[PRESENTATIONS]
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MAYOR PROTE TO PRESIDE, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR A PROCLAMATION TO FRIENDS OF BARK FOR SAVING ANIMAL LIVES.TODAY AS WE CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE LOVE YOUR PET MONTH IN DISTRICT H, WE ARE RECOGNIZING FRIENDS OF BARK, WHICH IS A GROUP THAT SUPPORTS, UH, A LOT OF EFFORTS AT BARK AND WE KNOW BARK.
THEY CONTINUE TO DO SO MUCH ACROSS OUR CITY.
FOR OUR ANIMALS WITH LIMITED RESOURCES, WE SAW WHAT THEY DID DURING THE FREEZE, UH, RESCUING ANIMALS, GETTING THEM OFF OF THE STREET BEFORE FREEZING WEATHER HIT.
UM, AND THEY HAVE SUPPORT FROM FRIENDS OF BARK IN THEIR EFFORTS.
AND FRIENDS OF BARK HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS PARTNER.
THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO A LOT OF SUCCESS, AND SO TODAY WE ARE GONNA HONOR THEM WITH A PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS FRIENDS OF BARK, A NONPROFIT 5 0 1 C3 ORGANIZATION COMPOSED OF DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS, HAS SERVED AS AN ESSENTIAL PARTNER TO BARK THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S ANIMAL SHELTER AND ADOPTION CENTER BY SUPPORTING LIFESAVING EFFORTS AND ADVANCING THE WELLBEING OF HOUSTON'S HOMELESS PETS.
AND WHEREAS FRIENDS OF BARK VOLUNTEERS HELP CONNECT BARK WITH RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS, FOSTERS AND ADOPTIONS BY CREATING VIDEOS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND BEHAVIOR PROFILES OF SHELTER ANIMALS FOR USE IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND PUBLIC OUTREACH, INCREASING THE PET'S VIABILITY AND ADOPTABILITY IN PROVIDING POTENTIAL PLACEMENT PARTNERS WITH THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO WELCOME THESE ANIMALS INTO SAFE AND LOVING HOMES.
AND WHEREAS THROUGHOUT THE PAST YEAR, FRIENDS OF BARK HAS EXPANDED ITS SUPPORT TO INCLUDE SPONSORING MULTIPLE SURGERY RALLY DAYS, ALLOWING HOUSTON RESIDENTS TO ACCESS FREE SPAY OR NEUTER SERVICES AT BARK, HELPING THE CITY REDUCE UNWANTED LITTERS, PREVENT SHELTER OVERCROWDING, AND PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP.
AND WHEREAS FRIENDS OF BARK CONTINUES TO RAISE CRITICAL FUNDS TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE FOR ANIMALS PULLED FROM THE SHELTER, DONATE ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES TO SHELTER AND MEDICAL STAFF AND SPONSOR COMPONENTS OF MAJOR COMMUNITY EVENTS, INCLUDING PICK YOUR PET AND BARKOW STRENGTHENING BARK'S OUTREACH, AND ENHANCING THE EXPERIENCE FOR PARTICIPATING FAMILIES IN OBSERVANCE OF LOVE YOUR PET MONTH.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON RECOGNIZES FRIENDS OF BARK FOR ITS SPIRIT OF VOLUNTEERISM AND COMPASSION, AND COMMENDS ITS MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR ONGOING COMMITMENT AND SUPPORT BARK'S MISSION, HELPING MAKE HOUSTON A SAFER AND KINDER CITY FOR ANIMALS.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO.
AND I'M LISTENING TO YOU AND THINKING HOW MANY FRIENDS WE ALL HAVE THAT WOULD LOVE TO BE HERE.
THEY PROBABLY JUST ARE EITHER WORKING AT HOME OR DID NOT GET THE NOTICE, BUT, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE HERE IN THE CHAMBER.
UH, IF PEOPLE WANTED TO SHOW UP TO SUPPORT BARK OR CERTAINLY, UH, FRIENDS OF BARK AND LOVE YOUR PET MONTH, MOST OF MY FRIENDS, INCLUDING THE COUNCIL MEMBER, AND I LOVE OUR PETS EVERY MONTH.
IT'S AMAZING THAT WE'RE GONNA DESIGNATE THERE, BUT WE WON'T GET IN A LOVE CONTEST
WE ALL KNOW THE, THE TOUGH JOB YOU HAVE.
PEOPLE DISAGREE IN OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW YOU'D GO ABOUT CARING FOR OUR FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS.
WE DO HAVE SIGNIFICANT PLANS GOING FORWARD FOR MAYBE MORE USER FRIENDLY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO MAYBE ADOPT.
WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S, WHAT'S YOUR DOG'S NAME? BENNY.
IS BENNY PART OF THE FAMILY OR YOU BRINGING HIM DOWN HERE TO SEE IF SOMEBODY WILL ADOPT HIM? MAYOR, I GOT SUCKERED INTO THIS DOG.
I HEARD THE STORY OF CHIEF SATTERWHITE
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GOING AND TALKING TO YOU ABOUT WORKING WITH US ON THE HOMELESS POPULATION, AND HE LEFT WITH THE DOG.EITHER WE'RE REALLY GOOD SALESMAN OR HE'S A BIG OLD SUCKER.
THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 10TH, 2026, HIS FRIENDS OF WORKDAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
YOU WANT BE TO COME TALK TO YOU? SORRY.
AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE.
UM, I WANNA INTRODUCE OUR TEAM.
WE HAVE MIKE, WE HAVE TIM, WE HAVE DAVID, WE HAVE RACHEL, WE HAVE JASON.
WE HAVE A COUPLE PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T BE HERE.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, MAYOR WHITMEYER, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, AND CERTAINLY SPECIAL THANKS TO COUNCILMAN CASTILLO FOR THIS, UH, SPECIAL RECOGNITION.
UH, FRIENDS OF BARK IS A 5 0 1 C3 THAT STARTED IN 2003.
WE ARE ONE OF THE LONGEST RUNNING ANIMAL WELFARE WELFARE GROUPS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE HAVE SERVED OVER EIGHT ADMINISTRATIONS AT BARK.
WE RAISE MONEY TO HELP ANIMALS.
WE DO WHATEVER NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
UM, WE RAISE THIS MONEY AND WE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS.
WE WORK THE WEEKENDS, WE WALK, WE PHOTOGRAPH DOGS, WE WORK YOUTH LIST DOGS.
WE SPEND ALL OF THE TIME WE CAN JUST TRYING TO BUILD RAPPORT WITH THE BARK TEAM THAT WE LOVE.
AND OF COURSE, THE DOGS THAT NEED US.
MIKE GOES TO THE STORE EVERY SINGLE WEEK AND BUYS KITTY FOOD, DOG FOOD, LAUNDRY DETERGENT, SNACKS FOR THE BARK EMPLOYEES, SNACKS FOR THE PEOPLE COMING TO VISIT, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO LOOK AT DOGS PER BARK.
SO THANK YOU, MIKE, FOR ALL OF THAT.
EVERYBODY IS CARED FOR AND EVERYBODY GETS TREATS.
2013 THROUGH 2019, WE HAD A GRANT AND WE WERE ABLE TO SUBSIDIZE A HEARTWORM PROGRAM THAT TOOK ALL OF THE DOGS THAT HAD HEARTWORMS PAID FOR IT, AND SAVED HUNDREDS OF DOGS.
WE'VE DONE AND PAID FOR, UH, TWO SPAYED NEUTER EVENTS, UM, THIS PAST YEAR.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE THIS YEAR.
WE WANNA DO ONE A QUARTER, AND, UM, BASICALLY WHAT THAT WILL DO IS STOP BURSTS AND PREVENT EUTHANASIA GOING FORWARD.
UM, WE TRAP S SPADE AND NEUTER AND RETURN FERAL CATS TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, WE HAVE A SIX WEEK OBEDIENCE PROGRAM FOR FOLKS THAT COME TO BARK AND ADOPT DOGS.
THIS WAY, THE FAMILY AND THE DOGS STAND A CHANCE.
SO YOU SEE LOVE FEST, LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING OVER HERE,
UM, AND LASTLY, OUR, OUR BIGGEST, UM, PROGRAM IS THE TRAYS FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED OVER 15 YEARS AGO.
UM, THIS FOUNDATION WAS ESTABLISHED FOR A DOG THAT OBVIOUSLY HAD TO HAVE A LIMB AMPUTATED.
WE HELP FOSTERS, WE HELP PEOPLE, WE HELP RESCUE GROUPS, WE HELP ANIMALS, ANYTHING OR ANY EMERGENCY SITUATION OVER 50 KA YEAR FOR EMERGENCIES TO SUBSIDIZE THIS.
WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE WORK, UM, AHEAD OF US.
WE ARE WORKING ON A MULTITUDE OF PROGRAMS, BUT I UNDERSTAND TIME IS RELEVANT.
SO I'M JUST GONNA SAY THIS IN FINALE.
WE ARE PROUD TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY OF HOUSTON.
WE ARE PROUD TO WORK WITH BARK.
WE HOPE THAT YOU GUYS, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT US IN THESE INITIATIVES SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK WE'RE DOING AND WORK ON SPAY AND NEUTER AND ANIMAL EDUCATION AND PEOPLE EDUCATION SO THAT WE CAN MAKE HOUSTON A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF OUR ANIMALS.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYBODY.
COUNCIL MEMBER, WE DO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ IN THE QUEUE.
MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING FRIENDS OF BARK.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IS IMPORTANT, VITAL, UH, AS YOU MENTIONED, IT'S THE EDUCATION, BUT THEN ALSO THE, THE SERVICES, UM, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT I HAS BEEN A A GREAT PARTNER WITH BARK.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU A SHOUT OUT, UM, ALWAYS ANSWERING THE CALLS WHENEVER WE DO HAVE, UH, CHALLENGES WITH MULTIPLE DOGS OUT IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT JUST WANNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU FOR LIFTING THEM UP.
WE'RE HERE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU AS WELL.
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AS COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ FOR A PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING ANN COLUM FOR HER 20 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP AS PRESIDENT OF GLENBROOK VALLEY CIVIC CLUB.UH, SO THIS IS, UH, A BIT SPECIAL FOR ME.
UM, SO ANN, UM, PRACTICALLY RAISED ME AS A STAFFER.
UH, I THINK SHE RAISED SEVERAL DISTRICT.
I, I THINK EVEN COUNCILOR, FORMER COUNCILOR, UH, JAMES RODRIGUEZ AS A STAFFER.
UM, AND SHE'S ACTUALLY MY CIVIC CLUB, UH, PRESIDENT AS WELL, OR NOW FORMER CIVIC CLUB PRESIDENT.
SO, UM, WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT ANN WAS GONNA PULL BACK, UM, YOU KNOW, SHE'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR OVER 20 SOMETHING YEARS.
AND SO TO BE ABLE TO BRING UP NEW LEADERSHIP WITHIN OUR PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, IT JUST SPEAKS TO, UH, JUST WHAT LEADERSHIP IS.
UM, I THINK YOU ALWAYS STEP INTO THESE ROLES WHEN IN BEING ASKED TO SERVE, BUT THEN WHENEVER, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY COMES TO IDENTIFY NEW FOLKS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU LIFT THEM UP.
AND SO I WANTED TO HONOR ANN, UH, TODAY IN FRONT OF, UH, MY COLLEAGUES AND OF COURSE, THE MAYOR.
UM, SO I'LL START OFF READING THE PROCLAMATION.
NO, ANN COLLUM SERVES AS SERVED AS THE PRESIDENT OF GLENBROOK VALLEY CIVIC CLUB FOR 20 YEARS, ADVOCATING TIRELESSLY FOR GLENBROOK VALLEY AND SOUTHEAST HOUSTON AND ITS RESIDENTS TO, THROUGH STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON COUNTY AND STATE OFFICIALS AND PUBLIC AGENCIES.
DURING HER TENURE, SHE LED THE CREATION OF GLENBROOK VALLEY HISTORIC DISTRICT, HOUSTON'S FIRST HISTORIC DISTRICT OUTSIDE OF SIX 10 LOOP, MAKING IT THE FIRST POST WORLD WAR II HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE UNITED STATES, THE LARGEST IN TEXAS, AND ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE NATION.
A GLENBROOK, A GLENBROOK VALLEY RESIDENCE SINCE 1972.
AND KEPT NEIGHBORS INFORMED BY WRITING AND PUBLISHING A COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER FOR 20 YEARS, REACHING MORE THAN 1200 HOMES.
SHE ALSO HAS ALSO SERVED AS, AS A LONGTIME BOARD MEMBER OF THE HOBBY AREA MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, A FORMER MEMBER OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL COMMISSION, AND MEMBER OF THE GLENBROOK VALLEY ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD.
IN JANUARY OF 2026, ANNE RETIRED FROM HER LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH THE GLENBROOK VALLEY CIVIC CLUB IN RECOGNITION OF HER EXTRAORDINARY DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON, PROUDLY HONOR, HONORS, AND COLUMN WHOSE SERVICE EXEMPLIFIES HOW ONE INDIVIDUAL CAN MAKE A LASTING AND MEANINGFUL IMPACT THROUGH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP.
UH, YOU KNOW, AS WE CROSS HOUSTON, YOU CAN TELL WHAT COMMUNITIES HAVE A STRONG CIVIC CLUB.
IT'S ONE OF THE KEYS TO, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, VIABILITY.
AND YOU CAN PULL BACK AND YOU'LL STILL BE DOING A HECK OF A LOT.
AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR, UH, GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR A PUBLIC SERVICE.
YOU'VE NEVER BEEN ON THE BALLOT EXCEPT MAYBE IN THE CIVIC CLUB, BUT WE CONSIDER, CONSIDER YOU A PUBLIC SERVANT.
SO THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 10TH, 2026, IS ANN LUM DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AS YOU KNOW, AS WE AGE, TIME JUST FLIES.
IT WAS REALLY SHOCKING WHEN I REALIZED THAT I'D BEEN DOING THAT 20 YEARS, AND OF COURSE THAT WAS AFTER TEACHING 40 YEARS.
BUT YOU KNOW, ONE THING, WHEN THERE'S A NEED, YOU HAVE TO STEP UP.
YOU CAN'T WAIT FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO DO IT.
IT WAS GREAT HELPING YOU GROW UP.
AND, AND YOU WERE JUST HERE LAST WEEK.
SHE WAS HERE LAST WEEK TALKING ABOUT PARKING IN THE YARD, MAYOR.
SO SHE'S, SHE'S UH, SHE'S STILL GONNA BE ACTIVE.
THE PROBLEM WITH TAKING ON THESE ROLES IN THE CIVIC CLUBS IS YOU END UP
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DOING THEM FOREVER BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO DO 'EM.UM, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY.
THIS COUNCIL MEMBER, CAROLYN EVANS CHAVEZ FOR A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE NAACP HOUSTON BRANCH IN CELEBRATION OF THEIR 117TH ANNIVERSARY.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM, AND CERTAINLY THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR.
UH, I AM A RETIRED EDUCATOR, IF THERE'S ANY SUCH THING, AND WHEN I DECIDED TO RETIRE, I BECAME VERY ACTIVE WITH THE HOUSTON BRANCH OF THE NAACP AND IT ACTUALLY KINDA CATAPULTED ME INTO WHERE I AM TODAY.
UH, CERTAINLY MY ACTIVISM AND, AND, UH, ADVOCACY STARTED WITH THE NAACP AS THE EDUCATION CHAIR, UH, AND A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
AND I AM CURRENTLY THE SECOND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON BRANCH, BUT I'M SO VERY HONORED TO, UH, CERTAINLY BRING THIS PROCLAMATION.
UH, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE, COLORED PEOPLE HOUSTON BRANCH, WHEREAS THE NAACP WAS FOUNDED ON FEBRUARY THE 12TH, 1909, IN RESPONSE TO THE URGENT NEED TO CONFRONT RACIAL JUSTICE, INJUSTICE, AND INEQUALITY.
AND FOR 117 YEARS HAS REMAINED THE NATION'S OLDEST AND LARGEST CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO SECURING THE POLITICAL, EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC EQUALITY OF RIGHTS FOR ALL PEOPLE AND OR SO STILL FITTING.
WHEREAS THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY, THE NAACP HAS PLAYED A DEFINING ROLE IN ADVANCING CIVIL RIGHTS IN THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING LANDMARK LEGAL VICTORIES, POLICY REFORMS, AND GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY THAT HAVE HELPED SHAPE A MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE SOCIETY.
AND WHEREAS THE NAACP HOUSTON BRANCH HAS SERVED AS A PILLAR OF LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY IN HOUSTON, WORKING TIRELESSLY TO PROTECT CIVIL LIBERTIES, PROMOTE VOTER ENGAGEMENT, EXPAND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY, AND ADDRESS SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES AFFECTING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE CITY.
AND WHEREAS THROUGH SUSTAINED COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, CIVIC EDUCATION, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, THE NAACP HOUSTON BRANCH HAS EMPOWERED GENERATIONS OF HOUSTONIANS TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN CIVIC LIFE AND TO ADVOCATE FOR FAIRNESS, DIGNITY, AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.
WHEREAS ON THE OCCASION OF THE HUNDRED AND 17TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROUDLY RECOGNIZES THE ORGANIZATION AND THE NAACP HOUSTON BRANCH FOR THEIR CONTINUED LEADERSHIP IN THE PURSUIT OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE, THEIR LEGACY OF INCLUSION AND RESPECT FOR THE RIGHTS OF ALL, AND THEIR PROFOUND IMPACT ON HOUSTONIANS AND BEYOND.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS.
UH, I'M LISTENING TO YOU AND I'M THINKING ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT I'VE WITNESSED HOUSTON AS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND A SENATOR.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT OUR CITY OR OUR NATION WOULD BE LIKE WITHOUT THE NAACP.
AND WE'RE STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF THOSE WHO FOUNDED IT, PRESERVED IT.
I CAN'T KEEP NOT MENTION MY PEER TO HIRED JEFFERS TO PROTECTED NAACP THE GODFATHER.
YEAH,
BUT YOU KNOW, THE TEAM MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
UH, CERTAINLY COME A LONG WAY THROUGH THE NAACP, BUT WE
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CERTAINLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO RECOMMIT OURSELVES.WE HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO FOR EQUALITY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR NATION.
I'M JUST REALLY PLEASED THAT YOU ALLOWED US TO PAUSE AND RECOGNIZE A MAJOR REASON WHY HOUSTON IS A GREAT CITY.
I COULD NAME OTHER, CERTAINLY LEADERSHIP, MAYBE NOT NA C REVEREND LAWSON.
I COULD GO WILLIAMS AND I COULD GO SYLVESTER TURNER, AND I COULD JUST GO THROUGH THE LIST OF LEADERSHIP THAT WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY.
THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROPANE FEBRUARY 12TH, 2026, NAACP HOUSTON BRANCH STATE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO CERTAINLY, UH, BRING, UH, REVEREND BISHOP, DR. JAMES DIXON UP FRONT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE BRANCH, BUT LOOK AT ALL OF THESE FACES OF WONDERFUL COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND LEADERSHIP, AND CERTAINLY OUR WONDERFUL DIRECTOR, YOLANDA SMITH.
AND SO I'M VERY HONORED TO WORK WITH SUCH A WONDERFUL GROUP.
AND BISHOP DIXON, NOT A SERMON.
NOW, BISHOP, IF YOU DO BRING A GOOD WORD NOW, BISHOP, SO DO YOU.
YOU RECOGNIZE THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN CALLED FOR THAT THOUGH, BISHOP.
YOU FREAK A LOT, BUT YOU COME RIGHT ON IN TO REVEREND JABBA.
AND CERTAINLY TO, UH, OUR MAYOR, MAYOR WHITMEYER.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS ESTEEMED RECOGNITION OF THE HOUSTON BRANCH OF THE NFCP AND, AND CERTAINLY TO OUR, OUR BOARD MEMBER AND VICE PRESIDENT, DR.
AND TO ALL OF YOU, UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL, WE'LL HONOR THE STAND WITH THIS ASTUTE COMMITTED SACRIFICE, SACRIFICIAL GROUP OF LEADERS WHO STAND HERE TODAY, UH, REPRESENTING THE REAL FABRIC OF THE POWER OF THE HOUSTON BREATH OF THE NACP.
UH, YOLANDA SMITH HAS BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT 70 YEARS.
AND, UH, BUT, UH, THE AMAZING WORK THAT SHE HAS DONE, UH, THROUGH SEVERAL PRESIDENTS, UH, INCLUDING HOWARD JEFFERSON AND OTHERS, AND NOW IN THIS ADMINISTRATION, HAS DONE A STELLAR JOB.
AND THESE BOARD MEMBERS, OUR VICE PRESIDENT, FIRST VICE PRESIDENT HERE, UH, WE WANNA HONOR THEM.
SIOBHAN TUMAN, AND SO MANY OTHERS.
THE NACP 117 YEARS AGO FOUNDED, AS YOU KNOW, BY THE LIKES OF THE GREAT WEB DU BOIS, AS WELL AS, UH, INDIVIDUALS LIKE IDA B.
WELL, UH, PERSONS WHO UNDERSTOOD ALONG WITH DIFFERENT RACIAL, RACIAL GROUPS, WHO UNDERSTOOD THAT JUSTICE IS NOT A COLOR.
UH, JUSTICE IS AN ETHIC AND A MORAL VALUE.
AND OUR BRANCH CONTINUES TO FIGHT.
UH, I'VE BEEN A PART OF THE BRANCH SINCE, UH, CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN WAS THE PRESIDENT, AND HOWARD JEFFERSON AND SO MANY OTHERS.
THEY TUTORED IN MANY, MOST OF US.
WE ARE HERE TODAY STANDING ON BROAD'S SHOULDERS.
AND THE POINT IS, FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS, AS WE CELEBRATE OUR ANNIVERSARY ON FEBRUARY 12TH, UH, WE STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF TABLES AVAILABLE, I THINK, YOLANDA, AT THAT EVENT, AT THE ENSEMBLE.
UH, BUT OUR THEME IS IN THE SPIRIT OF OUR FOUNDERS, WE FIGHT ON, AND TO YOUR POINT, MAYOR, WE MADE PROGRESS.
