN JUST DROP IN LIKE A, LIKE A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FROM JUST A HIGH LEVEL AND DO THE CHAT IF YOU'RE CURIOUS.
UM, BUT IT WAS STREET PROJECTS AT 96 MILLION FLOOD MEDIATION PROJECTS AT 44 MILLION PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE, 22 MILLION IN PARKS AND GRAIN SPACE AT $20.9 MILLION.
UM, SO I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS PRETTY FASCINATING.
AND ALSO THEY GAVE AN UPDATE ON, ON THE, UH, DISPARITY STUDY, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS PRETTY FASCINATING.
I'M HAPPY TO SEND ALL OF THIS TO YOU 'CAUSE I REALIZED THAT IS ALSO JUST A BIG DUMP OF INFORMATION.
UM, AND I'VE REQUESTED A, A MEETING WITH CASTEX HATE, UM, AT DISTRICT KA COUPLE TIMES TO JUST TRY TO ALIGN ON HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER EFFECTIVELY FROM, YOU KNOW, THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE ALONG WITH THIS, WITH THE, WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE COMMITTEE TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M BRINGING GOOD UPDATES AND BRINGING FEEDBACK FROM THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE AND NEIGHBORHOODS BACK INTO THE, INTO THE COMMITTEE.
SO THE NEXT MEETING IS TOMORROW AT 2:00 PM YOU CAN WATCH IT LIVE.
UM, AND THEY'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT FLEET WEEK, WHICH IS GONNA BRING $12 MILLION IN REVENUE TO LOCAL BUSINESSES IN THE HOUSTON AREA.
APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH, STACY, AND THEN FOLLOWED BY KEITH.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, SOMETHING THAT SN 22 IS EMBARKING ON AND SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME, BUT WE'RE NOW JUST ACTING UPON, UH, WE, WE ARE INCORPORATING IN PLACE OF MEETINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, OUTINGS OR TOURS OF DIFFERENT, UH, LOCATIONS THAT ARE CITY SERVICES.
AND THE FIRST ONE THAT WE DID, THANKS TO DEXTER HANDY, I THINK HE'S ON HERE TONIGHT, UM, OUR VICE PRESIDENT, HE WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN SETTING UP, UH, A TOUR OF HOUSTON TRANS STAR.
I HIGHLY, HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT FOR EVERY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU A DEEP UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHENEVER WE ARE IN A STATE OF AN EMERGENCY.
AND COMING OUT OF THAT HOUR AND A HALF, TWO HOUR TOUR, UM, I WAS MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE KNOWING THAT, UH, THEY HAVE ALL OF THIS UNDER CONTROL.
UM, EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, DEVASTATION AND WHAT HAVE YOU FROM TIME TO TIME, THEY ARE ACTIVELY AND PROACTIVELY WORKING ON IT, UH, VERSUS BEING REACTIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THE, IN THE SITUATION.
SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK OUT OF THE BOX, UM, VERSUS JUST HAVING, YOU KNOW, A TOPIC OR A SPEAKER COME.
UM, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO JUST, YOU KNOW, KEEP PEOPLE ENGAGED AND KEEP THEM INFORMED ABOUT WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, HAPPENING IN OUR AREA AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND IN THIS CASE THE COUNTY.
SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE TO EVERYONE.
AND ALSO, CHERYL, AS A REQUEST, AND I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THIS OR FOLLOW THROUGH ON THIS, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO GET IN ROTATION IN TERMS OF SPEAKERS, THE DIRECTORS THAT REPORT TO THE MAYOR, UM, TO SPEAK AT EACH ONE OF OUR, UM, OUR MEETINGS? WE'VE TRIED.
OKAY, LET ME GIVE YOU A BRIEF DATE ON THAT.
WE'LL, YOU KNOW, UH, THERE WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT LATER, BUT THANK YOU.
THE EFFORT HAS BEEN, THE OFFERS HAVE GONE OUT.
SO, UM, WE'RE, WE CONTINUE TO ASK AND WE CONTINUE TO, TO TRY.
UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT IN THOSE WHO HAVEN'T SEEN IT IN THE CHRONICLE, THAT THE CACHEMAN GARDEN, UH, RESILIENCE HUB AT THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, WE CUT THE RIBBON ON THE PERMANENT BACKUP GENERATOR.
FINALLY, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE, UH, I WANNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU TO ANGELA BLANCHARD, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR, UH, BECAUSE WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS IS YES, WE HAVE, WELL, UH, 11 OTHER
[01:00:01]
MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS, BUT WHEN WE LOSE ELECTRICITY, A LOT OF RESIDENTS NEED A PLACE TO COME.THEY NEED A SAFE HAVEN FOR SAFETY.
AND THIS BREAKS THE GROUND OF, UM, FOR OTHER MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS TO BE ALSO BE ABLE TO HAVE BACKUP PERMANENT GENERATORS, UH, SO THAT OUR, UH, UH, SENIORS DON'T FREEZE THE DEATH.
UH, ALSO DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.
SO BEFORE, DURING AN AFTER STORM.
SO WE CAN'T COUNT ON TEXAS ELECTRICITY.
WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN THE WINTERTIME.
WE'VE EXPERIENCED IT TOO MANY TIMES A STORM.
SO THAT BEING SAID, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, HATS OFF.
UH, WE'VE GOT THINGS ROLLING AND LET'S CONTINUE TO ROLL BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER CENTERS AND PO AND FIRE STATIONS AND SOME POLICE STATIONS THAT WE NEED BACKUP GENERATORS AS WELL.
IT WAS A LONG TIME COMING FOR Y'ALL TO GET THAT UP AND GOING, SO I WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE THAT HAPPENING.
UM, JACK AND THEN GREG AND THEN VICKI.
THE, THE CITY CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE WITH OUR BUDGETS.
THE MAYOR HAS SAID THAT THERE WILL BE NO TAX INCREASE, WHICH SOUNDS GREAT, BUT WITH THE ADDED STRAINS FOR POLICE AND FIRE THAT WAS VOTED ON, UH, THIS PAST YEAR, THAT MEANS THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WILL AGAIN, GET SHORTFALLS.
