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UNDER[PRESENTATIONS]
ORDER, UH, COUNCILMAN CARTER, WILL YOU PRESIDE? THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES MAYOR PRO TIMM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM FOR A PROCLAMATION TO COGNITIVE JUSTICE, DAMIEN WALKER, AND RECOGNITION OF THEIR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN SCHOOLS.THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
TODAY I AM VERY EXCITED TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO DAMIEN WALKER.
UM, HE IS THE DIRECTOR OF COGNITIVE JUSTICE.
UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT HE AND HIS TEAM HAVE JOINED US TODAY, AND THE PROCLAMATION READS, WHEREAS COGNITIVE JUSTICE INTERNATIONAL IS A HOUSTON BASED NONPROFIT AT ADVANCING COGNITIVE JUSTICE, THE BELIEF THAT ALL FORMS OF ACTIONABLE KNOWLEDGE, ESPECIALLY THOSE ROOTED IN LIVED EXPERIENCES, INDIGENOUS TRADITIONS AND COMMUNITY WISDOM, DESERVE RESPECT, RECOGNITION, AND THE POWER TO SHAPE OUR SYSTEMS. AND WHEREAS IN 2025 ALONE, CJI REACHED OVER 2000 INDIVIDUALS IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA THROUGH WORKSHOPS SUCH AS OPPORTUNITY CENTER, ENTREPRENEUR WORKSHOP, AND THE HARRIS COUNTY JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT, PEACE WORKSHOPS, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES FOCUSED ON VOTING RIGHTS, EMPOWERMENT, AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE.
AND WHEREAS CJ'S WORK IS ANCHORED IN THREE CORE COMMITMENTS, EPISTEMIC TRANSFORMATION, CHALLENGING DOMINANT NARRATIVES BY UPLIFTING THE KNOWLEDGE OF DIRECTLY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, INTERPRETING CYCLES OF HARM, PROVIDING HEALING CENTERED ALTERNATIVES AND SYSTEMS SHAPED BY VIOLENCE AND RESTORATIVE EDUCATION AND DIGNITY, DESIGNING EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES THAT RESTORE CIVIC POWER, RESILIENCE, AND HUMAN DIGNITY.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON APPRECIATES THE WORK OF COGNITIVE JUSTICE INTERNATIONAL IN SERVING MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, PROVIDING TOOLS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ADVANCING THE CONCEPT OF COGNITIVE JUSTICE.
MAYOR, THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE TATUM.
THANK YOU, SIR, TO YOUR CITY HALL.
UH, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M ALWAYS IMPRESSED WHEN I GET TO MEET PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING ABOUT MAKING THIS A GREAT CITY.
AND WE REALLY DON'T GET TO EXPERIENCE YOUR MISSION UNTIL YOU'RE BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL.
MAYBE PART OF THAT'S MY FAULT, BUT IT'S ALSO, I THINK, 'CAUSE YOU'RE OUT THERE DOING THE JOB AND NOT LOOKING FOR PUBLICITY OR, OR NOTORIETY.
SO TODAY'S THE PURPOSE IS, IS TO BRING YOU TO AND, AND YOUR TEAM TO CITY HALL.
AND THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE BUSY.
SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU'RE KEEPING 'EM REALLY OCCUPIED.
SO THIS, THIS IS KINDA YOUR DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.
AND THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 3RD, 2026, IS CJI DAY AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I WANNA THANK MAYOR PRO TEMP AND ALSO THE MAYOR, UM, JOHN WHITMEYER AND MS. TATUM, UM, FOR ALLOWING COGNITIVE JUSTICE TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY, BUT ALSO ALLOWING COMMUNITY, UM, WE ALL SERVE IN COMMUNITY.
EVERYBODY THAT YOU SEE HERE, SOME OF YOU HAVE SEEN ME BEFORE.
I KNOW YOU'RE A GOOD FRIEND, AL YANCY.
UM, I WAS A KID THAT WAS CERTIFIED AS AN ADULT BACK IN 1993.
I'VE BEEN HOME 15 YEARS AFTER A 17 YEAR SENTENCE.
AND SO MY PURPOSE IS TO NOT ONLY SERVE COMMUNITY, BUT UPLIFT OTHERS WHO DON'T HAVE THE CHANCE THAT I HAVE.
I'M A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND I'M ALSO WORKING ON MY DOCTORAL PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE MEMBERS HERE AS PART OF OUR TEAM AND MY FAMILY.
BUT OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE IN COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE AND THAT WE CAN ALLOW THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE AS YOU GUYS KNOW, YOU CAN'T CALL SOUTH PARK SUNNYSIDE.
YOU CAN'T CALL EGGERS HOME TRINITY GARDEN.
SO BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND COMMUNITY, WE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO.
AND I ALSO THANK THE TEAM AND THE MANY PEOPLE AROUND HOUSTON THAT HAVE CAME AND HELPED WITH THIS WORK AS WELL.
AND LET ME ADD THAT YOUR LIVING PROOF, THAT SECOND CHANCE WORKS.
AND OUR MUTUAL FRIEND, ALBERT YANCY, SPENT 27 YEARS IN TDCJ DUE TO A 17-YEAR-OLD DRIVE-BY SHOOTING.
AND NOW HE, LIKE YOU ARE OUT MENTORING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
SO WHAT A GREAT LESSON FOR ALL OF US.
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COUNSEL.MR. MR. WALKER, COUNCIL MEMBER KETEK TATUM.
MR. WALKER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOUR FAMILY? YES.
IS THAT A CUTE LITTLE GIRL YOU GOT THERE WITH YOU? WHO DOES SHE BELONG TO?
THIS IS MS. DIANA WILLIAMS. THIS IS BRIAN YOUNG.
BRIAN YOUNG, ALSO LIKE, UH, MYSELF WAS INCARCERATED, UH, FOR 25 YEARS.
HE WAS ARRESTED 18 TIMES AS A JUVENILE.
AND SO HE'S LIKE MY RIGHT HAND ON DOING THE WORK THAT WE DO IN COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE BAG, GRACIE, MR. BOUDREAUX, UH, WITH MY OWN RIGHT HERE.
AND SO THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING UPSTAIRS TOO.
UM, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SHARE THIS WORK TOGETHER AS ALL OF US CONNECTED.
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO, AND GOD BLESS YOU, IT MATTERS.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN FOR A PROCLAMATION FOR ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH FOR THEIR 160TH ANNIVERSARY.
HEY, HOW ARE YOU, SIR? ALL RIGHT.
AS WE HAVE SOME OF OUR MEMBERS FROM THE CHURCH COMING UP, UM, WE TODAY ARE CELEBRATING THE 160TH ANNIVERSARY OF ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, UH, THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCH IN HOUSTON.
AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO CELEBRATE OVER THE WEEKEND.
UM, BUT DUE TO THE FREEZE, THOSE CELEBRATIONS GOT POSTPONED.
BUT I'M SO GLAD THAT AS A CITY WE CAN STILL COMMEMORATE, UM, THE CHURCH AND ITS CONTINUING LEGACY.
UH, THE ANTIOCH CONGREGATION BEGAN IN 1866 AS A GATHERING OF FORMERLY ENSLAVED INDIVIDUALS BENEATH TENTS ALONG THE BAYOU.
TODAY IT STANDS AS A HISTORIC INSTITUTION IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN.
BUT I WANNA MAKE CLEAR THAT BECAUSE OF REDLINING, THE CHURCH STANDS IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN.
THIS CHURCH WAS IN THE HEART OF FOURTH WARD FREEDMAN'S TOWN.
AND THAT WORK CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY TODAY.
SO AS WE START BLACK HISTORY MONTH, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOT ONLY LOOK BACK AT HISTORY THROUGH THE FAMOUS STORIES ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, BUT TO RECOGNIZE THEM ON A LOCAL LEVEL.
I'M HONORED TO WELCOME SENIOR PASTOR LOU MCELROY AND FIRST LADY BOIC MCELROY, AND THE ENTIRE AND ANTIOCH FAMILY WHO CONTINUE A POWERFUL LEGACY OF FAITH AND SERVICE.
AND FIRST LADY, I KNOW YOU'RE SERVING AS MINISTRY AND COMMUNITY LIAISON, HELPING TO CONNECT THE CHURCH'S MISSION WITH THE NEEDS OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY, WHICH WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR.
ALSO JOINING US, UH, I MAMA BOSTIC, HELPING CONNECT THE CHURCH, UH, WHO IS A TRUE, TRUE TRAILBLAZER AND LOCAL LEGEND WHO CONTINUES TO PASS HER FAMILY FAMILY'S LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP ONTO THE NEXT GENERATION.
SO AT A TIME WHEN SOME SEEK TO ERASE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISTORY AND HISTORY OF BLACK AMERICANS, AND THE ROLE AND THE ATTEMPTED ROLLBACK IN PROGRESS MADE TOWARDS INCLUSION AND REPRESENTATION, ANTIOCH'S CONTINUED PRESENCE AND STORY ARE ALL THE MORE VITAL.
THIS CHURCH HAS A LONG LEGACY OF LEADING HOUSTON THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY.
FROM CIVIL RIGHTS TO WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE, AND UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PASTOR LOU AND FIRST LADY MCELROY, THEY HAVE CONTINUED THAT TRADITION, PARTNERING WITH OUR OFFICE IN MANY WAYS, BUT BEING THE EYES AND EARS OF THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING AT THE GREGORY LINCOLN SCHOOL WHERE WE HAVE PARTNERED.
BUT PASTOR LOU, UH, YOU'RE ALL OVER THE CITY.
UH, EVEN AT MY, UH, FORMER HIGH SCHOOL EMORY WIENER, UH, AT PARTNERING WITH THE HOLOCAUST MUSEUM OF HOUSTON BUILDING BRIDGES, THEY LOVE PASTOR LOU.
SO I WANNA THANK EVERYONE IN THE CONGREGATION FOR THEIR TIRELESS DEDICATION TO OUR HOUSTON COMMUNITY, AND FOR CONTINUING THE HISTORIC ROLE IN BUILDING A MORE JUST AND COMPASSIONATE CITY.
SO I'M GONNA READ THIS PROCLAMATION, AND THEN I'M GONNA LEAVE IT TO YOU, PASTOR LOU, TO INTRODUCE EVERYONE SO THAT I DON'T MESS IT UP.
WHEREAS 160 YEARS AGO, ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH WAS FOUNDED IN JANUARY, 1866 BY FORMERLY ENSLAVED PEOPLE, GIVING IT THE IMPORTANT DISTINCTION OF BEING HOUSTON'S FIRST BLACK CHURCH.
THE CONGREGATION HAS CARRIED FORWARD THE FAITH AND RESILIENCE OF ITS FOUNDERS GROWING FROM GATHERINGS HELD ALONG THE BAYOU INTO THE HISTORIC CORNERSTONE IT IS TODAY.
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THE CHURCH UPHOLDS A LEGACY OF COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP FROM ITS FIRST PASTOR, THE RENO FREEDMAN, MINISTER AND LEADER, REVEREND JOHN JACK HENRY YATES.THE MANTLE OF LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN PASSED THROUGH GENERATIONS TO THE STEADY AND FAITHFUL GUIDANCE OF PASTOR LOU MCELROY.
ANTIOCH'S EARLY MEMBERS ESTABLISHED THE CITY'S FIRST SCHOOL FOR FREED AFRICAN AMERICANS, THE BAPTIST ACADEMY, TO NURTURE EDUCATION, EMPOWERMENT, AND JUSTICE.
THROUGHOUT EVERY CHAPTER OF ITS JOURNEY, THE CHURCH HAS PROVIDED GUIDANCE AND OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS OF AMBITIOUS, FREED MEN.
THE CHURCH HAS SERVED AS A VITAL FORCE FOR ACTION SUPPORTING MOVEMENTS RANGING FROM WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, AND STANDING WITH THE CITY THROUGH WARS, PANDEMICS, AND PERIODS OF PROFOUND SOCIAL CHANGE.
ANTIOX LEADERS AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE LONG PROVIDED ESSENTIAL CARE, ADVOCACY AND LEADERSHIP TO NEIGHBORHOODS IN NEED.
THE CHURCH REMAINS A VALUED PARTNER OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY.
AS THE CONGREGATION CONTINUES TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS THROUGH SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVES, HOLIDAY FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS, AND THE AMPLIFICATION OF URGENT NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS.
FOR 160 YEARS, THE CHURCH HAS STOOD AS A LIVING ARCHIVE OF HOUSTON'S AFRICAN AMERICAN AND BLACK HISTORY, AND A BEACON OF HOPE EXEMPLIFYING THE FREEDOM, JUSTICE, AND EQUITY THAT DEFINE THE CITY'S VALUES.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROUDLY RECOGNIZES ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH ON THE OCCASION OF ITS HISTORIC 160TH ANNIVERSARY, AND EXTENDS OUR HEARTFELT BEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED BLESSINGS AND MANY MORE MILESTONES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
AND THANK, UH, THE LEADERSHIP AS BOSTON PASTOR.
UH, IT'S JUST AMAZING TO ME, HAVING GROWN UP IN HOUSTON AND WATCH THE SKYSCRAPERS BE BUILT AROUND ANTIOCH.
YOU CAN ONLY SPECULATE OR MAYBE CERTAINLY THE STORIES OF HOW LAND PLAYS DEVELOPMENT.
I MEAN, THINK ABOUT IT, COUNCILMAN CAMAN, WHEN THIS CHURCH WAS FORMED PROBABLY IN THE COUNTRY, HOUSTON WAS JUST KIND OF ALMOST FARMLAND.
AND CERTAINLY THE WORLD WAS A DIFFERENT PLACE.
SO TODAY, I THINK WE CELEBRATE THE LEADERSHIP, THE FAITH COMMUNITY IN DIVINE INTERVENTION THAT ALLOWED THIS FOOTPRINT IN THIS PLACE OF WORSHIP TO STILL BE PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED IN DOING THE WORK OF THE LORD IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
SO IT'S EXCITING TO BE HERE IN COUNCIL AND RECOGNIZE HISTORY.
AND THE NEAT THING IS WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.
SO UNDER GREAT LEADERSHIP, THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 3RD, 2026 ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH TODAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
CONGRATULATIONS, UH, MAYOR COUNCILMAN CAYMAN AND THE COUNCIL.
UH, I, I STAND, UH, REPRESENTING, UH, OUR CHURCH AND OUR CONGREGATION TO SAY THANK YOU, UH, FOR THIS GREAT HONOR.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN A, A CHURCH THAT IS 30 YEARS YOUNGER THAN THIS CITY.
UH, WE SHARE A RICH HISTORY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN THAT, WE SHARE A RICH LEGACY OF WORKING TOGETHER TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS THE 14TH PASTOR OF THE ANTIOCH CHURCH, WITH A COMMITMENT AND A REDEDICATION OF OUR OBLIGATION TO ASSIST YOU IN SERVING THIS CITY.
I THEREFORE WANT TO LAY BEFORE YOU OUR CHARGE, THAT IF THERE'S ANY, AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY WITH A RICH HISTORY AND LEGACY AS OURS, TO HELP YOU SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
ANTIOCH STANDS READY AS SHE HAS STOOD FOR 160 YEARS.
UH, I WOULD NOT BE REMISS IF I, IF I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM WHO HAVE JOINED ME HERE.
I AM THE PASTOR, BUT I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE BOSS,
I'D JUST SAY IT IS A, AN HONOR, A PRIVILEGE, A BLESSING FOR US TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AND CARRY ON THE LEGACY OF MY GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER AND TO CONTINUE TO WORK IN THIS CITY, UM, ON BEHALF OF OUR ANCESTORS THAT JUST POURED SO MUCH INTO
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THIS COMMUNITY.AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUE.
AND WE HAVE MY MOTHER-IN-LAW AND HER MOTHER, UH, JACKIE BOSTIC CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT TO.
WELL, I JUST WANNA SAY AS ALWAYS, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE BEFORE COUNCIL AND IT'S ALWAYS AN HONOR TO SERVE WITH THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
HOUSTON, TO ME, IT'S OWN, BUT IT'S A CITY THAT I LOVE.
AND SO I'M ALWAYS WILLING TO WORK TO TRY TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR ALL OF THOSE THAT LIVE IN HOUSTON.
AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE MAYOR, TO THE COUNCIL, AND TO OUR COUNCIL PERSON IN OUR DISTRICT.
WE HAVE, UH, AUSTIN MCELROY, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF OUR DEACON MINISTRY.
WE HAVE KERICK PERRY, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF OUR TRUSTEE BOARD, IF KEN MEBO WOULD STAND, WHO IS THE, UH, ASSISTANT PRESIDENT OF OUR DEACON BOARD, A SISTER YVETTE BURTON, WHO WORKS FOR THE CITY AS OUR COMMITTEE CHAIR.
UH, LEE BROWN IS THE SECRETARY OF OUR, UH, WOMEN'S MINISTRY.
WE'VE GOT, UM, BECKY MCELROY, WHO IS OVER OUR HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
TINA WAVE YOUR HAND AS YOU ARE OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF OUR WOMEN'S MINISTRY.
BRIANNA DOES OUR TOURS FOR US.
AGNES WILLIAMS IS OUR, UH, DIRECTOR OF OUR USHER.
WILLIAM FORD IS A TRUSTEE BOARD MEMBER, BROTHER BEATTY, REGINALD BEATTY.
UH, 87-YEAR-OLD MEMBER OF OUR CHURCH, UH, IS HERE WITH US AS WELL, ALONG WITH MS. AKIA DAVIS, UH, I THINK JAMES JAMES, UH, BROWN, A A A A, A STRONG MEMBER.
AND I, AND I, I HAVE TO MENTION THAT, UH, ONE OF OUR LONG LONGTIME MEMBERS IS, IS EDWARD P*****K, UH, HERE, WHO SERVES AS A, A MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL AND WAS CERTAINLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WORK AT OUR CHURCH, BUT THE WORK YOU DO, UH, IN THE CITY TO BRIDGE, UH, THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, WE CERTAINLY THANK YOU FOR THAT HERE.
AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.
UH, AND TO MY CHURCH, 160 YEARS, UH, THAT'S A BIG DEAL, 160 YEARS, I THINK THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS 189 YEARS OLD.
AND SO FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TIME THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN INCORPORATED CITY, UH, ANTIOCH HAS BEEN A STRONG PRESENCE.
AND, UM, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF ANTIOCH, WHICH IS A STRONG, RICH LEGACY.
UM, AND WE TALK ABOUT THE, THE PEWS THAT WERE, UH, HAND CARVED BY FREED SLAVES AND ALL OF THE HISTORY, UH, WITHIN THAT CATHEDRAL.
UH, BUT WHAT EXCITES ME IS THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE.
AND THAT IS UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP.
PASTOR LOU, FIRST LADY, UH, JACKIE, UH, SISTER BOSTIC, SISTER BURTON, IN THE ENTIRE, UH, ANTIOCH FAMILY THAT IS HERE, UH, IS THE FUTURE, UH, THAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY, UH, TO ENSURE THAT, UH, ALL OF THE SACRIFICES MADE BY MANY THAT HAVE COME BEFORE US, UH, THAT WORK CONTINUES TO LIVE ON.
AND WE HAVE MADE IT A LONG WAY, BUT WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO.
AND SO I'M, I'M PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF THAT CHURCH.
UH, MANY PEOPLE MAYOR WHO ATTEND THAT CHURCH, UH, ARE CITY EMPLOYEES OR, OR FORMER CITY EMPLOYEES.
BROTHER BEATIE, WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE, I BELIEVE WORKED RIGHT HERE AT CITY HALL, UH, CHECKING PEOPLE IN AT THE SECURITY DESK.
HE WOULD ALWAYS BE A FRIENDLY FACE, SISTER BURTON, WHO'S HERE AT THE CITY AND MANY OTHERS.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONNECTION AND A LOT OF TIES.
AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING WHATEVER I CAN TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY.
AND AS A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH GOING FORWARD, GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
160 YEARS DESERVES TO BE CELEBRATED.
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NEXT, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ FOR A PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING THE NO ESTRO AMANTE LATINO SHAPING HOUSTON EXHIBITION PRESENTED BY THE A I A HOUSTON LATINOS IN ARCHITECTURE COMMITTEE.TIM, IF I COULD HAVE, UH, RICARDO COME UP, UM, AND AS HE COMES UP, JUST WANNA, BEFORE I READ THE, THE PROCLAMATION, JUST SHARE WITH, UH, OUR COLLEAGUES THAT OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, UH, THE, UM, A I A, UH, HOUSTON HAS BEEN, HAS HAD A, UM, AN EXHIBITION IN DOWNTOWN THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTING A LOT OF WORK THAT LATINOS HAVE DONE HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND SO, UM, I WAS HONORED, I THINK OF COURSE, MY COLLEAGUE JULIAN RAMIREZ WAS, WAS ALSO A PART OF IT.
AND SEVERAL OTHER COLLEAGUES, UM, NOT JUST IN THE POLITICAL SPACE, BUT, UH, OF COURSE IN THE ARCHITECTURAL, UM, IN THE EDUCATIONAL SPACE.
AND SO, UH, WANNA THANK, UH, EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE AND JOINING ME TODAY SO WE CAN, UH, HONOR THE, THE CLOSING OF THE EXHIBITION THAT JUST RECENTLY HAPPENED IN, IN JANUARY, UH, 30TH.
SO, WHEREAS THE, UH, THETE LATINO SHAPING HOUSTON EXHIBITION AT THE ARCHITECTURE CENTER, HU CENTER HOUSTON ON VIEW FROM OCTOBER 24TH, 2025 THROUGH JANUARY 30TH, 2026, IS PRESENTED BY THE A I A HOUSTON LATINOS IN ARCHITECTURE COMMITTEE.
AND WHEREAS THE EXHIBITION HONORS THE ENDURING LEGACY AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF GENERATIONS OF LATINOS TO THE CULTURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT OF HOUSTON.