UH, BUT WE'VE GOT AN OCEAN TO CROSS, UH, A CHASM TO CROSS WHERE OPPRESSION, UH, VOTER SUPPRESSION, INEQUITIES, RACIAL GAPS, WEALTH GAPS, EDUCATION GAPS, HOME OWNERSHIP GAPS STILL EXIST BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT OUR NATION FACES.
WE COUNT OURSELVES AS A PARTNER TO THIS MAYOR, TO THE COUNCIL, TO ALL LEADERS WHO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BEST OF US ARE BETTER.
WHEN THE REST OF US BECOME THE BEST OF US.
IT MEANS THAT WE LIFT FROM THE BOTTOM.
YOU'RE NO STRONGER THAN THOSE YOU LIFT.
AND IF YOU STAND ON A HIGH PEAK BY YOURSELF THAT SUGGESTED THAT YOU DIDN'T GET IT, WE ARE HERE TO LIFT THOSE FROM THE BOTTOMS OF THE TOP, NO MATTER YOUR ETHNICITY, RACE, OR GENDER OR RELIGION.
WE STAND FOR FREEDOM OF JUSTICE FOR ALL.
SO THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND WE HOPE THAT ALL OF US WILL SEE THE NACP AS AN EXTENSION OF YOUR OFFICES TO MAKE HOUSTON THE CITY THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A CITY ON THE HILL THAT LOOKS LIKE THE BELOVED COMMUNITY THAT DR. KING ENVISIONED AND ARTICULATED.
AND THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL FOR THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY.
OKAY, LET COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ.
I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH, NOT ONLY FOR BRINGING FORWARD THE NAACP, UM, TO BE RECOGNIZED, BUT ALSO FOR YOUR WORK WITH THE NAACP, YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE PROCLAMATION.
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UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH, BUT WE CONTINUOUSLY HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE LOUDLY THAT EVERY DAY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH.AND IT'S NOT JUST HONORING THE PAST BISHOP DIXON AS YOU PREACH.
IT IS ABOUT CONTINUING THAT WORK INTO THE FUTURE, UH, AT A TIME WHEN THERE ARE MANY, OR I SHOULD SAY SOME IN OFFICE THAT ARE TRYING TO WHITEWASH OUR HISTORY, THE WORK OF THE NAACP, AND ALL OF US AS ALLIES HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT FOR US.
BUT IT IS YOU ALL STANDING BEFORE US.
THAT GIVES ME THAT HOPE THAT THAT WORK CONTINUES, WHETHER IT'S IN THE COURTS, WHETHER IT'S IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BISHOP DIXON, YOUR LEADERSHIP, I SEE JACKIE, NICK, JANICE, I'M GONNA GET IN TROUBLE NOW 'CAUSE I STARTED CALLING OUT PEOPLE.
BUT, UH, NOT ONLY DO YOU GIVE YOUR TIME TO THE WORK OF NAACP, WHICH HAS FOREVER SHAPED OUR NATION'S HISTORY AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
EACH OF YOU, IN YOUR OWN RESPECT, GIVE SO MUCH TO THE COMMUNITY IN SO MANY OTHER WAYS AS WELL, MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING THE STAND THAT THIS MOMENT IN HISTORY CALLS FOR.
COUNCIL MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD.
THANK YOU MAYOR PROTI, AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE PROCLAMATION COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ FOR BRINGING IT FORTH, UH, TO THE ORGANIZATION.
UH, THE ORGANIZATION WAS CREATED OUT OF NECESSITY, AND THE ORGANIZATION STILL EXISTS OUTTA NECESSITY.
SO TO MS. SMITH AND BISHOP DIXON AND ALL WHO ARE THERE WITH YOU, UH, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
UM, THERE ARE MANY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THAT MAY NOT HAVE THE TIME TO MAKE IT TO EVERY BOARD MEETING, TO EVERY PRESS CONFERENCE, TO SPEAK OUT ON EVERY ISSUE.
BUT YOUR COLLECTIVE VOICES ARE WHAT WE LEAN ON AND WILL PROVIDE STRENGTH, PROVIDE ENCOURAGEMENT, PROVIDE SUPPORT.
SO I WANT YOU ALL, UH, TO KNOW THAT AS YOU VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME, MANY OF YOU, UH, TO THIS WORK, KNOW THAT IT'S ON BEHALF OF AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY WHO APPRECIATES YOU.
I DON'T SHOW UP TO AS MANY MEETINGS AS I NEED TO, BUT I, I DO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT, UM, BECAUSE IT IS STILL A NECESSITY AND YOU ALL ARE STILL NECESSARY.
COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO, TEM MAYOR, COUNCILMAN SHABAZZ, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR REMINDING US OF THE 117 YEAR CELEBRATION TO REVEREND DR. BISHOP JAMES DIXON, A FELLOW COLLEAGUE IN THE WORD YOU DID PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL.
AND TO MY FRIEND YOLANDA, WHO WE GO BACK, WAY BACK, PROBABLY MORE THAN WE WANT TO COUNT, AND THE WORK WITH, UH, NAACP AS A REGIONAL COORDINATOR WHEN CAROL DOUGLAS WAS THERE.
AND I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIVE STATES, AS YOU REMEMBER.
SO THE WORK OF THE NAACP STANDS ABOVE SO MANY, YOU KNOW, AND THERE ARE MANY OF US WHO DID THE WORK.
WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT OR BRAG ABOUT IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL REPRESENT.
AND I CAN'T THANK GOD ENOUGH FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF 'EM FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
BISHOP DIXON AND EVERYONE THAT IS HERE, UM, JANICE WEAVER.
SO GOOD TO SEE YOU, UM, TO ALL OF THE MEMBERS, UH, 117 YEARS DESERVES TO BE CELEBRATED, AND I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU CAME TO CITY HALL SO THAT WE COULD CELEBRATE THE NAACP.
WE MUST CONTINUE TO SHARE OUR STORIES, AMPLIFY OUR UNSUNG HEROES, AND CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON 117 YEARS OF DOING THE WORK, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU FOR ANOTHER 117 YEARS.
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OKAY.JUST REMEMBER, REMEMBER WE DONE DONE ALL THIS? YEAH, THAT'S, SHE GOT MOVED OUT.
[2:00 P.M.- INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ FOR THE INVOCATION.TODAY WE WELCOME A GLOBAL SCHOLAR, IMAM, AND LEADER OF DIALOGUE ACROSS CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS DIVIDES.
ABDULLAH EPLI, IMAM EPLI CURRENTLY SERVES AS PRESIDENT OF HOUSTON'S ROTHKO CHAPEL.
AND I WOULD NOTE WE ALSO HAVE ROTHKO BOARD CHAIR TROY PORTER IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE CHAPEL IS A SACRED SPACE AND INTERNATIONAL
[00:35:01]
CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, AND A PLACE FOR SOLITUDE AND GATHERING THAT RECEIVES MORE THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND VISITORS OF ALL FAITHS EACH YEAR.IMAM EPLI COMES TO HOUSTON FROM DUKE UNIVERSITY, WHERE HE WAS ONE OF THE NATION'S FEW SCHOLARS WORKING AT THE INTERSECTION OF RELIGION AND PUBLIC POLICY.
HE BECAME A NATIONAL ADVOCATE FOR PLURALISM AND INTERFAITH DIALOGUE, AND WAS RECOGNIZED WITH THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE'S DANIEL PEARL AWARD IN 2022, AND ELECTED TO THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES IN 2023.
IN HIS CAPACITY AS A BRIDGE BUILDER, IMAM EPLI HAS BUILT MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS AND INITIATIVES TO FACILITATE RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL LIFE ACROSS AMERICA'S COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
HE JOINED THE CHAPEL IN SEPTEMBER, 2025, FOLLOWING HIS SERVICE AT DUKE UNIVERSITY AS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE SANFORD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY AND THE DIVINITY SCHOOL.
HE IS CURRENTLY A SENIOR FELLOW ON JEWISH MUSLIM RELATIONS AT THE SHALOM HARTMAN INSTITUTE IN JERUSALEM, WHERE HE FOUNDED AND CO-DIRECTS THE MUSLIM LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE.
WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE HIM IN HOUSTON.
NOW, IMAM EPLI, WOULD YOU PLEASE LEAD US IN PRAYER? MAYOR WHITMEYER, COUNCIL MEMBERS FELLOW HOUSTONIANS, ON BEHALF OF ROTHKO CHAPEL FAMILY AND ALL THE CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS OF HOUSTON, THANK YOU FOR THIS HONOR OF A LIFETIME.
WOULD YOU PLEASE PRAY WITH ME THE MOST MERCIFUL, THE COMPASSIONATE HOLY ONE WE TURN TO YOU, SOURCE OF ALL LIGHT, ALL JUSTICE AND ALL HEALING.
YOU HOLY ONE WHO BREATHE LIFE INTO EVERY CORNER OF THIS VAST UNIVERSE, AND WHO GATHER US INTO A SINGLE HUMAN FAMILY DESPITE ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS WE NAME YOU, AND ALL THE DIFFERENT PATHS THROUGH WHICH WE SEEK YOU AND YOUR PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES.
BLESS THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ITS LEADERS, ITS WORKERS, ITS MILLIONS OF RESIDENTS.
AS WE HEARD FROM THE BEAUTIFUL FIRST PRO PROCLAMATION TODAY, INCLUDING ITS NON-HUMAN RESIDENTS WHO CALL IT HOME, MAY WE BE WORTHY OF THOSE NON-HUMAN RESIDENTS.
BLESS THIS COUNCIL AS THEY CARRY THE SACRED RESPONSIBILITY OF SERVING ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE AND DYNAMIC CITIES IN OUR NATION AND AROUND THE WORLD.
FILL THEIR HEARTS WITH HUMILITY, THEIR MINDS WITH CLARITY AND THEIR ACTIONS WITH COURAGE ROOTED IN COMPASSION AND FORGIVENESS.
GUIDE US TO TRANSFORM OUR DIFFERENCES INTO SOURCES OF RICHNESS AND STRENGTH.
TEACH US TO SEE IN EACH OTHER, NOT STRANGERS, BUT NEIGHBORS, NOT RIVALS, BUT PARTNERS, NOT OPPONENTS, BUT FELLOW STEWARDS OF THE COMMON GOOD FOR HOUSTON AND BEYOND.
HELP US TURN OUR DISAGREEMENT INTO A DIALOGUE, FRUSTRATIONS INTO UNDERSTANDING AND DIVISION, INTO A DEEPER COMMITMENT OF THE DIGNITY OF EVERY SINGLE HOUSTONIAN.
A PLACE WHERE DECISIONS RIPPLE FAR BEYOND THE WALLS OF THIS BUILDING.
MAY EVERY DEBATE, EVERY VOTE, AND EVERY CONVERSATION HERE REFLECT JUSTICE, MERCY, HOPE, AND COMPASSION.
LET THIS BE A HOUSE WHERE THE VULNERABLE ARE SEEN, WHERE THE UNHEARD ARE UPLIFTED, AND WHERE UNITY PREVAILS OVER DIFFERENCE.
GRANT THE CITY'S LEADERS AND CITIZENS, THE GRACE TO PRESERVE WHAT NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED, THE COURAGE TO TRANSFORM WHAT NEEDS TO BE TRANSFORMED, AND THE WISDOM TO DISCERN THE DIFFERENCE THE MOST FORGIVING HOLY ONE, MAKE US A CITY, A MODEL EXEMPLARY IN CREATING AND TRANSFORMING OUR DIFFERENCES INTO HUMAN PARTNERSHIP.
AND IF WE, AND ESPECIALLY IF WE, IF AND WHEN WE FORGET YOU AND WHAT YOU THOUGHT US THROUGH THE MANY WISDOM TRADITIONS REPRESENTED IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY OF HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE FORGET YOU, PLEASE DO NOT FORGET US.
IN YOUR MOST HOLY, BEAUTIFUL, AND SACRED NAMES, WE PRAY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG, FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING]
ROLL CALL PLEASE.MAYOR WHITMEYER, PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN
[00:40:01]
SHABAZZ.HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELKHORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 3RD AND FOURTH.
UH, I'D LIKE TO MOVE, UH, JACOB CLEMENTE TO THE TOP OF THE ONE MINUTE NON AGENDA AND ALSO JANINE CIZ TO THE BOTTOM OF THE THREE MINUTE AGENDA.
OKAY, IS THERE A SECOND? ALL MOTION MADE.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES, AS OPPOSED NAY.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
OUR FIRST SPEAKER, MR. SECRETARY AMY ERICKSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY KYLE.AMY ERICKSON SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEMS 16 THROUGH 21, WHICH ASK YOU TO APPROVE $2 BILLION IN BONDS FOR HOUSTON.
FIRST, TO EXPAND THE GRB CONVENTION CENTER AND TO DEMOLISH THE ANITA SOUTH PARKING GARAGE.
ONE YEAR AGO, PEOPLE FOR POLK FORMED THROUGH SUSTAINED COMMUNITY ADV ADVOCACY, WE BROUGHT TRANSPARENT TRANSPARENCY TO A PROCESS MOVING FORWARD LARGELY OUTTA PUBLIC VIEW.
HOUSTONIANS NOW BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING ASKED OF THEM, AND IMPORTANTLY, WHO IS BEING ASKED TO SACRIFICE.
SEVEN PUBLIC STREETS AND FOUR DEVELOPMENT LOTS ARE BEING SURRENDERED.
THESE ARE NOT ABSTRACT LINES ON A MAP.
THEY ARE PUBLIC ASSETS CONNECTING PEOPLE TO JOBS, SCHOOLS, AND TRANSITS.
HOUSTONIANS ARE NOW NAVIGATING LONG AND CONSISTENT DETOURS THAT ADD MINUTES AND MILES TO THEIR DAILY COMMUTES.
WHILE HOUSTON FIRST REMAINS FULLY OPERATIONAL OTHER CITIES OF PAWS CONVENTION BUSINESS TO SHARE CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS, HOUSTON HAS CHOSEN A DIFFERENT PATH, ONE THAT SHIFTS SACRIFICE OUTWARD INTO NEIGHBORHOODS AND ONTO COMMUTERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
A 1400 SPACE PUBLIC GARAGE IS BEING REMOVED.
JUSTICE HOUSTON PREPARES TO HOST THE WORLD CUP.
THE CITY IS SACRIFICING LONG-TERM PARKING REVENUE.
HOUSTON FIRST STONE 2025 ANNUAL REPORT SHOWS HOT TAX COLLECTIONS AT 59%, DOWN NEARLY 9% FROM 2024.
YET THIS EXPANSION CONCENTRATES HOT TAX REVENUE WITHIN HOUSTON FIRST ARTS, CULTURAL AND ENTERTAINMENT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS HOUSTON THAT ALSO DEPEND ON THESE FUNDS ARE BEING ASKED TO SACRIFICE THEIR SHARE.
AND NOW HOUSTONIANS ARE BEING ASKED TO SACRIFICE FINANCIALLY.
AS OF DECEMBER, 2025, THE RATIO OF UN HEDGE VARIABLE RATE DEBT FOR CONVENTION AND ENTERTAINMENT REACHED 48%, NEARLY TWICE THE ADVISED RATIO.
WHILE EXCEEDANCE IS ACCEPTABLE ON AN INTERIM BASIS, THESE BONDS LOCK HOUSTONIANS INTO AN ESTIMATED 900 MILLION IN INTEREST.
OVER 30 YEARS, NEARLY A BILLION DOLLARS NOT FOR SERVICES, NOT FOR NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT FOR DEBT SERVICE, HOUSTON FIRST AGGRESSIVELY PROJECTS $20 BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT.
TO JUSTIFY THIS PROJECT, HOUSTON NEEDS REVENUE GROUNDED IN CONCRETE ECONOMIC REALITIES, NOT ASPIRATIONAL MODELS.
TEXAS SB 10 57 IS A GREAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT CREATES REAL TOOLS TO FUND PROJECTS LIKE THIS.
HOWEVER, THE STATE ENABLING AUTHORITY DOES NOT ABSOLVE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS SUCH AS YOURSELVES FROM OVERSIGHT OF SUCH DEVELOPMENT.
DESPITE THE SCALE OF THIS REQUEST.
OVERSIGHT AMOUNTS TO AN OCTOBER, 2025 MOU WEIGHTED IN HEAVILY IN HOUSTON FIRST FAVOR OFFERING LITTLE ENFORCEABLE PUBLIC PROTECTIONS.
WITH $2 BILLION ON THE TABLE A DESIGN PRESERVING POLK STREET ACCESS SHOULD BE ACHIEVABLE.
IF NOT, THE FUNDING IS SUFFICIENT TO BUILD MEANINGFUL ALTERNATIVES, NOT SIMPLY ELIMINATE ACCESS AND ASK COMMUNITIES TO ABSORB THE LOSS.
SO I ASKED COUNSEL TO PAUSE AND QUESTION WHO IS SACRIFICING AND WHO IS NOT.
NEXT, KYLE ROGERS, SCOTT SINGLETON TO BE FOLLOWED BY DONNA RICKENBACKER.
HELLO, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I WOULD LIKE TO ALS.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS AGENDA ITEM 16 THROUGH 21 AS WELL REGARDING THE ISSUING OF BONDS FOR THE BENEFIT OF HOUSTON.
FIRST, THE FOUR BONDS TOTAL, $2 BILLION THAT
[00:45:01]
ONLY REPRESENT THE ANTE TO CLEAN UP OLD DEBT AND PAY FOR WHAT HOUSTON FIRST HAS ALREADY SPENT.OTHER THAN THAT, THE DECEMBER 9TH BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE PRESENTATION HAD VERY FEW DETAILS.
THERE'S NO TRANSPARENCY, PUBLIC REPORTING OR PUBLIC OVERSIGHT OF HOW THESE FUNDS HAVE BEEN SPENT OR COMMITTED, OR HOW WHATEVER IS LEFT OVER IS INTENDED TO BE SPENT.
HOUSTON FIRST WILL HAVE TO RETURN TO COUNCIL TO ASK FOR MORE BONDS LATER TO CONTINUE MUCH LE MUCH LESS COMPLETE THE PROJECT BONDS OR DEBT.
BY PROVING THESE BONDS, COUNCIL IS PUTTING THE CITY INTO DEBT FOR A VERY DUBIOUS FUTURE REVENUE MODEL.
THE HUNTIN STUDY HAS NEVER BEEN RELEASED, AND THE WONDERFULLY OPTIMISTIC $20 BILLION IN FUTURE HOT TAX REVENUE IS UNLIKELY TO MATERIALIZE WHEN IT DOESN'T THE CITY.
INDEED, OUR CHILDREN WILL BE ON THE HOOK FOR THIS DEBT.
AND THEN ITEM 21 IS GONNA TEAR DOWN AN EXISTING 1400 SPOT PARKING GARAGE JUST IN TIME FOR WORLD CUP TO BE REPLACED WITH A 900 SPOT PARKING GARAGE SOMETIME LATER ON.
SOCIALIZE THE RISK, PRIVATIZE THE PROFITS.
YOU CAN'T BUILD A HUNDRED YEAR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT ON A FOUR YEAR ELECTION CYCLE.
IF YOU'RE GONNA GIVE HOUSTON FIRST A BLANK CHECK, YOU NEED TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
NEXT, DONNA RICKENBACKER TO BE FOLLOWED BY JANINE SIACK.
MY NAME IS DONNA RICKENBACKER AND I'M HERE IN CONNECTION WITH AGENDA ITEM 24.
I'M HERE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS AN AWARD OF HOME FUNDS TO AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, UH, A SENIOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT'S LOCATED IN DISTRICT IN MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CAST TATUMS DISTRICT.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, THEN I'M ALSO HERE TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO MAYOR PRO TEM FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT SHE'S DONE FOR THIS PROJECT AND TO GET IT TO THIS POINT.
AND FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S HOUSING DEPARTMENT, YOU ALL HAVE A FANTASTIC HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
THEY'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB, AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THERE'S PATIENCE ON THIS AWARD AND, AND GETTING US ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
NEXT JANINE CIAK TO BE FOLLOWED BY JACOB CLEAGE.
HI, GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL OF DMA DEVELOPMENT COMPANY.
AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE SUNSTONE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT'S INCLUDED IN AGENDA ITEMS 12 AND 15 FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I'M SORRY, UM, THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY COMMITTEE LAST WEEK.
HOWEVER, ONE OF MY ASSOCIATES WAS PRESENT AND WAS ABLE TO HUDDLE UP AFTER THE MEETING, UM, TO DISCUSS WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS SOME OF THE CONCERNS SHARED.
UM, DURING THAT COMMITTEE, UM, I WATCHED THE TAPE AND SAW THAT THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT DRAINAGE.
AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE AS DEVELOPERS MET WITH THE MUD, UM, IN JANUARY ABOUT DRAINAGE.
AND THE MEETING WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE.
AND WE LEFT THERE WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT IF DMA COULD COME UP WITH AN ENGINEERING SOLUTION THAT DEALT WITH THE DRAINAGE IN ACCORDANCE TO THE HIGHER STANDARDS SET FOR SET FORTH BY ATLAS 14, UM, THAT THERE WOULD BE NO OBJECTIONS FROM THE MUD.
AND I WANNA BE CLEAR THAT STATE LAW IS PRETTY ESTABLISHED THAT EVERY SITE THAT'S DEVELOPED IN TEXAS, UM, NEEDS TO HANDLE THEIR DRAINAGE ON SITE AND NOT RESULT IN, UM, NEGATIVELY IMPACTING ANY NEIGHBORS WITH ADDITIONAL WATER THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE INCURRED WITHOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT.
SO I'M HERE TO SAY WE ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING THROUGH DRAINAGE.
OUR ENGINEERS AND THE MUD ENGINEERS ARE ALREADY IN CONTACT.
UM, THERE'S EITHER AN ENGINEERING SOLUTION AND, AND THAT ISSUE'S RESOLVED OR THERE'S NOT AN ENGINEERING SOLUTION AND WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD.
UM, WHAT I DO WANNA MAKE CLEAR HERE IS THE, THE SUPPORT RESOLUTION PROCESS REQUIRED BY T-D-H-D-A, UM, IS A FIRST STEP IN A LONG PROCESS.