AT THIS POINT, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT WILL BE $126 MILLION IN THE HOLE FOR NEXT YEAR.
THE MAYOR KEEPS TALKING ABOUT MORE EFFICIENCIES, BUT I THINK THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN DO WITH EFFICIENCIES.
CERTAINLY WE KNOW THE PROBLEMS WITH SOLID WASTE, ALTHOUGH IN SOME WAYS IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BUT OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, OUR LIBRARIES, THEY ALL NEED AND EMBARK, THEY ALL NEED TO BE FUNDED BETTER, A HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO I'M NOT SURE HOW WE'RE GONNA EVER FIX THIS.
I MEAN, CONS, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD SAYS THAT YOU'LL BE $300 MILLION DOLLARS IN THE HOLE EACH YEAR FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
I KNOW IT SEEMS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, WHO'S THE CHAIR OF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, SEEMS VERY FRUSTRATED OVER THIS, BUT WE CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH OF KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
HAS, HAS THERE BEEN ANY MORE TALK ON SOME SIMPLE STARTS TOWARDS LIKE GARBAGE FEES OR OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT? OR IS HE CONTINUING TO SAY NO? THE MAYOR STILL THINKS HE CAN GET THAT OUT OF, BUT UH, OUT OF EFFICIENCIES.
ALSO TOO, CHERYL, I HEARD THE MAYOR, UH, LAST WEEK AT AGENDA SESSION, HE MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE TWO PLANNED HEAVY TRASH PICKUPS, BUT THERE WAS NO DETAIL AROUND THAT.
SO I REACHED OUT TO SOLID WASTE AND I HAVE ASKED FOR, YOU KNOW, MORE INFORMATION AND WHEN I RECEIVE THAT, I WILL SEND IT TO YOU.
UH, TWO ITEMS. FIRST OF ALL, WE HAD NATIONAL NIGHT OUT LAST WEEK IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAD OFFICERS FROM DPS FROM THE CONSTABLE PRECINCT FIVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS SPOKE TO US, BUT PROBABLY THE BIGGEST, UM, THE
SO THAT WELL SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL.
ESPECIALLY WITH FREE PIZZA AND SNOW CONES TOO.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS PART OF IT.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME HOUSTON HAS EVER HAD A FLEET WEEK.
IT'S ALWAYS LIKE IN NEW YORK, AND WE'RE GONNA DO ONE FROM NOVEMBER 5TH TO THE 12TH.
AND I SORT OF HAVE A, A PERSONAL REASON FOR THAT BECAUSE OUR BROTHER-IN-LAW IS THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.
SO IF YOU GET OUT THERE AND LOOK, THERE'S A LOT, A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO GO ON FOR FLEET WEEK ON NOVEMBER 5TH THROUGH 12TH.
SO I ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO GET OUT THERE.
THANK YOU, VICKI, THEN KEVIN, AND THEN AMY.
UH, WE HAD NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AND WE WERE GLAD TO HAVE A, A CITY REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS FROM PRECINCT THREE, AND WE HAD BORIS MILES TO COME THROUGH AND EVERYTHING.
[01:05:01]
BUT I WANNA SAY THIS REAL QUICK.I KNOW WE TAKE OFF, UH, MY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD TAKES OFF FOR DECEMBER AND NOVEMBER, BUT I WANNA TALK TO YOU GUYS AGAIN ABOUT GETTING SOME SUPPORT FOR LITTERING.
UH, WE TALK ABOUT THE SHORTFALLS IN THE BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT IF THEY WERE TO START ENFORCING LITTERING, WHICH NEVER LEFT A TICKET BOOK FOR MISDEMEANORS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE FIRST FINE UNDER FIVE POUNDS OR LESS IS 2000 BUCKS.
SO IF THEY WERE TO, UH, THE MAYOR WAS TO MANDATE THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO ASK THE OFFICERS TO DO A DE LITTERING PROGRAM, WE WOULD DEFINITELY MAKE MONEY OFF OF THE PEOPLE THAT'S LITTERING AND WE WILL ALSO GET A CLEANER CITY.
THEN AMY, YOU, YOU READY FOR ME? YES, KEVIN, WE'RE READY FOR YOU.
UM, THERE'S A VERY LOOSELY ORGANIZED EFFORT TO HELP THE DOWNTOWN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD REACTIVATE.
UM, IT'S ALWAYS, THERE ARE TOO MANY SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS WHICH ARE NOT ACTIVE, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT, UM, WHEN PEOPLE, YEAH.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, SHOUT OUT TO DEB, PASTOR DEB FOR REACTIVATING HER SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEN JOSEPH FOR FOURTH WARD.
SO IF ANYBODY KNOWS OF ANYBODY IN THAT AREA WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN, UM, WE WILL HELP YOU.
THERE'S A MEETING, I CAN'T FIND THE DETAILS.
I'VE BEEN LOOKING WHILE WE'VE BEEN TALKING, BUT A MEETING AT FROST TOWN BREWING, UM, JUST SORT OF TALK ABOUT WHAT THE PROCESS IS, SEE WHO'S INTERESTED IN DOING THAT.
I WILL PUT MY CONTACT INFO IN THE CHAT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO REACH OUT TO ME.
SO I WAS AT DOWNTOWN MEETING, SORRY, I WAS AT THE DOWNTOWN MEETING.
OH, HAS IT ALREADY HAPPENED? YES, YES.
THERE WAS ONLY THREE PEOPLE THERE, BUT THERE WAS ALSO THREE PEOPLE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HELPING.
WELL, I'M A DAY LATE IN THE DOLLAR SHORT.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT OUR OFFICE IS WORKING WITH TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS.
UM, ONE, THE MEETING THAT JACK WAS AT AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER, THE COLUMBIA TAP, UM, A, A RESOURCE FROM THE FRIENDS OF THE COLUMBIA TAP.