AND WHEREAS ON FEBRUARY THE THIRD, 2026 IN THE, IN THE CELEBRATION OF THE SUCCESS OF THE NO BRITE LATINOS SHAPING HOUSTON EXHIBITION, THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMENDS, THE A I A HOUSTON LATINOS IN ARCHITECTURE COMMITTEE AND CALLS ON ALL HOUSTONIANS TO REFLECT ON HOW HOUSTON'S LATINO AMANTE HAS ENRICHED THE CITY'S ARCHITECTURE CULTURE IDENTITY, AND TO RECOGNIZE THE PROFOUND AND LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
AND THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE AND YOUR CONTRIBUTION AND PRESERVING AND ADVANCING THE CULTURE OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY.
I KNOW WHERE THE FUTURE OF HOUSTON LIES AND, UH, WE'RE WITNESSING IT TODAY.
AND THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 3RD, 2026,
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NO ESTRO AMANTE DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHICH IS FEBRUARY 3RD ACROSS HOUSTON.I'LL GO AHEAD AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
UM, SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, I GUESS THE PROCESS OF PUTTING THIS TOGETHER HAS TAKEN SEVERAL YEARS.
SO WE ACTUALLY STARTED OFF IN 2023.
UM, IT HAS BEEN A LONG JOURNEY, UH, WITH MANY OF US, KIND OF BOTH, UH, I'LL SAY RECENT IMMIGRANTS, UH, FIRST GENERATIONAL, UH, UH, CITIZENS AS WELL AS MANY OF US HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME TO REALLY RESEARCH AND GO DIVE, DIVE DOWN DEEP INTO THE HOUSTON AREA, GOING BACK MANY, MANY YEARS, AND KIND OF SAYING, OKAY, HOW DOES LATINOS SHAPE THE, THE, UH, HOUSTON COMMUNITY, UM, NOT ONLY THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT FROM AN AL STANDPOINT, BUT ALSO THROUGH THE VERY MANY, UH, CULTURAL ASPECTS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WE SEE IT EVERY DAY OUT IN THE, OUT IN THE WORLD AS WE TRAVEL THROUGH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BOTH FROM A CULTURAL ARTS, FOOD, UH, YOU NAME IT, WE TOUCH IT.
UM, IT WAS A, A NEAT JOURNEY AND IT TOOK MANY OF US, UH, TO, TO DO THIS.
AND SO I'LL ASK ANYONE ELSE THAT WANTS TO COME UP TO SPEAK.
HI, DOING, MY NAME IS BAYARD ALBA, AM THE BOARD PRESIDENT OF A A HOUSTON.
I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR, FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.
AND I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT, THAT THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT THIS COMMITTEE PUT TOGETHER, UH, TO GET HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING IN THE TIMES THAT WE'RE LEAVE LIVING TODAY, UH, WE WANT TO CELEBRATE LATINO CULTURE.
WE WANNA HIGHLIGHT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN THE CITY AND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
IT IS A FANTASTIC TIME FOR US, AND WE'RE, WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE.
AND FINALLY, IT'S EXTENDED ALL THE WAY TO MARCH 30TH.
SO WE WELCOME EVERYBODY TO BRING THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR FRIENDS, TO COME SEE THIS GREAT WORK THAT WE'RE CELEBRATING NOT ONLY THE ARCHITECTS, BUT ALSO THE CITY INFLUENCERS, MEANING LIKE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, CHEFS, MUSICIANS, DANCERS, EVERYBODY THAT HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR CITY.
SO PLEASE COME IN AND SEE IT AND ENJOY IT.
RAMIREZ COUNCIL MEMBER, WE DO HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ IN THE QUEUE.
THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO TAM, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
AND THANK A I A FOR LIFTING UP LATINO CULTURE AND, UH, FOR HIGHLIGHTING, YOU KNOW, THOSE WHO HAVE HAD AN INFLUENCE IN, IN OUR CITY AND, UH, THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER FOR A PROCLAMATION TO THE REAL ABILITIES HOUSTON FILM AND ARTS FESTIVAL 2026.
TIM, WHAT AN EXCITING GROUP TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE.
COME ON UP, EVERYONE'S PERSON
UM, AS AS WE ARE SO EXCITED TO HAVE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, ALTHOUGH I PREFER TO THINK OF IT, PEOPLE WITH REAL ABILITIES, NO PUN INTENDED.
BUT, UM, UH, TODAY WE COME, UH, RECOGNIZING REAL ABILITIES.
HOUSTON'S FILM AND ARTS FESTIVAL, WHICH OPENS TODAY WITH CORRECT TODAY WITH A, UH, GREAT FILM DEAF DEATH PRESIDENT NOW AT RIVER OAKS THEATER.
IF YOU GET A CHANCE, GO OUT THERE AND BRINGS THE MESSAGE OF INCLUSION, UM,
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ON HAND.TODAY WE'VE GOT, UH, SOME REALLY SPECIAL PEOPLE, BUT I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION FIRST AND WE'LL GET THERE.
WHEREAS THE REAL ABILITIES HOUSTON FILM AND ARTS FESTIVAL IS A MONTH LONG CELEBRATION DEDICATED TO PROMOTING INCLUSION AND EQUITY BY SHOWCASING THE LIVE STORIES AND ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND WHEREAS THE FESTIVAL USES FILM, VISUAL ART, MUSIC, EDUCATION, SPEAKERS, AND COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMMING TO CHALLENGE STEREOTYPES, CHANGE PERCEPTIONS AND ELIMINATE BARRIERS FACED BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, THEREBY STRENGTHENING UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS ALL REAL ABILITIES HOUSTON EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY AND ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION FROM INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, SCHOOLS, WORKPLACES, AND NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND WHEREAS THE FESTIVALS PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING REAL FILM, REAL ART, REAL MUSIC, REAL EDUCATION, REAL WORKPLACE, REAL COMMUNITY AND REAL PEOPLE ENGAGES AUDIENCES IN MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT ADVANCE DISABILITY AWARENESS AND INCLUSION ACROSS CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND PROFESSIONAL SETTINGS.
AND WHEREAS REAL ABILITIES, HOUSTON IS PRODUCED BY JFS HOUSTON ALEXANDER INSTITUTE FOR INCLUSION IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PEOPLE WITH DIS DISABILITIES, WITH THE SUPPORT OF MANY, MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS, VOLUNTEERS, SPONSORS AND ADVOCATES WHO ARE COMMITTED TO FOSTERING A MORE INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE CITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS.
AND WHEREAS ON THIS MONTH LONG CELEBRATION, THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROUDLY RECOGNIZES JFS HOUSTON ALEXANDER INSTITUTE FOR INCLUSION AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN THEIR NOBLE EFFORTS TO ADVANCE INCLUSIVITY FOR ALL.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON FURTHER ENCOURAGES ALL HOUSTONIANS TO HONOR AND SUPPORT THE CREATIVITY, TALENTS, AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND PROMOTE INCLUSION, ACCESSIBILITY, AND EQUITY IN EVERY ASPECT OF COMMUNITY LIFE.
THANK COUNCILMAN CARTER AND THANK EVERYONE THAT'S HERE.
UH, YOU IN PARTICULAR, UH, I THANK YOU FOR BEING THE MAYOR'S DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF DISABILITIES, BUT IT'S MUCH LARGER THAN JUST THAT IMPORTANT MISSION.
YOU HAVE BECOME AN ADVISOR AND WE JUST DON'T DO MUCH AROUND HERE WITHOUT TALKING TO YOU AND HOW IT IMPACTS OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE AND THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM JANUARY 18TH THROUGH FEBRUARY 26.
2026, IS REHABIL HOUSTON FILM AND ARCH FESTIVAL 2026 ACROSS HOUSTON, TEXAS.
I WAS GONNA SAY, HANK, WHY DON'T YOU, UH, GIVE US SOME WISDOM,
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER.
UM, AND THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR, UH, RECOGNIZING THIS IMPORTANT FESTIVAL IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, BEFORE I INTRODUCE THE FOLKS BEHIND ME, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THIS YEAR, UH, I AM SERVING AS CO-CHAIR FOR THE FESTIVAL.
NEXT YEAR I'M GONNA BE ONE OF THE CHAIRS FOR THE FESTIVAL AND I'M GONNA COME TO YOUR OFFICES AND, UH, ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND THIS, UH, THE FESTIVAL.
BUT, UH, I ALSO WANNA INCLUDE THAT, UM, UH, ASIDE FROM TONIGHT'S, UH, OPENING FILM, UH, DEAF PRESIDENT NOW, UH, TOMORROW WILL BE AT THE UNITED WAY WITH REAL WORKPLACE ON FEBRUARY THE 11 WILL HAVE REAL PEOPLE, UH, JIM ABBOTT AND OLYMPIAN GOLD MEDALIST.
AND SOME OF YOU MAY RECOGNIZE THIS NAME, ALI STROKER, UH, TONY AWARD WINNER.
UM, AND ALSO STARTING AT IN OZARK AND ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING WILL BE PART OF OUR PRESENTATION.
AND OUR FEBRUARY 26TH NIGHT IS REAL MUSIC.
AND, UM, WE HOPE THAT WE SEE YOU AT ANY OF THESE EVENTS, BUT THIS EVENT, UM, COULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF MY, MY BEAUTIFUL STAFF THAT IS IN THE ROOM HERE TODAY.
I'LL ASK THEM TO ALSO COME TO THE FRONT PODIUM.
UH, BUT NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE AMAZING WORK THAT JFS HOUSTON ALEXANDER INSTITUTE FOR INCLUSION IS DOING CANNOT GO UNNOTICED, UM, INCLUDING THE AMAZING WORK THAT PRESIDENT, UH, CARL JOES HART IS DOING.
AND SO I INVITE CARL TO COME TO THE PODIUM NOW AND SHARE A FEW WORDS.
DIRECTOR PONCE AND MAYOR, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER FOR THIS WONDERFUL RECOGNITION.
[00:35:01]
JFS HAS BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR 113 YEARS, SO NOT QUITE AS LONG AS THE EARLIER HONOREE, BUT WE CAME AS QUICK AS WE COULD.UM, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THIS FESTIVAL FOR A LOT OF REASONS, BUT ONE OF THEM IS BECAUSE FROM ITS VERY INCEPTION, IT HAS BEEN A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND WITH CITY COUNCIL AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE TIER MEMORIAL HERMAN, UM, AND THE JOAN AND, UH, STANFORD ALEXANDER FAMILY.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY A MODEL FOR PEOPLE TO FOLLOW ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT YOU CAN HAVE WHEN THE CITY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS COME TOGETHER.
UM, AND WE ARE COMMITTED AS YOU ARE IN MAKING SURE THAT EVERY CITIZEN IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON CAN ENJOY ALL OF THE BENEFITS OF THIS GREAT CITY, AND THAT WE'VE BECOME NOT JUST THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN THE COUNTRY, BUT THE MOST INCLUSIVE.
AND SO, I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH A LITTLE BIT OF HOMEWORK.
I WANT YOU LIKE, UH, UH, DIRECTOR POEY WAS SAYING IS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE, SHARE IT WITH YOUR STAFF AND CONSTITUENTS, AND PICK ONE OR TWO THINGS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO COME TO AS I LOOK AROUND THE ROOM.
UM, YOU KNOW, I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, WHO'S BEEN WITH US SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, WHO SAT THROUGH ONE OF THE MOST FREEZING OUTDOORS CONCERTS IN OUR HISTORY BECAUSE OF COVID AND STAYED TILL THE VERY END, AND THEY CAN TESTIFY TO THE QUALITY OF THE PROGRAMMING.
UM, AND SO WE JUST INVITE YOU TO COME AND PARTICIPATE AND CELEBRATE WITH US.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR ONGOING PARTNERSHIP.
COUNCIL MEMBERS JUST ADD THAT YOU CAN HEAR MORE ABOUT OR LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL@REALABILITIESHOUSTON.ORG.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING FORWARD THIS PROCLAMATION AND MAYOR, OF COURSE, RECOGNIZING ABILITIES AND DIRECTOR FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT.
YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED, BUT TO SEE YOU NOW SERVING AS A CO-CHAIR, UM, REALLY BRINGS THAT WORK TO THE FOREFRONT.
UH, TIER STAFF, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, THE ENTIRE ALEXANDER JFS TEAM, UH, ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, REAL ABILITIES IN AND OF ITSELF IS THIS BEHEMOTH ENDEAVOR.
UH, BUT IT'S SO INSPIRING TO LIFT UP THE STORIES OF EMPOWERMENT FOR ALL ABILITIES, UH, IS THE GIFT THAT IS WHAT OUR CITY IS ALL ABOUT.
BUT I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE THE WORK OF ALEXANDER JFS EVERY SINGLE DAY FROM CELEBRATION COMPANY, UH, TO THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES THAT YOU ALL PROVIDE.
UH, WHAT THIS ORGANIZATION DOES IS UNPARALLELED AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDE IN THE CELEBRATION THAT YOU BRING TO, UH, EVERYONE IN THIS CITY, UH, AND THE IMPORTANT MESSAGE OF, OF DIGNITY FOR ALL ABILITIES.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING AGAIN THIS MONTH, BUT HATS OFF TO ALL THE STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS THAT SERVE 24 7 COUNCIL MEMBER ALCO.
THANKS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER FOR BRINGING THIS, UH, IT WAS 2018 WHEN I FIRST WAS INTRODUCED TO REAL ABILITIES, AND I WENT TO A MOVIE ABOUT A SWIM TEAM OF ALL AUTISTIC KIDS CALLED SWIM TEAM.
IT, THAT MOVIE HAS STUCK WITH ME, AND I'VE BEEN A HUGE FAN OF REAL ABILITIES EVER SINCE.
UH, THE, THE, THAT THAT CONCERT WAS COLD.
IT'S JUST AMAZING WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.
I MEAN, YOU'VE GROWN THIS THING, YOU GET GREAT TALENT HERE.
UH, WE HAVE SO MUCH ART AND CULTURE TO, TO CELEBRATE IN OUR CITY, AND YOU ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON, ON THIS SECTOR, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL.
[00:40:08]
THE[2:00 P.M. - INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ]
MAYOR PROTE.I DO WANT TO ASK, UH, PASTOR GENTRY IF HE WILL, UM, COME TO THE PODIUM, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS, UH, INTRODUCTION IS ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, WHO IS, UM, OUT TODAY, BUT VERY EXCITED TO WELCOME PASTOR JOHNNY GENTRY III, WHO IS A LONGTIME NORTHEAST HOUSTON LEADER AND PASTOR.
HE SERVED AS SENIOR PASTOR OF THE FREE INDEED CHURCH FOR 20 YEARS, RETIRING FROM THAT ROLE IN 2023.
SINCE 2023, HE SERVED AS THE CEO OF COMMUNITY WORKS, CDC.
HE CURRENTLY OVERSEES PRAIRIE VIEW A AND M UNIVERSITY'S COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EXTENSION PROGRAMS FOR HARRIS COUNTY.
AND PASTOR GENTRY REMAINS COMMITTED TO COLLABORATION AND LASTING POSITIVE CHANGE.
AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, PASTOR GENTRY, WE WELCOME YOU TO CITY HALL.
GREETINGS, MAYOR WHITMEYER, ALL OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, ALL OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MY COUNCILWOMAN TARSHA JACKSON IN HER ABSENCE.
GRACIOUS GOD, HOW WE THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE TO GATHER TOGETHER FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND ACROSS THE CITY TO LIFT UP YOUR NAME AND TO PRAY.
GOD, WE SUMMONS YOUR PRESENCE.
WE ASK THAT YOUR SPIRIT WOULD REST OVER OUR CITY, THAT YOU WOULD COVER OUR MAYOR, HIS FAMILY, EVERYTHING THAT CONCERNS HIM, THAT YOU WOULD BLESS EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER AS THEY SERVE, THAT YOU WOULD PERFECT THE THINGS THAT CONCERN OUR CITY.
GOD, WE PRAY THE PRAYER THAT SOLOMON PRAYED.
WE DON'T ASK FOR MILITARY MIGHT OR FOR MONEY, BUT GOD, WE ASK FOR WISDOM FOR WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO COME IN OR HOW TO GO OUT OR HOW TO LEAD SO GREAT A PEOPLE.
AND SO GOD, IN LIGHT OF YOUR SCRIPTURES THAT TEACH US THAT IN PRAYING FOR WISDOM TO GOVERN THAT JERUSALEM EXPERIENCED 50 YEARS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY AND WEALTH AND RICHES, AND GOD, WE PRAY THAT PRAYER FOR HOUSTON, THAT WE'D BE A CITY OF PEACE, A CITY OF PROSPERITY, WEALTH, RESOURCES, A CITY OF HEALING.
BLESS THIS COUNCIL MEETING, BLESS THE AGENDA AND ALL THE AFFAIRS THAT WILL BE DEALT WITH TODAY.
IT'S IN YOUR SON'S NAME, WE PRAY.
AND ALL GOD'S PEOPLE SAY AMEN.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, REPUBLICATION UNDER GOD.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING ]
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.COUNCIL MEMBER PECK WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER PRESIDENT.
NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF JANUARY 27TH, 28TH.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES AS OPPOSED TO NAME.
ANY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? SALINAS SALINAS FOR A PROCEDURAL MOTION.
FIRST, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS MAYOR, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD DANTA HILL AND FREDERICK ROAD WOODS TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST.
OKAY, SECOND, DON'T YOU MADE? AND SECOND.
I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD CHRISTOPHER RIVERA, ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ, KRISTIN BUD WEE AND SELENA.
BRI AFTER RUBEN GARZA ON THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
MS. SECRETARY, YOU ON CALL OUR FIRST SPEAKER, RODNEY UNDERWOOD.UH, ANIQUE BE JE TO BE FOLLOWED BY HADLEY HOLLINGSWORTH.
SO THERE'S LIKE A CHANCE I END UP LEAVING THE CITY IN A FEW MONTHS, WHATEVER FOR COLLEGE.
UM, SO I THOUGHT I'D LEAVE A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS WHILE
[00:45:01]
I'M HERE FOR THIS POLICY CHANGES.I'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, SO FIRSTLY, A COMPLETE REPEAL OF ALL LAWS INVOLVING, UH, MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS, MINIMUM SETBACKS, LOT SIZES, ET CETERA.
IF I EVER END UP COMING BACK AND BUYING LAND HERE, I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO BUILD THE SAME KINDS OF BUILDINGS THAT WAS MADE UP, ARE HISTORIC QUINTESSENTIALLY HOUSTONIAN DOWNTOWNS, UH, WITHOUT BEING STIFLED BY SITE REGULATIONS.
UM, FOR THE AVERAGE PROPERTY OWNER HERE, YOUR IMPROVEMENTS ARE WORTH ABOUT FOUR TO SIX TIMES AS MUCH AS YOUR LAND.
UM, BUT FOR SLUM LORDS AND SPECULATORS, THAT VALUE IS NEAR ZERO.
UM, OUR CURRENT TAX SCHEME LETS OFF THE LATTER GROUP.
EASY AT THE EXPENSE OF THE FORMER.
SO IF THE CITY COULD TAX LAND MORE HEAVILY AND PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS LESS, IT WOULD INCENTIVIZE A LOT MORE PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT.
UM, ESPECIALLY IN LOWER INCOME AREAS THAT CURRENTLY LACK EASY ACCESS TO URBAN AMENITIES.
UM, I'VE ALSO BEEN READING THROUGH THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN MANUAL AND I THOUGHT I'D RECOMMEND A FEW AMENDMENTS TO THAT.
UM, SO A GENERAL SPEED LIMIT OF NO MORE THAN 20 MILES AN HOUR ON ALL DOWNTOWN STREETS, MINOR COLLECTORS AND UNCLASSIFIED STREETS AND 25 ON ALL MAJOR COLLECTORS.
UM, YOU OBVIOUSLY TO DRIVE SLOW IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
MOST MAJOR CITIES WORLDWIDE AND SMALL TOWNS IN TEXAS HAVE ALREADY RECOGNIZED THAT, UM, TO PROPERLY SUPPORT SPEEDS FASTER THAN 20, YOU GOTTA HAVE PROTECTED PHYSICALLY SEPARATED BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE, SO NOT SHEROS OR PAINTED BIKE LANES.
SO I WOULD SAY LIKE 11 TO 12 FEET ON FREEWAYS, 10 FEET ON MAJOR THOROUGHFARES.
NINE TO 10 ON ALL OTHER STREETS, I THINK IS A FAIR REQUIREMENT.
UM, NORTH THE CITY SHOULD DO ITS BEST TO ELIMINATE ALL LIKE RIGHT ANGLE CONFLICTS ON ROADS FASTER THAN 30 MILES AN HOUR.
SO THAT WOULD BE LIKE CONSOLIDATING MEDIANS CLOSING UNNECESSARY, UNPROTECTED INTERSECTIONS AND BEING A LOT MORE REFLECTIVE WITH DRIVERY PERMITS ON MAJOR THOROUGHFARES.
UM, AND THEN FOR MOST INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, THE CITY ENGINEERS WOULD SPEND LIKE MONTHS PREPARING ESTIMATES OF HOW MUCH THIS WOULD COST, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT ALSO ONCE YOU HAVE THAT COST ESTIMATE, IT WOULD TAKE AN ECONOMIST WEEKS, IF NOT DAYS, TO RUN A FULL COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS.
UM, WHICH WOULD BE MUCH, MUCH MORE USEFUL.
UM, IF SUCH AN ANALYSIS WERE REQUIRED FOR EVERY MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT THAT WOULD PREVENT THE CITY FROM INVESTING MILLIONS INTO DECADES.
LONG DEBT TRUST AS CURRENT TIME DO YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
I, I KNOW YOUR DISTRICT C RESIDENT AND I KNOW YOU WERE TALKING VERY QUICKLY, BUT I THINK YOU WERE PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS.
YOU WERE LOOKING THROUGH THE CITY'S IDM, THE ENGINEERING MANUAL YES MA'AM.