IT'S NOT MEANT TO TALK ABOUT DETAILS LIKE DRAINAGE.
THERE ARE OTHER CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, PROCESSES, PERMITTING, SITE PLAN DEVELOPMENT, AND OF COURSE THIS, IN OUR CASE, THIS MUD APPROVAL THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN DOWN THE, THE ROAD.
BUT I GUESS THE SURPRISE FOR US LAST WEEK WAS THAT ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS ASKED THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON MAKE NO APPROVALS UNTIL THE DRAINAGE STUDIES ARE COMPLETE.
AND JUST THE WAY THE TIMING OF THIS PROCESS WORKS, I MEAN, THAT EFFECTIVELY WOULD KILL OUR DEAL BEFORE WE EVEN GOT TO SIT DOWN WITH THE ENGINEERS TO LOOK AT THE DRAINAGE.
[00:50:01]
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT THE RESOLUTION PROCESS, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, DOES OUR PROJECT MEET THE POLICY OBJECTIVES AT AS SET FORTH BY STAFF? AND DID THE SLATE OF PROJECTS THAT YOU'RE APPROVING, UM, HONOR THE, UM, DISTRIBUTION POLICY THAT'S OUTLINED IN, IN THAT, UM, SUBMITTAL PROCESS.UM, IN FULL TRANSPARENCY, THEIR NEIGHBORS, OTHER NEIGHBORS IN THE AREA HAVE RAISED OTHER CONCERNS.
UM, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 17 HAS TOLD US THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER TAX CREDIT DEVELOPER.
BUT IN CLOSING, I WILL SAY THEY'VE RAISED OTHER CONCERNS.
WE'VE ADDRESSED IT BY LOWERING OUR UNITS TO 72 UNITS, I'M SORRY, 65 UNITS AND PROMISING NOT TO GO MORE THAN TWO STORIES.
SO WE'VE TRIED TO ADDRESS THE OTHER CONCERNS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR TIME TODAY.
AND SO YOU MENTIONED THE, UM, ENGINEERING.
DO WE KNOW WHEN THAT WILL HAPPEN OR WHEN THERE'LL BE AN ANSWER? UM, I THINK PROBABLY WE COULD GET AN INITIAL OUR ARMS AROUND IT INITIALLY IN 30 TO 60 DAYS.
BUT QUITE FRANKLY, SINCE WE MET WITH THE MUD TWO WEEKS AGO, OUR ENGINEERS HAVE BEEN PLAYING PHONE TECH.
I MEAN, IT JUST TAKES SEVERAL WEEKS IN THIS ENVIRONMENT TO GET PEOPLE TO HAVE THE TIME TO GET TOGETHER.
SO IT JUST, IT CANNOT HAPPEN BY THE TAX CREDIT DEADLINE OF MARCH 1ST.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE GIVEN THE TIMING.
AND SO IF THE TAX CREDIT DEADLINE COMES AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION, ARE YOU SAYING THAT IF THE INFORMATION COMES LATER AND THERE'S NOT AN ENGINEERING SOLUTION, THEN THE PROJECT WON'T GO FORWARD? RIGHT.
WE NEED THE MUD'S APPROVAL AND SO IF WE CAN'T CONVINCE THE MUD THAT WE'VE SOLVED THE PROBLEM, THEN IT WON'T MOVE FORWARD.
UM, ALSO, LAST WEEK, I THINK, UH, DURING THE MEETING THERE WAS A ISSUE THAT CAME UP ABOUT, UM, ON THE APPLICATION THAT SAID THAT, UM, LETTERS OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FOR THIS PROJECT MM-HMM
BUT THERE REALLY HADN'T BEEN ANY, RIGHT.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? I THINK THERE WAS A CHALLENGE WITH THE WAY THE FORM WAS.
WE WANTED TO ATTACH SOMETHING THAT SHOWED THAT WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF GAINING SUPPORT AND IN ORDER TO ATTACH IT, WE CLICKED THE BUTTON AND MAYBE THERE WAS A BETTER WAY WE COULD HAVE DONE IT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN PERCEIVED AS BEING DISHONEST OR MISLEADING ON OUR PART.
AND, YOU KNOW, IN RETROSPECT, AND FOR NEXT YEAR, WE'LL HANDLE IT DIFFERENTLY.
BUT WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU IN PARTICULAR AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WE HAD REACHED OUT, WE REACHED OUT TO SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, 17 IN DECEMBER.
WE WERE TALKING WITH THEM AND THE FEEDBACK AGAIN WAS, SOMEONE TRIED THIS BEFORE, IT WASN'T WHILE RECEIVED.
AND THEY GAVE US THEIR REASONS AND WE SAID, OKAY, HOW ABOUT WE DO FEWER UNITS INTO STORY, WE WILL AGREE TO A 30 FOOT BUFFER, WE'LL AGREE TO A WALL AS HIGH AS THE CITY OF HOUSTON WILL ALLOW US TO BUILD.
SO WE WERE CLICKING THE BOX TO TELL YOU WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
I, LOOKING AT IT AGAIN, THERE WAS DEFINITELY A BETTER WAY THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE IT.
AND IT SEEMS THAT THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS MEETING TOMORROW MM-HMM
AND SO Y'ALL WILL BE PRESENT FOR THAT? YES.
HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR OFFICE TO TELL YOU HOW THAT GOES.
BUT AGAIN, IN FULL TRANSPARENCY, THEY HAVE TOLD US MULTIPLE TIMES THAT OUR CHANCES ARE VERY, VERY SLIM.
SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I DON'T, AND I GET THAT, THAT I, I FEEL BAD THAT THE WHOLE SLATE OF TAX CREDIT DEALS IS GETTING, MIGHT GET TAGGED BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE, BUT WHATEVER YOU GUYS LEAVE ROOM FOR ERROR.
UM, IT'S JUST, I, I JUST, I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS I'M GOING TOMORROW.
I HAVE THREE MINUTES TO PLEAD MY CASE AND WE'LL SEE, WE'LL SEE HOW I DO, BUT I DON'T EXPECT TO CHANGE THAT MANY MINDS, BUT I'LL DO IT.
IF I CHANGE THREE MINDS, IT'S STILL WORTH MY TIME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, MA'AM.
COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ HAS A PROCEDURAL MOTION.
MAYOR, UH, MOVE TO, UH, REARRANGE THE LIST TO WHERE ROBIN FORNET GOES PRIOR TO JAMES WARREN ARDS ON THE SPEAKER'S LIST UNDER THE TWO MINUTE NON AGENDA.
JACOB, WHAT'S COOKING? WELL, I WANTED TO TELL'S BARBERSHOP AND I GOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T GET AND THAT IS A HAIRCUT
[00:55:01]
A BEARD.UH, I WANTED TO, SINCE I GOT ALL POLISHED UP, I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAMERON.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ON CAST TATUM.
COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMAN, MEMBER CARTER.
AND, UH, ESPECIALLY COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
TWO DAYS FROM NOW IS A SPECIAL DAY.
SO WILL Y'ALL BE MY VALENTINE'S? YES.
JACOB SANDRA EVANS TO BE FOLLOWED BY ROBIN FORNET.
I APOLOGIZE FOR STEPPING UP A MINUTE AGO.
UM, I'VE BEEN HERE, THIS IS MY THIRD TIME COMING.
I HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH MY NEIGHBOR ONLY IT'S GOTTEN WORSE AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HOOKED ME UP WITH TWO DIFFERENT, UM, AGENCIES, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND, UM, SHABAZZ.
SITUATIONS GOTTEN WORSE AND I DON'T FEEL GOOD COMING BACK IN FRONT OF Y'ALL.
I HOPE Y'ALL DON'T GET OFFENDED, BUT IT'S THE ONLY THING I KNOW TO DO TO TRY TO GET SOME HELP.
UM, SO IT'S LIKE IT'S CAMERAS IN MY HOUSE SOMEHOW AND LISTENING DEVICES AROUND MY HOUSE.
I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO LIVE IN MY OWN HOUSE AND I'M PAYING MORTGAGE, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S JUST GETTING NEXT TO ME AND I NEED SOME HELP WITH IT.
I CAN'T AFFORD $3,500 TO HAVE PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE TO COME OUT.
I'VE CALLED ABOUT THAT, ABOUT COMING TO, UH, FIND AND REMOVE THE DEVICES.
THE POLICE SAID THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DO IT.
SO IF I CAN BE REFERRED YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED OR ANYTHING, I NEED SOME HELP.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE RELATED OR NOT, BUT I'M GONNA TRY TO SEE WHAT I CAN DO FOR YOU.
CERTAINLY THAT, THAT WAS JUST A LITTLE JOKE.
ANYWAY, I HAVE, UH, INGRAM OVER THERE BY THE DOOR AND SHE CAN HELP YOU TO PERHAPS GET SOME, UH, RELIEF FROM, FROM WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH.
AND SO IF YOU WILL TALK TO HER.
NEXT ROBIN FORNET ROBIN FORAY TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAMES WARREN.
AND THANK YOU FOR SAYING MY NAME RIGHT.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ROBIN FORNEY AND I'M HERE TO RAISE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE WASTE DUPLICATION AND THE UNJUST TREATMENT OF SEVERAL EMPLOYEES FROM THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
FIRST AT IAH, UH, THE AIRPORT OPERATIONS CENTER, OR IAOC IS THE HEART OF THE AIRPORT.
WE ARE THE DEPARTMENT PASSENGERS AND EMPLOYEES CALL WHEN THEY NEED HELP.
THE TEAM THAT ENSURES THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF TRAVELERS 24 7 365 DAYS A YEAR.
AND WE HAVE DONE SO SUCCESSFULLY FOR MANY YEARS.
OUR EMPLOYEES ARE HIGHLY TENURED WHEN FOR DECADES OF EXPERIENCE HANDLING EMERGENCIES, MANAGING SECURITY WEIGHTED EVENTS, AND KEEPING THE AIRPORT SECURE.
YET, HAS LEADERSHIP IS IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING A NEW DIVISION TERMINAL OPERATIONS THAT DUPLICATES THE VERY WORK THE A OC PERFORMS. THIS IS NOT INNOVATION, THIS IS DUPLICATION.
IN 2025, THE ERNEST ERNST AND YOUNG STUDY IDENTIFIED THE ISSUE OF DUPLICATION AND WASTE.
YET HHAS LEADERSHIP IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS DUPLICATION, WHICH GOES AGAINST THIS STUDY.
RECENTLY, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE MASTER CLASSIFICATION PLAN 2025 DASH 7 83, ITEM EIGHT.
THAT CREATED A NEW POSITION AT PAY GRADES 24 AND 26.
THESE ROWS DIRECTLY DUPLICATE EXISTING A OC POSITIONS CURRENTLY AT PAY GRADES 14 AND 23.
THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT AND JUSTIFIED INCREASE IN PAY AT TERMINAL OPS AT A TIME WHEN THE CITY BUDGET IS UNDER EXTREME SCRUTINY, A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE WITHIN THE A OC IS BEING SIDELINED WITH CITY DOLLARS WERE SPENT RECREATING A SYSTEM ALREADY IN PLACE.
MEANWHILE, THE A OC WAS FORCED INTO A HIRING FREEZE DESPITE AN OVERTIME BUDGET THAT EXCEEDS 99,000 IN GROWING.
WE ARE CURRENTLY AT 126% OF THE FY 26 BUDGET, AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN ALLOWED, NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY STAFFED FOR OUR DEPARTMENT FOR QUITE SOME TIME PER HAS LEADERSHIP.
[01:00:01]
THE HIRING FREEZE IS BEING JUSTIFIED BECAUSE OF THE EARNEST AND YOUNG STUDY, BUT THE STUDY IS BEING USED TO AT HIGHER PAY FOR TERMINAL OPPOSITIONS INSTEAD OF INVESTING IN THE A OC, THIS HIRING FREEZE HAS A RESULTED IN EMPLOYEE BURNOUT RISING OVER TIME COST AT A CRITICAL DEPARTMENT BEING IGNORED AGAIN.I WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I KNOW, I BELIEVE WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER COMING.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC ASKS OF COUNSEL? UM, I, I KNOW YOU'RE RAISING SOME OF THESE ISSUES, ESPECIALLY AS IT PERTAINS TO DUPLICATIONS YES.
COULD YOU CLARIFY FOR US SOME OF THE SPECIFIC ASKS? AND MAYBE THE NEXT SPEAKER CAN ALSO CLARIFY THAT HE WILL FINISH THE SPEECH.
ACTUALLY, BUT I, I'M ACTUALLY THE ADMIN FOR THIS DEPARTMENT, SO THIS DOESN'T ACTUALLY AFFECT ME AT ALL.
I HAVE BEEN WITH THIS DEPARTMENT FOR 22 YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN CHANGED TO THE A CC AND NOW WE'RE THE A OC UNDERNEATH THE ICC, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
AND, UM, WE HAVE ASKED NUMEROUS TIMES, PLEASE LET US HAVE SOME PEOPLE, WE WE'RE RUNNING 19 PEOPLE DISPATCHERS AT A 24 7, 365 DEPARTMENT.
THEY'RE STAYING 12 HOURS A DAY.
THEY'RE EXHAUSTED, THEY'RE TIRED.
WE, WE EVEN HAVE AN, THEY EVEN THEY EVEN STOPPED US TRYING TO KEEP US FROM COMING TO CITY COUNCIL TODAY.
THEY TRIED TO KEEP US FROM COMING, STOPPED US AT THE DOOR AND PRETTY MUCH BEGGED US NOT TO COME BECAUSE THEY'RE EMBARRASSED OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO US.
YOU'LL SEE, HEAR MORE DETAILS ABOUT, WE HAVE AN ICCA.
CHERYL HAMILTON DESIGNED THE ICC FROM THE TERMINOLOGY FOR THE TECHNOLOGY TO THE BLUEPRINT ON THE FLOOR.
SHE DESIGNED THE WHOLE CENTER.
SHE SHOULD BE RUNNING THAT CENTER ON THURSDAY.
LAST WEEK THEY MOVED HER INTO INFRASTRUCTURE INSTEAD OF ALLOWING HER TO STAY WITH US.
THEY'RE DOING THINGS THAT ARE NOT RIGHT.
AND WE ARE TIRED OF WATCHING THEM HURT US AND HURT OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND IT'S JUST TIME TO BE HERE.
WE BROUGHT YOU OVERTIME SHEETS, WE BROUGHT YOU ROSTERS.
WE CAN SHOW YOU SO MANY THINGS AND I HATE THAT IT'S COME TO THIS.
WE SENT A MESSAGE TO OUR DIRECTOR AND OUR COO ON THURSDAY WHEN THEY SENT CHERYL OUT THE DOOR BEGGING THEM TO PLEASE MEET WITH US.
THEY DID NOT EVEN RESPOND TO US.
WE'VE BEEN BEGGING PEOPLE FOR DECADES TO PLEASE HELP US.
PLEASE LET US STAFF OUR DEPARTMENT.
EVERYBODY AROUND US HAS GOTTEN PROMOTIONS AND PAY RAISES IN THE FRIEND CIRCLE WHILE WE'VE BEEN IGNORED.
WE'RE AT DESPERATION POINT CITY COUNCIL.
WE DESPERATELY NEED YOU TO DO A DEEP DIVE OF THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM AND THE HAS LEADERSHIP.
AT THIS POINT, I'M PUTTING MY JOB ON THE RISK ON THE TABLE, AND IT DOESN'T EVEN AFFECT ME.
THIS IS THE DISPATCHERS AND THE SUPERVISORS ON THE LINE.
I'M THE ADMIN AND I'M HERE FIGHTING FOR THEM AND MY TEAM BECAUSE THIS IS HOW BAD IT IS.
UM, AND I, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY OTHER SPEAKERS, BUT I, I KNOW THAT ANY EMPLOYEE HAS THE RIGHT TO COME AND SPEAK AT COUNCIL.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO LET HIM? YES, MA'AM.
UH, THE ENTIRE TEAM, UH, AND FOR YOUR VOICE AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
IT IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE, UH, TO STAND BEFORE US, UH, TO PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE WHAT YOU HAVE STATED.
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT DOES NOT DIRECTLY AFFECT YOU.
SO THAT TAKES REAL LEADERSHIP AND THAT'S THE TYPE OF, UM, APPRECIATION THAT WE NEED TO SHOW YOU AS AN EMPLOYEE AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT YOU ALL GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
AND THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY IMPEDIMENTS TO YOU ALL COMMUNICATING, UH, TO SUPERVISORS OR TO US OR TO ANYONE THAT HELPS YOU, UH, CREATE A MORE, UH, ENJOYABLE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT FOR YOU ALL AND TO GIVE YOU THE RESOURCES, UH, THAT YOU ALL NEED TO PERFORM AT YOUR BEST.
YOU CAN LEAN ON MY OFFICE, UH, FOR ANY TYPE OF COMMUNICATION AND WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN, UH, WORK ON YOU ALL'S BEHALF.
UH, BUT YOU BEING HERE IS NECESSARY AND YOU BEING HERE HAS, UH, BEING ABLE TO GIVE US MORE INSIGHT ON THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO.
THANK YOU, UH, TO MAKE YOU ALL'S DEPARTMENT BETTER.
SAID IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE WANTED TO DO, BUT WE FELT IT WAS NECESSARY.
NEXT, JAMES WAL S TO BE FOLLOWED BY SARAH SAM.
UM, I'M HERE TO CONTINUE THAT, UH, PART OF THE SPEECH, UH, TERMINAL OPS HAS ADDED ABOUT FIVE SUPERVISORS AND ADDITIONAL 15 COORDINATORS AT A HIGHER PAY GRADE.
[01:05:01]
HAS SIX SUPERVISORS AND 19 OPERATORS CURRENTLY DOING THE SAME JOB FUNCTIONS.THIS IS A CLEAR WASTE OF, UH, FUNDS AND RESEARCH AND RESOURCES.
WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU RESCIND THE MASTER CLASSIFICATION PLAN, HALT THE CREATION OF THESE, UH, REDUNDANT POSITIONS, THUS FURTHER EXPLAINING THE DEPARTMENT AND INVESTIGATE WHY THE A OC HAS PRETTY MUCH BEEN PUT ON THE SIDELINE.
UH, FURTHERMORE, AS OF MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH, UH, OUR TENURED LEADER, HER NAME WAS CHERYL HAMILTON, A OC DIVISION MANAGER, UH, OVER 30 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, WAS MOVED OUT OF THE A OC AND PUT TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT THAT DEPARTMENT'S CALLED THE ENTERPRISE, UH, ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
UM, AS A STAFF ANALYST, WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW HER WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE, SKILLSET, AND POTENTIAL, UH, IN THE ICC UH, MANAGER, UH, MS. HELM, MS. HAMILTON HAS SPENT A CAREER DEDICATED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON WORKING FOR, UH, THE HOUSTON HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, HOUSTON EMERGENCY CENTER, HASA VARIETY OF SECURITY ROLES.
UH, SHE WAS MANAGED SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS WITH HAS AND WAS WORKED ON NUMEROUS CAPITAL, UH, UH, IMPROVEMENT, UH, PROJECTS.
SHE WORKED TIRELESSLY ON THE VARIOUS SYSTEM WE USE FOR THE I-C-C-A-O-C, UH, ACCESS CONTROL CAMERAS.
UM, AS FAR AS, UH, DOOR ALARMS AS WELL, UH, IN ADDITION TO TERMINALS, IN ADDITION TO THE TERMINALS, ET CETERA.
AND THE INSTALLATION OF THE COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT AT BOTH HOBBY AND BUSH.
UH, HER MOST RECOGNIZED ACCOMPLISHMENT IS THE CENTER THAT WAS, UH, JUST MOVED OUT OF THAT.
SHE WAS JUST MOVED OUT OF, WAS THE ICC.
AND THAT IS, UH, THE INTEGRATED COORDINATION CENTER.
UH, SHE TOOK A, SHE TOOK A SHELL SPACE AND A BLUEPRINT AND TURNED IT INTO, TURNED IT INTO A NERVOUS SYSTEM THAT HELPS THE, UH, HAS SYSTEM TODAY AT THE AIRPORT.
UH, SO WHAT REASONING ARE YOU ALL, UH, BEEN GIVEN FOR, FOR THESE CHANGES? UH, AS FAR AS THAT, I THINK IT WAS THE, THE, THE ERNST AND YOUNG, THE ERNST AND YOUNG STUDY.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE BEEN TELLING US, UH, TO MAKE THE DECISION THAT THEY'VE MADE SO FAR.
AND YOU ALL ARE CLAIMING THAT, UH, YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS IS DUPLICATION, WHICH CONTRADICTS WHAT THE ERNST AND YOUNG STUDY WAS MEANT TO TRY TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT THAT WE SHOULD STEER AWAY FROM, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
UH, I WOULD SAY THEY, THEY ARE WEAPONIZING THE ERNST AND YOUNG AGAINST US.
THEY'RE USING THIS TO CONTINUE THEIR BAD PRACTICES.
THEY'RE WEAPONIZING IT AGAINST US.
THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY HAD TOO MANY MANAGERS IN THE ICC, THEY HAVE BROUGHT SOMEBODY IN FROM UNITED AND MADE HIM THE ICC MANAGER.
HE DOES NOT HAVE HALF THE KNOWLEDGE THAT SHE HAS.
SHE HAS BEEN IN SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY AND SAFETY HER WHOLE CAREER.
HE WORKED FOR UNITED AND IT'S BEEN A CHAOS SINCE HE MOVED IN THERE.
HE, HE, THEY TELL HIM WHAT TO DO AND HE DOES IT.
AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS CORRECT, IN MY OPINION.
YOU ASK MOST OF THE AIRPORT, YOU COME OUT THERE AND TALK TO EMPLOYEES, COME OUT THERE AND TALK TO US.
YEAH, I'LL TAKE YOU UP ON THAT OFFER AND I WILL, UH, SCHEDULE A TIME TO TALK TO YOU ALL FURTHER.
I JUST AM TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM.
SO I HEAR THERE'S BEEN SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN REPLACED AND MOVED OVER AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WANT THAT INDIVIDUAL BACK AND I'M FIGHTING FOR HER.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'LL COME BACK, BUT HONESTLY OKAY.