SO OUR OFFICE IS WORKING ON IT.
SO IF YOU WANNA CALL OUR OFFICE OR SPEAK TO MYSELF OR RENEE, UM, WE CAN GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION AS WELL.
BUT I DO AP I DO APPRECIATE THE SHOUT, THE SHOUT OUT THERE, KEVIN.
WELL, OKAY, KEVIN AND JACK ON THE IS ARE THE APARTMENT, THE HIGHRISE APARTMENTS AND THE MID-RISE APARTMENTS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
ARE THEY ELIGIBLE TO BE IN THE SNA OR ARE THEY CONSIDERED COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS, OR ARE THEY RESIDENTS? IT'S HOW THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD DEFINES WHO THE VOTING MEMBERS ARE.
I MEAN, MIDTOWN SORT OF HAS THE SAME CONCERNS.
UM, I MIGHT REACH OUT TO YOU, KEVIN, AND ASK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SEEING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
SO THANK YOU, UM, AMY AND THEN RICKY.
SO I AM VERY EXCITED TO SHARE THAT WE ARE HAVING A DOG PARK PARTY, UH, TO CELEBRATE OUR NEW DOG PARK.
THIS HAS BEEN ABOUT 10 YEARS IN THE MAKING, BUT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 64 AND 88 IS HOSTING A DOG PARK PARTY.
UH, AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME BRING YOUR FURRY FRIEND.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CAKE WALK AND A DOG PARADE, AND OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, JOAQUIN MARTINEZ WILL BE THERE FOR DISTRICT I AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME.
IT'LL BE NOVEMBER 8TH, AND WE WILL HAVE CAKE FOR DOGS.
OKAY, RICKY AND THEN KATHLEEN.
THIS IS RICKY CARDENAS WITH, UH, SECOND WARD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 63.
UM, MY FIRST UPDATE IS TOMORROW, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
UM, THERE WILL BE A COMMUNITY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SUPER HUB THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED FOR 4 1 9 EMANCIPATION.
THAT MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE AT STEADY GAS PARK IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH IS 3000 GARROW STREET.
UM, AND IT'LL BEGIN AT SEVEN, I BELIEVE CHIEF SATTERWHITE WILL BE PRESENT TO ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN ON, UM, NOVEMBER 8TH, UH, THE EASTERN DISTRICT IS HOSTING AN OFFICIAL GARNET ASADA, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS A BACKYARD BARBECUE THAT'S IN, UH, PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FLEET WEEK EVENT.
UM, IT'S ALSO TO CELEBRATE THE 250TH,
[01:10:01]
UH, ANNIVERSARY OF THE NAVY.THAT WILL BE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH.
IT'LL BE AT THE NAVIGATION ESPANADE.
AND THAT BEGINS AT FOUR AND ENDS AT NINE.
GREAT, KATHLEEN, AND THEN JACK.
UH, MUSEUM PARK ALSO HAD A, UH, WONDERFUL, UH, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENT.
THE OFFICIALS THAT HELPED US CELEBRATE AND BRING TOGETHER OUR COMMUNITY.
THOSE REALLY ARE IMPORTANT EVENTS, AND WE TOO HELD OURS ON AN ESPLANADE.
THEY'RE HANDY LITTLE PARK AREAS, UM, REGARDING BYLAWS, UH, FOR AREAS THAT HAVE HIGH RISES.
WE IN MUSEUM PARK HAVE THAT SAME, UH, MIX OF HOUSING, AND WE DECIDED THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO EXCLUDE ANYBODY.
SO WE WROTE INTO OUR BYLAWS, UM, A COUPLE OF DELEGATE SEATS FOR HIGH RISE RESIDENTIAL, UM, PRESENCE.
AND EVEN APARTMENT COMPLEXES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT.
YOU CAN HAVE A RESIDENT THAT, UM, CAN SERVE AS A DELEGATE.
SO IF YOU WANT AN EXAMPLE OF BYLAWS WHERE THAT'S, YOU HAVE AN UNUSUAL MIX OF CONSTITUENTS.
OURS MIGHT BE ONE TO LOOK AT, BUT RHONDA, OF COURSE, IS THE EXPERT ON THAT.
THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, JACK AND THEN HAROLD.
SO IN 2017, AFTER SOMEBODY GOT KILLED AT THE CORNER OF TAFT IN WESTHEIMER, THE COMMUNITY RAISED SOME MONEY FROM PRIDE HOUSTON TO PAINT A, A CROSSING WITH RAINBOW COLORS ON IT.
AND WHEN METRO REDID, THE STREET REP PAVED THE STREET, IT WAS COVERED OVER.
OUR COUNCIL MEMBER FOUGHT TO HAVE IT PUT BACK AGAIN, AND IT WAS PUT BACK AGAIN LAST WEEK.
BUT THEN THE GOVERNOR ORDERED THEM ALL TO BE REMOVED AROUND THE STATE.
NOW THIS SIGNIFIES MORE THAN JUST, UH, PRETTY COLORS.
IT'S ALSO SIGNIFICANT FOR THE LGBT COMMUNITY FOR, UH, TO BE ABLE TO BE VISIBLE, UH, VISIBLE.
AND THERE WILL BE A PRESS CONFERENCE TOMORROW AT 10:00 AM HOSTED BY OUR COUNCIL MEMBER AT THE CORNER OF TAFT IN WESTHEIMER.
THERE HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATIONS.
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF MEDIA OVER THIS.
IT COSTS METRO $50,000 TO JUST PUT IT IN AND IT'S BEING ERASED.
SO THAT IS VERY MUCH A CONCERN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
HAROLD, I THINK YOU'RE ON MUTE, MAYBE? YEAH, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THERE, THERE WAS A MENTION EARLIER OF, UH, PROBLEMS WITH SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT.
AND, UH, EARLIER IN THE YEAR, UM, WE WERE HAVING SERIOUS PROBLEMS. WE HAD PEOPLE WOULD, WE'D PUT OUT OUR RECYCLING BINS AND THEY WOULD SIT THERE FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS AND, UH, BUT IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, THEY SEEM TO HAVE FIXED IT, EVEN THOUGH NOT ALL THE NEW TRUCKS ARE, ARE RUNNING YET.
