[00:00:03]
KNOWN AS[Reading of the Consent Agenda.]
GREATER ROSE HILL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH BEING LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A PROTECTED LANDMARK.ITEM 21 ORDINANCE DESIGNATING THE PROPERTY MUNICIPALLY, KNOWN AS 8 28 WEST 20TH STREET, AND ALSO KNOWN AS GREATER PLEASANT HILL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH BEING LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A LANDMARK ITEM 22 ORDINANCE DESIGNATING THE PROPERTY MUNICIPALITY KNOWN AS 1707 MILFORD STREET, AND ALSO KNOWN AS WEST EDGEMONT DREAM HOME BEING LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A PROTECTED LANDMARK.
ITEM 23 ORDINANCE DESIGNATING THE PROPERTY MUNICIPALITY KNOWN AS 1505 ALAMO STREET, AND ALSO KNOWN AS VALENTI DISON HOUSE AT 1505.
ALAMO BEING LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A PROTECTED LANDMARK.
ITEM 24 ORDINANCE DESIGNATING THE PROPERTY MUNICIPALITY KNOWN AS 1507 ALAMO STREET, AND ALSO KNOWN AS VALENTI DISON HOUSE AT 1507.
ALAMO BEING LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A PROTECTED LANDMARK.
ITEM 25 ORDINANCE DESIGNATING THE PROPERTY MUNICIPALLY, KNOWN AS 53 19 INSTITUTE LANE, AND ALSO KNOWN AS THE ALLEN AND HATTIE GREENHOUSE BEING LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A LANDMARK ITEM 26 ORDINANCE.
FINDING AND DETERMINING THAT PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY NO LONGER REQUIRE THE CONTINUED USE OF GALLO DRIVE AND SPELMAN ROAD.
ITEM 27, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF A GRANT APPLICATION FOR FUNDING TO THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD FOR THE SPRING SHADOWS, DRAINAGE AND PAVING PROJECT.
ITEM 28, MUNICIPAL SETTING DESIGNATION ORDINANCE PROHIBITING USE OF DESIGNATED GROUNDWATER BENEATH ATTRACTIVE LAND CONTAINING 3.1271 ACRES, COMMONLY KNOWN AS 65 0 5 FOSTER STREET AND ZERO FOSTER STREET, HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS, SUPPORTING ISSUANCE OF A MUNICIPAL SETTING DESIGNATION BY THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
AT THE REQUEST OF HINDSIGHT INVESTMENTS, LLC ITEM 29, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $2,136,859 94 CENTS APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND WALTER P. MOORE AND ASSOCIATES INC.
ITEM 30 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE TO US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES FOR FY 25 COPS HIRING PROGRAM GRANT FOR THE CHIEF OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND WAS ITEM 36 ON THE AGENDA OF JANUARY 14TH, 2026.
THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE CAPTIONS FOR THE AGENDA OF JANUARY 21ST, 2026.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND WITH THAT, I WISHED EVERYONE A BLESSED AND HAPPY HUMP DAY COUNCIL, PLEASE
[9:00 A.M. - INVOCATION & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Council Member Flickinger]
COME TO ORDER.CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILMAN CAYMAN FOR THE INVOCATION.
IT IS MY DISTINCT PLEASURE, UH, TO BRING UP, UH, BISHOP OGLETREE, IF YOU'LL JOIN US AT THE PODIUM.
UH, WHO IS, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THE FOUNDING PASTOR OF FIRST METROPOLITAN CHURCH AND HAS LONG BEEN A PILLAR OF LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE IN OUR GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY.
UH, OF COURSE, IN ADDITION TO HIS PASTORAL WORK, HE HAS SERVED HIMSELF IN PUBLIC SERVICE ON THE SFA ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND HELD LEADERSHIP ROLES ACROSS NUMEROUS CIVIC AND FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE UNION BAPTIST ASSOCIATION AND THE AFRICAN AMERICAN PASTORS FELLOWSHIP, UH, TOGETHER WITH HIS WIFE OF OVER 50 YEARS.
EVELYN OGLETREE, UH, HE CONTINUES TO MENTOR AND UPLIFT THE NEXT GENERATION THROUGH LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS, CONFERENCES, AND A DEEP COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
AND WITH ALL OF THAT, UH, HE STILL MAKES HIS FAMILY HIS NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
UH, HIS FOUR CHILDREN, 13 GRANDCHILDREN, AND EVERY TIME HE TALKS ABOUT THEM, UH, HE DOESN'T JUST LIGHT UP.
SO BISHOP, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU.
UH, GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
UH, LET US PRAY ETERNAL AND RIGHTEOUS.
GOD, OUR WAYMAKER MIRACLE WORKER, PROMISE KEEPER AND LIGHT IN TIMES OF DARKNESS.
WE CALL UPON YOU TODAY AS WE CONSIDER THE AGENDA THAT IS SET BEFORE OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ON THIS AGENDA ARE CHALLENGES AND CONCERNS THAT AFFECT THOUSANDS OF HOUSTONIANS.
GIVE THEM KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM AS THEY DISCUSS
[00:05:01]
AND DEBATE ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA SO THEY MAY ARRIVE AT THE BEST DECISION.LET THEM ALWAYS HAVE IN MIND TO COMMUNICATE AND COLLABORATE FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
MAY THEIR DECISIONS TODAY PROMOTE PROGRESS, PROSPERITY, AND PEACE FOR THE PEOPLE IN OUR GREAT CITY.
REMIND THEM THAT UNLESS YOU WATCH OVER THE CITY, THOSE WHO WATCH, DO SO IN VAIN SO THAT ALL THAT IS EXPRESSED AND DECIDED IN THIS MEETING.
BE PLEASING IN YOUR SIGHT SO THAT THE PEOPLE OF OUR CITY WILL BE BLESSED.
AND GOD, PLEASE PROTECT OUR CITY FROM THIS WINTER STORM THAT IS HEADING OUR WAY.
KEEP OUR PEOPLE SAFE ON THE STREETS AND IN THEIR HOMES, ESPECIALLY THE ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO ARE DISABLED, THE HOMELESS, AND THOSE WITH MEAGER RESOURCES.
MAY YOUR GRACE ABOUND TODAY AND IN THE DAYS TO COME IS IN YOUR HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS NAME.
[ROLL CALL & MINUTES]
MR. SECRETARY, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROOM? MAYOR WHITMEYER, PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK HERE.COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HERE.
NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT A MINUTES OF JANUARY 13TH AND 14TH.
THOSE OPPOSED ANY MOTION PASSES.
[Additional Item]
MEMBERS.UH, THE MAYOR'S REPORT IS MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
IT'S A, UH, ALERT TO ALL OF US AND CERTAINLY ALL HOUSTONIANS AND THE REGION.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A SEVERE WINTER STORM, ARRIVE SATURDAY.
WE'RE MONITORING IT VERY CAREFULLY.
WE STARTED ACTIVATING OUR TEAM, UH, LAST WEEKEND.
NO ONE BETTER THAN BRIAN MASON.
UH, WE'RE HAVING CONFERENCE CALLS.
ALL THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS HAVE BEEN ASKED TO HAVE ALL HANDS ON DECK, GO THROUGH EQUIPMENT, GO THROUGH PLANS FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
I WILL BE TALKING TO HOUSTONIANS LATER IN THE WEEK TO ADVISE EVERYONE STAY OFF THE ROADS STARTING SATURDAY TILL TUESDAY MORNING.
YOU NEED TO BE AT HOME IN YOUR RESIDENCE.
WE'RE IN CONTACT WITH HISD AND OTHER AGENCIES, BUT I'M GONNA ALLOW BRIAN TO COME.
BUT I'M HERE TO EMPHASIZE IT IS A SERIOUS STORM.
WE'RE MONITORING IT BY THE HOUR.
IT APPEARS THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITY FOR IT TO CHANGE DIRECTION DUE TO THE SWIFTNESS AND SEVERITY OF THE STORM.
ALL HANDS ON DECK, THAT MEANS ALL WARMING CENTERS WILL BE OPENING SATURDAY.
SO TUESDAY MORNING, 12 WARMING CENTERS, FOUR OF THEM HAVE GENERATORS.
I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO SAY WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THERE WERE ZERO WARMING CENTERS WITH GENERATORS WHEN I WAS SWORN IN.
THE GOAL IS, AND IT WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THAT ALL WILL HAVE GENERATORS AT THE END OF MY FIRST TERM.
SO I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU EMPHASIZE PREPARATION.
RANDY'S RUNNING ALL OF THE CITY'S GENERATORS AT WATER TREATMENT PLANT, BUT WE CAN'T CONTROL THE ICE AND IT WOULD APPEAR THAT ICE
[00:10:01]
WILL EITHER GET AS FAR SOUTH AS MONTGOMERY COUNTY, BUT WE'VE GOTTA BE PREPARED FOR IT.BRIAN, I HAVE TOTAL CONFIDENCE WITH YOU.
I KNOW WE'RE TALKING TO ALL OUR LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
OUR COUNTY PARTNERS ARE ALSO PREPARING WARMING CENTERS IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA, BUT THAT'S A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE'RE FACING AND YOU CAN GO INTO GREATER DETAIL AND THANK YOU.
I KNOW YOUR EMPLOYEES WILL BE PREPARED TO WORK AROUND THE CLOCK AND, UH, PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND.
AND WE WILL SCHEDULE NEWS CONFERENCES TO TALK TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, FORTUNATELY WHEN I DO GO TALK TO THE PUBLIC, THEY TAKE US SERIOUS.
I DON'T WASTE PRESS CONFERENCES.
SO WITH THAT SAID, UH, WOULD YOU GIVE US A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOUR OPERATIONS LOOKS LIKE TODAY? SURE, SIR.
AND WHAT IT IN IN GOING FORWARD? THANK YOU MAYOR AND UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO AS MAYOR MENTIONED, WE STARTED COMMUNICATING WITH DIRECTORS ACTUALLY ON SUNDAY.
UM, ONCE WE STARTED GETTING SOME OF THE INITIAL WEATHER REPORTS.
UM, THE WEATHER FORECAST IS DYNAMIC.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THE FRONT'S KIND OF SPEEDING UP AS IT'S COMING DOWN.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA HIT A LITTLE BIT LATER.
LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA HIT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
SO WE'RE STILL AT MINUS 72 HOURS BEFORE THE FRONT'S GONNA HIT US ON A LOT OF THE COLD WEATHER.
WE USUALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN OUR MODELS UNTIL ABOUT MINUS 48 HOURS.
SO TOMORROW WE'LL HAVE A LOT BETTER INFORMATION ON THE EXACT TIMING, UH, HOW MUCH OF THE WINTER PRECIPITATION WE'RE GONNA GET.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE FORECASTS, UM, THE PINEY WOODS KIND OF TO OUR NORTH, UM, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE FORECAST INDICATES THEY'RE GONNA REALLY GET WALLOPED WITH A LOT OF ICE.
THEY COULD GET A HALF AN INCH TO AN INCH OF ICE.
UM, THAT IS CATASTROPHICALLY DAMAGING TO CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IF YOU GET THAT MUCH ICE IN YOUR LOCATION.
SO A LOT OF THAT HEAVY ICE HAS SLOTTED TO BE UP NORTH OF US RIGHT NOW AS THE LAST MODEL RUNS HAVE COME IN OVER THE LAST 24 TO 36 HOURS, THAT ICE LINE IS CREEPING FURTHER SOUTH.
SO INITIALLY WE THOUGHT THE LINE WAS, UH, GONNA STAY UP IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
THE LAST COUPLE RUNS WE'RE SHOWING SOME ICE COMING IN THE METRO AREA AND THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A GLAZING OR A TRACE OF ICE TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE COAST.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE MONITORING THE WEATHER REALLY CLOSELY WHEN IT COMES TO THE ICE.
UM, BUT REGARDLESS, IT'S GOING TO BE BONE CHILLING COLD.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TEMPERATURES IN THE LOW TWENTIES, UPPER TEENS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE WIND CHILLS IN THE LOW TEENS, MAYBE SINGLE DIGITS.
IF YOU'RE IN THE NORTH PART OF THE METRO AREA, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY, VERY COLD.
KIND OF INITIAL TIMING RIGHT NOW LOOKS LIKE SATURDAY KIND OF MID AFTERNOON-ISH IS WHEN WOULD THE RURAL TEMPERATURES ARE GONNA START TO DROP.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE HIGHEST PROBABILITY FOR SOME WINTER PRECIPITATION, WHICH WOULD BE KIND OF SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH KIND OF SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
UM, HOW MUCH WINTER PRECIP WE GET IS TO BE DETERMINED AFTER THAT, IT'S GONNA REMAIN VERY COLD.
WE MAY BE 48 HOURS BELOW FREEZING.
SO I DON'T LIKE TO COMPARE WEATHER EVENTS TO PREVIOUS WEATHER EVENTS.
SO KIND OF TAKE THIS WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A GRAIN OF SALT.
BUT IF I HAD TO COMPARE THIS TO SOMETHING, THIS IS LOOKING MORE LIKE THE WINTER STORM OF 2021 THAN IT LOOKS LIKE THE WINTER STORM OF WHAT WE HAD LAST YEAR.
YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WE HAD TWO TO FOUR INCHES OF SNOW.
UH, PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY AND ENJOY THE SNOW.
2021 WAS BONE CHILLING COLD FOR 40 TO 42 HOURS BELOW FREEZING.
WE HAD SOME ICE, WE HAD SOME ROADWAY CHALLENGES.
I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS GOING TO BE THE WINTER STORM OF 21, BUT WE SHOULD PREPARE, LIKE THIS IS GOING TO BE THE WINTER STORM OF 2021.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION TO PEOPLE IS PREPARE YOUR HOMES NOW.
NOW GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND PEOPLE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON, AT LEAST THROUGH MONDAY MORNING, POTENTIALLY INTO TUESDAY MORNING.
YOU MAY BE AT HOME FOR THAT DURATION.
SO DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN NOW TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE PREPARED.
AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, WE'RE GONNA OPEN WARMING CENTERS.
UM, WE HAVE 'EM SCATTERED ACROSS, YOU KNOW, THE CITY.
UH, THE 12 THAT WE DID LAST YEAR WILL BE THE SAME 12 THAT WE DID THIS YEAR.
AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, WE'RE COORDINATING WITH, UM, THE COUNTY AS WELL WITH THE DIFFERENT PRECINCT COMMISSIONERS FOR THEM TO HELP AUGMENT AND OPEN SOME WARMING CENTERS IN THE UNINCORPORATED PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY.
SO WORKING CLOSELY WITH PUBLIC WORKS, WITH FIRE, WITH POLICE, WITH ALL THE OPERATIONAL DEPARTMENTS, WITH HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WITH, UH, 3 1 1 A RA BARK ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S GETTING PREPARED FOR THE WINTER WEATHER.
[00:15:01]
BE, IS SOMEWHAT OF A TWO B DETERMINED RIGHT NOW.I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS SOME THINGS IN MORE DETAIL.
UH, BRIAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND THIS COULD BE FOR YOU OR THE MAYOR.
MAYOR, WE, UM, MANY TIMES AFTER A STORM, UM, HEAR FROM RESIDENTS THAT THEY WERE OUT THERE TRYING TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL ITEMS, GO UP TO THE WARMING CENTERS, HAVE GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS TRYING TO PROVIDE FOOD OR ASSIST IN, IN AN EVENT LIKE THIS.
WHAT SHOULD WE BE ADVISING THESE GROUPS IN THESE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGS WHEN THEY WANT TO TRY TO HELP AND PROVIDE ITEMS AT THE WARMING CENTERS.
BUT BASED ON THE EVENTS THAT WE MAY EXPERIENCE, HOW SHOULD THEY PROCEED? SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL CALLS LATER THIS WEEK AND WE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO CON CONTINUE TO COORDINATE WITH, UM, YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF WITH Y'ALL'S OFFICES.
THE MAIN CHALLENGE WHEN PEOPLE WANNA DONATE FOOD, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME HEALTH DEPARTMENT CONCERNS.
SO OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE IF YOU WANNA DONATE STUFF AND WE WILL GET YOU GUYS THE PROPER WAY TO DO THAT.
PLEASE MAKE SURE IT'S PREPACKAGED FOOD, IT'S SEAL FOOD.
IT'S NOT BRIAN COOKING A BIG POT OF SPAGHETTI AT HOME AND BRINGING IT UP.
'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF HEALTH CONCERNS THAT COME ALONG WITH THAT.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET YOU GUYS A GOOD PROCEDURE OR PLACE THAT IF PEOPLE WANNA DONATE STUFF AT THE FOND REC CENTER OR ONE OF THOSE LOCATIONS THAT THEY COULD BRING IT UP AND DONATE 'EM.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, IT'S GONNA BE THE REAL RECOMMENDATION'S GONNA BE PRE-PACKAGED, SEALED FOOD, NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU MAKE AT HOME IN YOUR KITCHEN.
AND IS THAT SOMETHING TO WHERE THEY SHOULD BE? AND I, I'LL WAIT TO HEAR IT FROM YOUR, YOUR GUIDANCE ON THIS, SOMETHING BY A CERTAIN TIME BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE ON THE ROADS.
YOU WERE, YOU WERE MENTIONING TO STAY IN SURE FROM, YOU KNOW, MID SATURDAY TO MAYBE MID TUESDAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS THE EVENT IS OCCURRING, THE THE ADVICE TO THESE FOLKS WHEN THEY WANT TO TRY TO TRANSPORT ITEMS BACK AND FORTH, THE REQUEST WOULD BE, DON'T GET ON THE ROAD UNLESS YOU HAVE TO.
IF YOU WANT TO DONATE SOME STUFF, LET'S TRY TO DONATE IT ON SATURDAY, YOU KNOW, EARLY AFTERNOON TO WHERE WE GET THAT, THOSE SUPPLIES THERE.
BUT WE WOULDN'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE ON THE ROADS SUNDAY NIGHT OR MONDAY MORNING WHEN THE CONDITIONS ARE HAZARDOUS OUTSIDE, IF THAT ENDS UP BEING THE CASE.
BUT WE'LL DEFINITELY GIVE YOU GUYS MORE GUIDANCE.
I, I WOULD SAY COUNCILMAN PREPARATION, PREPARATION, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ADEQUATE NOTICE PROBABLY BE IN PLACE BY SATURDAY MIDDAY.
UH, THE WORST OF THE CONDITIONS WILL BE SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING, TUESDAY MORNINGS EARLY VOTING, BEGINNING TOO.
SO WE'VE GOT A CHALLENGE AT CASHMERE NORTHEAST TO PROVIDE FOR OUR CITIZENS, UH, SAFETY, BUT ALSO, UH, COOPERATE WITH THE ELECTION JUDGES.
SO I WOULD JUST SAY, UH, PREPARATION AND, AND AS WE'RE EXPERIENCING THE WINTER STORM, I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW YOU'VE GOT MY PHONE NUMBER, YOU GOT BRIAN'S PHONE NUMBER.
YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO THE EMERGENCY CENTER.
THERE'S BEEN SOME BAD INFORMATION, UH, DEALING WITH PAST STORMS. FOR INSTANCE, LAST WINTER, I DID NOT KNOW THAT OUR FIRE STATIONS DID NOT HAVE GENERATORS.
I CAN'T KNOW EVERYTHING, OBVIOUSLY.
AND SO WE GOT BUSY NOW AND ARE HAVING IN GENERATORS PLACED IN ALL OF OUR STRATEGIC LOCATIONS.