WHEN, WHEN BEFORE THE STUDY CAME OUT, THEY HAD DECIDED THEY WERE GONNA HIRE TWO DUTY SUPERVISORS FOR THE ICC.
THEY OFFERED BOTH JO TWO JOBS TO, AM I ALLOWED TO SAY NAMES? WE ALREADY SAID TO CHERYL'S NAMES.
I, I'D PREFER TO NOT SEE NAMES.
THEY OFFERED TWO DUTY SUPERVISORS TO THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS.
THE ERNST AND YOUNG STUDY CAME OUT AND NEITHER ONE OF THEM WERE GONNA HAVE DIRECT REPORTS.
SO THEY RETRACTED THESE TWO DUTY SUPERVISOR POSITIONS BECAUSE THE ERNST AND YOUNG STUDY, BOTH OF THEM WERE OFFERED THE POSITION AND THEN SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, THIS GENTLEMAN GOT THE JOB AND THEY GAVE HIM A FEW DIRECT REPORTS SO HE'D BE SAFE.
SHE DID NOT GET THE POSITION ANYMORE, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS MORE QUALIFIED.
YOU, YOU ALSO WERE TALKING ABOUT OVER TIME AND THAT THERE'S A, A STAFF THAT IS WORKING PRETTY MUCH DOUBLE SHIFTS RIGHT NOW.
AND SO IS THERE AN ASK RELATED TO THAT? OBVIOUSLY, I'M ASSUMING ADDITION.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GET TO THE HEART OF YES.
WHAT THE ASK THEY'RE TELLING US THAT THEY'RE GONNA MAKE THIS NEW DIVISION TOPS AND TOPS IS GONNA COME IN AND TAKE SOME OF OUR DUTIES AND MAKE IT BETTER.
AND IF WE'RE JUST PATIENT, IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.
[01:10:01]
OUR DISPATCHERS ARE WORKING 16 HOURS OR WORKING 40 HOURS A PAY PERIOD TO TRY TO JUST ANSWER THE CALLS, THE RADIOS AND KEEP THE AIRPORT SECURE WORKING MINIMUM STAFFING 24 HOURS A DAY.WHY THIS TOPS IS NOT EVEN IN THE SECTION.
WHILE WE'RE WAITING, I, I JUST, PROCEDURALLY I DON'T WANNA, BECAUSE AGAIN, I THINK JAMES, YOU WERE UP SPEAKING.
HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD? I WE JUST, WE CAN'T PROCEDURALLY I'M SORRY.
ARE YOU DONE? OH, THEY'RE JUST THAT THEY'RE CREATING A NEW DIVISION TOPS AND WE GOT PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY DOING THE, DOING THE, THE JOB FUNCTIONS THAT TOPS IS, YOU KNOW, ABOUT TO TAKE OVER, I'M GUESSING.
THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL.
SARAH SAM, PEDRO MAHA ARMOND RACK MEN J JOHN MALBOROUGH KIMBERLY ALEXANDER TO BE FOLLOWED BY NICOLE HILLIER.
MY NAME IS KIMBERLY ROBINSON ALEXANDER AND I'M COMING TO INTRODUCE THE FREEDOM FAST MAYOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
WHEN THIS COUNTRY WAS STILL AN IDEA, NOT A GUARANTEE, THE WEIGHT OF WHAT AMERICA MIGHT BECOME RESTED ON THE SHOULDERS OF, OF A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE FACING AN UPHILL BATTLE THAT HAD NO REASON TO BELIEVE THEY HAD NO REASON.
THEY TO BELIEVE THEY WOULD WIN.
THEY WOULD DIVIDE IT IN BACKGROUND, BELIEF, AND INTEREST.
IT WAS AT THAT POINT WHEN THE COLONIES FELT THE MOST FRAGILE, THAT THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS CALLED FOR A DAY OF FASTING AND PRAYER, A SACRED PAUSE FOR A CIVIL RENEWAL.
THEY FASTED KNOWING THERE WAS SOMETHING WORTH FIGHTING FOR, AND THEY COULD ONLY CARRY THAT FIGHT TOGETHER.
IT WON MOST OF THEIR FREEDOM 250 YEARS AGO.
THE IDEA OF FREEDOM DID NOT INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME DESPITE THAT TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU BELIEVING IN THE POSSIBILITIES THAT STILL EXISTS FOR ALL OF OUR MEN AND WOMEN, NO MATTER THE DIFFERENCES TO LIVE THE BASIC PREMISE, THIS COUNTRY WAS BUILT ON THE AMERICAN IDEA OF FREEDOM.
MANY OF US FEEL THE WEIGHT OF AN UPHILL BATTLE TOWARD THE UNITY IN A NATION THAT HAS ALWAYS STRUGGLED FOR UNITY MORE THAN EVER, THE DIVISION IN OUR COUNTRY CAN FEEL SO LARGE THAT SOME QUIETLY WONDER WHETHER WE WILL EVER ACHIEVE THE DREAM THAT WAS A UNITED COUNTRY, REGARDLESS OF DIFFERENCE.
SOME WONDER WHETHER THE HOPE OF TRUE ACCEPTANCE, UNDERSTANDING, FAIRNESS, AND FREEDOM WILL EVER TRULY BE REALIZED.
BUT HERE IN HOUSTON AND IN CITIES ACROSS THIS NATION, WE ARE LIVING PROOF THAT UNITY IS NOT A MYTH.
AND THAT HOPE HAS BIRTHED A MOVEMENT TOWARDS A REALIZED FREEDOM SOME HAVE NEVER SEEN IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT IS WOVEN INTO THE VERY FABRIC OF THE FLAG.
IT IS PART OF WHO WE ARE, AND IT REMINDS US THAT THIS ONGOING BATTLE FOR UNITY AND FREEDOM IS A TEST WE HAVE FACED BEFORE AND CAN FACE AGAIN.
WE HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO UNITE.
RIGHT? THIS IS AN INVITATION TO BE PART OF A NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT, TO BRIDGE THE SPACE BETWEEN ANGER AND UNDERSTANDING, BETWEEN DIVISION AND SHARED PURPOSE.
TO TAKE PART IN A POWERFUL ACT OF COLLECTIVE SACRIFICE, CHOOSING ONCE A MONTH TO GIVE SOMETHING UP IN ORDER TO MAKE ROOM FOR REFLECTION, LISTENING, AND UNITY.
AS WE APPROACH THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR COUNTRY, WE INVITE THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS HISTORIC MOMENT, JOINING AMERICANS ACROSS THE NATION WHO BELIEVE THAT FREEDOM IS SUSTAINED, NOT ONLY BY LAWS AND INSTITUTIONS, BUT BY THE HABITS WE PRACTICE TOGETHER.
LET US COMMIT TO MAKING THIS, THIS A MORE PERFECT UNION TODAY BY JOINING THE FREEDOM FAST.
VISIT WWW.FREEDOMFAST.US TO GET INVOLVED.
NEXT, NICOLE KELLARD TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALFREDA FRANKLIN.
[01:15:01]
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR.UH, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.
MY NAME IS NICOLE HILLARD, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF OUR MINISTRY, UH, OUR RECOVERY HOME, UH, RESTORATION HOUSTON MINISTRY.
WE ARE A CHRISTIAN RECOVERY HOME HELPING MEN AND WOMEN AND WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN, UH, THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION.
UH, WE OFFER A NINE MONTH FAITH-BASED PROGRAM.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR 17 YEARS, NOT OPERATING AS A BUSINESS, BUT OF A PLACE OF RESTORATION AND HOPE FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED CHANGE IN THEIR LIFE.
UM, AS I COME, AS I, UH, COME HERE TO THE, UM, UH, TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UM, WE WALK PAST ALL THE HERDING SOULS THAT ARE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR.
REMINDS ME OF THE POOL OF BETHESDA.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO INTRODUCE, UH, INTRODUCE OUR MINISTRY, UH, TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE AND WE WANT TO BE, UM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF HELPING HOUSTON CLEAN THE STREETS UP AND HELP THOSE THAT WE CAN HELP AND THOSE THAT WANT HELP.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S, UM, MAYBE EMAILS OR SOME WAY I CAN CONTACT YOU ALL AND SEND YOU MORE INFORMATION OF WHO WE ARE.
MINISTRY IS REALLY UNIQUE IN THE WAY THAT WE, UH, HELP AND REACH OUT TO PEOPLE OF THE NUMBER THAT WE GIVE THE PEOPLE AND THE LITERATURE THAT WE GIVE THEM WHEN WE, UH, SPEAK TO THEM.
THEY'RE ABLE TO CALL THIS NUMBER 24 HOURS A DAY, EVEN TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, AND WE'LL SEND A VEHICLE TO PICK THEM UP.
WE'RE DOWN HERE AT THIS LIBRARY, SOMETIMES 11, 12 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT WITH THE VAN FILLING THAT VAN UP AND TAKING THE PEOPLE IN AND, UM, AND HELPING THEM, UH, HELPING THEM GET RESTORED STRONGER SO THAT THEY CAN, UH, GET BACK INTO SOCIETY AS PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS.
AND, UM, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
INTRODUCING MYSELF AND ALSO ASKING FOR SOME TYPE OF, UH, PARTNERSHIP IN HELPING GOD'S PEOPLE.
UH, MS. HILLIARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.
UM, WE OFTEN SAY AROUND THE HORSESHOE THAT WE CAN'T DO THIS WORK ALONE.
WE NEED PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP US, UM, TO DO THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THE CITY.
UM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING TO INTRODUCE YOUR MINISTRY.
UM, WE ALL HAVE EMAIL ADDRESSES THAT YOU CAN, UM, SHOOT US THE INFORMATION.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE PHONE NUMBER TO UTILIZE ALSO AS A RESOURCE, UM, WHEN WE COME ACROSS CONSTITUENTS OR, UM, HOUSTONIANS THAT MAY NEED THE SERVICE.
AND I'D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MINISTRY THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE, ARE PROVIDING.
UM, IF YOU GO TO CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, DOT COM, IT, IT'LL PULL UP THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
IT HAS ALL OF OUR EMAIL ADDRESSES AND CONTACT INFORMATION.
UM, I, I'M HAPPY TO GIVE YOU A CARD TOO, BUT I'M DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE MINISTRY THAT YOU SPEAK OF TODAY.
AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING A HEART FOR HELPING PEOPLE.
WELL, THANK YOU MS. HILLIARD FOR COMING TO, UH, SPEAK, UH, BEFORE US TODAY.
AND DANELLE IN MY OFFICE WOULD GET WITH YOU, UM, TO MAYBE GET SOME INFORMATION.
WE HAVE AN INITIATIVE THAT WE CALL BACK ON TRACK HOUSTON, BOTH, AND IT'S ABOUT DOING GOOD WORK TOGETHER, YOU KNOW.
AND SO, UM, WE HAVE, UH, A RESOURCE FAIR COMING UP IN, UH, MARCH AND WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE INVITE YOU TO BE A PART OF THAT BECAUSE YOU, YOU, YOU CERTAINLY FILL A GAP THAT'S VERY NECESSARY OUT THERE.
SO DANELLE IS STANDING OVER BY THE DOOR.
IF YOU'LL VISIT WITH HER, WE'LL GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH YOU AND GET YOU ON OUR LIST.
GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE JUMPING OUT THE HIP.
I JUST WANT TO DITTO WHAT OUR MAYOR PRO TEM JUST STATED.
AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, THERE IS A MAYOR'S MINISTRY ADVISORY BOARD, A PASTORS.
WHEN THE MAYOR PRO TEM TALKED ABOUT COLLABORATION, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
UH, WE DIDN'T TEND TO OFTENTIMES, UH, GENERALLY WHEN IT COMES TO MINISTRY WORK, PEOPLE LIKE TO WORK AT SILOS, BUT THE WHOLE OBJECTIVE IS THE MINISTRY ADVISORY BOARD.
WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF PASTORS WHO ARE DOING SOME OF THE SIMILAR THINGS.
THE ONLY THING IS SOME DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OTHERS ARE DOING.
AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU CAME TO MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO WE'LL KNOW WHO'S DOING WHAT.
UH, I WILL STEP OUT AND SPEAK WITH YOU.
WE MEET, UH, THE SECOND, THIRD OF EVERY MONTH RIGHT HERE AT CITY HALL AND MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM.
WE HAVE AT LEAST ABOUT 70 AVERAGE, 65 TO 70 MINISTRIES OF ALL COLORS,
[01:20:01]
ALL DENOMINATIONS.AND WE MEET AND WE ARE DEALING WITH SEVERAL ISSUES, UH, PRIMARILY WITH HOMELESS, UH, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ISSUES AND CRIME.
THOSE ARE THE THREE AREAS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
WE HAVE AN ORGANIZATION, EXECUTIVE BOARD.
WE HAVE A JUDICATORY BOARD, AND WE WORK IN COLLABORATION.
SO I'M GOING TO STEP OUT, OF COURSE, MY CHIEF ESTABLISHED OVER THERE TOO.
BUT, UH, I'M HAPPY TO HEAR WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
IT'S VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE AS MAYOR PROTE SAID, AND KIND OF REEMPHASIZING WHAT OUR MAYOR SAYS, EVERYTHING'S ABOUT COLLABORATION.
IT'S BETTER WHEN WE CAN DO IT AS A UNIT IN JOINT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ABOUT SHOW HORSES, IT'S ABOUT WORK HORSES.
AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO AS WELL, TO SEE YOU AND INVITE YOU TO, UH, THAT MINISTERIAL GROUP.
UH, 'CAUSE I THINK YOU'LL SEE THE BENEFIT OF IT.
NEXT, ALFREDO, FRANKLIN SERNA PATTERSON, KELSEY POWELL, JAMES MOORE, ROBBIE MACK TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOSHUA BULLARD.
HOW YOU GUYS DOING TODAY? UM, MY NAME IS ROBBIE MACK.
UH, AND, UH, I AM THE OWNER OF A MEDIA COMPANY, A MASS MEDIA COMPANY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
UM, I'VE BEEN RUNNING INTO SOME, UH, SOME ISSUES.
UM, UM, SO I WANTED TO BRING THIS TO CITY COUNCIL AND, UH, A LOT OF GOVERNMENT BODIES, UH, HERE IN THE US.
UM, UH, LIKE I SAID, UM, I'M A MASS MEDIA COMPANY, UM, DEALING WITH ABOUT MAYBE 30 TO 50,000 PEOPLE.
UM, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH AND, UH, ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE TO TAM.
UH, SO, UH, I HAVE, I'VE DONE THE NUMBERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, DID ABOUT 50,000, UH, VIEWS, UH, OVER THE LAST, UH, 120 DAYS OR SO.
UM, SO, UH, MY ISSUE IS, IS JUST, UM, IT'S, IT IS, UM, JUST GETTING EVERYTHING TO COME TOGETHER.
UM, I'VE BEEN ENGAGED WITH THE SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, HERE IN THE CITY.
UH, SO, UH, WITH ME DEALING WITH, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT I'M DEALING WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME ISSUES.
UH, I'M GOING THROUGH ISSUES OF PIRACY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WHICH ARE BRINGING ISSUES TO, UH, THE BUSINESS THAT I'M TRYING TO PRODUCE.
UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH ME HAVING THIS LARGE FOLLOWING, SUPPOSEDLY, UH, I'M COMING TO YOU GUYS.
I'M, BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, I PLAN ON, UH, APPROACHING THE FCC OFFICE, UM, AS A PUBLIC FIGURE.
UM, SO I WANTED TO BRING THIS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ALONG WITH MY HOME STATE, UH, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, A HUGE, UH, SITU, UM, ISSUE GOING ON HERE IN THE CITIES RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, I'M ASKING THAT, UM, WE CAN ALL GET TOGETHER, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE MAJOR CITIES TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE THAT'S GOING ON, LIKE I SAID, ROUGHLY.
UM, I COULD BE, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, I DO HAVE AN EMAIL, A IE AMERICA THAT'S SPELLED A AS IN APPLE,
[01:25:01]
Y IN Y, UH, YELLOW Y IN YELLOW, E AS IN ELEPHANT, A AS IN APPLE, L AS IN LARRY, I IN IDEA AMERICA@GMAIL.COM.LORRAINE ATMORE, JULIAN ATMORE, JOSEPH NAIMI TO BE FOLLOWED BY COFFEE BAY.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, MY NAME IS JOSEPH NAOMI, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND A REVIEW OF AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED TO ME, UH, IN HOUSTON WHILE I WAS EXPERIENCING, UH, MENTAL HEALTH, UH, CRISIS ON AUGUST 11TH, 2022.
I WAS, UM, UH, UH, TRANSPORT, UH, TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL, UH, BY, UH, CITY POLICE.
DURING THAT TIME, MY, UH, DOG, MY PERSONAL PROPERTY AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT COMPANION WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BY THE CITY.
OFFICIAL POLICE AND ANIMAL CONTROL RECORDS CLEARLY DOCUMENTED MY NAME, MY DATE OF BIRTH, AND, UM, THE FACT THAT I WAS BEING TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL.
HOWEVER, WHILE I WAS HOSPITALIZED, I WAS, I, UM, AND, UH, UNABLE TO TREAT MY DOG.
THE ANIMAL WAS CLASSIFIED AS AN UNCLAIMED, UM, STRAY.
I WAS NEVER, UH, I WAS NEVER GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECLAIM MY, UH, MY BED DURING MY HOSPITALIZATION.
AND WHEN I WENT TO PARK, THEY TOLD ME, WELL, WITHOUT DUE RESPECT, THE POLICE OFFICER FAILED TO GIVE MY INFORMATION TO THE SHELTER.
AND, UH, BUT, UM, UM, AND MY, MY DOG WAS ALREADY BEING TRANSFERRED, UH, TO, UH, UH, TO OUR RESCUE ORGANIZATION AFTER ONLY 48 HOURS.
I WAS THERE ON AUGUST 15, THE MORNING OF AUGUST 15, UH, TO 2022.
THIS SITUATION HAD A LONG LAST EMOTIONAL IMPACT ON ME, AND I'M, UH, ON MY WELLBEING.
AND I WAS IN VULNERABLE MEDICAL CONDITION.
AND INSTEAD OF RECE, UH, RECEIVING, UH, COORDINATED CARE AND PROTECTION OF MY PROPERTY, UM, THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PO UH, PO, UH, POLICE AND ANIMAL CONTROL, AND THE SHELTER SYSTEM.
I'M NOT HERE TODAY FOR ANGER OR BLAME.
I'M HERE TO RESPECTFULLY, UH, REQUEST A FORMAL REVIEW OF HOW, HOW ON ANIMAL ARE HUNDRED, UH, ARE HUNDRED, WHEN THEIR, UH, UM, WHEN THEIR, UH, OWNERS ARE HOSPITALIZED.
A REVIEW OF INTERDEPARTMENT ON COMMUNICATION BETWEEN HOUSTON POLICE AND PARK, UH, UH, DURING EMERGENCY CUSTODY SITUATION, A POLICY IMPROVEMENT TO ENSURE THAT VULNERABLE RESIDENTS ARE NOTIFIED AND GIVEN A FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO RECLAIM THEIR ANIMALS BEFORE A REVERSIBLE OUTCOMES OCCUR.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH A FAMILY WHO ADOPTED MY DOG.
AND IF POSSIBLE, FOR RETRIE OR RETRIEVAL, UM, NO RESIDENT IS, IS TAKEN, UH, TO HOSPITAL DURING A CRISIS, SHOULD LOSE THEIR COMPANION, UH, ANIMAL TO, TO AN, UH, DUE TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE FAILURE OR LACK OF COMMUNICATION.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND COMMITMENT AND COMMITMENT TO PROTECT, UH, FOR, UH, TO PROTECTING BOTH PUBLIC SAFETY AND DIGNITY OF HOUSTON RESIDENT DURING VULNERABLE MOMENTS.
AND MR. NA, DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? YES.
UM, I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.
I KNOW THIS IS AN INCIDENT, UH, AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED IN 2022.
YOU REACHED OUT TO OUR OFFICE IN 24, OKAY? AND WE CONNECTED YOU, UM, BECAUSE THE DISCONNECT SEEMS TO BE WHEN HPD HAD TRANSFERRED THE ANIMAL, UM, I, I'M ASSUMING TO BARK, THEY DIDN'T NOTATE THAT THERE WAS AN OWNER.
AND THAT'S WHEN IT WAS FOSTERED OUT.
THAT'S WHAT IT WAS IN HERE, UNDOCUMENTED.
IT SAYS, NO, IT WAS DOCUMENTED THAT IT WAS MY NAME AND MY DATE OF BIRTH, AND THEN THE NAME OF THE ANIMAL.
SO DID, SO DID THAT GET TO BARK, IS MY QUESTION.
THIS IS FROM THE POLICE, RIGHT? THAT'S FROM HPD.
NOT, BUT, SO THERE WAS A SITUATION THAT OCCURRED AND YOUR DOG WAS, THAT'S FROM THE PARK, RIGHT? UM, SO THEY ALREADY HAVE IT.
AND I KNOW THAT WE HAD REFERRED YOU ALSO TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UH, FOR, IN THE OIGS OFFICE, POLICING REFORM AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THEY ALSO SPOKE WITH YOU YES.
AND HAD LOOKED INTO THE MATTER.
UM, I DO BELIEVE I DON'T HAVE THE MEMO IN FRONT OF ME THAT, UH, SINCE THAT TIME, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE POLICIES THEN, BUT THAT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE AT BARK WHERE DOGS GO, IS THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS.
AND, UM, TO WHICH AN OWNER CAN CLAIM THEIR ANIMAL.
[01:30:01]
UNDERSTAND IF THEY'RE SENT TO THE HOSPITAL OR THERE'S AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT LIKE YOU EXPERIENCED YOURSELF.UM, I, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT YOU'RE ALSO COMING NOT JUST TO SPEAK ABOUT YOUR CASE, BUT TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE, WHICH IS WHY, AGAIN, I CAN'T SPEAK TO YOUR SPECIFIC CASE, BUT I, I DO BELIEVE THERE ARE PROTOCOLS IN PLACE, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS, THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO OTHERS.