UH, NOW YOU PUT 'EM OUT AND THEY PICK UP BOTH GARBAGE AND RECYCLING.
UM, IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT IT'S MUCH, MUCH IMPROVED.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR, UH, WHATEVER THEY DID TO FIX THEIR ISSUES.
THE SECOND THING IS, WE ARE IN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AT 31 GREATER MARYLAND AREA.
WE ARE CONSIDERING, UH, TRYING TO JOIN A, UH, MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
AND SO MY QUESTION WAS TO THE OTHER SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, I'M JUST INTERESTED IN, IN HOW MANY OF THE OTHER SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS BELONG TO A, UH, MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
UM, IF YOU DO, MAYBE, UM, OH, I DON'T KNOW, SEND, UH, UH, BRIEFLY RAISE YOUR HAND OR, UH, SEND ME A TEXT, UH, TO, UH, HAROLD EATON, UH, UH, I MEAN, A MESSAGE, A CHAT IN, IN THIS MESSAGE, IN THIS MEETING HERE.
WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS, UH, WITH OUR, UH, CHAPTER 1 25, UH, SHARI CORTEZ, UH, SA SAYS THAT THE, UH, UH, SECRET IS TO KEEP PUSHING AND WE'RE, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS WORKING WITH THE CITY.
UM, KEVIN, AND THEN
THE MEETING I WAS TALKING ABOUT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET, SO I'M NOT INSANE.
I PUT A LINK IN THE DETAILS IN THE CHAT, BUT IT'S OCTOBER 16TH
[01:15:02]
AT 6:00 PM AT FROST TOWN BREWING.AND THERE'S A LITTLE WEBSITE YOU CAN GO TO, TO REGISTER OR SEND OTHER PEOPLE TO.
SO THIS IS NOT A COMMITTEE UPDATE, I SWEAR, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT THE EASTWOOD CIVIC ASSOCIATION IS HAVING THEIR ANNUAL HISTORIC HOME TOUR.
I WILL DROP A LINK INTO THE CHAT.
THERE IS A BIKE RIDE OPTION, SO YOU CAN, YOU CAN GO THROUGH IT ON YOUR OWN THROUGH A CAR, WALK TO THE DIFFERENT HOUSES, OR YOU CAN RIDE A BIKE.
UM, AND IT'S A, IT'S A WONDERFUL LITTLE WAY TO JUST SEE A HISTORIC PART OF, OF THE, OF THE CITY.
IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST SUBURBS IN HOUSTON, AND YOU CAN TOUR A FEW OF THE HOUSES.
SO, UM, IT IS A WAY FOR THE EASTWOOD CIVIC ASSOCIATION TO, UM, NOT CHARGE VIEWS.
SO WE TAKE THESE BACK AND WE, UM, PUT THEM BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.
SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE IT.
AND THEN BERT, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT FOR SOLID WASTE, UM, THEY ARE RELEASING 16 NEW TRUCKS TOMORROW.
UM, AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A CELEBRATION TOMORROW MORNING AT SIX O'CLOCK AT SOLID WASTE.
BUT THERE'S 16 NEW RECYCLING TRUCKS THAT ARE GOING INTO OPERATION.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, THIS IS BERT RUIZ FROM SUPER NEIGHBOR 30.
I HAD A FOLLOW UP QUESTION RELATED TO THE TOPIC OF INVITATIONS TO THE DIRECTORS OF THE DEPARTMENT, THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE MADE SOME EFFORT.
COULD YOU ELABORATE AS IF YOU CAN, UM, ARE WE JUST NOT GETTING A RESPONSE WHEN WE'RE SENDING OUT INVITATIONS, OR ARE WE NOT GETTING THE RESPONSE? WE WOULD HOPE FOR BOTH.
UM, IN, IN, IN SOME CASES, WE'RE GETTING A RESPONSE THAT, UM, WELL, FOR EXAMPLE, THE, THE MOST RECENT FOR, UM, NEXT MONTH'S MEETING GOING TO BE OUT OF TOWN AT A CONFERENCE.
SO WE'VE GONE BACK OUT AND ASKED IF THERE'S SOMEBODY ELSE FROM THE DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WHO COULD COME AND, AND MEET AND HAVEN'T HEARD THAT YET FROM THAT OTHER TIME, OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
AND SOME DEPARTMENTS, IT'S, WE'LL GET BACK WITH YOU AND WE, OKAY.
SO WE, AS OF TODAY, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY DEPARTMENT THAT HAS CONFIRMED AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD ATTEND, NOT IN ALL, YEAH.
NOT FOR THE UPCOMING, FOR INVITATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED.
YOU'RE UP THERE WANTING TO RAISE YOUR HAND RAISED.
I WASN'T GONNA SAY ANYTHING, BUT I GUESS I WILL.
UM, FOLLOWING UP ON THE QUESTION THAT YOU JUST ANSWERED, UH, WOULD IT BE A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO, UM, WRITE A LETTER TO THE MAYOR AND ALL THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS AS INDIA ALLIANCE TO SIGN THAT AND SAY TO HIM THAT, UH, WE WANT, YOU KNOW, BETTER, UH, THE, THE, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO, UH, BE MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO US, THE TAXPAYER WHO PAY ALL OF THEM SALARY AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO COULD WE PUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT TOGETHER AND LET HIM KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE AFTER ALL, WE DO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITIES WHO ARE THE VOTERS AND TAXPAYERS WHO PAY EVERYBODY IN THE CITY.
AND SO IF WE CAN LET HIM KNOW, UH, WOULD THAT HELP US? UM, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, AND I WILL, I'M JOTTING IT DOWN RIGHT NOW TO BRING IT UP TO LETICIA TO TAKE UP WITH THE, THE PLANNING COMMITTEE, UM, LETTERS, ITEMS LIKE THAT.
