* 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. [00:00:29] I AM TRAVIS LEMONS. AND I'M REBECCA WILLIAMS. AND WELCOME TO THE CITY POLL, HTV HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AT WORK IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. COMING UP ON THE PROGRAM, I'LL SHARE A STORY ABOUT A RESIDENT CONCERNED ABOUT THE THINGS SHE NOTICED ON HER DAILY WALKS AND HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION OPENS A DOG PARK IN THE EAST END. BUT FIRST, SOME HEADLINES FROM HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. COUNCIL MEMBERS JUST APPROVED THEIR CURFEW FOR PEOPLE RIDING E SCOOTERS OR OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLES BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 8:00 PM AND 4:00 AM. THE ORDINANCE ALSO PROHIBITS THE RENTAL OF MICRO MOBILITY DEVICES FROM TEMPORARY SHELTERS, SUCH AS THE TENTS AND POP-UP STRUCTURES. YOU SEE, MAYOR WHITMEYER SAID HE LISTENED TO THE CONCERNS OF HOUSTONIANS. THE ORDINANCE WILL IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND WALKABILITY, ESPECIALLY NEAR DOWNTOWN PARKS, HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, AND OTHER VENUES WHERE SCOOTERS HAD TAKEN OVER THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS WE'RE BEING 13 YESES, UH, NO, NO VOTES. UH, IT'S UNANIMOUSLY PASSED. THANK EVERYONE. COMMUNITY AND FAITH LEADERS RECENTLY JOINED MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR AN HISTORIC ANNOUNCEMENT ON JANUARY 19TH, 2026. THE CITY OF HOUSTON WILL HAVE ONE MLK DAY PARADE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TWO LEGACY ORGANIZATIONS. THE BLACK HERITAGE SOCIETY AND THE MLK GRAND PARADE HAVE IN PAST YEARS HELD TWO SEPARATE PARADES WITH THE SAME START TIME. AND MAYOR WHITMEYER WAS CHOSEN AS ONE OF THE THREE GRAND MARSHALS IN HONOR OF HIS LEADERSHIP IN UNITING THE PARADES IN THE SPIRIT OF DR. KING'S LIFE AND LEGACY FREE ATLAS PRE ATLAS. THANK GOD ALMIGHTY. ONE OF HOUSTON'S MOST ENDURING THEATER VENUES IS GETTING AN UPGRADE. HERE IS MAYOR WHITMEYER HELPING BREAK GROUND ON MILLER OUTDOOR THEATERS NEW GATEWAY PLAZA. LOOK WHAT HOUSTON'S DOING TODAY, HAVING A GROUNDBREAKING FOR A MAGNIFICENT EDITION TO MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER. AND I WANT EVERYONE TO PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT AS I WAS BEFORE I CAME, BEFORE YOU RELIVE SOME OF OUR EXPERIENCES AT MILLER PARK. I WENT TO U OF H, THIS WAS AN ESCAPE FROM EXAMS. AND THEN YOU'VE COME HERE TO SEE THE CULTURAL DIVERSITY. IT'S JUST REALLY SPECIAL TO BE HERE TODAY AND THINK ALL INVOLVED, CERTAINLY THE CONTRIBUTORS, THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY. AND I'LL LEAVE US WITH THIS CHALLENGE. LET'S JUST MAKE SURE ALL COMMUNITIES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. THERE'S PEOPLE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ, THAT JUST REALLY HAVEN'T FELT INVITED TO COME JOIN US, EXPERIENCE GROW. AND SO LET'S, LET'S TAKE THIS WONDERFUL CITY ASSET THAT THE CITY WILL CONTINUE TO BE A FULL PARTNER. BUT LET'S MAKE SURE THAT EACH AND EVERY HOUSTONIAN FEELS WELCOME HERE. NOW, REBECCA, DID YOU KNOW THE CITY OFFERS A SERVICE TO DROP OFF PUMPKINS FOR COMPOSTING? I DIDN'T KNOW THAT, BUT THAT'S GREAT. INSTEAD OF PUMPING UP LANDFILLS, SOLAR WASTE MANAGEMENT WILL TAKE THOSE PUMPKINS OFF YOUR HANDS. SO THIS IS OUR FIFTH YEAR THAT WE'VE BROUGHT BACK THE PUMPKIN COMPOSTING EVENT. THIS MEANS THAT FROM, UH, HALLOWEEN TO AFTER THANKSGIVING, THAT