AND PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE INCORPORATED INTO THE NEXT ITERATION OF THE IDM.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO CIRCULATE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, IT MAY BE EAS ALSO EASIER FOR US TO READ SOME OF THOSE AND PASS THOSE ALONG TO PUBLIC WORK.
SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE THEM VIA EMAIL.
NEXT HADLEY HOLLINGSWORTH TO BE FOLLOWED BY MATTHEW BANZA.
IOWA SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF THIS BODY LAST WEEK, BUT BECAUSE PUBLIC COMMENT WAS STARTED, UH, WELL BEFORE THE CITY'S WEBSITE STATED, I WASN'T ABLE TO, REGARDLESS, I'VE DECIDED TO COME BACK THIS WEEK TO ENSURE THAT MY VOICE AND BODY ARE ADDED TO THE COUNT OF PEOPLE WHO STAND IN OPPOSITION TO ANY CITY COLLABORATION WITH ICE.
I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND THAT SENATE BILL BILL FOUR, WHICH YOU KEEP HIDING BEHIND, MAY COMPLICATE THAT.
UM, BUT WE CAN'T DO ALL THE LEGAL RESEARCH FOR YOU.
YOU GUYS ARE POLICY MAKERS INCLUDING SEVERAL ATTORNEYS.
IT'S Y'ALL'S JOB TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.
YOUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE MADE GOOD SUGGESTIONS SUCH AS LIMITING INTERACTIONS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT BY REDUCING OR OR ENDING TRAFFIC STOPS FOR NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS.
ADDITIONALLY, HISTORICALLY, THE CITY HAS TRACKED OTHER THREATS TO ITS RESIDENTS SUCH AS COVID NUMBERS AND EXTREME WEATHER.
WHEN I READ SB FOUR, IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BAR A CITY FROM TRACKING AND REPORTING ON ICE MOVEMENTS.
IF YOU'RE GONNA ASSERT THAT ICE IS A FORCE OF NATURE, THEN AT LEAST TREAT IT LIKE YOU WOULD A NATURAL DISASTER OR TRACK RECORD REPORT AND OFFER MEANINGFUL SERVICES FOR MITIGATING HARM.
WHEN YOU WRING YOUR HANDS AND SAY THAT YOU DON'T, THAT YOU CARE, BUT THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO AND THEN YOU GO CAMPAIGN FOR SOMEONE WHO PROUDLY STATES THAT HE WON'T VOTE FOR A DHS BILL THAT DOES NOT FULLY FUND AND EMPOWER ICE, YOU BREAK DOWN TRUST, NOT ABOUT PARTY POLITICS, IT'S ABOUT SAYING ONE THING AND DOING THE OPPOSITE.
FURTHERMORE, SINCE YOU THINK THAT NO ONE COULD HAVE SEEN THE TRAGIC DEATHS IN MINNEAPOLIS COMING, DESPITE MANY PEOPLE PREDICTING HOW ICE WOULD ESCALATE, LET SOMEONE WITH BETTER FORESIGHT LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS NO AMOUNT OF COMPLIANCE THAT WILL GUARANTEE HOUSTONIAN SAFETY.
SO YOU MAY AS WELL DO WHAT'S RIGHT AND TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO STAYED BACK AND LISTENED TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS, WE APPRECIATE THE GESTURE.
AND IF YOU'RE AS FRUSTRATED AS WE ARE THAT THE MAYOR IN THIS CITY SEEMS TO INEXPLICABLY HAVE ALL LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE POWER, WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO SUPPORT IN 27.
NEXT, NEXT MATTHEW BANZO TO BE FOLLOWED BY DANTA HILL.
UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? ALRIGHT.
I KNOW THIS, UH, SESSION STARTED WITH THE CELEBRATION OF, UH, THE LATINO CULTURE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT AND I THINK THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE AS A CITY IS GREAT, BUT I DON'T THINK THE PROGRESS IS GONNA MEAN ANYTHING UNLESS WE
[00:50:01]
STOP OUR INVOLVEMENT WITH ICE.UH, IN DECEMBER, 2024, ICE AGENT DAVID CORVEL WAS CHARGED WITH SEXUALLY ABUSING AND DETAINEE IN A JANITOR'S CLOSET IN EXCHANGE FOR LETTING THE WOMAN SEE PICTURES OF HER DAUGHTER.
ON NEW YEAR'S EVE, AN OFF-DUTY ICE AGENT MURDERED KEITH PORTER, EARLY JANUARY ICE MURDERED RENEE GOOD AS SHE DROVE AWAY.
AND A FEW WEEKS AGO I MURDERED ALEX PERRETTI AFTER SHOVING HIM TO THE GROUND AND GRABBING HIS GUN FROM HIS HOLSTER.
AND IF ANYTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, I FEEL LIKE YOUR OFFICE WOULD NOT BE PREPARED FOR THE HELL FIRE THAT WOULD COME FROM THAT.
PROPUBLICA HAS EVEN STATED MORE THAT 170 US CITIZENS HAVE BEEN DETAINED BY ICE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, IF THESE EVENTS DO NOT CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT ICE'S INVOLVEMENT WITH HPD, UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T THINK ANYTHING WILL.
YOUR PARTY HAS ABANDONED YOU AND AS A RESULT, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
UH, THE EFFORT TO CAST A RECALL ELECTION LAST YEAR FAILED, BUT WITH CONTINUED ACTIONS LIKE LYING ABOUT ICE'S INVOLVEMENT WITH HPD, THESE SIGNATURES WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND I THINK YOU KNOW THIS BECAUSE CONSIDERING THAT YOU ENDED THE LAST, UH, WEEK'S COURT HEARING OR COUNSEL HEARING AN HOUR 30 MINUTES BEFORE IT BE, UH, WAS SUPPOSED TO END, WE HAD A FREEZE NOT TOO LONG AGO.
MANY PEOPLE WERE SCARED TO EVEN GO TO A WARMING CENTER OUTTA FEAR THAT ICE WOULD BE PATROLLING THE AREA.
AND YOU KNOW THIS BECAUSE WHEN YOU ASKED ABOUT IT, YOU ESSENTIALLY SAID, WHY WOULD ANYBODY ASK ABOUT ICE? OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY'S COME HERE.
WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? WHICH I THINK IS RIDICULOUS.
IF YOU CONTINUE A RELATIONSHIP WITH ICE, YOUR LEGACY WILL NOT BE THE MAYOR THAT GOT RID OF A COUPLE OF BIKE LANES.
YOUR LEGACY WILL BE THE MAYOR THAT BENT THE KNEE TO THE EPSTEIN CLASS SO HOUSTONIANS COULD FEEL LESS SAFE AND THE CITY WILL NOT FORGET THAT THE CHOICE IS YOURS.
NEXT DANTA HILL TO BE FOLLOWED BY FRED WOODS.
I'M THE AUNT OF THE DECEASED CORY YOUNG, WHO WAS KILLED IN THE INCIDENT ON HOMESTEAD AT A EVENT.
HE WAS 24 YEARS OLD AND HE WAS THERE FOR A SHORT TIME.
I SAW VIDEOS, I WALKED THOSE STREETS.
SOME OF THEM SAID, OFFICERS HAVE NOT BEEN TO THEM.
THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO GET.
MY DAD GAVE 36 YEARS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I HAVE TWO BROTHERS, MY SON, MY SON-IN-LAW, AND SEVEN COUSINS THAT WORK FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO HE'S NOT JUST MY FAMILY, HE'S YOURS AS WELL.
I'VE GIVEN MY FAMILY'S GIVEN TOO MUCH TIME TO THE CITY FOR US NOT TO GET JUSTICE.
I HAVE NOT HAD AN OFFICER TO MY HOUSE.
I HAVE NOT HAD HOMICIDES TO MY HOUSE.
I'VE BEEN OUT IN THE STREETS, I'VE BEEN THERE AND NOT ONE OFFICER WAS THERE, NOT ONE HOMICIDE.
I CALLED THE OFFICER THERE AND I CALLING ME BACK.
I DIDN'T GET A CALL UNTIL MR. WOODS CAME AND SPOKE WITH ME AND CALLED SOMEONE ON THE PHONE.
AND THEN I GOT A CALL, I SPOKE TO A SERGEANT THERE.
HE TOLD ME TO CALL BACK THE NEXT DAY.
HE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
THIS SCENE, THIS CRIME SCENE WAS TOO BIG OF A SCENE FOR HIM NOT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
I, THESE EVENTS NEED TO BE STOPPED.
I'M NOT EVEN UNDERSTANDING HOW WHEN THE POLICE DID COME OUT AT SEVEN 30, IT WAS ONLY TWO OFFICERS OUT THERE.
THIS EVENT HAD BEEN GOING ON SINCE FRIDAY.
LAY ROAD IS DOWN THE STREET, SO I'M SURE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN PATROLLING THE AREA.
LITTLE YORK HAVE HORSEBACK MOUNTED OFFICERS.
I'M SURE THEY COULD HAVE BEEN ON HORSES 'CAUSE THE CROWD WAS TOO OUT OF CONTROL.
THERE WAS NO ONE THERE TO PROTECT OR SERVE MY NEPHEW.
I'M NOT SAYING Y'ALL COULDN'T STOP THE PEOPLE FROM HAVING GUNS, BUT THIS MANY HANDS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED.
HE WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS HIT, BUT HE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT DIDN'T SURVIVE.
WE JUST NEED SOMEBODY TO LET US KNOW.
I HAVE, I HAVE INFORMATION, BUT NO ONE'S COME TO TALK TO ME.
I'VE REACHED OUT, I'VE CALLED AGAIN.
I SAY I DIDN'T GET ATTENTION UNTIL MR. WOODS CALLED SOMEONE.
SO I'M HERE TODAY JUST ASKING IF Y'ALL WOULD PLEASE SOMEBODY TAKE OUR TIME.
IF THIS WAS Y'ALL CHILD, Y'ALL BABY, MY BABY LEFT HIS FOOD ON THE TABLE.
SOMEBODY CALLED HIM TO COME OUT.
HE WOULDN'T, HE DIDN'T GO OUT THERE FOR LONG.
HE WAS ON HIS WAY BACK HOME TO US WHEN IT HAPPENED AND HE DIDN'T MAKE IT.
WE NEVER GOT A CALL FROM NO ONE SAYING YOUR SON OR GRANDSON OR NEPHEW HAS BEEN, WE NEVER GOT THAT.
WE WAS AT THE HOSPITAL FOR HOURS.
THEY PUT US OUT THE HOSPITAL IN A FREEZING COLD.
LET ME, LET ME EXPRESS ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US, OUR SYMPATHY GOES TO YOUR FAMILY FOR THE LOSS OF YOUR NEPHEW.
THERE ARE TWO KEY WITNESSES STILL IN THE HOSPITAL.
SO IT'S AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION WHICH TOOK PLACE IN THE COUNTY AND THE CHIEF AND HIS STAFF HAVE BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT.
I'M GUESSING IT WOULD BE YOUR SISTER WOULD BE THE MOTHER AND FATHER.
SO THERE'S A GREAT LINE OF COMMUNICATIONS GETTING TO THE OUTCOME OF THIS TRAGEDY THEY'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH.
WHO MAY I ASK? THEY'VE BEEN TALKING
[00:55:01]
TO YOUR NEPHEW'S PARENTS.WELL THAT'S NO THE INFORMATION I'M FURNISHED.
NO, BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE'LL DO TO CONTINUE TO REACH THE BOTTOM UP.
WOULD YOU TALK TO REBECCA WILLIAMS IN MY OFFICE OR MS. WILSON AND WE'LL, UH, HELP YOU MAKE THE CONTACT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO.
I, I KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE BECAUSE I'M MY BROTHER'S SISTER.
I'M JUST SAYING THE BEST INFORMATION I HAVE BECAUSE IT'S AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION, THEY'RE WAITING FOR THE TWO INDIVIDUALS IN THE HOSPITAL TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY, THEY KNOW THE, UH, WHO THEY HAD THE ENCOUNTER WITH.
SO LET ME GET YOU TO TALK TO, UH, SOMEONE ON MY STAFF, MY CHIEF OF STAFF TO HELP YOU MAKE CONTACT WITH HPD AND GET YOU THE BEST INFORMATION AVAILABLE.
UH, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, UH, FOR HER COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP IN THE ABSENCE OF MY COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON, A MAYOR, YOU LISTENED TO US TWO YEARS AGO AT THAT TIME, NEITHER YOU NOR OUR COMMUNITY IMAGINED THIS WOULD GO BEYOND A NUISANCE TO THE POINT THAT WE WOULD LOSE A PRECIOUS LIFE.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR LISTENING THEN AND THE SYMPATHY YOU'VE SHOWN NOW.
BEFORE YOU, THE SAME PERSON NOW HAS BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS WHILE RECKLESSLY ORGANIZING EVENTS WITHOUT ANY CONSIDERATION FOR THE SAFETY OF INNOCENT CITIZENS THAT SIMPLY WANTED TO ENJOY THEMSELVES OR LIVE PEACEFULLY AND SAFELY IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY ARE ORGANIZING EVENTS THAT ENCOURAGE TRIGGER HAPPY THUGS TO SHOW UP AND HAVE FREE REIGN TO TAKE THE LIVES OF INNOCENT PEOPLE.
THIS PERSON IS ALL ABOUT THE DOLLAR, NOT THE LAW AND JAIL.
TIME AND LOSS OF INCOME ARE THE ONLY WAYS TO GET THEIR ATTENTION.
WE MUST STRENGTHEN THE ORDINANCE WITH PUNISHMENTS TO DISCOURAGE BAD ACTORS.
WE ARE ASKING THAT YOU AND THIS COUNSEL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF REVISING THE ORDINANCE THIS WEEK AND DECIDING IF A STATUTE IS NECESSARY TO UNDERGIRD THE REVISED ORDINANCE BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK.
A DRAFT OF THE REVISED ORDINANCE AND PROPOSED STATUTE IS TO BE REVIEWED WITH US IN A MEETING DURING THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY THE 15TH.
LET US KNOW WHO THE PARTICIPANTS WILL BE FOR THIS EFFORT.
WE WILL EMAIL EVERYONE OUR CONTACT INFORMATION.
WE MUST COME TOGETHER QUICKLY.
A LIFE IS TOO PRECIOUS TO LET ANYONE CONTINUE TO MAKE MONEY OFF THE BLOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY.
NEXT EMMA FRENCH TO BE FOLLOWED BY GRACE KESTEREN.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO CAME TO THIS COUNCIL CHAMBER LAST TUESDAY WITH ONE VOICE AND ONE CALL THAT THE CITY STOP ITS COOPERATION WITH ICE.
THE MORNING AFTER THAT PUBLIC SESSION, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO BE IN THIS ROOM TO HEAR THIS COUNCIL SPEAK ABOUT THE COMMENTS MADE THAT NIGHT.
AND I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR MOST OF YOU DIS DISMISS WHAT WAS SAID BY YOUR CONS, UM, BY THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
YOU MENTIONED THAT IN ORDER FOR THE COMMENTS BROUGHT FORTH LAST TUESDAY TO BE TAKEN WITH ANY SERIOUSNESS THAT THEY NEEDED TO HAVE BEEN MADE WITH RESPECT DECORUM.
I ASK YOU WHAT WAS RESPECTFUL ABOUT THIS COUNCIL WHEN YOU LIMITED PEOPLE'S TIME TO ONE MINUTE WITHOUT NOTIFICATION, WHAT WAS RESPECTFUL ABOUT THIS COUNCIL WHEN YOU DECIDED TO MOVE THE MEETING TIME UP BY 30 MINUTES WITHOUT NOTIFICATION TO THE, TO THE SPEAKERS.
AND I ASK YOU FRANKLY, WHAT IS RESPECTFUL ABOUT THIS COUNCIL'S COOPERATION WITH AN AGENCY THAT IS NOW TAKING KIDNAPPING PEOPLE OFF THE STREET AND NOW KILLING PEOPLE AND KILLING AMERICAN CITIZENS WITH ALL THE RESPECT THAT YOU ARE DUE, SHAME ON YOU THAT MORNING.
I HEARD THIS COUNCIL CONGRATULATING EACH OTHER ON A JOB WELL DONE DURING THE WINTER FREEZE, JUST 12 HOURS AFTER YOU HEARD A WOMAN IN MY POSITION TELL YOU THAT AT THE WARMING CENTERS WHERE SHE WORKED, PEOPLE AVOIDED THE CITY'S HELP BECAUSE SHE SAW ICE PATROLLING THE AREA.
PEOPLE WERE AFRAID OF BEING DETAINED SO MUCH SO THAT THEY AVOIDED BEING WARM THAT WEEKEND.
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MARTINEZ, YOU SAID THAT YOU ARE A PROUD REPRESENTATIVE OF THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.THERE'S A FLYER ON YOUR DESK THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HANDED OUT TO YOU.
IT'S ABOUT A GATHERING TONIGHT AND A FUNDRAISER FOR MORO SANCHEZ WHO IS A HIGH SCHOOLER IN YOUR DISTRICT WHO IS DETAINED BY ICE.
I EXPECT THAT YOU'LL BE THERE.
HEAVY IS THE HEAD THAT WEARS THE CROWN.
THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID THAT NIGHT.
YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER SELENA SEEM TO HAVE BEEN THE ONLY ONES LISTENING.
I DON'T THINK MAYOR WHITMEYER IS LISTENING TO ME RIGHT NOW, AND I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND THIS TABLE ARE LISTENING TO ME RIGHT NOW.
I THINK YOU TWO ARE LISTENING AND SO I'M ASKING YOU WITH ALL OF YOUR POWER.
I HAVE THREE MINUTES IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY AND THAT'S IT.
SO I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE ICE OPERATIONS IN HOUSTON.
PLEASE PROTECT YOUR NEIGHBORS.
IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE TO BE UP HERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPOKEN IN FRONT OF YOU, AND SO I'M ASKING A LOT OF YOU TO TAKE A STEP TO STAND UP AGAINST PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT STANDING WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS.
PLEASE GET ICE OUT OF HOUSTON.
NEXT GRACE KESTEREN TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTINE WARDWELL.
I'M HERE LIKE MANY TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST ICE, REGARDLESS OF ANYONE'S PERSONAL VIEWS ON IMMIGRATION.
WHAT'S HAPPENING LOCALLY AND NATIONWIDE IS CREATING INSTABILITY, FEAR, AND LONG-TERM TRAUMA TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHO ARE NEIGHBORS AND PARTS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
I'M ALSO HERE AS A PARENT WHOSE SON IS DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THIS CLIMATE OF FEAR.
HE FINDS HIMSELF STRESSED OUT THINKING WHAT HE MIGHT HAVE TO DO IN EMERGENCY TO KEEP HIS FRIENDS SAFE.
I URGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE CARRYING THIS FEAR AND ANXIETY ABOUT WHETHER THEIR FAMILY WILL BE TORN APART, WHETHER THE PEOPLE THEY LOVE WILL DISAPPEAR OR THEIR FRIENDS.
I AM NOT ASKING THIS COUNCIL TO CONTROL FEDERAL POLICY.
I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER WHAT ROLE OUR CITY PLAYS IN EITHER INCREASING HARM OR PROTECTING ITS RESIDENTS, OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS.
WE CANNOT CLAIM TO VALUE AND CELEBRATE DIVERSITY WHILE ALLOWING OUR COMMUNITY TO LIVE IN FEAR BECAUSE OF IT.
I URGE YOU TO PRIORITIZE TRANSPARENCY AND TO ENSURE OUR CITY RESOURCES ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO THIS FEAR AND TO PUBLICLY AFFIRM THAT FAMILIES DESERVE SAFETY, DIGNITY, AND DUE PROCESS.
CHRISTINE WARDWELL TO BE FOLLOWED BY SANDRA BURNETT.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND FELLOW HOUSTONIANS.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINE WARDWELL.
I'M A RESIDENT OF HOUSTON AND RECENTLY RETIRED TEACHER.
I'M HERE THINKING ABOUT CHILDREN LIKE 5-YEAR-OLD LIAM RAMOS AND HIS BUNNY HAT.
KIDS WHO DESERVE STABILITY, SAFETY, AND THE BASIC ASSURANCE THAT THEIR FAMILIES WON'T DISAPPEAR OVERNIGHT.
RECENT ICE ACTIVITY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SILENCE RAISED SERIOUS GOVERNANCE CONCERNS WHEN ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS HAPPEN WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY, OVERSIGHT, AND CLEAR BOUNDARIES WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
IT UNDERMINES DUE PROCESS AND ERODES PUBLIC TRUST IN GOVERNMENT AT EVERY LEVEL AND NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS OUR CITY.
FROM GULFTON TO EAST END, FROM ALEVE TO ACRES HOMES, FAMILIES ARE IN FEAR, PEOPLE ARE BEING DETAINED.
SUDDENLY LOVE LOVED ONES SEPARATED AND COMMUNITIES DESTABILIZED.
THESE AREN'T ABSTRACT POLICY ISSUES.
FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT, THIS MATTERS WHEN PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO REPORT CRIMES, COOPERATE WITH INVESTIGATIONS, OR SEEK EMERGENCY HELP BECAUSE THEY FEAR IMMIGRATION CONSEQUENCES.
LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERTS AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE SAID THIS REPEATEDLY.
COMMUNITY TRUST IS ESSENTIAL TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
I UNDERSTAND IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IS FEDERAL, BUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS THE AUTHORITY OVER LOCAL AGENCIES, HOW LOCAL AGENTS INTERACT WITH FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT, HOW INFORMATION IS SHARED AND WHAT STANDARDS OF DUE PROCESS AND TRANSPARENCY ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
OTHER CITIES HAVE EXERCISED THAT AUTHORITY RESPONSIBLY.
SO TODAY I URGE YOU TO ACT IN YOUR ROLE OF STEWARDS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE.
A PUBLIC STATEMENT AFFIRMING THAT HOUSTON DOES NOT SUPPORT INTIMIDATION OR UNJUST TARGETING OF RESIDENTS.