THERE ARE PROCEDURES FOR HOW WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH MM-HMM
AND PRESENT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
MAKE, BRING THIS TO LETICIA'S ATTENTION TO OKAY.
AND THE REASON THAT I'M SAYING THAT TO YOU IS THAT MM-HMM
I'VE HAD TO DO THAT, UH, WITH OUR COUNCILWOMAN CAST ACT TATUM, WHEN THEY DID SOMETHING TO US IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE, THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY GAVE PERMISSION TO PUT A STREET IN THAT WE DID NOT ASK FOR TO A PRIVATE COMPANY AND INCREASE THE TRAFFIC ON, YOU KNOW, JUST COMING THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD FOR US, SOME WAREHOUSES THAT WERE BEING BUILT OVER HERE.
SO THE THING WAS, IT WAS GONNA CREATE, YOU KNOW, BIG TRUCKS AND TRAFFIC AND ALL OF THAT.
I GOT ALL THE PEOPLE ON MY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD TO SIGN IT, ALL THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WERE AROUND, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA CREATE PROBLEMS FOR THEM TOO.
[01:20:01]
SO WE ALL DID.AND, UH, WE CAME UP WITH A SOLUTION.
AND OUR SOLUTION WAS TO PUT A, A GATE TO GATE IT AND MAKE IT AT 9 1 1 STREET, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE CITY SAID WAS THE REASON THAT THEY WERE DOING IT IS FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES.
SO WE SAID, OKAY, WE'RE NOT GONNA FIGHT YOU OR MAKE YOU CLOSE THE STREET.
BUT WHAT WE DO WANT YOU TO DO IS MAKE IT AT 9 1 1, UH, EMERGENCY ENTRANCE ONLY.
AND, UH, THAT'S END UP WHAT THEY ENDED UP DOING.
SO I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT DOES CARRY SOME IMPACT.
I WILL BRING, I WILL DEFINITELY ADD IT ON THE LIST THAT WHAT I'LL BE SENDING TO LETICIA TOMORROW.
UM, PASTOR DEB, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.
JUST QUICKLY, I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP AND SAY, ONE OF THE PLACES THAT I FIND MANY OF THESE DEPARTMENT HEADS IN THE FAITH COMMUNITIES IS WITH HOUSTON RESPONDS AND LOVING HOUSTON.
AND I'VE BEEN AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT, UM, MEETINGS RECENTLY WHERE THEY'VE HAD AMPLE NUMBER OF CITY REPRESENTATION AND PEOPLE THAT ARE FROM THE ACTUAL MAYOR'S REAL CLOSE TEAM.
SO I WAS JUST GONNA GIVE Y'ALL THAT AS A HINT.
ANYBODY THAT BELONGS TO A FAITH HOUSE OR HAS ONE LOCAL TO YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, REACH OUT AND WORK WITH YOUR HOUSE OF FAITH AND, UM, ASK THEM TO WORK WITH HOUSTON.
THEY WORK WITH SCHOOLS THROUGH HOUSTON RESPONSE, AND THAT'S WHERE EVERYONE'S INFILTRATING INTO THAT MAYOR RIGHT NOW, IN MY EXPERIENCE THIS LAST FEW MONTHS.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANTED TO, TO BRING UP? UH, WE HAVE SOME COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES HERE, AND THIS IS THE TIME I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM SOME OF Y'ALL.
IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE DIS TO THE FORM DEI, YOU ARE QUICK ON THE, ON THE DRAWING.
UH, DEI CHAVIS WITH MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM'S OFFICE.
SHE'S COUNCIL MEMBER OF DISTRICT K.
I'M HAPPY TO SHARE SOME NEWS WITH YOU ALL.
UM, FIRST I'D LIKE ON BEHALF OF MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM AND THE DISTRICT K TEAM, WE WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR HOSTING A WONDERFUL NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENTS.
THERE WERE SEVERAL, UH, PLENTY GOING ON, UH, THROUGHOUT DISTRICT K.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S COMMITMENT TO BUILDING THE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS.
WE APPRECIATE HPD, OUR CONSTABLES, JUST EVERYONE, UM, JUST GATHERING TOGETHER AND MAKING IT SUCH A WONDERFUL NIGHT.
AND WE'RE HAPPY, UH, TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU ALL.
UM, ALSO, I LIKE TO, UM, LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT MAYOR PRO TE IS THE CHAIR OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WILL, WILL MEET ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH AT 2:00 PM UM, AND I'M PUTTING THAT INFORMATION IN THE, IN THE CHAT.
UM, I THINK LINDSAY MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION ON FLEET WEEK HOUSTON.
THERE WILL ALSO BE A PRESENTATION ON FINANCIAL POLICIES, UM, TS PROPOSALS AND AN INCENTIVE PROPOSAL FOR OWENS CORNING ROOFING AND ASPHALT.
YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION, UM, ON THE AGENDA AS WELL AS THE PRESENTATIONS AS THEY ARE POSTED.
UM, ALSO, UM, ON, UM, WE'RE EXCITED THAT, UM, WE ARE REVITALIZING SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 40, UH, SOUTHWEST HOUSTON.
AND YES, UM, THANKS RHONDA SOLDER, UM, I'M GETTING FEEDBACK.
I'M HEARING MYSELF REPEAT, UM, FOR WORKING WITH OUR OFFICE AND REVITALIZING THAT, UM, YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION.
THIS MEETING, WE'RE HAVING A, UM, A MEETING WHERE WE'RE, UH, SOLICITING PEOPLE TO JOIN THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, ON OCTOBER 29TH AT 6:00 PM AND THAT'S GONNA BE AT THE HAROLD L. PRESTON SOUTHWEST POLICE STATION.
SO YOU CAN FIND OUT THIS INFORMATION AS WELL AS MORE IN OUR DISTRICT K NEWSLETTER THAT'S HOT ON THE PRESS.
THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD INFORMATION, AND WE ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO, UM, READ THAT.