UM, BUT WE WILL CERTAINLY AS A COUNCIL OFFICE INQUIRE FURTHER AND VERIFY THAT, UH, WITH BARK, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE, THOSE PROCEDURES ARE IN PLACE.
I KNOW WE HAVE DEALT WITH CASES BEFORE WHERE, UM, THEY HAVE HELD ANIMALS FOR THEIR OWNERS.
OKAY? BUT I, AGAIN, I CAN'T SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO, UM, YOUR SPECIFIC SITUATION BECAUSE WE HAD REFERRED IT.
UH, I TRIED EVERY POSSIBLE WAY TO RETRIEVE MY DOG.
I, I, UH, UM, PUT A, UH, LIKE, UH, TO THE INTERNAL, UH, AFFAIRS.
I DID A REPORT TO, UH, UH, HOUSTON, UH, REFORM, UH, POLICE REFORM.
I DID EVERYTHING I TRIED, BUT I COULDN'T RETRIEVE MY DOG.
LIKE, PROBABLY MY, MY, MY, I CALL MY DAUGHTER IS MISSING ME AND I'M MISSING HER, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
THEY LOST IT AND THEY SAID TIME PASSED.
I'M WAITING FOR THE POLICE TO DO AN INVESTIGATION, AND I'M JUST WAITING.
I'M, I'M, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
I LIKE, OKAY, LET ME, COUNCILMAN KAMAN, DID YOU HANDLE THIS IN 22? THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED IN 2022.
OUR OFFICE WAS CONTACTED IN 2024.
AND NOW, UM, MR. NAOMI IS STILL, UM, LOOKING FOR QUESTION, UH, HAS STILL HAS REMAINING QUESTIONS IN ABOUT THE LOCATION OF HIS DOG THAT HE WOULD LIKE TREAT.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S BEEN, THE DOG'S BEEN ADOPTED OUT.
I TRIED WITH THE POLICE IN 2023 THREE.
THEN WHEN I FAILED TO GET ANY INFORMATION FROM THE POLICE, I TRIED TO CONTACT YOU.
SO I DIDN'T STOP LOOKING FOR MY DOG.
UH, I MEAN, UH, IT'S ALL ON PAPER.
THIS IS FROM THE SHELTER SHOT.
MY NAME, SHOT A PICTURE OF MY DOG WHEN THEY HAD IT.
IT SHOW IT'S UNDERMINING NUMBER.
YOU WHAT NUMBER? GIVE REBECCA WILLIAMS. MS. WILLIAMS, YOU TALKED TO HER.
AND OUT OF ABUNDANT CAUTION, WE'LL HAVE MY OFFICE CALLED BARK AND SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY RECORD.
BUT IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE, UH, IF IT'S BEEN SEVERAL YEARS HERE, I ASKED THEM TO RESPECTFULLY BE HERE TO HEAR MY CASE.
LET MS. WILSON GET YOUR NAME AND CONTACT.
AND WE'LL, UM, WE'LL VERIFY OR ATTEMPT TO FIND OUT THE OUTCOME.
WILL YOU GET MS. WILSON? AND SHE KNOWS COFFEE, LB TO BE FOLLOWED BY ART SMITH.
HOW Y'ALL DOING? I'M BRINGING A VERBAL COMPLAINT BEFORE CITY COUNCIL.
TODAY IS AN EMERGENCY COMPLAINT FOR THE RECORD, IN REFERENCE TO A CORRUPT HPD SERGEANT BY THE NAME OF MATTHEW K. SIMON.
HE KEEPS COMING OUT TO MY HUSBAND AND OUR RESIDENTS THREATENING OUR LIFE.
WE FEAR FOR OUR LIFE THAT HE'S GONNA KILL US BECAUSE HE KEEPS BRINGING AN OUTDATED SEIZURE WARRANT THAT WAS SUPPORTED BY A FALSIFIED AFFIDAVIT BY CITY OF HOUSTON EMPLOYEE MICHAEL EXPEDIA, SAYING OUR HOME WAS VACANT, AND IT IS NOT.
THAT'S WHAT ALLOWED A SEIZURE WARRANT TO BE GRANTED BY A MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE BY THE NAME OF POLLY GILLIGAN IN COURT NUMBER 12.
AND THE APPLICATION WAS PUT IN BY ARTURO MICHELLE AND A CITY ATTORNEY NAMED LAURA MANSFIELD.
MICHAEL EXPEDIA LIES SO TOUGH, A COMMITTED OFFICIAL OPPRESSION TO THE POINT WHERE IN HIS OWN EXHIBITS ATTACHED TO HIS AFFIDAVIT, HIS FORD AFFIDAVIT, IT SHOWS PICTURES WHERE OUR VEHICLE IS PARKED IN FRONT OF OUR HOME WITH OUR LIGHTS ON ALARM AND EVERYTHING ACTIVE IN US, IN OUR FRONT YARD WITH OUR, UH, PUPPY.
SO THAT FALSIFIED AFFIDAVIT CAUSED, UM, FIVE CALLS OF H POLICE OFFICERS TO COME OUT ON JANUARY 23RD, 2026, WITH FOUR CENTRAL PARK ENERGY UTILITY TRUCKS.
RIGHT AFTER GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT ANNOUNCED THE STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED THAT IN REFERENCE TO THE ARCTIC FREEZE.
THEY CAME OUT THERE WHILE WE WAS IN OUR HOME AT 7:30 AM 8:00 AM THEY CUT OUR ELECTRICAL LINE, THEY REMOVED OUR ELECTRICAL METER, THEY REMOVED OUR GAS LINE, AND WE WAS FREEZING.
AND ALL OF THIS IS CORRUPT ORGANIZED CRIME
[01:35:01]
IN REFERENCE TO CITY OF HOUSTON ATTORNEYS IN REFERENCE TO CITY OF HOUSTON EMPLOYEES, MIKE EXPEDIA, TAMIKA GRAVES, ALL OF THESE PEOPLE.HE CAME OUT TO OUR HOME YESTERDAY.
HE KICKED OUR GATE, HE CUT OUR CHAIN, AND HE CUT OUR LOCK.
AND HE THREW THIS FALSIFIED SEIZURE WARRANT FROM NOVEMBER THE FOURTH, 2025 ON OUR PORCH.
HE'S NOT A POSTER WORKER, AND IS DATED NOVEMBER THE FOURTH, 2025.
SO THIS SEIZURE WARRANT IS 95 DAYS OLD.
ACCORDING TO THE STATE LAW, YOU ONLY HAVE THREE DAYS TO EXECUTE A THREE DAY WEEKDAY ACTIVE SEIZURE WARRANT.
SO HE FEELS THAT SINCE HE HAS, UH, ACCESS TO THIS, THIS, UH, FRAUD SEIZURE WARRANT, HE CAN KICK OUR GATE IN AND CUT OUT CHAINS AND LOCKS AND COME INTO OUR PROPERTY WHEN HE GETS READY.
NOW, MY HUSBAND ALREADY HAVE A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS SUBJECT HERE IS ABOUT.
THIS IS ANOTHER SUBJECT FOR A POTENTIAL LAWSUIT.
SO I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT LAWSUIT THAT'S PENDING IN THE 14TH COURT OF APPEALS.
THAT CASE NUMBER IS 14 DASH 25 DASH 0 0 5.
SO WE WAS IN OUR HOME MAYOR WHILE YOU WAS OUT WITH CENTER POINT ENERGY SAYING THAT Y'ALL TRYING TO KEEP THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON WARM.
WE WERE FREEZING BECAUSE THEY CAME OUT THERE ILLEGALLY AND CUT OUR ELECTRICAL LINE REMOVED, OUR ELECTRICAL BILLS PAID, AND EVERYTHING LIGHTS ON.
SO Y'ALL WAS PROMOTING, UH, UH, PEOPLE SAYING, WARM, WE FREEZING IN OUR HOME, AND FOUR PEOPLE DIED AFTER YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED AFTER ARCTIC FREEZE, AND WE COULD HAVE DIED.
SO I CONSIDER THAT ATTEMPTED MURDER UPON OUR LIVES.
AND WE, AND WE HAVE BEEN PRESENTING DOCUMENTATION TO ALL OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON EMPLOYEES IN REFERENCE TO OUR HOME.
THEY DIDN'T WANNA GIVE US PERMITS.
WE PERMITTED INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN, UH, THOSE NATIONAL DISASTER HIT HURRICANE BARREL, TRYING TO GET THE HOME FIXED FROM BEING DAMAGED BY TWO NATIONAL DISASTERS BACK TO BACK.
AND NOW THE HOME IS IN A CONDITION THAT IS IN, WE HAVE OUR DRIVER'S LICENSE, OUR ADDRESS.
WE RECEIVE UTILITY BILLS AND EVERYTHING TO PROVE THAT WE LIVE HERE YET, MIKEY SPIT ALIVE IN A NOTARIZED AFFIDAVIT SAYING, OKAY, THE HOUSE IS VACANT.
SO YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY SOLUTIONS.
YOU, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT'S BEEN IN CONTACT WITH YOU AND I UNDERSTAND.
WELL, I HAVE AN INCIDENT REPORT ON THAT, SERGEANT.
AND THE NUMBER, 0 1 8 2 5 1 8 DASH 26.
'CAUSE I HAD TO CALL 9 1 1 ON THE POLI ON A SERGEANT, CALL THE POLICE ON THE SERGEANT THAT WORKED FOR HPD BECAUSE WE ARE IN FEAR OF OUR LIVES.
NOW, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS CORRUPT BECAUSE MICHELLE, KEEP REFERRING TO SOMETHING I GOT THAT HAPPENED ON SONO STREET.
IT'S BEEN REVIEWED, SLOW DOWN.
SO IT'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST TO HAVE HIM INVOLVED IN ANYTHING.
EVAN AZZ, COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, I, THEY CONTACTED ME YESTERDAY, AND OF COURSE I TOLD THEM THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON IS OUT ON A MEDICAL, BUT IF SOMEONE COULD PERHAPS, UH, ENGAGE THEM, THEY WERE VERY, VERY CONCERNED AND, AND, AND PRETTY AFRAID OF THE, UH, ALLEGED ACTIONS OF THE POLICE OFFICER.
SO IF SOMEBODY COULD, YOU KNOW, SIT DOWN AND THE LEAST FIND OUT IF THERE'S VALIDITY TO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, I WOULD CERTAINLY NOT, I'D LIKE FOR US TO NOT OVERLOOK THAT THEY, THIS COULD BE A REAL PROBLEM.
NOW, I KNOW THEY COME UP HERE AND THEY SPEAK OUT ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD THEM SPEAK THAT THEY WERE IN FEAR OF THEIR LIVES.
AND SO, I DON'T WANT TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY.
IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO TALK TO SOMEBODY THAT MAY BE ABLE TO HELP THEM.
I, I CAN SHARE WITH YOU LEGAL DOCUMENTS.
SO IT'S BEEN, THE COURT BEEN DISMISSED, AND, UH, IT'S BEEN, IT BECAME A LEGAL MATTER.
AND THE CITY WENT TO COURT, AND THE JUDGE, UH, COURT DISMISSED THE LAWSUIT.
BUT SEE, THEY DON'T GET, THEY DON'T WANNA GET IN UNTIL THIS RED BODY'S LAYING EVERYWHERE.
ALL OF THIS HAPPENED ONCE I ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS RUNNING.
ONCE I ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS RUNNING FOR THE US CONGRESSIONAL TX 18 DISTRICT AND ANNOUNCED THAT I'M A REPUBLICAN, WE HAVE BEEN ATTACKED.
THAT'S WHAT ALL OF THIS IS ABOUT.
COUNCILMAN SHABB, DID YOU WANT DO SOMETHING THAT'S A BOLD FACE LIE? BECAUSE, BECAUSE I SAID I AM A REPUBLICAN RUNNING FOR THE US TX 18TH, UH, DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL SEAT, ALL THANK YOU.
AND WE'VE BEEN TARGETED EVER SINCE.
WHAT, WHAT I WILL DO, MAYOR, I WILL CONSULT WITH COUNCILMAN JACKSON'S CHIEF OF STAFF AND SEE IF, IF THEY WANT TO, UH, GIVE THEM AN AUDIENCE, I WOULD LIKE BEING IN DANGER.
THIS IS A CRIMINAL MATTER IN REFERENCE TO THIS SERGEANT KICKING OUT THE GATE IN THANK YOU.
YOU MAYOR JUST LIED AND SAID THAT THE CASE IS DISMISSED.
SEE HOW, HOW YOU GONNA THANK YOU.
[01:40:01]
IS ALRIGHT.UM, AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT IN TIME, I DON'T LIKE TO SEE THAT OUR MAYOR JUST TOLD Y'ALL A BOLDFACE LIE BECAUSE HE JUST SAID THAT OUR CASE HAS BEEN DISMISSED.
MY WIFE JUST CALLED OUT THE CASE NUMBER.
AND THE CASE NUMBER IS WHAT IS THE CASE NUMBER? COFFEE 14 DASH 25 DASH 5 81 TB.
SO WHY WOULD THE MAYOR, WHY WOULD, WHY WOULD THE MAYOR MANIPULATE THE CITY COUNCIL? WHY WOULD THE MAYOR MANIPULATE THE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND JUST COME UP HERE AND LIE AND SAY THAT OUR CASE IS DISMISSED? ARTURO MICHELLE IS A PERSON THAT ALWAYS DOING THINGS THAT'S FOCUSED ON HE THE FRAME MY NAME, AND SAID THAT I ALWAYS FILE ADVERSE POSSESSIONS.
I NEVER FILED AN ADVERSE POSSESSION UNTIL, UH, I FILED IT AT 42 25.
THIS OFFICER THAT KEEPS COMING TO OUR PROPERTY, MAN, THIS MAN IS COMING TO KILL US, MAN.
HE HAS NO OTHER MOTIVE TO KEEP COMING ONTO OUR PROPERTY AND WILL THREE TIMES WHEN HE GETS READY, IT'S GONNA BE A RIDE IN FIFTH WARD.
I'M TELLING YOU, EVERYBODY IS NOT GONNA SIT BACK AND ALLOW MY WIFE AND I TO GET ASSASSINATED IN OUR COMMUNITY WHILE EVERYBODY SITS BACK AND BE QUIET.
I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU, MA, WHEN I CAME DOWN THERE BEFORE, I SAID, MAN, I'M ROOTING FOR YOU.
SO PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME, WITH OUR CASE BEING ACTIVE IN THE 14TH COURT OF APPEAL AND WHY I WAS IN THE 14TH COURT OF APPEAL, YOUR ROGUE OFFICERS IN THE PULL UP, THE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, THEY WENT DOWN TO THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
IF A CRISIS IN THE HIGHER COURT, YOU CANNOT GO TO A MUNICIPAL COURT, WHICH IS A LAW COURT AND GET A RULING BASED ON A LIE.
THE, THE THE PERSON ADDRESS ADDRESS IS IN A PROJECT NAME ENTITLED THE, THE PER NATIONAL REGISTRY AT THE SAME TIME WHILE THE CITY OF HOUSTON AT THE SAME TIME.
WHY THE CITY OF HOUSTON? WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA RESOLVE IT TODAY.
I'M GONNA ADVISE YOU TO LISTEN TO YOUR LAWYERS BECAUSE I'M REPRESENTING MYSELF WELL, AND YOU DON'T HAVE NO RESPECT FOR PRO SE.
YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO US.
I WOULD SAY LISTEN TO YOUR LAWYER.
CAN YOU REMOVE YOUR LAW THAT YOU JUST SAID TO EVERYBODY BY SAYING THAT IT'S YOUR TIME'S UP.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU REMOVE YOUR LAW? CAN YOU TAKE YOUR LAW BACK? YOUR, YOUR TIME IS UP.
CAN YOU TAKE YOUR LAW BACK? Y'ALL SITTING UP? CAN YOU TAKE THE LAW BACK? APPRECIATE WE DID.
WE ARE REACHING OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.
DID YOU WANNA BE RECOGNIZED? I JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT WE DID REACH OUT TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THEM TO DEAL WITH, WITH THE SITUATION.
I'LL BE GLAD TO SHARE THE DOCUMENTS WITH ANYONE.
UH, NEXT ASHLEY WILKERSON TO BE, TO BE FOLLOWED BY YASMINA BECK.
SO THE REASON THAT I'VE COME HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE I NEED SOME ASSISTANCE WITH GETTING SOME RECORDS COMPLETELY CORRECTED.
I CAME TO VISIT HOUSTON IN 2022 WITH MY KID.
I ESSENTIALLY, UM, BEFORE LEAVING, GOING BACK TO SAN FRANCISCO TO MY JOB AND MY LIFE, I DECIDED TO REPORT A CRIME NETWORK EXPECTING THAT I COULD DO SO WITH ALL OF THE REPORTS ABOUT SELF WEAPONS, CRIMES AND SO FORTH.
WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE SAME THING THAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT IN 2008.
UM, THE OFFICER DOCUMENTED FRAUDULENTLY THAT I SAID A HIGHER POWER WAS CARRYING OUT CRIMES AGAINST ME.
THEY THEN WEAPONIZED THE MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY.
UM, AFTER THAT, OFFICIALS STARTED FOLLOWING ME, TELLING ME, SITTING OUTSIDE OF THE JOB THAT I WAS WORKING TO RECOUP THE MONEY BEFORE I RETURNED BACK TO SAN FRANCISCO.
UM, WHEN I TRIED TO GO DOWNTOWN TO REPORT IT, UM, ESSENTIALLY THEY SEARCHED ME, A BUNCH OF OFFICERS GATHERED AT THE TABLE.
UM, ESSENTIALLY WHAT I DISCOVERED IS THAT THOSE ACTIONS WERE INTENTIONAL AND THAT HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS HAVE BEEN CONCEALING A LARGE SCALE CRIME NETWORK THAT IS INVOLVED AND CARRYING OUT CHILD EXPLOITATION, RACE, CONSPIRACIES, CRIMES.
AND BECAUSE OF THEIR FABRICATED REPORTS, THEY'VE OBSTRUCTED MY ABILITY TO SEEK FEDERAL INTERVENTION.
I WOULD DISCOVER THAT THOUGH I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE CRIME NETWORK IN 2008, THAT
[01:45:01]
AT THE AGE OF 16, THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST INTERACTION THAT I HAD WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT WHERE I WAS UNLAWFULLY STOPPED.A PATTERN OF ABUSES WOULD CONTINUE.
AND BASICALLY I WAS DEPRIVED OF MY ENTIRE LIFE BECAUSE OF THIS GROUP AND OFFICIALS.
SO THE REASON I'M HERE NOW IS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING THIS CRIME SINCE I'VE BEEN TRAPPED HERE.
AND I NEED THOSE RECORDS CORRECTED SO THAT I CAN GET THE FBI AND OTHER AGENCIES TO INVESTIGATE THE CRIMES.
THEY WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE RECORDS AND THAT'S WHAT I'D RECOMMEND.
SO, IN SANFORD, THE REASON I CAME HERE TO VISIT IS BECAUSE I WENT TO THE FBI TO REPORT CHILD EXPLOITATION CRIMES ABOUT THIS NETWORK.
I GAVE, UM, PHOTO BOOKLETS INFORMATION.
THEY PULLED YOUR RECORDS AND THEY DISMISSED MY REPORTS.
IN THE REPORTS IT SAYS THAT I AM MENTALLY ILL.
ALL OF THE REPORTS ARE FABRICATED.
ALL OF THEM DO NOT INCLUDE STATEMENTS THAT I HAVE MADE.
UM, SOME OF THOSE, UH, REPORTS I CAN SUPPLEMENT RECORDINGS AND THEY ARE DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT YEAH.
FROM THE CONVERSATION THAT I'VE HAD.
SO BECAUSE OF THOSE REPORTS, THEY WILL NOT AS ASSIST ME.
AND THIS IS A LARGE SCALE CRIME.
UH, COUNCIL MAYOR SHABA, DO YOU WANNA BE RECOGNIZED? OH, NO, I THINK THAT'S FROM BEFORE.
I WOULD, I WOULD STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE AUTHORITIES.
SO, QUESTION, DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY OPTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, ANYTHING YOU CAN, I REALLY DON'T AT THIS TIME.
NEXT YASMINA BECK TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEVE WILLIAMS. HELLO.
I HAVE THREE MINUTES, CORRECT? THREE MINUTES.
I'VE LIVED IN HOUSTON FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS AND ONCE HAD AN ESTABLISHED CAREER HOME AND FAMILY BETWEEN 2022 AND 23.
I GRADUALLY LOST IT ALL, MAINLY DUE TO MY PHONE BEING HACKED.
ALSO, MY LACK OF SELF-AWARE OR LACK OF AWARENESS, AND A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE A LOT OF POWER TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN IN THEIR FAVOR.
THERE'S BEEN AN ONGOING HACKING EPIDEMIC OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
PEOPLE ARE UTILIZING, UH, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO HACK INTO PHONES, INTERCEPT CALLS AND IMPERSONATE VOICES.
I'VE SEEN ATMS ONE ON THE CORNER OF HILLCROFT AND FOUNTAIN VIEW THAT HAS FAKE SOFTWARE.
THEY CAN HA HACK INTO ANY SECURITY DEVICE, CHANGE FOOTAGE AND CHANGE AUDIO.
THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE MONEY OUT OF ANYBODY'S BANK ACCOUNT WITHOUT A TRACE.
WHEN POLICE UTILIZE, UH, PHONE TRACKING TO GO AFTER A CRIMINAL, THE HACKER CAN VIRTUALLY SWITCH THE DEVICES, WHICH LEAVES THE CRIMINAL FREE ROAMING AND AN INNOCENT PERSON BEHIND BARS.
THEY'RE CREATING FAKE APPS AND CHANGE THE PRICES TO EITHER KEEP SOME FOR THEMSELVES OR TRAFFIC PEOPLE.
OKAY? THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO HACK SLOT MACHINES, AND I HAVE SEEN THAT HAPPEN.
I'M NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT TECH SAVVY, BUT SINCE EXPERIENCING THIS FOR ALMOST SIX YEARS, I CAN SPOT HACK DEVICE EASILY.
IN ADDITION, SEVERAL PHONE RETAILERS ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN THIS CORRUPTION.