BUT IF YOU'RE AT HOME AND YOU HEAR FROM A CONSTITUENCY, IT'S TOO LATE.
ONCE WE'RE IN THE STORM OR AFTER THE STORM, SAY SUTTON AREA WAS NOT COVERED.
EMAILS TEXAS IN THE EMERGENCY CENTERS.
WE'LL BE THERE 7 24, AND WE WILL GET ADEQUATE WATER OR SERVICES THERE.
OBVIOUSLY, POWER IS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY.
AND, UH, WE HAD WATER CHALLENGES IN PREVIOUS YEARS DUE TO THE GENERATORS IN PUBLIC WORKS.
HAVING NOT BEEN TURNED ON IN RECENT TIME, THE DIESEL FROZE.
SO I GUESS TO EMPHASIZE, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
COMMUNICATION IS GONNA BE THE KEY, BUT I WOULD SAY PREPARATION CERTAINLY TO HOUSTONIANS, AND Y'ALL ARE VERY CLOSE TO YOUR DISTRICTS OF TAKING CARE OF THE PETS AND PLANTS AND SENIORS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO PREPARE FOR, GET IT IN PLACE BY SATURDAY MORNING.
UH, THE DIRECTORS ARE WORKING ALL HANDS ON DECK.
AND SO WE'RE READY AND PREPARE FOR WORSE CONDITIONS, HOPING
[00:20:01]
THAT WE'LL GET A BREAK.BUT FROM BRIAN'S DESCRIPTION WITH THE WEATHER EXPERTS, IT'S GOING TO BE A STRONG ARCTIC BLAST COMING THROUGH HOUSTON.
SO PREPARATION, AND THAT'S THE REASON I'VE GOT BRIAN HERE THIS MORNING.
AND, UH, WE'D RATHER BE OVER PREPARED THAN TO FIND OUT THAT WE NEEDED ALL THE SHELTERS, THE HOMELESS, THE HOMELESS, UH, WE'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF, UH, PLANS, METRO TO GET THEM TO THE WARMING CENTERS OUT OF THE DANGEROUS TEMPERATURES.
AND, UM, ALSO EMPHASIZES THE CONTINUED NEED FOR OUR HOMELESS SHELTERS, WHICH, UH, WE'RE PROGRESSING WITH.
SO ANYWAY, BRIAN, UH, I MEAN, YOU TWO COUNCILMAN POLLARD.
YEAH, JUST ONE, YOU YOU MENTIONED IT, MAYOR, UH, BUT, BUT A LITTLE MORE ELABORATION ON WHAT PEOPLE CAN EXPECT FROM A POWER STANDPOINT.
SO, SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ERCOT AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH CENTERPOINT, THE ERCOT PREDICTION OF SUPPLY VERSUS DEMAND, THERE'S PRETTY, THEY HAVE SUFFICIENT MARGINS THAT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GENERATE ENOUGH POWER.
THE CHALLENGE STARTS TO BECOME, IF SOME OF THESE AREAS GET A HALF AN INCH OR AN INCH OF ICE FURTHER TO OUR NORTH, UM, THAT DOES DAMAGE TO POWER LINES.
AND SO IF POWER LINES ARE DAMAGED AND GO DOWN, IT'S HARD TO TRANSMIT OR GET THE POWER TO US.
SO ARE WE ANTICIPATING ANY SIGNIFICANT POWER ISSUES? NO, NOT RIGHT NOW.
ARE WE COORDINATING WITH CENTERPOINT? ARE WE PREPARING OUR GENERATORS? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WE'LL FIND OUT MORE AS WE GET CLOSER.
UH, HOPEFULLY THE, THE, YOU KNOW, POWER SYSTEM UP, UH, HOLDS UP TO THIS.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, IF WE START GETTING SOME AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, GET HALF AN INCH OR AN INCH OF ICE, THAT IS GONNA CAUSE DAMAGE TO POWER, NOT NECESSARILY IN HOUSTON, BUT FURTHER OUTSIDE WHERE THE POWER IS BEING TRANSMITTED TO US.
SO A LOT OF THAT'S TO BE DETERMINED, BUT WE ARE MONITORING THE POWER SITUATION AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PREPARED WITH OUR GENERATORS AT OUR LOCAL FACILITIES TO BE ABLE TO BE AS SELF-SUFFICIENT AS WE CAN.
AND AS A REMINDER, IN REFERENCE TO WINTER STORM URI, WHICH AGAIN, FOR MANY OF US IS FOREVER IMPRINTED, UH, IN OUR BRAINS, FROM WHAT EVERYONE WENT THROUGH AND WHAT WE SAW, WHAT MADE IT SO BAD WAS THE POWER LOSS.
THAT'S WHEN WE REALLY STARTED TO SEE THINGS, UH, GO DOWNHILL VERY QUICKLY.
SO, UH, I APPRECIATE THE UPDATE IN TERMS OF ERCOT, I APPRECIATE THAT IT ISN'T NECESSARILY, UM, IT'S GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA BE UNPLEASANT HERE, BUT IT'S NOT THE WORST OF IT, RIGHT? IT'S TO THE NORTH.
BUT IN TERMS OF GRID STRUCTURE, WE'RE DEPENDENT ON A GRID THAT CAN BE IMPACTED SURE.
AND THAT'S NOT TO GO TO A WORST CASE SCENARIO, BUT WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE PREPARED.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA REITERATE FOR THE PUBLIC, AND YOU KNOW, CHIEF, YOU DO A, AN INCREDIBLE JOB.
ALL OF OEM DOES AN AMAZING JOB.
Y'ALL ARE THERE HOURS BEFORE, HOURS AFTER WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK.
UM, BUT IT'S THE LOSS OF POWER MM-HMM
THAT CAN MAKE THIS THING DANGEROUS.
I, I, I THINK THE, THE BIG DIFFERENCE, 2021, IF YOU REMEMBER, THAT WAS A SUPPLY AND DEMAND ISSUE, RIGHT? THERE WAS TOO MUCH DEMAND, SO WE HAD TO SHED LOAD.
WE'RE NOT EXPECTING THIS TO BE A SUPPLY AND DEMAND ISSUE, RIGHT? THIS WOULD BE MORE OF A DAMAGE TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
POWER LINES ARE DOWN, SO WE CAN'T TRANSMIT POWER.
SO DIFFERENT MAY HAVE THE SAME OUTCOME IF YOU'RE THE PERSON WITHOUT POWER.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD WITH ERCOT.
A LOT OF IT'S JUST GONNA DE DEPEND ON WHERE THIS ICE SETS UP AND WHO GETS THE HEAVY PORTION OF THIS ICE AND, AND HOW IT IMPACTS THE GRID.
AND, UH, I KNOW YOU AND I TALKED A LITTLE BIT IN COORDINATING WITH HFD, THE DRONES THAT WE NOW HAVE TRYING TO TEST THOSE OUT AND UTILIZE THOSE IF FOR COMMUNICATION, SHOULD SERVICE OR POWER GO DOWN, INTERNET GO DOWN, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, MAYOR, I KNOW YOUR TEAM IS VERY WELL CONNECTED AT THE STATE LEVEL AND IS THE, IS THE GOVERNOR OR ANYONE CONSIDERING A PRE DECLARATION, UH, FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE DISASTER DECLARATION? I KNOW GETTING THAT EARLY CAN HELP, UH, BRING THE RESOURCES IN THAT MAY BE NEEDED.
YOUR IN TOUCH WITH THE STATE EMERGENCY CENTER, BRIAN REGULARLY COMMUTES WITH THEM.
SO THEY'RE MONITORING, UH, AND PREPOSITIONING ASSETS AS WE TALK.
SO TXDOT IS SO ESSENTIAL AND THEY'VE BEEN WONDERFUL PARTNERS SINCE I WAS SWORN IN.
WE'RE IN REGULAR COMMUNICATION ON PROJECTS AND THEY'LL BE, UH, PLAY A MAJOR ROLE WITH THIS.
I'M GONNA ASK RANDY IN A MINUTE TO COME TALK ABOUT HIS COLLABORATION WITH TXDOT.
SO ICE, UH, SANDING OF ROADS, OTHER OVERPASSES, UH, RIGHT.
IT'S, IT'S ALL HANDS ON DECK AND, UH, WE'LL USE EVERY RESOURCE
[00:25:01]
AT THE COUNTY, STATE, AND CITY LEVEL.AND IT WOULD BE, AGAIN, HELPFUL IF COUNCIL COULD BE UPDATED, IF THE STATE IS CONSIDERING A DISASTER DECLARATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, UM, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO YOU.
I'M, I'M FAMILIAR WITH 'EM DOING IT AHEAD OF THE DISASTER.
THERE'S REQUIREMENTS, CERTAINLY FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR FUNDING, SO, YEP.
WE'LL, UH, WE'LL COMMUNICATE WITH 'EM.
UM, I'M LOOKING AT THE, UH, WARMING CENTER FOOTPRINT THAT Y'ALL SHARED OUT, AND I NOTICED THAT THERE ARE THREE IN THE DISTRICT.
UM, HOWEVER, WE DON'T HAVE A GENERATOR AT THE ALE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER YET.
SO IS IT THE COMMITMENT THAT A MOBILE GENERATOR WILL BE PROVIDED? BUT WE'RE, WE'RE EVALUATING ALL THAT.
WE'RE GOING THROUGH, WE'RE LOOKING AT PREVIOUS KIND OF CENSUS DATA SURE.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AT THE PREVIOUS WARMING CENTERS.
SO WE'LL KNOW A LOT MORE IN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO SURE.
AS FAR AS EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE FINALIZED, BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY WORKING TOWARDS MAKING SURE ALL OF THEM HAVE GENERATORS.
SO, BECAUSE IT'S LISTED AS A, A DESIGNATED WARMING CENTER, JUDSON ROBINSON LIBRARY, THE A NC AND HACKBERRY PARK.
UM, AND SO JUST FOR, SO WE CAN STAY ON THE SAME PAGE AND I CAN GET PROTOCOL OUT TO RESIDENTS ON FRIDAY.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE CAN CLOSE THE LOOP ON THAT SO WE CAN GET PEOPLE READY TO DIRECT THEM.
AND, AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION WILL BE ABOUT STAFFING, IF THAT IS DECIDED.
SO I CAN KNOW HOW TO BLITZ OUR DISTRICT DEBT VOLUNTEER TEAM SO WE CAN, WE CAN BE ON STANDBY TO, TO COORDINATE.
UM, AND APPRECIATE BEING INCLUDED ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND WE'LL MAKE SURE, UM, YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN, ONCE WE HIT MINUS 48 HOURS, THAT'S WHEN WE REALLY START TO EXECUTE THE PLAN.
WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU GUYS ARE AWARE OF ALL THE LOCATIONS, ALL THE STAFFING, ALL THE LOGISTICS THINGS ARE JUST A LITTLE BIT DYNAMIC RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY PREPARING TO RAMP UP.
THANK YOU BRIAN FOR YOUR REPORT AND FOR ALL THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO AT AT OEM TO GET US READY FOR THIS STORM.
CURIOUS TO KNOW, CAN YOU, UH, TOUCH ON, UH, HOW WE'RE GETTING THE WORD OUT TO HOUSTONIANS, WHOSE PRIMARY LANGUAGE IS NOT ENGLISH? SO WE NORMALLY SEND ALERT HOUSTON MESSAGING WILL, UH, WE WILL SEND THAT OUT IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
UM, OUR WEBSITE ACTUALLY TRANSLATES THINGS INTO 14 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE WENT THROUGH, LOOKED AT THE COMMON 14 LANGUAGE OR THE HIGHEST SPOKEN, UH, FREQUENCY OF LANGUAGES IN THE METRO AREA.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE PUSHING EVERYTHING OUT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA AND VIA WEBSITE.
UM, THEN WE'LL START TO TRANSITION TO ALERT HOUSTON MESSAGING WHERE WE PROACTIVELY PUSH OUT MORE MESSAGING.
THOSE TWO THINGS, UH, WILL OBVIOUSLY BE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
AND THEN IF THEY GO TO OUR WEBSITE, THEY CAN GET IT IN 12 OTHER LANGUAGES.
UM, AND THEN IF WE HAVE FURTHER MESSAGING, THE NEED FOR A WE A MESSAGE OR SOME TYPE OF WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERT, THOSE GO OUT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AS WELL.
WE'RE LIMITED ON A LOT OF THE CAPABILITIES OF THE SYSTEM.
A LOT OF TIMES ENGLISH AND SPANISH IS JUST WHAT THE SYSTEMS ARE ABLE TO HANDLE.
THAT'S WHY WE PROACTIVELY HAVE DONE OUR WEBSITE IN 14 LANGUAGES TO WHERE WE CAN ALWAYS PUSH PEOPLE TO OUR WEBSITE IF THAT'S ONE OF THEIR PREFERRED LANGUAGES.
UM, MAYOR, I HAD ONE OTHER QUESTION.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DEALING IN THE DISTRICT, UH, AND QUITE FRANKLY THROUGHOUT THE CITY WITH THESE REALLY, UH, BAD ACTOR HOUSING COMPLEXES, MULTIFAMILY THAT ARE IN TERRIBLE CONDITION.
UM, WE'VE RECEIVED REPORTS IN THE PAST.
I'M REFERRING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT LIFE OF JACKSON NOW, WHERE WE HAD FOUR FIRES IN TWO MONTHS WHEN I WAS ON SITE.
RESIDENTS WERE SAYING THEY DIDN'T HAVE WORKING HEAT OR WORKING AIR CONDITIONING.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO PROACTIVELY, AND WE'VE MADE THIS REQUEST IN WRITING, UM, HAVE INSPECTORS GO OUT TO CHECK THESE UNITS AND THESE PROPERTIES TO MAKE SURE THAT HEAT IS WORKING PROPERLY.
UM, GIVEN THE SEVERITY OF THIS STORM.
IN THE PAST WE'VE BEEN TOLD THERE HAS TO BE A 3 1 1 REPORT FROM A RESIDENT ON THE PROPERTY OF A PARTICULAR UNIT TO HAVE THEM GO IN.
BUT WE KNOW HOW DANGEROUS THIS CAN BE.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO PROACTIVELY RIGHT NOW WHEN WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A PROPERTY, UM, WHERE PEOPLE CAN BE AT RISK? WELL, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE CHALLENGE AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP.
UH, DURING THE LAST, UH, I GUESS IT WAS BARREL, WE, UH, WENT TO INDEPENDENCE HALL ON AIRLINE WHERE THE MANAGEMENT HAD LEFT THE FACILITIES.
WE HAD SENIORS ON THE THIRD FLOOR THAT COULD, UH, ELEVATORS WERE OUT.
SO IT'S A VERY ALARMING AND UH, THAT'S THE REASON WE, WE'VE GOT
[00:30:01]
PROPOSALS TO HOLD THE OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE, UH, FOR THE STORM.UH, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE USING HOUSTON FIRE, UH, TO OVERSEE AS MANY AS THOSE LOCATIONS AS POSSIBLE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFICALLY IN MIND, I THINK YOU, UH, WOULD WELCOME THAT SUBMISSION.
UH, AND UH, I HAVE ALL HANDS ON DECK.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL BE INVOLVED, BUT FIRE INSPECTORS AND, UH, BRIAN, WE'VE GOT THE, UH, STATE SYSTEM WHERE WE ACTUALLY, UH, ACTIVATE, UH, A SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATIONS TO SEE WHO NEEDS SPECIAL ASSISTANCE STEER PROGRAM STEER.
SO YEAH, THAT'LL BE A, THAT'LL BE A PRIORITY.
AND WHEN I MENTIONED GET THE SENIORS PREPARED, WORD WILL GO OUT TO THESE FACILITIES TO GET PREPARED AS WELL.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE IRRESPONSIBLE, UH, MANAGERS AND OWNERS, SO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.
ALRIGHT, CHIEF, WE'LL, WE'LL GET THOSE ADDRESSES AGAIN.
I KNOW I DON'T WANNA STRAIN PUBLIC SAFETY RESOURCES.
SO, YOU KNOW, LEVERAGING HOUSING, LEVERAGING HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, TO GET IN THERE NOW, UH, BEFORE IT BECOMES AN EMERGENCY.
UH, I REALLY HOPE WE CAN DO THAT.
AND THIS IS WHY WE TRAINED, YOU KNOW, WE FOUND OUT LAST WINTER BARK HAS GENERATORS, BUT NO ONE HAD STARTED THEM.
SO THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO USE THEIRS.
AND I MENTIONED A WHILE AGO, YOU KNOW, THE CRITICISM ABOUT WHY YOU HAVE FIRE STATIONS WITHOUT GENERATORS.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I INHERITED AND I NEVER WOULD IMAGINE THAT YOU HAVE TO GET IN A STORM BEFORE THE FIRE CHIEF BRINGS IT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
WE ALL VOTED TO PUT SOME OF THE RECOVERY FUNDS INTO GENERATORS.
AND I THINK AS HOUSTON GOES FORWARD WITH CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGES, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FOCUS MORE AND MORE ON, UH, THE ABILITY TO HAVE GENERATORS.
AND WE DO NOT WANT IT TO BECOME THE HAVES, HAVE GENERATORS AND THE HAVE NOTS DO NOT HAVE GENERATORS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE PRACTICING ALL OF OUR EQUITY EQUALITY, UH, WITH THE, WITH THE POWER AVAILABILITY.
AND, UH, ONE OTHER ITEM I WANNA BRING UP THE REAL HARDSHIP OF 21 WINTER STORM.
WE HAD TO END UP BOILING WATER.
AND I WANT RANDY TO COME FORWARD AND TELL US WHAT'S CHANGED SINCE THEN.
WHAT PRECAUTIONS, BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND BEING PREPARED AND ALL HANDS ON DECK.
RANDY, UH, PUBLIC WORKS PLACE SUCH A VITAL ROLE.
AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR DAYS.
IN FACT, YOU TRAIN FOR MONTHS, UH, GIVE US A STATUS REPORT IN TERMS OF ROADS AND, UH, WATER DISTRIBUTION.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE FACT THAT WHEN WE HAVE ANY OF THESE INCIDENTS, PUBLIC WORKS IS ALWAYS ENGAGED.
SO AS THE MAYOR SAID, IT'S ALL HANDS ON DECK FOR US AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
REALLY, THE TWO FOCUS POINTS FOR THIS PARTICULAR EVENT ARE STREETS.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE WATER AND WATER.
I'LL, I'LL BREAK THAT DOWN INTO TWO SEPARATE COMPONENTS IN A SECOND.
LEMME JUST ADDRESS STREETS RIGHT AWAY.
UM, AS EVERYONE'S MENTIONED ALREADY, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WHEN THE STREETS GET DANGEROUS, YOU JUST STAY OFF OF THEM.
THAT'S THE BEST MESSAGE THAT WE CAN ALWAYS GIVE TO FOLKS.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO, FROM AN INFRASTRUCTURE STANDPOINT, IGNORE THEM.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE LIMITATIONS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US ON WHAT WE CAN DO.
IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE THAN 16,000 LANE MILES OF ROADWAY.
I ALWAYS PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE.
THAT'S THE DISTANCE FROM HOUSTON TO TOKYO AND BACK.
UM, SO WHEN FOLKS WONDER WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO TREAT THE STREETS, THE REALITY IS WE ARE BEING VERY SELECTIVE IN WHAT WE TREAT.
AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HIT CRITICAL AREAS SO THAT FIRST RESPONDERS CAN GET TO PLACES THEY NEED TO GO.