AND PLEASE, IF YOU'VE NOT SIGNED UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER, UM, EMAIL US AT DISTRICT K@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE NOW YIELD BACK.
UM, SARAH, I'M GONNA JUMP TO YOU NEXT.
I'M WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JULIAN RAMIREZ'S OFFICE.
UM, HE'S ONE OF THE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO GETS TO WORK WITH ALL OF Y'ALL'S OFFICES AND OR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
[01:25:01]
YOU GUYS AT DIFFERENT MEETINGS BEFORE.SO WONDERFUL TO SEE SO MANY AMAZING PEOPLE IN ONE PLACE.
UM, DON'T HAVE ANY MAJOR UPDATES.
JUST WANTED TO COME ON, SAY HELLO, SAY THAT WE'RE ALWAYS HERE TO SUPPORT SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS IN TANDEM WITH THE DISTRICT OFFICES.
SO IF THERE'S ANY, ANY EVER, ANYTHING Y'ALL NEED, UM, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
AND HAPPY TO BE LOOPED INTO ISSUES.
ALSO HAPPY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ IS ALWAYS OPEN TO COME TO MEETINGS AND SPEAK WITH FOLKS.
SO IF YOU HAVE AN UPCOMING MEETING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE HIS PRESENCE AT, PLEASE, UM, LET ME KNOW.
I CAN PUT MY EMAIL IN THE CHAT OR I'LL PUT OUR GENERAL AT LARGE INBOX EMAIL AS WELL, AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO COORDINATE SOMETHING.
UM, JAMES BURNETT, FOLLOWED BY ANGELICA ABS.
I'M A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR IN THE OFFICE OF YOUR HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER, UH, PRECINCT COURT COMMISSIONER LESLIE BRIANIS.
I WANTED TO BRING YOU, UH, THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18TH.
UH, COMMISSIONER CONSULTING AT TOWN HALL IS GONNA BE AT LEGACY STADIUM, UH, IN THE KATY AREA FROM 10 TO 12.
UH, WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO COME OUT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE GOING ON IN PRECINCT FOUR.
UM, AGAIN, I'M GONNA DROP ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS IN THE CHAT.
UH, WE'RE OFFERING FREE MEDICAL SERVICES THAT ARE PRE FOUR COMMUNITY CENTERS, UH, FREE DENTAL SCREENINGS, UH, IMMUNIZATIONS.
IF YOU KNOW SOMEBODY, YOU MIGHT NEED THAT.
IF YOU NEED THAT YOURSELF TO COME VISIT A PRECINCT FOUR CENTER, UH, YOU CAN GET THAT DONE FREE OF CHARGE.
UH, WE'RE HOSTING A FALL FESTIVAL.
THIS IS GONNA BE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25TH FROM 11 TO THREE.
IT'S GONNA BE AT THE WEEKLY COMMUNITY CENTER, UH, 84 40 GREENHOUSE, UH, HAY RIDES, PUMPKIN PATCHES, GET A BUS, UH, THINGS FOR THE KIDS.
SO DEFINITELY BRING 'EM OUT TO, TO WEEKLY COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND THE LAST THING IS WE'RE HAVING A CLASSIC CAR SHOW, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HEAD.
THAT'S GONNA BE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH, UH, FROM ONE FOR FOUR.
THAT'S GONNA BE AT THE HOCKLEY RECREATION CENTER.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A CLASSIC CAR SHOW.
THERE'S GONNA BE SOAPBOX RACES THERE FOR THE CHILDREN, UH, AS WELL AS HOT WHEEL RACES.
AGAIN, JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT A P FOUR CENTER, AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU.
I'M GONNA DROP ALL INFORMATION IN THE CHAT.
UH, MY CONTACT'S IN THERE AS WELL.
ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE HERE TO BE A RESOURCE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT.
UM, ANGELICA, THEN DANELLE F FIELDS.
I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.
I'VE BEEN ATTENDING A, UH, A FEW OF THE MEETINGS, BUT I REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS DEPARTMENT, AND ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO STRENGTHEN OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY.
UM, AND CERTAINLY THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN THAT.
UM, AND SO I, I WANTED TO JUST PUT MY EMAIL IN THE CHAT.
UH, I WAS DISCONNECTED EARLIER, SO I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HISD, BUT, UH, THERE ARE SOME GREAT IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, AND WE HAVE NO F SCHOOLS, UH, IN OUR DISTRICT.
AND SO WE HAVE A FEW INITIATIVES.
C THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRECINCT FOUR, WHO'S ADOPTED A FEW OF OUR SCHOOLS THROUGH OUR HOUSTON PROMISE INITIATIVE.
SO, UH, AND UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, QUESTIONS ABOUT HISD ARE GOING TO IN DISTRICT K, AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO THAT, BUT I'LL ALSO PUT MY EMAIL IN THE CHAT SO THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR YOU DESIRE TO HAVE A SPEAKER, COME, UH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
I'M WITH COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER, POSITION THREE.
I JUST WANNA COME ON AND SAY HELLO.
AND AGAIN, LIKE, UM, UH, SARAH, WE ARE ALL OF HOUSTON.
WE ARE AT LARGE, SO WE'RE HERE TO HELP ANY DISTRICT THAT NEEDS THE HELP.
SO PLEASE REACH OUT ANY AND ANY OF YOU SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS IF YOU NEED ANYTHING.
UM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE ON OUR NEWSLETTER, PLEASE PUT IT IN THE CHAT AND I'LL, I'LL ADD YOU TO THAT.
THIS IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, AWARENESS MONTH.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
INITIATIVES AS WELL AS THE HOMELESS.
AND WE HAVE STARTED AN INITIATIVE, OR SHE HAS STARTED INITIATIVE.
UH, IF YOU'VE SEEN IT ON BILLBOARDS OR MAYBE AT THE AIRPORT, IT'S, I'M OKAY, ARE YOU OKAY? AND, UH, WE'RE, IT'S ON THE BACK OF SOME OF THE BATHROOMS NOW AT THE AIRPORT IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
IT HAS A QR CODE THAT ANYONE COULD, UM, UH, CONNECT IN THERE.