WEEKEND AFTER, WE'LL BE COLLECTING, UH, PUMPKINS FOR COMPOSTING. INSTEAD OF THROWING 'EM IN THE TRASH, WE REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE THEM TO ONE OF OUR TWO LOCATIONS, THE WEST PARK RECYCLING CENTER, AND THE REUSE WAREHOUSE. A GREAT WAY TO NOT ADD TO THE LANDFILL. GREAT WAY TO GIVE BACK. JUST MAKE YOUR PUMPKINS. THEY CAME FROM THE EARTH. LET'S PUT 'EM BACK IN THE EARTH. ABOUT 25% OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE IS FOOD WASTE, AND WE WANNA GIVE THAT FOOD WASTE TO A PROPER RECYCLING CENTER. AND SO PLEASE HELP US IN, IN JOINING THE EFFORT IN GETTING THESE, UH, PUMPKINS COMPOSTED. NOW IT IS TIME TO MEET MS. MARTINEZ, A RESIDENT WHO RAISED CONCERNS [00:05:01] ABOUT TRASH AND UNSAFE ACTIVITY ALONG HER DAILY WALKS. THOUGH SHE WAS NERVOUS AND AFRAID TO SPEAK AT CITY COUNCIL, SHE SPOKE. AND CITY COUNCIL BEAR WHITMEYER, THE CHIEF OF POLICE, ALONG WITH HIS TEAM, JUMPED INTO ACTION. NOW THE AREA IS CLEANER, SAFER, AND BACK ON TRACK. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT HER STORY. HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE FIXIT FILES. I'M REBECCA WILLIAMS. I AM HERE WITH MS. MARTINEZ, WHO CAME TO CITY COUNCIL, CAME TO PUBLIC SESSION, HAD SOME CONCERNS, AND SHE WAS ABLE TO GET HER SITUATION FIXED. MS. MARTINEZ, TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE COMING TO PUBLIC SESSION. WHAT, WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO COME TO PUBLIC SESSION TO BEGIN WITH? WELL, TWO THINGS. MAINLY. UH, ONE TRASH. UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF TRASH ON THE SIDEWALK. AND ALSO, UH, SEVERAL MEN, UM, HOMELESS MEN URINATING IN PUBLIC AND HAD NO REGARDS TO WHOEVER WAS WALKING BY OR ANYTHING. YOU, YOU ARE, YOU ARE NOT ALONE, UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THIS TYPE OF COMPLAINT. I KNOW. UM, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRY TO ADDRESS IT. WHEN YOU, YOU LEFT PUBLIC SESSION, THE MAYOR, UM, GOT ON THE HORN, UM, REACHED OUT TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE. WHEN YOU GOT BACK HOME, WHAT DID YOU FIND? I NEVER EXPECTED THIS, SO I WENT HOME. I DROPPED BY THE AREA AND I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I NO LONGER SAW THE TRASH. SO I WAS LIKE, WHAT? I WAS VERY IMPRESSED. YES. AND I WAS VERY, VERY HAPPY FOR THAT. I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL TO THE MAYOR BECAUSE IT, IT, FOR ME, IT MEANT A LOT. AND SO, AS FAR AS THE HOMELESS IN THAT AREA, WHAT DID THAT LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? UH, A LOT BETTER. A LOT BETTER. I COULD SAY THAT MAYBE LIKE 80% OF THE, OF THAT AREA GOT CLEAN. AND SO IF THERE IS SOMEBODY THAT IS MAYBE LIKE NERVOUS OR DOESN'T KNOW, MAN, ME COMING TO CITY COUNCIL IS NOT GONNA MATTER. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO THEM? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? FOR ME, IT, IT JUST MADE THE DIFFERENCE. SO I WILL ENCOURAGE EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBER TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY, TRY TO JOIN AN ASSOCIATION, AND, UH, COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND GET FAMILIAR WITH ALSO WHO, WHO REPRESENTS YOU. AND BELIEVE ME, THAT WHEN YOU COME HERE AND YOU, YOU SPEAK IN FRONT OF THE MAYOR, IT MAKES A HUNDRED PERCENT OF A DIFFERENCE. SO PLEASE, PLEASE GET INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY. AND IF THERE WERE ANY WORDS THAT YOU WANTED TO SAY TO THE MAYOR