REAFFIRM IN WRITING AND IN POLICY THAT HPD WILL NOT COOPERATE WITH ICE, WITHOUT A
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JUDICIAL WARRANT.CLEARLY DEFINE AND ENFORCE LIMITS ON ICES ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE CITY DEPARTMENTS TO PROTECT DUE PROCESS.
HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS ON ICE ACTIVITY IN HOUSTON SO RESIDENTS CAN HEAR DIRECTLY WHAT CITY LEADERSHIP FROM LEADERSHIP ASK QUESTIONS AND HOLD INSTITUTIONS ACCOUNTABLE.
REQUIRE AGENTS TO USE BODY CAMERAS AND REFRAIN FROM MASKS.
THESE ARE REASONABLE GOVERNING GOVERNANCE STEPS.
HOUSTON DESERVES SOMETHING BETTER THAN YOUR SILENCE.
STRONG LEADERSHIP MEANS SETTING CLEAR BOUNDARIES, STANDING UP FOR DUE PROCESS AND PROTECTING THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS.
SILENCE IS A FORM OF COLLABORATION.
SANDRA BURNETT TO BE FOLLOWED BY KEITH PORTER, SENIOR.
MY NAME'S SANDY BURNETT AND I'M A RESIDENT OF HOUSTON AND I'M HERE TODAY LIKE MANY OTHER PEOPLE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST ICE OPERATIONS IN THE CITY.
IT'S ABOUT HOW ENFORCEMENT IS CARRIED OUT IN OUR CITY.
THE LACK OF DUE PROCESS AND LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
OUR CURRENT STATE, WE ARE UNDERMINING OUR CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS BY COOPERATING WITH A FEDERAL AGENCY THAT DOES NOT FOLLOW OUR CONSTITUTION, NOR DO THEY FOLLOW THEIR WRITTEN POLICY.
THESE AGENTS SHOULD ONLY BE ACTING ON JUDICIAL WARRANTS.
THEY SHOULDN'T BE GOING THROUGH HOUSE HUNTING NEIGHBORHOODS OR STOPPING VEHICLES.
SOME OF THOSE DETENTIONS ARE BEING DONE WITHOUT CLEAR WARRANTS AND THAT CREATES RISK.
AND FRANKLY, IT'S A LAZY WAY AND DANGEROUS WAY TO DO THE INTENDED WORK.
AND THE CONSEQUENCE TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, IT'S EXPONENTIAL.
PEOPLE ARE FOLLOWING THE PROCESS FOR CITIZENSHIP.
THEY'RE PAYING AND IT'S COSTLY, RIGHT? THEY'RE PAYING FOR THEIR PATH AND GETTING DEPORTED ANYWAY.
HOW ABOUT THEIR ECONOMIC AND EMOTIONAL, UH, REPERCUSSIONS.
WHO'S GONNA, WHO'S GONNA GET THEM BACK ONTO THEIR JOB IF THEY'RE GONE? YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONE FOR THEIR JOB.
OUR DUE PROCESS IS CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE.
ICE IS A FEDERAL AGENCY OPERATING WITHIN HOUSTON.
OUR LOCAL LEADERS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE STANDARDS THAT ARE BEING USED AND HOW THE OP OPERATIONS ARE BEING CONDUCTED.
TRANSPARENCY PROTECTS ALL OF US.
LIKE IT'S BEEN SAID, THIS OPERATION IS WEAKENING PUBLIC SAFETY CITYWIDE BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING TRUST IN ALL OF Y'ALL.
AND I'M NOT EVEN AT THE TOUCH ON THE JU THE FIDUCIARY COSTS THAT IT'S, IT'S THAT'S HITTING OUR CITY.
BUT I'M GONNA FINISH WITH MY CLEAR ASS TO CITY COUNCIL.
AFFIRM HOUSTON'S AUTHORITY UNDER TEXAS LAW TO SET CLEAR LIMITS ON HOW CITY RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL ARE BEING USED.
REQUIRE THAT ANY COOPERATION WITH ICE IS BASED ON SOLELY JUDICIAL WARRANTS, NOT NEIGHBORHOOD PATROLS, NOT TRAFFIC STOPS OR FISHING EXPEDITIONS.
TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE TO ENSURE THAT STATE AND FEDERAL DO NOT INFRINGE ON OUR HU ON HOUSTON BY PROTECTING US OUR, YOUR CITIZENS PRIORITIZING OUR CONSTITUTIONAL DUE PROCESS, PUBLIC SAFETY AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
THIS SHOULD INCLUDE Y'ALL BEING ABLE OR HPD BEING ABLE TO ARREST FEDERAL AGENTS FOR ASSAULTING ANYBODY.
NEXT KEITH PORTER SENIOR TO BE FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL BASSINE.
MY NAME IS KEITH PORTER SENIOR AND I WANT TO TAKE A TI TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT MY SON, KEITH PORTER, JR.
THAT WAS KILLED IN CALIFORNIA ON NEW YEAR'S EVE.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 21 YEARS AND COINCIDENTALLY WHEN IT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, I WAS HERE SO I HAD TO GO HOME TO, UH, TAKE CARE OF IT.
BUT, UH, I HAVE SOMETHING AND I WROTE AND I WANT TO READ IT TO YOU, PLEASE.
AND I STAND BEFORE YOU AS A FATHER WHOSE WORLD WAS FOREVER CHANGED.
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SON KEITH PORTER JR.WAS TAKEN FROM US, TAKEN AWAY, NO PARENT SHOULD EVER HAVE TO FACE, TAKEN BY SOMEONE SWORN TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC, TAKEN WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SAFE, ALIVE, AND LOOKING TOWARD A NEW YEAR.
KEITH WAS MORE THAN A HEADLINE.
HE WAS MORE THAN A THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIS DEATH.
FROM THE MOMENT HE FIRST OPENED HIS EYES, HE BROUGHT JOY, CURIOSITY, AND LIGHT INTO THE WORLD.
AS HE GREW, HE BECAME A YOUNG MAN, FILLED WITH ENERGY, AMBITION, AND LOVE FOR HIS FAMILY.
HE HAD DREAMS, REAL DREAMS OF BUILDING A FUTURE, OF CONTRIBUTING TO HIS COMMUNITY.
SIMPLY LIVING THE LIFE EVERY YOUNG PERSON DESERVES A CHANCE TO LIVE.
AND NOW THOSE DREAMS ARE GONE.
LOSING A CHILD IS A PAIN THAT HAS NO NAME.
THERE IS NO WORD STRONG ENOUGH TO DESCRIBE THIS KIND OF HURT.
BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT WE CANNOT ALLOW KEITH'S STORY TO BE IGNORED, DISMISSED, OR FORGOTTEN.
WE CANNOT ALLOW A SYSTEM THAT PERMITS TRAGEDIES LIKE THIS TO CONTINUE UNCHANGED.
I AM NOT HERE TODAY TO SPEAK WITH ANGER, THOUGH I WOULD HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO.
I AM HERE TO SPEAK WITH PURPOSE.
AND OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES ACCOUNTABILITY.
NO FATHER SHOULD HAVE TO BURY A CHILD TAKEN BY UNNECESSARY VIOLENCE.
NO FAMILY SHOULD HAVE TO STAND IN OUR PLACE ASKING WHY AND HOW, AND WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE TO PREVENT THIS.
WE ARE HERE BECAUSE KEITH'S LIFE MATTERED.
WE ARE HERE BECAUSE THE TRUTH MATTERS.
WE ARE HERE BECAUSE JUSTICE MATTERS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SHOWN LOVE, SUPPORT, AND STRENGTH DURING THIS DARK TIME.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE, REMINDS US THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE.
YOUR VOICES REMIND US THAT CHANGE IS POSSIBLE, AND YOUR COMPASSION REMINDS US THAT EVEN IN TRAGEDY, THERE CAN BE UNITY AND HOPE.
IN HONORING MY SON, I ASK ONLY THIS.
REMEMBER HIM, REMEMBER HIS SMILE, HIS POTENTIAL, HIS HUMANITY.
SAY HIS NAME, NOT JUST IN SADNESS, BUT IN C.
COMMITMENT, COMMITMENT TO SEEKING JUSTICE, TO DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY, AND TO ENSURING THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO KEITH PORTER JR.
NEVER HAPPENS TO ANOTHER FAMILY AGAIN.
KEITH, MY SON, I WILL CARRY YOU WITH ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
AND I PROMISE YOU THIS, YOUR FATHER WILL NOT STOP FIGHTING FOR YOU.
COUNCIL, YOU COUNCILOR POLLARD.
UM, FOR ONE, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
BUT, UM, MY AND OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES ON THE LOSS OF YOUR SON.
UM, I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CONNECTION, THE HOUSTON CONNECTION TO YOUR SON, UH, BUT WE HAVE HEARD HIS NAME AND HIS STORY, UH, OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS.
UM, AND ALTHOUGH THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO, UM, BRING YOUR SON BACK OR TO AID IN, UM, ALLEVIATE ANY HEARTACHE THAT YOU MAY EXPERIENCE, I DO WANT YOU TO LEAN ON US AS A BODY TO TRY TO GET ANSWERS FOR YOU.
IF THERE ARE ISSUES THAT YOU'RE HAVING WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS, UH, FOR ANSWERS, FOR CLARITY, FOR INSIGHT, FOR SUPPORT, PLEASE LEAN ON US TO DO SO, AND MAYBE WE CAN USE OUR RESOURCES TO GET YOU THOSE ANSWERS.
AT LEAST OPEN UP THOSE LINES OF COMMUNICATION.
UM, AND AGAIN, I'M VERY DEEPLY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS, AND, UH, GOD BLESS YOU.
UM, MR. PORTER, I WANT TO, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I UNIMAGINABLE WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH, UH, FOR THOSE OF US THAT, THAT ARE PARENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE, I WAS JUST AT A VIGIL, UH, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, UH, LAST NIGHT AT GULF COAST, A-F-L-C-I-O FOR, UH, MS. GOOD, AND MS. MR. PRETI.
AND MR. PRETI WAS A UNION MEMBER.
UM, BUT WE'RE REMINDED THAT THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SHOT OR INJURED, UM, BY ICE AGENTS.
AND I APPRECIATE SO MUCH, UH, YOUR VOICE, BUT ALSO YOUR STAND FOR YOUR SON.
THAT IT'S NOT OUT OF HATE, BUT OUT OF LOVE.
AND YOU HAVE A COMMITMENT FROM ME.
I KNOW OTHERS AROUND THIS HORSESHOE, UM, NOT JUST TO SAY HIS NAME, BUT TO LIFT UP HIS, HIS LIFE, HIS LEGACY, AND THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AS YOU CONTINUE TO FIGHT, UM, FOR JUSTICE FOR HIM.
I PERSONALLY COULD NOT IMAGINE, UM, THE PAIN THAT YOU HAVE TO BURY YOUR NAMESAKE.
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WHEN HE CAME IN THIS WORLD, YOU HAD A VISION FOR WHO HE WOULD BE, AND I KNOW YOU WERE PROUD, UM, OF HIM.AND I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE STORY WHEN IT HIT.
AND OFTENTIMES, UH, BLACK FOLKS ARE LEFT OUT OF THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN SAYING FOR DECADES, FOR YEARS, FOR CENTURIES, HOW, UM, THIS DOMESTIC TERRORISM HAS BEEN IMPACTING US EVERY DAY, ALL THROUGH COMMUNITIES.
I I'M IN AWE OF YOU AND YOUR STRENGTH AND WHO YOU ARE.
UM, AND AS YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, I HAVE A STAFF MEMBER WHO'S HERE, ARI, SHE'LL BE ABLE TO AS ASSIST YOU AND FOLLOW UP.
AND MY INTENTION IS TO STAY IN CONTACT WITH YOU, TO COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD'S POINT.
HOWEVER, WE CAN ADVOCATE ACROSS GOVERNMENT LINES FOR YOU AND WITH YOU.
THAT IS THE, THE LEAST OUR REASONABLE LEVEL OF SERVICE, UH, TO YOU.
UH, AND HOWEVER WE CAN SUPPORT YOU AS, UM, A FAMILY MEMBER OF A VICTIM.
UM, UM, OFTENTIMES VICTIM STORIES ARE TALKED ABOUT IN THE HORSESHOE, AND I THINK SOMETIMES WE FORGET, UM, UM, THE TRAUMA AND THE IMPACT LONG TERM OF HOW YOUR LIFE HAS CHANGED PERMANENTLY.
UM, SO CONSIDER THIS, UH, OUR STARTING POINT, UM, AND THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WALK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT WE REMEMBER HIS NAME, WE SAY HIS NAME, UM, AND THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE STAND FOR THOSE JUST LIKE HIM, UM, THAT THEY'RE NOT CAUGHT IN THIS CROSSFIRE MOVING FORWARD.
NEXT, MICHAEL BAINE, MICHAEL BESTING TO BE FOLLOWED BY RUBEN GARZA.
MR. PORTER, MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES FOR YOU IN YOUR, THE PURITY OF YOUR HEART REALLY SHOWED THROUGH JUST NOW.
IT'S, IT'S VERY TOUCHING AND IT MAKES ME FEEL, UH, A LITTLE BAD ABOUT BRINGING WHAT I'M BRINGING FORTH RIGHT NOW.
MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, MY NAME IS MICHAEL BASTIAN.
I SPOKE TO THIS COUNCIL A YEAR AGO ABOUT A VIOLATION ON A PROPERTY I HAD THAT I OWN IN, IN THE HIGHLAND HEIGHTS.
THE ONLY STREET ACCESS I HAVE TO THIS LOT HAS BEEN BLOCKED BY A SQUATTER WHO WAS FENCED OFF A CITY STREET.
THE CITY HAD ISSUED VIOLATION NOTICES FOR THE FENCED OFF STREET, BUT THEN STOPPED ALL REMOVAL EFFORTS WHEN THE SQUATTERS FILED SUIT AGAINST THE CITY TO TAKE THE PROPERTY VIA ADVERSE POSSESSION, WHICH YOU CAN'T DO.
A YEAR AGO, I WAS ASSURED BY THIS COUNCIL, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND THE CITY'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THAT THE VIOLATION WOULD BE PUT ON HOLD UNTIL THE LAWSUIT WAS DISPATCHED.
FOUR MONTHS AFTER THIS ASSURANCE WAS GIVEN TO ME WITHOUT NOTIFICATION OR CONTACT BY ANY KIND, A CITATION AND WARRANT WAS ISSUED.
THE CITY STARTED THE ABATEMENT PROCESS TO CUT THE GRASS AGAIN WITHOUT ANY CONTACT.
IN DECEMBER, THE CITY PLACED A LIEN ON MY PROPERTY.
MY FIRST KNOWLEDGE OF THIS, OF ANY KIND WAS A LETTER FROM LINEBARGER ET AL LAST WEEK, REQUESTING A 1500 $1,500 PAYMENT FOR CUTTING THE GRASS ON THE PROPERTY, OR IT WOULD BE SEIZED AND SOLD.
I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SELL THIS PROPERTY FOR THREE YEARS AND HAVE HAD TWO CONTRACTS FALL THROUGH DUE TO THE SQUATTER BLOCKING ACCESS.
I HAVE DUTIFULLY PAID PROPERTY TAXES EVERY YEAR ON TIME FOR 15 YEARS ON THAT PROPERTY.
I FEEL LIKE THE CITY HAS GRIEVED ME BY FAILING TO REMOVE THE SQUATTER.
THE SQUATTER INITIALLY ASSURING ME THE CITATION WOULD BE PUT ON HOLD, AND NOW PLACING A LIEN ON MY PROPERTY THREATENING SALE WITHOUT A $1,500 PAYMENT, WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS THE CITY TO GIMME DISPENSATION WITH REGARDS TO THE ABATEMENT AND RE AND REMOVE THE LIEN FROM MY PROPERTY.
TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER RIVERA.
UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS RUBEN GARZA.
I AM THE LOCAL CONVERSATION LEADER FOR THE HOUSTON CHAPTER OF, UH, STRONG TOWNS, WHICH IS, UH, PART OF THE NATIONAL STRONG TOWNS ORGANIZATION.
UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO KNOW ME, I'M TERRIBLY SORRY.
UH, YOU KNOW, NO ONE LIKES TO GO TO WORLD CL.
NO ONE GOES TO WORLD CLASS CITIES AND COMES BACK TO SAY, I LOVED IT.
UH, WHEN WE THINK OF A PARKING PROBLEM, IT'S OFTEN FRAMED AS A SUPPLY PROBLEM.
HOWEVER, AFTER MANY YEARS OF RESEARCH AND REFORM IN CITIES LIKE BUFFALO, SAN JOSE, AUSTIN, AND OVER A HUNDRED MORE, WE NOW KNOW THAT IT'S A MANAGEMENT PROBLEM.
WE CHARGE LITTLE TO NOTHING FOR ON-STREET PARKING AND MANDATE OFF STREET PARKING SPACES FOR AN INCREDIBLE AND INEXPLICABLE NUMBER OF LAND USES WHEN UNSURPRISINGLY,
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PEOPLE HOGGED ALL THE SPOTS.THE RESEARCH NOW SHOWS THAT BECAUSE OF MINIMUM PARKING MANDATES AND A LACK, LACK OF ADEQUATE PRICING, UH, FOR OFF STREET SPACES, HOUSTON IS CONGESTED, POLLUTED, OVERPRICED, AND OVERBUILT.
WE, WE MANDATE MORE HOMES FOR CARS THAN FOR PEOPLE, AND WE PAVE OVER COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS FOR PARKING LOTS.
UH, UCLA RESEARCHER, UH, AND RECENTLY PASSED, UH, DONALD CHUPE DEBUNKED THIS INSANE PARKING REGIME IN 2005 WHEN HE PUBLISHED THE HIGH COST OF FREE PARKING, A BOOK THAT I RECOMMEND FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE HORSESHOE, UH, IF I HAVEN'T SCREAMED IT ALREADY.
UH, IN THAT BOOK, HE SUGGESTED THREE REFORMS THAT SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED, I BELIEVE, IN THE, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
NUMBER ONE, REMOVE ALL MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
JUST LOOK AT ALL THE TABLES AND PUT A BIG X OVER ALL OF THEM.
CHARGE THE LOWEST PRICE FOR ON-STREET PARKING.
THAT'LL LEAVE AT LEAST ONE TO TWO OPEN, UH, SPACES, AND DEDICATE THE METER REVENUE FOR LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS VIA PARKING BENEFITS DISTRICT.
WE HAVE THREE PBDS PARKING BENEFITS DISTRICTS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THEY'VE DONE INCREDIBLE WORK TO MAINTAIN OUR LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE AT ZERO COST TO THE GENERAL FUND.
WE CAN AND DO NEED MORE OF THESE PBDS, AND WE DO NEED OFF STREET METERING TO, UH, MONITOR AND MAINTAIN ON STREET, UH, PARKING TO ENSURE THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A SPACE OPEN FOR PEOPLE, AND THAT WE CAN DEDICATE THAT REVENUE TO IMPROVE LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE WITHOUT RAISING TAXES, WITHOUT DOING ANY, UH, SERIOUS REFORM.
THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE YEARS OF PLANNING AND PROCESSING.
THESE ARE THREE SIMPLE REFORMS THAT HAVE BEEN ENACTED IN CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO A RESOUNDING SUCCESS.
UH, IF HOUSTON WERE TO ELIMINATE ITS MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS, WE WOULD HAVE THE DISTINCT HONOR OF BEING THE LARGEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES TO DO THAT.
RIGHT NOW, THAT TITLE GOES TO AUSTIN, AND I THINK I CAN SPEAK ON BEHALF OF SOME HOUSTONIANS HERE THAT I THINK WE'D LIKE TO BE THE BIGGEST CITY, ESPECIALLY LEAPFROGGING AUSTIN.
THANK YOU, MAYOR RUBEN, THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY ON THIS TOPIC.
YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF EDUCATING MYSELF AND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ON WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO, UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OF HOW, UM, UNPAVED LOTS, UH, FOR PARKING, UM, COULD HAVE SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPMENT, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, PROPERTY VALUE, WHEN IT COMES TO JUST, UM, BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT, THAT LAND AND THAT PROPERTY IN A MUCH MORE BENEFICIAL WAY FOR EVERYONE.
UM, AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO EXPLORE.
UM, SOME OF THE RATIONALE AND REASONING FOR WHY THE PARKING STANDARDS ARE THE WAY THEY CURRENTLY ARE IS JUST KIND OF ANTIQUATED.
AND, UH, AS A GROWING METROPOLITAN CITY THAT IS GETTING MORE DENSE, UH, THESE ARE SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT I THINK, UH, ARE NECESSARY, UH, FOR US TO HAVE.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO THE FOREFRONT.
CAN I JUST SAY ONE THING ABOUT THE MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS, JUST REAL QUICK.
UM, YOU KNOW, TH THAT THOSE TABLES ARE MASSIVE IN 26 DASH 4 92, BUT THE ONE I ALWAYS LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS THE 14 SPACES PER A THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OF GENERAL FLOOR AREA FOR BARS.
THAT IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATIOS IN THE COUNTRY.
THAT IS A RECIPE FOR DRINKING AND DRIVING ONLY ONLY TO BE FOLLOWED RIGHT BEHIND BY, UH, RESTAURANTS, WHICH I BELIEVE IS 10 SPACES, TAVERNS, WHICH IS EIGHT.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE REQUIREMENTS HAVE NO SOUND LOGIC.
UM, THERE'S NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM, AND THEY'RE A PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD.
SO I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL TAKE UP A MEASURE TO REPEAL, UH, 26 DASH 4 92 IN ITS ENTIRETY.