THAT, UH, EMERGENCY ACCESS TO PLACES LIKE HOSPITALS AND OTHERS ARE PRIORITIZED.
AND FOR THE MOST PART, WE FOCUS ON AREAS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE A LARGER CHALLENGE WHERE ICE ACCUMULATES AND OTHERS, THOSE ARE GONNA BE ELEVATED ROADWAYS, BRIDGES, OVERPASSES AND SO FORTH.
THERE'S ABOUT 41 OF THOSE THAT WE HAVE AS PART OF OUR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES THAT WE ALWAYS TREAT WHEN THESE, UH, EVENTS COME INTO PLAY.
THAT IS OUR PLAN IN THIS EVENT AS WELL.
AND WE TYPICALLY BEGIN THAT PRE-TREATMENT ABOUT 24 HOURS OUT.
UH, THERE'S NOT MUCH EFFECTIVENESS THAT TAKES PLACE BEYOND 24 HOURS OUT.
THE BRINE WILL WEAR OFF AND SO FORTH.
BUT WE PRETREAT ALL 41 OF THOSE AREAS,
[00:35:01]
UH, WITH A BRINE SOLUTION.WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US 15 TRUCKS THAT WE USE TO SPREAD SAND IN CERTAIN PLACES.
WE HAVE SEVEN BRINE APPLICATOR, UM, APPARATUSES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO AFFIX TO OTHER VEHICLES THAT WE HAVE TO GO AND SPREAD THAT.
BUT THE REALITY IS THAT'S NOT A WHOLE LOT FOR A CITY LIKE OURS.
UH, WE HAVE TO BALANCE THAT, OF COURSE, WITH THE FACT THAT THESE ARE NOT TYPICAL EVENTS.
SO FOR INSTANCE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY SNOWPLOWS.
TYPICALLY WHEN A WINTER STORM COMES UP, HOW MANY SNOWPLOWS DO YOU HAVE? THE ANSWER IS ZERO.
AND IF YOU WERE TO ASK ME WHAT MY FORECAST FOR HOW MANY WILL HAVE IN THE FUTURE IS, IT PROBABLY STAYS AT ZERO BECAUSE THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE FOR HOUSTON.
AND THAT GOES WITH THE COLLABORATION THAT WE HAVE.
MAYOR THAT YOU REFERENCED WITH TDOT IN THE LAST WINTER STORM.
TEXDOT WAS THE ONE THAT CAME TO OUR RESCUE.
THEY DO HAVE SNOWPLOWS AND THEY'RE ABLE TO BRING THOSE IN TO HELP US IN SOME OF THOSE CRITICAL AREAS, INCLUDING IN AND OUT OF THE MEDICAL CENTER.
BUT WE WILL TREAT THOSE, UH, 41 AREAS AND CERTAIN OTHER ROADWAYS THROUGHOUT THE CITY WITH THE BRINE APPLICATION.
WE'LL BE THERE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EVENT.
WE WILL HAVE OUR CREWS STAGED AT APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS JUST LIKE WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
UH, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE, OF COURSE, WHEN IT COMES TO THE ROAD IS WHEN THE ROADS BECOME DANGEROUS, JUST PLEASE STAY OFF OF THEM AS WATER IS CONCERNED.
AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SO MUCH ALREADY THIS MORNING, OUR BIGGEST CONCERN IS GONNA BE POWER.
UM, WE ARE CONFIDENT IN OUR ABILITY TO OPERATE OUR PLANTS.
OUR PLANTS ARE IN RELATIVELY GOOD CONDITION.
UH, ALL OTHER NORMAL, UH, CHALLENGES IN CONSIDERATION THERE.
BUT WE ARE READY TO GO AND WE'LL BE STAGED AT OUR PLANTS AND RIDING THEM OUT.
OUR BIG THREE SURFACE WATER PLANTS ARE THE ONES THAT WE REALLY, UH, HAVE THE BIGGEST FOCUS POINTS ON, AS WELL AS OUR RE PUMP STATIONS THAT HELP MOVE THE WATER ACROSS TOWN.
BUT POWER IS GONNA BE THE BIGGEST CONSIDERATION THERE.
WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TESTING AND WE WILL BEGIN OPERATING ACTUALLY THE GENERATORS AT OUR PLANTS IN ADVANCE OF THE STORM COMING SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT THERE'S NOT GONNA BE AN INTERRUPTION.
THAT'S TYPICALLY BEEN WHAT'S HAPPENED IS WHEN IT'S TIME TO FLIP THE GENERATOR ON, ALL OF A SUDDEN IT DOESN'T WORK.
UM, THERE'S A VARIETY OF REASONS FOR THAT, WHETHER IT COULD BE THE FACT THAT THERE IS A FREEZING POINT WHEN IT COMES TO THE FUEL SOURCE OR THAT THE EQUIPMENT ITSELF JUST ISN'T WORKING.
WE'RE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF ENSURING THAT WE WILL BE UP AND RUNNING AND READY TO GO.
WE ALSO HAVE MAINTENANCE CREWS THAT WILL BE STANDING BY AND RIDING OUT TO ADDRESS ANY CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE.
WE HOPE, OF COURSE, THAT THERE WON'T BE A GRID WIDE POWER PROBLEM.
UM, AND IF THERE'S NOT, THEN REGULAR POWER IS GONNA KEEP US GOING AND WE'RE GONNA BE FINE.
BUT IF THERE IS, WE FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THE POSITION WE'RE IN AND BEING READY TO GO, WE'RE GONNA ASK FOLKS, AS WE ALWAYS HAVE ALL ACROSS HOUSTON IN THE PAST, WE ASK THEM NOT TO DRIP THEIR FAUCETS.
THAT'S A QUESTION THAT CONSTANTLY COMES UP.
WHY DO WE ASK THAT? IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CONDITION OF YOUR PARTICULAR HOME.
IT ACTUALLY HAS TO DO WITH THE HEALTH OF THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AT LARGE.
THE MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE DRIPPING, THE MORE WATER'S BEING USED, THE MORE DEMAND THERE IS ON THAT SYSTEM AND THE MORE DIFFICULT IT BECOMES IF WE INCUR, UH, IF WE ENCOUNTER A CHALLENGE IN ONE OF OUR PLANTS TO ADDRESS THAT.
SO WE LIKE TO KEEP PRESSURES DOWN, AND THAT IS BY KEEPING CAPACITY AT ITS MAXIMUM AND NOT PUTTING EXCESS DEMAND ON THERE.
WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO KNOW WHERE THE WATER CUTOFF VALVE IN YOUR HOME IS.
ALMOST EVERY HOME HAS SOME WATER SHUTOFF VALVE IN THERE.
THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IF YOU'RE CONCERNED, IS SHUT THE WATER OFF BEFORE THE STORM COMES DRAIN YOUR LINES AND YOU WON'T HAVE ANY BURST PIPES IN YOUR HOME.
IF YOUR HOME DOESN'T HAVE THAT, YOU SHOULD KNOW HOW TO SHUT THE WATER OFF AT YOUR WATER METER AND YOU WOULD FOLLOW THE SAME SORT OF PROCESS.
IF YOU HAVE ISSUES OR QUESTIONS, YOU CAN CALL 3 1 1.
THERE'S ALSO INFORMATION ON THE PUBLIC WORKS WEBSITE AND ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS THAT WE'LL BE ACTIVELY PUSHING OUT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE, OF THE EVENT SO THAT FOLKS KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THOSE ISSUES.
NOW, ON THE WASTEWATER SIDE, I'LL JUST VERY BRIEFLY SAY, AND THIS IS REALLY OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN THE LAST STORMS WE HAD, SPECIFICALLY IN HURRICANE BURL.
POWER IS OUR, UH, ACHILLES HEEL.
THERE WE ARE NOT AS EQUIPPED ON WASTEWATER AS WE ARE ON DRINKING WATER TO ENSURE CONTINUITY OF SERVICES.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS THAT LIFT STATIONS, WHICH NONE OF, UH, OUR LIFT STATIONS HAVE, UH, PERMANENT BACKUP POWER, WE WILL ROTATE THE GENERATORS LIKE WE HAVE IN THE PAST TO PUMP THEM DOWN AND KEEP THEM GOING.
WE HOPE THAT'S NOT THE, THE, THE CASE, BUT IF IT IS, THE RESULT OF THAT WILL BE SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
SO, UH, THOSE WILL BE ON, ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AS WE ADDRESS IT.
WE ARE ACTIVELY MONITORING ALL OF THEM, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE FUNCTIONING AND WORKING AND PUMPED DOWN AS BEST THEY CAN.
UM, BUT TO THAT POINT, MAYOR, THAT'S WHERE WE STAND RIGHT NOW.
WE WILL BE READY TO GO ALL HANDS ON DECK TALKING ABOUT FREEZING PIPES.
UH, WE'VE BEEN ADVISED THAT WE WILL MOST LIKELY HAVE 48 HOURS OF CONTINUED
[00:40:02]
TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING.YEAH, SO REPLICANT PIPES, PIPES, GETTING ALL THE PREPARATION DONE, PLANS FOR YOUR PETS, YOUR PLANTS, YOUR SENIORS, ALL HANDS ON DECK.
HOUSTONIANS PREPARED TO BE AT HOME AND IN PLACE FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON TO TUESDAY MORNING.
AND, UM, IT'S A SERIOUS MATTER.
I THINK YOU NEED TO THANK THOSE ENGINEERS.
I KNOW THAT SLEEP ON THE FLOOR, AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS AND AT ALL YOUR FACILITIES, LITERALLY MEMBERS, THEY SLEEP ON THE FLOOR TO MONITOR THE PRESSURES ALL NIGHT LONG.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I TOO, JUST WANTED TO ECHO, WE ALWAYS THANK OUR, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY FOLKS WHO WORK AROUND THE CLOCK.
IT'S AN ALL HANDS ON DECK, BUT OFTENTIMES AS YOU SO APTLY PUT IT, UM, OUR OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES DON'T GET THE RECOGNITION THAT THEY DESERVE.
UM, PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES THAT ARE SLEEPING ON FLOORS TO KEEP, UH, CRITICAL LIFE SAFETY SERVICES GOING.
OUR GSD EMPLOYEES THAT STATION, FOR EXAMPLE, AT WEST GRAY MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, IN CASE THERE'S PROBLEMS LIKE THE ROOF LEAKS OR THE GENERATORS OR THE JANITORIAL STAFF THAT STAYS AT THE WARMING CENTERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, KEEPING UP WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY, UH, OUR SOLID WASTE WORKERS THAT ARE ALSO FRONTLINE.
THEY'RE OFTEN NOT RECOGNIZED AND THEY'RE LEAVING THEIR FAMILIES TO SERVE THE CITY AND KEEP OTHER PEOPLE SAFE.
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THEM AND PLEASE PASS ON OUR GRATITUDE, UM, TO EVERYONE THAT'S STANDING UP THIS WEEKEND.
UH, I ALWAYS REFER TO PUBLIC WORKS AS FIRST RESPONDERS, AND OF COURSE, WHAT REALLY MAKES THIS GREAT CITY ARE OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.
THE LEADERSHIP TEAM IN PLACE I THINKS IS BETTER THAN ANYONE CAN RECALL IN RECENT TIME.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR JOB SO SERIOUS.
AND, UH, BRIAN, YOU, YOU, YOUR CONFIDENCE AND KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE REALLY MATTERS DURING TIMES LIKE THIS.
I WAS GLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY ABOUT NOT DRIPPING THE PIPES, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND ALSO, YOU SAID SHUT YOUR WATER OFF IF YOU'RE REALLY WORRIED.
I, I FELT LIKE DURING IN 21, NOBODY REAL.
I MEAN, WE SHUT OUR WATER OFF AND I THINK IT SAVED US AND I'M GLAD WE'RE JUST PUTTING THAT OUT.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TELLING PEOPLE.
IF YOU'RE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT YOUR PIPES, SHUT THE WATER OFF.
YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND YOU KNOW, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, WE ARE, WE ARE EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE A PROLONGED PERIOD BELOW FREEZING.
NOW YOUR PIPES TYPICALLY ARE GONNA BE OKAY UNTIL IT GETS REALLY, REALLY COLD.
BUT WE ARE EXPECTING REALLY, REALLY COLD.
AND EVERY HOME, UH, IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
WE HAVE A HUGE VARIETY WITHIN THE CITY, BETWEEN NEW TO TO REALLY PRETTY OLD.
AND THE STUFF IN PARTICULAR THAT'S OLDER, THE INSULATION IS NOT AS GOOD.
UM, THE PIPES MAY NOT BE QUITE AS DEEP.
THERE MAY BE MORE EXPOSED PIPES ON THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE.
WE ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE IN THESE THINGS, THE THREE PS, RIGHT? PEOPLE, PETS AND PLANTS.
UM, I LOVE PLANTS, BUT THAT'S THE LEAST OF OUR CONCERNS THERE.
OF THOSE THREE FOCUS ON, ON, UH, I DIDN'T, I SAID PEOPLE, PETS AND PLANTS.
I MEANT PIPES,
SO, UH, SO PIPES, PETS, THOSE, THOSE NEED TO BE OUR FIRST TWO CONCERNS.
MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GOOD TO GO.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE TIME RIGHT NOW.
GO TO THE HARDWARE STORE TODAY TO GET THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO DO.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE AVAILABLE ON THE SHELVES IN A COUPLE DAYS.
I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT WE'VE DONE THIS ENOUGH.
ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU, RANDY.
AND OF COURSE WE'RE IN CONTACT WITH OUR COUNTY PARTNERS.
[CONSENT AGENDA (Part 1 of 2)]
THANK YOU, BEFORE WE GO TO THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA, I WANT TO ASK THE SECRETARY TO PULL ITEM NUMBER TWO, THE NEARY MATTER.NOTHING PAYING ME MORE THAN PUTTING IT ON THE AGENDA.
UH, TWO WEEKS AGO, I'M VERY FAMILIAR AND IT PUBLICLY SAID, I DON'T THINK MR. NEARY SHOULD GET A DOLLAR.
I HAVEN'T VOTED ON THIS CONTRACT, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED BEFORE I GOT HERE.
BUT LEGAL PUBLIC WORKS AND OTHERS SAID, IT'S NOT A MATTER OF WHAT WE
[00:45:01]
WANT TO DO.IT'S A HUD MATTER THAT THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT WOULD BE IN JEOPARDY, $9 MILLION.
HUD ROUTINELY SAYS, IF YOU DON'T USE THE MONEY FOR ITS STATED PURPOSE, MEANING THE CONTRACT, INCLUDING THE RETAINAGE, YOU'RE LIABLE FOR THE FULL AMOUNT TO BE REFUNDED TO US.
SO WITH THOSE PROFESSIONALS TELLING US WHAT'S EXPECTED, IF WE WANT TO GO FORWARD AND HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH HUD, WE'VE GOT TO NOT FOR FUTURE WORK, NOT FOR A ACTIVE CONTRACT, BUT WE OWE MR. NERI $400,000.
AND IF WE DON'T REPAY, I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT SUBCONTRACTORS.
NOW, A NUMBER OF YOU HAVE COMMENTED, UH, CAN WE DELAY IT? COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS USING HER LEGAL SKILLS HAVE TRIED TO SEE HOW WE COULD PREVENT THIS IN THE FUTURE.
MAYBE AN ORDINANCE WHICH WOULD SPECIFY THAT RETAINAGE WILL NOT BE RETURNED.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS THE HUD POLICY AND STIPULATIONS.
SO WHAT I'VE DECIDED, WHY DON'T WE CONFRONT HUD? WE HAVE A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP.
THE SECRETARY TURNER'S BEEN TO HOUSTON, THEY'RE WORKING WITH US ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE HOMELESS.
HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE WHEN I WAS THERE.
SO I'VE GOT TEAM MEMBERS TALKING TO HIS TEAM, AND THEN HE AND I WILL TALK TO LET HIM KNOW THAT HUD DOES NOT WANT THEIR FINGERPRINTS ON THIS MATTER AS WELL.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I'M GUARDEDLY OPTIMISTIC THAT A NEW APPROACH, A PUSHBACK BY EVEN HUD AND A WAIVER FOR MATTERS LIKE THIS.
AND THEN WE DO OUR JOB IN PROCUREMENT AND RECORD OF THESE PEOPLE.
AND YOU'LL NEVER KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR VENDORS, BUT JUST CONTINUE TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO CUT OUT CONFLICTS AND WASTE AND CORRUPTION.
SO WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE MATTER LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE.
BUT I THINK THE BEST APPROACH RIGHT NOW, MR. SECRETARY, IS TO REFER IT BACK TO MY OFFICE.
GIVE US SOME TIME TO MEET AND CONFER WITH HUD AND TELL THEM WHAT'S IN EVERYONE'S BEST INTEREST.
MR. NERI DOES NOT DESERVE EVEN HIS RETAINAGE.
AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT TAXPAYERS.
BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, AS WE SIT HERE TODAY, OUR HANDS ARE TIGHT.
I'M GONNA BE TALKING TO WASHINGTON TO UN ENTIRE HANDS AND LET US REFUSE TO GIVE HIM THIS LAST $400,000.
COUNCILOR SALINAS, MA'AM, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS MAYOR, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS, FOR LEVERAGING YOUR INCREDIBLE RELATIONSHIPS TO HELP THE CITY DO THE RIGHT THING.
I WANNA COMMEND THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT FOR DO, FOR PROVIDING SO MANY RESOURCES TO ME AS WE EXPLORE THIS ISSUE TOGETHER.
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOUR OFFICE TO HOPEFULLY FIND A PROACTIVE SOLUTION TO ENSURE THAT UNDER YOUR WATCH, THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.
THANK YOU AND APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, I, I TOO, JUST WANTED TO ECHO APPRECIATION.
I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT MOVE, UH, FOR THE CITY.
AND I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE OUR UNDERSTANDING IS SUBS HAVE ALREADY BEEN PAID UNDER THIS CONTRACT.
THIS IS REALLY ABOUT US AND A BAD ACTOR THAT HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE CITY AND, UH, HAD ILLEGAL MISCONDUCT, UM, WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO, AS THE PUBLIC IS LOOKING AT THIS, AGAIN, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT OUR INTEGRITY IS IN CHECK, UH, THAT WE'RE HOLDING A BAD ACTOR ACCOUNTABLE TO THE EXTENT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO, BUT THAT ALL THE SUBS, THE PEOPLE UNDER HIM THAT DID THIS WORK, DID GET PAID FOR THE JOB THAT THEY DID.
UM, AND I, I WANNA POINT THAT OUT AND I APPRECIATE THAT MOVING FORWARD, MAKING SURE THAT OUR CONTRACT LANGUAGE IS IRONCLAD, UH, SO THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
[00:50:01]
AND I WANNA ECHO THE COMMENTS, UH, THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE.UH, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF CONCERNS AND, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO REALLY FIND A WAY TO DO THE RIGHT THING HERE AND, AND TO HOLD, UH, THE INTEGRITY OF THE PUBLIC AT TOP OF MIND.
YOU KNOW, THESE TYPES OF, OF ISSUES ARE CONCERNING.
AND WHEN WE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, TO NOT REWARD A BAD ACTOR THAT CONTINUES TO UPHOLD AND, AND BUILD TRUST, UH, WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE MADE AN EMPHASIS ON WITH, UH, WASTE, FRAUD, CORRUPTION.
AND, AND SO HOPEFULLY I'M ALSO OPTIMISTIC AS WELL THAT THE CONVERSATIONS, UH, WITH HUD WILL, WILL BE FRUITFUL.