AND TO OUR POLICE CHIEF JUST FOR BEING ABLE TO ASSIST YOU IN YOUR CONCERN IN YOUR AREA, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? VERY, VERY, VERY GRATEFUL. THE MAYOR, VERY GRATEFUL. THE SEQUELS, EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY THAT IT'S A PART OF THIS, THIS ADMINISTRATION, EVERY PERSON THAT PLAYS A PART IN IMPROVING THE STANDARD OF LIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY, KEEPING IT SAFE AND CLEAN, IT'S, I'M GRATEFUL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. MARTINEZ, FOR YOUR TIME, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING YOURSELF TO KIND OF COME OUT OF YOUR SHYNESS. YES. UH, TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND AN ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF. AND JUST THANK YOU FOR BEING WHO YOU ARE. BECAUSE WHO YOU ARE AUTHENTICALLY CAN OPEN UP THE DOOR FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO BECOME WHO THEY NEED TO BE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. AND ONCE AGAIN, HERE ON THE FIX IT FILES, THE WHITMEYER ADMINISTRATION, THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS ANSWERED THE CALL, WENT IN, FIXED ANOTHER COMMUNITY, AND YOUR COMMUNITY MAY BE NEXT. THAT WAS SUCH A GREAT STORY, REBECCA. THANKS. IF YOU WANT CHANGE TO HAPPEN, SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA STOP BEING THE PASSENGER AND GET IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT. YES. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK, BUT WHEN CITY POST RETURNS, WE LET THE DOGS OUT IN DISTRICT, I STAY TUNED. IN HOUSTON, WE FEED OFF INSPIRATION. EVERYTHING WE DO SEE AND FEEL IS CONNECTED. GUESS YOU COULD SAY OUR SECRET INGREDIENT IS TOGETHER BECAUSE TOGETHER MAKES IT AMAZING. WELCOME BACK. HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION RECENTLY OPENED THE NEW LAWNDALE DOCK PARK AND THE EAST END COMMUNITY IS LOVING IT. SO SHY. THERE'S A NEW DOG PARK IN HOUSTON'S EAST END. SO THIS IS WOODY. IT'S REALLY GOOD TO HAVE A, A FULL ON PLEDGE [00:10:01] DARK DOG PARK FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE CAME IN, UH, HIS, UH, HIS, UH, FLINTSTONE, UH, CAR. UH, HE LOVED THE FLINTSTONE. SO WE CAME IN THE FLINTSTONES CAR. IT IS A LABOR OF LOVE OF EVERYBODY BEING CONSISTENT, SHOWING UP AND ENSURING THAT WHAT WE HAVE AT HERE TODAY IS FOR EVERYONE. CITY COUNCILMAN JOAQUIN MARTINEZ HELPED GET THE LONGDALE DOG PARK TO THE FINISH LINE, BUT FORMER COUNCILMAN ROBERT GALLEGOS IS ACCREDITED WITH GETTING THE BALL ROLLING ON THIS DOG PARK WHILE HE WAS STILL IN OFFICE. IT TOOK US FIVE YEARS, BUT WE'RE EXCITED THAT, UH, TODAY IS THE GRAND OPENING. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, NEIGHBORS HERE IN THE EAST END, UH, IDLE WOOD, UH, EAST LAWNDALE COUNTRY CLUB, UH, EASTWOOD THAT ARE OUT HERE WITH THEIR DOGS. UH, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT. YOU READY FOR THE DOG PARADE? LOUIS? THE LAND FOR THE DOG PARK WAS PURCHASED BY THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD FROM FOREST PARK LAWNDALE, BUT FOREST PARK LAWNDALE WILL STILL BE A PART OF IT AS THAT COMPANY WILL NOW MAINTAIN THE INSIDE OF THE PARK. HOUSTON PARKS WORD. WE WERE DOING THE BAYOU GREEN WASTE TRAIL. WE BOUGHT ADDITIONAL GREEN SPACE LAND, WHICH WE TURNED OVER TO HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. AND THEN THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THIS DOG PARK HERE, WHICH IS A GREAT AMENITY FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR PEOPLE TAKING THEIR DOGS UP AND DOWN THE TRAIL. THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO COME AND ENJOY THE OUTDOORS. YEAH, LOVE PEANUT BUTTER BUBBLES EVER. IT'S THE ONLY DOG THAT'S INTERESTED IN, HE WANTS THE PEANUT BUTTER BUBBLES AND THE DOGS AND THEIR OWNERS VOICE THEIR APPROVAL OF THE NEW PARK. I LOVE IT BECAUSE NOW YOU GET TO TAKE YOUR DOGS OUT AND THEY ENJOY IT AND STUFF, AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO RUN AROUND AND WIN. KNOW THE BAD, THE BAD AREAS AND STUFF. THEY CAN HAVE THEIR OWN LITTLE PARK. SO WE'RE ENJOYING IT RIGHT NOW. AND HE ENJOYING ALL THE DOGS TOO. THE NEW LAWNDALE DOG PARK LOCATED JUST OFF LAWNDALE BY, BRAISED BY YOU. IT'S JUST ONE MORE REASON WHY WE LIKE TO SAY HOUSTON PARKS AND REC, WHERE YOU BELONG WITH ALL THOSE DOGS RUNNING AROUND HAVING FUN. LET US NOT FORGET THE WORK OF PARK HOUSTON DOES AND HELPING SHELTER PETS FIND A FOREVER HOME. HERE'S SPECTRUM FUSION WITH A STORY ON A BARK EVENT WHERE THE ADOPTION FEES WERE WAIVED. SO WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS ADOPTION EVENT IS THERE ARE SO MANY DOGS AND CATS FOR YOU TO CHOOSE FROM TODAY, AND THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS, THE ADOPTION FEES TODAY HAVE BEEN WAIVED. USUALLY THERE IS, UH, INFLUX WHENEVER WE HAVE EVENTS LIKE THIS, SO WHENEVER PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE'S FREE ADOPTIONS, WE MAY HAVE MORE. UH, BUT THERE ISN'T REALLY A, A JUMP IN THE RETURNS THAT WE SEE, OR LIKE, UH, PEOPLE THAT AREN'T PREPARED FOR PETS. IT'S ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER EITHER WAY. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, GET A DOG AND DON'T THINK OF THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THEN KIND OF GIVE UP, WHICH IS REALLY SAD. THAT'S HOW WE HAVE A LOT OF DOGS THAT NEED HOMES, A LOT OF ABANDONED DOGS. I'M GLAD THEY'RE DOING IT BEFORE THE WINTERTIME, RIGHT? WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF DOGS OUT IN THE COLD AND THE FACT THAT THEY'RE DOING HALLOWEEN. I THINK THAT MAKES IT REALLY FUN AND ATTRACTIVE FOR FAMILIES TO CONSIDER. IF YOU WANT A DOG, YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE BEST INTENTION OF WANTING TO TIE IN YOUR FAMILY OR BRING SOMETHING NEW, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE NEEDING A COMPANION, NEEDING A FRIEND. I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING, ESPECIALLY IN A PLACE LIKE HOUSTON. UM, YEAH. WHERE IT'S SO DIVERSE, SO MANY PEOPLE, SO MANY DOGS. SO I THINK, I THINK IT'S A, YOU KNOW, THE WORK THING, IT WORKS OUT WELL. I THINK THE ORGANIZATION AND THE FRIENDLY STAFF IS REALLY GREAT. WE HAVE VENDORS THAT ARE LOCAL VENDORS AS WELL, AND I THINK THE, THE WHOLE EVENT AS A, AS A WHOLE, ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, IS JUST VERY WELL PUT TOGETHER. IT, IT'S OUR SECOND YEAR, SO OUR GOAL IS TO BRING PEOPLE IN FOR MORE ADOPTIONS. THAT'S OUR MAIN GOAL. GET AS MANY ANIMALS OUT OF HERE TO ADOPTIONS AS POSSIBLE. WELL, REBECCA, THAT DOES IT FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF CITY PULSE. WELL, THANKS FOR WATCHING FOR HTV HOUSTON TELEVISION, HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION. OUR PARTNERS WITH SPECTRUM FUSION AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THIS IS TRAVIS LEMON REMINDING YOU WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER AND KINDNESS IS FREE. * 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.