COUNCILOR RAMIREZ, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, RUBEN, FOR COMING FORWARD AND, AND RAISING THIS ISSUE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD A DISCUSSION EARLIER TODAY ABOUT THE OPEN SPACES ORDINANCE, WHICH RAISES IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT LAND USE AND, AND YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, OUR PARKING ORDINANCE, UH, ARE, ARE, ARE RELATED, YOU KNOW, HOW, WHAT ARE OUR LAND USE RULES AND DO THEY MAKE SENSE ECONOMICALLY? AND, UH, I HOPE THAT YOUR EFFORTS WILL RESULT IN OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT TAKING ANOTHER LOOK AT, AT HOW, HOW WE MANAGE, UH, OUR PARKING HERE IN HOUSTON, BECAUSE, UH, UH, FROM, FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, THERE ARE MORE EFFICIENT WAYS TO HANDLE OUR PARKING SITUATION.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR OUTREACH AND, UH, HIGHLIGHTING THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU, MAYOR RUBIN, I APPRECIATE, UH, YOU MENTIONING THE REQUIREMENTS AROUND BARS, NIGHTCLUBS, TAVERNS.
NOT ONLY IS IT ENCOURAGING DRINKING AND DRIVING, WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE CITY, UH, PARTICULARLY IN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MONTROSE, YOU'VE SEEN A BUNGALOW TORN DOWN, UH, TO TURN IT INTO A PARKING LOT.
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AND THE LOT IS SITTING ALMOST EMPTY MOST DAYS OF THE WEEK UNDER TAXED VERY HEAVILY TOO.AND IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT, UM, AS CITIES GROW AND DEVELOP AND, AND USES CHANGED.
SO, THANKS FOR BEING HERE AND, AND RAISING THE, THE ISSUE.
COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMAN POLLARD.
AND I JUST WANT TO, TO, TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE MORE THINGS.
UM, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU THINK OF THESE BIG SURFACE LOTS IN THE CITY, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BEING TAXED EVERY YEAR BASED ON THEIR, THEIR APPRAISED PROPERTY VALUE, UH, WHICH IS LOW COMPARED TO A LOT THAT MAY BE ACROSS THE STREET THAT HAS A BUILDING ON IT, RIGHT? BUT THEY'RE STILL USI UTILIZING THE SAME INFRASTRUCTURE, ALL OF THE SAME CITY SERVICES THAT WE'RE PUTTING FORTH FROM AN ECONOMIC STANDPOINT.
AND WHEN I TALK TO DEVELOPERS ON THIS ISSUE, UH, MANY TIMES THE DEVELOPERS ARE SAYING THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE PARKING MINIMUM STANDARDS MAY BE, THEY'RE GOING TO, UM, THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD WHATEVER DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY WANT BASED ON THEIR OWN VISION OF WHAT PARKING SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO IF THEY BELIEVE THEY NEED A BIG LOT FOR, UH, THEIR DEVELOPMENT, THEY'RE GONNA DO IT REGARDLESS.
NO ONE IS GOING TO HAVE LESS PARKING SPACES BECAUSE THEY THINK IT'S GONNA BE DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR BUSINESS.
I THINK THE BIG QUESTION BECOMES HOW DO WE ADDRESS NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS? AND IF THERE IS NOT ANY, UH, ADEQUATE OR PERCEIVED ADEQUATE PARKING, UM, IN THE COMMERCIAL SPACE, DOES THAT FLOW INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SAY, OKAY, WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO PARK TO GO INTO RETAIL OR THE STORES OR THE BUSINESS, SO WE'LL, WE'LL PARK IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THEN THE NEIGHBORHOODS START TO GET, UM, THEY START TO EMAIL US.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE DYNAMIC AT PLAY, AND I THINK IT'S MORE OF A EDUCATION THEN, UH, IMPEDIMENT.
AND SO WE HAVE TO, UH, TAKE THE TIME TO EDUCATE AND SEE WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE THAT HAVE BEEN BENEFICIAL, UM, AS, AS WE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER, UH, GOING FORWARD.
ONE LAST QUICK SUGGESTION REAL QUICK.
ON THE EDUCATION FRONT, THERE IS A DATA ANALYTICS FIRM NAMED URBAN THREE THAT DOES A FANTASTIC, UH, LAND VALUE PER ACRE MAP, UM, FOR CITIES THAT THEY CONTRACT WITH STRONG TOWNS, HOUSTON, AND STRONG TOWNS.
NATIONAL HAS FANTASTIC CONNECTIONS WITH URBAN THREE.
THEY ARE A KEY PARTNER IN A LOT OF OUR ECONOMIC ANALYSIS.
I'M HAPPY TO MAKE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN, UH, FOLKS AT URBAN THREE AND, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO EXPLORE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, SO THAT WAY WE CAN GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS, UH, OUR LAND VALUE CURRENTLY BEING, WHAT DOES OUR LAND VALUE LOOK LIKE, HOW ARE WE USING IT, AND HOW WE CAN GET THE MOST OUT OF IT TO HELP THE CITY'S FINANCIAL STRUGGLES.
UM, REUBEN, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS.
I'M SO IMPRESSED JUST BY YOUR BRAIN AND THE INFORMATION THAT IT HOLDS.
UH, IT'S ALWAYS VERY IMPRESSIVE, AND I APPRECIATE THE DIALOGUE.
UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE DRINKING AND DRIVING.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES AT PLAY.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE CHALLENGE AS COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD BROUGHT UP IS IF, IF, IF, AND WHEN YOU LIMIT PARKING, UH, ESPECIALLY AROUND BARS, WE DO SEE CARS, PARKING, PEOPLE ARE STILL DRIVING MM-HMM
AND THEN THEY'RE PARKING IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THEN YOU NOT ONLY HAVE DRINKING AND DRIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU HAVE CAR BREAK-INS.
THERE'S A WHOLE HOST OF ISSUES THAT COME WITH THAT, NOT JUST THE EMAILS TO OUR OFFICE.
UM, AND WE'RE SEEING THAT PLAY OUT IN MULTIPLE DISTRICT C NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE WANT TO INCENTIVIZE WALKABILITY.
WE WANNA INCENTIVIZE RIDE SHARE, RIGHT? OR OTHER SAFE MODES.
HOW, WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND TO OFFSET, OKAY, IF YOU'RE LIMITING PARKING, HOW DO YOU PREVENT FOLKS FROM JUST TAKING THEIR CAR AND PARKING IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS? SO PART OF THAT IS, AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME FROM THE OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS HERE, BUT YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT INVOLVES A RIGOROUS ENFORCEMENT AND PRICING MECHANISM, UH, AS PROFESSOR CHUPE RECOMMENDED, AND AS CITIES HAVE IMPLEMENTED, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE IS DYNAMIC PRICE PARKING.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MOST ON-STREET METERS DON'T CHARGE PAST 6:00 PM.
SO ONCE YOU DO SEE THOSE SPILLOVER EFFECTS INTO RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, BECAUSE IT BECOMES A FREE FOR ALL FREE PARKING ALONG THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, WHERE THERE ARE NO METERS OR WHERE NOTHING IS BEING CHARGED.
AND THERE'S, AND THERE'S, AND THERE ARE RESIDENTIAL PERMIT PROGRAMS AND SOMETIME LIMITS THAT, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS CAN VOUCH AND PETITION FOR.
UH, IF SPILLOVER DOES BECOME A CONCERN, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL SEE CITIES LIKE, UH, AGAIN, LIKE BUFFALO AND AUSTIN HAVE DONE, UH, TREMENDOUS WORK IN THERE TOO.
AND AGAIN, THE NEIGHBORHOOD INCENTIVE TO, YOU KNOW, RUN THE METERS PAST A CERTAIN TIME AND TO KEEP THESE DYNAMIC PRICES IS TO THEN RECAPTURE THAT MONEY INTO THE PBD.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THE WASHINGTON HEIGHTS PBD AND PARTS OF THE MUSEUM DISTRICT PBD ARE IN
[01:30:01]
DISTRICT C AND I MEAN, THEY'VE DONE FANTASTIC WORK IN IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE.SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THERE'S A BIT OF A TRADE OFF OF, OKAY, THERE MAY BE SOME CARS THAT KIND OF COME ONTO THE STREETS.
AND WITH RESPECT TO THE ENFORCEMENT, SOME CITIES, UH, LIKE I BELIEVE REDWOOD, CALIFORNIA AND VENTURA, CALIFORNIA, HAVE USED THE PBD EXCESS FUNDS TO PAY FOR, UH, STRICT ENFORCEMENT, HAVE A POLICE OFFICER MONITORING THAT AREA UP AND DOWN TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, REDUCED BREAK-INS OR THAT PEOPLE DO FEEL SAFE.
AND ALL OF THAT IS PAID FOR BY THE PARKING MONEY.
SO, YOU KNOW, VISITORS COME INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY PAY THE METERS, AND THAT METER FUNDS PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL AS ANY OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE CONSIDERED, UH, BY THE, UH, YOU KNOW, PBD ADVISORY BOARD AND HOW WE CURRENTLY DO IT HERE IN THE CITY.
NEXT, CHRISTOPHER RIVERA TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ.
AND, UH, MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER RIVERA.
I WORK WITH THE TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE RICE COALITION.
I JUST WANNA LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THIS WILL ACTUALLY BE LIKE A DAISY CHAIN OF CONVERSATION.
I'LL SPEAK, AND THEN THE REST OF THE RICE COALITION WILL COME ON AND, AND ADD MORE POINTS TO THIS, UH, ISSUE.
BUT I WANNA REALLY THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD AND THOMAS TODAY FOR WORKING WITH THE RISE COALITION ON AN ORDINANCE THAT ADDRESSES, UH, RACIAL, UH, SORRY ADDRESSES, NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS TOGETHER.
WE HAVE WORKED ON THESE LAST, UH, THIS ISSUE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND WE'VE BEEN BUILDING THIS, UH, COM, AND THIS HAS BEEN BUILDING, UH, FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND IT, AND IT ACTUALLY GOES BEFORE ANY OF THE CURRENT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACTIONS.
THIS WORK BEGAN NEARLY FIVE YEARS AGO, ACTUALLY, WHEN TCRP REPRESENTED A CLIENT WHOSE SON WAS KILLED DURING A NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOP.
SADLY, THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES DURING A NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOP, AND THOSE INCLUDE SANDRA BLAND, POLANDO CASTILLO, PATRICK LAIA, AND TYREE NICHOLS.
BLACK AND BROWN DRIVERS SHOULDN'T FEEL THAT THEIR LIFE IS IN DANGER WHEN THEY'RE PULLED OVER FOR A TRAFFIC STOP.
THE RICE COALITION WAS FORMED TO PUSH DATA BACK SOLUTIONS AND ADDRESS THE RACIAL DISPARITIES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS ARE KNOWN AS NON-MOVING VEHICLE VIOLATIONS, WHICH INCLUDE EXPIRED REGISTRATION OR DARK TINTED WINDOWS.
VIOLATIONS THAT STUDIES HAVE FOUND ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASING ROAD SAFETY OR EFFECTIVELY WAYS TO FIGHT CRIME.
AS WE EXAMINE HPDS DATA, WE NOTICE THAT THERE ARE HIGH RACIAL DISPARITIES WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK AND BROWN DRIVERS.
FOR EXAMPLE, BLACK DRIVERS MAKE UP THE PLURALITY OF NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS, SEARCHES, ARREST AND USE OF FORCE CASES, BUT YET ONLY REPRESENT 23% OF THE HOUSTON POPULATION.
WHEN WE NOTICED THESE RACIAL DISPARITIES, WE REACHED OUT TO PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE IN THIS HORSESHOE TO DISCUSS THIS, OUR FINDINGS.
WE HAVE A FORMER HPD, CHIEF BENNER AND HIS TEAM TO DISCUSS THE DATA, AND WE REQUESTED A TIME TO MEET WITH CHIEF DIAZ.
RISE, MET WITH HPOU TO DISCUSS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION THAT WORKED FOR BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE OFFICER.
WHEN WE ARE NOW AT A PIVOTAL MOMENT, AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY PASSING AN ORDINANCE THAT WILL REDIRECT PUBLIC SAFETY IN A WAY THAT OFFICERS RESOURCES AND TIME TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCY CALLS, REDUCE THE RACIAL DISPARITIES ASSOCIATED WITH TRAFFIC STOPS AND LOWER ROAD INJURIES AND FATALITIES, DEPRIORITIZING NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS WILL MAKE HOUSTON ROAD SAFER FOR BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE OFFICER.
I'M GONNA LET MY COLLEAGUES CHIME IN TO DISCUSS THE REST OF THE FINDINGS, BUT ALSO THE MEMOS I JUST SENT, UH, HANDED TO YOU HAS THE ORDINANCE IN THERE AND HAS SOME LINGUAL LANGUAGE THAT, UH, MY COLLEAGUES WILL COVER.
BUT I'LL YIELD MY TIME FOR MY COLLEAGUES ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ.
I KNOW WE GOT A FUN SETUP TODAY.
UM, BUT YEAH, FIRST I WANNA THANK COUNCIL.
I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD AND COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS FOR, FOR REALLY FACILITATING THIS CONVERSATION.
I'M AN EMPLOYEE OF PEOPLE'S COUNCIL, A MEMBER OF RICE HOUSTON, AND A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT H.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS LIKE, UH, CHRIS HAD, AND WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH POLLARD AND THOMAS REGULARLY FOR OVER THE PAST YEAR, AND HAVE HAD MEETINGS WITH YOU.
YOU HAVE TRIED TO HAVE MEETINGS WITH EVERY SINGLE PERSON SITTING IN THIS ROOM.
UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT A MORE COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS HERE OF THE, OUR ORDINANCE THAT WANTS TO DIRECT HPD TO PRIORITIZE ACTUAL SAFETY ISSUES AND DANGEROUS DRIVING ES BY ENDING STOPS THAT HURT HOUSTONIANS WITHOUT MAKING OUR ROAD SAFER.
AS MY COLLEAGUE CHRIS STATED, OUR OUR GOAL OF DEPRIORITIZING NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS IS ROOTED IN DATA ANALYSIS AS MUCH AS THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF DRIVERS OF COLOR IN HOUSTON.
WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE OFFICER AND COMMUNITY SAFETY.
WE KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PUBLIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DATA UNDERLYING OUR PROPOSAL, AND I WANNA SHARE SOME OF THAT DATA WITH YOU.
[01:35:01]
CITE IS DIRECTLY SOURCED FROM HPDS POLICE DATA TRANSPARENCY HUB, OR THE DATA HPD SUBMITS TO T COLE, THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT THEMSELVES, NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT A THIRD OF ALL HPD TRAFFIC STOPS.THIS IS ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND STOPS IN 2025.
WHEN WE CAME HERE LAST YEAR, WE HAD HOPED THAT ENDING NON-SAFETY, THE ENDING TRAFFIC STOP QUOTAS, UM, THROUGH THE ORDINANCE PASSED IN MAY, 2025, WOULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
BUT WE DID NOT SEE THAT HAPPEN.
THE, THE NUMBER OF NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS STAYED CONSISTENT BETWEEN 2024 AND 2025, EVEN THOUGH THAT ORDINANCE WAS PASSED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, WE HAVE TO REALLY CONSIDER THAT NUMBER IN CONTEXT, RIGHT? THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF HOURS THAT WE'RE TALKING.
LET'S ASSUME THE TRAFFIC STOP IS 10 MINUTES, RIGHT? LET'S ASSUME A TRAFFIC STOP IS, IS FIVE MINUTES.
YOU'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF OFFICER TIME THAT'S HAPPENING AND BEING SPENT ON PULLING PEOPLE OVER FOR NON-SAFETY VIOLATIONS, AS ALLUDED TO BY CHRIS.
THERE ARE MAJOR RACIAL DISPARITIES IN NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOP ENFORCEMENT.
IT IS NOT ONLY THAT BLACK DRIVERS ARE A PLURALITY OF THE PEOPLE STOPPED IN NON-SAFETY, TRAFFIC STOPS INTERACTION.
ABOUT 42% OF THE PEOPLE STOPPED, EVEN THOUGH THEY REPRESENT 22% OF THE POPULATION.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS ON USE OF FORCE INCIDENTS STEMMING FROM TRAFFIC STOPS, BLACK PEOPLE MAKE UP AROUND 60%.
AND THAT'S A CONSISTENT TREND OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS, RIGHT? WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BEING THE GROSS MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE, UH, YOUTH FORCES BEING USED UPON IN TRAFFIC STOP INSTANCES.
AND THERE'S NO ARGUMENT HERE TO BE MADE ABOUT, OH, WELL, THE PERSON COULDN'T TELL WHO THEY WERE PULLING OVER.
SO, WHICH IS THE ARGUMENT THAT IS MADE WHEN SOMEONE'S ACTUALLY PULLED OVER IN THOSE USE OF FORCE INCIDENTS, LIKE WE'RE SAYING, WE'RE SEEING A BLACK PEOPLE B, DISPROPORTIONATE VICTIMS, UH, IN, IN USE OF FORCE INCIDENTS.
HPD TELLS US THAT, THAT THEY NEED THESE STOPS TO PREVENT MORE SERIOUS CRIME.
BUT THE DATA TELLS US A DIFFERENT STORY.
ACCORDING TO THE DATA SUBMITTED TO T COLE IN 2023, HPD CONDUCTED 126,000 NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS AND FOUND CONTRABAND IN LESS THAN FIVE, AROUND 5% OF THOSE STOPS, AND IN FOUND AND ACTUALLY PERFORMED ARREST IN ONLY ABOUT 3% OF THOSE STOPS.
THESE NUMBERS HAVE REMAINED CONSISTENT FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
IF NON-SAFETY TRAPS ARE, ARE TRAFFIC STOPS ARE WASTEFUL AND, AND SPEND OFFICER RESOURCES AND OFFICER TIME IN, IN THE TIME WHEN THE CITY IS CONTINUALLY ASKING ITSELF HOW IT'S GONNA MEET ITS FISCAL RESPONSIBILITIES, IF THEY'RE DANGEROUS TO, TO BLACK DRIVERS AND TO BROWN DRIVERS.
AND IF THEY'RE INEFFECTIVE AT FINDING CONTRABAND AND, AND DELIVERING ON ARREST OR DELIVERING ON STRONG ENFORCEMENT, WHY ARE WE STILL DOING THAT? YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
I'LL SEE YOU THE REST OF THE TIME TO CHRISTIAN KRISTEN BUD WINE TO BE FOLLOWED BY SELENA BRA.
I'M A POLICY ATTORNEY WITH THE TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT, AND I'LL BE SUMMARIZING THE MEMO, MEMO THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, AND I'LL OPEN MYSELF UP FOR QUESTIONS.
UM, SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS AMENDMENT, AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY SAID, IS TO PRIORITIZE THE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT OF DANGEROUS DRIVING PRACTICES AND TO END TRAFFIC STOPS THAT HURT HOUSTONIANS AND HAVE LITTLE TO NO IMPACT ON ROAD SAFETY.
PAGE FIVE THROUGH SIX OF THE MEMO MEMO LAYS OUT AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 45, UM, DASH TWO AND 45 DASH EIGHT OF THE HOUSTON CODE OF ORDINANCES.
UM, THE AMENDMENT TO SECTION 45 DASH TWO DEFINES A PRIMARY SAFETY VIOLATION TO MEAN ANY OF THE EIGHT VIOLATIONS THAT ARE LISTED AND A SECONDARY SAFETY VIOLATION, UH, TO MEAN ANY TRAFFIC RELATED VIOLATION OR OFFENSE, NOT DEFINED AS A PRIMARY SAFETY VIOLATION.
THE MAIN PART OF THIS AMENDMENT IS UNDER SECTION 45 DASH EIGHT, UM, WHICH WOULD MAINTAIN AN OFFICER'S DISCRETION TO INITIATE A STOP FOR ANY PRIMARY VIOLATION WHILE PROHIBITING HPD FROM INITIATING STOPS FOR SECONDARY VIOLATIONS.
SECONDARY VIOLATIONS CAN STILL BE ADDRESSED DURING STOPS FOR PRIMARY VIOLATIONS OR THROUGH ANY OTHER LAWFUL MEANS THAT, UM, IS IN THE TOOLBOX OF HPD.
THE SECTION DIRECTS HPD TO PRIORITIZE ENFORCING OFFENSES DIRECTLY TIED TO ROAD CRASHES AND FATALITIES, WHILE DEPRIORITIZING ENFORCEMENT FOR NON-MOVING VIOLATIONS DURING A MEETING WITH HBOU.
THE UNION RAISED CONCERNS THAT, UM, THAT WE ADDRESSED IN SECTIONS C THROUGH E.
AND SO I WANNA BE CLEAR THAT THIS AMENDMENT DOES NOT LIMIT H HP D'S AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE A JUDICIAL ORDER OR ARREST WARRANT.
IT DOES NOT LIMIT HPDS AUTHORITY TO ACT PURSUANT TO A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION FROM CON FROM CONDUCTING A MOTOR VEHICLE STOP FOR A SECONDARY VIOLATION WHILE INVESTIGATING AN OFFENSE INVOLVING VIOLENCE, UM, AS DEFINED BY TEXAS CRIMINAL PROCEDURE ARTICLE, UM, 17.03.
NOR DOES IT EXPAND A RIGHT REMEDY OR CAUSE OF ACTION, NOT OTHERWISE ESTABLISHED BY LAW.
AND THEN I WANNA ALSO BE CLEAR THAT CITY COUNCIL DOES HAVE THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO PASS IT ORDINANCE AS A HOMEROOM MUNICIPALITY.
TEXAS STATE LAW GRANTS HOUSTON, THE EXPRESS LEGAL AUTHORITY TO REGULATE TRAFFIC WITHIN ITS CITY LIMITS.
THE SUPREME COURT, THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT HAS BEEN CLEAR AND HAS RULED THAT HOME RULE MUNICIPALITIES ARE GIVEN ALL POWERS NOT PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW, AND THAT THESE POWERS ARE ONLY LIMITED WHERE PREEMPTION IS CLEAR AND COMPELLING, AND THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATOR IS TO POSE
[01:40:01]
SUCH LIMITS, UH, APPEARS WITH UNMISTAKABLE CLARITY.NOT ONLY IS THE TRAFFIC STOP AMENDMENT NOT PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW, BUT STATE LAW EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZES HOME WILL CITIES TO HAVE EXCLUSIVE CONTROL OVER THE PUBLIC HIGHWAYS AND STREETS OF THE MUNICIPALITY.