AS WE KNOW, MR. NORRY WAS CONVICTED AND IS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
WE WORKED WITH THE AUTHORITIES.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH AUTHORITIES, INVESTIGATORS WHEN WE BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN A WRONGDOING AND A MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
SO THAT SAID, THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR, UH, COOPERATION.
NOW WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC SESSION.
[PUBLIC COMMENT]
IF NOT, LET'S MOVE TO OUR FIRST, UM, SPEAKER.ZACHARY HENRY TO BE FOLLOWED BY EDWARD FOTI.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? GOOD MORNING.
UM, I USED TO BE A, THE CITY BACK IN AUGUST.
UM, I LEFT MY OWN WILL TWO WEEK NOTICE AND EVERYTHING BACK IN AUGUST.
UM, MY LAST PAYCHECK WAS NEVER ISSUED TO ME AND I WENT ROUND AND AROUND, AROUND FROM A RA TO, UM, BENEFITS TO PAYROLL.
AND EVERYBODY WAS BASICALLY PULLING THE FINGERS AT EACH OTHER.
UH, MY LAST PAYCHECK GOT PAID OUT TO ME, WAS OVERPAID TO ME 'CAUSE I WAS ALREADY GONE IN SEPTEMBER.
UH, I EXPLAINED TO MY PREVIOUS MANAGER THAT I GOT OVERPAID TO THE MONEY THEY GAVE TO ME TO TAKE IT BACK.
AND I EXPLAINED TO THEM THEY, THEY STILL OWED ME ABOUT $3,000 AND MY PTO TIME.
UM, I'VE TALKED, I EMAILED KAREN DAVIDSON AND A RAI EMAILED AMARI AND, UM, PAYROLL.
I EMAILED LASHANDA DAVISON AND, UM, AND BENEFITS.
AND I'M, I'M CONTINUING THE RUN AROUND.
I'M JUST TRYING TO SEE WHAT I CAN DO TO GET MY LAST PAYCHECK, MY LAST PTO HOURS THAT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED YET.
I'M TO REPORT THAT, UH, DIRECTOR CHEEKS IS WORKING ON YOUR ISSUE TODAY.
AND I'M GONNA LET YOU TALK TO MY CHIEF OF STAFF, MS. WILSON.
TO HELP EXPEDITE THAT REVIEW PROCESS BY DIRECTOR CHEEKS.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THIS SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE CLEARED UP IMMEDIATELY.
CYNTHIA, WILL YOU VISIT WITH MR. YES, SIR.
JOE HOLON TO BE FOLLOWED BY CRYSTAL HATCHET.
IS THIS ON? GOOD MORNING, UH, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, MY NAME IS JOE HOLSON AND I'VE BEEN A, UH, HOMEOWNER IN ADEN, DREW DENTIST RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD IN MIDTOWN FOR 25 YEARS.
AS WELL AS BEING A CURRENT BOARD MEMBER TO THE SUTTON SQUARE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION THAT REPRESENTS 339 TOWN HOMES.
I'M HERE TODAY TO OPPOSE A PROPOSED BAKERY AND COFFEE SHOP SCHEDULED TO OPEN AT 90 DENNIS.
THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS THAT IS BEING CONVERTED TO A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
IT IS, SITS EXACTLY AROUND 40 FEET FROM THE FRONT DOOR OF MY HOME.
OUR CONCERNS INCLUDE A 7:00 AM OPENING TIME, EARNING MORNING DELIVERIES, DOCUMENTED COMPLIANCE ISSUES, AS WELL AS THE ESTABLISHMENT HAVING ZERO PARKING PLACES AS REQUIRED BY THE CITY.
THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF A DENSE RESIDENTIAL BLOCK.
A 7:00 AM COMMERCIAL OPENING INTRODUCES DAILY NOISE, TRAFFIC AND DELIVERY ACTIVITY INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE RESIDENTS
[00:55:01]
REASONABLY CAN EXPECT QUIET MORNING HOURS, EARLY DELIVERIES, WHETHER BY BOX TRUCKS, VANS OR THIRD PARTY SERVICES BRING ENGINE OILS, ENGINE NOISE, BACKUP ALARMS, LOADING ACTIVITY, AND CURB CONGESTION DURING PEAK MORNING HOURS.AND AGAIN, THIS PROPERTY HAS ZERO ONSITE PARKING OR LOADING SPACE, FORCING ALL ACTIVITY ONTO OUR NARROW RESIDENTIAL STREETS AND CREATING SAFETY RISKS FOR CHILDREN AND MORNING COMMUTERS.
ESTABLISHMENT IN THIS SETTING RESULT IN PARKING, CONGESTION, NOISE DISTURBANCES AND SAFETY CONCERNS THAT DIMINISH THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND PROPERTY VALUES FOR HUNDREDS OF NEARBY RESIDENTS.
EQUALLY CONCERNING IS PROCESS AND COMPLIANCE.
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY HAS ALREADY OCCURRED ON THIS SITE IN A MANNER INCONSISTENT WITH HOUSTON BUILDING AND PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING CHANGES MADE PRIOR TO FULL REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
ON NOVEMBER 3RD, 2025, A FORMAL COMPLAINT WAS FILED AND SUBSTANTIATED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING INSPECTIONS, NOTING THAT STRUCTURAL WORK WAS PERFORMED WITHOUT A PERMIT AND HAS CONTINUED UN UNINTERRUPTED.
FURTHER, THE CITY OF HOUSTON REQUIRES PARKING PLACES FOR CUSTOMERS, AND THIS IS ATTACHMENT AGAIN, HAS ZERO PARKING.
ALLOWING OPERATIONS TO PROCEED UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES SETS A TROUBLING PRECEDENCE.
NOW AGAIN, I HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN HERE BEFORE THIS COUNSEL REGARDING THE A NEIGHBORING BAR WHERE RESIDENTS WERE NOT PROPERLY NOTIFIED.
DUE PROCESS CONCERNS AND COMPLIANCE ISSUES WERE RAISED AND ONGOING NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTS, UH, CONTINUE TAKEN TOGETHER.
THESE CASES REFLECT A PATTERN OF COMMERCIAL EXPANSION WITHOUT ADEQUATE NOTICE COMPLIANCE OR EFFECTIVE SAFE SAFEGUARDS FOR THE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES.
THIS COFFEE SHOP DOES NOT EXIST IN ISOLATION AND REPRESENTS A GROWING COMMERCIAL ENCROACHMENT THAT THIS BLOCK WAS NEVER DESIGNED TO ABSORB.
WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADVOCATE AGAINST APPROVAL OF ANY PERMIT.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
YOU STARTED OUT TALKING ABOUT THE COFFEE SHOP AND I'M FOLLOWING YOU, AND THEN YOU SHIFTED TO THE COCKTAIL LOUNGE.
SO JUST IN GENERAL, YOUR AREA IS TURNING COMMERCIAL.
AND IT, IT ALL STEMMED FROM A FAMILY DISPUTE THAT OWNS A LARGE TRACK OF PROPERTY AND THAT HAS HAD NOW HAD TO SELL OFF THE ASSETS TO, TO SATISFY THE HEIRS.
AND IN DOING SO, HAS NOW BROUGHT IN THIS COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY.
WELL I'M GONNA ASK PERMIT TO TAKE A REVIEW OF THIS, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD, I COULD ADVISE YOU ON THE, UH, INTEREST IN, IN THE COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS WITH NO ZONING.
UH, DO YOU HAVE DEED RESTRICTIONS? NO, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IS THE CITY CA AND WE MET WITH THE PWS OR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS IN ENGINEERING YESTERDAY.
THERE IS ZERO PARKING AND BY THE CITY'S OWN LAWS.
WE'RE GONNA REVIEW THAT, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE PERMITTING DISCUSSION.
SO ANYWAY, GOOD JOB BEING HERE AND WE'LL THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
REFER IT TO THE PROPER DEPARTMENTS.
THANK YOU JOE, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.
I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE RESIDENT FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL THAT WE WANNA HEAR FROM.
UM, THE, THE MAYOR STARTED TO GET TO IT FIRST YOU HAD THE, UM, LIQUOR LICENSE DISPUTE, UM, AND THAT Y'ALL HAD REACHED OUT TO OUR OFFICE ON, AND WE WERE WORKING WITH Y'ALL ON THAT.
AND YOU ALSO REACHED OUT TO, UM, OUR STATE SENATOR, OUR REPRESENTATIVE, TO TRY TO WORK THAT ANGLE OF IT.
THAT IS SEPARATE AND APART FROM THE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, JUST ON OUR NOTES, UM, A STRUCTURAL HOLD WAS PUT ON THE BAKERY PROPERTY IN NOVEMBER, BUT Y'ALL NOTICED THAT THERE'S BEEN CONTINUED CONSTRUCTION.
SO THE CITY WAS ALREADY, UM, HAD ALREADY PUT A STRUCTURAL HOLD ON IT.
IS THAT CORRECT OR INCORRECT? THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
UH, I, I KNOW, WELL, I'VE DID AN OPEN RECORDS PERMIT OR REQUEST.
AND IT NOTES IN THERE THAT A, A COMPLAINT WAS FILED AND AN INSPECTOR CAME OUT.
UM, SO AGAIN, WE WILL FOLLOW UP.
WE ALSO HAVE A LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA SUBMIT TO PUBLIC WORKS ON Y'ALL'S BEHALF, I BELIEVE.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED, ESPECIALLY OUR LARGEST TO KNOW, UM, WHERE THINGS STOOD IN THE PROCESS.
'CAUSE WE HAVE HAD IN INSTANCES, INCLUDING APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT NEVER EVEN GOT A, A PERMIT OR REVIEW IT ALL AND STARTED BUILDING AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
BUT TO YOUR UNDERSTANDING, THE CITY HAD PUT A HOLD ON THE PROPERTY BACK IN NOVEMBER.
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING COMPLAINT.
WELL, A COMPLAINT WAS MADE AND IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY HAD PLACED A NOTICE OF NON-COMPLIANCE AND THEY CONTINUED ON.
IN FACT, THEY ARE SCHEDULED TO OPEN THIS WEEK AND THERE IS A RED TAG ON THE DOOR THAT WAS PLACED YESTERDAY.
[01:00:02]
SO I, I APPRECIATE IT.'CAUSE AGAIN, IT CAN, THE CHALLENGE BEING WE'RE CITING, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO ENFORCE, BUT SOME FOLKS ARE JUST BLATANTLY VIOLATING, UM, OUR ENFORCEMENT PROTOCOLS.
AND AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO THE LARGER ISSUE IS IF THERE'S NO PUNISHMENT FOR WRONGDOING, THEN, THEN WHY FOLLOW THE RULES? WHY HAVE RULES ALTOGETHER? AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING.
AND I MEAN, THE CITY HAS PUT TOGETHER GUIDELINES FOR BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
ALL WE'RE ASKING IS PLEASE FOLLOW THOSE.
AND, AND THANK YOU MR. HOLSON FOR BEING HERE.
JUST SO, JUST SO I UNDERSTAND, THE PROPERTY AT 81, DREW, I'M LOOKING AT THE IMAGE ON, ON GOOGLE MAPS.
IS THAT, IS THAT ACCURATE OR DID THEY REDO THE BUILDING? THEY'VE, UH, THE 81 DREW FOR THE LIQUOR LICENSE.
AND THERE'S NO PARKING, UH, THAT HAS LIMITED PARKING.
BUT THE PROBLEM THERE WAS THEY DID NOT GO THROUGH PROPERTY TABC NOTIFICATION.
NONE OF THE OFFSET PROPERTY OWNERS WERE NOTIFIED.
UM, DOWN THE STREET, THERE'S A GROCERY AT THE CORNER THERE, DENNIS AND GENESEE.
DOES THAT, DOES THAT BUSINESS HAVE ONSITE PARKING? DO YOU KNOW? IT DOES NOT, BUT IT IS A, LIKE, IT'S BEEN THERE SINCE 1939.
UH, THAT'S LANGFORD GROCERY, A HAMBURG, UH, A VERY ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY, A HAMBURGER JOINT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS THE OWNER OF THIS BAKERY AND COFFEE SHOP, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY PARKING AS WELL.
AND YOU LIVE ACROSS THE STREET JUST TO THE WEST, IS THAT RIGHT? I LIVE AT 1633 SUTTON, WHICH IS DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM 90 DENNIS.
AND DO YOU HAVE PARKING ON, ON, ON YOUR PART OF THE PROPERTY THERE? I HAVE, I DO.
I HAVE A GARAGE AS WELL AS THERE IS, UH, I I DO, I HAVE A, WE HAVE A GARAGE.
AND A, UH, A COURTYARD THAT HAS PARKING PLACES FOR THE TOWN HOMES.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME UNDERSTAND.
NEXT CRYSTAL HATCHET TO BE FOLLOWED BY SPENCER SWEARINGEN.
GOOD MORNING MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS CRYSTAL HATCHETT AND I LIVE DIRECTLY BEHIND 90 DENTIST STREET IN THE JEW DENTIST RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, I HAVE WATCHED CONSTRUCTION TAKE PLACE FROM MY KITCHEN WINDOW.
MUCH OF THIS WORK HAS OCCURRED LATE INTO THE EVENING BECAUSE EXTERIOR LIGHTING HAS NOT BEEN INSTALLED.
A PICKUP TRUCK IS BEING USED TO ILLUMINATE THE PROPERTY WITH HEADLIGHTS SHINING DIRECTLY INTO MY HOME WHILE THE CREWS WORK AT NIGHT.
THIS DISRUPT, THIS DISRUPTION HAPPENS WHILE MY FAMILY IS EATING DINNER.
AND WHILE MY SON MAX IS COMPLETING HIS HOMEWORK.
MAX IS A JUNIOR AT CARNEGIE VANGUARD HIGH SCHOOL AND PARTICIPATES IN BIWEEKLY YOUTH AMBASSADOR MEETINGS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITH MS. KOLAR VIA ZOOM, WHICH TAKES PLACE IN OUR HOME.
DUE TO THE NOISE AND ACTIVITY, MATT HAS ALREADY BEEN FORCED TO MOVE HIS MEETINGS UPSTAIRS TO HIS BEDROOM.
THIS IS NOT JUST AN INCONVENIENCE.
IT AFFECTS HIS ACADEMIC FOCUS AND HIS CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES.
BEYOND THE PERSONAL IMPACT, THERE ARE BROADER NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS.
THIS PROPERTY SITS IN THE MIDDLE OF A DENSE RESIDENTIAL BLOCK.
THE PROPOSED 7:00 AM OPENING TIME INTRODUCES EARLY MORNING NOISE, TRAFFIC AND DELIVERIES INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT REASONABLY EXPECTS QUIET HOURS.
EARLY DELIVERIES BRING ENGINE NOISE, BACKUP ALARMS, AND CURB CONGESTION.
AND THIS SITE HAS NO ONSITE PARKING LIKE JOE JUST MENTIONED, INCLUDING SPACES FOR, UH, DELIVERIES.
IT'S FORCING ACTIVITY ONTO NARROW RESIDENTIAL STREETS AND CREATING SET SAFETY RISK FOR CHILDREN AND COMMUTERS.
AND INCLUDING MAX WHO WALKS TO SCHOOL EVERY MORNING, EQUALLY TROUBLING OUR COMPLIANCE ISSUES.
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY HAS ALREADY OCCURRED WITHOUT PROPER PERMITTING.
ON NOVEMBER 3RD, 2025, A FORMAL COMPLAINT WAS SUBSTANTIATED BY PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING INSPECTIONS DOCUMENTING THAT STRUCTURAL WORK WAS PERFORMED WITHOUT PERMITS AND IT'S CONTINUED UNINTERRUPTED EVERY NIGHT.
ALL ALLOWING THIS ESTABLISHMENT TO PROCEED UNDER THESE CONDITIONS SETS A VERY DANGEROUS PRECEDENT.
THIS PROJECT DOES NOT EXIST IN ISOLATION.
COMBINED WITH THE NEARBY LANKFORD BEER GARDEN, RESIDENTS ARE ALREADY EX EXPERIENCING INCREASING NOISE LEVELS AND COMMERCIAL ENCROACHMENT THAT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WAS NEVER DESIGNED TO ABSORB.
[01:05:01]
RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.WE ARE ASKING FOR ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AND PRODUCTION OF RESIDENTIAL QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND I'M ASKING FOR MY SON SO HE CAN DO HIS WORK IN PEACE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP WITH THIS.
MS. HATCHETT, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.
UM, AGAIN, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU ALL, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO INFORM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE REST OF COUNSEL ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN TERMS OF THE, UM, LACK OF ENFORCEMENT.
WITH THIS, UH, PLEASE SEND OUR BEST TO MAX YOU.
I'M SURE HE'S DOING GREAT WORK, UH, DESPITE THE CHALLENGES.
I KNOW YOU'RE DOING GREAT AS A MOM.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
NEXT, SPENCER SWEARINGEN BRODY, WASHINGTON TO BE FOLLOWED BY DEREK MONTGOMERY.
DO I COME UP RIGHT NOW? HEARD MY NAME? I'M SORRY.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME? YOUR NAME? WASHINGTON.
I HAVE SOME CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN BUGGING ME FOR THE LAST FIVE TO 25 YEARS OF MY LIFE.
UH, BASICALLY, I'M SORRY, I, I'M KIND OF NERVOUS AT THE MOMENT.
UH, I'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF ISSUES WITH ANY AND EVERYTHING OF MY LIFE.
UH, BASICALLY I'VE HAD EVERY SINGLE INJURY OF ME MISDIAGNOSED.
EVERY SINGLE TIME I'VE BEEN PUT IN JAIL HAS BEEN UNRIGHTFULLY ARRESTABLE.
UH, I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M SHAKING.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU.
I'VE TRYING TO REACH OUT TO LAWYERS AND EVERYONE BECAUSE OF HOW EXTENSIVE IT IS, BUT BECAUSE IT'S 25.
WELL, WE'LL GET TO THE LAWYERS IN A MINUTE.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY? DO YOU HAVE RELATIVES HERE IN HOUSTON? I HAVE FAMILY, BUT I AM ALSO, I'M GONNA SAY IT LIKE THIS, I'M VERY, VERY SMART.
AND I KNOW WHEN SOMEONE'S LYING TO ME AND WHEN I CAN EASILY OBTAIN A, A RESOURCE THAT IS KNOWLEDGEABLE PER MILITARY AND SPEAK IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND HAVE PEOPLE LIE STRAIGHT TO MY FACE SAYING THAT I DON'T HAVE SOMETHING, WHEN I HAD SOMETHING AND HAD IT WRONGFULLY TAKEN FROM ME.
SO WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU TALKED TO YOUR FAMILY? I STILL TALK TO THEM, BUT I DON'T TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE SUBJECT JUST BECAUSE OF HOW EXTENSIVE IT IS.
WHAT IF WE HAD SOMEONE INTERVENE AND TRY TO I WOULD LIKE THAT.
HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR FAMILY.
WHERE ARE YOU STAYING NOW? UH, I AM STAYING IN A HOME.
I AM MEDICALLY SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE HOUSE I GREW UP IN, WHICH WAS WRONGFULLY TAKEN FROM ME DUE TO A HEAD INJURY.
IT ONLY AFFECTED MY EYESIGHT A LITTLE BIT.
UH, I AM THAT STILL AS SMART AS I SHOULD BE.