IT WILL GIVE SOMEONE, IF THEY NEEDED SOME HELP, SOME DIRECTION ON WHERE TO GO.
UM, SOME OF US, UH, SOME PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, ARE VERY, UH, PROTECTIVE, ARE AFRAID.
UH, IT WILL GIVE THEM A LITTLE, UM, UH, PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GO AND CONNECT.
UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBER, THIS INITIATIVE IS ALSO PAIRED
[01:30:01]
WITH THE TEXAS COUNCIL ON FAMILY VIOLENCE, OF WHICH THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS ALSO ON THE BOARD.SO THIS IS, UH, IT'S BEEN HOUSTON WIDE, IT'S GOING STATEWIDE AND IT'LL GO NATIONAL.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AS WELL.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF NEW THINGS IN HOUSTON ON THE FOREFRONT.
SO, UH, I THINK WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THIS IS REALLY NEAT BECAUSE ALL OF Y'ALL ARE TOGETHER AND YOU CAN FIND, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO FIND OUT SO MUCH.
AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO JEFF BAKER, UM, IF HE'S STILL ON, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW LITTLE PUPPY THAT YOU JUST GOT.
I'M SHOWING THAT WE ARE AT THE END OF OUR QUOTE, DESIGNATED TIME FOR THE MEETING.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO HAVE A BRIEF MOMENT TO SPEAK? AND I SEE THAT ALEJANDRA HAD PUT HER HAND UP.
I'M A CANDIDATE FOR HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL AT LARGE IN SPECIAL ELECTION THIS NOVEMBER.
I REALLY ENJOYED LISTENING TO THE WHOLE MEETING AND HEARING ABOUT THE ISSUES YOU'RE DISCUSSING.
I'M A LONGTIME DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZER.
I ORGANIZE STUDENTS NATIONALLY, PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.
FOR THE PAST ALMOST DECADE, I'VE BEEN A TRIAL LAWYER AND PARTNER AT TUSTIN GODFREY, WHERE I'VE SUED SOME OF THE BIGGEST COMPANIES AND HELD THEM TO ACCOUNT.
I'VE STOPPED PARTISAN INTERFERENCE HERE IN OUR ELECTIONS IN HARRIS COUNTY, AND I'VE STOPPED STUDENT DISCRIMINATION IN MAGNOLIA, ISD I'M RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL TO BRING THAT FIGHT TO CITY HALL TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF US, NO MATTER WHO WE ARE, NO MATTER WHERE WE COME FROM, ARE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.
AND I PROMISE YOU HAVE FOR ME, IS THAT I'M ALWAYS GOING TO LISTEN.
I'VE HAD SUCH INCREDIBLE CONVERSATIONS WITH SO MANY PEOPLE ON THIS CALL, AND WHAT YOU ALL HAVE TAUGHT ME IS THAT THERE'S CERTAIN ISSUES THAT RISE TO THE TOP, AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE CITY SERVICES, A STRONG INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFER NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND HOW PART OF HOW WE PAY FOR ALL OF THIS IS TO WRITE, INCREASING OUR RESOURCES.
AND GRANT WRITING CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE ON THIS CALL HAVE INFORMED ME THAT THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE DEDICATED GRANT WRITERS IN MANY DEPARTMENTS.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE ARE LOSING OUT ON BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS I WANNA FIGHT FOR ON COUNCIL IS BRINGING SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I'D BE SO HONORED TO HAVE Y'ALL SUPPORT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, BUT I'M GONNA BE YOUR ADVOCATE.
SO PROUD TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING SALLY HOR AND SIX STATE REPRESENTATIVES, INCLUDING ANN JOHNSON, LAUREN ASHLEY SIMMONS, AND DISTRICT ATTORNEY SEAN TIER.
BE SO HONORED TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT.
ALEJANDRA SENA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO SAY? HELLO, THIS IS, CAN YOU HEAR ME? UH, BARELY.
IS THAT BETTER? LITTLE, LITTLE.
WE CAN HEAR YOU, BUT SPEAK AS LOUD AS YOU CAN.
FOR THOSE WHO I'VE NOT MET, UM, I'M A FORMER MEMBER OF THE HOUSTON CITY.
FIRST OF ALL, LEMME THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US.
I WAS LISTENING TO THE DIALOGUE WHILE I WAS IN HUMBLE KINGWOOD COMING IN, AND I LISTENED TO EVERYTHING YOU GUYS HAD TO SAY.
AND I'VE BEEN IN HOUSTON ALL MY LIFE.
AND I COULD TELL YOU, WHEN YOU HAVE A WELL ORGANIZED SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I'VE HEARD ALL KIND OF CONCERNS FROM, YOU KNOW, DOG PARKS TO, YOU KNOW, TAXING.
I MEAN, CREATING A NEW TAXING AUTHORITY AND THE MAYORS IN CONTROL AND WORKING WITH GOOD COUNCIL MEMBERS.
YOU CAN GET THINGS DONE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
BUT JUST A LITTLE BIT BY MYSELF.
I SERVED ON HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL FOR SIX YEARS UNDER TWO DIFFERENT MAYORS.
I SERVED ON THE BUDGET FINANCE COMMITTEE ON THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, AND I CAME OUT OF MY DISTRICT TELLING THEM WHEN I WAS CAMPAIGNING WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO.
ONE WOULD BE TO ADDRESS THE FOOD DESERTS, THE MAYOR.
WE BROUGHT OUT ONE, BUT TWO GROCERY STORES TO HOUSTON.
MY BACKGROUND IS THAT I DO A LITTLE WORK IN WASHINGTON DC WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES.
SO I FOUND SOME FEDERAL MONEY THAT WOULD HELP US.
AND WE HAVE THE BRAND NEW HEB ON 2 88 IN NORTH MCGREGOR ALSO SAID I WOULD CREATE A TOURIST IN THE SUNNYSIDE AREA THAT WOULD HELP STEER, UH, UH, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ADDITION TO DRESS THE DRAINAGE ISSUES WE HAD IN, IN SUNNYSIDE.