UNDER, UH, SECTION 3 1 1, 1 0.001 OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE.
TEXAS COURTS HAVE INTERPRETED THIS STATUTE BROADLY BY STATING THERE CAN BE NO SERIOUS DEBATE.
THAT REGULATION OF TRAFFIC IS A QUINTESSENTIAL FUNCTION OF A CITY'S POLICE POWER, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE STATUTORY GRANT TO A CITY TO AUTHORITY.
UH, I'LL GIVE YOU A, I'LL GIVE YOU A FEW SECONDS TO WRAP UP, AND THEN I, I HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
YEAH, I, I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, UNDER HOUSTON'S CODE OF ORDINANCES, UM, ARTICLE SEVEN, SECTION 10 OF THE CITY CHARTER, IT GIVES LEGISLATIVE POWERS TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
SEVEN A, UH, GIVES COUNCIL THE AUTHORITY TO GOVERN THE OPERATIONS OF EACH DEPARTMENT, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES HPD.
AND IN FACT, SECTION 34 DASH 22 OF THE CITY'S CODE OF ORDINANCES PROVIDES THAT THE CHIEF OF POLICE IS SUBJECT ONLY TO THE ORDINANCE, ORDERS AND ACTIONS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR.
UM, AND SO COUNCIL, UM, AS MY COLLEAGUE HAD MENTIONED, COUNCIL ACTUALLY RE RECENTLY EXERCISED, UM, ITS LEGISLATIVE POWERS UNDER THIS WHEN IT PASSED THE TRAFFIC STOP QUOTA, UM, ORDINANCE BACK IN, I THINK OF MAY OF 2025.
AND SO THIS ORDINANCE, UH, WOULD FALL UNDER THOSE SAME, UH, POWERS.
SO I, I APPRECIATE YOU LAYING THAT OUT AND, AND FOR THE STATUTORY GUIDELINES AND, UH, CASE LAW THAT YOU ALL HAVE PROVIDED, AS WELL AS, UM, PROVISIONS OF THE CITY CHARTER, UH, THAT SPEAK TO, UM, THIS COUNCIL'S GOVERNMENT GOVERNING AUTHORITY, UH, WHEN WE DID MEET WITH HPOU, UM, SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST, UH, YEAR, MAYBE MORE, UM, THEY DID HAVE CONCERNS REGARDING HOW THIS WOULD IMPACT CERTAIN DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE FROM AN INVESTIGATORY STANDPOINT.
AND BASED ON THAT, I SEE YOU ALL HAVE LAID OUT, UH, AS YOU MENTIONED, UM, SECTION C, D, AND E ON PAGE SIX, WHICH, UM, MAKES EXCEPTIONS FOR WHEN HPD STILL WOULD HAVE THE AUTHORITY, UH, TO, UM, ENGAGE AND STOP VEHICLES, UH, IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS.
AND SO, C STATES, NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO LIMIT A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER'S AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE A JUDICIAL ORDER OR ARREST WARRANT.
NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL PROHIBIT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ACTING PURSUANT TO A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION FROM CONDUCTING A MOTOR VEHICLE STOP FOR A SECONDARY VIOLATION WHILE INVESTIGATING AN OFFENSE, UM, AS DEFINED BY, UH, UM, THIS PROVISION OF THE CRIMINAL CODE.
I THINK THOSE WERE TWO VERY STRONG ADDITIONS, UM, TO THAT.
AND I WANT TO, UH, CREDIT YOU ALL FOR LISTENING TO HPOU, UH, AND SOME OF THE INSIGHT OF THE OFFICERS, UM, AS WE WERE TRYING TO FIND A BALANCED APPROACH TO EXPLORE.
AND I DO THINK THE WAY THAT THIS IS LAID OUT IS SOMETHING FOR US TO CONSIDER, AND IT COULD BE LOOKED AT AS A WIN-WIN BECAUSE OUR HPD OFFICERS ARE SPREAD VERY THIN.
UM, AND WHEN WE KNOW WE HAVE LIMITED OFFICERS WITH LIMITED CAPACITY, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE WITH THEIR TIME FOCUSING ON MORE HIGH LEVEL CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS AND HARMS TO SOCIETY? UM, SO, UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK, UM, AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO REVIEWING IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND AGAIN, FOR PROVIDING SOME OF THE LEGAL CONTEXT FOR THIS.
UM, DOES THIS IN ANY WAY PRECLUDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON OR HPD FROM BEING ABLE TO, FOR EXAMPLE, ISSUE CITATIONS FOR INFRACTIONS, UM, THROUGH THE MAIL? SO IF THEY WITNESS SOMEBODY, LET'S SAY UNDER ONE OF THE, UH, UH, CLASSIFICATIONS WHERE THEY'RE NOT TO PULL NECESSARILY SOMEONE OVER, DOES THAT PROHIBIT CITATIONS OTHERWISE? NO.
AND DOES THE, UM, A LOT OF THE DATA, AND I KNOW WE HAD OTHER SPEAKERS, SO I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR WORKING ON THIS AND PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION FOR MEETING, I KNOW WE JUST MET TODAY, AND I HAD ASKED THE QUESTION, YOU KNOW, WHERE IS A LOT OF THIS DATA COMING FROM? UM, AND WE HAD ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE, THE, UM, TRANSPARENCY
[01:45:01]
DASHBOARD WITH HPD.UM, DOES SOME OF THE DATA THAT YOU'RE PULLING COME FROM THERE? CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? YEAH, SO I WANNA SAY THAT THE EIGHT OFFENSES THAT ARE LISTED AS PRIMARY VIOLATIONS, WE'RE NOT PULLING THEM OUT OF THIN AIR.
UM, WE'VE GOT IT FROM, WE'VE PULLED THE DATA FROM, UH, TEX DIED, HOUSTON'S VISION ZERO REPORTS, AND THEN HB D'S OWN FATAL CRASH DATA.
SO WHEN, UH, A A CAR CRASH HAPPENS AND THERE'S A SERIOUS INJURY OR A DEATH, AN OFFICER HAS TO MARK OFF WHAT CAUSED THAT, THAT INJURY.
AND SO WE LOOKED AT THE TOP EIGHT, UM, CONTRIBUTING FACTORS OF TRAFFIC DEATHS AND SERIOUS INJURIES.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THOSE EIGHT OFFENSES ARE, UM, ARE COMING FROM.
AND I KNOW I HAD POSED SOME OTHER QUESTIONS.
I KNOW Y'ALL WILL GET BACK TO ME ON, UM, RELATED TO, AGAIN, AS WE'VE HAD OTHER SPEAKERS COME TALKING ABOUT OTHER ISSUES THAT THE CITY IS GRAPPLING WITH RIGHT NOW, UM, HOW WE CAN UPDATE THE DASHBOARD TO BE PROVIDING INFORMATION THAT IS BENEFICIAL TO TWO RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY AND TO HPD AS WELL IN THIS PARTNERSHIP.
THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR RAMIREZ.
AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THE WORK THAT, THAT YOU'VE DONE.
I APPRECIATED THE MEETING, UH, THAT WE HAD AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW YOUR PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
I KNOW A LOT OF THOUGHT HAS GONE INTO IT.
I DO WANT TO SHARE ONE, UH, ONE CONCERN I I HAVE WITH IT.
UH, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT AS A HOME ROLL CITY, UH, HOUSTON HAS THE AUTHORITY TO PASS ORDINANCES RIGHT? TO, TO PROMOTE THE GENERAL WE WELFARE.
BUT ONE THING WE CANNOT DO IS, UH, PASS SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, INCONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW THAT DOESN'T FOLLOW STATE LAW.
AND SO ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE IS, UH, IN YOUR, UH, PROPOSED SECTION 45 DASH EIGHT B, OFFICERS OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE HEREBY PROHIBITED FROM INITIATING A MOTOR VEHICLE STOP FOR BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, SECONDARY, WHAT, WHAT YOU GUYS CALL SECONDARY VIOLATIONS.
I THINK THAT CONFLICTS WITH STATE LAW.
AND, AND I'D ASK YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT, UH, TEXAS CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, ARTICLE 2.13, WHERE THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF PEACE OFFICERS ARE SET OUT, AND SPECIFICALLY B ONE WHERE IT SAYS, THE OFFICER SHALL, IN EVERY CASE AUTHORIZED BY THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CODE, INTERFERE WITH, WITH INTERFERE WITHOUT WARRANT TO PREVENT OR SUR SUPPRESS CRIME.
AND WE KNOW THAT OUR OFFICERS, WHEN THEY, UH, GRADUATE FROM THE ACADEMY AND THEY ASSUME THEIR DUTIES, THEY'RE SWORN TO UPHOLD TEXAS LAWS.
AND SO I THINK IF WE TRIED TO PASS THIS, IT WOULD CONFLICT NOT ONLY WITH STATE LAW, BUT WOULD PUT THEM IN THE POSITION OF BEING SWORN TO UPHOLD STATE LAW, YET THERE'S AN ORDINANCE THAT PROHIBITS THEM FROM ENFORCING STATE LAW.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK YOUR PROPOSED ORDINANCE WOULD WORK.
I I RESPECT ALL THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU PUT INTO IT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WELCOME, UH, ANY REVISIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
BUT I THINK MAYBE, UH, YOU'D HAVE BETTER SUCCESS IF YOU COULD CONVINCE THE LEGISLATURE, AND THIS IS TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S POINT, TO MAKE IT EASIER TO ENFORCE NON-SAFETY VIOLATIONS, UH, WITHOUT HAVING TO PULL SOMEONE OVER, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
CAN I RESPOND? DO YOU, I'M SORRY.
SO TO BE CLEAR, UM, ANY TRAFFIC VIOLATION THAT DOES NOT FALL UNDER THOSE PRIMARY VIOLATIONS, OFFICERS CAN STILL ENFORCE THOSE AFTER A PRIMARY VI, UH, A TRAFFIC STOP OR A PRIMARY VIOLATION HAS BEEN INITIATED OR UNDER OTHER LEGAL MEANS THAT, UM, OFFICERS HAVE IN THEIR TOOLBOX.
RIGHT? UM, AND I'LL POINT YOU TO TR I I WOULD DEFINITELY LOOK AT THE, THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, UH, SECTION THAT YOU POINTED OUT.
BUT, UM, IN OUR MEMO, WE LAY OUT, UM, THIS PREEMPTION ISSUE SPECIFICALLY.
UM, SO TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE SECTION 5 4 2 0.201 AUTHORIZES LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO REGULATE TRAFFIC IN A MANNER THAT DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH SUBTITLE C OF THE CODE.
AND THEN SUBTITLE, C UH, 5 4 2 0.202 A ONE EXPRESSLY PERMITS A MUNICIPALITY TO REGULATE TRAFFIC BY POLICE OFFICERS OR TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES.
AND SO IT'S OUR READING THAT, UM, UNDER THIS AMENDMENT, LIKE ALL CONDUCT, ALL CONDUCT THAT IS UNLAWFUL WILL REMAIN UNLAWFUL.
UM, AND THAT IT DOES NOT PROHIBIT ENFORCEMENT OF ANY, ANY VIOLATION.
IT SIMPLY REGULATES THE MANNERS AND MEANS IN WHICH, UM, HBD CAN CONDUCT TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE SECTION THAT WE'VE USED TO SUPPORT OUR ARGUMENT THAT THIS IS LEGAL.
[01:50:01]
ON THE PRE PREEMPTION ISSUE, A LITTLE FURTHER, I'LL POINT YOU TO CITY OF LAREDO VERSUS LAREDO MERCHANTS, UM, A SS DASH N UM, I CAN GIVE YOU THAT, THE, THE CITATION LATER, BUT IT'S A TEXAS SUPREME COURT CASE, UM, WHERE AN ORDINANCE WAS PREEMPTED.SO IN THAT CASE, LAREDO, WHICH IS A HOME RULE CITY, UM, THEY HAD AN ORDINANCE THAT MADE IT UNLAWFUL FOR BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE SINGLE USE PLASTICS OR PAPER CHECK CHECKOUT BAGS.
AND SO WHAT THE COURT HELD IS THAT THEY, THEY HELD THAT, UM, THE ORDINANCE WAS UNENFORCEABLE BECAUSE THE STATE SOLID WASTE DISPOSABLE ACT PREEMPTED THE ORDINANCE BY EXPRESSLY STATING, QUOTE, AN ORDINANCE CANNOT PROHIBIT OR RESTRICT THE SALE OR USE OF A CONTAINER OR PACKAGE.
AND SO THAT'S THE TYPE OF CLEAR AND COMPELLING LANGUAGE THAT WE BELIEVE HAS TO BE IN THE STATUTE FOR IT TO BE PREEMPTED.
BUT LET ME ASK YOU, HAS THERE BEEN ANY OTHER CITY IN TEXAS GOVERNED BY STATE LAW, UH, THAT HAS DONE WHAT YOU'RE ASKING US TO DO? NO, SIR.
WE WILL BE THE, WE WILL BE THE FIRST.
UM, WELL, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT YOU PUT INTO IT, BUT, UH, I THINK, UH, THE STATUTE I'VE CITED AND, AND THE OATH THAT OUR OFFICERS TAKE, PREVENT US FROM ENACTING WHAT, WHAT YOU PROPOSED.
I'LL DEFINITELY CONSIDER THAT AND THEN MEET UP WITH YOU LATER TO TALK IT OUT.
BUT THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
I'VE GOT THE DASHBOARD PULLED UP ON TRAFFIC STOPS, AND IT LOOKS LIKE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 25 TO NOW 112,000 AND CHANGE IN, IN THESE TYPE OF TRAFFIC VEHICLE TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS AND ABOUT THREE AND A HALF OR 3,500 ARRESTS FROM THOSE.
AND I GUESS WHAT IF WE TRACK THE TYPES OF ARRESTS OR THE TYPES OF, UH, WHAT WE'RE FI YOU KNOW, ON, ON THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO ME.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN TRACK IT THAT WAY, BUT THAT INFORMATION 'CAUSE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY SOME, SOME OF THESE TRAFFIC STOPS DO YIELD AN ARREST AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING UNSAFE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, OFF THE STREETS MM-HMM
UM, SO JUST THE TYPE OF, KIND OF, UH, THE TYPE OF VIOLATION WOULD BE INTERESTING FOR ME TO, TO KNOW.
AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, I, I TOO HAD SIMILAR, UM, THOUGHTS BASED ON, UM, THE, THE, UH, STATE STATUTE THAT YOU REFERENCED.
UM, AND I THINK A QUESTION ALSO NEEDS TO BE EXPLORED, AND, AND, AND MAYBE YOU ALL CAN GIVE US SOME CLARITY ON IT, IS EVEN WITHIN THE STATE STATUTE, WHEN IT SAYS WHAT A OFFICER SHALL DO, UM, OFFICERS STILL HAVE DISCRETION, RIGHT? AND SO EVEN WHEN THEY SOMETIMES RIGHT NOW PULL PEOPLE OVER, THEY HAVE THE DISCRETION WHETHER TO CITE THEM, WHETHER TO GIVE THEM A WARNING, WHETHER TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE IT FURTHER THROUGH AN INVESTIGATION BASED ON PROBABLE CAUSE OR WHATEVER.
AND SO THE, THE QUESTION BECOMES WHAT IS, WHAT WOULD BE THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT, RIGHT? UM, AND HOW FAR DOES THAT DISCRETION GO? AND, UM, FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, UH, AS A HOME RULE CITY, BASED ON THE THE CASE LAW THAT SHE'S PRESENTED, DOES THAT STILL GIVE US GOVERNING AUTHORITY, UH, TO BE ABLE TO SET PARAMETERS BASED ON, UM, LOCAL DYNAMICS? AND I, I THINK THAT IS A QUESTION THAT IF LAID OUT FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, THAT, THAT YOU ALL CAN BRING MORE CLARITY TO, UM, IT WOULD ADDRESS, I THINK, HIS CONCERN, AND IT WOULD, IT WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO GIVE US, AS A BODY, I THINK, MORE CONCRETE, UH, EXAMPLES OF HOW WE COULD, UH, LEGALLY PUT THIS FORWARD, UH, FOR DISCUSSION BEFORE THE BODY.
UM, AND THE DISCRETIONARY ARGUMENT FOR ME IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT I, I DON'T THINK THE LEGISLATURE HAS BOUND OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO, UM, STRICTLY STAND BY WITH THE WORD SHALL, BECAUSE THEY STILL HAVE THE DISCRETION AS OFFICERS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO, UM, LOOK AT EACH SITUATION ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AND THEN, UH, DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
SO, UM, IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE DISCRETIONARY, UM, PERSPEC THE, UH, AUTHORITY THAT OFFICERS HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, TRAFFIC STOPS, AND WHY YOU BELIEVE THAT THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE THAT YOU PUT BEFORE US, UH, WOULD BE MERITORIOUS AGAINST ANY, UH, CONFLICT OF INTEREST,
[01:55:01]
UH, ARGUMENT RELATED TO STATE LAW.AND, AND I'LL DEFINITELY, UM, LOOK INTO THE SPECIFIC STATUTE THAT YOU MENTIONED, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, AND, AND LOOK TO SEE IF ANY, UM, COURTS HAVE INTERPRETED WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS AND WHETHER THE DISCRETION PIECE COMES IN OR NOT.
UM, I DON'T LIKE SPEAKING ON STUFF THAT I LIKE, DON'T KNOW, JUST OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I WANNA GO AND RESEARCH IT.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR, FOR RAISING THAT.
AND YEAH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS SHA THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRESENTING THIS TO US.
I GUESS, YOU KNOW, NOT BEING, UH, A LEGAL MIND, SO TO SPEAK PROFESSIONALLY.
UH, I'LL SAY THAT I, THE WAY I'M LOOKING AT THIS, IF WE WERE ABLE TO PASS AN ORDINANCE THAT AMENDED THE, THE QUORUM, I MEAN THE QUOTE, EXCUSE ME, THEN WHY IS IT THIS CAN'T BE CONSTRUED IN THE SAME MANNER? UH, BECAUSE IF THAT'S NOT A VIOLATION, THEN HOW IS THIS A VIOLATION? AND SO I'M FOLLOWING YOUR THOUGHT PROCESSES AS WELL AS YOUR LEGAL, UH, ARGUMENT.
AND SO I, I JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE.
AND THAT MAY NOT BE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN CERTAINLY ANSWER, OR MAYBE YOU'VE ALREADY ANSWERED IT MM-HMM
BECAUSE I, I DON'T SEE WHERE AN AMENDMENT, UH, STOPPING QUOTAS, GIVING THE DISCRETION TO STOP THE QUOTAS WOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT FROM AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD STOP THE NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC, UH, VIOLATIONS.
YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO ANSWER THAT UNLESS YOU WANT TO HAVE A FEW MORE MINUTES,
UM, AND I THINK WE CITED DIRECTLY TO THAT IN OUR, IN OUR MEMO ARTICLE SEVEN, SECTION 10 OF THE CITY CHARTER IS WHAT WE CITED TO.
LAST THOUGHT ON, ON THE, UH, DISCRETION MM-HMM
UM, SO, SO YOUR PROPOSED ORDINANCE WOULD ENTIRELY REMOVE THE OFFICER'S DISCRETION TO ENFORCE THEIR LEGALLY DUTY UNDER, UNDER STATE LAW.
AND, AND THAT'S WHERE THE ISSUE IS.
SO OUR POSITION IS THAT AS A CITY, YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE THE MANNER AND THE MEANS IN WHICH TRAFFIC IS ENFORCED IN YOUR CITY.
AND SO, UM, THE DISCRETION PIECE THAT THAT'S A, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, WE CAN DEFINITELY GET INTO, BUT I THINK IT GOES BACK TO OFFICERS HAVE ALL TYPES OF TOOLS IN THEIR TOOLBOX YOU CAN DO.
AND AS A, A CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY, I DON'T AGREE WITH MOST OF THE THINGS, RIGHT? BUT, UM, WAIT UNTIL THE PERSON STOPS, GETS OUT THEIR CAR, DO A TERRY STOP, STOP AND FRISK, UM, GO, IF YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH, UM, EVIDENCE, GO TO A JUDGE, GET A JUDICIAL ORDER, UM, A JU EXCUSE ME, A JUDICIAL WARRANT, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, OFFICERS HAVE SO MANY TOOLS, RIGHT? AND SO OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR POINT IS THIS, THAT YOU HAVE TO DO A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS WHEN IT COMES TO THESE PRETEXTUAL STOPS.
WHAT IS THE COST TO THE COMMUNITY? WE'VE HEARD IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN FOR THE PAST THREE WEEKS.
WE'VE HEARD WHAT THE COST HAS BEEN TO THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY, TO THE BROWN COMMUNITY.
UM, AND, AND SO YEAH, IT, I THINK IT, IT, I THINK IT BOILS DOWN TO THAT.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO TIE THE HANDS OF, UM, HOUSTON POLICE OFFICERS.
WE'VE MET WITH HPOU MULTIPLE TIMES.
UM, THEY ARE NOT BUDGING, WHICH WE RESPECT, UH, FULLY, BUT OUR POSITION IS THAT THIS IS THE TYPE OF, UM, THIS IS THE TYPE OF POLICY THAT NEEDS TO BE PASSED IMMEDIATELY.
AND, AND NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT.
AND YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO IT.
AND FOR MY, MY FINAL TAKE ON THIS IS, IS TO, TO ANSWER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ'S POINT.
SO WITH, WITH THE TRAFFIC QUOTA ARGUMENT, THE STATE THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOTHING AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT SPOKE TO, UH, QUOTAS FOR TRAFFIC STOPS.
SO THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WAS IN CONFLICT.
THEY DID HAVE UNDER STATE LAW A QUOTA OF, UH, AN ELIMINATION OF QUOTAS FOR, UH, TRAFFIC
[02:00:01]
TICKETS.AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, PUSH THAT FORWARD BECAUSE THERE WAS, IT WAS SILENT AT THE STATE LEVEL.
WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ HAS BROUGHT UP, AND WHAT OTHERS MAY BRING UP IS, UM, IF A PROPOSAL WAS PUT FORWARD TO, UM, DISALLOW HPD OFFICERS FROM, UH, MINOR TRAFFIC STOP ENGAGEMENT, WILL THAT BE A DIRECT VIOLATION OR CONFLICT WITH STATE LAW WHEN OFFICERS ARE, UM, BOUND TO DO SO WITH CERTAIN INTERPRETATION? UM, I THINK THERE'S NO OBJECTION THAT THIS BODY, IF SOMETHING IS SILENT AT THE STATE LEVEL, THAT WE AS A GOVERNING BODY CAN PUT FORTH, UM, UM, A PROPOSAL OR AN AMENDMENT, UM, THAT CHANGES THE DYNAMICS OF CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS AS LONG AS WE DON'T GET INTO THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
BUT, UM, THE QUESTION WILL REMAIN WHEN IT PERTAINS TO THIS, UM, ISSUE, IS, IS THERE A WAY, UH, THAT IT'S NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE STATE LAW BASED ON THE PROVISION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ BROUGHT FORTH? IF WE CAN, OR IF YOU ALL CAN SHOW THAT IN A CLEAR FASHION, UM, I THINK THAT WOULD ALLOW THIS BODY, UM, TO EXPLORE THIS FURTHER, TO PUSH FORWARD.
BECAUSE WHAT YOU HAVE LAID OUT, I THINK IS EXTREMELY STRONG.
I THINK IT, IT, IT HITS ALL THE POINTS OF, OF THE DATA AND THE STATE STATUTES AND CITY CHARTER THAT GIVE US THAT AUTHORITY, IS THAT IT? BUT IT IS THAT HURDLE THAT HE IS REFERENCING THAT, UM, YOU ALL WILL HAVE TO CLEARLY BRING TO US AND OR, OR WE WORK TOGETHER MM-HMM
UH, WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS AS WELL ON UNDERSTANDING THAT DYNAMIC.
AND SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE REST OF THE SPEAKERS.
AND WE'LL DEFINITELY UPDATE OUR MEMO AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.
NEXT SELENA BRAY TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOHN NICKS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M SELENA BRAY, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT C AND THE POLICY ORGANIZER FOR PURE JUSTICE, A LOCAL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION IN THE RISE COALITION.
THANK YOU TO MY PARTNERS FOR LAYING OUT THE DATA AND THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK THAT HAS ANCHORED OUR WORK ON THIS FOR YEARS.
AND THANKS TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, POLLARD AND THOMAS FOR THEIR SUPPORT, AGAIN IN HOUSTON, BLACK AND LATINO DRIVERS ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE STOPPED FOR A REASON WITH MINIMAL CORRELATION TO ROAD SAFETY AND HAVE THAT STOP MORPH INTO AN EXCESSIVELY FORCEFUL INTERACTION THAT HAS DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES FOR THEM, THE INVOLVED OFFICERS AND ALL TOO OFTEN THE COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES WHO ARE MOVED TO ACT AND SUPPORT BECAUSE THAT INTERACTION HAS HAD A DISASTROUS AVOIDABLE OUTCOME.
OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH HOUSTONIANS ACROSS NEIGHBORHOODS CONTINUE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THESE NUMBERS.
STORIES OF BEING PULLED OVER AND THEN ROADSIDE ASSAULTS, MEMORIES OF BEING PULLED, FI PULLED OVER FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM HOME FOR AN EXPIRED STICKER, AND THEN ANXIETY FLASHING LIGHTS AND PRAYERS FOR SAFETY REMEMBERED 15 YEARS LATER.
PEOPLE MISSING SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN GRADUATIONS BECAUSE OF THESE STOPS ONLY TO FACE LONG RESPONSE TIMES FROM HPD WHEN IT COMES TO URGENT VIOLENT CRIMES.
AS MY COLLEAGUE KIRSTEN SUGGESTS, WE MUST DO A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS FOR THE COST.
WE'RE PRIORITIZING A PRACTICE THAT'S LOOPING MORE PEOPLE THAN EVER INTO OUR EXTREMELY FRAYED CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM AND OUR OVERCROWDED LOCAL JAIL FACILITIES, WHILE ALSO CREATING ECONOMIC BURDENS FOR DRIVERS THAT AREN'T ADDRESSING THE MAJOR CAUSES OF ROAD FATALITIES.
AND FOR WHAT BENEFIT ACQUIRING CONTRABAND LESS THAN 5% OF THE TIME WITH EVEN FEWER ARRESTS, IT DOESN'T ADD UP TO US.
I ALSO URGE ALL OF YOU TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HUMAN COSTS OF THESE STOPS.
I MENTIONED EARLIER HOW COMMUNITIES STEP IN WHEN LIVES ARE UPROOTED OR TRAGICALLY ENDED DUE TO THIS SORT OF SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT.
PURE JUSTICE WAS FOUNDED BY SASHA LEGETTE AND ROHAN EVANS TO FIGHT FOR ANSWERS AFTER THEIR LOVED ONE.
WAS FOUND DEAD IN THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL HOURS AFTER THEIR ARREST.
MAYOR WHITMEYER, YOU TOOK MEANINGFUL ACTION AS A THEN SENDER IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATOR TO PASS THE SANDRA BLAND ACT, A BILL THAT DIVERTED FOLKS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND AWAY FROM CRIMINALIZATION IN THE MEMORY OF A BLACK WOMAN WHO WAS FOUND DEAD IN WALLER COUNTY, TEXAS JAIL, AND HOURS AFTER BEING ARRESTED DURING A NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOP FOR FAILING TO SIGNAL A LANE CHANGE.
MAYOR WHITMEYER, THANK YOU SINCERELY FOR YOUR WORK TO STEWARD AND PASS THAT BILL.
IT'S NECESSARY AND VITAL, BUT IT WOULDN'T HAVE STOPPED THE STOP THAT LED TO SANDRA BLAND'S UNTIMELY DEATH.
THIS ORDINANCE WOULD, IT WILL PRESENT FUTURE CASES LIKE THIS, LIKE HERS THAT WE ALL KNOW ARE SO AVOIDABLE.
SOME MAY ATTEMPT TO DISMISS PUBLIC STATISTICS, HPDS OWN DATA, AND EVEN THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY MEMBERS SUCH AS YOURSELVES ACROSS THE CITY BY SAYING IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEADS.
PERCEPTION HAS BECOME YOUR REALITY.
[02:05:01]
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, REALITY IS REALITY.THANKFULLY IN THIS REALITY, THIS CITY COUNCIL HAS THE POWER TO TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION JUST LIKE YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER DID WITH THE SANDRA BLAND ACT, JUST LIKE PURE JUSTICE HAS AND MOVE TOWARDS THIS DATA BACKED COMMUNITY ORIENTED SOLUTION THAT WILL IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY FOR OUR CITY.
WE, THE RISE COALITION COME AS FEW TODAY, BUT WE STAND WITH MANY HOUSTONIANS THAT BELIEVE IN THIS POLICY OPPORTUNITIES INSTEAD OF PUNISHMENT.
AND THE IDEA THAT THERE'S NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT TO REIMAGINE SAFETY FOR EVERYONE.
I WAS GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE EXTRA TIME IF YOU NEEDED IT JUST AS A DISTRICT C RESIDENT TO WRAP UP, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DID.
UM, I AGAIN WANNA THANK PURE JUSTICE THE RISE COALITION FOR ALL, UM, THE THOUGHTFUL WORK THAT IT HAS GONE INTO THIS WORKING WITH COLLEAGUES AT THE HORSESHOE AS WE CONTINUE, UH, THIS SUCCESSION.
THIS HAS BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD TODAY AND I HOPE THAT THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES, UM, EXPEDITIOUSLY.
NICKS TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAMES MCCORD.
HOWDY, MAYOR MEYER, THE AND FELLOW CITY COUNCIL THIS, MY NAME IS JOHN NICKS AND I'M NOW A DISTRICT OF A RESIDENT LIVE OVER IN OFTEN SPRING BRANCH OFF LONG POINT AND BUNKER HILL AREA.
SEVERAL THINGS I WANNA TALK ABOUT TODAY.
I WANNA SEE THE CITY OUTLAW COMMUNAL WATER HEATERS THAT ARE LIKE SHARED AMONG ALL MULTIPLE UNITS.
IT'S ALL, I LIVE IN ONE NOW, MOVED INTO ONE AND IT'S LIKE AWFUL.
SOMETIMES I DON'T EVEN HAVE HOT WATER, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A HUMAN RIGHT IN MY APARTMENT COMPLEX.
IT'S, OR I MAY EVEN HAVE IT FOR HALF A SHOWER AT WHERE I LIVE ON THAT OTHER ISSUE.
ANOTHER ISSUE TOO IS TO FIGHT FOR MORE SIDEWALKS.
EVEN IN SPRING BRANCH, IT'S LIKE VERY BAD.
AND EVEN THE BUS STOP, IF I'M GONNA CATCH THE BUS GOING TOWARDS MEMORIAL CITY, IT'S LIKE VERY, VERY NARROW LIKE THIS.
AND LOOKING AT GOOGLE STREET VIEW, IT USED TO NOT EVEN BE THAT WAY ALL THE WAY THAT BAD.
I HAVE TO CROSS BUNKER HILL AND CROSS AND THEN CROSS LONG POINT TWICE JUST TO GET TO THE BUS STOP.
THAT'S VERY, VERY NARROW TO CAST AT 26 TO GOING TOWARDS MEMORIAL CITY ON THAT ISSUE.
SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT BUS STOP GET DONE.
DO YOU EVEN HAVE WORK WITH METRO TO HAVE A MORE CURB TO CURB FOR SPRING BRANCH SINCE ONLY THE FREQUENT SERVICES IS THAT 26 THAT GOES IN THROUGH LONG POINT AND THAT 46 THAT GOES DOWN KESNER.
THE OTHER ROUTES LIKE THE 72 WESTVIEW OR THE 58 HAMMERLY RUN EVERY HOUR, YOU KNOW, THROUGH SPRING BRANCHES.
THERE'S REALLY NOT A WHOLE LOT OF FREQUENT SERVICE ON THERE.
SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE CITY WORK TO HAVE MORE, YOU KNOW, BRING LIKE A CURB TO CURB MICRO TRANSIT TO SPRING BRANCH AND TO WORK WITH METRO TO BUILD LIKE A MAYA, A MEMORIAL CITY TRANSIT CENTER RIGHT THERE ON THE NORTHERN PART OF THE MILE RIGHT BY I 10.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING FROM THERE THAT CAN CONNECT TO THE EXPRESS BUSES THAT WANNA COME DOWNTOWN FOR THAT ISSUES OF THERE AND I ABOUT THAT.
ISSUES OF, OF ISSUES RIGHT THERE.
I DO WANNA SEE MORE ROAD DIETS AND IN THE SPRING BRANCH AREA, LIKE ON MYRON POINT, ON GASNER AND ON BING GROVE ROAD AS WELL.
AND OTHER ISSUES TOO, OF COURSE, LIKE I SAID BEFORE AND MANY, MANY TIMES IS THEY MAKE THE CITY HALL MORE DISABILITY FRIENDLY, MAKE THIS AREA, THIS CARPET HERE IS AWFUL.
IT'S VERY HARD TO GET AROUND AND GET HOW DIFFICULT FOR ME GETTING IN CITY UP HERE IF CITY CA UP HERE TO THE UP HERE IN THIS, TO MANEUVER AROUND THIS ROOM.
IT WISH IT WOULD BE LIKE SOME SORT OF LIKE FUNDING OR SOME SORT OF GENEROUS, LARGE DONOR THAT WOULD EVEN BE ABLE TO DONATE THE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO HELP GET THIS DONE AND MAKE THIS AREA MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR ME AND MAKE THIS AREA THE CITY, CITY HALL, AND SPRING BRANCH MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR DISABLED FOLKS LIKE ME.
AND THAT WOULD BE ALL I WOULD HAVE TO SAY.
AND UH, THANKS SO MUCH AND UH, GOD BLESS TEXAS AND GO TEAM WHATEVER TEAM YOU'RE ROOTING FOR.
NEXT JAMES, JAMES MCCORD, ART ARTURO AL ALMANZA, CRYSTAL RODRIGUEZ, HELEN LANDA VERTI
[02:10:02]
TO BE FOLLOWED BY LATOYA JONES SHAW COUNCIL MEMBERS.I AM HERE TO MAKE THREE REQUESTS.
MY FIRST REQUEST IS FOR MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF WILLOW PARISH FINAL PLAT.
MY SECOND REQUEST IS TO HAVE AN EXPLANATION FROM THE PLANNING DIRECTOR AS WELL AS THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT REGARDING WHY THE LOCAL TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 2 1 2 0.0101 A IS NOT APPLICABLE WHEN REVIEWING PLATS.
AND THREE IS TO REQUEST A TEXT AMENDMENT TO TREE PRESERVATION AND TO NOT ALLOW DEAD END STREETS IN THE SINGLE FAMILY HOME DEVELOPMENTS.
SO ON MY FIRST REQUEST, I AM REQUESTING IT PURSUANT TO SECTION 33 DASH 22, NUMBER FOUR, WHICH ALLOWS OR GIVES POWER TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO APPROVE PLATS.
AND IT ALSO SAYS TO REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
NOW THEY ARE TASKED TO IMPLEMENT CHAPTER 42 AS WELL AS STATUTES OF THE STATE.
THAT'S WHY A REFERENCE THAT PLANNING REQUIREMENT FROM STATE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
WHEN I SPOKE AGAINST THIS PLAT AT BOTH OF THEIR MEETINGS, THEY TOLD ME THAT WAS NOT APPLICABLE.
NOW MY EXPERIENCE, I AM AN EXPERIENCED PUBLIC SERVANT.
I'VE WORKED FOR PUBLIC SECTOR AS A CITY PLANNER IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AS WELL AS IN NEW MEXICO.
AND IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE ALWAYS LOOK AT THAT PARTICULAR LOCAL SECTION GOVERNMENT CODE.
I HAD REQUESTED FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE PLANNING DIRECTOR, WHAT THE APPEAL PROCESS WOULD BE.
AND SHE SENT ME A VERY BRIEF EMAIL SAYING THERE IS NO APPEAL TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND IF I WANTED TO TAKE IT, I WOULD NEED TO TAKE IT TO COURT.
I AM COMING HERE TO REQUEST TO RECONSIDER THAT WILLOW PARISH LOOK AT IT AND HAVE AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THAT TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT COURT IS NOT APPLICABLE BEFORE THE NEIGHBORS OF THE SUBDIVISION MARILLA PURSUE LEGAL ACTION FOR THEIR FINAL DECISION.
AND I DID PRESENT THEM WITH SEVERAL GOAL STRATEGIES AS WELL AS CORE STRATEGIES, ACTION PLANS THAT ARE, HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON GENERAL PLAN, WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN 2015 THAT I BELIEVE COULD BETTER SERVE THIS SUBDIVISION THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO HAVE JUST REVISE THE LAYOUT OF THE SUBDIVISION.
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF DRAINAGE ISSUES.
THERE ARE PROPOSING SOME RESERVES THERE, BUT I THINK SOME OF THOSE, SOME OF THOSE LOCATIONS COULD BE BETTER SERVED FOR OPEN SPACE, MAYBE DETENTION, UM, KEEP SOME TREES THERE SO THAT IT DOES NOT INCREASE DRAINAGE PROBLEMS IN OUR SUBDIVISION.
PUBLIC WORKS HAS REACHED OUT TO US AT THAT MEETING SAYING WE CAN MAKE THOSE COMPLAINTS.
AND I HAVE SENT AN EMAIL TO THE, I BELIEVE HIS NAME IS JOHN AT PUBLIC WORKS.
AND I'VE ALSO INFORMED OUR NEIGHBORS THAT THEY SHOULD CONTACT THEM IN FUTURE, IN THE FUTURE IF THEY HAVE DRAINAGE ISSUES.
BUT MY MAIN CONCERN IS PLATTING.
I DO THIS FOR A LIVING SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE NOT APPLYING.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS NOT APPLYING THE GOALS AND ACTIONS THAT WERE ADOPTED.
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN SUBMIT THAT.
DEREK S IS THAT, WAIT, IS THAT NICOLE? NO.
DEREK SHAW TO BE FOLLOWED BY DANIEL GRAVES.
CITY COUNCIL, UH, MEMBERS AND ALSO MAYOR WHITMEYER.
MY NAME IS DEREK SHAW AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY ON BEHALF OF
ISAIAH'S WELL, VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY SERVING THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA THROUGH REGULAR STREET CLEANUPS, ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS.
AND JUST THE FIRST MONTH OF THIS YEAR, OUR VOLUNTEERS HAVE ALREADY CARRIED OUT TWO CLEANUP INITIATIVES, REMOVING LITTER FROM PUBLIC ROADS, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND SHARED SPACES.
AND WE EVEN CARRY OUT A THOROUGH CLEANUP ON FEBRUARY 15TH.
OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE NOT ONLY FROM HOUSTON, BUT ARE ACTUALLY ARE FROM AROUND THE WORLD TOO.
AND EVEN HERE WITH ME TODAY ARE FIVE ISAIAH WILD
[02:15:01]
VOLUNTEERS FROM SOUTH KOREA THAT HAVE ACTUALLY TRAVELED ALL THE WAY FROM HOUSTON TO JOIN US.I'VE TRAVELED ALL THE WAY TO HOUSTON TO JOIN US IN OUR INITIATIVES.
WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR THE CITY COUNCIL OF HU CITY OF HOUSTON TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS WE CARRY OUT THROUGH RECOGNITION, PARTNERSHIP, OR COLLABORATION TO EXPAND THESE INITIATIVES.
WE WOULD ALSO BE DEEPLY HONORED TO RECEIVE A CITY PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING ISAIAH STEWARDSHIP AND DEDICATION OF OUR VOLUNTEERS THIS YEAR.
ADDITIONALLY, WE REQUEST THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A MEETING WITH YOU, MAYOR WHITMEYER, TO SHARE MORE ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION AND TO DISCUSS FUTURE PARTNERSHIPS.
WE TRULY BELIEVE THAT WHEN GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WORK TOGETHER, MEANINGFUL AND LASTING CHANGE IS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO HOUSTON.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SERVE THIS GREAT CITY AND TO BUILD A CLEANER AND GREENER FUTURE.
AND LASTLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY 1, 2, 3.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
AND WE DO WANT TO WELCOME OUR GUESTS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT HAVE COME, UH, SO FAR TO BE WITH US.
UH, WE ALWAYS SAID THAT, UH, GOVERNMENT CANNOT DO THIS WORK ALONE, SO WE ARE VERY HONORED THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN THE INITIATIVE TO DO THOSE TYPES OF CLEANUPS.
DID YOU SAY WHERE YOUR CLEANUP WAS ON FEBRUARY THE 15TH? YES.
WE'LL BE CARRYING IT OUT ON WEST HARDY STREET.
SO DISTRICT B, WHO'S DISTRICT IS THAT? UH, DISTRICT MEMBER TASHA JACKSON.
AND WHAT TIME WILL YOU BE THERE? SO THE CLEANUP WILL START AT 12:00 PM IT'S FROM 12 TO TWO.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO HELP US KEEP THE CITY CLEAN.
IT MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO EACH OF US THAT YOU WOULD SPEND YOUR TIME DOING IT.
UM, AND WE APPRECIATE THE WORK.
UH, I THINK THAT, UM, UH, REBECCA MAYBE CAN HELP YOU WITH TRYING TO SCHEDULE SOMETHING, UH, WITH THE MAYOR.
I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THAT YOU WOULD, UH, REACH OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S OFFICE AND THEY MAY BE ABLE TO HELP PUT THE EVENT IN THEIR NEWSLETTER AND MAYBE GET SOME ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS TO COME OUT ON FEBRUARY 15TH.
NEXT SPEAKER, RYAN SCHOENBERG TO BE FOLLOWED BY TERRY.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME EVER COMING UP HERE.
I'M FURIOUS AND I'M EVEN MORE FURIOUS THAT HALF OF Y'ALL ARE NOT HERE.
I'M HERE BECAUSE THE SYSTEMS THAT YOU OVERSEE HAVE FAILED ME EVERY SINGLE TIME.
I'VE, FOR EIGHT MONTHS BEEN DEALING WITH THIS.
I WITNESSED A MURDER OCTOBER 23RD, 2024 THAT HAS NOT BEEN INVESTIGATED BY HPD.
FURTHERMORE, I WAS BEATEN AND PUSHED IN FRONT OF A MOVING CAR AT GRIGGS AND MLK.
I WANT THOSE VIDEOS OF THE BODY CAM.
BODY CAMS AREN'T GONNA DO ANYTHING FOR THIS CITY UNTIL Y'ALL ACTUALLY MAKE THEM.
I HAVE, UH, ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.
I HAVE WRITTEN EMAILS TO TO THE JOHN WHIT MEYER'S OFFICE.
I HAVE GONE AND I HAVE DEALT WITH THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
EVERY SINGLE PERSON, Y'ALL PASSED THE BUCK PASSED THE BUCK.
IF IT WAS A LAWFUL ARREST, WHY ISN'T TRANS TRANSPARENCY? WHERE, WHERE'S IT AT? AND I AM, UM, DEALING WITH, AS YOU CAN SEE, I'M DEALING WITH VIOLENCE AT HOME AS WELL.
I LIVE AT WOOD FAIR AND BIANET.
LIKE, AND IT TOOK ME $300 TO GET UP HERE TODAY BECAUSE AFTER THIS I'M GOING TO METRO LIFT AND SEEING WHY I CAN'T SCHEDULE A RIDE TO GET HOME.
I CAN'T SCHEDULE A RIDE TO GO TO MY DAILY DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS, TO MY PHYSICAL THERAPY APPOINTMENTS.
WHY I'VE BEEN TAUGHT CALLED A SIR OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
I'M A TRANS FEMALE AND I'M SICK AND TIRED OF BEING CALLED SIR ON RECORDED LINES.