UM, BUT SO YOU'RE STAYING WITH ANOTHER RESIDENCE FAMILY FRIEND THAT OWNS A PROGRAM THAT I STAY INSIDE OF FOR NOW, WHICH IS IN VERY MUCH JEOPARDY.
AND IT'S KIND OF IRRITATING ME BECAUSE MY PHONE IS IN JEOPARDY AS WELL DUE TO WHO I AM.
AND A LOT OF YOU, HOW ABOUT DO YOU WORK? NOT AT THE MOMENT, DUE TO ME POSSIBLY NEEDING A SURGERY UPON OTHER SURGERIES DUE TO OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
HOW DO YOU SUPPORT YOURSELF? UH, I DO FOOD STAMPS AND I ALSO WORK FOR THE PROGRAMMERS.
UH, I MEAN THE, UH, ORGANIZATION THAT I'M STAYING WITH, I GO UP THERE AND HELP OUT AND DISPUTE FOOD.
HOW, AT WHAT LEVEL OF SCHOOL DID YOU COMPLETE? UH, I HAVE SCHOOLED WITH A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.
I'M LOOKING TO GET INTO FURTHER MILITARY ADVANCEMENTS BECAUSE I'M VERY SMART AND LOVE MILITARY.
YOU'VE BEEN IN THE MILITARY? UH, I, I'M A WASHINGTON SIR.
I'M MILITARY 24 7 NO MATTER WHAT.
WELL, SOUND TO ME LIKE YOU NEED SOME ASSISTANCE.
WHAT WOULD YOU SPECIFICALLY LIKE? I WANNA RECOMMEND, I NEED EVERYTHING YOU HAVE, SIR.
THIS, THIS IS LIKE, I CAN TAKE DOWN DONALD TRUMP RIGHT NOW.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE CURRENT STATUS THAT YOU FIND YOURSELF IN WHAT STATUS? PLEASE SPECIFY A LITTLE BIT STATUS OF NOT COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR FAMILY, STAYING WITH A FRIEND, COMING TO COUNCIL.
IT IS A FAMILY FRIEND THAT THEY'RE CONNECTED TO, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF LAWSUITS ENTANGLED WITH IT THAT IS JEOPARDIZING EVERYTHING BECAUSE I CAN CLEAR ALL OF IT AND IT'S KIND OF REALLY MAKING ME FRUSTRATED BECAUSE OF HOW MESSED UP IT IS.
WELL, I I SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATION, BUT WE WANNA HELP THIS LADY OVER HERE.
CYNTHIA WILSON'S MY CHIEF OF STAFF.
I WISH YOU WOULD MEET WITH HER, LET HER BRING IN SOME PROFESSIONAL HELP.
[01:10:01]
ON THE RIGHT PATH BACK TO INDEPENDENCE AND I, I DEAL WITH SOME OF THE, UH, CONCERNS YOU HAVE.IT'S NOT THAT I'M NOT INDEPENDENT, SIR.
I HAD A TRUST FOR FUND FULL OF 20 COTILLION DOLLARS THAT WAS LEFT TO ME BY GEORGE AND MY FATHER.
THAT WAS SIGNED OVER BY, UH, A FAMILY MEMBER.
DUE TO A INJURY THAT SHE TOOK ADVANTAGE OVER.
AND THAT MADE, I THINK, I THINK YOU NEED SOME ASSISTANCE, SOME COUNSELING, AND SOMEBODY TO HELP YOU WORK THROUGH SOME OF THESE FRUSTRATIONS IF YOU'LL ACCEPT IT.
'CAUSE YOU CAN'T CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH, FOR INSTANCE.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE DOING THIS TIME NEXT YEAR? I'M SUPPOSED TO BE PRESIDENT RIGHT NOW, SIR.
YOU'RE WHAT? I'M SUPPOSED TO BE PRESIDENT RIGHT NOW.
I CAN OVERTHROW ANY WELL, WE WANT DEAL WITH THAT.
YOU DON'T, YOU SHOULDN'T FEEL LIKE THAT.
BUT IF I SAY RUDA BAKER, BRODY, WASHINGTON, WHITE HOUSE, IMMEDIATELY YOU, YOU AND EVERY PERSON IN HERE WOULD KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
WELL, THE COUNCIL IS NOT POSITIONED TO HELP YOU THIS MORNING, EXCEPT GIVE YOU SOME GOOD ADVICE.
MS. WILSON'S GONNA MAKE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES A PRIORITY.
I MEAN, I HAVE PEOPLE ON THE OUTSIDE THAT CAN SPEAK WITH DEBT.
SIR, IF YOU WANT ME TO BE FRANK, I CAN BE FRANK.
I MEAN, THIS IS BEYOND LIKE ANYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, LIKE I'M ABOVE EVERY AND ANYTHING RIGHT NOW PER DONALD TRUMP HAS MOLESTED ME AND RAPED ME FOUR TIMES OF MY LIFE.
AND I, IF YOU THINK I'M CRAZY 'CAUSE YOU'RE KIND OF WELL, OF WELL, YOU NEED SOME ASSISTANCE.
WE'RE OFFERING IT AND MS. WILSON'S GONNA GET IT FOR YOU.
AND WE'RE GONNA GET YOU SOME PROFESSIONAL HELP.
THE DEAL WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING.
THAT'S THE BEST WE CAN OFFER THIS MORNING.
BUT I WOULD REALLY URGE YOU TO WORK WITH THE, OF THE OFFICIALS AND THE PROFESSIONALS THAT WE WANT TO REFER TO YOU.
YOU DO NEED SOME GOOD ADVICE, COUNSEL.
IT'S JUST, I I DON'T WANT TO COME OFF AND BE MEAN 'CAUSE I WOULD LIKE ALL OF YOUR HELP BECAUSE I'M RELATED TO GEORGE WASHINGTON AND CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS AND THE WAY I'VE BEEN TREATED MY WHOLE LIFE OVER MISDIAGNOSING EVERYTHING OF FALSIFYING DOCUMENTATION.
ON A UNDERSTAND LEVEL, UNDERST, WE UNDERSTAND AND WE'RE GONNA GET YOU THAT HELP.
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US GO WITH MS. WILSON AND ALLOW HER TO GIVE YOU SOME ASSISTANCE.
DEREK MONTGOMERY TO BE FOLLOWED BY CAROL PORTER.
UH, GOOD MORNING TO THE MAYOR, EVERYONE ON COUNCIL, UH, EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE.
MY NAME IS DEREK DOMINIQUE MONTGOMERY.
UH, I HAVE MY BACKGROUND IN PSYCHOLOGY, NEUROSCIENCE, AND MENTAL HEALTH.
AND TODAY I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR LICENSED THERAPISTS TO BE AT SCHOOLS IN THE WORKFORCE.
RIGHT NOW OUR SCHOOLS IN HOUSTON HAVE 29.3% OF SCHOOLS THAT ONLY HAVE LICENSED THERAPISTS.
SO THAT'S ABOUT 70% OF SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE LICENSED THERAPISTS.
RIGHT NOW I'M ASKING WHO DO OUR BABIES TALK TO WHEN OUR BABIES ARE GETTING BULLIED, WHEN OUR BABIES ARE DEALING WITH DIVORCE, DOMESTIC DISPUTES, INCARCERATED PARENTS, INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMAS, WHO DO THEY SPEAK TO? AND THEN WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT US, WHO DO WE TALK TO? WHO 1% OF HOUSTON JOBS HAVE LICENSED THERAPISTS? SO WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE GO THROUGH GRIEF? WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE GO THROUGH INFIDELITY, DIVORCE? THINGS THAT WE GO THROUGH ON AN EVERYDAY BASIS.
MAYBE WE HAVE A SIT DOWN, MAYBE WE COME WITH SUPERINTENDENTS AND PRINCIPALS AND DEANS OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND WE JUST TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT TOGETHER.
BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE FOR EACH SCHOOL, FOR EVERY 250 TO 400 STUDENTS, WE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST ONE LICENSED THERAPIST AT A JOB FOR EVERY 500 EMPLOYEES.
WE SHOULD HAVE ONE LICENSED THERAPIST AT LEAST THERE TWICE A WEEK.
YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE IT COMES TO A POINT WHERE YOU CAN'T TALK TO YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT EVERYTHING.
AND THEN YOU CAN'T TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT EVERYTHING.
AND YOUR KIDS DON'T KNOW WHO TO TALK TO BECAUSE THEY CAN'T TALK TO THEIR FRIENDS TOO YOUNG.
DON'T WANNA TALK TO THE TEACHER 'CAUSE THEY THINK THE TEACHER'S GONNA CALL YOU.
AND NOT ONLY DO THEY NEED SOMEONE, WE NEED SOMEONE.
AND LIKE MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD SAY, EVERYTHING STARTS AT HOME AND I FEEL LIKE HOME STARTS IN THE MIND.
AND LICENSED THERAPIST HELPS US KEEP OUR HOUSE CLEAN.
SO HONESTLY, I FEEL LIKE IF WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE WE COME FROM, WE CAN BE APPRECIATIVE TO OF, OF WHERE WE'RE GOING.
SO THAT'S KIND OF MY THOUGHTS ON, OKAY.
SO COMING FORWARD, UM, I'M A FORMER, UM, EDUCATOR AND LI UM, CERTIFIED COUNSELOR IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
BUT HAVE YOU HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT OR ANY OTHER SCHOOL
[01:15:01]
DISTRICTS? UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE GOVERNING BODY RIGHT.WHO DETERMINE POLICY AND PERSONNEL.
UH, WE DON'T, SO I'VE NEVER HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
I'VE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH CERTAIN SCHOOLS.
UM, IT WAS A SCHOOL I WAS WORKING AT BEFORE AND I NOTICED THAT THEY NEEDED A PSYCHOLOGIST BECAUSE I WAS JUST A BASKETBALL COACH.
BUT THEY CAME TO ME FOR EVERYTHING BECAUSE OF MY BACKGROUND.
SO IT WAS ALWAYS COACH D, THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH.
MY LIFE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SPORTS.
SO I REMEMBER SITTING DOWN WITH THE DEAN AND ALSO THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND I WAS JUST EXPLAINING, HEY, WE NEED THIS.
AND EVERYTHING ALWAYS GOES BACK TO FUNDING, YOU KNOW.
WELL, I'M JUST GONNA SAY MY DAD WAS A BASKETBALL COACH, SO HE WAS A FATHER OF MANY.
UH, AND SO I DO UNDERSTAND MA AND THANK MA'AM, THANK GOD FOR YOU MA'AM.
BUT CERTAINLY THE CONVERSATION NEEDS TO BE WITH THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THEY HAVE A FORUM AS A PUBLIC SESSION WHERE YOU CAN GO IN AND SPEAK TO THEM.
I BELIEVE IT'S ON THURSDAY EVENINGS.
BUT YOU CAN GO ON THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT WEBSITE OKAY.
AND FIND OUT, HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, AND WE APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE WE DO LOVE OUR STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS, BUT WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY OVER THEIR PERSONNEL AND POLICY ISSUES.
THAT'S A FAMILIAR NAME TO BE FOLLOWED BY IRAN TREVINO.
MAYOR WHITMEYER AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
I RECENTLY DISCOVERED THROUGH MADDIE MASON OF TIP, AN ORGANIZATION THAT DEALS WITH AT RISK CHILDREN.
THAT THE ACRES HOME COMMUNITY HAS THE HIGHEST COMMUNITY INFANT MORTALITY AND MATERNAL DEATHS IN HARRIS COUNTY.
I'VE BEEN WORKING IN THIS CITY FOR 40 YEARS AND NEVER HEARD ANYONE TALK ABOUT IT.
HARRIS COUNTY HAS THE REPUTATION OF BEING THE DEADLIEST PLACE TO GIVE BIRTH FOR BLACK WOMEN AND IS PROCLAIMED THE HIGHEST BLACK MATERNITY MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE IN THE COUNTRY.
CITING A RECENT REPORT FROM THE HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH.
THE OUTLET REPORTED THAT FROM 2016 TO 2020, BLACK WOMEN IN HARRIS COUNTY EXPERIENCED THE HIGHEST PREGNANCY RELATED DEATH RATE IN THE NATION.
THEIR MORTALITY RATE REACHED 83.4 DEATHS PER 100,000 LIVE DEATHS WHILE WHITE WOMEN WERE DYING AT ROUGHLY ONE FOURTH.
THE RATE OF THIS NUMBER TO FIND OUT THAT NOTHING, NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE THE 2016 TO 2020 REPORT SADDENED ME DEEPLY.
I COME BEFORE YOU AT THIS TIME TO ASK FOR HELP UNDER THE BANNER OF THE KID CARE HEALTH BUGGY WHO KNEW WHAT TO DO AND STILL KNOWS WHAT TO DO, MAKING HOUSE CALLS.
DENISE SMITH, A GRADUATED OF PRAIRIE VIEW WITH A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND MYSELF ARE COMMITTED TO THE ONLY METHOD THAT WILL WORK.
GETTING PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN THE LIVES OF MOTHERS AND THEIR CHILDREN OVER 40 YEARS.
I NEVER STOPPED OFFERING HEALTH INFORMATION TO EVERYONE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
BUT MY FOCUS HAS ALWAYS BEEN MOTHERS AND THEIR CHILDREN.
I'M COMING TO YOU THIS MORNING TO SOLICIT ASSISTANCE AND RALLYING THE LEADERSHIP BUSINESSES, WORSHIP HOUSES AND HEALTH ENTITIES TO COMMIT THEMSELVES TO HELP SAVING THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN.
DURING THE OPERATION OF THE KID CARE HEALTH BUGGY.
OUR PROGRAM SAVED HOUSTON'S ER A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $300,000 ACCORDING TO THE THEN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
WE MUST STOP HOSPITALS FROM DISCHARGING BABIES UNDER FIVE POUNDS, WHICH WAS THE STANDARD DISCHARGE WEIGHT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
I DON'T HAVE TIME TO SHARE ALL THE STORIES THAT IMPACTED ME JUST THIS WEEK.
HOW MANY MORE MINUTES DO I HAVE
LIKE I SAID, BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT FRUSTRATES ME? YOU'RE BRINGING INFORMATION FORWARD THAT IS RESPONSIBILITY OF CITY OFFICIALS.
I'VE BEEN HERE TWO YEARS OF THAT 40 THAT YOU REFERENCED.
[01:20:01]
TOP HEALTH AND CITY OFFICIALS LIVE IN ACRES HOME.WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS MEET OUR NEW HEALTH DIRECTOR WHO'S A MEDICAL DOCTOR.
SHE WAS SHARING INFORMATION WITH ME LAST WEEK THAT AKER HOME HAS THE HIGHEST INCIDENTS OF NEW FLU CASES.
SO I KNOW FOR A FACT AKERS HOME IS ON HER RADAR.
SHE'S NEW, SHE'S SMART, SHE'S ENERGETIC, ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO.
SO I WILL GET YOU AND DR. TRAN TOGETHER IMMEDIATELY.
SHE NEEDS TO HEAR YOUR TESTIMONY AND YOU'LL BE AMAZED WITH HER KNOWLEDGE AND ENERGY.
IT'S TREMENDOUS THAT YOU CAME DOWN HERE TODAY.
MAY I SHARE JUST A COUPLE OF STORIES OR I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, I DON'T NEED ANY CONVINCING, BUT YOU CAN SHARE.
I KNOW SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DIALOGUE.
UM, RECENTLY I'VE COME IN CONTACT WITH, UH, A FAMILY THAT I'VE ADOPTED.
TWINS, FRATERNAL TWINS, SIX MONTHS OLD MOTHERS WEIGHING 10 POUNDS AND 11 POUNDS, SPITTING OUT FIVE DIFFERENT FORMULA PRESCRIPTIONS.
AND THEN I HAD TO LISTEN TO, IT'S STILL EXPENSIVE.
SIX MONTH OLD BABY, 10 POUNDS.
I WENT TO THE WHOLE FOODS MARKET, WHO'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY PARTNER WITH KID CARE.
AND I RECEIVED SOME GOAT'S MILK.
AND TO BE HONEST, AS A NURSE, I JUST TOLD HER STRAIGHT UP, I CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT TO DO, BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU WHAT IS USED ALL OVER THE WORLD FOR BABIES WHO CAN'T HOLD THE NATURAL FORMULA.
AND I GAVE THEM TO HER AND I WALKED AWAY.
WELL, SHE USED IT FOR SEVEN DAYS.
THE BABIES NEVER VOMITED ONCE.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SIX MONTHS, THEY SLEPT FIVE HOURS.
EVERYBODY SLEPT FOR FIVE HOURS.
SO NOW I EXPECT MY CHILDREN TO GAIN SOME WEIGHT BECAUSE THEY WERE ON THEIR WAY OUT.
BUT TO HAVE AN ARGUMENT THAT WIC WON'T PAY FOR IT, WE'VE GOTTA CHANGE SOME LAWS.
THE OTHER SHE TOLD ME SHE WANTED TO GET HER TUBES TIED.
THE DOCTOR TOLD HER SHE WAS TOO YOUNG.
BABY'S OUTTA WELOCK TOO YOUNG TO HAVE YOUR TUBES TIED.
SO WE DECIDED TO GIVE HER A SHOT.
AND SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS SICK FOR OVER A YEAR.
PART, PART OF A SOLUTION GOING FORWARD IS BETTER COLLABORATION BETWEEN HARRIS HEALTH AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE ALSO HAVE TO BE MINDFUL THAT WE DON'T DO ANYTHING IRRATIONAL.
THAT WE WOULD LOSE OUR FEDERAL FUNDING.
HARRIS HEALTH GETS $98 MILLION FROM THE US GOVERNMENT.
CHICAGO HAS LOST 300 MILLION IN THEIR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND LAID OFF SCORES OF EMPLOYEES.
SO WE HAVE TO BE FOCUSED ON THE HEALTH ISSUES YOU'RE MENTIONING, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO GO ABOUT COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY, BEING DIPLOMATIC, OUR MEDICAL SCHOOLS, AND DON'T LET PEOPLE GET AWAY WITH SAYING, WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT THAT WAY.
UM, JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT, I THINK WITHOUT PROLONGING THE TIME THE MAYOR HAS ADDRESSED TO YOU INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED ADEQUATELY NEED.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE MOMENT AND THANK YOU MS. PORTER FOR COMING.
UH, THOSE OF US THAT KNOW YOU AND KNOW OF YOUR WORK, UH, THIS LADY HAS ALWAYS TACKLED ISSUES OVER THE YEARS IN THIS CITY THAT WERE DIRECTLY, AND MARY, YOU TAPPED IT RIGHT, IN TERMS OF THESE ARE THE KIND OF PROJECTS THAT OUGHT TO COME OUT OF THE CITY.
THESE TYPE OF ISSUES THAT MS. PORTER HISTORICALLY HAS DONE EVEN WITH KID CARE OF YEARS AGO, WHO I WORKED WITH HER, SERVED ON
[01:25:01]
HER BOARD ADVISORY DURING THAT TIME.THE HISTORY OF THIS LADY WORK REALLY, UH, IS UNMATCHED.
BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY AND GOING FORWARD WITH WHAT THE MAYOR SUGGESTED.
WE WILL, I KNOW I WILL IN THIS OFFICE, WORK WITH YOU TO PURSUE THIS BECAUSE IT IS NECESSARY AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE SERIOUS.
AND SO I WISH YOU, UH, THE BEST AND I THINK YOU ARE ONTO SOMETHING AS THE MAYOR TALKS ALL THE TIME ABOUT COLLABORATION, WHICH IS VERY, VERY KEY.