SO THE MAYOR GAVE US ABOUT 148,000 SEED MONEY.
AND NOW THAT INCREMENT IS UP TO ALMOST $8 MILLION.
AND SO THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE ALL FROM THE SUNNYSIDE AREA.
PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY CONTROLLED THEIR DESTINY.
THEN I PUT TOGETHER A PROGRAM TO HELP SENIOR CITIZENS WITH MINOR HOME REPAIRS AT NO COST.
WE REPAIRED OVER 607 HOMES AND COUNTED FOR SENIORS IN THE DISTRICT D AREA.
AND THEN I CREATED WHAT WE CALL A SECOND CHANCE PROGRAM FOR THOSE WHO MADE MISTAKES IN THE PAST THAT NEEDED A SECOND CHANCE TO HELP REDUCE CRIME AND RECIDIVISM IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AS AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER, I THINK IT'S, IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT EXPERIENCE MATTERS, BUT TO
[01:35:01]
HAVE A VISION, TO UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH THE MAYOR, YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE A CITY MANAGER TO BE ABLE TO GET THINGS DONE.NOW, MY COMMUNITY POLICING PROGRAM IS VERY SIMPLE.
SOME OF YOU GUYS MAY RECALL I RAN FOR MAYOR AT ONE TIME AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITIES RESPECTED.
AND THAT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE POLICE OFFICERS TO BRING PATROL CARS HOME.
BUT IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO PATROL 30 MINUTES BEFORE THEY GO TO WORK AND 30 MINUTES WHEN THEY RETURN, BUT PARK THE CAR IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE.
I CAN GUARANTEE YOU CHICAGO IS DOING IT.
IT WILL REDUCE CRIME WITHIN THE THREE MILE RADIUS OF YOUR HOME.
IMMEDIATELY YOU WOULD HAVE A MAJOR REDUCTION IN CRIME.
AND THEN IN THE KINGWOOD AREA, THEY HAVE THE LIFT GATE LIFT GATES.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR TWO MORE AND SOME FUNDING FROM THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS IN COASTAL WATER AUTHORITY BECAUSE THEIR WATER LEAVES LAKE HOUSTON.
THEY COME AND IMPACT ALL OF US, YOU GUYS.
AND SO I WILL PUT TOGETHER AD HOC COMMITTEE WITH SOME OF THE GUYS THAT, SOME OF THE PEOPLE RATHER, THAT RECEIVED SOME OF THAT FEDERAL MONEY TO, TO MAKE CERTAIN WE GET ADDITIONAL MONEY TO HELP ADDRESS THOSE, UH, LIFT GATES.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IN 2011, I WAS ON THE COMMITTEE THAT CREATED RENEW HOUSTON AND THEN LATER WERE CALLED REBUILD HOUSTON.
SOME PEOPLE REFERRED TO IT AS THE RAINY DAY TAX FUND, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO YOUR WATER BILL.
SOME OF THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS MISUSED THE MONEY.
AND SO THE MONEY HAS NOW BEEN RECAPTURED WITH THE SETTLEMENT WITH MAYOR WHITMEYER AND THE, UH, REBUILD HOUSTON ENGINEERS.
AND NOW THAT MONEY BE RECAPTURED AND PUT IN THIS, UH, THIS DESIGNATED FUND.
MY GOAL IS TO PROTECT THAT MONEY BECAUSE I WAS PART OF THE CREATION OF IT TO MAKE CERTAIN, IF WE PROTECT THAT MONEY, THE GOAL IS TO RAISE ABOUT $5 BILLION IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
AND YOU CAN HAVE EVERY STREET IN OUR CITY WHERE WE WANT IT AS HOUSTONIANS.
I'M A FULL-TIME PUBLIC SERVANT.
YOU COME IN DISTRICT DI CAN GUARANTEE YOU, YOU MENTIONED MY NAME TO 'EM.
THREE OUT OF FIVE WILL HAVE SOMETHING POSITIVE TO SAY BECAUSE I WAS COMMITTED TO MY COMMUNITY.
AND AS AN AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER, I WILL BE THERE FOR YOU.
YOU HAVE A DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER.
THERE ARE FOUR OF THAT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT I WORK FOR YOU.
YOU CALL MY OFFICE, I RESPOND TO YOU, NOT MY STAFF.
AND I HOPE I CAN COUNT ON YOUR SUPPORT THIS NOVEMBER 4TH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME AS WELL.
AND LET, LEMME JUST SAY THIS REAL QUICK.
I DIDN'T KNOW I CAN LEAVE KINGWOOD CLEAR LAKE, I MEAN KINGWOOD HUMBLE AND GET TO THIRD WARD IN 20 MINUTES.
YOU GUYS, I WAS HOPING I DIDN'T GET A SPEEDING TICKET TRYING TO GET HERE TOO
WELL GUYS, IT'S BEEN A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING.
I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY TAKING THE TIME OUT OF YOUR VERY BUSY SCHEDULES TO BE HERE.
UH, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYBODY AGAIN AT THE NOVEMBER MEETING.
WE'LL BE GETTING THE NOTICE OUT, UH, SOON ABOUT THAT AND OUR AGENDA.
AND REMEMBER, DECEMBER WILL BE AN IN-PERSON MEETING AND WE WILL HAVE, THANK YOU.
WE WILL HAVE OUR FINAL, UM, ANNOUNCE.
WE'LL, WE'LL KNOW FOR SURE WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE AND WE'LL BE ANNOUNCING THAT AT THE NOVEMBER MEETING.
BUT PLEASE MARK ON YOUR CALENDAR IN PERSON FOR DECEMBER.
SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
UM, I THINK WE CAN ALL RAISE OUR HANDS AND SAY THAT WE'LL SEE Y'ALL LATER.
AND THANK YOU, CHERYL FOR, UM, SITTING IN TONIGHT.