IN 2020, I HAD THE SAME PHONE NUMBER FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS, ONE EMAIL ACCOUNT.
SINCE THEN, I'VE HAD TO CLOSE, I'VE HAD SEVERAL.
UM, I'VE BEEN WRONGFULLY ARRESTED MORE THAN ONCE AND WITNESSED THE PERSON DISCUSSED BRIBERY EXCHANGE WITH THE OFFICER THAT ARRESTED ME.
I'VE HEARD THIS GROUP DISCUSS MANIPULATION T TACTICS AND FOUND LITERATURE SUPPORTING THIS SUBJECT IN THEIR POSSESSION.
THEY TOLD ME THAT NOBODY WILL LISTEN TO ME OR BELIEVE MY STORY.
THE OBJECTIVE, THE OBJECTIVE IS THAT I EITHER KILL MYSELF OR BE INSTITUTIONALIZED.
ALL EVIDENCE OF THEIR CRIMES ARE CREATED TO MAKE ME THE GUILTY SUBJECT.
I'M A VICTIM OF MODERN DAY TRAFFICKING.
THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OVER MY CONTENT, CALLS, EMAILS, AND TEXTS.
I CAN'T GET A JOB OR CONTACT ANY AUTHORITY.
I'VE BEEN TO THE POLICE, THE FBI AND NOBODY WILL LISTEN.
I'VE TOLD THEM I NO ORGANIZED CRIME.
THE 10 MOST WANTED FU FUGITIVES, AND THEY TURNED ME AWAY.
SO, UM, WITH THAT SAID, UM, AS YOU KNOW, AND I'M NOT MAKING ANY ACCUSATIONS, BUT WITH TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY, ANY DISGUISE CAN BE CREATED THAT CAN REP REPLICATE ANYONE.
FOR EXAMPLE, SEVERAL OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT PUT ME IN THIS POSITION LOOK EXACTLY LIKE MANY OF YOU.
OR THEY SHOWED ME PICTURES OF YOU PEOPLE THAT LOOK JUST LIKE YOU.
UM, WHY ARE THE POLICE NOT CHECKING MY PHONE OR VERIFYING MY CLAIMS BEFORE TURNING ME AWAY? UM, I AM THANKFUL FOR THIS EXPERIENCE BECAUSE BEING HOMELESS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS SHOWED ME A CLEAR PERSPECTIVE OF THE CORRUPTION HAPPENING IN OUR CITY.
OKAY? IS THIS COUNTRY PREPARED TO TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MILLIONS OF VISITORS SECURITY DURING THE WORLD CUP? WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT PHONES.
WE NEED ENHANCED SECURITY AND BETTER ID VERIFICATION FOR ALL CITIZENS, INCLUDING CHILDREN.
WE NEED IMMEDIATE LAWS IN PLACE TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE.
TO BE HONEST, I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M IN THE AMERICA ANYMORE AT ALL.
[01:50:02]
NEXT? OH, YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? NO, MA'AM.STEVE WILLIAMS. I DON'T THINK HE'S HERE.
EMMA FRENCH TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH OMA.
I'M HERE TODAY, TODAY TO CALL ON THIS COUNCIL TO STOP ITS COLLABORATION WITH ICE.
SOME MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL MAY BELIEVE THAT A DIFFERENT ICE OPERATES IN HOUSTON AND IN TEXAS THAN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
AND THAT'S EASY TO BELIEVE WHEN YOUR CITY ISN'T ON THE NEWS EVERY NIGHT AS AN ACTIVE DOMESTIC WAR ZONE.
BUT UNDERSTAND THIS, THE SAME ICE THAT IS KILLING PEOPLE IN MINNEAPOLIS, LOS ANGELES, AND VIRGINIA IS THE SAME ICE THAT OPERATES IN HOUSTON.
THEY'RE TRAINED THE SAME WAY, AND THEY DO THE SAME THING.
THEY'RE TAKING AWAY PEOPLE'S FREEDOM.
IS YOUR COMMITMENT AS A PUBLIC SERVANT IN THIS COUNTRY? NOT FIRST AND FOREMOST, A COMMITMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION AND UPHOLDING OUR RIGHTS.
THAT INCLUDES THE FOURTH AMENDMENT, WHICH IS THE FREEDOM OF UNWANTED SEARCH AND SEIZURE.
THE FIFTH AMENDMENT, WHICH IS THE RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS.
THE FIRST AMENDMENT, THE RIGHT TO SPEAK, YOUR IDEAS, OPINIONS, AND BELIEFS.
ALL OF THESE ARE BEING VIOLATED BY ICE IN HOUSTON.
AND YOU ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO STOP IT.
ONE OF THE RECIPIENTS OF A PROCLAMATION IS TODAY SAID THAT WHEN THERE'S A NEED, YOU HAVE TO STEP UP.
I DON'T THINK THIS, THERE'S A SITUATION THAT STATEMENTS, I SAW THIS, THIS COUNCIL, PRAY TO GOD TODAY, AND IT'S HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT, THAT GOD ISN'T WEEPING AT WHAT ICE IS DOING IN HOUSTON.
PLEASE LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU.
PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT ICE.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TODAY.
NEXT, JOSEPH AMARI TO BE FOLLOWED BY LY MONTOYA RIVAS.
HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY? HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
I POUR, UH, MY SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT PROBLEM TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY FRAUD DIVISION AS WELL.
THE DA OFFICE AND THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL.
ALL THE LITTLE BOY LIVING IN THE PROJECTS IN SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA.
MY, MY MAMA HAD A GUARD GODMOTHER NAMED MS. BROWN, THE OLDEST WIDOW LIVING IN THE PROJECT.
NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED, MS. BROWN ALWAYS GOT HER OLD PICTURE.
CHECK IN A MAILBOX AT THE FIRST OF THE MONTH.
EVEN WHEN PRESIDENT KENNEDY, MALCOLM X, DR. KING, ROBERT F. KENNEDY GOT ASSASSINATED.
MS. BROWN, 4 0 4 WAS ALWAYS IN THE MAILBOX.
VIETNAM WAR COMPLEX, A CHECK NEVER STOPPED COMING THE DAY.
HER GODDAUGHTER, MY MOTHER, WAS KIDNAPPED BY OWN DAUGHTERS AND DAUGHTERS IN-LAWS.
AND HER SON AND HER DAUGHTER HAVE TO TURN TWO IS UNABLE TO GET THEIRS.
MAKE YOU WONDER WHO MANAGE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT, TREASURY DEPARTMENT, SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT IN THIS HIGH TECH AREA OF MILITARY MARTIAL LAW.
THEY, AS WE DEBATE AMERICA, IMMIGRATION POLICY, MANY IMMIGRANTS AND UNDOCUMENTED WORK WANTED TO GO BACK HOME.
'CAUSE THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.
BLACK AMERICAN SLAVE EXPERIENCE AFTER CIVIL WAR, AFTER SLAVERY WAS VIOLENCE.
AFTER WE BECAME FREE BLACK AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE PROBLEM WE HAD, WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT COUNTRY THAT WE CAME FROM.
AT LEAST THEY KNOW WHAT COUNTRY THEY GOTTA GO BACK TO.
UH, THE REASON OF ME BEING HERE IS BECAUSE I PULLED A PESTO ON SOMEBODY DAYS AGO.
THEY WAITED FOR ME OUTSIDE OF ICE, EXPLAIN THINGS.
CARIBBEAN GRILL, UH, MY US CITIZEN.
I HAD THE RIGHT TO HER ARMS. UH, THEY FOLLOWED ME.
HE WAS UPSET ABOUT, UH, HE WAS WITH HIS WIFE ABOUT MEL LUCA BUSINESS.
AND THEN HE START FOLLOWING ME, ATION 1960.
SO FROM VEHICLE TO VEHICLE, MY PISTOL IS INSIDE THE HOLSTER.
I SAID, I POINTED THE WEAPON AT THE FIRE.
IT HAD THE, UH, WHAT IS IT CALLED? THE LOCK.
AND I TOLD 'EM, STOP BULLYING ME.
THEY HAVE BEEN DOING THIS TO ME FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND THEY START IN THE 18 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT IN KENNEWICK BECAUSE SUPPOSEDLY WE ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION.
AND I CAUGHT UP TO THEIR STUPID GAME.
AND I TELL 'EM, OKAY, UH, IF YOU CONTINUE, I SAY, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. YOU TRY TO HURT ME, I WILL.
AND THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
[RECESS]
WE STAND RECESS AT NINE IN THE MORNING.[RECONVENE]
COME TO ORDER, UH, SHORT[MAYOR'S REPORT]
MAYOR'S REPORT.WE'LL HAVE A COMBINED SESSION WEDNESDAY.
SO EVERYONE ENJOY, UM, AND BE SAFE.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
TIME, WE'LL GET STARTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA[01:55:06]
UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY, ITEMS TWO AND THREE HAVE BEEN PULLED, WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM ONE? CAST? MOVE SECOND.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ACCEPT WORD CATEGORY.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM FOUR? YES.
THOSE OPPOSED NAY PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEMS FIVE THROUGH 11? TATUM MOVE SECOND.
WE CAN ONLY RECORD A NO ON, ON THE CONSENT CATEGORY.
SO, OKAY, I'LL DOUBLE CHECK OVER.
UNDER THE RESOLUTIONS CATEGORY ITEMS 12, 13, 14, AND 15 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY.
SINCE YOUR LIST WAS DISTRIBUTED, ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION ARE 22, 23, 25, 29, 30, 32, AND 38.
AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 22, 23, 25, 29, 30, 32, AND 38.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.YOU TAG 12 ITEM TAGGED BY COUNCILOR THOMAS AND MAYOR PRO TEM.
THOMAS TAGS 13 TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
AND ANN DAVIS JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
ITEM 15 DAVID, AS WELL AS DAVIS TAGS MUCH.
ALL IN FAVOR? YOU WANT TO TALK? YOU WANT TALK BEFORE AND AFTER? AFTER, AFTER.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES MAYOR PROTE, CASTEX TATUM.
THANK YOU COLLEAGUES FOR SUPPORTING THIS ITEM.
THIS IS ONE OF THE TAX CREDIT, UH, SENIOR DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL BE BUILT IN, UH, DISTRICT K IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW FAITH CHURCH.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, $4 MILLION OF FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WILL COME TO THIS PROJECT THAT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THE SENIORS THAT LIVE IN DISTRICT K THAT ARE DOWNSIZING, THAT WANT TO REMAIN IN THEIR COMMUNITY, THEY NEED PLACES WHERE THEY CAN MOVE TO AND STILL BE ABLE TO GO TO THE PLACES THAT THEY LIKE TO GO TO, THAT THEY BEEN ACCUSTOMED TO.
THEY CAN STAY AT THAT IN A, A LOCATION NEAR THEIR, THEIR CHURCH THAT THEY'VE BEEN MEMBERS OF FOR YEARS.
UM, THEY CAN STILL BE AROUND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.
HOWEVER, UM, SO MANY OF THEM HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY NO LINK, NO LONGER NEED THOSE THREE AND FOUR BEDROOM HOMES.
AND THEY WANT TO, UH, DOWNSIZE AND THEY WANT NEW PLACES THAT THEY CAN AFFORD, UM, AND MOVE TO IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT THIS, UH, SENIOR APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO BE, UH, ONE OF, UH, THE FINEST, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING, UH, THOSE ADDITIONAL 105 UNITS, UM, OF AFFORDABLE PLACES FOR FOLKS TO LIVE.
AND THESE, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS $4 MILLION OF FEDERAL FUNDS IS REALLY GOING TO BE INSTRUMENTAL GAP FUNDING FOR US IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT CASE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
[02:00:01]
UM, THANKS, UH, TO HER COMMENTS, TO OUR COLLEAGUES FOR SUPPORTING IN THIS AND THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT FOR GETTING THIS ACROSS THE LINE.AND REALLY IT JUST AMPLIFIES HOW IMPORTANT WORKING WITH OUR FAITH INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE LAND TO HELP THE CITY MEET, MEET OUR HOUSING GOAL, AND OUR, UM, OUR OBLIGATIONS, PARTICULARLY WITH SENIORS THAT CHOOSE TO AGE IN PLACE.
AND I ALSO WANNA JUST HIGHLIGHT THE VISIONARY LEADERSHIP OF THE, UH, PASTORAL LEADERSHIP OF NEW FAITH AND THEIR WILLINGNESS, UH, TO DO SOMETHING BIG AND DARING IN THE COMMUNITY AND CONTINUE TO BE AN ANCHOR.
SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WORK.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND COLLEAGUES.
I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS ITEM IN ESTABLISHING AN ACADEMIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, WITH OUR CITY OF HOUSTON, HEALTH DEPARTMENT WITH UT HEALTH.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVE DONE.
UH, WE NOW JOIN TRAVIS COUNTY, FORT BEND COUNTY, DALLAS COUNTY, AND THIS KIND OF PARTNERSHIP.
AND IT'S WITH UT HEALTH, NOT JUST WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOOL.
IT'S WITH ALL OF THE SCHOOLS IN THEIR HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER, NURSING, MEDICINE, DENTISTRY, BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS.
AND THAT IS TO, UM, DIRECTOR TRANS CREDIT FOR GOING BEYOND JUST THE PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOOL HERE.
THIS WILL ALLOW FOR POTENTIAL, UH, PARTNERSHIPS, COMMUNITY DRIVEN DECISION MAKING, AND ALSO OPEN UP AVENUES FOR POTENTIAL GRANT DOLLARS AND FUNDING SOURCES FOR OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHICH WE KNOW RELIES HEAVILY ON THOSE OUTSIDE FUNDING SOURCES.
SO I DO WANNA, UH, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO DIRECTOR TRAN HER LEADERSHIP FOR THIS.
AND THIS MODEL CAN BE USED AS A TEMPLATE FOR OTHER ACADEMIC HEALTH PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS WITH DIFFERENT ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, NOT JUST UT HEALTH.
SO THERE'S HOPEFULLY MORE TO COME HERE.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES AS OPPOSED TO NAY.
ALL IN FAVOR, RAMIREZ TAGGED, TAGGED BY COUNCILOR RAMIREZ.
ITEM 30 IS, UH, TAGGED BY COUNCILOR RAMIREZ.
NEXT, ITEM 32 IS AN ORDINANCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON IS NOT HERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT, UH, TIDWELL PARK, THE TIDWELL AQUATIC FACILITY CONSTRUCTION.
SHE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS PROJECT FOR YEARS AND HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS.
AND SO IN HER ABSENCE, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE ON RECORD THAT WE CELEBRATE THE ADVANCEMENT, UM, OF, OF MOVING THIS APPLICATION FORWARD, BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF HER PRIORITY PROJECTS FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
MAYOR, I DID WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ON ITEM 38.
UM, THIS, THIS IS THE FRAN ROAD AND BRAIDWOOD BOULEVARD PROJECT.
UM, SEVERAL OF US IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CRASH RECORD IN THAT COMMUNITY AND WHAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, SO WANTED TO AMPLIFY THAT.
UM, THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH TEXDOT AND THESE, UH, FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT WE ARE RECEIVING HERE, UM, IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING IS WE ARE IMPLEMENTING SOME COUNTERMEASURES TO THE NUMBER OF CRASHES THAT WE'VE HAD IN THIS AREA.
AND BY UPGRADING THESE, UM, SIGNALS AND RE YOU KNOW, REFIGURING THE, UM, UNDERNEATH THE TEX DOT, UM, ROADWAYS, UM, WE'LL PROPO, THERE'S SOME PROPOSED A DA RAMPS.
UM, WITH A DA PUSH BUTTONS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO STRIFE THE INTERSECTION ALONG WITH THE NECESSARY SIGNS.
UM, THE REPORT IS EXPECTED TO ACHIEVE A 10% REDUCTION IN THE TOTAL CRASHES, UM, WITH A SUBSTANTIAL DECREASE IN SEVERE TURNING AND ANGLE CRASHES.
AND I KNOW THAT INTERSECTION HAS BEEN, UM, TARGETED AND IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS.
SO I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE AMPLIFY, UM, THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE FOR THE FRAN ROAD AND BRAVEWOOD BOULEVARD AREA, UM, WITH THESE, UH, FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS THROUGH HSIP.
SO THANK YOU COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS.
[NON-CONSENT AGENDA]
[02:05:01]
MR. SECRETARY, ITEM 40 IS A MOTION TO SET A DATE NOT LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS FROM FEBRUARY 11TH, 2026 TO RECEIVE NOMINATIONS FOR POSITION TWO OF THE PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY CAST.THOSE POST NAME MOTION PASSES.
THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
WHERE'S MY LIST? IT'S RIGHT HERE.
[MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
FLICKINGER FOR POP-OFF.UH, WE'VE GOT THE, UH, CLEAR LAKE RECYCLING.
THAT'LL BE HELD SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH, STARTING AT NINE O'CLOCK AND GOING UNTIL THREE, OR UNTIL THE TRUCKS ARE FULL.
AND THAT IS GOING TO BE AT ELLINGTON AIR FORCE BASE.
AND THEN, UH, ALSO SATURDAY, I'M GONNA BE PARTICIPATING IN THE STEPS FOR STUDENTS FUNDRAISER FOR THE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS.
WE HAD 10,000 PARTICIPANTS LAST YEAR, UH, LOOKING TO DO EVEN BETTER WITH THAT.
AND IF Y'ALL GET THERE EARLY, UH, I'LL BE COOKING BREAKFAST AND Y'ALL CAN HAVE A FREE PANCAKE ON ME.
UH, YESTERDAY I WAS JOINED, UH, BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN OUT AT SINCLAIR ELEMENTARY, UH, TO CELEBRATE, UH, MR. MICHAEL THE CROSSING GUARD.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UM, AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION UNFOLDED.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UH, WITH THE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA FOR YEARS, TRYING TO GET A SAFER CROSSING FOR THE KIDS THERE.
AND THE CROSSING GUARD HAD TO PUT HIMSELF BETWEEN HIM, SOME CHILDREN, AND A VERY AGGRESSIVE DRIVER.
UM, SO WE WENT OUT TO CELEBRATE MR. MICHAEL YESTERDAY.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER BRIANIS WAS THERE.
MAYOR, REPRESENTING YOUR OFFICE.
UH, WE, IN ADDITION TO HAVING THE EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT, MY OFFICE IS CONTRIBUTING 60,000 IN COMMISSIONER.
BRIAN'S OFFICE IS ALSO CONTRIBUTING MONEY FOR THOSE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, MR. MICHAEL ACTUALLY PROPOSED TO, UH, MISS VIVIAN, WHO IS THE ONE THAT HAD GOTTEN HIM THE CROSSING GUARD JOB YEARS AGO AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE OR AT THE, SO IT WAS THIS WHOLE VERY SPECIAL CELEBRATION SURROUNDED BY PRETTY MUCH THE PARENTS OF THE SCHOOL.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS, UH, TO MR. MICHAEL AND MS. VIVIAN, AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE PARENTS, UH, WHO HAVE JUST REALLY LIFTED UP THE WORK AND HIS DEDICATION TO CHILDREN'S SAFETY.
UH, OUR TC GE AND WHITE OAK BAYOU SAFE CROSSING PROJECT HAS BEEN INSTALLED.
UH, SO WE APPRECIATE, UH, THE WORK, THE EFFORT TO CREATE SAFE CONNECTIONS FOR NEIGHBORHOODS TO OUR TRAILS.
UH, ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO GO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
UM, IT'S IN THE BOUNDARIES WITHIN LAZY BROOK, TIMBER GROVE, BUT IT IMPACTS COTTAGE GROVE AND THE HEIGHTS, UH, AND RESIDENTS THAT DID NOT HAVE A WAY TO SAFELY GET TO THE TRAILS CROSSING A VERY, VERY BUSY ROAD.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE DRAINAGE COMPONENT OF THE SOUTH RICE PROJECT, WHICH IS UNDERWAY.
IT STARTED LAST MONTH, AND THEN WE'LL DO THE STREET REHAB OF SOUTH RICE AFTER THAT.
UH, IT SHOULD TAKE FIVE TO SIX MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
SO WE APPRECIATE, UH, THE DEPARTMENT WORKING WITH, UH, OUR BUSINESSES AND SCHOOLS IN THE AREA.
UH, WE HAD OVER THE PAST MONTH, I WANTED TO LIFT UP THE WORK RELATED AROUND FIREARM SAFETY.
WE HAVE GIVEN OUT OVER 100 FREE GUN LOCKS AND GUN SAFES IN THE PAST MONTH ALONE.
UM, IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN EITHER, I KNOW SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE REACHED OUT ASKING FOR SOME TO GIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES AT YOUR CIVIC CLUBS.
WE'RE HAPPY TO COME OUT TO ANY GROUP TO TALK ABOUT EDUCATION AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, WHAT A TERRIFIC TOWN HALL YOU HAD IN DISTRICT C.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TO DISTRICT C LIFTING UP WEST GRAY AND, UH, HAVING JUST ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THERE WAS WONDERFUL.
LASTLY, THE DISTRICT C ANNUAL 2025 REPORT IS OUT.
IT DOES TAKE A MONTH CONCLUDING THE YEAR BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH, UH, TO DOCUMENT TO GET THAT REPORT OUT.
SO YOU CAN FIND THAT ON OUR WEBSITE OR EMAIL US OR JOIN, UH, OUR EMAIL LIST SO YOU CAN GET A COPY OF IT, DISTRICT C@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
UH, TO, TO MY SPECIAL VALENTINE'S.
UH, MY SLATE, MATT, AND OF COURSE, MY DADDY.
AND, UM, MAYOR, I KNOW YOUR COMMITMENT TO HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY.
UM, A LOT OF EFFORT HAS GONE INTO IT AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE WEST SIDE OF HOUSTON IS AN INCREASE IN THE UNHOUSED AND THE ENCAMPMENTS THAT WE'RE HAVING OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY,
[02:10:01]
UM, RIGHT AT VOSS AND SAN PHILIPPI.AND THEN AT BELTWAY EIGHT AND I 10, THERE'S A DETENTION BASE IN THERE.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT UP UNDER THE KATY FREEWAY.
AND HPD HAS BEEN GREAT IN GOING OUT THERE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME, EVERY TIME THAT WE ASK THEM.