SO WE'LL JUST FOLLOW THAT AND, UH, WE'LL BE HERE WITH YOU, OF COURSE, MY CONSTITUENT SERVICE GUYS HERE, HE'LL SPEAK TO YOU BEFORE YOU LEAVE SO WE CAN GET MORE AND MORE INFORMATION.
AND I CAN ACTUALLY REMEMBER WHEN PEOPLE TRY TO PUT YOU OUTTA BUSINESS.
SOME IN THE, WELL THEY DID SOME IN THE MEDIA AND SOME, UH, PROVIDERS TRY TO PUT YOU OUT BUSINESS.
AND SO ALL I'D SAY TO THEM IS THE STRONG SURVIVES.
THE MEDIA TOOK US FROM A MILLION MEALS A YEAR TO JUST HUNDREDS.
SO THEY DID ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, BUT I BELIEVE VERY SOON, KEY CARE WILL BE SPEARHEADING THE NATIONAL MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN CENTERED RIGHT HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND CONTINUING THE FIGHT.
UH, YOU ARE A FIGHTER FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THOSE BABIES AND FOR THOSE MOTHERS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE MATERNAL MORTALITY RATES, ESPECIALLY FOR BLACK WOMEN, UM, IT, IT'S HORRIFYING.
AND, UH, IT'S, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF STATE LEGISLATION AND THE IMPACT IT HAS HAD ON WOMEN'S HEALTH, WE HAVE TO DO MORE.
UH, AND IT IS FALLING ON CITIES.
IT IS FALLING ON COUNTIES TO PICK UP, UM, THE COSTS AND THE BURDEN WHEN LAWS ARE DIRECTLY CORRELATED WITH MATERNAL HEALTH AND MORTALITY.
UH, WHEN WOMEN ARE SHOWING UP AT HOSPITALS, HOSPITALS NEED TO BELIEVE WOMEN WHEN THEY SAY SOMETHING IS WRONG.
HOSPITALS NEED TO ACT TO PROTECT THE LIFE OF MOTHERS OF CHILDREN.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHICAGO.
UM, MAYOR, YOU'VE REPRESENTED AKERS HOMES FOR OVER 50 YEARS, AND I'M SO GLAD THAT WE CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITIES THAT NEED TO BE LIFTED UP.
BUT THE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS DO WHAT THEY CAN AND WE NEED TO DO MORE.
THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, UH, FUND MATERNAL AND POST AND PRENATAL WELLNESS PROGRAMS AS WELL THAT WOMEN NEED ACCESS TO.
BUT WE HAVE ALSO SEEN FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE SEEN THE CUTS TO HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFF AND LIFESAVING PROGRAMS. SO THERE'S A CHAIN REACTION FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND TO THE STATE LEVEL WHEN IT COMES TO WOMEN'S HEALTH, ESPECIALLY BLACK AND BROWN WOMEN WHO HAVE HIGHER RATES OF NOT JUST MORTALITY, BUT MENTAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS AND A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER THINGS BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN NEGLECTED FOR FAR TOO LONG.
BUT I ALSO WANNA CALL OUT, UM, THE DISCRIMINATORY NATURE OF LAWS THAT ARE BEING PASSED THAT ARE DIRECTLY COSTING THE LIVES OF WOMEN.
AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO TAP INTO FOUNDATIONS.
'CAUSE KID CARE FED CHILDREN WITHOUT, WITHOUT ONE DIME OF GOVERNMENT MONEY.
AND IF MY HUSBAND AND I COULD DO IT, WE COULD DO IT.
HOW MUCH DO, BECAUSE YOU'RE ASKING FOR BUSINESS SUPPORT AND PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT, DO YOU MIND SAYING, AND IF NOT, THAT'S OKAY.
HOW MUCH, UH, YOU NEED TO RAISE TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM OR MOVE THE HELP BY BEFORE WELL BE, ACTUALLY BE HONEST, I HAVEN'T PUT IT DOWN, UH, NUMERICALLY, BUT WHAT I WANTED WAS TO COME BEFORE THE MAYOR AND LET THEM KNOW IF HE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE HEALTH BUGGY PROGRAM HAVING BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
AND WHEN THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SAID, WE SAVED $300,000 IN ER COSTS, WE CAN DO IT AGAIN IF I HAVE THE BACKING OF THIS US THEIR, UH, COMMITTEE.
BUT WE NEED TO TAP INTO FOUNDATIONS.
WE DON'T REALLY NEED THE GOVERNMENT FUNDS.
LIKE I SAID, IF MY HUSBAND AND I COULD DO IT, WHAT COULD WE DO HERE? WE DON'T NEED THE GOVERNMENT.
AND, AND THANK YOU MS. PORTER.
[01:30:01]
UP IN HEAVEN FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN AN ANGEL.AND YOU KNOW, WHEN I READ, CRY BRIEFLY PART OF YOUR STORY ABOUT HOW YOU SAW KIDS DIGGING IN THE TRASH AT MCDONALD'S AND YOU KNEW THAT THAT WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND YOU TOOK THAT ON AS A, AS A, AS YOUR LIFE'S MISSION TO HELP OTHERS.
CERTAINLY, I I, I WISH YOU THE BEST AND WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, CHANNELS YOU NEED TO GET TO, I HOPE THAT GOD WILL OPEN THOSE DOORS BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN AWESOME.
AND I, IT IS JUST A PLEASURE FOR ME TO LOOK AT YOU.
YOU KNOW, IF I CAN HELP SOMEBODY AS I PASS ALONG THIS WAY, IT'S CERTAINLY YOUR MANTRA.
AND SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR COMING THIS MORNING.
WITHOUT MY HUSBAND, THERE WOULD'VE BEEN NO KID CARE.
WE KNOW IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD WOMAN BEHIND THE MAN.
TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEVE WILLIAMS. HOW LONG DO I HAVE? OKAY.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE RAS COLLAB PROJECT, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION BASED OUT OF SOUTHEAST HOUSTON.
WE WERE BORN AS A RESPONSE TO THE OPPRESSIVE REALITIES THAT MANY COMMUNITIES FACE IN OUR STATE, AND ESPECIALLY IN OUR COMMUNITIES HERE IN HOUSTON.
AS YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW, HOUSTON HAS THE HIGHEST RATES OF EXTREME POVERTY OF ANY MAJOR CITY ACROSS THE NATION.
AND NOW, UH, THOSE ISSUES ARE COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT WE'RE ALSO SEEING THE HIGHEST RATES OF ICE ARRESTS OF ANY CITY, OF ANY CITY IN THE ENTIRE NATION AS WELL.
AND SO WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE ADMINISTRATION THAT, UM, THAT BASICALLY HOUSTON IS ACTING IN A WAY THAT WOULD SHIELD US IN SOME WAY FROM THESE ICE ARRESTS AND OR AT LEAST FROM VIOLENT ICE ARRESTS.
AND YET THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I SPOKE ABOUT CONCERNS THAT NOT ONLY WOULD THESE ARRESTS OR THE PRESENCE OF MASS ICE AGENTS BE A DANGER TO UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE, BUT IT WOULD BECOME A DANGER TO US CITIZENS AS WELL.
AND IN THE WEEKS AFTER THAT, UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE SEEN THAT THAT IS IN FACT THE CASE.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, WE, WE ALL HAVE HEARD OF RENEE GOODE, WHO HAS BEEN SHOT DEAD IN MINNEAPOLIS.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO LOOK SO FAR TO SEE HOW CONCERNING THESE THINGS ARE BECAUSE EVEN IN OUR BACKYARD THIS YEAR, JUST LESS THAN A WEEK AGO, A 16-YEAR-OLD WAS HELD IN A CHOKE HOLD BY AN ICE AGENT.
NOT ONLY THAT, HIS PHONE WAS STOLEN BY THESE ICE AGENTS GHETTO.
THAT'S JUST VERY INAPPROPRIATE.
I I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT EVEN HAPPENED.
AND WHEN THAT REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, OR WHEN AN ATTEMPT TO FILE THAT REPORT WAS MADE, UM, THE POLICE BASICALLY RESPONDED BY SAYING, WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO TO A FEDERAL AGENT? WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO A FEDERAL AGENT, BUT THE POLICE IS SUPPOSED TO BE THERE TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES OF LOW INCOME HAVE HAD HISTORICAL, I MEAN, YOU CAN LOOK AT IT IN THE TEXTBOOKS.
WE'VE HAD HISTORICAL ISSUES WITH, UM, UH, WITH ENFORCEMENT, UM, AGENCIES.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE REASONS WHY WE HAVE CONCERNS WHEN IT COMES TO ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
AND YET HPD IS LIKE ANGELS COMPARED TO ICE AGENTS.
MASS ICE AGENTS WHO CAN DON'T EVEN HAVE TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES.
NOT ONLY THAT, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO MY PREVIOUS POINT OF A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, IT LEAVES IT TO WHERE ANYONE CAN PUT ON A MASK AND SHOW UP AND SAY, I AM AN ICE AGENT.
AND SO I ASK OF YOU TO POLICE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DANGER THAT IT PUTS PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME, WHO PERHAPS DID DO IT, SAY QUOTE UNQUOTE THE RIGHT WAY, WHO HAVE PAPERS, WHO ARE US CITIZENS, UM, AND NEED TO BE PROTECTED AS WELL.
LET ME THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WE SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATIONS, AND I WISH WE WEREN'T GOING THROUGH THIS.
I FEEL THE FEAR IN THE COMMUNITY AND I THINK WE NEED TO STICK TOGETHER, SEND OUR SUPPORT TO THOSE THAT ARE STRUGGLING.
CERTAINLY THOSE IN MINNESOTA WITH MRS. GOOD.
UH, IT'S JUST A HORRIBLE SITUATION THAT APPEARS
[01:35:01]
SOME DAYS TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL.I CAN ASSURE YOU IN HOUSTON, WE'RE TAKING THE PROPER STEPS TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY OFFICE HAS BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGING WITH CIVIC LEADERS, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO REACH OUT.
THERE'S NO REASON FOR ANYONE, ANYONE TO FEAR HPD.
THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR IMMIGRATION STATUS.
UNFORTUNATELY, STATE LAW REQUIRES THEM TO FORWARD INFORMATION.
I HEARD AN INCIDENT THE OTHER DAY.
THEY WERE RESEARCHING THE INDIVIDUALS BACKGROUND AND NAME, AND THERE WERE THREE OR FOUR WITH THE SAME NAME.
ONE OF THEM ON THE LIST MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE INDIVIDUAL THAT HE HAD ENGAGED.
THE REPORT I GOT WAS HE TOLD THE INDIVIDUAL, GO ABOUT YOUR WAY.
THERE'S SEVERAL FOLKS LISTED UNDER YOUR NAME.
I'VE BEEN WITH THEM AFTER OUR CLUT RATES.
IT WOULD APPEAR SOME MIGHT BE UNDOCUMENTED WHEN LOOKING AT IDS, HPD FOCUSES ON DRUGS AND GUNS AND THEN SENDS THESE YOUNG PEOPLE HOME.
SO I CAN'T MAKE IT ANY MORE CLEAR THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ASSURE PEOPLE, IF YOU ARE BEING VIOLATED, CALL HPD.
OUR CHIEF IS DOING A SMART JOB.
AND YES, I COULD SHOUT OUT AGAINST ICE OR OTHERS, BUT IT JUST HASN'T WORKED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
SO I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE LAW, DO OUR JOB OF ENFORCING STATE LAWS, CITY ORDINANCES.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE COMPASSIONATE.
OUR DEPARTMENT USES LANGUAGE SKILLS TO COMMUNICATE.
AND I THINK SOME, SOME ACTIVISTS, SOME SPECIAL INTERESTS WOULD LIKE TO SEE TURMOIL HERE.
BUT IT'S JUST NOT GONNA HAPPEN IF WE CONTINUE TO BE RESPONSIBLE, COMPASSIONATE, COMMUNICATE AND WELCOME PEOPLE LIKE YOU TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND THAT IS A GUARANTEE BY ME.
UM, IRANI, UH, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO LIFT UP THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, I THINK WE CAN BOTH AGREE THAT THIS IS SUPER COMPLEX AND SENSITIVE ON SEVERAL FRONTS.
UM, THE, THE STRUGGLE THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE, OF COURSE, IS, IS, UM, HOW DO, HOW DO WE MOVE IN A WAY WHERE WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNITY CONTINUE TO TRUST LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHICH WE DESPERATELY, DESPERATELY NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON.
BECAUSE AS FOLKS STOP CALLING, THEN WE REALLY START SEEING OTHER DANGERS HAPPEN.
UM, THE OTHER ONE IS HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE START COMMUNICATING IN A, IN A VERY THOUGHTFUL, UH, INTENTIONAL MANNER, MANNER.
UM, I'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WHERE, UH, THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL AND, AND MAYBE FOLKS DON'T KNOW EXACTLY BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING PICTURES FROM HUNDREDS OF YARDS AWAY AND JUST ASKING, HEY, IS THIS HPD OR ICE CONFIRMING THAT? MAKING SURE THAT IT IS HPD, IT'S AN OPERATION, AND, AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING IN A WAY WHERE WE'RE NOT IGNITING THAT EXTRA FEAR THAT WE ALREADY KNOW IS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO I I THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO LIFT THIS CONVERSATION UP.
EVERYONE AROUND THIS HORSESHOE NEEDS TO BE, UM, AS INFORMED AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT WAY WE'RE ABLE TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT I'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAYOR, UM, AND I, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HE IS DOING AS WELL.
UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, IN FEBRUARY, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL SHARE MORE DETAILS AS WE GET CLOSER.
BUT IN FEBRUARY, HAVING TO KNOW YOUR RIGHTS, UH, WE WE'LL HAVE EVEN MORE OF AN OPEN DIALOGUE AND CONVERSATION AND DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, WHAT SOME OF THE TRUTHS AND REALITIES ARE THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ON.
BUT ALSO, HOW SHOULD WE BE CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD IN THIS TIME AND SPACE THAT WE'RE IN AT THE MOMENT? UM, PUBLIC SAFETY IS A PRIORITY, UM, FOR HOUSTONIANS.
AND SO I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO FOCUS
[01:40:01]
ON HOW WE BUILD THAT TRUST.MY HOPE IS THAT YOU, ALONG WITH OTHER FOLKS THAT, UM, SHARE THIS CONCERN, CAN HELP US FOCUS ON HOW DO WE BUILD THAT TRUST SO THAT WAY WE CAN KEEP FOLKS SAFE.
UM, SO, UH, JUST THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS ARE ON THIS HORSESHOE.
CONTINUE TO STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT'S RIGHT, UM, AND FOR YOUR COURAGE AND SUPPORT TO OUR UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE THEY ARE HURTING AND THEY ARE SUFFERING.
UM, AND WE'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THOSE THINGS.
AND AGAIN, JUST, UM, CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO US AND AND TO THIS ADMINISTRATION AS WELL.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU MY DISTRICT FACES THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UM, I REPRESENT SOUTHWEST HOUSTON, THE GULFTON SHARPSTOWN AREA.
THERE ARE MANY UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS.
UM, MANY OF THEM ARE NOT CAUSING ANY HARM TO SOCIETY.
MANY OF THEM HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY IN A POSITIVE WAY.
UM, I THINK EVERYONE UP HERE, UH, WANTS TO ADVOCATE FOR HAVING A SECURE BORDER AND FOR PEOPLE TO DO THINGS THE LAWFUL WAY AND FOR US TO HAVE A SOCIETY THAT, UM, IS PRODUCTIVE AND HAS PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE WHO ARE PRODUCTIVE.
UM, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO BE A CITY WHERE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HERE, WHO ARE CONTRIBUTED TO SOCIETY AND WHO ARE MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT, ARE BEING HESITANT TO MOVE, BEING FEARFUL AND APPREHENSIVE TO EVEN GO ABOUT THEIR DAILY ROUTINE, WHO ARE BEING APPROACHED, UH, IN UNLAWFUL MANNERS, I WOULD SAY.
UM, AND WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY IN WHICH THE CITY CAN BE MUCH MORE STRATEGIC IN ASSISTING HOUSTONIANS WHO ARE, UH, FACED WITH THESE CHALLENGES.
I CAN TELL YOU FROM MY STANDPOINT THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S A FEDERAL AGENT THAT IS CONDUCTING, UM, SOME TYPE OF STOP OR ENGAGEMENT.
IF IT'S UNLAWFUL, THEN OUR, OUR OFFICERS HAVE TO DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THOSE WHO RESIDE HERE IN HOUSTON.
WE'RE SEEING MANY VIDEOS THAT ARE SENT TO MY OFFICE AND OTHERS WHERE FEDERAL AGENTS ARE GOING ABOUT DOING THINGS THE UNLAWFUL WAY.
AND JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A FEDERAL AGENT DOES NOT GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO GO ABOUT DOING THINGS THE UNLAWFUL WAY.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE NEED LOCAL PROTECTIONS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT ALTHOUGH OUR CITY IS NOT ON TV EVERY DAY WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT SOME MAY CONSIDER TURMOIL, IT'S STILL HAPPENING CONTINUOUSLY HERE IN THE CITY.
I, I SEE THESE THINGS THAT THE, THE, ALL THESE CAMERAS THAT ARE HERE, THEY NEVER FOR WHATEVER REASON SHOW WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN HOUSTON.
THEY RARELY SHOW THESE INCIDENCES THAT ARE HAPPENING ON A DAILY BASIS HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND SO WE HAVE TO PROTECT HOUSTONIANS.
AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOUR STATUS MAY BE, UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HEAR THAT.
AND THAT WE JUST DON'T QUIETLY SIT BY AND ALLOW FOR THE INFILTRATION OF A LOT OF BAD ACTORS TO DO THINGS TO RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT JUST AREN'T LEGAL.
RIGHT? AND PEOPLE CAN HAVE THE KNOW YOUR RIGHTS SEMINARS.
I THINK PEOPLE KNOW THEIR RIGHTS, BUT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH, HAVE TO GO THROUGH NOW THIS LEGAL BATTLE OF, OF, OF SOMETIMES HERE LOCALLY.
UH, AND THEN SOMETIMES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL OF EVEN HAVING TO, UM, GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF, UM, COURT, GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DETAINMENT, GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF ARREST, AND IT IS CAUSING A LOT OF HURT AND IT'S TEARING FAMILIES APART.
AND SO, UH, THIS CITY IS NOT IMMUNE TO WHAT'S HAPPENING.
UH, IT'S JUST NOT BEING HIGHLIGHTED LIKE IT IS IN OTHER AREAS.
AND SO I DO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD AND, AND SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO CANNOT COME AND SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
THANK YOU COUNCILOR EVAN SHABA.
ONCE I HEARD MAYOR PRO PROM SAY HEAVY IS THE HEAD THAT WEARS THE CROWN.
SO MAYOR, I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE IMMENSE RESPONSIBILITY, STRESS, AND THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT WE ALL HAVE TO MAKE.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY I WANNA MAKE A SUGGESTION
[01:45:01]
THAT I'M, I'M TOLD THAT A LOT OF THESE STOPS AND CALLS, UM, ARE BECAUSE OF MINOR TRAFFIC STOPS.PERHAPS WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT RISES TO THE LEVEL OF STOPPING SOMEONE FOR A MINOR TRAFFIC STOP.
IF YOU DON'T STOP THEM, THEN YOU ARE NOT CHARGED WITH ASKING THEM FOR THEIR ID AND CHECKING TO SEE IF THERE ARE A WARRANT.