I SPENT 10 HOURS ON THE PHONE YESTERDAY WITH METRO LYFT AND I STILL HAD TO PAY FOR AN UBER RIDE TO GET UP.
I HAVE A MAN NEXT DOOR TO ME THAT LEAVES HIS HOUSE IN FULL BODY ARMOR WHILE HE SELLS CRACK COCAINE AND HAS SHOT.
I HAVE TWO OF HIS BULLETS ON MY PATIO.
I AM WAITING FOR SOMEBODY TO COME AND THE DETECTIVES TO COME AND GET THESE BULLETS OFF MY PATIO.
I HAVE WITNESSED HIM SHOOT AT PEOPLE.
I HAVE RING DOORBELL CAMERA FOOTAGE THAT I HAVE SENT INTO YOUR OFFICE.
AND I'M A NUISANCE WHEN I HAVE VIDEOS.
I HAVE TONS OF VIDEOS IN MY PHONE RIGHT NOW OF ALL OF THESE CRIMES THAT ARE BEING COMMITTED ON A NIGHTLY BASIS OUT THERE.
[02:20:01]
AND NOBODY IS DOING ANYTHING.I AM LOSING MY VOICE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I CANNOT USE MY HAND BECAUSE I WAS ATTACKED AS A, A WITNESS OF A CRIME AND THROWN IN JAIL AND NOBODY HAS CALLED ME.
I HAVE SUBMITTED TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ABOUT THIS MURDER.
HER NAME WAS KIM AND SHE WAS MUTILATED AND LEFT AT THE CORNER OF CALHOUN AND YELLOWSTONE AT FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, OCTOBER 23RD, 2024.
AND THE PERSON THAT WAS WITH ME WHENEVER THAT HAPPENED WAS RUN OVER 14 HOURS LATER, A FOOT FROM THAT INTERSECTION, A COUPLE FEET FROM THERE.
AND I CALLED, THEY PICKED HER BODY UP, BUT POLICE NEVER CAME.
AND I WANDERED AROUND AIMLESSLY FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF TRYING TO, I WAS NOT IN MY RIGHT MIND AT THAT POINT.
I WAS IN A STATE OF SHOCK AND I GET BEATEN UP BY AN OFFICER.
THE FIRST, THE OFFICER'S FIRST WORDS WERE, I'M GONNA F**K YOU UP.
AND I WANT, WHAT WAS THAT? AN THAT WAS, THAT WAS MLK AND GRIGGS AT THE TRAIN STATION.
THAT WAS AN HPD OFFICER THAT SAID THAT TO YOU.
THAT WAS A METRO POLICE OFFICER.
BUT I HAVE HPD NOT DO THEIR JOB.
I HAVE VIDEOS OF THEM NOT DOING THEIR JOB.
JUST THIS WEEK, WATCHING SOMEBODY WITH A GUN COME UP TO MY APARTMENT AND SAY THEY WERE GONNA SHOOT ME.
AND I POINTED, THAT PERSON IS STILL OVER THERE.
I HAVE THE POLICE REPORTS HERE.
I HAVE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
I WILL TAKE ACTIONS INTO MY OWN HANDS AND I WILL GO TO JAIL FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
IF Y'ALL DO NOT DO SOMETHING, THIS IS WELL, WE DEFINITELY, WE WE DEFINITELY WANNA TRY TO HELP YOU.
WE DO HAVE AN HPD OFFICER HERE THAT YOU CAN GIVE THAT INFORMATION TOO.
WALTER, GREAT CHAIR TO BE HERE.
SO YOU SANDRA ALLEN TO BE FOLLOWED BY BERNADETTE.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL YOU CITY COUNCILMEN.
HAPPY NEW YEAR MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER.
HOW ARE YOU TODAY SIR? THANK YOU, SIR.
SO I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ON KIDNAPPING MY SON ON GETTING MY SON RELEASED ON THE UH, SANDRA BILL ACT NUMBER 1849.
I READ YOUR 55 PAGE BILL THAT YOU WROTE.
MAYOR UH, JOHN WHITMEYER AND UM, THE TEXAS SENATE BILL 1849, KNOWN AS THE SANDRA BLAND ACT WAS A 2017 LAW REFORMING TEXAS CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM PROMPTED BY SANDRA BLAND'S DEATH FOCUSING ON BAIL REFORM, JAIL SOCIETY, MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION OFFICER TRAINING, DEESCALATION AND BODY CAMS, RACIAL PROFILING AND DATA COLLECTION TO IMPROVE POLICE COMMUNITY INTERACTION AND JAIL CONDITIONS REQUIRING BETTER STANDARDS FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE, INDEPENDENT JAIL DEATH INVESTIGATION.
SANDRA BLAND ACT, SENATE BILL ACT 85 R 1849.
MENTAL HEALTH CAN BE PUT YOU IN AN ASYLUM.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN POLICE POWER TO TAKE YOU TO A MENTAL INSTITUTION.
YOU CAN LOSE ALL YOUR CONSTITUTION RIGHTS UNDER THE MENTAL HEALTH.
ALL YOU NEED IS A JUDGE AND A DOCTOR TO SIGN OFF ON IT.
SANDRA BLAND ACT 1849 STATES EIGHT BLOCKS WHEN COMPARED TO WHITES AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER FOR A TRAFFIC VIOLATION.
THE COMMITTEE FOUND REASONS TO BELIEVE MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE STILL BEING STOPPED FOR UNDERLYING PRETEXT, INCLUDING CONSENT AND SEARCHES.
THE COMMITTEE FOUND THAT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE PUBLIC THAT ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT WOULD USE DEESCALATION TACTICS IN ALL INTERACTION
[02:25:01]
WITH THE PUBLIC.TEXAS LAW NEEDS TO BE STRENGTHENED TO ENSURE THAT IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AT DPS OR ANY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN TEXAS.
MY SON NATHAN EMMANUEL ALLEN WAS ADMITTED TO THE HARRIS COUNTY PSYCH WALL, THE DON BUILDING FLOOR THREE C, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS BEHIND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE BUILDING.
THE SOCIAL WORKER IS INA TURNER SYL VISTA TURNER'S NIECE.
HER PHONE NUMBER IS (713) 500-1848.
MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, GUEST ON THE SHOW SATURDAY, NOVEMBER THE 15TH, 2025.
YOU WORK ON THE IMPACT HOUSTON LIVE 90.9 KTSU RADIO STATION.
NO, DONALD FRANKLIN WAS PRESENT.
ONLY CHRIS JOHNSON AND MARCUS SESSION.
AND YOU ALL THREE GENTLEMEN, YOU STATED MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER.
I LOVE PEOPLE, I LIKE PEOPLE TO TELL THE TRUTH.
YOU STATED MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, I GOT ROBBED AT GUNPOINT.
SUSPECT WAS SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS AND SERVE ONLY 12 YEARS.
SO I'M ASKING YOU, YOU ARE FINE MAYOR SIR, I'M ASKING YOU UNDER DEANDRA BLAND ACT TO RELEASE MY SON TODAY BECAUSE THEY'RE HOLDING MY SON FOR THIS HERE BILL RIGHT HERE GIVEN TO ME BY MS. VALERIE MILLHEAD AT 25 25 BURG HOUSTON, TEXAS 7 1 3 2 7 4 5 3 6 4 A GUARDIANSHIP.
I'M NATHAN'S MOM WITHOUT NATHAN.
NATHAN WOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE IF IT WASN'T FOR ME.
I CARRIED NATHAN NINE MONTHS IN MY STOMACH.
OKAY? THEY'RE GETTING BENEFITS ON MY SON ON UNDER MY HUSBAND'S MONEY AND I SHOULD BE LIVING ON THAT.
SO THEY TAKE MY SON SO THEY CAN LIVE ON LARRY LAMONT.
MY HUSBAND'S DEBT IS COMING UP FEBRUARY THE 12TH.
HE DIED LAST YEAR, FEBRUARY THE 12TH, 2025.
OKAY? THEY, UH, CHARLIE KIRK, ERICA, KIRK, THEY DONE RAISED 500 MILLION.
WE DON'T CARE IF SHE WAS MARRIED TO LARRY LAMONT ALLEN FOR 30 YEARS.
LARRY GOT GOOD MONEY UP THERE.
SO WE GOING TO TAKE NATHAN AND WE GOING LIVE ON, ON LARRY LAMONT, ALLEN'S SOCIAL SECURITY BECAUSE NATHAN DON'T HAVE A JOB.
LETS SAY OUR SHIP, IT SAY RIGHT HERE NATHAN'S ESTATE.
NATHAN AIN'T NEVER HAD NO JOB.
OKAY? I WAS MARRIED TO LARRY LAMONT ALLEN FOR 30 YEARS.
OKAY? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE A WIDOW, UH, MAYOR JOHN, WHEREBY, BUT I'M A WIDOW AND I WANT Y'ALL TO RELEASE MY SON IMMEDIATELY AND THEY'RE GETTING MONEY AND ALL THE MONIES THAT THEY'RE GETTING OFF OF MY HUSBAND, I WANT ALL THAT TO BE RELEASED BACK BECAUSE MY SON HAS MISSED HIS DADDY'S FUNERAL.
AND UM, I TELL YOU, I'M GOING THROUGH IT, OKAY? I CARRIED NATHAN.
WITHOUT NATHAN, THEY WOULDN'T EVEN BE GETTING NO MONEY.
I CARRIED NATHAN IN MY STOMACH FOR NINE MONTHS WITHOUT NATHAN BEING HERE ON EARTH.
THEY WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE A LARRY LAMONT ALLEN SALARY.
YOUR TIME EXPIRED FROM SOCIAL SECURITY.
SO ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? AND WHEN CAN MY SON BE RELEASED UNDER THIS SANDRA BLAND ACT? WE WERE WALKING, WE WERE WALKING THIS, THIS SANDRA BLAND ACT STATES IN A VEHICLE.
WE WERE WALKING AND THEY HAD BODY CAMS ON.
AND I I'M ASKING YOU TO REQUEST THAT THE, THE, THE BODY CAM TO LOOK AT THAT.
MY SON, HE RAN, HE CAME BACK AND HELD MY NECK REAL TIGHT AND, AND, AND I SAID, HOLD UP.
I SAID, I DON'T WANT THEM TO KILL US.
OKAY? LET ME TELL YOU WHAT WE DO.
MY STAFF'S ALREADY CHECKED ON THE YOUR SON'S STATUS.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A ESCORT TO SEE MY SON FROM THE LAST VISIT THAT I HAD WITH YOU.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE MY SON IS.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S ALIVE STILL, BUT I, HIS BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP.
HE'S THE HOSPITAL ON FEBRUARY THE SEVENTH.
AND I WOULD LIKE MY SON TO BE HOME FOR HIS 21 BIRTHDAY.
WELL THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
HE'S IN THE HOSPITAL GETTING THE CARE THAT THE, UH, DOCTOR SAID HE NEEDS.
SO HE'S BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF.
NONE OF THIS IS TRUE ON THERE.
I HAD MY SON FROM BIRTH TO 19 YEARS OLD.
THEY TOOK A FULL GROWN YOUNG ADULT, A FULL GROWN YOUNG ADULT.
WE WERE WALKING, THIS WAS NOT NO TRAFFIC STOP IN THE VEHICLE.
OKAY? UNDERSTAND WE WERE WALKING HERE, UNDERST JUST GOT OFF THE METRO BUS.
WE CAN'T RESOLVE THAT HERE TODAY.
BUT MS. WILLIAMS HAS BEEN MONITORING YOUR SON'S CARE AND HE'S GETTING THE BEST
[02:30:01]
CARE AVAILABLE IN THE HOSPITAL THAT YOU ACTUALLY MENTIONED.I NEED TO GO SEE MY SON WHERE I NEED TO, I NEED TO GET VISITATION TO SEE MY SON.
I WANNA SEE MY SON FOR HIS BIRTHDAY.
OKAY, WE'LL, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL COMMUNICATE THAT FOR YOU.
OKAY? SO I'M NOT GONNA GO AWAY MARY MEYER.
OKAY, WELL LET'S, LET'S FINISH UP TODAY.
WE CAN'T RESOLVE IT AT THIS MOMENT.
MAYOR, YOU'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB, HOUSTON.
I AM WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU, SIR.
AND I HAVE BEEN, I HAVE BEEN PATIENT.
I APPRECIATE YOU WORKING WITH ME.
OKAY? BUT I KNOW NATHAN IS CALLING FOR MAMA, MAMA.
WHERE'S MY MAMA? OKAY, LET'S WORK TOGETHER.
SO WHEN CAN I GET A VISITATION FOR MY SON? WE'RE GOING TO CHECK THE STATUS, UM, RIGHT HERE BEFORE WE GO HOME.
OKAY? TO, WE'LL WORK, WE'LL WORK LATER.
I WILL, I WILL MAKE APPOINTMENT AFTER I SEE HIM.
'CAUSE WE NEED TO GET MY SON HOME.
OKAY? HE HAS A MOTHER, WHICH IS ME, SANDRA JEAN ALLEN.
YOU GOT, LET ME READ ONE THING BEFORE I LEAVE.
PROVERBS 28 AND FIVE SAVED EVIL MEN DO NOT UNDERSTAND JUSTICE.
EVIL MEN DO NOT UNDERSTAND JUSTICE, BUT THOSE WHO SPEAK THE LORD UNDERSTAND ALL.
AND I'M GONNA LEAVE THAT AND I'M DONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCIL AND MAYOR, LET ME SPEAK TO YOU.
UH, NEXT BERNADETTE KIKI TO BE FOLLOWED BY JACOB NEWSOM.
MA, I TRULY FEEL FOR YOU AS A MOTHER, UH, BLESSED AS YOUR EXCELLENCY MAY JOHN WHITMEYER AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE PRESENT.
I BRING YOU GREETINGS IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD AND BLESSED SAVIOR, HE HAS SENT ME TO TELL ALL HOUSTONIANS THE MAYOR, THE BLESSING MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALL OF TEXAS, AND IN FACT ALL AMERICANS THAT HE JEHOVA YAHWEH, HAS SENT HIS ANCIENT MEGA PROPHET, THE TWO LIVING WITNESSES OF THE BIBLE IN THE PERSON OF PROPHET DR. DAVID OWO, TO TELL US ALL THAT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD, AND BLESSED SAVIOR WHO CREATED EACH AND EVERY HUMAN BEING ON EARTH WHO DIED FOR US ON THE CROSS, IS COMING BACK.
I REPEAT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST HAS SENT ME TO ANNOUNCE TO US THAT HE'S COMING BACK.
AND I WROTE HERE, THIS IS VERY URGENT AND VERY CRITICAL THAT WE AS LEADERS, LISTEN.
THE DATA I BRING TO YOU IS THAT HU HOUSTON IS LISTED AS THE NUMBER TWO MOST SINFUL CITY IN AMERICA.
BLESSED JOHN MEYER, YOUR EXCELLENCY HOUSTON THAT YOU ARE THE MAYOR OF, IS LISTED AS THE SECOND MOST SINFUL CITY IN THE HALL OF AMERICA.
AND THAT BRINGS A BURDEN FOR ME AND YOU TO ASK YOUR, YOUR TIME.
WHAT DO WE DO NOW? YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
PLEASE, IF YOU ALLOW ME, I PLEAD WHAT WE WILL DO NOW THAT I'M PLEADING IS THAT SINCE THE LORD JESUS HAS SAID HE'S COMING, WE NEED TO PREPARE AS A CITY
[02:35:01]
TOGETHER.HOUSTONIANS ARE LOOKING FOR LEADERSHIP TO BRING THEM BACK CLOSER TO GOD SO THAT ALL THE PROBLEMS WE ARE HEARING HERE, WE BEGIN TO DISAPPEAR.
AND THE MEGA ASIAN PROPHET IS GOING FROM NATION TO NATION IN THIS QUARTER ALONE.
I'VE GONE WITH THAT TO THEIR MISSION IN FINLAND.
I HAVE GONE TO ESTONIA, I HAVE GONE TO PARIS.
SO I AM FOLLOWING, AND I JUST CAME BACK FROM KENYA AND I'M FOLLOWING CLOSELY FOR ALL OF US.
OKAY, LET ME, UH, SO THAT WE ALL PREPARE.
LET ME THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I NEED TO CALL MY NEXT SPEAKER.
SENIOR, SENIOR ME, MAYOR WHITMEYER.
I NEED AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOU.
THAT WAS, THAT'S ONE OF MY REASON FOR COMING.
I NEED TO ASK FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO YOUR OFFICE.
I'M GONNA TALK TO MY STAFF TO BRING THE DATA TO YOU SO THAT WE CAN PREPARE BECAUSE THANK YOU MA'AM.
THIS IS THE LEADERSHIP WE HAVE UPON US.
AND THIS RESPONSIBILITY, JESUS GAVE IT TO YOU FOR A REASON.
JACOB NEWSOM, LET PRAY FOR OUR CITY TO BE FOLLOWED BY LY MONTOYA.
HI MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL, I JUST FELT, UM, CAN YOU STEP IN FRONT OF ONE OF THE MICS AND PULL IT UP? THAT ONE.
HI, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL.
I JUST FELT, UM, A NEED TO NAME SOMETHING.
USUALLY I COME HERE WITH A BIG GRAND SPEECH, BUT I THINK IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE.
UM, THAT THE STORY OF A CITY IS WRITTEN BY COURAGE AND NOT COMFORT.
AND WE SAW THAT WITH KEITH PORTER SENIOR AND IN SO MANY OTHER MEETINGS THAT THE REALITY IS THAT PEOPLE ARE SCARED.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR LEADERS THAT WILL LISTEN TO US AND SIT WITH US IN THE DISCOMFORT OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
AND SO I FELT LIKE THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO NAME BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING FOR LEADERS THAT WILL BUILD THE STORY OF HOUSTON WITH US IN THE DISCOMFORT.
AND SO, UM, YEAH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
ILI MONTOYA REVA TO BE FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE EOR.
GOOD AFTERNOON CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ON MEASURE WITH MA.
UM, LONG TIME AGO, UH, AGA FAR FROM YOUR CAMPAIGN.
WE, UM, I THINK WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO BE RESPECTFUL TO YOU AND, UH, THE, UM, D LUPE
UH, THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE WITH ICE IS THAT WE HAVE, UH, COMMUNIST PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY
AND I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE SYMPATHY FOR HISPANIC PEOPLE.
THAT'S ONE OF YOUR WEAKNESS THAT WE HAVE KNOWN, UH, THAT YOU HAVE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
WE ASK YOU, YOU PUT ME THROUGH HELL, UH, THE UH, DE LUPE FAMILY TO BE ABLE TO BECOME A US CITIZEN.
UH, I HAVE TWO GRAND BABIES, TWO DAUGHTERS AND TWO SON-IN-LAWS.
OR THEY WILL KILL US AND STILL OUR IDENTITIES.
MICHELLE EBO, WHICH I DON'T SEE JACOB CLEMENTE TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH AMARI.
OKAY, CALL ME A DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, BUT MINNESOTA HAS NOTHING.
I KNOW HOW YOU DON'T KNOW WHY HEAR IT OUT.
[02:40:16]
AT ANYWAY ISHOW DOES, UH, A PHILOSOPHY, GEOGRAPHY MAJOR AT A AND M CALL? UM, UH, UM, IN THE WRITER OF THE REPUBLIC PLATEAU TOLD
I GOT, UH, LIVING AT HOME PROBLEMS BY BLACK IN HOUSTON, TEXAS NOW AND STREET LOUISIANA.
ALL I KNOW SINCE MILITARY MARTIAL LAW, EVERYWHERE I GO I JUST GET NO, NO, NO.
HALF BLACK MONTH I ALWAYS GOT.
NOW I GOT SOMEBODY AT MY DOOR TO DOOR, SOMEBODY ON MY CELL PHONE, ON MY COMPUTER TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE I'M AT HOME AND WHERE I GO, GO, GO AND SOMEBODY KEEP MESSING UP MY DOOR, DOOR, DOOR EVERY TIME I PUT IT ON THE FLOOR, FLOOR, FLOOR.
WHEN IT COMES TO MY COMPANY SCREENWRITING AND MOVIE PRODUCTION COMPANY, MY MOVIES GO FOR $3 MILLION EACH.
YOU CAN BUY ALL THE WHITES TO EVERY MOVIE I GOT FOR $30 MILLION.
UH, MY CEREAL, PORTER PLANTATION MOVIES THE BEST IT HAVE THE MOST BOX, OUR POTENTIAL AND EVEN MORE BOX OUR PICTURE THAN MONEY.
I REALLY LOVE JUST LEAVING THE MOVIE.
AT THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING I SPOKE ABOUT HOUSTON, HIS CONSTRUCTION BOOM, ECONOMY SUCCESSION PROBLEM.
CAN I FINISH PLEASE? YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
WHY THEY MUSIC ALWAYS LAST LONGER THAN MINE.
IT'S JUST SO, SO CONTROVERSIAL.
I SAID, UH, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, DEPORT PROCESS, DEPORTATION PROCESS, BLACK AMERICA WANT THE WHOLE FAMILY BE ABLE TO GET BACK HOME SAFELY AS A PART OF THE DIPLOMATIC PROCESS.
BUT BLACK AMERICA WANTS PROPOSE IS THAT WE HAVE LUXURY CRUISE LINER CRUISE SHIP THAT ALLOWS US TO TRAVEL FROM EAST EACH COUNTRY AND WE'D BE ABLE TO GO FROM, FROM AND BACK, FROM EACH COUNTRY, FROM AMERICA, MEXICO, CENTRAL AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA, AFRICA, ENGLAND, AND OTHER NATIONS.
TAKING US FROM TAKING US FROM AND GETTING US BACK HOME TO STYLE AND HAVING A LOT OF, WHOLE LOT OF FARM WITHOUT GETTING STUCK IN ATLANTA OILS AND WONDERLAND.
WE ALSO OPPOSED HAVING A FIVE YEAR WORK VISA AND GREEN COURT IMMIGRATE, IMMIGRATE IMMIGRANT WORKER SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM.
[RECESS]
WE STAND, UH, RECESS.