BUT WE NEED TEXT DOTS COOPERATION IN THIS, YOU KNOW, UNDER THE I 10 FREEWAY.
UM, THE LAST TIME HPD WENT UP THERE, THERE WERE TWO WANTED FELONS LIVING UP THERE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S DANGEROUS OBVIOUSLY TO HAVE THEM UP THERE.
WE HAD TALKED TO THEM ORIGINALLY ABOUT MAYBE MOVING THE HATCH TO MAKE IT LESS EASY FOR, UM, PEOPLE TO ACCESS IT.
BUT THEN THAT DETENTION BASIN AT I 10 AND THE BELTWAY, UM, IT WAS FENCED OFF, BUT THE FENCE HAS BEEN CUT.
AND SO THERE'S AN ENCAMPMENT IN THERE TOO.
AND WE'VE SEEN A RISE IN CRIME IN THE AREA.
UM, LATELY WHEN LAST TIME HPD WENT BACK IN THERE, THERE WAS A BUNCH OF BIKES THAT HAD BEEN STOLEN.
THEY WERE KINDA BEING STORED BACK THERE.
SO ANY HELP THAT WE CAN GET ON THE WEST SIDE, YOU KNOW, WE'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I'M IN CONTACT WITH TDOT, OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE GOOD PARTNERS.
AND HPD, AS YOU SAY, HAS BEEN RESPONSIVE.
IT JUST POINTS TO THE NEED FOR EMANCIPATION AND OTHER SHELTERS OR TRANSITION LIVING, WHICH WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON.
UH, COUNCILMAN CARTER IS LEADING EFFORT TO GET MORE THAN ONE ADDITIONAL HOUSING PROPOSAL FOR THE HOMELESS WITH TREATMENT.
CERTAINLY, UH, THE WARMING CENTER, CERTAINLY FONDE, UH, MOODY PARK, UH, WES GRAY, UH, IT WAS FULL OF PRIMARILY HOMELESS PEOPLE, AND IT WAS HEARTBROKEN AND CONCERNING THAT WHEN THE TEMPERATURE LOWERED, THEY WERE RETURNED TO THE STREETS OF HOUSTON.
WE MUST HAVE A BETTER PLAN, WHICH WE DO, BUT IT'S GONNA REQUIRE RESOURCES.
WE'RE WORKING ACTIVELY WITH HUD.
UM, OUR TEAM IS GOING TO WASHINGTON NEXT WEEK.
WE'RE VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT, UM, HUD HAS SEEN OUR PLAN.
THEY'RE VISITING OUR LOCATIONS, AND IT'S JUST GONNA REQUIRE US ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO NOT SCATTER THE HOMELESS BECAUSE OF INTERVENTION, BUT TO HAVE A DESTINATION.
WE'RE CURRENTLY USING THE SOBRIETY CENTER, THE NAVIGATION CENTER, HOUSTON HARRIS HEALTH.
UH, BUT THERE'S JUST A DEMAND.
AND THERE HAS BEEN FOR YEARS FOR PEOPLE.
WHEN I LEAVE AROUND SEVEN O'CLOCK AND GO AROUND THE CORNER BY THE LIBRARY, UH, WE'VE GOT TO ADDRESS THE FEEDING OF THE HOMELESS AT THAT LOCATION.
IT, UH, AND, AND I HOPE, I WANT TO INVITE Y'ALL TO WATCH WHAT HAPPENED.
IT IS HAPPENING AS WE TALK AT TRANQUILITY PARK.
THAT PARK FOR YEARS HAS BEEN IGNORED.
IT WAS BECOMING A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT.
UH, THE FOUNTAINS WEREN'T WORKING.
THAT'S A SEPARATE SUBJECT THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING IN THE, IN THE SHADOWS OF CITY HALL, ACROSS THE STREET, THE NEGLECT THAT'S BEEN ALLOWED.
AND IT WAS BROUGHT STRONGLY TO OUR ATTENTION BY THE HOBBY CENTER.
AND I WOULD ASK YOU GOING DOWN BAGBY AND LOOK AT THE BIO PLACE OVERHANG.
REMEMBER HOW HORRIBLE THAT WAS? DRIVE BY TODAY, ALLEN'S LANDING.
SO WE'RE MOVING IN THE DRIVE, THE CORRECT DIRECTION, STRONG PLANS BEING CARRIED OUT.
HOUSTON CENTRAL HOUSTON'S BEEN A PARTNER, UH, OF ADDRESSING THE HOMELESS.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS UNDER THE FREEWAYS.
I SEE IT ACROSS THE STREET FROM OAK.
LADY CAMPED OUT THERE FOR MONTHS AND SHE'D BE REMOVED.
SO WE NEED A DESTINATION FOR THE HOMELESS WHERE THEY CAN RECEIVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, DRUG AND ALCOHOL.
YOU CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MANY, WHEN YOU VISIT THE HOMELESS IN THE WARMING CENTERS.
THEY NEED AN ID SO THEY CAN APPLY FOR WORK.
AND, UH, I'VE RAISED HELL FOR YEARS WITH THE PRISON SYSTEM NOT TO RELEASE SOMEONE WITH, SO WITHOUT A SOCIAL SECURITY OR DRIVER'S LICENSE AND WHAT I CALL BEING STREET READY, THEY ALSO NEED A REENTRY LOCATION.
IT'S A PASSION OF MINE AND I'LL, UH, WORK WITH YOU TO GET TDOT TO FOCUS ON THAT LOCATION, BUT THAT'S NOT THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION, AS YOU KNOW.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
UH, JUST WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO A STAFF MEMBER, SARAH DAVIDSON.
SARAH, WOULD YOU STAND UP?
[02:15:01]
DONE EXCELLENT POLICY RESEARCH AND CONSTITUENT WORK.AND, UH, SAD TO SAY SHE'LL BE LEAVING US.
SHE'S TAKEN A POSITION AT THE BAKER INSTITUTE AT RICE UNIVERSITY AS A RESEARCH, UH, ANALYST.
WE'LL BE WORKING WITH BILL KING.
SO, UH, THANK YOU SARAH, FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY.
I THINK IN YOUR, UH, NEXT POSITION, YOU'LL STILL BE HELPING OUT THE CITY WITH THE RESEARCH YOU'RE DOING.
SO, UH, WE'LL BE ANXIOUS TO SEE YOUR, YOUR PROGRESS AS YOU, AS YOU GO ALONG THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY.
UH, LAST THING I WANNA SAY IS I'LL BE OUT AT EAGLES TRACE TONIGHT.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 17 MEETING, SPEAKING TO THAT GROUP.
UH, FIRST CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER FOR CHRISTIAN MENEFEE.
HE WAS ELECTED TO FULFILL THE REMAINING TERM OF THE LATE SYLVESTER TURNER ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 31ST.
HE WAS SWORN IN BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, MIKE JOHNSON, ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND.
AND CONGRESSMAN MENEFEE HAS A SMALL CONNECTION TO THE WEST SIDE.
PRIOR TO MOVING TO CITY 18, HE ATTENDED ALE HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, THIS IS A REMINDER TO, UH, RESIDENTS AS WE ENTER AND PREPARE FOR THE MARCH, 2026 PRIMARY WITH THE OFF-CYCLE REDISTRICTING, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO CHECK AND VERIFY YOUR, UM, YOUR, UM, VOTER REGISTRATION TO KNOW, SO YOU ARE INFORMED ABOUT WHO YOU GET TO VOTE FOR.
UM, IN DISTRICT F THROUGH, DUE TO THE REDISTRICTING, WE NOW HAVE THREE, FOUR CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS.
SO IT'S IN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, FOR YOU TO BE CLEAR THAT THIS ELECTION IS LIKE NO OTHER.
UM, I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UM, SOME OF THE WORK, UM, THAT WE'VE BEEN TAUGHT THAT I MENTIONED, UH, LAST WEEK ABOUT THE, UH, APARTMENT INSPECTION ORDINANCE THAT WE ARE WORKING THROUGH.
THERE ARE TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED.
WE HAVE, UH, SHARED THIS INFORMATION ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH AT SIX O'CLOCK AT THE A LEAF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
UM, AND THEN THURSDAY, MARCH 5TH AT 6:00 PM AT THE HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AT 6,300 IRVINGTON CITY DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE THERE.
WE'LL HAVE TRANSLATION SERVICES.
THIS WILL BE LIVE STREAMED FROM HTV.
UM, SO WE CAN HEAR FROM YOU IF YOU ARE A LEASEHOLDER PROPERTY MANAGER, OWNER OPERATOR.
UH, WE ARE INVITING YOU TO JOIN US SO WE CAN MASSAGE THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE AND MAKE SURE THAT BEFORE THIS ITEM GETS TO, UH, THE, UH, JOINT COMMITTEE BETWEEN HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THAT IT HAS THE BEST REFLECTION.
AND YOU GET TO HEAR FROM CITY DEPARTMENTS ABOUT THE CUR, THE, THE, THE CURRENT RULE ON THE BOOKS, AND THEN HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH ENFORCEMENT.
SO EVERYONE IS ON THE LINE EXCITED, UM, TO, UM, DEPLOY THIS WITH MAYOR PRO TEM.
UM, I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE A ROBUST, UH, A ROBUST, UH, CONVERSATION COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE ARE INSTRUCTING, UM, INVITING PARTICULAR DISTRICTS AT CERTAIN DAYS.
UM, BUT FOR CONVENIENCE, BECAUSE WE, WE ARE LOOKING TO MOVE THIS ITEM TO COMMITTEE QUICKLY SO WE CAN, UM, GO TO A VOTE WITHIN THE 30 DAYS.
SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEND THIS OUT THROUGH YOUR NEWSLETTER, YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE YOU IN ATTENDANCE AS WELL, SO YOU CAN LISTEN TO SOME OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS CONCERNS AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY, QUALITY OF LIFE, HABITABILITY, AND MORE.
I ALSO WANNA TALK ABOUT COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN FISCAL 27, UM, NEXT SUMMER.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE PROPOSED IN THE QUEUE $276,000 PANEL REPLACEMENT OF BRAS BRAESWOOD ESTATES, A $230,000 SIDEWALK ON LIMA DRIVE, AND 51 SPEED CUSHIONS IN LEEWOOD.
THAT ALREADY PUTS US AT A $518,000 OF OUR COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
IF YOU ARE A SUBDIVISION, AND I'VE INSTRUCTED YOU TO DO AN AUDIT OF YOUR COMMUNITY, ASH ASHTON VILLAGE SECTION, SECTION TANGLE WILD, I WANNA ASK YOU TO MOVE EXPEDITIOUSLY TO GET THAT INFORMATION INTO 3 1 1, SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A COST ESTIMATE AND WE ARE READY FOR CONSTRUCTION AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
IN JULY ONE, I WANNA CLOSE OUT MY REMARKS WITH COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND ON THE WEST SIDE, WE KNOW IT'S MARDI GRAS, Y'ALL.
AND AS A NEW ORIAN, WE KNOW WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA CELEBRATE TEXAS AND LOUISIANA HAS A SHARED, UH, RELATIONSHIP AROUND THAT, THAT CELEBRATION.
AND SO IF YOU'RE IN, UH, THE MOVE FOR SOME KING CAKE, YOU CAN ALWAYS TRY OUT THREE BROTHERS DESSERT GALLERY, OR OUR BELOVED HB HEB.
BUT IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, YOU'RE GONNA ORDER THAT FROM NEW ORLEANS.
SO YOU CAN GO TO GAMBINOS, RANDLES, OR LORETTA'S, AND YOU'LL GET IT FOR FAT TUESDAY.
Y'ALL ALSO WANNA SHOUT OUT, LUNA NEW YEAR IS COMING.
UM, MANY OF YOU WILL BE ON THE WEST SIDE THIS SATURDAY ON VALENTINE'S DAY AT THE CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTER FROM 10 TO FOUR AT FORT 9,800 TOWN PARK, AND ALSO AT THE 29TH ANNUAL TEXAS LUNAR FESTIVAL ON SATURDAY, AT THE SAME TIME
[02:20:01]
AT THE A EAF, UH, ADVANCED CAREER CENTER AT 12 1 6 RICHMOND.I WILL BE AT THE GRAND OPENING CEREMONY ON FEBRUARY 26.
HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR TO ALL THAT PARTICIPATE.
SO, 2026 WAS ROUGH FOR Y'ALL, AND IT WAS, YOU GET TO START OVER ON CHINESE NEW YEAR.
I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, AGAIN, AS WE CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH, I WANNA THANK THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THEIR AUTHOR TALK AT JULIA IEN ON SATURDAY WITH MICHAEL HARRIET.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXCEPTIONAL PROGRAMMING.
AND THEN YOU ALL CAN JOIN ME ON FEBRUARY 19TH AT THE WESTCHASE ROBINSON LESS LIBRARY, WHILE I'LL BE READING DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH, AND THEN I'LL ALSO BE AT O'DONNELL MIDDLE SCHOOL, UM, THAT LATER THAT EVENING FOR THEIR BLACK HISTORY PROGRAM.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO ON THE WEST SIDE, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO DISTRICT F AT HOUSTON.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, PARTICULARLY YOU AND THE, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM HAVING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS ON THE, UH, HOUSING, UH, EXCELLENT DELIBERATIVE WAY TO REACH THE BEST, UH, PRODUCT.
YEAH, AND I PLAN TO BE THERE TO LISTEN.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, AMPLIFYING THAT.
UH, CHRISTIAN WON THE ELECTION.
I, I LOVE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT, UH, I KNOW MANY OF US AT, UH, PARTICIPATED IN LEADERSHIP HOUSTON.
HE'S MY LEADERSHIP, HOUSTON CLASS 36, BEST CLASS EVER, CLASSMATE
UM, BUT ALSO, UH, THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO, UM, UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, WITH THIS NEXT ROUND OF ELECTIONS STARTING FEBRUARY 17TH.
UM, EARLY VOTING, UH, OUR LINES HAVE CHANGED.
UM, AND SO PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE IN THE 18TH, UM, THAT THE NINTH HAS MOVED TO LIBERTY, TEXAS.
UM, SO MAKE SURE YOU ARE CHECKING YOUR ADDRESS, CHECKING YOUR VOTING STATUS SO THAT YOU DON'T MISS, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE WHO YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE TO REPRESENT YOU IN THIS, UH, NEXT ELECTION.
AND THEN I WANT TO, UM, LET RESIDENTS KNOW THAT ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY THE 21ST IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW FACE CHURCH, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER SHRED DAY.
SOME FOLKS CALLED US AND TOLD US THEY FORGOT, AND THEY STILL HAVE LOTS OF STUFF THEY WANNA SHRED.
IT'S NOT LIMITED TO FOLKS IN DISTRICT K.
UM, AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF CAPACITY.
SO I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAVE ITEMS YOU WANT TO GET SHREDDED ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST FROM NINE TO 12, WE'LL BE AT NEW FAITH CHURCH AT 43 15 WEST FUKE WAY DRIVE, AND IT'S A DRIVE THROUGH.
YOU CAN DROP YOUR THINGS OFF, IT'S SHREDDED ON SITE.
UM, AND WE ARE HAPPY TO, UM, PROVIDE THAT SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE DATES FOR OUR APARTMENT, APARTMENT INSPECTION, ORDINANCE, COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
I'LL REITERATE THAT AS FEBRUARY 19TH FROM SIX TO EIGHT AT THE A LEAF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, MARCH 5TH FROM SIX TO EIGHT AT THE HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ON IRVINGTON.
LOOK FOR SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, COMMUNICATION, UH, IN OUR NEWSLETTERS AND ALSO, UM, ONLINE AS WE ENCOURAGE THE TENANTS, THE LANDLORDS, THE OWNERS, THE PROPERTY MANAGERS, ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE TWO MEETINGS, UM, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE, UH, ORDINANCE TO MOVE FORWARD FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THEN, UM, COLLEAGUES, REMEMBER WE VOTED ON OUR, UM, DONATION BOX ORDINANCE.
WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN DONATION BOXES JUST BEING DROPPED ON PROPERTIES.
UM, THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE TO AGREE TO HAVE THOSE DONATION BOXES ON THEIR PROPERTY.
IF THERE IS NOT AN ORANGE DECAL THAT SAYS THEY HAVE PAID AND PERMITTED THOSE DONATION BOXES, WE CAN HAVE THEM REMOVED.
WE ARE FINDING THAT THESE DONATION BOXES HAVE BECOME MAGNETS FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT COME TO, UM, THEIR, THEIR PLACE OF BUSINESS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE'S A DONATION BOX ON THEIR PROPERTY, THEY, THERE IS A MECHANISM IN PLACE TO GET THOSE REMOVED.
SO IF YOU SEE THESE UNPERMITTED BOXES, CALL IT IN THE THREE ONE ONE, YOU CAN, UM, CALL OUR OFFICE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP USHER THOSE, UM, AND GET THOSE DONATION BOXES REMOVED.
IF THEY DO NOT HAVE THE ORANGE STICKER ON FRONT OF THE DONATION BOX, IT'S AN UNPERMITTED BOX, AND WE NEED TO GET THOSE OUT OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, THIS IS SOME DRAINAGE AND INFRASTRUCTURE WORK HAPPENING THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS.
[02:25:01]
THAT WORK STARTED ON FEBRUARY THE SECOND.WE RECEIVED A COUPLE OF CALLS ABOUT, UM, FOLKS OUT THERE IN THOSE AREAS.
BUT IT IS, UM, BECAUSE WE ARE REPAIRING THOSE DRAINAGE OUTFALLS, UM, TO PRODUCE, UM, TO REDUCE, UH, STRUCTURE FLOODING AND MAKING SURE WE ARE PREPARED FOR FUTURE RAIN EVENTS, UH, AND FRIDAY AS WE CONTINUE CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE GO TRAIL RIDERS EVENT HAPPENING AT THE HARM CLARK MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
I'LL BE THERE FROM ONE TO FOUR.
THERE'LL BE STORY TIME, UH, PETTING ZOO TECH LINK ACTIVITIES, UH, MAYOR, AND I THINK THAT, UH, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THE LAST WEEK, WHAT GREAT PROGRAMMING THE, UM, HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY IS CURATING FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH, BUT WANT TO CONTINUE TO AMPLIFY THAT AND ENCOURAGE HOUSTONIANS TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, VALENTINE'S DAY IS COMING UP.
THANK YOU COLLEAGUES FOR THE WONDERFUL GIFTS.
UH, AND Y'ALL HAVE A HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, AND OF COURSE, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER.
THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEAK.
UM, WE HAVE A TAX CREDIT PROPOSAL IN DISTRICT A, THE VISTA ARBOR TRACE ON, UM, ON CONRAD SOUR.
AND OUR NEIGHBORS, UM, FROM ROYAL OAKS AND SHADOW OAKS ARE GOING TO HOST A MEETING ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH AT 6:30 PM UM, WITH THE DEVELOPERS THAT WILL BE AT FAIRHAVEN CHURCH, 1 3 3 0 GESNER.
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE PROPOSAL, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ATTEND THAT MEETING.
UM, IN CELEBRATION OF LUNAR, UH, LUNAR NEW YEAR, UM, PARTICIPATING IN A GIFT DISTRIBUTION WITH ONE OF OUR VIETNAMESE SAM AMERICAN COMMUNITIES AT ST.
JOSEPH CONDOMINIUMS. I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS, UH, BUT I ALSO WANT TO, UH, JUST GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO DEPUTY DOW WYNN WITH, UH, CONSTABLE PRECINCT TWO JERRY GARCIA'S OFFICE FOR HELPING ORGANIZE THIS ALSO, UM, AHEAD OF, UH, VALENTINE'S DAY.
MY TEAM AND I, UH, WERE CONTINUING TO VISIT WITH OUR SENIORS AND, UH, ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THEM THEIR FLOWERS, LITERALLY, BUT ALSO, OF COURSE, FIGURATIVELY.
UM, I WAS, I ALWAYS ENJOY SPENDING TIME WITH OUR SENIORS.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE TIMES, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE MEETING TOGETHER, THEY FIND, THEY FIND THAT, UH, JOY IN BEING ABLE TO, UH, COME TOGETHER ALONE.
BUT WHEN SOMEONE ELSE GOES TO VISIT THEM, UM, IT'S A REMINDER OF, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THAT, UH, FAMILY, UH, UNITY THAT THEY, I KNOW MANY TIMES, UH, ALSO NEED AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN WITH THAT, I JUST WANNA WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, A REMINDER THAT, UH, WE NEED TO SHOW SOME LOVE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, WE CAN DO THAT BY REPORTING TO 3 1 1 AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY WELL, COUNCILOR POLLARD.
UM, I FIRST WANNA START BY HIGHLIGHTING THAT MY OFFICE WAS ABLE TO GIVE, UH, $25,000 TO THE HOUSTON, HOUSTON, UH, TO HMA, THE HOUSTON MUSEUM OF AFRICAN, AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE.
UH, THAT WAS THE FIRST, UH, ALLOCATION OF PUBLIC DOLLARS THAT THAT MUSEUM HAS EVER RECEIVED.
UM, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE THE ONLY AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT GET PUBLIC DOLLARS.
AND SO WE WERE, WE WERE ECSTATIC THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR THEM.
UH, THOSE DOLLARS WILL GO TOWARDS THESE VIRTUAL REALITY, UH, HEADSETS THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE TO SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS ALL OVER THE CITY, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN JAY CITY, UH, THAT WILL BRING THOSE STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY TO THE, UH, MUSEUM WITHOUT HAVING TO ACTUALLY BE THERE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TO THE HOUSTON MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE ON CAROLINE STREET, I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO PLEASE GO VISIT.
UM, LAST NIGHT I WAS EXCITED THAT CLUB CREEK PARK, WHICH IS A PARK IN JAY CITY NEAR, UM, 59 AND BINET, UH, WAS AWARDED THE TOP, UH, OPEN SPACE, UH, IN HOUSTON AWARD LAST NIGHT BY THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE.
AND THERE WAS A, UM, BIG RECEPTION AT, UH, THE GOOD COMPANY OFF OF KIRBY.