IT'S A WARRANT ISSUED FOR THEM.
UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, UH, RESULTS IN ICE.
SO MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE SOME OF THESE MINOR TRAFFIC STOPS COULD BE HANDLED JUST LIKE THEY DO WITH THE TOLL AUTHORITY.
UH, THEY SEND YOU A TICKET AND TELL YOU THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THIS OR YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT OR WARNING OR SOMETHING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA, YOU KNOW, NOT FOLLOW THE LAW, BUT CERTAINLY, AND WE DO WANNA PROTECT OUR CITIZENS, BUT CERTAINLY, AND WE'RE NOT TRYING TO HOUSE ANY CRIMINALS OR WHATEVER, BUT CERTAINLY WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT RISES TO THE LEVEL OF EVEN STOPPING PEOPLE, UH, FOR THESE MINOR INFRACTIONS THAT RISE TO THAT LEVEL.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD PERHAPS LOOK AT.
UM, IT'S A COMPLEX ISSUE THAT I'VE DEALT WITH FOR YEARS AS CHAIRMAN OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
WE WANTED TO PUT IT IN THE SANDRA BLAND ACT, GARNET AND I, BECAUSE SHE WAS PULLED OVER BECAUSE OF AN OUTSTATE PLATE.
THE NEIGHBORHOODS WANT NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION.
YOU FIND HUMAN TRAFFICKED VICTIMS, YOU FIND KIDNAPPED VICTIMS. I COULD GO ON AND ON THE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWN IN THE ARREST AND ACCOUNTABILITY DUE TO A TRAFFIC STOP.
YES, YOU COULD PREVENT POLICE FROM PULLING PEOPLE OVER FOR A NON-THREATENING TRAFFIC VIOLATION.
IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE CRIME RATE.
UH, WHEN YOU GET ON THE HIGHWAY STREET HERE IN, UH, SAN ANTONIO, DPS WILL TELL YOU IT'S A TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS THAT ALLOWS THEM TO SEE A CAR FULL OF DRUGS OR KIDNAP VICTIMS OR HUMAN TRAFFIC VICTIMS. SO IT'S A TOUGH ONE.
PEOPLE WANT TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT.
SOME OF THE SURGES WE DO ARE SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR THINGS WE DO.
PEOPLE KNOW IN RECENT YEARS, THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR RUNNING A RED LIGHT.
PEOPLE ASK FOR CAMERAS TO BE BROUGHT BACK, STOP SIGN.
SO IT'S A DISCUSSION WE NEED TO HAVE.
I'VE HAD IT FOR YEARS, JUST LIKE POLICE CHASE US.
I CAN'T STAND A POLICE CHASE, YOU KNOW, U OF H STUDENT SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AT 34TH AND ANTOINE PLOWED INTO BY SOMEONE RUNNING INNOCENT, SITTING AT A RED LIGHT.
SO CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS A COMPLEX ISSUE.
THEN YOU BRING IMMIGRATION INTO IT.
SOMETHING THAT NONE OF US ANTICIPATED, AND IT WAS PRESENTED AS SECURING THE BORDER, CATCHING CRIMINALS LIKE THE EVIL PEOPLE THAT RAPED AND MURDERED JOCELYN UNDOCUMENTED.
AND I PERSONALLY THINK AND KNOW THAT WE'RE HANDLING IT CORRECTLY.
ANYONE THAT HAS VIDEOS, THE QUESTION WOULD BE, WHAT'D YOU DO WITH 'EM? HPD DIDN'T RECEIVE THEM.
IT'S NOT WORKING IN OTHER CITIES.
IT'S BRINGING HARM TO THE PEOPLE THAT WE CLAIM WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT.
WE'RE DOING EXACTLY ONLY, ONLY WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES, AND THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT FOLLOWING THE LAW.
I'VE GOT A CITY TO LOOK OUT FOR OUR HIV TESTING FUNDING COMES FROM THE FEDS.
I COULD GO THROUGH THE LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE FEDS, BUT WE'RE NOT PARTNERING WITH THEM ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT SEMANTICS.
PEOPLE FOR CLICKBAIT CAN SAY, OH, WE'RE COOPERATING.
THAT'S WHAT SAN ANTONIO'S DOING.
THEY PROTECT THE PERIMETER THAT ICE IS USING TO GO INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE NO, NO EXPERIENCE LIKE THAT.
AUSTIN IS ANNOUNCING TO THE PUBLIC THEIR POLICY.
I PROMISE YOU THIS POLICE CHIEF, THIS MAYOR, THIS DEPARTMENT
[01:50:01]
IS SENSITIVE TO THE NEIGHBORS THAT WE PATROL IN.AND THE TRAGEDY IN MINNEAPOLIS IS HORRIBLE.
AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT THOSE INCIDENTS IN HOUSTON.
WILL THEY BE INSTANCES THAT WE DON'T APPROVE OF? YES, IF THEY VIOLATE THE LAW, WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT THERE'S A REASON WE'RE NOT ON THE NATIONAL NEWS.
AND IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE DOING IT THE RESPONSIBLE WAY.
AND I'M SORRY THAT YOU HAVE TO BE HERE.
YOU NEED TO PROBABLY BE WITH YOUR CHILDREN AT WORK, AT HOME.
I HEAR YOU, I EMPATHIZE WITH YOU.
IT WILL GET US NOWHERE EXCEPT HARM THE PEOPLE WE CARE ABOUT.
AND I HAVE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE,
I, I KNOW I USED TO TRY TO ORGANIZE THE NANNIES AT HEIGHTS IN SIXTH STREET PARK.
I'D GO OVER THERE TO SEE MY GRANDKIDS DURING A BREAK, AND I'D SEE ENOUGH NANNIES WHO I KNOW ARE UNDOCUMENTED THROUGH CONVERSATIONS.
I SAY, HELL, Y'ALL NEED TO START A UNION BECAUSE THE MOST PRECIOUS POSSESSION IN THE FAMILY'S HOMES ARE GIVEN TO UNDOCUMENTED TO CARE FOR.
SO I KNOW THE FACE THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, BUT SCREAMING AND HOLLERING IS NOT GONNA SOLVE THE SOLUTION.
IT'S IT'S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
HAVING THE BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE NATION, OVER HALF OF OUR HPD OFFICERS ARE HISPANIC LANGUAGE SKILLS.
THEY SPEND FOUR HOURS TRYING TO HELP A YOUNG MAN.
I KNOW IT'S TOUGH, IT'S EMOTIONAL, AND WE ALL JUST WANTED TO END, BUT I'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH IT RESPONSIBLY.
AND MOST HOUSTONIANS BELIEVE I HAVE MOST HISPANIC HOUSTONIANS KNOW I HAVE A LONG RECORD OF WORKING WITH THE UNDOCUMENTED, THE DREAM ACT, WORKING WITH FARM WORKERS, WORKING WITH HOUSTONIANS.
SO IF I, IF I HAD COULD DO SOMETHING MYSELF, I WOULD DO IT.
AND MORE WHAT I CAN DO IS KEEP EVERYONE COMMUNICATING TRUST IN HPD, NOT POLITICIZING IT AND GETTING THE JOB DONE.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, WHO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS AREA.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE SEE YOU AND WE SEE THAT HOUSTONIANS THAT ARE HURTING AND KNOW THAT SO MANY OF US IN THIS HORSESHOE CARE SO DEARLY ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY, AND THAT WE ARE GONNA DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE LAW TO PROTECT THAT COMMUNITY.
WE ARE NOT, WE ARE HERE TO BE YOUR PARTNER IN THIS.
I SHARE YOUR ANGER AND I SHARE YOUR SADNESS THAT WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY RIGHT NOW WHERE THIS IS OCCURRING.
BUT KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE TO STAND WITH YOU.
WE WILL, I WILL BE AT THE PROTEST WITH YOU.
I WILL STAND UP WITH YOU AND I'M HOPEFUL AND CONFIDENT THAT SO MANY OF US WILL WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY DOES THE RIGHT THING.
BUT KEEP COMING, KEEP SPEAKING OUT AND KNOW THAT WE STAND WITH YOU.
UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING TO BE A VOICE FOR THOSE THAT CAN'T COME AND SPEAK RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE TOO AFRAID AND HAVE BEEN FORCED INTO THE SHADOWS.
UM, WE'RE CALLING OUT OTHER CITIES, OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE NOT POLITICIZED THIS.
SOMETHING HAS BEEN FORCED ON THEM, THE DUE PROCESS AND CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RAMPANT IN THEIR CITIES TO WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN MINNEAPOLIS, POLICE OFFICERS STOOD TOGETHER YESTERDAY TO TALK ABOUT THE VIOLATIONS AGAINST THEIR OWN OFFICERS AND THE DANGER TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN THIS HAPPENS.
UH, SO I'M, I'M HEARING FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS IN OTHER CITIES.
MANY OF US WORK AT THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES.
WE HAVE FRIENDS AROUND OTHER HORSESHOES WHOSE
[01:55:01]
CITIES HAVE BEEN FORCED TO ACTIVATE THEIR EOCS EMERGENCY CENTERS BECAUSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.BUT THAT IS NOT THE FAULT OF CITIZENS OF THOSE CITIES.
AND THIS IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON EITHER.
COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH YOU.
I HOPE WE CAN LOOK AT HOW, YES, TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
AND I HAVE MAINTAINED FROM DAY ONE, LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT'S JOB IS PUBLIC SAFETY TO HOLD THOSE ACCOUNTABLE WHO POSE A PUBLIC SAFETY RISK REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS.
WE ARE NOT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
AND WE DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES FOR THAT.
BUT SHOULD WE BE STOPPING SOMEBODY FOR FAILING TO SIGNAL ON A HOUSTON STREET IF THEY POSE NO OTHER SAFETY RISK RIGHT NOW, SPEEDING, RUNNING A RED LIGHT.
AGAIN, THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
AND I DEFER TO THE, UH, THE EXPERTS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT TO USE THEIR JUDGMENT ABOUT WHO IS ACTUALLY POSING A PUBLIC SAFETY RISK, BUT MINIMIZING UNNECESSARY INTERACTION THAT WOULD FORCE HPD TO DO SOMETHING THEY DON'T WANT TO DO, IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE, UH, NOT ONLY LOOKED AT, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH TIME WE CAN KEEP LOOKING AT THINGS AND EXAMINING THINGS WHEN HOUSTONIANS ARE BEING IMPACTED RIGHT NOW.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CONTINUING TO, UH, TO SPEAK UP, TO SPEAK OUT TO FORCE THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE I DON'T SEE INAPPROPRIATE ACTION ON THE PART OF HOUSTONIANS OR PROTESTORS.
TIME AND TIME AGAIN, HOUSTON HAS ALWAYS SHOWN THE WORLD HOW IT'S DONE BY COMING TOGETHER PEACEFULLY TO ADVOCATE.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU REMAIN SILENT IN THE FACE OF EGREGIOUS CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE STAND WITH YOU AND WE STAND WITH OUR COMMUNITIES THAT, THAT ARE BEING SO IMPACTED RIGHT NOW TO MEMBER RAMIREZ.
AND MR. VINNO, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I WANNA FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING.
MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER, EVAN SHABAZZ, SAID ABOUT RELATIVELY MINOR TRAFFIC STOPS AND HOW HPD HANDLE THOSE HANDLES, THOSE A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE INTEREST IN THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC.
I'VE, I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL AND I THINK, UH, THE TIME WOULD BE RIGHT TO DISCUSS THIS IN A COMMITTEE SETTING, POSSIBLY THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, WHERE WE WOULD HAVE PRESENTATIONS FROM HPD AND ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO COME AND WEIGH IN ON, UH, HOW THESE, UH, MINOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS ARE HANDLED.
UH, THIS WAS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AT AN EVENT I HELD, UH, ONE EVENING LAST WEEK.
QUESTIONS WERE ASKED, CAN CITATIONS BE MAILED? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT TECHNOLOGY CAN BE USED TO ADDRESS? AND THESE ARE, THESE ARE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY, UH, DURING THESE TIMES.
AND SO I WOULD URGE THAT WE HAVE A COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE WE CAN, UH, TALK ABOUT THIS, ASK QUESTIONS AND ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN ON, ON THE MATTER OF HPD AND WHAT IT CAN DO TO PROTECT HOUSTONIANS.
UM, I, I SHARE THE OFFICER'S FRUSTRATION THAT OFFICERS HANDS ARE LARGELY TIED, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THESE TYPES OF ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS BECAUSE, UH, IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO HOLD A FEDERAL AGENT ACCOUNTABLE IN A STATE COURT.
AND OUR OFFICERS INVESTIGATE, UH, STATE OFFENSES AND THEY'RE, THE CASES THEY, THEY PUT TOGETHER AND BRING ARE BROUGHT IN STATE COURT.
BUT ANYTIME YOU TRY TO CHARGE A FEDERAL AGENT, THAT CASE GETS REMOVED TO FEDERAL COURT AND THE STANDARDS ARE VERY, VERY HIGH TO HOLD ANYONE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANYTHING.
AND SO, I'M, I'M SURE THAT'S WHY THE OFFICER TOLD YOU THAT.
IT IS FRUSTRATING TO HEAR, BUT, UH, THAT, THAT'S THE REALITY.
THANK YOU, MA'AM FOR BEING HERE.
NEXT, STEVE WILLIAMS. JACOB NEWSOM,
JACOB TODAY, LY MONTOYA RIVAS TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH AMARI.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ON, UH, MEASURE WITH MA.
UH, I THINK, UM, PONDERING ABOUT THE UNFORTUNATE EVENTS.
I THINK, UM, THE FAMILY SAYS THAT YOU WERE UPSET.
[02:00:01]
I WAS IN AUSTIN, UH, DURING, UH, TURNER BEING THE MAJOR.HE WANTED EVERYTHING TO BE FREE.
UH, HE WANTED TO ABUSE, UH, TIME.
HE WANTED TO SUPPORT HIM WITH PRIMERICA INVESTMENTS.
WHEN I WENT TO AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO, MISS CINDY FROM
AND I GOT INTO A MODELING AGENCY.
HE CONTINUALLY WAS OFFENDING ME AS WELL AS, UH, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN BROTHERS.
AND MOST RECENTLY, THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY WANT TO, UH, KILL OR HARM JOAQUIN MARIO ARTURO, BECAUSE THEY'RE HISPANICS.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE PEACEFUL, BUT THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO COOPERATE WITH US.
AND, UH, I KNOW HE'S UPSET BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED WITH TURNER, BUT WE, WE, WE TOLD YOU GUYS TO STOP FIGHTING AND YOU DON'T LISTEN.
AMARI, UH, UH, MR. BE BEFORE I GET STARTED.
I'M NOT NEED A, UH, ONE MINUTE EXTENSION.
UH, IF YOU ALLOW ME TO EXTEND THIS TIME, THIS TIME, I KNOW IT GETS THROUGH WITH THIS BILL.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, FOR THE LAST 20, 30 YEARS, SUCH SUCH AMERICAN, UH, CONSTRUCTION WORK, I DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF BUILDING IN REDEVELOP HOUSTON, TEXAS, ESPECIALLY THIRD WARD AND DOWNTOWN AREA.
I'M THE SIDE OF THE HOUSTON TRUST AND BOOM, THAT GOES BACK TO MY, UH, BLACK, UH, BLACK NATIONAL DAY, WHICH FOUNDED BLACK MADONNA AND PAN CHURCH.
UH, THE PROBLEM IS WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HIRE, WE SHOULD HAVE TO HIRE AMERICAN CITIZENS TO DO THE CONSTRUCTION WORK IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, LIKE WE'VE DONE BEFORE.
CENTRAL CENTRAL AMERICAN, SOUTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD CREATE THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES, BUT THEY COULD HAVE THEIR OWN, UH, PROJECTS IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY.
BUT THAT'S THE CATHOLIC CHURCH MANAGE TO DELIVER THAT.
DON'T WANT US TO HAVE GOOD JOBS, BUSINESS AND CAREERS AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS IN OUR OWN COUNTRY.
MY PEOPLE BUILT MIRACLE FROM THE NORTHEAST, SOUTH AND WEST, FROM SUN UP TO SUN DOWN BEFORE AND AFTER SLAVERY.
TODAY FOR EIGHT TO $14 HOUR, THEY'LL BUILD YOUR CITY FOR THE NEXT 20, 30 YEARS.
JUST LIKE SOUTH CENTRAL AMERICAN
WHAT THAT HAVE PROVED CONSTRUCTION TIME, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
[CONSENT AGENDA (Part 2 of 2)]
OKAY.CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY, IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM ONE, CAST STATE MOVE I SECOND.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHAS AND TAB PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEMS THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE CASTEX T TO MOVE MOTIONS MADE.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE RESOLUTIONS CATEGORY.
ITEM SIX HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
ITEM SEVEN, NEED A VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY.
SINCE YOUR LIST WAS DISTRIBUTED, ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
ITEMS 14, 16, AND 27 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
IS THERE A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
MOTION PASSES, ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM SIX? JUSTICE STATE A.
DO YOU WANT TO, I'LL REMOVE IT IF YOU, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON IT.
UH, YOU WANNA SPEAK OR IT'S BEEN PACKED? I, I, I'LL SPEAK IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST OF FIVE TS BUDGETS ON THIS AGENDA.
I THINK WE HAD FOUR LAST WEEK.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY DISMAY THAT WE STILL DON'T HAVE THAT ERNST AND YOUNG SPEND ANALYSIS AND FORENSIC ANALYSIS ON, UM, OUR TSS BACK IN OCTOBER OF 24, WE AUTHORIZED $770,000 TO BE SPENT FOR THE SPEND ANALYSIS AND FORENSIC, UH, ACCOUNTING,
[02:05:01]
UH, SERVICE ANALYSIS.MY UNDERSTANDING IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RECEIVED IT LAST SUMMER AND, UM, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT SAYS.
SO I WOULD URGE, UM, THEM TO DO WHATEVER'S NECESSARY TO LET US HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THIS EXPENSIVE STUDY SO THAT WE CAN USE IT TO EVALUATE OUR VOTES.
I'M NOT GONNA HOLD UP ANY OF THESE VOTES, UM, BUT IT DOES CONCERN ME THAT, UM, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANYTHING, UH, TELLING US WHAT, WHAT WAS FOUND BY ERNST AND YOUNG.
THAT'S ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN TAGGED.
UM, THIS IS FOR OUR SOUTHWEST TS UM, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
I'LL SPEAK MORE ON THIS WHEN IT COMES BACK TO COUNCIL.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, MAYOR, THAT WE'VE BEEN REALLY ADVOCATING FOR WITH OURT IS A LOT OF IT FOCUSES ON THE ECONOMIC, UM, CORRIDORS OF THESE TOURS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT BRINGS IN THE INVESTMENT.
AT THE SAME TIME IN THE SOUTHWEST AREA, A AREA THAT HAS BEEN HIT VERY HARD BY REPETITIVE FLOODING, UM, WE ARE ASKING OUR TOURS IS TO START PARTNERING WITH US FOR MORE NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENTS AS WELL.
I WANNA THANK THE CHAIR, UM, AND THE BOARD FOR WORKING WITH US TO DO A BUDGET, UH, A STUDY, ENGINEERING STUDY FOR ONE OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT IS HIT HARDEST BY REPETITIVE FLOODING.
UM, WE HAVE THAT STUDY, IT WILL COST ABOUT 5 MILLION PLUS TO DO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THAT'S JUST ONE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, BUT I RAISED THIS ONE BECAUSE OF THE PARTNERSHIPS AND OPPORTUNITIES WITH OUR TOURS, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT INCLUDED IN THE, UH, THE PROJECT MOVING FORWARD IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PROJECTED BUDGET FOR THE FORTHCOMING YEARS.
UH, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I DO APPRECIATE JENNIFER AND GWEN, UM, DAVID, UH, AS WELL AS OUR TOURS FOR PARTNERING.
BUT I WANNA LIFT UP THE NEED TO MOVE MORE OF THESE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS FORWARD, UH, WITHIN OUR TOURS.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE BEING TERRIFIC PARTNERS IN THIS, BUT I SAY THIS FOR THE RECORD SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN FIND WAYS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
UM, BUT SINCE IT'S BEING TAGGED, IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, THAT WOULD BE TERRIFIC.
UM, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS ITEM.
THIS AUTHORIZES PUBLIC WORKS TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION AND ACCEPT THE GRANT MONEY OF $5 MILLION FOR THE SPRING SHADOWS DRAINAGE AND PAVING PROJECT.
UM, THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE FLOODING MITIGATION RELIEF TO APPROXIMATELY 7,300 RESIDENTS.
UM, WE'RE DEFINITELY NOT OVER THE FINISH LINE WITH THIS PROJECT IN TERMS OF ENGINEERING, BUT IT'S, UM, GREAT TO HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, I WANT TO THANK REPRESENTATIVE LACEY HOLE, UM, FOR SECURING THIS MONEY DURING THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND PUBLIC WORKS FOR ALL OF THE ENGINEERING WORK THAT THEY'VE PUT INTO THIS OVER THE YEARS.
I KNOW THAT THEY'VE HAD TO REDO IT SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE THIS IS A BIT TRICKY WHEN IT COMES TO ENGINEERING.
UM, AND THANK YOU MAYOR ALSO FOR MAKING THIS PROJECT A PRIORITY.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES AS OPPOSED TO A MOTION.
[MATTER'S HELD]
ITEM 30 IS AN ORDINANCE.THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
[MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
MEMBER.UM, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE YMCA LEGENDS BREAKFAST.
I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND, UH, BECAUSE OF THE PARADE, BUT THEY CELEBRATED THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY AND KICKED OFF MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY OF SERVICE.
AND I CERTAINLY WANNA THANK THE YMCA OF GREATER HOUSTON AND THE HOUSTON TEXANS FOR THEIR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY.
THE WORK HAPPENING AT THE HOUSTON TEXANS, YMCA, RIGHT IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT D CONTINUES TO BE A MODEL FOR HOW SERVICE, MENTORSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP CAN CHANGE LIVES.
UH, LOOKING AHEAD, I WANT TO NOTE AN UPCOMING EVENT LATER THIS WEEK ON FRIDAY, JANUARY THE 23RD, I WILL ATTEND THE HOUSTON CITY COLLEGE, STATE OF THE COLLEGE 2026, WHERE LEADERS FROM ACROSS OUR REGION WILL
[02:10:01]
COME TOGETHER TO DISCUSS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HIGHER EDUCATION, AND THE FUTURE OPPORTUNITY IN HOUSTON.WITH THE FOCUS ON BRIDGING THE SKILLS GAP FOR CURRENT FUTURE JOBS, THIS CONVERSATION IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE.
AND FINALLY, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO WELCOME CC CECILIA SCOTT.
AS MY NEW DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT.
CC BRINGS A STRONG BACKGROUND IN RELATIONSHIP BUILDING STRATEGY AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION, AND I AM EXCITED TO HAVE HER JOIN OUR TEAM.
AND IT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE CECE'S BIRTHDAY TODAY.
SO I TOLD HER THAT I WOULD BE WELCOMING HER, UM, INTO HER DISTRICT D LEADERSHIP AND THAT THAT'S MY GIFT TO HER.
AND SO CERTAINLY I AM, AGAIN, I AM ELATED AND IF YOU SEE HER SOMEWHERE, PLEASE SURE.
TO GREET HER WITH A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE IMPACT SHE WILL MAKE ALONGSIDE OUR RESIDENTS AND PARTNERS AND OUR ONE, AND OUR AND MY OTHER WONDERFUL STAFF.
THIS CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO MAYOR.
THIS PAST SATURDAY, UH, MYSELF AND STAFF MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN THE TACOS AND TRASH CLEANUP WITH THE FIRST WARD CIVIC COUNCIL.
UM, I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR ORGANIZING THAT.
IT WAS PART OF OUR, UH, MONTHLY SERVICE PROJECT SERIES, AND THAT'S WHAT WE STARTED OUR YEAR OFF WITH.
UH, WE ENCOUNTERED A SHELTER THAT HAD A BIG PILE OF ILLEGAL DUMPING NEXT TO IT.
THEY HAD SOMEONE OUT THERE LATER THAT DAY TO CLEAN IT UP.
AND THEY'RE ALWAYS RESPONSIVE AND WILLING TO, UH, GO OUTTA THEIR WAY TO HELP TO, UH, IMPROVE, YOU KNOW, THE CONDITIONS FOLKS ARE, ARE WAITING FOR THE BUSES IN AND, AND PROVIDE A SAFE AND CLEAN EXPERIENCE.
SO I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THAT.
AND, UM, THE FIRST WARD CIVIC COUNCIL FOR HOSTING THAT TACOS AND TRASH CLEANUP.
THIS SATURDAY WAS GOING TO BE, UH, THE NEXT TOWN HALL AND DISTRICT H THAT IS GOING TO BE POSTPONED DUE TO THE WEATHER.
SO, UM, DETAILS ON THAT WILL COME LATER, BUT I DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE IF YOU'RE NOT SIGNED UP FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON EMERGENCY ALERTS.
SIGN UP FOR THE DISTRICT H NEWSLETTER.
WE WILL BE SHARING OUT INFORMATION AND RESOURCES, UH, ABOUT THE UPCOMING WEATHER, AND ALSO, UH, WARMING CENTERS AND Z TRIPS TO GET RISES TO THE WARMING CENTERS AND ALL THE DETAILS THAT COME ALONG WITH THAT AS WE, UH, PREPARE FOR THE UPCOMING FREEZE.
UH, I JUST WANT TO, UH, THANK ALL, IT WOULD BE REMISS OF ME NOT TO THANK ALL OF HOUSTON FOR THEIR TREMENDOUS RESPOND TO THE MARTIN LUTHER KING PARADE THIS YEAR.
UH, IT WAS JUST PHENOMENAL, AND IT WAS NOW BY RECORD THE LARGEST PARADE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND AGAIN, LET ME JUST REITERATE, I KNOW MANY HAVE SAID IT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND EFFORT IN THAT.
AND THANK THE HOUSTONIANS FOR COMING OUT.
IT SHOWED THAT THIS CITY CAN COME TOGETHER.
UH, WE TALK SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT DIVIDES US, BUT NEVER MUCH ABOUT WHAT UNIFIES US.
BUT ON THE HEELS OF THAT, I ALSO WANT TO THANK RICARDO OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL VINCE.
HE, IN MY OPINION AND HIS TEAM, IS A ROCKSTAR BECAUSE THEY REALLY PUT IN A GREAT EFFORT.
THIS WAS NOT A SMALL TASK BY NO STRETCH OF IMAGINATION.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK RICARDO, UH, DIRECTOR OF MOS, AS WELL AS HIS ENTIRE TEAM FOR HELPING HOUSTON TO LOOK GOOD AND TO PERFORM.
IT WENT ON THE FIRST, WE LOOKED FOR SOME HICCUPS, BUT, UH, THE REPORT IS THAT IT WENT VERY WELL.
IT WAS NONE, AND THAT IS A GOOD SIGN.
AND SO I'M CERTAINLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
ALSO, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOW, IN FEBRUARY WE WILL BE HAVING OUR FIRST OFFICIAL TOWN HALL MEETING OF YEAR 2026, ALL TO BE INVITED, BE AT METROPOLITAN ON WEST GRAY.
YES, AND WE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
UH, OUR TEAM AND I ARE ALREADY GEARED UP AND WE GOING TO DO WHAT WE ALWAYS DO, GO IN WITH OTHERS, AND WE ALSO ARE GOING TO FEED, MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE SOMETHING, UH, TO DIGEST.
SO, THANK YOU, UH, ALL AND, UH, BE SAFE AND BE CAREFUL AND, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, UH, BRINGING ALL THE PARTIES TOGETHER.
AND IF ANYONE HASN'T EVER BEEN TO MLK BOULEVARD
[02:15:02]
ON MARTIN LUTHER KING'S BIRTHDAY, IT'S MY SECOND YEAR IN A ROW TO LEAVE THE PARADES AND GO OUT AT SIX 10 GOING SOUTH ON MAK BOULEVARD.IT'S THE'S A BEAUTIFUL SITE OF, KIND OF A IMPROMPTU PARADE.
PROBABLY NOT PERMITTED WITH FOOD, MUSIC, UH, VEHICLES, HORSES, BLOCKS UPON BLOCKS, HPD PROVIDING SECURITY.
AND, UH, IT'S JUST A SITE TO BEHOLD HOW PEOPLE COME TOGETHER ON A BEAUTIFUL DAY.
UH, I GET FRUSTRATED WHEN I GO, 'CAUSE I LOOK INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE HAD, UH, ILLEGAL DUMPING AND OTHER CITY SERVICES, UH, NEGLECT FOR MANY YEARS, WHICH WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT, UH, EVERYBODY, EVERY HOUSTON ODYSSEY WON CELEBRATION IN THAT PARTICULAR SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY.
UM, I WANNA EMPHASIZE FOR CD 18 RESIDENTS, INCLUDING MYSELF, EARLY VOTING HAS BEGUN, UM, IN, UH, THE SPECIAL WITH THE INCLEMENT WEATHER THAT'S ON THE WAY.
USUALLY PEOPLE WILL EARLY VOTE OVER THE WEEKEND.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET OUT NOW, UH, TO CAST YOUR BALLOTS AHEAD OF THE STORM, UH, BECAUSE YOU WON'T HAVE THIS WEEKEND NECESSARILY TO DO THAT.
UM, I WANNA ASSURE DISTRICT RESIDENTS THAT, UH, WE ARE NOT ONLY CONTINUING TO MONITOR THE WE, THE WEATHER, UH, AND THE INCOMING FREEZE.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT AS WE ALWAYS DO TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS, OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE PARTNER WITH, UM, MANY WHO ARE OUR EYES AND EARS IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THAT WILL FLAG ISSUES FOR US AS THEY ARISE.
OUR OFFICE, UH, WILL BE STOOD UP, UH, FOR EMERGENCY ACTIVATION ALONG WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, SO OUR STAFF WILL BE ON HAND CHECKING EMAILS.
PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, EMAIL DISTRICT C@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
UH, IF IT IS AN EMERGENCY, OF COURSE, CALL 9 1 1.
MAKE SURE YOU ARE REPORTING, UM, WHETHER IT'S, UH, SIGNAL OUTAGES OR WATER LINE BREAKS.
UM, BUT WE WILL BE STANDING UP AS WE ALWAYS DO.
UH, AND I WANNA THANK OUR PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE TOOL BANK.
UH, MANY OF OUR DISTRICT OFFICES PARTNER WITH THE HOUSTON TOOL BANK, UH, FOR RESOURCES AND EMERGENCIES.
UH, SO WE'LL, WE WILL BE ON STANDBY AS WELL.
SHOULD THE NEED ARISE AGAIN, PLEASE REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE.
WE WILL BE MONITORING, UH, THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND.
AND EVERYONE, STAY WARM, STAY SAFE, UH, AND STAY OFF THE ROADS THIS WEEKEND WHEN IT GETS ICY.
I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THREE, UH, EVENTS FROM LAST WEEK, LAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN CONJUNCTION WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND MY CHIEF OF STAFF, LEO WOLF HALL.
WE HAD A GROUNDS FOR DIALOGUE EVENT WHERE WE BROUGHT PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM TO DISCUSS IN A CIVIL MANNER, UH, TWO IMPORTANT TOPICS THAT ARE IN THE, IN THE PUBLIC MIND RIGHT NOW, INCLUDING, UH, IMMIGRATION, DEPORTATION POLICIES AND POLICIES REGARDING TRAFFIC STOPS.
SO GREAT NUMBER OF IDEAS WERE, WERE SHARED AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL.
ON FRIDAY, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF TAKING PART IN A PANEL DISCUSSION ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN PUT ON BY THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES, OR AC ECI HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT WERE THE TRANSPARENCY AMENDMENTS THAT, UH, I SPONSORED AND, UH, GOT HELP WITH FROM MY COLLEAGUES THAT CAME OUT OF COMMITTEE.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY ON SUNDAY, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF DELIVERING REMARKS AT AN INTRODUCTION AND CELEBRATION OF THE NEW ROTHKO CHAPEL PRESIDENT IMAM ABDULLAH EPLI, UH, WHICH WAS A, A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL EVENT AND LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, DEALING MORE WITH, UH, PRESIDENT ON EPLEY AND EVEN HAVING HIM BEFORE COUNCIL.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL HOUSTONIANS TO TAKE THIS WEATHER EVENT THIS WEEKEND VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND I WOULD URGE RESIDENTS TO PREPARE AS IF YOU WERE GONNA BE WITHOUT POWER AND WATER FOR THREE DAYS.
AND IF YOU ARE ABLE TO DO THAT, THEN UH, YOU WILL PROBABLY BE PREPARED.
BUT AS THE MAYOR SAID, UH, WE SHOULD STAY OFF THE ROADS SO THAT WE DON'T CREATE A BURDEN ON OUR ALREADY CHALLENGED FIRST RESPONDERS.
[02:20:01]
KEY.NOT MAKING THEIR JOBS MORE DIFFICULT AS WELL AS KEEPING YOURSELF SAFE.
THANK YOU, TIFFANY THOMAS, CHAIR COUNSEL.
UM, IT IS SHOWTIME ON THE WEST SIDE.
AS NOTED IN THE MAYOR'S REPORT, UH, WE ARE ACTIVELY, UM, IN DISCUSSION WITH OUR PARTNERS TO ACTIVATE OUR DISTRICT F UH, DISASTER PLAN.
UH, THE GOOD NEWS IS, UH, THAT WE HAVE RESOURCES ALREADY STAGED IN RESPONSE.
UM, OUR PARTNERS INCLUDE WHAM, APHIS D CHURCH WITH THOUGHT WALLS, ELDRIDGE AGAPE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP, OUR DISTRICT F VOLUNTEER AND TRANSLATION TEAM.
YOU'LL RECEIVE OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE FROM OUR OFFICE ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 23RD.
UM, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE YOU ON STANDBY.
AND AS A NOTE, UM, IF YOU DID NOT PAY ATTENTION TO EARLIER TO COUNCIL, UM, THERE IS A REQUEST FOR US TO HAVE A MOBILE GENERATOR ON THE WEST SIDE AS WE DO NOT HAVE, UM, ANY PUBLIC FACILITIES, UH, WITH A GENERATOR.
SO, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT CONFIRMATION AS WELL.
CONTINUE TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, AND, UM, OUR WEBSITE AND REACH OUT TO THE OFFICE AS WELL.
I WANNA HIGHLIGHT WE HAVE 31 38 ASH LOCK DRIVE IS SCHEDULED FOR A DANGEROUS BUILDING HEARING ON FEBRUARY 4TH.
THIS IS ANOTHER STEP TO GET US TO THE FINISH LINE OF THIS, UM, HOME THAT HAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE FROM FIRE AND STRUCTURAL CONCERNS.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THIS COMMUNITY FOR UP TO ALMOST TWO YEARS, UM, TO GET THIS THROUGH THE PROCESS, AS YOU KNOW, IT'S ARDUOUS AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT DANGEROUS BUILDINGS ALL THROUGHOUT THIS HORSESHOE OVER THE LAST, UH, THREE MONTHS.
SO IF YOU ARE A RESIDENT OF, UM, ASHTON VILLAGE, PLEASE, UH, MAKE IT YOUR PRIORITY TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSON AND OR VIRTUAL, UM, RESIDENT TESTIMONIAL MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
SHOUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND DAWN FOR WORKING WITH OUR OFFICE, PROVIDING MEANINGFUL UPDATES AS WELL.
UM, UH, T ITEM WAS TAGGED, BUT I HOPE TO COME BACK, UH, AND TALK ABOUT, UM, THE INVESTMENTS AS AN, UH, PART OF THAT INVESTMENT IN THIS BUDGET.
UM, IN THE NEXT 90 DAYS, WE ARE INVESTING A MILLION DOLLARS OUT OF OUR TOURS TO REPLACE THE SIDEWALK ON DAIRY ASHFORD BETWEEN BEL AIR AND BEECHNUT, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THIS IS IN FRONT OF HAG BERRY PARK.
AND WE HAVE A $15 MILLION DETENTION PROJECT THAT IS SCHEDULED TO ROLL OUT, UM, AT THE TOP OF MARCH.
UM, SO WE ARE INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND THIS MILLION DOLLAR INFRASTRUCTURE ACTUALLY WAS A REQUEST FROM OUR ALE, A A RP TWO YEARS AGO.
SENIORS HAD TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE LIMITED MOBILITY THERE, AND SO I WAS ABLE TO DELIVER FOR THEM AND I'M EXCITED THAT IN THE NEXT 90 DAYS THIS WILL BE COMPLETE.
AND THEN ALSO ANOTHER, UH, CELEBRATORY ANNOUNCEMENT.
WE HAVE AN $800,000 CONCRETE REP PANEL, PANEL REPLACEMENT ON DAIRY ASHFORD FROM WEST TIMER TO RICHMOND.
SO IF YOU RIDE, UH, WEST TIMER, RICHMOND AND WEST PARK, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT WE NEED A LOT OF ATTENTION THERE.
THE ATTENTION IS COMING, A DIRECT PROTOCOL AROUND THE DETOUR AND THE CONSTRUCTION WILL BE SENT TO ALL OF THE AREA NEIGHBORHOODS.
ASHTON VILLAGE, ASHTON PARK, MID, UM, HPD, WEST SIDE, UM, AND THEN THE, THE AREA APARTMENT.
SO EVERYONE WILL KNOW, UM, WHAT TO DO, UM, BETWEEN THAT TIME AND IT SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY MARCH 6TH.
SO LOTS OF CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY, MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS HAPPENING ON THE WEST SIDE AS WE PREPARE FOR THE WINTER EX UH, WINTER, UM, UH, OCCURRENCE.
PLEASE STAY TUNED TO MY OFFICE AT DISTRICT F AT HOUSTON TX GOV 8 3 2 3 9 3 3 0 0 2.
UM, YESTERDAY WE KICKED OFF THE START OF THE ABATEMENT AND DEMOLITION PROCESS OF THE VACANT APARTMENT COMPLEX AT GUESTS NEAR IN WESTVIEW.
UM, THAT PROCESS WILL TAKE THREE TO SIX MONTHS AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S TO COME AT THAT.
UM, AT THAT LOCATION, WE ARE DOING A HUNDRED ACRE FEET OF FLOODING MITIGATION, AND A NEW POLICE STATION AND A NEW FIRE STATION.
THANK YOU MAYOR, SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS.
IT WAS A LONG TIME COMING AND YOU WERE ABLE TO PUSH THIS PROJECT THROUGH, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING.
ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, WE STAND ADJOURN.