AND I WANT TO GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO UHT 20, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON PARKS AND RECS DEPARTMENT, UH, SWA GROUP, UH, MILL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION, WALTER P. MOORE, UH, THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, ENC ENGINEERS AND CONSULTANTS, AND SPECIFICALLY MY OFFICE STAFF AND MY CHIEF OF STAFF, PAUL YOUNG.
UH, WE DID A LOT OF WORK AT TRANSFORMING THAT GREEN SPACE OFF OF CLUB CREEK INTO ONE OF, I THINK, HOUSTON'S MOST SPECIAL PARKS.
UH, NOT ONLY IS IT A DETENTION BASIN TO HELP WITH FLOOD MITIGATION, UH, BUT THERE'S ALSO HIKE AND BIKE TRAILS, PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, EXERCISE EQUIPMENT, AND THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL.
UH, WHICH, UM, IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF MY PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, IS CONSTRUCTING THAT VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE VETERANS FROM THE HOUSTON AREA HAVE A PROPER
[02:30:01]
WELCOME HOME AND A PROPER THANK YOU FOR THEIR SERVICE.UM, WE'VE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT WE ARE NOW GOING TO BE SWITCHING TO A ON-CALL HEAVY TRASH STRATEGY.
UM, I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT WORKS, BUT I DO WANT TO BE ON THE RECORD AS SAYING I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT ROUTE.
UH, I DON'T HAVE CONFIDENCE IN IT, UH, AND I HOPE I'M PROVEN WRONG.
UM, BUT I DO THINK THERE'S OTHER WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN ADDRESS THE HEAVY TRASH AND TREE WASTE PROBLEM THAT IS RAMPANT ALL THROUGHOUT, UM, THE CITY MAYOR, UH, AGAIN, I WANNA STRESS THAT MY OFFICE STILL WANTS TO UTILIZE OUR COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUND DOLLARS FOR OVERTIME WITH HPD.
UM, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN ABLE TO PUT FORTH A LOT OF DOLLARS TOWARDS OVERTIME FOR COMMUNITY PATROL AND, UH, PRESENCE WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND OVER THE PAST YEAR, OR CLOSE TO A YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN, UM, PROHIBITED FROM PUTTING FORTH OUR OVERTIME DOLLARS IN OUR DISTRICT.
AND THAT IS A REAL DETRIMENT TO THE, THE RESIDENTS OF JAY CITY.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHY I'M THE ONLY OFFICE THAT IS PROHIBITED FROM GIVING THOSE OVERTIME DOLLARS, BUT WHEN IT IS ALREADY SHOWN THAT THIS CITY IS GOING ABOVE BUDGET WHEN IT COMES TO OVERTIME, AND THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THESE NEIGHBORHOODS NEED AS MUCH PRESENCE AS POSSIBLE TO ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY, I'M ASKING AGAIN THAT YOU APPROVE THE OVERTIME FUNDING THAT MY OFFICE HAS BUDGETED FOR COMMUNITY POLICING IN JAY CITY.
UM, TONIGHT I WILL BE THE SPEAKER FOR THE BLACK HISTORY PROGRAM AT HOUSTON CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY.
UH, THAT IS SOMETHING I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
UM, I DO WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE CREW OF POROUS.
UH, THEY PUT ON A MARDI GRAS GALA, THE FIRST INAUGURAL MARDI GRAS GALA IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT WAS AT THE THOMPSON HOTEL.
THEY DID A PHENOMENAL JOB OF PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
UH, SO PROPS TO THEM AND, UH, TO EVERYONE, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.
UH, MAYOR, I WAS HAPPY TO REPRESENT YOU AT THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL PARKS AND NATURAL AREAS AWARDS PROGRAM AND, AND THE PARK YOU JUST MENTIONED.
UM, UH, CLUB CREEK WON AN AWARD THERE TOO FOR THE PROJECTS.
OVER 500,000, THAT IS A GREAT PARK.
AND THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL'S, UH, REALLY COOL TOO.
ALSO, WINNING AWARDS WERE BURNETT BAIN, COLUMBIA TAP, CAMDEN PARK.
LOCKWOOD PARK WAS SAU PARK, PITNER POCKET PARK LEAF POCKET PRAIRIE AND GREENS UP GREENS BAYOU.
UM, ANOTHER UH, THING THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY WAS THE, UM, THE MAPS, THE FEMA MAPS.
UM, THE DRAFT HAS BEEN RELEASED, ALTHOUGH SEARCH, AS I WILL ON THE FEMA SITE, IT'S NOT REALLY USER FRIENDLY TO FIND.
MY BIGGEST, MY BEST WAY TO KIND OF LOOK AT THE NEW MAPS IS ON THE CHRONICLES INTER INTERACTIVE MAP.
YOU CAN LITERALLY PUT IN AN ADDRESS AND IT'LL TELL YOU WHETHER YOU'RE, YOU'VE MOVED UP, LIKE FROM THE 500 TO THE 100, OR YOU'VE GONE TO FROM THE 100 TO THE 500.
OR IF YOU'RE NOT IN, IF THERE'S NO CHANGE AT ALL IF YOU'RE NOT IN IT.
BUT I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE A MORE PUBLIC, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S GONNA BE MORE PUBLIC USER-FRIENDLY RELEASE COMING SOON.
THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WILL BE DISCUSSING THE MAPS AT, UH, COMMISSIONER'S COURT THIS WEEK, SO STAY TUNED ON, ON ATLAS 14.
I'M EXCITED TO SHARE THAT OUR OFFICE WILL BE LAUNCHING OUR MONTHLY OFFICE HOURS ON FEBRUARY 19TH, FROM THREE TO 7:00 PM I WILL BE AVAILABLE TO MEET WITH ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD LIKE TO MEET.
YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO SIGN UP.
UM, BUT WE HOPE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT CITY HALL OR SHARE THEIR ISSUES WILL DO SO.
AND I'M THRILLED TO SHARE THAT WE HAVE THE TWO NEWEST MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM HERE, IF THEY CAN STAND UP.
UH, BRYCE RANDALL IS OUR NEW POLICY AND ADVOCACY DIRECTOR, AND HE'S JOINING US FROM COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S OFFICE.
AND ASHLEY GIADA IS JOINING US FROM LONE STAR COLLEGE, AND SHE'S OUR NEW OPERATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR.
THEY ARE PHENOMENAL YOUNG LEADERS.
I'M THRILLED TO HAVE 'EM ON THE TEAM, AND THEY ARE EXCITED TO DO THE PEOPLE'S WORK.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, ALTHOUGH SHE'S LEFT THE ROOM, HER COMMENTS ON THE HOMELESS, UH, JUST THIS MORNING, YOU KNOW, COMING DOWN CAPITOL, TURNING ONTO MAINE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE, RIGHT? WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THEM, YOU KNOW, UH, IN MORE POCKETS THAN MAYBE BEFORE.
BUT IT'S, I THINK THE AWARENESS REALLY MAKES YOU LOOK AROUND, YOU KNOW, JUST THE CONVERSATION.
BUT WE'VE GOT TO STAY FOCUSED AND CERTAINLY MAKING
[02:35:01]
PROGRESS ON THAT FRONT, UM, WITH OTHER FACILITIES, UM, AND CONTINUING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND TO PURSUE THAT.BUT CERTAINLY IT'S GONNA TAKE, UM, PARTICIPATION AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE, UM, EVERYONE WORKING TOGETHER.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, FUNDING, WE NEED TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE FUNDING.
YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE FUNDING PARK SUPPLIES, WHEN WE'RE FUNDING, YOU KNOW, CONTRACEPTION, WE NEED TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE VOTING TO FUND TO HELP OUR HOMELESS POPULATION.
ON THAT NOTE, THE PIT COUNT IS, EXCUSE ME, FEBRUARY THE 24TH THROUGH THE 26TH, UH, TRAINING.
THERE'S ONE, I THINK TOMORROW IS THE FINAL, UH, VIRTUAL TRAINING FOR THAT.
MY TEAM WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE PIT COUNT.
IT'S ONE THING TO TALK ABOUT THE HOMELESS, IT'S ANOTHER TO GO OUT AND TO SEE THEM AND TO SEE WHO'S OUT THERE.
UM, CERTAINLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE STREET FEEDERS, IRONICALLY ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, I MEET WITH STREET FEEDERS A LOT, AND I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF THEM HAVE CALLED ME THIS PAST WEEK AND SAID, HEY, CAN YOU HELP US TO HELP UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS WE'RE TRYING TO DO? BECAUSE WE'RE NOT FEEDING JUST THE HOMELESS ANYMORE.
WE'RE FEEDING THOSE WHO COME OUT OF, LITERALLY COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK.
AND THIS IS THE GROUP OVER ON CONGRESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M BEEN AN ACTIVE CONVERSATION TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT CAN WE GET THEM TO A CONSOLIDATED SITE WHERE THE CLEANUP ISN'T JUST SO VAST THAT IT'S COSTLY AND IT'S, IT'S BECOMING AN ISSUE EVEN WITHOUT LOAVES AND FISHES.
YOU KNOW, ONCE EMANCIPATION GETS ONLINE, UM, I KNOW WE'LL BE IN A BETTER PLACE, BUT THIS IS A, THIS IS A TOPIC THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE TO TACKLE.
AND I KNOW YOU ARE, AND I KNOW AROUND THIS HORSESHOE, EVERYONE IS, BUT IT'S CITYWIDE.
IT'S, IT'S NOT LIMITED TO DOWNTOWN, IT'S NOT LIMITED TO DISTRICT G.
AND I THINK HOLISTICALLY, WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT A BIG PICTURE.
REENTRY BEING A HUGE PART OF IT.
WHEN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE AN ID, THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GET AN ID, IT'S A PROBLEM.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A HUGE CONVERSATION.
UM, AND IT'S NOT A, A, AN OVERNIGHT FIX, AND IT'S NOT A ONE-STOP SOLUTION.
THERE ARE MANY ASPECTS TO TACKLE, WHETHER IT'S THE REENTRY OR THE RESPITE CARE.
UM, BUT, UH, ON THAT NOTE TODAY, I'M HAPPY TO REPRESENT YOUR OFFICE, UH, AT THE UNITED WAY FOR THE 2 1 1 DAY.
AND 2, 1 1, IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW, IS THE HELPLINE FOR UNITED WAY TO GAIN ACCESS FOR FOOD, CHILDCARE, UM, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES FOR THE AGING, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, JUST, IT'S THEIR HELPLINE.
AND, UH, CERTAINLY THAT'S A GREAT SERVICE TO THE CITY.
IF YOU HAVEN'T GONE ON THE PIT COUNT WITH COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO DO SO.
AND ALSO TOO, WHEN YOU START TO IDENTIFY OTHER POCKETS IN YOUR COMMUNITY, I KNOW YOU ALL WORK WITH THE COALITION, BUT YOU KNOW, I CALL THEM AND SAY, HERE'S A NEW GROUP.
AND TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SEEING THESE NEW ENCAMPMENTS AND THESE NEW POCKET COMMUNITIES, UM, OF THE HOMELESS, BECAUSE I, I, I REALLY BELIEVE IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING THE CONVERSATION.
THE AWARENESS IS, IS MAKING US REALLY LOOK AT IT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, I JUST WANNA FIRST START OUT SAYING THAT THE JACK GATES ALUMNI GATHERED AT WILLER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH THIS PAST SUNDAY TO CELEBRATE THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF JACK GATES SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, A CENTURY OF EXCELLENCE, RESILIENCE, SCHOLARSHIP, LEADERSHIP, AND PRIDE.
FOR 100 YEARS, JACK YATES HAS PRODUCED EDUCATORS, JUDGES, ARTISTS, PASTORS, PHYSICIANS, ENGINEERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, ENTREPRENEURS, AND COMMUNITY BUILDERS.
IT'S AN EXPERIENCE, A TRAINING GROUND FOR EXCELLENCE.
A PILLAR OF THIRD WARD, THE CENTENNIAL WAS NOT SIMPLY A CELEBRATION OF THE PAST.
IT WAS A DEC DECLARATION ABOUT THE FUTURE.
UH, ALSO ON THIS FRIDAY, UH, CHANNEL 39, WE'LL HAVE A ONE HOUR, UM, VIDEO PARTICIPATION, UH, A LOVE LETTER TO JY.
WE, WE LOVE JACK GATES, AS Y'ALL KNOW, JY FOR LIFE.
AND IT'S A CALL TO ALUMNI TO COME OUT AND CELEBRATE THE LOVE FOR, FOR JACK GATES.
IT WILL BE AT 9:00 AM AT THE NEW SCHOOL, 36 50 ALABAMA IN THE LOBBY.
AND SO 100 YEARS LATER, THE LIONS ARE STILL ROARING.
AND DISTRICT D IS PROUD TO BE THE HOME OF THIS HISTORIC LEGACY.
UH, ON THIS EVENING, MUSEUM PARK SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL, WE'LL HAVE A VIRTUAL MEETING FROM 5:30 PM TO 7:00 PM ON TOMORROW.
[02:40:01]
THE STATE OF THE NAACP HOUSTON BRANCH WILL BE AT THE ENSEMBLE THEATER FROM FIVE 30 TO 8 35 35 MAIN STREET.THIS IS AN ANNUAL ADDRESS THAT WILL HIGHLIGHT THE HOUSTON BRANCHES PRIORITIES AND ONGOING WORK AND CIVIL RIGHTS, ECONOMIC EQUITY, AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
ON NEXT THURSDAY, THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE MEETING WILL WOO WOO WOO, UH, TAKE PLACE, UH, FROM TWO TO THREE HERE IN THE CHAMBERS.
UH, THE COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS ON PROGRAMMING INVESTMENTS AND STRENGTHENING HOUSTON'S CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM.
ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY THE 19TH, FROM FIVE TO 7:00 PM THERE WILL BE A FINANCIAL READINESS TACKLING BARRIERS TO HOME OWNERSHIP AT THE BLUE TRIANGLE COMMUNITY CENTER, 3005 MAGOWAN STREET.
AND THIS WORKSHOP WILL PROVIDE RESIDENTS WITH TOOLS AROUND FINANCIAL LITERACY, CREDIT READINESS, AND SUSTAINABLE PATHWAYS TO OWNERSHIP.
I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ AND COUNCILMAN MA POLLARD, UH, UH, FOR THE WONDERFUL VALENTINE'S EXPRESSIONS.
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DATA, EVERYONE.
AND I'LL TAKE THAT CANDY FOR COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, SINCE SHE'S NOT HERE.
YEAH, I'M JUST SAYING, UH, DISTRICT D CONTINUES TO LEAD HONORING, LEGACY, ENGAGING RESIDENTS, AND CREATING OPPORTUNITY.
AND THIS CONCLUDES THIS GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
THANK, THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CASTILLO.
THIS PAST SATURDAY, I PARTICIPATED IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE READIN AT THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY, UM, PUT ON BY HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEMS TO CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
I DO WANNA, UH, THANK DIRECTOR GOFF FOR BEING PRESENT AT THE EVENT AS WELL AND, AND HOSTING IT AT CARNEGIE AND ALL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO SHOWED UP.
I WAS ABLE TO READ SOME AFRICAN PROVERBS.
UM, AND IT WAS, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
IT WAS MY FIRST TIME PARTICIPATING IN AT THE READ-IN.
UH, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO DOING MORE OF THE, UH, BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENTS IN DISTRICT H THIS COMING TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH, THERE WILL BE A TOWN HALL AT MOODY PARK WITH COMMISSIONER GARCIA ZA OFFICE, HOUSTON PARKS DEPARTMENT, MYSELF, AROUND THE AGREEMENT FOR PRECINCT TWO TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE MOODY PARK.
THIS IS GOING TO, UH, BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO LEARN, UH, ABOUT THIS TRANSITION, AND ALSO ASK QUESTIONS.
UH, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN GETTING A FEW ALREADY, UM, AND HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE FOLKS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS, UM, AS WE LOOK TO A NEW PHASE FOR MOODY PARK, AND ONE WHERE THE PARK WILL, UH, CONTINUE TO BE UTILIZED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, AND GROUPS AND, AND SEE SOME UPGRADES AND, UH, SOME IMPROVEMENTS COMING ITS WAY.
THAT WILL BE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH AT THE MOODY PARK COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE PET SET MOBILE UNIT FOR SPAY NEUTER IS GONNA BE AT TWO LOCATIONS COMING UP, UH, FOR DISTRICT H RESIDENTS THAT DO REQUIRE APPOINTMENTS.
SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR LOW COST SPAY NEUTER SERVICES, THAT INCLUDES VACCINE AND MICROCHIPS, FEBRUARY 13TH AND 16TH, THEY WILL BE AT WABASH FEED AND GARDEN OFF OF SHEPHERD FEBRUARY 20TH AND 22ND AT ZUMI IN SECOND WARD OFF OF CANAL.
YOU CAN GO TO PETSET.ORG/SPAY NEUTER TO RESERVE YOUR APPOINTMENT.
THEY ARE AVAILABLE FROM 6:45 AM UH, ALL THE WAY TO FOUR.
AND THIS IS FOR DISTRICT H RESIDENTS ONLY, UH, TO RECEIVE THE SPAY NEUTER SERVICES.
I JUST WANNA BEGIN BY THANKING EVERYONE CAME OUT TO OUR TOWN HALL MEETING ON MONDAY NIGHT IN THE MONTROSE AT THE METROPOLITAN MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE VERY, WE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN PRESENTING THESE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, UH, AS WE STARTED, THIS IS, UH, BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, UH, OF 2026 IN OUR TOWN HALL MEETING.
AND, UH, WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE DO IN PARTICIPATING WITH ALLOWING THE COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH US, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO ALL OF US AS WE SERVE OUR CITY.
WE HAD A LITTLE OVER 150 PEOPLE IN TOTAL ATTENDANCE.
WE ARE, WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE A FORUM TO THOSE WHO ATTENDED TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT CITY GOVERNMENT.
I WANT TO THANK THE, UH, CERTAINLY I WANT TO THANK OUR DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS, UH, PANELISTS AND FACILITY STAFF FOR MAKING OUR EVENT OF SUCCESS, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE
[02:45:01]
PARTICIPATION FROM THE DEPARTMENTS OF OUR CITY.I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ABBY CAYMAN, AND ALSO WHO JOINED US AND COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE, UH, SALLY ALCORN, BOTH OF THEM FOR SPEAKING AT THE EVENT.
AND, UH, HAD MEMBERS REPRESENTING FROM COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ'S OFFICE AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER'S OFFICE WANT TO THANK THEM FOR PARTICIPATING AND JOINING US.
I'D LIKE TO ALSO WANT TO THANK KHOU FOR COVERING OUR EVENT AND EMPHASIZING SOME OF THE, UH, ADVANCEMENTS AND THE CHANGES THAT'S BEING PARTICIPATING THROUGH SOLID WASTE.
I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THAT BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN SUCH A BIG ISSUE AS WE HEAR IT OFTEN AROUND THE HORSESHOE.
AND SO WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK NATHAN KELLY AND THE BLAZER BUILDING FOR SPONSORING, UH, OUR EVENT IN HELPING TO, UH, PAY FOR AND FACILITATE SOME OF THE, UH, CATERING THAT WE HAD FROM, UH, CAFE GINGER.
ONE LAST SHOUT OUT I LIKE TO GIVE IS TO OUR WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS, THE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO HELP AND ASSIST US.
WE TRY TO GET THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED IN MUCH OF WHAT WE DO.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK MONICA MASON AND THE VOLUNTEERS AT THE YOUNG SOCIETY OF HOUSTON, UH, WHO CAME OUT AND SERVED, WHICH WAS REALLY, REALLY, UH, A BIG HELP.
OUR NEXT TOWN HALL MEETING WILL BE IN MAY AT THE CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTER IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING CITY HALL ONCE AGAIN TO THAT AREA AND TO THAT COMMUNITY, UH, WHICH IS WHAT WE GENERALLY TRY TO DO.
I ALSO, IN MY LAST STATEMENT, I WANT TO LIFT UP TWO PARTICULAR THINGS.
NUMBER ONE IS THAT WE'VE STARTED THE INITIATIVE OF THE PPP.
UH, I TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR IN PRESENTING STATS ON THE INCREASE OF CRIME AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, WHICH DEALS WITH, UH, POLICE AND OTHER FAITH LEADERS, AS WELL AS BUSINESS PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE GONNA BE ROLLING THAT OUT THROUGH OUR MINISTRY ADVISORY BOARD, AND, UH, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
AND CERTAINLY WORKING WITH HPD, WE ALSO ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING OUR SECOND ANNUAL FINANCIAL SYMPOSIUM ON BANKING IN YOUR BUSINESS, WHICH WAS A VERY HUGE TURNOUT LAST YEAR.
WE DID THE FIRST ONE, AND, UH, WE HAD AN ATTENDANCE OF ABOUT 347 PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED BUSINESSES, NON-FOR-PROFITS, UH, FOR-PROFITS, BUSINESSES OF ALL DENOMINATES, ALL BUSINESSES CULTURE WIDE.
AND IT WAS A GREAT, GREAT TURNOUT, AND WE WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.
WE KNOW I HEAR OFTEN AROUND THE HEART SHEET ABOUT MONIES AND WHAT WE SPEND.
AND AS I OFTEN SAY, THE CITY DON'T HAVE ALL THE MONEY, THE COUNTY DON'T HAVE IT.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO EDUCATE OURSELVES AROUND THE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT, WHICH IS A FEDERAL LAW.
WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES.
WE TALK ABOUT CUTS, BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS REQUIRED TO DO.
AND THAT IS BY THEM TO TELL BANKS THEY'RE, YOU FOLLOW THE LAW.
IT SAYS THEY'LL REQUIRE TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT BE HOUSING PROJECTS, UH, WHEN I HEARD MAYOR PRO TEM TALK ABOUT THE NEW FAITH CHURCH AND THEIR PROJECT, THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SEE GET DONE IN ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO HELP HELP US TO DO THAT ARE THE PEOPLE WITH THE MONEY, AND IT IS THE BANK.
SO WE THANKFUL FOR THAT AND WE'LL BE HOPEFULLY ROLLING THAT OUT VERY SOON.
UH, WE'RE GONNA STAND ADJOURNED TO WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 9:00 AM FOR A CONSOLIDATED, UH, SESSION.